Chapter 98: Double Kill

Venezia Giulia was an important region that stood between Italy and the Balkans. Tens of thousands of troops were stationed here to block the Khitans’ invasion.

Days ago, this place was an utter mess. Soldiers dressed in different uniforms paced around. The noise was so great that it reached the clouds. Food, arrows, and weapons were stacked like hills in the barracks. Carriages and people filled the streets.

The military barracks that extended for kilometers gave off the grandeur of a mobile city.

But now...

This ‘city’ had been torched ablaze!

After taking down Milan, Shu Yichao had galloped straight for this barracks, drawn by the sheer number of red dots gathered here.

The troops stationed in Venezia-Giulia didn’t expect such a frightening army to suddenly appear from behind. They were caught off guard when thousands of Metal Fortresses charged into their formation under the cover of the night.

“What’s that noise?”

A soldier curiously peeked his head out when he heard loud rumbles.

Bam bam bam!

Fresh blood spurted everywhere. Soldiers screamed as they were crushed.

“Charge with me, my brothers!”

Shu Yichao was leading the charge as he always did. He relentlessly fired arrows with his Jeweled Bow. No enemy in his line of sight could escape his sniping.

“Bad news!”

“It’s the Scourge of God!”

“The Scourge of God is here!”

The sight of the blood twin-headed eagle flag terrified the soldiers, inducing screams as they attempted to escape. The panic swiftly spread, as the neighboring troops soon descended into chaos too.

Wherever the Metal Fortresses charged, death and flames followed.

Tents, army formations, and piers... Everything was smashed up before going up in flames. Thick smoke choked the reddened sky as if hell had been realized in the world of the living.

The Crusade troops stationed in Venezia-Giulia were crushed.

By the time the gentle rays of the sun emerged, the Crusade’s tens of thousands of soldiers were already stone-cold.

“Caesar,” Sophia walked up to Shu Yichao and respectfully greeted him, “the Genoese wish to meet you.”

“You can deal with it as you deem fit.” Shu Yichao tapped into his map, and the sheer number of red dots that remained fanned his excitement. “Let me see who I should hit next. It’s much more fun when the enemies are clustered together!”

“Another free boat ride? But I don’t need it this time. I’m planning on slaughtering my way there!”

Looking at the sheer number of red dots along the way made his hands itch. They are all mine!

“Oh? What country is that, to dare approach me on their own accord?” Shu Yichao’s eyes lit up. “Brothers, prepare to set off! We’re going to farm some heads!”

...

“Your Majesty, urgent report!”

While King Charles was leading his army down River Po toward Milan, they encountered more deserters and received further updates on the situation.

It quickly struck King Charles and the others that the situation was different from what they had expected.

They assumed that Shu Yichao would be trying to conquer Milan after defeating the Duke of Milan’s and England’s troops, so they were hoping to reach there before the troops stationed in Venezia-Giulia arrived.

That would allow them to have an explosive showdown with the Scourge of God.

But to their surprise...

Milan has been breached? The Duke of Milan has been executed? Most of the nobles and knights have been massacred?

And the Scourge of God proceeded to attack the troops over at Venezia-Giulia and crushed them too?

What the heck! That amounts to at least 100,000 casualties on the side of the Crusade!

Are the Khitans that powerful?

King Charles frowned. He started to wonder if he had made the wrong decision.

Maybe I should have remained at the opposite side of River Po to block the Khitans from moving southward?

However, the thought of his 80,000 army made him puff up his chest with pride.

This is an army of 80,000 people! Rarely did any European king get a chance to lead such a terrifying army! If I hesitate here with such a huge army when I’m only faced with 3000 Khitans, even if I’m willing to take the dishonor, my knights will definitely not agree to it.

“Advance!” He ordered his knights. “Send a war declaration to the Khitan Caesar! Tell him that the great King of France will be leading a holy army blessed by the Lord to have a showdown with him!”

...

King Charles never got to deliver the declaration of war, for Shu Yichao arrived first.

A blood twin-headed eagle flag could be seen rushing in his direction from the horizon, and beneath it was a line of gleaming metal.