Chapter 420
Broca's answer was very straightforward:
"No need to worry about encountering Sarkaz; I'll take care of anyone who blocks my way."
Seeing that he wouldn't listen at all, Kal'tsit knew that further words were useless, so she simply shut her mouth and quickened her pace to follow Logos.
The Sarkaz in the Outer District and Mid-level District, following Manfred's orders, abandoned their strongholds and returned to defend the Central City District.
This resulted in no patrols on the streets of the Outer District, with only a few local residents occasionally seen wandering around.
Kal'tsit hadn't seen Sarkaz along the way, and asked curiously:
Where are the garrison troops here?
Logos had been stationed in the Outer District and had no further information about the Mid-level District and Central Urban Area.
"I don't know. They suddenly started retreating into the city this afternoon. The specific reason needs to be verified."
As they approached the Sardien District, Broca danger lurking in the shadows. He looked closely but couldn't see anything.
"Wait, there's an ambush."
Broca threw a horn-shaped rock directly at the suspicious spot.
Ascalon, Rhodes Island's top assassin, was hiding in the shadows. He didn't move an inch when he saw the large rock fall nearby.
Unexpectedly, the next second, Ascalon's body uncontrollably attacked the stone, instantly exposing his entire figure to everyone's view.
What the hell is this thing?!
Seeing Broca gripping his Rock Spear, poised to throw it, Kal'tsit quickly intervened to stop him, preventing him from harming Ascalon.
That shot was no joke.
"Don't hurt him, he's one of our own."
Once Broca, Ascalon to stand before the group:
"Doctor Kal'tsit, who is this...?"
"Well, you can think of them as bodyguards. What I want to know is, what's the situation in the city right now? Why haven't we seen Sarkaz along the way?"
When Ascalon escaped from The Shard Building, he discovered that people from the Mid-level District were gathering in the Central Urban Area.
Later, when he slipped into the Mid-level District, he happened to witness the City Defense Cannon bombarding the Residential Area.
At first, Ascalon thought that these Sarkaz were targeting him, but he later found out that they weren't.
He suspected that the bomb was targeting the Doctor, so he searched back and forth in the Mid-level District, but unfortunately found no clues. He had no choice but to retreat to the Outer District and try to contact his This Ship.
Ascalon recounted his experiences to everyone present. He had attempted to explore the Underground Core of the Shard Building, but was discovered by the Confessors.
"Not only the Sardien District, but the entire Mid-level District of Londinium is in danger now. Who knows which Sarkaz commander might suddenly go mad and raze the entire Residential Area to the ground with the City Defense Cannon."
Kal'tsit has lived for tens of thousands of years; she's not easily frightened. Knowing there's danger, she'll still go.
"The Doctor and Amiya may have already penetrated deep into the Central City District. You will come with me to ensure the Doctor's safety and prevent any mishaps."
"Yes, Doctor Kal'tsit."
With Ascalon's return, the five-man squad successfully entered the territory of the Sardien District.
Despite their small number, they include two leaders of the Ten Royal Courts. Even if they encountered City Defense Army of thousands, they could escape unscathed.
The Sarkaz City Defense Army in the Mid-level District did indeed withdraw as Manfred ordered. However, they deployed several drones to search for Rhodes Island and capture the assassin who escaped from the Shard Building.
No matter how fast Kal'tsit and her group are, they will still be photographed. After all, this squad includes Broca, whose massive size makes them easy targets.
Noticing the drone hovering overhead, Broca had no intention of shooting it down. He'd already taken the photos; shooting it down now would be pointless.
Moreover, although he entered Londinium under the guise of protecting Kal'tsit and Misery, Broca actually had other intentions.
If members of the Royal Court Army came looking for him, that would be ideal. He wanted to discuss the future of Sarkaz with them and even Regent Theresis.
Although Broca didn't know the extent of the Sarkaz's military strength in the city, it would be quite difficult for them to fight against the entire Victoria on their own.
A few years ago, he might have agreed with the idea of 'War to Support War'. Kazdel, ravaged by war, had no choice but to wait for its demise.
But things are different now.
In Liyue City, Broca discovered a New Path he had never imagined: a path of peaceful development without invasion.
Gazing at the pitch-black night, the Cyclops' prophecy about the Wendigo tribe suddenly flashed through his mind.
"I see cities ravaged and devastated. I see Originium scattered across the land. I see you, crowned with Black Crown, turning countless lives into memories. I see the Demon King, enslaving all races."
The prophecy foretells that the Pureblood Wendigo will die at the hands of the Demon King. Currently, there are only two Demon Kings: the Exotic Demon King Amiya, and the Regent Theresis.
Broca had a strong premonition that he might perish on this trip to Londinium. But he hoped to do his utmost to change the prophecy, alter fate, and lead the entire Sarkaz race onto the right path.
June 23, 9:02 pm
After the third door of the Secret Passage opened, the group followed the passage forward and finally discovered light.
A beautiful young woman with short silver hair, dressed in a magnificent military uniform, stood at the Passage Entrance.
Vigna noticed that she was being stared at, and knew that the woman was coming for her, so she asked warily:
"Who are you?"
"Alda Cumberland."
The woman's smile was like a spring breeze as she extended her hand to shake hands with Crownslayer.
"If you find your name hard to remember, you can call me Adele. I'm Clovicia's friend, the head of the Londinium Citizens' Self-Rescue Army in the Oktriug District. I just received her message and guessed you would take this route, so I waited for you here in advance."
"Cumberland, Cumberland."
Vigna murmured the name, finding it very familiar. After a moment's thought, she quickly remembered:
"Noble Cumberland! If I may be so bold as to ask, what is your relationship with the Duke Cumberland?"
"I am the daughter of the Duke Cumberland. My family was besieged at the time, and only my Butler and I escaped."
Shi Lei has a basic understanding of Terra History, and he can now readily quote anecdotes from various countries.
The Noble Cumberland refers to Cumberland's well-known loyalty to the Aslan Royal Family. This honorific title praises their image of never betraying their cause.
26 years ago, in 1072.
At that time, Victoria was under a period of 'Dual Monarchy', with Aska and Dolak ruling together.
Victorian Emperor, then known as the 'Lion King,' was murdered by other Duke who supported the Dolak Royal Family.
The Cumberland family, who openly pledged allegiance to Aslan, were naturally implicated and faced annihilation.
Various history books claim that no one from the Cumberland family survived. But now, a Cumberland family bloodline has stepped forward, proving these claims wrong.
When Alda mentioned her identity, a fleeting hint of melancholy flashed in her eyes. It was unclear whether it was regret over her family's destruction or something else entirely.
"Actually, I was just a child when my father passed away. After every fencing match, he would always rub his sweaty beard against my face. More than twenty years have passed, and this is the only memory I have left."
As a descendant of the Lion King, Vigna felt deeply guilty about the Cumberland family's affairs. Although it was a matter from a later generation, she still felt she had a share of responsibility.
Seeing that the Crownslayer seemed hesitant to speak, Alda, as if knowing what she was thinking, comforted her:
"My father embarked on the only right path in his mind because of his ideals. I admire him very much, which is why I am here."
"You just said you're the head of the Self-Rescue Army in the Central City District. Have you been secretly fighting against the Sarkaz City Defense Army with the city's nobles all these years?"
"Yes, Your His Highness."
Alda nodded, appearing very polite.
"After so many years of effort, the resistance has only gradually begun to show some progress. But we will not be complacent, because this is far from enough."
Vigna was somewhat surprised to hear her address:
"Do you know who I am?"
"Aslan, with his dazzling blond hair. In all of Victoria, there is no more striking physical feature. Clovicia only said that important guests were entering the Central Urban Area and asked me to be in charge of receiving them. We've only just made contact and confirmed that it's His Highness's party."
We've been looking for you for so many years, but unfortunately we haven't been able to find any valuable clues. Many people thought you died in that massive fire at the Imperial Palace.
The fall of Aslan was a wound that Vigna was unwilling to reopen, so she glossed over it briefly, unwilling to discuss it in detail.
"I thought I was going to die there too."
"Why."
Alda looked at Crownslayer, lost in thought, and then sighed heavily.
"Nowadays, the Victorians, apart from the nobles who still retain their titles, have either fled this place or become slaves to the Sarkaz. Everyone lives in fear just to survive. They might even call out 'Your His Highness' in their dreams in the dead of night. If the Lion King hadn't fallen so quickly back then, would the Londinium City be in such a state today?"
Vigna felt that she overestimated herself; sometimes having too high expectations is not a good thing.
"Alda, I advise you not to have too high expectations. Do you really think that my return will change the situation?"
"It's hard to say, but at least there's another possible development for the future. Everyone, please follow me. This isn't the place to talk; please proceed to the Cumberland Manor. The Sarkaz City Defense Army are about to rotate shifts, so we'd better hurry."
Alda bowed respectfully to the Crownslayer, then led the group to the mansion.
Shi Lei Psychic Scan but found no ambushes. He silently followed in the center of the formation.
When he saw the magnificent gardens of the Cumberland Manor, his relaxed brows furrowed slightly.
Something's not right. Something's not right about this woman.
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Chapter 498 The Demon King's Dream (4K)
Central City District, Western Grand Hall of the Holy King's Assembly.
This hall was completed before Londinium was even a mobile City-State. The decoration style is extremely luxurious, with gold and rubies adorning the exterior walls and dome.
At that time, there was no Dual Monarchy; Dolak was still the sole Ruler of Victoria.
The Royal Family would only summon their ministers here for the coronation of a new emperor or for major national events. In terms of political significance, it was equivalent to the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.
These gold and jewels disappeared after a great fire three hundred years ago. Some say they were stolen, others say they were burned. Because unauthorized personnel were not allowed to approach the premises, the whereabouts of the jewels were the subject of much speculation.
Fortunately, the overall structure of the Western Hall has been preserved. During the period of Dual Monarchy, the first Aslan King was crowned here and renamed the Western Hall the Western Grand Hall of the Holy King's Assembly.
The last time anyone visited this place was more than twenty years ago. Now, sitting at the conference table is neither Dolak nor Aslan, but Sarkaz.
After leaving The Shard Building, Theresis came here to rest. The spacious lobby was undisturbed by outsiders, but the mundane affairs of the world were hard to escape.
The Walkie-Talkie carried the voices of the Confessors, who were gathering and summarizing intelligence from various sources.
"Duke Godotin 'Duke's Army remains inactive. However, our movements within his territory have been severely restricted since the Viscount's assassination."
"The Duke Normandy hosts lavish salon dinners at his residence every night, indulging in group sex. Although he seems to be obsessed with lust, the flow of men within his army is highly suspicious. We sent several intelligence agents to investigate, but all returned empty-handed..."
"Deep Pool Leader's forces vanished upon entering the Duke Wellington's territory. We have no internal intelligence and are unsure whether Deep Pool is cooperating with the Iron Duke or has been completely eliminated by him."
"The Duke Kester continued to cultivate friendships and welcomed surrendered Marquis and their followers. The power she amassed gradually grew to a point where it could not be underestimated."
"Since the beginning of summer, the military activities of the Grand Dukes have been particularly frequent. We have reason to suspect that they will choose an opportune moment to launch a formal attack on Londinium."
"There's another breaking news item: the Empress of Sargon left Duke Windermere's territory in a high-profile manner three days ago. Our failure to detect the contact between the two sides in time was due to inadequate intelligence."
"Furthermore, a fortress has temporarily changed its course and is heading towards Londinium. If the intelligence is correct, it is very likely the Duke Windermere's army."
After speaking for a while on the Walkie-Talkie- talkie without receiving a response from the Regent, he asked in confusion:
"Your His Highness?"
Seeing that Theresis did not respond for a long time, the other end of the call lasted for more than ten minutes before ending.
After an unknown amount of time, Theresia arrived at the Western Grand Hall of the Holy King's Assembly. She looked at Theresis, who was resting with his eyes closed, and knew that he had been under a lot of pressure lately.
As the regent of the Sarkaz, one must maintain an imposing and dignified presence in front of subordinates. One must never easily show a tired or weary side to outsiders.
Sensing someone intruding, the latter opened his eyes on his own.
Upon seeing that it was Empress, Theresis's tone softened:
"Oh, it's you."
Theresia glanced at the Walkie-Talkie on the round table, then quickly looked back at the Regent:
"Hmm, weren't you listening to the Confessors's report? What's the situation outside Londinium?"
Theresis sat up straight and yawned. These last few days were crucial; it was rare for her to find a moment to nap.