When the soldiers sent out by Barnett returned, what greeted them was a fake mine.
The miners were dressed in soldiers’ uniforms, and before the returning soldiers could even speak, they were struck down and killed!
With the success at the Heishan Mine, Willis immediately had half of the people spread out to other nearby mines to persuade others.
Among them, the more than 80 people from Mine Number Four acted as the backbone, taking Willis and Nidnia’s speeches and improvising everywhere they went.
After occupying a mine, Willis finally managed to rest for once.
In the afternoon, Ofilia received the message and was brought to Willis by someone Anne sent.
“Master……”
Ofilia looked at Willis in front of her in shock.
Disheveled, not much better than the miners beside her.
She’d been missing for so long—was this what she’d been doing?
But…
Was this really the same noble, glamorous, and cruel woman she knew?
“You’re here?”
Willis was sitting at what used to be Barnett’s desk, reviewing reports sent from all directions.
Upon seeing Ofilia, she pulled her into her arms.
“Master!? You… your body…”
Ofilia frowned, wanting to pull away.
But with a single line from Willis: “Do you dare dislike me?”
She was silenced.
“Uh… no, I don’t…”
There was no choice; she had to submit obediently.
However, after an hour together, Ofilia slowly found this version of Willis had its own unique charm.
Working earnestly, thinking hard…
In this stormy Ushi City, she stood alone against all enemies!
Gradually, Ofilia found herself entranced by the sight.
When she came to her senses, she secretly cursed herself for being such a fool.
[No! You can’t be fooled by her appearance! Have you forgotten the Collar on your neck!? Ofilia, you idiot!]
Star Calendar Year 820, July 27th, Willis completely occupied the Heishan Mine.
From July 28th to 30th, all City Defense Army personnel who came and went were either detained or killed by the miners.
A soldier sent as a messenger was captured, and Willis learned of the City Defense Army’s movements from his mouth.
“They’re joining forces to prepare against me? Of course they are…”
Willis laughed.
Now, rumors were swirling throughout Ushi City and the surrounding mines.
Willis wanted to clear out all the terror-filled rumors, but they only became more real in the face of the continuous deaths of officers and soldiers at the hands of Nightfall.
Conversely, the rumor that “the Imperial Princess in the City Lord’s mansion is fake” drew little attention.
And the soldiers everywhere had already united in secret, waiting for the day of the uprising.
In these few days, internal subversion among the miners was extremely successful.
In just two days, Borden and his group secretly took over the miners of ten mines.
By August 2nd, among the more than 30 mines around Ushi City, after excluding those with divided loyalties, nearly thirty thousand miners were under Willis’s control!
During this time, Willis kept having batches of medicinal herbs and various stored grains transported from Ushi City.
These miners, after years of labor, were covered in scars and ailments.
On top of that, malnutrition was a serious problem.
Willis used her own name to gather these supplies and personally led people to treat miners’ wounds with medicinal herbs, one by one.
Even many miners from other mines were secretly brought over to receive treatment from Willis.
Of course, Willis herself didn’t know medicine, so there were doctors brought in from Ushi City by force.
And with Willis’s own Real Eye, figuring out which herbs to use for which injuries wasn’t too difficult.
Day and night, tirelessly winning over hearts, the ever-appearing Willis quickly gained massive popularity.
The nickname Red-haired Angel spread swiftly among the miners, fueled by Borden and others.
With Nidnia and the others’ actions, Willis was now at the height of fame among the miners!
“Has the time been confirmed?”
Willis asked.
“If nothing unexpected happens, it should be the night of August 7th.”
Outside the mine, in a cave used by Hill U to keep pigeons.
At this moment, Anne had transformed into the appearance of a City Defense Army officer who had been killed but not yet discovered.
She infiltrated Mien Klincha’s base in disguise and eavesdropped on information.
“That fat bastard, he thought the guy was still alive, told me everything, and even told me to be ready.”
Anne laughed.
She glanced at Ofilia standing beside Willis and snorted jealously.
“August 7th, huh? Looks like it’s time to reveal my identity…”
That day, with Nidnia and Borden’s help…
The miners who had completely accepted and admired Willis were gathered by her.
At the moment she revealed her true identity, everyone’s eyes widened, and their hearts skipped a beat.
Unbelievable, to say the least!
“I know, it’s hard for everyone to accept at once, but I’m the real Willis.”
“The current vicious and ruthless Willis is a fake!”
At this moment, Nidnia also stood up.
“Brothers! A man should have a conscience! Willis is Willis, and an impostor is an impostor!”
“Don’t blame her for what that person did!”
“Willis is also a victim—her identity was replaced years ago, and she survived against all odds.”
“It was she who led us to rebel! She who gave Borden and me hope to escape our shackles!”
“And by following her, we’re not rebels—we’re helping Her Highness the Imperial Princess reclaim what is hers!”
“Ask yourselves: how has Willis treated you these days? Isn’t she completely different from that imposter!?”
“She is our lord, and she is the Imperial Second Princess of the Empire!”
As Nidnia spoke, Borden also stood up and shouted.
Soon, all the miners let go of their doubts.
That’s right, no matter whether the Willis before them was real or fake, she treated them better than their own parents!
And by following her, they were no longer rebels—but bringers of order!
Let’s do it!
News of the true Willis quickly spread secretly among the miners.
Nightfall caught wind of the rumor, and that short man sat in the main hall, asking in confusion: “Where did this rumor come from?”
“I don’t know. We lost contact with all the people we sent to Heishan Mine.”
Another black-robed man shook his head.
“Forget it, ignore them. What can a bunch of dying miners do?”
“Now we’ve united nearly thirty thousand City Defense Army soldiers—even Mike Millen and the others never had this much power!”
“Kekeke, as long as we storm the City Lord’s mansion and kill Willis, the one at Heishan Mine, real or not, dies too!”
“Hahaha…”
Night of August 5th.
“So this is it… Saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal…”
Willis handed over more than a dozen carts of Black Gunpowder to Anne.
“What’s this?”
The other party asked in surprise.
“A little something.”
Willis smiled.
“The raw materials around the mine are really excellent.”
After explaining to Anne how to use it, she left, still half convinced.
Night of August 6th.
Willis opened her eyes, and with Victoria and others, began gathering people and moving towards the other mines.
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