Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 84: Capturing Ironthorn Castle

Baron Mengde’s face was ashen. He collapsed into a sitting position, defeated, and the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a CLANG.

He knew it was all over.

Ironthorn Territory was finished.

And he was finished, too.

"Lord, I will escort you back to Ironthorn Castle. If we rely on the castle’s defenses, there might still be a chance."

His Personal Guard Knight Captain helped him steady himself on his horse.

The words gave Baron Mengde a sliver of hope, and he immediately nodded in agreement.

The Personal Guard Captain shouted.

"The Lord has given the order! Retreat to the castle!"

With that, he and the Personal Guard Knights turned to escort Baron Mengde back to the city.

The moment Baron Mengde retreated, the already wavering troops descended into chaos, turning and fleeing for their lives.

Seeing this, Raylo immediately ordered the attack.

’If Baron Mengde actually makes it back to Ironthorn Castle, besieging it will be much more difficult.’

With no will left to fight, the Ironthorn forces were hunted down by the Black Stone Army. Soldiers surrendered one after another along the way; barely anyone dared to resist.

Baron Mengde fled quickly, but he was ultimately a step too slow.

About three hundred meters from Ironthorn Castle, Ed and over thirty Pegasus Knights descended from the sky, blocking their path.

Baron Mengde gave up all resistance and willingly surrendered.

「A short while later.」

At Baron Mengde’s command, the heavy gates of Ironthorn Castle slowly swung open.

Raylo spurred his Storm Griffin forward, leading the charge. Behind him, Bolin led the Black Stone Knights, followed by infantry phalanxes as fierce as wolves and tigers, all marching in a mighty procession into Ironthorn Castle.

The streets within the city were lined with kneeling Ironthorn soldiers who had laid down their weapons, alongside terrified civilians.

They kept their heads bowed, not daring to look directly at the young and powerful conqueror.

Bolin, meanwhile, directed his Knights and soldiers to quickly secure key defensive positions, confiscate weapons, and suppress any potential resistance.

Soon, Raylo arrived before the Lord’s Mansion of Ironthorn Castle.

Like a defeated rooster, Baron Mengde was escorted by two Black Stone soldiers and forced to kneel before Raylo.

His former prestige had vanished completely, leaving only a face full of despair and resentment.

"Mengde, do you admit to your crimes?"

Raylo looked down on him, his voice icy.

Baron Mengde let out a bitter laugh.

"This is just how it is, isn’t it? The winner is king, the loser is the outlaw."

"Still unrepentant."

Raylo shook his head.

"Colluding with the Blood Wolf Corps, plundering neighboring lands, exploiting your neighbors... For every one of these crimes, do you think the laws of the Duchy are merely for show?"

Just then, Hogg, leading a group of dejected Iron Skull Mercenaries, also arrived outside the Lord’s Mansion, "escorted" by Black Stone soldiers.

The moment he saw Raylo, he rushed forward a few steps, wanting to try and explain himself again.

"Baron Raylo, about that business with ’Scar-faced Jon,’ I really..."

Raylo, however, couldn’t be bothered to even glance at him. He simply gave a cool command to Bolin at his side.

"Take Baron Mengde into temporary custody. Inventory and seal all of Ironthorn Castle’s supplies and tax ledgers. Also, send men to interrogate the prisoners, especially Mengde’s confidants. I want every piece of correspondence related to the Blood Wolf Corps in Ironthorn Territory, and every person involved, dug up."

"Yes, Lord!"

Bolin bowed to accept his orders.

Baron Mengde’s face paled at these words, and a flicker of terror crossed his eyes.

’He never expected Raylo to actually dig so deep into the matter of the Blood Wolf Corps.’

Hogg’s heart pounded in his chest as he listened from the side. He felt a chill creep up his spine, especially when he heard the words "every person involved... dug up."

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but finally closed it again in dejection.

’I get it now,’ he thought. ’This Baron Raylo isn’t just strong militarily; he’s also incredibly shrewd. I’ve really stepped in it this time.’

Raylo’s gaze swept over the miserable-looking Hogg.

"As for you, Captain Hogg, and your Iron Skull Mercenary Corps... I will give you an opportunity to prove your innocence. We’ll see if you’re willing to take it."

With that, he ignored everyone and turned to walk into the Lord’s Mansion of Ironthorn Castle.

Hogg gritted his teeth, called over a few trusted men, and returned to his camp.

"These damn nobles. We won’t get out of this without bleeding a fortune."

「Ironthorn Castle, the Lord’s Mansion.」

The candlelight danced in what was once Baron Mengde’s study.

Raylo sat behind the wide desk. This was the place from which Baron Mengde had once given his orders, but it had now changed hands.

Bolin walked in with a steady gait, holding a thick stack of parchment.

He gently placed the stack of documents on the desk, which made a soft RUSTLING sound.

"Lord, they’ve all confessed."

There was a hint of relieved ease in Bolin’s voice.

"Thirteen confessions in total, all signed and marked by former core members of the Blood Wolf Corps. They gave detailed accounts of how Baron Mengde bribed the Blood Wolf Corps, funded them with weapons and food, and instructed them to attack the caravans and villages of Black Stone Territory on multiple occasions, all in an attempt to weaken us."

Raylo picked up the topmost document, his gaze sweeping over it line by line.

The handwriting was crooked, clearly that of an uncouth warrior, but the content was crystal clear and filled with appalling details.

He casually flipped through a few more. These confessions were even more detailed than he had hoped.

One confession came from a minor leader of the Blood Wolf Corps, detailing how Baron Mengde’s envoy found them half a year ago, promised them a hefty sum, and had them disguise themselves as common bandits to harass the border of Black Stone Territory.

Another confession stated that Baron Mengde had secretly met with "Blood Wolf Carl," the leader of the Blood Wolf Corps, and promised that once the job was done, he would grant them a slice of southern Black Stone Territory as their new lair.

At the end of each confession was a bright red thumbprint, like a brand of blood sealing Baron Mengde’s guilt.

A cold smirk played on Raylo’s lips.

’Attacking one of the Duke’s direct vassals without authorization... The severity of that crime is debatable. If someone used it against me, it would inevitably draw censure from Thunder Dragon City, perhaps even severe punishment. Especially Eliot. He would definitely seize the opportunity to attack me. But with this evidence, everything is different. Raylo is the victim. This was self-defense. This was eliminating a scourge for the good of the people.’

He put down the confessions, took a fresh sheet of parchment, dipped his quill in ink, and began to write swiftly.

In the letter, he began by expressing his utmost respect for the Duke. Then, changing the subject, he bitterly denounced Baron Mengde’s many wicked deeds in Ironthorn Territory, particularly his collusion with the Blood Wolf Corps and their long-term harassment of Black Stone Territory, which had brought great suffering upon its people.

He described in detail how, faced with irrefutable evidence, he had been forced to retaliate, ultimately "rescuing" the people of Ironthorn Territory.

His words were earnest, yet meticulously chosen, placing him on the moral and legal high ground.

"Baron Mengde ignored the Duke’s laws, harbored bandits, and attacked his neighbors. He is truly a canker on the Duchy. To ensure the safety of my territory and to protect the Duke’s honor, I, your subordinate Raylo, had no choice but to take such drastic measures..."

He paused at this point, scrutinizing the words on the parchment to ensure there were no loopholes that could be twisted against him.

Once the letter was finished and the ink carefully dried, Raylo rolled it up with the dozen or so heavy confessions, sealed the scroll with wax, and stamped it with the crest of Black Stone Territory.

"Someone," he called out.

An attendant entered at his call, standing respectfully with hands clasped.

"Take this urgent dispatch. Send it to Thunder Dragon City immediately through the magic relay station, by the fastest means possible."