Chapter 474: I

"What do we do? It seems the Stonecrack Marquis is starting to suspect us?"

"Don't worry—they can't find any evidence, and in a few days, the royal army will be destroyed!"

"By then, when everyone's dead, even the kingdom won't have anyone left to investigate—so we won't get caught!" Solit said dismissively.

Although the Stonecrack Marquis’s questioning had indeed seemed to imply suspicion.

But it was at most mere suspicion.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have accepted their casual answers so readily.

Willard nodded, and there was nothing to do but wait patiently for the royal army’s destruction.

……

Not far from the royal tent palace, thirty thousand beastmen troops arrived in haste.

Along the way, tracking the trail, the closer they got to the royal tent palace, the more uneasy Moral grew.

Because earlier it had only been speculation, but now it was nearly certain.

After all, ahead lay the Golden Pasture.

Aside from the royal tent palace, he couldn’t imagine any other reason for that damned Gervas to come here.

Now, he only hoped the beastmen warriors at the royal tent palace could hold back that damned Gervas.

"Great Leader, it’s the royal tent palace!"

The next instant, as they crested the gentle slope and the vast pasture and royal tent palace came into view, Moral’s heart sank halfway.

There were no figures outside the royal tent palace, no cries of battle.

But the outer wooden wall of the royal tent palace was burning fiercely…

"No! Damn it!"

Moral roared to the sky.

Because he simply couldn’t accept that his army had been only half a day behind Gervas’s all along.

Yet that half-day had become an impassable chasm—he could never catch up.

The cities and fortresses he had placed his hopes in had fallen one by one to this Gervas.

Now, even the most heavily defended royal tent palace had been breached.

"Great Commander, the inner wall doesn’t seem to be burning—could it be that the inner camp hasn’t been taken by Gervas yet…?" His subordinate, seeing Moral’s desperate cries, dared to offer cautious comfort.

"That’s right—the inner camp still stands! The inner camp has magical artifacts the Beast King obtained from the sea—perhaps they can hold back that damned Gervas!"

At his subordinate’s reminder, Moral snapped back to himself. "Hurry! Full force forward! Enter the royal tent palace—and if you find those humans, kill them on sight!"

"Yes, Great Leader!"

Immediately, Moral led his beastmen troops rushing toward the royal tent palace.

And the thought that "the inner camp might still be intact" had become Moral’s last lifeline.

Of course, reality is often cruel—it doesn’t change just because you grasp a straw.

When Moral reached the vicinity of the inner camp, he indeed saw the "longed-for" Gervas.

But now, Gervas stood atop the inner camp’s wooden wall.

"Human Gervas!"

Moral’s body trembled uncontrollably, his gaze burning with the desire to devour Gervas alive.

"Leader Moral, it’s been days—looks like you’ve grown much thinner! What, missing me so much you’ve wasted away?" Gervas smirked, teasing Moral.

Moral felt a fire erupting from his chest.

But what mattered most now was Princess Sukama.

"Human Gervas, where is Princess Sukama? Where is she?"

Moral desperately hoped the next instant, Gervas would answer that he hadn’t found Princess Sukama.

Because he was one of the few who knew the inner camp had a secret escape tunnel.

But Moral’s wishes had never come true before—and this time was no exception.

Thus, this Moral could rightly be called "a string of black luck"!

"Leader Moral, you seem impatient! I respect your urgency—I’ll let you see for yourself!"

Without delay, Gervas waved his hand behind him. Moments later, a regally dressed beastwoman was brought onto the wooden wall by Lei Meng.

It was Princess Sukama.

"Princess Sukama!" Moral cried out in shock; the other beastmen captains also looked anxious.

"Great Leader Moral! Save me and the Prince!"

"P…Prince?!" Moral froze.

Before Sukama could answer, Gervas waved again.

Then, the remaining beastmen were brought up.

Namely, the Beast Clan Prince and the tightly bound Prada.

"P…Prince? Is he really the Prince? And…Prada, the Deputy Commander?"

"Great Leader Moral, send word to the Beast King immediately! Princess Sukama has borne the Beast King a Prince! The Beast King must save Princess Sukama and the Prince!" Prada, seeing Great Leader Moral, shouted frantically.

Now, Moral was certain: Princess Sukama had borne the Beast King a Prince.

Just days ago, the Beast King’s words still rang in his ears: the Beast King wished to capture Lindongcheng, crush the human army, and present it as a celebration gift for Princess Sukama’s childbirth!

But now, Princess Sukama and the Prince had both been captured by this human.

He couldn’t even imagine what the Beast King’s reaction would be if he heard this news.

"Human Gervas, what do you want?" Moral forced himself to suppress the urge to charge the inner camp and spoke to Gervas.

"My demand is simple: let us withdraw safely. When we reach a suitable location, I’ll release Princess Sukama and your Prince."

Not surprising—though Moral was furious, the matter of Princess Sukama forced him to suppress all impulses.

"Human Gervas, I agree to your terms—but you must hand over Princess Sukama and the Prince right now. After that, I, Moral, swear I will never pursue you or your men again!"

"Leader Moral, you don’t think I’m a fool, do you? Hand over Princess Sukama and the Prince now? Do you think I’d still be able to escape? I repeat: when I reach safety, I’ll hand them over!"

Likewise, Moral couldn’t trust Gervas—Princess Sukama was far too important.

"Human Gervas, I don’t trust you either. Humans are too cunning—and you’re even more so!"

"What if, once you’re safe, you refuse to release them? I can’t answer to the Beast King!" Moral said.

Gervas nodded, seeing the logic. "Then I have no choice…"

With a clang, Gervas drew his sword and pressed it against Princess Sukama’s neck.

The sight sent shock through Moral and the beastmen.

"Human Gervas, what are you doing?!" Moral roared.

Prada beside him thrashed wildly in panic.

But Gervas remained calm. "Leader Moral, I’m not negotiating with you—I’m giving you an order. Here’s your final chance: order your troops to retreat ten miles, then let us withdraw!"

"Once we’re safe, we’ll release Princess Sukama. But if you refuse to cooperate, I’ll have to send this Princess Sukama…"

"Human Gervas, I agree! Put your sword down!" Moral gritted his teeth.