Extraordinary Rise: Starting Contract with the Silver Dragon Countess

Cohen reached out and gave Irving a firm handshake:
"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Hunter."

The deal was done. Irving didn't ask any more questions, got up to leave, and his figure quickly disappeared into the dim light of the coffee shop.

He needed to verify the intelligence immediately and start figuring out how to get it to the buyer who wanted it most and sell it for an astronomical price.

Cohen and Mavis sat in the box for a while longer, until they were sure that Owen Hunter had completely left.

Mavis nestled closer and whispered, "Will he take the bait?"

Cohen picked up his now-cold coffee and took a sip:
"A purely greedy businessman is faced with a secret that could potentially turn the tide of war and bring endless wealth."

He will not only take the bait, but he will also go to great lengths to make the bait look fatter and more realistic.

What he wanted to earn was not just the gold coins of Twilight Continent, but also the long-term benefits and reputation that came with this intelligence.

The bait has now been laid.

Now, let's see how well our Emperor Thrall is prepared.

This play wouldn't be complete without any of the characters!

……

The eastern edge of the territory controlled by the Demon Gold Empire, at the junction of the Blackrock Hills and the Rotten Swamp.

The terrain here is rugged, with jagged rocks, and a thin layer of gray-green mist shrouds it year-round, where ordinary creatures are nowhere to be found.

Deep within an old mine pit that appears to have been abandoned for many years, faint energy pulses emanate, seemingly out of place with the surrounding deathly silence.

And a deep, muffled sound, like the beating of a giant heart.

Owen Hunter, dressed in a greyish-brown stealth suit that blended perfectly into the shadows of the rocks, lay in ambush atop a towering rock pillar several miles from the mine entrance.

A monitoring array floated in the air in front of them, engraved with complex runes for breaking concealment and sensing energy.

At this moment, he was intently observing the location that Cohen had "unintentionally" mentioned, through this ancient monitoring array that had been lost for many years.

The surveillance array in front of him was the foundation upon which he made his name in the intelligence world of the Lost Lands.

He has been lying in wait and observing here for nearly two days.

As a seasoned and top-notch intelligence broker, he deeply understands the importance of seeing is believing, especially when it comes to intelligence that may be invaluable but also extremely risky, which must be personally verified.

On the first day, he simply scanned the area from a distance and over a wide area.

This place is indeed terrifyingly desolate, with a chaotic energy background. The miasma from the rotting swamp combines with the disordered magnetic field unique to the Black Stone Hills, forming a natural zone of sensory interference.

However, thanks to the valuable magical items he possessed and his own keen senses, he was still able to detect the unusual energy fluctuations that Cohen had mentioned.

This fluctuation was cleverly disguised as a natural phenomenon of underground magical energy accumulation, making it extremely difficult to distinguish without prior knowledge and deliberate investigation.

Then, taking a risk, he used his superb stealth skills and several hidden magical items to approach silently like a ghost.

He dared not enter the mine, nor even get too close to those seemingly random, scattered boulders that subtly formed some kind of warning array nodes.

However, by using ancient monitoring arrays from multiple angles, he penetrated the visual illusions and energy shields artificially created at the mine entrance and glimpsed a corner of the interior.

He saw the roughly reinforced mine tunnels and the guard squads dressed in the elite armor of the Demon Gold Empire.

More importantly, in that fleeting glimpse, he actually saw several enormous metal pillars whose surfaces were covered with strange runes, and from which dark red energy pulsed like blood vessels.

Around those pillars, there seemed to be some blurry figures moving about, somewhat similar to the "black-armored soldiers" of the legendary Demon Gold Empire.

Although it was only a few brief glimpses, and the distance was still far, making the details blurry, combined with the unique energy fluctuations, the strict guards, and the scattered descriptions he had learned from various sources about the "secret soldiers" of the Demon Gold Empire, he could still make a strong impression.

Owen Hunter's heart started pounding uncontrollably!

It's true! Mayne wasn't lying to me!

At least, the existence of this secret military base is real.

Whether the pillars are truly the source of the soldiers still needs further verification, but the information is only that "the Demon Gold Empire has secretly established a heavily guarded facility in a desolate frontline area, containing an unknown large device, with strange energy fluctuations that match the characteristics of the black-armored soldiers."

That's enough to fetch an astronomical price in Twilight Continent!

Irving was instantly overwhelmed by immense surprise and a thirst for wealth and influence.

He suppressed the urge to rush in and investigate immediately, and just as he had come, erased all traces and quietly withdrew from the dangerous area.

"I'm going to strike it rich... This time I'm really going to make a fortune!"

Once they were far enough away from the mine and it was safe to proceed, Irving could no longer contain his elation.

He quickly calculated the value of this intelligence—it could not only be sold to the Twilight Continent, which was struggling to survive and desperately needed a way to break the deadlock, but also to other major powers that were uneasy about the rise of the Magic Gold Empire when the time was right.

Even... if handled properly, he could use this intelligence to his advantage, gaining unimaginable benefits and status!
Without further hesitation, he immediately set off, making his way at top speed towards the core region of Twilight Continent, the Eternal Night City-State, which was now shrouded in war clouds but also held the highest intelligence value.

……

Deep within the Blood Moon Castle in the Eternal Night City-State.

The atmosphere here was so heavy it was almost palpable.

The once luxurious hall is now permeated with an inescapable stench of blood.

The walls burned with a ghastly green magical flame, illuminating faces that were either old or gloomy, but all without exception bore the marks of weariness and anxiety.

The highest decision-making body of the Eternal Night City-State—including Lord Simmons and several ancient elders awakened from their slumber—all gathered here to discuss the increasingly dire war situation.

Owen Hunter's arrival did not initially cause much of a stir.

Information brokers like him, operating in the gray area, were common during wartime.

The vampire guards at the gate clearly recognized "Mr. Hunter." After a thorough check and announcing his arrival, they led him into a side hall deep within the castle, used for secret meetings.

The side room was dimly lit, with only a few candlesticks providing limited illumination.

Lord Simmons sat in the main seat. He looked like a middle-aged gentleman, his silver hair neatly combed, exuding the majesty of someone who had long held a high position and the undisguised haggardness he was in at that moment.

Several elderly men with profound and unfathomable auras sat beside him, some dressed in magnificent classical aristocratic attire, while others wore simple monk robes.

These are the core leaders of the Eternal Night City-State today.

"Mr. Hunter, your visit at this time must bring valuable news?"

Simmons' voice was a little hoarse, but he still maintained basic courtesy.

He knew Owen Hunt's reputation; he wouldn't do anything without a reason, but the news he brought could sometimes be a lifesaver.

Owen Hunter removed his hat, performed an impeccable bow, and spoke in perfect vampire language:

"Your Excellency Lord Simmons, and all the elders."

I apologize for bothering you all, but it is because I have obtained some information by chance.

This intelligence, perhaps... no, I believe, is of paramount importance to everyone, to the Eternal Night City-State, and even to the current predicament of the entire Twilight Continent!

An elderly man dressed in a black mage's robe raised his eyelids, his cloudy eyes staring at Owen:

"Oh? Hopefully your news will be more valuable than your previous ones. We don't have time for nonsense."

“Absolutely true, Elder Ignatius.” Owen quickly bowed. He knew the temperament of these old fogies, so he didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. “You gentlemen must be deeply troubled by the invincible, tireless, and fearless ‘Black Armor Legion’ of the Demon Gold Empire, and have been searching for the source of its power, right?”

Upon hearing this, the gazes of everyone in the side hall suddenly sharpened, pressing down on Irving as if they were physical objects.

Lord Simmons even straightened his posture slightly, his voice involuntarily lowering: "What do you know?"

Irving took a deep breath, as if he had made a huge decision, and lowered his voice:
"One of my informants—please forgive me, due to protocol and security, I cannot reveal his specific identity, but he is absolutely reliable and in a rather sensitive position."

He was on a very accidental reconnaissance mission in an area controlled by the Mojin Empire.

A secret military facility, disguised as an abandoned mine, has been discovered, guarded by heavy magical barriers and elite troops!

He paused, observing the reactions of the vampire high command. Seeing the sudden glint in their eyes, he felt reassured and continued in an even more mysterious tone:
"My informant risked getting close to observe, and although he couldn't get into the core, he managed to glimpse some things through special means... Deep inside the mine, there were several huge, eerie stone pillars!"
The pillar's surface was covered with ancient, evil runes, and twisted energy streams continuously flowed into the bodies of humanoid creatures bound around it.

The aura emanating from those creatures after receiving the energy infusion was strikingly similar to that of the 'black-armored soldiers' we encountered on the battlefield.

I suspect that those pillars are very likely the real source of those strange soldiers.

It is some kind of device for manufacturing or enhancing soldiers!

My lords, if we can locate and destroy those pillars... could we cut off, or at least severely weaken, the supply source for the terrifying army of the Demon Gold Empire?

This might be our only chance to turn the tide of the battle!

A deathly silence fell over the side hall.

Lord Simmons and several elders exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with a mixture of emotions: shock, doubt, elation, and solemnity.

The eerie power of the Demon Gold Empire's army, especially the "Black Armor Soldiers," had always been the heaviest burden on their hearts. Now, suddenly, someone was telling them that this burden might have a "crack," and could even be shattered in one fell swoop?!

"Place!"

Simmons' voice trembled slightly.

Having collaborated multiple times, Hunter wasn't afraid of the other party reneging on their promise. He took out a carefully processed magical image scroll and several parchment sheets filled with data and speculations from his pocket.

Once the scroll is activated, it displays views of the mine exterior taken from multiple angles at great distances.

The parchment records the approximate time of the guard shift change and speculations about the type of barrier.

Hunter pushed the scroll and parchment in front of Simmons:

"This is all the information I can provide. As for whether the pillars are truly the source of soldiers, and the specific methods of destruction... that requires you gentlemen to send out your elite forces to verify it yourselves."

Simmons and the other elders immediately gathered around, carefully examining the "evidence" and discussing it in hushed tones.

Although this information is still not detailed enough and contains a lot of speculation and ambiguity, the possibilities it reveals, as well as its high degree of correlation with the abnormal behavior of the Mojin Empire's army, make them have no choice but to believe it.

The atmosphere in the side room grew heated as Irving Hunt presented the evidence and his highly enticing descriptions.

After the initial shock, the vampire leaders quickly entered into a tense discussion and analysis phase.

"Mr. Hunter's information is indeed astonishing. But there is a crucial question: are these strange stone pillars an exception, or the only source controlled by the Demon Gold Empire?"

If it's just one of many production bases, even if we destroy it, the impact on their manpower will be limited.

"No, since the other side is so heavily guarded, it means that this base is of great significance to them."

If it can be confirmed that these pillars are indeed key to strengthening its soldiers, then destroying them, even if only severely damaging them, would greatly alleviate the pressure on the front lines.

Disrupting Sal's advance plan will buy us valuable breathing space, and could even be a strategic turning point!

At this moment, an elder who was obsessed with all sorts of mysterious research suddenly spoke up:
"Destroy? Why just destroy?"
What if... what if we could take it over, or even study it in reverse?

These pillars may contain secrets that combine forbidden techniques such as alchemy, necromancy, and flesh modification!

If we could use them…

This audacious idea left all the high-ranking vampires speechless!
Seize and utilize the enemy's core sources of war weapons!

This is a truly revolutionary idea! But... it's not impossible!
The vampires have accumulated countless knowledge throughout their long lives, and the manipulation of life, energy, and soul is one of their strengths. If they could truly obtain a physical copy of such a pillar…

A flame of greed instantly ignited in the eyes of all the high-ranking vampires.

While weapons that destroy the enemy are certainly desirable, if we could seize them for ourselves and mass-produce "vampire warriors" that are just as powerful or even stronger... then Twilight Continent would not only be able to withstand the attacks of the Demon Gold Empire, but might even be able to push back and regain its former glory!

Lord Simmons forced himself to calm down, but the excitement in his voice was hard to completely conceal. He turned to Owen Hunter, his gaze sharp as a knife:

"The premise is that Mr. Hunter's intelligence is accurate enough."

Mr. Hunter, your intelligence is indeed invaluable.

But we must confirm that your message is worth such a great risk for us.

Owen Hunter was overjoyed. He knew that the biggest buyer had taken the bait, and was even more greedy than he had anticipated.
"Of course, I can swear on my soul to sign a soul contract with your vampire clan!"

Simmons breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, as Owen Hunter's reputation throughout the Lost Lands was undeniable.

The fact that the other party has offered to sign a soul contract suggests that the authenticity of this information is beyond doubt.

He spoke slowly:
"Mr. Hunter, please name your price!"

Hunter suppressed his excitement and quoted an astronomical price, including a massive amount of rare magical materials, a huge sum of cash, and permanent trading privileges and priority purchase rights for intelligence within the Twilight Continent.

After intense bargaining, the deal was finally struck.

The Eternal Night City-State paid an enormous sum of wealth and promised privileges that made Owen's heart race in exchange for the magical image scroll, more detailed coordinates and peripheral observation notes, and the authenticity of the information "guaranteed by Owen with a soul contract".

Owen Hunter left the City of Eternal Night satisfied with his reward.

After Irving left, the atmosphere in the side room did not ease; instead, it became even more tense.

The vampire leaders did not act immediately; caution and suspicion were ingrained in their very nature.

Lord Simmons said in a deep voice:

"Regardless of Owen Hunt's credibility, and no matter how credible the evidence he provides may seem, we must see it with our own eyes and verify it with our own hands."

This concerns the survival of our people; we cannot mobilize the entire clan based solely on the word of a single intelligence broker.

An elder in military uniform volunteered:
“I will go myself, with the Shadow Cloak and the Kiss of Silence. I can guarantee that as long as I don’t go deep into the core, no one will be able to find my trace.”

The person who spoke was named Vikran, the deputy commander of the garrison of the Eternal Night City-State. He was also a half-step legendary expert, skilled in stealth and reconnaissance.

The proposal was endorsed by others.

Vikram's abilities are beyond question, and it would be most prudent for him to conduct the final on-site reconnaissance.

Several days later, at the border of the Black Rock Hills and the Rotten Swamp, on the outskirts of that "abandoned mine".

Elder Vikran moved like a ghost truly blending into the shadows, traversing the jagged rocks and the putrid swamp mist.

He wore a "Shadow Cloak" that could distort light, and his aura was almost completely concealed by the "Silent Kiss" ring.

Carefully avoiding the trap nodes marked in Hunter's intelligence, at the extreme distance, he used a secret treasure inherited from the ancient vampires, the "Eye of Truth" crystal, to observe the mine entrance and interior from afar.

He saw the tight patrols—soldiers in black armor, exuding a cold and powerful aura, patrolling along strict routes with sharp eyes.

He sensed the deep and eerie energy fluctuations.

He could even vaguely make out the outlines of several huge pillars and the shadowy figures around them through the rough camouflage and magical concealment deep in the mine!
Everything matches Owen Hunt's description perfectly!

He even keenly sensed that the energy fluctuations emanating from those pillars had an astonishing similarity to the aura he felt from the elite soldiers of the Demon Gold Empire at the front lines!
Vikram's heart began to pound.

It's true! The intelligence is basically accurate! This is definitely a core secret facility of the Demon Gold Empire!
He did not venture deeper; after confirming the most crucial information, he retreated quietly, just as he had come.

Unbeknownst to him, not far from what he thought was a secluded observation post, there was another observation post concealed by clever illusions and rock assimilation magic.

The Demon Lord Sal and Cohen were watching his every move, even the barely suppressed shock and ecstasy on his face, through a smooth crystal wall.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Cohen's lips as he whispered to Sal beside him:

"Your Majesty, it seems our plan is already more than halfway to success!"

Sal grinned, revealing gleaming white teeth, his eyes filled with undisguised cruelty and excitement:
"Very good... Pass down the order to have each unit move to their designated positions according to plan, hide well, and no one is allowed to expose themselves beforehand without my command."

We're going to give these arrogant vampire lords a surprise they'll never forget!

Eternal Night City-State, Blood Moon Castle.

Vikram brought back irrefutable news.

Inside the side hall, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch.

"Confirmed! The energy fluctuations, the tight security, the outline and features of the internal pillars... all match Hunter's intelligence and the enemy presence we sensed at the front!" Vikland exclaimed excitedly. "That's definitely the key location where the Demon Gold Empire manufactured or enhanced those bizarre soldiers!"
Moreover, although the defenses there are tight, they are not invincible.

The barrier fluctuates periodically, and there are gaps that can be exploited during patrols.

Most importantly, with Thrall and his main army on the front lines, their defenses against this 'secret factory' in the rear would inevitably be relatively lax!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us!

The elder, who had been obsessed with the research, reiterated this point, his eyes gleaming with an almost frenzied light:
"It's not just about destruction!"
We must obtain the samples; we must bring back at least one complete column!

"Once we master this technology, Twilight Continent will be reborn. Combined with the unique racial talents of our vampire race, we will possess an army far more powerful than the Demon Gold Empire!"

Finally, after heated debate, a bold, almost reckless plan was quickly devised:
With all their might, they launched a high-level surprise attack aimed at completely destroying or seizing the eerie stone pillars of the Demon Gold Empire!

The team that launched this surprise attack was truly top-notch.

The team was personally led by Simmons, a legendary-level transcendent city lord, to ensure absolute military superiority and the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances.

At the same time, almost all of the high-end combat power that the Eternal Night City-State can currently mobilize is drawn upon – 5 half-step legendary level powerhouses (including those skilled in various types such as offensive, defensive, assassination, magic, and support), and more than 10 elite officers at the peak of the gold level.

In addition, 500 of the most elite vampire guards were selected, each a skilled Silver-rank warrior proficient in teamwork and special operations. This is equivalent to a "special forces" army on the human continent.

They were responsible for clearing the outer guards, blocking reinforcements, and the final transport work.

With such a formidable lineup, it would be enough to overwhelm a secret factory whose main force is located outside and whose internal structure is weak.

Quickly break in, identify the target, seize it if possible, or completely destroy it if not, and then flee far away.

If successful, it could not only severely damage the Mojin Empire's war potential, but also potentially bring the vampires a world-changing technology!
Every vampire warrior involved in the operation was filled with confidence at this moment.

They seemed to see the dawn of victory, the hope that Twilight Continent could turn the tide of battle! (End of Chapter)