Chapter 184
"Go together? To that 'absolutely safe place' you mentioned?"
"Um."
"Is it okay?" Katarina was still a little worried that it was the other person's secret.
But Chen Ce just smiled indifferently, "Of course—if you're willing."
Katarina naturally had no objections—she was indeed curious about what that absolutely safe place was.
Not only can it evade Swain's surveillance, but it can also avoid the Assassin Guild's spies throughout the Empire... without making a sound at all? This place is truly magical.
"If we leave now... let's go." The assassin girl stood up, several sharp daggers concealed in her belt.
Chen Ce smiled in response, slowly setting down the empty teacup in his hand.
Clatter
The teacup fell onto the table.
The surrounding scenery was also rapidly falling.
"Huh...?!" Katarina immediately showed a look of horror, and the muscle memory from years of training made her grip her weapon tightly within half a second.
In contrast, Chen Ce remained completely calm.
It was as if he had experienced it countless times before.
"What's going on...!" Amidst the turbulent currents traversing the world barrier, Katarina anxiously questioned, "What did you do to me...! What kind of witchcraft is this...!"
"Don't be nervous," Chen Ce said, maintaining his smile.
A moment later, the initial confusion that rushed to my brain gradually subsided, and the scene before me underwent a dramatic transformation.
Katarina saw... that the surroundings had turned into a desolate wasteland...
An eerie aura of death filled the air... terrifying whispers and wails echoed throughout... and there were green specks of light floating in mid-air...
Just like...
Like the legendary hell...
"Does this place feel like hell?" Chen Ce seemed to be able to read people's minds. "Then you're right."
"What...?" Katarina was still dizzy and swayed so much that she could barely stand.
Fortunately, a large hand supported her—wrapping around her slender waist.
This made her feel a little awkward, and a little... embarrassed, but she had no other choice.
"This is the world of the dead." Chen Ce helped the girl forward. The floating spirits screamed and scattered as soon as they saw him—they all recognized this living person who would appear in the Death Realm from time to time.
This person... is a pervert...
Perversion in every sense of the word...
They even beat up their master...
Although he brought people to beat them up...
"No matter how secretive the world of the living may be, there is always a risk of being discovered, but the Death Realm is absolutely safe," Chen Ce added.
Upon hearing this, Katarina's eyes widened immediately.
Fortunately, there was a second part to that frightening statement. "Don't worry, our great General Du Couteau is not dead; I've just locked him up here."
Katarina breathed a sigh of relief. "This is... unbelievable."
"It's as unbelievable as the evil black magic in a bedtime story, right?" Chen Ce joked. "But even if you gathered ten thousand low-level Black Mage, they probably wouldn't be able to get in here—if they were still alive."
"Hmm..." Katarina was finding the man in front of her increasingly unfathomable.
In this situation, she was even hesitant to say "I'm all better" and then push away the large hand that was wrapped around her slender waist.
They continued forward like this for several minutes.
Until a thick and eerie black mist suddenly appeared on the horizon.
Chen Ce stopped in his tracks. "Alright, you'll be able to see your father soon... Oh, by the way, the 'powerful helper' I told you about before is also coming."
"Who? Where?" Katarina stared intently at the black mist in the distance, but still couldn't see any helpers.
There was indeed a shadow within that cloud of black mist... but it could never be a human figure. It was far too enormous.
That's what Katarina was thinking.
But Chen Ce's next words overturned her guess:
"Our helper is inside that black mist... Yes, he's that tall."
"Hmm...?" Katarina was somewhat incredulous.
Chen Ce smiled and continued, "He was the founder of the Noxian Empire, the owner of the Immortal Bastion, the High Lord of the Noxii, and the true inheritor of the Noxian Empire bloodline. He was once known as Sarn Uzul, but now he has a more widely known name..."
"His name is Mordekaiser."
"Mordekaiser, Lord of the Death Realm"
As soon as she finished speaking, Katarina's expression turned terrified—no Noxus could help but fear that name.
The deep voice emanating from the black mist sent chills down her spine:
"The ungrateful call me a tyrant, but the wise regard me as king... Noxii blood, answer me..."
"Do you submit?"
PS:
Extra chapter tomorrow~
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Chapter 55 Katarina: Okay, okay, is this how you play it?
As is widely known... well, not so widely known, the Noxian Empire actually had a predecessor.
The Noxian Empire was not a true nation in the strictest sense, but rather a "power" comprised of the brutal warlord Sanh'Uzul and a number of barbarian tribes.
Those barbarians were collectively called "Noxii".
Some historians today also refer to them as the "Ancient Noxii".
Regardless of the name used, the Noxii are undoubtedly the ancestors of modern Noxus.
Therefore, San'Uzul—now Mordekaiser —can be called "the ancestor of all Noxus" in every sense—this ruthless warlord once ruled all Noxii with immense power.
Under these circumstances, it is no exaggeration to say that he is the purest "Noxus royal bloodline".
But... the Immortal Bastion he built with his own hands has now become a despicable place where traitors of impure blood issue orders and act arrogantly.
The name Darkwill wasn't even worthy of Mordekaiser's shoes in those dark times.
And what about Swain? What kind of lowly descendant of slaves is he?
Those lowly creatures, how dare they now presume to call themselves masters of the Immortal Bastion?
Utterly ridiculous!
Even though it was all part of his plan, the absurdity of a lowly person calling himself king still made him very unhappy!
Mordekaiser's wrath was so great that even the gods would give him a wide berth!
Tell me, do you submit...?
A hoarse yet authoritative voice echoed through the desolate world, causing the ghostly spirits in the black mist to scatter in fear.
Upon seeing Mordekaiser's true form, Katarina was so shocked that she froze on the spot, her trembling lips unable to utter a single word for a long time—of course, it's no wonder.
Her fear wasn't because she was cowardly, nor was it because she was afraid of death or anything like that.
It was purely because of Mordekaiser's extreme pressure on the living—that direct oppression of instinct.
The absolute ruler of the Death Realm, exerting immense pressure on the living.
The true emperor of Noxus, the pressure he exerted on the Noxus.
The overwhelming sense of despair eroded Katarina's will, almost causing her to collapse to her knees.
Yes, let alone an "ordinary person" like her, even an old monster like LeBlanc would lose a lot of sanity when she first entered the Death Realm.
It's quite impressive that they've lasted this long.
Her legs gradually weakened, and she was about to collapse.
Fortunately, a cheerful voice broke Mordekaiser's deliberate targeting of her.
"Stop messing around, Katarina is mine."
Chen Ce stepped forward, blocking Mordekaiser's gaze from Katarina —it was that terrifying look that nearly made the female assassin submit.
The intense feeling of suffocation disappeared, and Katarina was drenched in cold sweat and panting heavily.
Mordekaiser, on the other hand, showed a disgruntled look—a sense of frustration, like someone who had been abruptly interrupted while trying to show off.
"For the sake of our agreement..." He withdrew his terrifying aura.
Chen Ce continued with a smile, "Is it just for the sake of the agreement?"
"..." Mordekaiser silently tapped the bone mace in his hand once.
The implication couldn't be clearer.
However, Katarina, still somewhat dazed, failed to notice.
Chen Ce smiled again, letting Mordekaiser take the opportunity to back down – after all, the true emperor of Noxus had to save face in front of the Noxus!
"Noxus, what brings you here..." Mordekaiser once again displayed his domineering aura, but he no longer deliberately put pressure on Katarina.
The latter's rapidly beating heart gradually calmed down, and her gaze once again fell on Chen Ce.
She really couldn't believe it...
She knew Chen Ce was very strong, and probably had a powerful background, but this...?
Saen Uzur... "Mordekaiser" in Ochnun...
That king of the Death Realm... the founder of the Noxian Empire...
He...
How could he be Chen Ce's "helper"...?
"I came here to..." Katarina wanted to answer Mordekaiser's question, but her still slightly out of breath made it difficult for her to utter a complete sentence at once.
"She came to see her father," Chen Ce finished the sentence for her.
"Hmm..." Upon hearing this, Mordekaiser waved his hand, and the thick black mist surrounding him began to dissipate.
A slightly hunched figure gradually emerged from the thick fog.
Katarina was even more surprised.
Mordekaiser's willingness to cooperate with Chen Ce was already unbelievable to her, but this level of "obedience"...
Chen Ce's blunt tone and Mordekaiser's almost subservient attitude...
Just like... superiors and subordinates...?
At the very least, the latter is the one who needs something from the former...?
This...
Katarina was shocked—luckily, she hadn't noticed Mordekaiser's micro-expression when Chen Ce "slapped her in the face," otherwise she would have been even more shocked.
In the hearts of all Noxus, Mordekaiser is almost synonymous with the Grim Reaper, a figure that inspires fear in everyone—not to mention that this Grim Reaper is a real person, documented in history.
Yet this terrifying being was actually "bullied" by a mere mortal... This is completely unimaginable to the Noxus.
You can imagine how Katarina felt at that moment.
What complicated her feelings even more was what happened after the thick fog cleared—
The hunched figure hidden in the thick fog gradually became clear. It was her father.
General Du Couteau, known as the legendary assassin and hero general of the empire.