Chapter 442: The Parliament, the Price, and the Peoples Hearts (3)

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

The only variable was how much that army would demand. If they were to ask for an exorbitant sum, we wouldnt be able to afford it.

As the sun gradually set and a full moon rose into the sky, many people found it hard to sleep.

Stars.h.i.+ne City was a tiered city built around the central mountain. The higher up the residential houses and estates were located, the wealthier and more powerful the inhabitants.

The Thirteen Council Families, as the rulers of the Stars.h.i.+ne Islands, naturally had their estates in high-alt.i.tude positions. They occupied the only few flat lands on the mountainside, boasting elegant surroundings and beautiful scenery. From their vantage point, they could overlook the lower Stars.h.i.+ne City and the distant sea.

Here, the Council Families had established independent facilities to ensure that their descendants could enjoy a life of luxury from birth.

In contrast, the crowded lower valleys were home to a mult.i.tude of impoverished residents. They huddled in tin-roofed shanties, wrapped in thin blankets stuffed with cotton to fend off the chilling sea breeze, enduring the gnawing sensation of empty stomachs.

Since the news of the impending Sea Beast Tide had spread across the islands, the residents had become increasingly restless. Especially when there were rumors that the n.o.ble councilmen planned to escape with their wealth, the anxiety grew.

The n.o.bles should be using their resources to defend against the Sea Beast Tide, shouldnt they? Why would they want to leave?

When some bold residents approached the city hall to inquire, they were brutally beaten by the fierce guards stationed there.

This seemed to confirm the truth of the rumors, and it sent all the residents into a state of panic. While the n.o.bles could afford to leave on grand s.h.i.+ps, safely accompanied by their servants, the common people had no means to cross the vast sea in those small boats.

Just as the residents were overwhelmed with fear, another rumor surfaced.

A powerful army from a distant continent had arrived on the Stars.h.i.+ne Islands, and their strength was sufficient to withstand the terrifying Sea Beasts.

All it would take for the n.o.ble councilmen to call upon them for help was a small price to pay.

But the n.o.bles, even in their desire to escape, were unwilling to part with even that small sum.

Why are they doing this? A mere trickle of gold from their fingers could save us. Why wont they do it?

Theyre already so wealthy. Why are they so heartless

Are you out of your mind? If the guards hear you saying these things, theyll beat you to death!

These rumors and whispers circulated in the streets, eventually reaching the ears of the council members, infuriating them.

How could this be considered a small price!?

This was a tenth of their wealth, an amount you commoners couldnt earn in ten thousand years!

They immediately dispatched soldiers to arrest those who spoke these words, throwing them into dungeons, but they couldnt stop the spread of the rumors.

At the same time, the fleet of the Stars.h.i.+ne Islands finally spotted the oncoming Sea Beast Tide from the south and received orders from the council to engage.

However, the ferocity of the Sea Beast Tide far exceeded their expectations. Countless sea beasts, braving artillery fire, charged relentlessly. In just a brief encounter, they caught up with the wars.h.i.+ps, devouring all the crew members and leaving only a dozen or so battered vessels adrift on the surface of the sea.

This turn of events left the council members in a state of utter panic. They had never imagined that a mere dozen powerful wars.h.i.+ps couldnt even slow down the advance of the sea beasts.

At the same time, word of the fleets loss quickly circulated among the people of Stars.h.i.+ne City, intensifying discussions about the mysterious but powerful armys role.

Despite the council members efforts to calm the situation, their attempts were in vain.

You cant defeat them.. Do you realize that you lack the capability?