Chapter 195 Chapter 196 Order and Chaos (Part Two)
Although people immediately rushed to help the rider down from his horse with a medicine box, he had already passed away. After a moment of silence for him, Is began to examine the body.
There was blood on the horseshoe, and the knight’s sword and spearhead also bore traces of blood. The greaves showed some dents.
Young Master Is ran his hand over the blood-stained plate armor chest. The shell-like structure design could effectively withstand external forces while allowing for a significant gap between the armor and the body, minimizing any potential injuries from deformation of the armor. There were no dents on it.
“He had suppressed rogues before, but their blades and swords had not inflicted any injuries on him.”
Young Master Is’s gaze shifted to Finley’s face, which was wide-eyed. The neck protection that should have safeguarded his neck was missing. His throat had been opened with a large gash. This was the only wound on his body, and it had cost him his life.
Who could have directly slashed the throat of a knight riding on horseback? And even managed to remove the neck armor before doing so?
“It was a superhuman, a succubus, along with a partner.” Young Master Is’s expression changed slightly.
The subordinate beside him looked at him, doubt flickering in his eyes, questioning whether he could lead them to victory.
Young Master Is smiled slightly, speaking with confidence, “But these trivial tricks cannot defeat us. We have plenty of manpower.”
At that moment, a subordinate reported on the wind, “Report! Young Master Is, the people on Golden Sands Road have looted the Wealth Potion and consumed it.”
Everyone who had drunk the Wealth Potion became an unstable factor; fate would deliver the property belonging to others into the hands of those who did not work for it. Immediate suppression was necessary.
Young Master Is was deep in thought.
He glanced at a squad of citizen cavalry waiting for orders in the square. They appeared anxious and were loudly discussing the earlier events.
Young Master Is wanted to silence their discussions, but he knew he lacked the authority.
This was his reserve force, and he couldn’t easily throw them into the fray.
He looked up and shouted to the sky, “First Citizen Cavalry, First Citizen Cavalry, respond quickly and return to the square to report.”
His voice echoed throughout the city.
The reservists gathered in the square looked at Is. The citizen cavalry raised their visors, worried as they gazed out at the increasingly chaotic city under the sunset. A plume of black smoke rose from a distant street, signaling that a fire was about to erupt. With the city in such turmoil, who could save it from the flames? Would the fire burn down their own homes?
Young Is did not hear any response from the First Citizen Cavalry amidst the sounds brought by the wind; he fell silent.
As a result, everyone grew anxious and worried about whether the First Citizen Cavalry still existed.
Minutes passed.
A cavalry unit appeared at the street corner, their swords or knights’ blades stained with blood, but it seemed that most were still alive. They rode different-colored warhorses, donned various heavy armors, and marched towards the square.
Many breathed a sigh of relief, and some even cheered loudly, including Young Master Is.
He mounted his horse with a smile on his face, welcoming the silent citizen cavalry, “I’m glad you’re still alive, but why did no one respond earlier?”
A citizen cavalry member replied, “Sir, someone called your name to the sky and was killed.”
“Killed?”
“Yes. We saw it very clearly.”
The cheering quickly subsided.
Young Master Is took a deep breath and commanded, “No matter what, you must immediately go to Golden Sands Road to suppress the rebellion and drive everyone off the streets to enforce the curfew.”
“Sir, can’t you just give up on that woman? They say you want to taste the Saintess’s flavor.”
Young Master Is’s eyes grew stern as he turned to look at the speaker. The person wore a long-tailed Shirel helmet, which had a long tail to protect the back of the neck, popular among imperial knights. The visor was lowered, revealing only a pair of eyes.
At least, he was afraid I would remember his face.
Young Master Is replied, “That is merely a rumor. I can protect Marin City, so my enemies want to smear my name.”
The other person neither questioned nor agreed but stated, “If my home were robbed, I would ride back.”
“Good, come here.” Young Master Is pointed to one of his servants, “You will accompany the troops and report any situation to me.”
The indicated servant was terrified but had no choice but to obey the order; his family had served Young Master Is’s family for several generations.
“Understood, master,” the servant replied, “But what if someone tries to assassinate me?”
“The superhuman teams from the Sigma Church have already begun searching for the succubus and her accomplices, and…” Young Master Is addressed the previously silent citizen cavalry, “You all surround him and protect him.”
“Understood.”
The citizen cavalry, relieved that they wouldn’t have to worry about throat slitting, surrounded the servant. The servant looked at the armored cavalry around him, a look of relief spreading across his face.
The First Citizen Cavalry protected the servant as they left, the blood-red sunset stretching their shadows long. Suddenly, a shadow shifted, and the cavalry gasped in terror and fled in all directions, leaving only the headless corpse of the servant sitting on the saddle, his head rolling on the ground, still wearing a look of relief.
In an instant, a rumor spread rapidly throughout the city. Marin City had been cursed; anyone who dared to lift their head and expose their neck while calling out Young Master Is’s name would have their throat slit the next moment.
Although Is repeatedly claimed that the succubus’s accomplice was behind the assassination, it only heightened everyone’s fear of the succubus lurking in the shadows.
Because not only Is, but even the Superhuman Committee couldn’t guarantee that anyone would be safe from assassination.
Young Master Is couldn’t find anyone to act as his eyes and ears; he could only give one-sided orders and have people relay information via horseback, significantly reducing the efficiency of the command.
Accidents would always happen on the road, with messages from the messengers often delayed by nearly twenty minutes. By the time the city’s guard and the citizen cavalry arrived, they frequently found nothing but chaos, with only some excessively greedy rogues who hadn’t had time to flee.
It was like trying to hit moles with a hammer that was delayed for dozens of seconds, only to strike empty holes.
Worse still, some people slacked off. The city guard was comprised of local artisans, equipped with their own armor and weapons; they joined the city guard to protect their families. Witnessing one neighborhood after another fall, all they saw was the aftermath of looting and destruction.
They couldn’t help but worry whether their own neighborhood could withstand this chaos.
Every time the city guard passed through an alley, there were always some who fell behind and left. Eventually, they scattered, each returning to their homes. The problem was that these groups of guards, affected by their environment, thought, “Since my home has already been robbed, why don’t I rob something to recover some losses?”
Thus, the militia stacked in street barricades to protect their neighborhoods found the city guards in armor with shields coming to rob them. Some even used their identities as city guards to deceive others into opening the door, getting in to loot everything.
The riot escalated once again. This time, the wave of robbery spread to the commercial streets. Young Master Is, keeping his promise, dispatched significant defensive forces to guard, but the troops were too few to split up. He could only watch helplessly as the commercial streets fell apart.
Greedy rioters poured into the commercial streets to enjoy their shopping spree.
When the clock tower struck the nineteenth time, night fell, and the commercial street lit up brightly, fire raging high. To make matters worse, due to the effects of the “Wealth Potion,” many wealthy families were affected.
The money transport potion was already effective, and with the added power of lies—everyone fervently believed it could bring them wealth—its efficacy was even stronger.
The doors of wealthy families, long neglected, suddenly collapsed. The walls, soaked with water, crumbled halfway. There were always children who knew of gaps in the courtyard walls, coming out to guide the robbers.
But wealthy families were not easy targets; they had better weapons, superior armor, were organized and disciplined, and some even had superhumans among them, leading to continuous bloodshed…
Many who consumed the Wealth Potion were covered in blood, lying in the vaults. Some successfully acquired a wagon full of gold, only to be killed by another person who had drunk the “Wealth Potion,” completing a second wealth distribution.
In this wave of wealth distribution, the citizen cavalry mainly composed of wealthy families (who could not afford horses and equipment) lost confidence in Is and disregarded his orders, instead returning home to confront outsiders in their neighborhoods, regardless of their identities. They violently interrupted the process of second wealth distribution.
However, they were only satisfied with securing their neighborhoods, preferring to spend time searching for plunder to offset their losses rather than assisting nearby districts.
Most of the city’s neighborhoods fell into chaos and flames, order was non-existent, and robbery, rioting, and rape occurred at all times.
Only high-end communities, protected by superhumans, stood resolutely like rocks in the sea. Particularly the residence of Young Master Is located in the east of the city.
In the mayor’s council building, Young Master Is was in a state of distress.
“Why did you let the succubus escape again?” Young Master Is, disregarding courtesy, shouted at the Grand Incantator, “Didn’t we agree that the superhuman teams could do anything?”
“Mind your words, kid.” The Grand Incantator glared at him coldly, “We stabbed her in the back, and she nearly died. But you? Aren’t you fine? How can you not handle even an injured girl?”
“If you hadn’t overly protected the church and drawn away some superhumans, she would have been dead by now.”
“If you were even a third as powerful as you boast, the riot wouldn’t be this large, and I wouldn’t have to protect the followers of Sigma.”
A member of the Superhuman Committee shouted, “We should hand over Jenna; this was originally a vile conspiracy! Is, you used your family’s power to force the daughter of Caslan to marry and brought this calamity upon us, yet you want us all to share the burden.”
“I do it for Marin City.”
“Enough, quit that hypocritical facade. We’ve had enough of you.” Another member of the Superhuman Committee cursed, “What are you pretending for? Don’t think we don’t know, you didn’t even allow Caslan to participate in the mayor’s council.”
Is suddenly smiled, “At this point, what can be done? It’s now a matter of life and death; do you really expect the succubus to let go? Or seek help from the emperor’s army?”
Many people fell silent.
The city may have been in chaos, but it did not shake the fundamental interests of those present. Their homes were well protected. But if the emperor came, it would be different; they would have to pay taxes for a lifetime.
Moreover, they needed Young Master Is, needed his superhuman abilities, and needed his family influence. No one else could do better than him.
The black egg ship mage angrily pointed at Is, cursing, “You!”
Young Master Is said, “In the future, I will make it up to everyone—shops on Golden Sands Street and spice trade licenses.”
Following this, the strong injury to Young Master Is’s family was foreseeable, and the situation would shift from a singular to multiple strengths.
Since he had said so, everyone could only brace themselves and accept his proposal.
The black egg ship mage sat down in displeasure, deciding that after this incident, he would take a hefty chunk out of Young Master Is’s family: “There will be no next time!”
Young Master Is elegantly bowed, saying, “Please, be my guest.”
“I have a proposal, please listen attentively.” A clear and pleasant female voice sounded.
“It’s the succubus!”
Yawning, Van Helsing suddenly perked up and threw a flying knife in the direction of the voice.
The Grand Incantator was faster, raising his hand to blast the flying knife down with a white flame, the explosion shattering another window on the second floor. The Grand Incantator stood in front of Van Helsing, giving him a glare and warning, “If you act out again, I will immediately accuse you of blasphemy and declare you a heretic!”
The witch hunter Van Helsing crossed his arms, snorting coldly, “Your minds are corrupted by evil.”
In front of the door, a girl with black hair and golden eyes appeared at some point, wearing a Little Red Riding Hood outfit. Her red cloak was tattered, covered in burn marks, and her high-waisted vest bore a large bloodstain. She no longer resembled the vibrant and adorable person she first appeared to everyone.
Her black eyes were devoid of emotions, only obsession.
All members of the Superhuman Committee looked at the succubus, who openly revealed her wings, horns, and tail this time. There was an involuntary hint of fear in their expressions.
It was known early on that this seemingly pure-looking girl could cause such a big stir. Who had still communicated with Young Master Is back then?
“My bottom line is simple; as long as Young Master Is destroys that thing that can reveal the truth from back then and vows to stay away from Jenna,” Jima stated, “I will immediately back off and run far away.”
Young Master Is replied, “You’ve killed so many people and still expect to escape punishment? We have a significant advantage—”
“Shut up!” The black egg ship mage slammed the table and yelled, “Don’t speak on our behalf.”
“I won’t accept bargaining.” Jima retorted, “You’ve made three mistakes. The first time I warned you I would disrupt society with the Wealth Potion, but you thought confiscating it with soldiers would easily solve it, and decided to collude with Young Master Is to force Jenna.”
“We didn’t mean that; it was just a misunderstanding.”
“If you think I would believe your nonsense, feel free to say another word.” Jima warned, “If you insult my intelligence again, I will turn and leave, watching you pay the price for your fourth mistake. By the way, I am an illusion.”
Everyone fell silent. Jima was right; before the meeting, Young Master Is had indeed communicated with them.
“The second time, you didn’t believe the cathedral’s proof and resolved to capture and kill me.”
Outside, flames soared into the sky, and people remained silent.
“The third time, I warned you again. You are shortsighted; even witnessing the search troops slaughter each other, you still cling tightly to Young Master Is’s thigh, believing his nonsense. You would rather be an accomplice to a rapist than lose your assets by abandoning him.”
Jima struck the table with her knuckles, making a thud that startled a few people into jumping up:
“Three strikes, and it’s done. If you make a fourth mistake, your homes will turn to ruins, and the female members of your families will experience an unforgettable game with a hundred men…”
Faced with a slender, flat-chested girl, many remained silent.
Jima looked towards Marin City and said, “This scene reminds me of that night in Shalin City, especially when my enemy Branxi died; it was so beautiful. At that time, I was just a bronze.”
“You are now…”
“Gold.”
A deathly silence fell, and many began to waver.
Young Is suddenly shouted to break the silence, “I won’t back down!”
The others stood up, drawing their protective swords, pointing them at Is:
“Enough!”
“Are you all fools?” Is shouted, “Can she quell the chaos by simply backing off? If she could, after being rescued by the hero, the hero would certainly require her to back down, yet Shalin City remained chaotic.”
Everyone was informed about the events in Shalin City.
Young Is continued, “Unless we wait for Jenna to wake up, undergo a lie detector test, and sign a contract, only then will I submit.”
Many were swayed, looking at Jima.
Jima neither promised nor denied, only coldly sneering at the members of the Superhuman Committee.
At this moment, she no longer needed to make promises.
The fear brought by the city’s chaos occupied everyone’s minds. They were more willing to believe that the succubus before them could simply wave her hand to send the rioters home, instantly stopping all chaos.
Jima pointed her sword’s tip at them, asking, “Are you all going to make a fourth mistake?”
Thus, all sword tips pointed towards Young Master Is.
Van Helsing let out a deep sigh, “What a pity, what a pity, really such a pity.”
Everyone thought he was lamenting not killing the succubus, perceiving him as akin to the legends—zealous, willing to go to any lengths to rid the world of evil.
Jima turned her golden eyes to Van Helsing, saying, “This situation always reminds me of that time and place.”
Van Helsing’s square face displayed a thoughtful expression, as though Jima’s phrase was too sophisticated and overly obscure.
He turned to the person next to him, “Have you studied rhetoric?”
“I have.”
“This sounds a bit ambiguous, doesn’t it?”
“Well… a little bit.”
“Is she infatuated with me?” Van Helsing mused aloud, “Wants to sleep with me? Sigma, this is disgusting.”
Saying this, he frowned in disgust and took a step away from Jima.
The Grand Incantator scolded, “Van Helsing! Don’t stir the pot; your father was an excellent graduate of the Imperial Academy and excelled in rhetoric.”
Jima turned her head without paying any attention to Van Helsing, which relieved everyone: “I’ll give you ten seconds to decide.”
“Ten—”
Young Master Is raised his hands, saying, “Alright, I give in. I’ll go home and take that thing out. If you don’t trust me, you can wait for Jenna to wake up and undergo a lie detector test.”
“Do you think I don’t know you’re stalling for time?”
“Report! The Holy Virgin of the Cathedral has awakened.”
———
I didn’t update last night; this chapter is five thousand words, so I’m not continuing to write. It’s too exhausting.
