Chapter 125: The Fire

Chapter 125: The Fire

The survivors in the City Lord’s Manor were now overwhelmed. Their capable people had already been lost within the manor, making their actions very inefficient. With their survival threatened, they were somewhat panicked. In Sandstone City before, the City Lord and the Knight Camp had held absolute military superiority. Now, one had been wiped out, and the other was almost gone too.

The Knight Camp’s fate was inevitable. They were the enforcers of order in this city. No matter who came here to cause trouble, they could not escape involvement.

How many standing armed forces could one Sandstone City support? And how many of those were actually at their disposal?

When investigating the incident, no one thought too much about it. Even when they uncovered the truth and faced the formerly servile petty officials, they paid them no mind. They simply overlooked the fact that they no longer held the advantage in strength. The hastily assembled arrest teams were not that reliable either. Various orders and messages, just delivered, were leaked immediately.

The caravan incident was indeed just a minor event. Dealing with a foreign caravan, many people didn’t treat it as a serious matter. They just acted on a whim, joining in the excitement. But when the situation got out of control, everyone started fearing for their own safety. Being in that position, in that environment, joining in such excitement happened too often; truly, if implicated, no one was clean.

While they were pulling people in, people were also constantly slipping away. The connections below were far beyond their imagination. So, as the incident progressed and expanded, they gradually sank into unimaginable trouble. Even they themselves slowly and unknowingly began to fall into danger. Even now, they hadn’t realized that their greatest reliance from the past no longer existed. It was just force of habit that kept both sides from clearly recognizing this point.

But it was about to happen. The chaos was already spreading this way.

…

There were those who saw clearly. As an observer of the events, not deeply involved, was the Dragon Rider. Relying on strength far beyond ordinary people, he felt no pressure after Bran left.

But when he saw Bran really just clap his hands and leave, it still struck him as unbelievable. That unlucky kid had pretty much wiped out the city’s armed forces. What would happen to a city that lost its protective power? Didn’t he even think about it?

The Dragon Rider had figured it out. This guy was a “moron!” And a crazy moron at that. Just like he said himself, “The matter is handled. What comes after is a different matter.”

Right in front of all the people who hadn’t yet dispersed, the Dragon Rider squeezed a single word through his teeth: “Fck!” He then ignored everyone else and hurriedly returned to his camp.

His reaction was quick and decisive, but he still didn’t expect things to explode so fast. As night fell, irrational crowds began gathering around the Dragon Rider Camp, and blind assaults started.

…

By now, nothing else mattered. The entire city was like it had fallen into a frenzy. Everywhere were people running around venting their frustrations. What was the original purpose? Why were they killing each other?

Wealth gradually became the goal for some. First, it was some shops, then it became wealthy households, nobles, and finally, people surged into the City Lord’s Manor.

At first, flames danced in a window of the City Lord’s Manor, accompanied by smoke billowing out. Gradually, the fire grew stronger and stronger, until the whole room became a giant furnace. Those still looting, the more alert ones, started running out. Those about to surge in stopped in their tracks.

Those blinded by greed became the sacrifices. Screams and wails came from the fire, but the sounds soon disappeared. The entire City Lord’s Manor was enveloped in smoke and flames.

Watching the nearby City Lord’s Manor turn into a pile of firewood, the Dragon Riders finally made up their minds. They would show no mercy to the gathering crowds around them. They did not want this place to become the second pile of firewood.

They could temporarily protect their own camp, but they were powerless to maintain order for the whole city. The fire was rising. This city, already in chaos, had no one to care for it, to fight the fire. Even if some individuals wanted to, they were powerless now.

The great fire in the City Lord’s Manor seemed to burn away everyone’s reason. Thick smoke began rising constantly from within the city. As the fire linked up and spread, the Dragon Riders knew their camp could not escape the fate of becoming firewood. This city was finished. This damned city was finished just like that!

They now needed to escape their own fate of quickly becoming firewood. So, after rapidly assembling, they charged towards outside the city. Those wanting to avoid this fate were not just the Dragon Riders, but far, far too many people. At this moment, they abandoned everything, including the wealth they had just looted, crowding the roads.

When faced with a choice between someone else’s life and their own, this Dragon Rider who once sat beside Bran, hoping fewer people would die, might have shown fearless spirit. But he was not alone now. He had the responsibility to ensure his companions’ safety, to lead them home. He had to escape before the fire reached the city gate.

Blades flashed, heads rolled. Kill! The Dragon Riders abandoned all their principles and concerns. They were also just struggling beings among all living beings. Escape! Escape for a time, just for a time.

…

When the fire enveloped the entire city, Bran, who was leisurely traveling the night road in the forest, was startled by the gradually rising heat behind him. He raised his Magic Field to its utmost, looking down towards Sandstone City, and discovered it had already become a giant bonfire.

How could this be!? It was just investigating a small caravan!? The wealth and territory he had just obtained… were set on fire? On fire!? Who the hell did this? I’ll kill him! No! I can’t kill him. This time, I’ll make sure he lives long and well!

All the questions, the anger, everything, finally condensed into a single word squeezed through Bran’s teeth: “Fck!”

Danny watched Bran’s expression change continuously. For the first time, she realized Bran could display such rich, varied expressions on his face at the same time, making his face look twisted and ferocious.

Bran tried hard to see everything in the sea of fire. But aside from fire, there was only fire. Everything was gone…

Bran returned to Northland City dejectedly. The Northlanders, Mary and Zack, rather insensitively came out to greet him. They looked expectant, a bit urgent. “The caravan?”

“Gone.”

“Sandstone City?”

“Gone.”

Then the look Danny shot over stopped their questions. Although Danny could stop others’ questions, she could not stop people’s curious and expectant gazes.

Bran sighed to the people still looking at him and said, “Really, it’s all gone…”

People eventually learned what happened from Danny and also knew Bran was in a very bad mood, so they didn’t disturb him these past few days. Even Zoya, facing the somewhat gloomy Bran, didn’t dare get too close. Except for Danny, who kept him company under the tree every day.

But today, there was a matter that had to be brought to him.

…

A group of people covered in the grime of smoke and fire emerged from the forest road, their numbers still continuously increasing.

“What else can we do? Take them in, take them in. Treat them, treat them. Then hand out tools. They need to work, so let them work.”

“But our food is almost running out. You know that.”

“Is that so?” Bran thought for a moment. “Twofold Mountain. I heard the road on the other side leads straight to the Royal Capital.”

“Yes.”

Bran bared his teeth. “Form another caravan. Go there flying my banner.”