Chapter 250: To the Capital (2)

[Filthy Warrior Wolf, Begone!]

A flag fluttered in the sky. Warrior Wolf glared at the flag with bloodshot eyes, clenching his jaw. The soldiers defending the kingdom’s capital trembled, unsure whether to side with the nobles or the warrior. Facing the noble’s army and the public’s wrath was terrifying, but being caught and killed by Warrior Wolf while fleeing was even more so.

Just yesterday, a soldier who tried to escape had been caught and torn to death by Wolf’s hands. The soldiers and commanders lacked the strength to defy a monster who could turn a person into rags.

One of the commanders spoke to Wolf.

“W-What should we do? We have 20,000 soldiers. Soldiers gathered from the provinces, knowingly or unknowingly, guards who colluded within the capital. And there are even capital citizens who joined the fight, armed with household items. We’re outnumbered and at a disadvantage.”

The list of combatants brought a complex feeling to Wolf. An army so large that it felt like the entire capital’s sentiment was against him stood before the castle. If Wolf were a man who feared history, he would have surrendered right then and there.

“We fight.”

But Wolf wasn’t the type to dwell on trivialities like historical judgment or posthumous evaluations. What mattered to him was his family’s safety, and he knew all too well that surrendering now would mean no one could be protected. Wolf looked at the commander and spoke. His face contorted like a demon’s, chilling anyone who saw it.

“I’ll handle the main force somehow. Lead the troops and protect the Memorial Tower.”

“Yes, yes!”

The Memorial Tower, built by the beastmen, was nearing completion. Wolf didn’t want to lose the task bestowed by the Goddess due to such a trivial incident. After confirming the commander was leading some soldiers towards the tower, Wolf ordered another commander.

“You, take the other soldiers and bring my family here. If my family has already been captured, report their location.”

“Yes! Understood!”

Wolf’s order meant plunging into the heart of enemy territory. The commander muttered a curse under his breath as he looked at Warrior Wolf’s retreating back. Then, quickly descending the tower, he said to his adjutant.

“If they’d taken care of others as much as they took care of their own family, would a rebellion have even happened?”

“Wouldn’t it be better for us to run away too?”

The adjutant’s suggestion momentarily swayed the commander. But he had witnessed Wolf cleave the city in two during the last protest. Even an army of 20,000 could become a disorganized mob in the face of overwhelming power and fear. The commander was certain that betraying Wolf now would yield no benefit.

“No. We move according to the orders for now. Let’s avoid engagement as much as possible and head to the mansion.”

“Yes!”

The adjutant nodded with a displeased expression.

*******

“Alright! Pack your bags quickly! We’ve been waiting for this day!”

The wastrels, once renowned as Warrior Wolf’s family, were packing their belongings and fleeing. They grimaced at the sight of their mansion burning in the distance, amidst the city, but there was nothing they could do now.

A man, still looking back at the mansion with lingering attachment, whimpered as he reached out, while an old man smacked the back of his head and yelled.

“What are you staring at! We need to run! Look at those brutes over there with their spears! If we don’t escape now, they’ll skewer our heads like dumplings and roast them!”

“Aw, man, think of all the money over there.”

Thanks to Warrior Wolf covering for them, the wealth embezzled by the Wolf family was too vast to liquidate quickly. Selling just a portion could fill a ship, and liquidating everything else would still be difficult to hide completely.

“Once we get on the ship, we’ll live a little frugally. We can’t live extravagantly like before!”

The old man said so, patting the luggage. The luggage, piled high on carts and pulled by horses, contained treasures they’d brought despite having already packed enough for the ship, still reluctant to leave anything behind. Each time the old man tapped the jewels, the group envisioned a rosy future unfolding on another continent.

They ran towards the harbor diligently, sweat pouring down their faces. The carts laden with treasures rattled, and the horses straining to pull them, panting heavily, fled from the flames. The mansion was now swarming with enraged citizens, hurling curses at the fleeing warrior family and smashing the property.

“These bastards! They really drank from golden goblets!”

“Look here! They really used piglets coated in gold as living decorations! These savages!”

“Look! This wasn’t a storage room, it was a doghouse! These guys kept one dog and even studded its food bowl with jewels!”

The Wolf family met the accusations of their corruption with brazen voices.

“Well, they should have seized the opportunity.”

“If that Wolf bastard had acted a little smarter, things wouldn’t have gotten this bad. If it seemed like we were crossing the line, Wolf should have stopped us himself, right? Huh? A supposed warrior. That’s what happens when you’re so irresponsible, the country goes to ruin… Tsk.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. To them, the name ‘Wolf Family’ had been a grateful benefactor that allowed them to amass wealth, but at this moment, it felt like a burden they wished to disown. Wolf was no longer family to them. These wicked degenerates just wanted to escape to another continent and start a new life as soon as possible.

*****

The burning mansion.

Amidst the chaotic scene where friend and foe were indistinguishable, the commander lit a cigarette. Watching the Wolf family’s mansion crumble brought forth a flood of thoughts. Soldiers rummaged through the debris, while others conducted investigations in the vicinity. Citizens with narrowed, furious eyes spat at the soldiers or threw stones, but none dared to charge directly at the heavily armed men. However, the tension was palpable, as if a single spark could ignite an immediate clash.

The commander and his soldiers were, after all, people born and raised in the capital. He had never questioned his profession before, but now, his feelings were complicated.

“Commander. We heard from citizens wandering nearby that they fled a long time ago. They left with their luggage, just as planned. They’re likely headed for the harbor.”

“Shit.”

The commander blurted out a curse involuntarily at his adjutant’s words. Seeing the adjutant flinch, the commander patted his shoulder and said.

“I wasn’t talking to you. It’s just… I don’t know how to explain this.”

Another adjutant rushed up to the commander.

“Commander. We received word from the harbor; a ship belonging to the Flancia family is currently docked. They reported it as a departure for another continent, but didn’t specify the number of passengers.”

“Didn’t specify the passenger count?”

“According to the harbor guards, it’s a ship that’s been continuously loading supplies, but suddenly filed for departure today.”

Rumors were rampant throughout the capital about ongoing financial dealings between the Flancia family and the Wolf family. Combining those rumors with the current information made perfect sense. The commander scratched his head and said to the adjutant.

“Can we catch them if we go to the harbor now?”

“It’s too late. They’ve likely already boarded.”

“Hah.”

The commander spat his cigarette onto the ground. He patted the adjutant’s shoulder, then placed his own hat on the younger man’s head. The adjutant stared at the commander, eyes wide.

“Commander?”

The commander didn’t reply. He took off his epaulets and fastened them onto the adjutant, then handed over his chest insignia. To the bewildered adjutant standing there, the commander said.

“I’m going to report to Warrior Wolf now. That he’s been abandoned by his family.”

The adjutant said with a sympathetic voice.

“Can’t you just run away?”

And then, a brilliant white light erupted behind them. The ground shook with a heavy roar, and soldiers were seen soaring high into the sky.

“It’s a monster!”

“The warrior is killing people!”

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of people shot up like stars before turning into minced meat, spraying blood upon the world. The flags, proudly standing tall and painted red on every roof, were torn down. The commander gestured with his head, and the adjutant had no choice but to bow his.

“From now on, you will go to the harbor and assess the situation. Avoid engagement, and if you confirm the Wolf family has fled, wait there.”

Lost amidst the continuous explosions, no reply was heard.

*******

“Uwahahaha! Fools! We’ll live well and prosper on another continent too!”

The old man spat out mocking words while watching the flaming capital. The silently working sailors cast disdainful glances at the Wolf family, who immediately started a drinking party as soon as the ship left the harbor. The man in the fancy clothes, finally looking relieved, caressed his favorite jeweled ring and said.

“Still, I feel a little sorry leaving Wolf behind.”

“Sorry for what? It’s his own fault things turned out this way.”

Hearing the sharp retort, the man erased his apologetic expression and said in a sly tone.

“Is that so? Ah, was that it? Hahahahaha!”

“Hahahahahaha!”

“Uheheheh!”

Crimson light spread as the ship carrying the Wolf family didn’t sail into the open sea. The helmsman leisurely turned the ship, making it circle lazily in the waters off the capital, while small boats swarmed in like hyenas from all directions. The ship, which seemed to be moving forward, stopped, and its hull shook. As a cup fell and splashed onto his shoes, the old man, flushed with drink, shouted.

“What the hell! Is this how you’re supposed to steer a ship! Huh!”

He grabbed the collar of the nearest sailor and yelled. The sailor stared blankly at the old man before reaching for his waist. The old man looked down with a sneer, intending to see what the sailor would do.

“Gah…!”

That expression didn’t last long. Before he knew it, a blade pierced the old man’s side, slicing through his gut and reaching his chest. His entrails spilled out, soaking the deck, and the old man collapsed to his knees. The old man muttered, eyes wide in disbelief.

“W-What is this…!”

“It is ordered that you be sent off peacefully.”

Due to the thick coats they wore, the Wolf family members hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

“What the?”

As the man in the fancy clothes said that and stood up, another sailor approached from behind and thrust a sword into his back.

“Ghk…!”

“Kyaaaaaaak!”

A blade flew towards the throat of the screaming woman. Below in the cargo hold, people were frantically moving treasures, while on deck, a storm of blood raged. Far away at the port, oblivious guards simply yawned and said.

“Wow, fuck, lucky bastards. Having a grand old time playing with the lights on.”