Our Family Has Fallen

"There's no denying that the enemy is powerful. They even know how to summon beasts from the wilderness and cast Sorcery Curses. We paid a heavy price under their assault, with over a dozen people dead and dozens more diseased."

At this, a fearful expression emerged on the faces of the soldiers. Indeed, once the adrenaline faded and they looked back, all that remained was fear, especially for those who had died once, been on the brink of death, and were then forcefully brought back. They had truly felt the light kiss of death.

After all, they were just rookies. If they had to go through all that again, they would probably be reluctant.

"But!"

Lance's tone became heavy, instantly capturing the soldiers' attention and snapping them out of their fear.

"We defeated those monsters! We killed the Witch from the wilderness! We successfully defended Hamlet! We successfully protected our families, friends, and comrades! They will be proud of you, and I will be proud of your brave fight!"

Lance nearly shouted these words, greatly relieving the pressure on the soldiers. The fear on their faces faded, replaced by an excited frenzy.

No one else could have this effect, but he could. He was the Lord of Hamlet. He had demonstrated miracle-like abilities, pulling people back from the brink of death. He had killed countless monsters. He had killed the Witch.

All these facts had built the steps to the throne for him. In the eyes of these soldiers, he was everything; his words were truth.

"My Lord, are you a god?" a soldier agonized over this. Though they all knew their Lord wasn't fond of the Church, the question was still asked.

In their worldview, only a god could possess such power.

"No, I am not some god; I am just a human like you. Gods have never cared about humans. Only humans care about the survival and development of humankind. Look, today's victory belongs to Hamlet, but more importantly, it is *your* victory! You fought against monsters to protect this land from the enemy."

This statement plunged them into deep thought. It wasn't difficult to understand.

The original inhabitants of Hamlet had been attacked by bandits, and the Church had fled. These refugees, driven along their way, had not seen the churches they worshipped for generations step forward to help them. It could be said that their faith in the Church had long since been shattered.

The one who cared for them, who was willing to save them, was their Lord. Now, they were fighting for Hamlet, for their Lord!

"Don't wait for some so-called god to save you; humans can only rely on themselves. The future is created by our own hands."

Lance's words resonated with everyone. However, in reality, there was a significant flaw in this notion. If it weren't for him, these people would definitely not have stood a chance against the monsters and would have met their end, surrounded and outnumbered.

The one who defeated the monsters was also a "monster."

But after much deliberation, Lance still decided against adopting religious rule. Doing so would indeed lead to fanatical worship among all the people of Hamlet. The problem was that this approach would also be a religious trap. Public thought would become stuck in an ideological cage, creating significant inertia. This would make it difficult for him to drive initiatives forward in the future. Moreover, no matter how things developed, religious wars with other churches would inevitably follow—a meaningless internal struggle. The true enemy of humanity had always been the Aberrant Demon. Lance was unwilling to regress into ignorance. To find a path to survival for humanity, he knew it was essential to enlighten the people. Development is the only unyielding principle.

Damn it! If only we had a tank battalion today, would those mushroom creatures dare to be so arrogant? We would steamroll right over them! Although talking about such things was premature, Lance had a dream.

The disaster struck Hamlet a heavy blow. People had indeed died right here, not to mention the soldiers who fell ill or the farms burned to the ground. Even though the grain was saved, all of this left the people of Hamlet in a state of panic.

Luckily, Lance's influence was strong enough. Coupled with the soldiers' support for their Lord, there were no significant upheavals. However, a lack of security was indeed their true state of mind. Even active cultivation had become sluggish, as they feared some monster might emerge from the wilderness.

Faced with this situation, after only a short rest, Lance summoned Reynard and the others.

"Whether it's to find a cure for those soldiers or to completely eradicate the threat from the wilderness, the only way now is to venture deep into the wilderness and annihilate the Witch hiding within."

Lance stated the objective of the expedition; his meaning was clear.

"William, you need to stay and maintain order in the town. Paracelsus, you stay and work on curing those soldiers. Barton, you stay and manage the army, ensuring the safety of the town and the surrounding farms."

All those present were assigned tasks, so naturally, those not mentioned would be accompanying him into the wilderness.

"Reynard, Dismas, Balistan, do you three have any issues?"

"My Lord's command is my direction."

"It's time to let those bastards taste what it's like to be ambushed."

"I'm not so old that I can't move."

The three affirmed their readiness, and Lance immediately confirmed the mission—[Kill the Witch]!

Lance gave them time to prepare but pulled Paracelsus aside.

"I'll tell you this: I support your research on disease and the human body. There are far too many unforgivable criminals in this world, and I don't mind you using them as subjects for your experiments. But don't lay a hand on my soldiers, and don't harm our own people. They are not your test subjects. I'll only say this once: this is my bottom line, and it should be yours too."

"I know." Paracelsus wasn't foolish enough to misunderstand. After all, only Lance could provide such favorable conditions for him, not to mention having encountered so many peculiar and interesting research subjects in just a few days.

Lance arranged matters swiftly and set off that very night, without even taking time to rest.

For now, victory means a significant weakening of the enemy. Shouldn't we seize this moment rather than give the enemy time to react and rally?

"Wang Cai," Lance called.

The creature came bounding out from the house, excitedly darting back and forth, its legs twitching as if it couldn't wait to leap away. To think that when it returned earlier, it had been like a dead dog, not wanting to move. Yet, it had bounced back so quickly. With such vigor, it seemed as if it would never tire.

Seeing Wang Cai's lively behavior, Lance reached out and affectionately ruffled his fur, his own stress easing as a result. Stroking the wolf's head, he thought mockingly, Even this dog has it easier than me. Damn it! I came here to be an exploiter, so how did I end up being the one exploited? Old Ancestor, you truly are heinous!

Turning to Wang Cai, Lance declared, "When you see that old thing, make sure to bite him hard, you understand?"

Wang Cai was smart but couldn't grasp the meaning of his words. He just approached, tongue outstretched, ready to lick. For Wang Cai, it was simple: licking solved everything!

"Silly dog," Lance said, pushing its face away with a look of disgust.

Dismas and Balistan were bachelors and could set off after simple preparations. Reynard, however, had a wife and children at home.

"You're leaving again?" his wife asked, her expression tinged with worry. She had been terrified that day but was relieved when her husband returned safely. Yet he had barely settled down before he hurriedly came home to inform her of another mission. How could she not feel conflicted?

Reynard stiffened at her words, then comforted her, "This time, the Lord himself is leading the team. I'll be fine. You'll be safe at home."

"I know. Don't worry about things at home. Just take care of yourself."

The woman didn't say much, only helping him don his armor, choosing to silently support her husband.

His wife's support made Reynard sigh in relief. His weariness seemed to vanish, and his determination grew even stronger.

For myself, and for the hundreds of families like ours, I must exterminate these Aberrant Demons and keep all enemies at bay!

A carriage waited outside. Reynard, clad in new armor and holding his Longsword, stepped out of his home, visibly bolstered.

Is this the power of family?

"Let's move out," Lance said, wasting no words. Amidst the rumbling of wheels, they reached the edge of the settlement and then plunged straight into the wilderness.