Chapter 326

They hid in dark corners, shivering, and praying that the war would end soon so that they could live a peaceful life again.

However, in the face of this cruel war, their prayers seemed so weak and powerless.

As the battle escalated, casualties on both sides continued to increase. The defense of the emperor’s army gradually loosened, and the soldiers’ faces showed fatigue and despair.

Their physical strength has reached its limit, their weapons have been damaged in the battle, and they are no longer able to cope with the enemy’s fierce attacks.

The morale of the Harik family’s army was greatly boosted when they saw this. They increased the intensity of their attack, trying to break through the defenses of the emperor’s army in one fell swoop. The soul guides on the city wall continued to fire shells, pouring down on the positions of the emperor’s army.

The shells exploded on the battlefield, raising a cloud of dust and blood. Soldiers fell one after another, and screams were heard everywhere.

Feng Xiaochen was extremely anxious when he saw his army was in a desperate situation. He knew that if this continued, his army would be completely wiped out.

He had to find a way to turn the tide of the battle, but he felt extremely confused and helpless.

He looked at the bloodshed on the battlefield, his heart filled with pain and despair. He didn’t know how long this war would last, nor did he know whether he could lead the army out of this predicament.

The emperor’s army was like a lone boat tottering in a storm, being hit by the raging waves and in danger of being destroyed at any time.

The cruel decisive battle with the aristocratic families that shocked the world and made ghosts weep had completely exhausted their energy and spirit.

The soldiers’ faces were filled with fatigue and fear, like autumn leaves hit by frost, lifeless.

Their bodies were weakened by continuous battles, and every step they took seemed heavy and difficult, as if they were carrying a heavy burden.

Although they tried their best and held on to the last bit of their indomitable will, they stubbornly resisted the fierce attack of the Harik family army, but the gap in strength between the two sides was like a bottomless chasm that was difficult to cross.

The army of the Harik family was like a surging tsunami, with an overwhelming force, attacking the fragile defense line of the emperor’s army wave after wave.

Their morale was high, their eyes sparkled with the desire for victory, they were well-equipped, and every weapon flashed a cold light, as if announcing their strength to the world.

In this confrontation with a huge disparity in power, the defense line of the emperor’s army was like a tattered fishing net blown by the wind, full of holes, and gradually torn into shocking gaping holes.

The soldiers fell one after another, blood gushed out, quickly dyeing the ground beneath their feet red.

The pungent smell of blood mixed with the sharp smell of gunpowder filled the air, making people feel sick, as if the whole world was shrouded in the breath of death.

The confidants and soldiers that the emperor had carefully cultivated during this period were killed one after another in the crazy massacre by the Harik family army.

Their corpses piled up like mountains, and their broken limbs were scattered all over the ground, forming a tragic “mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood”, telling the cruelty and ruthlessness of war.

Emperor Feng Xiaochen stood alone on a battlefield that was like hell on earth, surrounded by the cold corpses of his comrades and the cheers of victory of the enemy.

His heart was filled with grief, anger and despair. The strong emotion was like a beast trapped in a cage, rampaging in his chest and almost tearing his heart apart.

He looked up at the sky and roared with all his strength. The voice was full of unwillingness, anger and helplessness. It echoed for a long time in the empty battlefield, but he received no response, as if the whole world had abandoned him.

The army of the Harik family did not end the emperor’s life in public, but like a cunning wolf, they took him back to the palace when he was off guard.

They imprisoned the emperor, like a trapped animal that had lost its freedom, restricting his every move. Afterwards, the Harik family quickly issued an order to impose martial law throughout the city.

The city gates were closed tightly. The heavy gates were like an indestructible barrier, blocking the entire city tightly and not allowing anyone to enter or leave.

The Sun and Moon City seemed to have turned into a huge cage overnight. The people and soldiers in the city were trapped in this place full of fear and despair, like birds in a cage, with nowhere to escape.

Then, the Harik family began a bloody purge. Like ruthless executioners, they launched a frenzied purge of officials in the city who were originally loyal to the Xu family and other noble families as well as the emperor.

Some of these officials were beheaded on the spot in the streets, with blood splattered all over the cobblestone roads, which was a shocking sight; some were thrown into dark prisons, where endless torture and pain awaited them, and their screams were horrifying.

The entire city was plunged into white terror. Everyone was in danger and lived in fear and anxiety every day, not knowing whether they would be the next to be liquidated.

When walking on the street, people are very cautious and dare not speak loudly, for fear that they will be killed if they are not careful.

In this game of thrones, the Harik family is not satisfied with simply imprisoning the emperor.

They carefully selected a seemingly docile and easy-to-control puppet from the Feng family’s side branch and supported him to take the throne. This new emperor was like a puppet controlled by the Harik family. He had no real power and could only obey the Harik family’s orders.

His every move and every word had to be in accordance with the wishes of the Harik family, like a body without a soul.

This series of actions by the Harik family is undoubtedly declaring their victory and dominance to the entire Sun and Moon City. They will use iron-fisted methods to make everyone submit to them.

However, the actions of the Harik family caused strong dissatisfaction among many people in the city.

Although the remaining forces that were once loyal to the aristocratic families and the emperor were completely depleted in the previous war and their strength was weakened, the anger in their hearts has never been extinguished.

They hid in the dark corners of the city, secretly planning their resistance, with a gleam of unyielding spirit in their eyes.

They knew that the road to resistance was full of hardships and dangers, but they were willing to pay any price for the justice and dignity in their hearts. Unfortunately, their resistance was like an ant trying to shake a tree in front of the powerful military force of the Harik family, and could not cause any waves at all.

The well-trained and well-equipped army of the Harik family severely suppressed these remnant forces, extinguishing their flames of resistance time and time again.

As for the civilians in the city, although they were extremely disgusted with what the Harik family had done, facing the powerful and ferocious army of the Harik family, they could only dare to be angry but not to speak out.

They live in fear every day, afraid that a word or an action will bring them death.

In the streets and alleys, people’s faces were filled with fear and helplessness. The once bustling Sun Moon City has now become deserted and filled with an atmosphere of depression and despair.

Children no longer laugh and play, women cry all day long, the elderly sigh, and the whole city seems to be shrouded in a haze, without a glimmer of hope.

As time went by, the storm gradually subsided. The coronation ceremony of the new emperor was carefully planned by the Harik family and held in a grand and hypocritical manner. The whole city was decorated with gold and jade, and decorated with lights and colors, as if celebrating a grand festival.

However, beneath this gorgeous appearance lies the pain and helplessness of countless people.

The new emperor ascended the throne surrounded by the crowd. Although he had a smile on his face, his eyes revealed a hint of panic and uneasiness.

He knew very well that he was just a puppet of the Harik family, his fate was completely in the hands of others, and he might be abandoned at any time.

From this moment on, the Harik family completely stood at the pinnacle of Sun Moon City, the power center of the Sun Moon Empire.

At least on the surface, they became the masters of the city and everything was under their control.

However, Norton, the patriarch of the Harlik family, knew very well that the real owner of the city now was not their Harlik family, but the one behind Brigitte.

The more Norton came into contact with the other party, the more frightened he became. The other party was like an unfathomable black hole, full of endless mystery and power.

Every time he talked to the other party, Norton could feel an invisible pressure, as if the other party’s eyes could see through his heart and make him shudder.

He didn’t dare to have any distracting thoughts, for fear that his actions would anger this mysterious master.

Every time he faced the other party, he was cautious and treaded on thin ice. He would think over and over again before speaking or doing anything, for fear of saying or doing something wrong.

What made Norton even more desperate was that the Harrick family had already been infiltrated by the other party.

The army in his family, those forces that he once regarded as a force of pride, now he didn’t know how many people had been bribed by the other side and became their spies.

On the surface, they are loyal to Norton, but in fact they are secretly following the orders of a mysterious figure and reporting every move of the family to him.

The same goes for the officials under his jurisdiction. They may be respectful to him on the surface, but in fact they may be plotting against him behind his back.

The Harrick family is like a puppet controlled by others. It seems to be in a prosperous situation, but in fact it is controlled by others in every way.

Important decisions in the family are all influenced by mysterious figures. Norton feels like a puppet, being led by the nose but unable to do anything.

At the center of this vortex of power, although the Harik family stood at the top on the surface, they were actually in deeper trouble.

They don’t know what awaits them in the future, whether to continue lingering on in this false pinnacle of power, or to be completely swallowed up by the mysterious master. Everything is full of unknowns and fears.

And Sun and Moon City, a city that has experienced wars and power changes, is also waiting for the judgment of fate in this thick fog.

The road ahead is full of uncertainty. No one knows whether it will be a dark abyss or a bright dawn.

As the Harik family took control of Sun Moon City, the atmosphere in the city became increasingly depressing and weird.

The streets and alleys were filled with a tense atmosphere, as if the air had frozen.

The smiles on people’s faces have lost their former appearance, replaced by caution and fear.

The once bustling market is now deserted. Most of the stalls are closed. Occasionally, a few pedestrians walk by in a hurry, but they look panicked and dare not stop.

Shop owners did not dare to shout loudly, for fear of attracting the attention of the soldiers; children did not dare to play in the streets and could only hide at home, looking through the windows at the world outside shrouded in fear, their eyes filled with a desire for freedom.

During the transition of power, the Harik family demonstrated their ruthlessness and decisiveness.

They exercised strict control over every corner of the city, with soldiers patrolling every street and checkpoints set up at every intersection.

Those once familiar scenes now became strange and dangerous. The soldiers were wearing heavy armor, holding sharp weapons, and looking around with cold eyes. They would look around vigilantly at the slightest sign of trouble.

They strictly checked passers-by and did not let go of any suspicious person. The whole city seemed to have turned into a military fortress.

The Harik family’s rule in the city was extremely tough, and they took severe punishment measures against those who dared to resist or express dissatisfaction.

The prison was overcrowded, with new prisoners being sent in every day. Those prisoners suffered inhuman torture in prison, and screams could be heard from time to time, which was terrifying.

The Harik family did not let down their guard against those who seemed obedient on the surface but were not convinced in their hearts.

They sent out a large number of spies to lurk in every corner of the city and monitor people’s every move.

These spies are like ghosts, hiding among the crowd and collecting all kinds of intelligence. Once they find someone with evil intentions, they will immediately take action to eliminate them.

People living in such an environment have to be cautious at all times, for fear of being targeted by spies and falling into an irretrievable situation.

The city’s economy also suffered during this chaotic period of power transition.

Business activities have almost come to a standstill, shops have closed down one after another, and those once prosperous markets have now become deserted, with only some leftovers and dilapidated stalls left.

Farmers did not dare to go into the city to sell grain, and merchants did not dare to trade. The supply of materials in the entire city became extremely tight.

With prices soaring, ordinary people are living in dire straits and it is difficult for them to even maintain basic food and clothing.

The price of bread soared, and many families had to tighten their belts or even sell their belongings in order to have a meal.

However, the Harik family turned a blind eye to this. They were only concerned with consolidating their own power and satisfying their own selfish desires.

They plundered the people’s wealth and took a lot of it for themselves. The palace was filled with gold, silver and jewelry, while the people were starving. This sharp contrast made people’s resentment even stronger.

(End of this chapter)