Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 788 - Four Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Sunset and Darkness_2

Chapter 788: Chapter Four Hundred and Twenty-Seven: Sunset and Darkness_2

"Ah!"

Xiulote cried out in surprise, about to pull out the Obsidian Dagger from his bosom, but Alisa gently restrained him.

"Xiulote, don’t worry, it’s Little Green!"

"Eh? Little Green? It’s gotten so big!"

Xiulote blinked. Little Green hadn’t stopped, and by now, it had coiled around his waist. Then it poked its head out and gently hooked around the young man’s neck, resting its head against Xiulote’s face and forming a simple exclamation mark, "!"

"Hiss!"

The icy touch invigorated Xiulote. He slightly turned his head, staring at Little Green’s familiar vertical pupils, and old memories surged into his mind. Little Green had accompanied him during the seven days of confinement by the elders and had also been with him in the capital city for a long and eventful year.

In Xiulote’s memory, Little Green was as thick as a stick, over half a meter long, only capable of hunting frogs. But now, the Little Green before him had become a king of the waters, able to hunt big fish!

"After a few years, I didn’t expect you to have grown so much!"

A smile emerged on Xiulote’s face. He gently stroked Little Green’s forehead and carefully pinched its serpentine body. Little Green showed no resistance and, just like before, happily shook its head.

"Hiss!"

"As the tree, so the person."

As Xiulote caressed Little Green, he felt a pang of inexplicable sentimentality. However, this sentimentality might seem a bit pretentious coming from him, a young man not yet of age. Soon, he thought of a truly time-worn old man.

"I wonder how the revered elder’s health is now..."

The Great Temple stood majestically, shimmering with a divine glow under the setting sun. Thick shadows cast by the pyramid stretched toward the East. The palace of the Chief Minister, mostly hidden in the temple’s shadow, only had its red flat roof persistently shimmering in the sunset. However, as night gradually approached, how long could this last gleam persist?

At the top of the palace, the aged elder lay on a soft bed, slightly raising his head to gaze at the twilight in the sky. He had just awoken from an involuntary deep sleep, his eyes still somewhat cloudy.

"Montezuma... brother..."

"Chief Divine bless! Elder, you’re awake!"

Cacamatzin grasped the elder’s withered hand, carefully helping him to sit up in bed. He had hurried back to the palace early to find the elder in deep sleep and stood patiently by his side, unwilling to interrupt his father’s rest.

Over the past year, the elder’s health had clearly deteriorated. He couldn’t eat, his legs were weak, and gradually he couldn’t walk either. He often fell into deep sleep, with the periods of sleep growing longer and the times of wakefulness shorter. In his dreams, he saw many of the old friends and foes who had passed away, all opening their arms to welcome him. He would also remember many small, once-forgotten incidents, each appearing vividly before his eyes. The past years cascaded like flowing water, and he was sinking into it.

"Brother..."

The elder called softly twice before the murkiness in his eyes began to clear. He looked at Cacamatzin standing by his side, his eyes slightly downcast, and remained silent.

Cacamatzin, feeling the thinness of his father’s body beneath the thick robe, couldn’t help but tear up. He gently sniffed the increasingly strong scent of an old man and asked in a low voice.

"Father, your body..."

"Call me elder."

"Yes. Elder, you..."

The elder, expressionless, waved his hand. Then, he glanced at the Samurai standing on the other side, holding a clay pot— Guard Commander Cevali.

"Bring it."

Cevali nodded, took out a bottle of pale green potion from the clay pot, and then carefully opened it and slowly fed it to the elder.

The elder, with his eyes downcast, took two sips. The power of the herbs spread through his body, gradually clearing his aged mind. Feeling his thoughts become clearer, the elder restrained himself from drinking more and once again waved his hand.

Cevali carefully put away the potion and then quietly stood in his place, once more turning into a statue.

The elder closed his eyes, taking a few light breaths. Soon, he opened his eyes, which were once again filled with unmistakable resolve. He pondered for a moment before speaking softly.

"Cacamatzin, this time, I asked you to see that child. What do you think?"

Hearing this question, Cacamatzin bowed his head, pondering carefully. The elder did not rush him, simply waiting in silence. After a long while, Cacamatzin, looking serious, replied in a deep voice.

"Elder, your grandnephew Xiulote has a stature like the great Emperor Montezuma!"

"Brother..."

Hearing this, the elder’s expression shifted slightly but quickly returned to impassiveness. He recalled the recently faded dream, a heroic face barely discernible. After a while, he calmly instructed.

"Tell me more."

"Yes, Elder, my grandnephew Xiulote is young but possesses a heroic and resolute appearance. He is incredibly determined, a man of his word, and acts decisively, clearly having specific goals and long-term plans... These are the most important qualities for a king."

"Hmm, will and determination."

The elder nodded slightly, listening calmly.

"...He is neither arrogant nor impatient and treats people quite amiably. Even towards ordinary sailors, he shows some kind of, some kind of concealed respect. It is said that in the Kingdom of the Lake, he is famously affectionate towards the common folk, yet very strict with the nobility... One can see his imperial guard warriors truly respect and adore him from their hearts."

"Nobility, commoners, and warriors... Samurai loyalty."

The elder pondered for a moment, expressionless.

He believed that the nobility were an important source of strength for the alliance, yet not so easily controlled. Over time, the established nobility would increasingly become a liability. Commoners were the plodding lower class; although numerous, they lacked significant power and voice. They just needed to remain stable and obedient. The real reliable force was only the middle-class warriors, warriors fighting on the battlefields.

"In the Kingdom of the Lake, how many warriors are there now?"

"Elder, according to reports from the priesthood and the king’s advisors, there are about six full-strength legions. Five of these are veteran legions that have experienced battle, and one is a newly formed legion. Of the six, three are standing armies, and three are semi-retired garrison troops."

"Six legions?"

Upon hearing this number, the elder slightly frowned.

"Exactly. The Kingdom of the Lake has inherited most of the military forces of the Tarasco Kingdom and has also incorporated the northern Guajili Canine Descendant tribes. Over the years, the kingdom sends out troops annually to wage war..."

The elder lowered his eyes and interrupted softly,

"I know... continue."

"...What puzzles me the most is the divine revelation he received."

Cacamatzin hesitated as he reached this point, organizing his words to express what he had observed as precisely as possible.

"During his years in the Western Kingdom, the boy developed some very powerful new weaponry... One is a large bronze cannon that fires stone projectiles, capable of destroying wooden palisades and shields from hundreds of steps away. Another is a smaller cannon, which can break enemy lines in open field battles..."

"Hmm? Hundreds of steps away, destroying wooden palisades?"

The elder’s eyes suddenly opened wide, looking with an imperceptible majesty.

"Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"Yes, indeed so."

Cacamatzin nodded. During a stop on his journey, he had requested to see the cannon firing. Xiulote had not refused and frankly displayed it. The scene at that time made a deep impression on him, and was very hard to forget!

"Elder, with such copper cannons at hand, we can attack small cities, easily breach wooden fortresses. And if we attribute this power to the force of the gods, many weaker tribes would probably be greatly intimidated and their resistance significantly reduced, even leading them to surrender..."

"Divine inspiration... in the name of the divine..."

The elder mused in silence. His gaze flickered, clearly lost in thought. After a while, he asked wearily,

"Anything else?"

"There is also a huge galley. It has hanging sails that can take advantage of the wind and manpower to quickly traverse rivers and lakes... Ordinary single-canoe war boats cannot match it."

"Galleys... Are they of the Maya type?"

The elder briefly reminisced, conjuring images he had seen at the seaside. He was young back then, on a mission to the Totonac seaside city-states. The large commercial ships used by the Maya city-states for long voyages had left a deep impression on him.

"The sails look somewhat similar, but the ship design is sharper, probably better suited for combat."

Cacamatzin was not sure. He didn’t know much about naval combat.

"Hmm. Anything else?"

"...No more."

Cacamatzin shook his head.

"Elder, as per your will, I will officiate the marriage between the boy and Alisa. After some days, I will come back to report to you!"

"Hmm. Go ahead, make sure the wedding is well conducted!"

The elder nodded calmly, waved his hand, and slowly leaned back on the wooden bed, looking towards the palace’s exterior, a pitch-black sky.

"It’s gotten dark..."