T0 Gaming Guild Saves the World.

Chapter 660, 659. Astounding Wisdom
An assassin slipped into the darkness, attempting to escape.

Some who were close to Sloan unfurled the scroll again, determined to complete the mission.

A second earlier or a second later makes all the difference. In a critical moment, instead of trying to escape, some people ignore death and insist on assassinating their target.

Sloan inherited half of the charisma of the Wolf Queen and half of the charisma of Kuryn, so it's not surprising that people would be willing to risk their lives for him.

Jiang Heyi was genuinely curious about the background of such a resolute and loyal subordinate.

French Fries' spatial slash struck first, tearing the scroll apart and severing the hands of the two people in front of Sloan.

The bed rats worked together to kick one of the people who had sneaked into the darkness out of the shadows.

The worst outcome would be being targeted by Hagiron.

These past few days I've been struggling with the boundary between reality and illusion, and I'm also worried about falling into the cycle of reincarnation again. The thought that all these messy things are a chain reaction caused by some inexplicable assassination makes me furious.

She leaped down without any resistance, relying on the powerful defense of her dragon body to withstand the black light scroll as if nothing had happened.

"Oh!"

One of the assassins who escaped the furthest after being bumped by Hagi Long was no longer human.

He was suspended in mid-air in a distorted, rag doll-like posture. He landed and rolled around a few times in a mess. His bones were all broken, and he was no longer breathing.

Being hit by the full force of the Hagi Dragon humanoid was actually not much different from being in close contact with the Great Fortune.

Seeing that two people had escaped in another direction, Hagi Dragon, with its wings sprouting from its back, was like a cat that had spotted a mouse and prepared to try again.

"Stop chasing."

Jiang Heyi gave the order, and she breathed heavily through her nose, glancing back at him as if his eyes and nose were no longer eyes or noses.

"Someone has to go back and alert them."

"Yes, yes, yes." Hagi Dragon wiped the blood and flesh off his scales and casually tossed them to the ground. "Why didn't you leave any survivors on your side?"

Orange Tea checked everyone's breathing: "One is still alive, the rest committed suicide."

Elsa found the key: "It's a potion, the kind you stick in your nose. Can Peppermint Mommy identify the type?"

"Mint Mom" ​​has become a very common term.

As long as you're dealing with the boundary between the real and the virtual, there's no reason not to say that.

Even the Slime King couldn't escape the common practice of recognizing a mother.

Peppermint went back to the house to retrieve her potion-making tools, while Sloan was already covered in sweat.

He knew the inside story of the plan and that he was a bait, but deep down he still didn't want to believe that someone would be so audacious as to commit a crime near the capital of Anna.

It's just audacious.

He asked, still somewhat shaken, "There are no survivors. How are we going to explain this to Father?"

“We don’t need any alive,” the squid laughed. “Dead people are the best.”

"But...we need evidence, preferably with a clear indication."

Sloan blinked repeatedly as he noticed everyone's eyes were fixed on the jailer "Master".

Jiang Heyi's lips curled up: "We have necromancers, we have Lenalya, we have Nafiel, and we have me. Whether it's a spirit or a living person, we can make him spill his secrets."

Because the battle took place near the mansion, it has already attracted the attention of many people.

People from Rainbow Rain are trying to maintain order, but it's estimated that the patrol guards will arrive soon.

In order to preserve the crime scene, Jiang Heyi did not intend to move the body and simply began the investigation on the spot.

Peppermint Mom used the potion-making equipment to test the nasal cavities of several dead people and got the results immediately.

She frowned as she looked at the potion solution in the bottle, which was gradually turning yellow: "A high-level mixed potion."

"Is there anything special?"

"The Heart-Splitting Grass and the venom of the high-grade Turbid Heart Snail are not too difficult to obtain, but to concoct a suitable toxicity that produces an instant-kill effect requires considerable skill."

Sloan felt a chill run down his spine.

Behind the assassin stands a high-ranking potion master, perhaps even a master.

As evidence, the potion solution, recorded on the photographic scroll, was submitted to Sloan.

Soon, it will appear on Kurien's desk in his study.

The only assassin who survived the coma caused by excruciating pain woke up. He was about to die when he discovered that the "foreign object" in his nasal cavity had been removed.

Gloria, radiant with light, said, "Don't even try. Under my Golden Holy Word, even if you slit my throat with a knife, I can still give you a second breath."

The assassin gritted his teeth: "Don't even think about getting anything out of me. I won't say a word."

After saying that, he stubbornly bit his tongue, only to be horrified to find that his broken tongue was slowly regenerating flesh and blood.

The powerful talent of the Golden King's descendant was used for the first time to protect the enemy.

The jailer looked around at the corpses and clicked his tongue, saying, "They're too fresh. The souls are still attached to the bodies and haven't left. Forcibly removing them might cause memory damage. Potato, why don't you go first?"

After controlling the black cat and Nafiel, Jiang Heyi was able to borrow their mental magic.

They are excellent as external power sources.

"Buzz!"

The piercing low-frequency white noise made Sloan dizzy.

Everyone else present reacted calmly, but he almost fainted—not because he was weak, but because level 6 was enough for him.

Rather, it was because Alna saw that he was pale and kindly came over to help him up.

The gruesome death, devoid of any "beauty filter," was directly imprinted in Sloan's eyes, with blood and flesh, the remains of some unknown assassin, still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

Being so close, this scene was incredibly visually impactful.

The assassin's consciousness was brutally shattered by Jiang Heyi, leaving him with no possibility of regaining consciousness as a normal person.

The black cat and Nafiel, who entered Jiang Heyi's consciousness together, became his assistants, searching for useful information.

If we compare human consciousness to a hard drive storing information, then this hard drive, which is full of information and memories of sound and light, is very difficult for outsiders to scan.

Lacking administrator privileges, Jiang Heyi was unable to use keyword searches.

Given the current level of spiritual magic in the Anna world, only the Metasequoia and the Great Snow Mountain demons can achieve a brute-force breakthrough.

But now there's another Jiang Heyi.

The techniques personally taught by Sayer allowed him to unravel the mystery, finding a single thread amidst the vast sea of ​​sound and light.

After a long while, Jiang Heyi slowly opened his eyes.

He stared at Sloan with a complicated expression, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What, what's wrong?"

"You two are really such good brothers," Jiang Heyi sighed. "I'm afraid Kurien would be furious if he knew."

Realizing that Jiang Heyi wasn't exaggerating, Ke Xia got goosebumps.

She also learned of her identity as a sage of the apocalypse, and fearing that Kurien might be angered to the point of harm, she knew there would be more twists and turns to come.

The fries also became uneasy.

"What did you see? Don't scare me like that!"

Jiang Heyi said, "It's Thiago."

"?"

"?"

Everyone stared in disbelief. Plata happily pumped his fist: "See? I told you it was some kind of infighting within the royal family! Wasn't I right?"

Plata had no idea that he was the one going against the grain.

Oh no, the eldest prince himself is the biggest rebel.

Sloan was the least willing to accept it.

"Potato Commander, you...you're not mistaken, are you?"

"Unless he has mastered a superb technique to deceive mental magic, if that's the case, I think my teacher will try every means to resurrect him."

"No, what's in it for him?"

French fries really broke my defenses.

There's an absurd feeling of playing a game and scheming against your opponent for half a day, only to find out that they weren't playing a trick on you, had no deep strategy, and were just a complete novice.

She watched helplessly as Potato struggled, and from the very first day of the attack, she racked her brains trying to figure out the underlying interests and find the ultimate beneficiary.

She herself was also mentally exhausted and irritable for countless days and nights.

I just can't understand it. Thiago, as the eldest prince, is the most likely person to inherit the throne of Kurion.

Despite the deep affection between Kurien and the Wolf Queen, the question of who will be the direct heir still depends on the support of the nobles and other core interest groups in Anna.

Throughout normal history, Kuryn himself had the idea of ​​training Sloan and making him his successor on many occasions, but in the end, he always chose to give it up.

It wasn't that Sloan wasn't good enough, but rather that given the turbulent times, stabilizing the vested interests in Anna was more important.

Therefore, after the battle between the Falling Star Sea and Anna began, he resolutely chose Bertrand before his death.

Bertrand would never be a good emperor from any angle, but he could fight.

By protecting the interests of the nobles, it is easy to unite all the forces within Anna.

Therefore, it can be deduced that Thiago is the direct successor to those future possibilities that have been swallowed up by the cycle.

Even if Kurien dislikes him, he will try to correct him and make him realize the antagonistic relationship between the emperor and the nobles.

He should be the next emperor after Kurien in the normal history of Anna.

However, Thiago himself pulled off a major stunt.

Killing Sloan was a completely negative move. What practical benefit would it bring to Kurien besides enraging him and prompting him to call in the Inner Guard to pursue him?
Worried that Sloan will take his place?

This reason is so idiotic. If we're talking about threats, Bertrand is the most likely person to take away Thiago's right to inherit the throne.

Because Bertrand's supporters are fanatical enough.

Bertrand enjoys the broadest support among enthusiasts of overthrowing the old order.

Great Ananas, Great Humanists.

Once Bertrand becomes Emperor of Anna, any non-citizens outside the empire's borders will automatically be reduced to slaves.

The slave trade will inevitably grow stronger and achieve new heights.

The long-dormant path to advancement through military merit has been reopened. Eager young people, who couldn't wait for the war to break out, kicked the old nobles out of the core interest circle and put them in power.

"Those old bastards should get out of here!"

This slogan has a wide reach.

Thiago, with its old noble families and magical lineages, represents conservatism.

Bertrand possesses more radical, progressive mages, representing pioneering spirit.

They are the real adversaries; if anyone's going to fight to the death, it should be the two of them who start.

If assassination is to be carried out, Bertrand should be the first target. Involving Sloan, Kurion's favorite child and a direct descendant of the Wolf Queen, would be far more risky than beneficial to him.

Only someone with a screw loose would wave their hand and send out the secret agents they'd secretly built up without the Imperial Guard's knowledge, casually telling them...

"You guys, go and kill Sloan."

She couldn't understand what kind of logic would lead her to reveal such a powerful trump card and do something with almost zero return!
The frustration of French fries is a perfect match for the boundary between reality and illusion and rainbow rain.

Nobody can be happy with Plata; it's too weird.

Fresh corpses give birth to fresh spirits. Using sophisticated necromancy, the jailer manipulates both the corpses and the spirits.

Death causes the spirit to lose a lot of information from its previous life, but this loss is still acceptable compared to the loss from forced removal.

After examining the two bodies, he and Jiang Heyi looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Potato is right, it really is Thiago… They are members of the secret guards who can only be mobilized upon seeing a handwritten document. Without Thiago’s permission, no one can order them around.”

The royal guards have arrived at the scene.

The area where the virtual and real borders are located has been designated as a special envoy zone, and an attack here is already a serious diplomatic incident.

The captain of the guard's legs were trembling.

He was just a nobody who rushed over immediately after receiving a report late at night, never having to deal with a colossal conflict that could ignite the Falling Star Sea and the Anna Continent.

How could he have such virtue?

Huh?
Why is there someone familiar in the crowd?
"Peruan? You're the one in charge of patrolling this area tonight."

When his name was called, Peruan actually knelt down.

"Prince Sloan, what's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I was attacked, but luckily the members of the special envoy group saved me."

exactly!
Peruan felt as if the sky had collapsed above his head, and he had to raise his head to hold it up.

Fuck the night shift.

As a standard imperial scion appreciated by Sloan, likely destined to spend his days with the prince, and without any vices, Peruan was fortunate.

The situation at the scene has escalated, and it's no longer his concern!

The Imperial Guards have arrived.

The legendary big shot, Wick, has arrived.

Then came the master of the Mage Tower, who was proficient in tracing traces.

Arga, a specialist in barrier magic, also arrived—to examine the scroll that could release black light.

Unfortunately, only fragments of the black scroll remained at the scene, making it difficult to discern anything.

The Potions Master also arrived—to examine the magical solution given by Mint, and then hand it over to His Majesty Kurion.

All of this was done on-site.

His Majesty Kurien was furious.

The second attack on Sloan is a blatant disregard for the Empire!
These important figures would occasionally notice him when they came and went, and then inquire about some details in a kind and gentle manner.

This was everything Peruan had that brought him closest to the Empire's strongest, and all he could actually answer was one sentence...

"I don't know, it was like this when I got there."

The scene was bustling. In the garden next to Kurien's study, a round table was set up—the boundary between reality and illusion, plus the rainbow rain, meant there were just too many people, and the poor study couldn't accommodate everyone.

The guards tried to step forward to speak, but Wick stopped them each time.

He knew what the guards wanted to say.

Too many outsiders and too few internal guards... what if an accident happens...

The guards are still too naive. Didn't they see that gradient-scaled half-dragon who, upon arriving, complained about the fruits and vegetables and the food, saying that it wasn't as good as potatoes and squid?
The presence of Elaeva here is a symbol of reassurance.

After sending all the loyal guards away, those who were allowed to know the inside story were left.

Kurien stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky. The moon was bright and the stars were few. His eyes were lifeless, and he was lost in thought.

They are still busy at the scene, collecting evidence to persuade nobles and outsiders.

The moment he received Jiang Heyi's affirmative answer, he had found the answer in his heart.

"why?"

Jiang Heyi didn't know whether Kurien was asking him or them.

Plata ate his fruit platter and muttered, "Why not just ask him about his own life journey? How could we normal people possibly have Thiago's extraordinary wisdom?"

Thanks to Jiang Heyi's promotion, the term "astounding wisdom" has been accepted by the public.

It's a bit strange coming from Plata's mouth.

“Your Majesty, all the evidence comes from our mental magic, which is very difficult to reproduce. If Thiago insists on denying it, the nobles surrounding him will probably think you are biased.”

"And we will also be attacked, as His Majesty deliberately lured us in from the outside to disrupt the situation in Anna, to make the nobles fight amongst themselves, a divide-and-rule glove."

Kurien turned around sharply and stared at the four Primarchs.

He's always like that; he either doesn't say anything or gets straight to the point.

In the current situation, the only solution is to act decisively. If there is any hesitation, not only will there be no room for maneuver in the negotiations between Anna and the Fallen Star Sea, but even Kurien will be caught in a vortex of doubt.

He didn't say anything, but seeing that Plata was eating happily, he personally peeled a fruit and put it in the fruit plate in front of her.

"If he really did it, he will come to me soon."

"Huh?" the Tetraprimal was puzzled.

"Why do you think Potato didn't kill all the assassins?" Kurien exhaled a deep breath. "In our initial plan, we were just betting that this person would make one wrong step and then another, so we deliberately provoked him."

"Now that he's wrong again, he's probably terrified... What Potato said about the murderer returning to the crime scene also applies to him."

The group from the boundary between the virtual and real worlds settled in the palace, enjoying the protection and services of the imperial guards.

Externally, Kurien declared it a disgraceful attack on the envoy, claiming the attackers had mistaken Sloan for the envoy.

As soon as it was light, Wick knocked on the study door.

Kurien stayed up all night, while Jiang Heyi and French Fries Kesha silently kept the old man company as he reminisced about the past, now that he was just a father and no longer the emperor.

As a human being with flesh and blood, Kurien has a strong urge to confide in others.

However, since Wick had always been by her side, those past events had long since been chewed over without any flavor.

Before the three of them, those beautiful memories, once again, welled up in their hearts like a sweet, mellow liquid.

From getting to know, fall in love with, and stay with the wolf queen, to becoming the ruler of the empire.

The decades-long, tumultuous journey, which could not be fully recounted even in a single night, was ultimately interrupted by Kureen's resolute determination regarding the child's destiny.

Wick, who pushed open the door, said something that did not surprise Kurien.

"Thiago is here."

"Heh, heh heh." Kurien covered his face with his hands, laughter seeping through his fingers, growing increasingly mournful, yet his voice grew louder, "Hahahahahahahahahahaha."

"You see, I actually know them quite well, don't I?"

Jiang Heyi didn't know what to say to comfort him, and the emotionally intelligent French Fries could only remain silent.

The three of them hid in a small cubicle in the study, pressed their lips against the door, and watched the wonderful drama unfolding inside, like a game of Gossip.

In private, Kurion never allowed his children to see him as an emperor; he preferred to hear "father" or "dad."

When Thiago whispered "Father," they could clearly see the muscles in Kurion's cheeks twitching.

"What brings you here...?"

"Before dawn, I heard from my servants that Sloan had been attacked again, this time near the residence of the Fallen Star Sea envoy. Thinking that my father might not have slept all night, I asked someone to make some calming pastries."

Kurien's hand, which was under the table, suddenly gripped the drawer, veins bulging.

"Hmm." He suppressed his emotions. "Since you're here, eat with me."

With that, he gestured for Thiago to sit down and then arranged the pastries on their respective plates.

Wick came up, but Kurien also handed him a copy.

For some reason, Jiang Heyi saw that Thiago seemed... relieved?
French fries immediately understood.

"How disgusting, using snacks to test whether Dad suspects me."

Kesha was stunned: "Is that so? If we knew the inside story, we might even become suspicious or disgusted by the food... What a despicable creature! What does he take the Lion King's love for!"

As a member of the Fallen Star Sea, and having grown up under the care of Jingxin, the king of children, Kesha couldn't bear to see this scene and wished he could go out and give Thiago two tails.

"Tell me your opinion... Have I wronged Bertrand? He's been on a hunger strike for four days."

Thiago just ate in silence without saying a word.

Why aren't you answering?

“Father, this involves my brother, I don’t know how to answer.”

A hint of hesitation flashed across Kurien's face.

He wanted his child to be innocent more than anyone else.

Before her death, the wolf queen hoped that he could treat all his brothers and sisters equally and that they could all live in harmony and become his support.

He worked very hard to carry the water, continuing the wolf queen's practice.

Sloan and Enrique were always treated worse than others. Even when it came to choosing a successor, he tacitly agreed to choose someone who was better suited to the continuation of the empire than her child.

"However... there are some things that Father may have overlooked due to his doting affection."

"Ok?"

Thiago feigned helplessness, saying, "A four-day hunger strike cannot clear one's name. Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence, Father?"

Seeing that Kurien remained silent, Thiago pressed his advantage.

“While Bertrand was on hunger strike, someone was targeting Sloan, as if to tell everyone that this had nothing to do with him and that he had been wronged by his father.”

"As soon as the incident occurred, there was a lot of discussion. People were saying that my father had not thought things through and that he had insulted Bertrand. Many of his followers used this as a target to launch a fierce attack."

“I’m thinking… whether the suspicion has been cleared depends on the investigation results, but Bertrand certainly had a motive, at least he earned your guilt when you re-examined him, Father.”

“I don’t want anyone to take advantage of a father’s love to escape punishment.”

Kurien's eyes widened little by little as he stared intently at Thiago.

After a while, he smiled warmly.

“Yes, it shouldn’t be like this.” He stood up and gently stroked Thiago’s head. “We really shouldn’t let people take advantage of family ties and do whatever they want.”

Kurien paused, then waved his hand: "In that case, I'll put you in charge of investigating this matter. I'll only give you two days to produce a result, good or bad."

Thiago was stunned.

"Father, should I avoid suspicion?"

"Go do it!" Kurien commanded sharply.

(End of this chapter)