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Chapter 129 Alliance Mountain Demon
Chapter 129 Alliance Mountain Demon (Thanks to Brother Feng Qi Han Yu for the 33 monthly tickets!!!)
Xia Tong's face flushed slightly, and she looked somewhat embarrassed as she slowly emerged from behind the dimly lit stone pillar.
Neferi did not immediately look at Xia Tong who was walking over.
She kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the lifeless corpse of the lost knight at her feet.
As Xia Tong approached, she raised her head and her sharp eagle eyes scanned Xia Tong up and down the slightly worn-out Grek soldier armor she was wearing.
Then, noticing the latter's pale pupils, her taut muscles relaxed slightly.
"You look like a faded one, not like Grek's lackey."
"I suppose you're wearing this outfit to blend in and sneak around the city? I've seen quite a few guys trying to do that along the way."
Xia Tong chuckled and casually patted the dust off her breastplate.
"Yes, there are too many soldiers in the city, so we have no choice."
Neferi deftly hung the two blood-stained eagle-patterned battle axes back on her waist, raised her head high, and gave Xia Tong a standard warrior's salute.
"My name is Neferi Lou. Like you, I am a warrior and a Faded One."
"I came here on my godfather's orders."
As she said this, a barely suppressed rage flashed in her eyes, a deep contempt for the owner of this magnificent city.
Then, she whispered in an extremely hoarse yet magnetic voice.
"Everything here is just too much."
"That despicable Golden King," Grek, actually committed such a despicable act as "severing limbs."
"Even for the sake of power, this is absolutely not the behavior of a monarch."
She took a deep breath of the air, thick with the smell of blood, and growled angrily.
"Even the winds of Stoneville have been tainted."
Xia Tong quietly watched this female warrior bursting with a sense of justice, and of course understood what she was saying. This place was originally Storm City, but now the wind here was indeed stained with the smell of blood because of the "limb extension".
Then, Xia Tong had a sudden inspiration and said in a deep voice.
"If you're ready to challenge Greck, I can help."
Upon hearing this, Neferi gave Xia Tong a deep look, a hint of surprise flashing in her amber eyes.
Immediately, a bold smile appeared on her lips.
"If you're willing to fight alongside me, I think—"
She clenched her fists tightly, and the fighting spirit in her eyes began to boil.
"Even if I go against Greke, my godfather will definitely turn a blind eye."
Xia Tong was secretly overjoyed.
He originally planned to challenge Greck himself and then find a way for Ranieferi to join his team and help.
It now seems that Neferi harbors a deeper hatred for Greck than he imagined.
The situation instantly reversed, with Neferi taking the lead in challenging Grek, and him becoming the "helpful" ally.
In the end, what was originally a favor he owed Neferi turned into a favor Neferi owed him.
Although she was overjoyed inside, Xia Tong remained outwardly calm and simply nodded solemnly.
This little girl is so charming; Xia Tong likes her very much.
Deep within Stoneville lies a magnificent audience hall.
On the high platform at the far end of the hall, the ancient stone throne that once belonged to the Storm King had been forcibly widened.
Elevate it.
The throne was covered with gorgeous but vulgar bright red velvet.
"Limb-Setting" Greck, the current ruler of Stoneville, is slumped on his throne in an extremely contorted posture.
His originally thin and shrunken body was wrapped in countless limbs, layered and grotesquely spliced together. The dozens of arms on his back, belonging to different dead people, twitched nervously in the air like a group of restless spider legs.
Some had withered arms gripping heavy golden axes, while others held ceremonial staffs.
Other arms were frantically scratching at the golden armrests of the throne, making a teeth-grinding "creaking" sound.
"Useless—all of you are useless!!"
Greck's shrill, neurotic roar echoed wildly through the hall, causing the surrounding candlelight to flicker erratically.
"Thousands of soldiers! My entire city is fortified! Can't we even capture a mere few dozen Faded Ones?"
"They've only caught seven so far? Only seven!?"
"Those despicable fading elements have turned my castle upside down, and even dared to attack right under my nose!"
"Are you all just sitting around doing nothing? Or do you want to become a part of my body?"
Below the steps, several nobles dressed in magnificent silk robes, resembling military commanders, were kneeling on the ground, trembling all over, not daring to lift their heads even slightly.
Beside them, the descendants of the "limbed nobles," who had multiple arms and crawled like spiders, also felt their lord's frenzied rage.
These monsters, who usually acted arrogantly, now cowered and let out low whimpers, hiding the ceremonial swords behind their backs.
"It's been so many days!"
"Those lowly, ignorant, faded individuals scurry about my city like rats in the sewers!"
Greck's cloudy, yellowish eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he stared intently at the fat steward kneeling at the front.
"Your Majesty, those who have faded—they are far too cunning."
"They dressed in the uniforms of our city's soldiers, and some even used sleight of hand to conceal their discolored pupils, making them indistinguishable from others—"
A knight from a lost homeland, who was responsible for guarding the area, couldn't help but step forward to try to explain the situation to his colleague.
However, Greck didn't want to hear any explanation.
Without warning, an extremely thick arm, clearly belonging to a giant, suddenly shot up from behind him.
The enormous golden battle axe drew a chilling crescent-shaped arc in the air.
"Pfft—!!!"
There was not a shred of pity.
Before the fully armed, homeless knight could even react, he was cleaved in two by the terrifying force, armor and all.
Fresh blood mixed with warm entrails sprayed horribly onto the faces of the kneeling nobles.
"Aaaaaah!!"
The fat steward was so frightened that he screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
Upon seeing this, Greck let out a grotesque and shrill laugh.
His tiny, solid arm suddenly stretched out.
At the same time, two large, extended hands beside him grabbed the fat steward's collar and ankles with perfect coordination.
The fat man, weighing over 200 pounds, was lifted high like a helpless chick.
Greck brought his aged, distorted face close to the steward's terrified eyes and roared, spitting as he spoke.
"Seven days."
"I'll give you seven more days."
As soon as he finished speaking, he exerted his strength and slammed the steward hard onto the hard marble floor.
"Bang!"
The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible and chilling.
Grek slumped back onto his throne, lovingly stroking the deformed arms on his body.
"If by then you haven't managed to hang the heads of those faded ones on the city walls—"
"I will cut off your hands and feet one by one and attach them to my body."
"Since you cannot share my burdens, then become a part of my body, serving as nourishment for the glory of the Golden Clan!"
The hall fell into a deathly silence.
Only the fat steward, whose bones had been broken, lay on the ground, groaning softly in pain.
The remaining nobles and knights below the stage remained kneeling, their heads bowed even lower.
But in that shadow, fear was rapidly brewing, subtly transforming into discontent.
However, Greck was unaware of their change in mood, or rather, he simply didn't care.
three days later.
North of Lake Yakir, near Storm Hill, lies a precipitous cliff.
Because this place is adjacent to Storm Hills, the cliff tops are always swept by relentless gales.
The resilient wild grass was pressed flat against the ground by the strong wind, making a rustling sound.
Using the rising spiritual energy, Xia Tong leaped lightly onto the high ground like a falling leaf.
What comes into view is a breathtaking megalithic settlement brimming with primal power.
Dozens of huge stone houses are scattered in a well-organized manner on the leeward slope.
They were forcibly broken off the rock face by the mountain demons with astonishing brute force, and after rough polishing, they were stacked together like building blocks, fitting together perfectly.
The roof was made of several huge, flat stone slabs interwoven together, with the gaps filled with excavated moss and clay to keep out rain.
-
No matter how fierce the wind howled outside, these fortress-like stone houses remained completely still.
Xia Tong squinted and looked into the distance.
Dozens of enormous mountain demons roam the settlement.
On their emaciated bodies, the huge hollow chest cavities were particularly glaring.
Some of the mountain demons also carried golden swords on their backs, symbolizing betrayal and enslavement.
However, Xia Tong's arrival eventually aroused alarm.
A nearby mountain demon noticed the uninvited guest.
It let out a low growl, its voice like rolling thunder.
Then, it suddenly stood up from the ground, its massive body blocking out the sunlight.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
With heavy steps and waving its huge fists, it charged wildly towards Xia Tong.
This is the last refuge of the nearby mountain demons, and humans are strictly forbidden from setting foot here. This seemingly weak, faded creature dared to come to their homeland to provoke them, which thoroughly enraged them.
The roar of the mountain demon clearly attracted the attention of the other members of their kin.
Instantly, five or six more mountain demons wielding greatswords roared and charged toward them.
In the distance, inside a stone house, several young mountain demons, only three or four meters tall, were huddled around a fire.
They were holding giant bats or wild goats that they had hunted nearby, and were chewing on raw meat.
Hearing the commotion, the little creatures curiously dropped their bones and followed the adult mountain demon out.
"This is difficult—"
Xia Tong couldn't help but put her hand to her forehead and give a bitter smile.
He originally came here to try to recruit them, since these mountain demons had been persecuted by Grek. He didn't expect these big guys to act like they wanted to kill him as soon as they met.
Sure enough, after enduring the long-term exploitation, ravages, and betrayal of the Golden Dynasty, these mountain demons have now become extremely sensitive and twisted.
As Xia Tong was weighing whether to fight or flee, a mountain demon in the distance, who was clearly more robust and imposing than its kind, suddenly paused.
It stared intently at Xia Tong's figure, then rushed towards them at a speed far exceeding that of the other mountain demons.
As this giant strode along, it roared in a booming voice some ancient giant language that Xia Tong couldn't understand.
Xia Tong looked at the mountain demon rushing towards her and felt that it looked familiar, but she couldn't be sure.
After all, from his perspective, these emaciated giants with large holes in their chests all looked pretty much the same, making it difficult for him to distinguish between them.
Just then, the burly mountain demon suddenly raised his enormous hand, forcefully stopping his companions' restless attack.
It walked heavily, step by step, to Xia Tong.
With a loud "boom".
This enormous creature actually knelt on one knee, bringing its massive head up to Xia Tong's height.
It gazed at Xia Tong with its large, cloudy yet sincere eyes, and uttered with difficulty in its clumsy and awkward local dialect: "Post Station Street."
"Sever the chains!"
"benefactor----"
Xia Tong then suddenly realized what was going on.
This mountain demon was none other than one of the two mountain demons he had rescued from the caravan near the ruins of the post station street that day.
At that time, it was with the Lion Sword that it severed the chains embedded deep in its ribcage.
In the distance, another mountain demon that Xia Tong had once saved also clearly recognized this familiar figure.
It waved its arms excitedly and ran quickly toward this side.
They kept chanting words that only they understood, as if they were announcing something to their tribe.
As the burly mountain demon explained, the mountain demons who had been surrounding Xia Tong with murderous intent immediately relaxed.
The hostility subsided, replaced by a gaze of gratitude and awe.
"Looks like there's a chance."
Looking at the giants who had lowered their guard, Xia Tong finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.
Several days later, the sobbing peninsula.
The salty sea breeze howled through the newly renovated battlements of Moen City.
Most of the horrific traces left by the mixed-race riots have been cleaned up by the craftsmen.
The gallows that were once hung with human corpses and used for executions and demonstrations have been dismantled.
Instead, rows of brand-new flags, adorned with the coat of arms of Moen, fluttered in the sea breeze.
On the training ground, shouts echoed one after another, deafeningly loud.
"Drink! Sting! Stop!"
Lord Edgar wore his signature Lost Knight Armor, which showed signs of repair, but his posture remained upright.
Holding a heavy halberd of a knight from a lost homeland, he stood on the high platform, roaring and issuing commands.
Below the stage, more than two hundred soldiers stood in neat formation.
They conducted brutal thrusting training again and again on the stone-paved ground.
Half of these soldiers were survivors of the brutal mixed-race riot.
The other half consists of the wandering mercenaries and knights that Edgar recently recruited.
The former's terrified look had vanished, replaced by a cold hardness born from the baptism of blood and fire.
The sounds of clashing swords and spears mingled with the roars of soldiers.
This has allowed the fortress, isolated at the southern tip of the peninsula and once a hellish place, to once again reveal an awe-inspiring and indomitable spirit.
"This is a fine army, Lord Edgar."
Xia Tong crossed her arms and leaned against the wooden railing at the edge of the training ground, watching the scene before her and sincerely praising it.