Chapter 133 The Aftermath of the War

Chapter 133: 133 The Aftermath of the War

133 The Aftermath of the War

"Organize the skeletons. Gather the enemy corpses far from inhabited areas and remove everything blocking the passageways. Do not destroy materials that can be reused."

"Understood."

"Valeria, inspect the abandoned storage areas. Look for tools, food, weapons, and resources that have survived. Any dangerous objects must be separated before being taken into civilian areas."

The Vampire bowed her head.

"I will take care of it immediately, my master."

Yun Che then looked at the six Elementals.

"You will use your abilities to cut, melt, or shape whatever materials need to be worked on. I don’t want any unnecessary fires, and none of you will enter a house without authorization."

The flames on the Elementals’ bodies flickered.

"And what if the Medusas attack us?" one of them asked.

Yun Che remained calm.

"Do not retaliate. They lost family members and companions because of this war. I don’t expect them to trust you simply because you now obey my orders."

Rakan remained motionless for a few moments before answering:

"Understood."

"If any survivor doesn’t want to work near you, move away and call another group. If you disobey, you will be held responsible."

He raised his hand and looked at the entire legion.

"Begin."

The undead’s eyes glowed simultaneously. Eryon struck his staff against the ground and relayed the orders, while the two thousand skeletons divided into organized groups.

The generals headed in different directions, bringing with them the military experience they had possessed in life.

Within moments, the force that had spread death throughout the mountain range began working to repair its wounds.

Yun Che watched their first movements with satisfaction. Then he turned toward Ariselle.

The Queen remained silent. Her green hair moved in the wind, and the small serpents that formed it were restless.

Her pale eyes swept across the undead, lingering on the faces of those who had participated in the massacre of her people.

"Do you really intend to make them rebuild everything?" she asked.

"We don’t have much time here, and they’re a cheap and efficient workforce. Since they were strong enough to destroy things, they’re also strong enough to help repair them."

Ariselle turned her gaze toward the mountains.

"Some of my warriors won’t accept this. When they see these faces, they will remember the sisters they lost."

"I know. I won’t force them to trust my undead. But I also won’t waste a force that can help them survive. I’ll keep the Beastmen and the Elementals away from the Medusas."

The Queen fell silent. Her gaze followed a group of skeletons that had begun removing stones from a destroyed road.

"Who will take responsibility for the deaths?"

Yun Che took several seconds to answer.

"The ones responsible are dead. That doesn’t mean the pain of those who survived will disappear. We can only decide what to do from this point onward."

The Queen lowered her eyes. For a moment, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but she held them back.

There were still survivors who needed her, wounded people waiting for treatment, and families who did not know whether they would ever have a home again.

"I need to return," she said.

Yun Che nodded.

"Then let’s go."

The Medusas’ territory had changed beyond recognition. The roads were covered with stones, fallen trees, and the remains of defensive formations.

Some houses had lost their roofs, while others had been reduced to ruins. Large marks on the mountain walls revealed the strength of the cultivators who had fought there.

The streets, once filled with voices, were almost silent. The few Medusas moving among the buildings were carrying the wounded or searching for their family members.

Some remained seated against the walls, unable to comprehend that the battle had truly ended.

When Ariselle appeared, the first survivors knelt.

"Your Majesty!"

News of her return spread quickly. Some warriors ran toward her, while others remained motionless, as though they feared discovering that the sight before them was merely an illusion.

Ariselle walked among them without demanding that they rise. Her eyes moved over their injuries, bandaged arms, and faces marked by exhaustion.

Then a young Medusa approached, holding her left arm, which was wrapped in bloodstained bandages.

"Your Majesty... my sister was in the west. She fought alongside Elder Mirevra. I’ve been looking for her, but no one can tell me where she is."

The young woman’s voice faltered. She pressed her fingers against her own arm, trying to suppress her trembling.

"Do you know if she managed to return?"

Ariselle stopped before her. The western front had fallen, Mirevra was dead, and no Medusa had survived that battlefield.

The Queen gently placed a hand on the young woman’s shoulder.

"I’m sorry."

The hope vanished from the warrior’s face. She shook her head, refusing to accept the answer.

"No... she promised she would come home."

Her legs gave way, and Ariselle caught her before she fell. The young woman wept against her shoulder as other survivors approached.

Some cried as well, while others lowered their heads, recognizing their own losses in her grief.

Yun Che watched the scene in silence. His legion had won, and his power had grown considerably.

Even so, none of that could erase the expression of a young woman who had just realized that her sister would never return.

Victory had a price, and the Medusas were paying it.

Before the war, the Medusa population numbered approximately ten thousand. Around seven thousand were still capable of fighting when the preparations began, but earlier losses reduced the number of available combatants to just over five thousand at the beginning of the decisive battle.

Now, the reports from the four fronts revealed a devastating reality. In the north, approximately two hundred warriors had survived under Vaelra’s leadership.

In the south, approximately five hundred remained alive, many of them wounded. In the east, just over four hundred had survived the fighting, including Thesira and Lyssara.

In the west, none of the combatants who had remained at their positions had survived. Mirevra and her warriors had been consumed by the battle against the Fire Elementals.

Adding together the survivors identified across the four fronts, approximately eleven hundred combatants remained, perhaps a few more.

The total population could not yet be confirmed, as the civilians protected inside the mausoleum still needed to be counted, and several families were continuing to search for missing relatives.

Ariselle listened to the reports without interrupting.