Chapter 4 Dust's Ambition (1)
Ella was unable to find out more information from the prisoners of war. The general was sent by his lord to specifically block reinforcements that might have come from Sweden. Before going to sea, he only learned that Ragna's fourth son Bjorn had returned and summoned all the old subordinates of his brothers. As for the current form of the British Isle and the current situation of Alfred, he did not know anything about it.
But this is also good news. The time when his fleet went to sea was after Alfred's messenger. Since he did not know about Alfred's situation, Alfred thought he had not fallen into Bjorn's control.
In the early morning of a few days later, Ella's fleet docked in Southampton, the nearest port city to Winchester. Winchester is the capital of England. After Alfred unified Britain, it became the capital of Britain. If there is a place where you can grasp the current situation in Britain the fastest and most comprehensive way, it is probably only around Winchester.
But the facts are always unsatisfactory. Southampton should have flourished as the main sea route to Winchester. But when Ella's fleet landed, the port of Southampton was empty and there was no one to see.
"Strange thing. We came too early, are the people in the city still sleeping?"
Ella looked up at the city on the flying zodiac. The buildings were filled with black birds.
Graheide's ship leaned towards the flying Chrislander. He shouted from afar: "King of Sweden, something is not right here. There are people in the port of Southampton from morning to night, but now it is not even a lighthouse!"
Ella felt something was wrong. She sent a team into the city to check. Soon, the team hurried back and shouted: "King of Sweden! There is no one in the city! There are many corpses on the road!"
Ella's face turned dark. Graheide was particularly shocked and immediately wanted to lead his troops in. But Ella grabbed him cautiously.
"Release the hot air balloon first," Ella said, "I'm afraid there will be ambush around me."
Southampton is located in the north of the Ella fleet, but the wind is blowing southeastern. The hot air balloon cannot float above the city, and can only be pulled by the rope on the flying celestials. Looking at the city from the northwest of the ship. The hot air balloon hit by the strong wind sways left and right, as if it will overturn the hot air balloon at any time, and the people under the hot air balloon are thrilling.
"I didn't see a large group of people around me!" The soldiers on the hot air balloon shouted at the bottom in the whistling wind, "I only saw a lot of birds, like a forest without many people!"
Ella then led the team into Southampton. There was no one quietly in the city, but the doors of the house were open roughly open. The streets were messy, like a tornado hit by a tornado. Many birds stood on the ground to ate the fruits scattered on the streets, but as soon as Ella's men approached, they fled with their wings. As Ella's troops deepened, more and more birds flew up with their wings, and condensed into a dark cloud over the city.
"How long hasn't anyone come here?" Dust covered his nose exaggeratedly. There was a smell of alcohol on his body, and he thought he had drunk a lot of alcohol on the boat. But it was no wonder that he reacted like this: there were many corpses lying on the road, and they had already started to rot, emitting a foul smell. "This is the port city next to the capital. How could Alfred make it like this? This is also called a knight? This is also worthy of being called the Knight King?"
"You don't see this?" Graheide said dissatisfied. "This was attacked by the enemy and Southampton was looted!"
"Ranking?" Dust drunkenly picked up a bag from the ground and poured out a pile of silver and copper coins in front of Graheide. "Do you call this a ransack?"
"What else can happen?" Grahead was a little angry. "You can't just die in a city, right?"
Amy thought of: "Look at the dark spots on these corpses? Remember to wear leather gloves!"
Several soldiers went up to check the bodies, then raised their heads and shook them: "There are no dark spots."
Now, even Ella couldn't understand: "Strange thing. It's not for money or the Black Death. So what's wrong here? If it's for military operations to seize the important land, then at least there should be enemy troops occupying this place, right?"
"King of Sweden, you don't need to think so much." Graheide said, "The Knight King cannot manage a city like this, so this can only be an enemy's attack. As for the reasons for the enemy's attack, we don't need to guess."
"Enemy's attack? But no one is seen here. Do you really think that civilians are carrots and cabbages in the pit, and they get up as soon as they are pulled?" Dust rolled his eyes and smiled, "Stop talking about everyone, I'm the only one hiding into this city. Look at how many people you have to take, how many days will it take to find me and take me away?"
"It's called Dust, right?" Grahead glared at him, "Are you dissatisfied with me?"
Dust was sobered up all over and woke up. Seeing Grahyide's bad gaze, he immediately raised his hands and surrendered, "Don't glar at me, I can't beat you, I'll admit defeat."
Graheide couldn't help but snorted: "Drunk."
Ella raised her hand and told everyone not to speak. The genius was just dazzled, and the street was covered with a thin layer of mist, making the street even more gloomy. She closed her eyes and heard only the whine of birds from above.
"Grahead is right. These corpses must be due to the enemy's attack. But the master is right. No matter how much the enemy attacks, it will not be able to turn into an empty city. It is very strange here and you can't stay for more. Grahead, are there other villages nearby?"
"Some," replied Grahead, "from here to Winchester, there is a village located near the forest."
"Take me there! Let the entire army set off immediately!"
"Your Majesty, I will add another order." Amy whispered behind Ella, "Before seeing people, let the soldiers drink their own water and eat their own food, and don't touch anything nearby."
"Why?" Ella was puzzled, "Although there is no one, just leave the coins, right?"
"It's not the problem." Amy's voice became lighter, "His Majesty forgot how he killed Siggard?"
Ella woke up like a dream. This situation of empty city is more like a trap set by man than an enemy attack. The water and food may have been poisoned."
She immediately turned over and came to the horse: "Don't stand stupidly, run all! Run!"
Fortunately, Ella had already conducted reconnaissance with hot air balloons before entering the city. Although the evacuation was urgent, it was not panic. Under the leadership of Graheide, they soon arrived at the village in front of the forest.
But they still couldn't see a figure, only seeing a few rotten corpses lying in the field outside the village, being pecked by crows. Grahyide was stunned on the path in the field. The crow flew up in fear, probably because he regarded him as a scarecrow in the field.
"Your Majesty, what should I do?" Amy asked, "Are you going to Winchester to find out the situation?"
Chapter completed!