Facing the current situation, Linley had no way out. Although he was on high alert, as long as the enemy army hadn't gathered, he was unbeatable on Crete.
But when he arrived at the Governor's Mansion in Knossos, the sight before him was overwhelming.
The Governor's Mansion was indeed a wealthy merchant's grand house, with expansive grounds, beautiful gardens, many entrances, and almost no defenses. However, the problem was that the Governor's Mansion was adjacent to a magnificent Holiness Church.
This church was clearly converted from a temple, towering, majestic, and as solid as a fortress. Even worse, the church was brightly lit inside, with shadows moving around.
If Linley attacked the Governor's Mansion, it would surely alert those in the church. Once the people in the church came to reinforce, they might even summon powerful enemies like angels. However, Linley couldn't blame anyone else because he hadn't scouted ahead. At this moment, smoke signals rose in the city, chaos was everywhere, and both the Governor's Mansion and the church were in disarray. Linley thought for a moment and made a decisive decision.
"Everyone, get ready! We're going to attack the church!" Linley ordered.
"Kill all the enemies!"
"Kill all the Holiness followers!"
This time, Linley learned his lesson. He ordered a hundred Minotaurs to drink strong liquor and, in a berserk state, charge into the church first, with the others close behind. Although the church doors were closed, the wooden doors couldn't withstand the repeated assaults of a hundred Minotaurs. Soon cracks appeared, then the planks shattered, and the doors burst open. Linley led the remaining Minotaurs in a rush inside.
Inside the church, many soldiers picked up weapons to resist, but they were all killed by the Minotaurs. In this confined space, the Minotaurs' immense strength and full armor made them even more formidable than in open ground. Coupled with the berserk and charging skills, these scattered Roman soldiers were no match and were easily crushed.
The priests knelt in prayer, some emitting faint holy light, but it was not even as bright as a flashlight. The Minotaurs rushed up and trampled the priests to death one by one. The scene was like a hellish massacre, with non-humans slaughtering humans. Perhaps decades or a hundred years later, Holiness painters would depict countless masterpieces.
However, the reality was different. Minotaurs and humans originally lived in harmony, but Holiness captured them, locked them in barns, and transported them to the arena. The remaining Minotaurs were forced into hard labor, clearly aiming to exterminate them. Now, the Minotaurs finally had a chance for revenge and showed no mercy in retaliation.
"It's here! Destruction has finally come!" a Roman soldier laughed heartily.
"What are you laughing at?" Linley asked.
"I am a follower of Poseidon," the Roman soldier replied.
"I see," Linley said. "Then join us."
"No, I am also a Roman. I cannot watch you attack the Roman army," the Roman soldier said firmly.
"I am also a Roman!" Empton interjected. "We are saving Rome."
"I don't believe you," the Roman soldier decisively refused.
Linley had time to persuade Empton but not this Roman soldier. He made a gesture, and Brutus swung his sword, beheading the Roman soldier.
"What a pity," Linley sighed. "Clear the church as quickly as possible! Those who wish to surrender, drop your weapons and kneel, or be killed without mercy!"
Many immediately dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender, while the rest continued to resist. At this point, there was no need for courtesy. At Linley's command, the Minotaurs charged wildly, and the other followers of the Dionysus were not to be outdone, killing all the resisting Holiness followers in the church.
"You demon!" a dying priest glared at Linley with hatred, gritting his teeth, "You are destined to fall into hellfire and suffer endlessly!"
"I'm no demon, I'm a god," Linley responded casually.
Holiness proclaimed that anyone who doesn't believe in their god will go to hell. Linley had never believed such claims, whether before or after his journey. So, if Holiness' god was truly that powerful, Linley would just go to hell and start building there; it made no difference to him.
"You false god!" the priest cursed angrily, "You will die, and it will be a miserable death!"
"Maybe," Linley said calmly, "but have you ever considered that perhaps it's because you tried to exterminate the Minotaurs that you're facing retribution?"
"Eliminating all non-humans is Holiness' command! Holiness is the one true god, and his divine decree is the truth!" the priest declared firmly.
These words made Linley lose all interest in arguing further. He turned and walked towards the door, watching as the governor's soldiers organized their ranks and slowly emerged from the mansion.
They weren't deliberately delaying; their formation was disorganized, and they had to stop and rearrange every few dozen steps, or the phalanx would fall apart.
Seeing this, Linley felt relieved. These soldiers were indeed poorly trained. Despite their excellent armor and weapons, and their tall and strong physiques, they couldn't even march in proper formation, making them not worth fearing. Infantry only have combat power when in formation; scattered soldiers, no matter how brave individually, are useless.
"Everyone, gather up!" Linley commanded.
The Minotaurs stood together chaotically, looking even less organized. But it didn't matter; they weren't infantry but cavalry. Even though they walked on two legs, they functioned like cavalry.
It was better if cavalry could form ranks, as it would make them stronger, but even if they couldn't, they could still exert powerful combat strength.
"Form cavalry units," Linley ordered.
Human followers climbed onto the backs of the Minotaurs, and some smaller Minotaurs rode on their kin.
"Advance slowly," Linley instructed.
The Minotaurs moved slowly forward, gradually approaching the governor's soldiers' phalanx, breathing heavily, ready to charge.
"Don't move!" A few people emerged from behind the governor's phalanx, pointing swords at a woman.
"That's Governor Martini of Crete," Bell pointed to a short, black-haired man behind the phalanx and said to Linley, "I've seen him many times, I can't be wrong."
"Who is that woman?" Linley asked.