Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

The continuous war of Songyue had dealt a heavy blow to this declining country. The large number of casualties and losses were secondary. More importantly, the tragic process of the war had deeply terrified the not-so-brave interest groups, especially when they had already walked on the edge of death.

During the Battle of Lucerne, almost all of the Goethe nobles had abandoned their fantasies and were determined to fight to the death. However, bravery and fearlessness had a time limit, especially when Kant had turned the tide when the city had fallen. The survivors of the war had already lost the courage to experience a second war.

Only after experiencing death would one understand the value of life.

Only then would he understand what he usually enjoyed: wealth, peace, wealth, power, delicious food, women… All of this was so precious, so much that he couldn’t bear to part with it.

It was not enough. He wanted more and more. He wanted to enjoy it to the fullest. Only then would he not let down his second life.

Therefore, after the end of the war, Lucerne fell into a revelry and feast.

The nobles were extravagant and indulgent in revenge, and the civilians were also singing and drinking. Sometimes, the flames of war could not temper the courage of a nation. Instead, it would make them more cowardly and degenerate, because the bravest people had long become the first victims of war.

Survivors became more and more indulgent, indulging in luxury and experiencing the beauty of life to their heart’s content. As a result, they hated more risks and wars and became more timid.

When Kant had provoked a conflict with the dragons, they had already started to complain. However, they were afraid of the Skyquaters ‘Forbidden Spell deterrence and their status as the guardians of peace, so they only complained in private.

However, when the Paragon Element attracted the attention and greed of the entire world and triggered the oppression and threats from the major powers, this dissatisfaction finally exploded.

Because of the fear of the destruction and disaster caused by the war, most of the Goethe nobles and rulers did not realize that this was an opportunity to quickly recover and enhance Goethe’s national strength. What filled their hearts was not ecstasy, but fear. Although the idiom of ‘an innocent man is guilty of a crime’ did not exist in the other world, there were similar expressions in both the East and the West. Because the external manifestation of civilization was the exploitation and plunder of the advanced against the backward.

They were panicking, discussing, and advocating compromise. They advocated using this brand new mysterious substance in exchange for the protection and courtesy of a certain big country. After all, they were already rich people and did not need to take risks to gain anything.

This kind of protest gradually became a radical idea as the pressure from the various countries gradually increased.

The main reason was that there had been no news of Kant during the tumultuous times.

Perhaps it was due to the persuasion and bribery of external forces, or perhaps it was due to their own narrow-mindedness and stupidity, the nobles and citizens were venting their fear and hostility. Most of them were fools who charged into the battlefield for them. They quickly forgot the kindness Kant had given to the city and the country. They also forgot that not long ago, they were still praising the achievements of the Skyquaking Dragon and began to criticize the heroes of the past.

Spreading rumors, scolding, and denouncing, claiming that this ill-intentioned Aurora guy had an indescribable evil intention to get close to Princess Tina and Goethe. His main goal was to obtain the god-bestowed treasure under the Blue Wave Province. He wanted to plunder that mysterious substance and then leave, causing Goethe to face the anger of the various countries.

The increasingly intense demonstration, unrest, petition, and protest led to bloody massacres.

Princess Tina’s merciless order to suppress them stunned the ” patriots ” and the conspirators in the dark. They began to suspect that Kant was behind this. After all, everyone’s impression of Princess Goethe was limited to the knowledgeable, elegant, beautiful, and gentle Pearl of Goethe.

However, the violent suppression only brought about a brief period of peace.

As the other countries increased their pressure, Kant still did not show up.

The fleet was already approaching the distant harbor, and the Empire’s army on the eastern border was frequently mobilized. The spies and lobbyists of various countries were secretly roaming around Lucerne, and the nobles and merchants in the north of the Empire who had lent money to Princess Tina during the Songmoon War had already issued a declaration to demand their debts.

The conspirators smelled the bluff.

The second test and coercion followed.

The traitors who had received the promise, the patriots who were dissatisfied with Tina’s military actions, and the Goethe representatives of the Empire and the Council, all of them had a tacit understanding and met with the Maple Leaf Palace.

They attacked Princess Tina and accused her of betraying the interests of the country for her lover. They also denounced her for destroying the tradition of leniency and fairness of Goethe’s archdukes, trying to use blood and violence to maintain her rule and suppress dissidents.

According to the participants, the beautiful and noble Princess Tina in everyone’s memories had a cold expression on her face as if she had been possessed. She was like a crazy shrew as she started to scold the gentlemen. She did not hide her increasingly violent tendencies and openly threatened the safety of several nobles.

That day, the audience hall was filled with chaotic reprimands and furious roars. Princess Tina’s voice was sandwiched in between them. It was as sharp as a sword, not giving in an inch, and eloquent.

However, in recent days, the brutal actions of the acting governor were really unpopular. Not only did the opposition gnash their teeth, but even the neutral and even supporters felt uneasy.

After all, the fox mourned the death of the rabbit.

When they saw their colleagues, friends, or enemies, whom they usually saw, being dragged to the corner by the Valentans and even the green-skinned orcs like dead dogs and beaten into unrecognizable minced meat with evil alchemical weapons, even the hardcore supporters of Tedarell criticized them. Was there still law? Was there mercy?

Therefore, the situation was unprecedentedly passive.

As the class with the greatest interest, the nobles denounced Tina’s brutality and cruelty.

Most of the civil officials in Lucerne were from the prime minister’s line, and they maintained the cold and hostile attitude of the prime minister who had been suspended for recuperation towards the people of Aurora. Naturally, they would not stand on Tina’s side.

Although the mages had a good relationship with Kant, the people of Aurora had just humiliated the envoy of the Arcane Magic Council. This overly arrogant behavior had also caused dissatisfaction. Furthermore, Princess Tina had gone too far.

The military had yet to express their stance. This was a tacit balance. As long as the second son of the archduke, Lantisdon, did not openly support his sister, the opposition in the army would not jump up and wave flags and shout, mixing political conflicts with Qiu Ba’s interference. This had always been a political taboo in any country.

But this meant that Tina had almost no supporters.

The situation of forcing the abdication gradually collapsed and worsened, and a huge conflict was inevitable.

At the critical moment, Duke Rechnos, who claimed to be ill, finally appeared. He upheld the spirit of justice and leniency of Tedarell and denied Princess Tina’s violent suppression over the past few days. He also stripped the princess of her temporary power and ordered her to immediately shut herself up and reflect on her mistakes.

The action against tyranny was successful, but it was not enough for the lackeys who colluded with foreign countries. A portion of the nobles were agitated, claiming that even the children of the archdukes had to abide by the law. Princess Tina’s orders had destroyed many upright nobles and innocent good people, and she had to pay the price for it.

As well as her cruel accomplices, the loyal lackeys of Kant from Aurora, the Easterner named Hong San, the barbarians from Valentan’s countryside, and those ugly green-skinned creatures, they were all to be arrested and imprisoned, awaiting trial.

Then, he would accept the judgment of all the Goethe people.

Before the Great Duke could express his stance,’Butcher’ Hong San had already sneered.

Along with his sneer, a dozen thunderous booms sounded from all directions. The violent vibration caused the ceiling of the audience hall to fall into dust and sand. It was the sound of grenades exploding.

After the news of the alliance between the various classes in Lucerne came, Hong San took Tina’s order and ordered the Valentan Mechanical Brigade to stand by outside the Maple Leaf Palace. He also transferred the Green Skinned Spear Team into the palace.

The loyalty of the first Guards, which was made up of the elites selected from the survivors of the Battle of Valentan, was unquestionable. However, they were still Goethe people and had a natural reverence for the country and its regime. However, the Green Dwarfs were different.

To them, all the small shrimps in the world were the same.

Therefore, the green-skinned creatures would not hesitate to carry out Hong San’s orders. Once they gave the order, they would fire at the garden, square, fountain, and even the no-man’s land outside Maple Leaf Palace.

The sound of cannons rumbled and the flames soared into the sky, shaking the audience hall.

Under everyone’s furious roars and fearful gazes, Hong San’s expression was calm as he bowed elegantly, asking everyone to allow him to point out a trivial matter.

That is, under the luxurious and heavy Moon-Shattered Star Slate that you are stepping on, there is a 2,000-pound Jedam Combined Attack Ammo and a Blu-118B thermoball.

The former had shown its brilliance in the Battle of Lucerne, and His Highness Kant had destroyed an entire elven army with just one. The latter was extremely suitable for use in crowded situations and had creative killing methods. For example, the noble and elegant postures of the lords were all printed on the murals in the audience hall.

There was an uproar. Fear and anger grew at the same time. The Aurora Butcher revealed a crazy and fearless smile, just like how he ordered the bombardment of the instigators and conspirators on the entire street.

He opened his arms to the knights who had drawn their swords, the mages who had raised their staffs, and the nobles who had clenched their fists. He gestured for the adults to help themselves and guessed whether the button to activate the alchemist’s bomb was connected to Hong San’s heart or held in the hands of a green-skinned creature outside.

It was only at this moment that Goethe’s big shots finally got to know the Skyquaking Dragon’s followers and aides.

A bloody butcher, a lunatic who did not care about the consequences. His life was hanging by a thread, and he could still laugh in the face of the anger of the entire country.

The Hong San in front of them was completely different from the person from Skyquaver whom everyone remembered and knew from the intelligence reports. He was always half a body behind His Highness Kant, and his smile was clear and reserved.

Amidst the shock, anger, fear, and scolding, Hong San’s smile remained unchanged.

He drew his gun at lightning speed and used the ridiculously large sniper rifle Kant had given him to blast the upper body of the nobleman who had been shouting the loudest. Amidst the scattered flesh and blood, the man from Aurora blew away the thick smoke from the gun barrel as if nothing had happened. He used a calm tone to ask the lords to keep quiet for the time being.

He said that he had no intention of creating a massacre. His mission was to ensure the absolute safety of the matriarch. Goethe’s law had no right to judge the followers of His Highness Kant. Therefore, he suggested that all the followers of His Highness Kant leave the city and escort Princess Tina out of Danfeng Lucerne.

As long as there was no obstruction, the bomb would never activate.

Otherwise…

” Otherwise, Maple Leaf Palace will be turned into a bloody execution ground. Everyone will be crushed into pieces, and blood will fall from the sky. We will arrive in the netherworld with our infinite loyalty to His Highness Kant. The only regret is that our temporary loyalty will end today, but today will also be Goethe’s doomsday. The loud sound that shakes Lucerne will be the first death knell of this country! But my noble sirs! Please do not feel lonely, nor do you regret not being able to witness the funeral of this country. Because it will not be long before your sorrowful and desperate families discover that the Dragon of Revenge from Aurora has appeared before them. The merciful Prince Kant will send them back to you and tell you the cruel and bloody stories of the future!”

More people’s expressions changed. The Skyquaking people’s fearless declaration had hit their biggest worry and weakness.

Even though the people who lobbied them had vowed that Kant would not be able to return and that the important figures of the various countries would ensure that he would not return, what if he did?

Out of worry and fear, they pinned their hopes on the duke, hoping that the benevolent duke would take up his responsibility as a ruler and resolve this shameless extortion and threat.

At the very least, he had to make Princess Tina stay! Even if he was put under house arrest in Maple Leaf Palace!

Once all his subordinates and wives fled, and Kant successfully returned, he would have no more obstacles to take revenge on Lucerne. What? Father-in-law is still in the city?

The noble gentlemen asked themselves and judged others by themselves. If their father-in-law was held hostage by a demon, they would definitely make a cruel decision in grief and determination to kill the evil demon and their innocent father-in-law together. They would never give the demon a chance to bewitch the people. Even if they had to bear this heavy decision alone, they would wipe away their tears, help their grieving wife to be strong, and handle the inheritance.

Therefore, they were willing to take a step back and allow Hong San to leave with his subordinates. They also promised not to pursue what he had done in the past few days. However, Princess Tina had to stay in Maple Leaf Palace. The reason was also very grand. After all, she was not married to His Highness Kant, so Hong San had no right to take her away.

Of course, Hong San insisted on not allowing it, and the negotiations were in a deadlock. Princess Tina’s departure was the core conflict. Hong San wanted to take away the mistress, and the Goethe people wanted to keep the princess as a buffer just in case.

After all, not all Goethe people had been bought over by external forces. Many people in the audience hall were purely political and idealistic disagreements, or were stupid.

They did not want their good relationship with Kant to deteriorate completely. As Princess Goethe, Tina still had to fulfill her duty and retain Kant’s goodwill and goodwill for Goethe. This was the return of the citizens of Goethe who had supported her with taxes and labor for more than ten years.

Hong San still did not expect that things would go wrong on Princess Tina’s side.

The archduke didn’t say anything and was even inclined to let his daughter leave. The Snow Fall Sword Saint didn’t say anything either. She just sighed silently. Prince Lantison didn’t say anything either. He even glared fiercely at the few bastards who were shouting,” Princess Tina must fulfill her duty.”

However, the more her family expressed their good intentions, the more the princess’s slender and gentle heart wavered with guilt.

In the end, she announced that she was willing to stay in Maple Leaf Palace and be placed under house arrest.

However, in exchange, the safety of Hong San and the others had to be guaranteed. None of the members could be arrested, tried, or attacked, and they had to retain full autonomy and the right to act.

She swore to the ministers and nobles present that if Kant’s subordinates were to encounter a life-threatening crisis, she would not hesitate to blame everyone present and end her own life.

Everyone knew what this threat meant.

If Kant could return to the surface and find that his subordinates and his wife were dead, it would be obvious that the rage of the Forbidden Mages would cleanse every inch of the kingdom.

Moreover, no country would speak up for them.

Of course, everyone agreed.

Tina only gave Hong San an apologetic look. Although she had chosen to stand on Kant’s side, she could not completely sever her ties with Goethe and her family.

Hong San agreed.

He considered himself a subject. Since the mistress had made the decision, he had no reason to force her.

During the short meeting, Tina didn’t reveal the reason for her decision to stay, but Hong San had already sensed it. Both of them had great confidence in Kant, but Tina still suggested that Hong San immediately take his men and leave Lucerne. They should also go to the elven expedition army camp outside the city and bring a letter from her to deliver to the Phoenix King.

“But your safety…”

This was what Hong San was most worried about.

For this reason, Tina only took out the Eternal Peace Blessing. Her tone was gentle and calm.” This is the safest place, Mr. Hong, and I can go to the place I want to go the most at any time…” No matter where he is.”

Even if the worst happened…She would return to Kant’s side.

No matter where he was.

Hong San bowed solemnly and left Maple Leaf Palace.

He immediately forgot about Tina’s instructions.

Since she didn’t want to leave, then she wasn’t the matriarch anymore. How could the free citizens of Aurora listen to such manipulation?

He immediately left Maple Leaf Palace with Valentan’s Mechanized Guards Brigade and the Green-skinned Spear Team. He also commandeered an area in the direction of the southern gate and openly stationed there, thinking of a vicious plan.

Before rushing back to Valentan from the Blue Wave Province, Hong San had already made a trip to the elves ‘main camp to meet up with them. If the worst-case scenario occurred, he would lead his army to attack the south gate fiercely. He would use the alchemy weapon Kant had left him to completely destroy the city gate of Lucerne and lead the elves’ expedition army into the city.

The unusual movements of Hong San’s troops became a thorn in the flesh of the Goethe people. He openly set up cannons near the south gate to maintain smooth traffic with Maple Leaf Palace, making the nobles unable to sleep and eat in peace.

However, due to Princess Tina’s threat, they did not dare to act rashly.

However, it was still possible to use the same trick to incite the foolish citizens to attack and protest.

Another two days passed. The patience and fear had gradually worn off. In addition, the fleets of various countries had openly entered the sea. The external pressure was like a storm, and there was still no news of Kant. Hence, a new conspiracy gradually took shape. The spies and lobbyists from various countries began to stir up trouble. After all, they were not afraid of Kant’s revenge, nor did they mind Kant tearing the country into pieces. So, let’s make the fun a little bigger.

The sun was shining brightly in the afternoon. Hong San was resting in front of his desk, thinking about what had happened that day. The dynasty, the council, and even Mu Yue had been under tremendous pressure for the past few days. Kant’s absence had encouraged the conspirators to try their luck.

Three huge waves surrounded the little Goethe. The external pressure turned into soaring prices, the blockade of commercial activities, and political isolation. It triggered the panic of the nobles, the middle class, and the civilians. They connected together and formed a terrifying wave that once again attacked the Maple Leaf Palace.

On this day, the citizens ‘petition, the nobles’ audience, the suggestions of the civil officials, soldiers, and mages, and even the urging and coercion of external forces all pressed on the precarious Tedarell.

Everyone hoped that the archduke would make a decision and respond as soon as possible for Goethe’s sake.

As for the dangerous and promising mysterious substance under the Green Wave Province, as a new resource bestowed by God, it should be shared and developed by all the races and countries, not monopolized by one country, and it should not allow personal schemes to dance in it. This was for the safety and future of Goethe.

The incited people believed that once the treaty was completed, Goethe would be able to maintain peace forever.

As the country that produced the mysterious element, it would be protected and respected by all countries. There would be no more wars, no more disputes, and peace would continue. Everything would get better and better. It was just that they had to pay a small price… After all, compared to the prosperity of the country, the happiness of every subject was more important.

The archduke only needed to make a declaration and promise.

Then, they could negotiate, discuss, and sign contracts with the other countries with dignity.

From then on, all troubles would be gone, peace would finally arrive, and Goethe would become a paradise.

Such words were extremely provocative, and they struck the hearts of everyone who had suffered from war. The devastating effects of the Songyue War were so far-reaching that people yearned for peace rather than revenge.

How wonderful, a gift from the gods.

Eternal peace, eternal prosperity.

This kind of difficult problem was an open scheme. With Hong San’s martial strength, he could not do anything else.

He was even worried that once the gathered people were incited by schemers with ill intentions, they would vent their anger on the Valentan Army…At that time, how should he deal with it?

As she was thinking about it, the sunlight in front of the window was quietly blocked.

Hong San froze. He raised his head and smiled.” My lord, next time, let’s go to the princess first.”

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

P1: 6,000 words.

P.S. 2: This morning, the long-awaited percussion drill arrived right above my house. Due to the structural problems of the old house, the sound quality was clearer and the texture was heavier…