Blasphemy

Chapter 12: Dominating

Another world.

The same dead forest. The same dark sky.

A tall skeleton wandered aimlessly. The bodies in this forest are quite rare. He had wandered for a day and had only discovered two skeletons of his kind. There is no communication between the skeletons. If they meet again, they do not know when they will meet again.

The sound of footsteps came from behind. The tall skeleton turned its head in a daze and saw a skeleton of the same type coming. He looked back and continued his journey.

Suddenly, the world flipped upside down and the forest so was in the sky. The low intelligence of the skeleton could not answer that question, nor did it have time to think. A long blade shattered the skeleton's skull. A white mist floated out from the shattered skull and was sucked in by the hole of Temptress Moon who was originally her nose.

Temptress Moon stood up and looked around, then let out a noiseless roar towards the sky. With a speed that did not belong to the skeleton, he rushed into the forest to go look for the next target.

The mercenary group 'Dragon and Beautiful Woman' began a journey in early autumn. Lance and his team of thieves go to Cyrusburg to scout the terrain and set a trap. In the mercenary team, Kate led 150 knights in front, and Ed led 200 swordsmen in the back. In the middle of the team there were more than a dozen quite heavy trains. Faith sat on one of the cars. Franco, as his bodyguard, also sat on the carriage with dignity. Roger and Kate ride a horse and disguise themselves as lancers.

The destination of the mercenary group this time was Le Mans, a small town 60 miles away from Cyrusburg. The city of Le Mans is quite large, with more than 2,000 residents. Ever since Lord Snow Fox came, there had been no news of this city from the alliance. Some Lance scouts have pointed out that there are Snow Foxes in this city from time to time.

In the morning, people in Le Mans wake up and start preparing food and clothing for a new day. The sun had not yet fully risen, but the morning light had shone on the entire city. The sounds of roosters and dogs slowly became crowded, the smoke from the kitchen gradually rose. There were already some diligent people walking down the street. Due to its remote location and poor property, there are only three or five caravans that come to this mountain town every year. People in this small town are used to living independently for decades, but they are peaceful and quiet.

The morning breeze in early autumn had brought a bit of coolness. The sun slowly rose from the mountains and forests, the golden light of sunlight coloring the city. The trees swaying in the city as if adorned with golden leaves, the birds also performed a choir. Beautiful morning mountain view!

Unfortunately Roger had no elegance. The fat man frowned as he looked at the low and dilapidated houses on both sides of the street. Even though this is the widest street in the city center, the shops are few. The townspeople by the roadside, dressed in shabby and tattered clothes, looked at the cavalry troops that were ruining the peace of the city with curiosity, indifference, even hatred.

“There are 2,000 people in this city which means there are three hundred or four hundred families. Hm, let me think. Looking at how poor they are, if the average income per year could reach 2 gold coins was already good. If calculated, the tax collected is 5 silver coins, and must pay three and a half. In a year can you get 50 gold coins? Shit, this is my territory?” The fat man started to speak for himself, the last sentence was spoken even louder.

Franco glanced at Roger with a dissatisfied look. The fat man's love for money had ruined his pleasure in admiring the mountain village scenery. Kate didn't say a word. Sixty lancers tailed behind, the other mercenaries were already gone.

The cavalry team finally arrived at the small square of the city center, where many people had already gathered. A tall and energetic old man seemed to be the leader. He came and saluted. “Esteemed knights, I am the mayor of this city, Ian. If you may know, what are you coming to our poor place?”

Roger said cheerfully. “We are knights of the Duchy of Bavaria. My name is Roger, this is Franco, this is Kate. Later this city and the area around it will become our territory. You're the mayor, right? Prepare the food for us first, then report the population and income of the city. After dinner, take us around town.”

“Wait a minute.” A man, very tall and black, stood up. He's holding a big hammer.

Kate frowned as she looked at the big man. He pushed his horse forward, then a cold aura gushed out. “Why? Looks like you mind?”

Kate's spear axe has been altered by Faith. As the strength of the knights increased, their weapons were made heavier. Both the tip of the spear and the blade of the axe had been added magic which made it become extremely sharp and powerful.

Kate lifts the fighting spirit. Although his skills were insufficient and could not be externalized, his aura increased.

Facing Kate's aura, the big man was overwhelmed but he was undaunted. “I Bam, blacksmith in this city. What can you use to prove that you are knights of the duchy? The Duchy did nothing but collect taxes. When those damn thieves come to snatch Shana, why aren't the knights in sight? When they slaughtered my friends, why didn't the knight show up? Now that the thieves are gone and we've had half a peaceful year, you've come to collect taxes. How is it different from those thieves? Now this is the territory of the Snow Silver Fox as at least they have once saved us!” There was a commotion in the crowd around.

Franco pulled Roger and said in a low voice. “See, there is not a single woman from the townspeople, and they all have weapons.”

Roger looked more closely, and rightly, most of the townspeople were holding weapons. Farm equipment was considered a weapon. Roger meticulously surveyed the houses around and found several people peering out from behind closed windows.

With a gloomy look, Roger said to Kate. “Quickly, afraid there will be problems.”

Kate snorted and climbed on her horse.

Bam roared, hammer held high and then hit. Along with the cold lightning and the sound of a clear voice, Kate's spear axe rose from below and cut the big man's hammer in half. As people and horses melted, Kate hit the big man's back with the handle of a spear axe. The sound of broken bones rang out, the huge man spurted blood and flew for three or four meters, then fell to the ground.

The crowd was noisy again. Kate looked around and felt satisfied when she saw the look of fear in the eyes of the population, in addition to hate. He rode a horse towards Bam who was on the ground, then raised his spear axe, ready to cut it in half.

“Wait!” Ian came closer and held Kate's horse. “Mr Knight, Bam offended you and deserved to die. But you have taught him a lesson. Since we are your residents, please don't kill him. I told people to arrange food at the town hall. Hopefully according to your taste.”

Roger looked around and said casually. “This rebel mistake I will remember. We will eat first, then finish off the cunning foxes, then you.

I know that you still don't accept. The foxes give you an advantage. But remember, this is our territory from now on, we are your employers, and our words are the law in this land! Anyone who doesn't accept it should try like that idiot. But don't expect me to be merciful again.

Ian, get us some pretty girls. If I know there's a prettier girl in town not out, then just be ready to spend your last ten years in the slave camp.”

The atmosphere in the city hall was very depressed. The knights ate a simple breakfast in silence, some girls going back and forth to deliver food and clean knives, forks, and plates. The occasional screech was heard when there were knights touching the butt of the girls.

Roger and three other men were at a table, discussing something in a low voice. The food on the table was diverse, but the three people had no intention of tasting it.

Ian, the mayor of the old city, stood to the side with a smile. He was thankful that the worst didn't happen. The knights did not seem to be particularly interested in the girls in his city.

During the meal preparation time, Roger and the others kept inquiring about the Snow Fox's armed forces to him.

So, not long after the Snow Fox Army settled in Cyrusburg, a group of thieves came to the City of Le Mans, ransacking the city and killing several people.

Just then the Snow Fox army passed through the city and took action to annihilate the group of thieves and save the entire city. After that, the Snow Fox members often came to this city to sell supplies at affordable prices. After the arrival of the Snow Fox, the alliance tax collector never appeared again, the simple townspeople automatically sided with the Snow Fox.

But what the people thought was not in the consideration of the nobles. Politics was a compulsory lesson for the great nobility. Those little nobles won't waste time on politics.

The swift footsteps of the horses sounded and stopped at the entrance of the city hall. A lancer walked in and took off his hat, then rushed to Roger's desk and said loudly, “The Snow Fox has been found!”

Lancer was silent, then whispered to Roger and the others.

Roger and the others repeatedly asked the lancer. Their voices are very small. Ian vaguely only heard a few words like ‘attack, sneak, ambush, Devil’ Forest. The mayor of the old city maintained his smile and posture for fear of causing misunderstandings.

Right now, everyone's plan has been decided. Some noble bastard laughed wickedly. They told the knights to get up and ride their horses, then get out of the city leaving the messy town hall.

Ian hurriedly called out to a young man who looked very smart and told him a few things. The young man replied and left. After a while, the young man stalked the cavalry on horseback. Ian was busy comforting some girls with red and puffy eyes. An hour later, the young man rushed back and before long, another horse came out of the mayor's house, quickly disappearing towards Cyrusburg.

Hart has been in a bad mood all year.

He, the captain of the Snow Fox army as well as an esteemed level eleven swordsman, could have been assigned to such an interior, and lasted for over half a year. He cursed then patrolled around the castle.

The porters moved the ore sacks to the trucks with great difficulty. Six carriages lined up neatly in the small square of the castle which was now half full.

Hart was ordered to dig a necromancer lab, but found nothing. Unexpectedly, he discovered a high-grade iron ore vein and could be directly used for smelting steel.

For the mineral-poor Duchy of Ron, this iron ore was extremely valuable. Unfortunately it is located in the Duchy of Bavaria so it can only be mined clandestinely.

The Bavarian Duchy oddly ignored the Snow Fox's monopolistic action for a long time. But even so, Hart still had to keep the mining secret as best he could. A strange attack a few months ago cost Hart some elite cavalry and mid-level mages.

The witch happened to be the sister-in-law of the Deputy Commander of the Paying Army Group. Because of this, Hart was recalled to headquarters, scolded and extended his duties in Cyrusburg to one year.

Thinking of this, Hart's mood became even more depressed. He began to look for porters who were lazing around, about to practice his whipping skills.

A horse ran across the castle square, the knight dismounted from his horse and ran in front of Hart. Hart's countenance was gloomy, slowly becoming bright, then he laughed. He slapped the mailman and said, “After finishing off those bastards this time, I advise you to enter the Snow Fox and come with me! Ahaha! We'll gather and hunt!”

A moment later, a hundred cavalry and two hundred infantry gathered in the castle square. A black-robed magician stood beside Hart.

Hart gave the order, the castle gate opened, and three hundred Snow Fox mercenaries came out of Cyrusburg, leaving fifty swordsmen in the castle.

Roger and the others are still on their way to Cyrusburg. The cavalry formation was wide open. When twisting a small mountain pass, the cavalry in front suddenly stopped. Being obstructed, the cavalry behind advanced while cursing, then fell silent when they saw what was ahead.

Hart, in heavy armor, led the Snow Fox mercenaries in regular rows to wait for Roger up ahead.

Roger and the others took a deep breath.

The Snow Fox deserved to be known as an elite, the formation was neat and solemn, no one spoke.

Seeing Roger and the others, Hart grinned and licked his lips, then raised his spear. The infantry behind him split into two groups.Jointly with clanging sounds, they began to neatly surround. Every ten steps, he raised his sword and hit the shield while shouting ‘kill!’

The cavalry team was still silent, Hart's spear was erected high and did not sway, but the killing aura rose. That spirit of killing hundreds of people felt like thousands of troops.

Roger and the others looked at each other in amazement. They originally wanted to lure the enemy with fifty cavalry, attacking to kill the enemy force. But I didn't think the enemy was so fierce.

Triggered by the killing aura, the war horses started to move restlessly, and some of the cavalry turned pale. The rookie cavalry, who had only been in formation for half a year and trained for only two months, actually showed a gap when facing the formidable veterans in battle.

A few noble bastards looked at each other, and discovered that the enemy was also paled.

Roger immediately cast a spell. A black fog floated between the formations of both sides. After dispersing, the ground was covered by dense cobwebs covering a radius of tens of meters.

Kate lifted her spear axe up high, then issued an order. “Prepare the bow! Shoot the infantry in front left, shoot!”

Dozens of arrows flew towards the infantry team that was 200 meters away. The Snow Fox Infantry raised their shields together. But their equipment was really not good, the shield was not enough to cover the entire body, the leather armor also could not withstand the arrows. After rain arrows–if dozens could be said as rain–five or six infantrymen fell.

Kate swung the spear axe again. “Pull bow, shoot!”

The arrows rained down again, five to six Snow Fox infantry fell again. The Snow Fox Infantry started attacking, they tried to shorten the distance between the two sides.

Hart calmly stared at the enemy lines. As an experienced commander, he would wait until the opponent was in a chaotic state before his cavalry team launched a final attack.

Although Roger's magic could not stop his cavalry, his running speed was very influential. Fortunately, the magic did not last long, only five or six minutes.

Hart has patience. Unknowingly, he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips again, like a wolf smelling the smell of blood.

Kate lifts the spear axe for the third time. “Everything is ready!”

The Snow Fox Infantry had rushed for a hundred meters. When they heard Kate's orders, they immediately raised their shields overhead and continued to run, but their speed inevitably slowed down.

Kate roars, “Everything turns around and backs out!”

Most of the mercenaries of 'Dragon and Beautiful Woman' were veterans. They retreated quickly without panicking. In a short time, they had retreated and started running towards the direction they were coming from. Amid Hart's confusion, Roger and the others had run far.

Hart trembled in anger, he roared loudly. “Cursue! Pursue those bastards!”