Chapter Fourteen: Innocent Victim

In this world, although great knights capable of projecting their battle aura possess an almost unnatural combat prowess—each able to take on a hundred men in close quarters—the widespread use of firearms has greatly diminished the terror they once inspired. So long as one does not shrink from sacrifice, soldiers can form layered ranks and unleash relentless volleys of musket fire or even blast away with grapeshot; even if a great knight musters all his strength to release his aura, he can only withstand two or three rounds before becoming defenseless against bullets. The aura shield, impressive as it may seem and capable of ignoring musket fire at close range, depletes rapidly. An ordinary great knight might only project it twice in quick succession; beyond that, his reserve is all but exhausted.

Therefore, after enduring two volleys head-on, most great knights—unless fighting a battle of life and death—will choose to flee rather than risk their lives. This has led to a curious phenomenon: to kill a great knight, a force of at least a thousand troops is required to trap him, but to simply drive one off, a well-equipped and properly led group of even a few dozen can suffice. That is precisely why the elite governor’s guards dared to block Sun Li’s path.

They divided into two tiers: with the inn’s entrance being narrow, a dozen men could cover it completely, while more than twenty others stood ready to fire as soon as Sun Li’s aura shield was spent. If they could wound or kill him, victory would surely be theirs.

This wasn’t like the cramped confines of a ship; outside, the street was broad, allowing for ample maneuvering. As Sun Li rose, sword in hand, and charged forward, the guards hadn’t expected his luck to be so good—he managed to dodge their fire, for which the notoriously unreliable accuracy of flintlocks deserves some credit. To stop Sun Li, a second volley rang out. But he, now furious, did not turn aside. Instead, he ignited his aura shield once more and plunged directly into the midst of the ambushing governor’s guards.

These musketeers, armed with longswords, were nothing like the bayonet-wielding line infantry under Sun Li’s command. In this era, the combination of bayonet and musket had not yet become widespread; the focus remained on phalanxes of long spears supporting the musketeers, and swords were little more than sidearms. Musketeers received scant training for close combat.

The governor’s guards were present merely to make a show of force; none had anticipated a skirmish. Naturally, no soldiers armed with those massive spears had accompanied them—carrying such cumbersome weapons everywhere would be far too much trouble.

Predictably, these musketeers, lacking protection from dedicated melee troops, broke almost instantly when Sun Li burst through their neat ranks. In moments, dozens of guards were scattered and fleeing for their lives.

After ensuring the retreating guards had dropped their weapons and could no longer fight, Sun Li knew it was dangerous to linger. He quickly led the twin sisters and the paralyzed governor’s envoy away, seizing the opportunity before the regular army could react to escape the town.

Barely half an hour after Sun Li’s escape from the inn, a unit of several hundred regulars arrived, marching in perfect step. Unlike the governor’s guards, these troops were not present merely for show: phalanxes of ultra-long spears, lines of musketeers, and even two three-pounder cannons had been brought along. This elite force, though only a few hundred strong, was enough to rout thousands of wood elf warriors!

One can imagine how tense the garrison was upon learning that a great knight-level warrior had appeared in their small town.

After a thorough search, the regulars found no trace of Sun Li and his companions. Yet, far from feeling frustrated, they were relieved not to have confronted the legendary great knight themselves. The defeat of the English Empire by the Holy Kingdom of Light’s great knights within the Madrid Empire’s borders served as a constant warning: no sane person wishes to face such invincible monsters.

The town mayor, after a cursory search, did not send out patrols to hunt for Sun Li. He knew full well that if his search party encountered Sun Li, it was anyone’s guess who would capture whom! Instead, he merely strengthened the local government’s guard and dispatched a messenger in haste to inform the Viceroy of Mexico, emphasizing only one point in his letter: the man in question was a great knight from Song.

Having found a safe haven in a nearby forest with the two sisters and their captive, Sun Li tossed the once-arrogant envoy to the ground and—half-smiling—addressed him:

“Lord Envoy, may I ask how you found us, and with what intention?”

“I—I was only following orders, great knight, sir! I did not recognize your true status. If I had known you were such a distinguished figure, I’d never have dared to make a move against you. Please, spare my life!” The envoy, now utterly bereft of his earlier swagger, knelt in the dirt, snot and tears streaming down his face as he begged for mercy.

Sun Li scowled impatiently. “Answer my question. Spare me the nonsense. Otherwise, you’ll regret ever coming into this world. Battle aura has many uses besides fighting—some quite extraordinary. Perhaps you would like to experience them.”

Sensing his peril, the envoy, a sycophant who had risen by flattery, spilled everything he knew in a desperate bid for survival. There was no point in expecting patriotism or loyalty from such a man.

Hearing his account, Sun Li saw the envoy’s near-breakdown and judged him to be telling the truth. Without further ado, he sent him to his death with a single sword stroke. The envoy fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding neck, his face a mask of disbelief—the promise of mercy unfulfilled.

Sheathing his sword, Sun Li forced a wry smile at Su Yunyun. As for Su Lulu, it was best she not witness such a scene.

“I’d thought the Viceroy of Mexico had discovered some clue about us,” Sun Li said, “but it turns out it was simply because you two are too beautiful. It’s really… it’s really…”

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the word in front of Su Yunyun.

“A classic case of beauty as a curse, right, Sun Li?” Su Yunyun folded her arms and finished the thought for him.

“Er, this isn’t your fault,” Sun Li replied. “Who would have guessed that the Viceroy of Mexico was such a pervert, wishing that every beauty in the world would grace his chambers? We’ve fallen victim to his depravity for no reason at all. Sigh… After thrashing the governor’s guards so thoroughly and exposing my strength as a great knight, I doubt I’ll be able to remain in Gold Province much longer. No ruler would allow a dangerous and unfriendly element like me to dwell in his domain. It seems my days here are numbered,” he said helplessly.

Su Yunyun realized she hadn’t been careful enough this time. No matter what, she was the local; her failure to anticipate the Viceroy’s twisted proclivities was her own oversight. She felt deeply ashamed for causing trouble for Sun Li. Seeing the helplessness on his face, she twisted her hands nervously and whispered, “I’m sorry.”