บท 81: Chapter 81 Aftermath and Unyielding Boundaries
**Day 1 of Foundation Week**
Alex waited for any answers or reactions, but none came. Everyone simply stood there, and one by one, they slowly left. He counted 15 gods from the western side of Pangea to 50 gods in the east, most of them lower to mid-level gods.
Soon, Alex saw figures entering the throne room: Sean, Alric, Ling, Ax, Zarina, Eric, and a person he didn't recognize, along with a few imperial guards who placed themselves strategically.
"Your Majesty," Sean spoke, bowing slightly, and the others followed suit.
"I hear you defeated Chronos," Alric added, to which Alex nodded and responded.
"As for the remaining Titans, place them in cities that are open and unoccupied. Make sure the POWs are sent to our camps, as the Foundation Division needs test subjects—mainly Titans," Alex said, causing the others to shiver slightly.
"I have already sent the Chaos Insurgency to handle transportation," Sean replied.
"I see. But, Your Majesty, armies from the western and eastern empires are currently arriving at the battle site, looting some elements of the Titan armies. They've avoided some of our allies' and our bases, but a few attempted to assault a city and failed. Some demigods and mid-tier gods are currently roaming," Ax explained, clearly unhappy.
"Now that the battle is over, they're trying to gain as much credit and faith as possible," Ax said.
"Tell all soldiers to gather their comrades' weapons and bodies. Make sure everyone alive is accounted for, and for the deceased, send their tags for processing. I'll ensure they're given an honorable burial," Alex said. This would allow them to gather any salvageable weapons, even if they lacked comparable capabilities, as it might give them some ideas.
"I'll have my assassins on watch. If anyone takes our resources, they'll be retrieved safely," Ax replied.
Alex nodded, then spoke further about his plans.
"In the aftermath, I'll return to the main camp and create an exclusion zone. No foreign boots—except those of our allies—are to be present," he commanded before leaving. The elite squad silently watched as Alex departed, then Ling spoke up.
"Let's get to work, gents. The faster we finish, the sooner we can leave this land," Ling said, clapping his hands. Everyone left to carry out their tasks. Sean went to organize the cleanup, while Alric and Ax secured the area and managed troop movements. Marshal Jin, hearing the new orders, began allocating the necessary resources.
Zarina and Erik, along with the unfamiliar individual, were also helping, using ice magic to heal some minor injuries—a small but much-needed help.
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**Somewhere East of the Ruined City**
Men in black gas masks with red lenses moved with precision, marching along with chained Titans who appeared lifeless. The Chaos Insurgent operators forced them to march half-naked and exhausted, heading toward the seashore where a transport ship, designed to hold POWs like a floating prison, awaited.
"Halt! Where are you taking them?" A man with brown hair and black eyes, riding a white steed, approached the operators with several comrades carrying the banner of the Golden Chaos Empire.
The operators were silent, ignoring him as some stood in a defensive formation, eyeing the newcomers with caution and gripping their weapons.
"The lord said halt! Show respect! Hand over the Titans to us!" one of the knights demanded, drawing his weapon. Instantly, the operators aimed their weapons at the group.
"We're not sworn to you; our allegiance is to the Draconian Empire. Stop interfering in our business. If you think you can come here and take credit, back off before this becomes a bloodbath," the lead operator said. At that moment, two Humvees arrived, flying the Draconian Empire's war flags, with mounted .50-cal machine guns aimed at the newcomers.
"Back off. We're always ready for a fight," the operator continued, smiling under his mask as he spoke.
The lord on horseback scoffed and turned away, yelling, "I will remember this!"
The Chaos Insurgents resumed their emotionless march. The commander nodded to an operator, who led one of the Titans forward and whispered something in its ear. Moments later, the Titan's chains were removed, and it dashed forward with crazed bloodlust toward the entourage from the Golden Chaos Empire.
"What!" a knight exclaimed as the Titan grabbed him, lifting him into the air. Before he could react, his neck was snapped. The other 15 knights and their lord, seeing one of their men killed, tried to draw their weapons, but they felt a strange emptiness, as if drained of their strength.
"What the hell is happening? Kill it now!" the lord shouted, trying to retreat. The Titan shoved another knight aside, then kicked the lord in the chest, knocking him to the ground. As he struggled to rise, the Titan stepped on his chest and began beating his face relentlessly. Though swords pierced the Titan's body, it continued its assault. The knights, realizing the futility, looked to the operators in frustration.
"Your prisoner is loose—take it down!" a knight yelled at the commander.
"You wanted glory; now's your chance," the operator said, grinning under his mask.
"You bastard!" the knight shouted, but before he could finish, the Titan punched him in the face, killing him instantly. The onslaught continued until the Titan was finally shot dead.
A few minutes later, the commander calmly ordered, "Mark it as a prisoner escape attempt." The Humvees' drivers nodded in understanding.
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**In the Capital of the Chronos Horde**
After a meeting at the relocated HQ near the city, where martial law had been imposed, Alex wandered the ruins. Soldiers from the 6th and 8th Legions moved through the area, collecting bodies and weapons. As he watched, Alex felt a pang of sadness. These weren't just soldiers; they were fathers, brothers, and sons. Kneeling by a fallen soldier, he silently promised, *Don't worry, men, you're going home. I'll make sure your families are cared for.*
As he stood, he noticed destroyed and damaged tanks being towed out to sea, where transport ships awaited. Some transports were designated for destroyed equipment, while bodies were airlifted back to the empire.
Alex, feeling the effects of the battle, drank a small vial, coughing up a bit of black liquid, which he quickly burned away. Surveying the city, nearly reduced to ruins by bombardment, he heard shouts nearby.
"Your Majesty, a large army from the Athenian Accord has camped just outside the exclusion zone and is demanding access to the city," an imperial guard commander reported.
"Refuse them entry. I can't allow outsiders to enter and claim credit. Order the 1st Legion to high alert; I don't care about the political ramifications as long as they stay out," he commanded.
The guard nodded and departed. Alex knew the Athenian Accord, an alliance of kingdoms and empires from the south, revered Athena as their primary deity. Their independence was said to have been secured through her intervention, forming the Accord to protect the lands and people she had liberated. The Golden Chaos Empire was a prominent member, providing them with military and economic support. Engaging the Accord could lead to a protracted conflict, with diplomatic backlash from their many allies.
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**1st Legion Defense Line**
The Draconian soldiers guarded a trench line hastily created by mages, who used rock magic to carve ditches, positioning sandbags and machine guns. Tanks were strategically placed, overlooking what could be a battlefield.
"Hey, what the heck are they doing?" one Draconian soldier asked his buddy, who was manning a machine gun, always ready to fire.
"Not sure, but it looks like they're preparing for a standoff. They've got some kind of makeshift siege equipment, too," the soldier replied, noting the turtles strapped with cannons—a strange but potentially dangerous setup.
"All soldiers, hold fire until I say. They're just in a standoff," an officer announced as he walked by, seemingly unconcerned.
"I don't think they're going to attack while we've got fighter jets flying over them," he added as two Draconian jets roared overhead. Attack helicopters hovered, occasionally turning their guns toward the enemy, unsettling the Accord troops.
The standoff continued until they heard a horn, signaling the Golden Chaos troops to withdraw back to camp.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," the soldier muttered, feeling a wave of relief. He hoped the display of power would deter any foolish attempt at a direct assault.
**To be continued…**
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