Chapter 421

"What else can we do? They're all two-faced old guys. The intelligence we can get doesn't involve any real secrets. Although we're at a disadvantage in this multi-person game, we're not at a disadvantage either."

"The veracity of the intelligence is of paramount importance. This is the only path the Sarkaz can take in the future; any false intelligence will lead to our utter ruin."

Theresis scrutinized the Empress with great interest, as if looking at a comrade-in-arms who had shared life and death with her.

"I know, but thankfully you're here."

The sudden words left Theresia momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

"Ah?"

Theresis found the other party's current reaction amusing and brought up the topic of the Empress's resurrection from the dead:

"Before you were resurrected, I wondered countless times if you would take my head. But you are calmer than you were in life, so calm that you seem almost unrecognizable. But that's fine, I do need different voices to correct my path. Just now, I had a dream."

Theresia was quite surprised that he would talk about such a boring topic as dreams.

"What dream?"

Theresis raised her head, as if recalling something. After three or four breaths, she began to describe:

"I dreamt that we left Londinium and lived in the sky, surrounded by clouds. The streets were clean, and many Sarkaz lined the streets to welcome us."

The scene was filled not only with them waving flags and shouting, but also with other races such as Kuranta, Ursus, and Feline. Even among the crowd were many infected individuals, their faces beaming with joy, like the afternoon sun.

There was no discrimination, no oppression; everyone, whether Sarkaz or Infected, was treated equally. It felt like heaven to me..."

At this point, he couldn't help but chuckle self-deprecatingly:

"Heh, do you think such a dream is too idealistic? Such a kingdom simply doesn't exist on this land. The future of Sarkaz can only be created by our own hands."

Theresia paused for a moment, then her lips parted slightly:

"I think... it's alright. There's an old saying in Yan: 'What you think about during the day, you dream about at night.' Perhaps what you're hoping for is that equal and harmonious world."

"Was I looking forward to it? Not really. Later, I dreamed that I fell from heaven. It was as if I fell into an endless abyss, never to land again."

I saw the Scavengers and Bloodfiend fall one after another. I saw countless Sarkaz fighting against unknown creatures on the sea. I saw other races fall one after another, falling into the dark abyss. I saw a pair of hands appear out of thin air and pull me back to heaven.

I couldn't see the other person's face clearly, but I could feel a strange sense of security. That person seemed indifferent to my past; he called me... friend.

I see the various races of the Sarkaz, no longer rejected wanderers. We embrace the land, we unite, we... have roots."

The dream that Theresis described was so outlandish that she had to reorganize her words:

"To unite with other races is truly a wildly imaginative idea."

He didn't reply immediately, but looked down into Theresia's eyes and said very solemnly:

"This is not my dream. It is the future that you described to me before you died, the future that the Sarkaz might have."

"..."

Upon hearing this, the Empress remained silent for a moment. She met Theresis's gaze, her eyes no longer showing any evasion:

"I remember you said back then that this ideal was too far-fetched. Not only our enemies couldn't understand our ideal, but the Sarkaz also couldn't. The resentment accumulated over ten thousand years will turn into swords and be used against me. Compared to this beautiful future, the Sarkaz clan will be torn apart by the struggle of civil war before we even see any signs of it."

Their positions have changed compared to a few years ago. Like two sides of a coin, they are opposed to each other yet interdependent, and cannot be completely separated.

"If you desire peace, you must prepare for war. Only through struggle can the fate of the Sarkaz be bound together with an unbreakable rope."

"You can hear the voices of those dead souls, you can truly feel the thoughts of those ancient spirits. Then Theresia, please tell me, in these ten thousand years, has the will of all beings and souls of Tiracaz ever found a moment of peace after crossing the other side of life and death?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress lowered her head and shook her head slightly:

"I... I don't know."

Theresis seemed to have anticipated her answer, and there was no reproach in his eyes:

"It's normal not to know, because we are the ones making history right now. The path is under our feet, not in the painful wails of the losers. Do you think Victoria has made much progress compared to two hundred years ago?"

Theresia pondered for a moment, then replied:

"It's enormous. They not only built Mobile Cities to defend against the rampant Catastrophe, but they also tried to control the storms. And those white Steam Knight are many times stronger than the Knight used to wear steel armor."

When mentioning the rapid technological advancements in various countries over the past two centuries, a hint of envy flashed in his eyes:

"Perhaps it is because of their innate bloodline that the Sarkaz races have longer lifespans. But apart from us, other countries are constantly progressing."

When I led my troops into Londinium and saw the massive construction projects within the Shard Building, my most immediate thought was: how many opportunities has the Sarkaz missed over the years? Perhaps we really are, as the alien races mocked, a barbaric civilization built on violence.

We need to harness the power of the storm to buy the Sarkaz a few decades of breathing room. During this time, it's best to let the Sarkaz, who have a talent for learning, acquire more knowledge so that our technology doesn't fall too far behind. Theresia, this is your initial..."

The words had barely left his mouth when a member of the Confessors suddenly came through the Walkie-Talkie with extreme anxiety:

"Your His Highness, are you there? Urgent message!"

Theresis was interrupted and was utterly speechless.

"What's up."

"We have spotted the last Pureblood Wendigo in the Sardien District. He, along with the Mistress of Banshees and Lord Kal'tsit, are heading towards the Central City District."

Lord Kal'tsit...

Thinking of that old woman who had both helped and destroyed Sarkaz, Theresis's eyes narrowed to slits as she gave the Confessors an order:

"She is likely to join forces with the Exotic Demon King. Notify Manfred to intercept her immediately!"

Londinium, Central City District.

Oktriug District, Cumberland Manor.

Shi Lei noticed something was amiss as soon as he entered the garden. However, he kept a straight face, preventing anyone else from noticing anything amiss.

Amiya, who gained the ability to perceive emotions from the 'Demon King Power', asked curiously:

"Doctor Zhongli, what's wrong?"

Seeing that everyone was turning their attention to him, Shi Lei, unwilling to point out the truth, casually brushed it off:

"It's alright, you can all go inside. I suddenly remembered something I'd like to discuss with the Doctor."

Alda was hosting Vigna, their honored guest. Seeing their tactful manner, she grinned.

"Then you two chat first, and come in when you're done."

Shi Lei had no intention of going inside, but Texas, Mudrock, and Xi naturally wouldn't abandon him.

W and Ines weren't familiar with the Crownslayer, so they stayed in the garden to enjoy the scenery. Considering they might be discussing confidential matters, they took Heredrey a little further away.

Seeing that there were no outsiders present, Shi Lei then publicly pointed out what was wrong with Alda:

"Everyone, I'd like to start with a question. Over twenty years ago, the Lion King was overthrown and executed, and the Cumberland family, who followed the Royal Family, suffered annihilation. Why did everyone else die, but she alone survived?"

Everyone expressed their opinions, resulting in two possible scenarios.

First, she narrowly escaped the frenzied pursuit and has lived in hiding ever since.

Secondly, someone secretly protected her, using their abilities and connections to raise Alda to adulthood.

After listening to everyone's answers, Shi Lei nodded in satisfaction and continued, following up on the previous point:

"That's right, it's just a matter of whether there's an insurance policy or not. Look, these flowers originally came from Sargon and are a precious variety of marigold."

If it's the first scenario, Alda should quietly hide away and keep a low profile, the more low-key the better. This seems out of place with cultivating rare and precious flowers.

Furthermore, she claimed to be the head of the Londinium Self-Rescue Army in the Central City District, a position she had held for many years. We will be able to confirm this later by finding out roughly where her income comes from.

If Alda cannot provide a convincing explanation for her income and expenses, then she must be receiving support from powerful figures to have lived such a life of luxury until now.

So the second question arises: were those who supported Alda out of old friendship or had ulterior motives?

"It's unlikely to be out of nostalgia."

The Doctor shook his head slightly and offered his personal analysis:

"If it's someone from the Lion King's faction who, out of old friendship, is looking out for the last bloodline of the Cumberland family, they should keep a low profile and not be too ostentatious."

If there are ulterior motives, the Cumberland family is actually of little use. Unless the powerful figure behind the scenes knows that Vigna is not dead, then nurturing Alda would have a clear purpose. Once she returns to Londinium, she can follow the arrangements of this powerful figure, or..."

At this point, the horn, who had remained silent until now, suddenly realized what was happening and spoke in unison with the Doctor:

"Seize the Breath of the Kings!"

The Breath of the Kings, the National Sword of Victoria.

If raising Alda was solely for the purpose of seizing the sword in the future, then everything makes sense.

"That's all I can think of. Doctor Zhongli is truly remarkable for capturing the truth of the matter from such a detail as the precious marigold flower."

"No, it's just that Cumberland Manor feels a bit too grand. If she lived in an ordinary mansion, I wouldn't have any problem with it."

After saying that, Shi Lei seemed to sense something and turned to look in the east.

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Chapter 499 The Human Nature is Sinister (4K)

Amiya saw him suddenly turn his head and asked:

"What's wrong, Doctor Zhongli?"

Shi Lei gazed into the distance, somewhat uncertain. His Psychic Power could scan the outlines of figures; horned Sarkaz were the easiest to identify, but other races were less certain.

"You all go into the main hall first. It seems the Self-Rescue Army have been Pincer Attack the Sarkaz City Defense Army. I'll go check it out and be right back."

Seeing his lover about to leave, Texas did not stop him. With him there, the lives of the Self-Rescue Army would surely be safe.

However, she wanted to share more of Shi Lei's burden. After exchanging glances with Mudrock and Xi, she spoke:

"Leave the matter of finding out Miss Alda's income to us. Don't worry, we'll only inquire indirectly and won't make it too obvious."

Shi Lei always trusted Texas's services. He immediately agreed, reminding them that he had other plans.

"Alright, just don't alert them. If Alda truly has a powerful backer, and their ultimate goal is to seize the Breath of the Kings, I have a long-term plan: to find the person supporting them."

After giving a brief explanation, Shi Lei turned and left.

He confirmed that there were no surveillance cameras or drones around, and took off under the cover of darkness to fly to the scene of the incident.

After crossing five streets, Shi Lei arrived at the scene. The situation there was almost exactly as he had estimated.

Clovicia's Self-Rescue Army was surrounded by two Sarkaz City Defense Army. They gripped their weapons tightly, constantly on guard, like frightened cats.

In this situation, Shi Lei didn't even need to show himself; he simply unleashed an invisible Jade Shield Wall to separate all the enemies.

"Comrades, staying here means certain death, a desperate charge is also certain death. Let's find a way to survive from the north, charge!"

Although young, Clovicia showed great composure and leadership in the face of danger. She commanded the members of the Self-Rescue Army in an attempt to break through the encirclement of the Sarkaz City Defense Army.

They didn't look back, focusing solely on rushing north. They were completely unaware that the City Defense Army hadn't caught up.

It wasn't until she reached the next block that Clovicia looked back. Seeing that Sarkaz hadn't caught up, a strong sense of unease welled up inside her.

"They could have given chase but didn't; they were probably too afraid. Everyone, stay alert! This is most likely the territory of some Royal Court Army; let's get out of here quickly!"

Shi Lei stepped out of the alleyway at just the right moment and waved in the direction of the Self-Rescue Army:

"This way."

Clovicia's pupils dilated slightly at the sight, quite surprised. Wasn't he supposed to be with the Doctor and Amiya, reuniting with the Cumberland family? Why was he here?

Shi Lei scanned and found that three Sarkaz squads were approaching this location, without offering any further explanation.

"Come with me."

With his Psychic Scan the surrounding area as if he had a cheat code for the entire map. He could accurately pinpoint the locations of the three Sarkaz squads and move nimbly through the streets.

Clovicia didn't have time to ask any further questions, and led her subordinates to follow the Cumberland Family Manor.

"Phew, that was close."

She ordered the Self-Rescue Army to erase all traces left along the way to avoid being tracked by the Sarkaz City Defense Army. Only then did she enter the magnificent garden, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Perfect timing! I have urgent information to inform the Doctor and Miss Alda. Mister Zhongli, would you like to hear it too?"

Shi Lei never expected anything in return for saving people; he found any attempt to force someone to repay his kindness incredibly annoying. He didn't explain what he had just done, but nodded and followed them into the hall.

As Alda was talking with the others, she saw the commander of the Self-Rescue Army appear and took the initiative to stand up and ask:

"Clovicia, what brings you here?"

"Don't even mention it, we just escaped from the Sarkaz City Defense Army. Now they're not only capturing the Self-Rescue Army, but it seems they're also targeting the Deep Pool Forces and Rhodes Island personnel."