105: Carlos's punishment

"Fine, I'll go back with you!" Carlos stared at the green blood, knowing that he could never turn back and could no longer explain himself.

His eyes were vacant as he stared straight at Neme, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. They looked as if they were covered in a layer of ash, devoid of any light, as he quietly followed behind Neme.

In Kongdi City, the anti-air tracked vehicle carrying Wei He rushed all the way to his temporary residence, followed by over a dozen multifunctional infantry vehicles.

"Mm, ah, haha, slower, gentler..." A series of strange sounds echoed from Wei He's room. Curious, Wei He opened the door, and an unsightly scene met his eyes.

With a bang, Wei He slammed the door shut. He stood frozen, blinking his eyes with his eyebrows raised high, subconsciously poking his temple as if doubting whether he had seen correctly.

"Forget it, I'll find a hotel to crash in for the night. That Linlin! She's really getting more and more out of hand!" Wei He shook his head and slowly walked out of his residence.

The next morning, before Wei He had even gotten out of bed, Linlin opened his door and came skipping in.

Dressed in a pale pink gown that accentuated her graceful figure, she said to Wei He with a grin, "Brother Wei He, you saw it, didn't you? Hmm?"

"How could I not? You didn't even lock the door. Why would you go to my room to mess around like that? And besides, that was an orc! How could you even bring yourself to do that?" Wei He rolled his eyes so hard they almost reached the ceiling; yesterday's scene had left him completely shocked.

"Oh, Brother Wei He, don't judge a book by its cover. Besides, you could have joined us last night; Blant wouldn't have minded!" Linlin said with a slight arch of her eyebrows, looking completely nonchalant.

"Get out, get out, get out! I'm not that kind of person!" Wei He was speechless, feeling that Linlin's way of thinking was far too progressive.

"Is it that you can't accept it, or are you just incapable? Ah, Brother Wei He! Is my figure not seductive enough? Is my face not beautiful enough?" Linlin teased, staring at Wei He.

"Do you have any actual business? If not, get out already. I'm not even fully awake yet!" Wei He said impatiently. This Linlin was truly becoming more and more unscrupulous.

"Actually, I do. Grand General Neme is back, and she brought General Carlos with her. They're at the Grand Generals Mansion. Do you want to go take a look?" Linlin said unhurriedly. She had originally wanted to sleep in, but Grand General Neme had sent someone to find Wei He, so she had no choice but to come.

"Oh, really? She didn't kill Carlos? Wasn't the order 'no mercy' and 'execution on the spot'? She actually defied the imperial decree! Hahaha!" Hearing this news, Wei He happily grabbed his clothes and headed outside.

"Hey, hey, Brother Wei He, wait for me! Haven't you noticed something different about me lately? Tell me, what's different?" Linlin asked as she chased after him.

Inside the Grand Generals Mansion, Carlos was bound in chains and kneeling in the main courtyard. Neme sat upright in the central hall, with the remaining magicians seated on either side. The seat closest to Neme remained empty, reserved for the Lord, Wei He.

A large crowd had already gathered at the entrance of the Grand Generals Mansion, including orcs, people from the Lingshu Kingdom, and people from the Magic Empire. Wei He pushed through the crowd and made his way into the mansion with difficulty.

"Grand General, colleagues, I'm late. Ah, sorry, my apologies!" Wei He greeted everyone as he entered the central hall. Except for Neme, the other magicians all stood up to greet him.

"Alright, we were just waiting for you. Take your seat," Neme nodded, signaling Wei He to sit. She then spoke, "The traitor who conspired with the enemy has been captured. I have invited you all here to discuss and decide how he should be dealt with."

"Well, Carlos is also a high-ranking official of the court. If we are to punish him, shouldn't we first consult His Majesty?" a white-bearded Intermediate Magician said tremulously.

"Yes, exactly. It's better to consult His Majesty for such matters!" the others chimed in.

"His Majesty's decree has already arrived. He is furious about the act of treason. For such a person, His Majesty's order is 'no mercy'!" Neme said coldly to the group.

"Since His Majesty has already issued the decree, Grand General, do you still have any concerns?" a chubby magician asked Neme with a grin.

"Although His Majesty ordered 'no mercy,' he did not specify how Carlos should be executed. Do you have any suggestions?" Tiny beads of sweat appeared on Neme's beautiful face. She truly didn't know how to handle someone who had once rendered such great service to the empire.

"This... what do you think?"

"I don't know. Executing a general is something that's never happened before!"

"Generals usually die on the battlefield. A traitorous coward like this wouldn't normally rise to the rank of general!"

"Carlos is no coward. When he was expanding the empire's territory, he was always at the front lines. I don't know why he was so foolish this time!"

...The people in the hall discussed fervently, but they still couldn't come up with a plan.

"Ahem, I have an idea. See if you think it's feasible!" Wei He said to the crowd, acting mysterious.

"Oh? What brilliant idea does the Lord have? Do tell!" Everyone turned to look at Wei He, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

"Wei He, if you have an idea, just say it. I'll listen to you!" Neme was also indecisive at the moment, and hearing Wei He's words was like grasping a lifeline.

"Well, it's like this. Although Carlos has committed treason and become a traitor, he has, after all, served as a general in the Magic Empire for many years. Even in death, we cannot let demonic things defile him!" Wei He paused. Seeing no objections, he cleared his throat and continued, "First, strip the demon-symbolizing scales from his body. Then, drain every drop of the demon-symbolizing green blood. Finally, hang him above the city gates for all the residents to see—this is the fate of a traitor who conspires with the enemy!"

"Isn't... isn't this a bit too cruel?" a magician who was on good terms with Carlos said softly.

"If we don't do this, how can we stabilize the army's morale? A general committing treason has a massive impact. I think Wei He's suggestion is excellent. If no one objects, we'll proceed with it!" Neme said in a cold tone, her face as stiff as a rock and her lips pressed into a grim line.

"The Grand General is right, and the Lord is right. This is how it should be done. We must make an example of him to deter others from ever thinking of becoming traitors!" the others agreed.

"Now, who among you will carry this out?" Neme dropped another bombshell. This question was like a hot potato, and everyone immediately fell silent.

"If none of you are willing to do it, then I will. Spread the word: tomorrow, Carlos will be formally executed in the central city square. Make sure every citizen in the city knows about it!" Wei He spoke up before anyone else could respond.

"In that case, the Lord shall handle it. If there's nothing else, you are all dismissed!" After saying this, Neme rose and walked toward the backyard. Seeing her leave, the others stood up as well. In small groups, they began to filter out, chatting amongst themselves. As they passed Carlos, not a single person dared to stop or speak to him.