Chapter 116: Destruction and Rebirth
The season of autumn and winter is gradually approaching.
In some places, the temperature has already crept near zero degrees, but the climate in the southern regions is still relatively warm. Ryan glanced at the homeless man curled up in the corner of the wall; his thin burlap robe made him look slightly pale. Ryan didn’t have much sympathy to pay attention to these people because he had seen many displaced individuals on his journey to the Southern Coast. Only in the wealthiest southern areas are such vagrants fewer in number, as they can go to Modo City to trade labor for food.
Ryan couldn’t help but quicken his pace; with the arrival of the cold winter, the half-elves in Leaffall City would likely have it worse than these people.
When he attempted to visit that noble in Modo, there were already people in Leaffall City who had died from hunger and cold. As winter arrives, this phenomenon will likely worsen.
“Although I didn’t meet that noble.”
Thinking of the gains from this trip, Ryan felt a fiery passion in his heart and murmured, “But at least I’ve received good news. We can organize manpower to prepare for migration when I return.”
It’s not easy to meet Soren, the ruler of the three seas and protector of the half-elves; he has far too many important matters to handle.
However, Ryan still got the result he wanted. That noble is willing to accept them, the half-elves, but they need to make their way to a position near the coast, after which warships will take them to Modo City. They will be settled in a newly established town near Modo City, and their treatment will certainly not compare to those of the first batch of migrants, but for Ryan, it is enough that his kin will no longer d*e from hunger and cold.
Half-elves have inherited the diligence of humans; they will create wealth with their own hands.
Humans are the most devoted race to cultivation, which is why their total population heavily outweighs that of other races. The half-elves have inherited this advantage, and they also value farming greatly.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Ryan finally returned to Leaffall City. Outside the city gate, a mass grave had suddenly appeared, and as the weather grew colder, the scarce resources began to take down the first batch of fragile individuals. The sick, weak, and young people; the atmosphere in the city grew increasingly somber. It was as if a storm was brewing, and to prevent the outbreak of plague, the City Hall took further measures. A dark aura was spreading, and many expressionless half-elf refugees could be seen on the streets. Evil sensed the despair here; heinous acts occurred one after another in the dark corners.
“Ryan!”
A young guard saw Ryan, as if he had seen a savior. He excitedly exclaimed, “Oh my! You’re finally back!”
“Do you know what’s been happening in the city recently!?”
“Demon!…”
“Such devilishly evil acts!…”
The young guard recounted a shocking evil crime; although the perpetrator had already been judged, a certain aura loomed over the city, as if waiting for its destruction. Ryan’s expression grew grave; what he heard was not just one evil crime but something that might actually involve demons.
The demons had finally set their sights here.
Because of the deaths in Leaffall City, because of the evil in Leaffall City, because of the rot of the Noble Council, because of the despair of the lower-class civilians.
These were the very nutrients the demons craved!
Despair would destroy everything. Only despair could give them a chance, and the shadow of demons lurked in the dark corners, ready to sow discord and ultimately destroy this city.
Ryan’s appearance brought a glimmer of life to this lifeless city.
For he now represented hope, a hope from Modo City, from that noble! The emotionless people gathered around him, their eyes revealed expressions of longing. It was as if they hoped to hear that uplifting news!
An older man dressed as a merchant appeared, looking at him with a gaze full of inquiry.
Ryan gently nodded and smiled slightly.
Cheers erupted!
Upon receiving Ryan’s affirmative news, the people around couldn’t help but burst into cheers. The aura of despair faded, and the numb expressions grew lively, as if in an instant these people were filled with vigor, and hope returned to their hearts.
The hungry refugees stood up.
They gathered around Ryan; although their stomachs were still empty, an inexplicable surge of strength erupted from their increasingly frail bodies.
These people believed that as long as they endured this period and reached Modo City, they could bid farewell to suffering and embrace a new life.
They were not lazy.
What caused all of this was not their fault; they were just some powerless, innocent, pitiful individuals.
Life and vitality spread in Leaffall City.
The real cold winter had not yet arrived; they still had opportunities and time.
However!
Just then, a team of cold-faced law enforcement appeared. They violently dispersed the nearby crowd, even knocking down some unfortunate women and children. These people surrounded Ryan, and then a middle-aged man dressed in noble attire appeared, holding a scroll stamped with a seal, with two half-elf wizards by his side. The middle-aged man looked at Ryan with cold disdain, raised the scroll in his hand, and said in a deep voice, “This is the Council’s arrest warrant!”
“Ryan.”
“Lay down your weapons! You have been arrested for treason.”
Treason?
A flicker of rage appeared on Ryan’s face, an uncontrollable fury that made him want to k*ll the man before him.
There was a sound of unrest all around; the dispersed individuals seemed to have heard the middle-aged man’s voice, with some angrily cursing and rushing against the surrounding law enforcement. But these unfortunate lower-class civilians had no power, and they were easily knocked down, bl**d appearing in streaks, and some fell only to never rise again.
Ryan’s vision turned red; anger made him clench his fists, veins bulging on his arms.
In the end.
He slowly discarded his weapon, waving to stop his companions who were about to draw their swords and fight. It was unwise to confront the Noble Council now. Although he had cultivated his own faction in Leaffall City, he could not compete against these traditional ruling forces. The middle-aged man revealed a satisfied and contemptuous expression, even showing a hint of disappointment, as the ideal outcome would have been for Ryan to confront the law enforcement and force all his accomplices out, ultimately capturing and killing them all.
This way, they could avoid a lot of trouble.
The upper echelons of the Noble Council were always watching these people; their rule could not endure another upheaval.
“Take him down!”
The middle-aged man coldly ordered, and the law enforcement beside him punched Ryan in the stomach, then locked his arm as he bent over, directly putting shackles on him.
What awaited him was judgment because he was one of the leaders of the underground forces in Leaffall City!
Leaffall City had not yet fallen.
The Noble Council firmly believed that as long as they survived this winter, they still had a chance to weather this crisis. A little d*ath and sacrifice were necessary. Although the lower-class civilians in Leaffall City were suffering immensely, the Noble Council still maintained the army’s support. As long as there was an army, there would always be a chance to turn the tide. They firmly believed that after surviving the winter, they would have a breathing space. However, Ryan’s actions undoubtedly pushed them to the brink of destruction. The judgment awaiting this man would be one of d*ath, as he was confronting the supremacy that had ruled Leaffall City for thousands of years.
If he succeeded, the rule of Leaffall City would truly come to an end.
The authority of the Noble Council could not withstand a second blow. They were terrified, fearing despair, and started to accept help from certain dark powers.
Despair easily leads to corruption into darkness!
The atmosphere of unrest spread further, and a riot seemed imminent, as the law enforcement had taken away their hope, driving them to the brink of madness.
Negative emotions nourished the powers of evil; the despairing people seemed ready to charge against the law enforcement once more.
Ryan halted all of this.
He ended everything with just two words, allowing the gradually despairing people to regain hope and temporarily abandon the thought of mutual destruction.
—“Pray!”
Ryan uttered these two words, and many quieted down.
Then, he strode forward, allowing the law enforcement to take him away, for he knew the Noble Council could no longer stop the tide.
The power of prayer would carry their faith and pleas to that noble!
Perhaps a single person’s prayer could not convey everything happening here to that noble, but the prayers of countless people would ultimately communicate everything about Leaffall City to that noble.
He would certainly not turn a blind eye to all of this!
Because He is the master of the half-elves, the protector of the half-elves, the deity the half-elves serve!
Leaffall City was being enveloped by a dark force, with evil intentions, nourishing sin with despair, and quietly awaiting the city’s destruction to ultimately share in a grand feast of annihilation.
This was an incredibly bountiful fruit of sin!
Whether for demons, evil spirits, or evil gods, this banquet of evil could provide immense satisfaction.
Ryan did not know what his fate would be next.
He could only place all his hopes on Modo City, on that great noble, for only He could save Leaffall City, and only He could save the half-elves here.
Chaos is the nutrient that breeds evil, and the malevolent forces traversing the Material Plane have finally set their sights on Leaffall City.
Winter.
The arrival of winter would be an opportunity, hunger and d*ath would bloom the most beautiful yet ruthlessly cruel flowers of evil in the cold winter. (To be continued ~^~)
