Chapter 526 - 257: Siege! Breaking the Formation!

Before long, Rejado led his squad, like a solid dam, blocking the approaching silent gray tide.

His gaze, sharp as an eagle’s, quickly scanned the eerie army, most of whom moved in unnervingly synchronized steps, silent to the point of suffocation, like puppets without personal will.

However, the three at the front of the formation stood in stark contrast to this deathly flow, like three bright strokes on a dark canvas.

A young man clad in a black-and-white Chaos Robe stood at the center, exuding an untamed temperament, as if light and shadow intertwined around him. He was evidently the leader.

A boy draped in a shimmering golden robe, with eyes clear and steadfast, an aura of warmth yet inviolable radiating faintly around him.

A tall man shrouded in a deep black robe, silent as a mountain, but exuding an oppressiveness more daunting than the thousands of gray robes behind him.

’Indeed, there’s a strong leader.’

Rejado’s heart sank slightly.

The intuition honed from years of battle told him that these three individuals in front of him were very unusual. The black robe was powerful yet silent, the golden robe was weak yet dazzling, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning, full of life.

And finally, the Chaos Robe at the forefront exuded an eerie oppressiveness, not of power, but of life form, like the instinctive fear an ant feels upon seeing an elephant.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the throbbing in his heart, stepped forward a few steps, and stopped at a safe distance, his gaze locked on the Chaos Robe at the front, his tone as polite and solemn as possible:

"Who are you people? Why gather here, at the gates of Iron Shield City, with what purpose?"

Wu Geng revealed a seemingly amicable yet unfathomable smile. He shrugged, answering casually:

"Relax, we mean no harm by coming here. We merely heard tales of Iron Shield City’s magnificence and wanted to see the sights inside, and perhaps... spread the faith of my master to the people here."

"Faith?"

Rejado’s nerves instantly tensed, his hand unconsciously gripping the sword hilt. Any faith not recognized by the Empire was unacceptable, especially when presented in this... strange and bizarre form.

"That’s right."

Wu Geng’s smile disappeared, and then he spoke solemnly and seriously: "The faith I hold is in the master who governs light and shadow, who advocates hope, praises rebellion, and encourages struggle. Our journey is to bring light to this world, to vanquish the dark tide symbolizing calamity, overthrow unjust oppression, and make the world a better place."

Overthrow oppression?!

These words exploded in Rejado’s ear like a thunderclap, and in an instant, he understood that these people were absolutely insane.

Anyone in this world who truly understands it would never entertain such absurd and terrifying thoughts. They must be either mentally unstable or harboring sinister motives, weaving a false hope by exploiting some people’s dissatisfaction with the status quo to incite rebellion!

Anyway, they are extremely dangerous!

Especially this guy in front of him, whose unintentional aura was clearly not something an ordinary person could possess; he must possess immense power.

"So... such noble ideals."

Rejado forced a slightly stiff smile, deliberately engaging Wu Geng in conversation, asking trivial questions about doctrine and journey experiences.

He was stalling for time.

A soldier had already been sent to sound the alarm, and the hidden danger had already been uncovered in advance; he just needed to stall here for a little while, until the alarm was sounded in the city and the army was sent out to suppress, and the problem would be easily solved.

The defense power of Iron Shield City is very strong, and the City Defense Array is Indestructible. Once in a combat state, these dangerous people will never be able to breach the defenses, and thus they can be stopped and eliminated outside the city.

Perfect!

Moreover, as a soldier of the Empire, Rejado knew very well his covert mission [to kill anyone who dares to question, resist, or challenge the existing order] and to thoroughly eradicate and eliminate their thoughts, without allowing even a hint.

This is not a matter of right or wrong, but law, a law he must abide by.

If Rejado failed in his duty, the fate awaiting him and his family would be more tragic and terrifying than that of the Rebels, so he must fight.

....

As time slowly passed, though it appeared to be a peaceful conversation, currents surged beneath, teeming with endless crisis.

In the conversation, Wu Geng was in no hurry to advance, merely chatting while observing the city, estimating the danger Level within, and whether he could immediately storm it.

During the previous conversation and with his understanding of this world, he had already confirmed one thing: anyone daring to rebel would certainly be hunted down from all sides. If he dared to express his intent in the city, the military would definitely come to kill him.

Thus, the outbreak of war was inevitable.

But it should not be now; Iron Shield City’s defensive power was strong, making it relatively difficult to storm the city. Although Wu Geng possessed great Power, the gray robes behind him were not strong enough, and in a battle of this magnitude, they were mere cannon fodder, making forced battles meaningless.

Wu Geng was in no hurry, subtly prying information from Rejado while keeping a very tight position, seemingly close to Iron Shield City, but in reality, always standing in the safe range outside the city, not daring to get any closer.