Chapter 36

Chapter 36: The Rebellion Breaks Out

Lolan Hill was considering whether she should sell some of her [Vitality Potion]. This kind of potion could be made without using Extraordinary abilities, which was quite simple for her.

“Does your shop buy potions?” Lolan Hill took out a deep red glass tube; the pure red color gently swayed. [Vitality Potion] (Perfect Bronze Grade)

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper’s expression subtly changed. He had thought she was a major customer, but she turned out to be a street vendor selling potions.

Generally, workshops do not buy potions because their origins are unknown. If something goes wrong, their reputation will be greatly affected.

“Do you have an alchemist’s certification?”

“No,” the girl shook her head.

“I’m very sorry, we cannot accept things of unknown origin.”

The shopkeeper’s expression became somewhat haughty.

“Alright.”

The girl lowered her head and put away the potion. In fact, she still carried several other potions on her, including some Silver and Gold Grades, but she had used Extraordinary powers during their creation, so they couldn’t be used for missions.

Making money as an ordinary person is really hard, she sighed inwardly, then left the alchemy workshop.

I’ll go to Vergha instead. The trade there is more developed, and there are many wealthy people. First, I need to get some initial funds, then everything will be easier.

After exchanging with Angus, Lolan Hill also learned about the various problems of the Westwind Kingdom and no longer harbored any hope for this nation obsessed with luxury and enjoyment.

Three days later, the girl boarded a southbound carriage heading for the Vergha Trade Alliance. Looking out the window, she saw patches of desolate fields along the road, and occasionally saw farmers with listless expressions and dark eyes, slowly turning the soil in the fields. Occasionally, horsemen would come by with whips to urge and even cruelly beat them.

Seeing these bleak scenes, Lolan Hill shook her head and withdrew her gaze, no longer looking out the window.

“How miserable it is,” a young man sitting across from her on the carriage said to the girl.

“Once upon a time, I lived such a life too.” He looked out the window, his expression revealing memories.

“The southern part of the kingdom sees many people secretly crossing the border each year to reach Vergha.”

“There are fewer farmers left, and vast tracts of land have become barren.”

“The nobles in the city don’t care about this. They demand the same amount of grain and taxes every year.”

“People who don’t work themselves, just supervise the farmers to work, and if they slack off, they get beaten. Only then can they barely sustain themselves.”

“Isn’t this bound to collapse someday? Those remaining will face even greater hardships, constantly escaping or rebelling,” the girl asked doubtfully.

“Yes, but this situation will soon change,” said the black-haired young man confidently.

“How will it change? Won’t those nobles easily change their ways?”

Lolan Hill didn’t understand why the young man before her was so certain.

“You will understand soon enough.”

This young man revealed a mysterious smile, his eyes filled with fervor and adoration.

—

In the northern part of the Westwind Kingdom, Nide County, early morning.

Endless wilderness was dotted with countless wooden high towers, with huge bonfires burning atop each tower, the wood crackling. Below the towers were rows of gray tents, but that wasn’t the focus.

At the center of the wilderness stood about 50,000 black-armored warriors, standing silently and solemnly in neat formations, awaiting orders. Various colored banners with emblems floated slowly in the morning fog, representing countless families and people in the region.

Before the vast training ground stood a high platform built with giant stones, where a dozen figures in armor waited quietly. Some were minor nobles of Nide County, others were soldiers of the kingdom, and most were commoners of this land.

Today, they gathered here not for leisure but for something crucial to their survival. This was not only about the future of the families present but directly affected the fate of nearly ten million people in Nide County.

Yes, today they would raise the banner and launch a rebellion against the kingdom’s centuries-long rule!

It wasn’t that they chose their fate; it was the millions of people of Nide County who chose them. These mountain dwellers, who had lived here since ancient times, were free and unrestrained. But ever since the kingdom conquered this land, they opened mines and excavated giant stones. Nide County provided the kingdom with a large amount of steel and precious metals, yet after their arduous labor, they received little in return. Most of the profits went to the great nobles of the kingdom, while the tasks assigned to Nide County increased.

These diligent mountain dwellers risked their lives digging in pitch-black mines, just to feed their families and ensure their elderly fathers had better meals. But even such small wishes were now brutally shattered. The Westwind royal family raised the tax rate again, demanding more ore and steel this year to forge armor and equip troops to suppress civil unrest. If the quota wasn’t met, they would be punished and executed, becoming the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

A man in full black steel armor stepped forward onto the platform, removing his helmet to reveal his face, with a scar on his left cheek. This mature and fierce-looking man was Pulman.

Pulman, once a naive youth, had now grown steady and powerful. Holding a greatsword, he planted it upside down in the stone platform and slowly scanned the determined warriors before him. Like him, they were born and raised on this land, and today they were ready to stake their lives.

Pulman took a deep breath, then his voice echoed throughout the wilderness.

“Fellow citizens of Nide County, today we stand here to tell the world!”

“The mountain dwellers of Nide Range are free and unrestrained. They will no longer bow in submission; they will straighten their spines and wash away hundreds of years of oppression with iron and blood!”

“From birth, we were forced to submit. The kingdom treats us like sacrificial animals, the lowest of the low, enduring merciless rules until now.”

“We are called lowly, mocked as filthy fools. Since that is so, let us become beasts in the darkness, reclaiming what has been stolen.”

“We will trample ridicule and humiliation underfoot.”

“Even if we face ruthless slaughter.”

“We will fight like cornered beasts, using blood and teeth to carve out a path to survival!”

The curtain on the platform was drawn open, revealing a huge banner with three golden stars on a blue background. Below the stars were books and two wheat ears surrounding the pattern. As the morning sun rose, breaking through the fog, it bathed the new flag in a golden hue.

The dozen leaders on the platform, all born of this land, stood behind Pulman, watching this solemn moment. Raising their right hands, they swore alongside their fellow countrymen.

“I swear here, to form a bond of life and death with my fellow countrymen, entrusting our lives and backs to each other, fighting for the future of the Nide Range until death!”

The sound of swords being drawn echoed, and the oath reverberated through the sky.

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