The generals were solemn.
Each one focused intently, eyes fixed on the eight human reinforcements, fists clenched.
In the recording, the militiamen didn't share this solemnity. They were cheering 'Long live the Human Justice Alliance' and 'By the Light of God,' clapping enthusiastically, and warmly welcoming the long-awaited reinforcements. Although only a few people came, they represented hope, the attention of the rear, and the human spirit of never abandoning each other in times of need.
"Boss, we have reinforcements!" they could hear Stanley's voice excitedly saying, "We have reinforcements!"
"They will surely reward us. God, I didn't change into new clothes today!" Lopek quickly bent down to wipe the mud off his boots and then took a comb to straighten his hair. Many elite students were tidying up their swords, ready to draw them in pledge of loyalty during the reward ceremony.
The Grand Marshal and the generals watching this scene felt their hearts bleeding. They almost wanted to stand up and warn them to be careful.
The reinforcements didn't bring awards or rescue.
They brought betrayal and assassination...
"Long live the Human Justice Alliance, long live!" Stanley rushed out, raising his arms and shouting, triggering a wave of cheers, pushing Rody forward, eager to see his boss receive recognition from the rear. His actions reflected everyone's sentiments.
"Long live! Sergeant Rody, long live!" the militiamen cheered, thinking that soon they might address him as Staff Sergeant, Second Lieutenant, or even Lieutenant.
A wave of applause erupted, and numerous faces glowed with excitement.
Amid the cheers and welcoming corridor formed by the militiamen, the eight reinforcements approached Rody. The leader, clad in silver armor and wearing a full helmet, stepped forward and raised his hand for silence. Everyone quickly quieted down, holding their breath, eager to hear how this officer would praise Sergeant Rody and them.
The generals, men of iron, almost couldn’t bear to watch what was about to unfold.
The next moment, a sword pierced through Rody's chest...
The most shameful, most despicable, and most heartbreaking betrayal of humanity was about to unfold, and despite deep hatred and revulsion, they were unable to stop it.
The Grand Marshal's fists were clenched tightly, his gaze sharp, trying to see through the silver helmet to identify the spy, as if trying to penetrate the conspiracy and see who had orchestrated it.
The command room was deathly silent, even Chief of Staff Gonzales, who was most resistant to Felic, trembled his lips, as if to caution Rody.
"The historical moment, I want this historical moment to be recorded! My God, I am witnessing the birth of a great moment! Everyone, come and see, this is our hero, Sergeant Rody! I can't wait to cheer for him!" Maru's soft commentary filled the command room with men of steel, who couldn't help but have tears brimming in their eyes.
When people thought the Alliance had brought them honor, awards, hope, and rescue, the reality was the exact opposite.
The reinforcements brought a betrayal more painful than a nightmare and assassination.
General Quentin saw his son's excited face, unable to imagine how he would face the most severe blow in a moment. He had five sons, four of them stand tall and proud, only this youngest one had always been pampered by his mother, making Quentin uneasy. Finally, when he achieved some success, what awaited him was a fatal blow.
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"Are you Rody?" the leading silver-armored swordsman asked seriously.
"I am Rody, a logistic sergeant under the command of General Lot in the Ninth Squadron of the Temple Knights..." In an instant, before Rody could finish, a silver sword pierced through his chest like lightning. The generals could clearly see the pain, shock, surprise, confusion, and the sadness that emerged on Rody's face in a flash!
Yes, that was sadness.
Every general, including the Grand Marshal, could feel something that made their souls cry.
In Rody's face as he fell, they saw a faint smile. That was like the last fragrance of a flower before it withered; like the last glow of the sunset before it fell... Although it was indeed a smile, the generals could see and feel that it was a laugh sadder than crying, more painful than loud weeping.
Perhaps a young man as wise as Rody might have known early on that he was destined to be a sacrifice of betrayal.
But he had no chance to resist, it was his fate.
He was smiling at his fate and the betrayal of humanity...
Blood splattered in the air, a shocking crimson, blossoming into blood flowers in the sky. In that moment, not only Rody's heart, not only the hearts of the militiamen and elite students, but even the generals in the command room felt as if their hearts were pierced by a sword, experiencing indescribable pain!
Hearts shattered!
Everyone could clearly see the expressions on each person's face, the shock and disbelief, the despair and fear, reflected on every face.
All the militiamen had raised their hands, originally prepared to cheer and applaud.
But after that one sword thrust, they could only stare dumbfounded, at a loss. In an instant, they were all stupefied!
"By the order of the Human Justice Alliance, Logistic Sergeant Rody is charged with war crimes, desertion, and treason, and is to be immediately executed by military law. At the same time, it is announced that we will take over the logistics..." Before the silver-armored swordsman could finish, Stanley furiously lunged at him, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, "Fuck you, you son of a bitch!"
"Drop your weapons now, and you can be pardoned; otherwise, you all will face military trial!" The silver-armored swordsman, well-prepared, released a burst of fighting energy and sent Stanley flying back, brandishing his sword and shouting sternly.
"Kill them!" Rody's handsome assistant darted out, screaming in a high pitch amidst everyone's panic, "Avenge Rody!"
"Kill..." The elite students regained their senses. Everyone, too hurried to draw their weapons, leaped forward.
The generals felt darkness before their eyes as the recording stopped.
Clearly, Maru had also joined the fight, abandoning the filming.
The next scene appeared only a few seconds later, but the generals knew it was after the battle had ended. The dreadful scene they saw made everyone's eyes blaze with anger. All the elite students stood bloodied. They were wounded all over, receiving first aid from the militiamen. Among them, a few had even lost arms.
The militiamen wept bitterly, the mercenaries sobbed loudly, but the elite students stood firm, each with tears streaming down their faces.
But none of them wailed or hung their heads in defeat.
In their midst, the handsome assistant helped Rody sit up. He was not dead yet; he was still smiling.
"It's okay, everyone, don't cry... As long as I'm alive, I'll lead everyone out of the forest... cough... as long as I'm alive..." Rody's face was pale, his breath weak, but the light in his eyes was still there, a resilient life force flickering in the depths.
"What did we do wrong? You son of a bitch, what did we do wrong?" Stanley's tearful roar questioned the heavens.
This question brought tears to the generals' eyes.
As old soldiers, they could empathize with Stanley's feelings more than anyone. They understood the heartache of such betrayal! The generals wept, unable to hold back their tears. Even the strong-willed General Quentin shed tears.
Two young generals began to sob, releasing the bitterness in their hearts.
The Grand Marshal didn't cry, not a single tear fell, but the corners of his lips were stained with blood from biting down so hard on his teeth. Nothing was more painful or shameful than witnessing betrayal and assassination with his own eyes. If he could have prevented it, he would have torn those conspirators' spies to pieces, but now, all he could do was sit in the command room, witnessing the event unfold.
"Why? Why do our knights in the rear, who watch us fight desperately, treat us this way?" Jesse cried out in agony.
"Not a single scar from an orc axe on my body, yet it was humans who cut off my arm! Mother, how I wish it was an orc berserker who did it!" Kaili knelt on the ground, extending his remaining right hand, shouting to the heavens, "You sent me to the battlefield, telling me that dying in battle would be your honor, your pride! You said that sacrificing for humanity was glorious, but look, mother... why? Why?"
"My son." General Quentin extended his hand, wanting to stroke Kaili's head, to make up for the many years of missing fatherhood.
Only now did he realize that his youngest son, Kaili, far exceeded his expectations.
He understood his son's cries, his son's pain... The assassin's sword didn't just pierce Rody's body; it also pierced his son's heart, and the heart of this old soldier.
He, as a father, empathized deeply.
Kaili lost his left hand, and it didn't pain him, but seeing his son's tears, his heart clenched and anger boiled within him.
"No matter whether anyone sees this record in the future, I must say, we are not deserters, not war criminals, we didn’t betray; we are heroes of humanity. Here, everyone is!" Rody, gasping for breath and coughing blood, said, "Whether it's the six hundred militiamen, the mercenaries led by Captain Maru, the griffin knights who followed us, or the bloodthirsty cavalry elite students intent on killing the enemy, we are all humanity's heroes, recognized or not... I am Logistic Sergeant Rody, and I want to say to all who see this record in the future, as long as I have life, as long as I can live, then I will lead them to victory, one after another! We are the rising sun of the East, nothing in this world can stop us, this is our era..."
"This is our era!" everyone shouted in unison, their voices filled with sorrow.
"Long live Rody!" Chris stood up, raised his fist, and screamed, tears streaming down his face.
"Long live..."
The shouts came not only from the militiamen and elite students in the recording but also from the generals in the command room, the first to roar furiously was the Grand Marshal, who had been gritting his teeth in endurance.