Chereads / The World’s King Slayer / Chapter 90 - The Search

Chapter 90 - The Search

After the king gave the order a team of Tin-men and automaton soldiers took to the streets of the capital. They flooded the streets barging into houses and pulling residences out of their homes out of the way of the heavy searches. The automaton soldiers were humanoid looking with brass colored bodies, a glowing core in their chest and had green glowing eyes. They were armed with spears and shields which they would use if no one complied. The city was in chaos as one by one whether it be residence or business was searched. The Guilds were not exempt as the King ordered they be searched regardless of station. These people of wealth were cast to the streets to watch as their facility was searched. When they came upon the Fire Breath Guild is where they met some resistance. The owner was a fifty year old man who had four kids and a wife. He had been a veteran of the king's army before he made his guild. His specialty was machine parts and computer chips for the various technologies throughout the city. He had built quite an enterprise and was a loyal servant to the king. Or seemed that way on the surface till they came to his place of business to ransack it. He refused to let them search without a fight and was fearful of his family. He brandished a mace and shield when he engaged the automatons, "You have no right to search my facility!" he shouted to the Tin-man standing opposite him. The officer shook his head, "By order of the king I am to search every inch of this city and that included the guilds. You are not exempt and if you do not comply we will remove you by force. It will be considered refusal which would be an immediate arrest and seizing of all assets lord" the Tin-man gave this warning and hoped he would comply. 

The guild master looked to his family being held by the Tin-men. He then felt defeated as he lowered the mace. "I am no traitor…my father served the crown. As do I! Release my family!" He told the head Tin-man. The Tin-man gave his men a nod to release them. He extended a hand "The weapon please?" He asked. The man relented and handed over his mace. He was then led away by Tin-men with his family. 

They met resistance like that as they continued. But not all were quick to submit like the Fire Breath Guild. The Guild that stood up wasn't some guild that could be pushed around. They were part of the top third to the Molten Metal Works. This guild was called the Enchanted Sword. As the name suggests they specialized in enchanted weapons, automatons, and tools. Their tech was on the cusp of creating mining tools that could cut through mountains. Dig deeper and extract the chi stones along with precious metals and jewels at other mines. The Guild Master was Sorten Graves. And he was a veteran warrior from the first Topaz King. Along with being a warrior with a reputation. His very sword protected the King long again during a civil war. He stood at the entrance with his men, his sword in its scabbard. "Please step aside Master Sorten. All guilds are to be searched please step aside" he ordered. Sorten was never a brash man, nor did he have an anger problem. He was a patient man and always had a plan. But this search left him unprepared. 

But still he had a plan anyway towards this preemptive search. "You will not find any evidence of guilt here Tin-man. Best move along  surely you can find another traitor elsewhere? But you won't find any here? Or is that what you're hoping for?" He said, staring at the Tin-man. "You realize refusal is automatically an arrest? You must comply if you wish to remain in the good graces of the king?" He warned. Sorten clicked his lips, "All in this city know of me. Know of my reputation as a die hard patriot of Golden Eye. A hero amongst the regular folk. I am no traitor and I will still refuse this insult to my integrity. So either leave or we will fight?" He warned. The Tin-man sighed and went for his pistol. But he wasn't fast enough as Sorten's blade flashed and cut the man's head clean off. Then his men pounced on the Tin-men. Soon the automatons joined the fray. They were not easily beaten compared to the humans that controlled them. Sorten and his men were cut down and killed on the spot. 

With one final act a plan set as always a fail safe. Sorten with his final breath removed the sigil brooch from his chest. He then pressed the jewel and the very facility to then explode. Killing all inside along with the automatons. This wasn't the first guild to fight back and lose. Sending a chain reaction which led to a riot throughout the city. 

All Tin-men, and automatons started attacking the people. Arresting those they could and many innocents were caught in the crossfire. This act of aggression lasted for a whole day before it was extinguished. 

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The remaining Guild Masters all met in secret and the guest star of this meeting was Sun Demon. All twenty of them stood in the dark underground with hoods and cloaks. The Sun Demon arrived with five men in white demon masks and her right hand Scarab. He also wore a silver demon mask keeping their identities secret. The head guild master of this group stepped forward. Keeping his hand upon his firearm hidden under his cloak. "Thank you for meeting with us?" He said keeping his voice even. "Seems you and the rest of you have had a hard time lately?" She said with amusement. "You mock us?" He said with surprise. "Of course I do. You all sat back and reaped the benefits of others' sufferings? Why wouldn't it be amusing? Now you finally see the world through the people's eyes" she told them keeping her tone cold. She kept her focus on them all encased they made a move to retaliate. Her men were doing the same Scarab kept his chi sense on high. 

"You're right. But you should take some of the blame for this; Sun Demon. These searches are the consequences of your actions" he kept his hand clenched on his firearm. "You may think that. But let me give you a little history lesson? These machinations that became prison cells of innocent souls. How many did each of your guilds purchase and use in your businesses? It's okay, I can tell you. Each of you all twenty have a hundred to three hundred slaves working for you. Last year your yearly incomes could single handedly fix the poorest boroughs in Golden Eye. Before these imprisoned automatons you all committed murder, espionage, and black mailing to get where you are. Only a handful worked for what they had. Fire Breath Guild is one where he worked his fingers to the bone to get where he is. Enchanted Blade Guild another respected Guild Master of the community and true warrior took his entire guild with him in death. And yet you all come here to ask for me help?" The head guild master shook his hooded head. "You're right. But if we fall the economy will tank. This city will fall into further disarray if we don't defend ourselves against the king" his shoulders slumped. Sun Demon stood in silence staring at them with glowing white eyes. "Hmmm ... yes your right this city would suffer. But let me ask you this? If I were to assist you in overthrowing the king would you go back to the status quo. Having these automatons do your bidding?" The guild master looked back at the others and back at Sun Demon. "We would still need them for the transition of employees?" He said plainly. With a flash the spear Sun Demon wielded slashed through his head cutting it clean off. "See now I had a feeling you wouldn't see the forest for the trees here?" With that her and her men slaughtered all twenty guild masters. "Are you sure this would be the right move?" Scarab asked to remove his wakizashi from a corpse. "Yes. See the king cultivates through the torching of these souls feeding on their chi. Within the palace he has a machine connected to every machine in this city. We need this cultivation process to suffer so he's weakened. Now we go after the next target to further weaken him?" She said spinning her spear about resting it on her shoulder. "May I ask who that is?" Scarab asked. "The Prince of course" she said flatly.