Chapter 88: Sai Er's Spy

"You deceived me!!! Damn it"

Karneski erupted in fury, but the next moment the contract's power rendered him speechless, his purple skin straining to the point of turning red.

The silver‑haired youth lifted a finger to his lips: "Shh."

Luojia watched the boy's mischievous grin, and for some reason felt sudden sympathy for the blue‑footed dragon snake before him; whatever the mage had done, making a purple monster turn red with anger was an extreme humiliation for the snake.

Naimi Xisi's mood brightened; not only had he eliminated the blue‑footed dragon snake he found utterly detestable, but he also gained the strongest subordinate.

Of course, the dragon snake would not willingly submit, but so what? It must obey the power of the oath.

"Don't be angry, little snake. Submitting to a Juan Ce Long is your honor; as long as you obey, I guarantee you'll live well," Naimi Xisi's voice echoed in the blue‑footed dragon snake's mind, only inflaming its rage as its body thrashed wildly, trying to break free of the tentacle's grip.

"Quiet!" Naimi Xisi ordered, and the blue‑footed dragon snake was instantly forced into silence by the contract's power.

To say Karneski was unlucky would be an understatement; no matter whom he chose, he stubbornly selected Manuo, a deity of the evil faction. Other deities might, after he broke the contract, unleash power to kill him and cast his soul into the Bottomless Abyss.

But Manuo was different; as if for twisted amusement, he forced the blue‑footed dragon snake to betray its will and obey every command of the Juan Ce Long, and Karneski could even smell, at his nostrils, a hellish sulfur scent lingering around him.

Karneski gasped heavily, collapsed on the ground, and shut his eyes in despair.

He finally faced reality—his oath of submission to a great dragon.

"You really have twisted tastes, taking a blue‑footed dragon snake under your command; I must admire your cunning,"

Sgena exaggeratedly bowed slightly, excitement gleaming in her eyes; the sly, evil black dragon loved to toy with prey, and she was no exception.

Luojia scratched his disheveled black hair, sighing, "A blue‑footed dragon snake that big—are you sure you can keep it under control?"

Naimi Xisi heard the commotion, snapped his fingers, and the Aiva Black Tentacle binding Karneski vanished into void, yet the unbound blue‑footed dragon snake remained obediently sprawled on the ground, motionless.

"Of course," Naimi Xisi said, casting a meaningful glance at Karneski, "he's found himself a truly 'just' deity."

All three blue‑footed dragon snakes were eliminated, leaving the mountain's monsters leaderless; the remaining beasts fell swiftly to death under Luojia's coordination with three hundred soldiers.

The army, having completed the mission, withdrew from the mountains and set up camp near the canyon awaiting reinforcements.

In the following days, two thousand workers dispatched from Degun City arrived at the Tumaci Mountains; they began constructing military fortresses at the far end of the canyon fissure, while arrow towers and rock‑slide cables rose on the cliffs above—on the border of the Yinbu Tu Kingdom, in the coastal city of Gebenlan.

At the heart of this coastal city near the Fallen Star Sea stands a magnificent Mage Tower; centuries ago the city was under Sai Er's rule, and red‑robed mages spent millions of gold coins to build this fully equipped "residence" here.

On the Mage Tower's top floor, within the Arcane Garden, General Kolon stood amid lush foliage, conversing with an elegant, beautiful middle‑aged woman before him.

"Is the front line ready to withdraw?" the woman asked, holding a flower sprayer and carefully watering the blossoms as she spoke.

General Kolon sighed and nodded helplessly.

"I never expected Sai Er's red‑robed mages to be so generous, even lending the Shadow Steel Golem to Seske," Kolon sighed.

He then hesitated, "Regent Grand Judge, aren't you coming? At this rate we may not be able to match Sai Er's magical power."

The woman paused, sighing, "You know, Leoriel must stay in the capital to prevent that red‑robed spellcraft mage from causing unrest; all other cities can be abandoned, but the demon beneath the capital—"

She turned to Kolon, resolute: "It must never be released."

The woman saw the loneliness in Kolon's eyes, a flash of sorrow, and slowly approached, placing her hand on his chest's hard, cold armor.

"Kolon, if the matter is impossible, abandon Degun City. As long as Gebenlan's Mage Tower remains intact, you and your troops can erect the strongest defensive line here."

The woman's faint fragrance stirred Kolon's heart; he closed his eyes and pulled her hand away.

"Mizli, it's already impossible; let's not make such intimate gestures. As for abandoning Degun City, I will never agree!"

Kolon turned decisively and walked out of the Magic Tower, leaving only the woman's lingering gaze on his back.

"Kolon, why am I never your choice?" — Tumaci Mountains, the still‑under‑construction Tumaci Fortress.

A soldier stood at the camp's central water source, shedding his armor; the heat was unbearable, summer fire scorching every living thing on the ground, and even a faint breeze from the nearby forest offered no relief. He gulped water greedily, muttering curses now and then.

"Dammit, I came here to kill enemies and earn merit, not to build houses for them. That damned pretty‑faced mage, with his maid doing nothing, bossing me around all day—I'll make him pay someday!"

He turned to glance at his comrade behind him, also assigned to serve that consultant, and asked irritably, "Lansi, why aren't you reacting at all? That brat calls you every day, yet you never complain."

Another soldier named Lansi simply smiled and replied, "Serving the mage lord—what's the big deal? You, you're just too proud."

The drinking soldier felt frustrated; it wasn't his complaint, but the mage's excessive commanding.

One moment he makes him feed that huge, terrifying purple monster, the next he sends him running errands; after finally getting some free time, the mage actually tells him, "You also go help them move things, finish quickly, don't waste my time," and forces him to haul bricks for the workers.

What's more infuriating is that the fellow he was forced to serve alongside shows no anger at all, as if he's the one being unreasonable.

"Fine, Lansi Bill, why didn't I notice you're such a suck‑up? You don't think that mage is constantly monitoring us with spells, do you?"

Lansi's face stiffened, then he whispered, "How many times must I say it—don't use my surname; I don't like being misunderstood."

The soldier sneered, "Got it, got it—you're just afraid people think you're related to the late Viscount Bill, whose clan was wiped out. Anyone who thinks that is stupid; you're just a kid from Degun City's slums, how could you be linked to a noble lord?"

Lansi smiled amiably again, then glanced far away, his face troubled, and said, "I have to pee, I'll go take care of it first; cover me."

He then walked toward the distance, reached a tent, looked around, and pulled from his chest a flat stone slab etched with runes.

His expression grew serious; he whispered a few incantations, and the slab glowed with milky light, after which an androgynous voice emanated from it.

"Lansi Bill, what intelligence do you have to transmit?"

Lansi exhaled, brought the slab close to his mouth, and lowered his voice: "Why are you only responding now? I've been trying to contact you for days!"

"Kolon sent an Ougma priest from who‑knows‑where to oversee our fortress construction in the Tumaci Mountains."

"Oh?" the voice in the slab said, surprised, "An Ougma priest? That's impossible! The Knowledge Church doesn't involve itself in inter‑kingdom wars, nor has any reason to!"

Seeing the doubt, Lansi's voice quickened, "How can it be impossible! He's a priest, and he wielded Divine Spell! His power is immense; he easily dispatched all three blue‑footed dragon snakes!".

"Three blue‑footed dragon snakes," the slab's voice seemed to assess his strength.

"How could that be? That's at least a 13th‑level priest—why would such a powerful priest aid the Yinbu Tu Kingdom?" the voice muttered from the slab.

"I couldn't possibly devise a way to sabotage the fortress under the gaze of such a powerful Spellcaster; you must send more people to help me," Lansi gritted his teeth.

"Hmph, the dozen‑plus 'Fossil to Mud' scrolls I gave you weren't free; use your brain, note the fortress's weak points, and when they're near completion, use the scrolls to collapse its supports."

Lansi's eyes flared; he knew the scroll could wreak massive damage on the fortress, but after deploying it, would he still have a chance to escape? That mage would surely have means to trace the culprit! Realizing he might be sacrificed, Lansi was about to threaten when the slab suddenly emitted an angry voice.

"Tsk, what a fool, daring to contact me before even cleaning up the tail."

Then the slab turned to ash and drifted into the air.

Lansi froze, his heart suddenly dropping.

He slowly turned his head; a youth in a black robe was leaning against the wall, looking at the book in his hand, his silver long hair pricking Lan Si's eyes.

"Sir Naimi Xisi, listen to my explanation!"

Lan Si's complexion turned deathly pale, and he hurriedly approached the youth, pleading in a low voice.

Naimi Xisi raised a finger, and the surging Mana instantly seized all of Lan Si's muscles; he froze in place, his hand that had reached into his pocket fell out, and along with it a sharp dagger.

The youth stepped toward Lan Si, his dim yellow vertical pupils reflecting Lan Si's tightly twisted facial muscles.

He pressed close to Lan Si's ear and whispered, "Shh, I don't need your explanation, little bug."

Lan Si's eyes filled with terror; the next instant, the world spun, and he saw his own headless body and a silver silhouette walking away.

(End of chapter)