Chapter 1320
Some people were simply born for the battlefield.
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On the battlefield, Rafael was far more decisive than he had been in the capital. His mind was free of the usual constraints–he didn’t need to worry about who was pleased or displeased, or who might fear him.
He did only what he believed was right.
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Within three days, all those who had spread the rumors were captured.
They were brought before the soldiers at the training field. In front of everyone, twenty strikes with a military cudgel brought them to the ground, their bodies shaking uncontrollably. When asked, they answered whatever they could.
They didn’t know who was pulling the strings from behind the scenes, only that they had been paid to spread these false rumors. They followed orders without concern for the consequences.
The rumor that Sandoria’s 800,000 troops were advancing was false!
The claim that Salvador had killed the Hell Monarch? Obviously, it was a lie–he was right there in front of them.
The rumor that Oliver had fled the battlefield because he knew they couldn’t win? False–he had simply been afraid for his life.
One by one, the lies were dispelled, and the soldiers were filled with fury. They shouted for the culprits to be executed.
Spreading rumors that disrupted the army’s morale was a serious crime, deserving of the harshest punishment.
Rafael’s gaze swept over the gathered soldiers. His voice cold and firm, he announced loudly, “Those of you who blindly believed these lies, take this moment to reflect. After you’ve done so, you will give everything you’ve got in the next battles.”
Those who sowed discord within the ranks were no better than enemies. The blood of the wash away the setbacks from the first battle’s failure and fuel their resolve to fight on.
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After the culprits had been dealt with, Rafael instructed Louis to quickly send a report back to the capital, informing them that the Hell Monarch had arrived in the Southern Frontier but lacked the military command emblem.
So the question was: should the generals follow his orders?
On the third day after the report had been sent, a royal edict arrived.
Rafael was somewhat surprised, but he quickly realized that it had been Carissa’s handiwork. When news of Oliver’s escape reached the capital, she would certainly want to secure a royal edict.
The reason Rafael had Loius sent the urgent report was to make Salvadore aware of the Southern Frontier Army’s stance—they acknowledged the military command emblem and the royal edict, not the Hell Monarch.
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It was a gesture that would, to a large extent, reassure Salvador.
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In the capital, Salvador had received Louis‘ urgent report.
After reading it, he felt a great sense of relief.
Salvador’s greatest concern had always been that Rafael’s position within the Southern Frontier Army was unshakable. Now, with Louis‘ urgent report, he was able to prove that the Southern Frontier Army was the king’s army, not Rafael’s personal force.
Before Louis‘ report had arrived, Zachary had submitted a report, stating that the soldiers in the Southern Frontier suspected the Hell Monarch had been executed.
This news infuriated Salvador–he couldn’t believe the rumors in the Southern Frontier had grown so rampant. No wonder the morale of the army was shaken and the common folk were restless!
With this matter in the Southern Frontier somewhat settled, Salvador felt a measure of relief.
But then, news from Victory Pass arrived. Westhaven had invaded the border, and the marshal leading the attack was Leroy.
Alongside the report from Victory Pass, another arrived from Chester, detailing his efforts to suppress the mountain bandits. It seemed that bandits were appearing in various regions, leaving the troops too occupied to handle the Valken region. If Valken wasn’t dealt with soon, it could very well lead to disaster. After some deliberation, Salvador decided to send Thomas with 30,000 troops from the capital to Valken to lay siege and cut off their supply lines.
As Thomas marched toward Valken to quell the rebellion, the capital would need to rely once more on the Mystic Army for protection. Salvador pondered for a moment. Since he was already using Rafael, he might as well turn to Carissa.
He instructed Ian to return control of the Garrison Unit, the Capital Guard, and the Royal Guard to Carissa.
Meanwhile, the situation at Victory Pass remained unclear. No one knew what was going on in Westhaven, either. But given that Leroy had violated the border, it was clear that internal strife was escalating–who would come out on top was anyone’s guess.
Whether there was a three–way conspiracy involved could wait for a more thorough investigation later. For now, the urgent task was to put out the fires wherever they were starting.
After a council meeting in the royal study, Jeremiah said to Salvador, “Had the Hell Monarch been given full authority to investigate from the start, the tangled conrrections behind all this would have been clear by now.”
Salvador considered responding that he had already instructed Rafael to work with Ian on the investigation, but then he realized that his lack of delegation had been a problem. He had always kept a tight grip on Rafael and his people, and had even kept a watch on Hell Monarch Estate
Jeremiah was well aware of all of this, so there was little point in defending his actions.
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Chapter 1320
The most ironic part was that despite the surveillance on Hell Monarch Estate, they hadn’t even known that Rafael had feigned illness and left the capital.
Ian’s abilities were far inferior to Rafael’s, and even Carissa outshone him. The once–corrupt Garrison Unit, now under her command, had transformed into an elite force.
