ATAPOW Chapter 223
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Chapter 223: The Vampire Army Storms The City
Once a den of putrid stench, rampant debauchery and licentiousness, the inner city had now plunged into a state of complete chaos.
“Hurry up! Move faster! Channel the vigor you usually have when you’re out drinking and fool around with women! Gather up everything and get ready to depart!” Kamron’s incessant spurring put pressure on the trolls that were packing up their valuables. At the same time, he loudly issued orders for the city’s defenders to retreat from its borders in preparation for a retreat.
A master of adaptability and leveraging circumstances effectively, Kamron was renowned for his resourcefulness and finesse in forging social connections. As such, he would never let an opportunity to gain favor with his superiors slip by. By presenting some exquisite specialties from the Asiatic Cat Race and the like, there was a chance he could alleviate the responsibility he carried in this matter. Combined with his persuasive charm, he was extremely confident he would be able to shrug off the crime of deserting and fleeing the city.
“Sir Governor…”
“Which darn governor are you referring to? I’m no longer Governor. Do you really think I won’t hit you if you call me that again??” Kamron raised his eyebrows and viciously brandished his fists, which were the size of frying pans, at the troll soldier before him who had hastily made his report.
“Yes! Governor… Uhm, Sir Kamron! What should we do with these women?” The troll soldier swiftly amended his words upon noticing Kamron’s darkening expression. He pointed towards the cat-eared girls huddling in the corner.
“Do you really need to bother me with such minor issues? What other options do we have? Would you take on the responsibility of feeding them if we’re bringing them with us?? Let me warn you, our rations for the return trip have long been exhausted. It’s still up in the air whether the meager supply we got from the Asiatic Cats can sustain us until we reach the tribes!” Said Kamron in disdain.
“Alright… Is Sir Kamron proposing to leave these women behind?”
“You know what? I changed my mind. Select a few of the most attractive ones from the group and bring them along.” He said after a brief moment of hesitation.
There was a chance they could replenish their provisions on the way back. If they successfully returned to their tribes without any complications, he could offer them to the tribal chiefs as a form of entertainment, thus gaining their favor. Leveraging these connections, he would then gradually climb up the ranks.
‘Hahaha, I’m undoubtedly a genius.’
“Reporting, Sir Kamron. The garrison defending the city had rejoined the main army, with everyone accounted for. They’re awaiting further orders.”
“Alright, there’s no time to lose. Let’s head out and withdraw from Nolan City!” The longer they stayed, the greater the chance that something unforeseen might occur. How could someone as smart as Kamron not understand how ‘lively’ this place was going to be after the arrival of the vampire army?
‘I should capitalize on the fact that the situation is still salvageable and avoid any unnecessary losses. After all, it’s possible that I might not be able to even save my own life when the time comes.’
The remaining troops joined up with the border defense army, forming an impressive contingent of over a hundred trolls as they marched towards the rear gate of the inner city.
“Open the city gate.”
After two troll soldiers responded, they rushed to the city wall and disengaged the bolts on the gate.
“Creak…” The city door began to gradually open, as the ropes to the bridge were slowly lowered.
“Boom…!” As a cloud of dust billowed into the air on the city’s moat bridge, Kamron’s expression froze.
The scene before him was filled with heavily armed figures stretching as far as the eye could see, forming a dense sea of metal which gleamed brightly under the sun.
The flag of a vampire grand duke, featuring a dark backdrop and an embroidery of a python spewing its tongue, danced in the wind— That emblem was none other than the crest of House Setis.
Soldiers armed to the teeth stood ready in neat formations, their war banners blotting out the sky and their magically enchanted lances pointed directly upwards.
At the forefront of the group was a girl clad in military garb. Her long hair, swaying in the wind, gave her a valiant and formidable appearance.
“…” The opening of the city gates brought everything to a sudden standstill.
The troll soldiers stared at each other in dismay before confronting the chilly gazes radiating out of the vampire’s helmets.
Silence enveloped both sides until Kamron snapped out of his daze.
‘Darn it, to think I’d actually find myself at the tip of a spear. I’m really down on my luck!’
‘Based on my observations, there are well over a thousand soldiers out there, and they’re all elite warriors of the vampire race… There’s no way I can take them on; It would be no different than signing my own death warrant!’
“… Calm down, everyone.” Kamron took the initiative to walk up to them, shaking his hands to show that he was unarmed and meant no harm.
As he witnessed the lustrous complexion of the beautiful girl, Kamron gulped.
He did not dare let his thoughts wander into inappropriate territory when it came to a girl of vampire lineage.
“I’m guessing everyone here are knights serving the Scarlet Empire, correct? Before we proceed, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Kamron, from the Yellow Deer Clan of the Troll Tribes. May I ask for your name, miss…”
“Setis Duchy. Lady Jinxuan Claudine.”
“Oh, so it’s a fellow comrade from the Setis Duchy. So here’s the situation, we don’t believe there’s any need to initiate hostilities with each other. We are interested in forging diplomatic ties with your esteemed empire and have no desire to contest Nolan City with you upon hearing of your formidable might. We had swiftly organized our belongings in preparation to vacate the city, so as to give your force ample space to settle in comfortably…”
“What did you say?” The girl named Jinxuan cocked her head as if she did not grasp the meaning of his words.
“…I said, we’re preparing to vacate the city, so as to give your force ample space to settle in comfortably?” Kamron was slightly taken aback by her question.
“The sentence before.”
“Oh… We are interested in forging diplomatic ties with your esteemed empire and have no desire to contest Nolan City with you upon hearing of your formidable might…”
“Clank!” A cutlass was unsheathed from its scabbard, sending sparks flying outwards. The cold gleam radiating out of its blade landed squarely on Kamron’s face.
“Eek! …What do you mean by this, Your Excellency? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?” Kamron involuntarily took a step back.
“Who told you that?”
“Aah?”
“Is my question not clear to you? Who told you that we plan to attack and capture Nolan City?”
“This…” Kamron briefly hesitated. However, the chilly gleam from the cutlass made him tremble with dread, causing his words to stammer. “Several days ago, a fellow countryman of your excellency, a woman named ‘Tina Leforno’, had approached and informed us of this news. She advised us to swiftly withdraw from this city and then…”
“Leforno… Hahaha!” Before Kamron could finish his words, Jinxuan laughed out coldly. “Not bad, she has quite the keen nose. Just as one would expect for a lesser clan that adopts a dog as their house crest.”
“What else did she mention??”
“That’s all…”
“You godforsaken savage, you’d best tell me everything right from the start.” Jinxuan’s words lacked any semblance of respect as she directly used a derogatory term to address Kamron.
Even though he was seething with anger, Kamron dared not let it show on his face.
“She said that they will take charge of this city. We were then told to mind our own business and leave before all of you arrive…”
“Thud!” Jinxuan ruthlessly thrust her cutlass into the wooden bridge, as her complexion flickered between anger and calmness.
“What about the jade token held by the city lord?”
“T-They’ve taken it…”
“Hehe… Hahaha… So they’ve taken it??” Jinxuan seemed to carry a tone of self-mockery in her voice.
“What should we do now, my lady?” A clerical staff stepped forward and asked for the girl’s opinions.
“What options do we have?? Hmph, the Jade Token is the undeniable proof that a city had been captured. Without it, the Empress will rightfully award this city to the Leforno Clan.” Jinxuan lowered her head and spoke with a cold smile on her face.
“Hehe… Well, in that case, I’ve changed my mind.” She grinned, lifting her head which she had propped up with her hand.
“All troops, heed my command. Surround this city and eradicate all living beings inside within a day.” Jinxuan’s gaze landed on Kamron, who was filled with bewilderment.
“Including the troll army.”
“Wait!! You… You can’t do this! Aaahh!!”
“Q-Quick launch a counterattack!”
Before the troll soldiers at the rear could comprehend the situation, the black-armored knights had surged forward in an unstoppable wave like wolves pouncing on a flock of sheeps. Carving through the enemy lines, they left behind bloody paths in their wake.
“Since you insist on making things difficult for us, we’re not going to make it easy either… Planning to challenge Lady Mylar, are you?” Jinxuan said with a chilly smile on her face. “Then, I’ll leave you with nothing but an empty and battered city. When the time comes, I’ll set it ablaze, reducing it to nothing. Let’s see what use you can find for it then!”
“Hold on! Your vampire excellency! W-We can negotiate. Ah, that’s right! We can help you lure your enemies to this city and let you… Aaah!!” Even though a great calamity was about to close in on him, Kamron was still thinking of ways to turn things around.
However, one of his arms had been severed before he could even finish his words.
With her arms wrapped around her chest, Jinxuan emotionlessly watched the vampire army effortlessly destroy the remaining troll forces like a hot knife slicing through butter.
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Nolan City, after the battle.
The smoke arising from the chaos of war was gradually drowned out by a sea of joyous laughter. A golden-haired catgirl found herself surrounded by a vibrant and joyous atmosphere while wrapped in the arms of a knight.
“Mr. Ji Bai…. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us Asiatic Cats. I deeply apologize on behalf of all of us for not wholeheartedly trusting you before.” With a complicated complexion, Nael looked at the individual in the metallic helmet hugging Lil’ Sha before giving him a deferential and sincere bow.
Ji Bai shook his head, indicating he was unaffected by their behavior.
“Did you do all of these alone? That’s incredible! To handle a group of trolls as easily as cutting melons and vegetables — that’s an achievement you could brag about for several lifetimes.” A middle-aged man with a red goatee laughed heartily as he approached, patting him on the shoulder.
“As you can see, we’re unable to offer you any gifts as thanks at the moment.” Nael remarked, glancing at the sincere and humble Asiatic Cat commoners, who, despite their humble attire, were singing and cheering loudly.
“Due to the inhumane exploitation we suffered, the Asiatic Cat genuinely lacks the means to offer anything substantial in gratitude…”
“What’s with all these words, Big Sister Nael?? You’re treating him like a stranger. Ji Bai doesn’t really care about these trivial things.” Lil’ Sha gave Ji Bai a radiant smile. “You see, the only thing he is obsessed with are some intangible concepts that folks don’t understand.”
Lil’ Sha’s words were followed by a smile as she straightened up the disheveled and ruffled collars near his inner armor. She then stroked his helmet, completely disregarding the bloodstains on it.
“Right?”
Ji Bai hesitated briefly before eventually shaking his head.
Seeing the pair whose dazzling presence was impossible to ignore, Nael eventually decided to hold back the words in her tongue.
She quietly marveled at how Lil’ Sha seemed to perfectly embody the essence of being Felina’s biological niece, especially since the partners they had chosen were so alike to each other.
It was uncertain whether that was a blessing or a potential calamity…
“Swoosh!!”
“Aaaah!” A sudden wretched scream shattered the joyous atmosphere.
Blood incessantly flowed out of the corners of an Asiatic Cat’s mouth, his chest charred into crisp by an arrow’s impact.
Ji Bai was the first to react, passing Lil’ Sha back to Nael before unsheathing his white-silvery longsword.
“Thud, thud, thud!” A series of orderly footsteps could be heard, drawing closer with each passing moment.
“What’s happening?!” The worsening situation instantly drove the Asiatic Cat commoners into chaos, prompting them to scramble for safety amidst the relentless rain of arrows.
“Quick, assemble!” Following the loud command from the man with the red goatee, the bewildered Restoration Society member hastily formed into an orderly formation.
“Mr. Ji Bai, that…” Nael shielded Lil’ Sha. Seeing the dense dark crowd of soldiers approaching them, she turned to Ji Bai with eyes full of hope.
However, she did not see that the gaze radiating out of the seams of Ji Bai’s helmet had instantly turned harsh and filled with killing intent.
Perhaps the hatred and darkness in his heart had never truly dissipated.
‘A vampire army…’