Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Chapter 1406 - 961: Bone-Deep Flogging

The news of Xiulote’s eldest daughter, the birth of the Light Snake, quickly spread among the higher echelons of the Seaside Lands, especially among the Totonac elite. Although this news was not officially announced, it could not be kept from the Alliance. And for Xiulote, he had no intention of hiding it.Because this newly born divine child, mythologized through the legends of the priests, would become a powerful legal authority for the Kingdom to control the Seaside Lands and one of the strongest supports for stabilizing the hearts of various tribes!

"The thousand-mile eastern seaside must be controlled by the Kingdom... and now, the Kingdom has firmly taken hold of it!"

This was the political message Xiulote needed to convey. The control of the Seaside Lands, the passage to the East, was precisely his bottom line of interest. And after discussing with the Chief Priest Yitai of the Seaside for two days, he finally met with the anxious and unsettled Mayan merchant Tikalo in the Temple of the Chief Divine.

"Your Highness! Your most loyal servant, bearing joyful news from afar, sincerely presents to you..."

Xiulote expressionlessly entered the side hall of the Temple. He merely cast a cold glance at Tikalo and mercilessly ordered the Guard Commander.

"Ecatl! Tikalo deceived the Kingdom and schemed against the exploration fleet... Give him sixty lashes! Right in front of the Chief Divine’s statue! Whether he lives or dies is of no concern!"

Upon hearing the final words "whether he lives or dies is of no concern," Guard Commander Ecatl raised his eyebrows, instantly grasping the situation. He took the execution whip, soaked with cold saltwater, and strode toward the terrified Mayan merchant Tikalo.

"Ah! Ah, Your Highness! I... I did not, I am not..."

"Crack! Crack!..."

"Ah!... Chief Divine!..."

"Crack! Crack!..."

"Ah!... Heavenly Serpent Divine!..."

Two red-haired Samurai stripped Tikalo of his robe and pressed him onto the cold bluestone. Then, Guard Commander Ecatl, with a stern expression, extended his arm, pivoted on his feet, and swung the whip forcefully, producing a piercing sound! His actions were unusually skilled, and his control over the position was very precise. He avoided the back and waist, which could be fatal, and struck hard on Tikalo’s buttocks and legs, instantly leaving bloody marks.

"Crack! Ten lashes!"

"Ah!"

With each heavy crack of the whip, the Mayan merchant Tikalo let out a hysterical scream! The whip soaked in saltwater, after just about ten lashes, tore his skin open, causing him to tremble all over in pain. The excruciating whipping was followed by the searing pain from the saltwater on the wounds, as if they were burning!

"Ah! Stop it! Stop it!... Your Highness! Please! Please!... Heavenly Serpent Divine!"

The Mayan merchant Tikalo struggled violently, like a fish out of water, yet he was firmly held down by the strong Samurai. He had never endured such painful punishment, not even in the Papu Priest’s dungeon where his life was intentionally spared. But at this moment, facing the Guard Commander’s "merciless" whipping, recalling the icy expression of His Highness, his wise mind was filled with pain and fear, even howling in unintelligible Mayan language.

"Ah! Heavenly Serpent!... Ancestor!... Grandfather!... Father!... I, I’m coming to you! Ah!..."

"Crack! Crack!... Thirty lashes!"

"Uh..."

The Guard Commander Ecatl maintained steady movements, one lash after another. Listening to Tikalo’s screams, which grew increasingly hoarse and faint, he quietly relaxed his grip a bit. And on the places where the whip landed, there was almost no healthy flesh, just scarred and even bleeding wounds!

"Crack!"

"..."

The long whip fell, blood splattering. Viewed from a distance, Tikalo was covered in blood, motionless, lying on the bluestone floor of the Temple, resembling a Sacrifice in mid-offering.

"Final ten lashes!"

In fact, the Guard Commander Ecatl’s whipping was quite skilled, one of the methods for the ascetic priests to self-mortify. Such scars were excruciatingly painful, looking terrifying, but they were only superficial wounds, not life-threatening. Given the Guard Commander’s strength, if he truly wanted to beat someone to death, a dozen hard lashes on the back and waist’s vital points could injure Tikalo’s internal organs, instantly killing him on the spot!

"Crack! Crack!..."

"..."

"The Chief Divine witness! Family Head, sixty lashes are completed!..."

Guard Commander Ecatl put away the blood-stained long whip, turned around, and bowed his head to report. Xiulote looked at the nearly breathless Tikalo, who could no longer make a sound, and nodded slightly. Such a profound deterrent should make this cunning Mayan merchant remember for a lifetime!

"Tikalo, do you plead guilty?"

"... Your... Highness... I... I... plead... guilty... guilty!... Chief Divine... witness..."

"Hmm."

Xiulote gazed calmly, observing Tikalo’s tear-filled eyes, his face full of snot and tears, and looked over his blood marks and whip scars. After a while, he crouched down, touched Tikalo’s divine bald head, and sternly admonished him.

"The Chief Divine witness! Tikalo, you have received your punishment. And the merciful Chief Divine is willing to give you one last chance!..."

"If you dare deceive the Kingdom again, to craft some shady schemes... I will personally offer you as a sacrifice to the Chief Divine on the altar!..."

"Tikalo, do you understand?"

"Ah! I... I... understand... Your Highness... my... King..."

Tikalo trembled all over, looking up at the expressionless King, with sheer terror in his eyes. At this moment, the shadow of young Xiulote’s innocence had completely disappeared from his heart. What remained was a cold, ruthless King, unreadable and capable of ending his life at any moment!

"Hmm."

Xiulote stood up and finally gave instructions to the two trusted aides behind him.

"The Chief Divine’s blessing! Treat his wounds with my ointment!"

"Yes, Your Highness!..." Fresh chapters posted on novelhall.com

After giving all these instructions, Xiulote turned around to leave the courtyard. Seeing the King about to depart, although in pain and immobile, Tikalo still made a strenuous effort to call out.

"Your Highness... Your Highness!... The Chief Divine witness! I have a... critically important... message to... report to you!..."

"Hmm? Speak!"

"The Naval Commander of the Hidden Serpent Holy City... Papu! Papu Priest! He wants to bring... the fleet and shipwrights... to personally surrender to you!..."

"The Naval Commander of Hidden Serpent City? The one who attacked the exploration fleet and captured you?"

Upon hearing this, Xiulote furrowed his brows. He went back to Tikalo, crouched down again, and asked, looking into his eyes.

"Did you say shipwrights? What shipwrights? The Mayan royal shipwrights you lost?..."

"... Yes."

The Mayan merchant Tikalo trembled slightly. He cautiously glanced at His Highness’ calm expression and quietly replied.

"Papu Priest... captured me and then released me... he wants to bring... a fleet of two thousand men, seven large paddle sail ships, along with a large number of shipwrights and all the large timber... to personally surrender to you..."

"He promises to prevent... the Chief Priest of the Hidden Serpent City and the Divine Descendants from escaping. He is willing to guide the Kingdom Legion into the fortified Hidden Serpent City..."

"And his only condition is to personally surrender to you, continuing to serve you in conquering the eastern Maya Lands!..."