<h4>Chapter 1500: Chapter 1500: The Strongest Man!</h4><h4></h4>
"Sacred Lord, do you believe that I have never betrayed you?"
Ian Jorden lifted his head and asked in return.
"You’re still alive now. Doesn’t asking such a question make you look foolish?" Julius Reed narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the resurrected old friend before him.
He truly didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.
Between Ian Jorden’s betrayal and his actual death, Julius Reed would rather Ian Jorden truly be dead.
If Ian Jorden had betrayed him, Julius Reed wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.
"Indeed. Your methods have always been cold-blooded." Ian Jorden chuckled self-deprecatingly, immediately resuming a respectful demeanor. "I faked my death; it was Isabe Warm’s arrangement."
"That massive tomb of Ian Jorden at Demarco Mount still stands! If you don’t mind, I can let you truly lie in it," Julius Reed leaned back in his chair and said nonchntly.
Sooner orter, he would return to Demarco Mount!
"Do you still remember when the North Sea rebels marched all the way to Demarco Mount that year?" Ian Jorden lifted his head, his eyes filled with sincerity. "How did the North Sea know you weren’t there? How could that rabble bypass the heavy defenses and checkpoints of Demarco Mount so effortlessly? If not for the Wolf Cavalry, the main hall would have fallen!"
"Demarco Mount, invincible across thend, how could the North Sea invade so easily?"
"If even a mere North Sea could reach the hall of Demarco Mount, wouldn’t the Four Vassals’ alliance have already overturned Demarco Mount?"
Julius Reed was silent.
That year, because Ian Jorden was dered dead in battle, he personally led the Wolf Cavalry to crush the North Sea!
He hadn’t truly thought about the process of the war.
"There was an insider! And of those who knew you weren’t at Demarco Mount, how many could there be? I think you must have an answer in your heart."
Ian Jorden seemed determined to be honest, nning to withhold nothing.
"The North Sea rebellion that year did have one benefit: It exposed many traitors who defied you. Most of them died before my tomb."
"Indeed, I used their heads to honor you," Julius Reed nodded. "But, you didn’t die."
"That year, I was gravely wounded, but was fortunately saved by Isabe Warm. Just as well, I took the opportunity to fake my death! Afterward, I came here, infiltrating the City Lord’s Mansion under Isabe Warm’s arrangements, recing the City Lord." Ian Jordenughed bitterly. "Living a life that didn’t belong to me."
"As the City Lord, sitting in a high position, living in luxury, bing a regional overlord, and now ying the victim?" Julius Reed shook his head coldly. "I suppose you’ve grown ustomed to standing, no longer used to kneeling as you are now?"
The City Lord’s Mansion!
In Swimming City, it was the absolute center of power!
Though interfered with by six great families and divided by nine organizations, the City Lord’s Mansion was still nominally the highest authority of Swimming City!
The other two factions all required the City Lord’s Mansion to mediate between them.
Sitting high in power, enjoying endless wealth and glory.
"If that were truly the case, Ian Jorden would be content. Today, in front of you, to die directly would be far more satisfying!" Ian Jorden burst outughing, his eyes red. "Many years ago, when you came to Swimming City, you killed the then City Lord and with one stroke removed the ’氵’ from the character 羊泳 (Swimming), turning Swimming City into Swimming City. Later, Isabe Warm discovered the Azure Emperor’s ancient tomb secret, suspecting that your true purpose ining to Swimming City might not have been so simple."
"And then, you came here to assist rio Young in fulfilling his grand ambition to unify Swimming City?" Julius Reed spoke calmly. "Back then, I killed the City Lord without reason."
"No!" Ian Jorden dered resolutely. "There was a reason! Your memories have already been tampered with!"
"What did you say!" Julius Reed’s pupils contracted sharply to needle-like points!
His head began throbbing with immense pain!
"Four years ago, the Sealing Pulse altered and rewrote parts of your memory! Some of what you remember is fake, and some is real!"
"During the North Sea uprising, Isabe Warm suspected there was a traitor and arranged for me to fake my death! Now, it seems Grace River is the most suspicious!"
"Mont is a vassal state, and Grace River is also the Vein Holder of the royal bloodline! It’s highly likely shemanded Night Kyler Reed to incite this rebellion!"
"The North Sea’s remnants include Mont Horses!"
"Back then, Isabe Warm arranged for me toe to Swimming City because she discovered the Azure Emperor’s ancient tomb secret! Emperor Charlotte Grey might not have died!"
"I failed to provoke rio Young, so I infiltrated the City Lord’s Mansion. With Isabe Warm’s help, I seized power, waiting to unify Swimming City!"
"The Blue Sea Green Vine of Bull Town is because Isabe Warm wanted to use the Divine Dragon Tripod to refine medicine and unlock your memories!"
"She took the Divine Dragon Tripod to approach, then assassinate Pendleton, the Alliance Hierarch!"
"Today’s Pendleton has grown into an extremely formidable existence!"
"All of this should have been revealed to you back then! But within the Ten Thousand Mountain Alliance, there were countless threats! Your four maids—none of them were simple characters! Including Lillian Tompson by your side, she’s certainly no weakling!"
Pain!
Julius Reed’s head felt as though it would explode!
He could hear Ian Jorden speaking, but he couldn’t see him!
Within his mind, it felt as though two forces were battling fiercely!
"False memories and real memories are shing, causing you unbearable agony! Sacred Lord, I, Ian Jorden, swear to the heavens: So long as I live, I will forever remain loyal to you!"
"I am Isabe Warm’s person. But, I am also yours!"
"Sacred Lord, take care!"
Ian Jorden stood up, deeply bowed to Julius Reed, and slowly left.
Splintering!
Colliding!
Roaring!
A tumultuous battle erupted within Julius Reed’s mind!
Which memories were real!
Which were fake!
Sealing Pulse!
How did the Sealing Pulse seal and rewrite his memories!
Grace River—could she have truly betrayed him?
Was what Ian Jorden revealed true?
Isabe Warm!
"Ah!"
Julius Reed swung his sword!
Boom!
The walls of the private chamber copsed instantly!
"Ridiculous..." He sat back in the chair, his mind gradually recovering.
But Ian Jorden was already nowhere to be found.
Julius Reed, drenched in sweat, stared nkly at the corpse on the ground, unsure of what he was thinking.
Suddenly.
His brows furrowed slightly.
That de!
The Ghost King’s bronze de!
It seemed familiar?
Julius Reed walked over and slowly picked up the bronze de, inspecting its engravings.
The de had a historical air, likely forged a thousand years ago.
The de was covered in skulls.
And etched with some inconspicuous characters.
Julius Reed meticulously stroked and explored the ancient bronze de repeatedly.
Finally!
It seemed he recalled something!
Why did the skulls on the de resemble Lillian Tompson’s skull earrings?
Back at Demarco Mount, Julius Reed had once asked Lillian Tompson: why would a woman wear skull earrings?
Lillian Tompson never answered back then!
And those strange symbols—Julius Reed remembered seeing them before!
On Lillian Tompson’s jewelry box!
Skulls?
Ghost King?
The Ghost King sent Hagan Marsh to Swimming City to take control!
To dominate Swimming City!
Ian Jorden came to Swimming City also to dominate it!
Moreover, the timing of their arrivals was almost identical!
Connecting the dots with Ian Jorden’sst words—that "your four maids by your side, none are simple"...
"I truly am the strongest man in the world." Julius Reed picked up the long de and dialed Lillian Tompson’s number. "Surrounded by vipers, yet still thriving."
’Sorry, the number you dialed is unavable.’
Crack!
Julius Reed clenched his left hand, shattering the phone into pieces.