Willis had thought these oppressed, long-suffering miners would change after the success of the uprising.
After all, the human heart is unpredictable. Many who slay dragons end up becoming evil dragons themselves.
But sometimes, the truth proved she was overthinking it.
It was precisely because they had suffered and endured pain for so long.
These miners hated such people even more, and they would never sink to the same level themselves!
At least for a considerable period of time, they would not forget the pain and memories of the past.
And they especially understood how hard-won everything now was.
It wasn’t just earned through their own years of labor, but also through the lives of their fallen fellow miners.
It wasn’t that no one had thought about becoming the same as the former corrupt soldiers.
But more people only wanted to follow Willis and Nidnia, and build the dream Ushi City.
A place where commoners were no longer oppressed.
Where they could eat well, sleep well, have money, freedom, happiness, and joy.
That was enough.
So when Borden ordered them to start training, only a handful complained.
But those complaints were drowned out by the majority’s support and agreement.
They say rugged mountains and harsh waters breed troublemakers.
But in truth, it made them cherish this hard-won life even more!
With their honest, simple emotions and easily-satisfied happiness, they carefully followed Willis and Borden forward.
Anyone who dared destroy it would be their enemy.
Even if it was Willis.
Willis had seen this as well, so she no longer worried these miners would turn into a second City Defense Army.
Precisely because they had experienced it, they hated it.
And because they hated it, they didn’t want to become such people again.
To achieve this, they needed not only willpower, but also laws and rules to restrain them.
Willis pondered this in her mind as she led a few people inside.
Their appearance instantly caused an uproar.
“It’s Little Wei! Little Wei’s here!”
“Screw you, now you should call her Lord, or Her Highness!”
“What’s the point in talking so much? Hurry and kneel to pay respects!”
“Yeah, yeah! Quick, pay your respects! Hehe, from now on, I can tell people I once had a friend named Little Wei…”
For a moment, the voices calling out to Her Highness rose and fell among the kneeling miners.
For some reason, Willis suddenly felt her eyes grow moist.
“Everyone, get up!”
Willis stood at the front of the high platform, raising her arm in a passionate shout.
“We! Have succeeded!”
A simple sentence, but it immediately sparked cheers among the miners.
The City Defense Army soldiers looked on with complex expressions.
Willis continued to shout.
“Now, we stand here! Standing on the blood and souls of countless fellow miners and like-minded soldiers!”
“With faith powerful enough to shake the heavens, with hatred, with a desire so fierce it makes the earth tremble!”
“Ushi City, bought with these things!”
“It lies on this land beneath our feet!”
“Here still lingers the warmth of fallen comrades that has not faded!”
“Their cries and hopes still echo in our ears!”
“We exist for revenge, for freedom!”
“Now that we’ve succeeded, we must carry all their hopes to embrace happiness and freedom!”
“That is the best reward for them!”
“Whoever dares try to take any of this from us again, shall be our enemy!”
“Once, I was a fallen imperial princess stripped of my identity!”
“Later, like all of you, I became a weak miner, deprived, exploited, and bled dry!”
“Corruption and greed turned us into livestock!”
“Death and fear were the nightmares we faced day and night!”
“Now, we have shattered it all with our own hands!”
“But rot and greed will not disappear; they still linger within Ushi City!”
“Still coveting the Ushi City bought with our comrades’ blood and longing!”
“As long as they remain, we shall have no freedom, no peace!”
“My beloved miners, my respected warriors! Tell me, what will you do!?”
As Willis’ words fell, a roar erupted loud enough to shatter even the white clouds in the sky.
“Follow Her Highness! Fight to the end! Follow Her Highness! Fight to the end!”
Even Victoria felt her blood boiling in that moment.
[Your Highness, if you can truly achieve this, Guard Knight Victoria will stand firmly and forever by your side!]
Nidnia and Borden, even more excited, rushed to the front, standing beneath Willis’ platform and shouting with all their might.
The scene resembled some kind of cult ritual.
“Let us smash their teeth with our fists! With our teeth, tear open their throats!”
“With unwavering conviction and a heart as pure as snow, deliver a fatal blow to their hearts!”
Next, Willis seemed to forget what she had originally come to do.
An impassioned speech lasting over an hour pushed her reputation to its peak.
The miners, gasping like oxen and faces flushed red, showed no signs of post-battle fatigue.
Even wounded miners struggled to their feet and joined the shouting.
At this moment, they wished they could root out every last trace of evil in Ushi City.
Finally, after several minutes of thunderous cheers, the speech ended.
***
Willis stepped down from the platform, every miner’s gaze burning with fanaticism as they looked at her.
She almost thought they had fallen for her.
Though, as a top-tier beautiful girl, being secretly admired was normal, Willis honestly liked only women.
Men?
Hmm, they could only be brothers and friends, but never get within a meter of her.
Still, being trusted and looked up to like this felt amazing!
Willis took a deep breath.
Her resolve to govern and lead Ushi City toward a better tomorrow would never waver!
And these miners were her most trusted strength!
Next came the process of Willis using the Real Eye, cooperating with several doctors and Healers to treat the wounded here.
A red-haired angel who could lead them toward a bright future from the high platform like a goddess.
A red-haired angel who could tread on muddy ground, ignore the scorching sun and sweat, and constantly tend to their wounds.
At that moment, even Nidnia, who was close to her, and Victoria felt a sense of reverence, admiration, and untouchable holiness for Willis.
Your Highness, she’s glowing!
Victoria stared at her, eyes shining.
And Annie Donald, who had rushed over to call Willis back to preside over the Castle Lord’s Mansion’s affairs, was even more **
She stood by a tree, gazing at Willis in fascination.
Ofilia, who came with her, had an even more complicated expression, as if meeting this Willis for the first time.
Her focused, serious manner of treating people.
Her gentle whispers comforting soldiers in pain.
When, she wondered, would Willis ever treat her like that!?
Her eyes slowly grew hazy.
By the time Willis finished her work, it was already sunset.
By now, all gates of Ushi City had been strictly sealed, allowing only civilians to enter and exit.
At the same time, people’s belongings were searched for money and valuables.
To prevent those Willis wanted to punish from disguising themselves as commoners and escaping.
Unless they were willing to give up all their possessions.
In the evening, Willis left the Castle Lord’s Mansion.
“Hehe, don’t worry. We’re watching all those people. They won’t escape!”
At this moment, Terrence had come to believe Willis’ words.
Feidi and Andy, standing behind him, didn’t even dare look at Willis now.
What she had promised—she had done it all!
And Terrence’s thousand bandit miners, not only had they not been abused or killed by Willis, but had lived well even in prison and ultimately became a secret force, turning into good citizens!
They even had the chance to become part of the Imperial Army!
Right now, Terrence thought that even if Willis was only pretending, he’d be willing to follow her until the day she became cruel once more.
He now accompanied Willis, leading two thousand people to the residences of those wealthy families and Noble Families under guard.
Including officials who had taken bribes from the Castle Lord’s Mansion, and City Defense Army industries and properties.
Not just gold and silver, but people were also counted as wealth!
Aside from those who had already escaped and couldn’t be caught, Willis wanted to seize everything.
For a moment, a chilling atmosphere filled Ushi City.
Though it was August, it felt like late winter’s snow.
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