196: Meeting

The Red River Plain Allied Camp.

Inside the central army's main tent, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like water could be wrung out of it.

Atos and the Second Prince sat at opposite ends of a long table, with their core generals and strategists lined up behind them. Their gazes collided with undisguised wariness and hostility. The air was thick with the scent of blood, medicine, and a deeper anxiety belonging to the eve of defeat.

"Royal Brother," Atos broke the silence, his voice dry from fatigue and anxiety. "We both know the current situation all too well. The traitor Linn has usurped the capital, and his power is difficult to contain. But my Aulai's thousand-year foundation still has its heritage!"

He tapped his finger on a rough military map. "Under my command, despite bitter fighting, there are still five hundred thousand battle-ready troops, all elites trained by the kingdom for years! You also have over three hundred thousand battle-hardened soldiers, Royal Brother. Combining our forces, we have eight hundred thousand brave warriors!"

He looked fervently at the Second Prince, then scanned several elders in the tent who possessed heavy, restrained auras. They were the Epic-level Old Ancestors enshrined by the royal Family, as well as the Legendary high-rank Grand Magus, Gordon, who was by the Second Prince's side. These top-tier experts were the kingdom's final trump cards.

"Furthermore, we have the Old Ancestors presiding, and Master Gordon's Divine Might is unpredictable. Linn is merely relying on clever tricks and gadgets. Although the airships are formidable, they have their limitations. When my army of eight hundred thousand forms a grand formation for a frontal decisive battle, supplemented by the suppression of top experts, why should we worry about not crushing Linn?"

Although Atos wished he could drink Gordon's blood, he had to change his tone and flatter him at this moment!

The Second Prince listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously stroking the cold metal carvings on the armrest of his chair. While Atos's words were provocative, the logic was sound. Eight hundred thousand regular troops, plus Epic and Legendary high-rank experts—this power would be enough to shake any part of the continent. Linn's airships were an unprecedented threat but not invincible, especially in large-scale army operations on a frontal battlefield where the impact of individual magical weapons would be diluted.

"What Royal Brother says is not without reason," the Second Prince spoke slowly, his voice still cold. "But Linn was able to quickly conquer Holy Radiance City. His military strength, equipment, and even those strange warships cannot be underestimated. Our forces have just joined; the mutual suspicion has not faded, and we need time for reorganization and integration. Moreover, several northern provinces have been lost, and most of our grain supply lines have been cut off. A prolonged war is greatly disadvantageous to us."

"That is why we must fight a quick battle to decide it!" Atos interjected, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "We cannot sit and wait for Linn to digest the north and stabilize his defenses. We must take advantage of his unstable footing and head north with the momentum of thunder to fight him decisively beneath the walls of Holy Radiance City! Once we reclaim the capital, the overall situation will be settled!"

He paused, seemingly having made a great resolution. "To ensure absolute certainty, I have once again sent orders to Duke Nocturne and Duke Bauhinia, commanding them to immediately lead their core elites and rush to Red River to join us! These two dukes have immense strength, and their Family private armies are well-trained. They can add at least another two hundred thousand fresh troops! By then, our army's scale will exceed a million! With a million-strong army carrying the wrath of revenge, we will surely wipe out the Star Sea rebels in one go!"

Duke Nocturne and Duke Bauhinia! Many in the tent felt their spirits lift. These two were old-money nobles of the kingdom with wealthy fiefs and strong military forces, and they had remained neutral, watching from the sidelines during the civil war. If they could be brought in, the strength of the allied forces would take a qualitative leap.

A flash of light also crossed the Second Prince's eyes. This was indeed an unexpected boost. "Will they... obey the order?" he asked with a hint of doubt.

"The royal command is here, and the nation is in peril. As dukes of the kingdom, how would they dare to disobey?!" Atos said decisively, as if he could already see the scene of the two dukes' armies arriving to join them. "I have already sent my most trusted messengers with my handwritten royal decree and the tiger tally for troop mobilization. Counting the days, the reinforcements should be seen in ten days at the earliest, or half a month at the latest!"

The Second Prince pondered for a moment before finally nodding slowly. "In that case... very well. Reorganize the army, prepare for war, and wait for the Nocturne and Bauhinia divisions to join us. Meanwhile, send out all scouts to investigate the movements of Linn's army in the north at all costs, especially the deployment and weaknesses of those airships."

A plan for a decisive battle against Linn was laboriously finalized within this extremely fragile 'Alliance' between the two life-and-death brothers. Each harbored calculations on how to deal with the other after defeating Linn, yet they had to focus all their energy on that more terrifying enemy to the north first.

However, the situation of the two dukes they placed high hopes on was currently worlds apart from Atos's imagination.

---

Holy Radiance City, Aulai Royal Palace.

The once solemn and majestic assembly hall was now filled with a subtle atmosphere. The throne still stood high, but the person sitting upon it had changed from King Olai to Linn, dressed in black star-patterned magus robes.

Below the hall, on the obsidian floor, seven figures were not kneeling but standing respectfully. They were richly dressed, with extraordinary temperaments and humble postures. These seven were the governors of several northern and eastern provinces of the Aulai Kingdom, as well as... Duke Nocturne and Duke Bauhinia.

The airships led by Sebastian, with their peerless aerial advantage and the threat of destruction hanging overhead, had become the most effective tool for inducing surrender. When those massive steel shadows loomed over their respective seats of government or castles, most people wisely chose to comply.

"It is good that you all could come," Linn's voice was flat, his gaze slowly scanning them.

The governors hurriedly bowed, expressing their loyalty.

Linn's gaze finally landed on the two people at the very front.

Duke Nocturne was tall and burly, with the appearance of an energetic middle-aged man. His eyes were steady and sharp, and a faint, restrained yet powerful aura emanated from him—a field unique to Legendary-tier warriors. Who could have imagined that just a year or two ago, he was a duke troubled by old age and old injuries, stuck at the Peak of Great Master for a long time, and looking extremely aged? It was the precious potions and Breakthrough insights provided by Linn that helped him break through his shackles in one go, extending his life, strengthening his body, and gaining a new lease on life. This favor and early investment had long since firmly tied this veteran duke to the Star Sea Territory's war machine. His appearance here was not a surrender, but a "return to position."

Beside him, Duke Bauhinia was a typical fence-sitter. He had a refined face, but his eyes were quick and flickering, skilled at assessing the situation. When news came that Linn had conquered Holy Radiance City with the force of thunder and that Monk had died in battle, he knew the Aolai Royal Family's fortune was exhausted. Without much hesitation, he immediately purged the few generals in his territory who were die-hard loyalists to the royal Family, and then immediately brought his "sincerity"—nearly a hundred thousand well-trained private troops under his command—to Holy Radiance City to surrender. To him, Family continuation and interests were the most important things.

"Lord Nocturne, thank you for your hard work." Linn nodded slightly to Duke Nocturne, his tone carrying a hint of familiar recognition. Duke Nocturne bowed in return; everything was understood without words.

Linn then looked at Duke Bauhinia. "Duke Bauhinia is deeply sensible. Leading your people to return, avoiding conflict, and preserving lives—this merit shall be recorded."

Duke Bauhinia's heart settled, and his face showed just the right amount of gratitude and humility. "The Duke is the chosen one, with prestige spreading across the seas. I am merely following the will of heaven and the people; I dare not claim merit. The hundred thousand boys under my command, along with my Family, will follow the Duke's lead from now on!" He unhesitatingly emphasized the offering of his army again; this was his token of allegiance.

Linn remained noncommittal, his gaze scanning the others. "I am gratified that you all can adapt to the times. The old system of Aulai has declined, and internal strife has brought ruin to the nation. My Star Sea Territory shall reorganize the land, establish a new order, and protect the people."

He paused for a moment, his tone turning light but carrying unquestionable authority. "The past is forgiven, and administrative rights over your territories are temporarily retained. Return to your respective provinces, appease the locals, implement new policies, and pay taxes on time. As for loyalty..."

A faint light flashed at his fingertips, and several tiny silver runes emerged. "This is the 'Soul Heart Covenant Seal.' It takes a sliver of your Soul aura as proof to ensure that government orders are carried out smoothly and no double-mindedness arises. As long as you perform your duties faithfully, it will be no different from usual."

Except for Duke Nocturne, who looked calm, the faces of the others, including Duke Bauhinia, turned slightly pale. But at this point, what choice did they have? In the face of absolute strength and an already tilted situation, they could only accept.

Soon, a few wisps of weak aura were absorbed by the runes, and the contract was established. A faint sense of connection and constraint at the Soul level lingered in the hearts of the others besides Nocturne.

"As for the Family armies brought by the two dukes," Linn said finally, "totaling two hundred thousand, they are all elites. Now is the time when people are needed; they shall be unified and reorganized, incorporated into my army's sequence, to jointly plan the great cause of the Northern Expedition. Lord Nocturne, Lord Bauhinia, do you have any objections?"

"We obey your command, My Lord!" The two dukes dared not hesitate for a moment now, hurriedly responding, "Everything is at your arrangement, My Lord! It is their honor!"

The two hundred thousand private troops, along with the two dukes themselves, were thus completely digested by Linn without a sound. Nocturne was a reliable internal aid and high-level combatant, while Bauhinia was a typical egoist but temporarily useful. Their armies were quickly broken up and mixed, and under the leadership of Star Sea Territory officers and the attraction of generous treatment, they rapidly integrated into the new war machine.

Linn also promised them that they would each manage a province for generations to come. This overjoyed the two; besides handing over their armies, all their interests remained intact.

Time passed quickly during Linn's efficient and calm integration.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

At the allied camp on the Red River Plain, Atos and Gordon waited anxiously, but they never saw the shadow of Duke Nocturne and Duke Bauhinia's armies, and even the messengers they sent out were like stones sinking into the ocean. An ominous premonition, like a dark cloud, loomed heavier and heavier over the hearts of the two princes.

Meanwhile, in the north, Holy Radiance City was already in perfect order, with a fresh outlook. A massive army of nine hundred thousand, with the original Star Sea Territory army as its core and integrated with over five hundred thousand surrendered soldiers and private troops from all sides, had morale as high as a rainbow.