Chapter 841: Escape from Death

Chapter 841: Escape from the Jaws of Death

"Clank—"

In the pitch-black darkness where one could not see their own hand, the sound of chains clinking suddenly rang out.

Anwar, sitting on the stone bed, felt a surge of joy. He was about to stand up when a sudden thought struck him, and he grew anxious.

This was the dungeon of the Celestial Capital.

It was said that anyone who entered here would either die or shed a layer of skin, and not a single intact corpse was ever carried out.

Especially the torture instruments hanging on the wall—though they weren't strapped to him, they had still terrified Anwar enough.

Ever since that gunshot, Abusek had thrown him in here and then gone silent, not even bothering to come see him once.

Although his "advisor" Isher had sworn on his chest that he would be fine, Anwar couldn't help but feel uneasy, worrying that Abusek might have him killed to silence him.

Just then, the unhurried footsteps finally reached the cell door.

Seeing that it was Isher standing outside the bars, holding a tray of food, Anwar, whose shoulders had been tense, finally let out a sigh of relief and sat back down on the stone bed.

Isher gestured for the jailer to open the barred door, slipped him a banknote, and signaled for him to move farther away. Then, with a smile, he stepped into the cell and placed the tray on the table.

"How does it feel to be a hero?"

"Terrible!"

Grabbing the oil cake from the tray, Anwar wolfed it down, mumbling through his mouthful, "I just want to stay alive. I wish I'd never touched this damn business."

"There are still benefits," Isher said, trying to comfort him as he poured a glass of milk. "Eat slowly, don't choke yourself to death."

"Not easy..."

Anwar shook his head and let out a long, bitter sigh.

"I've realized that this move of mine has led me into a dead end."

Such was the tragedy of a small-time figure.

Most of the time, he had no choice at all.

All he could do was struggle when disaster loomed, gambling on an almost impossible possibility.

Those two hundred lives would eventually be discovered by Abusek.

Sure, right now that guy had sided with the Alliance, but if he found out those two hundred were still alive, he'd be happy, even boast about it—but then he'd definitely start to suspect Anwar.

This was, after all, a decision Anwar had made on his own.

Janusz's suspicion was written all over his face, and wasn't Abusek the same?

They were both drowned ghosts who had crawled out of the Eternal River, capable of anything for their own sake.

Seeing the worry on Anwar's face, Isher lowered his voice.

"Actually, it's not that hard. The reason your life is in Abusek's hands is because you're his man, branded with his mark..."

Anwar let out a bitter laugh.

"And that can be erased?"

"It can't be erased," Isher shook his head, but then shifted his tone, "but you can stamp a new one on top."

Anwar, who had been disheartened, immediately lifted his head, hope rekindled in his eyes.

"Explain it clearly."

Isher smiled faintly, his eyes hidden in the shadows like those of a cunning rat, as he continued unhurriedly.

"The Alliance's delegation is in the Celestial Capital, and they're about to come see you along with Abusek's people. This is a good opportunity. If you can win their favor, they might take you to Golden Harbor... Once you're in Golden Harbor, the road ahead will be wide open for you. With some effort, you might even climb into their ranks."

He pointed upward without finishing the sentence, but the implication was clear.

Anwar was stunned, almost incredulous. He swallowed hard and continued.

"...On what grounds?"

Isher analyzed patiently.

"The Alliance plans to broker a ceasefire between Bharata and the various warlords, to unite against a common enemy. They'll need to send a representative to negotiate, right? Anyway, you won't have to do much. With the Alliance mediating behind the scenes, the ceasefire is inevitable, and you'll get a share of the credit—it's practically a freebie."

"Such a good opportunity... will Abusek let me have it?" Anwar couldn't help asking.

"If not you, then who? Would he be willing to leave this place and go himself? If he doesn't go, he needs someone to go in his stead, and you've already handed in so many pledges of loyalty. If not you, would he send a nobody like me to fill the spot?"

Isher chuckled, continuing in a joking tone.

"Besides, you're a 'man of the hour' who made it onto the special edition of the *Survivor's Daily* in Golden Harbor. Abusek is counting on you to go there and help him drum up some investment."

"Special edition of the *Survivor's Daily*?" Anwar was dumbfounded, staring at him in disbelief. "How do you know?"

"A reporter from the *Survivor's Daily* recently came here from Elephant Prefecture, and they'll be opening a branch office soon. That hero title of yours? They gave it to you." Isher teased with a laugh.

That this guy could be a hero while he himself could only be a rat hiding in the corner—wasn't that a kind of Bharatan-style humor?

But it didn't matter anymore.

He hadn't wanted to become Bohr in the first place because he wanted to be a hero. It was purely because he saw himself in Orissa's face and, in a moment of heat, wanted to stand up for that guy who had fallen on the dock.

After taking the lashings, he had woken up. There was no Bohr in Bharata Province.

There wasn't even an opponent for Bohr.

Take Naji, for instance—he had been strung up on a flagpole in the very first chapter of the "story."

Anwar, however, hadn't thought that far ahead. He was just stunned, even forgetting to stuff the cake into his mouth.

The *Survivor's Daily* from Golden Harbor had come to the Celestial Capital?

He had heard of that newspaper long ago.

It was said to be a paper run by the survivors of Bharata Province itself, writing stories that happened on this very land, not places like Boulder City or Dawn City.

He had wanted to get a copy before, but unfortunately, scouring all of West Sailport, he couldn't find a single intact one.

It seemed that during the days he had been locked in this dungeon, a lot had happened outside...

...

After delivering the meal to Anwar, Isher didn't linger in the dungeon. He returned the tray to the jailer and hurriedly left.

Not long after he left, footsteps sounded again outside the door, and this time, Abusek and the Alliance representative walked in personally.

"Anwar, you've been wronged!"

Looking at Abusek, whose face was full of apology, and then at the Alliance representative standing beside him, Anwar couldn't decide what role he was supposed to play in his boss's act.

The key was that no one had given him a script.

But perhaps it was a stroke of racial talent—his mind was quick enough to find his place.

"...Everything I did was for the greater cause in my heart. There's no grievance. The fault lies with me alone. You've treated me well, and I won't make things difficult for you—"

Before Anwar could finish, Abusek quickly cut him off, retorting,

"To act for the sake of unity and righteousness—what fault is there? If you are guilty, then aren't we all guilty? And deserving of death at that!"

With that, Abusek placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke earnestly.

"As for me, I never thought you did anything wrong from the start, but some in our ranks couldn't see clearly, so I had to protect you for the time being—I hope you can understand!"

"But that's all in the past now. Yanush has been overthrown, his cronies have scattered like monkeys from a fallen tree, and at last I can set you free!"

Abusek went on speaking many more words, and even knowing what sort of man this was, Anwar couldn't help being moved for a moment.

He now finally understood that saying the old folks often repeated—sometimes knowing less is a kind of blessing, while knowing too much becomes a burden.

If he hadn't been involved in that church affair, hadn't witnessed the general's midnight talk with the legion's envoy, and learned so many behind-the-scenes stories, he might well have mistaken the man before him for some flawless paragon of virtue.

Of course.

He knew very well he had no right to say such things.

He hadn't killed Yanush for any grand cause; he'd hesitated in the church over whether to open fire, and now he had to play along with this hypocritical charade.

"...Thank you, General!" Anwar forced the words from his throat, like the tears of gratitude rolling in his eyes.

"I should be the one thanking you!"

Abusek gazed at him without blinking, gripping his hands tightly, his tone earnest and sincere.

"On behalf of all the survivors of Boro Province, I thank you for your righteous deed!"

A nearby photographer captured this moment with a click of the shutter.

Watching the two figures in the darkness, Old Stick, standing at the end of the group, tilted his head slightly and whispered to Old Dog beside him.

"...See what I said back then."

"Badass." Old Dog's face was a picture of utter admiration; he couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.

"Keep it low-key..." Brother Stick coughed lightly, putting on a modest air.

Old Wolf shot him a sideways glance.

"If you're so badass, why didn't you go up there?"

Brother Stick grinned.

"You wouldn't understand—the skill of boasting and the skill of doing are two different things. When it comes to boasting, Eagle's no match for me, but when it comes to doing, Eagle's far better than I am."

Standing nearby, Old Eagle rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to flatter me..."

You bunch of bastards!

If you were any use, you wouldn't be completely useless!

Finally, those two finished their act. Old Eagle coughed lightly, stepped up to Anwar, and cut into the conversation.

"Mr. Anwar, though I understand you had your own reasons, I still hope you'll keep a cool head when handling matters and not always go to extremes."

This was said to Anwar's face, but meant for Abusek standing beside him.

Whether Anwar caught on or not, he hung his head in shame and admitted fault.

"I'm sorry, I..."

Not wanting to drag out the scene any longer, Old Eagle raised a hand to stop him.

"Alright, no need for apologies. This is your internal affair; we don't want to interfere. What I need to say next concerns the situation in Boro Province—it matters to both us and you."

Anwar immediately looked to his boss Abusek, who in turn turned to Old Eagle, quickly putting on a serious expression.

"Please, go ahead!"

Old Eagle glanced at both of them and spoke slowly.

"The Alliance's foreign minister has arrived at Jingalun Harbor. To facilitate a ceasefire among the various factions in Boro Province, you'd better send a representative there as well."

Before Abusek could respond, he continued.

"We all think you're a good candidate, but that depends on your own consent. Are you interested?"

Anwar's face lit up with joy, and he was about to agree at once, but then he caught himself and turned to General Abusek, speaking humbly.

"I'll follow the General's orders!"

Abusek let out a hearty laugh, his face beaming with satisfaction, and patted Anwar's hand.

"Why follow my orders? As long as it benefits the thousand tribes of Boro Province, go ahead and do it! Don't bother asking me! Hurry up and thank the Alliance's envoys!"

Anwar turned to Old Eagle and was about to bow in thanks again, but Old Eagle reached out and stopped him.

"Let's skip the back-and-forth thanks. First, let's get out of this godforsaken place!"

...

Anwar, who had assassinated Yanush in open court, was released.

And it was Abusek, the Grand Commander of the Federation, who personally retrieved him from the dungeon.

As soon as this news hit the *Survivor Daily*, it stirred up a thousand waves in Jingalun Harbor, downstream of the Eternal River.

Many had thought that even with Yanush's faction thoroughly purged, Anwar—the bird that stuck its neck out—wouldn't come off well.

After all, one thing is one thing.

If the assassin went unpunished, wouldn't everyone else follow suit?

From the standpoint of Abusek and the other high-ups, this clearly set a very bad precedent.

But unexpectedly, Abusek personally pardoned Anwar.

A photo of their handshake graced the cover of the *Survivor Daily*.

Amid their astonishment, people couldn't help but applaud—Boro Province had finally found a wise ruler.

How could a man of open heart fear the petty scheming in the shadows?

How could a true reformer, seeing his comrade, feel anything but warmth and respect, let alone suspicion?

Those eyes, illuminated by the flash, shone brightly...

With the release of the hero who assassinated Yanush, the case of the Heavenly Capital Palace murder finally came to a close.

But from then on, all officers above the rank of decurion had their sidearms confiscated.

Those had once been symbols of their status.

Now, only officers heading to the front lines could draw pistols and ammunition from the logistics depot.

As for soldiers on duty at various posts, they were also managed under a system of separating guns and ammunition by squad: if one man caused trouble, two bore the responsibility.

Not only that, but all direct guard units below the chiliarchy were reorganized.

Originally, the guards of each command unit were trusted men promoted by the officers themselves; now they were uniformly assigned by the logistics depot, and promotion evaluations were centralized under the logistics system.

For instance, Isher had once been Anwar's subordinate, but now he was reassigned as the captain of a guard company under another chiliarch, yet his direct superior was not that chiliarch but the next higher myriarch.

It was like splitting the sword of power into blade and hilt.

Humans are creatures quick to learn.

Just as Isher saw his own reflection in Orissa, Abusek saw his own face in Yanush's corpse.

Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, the Heavenly King's sudden death had clearly shaken him, keeping him awake for several nights.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so anxious to make a series of changes, rushing to prove to everyone that he was completely different from Yanush... even though they were cut from the same cloth.

Objectively speaking, though, setting aside Absac's triggers and motives, the series of changes he made did contain progressive elements.

On the other side, the seven rebel armies in the wilderness, though not yet scattered like birds and beasts, had seen their morale greatly diminished.

Just then, as the Heavenly Capital declined and its grip on local forces loosened, those stunned local powers, seeking self-preservation, organized themselves one after another, either finding new patrons or resisting the "Heavenly Calamity."

From being beaten back step by step at the start, these local forces had now stabilized their lines and could even trade blows with the Heavenly King's army.

The Serpent King, campaigning in the southeast, was the first to take a head-on blow from the Black Panther Army.

They, who had chased the city defense forces of Snake Province and Wolf Province all over the place, proved utterly vulnerable before the well-equipped and disciplined Black Panther Army, forced to abandon all designs on Panther Province and slink back obediently into the borders of Wolf and Snake Provinces.

Not coincidentally, the Dog King and Sheep King, fighting in the north, also faced nothing but trouble.

First, due to uneven spoils, they fought among themselves, and then, because they sabotaged each other on the battlefield, they let Laxi in the east reap the benefits, with about a third of the three northern provinces falling into the hands of the Mammoth Province authorities.

As for the Gray Wolf, who had originally blocked Laxi, though still fighting bravely, he found himself increasingly overwhelmed by Laxi's growing strength and his own dire logistical situation.

War was never just about the front lines; relying solely on Alayon's strength, he couldn't hold back the devastating flood like a mountain torrent bursting its banks, and could only watch helplessly as Dog Province, Sheep Province, and Bird Province were carved up by the two rebels.

Except for the three kings who still hoisted the Heavenly King's banner, the remaining four kings were more sensible, withdrawing their troops to the Heavenly Capital, changing their flags, and cutting ties with their former identities.

They weren't fools; they knew well what they themselves were like, and what the Heavenly King's army was like.

They were like an avalanche tumbling from a mountain peak, having conquered half of the Boro Province solely on a single surge of momentum.

Now that the breath pent up in their chests had dissipated, the people's hearts had essentially scattered as well.

The sinking of this great ship was only a matter of time, so it was better to join that so-called federation while they still had some worth, and thus climb ashore from this Eternal River.

The turn of events surprised all the onlookers watching this matter.

Especially the diners at a certain noodle shop in Golden Harbor.

Everyone had thought these seven kings in the wilderness would grow into a force not to be underestimated, only to realize they had overestimated the abilities of these makeshift insurgents...

...

In early February, an early light rain added a dampness to the air of the Heavenly Capital.

This year's rainy season seemed earlier than usual, a full two months ahead.

It seemed that Boro Province was not entirely untouched by the extreme climate of the wasteland.

At the north gate of the Heavenly Capital, a long queue formed as people entered, each undergoing inspection.

Closely following Pangolin, wrapped in a robe, Penny cautiously observed her surroundings.

It had only been half a month since their last visit, yet the scene had become so changed she barely recognized it.

First, the people with bandaged arms were gone, replaced by soldiers in gray uniforms marching in orderly patrols through the streets.

These clothes were new, as if purchased.

Second, the street vendors on both sides seemed far more numerous than before, with shouts and cries rising and falling everywhere, creating a lively bustle!

According to Pangolin, it seemed the Great Commander of the Heavenly Capital, Absac, had lifted the curfew. Thus, even villagers from far away pushed carts with their local specialties into the city, no longer fearing that the long journey would keep them from returning home before dark, where they might be caught and beaten by the soldiers.

Speaking of which, it was worth mentioning that the Xilan currency issued by the former Xilan Empire had ceased circulation.

However, the new authorities did not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, they allowed residents of Boro Province to exchange Xilan currency at banks reformed into joint-stock companies for a new currency called "Boro Coins."

This new currency was issued entirely on the credit of the authorities, printed under authorization by the mint in Golden Harbor, with an exchange rate of 1:1 against Xilan currency. It required resident registration before exchange, with a limit of ten thousand per person.

The recovered Xilan currency was naturally canceled outright, while the new money issued was considered "releasing liquidity" into the market.

It was said this was also the idea of the Alliance representatives, aimed at minimizing the impact of the regime change on the middle and lower classes.

During this time, they had been hiding in the countryside of Ox Province, only returning once the situation here stabilized.

As the checkpoint drew nearer, Penny looked at Pangolin and couldn't help whispering.

"Is it really okay to enter the city now...?"

Seeing Penny's nervousness, the battlefield morale booster smiled confidently and gently reassured her.

"Don't worry, I've already checked."

Before setting out, he had specifically asked on the forum to confirm there was no issue before coming.

In fact, not only was there no issue, but the current Boro authorities were eager to begin negotiations with the Legion immediately.

The smell of gunpowder at West Sailing Port grew more pronounced, with crates of ammunition unloaded onto the shore.

Though the Alliance was still mediating through diplomatic channels, the Boro authorities had clearly prepared for the worst.

This war was probably unavoidable, but negotiations could still buy some time.

Across the entire Boro Province, except for the three kings and an Alayon still causing trouble, a united front had basically formed—not exactly ironclad, but at least they wouldn't stab each other in the back.

Beyond that, Alliance reinforcements were also landing in succession.

At this point, even gaining a little more time would be excellent for the Boro authorities.

For the battlefield veteran, who had already exchanged cards with the Alliance envoy, the current situation was clear.

He would represent the civilian faction of Triumph City, using "recognition of the Legion's actual control over West Sailing Port" and "the continued validity of treaty port agreements signed by the old empire" as bargaining chips, to announce recognition of Boro and endorse their purge of the Heavenly King's remnants.

Though this might offend the Southern Legion, the massacre at West Sailing Port had already torn apart any pretense between the two sides; there was no longer room for dignity.

This was not only Mr. Benoit's intention but also the unanimous decision of the entire civilian faction in Triumph City.

They did not want to participate in the Southern Group's gamble.

Leaving aside the odds, winning would bring no benefit, and losing would cost them everything they had painstakingly built in Boro Province.

As for Boro leaning toward the Alliance, that was no big deal—those mercenary bastards had never been loyal; they could always be won back.

The queue into the city moved slowly forward, and finally, it was their turn.

Without a word, the battlefield veteran pulled out the crumpled document from his chest and revealed his identity.

"I am Pangolin, the Legion's envoy! Have your leader come see me!"

The six soldiers at the city gate were stunned by these words, and a few civilians behind in the line also froze, instinctively stepping aside.

Their eagerness to avoid him made Penny tense up.

Sweat in her palms, she clutched Pangolin's coat, pressing herself almost against him.

Just then, a soldier finally reacted, hastily dropping a "Wait a moment," and ran off without another word behind the city gate.

Not long after, the centurion on duty came jogging from the corner behind the gate.

Just as the battlefield veteran had expected.

His face beamed with a warm smile, a complete contrast to the menacing scowl of half a month ago.

After confirming the document in his hand, the centurion's smile grew even brighter, almost fawning.

"Envoy, please come in quickly! Our Great Commander has been waiting for you!"

The battlefield veteran gave him no pleasantries, looking down his nose at him like a true Valiant, merely nodding his not-so-prominent nose.

"Lead the way."

The centurion, however, didn't mind at all, nodding with a full smile and politely gesturing with a "please."

"This way, please!"