Chapter 42: Damn oppressive feeling! |
“They’ve all gone, so what should we do? Should we try to slip away now?” Two of Su Mo’s palace guards discussed outside the palace, observing the departure of the protagonists who left overnight for the Holy See headquarters.
As palace guards, they couldn’t just leave without a valid reason. But with a life-and-death crisis looming, they didn’t want to lose their minds either.
“Han Yu, even if we survive tomorrow’s crisis, I don’t think it’s safe to stay in the capital. If we make it through, we should leave while chaos reigns. As long as we clock in for work, we’ll be rewarded,” Han Yu, who had been planted with the illusion seed by Su Mo, suggested.
“Let’s wait and see what happens tomorrow. For now, we need to avoid the Holy See headquarters and find a way to benefit from both sides. We’ll leave ourselves an escape route,” the protagonist named Li Fei, proposed a plan.
“I have a feeling that the Earl of Blackstone Territory will be more challenging to deal with than the other duke-level villains,” Han Yu expressed his concern.
“Don’t worry, Han Yu. No earl is more challenging to deal with than a duke. Besides, a duke has far more private troops than an earl. Let’s not worry too much. After tomorrow, when we grow stronger in the future, we can easily defeat him,” Li Fei comforted Han Yu and quickly came up with a plan.
“Since the Earl of Blackstone Territory doesn’t want us to be killed by the other villains, let’s apply to accompany the knights guarding him tomorrow morning. He will surely agree,” Li Fei said enthusiastically.
“Is it okay?” Asked Li Fei.
Han Yu was initially surprised by the idea but then realised the cleverness of Li Fei’s plan.
……….
Last night, a group of protagonists sprang into action at a magic academy, setting off towards the Holy See headquarters with great fanfare. “Stick to crowded areas and avoid dark alleys. Stay on the main street since their spies are everywhere around here,” one of the protagonists warned. They feared that wandering off the beaten path might make them vulnerable to attacks.
As they made their way through the capital, knights in armour and teams of King’s Capital guards patrolled the streets, ensuring the safety of the citizens. Many people had woken up early and were already on their way to the Holy See headquarters. After all, the kingdom was vast, and it would take hours of walking to reach their destination. But as long as they stayed in well-lit areas, the villains would not dare to make a move.
Overall, the group of protagonists was cautious yet determined to reach their goal. They knew that the road ahead would be long and perilous, but they were willing to face any challenge that came their way.
“Guy didn’t come.” One of the protagonists remarked.
“Well, that’s not surprising. His teacher is from Sanctuary. Who would dare to harm a disciple of Sanctuary in the capital?” another replied.
“Oh, It’s a shame I missed my chance. If only I had arrived a bit earlier, I could have become a disciple of Sanctuary,” a third protagonist lamented.
“Don’t worry. It’s only been a few days. We’ll have plenty of opportunities,” the first protagonist reassured them.
The group followed a procession of nobles along the main road towards the Holy See headquarters. They couldn’t help but notice the many eyes fixed on them as they walked. Similar scenes were playing out in other regions, where powerful villains controlled vast networks of spies.
“….”
These villains, who held actual power within their respective duchies, could mobilise large numbers of people. In the capital, every area known to the protagonists was being monitored by a large number of spies.
For instance, in a bustling steamed bun shop, the boss and a few waiters sold steaming hot buns to customers. It all seemed like a normal business, but no one noticed the little girl who wasn’t very busy and was constantly keeping watch over the outside.
……
Soon, reports of the protagonists’ movements reached several duke-level villains. “They all went to the Holy See headquarters at the same time. Do they suspect something?” one of the villains speculated. The news caused a collective frown among the group. If the protagonists were heading to the Holy See headquarters together, it would make it much harder for them to act without being detected.
The biggest concern was not actually the act itself but rather the aftermath. They needed to ensure they wouldn’t be implicated in the demon’s invasion. Even though some demons had invaded after some gods’ blessing ceremonies in the past, there were still hidden dangers in the Holy See headquarters.
“I don’t think they’re capable enough at the moment. I believe they should be afraid that we might take advantage of the opportunity to strike when the kingdom is focused on the Holy See headquarters,” expressed one of the villains.
“Well, that’s how it should be. These protagonists are all very skilled,” agreed the others as they discussed their plans.
As the protagonists reached the Holy See headquarters, they wondered how they would succeed in their mission. “During a large-scale demon invasion, killing a few people is nothing. Many army commanders may die in this kind of war, and since these protagonists’ identities are not high, it shouldn’t be a big problem,” one of the duke’s heirs said in a deep voice.
“Indeed, there’s no need to worry too much. Once the demons are defeated, chaos will ensue throughout the kingdom. If the Sanctuary decides to make a move, no one will be able to trace them. Dealing with these protagonists won’t be a big issue,” reassured another duke heir.
“Well, it’s convenient that they’re all together. It saves us from having to search for them individually… However, just in case, after the demon invasion, let the punks you bribed create a little chaos in the city while they can. It’ll make the situation even more chaotic,” suggested one of the villains.
“Good idea,” agreed the others, and they quickly made their plans.
…….
Meanwhile, in the Abyss, a vast number of abyssal creatures and demons continued to emerge from the passages. In the void above, an ominous magic array had been set up by the Spike Demon God himself.
With this magic array, he could quickly descend to the Gods Continent once the blood sacrifice in the Crescent Kingdom began. The Spike Demon God was making sure that he could take full advantage of the situation.
The Spike Demon God had arranged a magic array on his side to quickly descend to the Gods Continent once the blood sacrifice in the Crescent Kingdom began.
“Hey, Phantom Demon God, how are you preparing?” He asked Su Mo while surveying his demon army.
Meanwhile, in the Phantom Dynasty, the Little Spike Demon God had been freed, and through him, the Spike Demon God had observed a large number of abyssal creatures entering a passage under the influence of the succubus.
The Spike Demon God felt relieved, knowing that as long as Su Mo was dispatched, everything would be fine. He didn’t expect Su Mo to fight. All he needed was his Demon God breath to share the pressure with him.
The Spike Demon God showed Su Mo the mark of the magic array and gave him a ball of light that could be used to teleport to his location once the blood sacrifice began.
“No, I have my own way to get there,” Su Mo communicated through mental fluctuations among the demon insects.
“That’s fine,” replied the Little Spike Demon God, who then transformed into a letter and disappeared.
The Spike Demon God muttered to himself, “This guy has a lot of tricks. I really don’t know where he came from,” before ending the conversation.
…….
After speaking with the Spike Demon God, Su Mo put away the female demon insect and deactivated the magic array. It was already past four o’clock in the morning, and he had an appointment with the Queen of the Crescent Moon at five o’clock.
Although the distance from his current location to the headquarters of the Holy See was not far, the Crescent Queen had to leave earlier.
“My lord, the hot water is here,” Alia informed him, and two maids stepped forward to assist Su Mo with bathing. He did not stand alone, as was customary for him, and was more like a nobleman than a noble in this world. His demeanour was elegant and calm and lacked the pedantic old-fashioned qualities of some nobles, making him likable to those who saw him.
After finishing bathing up, the female officer sent by the queen arrived outside. Su Mo stepped out of the door and saw that the carriage was ready. “My Lord Earl, please allow us to escort you to the Holy See headquarters,” said a voice. It was the two protagonists who spoke.
Su Mo didn’t take them seriously and got into the carriage. The two protagonists joined the guarding Knights, even though they weren’t eligible to do so.
“See, I told you he would agree,” said Li Fei, one of the protagonists, proudly to Han Yu, feeling accomplished. However, Han Yu didn’t share the same sense of accomplishment. Instead, he inexplicably felt like he and Li Fei were two clowns in front of Su Mo, making him extremely uncomfortable. “Damn it, we’re the protagonists!” he thought weakly. Even the villainous dukes didn’t make them feel as physically and psychologically oppressed as Su Mo did. This oppressive feeling was unbearable!
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