Twin Bloodline

Avril looked up in surprise. “Martial Uncle, what are you doing?”

Zigurd waved his hand. “You don't need to worry about it. Sena, first order Thomas to hand over the Ice Toxin antidote to me. I'm leaving Thornwood Valley tonight!” Gripping Sena's hands, the old man spoke through gritted teeth, tears welling in his eyes: “Regardless of success or failure, I will send word back to you within half a month. Sena, you must hold out for half a month!”

Sena glanced at her bloodless cheeks in the small mirror by her bedside, forcing a bitter smile. “Eldest Brother, don't worry. Second Sister will hold onto this last breath, and wait for you for half a month!”

That night, Zigurd departed Thornwood Valley via the secret passages. It had to be said that Thornwood Valley originally possessed dozens of such passages, but most had been exposed and subsequently destroyed by Ted's orders during the battle the previous day. Only three of the most covert passages remained, reserved for emergencies. However, these secret passages were incomparable to the grand gate of the cliffside, capable of accommodating only small groups of troops. They were wholly insufficient for the monumental task of relocating Thornwood Valley's two hundred thousand inhabitants!

Moreover, while Ted had stationed his main forces outside Thornwood City, he had not relaxed his vigilance against the Great Snow Mountain beyond. Currently, only an exceptional master like Zigurd could safely escape the dense blockades. To secretly transport troops through the passages and launch a sneak attack on Dud's camp was truly… unrealistic!

Even Zigurd encountered some trouble upon exiting the Great Snow Mountain's secret passage. It turned out Dud was leading troops to patrol Zaro's Divine Emperor tomb. Black-armored and iron-masked, he stood against the wind on the highest peak of the snowy mountain for half the night, his gaze fixed on the Divine Emperor's tomb and the cliffs below, lost in thought.

With Dud away and Du Chen habitually abstaining from military affairs, the vast main camp was under Adams's command, overseeing all military matters. At midnight, Bairu arrived at Adams's commander's tent, carrying several jars of fine spirits.

“Is General Adams busy?” Bairu greeted jovially with a wide smile the moment he entered. “The other day, General, you were the first to breach Thornwood Valley – truly a world-shaking feat! Bairu has nothing to offer but these few jars of fine wine, a small token of His Holiness the Pontiff's approval!”

Adams looked up from his military dossiers, casting a cold glance at Bairu, his face etched with a hostile aura that made others deeply uncomfortable. “General Dud's Military Edict: No alcohol in the camp during wartime!” After stating this, he reburied his head in his work. A moment later, he looked up, displeasure evident. “I still have military duties. Are you not leaving?”

Those words were quite impolite. Bairu let out two dry chuckles but didn't react. He knew Adams's temper; the former bandit only had his benefactor, Francis, in his eyes. Even if the Pontiff himself were to arrive, he likely wouldn't receive a favorable look.

Bairu set down the wine jars, grinning shamelessly. “No rush, no rush! General, Bairu merely wishes to discuss a few matters with you, concerning Duke Du.”

Adams finally offered a somewhat better expression. “Speak. I'm listening!”

“General, do you understand the significance of this battle for Duke Du?”

“If my benefactor wants me to fight, I'll annihilate Thornwood Valley. Why bother with all this superfluous talk?” Adams snorted coldly, waving his hand to dismiss his guest.

Bairu hurriedly chuckled. “Then allow me to explain, General. If Duke Du eradicates Thornwood Valley in this campaign, he will gain the leverage to secure the position of Grand Marshal of the Holy Alliance at the Durun Alliance Assembly five months from now. General, do you understand what that means? Wealth, renown, authority – your benefactor will become an Eminence, second only to the highest power among humanity!”

Adams's eyes lit up. He might not care about other things, but his benefactor gaining immense benefits—that was the very meaning of his existence!

Thinking of this, an unaccustomed smile appeared on Adams's face. “Well said! My master truly deserves to be such an Eminence!”

Bairu chuckled again. “However, the premise for all this… is that Duke Du thoroughly annihilates Thornwood Valley, leaving no living captive, isn't it?”

Adams scratched his head. “Spit it out! I don't understand what you're getting at!”

“Bairu merely wishes to say, heh heh, Duke Du can sometimes be too soft-hearted! General, you probably understand what Thornwood Valley is better than anyone. Is there any need for compassion towards a mere band of villains and criminals?”

Adams nodded.

“So, I suggest, General, that should the opportunity arise, you speak with Duke Du. There's no need for leniency towards Thornwood Valley. Kill when necessary; the more you kill, the greater the benefits Duke Du will reap in the future! Money, fame, power… General, if your benefactor wishes to possess these, there is but one word – Kill!”

Adams found these words agreeable. If Du Chen could benefit, then killing? Adams didn't care. In his early days as a bandit, what acts of burning, killing, and plundering had he not committed!?

Seeing Adams's considerable interest, Bairu smiled and continued, “Though our statuses differ, we both serve as subordinates. Sometimes, there are things our masters overlook, and it falls upon us, their subjects, to worry on their behalf, wouldn't you agree? With General Dud absent, you are the commander of the army, and Duke Du has always refrained from military affairs… For some matters, let us subordinates handle what we can, rather than burdening our master. Isn't that how it should be?”

Adams nodded, chuckling. “Those words sound reasonable. Leave those jars of wine with me!”

Bairu bid farewell with a smile. As he stepped out of the commander's tent, his expression immediately darkened. He concealed himself in a nearby tent. A moment later, seeing Adams stride towards the prisoner-of-war camp, Bairu's face stretched into a triumphant smile.

“Francis, we may be allies on the same ship now. You harbored thoughts of annexing Thornwood Valley and expanding your power, which is why you spared those captives. But in the future, if the Pontiff holds an inquiry, I, Bairu, will have to share the responsibility with you! Even if I don't fear His Holiness's punishment, I cannot stand idly by and watch you annex Thornwood Valley and expand the power of Du Chen's Divine Cult…”

Bairu's smile grew even more triumphant. “You won't kill the captives, so I'll have Adams do it! Once Adams slaughters those thousand-plus captives, a mix of soldiers and common folk, you and Thornwood Valley will be locked in an endless blood feud! By then, no matter how extraordinary your abilities, you can forget about subduing the people of Thornwood, who will despise you to the bone. Haha, just obediently help me wipe out Thornwood Valley, and then become Grand Marshal and Grand Speaker at the Kuran Alliance Assembly!”

“Francis, when you discover that I was pulling the strings behind this… so what? I, Bairu, represent the Pontiff. Do you dare to turn against me!? We are all intelligent people; wouldn't it be better to amicably secure our gains? Why feel pity for those damned captives!?”

The more Bairu thought about it, the more pleased he became, and he quietly followed Adams into the prisoner-of-war camp.

Over sixteen hundred captives were held in four separate enclosures formed by fences. The strong and able-bodied were shackled with iron locks, while the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled were spared the suffering of manacles. Adams led his team before them, casually pointing to one enclosure. “Bring them out!”

The captives were instantly terrified. In the dead of night, the enemy general suddenly extracting prisoners in batches… unless one was an utter fool or petrified with fear, everyone knew what was about to happen!

“No, my lord, you cannot! We have already laid down our weapons and surrendered!”

“My lord, we are mere civilians, not soldiers!”

The tiger-wolf-like Beastkin slave soldiers had no intention of listening to their explanations. With the Military Edict issued, a squad of blade-wielding executioners surged into the enclosure, forcibly dragging out the captives who refused to move. Each soldier was like a ravenous wolf or tiger; no, they were Beastkin slave soldiers, they *were* literally Tiger-men and Wolf-men!

“My lord, I beg you, kill me instead! My granddaughter is only six years old!” An old man tried to snatch back the child being carried away by an executioner.

A burly man raised his arm, shouting, “No, wait! I'm thirty this year, a strong laborer! I can work as a slave for your lord!”

Adams swept his gaze over the prisoner-of-war camp with a cold sneer, his face devoid of any trace of pity or mercy. “Speed it up! This batch will be executed on the southern plains. Don't let anyone on Thornwood City's walls see it and reignite their fighting spirit!” Hmph, if his benefactor could attain a high position, what did killing a few captives matter!?

“Damn it, we can't just wait to die! Let's fight!”

Someone raised an arm and cried out, instantly eliciting a response from all four enclosures. But these captives couldn't win even with weapons, let alone now, clad in shackles!? *Clang, clang, clang!* The captives in the other three enclosures furiously rattled the fences in their rage. Yet, the group designated by Adams was still forcibly dragged out. Blades and axes pressed against them, hands pushed, feet kicked, as soldiers roared, escorting the prisoners to the southern plains for execution. Anyone daring to resist? Apologies, but they were cut down on the spot, their flesh and blood scattering!

The wails and cries from the prisoner-of-war camp were incessant!

Yet, Adams grinned ferociously. Watching as a soldier chopped another resisting captive into a bloody pulp, he burst into even louder laughter! Ultimately, Adams's true nature remained that of a bandit; only rampant bloodshed could awaken the most exhilarating side of him.

But just then, someone rapidly approached Adams and landed a heavy punch on his face, abruptly silencing his laughter. “Adams, what the hell are you doing!?”

Adams was stunned. Recognizing the newcomer, he rubbed his cheek and angrily demanded, “Aliza, what do you want!?”

Aliza, the general of the rear guard, whose camp was right next to the prisoner-of-war camp, rushed over as soon as he heard the captives' wails. He blocked the entrance to the enclosure, roaring, “I won't let you kill!”

Adams shoved Aliza aside, disdainfully retorting, “I'm doing this for my benefactor's future. What would a simpleton like you understand? Men, speed it up! The next batch will be executed in half an hour!”

“Me, I'm dumb, but I won't let you kill children!” Aliza deftly snatched a little girl from a soldier's grip, holding her tightly. Though slow-witted and unable to articulate grand principles, he glared fiercely at Adams. “I just won't let you kill!”

With that, he turned, shouted at the soldiers to retreat, and opened the fence gate. “Go back, all of you, go back!”

The captives, as if granted a great pardon, scrambled back into the enclosures. But no one was foolish enough to believe the matter was resolved. They watched Adams tremble, the black-armored general in the dead of night, like a grim reaper of the dark, raising his scythe, ready at any moment to place it at their throats from behind and with a gentle flick… *thud*, heads would roll!

Adams was incandescent with rage. He stepped forward and seized Aliza's battle armor by the collar. Aliza was now twenty years old. While his height, already over two meters, hadn't grown much, the muscles across his chest, abdomen, and back had broadened by three full layers. He appeared broad-shouldered and powerfully built, like a fierce Behemoth from the great plains. However, the youthful and somewhat simple-minded expression on his face hadn't changed much.

Aliza, looking down from his height, glared at Adams. “Huh? You wanna hit me too?”

“Aliza, I don't need a fool like you to understand, but you listen to me, Adams! If we kill these captives, and tomorrow, wipe out Thornwood Valley, our benefactor will ascend to greatness overnight! You're nothing but a house slave to our benefactor. For his sake, damn it, get out of my way!”

Aliza stubbornly shook his head. “No, I won't let you kill children!”

Adams was enraged. He was, after all, a bandit whose eyes only held Du Chen, with everyone else utterly disregarded. “If you don't move, then damn it, get lost!” He landed a heavy punch on Aliza's face!

“You, you dare hit me!? Witness my Golden Indestructible Body!”

Aliza's skin suddenly glowed with a golden light. On closer inspection, his skin and hair had solidified into a thick metallic epidermis. The great axe from his back came out, imbued with his Ninth-rank peak battle qi, and cleaved straight down towards Adams!

After the Blade died saving Du Chen, Du Chen hadn't told Aliza the truth, only saying that Old Foye was unwell and needed to recuperate in a distant place—the simple-minded boy had genuinely believed it!

However, Du Chen, grateful to the Blade, later dedicated himself to caring for Aliza. Now, Aliza, the fastest cultivator under the true starry sky, had reached Ninth-rank peak. Du Chen had gone so far as to secretly procure a Ninth-rank sacred artifact axe for him. Furthermore, during a Secret Convocation with the Requiem Death Knights, he had obtained the complete set of the Blade of Heaven's secret manuals from Roland, passing them all to Aliza. He had even used his Lotus Primordial Spirit, at great cost, to nourish his brother with Holy Light, hoping to re-enact Deboning's miraculous sudden advancement from years past!

Thus, at this moment, Aliza wielded a Ninth-rank sacred artifact and stood on the precipice of achieving a Titled Battle God rank. His axe attack was immensely powerful; before it even struck, its qi-gale had already sent dozens of nearby soldiers flying!

Adams was no ordinary man either. His fingerless gauntlet sacred artifact appeared on his hand. With battle qi also at Ninth-rank peak, he actually dared to grasp Aliza's battle axe with his bare hands!

A bandit and a boorish fellow thus engaged in a life-and-death struggle right there in the prisoner-of-war camp!

Two surges of Ninth-rank peak battle qi suddenly erupted near the main camp. Du Chen, Xue Ji, and Beibei, who had been frolicking, immediately sensed it. Without a word, Du Chen's Green Cloud rose beneath his feet, and he shot out of the tent like lightning. But even Green Cloud, swift as it was, still took some time!

Aliza's axe collided with Adams's gauntlet, creating a muffled boom. Azure and golden lights intertwined and burst forth, sending dozens more soldiers flying. However, both combatants were generals, so the soldiers dared not form a battle array against them; they could only scatter to a distance and go report to Du Chen!

The fist and axe remained locked. Aliza and Adams glared fiercely at each other. Aliza chuckled. “Your strength is far inferior to mine!” With that, he strained his arms, using his exceptional height to abruptly press the great axe downwards. Adams felt a force akin to a mountain pressing on his hands. His legs involuntarily bent, and he crashed to his knees, his lower half sinking into the earth!

*Damn it*, though their battle qi ranks were similar, Aliza had the advantage of his race; his raw power was something no human could withstand. He should have used clever tactics and fought defensively!

Adams was being crushed, gasping for breath. But suddenly, for some unknown reason, a surge of power erupted within his body. Upon closer examination… this was the power of a Tenth-rank Battle God!

*Could it be…?*

Adams had no time to ponder. His hands flashed, his battle qi abruptly increased by one rank, and he pushed aside the great axe, landing a punch squarely on Aliza's chest. Aliza cried “Ouch!” and was sent flying sideways!

Everything happened in a flash. Du Chen arrived just as Aliza was sent tumbling backwards by Adams's strike. “Adams, are you courting death!?” A Golden Lotus flew from his hand, reversing to press down on the newly advanced Tenth-rank Adams. The Vanishing Snow Sword immediately followed, its blade resting horizontally at Adams's throat, Du Chen's face etched with fury!

In Du Chen's heart, Adams was an unfailingly loyal subordinate. But Aliza… was the Blade's son, his own brother!

His brother had been sent flying by a subordinate; there was no need to say who he would side with!

“Everyone, stay put! Don't move!” Du Chen roared sharply, standing on the Golden Lotus, his sword pointed at Adams below. “Adams, are you trying to rebel?”

Adams grew anxious, but the Golden Lotus pressed down on him, making him gasp for air. “Be-benefactor, I was doing it for you…”

“You sent Aliza flying *for me*!?” A wicked anger flared in Du Chen's heart. He gritted his teeth and roared, applying pressure with his foot. *Pfft*, Adams coughed up blood!

A surge of indignant anger also rose in Adams's heart. *What's wrong with me, Adams? Wasn't I doing all this for your benefactor's future!? Aliza is a fool, clueless and acting impulsively. What's wrong with me sending him flying so I could kill all the captives for you, my benefactor!? Besides, I didn't use lethal force. With a great battle imminent, we can't have internal strife. No matter how foolish I, Adams, am, I would never deliver a killing blow to a comrade!*

Remembering how Constantine had misunderstood him as a traitor years ago, and now being accused of rebellion by Du Chen, the deep-seated loyalty in Adams's very bones prevented him from refuting anything…

*Pfft!* Adams was so enraged that he spat out another mouthful of blood, roaring in his heart, “Francis, what have I, Adams, ever done to wrong you!?”

Du Chen sensed the power beneath him, snorting. “Oh, so you've advanced to Tenth-rank. If you perform a few more meritorious deeds for the Pontiff, you could become a Titled Battle God… Can a Titled Battle God then rebel!?”

At this moment, Aliza dusted off his backside and stood up, completely uninjured—the Blade of Heaven's Golden Indestructible Body was not adept at nimble dodging, but when it came to robust defense, perhaps only the Beast Emperor's physique could rival it!

“Young Master, Adams was going to kill children!” Aliza relayed the events with a wronged expression. “But I struck first, Young Master, I'm fine! Still, how did Adams suddenly become Tenth-rank?”

Seeing his brother unharmed, most of the anger in Du Chen's heart dissipated, and his mind cleared somewhat. *Indeed, how did Adams suddenly advance? And without any prior warning?*

However, hearing that Adams intended to kill captives, Du Chen's anger flared up again. He retracted the Golden Lotus and said coldly, “Adams, who gave you the authority to slaughter captives without permission!?”

Adams took a few ragged breaths, gritted his teeth, and said indignantly, “Master, I was doing all this for you! Kill these captives, then slaughter Thornwood Valley clean tomorrow, and you, you will be an Eminence, second only to the highest power!” He truly felt a surge of anger now, even dropping his usual “benefactor” and simply calling him “Master!”

Du Chen's brow furrowed. “Did you think of these words yourself, or did someone tell them to you?” Although Adams possessed some military talent, could a former bandit concoct such political machinations on his own!?

No matter how he thought about it, today's events did not align with Adams's usual conduct!

In the distance, Bairu, who had witnessed everything, frequently sighed. “Damn it, how did an Aliza suddenly appear!? But Francis, even if you protect these captives today, tomorrow… I, Bairu, have more entertainment waiting for you!”

Before the prisoner-of-war camp, Du Chen listened to Adams recount Bairu's words. He secretly fumed. *That scoundrel, Bairu! While Adams is bloodthirsty and cruel, his loyalty is unwavering. How dare you exploit Adams's loyalty to scheme against me?* His Divine Sense transmitted: “Fifth Brother, from today onwards, keep an eye on Bairu. You know what to do!”

“Heh heh, understood. But Adams was, after all, thinking of you. Don't let his heart grow cold!”

Du Chen naturally understood this logic. He stomped his foot lightly, then helped Adams up. “Alas, Adams, Bairu exploited you!”

Adams was utterly bewildered. “Bairu, exploited me? Master, I, I truly was thinking of you!”

Du Chen patted Adams on the back. “It's not your fault, it's that scoundrel Bairu's! Hmph! Adams… do you know what your greatest virtue is?” His expression was gentle, yet he suddenly raised his voice, ensuring all the generals heard him: “Loyalty! Unwavering loyalty that would never betray its master, loyalty as bright as the sun and moon! Yet Bairu precisely exploited this very quality in you…”

Having explained everything clearly to Adams, Du Chen “regretted,” “Alas, I was momentarily muddled. With your unwavering loyalty, how could you possibly rebel? It's all that bastard Bairu's fault!”

With “unwavering loyalty” and “bright as the sun and moon” being repeated, the indignant anger in Adams's heart immediately subsided. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled artlessly, “Benefactor, I understand! Damn that Bairu, I'll deal with him sooner or later!”

“It's good that you don't blame me. This is my Lotus Holy Light. Quickly, use it to heal your injuries and solidify your Tenth-rank cultivation. Once the Thornwood Valley affair is settled, I will personally go to the Papal Curia and secure a title for you. Haha, Titled Battle God Adams!”

Adams delightedly hugged the lotus Du Chen lent him, grinning like a child. *My benefactor actually admitted he was wrong to me! Heh, in the past, even if Third Master made a mistake, he would never admit it. Haha, I, Adams, haven't followed the wrong master…*

Du Chen turned to reassure the captives, solemnly promising with his characteristic warm smile, “I, Francis, do not speak empty words, and I understand your plight. At this moment, what you truly wish to hear is this: as long as you cause no trouble, I, Francis, will absolutely not kill captives! Thousands have heard this tonight. If I break my word, you won't even need to curse me; all under heaven will brand me, Francis, as faithless and treacherous!”

*Sigh…*

A series of exhalations echoed through the prisoner-of-war camp.

Du Chen pursed his lips. *The captives are one thing, but it would be best if Adams and Aliza don't hold grudges against each other in the future – being a boss isn't easy!*

Du Chen was just about to mediate between the two when Adams, who was embracing the lotus for healing, suddenly changed expression. “This is bad. My twin brother, Brockman, has already reached Tenth-rank!”

Du Chen froze. “How do you know?”

“Benefactor, I'm well aware of my own strength. I was far from the Tenth-rank realm; it's impossible to suddenly advance in the middle of a battle. That leaves only one possibility…” Adams's face grew paler as he spoke. “Our family's Twin Bloodline has activated. Brockman's advancement has forcibly pulled me up to Tenth-rank as well!”

“Twin Bloodline!?”

…

The commotion at the prisoner-of-war camp agitated Du Chen's main camp for quite some time. This disturbance naturally also caught the attention of Thornwood City, which wasn't far away!

Thomas had originally wanted to seize the opportunity to attack Du Chen's main camp, but Ted strongly advocated against engaging in battle. The various Heads also knew of the First Boss's reliance on Ted. With each harboring their own intentions, a military meeting, originally meant to decide on an attack, ultimately ended in discord.

Thomas was still grumbling and cursing when he returned to his bedroom, secretly resenting Ted for gaining too many advantages. But upon pushing open his bedroom door, his expression suddenly changed. “Adams!? Hmph, you, an enemy general, dare to enter Thornwood City at night!?”

Four individuals sat opposite him, and the one in the center looked even more surprised than Thomas. “Oh? So Adams is in the opposing camp? Life truly is unpredictable!” As he spoke, a small, plump, big-eared beast crawled out from behind his ear. “Sir Thomas should recognize this. It's a Tyr Beast. It can help us conceal our aura and scout out secret passages. So, Sir, you needn't be surprised why we are in your room, nor do you need to shout. Please, sit. Let's talk!”

Thomas was taken aback. “You're not Adams?”

“I am his twin elder brother, Brockman! You may call me Councilor Brockman!”

“Councilor? What kind of councilor!?”

Brockman, as elegant as ever, beckoned to a person beside him. That individual circulated their battle qi and then lightly cut their finger. *Drip*, a drop of purple blood fell before Thomas!

“Councilor Brockman, an esteemed member of the Violet-Bloods' Supreme Council, has graced us with his presence. Thomas, as a Violet-Blood yourself, are you not going to receive him!?”