The tall city walls were covered with bloodstains and broken arrows and spears, both sides overshadowed by massive siege towers.

Hundreds of guards concealed their fear with war cries as they climbed the siege tower's steps rapidly, rushing onto the wall.

What awaited them were vampire vines, taller than a person, fed on three days' worth of blood.

Those arm-thick vines flailed like octopus tentacles, brutally scraping chunks of hairy flesh wherever they landed.

Soldiers were either thrown off the wall or drained of blood, leaving only withered bones to fall to the ground.

Soon, the hundreds of guards retreated from the walls en masse, while a wave of driven peasants cried out as they continued climbing the siege tower toward the walls.

The alternating assaults by peasant soldiers and guards were meant to exhaust Witch Catherine's magic power.

Constant spellcasting could cause significant mental strain on the witch, potentially leading to a state of frenzy.

This was a desperate strategy adopted based on the advice of the Demon Hunter advisor.

After all, Witch Catherine's spells were astounding—capable of not only nurturing plants but also controlling them, in vast numbers.

In front of the vampire vines, even an Imperial Knight could easily fall victim if careless on the battlefield.

Moreover, Catherine, who had undergone training, could cast spells from a great distance, making it difficult for the Church's suppressing Divine Art to reach her.

The Demon Hunter had attempted assassination, but the witch was now heavily protected by the Kush Black Riders and Black Snake Bay Wizards; sending any more would lead to more deaths.

Not only was it ineffective, but it also almost prompted Mitney to uproot all the informants within the city.

After that great fire, the city of Rapids miraculously held on for about a week, defying all expectations.

If it weren't for the witch inside the city, they probably would have captured it already.

What was going on with the Thousand River Valley Church? How come there were so many witches hidden in Thousand River Valley?

One witch Jeanne appeared in the east, another witch Catherine in the west.

It's known that the probability of a witch being born is one in a million, and reaching adulthood is one in ten million.

Black Snake Bay gathered witches from across the entire Empire, yet still had barely ten active witches.

How could it be that in the important area of the Thousand River Valley Church, one of the main revenue sources, so many witches appeared—is this reasonable?

With complaints against Constans at heart, Arman led the Church army's high-ranking officials back from the front lines.

Dismounting, the group walked between chaotic tents and temporary blacksmith shops, where they saw peasant women balancing buckets and pots on their heads, along with patrolling soldiers.

Wherever Arman and his entourage passed, those soldiers and peasants had to cautiously step aside and bow their heads, even if balancing a bucket on their heads, they couldn't afford the slightest delay.

"Lord Arman, Lord Arman." But at this moment, a scruffy-bearded middle-aged knight bursted out from the side, blocking Arman's path.

"Who?"

"Get out of the way, peasant!"

Two halberds immediately thrust forward, positioned at the middle-aged knight's throat, pushing him back two steps.

"Who are you?" Pressing on the shoulders of the two knights, Arman looked up and down at this poor knight dressed in rough hemp lining, "Tells me your family background, knight."

"I'm Desai from the Talan Clan." The knight stood straight under the sharp stares of those around him, delivering a standard noble salute, "Hired by Sir Banifus."

His bow was a bit too exaggerated, revealing a small hole in the waist of his linen-blend shirt, causing the attendants and knights around him to snicker.

They all knew clearly, this was a knight so impoverished that he had been forced to become a Hired Knight.

He indeed had some nerve, actually daring to intercept Arman.

Standing upright, the knight named Desai continued to speak unabashedly, "Your Excellency, there is an issue with the logistical supply potion. After drinking it, it causes varying degrees of cyanosis."

The so-called cyanosis, one of the Empire doctors' rare medical findings, manifested as the skin on the face and palms turning dark purple, a result of "excessive black bile."

"Cyanosis?" Arman first froze, then asked with curiosity, "In such a long and intense siege battle, isn't cyanosis quite normal?"

We're so close to capturing the city; endure it a little longer. Afterward, I'll let you plunder freely."

These Extraordinary Knights typically consumed potions every two days, with quite high blood potion concentrations, and with the added stress of intense use of the breathing technique, cyanosis easily occurs.

"Your Excellency, it's not just a matter of plundering. The onset of symptoms is too rapid. It's harder to notice on darker-skinned people, but even slightly lighter-skinned..."

"Enough." Count Koma said impatiently, "A little cyanosis scares you? Lord Arman is busy and doesn't have time to chat with you?"

Arman held back Koma, kindly speaking to Desai, "We are about to attend a military meeting. Can you follow up on this issue with Count Koma? I'll occasionally inquire for updates."

Desai glanced at the arrogant Count Koma, his doubts evident to all, yet he still made way.

Arman did not blame him for the rude obstruction, and since he was so gracious in offering a solution, Arman couldn't push his luck.

"My tent is over there." Count Koma pointed reluctantly at a tent adorned with a blue-green crest, "If you wish to find me, speak to the attendants. As long as I'm there, they'll let you in."

With these words, Count Koma jogged to catch up with Arman, heading towards the Central Army Camp.

However, after a few steps, he turned around and carefully looked at Desai in the distance before continuing toward the camp.

As the tent flap was lifted, the mix of spices, grease, rot, and the scent of heather, topped with a foot odor, overwhelmed them.

Even Arman couldn't help but pinch his nose, a look of his eyes being stung showing on his face.

Inside the camp, several tables were arranged with nobles chattering around, discussing women and wine.

The carpet was strewn with leftover chicken bones from yesterday, and though the tables had been wiped, they were still greasy and stained with wine, even blurring the map.

In the entire tent, only Arman's solitary chair remained clean.

"I shall first change my clothes." Arman told the assembled nobles, "Once I return, we shall commence the military meeting."

Seeing Arman going with his attendant to change clothes, Count Koma glanced around, noticing that hardly anyone paid him any attention.

He then carried a robe decorated with a Golden Cross, shrinking his body and slipping behind the table to where Countess Marika was.

"Lady Marika, just outside, a knight named Desai seemed to have discovered something about the potions, should we..."

Count Koma was well aware of what Desai was referring to.

For this battle, Arman and Banifus spared no expense, emptying nearly half the warehouses of the Thousand River Valley District to bring in a massive supply of potions.

Including Khan's potions, spider potions, dragon-resistant potions, among many others made from the meat of magical beasts, they were exceedingly precious.

Thus, Koma, in charge of logistics, discussed with Lady Marika, thinking that since the war would drag on, consuming more potions was normal.

At most, when checked, they could just pour some wine in to dilute it.

Then Koma conferred with a few nobles responsible for this area, writing notes to let them send subordinates to take out several batches, splitting the profits.

The problem arose because Koma, wanting to keep it secret, spoke individually and cryptically with each noble.

This led each noble to believe only they were involved, thinking taking a bit more wouldn't matter.

Thus, the outcome was the potions being taken out thrice the expected amount.

The warehouse workers were afraid to speak up, thinking they acted independently, only Knight Desai sensed something amiss.

By the time the money came in, Count Koma was shocked to realize how much more there was.

When Koma took the potions for testing, he found their concentration was less than half of the original.

The knights' cyanosis symptoms were due to drinking poor-quality diluted potions.

"Desai of the Talan Clan?" In the hopeful eyes of Koma, Countess Marika wiped her thick fingers on a handkerchief, "He's related to the new Archbishop Xie Li, don't touch him."

"Then what should we do? Should we demote him to the lowest squad leader?"

"No, promote him and transfer him to manage a company, giving him more battlefield opportunities. Just keep him away from logistics." Lady Marika shook her greasy, plump head, her voice deep like a man's.

Desai, after all, was of noble birth, backed by the newly appointed Red-robed Archbishop Xie Li. Demoting him would only make him stubbornly seek the truth further.

If he became a cavalry company captain and was often on the battlefield, he wouldn't have time to investigate further, even Xie Li would struggle to argue.

"Alright, I'll go make the arrangements."

Just as Count Koma was about to leave, Marika called him back, staring intently at him: "Before we leave Rapids City, the accounts must be cleared. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I understand." Count Koma responded, sweating profusely.

Although both Koma and Marika were counts, his father was only a minor baron, whereas Marika hailed from the Oslar Clan.

The current Duke Oslar, Omes, was someone even the Old Pope respected, rumored even to consider Thorn Garden as the Oslar Clan's backyard.

The chance to clear the accounts might only come during the chaos of Rapids City being sacked.

Before that, one must be cautious.

"Lord Arman has returned, quickly take your seat!"

Count Koma immediately straightened himself from his anxious state, standing up properly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.