Chapter 200: Acknowledging and Facing the Greatness of Mr. Aji De

Chapter 200: Acknowledging and Facing the Greatness of Mr. Aji De

Qiao Yifang froze at the sound. Instinctively, he turned toward the commotion and saw a group of workers excitedly pulling up a virtual screen on the internet, their faces alight with shock.

At the same time, the fierce sounds of gunfire and artillery erupted from the virtual screen.

Had he not grown accustomed to the internet earlier, Qiao Yifang might have mistaken this moment for the war itself descending upon his city.

"It's huge! Let me see!"

"What’s going on? What’s happening?"

The workers erupted into chaos—some frantically accessing the internet, others squeezing forward to get a better look.

"Our Ting-01 fleet has breached the Aufanton Line, rescuing captured soldiers and launching an offensive deep into Farlay Dynasty territory!"

One worker loudly read out the breaking news notification.

Simultaneously, the soldier who had first spotted the news quickly enlarged the virtual screen.

Countless workers craned their necks to watch.

It was a video.

In the footage, countless airships painted with menacing insignias burst through thick clouds, hovering over a vast battlefield riddled with trenches, before deploying strange steam-powered vehicles.

As the camera switched angles, the view zoomed in on steam tanks descending like divine weapons, crashing onto the battlefield before roaring forward.

They plowed through sandbags, crushed trenches beneath their treads, and unleashed relentless barrages from rapid-fire cannons. With each cut of the footage, Huo Lai soldiers' strongholds were blasted into clouds of dust.

"Boom…"

"Boom…"

Amid the thunderous explosions, an impassioned narrator’s voice rang out:

"At 3 p.m. yesterday, under the command of Mr. Aji De, our Ting-01 fleet, in coordination with tank divisions, penetrated deep into the Aufanton Line. Not only did they break through the defenses and rescue tens of thousands of captured soldiers, but they also launched an offensive into Farlay Dynasty territory!"

As the stirring narration continued, the short video ended with a shot of soldiers from the Empire of Infer, clad in the uniforms of the former imperial army, advancing atop tanks into Huo Lai territory.

The video concluded.

The factory fell into dead silence.

Countless workers stood slack-jawed, staring at the visually overwhelming war scenes.

Then, deafening cheers and whistles erupted at the factory gates.

"We’ve won!"

"Hahaha! Long live the Empire of Infer!"

Workers roared in celebration, their shouts mingling with curses, howls of triumph, and unrestrained expressions of relief.

Then, someone—no one knew who—shouted, "Aji De!"

The crowd instantly picked up the chant, and soon, the name spread like wildfire.

"Aji De! Aji De! Aji De!"

The cheers echoed through the factory, then across the entire Empire of Infer.

The jubilant uproar even reached the makeshift surveillance center set up in a stable.

"What’s that noise?"

"What’s happening?"

Inside the foul-smelling stable, several remnants of the former royal family rose to their feet in confusion, straining their ears to make out the distant cheers.

"Hmph, need you ask? It must be that damned Aji De using the internet to bewitch the masses again! Just wait until the Huo Lai people arrive—let’s see what expression they’ll wear then!"

In the morning, the trending news headlines featured Marquis Maletz, who lay weakly and exhausted on a pile of hay, yet still couldn’t resist cursing and sneering.

Since his capture the night before, he had barely slept a wink. Subjected to the Empire of Infer’s brutal interrogation, not only had his essence blood been drained, but he had also been injected with a special drug to prevent escape, leaving him limp and feeble, almost like a cripple.

"Exactly! Damn this Internet, only reporting victories and hiding defeats! The Aufanton Line has already fallen, yet not a single word in the news—all they talk about is this triumph or that greatness. Utterly ridiculous!"

A young noble with a tall, slender frame and a handsome face that even dishevelment couldn’t conceal smirked coldly.

Hearing this, Marquis Maletz seized the moment to rally morale.

"Everyone, remember this—the Internet God is nothing but a greater evil god! The Empire of Infer has been bewitched by him. Once the mighty Primordial Gods’ armies storm the capital and hang these blasphemers, we will surely reclaim the glory that belongs to us! Do not let temporary suffering lead you to betray the Empire or the great Primordial Gods!"

"Agreed!"

The nobles in the stable, as if injected with adrenaline, murmured in agreement.

Faced with the subversion of the Empire of Infer, the remnants of the Empire were naturally unwilling to surrender their vast interests. But their resistance over the past days had achieved little. Worse, every act of defiance only cost them more losses.

It was then that the Huo Lai people secretly reached out to them, and a plan to ally with their greatest enemy and strike back was born—almost effortlessly.

Though they were now captured, hope still lingered in their hearts.

The Huo Lai had already breached the Aufanton Line. In just a few days, they would march into the capital. Then, to fully conquer the Empire of Infer, the Huo Lai would surely need their help.

At that moment, they would surely find salvation in their darkest hour.

At worst, they could cede some territory to the Huo Lai or become their vassal state. No matter the outcome, they would still be nobles. By lying low for a few years, there was still a chance they might reclaim their lost lands.

"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."

Before long, the sound of footsteps approached.

Marquis Maletz and the others shuddered, exchanging uneasy glances. They knew someone among them was about to be taken for interrogation again.

Just the thought of the demonic figures’ interrogation methods made these pampered nobles tremble in fear.

"Tap!"

The footsteps stopped outside the stable door.

The nobles looked up and froze in shock.

The newcomer was an old man dressed in a black tailcoat, wearing a gentleman's hat, and holding a gold-inlaid cane.

Such attire was almost unthinkable among the rebels who preached workers' empowerment.

But what truly stunned them wasn’t the old man’s outfit—it was his identity.

He was none other than Lord Godberch!

"Your Highness, Lord Godberch? You... you..." Marquis Maletz struggled to his feet despite his aching body, his face a mask of astonishment.

He was shocked—how had Lord Godberch appeared here?

And even more shocked that he stood unharmed, impeccably dressed.

"Marquis Maletz, surrender. Order all your men to lay down their arms. We’ve already negotiated with Sir Pinjikeyi—they will retain your noble titles and recognize all your private assets except for the factories."

Lord Godberch removed his gentleman's hat, revealing his snow-white hair, his face etched with bitterness.

"W-what? Your Highness, you… you…"

Marquis Maletz stood frozen, disbelief written across his face.

It had to be understood—Lord Godberch was a quintessential member of the Empire of Infer’s royal family, a figure of imperial bloodline.

The Empire of Infer and the Farlay Dynasty were sworn enemies.

And among the resistance, he had been one of the staunchest.

Yet now, he had suddenly stepped forward, urging surrender. How could this be believed?

Marquis Maletz even suspected that the man before him might be some kind of flesh-and-blood demonic impostor!

"You… you can’t be Lord Godberch! Lord Godberch would never betray the royal family!"

Before Marquis Maletz could speak, a young noble beside him suddenly roared.

"Yargo, do you still have the single-barreled shotgun I gifted you at your coming-of-age ceremony? You were an excellent marksman. You shouldn’t die in the Empire of Infer’s civil strife. You still have a bright future ahead."

The moment Lord Godberch spoke, the young noble was utterly stunned.

Lord Godberch sighed, and a virtual screen silently materialized before him. "Don’t hold onto hope for the Huo Lai people. Their main forces have already been halted at Clifford Lake. Their annihilation is only a matter of time."

"The Empire of Infer… has also breached the Aufanton Line. Now, our armies have pushed deep into Huo Lai territory, even capturing the city of Sali. The fall of the Farlay Dynasty is inevitable. The Empire of Infer… lost to no shame."

"What did you say?" The young noble Yargo wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Marquis Maletz, meanwhile, stared at Lord Godberch with the vacant look of a senile old man.

"I haven’t gone senile. This is frontline battle footage. You need to see the truth for yourselves."

Lord Godberch turned the virtual screen toward Marquis Maletz and the others.

On the screen played footage of Tan-04 tank units engaging the Huo Lai’s main forces, followed by the Ting-01 fleet supporting the tanks and overwhelming the Aufanton Line.

The video was long.

Unlike the edited highlights of propaganda reels, this footage was raw and unflinching.

By the time it finished playing, Marquis Maletz had completely collapsed, falling to the ground like a lifeless corpse, his spirit utterly broken.

"This can’t be… this can’t be… The steam divine patterns have failed. They shouldn’t be able to power the steam cars…"

Young noble Yargo still refused to accept reality, muttering to himself.

"Nothing is impossible! The steam divine patterns may have failed, but have the factories of the capital stopped running? Have their weapons failed?"

"Accept reality, child. We must acknowledge Sir Alweed’s influence and recognize his greatness. Submit to this ordained fate. You’re still young. You still have a future ahead! Cease this futile resistance. After all… are we not still people of the Empire of Infer?"

Lord Godberch’s words shattered the last of Yargo’s mental defenses.

At last, the indistinct cheers from the stone path grew louder!

In that moment, the name "Awaide" surged like a towering wave that blotted out the sun, utterly drowning his Courage and resolve!