Four Split Personalities

Just as Shu casually killed his own brother and leisurely left the "Female Bee" at the same time...

Game Time PM20:58

Outskirts of Marshal Territory, Mercury City

The Lord’s Allied Forces, having deployed the "Violet Falcon Array," had already charged into a dangerously close distance for the defenders. Warriors acting as the beak and wings of the falcon also spotted their "enemies" at this moment.

Even without feedback from the scouts, many warriors with exceptional sight had already seen the standard defensive formation of the Marshal’s legions at the city walls. The Ice Curtain Mage Group and Sword of Baroka Knight Order flanked the city gates, while Mercury Guard, the most potent force, lined up neatly on the walls, silent as a press of stone sculptures. Their expressions were stern and cold; their armor, alloyed with a considerable amount of mithril and spell-guiding metal, shone brilliantly under the moonlight, exuding a powerful and oppressive aura.

However, this so-called oppressive feeling was insignificant in front of the fifty thousand elite troops from various families.

Given that the average strength was not much different, the latter held a significant advantage in numbers. There was no chance they would be intimidated.

They were just puzzled as to why the enemy did not appear to be in a do-or-die stance but rather stood still like a ceremonial guard, especially as the distance between both sides was now less than two thousand meters. The power of the Marshal’s Ice Curtain Mage Group was enough to commence spell assaults at this range. Although the allied force had anticipated this, such high-frequency long-range bombardments would inevitably cause casualties and disrupt formations. Yet, those people remained motionless!

It wasn’t just the ordinary elite soldiers and officers; even dignitaries like Duke Baroka and Duke Simon failed to comprehend the enemy’s behavior. But the moment was critical, and the Lord’s Allied Forces were like arrows shot from the bow. Previous scouts had clearly signaled that they had encountered resistance, and His Majesty, King Clayvo, had issued orders to show no mercy regardless of the resistor’s identity. Thus, despite their doubts, they could not stop.

Unless... unless when the grand army overwhelmed Mercury City, the opponents still showed no sign of resistance. Only then would they consider another course of action.

Two thousand meters, fifteen hundred meters, one thousand meters, five hundred meters...

Several high rangers enhanced by the Eagle Eye Technique continuously provided updates, allowing many to silently breathe a sigh of relief. The Sword of Baroka Knight Order and the Ice Curtain Mage Group, positioned before the city gates, remained utterly still until now, as if ceremoniously welcoming the arrival of the Allied Forces.

Yet, the higher-ups and some with agile minds harbored even deeper doubts.

Indeed, Mercury City had now withdrawn all its spikes as if to welcome them. Both the enemy’s Knight Order and Mage Group had missed countless opportunities to strike, but that didn’t mean anything. Otherwise, why would the scouts signal ’encounter with resistance,’ and why had all the diplomats sent earlier disappeared one by one?

If all of this were the Marshall Family’s doing, then they certainly had a scheme...

But what if it wasn’t their doing?

[Could someone be plotting against both sides simultaneously?]

Duke Ximu•Simon, stationed at the center of the right wing, frowned, feeling that such a notion was too far-fetched.

This dark elf duke, attired in black and red light armor and wearing a cape adorned with a lavish crest, slightly narrowed his eyes. Holding a short sword in his left hand and a magic wand in his right, his strength was not overwhelming, yet he exuded an air of dignity.

Indeed, Duke Simon was never a powerful figure; not only compared to Marshals or Barokas, even the young lady from the Crystal Wolf Family could probably beat him single-handedly (although he appeared to be around forty years old with an age to match, from an Elf’s perspective, Simon was still quite a young Zhengtai). However, when it came to meticulous planning and intellectual capabilities, this Zhengtai was undoubtedly among the top three dukes; therefore, he was the first to sense that something was amiss.

[However, the possibility of a third party’s involvement is almost nil. The Marshall Family’s rule over their territory is absolute; it is impossible for anyone to act without their knowledge.]

Duke Simon stroked his chin and murmured softly amidst adoring glances from guards (averaging three hundred seven years in age): "That means, no matter whether the people who caused the scouts’ feedback and intercepted the diplomats are openly affiliated with the Marshall Family or not, whether they belong to the three great legions, the likelihood of Marshal being the mastermind doesn’t change. With that premise... what exactly is their motive for this redundancy?"

He did not have enough time to think of an answer, for at that moment, the Lord’s Allied Forces were now less than three hundred meters from Mercury City’s east gate, while the Marshall Family’s Mage Group, Knight Order, and Imperial Guard still showed no reaction.

Then, just at that moment...

The massive east gate of Mercury City collapsed with a loud explosion, and a thousand-strong team suddenly roared out from within. These individuals lacked uniform equipment—there were spellcasters in tattered robes wielding magic wands, heavy armored knights on sluggish horses, and bare-chested berserkers wielding cleavers—presenting the appearance of a profoundly motley crew.