Ray ordered his personal guards, “Relay my decree to the engineer battalion. Have them immediately start digging a covert canal to divert the moat’s water source to the northwest desert. It must be completed within three days.”

He paused and added, “Janice will supervise this matter. If there are any errors, heads will roll.”

Janice did not expect Ray to trust her so much, and her voice trembled with excitement. “I will not fail this mission!”

A confidant whispered to Ray with concern. “Your Majesty, this woman is cunning and cannot be trusted.”

Ray, however, mounted his horse and said softly. “Whether she is trustworthy or not is not important.”

He looked in the direction of the city tower, a complex light flashing in his eyes, “As long as it brings Athena back, anyone will do.”

He could keep Janice by his side, so he was confident in controlling her.

He didn’t even notice a little woman.

Athena stood on the city tower, nervously watching the battle situation below.

Suddenly, a bugle sounded.

Ray was actually leading the army in retreat.

The people cheered, “The Northcold people are gone! They have retreated!”

However, Athena felt that something was wrong. Ray clearly had the upper hand, and he had no reason to retreat.

“Everyone, don’t let your guard down. The Northcold people are cunning and must have some scheme.” Athena calmed everyone’s emotions and sent out a group of secret agents. “Go and investigate to see what the Virelda Army is up to.”

For three consecutive days, Ray did not attack the city once.

He had the army stationed five miles outside the city. Apart from training soldiers, he never showed his face again.

The scout who went to investigate told Athena what he had found. “Princess Consort, the Virelda Army is very strange. They are digging ditches by a river, and I don’t know what they are doing.”

Athena raised her voice slightly. “What did you say? Digging ditches?”

“Yes, they are digging ditches. Could it be that they want to divert the river to another place?”

Michael shook his head with a solemn expression. “I’m afraid they are after the water source. Digging ditches is fake; intercepting the river water is the real goal.”

Athena nodded in agreement, “The moat is one of the main sources of water for Pidence City. If the river is blocked, we won’t last for many days.”

“The Virelda Army is really hateful.” Michael’s deputy slammed a fist heavily on the table.

Michael looked at Athena, “If we really let them cut off the river, we’re done for.”

“But going out of the city to stop them is also a dead end.” Athena fell into deep thought, “Ray, he’s forcing me to leave the city.”

“Athena,” Michael said in a low voice, “I would rather die than let you leave the city.”

Athena took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

She turned to face the panicked people on the city tower and shouted, “Everyone, don’t panic! We will definitely find a way to deal with it. Everyone, fill everything that can hold water to cope with the predicament.”

The people rushed to tell each other, and everyone went back to fetch water.

Athena then summoned the elders and strategists in the city to discuss countermeasures urgently in the mansion.

“Princess Consort, the top priority is to find a new source of water.” An old man with white hair stroked his beard and said, “Although there are several old wells in the city, the amount of water is limited, and I’m afraid it won’t last long.”

“There might be streams in the mountains and forests outside the city, but now that the Northcold army is besieging the city, sending people out to find them is too dangerous.” Another person raised his concerns.

Athena pondered for a moment, her gaze falling on a mark on the map. “I heard that there is a hidden pool ten miles west of the city. The pool leads directly to the Queen, but it was later blocked by the late King. If we can break through that wall, it might solve our immediate crisis.”

Michael immediately volunteered. “I’m willing to lead a team of elite soldiers and sneak out of the city at night to find the pool.”

“But.” Athena looked worried. “Northcold and Virelda soldiers are everywhere outside the city. Your departure will definitely attract their attention.”

Michael smiled nonchalantly. “To avoid attracting the attention of the Virelda Army, I’m willing to go alone.”

Athena exclaimed in surprise. “That won’t do. It’s too dangerous.”

“For the sake of the people of the entire city, I’m willing to take this risk.” Michael’s voice was firm. “Athena, we can’t delay any longer. Once the water source is cut off, we will all die.”

Athena looked at Michael with a solemn gaze, pondered for a moment, and nodded heavily.

She clasped her fist in a salute to Michael. “General Osborne, please be careful.”

Michael smiled at Athena, his teeth showing. “I will definitely come back safely.”

With time pressing, Athena spread out the map to discuss countermeasures with Michael.

To leave the city silently, they could only sneak out of the city from the bottom of the lake in the Imperial Palace, then quietly sneak to the pool in the west of the city, open the water retaining wall, and lead the pool water into the city.

After discussing the specific details, Michael went to the Imperial Palace and sneaked into the bottom of the lake.

Athena watched his figure gradually disappear into the water, and her heart clenched.

Hopefully, Michael could return safely and open up the water source.

In the following days, the water level of the moat decreased every day.

However, Michael had no information since leaving the city.

Athena’s heart also sank day by day.

Until five days later, the moat bottomed out, and not a drop of water could be drawn from the city.

The water source in the Imperial Palace was only enough for the people in the city for two days.

Everyone became anxious, and the previous high morale was gone.

Without water, even eating became a problem.

The previous three meals a day turned into two, and finally into one.

Even with such saving, the water was still not enough.

Three days later, there was no water in the city at all.

The well water dried up, and the lake water dried up.

The faces of the people were full of despair, and they all looked at Athena expectantly.

Athena looked at these expectant faces and felt a burden weighing on her.

She was carrying thousands of lives on her back.

She thought, ‘If Xander were here, what would he do?‘

A loud noise came from the city gate.

Athena ran up to the city tower and saw Ray leading a large army, besieging the city again.

On the flag in front of the formation, Michael was tied up.

He was covered in wounds, and his head was so swollen that it was almost impossible to make out his features.

If it weren’t for the armor on his body, Athena would have almost failed to recognize him.

“Michael!” Athena called out. She gritted her teeth and looked at Ray angrily and said, “Ray, what did you do to him?”

Ray smiled slightly and said indifferently, “General Osborne went out of the city to fetch water and was seen by me. Naturally, I had to take him back to the camp and treat him well.”

Speaking of this, he looked at Athena in confusion. “Atheny, why did you forgive him after the way he treated you?”

Ray thought, ‘Athena can forgive Michael, so why can’t she forgive me?‘

“Because he is a hero. What I have with him is just a personal grudge, but Michael is protecting the lives of countless people. How can you compare to him?” Athena said resentfully.

Ray looked at Athena with a wounded expression. “Since you care about him so much, then I will sacrifice him by using his blood to consecrate our flags. Once I kill him, I will order the city to be attacked. Atheny, you forced me to do this.”