Chapter 1020: Surrendering the City, Taking Over

Chapter 1020 -242: Surrendering the City, Taking Over

As one of the few cities in the world that can rival Constantinople and the two provinces of Suzhou and Hangzhou of the Eastern Dynasty,

Baghdad’s population may not be as exaggerated as the “million” mentioned by Machha, but if you include the nearby almost unified Tarsus, the difference from this number isn’t far off.

Such a gigantic city, or rather a city cluster, with the troops at Losa’s disposal, it would be no easy feat to incorporate it into the rule promptly.

The 6,000 troops of the vanguard entering the city are undoubtedly like a small stream flowing into the ocean.

If Losa wants to rely on garrison troops to stabilize the situation, he wouldn’t have the mobile forces to engage the Tatars in battle; just defending Baghdad and Tarsus alone would exhaust his troops.

Unless he is willing to emulate the tactics of the Tatars in history, raising the slaughter, turning this city known as a cultural treasure into a torch, slaughtering hundreds of thousands, and all hidden resistance would naturally vanish.

But that’s obviously impossible.

Therefore, cooperation with local people has become the only option.

Machha appeared humble: “Your Majesty, my presence before you is a decision made under the compromise of the influential heretics in the city; otherwise, I would already be hanging on the city wall for public display.”

“Did Sassanid King Bahram give you no instructions?”

If not, he thought he might really have to look at this so-called King of Kings differently.

“Ever since the Sassanid King withdrew all his Undead Army back to Tarsus, he has no control over the city anymore. However, I heard, the Sassanid King seemingly doesn’t want Baghdad to resist.”

Losa couldn’t help but frown; according to this, the Sassanid King isn’t such an important pawn.

He couldn’t help but recall the news from the Shadow of Darkness; perhaps the so-called treacherous minister, the great authority figure of the Sassanid Dynasty, Mustafa, is more pivotal.

“How many people want to surrender, and how many intend to resist stubbornly?”

“No one significant in the city wants to resist stubbornly, Your Majesty, the reason Baghdad hasn’t opened its gates is simply that they’re busy dividing the responsibilities they should bear.”

Losa nodded slightly, understanding Machha’s meaning; power transitions would inevitably result in loss of interests.

The people of Baghdad must carve out a share from their own for Losa and his troops’ appetites; too much, and it pains them, too little, and they fear angering this Frankish Emperor.

So, the question arises — is it possible to carve others’ share?

Or, if others carve a bit more, can they carve a bit less themselves?

“Tell the people of Baghdad, I don’t have much time to wait here for them to reach a conclusion; I offer them only one morning. Once it’s over, my Demon Dragon and army will attack on time.”

Compared to the Sassan Monarch, he was more concerned about the Tatars’ unchallenged capture of Hamadan and their movement down the Diyala River into Mesopotamia.

Machha returned.

The gates of Baghdad quickly reopened; the trembling civilians transported large quantities of bread, fine wine, and meat to the army to express goodwill and placate these brutal Frankish brutes.

This metropolis known for its wealth housed countless wealthy merchants and nobles.

Just like the nobles of Jerusalem, they usually didn’t stay in their territories but chose to reside in major cities like Baghdad, where endless wealth accumulated.

By noon, the gates remained closed.

Inside the grand tent, Losa finished a large pot of hand-grabbed lamb and drank a whole kettle of wine before saying, “It seems discussions inside the city are overly intense; we have to urge them along.”

The Three-headed Demon Dragon lounging on a sand dune was lazily basking in the sun.

The Baghdad people who came to honor the troops hadn’t forgotten to fill its stomach too; hundreds of slaughtered cattle and sheep went into its belly, along with its two “beloved wives” who enjoyed a hearty meal.

They usually never had such treatment, driven by Losa to hunt in the ocean themselves.

But suddenly, this boasting Demon Dragon seemed to have sparks ignited under its tail, abruptly rising up.

“Hey, why the hurry?”

The still a bit dumbfounded Fire Dragon Head looked at its excited “brother” beside it.

“The boss made a promise that if we complete this mission well, I’ll get a chance to visit the Crown of Frost.”

The Highly Poisonous Dragon Head fell in love with the Obsidian Dragon at the Crown of Frost at first sight; usually indifferent even to its two mate dragons, but seeing his brothers had mates, he couldn’t help but feel anxious himself.

The Fire Dragon Head felt somewhat helpless towards this brother: “We even have dragon eggs; you’re still obsessed with that stone lady.”

The Cursed Dragon Head sneered sarcastically: “That Obsidian Dragon clearly has high aspirations; if she chooses, she’d choose a great Dragon King like our boss, spare yourself.”

The Highly Poisonous Dragon Head felt rather dissatisfied: “Our brothers with real dragon genetics, aren’t inferior to the Dragon King’s bloodline, wait till I win the beauty over, you’ll covet then.”

Always lazy, it unexpectedly assumed control of the body and soared into the sky, flapping its wings.

Its gigantic dragon body, over a hundred meters, was slender compared to Losa’s True Dragon Body, but its open wings similarly exerted a terrifying pressure that blotted out the sun.

Three heads simultaneously opened their terrifying giant mouths filled with jagged white fangs, letting out deafening roars.

Roar——

The prolonged roar seemed to pierce everyone’s eardrums with thunderous dark shadows cast by its wings.

The still bickering Baghdad nobles seemed as if struck on the face, suddenly realizing their folly.

“It’s bad; the Frankish deadline has arrived!”

“You fools, do you wish to watch in despair as glorious Baghdad is obliterated by the Demon Dragon’s flames?”

“Bishop Machha, could you please represent us and plead for the Frankish Emperor to grant us a little more time?”

Machha, watching these usually lofty figures, with noses in the air now in lowly submission, couldn’t help but chuckle coldly: “His Majesty Losa’s will never easily wavers.”

“It’s bad; the Frankish deadline has arrived!”

“You fools, do you wish to watch in despair as glorious Baghdad is obliterated by the Demon Dragon’s flames?”

“Bishop Machha, could you please represent us and plead for the Frankish Emperor to grant us a little more time?”

Machha, watching these usually lofty figures, with noses in the air now in lowly submission, couldn’t help but chuckle coldly: “His Majesty Losa’s will never easily wavers.”

“It’s bad; the Frankish deadline has arrived!”

“You fools, do you wish to watch in despair as glorious Baghdad is obliterated by the Demon Dragon’s flames?”

“Bishop Machha, could you please represent us and plead for the Frankish Emperor to grant us a little more time?”

Machha, watching these usually lofty figures, with noses in the air now in lowly submission, couldn’t help but chuckle coldly: “His Majesty Losa’s will never easily wavers.”