Treason? Confiscation of territories and properties?
Lin Lan shook his head helplessly.
Sigma’s diplomats had long shared all the intelligence on the Lion Heart Kingdom with the Ark managent. For Ark, the madness rooted deeply in the soul of the nobility was no secret anymore.
Those guys were all jarheads who drank themselves insane; Lin Lan never expected that bunch of lunatics to act with any normal logic.
He understood in his heart that the true danger hiding behind this matter was the Northern Empire’s ambition to conquer the world.
The Empire’s higher-ups were researching celestial calamities and even using them to create addictive agents that tore apart rationality. From the start, the descendants of King Arthur were rely test subjects for ambitious people.
Now, the Abyssal calamity was completely out of control, and naturally, the Empire’s focus shifted to the Ark.
Lin Lan’s gaze turned cold.
If the Ark showed even a hint of weakness, the Empire would certainly seize the opportunity to attack.
There’s no good fortune that allows for smooth dealings everywhere in this world. Since the Ark had started cooperating with the Alliance, it was bound to face testing and pressure from the Empire.
"No matter what nobles the Royal Court sends over, don’t waste any ti entangling with them; leave no survivors."
Lin Lan pulled back his wandering thoughts, pondering for a mont before speaking: "Also, starting today, we must implent the strictest alcohol prohibition in the territory."
"Your will is the soldiers’ will."
Ed’s expression did not change, as he wasn’t surprised by the Lord’s resolute decision.
Soon after, the look on this Alliance officer’s face turned serious.
"In fact, the Lionheart nobility poses little threat to us."
His voice was low as he continued to report: "The most pressing issue right now is the mutation of the Blood Plague Curse occurring in the Kingdom’s Western Border, we’re about to face a much more challenging situation."
"Mutation?" Lin Lan squinted his eyes.
"Please follow , Lord."
Ed turned and began to lead the way, with Lin Lan and Jay following closely behind. Soon, they arrived at a warehouse entrance where two mbers of the Civilian Corps guarded with Ash Soil long spears.
They looked agitated, their lips pale as if sothing terrifying was sealed within the warehouse behind them.
The mont they saw Lord Roland and Officer Ed, the two young n visibly relaxed.
"Lord!"
They stood straight, placing their right fists over their hearts in a standard soldier’s salute.
Lin Lan nodded in response, following Ed into the warehouse. Imdiately, he noticed several eerie corpses positioned conspicuously.
The nearest corpse was over half a ter long; its limbs were twisted and elongated, its fur grayish-white, but its head split into a horrifying six sections, filled with countless eyes and sharp teeth.
The monster’s cause of death was a pierced heart by an Ash Soil long spear; under the burn of the sun’s glow, the flesh around the wound had withered and blackened.
Lin Lan examined the corpse in front of him with a solemn expression.
The Lionheart Knights were systematically cultivating celestial calamity pollution, and Blood Plague Curse carriers were no longer limited to humans.
The curse twisted the bodies of animals; from its appearance, it could barely be determined that the original form of this thing was a rabbit.
"These all ca from wild beasts deep in the Western Border, frequently attacking workers building roads aided by the Civilian Corps."
Ed solemnly spoke beside the Lord: "I specially arranged for soldiers to transport so of the corpses back, intending to let new recruits witness the enemies they’ll face in future training."
"A sensible approach."
Lin Lan nodded; suddenly encountering unknown terrifying monsters on the battlefield could easily cause fragile-minded soldiers to collapse. It’s always right to be prepared with psychological defenses in advance.
It could only be said that Ed, coming from the Alliance, handled things professionally.
Jay remained silent, his gaze determined. As a Centurion, he had already dealt with such monsters at the outskirts of the Western Border.
The few ’exhibits’ in the warehouse were personally brought back by him.
The three of them walked past one frightening corpse after another, countless shriveled, dim eyes stared at their backs, the warehouse’s environnt oppressive and bizarre.
"Fortunately, soldiers bitten by infected can save their lives as long as the wounds are promptly burned with Sun Ore and Blood Plague Potion is administered."
Ed continued his narration.
He sighed and spoke softly: "But the thing I’ve always worried about has finally happened, Lord."
The three had reached the deepest part of the warehouse.
Lin Lan focused on the last exhibit, his brows furrowing deeply the next mont.
At the end of the space wasn’t so twisted, terrifying animal corpse, but rather...
A seemingly ordinary black rye seedling.
This is a crop sown in autumn, which hibernates as a seedling in winter, resus growth in the spring of the following year, and matures in the sumr.
Lin Lan bent down, placing the seedling in his palm; he gently tore off the seedling’s leaf, and the next mont, crimson was exposed to everyone’s sight.
The originally verdant fibers of the black rye seedling had beco rotten and red, with scarlet viscous sap gradually seeping out from the broken section, the overwhelming sll of blood imdiately filling the space.
—It’s bleeding.
Jay stared blankly at the leaf in the Lord’s hand.
He had never feared those twisted, terrifying monsters nor would he waver due to the Lionheart Knights’ cruel power.
But looking at that small black rye seedling, at the red veins within the leaf, at this mont, Jay felt a chill all over.
"This crop was discovered at a farm near the Western Border by Decurion under Colin, Lord."
Ed spoke quietly: "As you can see, the situation is already very bad, and we have absolutely no way to preserve those corrupted fields."
Lin Lan’s expression was extrely grave.
The eerie nature of celestial calamities was evident.
It wasn’t rely a bad climate or a monster that could be defeated; the pollution from the end was warping everything outside normal understanding indiscriminately!
Seagull Town’s population was increasing rapidly, and the newly built roads connected one new camp after another. Even though the Reconstructor was producing food non-stop, it couldn’t keep up with so many mouths to feed.
Although the Civilian Corps cleared the Southern Territory of noble families and seized quite a few granaries, there would always co a day when the food runs out.
"Ed, has this issue arisen in the internal farms of the territory?"
Lin Lan asked with concentration.
"No, it hasn’t."
Ed shook his head: "The Sun Blessing dug by craftsn and children can dispel the curse, and currently, no Blood Plague Curse can spread here."
Lin Lan exhaled slightly.
The power of Sun Brother Lie Ri was indeed formidable.
After all, the fall of Eternal Fierce Sun had almost nothing to do with the end, but was his own choice.
"Ed, Jay, we must take proactive action next!"
Lin Lan’s tone beca unprecedentedly serious: "We must seize the Kingdom’s Eastern and Northern Borders before the calamity completely pollutes all farmland!"
The Ark must preserve those populations and farms.
Currently, the only solution is to expand territory, enlarging the scope of ’Promise of the Sun’ as much as possible!
Nobles can be overthrown, monsters can be killed, but once the food people rely on for survival becos tainted, everything is lost.
"Lord, I am willing to lead the charge for you!"
At this mont, Jay gritted his teeth; he felt the urgency just as intensely. This young man was already eager to act.
The Decurions under his command had undergone battle after battle, transforming into competent warriors!
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