Aaron was very sad all the way. His face stone hard. Jenny and Jerry couldn't do anything but just watch him feel despondent and alone. He was in the same position from the moment he left the capital. No, to be more precise the moment he turned around to leave. Only thinking about the recollection of that young yet mature handsome face.
On the way, a message carrier was halted and declared an openly earth-shattering report about Ace succeeding the throne. The emperor and empress's past deeds were also included. Aaron didn't deem it a subtle wonder because Ace divulged him before about it. Last night he was about to go crazy thinking he would leave him again. After they collapsed, he heard him saying these things of taking the throne. He still remembered how his blood was soaking the other person. Red blood slouched his white sculpted figure. Although it was helped by system, he felt agony and despair. Ace was happy to see him craving for him. He laughed at that time and said, "Ah! My little dummy will go away again. I'm sad."
Aaron can't feel anything but pain. He just kissed the other person, shutting him from saying anything again. Knowing the other person is also feeling same pain as he is. Aaron was mad at his destiny. He touched the wounded area beneath his chest and at the side. The fresh wound doesn't hurt. He glimpsed around and saw the stunning quiet sight. Behind him, only chattering soldiers could be heard, and nothing. His sharp abysm eyes looked across the mountain and saw the sundown.
A beautiful scene like this, perhaps he would not see again, yet his mind is disordered. The saffron and straw shade shining over the canopy trees, the chirping of birds, and the blowing all remind him of Ace.
That stunning face smiling toward him captivated his mind, and all Aaron could think is the beat they spent together. If he can't do this fast, they will not have more moments. He abruptly pondered this and roared in his heart; he can't stay like this. He has to go back quickly to spend his remaining time with Ace.
If he can proceed back sooner, he would have his sweetheart in his embrace, he would squeeze him, kiss him, and love him dearly all he could. With determination to sort out the crisis here straight after he arrived in the Southern city, he consulted everything with chief officials. They had faces about to cry.
The detailed discussion led to the full story here. The barbarian's attack was sudden, and the army had no way to encounter them without a strategy. There was no general and chief present during that time. But they can't just watch them come forward, so they went forward. This made them lose several people in one go. In the past few days, the attack has been stopped. There are no tendencies from the other side. Seems like they have collected all they could and aren't moving to trek into the war zone again. But it can't be true, the city is at its weakest point, and the best chance to exploit all they could is here. Are barbarians so self-restraint and reserved? No! It would be a joke to even think about it. These barbarians can't control their raging greed for fodder, how could they suppress their desire? The matter appeared so fishy.
Aaron said, 'System go and take a look at all the areas and report everything to me.' The system appeared in a flash and disappeared in a flash. As a highly intelligent system, it's indeed quick in action. Within five minutes, it came back.
Its mechanical voice sounded in Aaron's mind, "As the host had presumed the three provinces around this are full of pitfalls, leaving only the Riverside which is crammed with crocodiles. The trap is loaded with ravenous tigers beneath it. The Barbarians are on the further side of the borderline. They are total five hundred in total, and they also have imprisoned women and juveniles. They are conclusive of four hundred exact. The situation there seems reprobate, the situation of the captives uncongenial. Some are already dead."
Aaron's brain ceased instant. The dirty and innocent voice inside his head evolved. His unfurled eyes became cold, and his mind toil even sharper than before. This is the best time. Yet also the most dangerous time. Those barbarians must have sent the remaining back to the capital thinking everything is under their control. For now, Aaron thought.
Firstly, they have to ensure the safety of captives. No one should be injured in their presence. Secondly, the army is insufficient due to the loss of prior battles. The battalion cannot afford to forfeit. Even if soldiers are sufficient for transportation, they are lives that have equal value same as the inhabitant. Thirdly, barbarians making trouble is all due to the corps and plenitude foods of the city. This time almost all the fodder is already seized, the immediate supply is necessary. Fourth, three cities are trap laid, first, they have to move them.
He slaps dashed and said to Jerry, "Call all the soldiers. We have to move quickly. There is no more time."
Hearing his distant emergency words Jerry quickly assembled the soldiers outside the camp. Aaron explained the problem of the three cities to the attendant chief. Then lead the whole army to grab the heavy timbers of the city on the way.
When they reached the gateway, he confirmed the area to the System as he ordered to drop those heavy pieces of wood in a horizontal position. Merely touching the surface, the upper trap fell, and a thunderous roar sounded. But the woods completely obstruct their path to the outside. The soldiers were stunned when they realized what was under the bottom. The river side was crossed by using the large plain wood.
The path along was vindicated. He motioned the soldiers to move and crossed the cities. Some pit holes had pointed thick pins in them. Aaron can't imagine what would have happened if he didn't have the system. In his heart, the position of the system that was at zero level is now inducted at number one.
They soon reached the border area. When they were in front of their tents, the terrifying women's cries chimed. A loud bumpy voice could be heard, "Look at this beauty!! Ah! How can Shenoy have such beautiful women, and we don't?" In front of them is caged several beautiful ladies and man.
Another seemingly drunk voice sounded, "Yes, look at this one. Her face is so lovely. Ah, if we have such a delicate treasure wouldn't it be very good?"
"Haha, let alone these women, even men are more beautiful them our women." This time appreciation shook the soldiers behind Aaron. They never faced with something like this in their entire life.
A snickering voice sounded, "Hey, you are flattened with just these beauties? Have you ever thought who the true beauty is?"
"Who is this person? Tell us! It would be great if we could have her!!"
"You would not have him. Never."
"He-he, gosh! You don't know this? I know!"
"The bloodthirsty General Daniel is the most beautiful treasure of Shenoy." His words contain some lusty effect that made the soldiers shudder again. They all look at the General and saw him calm. They sighed with relief thinking that the General is a broad-minded person. He will not take it to heart. But Aaron is suppressing a typhoon inside him. Hearing these words are enough to kill a hundred of them. His face constricted making it look calmer. He didn't move but heard them continue their talk.
"What? Really? Did you see him?"
"Yeah, I did. It was four years ago. When war happened between Shenoy and us barbarians at the lower side of the south. That time I first saw him. I still couldn't forget him, ah!! That peerless face I was turned on at the battlefield." the other person exclaimed, "Really!!!"
"AAA ha AAA, his ruddy lips, strong body, tanned skin, beautiful bright yet cold eyes, his raging look splashing blood on his peerless face. He is the divinity of Jim-Dandy…"
His voice had a great admiration of beauty but straightforward craving in it. Aaron had the urge to kill this person right now despite his sincere adoration. He can't let such dirty thoughts by others except for Ace. His face was blank and sudden coldness rose to a certain extent. This is an insult to a General. As the commander of the great army and the youngest General of Shenoy, he could not let himself be humiliated like this.
"I want to see him too, a person who can make brother satisfied would be beyond beauty."
"Not only me all the soldiers there felt so. Many attacked him to see and touch him. But no one got to even touch his hem. He was very distant and strong."
"But is it worth over life?"
"It is. You would not understand because you never saw him."
They joked around talking about other things.
"Dinner time is arriving; I have to savor after this so that I can feel the beauties."
"The women are so noisy, men are better. At least they don't cry like bees. It's irritating."
"Okay stop being dissatisfied. Let's go."
After they were gone Aaron faced the soldiers behind him. He coldly said chilling their hearts, "Maybe today we can win this game without using force." After saying that, he grabbed the sleeping liquid from his pocket and went toward the corner of the tent.
Stretching out of the tent he saw everyone busy in themselves and threw the small bottle into the large boiling feast. The bottle was actually made of opium, so it will meld with the dish. He went back gradually and again posed down with those stunned soldiers. They thought the General is going to slice someone, his eyes were very cold.
"General, what was that thing?"
"It is newly formed medicine to knock out people. You may not hear about it before. I brought it from the Capital pharmacy store. It is still in completion state, but I think trying it on them would not harm anyone."
The soldiers shudder. The medicine is still in the preliminary stage. The barbarians could die from it but General just used it on them. Still, it isn't General's fault. Those barbarians were the ones overstepping their boundaries. No person would take that kind of lecherous insult. However, Aaron is sure that no one will die. The system has confirmed that the medicine was fully developed but the physician is very cautious to try it on someone. He told them to wait for the news. They willingly gave him some dozen of it.
Aaron didn't do anything else and waited till everything was serene for at least two hours. He blinked and told the system to see if the drugs have affected. And the next second after the assurance he directed the soldiers toward task completion.
Every soldier who was anticipatory to fight till dead had to gather up the heavy bodies of Barbarians. Many even wanted to ball them all the way but fearing to wake them up they didn't do anything like that.
The women, men, and children were tied up and thrown into the metal cage. Dozens of cages full of captives, wailing to their misfortune. Aaron appeased them and made them shut up. Their cries are very irritating to him. He almost roared.
****
The next morning when those Barbarians woke up, they saw their beautiful General Daniel sitting on the chair scrutinizing them with freezing eyes. The peerless face as that brother describes turned them on right there. They swallowed the hasty saliva seeing his beauty but more due to fast apprehensiveness. Their faces were like shouting, why the hell am I here?
Aaron knew that General is beautiful, but he is not a seductive type. These barbarians love violent men and women that's why they believed him as a peerless seductive person.
They got to see the beauty, but the terrifying level of torture was unbearable. The news about Aaron was carried to the capital day after day. Ace saw his rapid working pace. He saw the southern areas again forming like it was before. The city is now under the strong jurisdiction of the monarch and protected by the Army. Aaron talked with the barbarian General and fixed the peaceful resolution. He didn't bother to be courteous with them and said, "Although war is natural thing between states, capturing woman and man for inhuman deeds are unforgivable. So, I'm not going to return your soldiers back. You can try whatever methods, but they touched my bottom line."
The barbarians were confused of why not give them back. They have no important information to spill, and they also were doing something very normal like capturing man and woman. Why not just kill them off. Although they had different questions they didn't dare to ask. They chose peaceful resolution to end this talk. Losing a sew soldiers wouldn't cost them anything. But if they knew what actually made him this resolute then they would feel their organs sweat in fear.
No one dare to say something like this to him. His proud nature and violent anger when people talk about him ignoring his self-esteem is courting death. Aaron was satisfied with this and ended the treaty.
However, still suspicious of them they built a series of strong fort to guard the border. Having abundant human resources and natural resources is an amazing thing. He conciliates the traumatized people, who faced the dark side of life. It took only six months to have total control over the city.
When Aaron went back, the winter was already jigging in the capital. The heavy snow indicating for prosperous year ahead. He saw the mountains covered with white blanket. The snow falling on the canopy tree with grace.
"…"