Chapter 555

Louis abruptly pushed Felix away and scrutinized him closely. He looked different, but Louis recognized him. Tears mixed with laughter on Louis's face. "You've aged, and you look so ugly now! How did you become like this?"

"Don't just focus on your reunion! Check on our other brethren," Rafael gasped, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Lawrence lay on the ground after being taken from Rafael's back, still unconscious despite their attempts to revive him.

Louis and Timothy looked at the eleven surviving men, tears welling in their eyes. It was a relief to see so many alive. However, Lawrence's condition was critical, and no one present possessed medical expertise. Their only option was to continue crushing and administering the medicinal pills.

Everett was at a loss. Skilled in bloodletting and purging, he knew Lawrence's problem wasn't internal injuries; it was pus-filled wounds causing a dangerous high fever.

Suddenly, a roar echoed from below: "Get up there!"

Victor had arrived with his men. However, the steep cliff made it uncertain how many could climb up.

"This is Sandoria territory! Those who trespass shall die!"

"Let's go!" Rafael struggled to his feet. Casting a final glance at the enraged Victor below, he calmly commanded, "Let's retreat quickly."

He reasoned that Victor and his men wouldn't be able to bring many up; Rafael's group had already uprooted most of the small trees.

"Hell Monarch!" Victor roared. "You Starhavens are cunning! Instead of negotiating, you resort to dirty tricks?"

Rafael responded in Sandorian, "When you and your people invaded the Southern Frontier, you didn't negotiate with us either." He raised his hand. "Victor, may we never meet again!"

Rafael straightened and slowly walked away. Soon, Victor and his men disappeared from view.

+25 BCNUS

Rafael's shoulders sagged; he was utterly exhausted. His arms felt lifeless, and he couldn't coordinate his legs. Louis carried Lawrence, while Timothy insisted on carrying Thomas, whose severe back injury had likely reopened. Thomas had fought bravely until Timothy and the others arrived.

They ascended the mountain, descended, and then divided into teams to cross the grassland. The strong winds there blew away the heat, somewhat refreshing their spirits.

After crossing the grassland, they climbed another mountain. As they approached the top, they heard soldiers cheering. Many people surged forward, surrounding them and crying out joyfully.

The Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team members laughed through their tears, finding the scene almost dreamlike. The cheering seemed distant, even though it was right beside them.

Upon returning to Simonton City, tears streamed down their faces as soon as they entered. Except for the semi-conscious Lawrence, all ten fell to their knees and silently wept. They were finally back in their homeland, a place they had often dreamed of. They had returned, and the Southern Frontier had been reclaimed.

This was profoundly significant! Even if they had to die, or their bodies could not be returned to their families, it was worth it. Everything they had done was worth it.

Upon hearing of Rafael's successful rescue and the return of the eleven men, Oliver immediately came to greet them. Rafael collapsed into a chair, his first words to Oliver being, "Send for the best military physician."

Oliver was excited. "He'll be here soon." He didn't know any of the eleven men, but he approached each one, patting them on the shoulder. "Well done!"

The eleven men, once part of the Sinclair Army and having served under…

+25 BONUS

…Hector, didn't know Oliver. Exhausted beyond words, they could barely stand after sitting, their legs trembling uncontrollably.

"No need for formalities. Sit down," Oliver said with a smile. "I am proud of you all."

Oliver then instructed Louis to care for the men and went back to write a report for the king, detailing the successful retrieval of the Hell Monarch and the rescue of all hostages.

No one cared about the report's content; everyone was focused on Lawrence's condition.

The military physician stated that Lawrence's situation was dire, his survival uncertain. Even if he survived, he might never walk again due to severe leg fractures.

Rafael told the physician, "Spare no expense in saving him. If you can't save him, at least alleviate his suffering and extend his life as long as possible. I'll take him back to the capital to Sebastian."