From Secret Clan to the Divine Dynasty

In the streets of a Rhea city, where the once bustling crowds had become sparse and silent, people walked quickly with their heads down, their eyes reflecting confusion and fear. Many sought a harbor they could rely on, yet they didn't know where that harbor could be found.

Perhaps, there never was such a harbor to speak of.

Under the weight of collapse, there is no escape for anyone. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

For the cities that had just surrendered, the pace of life for its Rhea inhabitants was completely disrupted. Their once familiar streets, shops, and markets were now enveloped in an oppressive atmosphere.

The shadow of war had not dissipated but had grown even more substantial. The arrival of the Cyart people, the new rulers, filled them with uncertainty and doubt.

The Cyart people were, beyond doubt, synonyms for savagery, brutality, and evil... at least in the hearts of the Rhea people.

So the people began to worry, to suffer, to despair.

Some even chose to end their lives in despair upon hearing that the "Blood Flames King" had died in battle and the Cyart people had invaded.

The Fischer family led the Cyart people here.

Regardless of whether the Rhea people were willing.

After the Cyart people took over one city after another in the southern part of Rhea, they showed an attitude completely different from previous invaders. Instead of immediate widespread looting and oppression, they adopted a more moderate and rational approach to governance.

The reason for this was that through an internal vote within the Fischer family, the management of the conquered regions was entrusted to Christine rather than Darren.

In the eyes of the rational and cold-hearted Christine, hatred was merely a concept that could be harnessed and, in the face of interests, still needed to yield. The interests of the Fischer family were everything!

To stabilize the people's hearts, Christine implemented a series of measures. First, she ensured basic order and safety within the cities by dispatching troops to patrol and prevent looting and violence.

They also actively sent out intelligence organizations to continuously search for and suppress the opposition while greatly encouraging supporters of the Cyart people, further dividing the Rhea people internally.

For those who obeyed the administration, Christine was seen as a benign and generous ruler, even better than the original Rhea nobles. She not only refrained from rampant looting but also abolished many miscellaneous taxes.

But for the resistors, Christine's intelligence organization was undoubtedly an evil nightmare, omniscient and always ruthless, secretly executing many Rhea people.

As for how people viewed her... Christine didn't really care much about that. The most important thing was still the interests of the Fischer family.

——

In the city square now ruled by the Cyart people, the intense sunlight shone down, and the towering buildings around cast long shadows. At the center of the square, on a hastily constructed platform, several elegantly dressed Cyart nobles sat with serious and sharp gazes.

Suddenly, the clamor of swift footsteps broke the quiet of the square as a squad of Cyart soldiers escorted a disheveled, panicked Cyart officer into the plaza.

This officer had taken his pleasure with Rhea female civilians without permission, facing severe charges for a serious breach of military discipline, causing great outrage. Now his face was etched with fear and dissatisfaction.

"I am an Extraordinary Exponent! I serve the noble Fischer family, my father is a viscount, I am a Cyart person, you cannot treat me like this!" he bellowed out desperately.

"Let me go! I just had fun with a Rhea beast, and you treat me like this! When it was time to fight, I was always at the forefront, you swine, are you even Cyart people? You damned traitors!"

As the officer was pushed beneath the platform, the whole square fell into a brief silence, with all eyes focused on the scene.

After a brief exchange among the seated Cyart nobles, one of the viscounts stood up, and his voice, amplified by the sound system, resonated across the entire square, each word striking every Cyart and Rhea person's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Citizens and soldiers of Cyart, today we publicly deal with a Cyart officer who has violated military discipline, as a warning to remind everyone that, regardless of their status, they will receive equal treatment before Her Majesty the Queen's laws."

His tone was firm and authoritative, showing no sign of faltering.

"Let me go! I want to see Lord Christine and Lord Darren! I have meritorious deeds and honor, you swine don't deserve to judge me!" the detained officer continued to yell, but no one paid any attention.

A few Cyart nobles sneered; today, the event was actually under the silent observation of subordinates of Lord Christine. If they showed even the slightest favoritism, they too would be punished.

Duke Darren might turn a blind eye, but for Lord Christine, rules were of utmost importance.

An enforcer stepped forward, and following Cyart law, administered a terrible punishment to the officer with a swift and precise method—flogging.

Throughout the ordeal, the officer clenched his teeth, trying not to make a sound, but his pain and regret were vividly etched on his face.

After the punishment ended, the soldiers helped the officer up, and he staggered away from the square, while the surrounding civilians and soldiers fell into deep thought.

The Cyart people demonstrated the strict justice of the law to everyone in this manner and conveyed a strong message—in the cities governed by them, order and rules reigned supreme, and any act of challenging this principle would be met with due punishment.

After this scene ended, the square returned to its usual tranquility, but a new atmosphere seemed to permeate the air—an atmosphere of deeper reverence for the rules and greater respect for order.

——

The person kneeling on the ground was a granddaughter of Flamme, the "Blood Flames King," with a beautiful countenance. Once sought after by countless aspiring young noble men, she now lay prostrate beside the hooves of horses, trembling all over, as lowly as an ant, not daring to utter an extra word.

"I accept your surrender,"

Darren said calmly to himself, his gaze not even flickering towards the girl filled with fear, his eyes holding calmness, not pleasure anymore.

Over several months, he had seen city after city and conquered each one, having become completely accustomed to such situations.

Even the fact that this city before him was the Royal Capital of Rhea couldn't evoke in Darren any significant joy.

In the faint light of dawn, the procession of Cyart nobles slowly made their way through the grand yet slightly dilapidated gate of the enemy's Royal City, their steps steady and dignified, proclaiming the dawn of a new era belonging to the Fischer family.

Darren, clad in exquisite armor, wearing a helmet studded with gemstones, rode atop a magnificent and imposing warhorse, followed by a guard of elite soldiers.

The Rhea people lining the streets watched this scene with complex emotions in their eyes, filled with immense fear and despair.

Finally, the procession arrived in front of the Rhea Royal Palace.

This palace, once a symbol of power and glory, now appeared exceptionally tranquil and majestic in the morning light. The Cyart nobles lined up neatly in front of the palace, and then the prominent figure of Darren, in his splendid robe, slowly stepped forward.

At the front of the palace, he halted and looked around, then declared in a deep and powerful voice,

"I am Duke Darren Fischer of Cyart, representing my nation and my people, to accept the surrender of Rhea and all its nobles. From this day forward, we, the people of Cyart and Rhea alike, shall write a new chapter of history together, so that peace and prosperity may take root and flourish on this land."

Having spoken, Darren allowed the corner of his mouth to lift in a smile, careful to make it not too obvious.

True to his expectations, the faces of the Rhea nobles soured even more upon hearing such a hypocritical word as "peace"—exactly the effect he desired.

The Meyer family no longer had any value to speak of and could not flee anywhere. Their members' faces were etched with helplessness and submission, but even more with uncertainty about the future. With trembling hands, they held a scepter and the family crests symbolizing their surrender, bowing to Darren Fischer as a formal sign of capitulation.

The Meyer family, with a history spanning hundreds of years and one of the Ten Great Families of the East, thus completely yielded to their arch-enemy, the Fischer family.

Unquestionably, this would be a significant event in history!

Afterward, Darren, with a tolerant and calm gaze, led them all into the palace to begin a stifling banquet.

Even though the banquet was extremely oppressive, it still provided the Meyer family with some relief. It seemed the attitude of the Fischer family was still bearable... In the end, Darren ordered many black gift boxes to be brought out, enough for every member of the Meyer family present.

"What do these gift boxes mean?"

The people of the Meyer family were very surprised, not expecting to receive gifts. Was this demon of Cyart trying to buy them over?

"Gift boxes are for holding gifts, and gifts are for... commemoration."

He calmly opened the gift box in his hands, and a stench of blood immediately wafted out, containing the severed head of that female member of the Meyer family who had come out to surrender, the granddaughter of Flamme.

The members of the Meyer family collapsed on the spot.

"You demon of Cyart!"

"Fischer will surely go to Hell!"

"The Gods will curse you! You will not be proud forever!"

Darren shook his head slowly, looking at the people who were in despair and had collapsed, and spoke in a cruel and calm voice, "You should blame yourselves for your situation. If it weren't for your actions, which led to the early death of my grandfather, perhaps it would have been my father who came here. Considering his temper, maybe he wouldn't have made such a harsh move."

Gazing into their eyes, he finally felt the pleasure rising within him once more, his voice growing even more forceful.

"Pressing too hard without annihilating you completely was your greatest mistake."

"And I, do not wish to make the same mistake as you."

"Neither does Fischer."