Chapter 166 : Chapter 166

Chapter 166. The Current State of Storm City

Eli ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍arrived at the drill ground and found Buck, who was busily arranging the soldiers’ assembly. He handed over the longsword in his hand.

“Buck, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍this is for you.”

Buck ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍accepted the longsword in confusion. It felt slightly heavy in his hand. He subconsciously gripped the hilt and gently drew it out by an inch or so.

In ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍an instant, a cold gleam like moonlight, yet containing a sharp edge, entered his eyes.

Near ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the guard of the blade, fine mithril patterns like fragments of starlight could faintly be seen.

With ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his keen perception as a Gold Tier knight, he immediately sensed that this sword was extraordinary. The power and sharpness contained within it far surpassed any weapon he had ever used before.

“This… Lord! This is too precious!” Buck instantly reacted. This was probably a mithril weapon forged by Master Glenn.

He abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. The hand holding the sword even trembled slightly.

For a knight, this gift was far too heavy.

Looking at his dazed appearance, Eli smiled. Before Buck could say anything else to refuse or thank him, he patted Buck’s shoulder.

“Take it. A good sword suits a hero. Hurry and prepare. I will go back and rest for a while first.”

After saying this, without waiting for Buck’s response, Eli turned and quickly left the drill ground, leaving Buck alone holding that longsword, his heart surging so violently that he could not calm down for a long time.

After returning to his room, the fatigue brought by continuous travel and council discussions surged up. Eli lay down fully clothed, intending to take a short nap.

No one knew how long had passed before Buck’s steady and respectful voice came from outside the door.

“Lord, the troops have finished assembling. We can set out.”

Eli was woken. He sat up and shook his somewhat muddled head, driving away his sleepiness.

“Mm. Let us set out.” He rose and straightened his clothes, then pushed open the door. “Are Sir Berry and his men ready?”

Buck nodded. “Mm. The Winterbourne Family’s vanguard and our men have all fully prepared. We can depart at any time.”

“Good. We go to Lucerne.”

……

At the same time, far away inside Storm City, deep in the southwestern hinterland of the Western Frontier, it was an entirely different scene.

General Iman sat triumphantly in the main seat of the grand hall in Storm City’s central lord’s residence.

It was a high-backed chair carved with golden lion patterns and adorned in extravagant splendor.

His thick fingers smugly stroked his dense red beard as he looked around this great hall, which was many times more luxurious and magnificent than the lord’s residence in Kael City.

“Hahaha, General Iman, this palace in Storm City, this grandeur, is practically comparable to the legendary Divine Forge Palace of our Hofgard!”

Beside him, an officer wearing a ferocious horned helmet and possessing an equally burly build, Hammer, grinned as he laughed.

Like Thorne, Storm City was an important city that the La Roche Family had managed for centuries.

Its successive lords were mostly members of the La Roche Family or great nobles closely connected to them.

Naturally, no expense had been spared in building the city lord’s residence to the height of luxury.

Its scale and grandeur did not even lose to La Roche Fortress in Thorne City.

When Iman heard this ignorant praise from his subordinate, he gave a dissatisfied snort.

He raised his iron-gloved fist and knocked Hammer’s helmet, producing a loud clang.

“Hammer, you fool! Is your head really made of iron?”

Iman cursed, but there was no real anger on his face. Instead, he carried the superiority of a possessor.

“Although this place is not bad, how can it compare to Hofgard’s Divine Forge Palace, which towers atop the mountains

and is blessed by the great God of Forging? That is the true land of glory!”

Hammer somewhat aggrievedly straightened his helmet, which had been knocked askew.

Looking at General Iman, who had almost sunk into the soft cushion of the chair and was grinning so broadly his teeth showed, he secretly complained in his heart.

General, are you not sitting there quite happily too?

But he did not dare refute him aloud.

“Has Storm City been stabilized?” Only after enjoying the comfort of the throne for a while did Iman remember proper business.

“Yes, General. I was just about to report to you.” Hammer hurriedly answered.

“Anyone in the city who dared resist or express dissatisfaction has been dealt with according to the old rules.

Storm City’s four main gates have also been handed over to several of our most trusted captains.

Uh… except…” He hesitated for a moment.

“There are still some Wanliu people left behind by Paul. They have hidden themselves like rats in a gutter, and we have not cleaned them out completely for now.”

When he heard the names “Wanliu” and “Paul,” Iman’s face instantly darkened again.

Another fist came down with a bang against Hammer’s helmet. This time, the force was even heavier.

“You fool! Why did you insist on killing that fool Paul in front of everyone back then?!” Iman growled angrily.

“In the end, he was still the heir of the Botticelli Family, one of Wanliu’s Six-Crown Families! His father-in-law is also Wanliu’s current Marshal!

You stabbed him straight through in front of so many people. Could you not have handled it quietly?

Now everyone knows! What are the people of the other federations supposed to think? How are we supposed to return to the Federation?!”

Hammer once again straightened his helmet with grievance, his voice lowering as he muttered in defense.

“But General… I saw how furious you were at the time, cursing Paul to his face.

I thought you wanted to establish authority publicly… And that Paul really did deserve to die. He insulted you so much, General…”

His voice grew lower and lower. Clearly, he also understood that he had made a major mistake.

At that time, killing Paul in public on impulse had indeed felt satisfying.

But it had brought enormous trouble to Iman and the Hofgard forces under him, practically cutting off their path of retreat back to the Federation Alliance.

After all, among the Federation’s top nobles, there was an unspoken rule that no matter how fiercely they fought, the loser still had to be granted the dignity belonging to a noble afterward.

Iman waved his hand irritably, as though chasing away flies.

“Enough! Things have already come to this. There is no use saying this now! Let it be!”

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and asked, “Have the messengers to the various cities all been sent out? Tell them to abandon their strongholds and immediately come to Storm City to rendezvous!”

“Yes, my lord. Everything was arranged according to your instructions. We sent the fastest horses and the cleverest people,” Hammer quickly reported.

“Mm, not bad.” Iman’s expression eased slightly. He leaned back against the chair again and returned to his triumphant bearing.

“Go. Bring me the best wine in Storm City’s cellars, as well as the most delicious food! I want to enjoy myself properly!”

“Yes, General!” As though granted amnesty, Hammer hurriedly turned and ran off to make arrangements.

……

One day later, Eli led Obsidian Territory’s five hundred elites and the Winterbourne Family’s five hundred vanguard troops and finally arrived at Lucerne City.

Bol, the captain of the defenders on the city wall, had sharp eyes. He saw the white-haired lord at the front of the group at a glance and immediately shouted excitedly.

“Quick! Open the gate! The lord is here!”

The heavy city gate slowly opened. Eli rode at the very front, leading the troops into Lucerne City.

Bol hurriedly ran down from the gate tower to welcome him. When he saw the nearly one-thousand-man force behind Eli, all in bright armor, an expression of surprise appeared on his face.

“Lord!” After saluting, Bol could not help asking,

“Why did you bring so many people back? Are we… going to war?”

“Mm. I will explain the specific situation to you later.” Eli did not exchange too many pleasantries and directly issued orders.

“Bol, immediately send people to bring these soldiers I have brought to your drill ground first, so they can rest and settle down.

Then immediately organize manpower and find a sufficiently large open space in the outskirts of the city. Clear it out as quickly as possible. It will be of great use later.”

Although Bol was full of questions, he saw Eli’s solemn expression and knew this was an important matter. He did not dare ask more and immediately accepted the order.

“Yes, Lord!”

He turned and called the soldiers under him, dispersing the curious citizens who had gathered while guiding the large force Eli had brought toward the city’s drill ground.

“Aika,” Eli instructed the Chief Intelligence Administrator beside him.

“Follow Bol and assist him in completing the task. Ensure that the clearing work is finished as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Lord.” Aika accepted the order and followed Bol’s group.

Eli then brought Captain Buck and several personal guards along the neatly paved stone road at the center of Lucerne City, galloping toward the lord’s residence at the center of the city.

His gaze swept across both sides of the street. The streets were clean and orderly. All kinds of shops stood in rows, and cries of vendors rose and fell.

Most of the pedestrians’ faces also carried the peaceful expressions of people living and working in contentment. It was truly a scene of prosperity.

“Brandon has done quite well.” Eli secretly nodded in his heart, quite satisfied with this old soldier’s governing ability.

Very quickly, the group arrived before the lord’s residence.

Brandon, who had received Bol’s report, had also hurried over and arrived at the entrance at just the right time.

However, when Eli and Buck clearly saw Brandon before them, both could not help freezing.

Eli reined in his horse and asked hesitantly, “Brandon?”

Captain Buck behind him was even more direct, blurting out in surprise,

“Brandon?! You… what is going on with you? Where did you dye your hair?”

They saw that Brandon’s originally almost entirely white hair

had now actually recovered into a thick dark-brown color. Only a few barely noticeable silver strands remained at his temples.

The wrinkles on his face also seemed to have relaxed considerably. His whole person was vigorous, ruddy-faced, and looked as though he had become twenty years younger.

He no longer looked like the weathered, aged, and exhausted man from before at all.

Looking at Eli and Buck’s surprised expressions, Brandon could not help laughing cheerfully as he stepped forward and respectfully helped Eli dismount.

“It is me, Lord. Hahaha…” Brandon laughed heartily and looked toward Buck.

“Captain Buck, listen to you. I only benefited from our lord’s grace and used a little… special hair dye.

Let us go inside before we explain in detail. What kind of conduct is it to stand at the entrance?”

Eli suppressed the shock in his heart and nodded. He handed the reins to the servant who came forward and stepped into the familiar lord’s residence.

Brandon and Captain Buck, whose face was still full of curiosity, chatted and laughed as they closely followed behind Eli.