Chapter 37: Bad News at the Wedding
"Open the gate!"
"Open the gate!"
The furious shouts of Linley and the others rang out continuously. The enemy only numbered three hundred in total. Neil City had tens of thousands of troops stationed within. What was there to fear? Having fought their way back desperately all this way, Linley and the others thought they had saved their own lives, but now—
"Puchi!" That war blade directly sliced a knight diagonally from the shoulder, cleaving his entire body into two large chunks. His large and small intestines spilled out, clearly visible.
"Die, all of you must die." That leading big man laughed wildly.
Linley's side was being rapidly harvested. In just a short while, only a few people remained. Linley looked at the enemy, and a trace of despair couldn't help but arise in his heart.
"Is this it? Am I going to die?"
Linley had many ideals, many goals he had yet to accomplish. But now he was about to die. The crowd, however, was surrounding a middle-aged nobleman with a pale face.
"Your Highness the Prince, are you alright?"
"Don't be afraid, Your Highness, the enemy can't break through."
The surrounded middle-aged nobleman's complexion gradually improved. This man was none other than the ruler of the entire Southeastern Province, the younger brother of the current Emperor, Prince Yulin.
Prince Yulin had no great ambitions, but he was the blood brother of His Majesty Joan. Emperor Joan also doted on this younger brother. Prince Yulin thoroughly enjoyed this kind of life.
He knew that the O'Brien Empire and the Rohault Empire had not had a large-scale war for over ten years. So, on a whim, he said he wanted to visit this border city. His arrival made all the nobles of Neil City revolve around him.
But who would have thought? Just as he was loudly discussing the empire's strength on the city wall, an arrow shot toward him. Fortunately, the guards beside him blocked the sharp arrow.
"Open the gate!" The mournful, unwilling roars sounded from below.
The eyes of the surrounding soldiers were reddened. The enemy was not numerous. If the garrison of Neil City charged out, they could easily kill the enemy. But Prince Yulin forbade them from opening the city gates.
"Your Highness, the enemy below is not many. Let me lead men to kill them." An officer pleaded.
"Nonsense." Prince Yulin pointed at his nose and scolded, "What do you know? Didn't you see several hundred enemy soldiers in the distance?"
"But Your Highness, we have thirty thousand soldiers in Neil City." That officer retorted.
Prince Yulin snorted coldly: "It's dark now, and the wild grass in the distance is so tall. Who knows how many enemies are hidden outside? Don't you think? If these few hundred dared to attack, would they have no backing? For the sake of a few dozen imperial soldiers, it's not worth making more people bleed."
Prince Yulin spoke with great righteousness.
"But Your Highness..." That officer was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. This Prince Yulin clearly didn't understand military affairs. With Neil City's fortifications and thirty thousand troops, even if a hundred thousand enemies came, they wouldn't easily break through.
And their side only wanted to kill the enemies below the city, not pursue them.
Prince Yulin wiped his forehead, cold sweat beading.
"It's just a few dozen soldiers? Dead is dead. I don't want to face any threat to my life." Prince Yulin thought to himself. He immediately gave a strict order: "Remember, you are not to take the initiative to attack without permission. Otherwise, if something happens, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Your Highness, the leader of the men below seems to be Linley." Someone suddenly said.
"Which Linley?" Prince Yulin frowned.
"Linley, the direct descendant of the Dunstan family."
"The Dunstan family?" Prince Yulin frowned, then smiled dismissively, "Dying for the empire is the glory of their family's children. Besides, the Dunstan family is a large clan. What does the death of one child amount to?"
Prince Yulin didn't care at all.
"Open the city gate!" After that mournful cry sounded, there were no more screams from outside the city.
Linley's body collapsed limply, falling at the base of the city wall. There was an arrow in his shoulder, and a terrible wound on his chest, with blood gushing out.
By now, Linley had fallen unconscious.
"Squad leader?" Linley's armor revealed his identity.
That big man directly grabbed Linley, threw him over his shoulder, and then shouted to those around him: "Retreat." With that, the dozen or so people swiftly left like lightning.
From start to finish, the soldiers of Neil City, aside from shooting arrows from above, never opened the city gates to charge out and engage the enemy.
The Dunstan family's influence in the military was very great. The annihilation of Linley's entire squad, and Prince Yulin's laughable strict order not to leave the city to fight the enemy—this news quickly reached the Dunstan family.
Not long after Prince Yulin returned to his residence, his subordinates told him a shocking piece of news.
"Your Highness, the deceased Lord Linley was a very close brother of Master Linley. The two of them studied together at the Ernst Institute of Magic. Their bond was as deep as that of blood brothers." A middle-aged man with a curled mustache said respectfully to Prince Yulin.
"What? Master Linley? Brothers as close as kin?" Prince Yulin immediately stood up.
"Those bastards, why didn't they tell me on the city wall?" Prince Yulin grew anxious.
"Your Highness, not many people know about the relationship between Linley and Linley. Even in the imperial capital, only a few nobles know. How would nobles in a remote place like Neil City know?"
Prince Yulin immediately frowned.
Offending the Dunstan family, he wasn't afraid of. No matter how powerful the Dunstan family was, they still had to act according to the emperor's wishes. One child—if he spoke to the Dunstan family about it, the matter would definitely be fine.
But offending Linley was a different story.
"Immediately get in touch with the Dunstan family, and... seal off the news here in Neil City. Don't let it reach the imperial capital, and especially not to Linley. Say that Linley died fighting for the empire." Prince Yulin began to panic inside.
September 15th, Year 10009 of the Yulan Calendar. This day was the grand wedding of Wharton and Nina. Wharton was the younger brother of Master Linley, whose fame shook the world. Nina was even an imperial princess.
Their wedding was extremely grand.
Inside the palace, beautiful music flowed like a babbling brook throughout the entire hall. Nobles held their wine glasses, chatting and laughing with each other.
"Your Majesty Joan, excuse me." Linley held his wine glass and said with a faint smile.
Linley really wasn't used to dealing with those nobles. After speaking with just a few people, Linley left the hall and directly entered the garden. Delia followed shortly after.
"What's wrong, Linley?" Delia asked with a smile.
"Not used to it." Linley said with a faint smile.
"You seem to be in a bad mood today." Delia noticed Linley's unpleasant expression. Linley nodded, "I don't know why either. Suddenly, I feel a bit restless and uncomfortable in my heart."
At Linley's level of spiritual cultivation, restlessness and unease rarely occurred.
"Today is Wharton's wedding. Cheer up." Delia comforted him.
Linley let out a long sigh and nodded slightly. While Linley and Delia were in the garden, His Majesty Joan received a secret message. His close palace attendant whispered in his ear: "Your Majesty, Linley of the Dunstan family has died in battle."
"Linley died in battle? Which Linley?" His Majesty Joan glanced at the palace attendant. Did he have to be told about every single soldier's death? Was he, the emperor, that idle?
"He was Master Linley's classmate at the Ernst Institute of Magic and had a very good relationship with Master Linley." The close palace attendant said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this matter is also related to His Highness Prince Yulin."
"Yulin?"
"According to intelligence, Linley and his group were chased by soldiers of the Rohault Empire right up to the city walls. But His Highness Prince Yulin strictly ordered them not to open the gates, insisting on holding the position."
"Holding the position? How many enemies were there?" His Majesty Joan frowned.
"Three hundred." The palace attendant replied.
His Majesty Joan's eyes immediately widened: "Three hundred and he held the position? This Yulin is really..." His Majesty Joan was furious, but in a moment, he understood the situation.
He knew his younger brother.
Yulin had no ambition. He was just a bit cowardly and afraid of death. His Majesty Joan didn't see this as a flaw; after all, he didn't need to lead troops into battle or do anything else important.
But now, this matter was troublesome. If Linley found out and made a scene...
Thinking of the terrifying strength Linley had displayed at Mount Tujiao, and the strength of his two magical beasts, His Majesty Joan knew that unless the experts of the Warlord's Gate stepped in, they couldn't suppress Linley's side.
And would the Warlord's Gate act for a prince?
That was impossible.
"Yulin, always causing me trouble." His Majesty Joan quickly thought through the matter. Though angry, he still had to protect his younger brother.
"Your Majesty, according to Prince Yulin, by the time Linley and the others were chased to the city walls, it was too late to save them. Moreover, it was already dark, and they couldn't clearly see how many enemies were out there." The palace attendant said in a low voice.
His Majesty Joan nodded slightly. He carefully sorted through the sequence of events.
This matter couldn't be hidden!
His Majesty Joan's first reaction was this. When dealing with a peak Saint-level powerhouse like Linley, it was best not to deceive him. Otherwise, once discovered, it would be even worse.
His Majesty Joan immediately turned and left the hall, heading to the garden to find Linley.
"Your Majesty Joan?" Linley, who was strolling with Delia, saw His Majesty Joan approaching with a grim expression and called out in confusion.
His Majesty Joan looked at Linley, his face growing even more troubled.
"Your Majesty Joan, what exactly has happened?" Linley asked with a frown.
His Majesty Joan sighed: "Linley, I'm telling you this, but you must stay calm."
"What is it?" Linley grew anxious. These past few days, Linley had been feeling restless and uneasy. But now, hearing His Majesty Joan say this, he became worried.
It seemed something bad had happened.
His Majesty Joan sighed softly: "Just now, news came from the Golden Flame Legion of the Southeastern Province. A cavalry squad led by Linley encountered the enemy on the outskirts of Neil City and was routed, fleeing all the way back..."
Linley's heart sank.
"When Linley and a few others reached the base of Neil City, the city's soldiers were unable to rescue them in time. Linley and the others... all died in battle!"
"All died in battle!" "All died in battle!" "All died in battle!"
These four words echoed like thunder in Linley's mind. For a moment, Linley felt stunned, his brain completely incapable of functioning. Blank!
After a long time...
"Old Fourth, Old Fourth... he's dead?" Linley was dazed. "Linley from the O'Brien Empire." Linley still clearly remembered the first time he went to register at the Ernst Institute of Magic. The first person he met was Linley. Back then, Linley had gone with Uncle Hillman, while Linley had gone with his Grandpa Lum.
Two eight or nine-year-old children met like that.
For the following eight years, they were together day and night. Linley's carefree attitude, Linley's laughter, Linley's sincerity... his joy and laughter, scene after scene flashed through Linley's mind.
"Old Fourth, he's dead?"
Linley couldn't believe it. Just a while ago, he had been talking and laughing with him and Yale, the big brother. How could Old Fourth have died in battle?
His voice and face were still so clear.
How could Old Fourth die?
"Master Linley, please accept my condolences." His Majesty Joan, seeing Linley's expression, felt uneasy. His greatest fear was that Linley would go berserk. Linley turned his head to look at His Majesty Joan, his gaze piercing like a sharp blade, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty Joan, tell me, what exactly happened? I don't want you to deceive me. You are wise and should know the consequences of deceiving me! Tell me, what exactly happened?"