68: Chapter 68 Your Highness, please sign this emergency rescue service contract

Under the billboard, an orc in simple linen overalls was meticulously wiping mud spots off the gilded letters with a rag, as if it were a sacred ritual.

This absurd scene caused a slight commotion among the well-trained Royal Knights.

The sound of hooves slowed, and the palms of the knights gripping their spears began to sweat.

They had spent half their lives in the saddle, seeing rebels resisting to the end and cowards begging for mercy, but they had never seen a punitive army welcomed in such a manner.

It felt less like going to war and more like attending a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by a wealthy country squire.

Princess Ella Radiance pulled on the reins; her pure white elven steed, named "Sun-Chaser," pawed the ground restlessly.

Sunlight shone on her mithril full-plate armor, reflecting a blinding yet holy light, making her look like a goddess of war walking among mortals.

Her deep blue eyes narrowed slightly as she scrutinized the unnervingly wide black road extending deep into the swamp.

The road was brand new, the soil on both sides still carrying the damp scent of freshly turned earth.

At regular intervals, orcs wearing uniform gray work clothes and simple hard hats could be seen performing final leveling work with tools.

Seeing the arrival of the knights, they didn't panic; instead, they merely looked up curiously before returning to their work, as if this iron flood capable of crushing everything was less important than the shovels in their hands.

"Your Highness, something is wrong," Sir Kaelan said, urging his horse to Ella's side. He too wore ornate knight's armor, his face beneath the helmet full of vigilance and arrogance.

He glanced contemptuously at the orcs in their ridiculous hats. "These filthy creatures show no hostility. That usurper named Levi must be playing some kind of trick."

Just as he finished speaking, three people slowly approached from the end of the road.

The young man in the lead was tall and slender, dressed in clean casual clothes that looked out of place in this muddy environment.

He carried no weapons, a gentle smile on his face and a composed stride.

Beside him followed a red-haired woman of breathtaking beauty and a curvaceous figure, holding a thick folder in her hands.

Behind them was the one-eyed orc rumored to have slain the commander of the Bloodaxe Legion in a single blow. He stood like a silent iron tower, radiating a suffocating pressure just by being there.

Levi stopped about thirty paces in front of the knights—a safe distance that allowed for clear conversation without being overly offensive.

He didn't panic as Sir Kaelan had expected, nor did he perform the elaborate kneeling rituals.

He simply bowed slightly, performing a standard noble chest-touching salute with impeccable form.

"Good afternoon, Your Honorable Princess Ella Radiance and Sir Kaelan," his voice wasn't loud, but with the aid of an amplification spell, it reached everyone's ears clearly. "I am Levi Byron, the temporary administrator of Blackstone Territory. Please forgive me for not welcoming Your Highness and the knights sooner."

This neither humble nor arrogant opening made Sir Kaelan's brow furrow even deeper.

Temporary administrator?

The term was used cleverly, acknowledging his identity as a member of the Byron Family while avoiding the charge of being a usurper.

"Levi Byron!" Sir Kaelan's voice was like a drawn sword, cold and sharp. "Do you know your crimes? Detaining a royal messenger without authorization, enslaving orcs, and inciting a territorial war—every single charge is enough to send you to the gallows! Drop your weapons immediately, kneel, and surrender to await the Princess's judgment!"

Levi seemed not to notice the murderous intent in his words, his smile remaining gentle. "Sir Kaelan, you might be mistaken." He stepped aside and pointed to the brand-new road behind him. "You see, to ensure that Her Highness and the warriors under your command can reach Blackstone Castle safely, comfortably, and quickly, I am leading all the inhabitants in a spontaneous infrastructure project for this 'Welcome Avenue.' We've been working overtime just to provide a good transit experience for our esteemed guests from the capital. As for the messenger, he is currently undergoing safety re-education because he was unfamiliar with our construction site's safety regulations. He is well, with free room and board."

"Nonsense!" Sir Kaelan snorted at this explanation, feeling his intelligence was being insulted. "Do you think you can stall for time with such flowery words? Move aside! Otherwise, my lance will teach you the meaning of royal majesty!"

"Please don't say that, Sir Kaelan." Levi's smile remained, but there was a hint of playfulness deep in his eyes. "This road is the first major project of Blackstone Heavy Industries, and the quality is absolutely guaranteed. However..." He changed his tone, showing a perfectly timed hint of apology. "Due to the tight schedule, the foundation of some sections hasn't fully settled. For safety's sake, I suggest the knights pass through in batches at reduced speeds. I have prepared a detailed 'Welcome Avenue Project Progress and Safety Passage Report' for your review."

With that, he signaled Evelyn to step forward.

Evelyn walked forward with an elegant catwalk, handing over the folder.

Her soul-stirring eyes blinked slightly, and she even threw a wink at Sir Kaelan.

Sir Kaelan felt a surge of illicit heat rise from his lower abdomen, and he jerked the reins, causing his warhorse to neigh.

He roared, "Get lost! A mere frontier peasant dares to dictate the march of the Royal Knights? All units, hear my command! Maintain formation and pass through at full speed! Target: Blackstone Castle!"

He had had enough of this absurd drama.

In his view, this was nothing more than Levi's desperate stalling tactic.

In the face of absolute power, any schemes or tricks would be easily crushed like bubbles.

He wanted to trample this arrogant young man under his feet as quickly as possible and then seize everything he owned.

"Sir! Please reconsider!" Levi's voice carried a hint of "urgency," but to Sir Kaelan, this "deterrence" only seemed to confirm his inner fears.

"Charge!" Sir Kaelan drew his longsword and pointed it forward, giving the order to attack.

"For the Empire!"

"For Her Highness!"

Hundreds of heavy cavalry let out a thunderous roar. They spurred their warhorses, merging into an unstoppable iron flood that galloped along the wide black avenue.

Hooves thundered rhythmically on the solid road, the earth shaking as if even the foul air of the swamp was being dispersed by this irresistible momentum.

Princess Ella did not stop them.

Though she felt something was strange, in the face of absolute military superiority, she didn't believe the opponent could cause any significant trouble.

She needed an indisputable victory to wash away the shame the royal family had suffered due to the destruction of the Bloodaxe Legion.

Levi stood in place, motionless.

He simply watched quietly as the flood rushed into the central section of the swamp basin, watching their banners flutter in the wind and the sunlight dance on their armor.

The corners of his mouth slowly curled into a cold arc.

Just as the vanguard of the knights was about to exit the basin—a sudden change occurred!

"BOOM—RUMBLE—"

A dull, massive roar echoed from deep within the earth, as if some ancient giant beast had turned over underground.

The knights in the central section of the basin suddenly felt the ground give way beneath them!

The road that seemed solid and flat collapsed without warning!

The wooden support structures preset beneath the roadbed snapped instantly under precisely calculated pressure, and the compacted earth and stone poured into the void below like a waterfall.

In just a second or two, the hard road surface turned into a massive, soft trap!

"NEIGH—!"

The shrill, mournful cries of the warhorses pierced the sky.

The heavy cavalry in the lead, along with their horses, were instantly swallowed as if falling into an invisible abyss.

The companions following closely behind had no time to react and crashed straight in, horses and riders tumbling in total chaos.

But this was only the beginning.

"SPLASH—!"

On both sides of the road, the camouflaged covers of the seemingly ordinary drainage ditches suddenly swung open, revealing deep culvert openings.

The swamp mud and water, which had long been held back, surged in like released beasts!

Black, foul-smelling mud mixed with rotting aquatic plants flooded frantically toward the collapsed basin.

Within a dozen breaths, the area transformed from a smooth road into a bottomless quagmire!

Warhorses weighing hundreds of pounds, along with knights clad in heavy plate armor, became the most desperate prey in this death swamp.

They struggled, but only sank deeper.

The neighing of horses, the curses and cries of knights, and the chaotic clashing of weapons intertwined into a symphony of doomsday.

The once peerless Royal Knights were now as pathetic as a group of tin cans fallen into a cesspool.

Because he was at the very front, Sir Kaelan had luckily made it across the collapse zone, but the main force behind him was completely paralyzed.

He looked back at the hellish scene in stunned silence, his mind a blank, the color draining completely from his face.

How could this happen?

This is impossible!

Princess Ella was also chilled to the bone by this sudden, shocking turn of events.

She watched the knights struggling helplessly in the mud; they were the most elite force of the Empire, the foundation of her power, and now they were being ruthlessly swallowed by this filthy swamp.

She was furious and terrified, her sapphire-like eyes staring intently at the young man not far away, almost spitting fire.

Against the backdrop of chaos and despair, Levi's smile remained polite and gentle.

He acted as if he didn't see the tragic scene, merely nodding slightly to Evelyn beside him.

Evelyn understood and walked gracefully toward the distraught Sir Kaelan, handing over the folder she had been holding once again.

Sir Kaelan took it subconsciously, thinking it would be a mocking declaration of war or a humiliating letter of surrender.

However, when he opened the folder with trembling hands and saw the title written in elegant script on the cover page, he froze completely.

"Blackstone Heavy Industries Group Heavy Machinery Emergency Rescue Service Contract"

"Sir Kaelan, Princess Ella Radiance," Levi's voice rang out at the right moment, his tone full of "concern" and "regret." "Sigh, I warned you just now that our project was still in the finishing stages and had certain safety hazards. Look, now that such an unfortunate 'traffic safety accident' has occurred, I am personally deeply saddened."

He turned to the pale-faced Ella, his expression as sincere as that of a helpful neighbor. "But please rest assured, Your Highness. Considering the complex geological conditions of Blackstone Territory, our company has pre-formulated a complete set of emergency plans to ensure the safety of our potential business partners' lives and property."

He pointed behind a nearby hillside. There, following a low roar, over a dozen large wooden machines operated by orcs, similar in structure to simple cranes, were pushed out.

"We are willing to provide a full set of emergency rescue services for the stranded knights. This includes, but is not limited to: the hoisting and salvaging of personnel and horses, the recovery and cleaning of damaged equipment, as well as temporary medical and logistical support. Of course..." He paused, and in that gentle smile, a hint of the cold, sharp edge of a capitalist finally emerged. "This is a paid service. After all, we are a commercial company, not a charity. The specific service items and fee standards are all clearly written in the contract."

Ella's gaze moved from her subordinates, who were slowly sinking and calling out in despair, to the contract in Sir Kaelan's hand.

She didn't need to look to know that the numbers on it would be an astronomical figure enough to give the royal treasurer a stroke on the spot.

She understood.

From the beginning, the opponent never intended to fight a war with her.

He was simply using the most despicable and shameless method she had ever seen or imagined to push her and her proud knights to a dead end.

Either watch the Empire's most elite knights sink like stones into this foul mud and roll back to the capital in disgrace, becoming the laughingstock of the entire continent...

Or sign this 'service contract,' more humiliating than a treaty of surrender, and bow her noble head to this 'useless' lord she had come to judge.

A cold wind blew across the swamp, carrying a bone-chilling dampness.

Ella Radiance felt as if she too had fallen into an invisible quagmire; every struggle only made her sink deeper.

Her fingers gripping the reins turned white from the force, her knuckles tinged with blue.

She stared fixedly at Levi's detestable smiling face, and word by word, as if squeezed from between her teeth, she asked, "What if... I refuse?"