Occupying the Smoke Mine

"Our identities? What identities..." Ye Luo walked toward Angelina, one step at a time.

"Shapeshifting Demon Beasts!" Angelina said softly. "Mage Chelman has confirmed that you're a new kind of Demon Beast—one that can take human form before reaching level six..."

"...Demon Beasts."

Those two words shattered the last of Ye Luo's hopes. He was a Demon Beast. Even in human form, these people would never accept him as one of their own...

All at once, Ye Luo felt no sense of belonging to the people of this planet.

He nodded, lips pursed. "Then why are you here? We're Demon Beasts, a new lineage emerging on the continent. If you capture us and turn us over to the kingdom, you'll probably receive a hefty reward..."

"But you saved my home and my father... Ye Luo, I know my father's decision must have hurt you deeply, but he only acted that way because he'd just seen you... He was terrified by what your people did to Hiller. Once he comes to his senses, he'll regret it..."

"So..." Ye Luo narrowed his eyes.

"The inn is surrounded. Mage Chelman has laid a net around it, and you won't escape. Take me hostage, Ye Luo. It's the only way you can get out!" Angelina looked at him earnestly.

Ye Luo suddenly gave a derisive laugh. "You really are a silly girl. Do you know what the consequences of doing this could be?"

"My Emperor, the soldiers have started coming upstairs!" Ye Wang's warning suddenly rang in Ye Luo's ear.

Bang! The door was kicked open, and more than a dozen guards rushed inside. Angelina darted forward and threw herself into Ye Luo's arms, then took his hand and pressed it against her smooth neck. He'd long wanted to touch that skin, but he'd never imagined it would happen like this...

"Ye Luo, you... you, let go of the young lady!" Seeing what Ye Luo was doing, the soldiers who had rushed in immediately shouted in alarm.

Ye Luo sighed inwardly and pressed his right hand against Angelina's neck. "Get out of the way and clear a path. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to make your lovely young lady die with me!"

"...Get back, quickly! Do you want me to die?" Angelina shouted, playing along perfectly. The soldiers blocking the doorway immediately parted to let them through.

With Angelina held hostage, Ye Luo and Ye Yi and Ye Feng made their way to the inn's entrance. Robert and the so-called Mage Chelman arrived just in time.

"Father, help me..." Angelina pleaded in terror.

Ye Luo pulled her against his chest. "Lord Robert, I saved your city of Morton, yet you treat us this way. It seems I was wrong about you..."

"Ye Luo, stop pretending. We know what you are, you damned Demon Beast. Let my daughter go!"

Ye Luo's eyes flashed with cold light. He applied a little pressure, and his claw pierced the skin of Angelina's neck. Blood slowly trickled down her pale skin, a shocking sight. "Bring me three warhorses at once. Once we're out of the city, I'll return your daughter!"

Robert clenched his fist. "Never! You damned Demon Beast. We won't give in to you!"

"Fine, then. Let your only daughter die with us!"

"You!"

"Father, help me! I... I don't want to die. Help me..."

Robert's face was twisted with anger. Ye Luo made a quick decision, and Ye Yi vanished in a flash. At the stable on the other side of the inn, three warhorses suddenly galloped toward them as if spooked. Ye Luo and his companions each mounted one, with Angelina sitting in Ye Luo's arms, and the three of them raced toward the city gate.

Robert clenched his fists several times, but in the end, he still didn't order his men to kill them at all costs...

After charging out of Morton, the three of them headed straight west...

"Where... are you taking me?" Angelina asked in surprise, turning her head. But she was so close to Ye Luo that her lips nearly brushed his face as she turned.

Ye Luo's face was grim, his eyes devoid of emotion. "West, to the Smoke Mine..."

"The Smoke Mine..." The Smoke Mine was the large mine in Morton's territory, sixty li from the city. It had once been heavily guarded, but because of the rebellion, the troops had all been reassigned to defend Morton. After Ye Meng and the others defeated Hiller's army, they had headed for the Smoke Mine. By now, they had taken it completely!

The horses covered ten li, and no pursuers appeared behind them. Ye Luo slowed down and said coldly, "You can leave now..."

Angelina stared at him, stunned. After a long moment, she shook her head firmly. "I'm going with you..."

Ye Luo looked at her in disbelief. "Do you know what you're saying?"

Angelina nodded stubbornly. "As long as I'm in your hands, my father won't do anything rash... That way, we won't owe you even more, and Morton's soldiers won't have to die because of my father's hasty orders..."

Ye Luo gave Angelina a long look. "I never expected such a beautiful heart beneath that angelic appearance. All right. You made your choice. I hope you won't regret it..."

The horses thundered onward. Three hours later...

The edge of the Smoke Mine

Angelina stared down into the mine and stumbled backward in terror.

The enormous Zerg Hive stood more than thirty meters tall. Even though it had been built in the hollow of the mine, several meters still rose above the ground. Hundreds upon hundreds of Zerglings scurried back and forth. Many saw the unfamiliar Angelina and instinctively bared their sharp teeth, seven or eight centimeters long. At the center of the Zerglings, the upright Hydralisk was even more terrifying...

Ye Meng and the others had been waiting there for some time. When they saw Ye Luo return, they hurried over. "My Emperor, this vein is incredibly rich. There's enough here to upgrade us to a level-six base!"

Ye Luo nodded. "Don't rush to upgrade the base yet. Our identities have been exposed. For now, gather the Zergling and Hydralisk forces at once, and prepare for battle!"

Ye Meng glared fiercely at Angelina. If Ye Luo hadn't stopped him, he would have rushed over and torn her to pieces by now...

Angelina came to her senses and hurried to Ye Luo's side. "Ye Luo, my father may not send an army right away..."

"Your father may not," Ye Luo cut her off, "but I still have to be ready for battle!"

Angelina lowered her head and fell silent.

As it turned out, Ye Luo's preparations had been anything but excessive.

That very day, Mage Chelman from Morton handed the Memory Crystal over to the local Magic Guild. In less than a day, it reached the king.

The king watched the crystal's images of a Zergling biting a soldier's shoulder clean off, then immediately issued his orders: assemble a force of nine thousand troops from the three provinces of Morton, Caernarfon, and Arika to attack the Demon Beast lair first. Then the Third Legion, eighteen thousand soldiers under the command of the level-six, second-rank general Warwick, would follow. They would capture this Demon Beast lineage within half a month, no matter what!