Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 billion people

Chapter 92: Breaking the City with One Strike! (7.4k long chapter)

The setting sun burned the clouds into varying shades of red gold, like a ripe tangerine.

Tapping.

Accompanied by dense footsteps, the Black Wolf Territory's army traveled for a whole day and finally entered the border of the Night Shadow Territory at dusk.

In the carriage carriage.

"Huh" Xia Mingyu let out a long breath and looked at the setting sun outside the window with his brows tightly furrowed.

"Your Highness, what's wrong with you?" Iris, who had been secretly watching him beside him, noticed the change in his expression and asked softly.

"I don't know why, but ever since I entered Night Shadow Territory, I've always had a palpitation."

Xia Mingyu touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat suddenly quicken, and explained.

And his ears were always buzzing, as if countless people were wailing in his ears.

"Perhaps it's because we've been riding in the car for too long, Your Highness. Do you need me to use my lap as a pillow for you?"

Iris thought about it, then she knelt on the sofa with her legs closed, gently patted her thighs to signal Xia Mingyu to lie down.

what?
Isn't it a bit sinful to let such a cute and petite girl rest her lap on your back?
Xia Mingyu felt something was wrong, but his body lay down involuntarily.

So soft and fragrant.
Xia Mingyu suddenly felt that his heart palpitations eased a lot. He closed his eyes and rested, his breathing gradually becoming even, as if he was falling asleep.

Elise's lips curled up slightly as she looked down at the young man resting his head on her legs.

It was the first time she had observed Xia Mingyu so closely.

Time passes minute by minute
The yellow sunlight shone through the car window onto the man's angular face. As the sun set in the west, the light slowly moved from his forehead to the bridge of his nose, and then to his chin.

The flickering shadows highlighted his perfect facial features, making his already handsome face even more charming.

Iris stared at the scene in a daze, and suddenly she had an urge to secretly kiss His Highness while he was sleeping.

Your Highness is truly incredible!
Although he is the most noble prince in the world, he is so approachable and even occasionally says thank you to the servants who serve him in the castle.

Kind, just, talented, intelligent, handsome, the world seems to have given all its love to this man.

Moreover, His Highness also helped her a lot. She even said that if it weren't for His Highness, she would probably have stayed in the castle library for the rest of her life and slowly decayed away.

If she could give her first kiss to His Highness, she would surely be secretly happy about it for the rest of her life!
To kiss His Highness is to kiss the world.

Thinking of the scene of her kissing His Highness, Iris's heartbeat suddenly quickened.

She couldn't help but wonder what kind of feelings she had towards His Highness. Was it love, gratitude, or both?
However, this is not important, because His Highness will never belong to him.

Your Highness is a fierce poison to all women. In his long life, he must have met countless women who are so outstanding that they can be called perfect!
She would only be a passing guest, probably accompanying His Highness for only a tiny fraction of his life, and then she would spend her entire life cherishing, secretly rejoicing, and feeling happy for this brief encounter.
Thinking of this, Iris suddenly felt a surge of courage in her heart. She brushed her hair back to prevent the scattered long hair from waking up His Highness, then lowered her head and kissed Xia Mingyu lightly on the lips like a dragonfly touching the water.

Then, as if he had done something bad, he turned his head towards the window guiltily.

Xia Mingyu: “.”

Time continued to pass until the carriage suddenly stopped and the slight shaking in the carriage woke the two of them up.

"what happens?"

Xia Mingyu walked out of the carriage and asked the shield-armored soldiers around him who were holding two-meter-long shields and wearing iron armor.

"Sir, someone is blocking the army ahead," the shield-armored soldier said respectfully.

"Stop the army?" Xia Mingyu looked surprised.

He dared to stop an army of two thousand people. Is he a madman?

"Take me to see it."

At the front of the army, Karen was frowning as he looked at the crazy peasant woman in front of him.

Her hair was a mess like a bird's nest, she was skinny, her cheeks were bruised, she was barefoot, her soles were rubbed and bleeding, and her lifeless eyes revealed a hint of madness.

"Where's my child? Have you seen my child?"

She shouted hoarsely, completely ignoring the raised spears of the surrounding soldiers, and just kept repeating this sentence.

"Come a few people, drag her away and put her aside quickly." Karen ordered.

If it were him from the past, he would have drawn his sword if anyone dared to stop the army from advancing and disrupt the morale of the army.

But after the execution that day, he learned about the suffering of the civilians and gradually learned to be tolerant.

Several soldiers surrounded the crazy peasant woman and tried to drag her away, but this only provoked her. She swung her fists wildly at the soldiers' heavy leather armor, looking pale and powerless.

"It's you, it's you who took my child away!"

At this time, Xia Mingyu came over.

"What happened?" He asked Karen, looking at the peasant woman who was being held down by the soldiers and still struggling.

"Lord Mingyu, this crazy peasant woman stopped the army and shouted that she wanted to find her child." Karen explained.

Just then, a farmer who was not very old but looked extremely old came running over in a hurry.

"Respected noble sir, please let my wife go. She previously resisted the grain collection in Night Shadow Territory and lost her unborn child, which is why she is in this state."

The farmer looked at the protection above Karen's head, quickly knelt on his knees, and explained with a sad face.

"Although I'm a farmer, I often go to Nightwind Town to transport crops. If you're willing to let my wife go, I can lead the way for you."

Nightwind Town is the largest town in Nightshadow Territory and is also the only way to get to Nightshadow Castle.

If you take a detour, it will not only take a lot of time, but also require you to pass through deep and dense forests.

"Let her go."

After thinking for a moment, Karen ordered the soldiers to let the peasant woman go.

He really needed someone who frequently went to Nightwind Town to lead the way, especially now that it was almost dusk.

However, what no one expected was.

After being released by the soldiers, the peasant woman actually looked at Xia Mingyu among the crowd, and then shouted with a crazy smile on her face, "My child, my child is found."

"court death!"

A murderous look flashed in Karen's eyes, and the pity deep in his heart was quickly replaced by anger. He drew the sword in his hand and prepared to chop off the madman's head.

However, Xia Mingyu raised his hand to stop him.

After learning the reason why the other party went crazy from the farmer, Xia Mingyu couldn't help but feel a little sympathy when looking at the crazy woman in front of him.

She is not crazy, she is just a mother who can't find her child.

Thinking of this, Xia Mingyu moved.

"My child, my child"

The peasant woman fell to the ground and smiled foolishly at Xia Mingyu who was walking towards her.

Then, under everyone's astonished gaze, Xia Mingyu slowly bent down and hugged the peasant woman.

"I wish your child to come back and grow up safely." He said softly.

Then, as if a miracle happened, the crazy peasant woman's eyes gradually calmed down, and finally she fell asleep on Xia Mingyu's shoulder.

"Give her another child. I believe he will grow up safely this time."

Xia Mingyu held the sleeping peasant woman in his arms and handed her to the tearful farmer, saying calmly.

Then he walked back to the carriage, and behind him he heard the farmer's trembling thanks and the sound of thumping on the ground.

Afterwards, the army continued its journey and encountered one village after another that was filled with tragedies due to the grain collection.

After witnessing these tragedies, Xia Mingyu became increasingly angry.

Victor. Is this guy really a normal person?

How could a lord be so foolish as to collect all the food from his subjects?

To call him a feudal lord is too advanced.
No, I really want to chop off his head with my own hands!
Late at night, the night is as dark as ink and the moon is high in the sky.

The army finally arrived at the largest town in Yeying Territory - Yefeng Town, where countless candles were still lit in front.

Tapping.

Just when Karen thought there was going to be a fierce battle, the town gate suddenly opened and a group of people ran out excitedly with torches.

"Respected Viscount Hughes, brave Howling Wolf, I am Weiss Nightshadow, the mayor of Nightwind Town and the younger brother of the previous Lord Nightshadow. I surrender solemnly to you and beg you to kill that beast Victor!"

"He's almost driven everyone in Yeying Territory to death!"

The old man in the lead knelt on one knee and said with great sorrow.

Karen: “.”

"I accept your surrender," Karen said calmly.

According to the rules between the nobles and the Southern Alliance, even if he won the War of Honor, he could not directly occupy the Night Shadow Territory. At least on the surface, he needed to support someone from the Night Shadow family to be the lord.

The old man in front of me is undoubtedly the best choice.

Afterwards, the army entered the town to rest, and in accordance with His Highness's request, tried not to disturb the people as much as possible. They only entered empty houses or rested in open spaces, and even allocated some military rations to the starving people in the town who were about to starve to death.

"Elise, do you know where Blade City is?"

In the carriage, Xia Mingyu was lying on a soft sofa covered with a quilt and asked the girl who was also lying on the sofa opposite him.

Brown Nose's living environment is probably the worst among the members of Spark, and he is free and unrestrained. If anyone is nearby, it would be best to send someone to bring him back.

"Blade City?"

Hearing his words, the girl who was about to fall asleep was startled and turned sideways to look at Xia Mingyu in surprise.

"Your Highness, how did you know this name?"

"Um, a friend of mine lives there."

"Blade City was the original name of Dusk City. Later, my brother's grandfather, the most powerful knight in the South, Leo Martha, Red Flame, felt that the name was too austere and detrimental to the city's development, so he changed the name to Dusk."

"."

There was silence for a long time, and then the sound of light snoring gradually began to be heard in the carriage.

Red Fox Castle.

When Brown Nose got up early in the morning to work, he saw the servants around him looking at him in surprise, or rather the protection above his head.

It's strange. Aren't we all just ordinary people? What's so good about it?

While he was wondering, Brown Nose was brought before the castle's steward.

"Strange, he can become a knight's apprentice without any breathing techniques, and he's still so young. Could he be a genius?" The butler held his chin and fell into deep thought.

It wasn't until someone whispered something to him that he suddenly realized.

"So you're the lucky guy that the young lady fed the potion. In that case, the young lady is short of a guard, so you should go over there. Talk less, do more, and repay the young lady's kindness!"

So after receiving a breathing method that was countless times simpler than what his master taught him and a set of guard uniform, Brown Nose was once again brought to the silver-haired girl with violet eyes.

He stood up straight, but his legs were shaking slightly due to nervousness.

This overly nervous look aroused the girl's curiosity.

"What's your name? You became a knight's apprentice just by relying on that potion."

"Brown nose!" the boy replied embarrassedly.

The girl was silent for a moment, then couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst out laughing.

"How could there be someone with this name? It's so funny!" The girl laughed so hard that her stomach started to hurt.

"I'm sorry, miss. My parents starved to death before they even gave me a name. I survived by begging for food from neighbors and kind passers-by. That's why people around me call me Brown Nose." Brown Nose told the truth.

The smile on the girl's face froze.

She clapped her hands over her face and her expression quickly returned to calm.

"How old are you?" the girl asked.

"Ten, or maybe eleven. I have no family, so I can't remember the exact age," Brown Nose replied.

"Becoming a knight's apprentice at the age of ten with just a bottle of magic potion, he is indeed a genius." Thinking back to the novels about knights and lords that she had secretly read in her room all night, the girl seemed to be lost in thought.

"From now on, you should not be called Brown Nose. Just call yourself Leo, which means brave lion. I will bless you to become a fearless knight." The girl thought for a moment, moved closer to the boy, looked directly into the panic in his eyes and whispered.

"Yes, my lady, I will work hard to become a fearless knight!"

Seeing the girl's delicate white face so close to him, he could even see her long eyelashes. Leo, who had never had contact with the opposite sex, was so nervous that he couldn't speak clearly.

"Very well. My name is Rosa Martha, your future lord. From now on, you must dedicate your entire life to me, and I will reward you with honor and status in return. Do you understand?"

Looking at this scene, the girl nodded with satisfaction, and then gave instructions like a little adult.

For the next year, Leo stayed by Rosa's side as a guard.

Although they are called guards, they are actually more like playmates, because in the entire Twilight City, no one would dare to harm the daughter of the city lord, Earl Martha.

So what Leo has to do every day is to play with Rosa and make her happy.

Sometimes he would play the knight game with Rosa. He was the knight, Rosa was the lord who needed to be protected, and their opponent was a big black dog that would stick out its tongue and pounce on anyone it saw to lick them.

The result of the knight game is mostly failure.

Sometimes he would go to the Storm Church with Rosa to pray. The girl would secretly play the organ inside, while he would be responsible for keeping watch.

He liked listening to the young lady playing the organ, and he liked even more to see the girl's solemn expression when she played the organ.

That was one of the few times when the young lady acted like a grown-up lady.

Although they would always be caught by the priest who appeared and disappeared from the church, the priest would not say anything for the sake of the city lord, but would just forcibly send them out of the church.

Sometimes they would lie in the sun all day long in the shade of the big oak tree in their secret base, the deserted backyard of the castle, feeling the gentle breeze on their faces.

In this way, Leo spent the happiest year ever. How he wished it could continue like this!

Spark Hall.

Twelve pitch-black prisms stand on the bronze ground, torches burning brightly.

Leo returned here again, and his body size had shrunk back to the size it was when he first set foot here, just like last time.

He arrived late this time, and the other three were already sitting at the long bronze table reading books.

As soon as he saw him appear, Tamerlan came to him in an instant, lifted his arm and began to check his body.

"Yes, Brown Nose, it seems you've really worked hard. Your progress in this day has already caught up with the level of an ordinary person practicing Son of the Sun for a year!"

After the inspection, Tamerlan exclaimed with satisfaction.

As expected, as someone who shares the same aspirations as him, this talent is indeed qualified to contribute to the great cause of changing the world.

Leo: “.”

"Master, I'm no longer called Brown Nose. A kind person gave me a name, Leo."

"Leo, brave lion, it seems that the kind-hearted person has high expectations of you!" Tamerlan smiled slightly, but felt a little regretful in his heart.

He had originally wanted to name his apprentice, and had already decided on Tameline, but he didn't expect someone else to get there first.

Xia Mingyu, who was reading "The Biography of Crimson Fire" by Leo, was startled and his fingers unconsciously clenched the pages of the book.

Afterwards, Leo wanted to tell everyone about the different speeds at which time passes for him.

After playing with Miss Rosa in Red Fox Castle for a whole year, his knowledge has improved a lot and he is no longer the ignorant and confused beggar.

Naturally, he understood that he had to tell the master the truth about such an important matter, even though he might be regarded as a fool by his master again after being exposed.

After all, he didn't want to become an old man and be buried in the ground just a few dozen days after His Royal Highness the Prince and the others had passed by.

"Master, actually, every time I pass..."

Leo opened his mouth to explain, but was horrified to find that he couldn't make a sound no matter what.

Boom boom boom!
At the same time, the palace, which was once as solid as a mountain, was shaking.

The torches that were originally burning brightly on the twelve pitch-black prisms also began to flicker.

Spider-web-like cracks appeared on the towering crystal dome.

"This His Highness?"

"what happens?"

Hegemony and Tamerlan subconsciously looked at Xia Mingyu.

Without any explanation, Xia Mingyu just stood up from the main seat and walked to Leo, bent down and touched his head, turned his back to the two people behind him, raised his finger and made a hushing gesture at Leo, who had a terrified face.

After that, the hall gradually stopped shaking.

"Nothing, maybe I was just startled by a bird passing by the window while I was sleeping."

Xia Mingyu turned around and smiled at the two puzzled people.

"So that's how it is." The two of them suddenly realized.

"Tamerlan, this child will achieve unprecedented greatness in history. Please teach him well tonight."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will obey your orders." Tamerlan said respectfully.

But Leo's expression was confused.

I, to accomplish an unprecedented feat in history?
Am I worthy of this, a person who can only live for a few dozen days for His Royal Highness the Prince and the others?

However, he didn't stay in a daze for long before Tamerlan forcibly dragged him away.

Since His Highness has given the order, he will pass on all the secret knight training skills accumulated by the Church of the Sun for thousands of years to this boy.

The next morning.

After resting in the town, the army had a simple meal of rye bread and oatmeal porridge, and then set out again in high spirits.

It was not until noon that the army finally arrived at the core of Night Shadow Territory - Night Shadow Castle.

Under the scorching sun, the grayish-white stone walls were baked hot, the heavy city gates were tightly closed, and the iron spikes on the gates looked like the fangs of a giant beast.

There were several tall towers on the city wall, and hundreds of soldiers stood behind the battlements with bows and arrows in their hands, with Victor standing at the head.

He looked at the army below with indifference, and when he saw the leader Karen, a hint of hatred flashed in his eyes.

He could not forget the punch he had received during the ceremony, nor could he forget how he and the other bastards from Rune had often mocked him during the Dragon-Lion War, and even snatched away the black bread he had saved with great effort when food was scarce.

The reason is that if you don't fight, you are not qualified to eat military rations.

That was clearly a strategic retreat and avoidance!

"Victor, I will keep my promise and come with my army to take your head within three days."

Looking at the middle-aged man on the city wall, Karen's face was full of murderous intent.

Beside him, Berg rode a brown horse, holding a bow and arrow in his hand and carrying a quiver full of iron arrows on his back.

The moment he saw Victor, the boy's hawk-like eyes turned red with hatred.

I must. I must kill you!
At this moment, two men of different ages and backgrounds reached a perfect consensus.

Xia Mingyu also stuck his head out of the carriage to watch the battle. Seeing this, the shield-armored soldiers around him immediately raised their shields and crowded together to form a tight circle.

"Shoot." Victor raised his hand and gave the order.

The next moment, hundreds of archers on the city walls and in the towers pulled their bowstrings at the same time.

Swish swish!
Arrows rained down, and the whistling sound of the arrows breaking through the air made people's scalp tingle.

Karen's expression turned stern, and a dark green torrent of magic burst out from his body. The arrows shot at him were blown away by the air waves generated by the magic before they even touched him.

Berg drew out his sword, and after a few flashes of sword light, he cut off the arrows that were attacking him.

As for Xia Mingyu, the ten shield-armored soldiers beside him were like a solid wall of steel, and the arrows could not hurt him at all.

But ordinary soldiers were not so lucky.

Although the army arranged a shield soldier at every distance to help resist the arrows, after several rounds of arrow rain, it was inevitable that some soldiers would be shot and fall to the ground wailing, and were quickly taken away by the soldiers responsible for search and rescue.

"Haha, Karen, to tell you the truth, all the food in the entire territory is now gathered in Nightshadow Castle. It's enough to feed everyone in the castle for several years!"

Looking at the wailing soldiers below, Victor laughed while leaning on the battlements of the city wall.

The good thing about the nobles is that they have built castles whenever they have money over the past hundreds of years, so that every castle is not only a residence, but also an impregnable military fortress that is extremely difficult to capture.

"Victor, as a lord, you have absolutely no regard for the safety of your people, dragging nearly everyone in the territory into famine and tragedy. Someone like you should have died on the battlefield!"

Karen said coldly.

Victor's laughter stopped immediately, as if a sore spot had been touched.

"What do you know? I just want to live. As a citizen, it's my duty to sacrifice everything for the lord. Besides, I just took a little of their food."

"It's you. If you hadn't started the war of honor, they wouldn't have to be like this. This is all your fault!"

Victor said with a ferocious look.

"Then I will attack the castle, kill you, and then distribute all the food to the starving people in Yeying Territory." Karen said calmly.

"You, do you think you are the strongest knight in the South, the Crimson Flame who can destroy a city by yourself? Even if you are given a year, you still can't capture my castle."

Victor mocked, and then he saw Iris coming to Karen's side under the protection of a group of shield soldiers and began to draw magic patterns in the air.

"Hahahahaha!"

Seeing this, Victor's face showed even more scorn, and he even held his stomach and laughed.

"I thought you had something to rely on, but it turns out you're just letting your daughter, a magician, perform a talent show?"

"Or are you afraid so you want to send your daughter to me as a concubine to ask for peace? If that's the case, I can reluctantly agree to a truce." Victor said slowly.

Facing his ridicule, Karen remained calm, and Iris just calmed down and drew the magic pattern seriously.

White light flowed through her fingertips like running water, flexibly drawing graceful arcs in the air.

Magic Pattern "Wind", Magic Pattern "Impact", Magic Pattern "Enlargement", Magic Pattern "Compression".
One magic pattern, two magic patterns, three magic patterns.
Gradually, the smile on Victor's face disappeared, replaced by astonishment.

Because he was horrified to find that Iris had already drawn at least twenty magic patterns!
And she even continued to draw at a breakneck speed!

Although Victor had never practiced magic, as the lord of a place, he still understood most of the common sense of magic.

Being able to draw dozens of magic patterns in one breath has far exceeded the scope of a magician. Even most Morning Star magicians do not have this ability.

"Calm down, she is just drawing. So many magic patterns may not be able to be superimposed together." Victor took a deep breath and quickly comforted himself.

However, we still have to make preparations for both scenarios.

"Bring me my bow," Victor ordered.

He took the longbow handed to him by the soldier. The bow was about one meter long, and its surface was engraved with intricate magic patterns, faintly flashing with a light green fluorescence.

This is the only magical weapon passed down in the Yeying family for hundreds of years - the Wind Whispering Bow, which has its own wind power that can increase the speed of shooting arrows.

Victor quickly drew his bow and arrow, aiming at the girl below who was concentrating on drawing the magic pattern, and shot an arrow, followed by the second and third arrows.
Swish!
Several arrows shot towards Iris at an extremely terrifying speed.

The girl also noticed this scene. A hint of nervousness flashed in her bright red eyes. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the dozens of magic patterns that had been drawn in the air began to fluctuate.

boom!
Dark green magic power burst out, and Karen cut the flying arrow into pieces with one sword.

"Don't worry, my daughter. I won't let anyone hurt you until your father falls." Karen promised Iris behind him while cutting off the arrow.

The corners of the girl's mouth curled up slightly, and a smile as bright as spring breeze appeared on her pretty face. She quickened her drawing speed.

Finally, after drawing thirty-two magic patterns, under Iris's strenuous manipulation, magic patterns of various shapes began to overlap.

Then, a horrifying scene happened.

Hu Hu Hu.

Countless streams of wind came from all directions and gathered into a blue-green ball in the air.

As it absorbed the wind, the sphere gradually expanded until its diameter reached more than three meters, turning into a huge monster before it finally stopped.

Immediately afterwards, the giant blue ball slammed into the city gate.

Boom boom boom!
Accompanied by huge shock waves, the extremely heavy city gate twisted and deformed in an instant, groaning under the heavy burden.

A few seconds later, there was a loud bang.

In front of everyone's shocked eyes, the city gate shattered into pieces, and huge pieces of wood were picked up by the strong wind, rolling far away and raising countless dust.

(End of this chapter)