KEEP BUANA (Rise of Darkness)

The Rambang Dangku

Two days later, 16 men in full-armed Lamahtang soldiers were seen entering the grand gate of the Duchy of Suro Langun in the Duchy of Ujung Jambe on horseback. The group entered the courtyard and the leader of the group descended from the horse to the largest house among the four other houses in the complex.

His arrival was immediately greeted by the Duke's maid who was used to preparing everything for guests. After a short stale break, the maid left to inform the duke of his arrival.

Not long after, a little shocked by the duke immediately met the leader of the army with a face that showed anxiety.

“What's with your face, Duke? Why does it look a little pale?” The leader of the entourage who realized the expression of duke Suro Langun asked, certainly not because he cared but wanted to suppress the mentality of the duchy leader further.

The leader of the entourage understood that this was the first time since the kingdom was coup there were soldiers of the kingdom of Lamahtang who came to this place. According to him, the Duke certainly realized that the king who leads now ascends the throne thanks to the support of the group of criminals and black warriors. Their attitude will be very different, too. Cruel, rude, and perhaps a little brash.

“Oh, it's okay sir. Oh yes, if you may know, what is the name of this master? I'm sorry, because I'm less sociable is certainly not recognize the new officers palace.” The duke answered trying to cover up his nervousness. But the feeling of anxiety still rattled in his mind.

The leader of the entourage did not reply and simply threw a badge before the duke. On the table.

The hand of Duke Suro Langun immediately took the badge and read a line of names there. “Kartono” ejanya while frowning. Such a name was obviously unusual for the inhabitants of the Big Gold island, but the duke knew very well that the name was the typical name of the Pulau Padi Perak. That is, the leader of this group is likely a member of the Segoro Geni group, he thought.

“How about the tribute, duke? I hope Your Majesty's order to raise the tribute three times the next day you have prepared” said the leader of the entourage while reaching back his badge from the wooden table.

“Ti.. three.. triple??” suro Langun's face looked even more pale.

“Isn't it supposed to only double??” There was a tone of protest in the Duke's sentence, but he did not appear.

‘Shelf!’

The sound of the table being kicked.

“Do you want to defect?!” Sergey the leader of the entourage while glaring.

Hearing the sound of a very loud table shake made the duchy guards immediately enter the meeting room and stand by for fear of the safety of his lord.

On the other hand, one of the fifteen soldiers of Lamahtang who were on standby in the courtyard following the entrance by floating made the guts of the ducal guards become wry. The ability to float in the air is clearly only owned by the magic swordsmen. Is that how the soldiers of Lamahtang the result of this coup??

“Dissolve your bodyguards, or I flatten this place into a pool of blood!” The leader of the Lamahtang army this time threatened with cold eyes towards the Duke. The duke of Suro Langun could only gulp down aware of their striking difference in strength.

“Do you think we are roadside sellers you can bargain with??” The warrior leader said as he brought his face closer to the duke's face. This is clearly the first time this abuse has been experienced. But he tried to refrain from acting rashly.

“Alright! I'm being kind. Five days! We only gave five days to collect the tribute. You khan are rich and have long been duke. You can cover first with your gold stash, then you ask your regents to replace it!”

Eight servants came out carrying eight boxes of gold pieces and several other precious stones. With a loud whistle, the leader of the group called the soldiers who were still in the courtyard to transport all the crates. And immediately out to each other's horses.

“Remember the Duke, in five days we will come back. Even if it wasn't me who came back, at least our colleagues who came here took it five more days!” The leader of the entourage spoke half-shouting from the saddle of his horse. Soon, his horse was followed by fifteen other soldiers leaving the gate of the residence of the duke Suro Langun.

Dust seemed to fly behind the soldiers. Leaving the duke of Suro Langun who was still standing in front of his residence, in the middle of the courtyard. His head was in pain considering that he still owed four more gold crates to the Lamahtang Kingdom.

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“Your password is perfect, dik.” Praise a man of great stature to the leader of Lamahtang's army. The group has now been located quite far outside the duchy of Ujung Jambe.

“Perhaps, indeed he was born a criminal in his past life so it can be very animating.. Ha.ha.ha.ha..ha” timpal other who immediately greeted the laughter of all his colleagues.

They were sixteen Lamahtang soldiers who had just charged a royal tribute to Duke Suro Langun. Who would have thought, they turned out to be just the rowdy soldiers all of them. They were actually members of the picking squad led by Lingkis, the Pendekar Pembelah Karang who was assigned to intercept the delivery of tributes from the three duchies to the kingdom of Lamahtang.

The plan they will run for the Duchy of Ujung Jambe and the Duchy of Bone Mesuji will be different from what they have done for the Duchy of Serelo Pualam. If in the Duchy of Serelo Pualam they act like robbers intercepting and killing prey, then different things they will do to the other two duchies.

Armed with full clothes and the identities of the soldiers they managed to kill in Serelo Pualam, they then disguised themselves as royal officers to draw tribute on their two target duchies.

In the Duchy of Ujung Jambe, they wanted to make it seem as if the duchy refused, or at least objected to paying tribute. That way, it was hoped that the soldiers would return and inform him that the duke of Suro Langun refused to pay tribute. Or if their plan misses though, there will be at least a clash between the two sides.

Then, in the Duchy of Bone Mesuji they planned to openly confront the soldiers of Lamahtang. Act as if they were the dukes' men, and allow one of the soldiers to escape and preach the ducal defection to the court. Then as in the duchy of Ujung Jambe, they will disguise themselves once again as soldiers of Lamahtang to take royal tribute.

Another spice to add to the heat of the atmosphere is the news of the killing of sixteen soldiers in Serelo Pualam. The team from the Benduriang-led Merpati squad had already begun spreading rumors that the soldiers and the retainer of Lamahtang were killed by Duke Bayang Keling in disgust with their humiliation and abuse of the Duke.

Thus, if their plan goes smoothly, it should be after the action of this Picker squad the palace will immediately send an army to crush these three dukes. To the warriors of the Hope Star alliance, the three dukes were nothing more than corrupt officials who were no better than the Third Prince.

Perhaps they will be of little value if they will side with the people and do not support the new government of Lamahtang. Of course it would be very good if the three dukes were willing to support the struggle to combat the black flow, at least in their respective territories. But, the Bintang Harapan alliance did not expect much on the partisanship of the dukes given their lunge all along.