Chapter 46.2: Unconventional Battle
"We've hit the jackpot! Hahaha!"
"Whoa, damn! There are horses! And so many too! Can we capture them?!"
"It's no use even if we capture them. 'Identify' shows that these regular horses cannot be ridden by undead!"
"F*ck!"
Players expressed their regret at being unable to acquire mounts through "seizure," but that didn't stop them from letting up on taking prisoners and looting equip.
Not a lot of people were needed to follow after the Holy Legion cavalry and deal with a bunch of unarmed and weak old people. Moreover, due to the lack of time to hire proper mercenaries, these groups were actually the enforcers and local thugs from various plantations selected by Viscount Lynne and the mayor of Camore.
Being household guards for the affluent was often the best scenario for those who lacked talent or the opportunity to become professional-level fighters.
While their combat prowess couldn't compare to true professionals, it didn't require great combat capabilities to deal with troublemakers or beat up obedient farmers and serfs.
Even in the event of a territorial war between nobles, these well-fed and well-built household guards could be more effective than hastily conscripted peasants.
In short, this bunch would be mere cannon fodder on a proper battlefield and would only be laborers were they to join a merchant caravan. However, they could still handle the dirty work of bullying men and dominating women, relying on their false authority and the strength of numbers.
.
…If it were engaging in one-on-one battles against the newly-advanced players, they might actually stand a chance.
Unfortunately, it happened to be the peak online period for players at this point in time. Even the "skeletal remains" that had been brought along by their friends were online, and with over 200 armed and armored skeletons, they held a three-to-one advantage in numbers and could easily deal with this bunch of household guards.
Not to mention, these household guards had initially thought they were only here to deal with the old, weak, sick, and disabled. They hadn't been prepared to confront a skeleton horde three times their number. Without even forming a decent formation, they had ended up colliding head-on with a mass of onrushing players.
In any case, they suffered a grievous stomp.
Half an hour later.
Black-robed Inspector Lowell trudged back to the wooden chair Yang Qiu had given him and sat down, his face still twitching.
The 200 cavalry of the Holy Legion, including Camore knight Andres, were entirely silent.
The household guards that had scattered and fled in every direction were all captured by the skeletons, whose lightweight bones allowed them to move much faster. They were brought back in succession and experienced having every piece of equipment stripped off from head to toe. Utterly shell-shocked, these people didn't put up much resistance as they were bound and made to crouch on the ground…
They actually weren't dead. It was unbelievable that these terrifying skeletons hadn't killed them.
That's right. These household guards, who only had an advantage when dealing with unarmed civilians, didn't think to resist, so they didn't receive much harm. Any bruises and swelling were the result of their own falls.
"It's certainly quite an unconventional turn of events." A smiling Yang Qiu gave a nod to the seated Lowell.
Black-robed Inspector Lowell: "…"
Yang Qiu wasn't finished yet. He continued to twist the proverbial knife in Lowell's heart, "Evil undead creatures have unexpectedly rescued the defenseless old, weak, and sick from the hands of the righteous noble army. I wonder what your thoughts are, Inspector?"
Black-robed Inspector Lowell: "…"
Andres, mustering up his courage, spoke up to salvage the situation for their leader, "We all acknowledge that this reality is indeed… But it doesn't mean you are always right, black mage. It's just that… unexpected things can happen in the world, that's all."
"Why say things that you yourself are not certain about, young man," Yang Qiu responded calmly. "Just as you accused me of cruel behavior toward a certain nobleman, while I believe my actions prove the compassion I hold for innocent victims. Cruelty or compassion, righteousness or evil, correct or incorrect are all just definitions made by people based on their own perspectives.
"Evil undead creatures plundered the soldiers serving noble families, stole their belongings, and bound them up like pigs and sheep. Such actions are evil. But if we add the precondition that these undead creatures have thus saved the helpless that were doomed to be slaughtered, such actions might appear to be just."
At this point, Yang Qiu smiled. "Evil, justice—in the end, it's just a matter of how people define them. Claiming to always be right only proves that you have yet to mature, young man. I never boast about being right. Whatever I do is fine as long as I have a clear conscience."
Andres averted his gaze and lowered his head. Intense shame made this "young man" of over a hundred years feel extremely embarrassed…
Finally, Black-robed Inspector Lowell, who had been silently observing the black mage all this while, spoke up, "Is this… your belief, Yang? The path you pursue, the path of having no regrets?"
"Yes," Yang Qiu replied frankly. "When I was young, I experienced the feeling of guilt, and I must say, it was extremely uncomfortable. You know, Lowell, as spellcasters, we cannot anchor our faith in the divine nature of gods as you ascetics do, making the divine calling of a righteous god our path and steadfastly following it. Once a spellcaster begins to doubt their own convictions, losing control isn't far off."
"Upon understanding how dangerous guilt is, it is even more important for me to have a clear conscience," Yang Qiu said candidly. "Whether it's the perceived cruelty of mind toward a certain nobleman or the actions of these so-called vile undead creatures, they are merely means to an end. As long as my purpose allows me to be guilt-free, whether it is deemed cruel or compassionate, just or evil, it doesn't matter."
"I understand." Lowell raised his hand to stop him, deeply regretting why he had been curious about the powerful secrets of this black mage. Even he was starting to waver after hearing the words of this mad spellcaster as if Yang was speaking some language akin to ancient blasphemous incantations, which were not suitable for the ears of the faithful. "Let's end the matter concerning Camore here. Andres?"
"Yes," Andres replied, still keeping his head down, unwilling to let Yang Qiu see his embarrassed state.
Since the other party showed a willingness to compromise, Yang Qiu, being a person who didn't insist on winning arguments, immediately expressed his agreement. "It's best to resolve the misunderstanding. Inspector Lowell, you are welcome to visit Taranthan again when you have the chance."
After all, they would be neighbors in the long term, and Yang Qiu didn't want to strain the relationship with the Holy Legion…
This was the second time Yang Qiu subtly mentioned Taranthan.
Of course, Lowell understood what the black mage was implying, and he looked straight into Yang Qiu's eyes and said, "…Very well."
Although the black-robed ascetic still had doubts about Yang Qiu's disregard for mental and spiritual contamination, the fact that he could create a space saturated with hellish energy without being affected proved that this Nightmare Butcher, who had tangled with the Radiant Sun Church for many years, possessed enough strength to make people wary.
As for how Yang Qiu would deal with the civilians he brought to Taranthan and the household guards taken captive… Lowell couldn't be bothered to interfere. If anything, he would just return the funds provided by Viscount Lynn later.
Before taking his troops and leaving, Lowell noticed that the undead, who spoke in an unknown language, were loudly clamoring around the dejected household guards. He couldn't help but be curious and took a few more glances.
"What are they doing?" whispered a white-robed ascetic.
Yang Qiu, who had genuinely respected the ascetics, politely explained, "Oh, nothing much, just an auction."
The white-robed ascetic: "…"
Other soldiers of the Holy Legion: "…"
Lowell: "…"
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