Chapter Ninety: No War in the Imperial Capital (3)

Late at night, in the southern part of Pompeii, the headquarters of the Earth Dragon Mercenary Corps stood quietly.

Redno’s years of management had borne great fruit, evident from the scale of the mercenary corps’ headquarters. Within the vast courtyard spanning several miles, dozens of rows of houses were arranged in a structure optimized for defense, while at the center of the courtyard stood a sealed hall.

Inside the Earth Dragon Mercenary Corps, the scene was as bustling as ever, filled with the clamor of mercenaries moving in and out every moment. Yet beneath this normal exterior, only a few knew the secret: all two thousand mercenaries stationed at headquarters were actually elite royal guards in disguise.

Although he had instructed Anderson to bring only Andor and Derek along, Chu Tian never believed Andor would come without guards. These royal guards were thus prepared to counter Andor’s men. Now, Chu Tian’s only concern was that Andor might not dare to show up.

Everything in the hall had been cleared out, leaving an empty space with only a single chair. Chu Tian sat calmly in it, while Serena stood beside him.

Among their opponents tonight was at least one Level 8 Sword Saint, so to avoid alarming them, all of Chu Tian’s magical beasts were hidden far outside. Even the formidable Red Flame and the stealthy Anna remained concealed near the back door of the hall.

“Your Highness, Andor has arrived!” Redno’s voice broke the silence.

“How many did he bring?” Chu Tian squinted, asking.

“Just him and Anderson—only two.”

Only two? A chill ran through Chu Tian’s heart. Something was definitely wrong. According to the intelligence bureau’s investigation, Andor was supposed to be an ordinary man. So on what grounds did he dare to come alone to the deserted outskirts of Pompeii in the dead of night? Even if Anderson had lured Andor here under some pretense, why would Andor come without any guards? Did he really believe that Anderson, a mere bronze knight, could protect him? Or perhaps the intelligence bureau’s investigation was flawed—Andor was not an ordinary man at all?

“Keep Anderson outside. Let Andor enter alone.” At this point, despite suspecting trouble, Chu Tian had no choice but to face it head-on.

“Hahaha, so it’s Prince Vladino who wishes to see me!” Andor strode into the hall. His face was no longer the kindly mien of before, but twisted with an eerie, sinister cruelty.

“If you wanted to see me, why send a child to deceive me?” Andor laughed coldly. “You really thought Anderson could fool me? Ha ha…”

Seeing the complete change in Andor’s demeanor, Chu Tian knew tonight’s plan was unraveling. “Praise the Goddess of Life! Lord Andor,” Chu Tian smiled knowingly, “if you knew I was deceiving you, then why did you still dare to come?”

“Can you first answer me one thing?” Andor refused to answer Chu Tian’s question and instead asked, “Is it your idea to eliminate me tonight, or the Emperor’s?”

“It’s the Emperor’s orders,” Chu Tian replied honestly. Under other circumstances, he wouldn’t have been so forthright, but Andor’s terrifying aura, the palpable deathly chill and the ghostly light he exuded, made it clear that Andor was no ordinary man. For the first time, Chu Tian was uncertain about the night’s outcome, so he spoke the truth: he was simply carrying out orders. If Andor survived, and later sought revenge, he could take it up with Ludie III.

“Oh, I see now.” Andor’s eyebrows twitched twice. He realized his identity had been exposed. But could that intimidate him? “So you already know who I really am! Hmph. Vladino, do you know what your greatest mistake is?”

“Mistake? Heh, I really don’t know. But if the Right Minister is interested, he can tell me.” Chu Tian genuinely didn’t understand. Aside from the current hitch, the plan had been flawless: first capture Anderson, then use him to lure Andor to the mercenary corps’ headquarters, and finally have Red Flame strike to kill him. The entire process would be silent, unknown even to gods and ghosts, thus avoiding unrest.

The only uncertain link was Anderson. But after Anderson took the dark virus, combined with his cowardly nature, this part should have been secure. Unless Anderson’s excuse was too flimsy and aroused Andor’s suspicion?

As if sensing Chu Tian’s thoughts, Andor continued, “Anderson’s excuse was solid. He said the Earth Dragon Mercenary Corps was preparing to seek shelter under me, the Right Minister…”

Then Andor suddenly stepped closer to Chu Tian. “If it were just this excuse, I might have come unguarded without suspicion. But—ha ha—Vladino, you made a fatal mistake!”

Andor took a few more steps forward, prompting Chu Tian’s vigilance. He rose from his chair, lightly touching the spatial ring on his left hand, and shouted, “Everyone, come out!”

Serena and Red Flame emerged from the hall’s back door. Anna was nowhere to be seen, but Chu Tian knew she was surely hidden somewhere, bow drawn and aimed at Andor.

“Mr. Andor, now you can tell me—what fatal mistake did I make?”

“Hahaha,” Andor laughed upon seeing Red Flame. “I didn’t expect Ludie III to send even Red Flame to eliminate me!” After laughing, Andor fixed his gaze on Chu Tian and slowly said, “You shouldn’t have used the dark virus to threaten Anderson…”

“Why not?” Chu Tian started to ask, but before he could finish, Andor suddenly attacked.

“I am the Death God of Necromancy!” With those words, a bone spear nearly ten feet long materialized from the void and shot toward Chu Tian like lightning.

“Instant-cast magic!?” Chu Tian was shocked. Although he couldn’t cast spells himself, his eyes were sharp. Andor chatted casually while silently unleashing a Level 7 necromancy spell—Bone Spear! No chanting or casting time. This proved only one thing: Andor truly was the Death God of Necromancy!

In that instant, Chu Tian realized where he had erred. Praise the Goddess of Life! He had threatened Anderson with poison concocted by Barbosa, a necromancer without magic power. And Andor was the genuine article! With Andor’s strength, how could he not recognize that his son had been poisoned? Using a saying from the Illusion Beast Continent, Chu Tian had cast a forbidden spell before a Tier 10 magical beast—no different from farting in its presence!

No wonder Andor dared to come alone. With the power of the Death God of Necromancy, as long as there was no Tier 10 beast, where in the continent would he not dare to go?

“Hmph!” Red Flame snorted coldly. Before the bone spear could strike Chu Tian, she intercepted it. Clang! The sharp spear was caught barehanded, then thrown to the ground and vanished into the void.

“Ice Armor!” Serena drew forth the Sea God’s Protection, chanting sharply as she cast a magical shield over Chu Tian, then stood in front of him. “Vladino, leave Andor to Red Flame and me!”

“Praise the Goddess of Life!” Chu Tian was furious. When had he come to need a woman’s protection? Snatching the communication stone from his waist, he shouted, “Brothers, come out and fight!”

Bang! Crash! The roof of the sealed hall suddenly exploded open, and the graceful figure of a hybrid dragon descended from the sky, circling around Chu Tian.

“Red Flame, a Level 9 Fire Dragon!” Andor seemed oblivious to Chu Tian and Serena, his gaze fixed solely on Red Flame. Slowly, he pronounced Red Flame’s strength. “With your power, you must be second only to the elders of the High Council among the dragon race?”

“Since you know my strength, why do you still dare resist?” Red Flame looked disdainfully at Andor, as if the Death God of Necromancy was beneath consideration.

“Heh, not bad, your power is indeed formidable, but…” Andor sneered contemptuously. “Your master is a weakling!”

A roar echoed—Red Flame, despite in human form, emitted a dragon’s roar!

“Hellfire Scythe!” Without mercy, Red Flame unleashed a Level 9 peak magic. As the mount of a Dragon Knight, insulting her master was the greatest disgrace. Moreover, the bond between Red Flame and Kanas was more than that of rider and steed.

A massive flaming scythe appeared in Red Flame’s hand, its flames shifting from scarlet to azure, the air rippling with waves of heat. “You’re the weakling!” Enraged, Red Flame swung the scythe fiercely at Andor.

True to her status as a Level 9 Great Dragon, when fully unleashed, even a Death God of Necromancy would not dare face her blade head-on.

“Skeleton Puppet!” Andor shouted, his corpulent body sliding aside. In his original position appeared a tall humanoid skeleton, which took the blow at the cost of shattering itself, shielding Andor.

“Hmph, compared to me, your master truly is a weakling!” Andor continued to slander Kanas. “My magical beast is far luckier because it has a powerful master!” Unseen by others, as Andor enraged Red Flame, a faint red glow began to swirl above his head…

Dark magic divides into three branches: Necromancy, Virus, and Curse. Virus poisons warhorses; necromancy was holding back Red Flame’s attack; and the red glow above Andor’s head was curse magic—Weakening.

“Your magical beast?” Red Flame continued her assault coldly. “It will soon be masterless.” In her fury, she failed to notice the red glow on Andor’s head spreading onto herself.

“Curse magic!?” Once the magic entered her, Red Flame finally sensed it. “Hmph, do you think this alone can defeat me?” Red Flame had her pride. Her magical power was even threefold that of Andor’s. Even weakened, they were close in strength. But she had another advantage—she was a dragon!

Now, though magic alone might not defeat Andor, Red Flame had the body of a dragon. Even without magic, her mountain-moving strength and steel-like scales made her one of the continent’s top warriors.

“I never said I would defeat you personally!” Andor smiled malevolently. “Your opponent is my magical beast!”

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