Raise Joan of Arc to be an empress, then discard her.

“What should we do now…” Carol panicked when she saw the grim look on Damian’s usually calm face. “That’s right, we can call for help. We can ask Lister for assistance.”

Damian shook his head: "The enemy is an army, and it may even be an elite force from another country. We can only fight back by calling in our own army. At most, there are some mounted police in Lister. The combined strength of the city's guards may not be greater than ours. They can't help us."

"We also need an army to fight them."

"It actually requires the Lucerne army to be mobilized..."

Carol's face turned ashen; she had never imagined that one day she would need the Lucerne army to protect them.

"Let's try to call for help. If we're lucky, we might actually get help. Even if we can't get help, at least we can get the message out."

"it is good……"

Carol said that Damian thought Carol was going to send a message, but instead Carol took out a blue cube.

"The Stone of Omniscience?" Damian's eyes lit up. He never expected that Carol would have such a thing on her.

*

High cliffs and valleys.

A huge black platform rises and falls in the lush valley, upon which stands a giant black machine. The machine vibrates through the valley, causing the entire sky to tremble in fear.

Lucerne is not only the most powerful superpower in the world today, but also an industrial nation. Although its industry is not the strongest, it can still produce machines that stand tall like giants.

The construction team has been stationed here for several months. During these months, when you look down at the valley from the sky, you can see that the entire valley is shaking because of the huge machines. Countless people, like ants, work at the feet of the giant machines, like hardworking worker ants.

The mineral deposits beneath the high cliffs and valleys were discovered relatively recently, but the mining progress has been rapid. You can see stair-like passageways spanning between the mine shafts, with naked workers toiling on those steps.

The steps were not only lined with naked workers, but also with black guards like crows. They were a group of people shrouded in black robes with gold patterns engraved on them. The workers called them the Black Robes.

These men in black robes appeared cold and aloof, their faces radiating ruthlessness. At first, the workers were hesitant to speak to them. However, once they became familiar with them, they discovered that beneath those long, dark robes lay only a young man. Over the course of several months, the workers and these men in black robes developed a fairly good relationship. The workers also trusted that they could protect them.

Some well-informed workers might realize that these young "black-robed" men are actually the famous Obsidian Knights, but they are unaware of the true significance of their mine.

They were secretly recruited from nearby towns, having signed a secret agreement and received generous promises beforehand. Once inside High Cliff Valley, they were not to leave. They were protected by 18 men in black robes, and all roads near the mine were blocked. The entire mine was under close surveillance, and if the enemy attempted to attack High Cliff Valley, they would be discovered immediately.

Their defenses in the high cliffs and valleys were like an impregnable fortress.

The workers, isolated in the valley, could vaguely sense that what they were digging was of great importance. Some workers felt uneasy, but since they were being paid handsomely, they could endure it. Moreover, the work in the valley had been relatively peaceful for several months, so they had no complaints and continued working in this way for several months.

But the orderly tranquility that had prevailed in the mine for months had vanished. All the miners working in the mine had been evacuated by the Obsidian Knights, and the massive black machine stood there like a giant with only its skeleton remaining.

Its body was stained with countless drops of black blood, and countless corpses piled up at its feet. The mine, which had once been a place of excavation for wealth, had been transformed into a living hell in just a few tens of minutes. The Obsidian Knights stood on the high platform, panting heavily, like city guards standing on a city wall.

It wasn't that their external defenses had been breached; the enemy actually came from inside the mine.

The strange change occurred an hour ago. During the mining process, they suddenly encountered an obstacle, and a black, viscous liquid that looked like blood began to seep out of the mine.

At first, the workers thought they had dug an underground river and didn't think much of it. They simply had a water pump brought in to drain the black liquid from the mine. But when the miners moved the pipes into the knee-deep black liquid, the black water suddenly became turbulent, and lizard-like monsters suddenly emerged from the water and attacked the workers.

Although the Obsidian Knights arrived quickly, by the time they got there, the worker was only half a body; the other half had been dragged into the black water by the monster.

Immediately afterwards, the earthen walls and rock strata of the mine collapsed as if they had collapsed, and a black underground river flooded the entire mine. Soon, the mine with its huge steps turned into a black, deep lake, emitting a disgusting, fishy stench. But this was not the most terrifying part.

The most terrifying thing was that just ten minutes later, the foul-smelling black lake began to bubble like a boiling oil pot, and then all sorts of deformed and terrifying monsters began to emerge from the bubbles. As soon as those monsters came out, they pounced on and bit the people nearby.

At this moment, the Obsidian Knight was standing at the top of the mine, fighting against the monsters inside. The Obsidian Knight had extremely fierce firepower and initially had the upper hand in the battle, but the monsters seemed endless.

They had already killed thousands of monsters, and the monster corpses were thrown back into the mine, causing the black water in the mine to rise further. However, these monsters continued to emerge in an endless stream, and the speed at which they emerged did not even slow down.

Just as they were dealing with the monsters that had emerged from the mine, even worse news arrived: the intelligence officer in the forest warned them of an enemy attack! An enemy attack! The enemy was a powerful superhuman!

Less than half a minute after the warning was issued, a huge blade, seemingly wielded by a giant, flew from the forest and crashed into the mine, injuring an Obsidian Knight.

When they looked in the direction from which the giant blade had come, they were all stunned, for they saw countless flashes of light appear above their heads, like tiny shooting stars. As the flashes drew closer, they realized that they were burning arrows.

The enemy has invaded the high cliff valley. There are more than a hundred of them, and all of the invaders are superhumans. At the same time, they also have to deal with the continuous attacks in the mine!

Chapter 32 Rescue

The end seems to have come for the Obsidian Knights.

The Obsidian Knights were relatively safe against the monsters pouring out of the mine, but if they were attacked from behind, the situation would become extremely dire.

The enemy outnumbered them, and there was a huge disparity in numbers. Even if the Obsidian Knight could fight against a hundred men, they would still be attacked from both sides.

Meanwhile, the blue and white stone on Charles's chest kept emitting light, and new information kept entering Charles's ears.

First came news from Levana: a mob had suddenly appeared and was causing trouble in Levana, attacking its residents and shops. Levana's communications had been cut off, and messages could only be transmitted through the Omniscient Stone. They were pleading for help, and there was a risk that the entire Levana would be breached.

Meanwhile, news also came from Lister that communications had been cut off and the railway network had been destroyed, and they too were calling for help.

Charles also received a distress signal from a girl who identified herself as the daughter of Augustine Leclerc, the Duke's daughter. She said that many of them were nobles from Asgard who had been attacked by troops near Lister and needed assistance!

At the same time, in the high cliff valley, Lister, Levante, and the Duke's daughter were attacked together. Listening to this news, Charles, as the decision-maker, was thinking frantically.

The attack was clearly meticulously planned; the fuses and bombs had been planted months in advance, waiting only for the moment to explode. Faced with such a jumble of clues, Charles pondered: what was the enemy's true objective in launching this multi-pronged attack?

Are they trying to open the mines in the High Cliffs Mountains and obtain the mineral deposits? Or are they planning to kidnap the Duke's daughter and that large group of nobles? Or perhaps they intend to occupy Lister and Levantine? What in the towns is there that they could plunder? Or is this just a smokescreen?

What are their real goals? Where will they focus their efforts? The mines, the duke's daughter, or the town? Or perhaps both?

As Charles pondered, he swung his sword to kill the monsters surging out of the mine. As the squad leader, he had to make a decision quickly. He didn't have much time left; every second could mean someone's sacrifice, and every second was precious, involving thousands of lives. He also needed to come up with a way to counterattack, making the mission on his shoulders too arduous, so arduous that cold sweat dripped down the forehead of this steel-like man.

In fact, Charles was just a young man in his twenties. If Joan of Arc were here, she would recognize him. He was the swordsman who had rushed into Queen Street a few years ago to escort her and her teacher onto the carriage.

At that time, Charles was just a swordsman, but a few years later, he had become a decisive leader among the Obsidian Knights. In three years, everyone had grown.

But the immense pressure made the former sword-wielding attendant feel breathless. Although he was used to being the squad leader, this was the first time he had faced such a difficult decision. His scalp tingled, and he desperately tried to figure out what the right decision was.

Which side is the decoy? Should we defend the mines to the death, or send men to support the Duke's daughter? What should we do to counter the enemy? If Lord Aaron were here, what decision would he make?

At this moment, the Duke's daughter's cries for help still echoed from within the Omniscient Stone, affecting Charles's mind.

Charles didn't recognize the duchess, but he could tell she was panicked. It was a pitiful voice, and even through the Omniscient Stone, he could imagine her frantic state. The entire group was probably in a panic, and if he didn't intervene, that lovely voice and the whole group would suffer cruel consequences.

As Charles pondered, the entire mine had been transformed into a lake of red and black blood. One of the Obsidian Knights, whose blessing was related to fire, could no longer care about anything else in the face of the endless black tide and unleashed his full power. As a result, flames even burned on the lake of blood.

But at this very moment, beneath the lake filled with red and black, the flames of monster corpses, and the stench of blood, a giant bubble suddenly appeared.

Beneath the giant bubble, the Obsidian Knights saw a black shadow that, as it swam freely within the bubble, revealed a graceful beauty.

Yet it was so violent that as it swam, the entire mine was like a boiling pot, bubbling up countless tiny bubbles. Then the water level in the mine began to drop, creating a huge whirlpool, which then rose sharply, and finally a huge black shadow appeared on the surface of the water.

Although the word is inappropriate, the Obsidian Knight felt that this scene was like a beautiful woman emerging from a bath. When the dark figure broke through the thin film of water, everyone's gaze froze.

Its emergence from the mine was indeed as graceful as a beauty emerging from a bath, but what actually emerged from the mine was a creature somewhere between a catfish and a lizard. It had many tentacles, its body was covered in slime, and its body resembled a demon. Its appearance was like a Styx demon descending upon the world, announcing the end of the world.

At the same time, Charles swung his long, narrow, perforated blade, and a burst of cold black light exploded above the mine. This was his blessing, his power, his ability to mud and pulverize. It needed no introduction, for his power had already been well demonstrated on that monster.

Not only the creature that leaped out of the River Styx, but the moment Charles activated his power, the entire lake surface, including the monster that leaped out of the water, was encased in layers of black, sludge-like substance.

A chilling aura swept over them, and time and air seemed to freeze in that instant. Their bodies were suspended in mid-air, and beneath the layer of black mud, their "fish tails" could be seen frantically thrashing about. At the same time, Charles slowly swung his sword.

The porous, narrow blade gleamed with a black light, and the monsters frozen in mid-air seemed to be corroded, slowly "dissolving" in the black mud, turning into flesh and blood that flowed back into the mine. Charles stood on the mine shaft, like a hero who had ended the apocalypse.

Although they knew their captain's abilities, the entire Obsidian Knights were invigorated by the sight. Even though at the same time, sounds of battle rang out from the forest behind them and countless fire rains fell from above, they still did not feel despair.

Yes, despite being attacked from all sides, despite facing severe trials, and despite the endless monsters that could kill them at any moment, they are Obsidian Knights. Their captain, Charles, is still standing here. Their enemies may be thousands of troops, but they have not lost yet. They are Obsidian Knights, and they can hold out until the very last moment!

Not only did the morale of the team members soar, but Charles also felt a sense of exhilaration as he melted away the monsters in the mine like meat sauce. Yes, he was the captain of the Obsidian Knights, entrusted with an important mission by Lord Aaron. He would never fail in his duty, he would never back down, and he would make the right decision!

At this moment, the Duke's daughter's voice rang out again from the Omniscient Stone. Charles was no longer hindered and had made his decision. Just as he was about to answer, he suddenly heard a cold voice that made Charles tremble with excitement.

"Do not send reinforcements, hold the high cliffs and mountains to the death."

The voice sounded indistinct, yet it reached their ears clearly because it was all too familiar to them.

"Lord Aaron!"

Not only Charles, but all the Obsidian Knights heard that voice that made them tremble with excitement as he coldly announced his arrival:

"Don't worry, because I'm already here."

*

Outside Lister, a caravan.

Carol has sent out distress signals, but so far no one has responded.

Even worse news arrived: she learned that Lister and Levante had also been attacked. This attack was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a meticulously planned military operation, one that the planners had calculated perfectly.

Although they were only attacking a few small towns in central Lucerne, Carol had a feeling that the whole world was in chaos and that she was isolated and helpless. Lister and Levante were the closest towns to them. Apart from these towns, the nearest major cities were more than fifty miles away and it was almost impossible for them to come to their aid in a short time.

Carol turned to look to the west. The plain stretched out before her, completely unobstructed. As she watched the army arrayed in the distance, ready to charge at any moment, fear gripped her. If the enemy launched their attack, they would all be smashed into a bloody pulp.

Carol was no naive girl; she knew perfectly well what would happen if she fell into the enemy's hands. Thibault had already vividly recounted Mary's ordeal to them, and they all looked terrified after hearing it.

Dylan was even more panicked. After receiving the news, although he tried his best to maintain a gentlemanly demeanor, anyone could see that he was uneasy.

People couldn't help but look at him with sympathy. After all, Lister was his territory, and it would be hard for anyone to feel bad if their territory was attacked. However, his restraint was touching and made people feel that he had not failed the noble spirit.

“There’s still no way,” Dylan said.

“As the Baron of Lister, I hope to contribute to Lister’s resistance, or at least to give a speech to the townspeople and empower them.” Dylan clenched his fist. “I want to support their resistance, at least to let them know that my spirit is with them.”

“But Lister’s communications have been cut off. How are you going to contact them?” Carol asked.

This put Dylan in a difficult position. Indeed, Lister, as a small town, could not possibly be equipped with something like the Stone of Omniscience. And now that the enemy had their eyes on them, even a bird could hardly fly away. How was he supposed to contact Lister?

Dylan paced back and forth like a cat on a hot tin roof, but kind-hearted Carol had an idea: "That's right, don't we have a telegraph machine? Although the transmission distance isn't far, we can try that big thing."

"Oh, right, we also have a telegraph machine!" Dylan's eyes lit up.

The telegraph machine was a novel invention, and such things were not common, but Lister happened to have one. They had also equipped their carriage with one when they left Lister, so perhaps they could try out this novelty.

“I’ll use that thing to send a telegram to Lister,” Carol said. In this situation, there was no point in her continuing to panic. Having something she could do would give her a sense of control over the situation, and helping Lister would also be helping someone else, which might help herself in the process.

Carol's kindness touched Dylan, who was momentarily speechless despite his eloquence. But Carol didn't mind and said to Dylan, "The telegraph machine is in my carriage. Come with me."

They walked quickly to the carriage, the largest of all the carriages Carole was in, located at the head of the caravan, and its interior was about the size of a room.

Dylan followed Carol into the carriage, instantly isolating himself from the outside world. The surroundings naturally calmed down. Dylan closed the carriage door behind Carol, as if he had instantly transformed back into the composed and capable Baron Dylan he always was.

He tiptoed to the wine rack, picked up a bottle of wine, and took two glasses. The first thing he did upon entering the carriage was to go to the bar and, like a skilled waiter, pour a glass for himself and Carol.

Because of the need to use the telegraph machine, all the maids and servants were dismissed by Carol. This was the first time Dylan was alone with Carol. Carol was unaware of this and was focused on searching for the telegraph machine in the carriage. When Dylan saw Carol's slender back, he breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time felt a sense of annoyance. Carol seemed to have never treated him as a man at all.

Carol only truly loved one man, and she often mentioned him even in Lister. Dylan would always smile when he did, but he was actually fed up with him. But by the grace of the Seven, he finally didn't have to hear that man's name anymore.

Thinking this, Dylan felt even more at ease, and even a little restless. Through the reflection in the mirror on the bar, he could fully admire Carol's beautiful back. His gaze had never been so unrestrained.

The Duke's daughter was indeed a beautiful girl. Even as she knelt on the ground, her petite buttocks slightly raised, studying the telegraph machine, the elegant curves of her waist and hips, clad in a red dress, were still evident.

Carol was indeed very well-suited to the red palace dress, which made Dylan even more certain of this. As he passed by Carol, he inadvertently caught a whiff of her fragrance, which was indeed the natural scent of a young girl.