“Colluding with the Abyss Demons?! Using the Power of Shadow of Silence?! What kind of nonsense are you talking about?!”
The moment Aiqinuo finished speaking, Xiumu was overcome with fury.
He, who had devoted his entire life to guarding the northern frontier, was now being accused of colluding with the Abyss Demons?!
It was nothing short of a sick joke.
Without the slightest hesitation, Xiumu sternly rebuked her.
However—
Aiqinuo clearly had no intention of wasting time arguing with him.
She abruptly raised her hand.
Bathed in pale crimson battle aura, a blazing flaming lance instantly emerged from her spatial ring. The terrifying pressure of a High Saint-Class powerhouse erupted from her body without restraint, immediately weighing down upon everyone in the Duke residence with indescribable oppression.
“There is no point saying anything else. Save your explanations for when you stand before the Grand Judge. If you intend to resist... then today will be the day you die.”
As she spoke—
The Royal Knights behind her also released the full extent of their strength. Every mana rifle was loaded and aimed, as though all it would take was a single command from Aiqinuo for Xiumu, his servants, and the surrounding knights to be riddled with bullets.
Faced with the Royal Knights' relentless aggression, the Blizzard Knights led by Sikta could no longer endure it.
The hot-tempered warriors immediately drew the weapons at their waists, confronting the golden-armored knights surrounding them.
“You bastards, don't push your luck! Lord Marquis has defended Wind Facing City for decades! There's no way he'd ever collude with the Abyss Demons! This is nothing but a frame-up!”
Roaring in anger, Sikta hurriedly turned toward Xiumu.
“Lord Marquis! You absolutely cannot go to the capital! They're obviously fabricating charges against you! Once you go there, you'll never come back! Why don't we fight them to the end?!”
Hearing Sikta's proposal, Xiumu fell silent.
His thoughtful gaze swept across the disciplined, fully equipped golden-armored knights before shifting toward the Duke Family cemetery in the distance, where Lei Jie was stationed.
Noticing his line of sight, Aiqinuo let out a mocking chuckle.
“Don't bother, Lord Marquis. Your family's Guardian Beast has already been suppressed by the Grand General. It won't be helping you.”
Then, after glancing meaningfully at Sikta and the other Blizzard Knights, she sighed helplessly.
“And besides... Lord Marquis, I sincerely advise you not to resist. His Majesty Xue Tianao has already issued his decree. If you and your subordinates join forces and refuse arrest, then Wind Facing City will immediately be declared in a state of rebellion. The First Army stationed outside the city will launch an attack at once.”
“You... are you serious?”
“Yes, Lord Marquis.”
As those words left her mouth, Aiqinuo's eyes grew even colder.
“If you submit to arrest, the First Army will not attack.”
Upon hearing that, Xiumu's expression became increasingly conflicted, filled with a profound sense of helplessness.
“Lord Marquis, don't worry! We have the advantage of the terrain! We can drive them back! Once we do, we can flee abroad!”
Sikta said indignantly.
But in the end, Xiumu merely shook his head.
“There's no need.”
“Lord Marquis!”
“Enough.”
The First Army was the Snow Night Empire's strongest military force. It had now been equipped with the heavy artillery weapons developed by Xue Tianao. Once they began besieging the city, Wind Facing City would suffer catastrophic casualties.
And most of the dead...
Would be ordinary civilians.
As the city's ruler, his duty was to protect those people, not sacrifice them in a political struggle.
To sacrifice the people...
Just to preserve the continuation of his own family...
Xiumu could never do such a thing.
Besides—
If he fled now, wouldn't that be equivalent to admitting his guilt?
In that case, wouldn't the centuries of honor accumulated by the Duke Family be completely reduced to nothing?
And furthermore...
Now that the Grand General Luokefei had arrived, everything else was meaningless.
After all, the old general was a terrifying High Eighth-Tier existence.
They had absolutely no chance of opposing him.
I really don't understand... just how did Xue Tianao manage to win him over?
If he went to the capital...
Perhaps there was still a slim chance to clear his name.
Everything now depended on what Xue Tianao truly intended.
Did he merely want to strip them of their authority?
Or...
Did he intend to eradicate the entire family?
Sigh...
Letting out a long sigh inwardly, Xiumu looked guiltily toward where Avnora and Yumo were.
I'm sorry... my dear... and Xia'er...
Then, ignoring Sikta and the shouts of the more hardline members, Xiumu threw away the sword in his hand.
With a bitter smile, he slowly walked toward Aiqinuo.
“I understand.”
“I won't resist.”
“Heh. A wise decision.”
Aiqinuo returned her flaming lance to her spatial ring. The icy chill vanished from her amber eyes, replaced by a satisfied smile.
Just as His Highness the Crown Prince predicted...
Marquis Xiumu would never gamble with the lives of his people.
“Then, Lord Marquis... I look forward to your cooperation.”
As she spoke, Aiqinuo took out a specially crafted pair of anti-magic shackles and locked them around Xiumu's wrists and ankles.
As eerie blue light flickered across the shackles, the battle aura within Xiumu's body was heavily suppressed.
Already gravely wounded, he no longer possessed the slightest possibility of breaking free.
Thus—
Before the unwilling and furious eyes of the Duke Family's servants and the Blizzard Knights...
The Marquis they respected above all else...
Had become a prisoner of the Royal Knights.
Avnora, who had been resting on the other side of the Duke residence, met the same fate.
The Blizzard Knights protecting her, along with the soldiers defending Wind Facing City, had also wanted to fight the Royal Knights to the bitter end.
Yet, in the end, they followed Avnora's orders and laid down their weapons.
Clearly...
At that very moment, husband and wife had arrived at almost exactly the same decision.
—
Meanwhile—
Several maids and guards, acting on the butler's instructions, rushed frantically into the room where Mengxi was resting.
“Miss Xia'er! This is terrible! The royal family has already moved against the Duke Family! Before the Royal Knights get here, we have to leave immediately!”
Without another word, one of the maids grabbed Yumo's little hand and pulled her toward the exit.
Leaving Yumo utterly bewildered.
“Huh? What's going on?”
The equally confused silver-haired girl beside her asked,
“Wh-What's happening?”
Mengxi had just been happily enjoying her time alone with Yumo, so having it interrupted so abruptly naturally displeased her.
She frowned at the unexpected visitors.
The maids could only sigh helplessly after seeing her.
“There's no time to explain, Miss Mengxi! We have to get Miss Xia'er out of the Duke residence! No... out of Wind Facing City! Once we're somewhere safe, we'll explain everything!”
“Safe?”
“Yes! We absolutely can't let the Royal Knights take Miss Xia'er to the royal capital! If that happens... her life will be in grave danger!”
As she spoke, one of the maids carefully opened the door.
After confirming the surroundings were clear, she hurriedly pulled Yumo by the hand and ran toward the southern exit of the Duke residence.
However—
They had barely gone a few steps.
The expressions of the maids and guards changed drastically.
Accompanied by a violent gust of wind, dozens of Royal Knights riding black griffins descended from the sky, instantly surrounding Yumo's group.
The squad captain looked at Yumo's face and immediately revealed an excited grin.
“That's her! The Duke Family's young lady! Heh... trying to run away? Arrest her immediately!”
At the captain's command, dozens of knights leaped from their griffins and charged toward Yumo.
The surrounding guards attempted to resist.
Unfortunately, they were far too weak and hopelessly outnumbered.
In no time at all, they were completely subdued by the Royal Knights.
The next moment—
Several swords were pressed directly against Yumo's slender neck.
Yumo: “...Huh??”
The griffin-riding squad captain slowly descended until he was hovering above her.
Looking down at her from on high, he spoke with open contempt and hostility.
“You'll be coming with us, Young Lady of the Duke Family.”
“...”
Umm...
Looking at the scene before her, then glancing at the swords resting against her neck, Miss Yumo wore a thoroughly confused expression.
Uh...
What's going on this time?
Although Yumo herself was completely baffled—
The moment Mengxi saw someone holding swords against Yumo's neck, an indescribable fury exploded from deep within her heart.
She knew perfectly well those weapons could never actually harm the pink-haired girl.
Even so...
It infuriated her.
Especially after noticing the disdain in their eyes.
“What exactly do you think you're doing?!”
Consumed by anger, Mengxi transformed into a streak of silver-white light and shot into the air.
Before the Royal Knights could even react—
Her bare little foot slammed directly into the squad captain's head.
His face instantly caved in and twisted grotesquely beneath the impact...
In an instant—
Blood splattered across the sky...
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