185 Traitors

Traitors were those who acted treasonously against their government. But what did it mean to be a traitor in another context?

The Cannibal Hero, also known as the Supreme General and capable of eating human flesh, was on his way to a palace in the province where he was currently located. He was here for two main purposes: to assign new commanders and also to punish 50 scholars who had plenty of counts of treason.

And as he arrived, the air in the open front yard of the palace became heavy. As there were 20 members of the Regional Council that had arrived for the same purpose, he had brought terror to this land with them.

The Regional Council were councilors that were directly under him. 

There were 12 provinces under him, and each province had respective governors who were the commanders of each battalion. And to help them with the official documents, they had at least 1 or 2 Regional Councilors by their side.

And with the 20 Regional Councilors being present, it meant that this case was too crucial for the Region under The Cannibal Hero to be tackled.

"Are all ready?" The Cannibal Hero asked and sat down on a chair that was presented to him.

Everyone responded, "Yes, the traitors are already at the prison, My Liege."

"Good." With a gruff voice and with his dead eyes, he ordered, "Bring them all here now."

From the back of the palace, a prison with 50 individuals wearing white robes had their heads locked on planks, where their hands were also locked on them.

"Stand up."

Prison guards arrived and ordered them to stand up. And just as their movements were limited because of the plank that was restraining their heads and hands, they just listened to their orders.

They all lined up and then went outside of their cells. The prison guards ordered them to get out and line up all the way to the open yard. And without any complaints, they walked.

They arrived at the open yard, where fire torches were at the corners of the yard even though it was still a bright day.

"These traitors were previously scholars. They all recorded and wrote the acts of the government as "atrocious," which is an act of treason against the Emperor." One Regional Councilor stated.

The Cannibal Hero shook his head and hushed him. He then said, "Cut with the reports. Just listen to my orders. They are all guilty, as the evidence showed."

Everyone was silent at the flat tone he spoke in. They all waited for his next order, but he didn't immediately speak out. Instead, he only gave the traitors a look and then smiled contently.

"What is on your mind? Any last words before they punish you? We still have the sun at our side; you could talk all you want."

The traitors gulped. Their bodies were obviously trembling from fear, and as they didn't have the courage to speak up, they all went silent.

"You don't want to talk? You don't want to fight for yourselves? Treat this place like a court and send a complaint. I have my ears ready."

The Cannibal Hero spoke sweetly at this time, which was bizarre for him to act since he wasn't like this. Rather, he didn't like speaking much and would just speak directly to the point, with no curves or detours.

One traitor stood up, with his dirty white robes, but he only stood straight. His face could be seen; it was painted with grief and hatred.

"We only wanted the government to see what they did. The Emperor was only focused on the war and didn't care about his people. We are supposed to live in freedom, not in roles that you have assigned to us. "

Silence covered that which made the Regional Council tremble in anger. They then raised their voices and threw all of their sneers and exclamations at this traitor.

"Ssshhh..." A hush came from The Cannibal Hero, and everyone listened to him. Silence covered the whole yard again. With him standing up, they all lowered their heads.

"Job well done. Now, I am really convinced that all of you are traitors." He looked at the prison guards and punishers, then ordered them to plank their buttocks a hundred times.

After making their buttocks red, another set of cries filled the area with their tongues out, being burnt with heated bars. 

Their fingers were burnt as well, and their genitals swam in the fire. And as this punishment was given to them, they all hollered and slowly became shrieks.

Blood was all over their robes, and their tears were already dry. The Cannibal Hero was only watching, enjoying each of their reactions and emotions. In his eyes, their squirming bodies could be seen.

"That's enough. You can now give them a rest. Throw them all at my pet. He needs to eat. It is already time for his lunch."

Aside from being a cannibal to his enemies, The Cannibal Hero also had a pet, a monster to be exact, that he fed with human flesh without fail since the day he caught it.

***

Later on, after the bloody and grotesque scene of punishment for the traitors, two individuals in dark cloaks arrived. They entered the open yard and took all of the attention with the setting sun behind them.

The Cannibal Hero's eyes moved and shifted at them while his face was resting on his right leaning hand. He then nodded and let them approach him. 

The two individuals were spies from the Eastern Continent. With the The Cannibal Hero's task to take over the Eastern Continent, he ordered two of his commanders to become spies and observe the Eastern Continent.

And as the spies approached him, they brought the news with them.

"Eastern Continent was still in their unification. I suggest that we attack them right now, sir. I have my battalion prepared in the Eastern Region." One said.

The other one continued, "There was small strife in the Five Great Families with a new representative leading the authorities. The Matriarch of the Xiao Family is still in her seclusive training."

The Northern Continent had the most formidable power of all of the continents in the Mortal Heaven. They also had a plan to take over immediately to finish the war, as they could see the negative effects of war in the long term. Hence, to utilize their power, the Supreme Generals had their respective assigned continents to attack.

The spies then continued and exposed the Eastern Continent's plan. Every event, small to big, was revealed, and the Regional Council listened to them as well.

They then continued to plot the Eastern Continent with a map in their hands, showing the weakest point of the Eastern Continent. However, individuals with greater power and a role in the Eastern Continent were also revealed.

The spies did well at their jobs. Thus, the Northern Continent had an advantage in this war. Learning the enemies' secrets, weak points, and strengths could provide an advantageous card in a war.

"Lucas Wei from the Wei family. He is the most ferocious of them all. Furthermore, he had the Profound Symbol Sect on his hands, acting as a true disciple under the teachings of the Sect Leader."

"Here is the representative of the Xiao family, Lia Xiao, who became prominent in the Five Great Families after gripping the necks of every official."

With paintings, drawings, and sketches, the spies showed every prominent and reputable individual in the Eastern Continent that they should watch out for. After a few hours straight, a deep, vicious smile appeared on The Cannibal Hero's face.

"This Lukros, you are saying. How could he create a sword and imitate Xiaorong's [Death Blade]?" he asked.

The spies didn't know what to answer.

"We don't know, Sir. However, we are sure that he turns into a huge creature every night. We just couldn't discern if he was a human or a magical creature since there were cases where two races were present in one body."

"That is possible, My Liege. And depending on it, he should be good at sword techniques but not in intensity. From what the two commanders said, the dark particles in the red streak were less than the real [Death Blade]. Imitations are just simple, puny copies after all."

"You do not have to worry about him, Sir. We already marked where he is, so we could just kill him before he grows."

This event was kind of suspicious for other people. But, it was a crucial thing to do for these people since they did not want to see their obsessive superior grow another rage. He was obsessive about being the only person good at swords, and since their cultivation didn't have a huge gap, little by little, The Cannibal Hero was locking his eyes on him.

If his rage exploded, he would become uncontrollable and it could affect their plans. 

"I see... If he is that puny, there is nothing to worry about. His flesh might be even low-class to be compared since he is from the Eastern Continent."