Kingdom’s Bloodline

On the long table in front of the imperial court, Thales exhaled softly in the silence.

No war is isolated.

Suriel's atrocities twenty years ago led to the resistance Exeter faced twenty years later.

Victory twenty years ago leads to failure twenty years later.

The second prince recalled the old crow's words again:

[Before you make up your mind to go to war, I think, should you think clearly: Can this really achieve your goal? How many unexpected things will happen from this? What additional consequences would there be? What is the sign of the longer-term future? How should the impact on both of you be calculated? 】

In the imperial meeting room, Soduo snorted softly, breaking the silence:

"That's it, the supply is not smooth, and the progress of the troops collecting food is slow."

"The siege is unfavorable, and the efficiency of the siege has been delayed again and again."

"And the life and death of the Grand Duchess of Longxiao City is even more unknown. Those who came back with the dragon spear banner are still only remnants and defeated soldiers. Rumors are everywhere."

Life and death are unknown.

Thales tried his best to adjust his breathing.

After listening to the bloody feud between Prince Suriel and the Freedom League, he suddenly realized that once Selma fell into the hands of the Freedom League...

No.

Thales forced himself not to think about the worst possibility.

Su Duo paused for a while, and motioned for the man from the secret department to continue.

The latter nodded:

"After that, we inquired about some things and guessed something: there should be a quarrel among the top management of the Northlanders."

The important ministers in front of the imperial court looked at each other in blank dismay.

"The aristocrats of the guarding city are thinking of retreating, but the grand duke of Qiyuan City, the proud Kurikun Roni, has a tough attitude. He threatens his allies not to retreat, claiming that he will mobilize troops from the country again to help the front line. Chengren."

"The generals are at odds, and the two sides are making an ugly mess."

Thales' mind moved, and another line of poetry emerged from the fragments of long-lasting memory:

[Snobbery makes people fight, and heirs kill each other. 】

Su Duo sighed and interjected:

"And this is their third mistake."

Maybe it was because of emotion before, the officials present heard about Exeter's faint move, and they no longer fluctuated.

The scar-faced man from the secret department said calmly:

"Until one day, the flag of the Commus Alliance was raised over the city of the Freedom Alliance."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone became suspicious again.

"Commus?"

Gilbert spoke in surprise, then shook his head decisively:

"impossible!"

"Well, it seems impossible now."

Sodo nodded and frowned:

"But the news played its role: since then, the rumors of Kang Masi's intervention in the battle have spread in the Northland military camp, and it is useless for the coach to suppress it."

"On the other side, the soldiers and civilians of Fort Liberty who are struggling to support are encouraged and full of confidence when they hear that help is coming soon."

"One ebbs and another, the enemy is silent and we are invigorated..."

Suoduo raised his head slowly, his eyes flickering:

"A complete failure for the Northlanders."

"From then on."

Looking at the stalemate battle situation on the map, Thales felt something in his heart.

In the next second, Suduo's language became hurried!

"Rumours abounded that a noble from the guarding city, who did not want to take risks, abandoned his camp early in the morning and retreated first."

"Maybe he is just angry and wants to change the defense zone, or change the land to collect food. Of course, it is not ruled out that it is a trick by spies..."

White pieces move under the hands of the military adviser,

Leave the original area.

"However, following his example and thanks to the discord with Qiyuan City before, quite a large part of the lords of Jieshou City followed him and retreated without informing their friendly troops, and the overall front line was deformed."

Thales frowned tightly: with Fort Liberty as the center, the connected white square pieces gradually spread out, revealing more and more gaps.

It was like the armor of hundreds of battles that had been chopped and hacked finally couldn't bear it, and it burst open.

Sodor Reid slapped the long table with his palm, his face was livid:

"This caused the Qiyuan City army, which was on the front line of the siege ten miles away, to be exhausted but still supporting themselves, without knowing it, lost the vigilance and support of the flanks."

"Expose the weakness of the abdomen and back completely within the reach of the enemy!"

As the battle situation progressed, the ministers who listened to the military situation were equally serious and nervous.

"Maybe the miscommunication is only two hours, and maybe the Northlander's window of vulnerability is only 60 minutes, but remember the trump card of the Freedom League?"

Suoduo reached out to fish for the black knight from outside the field, and when he let go, it had already appeared in front of the white chess's battle line, as if haunted by a ghost.

"After Qiao defeated Dragon Clouds City, they who disappeared for a long time reappeared and grabbed this window."

The military advisor gritted his teeth, as if he was going through this great battle:

"The morning mist has not cleared. They cooperated with the remnant army in Fort Liberty inside and outside and successfully raided."

Sodor's words were concise, but Thales could only imagine the intensity and cruelty of that day.

"When the retreating garrison city receives an order from the higher-ups, reacts, and forces the whole army to stop retreating," Suoduo sighed, stretched out his hand slowly, and set aside the unstoppable white chess formation. chaos:

"Qiyuan City, with low morale, was attacked by the enemy and fought hastily. In the end, the sun was falling and the defeat was irreversible."

The voice fell, and there was silence.

"It's ridiculous!"

Viscount Coney couldn't help complaining:

"How can the Northlanders be so stupid!"

Thales felt complicated when he heard these words.

"Because we are standing here and watching them." Duke Cullen said slowly, but his tone had a rare sense of solemnity.

Viscount Coney was dumbfounded for a moment.

"Then what?"

Chief Financial Officer, Joke Man planned to ask:

"The army in Jiyuan City is still considered intact. Although its combat power is not as good as that of Qiyuan City, it should not be underestimated. It was only a corner of the battlefield that was defeated. It should be..."

But Su Duo's next words interrupted him.

"The leaders of the guard city knew that they had made a big mistake, and they were eager to make up for it, so they made a decision."

"It's not retreating fortifications, but stabilizing the front line."

The military advisor no longer grieved, he narrated the military situation expressionlessly, and pushed the white chess pieces representing the guarding city forward one by one:

"It's about returning to the battlefield and rescuing our colleagues."

As soon as this remark came out, some of the gentlemen present frowned and pondered, and some suddenly realized.

"It's about loyalty." Viscount Connie muttered.

Sodo Red suddenly raised his head!

His eyes swept over everyone:

"That was their fourth mistake."

Viscount Coney frowned.

Sodor lowered his head and gathered the black chess pieces in the Liberty Castle and the knights outside the castle together:

"The strategy of the Liberty Alliance is completely opposite to that of the 20 years: After the victory in the battle, they do not seek to behead more when chasing the enemy, but only seek to be flexible, drive away the majority, and attack the elite."

"So, when the flag of Jieshou City rushed to the battlefield..."

The next moment, Thales watched as the fallen white pieces were pulled together and swept towards the white pieces that were still standing.

An ominous premonition hit my heart.

"Most of the tens of thousands of defeated soldiers in Qiyuan City still remain, but they all lost their helmets and armor, and retreated or fled all the way. They were so mighty that they could not give orders."

"They are like the flood tide after the rainstorm, irresistibly breaking down the guard city's formation."

So Duo's hand no longer moves pieces accurately, but opens and closes widely, sweeping the chaotic white pieces to the east.

"What's more frightening is that under hunger and fatigue, the despair and fear of failure are like a plague. As the defeated soldiers spread to the guarding city army, it caused blind obedience and battalion screams. Many people died of the enemy before they saw the enemy. Stepping on infighting."

Sodor's voice faded:

"Amidst the chaos, Jieshou City, the last hope of the people of the North, failed to fight a few decent battles, and was defeated in a daze."

"The lives and injuries of the people in the Northland are uncountable. The whole army retreated in a panic, fleeing day and night, even retreating for hundreds of miles, they failed to stabilize the front line."

"There were also unyielding Exeter nobles on the way, trying to gather soldiers and make a last-ditch effort, but Xiaoyong was defeated by the general situation, which did not help."

Thales remained silent, as if he had returned to the Night of Dragon's Blood, watching the white blade guards who knew they would die raised their knives for the last time, launched a counter-charge against the formation of the black sand collar, and cut off the rear for him and the little slippery head.

For some reason, Exeter was clearly an extremely threatening enemy country, but seeing them lose so uselessly, he felt an indescribable chest tightness and discomfort.

It seems to see heroes short of breath and heroes in trouble.

And he realized that he was not the only one who felt this way.

"How could this be?"

Gilbert spoke quietly, as if immersed in the past, feeling sad:

"The invincible Northlander, unexpectedly...failed?"

But a deep voice quickly interrupted him, making everyone's hearts tense.

"No."

"They are far from 'invincible.'"

At the end of the long table, Iron Fist King showed a pair of cold eyes in the backlight:

"only……"

"Invincible."

When the king spoke, he was not angry and arrogant, and the courtiers were speechless for a while.

Incompetent.

Thinking of the truth behind "Dragon Blood", Thales felt sad.

If yesterday's news is still confusing and cannot be confirmed, there is still a glimmer of hope.

Today, now, the detailed battle report in Ballard's room clearly told him:

The Northerners were defeated.

lost.

There is no room for turning around.

"Starlight."

Duke Cullen's eyes flashed, thinking about breaking the silence:

"I remembered. Their strategy against the Yankees, including avoiding the edge and attacking logistics supplies, is to follow the example of the Duke of Xinghu... Cough, sorry, the Starlight Legion of the 'former' Duke of Xinghu."

Star Legion.

Everyone frowned, even the king was no exception.

Soduo turned his head and nodded to the secret department's spies.

The scar-faced man stepped forward again, bowed, and reported his news:

"According to the latest information, the general who led the elite team for the Freedom Alliance to capture the coach of Dragon Clouds City is named Ivan Borado. He is a young guest general who has not yet turned twenty this year."

Gilbert raised his eyebrows:

"Guest general? So young?"

The scar-faced man nodded and said:

"His father died in a political struggle in the North Sea Kingdom, and he had to flee to Fort Liberty for refuge."

"At the moment when Exeter's army was pressing down on the border, everyone in Liberty Fort fled in panic, and no one dared to lead the army, Ivan Bollado volunteered and was awarded his current position."

Hearing this, Thales remembered the news that Duke Iris gave him last night:

[The Liberty Alliance, which is in a desperate situation, does everything possible to survive, regardless of dignity and cost, regardless of background or past, and urgently seeks people with lofty ideals from all walks of life to join the just struggle. 】

"The Kingdom of the North Sea..."

The king mused:

"It's the barren country north of Commas, where the country is chaotic, the king is tyrannical, and there is only one idiot son as heir?"

The spy of the secret department bowed again:

"Exactly, Your Majesty."

The king nodded, wondering what to do.

"North Sea Kingdom, Ivan Borado."

"Although the country is small, it can also cultivate talents."

Joke Man sighed:

"His defeat of Exeter in this battle is bound to shock Xilu and become famous in the first battle."

Gilbert restrained his emotions, he smiled slightly, and looked at Thales intentionally or unintentionally:

"It can be said that the times make heroes, and heroes make teenagers."

On the other side, the military advisor Sodor spoke again, attracting everyone's attention.

"But in my opinion, the most critical part of this campaign is not Bollardo and his troops around the rear."

The palm of Suoduo passed countless fallen or standing chess pieces, and gently covered the city on the map.

"And in Liberty Castle."

"It was Liberty Fort, which was empty inside. Relying on the old and weak soldiers after the elite was drawn out, they stubbornly blocked Exter's siege army, and finally led the troops out of the city, forming a siege, and repelling the northerners."

"In a few months, they held back the strongest edge, withstood the fiercest attack, and attracted most of the enemy's attention. Only then did they achieve this classic war in which the weak defeated the strong."

At first, he didn't feel it, but after Suoduo's words came out, everyone in the imperial meeting felt something unusual.

Soduo looked at the scar-faced man from the secret department, and the latter pulled out a few pages of information again:

"In Liberty Fort, the general who commands the defense of the city is over forty years old and is a star person."

Everyone was startled.

Star people?

The scar-faced man raised his head and announced a name:

"'Anvil' Josh Kenya."

The imperial meeting was quiet for a moment, and everyone was puzzled.

Until the king suddenly spoke.

"anvil?"

King Kessel raised his gaze:

"This nickname... sounds very familiar."

The secret department's spies calmly nodded and admitted:

"Yes, Kenya was born as a private soldier of the Canxing family. He used to be one of the combat officers of the Starlight Legion, and also the flower of the fortress, the former deputy of Lady Sonia Sutherley."

"It was even Duke John's... personal bodyguard."

"And the fugitives of the kingdom."

As soon as this remark came out, there was a small commotion in Ballard's room.

Fortress Flower's deputy...

Thales was puzzled, thinking of the veteran Gerald who had served him.

"So that's why, so the commander of the Freedom Alliance is the general of the former Starlight Legion."

Prime Minister Cullen's question was answered, and his face was stunned:

"No wonder this war is familiar from beginning to end."

But King Kessel frowned, his focus was obviously different:

"A fugitive? What crime did he commit?"

The scar-faced man picked up the information, glanced at it and hesitated to speak.

Until Gilbert coughed and lowered his voice:

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten?"

"After you were crowned the throne, Josh Kenya was rebellious. Not only did he disobey orders, but he also openly falsely claimed that the real murderer of Duke John was..."

He didn't go on.

All the ministers also bowed their heads in silence.

The king mused:

"oh."

The scar-faced man from the secret department coughed, and quickly got over the embarrassment:

"In short, we are investigating Kenya's whereabouts in the past few years and the reason why it suddenly appeared in this war."

Kessel nodded.

"So, the battlefield is like this?"

Soduo exhaled heavily, as if he wanted to expel all the depression brought to him by this war.

"That's right."

The military advisor snorted, and he casually threw away the last white piece in his hand, as if he was being sarcastic and unwise, but also seemed angry:

"Qiyuan City was betrayed and lost in shame."

"The defensive city has made a tactical mistake, and it is difficult to turn the situation around."

"Longxiao City has lost its backbone early on, and the morale of the army has been slackened, making it unusable."

Thales lowered his head, pretending to massage his forehead, and closed his eyes at an angle where no one could see.

Little cunning.

selma.

The Grand Duchess of Dragon Clouds City.

Lost army.

Life and death are unknown.

Before his eyes appeared the girl who was walking cautiously towards the throne, but couldn't even lean on the armrest of the seat.

The boy felt a pain in his heart.

He put her in this position.

But the situation is so corrupt, the reality is so broken, and the fate is so cruel...

Thales clenched his fist unconsciously, sobbing at the same time as his heart.

Can anyone save her?

Can anyone help her?

who can...

protect her?

"Then, on the battlefield," the king's voice sounded faintly, as cold as before, which cooled Thales' already unbearable mood again:

"The general situation is over, and the Beidi people who are retreating steadily..."

Thales rubbed his forehead, and while demonstrating his sadness, he just wanted to end this imperial meeting quickly.

It was hard to believe that while he was here worrying about such ridiculous things as banquet glasses, his friend was being robbed and suffering a terrible fate.

Thinking of this incident, he couldn't help the guilt and pain in his heart.

But the king's voice continued, irritatingly:

"How did they later..."

"What about turning defeat into victory?"

Thales suddenly opened his eyes!

At that moment, his thoughts even froze.

What, what?

Northerners, turn defeat into victory?

how……

Prince Thales gently lowered his fingers rubbing his forehead.

He raised his head dignifiedly, expressionless.

I saw that at the imperial meeting, all the gentlemen present were not surprised, but they were also puzzled by this question.

They are not surprised.

That means……

That is to say the result of the war...

Thales controlled his breathing, pressed his knee tightly with his left hand, and did not look at Gilbert's worried expression.

"certainly."

Thord Red nodded solemnly, he stretched out his hand, and moved towards the pile of white chess pieces that were in a mess.

Thales' eyes were fixed on his hands.

As if there were worldly truths there.

The military advisor gently picked up a white pawn.

Put it back on the chaotic map, the most conspicuous position.

At that moment, Thales suddenly recognized it:

It was a...

Queen White.

"The Grand Duchess of Longxiao City who was lost in the chaos and whose whereabouts are unknown."

Thales' breathing stagnated.

"Selma Alex Walton."

At the imperial meeting, everyone present listened carefully to the military adviser's words, and listened to the latter's tone of surprise and emotion.

"We don't know what happened in between."

So Duo gritted his teeth, as if he could not understand what he was going to say:

"But when she reappeared and miraculously reversed the situation..."

"Whether the army or the people, whether the enemy or our own people..."

"Everyone calls her—"

In the Ballard room of the Fuxing Palace, the royal military adviser Thorduo Red looked at the white queen standing proudly on the map, and spoke with unspeakable fear and dignity:

"Blazing True Dragon."

The voice fell.

At that moment, under the suspicious eyes of everyone, time seemed to stand still.

Blazing blood... a real dragon?

Thales stared blankly at the white chess piece, unable to recover for a long time.

No, Thales, you ridiculous fool.

You are mistaken.

This white chess...

A small voice sounded in Duke Xinghu's heart, as if to laugh at his stupidity and self-righteousness:

She is not a queen.

no. .

She's white—

Queen.