Chapter 39: Observation
“But teacher, how did you become like this?”
The gentle and refined Bai Li in the mirror was completely different from his former icy demeanor. Now he was like a friendly big brother next door.
In the past, he always had an expressionless face toward outsiders, always wearing a mask, with a trace of sadness in his eyes. Only when facing him would he rarely show some smiles.
“What’s wrong with this? Do you dislike how I am now?”
Actually, Bai Li’s vampiric features weren’t very obvious, but compared to before, his skin had indeed improved considerably.
“Don’t tell anyone I’m still alive. I’ll secretly let you go later. Remember, you must return to the Empire and create some public pressure on Herta.”
Bai Li understood clearly that the Empire originally had no intention of campaigning against the Rose Cathedral—it was all Herta’s instigation.
But Sloy knew clearly that returning would be extremely dangerous. Herta’s faction wouldn’t spare him.
Regarding this point, Bai Li directly told him to find Dean Nashville at the monastery. There, Claude couldn’t act directly either. He should go there first to avoid the storm.
“Make sure to give this to Lan. Consider it fulfilling her wishes.” Bai Li took out an envelope he’d prepared and placed it in Sloy’s hands.
Though Bai Li’s hands were cold, Sloy didn’t care at all. He hadn’t expected to meet his teacher in such a place. Before this, he thought he’d be stuck in this sunless prison cell for who knows how long.
Abandoned by the nation, then dying silently and humiliated.
“What are you standing there for? Get ready. In half an hour I’ll divert the guards. You haven’t forgotten what I taught you before, have you?”
Sloy suddenly understood. No wonder the meals these past few days included chicken legs—the polished bones could definitely be used to pick the lock.
He watched Bai Li’s retreating figure. He hadn’t expected his teacher to help him again at a time like this.
His father’s and brother’s prejudices would never disappear. Under such leadership, the Empire would only collapse. Though a nation may be large, if it loves war, it will perish.
…
“No need to check here. I just inspected everything. Those people can’t escape.” Bai Li directed the dungeon guards.
“But Prince Bai, this…”
“It’s fine. I understand. These people are just the Empire’s cannon fodder. You don’t understand the struggles for imperial power.”
Afterward, only a few guards remained in the dungeon. Even with anti-magic shackles, Sloy could handle a few small soldiers.
Returning to the dome, Bai Li looked through the telescope he’d set up earlier, gazing at the distant fortress.
The banners flying above included not only the Empire’s eagle flag, but also the Dawn Knights.
“Herta and Cook? Good that Yulian didn’t come. But Herta didn’t bring his direct troops—mostly just miscellaneous forces.”
Clearly, the fortress’s military discipline wasn’t good. The cauldrons were placed randomly, and most were obviously miscellaneous cannon fodder.
As for Clement’s side, he had no intelligence whatsoever. The only information was what Sloy told him—this guy had obtained the Empire’s Soul Shock forbidden technique.
“Twenty percent mana. Dealing with Clement is really going to be difficult.” He pondered. Who knows how many forbidden techniques this guy had hidden? “If only Yulian were here.”
Indeed, when the Dark Night Cathedral previously tried to bypass the sea and directly infiltrate the south, Clement’s plan was quickly discovered by Yulian.
After that, he hadn’t shown himself for several years and was definitely badly injured.
He took out the map, and blood clan soldiers gradually took their positions. Though this prince had appeared suddenly and hadn’t even undergone the formal ceremony…
But no one questioned his decisions. This kind of execution was something he’d never seen before.
“Brother Bai, do you know why everyone believes in you?” Therese had somehow appeared behind Bai Li. “Because everyone knows you’re Sister Vivian’s other half!”
Bai Li: What? Isn’t this news spreading a bit too fast?
“Alright, alright, Therese. I still have serious business to handle. You go play first.”
Therese put her hands on her hips, looking indignant. “Brother Bai is looking down on me again. I’m very capable, you know.”
Though when he was still a child, he had lost to her—this was an ironclad fact, and he really had nothing to say.
…
Inside the fortress, Herta was listening to his subordinates’ reports. He wasn’t anxious at all.
“Still no movement? Fine, let me add some fuel to the fire.”
He dismissed the soldiers. When no one was around, a black shadow appeared from behind the screen.
“Take this and go make some noise at the Dark Night Cathedral. Make Clement anxious too.”
The shadow took the rose from Herta’s hand, bowed elegantly, then melted into the darkness. No one knew where he went.
Herta was still waiting for the equipment the logistics department was sending. At the time, all of Bai Li’s fortress inventory had been completely swept away by Vivian, including the explosives buried underground.
The noisy sounds outside annoyed Herta, so he simply waved his hand, and a purple lightning bolt struck over.
“They say showing off gets you struck by lightning. Look, still showing off?”
The drunk soldier was ranting drunkenly, “You… don’t think I’m bragging. I’m serious. When I was at Saint Lun City, even His Highness the Prince had to give me credit for being first to climb the walls!”
“Really?” Herta grabbed his hand. “I remember Saint Lun City was taken by the Frost Moon Knight, right?”
Lightning surrounded the soldier’s body. This stinging, numbing sensation immediately sobered him from his drunkenness. Seeing Herta’s meaningful and somewhat chilling smile, he was scared out of his wits.
Herta casually tossed him aside. The soldier flew backward from the platform, crashing into a tree nearby.
“Go on, find the quartermaster for twenty lashes for excessive drinking during preparation.”
After Herta dealt with this, the entire camp fell silent.
His handling was by the book, and in these thugs’ eyes, it was extraordinarily merciful.
At the training ground, Herta was practicing his combat skills. The staff in his hands carried purple-black lightning, and the wooden posts were already charred black.
With the downward strike of the staff, the whistling wind carried lightning’s shriek, and the armored dummy was also beaten to pieces.
He kept teleporting. As a lightning attribute user, close combat and unparalleled speed and explosive power were his unique advantages.
Then he broke the staff in half, revealing that the cross-section was a double-edged blade.
It could also serve temporarily as a two-handed sword.
“The logistics department really… the armor quality is so poor. Oh well, they’re all just miscellaneous cannon fodder anyway.”
Reassembling the staff and placing it against the wall, Herta closed his eyes and continued sensing the energy fluctuations within his body.
This rare quiet moment was also his most relaxing time each day.
…