A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 633 - Chapter 633 Chapter 470 The Battle of Royal City_1

Chapter 633: Chapter 470: The Battle of Royal City_1 Chapter 633: Chapter 470: The Battle of Royal City_1 Soon, after gathering soldiers centered around the First, Fourth and Fifth Legions, the combined army of the Tribunal and the Loyalist Army set off right away and headed towards the Royal City.

This time, unlike before, Hera didn’t stay with her personal guard. After all, she was now the Emperor, and although the news hadn’t spread, and only some top officials were aware of it, as the emperor of Herman, it was non-negociable to put Hera in danger again.

Hence, for now, Hera became like a student apprentice to Duanmu Huai – after all, there was no safer place than here.

Soon, with the activation of the Emperor-class Titan, the entire army started to advance towards the Royal City.

As expected, the Congress also made a response.

“They have dispatched a lot of soldiers.”

Duanmu Huai glanced at the image sent back by Valkyrie Artillery Ship. As their army set off, countless soldiers in golden armor appeared from the Royal City, blocking the streets and city gate. At the same time, a square-shaped glow emerged over the Royal City, creating a barrier that enveloped the entire inner city.

“It’s the Royal Family’s defense barrier.”

Even though Hera was a puppet Emperor, being the Emperor, she still knew some things and quickly began to explain to Duanmu Huai.

“I don’t understand the specifics, but I know that this barrier was left behind by the Holy Demon Sect to protect the core area. No one can break through this barrier. Once inside, their flesh and blood will be completely dissolved, leaving only bones and armor… Only Royal family members can open it. As currently stands, the one to activate it should be my… mother.”

As she spoke, Hera’s expression turned a bit gloomy. After all, she was talking about her own mother. But in reality, from childhood till now, that woman never treated Hera as her daughter. Even when Hera was imprisoned by Prime Minister Stith, her mother chose that man over her…

“So what you are saying is, even if we defeat them, we wouldn’t be able to enter the core area?”

Hearing Hera’s explanation, Duanmu Huai’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Is there any other way? Like a secret passage or anything?”

“Of course there is.”

“Then we have no problem.”

Duanmu Huai decisively snapped his fingers.

“First, we surround the entire royal city, then enter the royal palace through a secret passage. After that, you will disable the barrier, and then we will capture Prime Minister Stith and members of the Congress. Then, our work will be done smoothly. Any questions?”

“…No.”

“Hmm? You don’t seem too enthusiastic?”

Seeing Hera’s somewhat depressed expression, Duanmu Huai curiously looked at her. She just nodded.

“Yes, I actually have many regrets… If I had known something like this would happen, I should’ve gone public and revealed everything sooner…”

The reason Hera hadn’t spoken about it before was actually really simple. Initially, she couldn’t judge what kind of organization the Loyalist Army was. Although she was a canary locked in a cage, it didn’t mean she was foolish. What if the Loyalist Army or the Tribunal had ill intentions? Then, it would mean she jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

However, along the way, she observed how the Tribunal and the Loyalist Army were actually helping the people of the Herman Kingdom, hence her worries gradually diminished. Despite this though, she still couldn’t casually reveal her secret.

Until now.

“Regret is meaningless, especially for things that have already happened.”

Duanmu Huai glanced at Hera and shifted his gaze elsewhere.

“We have no idea what Stith is up to, or what he has in his possession. Our decisions are based on the information we have, leading us to our current results. This is already enough. Whether these results satisfy everyone is another matter.”

Duanmu Huai could understand Hera’s feelings. But in his eyes, regretting about an established reality is pointless. It’s just like if they had known earlier that Stith would slaughter everyone in the city in his madness, they would’ve directly attacked the Royal City instead of liberating the other regions first.

But the thing is, they didn’t know!

So, that’s that.

What else can be done about it?

Clearly not regretting, for the past can’t be changed. There’s no use regretting it. What’s left to do is to consider new strategies based on the current situation.

Would the ability to foresee the future prevent this?

Maybe.

But a completely different future might come about. It might even be worse than expected.

If they had foreseen the future and rushed to the Royal City, they might have been able to prevent the massacre in the city. But perhaps in the end, that Stith would escape and cause a huge catastrophe that would put the entire Herman Kingdom, or even the world, in jeopardy.

By then, one might start regretting that it would’ve been better if they hadn’t changed the future.

After all, the death of a city’s population and the death of an entire continent’s population are completely different matters.

That’s why, regretting is absolutely meaningless. Even if there was a chance to restart, it doesn’t mean you would obtain the ending you want.

So predicting the future is actually a really foolish thing to do. In Duanmu Huai’s view, it’s as if giving a free sandbox game an additional mandatory choice for the player.

If you didn’t have this option, you could would have been able to do anything as per your own thoughts and desires.

But once you were given a direction, the only options left to you are to either follow the future, obstruct it or ignore it… There are only these three choices.

“Don’t always think about taking shortcuts. What humans should do is do what humans ought to do. Do your duty and leave the rest to fate, and continue your duty regardless of destiny. Regretting irreversible circumstances is both foolish and meaningless. Right now, what we should do is to think about how to deal with it!”

“……….”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s words surprised Hera, but she quickly gathered herself and firmly nodded.

“I see, thank you for the reminder, Judge.”

“All right, we have reached our destination.”

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai looked ahead — where the city’s gate was clearly visible.

“Attack!”

Upon Duanmu Huai’s command, the battle… began just like that.

The Titan raised its arm, and the next moment, a blue plasma beam burst out, striking directly at the city gate. With a resounding explosion, the gate and the nearby walls were all destroyed. Then came the Riemann-Rust Tank Army and the Fourth Legion, charging in under the leadership of the Poison Sword Heavy Tanks.

The ground assault employs a type of infantry-tank coordinated operation, i.e., tanks providing cover for soldiers to carry out raids. Considering this is urban warfare, this strategy is rather suitable. Of course, this cooperative operation isn’t exactly modern, given that the soldiers aren’t carrying firearms but cold weapons. Only the mages stationed behind them somewhat resemble modern firepower regiments.

However, to Duanmu Huai, it’s not a problem. Who says close combat cannot coordinate with tank operations? Close combat is the bravest, most glorious, and proudest method of fighting. Unlike those damn Titanium Clan pantywaists wicked cowards who dared to only hide behind robots and snipe with guns, where’s the skill in that?

A bunch of waste! Cowards! Noseless fish-faced aliens! Freakish unemployed hobos with grotesque faces that have no reason to exist!

Duanmu Huai swore to himself, if he encounters those damn assholes who tout the path of righteousness in this world again, he would lead the Tribunal to obliterate all star systems tainted by these bastards, without leaving a single one intact.

But for now, just watch this battle at hand.

Before the overwhelming artillery of the Tribunal, those soldiers clad in golden armor showed no fear. Instead, they recklessly charged straight at the approaching army!!

Immediately after………

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

A series of explosions ensued, submerging these soldiers in a sea of flames. However, this did not deter those behind them. They continued to charge forward, through the smoke and past the corpses of their comrades, advancing toward the front.

Then………

“Boom, Boom, Boom!!!”

Another series of explosions, but this time, the explosion did not come from the armored troops.

“We’re under attack!”

Quickly, a somewhat agitated voice of Maria appeared in Duanmu Huai’s ear.

“What’s going on?”

“These soldiers seem to have some kind of special equipment, they explode!”

Well then, not only fearless soldiers, but also suicide bombers?

What a pain…….

Duanmu Huai furrowed his brows, immediately issuing a command.

“Contact Ann and Greiya, have them bring the magic units to provide as much cover fire as possible. And, capture a few alive!”

“Yes!”

Ann’s response was swift, but………

“We couldn’t capture any alive ones.”

Standing in front of Duanmu Huai, Ann looked helpless.

“Because they’re all dead!”

As Ann spoke, Greiya next to her held out an ice-encased soldier. Through the ice, they could clearly see a face that was shrivelled and decayed, like a mummy or a dried corpse — just as Ann said, it was not a living being at all.

“Have you figured out how they work?”

“Part of it.”

Hanna frowned, looking at the soldier in front of her with a bit of disgust.

“Based on our research, the enemy has implanted specially manufactured metals into the corpses, then used magic power to control them with limitations… Of course, it can also be considered a form of sorcerer technology… ”

“What’s the solution?”

“It’s hard, they only take limited commands and their brains are left with attack instincts. They don’t self-think, so the only way to kill them is to destroy their core…”

Speaking, Hanna took out a metal ball.

“This thing here, but it’s buried inside these soldier’s bodies, which makes it difficult to destroy.”

“So, someone used this thing to control these dead people? So, if we find this thing, can we lift the control?”

“Theoretically? Since it can be controlled, it should be possible to uncontrol it.”

“Good, I understand.”

Upon hearing Hanna’s response, Duanmu Huai nodded and then turned to Hera, who was standing by.

“Alright, Your Majesty, please lead the way.”