On the Free Bridge, Othello, whom the Doge believed had abandoned the city and fled, was still diligently recruiting soldiers.
Half a day's effort was not in vain; some civilians who didn't even know where they were going and just followed the crowd to flee, joined in a daze.
Othello's recruitment team had grown slightly, but this number of people was still completely insufficient to be deployed to the front lines, so the first task for these newly joined militiamen was to assist in recruiting more militiamen.
Even though the front line no longer existed.
The completely blocked land and water transportation, the entirely paralyzed administrative system, and the dispatch riders who had lost their direction, left this nominal and actual Commander of the Battle of Venice completely unaware of the collapse of the defense line and the fall of the Dodge's Palace.
"Look, what's that?" A sharp exclamation briefly quieted the clamor on the Free Bridge.
Everyone looked in the direction the person was pointing, and a black dot first appeared on the distant sea, followed by more, and soon the black dots formed a dotted line.
The black dots grew larger and larger, gradually becoming clearer, their outlines increasingly distinct.
"It's warships!"
Othello's mind raced: The Venetian fleet had just been annihilated, so the large number of warships appearing here now could only be the Papal States' fleet.
And the Papal States' navy could absolutely not have taken such a large detour to the Free Bridge to launch a general attack; this could only be a small force for blockade.
Therefore, at this time, the main force of the Papal States' navy's general attack should have already begun, so why hadn't anyone informed him?
With so few people on the defense line, and without him personally overseeing it...
Othello dared not think any further.
Others on the Free Bridge might not have thought so much, but they saw the warships approaching and knew that the Papal States' army had already attacked.
Having seen the hope of escaping with their lives, how could they be willing to be blocked back?
Almost everyone on the bridge rushed forward like mad, regardless of whether there was anyone in front of them.
The nobles' carriages were like chariots, mercilessly crashing and trampling the crowds in their way, while their guards directly shot and hacked down blocking civilians.
The civilians also pushed and shoved each other, with countless deaths from trampling and drowning.
"Open fire. No matter who it is, anyone attempting to flee Venice shall be killed without mercy," Riccardo ordered coldly.
The extremely high casualty rate in naval battles made it so that Riccardo giving such an order and the Tuscany soldiers executing it no longer carried any psychological burden.
Dozens of sudden cannonballs landed on the Free Bridge, which was densely packed with people, and several hundred people instantly gained true freedom, including several soldiers beside Othello.
Othello's heart shattered like the bodies blasted apart, his face filled with shock and disbelief, and after a long while, he cursed bitterly, "Damn it, these scum from the Papal States, how can they fire on unarmed civilians! Why would they do this!"
The few militiamen Othello had lured with his sweet words, now witnessing true death, were so scared their legs turned to jelly, let alone fighting; in fact, they hadn't even been given weapons to fight with.
Othello calmed down and found that half of his soldiers were gone again.
The fleeing militiamen, without the protection of the armed soldiers forming a formation, were quickly swallowed by the sea of people, their fates uncertain.
"Commander, what do we do now!" a Venetian militiaman who hadn't fled asked with a sob.
Othello pondered for a moment and quickly made a decision: "The Papal States' navy is firing directly, determined not to let a single mosquito escape Venice.
Even if someone luckily breaks through, they will send people to hunt them down; rushing forward is a dead end.
The Papal States cannot detour to the Free Bridge to launch a general attack; this will only be a small force for blockade.
The general attack must have already begun; I'd be burning incense if the few defenders on the South Bank didn't get scared and turn tail when they saw the Papal States' fleet.
Now, the southern defense line has most likely fallen.
We must quickly go back, gather the remaining soldiers, find His Excellency the Doge, and then recruit more militiamen.
Using our greater familiarity with Venice, we will rely on buildings to fight street battles and canal battles against the Papal States.
We will tie down the Papal States' soldiers in Venice and wait for reinforcements from other cities and countries to arrive, then attack them from both inside and outside to annihilate them in one fell swoop!
The Papal States are cruel and tyrannical, acting against all reason.
Presumably, everyone has now recognized their true colors.
After this, when we recruit militiamen again, it will be twice as effective!
Venice has a total population of tens of thousands; as long as we unite and mobilize half of them, the Papal States will not be able to stand their ground!"
...
On the land of Venice, the Papal States' various units were systematically sweeping and searching by area.
Wyatt, who had completed his guiding mission, immediately returned home to find his beloved family.
He saw that his house had been transformed into a martyr's memorial, with "First Martyr Captain" written on the door, which made Wyatt lower his head in shame.
But then he thought, something isn't right: he was clearly only captured, so how did he become a martyr?
Even if he hadn't surrendered to the Papal States, he wouldn't necessarily have died at their hands, would he?
Prisoner exchanges and post-war releases were all possibilities.
It seemed they never intended for him to return alive!
"Wyatt! You're not dead! That's wonderful, you're alive!" His wife, hearing the sound and opening the door, saw Wyatt and burst into tears of joy, throwing herself onto him.
"They all said you were dead, I thought you really wouldn't come back!"
"I'm not dead, I'm not dead, I'm back, it's all over.
Let's live a good life from now on.
I'll find a stable job and stay with you and our child, no more fighting." Seeing his wife, the stone in Wyatt's heart fell, and he let out a long sigh, gently embracing his wife and constantly comforting her.
Amidst her happiness, Wyatt's wife poured out all her grievances to him: "You don't know, they sent people over, rushed into the house, and without a word, decorated the house like this.
I asked them and they only told me you died in battle.
When I pressed further, they wouldn't say anything more and told me not to hinder their official duties.
After finishing the decorations, they said that the arrangement here must never be destroyed, otherwise I would go to prison.
Then they carried away all the valuable things in the house, saying it was for the decoration fee.
We, an orphan and widow, were helpless and couldn't stop them.
After that, I went to the Dodge's Palace to try and report them, but the guards drove me back and threatened that if I dared to go again, they would make me 'see you'."
As she spoke, Wyatt's wife's tears flowed uncontrollably again.
Wyatt's eyes widened in fury, his whole body radiating a chilling killing intent: "To think that while I was fighting on the front lines, nearly dying in battle, you were treated like this!
It seems my decision was not wrong.
Damn the Senate, damn the Cabinet, damn the dog Doge!
I will make them taste what it's like to be a prisoner!"
With that, Wyatt turned to leave, but his wife grabbed him in fright: "Wyatt, where are you going? You promised you wouldn't leave us again, and no more fighting!"
Wyatt's wife, having regained him, feared losing him again.
"Don't worry! Venice is rotten from top to bottom, filled with complacent officials and idle soldiers, its doom is near.
The Papal States appreciate my talent and treat wise men with respect.
I have already surrendered to the Papal States.
Since they treated you like this, I will make them pay the price!"