Chapter 397
June 23, 11:25 pm
After shaking off their fatigue, Shi Lei and his three companions returned to the main hall of the Duke's Mansion on time.
Before setting off, everyone discussed a detailed plan to avoid wandering aimlessly throughout the journey.
The Self-Rescue Army needed to relocate immediately and rejoin the other scattered groups. Alda had marked several safe spots on the map that could provide hiding places.
Their whereabouts have now been exposed. The Sarkaz knew it was only a matter of time. There's no point in trying to hide it anymore; they might as well move on sooner.
After much hesitation, Clovicia decided to follow the group to the Place Where the Kings Sleep. She entrusted command and instructions within the group to several of her subordinates.
She was extremely interested in the Royal Secret that Alda had mentioned. Perhaps, in that rarely visited place, there truly was a force capable of changing the course of the war.
As a member of the Self-Rescue Army, Clovicia felt it was necessary to explore this possibility.
Horn could not accompany the group because of the Victoria emblem on his clothing and the mortar he was carrying.
The Doctor, Amiya, and Closure may already be wanted by the Sarkaz Citywide Wanted.
Therefore, they would not follow the main group but would try to catch up on their own. Alda felt that doing so was too dangerous and had to give up after her attempts to persuade them failed.
Texas, Mudrock, and Yuu, though not wanted by the authorities, will stay with Amiya and the others.
The main reason was that Shi Lei considered that their outstanding looks could easily arouse malicious intent.
Mudrock, in particular, not only had white hair and red eyes, but also a curvaceous figure and a powerful beauty. The Sarkaz City Defense Army, upon seeing him, simply couldn't resist.
If you encounter a vulgar situation involving sexual assault, you'll have no choice but to fight it. Then, it won't be so easy to discreetly enter the Place Where the Kings Sleep.
Sending them directly to the sky is simple and convenient. It eliminates all variables at the source.
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501 square meters, nearly 4,000 people
We set off promptly at 11:30.
Both W and Ines resemble Sarkaz, and their horns allow them free movement within the Central City District. Heredrey is a close confidant of Manfred, and anyone who has heard of this one-eyed Greatsword wielder will not interfere.
This trio will stay at the rear of the main force, maintaining a safe distance so they can provide support at any time.
A four-wheeled carriage pulled by pack animals drove out of the Duke's Mansion. Alda from its ornate exterior decorations, it was not an ordinary item, even though it was not adorned with jewels.
This is the powerful figure behind her, who gives the Cumberland family 'respect' in every aspect.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Only Alda herself knows the true price she paid for this dignity.
Shi Lei is not Alda; they come from different families and have different experiences, so it's impossible for him to truly empathize with her.
But one can imagine that, as the last of the Cumberland family bloodline, she didn't have many choices.
But that was then, and now is now.
Shi Lei doesn't judge based on the past, but rather on his current choices. What happened in the past is unimportant; if he makes a mistake in the present, he has to suffer the consequences.
The position of cart driver was filled by Elsie, Alda's Butler. She frequently ran errands in the Central City District and was well-known among the Sarkaz City Defense Army.
If Shi Lei were to take the position, it would easily arouse Sarkaz's suspicion. Moreover, the superior demeanor he has cultivated is unlike that of an ordinary person; he doesn't look like a coachman at all.
The wheels rolled on, traversing streets long neglected and unswept. The asphalt road, like dark clouds in the sky, was covered with a layer of dust that could never be wiped away.
Texas, Amiya, and the others were nominally staying at the Duke's Mansion to figure things out on their own. In reality, they had already ascended to the air atop the Rock platform and were in a perfectly safe situation. Furthermore, they had communication via the Rock Constructs Writing Tablet, ensuring their absolute safety.
Before long, the pack carts arrived at the first outpost.
Summer nights are unbearably hot and humid, and the Sarkaz City Defense Army have to wear thick armor.
Especially those guarding the station entrance, they couldn't take off their clothes no matter how hot it was. This was their greatest guarantee of safety, and even taking off part of their clothes would give the enemy an opportunity to take advantage.
Only the City Defense Army resting inside the Sentry Post weren't so particular; they were all shirtless. They picked up hard, lumpy objects and used them as fans to cool themselves.
As the magnificent pack wagons approached in the distance, the Sarkaz City Defense Army tensed. They raised their long-handled weapons and shouted sternly:
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
What are you doing?
The coachman Elsie, explained with a forced smile:
"Miss Alda is going to Birthday Banquet for a noble organization in another district. Please do me the favor."
Birthday Banquet?
The Sarkaz City Defense Army's eyes darted back and forth over her, showing no sign of moving away.
"What time is it? Who has a birthday party at midnight? Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Don't be angry, let me explain. There was a sudden bombardment by the City Defense Cannon this afternoon, so the birthday party had to be postponed. They only notified us to continue the party now that it's safe, which is why I went out so late."
After saying that, Elsie smiled and stuffed several thousand coins into the Sarkaz City Defense Army as travel expenses.
The main reason is that most of the people at this Sentry Post know the Cumberland family's Master and Servant and servant, so they don't need to give them too much.
The Sarkaz City Defense Army silently accepted the money but didn't let them pass directly. Instead, they cautiously used their long-handled weapons to lift the curtain of the carriage and examine the situation inside.
The Sarkaz City Defense Army beside him held several Wanted Poster Sketch. One was a hooded man wrapped up tightly, another was a minor Kaster, and the third was Feline Female Doctor accompanied by a black monster.
This aligns with the intelligence brought back by Clovicia; the Doctor and Amiya are now Citywide Wanted.
Seeing that there were no people matching the description in the carriage, the Sarkaz City Defense Army waved to their comrades in the distance, signaling them to let them pass.
The shortest route from the Duke's Mansion to the Place Where the Kings Sleep requires passing through five outposts. This is only the first hurdle; there are still four more to go.
After they left, the W trio appeared from behind and passed through the base without any checks.
The Sarkaz City Defense Army at the second outpost were much tougher than the first. More than twenty men surrounded the wagons from a distance and sent one man over to inspect them.
"Don't move, and cooperate with the inspection. If we see anyone pulling out a weapon, don't blame us for being impolite!"
After confirming that the wagons were from the Cumberland Manor and were en route to Birthday Banquet, the Sarkaz City Defense Army cautiously opened the wagon doors and approached to inspect them.
Seeing him staring at him and looking him up and down, seemingly trying to identify his race, Shi Lei took out a Pure Gold from his pocket and tossed it directly to the Sarkaz City Defense Army.
"You fucking..."
The latter was about to hurl insults when he suddenly saw the gold bars gleaming with a metallic sheen. He immediately forced back the Sarkaz curse that was about to spill from his lips:
"Are you still in good health?"
After saying that, he took out the dagger from his waist and used his body as cover to cut at the Pure Gold. After one strike and seeing that it wasn't gold-plated, he immediately put on a stern face and said:
"We have quite a few people here..."
Shi Lei, too lazy to waste words, tossed another Pure Gold:
"We're in a hurry, hurry up."
After receiving two gold bars, the attitude of the Sarkaz City Defense Army changed completely.
Theresis distributed a large amount of supplies to the Victoria workers who manufactured the materials, showing some favoritism towards the Sarkaz mercenaries who had risked their lives for him. Even if his men harbored resentment, they dared not speak out.
"Since you're in a hurry, let's hurry up and not delay important matters. Also, which nobleman's residence are you going to for Birthday Banquet?"
Such a question was anticipated. Before Shi Lei could answer, the Butler, Elsie, interjected:
"Viscount Charles, it's his wife's birthday."
"I know their family, the Trenfield District, right? Here's a bonus: that area has recently been taken over by the Blood Demon Great Lord. If you encounter anything strange on the road, it's best to stay far away."
"Huh? What strange thing is that?"
The Sarkaz City Defense Army did not answer, but stepped off the carriage and waved to their companions, signaling them to open the gate and let them pass.
He put one gold bar in his pocket and generously distributed the remaining gold bar to everyone.
Seeing that the Sarkaz City Defense Army refused to speak, Alda urged Elsie to leave quickly and not linger.
They followed the same method and successfully passed the third outpost. If two gold bars couldn't correct the Sarkaz's arrogant attitude, one or two more would surely change it.
As long as you pay enough tolls, people will think you're approachable and not a wanted criminal.
Anyway, Shi Lei can manufacture them at will, and the Pure Gold can be used to locate the City Defense Army.
At most, they'll go through a formality, lifting the curtain to check if any Rhodes Island members are present. Once they confirm there are no eligible individuals, they'll automatically open the gates and allow entry.
As the pack cart departed from the third outpost, everyone inside secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They only needed to pass two more outposts before they would reach the Place Where the Kings Appear.
The more secure you feel, the less secure you actually are.
When they stopped at the fourth outpost for inspection by the Sarkaz City Defense Army, the three-person team that had been trailing behind suddenly encountered an unexpected turn of events, disrupting their entire plan.
For some unknown reason, Heredrey suddenly shouted at the Sarkaz City Defense Army:
"Catch them quickly!"
This terrified Alda, who immediately ordered her Butler to force their way in. Elsie lashed her whip across the pack animal's rump, causing the cart to move forward.
Vigna and the others were also taken aback, not expecting things to turn out so passively. She gripped the iron hammer in her hand, looking ready to go down and fight the Sarkaz.
Alda had no desire for a direct confrontation with the Sarkaz City Defense Army; her immediate priority was to find the Breath of the Kings.
Together with Dagda, she persuaded the Crownslayer not to act rashly and to rush out of the outpost's perimeter first.
Inside the carriage, only Shi Lei remained calm, like an ancient well without the slightest ripple.
Before the cart crashed into the roadblocks, he summoned Jade Shield Wall to block it from the front. Using the invisible shield, he forcefully pushed aside the roadblocks set up along the way.
They immediately continued to expand the range of the Jade Shield Wall, blocking the pursuing Sarkaz City Defense Army from behind.
No one saw him make a move; he could complete the spellcasting action instantly with just his thoughts.
There was no time to consider why the roadblocks set up by the Sarkaz were of such poor quality. Elsie kept waving the reins, urging the cart forward with all its might.
Seeing the pack wagon break through the encirclement of the Sarkaz City Defense Army, W slashed Heredrey's head hard with the back of his dagger:
"Hey, you One-Eyed Pirate, have you lost your mind? Do you even know what you're doing?"
He didn't fight back, letting W continue to attack. Until blood flowed from his forehead, trickling down his forehead and cheek.
"Theresis, let's not talk about him. Manfred has been very kind to me these past six months, so I can't just leave like this. At the very least, I need to repay his kindness before I can leave with you without any regrets."
This statement infuriated W:
"What the hell are you saying? You betrayed us, and you still want to work with us?"
Heredrey took a punch but didn't retaliate. Seeing the Sarkaz City Defense Army wanting to help, he volunteered to help W and Ines, saying it was just a joke.
Upon hearing this, the Sarkaz City Defense Army thought he was acting like a lunatic and looked utterly speechless.
But the Cumberland Family wouldn't have forced their way through the checkpoint if they had nothing to hide. Therefore, they decided to inform General Manfred. Unfortunately, he seemed extremely busy, and they were unable to establish communication.
Heredrey's breathing became heavy. He raised his hand to touch the wound on his head and gasped sharply.
"Hiss, W, Ines. This is a little gift for you. I heard all your discussions about Alda. As expected, she's probably backed by some Duke outside the city. I deliberately shouted that just now to get the Sarkaz to report the Cumberland family's rebellion. That way, I can push Alda to your side. Even if you want to kill her later, you'll have a plausible excuse."
"Don't think I don't know you're trying to tip off Manfred!"
Heredrey did not deny W's accusations:
"That's right, I wanted to provide him with information. Manfred will soon find out that I didn't die at the alcohol plant and that I was with you. That way, he won't continue investigating there and dig deeper into other people's clues."
I'm providing this information to repay Manfred's favor. From now on, we're even, and neither of us owes the other anything. You guys used to be mercenaries, so you know this business is a separate matter. I took the job, so I have to do something to get out of this mess.
Moreover, the man in the carriage was very capable. Although he didn't usually show off, I felt that he was in no way inferior to, and perhaps even stronger than Manfred.
Anyway, I've already repaid their kindness. If they're unwilling to accept it, I can become a free person.
W utterly despised his peculiar thought process, and even the usually composed Ines wanted to dunk on Heredrey.
June 23, 11:45 pm
Unable to contact Manfred, the Sarkaz City Defense Army had no choice but to call the Blood Demon Great Lord's minions.
They were afraid of being held responsible for not reporting the matter in a timely manner, so they had no choice but to resort to this drastic measure.
A few minutes later, the Blood Demon Great Lord learned of the Cumberland family's betrayal and escape.