The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 563 Cleaning up the portal
The Great Sage's Tower in the Northern Wilderness.

Sir David from the Duchy of Campbell removed his chilly cloak and handed it to his attendant before following the magic apprentice and taking the elevator to the top of the Great Sage's Tower.

It was the height of summer, and Fort Campbell was sweltering, but all of this was irrelevant to the desolate wilderness of the far north.

Normally, the snow here won't be completely melted until June, and then after only a few days of warm spring sunshine, the harsh winter will be coming again.

"Your Excellency, we have arrived. The Sage Candidate is waiting for you in his office. He also has a meeting scheduled later, so please keep it brief—"

"Then don't waste my time."

Leaving the muttering magic apprentice behind, Sir David straightened the emblem of the Duchy of Campbell on his collar and strode confidently into the spacious, somewhat empty office.

Sunlight streamed through the huge glass windows, enveloping the man sitting behind the long table in a soft halo.

Uriel Acleric, a candidate for Sage of the School, and one of the leading figures of the Holy Power School.

He was dressed in a simple white monk's robe, and his flaxen hair was neatly combed.

Those grey-blue eyes, peering through crystal lenses, gazed at the guest from the south with a compassionate yet gentle smile.

"Please have a seat, Sir David."

Uriel's voice was calm yet captivating, more like a priest reciting the gospel from a pulpit than a magician.

Unfortunately, his "arch-nemesis" Professor Colin wasn't here, otherwise the expression on his face would have been even more "interesting".

"...You must have had a tough journey, coming from the warm valleys and plains to this cold land."

Sir David, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries. He pulled a thick stack of documents from his pocket and slammed them heavily onto the oak table.

That was irrefutable evidence of Edgar Kaufman's collusion with the ratmen to create "holy water" and to harm living beings. It included not only reports from the Thundercity Daily News, but also some evidence unsuitable for publication in newspapers.

Every page is soaked with the blood and tears of the Ryan people.

“…On behalf of the Duchy of Campbell, I lodge a strong protest with you. Our Majesty believes that chaos is brewing within the Mage Tower, and now the corruption of chaos has infiltrated our borders.”

Uriel narrowed his eyes.

"This is a serious accusation."

Sir David looked at him with neither arrogance nor servility.

"Then you'd better take a closer look, because the same materials were also sent to the Holy City."

holy city.

Uriel's lips curled up slightly. Using this thing to scare him was really childish. It wasn't like he was a child of a noble family from the Holy City who had been locked in a cave.

He didn't even need to look through this thing to guess that the dead were definitely a bunch of unimportant people, otherwise Edward Campbell would have sent an envoy here.

If there were even one child of a noble from the Holy City in the cave, that country lord would already be happily boarding a ship to the Holy City to make friends with the nobles there.

"...Well, we never expected that such a heinous demon would appear in the sacred ivory tower of the Academy."

Uriel didn't look at the documents carefully; he just glanced at them and a perfectly measured expression of regret appeared on his face.

"Professor Edgar Kaufman's actions are a defilement of knowledge and a trampling of life. Please believe us that we are deeply saddened and regretful about this."

"Pity?"

Sir David's voice turned cold.

"Is it just regret? We need an explanation."

"Of course, justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent; that has always been our principle."

Uriel smiled and leaned forward slightly.

"Edgar's mentor, the master of the Tower of Souls, the esteemed Sage Ormon, has personally cleaned up the mess. Edgar has been brought back to the Tower of Souls and is receiving his due punishment."

The atmosphere in the room was eerily heavy.

Sir David raised his eyebrows and his eyes gradually narrowed into slits.

When did you make your move?

"Is this important?"

Uriel countered with a question as gentle as if he were asking about the lunch menu.

"Of course it's important."

Sir David suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice.

“According to the laws of the Os Empire, before arresting a criminal, we must at least go through a trial and conviction, otherwise how would we know he is a criminal?”

Skipping the trial was certainly a good thing, but what he really wanted to ask was—

When did you "omnipotent" magicians first realize that this guy was a demon? And what did you do after you found out?
Uriel chuckled, seemingly ignoring the envoy's question; his condescending laughter was filled with mockery of inferior civilizations.

"Forgive my bluntness, Sir. Your efficiency is too low, which is why you cannot build a glorious magical civilization and can only live in the mire... Of course, I do not mean to mock you."

He leaned back, his back sinking into the soft chair back, his fingers interlaced on his abdomen.

"In the Mage Tower, truth needs no elaborate embellishment, and judgment doesn't need to be performed for an audience. Since the error has already occurred, what we need to do is correct it, with the fastest speed and the utmost efficiency..."

The office turned into Uriel's classroom, and his incessant arrogance made Sir David feel suffocated, his fists clenching involuntarily.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, and while Uriel was drinking water, he solemnly stated the duchy's position.

"The Duchy of Campbell demands a clear explanation. A mere 'taken back' is unlikely to convince His Majesty the Grand Duke or the families of the victims."

“Even if we say he is repenting in the alchemical pool of the Tower of Souls, you will probably suspect that we are covering it up.”

Uriel shook his head, as if facing an unreasonable child.

He tilted his head slightly and waved.

A young apprentice standing in the shadows immediately stepped forward respectfully, holding a square mahogany box in his hands.

The box is exquisitely crafted, with silver wire inlaid along the edges, making it look like a container for expensive gifts.

The apprentice gently placed the box on the table in front of Sir David.

Sir David glanced at the box, sensing something was amiss, and cast a suspicious look at Uriel.

"what is this?"

"You'll know when you open it and take a look."

Uriel raised his chin, signaling him to make a move.

The ominous premonition grew stronger.

Sir David reached out, pressed the lid, and slowly lifted it upwards.

A pungent smell of alchemical preservative potion wafted out instantly, mixed with a faint sandalwood scent, but it still couldn't mask the underlying stench of blood.

"By Saint Sith..."

Sir David's pupils contracted sharply, his body leaned back almost instinctively, his index finger quickly made the sign of the cross on his chest, and he looked at Uriel in astonishment.

The box was lined with black velvet, and a pale human head sat quietly in the center.

That's Edgar Kaufman.

His eyes were wide open, his gray pupils still holding the terror and disbelief of his dying moments. The cut on his neck was clean and smooth, clearly having undergone some kind of precise preservation treatment, making him look like a finely crafted specimen.

Uriel watched Sir David's reaction with a smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Is the Campbell family satisfied with this explanation?"

Regardless of whether the Campbell family was satisfied, he greatly admired the methods of Sage Ormond Sirde, even though he was not familiar with that man.

These "feudal monkeys" who haven't fully evolved are most fascinated by this primitive and barbaric ritual.

Most of the castles in the northern border of the Kingdom of Rhodes are decorated with guillotines. Although he had never been to the Kingdom of Ryan, which is a little further south, he figured it was the same.

Using human lives as an explanation to appease them is a way of putting their interests first.

Uriel did not fully understand why the great sage Dolrich maintained such patience and pretense with these rural "chosen families".

However, since it was a decision made by a great sage, there must be a deeper meaning behind it.

As for Professor Edgar Kaufman…

That poor wretch's soul has most likely been dismantled into parts by that old monster, Ormon. After all, platinum-level souls are very rare experimental materials, and it's almost impossible to obtain them under normal circumstances.

Since the soul has been put to its full use, it doesn't really matter what to do with this empty body... I believe "Edgar Kaufman" probably wouldn't have time to worry about such things either.

Sir David stared intently at the head, then slammed the lid shut, shutting out the unseeing eyes.

I cannot give you an answer.

He spoke with a stern face, enunciating each word clearly.

"Whether this is sufficient to provide an explanation is for His Majesty Edward to decide."

"Then take it to him."

Uriel did not try to persuade him to stay.

He glanced at the wall clock, clearly feeling that this act of polite hospitality had gone on long enough, and then casually "invited" the doorway again.

"If you feel it's not enough, you can come back to me."

……

After releasing the carrier pigeons, Sir David left the Great Sage's Tower in silence, without even staying for another night.

He felt nauseous even if he stayed for just one more second, let alone one night.

Although not familiar with Sir David, a platoon leader far away on the front lines of the Wanren Mountains was not surprised by his fruitless return.

Only the special envoy truly understands the special envoy's helplessness. Even when faced with overwhelming evidence, the magicians of the Academy will not feel the slightest shame.

In this respect, they were inferior to the feudal nobles.

After all, nobles at least know they are nobles and don't see themselves as "high and mighty alien species," so they still have some sense of dignity.

At the camp outside Jackdaws, the afternoon sun dappled through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light on the wooden crates pieced together to form a coffee table.

The black tea on the "coffee table" was steaming, and the swaying tea soup looked like transparent amber, capturing the distant, undulating mountains.

As usual, Edward was enjoying afternoon tea with the Prince, but he looked visibly uneasy, and Luo Yan knew exactly why.

Just now, they received a message from the special envoy sent to the Academy: Edgar's head is being transported to Campbellburg.

This guy not only silenced the clues, but also sent them to the Duchy of Campbell under the guise of "confession," to humiliate those who were seeking justice for themselves.

That chilling arrogance was like a nail driven into the Grand Duke's heart, making it impossible for him to smile at this "victory."

That's more like a step.

Or, to put it another way, the "courtesy" in the phrase "courtesy before force".

“Sometimes I think Saint Sith is probably dead.” Edward sighed softly, blew on the foam in his teacup, but didn’t drink a drop.

"Don't think like that. If even you don't believe in the Holy Light, then we might really fall into nothingness."

Seeing Edward's doubts about his faith, Luo Yan offered a gentle word of advice.

Although he had been undermining Saint Sith, he did not want to simply demolish the castle of Saint Sith and kick its people into the embrace of chaos.

Most of the problems of the Second Age can be traced back to the hidden dangers sown during the First Age. Both time travelers were masters of destruction; one successfully demolished the house of the god of the underworld, thus giving birth to Hell. The other was fortunate not to succeed; had he, it would likely have been a catastrophe as well.

However, considering that Brother Lin Te gave him a divine spark, Luo Yan decided not to criticize him and instead criticize his own pet.

“Perhaps,” Edward smiled and said softly, “Your family is a family that truly serves the Holy Light, and I understand your position in advising me.”

“This has nothing to do with what my family serves. The Church of St. Clement may have its own problems, but the problems of the Academy are clearly just problems of the Academy, and are two separate things from the Holy Light.”

Taking a sip of the black tea in his cup, Luo Yan's eyes fell into thought as he recalled a past event unrelated to the present.

"That was a long time ago. I had just arrived at Xuebang and, out of interest, wanted to test the quality of their exams. Unfortunately, I ended up with a giant cockroach."

"Oh? Is it a magical beast?" Edward asked with a smile when Prince Colin suddenly started telling a story.

“It wasn’t a monster,” Luo Yan said with a smile, shaking his head. He continued in a casual tone, “It was a guy who forgot his own name after making some money. In order for his good-for-nothing son to pass the exam, he bribed someone inside to switch my exam paper.”

"You changed your...test paper?" Edward looked at him in surprise, then laughed and said, "That guy must have had the worst luck in his life."

Luo Yan smiled and said.

"Perhaps, but I think it might also be the will of the Holy Light. Otherwise, why would it be such a coincidence that he didn't choose anyone else's answer sheet, but chose Mr. Colin's?"

"You're quite magnanimous; you didn't even get angry," Edward sincerely praised. If it were him, he would have definitely grabbed that guy and given him a few lashes.

"After all, I don't need a test paper to prove my ability, but that's not what I want to talk about. What happened next is what I want to talk about."

Luo Yan paused for a moment, put down his teacup, and continued to recount what happened next.

It was a snowy night, and thanks to this chance encounter, he met a young man who called himself a poet. And then came the famous story of Hector chasing the prince through the snow.

The old professor not only brought Xuebang's admission letter, but also Xuebang's belated 'apology,' and a remote control that made the old professor sit up straight on the spot.

Edward didn't understand Colin's humor and frowned as he spoke.

"They also sent you a head?"

"It's not that bad. They weren't as rude to me as they were to you."

Luo Yan shook his head, a playful smile curving his lips.

"When I arrived at Hector's office, the old professor handed me a newspaper. The headline on the front page was about the execution ground in Dragon City, where the unfortunate apprentice Milos, who was responsible for switching the exam papers, and the elderly examinee, Mr. Marco, were both kneeling before the guillotine and losing their heads."

As he said this, his gaze naturally fell on the guards patrolling not far away.

"Actually, I know one of the heads in that photo is fake, but it doesn't matter anymore. Firstly, I have a pretty good impression of Professor Hector, and secondly... killing more ordinary people is pointless, isn't it?"

However, despite this, Luo Yan did not truly let go of the mastermind behind the scenes.

That behemoth known as the "Thorne Society," along with its behind-the-scenes boss, Arist Thorne, ultimately fell to him because of other matters.

With Arist Thorne's alleged collusion with Chaos confirmed, Thorne's organization collapsed and disintegrated.

Uriel Aclair, who always wore a gentle smile, became the successor as the "Sage Candidate" by stepping over the corpses of his predecessors, thanks to his research on "Soul Weaving".

Looking back now, this may not have been a good thing.

Although Alistair was greedy, he only consumed resources from the Void Realm. But Uriel… what he ate would probably make even demons frown.

Judging from the timeline, Luo Yan felt that Uriel should not have much to do with the affairs of the Kingdom of Ryan, because he was not even at the table at that time.

But the cruel methods of dismantling, filtering, and purifying souls discovered at Burial Peak are intricately linked to the "Soul Weaving Technique" research led by Uriel. Edward sighed softly and said.

“There are very few nobles as kind as you.”

Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"Perhaps, but I don't think so."

"you are too humble."

“It’s not modesty,” Luo Yan shook his head slightly and continued, “I’ve been to the Holy City. If you only look at personal character, many nobles there are actually very good people. They would shed tears for the death of a stray cat, show concern for their servants, and help those who have fallen on hard times on the streets… In this respect, they are no less than your sister.”

"However, once they put on that mask called 'nobility,' and stand on the side of their family, they immediately become a different person. And beneath that mask, there is no pity, only interests and calculations... Aren't we the same?"

Edward tightened his grip on the teacup, remained silent for a long time, and then spoke in a low voice.

"Regarding the Ten Thousand Ren Mountains... could you perhaps find a solution through your friends in the Holy City? I know this is asking the impossible, but given the strength of the Duchy of Campbell, it's far too difficult to put pressure on the Academy. If we just stand by and do nothing, my conscience won't allow it."

Luo Yan sighed and put down the black tea in his hand.

"I also really want to do something to help those poor people, but neither I nor Miss Yaya Mitia are likely to be able to help in this matter."

He looked directly into Edward's eyes, his tone frank yet cruel.

"Even the civilian faction led by Marshal Laco, or the Red Shield Brotherhood that touts justice, don't really care about the civilians of the Kingdom of Ryan. On the Empire's chessboard, the refugees on the frontier probably don't even count as cold numbers."

In fact, this indifference might be a blessing in disguise for the Duchy of Campbell.

If the Empire truly cared about this land, the Inquisition of St. Clement's Church wouldn't be stationed in Twilight City; it would naturally be stationed in Thunder City.

After all, when it comes to the degree of "blasphemy," who can compare to Campbell today?

The King of the Kingdom of Lane was merely robbing the Papacy of its gold coins, while the Duchy of Campbell had already disdained such plundering. Edward was even trying to wrest "clergy" and "the right to interpret scriptures" from the Papacy through household registration reforms and secular education.

The Holy Light Church's influence in the Duchy of Campbell is probably not as great as that of the "Holy Colin Hospital Knights" created by that little girl Vivian.

After all, those priests only knew how to ask for things, while Vivian not only gave away money without considering any return, but her allowance also exceeded the priests' imagination.

The vampires under Vivian's command didn't care about gold, which wasn't scarce in Hell. They were all diligently helping their young master spread the "glory" of the Colin family on the surface... all in the name of charity.

This is probably the most outrageous competitor the Church of Saint Sis has encountered in thousands of years, and even the Demon God would probably find this too blasphemous.

However, Edward was clearly not satisfied with this result; devout believers always yearn for more from God.

"...Are we just supposed to watch these fearless demons torment the people of the Holy Light?"

Looking at the Duke Campbell, who seemed reluctant to do so, Luo Yan pondered for a long time before giving what he considered the most reliable answer.

There are two answers to this question.

Edward was ready.

"One good news and one bad news, right? I like bitter before sweet, so tell me the cruelest one first."

Luo Yan said as he wished.

"In reality, that is indeed the case. Although the gale of karma has made the crown of Roland City teeter on the brink of collapse, it cannot yet shake the towers of the northern wasteland. They are the tumors on the empire, while you and I are just... a hair on the empire."

He actually wanted to say white blood cells, but then he realized that the people in this world wouldn't understand, so he changed it to something Edward could understand.

Grand Duke Campbell fell silent, his emerald green eyes beneath his silver hair lost in thought, his heart heavier than ever before.

However, his beloved Prince Colin then changed the subject, leaving the ambitious gentleman with hopes for the future.

"However, on the other hand, you don't need to underestimate yourself."

He stood up, smiling as he looked at the distant camp and a little "nun" leading the knights on a patrol.

Regardless of Vivian's motives, this little tyrant who ran rampant in Shanghai did do something that demons wouldn't normally do.

"...Look at this camp, look at the refugees receiving treatment, look at the young Ryan who are willing to fight for themselves, and look at the children of the Dragon God who have returned to this land. We have freed thousands of our comrades from the nightmare of the Ten Thousand Mountains, shattering their shackles, just as we did in the Dusk Province."

“When everyone else gave up on them, we didn’t give up…I think that in itself is a victory.”

“They will live on, thrive in the land bathed in holy light, and continue to pass on the torch we have given them.”

"The winds of karma do not only blow people down; when we sail with the wind, they also propel our small boat forward, allowing our principality to continue to prosper... until one day, our shoulders will also hold up a piece of the sky."

Luo Yan turned around, his purple eyes flashing with a light called ambition, looking at those emerald green pupils that were also burning with flames.

"At that time, we will become their karma!"

……

Although the howling winds in the towering mountains were fierce, they could not extinguish the fire burning in people's hearts.

After listening to Prince Colin's assessment, Archduke Edward's face once again broke into a hearty smile.

Even without Colin's reminder, he wouldn't have been depressed about this issue for long.

He wasn't his sister after all; he needed Colin's comfort.

As a mature ruler, he always knew what he needed, and that brief melancholy was more of a farewell to past glories.

The Grand Duke of Campbell has realized that the fate of the Duchy of Campbell must and can only be in the hands of the people of Campbell themselves.

Expecting gods or emperors to do something will only result in "correct but useless" complaints and curses.

Even today, many people in Thunder City are still hoping that Saint Sith will do something, or that the Empire will do something.

Those who walk in the fog may find such naive comfort, but as the master of the Duchy of Campbell, he cannot be as naive as they are.

Fortunately, he had never expected anything from the empire before.

Looking at the revitalized Archduke Campbell, Luo Yan's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction.

An ambitious and opinionated ally is exactly what the Demon King needs.

The bugle calls from the front lines rose and fell, and in the following week, the mountain divisions of the Duchy of Campbell and the dragonborn of the Kingdom of Gutaf launched wave after wave of fierce attacks.

Ever since players discovered that the ratmen's poison gas was flammable, they immediately devised a new strategy for conquering the ratmen's lair.

The method is simple.

Draw lots to select a lucky skeleton soldier, then carry a Molotov cocktail and an oil drum and charge in.

The only drawback was that the explosive effect of the poison gas was too intense in the confined space, and it blew up the only way to advance the cemetery several times, forcing the dispatch of engineering spiders for emergency construction.

Later, the server simply "banned" this unorthodox tactic, prohibiting players from using the suicide strategy to skip lessons.

After all, most of the time, the ratmen are no match for the undead army in the Great Tomb. Only when the alchemical golems and stitched rats appear does the battle become intense.

It's not too late to use unorthodox methods then; there's no need to unnecessarily increase the pressure on logistics just to kill a few rats.

Over the course of a week, the three allied forces advanced nearly 100 kilometers and finally met up at the summit of Hot Spring Peak.

This area is rich in geothermal resources, the smell of sulfur permeates the air, and white steam gushes out from the cracks in the rocks.

It's a place with excellent feng shui.

Watching the lizardmen frolicking in the hot spring, the players playing the undead all wore expressions of envy.

Finally, someone couldn't resist any longer and rushed forward out of envy, jealousy, and hatred.

"Damn it! Why are you stopping me? I want to go in too!" He shoved his hand into the chemical pool with a screeching scream, desperately trying to crawl into the hot spring, but was blocked by the other players around him.

Long Xingbaili: "Holy crap, what the hell are you trying to do? Stop right now!"

Calabash's Child: "What's a ghost doing getting involved? You've soaked this stuff before, how can it still be used?!"

He gulped down the chemical pool: "Damn it! You're a ghost too, why are you stopping me?!"

The gourd's child: "I'm going to become a succubus sooner or later, so why should I stop you?!"

He downed the chemical pool in one gulp: "???"

Dragon Travels Thousands of Miles: "Hahaha, taking a bath in the game is so comfortable! Qianli, come in too!"

Dragon Travels a Thousand Miles: "...I am an undead, so I won't."

Missy, sitting on a rocky stool, yawned.

Through the translation crystal hanging around her neck, she could roughly understand what the Demon King's minions were talking about, but she couldn't comprehend it.

Even if the undead jump in, so what?
It's just a bath, not drinking.

The commotion by the hot spring was just a minor incident; the battle ended so quickly that most players were just slacking off.

On the other side, a cave more than ten kilometers away.

As the vast army of lizardmen and humans approached, the Mountain Kingdom's troops, who had been waiting there, erupted in thunderous cheers.

The dwarf king Ironbeard Justa personally came out to greet him.

The dwarf monarch wore heavy plate armor, his beard was braided into a thick plait that hung down to his belt, and he looked like a moving iron tower.

He laughed heartily, opened his arms wide, and, disregarding all aristocratic etiquette, gave Edward, who had just dismounted, a warm hug that could break ribs.

"Ha! Your Majesty Edward! My good brother! It makes me so happy to see you!"

“You’re not like that old man from the Devalo family. Your eyes now look just like those of Grand Duke Campbell, who beheaded the troll three hundred years ago! You’re both true tough guys!”

The impact of the plate armor against each other produced a loud clang, which made the surrounding guards involuntarily shrink back.

Edward was a little breathless from being choked, but he still hugged his dwarf ally tightly and teased him with a smile.

“That’s quite a long time ago, Your Majesty Ironbeard. I can’t quite recall who the Grand Duke was three hundred years ago. After this battle, I’ll have to go back and look through the dusty family genealogy to see which ancestor received such praise from you.”

The dwarfs and human officers around them burst into good-natured laughter, and the slightly awkward atmosphere caused by their different races melted away instantly as the two monarchs chatted and laughed.

Ironbeard Justa greatly admired Grand Duke Campbell, even though he was not as powerful as his sister, he possessed something his sister lacked.

If Campbell's ruler were Erin, he probably wouldn't have so decisively joined the siege of the Carrion Clan.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group entered the makeshift command post.

A huge map was spread out on the table, covered with dense red lines and arrows.

Luo Yan stood beside Edward, not saying a word, but his gaze kept wandering to a few key points on the map.

The information from the dwarves filled the gap in Campbell and Gutaf's knowledge of the underground world of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

With the help of these guys who were born to dig holes, the subsequent war will probably go much more smoothly.

"...The rats in the Hot Spring Peak area have been mostly cleared out, but the men under 'Soulbreaker' Mok have not given up the fight. Now their main force has retreated here—the Death Valley region."

Ironbeard pointed to an area on the map, his voice booming.

Everyone's eyes followed the direction his index finger pointed, focusing on the narrow rift valley on the map.

“According to our scouts, there are highly unusual magical fluctuations there. We suspect those damned rats have built a large teleportation array there, or at least some kind of evil altar... Whatever it is, we have to take it down.”

Edward nodded, agreeing with Ironbeard's point of view.

"Currently, Death Valley is the last natural barrier leading to the 'Flesh and Blood Court,' the heartland of the Carrion Clan. Once we take it, victory will be within our grasp."

The ratmen are not very united creatures; most of the time they are a disorganized bunch, only coming together under the influence of external forces.

Once the allied forces of the three races approached the Flesh and Blood Court and successfully killed the leader of the Carrion Clan, the remaining ratmen wouldn't even need the forces of the ratmen to lift a finger. The little rats would fight amongst themselves, endlessly battling for Mok's inheritance.

"Give it to me!"

A clear yet firm voice rang out.

Princess Eileen took a step forward, her long silver hair shimmering in the candlelight. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, her emerald eyes burning with fighting spirit.

“I am willing to be the vanguard and lead Campbell’s warriors to tear through the defenses of Death Valley. Since that is the most dangerous pass, I believe I am needed there.”

Edward was about to speak when Luo Yan spoke first.

"Not urgent."

Eileen looked at Colin in surprise, her emerald green eyes questioning why he was stopping her.

Luo Yan did not back down because of Eileen's surprise. He simply came to the map and expressed his thoughts in a gentle voice.

“We know very little about Death Valley; we have absolutely no information about it. Eileen, I know your strength, but I don’t want our trump cards to be exposed so quickly…”

As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at "Sak Gale" standing to the side.

"Your Excellency Sak, the warriors of the Kingdom of Gutaf are swift and quick-witted. I would like you to launch a probing attack first to test their strength."

All eyes fell on the largest wind lizard in the cave. The latter was slightly taken aback, not expecting the Demon King to pass the buck to him, and immediately spoke.

"Of course! Your Highness!"

Sack stepped forward, clenched his right fist, and slammed it into his chest with a dull thud.

"The word 'retreat' does not exist in the dictionary of the Kingdom of Gutaf! Those blasphemous rats will be crushed by our claws! We will pave this path for the three-race alliance!"

Anyway, it's not the warriors of Gutaf who are going to gnaw on this tough nut.

Besides, even if Gutaf's warriors were truly needed, he wouldn't object at all; after all, that's not a job for the wind lizards.

Luo Yan smiled and nodded.

"Thank you... However, there's no need to risk our lives. I want to define this feint as an 'intrusive reconnaissance.' As long as we bring back the intelligence, we've won."

He knew exactly what Eileen was thinking; she simply wanted to use the power of the Light of Praise to minimize the casualties of the three-race alliance through her own strength.

He admitted that her idea was good, but in reality it was impossible.

Even a god possessing the "Butterfly of All Things" cannot fight all the battles for mortals, let alone leave some gaming experience for his little players.

We can't just watch cutscenes from beginning to end in the entire expansion.

Tie Xu stroked his beard, his eyes darting around as if he understood but didn't.

This prince from the empire is quite capable; he always manages to spout words I don't understand. He seems like a formidable character!

They're worth getting to know better!
Eileen pursed her lips somewhat unwillingly, but seeing the reassuring look from Luo Yan, she obediently retreated.

Edward said with a smile on his face.

"Let's conclude today's military meeting here, Lord Sack Gale. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you require any support!"

Sak Gale gave everyone a cool and reliable expression.

"No need. The people of the Dragon God are skilled in one-on-one combat. We regard duels as an honor. You can just wait for our triumphant return from afar!"

-

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(End of this chapter)