My mom is waiting for treatment, and you're summoning me to be a hero?

After Otmu was promoted to Beast King, his puppet-making skills were indeed much more proficient than before.

He squatted beside Li Yiguang's body, his ten wooden fingers working like carving knives on the gradually cooling body.

Lin Mo saw him pry open the corpse's jaw and insert a thin, hair-like piece of wood fiber.

As soon as the fiber enters the mouth, it automatically extends and branches, like the roots of a living thing, penetrating deep into the throat and extending to the limbs and bones.

"Boss, do you want a live puppet or a corpse puppet?"

Even without lifting his head, Ottoman said.

Lin Mo stood to the side: "What's the difference?"

"The living puppet can move, talk, eat and drink, and almost no one can tell that it is real. But I need to dedicate a part of my consciousness to control it continuously. It won't work if it's too far away from me."

As he spoke, Otmu flipped open the corpse's eyelids and applied a layer of transparent gel to the surface of the eyeballs.

"The corpse puppet is simple; it's just a moving corpse. It's enough to fool outsiders, but anyone who knows it well will be exposed after a few words."

Lin Mo glanced at Hunter Axe, whose expression was uncertain.

"Living puppet".

"Okay, it'll be ready soon!"

A dozen minutes later, Li Yiguang stood up.

His movements were initially stiff, like a machine whose joints weren't fully lubricated.

But Otem made a few subtle adjustments with his hand gestures, and the body gradually returned to its natural posture.

He turned around, looked at Lin Mo, and gave a standard, princely smile.

"Your Mightiness."

He said even the voices were exactly the same.

Hunter Axe watched this scene in silence.

He carried a giant axe, leaned against the courtyard wall, and had a very complicated expression on his face.

Shock, vigilance, contemplation, and a hint of... awe.

Lin Mo turned to him.

"Tell me, what do you want by following Li Yiguang?"

Hunter Axe was silent for a few seconds, then took a deep breath.

"You really are... not simple. I followed the Second Prince because I wanted him to do something for me."

"What is it?"

Hunter Axe looked at him and said, word by word:

"Go to the Empire's most stringent prison, the Imperial Iron Prison, to see someone."

Lin Mo nodded, interrupting him calmly:

"That person's name is Zhou Yue."

The hunter was stunned.

The heavy axe slid off his shoulder and landed on the ground with a thud.

"How...how did you know?"

Lin Mo didn't answer, but just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

After all, he had heard the name Zhou Yue far too many times.

Hunter Axe remained silent for a long while before speaking.

"That's right, it's Zhou Yue, my former captain."

Lin Mo did not speak.

Yin Xue flew off his shoulder and landed on the stone table next to him, crossing his arms and looking like he was listening attentively.

Mianmian nestled on Lin Mo's shoulder, its eight compound eyes quietly watching the hunting axe.

Hunter Axe took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Zhou Yue, the youngest demigod-level powerhouse in nearly a century, is the bravest in the history of the Holy Ancient Empire with the greatest hope of completely defeating the Demon King. He led Vorn to conquer most of the Demon Clan territory. Wherever he went, the Demon Clan was routed and trembled in fear."

As he said this, a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"Back then, we thought we'd be able to defeat the Demon King soon, and Zhou Yue thought so too. He was too strong, so strong that he felt he could do anything."

Lin Mo glanced at the bloodstains on his shoulder.

Yin Xue shrugged and sent a telepathic message to Lin Mo.

"That is indeed the case, but Zhou Yue is no match for me."

Lin Mo understood and continued, "And then?"

Hunter Axe's smile vanished.

"Then, just a few days before we were about to meet the Demon King, an order came from the capital, urgently recalling us. It was said to be a supreme command jointly issued by the kingdom and the church, and we had to return immediately without fail."

He paused.

"Although Zhou Yue was unwilling, he still led us back. After all, it was the kingdom's order. But after returning to the capital, I never saw him again."

The hunter's voice lowered, as if it were pressing down on something.

"The next time I heard his name was half a month later, when the Vatican issued a proclamation declaring that Zhou Yue had committed a grave crime, colluding with foreign enemies, plotting a rebellion, betraying the Empire, and betraying the glory of the heroes. He was stripped of all honors and imprisoned in the Imperial Iron Prison, never to be released."

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow.

"Hasn't Zhou Yue already broken through to the demigod realm? What kind of prison could possibly restrain him?"

Hunting Ax smiled bitterly.

"The Empire also has demigod-level powerhouses, with three publicly known, and who knows how many more hidden. Moreover, the Holy See has intervened; they have a way to seal the Holy Armor of Light, preventing the hero from activating the Holy Revelation. In addition, there's Zhou Yue's personality..."

At this point, Hunter Axe shook his head.

"He was too naive. He didn't believe the Vatican would harm him, nor did he believe the Empire would betray him. I'm not surprised he was taken down."

Lin Mo fell silent.

Hunter Axe continued to explain.

"Only the emperor of the empire has the authority to lift that order and release Zhou Yue from prison, so I need Li Yiguang. He can become the next emperor..."

As he said this, he suddenly became agitated and looked directly at Lin Mo.

"If you can win the championship in this competition, Li Yiguang's position will be more secure. After the old king dies, he will be able to inherit the throne smoothly. At that time, just let me see Zhou Yue. That's all I ask."

Lin Mo looked at him.

Looking at this burly man, over two meters tall, covered in scars, and carrying a giant axe.

Looking into his eyes, one could see the excitement, anticipation, and the resentment that had been hidden for thirty years.

Then Lin Mo shook his head.

"That's too much trouble."

Hunter Axe's expression changed.

"you!"

Lin Mo interrupted the hunter axe in a calm voice.

Why wait until then?

The tone was as if asking a very simple question.

The hunter was stunned.

He looked at Lin Mo, and for the first time, a blank expression appeared on his rugged face.

"Wha...what do you mean?"

Lin Mo looked at him and said, word by word:

"As the Second Prince, why don't you just go in directly?"

The hunter's axe gaped open.

"Go straight in?"

He repeated Lin Mo's words, his voice filled with disbelief.

"You mean... now? In Li Yiguang's capacity? Go directly to the Imperial Iron Prison? To see Zhou Yue?"

Lin Mo nodded.

"Is there a problem?"

Hunter Axe's lips moved.

"The Imperial Iron Prison... is the highest-level prison in the empire. Without the king's decree, no one is allowed to enter, not even a prince..."

Lin Mo shook his head: "Li Yiguang wanted to seize the throne before, so he kept delaying to keep you under control. But now, as a prince, he's forcibly barging in. Who dares to stop him?"

Hearing this, the Hunter Axe fell silent.

That seems to make sense now.

The Second Prince's forced entry into the Imperial Prison was just a minor incident; who would hold him accountable?

The biggest loss might be losing the throne, but would Lin Mo, a madman, care about that?

Just as Hunter Axe hesitated, Lin Mo spoke again.

"You just need to tell me," he said, "whether you want to see Zhou Yue now."

Hunter Axe gripped his giant axe tightly.

His breathing was heavy, rhythmic, as if he were desperately suppressing something.

"I've been thinking about it for 80 years."

Lin Mo nodded: "Let's go then. I was just thinking of meeting this person too."