13: Secretariat

Zhou Yu knelt like everyone else present. Yet her voice remained clear enough for everyone to hear.

"When Lord Avilan gazed up at the night sky, he told me this: 'Perhaps I am here to claim this beautiful new world for myself.' Then he added that this was not something he could monopolize alone. Perhaps it was meant to adorn the Despair Fortress Guild. Lord Avilan's true wish lay here."

Zhou Yu smiled, but it was by no means a gentle smile.

"Finally, Lord Avilan said this: conquering the world might be quite interesting. Therefore..."

Everyone's gazes sharpened in an instant. They were looks filled with unwavering resolve.

Arthur slowly rose to her feet and looked over every face.

Everyone stared at Arthur as though responding to her. At the same time, they looked at the Avilan Royal Banner behind her.

"Understanding Lord Avilan's true wish and making preparations is the mark of everyone's loyalty, proof that we are outstanding subordinates. You must all understand that the Despair Fortress Guild's ultimate goal is to present this beautiful new world to Lord Avilan."

Arthur beamed, turned toward the banner, and smiled softly.

"Lord Avilan, we shall certainly offer this world to you."

Then a unanimous declaration echoed through the Throne Room.

"Offer everything in this world to its rightful ruler, Lord Avilan."

Allen and the others, who had been kneeling at the very back of the ranks, went pale. What had they just heard?

That demon lord intended to conquer the entire continent.

It would have been impossible with only the people around him, but when they considered their terrifying strength, a chill ran down their spines.

They were caught in a dilemma. Should they expose the demon's ambitions for the sake of the entire continent, or become the executioners of the demon lord and help him slaughter their own people?

Allen and the others were lost and despairing.

Avilan teleported into his bedroom and could not help stretching. The reason he had teleported back to his room was to preserve the image of a mysterious and powerful master.

"I just wonder how effective that was."

Aslan lay on his bed, feeling utterly exhausted.

Though he was still a guild leader, the feeling was completely different from before.

It was far too oppressive and solemn.

His previous guild had been made up of brothers and friends, who had then gathered a large number of players. Although there had been superior-subordinate relationships, they had never been as strict as this—at most, they had been like the hierarchy in a company. Here, however, ranks were clearly defined. People knelt at the drop of a hat and would even offer their lives for Avilan.

It was precisely because of this hierarchical mindset that Avilan did not dare act as casually and lazily as he had when he was a guild leader in his previous life. He had to maintain the imposing bearing of a superior whose authority could not be offended at all times.

Knock, knock...

Just as Avilan was nursing a headache, someone knocked on the bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Avilan quickly stood up. The exhaustion on his face vanished in an instant as he stood before the mirror with an imposing, angry expression.

"Reporting to Lord Avilan, it is I, Arthur."

"Come in!"

"Yes!"

Arthur opened the door and entered, bringing a woman with her—a woman of unparalleled sexiness. Even Avilan, who had seen countless artificially enhanced beauties in his previous life, could not help being momentarily dazed.

This woman was actually Mi Yue, the Blood Queen from Honor of Kings, also known as the Eternal Moon.

Her black-and-purple skintight outfit displayed her graceful, curvaceous figure to perfection. Her long, snow-white legs were wrapped in black stockings that could only be described as tattered, while her alluring purple high heels perfectly embodied the words sexy and seductive.

A pair of purple wings hung from her shoulders, nearly dragging along the floor, lending a trace of purity to her bewitching charm.

"Mi Yue greets Lord Avilan." Mi Yue knelt halfway to the ground and lowered her head, presenting the surging curves of her chest before Avilan.

Avilan merely glanced at her before his eyes glowed red. However, he swiftly suppressed it.

It was caused by the chaotic will inherent to demons.

"Rise." Avilan turned around and, while no one was paying attention, took a deep breath.

What a seductive temptress.

He sat at his desk and looked at Arthur and Mi Yue expressionlessly.

"Speak."

"Yes!" Arthur hurriedly saluted. "Zhou Yu advocated for Mi Yue's resurrection, saying that her power is extremely important to the current Despair Fortress."

"How is it important?" Aslan asked blandly.

"As the Bloodkin progenitor, Lady Mi Yue can create Bloodkin members and cultivate Midnight Bats. They will play a major role in the Despair Fortress's nighttime defenses and vigilance." Arthur lowered her head and replied with a serious expression.

Avilan nodded. Though these were merely Mi Yue's main abilities and passives, such minor abilities had accompanied them into this other world.

Just like Arthur's undead summoning, Avilan had not known about them at first.

"Oh, I understand." Avilan nodded and turned his gaze toward Mi Yue.

He could not help recalling his best friend from his previous life, the guild's vice president, Cai Xiangtian. He had been an outright OL office-lady enthusiast and had personally created the Despair Fortress's ultimate defensive force: the Destruction Secretariat.

Compared to Zhou Yu, who was only level fifty and needed to transform to reach level sixty, Mi Yue was much stronger. At level sixty-five, she was one of the Destruction Secretariat's six vice-captains.

The Destruction Secretariat's armor had been entirely modeled after OL office-uniform sets, and he had even called it, "OL uniforms are the guild's ultimate weapon."

Back then, everyone had made a huge fuss over it. They had collectively denounced Cai Xiangtian, forced alcohol down his throat, and drunk him into unconsciousness.

But now, all of it could only become memories.

"Then I'll leave it to you." Avilan said blandly and waved his hand.

Disappointment immediately appeared on Mi Yue's face. She had intended to deepen her relationship with Avilan. She was a woman with an intense desire for power; if she could become Lord Avilan's wife, she would become the undisputed queen of Despair Fortress. Such supreme status and authority were like poison to Mi Yue, intoxicating her so deeply that she could not pull herself away.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. It was now March, when spring was warm, flowers bloomed, and all living things flourished. Waves of floral fragrance filled the air, fresh and delightful.

To prevent the Despair Fortress from being discovered, Zhou Yu and Mi Yue worked together to place a massive illusion barrier over it. It happened to conceal the entire Despair Fortress and its urban area. The outskirts were hidden by a towering forest that reached the clouds, so unless one entered the Despair Fortress's city limits, it would be impossible to discover that such a vast ruined city stood within the Messiah Great Forest.