Origin Player.

Chapter 672 Blood Eagle Punishment

The Civilization Era is 844.

The army of King Thorn was completely annihilated at York.

The great swordsman Blue, renowned for his elegant swordsmanship, perished, and Irisland and York fell into the hands of the Vikings. The cause of this disaster was caused by only one person—the god-warrior Augustus.

The news sent shockwaves through the nations.

Thorn City, the royal court.

boom!
On the throne, the over-sixty-year-old Thorn King smashed his wine cup. Looking at his extremely gloomy face, the counts were silent as cicadas in fear, and even the Red Scorpion Sorcerer couldn't help but slowly retreat.

"It's so ridiculous it's laughable!"

"Such a vast fortress, defended by a thousand elite elite soldiers, all of them died at the hands of one man. The Blue Swordsman is utterly useless, utterly useless! What Rose Sword Saint? He's just greedy for empty fame!"

"It is already quite difficult for a sergeant to kill twenty or thirty elites. Even a great swordsman can only defeat a hundred men. At most, he will be exhausted after killing two or three hundred people. Where did Augustus get such endless blood energy? Tell me the truth!"

King Thorn was furious. He suspected that the defeat of the royal army was due to a poor military decision-making error, and that the nobles were merely colluding to cover up the enemy's strength and try to lessen their guilt.

“Your Majesty, it is absolutely certain,” the Red Scorpion sorcerer stepped forward and said softly.

"Your Majesty, such an outrageous thing is unlikely to be fabricated," the Prime Minister advised in a low voice.

The earls begged for mercy one by one. In fact, they were also incredulous when they received the battle report. However, dozens of citizens had recently escaped from the Yorktown tunnels. After questioning them separately, they were able to reconstruct what had happened.

King Thorn slammed his fist on the armrest a few times, his face ruthless. "Then recall the main force from the southern front. If a thousand men aren't enough, then ten thousand. If ten thousand aren't enough, then let the Vikings take my head. Those who are guilty will not live!"

The palace fell silent for a moment.

Ten thousand elite soldiers represent the entirety of the kingdom's resources. Unlike ordinary people, these professional soldiers undergo full-time training, resulting in relatively strong physiques and skilled killing techniques. A dozen or so of them can hunt down hundreds of refugees and bandits.

"No!" the Prime Minister hurriedly advised. "Your Majesty, the alliance of the three kingdoms is the cornerstone of resisting the imperial invasion. We must not act rashly."

The Prime Minister's attitude was very firm. The Kingdom Alliance was the result of his hard work in negotiating. If the Thorn Kingdom went back on its word, he would not only lose his reputation, but also risk his life.

The counts in the south exchanged glances, and one of them stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Vikings are few in number, and invading Iris Territory is already the limit, but we cannot lose the southern plains."

The Red Scorpion Sorcerer pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, please be patient for the sake of your people."

With the fall of Iris Territory and the absence of the two most ardent advocates of war, Count Iris and Count Philon, the situation has become one-sided.

King Thorn nodded inwardly. In this way, negotiating with the Vikings would greatly reduce the loss of his prestige. There is a big difference between being forced to do something and directly admitting defeat. He could even gain a reputation for benevolence, after all, he was enduring humiliation for the sake of his people.

"you……"

The King of Thorns pointed angrily, then finally let out a sigh.

“I’m tired. You, Prime Minister, will handle how to deal with Iris Territory. There’s only one condition: Yorktown must be taken back.”

"Yes," the Prime Minister replied, bowing.

……

at the same time.

Eastern part of the Continent of Truth.

A long suspension bridge connects the sea cliffs and the island. The island is not large, but it is topped with a magnificent castle that is several hundred meters high. This is clearly not a masterpiece that ordinary craftsmen could build.

The discussion takes place inside the castle.

Four-sevenths of the council's veteran members were present.

The four people are divided into two groups, half men and half women, facing each other in pairs.

In fact, the Warlock Council has two subordinate training institutions: the Sorcerer Academy and the Brotherhood. Once an apprentice becomes a formal warlock, that is, an elite hero, he will be sent to various factions in the Northland and the Continent of Truth to serve as an advisor, thereby strengthening their influence and maintaining the elite status of warlocks.

Only those with exceptional color skills are qualified to become elders, but they must first complete a contract with the party they serve. The lifespan of a sorcerer is usually two to three hundred years.

"I am honored to inform you all that in three years, our Red Sorcerer will complete his service in the Thorn Kingdom and join us. However, before that, some unexpected events have occurred in the Thorn Kingdom, and I believe you have all received the news."

The man in the golden robe spoke tactfully, but his gaze was fixed on the middle-aged woman opposite him—the Black Lady. This female warlock leader stubbornly believed that the warlock community should not risk coveting higher positions, and in the eyes of some young warlocks, she was an inflexible old-fashioned figure.

"In a war, victory and defeat are both common," the Black lady said coldly.

The man in the golden robe sneered, “But I believe that Augustus has the potential to become a king. Now is the time for him to need the assistance of sorcerers to grow from weak to strong. By sending sorcerers now, we will gain greater influence and a stronger voice in the future.”

The Black Lady leaned forward slowly and said solemnly, "Golden Robe, I hope you understand that we serve the monarchy not by participating excessively in the struggle, but only by serving the victors and contributing our knowledge and insights. Your sorcerer empire is ultimately just a beautiful dream."

Ms. Black sighed, "After all, our numbers are too small."

Like witchers, warlocks are a profession that is almost infertile, with no bloodline to carry on. Fresh blood must be selected from those with the potential among mortals, and the search alone is a huge challenge. Some warlock candidates die before they are even found, and the mortality rate on the path of a warlock is equally alarming.

A group unable to pass on its power in an orderly manner is simply incapable of maintaining an empire for long. Even if it were to establish an empire, it would be nothing more than a fleeting illusion. Moreover, it would be a devastating blow to the political credibility of the sorcerer community. At that point, monarchs would no longer trust sorcerers who had coveted their thrones. The man in the golden robe said coldly, "Velte will remain to serve under Augustus."

Ms. Hei warned, "Your decision did not pass the council's approval, and I can forcibly take her back at any time."

“You can give it a try.” The man in the golden robe stood up, waving his sleeve.

The woman in black showed a hint of annoyance and said, "What good can come of an elven sorceress serving a Viking butcher? She sees you as her father, and you treat her like this."

The man in the golden robe had already left his seat.

Among the four, the sorcerer known as "White" felt a little helpless. As a player of Twilight, he deeply regretted the death of the Blue Swordsman. Unfortunately, he did not find out much information about the murderer. The Golden Robe faction already regarded Augustus as the king, and some information, such as dietary habits, had become top secret. There were only three or five "candidates" with similar treatment.

“Since they are Vikings, let’s ask the Bear School in the North to investigate.” The White Sorcerer pondered. The Bear School’s fortress was in the North. This group of witchers was originally on the verge of extinction, but now several hundred Twilight players have established a landing point there.

For Tier 4 players, the Ice Sea World is a treasure trove for personal growth, provided they stick together and resist all sorts of dangers. The Twilight players who are willing to come here are generally ambitious types who are not too decadent.

……

A few days later, Yorktown.

In the church attic, Jiang He lay in the bathtub, examining the legendary blue gem in his hand. Once he collected five of them, he could fuse them into a Holy Spirit-level gem and embed it in the dragon spear.

[Note: For defeating the Blue Swordsman, you have received the Executor Hunting Reward - Legendary Blue Rose Gem]
[Hint: You have obtained the tattoo title "City Destroyer"]
Beside the bath, Zhuang Ya patiently combed Jiang He's platinum hair, her slender white hands carefully smoothing the ends, cleaning away the black blood and flesh fragments one by one, while the scalding hot water around them steamed with white mist.

Right now, inside the church, Norlund is negotiating with the king's envoy. The Viking Legion only has thirty men, and occupying Iris Territory is far beyond their limit.

Norlund hoped to relocate some of the Blackrock Harbor people to Iris Territory to cultivate the fertile land there. The winters in the North were getting colder and colder, and the legendary monsters were constantly rising from the earth, making the Truth Continent a more suitable place to live.

Jiang He had little interest in negotiations; his main quest was to become a baron, and considering his initial status as a Viking freeman, it was highly likely that he would become a Viking baron.

Perhaps a Kingdom Baron would be acceptable, but to have the kings of the Truth Continent bestow noble titles upon the Vikings would require sacrificing all ties with the Truth Cult, and would escalate the conflict to the point of chaos.

After bathing, Zhuang Ya draped a black cloak over Jiang He's shoulders. As he descended from the attic, over thirty chests of gold and silver jewels were piled up in the church. The Viking Legion and the Elven army had arrived. Jiang He alone possessed ninety percent of York City's wealth, with the remaining ten percent being the hard-earned reward for his looting and collection.

"Your Excellency Augustus, the results of the negotiations are in."

Before the stained glass, the silver-haired elf reported that, as instructed by her golden-robed mentor, she was to assist Augustus in becoming king.

"Under the certification of the Church of Truth, Miss Isadea will inherit the title of Earl of the Iris. The Vikings and the Thorn Elves will have permanent residency rights here. The Thorn Kingdom will reclaim York City as a result of the war. The messenger swears to God in the name of the Thorn King that he will not disrupt the lives of the new inhabitants."

Jiang He casually asked, "Did Norend agree?"

“This is the best outcome,” Vilte replied.

"Then let's leave it at that." Jiang He took out a lemon mosquito coil, put it in his mouth and chewed it, saying, "You have to experience the price of believing in oaths yourself before you can truly understand."

Vilter frowned slightly. "You mean?"

“What I mean is not important. What’s important is that people and situations are constantly changing, and what’s happening outside.” Jiang He looked out the window. He was actually happy to see the relationship between the Vikings and the Thorn Kingdom deteriorate.

Vilte explained, "The two sides reached an agreement to execute Count Iris."

Jiang He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you understand the meaning of serving?"

Violet's eyes flickered slightly, and she immediately crossed her arms to protect her curvaceous breasts. She said with extreme caution, "Your Excellency, a sorcerer gives knowledge, not the obligation to please anyone."

Jiang He had no intention of explaining, but simply said calmly, "As a representative to some extent, you have to learn to uphold the reputation and authority of your servants. The Thorn Kingdom will not admit to participating in the execution and killing of Iris. What do you think the barons and people of the Earldom will think? How much legitimacy will the new Earl of Iris have left?"

Vilter's face paled. This was her first time serving as a sorcerer, and she was still learning and accumulating experience. In Viking culture, executing enemies was as natural as eating and drinking.

"I'll go over there and stop it right away."

"No need, I will execute him myself."

As Jiang He walked out of the church, the warriors who had been busy watching suddenly shouted excitedly. Some of the elven swordsmen showed awe and admiration in their eyes. A single man destroying a city was a feat that would be recorded in the history of the entire Truth Continent.

Enzo bowed his head and stepped aside to make way for the execution.

Jiang He said, "Please recommend some methods of execution, something that isn't too gentle."

The cheers reached their peak. Count Iris trembled all over, kneeling on the wooden platform, but gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound.

“The Blood Eagle Punishment,” Enzo said fiercely, showing no mercy to Count Iris.

The Viking warriors' cheers ceased, replaced by silence and solemnity. The elves stared blankly, and only Vilt knew what the Blood Eagle's punishment meant.

Norlund walked over and explained the execution procedure, then said, "If he can remain silent during the execution, the Valkyrie will make an exception and take him to Valhalla. It is an honor, and no Viking warrior will object."

Jiang He nodded, indicating that she understood.

(End of this chapter)