The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 558 Black Death
The sound of dripping water seemed particularly hollow in the cave at the edge of the forest. The air was filled with the stale smell of moss and the pungent odor of mice urinating in fright.

In the center of the emerald green moss, Sisi knelt obediently on the flat stone slab, offering the iron can wrapped with leather straps with both hands.

It's like offering up a crown.

"Your Majesty, I have successfully completed my mission."

Not far from the Queen of Nightmare Land lay a living creature wrapped up like a dumpling in white spider silk.

Shrek's head, with its pointed snout and monkey-like face, was barely visible. His beady green eyes darted around wildly, reflecting his fear of death. The tough spider silk dug into his flesh, making even the slightest movement a luxury.

Standing in the cave, Luo Yan reached out and took the iron can.

The jar was very light, weighing less than a kilogram, yet it exuded a chilling coldness that penetrated to the bone.

Luo Yan didn't rush to examine the thing. He just weighed it in his hand for a moment and then put it away. He then placed a recording crystal on a flat bluestone.

A faint orange-yellow light suddenly appeared, illuminating the dark cave and Shrek's pale rat face.

"Go ahead."

Luo Yan's voice echoed in the cave, and his gentle and refined expression seemed like that of a demon from the depths of hell to Shrek.

"Pour out everything that's in your head. If there's a single lie, or if it makes me feel like you're wasting my time..."

He paused for a moment, then tapped the surface of the tin can lightly with his fingertips.

"I'll just stuff you in here."

Shrek shuddered and swallowed hard.

He knew all too well what was in that jar; if he were actually locked inside, his fate would probably be a thousand times more hopeless than death.

"I'll talk! I'll talk! It's Mok! Mok the Soulbreaker!"

Shrek screamed and revealed the name of the leader of the Carrion Clan, while Sisi, sitting not far away, yawned listlessly.

Everyone knows this.

Startled by the yawn, Shrek, trembling with fear, quickly changed his tune and continued speaking in a shrill voice.

"Of course, it's not just Moke! There are others behind him! There are the gravediggers of the Kingdom of Ryan, I think that's their name! And, Xuebang is involved too! That's right! It's a big shot from Xuebang!"

His voice was incoherent, but it was packed with information.

Luo Yan raised his eyebrows slightly.

Just as he had guessed, Xuebang was inextricably linked to this matter, and the gray-robed mage he first met was an insider of Xuebang.

No wonder there were so many magic scrolls and more rune crossbows on the ratmen's territory than the dwarf kingdom itself.

As the battle continues to unfold, there's likely to be even more alarming developments to come.

"Do you know the name of that important figure from Xuebang?"

“I… I only know one name,” Shrek stammered, “Professor Edgar Kaufman!”

Luo Yan had never heard of this name.

However, he has many acquaintances in the academic community, so asking Professor Hector for help inquiring shouldn't be a problem.

Looking at the silent, mysterious man, Shrek racked his brains and blurted out everything he knew.

"Lord Mok asked me to assist this professor, to dig more holes, conduct experiments, and guard the captured prisoners. I... I don't know exactly what he's researching! But they have indeed produced some good things that can enhance strength, I think it's called holy water."

"As for this attack on Earl Spinor's territory, it was Lord Merlin's order! As for who Lord Merlin obeys, I...I really don't know! How could a little mouse like me be qualified to inquire about Lord Mok's friends?"

He cried his eyes out, practically wanting to rip his heart out and show it to this mysterious big shot, even though nobody wanted to see that stuff.

Luo Yan did not interrupt him, but simply pondered quietly.

Only when Shrek's crying subsided did he raise the tin can in his hand.

"what about this?"

Shrek shrank back, his eyes darting away.

"It's called 'Black Reaper'... Lord Merlin gave it to me, but Shrek doesn't know the specifics!"

“Say what you know.”

"Yes, yes! He said that if you pour it into the water source of Raven City, you can send half the city to hell! Oh, right, he also mentioned that it contains the vengeful spirits of more than 10,000 Ryan people, which seems to be a byproduct of the laboratory."

As he said this, he couldn't help but shudder.

Even the most cruel rat-men feel an instinctive fear of such pure malice, especially when they fall into human hands.

Sisi sighed softly.

"Humans are truly terrifying... except, of course, for the Demon Lord."

Ok?
Wait, should we exclude it?

The Queen of Nightmare Land was caught in a dilemma. She vaguely remembered that in Shanghai, "terrible" seemed to be a positive word.

However, Luo Yan didn't care about such details. He just stared into Shrek's eyes, his gaze piercing through the fearful soul.

Fear cannot be faked.

This rat was terrified; it had probably spilled all its contents. If the Wanren Mountains were a cesspool, this guy would be nothing more than a cleaner.

Having lost the laboratory and materials at Burial Peak, he was already a corpse, the only question being who killed him and under what identity.

Luo Yan put away the recording crystal, stood up, and patted off non-existent dust from his clothes.

Seeing this, a glimmer of hope ignited in Shrek's eyes. He struggled to writhe his maggot-like body, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

"My lord! My great lord! You see, I've told you everything I know, and I'm still of use to you! I can guide you, I can point out Moke's lair! Even if I'm just a watchdog, I'm more obedient than any other rat!"

Luo Yan looked down at him, a playful smile curving his lips.

What would I do with a mouse?

To the north lies the Province of Twilight, to the south the Duchy of Campbell, to the west the Hell Dwarves, and to the east the True Dwarves… as far as the eye can see, they are all our own people.

What's the point of keeping you as a buffer?

Shrek's smile froze instantly, like a mask cracked by the cold.

Immediately following was the despair and hysteria that followed being played.

"You broke your promise! You said that as long as I confessed, you would—"

"I'll spare you from the torment of a living hell," Luo Yan said indifferently, turning and walking towards the cave entrance. "But I never said I wouldn't kill you."

As for now?

You yourself said you broke your promise.

Luo Yan didn't even turn around; he simply waved lightly at the shadows in the corner.

"Alacto, it's all yours now."

The shadow in the corner stirred, and a huge burrowing spider slowly crawled out.

Eight compound eyes gleamed with a cruel light, and its drooling mouthparts opened and closed with a chilling clicking sound—

It's lunchtime!

"No! Don't come any closer—"

Shrek's scream had barely escaped his throat when it was silenced by a glob of foul-smelling venom.

Then came the crisp sound of sharp teeth cutting through bone, and the sound of flesh being torn apart.

Even with his Gold-level strength, Shrek, with his hands and feet bound, could only watch helplessly as the gaping maw came at him.

The echo in the cave lasted for a few seconds before fading into silence.

This rat-man warlord, who once dominated the underworld and struck fear into the hearts of countless rats and mountain people, died hastily in a damp cave, becoming a tonic for General Alakdo.

However, compared to what he did, this way of dying was still a bit too lenient.

"Demon King, don't we need to keep a witness?" Youyou, floating beside Luo Yan, asked softly as she watched Alacto devour his food.

Luo Yan calmly replied in his mind.

"No need."

The witnesses are alright.

Should we call the police again?
This is fundamentally different from dealing with Elder Zacro. The Holy Water is not just backed by one family, but by a group of families.

Luo Yan examined the iron can in his hand. The intricate runes gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the illumination of the demonic light, like a silent lament.

Behind "Soul Shatterer" Moke stands Xuebang, and behind Xuebang, it's unknown who else is standing.

In short, let's deal with the Kingdom of Ryan first.

"big boss."

Sisi leaned closer, staring curiously at the jar. "Is there really ten thousand human souls inside?"

You can't tell at all just by looking at the exterior.

"Not the soul."

Luo Yan ran his index finger across the cold metal surface, feeling the restless energy within, and spoke in a thoughtful tone.

"To be precise, it's the spiritual essence that was filtered out."

Sisi blinked.

"what is that?"

Simply put, it is the trace of a person's existence in this world.

People you've loved, things you've hated, memories you can't let go of, regrets before you die, and... the corresponding karma.

Alternatively, it can be called "personality".

To those who don't care, it's as light as a feather. But to those who do care, it's heavier than the entire universe combined.

If holy water is a "liquefied deity," then this stuff is a "liquefied abyss."

Even a demigod might not be able to withstand more than a few drops.

Luo Yan couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Perhaps he should talk to Taff about this...

……

The night ends and the day dawns.

The next day, the rising sun crossed the Wanren Mountains and rose from the east of Hanya City.

Citizens stretched their arms out of their windows, gazing at the distant dawn.

They will never know who watched over their dreams in the darkness last night, nor how much filth turned to ashes before dawn.

The refugee camps outside the city presented a completely different scene.

After working through most of the night, Vivian changed into her nun's habit and walked gracefully and elegantly in the dawn light, surveying her territory.

Last night, many more rescued survivors were sent to the front lines, including some wounded that the priests couldn't handle.

They were mainly injured by the rat-men's poisonous gas; some suffered lung infections, while others developed blisters all over their bodies, looking quite miserable.

However, this little thing is no problem for Lady Vivian.

Professor Adonia, the most skilled poison maker and detoxifier in all of Hell, was her mentor. Even if the vampire knights couldn't solve a problem, she could still write a letter to the Demon City and get it done.

For the unfathomable Vivian, the limitless amount of money wasn't just pocket money; it was an extraordinary privilege that even the vampires of the Principality of Colin had never enjoyed.

These humans got off easy.

In short, under the care of the eccentric doctors of the "Holy Colin Hospitallers," the vast majority of survivors sent here were given a second chance at life.

Many people are already able to walk on the ground.

Without exception, all of these people were filled with gratitude towards Prince Colin and his sister.

"Lady Vivian!"

A ragged boy suddenly rushed out of the crowd and knelt heavily before Vivian. His forehead was pressed against the dusty ground, and his voice trembled but was firm.

"Please let me join your ranks! You saved my life. Although I have no money and little education, I am willing to serve you like a slave to repay your kindness!"

That "Sir" almost made Vivian burst into song.

Oh--

By Bayeri!

What a beautiful sound!
Louder!
She stopped and looked down at the boy, who was only a few years younger than her, her smile still impeccably pure.

However, the strange laughter that she couldn't suppress in her throat betrayed her inner pleasure.

"Kukuku... Your piety is touching, but it's a pity, Vivian doesn't need cattle or horses." The boy's face showed disappointment, and he was about to leave dejectedly, but his hope was rekindled by the next sentence.

Vivian changed the subject, a sly glint in her red eyes, "However, Vivian is very kind. If you don't mind running errands for the knights, she can arrange a menial job for you in the Knights Order."

The boy looked up in surprise, his eyes shining with hope.

"Great! I'm willing! I'll do anything, not just run errands!"

"Very good! That's ambitious!"

Vivian nodded in satisfaction, glancing sideways at Shernet, the knight commander with short silver hair, who had been silently following behind her.

"give it to you."

Sheren Tang nodded slightly.

"Yes, Vivian... my lady."

The power of example is endless.

Seeing that the young man rise to the top and secure a stable job with the Colin family, the Ryan lads who had been observing from the sidelines could no longer sit still.

Suddenly, the crowd surged forward.

Whether they were genuinely grateful for being saved or simply wanted to make a living in this chaotic world, dozens of young people knelt down, along with quite a few girls.

Vivian waved her hand dismissively, not being picky at all.

"Shenette, write down all their names!"

"Yes, Lady Vivian!" Seeing so many people surrounding her, Chenette finally showed a serious expression.

She originally thought Vivian was just joking, but she didn't expect that the future young master of the Colin family really wanted to do something. This was clearly a plan to expand the influence of the Colin family!

Thinking about this, Sherry felt a surge of excitement and threw herself into her work with utmost enthusiasm.

At her urging, these people were incorporated into the Hospitallers' reserves and trained as "reserve squires" to assist the Order's "doctors" and "nurses".

In addition, Sherry and the other vampire knights would teach them how to disinfect and bandage wounds, as well as how to concoct simple potions.

In fact, this was the prototype of the "modern nursing system". Before this, there were no similar centralized medical institutions in Oslo, and people often had to rely on spontaneous efforts from the people and the church.

The cultists of the mechanical god during Isaac's time did create something similar, but because the Isaac dynasty itself existed for too short a time, they didn't have time to develop it before it was lost to the dust of history.

At that moment, neither Vivian nor the members of the Knights realized what they were actually doing.

In addition to imparting nursing and medical knowledge, the Knights Hospitaller of St. Collins will also select truly loyal seeds from among these young men and women.

In the future, these people may become the outermost members of the Colin family, or even be given the identity of "blood servants".

However, Vivian was too lazy to bother with such trivial matters.

Just as Miss Padridge never worried about how the succubus on stage would gain people's adoration.

Standing on the stage, Miss Kiki naturally knew what to do.

Just as Lady Vivian was having a great time, a silver figure strode into the Hospitallers' encampment.

Arriving directly in front of Vivian, Eileen Campbell asked in a concerned tone, her face filled with barely concealed anxiety.

"Miss Colin, I heard there was an attack on the camp last night. Are you all alright?"

She only received the report from the scouts this morning.

It is said that a large number of ratmen corpses were found in the forest north of Raven City, their deaths were gruesome, and there were signs of a fierce battle at the scene.

If those plague-carrying rats were to infiltrate the refugee camp, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The city garrison soldiers were unaware of what had happened, but Eileen immediately thought of this place and rushed over without stopping.

However, judging from the situation at the scene, the battle did not seem to have affected this area.

Vivian's expression instinctively froze the moment she saw Eileen, but she quickly returned to normal, her tense lips turning into a faint smile.

"As you can see, I am perfectly fine."

She casually brushed a strand of long purple hair that fell over her shoulder with her index finger, speaking in a nonchalant tone as if she had just dealt with a trivial matter.

"They were just a bunch of lost mice. I've already taken care of them. There's no need to make a fuss."

As expected, it was the Knights Hospitaller who made the move.

Eileen breathed a sigh of relief.

"Really? That's good. I'm relieved to see you're alright."

At this point, her gaze became concerned, and she continued in a sincere tone.

"If anything happens in the future, you must tell me immediately, or you can tell your brother. After all, this is the front line, and I don't want anything to happen to you."

The way she looked at her like she was her own sister made Vivian feel inexplicably irritated.

That wretched white fox spirit.

She's clearly just a relative, yet she acts like an elder, showering him with concern... Who's the elder here? Who gave whom a second life?

One day—

She's going to make this guy kneel down and call her "Mommy"!
Vivian thought fiercely to herself, but considering her brother's grand plan, she suppressed the urge to cause trouble.

"Kukuku... I know, I know, Vivian will."

With a series of stiff and exaggerated laughs, Lady Vivian waved her hand dismissively, sending the heroine away.

"There are still wounded people waiting for Vivian to take care of them, please excuse me."

After saying that, she turned and left without looking back, disappearing in a flash.

Looking in the direction Vivian had left, Eileen's smile turned slightly forlorn, like that of a lonely mother.

She had always wanted to get along well with Vivian.

It wasn't just because she was Colin's sister, but also because she genuinely admired this somewhat arrogant but kind-hearted girl.

Extending a helping hand to the weak is the noblest chivalrous act, and she had thought they could have many things in common.

However, for some reason, Vivian always seemed to avoid her, and even harbored some kind of inexplicable hostility towards her.

That was the case before, back at Colin Manor.

So, it was because of some misunderstanding?

Eileen sighed, pondering how to break down this barrier, when she heard familiar footsteps behind her.

"Looks like I came just in time."

Eileen turned around abruptly and saw Mr. Colin walking towards her from the direction of the camp entrance, with his usual gentle smile on his face.

"Your Highness Colin!"

Eileen immediately concealed her disappointment, quickly went to meet him, and said in a serious voice.

"You've come at the right time! Our scouts have discovered a large number of ratmen corpses to the north. Combined with previous intelligence, we strongly suspect that the defeat on the front lines is forcing the Carrion Clan to change their tactics. They may have shifted the battle underground, attempting to infiltrate and raid our towns."

For Miss Hero, matters concerning everyone are clearly more important than personal feelings.

She temporarily put Vivian's matter aside.

Luo Yan nodded, as if he had just learned the news, and that he was not the one who killed the diamond-level assassin with a single blow last night.

It wasn't him, but his cat.

“I just heard about this from Theresa. It is indeed a serious problem. If they spread the plague or contaminate the water supply in our rear, many innocent people will die.”

The attacks on civilians were not enough to stop Edward's offensive, but they would certainly cause considerable trouble for the Duchy of Campbell.

Eileen frowned.

"That's what I think too. My idea is to entrust the Adventurers' Guild with border patrols. However, the Adventurers' Guild has limited manpower, and their organization is too loose, so it will probably be difficult for them to organize an effective defense in a short period of time."

While it's true that the Adventurers' Guild is backed by the Holy See, that doesn't mean they can summon angels or bring in the Inquisition.

The vast majority of adventurers are not even extraordinary individuals; only a select few can reach the Bronze or even Steel level.

Luo Yan pondered for a moment, as if he had thought it through carefully, before speaking.

"I think we should perhaps try a different approach."

"For example?" Eileen asked immediately.

"For example, establish official agencies in major cities to deal with threats from superhumans, replacing the Adventurers' Guild in performing this function, thus solving this problem institutionally."

"An official institution?" Eileen paused for a moment, then looked at him seriously and asked, "Do you have any specific suggestions?"

"It's just an idea for now."

Luo Yan looked north.

"Xuebang has a mature technology that can sense the approach of high-level superhumans or large-scale magical reactions. Large mage towers are usually equipped with such detection arrays... They can also monitor anomalies in the virtual realm."

Although she didn't know what the virtual realm was, Eileen's eyes lit up when she heard the first half of the sentence.

"So, the problem can be solved simply by building a mage tower in each city?"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive mage tower."

Luo Yan smiled slightly and continued.

“A mage guild directly controlled by the state might be a more feasible approach.”

“Thunder City University has been operating for almost half a year, and before long, a group of magic apprentices will emerge in the Duchy of Campbell. If we want to keep these talents in our duchy, we need to solve their employment problem, and the Mage Guild is a good choice.”

"In this way, we can not only manage them in a unified manner, but also have a general idea of ​​what they are doing in our principality and what research they are conducting. In addition, we can use funding to guide them to use magic to do things that are more useful to the principality, such as improving city defenses, or... solving municipal, epidemic prevention, sanitation and other problems."

These words struck a chord with Eileen.

She looked at the thoughtful and far-sighted man before her, her eyes filled with admiration.

"...That's a brilliant idea! I'll pass this suggestion on to my brother as soon as possible! Thank you, Colin!"

Luo Yan smiled faintly, his smile gentle and humble.

"You're welcome. I'm happy to be of help."

The Demon King is not a selfless person. Thunder City University belongs to him, and the future Mage Guild will naturally also belong to him.

If Edward doesn't mind, he's even willing to provide them with office space.

Let's go to the clock tower in Thunder City.

Seeing that warm, gentle smile, Eileen's cheeks suddenly felt hot. She awkwardly looked away, staring at the muddy ground beneath her feet, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

"Oh, right... there's one more thing..."

"what's up?"

"About your sister..."

Eileen's voice became somewhat hesitant, "Vivian...does she have some misunderstanding about me? I always feel like she's avoiding me."

Hiding?

Luo Yan's expression became somewhat subtle.

He didn't feel that way at all, but maybe he just didn't notice; Eileen might have a different perspective.

After all, Vivian's mind has been erratic for quite some time now; she's the only one who makes the Demon King feel like his wand is burning hot.

Well, it's better to be careful.

"Let me ask for you."

"Ah, no, there's no need to ask so deliberately!"

Eileen hurriedly waved her hands, her face turning even redder. "It's as if I have a problem with her... Actually, not at all! I'm just worried about her, and... because she's your sister, I've always treated her like my own sister..."

As she finished speaking, her voice grew softer and softer, a blush of embarrassment crept up her ears, and steam seemed to rise from her silver hair.

She seemed to realize then what unspeakable meaning was contained in those words.

Treating his sister as his own sister, isn't that implying...?

Seeing Eileen's shy expression, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile.

The brave and fearless heroine on the battlefield remains as pure and innocent as ever when it comes to love, making the Demon King never tire of her.

"I understand, you want to care about her without putting too much pressure on her... Is that what you mean?"

"Yes, yes! That's exactly what I mean!"

Eileen blushed and nodded, secretly giving herself a thumbs up in her mind.

As expected of Prince Colin!
In just one sentence, he summarized her thoughts, even including parts that she herself hadn't thought of!
Looking at the heroine who owed him another favor, Luo Yan said with a smile.

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

(End of this chapter)