Chapter 1218: Morgan’s Defection!
As the flames of war spread, the Calamity Red’s influence on the Material Realm intensified.
Although, for some reason, the Red Hand intentionally avoided the two city-states controlled by Eivass.
However, their victory in conquering Heaven City greatly boosted the morale of the Rebel Army in other city-states.
Not all rebel forces were as frenzied and extreme as the Red Hand… The relationship between most Rebel Armies and the slaves, and even the Free People, was quite good.
Although, because of this, they were more easily betrayed by those they trusted. Rather, the fact that they could be betrayed indicated that a level of trust existed between them.
If one party did not trust the other, betrayal would be a difficult act. Now, the Red Hand was like a catfish, forcing these commoners to choose a side – either choose the Lord or the Rebel Army.
“Otherwise, if the Red Hand arrives, they will all die here!”
And as long as they conquered and controlled the Lord, “then the Red Hand couldn’t attack city-states without a Lord, right?”
They claimed they attacked these commoners to attack the Lord – what if there was no Lord? Would you still attack a group of Free People who also rebelled against the Lord and had already taken control?
“That was obviously not the case.”
Even if some individuals within the Red Hand genuinely wanted to do so, they would be stopped by their leaders and comrades before committing an irreversible act. After all, as long as they wanted to recruit new members, they couldn’t lose sight of their righteousness.
From this perspective, the Red Hand’s irrational and violent actions, in fact, accelerated the rebellion process throughout the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi!
Just as the Calamity Red had hoped, spreading war in the name of revenge and rebellion! Continuing to eradicate the residual influence of “Authority”!
Similarly, precisely because they feared these ruthless madmen, the Lords truly began to follow Eivass’s example and significantly improved the treatment of the Free People. They also began to draw up many sweet promises for the slaves, wanting to secure their firm support.
“A war without warriors…”
Hassan stood in the Lord’s bedroom, gazing out the window and murmuring, “How ridiculous.”
Behind him lay the headless corpse of a Lord.
Hassan had just grabbed the being’s neck with his left hand, spewing divine fire from his palm and burning him to a crisp. Black smoke was still rising from it, while outside, people’s terrified cries and the Red Hand’s ferocious laughter could be heard.
This was Jinghu City, famous for its many monks.
Those monks from Horus spread their Mithraism here. The Lord of Jinghu City had also accepted their teachings and become a devout Mitra Worshipper… and even forced others to convert as well.
He required Free People to meditate and discuss philosophy in the Mirror Lake in the city center. Everyone had to take turns speaking on stage, and he would personally attend diligently, listening and questioning the views along with others. If the speaker could skillfully lead people to accept his views, he would receive a very generous reward from the Lord; otherwise, he would be stripped of his Free People status for a month and become someone else’s slave.
He even allowed other slaves to listen from the sidelines – and slaves could, at any time, use their own lives as the price to ask the main speaker a question. If the question stumped the speaker, and the slave himself provided a brilliant answer that earned the surrounding applause, he could directly be promoted to Free People. Free People who lacked thought would be demoted to slaves for life.
And if he failed in questioning, he would be publicly hanged.
This was the price of “foolish questioning” – this Lord, known as “The Thinker,” greatly disliked mediocre people who pretended to know things or treated ignorance as humor. However, compared to Lords in other city-states, he was considered quite peaceful.
He wouldn’t even directly execute someone for offending him, and would patiently listen until the end!
Such a city-state that valued contemplation and philosophy, peaceful and harmonious… was one of the few city-states without many rebel forces.
“It is precisely because of this that the Red Hand came here to eliminate it first. Otherwise, their extreme actions would only continue to push people towards the neutral faction… The Anxi people themselves might not know it, but Hassan, who studied abroad, understood.”
“Ridiculous?”
An elegant and pleasant voice came from the bedside. “But this is how you ‘win,’ isn’t it?”
Morgan, sitting on the Lord’s bed, smiled and patted the bed, signaling him to sit there and enjoy her gift.
Beside her were the concubines of “The Thinker” – their minds were muddled by Morgan’s potions, turned into puppets who had lost themselves and only knew desire.
This was the gift she used to bewitch Hassan, and the bait to lure him in.
“Come, hero. Isn’t victory in war about plunder?”
Morgan’s words were venomous and seductive. “This is what you deserve. Or do you want to come with me?”
Hassan, however, merely turned his head indifferently, gazing at Morgan, saying nothing.
“What’s wrong, my dear?”
Morgan propped her chin on her hands, smiling at him innocently like a child. “Haven’t you tasted me before? Wasn’t it a beautiful memory that should have made you unforgettable? Or… are you no longer interested in these people?”
“…It is precisely because I was deceived once before that I will not be deceived again.”
Hassan spoke slowly. “I fear my madness… it is not behavior that suits me. More than pleasure, I care about preserving my precious reason and wisdom.”
“Uninteresting.”
Morgan sighed, but a smile played on her lips. “Just like him…”
“Him?”
“Arthur.”
“…Calamity Red?”
“Perhaps, perhaps not.”
Morgan did not directly answer Hassan’s question, but skillfully skirted the topic. “Do you seem dissatisfied with my Lord’s plan?”
“How dare I have an opinion about the Pillar God?”
Hassan chuckled sarcastically.
Morgan’s eyes flickered. “But you seem… unhappy?”
“No one is happy to become a sword, Madam Morgan.”
“Why?”
Morgan retorted, “Your objective has been achieved, hasn’t it? Humans are born to use tools, and you are even better. This is precisely a manifestation of outstanding talent, isn’t it?”
“Achieved? No, it has not.”
Hassan laughed heartily, though there was no mirth in his voice. “What I wanted was to liberate this land from the eternal rule of the Lords.
“I killed those commoners without hesitation so that the Lords would not realize I valued them; I polluted the water sources so that the Lords could not extort us with these precious resources. But now everything is different.”
“You couldn’t stop anyway, my dear.”
Morgan smiled, uncharacteristically serious for a moment, and sat up straight, saying meaningfully, “When you gathered these hysterical, helpless madmen to confront the Lords, this day was destined to come. You deceived them for your own purpose, how different are you from the Lords?”
“You and your master manipulate me and my comrades for your own purposes, how different are you from the Lords?”
Hassan retorted without mercy. “These words won’t work on me, Madam. I could have controlled them originally; they only lost control after you arrived.”
Even to save face for the Pillar God, Hassan did not want to.
In the beginning, he was indeed enchanted by Morgan… whether it was the knowledge she provided, the power she gave him, her beautiful body and voice. But when the new constellations rose, he had already regained much of his sobriety; and when the situation was completely out of control, he understood everything.
Hassan had indeed considered… destroying the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi with the power of the Pillar God.
But he never imagined that the price he would have to pay would be so great—
He prayed to God, not made a deal with a demon!
“Really? Because of my arrival? Or because of your victory?”
Morgan’s smile was unreadable, but her voice grew sweeter. “Let’s not talk about unpleasant things – have you ever thought about it? If you truly destroy the Ancient Kingdom of Anxi and liberate all the slaves… what will you do after that?
“Will you rebuild a nation and crown yourself king? Or will you hand over power to the Anxi King, who may or may not still exist? Or will you share power with others and divide the land with your brothers?”
“It is meaningless to discuss such things.”
Hassan said without hesitation. “It’s as ridiculous as seriously considering what to do with unexpected riches.”
“Is it meaningless? Or are you afraid to think about it?”
Morgan said meaningfully, “Or perhaps… you still crave more?”
“…What do you mean?”
Hassan suddenly discerned a hint of detail in Morgan’s words.
He narrowed his eyes and turned to ask seriously.
The enchanting smile on Morgan’s face disappeared, replaced by a serious and solemn expression.
In this posture, she possessed even more of an ethereal charm.
“I ask you,” Morgan began, “Do you want to break free from the shackles on yourself?”
