Volume 4: War of the Gods Chapter 120: Mutual Victory

  On the other side of Hattie, there were also over a dozen people. Yashet Wangzi, Gelei, Zhuguli, Zhanbie, Hualeite, Aolibein, Afu, Aluka and others had arrived earlier. Except for Yashet Wangzi and Zhuguli, they were all either great divine masters or great warriors. However, the middle seat was empty, with an additional empty seat beside it.

  John, clad in his heavy armor, was filled with emotion at this moment. He thought back to when he had been exiled to Mount Hualian and never could have imagined that he would be standing here today! As he was thinking this, he suddenly discovered that everyone's head was turned in one direction, even the Pharaoh couldn't help but stand up from his seat, and there wasn't a single person left sitting.

  In the distance, a carriage slowly approached on the sand dunes, with King Luciel of Rosiel wearing a golden crown inside. Medanzo had already put away his short blade and stood proudly by the king's side, hand on the hilt of his sword. The driver was a young man with a smile on his face, wearing a simple short knife at his waist, dressed in the attire of a legion commander but without armor, none other than Amun, the legendary hero who had captured the King of Hatti alive.

  A beautiful woman holding a staff rode a white horse beside him, the wind blowing open her cloak, her hair flying in the sunlight, her pale face very pretty, but her expression was very serious, it was the king's accompanying great magician Silvia.

  Amon stopped the chariot far away and personally helped the king get down. Medanzo also completed his "guard mission", first saluting King Hatti, then walking through the divine array to the side of Egur's large tent, bowing to Falo, drawing his sword and standing beside John behind the empty seat. Among all the people present, Medanzo had the lowest military rank and no formal title, he was just the captain of Amon's personal guard, but he was the person who appeared most frequently in recent days.

  Amon and Celia escorted Lucille to the front of Hati's large tent, with everyone on this side bowing to the king. The king nodded and turned to sit in his own position, with a very majestic demeanor, as if he had finally found his feeling again.

  Amon no longer smiled, his expression solemn as he pressed the hilt of the knife at his waist, and with one knee on the ground, bowed to the king: "Your Majesty, I came to visit you for the sake of peace between our two countries. Thank you for your protection over these many days, and please forgive my offense and discourtesy!"

  Lucille smiled and waved her hand, saying: "I admire your courage, you are a true warrior, I think the title of the first brave man on the mainland should be given to you rather than Enqi. The fact that the two countries can sit down and talk is also your credit, just for this point, it's enough to forgive any mistakes you've made. Commander, please go back and report."

  Zhu Guli Chanzheng walked over and handed Amun a silver plate with the words of the Hatti Kingdom's peace talks conditions engraved on it. In the upper left corner of the plate, there was also an embossed emblem that looked like three leaves in the wind, or a giant tree reaching for the sky, or rays of light shooting towards the sky - this was the symbol of the god Enlil.

  Ahmose took the silver plate and walked towards Pharaoh's great tent, passing through the intersection of two divine arrays, and came to the front of Pharaoh, kneeling down to pay his respects, holding the silver plate above his head: "Great Pharaoh, the commander of the Anra legion reports back to you, the Hittite kingdom has made a request for peace talks, please take a look."

  The pharaoh waved his hand: "Amon, I don't recognize this script, can you translate it for me?"

  He really didn't know or pretended not to know, only heaven knows. Ahmon knelt down and translated the contents of the silver plate again. The knife book is usually written on a mud board, but in such an important occasion, the Hittite kingdom specially prepared a document cast on a silver plate with Enlil's emblem, indicating that it has been sworn before the gods.

  After Amun finished, someone took over the silver plate. The Pharaoh bowed his head and smiled: "Amun, commander of the army, my respected great warrior, I have long heard of your name and noble selfless character. Today is the first time I see you in person, I didn't expect you to be so young! This time you led the Anra army to achieve unprecedented merit, when you return to Egypt, just ask for whatever reward you want. Please sit down, my brave warrior."

  Ah Mon sat down in the empty seat, his mission finally completed. He didn't say another word throughout the entire negotiation, appearing quite low-key. The next period of time belonged to Pharaoh and the King, with Song Lie, Zhu Gu Li, Zhan Bie, Li Kui De, Wo Er De, Bu Lei Zi, and others also participating in the discussion.

  The true treaty was not just the three conditions, what surprised Amun was that the Pharaoh and the King became more and more relaxed as they talked, until the atmosphere had a taste of chatting and laughing. In the end, two gold plates were taken out, on which Song Lie and Li Kuide publicly cast spells to engrave the first peace treaty with clear text records in the history of the Tianxu Continent.

  Each gold plate is inscribed with cursive and knife scripts, the front side written in divine script, the back side written in secular characters. In addition to Enlil's emblem, there is also an eagle relief on the upper left side of the cursive script, which is Horus' emblem. The general content of this treaty is as follows: 1. Peaceful coexistence and non-aggression between the two countries, neither party can send troops to attack each other's city-states.

  In case of an attack by a third party against one of the Contracting Parties, the other Contracting Party shall provide all possible assistance to resist the common enemy.

  Third, the scope of the border is defined. The Syr Darya desert and the Ducl Plain are buffer zones where explorers from both countries can enter and pay taxes to their respective city-states and nations.

  4. The two countries undertake to mutually extradite fugitives to their original masters.

  The main content of the treaty is the above four points. The three conditions originally proposed by Hatti were formally written down, only the first one was included in the treaty. As for the other two, leaving the vassal state and dismantling the temple of Horus within the border, they were not written in the formal text of the treaty. Because it is not necessary to write them down, as long as this treaty is signed, Hatti's departure from its vassal status is self-evident. As for whether or not to dismantle the temple of Horus after returning home, it is entirely their own affair, why bother writing it on the golden plate and offending the gods?

  The treaty also mentions that the two countries will jointly defend against external enemies, apparently aimed at Assyria and Babylon. If these two countries were to attack on both sides to compete for that piece of fertile land, Hatti would be in a difficult situation. It's better to pull up a symbolic helper to avoid being surrounded by three sides in the future. That fertile land now has an official name, called Dukkium Plain.

  From the content of the treaty, explorers from both countries can enter the Duk Plain to open up wasteland, mine for gold, or hunt monsters, and pay taxes to their respective countries. The Egu Empire gained the right (privilege) to enter the Duk Plain, but in reality, it is not very significant. Because from the Egu mainland to reach the Duk Plain, you need to cross the thousand-mile Sya Desert, if people from both sides can enter freely, the Duk Plain will still be controlled by the Hatti Kingdom.

  As for the last article, which provided for the mutual extradition of fugitive slaves, it was proposed by Pharaoh. Originally they were negotiating the return of prisoners of war, in a normal war, prisoners of war would become slaves of the other side, since it was a negotiation, of course, all prisoners of war should be released. Both countries' laws had provisions prohibiting the hiding of fugitive slaves, and Pharaoh proposed an extension to the treaty, so this article was added.

  Amun's eyebrows furrowed slightly at the last one, but he didn't say anything, because all the adults present were in unanimous agreement and no one had asked for his opinion individually.

  The text translates to:

  "The words were cast on the golden plate, and the two great sorcerers completed it on the spot. Each side kept a copy, which they would take back to enshrine in their temples as an eternal symbol. This war that had caused countless deaths and injuries had unexpectedly come to a joyful conclusion. Lascius II and King Luciel were getting along famously, and perhaps to solidify the alliance between their countries, he made another request on the spot: to marry King Luciel's daughter."

  What the hell is this?! Amun's eyebrows furrowed again, and upon looking at Silvia across from him, her expression was also somewhat displeased. She was a royal noble, the king's daughter being Silvia's cousin, yet Pharaoh had made such a request. What surprised Amun was that Lucille agreed with great delight, and they even set a date for the wedding on the spot. This is just great, Amun had essentially kidnapped Pharaoh's father-in-law just a while ago!

  After the negotiations were completed, a large oval-shaped table was set up in the empty space between the two large tents. The people from both sides sat on either side and held a grand banquet. Fine wines and delicacies filled the tables, all of which were rare and exquisite flavors that could hardly be found in the world. Amun sat silently at one corner, watching this good show finally come to an end, trying not to draw attention from others, but unexpectedly became the focus of everyone's attention.

  When the wine had reached half of its height, King Lucille of Hatty suddenly raised his cup and said: "I propose a toast to our continent's number one brave warrior, Armon! If it weren't for his heroic actions, we wouldn't have this joyful and peaceful scene today! Armon, both countries' armies and people should thank you!"

  The king raised his cup and couldn't help but drink, Ah Mon stood up and drank it all in one gulp, humbly saying: "I'm just a small army commander, leading troops for the first time, I dare not accept the title of the continent's number one warrior."

  The chief shaman of the Hatti royal palace also stood up, raising his cup and saying: "General Amun, you must not be modest. Since the king has said so, in the eyes of the Hatti military and civilians, you are the number one warrior on the continent! That Enqi claims to be the number one warrior on the continent, but he is just a brave man, how can he achieve such great merit as yours?"

  Amon could only continue drinking and explained, "I'm just a seventh-level warrior, how can I be compared to Enkei who killed the god of slaughter? Please don't overpraise me!"

  Hatip Pasha, Zhuguli, also stood up with his cup: "Modesty is a virtue, honesty is also a virtue. Your modesty cannot cover our honesty, this is the evaluation you deserve. You are so young and already a great warrior, leading troops for the first time and turning a motley crew into an elite army, your future is boundless! With time, it's simply invincible, this is what is most admirable! Having witnessed your bravery, I even doubt whether there is anything in this world that you dare not do?... Pharaoh, Your Majesty, don't you think so?"

  The king raised his cup in a toast, and it was as if this was a signal. His ministers stood up one after another to toast Amun, their words becoming more and more exaggerated. Amun's back was sweating profusely as he listened. He had taken the Hittite king hostage, which was a great humiliation for them. These people couldn't possibly not hate him. Saying such things in this setting was certainly not well-intentioned, but it was precisely what made it impossible to refute, as everyone was smiling and toasting.

  These people in high positions, of course, are all masters of intrigue. Ahmose was the commander of Pharaoh's army, and his victory was also Pharaoh's victory, but Pharaoh's great army was defeated, only he won and even captured the king of Hatti. These people, in front of Pharaoh and other military leaders, only praised Ahmose, which is to put him on the fire to roast.

  Everyone looked at Li Kui and Long Teng, whose faces were all very awkward. The Pharaoh heard the question and smiled as he raised his cup to answer: "I am delighted that there are such brave generals in the Empire, and I also firmly believe that everyone present is as loyal and brave as Amun. Let's toast to Amun, let's toast to the gods!"

  Everyone on this side raised their glasses to Amun, and Amun also raised his glass with a stiff upper lip: "Glory to the great Pharaoh, glory to the supreme divine guidance!" At the same time, a thought flashed through his mind: "The glory of guidance belongs to a cat."

  After the banquet, both sides returned to their respective camps and withdrew as agreed. The Fatimid army received supplies from Anushtegin's troops and marched back across the desert in good order, with Anushtegin's troops bringing up the rear.

  The treaty was concluded, and both sides declared it their own victory, to be inscribed on the stone pillars of the temple with hymns extolling the deeds of the gods and kings. As for Hatti, declaring a great victory was only natural, as they had shaken off their vassal status and repelled Pharaoh's army, forcing him to sign a non-aggression treaty and become an equal ally in attack and defense. After the temples of Horus were demolished, the glory of the king and the gods reached its peak.

  Lysias II also claimed this as his own victory, launching a large-scale expedition, capturing the opposing king alive, forcing Hatti to propose peace talks first and signing an alliance treaty, turning a potential enemy of several decades into an ally and symbolically gaining benefits on the Dukkian Plain.

  This war also made the reputation of two other men, namely Gao Lie and Ah Mon.

  The great army of Hatti was commanded by Goliath, who led the military and civilians to defeat the powerful Egypian Empire, and it was he who personally negotiated the rescue of the king held hostage, achieving all his goals. Goliath's prestige in the city-state of Syria was already unmatched, and now he is being enthusiastically praised throughout the entire Hatti nation.

  After the withdrawal, Goliath resigned from his temporary position as legion commander and no longer commanded troops. The position of front-line commander-in-chief also ceased to exist with the end of the war. The king gave him the heaviest reward and also intended to give him the highest honor, planning to appoint Goliath as the chief high priest of the Enlil temple, that is, the chief high priest of the entire Hittite kingdom.

  The Kingdom of Hatti has three 9th-level divine magic users, namely Gao Lie, Zhan Bie and the former chief high priest of the Enlil main temple, Yona. This time, the king wants to appoint Gao Lie to replace Yona's position, whether he is willing or not, but there are no higher rewards anymore, in this national war, Gao Lie has some credit for shaking the enemy.

  Kingdom Chancellor Zyguri is a supporter of Galatea, the reason is simple, because his nephew Rafael is Galatea's most beloved student. This relationship makes Zyguri think that Galatea and himself should be political allies, appointing him as the Chief High Priest of the Kingdom was also suggested by the Chancellor.

  However, Galen himself refused and still insisted on staying in the city-state of Syria as a high priest. If it were someone else, this would be impolite, how could the king's appointment be refused? But with Galen's identity and prestige, he had enough capital to refuse the king's kindness and make his own demands.

  The king agreed and gave the city-state of Syria a generous reward, exempting it from three years' taxes, and appointed Gaius as the chief elder of the Hittite Academy of Divination. This was an honorific symbolic position, equivalent in rank to that of the high priest of the kingdom, but without actual power.

  As a fierce warrior, he can already act on his own will, but the young legion commander Amun does not have this capital. This battle made Amun's prestige soar, but his situation was also somewhat subtle, his seniority was too shallow, and his merits were too great, if his light was too dazzling, it would make those defeated generals lose face.

  It is unknown whether Amun's prestige in the legion exceeded that of Ankh, but his soldiers proudly answered "Amun Legion" when asked which legion they were from, without mentioning Ankh. In civilian circles, people also habitually referred to Ankh Legion as Amun Legion.

  All that is later, for now Amun only thinks of one thing as he leads the army to retreat across the desert. The Pharaoh has promised in public that after returning to Egypt, whatever reward he wants, just ask, and Amun only wants the Pharaoh to release the people of Duc town, and he will guide them back home. Linke's tribe has already prepared most of the preliminary work, and as soon as Moses and others return, they can immediately establish their homes, and there is a good place in the center of Duc Plain.

  His merits were sufficient for Pharaoh to grant such a request. Maria had hinted and helped him how to achieve his desire, and Amun did it!

  The retreat was uneventful, and the morale of Anra's troops was high. From a distance, their armor shone brightly, a stark contrast to how they looked when they left Egu. John, the commander of the vanguard, sat on his horse, exuding an aura of a majestic imperial general. However, it was strange that Medanzo, who usually loved to show off, was unusually quiet, looking distracted and lost in thought throughout the journey, barely saying a word.

  Amon had a similar experience, but Maidanzo broke through this state of mind in another way and finally became a great warrior and magician. When you've just stepped over the threshold, it's really necessary to feel that unprecedented feeling, as if entering a whole new world.

  Amon is also a 7th-level great magician and great warrior, now his successor Medanzo has achieved the same achievement. Amon does not have the slightest jealousy, but is very happy. At this time, he urgently needs a high-ranking expert by his side.

  Retreat is not a battle, the army's speed was not fast, and it took half a month to arrive at the border pass of Cape City-State. Amun met again with Lord Roddick, the city lord of Cape City-State and the legion commander of Sett Legion. This time, Roddick was really unlucky, Ann Legion had won three battles in a row, while his Sett Legion had lost three battles in a row.