OBS Chapter 655 Deserve it
Chapter 655 Deserve it
"What? The entire army was wiped out?"
Inside Yoda's headquarters, Aten asked the Yoda soldiers below.
The soldiers below trembled violently, their knees scraping against the stone slabs of the ground with a faint sound.
"That's certainly true, Commander."
The soldier responded in a hoarse voice.
"The leader of the Midland Eagles sent me with a message: in exchange for the three hundred captured brothers and the military advisor Dester, thirty carts of pure, unadulterated grain must be delivered. He said that if the deadline is exceeded, or if there is a problem with the grain, they will kill the hostages."
No sooner had the soldier finished speaking than the military advisors in Heldran behind the tent could no longer remain silent.
One of the older advisors was the first to stand up. The cuffs of his uniform were worn with fine frayed edges, clearly a sign of years of battlefield experience.
"Commander Atun, this matter cannot be delayed."
“Dest is a military advisor sent by our country, representing the face of Heldran, and those three hundred soldiers are Yoda’s vital forces. Thirty carts of grain are the most basic contribution to the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the lives of hundreds of people. Please consider the overall situation and agree to their conditions immediately.”
The consultant's words hit the nail on the head, but Adon simply waved his hand impatiently. "You're exaggerating."
Adon's tone was flippant.
“Defeat is defeat. It only shows that Dester is incompetent. My soldiers, Yoda’s men, are all worth ten men each. He was a poor commander and got captured. Why should I give up thirty carts of grain to save an incompetent man?”
These words instantly ignited suppressed anger in the Heldran military advisors.
They clearly needed 5,000 soldiers, but you only gave them 2,000, and they went without saying a word.
After being defeated and captured, instead of rescuing them, you blame others?
Since you won't listen to reason, don't blame us for being ruthless.
The consultant who spoke first stepped forward again:
“Commander-in-Chief, if you insist on not agreeing, we will have no choice but to report to His Majesty the King immediately. We will also explain the situation truthfully, including your refusal to allocate five thousand troops as requested by Dest, your unauthorized reduction of supplies, and the serious consequences of your refusal to provide rescue. You will be fully responsible for all diplomatic disputes or other losses caused by your decisions.”
When Adon heard the word "report," he visibly paused for a moment.
He knew that his side was at a disadvantage in the cooperation between Yoda and Heldran, and if they were held accountable, he would probably lose his position as commander.
But he still felt resentful, and an absurd thought surfaced in his mind:
They laced the thirty carts of grain with poison, and after the members of the Hawk's Band ate it, they all died from the poison. This way, they could both get back the prisoners and eliminate this force of the Midlanders—a win-win situation.
But then he thought, if the poison were discovered, the Band of the Hawk would definitely kill him immediately. Not only would he not be able to save him, but he would also be branded as someone who poisoned his negotiating opponent, and the Heldran royal family would certainly not let him off the hook.
Moreover, the captured soldiers might also consume this batch of food before the handover, and if they were poisoned along with it, the losses would only be greater.
This seemingly "perfect" plan was actually full of flaws, but Adon did not realize his own foolishness. He only felt that the timing was wrong and had no choice but to give up.
"Okay, I agree."
Adon said through gritted teeth, as if he had made a huge concession.
"Someone, immediately send an envoy to the Hawk Band and tell them that I have agreed to the terms. Let them choose a day for the handover."
After receiving the order, the messenger quickly walked out of the tent.
The Heldran military advisors exchanged glances, said nothing more, and silently returned to their positions.
They knew that Atton's agreement was not based on a correct assessment of the situation, but was merely a forced compromise.
A week later, inside a room in a mountain castle.
Dester sat at a simple wooden table, clutching a bowl of soup tightly in his hands and weeping loudly. The soup sloshed slightly, and a few drops fell from the rim of the bowl onto the table.
After his capture, Griffith assigned him this room, which contained a wooden bed and a wooden table. Although not luxurious, it was enough to keep out the wind and keep him warm at night.
“Mr. Dester, please stop crying. You’re no good anyway.”
Rickett stood by the table, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, speaking at a steady pace. He had been sent by Griffith to look after Durst, fearing that he might become emotionally agitated and take drastic measures.
“We haven’t made things difficult for you. We deliver meals to you on time every day. You haven’t been cold or hungry, so there’s no need for you to keep crying.”
Dester's shoulders continued to tremble, his head lowered slightly, and his voice was clearly choked with emotion:
"How can I not cry? I was the first military advisor of Heldran to be captured in the war between Midland and Yoda. How can I face anyone after this!"
Rickett didn't try to persuade him anymore; he just stood there watching him cry for a while and then drank a couple of sips of soup.
After a moment, the door was pushed open, the door panel hitting the frame with a slight sound, and Griffith walked in.
"Mr. Destin, you can go now."
Griffith's voice was clear.
"Commander Atun has agreed to the agreement with me, and the handover will take place at the border pass at noon tomorrow."
"Adon?"
The name made Dester's shoulders stop twitching instantly.
He suddenly raised his head, still holding the bowl in both hands, but his body was now straight, and his choked voice stopped abruptly.
How could he forget that bastard? It was because of Adon's actions that he ended up in this situation.
Dester put down the bowl of soup, the bottom of the bowl hitting the table with a dull thud.
He didn't look at Griffith, nor did he say anything; he turned and walked toward the door.
He walked quickly without stopping, passing through the castle corridors, descending the steep stone steps, and arriving at the foot of the mountain.
Yoda's army's carriages were already waiting there. When the coachman saw Dester approaching, he immediately got out of the carriage and pulled back the curtain.
Dester bent down and climbed into the carriage, then sat down and made no further moves.
After the carriage stopped, Dester got out first and then saw a group of Heldran military advisors waiting at the entrance of the headquarters.
They immediately surrounded him, some offering clean towels, others bringing water jugs filled with warm water, and still others inquiring about his diet and living conditions during his captivity, showering him with words of concern.
Adon stood at the entrance of the central command tent, not far from the crowd.
He looked at Dester, who was surrounded by advisors, and said:
"I didn't expect to come back alive. The Midlanders are treating me quite well. But then again, after losing a battle, to be treated so well, they must have been recruited."
After he finished speaking, several generals who wanted to curry favor with Atton echoed him with a few words or stood aside and chuckled awkwardly.
Dester's body visibly stiffened. He stopped talking to the advisors, slowly turned around, and walked towards Adon.
He first sighed softly, exhaling from the corner of his mouth, then walked steadily towards Adon step by step without the slightest hesitation.
Upon seeing this, the Heldran military advisors stopped talking and followed a few steps behind Dester without stepping forward to stop him.
As Adon saw Dester walking towards him, he continued:
"What, you've got some nerve, huh? You really think you're someone important? I am..."
Dester walked up to Adon, stopped, raised his hands, brought his palms to his mouth, and gently breathed out a few breaths of warm air.
Then, he suddenly raised his right arm, fully extended, his palm clenched, the muscle lines clearly visible, and with great force, slapped Adon hard across the cheek.
"Snapped!"
The crisp, loud slap echoed at the camp gate, drowning out all other sounds.
The slap sent Adon staggering three steps to the left, his feet leaving two shallow marks on the ground before he finally regained his footing.
His cheek instantly swelled up, and a clear palm print immediately appeared.
The laughter around him stopped abruptly. General Yoda's smile froze, and his hands instinctively tightened around the weapon at his waist, but no one dared to step forward easily.
The Heldran military advisors also stopped in their tracks, their eyes fixed on Aten and Dester, without making any move.
Adon covered his swollen cheek, pressing his left hand tightly against the painful spot, and said:
"You, you actually dare to attack the Imperial Commander!"
"Fuck your commander! You stupid pig, you call yourself a commander!"
Dester stepped forward, reached out his right hand, grabbed Adon by the collar, and yanked him up.
Dester's voice was loud and clear, carrying throughout the entire camp gate, so that everyone around could hear it clearly:
"Years ago, I was chasing after your father, Adam, during the Great Patriotic War. Who gave you the audacity to speak so sarcastically to me!"
His words were so powerful that they made the ears of those around him tingle slightly.
Adon's body began to tremble. The grip on his collar made it difficult for him to breathe, and his face turned bright red, which, combined with the swelling on his cheeks, made him look even more disheveled.
Then Dester released his grip on Adon's collar, and Adon swayed, stumbled after landing on his feet, and fell to the ground with a thud.
However, Dest was not going to let him go. He pulled a flintlock pistol from a leather sheath at his waist and pressed the muzzle against Adon's forehead.
"You fucking die!"