Night of the Bayonets!

A single person's strength had its limits after all. Moreover, his adversary was an unprincipled opponent who broke promises without hesitation and stopped at nothing. *Bang—!* Seeing Rasi on the verge of hacking the gang members apart until they scattered like panicked beasts, Udi remembered the order to leave none alive. Steeling himself, he forced his arms to raise his muzzle. It was a specially crafted bullet. Even if Rasi had worn bulletproof armor when leaving for the airport—which he hadn't—the outcome would have been the same. Shot through the chest, Rasi swayed. Bracing himself against the cobblestone alley with his saber, he dropped heavily onto one knee. Seeing an opening, the bloodthirsty jackals and wolves raised their weapons, preparing to swarm him. Yet with a single glare from his eyes, every last one flinched and dared not step forward. Rasi grinned ferociously. Blood welled from the corner of his mouth and dripped onto the pavement. "You finally took the shot..." Fixed beneath that gaze, Udi felt chilled to the bone, as if a gaping, bloody hole might tear open across his own chest at any second. Yet Rasi was merely mortal. At most, he was an Awakened; he possessed no magic. Looking at him, Rasi panted softly and said, "I just remembered... Was it Shava or your superior, Ackerman, who told me? You were an orphan he plucked from a village along the Tasang River..." Udi looked back at him coldly. "Are you still wondering why I betrayed you?" Rasi chuckled softly. "Did I ever ask you that?" Which of the children in the Stormtroopers wasn't an orphan just like him? Which of them hadn't been orphaned by war? If someone wanted to hate, the hatred would always trace back to him. He had been fighting wars since Alaiyang was still alive. He had always raised them as his own children, and truly, he had never put up his guard against them. Whether it was Ackerman, whom he had disciplined back in the mountains of Horse State, or the ever-loyal Shava, to him they were not just subordinates—they were family... or rather, his children. Udi froze slightly, his brow furrowing. Seeing that he did not speak, Rasi slowly sank back to sit on the ground, using what little time he had left to continue. "I truly owed them a life. I intended to go down to the underworld and apologize to them eventually, but I didn't expect your parents to be in such a hurry..." Resting his head against the wall of the alley, he let out a soft sigh. "If only you had given me ten more years... Even five... I would have given you all an accounting—what happened that day, why it happened, and what came after... Whether you believe it or not, just look at that dam and you'll know I intended to atone while I was still drawing breath. Once I'm gone, whoever comes next might not acknowledge it at all." Udi's eyes reddened. The hand holding his gun trembled slightly. For a moment, he completely forgot his mission and roared hysterically, "Damn it! Cut the hero act! How many people have you killed?! Is that something a mere explanation can settle?! And what the hell is the point of saying all this now... Can the dead come back to life?!" "They can't. And the living have no choice but to keep moving forward!" Rasi shook his head, coughed, and suddenly gave a carefree laugh. "You had parents. I had them once too, but the empire killed them. At first, I thought that was just the law of the jungle, where the strong prey upon the weak. But then, a man named Niyang woke me with a single cry." "He said... if we do not destroy the empire, destroy feudalism, and tear down the thousand pillars pressing down upon the hearts of the Brahma people, generation after generation of Brahmas will charge forward and die for nothing." "You had parents, and you truly should avenge them. Now I give you my life, but you must finish the work I leave undone... Do you have the courage for that?" "..." Udi could not answer, nor did he want to listen any longer. He felt his conviction wavering. He even felt that perhaps, once he went down to the grave, his parents might not praise him at all... They might even feel they had died in vain. And hadn't they died in vain? Everything seemed to have returned to square one, right back to the day before the great deluge. Yet there was no turning back now. He didn't want to imagine what lay ahead; he could only grit his teeth and see this through to the bitter end. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, two dazzling flares of light detonated at both ends of the alley, instantly illuminating the narrow space as bright as day! Flashbangs! It was the Stormtroopers! *Bang!!* Robbed of his vision, Udi panicked. Relying purely on instinct, he pulled the trigger frantically, emptying his entire magazine! Yet because of his inner turmoil and the strain of holding his arm up for so long, the final six rounds slammed into the wall barely a palm's width from Rasi, with one stray bullet even striking an ally. The gang members trapped in the alley completely lost their nerve. They were nothing more than street thugs, accustomed to picking on students and honest folk; when had they ever faced off against special forces? Like terrified mice, they began trembling and dropped their weapons before the fighting even began. Reverting from wolves into vermin, their minds raced, desperately calculating how to beg for mercy once they were pinned down. Udi knew full well these lackeys beside him were utterly useless. If he wanted to complete his superior's mission, he could rely only on himself! Falling back on the tactics his commander had taught him, he steadied his mind, retreating while swiftly swapping magazines. Yet before he could chamber a round, a whistling rifle butt slammed into his face, nearly knocking his jaw sideways. "Aaargh!" Ackerman roared with wild fury. This young soldier, barely older than Udi himself, slammed the soldier he had personally trained down hard onto the stones. Ackerman had once been a child soldier in the Moon Clan Resistance, following Rasi north long, long ago. He still remembered how, back in Horse State, they had been penned up in the mountains like pigs by imperial nobles who used them as bandit fodder for regular military drills! Those Moon Clan elders had spouted slogans about leading them to overthrow the empire, pocketing money sent by overseas laborers, only to fight more and more pathetically, forcing all of them to forage for wild roots and mix them with red clay just to survive! It was Rasi who had forged their spine! To this day, he still remembered that ruthless man slapping the cowardly captain into the dirt, thrashing him until the man didn't dare make a peep! That was their leader... How dared this bastard! With eyes rimmed in red, Ackerman raised his rifle butt, glaring at the half-conscious Udi, wishing he could bash that insolent face into mincemeat to feed the dogs! Yet he was his soldier after all. After a furious roar, Ackerman ultimately discarded his rifle and swung his fists. "I'm going to kill you!" "You brute! You killed everyone's family! You got all of us killed!" With every roar came another punch, battering the face black and blue until it swelled up like a pig's head. Udi slipped between consciousness and darkness, repeatedly battered awake, until through the haze he heard someone say, "Enough." His fist still extended, Ackerman was hauled up and dragged aside by two Stormtroopers. Only then did Udi see clearly that the one who had beaten him was the very youth who had once pressed an LD-47 rifle into his hands... Back then, Ackerman had found him standing abandoned by the river and told him he was his soldier from now on. So much had happened since then that he had almost forgotten what Ackerman had said to him that day. Yet there truly had been a time when, helpless and alone, he had looked up to him as an elder brother... Aside from the traitor Udi, thirty gang members were pinned to the ground. His eyes red with tears, Shava supported Rasi, helping him rise from the ground to escort him out of the alley. Yet once on his feet, Rasi shook his head. With a trembling hand, he reached into his tunic, pulled out a bloodstained notebook, and placed it into Shava's hands. "I'm out of time... Everything I have to say to you is in this book. Read it slowly when you have peace of mind." "As for my funeral, don't make a big fuss. Just lay my bones to rest along the downstream banks of the Tasang River... If floodwaters rise again in the future, let them drown me first; blame no one else." "This life of mine was borrowed; it's time to pay it back... Alaiyang probably hasn't closed his eyes down there. I can hear him shouting below, waiting to fight me for three hundred rounds... *Cough*... In the end, it really does take me to keep him company." "Oh, and my sidearm... Please return it to Mr. Fang Chang on my behalf. Thank him for doing so much for those of us living on this land." "I'll repay that kindness in the next life." Shava did not speak. Supporting him with his body, his eyes brimmed with tears as he listened, finally nodding in silent grief. Pressing his hand against the bloodstained notebook, his voice choked with emotion. "I promise you..." "Even if this goddamn life of mine is thrown away... I will finish the work you left undone!" By the end, he was practically roaring. A gratified smile appeared on Rasi's face. He reached out and brushed aside the boy's bangs. He had no children and no parents, yet he had never expected to have so many people to whom he could entrust his dying wishes. "With those words, I can rest easy..." "Mammoth State... is in your hands." Holding on until now had already been his absolute limit; there wasn't nearly enough time to get him to a hospital. The bullet had undoubtedly been coated with something designed to ensure certain death. Having uttered his final words, Rasi at last closed his eyes peacefully, dying on his feet just as he had wished. Shava stood there for a long time, holding the lifeless body, before lifting his gaze toward the cold, watery night sky. He thought back to the profound piece of advice the old gentleman had left him in the Great Ravine. *Every resident of the Alliance is Chu Guang, and every Brahma is Rowell—* If that was viewed as a riddle, there was another way to solve it. Want to change the world? You would have to slaughter until the very breed was replaced! As the warm blood soaking his chest gradually cooled, Shava's gaze turned equally frigid. Finally, his eyes moved away from the cold night sky and fell upon the heads of the thirty vermin bowed before him. He wasn't the only one watching. Nearly a hundred Stormtroopers glared with murderous intent, many of them with bloodshot eyes, having already flicked off their safeties with their index fingers resting against their triggers. These thugs, who usually strutted around shouting orders, now trembled violently. Whether looking somewhat civilized or utterly crude, they all cowered on the pavement like rats, having completely lost their former bloodthirsty cruelty. Perhaps they were genuinely terrified, perhaps truly repentant, or perhaps merely waiting for their captors to loosen the grip around their necks. None of that mattered anymore. A cruel smile crept onto Shava's lips as he spoke in a clear, icy voice. "I just asked the heavens. If the clouds covered the moon, it would mean my answer was wrong. But I waited a long time, and nothing came." A crescent moon hung high in the sky. Not a single cloud for ten thousand li. The words were cryptic, yet they could not conceal the sheer murderous intent radiating from them! He would unleash the slaughter Rasi had never dared to commit! His "father" was dead anyway. He had nothing left to care about. The little vermin groveling on the ground panicked completely, knocking their heads against the stones in desperate apologies. "M-Mercy, masters, we were wrong!" "It was the Family Association! The Family Association lied to us!" "We had no choice... They said if we didn't act, there'd be hell to pay for us later!" "Please spare our lives!" Those tearful wails failed to soften any hearts; they only disgusted the soldiers. They had spilled their blood on the front lines, only to protect this bunch of spineless trash! Perhaps true loyalty had already perished on the battlefield. All that remained were these vermin! Unmoved, Shava handed Rasi's body to a red-eyed soldier beside him, then picked up the military saber from the ground. "It is the will of the heavens. Don't blame me when you go below; it told me itself—" "They can be slaughtered!" This time, the one descending from the heavens was not Rowell, but the Great Moon King—far more ruthless than Rowell ever was! When it came to making heads roll, no one could match him, not even the founding emperor of Xilan. After all, one had swept across thirteen states, while the other had merely reaped a ready-made harvest. The instant the words fell, several heads hit the ground. Terrified out of their wits, the vermin fouled themselves, thrashing and struggling in a desperate bid to flee. Yet the soldiers pinning them down gave them no chance. Affixing bayonets to their rifles, they thrust and hacked mercilessly. Within a few breaths, blood coated the alley. The only one left alive was the ringleader, Udi. Looking at Shava stepping up to him, the battered and bruised Udi panted softly, staring into his eyes. "The commander said to spare your life, so I will. I made a promise, and I will honor every last thing he entrusted to me." Without waiting for the boy to answer, Shava grabbed him, hauled him up, patted his swollen, bruised face, and shoved him hard onto the heap of corpses. "Get lost!" "Go find your 'family.'" Udi tumbled into a pool of gore, gazing in horror at the ranks of silhouettes marching out of the alley. Panting rapidly, he struggled to his feet, wanting to rush out and warn the other members of the Family Association. But gunfire was already erupting outside in total chaos. His heart skipped a beat, suddenly understanding the true meaning of "They can be slaughtered." He recalled his superior saying when assigning the mission that to defeat a powerful opponent, one had to cast aside one's bottom line—and that this was their invincible weapon. Yet his superior had never explained what to do when an opponent saw red, abandoned their own bottom line, and crushed them like bugs... He didn't know what would happen after tonight. Perhaps this night would never end... ... Past midnight, a crash of thunder split the sky. The once cloudless expanse became dense with dark clouds, and torrential rain suddenly poured down. Unable to sleep, Zayed got out of bed, walked to the window, and lit a Rick 5. He constantly felt someone watching him from afar, yet he had no idea where the gaze originated. "Snake State is great in every way, except the equator is just too hot." Muttering to himself, he switched on the room light. Seeing that the space beneath the bed was still engulfed in shadow, he couldn't stop glancing at it. Finally, he slapped his thigh and walked over to take a look. Naturally, no one was there. Even with optical camouflage, no one could slip past his dense layers of sentries to reach this place and hide under his bed. At that thought, Zayed suddenly felt a twinge of deflated frustration. He had spent an entire year laying plans for this day, only for many of his measures to go unused. Winning too quickly actually made him uneasy; the opponent had fallen before he even broke a sweat. And what he had least anticipated was that before the Alliance even reached Batoya Province, Gopal was already on the verge of taking Tiandu itself. That was not necessarily a good thing. In the future, people would inevitably compare him to tyrants like Rasi and Absaik. Having gone through so much trouble to secure the Eastern Empire's backing, how could he build his legend without fighting a genuine, bloody war? He could fabricate parts of it, of course, but under scrutiny, cracks would inevitably show. "...Perhaps Rasi can offer me some surprises. The man is headstrong and suspicious by nature; he must be deeply guarded against those around him. Sava's idea of activating Udi might turn out to be a misstep." Not that it mattered. If Rasi survived, all the better: let Yokale lead Isher's Northern Field Army to fill the massive meat grinder along the Tasang River, leaving them and their former allies battered and broken. The State of Brahma had more Wolf Clan soldiers than anything else, just as it had been since the imperial era. As long as he held the fertile territory of Wolf State, he held the lifeblood of half the soldiers in the State of Brahma. Tracking down where a soldier's family lived was unimaginable to Absaik—the man couldn't even keep track of which unit answered to whom—but for Zayed, it was a matter of a few eggs. Recently, his subordinates had devised new methods that didn't even require spending eggs. Just as Zayed was scrutinizing his plans for any lingering flaws, footsteps sounded outside the room. Holding a telegram, Sava pushed the door open. Seeing Zayed staring straight at him, he offered an honest, sheepish smile. "Sir, you aren't asleep yet?" Zayed asked expressionlessly, "What are you doing here at this hour?" Sava made a helpless gesture, scratched his head, and said bashfully, "We just received a telegram; Mammoth City has been settled. I saw the light on in your room and brought it over right away... Did I do something wrong?" There was truly nothing amiss. Especially that bashful expression. Zayed's expression softened slightly. Taking the telegram from Sava's hands, he scanned it, his face divided between shock and delight. "They actually pulled it off..." Muttering in disbelief, Zayed said, "You did this exceptionally well! I'm very pleased!" Sava gave a hearty laugh. "I told you so, sir. Rasi was an orphan, and the Stormtroopers are all orphans too. Their bond was never just between superiors and subordinates; it was family. How could family ever put up their guard against each other?" With that, he quickly added, "Of course, their family was fake. They're fundamentally different from us. We are true family." Tucking away his surprised smile, Zayed gave this adopted son he had picked up for free a meaningful look, nodding with an air that seemed half appreciative and half probing. "Your awareness is sharp. It seems I didn't teach you in vain... By the way, has Gopal entered the city? Is he dawdling in Wolf State? That's his hometown; we need to keep a close eye on whatever he's planning." Sava smiled and replied, "Almost there. He's obedient as can be, like a hound, not daring to stop for a second along the way! Besides, Pikley, who guards Tiandu, was already one of ours, not to mention Shahrukh did us such a huge favor by turning the other grand commissioners to our side." Tiandu had turned out to be the move with the fewest variables. Isher might have defected across the river with the Northern Field Army, or Udi, their ace mole, might have been sacrificed in vain while Rasi survived... Those moves held far more uncertainty, yet the outcomes had been astonishingly favorable. Evidently, the Brahma people were genuinely on their side; otherwise, such critical strikes would never have landed. Yet Shahrukh couldn't see through something so simple, still dreaming of supplanting them, truly believing that Grove's army of eight hundred thousand and the Gray Wolf Army's hundred thousand elites were his own men. Soon, these traitors would all become clowns—and it was an ending they thoroughly deserved. Just as Sava was reveling in joy, he noticed Zayed staring unblinkingly at him. "Sava." Sensing an unusual tone, Sava immediately wiped the smug smile from his face, looking back cautiously. "What is it, sir?" Zayed walked to the window, tapping his Rick 5 against the edge of the ashtray. "We must learn from Rasi's mistake. Never employ someone whose background you don't know inside and out, and even if you do, never entrust them with great responsibility—especially those closest to us. We are the true family; you must remember that." "Rest assured, sir. I won't make the same mistake Rasi did. We must not only control their limits, but also hold their leverage... Of course, all of that rests in your hands. You can set your mind entirely at ease." Sava maintained an honest smile, though cold sweat broke out across his back. Had he stood out too much? *Come on, foster father...* *We haven't even won yet. After taking down Shahrukh, that relic of the previous regime, we still have to clip the wings of Gopal, who's grown too big to handle.* Though Gopal probably thought Grove would be eliminated first, Zayed actually wanted to make use of that brute for a while; he was, after all, the only blade stained with Wilante blood. Yet Sava suddenly felt that if he, the heir apparent, wasn't careful, he might end up dead before Gopal. It seemed that once this was over, he would need to find some harmless way to tarnish his own reputation... Looking at his submissive, well-behaved adopted son, Zayed's brow relaxed slightly, only to furrow again involuntarily. Come to think of it, picking up this adopted son had been too easy. He had originally intended to imitate Chu Guang's grooming of Lyu Bei—taking an adopted son under his wing to watch, learn, and serve as a swift, ruthless blade. Yet after using him, he realized the boy wasn't flesh of his flesh after all; he had grown from someone else's blood. Then again, the boy had been at his side for so long; even a dog would develop affection over time... There shouldn't... be any problem, right? That look of pure reverence sometimes gave him chills, even making him wonder if the boy's orientation was skewed... If all of that was an act, then the boy's cunning ran terrifyingly deep. Yet he didn't realize that any child subjected to such relentless probing day in and day out would inevitably develop such cunning. Besides, he was the "clever rascal" Zayed had handpicked himself. A single nudge made him proficient; two nudges made him a prodigy. Everyone had their own well, and the only person trapped within was oneself. On this stormy, thunderous night, the harsh incandescent light was like a battered skiff drifting in a tempest, and no one knew where this speeding vessel would head next. Perhaps he ought to keep a few shamans around to divine the future. One thing, however, was beyond doubt. The calculating patriarch was sharpening his blades, while the prostrate youth trembled in fear. At this moment, neither knew that their days of mutual dependence and deadly rivalry had only just begun. Yet that was a tale of another bloodbath entirely. ... Under the bright sun and gentle breeze of New West Sail Port, Ross finally stepped onto solid ground after drifting at sea for three days. All in all, it was a burgeoning port. One or two green trees dotted the monotonous sand, and along the dusty construction sites, the outlines of buildings were already taking shape. Salen planned to build a new West Sail Port in the southwestern corner of Sunset Province to mirror Silver Moon Bay in the southeast, making it a special administrative zone for the Eastern Empire. Though it lacked the alluvial plains and rich rivers of Silver Moon Bay, it possessed an advantage that Silver Moon Bay did not: Wilante immigrants from the Southern Legion. People were the greatest wealth. Bist Town had already proven that point. Even though they had to import the most basic fresh water from the Honey Badger Kingdom's "River Embankment" system, they had managed to survive on their own strength. And those survivors from the Falcon Kingdom would eventually become a progressive force to transform their homeland, shouldering the responsibilities that the Trade Representative Council established by the Alliance in the Falcon Kingdom had failed to uphold. Setting the future aside, it wasn't just Wilantes working along the shore, but also native survivors from Sunset Province and even residents from the distant east. Salen had promised them various benefits, such as equal rights with Wilantes, open press, and prohibitions on the slave trade and slave ownership... though these rights were restricted to the special zone. All in all, everything was moving in a positive direction. Though many things were only just beginning, this fresh start was noticeably better than the last. A family of five who had survived thanks to him thanked him profusely, insisting on repaying his kindness. He merely waved his hand with a smile, telling the couple to take good care of their three children before parting ways. Life went on. So it was for the Brahma people, and so it was for the Wilantes... At the port's entry checkpoint, Ross approached a registration post as directed by the Eastern Empire soldiers. The soldier behind the desk flipped through the documents and quickly found Ross's name. Discovering that this man was actually a myriarch, the soldier immediately pulled a letter from a drawer, snapped to attention with a salute, and handed the letter over with both hands. "An honor to meet you, Myriarch Ross! Please take this letter to report to the Port Authority marked on the map. The staff there will record your rank and military record, and arrange your duties during your 'residential surveillance'... Rest assured, sir; although it's residential surveillance, no one will be watching your every move. We only ask that you do not leave the port before the period concludes." "Additionally, we have prepared a villa for you. A staff member from the Port Authority will escort you there shortly. You may stay there during your residential surveillance, and you are welcome to bring your family to join you!" Ross returned the salute, took the letter from the young man, and said gratefully, "Thank you, I will consider it." "You're welcome, sir. Getting stuck with a legion commander who played such high-stakes games was simply bad luck," the soldier said with a smile, shaking his hand and winking playfully. "In any case, congratulations on coming home rather than falling into the hands of the Brahmas." Ross smiled. "They... aren't quite as barbaric as you all make them out to be. On my way back, they treated me fairly well." The soldier looked at him in surprise, then gave a knowing smile. "Really? Ah... Then it seems you traveled by day, not by night." Ross asked, "Is there a difference?" The soldier shrugged and grinned. "I heard gunfire rings out every night. Maybe not during the day? You'd better ask others for the details; I only know what I've heard through the grapevine. Anyway, best of luck to you." Ross didn't pry further; matters over there no longer concerned him. Locating the Port Authority using the address on the letter, Ross quickly completed the onboarding procedures and received the keys to his villa. His job was simple: lecturing reserve officers of the Eastern Empire. In General MacLaren's words, only those who had fought the Alliance knew how to deal with them. They needed to analyze how the Alliance conducted operations, carried out grassroots work, fostered survivor factions, and more... Word had it that a Social Sciences Research Institute had also been established in Nord City specifically to study cases related to the Alliance and Vault residents, with plans to exchange research with the institute in Dawn City. The Alliance welcomed this openly, appearing entirely unconcerned about them trying to counter their moves. Or perhaps this was simply another part of that manager's open gambit. The Alliance was gradually drawing the Eastern Empire into familiar rules of engagement, using gentle methods to steer changes within the old Legion factions... and likely had been doing so from very early on. High-intensity hot wars would probably become a thing of the past; wargaming simulations might become the new normal. After all, fighting with words didn't cost lives. Ross couldn't help sighing. Perhaps times truly had changed, and he would have to learn to keep up with them... Returning to drop off his luggage, he took a stroll through the streets, bought some decent human food with an advance on his wages, and stopped by a roadside newsstand. Life was too leisurely. His entire being seemed to relax all at once; he even felt like buying a bottle of beer and sitting on the beach drinking until sunset. The days spent hiding in mountain caves eating bugs just a few days ago felt like a distant dream... So what had Tyr really been after? His gaze drifted in momentary confusion. Even as a myriarch, he found himself unable to understand. Yet he still had to ponder the question seriously; after all, he was now "research material" for the Eastern Empire, and in a few days, he would have to lecture his students on the subject... "You even have the *Survivor Daily* here?" Looking at the myriarch standing before the stand, the middle-aged vendor smiled with squinted eyes. "Of course! Ships only just started arriving at the port, and the newspapers followed right behind... But let me let you in on a secret: this *Survivor Daily* in New West Sail Port isn't the one from Dawn City. Your Majesty rushed to register the name first." Ross didn't know whether to laugh or cry, unsure whether to call Salen sly or admit that this was entirely in character for him. Tossing a dinar onto the stand, he picked up a paper and unfolded it. The moment his eyes swept across the headline dominating the front page, he froze. *【Mutiny in Mammoth City! Rasi Assassinated! Was the Culprit the Stormtroopers, Moon Clan Resistance Elders, or the Family Association?!】* Rasi... was dead? Ross was completely stunned. How could the god of slaughter, who had made Myriarch Olette gnash his teeth in hatred, have died just like that? He had never clashed directly with Rasi—only with Isher—yet he still found such an end hard to accept. Why? He couldn't wrap his head around it. In utter bewilderment, he tossed down a few more dinars and flipped the paper over. *【Night of the Bayonets! Multiple Moon Clan Resistance Elders Arrested! Stormtroopers Unleash Massive Bloodbath!】* *【Terror! Newspaper Massacres! The Homeland and World Daily, Awe-Inspiring Righteousness Post, Words of Justice Post, and Other Presses Wiped Out by Pu-9 Submachine Guns?!】* *【Fierce Ambition Laid Bare?! Stormtrooper Captain Shava Assumes Office as New Leader of Mammoth State! Vows to Carry Purge to the Very End!】* *【Special Administrative Order No. 1500! Personally Deployed by Shava! 1,500 Family Association Members Sentenced to Death for Alleged Involvement in Former Leader's Assassination, Executed by Firing Squad Immediately Upon Ruling!】* *【Zayed Holds Memorial Service for Fallen Family Members, Orders Yokale to Lead Northern Field Army to Sheep State Front, Declares Stormtroopers Must Be Held Accountable for Murdered Family.】* The headlines were an utter mess, reading less like an imitation of the *Survivor Daily* and more like the Goblin Post... Perhaps that was the coming trend. And even if New West Sail Port lacked news of its own, there was no need to mock their neighbors with such relentless fervor. Yet though the headlines seemed wild, every single word felt drenched in blood, leaving Ross, who had only recently fought on the front lines, feeling breathless. Evidently, he wasn't the only one who thought so; two Eastern Empire soldiers nearby shared the same sentiment. "No. 1500... Tch, that number sounds like they drew up the list first and slapped the order on after." "Isn't that obvious?" "Fifteen hundred people... That's enough for an entire thousand-man unit. How are there still so many people in Brahma Province?" "Looking at it this way, our Southern brothers didn't lose unfairly. They were simply outnumbered." "Still, Rasi died a miserable death. He didn't die at the hands of Myriarch Olette; he died at the hands of his own people." "Not just Rasi. What about that Isher?" "Wait, you mean the Jungle Rat? He's dead too?!" "Dead for several days now... Damn it, ten million dinars! What a waste." "...Killing even their own heroes. Those people are beyond saving." Isher... Hearing that name, Ross held his breath. With trembling fingers, he flipped through several more pages. Soon, he found the page they were talking about— *【Shocking! 'Jungle Rat' Gunned Down by Brahmas! Lucky Tyr Saves Another Unpayable Bounty!】* *【Yokale Commended for Suppressing Rebellion! Assumes Command of Northern Field Army!】* Ross stood frozen in place for a long, long time, unable to let it go. Finally, he let out a long sigh. "...He would have been better off dying by my hand."