Chapter 601: As Long As I Kneel Fast Enough!
The pale-faced Tigris calmly recounted the Cole Elf army's experiences on the battlefield.
He also explained his orders and arrangements to all the council members.
He sat down silently, awaiting their judgment.
Councilor Kaledor felt immensely relieved, grateful he hadn't participated in the battle and thus bore no responsibility.
Of course, such thinking was fundamentally "wrong."
When the leadership of a race, faction, or kingdom focuses only on shirking responsibility, they are already "wrong."
Interestingly, after hearing Tigris's detailed account, the councilors began discussing.
But they didn't focus on the issues Tigris had painstakingly explained.
They cared nothing for Bay Territory's uniqueness, its soldiers' and army's combat prowess, or its strong production capacity and special weaponry.
They simply didn't care!
They only cared about picking apart Tigris's mistakes!
"Utterly foolish. The soldiers' lives should have been the priority! The resources and opportunities you cared for would eventually be ours!"
"Exactly, you gambled soldiers' lives for your selfish ambition!"
"You disgust me! Were the soldiers mere stepping stones to your success? They are our kin, not cannon fodder!"
"Tens of thousands dead, nearly 200,000 captured—an unprecedented humiliation and defeat since our founding!"
"Your greatest mistake was not putting our people's lives first!"
"How could you betray the trust our people placed in you?!"
"..."
The councilors unleashed scathing, impassioned accusations, relentlessly attacking Tigris.
These long-lived, experienced Cole councilors found every possible angle to condemn him.
Watching their righteous outrage, the expressionless Tigris felt waves of helplessness.
If they genuinely cared for the soldiers' loss, he might have been comforted.
But he remembered clearly—they had approached him days ago.
As long as he bore the blame and didn't reveal the truth—that they had abandoned captives to save nobles and spellcasters—
And instead spun it as "his reckless ambition," the public could be appeased.
If he played his part in the "I was wrong" act, he'd be lifted up and let down gently.
He could escape the fallout of the defeat and continue leading troops.
A small price for great rewards!
After a moment's hesitation, Tigris agreed.
He had sacrificed too much for his position and wouldn't lose it over one war.
He yearned for revenge against Bay Territory and Ail Elves, to wash away his humiliation and avenge the fallen.
Moreover, he noticed the council's alarming indifference toward Bay Territory.
Anxiously, he realized he couldn't relinquish his power.
If even he gave up, no one could stop Bay Territory's rise.
He also sensed that many council decrees were full of contradictions.
And more unsettling—shouldn't the priority be rescuing the captured Cole Elf warriors?
With their strength, they should have had ample means to rescue them.
Yet the council treated it as if those captives had perished, ignoring the issue entirely.
This neglect reminded Tigris of Aicharn's parting words:
"They've long since fallen into corruption. I don't know if you have too, but I hope you wake up in time..."
"Don't become the monsters we once overthrew."
"With the gods' return, the Cole Elf Kingdom is losing control."
"We must find anything that can save the Cole Elves."
"Let that darkness never return!"
Initially, Tigris thought it was mere alarmism.
But after reflecting, he realized something was very wrong.
At some point—
The Cole Elf Kingdom became unrecognizable.
Maintaining power through violence and murder.
Dividing citizens by birth and profession.
Segmenting society through connections and class.
Replacing peace with greed and lust.
It was frighteningly familiar—
Like the tyrannical regime their founders had once overthrown.
At first, none of them—not even Tigris—felt anything amiss.
But now, he realized something terrible had already infected the kingdom.
The infiltration was deep and silent.
By the time they realized, it was too late for an easy fix.
Changing the system now would be unimaginably difficult.
As the rebukes gradually faded, Tigris met countless complicated gazes and heard the deafening cries outside. He felt utterly powerless.
Raising his head, ignoring the glaring councilors, ignoring the mana-surging Speaker, ignoring the faintly glowing statues—he spoke from the heart:
"I plead guilty!"
Outside, waves of cheers erupted.
The Cole Elves celebrated as if they had won a great victory.
No one noticed the grieving Cole Elves mourning their dead, silently weeping.
Aicharn sorrowfully withdrew his hand from the beautifully carved railing depicting the founding of the Cole Elf Kingdom.
He quickly composed himself, turning to cloaked figures nearby, smiling and nodding:
"Of course, we will continue supporting the Shadow Council."
The Shadow Council members beamed with excitement.
Aicharn's gaze darkened momentarily, recalling a deadly ruin, though he outwardly remained calm, casually adding:
"However, I want to prioritize dealing with the human Bay Territory—their threat is growing."
"Contact those two churches; order them to focus their forces against Bay Territory."
"The Wajin pirates are ready too—they'll cooperate in the assault."
Hess, gripping a gleaming greatsword, rasped:
"We will arrange it. Bay Territory is our common enemy, and rescuing our kin is a shared mission."
"But you must behave—no more forbidden zone incursions."
"Or else..."
Aicharn, whose secret had been exposed, showed no fear, only shrugging nonchalantly.
He acted more like a carefree human rogue than a noble elf, placing a hand on his chest and replying:
"Understood, Sword Saint!"
Hess, unfazed by Aicharn's cheek, gave him one last deep look and left.
Only when the oppressive aura faded did Aicharn sigh, rubbing his forehead:
"The road ahead is long and arduous!"
Bay Territory.
Bay City.
Underground laboratory.
Matthew, unaware of the Cole Elf Kingdom's internal shifts, continued his surgeries in silence.
He precisely manipulated time magic, repeatedly resetting and restoring the bodies of experimental subjects while Annie carried out procedures.
The Cole Elf screamed in agony, struggling with all his might.
Yet his body was no longer under his control—only pain remained, tightly binding him.
It was punishment—retribution for his sins!
Ten minutes passed—or perhaps an eternity.
The searing pain slowly faded.
The sharp agony ebbed like a retreating tide, leaving behind a stinging soreness.
The muffled groans filled the otherwise silent chamber.
Every Cole Elf remained awake, listening to the agonized cries, living in constant fear.
Eiris opened his eyes dazedly, feeling his body gradually recover.
He painfully blinked.
The remnants of nightmEiris in his mind offered slight warmth before the cruel reality sharpened.
The surrounding emerald-green transparent liquid continued to supply his body with energy.
The chains binding his limbs and neck still emitted dazzling adamantine light.
Compared to the Cole Elves around him who could only "float upright" without any bodily control,
Eiris's treatment was slightly better; he could move freely within a certain range.
However, Eiris dared not make any rash moves, nor even think about escape.
Precisely because he could move, he was able to clearly observe the entire "surgical experiment" process on the operating table.
The familiar scenes made his scalp tingle.
Watching Annie cleaning the operating table filled him with a soul-piercing terror.
He was wrong!
So utterly wrong!
Rumors were far from the worst agony—there existed pains far more dreadful.
Unfortunately, it was too late now.
He remained silent, for his voice could not escape the confinement chamber.
Nor did he feign a desire for dialogue—he only saw cold data and indifferent analysis in her gaze.
It felt as if his skin and muscles had been penetrated, his inner structure observed with excruciating detail.
Just one glance wrapped his heart in indescribable terror.
He couldn't help but recall his training as a shadow warrior, bitterly smiling inside.
Compared to this, that training was practically a vacation...
Eiris forced himself to observe the experiments, striving to memorize every modification made to the Cole Elves.
He vaguely sensed that Bay Territory's purpose was not mere torture.
The heavily altered Cole Elves gave him a distinct feeling of Bay Territory's special warriors.
However, the unimaginable pain made him doubt—could the Cole Elves really endure this without breaking?
The answer surprised him—their potential and endurance exceeded all expectations.
Aside from some who remained unchanged, trapped in eternal comas and agony,
The rest—their height increased by nearly a third, their bones almost doubled in thickness, and their bodies stretched to skeletal frames or covered in writhing muscles—still lived.
Eiris was certain: these poor souls would rather die than endure such torment.
Yet his keen observation skills soon noticed a pattern.
Annie's skill improved rapidly with practice.
Initially grotesque, her surgical results became increasingly "reasonable."
Yes, reasonable!
The robust, vigorous Cole Elves now matched their original proportions.
The only difference: they had undergone "Giantification," boosting their size and strength.
Now, after Annie's modifications, deaths and deformities had almost ceased.
This showed Annie was mastering this "technique," which terrified Eiris.
Because it meant such dreadful power could be taught.
Worse yet, Matthew had entrusted this precious technique without reservation to an Ail Elf.
Eiris foresaw that, in time, Bay Territory and the Ail Elves would have armies of these modified warriors.
Having witnessed their power firsthand, he began worrying for ordinary Cole soldiers.
But his worries were premature!
Sudden silence jolted Eiris awake.
He struggled to lift his head, meeting Annie's "expectant" gaze.
Eiris, who wouldn't flinch under axe or arrow, immediately knelt and shouted:
"I swear by my soul to forever serve Bay Territory!"
"I am willing to undergo True Dragon's blood baptism and become a loyal servant of the Great Lord!"
Hearing this, Annie instinctively turned toward Yaya.
Yaya, frowning over a spell model, instantly appeared beside Eiris's cage, her bright eyes curiously examining him:
"We know your past—you were once a 'hero.'"
"Thus, we will not force you—Bay Territory never forces anyone."
"A twisted melon quenches thirst but isn't desirable—we are not that desperate."
"Tell us your reasons—if convincing, we will consider it."