Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 474 - 235: Revenge!

Moon Star was hidden, and the dim sky lacked any light; a mournful night breeze carried screams of death. At the magnificent top level of the Palace of Wind, lonely wind chimes sounded their melancholic tunes. The curtains of the Three Gods fluttered in the wind, shielding the murals of the Divine Eagle and the Hummingbird, both being simultaneously concealed, turning into the dust of history. In the clear light of the candle, there stood a silently imposing figure in front of the window, speechless like a frozen painting.

The Chief Minister of Tarasco, Jinjinni, alone, with hands behind his back, gazed at the battleground outside the palace.

In just over half a year, his hair had turned entirely white, his face had deeply aged... only his eyes, still as profound as distant stars, heavy as massive mountains. He watched the widespread blaze across the Capital City as if watching the last fireworks; watching the fierce combat beneath the palace, he felt a serene finality in his heart.

Shortly after, two guards, faces grim, came running. Not far behind them followed a dozen warriors of the House of Hummingbird, most somberly walking with bowed heads. From a distance, the guards called out loudly.

"Chief, Warrior Captain Puap requests an audience! He says there’s urgent intelligence to report!"

Jinjinni turned around, his gaze calm as he looked inside the palace. In this grand Palace of Wind, not many guards remained on duty. Most warriors were engaged in a desperate battle at the front gate, a few guarded the rear exits. Only a handful were left by his side. Of course, even if a thousand more warriors were present, the outcome of this night had already been sealed.

The dozen Hummingbird warriors soon entered the palace, everyone’s armor stained with blood, expressions pale and heavy. Puap quietly surveyed, his gaze meeting that of the Chief. It was still as sharp as an eagle’s, as if capable of piercing the heart. The Huitu warrior, feeling guilty, lowered his head, a trace of panic evident on his face.

"Puap, what are you doing here?"

The Chief’s words were calm and profound.

"I... I have urgent intelligence!"

Somehow, faced with the Chief’s calmness, fear surged again in the heart of the Huitu warrior, even though the other was unarmed.

"...Speak."

The deep voice hinted at age and exhaustion.

"...Chief, I... I am sorry!..."

Puap raised his head, looking at the aged Chief, at that tired face, and suddenly tears of genuine emotion flowed, his face full of remorse. This was the Family Head he had loyally served for over twenty years.

"Chief... someone opened the secret door of South City, let the Mexica people into the city... I... I lost the gate of South City..."

"Who?!"

Finally, a deep anger arose in the Chief’s words, like the roar of an aged beast.

"I... I..."

Faced with the interrogation of the Family Head, Puap’s knees weakened, and he "thud" fell to the ground. He cried bitterly, explaining from the depth of his heart. Every word was true, every emotion genuine.

"The defending army’s morale is lost... There was no light at night... It was chaotic at that moment... Nepal... he... he died in battle right before my eyes... I am sorry for him! I am sorry, Chief!... Oh..."

Low sobs sounded, Jinjinni did not speak. He watched Puap lying on the ground, crying, and after a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"Little Nepal... Ah, little Huitu, get up! At this moment, punishing you has no meaning."

Jinjinni sighed, uncharacteristically saying much. In that fragile moment, he seemed just like an ordinary old man.

"Little Huitu, I have no one left to trust... Your arrival with these few men is timely, I’ll give you one last task to carry out!"

"Chief?..."

Puap immediately stopped crying. He stood up, cautiously watching Jinjinni, still showing a trace of fear on his face.

Outside the window, the noise of shouting and the whistling arrows nailing on the palace building, making a "thud thud" muffled sound, intensified. The Chief of the Hummingbirds nodded his head, raising his voice.

"Guards! Bring Prince Shatini over, and also the prepared goods."

Three more guards entered the palace from outside. One of them held the hand of a child about seven or eight years old, who was crying. The other guards carried several solid bamboo baskets.

"Puap, I am giving you one final task. Take advantage of the chaos, and lead Prince Shatini out of the city!"

Chief Jinjinni motioned, and Puap stepped forward. Then, the Chief passed the child’s hand into the hands of the Huitu warrior.

"Little Huitu, the other princes of the Predecessor Monarch, I have already arranged for warriors to escort them away. Shatini is the youngest, and his birth was most unusual. His mother is a Tekos, his maternal grandfather a Great Chief of the Colima Mountain Region. According to the law of the Kingdom, his right to succession originally was the least..."

Having said this, Jinjinni sighed softly, his expression becoming resolute again.

"Puap, I entrust Shatini to you. From now on, his life is your life! Remember, although he is not the eldest, he is the prince with the highest promise for restoring the kingdom! The Capital City is about to fall, without the army of the Capital City, it will be difficult for regional commanders to obey a young lord, and they might surrender to the Mexica people one by one...

Take him to Colima! His blood carries the lineage of both the Royal Family of the Divine Eagle and the Noble Chiefs of the Tekos. The Great Chief of Colima is ambitious, always seeking an alliance through marriage with the Royal Family... He will see Shatini as the perfect heir, enabling the maximum inheritance of the kingdom’s legacy after its fall! This is the last hope..."

"I have suppressed the Tekos all my life, unwilling to let them peer into the kingdom, that is why I kept Shatini till the last... Your appearance, perhaps it’s the will of the Three Gods... Take this Jade Talisman of the Chief Minister, leave through the north gate! Arranged boats are at the northern lake... Also, take these bamboo baskets, they contain gems, gold and silver, jade artifacts, feathers... and a wooden board of inheritance. Lastly..."