Sun Fei opened his mouth in surprise, and after a long while, he slowly said, "Well, this... I really didn't guess. I originally thought the other two qualified people would be His Majesty Emperor Yassin, or some other powerful figure in the capital. (Please remember to read p; "powerful figure... Heh, do you think there's anyone else in the capital who could be called a powerful figure before Prince Dominguez? However, I'm also quite surprised that His Highness allowed you to call him Oka on our first meeting... It seems he really likes you!"
As Paris spoke, she revealed the jade waist token in her palm, signaling the sentry at the checkpoint ahead to make way. Then she turned her beautiful head, blinked her large, watery eyes, and said with a smile.
Sun Fei was dumbfounded.
Being liked by a man... well, let's change the subject.
"I heard that the Empire has declared war on Spartak. As the King of a vassal state of the Empire, may I inquire about the situation?" Sun Fei changed the subject.
Paris shook her head and said, "Only the high-ranking nobles in the Military Department know the truth about this. As early as autumn, Spartak had already amassed over 100,000 troops on the border, and three of the Empire's ten main battle legions had also been deployed to the important border Razor City. The latest battle report is that after the declaration of war, the two sides have been fighting back and forth along the Razor City line for more than ten days, with each side having its victories and defeats. Fortunately, Marshal Zhang Bolun, the Empire's second-best general, is overseeing the overall situation, so the problem shouldn't be too serious in the short term..."
"Oh? Judging from your tone, this Zhang Bolun seems to be someone of considerable importance?"
"Before the Crown Prince rose to power, General Zhang Bolun was a formidable figure in the Empire for fifteen years, consistently ranking as the Empire's top general. Isn't that impressive?" Paris frowned alluringly, her curiosity piqued. Had King of Chambord not heard of Zhang Bolun, the former Empire's greatest general? After all, this name was the idol of many King from vassal states.
Sun Fei shrugged, subtly implying that he had once been a completely useless 'idiot'.
Paris smiled mischievously.
After these collaborations, and with the deliberate efforts of the Alluring Witch Paris, the relationship between the two seemed to have become much closer.
"Why did the Spartak Empire choose this time to invade? Moreover, they have been reinforcing their troops on the border, and their intentions have been exposed since the autumn. In my opinion, in a war between two countries, a surprise attack might be much more effective. Do the Spartak prefer a more gentlemanly style of fighting?"
Sun Fei wanted to get more information from Paris. With chaos looming, Chambord City's channels for obtaining intelligence on the empire's affairs were far too limited, forcing His Majesty the King to resort to this method to gather information. (Please remember our...) "Because they are waiting for the real opportunity to arrive." The Alluring Witch Paris's expression was grave.
"A real opportunity?"
"Yes, it was the moment when Emperor Yassin passed away."
"How is this possible? Emperor Yassin is dead? Is it that... serious?" Sun Fei was somewhat surprised.
"Indeed, the people of the entire empire find it hard to believe that Emperor Yassin, the peerless ruler who Zongheng- handedly founded the Zenit Empire, would also die of old age. However, the truth is that even the greatest heroes grow old. Years of battles and countless wounds have long since drained the emperor's life force. Since last year, Emperor Yassin's health has been declining, and he has been bedridden. Recently, it is said that his condition has become increasingly serious, and he may pass away at any moment."
Paris's expression turned somewhat somber as she said this, "Heroes and beauties alike are not allowed to grow old together in this world."
Throughout this journey, Paris was definitely not the Paris of her normal state; she showed no signs of Witch and answered every question Sun Fei asked.
"On my way to the capital, I heard that Lord Martial Saint Krasich will soon face off against Martial Saint Spartacus atop Mount Martial Saint of the Empire?" Sun Fei thought of this again.
"This matter has already spread throughout the capital, and it is indeed true. In half a month, this battle will take place atop Martial Saint Mountain. This battle will largely determine the future fate of the empire. However, Alexander, what you should be most concerned about right now is not this matter. Even you and I cannot interfere in a duel between Martial Saint. There is some news that you will definitely find interesting."
"What?"
"News has spread from the palace that the Imperial Martial Combat Competition will officially begin in three days. Due to the outbreak of war, this Martial Combat Competition is receiving great attention, and the rewards are much more generous. Those who perform exceptionally well in the competition will have the opportunity to lead their own army to the border battlefield to fight for military merit..."
Paris revealed some very important news.
Sun Fei frowned in thought.
This is indeed a rare opportunity. In addition to participating in Martial Combat Competition, vassal states that want to improve their status can also accumulate Glory through battlefield combat merits, which will grant them more population and troop control.
Chambord City currently isolated in a corner of the country, with a population and military strength far from sufficient, so Sun Fei can only take the route of elite troops.
As for breaking away from the empire's territory, that's impossible. With his current strength, Sun Fei alone cannot Resist all the empire's experts. Before his strength reaches a level that transcends everything, he still has to play by their rules.
If one could enter the border battlefield to fight for military merit, it would indeed be a great opportunity to elevate one's national rank to a meteoric rise.
Only when the nation's level rises and better conditions are obtained can Sun Fei maximize the advantages of the Diablo World.
This was one of the two reasons he led his people to participate in the Zenit Empire's activities. The other reason, of course, was to see the sights and sounds of the Azeroth Continent, broaden his horizons, and gain a better understanding of this world.
With Paris escorting them, the dozen or so people from Chambord City traveled smoothly. After leaving the capital city gates, they crossed a three-kilometer-long area filled with both visible and hidden sentries, and soon entered the twenty-mile-long state-run area. The Alluring Witch escorted Sun Fei and the others into the Chambord camp before bidding farewell and leaving.
"Along the way, you've gathered a lot of information by subtly and overtly extracting information. Alexander, I also have a question I'd like to ask you." As they approached the Chambord camp, Paris slowed her pace and walked side by side with Sun Fei. A fragrant breeze wafted through the air, carrying the sweet and delicate scent of Witch.
Oh? Ask!
"Who is that mysterious masked magician who came to write the novel for you tonight?" Paris asked, leaning close to Sun Fei's ear.
Sun Fei was silent for a moment. Paris was too close, her fragrance was intoxicating, and the heat from her temples stirred Sun Fei's ears in the breeze. A strange, itchy feeling came over him. He took a step to the side, then answered calmly, "One of the six royal envoys under my command, the [ Dark Night Demon Envoy ], his name is Jianjiao."
"The Six Great Kings' Envoys? The Dark Night Demon Envoy, Jianjiao? I don't think I've ever heard of this name before, nor this person..." Paris smiled faintly, clearly not believing it. "Why do I feel like this person is the embodiment of you, Yali Shanda?"
Sun Fei smiled faintly, "I have six demon envoys under my command, all of whom are extremely secretive. Besides [ Dark Night Demon Envoy ] Jianjiao, there are five others. You will meet them gradually in the future."
"Fine, I'll believe you for now, hmph! Don't let me find out you're lying!" The Witch hadn't gotten the answer she wanted and was also dissatisfied with Sun Fei's reply. She glared at Sun Fei sullenly, but his affectionate and charming appearance made it seem more like flirting.
Sun Fei smiled but didn't continue the conversation.
The night wind blows, its coldness cutting like a knife across the face.
The night was so dark, the thick darkness covered the earth, and apart from a few scattered stars and torches, there was no light between heaven and earth.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Neither of them spoke.
Ten minutes later.
" King of Chambord, I do not expect you to stand on Prince Dominguez's side against the Princess and the First Prince. I only ask that one day, if Prince Dominguez encounters trouble, you may step in to save him."
Paris did not linger at the Chambord camp, and did not even enter the camp gate. Soon, dressed in flowing white robes, she hurriedly departed.
Before leaving, this clever woman seemed to have a hidden meaning, leaving behind these last words.
In the thick white fog, only a faint red glow could be seen in the distance.
That was the blood-red rose the Witch had tucked behind her ear.
After a night of carnage, it was still dark.
The demonic moon hid behind dark clouds, and a fierce wind howled across the land, whipping up the snow and causing ice shards to whistle and swirl in the air, emitting strange, piercing cries. An unprecedentedly cold winter enveloped the earth.
Sun Fei lifted the thick curtain of the central tent and went inside.
Inside the tent, it was warm as spring. The beautiful young girl sat quietly in front of the stone table, wearing a black fur coat. Her snow-white wrists extended from the black sleeves, supporting her cheeks. Her long, black hair, like a waterfall, cascaded onto the table. She was clearly trying to stay awake while waiting for Sun Fei and the others to return, but she was so tired that she fell asleep without realizing it.
Angela was just a very light sleeper.
She opened her eyes and woke up as soon as Sun Fei came in.
" Alexander, you're finally back..." Her bright, star-like eyes swept over Sun Fei, and seeing that Sun Fei was unharmed, she happily pulled back the screen beside her.
Behind the screen was a side curtain containing a large bathtub filled with steaming hot water. Several small magic circles for heating were engraved on the tub's walls. By embedding magic stones, these small fire magic circles could be activated to heat the tub.
This bathtub was something Angela had specially bought for Sun Fei when she was cleaning up supplies at Hot Springs Pass. Now it came in handy. Before nightfall, the girl had already prepared the water and kept it at the perfect temperature, setting it up in the side room of the main tent to wait for Sun Fei to return and bathe.