Dozens of swordsmen from the South City Sword Hall proudly escorted the officers of the enforcement team out, causing the people of the Eastern Governor's Office to let out low gasps.
Because every soldier in this enforcement team bore multiple sword wounds, their armor was disheveled, and their expressions were listless, they appeared extremely wretched, clearly indicating that they had been treated very poorly. Upon seeing the people from the Eastern Governor's Office, these soldiers were all agitated, but their eyes held only grief, indignation, and shame.
Just as Lucian Swiftfire was about to step forward to help these people, Aurelian Dragon gave him a wink, stopping him, and then shouted at Yusuf, "You didn't do anything to my men, did you?"
Yusuf scoffed and said coldly, "Won't Lord Ye inspect it himself?"
Aurelian Dragon stared at Yusuf and said slowly, "I will investigate thoroughly. If I find any harm done to my people, I will not let you off the hook!"
Meeting Aurelian Dragon's gaze, Yusuf suddenly felt a chill. The man's expression as he spoke was terrifying; even with his extensive experience in grand battles, Yusuf couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. Seemingly trying to dispel this ominous feeling, he loudly proclaimed, "Lord Ye, you're mistaken. In a fight, injuries are inevitable. Besides, our swordsmen have also been seriously wounded!"
Marco Bwe, standing to the side, cursed inwardly, "You idiot, what's the point of getting entangled with the Aurelian Dragon here? You should be going to the military headquarters to file a complaint!"
Seeing that Aurelian Dragon and Yusuf were about to continue, Marco Bwe couldn't hold back any longer and interrupted, "Gentlemen, let's talk about this in the main hall of the military headquarters."
Yusuf suddenly realized how foolish he had been and that going to the military headquarters was the right thing to do. Just as he was about to speak, Aurelian Dragon slowly walked over to the law enforcement officers he had detained, taking them back one by one and comforting them.
Helpless, Yusuf could only wait until Aurelian Dragon had brought everyone back to their side before asking sarcastically, "Has Lord Ye finished his performance?"
Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up when she saw Obsidia Shade walking briskly towards her. She turned to Yusuf and smiled, "You're wrong, the show has only just begun!"
What's going on?
Yusuf felt a great sense of unease. The man's smile contained too many unknowns, but one thing was quite clear: his smile was like a wolf smiling at a poor little lamb.
The feeling of falling into a trap arose in Marco Bwe's mind at the same time, but before he could say anything, the situation changed drastically.
"Guards, arrest all these treacherous rebels!" A thunderous roar echoed above everyone's heads.
"Rebellion?"
"Are we rebels?"
"What on earth is he saying?"
Yusuf and his swordsmen were stunned for a moment. Just as they were wondering what was going on, Lucian Swiftfire and his men, who were eager to fight, rushed forward, knocked them all to the ground, and swiftly captured them.
Yusuf's reaction was indeed first-rate. As the soldiers who were capturing him rushed forward, he leaped out of the encirclement, drew his longsword from his waist, and shouted sharply, "Aurelian Dragon, what are you doing?"
Aurelian Dragon laughed heartily, then said coldly, "Your sword-wielding academy harbors criminals! As the Eastern Governor of Esnia, how can I allow you to plot against me!" As he spoke, Garrick Stonewall led his armored cavalry in a shouting attack on the sword-wielding academy in the south of the city.
Shi Yixin was shocked. What did this man want to do? To openly attack this sword club, which was extremely famous in Esnia, was simply a crazy act.
Just as Marco Bwe was about to rush out to stop them, Aurelian Dragon warned, "Lord Marco Bwe, if you decide to help these rebels, don't blame me for being rude!"
Marco Bülow roared angrily, "Do you know the consequences of doing this? Unauthorized deployment of armored cavalry to attack innocent civilians, falsely accusing innocent people... you..."
Aurelian Dragon turned away, ignoring Marco Bwe's clamor, and had his soldiers keep watch over the people from the Southern Governor's Mansion.
Yusuf was furious. He never expected Aurelian Dragon to do such a thing. By the time he was about to call his swordsmen to resist, it was too late. Lucian Swiftfire, wielding the Crimson Flame Spear, had already approached him.
"Don't look any longer, your opponent is me!" A crimson spear shadow followed the words, and the air around Yusuf became unreal due to the scorching heat, with the distortion of light clearly visible.
Garrick Stonewall's Great Sword drew a beautiful arc in the air before landing heavily on the gate of the sword hall. A fierce and powerful force surged like a raging tide, impacting the two swordsmen behind the gate. Just as they were about to close the gate, their bodies trembled violently, as if struck by a thousand-pound hammer. They were sent flying backward, crashing onto a bonsai tree three feet away.
The gates of the sword-fighting arena, unable to withstand such a heavy blow, had already shattered into several pieces, which flew in all directions with astonishing force. Behind Garrick Stonewall, armored cavalrymen swarmed forward, swords raised.
Marco Bwe, observing with a detached eye, was secretly astonished by the sheer power of this giant general. Where did Aurelian Dragon find so many skilled fighters? How much undiscovered strength did the Eastern Governor's Mansion possess? Was Prince Elnario's assessment of this man too simplistic?
The swordsmen of the South City Sword Hall felt it very directly. Garrick Stonewall's astonishing strength left them with no way to resist. The moment their longswords touched Garrick Stonewall's giant sword, they shattered and broke. He was truly invincible.
After several low-level swordsmen were knocked away, a swordsman with a fierce appearance came forward, wielding a greatsword similar in size to Garrick Stonewall's. He slashed viciously at Garrick Stonewall, the wind from his sword was so sharp that the sound of air currents could be heard.
"Finally, someone of substance has arrived!" Garrick Stonewall's spirits lifted, and he wielded the Giant Sword, which normally requires two hands, with effortless ease. In the blink of an eye, the Giant Sword had already drawn twelve dazzling sword shadows in front of his opponent, slicing the air in front of him into pieces.
Garrick Stonewall's opponent was one of the three head instructors of the South City Sword School, known for his powerful and heavy sword strikes. However, against Garrick Stonewall, he could only parry. He gripped his greatsword tightly with both hands, desperately blocking the terrifying sword light that was always around him, while his feet kept retreating, knocking away the swordsmen behind him one after another.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
Several sharp, metallic clangs rang out, and the mountain of swords surrounding him dissipated, leaving only the pale-faced instructor staring blankly at the greatsword broken in half in his hand. Only now did he truly understand what it meant to withstand an irresistible, devastating strike.
Yusuf stepped back, leaned to the side, and his longsword pierced towards Lucian Swiftfire unexpectedly, like a serpent. The longsword emitted a white light that reflected the sun, indicating that his profound internal energy could be projected outwards, and also showing that his longsword was no ordinary weapon.
Lucian Swiftfire showed no fear and ignored the longsword attacking from the side entrance. Instead, he flicked his wrists, and the Crimson Flame Spear, like a surging dragon, hurtled straight for Yusuf's throat. A three-inch-long wisp of red light even emerged from the crimson tip of the spear.
Yusuf had no choice but to take another half step back, his longsword flashing through the air, creating a myriad of sword shadows. The powerful sword energy tore through the air, producing a sharp whistling sound. Truly worthy of being the master of the sword club, his sword dance unleashed a storm of wind and thunder, concealing a terrifying attack within his defense.
But he was facing the wild and unparalleled Lucian Swiftfire, who charged forward relentlessly without backing down. His crimson spear shadows piled up like mountains, flashing with light wherever they went, bursting with dazzling flames, and emitting the sounds of wind and thunder.
Faced with Lucian Swiftfire's unprecedentedly fierce attack, even the onlookers were shocked, and Yusuf, who was in the midst of it, was even more demoralized.
"Clang clang clang!" The crimson spear tip remained close to Yusuf's left and right, the sound of gun and sword clashing was like a series of explosions, and the flashes of light created a dangerous situation.
In a short time, Yusuf changed positions eight times, but still could not escape the tight entanglement of the Crimson Flame Spear. He was trapped in the terrifying red shadow and could not extricate himself. Even when he switched to a defensive stance, he could not reverse the decline.
Yusuf was furious. He gritted his teeth and decided to take the risk!
With a deep shout, the sword light changed drastically. The sharp whistling of the blade cutting through the wind turned into a terrifying roar. Terrifying lightning suddenly burst forth, spread out, and pierced into the heavy shadows of spears.
"Clang!" Two resounding sounds rang out, and the two fiercely fighting figures suddenly parted ways.
Yusuf swayed, regaining his footing with his sword raised. His eyes blazed with fury, his expression laced with venom. A gash ran down his right cheek, ripped open by the tip of the Crimson Flame Spear; the muscle was bulging, revealing his gums, and blood gushed out.
Lucian Swiftfire was in a much better situation. He had a cut on his shoulder from the longsword, but the wound was not deep, and the blood that flowed out soaked a patch of his clothes.
By this time, the situation was completely under the control of the Eastern Governor's forces. Under the charge of armored cavalry led by Garrick Stonewall, the entire force of the sword-wielding guild in the south of the city was annihilated. Following Aurelian Dragon's orders, the Eastern Governor's men began a thorough search of the guild.
Yusuf let out a sharp cry, knowing that if he continued fighting, he would surely be killed. Before Cynthia and the other goddess warriors could surround him, he stomped his foot and flew away.
Marco Polo sneered, "Lord Ye is indeed quite impressive, leveling the entire South City Sword Hall in a matter of moments. But how will you answer when His Highness the Crown Prince inquires about swordsmanship instruction?"
Aurelian Dragon glanced at him and said casually, "I naturally have evidence to prove that this place is a gathering point for criminals."
Having said that, Aurelian Dragon turned to his soldiers and shouted, "Everyone, search thoroughly!"
The soldiers of the Eastern Governor's Office responded with a roar, and another group of soldiers, led by Obsidia Shade, entered the sword-making hall. Soon, soldiers from the Eastern Governor's Office returned to report that suspicious weapons and armor had been found in the sword-making hall.
Aurelian Dragon commanded with an air of authority, "Bring those things here!"
Marco Bwe was dumbfounded. The soldiers of the Eastern Governor's Mansion actually took out the black armor used by the black-armored knights who attacked Gilmans and Aurelian Dragon that day from the sword shop in the south of the city. These armors still had marks of swords and blades on them, so they had obviously just been used.
A sudden thought flashed through Shi Yixin's mind: this matter was definitely related to the Aurelian Dragon. He hadn't seen Obsidia Shade earlier, so could she...?
Shi Yixin glanced at Marco Bwe, whose expression was constantly changing, and thought to himself, "He should be able to see the strangeness in it, but he can't refute it. It's really tough on him."
Marco Bwe had a vague feeling that Aurelian Dragon was behind it all, but he couldn't prove it. Even so, Aurelian Dragon's actions were too reckless, and he should be able to teach him a lesson.
If the previous events were unfolding according to a certain man's script, then the next character was entirely an outsider. Her appearance made this otherwise mediocre script quite exciting.
Obsidia Shade then appeared before the crowd, accompanied by a beautiful woman who turned out to be Yusuf's beloved concubine, whom Marco Bwe also knew. To everyone's surprise, she stepped forward to testify that Yusuf had a close relationship with the assassin from that day.
This unexpected turn of events surprised even the man who had secretly orchestrated the scheme; it was like a windfall. Aurelian Dragon knew his actions were somewhat forced, but he had no better option in the rush. Now, with such a witness, he was even more confident.
Even Shi Yixin was surprised at this point. Could it be that Aurelian Dragon hadn't done anything wrong? How did he know that the people from the South City Sword Hall were connected to the assassins? The information he had submitted only mentioned that there was something suspicious about the place. If it really was just a lucky accident for Aurelian Dragon, then that guy's luck was just too good.
Everyone here had many questions in their minds, but the fact that things were resolved so smoothly was a perfect outcome for the soldiers of the Eastern Governor's Office. In an instant, everyone realized that the people of the Eastern Governor's Office were not to be trifled with, and they were secretly astonished by Aurelian Dragon's swift and decisive methods.
Prince Elnario hated the Aurelion Dragon to the core. The South City Sword Hall was originally a good place for him to recruit men, but the Aurelion Dragon had wiped it out completely, which was like losing an arm. However, he couldn't figure out why Yusuf would associate with those assassins; wasn't that just courting death? And why would that damned woman betray her man at the last minute?
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Meanwhile, the real beneficiary was secretly delighted. He never expected that one of Prince Elnario's major strongholds would disappear from Esnia so easily. If this happened a few more times, he would be laughing in his dreams.
He patted the beautiful woman beside him and exclaimed, "As expected of the Golden Flower Dancer of the Gongsun family, she is so flexible and adaptable. With just a little push, she has eliminated one of my biggest threats. It is truly gratifying!"
"Then you must reward her well, sir. She is still being held in the Eastern Governor's Mansion."
"Hehe, of course I'll get her out, and I'll make sure Aurelian Dragon knows that I'm the one who secretly helped him, so he'll remember the favor he owes me."
However, Gilmans felt uneasy about Aurelian Dragon's swift and intense reaction. This guy's impulsive nature might cause him trouble in the future, so it was best to be on guard.
※ ※ ※
However, others saw through the whole affair. Phoenix Vane, known as the "Beautiful War Goddess," was one of them. She said to the bewildered Aurelian Dragon, "You're lucky this time. The woman who came forward to report it must have been arranged by Gilemans. The biggest winner in this matter is Gilemans. Now your Eastern Governor's Mansion is a target, a thorn in Prince Elnario's side. And losing the South City Sword Hall is a huge blow to Prince Elnario."
The educated man suddenly realized, but he touched his nose and said, "That's good too. Using this battle to establish the reputation of the Eastern Governor's Office will make it much easier to implement measures in Esnia."
Phoenix Vane laughed and said, "That's good, but you have to be careful they don't stab you in the back."
Aurelian Dragon laughed heartily and said, "This move is my best, who's afraid of who?"
Lynette Quill nodded and said, "That's right, you're quite the cunning man, actually thinking of having Obsidia Shade secretly frame someone!"
Aurelian Dragon said smugly, "That's called using the right methods on the right people. Those bastards deserve to be taught a lesson!"
Phoenix Vane shook her head. She knew her husband's methods weren't very clever, but coming up with such a tactic under those circumstances was a desperate measure. If it were someone else, they might truly be helpless. Perhaps it's just a matter of fate; the wicked will always be punished by the wicked.
"Oh dear, how did I compare my husband to a villain?"
Phoenix Vane's fair face revealed a slight smile, which further enhanced her unparalleled beauty, making the man beside her stare intently.
Just then, Lynette Quill said to Obsidia Shade, "Look, look, Aurelian must be plotting something bad again!"
Aurelian Dragon snapped out of her daze, her face hardening. "That's right, I'm going to get my hands on a woman like you again!" she said. With that, she lunged forward, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws. Lynette Quill screamed in terror, but her reaction time wasn't fast enough. Before long, Aurelian Dragon had her pinned to a chair, leaving her only able to beg for mercy.
Looking at the joyful scene before her, Phoenix Vane felt incredibly relaxed, but she knew that this time wouldn't last much longer. She and Aurelian Dragon would face many more unknowns and uncertainties in the future, and they would all need to work together to overcome them.