kingdom of nations

Chapter 367 Nightmare (Part 2)

A large fish, as long as an adult man's arm, suddenly leaped out of the water. It had round spots on its gill covers and black stripes on its sides. This was a type of crucian carp that was abundant in the Sea of ​​Galilee.

Its leap broke through the layers of water ripples, splashing up a considerable amount of water, but this was only for a moment. As another layer of water was pushed towards the shore, it disappeared without a trace.

“Look! A big fish!” a servant exclaimed, while his henchman slapped his arm hard.

"Keep an eye on your master's horse!"

They had brought the knight's horse to drink, and they were going to fetch several buckets of water to take back to camp. He knew his servant had probably been tempted to eat more, but this was during a march...

The inspection team shows no mercy; even if their master violates the law, they will be punished, let alone themselves.

“If the inspection team sees us, you, me, and our master will all be punished. Do you really want to be whipped?”

The attendant gave him a scare, then shoved the bucket into the hands of the young servant. "Don't cause any trouble. Besides," he lowered his voice and gestured for the young servant to look in that direction, where a man was holding a torch and looking around, while several people were squatting sparsely at his feet. "Where did these fish come from?"

It's because this place has become a natural toilet.

Horses and men defecate here, and the large amount of warm, nutritious excrement becomes bait to attract these fish. What he said is much more effective than so-called laws and whips. The little servant shuddered with disgust. He was not one of those servants without status. Although he was a bit greedy, he could still eat some good things normally. Of course, he could not accept these fish whose stomachs might contain excrement.

He quickly picked up the water bucket and followed the attendants who were leading the horse away.

However, he was only saying it casually. If the attendants didn't agree, he wouldn't dare stay by the lake alone, since the camp was too big, almost unimaginably so.

He looked around and saw that some knights and squires were just as disoriented as he was, unable to find their camp. The flags and cloaks that were usually easy to spot seemed to have lost their original colors and lines in the darkness, and were completely indistinguishable.

Fortunately, members of the surveillance team patrolling the perimeter of the camp spotted them and pointed out the location of their camp.

Of course, there were also more clever squires and servants who had long since mastered the Saracen numbers promoted by that lord. Just by looking at those numbers painted on the tents, they could know where their master was.

The four or five thousand people made a ruckus for quite a while, but finally quieted down when the moon reached its highest point. Apart from the guards on duty and the patrolling knights, everyone else fell into a deep sleep.

Only César's tent was bright for a little longer, but then it went dark again.

Birds were chirping, fish were leaping out of the water with splashes, and there was the rhythmic rustling, whispering, and sobbing of the wind through the leaves, sand, and lake...

As time passed, the guards who had been vigilant gradually relaxed their guard.

They leaned their spears on their shoulders, lazily pulled out their daggers and examined them closely, while the patrolling knights sat down by the dying campfire, drinking and talking with their companions to fight off their overwhelming drowsiness.

“Do you know?” one of the knights said to his companion, gazing at the towering black shadow in the distance, “Sultan Nur ad-Din of the Saracens once camped here with his army. Our king and the Knights of Bethlehem, with only three hundred knights and their squires, dared to charge down from there, overwhelmingly breaking through his camp. They killed countless Saracens, captured hundreds of Fatahs, Emirs and Viziers, and even took Sultan Nur ad-Din prison.”

Unfortunately, I was in Acre at the time and neither participated nor witnessed it.

His companion gazed longingly in the direction he pointed, and said, "Then when the army sets off again, we can ask Your Highness for permission to go around and take a look." An ordinary person certainly wouldn't have the energy for that, but they were blessed knights, and going two or three nights without sleep wouldn't be a big problem for them.

"Perhaps we can also rush down and take a look."

“It’s best not to do that,” the knight said. “Without the protection of the Holy City’s shield, you might break your neck.” He was telling the truth. People always thought that climbing uphill on horseback was much harder than galloping downhill. In fact, a charge from above could certainly put a lot of pressure on the enemy and instill fear in them, but the knight and his horse could also be in danger if they were not careful…

Horses are intelligent animals. At night, when they can't see and still want to charge forward, they simply won't obey their master's commands if they aren't well-trained warhorses. They will either stop, throw the rider off, or even fall headlong because they can't control themselves.

Especially the hills on the Sea of ​​Galilee side, a small part is gentle, but most of them are like a steep wall—the Sea of ​​Galilee is a depression, and even though there are plains on both sides, this "wall" is much higher than the walls of Damascus.

"Then let's just take a look."

As they were talking happily, one of the knights suddenly paused. His squire, noticing something amiss, looked up in the direction of his gaze and saw a few faint points of light between the cobalt blue sky and the dark silhouettes. "Those are..." he began to ask, "are they torches?"

But his knight immediately interrupted him: “No, that must be a star—the rising morning star, or a passing comet,” he said casually, then instructed his servant, “Go and see if there is any bread left. If there is, bring some over; I also have some honey here.”

Upon hearing the word "honey," the young squire forgot everything else and immediately went back to the tent to find bread. The knights merely exchanged glances and remained silent.

The next few hours were quite quiet, as the moon rose to its highest point and then gradually set in the west.

In contrast, without the moon's light, the earth and sky grew increasingly gloomy, and the area around the camp fell into a deathly silence. Birds folded their wings, fish stopped leaping, and even the wind ceased to blow.

At that moment, if someone happened to wake up, he would surely hear a rumbling sound coming from afar. This sound would be unfamiliar to many people because it is not common in this world, but if people in later generations heard it, they might find it somewhat familiar.

That was the sound of something heavy and enormous rolling forward at high speed. The sound was so strange, sometimes near, sometimes far, sometimes loud, sometimes soft. It should have been far away, but it came right in front of us in an instant. It was a mountain, the "wall" facing the Sea of ​​Galilee, which had completely collapsed. A torrent of mud, sand, trees, and rocks was rolling down with unstoppable force.

Not to mention that most of the people in the tent were asleep at this time, even if they were awake, seeing such a terrible scene, they might not be able to escape, let alone where they could escape to. Behind them was the Sea of ​​Galilee.

The chief eunuch stood silently on a boulder, gazing at the rolling sand and stones below.

He had been preparing for a long time, not a month, not a year, or rather, he had been preparing since the moment Sultan Nur ad-Din died.

People believed that he killed Nur ad-Din's two sons, supported his youngest son to ascend the throne, and then used the young prince's name to fight for power with the Queen Mother. He also brazenly sent troops to Homs for his own power and desires.

But from beginning to end, he was merely fulfilling the duty of a loyal slave, making up for Sultan Nur ad-Din's final regrets. He didn't care how much he gave or how much he would get back—it was just a series of deaths. In the end, he decided to put on a grand show for his former master here.

Looking at the torrents of mud and sand that could bury an entire camp, the Grand Eunuch seemed to see that night again—when those Christian knights reined in their horses and stood on high ground looking down, did they also have the same feelings as him?
While the Christians were still gathering on the road to Arazars, he had already sent out his merchants. These merchants did not know what he intended to do with the timber, stones, and slaves he had brought here, or the price offered by the Grand Eunuch, so they did not think too much or try to persuade him.

Since the bridge across the Jordan River was opened to merchants, caravans have been traveling this route in an endless stream, and no one has noticed that some caravans would suddenly disappear for a few days and then suddenly return to the road.

More than a thousand slaves hid, rested, and lived in the long-abandoned Caesarea Palace. They were all strong young men. The Grand Eunuch swore with his life and faith that he would set them free if they did as he said.

Of course, this was a lie. He had already decided to suffer in Hellfire until the end of the world, so why would he care about breaking his oath? After the scholars he had invited determined that as long as the supporting wooden frame was removed, the loose soil would carry down trees and boulders, he killed all the slaves and threw them into the Sea of ​​Galilee.

At this moment, his chest heaved violently, and his eyes shone. He knew that Cesar was a cautious man. During the march, the Christian knight had been sending out scouts and vanguards to check for traps and ambushes ahead. But how could he know that the Grand Eunuch had been waiting here for a long time?
Yes, he waited for nearly ten years. Throughout those long years, he never forgot his master, nor did he forget the hatred he felt.

He was originally just a lowly slave. It was Nurdin who promoted him to his side. He was Nurdin's servant and student, and even harbored an impossible hope—he believed that he was also Nurdin's son. However, his disabled body destined him to be unable to become the Sultan's successor, so... he had no choice but to become an avenger.

In the darkness, smoke filled the air, dust swirled, and men and horses cried out in panic.

As the light and sound gradually faded, the Grand Eunuch nodded to his attendant, who immediately lit a torch, raised it high, and waved it three times. Soon after, torches were lit on both the east and west sides of the Sea of ​​Galilee, and then waved three times quickly in the same manner. These were soldiers who remained loyal to Nur ad-Din.

If Nur ad-Din had a legitimate and capable heir, they might follow him. But whichever prince it was… the actions of the eldest and second princes were plain for all to see, and the young monarch who nestled at the feet of a woman was utterly unworthy of respect.

But if they refused to submit to him and that woman, they would be killed, banished, and scattered to become bandits or mercenaries—every emir and sultan had his own confidants who could not be given important positions, even under Saladin.

They had heard that Saladin had trained a group of slave soldiers who were solely under his command—so why not give it a shot? The Grand Eunuch persuaded them that if they could kill the King of Arathi Basin, the Crusader commander, along with the Bethlehem Knight, the Count of Edessa, and the Cypriot lord who had risen to power by stepping on Sultan Nur ad-Din's head, they would surely gain unparalleled prestige in the Saracen world.

In this way, whether they sought refuge with the Seljuk Sultan, the Abbasid Caliph, or even Saladin of Egypt, they would be rewarded and given important positions.

"...

What kind of insight is this, what kind of insight is that?

In my opinion, everything you said...
Only death and the grave are true!
"

The Grand Eunuch loudly recited the verses of the Saracen poet, then mounted the horse brought by his servant and led his scholars and warriors at breakneck speed. The wind, carrying moisture, rushed straight to his face, while the scorching air around him could almost evaporate them instantly.

He drew his scimitar, a gift from Nurdin himself. The blade was brighter and smoother than moonlight, and it hummed with thirst for blood. The Grand Eunuch heard it clearly: "Let Nurdin's enemies bleed where he once fell from his horse!"
They piled up their corpses into hills and planted flags that had been rebuilt.

For a fleeting moment, he seemed to see his master, Sultan Nur ad-Din, just as the Grand Eunuch remembered him: a wise face, a dignified expression, and a tall, imposing figure. The Grand Eunuch couldn't hear what he was saying, so he first whispered and then prayed aloud to his prophet.

“Are you blaming me? I only want to avenge you,” the chief eunuch murmured.

To lower the guard of the crusaders and lure them into his trap unprepared, he prepared a double—a double he was not qualified to have, especially not one with prophetic revelation like himself. He had not prepared one, nor would anyone allow him to. Not even Nur ad-Din would allow it.

But there is also the Assassin – Sinan is now in a difficult situation, and his repeated failures have made people doubt whether this assassin organization is still as powerful and usable as before. So much so that when the Grand Eunuch made this humiliating request, Sinan agreed after much consideration.

Finding a eunuch fortunate enough to receive prophetic revelation is not easy, but turning someone who has received such revelation into a eunuch is quite simple. Although such people are few and far between among the Assassins, and are arguably one of the few remaining valuable assets in Sinan's possession, such a deal could be made if the price was right.

The Grand Eunuch had amassed a fortune while serving under Nurdin.

This time, once he left Apollo, he had no intention of going back, and he didn't care about these material possessions.

When the King of Arrassal and his knights entered Holmes, they probably didn't expect that the people, soldiers, even the doubles he hired, and the self-sacrificing scholar-warriors were just bait to lower their guard.

The Grand Eunuch's predictions are gradually coming true.

With the Crusaders marching north in force, Saladin would certainly not miss this opportunity. If Saladin were to invade Arathi Basin, the Crusaders would inevitably return to its aid. The only thing he could not guarantee was whether Cesar would return with King Baldwin of Arathi Basin, since his homeland was just ahead.

Fortunately, he was still that upright young man. He abandoned the territory that was right in front of him and escorted his king all the way back to Arazari.

To ensure they would stop in the designated area, the Grand Eunuch spared no expense, hiring many warriors and bandits to harass and intercept the army. The Sea of ​​Galilee was too vast; they would inevitably have to spend a night there, just like Nur ad-Din's army had before.

And God blessed him, or perhaps Nur ad-Din was watching over him—all his hopes came true.

"My lord!" He heard a frantic, panicked cry. He snapped out of his daze and realized the scene before him wasn't as bloody and gruesome as he'd expected—yes, the mud and sand had indeed buried half the camp, and some people had jumped out of their tents or into the lake; they had indeed heard sounds of fighting, but…

With several hundred knights and four or five thousand soldiers, the combined force would form a formidable defensive line. Even if they were caught off guard and buried in the mud and sand while they slept, it wouldn't be this quiet.

Yes, it was too quiet. The cries for help, the sounds of fighting, the roars all sounded so faint.

The Grand Eunuch saw a knight's squire hurry past them, and a warrior immediately gave chase, but he only glanced back—the Christian showed little fear, instead leaping into the reeds with a thud and quickly swimming towards the lake. The lake's surface shimmered, and seemingly out of nowhere, a dozen small boats hidden in the reeds swiftly emerged, rescuing the knights and squires who had jumped into the lake. They even remembered holding onto their horses' reins, tying them to the boats, and letting the horses swim away with them.

At the command of a Fatah, a group of Saracen soldiers sheathed their scimitars, took up their bows and arrows, and prepared to shoot at the lake. Although they were first-rate archers, in such dim and erratic lighting, with the target wavering, it was indeed difficult to hit their mark.

Moreover, these soldiers had already sensed that something was wrong.

The east and west sides were deathly silent, as if there were no ambushes or fleeing troops; it was pitch black, without even a spark.

The Grand Eunuch and a knight who had already boarded the small boat locked eyes. The knight gave him a mocking smile, and the Grand Eunuch instantly understood. He turned his head sharply to look back, where a banner was unfurled in the metallic light of the sky from the high place where he had once stood.

Although the light was dim, he could only make out that the flag was dark, but he couldn't determine its color. However, just by looking at the gleaming silver armor, how could he not know who it was?
Not to mention their mounts, one black and one white, "Casto and Pollax..."

The chief eunuch said in a hoarse voice.

Yes, he not only remembered his two enemies, but also their mounts. His words had barely faded when more and more people and horses appeared behind them—a forest of lances and knights almost obscured the sky and stars behind them—the same scene not only happened once, twice, but a third time.

Baldwin and Cesar charged down from the high ground toward their enemies on the shores of Galilee once more. It was a silent and brutal battle, with both sides knowing there would be no prisoners and the Christians would not allow anyone to escape.

The same despair that the people once known as Holmes had experienced has now befallen him and his accomplices. Originally, the number of troops around the Grand Eunuch was roughly the same as those around Cesar and Baldwin, but unfortunately, some of them were sent to confuse the enemy, while others were positioned on the east and west flanks to form an encirclement—now they are certainly in grave danger, and behind the Grand Eunuch is the Sea of ​​Galilee.

The enemy had clearly seen through their scheme and, without them noticing, circled around behind them, launching a counter-encirclement.

The chief eunuch looked up and saw only the knight wearing silver chainmail. With a wave of his hand, it was as if stars were falling, and the king and a large group of knights around him were covered with a pure and dazzling white light.

Upon seeing the light, the warriors around him couldn't help but breathe rapidly. Clearly, they all knew that they were about to face a group of enemies who only needed to attack and not defend.

However, with no way out, these scholars who had received prophetic revelation would not show any cowardice or wishful thinking—why show a contemptible face before death?

"Come! Come!" they cried out, "For Allah!"

They swiftly made their way through the collapsed tents, the sand and gravel, and the fallen trees, rushing towards each other. In the blink of an eye, someone was knocked off their horse. As soon as they landed, they leaped up gracefully, drew their short swords and scimitars, and continued fighting.

At this moment, the Grand Eunuch had already led his most trusted attendants without hesitation—all of whom were eunuchs and had received prophetic revelation—who had been gathered by the Grand Eunuch with the tacit approval of Sultan Nur ad-Din.

According to Sultan Nur ad-Din's wishes, they were supposed to be in Apol's palace, the last line of defense against Sultan Nur ad-Din's enemies and the women and children of the harem. But the Grand Eunuch didn't even want Apol anymore, let alone those women and children.
He had abandoned his former duties; everything he did was to kill this young man. They clashed. The revelation the Grand Eunuch received was to heal himself and others, while the revelation Cesar received was to protect himself and others. Their abilities had a subtle synergy to some extent, yet they were fundamentally different. The people around the Grand Eunuch were not afraid of death or pain. When they fought, they usually traded injuries for injuries and lives for lives. If they received timely treatment, they would continue to fight. If not, they would unleash astonishing power even in their dying state.

The Grand Eunuch did the same. Although his martial arts skills were exquisite, he never intended to compete with this young man. As soon as they met, he stretched out his body, not caring at all about exposing all his vital points, and pounced on Cesar. He held Cesar tightly, even though the short sword in Cesar's hand had pierced through his abdomen. His muscles were tightening, no, even his blood vessels, fascia, and internal organs were tightening.

He embraced Cesar tightly, like a father seeing his son come back to life. His fingers dug deep into Cesar's back. Baldwin glanced at them and saw the ten thick fingers, which were even embedded in the white light emanating from Cesar's body—the Shield of the Holy City was the title given to Cesar by the people, and it had never disappointed.

But today, it finally suffered its first defeat. With a sickening crunch, the eunuch's ten fingers dug into the gaps in the chainmail and embedded themselves deeply into Cesar's muscles.

Baldwin roared and lunged at the Grand Eunuch, but the eunuchs around him joined forces to block him. Their methods were cunning, even despicable, as they only wanted to wound Baldwin. No matter where they stabbed, one eunuch even lunged at Baldwin and tightly grabbed his leg. Even as Baldwin's head fell to the ground, his hands did not loosen their grip.

In that instant, a dozen scimitars and spears thrust toward Baldwin—Baldwin felt a flash of light before his eyes, and he was suddenly draped in a bright armor—it was Cesar, who was furious.

Gian spotted him and charged forward, shoving aside the two men who were struggling to pull off Baldwin's silver mask. As he knocked them away, the mask crashed to the ground with a thud. For a split second, two eunuchs rushed to kill him, but they froze when they saw the smooth, flawless face. They weren't filled with pity, but rather doubted their own judgment. Was this man in the silver mask merely a double for King Alassa? If so, their sacrifice would have been meaningless. Fortunately, their pause was only brief, but it was enough for Baldwin to conjure a sharp spear of light in his hand. The spear instantly pierced through the men on his body, sending them flying into the air. Baldwin leaped up and charged towards Cesar.

When Cesar was on the banks of the Jordan River, he was assassinated by an Assassin. The same assassin pinned him down and plunged a dagger made from a sacred relic into his chest.

He saw Baldwin running towards him, and he also saw Gian, along with several other familiar faces.

But he couldn't wait that long...

If the Assassin assassin was like a hammer, then the Grand Eunuch was like a mountain, or more accurately, a clump of pounded mud, perhaps weighing hundreds of tons, tightly gripping him, wanting to devour him, drown him, and utterly strangle him in his embrace.

The Grand Eunuch, as always, harbored a terrifying confidence, yet he never demonstrated his abilities on the battlefield.

Because Sultan Nur ad-Din did not allow it, he was a dagger in Nur ad-Din's hand, only revealing his sharpness in the most crucial and secret places. Among those he killed, many had received revelations from the prophet, and were the most troublesome ministers or enemies. Even Nur ad-Din had personally experienced his abilities and praised them highly.

"You are the earth," Nurdin said to the Grand Eunuch. "You are the swamp, the shifting sands, the undercurrents, the omnipresent net. Those who are bound by you can never escape."

He was doing the same thing now, burying his feet deep into the loose soil, his head bowed, his arms wrapped tightly around his enemy, becoming one with him, blood mingling with blood, flesh mingling with flesh. Cesar could indeed feel everything around him being compressed, his bones creaking, his flesh bearing the unbearable weight.

He couldn't even breathe—with each breath, his chest could rise and fall less.

The Grand Eunuch could sense that the opponent's defenses were crumbling and rebuilding—crashing, rebuilding, crashing, rebuilding. "Your prophet is only Saint Jerome, how could he possibly surpass my prophet Adam?!" he roared. "The prophet I follow is the great Adam, the ancestor of all mankind and the source of my power."

No human being can escape my capture and suppression!

Cesar paid no attention to his howling.

Although it was the first time he had encountered a Saracen who believed the saint was Adam, so what? He could only catch a glimpse of the situation outside out of the corner of his eye—Baldwin and Gian were being entangled by other Saracens who had rushed at them.

The Grand Eunuch's power was indeed terrifying. Not only that, he could also feel the other party constantly invading... his body; this feeling was very strange.

Cesar was a doctor, so of course he knew that human skin, muscles, blood vessels, bones, and internal organs could be replaced, even if they were replaced with someone else's. Although there would inevitably be a rejection reaction, as the Grand Eunuch, he was using the abilities he had gained from the revelation to devour and consume Cesar.

The bloody wounds covered his body and kept writhing inside. Clearly, although the Grand Eunuch and the others might not have known the underlying principles, they certainly knew that by doing so, the victim would die quickly or within days.

"A barrier!" he cried out in his heart. "A barrier must be built, but where should it be built?"

Cesar slowly opened his eyes. Although he couldn't see the Grand Eunuch's face, he knew that the Grand Eunuch must have gone mad to the point of losing all reason. He had countless times shielded others from harm, but now—the Grand Eunuch had opened all his wounds to him, which meant…

Cesar lowered his eyes and gently cast a small amount of force at the Grand Eunuch...

Baldwin shook off his men and ran toward Cesar. “Cesar!” he called, but only saw a hand emerge from beneath the bulky, enormous body and wave slightly.

He stood there, his heart pounding. Fortunately, as always, Cesar had triumphed in the most critical moment. No one knew how he had done it. Although the Grand Eunuch was covered in wounds, only one of them was inflicted by Cesar. However, he was limp and unable to move, which did not seem to have much to do with the stab wound in his abdomen that was almost healed.

For a doctor, killing someone is indeed an easy thing to do.

However, Cesare did not kill the Grand Eunuch immediately, but instead severed the nerve roots in the cervical spine—the connection between the brain and the body.

Although the Grand Eunuch is still alive, his body from the head down is no longer under his control. This could be considered a coincidence, though the reasons are different. Like his master, Sultan Nur ad-Din, he has been reduced to a conscious shell.

When he was uncovered, he couldn't even understand what had happened. He didn't see the light, nor did he suffer any pain. In an instant, it seemed that all his strength and senses had left him.

"Devil, devil!" Cesar stopped Gian from thrusting his sword into the other's throat.

He ordered two knights to drag the Grand Eunuch aside and keep him under guard, ensuring he wouldn't be rescued or killed. He then joined Baldwin in another battle, fighting until dawn. Abandoned by his allies, none of the Grand Eunuch and his warriors escaped. Some were wounded or unconscious, while others, like the self-proclaimed nobleman and the bandit, clung to a sliver of hope, believing they could persuade the knights to ransom them.

In any case, those Christians in Holmes had little to do with them; they were neither their parents nor their wives or children. They might have felt humiliated, but how could humiliation compare to real money?

But the knights simply ordered their squires and soldiers to tie them up one by one; there were about four or five hundred of them left, as the rest had already died in the battle.

At this moment, Ji'an walked over with a strange expression: "The Grand Eunuch wants to see you. He wants to talk to you. He says he has a secret that is enough to save his and his subordinates' lives."

He glanced at Cesar's expression and then said, "He said you'd definitely want to know."

Cesar sighed softly. "Bring him over here."

Two attendants carried the chief eunuch before Cesare, whose expression was anxious and resentful—for these people had stripped him of his clothes, and he was now naked, with even his most humiliating parts exposed to the light of day. Clearly, although he was a eunuch, he valued his dignity exceptionally highly.

“I brought you here not to grant your request,” Cesar said. “In fact, I don’t think there’s any secret compared to the thousands of innocent victims—Christians, and your own people. I don’t know how you could have made that decision, even though you keep saying it was to avenge your master, Sultan Nur ad-Din. But I regret to inform you that such despicable means bring him no benefit whatsoever, except to bring him shame, and besides, you didn’t succeed.”

Don't you want to know that secret?

“I guess what the secret is,” Cesar said. “You’ve been serving under Nur ad-Din, Zengi’s second son, and one of his most valued sons. After all, when people talk about the Light of Faith, they’re referring to Nur ad-Din, not his brothers or other male relatives.”

And my parents were inexplicably poisoned before I arrived in Apollo, which was completely unnecessary.

They grew up in the enemy's fortress, received no education, and were neither fit to fight nor govern. Even if they were taken back, they would only be kept in the castle and given ordinary work.

What harm could it possibly do to you? Unless you're worried they know something that absolutely cannot be revealed. But my father was taken to Apollo when he was six; what could he possibly know? Something that worries you so much—so I can only suspect it's related to the fall of Edessa.”

Especially after his experience with Damascus, it can be said that the reason why Damascus fell into the hands of the Crusaders for the first time was quite subtle, and the fall of Edessa was even more suspicious.

Even though the Saracens knew how to send messages by carrier pigeon, the mobilization of a large army was never a simple matter, and Cesar, having experienced so many wars, understood this very well.

You're saying that Count Joseph II of Edessa just left with his army, and Zengi immediately besieged the city... There's quite a distance between Apol and Edessa, isn't there?
Either Zangief has the ability to foresee the future, or he has the ability to move his army thousands of miles in a single day.

"If none of these are possible, then the only remaining possibility becomes the truth. I only need to work backward from the result to roughly guess the beginning and end of this conspiracy."

And after Zengi, there was only this one successful case. Although the Saracens repeatedly praised and lauded him, believing he would continue south, attacking Antioch, Tripoli, and Arazari, in reality he did nothing. In just one year, he went to meet your God, but it certainly gave him a boost of confidence…”

Cesar paused for a moment before realizing that the Grand Eunuch probably didn't understand what a cardiac stimulant was. "This is indeed a miraculous medicine that can save critically ill patients."

At that time, the Saracens feared the Franks, believing them to be invincible. They dared not confront them directly, either paying tribute and sue for peace or retreating in fear. It was only after Zengi that they realized the Franks could be defeated, and decades later, the current situation arose… Is this what you wanted to tell me?”

The chief eunuch's lips moved. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted to tell Cesar.

"As for who else you want to tell me, who was involved and what they gained, I can probably guess. Because he's been targeting me, and I didn't know where his hostility came from before, but now that I do, what bargaining chips do you have left?"

"Did someone betray me?"

“Betrayal? No. No one betrayed you. You were cautious. You told your allies, your subordinates, and the people you hired different things, but basically, it was all in their best interest. So they did it without the slightest reluctance, but you're someone who likes to dramatize things.” Cesar smiled, feeling somewhat tired, and sat down to continue speaking calmly.

"You don't need a warrior who has received prophetic revelation to endure the humiliation of castration and then impersonate you. You just need to find a eunuch who is similar in build and appearance to you, kill him, and let us find his body."

Why sacrifice so many people needlessly? You just want to put on a good show for us, like actors on a stage.

You're like one of those clowns in the castle, who often watch the audience they fool and laugh in the shadows behind the scenes—you must find it very amusing too.

You're anticipating how terrified and panicked we'll be when we're driven into your trap like sheep by wolves, and then you can stand before me once the dust settles. Of course, if I'm still alive then, there's also... there's Baldwin..." He glanced at Baldwin sitting beside him, "You'll stand before me triumphantly as a victor, recounting your entire plan, and then, at the place of Sultan Nur ad-Din's crushing defeat, you'll offer him our heads. That will be the true end for you."

If I wasn't entirely sure at first, when I discovered that the bridges over the Jordan River hadn't been destroyed and the Christian villages hadn't been looted or harmed, I roughly grasped the outline of the events. You can only set the stage on the Sea of ​​Galilee; nowhere else will satisfy you.”

Cesar said calmly and coldly, "Although I don't think you could have succeeded if you had devised other schemes, the fact that I was able to guess your thoughts and retaliate is entirely due to your vanity, frivolity, and arrogance. Just like a clown, he may dare to make fun of any nobleman in front of him, but he must also bear the consequences of this pleasure—he will be executed."

You are the same; you are responsible for those thousands of innocent people. Even after today, when people mention you, they will only think of you as a ridiculous, utterly boring fool.

Your master, Sultan Nur ad-Din, will also suffer damage to his reputation. After all, you were once his servant, he valued you so much, regarding you as his right-hand man, and now his right-hand man has done such a foolish thing. People will laugh at him for a long time. I don't know what he would think if he could see this scene. After all, you should know—he left his last strength to you, not for you to waste it here.”

He ordered his men to tie the Grand Eunuch to a stake and nail it to a shallow spot not far from the lake. Then he had his knights bring the bound Saracens to the Grand Eunuch in groups of ten, and then behead them one by one.

Before the first group of Saracens who were beheaded even had a chance to react, the second group had already fallen into madness and despair. They loudly cursed the Grand Eunuch and pleaded, but when they found that all of this was ineffective, the third and fourth groups even began to denounce Sultan Nur ad-Din—yes, they had once loved and been loyal to him, but when faced with death, they couldn't help but feel resentment.

Moreover, they could have served other sultans or caliphs. If not, they could have stayed in Apollo. The First Lady certainly wouldn't mind having an extra group of soldiers under her command. Even if they weren't given important positions, at least they could live or die heroically on the battlefield, instead of being humiliated and beheaded here.

Their curses and swears inflicted great pain on the Grand Eunuch. He tried to struggle and roar, but could only utter extremely weak sounds, which sounded more like groans and sobs.

This time, the Christian knights spared none of them, sending them to the Grand Eunuch in groups of ten, where they were all executed.

Their heads fell to the ground and piled up at the feet of the Grand Eunuch, where they were washed away by the lake water. Blood flowed and spread with the waves, and their faces quickly turned blue and white. Some heads rolled over under the impact of the waves, their dull eyes staring intently at the Grand Eunuch.

After all the prisoners had been dealt with and the Christians had cleaned up the battlefield, they had suffered some losses, but these losses were insignificant compared to actually falling into a trap.

The knights felt a sense of relief at being able to deal with the culprits of the Holmes calamity here, even though they were not his relatives or friends. But they were still happy to see the sinner brought to justice.

As the army withdrew, Cesar brought Baldwin before the Grand Eunuch.

During the battle, the Grand Eunuch caught a glimpse of Baldwin's healthy face after his mask fell off, but he couldn't be sure.

Now Baldwin, with his back to everyone, removed his mask and gave the Grand Eunuch a smug, provocative smile. "After we resolve the crisis in Arazarus, we will return to Holmes, or Hama, or perhaps Apollo, depending on how far Richard I and Frederick I can advance. I believe we can achieve victory, even if our opponent is Saladin."

Yes, we went there to save Arazari. But if, while we are confronting Saladin, Frederick I and Richard I take Apol and Hama—his nephew and the master to whom he owes allegiance—in our hands, do you think he would negotiate with us?
If you could have kept us here, it would have been a good thing for both Saladin and the Saracens of Apol, but unfortunately you didn't.

Yes, the clown went on stage, bounced around for a bit, and then left dejectedly, having achieved nothing.

Baldwin made a rare sarcastic remark, then smiled again: "And since the First Lady is in the know, she must have some evidence hidden in her possession." He watched with satisfaction as the Grand Eunuch's face quickly turned ashen. "We will make this evidence public."

You can't!

"Why not? Yes, we know that some Christians are colluding with Zengi."

"Since that's the case, he's also our enemy, so why should we show him mercy?" At this point, Baldwin felt a surge of inexplicable anger, but he quickly suppressed it. "Perhaps I should thank you for that. You've confirmed this for us, and as you've seen, I'm healthy. I might even recover in the future. Do you know what that means?"

This means that after I have acquired Hamar, Holmes, and Apollo, I will continue with my brothers and close friends to conquer the remaining territories of Nur ad-Din, as well as all the territories now held by his nephew. All that Zengi has achieved—his glorious victories, his high honors, his vast lands—will be a thing of the past. All of it belongs to the Crusaders, to the believers of God.”

If the previous words had only made the Grand Eunuch's face turn ashen, these next words had turned him deathly pale, his eyes gleaming with malice as if he wanted to devour Baldwin whole. But how could Baldwin feel fear? He laughed and put his mask back on, "Hatred can indeed cloud judgment, but it shouldn't fall on the person Sultan Nur ad-Din trusts most."

He might be very disappointed and regretful.

"This thing... you just left it there?" Walter of the Templar Order stepped forward. He was one of the Templars who returned with Baldwin to aid Arrasal, since protecting Arrasal was the Templars' primary duty.

"What do you think we should do?"

“Alright, that’s settled then,” Walter yawned. He hadn’t slept for several nights because of this ambush. “Let him spend his final days in regret and torment.” Besides that, the physical torture would accompany the Grand Eunuch for a long time. He had received prophetic guidance, which meant he could endure hunger and pain for a longer period. “No food, no water. We will leave a squad of knights to watch over him. After all, he possesses the ability to heal himself, even deep wounds that expose bone or penetrate through to the skin…”

But where did you hurt him? Why can't he move at all?

Walter asked tentatively.

Cesar merely smiled slightly. The Saracens' research on the human body has so far been limited to blood and blood vessels; progress in the study of the nervous system may not come for several centuries.

The Grand Eunuch, who had been unable to save Sultan Nur ad-Din from a heart attack or stroke, was naturally also unable to heal his own severed nerve roots, especially since there were no external wounds in that area...

But it was also necessary for the knights to stay there and keep watch.

Walter even instructed the two knights to cut off the Grand Eunuch's head once he was completely dead, pickle it, and bring it over, "so that the survivors in Holmes can see it." He was referring to Christians, of course, but Cesar believed that the others in Holmes would also be eager to see his head.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of something else, and rode back to the Grand Eunuch. He bent down and whispered a few words in the Grand Eunuch's ear. Walter saw from afar that the Grand Eunuch suddenly began to struggle violently again. Because he had become a paralyzed man and could not move his neck, all he could do was frantically shake his head from side to side, grit his teeth, and curse wildly.

One can imagine that if Cesar had been any closer, he could have easily bitten Cesar's throat off.

Cesar stared at him, then suddenly touched his forehead. The Grand Eunuch's curse abruptly stopped, and he could only mumble something incoherently, the meaning of which no one could understand.

"What did he say?" he asked Baldwin, who shrugged.

The Grand Eunuch has set such a trap. Will he tell Saladin? Perhaps he will. Even if he doesn't, Saladin will surely learn from the scouts and merchants that a fierce battle once took place here. If so, could they perhaps take advantage of it?

Yes, they can certainly take advantage of that.

(End of this chapter)