Firefly Journey

Chapter 308 The World's Attack on Chu (18)

"What? The Holy See of Light, in alliance with the Dark Temple, attacked the Southern Army and killed Commander Mond Toby?"

The remnants of Mondstadt's army who fled back to their headquarters brought bad news, causing Henry I to fly into a rage and smash the jade goblet on the table in two.

Just yesterday, the Imperial Army advanced triumphantly and captured Haolan City, the capital of Xiangzhou. If they take another step, they will reach the capital of Chu. Once Danyang is captured, there is no need to worry about the stability of Chu.

At this critical juncture, this terrible news just happened.

Mond Toby was a seasoned warrior who had rendered many meritorious services to the empire and was renowned throughout the North. Who would have thought that such a man would meet the God of War so soon after leading an army alone in Chu? Henry I was furious.

What angered him even more was that the people who destroyed Mondstadt were his allies, the Papacy and the Temple.

The Seven Gods Alliance is no child's play; it's a alliance forged through shared interests, facilitated by true gods who lowered their cultivation levels in the Fierce Battle Arena. Such an alliance should be unbreakable, so how could it be…?

"Xu Penglong, Ario Morris."

Henry I murmured the two names for a while before saying, "If I remember correctly, Ario Morris was the envoy from Chu who begged for an alliance. Although he came from the Papacy, he did not have a high position within the Church. I did not expect that he would have such power."

Henry I and the rest of the empire were not fools. If Ario alone was not qualified to mobilize the Papal cavalry, then the only one behind him could be the three high priests, or even the Pope himself.

As for the Dark Temple, it goes without saying that the Holy Maiden's position is second only to the Holy Maiden in the temple, so it is not surprising that she can command the temple's followers at will.

"Heh, the Ancestral God Church has suddenly switched sides to both sides. They really don't give me any face."

Henry I's face was extremely gloomy, so gloomy it was terrifying. No one dared to respond to him, fearing they would incur his wrath and be punished. The entire state office was deathly silent.

In the midst of the silence, even worse news arrived.

A crow slowly flew in from outside the door.

Henry I, who was in a fit of rage, grabbed the raven with a wave of his hand, which was adorned with a gold ring, before the messenger raven could even get close.

He then plucked a feather from its body and carelessly tossed the crow's carcass aside. The carcass landed at the feet of a marquis below, startling him so much that he nearly collapsed to his knees.

Henry I touched the raven's feather with his gold ring, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

After a long while, he crushed the feather into ashes and looked at the group of imperial officers.

"Something has happened. The Duchy of Bema, in alliance with the Kingdom of Delos, is advancing on our western border. In addition, the city of Seror has been captured by the Vagri Alliance, a force that has grown rapidly in recent years in the tundra. They are gathering tribes from the north to attack our northern border."

Upon hearing such confidential information, the faces of all the Imperial officers present changed drastically.

what's the situation?

Didn't we agree to attack the Chu Kingdom together? How come so many forces have turned against us in just two months, and it has even turned into a siege of the Debasa Empire?

With troops invading from the west and north, and the Chu Kingdom's battlefield opened up by the empire in the east, the country is now besieged on three sides, and the situation is far from optimistic.

If it weren't for the scarcity of intelligent life in the south, with most areas being deep in the mountains and forests, the influence of the Dark Temple might have caused some trouble.

After all, news had just been received that the Temple, in collusion with the Papacy, had almost completely annihilated the Empire's southern army.

"Get down first." Henry I slapped his forehead and squeezed out these words through gritted teeth.

The crowd felt as if they had been granted a pardon, bowed respectfully, and then quickly departed.

Henry I was capricious and unpredictable. If he stayed any longer, he might take his anger out on a few people. Who wouldn't be afraid?

Henry I knew that these useless people couldn't solve the problem. The alliance of the Seven Gods was brought together by divine messengers, the gods of the Fighting Arena. Naturally, they would have to clean up the mess when problems arose.

If it weren't for their advocacy, Henry I wouldn't have dared to launch such an attack on Chu.

The great battle beneath the giant peak more than a decade ago, though a victory for the empire, also made him realize the military strength of the Chu Kingdom. Without thorough preparation, he would never dare to invade Chu again.

Now that the Fierce Battle Hall is leading the charge, he dares to launch a full-scale attack on Chu. However, now that allies are turning against him, he still needs them to make the decision.

After the officers left, Henry I sat in the main seat and respectfully said, "Please, messenger of the gods, come out for a chat."

Swish!

In the empty hall, a figure in black robes suddenly appeared.

Henry I was about to speak when he was stopped by the black-robed messenger.

The divine messenger said, "I know what you're going to say. The betrayal of the Holy See and the Dark Temple is something I never expected."

I thought they would be happy to cooperate with us given our shared interests, but I didn't expect them to be so inflexible. Peace will naturally follow once the mainland unifies its beliefs.

"You don't need to worry. The Holy See and the Temple cannot threaten our great cause of conquering Chu. Starting tomorrow, the believers of the Fighting Hall will join the battle. You will command them to take down the capital of Chu in one fell swoop."

As for the fire in the backyard, I'll handle that too.

Henry I asked in bewilderment, "How do we solve this?"

The black-robed envoy smiled slightly: "Although Aino is a good-for-nothing who can't be helped, I won't be disappointed if he can make some small moves within the organization."

In the north, news has spread that the leader of the Wagri Alliance has secretly marched east, seemingly arriving on the battlefield of Chu. While his intentions are unclear, the frozen tundra coalition, now without him, is nothing more than a rabble; the original defensive forces are sufficient.

"I understand. I will quicken my pace and strive to capture Danyang within this month," said Henry I.

"Yes, Chu has retreated again and again, but it's impossible for them to abandon their capital. I have a feeling that the battle there will be the most brutal in this campaign," said the black-robed envoy.

"The extraordinary individuals of Chu will surely gather there for a decisive battle with us. With the strength of the Fighting Hall, we will never be defeated in a battle between extraordinary individuals. You can focus on attacking the city."

After hearing what the man in the black robe said, Henry I felt reassured, his anger and irritation vanished, and his mind cleared.

"Is there anything else? I'll answer it for you all at once."

Henry I replied respectfully, "No, that's all."

"That's good. If this succeeds, you'll be a hero of the Fighting Arena."

"As agreed, the Fighting Arena will not treat you unfairly. Your congenitally weak body will be blessed by the gods, and one day you will be able to ascend into the 'Wilderness of Heroes' to serve my lord forever."

Upon hearing the black-robed man mention the promise, Henry I immediately stood up straight, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes.

Life is fleeting, like grass in autumn. What good is being the emperor of a powerful nation if you can't rule for eternity?

Only by becoming a god can one truly transcend worldly concerns.