The general went out for a walk.

  The day after being rejected by Asa, he temporarily entrusted the troops to Asa, saying that he wanted to go out and clear his mind. Originally, Asa was still worried that he would do something out of control, but finally breathed a sigh of relief, but it seemed that he also vaguely felt that something was not quite right.

  Because after that night, the general's face was very calm and peaceful, without any trace of yesterday's passion, even the usual majesty and aura were gone, but instead revealed a plain and steady old man.

  Such a strong emotional contrast appeared on the face of this old man. When facing General's furious killing intent, Asa was not afraid, but now looking at that peaceful and calm face, he always felt a little creepy.

  When a person is furious and out of control, it's not that scary. Emotional loss of control will only drown out rationality, which is not difficult to deal with. It's only when all emotional power is reined in within the heart, when all impulses return to calmness, merging with reason and character, that it becomes truly terrifying.

  But in theory, the situation has indeed stabilized. Asa has already informed every general in the army of the contents of the imperial edict, and even if the generals wanted to mobilize the troops, it would be impossible now. Perhaps that calmness is a numbness that comes from finally accepting reality.

  I hope so. Asa waited nervously in Brakada's silence.

  Three days later, the general finally returned, bringing more than twenty people with him. These people looked like ordinary villagers, including old men in their sixties and young and strong ones. After settling them in the town hall, the general called over all the mid-to-low-ranking officers in the army and quietly instructed them on some matters. Many of these officers had been under the general's command for decades, so they could still be mobilized for small tasks like this one.

  Then the general set up a grand and sumptuous banquet to comfort all the pastors in the troops, of course, including the Shinto priest. This banquet was both sumptuous and in line with the strict dietary requirements of the church for the pastors. The general said that he wanted to thank the pastors for their long-term spiritual guidance to the soldiers and asked everyone to enjoy themselves freely.

  According to etiquette, the priests' meal was a troublesome affair. They had to pray first, then slowly and carefully chew their food, and after finishing, they still had to pray again before leaving the table. Although not everyone strictly followed this tedious set of rules, in this grand gathering of hundreds of colleagues with high-ranking clergy present, it was naturally impossible to be careless. Thus, hundreds of priests prayed together, as if performing a magnificent ritual sacrifice, before starting their meal.

  "What the hell are you doing?" The leader of these hundreds of priests, the high priest, did not pray. He sat in the highest seat, looking impatiently at the general sitting next to him.

  The general was very calm, with a slight smile like a well-bred host: "I just wanted to ask you all to have a good meal. Don't worry, I wouldn't dare and won't tamper with the priests' food."

  "Alright, I'll ask a favor of you, sir. Just please don't do anything else and wait quietly here for Duke Mlarak to arrive, okay?"

  The general didn't say anything, he just smiled quietly. Asa looked at his back and felt a chill run down his spine. This face that usually blended in with many strong expressions now suddenly showed gentleness, which made it look even more eerie.

  "Why doesn't the Shinto priest eat?" The general smiled faintly and pointed at the delicious food on the table.

  A Sa shook his head, sighed, pulled over a plate of food and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling: "Of course I have to eat, why not eat when others invite me? I've never held a grudge against eating."

  The food was delicious, the pastors below were elegant and dignified in their slow chewing, occasionally someone would look up to see their superiors there but eating like bandits, yet they absolutely dared not imitate.

  Before long, the plate in front of Asa was empty. He seemed very satisfied and let out a contented belch, wiped his hands and stood up to head outside.

  The general asked: "Where is the Shinto priest going?"

  "I'm full, I'm going to take a shit." The noble clergyman walked out without looking back.

  The streets of Brakada were eerily quiet, even at noon, and there wasn't a single soldier in sight, which made it seem even more strangely deserted. Asa walked around everywhere, he wanted to see what the general was up to.

  As Asa passed by a hotel, he heard voices coming from inside. He walked to the door and peeked in quietly.

  Only the grand hall of the Brakada Hotel could accommodate such a gathering of two or three hundred soldiers sitting in a circle. These were all very young soldiers, mostly in their teens and early twenties, with no older veterans among them, probably deliberately selected from the troops. They were gathered around an old man, listening intently to his words.

  This old man was one of the people brought back by the general, with a simple face etched with deep lines, hunched over and hands hanging down almost to his knees. He is a typical old farmer who has spent his life working in the fields. Now he is speaking to the soldiers: "......I saw a piece of human skin hanging from a tree, without a face, but I recognized whose it was. I recognized the scar on the leg, I had applied medicine to that wound myself. At that time, those cannibals had already pressed my sister onto the stone platform, a shaman-like cannibal jumped up and danced, then used a stone knife to cut open my sister's belly. My sister kept calling out, wanting to move, but several cannibals were holding her down. I watched as my sister's blood flowed all over the stone platform, she was still calling out, struggling... That shaman dug out her heart with his bare hands, held it in his hand, jumped up and danced, then placed it on their altar. That was my sister......" The old man's tears are flowing, his body is shaking, the passage of time has not diminished the power of this memory.

  Young soldiers began to stir, their hot blood had already started boiling, the grief and indignation of a common enemy was rubbing sparks in their hearts, young passion made it burn even more fiercely. If there is a beastman appearing in their line of sight now, they will definitely be torn apart by this group of angry people.

  "It was fortunate that at this time, the villagers invited a group of mercenaries. I took advantage of the chaos to run out. But what I saw with my own eyes is unforgettable... Every year in our village, people are taken away by those beasts and eaten. Until later, General Sanders led his troops here and killed all those damned beasts, we were finally able to live in peace. We really thank General Sanders... General Sanders is the great benefactor of us common people, the greatest general in the empire." The old man continued to tremble as he spoke.

  The spirits of these two or three hundred young listeners have completely resonated with this old man. Young hearts are always particularly easy to move, let alone the fact that these things would naturally move anyone with a bit of blood in their veins.

  "But I've just heard that General Sanders has been dismissed. Although this old man doesn't understand national affairs, I only know that the general is a benefactor of our people, and you soldiers are all fighting for us civilians, you're all good people. But those officials and nobles use our blood and sweat to indulge in food, drink, and pleasure. Why can they dismiss General Sanders, such a good person? The old farmer expressed his simple logic and genuine emotions.

  I also heard that the remaining beastmen have established a city in the wilderness and are colluding with those nobles, wanting the empire to sign a peace treaty and recognize their independence. Is this reasonable? Are our deceased loved ones just going to be forgotten like that? Since I heard this news, I haven't slept well for a single night. I can only regret that I'm too old and can no longer wield a sword; otherwise, even if it were just me, I would go to the beastmen's city and kill them, even if it means being eaten by those beasts... I want to use my knife to slash at them, to poison them with my flesh..."

  The old man's voice and body trembled more violently due to his extreme agitation. This was not a prepared speech; no practice could make such an unassuming person utter such powerful words. It was the outpouring of genuine emotions, shocking every listener's heart.

  These soldiers were young and simple-minded, fully able to feel the power of these emotions. Their faces were covered with fierce anger and passion."

  A Sa stood at the door and felt a chill run down his spine. He probably guessed what the general was going to do.

  "Alright, it's time, let's all go. The general has something to say to us." One of the soldiers who looked like a captain led the others in standing up and walking out, Asa hastily made way for them.

  Group after group of soldiers began to emerge from the various inns, all young soldiers who had gone in batches to hear the speeches of those generals brought back by the general. There were no other generals or officers coming out to interfere with them, and the prestige of the general among his subordinates was not something that could be driven away by a piece of paper.

  The soldiers didn't pay attention to Asa and they went out of the city under the leadership of some soldiers who had probably received prior instructions from the general.

  Ah Sa followed them all the way to a small hill outside the city, where the general was already standing. The pastors must still be there slowly eating, the food is delicious, and the general naturally has a way to let them continue eating there with peace of mind.

  "Wait until all the soldiers have gathered, the general began to shout in a loud and powerful voice at these righteous and indignant young men: "Men of Ainfarst, great warriors of the Empire! Everyone already knows that I am no longer the commander of this army. Due to the conspiracy of those nobles, the dirty political interests, this great war that was originally for our people's revenge is about to be strangled. I tell you, I can just go back like this, go back and enjoy my old age with the salary given by the imperial court, because I am no longer a general. But I won't do that. Absolutely not." The general roared in anger. "Because I am still a warrior," he seemed to be shouting with his life. "I am a warrior."

  The soldiers instinctively responded with a deafening cheer to this majestic roar.

  Every genuine cry from the heart will stir up a shock in the soul of others. What's more, this shock is like the climax of a play, with a full story and performance already set up beforehand.

  Standing at the edge of the soldier's array, listening to the thunderous roar, Asa felt a chill.

  "I will not go back to enjoy a peaceful old age. I would rather spend all the time I have left on my sickbed in exchange for this opportunity now, to tell those beasts with my sword what human dignity and anger are." The general's thick voice clearly reached every soldier's ear. "I can no longer command you, nor direct you. Now I am just speaking to you as a warrior, to fellow warriors like myself." The general slowed down his tone, emphasizing the weight of his words, ensuring that the rolling thunder would ignite the fire in the heart of each young soldier. "This warrior asks you: Fellow warriors, are you willing to follow me? Are you willing to go with me to slaughter those beasts?"

  "We will!" The deafening sound burst from the mouths of the soldiers, a furious roar from five or six thousand throats.

  "Alright, everyone go back and pack your bags according to what I said." The successful speaker commanded the excited audience below. "We will set off immediately."

  The soldiers quickly dispersed in an orderly manner. Soon only Asa and the general were left here.

  The general remained motionless on the hill, no trace of his previous passionate performance remaining. He had resumed that terrible calm expression, gazing down at Asa below like a statue of a god.

  "What does it mean for you to do this?" Asa asked coldly.

  "The general's tone was as calm as his expression, 'Just let them know the details of some things and then let them make their own choices. Whoever has the right to know the truth, isn't that so? And telling others the truth is not a bad thing either.'"

  "Is that so?" Asa let out a cold snort. "So you gathered all the priests just to convey this truth?" Besides healing and supporting magic, the role of priests in the army was crucial in grasping the emotions of soldiers. Warriors who were always on the verge of life and death were generally very devout, and the teachings of the priests as well as some spiritual auxiliary magic usually had a great effect on calming the soldiers' nerves.

  "Faith was originally used to cover up the truth. It's a tool for the weak to deceive themselves, and warriors will never need such things. Just a little time, as long as they can fully ignite their fighting spirit, no reason or divine being can extinguish it." The general looked at Asa, finally revealing a hint of curiosity. "Since you already understand what I'm doing, why are you still standing here? I thought you would have hurried back to arrange for someone to stop me."

  "Now that you've done this, there must be some other plan. " Asa didn't run back, but instead walked up the small hill. "But I still want to ask, if I go back and calm down the soldiers with the pastors right away, what will you do."

  "As soon as you have this intention, I will immediately kill you." The general was still so calm. No anger, no killing intent, and even a hint of a smile on his lips. But Asa knew that if he said it, he would absolutely do it.

  "Do you think you must grasp it?" Asa stood in front of the general, looking at him coldly.

  "I alone may not be able to grasp it." The general honestly admitted that as a martial man, he had the eye for it. "But five thousand people certainly do. Those five thousand young soldiers who just listened to me speak, I only need to say that you are actually a spy for the imperial court and the beastmen, and stir them up a bit, they will kill you."

  Asa looked at the calm old man in front of him, those eyes that were once full of bravery, determination, murderous intent and fierce flames were now a dull void. Asa finally understood why he was able to become like this, to do such things.

  It was an already dead gaze.

  All his emotions, all his values have died for a goal, and even his own life is just a tool to achieve that goal. He can do anything, use all his wisdom, energy, and means to reach that goal, even if it costs the entire world.

  "Five thousand. All young soldiers." Asa shook his head slowly. "Did you deliberately select them from the troops?"

  "Of course, one must be young. Youth has passion, hot blood, and impulsiveness. Once a person has lived for a long time, they start to think about other things and are not as willing to die or kill others." The general looked at Asa with eyes that had already died. "So I advise you not to do anything unnecessary. I don't want any more trouble, and neither do you want to die, right?" He turned around and walked towards the city. "Besides, in this situation, the priests are useless anyway."

  The general led all 5,000 soldiers out soon after.

  There were no other generals who went to stop them, and the general's remaining prestige made these former subordinates not dare to show their faces. The general's persuasion also made them understand that this was just the general's solo act, and even if something happened, they would absolutely not be implicated. Not being implicated and not daring to show their faces, they really did not stand up to stop those soldiers who were originally under their command.

  Asa didn't go to stop him, he didn't let the pastor persuade those soldiers who were confused by anger and fighting spirit, he didn't want to see these Ronis bishop's pastors being cut in half by the general. A general like that can do anything.

  He now had nothing to do but sit in the town hall and wait for the arrival of Duke Mlak. Fortunately, the general had already left, and there would be no more variables, the task that Ronis bishop gave him was not completely successful, but it was done. The general only took away five thousand people.

  Only five thousand men. But one eighth of this army is nothing. The development of things has exceeded his ability, and he has done his best.

  Five thousand people. Asa suddenly remembered the three gruesome corpses he saw when he first arrived here. Five thousand, twenty times more, probably enough to pile up like a mountain. The simultaneous wails and screams of these five thousand people... The sky would be filled with flying blood, flesh, internal organs, and bones... In his ears again echoed the unforgettable sound from that night over half a year ago, an ocean of wailing sounds, strange sounds of shattered bones and deformed bodies, the melody of weapons tearing through the air and flesh intertwined in a symphony. And now it would be amplified dozens of times more. He felt his skin tighten and his stomach shrink.

  He suddenly stood up, kicked the table with one foot and crushed the chair with the other. He scolded the general with dirty words and curses that he had learned since childhood in the tavern, which were not inferior to those of Nagus's officer. Then, he found a very experienced and qualified pastor to confess, rode a horse to chase after the general's troops.

  "What brings you here?" The general asked as Asa caught up.

  Asa glared at this arrogant soldier and said: "Come on, wait for your death, just wait and see you die."

  "You won't be disappointed," the general said calmly.

  "I wish you would die as soon as possible, preferably at the very beginning of the battle. That way I'll have a chance to bring back the remaining soldiers."

  "You may be disappointed again. I won't die so easily before cutting down those beasts and getting tired of it." The general replied calmly. Since he made up his mind, all his emotions were converged into his body and turned into motivation, and he didn't want to show them out.

  A Sa looked at the burly old man who was a head taller than himself and the two axes at his waist, spat fiercely and said: "If possible, I really hope to complete this matter with my own hands, then there is no need to wait for too long."

  "If it were in the past, I would have considered your suggestion." The general looked him up and down, then turned his head back to stare at the direction ahead. "Now it's impossible. What a pity."

  "What a pity..." The Death Spirit Mage sat down on the comfortable cushion with a thud, his interest flagging. "I failed." He had just teleported back from the magic array.

  "Not bad, not bad at all! I didn't think you could direct such a moving performance. It's even more impressive than the ones I've seen at the Royal Theater!" Another necromancer applauded with a smile.

  "You don't know that someone once praised my script as having the flavor of Dario Fo?" The necromancer smiled complacently, then sighed. "Unfortunately, I didn't have time to get there first, or maybe I should have gone to take out that messenger who delivered the holy edict instead. Now our brave general had to rack his brains just to gather 5,000 soldiers, and it's all thanks to me secretly taking care of many generals who wanted to stop him. If an army of 40,000 were to come, we might still be able to take down that old man Sedros and the city with him. But now there are only 5,000, I don't even know if it's enough to fill the gaps between their teeth."

  "It doesn't matter, after all it's just a game. Let's all watch and have some fun. Look at these 5,000 vigorous young people, maybe they can even stuff the gaps between their teeth until they burst, making Sedros old man lose a few teeth and bleed a little." Another necromancer playing with a crystal skull said, "I bet he will kill more than 50 beastmen."

  "Seventy. I bet one piece of demon jade."

  "It's still a piece of demon jade. I bet only twenty will die this time. I heard that old man has a half-elf friend who is very powerful, and beastmen are also quite formidable in battle if they're well-equipped."

  "That's an army of 5,000, can't you even kill a hundred? I bet ten phoenix feathers and thunderbird feathers."

  A voice that was the most hoarse and unpleasant said, "I bet none of them will die." Vedenya showed a half-smile on her face. "But my bet is that you have to agree to accept a new member."

  "How can this beautiful lady be so confident? But let's make one thing clear, you must not interfere. What if you personally go to the barracks and throw out a dark dragon, wouldn't that be helping old Sedelos?"

  The beautiful witch's smile in her companion's mouth can absolutely become an ordinary person's nightmare. Her withered lower face didn't move, but she spoke in a voice that seemed very confident: "Of course, I'm not so despicable."

  "Hehe, I knew this lady was not only very intelligent and beautiful," the death spirit master who had just directed this action revealed a charming smile, "but also very kind-hearted and moral." He looked at Vedenina, his eyes flashing several times, saying: "So, out of admiration for her, I'll bet that no beastman will die, or rather, I'll bet on accepting a new member."

  Vedrina glanced at this trusted companion with a look of complete trust, but her eyes showed no gratitude or recognition.

  "Can you really find people with enough virtue and quality to join our noble group?" A lich necromancer made a very spirited expression. "I feel that the spring of Deya Valley is coming soon."