Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 928 - 538: The Envoy’s Plea, The King of the Northern Route_2

Chapter 928: Chapter 538: The Envoy’s Plea, The King of the Northern Route_2

"...At the head of the ancestral City of Four Snake, the impregnable mountain fortress, built on the mountain of Tepetícpac-Texcallan, Tepeticpac-Tlaxcala, Cloud Serpent City!..."

The Kings’ trusted aides looked at the Cloud Serpent Mountain City, even though they were all warriors of the alliance, their faces showed great trepidation, and they were silent as the grave. The Cloud Serpent City before them was located on a treacherous mountainside nearly two hundred meters high. The mountain terrain stretched long, the first half steep beyond measure, the latter half suddenly softened, forming several gentle terraces atop the mountain. These terraces had springs, where fortresses could be built, a few terraced fields grown, along with nearby mountain camps, accommodating ten to twenty thousand people. At the edge of the terraces, stone walls could be erected leveraging the mountain terrain, sealing the passageways, forming complete defenses.

The Ancestors of the Tlaxcala people, to resist the Teopanek people’s attack, had chosen this spot among the mountains to establish the perilous Cloud Serpent Mountain City!

Cloud Serpent Mountain City, surrounded on all sides by high mountains, with only a narrow southern path for ascent. This mountain city, from its completion, has never fallen. To strike this place, the alliance’s bows, catapults, and Divine Eagle Cannons are hard to deploy. Warriors must brave the falling arrows above, deadly stones and wooden blocks, arduously climb the mountain, then use grappling hooks to scale the pass, attacking upwards layer by layer...

"This Cloud Serpent City is even harder to conquer than Ototpan Mountain City. Even if one were to deploy a hundred thousand warriors... one might still..."

Aweit gazed at the cloud serpent flag atop the mountain city, along with the faintly visible Tlaxcala warriors, lost in thought for a long time. He recalled Tizoc’s siege of Ototpan Mountain City, failing in prolonged assault, leading to betrayal and estrangement among the people, his heart suddenly chilled. Then he barely calmed his emotions, with a confident smile, loudly laughed to the surrounding confidants.

"Haha, these damned Tlaxcala Divine Descendants, claiming to be the flying Cloud Serpent, turn out to be mere ground-dwelling rodents hidden in the mountains! Let them guard the mountains, while we sweep the Tlaxcala tribes outside the mountain clean! The Chief Divine blesses the alliance, and victory is assured for the eastern campaign!"

"The Chief Divine blesses! Victory for the eastern campaign!"

The trusted aides, encouraged by the King, loudly echoed in unison. Then, Aweit proceeded down the little hill, leading the warriors back, not mentioning the attack on Cloud Serpent City. He continued south, traversing more than ten li, going to observe the final southwestern Snake City, Tree Snake City.

Aweit ran all the way, saw Tree Snake City on the plain, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Tree Snake City was located in the heart of the Tlaxcala Basin, with fertile lands, extremely prosperous. Among the four snake cities, this city was the most extensive, the population most abundant, strength also the strongest. Tree Snake City’s walls were eight or nine meters high, with an area of close to five square kilometers, which could be considered the capital of the Tlaxcala Alliance.

Of course, behind the four snake cities of Tlaxcala, each had a Divine Descendant of the God of Hunt, each controlling one side, equal in status, with no hierarchy. And the system of the Four States Alliance was also joint rule by the leaders of four cities, along with the Divine Descendant Nobility of each region, jointly deciding the major matters of the Four States Alliance.

"Tree Snake City to the north is the winding Texcoco River, the other three sides are plains suitable for cultivation. The city wall is eight or nine meters high, the defending army numbers in the tens of thousands. Though still considered perilous, it is only akin to Feathered Serpent City..."

Aweit’s face slowly revealed a smile. He deeply observed the Divine Descendant flag atop Tree Snake City, then led the armored warriors back to the camp of Feathered Serpent City. Following this, the northern army left three legions to blockade the three snake cities. The remaining four legions, thirty thousand Mexica troops, were split into more than ten camps, surging forth in a scattered formation.

Wherever the northern army passed through, it was as if a sieve sifting through grains, igniting villages, destroying tribes, capturing and killing tens of thousands!

In just one month’s time, several tens of rural villages and towns north of Tlaxcala were burned to ashes. The Tlaxcala people were the bitter rivals of the alliance for decades, and the tribes within the Tlaxcala Basin here were the ruling core of the Four States Alliance, the most stubborn primary tribes.

King Aweit executed martial prowess decisively, the various northern army legions did not hold back in the least. Any tribe in the basin that resisted even slightly would face total annihilation, the able-bodied sacrificed, women taken as spoils!

According to Gillim’s estimate, in this month’s time, approximately twenty thousand able-bodied men were captured, along with an equal number of women of suitable age. As for the Tlaxcala tribes that were exterminated, they should exceed a hundred thousand. Counting the enemies executed during the Feathered Serpent City battle, from the forty thousand primary tribes of Tlaxcala, eighteen to nineteen thousand had been eradicated, nearly half annihilated!

"Your Highness, the three snake cities are perilous and difficult to attack, mutually reinforcing each other. To minimize the loss of the Royal Legion, we should focus on a siege and not rush the matter."

Gillim solemnly bowed, respectfully advising.

"Once the Holy City of Cholula formally surrenders, the Southern Army can advance north by eighty li, reaching outside Tree Snake City. By then, the northern and southern armies can merge, besieging the perilous Cloud Serpent Mountain City and White Snake Hill City, building catapults and shield vehicles, primarily attacking the Tree Snake City on the plains, then attempt attacking White Snake Hill City..."

"By then, with catapults, bows, and copper cannons, the siege can be pressured; with numerous City-State Army corps acting as siege vanguard; and the armored Kingdom Legion acting as siege main force... Your Highness only needs to command the Royal Legion, reinforcing from the rear, directing the various army divisions to eradicate the eastern old enemy and establish eternal glory!"

Upon hearing this, Aweit’s expression flickered, falling into contemplation. His gaze turned profound, and his face slowly broke into a smile. By eradicating the Tlaxcala enemies, weakening the City-State alliances across regions, and upon returning to the capital, he could again push through reforms for the next step of centralization!

"Hmm..."

King Aweit slightly nodded, just about to approve, but the tent suddenly opened.

Two newly formed Tonsured Guards bowed and entered the tent, bringing in a dust-covered and sweat-drenched capital envoy. That envoy’s body was drenched in sweat, his face streaked with tears, and upon entering the tent, he prostrated on the ground, sadly crying out.

"Supreme King, I come from the capital, bearing the grievous news of death..."

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, both Aweit and Gillim exchanged glances, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts simultaneously. The King suddenly furrowed his brows and looked at the prostrated envoy.

"What has happened? Quickly, speak!"

"Half a month ago, the brilliant Morning Star, the sacred High Priest, perished in the Holy City of Cholula, cruelly poisoned! And a few days later, the eternal Sun, the esteemed Elder, passed away in the Lake Capital City, heading to the Divine Kingdom!...Both the Morning Star and the Sun have fallen!!"

"Ah!! Elder, Uncle Grandfather!..."

"What?! The High Priest is dead?!"

Astounded cries instantly burst forth from both Aweit and Gillim’s mouths, like the roar of a Jaguar. Such shocking news arrived like the collapse of Smoke Peak Divine Mountain, rendering disbelief and blankness of mind.

Both, normally deep and inscrutable in thought, were now wide-eyed, mouth agape, completely losing control over their expressions, even shaking bodily!

Subsequently, the tent fell deathly silent, not a breath of wind. Tens of Mexica warriors stood rigidly in place, unmoving, their breaths halted. Within the tent remained the city envoy’s low sobbing, like the mourning song of death, entwining the hearts of all Mexica, forever etched into their bones, unable to disperse~~