Chapter 423: Scattered Tower

In the night.

The night wind, carrying the salt of Jianwan's sea, swept across the empty streets.

Under the glow of dwarf lanterns lining the road, the clanking of armored patrols echoed from afar—cold and unfeeling.

The curfew imposed by the new regime had thickened the atmosphere of dread across Axe Beach's nights, and tonight it was heavier still.

Unlike the silence of the wealthy quarter, the farmlands, or the marketplace.

Along the central avenue of the wealthy quarter, all the way to its end, the grand earl's ancient castle keep—surrounded by two thick walls—was shattered by a roar of fury, its sound crossing the spacious parade ground and reaching the ears of workers tending the stables, startling them.

But they dared not act, only silently kept working.

The private troop brought by the new lord, Bu Ge Torres, had surrounded the entire castle.

The private troops were strangers and cold, unlike the familiar faces of the militia—they looked upon the workers with contempt and disdain.

Bu Ge Torres's curses came again.

This time, their heads sank even lower, wishing only to finish their work as soon as possible.

Inside the castle's reception hall.

"Why wasn't this reported?!"

Bu Ge Torres, bloated and snarling, roared at the militia commander.

"Not reporting is one thing, covert operations another—but to form a cordon, send a seventh-rank expert to their door, and still let them slip away, vanish without a trace, and sever all original leads? What the hell are you militia good for?!"

"My apologies, my lord."

The commander's face was equally grim, dark as water.

His own former squad leader had acted on his own initiative, even hiding the operation from him—the commander now had to take the blame.

But putting himself in the man's shoes.

If he had known the target's location, he would have made the same arrangements.

Wen Na Puwei was a pampered girl, at most carrying a few protective treasures, her offensive power extremely limited.

The succubus protecting Wen Na Puwei was only fifth-rank; even with the fifth-rank bodyguard added, together they couldn't match the seventh-rank expert sent against them.

Yet now, the seventh-rank expert was gravely wounded and being treated, and Wen Na Puwei had vanished.

"It happened suddenly—we didn't expect Wen Na Puwei had reinforcements. That man is a master capable of landing a single blow to severely wound a seventh-rank beginner."

"I don't want excuses! I don't want excuses! I only care about results!"

Bu Ge Torres roared in fury, face flushed, trembling as if he might collapse at any second.

"Wen Na Puwei! Wen Na Puwei! We were so close to capturing her—and you fools ruined it! From today on, the hunt for the murderer of the former Earl Puwei is under my private troop's command. The militia will fully assist."

The militia commander's face turned even darker.

Losing the lord's trust meant the militia would henceforth be subordinate to the private troop.

He wanted to speak further, but the bloated new lord was already waving him off.

Behind him, a private troop expert stepped forward and rudely blocked his path.

The militia commander had no choice but to grunt, turn sharply, and stride away with forced bravado.

Thud!

As the tall, heavy, dark-brown hall door slammed shut.

Bu Ge Torres's fury vanished instantly.

His face shifted at once to groveling, fawning servility—directed at the very private troop expert who had just ushered him out.

"Well done, Bu Ge."

He was a pale-skinned man, with slightly pointed ears and a muscular frame.

His expression was condescending, as if praising a dog.

He was a half-elf.

"Excessive praise, excessive praise—I owe it all to your two lords' help. I was just wondering how to weaken the militia's power, and they handed us the opportunity themselves."

Bu Ge was delighted, beaming with joy.

"Fools exist everywhere—they think Axe Beach is still what it used to be. We can't rely on Wen Na Puwei's White Dragon Horn seal to draw the land-naga here. Have they arrived yet?"

"My lord, we've lost contact. Could they have sensed something?"

"Land-nagas are greedy enough, not mindless creatures. Before acting, they'll investigate—but in the end, greed will always consume them. Notify us once contact is reestablished."

"And what of Wen Na Puwei?"

"Even if we don't need her, we'll find her and eliminate her."

"But… my lord, the commander mentioned a man who could strike down a seventh-rank beginner in one blow—could he be a threat?"

The dark-skinned man turned his head toward Bu Ge, his eyes icy.

"Are you overstepping your bounds, Mr. Bu Ge?"

Bu Ge broke into a cold sweat, his face turning pale with fear.

He quickly forced a fawning smile: "I—I only worry for my lord."

"Hmph. That man will be dealt with by me."

"So it will be Lord Virgil himself? Then it will surely be flawless! If I get the chance, I'd love to witness an eighth-rank warrior in action!"

"Heh. Bu Ge, just be a good puppet lord and enjoy your wealth. Don't overthink."

"No overthinking, no overthinking… Bu Ge is forever the Scattered Tower's dog~"

Outside Axe Beach.

Inside the naga's luxurious tent.

Luo De sat in the outer parlor, munching dried fruit, with Tally perched on his lap, swaying her head.

On the way back, they'd seen several lizardfolk crossing the marsh, and she'd been telling jokes about lizardfolk succubi ever since.

The body in his lap was warm and soft.

Luo De rested his chin on her head and slid his hand inside her clothes, ruffling her toned abs and defined waistline.

Unlike her, his mother-in-law Lilian had a thin layer of fat on her belly that would bulge slightly when she bent over—pleasing to the touch.

The succubus giggled at his fingers, turned to kiss him, missed, and instead licked his chin with her tongue.

The stubble tickled—so amusing~~

As for Wen Na Puwei.

At this moment, the last daughter of the Puwei family sat upright on the carpet, face tense.

Suddenly, the shadow of a towering half-serpent naga passed outside the tent—she jolted, startled.

She didn't even notice the intimate couple before her.

"Eat something, don't be shy—treat it like your own home."

Luo De noticed this too, pushing the fruit platter toward her.

"Mr. Luo Luode, isn't this the land-naga's tent?"

"Correct."

"I heard land-nagas devour men. Mr. Luo, aren't you afraid…?"

"Don't worry—this is my mother-in-law's private chamber. She's a priestess of the land-nagas. We slept together last night."

That information was overwhelming.

Wen Na froze, unable to process it.

Mother-in-law? Slept together last night?

Then who is Luo De's wife?

And who is the woman currently licking his chin?

(End of Chapter)