Chapter 207 The Path To Death
Goldstein Residence, Yaleview.
A gust of cold wind blew across the residence, enticing the wind chimes to sing their silvery song. It was supposed to be a beautiful melody, but only hauntingly so given the situation.
An old man in a grey robe sat in the center of the main hall, his forehead tightly knit into a frown. He had a dignified look on his face that inspired fear from his enemies, but courage to his allies.
He was reading The Beast Hunter’s Bizarre Adventure with a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of him. Its steam was billowing quietly in the air.
Just when he had finished the page and was about to flip to the next, a person in servant attire suddenly barged in.
He seemed panicked and terrified. The moment he came in, he quickly knelt before the old man and reported, “W-We have received u-u-unsettling news in Jazona, sir. A-An extremely unsettling piece as well.”
“What seems to be the matter?” The old man put his book down and glanced at the servant with a gaze as calm as the deep blue sea. “And catch your breath. Do not panic. You are in no hurry.”
When he heard the news, he understood why the servant came in such a hurry. “Sir, the Turners… the Turners are wiped out! Every single one of them!”
“What did you just say?” The old man’s face fell when he heard the news, and the calm gaze he had a moment earlier was replaced—for once in ages—by a storm of murder. “The Turners are annihilated? The Turners? The ones in Jazona? Where did you hear about this?”
The Turners are the most powerful of the four prominent families in Jazona. The people there dub them as the vice governor’s office. Even the real governor has to stay away when they’re involved. Such is their power.
But now they’re completely and utterly annihilated? Who or what possesses that much power to accomplish that feat? Not even the King of War himself could perform that act on a mere whim! I require more answers.
“Sir, we received this news from the governor’s office in Jazona.” The servant looked at the old man carefully and answered, his voice little more than a whisper, “The staff there said they saw the Cardinal King of War himself led a hundred thousand Fang Dragon Guards and caused a bloodbath in the governor’s office. They arrested every single person who’s connected to the Turners and shot them dead on the spot!”
“Terrence?” The mention of Terrence made the old man frown again. “That cannot be. The Cardinal King of War and his army of Fang Dragon Guards should be stationed in Kingshinton. What made them leave their duty to go on a crusade in Jazona?”
The Kings of War were stationed in four different regions of the nation. They were not to leave their stations under any circumstances, unless Asura himself issued the command.
Anyone who broke the creed would be treated as rebels and have extreme violence used on them.
And that begs the question: why did Terrence suddenly show up in Jazona with his army? And why did he shed so much blood in the governor’s office? No. It cannot be… That is preposterous.
It was at that moment when a terrifying idea occurred to the old man. He had a look of terror etched on his face for a moment, then he felt a chill run down his spine.
“Did they say anything else about the matter?” The old man picked his cup of tea up casually and blew on it. He might look as calm as a cucumber, but his hands were slightly trembling, and his tea almost spilled out of the cup.
“Yes, sir. The Cardinal King of War not only led his army of Fang Dragon Guards on a crusade against the governor’s office, they even killed a lot of the people in the Vanquisher King of War’s residence. Because of his actions, Jazona is still in a state of lockdown. Not even a single soul could get into the province.”
He even did that? When the old man finally absorbed the shocking information, he could no longer maintain a firm hold on his teacup. It fell on the floor, smashing into pieces. Some shards even crumbled into a small heap of dust.
“I see. This must be the will of Asura himself.” The old man looked horrified as he recalled the dark days of Asura’s reign.
If it weren’t for Asura letting his family off the hook by accident, they would have drowned in the annals of history when the Four Asura Guards led their army on a war.
“How many of the Kings of War are in Jazona now? Besides Terrence and his army.” The old man tried his best to look calm, but his trembling hands betrayed what he truly felt—terror.
“Dorian, the Excalibur King of War.” The servant hung his head low. “He led his army of Anima Dragon Guards and locked the city down, forbidding anyone from going in or out of Jazona.”
“What? Even the Excalibur King of War is there?” The old man thought he couldn’t be more shocked, but he was wrong.
Ever since Asura led the Kings of War to cull the nation’s enemies and brought peace, the Excalibur King of War had never taken even one step out of Mysonna, the place where he was supposed to be guarding.
On top of that, Mysonna was home to the legendary Northern Crimson Prison. It was a notorious place that imprisoned the foulest of criminals, including top killers and terrorists from all over the world.
A serial killer who had killed at least a small village’s worth of people would be locked up in a maximum-security prison elsewhere. However, a criminal of that magnitude was on the lowest rung of Northern Crimson Prison’s hierarchy.
But now the Excalibur King of War actually left Mysonna, and he brought his army along as well? What if a riot were to take place in his absence? Is he not worried about the possibility of an event like that occurring?
“Yes, sir!” The servant hung his head even lower. “Jazona is still on lockdown as we speak. Rumors have it that the Fang Dragon Guards have culled countless aristocrats.”
“Who else is there?” the old man asked coldly.
“The Thunder King of War’s lieutenant, Reaper. He leads an army of fifty thousand Eagle Dragon Guards. They, too, are locking the city down.”
The Thunder King of War? Kane Dunst? The old man had just picked up a new teacup, but the mention of Kane being involved in the matter made his hand shake. He dropped the second teacup, too.
The thunderous smash made the servant bow his head in fear, and his legs were shaking violently.
“I see. Three of the four Kings of War are there, then I assume the Vanquisher King of War is present as well?” the old man asked the servant coldly.
“Yes, sir. Zachary led a hundred thousand Divine Dragon Guards and wiped out all the families who have connections with the Turners. All in one night. The Turners are completely annihilated, and it’s all thanks to Zachary.”
I knew it. The old man was not surprised when he heard that Zachary rained down destruction on so many families. In fact, he was already numb to it. Since all his other comrades were there, it was a given that Zachary must be present. However, he was still wondering why all Kings of War were in Jazona. Are they really there just to punish the Turners and their affiliated families? To show Jazona their strength?
The Turner family was the strongest out of the four prominent families in Jazona, but they were nothing in front of the Vanquisher King of War’s strength. So why were all four kings summoned? The Turner family is nothing to them.
“Listen and listen well. Cut off all connections with Jazona, and warn everyone in the family to never step into Jazona. At the very least, never to step into that city for the next three years. If anyone breaks this rule, they shall be met with the most agonizing punishment.”
It took the old man an instant to decide that he’d cut off his family’s ties to Jazona. Even though they had been setting up the perfect stage for their rise in Jazona and planted countless pawns, it was for nothing.
It was obvious that all the Kings of War rained down that wave of destruction at the behest of Asura. The old man was smart enough to see through that, or he wouldn’t have been capable of leading the Goldsteins.
“Yes, sir!” The servant got his orders and got up. However, before he left the room, he skidded to a halt and turned his head around. “What about the Turners?”
“They brought this fate unto themselves. They have only themselves to blame for this.” The old man’s face fell. If looks could freeze, the whole room would have turned into a freezer. The servant shivered. “They crossed Asura himself. That is no different than signing a death warrant. Asura could have destroyed us easily as well if we tried to cross him, let alone the Turners.”
