My Beautiful Duchess Wife

This scene, witnessed by the caravan members, filled them with immense joy and even greater madness. However, when the heavily protected Brook saw the cloaked figure wearing a mask and wielding a flaming blade to slice down a high-ranking demon with a single strike, a confident smile crept onto his lips.

He thought to himself, "As expected of the Duke's capable subordinate, his strength is truly extraordinary. At least, he must be at the peak of the Great Demon realm!"

Of course, Lin Peng was also somewhat surprised. He had been stunned since the start of the race. He had only been unconscious for a few days, yet his strength had increased dramatically. He seemed to be just one step away from breaking through to the peak of the Great Demon realm.

He was even more adept at using the power of fire. Especially his speed; if Kappa were to throw that punch again, Lin Peng believed he could definitely dodge it now.

With a slight upturn of his lips, Lin Peng looked at the thieves still relentlessly attacking Brook in the distance and charged straight towards them.

One of the high-ranking demons was initially stunned, but then angrily tried to catch up with Lin Peng and kill the man who had killed his companion. This time, the thieves mobilized over a thousand people, led by only five high-ranking demons.

They initially thought it was a sure win. Unexpectedly, this unexpected obstacle appeared out of nowhere.

But the next second, his head flew high into the air, turning him into a headless corpse. His previously furious face remained unchanged. However, after kicking twice, his body slammed heavily to the ground.

The thieves fighting nearby were all terrified. At the same time, Lei's figure slowly appeared beside the high-ranking demon. However, he vanished in a flash, leaving no trace.

Howard, who had just rushed down the mountain, was stunned. These two guys were incredibly strong; they had killed two high-level demons so easily. Their speed was astounding!

The two enormous beams, creating a whirlwind, charged directly into the low- and mid-level demons. Like tigers entering a flock of sheep, each swing brought forth a shower of blood.

With his speed, power, and those demonic flames, Howard, with his burly and ferocious physique, was like a devil incarnate.

After killing two mid-level demons in succession, Lei turned to look at Lin Peng. Meanwhile, on the mountaintop, a little girl clenched her fists tightly, her heart clenching every time Lin Peng swung his flaming battle blade.

It seemed as if he was about to get injured!

Of course, how could those mid-level demons possibly harm Lin Peng? Each slash of his flaming battle blade claimed the life of a demon. Meanwhile, the other three thieves who had been besieging the three high-level demon bodyguards also reacted.

They looked at the man in the cloak and wearing a strange mask with some surprise. After exchanging glances, the three roared, "Die!" At the same time, they leaped high into the air, their huge battle blades aimed directly at Lin Peng's face.

Lin Peng merely curled his lips slightly. Three high-level demons actually wanted him dead. With a faint smile, his flaming battle blade seemed to suddenly become incredibly powerful. The raging flames suddenly surged into a ten-foot-long flaming battle blade.

The immense flames illuminated the sunset, making it even more crimson, and the intense heat erupted simultaneously. The three high-ranking demons immediately realized they had met their match. At the same time, they also understood the man's power—at least, the strength of a Great Demon.

"Die, all of you!" A flash of fire erupted, and the blade light engulfed the three demons. The massive flames exploded as if they had been detonated, unleashing bursts of smaller, flaming blades. Not only the three high-ranking demons, but all the demons within a hundred meters were reduced to ashes.

Dozens of fiery blades flashed by, while the three-zhang-long flaming battle blade remained burning fiercely beside Lin Peng. Bathed in the light of the flames, Lin Peng now appeared like a god of war.

What erupted from that eerie mask was a burning fighting spirit.

"Kill!" A low shout rang out, and the flaming battle blade slashed across the area, unleashing bursts of flame about a meter long from the three-zhang-long blade. Instantly, another wave of low- to mid-level demons fell, wailing in agony.

The flaming blade ignited the moment it touched anything, seemingly determined to burn a person to ashes. The entire 500-meter radius was engulfed in flames. The raging inferno claimed the lives of dozens of thieves.

With just two strikes, all the thieves, including the bodyguards, stared blankly at Lin Peng, momentarily forgetting to attack.

"This guy actually broke through again after falling into a coma this time. He should be only a hair's breadth away from becoming a Demon King-level expert! It's a pity. If he crosses that threshold, he will be a true expert. If he can't, then..." Howard's thick eyebrows, which seemed to be connected, furrowed slightly. At this moment, they did indeed appear to be joined together.

"Ah...devil, run away!"

"Ah, run away!"

……

Someone shouted, and the thieves, who were no longer led by those high-ranking demons, fled like the fastest fiery warhorses. In the blink of an eye, they had already covered over a thousand meters.

Lin Peng pursed his lips slightly, and with a spread of his fingers, the flaming battle blade vanished. At the same time, he looked at Brooke: "My old friend, are you alright?"

The three high-ranking demon bodyguards were covered in wounds. Fatty Brook chuckled, "If you had arrived any later, I might have been injured. But... these thieves are just a small part of it. The truly powerful ones are yet to come."

"Hmm?" Lin Peng frowned, somewhat puzzled. If those thieves were only a small group, then... the strength of this thief gang seemed far too great!

"Pack up and rest first!" Brooke whispered to the caravan's bodyguards, then winked at Lin Peng.

Lin Peng nodded, and Howard stepped forward to stand beside him. Meanwhile, Ray slowly revealed himself and obediently followed Lin Peng toward Brook.

A small, relatively clean area was quickly cleared out, and a very comfortable-looking red carpet was laid out on it, where everyone sat down.

In the distance, a figure slowly ran down from the mountaintop. Seeing Lin Peng and the others, she walked directly towards them. Lin Peng nodded slightly to Brooke, gesturing for her to come over. Angelina, without further ado, sat down beside Lin Peng.

Those innocent eyes were scrutinizing Brooke's fat face.

"Hehe, the thieves here have been here since the beginning. Well, there are probably nearly three thousand of them, divided into three large groups. And the thousand who came just now can only be considered one of those large groups. Moreover, their leader hasn't shown up yet!" Brook took out a bottle of red wine, slowly filled his glass, and then filled Howard, Ray, and Lin Peng's glasses as well. After gently clinking their glasses together, he laughed.

Lin Peng nodded slightly, his voice tinged with coldness, and said, "Then... they must have a commander-in-chief. How did you get through here before?"

A pair of sharp, chilling eyes fixed on Brook, as if a single word could trigger a fatal attack. Brook waved his hand, signaling the three terrified high-ranking demons to put away their weapons.

“Hmm… In the past, a small amount of goods plus some dark gold coins would get them to make way. But… this time, I really don’t know what’s going on. No matter how many dark gold coins I offer, they just won’t let us pass. And… it seems to be an order from their captain!” Brook frowned, a glint of light flashing in his narrow eyes.

Lin Peng nodded slightly. Now it was certain they were from the Furen or Chris family. Perhaps, even Jess's people. Originally, it was just to collect tolls here, heh heh… tolls, this money's really easy to make.

Now, the "food economy" crisis in Darkmoon City has also prompted these thieves to hold the gates and refuse to let anyone pass. It's almost certain that this "financial crisis" in Darkmoon City is definitely the biggest scheme to force Sia to back down.

So... what if I destroy this bandit gang myself...? Every now and then, Lin Peng chuckled coldly, making Howard and the others sitting to the side feel a chill!

Chapter Thirty: Angelina the "Omniscient"

"What, you want to just storm into this bandit gang?" the fat man joked with a slight smile. Meanwhile, the little girl Angelina looked at the fat man with some confusion, as if she had remembered something.

Lin Peng nodded, letting out a sinister laugh: "What, it won't work? You know, it's just a band of thieves. If I rely on surprise attacks, they won't be able to defend against me at all!"

Howard and Ray both gave a strange laugh; clearly, they shared the same plan. Ray, in particular, was generally a deadly attacker. Of course, this didn't apply to powerful demons or even more formidable demon lords.

Even for high-ranking demons, encountering an opponent they cannot find is futile.

Brook smiled faintly, a barely perceptible glint in his small, narrow eyes: "Do you really think a band of thieves like that would be so weak? Heh, they have a Demon King-level expert, their leader! And the other three captains are all Great Demons. How... how are you going to launch a sneak attack? Perhaps you'll be killed the moment you appear by that Demon King-level expert!"

Upon hearing this, even Lin Peng felt a little uneasy. A Demon King level expert! Even if he could keep up in speed, what if that Demon King level expert possessed some powerful strength or ultimate technique? Perhaps he would be the one to die.

"Don't worry, that's just a Demon King who advanced through drugs. If we can really lure him out, the three of you could probably kill him outright! Right, friends of the Elvi family!" the little girl said in an extremely mature tone. Her large eyes were fixed on Brook.

Lin Peng was alright, but the other three looked at the little girl with surprise and a hint of panic. How could such a little girl know so much? Brooke, in particular, who had directly called out the family name, stared at the little girl in astonishment, his eyes filled with fear.

"Oh, what do you mean by advancing using drugs?" Lin Peng scratched his head, thinking that if such drugs existed, he might want to try them. After all, the current strength of the Great Demon seemed far too weak in the face of true experts.

"While drugs can significantly increase one's power at certain times, there's a limit. After that, there might be no further hope for advancement. Of course, if you truly reach that level, you can try using them. However... that Demon King-level expert, when he was still a high-ranking demon and had no hope of advancement, directly consumed a powerful potion. And he broke through to the Demon King level!" After adjusting his mindset, Brook continued.

After speaking, he even glanced at the little girl. However, Angelina didn't want to pay him any attention, and simply nodded to Lin Peng, seemingly in agreement.

Lin Peng pinched his chin with two fingers and chuckled knowingly, "Hmm, I understand now. Hehe... But, just to be safe, we should investigate first. It wouldn't be good if someone were to be sacrificed if the difference in strength is too great!"

Howard and Ray nodded in agreement. Even with the enhancements from the drugs, he was still a Demon King-level expert. If… by any chance, someone got affected, that would be disastrous.

Brook nodded and took out a map from his pocket: "This is a topographical map of Long Corridor Mountain, with the location of the thieves' group marked on it. Heh... They always say they are the Cobra Thieves. I think they are probably from the Furen family. Perhaps, there are also a few of Chris's men and Jess's men mixed in."

Lin Peng took the map and smiled slightly. After examining it carefully, he nodded and said, "Alright, now that we know, we'll be going! You should get going now. Hehe... Darkmoon City is really short of food right now! With so many goods you have, you should be able to make a fortune this time! Hmm... the shop arrangements are all taken care of. When the time comes, just find Nadas from the city defense team and mention my name!"

Brooke nodded seriously, then looked at the caravans that had rested enough and said loudly, "They've all rested enough, let's get going!" Upon hearing the order, they immediately got up and began packing.

The original thief corpses were simply buried in a pit.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the caravan slowly headed back towards Darkmoon City. At this moment, Lin Peng, standing atop the mountain, crossed his arms and quietly watched the departing caravan. The crimson moon slowly descended, and the evening glow began to fade.

"Looking at this map, it seems this band of thieves is about to reach the Red Devil's territory!" Lei said earnestly, holding the map in both hands.

Lin Peng frowned slightly. He had heard about the Crimson Demon Territory several times already. What exactly was going on?

Angelina seemed to understand Lin Peng's confusion and said calmly, "Sister Sia already told you last time that the Red Demon Territory is Jerry's territory. It's also loyal to Chancellor Kula! In the entire Dark Moon Empire, the territories of the three Grand Dukes are the largest. One is the Red Demon Territory, another is the Wind Demon Territory, and the last is the Great General's Demon-Slaying Territory. Moreover, the other smaller territories shouldn't be underestimated. Some belong to earls, some to marquises. Those smaller territories are the lords who support the current Dark Emperor. The Red Demon Territory serves as a deterrent to these smaller territories. If we really defeat Jerry, it means our power will increase significantly!"

The little girl's words were insightful and carried a hint of politics, leaving Howard and Ray somewhat stunned. An older brother was already considered oddballs, but this little sister, at such a young age, was even more so.

It has to be said, they are truly a family of oddballs.

Lin Peng crossed his arms and nodded, laughing, "Oh, so that's how it is! So... if we can wipe out the Crimson Demon Territory now, then... the Wind Demon Territory and the Prime Minister will have a hard time! Hehe, perhaps, we might even threaten his power. Hmm, then... let's start by taking down the Cobra Thieves! Hehe... it seems this thief group is a bit strange!"

With that, he scooped Angelina up and ran towards the marked point on the map. Ray and Howard exchanged a glance, seemingly with no other choice but to follow.

……

At the end of Long Corridor Mountain, in a desolate area resembling a swamp, stood several tall thieves in twos and threes. They all looked somewhat listless.

However, when the rustling sound came out, these people immediately ran excitedly out of the fence and rushed directly to the place where the sound came from.

The scene before them left the thieves stunned. They stood there dumbfounded, as if under some kind of spell.

"Ah, brother, haha...we've escaped, we've finally escaped!" The leader of the thieves laughed joyfully upon seeing his brothers, as if he had encountered the greatest happiness.

"This..." The thieves who caught up from behind were speechless with surprise at the sight before them.

Look at these brothers now, each one covered in blood. Some are even missing an arm. And yet, they all have expressions of relief on their faces, as if they've encountered immense fear.

When the thieves returned to their stronghold with their defeated troops, just by looking at the cold expression on the face of the brigade leader, it was clear what fate awaited them.

"What exactly happened? It was just a traveling merchant caravan, yet they sent out five high-ranking demons, and they still returned like this. If you don't tell me the truth, all of you will die!"

Originally, three people were standing next to the captain. The one in the lead was a somewhat thin man in a black robe. His long black robe, along with the high-necked scarf, made him look fierce and menacing.

His triangular eyes were already frightening, but now, combined with his狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) face, they were even more terrifying. This man was now the leader of the thieves' gang.

Moreover, according to the captains, the guild leader has the strength of a demon king.

One of the mid-level demons began to recount his story, his voice trembling: "Originally, the squad leaders and we were almost wearing down the caravan's bodyguards. Several of them died, but none of us did. However, most of them were wounded soldiers, no match for us!"

He narrowed his triangular eyes and nodded slightly. Generally speaking, this strategy was entirely correct.

"But... just when we were about to achieve final victory, we encountered... encountered... encountered unimaginable strength!" one of the defeated soldiers said hesitantly.

"What unimaginable strength?" The captain's cold voice was chilling, piercing to the bone. The battalion commander beside him exuded a murderous aura that swept over the defeated soldiers, making them tremble with fear.

"Yes, he was a man who could breathe fire. He wielded a flaming sword that was a full ten feet long. With a single strike, he killed three of our squad leaders. And he also blasted dozens of our brothers to death." The thief's body trembled slightly as he said this.

"Flames?" The four men exchanged glances, all showing surprise.

"Oh, right, there's another expert, definitely a great demon. Every time he swings that scythe, he takes away several brothers!" a low-ranking demon said, his voice trembling with tears.

"Great Demon, Flame. Hmph, I didn't expect there to be a Demon King-level existence! Hmph... A Demon King-level who has comprehended the elements? Hmm, it seems the struggle in Darkmoon City is becoming more and more obvious!" The guild leader snorted coldly, seemingly talking to himself.

Chapter Thirty-One: A Frustrated Howard

Time flew by, and after a few short, hazy days, the villagers seemed to have forgotten their previous lesson. They continued to entertain themselves as before, occasionally bringing back some wild game, as if nothing had ever happened.

Lin Peng hid in a corner of the mountainside, watching the thieves below, who were roasting meat and boasting, somewhat speechless. Such military discipline wouldn't work even with thieves. If a truly disciplined army were trained, wiping out these thieves would be a piece of cake.

In particular, Lin Peng noticed that the thieves who had been standing guard suddenly stopped watching their posts as soon as their brothers started grilling meat. Could it be... that the captains and their ilk didn't care?

When Lin Peng looked at Howard, he still acted as if it were perfectly normal. At the same time… he had a greedy look on his face, as if he wanted to go down and have a meal right away. At that moment, Lin Peng felt an urge to bang his head against the wall.

"Could it be that your family soldiers are like this too?" Lin Peng asked somewhat dejectedly, then turned to look at the thieves below who were still grilling.