Chapter 21: The Knight’s Charge
Chapter 21 – The Knight’s Charge
The sound of footsteps approached.
From faint rustling to loud stomping.
Suddenly the footsteps stopped, and the sound of the back of his head smashing against the wall stopped at the same moment.
Willox craned his neck, his cold voice cutting through the quiet of the alley.
“You’re finally here.”
With a snap of his back, he rose from the wall.
Those malevolent eyes landed first on the officer’s knife in Arthur’s left hand.
“Heh, I knew it. That punk Dennis, that coward can’t get anything done.”
Arthur spoke faintly, his voice sounding a little raspy.
“Dennis isn’t a coward, he just didn’t have a choice.”
Willox spat at the ground, “Allowing yourself to fall into a situation where you don’t have a choice is a cowardly act in itself.
He obviously could have challenged me like you did, but he didn’t have the guts, and he deserved it!
Even Tom and Tony, the two sufferers, had the balls to do what he didn’t have the balls to do.
Even though those two idiots would only get a pure beating and an internal investigation if they came to me, at least they both knew how to fight back.
But Dennis? All he does is betray people. What’s a guy like that if not a coward?
I’ll find him and have a good talk after we put an end to what happened between us.”
The corners of Willox’s mouth gradually rose, “You know, Arthur, I will find him and have a good talk.”
Arthur was now in a calm mood, so calm that he couldn’t believe it himself, he just fished out the poker he used for yesterday’s poker game from his pants pocket, meticulously picking out his favorite suit and hand from it.
Willox laughed even more openly at this.
“Arthur, what are you doing? Planning to play two games with me before you die?”
Arthur drew four cards from the playing cards and flew them with his fingertips into the puddle in front of Willox.
“Pick your favorite way to die.”
Willox looked down and floating in the dirty water were four Jacks drawn with images of people.
In English, there are many words that begin with J.
Junior, for example, stood for junior, lower status people, and for youthful impulses.
Just, for example, stands for the upright, righteous person.
Justice, for example, stands for the fair and just.
Another example is Judge, which symbolizes the final judgment and verdict.
Arthur unclasps his gloves and throws them on the ground in front of Willox.
“You shouldn’t have come to me, can’t your underdeveloped brain remember that I’m the only Scotland Yard policeman brave enough to patrol the East End alone in the dead of night?”
Willox gazed at the four poker cards in the puddle, the scar on his neck twitching hideously.
“Arthur, how about continuing to fill me in today? I’m not exactly a good student, but I’m always willing to ask for advice. Why do you have to choose one out of four? How about you simply give me a lecture on all the poker portraits?”
Arthur said lightly, “It’s a bold idea you have, but I accept your offer.”
Willox slowly drew out the saber at his waist, the cold light was bitter, and the sharp blade set off his face even more horribly frightening.
Arthur glanced at his saber and commented, “It’s a good blade, seen blood?”
“Of course.”
“At Waterloo?”
“More than that.” Willox grinned, “And St. Peter’s Square in 1819.” Arthur’s heart sank, “Willox, you are indeed a bastard.”
Willox laughed wildly, “I remember that one, from Arthur Hastings. I can’t forget it for the rest of my life!”
He stomped on his toes and lunged towards Arthur, his first slash came at Arthur’s vitals, he wanted to stab his opponent’s heart through and through.
Agareth’s figure surfaced in the alley, riding on the wall and yelling excitedly to cheer Arthur on.
“Arthur, my legendary master swordsman! Show him everything you’ve got, and don’t forget how I trained you!”
In response to Willox’s attack, Arthur didn’t even put out his sword as he flew up and stomped on his opponent’s stomach, directly kicking him into the wall two meters away.
He pierced the square J in the puddle with the tip of his officer’s knife, then aimed its painted side at the fallen Willox.
“Today’s first lesson, Square Piece J, son of King Priamus, brother of Paris, legendary warrior who died at the hands of Achilles, Hector, the Iron Wall of Troy!
In an inevitable war, Achilles fought for honor, Paris fought for women, Agamemnon fought for profit, only Hector fought for his country, his people!”
Willox covered his abdomen, a trace of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, and he felt as if his ribs had been broken by this heavy kick he had just received.
“Arthur, there’s a trick to it! Kid!”
Willox endured the pain and got up, he swung his saber towards Arthur and slashed with vigor, this time he intended to directly split Arthur’s heavenly cap.
This time Arthur came out with his sword, he swung his sword across his head, not only catching Willox’s attack, but also utilizing his elbow to hit Willox’s cheek hard.
Nosebleed spurted out in a flash, like a faucet that couldn’t be turned off.
Arthur nudged the water with his toes, picked the next poker, and clamped it down with his free left hand.
“Lesson two, the Jack of Clubs, outcast son of King Ban and Queen Elaine, one who was nursed to adulthood by the water nymphs, close comrade of King Arthur, legendary dragonslayer, and Knight of the Lake from England – Lancelot!
Humility, honor, sacrifice, valor, compassion, spirituality, honesty, justice, he is chivalry at its best!”
Willox wiped his nose bloodily, the bridge of his nose had been knocked askew, and the intense pain and strong sense of humiliation had left him close to losing his mind.
“Arthur, fuck you!”
He brandished his saber, but his footwork was already disorganized, and this attack wasn’t even as threatening as the two that had formed before it.
Arthur simply dodged the blade with a light sidestep, and then appeared like a bee sting, instantly piercing Willox’s left arm.
Arthur leaned down and picked up the playing card that Willox had stomped on, displaying it in front of his opponent.
“Lesson 3, Jack of Spades, son of King Geoffrey of Denmark, a man who was also an enemy and friend of Charlemagne, victor in defeating the Umayyad dynasty, knight blessed by the six nymphs, holder of the Holy Sword of Katina, Knight of Mercy from the Northern Kingdom – Hoggle!
He died at the Battle of the Pyrenees against the pagans, but every Dane believes that death is only a long slumber, and he still watches over Denmark from his grave.
As soon as the moment comes when Denmark needs him, Hoggle will not hesitate to break out of his sleep and wield his longsword once again in defense of his country and his people!”
Willox covered his left arm, and his right arm, which was squeezing his saber, couldn’t stop trembling, and blood felt like a stream running down the veins on his arm.
He swallowed down his spit in a wretched manner, he knew he could no longer attack, the only way to survive was to defend.
But Arthur clearly didn’t care whether he attacked or defended, he picked the last poker and swung his blade at Willox.
“The final lesson, the Jack of Hearts, squire of Charles VII, follower of Joan of Arc, invincible god of war, commander in chief at the Battle of Orleans, the glory of France, the volatile knight in the company of the Holy Virgin – Rahael!
La Hire said to the oppressors: what you want La Hire to do for you, you must do for him. If you are La Hire, you are God!
Rahail said to Charles: No monarch so honored as you is happy to offer his country and people to his enemies!
His name is immortalized by his companionship with Joan of Arc, and his words do not pass away with the decay of the bones, but only endure with the passage of time!”
Only a clink was heard, and the saber fell to the ground.
Willox dropped to both knees, his eyes full of disbelief.
“Arthur, you, you, you fucking ……”
With a thud, Willox fell to the ground with a loud thud.
There was a line of blood at each corner of his mouth, while a bright red, dripping Jack of Hearts was stuck in his chest.
(End of chapter)