"Report: Lieutenant Pallet has completed the sweep of the southwestern barbarians within a 50-mile radius of Yueshan Pass. Requesting further orders from the General."
"Oh? The sweep is already complete... how efficient."
After listening to the report from the kneeling messenger, Selene immediately issued new orders. "Order: Have the vanguard return to camp for rest. Bring all captured barbarians back to the encampment."
"Remember! Only those prisoners who are physically fit are needed. The elderly, sick, and disabled are to be executed on the spot. The empire doesn't have spare medicine to waste on them."
"Understood!" the messenger responded, mounting his horse swiftly to relay the orders.
As the messenger departed, Selene turned her attention to the captured barbarian prisoners who had already been brought back.
"So many of them... Where were they captured? Oh... and that one covered in gold and silver—who is he? What's his rank among the barbarians?" Selene asked with interest as she scrutinized the anxious group of prisoners.
Among them, one prisoner stood out—a dark-skinned, medium-built man with a large belly, his entire body adorned with gold and silver. Literally, his skin was covered with intricate patterns of gold and silver inlays. It was clear from his appearance that his status among the barbarians was high.
"These barbarians were captured by the vanguard about ten miles southwest of Yueshan Pass at a beacon tower, which they had converted into a storage fort. It was filled with a large stockpile of grain, likely plundered from the empire."
"They must be the garrison there. As for that man covered in gold and silver, he's probably a general or someone of similar rank among the barbarians. He got lucky and survived your attack," answered a lieutenant standing nearby.
"I see... Bring him here."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Soon, as Selene was conversing with her officers, the barbarian general—tied up like a bundle—was brought before her.
"Tell me everything you know."
Unlike his fearful compatriots, this gold- and silver-adorned barbarian general showed a flash of defiance in his eyes as he looked up at Selene on the platform. "Untie me first. You've bound me so tight I can hardly breathe."
Heh, Selene could already guess what he was thinking. Every group has its martyrs willing to sacrifice themselves. She nodded to the soldiers to loosen his bindings.
"Die!" As expected, the moment he was freed, the barbarian general lunged at Selene, aiming a punch directly at her face.
Before Selene could react, Esdeath moved swiftly. A flash of white light, about three feet long, sliced through the air, and the barbarian general's arms were severed in an instant.
Thud—Splat.
The barbarian general had intended to grab the highest-ranking noble he could see, but he suddenly realized he had lost control of his arms. Glancing down, he was horrified to see both his arms had been cleanly sliced off at the shoulders, slowly sliding to the ground before collapsing entirely.
"Ahhh—!"
Blood spurted from the wounds, and the excruciating pain snapped the barbarian general out of his daze.
"Impudent!"
Boom!
The next moment, before he could even react, his vision went black as a lieutenant beside Selene slammed his head into the ground with a force that split it open like a watermelon, splattering red, black, and white matter everywhere.
"Are the artillery units ready?" Selene asked, glancing at the headless corpse being dragged away by imperial soldiers. She had lost interest, as her new "toy" had just arrived.
"All types of howitzers, cannons, and the Taishan Cannon have been unloaded. We are now focusing on storing and transporting the ammunition. As per your orders, we've stocked up heavily on incendiary shells. The standard ammunition load should be fully transported by tonight," the lieutenant replied.
"Taishan Cannon? What's that?" Selene understood the howitzers and cannons, but she was unfamiliar with the Taishan Cannon.
"Uh... I'm not entirely sure, ma'am. I've heard it's a new invention by Dr. Stylish from the capital, currently issued exclusively to the Imperial Guard."
Upon hearing the name of the eccentric scientist from the capital, Selene instantly understood. This must be a prototype of the [Judgement of the Ten Heavenly Kings]. "Very well. It seems the southwestern barbarian rebellion is about to end!"
...
At dawn, the transition between night and day, when the night had not fully faded, and the sun had just begun to peek over the horizon.
On a small alluvial plain outside the primeval forest, a collection of low, thick-walled, small-windowed, and light-colored buildings spread out, reflecting the different living habits of the people from those of the empire.
This was a large southwestern barbarian settlement with a population of over ten thousand. Although it lacked large structures, in terms of area, it was already a considerable city.
At this hour, most of the population was still asleep, but a few energetic "little monkeys" had already begun their day of frolicking. These children had dark skin, their faces adorned with the unique tribal paint of the southwestern barbarians.
Though the environment of the settlement was harsh and unpredictable, it radiated an aura of peace and prosperity.
However, their prosperity and peace were built upon the ruins of the empire, taking bites out of the weakened empire...
"This year should be easier than the last. Let's hope no one starves again," a group of elderly barbarians chatted leisurely by the riverbank.
"Haha... those little monkeys are all clamoring to go on a raid into the empire."
"Sigh... Such nonsense! War is not a game."
"Don't worry... most of the young men have already gone with the chieftain on the campaign. The spoils they brought back a few days ago should relieve much of our survival pressure this year."
Suddenly, a pillar of fire shot up into the sky, drawing the attention of countless barbarians.
"What... is that?"
It was as if a signal had been given. First, the northern sky above the settlement lit up, then the western sky... and soon, countless lights filled the sky above the entire settlement.
In the next moment, Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!—
The whistling of artillery shells cutting through the air was followed by thunderous explosions that echoed from all directions. A nearby single-story building was instantly engulfed in dust and smoke, and through the haze, the entire structure could be seen crumbling like a cookie under an invisible force.
In the blink of an eye, flames erupted across the settlement.
The wind fanned the flames, and the fire fed the wind, engulfing the entire settlement in a sea of fire.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Enem... ahhh!!!"
The explosions triggered waves of heat that devoured countless lives.
Buildings groaned and cracked under the relentless flames, emitting sharp, ear-splitting noises as they collapsed.
In the boiling river, the water was filled with the bodies of the cooked dead. Any living beings who hadn't fled the city in time, along with the corpses left by the explosions, were all consumed by the merciless flames.
The fire raged on, and from above, the entire southwestern barbarian city resembled a glowing ember, melting and collapsing...