Chapter 41: Death Zone
Just as the search team arrived, Baili found the right moment to eliminate the last one in the back and, using the same method, took his place.
Baili wiped the scene clean and efficiently—these people couldn’t find anything either, so they had no choice but to return empty-handed.
Mixed in with the crowd, Baili also entered the interior of the Dark Night Holy See.
This place was deathly quiet, like an ancient city that had been abandoned for a long time. The old wooden doors creaked, spider webs hanging from the eaves were everywhere, polluted water flowed in the ditches alongside, and the smell of household garbage was nauseating.
Apart from these purple-robed patrol soldiers, he hadn’t seen a single living thing yet.
The memories of that small soldier told him that the outer city commander was a guy called Julian, and he would have to report to him later.
The tower in the distance with lights on was his residence and office. The dim streetlights made it somewhat difficult for Baili to see the road clearly, but fortunately he was now a blood clan member, so this level of night vision was no problem.
Thinking of that guy he saw earlier at the mass grave outside, this potential threat felt like a thorn in his back. Baili could feel that he had been going for the kill.
…
“Lord Julian, I, I will never dare again…”
The elf maid knelt before this fat-headed, big-eared guy, the chain around her neck held tightly.
He casually picked up a handkerchief from the table to wipe his mouth, which was already stained with grease. The collar around the maid’s neck had a chain attached, and with a casual tug, the pitiful elf maid was uncontrollably dragged over.
Her knees had already left a trail of blood on the floor.
He grabbed the maid’s ear, and you could even hear the sound of bone cracking.
“Did I allow you to steal pastries? Aren’t you full from what I usually give you to eat?”
Outside the office, the guard soldier couldn’t help but laugh when he heard him say this. This guy even embezzled and withheld their military pay—how could he treat these kidnapped elves well?
“Exactly, how can you get full on that thin gruel, and still have to do such heavy work.”
“Shh, keep your voice down, don’t let him hear.”
The commotion inside the office finally stopped after a while. The maid opened the door, and the sound of chains dragging on the ground was particularly harsh. Bruises were visible all over her body, and her left ear had just been tormented by Julian for a while—it was now bleeding.
She tried her best to hold back from crying, but the tears in the corners of her eyes still flickered uncontrollably.
Baili followed the squad leader through the tower’s corridor. The decoration here wasn’t as deathly quiet as outside—the dark gold walls gleamed, and the carved patterns were well-arranged.
However, what puzzled Baili was why there were knight paintings everywhere.
Among them was one of a great battle with windmill monsters, which looked quite absurd. He wanted to touch it, but the squad leader quickly pressed down on his hand.
“Good thing I reacted quickly. These paintings are all Lord Julian’s treasures. He says this is art—if he saw you touching them, you’d be in for it.”
The squad leader spoke with the tone of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster, his face finally showing relief. “Don’t touch anything here. That fat pig won’t go easy on you just because you’re new.”
Baili hurriedly apologized. Seeing his sincere appearance, the squad leader also relaxed and continued walking.
It seemed you couldn’t touch things here carelessly. The decoration was completely different from the outer city’s style—totally opposite extremes. This Julian was indeed a parasite.
Seeing these paintings, that guy was probably also a nouveau riche who pretended to be cultured, right?
…
“Hmm? You’re saying those two soldiers cleaning bones have disappeared?” Julian supported his chin, his excess flesh creating fold after fold. “Did you search carefully?”
“Reporting to Lord Julian, we’ve already dug three feet deep and found no traces at all.”
If two people disappeared without warning into thin air, and it couldn’t be getting lost, then they must have encountered an enemy far superior to them in strength.
“I understand. Take this command to Gravis—he’ll handle it, then get lost immediately.”
The squad leader received the carelessly thrown command with both hands, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Julian still had to enjoy his fine food and wine—where would he find time to deal with these trivial matters?
After reporting, following the memories of that person’s lifetime, Baili went to the city wall to begin his guard duty. The deathly appearance of the outer city was inseparable from Julian’s excessive taxes and levies. As for why no one managed it?
After all, that guy was Clement’s uncle. Before his nephew came to power, it was he who funded him to recruit troops and launch the coup.
Then Clement seized sole power, and as a member of the imperial family, he got a lucrative sinecure position where he could lie flat and live comfortably.
Baili observed all around. He had come here to cause some destruction, but he encountered a colleague. Since that person was human, nine times out of ten he was sent by Herta.
Create some conflict and frame the Rose Sanctuary? Then force Clement to act—Herta’s move was quite good.
In that case, Baili might as well show them what it meant to come back from the dead. He could also destroy this unstable alliance while conveniently using his original identity to do something.
The biggest official here was that Julian. Baili sneered coldly—he really should help Clement eliminate his relatives for the greater good.
But before that, he didn’t know what other strong people were here. This point needed careful observation. Although his current magical power was only twenty percent of his peak state, showing off briefly shouldn’t be a problem.
…
Two days later:
“Sister Vivian, you’re finally awake! Brother Bai said he was going to handle something, and it’s been two days without him returning.”
Hearing Treiz’s anxious voice, Vivian hurriedly sat up, and the towel that had been on her head also fell down.
She was afraid Baili had run away. At this critical moment, if he ran, everything would be finished. However, the soul contract signed earlier showed no abnormalities.
“Brother Bai told us not to worry—the Empire wouldn’t make any moves. Indeed it was so, but without anyone in charge, everyone still couldn’t relax.”
Vivian was relieved. Indeed, he kept his word. Two days was about right—she just didn’t know when he would return.
She left the room. Although her complexion was still a bit weak, it wasn’t serious. Returning to the dome, she gazed into the distance toward the Dark Night Holy See.
“Really, telling me not to act recklessly, yet you go there alone—don’t you care about your life?”
Her face showed no ripples, but her left hand was at the edge of her skirt hem. That wrinkled skirt exposed her tension and worry completely.
She didn’t have to wait long. The commotion behind her soon ended her worries.
Vivian turned around and saw Baili standing there, waving at her.
“…You bastard, I thought you had secretly run away.”
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Baili directly collapsed. He had looked completely normal just a moment ago.
Vivian pulled his hand over, hooking it around her shoulder as she supported Baili…
His injuries exceeded her imagination. The tattered formal wear on his body clearly witnessed a fierce battle.
Baili noticed the surprise that flashed across Vivian’s face. He leaned on her fragrant shoulder—indeed, he was now at the end of his strength.
“Cough cough, don’t worry about me. Just sit here and watch the show. Soon Herta and Clement will be at each other’s throats.”
In the moment before Baili lost consciousness, he seemed to feel something cool dripping onto his face.
“You idiot… what a double standard.”