Night City retreats step by step, while Eastlyn advances with unstoppable force. The fall of Night City was only a matter of time. But what the Eastlyn army didn’t expect was that they broke into Night City so easily.
Yet what people found regrettable wasn’t that Night City was conquered by force, but that the citizens and inner-city soldiers opened the gates and surrendered, welcoming the Eastlyn army inside.
They surrendered because they had no choice—their city lord was dead!
Reid Yale, City Lord of Night City, rushed back to the manor with his sword, killed his wife Su Wan, and set the manor ablaze—including himself.
Fortunately, when the City Lord’s manor was built, its outer walls were made of fire-resistant stone for defense. When Prince Nolan led his men inside, the fire hadn’t yet spread beyond the interior.
Prince Nolan immediately ordered the fire to be put out, and sent Warren Yu and Colin Si to lead troops against Night City’s resisters, calm the citizens, and restore order.
With so many people and the manor close to the moat, the fire was quickly extinguished. Led by the soldiers, Prince Nolan stepped into the charred ruins of the City Lord’s manor.
The manor was a heap of ruins, but traces of former luxury still lingered. The fire started in the main hall, so the main courtyard was inaccessible for now. Soldiers rushed in and found two charred corpses; from their shapes and clothing, it could barely be told they were Reid Yale and Su Wan—but...
"Search." Prince Nolan glanced at the scene, then turned away.
The Eastlyn soldiers didn’t hesitate, leading teams into the ruined manor. Soon, they discovered several secret rooms filled with chests of jewels, gold, and paintings.
War profiteering has always been a constant throughout history. Wars are never fought just for honor—without enough profit, no one would launch a massive campaign. If the treasury is emptied, all that awaits is national ruin.
Chest after chest of jewels and gold were carried out, glittering in the firelight. Several vice generals stared wide-eyed with greed, but not one dared to touch a thing. They knew this was different from the past—this time, they couldn’t just help themselves to the spoils.
"Reporting to the prince, there are eight secret rooms in total in the manor—all the jewels, paintings, and gold are here." A vice general stepped forward, eyes gleaming with pride, hoping for Prince Nolan’s praise. But Prince Nolan only said coldly, "Search again!"
Clearly, Prince Nolan was not satisfied.
The vice general’s face turned pale. He led his men to search the manor again, determined to dig up every last secret room in Night City.
"Reporting to the prince, the criminal has been captured alive and awaits your questioning." Dorian Owen strode forward with heroic flair, escorting Old Gray. Though he tried to stay composed, pride still sparkled in his eyes.
Old Gray was a mess—bound hand and foot, jaw dislocated, stripped of any trace of dignity.
"Very good. Take him to the field hospital." Prince Nolan, for once, praised Dorian Owen with rare warmth. Dorian’s eyes sparkled with excitement: "Yes, sir!"
Not long after Dorian left, General Warren Yu and Colin Si entered one after the other. Though Warren Yu had won the battle, there wasn’t a hint of joy on his face—he even looked defeated.
The moment Colin Si appeared, Warren Yu knew the outcome was set. Colin had been promoted by Prince Nolan to replace him. Warren Yu had lost the battle, so of course his command would be taken away.
Warren Yu understood, and he’d even orchestrated much of this himself. But when the day finally arrived, he realized how reluctant he was to let go.
After a lifetime on horseback, he had no idea what else he could do. With power over life and death, he wondered if he could ever adjust to being an ordinary man.
But even if he couldn’t adjust, he’d have to endure it. New rulers, new ministers—if he were Prince Nolan, he wouldn’t keep someone like himself either. Glory could be shared, but hardship could not.
"Your servant greets Your Highness. Long live, long live, long live." Warren Yu knelt on one knee before Prince Nolan, head bowed low. Colin Si knelt behind him, face calm and unreadable—even though he was glad to regain command, he dared not show it now.
"Rise." Prince Nolan glanced at them both, satisfied with their conduct.
Warren Yu rose first and reported the results of the pursuit to Prince Nolan. Colin Si then truthfully relayed the Night City citizens’ reaction.
There were plenty of stubborn resisters in Night City. Warren Yu hadn’t killed them all—he executed some to intimidate the rest, and imprisoned the others to bring them back to Eastlyn.
Colin Si’s task went smoothly too. Night City’s people had suffered bitterly these past two years—barely enough to eat, yet Reid Yale kept raising taxes for the city’s development, forcing families to sell their children.
For Night City’s commoners, Eastlyn’s conquest didn’t mean much. They were only afraid Eastlyn would massacre them. Now, hearing Colin Si promise in Eastlyn’s name not to harm a single civilian and to reduce taxes for a year, the people had no reason to resist. Even those few willing to fight for Night City didn’t dare stand up now.
With the city lord dead, what could they possibly do?
Night City was taken smoothly; this battle could be called a complete victory. The only flaw was the deaths of Reid Yale and Su Wan. If they were alive, taking over the city would be easier; the loyalists would hesitate, and the other eight cities would praise Prince Nolan’s benevolence. But instead...
"The city lord actually committed suicide—what a pity." Colin Si already knew he’d be staying in Night City for a while; if Reid Yale hadn’t died, things would be much simpler.
"Suicide?" Prince Nolan’s face was full of mockery. Warren Yu and Colin Si were quick—they immediately understood: "Are these really the city lord and his wife?"
Burned completely black, it was indeed hard to recognize.
"Report..." Just then, a vice general approached, delighted: "Reporting to the prince, we found an underground room in the main courtyard—Reid Yale and Su Wan are inside."
Reid Yale and Su Wan, dressed in commoners’ clothes, were dragged up by soldiers. Their faces were filthy; Reid’s eyes were vacant, his expression defeated. Su Wan’s face was ashen, her eyes filled with hatred.
"Kneel." When the two refused to cooperate, a soldier kicked them hard in the calves. With a cry of pain, they dropped to their knees.
This chapter isn’t over yet ^.^ Please click next page to continue reading!
Reid Yale struggled desperately like a trapped beast. Su Wan, meanwhile, didn’t move—she bit her lip hard, refusing to flinch.
"Eastlyn Nine..." Su Wan spat out these words through gritted teeth. "If you have any guts, kill me."
Kill them? What’s the point of killing two useless people—just to show the world how cold-blooded he is? To make the other eight cities afraid and unite against him? He’d never do something so foolish.
There are plenty of legitimate ways to ruin someone’s life.
Prince Nolan sneered. "Someone, help Lady Night up—don’t let her disturb her pregnancy."
"You—you knew?" Reid Yale froze, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Prince Nolan, as if he wanted to devour him.
A traitor. There was a traitor close to him.
Prince Nolan ignored Reid’s question and instead ordered his men to watch Reid Yale and Su Wan closely, making sure nothing happened to them.
To show his generosity toward surrendered enemies, these two would be sent safely back to Eastlyn. If they behaved, they could enjoy wealth for the rest of their lives—but they’d never know freedom again.
"Eastlyn Nine, let me go! You treacherous minister—if you have any guts, kill me, kill me!" Reid Yale struggled desperately, trying to lunge at Prince Nolan.
Reid Yale was skilled in martial arts, making it hard for the soldiers to restrain him. Seeing he was about to break free, Prince Nolan said, "Eastlyn doesn’t mind caring for a crippled city lord."
No sooner had he spoken than—crack!—Colin Si broke both of Reid Yale’s legs. The crowd was stunned, secretly chilled: What kind of move was this?
"Ah..." Reid Yale screamed in agony, collapsing like a pile of mud. Luckily, the soldiers escorting him reacted quickly and dragged him up.
"Eastlyn Nine... I—I won’t let you get away with this." Reid’s lips trembled with pain, sweat pouring down, blood seeping from his bitten lips.
Colin Si tossed aside his stick and kicked Reid hard in the chest. "The city lord broke both legs while fleeing with his wife. Someone, hurry and carry the city lord for treatment—the Regent Prince can’t bear such bloodshed."
Colin Si spoke with righteous conviction, as if stating pure fact. The crowd was stunned—this Young Marshal was truly remarkable, able to say such things with a straight face.
Complaints aside, everyone remembered their duties. They dragged Reid Yale away like a dead dog, then continued to search the manor, emptying out generations of the city lords’ accumulated wealth...
With Reid Yale captured, Prince Nolan had no reason to stay. He handed the remaining matters over to Warren Yu and Colin Si, and then left.
Once Prince Nolan was gone, Warren Yu walked over to Colin Si and gave him a thumbs up. "Young Marshal, you have great talent. I’m impressed."
Despite his words, Warren Yu’s tone was full of contempt. To him, Colin Si’s actions were no different from those of sycophantic eunuchs.
"As a minister, it’s my duty to share my lord’s burdens. Understanding the ruler’s mind is a minister’s job. The Regent Prince is benevolent and wise, and there are things he cannot say. Besides winning battles, a minister must also handle those things that trouble his sovereign." Colin Si wasn’t the least bit offended—he understood Warren Yu. Any general facing the loss of his command would feel resentment.
After speaking, Colin Si went back to his work, leaving Warren Yu standing in place, pondering the meaning behind his words.
Was the Yu family’s failure because they never truly cared about their ruler’s thoughts—never wondered what the sovereign wanted from them, or what they should do proactively?
The Yu family had always acted mechanically on orders—one command, one action. No matter how well they fought, they never earned the ruler’s trust, because they never considered what else their master might need.
Once he realized this, Warren Yu laughed—laughed until tears streamed down his face...
"General." His personal guard stepped forward, concerned.
Warren Yu wiped his face. "I’m fine. I just figured a few things out, that’s all."
Unfortunately, it was too late to realize it now. Warren Yu suppressed his heavy heart and threw himself into the aftermath work in Night City.
Perhaps this would be the last time in his life he led troops. He didn’t want to leave any regrets...