《The First Magic World War》 Chapter 1 0. Time-travel Diary The first day after I transmigrated! Shocking! Luckily I was living alone, holed up at home, not daring to step outside. The second day after I transmigrated! I ventured out tremblingly, trying to familiarize myself with the surroundings, cautious and not daring to talk to anyone. The third day after I transmigrated! I was slightly less panicked, and even ate something. The food in this world is terribly unptable, only the fruit wine is decent, with very low sweetness, quite agreeable. The fourth day after I transmigrated! I found some books and newspapers, began to read crazily, wanting to understand this world. Yes, I understand thenguage of this world. A little perk for a transmigrator. The fifth day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Understanding the world. The sixth day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Understanding the world. A bit of socializing (note: exchanged a few words with the neighbors about the nice weather). The seventh day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Understanding the world. Attended a banquet. The girls in this world are really spicy, even daring to touch my thigh proactively. My identity must be more than an ordinary person, at least a desirable partner. The eighth day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Understanding the world. Slightly surprised. This world really has deities! And probably demons of sorts. The ninth day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Understanding the world. Recalled my own identity. An Imperial Civil Servant, the son of a merchant, without any connections or background, currently on leave, with vacation almost over. The tenth day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers! Delving into the bodily construction of the female organisms in this world. Discovered a little secret, it seems I have a bit of Special Ability. In my memory, this faint and barely detectable odd energy is known as: Bloody Glory. The eleventh day after I transmigrated! Reading books, scanning newspapers!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Understanding the world. Preparing to end my leave, facing familiar colleagues. Even in another world, one can''t escape the norm, still have to work. Life must go on¡­ The twelfth day after I transmigrated! Packing my bags¡­ What the heck, what have I found? Someone''s diary!? He actually died summoning the Evil God! Wait a minute¡­ Chapter 2 1. Return from vacation "If someone greets you, give them a warm hug. If it''s a woman,pliment her on her looks. If something unexpected happens, justugh it off saying, ''What nice weather we''re having today...''" Charles Mecklen kept psyching himself up and tried to appear as calm andposed as he could manage. About ten days ago, Charles Mecklen was still named Huang Haisheng, a high school math teacher born on Earth who hadpleted a standard university undergraduate education. He didn''t know how he had "passed away." In thest moments of that life, his consciousness was fuzzy, with no memories at all. When he came to, Huang Haisheng had be Charles Mecklen, an empire government employee on vacation. Charles Mecklen worked at the Central Government Office, holding the position of a first-ss clerk, ranked at level forty-one in the imperial bureaucratic system and responsible for some clerical work. The nation he worked for and earned a sry from was called the Fars Empire¡ªa mighty state that never existed in Huang Haisheng''s memory. Charles Mecklen was a native of the Old Continent, born in the Behemoth Duchy (Note: one of the vassal states of the Fars Empire), moved to the empire to study, and after graduating, sessfully secured a generous job in the capital, Strasbourg. In the first few days after transmigrating, he was very panicked¡ªas anyone would be in such a situation. Fortunately... At that time, Charles Mecklen was on vacation. Renting a cottage by the sea in Senis, surrounded by strangers as neighbors, he had enough time and the perfect environment to calm down. Huang Haisheng quickly concluded that taking over the life of Charles Mecklen and living his life step by step was his best option. After transmigrating, he inherited most of "Charles Mecklen''s" memories and acquired some ancient knowledge, allowing him to perfectly blend into this fantasy world with a style reminiscent of ssical Europe. Yes, this is a fantasy world. There are gods, magical creatures, forbidden ancient creations, giants, shamans, the Blood n, magic, Fighting Spirit, Alchemy, Transcendents, and Extraordinary Items. This world was governed by Nine Great True Gods. The nine deities had, in an indescribably ancient era, forged a sacred covenant called "The Laws of the Gods," which stipted that they take turns ruling the world in hundred-year cycles, known as Eras. It was the thirty-fifth year under the rule of Lady ck Moon, and also the fifth Era since the establishment of the Fars Empire. Charles Mecklen stepped into the Government Office, shing aposed smile, and proactively offered a friendly greeting to everyone he saw. Every person who passed by was quite blurry to him; the original owner of the body hadmitted too few pixels of memory to most of his colleagues'' faces, leaving him unable to recognize anyone. Just as although we can recognize most acquaintances instantly, when alone, we can''t picture the faces of those we know well¡ªa minor w in human memory. He made his way to the office in his memory, which he shared with more than twenty clerks. Despite not having a private office space, it was far better than working in the hall like some of his colleagues. As he was just opening the door, he heard a stern middle-aged woman say, "Mr. Mecklen, you will have a special assignment these next few days." Charles gave a slight smile, searching his memory to put together the image of the speaker. The middle-ageddy was his direct superior, Mrs. Aldergund, a stern and austere senior government worker. "Alright, Mrs. Aldergund. I will do my utmost toplete this assignment," Charles said. Mrs. Aldergund was slightly surprised; she had thought that Charles Meklen would refuse, as the job was very difficult and almost no one was willing to take it on. However, since Charles had already agreed, she would not cause unnecessaryplications and said indifferently, "Take this identification to Kilmainham Prison, and someone will arrange the next step of your work." "Here is one Aegeus, as a subsidy for your temporary work." Charles smiled faintly as he took the envelope Mrs. Aldergund handed him, and quickly recalled the rted memories of the Empire''s currency. The Empire had three currency units: Aegeus, Fu Er, and Sheng Ding. One Aegeus equaled ten Fu Er, and one Fu Er equaled one hundred Sheng Ding. In thenguage of the Empire, Aegeus meant shield, avable in denominations of one and five, minted in gold, and very valuable. Nowadays, only the wealthy and the nobility possessedrge amounts of Aegeus, which had be more a collector''s item. It was rarely circted in the market, and almost nobody spent it. Fu Er was originally a unit of weight for currency, equal to one pound of silver. It was changed to silver coins in the third Era, and the people of the Empire called them old Fu Er. In the fourth Era, equivalent paper currency was issued and referred to as new Fu Er, with denominations of one, five, ten, twenty, and fifty. After the switch to paper currency, silver-cast Fu Er, like Aegeus, seldom appeared in the market and essentially exited cirction. Roughly, one Fu Er wasparable to the buying power of eighteen hundred to neen hundred RMB. Sheng Ding came in denominations of one, five, ten, twenty, and fifty, with no paper currency ever issued; it was the only coin still circting inrge quantities. One Aegeus was regarded as a very generous extra remuneration for temporary work, about equivalent to a month and a half of Charles''s sry. Indeed, Charles, as a first-grade clerk of the Empire, earned a high sry of one Fu Er and seventy Sheng Ding weekly, and he even had the ability to take an annual vacation. Aside from the fact that he had not saved much due to a short duration of work and couldn''t afford to buy a home, renting instead, he was considered a handsome young man among the Empire''s youth. This was precisely why at social gatherings there were girls who would touch his thigh; Charles Meklen was an extremely eligible bachelor with a bright future ahead of him. Mrs. Aldergund, who was severe and sparing with words, returned to her own workspace after delegating the work. Charles turned and left the office, departing from the Central Government Office building. He casually hailed a public horse-drawn carriage on the street, which quietly stopped for him. The coachman waited for Charles to board, then set the horses trotting again. Sitting in the carriage, Charles experienced the bumpiness of this ancient mode of transport while opening the envelope, withdrawing a ten Fu Er note and an official introduction letter. The Empire had not issued paper currency for any denomination of Aegeus; there were no one Aegeus notes nor five Aegeus notes, only gold coins for Aegeus. For these reasons, the Empire had a custom that puzzled transmigrators: they habitually called a ten Fu Er note one Aegeus! Charles put the ten Fu Er note into his wallet, tucked the introduction letter into the pocket of his coat, crumpled the envelope into a ball, and casually tossed it out of the carriage window,nding it impressively in a trash bin at a street corner. Emperor Julius the Sixth of the Empire, who had a natural obsession with cleanliness, could no longer tolerate the openly flowing sewage and randomly piled garbage in the city. He propelled a municipal policy about trash bins. It proved that even emperors have their limits; the policy was notpletely sessful and only survived in the Val de Vaz District. The Val de Vaz District was where the Imperial Pce, the Central Government Office, Nine Great True Gods'' churches, and the four most famous universities were located. These noble lords also preferred to enjoy a clean living environment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As for the other districts, let the wind take them. Chapter 3 2. The Empires First Rose Kilmainham Prison was located in Marn District, separated by tworge districts from Val de Vaz District. The speed of the carriage was not fast, and Charles napped briefly on the carriage before he heard the coachman carefully remind him, "Mister, we have arrived at Kilmainham Prison." Charles alighted from the carriage, his face lit with a smile as he bid farewell to the coachman and hurried towards Kilmainham Prison. He presented an introduction letter to the prison guard and smiled, "This is an identity verification issued by the Central Government Office. I am Charles Meklen, here to perform some assistance work." The prison guard carefully examined the letter, returned it to Charles, and said with respect, "Mister Mecklen, please proceed straight to the first office building and inquire for Madame Pascal. She will take you to meet Miss Menilman." Charles''s smile stiffened a bit as he asked, "I am to assist Miss Menilman? Which miss is that?" The prison guard revealed a proud smile, answering, "Indeed, it''s the Empire''s First Rose, Miss Menilman." Charles did not dare to inquire further and rushed into Kilmainham Prison, easily locating the first office building, where under the guidance of Madame Pascal, he entered a separate office and met the legendary Empire''s First Rose. Menilman was a legend of the Empire. She was unrivalled in beauty, but her status as the finest female representative of the Empire was not merely due to her looks; this miss was a High Order Transcendent, exceedingly rare throughout the entire Empire, her Fighting Spirit refined and profound. The miss wore an Empire military uniform, blooming like a rose in full swing, her beautiful and watery eyes swirling with anger, her body''s Fighting Spirit so intense it nearly ignited. Several clerks within the room were all quivering with fear, and the office''s floor was scattered with dozens of documents, making the room somewhat messy. Charles could not afford to steal nces at the beauty of the Empire''s First Rose, instead nodding slightly to his colleagues in the room and hurriedly picking up the documents from the floor to start his work. Having experienced the allure of inte beauties in his past life, even though Miss Menilman''s beauty was wlessly perfect from every angle, it still wasn''t enough to shake a man who had lived through two lifetimes at the Central Government Office. On the way here, Charles had taken the time to read the content of the letters; besides proving his identity, it briefly described his task¡ªto assist in organizing the case files at the Kilmainham Prison office. As everyone knows, the best way to alleviate awkwardness in the office is to pretend to be very busy, or to actually be very busy. Although Charles studied Mathematical Education at college and had only superficial knowledge of Statistics, Archival Science, and Library Science, he still managed to exhibit his talent in this ancient country, busying himself quickly with organizing all the documents from the floor and office desk. Menilman had suppressed her anger since Charles entered and coldly observed this calm clerk. Once Charles had organized the documents, she finally asked, "I need to know what happened on March 18th?" Charles calmly responded, "There are twenty-eight documents rted to March 18th, spread across four years. Does Miss Menilman need all the information, or just for a certain year?" "ck Moon Era thirty-one." "Twenty-one documents in total." "Bring them all out." Charles''s expression remained unchanged, but he was nearly overwhelmed inside, having seen things in the documents that he should not have seen during his previous sorting. When he fetched the twenty-one documents, Menilman snatched them with a burst of bright mes from her hands. The mes of Fighting Spirit ignited, and in a moment, all the documents were reduced to ashes. She pped her hands and said, "Now, find me the files rted to the Night Window incident." Without a word, Charles, following the miss''smand, easily located seven documents. Menilman nced at the other clerks in the room and said, "You may leave now." The clerks, as if granted amnesty, looked gratefully at Charles and filed out of the room one after the other. Menilman said, "Organize all the documents in this room. I need all the files concerning Zimmerman Axel Robin." Charles nced at the severalrge filing cabs in the office and replied lightly, "Alright." At the same time, he mumbled to himself, "The documents from this era are indeed scarce." As a high school math teacher, he had gathered more papers in a semester than all the documents in this room. Menilman incessantly issuedmands. Charles alwayspleted them perfectly, and soon the documents in the room were reorganized. He also learned many secrets that were not meant for him, such as... Well, better not to entertain such thoughts in front of Miss Menilman. Too... sordid. Menilman destroyed dozens of documents, nced at the sunset outside, and asked, "Which agency sent you here as a clerk?" Charles answered with neither humility nor arrogance, "Central Government Office." "What is your name?" "Charles Mecklen." "Which college did you graduate from?" Charles lifted his head, his tone light yet filled with undisguised pride, and answered, "Sheffield University!" Menilman finally showed a slight emotion and asked, "Sheffield University?" Charles briefly replied, "Yes." Thedy known as The Empire''s First Rose showed the first smile since Charles entered the office, saying, "I am your senior." Charles also returned the smile, saying, "Sheffield University, graduate of the year ck Moon thirty-three, Charles greets his senior." The education of the Empire was divided into six levels: elementary, secondary, higher, public schools, National Academy, and Imperial Universities. Toplete higher education was already a rare aplishment in society; a poor family that managed to educate a child to that level could proudly dere they had leaped social sses. Public schools, typically funded by nobles, had graduates that were distinctly separate frommoners. The National Academy was even acimed to serve the Royal Family and the Empire! It mainly trained entry-level talents for various levels of government, with unimaginable benefits for graduates. This was roughly akin to the treatment of university students in the five or six decades before Charles crossed over to this world. As for the Imperial Universities, they were nothing like the universities on Earth. There was amon saying in the educational field of the Empire: "The National Academy serves the Royal Family and the Empire, while the Imperial Universities serve the divine. Each university represents the care of a deity, making the graduates'' status immensely prestigious."N?v(el)B\\jnn That was also why Charles was able to work at the Central Government Office, earn a high sry in the Empire, and have annual leave. Because he graduated from Sheffield University. One of the mere four universities in the Fars Empire. Menilman nodded and smiled, extending her right hand downwards. Charles gently picked up the right hand with both of his and lightly touched her slender fingertips with his forehead. In the Empire, this was an important ritual, signifying that from then on, the man and the woman had formed a pure friendship. Chapter 4 Promotion and salary increase Unmarried girls are only to be touched by men with a forehead against their fingertips; for marrieddies, gentlemen must lightly kiss the back of the hand. Charles had heard that this school sister had been engaged, but the engagement was called off for some well-known reason, and she was still single; he touched her fingertips with his forehead, maintaining the decorum of a gentleman. Menilman whispered, "Transfer my subordinates here." Revealing a hint of defiance, Charles whispered back, "A demotion through transfer?" His voice was full of resentment, but it was merely a strategy of advancing by seeming to retreat. Under normal circumstances, low-level government employees like clerks expect a promotion every three years, but if they are transferred to a new position, the time toward promotion restarts from the beginning. Within the Empire''s government, it has always been said that "a transfer without a promotion is equivalent to a demotion." Menilman snorted coldly and asked, "When is your next promotion?" Without hesitation, Charles answered, "In a month and a half, I should be promoted to a third-tier clerk." Indeed, Charles graduated from Sheffield University and with that degree, entered the Central Government Office as a clerk, enjoying a high sry. However,ing from a family of merchants with no connections in the bureaucratic circle, he had not received any additional promotion opportunities in the two years since joining the Central Government Office and had to wait his turn for promotion, following the due course. As a transmigrator, Charles''s daring far surpassed that of the natives of this world. He slightly elevated his position and indicated that he would soon be promoted again¡ªsuch audacity was nothing short of breathtaking. Menilman rang the bell in the room, and shortly after, a middle-aged military officer entered. She pointed to Charles and said, "Transfer this man to Kilmainham Prison; his position will be the Clerk Chief of my office." Having merged with the original host''s memories, Charles too was shocked by the corruption of the Empire''s officialdom and the darkness of the workce. But when that corruption fell upon his own head, making him a beneficiary of the shadowy workce machinations, he feigned shock on the surface, while inside he was thrilled beyond measure, without the slightest intention of resistance. Charles initially thought that this school sister''s offer of a second-tier clerk''s treatment, with promises of future promotions, was already a great deal. If he were to be directly given the position of a third-tier clerk, it would be a leapfrog promotion. Yet, Menilman had promised him the position of Clerk Chief. The Empire''s bureaucratic system was exceedinglyplex, divided into fifty-three ranks. As the most numerous employees in the government, clerks ranged from the lowest forty-first rank at first-tier clerk to the highest-ranking thirty-seventh rank at fifth-tier clerk, marking the end of their position''s progression¡ªonly through a change of profession could one continue to ascend in rank. Clerk Chief was the mostmon career change for clerks.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A first-tier Clerk Chief and a fifth-tier clerk were both of the thirty-seventh rank, but their prospects for promotion were vastly different¡ªthe former had bright prospects, while thetter''s were dim. He had ascended from a forty-first rank first-tier clerk to a thirty-seventh rank first-tier Clerk Chief; it seemed like just a four-tier promotion, but in reality, it was a five-tier jump, incorporating a career climb across sses. By the way, it should be mentioned that Madam Aldergund, who held supreme authority over an office, took a lengthy twenty-one years to rise from a forty-fifth rank assistant to a thirty-seventh rank fifth-tier clerk. Due to her inability to change professions, Aldergund was likely to stay in that position until retirement. Charles really wanted to say, "I am willing to die for my school sister," or perhaps utter, "Greetings to you, my lord school sister." He also considered the ssic, "Having been adrift for half a lifetime, having traveled across two realms, never having found a true master, if school sister would not forsake me, I wish to be your sworn son." But considering the cultural differences between the two worlds, he reluctantly abandoned these thoughts and replied with a gentlemanly smile, "In the future, I hope for more guidance from school sister Menilman." Menilman nodded slightly and said, "You must be exhausted today. Go home and rest; move to the prison tomorrow. We''ll be working overtime in theing days, so remember to bring enough living essentials." Charles was not concerned. Just overtime? As if he hadn''t done it in his previous life. While a high school mathematics teacher might not have worked the 996 schedule, staying upte to grade homework was routine, and the workload wasparable to any other. Seeing that Menilman had no other instructions, Charles left the office and hastily departed Kilmainham Prison. There were no cabs to hail on demand in the Menier District. ``` Charles could only walk to another district before he encountered a public carriage. He waved it down and headed back to his residence in the Alexander District. Although the Alexander District was far fromparing with the Val de Vaz District, it was still one of the top seven districts in the Empire''s capital, Strasbourg, primarily inhabited by affluent merchants. Themunity was quite bustling, with severalrge malls and markets. Charles rented an apartment in the Alexander District. This apartment was built by the Savings Union and named the Savings Union Apartment. It was specifically provided for single young people with a certain amount of savings. The living environment was very high-quality, and the services provided were alsoprehensive. It was "the first time" Charles visited the Savings Union Apartment; thest time he came, he was someone else. Charles seemed to know his way around but was actually very anxious as he entered the apartment building. The doorman of the apartment smiled kindly at him without interrogating him. Charles sighed with relief, went up to the second floor. The lower floors that faced the street were rtively noisy, so the rent was slightly cheaper. He used his key to open the door, pushed open his room, and couldn''t help shaking his head. The room was quite messy; the previous upant was not a neat person. In addition to the men''s clothing scattered all over, there were also various women''s garments in disarray. ording to the memory prompts, these clothes belonged to different women, whose faces and names had long since blurred. Charles casually tidied up, separating the men''s from thedies'' clothes. He nned to take all the clothes that "belonged to him" to be washed the next morning, and throw away all that didn''t belong to "him." Copsing into a wicker chair in the room, Charles suddenly felt an emotional breakdown. He didn''t want to say anything, didn''t want to do anything, he just wanted to sit quietly for a while. He had inexplicably transmigrated here, switched to another identity, and arrived in apletely unfamiliar world. This was a world where there were gods. He was decidedly a heretic. Charles Mecklen worried almost every minute that some stranger might suddenly jump out on the streets, proiming to punish him on behalf of the gods, ce him on a pyre, pour over the fire oil, and ignite it. Ah, there was also the Evil God! His predecessor died because of summoning the Evil God. Every single one of Them in this world was "dangerous." Perhaps a slight mishandling could contaminate his spirituality, turn him into a monster, or even result in his annihtion. The sense of burden he carried was simply indescribable in words. Today was the first day Charles returned from vacation, and it was also the first day he tried to start a new life. He chose to integrate into this world, rather than to resist it. This day had an exceptionally perfect beginning. This beginning even exceeded Charles''s own expectations. ``` Chapter 5 4. Zimmerman Axel Robin Charles couldn''t have imagined that he would be sent on official business to Kilmainham Prison and even gain the appreciation of his senior Ms. Menilman, resulting in an unexpected promotion and sry increase. Yet, no perfect start could ease the pressure deep in his heart. The room gradually darkened, and Charles didn''t turn on the light, nor was there any light to turn on. There were no streetlights outside the window, and after nightfall, it was pitch ck, starkly different from the world he hade from. In every city, there were streetlights, and after nightfall, they shone bright, even outshining the stars above. That world was now a thing of the past. After a while, Charles clenched his fists lightly and swung them slightly, whispering, "Mr. Yellow Sea Life, you''ve done very well today." "Please continue to work hard and keep it up tomorrow." He gave himself encouragement, took out a kerosene lighter, gently flicked the wheel to strike the flint, and lit an oilmp in the room. There was no light to turn on, but there was a light to be lit. Although dim and dull, the oilmp was still amp. Charles looked around at the room that belonged to him. The savings association apartment provided only to single young people, so all of the apartments were one-room units. It had a separate bathroom, indicating that this era already had sewage systems in ce, but no separate kitchen. He could only use a kerosene stove to make some coffee, soup, or simple oatmeal. Theyout inside the room was abination of bedroom and study, with a desk¡ªnot toorge but sufficient for writing¡ªa cab for clothes, and a single sofa. When Charles saw the gas stove, he couldn''t help but feel hungry; he hadn''t eaten anything all day. Ms. Menilman seemed to have forgotten this fact, and since she hadn''t eaten anything herself, she naturally did not prepare any food for Charles. Charles stood up and, by the faint kerosenemp, started the kerosene stove. He found a few potatoes, some vegetables that looked like peas, a bottle of seasoning that appeared to be curry and smelled like it too, and half a loaf of bread that was hard and ck. There was no electricity in this era, but the apartment had running water. Charles filled a pot halfway with clear water, peeled and diced the potatoes, threw in a handful of peas, added two spoonfuls of seasoning, and after the water boiled, broke up the ck bread and tossed it in. A few minutester, he served his dinner on a te. Honestly, it tasted terrible. But after going hungry all day, Charles was not concerned about the vor. He quickly finished the pot of food and even boiled another half pot of water for some tea. The tea was also from storage, had a strong vor, and was very different from the taste of tea on Earth. It had a peculiar and stimtive taste, as though spiced with peppercorns and chilies. Charles frowned as he took a sip, then sat back in the wicker chair, took out his journal and hesitated, but didn''t open it. Since returning from Senis, he had handed his luggage over to the Imperial Post for shipment, carrying only this journal with him. Charles had only hastily skimmed thest few pages before leaving, confirming the previous owner had died summoning the Evil God, without having fully perused it. The light from the oilmp was weak, and under such lighting conditions, he didn''t want to read anything, as it was bad for his eyesight. His bigger worry was the journal being tainted with the aura of the Evil God; the former owner died from summoning the Evil God, and there might be some "unclean" things in it. Sipping on the tea, Charles slowly recalled the documents he had seen during the day, using the memories to pass the time. Frankly, he had not expected to see so many sensational secrets. Most of these documents were rted to one person. Zimmerman Axel Robin! This man was of noble origin, originally named: Zimmerman Robin! Five eras ago, Saroses Robin assisted King Axel, ascending to the throne from being amoner, and became the Fars Empire''s highest hereditary noble with his loyalty and bravery, his iron blood and achievements. Even before the meteoric rise of Saroses, the Robin Family was the oldest nobility within the Inglima Empire, producing countless schrs, military strategists, adventurers, as well as unparalleled warriors and swordsmen who were unrivaled in their audacity! In the newly born Fars Empire, the power, prestige, and status of the Robin Family even surpassed what it had been during the Inglima Empire era.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om From a young age, Zimmerman showed a monstrous talent; he entered Habsburg Public School at six and graduated at the top of his ss in the third year, subsequently gaining admission to the National Academy. All the public schools in the Empire operated on a credit system, with an averagepletion time of six and a half years. Habsburg Public School, ranked first in the Empire, had particrly stringent academics, with many students taking more than eight years to graduate, and it wasn''t rare to see students who spent more than ten years there. Zimmerman''s ability to finish his studies in three years, securing the top spot upon graduation, was enough to make all his peers look up to him, to say he was a future star of the Empire was hardly apliment¡ªit was a fact. Charles graduated in five years but ranked only eighty-ninth in his exam results, and his Lemann Public School was far inferior to Habsburg, merely a second-rate institution. Zimmerman Robin''s resume didn''t end there; at thirteen, he breezed through his coursework at the National Academy, once again with dazzling results, he was admitted to the Royal Hogwarts University and, as a rare genius whoes once in a century, hepleted his studies there before turning twenty. After graduation, he declined numerous attractive job offers, choosing instead to join the Imperial Navy, where within one year, he rose from captain of a third-level ship tomanding officer of a naval fleet with five warships, leading his fleet to sweep away eight pirate fleets consecutively and subdued East Li Nation, a persistent headache for the Empire, turning it into an overseas territory of the Empire. Logically, he should have be the governor of East Li Nation, but he turned down the appointment and... led his troops in mutiny! He joined thergest pirate group. This favored son of heaven immediately became the Empire''s number one on the most-wanted list, with an unprecedented bounty of five hundred thousand Gold Eglus! Before he made the list, the renowned Pirate King who was ranked number one had a bounty of only one hundred and sixteen thousand Gold Eglus, and thebined bounties for the top ten ouws were only four hundred and eighty-six thousand Gold Eglus. At that time, the Empire was swept up in an indescribable frenzy, as no one could guess why he would abandon such a promising future and willingly degrade himself. The King was extremely enraged and publicly humiliated the head of the Robin Family several times. Unable to contain his fury, the family head announced the disownment of his surname and dered in the newspapers, "The Robin Family will never again associate with an Empire traitor." No one could have imagined that this brash individual would go on to do even more earth-shattering things! Less than half a year after Zimmerman Axel joined the Pirate King''s fleet, he boldly challenged the Pirate King and, in a well-nned public confrontation, killed the ruler of the Seven Seas who had reigned for over fifty years and even posed a subtler threat to the Empire''s navy¡ªthe Pirate King. It took him three years to unify the sixteen pirate fleets of the Seven Seas and, with his lofty prestige, he became the newly crowned Pirate King. Then, Zimmerman Axel made an astounding decision that shocked the world¡ªhe led the joint pirate fleet back to the Empire. Chapter 6 5. Empire Rose Incident It is said that when the g of the Pirate King fluttered outside the Empire''srgest port, Mingfuster, a certain general of the Imperial Navy was so scared he pissed his pants. At that time, Mingfuster Port had fewer than twenty warships in repair, while the returning pirate fleet consisted of a formidable array of 300 ships, powerful enough to tten the Empire''srgest port. With a rapid march along the port, they could have stormed into the Empire''s capital, Strasbourg, in just one week. In that bustling port city, every resident, every merchant felt as if the end of the world hade, with not even half the soldiers mustering the courage to fight. When the gship and the vessels under the Pirate King raised the surrender gs, Mingfuster Port erupted into joy as if it were the grandest festival, with everyone immensely happy, and countless people dancing and singing in the streets. Zimmerman Robin led the pirate fleet back home, returning to the Empire''s embrace, his reputation unmatched at the time! In just a few short years, Zimmerman Robin''s renown plummeted to the lowly depths before skyrocketing, reaching heights even his unprecedented talents should not have been able to attain in a lifetime! His young life was truly the stuff of Empire legends. In that year, Zimmerman Robin''s renown even rivaled that of his ancestor from five eras before, Saroses Robin, deemed the most untamed figure of the times, destined to be immortalized in history. When the King granted an audience to Zimmerman Robin, he said with a smile, "You can ask for any reward from me, except for the throne!" At that time, Zimmerman asked for something no one could have imagined. He declined to return to the Robin Family, instead requesting from the King the surname Axel, thus changing his name from Zimmerman Robin to Zimmerman Axel Robin! After leading the fleet back to the Empire, Zimmerman Axel Robin seemed to have achieved all his life''s goals, undergoing a peculiar change in personality. Before leading the fleet in rebellion, Zimmerman Axel Robin was a man of few words, engrossed in his studies, considering all forms of entertainment unnecessary, strict in self-discipline, and traditional in his ways. His mentors described Zimmerman as a man whose daily routine was as precise as a clock, whose life was as disciplined as a saint, this guy, except for his studies and truth, was oblivious to all else! The Zimmerman who returned to the Empire, however, seemed to have cast aside all pretenses, transforming into the Empire''s most seasoned yboy in just a few days. Menierman Sumei, also known as Charles''s legendary senior sister, was once Zimmerman''s fianc¨¦e. One day, when she went to visit her mother, she witnessed Zimmerman "toiling" on her mother... The scene at the time was considered a great disgrace by Menierman. Enraged to the extreme, The Empire''s First Rose drew her side sword on the spot, deciding to duel this phnderer. Charles saw an entire day''s worth of things he should not have. He understood why Miss Menierman wanted to burn those documents. If it weren''t for the widespread spread of this affair, Charles even doubted whether his senior sister might resort to murder to silence it. Given his senior sister''s family background and social status, killing a few lowly first-grade clerks was not considered a serious crime in the Empire. The duel did not go ahead as nned, after Zimmerman Axel Robin brought Madame Sherlie to the pinnacle of bliss, he rolled over, smashed through a window, and disappeared from Menierman''s sight at top speed. The Empire Rose had no chance to stop this shameless, lecherous bastard. The next day, Menierman issued a public statement, not only tearing up the engagement but also challenging Zimmerman Axel Robin to a duel to the death. The most outstanding of the Empire Roses had innumerable faithful servants willing to run errands for her, challenging her former fianc¨¦ on her behalf. Within a single day, Zimmerman Axel Robin received hundreds of duel challenges, and wherever he appeared, someone would block his path and demand a duel on the street. As a descendant of the Robin family, Zimmerman Axel Robin inherited profound swordsmanship skills, and his ferocity and ruthlessness even surpassed those of his ancestor from five hundred years ago, during his prime. Zimmerman won several duels on the street with overwhelming victories but, during the eighteenth duel, he was provoked by a challenger and killed a man on the street. After that duel, he showed no mercy in all his challenges, fighting a total of one hundred and fifteen duels and killing one hundred and fifteen enemies, thus offending most of the Empire''s nobility. After all, those who were qualified to challenge him belonged to the noble offspring of the Empire, born of noteworthy nobility. This widely impacting series of duels came to be known historically as the Empire Rose Incident. It marked the dividing line in Zimmerman Axel Robin''s life, as well as the beginning of his great fall. Zimmerman seemed to be unreasonable overnight, not only defeating his enemies on the dueling ground but nearly every time after a duel, he would go on to provoke the older women of the challenger''s family, including but not limited to: mothers, aunts, maternal aunts, elder sisters, female cousins, and so on¡­ If there were no other options, sisters, female second cousins, even daughters of family friends were not spared. From being a noble of the Empire, he fell to the status of a criminal charged with: murder, rape, arson, robbery, theft, kidnapping, intimidation... totalizing two hundred and fifty-seven offenses. He even set a new Empire crime record! If not for his previous great achievements, His Majesty the Emperor would not have signed seven pardons in a row, and Mr. Zimmerman would have found himself on the gallows long ago. As Charles went through the records, there came a slight pause, and suddenly he felt that this, indeed, was what life was about. Compared to Mr. Zimmerman, even with his additional experience of transmigrating, his own life seemed rather dull, tedious, and utterly uninteresting. Zimmerman Axel Robin is now imprisoned in Kilmainham Prison, awaiting either the Emperor''s eighth pardon or an execution order for hanging. Charles rubbed his temples and decided he couldn''t force himself to drink this world''s tea anymore; he resolved to buy some different tea leaves tomorrow, like the flower tea transported from the Eastern Li country. After putting down his teacup, Charles took off his clothes, climbed into bed, and quickly fell into a deep sleep. The next day! Charles woke up in the morning light, rubbing his eyes. He had sleptfortably through the night, got out of bed, freshened up a bit, changed into clean clothes, and packed up his dirty clothes at the front door.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The maids from the Savings Association Apartments would take away the dirty clothing left by tenants at the door, wash, iron, and return them clean, with the cost added to the rent, settled once a month. After tidying his room a bit, Charles, who didn''t have enough time to dispose of thedies'' clothes at home, hurried out of the apartment because he had some work procedures to go through today. In this era, office automation did not exist, and all official procedures needed to be done manually. Chapter 7 6. Prison Militarys Issued Weapons This was the fundamental reason Charles dared to lie openly. To check the records of an Empire bureaucrat, one needed to specifically go through volumes of files, and in the Fars Empire, where catalog indexing was not yet poprized, browsing through files was a taxing job. No one could expose his lies on the spot. Charles didn''t believe anyone would check the records afterward just to catch a "parasite" like him. There were far too many people to offend, and the entire bureaucratic system would resist "correction." First, Charles returned to the Central Government Office and bought some bagels for breakfast along the way. It was only a pity that there were no streetside shops selling fresh cow or sheep milk throughout the Fars Empire, or else it would have been perfect. While eating his bagels, Charles pushed open his office door and saw Mrs. Aldergunde. He showed her the transfer order he obtained yesterday. Mrs. Aldergunde was quite surprised and made a rare attempt to persuade him, "The work environment and promotion opportunities at Kilmainham Prison are not as good as those of the Central Government Office. Are you sure you want to consider it more?" With a helpless shrug, Charles said, "If I had a way to refuse, I would have already refused." Mrs. Aldergunde sighed and signed her name. The colleagues in the office all looked delighted at someone else''s misfortune, with several of them secretly thinking, "Fortunately, it''s Charles who''s going; otherwise, the unlucky person transferred to Kilmainham Prison might have been me." The transfer order did not specify Charles''s exact position after his transfer to Kilmainham Prison. Nor would Charles intentionally boast about it. This was an entirely unnecessary and childish act that would only bring trouble andplications to his career. After hurriedly departing the office he had been in for two years, he went to visit the personnel department. In less than an hour, he finished all the procedures, left the Central Government Office, hailed a public carriage, and went straight to Kilmainham Prison. On his second visit to the Empire''s oldest prison, Charles was already familiar with the process. With the assistance of Mrs. Pascal, the reception secretary, he swiftlypleted the onboarding process and became a 37th-grade bureaucrat of the Empire, the Clerk Chief in the warden''s office at Kilmainham Prison. As a former first-grade clerk and 41st-grade national employee of the Empire, Charles''s weekly sry was one Fu Er and seventy Sheng Ding. After his promotion to Clerk Chief, now a 37th-grade national employee, his weekly sry increased to six Fu Er and fifteen Sheng Ding, roughly 3.6 times his original sry. Tranted into Earth''s purchasing power, it was the equivalent of a nearly 50,000 monthly sry, already among the high-ie group with golden-cor earnings. Having dealt with his official duties, Charles thanked Mrs. Pascal and politely inquired, "Where should I start working?" He certainly couldn''t share an office with Miss Menier Nierman; it would be against the rules. As Clerk Chief, he should theoretically have his own independent office, and Charles was looking forward to his new work environment. Mrs. Pascal smiled slightly and said, "You will need to go and collect the prison guard''s gear, including a handgun, baton, and side sword. Although you are a civilian employee, you are now part of the prison military, and it''s very likely that you will face threats andbat. These items are indispensable." Charles couldn''t help but ask, "Will there be violent incidents at Kilmainham Prison?" Mrs. Pascal smiled and replied, "Thest time there was violence in the prison was before Lady ck Moon took charge of the century. However, please do not refuse the weapons." Charles smiled and answered, "I''m not refusing weapons." He had been transferred from the harmless Central Government Office to a prison under the national machinery of violence; carrying weapons was an inevitable choice. Of course, Charles didn''t feel any danger here, not many ces in the entire Empire were safer than Kilmainham Prison. He followed Mrs. Pascal to the weapon room. A middle-aged military man with a beard full of stubble muttered, "Another neer?" Mrs. Pascal answered, "The Clerk Chief personally transferred by the warden. The bearded middle-aged military man chuckled and said, "Then let''s take good care of this little guy!" "Come with me." Mrs. Pascal said, "My work here is done, good luck to you. Your office is next to the warden''s, and your name is on the door." Charles quickly turned around, smiled politely, said goodbye to Mrs. Pascal, and watched her leave. After waiting a moment, the bearded middle-aged military man asked, "Do you want the standard issue weapons, or would you prefer to pick some special ones?" Charles raised an eyebrow and asked, "What''s the difference?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The middle-aged military man with the beard exined, "The weapons room will have some confiscated weapons, slightly better in quality than the standard issue." Charles asked, "Can I pick them out myself?" The bearded middle-aged military manughed, "Whatever you like!" He took Charles into the weapons room, pointed, and said, "These are the standard issue weapons, and that little room in the back contains confiscated items." The implication of the bearded man was very clear, the little room in the back stored Extraordinary Weapons. In this world, there are gods, magical creatures, forbidden ancient artifacts, giants, barbarian sorcerers, members of the Blood n, magic, Fighting Spirit, Alchemy, and both Transcendents and Extraordinary Items. Of course, the armory of Kilmainham Prison wouldn''t have particrly fine Extraordinary Weapons; the best stock would''ve already been snapped up by the powerful and privileged. However, what remained was still extremely precious and absolutely not easy toe by outside. Charles had yet to see an Extraordinary Item since arriving in this world, and in his memory, each Extraordinary Item was extremely expensive. For example, the mostmon and cheapest magicmps, used only for illumination, cost twelve Aegeus, way beyond his sry''s capacity. Extraordinary Weapons used forbat often value over one hundred Aegeus; in terms of purchasing power in Renminbi, they are worth more than two million, equivalent to an ordinary residence in a medium-sized city. Unless there was arge amount of "extra ie", Charles would never feel the urge to spend sovishly on such expensive luxury items in his life. The weapon racks outside were filled with all kinds of firearms. The technology for gun manufacturing in this world was developing quite rapidly, with performance of firearms approaching that of Earth during World War I, and their design surpassing the aesthetics of the 2000s on Earth. The Empire didn''t have a police force, all duties typically carried out by police were done by military personnel instead, officially referred to as prison military, or Prison Armed Forces. The handguns issued to the Prison Armed Forces, officially named the Magnum Hand Shuttle, had an eighteen-round capacity and featured superior closebat capabilities. There was also a type of handgun simr to Earth''s shotgun, called Thunder Gun, loaded with explosive rounds, a favorite "close-quarters heavy firepower" among prison military. Chapter 8 7. The unspoken rules of Kilmainham Prison ``` Turning past the disy of firearms, there was a rack of melee weapons, mainly consisting of canes, rapiers, and daggers. Among these, canes were the mostmon because they could double as everyday objects and could, therefore, be carried openly without issue. There were roughly five types of regtion canes issued to the Empire''s military: the battlefield cane made of metal, which was heavy and, when swung, had the power to smash a person''s skull; it contained a hidden bay for close-quartersbat. Thew enforcement cane was made of red pear wood, which is hard but inexpensive. The most important feature was its natural reddish hue that deepened with polishing, making it quite noticeable when dozens were wielded duringw enforcement activities. Another type was a short cane that was not suitable forbat, but by holding the head, one could pull out a dagger. Officially called the convenience-type military cane, it is colloquially known as the short-sword cane. This was a favorite among soldiers and was widely circted in the civilian market; it was standard equipment for many regional gangs. During gang brawls, one would mostly see this type of military short-sword cane. The other two types of military canes were rather crude, mainly supplied to engineers and logistics troops, and were not stocked here. Besides canes, daggers and rapiers were alsomon weapons. The Empire''s rapier was simr to the swift sword on Earth but had a thicker and wider de, was heavier, had less ornate guards, and was simr to Western swordsmanship, but with heavier footwork, faster strikes, and more chopping moves. It was a pure killing technique. From public school onwards, there were swordsmanship sses that mainly taught rapier techniques. Charles was not a master of swordsmanship, at best proficient; his basic forms were fine, but if used inbat, he could onlyugh off the inadequacy withments about the nice weather. However, his gunmanship was decent¡ªnot a sharpshooter, but he could snuff out a candle within twenty steps. He did not continue looking at the standard weapons and went into the innermost small room. The bearded soldier''s voice followed from behind, "If you choose one weapon, in honor of the warden, we''ll make no extra demands. If you pick two, you''ll have to sell one, but you can only keep half of the proceeds." "If you choose three weapons, you may keep two." "Three is the limit." With a slight smile, Charles did not turn around but said, "Three!" There were profound reasons behind why Lady Pascal personally brought him here and left before he selected his weapons. This was the unspoken rule. The unspoken rule of Kilmainham Prison. Charles had no intention of challenging these unspoken rules. Having been reincarnated into this world, he simply wanted to go with the flow and had no desire to change it. The bearded soldier muttered softly, "A good neer." His footsteps rustled as he turned and walked away. Charles mulled over for a moment before beginning to look around the small room filled with confiscated weapons. All four walls were lined with wooden racks of average wood quality that didn''t hold much¡ªjust a mere thirty or forty items. Among these sparse disys, there were hardly any firearms; most bore heavy marks of time. Charles''s attention was soon drawn to a small hand axe. "A vampiric weapon!" Charles picked up the hand axe in surprise, having not anticipated encountering such a weapon. The axe was only as long as half an arm, shorter even than the short-sword cane, and of a deep red hue throughout. That was the natural color of Blood Steel, a special product of the Blood n, exquisitely forged with intricate patterns on both the de and handle. Charles had studied rted subjects extensively at Sheffield University and recognized the patterns as those of the Fanga Family. ``` Vampiric weapons are almost exclusively produced by the Blood n; it''s said that only by using a Blood Core from a baron-grade or higher member of the high-ranking Blood n can such sinister weapons be crafted. Even within the Blood n, they are rare, and those who possess them tend to be from the grand nobility, each vampiric weapon a treasured heirloom of these inhuman monsters. Not even one might be owned by hundreds of ordinary Blood n warriors. It can absorb the essence of an enemy''s blood, providing its master with an endless supply of strength, giving them a significant advantage in battle. Among humans, vampiric weapons are even rarer. They are a specialized weapon of the Blood n; only in their hands can they activate the ability to absorb the essence of an enemy''s blood. Holders of other races can neither activate the Vampire Ability nor will they even be drawn upon by the vampiric weapon for their life force. In the human Empire, vampiric weapons are known as ''Rebellious Weapons that Doom Their Masters,'' and aside from a very few collectors, almost no one is interested in them. He gripped the small and exquisite hand axe tightly, took a deep breath, and immediately felt a slight prickling pain in the palm of his hand. Charles Mecklen, too, was a Transcendent. With a little Special Ability.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The strange energy he wielded was known as: Bloody Glory! During his studies at Sheffield University, Charles Mecklen had taken an exceptionally ancient and very niche Extraordinary Secret Art. As the Bloody Glory was activated, the hand axe instantly burst into a sinister red glow. Since his return from Synis, the Bloody Glory within him had grown every day, and was now no longer imperceptible, no longer faint. Public schools only teach mundane martial techniques, while the National Academy would impart the Knight Breathing Technique, guide students in concentrating their energy seeds, and awaken their Fighting Spirit. The university, on the other hand, would take it a step further, touching upon Extraordinary Knowledge and stepping onto the path in pursuit of reality. Even though at graduation, out of a hundred university students perhaps only one or two might master Supernatural Powers, it was still the only divine gift. Bloody Glory was a path of the Transcendent developed by humanity after studying the Blood n, the only power besides that of the Blood n that could activate vampiric weapons. It also was abat technique created specifically for hunting the Blood n; most of the Blood n deeply detested Bloody Glory. The original Mister Charles Mecklen had chosen it, not because he harbored any hatred towards the Blood n but for a minor reason: Bloody Glory was one of the rare Transcendent powers that could increase charisma and had a certain life-extending effect. Yes, that was very Charles! He had tried and failed to "awaken the Transcendent" several times during his four years at university, which is why he attempted the dangerous ritual of "summoning the Evil God." He seeded andpleted the awakening ritual, officially bing a Transcendent. He also failed, as the Evil God took away his soul. Huang Haisheng crossed over, inheriting everything! Charles looked carefully at it for a while and unhesitatingly made this vampiric weapon his first choice. He had never thought of umting enough sry to obtain an Extraordinary Weapon, especially one that resonated with Bloody Glory. Even with ample funds, such a thing seemed more improbable than winning the lottery. Not to mention that a newly promoted level-one Clerk Chief didn''t have much money. Now that such an opportunity had arisen, how could he possibly miss it? Having secured the Vampiric Hand Axe, Charles looked around the room and picked out two more items. One was the rtively rare cold weapon¡ªa multi-headed il. The other was an old Magic Stabbing Sword. Having selected his weapons, Charles left the armory with pride. He handed the old Magic Stabbing Sword to the bearded soldier, who epted the item, checked the other two things Charles had brought, did the registration, and didn''t bother him any further. Chapter 9 8. Choose Weapons Charles suppressed the nervousness in his heart and, following Madame Pascal''s instructions, quickly found his office. It was an independent office, fairly spacious, and even had arge window offering a view of the street outside Kilmainham Prison. The majority of the space was upied by filing cabs, but even so, Charles was quite satisfied. Being surrounded by filing cabs, rather than working alongside colleagues, was obviously much more rxing, for there would be none of the scheming and politickingmon in an office environment. The filing cabs were all "good babies." He ced the two items he had picked out on his desk. Charles didn''t know how to use a chain il, let alone a multi-headed one. He was taken with this item because it was forged from Starfall Iron, a rare material that could sell for dozens of Aegeus even as scrap metal. Charles nned to sell the multi-headed chain il on the ck market and purchase a set of weapons. Military-issue handguns cost no more than two to three Fu Er, while rapiers were slightly more expensive, but staves could be handled for just a few Sheng Ding. Selling the multi-headed chain il and buying a few standard weapons, Charles would still have dozens of Aegeus left over, making a tidy little fortune. Clearly, not every neer to Kilmainham Prison had the chance to earn this bonus. Without asking, it was obvious that Miss Menilman''s favor had given Charles the opportunity to enjoy this special treatment. Whether he would have the chance to earn such bonuses in the future depended on whether he could win over this senior''s heart and be given the opportunity for special assignments. Charles didn''t look at the multi-headed chain il again, but he yed with the Vampiric Hand Axe for quite a while, growing more and more fond of this weapon. On that day, Miss Menilman didn''t arrive at Kilmainham Prison until noon and immediately assigned Charles an extremely heavy load of paperwork, making him busily spin around on his first day of the new job. Originally, Charles had been somewhat looking forward to working overtime with his senior, but by evening, he just wanted to find a ce to sleep well, even if it was on a stone floor. This hectic pacested for a week and three days until Menilman, having wrapped up her paperwork, gave Charles a day off, and he was able to leave his new post and go home for the first time. When Charles left Kilmainham Prison, he deeply felt that, whether on Earth or in another world, being able to finish work on time was indeed a kind of happiness among men. Back at the Savings Club apartment, he had a good sleep. The next day, after getting up. Having filled his stomach somewhat, Charles left the Savings Club apartment and headed straight for his alma mater¡ªSheffield University. Charles''s intent was not to revisit his alma mater and relive the good old days. He was nning to take a look at the weapon market near Sheffield University. As a prison guard, it was impossible not to carry weapons; doing so would make him stand out as an oddity, and the weapon market near Sheffield University was rtively known for good quality at low prices. Charles, unusually, chose not to take the public horse carriage but to walk. The weapon market near Sheffield University, catering mainly to the students of Sheffield University and the nearby residents, ``` Back in his university days, Charles often wandered around this area, although he seldom bought anything, he was quite familiar with the ce. At that time, there was no need for personal weapons since the school provided training weapons, and he was not a martial enthusiast,cking the need to purchase personal weapons. When he arrived at the weapons market, Charles, like an old hand, wandered around for a while, lingered in front of a second-hand weapon shop, and then stepped through its doors.N?v(el)B\\jnn He remembered that this shop often had good second-hand items, but the shopkeeper was always ripping people off, and their reputation wasn''t too good. The owner of the shop did not remember Charles, a customer who had never made a purchase, and greeted him with a beaming smile, "We have the best weapons in Strasbourg. Whether you''re looking for a rapier, a saber, or a knight''s spear, shields, we''ve got everything you need, all of the highest quality." Charles snorted coldly in his mind, thinking, "Your shop specializes in buying and selling second-hand weapons, selling substandard goods as premium ones, and you don''t even have your own workshop to make weapons. What ''best quality'' are you talking about? It''s just to deceive the outsiders." Without calling out the shopkeeper''s trick, he smiled slightly and said, "I need a pistol, or perhaps a cane, do you have any good rmendations?" The shopkeeper instantly lost interest. It was hard to get a good price for second-hand pistols, as brand new ones were inexpensive, with fairly transparent pricing. As for canes, what was there to get excited about with a few Sheng Dings worth of business? He called over a clerk and said, "This is our best staff member. Please let him rmend some suitable weapons for you." This yed right into Charles''s hands. The shopkeeper was cunning and difficult to deal with, but his clerks were easier to handle. Charles ignored the clerk, who kept on rmending worthless items non-stop, and took a round in the shop. He was somewhat disappointed; it seemed there was nothing of good value to pick up cheaply this time. Just as Charles was about to leave the shop to try another weapon store, his eyes lit up; he saw a dusty rapier, carelessly ced in a corner among a group of other rapiers. He strode over, picked up the rapier, and drew it slightly, looking at it only once, heughed and said, "A fake antique, huh?" The clerk hurriedly said, "This is a genuine antique, sir, you really know your stuff!" Charles couldn''t help but grin and said, "If it truly is a relic from the Sherlock Dynasty, it would have to be priced in Aegeus. Do you really n to give me a price in Aegeus?" The clerk hesitated for a while before saying, "It''s definitely genuine, I can''t possibly let you have it for less than five Fu Ers." Charles tossed the rapier back to its ce and said, "I''ll give you no more than fifty Sheng Dings." Seeing Charles not very keen on the "antique sword," the clerk, his enthusiasm faded, ready to walk away, couldn''t help but say, "Even if it''s a fake antique, it can''t be so cheap. Three Fu Ers and fifty Sheng Dings is the biggest sincerity of our shop, it can''t be any less." Charles waved his hand, ready to leave, the clerk gritted his teeth and called out, "One Fu Er, one Fu Er! Sir, this is really a discount, there can''t be any cheaper." Charles left an address and walked away with his head held high. As a formal government official with a fixed residence, he was entitled to ce orders and make payment upon delivery, not necessarily having to pay on the spot. Charles, a graduate of Sheffield University, had received a rigorous liberal arts education. The Sherlock Dynasty, also known as the Magic Dynasty, was famous throughout the known world for its magic rapiers. Later, it was annihted by King Akser, and the craft of the Sherlock Dynasty''s magic rapiers was lost. The antique rapiers from the Sherlock Dynasty that are still in cirction are each considered masterpieces and are priced in Gold Aegeus. ``` Chapter 10 9. Home Invasion Robbery and Homicide Case A well-preserved rapier from the Sherlock Dynasty would never be priced below one hundred eighty Gold Eglus, with certain premiums even exceeding three hundred Aegeus. For this reason, there are many replicas of Sherlock Dynasty rapiers on the market, and the Magic Stabbing Sword that Charles had purchased was definitely a counterfeit. He was willing to buy this replica rapier for only one reason, that the scabbard it was fitted with was truly from the Sherlock Dynasty era. Scabbards from the Sherlock Dynasty era are even scarcer than intact Magic Stabbing Swords and, because they are so rare yet not formally valued as treasures, nobody spectes on them. Very few know that the scabbards from the Sherlock Dynasty era use the same steel as the Magic Stabbing Swords and that only the original scabbard can mask the magical fluctuations of the sword so it won''t be detected by enemies prematurely. However, they are not enchanted and not considered magical items. The collectors from the Fars Empire are eager to make their collections well-known, hence they rece with brand-new scabbards to increase appeal. The severely old and damaged original scabbards are often discarded and end up in second-hand weapons shops. On Earth, if you visit any antique district, you''ll find it full of swindlers skilled in "Antique Technique," wanting to find a real antique treasure is nearly like a wild goose chase. But in the Fars Empire, during this medieval time, there aren''t even genuine antique dealers, only second-hand goods stores where unnoticed treasures frequently leak out. Charles nned to find a reliable cksmith to melt down the scabbard and forge it into a new rapier, adding a bit of Starfall Iron would make it superior to standard-issue rapiers, though the whole process would be tedious. Charles wandered the weapon market a while longer and purchased, for eighty-nine Sheng Dings, a second-hand Magnum Hand Shuttle and twenty bullets. The seller even threw in a rib holster, the kind that could be hidden under a coat. A brand-new Magnum Hand Shuttle, on the ck market, would go for at most two to three Fu Ers. The price of a ny-percent new second-hand shuttle was halved. The one Charles bought was exceptionally cheap and thus more worn, only eighty-percent new, but no parts were damaged, and he had tested one shot, which had no issues with uracy. Charles didn''t think he would use it often and did not care about its newness, as long as it was functional. After acquiring the two weapons, Charles also fitted the Bloodsucking Hand Axe with a convenient leather sheath for carrying and then left the weapon market, walking back to the Savings Association Apartments. Just arriving at the apartment building, Charles felt something was amiss. There were four or five Patrolling Army carriages stopped downstairs at the Savings Association Apartments, with more than ten military horses tied up, and several members of the Patrolling Army chatting by the carriages, clearly something had happened. He approached them amicably and said, "I am Charles Mecklen, a first-ss Clerk Chief from the Central Government Office, a resident here. May I know what has urred?" Charles was incredibly young, and announcing himself as the Clerk Chief might easily have gotten him mistaken for a fraudster. Moreover, Kilmainham Prison definitely didn''t have the clout of the Central Government Office, so he announced his outdated title. A few members of the Patrolling Army exchanged looks, thenughed together, and said, "There was a burry incident that resulted in a death. We will have it under control soon, Mister Mecklen." Charles still felt a bit uneasy and asked, "May I go home?" Several members of the Patrolling Army answered, "Of course, there''s no problem, we''ve already surveyed the scene." Charles entered the apartment and went up to the second floor, but seeing the hallway crowded with Patrolling Army, his uneasy feeling intensified. When Charles saw his room with its door wide open and several Patrolling Army members standing and talking at the doorway, he was certain that he was the unlucky one. He stepped forward and asked, "This is my room. What has happened here?" A young and handsome member of the Patrolling Army instinctively drew his longsword, his face alert. An older colleague restrained his hand and said, "Dobin! This man has juste from outside and is clean, with no bloodstains. He must be the guest described by the doorman, Mister Mecklen." The soldier who had drawn his longsword performed a flourish with it before sheathing it back, and then spoke in a sympathetic tone, "Mister, I''m afraid you''ll have toe with us." "A home invasion homicide urred in your residence. Ady was murdered in your house." Charles couldn''t help but feel a slight headache and asked, "Mister Dobin, may I know the details of the case?" The young Patrolling Army soldier replied, "This afternoon, a gentleman and ady came to visit you. They forced their way into the apartment despite the doorman''s objections. The gentleman forcefully broke down the door to your room and started fighting with thedy inside." "The gentleman killed thedy apanying him in your room and then escaped through the window." "Unfortunately, your life will have to revolve around this incident for the time being." From his memories and the disarray of women''s clothing in the room, Charles could roughly deduce that his own private life was perhaps not so "pure," but he hadn''t anticipated that trouble would find him so soon, and in such a severe form. He rubbed his temples and asked, "May I go back to my room to check on some things?" The young soldier nodded and gestured for him to proceed. As Charles stepped into his room, the first thing he saw was clothes thrown all over the ce, even more untidy and disordered, with several garments bearing bloodstains, clearly indicating a violent struggle had urred in the room. Charles nced at the multi-headed il and the Vampiric Hand Axe thrown in the corner, along with the diary on the desk, quietly breathed a sigh of relief, and decided to always carry the Vampiric Hand Axe with him from now on.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He turned and left the room, and spoke to the apartment manager who had been standing by with the Patrolling Army, "I''m sorry, I need a new room." The manager pondered for a moment, helpless, and said, "There are only a few suites left in the apartment, which are rtively expensive. If this incident happened identally, we would take responsibility, but in this case, I''m afraid Mister Mecklen you may also bear some minor responsibility..." Charles gave a slight smile and said, "I will cover the decreased rent for a year. I need to go out for a while with the Patrolling Army gentlemen. When I return, please show me the new room." "Also, please find someone to watch over my things in the room to ensure they are not lost." With Charles''s promise, the manager visibly rxed and said, "I will have Mary wait here for you until you return. As you know, Mary has always been very reliable." Charles nodded and said to the two Patrolling Army soldiers, "I am ready to cooperate with the investigation at any time." The Patrolling Army soldiers had already established the circumstances of the case, and with the return of Charles, the individual involved, their task was alsopleted. In this era, the Fars Empire utilized the Patrolling Army to perform the duties of police on Earth,cking the many formalities and meticulous procedures typical of investigations. Chapter 11 10. Social Relations In other words, the handling of cases in this era was quite crude, with little to no professionalism. It was said that the Patrolling Army''s case-solving rate was less than three percent, with theft casesrgely relying on private detectives, while robbery, kidnapping, and murder cases almost entirely depended on private rewards. It was better than a society withoutws, but not by much¡ªa rather unpleasant and crude legal society. The Patrolling Army hastily withdrew from the apartment, invited Charles onto a carriage, and sped toward the Patrolling Army''s office. While on the carriage, Charles pondered in secret, "I''ve lost several expensive ornaments worth a couple of Aegeus, but it''s unlikely the culprit took them, it''s more likely someone took advantage of the situation." "As for the murder itself, it must not be known to Miss Menilman no matter what." Charles rubbed his temples, his mind greatly troubled. A man and a woman showing up at the door, a scuffle, even a homicide¡ªit wouldn''t take a private detective with strict logic to easily deduce that this case was likely rted to the private lives of men and women. Charles himself! Fearing he was an inglorious participant in a love triangle. Having had Zimmerman Axel Robin as a fianc¨¦, Menilman must despise yboy types and would never allow someone simr to her ex-fianc¨¦ under her employ; once the matter became public, even if he could extricate himself from the scandal, he would likely lose his job. This wasn''t Earth; Empire government employees weren''t civil servants who couldn''t easily be fired like those inter times. Menilman only needed a word to deprive Charles of his well-paid job and even to bar him from working in the government hierarchy ever again. "This is also a wake-up call. I must quickly get rid of that shackle with multiple heads, then purchase a residence elsewhere, move out of the Alexander District, and sever my previous social ties." Charles rubbed his temples again and sorted out "his" social rtionships. Charles Mecklen had superficial rtions with friends, almost no one who could be called a close friend, keeping a general level of acquaintance with everyone. His parents were both merchants, quite wealthy, and possessing abundant financial resources; Charles''s attendance at Sheffield University was heavily reliant on the support of his family''s wealth. Nowadays, Charles''s father, due to his deteriorating health, had gradually handed over the business to his elder son to run, who was Charles''s elder brother. This brother was highly wary of him, and had several times suggested to their father: "Give Charles a sum of wealth and let him give up his inheritance rights." Just enduring a few more years until the passing of his parents, Charles could legitimately go separate ways from his brother''s family and have nothing to do with them till his death. The only entanglement left was with Charles''s sister, with whom he was very close; however, she was married far away, making their encounters rare. Apart from this brother and sister, Charles had no other direct rtives, but he did have a fianc¨¦e, and even the date for their marriage had been set, which posed some difficulty. "It''s said that my fianc¨¦e is very dissatisfied with this marriage, and has tried several times to break the engagement. It might be worth pushing the situation along." The carriage quickly arrived at the Patrolling Army''s office, which was a detached three-story building facing the street, full of Sherlock-style architecture from a former dynasty, bearing the weathered patina of history. The routine questioning quickly concluded. Charles also confirmed the identities of the man and woman who had entered his apartment. They were a married couple, the Yang Miers. He didn''t know Mr. Yang Miers, but he had an unspeakable rtionship with Mrs. Yang Miers. As for how Mr. Yang Miers discovered his wife''s intimate rtionship with Charles and came knocking on his door, and in the ensuing argument and scuffle killed his own wife, that was another tragic story. It was lucky that Charles had lingered in the weapons market at that time, otherwise, the situation would have been difficult to resolve. The Patrolling Army recorded Charles''s description as a supplementary file, archived it, and issued a warrant for Mr. Yang Miers, thus bringing the matter to aplete close. The Patrolling Army''s warrants generally didn''t offer a reward, and rarely would a life-loving good citizen help the Patrolling Army apprehend a fugitive. In the Fars Empire, as in other countries, including several defunct dynasties, there had been stories of warrants being issued for decades, only to find out that the fugitive was living leisurely at home, working as usual, as if nothing had changed. The legal climate of this era was indeed absurd. Leaving the Patrolling Army''s office, Charles felt mentally and physically exhausted. Although he wasn''t a suspect in the case, he still felt quite downcast. He hadn''t expected his new life to be so fraught with twists and turns, being promoted and receiving a raise one moment, only to be entangled in a murder the next. Rushing back to his savings association apartment, he gave Mary, the maid who had watched his home, a generous tip of two Sheng Dings. In this era, a tip of two Sheng Dings was quitevish. With the help of the superintendent, he moved in a hurry and settled into a suite on the fourth floor. After moving into the new room and lying on the sofa, he let out a sigh of relief and felt hungry. Charles nced at the sky and realized that at this hour, he wouldn''t find any open shops, so he had to make do with a dish he had eaten a few days before. The taste was as indescribably bad as ever. After eating, Charlesy in bed and subconsciously reached for the diary, then casually set it aside. He knew that the original owner''s diary would help him understand the new identity, but items rted to Evil God repelled him like a snake, leaving him conflicted. Charles began to think seriously and decided to properly n out his life in this world. "Tomorrow, I must earnestly ask my senior, Ms. Menilman, for one more day off," he thought. "First, I need to sell off the multi-headed shackles, find a new ce to live, and then buy some clothes." Charles had given all the blood-stained clothes, whether his own or those belonging to women, to the maid Mary during the move and didn''t keep any, so now he was in need of everyday clothes as well as essential suits for men. Thinking of moving, Charles couldn''t help but search his memories about the upper seven districts. The property prices in Val de Vaz District were too expensive, and he definitely couldn''t continue to live in the Alexander District. These two districts were to be given priority in giving up. The other three districts weren''t within his consideration, as they were rtively far away and going to the Marne District for work would be too inconvenient. After a simple selection process, Charles was left with only two choices: the tworge districts located between Val de Vaz District and Marne District, Alcatraz District and Picardy District.N?v(el)B\\jnn After weighing his options, he decisively gave up on the former. Alcatraz District, hugging close to Val de Vaz District, had rtively high property prices and was a bit too far from his work at Kilmainham Prison. Picardy District had cheaper property prices and was slightly closer to work. Charles decided that once he sold the multi-headed shackles tomorrow, he would visit the property office in Picardy District and see if there were any suitable homes for sale. Chapter 12 11, Anne Brittany In that era, every countrycked institutions such as real estate agencies, so anyone wanting to sell a property could only register it with the government-established property bureau, and those wanting to buy property could only turn to the property bureau as well. The two parties involved in the transaction often did not need to meet face-to-face, the seller just had to provide the property bureau with a quote, the buyer directly paid the property bureau and paid taxes to obtain the property deed. Charles thought for a while, his body gradually sumbing to an irresistible drowsiness. He hadn''t even taken off his clothes before he plunged into a fuzzy dreamscape. The pitch-dark night, a long street without lights! Wavering starlight, howling winds. Charles felt bewildered, looking around, not understanding how he came to be outside, when he clearly remembered lying in bed. "Something''s wrong."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Charles tried to gather the Fel Energy of Bloody Glory; over the past ten or so days, this special ability had progressed further, already forming a tiny vortex at his forehead, circting a strange energy throughout his body, steadying his heart immensely. A soft voice suddenly sounded from behind him, "You harmed me." Astonished, Charles turned and saw a rather beautiful youngdy, her dress stained with blood and bruises on her face, looking very wretched. He recalled the murder case from the day, and asked, "Are you Mrs. Yang Miers?" The youngdy couldn''t help butugh, which under the night sky, seemed rather eerie. She asked in a haunting tone, "Don''t you remember who I am? You let my husband kill me. Don''t you feel any remorse?" A fragile hand rested on Charles''s shoulder, and the youngdy leaned close to his face, her breath chilling, saying, "Don''t you think you owe mepensation?" Charles smiled slightly, very calmly, and said, "You are not Mrs. Yang Miers, otherwise you would have realized you''ve mistaken the person long ago." Augh full of resentment resounded by his ear as the youngdy shouted, "You still want to shirk the responsibility? Pretending not to recognize me. Pleasee with me to Hell to revisit the charming scenes we once shared." Charles closed his eyes, Bloody Glory surged into his fist, and he threw a punch, shing with an unidentified object. He distinctly felt his fist gaining the upper hand as it hurled something away. In a voice only he could hear, Charles murmured, "So in this dream, I am still Huang Haisheng!" He had long realized that he was in a dream. Because his appearance had reverted to that of his previous life, with ck hair, ck eyes, and hands pale and delicate. Bloody Glory returned to the sphere of Fel Energy! Fel Energy subdivides into many types, yet each one originates from the soul. A dream may block pure physical energy, but it doesn''t block Fel Energy that originates from the soul. Although Bloody Glory had just awakened and its cultivation was very shallow, it wasn''t weakened in the slightest by being in a dream. A voice, frantic and frustrated, cried out, "You are a Transcendent?" Charles, still closing his eyes, performed a gentlemanly gesture, smiling and said, "Yes, I am!" "Damn it!" Charles felt a heaviness in his body, opened his eyes, and saw the ceiling of his bedroom. He leapt up, pushed open the window, and across the street was a carriage, illuminated by antern, casting a dim, dusky glow over the street. Charles jumped gracefully from the window. As a human in his two lifetimes, this was the first time he had experienced a free fall from the height of four floors, the wind whooshed by his ears, yet he was not afraid. Bloody Glory infused his legs, making them as strong as those of an antelope. Landing on the ground, he slightly crouched to dissipate the impact from the high jump and elegantly walked towards the carriage across the street. Charles smirked slightly and said, "It''s quite rude to intrude into someone else''s dream. Might you tell me who you are?" A young girl''s voice came from inside the carriage, frantically saying, "What are you talking about? I''m just passing through, please move aside." Charles spoke softly, "I am not blocking your path, and if you do not wish to say anything, I will not insist. However, if you seek to investigate Mrs. Yang Miers'' death, I am willing to share all I know and answer any questions you might have." It took a while for the young girl inside the carriage to reply softly, "I''m sorry, it seems I really mistook you for someone else. Please, get in, sir." The carriage door opened slightly, Charles didn''t hesitate, opened the door wider, and stepped into the carriage. The carriage required horses to pull it, and its wheels were very high, making the carriage body significantly higher than a modern car. Normally, one would need to use a step tofortably get in and out. For Charles to step into it so effortlessly, one must either have top-notch physical qualities or be a Transcendent, or perhaps both. There was a young girl inside the carriage wearing a long dress in a homely style with delicate features. She wore ck-framed sses, and her fair,posed face was slightly blushed at the ears while a short dagger was concealed in her hand. "Charles Meklen, a graduate from Sheffield University, employed at the Central Government Office, a First Rank Transcendent." The brief introduction broke the awkwardness and eased the girl''s unease, making her less hostile. She whispered, "Anne Brittany, junior at the University of Georgia, became a Dreamwalker in my freshman year." Charles paid slightly more attention to the Brittany surname, recognizing its distinguished nature. However, it was obviously not the right moment to inquire further. Smiling, he said, "The University of Georgia is indeed a ce I once dreamed of attending." Anne Brittany, not sure how to handle such a conversation, softly replied, "Sheffield University is also a good school." Charles smiled wryly and said, "Every university is a good university." This was an indisputable titude. In this era, universities were not mere ces of in educational knowledge like inter times, butnds of divine grace. The deities who govern the Era numbered nine, but only four of these deities'' followers had founded universities. Each university was a supreme institution for humankind, and each cultivated the chosen ones of the gods. Anne agreed with his statement, unaware that the rhythm of their conversation had been subtly shifted by Charles. "I am saddened by what happened, but I am not acquainted with Mrs. Yang Miers. Mr. Yang Miers must have mistaken his own wife, leading to the tragedy." "If you inquire at the Central Government Office, you can easily find out that I have been vacationing in Senis, and I only returned a few days ago." Anne Brittany hesitated briefly before saying, "I believe you, Mister Meklen. It was a misunderstanding on my part." Charles gave a slight smile, employing a verymon modern rhetorical tactic by using an unrted yet indisputable fact to prove a result thousands of miles away. Many people believed in the unquestionable fact, but they would subconsciously overlook that it was unrted to the conclusion. Chapter 13 12. Insight ``` Charles had no other choice; he didn''t want to take responsibility for his predecessor and could only clear his name by these means. After a moment of silence, Anne spoke in a low voice, "Sophia... Mrs. Yang Miers is my aunt." Charles immediately adopted a solemn expression and said, "I firmly believe that Mrs. Yang Miers is ady of integrity." Anne felt greatlyforted and said softly, "I also don''t believe Aunt Sophia would do anything dishonorable, so I couldn''t help bute here in the middle of the night..." Her face flushed slightly as she stole a nce at Charles and thought to herself, "No wonder Aunt Sophia had rumors with him. Mr. Charles is handsome and gentle, a promising government official who graduated from a top university, as well as a rare Transcendent; indeed, he is the most suitable romantic interest in any girl''s eyes." Anne Brittany felt her cheeks burning up again, hurriedly breaking off these messy thoughts. She stood up, lightly tugged at her skirt, gave a very serious curtsy, and said with full apology, "I came to test Mr. Charles, causing this mess, please forgive me." Reflectively, Charles asked, "If I were the kind of dishonorable man you speak of, would Miss Anne intend to put me to eternal rest?" Anne Brittany''s face turned scarlet, shy beyond containment as she hung her head low; she had indeed harbored such thoughts. As a favored daughter of heaven who became a Transcendent in her first year of university, Anne Brittany knew that her beloved aunt had died a wrongful death because of a licentious man, and her first thought was to seek vengeance for her aunt. She had driven here alone in the middle of the night, intending to use the art of dreams to pretend to be her aunt returning from hell, and scare Charles to death in his dream. The "past" Charles Mecklen indeed was not a clean man, and even as a Transcendent, being guilty of conscience, he might not necessarily die from the "ghost in the dream," but there was a fair chance he would give himself away. Had Anne discovered the "truth" in the dream, the situation would definitely have be exceedingly dire. In a low voice, Anne said, "I am willing to makepensation." She truly didn''t know how to wrap things up. Charles smiled slightly and said, "If my own family had suffered such an ordeal, I would certainly be a hundred times more impulsive than Miss Anne." "The priority is to clear Mrs. Yang Miers''s name as soon as possible, so she may rest in peace. If Miss Anne needs anything, I am willing to help to the best of my ability." "However, it''s already deep into the night now, and quite inconvenient. Let me take Miss Anne home first, and in a few days, we can discuss this matter further." Anne Brittany bowed slightly and said thank you. Charles stepped out of the carriage, took the driver''s seat, and gently spurred the horse; a delicate voice from inside the carriage said, "Val de Vaz District, 58 Sixth Avenue." As a qualified talent educated in the Empire''s system, schools taught many must-have skills; driving was one of the three divine skills that every gentleman should learn. Swordsmanship, horseback riding, and driving... No, it should be chariot driving. Charles replied, "Understood, Miss Anne." The rattle of horseshoes and the roll of carriage wheels! The speed of the carriage was never too fast, even slower than electric cars on Earth after speed limits. From the Alexander District to the Val de Vaz District took a little over an hour. If not for the protection of Bloody Glory, the midnight cold could easily have given Charles a cold. ``` Charles escorted Anne to 58 Sixth Avenue and saw a towering ancient residence, feeling great envy and confirmed his guess that Anne Brittany was indeed a nobledy, not born into an ordinary family. After Anne alighted from the carriage, she was about to enter the mansion through a hidden side door when she suddenly turned back and said to Charles, who had stepped down from the driver''s seat, "I truly regret troubling Mr. Charles to send me home sote." "There are no public carriages avable at this hour, so why don''t you take my carriage back, and I''ll have someone retrieve it tomorrow." Charles hesitated briefly, as he indeed didn''t fancy walking back for an hour or two which would be much slower than the carriage, and he agreed, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Annie." Anne smiled gracefully, waved slightly to Charles, turned, and walked into the mansion. There were people moving inside, clearly indicating that someone was always there to guard the door and wait for thedy''s return. After Charles arrived in this world, although his days were not bad, and he had even managed to get a promotion and a raise thanks to his intelligence, he was still far from this kind of aristocratic life. He sighed, took the reins of the carriage, and set off on his return journey. After securing the carriage downstairs of his apartment building, Charles returned to his newly rented apartment andy on the bed, unable to sleep for a while. He opened his eyes for a bit, then closed them for a bit, trying many times before he half surprised and half delightedly murmured to himself, "It''s not an illusion after all." With his eyes closed, Charles imagined himself as the center of a circle, able to sense everything within about fifteen steps. He knew the reason for this! In the center of his forehead was a tiny Bloody Vortex, with countless pale golden Runes forming a mysterious structure, hidden within the vortex, sinking and floating, drifting along, giving him this strange ability. Charles had learned about such knowledge at Sheffield University; the Rune was called¡ªInsight! Although Bloody Glory was categorized under Fel Energy, its fighting style was almost identical to Fighting Spirit, augmenting the body and enhancing strength and speed. The downside was: at equal energy levels, the power was only of medium strength, albeit with a slightly better speed. The advantage was that Bloody Glory could grant its wielder a few special abilities, known as the Thirteen Unique Skills. "Insight" was one of Bloody Glory''s Thirteen Unique Skills.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It allowed one''s sight to form a spherical field of vision, and Transcendents with this Special Ability would never be caught off guard by sneak attacks. In group fights, they could handle attacks from all directions. Even in one-on-one battles, it provided a significant advantage and was a very powerful auxiliarybat skill. Charles Mecklen, on the shores of Synis, had summoned the Evil God and opened up his Transcendent abilities, his first choice being to condense the Bloody Vortex at his forehead; he had even fantasized about condensing the Insight Rune to see some wonderful things. Unfortunately, he did not live to return from his vacation. Since returning from Synis, Charles had no time to practice, but his Bloody Glory was growing at an astonishing rate, a phenomenon so bizarre it was confounding. Activating Insight required a considerable expenditure of Spiritual Power, and after struggling with it for most of the night, Charles also felt tired and soon fell into a deep sleep. It wasn''t long before dawn arrived. Eager about his n for wealth, Charles got up early in the morning. Although he hadn''t had a good rest the night before, his extraordinary energy as a Transcendent left him feeling not too fatigued. He wrote a letter, which detailed his request for leave, paid a shilling, and asked the apartment''s errand boy to deliver the letter to Kilmainham Prison. After a quick tidy-up, Charles wrapped a set of shackles with many heads in a cotton cloth, nning to sell the item. As soon as he stepped out, he saw a noble youngdy alight gracefully from avishly decorated carriage and, smiling slightly at him, said, "We meet again, Mr. Charles." Chapter 14 13. Magic Item Auction ``` Charles showed a slight surprise and said, "Miss Annie! Howe you''re here so early? I was just about to take care of some personal business. Your carriage is over there, thank you for lending it to me." Anne nodded to another coachman on the carriage, who jumped down and drove away the carriage that had been parked there overnight. She said to Charles, "Where are you heading? I''ll give you a ride." Charles was quite envious of the lifestyle of those with carriages, as riding in a carriage was much morefortable than walking, especially in rainy weather, when traveling on foot was a disaster. He could afford to buy a carriage, but parking it required a courtyard, the horses needed stables, and he would have to hire a coachman. The various expenses that came with a carriage were too much for a first-grade Clerk of the forty-first rank to afford, and even for a first-grade Clerk Chief of the thirty-seventh rank. He said, "A friend asked me to sell a magic item for him." Anne''s eyes sparkled as she said, "I happen to know of a magic item auction." Charles was also slightly delighted, as he didn''t have many connections and could only sell things in second-hand stores, where the prices were generally not very high. At a magic item auction, items could often fetch several times their value. Such gatherings were for high-end individuals, and the organizers were usually very prestigious, with only extremely wealthy merchants or great nobles receiving invitations. The Meklen family had money but still not enough to meet the threshold for participating in a magic item auction, and as a younger son of the Meklen Family, Charles had no chance of entry. Anne extended her petite hand in an inviting gesture. Without much hesitation, Charles opened the carriage door for Anne to get in, and then he himself boarded. This carriage was slightly iner than the one from yesterday, but still very spacious, capable of seating seven or eight people. Charles sat down opposite Anne and asked, "Miss Annie, do you not have sses today?" As a junior in college, one would typically be very busy. Charles casually asked to start today''s conversation. Anne replied with a bit of pride, "I have alreadypleted my main credits, I just have some internship courses left, so my coursework is rather ck. I don''t need to go to school every day." It dawned on Charles that he shouldn''t view the world of a top student through the eyes of a cker. During his university days, he had struggled daily, working hard toplete the assignments given by his teachers, worrying about not having enough credits, not being able to graduate, and unable to rx for a moment. The Math Department had a famous saying: In desperation, people could do anything, except math. Charles Meklen, much like himself, was only the ordinary type of excellent. He had graduated from Lemann Public School and was admitted to Behemoth National College, once taking an elective course in the Lamia Breathing Technique. But even by graduation, he had barely condensed a seed of power and never managed to break through. During his four years at Sheffield University, he also didn''t seed in awakening his spirit and only stepped into the Transcendent rank by summoning the Evil God. He was far inferior to Anne Brittany, who had stepped into the Transcendent rank in her first year through her own power. Anne Brittany, much moreposed than yesterday, was actually quite tall. ording to measurements on Earth, she was probably about 170 centimeters tall. Even considering some variance in the thickness of shoe soles, she wouldn''t be under 168 centimeters, which qualified her as a tall girl. ``` ``` Today, she had on a pair of tortoiseshell-framed sses, eschewing a long dress for knee-high boots and leather hunting pants that showcased her long legs in full splendor. Her upper body was covered by a form-fitting jacket, with her soft blonde hair tied back in a ponytail that trailed behind her head, giving her a spirited and dashing look. A tricorn hat was ced beside the seat. After exchanging pleasantries, Charles asked, "Does Miss Annie have any other ns for today? I would feel terribly sorry if I caused an inconvenience by changing my schedule." Annie hesitated slightly before answering, "I''m also going to the magic item auction." Speaking in a low voice, Annie added, "However, there is something I must exin to Mr. Mecklen. I''m not attending the magic item auction to make purchases, but rather... the person who murdered my aunt is going to be there today." Charles was astonished and asked, "Mr. Yang Miers will be there too? Shouldn''t we report this to the Patrolling Army?" Annie bit her lips and said, "The magic item auction is hosted by Duchess Mesu, and the Patrolling Army cannot enter the venue."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Charles suddenly understood, as the Fars Empire, though a rule-ofw society, was starkly different from the modern day. In the world where Huang Haisheng had originated, not a single high-ranking official would dare to publicly entertain a fugitive, but in this world, thew was like wasted paper in the face of nobility. Power was above thew! The Patrolling Army wouldn''t dare offend a duke, especially not an influential noble like Duchess Mesu, just for the sake of a fugitive. Charles had heard many rumors about Duchess Mesu, but all could be summarized in one point ¡ª she controlled one-sixth of the Empire''s navy. The Northern Fleet was an inherited force of the Mesu Family, which never pledged loyalty to the Emperor, only to the Mesu Family. Had it not been for Zimmerman Axel bringing back the Pirate King''s fleet, and had Duchess Mesu not lost part of her fleet exploring the Raging Sea a few years ago, the Northern Fleet would have been half the size of the Imperial Navy at its peak. As Charles pondered whether his little gadget would be out of ce at such a high-end auction, he heard the youngdy''s somewhat apologetic voice saying, "I''m very sorry to involve Mr. Mecklen in this matter, but I really need your help." Charles, looking somewhat puzzled, asked, "How can I help?" He did not think it wise to take action at Duchess Mesu''s auction. Even the Brittany Family might have clout, but such an act was absolutely not to be done. In a low voice, Annie said, "He knows me, but he does not know you. You can help me get close to him and ce this tracking beetle on him. That way, even if he leaves the auction, I can still track him down." Anne Brittany opened her palm, revealing a tiny ck beetle. This ck beetle, lifelike yet not a biological creature, was a magic alchemical creation, with gears so fine they looked like strands of hair. Charles didn''t fully understand how magic alchemical creations worked. Even though technology on Earth could achieve this feat, the principles were clear and everything was scientific, whereas magic alchemical creations were full of chaos, without aplete theory to date, only underscoring the mysterious aspects of this world. This task seemed rtively simple and unlikely to cause any trouble, so Charles readily agreed, smiling, "I would be honored to serve Miss Annie." After discussing some details of the operation, the carriage arrived in front of an ancient residence. Charles had not expected the location of the magic item auction to be in the Alexander District. He had always assumed the magic item auction would be held in the Val de Vaz District and was surprised to find it in the Alexander District, not too far from the Savings Association Apartments. ``` Chapter 15 14. Merchant Louis Val de Vaz District, an area rich in business nature in the Fars Empire, would be considered the CBD (Central Business District) on Earth, and is undeniably the core area of a city. However, in the Fars Empire, Val de Vaz District is the cultural and administrative center. After disembarking from the carriage, Anne handed over an invitation, and the elderly butler at the gate politely weed them inside. Charles had no doubt that he would have been denied entry had he not been apanied by Anne. The ancient residence covered an area of roughly five acres. Upon entering, they could see a variety of guestsing and going, making the ce very lively. Charles asked with some curiosity, "How does one sell one''s own magic items at the magic item auction?" Before Anne had the chance to reply, a hearty voice said, "May I ask what magic item the gentleman wishes to sell?" Charles looked up slightly and saw a neatly dressed elderly gentleman smiling faintly at him. He politely returned the smile and said, "It''s a multi-headed il." He opened the parcel in his hand, revealing the handle of the multi-headed il. The elderly gentleman said, "May I take a closer look?" Charles passed the parcel over to him. The gentleman received the parcel steadily, looked at it for a while, then smiled and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I own a magic item store called Louis''s Store. My name is Louis Simi." Charles gave a slight smile and said, "Mr. Simi, I hope to have the opportunity to frequent your store." Louis Simi handed over a card that bore his name, the name of the shop, and the address. Charles took the card with interest. When he had crossed over, business cards had already been phased out. People would only exchange phone numbers and WeChat contacts. Louis Simi said, "I don''t wish to purchase the multi-headed il, but I can refer a good buyer to you." Charles was very pleased and said, "Thank you, Mr. Simi." Louis Simi smiled and said, "You may call me Louis, but I have not yet asked for your name?" Charles answered, "Charles Meklen. You can just call me Charles; my friends do." He gave Anne a querying nce, and she followed them withposure. Charles intended to firstplete his small business transaction before apanying Anne to deal with Yang Miers. However, since Anne was willing to apany him, he had no reason to refuse. Louis subtlyplimented Anne''s beauty, and Anne epted politely. The demeanor of both revealed the false and polished nature of high society. Charles also knew this skill but did not want to partake in such insincere social interaction, silently following Louis Simi into a room. Louis spoke loudly, "Mr. Lucas, the multi-headed il you''re looking for¡ªI''ve collected one for you." A burly man who had been chatting with friends looked over. The fellow was in military uniform, and judging by the epaulets, his rank seemed quite high. Charles was not very good at reading these insignia, only able to make a rough guess based on theirplexity. When Lucas saw the multi-headed il that Louis Simi brought out, his eyes immediately brightened. He stepped forward, gently picked it up, gave it a shake, and asked, "The enchantment ispletely broken. Can you repair it?" Louis Simi replied with a smile, "Master Aegeus is here, so restoring the enchantment is no problem at all." Lucas nodded and said, "I''ll take the item. How much?" Louis said, "We''re old friends. I''ll only charge you one hundred and forty Aegeus." Lucas nodded and said, "Repair the enchantment and send it to my residence." Louis responded with a smile, and Lucas said nothing more, returning to chat with his friends. Louis took Charles to a quiet corner and said in a low voice, "This multi-headed chain yoke needs to be re-enchanted, and the repair costs will be about fifty Aegeus. I am willing to pay seventy-five Aegeus to purchase it, what do you think?" Charles smiled slightly and said, "No problem." The price was already higher than he had anticipated. Louis took out his wallet, swiftly counted out fifteen fifty-denomination Fu Er banknotes, and handed them to Charles, saying, "Pleasure doing business with you." To be honest, Charles had never dealt with banknotes of such a high denomination; not even the twenty Fu Er bills, let alone the fifties¡ªthergest denomination he had ever handled was a ten Fu Er bill. Charles took the banknotes and used the verification methods he had learned at school. After confirming their authenticity, he ced the banknotes into his wallet and smiled, saying, "Louis, I''m lucky to have run into you. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have known what to do." "This is my first time doing business." Louisughed heartily and said, "In the future, please patronize my little shop for such transactions." After some small talk, Louis Simi said, "With Miss Annie apanying you, it would be quite indiscreet of me to linger. I''ll leave you two be. Next time, I''ll specially exin to you some business tips and little secrets about auctions." He handed the package he was carrying to a servant who had been following him and left with a cheerful smile. Anne whispered, "Louis is a very shrewd businessman, so you must be careful when dealing with him." Charles nodded; he really didn''t think he would have many opportunities to do business with Mr. Louis Simi. Where would he get a supply of magical items from? The other party was engaged in high-end business. Charles discreetly ced his wallet into the inner pocket of his coat, pressing down on it. The stack of thick banknotes inside gave him a sense of security. Even in his previous life, he had never held such arge sum of money. Seventy-five Aegeus was approximately equivalent to two to two point two million yuan. Even in hisst life, it would have been enough for him to buy a house, or at the very least, make a down payment. Charles and Anne walked around the antique residence, thus getting a rough idea of what an auction looked like in this era. Before the start of the official auction, guests were allowed to conduct private transactions. Those who couldn''tplete a deal or weren''t satisfied with the price would submit their magical items to the auction. The Fars Empire did not have an official auction organization, and itsmerce was not very developed, so such auctions relied heavily on the reputation of the organizers. Charles and Anne had not been browsing for long when Anne whispered, "I''ve seen him. For now, let''s not interact and pretend we don''t know each other." With a slight smile, Charles followed Anne''s lead and also spotted Mr. Yang Miers, with whom he had quite a history.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Yang Miers was a tall and sombre man, probably in his forties or fifties, with excellent taste in clothing. Every piece he wore was meticulously detailed and stylishly matched. He held a cane iid with gold thread and a gemstone in one hand, which looked exceedingly expensive and starkly different from military-issue items, and clenched a fist with the other, reflecting a fraction of his agitated emotions. Keeping his eyes on Yang Miers, Charles walked briskly past him. Chapter 16 15. The girl dreaming, the young man cleaning the gun Yang Miers only thought that Charles had run into an acquaintance; he never imagined that the young man brushing past him was the very nemesis he most wanted to kill, without equal. As Charles passed by Yang Miers, he secretly slipped the magic beetle given to him by Anne into the other''s pocket. A few minutester, the two met again. Anne''s pretty face was slightly flushed as she spoke softly, "Thank you, Mr. Charles." Charles smiled faintly and replied, "It was nothing, and I also wanted to do something for the reputation of Mrs. Yang Miers." This sentence was genuinely heartfelt because thedy''s reputation was closely linked to Charles''s own. If her reputation remained immacte, his would be as solid as a rock. If Mrs. Yang Miers''s reputation were ruined, Charles''s would copse like a mountain. There was no one in the world who wished more fervently for thedy''s reputation to remain pure and spotless than Charles. Yang Miers was not wandering around; he waited quietly in a guest room until the auction began before entering the venue. Anne and Charles hid in a corner of the auction hall, pretending not to know each other, but both kept an eye on Yang Miers, wanting to know what he was really up to. Soon, the renowned Duchess Mesunu made her proud entrance. She was not very old, just past thirty, and well-maintained, dazzlingly beautiful. Except for being rather tall, even surpassing ordinary men, she was almost the ideal woman in a man''s heart. Following the Duchess Mesunu''s opening remarks, the first auction item was quickly brought to the stage. It was a magic longsword, with a starting bid of one hundred eighty Aegeus, far exceeding the entirety of Charles''s fortune. The magic longsword was highly coveted; after several rounds of bidding, it surpassed three hundred Aegeus and was finally taken by a wealthy bidder for three hundred seventy Aegeus. The starting bid for the second item also exceeded all of Charles''s assets, so he lost interest in the auction and went to the long table on the side of the hall providing food and drinks, grabbing a few pastries to fill his stomach. He had not eaten breakfast that morning and was a bit hungry. There was no custom of breakfast in the Fars Empire; they adhered to a standard two-meal system with only lunch and dinner. A few nobles had the habit of afternoon tea and midnight snacks, which Charles was not used to. He often bought breakfast for himself, even though the only thing avable in the morning was leftover bread from the previous night. After filling his belly, Charles took a ss of wine, drained it in one gulp, and returned satisfied to his corner. The auction had by then reached its seventh item. This item was said to be an ancient painting depicting the true appearance of the Evil God from overseas. When Duchess Mesunu introduced it, she mentioned, intentionally or not, that at least twelve bizarre murders and over two hundred twenty lives were rted to this magic item. This did not prevent the ancient painting from being fervently sought after, and it still fetched an exceptionally high price. What surprised both Charles and Anne was that Yang Miers had actually joined the bidding and in the fourth round, he won the item for five hundred seven Aegeus. After securing the ancient painting, Yang Miers left in a hurry, clearly with a specific goal in mind. Anne gave Charles a signal, and the two of them left the magic item auction, one after another. This auction had been an eye-opener for Charles, broadening his horizons. Though he had to leave early, he didn''t feel much regret, as none of the items here was affordable for a Clerk Chief from the prison.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Charles left the auction house, and Anne, who had left a step ahead, was already waiting for him in the carriage. As Charles boarded the carriage, Anne instructed the coachman to set off immediately. Without time for pleasantries with Charles, Anne closed her eyes, muttering to herself, asionally raising her voice to direct the coachman. Unfamiliar with the dream system''s supernatural power, Charles, with nothing to do, began to consider whether he should check out the house if he had time in the afternoon. asionally peeking out through the carriage''s curtain, Charles slightly recognized the road; as they sped along, his recognition grew stronger, and he involuntarily cried out in his mind, "This is the road to Lady Yang Miers''s house." He didn''t dare to mention this to Anne because such familiarity was hardly respectable. As the carriage stopped in front of a very stylish residence, many familiar memories flooded Charles''s mind. Among them was how to engage in passionate activities with a youngdy in this stylish residence, activities that would be censored on the inte inter generations. Even writing them in novels was not allowed. Charles felt somewhat ashamed, although he could attribute those youthful, frivolous escapades to his predecessor; he still had to bear the karma and tread carefully on thin ice, cautious in oveing all challenges. In a soft voice, Anne said, "I need to take a short nap, it would trouble Mr. Charles to guard me for half an hour." Her pretty face blushed as she said this. In any era, a young girl expressing the need to take a nap, asking for a strange man to stay and guard her, implied a certain affection. Although both knew this was a necessity for the dream technique, unrted to romance, a subtle romantic atmosphere quietly emerged. With a light smile, Charles said, "Miss Anne, rest assured." After thanking him, Anne clenched her fists, closed her eyes, and her long eyshes fluttered slightly as she entered the bliss of deep sleep. With nothing better to do, Charles pulled out the newly purchased Magnum Hand Shuttle and began to carefully wipe it with a cloth. The rapier was inconvenient to carry and too conspicuous, so Charles did not wear it. Besides, a handgun was far more practical as a weapon for self-defense than a rapier. Though the second-hand handgun was well maintained, its body showed significant dirt. Charles, a man with a bit of OCD, had been wanting to give it a thorough cleaning. Charles polished the handgun until it shone like new and checked the bullets once more, filling the magazine to its capacity of eighteen rounds, with two extra ones to spare. As soon as the safety was off, this 80% new handgun was ready to fire at any moment. The quiet carriage parked by the street, the dreaming girl, the young man cleaning his gun. This formed a very striking scene. Charles stowed the freshly cleaned handgun into the holster inside his coat and suddenly felt an alert within him. He quickly activated the Eye of Insight, and a sphere with a radius of fifteen steps centered on him popped open. He saw the grand residence of the Yang Miers family emitting rolling ck smoke and was stunned. Annie, lost in deep sleep, showed a pained expression, groaning continuously but unable to awaken. Without hesitation, Charles leaped out of the carriage and dashed straight toward the Yang Miers family''s mansion; as he burst into the courtyard, it felt as though he had entered another world. Chapter 17 16. Corridor of the Evil God A long corridor stretched ahead, with countless tightly shut doors on either side, and an evil presence that did not belong to this world pervading the air. Charles drew his handgun and readied the Bloody Glory, fully activating the Eye of Insight as he charged deeper into the mansion. The mansion was exceedingly deep, and after running for over ten minutes, Charles still hadn''t reached the end. He was met only with the long corridor and its numerous closed doors. He didn''t even think about exploring the rooms along the corridor. The Eye of Insight could "see" nothing but darkness behind the doors, a darkness that was not of this world. A strange buzzing sound grew from distant to near. Just as Charles raised his handgun, he saw a ck beetle fly towards him, circling around him incessantly. Charles hesitated slightly but took a step forward. The ck beetle immediately flew a few meters away, seemingly guiding the way. He followed the ck beetle without hesitation. The beetle zipped left and right, causing the corridor ahead to shift and numerous passageways to appear, branching off endlessly. Charles slightly regretted his decision, but by then, there was no turning back. He waspletely certain that Anne was trapped in a dream. Was it really worth it to burst in to rescue a girl he did not know? By now, it was toote for such thoughts. Following the ck beetle, Charles ran for another half hour. He knew this wasn''t normal; the mansion, although grand, was not thisrge. Charles grew more and more uneasy. Suddenly, he heard a scream. The ck beetle also sped up its flight, leading him through several passageways. Charles rushed ahead and saw a young maid with only her upper body remaining, bloodied and lying on the ground, her abdomen in disarray. Seeing him pass by, hope shed in the maid''s eyes as she cried out tremulously, "Save me, please save me." A pang of difort struck Charles. Even as a master-level Transcendent, he couldn''t bring the dead back to life; that was the domain of the gods. This young maid, missing her lower half, was beyond his capability to save.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Charles couldn''t bring himself to end the maid''s misery; he wasn''t that heartless. What he could do... Was only to cover his face and pass by. The maid''s cries grew more and more piercing, and Charles felt increasingly terrible. He was certain of one thing: Yang Miers was conducting some evil ritual, and this residence had be otherworldly, likely housing very few living souls now. "I wonder how Miss Annie Brittany is faring, and whether she has met some misfortune," he mused. Charles hadn''t expected that assisting with a small favor would lead him into such a high-level conflict. Following the ck beetle, he continued to press forward until a young girl in hunting attire ran towards him. She seemed both shocked and relieved upon seeing Charles, shouting, "Mister Mecklen, save me!" Charles raised his nearly new Magnum Hand Shuttle in surprise, asking, "How do you know me?" The girl in hunting attire blushed slightly and said, "I am Anne! Anne Brittany." Before Charles could respond, he saw a towering figure, over three meters tall, red all over as if skinless, holding a massive sledgehammer, slowly stalking towards them. In such a perilous situation, Charles surprisingly calmed down, closed his eyes, then raised his Magnum Hand Shuttle high and fired three shots at the girl in hunting attire. Gunsmoke curled up, and the girl''s figure gradually blurred, transforming into a tall, sinister man who eximed in disbelief, "How could you shoot at me?" Charles'' response was¡ªquickly firing two more shots. Meanwhile, he felt incredibly fortunate that his first awakened Special Ability was Insight. Charles still didn''t understand why Yang Miers hadn''t disguised himself as the real Annie Brittany, but instead morphed into an unknown girl. Nheless, it didn''t affect the oue. Bing wary, he used the Eye of Insight once, discovered the girl''s true identity, and ended the life of the one attempting to awaken the Evil God with five bullets. Yang Miersy on the ground, his body riddled with five bullet wounds, each spurting fresh blood. Standing over three meters tall, entirely crimson and wielding a massive spiked hammer, the skinless monster did not vanish and continued to advance step by step. Charles deeply inhaled, his hand reaching for the Vampiric Hand Axe hidden at his waist. Bloody Glory surged into the axe, causing the de to emit a faint blood-colored glow. Back in university, Charles had majored in government clerical work and had never intended to be abatant. His martial skills were quite ordinary, with especially poor closebat abilities, and hecked experience in fighting. Unless absolutely necessary, Charles did not want to choose to fight. Under these circumstances, fighting was not the best option. Charles even dared not use the Eye of Insight. If the opponent was that overseas Evil God. The best oue of looking directly at the Evil God was bing blind. A slightly better oue wasplete madness. The worst oue was not death, but having one''s bloodline cursed, dooming future offspring to misfortune. A predecessor had tried once, with neither a good nor bad oue, simply dying outright! There was another possibility. That the monster was¡ªMiss Annie Brittany. The young girl transformed into such a ferocious form by strange forces. Whether killing a Brittany Family heiress or being killed by Anne, both were very serious incidents. "Why fight?" "In my past life, I was just a math teacher, not abatant!" Charles watched the charging monster, torn in his decision. The area surrounding Yang Miers''s house was filled with members of the Patrolling Army. Among them, there were several familiar faces, officers who had been to the savings association''s apartments for cases, including the young and handsome Patrolling Army Officer Dobin, who, facing the swirling dark energy, asked with a headache, "Can anyone tell me what has happened here?" A Patrolling Army officer said, "This is Yang Miers''s residence; he just killed his wife a few days ago. Who knows if it''s out of remorse that he ns to use some dark magic to summon his wife''s soul back for further torment." This terrible joke did not provokeughter, instead, it soured the mood of the arriving Patrolling Army¡ªshould this joke be reality, they would be in big trouble. Summoning a soul from the Netherworld was a huge event! Dobin scoffed at this idea, looking at Yang Miers''s home billowing with dark energy, he had no n to investigate inside. The young Patrolling Army officer murmured softly, "When will they send a Transcendent over?" The same Patrolling Army who had just joked said, "Transcendents cherish their lives much more than we do." Dobin rebuked him, but he had to agree with the sentiment. Every time something like this happened, the Transcendents in the army never "hurried over," they would only show up gracefully once the situation had rified, and im all the credit for themselves. Dobin prided himself on his exceptional swordsmanship, but he was not a Transcendent. Facing such a situation, relying on swordsmanship alone was foolhardy and would only lead to senseless death. He sighed and said, "Let''s wait for orders from above. For now, our job is just to keep people away from here." The estate of Yang Miers, the rolling dark mist grew ever denser. Chapter 18 17. Golden Pheasant Tail Flower and Elysian Pastoral Avenue A remarkably luxurious carriage glided past, its coachman instinctively trying to steer clear of trouble. Someone on the carriage let out a light gasp, a gentle and elegant voice emanated from within, saying, "Hold on a moment!" The coachman dared not dy, quickly reining in the horses. Ady of grace and wealth stepped down from the carriage; she looked at Yang Miers''s residence and gently squeezed her silk-gloved hand, causing countless dark mists to surge into the sky and converge into a ssical oil painting. Thisnguiddy said, "Send it to 25 Mignan Street."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The ssical painting in the sky vanished as if someone had taken it away. Thedy got back into the carriage and gave an order, at which the coachman unleashed the reins and steered the carriage away. The Patrolling Army who witnessed this scene did not dare to intercept thedy, for they all saw the golden pheasant tail flower emblem on the carriage. It represented an existence that even their highest superiors would not dare to provoke. An endless corridor vanished, where a creature taller than three meters, its body entirely crimson and holding a gigantic mallet, resembling a skinless monster, disappeared as well. Suddenly back in the real world, Charles was still not quite ustomed. He did not dare choose the main entrance, instead, he shattered a window and burst out of the mansion. Seeing several members of the Patrolling Army from afar, Charles preferred not to get tangled up with the Yang Miers family again and quickly walked away in the other direction. After wandering the streets for a while, Charles heard the sound of a carriage speeding towards him from behind, and a crisp voice called out, "Mister Mecklen, please get in." Charles hesitated for a moment but climbed into the carriage. Seeing the unharmed girl, he felt obliged to ask, "Miss Annie Brittany, are you injured?" Miss Annie Brittany, still frightened, said, "I''m all right, thanks to your intrusion and saving my life. Otherwise, I would have fallen into that dimensional corridor created by the ancient painting depicting the likeness of the Evil God from overseas." She stood up and performed an aristocratic courtesy, her cute face filled with gratitude towards Charles. Charles had killed Mister Yang Miers, but he had not rescued the miss; in fact, he had almost been lost in the dimensional corridor himself. How the two of them managed to get out in the end? He did not see thedy''s intervention and was still bewildered. Charles knew there was no need to exin and simply smiled, saying, "Every gentleman would do the same, I merely chanced upon it." The look in Annie Brittany''s eyes towards Charles could already be described as tender and affectionate. She was a favored daughter of heaven, usually surrounded by many aplished young men, but at this moment she felt that none of these men could measure up to Mister Charles Mecklen, who had courageously stepped forward at the crucial moment, and afterwards disyed modesty, exhibiting the true demeanor of a gentleman. After hesitating for a moment, Charles still said, "Miss Annie Brittany, if you are alright, I shall take my leave. I only have one day off and was nning to find a residence closer to my new ce of work." Miss Annie Brittany, her interest piqued, asked, "Mister Charles, your work has been transferred?" Charles offered a faint smile and said, " I''ve been transferred from the Central Government Office to Kilmainham Prison, and since my current residence in the Alexandra district is quite far from there, I am nning to move to the Picardy district." There was no need to keep such work matters secret, so Charles simply told the truth. Though a clerk at the Central Government Office sounded more respectable than a prison army one, a first-ss Clerk Chief of the thirty-seventh rank was far better than a first-ss clerk of the forty-first rank. Charles had no intention of showing off this fact. Boasting about one''s civil service rank to a girl born of a top-tier noble family was not a savvy move. Miss Anne Brittany''s eyes shimmered lightly, her voice tinged with joy, "What a coincidence, I have a rtive who wants to sell a house in the Picardy District." "I can help you get a good price." Charles, with a hint of embarrassment, said, "I don''t have much in savings, roughly able to put forth eighty Aegeus." As a first-ss clerk at the Central Government Office, his weekly sry was only one Fu Er and seventy Sheng Ding. Even with extra earnings, his annual ie wouldn''t exceed one hundred Fu Er. Moreover, for a young person just starting work and being generous with money, being able to save up three Aegeus in a year was already considered good at managing one''s life. Having worked for two years, Charles was able to save more than five Aegeus, making him a model of the new era''s youth and a focus of the Savings Union. If it weren''t for selling the multi-headed shackles for seventy-five Aegeus, Charles wouldn''t even dare to think about buying a house of his own. The rtive of Miss Anne Brittany was certainly a noble too, and the house they intended to sell was bound to be out of the ordinary. Charles didn''t believe he could afford it. He was only looking for an ordinary residence, not some grand mansion. Charles directly stated his maximum affordable price, hoping to politely decline the girl''s kind offer. Miss Anne Brittany smiled faintly and said, "Mister Mecklen, please be assured, that house is within your budget." The girl gave the coachman amand, "To Elysian Pastoral Avenue." The carriage began moving once again. Charles, with an attitude of it being no big deal to take a look, thanked her. Charles had never actually been to Elysian Pastoral Avenue, but he had an impression of the street in his memory. Like the Alexander District, the Picardy District also belonged to amercial area, or as they would say on Earth, a craft industry area. Thetter was known for itsrge shopping centers and marketces as well as numerous high-end consumer locations. Picardy District was rtively more populist, selling everyday goods. Elysian Pastoral Avenue was the most bustling avenue in the Picardy District with a strongmercial atmosphere, housing many of Strasbourg''s famous bakeries, pastry shops, coffee shops, and various grocery stores, spice shops, tailors, and even ve markets. It is said that a long time ago, the site of Elysian Pastoral Avenue was a farnd that waster incorporated into the city. Most farmers received adequatepensation and went to the countryside to buy new estates, but there were a few old residents who stayed in ce. For this reason, Elysian Pastoral Avenue was not favored by the nobility; they disliked it for the residents not being of pure enough status. Almost no major nobles had properties there, deeming it beneath their dignity. Those seen shopping on Elysian Pastoral Avenue were eithermoners or servants of the nobles, as the nobles themselves rarely appeared there. Also due to the strongmercial vibe, Elysian Pastoral Avenue attracted many businessmen to purchase property, although most transactions involvedmercial rather than residential real estate, which meant the residential market was quite stagnant. Charles slightly opened the carriage curtain; even with memories of two worlds, he could not help but exim in admiration upon seeing Elysian Pastoral Avenue. This avenue, measured in the Empire''s official length units, was two thousand six hundred pimis, which converts to just over three kilometers in Earth''s units. Because it was once farnd, it was built very wide. Chapter 19 18. Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 and Cat & Clover Caf茅 Elysian Pastoral Avenue has a roadway wide enough to amodate sixteen carriages abreast, and on both sides, there are sidewalks over five pemi in width. From any angle, one can see the magnificent Glorious Gate. At the very center of Elysian Pastoral Avenue stands the Glorious Gate, a miracle bestowed upon Strasbourg by The Lord of Radiance, one of the Nine Great True Gods. It is a square building, open to all four directions with archways. The Glorious Gate possesses an extremely famous miracle: anyone who enters will randomly exit through one of the four gates, rather than the one facing the direction they were heading. It is said that the direction points to where the luck of the pedestrians will be best for the day. Besides the unavoidable Glorious Gate, the shops lining both sides of Elysian Pastoral Avenue are numerous. The very few shops with decorations made from High Order Alchemy-forged, exorbitantly priced crystal ss showcase their luxurious goods to every passerby. Aside from this avenue, there is no other ce in the empire that matches its hustle and bustle. Anne Brittany smiled gracefully and said, "To number 58!" The carriage rumbled down Elysian Pastoral Avenue and soon turned into a small alleyway. To call it a small alley is not quite urate, as it is wide enough to allow two carriages to travel side by side. The alley wasn''t deep; the carriage reached the end and there stood a detached three-story house with a small square in front that could park five or six carriages. The front had an entrance door with a few steps leading to it, and on the side, there was a carriage gate that conveyed a very imposing air. Anne stepped down from the carriage, and Charles could only follow suit. Watching Anne press her hand against it, the big door of the building automatically opened, causing Charles to raise his eyebrows in surprise. Charles knew this was a type of low-level Alchemy known as the Lock Picking Technique. He had truly not expected that someone like Miss Annie Brittany, a nobledy, would be proficient in such spells. Thinking again about the mechanical beetle that had tracked Mister Yang Miers, Charles gained a whole new understanding of Miss Annie Brittany. Anne pushed open the front door and walked in, offering Charles a slight smile and introducing the ce as he followed her inside, "This residence is a piece of inheritance recently attained by a distant rtive of mine. He disliked the strongmercial atmosphere here, as well as the noisy environment; he wanted something more serene and has been looking to sell." "As you know, the shops on Elysian Pastoral Street are always in high demand, but the residences always seemed to attract less interest, so his asking price is not steep." "He''s asking for two hundred Aegeus publicly, but I am aware he urgently needs money¡ª he would ept one hundred and fifty Aegeus." Charles thought to himself, "All my worldly wealth amounts to only eighty Aegeus. Is this price really within my means? Is Miss Annie misunderstanding my financial situation, or is she just insensitive to the value of money?" It seemed as though Annie was aware of Charles''s internal struggle. She raised her lovely eyebrows and said, "He is willing to ept payments in installments, with an initial down payment of just fifty Aegeus to move in." "I might even be able to persuade him to waive the interest on the installment n." Charles followed Annie around the first floor and quickly fell in love with the house. It had a veryrge banquet hall on the ground floor, which to the eyes of the nobility might seem modest, as it could host a small dance for no more than fifty people. But to Charles, a transmigrator from Earth, the banquet hall seemed absurdlyrge, unfettered and measuring three to four hundred square meters, a bit smaller than a standard basketball court yetrge enough for a half-court game. That was not all there was to the ground floor; it also had a drawing-room, a dining room, and two studies, with a staircase on the side of the dining room that clearly led to the basement. ording to the customs of the Fars Empire, there would inevitably be a kitchen and storage rooms in the basement. As for the staircase leading upstairs, it was off to the side of the banquet hall,pletely separate from the staircase to the basement. Charles mused, "Such arge house would never be possible to buy for two or three million on Earth, not even in the countryside." "Moreover, they even allow installment payments without interest. The seller is simply the biggest phnthropist I''ve encountered since I transmigrated." "But where am I to find the remaining seventy Aegeus?" "With my sry as a thirty-seventh rank public servant, six Fu Ers and fifteen Sheng Dings a week, when will I be able to pay it off?" It took Charles a few seconds to calcte the numbers in his head, after which he was suddenly shocked. With the sry of a public servant, he could pay off the house''s debt in less than three years! This time frame was more than ten times shorter than the mortgage terms he had briefly thought of on Earth.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Charles couldn''t help but silently express his amazement, "Transmigrators are indeed the protagonists!" "Praise the True God." "And praise Miss Annie." Charles, trying to contain his excitement, said, "My weekly sry is only about six Fu Ers, would the other party ept such a long payment period of several years?" Miss Annie Brittany chuckled and said, "Of course, that''s not a problem. Anyone who can pay off their housing debt within ten years is considered a premium buyer." "However..." "Mr. Mecklen, you are already a thirty-seventh rank public servant? You don''t look like you''ve been out of school for long?" Charles smiled slightly and said, "Two years since graduation." Miss Annie Brittany eximed in surprise, her eyes brimming with admiration and her cheeks blushing, as her fondness for him grew. A young talent who had ascended to be a thirty-seventh rank public servant, just two years after graduation, clearly held more personal charm than themon public servants dutifully waiting for their next promotion every three years from their entry-level clerical positions. This residence was quite "antique", weathered by time yet still extremely solid. In the Fars Empire, centuries-old buildings weremonce, and age did not diminish the value of a house; on the contrary, its long history became a talking point that added to its appeal. Charles did not bother to look at the second or third floor. After finalizing some details with Annie, he took out ten fifty-Fu Er bills from his spoils of selling a multi-headed neck restraint and handed them to the youngdy. Annie called the coachman in and gave him an instruction, after which the coachman drove away. Though the residence was asionally cleaned, it was still covered with ayer of thin dust and was not suitable for a prolonged stay. Charles very gentlemanly invited her to a nearby coffee shop. Annie readily agreed. Elysian Pastoral Street would neverck tasteful coffee houses. Although rarely frequented by nobles, the Empire''s writers, painters, sculptors, musicians, and even orators particrly favored the cafes here, where many of these personalities had left behind renowned works and stories. Charles took Annie not far from No. 58, to a coffee house called the Cat and Clover Caf¨¦. Many things in this world were simr to Earth, such as the existence of feline animals. However, domestic cats in this world did not have as many breeds or the variety of attractive patterns found on Earth. Chapter 20 19. Time Alone Together for Two People ``` The Cat & Clover Coffee Shop had adopted a "chubby" half-grown Agile Cat, resembling a leopard cat on Earth, naturally endowed with a faint spiritual power. Gentle in nature, it could watch over the house and protect its owner''s property, making it one of severalmon pets in the Fast Empire. Charles ordered two cups of coffee, one for himself that was simr to a mocha called Saimu, and Annie ordered a milk froth coffee simr in taste to a cappino. The vor of coffee in this world was simr to that on Earth, just a bit more acidic. Charles didn''t really like it and could only add some more sugar to suppress the sourness. Although the two had met twice and almost shared life and death, they actually knew very little about each other. With this bit of leisure time, they chatted about various things over coffee, and their rtionship quickly grew closer. Charles, with his proficient conversational skills¡ªas a math teacher, his logic and eloquence were unquestionable¡ªand his knowledge and dry humor from two different worlds, amused Annie to the point of her bursting into fits of giggles several times. Annie talked about some school matters, which Charles found very interesting. The first issue Charles faced when he crossed over to this world was¡ªsurvival. He began to assimte into this world, epted a new identity, and the issue of survival gradually ceased to be a problem for him. In fact, he was even living quitefortably. Beyond survival, a further need was¡ªto eat and drink well! From any perspective, living off a woman was quite afortable choice. Anne Brittany was definitely a suitable marriage partner. Of course, he had to first deal with his fianc¨¦e whom he had never met. The good news was that the fianc¨¦e was not satisfied with the marriage arrangement. The bad news was, since she didn''t like him, Charles had no way to contact her and was unable to address this vexing issue immediately. From both a moral standpoint and in practical terms, he had to call off the engagement before his rtionship with Anne Brittany could make any headway. If their rtionship had already developed to a certain point before he canceled the engagement, there would inevitably be a loss of reputation. Charles decided that he would write to his brother tonight, expressing his willingness to give up his inheritance rights, and at the same time, ask his brother to help contact the fianc¨¦e. With Charles, Anne Brittany was getting an entirely new experience¡ªa man with the knowledge of two worlds was fresh enough, and even the gods of this world couldn''t do it any better. She was now somewhat d for her rashness that day. If she hadn''t been out to "avenge" her aunt, Annie never would have gone to a young man''s window at midnight, nor would she have met Charles. Their social circles were too different, and there wouldn''t have been any chance for their paths to cross. Anne Brittany thought to herself, "Could it be that my aunt''s spirit in heaven has specially guided me to meet Mister Mecklen?" At that thought, her face couldn''t help but turn a little rosy again. Charles was unaware of why Annie''s face suddenly blushed, but he wisely pretended not to see anything. Just then, the Brittany family''s carriage appeared outside the window. Charles was about to go out and greet them when Annie said softly, "No need to go out, my mechanical beetle will guide the coachman." As expected, a few minutester, the coachman parked the carriage and brought a document and a set of keys into the shop. He ced the document and keys on the coffee table in front of them and respectfully stepped aside. Charles opened the document. ```n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This was a standard official document from the Central Government Real Estate Bureau, a house transfer contract, made out in three copies: one for Charles, one for the original owner, and one to be filed with the archives of the Real Estate Bureau. All three documents already bore the official seal of the Central Real Estate Bureau and the buyer''s personally signed signature. Charles skimmed through the contract hurriedly, making sure there were no issues, then signed his name. The coachman took the remaining two copies and rushed away. Charles stowed away his own contract and the set of keys, unable to help feeling a bit sentimental. A noble''s life was indeed leisurely and easygoing, with servants to take care of all their needs. There wasn''t much they needed to do themselves, with plenty of free time. Such a lifestyle was also something of a pipe dream on Earth, but it was rooted in a rather politically incorrect social system. ncing at the sky, Charles said with a slight smile, "How about I treat Miss Anne to dinner?" Anne Brittany nced at the sky and showed a hint of panic, whispering, "I apologize, but I must go home for dinner." Charles expressed understanding; many noble families had to gather together for dinner. It was a rather solemn ritual. He didn''t much care for it, nor was he ustomed to it. There was no way to ept it, and nothing could be done. This was an alternate world. Charles declined Anne''s offer to take him home. He watched as the youngdy hurried onto her carriage and left, then called over a caf¨¦ waiter and asked, "Could you help me find a few maids to clean up?" The waiter replied politely, "No problem, sir. When do you need them?" With a slight smile, Charles said, "Now." He had a strong desire to cut ties with his past life; if he could move today, he didn''t want to put it off until tomorrow. The caf¨¦ worker hurried off and quickly returned with five strong, middle-aged maids. Each of the women carried an air of long-termbor, bringing a sense of approachability. Charles quickly gave a few instructions and led the maids in a grand procession back to number 58. The maids, skilled workers that they were, quickly divided thebor and began cleaning. Charles did a tour of the first floor, then, filled with curiosity, climbed the stairs to the second floor. By this time, the evening had grownte, and the rooms were bing quite dim. He wandered the second floor for a while, getting a general idea of this level. There were fifteen rooms on the second floor, with thergest one exceeding seventy square meters and even the smallest rooms being over twenty square meters. While they weren''trger than the apartment he had lived in at the Savings Association, they felt more spacious. After making his rounds on the second floor, Charles ascended to the third floor. The maid responsible for cleaning this floor saw him and hurriedly bowed in greeting. Charles waved his hand, indicating he didn''t mind. This floor had fewer rooms, only five, each nearly a hundred square meters. They were very luxurious suites, with terraces on both sides. One side faced Elysian Pastoral Avenue. Since the shops in front only had one floor, there was nothing to obstruct his view, and he could almost see the entire street scene. The other side offered Charles a surprise even greater than the view of Elysian Pastoral Avenue. It was only when he stood on the terrace on this side that he realized the other side of the house faced the Lucavaro River. Across the river was the Lucavaro District, which was already the outer city area. The capital of the Empire, Strasbourg, was divided into: the Upper Seven Districts and the Outer Fifteen Districts. The Upper Seven Districts were: Val de Vaz District, Alexander District, Garon District, Rose District, Marvinsad District, Alcatraz District, and Picardy District. As for the names of the Outer Fifteen Districts, Charles couldn''t even begin to memorize them. Chapter 21 20. The real Kilmainham Prison Outside the courtyard wall of the new home flows the Lucavaro River, the scenery is quite enchanting. Kilmainham Prison is located in the Maen District and Lucavaro District, both of which belong to the outer fifteen districts, outside the old city walls of Strasbourg. Looking down from the terrace, the first thing that catches the eye is the courtyard of Charlotte''s new house, which is quiterge, about six or seven hundred square meters, with a stable and a well, a pleasant surprise. The maids are working very hard, and as the evening approaches, they light up kerosenemps, carry buckets, hold rags, and move in and out of the rooms, bustling about with their tasks. Charlotte took a short nap on a sofa in one room, and when he woke up, he saw a very clean and tidy room, several maids had worked all night to clean the building thoroughly. Feeling slightly guilty, Charlotte paid them double and sent the maids away before hailing a public carriage straight to the Maen District. He had only taken one day off and still had to go to work at Kilmainham Prison today. Charlotte''s immediate superior, Menierman Sumei, did not inquire about his leave of absence from the previous day, instead assigning him three times the normal workload. Charlotte worked until he was dizzy and couldn''t finish on time. In fact, he didn''t get to leave at all and ended up sleeping in the office that night. When he woke up again in the office, what caught his eye was an army uniform-d beauty sitting cross-legged on his desk. Charlotte''s first reaction was actually, "Sister Menierman always seems to wear an army uniform, I''ve never seen her in any other style." Charlotte hurriedly stood up and straightened his jacket, saying, "Warden, is there any work for today?" Menierman Sumei seemed in an odd mood, somewhat somber as she said, "Today there''s no paperwork to handle,e with me." Charlotte didn''t say anything and followed his senior. Menierman Sumei led him deep into the prison and downward. Having worked at the prison for some time, Charlotte had never left the office area, so it was his first time venturing into the depths of the prison. To his surprise, thisrgest prison of the Empire had few prisoners, with many cells empty and deste. He wasn''t very concerned with the prisoners'' affairs and didn''t ponder what this implied. Kilmainham Prison was a fortress-style structure, within its thick, towering walls were only five buildings¡ªthe first and second office buildings, the military guard barracks, the stable, and the main prison body. Charlotte had just found out that the prison''s underground portion was much deeper than the aboveground section, having followed Menierman Sumei down seventeen or eighteen floors before he finally reached the very bottom of the prison. The lowest level of the prison was not dark. A grand door imbued with a sacred aura stood at the center of the underground chamber. Dozens of armed prison guards stood at the ready, fully equipped. Upon Menierman Sumei''s arrival, the guards hastily saluted, and the warden waved her hand dismissively before stepping through the door built into the underground. Charlotte hesitated for a moment before following her inside, and no one stopped him. After passing through the door, Bloody Glory inside Charlotte suddenly boiled over, emitting a faint red glow from his body. He quickly forced open the Bloody Vortex at his brow, reining in Bloody Glory and calming the turmoil within, though he felt somewhat surprised at the bottom of his heart. Bloody Glory wouldn''t boil for no reason. On the other side of the door was still a heavily guarded underground chamber. Of course, it resembled more a mine. The guards patrolling this secret chamber all had a transcendent aura, with a dense killing intent that made Charles extremely ufortable; he even touched the Vampiric Hand Axe hidden in his clothes. Menierman Sumei led him through several heavily guarded gates, and they emerged from a dark tower.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Once again stepping onto the ground, Charles eximed in surprise, now certain of one thing. This was no longer within the Fars Empire. Menierman asked in a deep voice, "Do you know what a dimensional ne is?" Charles nodded, indicating his knowledge, as he had studied about it at the university. Menierman said, "This is the real Kilmainham Prison, a demi-ne abandoned by the gods, which once had a splendid civilization." "Every year, the Empire transports arge number of prisoners here, erases their memories, fabricates their identities, and makes them residents of this ce to explore ruins and extract wealth for the Empire." Charles''s voice was somewhat hoarse; he thought of several distressing matters and asked with trepidation, "Senior, did you bring me here to entrust me with a task?" Menierman said, "Follow me." About a few minutester, Charles encountered someone he remarkably didn''t expect. Zimmerman Axel Robin! Charles had seen numerous files on Zimmerman Axel Robin, but he was not the least acquainted with this legendary man of the Empire. Zimmerman was restrained on a stone bed, surrounded by countless figures in ck coats and hoods, bustling about. Menierman''s tone was grave, and she spoke softly, "In a little while, Zimmerman Axel Robin will no longer exist in this world. There will only be a Captain Huntington dedicated to the Empire, having lost all his memories." Charles was at a loss for words. Menierman Sumei hade to bid her former fianc¨¦ a final farewell; his presence here was clearly superfluous, yet he couldn''t entirely avoid being part of it. Zimmerman was either injected with an anesthetic capable of suppressing transcendent abilities or subjected to a special restraining spell, as hey very still, only struggling slightly when the alchemy circle emitted a strange light. Of course, it appeared more like a convulsion. The phantom of an ancient and hefty tome slowly emerged, with countless wisps of insubstantial grey mist rising from Zimmerman''s body and flowing into this peculiar book. Under the pull of a mysterious force, a radiant fighting spirit glow blossomed from Menierman Sumei. Bloody Glory within Charles also began to boil again, and faint strands of secret connection formed between him and the phantom of the ancient and hefty tome. Charles couldn''t help but exim in a low voice, "The Jade Book!" He had not seen it, but had heard of the book. It was a Divine Artifact bestowed by the Serpent of Destiny, one of the Nine Great True Gods. There was a dedicated course at the university discussing the origins and functions of the Jade Book and the discipline of Magic Alchemy derived from knowledge in the Jade Book. The Jade Book bestowed by the Serpent of Destiny to humanity, the Golden Book of the Sun granted by The Lord of Radiance to his followers, and the Dead Sea Scrolls left by the Lampbearer, were acimed as the three cornerstones of human civilization. Of course, as a transmigrator, Charles didn''t quite believe this assertion. He had studied the civilization of this era, which didn''t seem much rted to these three Divine Artifacts; but that didn''t diminish the awe in his heart. Chapter 22 21銆丣ade Scroll Menierman Sumei spoke softly, "It is a copy of the Jade Scroll made by Master Moni, the real Jade Book is in the Court of Destiny." Charles was still profoundly shaken. The Jade Scroll of Master Moni had also been included in university textbooks and was acimed as the pinnacle of human alchemy. He also noticed that Menierman''s expression was veryplex, containing hatred, regret, sorrow, resignation, as well as many other indescribable emotions that were difficult to decipher. Charles struggled to suppress the Bloody Glory boiling inside him to the extreme. Under the influence of the Jade Scroll, it was bing increasingly uncontroble. Out of curiosity, he asked, "Can these memories still be essed?" He had always been curious about this question during his school days, but there was no answer in the textbooks, and the professors wouldn''t exin, saying only that this was knowledge he should not touch. Menierman said, "They will be crushed by the Jade Scroll and transformed into pure knowledge, the Jade Scroll does not retain any ordinary memories it extracts." Charles understood that having one''s memories extracted by the Jade Scroll was no different from killing a person. The process of erasing memories was uneventful, and Zimmerman Axel Robin quickly became as dumbfounded as a wooden chicken. The profound and ancient illusion of the Jade Scroll slowly vanished, and the countless drifting, insubstantial grey mists also disappeared along with it. The glow of the Fighting Spirit on Menierman''s body subsequently receded, and the Bloody Glory within Charles stopped boiling, retreating back to the Bloody Vortex between his eyebrows. The Jade Scroll, this supreme alchemical treasure, had too strong an influence on supernatural powers. Charles didn''t feel at ease. The alchemists, dressed in ck overcoats and hoods, performed a series of operations and bestowed upon Zimmerman Axel Robin a brand-new personality and a forged identity. His new name was Huntington, a captain in Kilmainham Prison, loyal to the Royal Family with exceptional martial techniques. After the alchemists had done their work, they handed over a document. Menierman signed his name on it and then handed it to Charles, saying, "ording to Imperialw, this document must be signed by two people." Only then did Charles realize why Menierman had brought him here. He didn''t dare to read the content of the document carefully, just scanned it briefly and signed his name. Menierman didn''t stay any longer and took Charles through that mysterious door, returning to Kilmainham Prison in the Marn District. This short journey made Charles feel very oppressed. Menierman had given him half a day off, and he had also finished work early. Charles even hitched a ride in his direct superior''s carriage, which dropped him off as he entered Val de Vaz District. He returned to the Alexandria District, first terminated his rental contract with the Savings Association''s apartment, paying apensation fee, then hired a cargo carriage to have all his personal belongings moved by the apartment''s manservant. He left the ce he had lived in for a full two years, bidding farewell to the past of Charles Mecklen. It wasn''t until he arrived at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 that Charles realized how many personal belongings the former tenant actually had, some of which were books. He put all the misceneous items in therge study room and moved the books to the small study, intending to store them separately. The previous homeowner had taken away all the valuable items; there were no books left in either of the two studies. Books are very expensive in this world, and only the clumsy furniture was left behind. ``` Therger bookroom was about sixty to seventy square meters in size, with all four walls lined with bookshelves, as well as an extremelyrge conference table, whose matching chairs were also left behind. The smaller bookroom, which should more appropriately be called a resting room, contained a very old desk and matching chairs, two sofas for entertaining guests, and a recliner for napping, making it more suitable for daily rest. Only one and a half walls were outfitted with bookshelves, and it seemed that the space was not meant for storing books but misceneous items. Now, only some empty boxes and a few letters and such remained. He didn''t bother with other luggage and simply organized the small bookroom a bit, cleared out the misceneous items, ced the books he had brought over onto the bookshelves in the small bookroom, and also inserted the predecessor''s diary among them. These "predecessor" books were helpful in understanding more about his new identity, and he nned to peruse them when he had spare time. As for the diary, he always felt it was inappropriate, and never dared to read it again. Since most of the original upant''s clothing had been discarded, apart from books, there were only some daily necessities left, such as tableware. Charles''s collection of tableware was quite small and made of tin, which was much cheaper. After cing the tableware in the dining room, Charles felt hungry. There wasn''t any food at home, and although he had brought some ingredients with him, he didn''t want to cook them himself because... The dishes made from those ingredients were hardly ptable. Not wishing to waste the entire afternoon tidying up, Charles decided to go out for a bite to eat. He left No. 58, turned onto Elysian Pastoral Street, and soon passed a bakehouse. Without much consideration, he went in and asked, "What bread do you have today?" In the Fars Empire, most bakehouses were independently operated by thedies, who did everything from baking to selling the bread themselves. Therefore, the style and vors of bread varied greatly from one bakehouse to another. The red-haired young proprietress of this bakehouse, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and petite in stature, smiled and answered, "Our croissants are famous far and wide. Would you like some?" Charles smiled and said, "Then I''ll take twenty, please." The red-haired proprietress quickly packed twenty croissants for him. Charles asked a few more questions and was delighted to discover that this shop actually had Dongli country''s flower tea, which tasted much better than the Empire''s ck tea. He purchased some and then left the bakehouse.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Although Elysian Pastoral Street was very bustling, now was also a good time for a walk as the street was busy with people and traffic, Charles headed straight back to No. 58 without any further strolling. Once home, he ate two croissants with clear water and put the rest in the side cab of the dining room, nning to use them as food for the next few days. In this ancient alternate dimension Empire, there was no such thing as refrigerators, and food could not be kept for long. After hesitating for a moment, Charles decided to go down to the basement to take a look. He had already explored the three-story house but hadn''t yet visited the basement. With daylight still good, it was the perfect time to take a tour. Charles lit a kerosenemp as the architects in the Fars Empire would never allow windows in a basement. This was a characteristic of the Empire, and even during the day, the basement was inevitably dark. It would be rather inconvenient if it were night. The staircase to the basement was long, with three turns, and at each turn, there was amp stand on the wall for cing a kerosenemp, indicating that the basement might be over five "pimi" high. Charles had done the conversion; one "pimi" in the Empire was slightly longer than a meter on Earth, with one "pimi" being about 1.15 meters. With this ceiling height, the basement was considered quite spacious. ``` Chapter 23 22. Great Philosopher of the Human Race Protagora As Charles had anticipated, the basement of the small building was indeed quiterge. The kitchen near the staircase was roomy enough to amodate seven or eight cooks working at once. Although there were no windows, venttion ducts and chimneys prevented it from being dark and stuffy. The remaining area was divided into fourrge storage rooms and one small one, designated for storing food, wine, firewood, and slightly more precious items. One of the storage rooms had a small pile of firewood, while the others werepletely empty. Charles didn''t stay long after ascertaining there was nothing objectionable, and he went upstairs. Although his new home was stillcking many things, such as sufficient clothing, Charles decided to take a good day''s rest and not go out. He returned to the small study, took off his coat, ced the Vampiric Hand Axe hidden in his sleeve on the desk, and hung the gun holster, along with the newly purchased replica antique rapier, on the wall. Charlesy on the sofa and practiced Bloody Glory for a while. This was something the previous upant did daily. Having crossed over with a restless heart and been too busy with work, Charles had not practiced in a while. Now that life had finally settled down, Charles decided to dedicate some time each day to practice this Transcendent secret technique. Hundreds of years ago, Protagora, the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, in his youth, swore to create a secret art to ughter all of the Blood n after his beloved wife was abducted by them, her fate unknown. Grieving, he traveled the world, learning dozens of skills, and engaged in battle with countless Blood n masters, eventually spending forty-five years in seclusion on the highest peak of the Old Continent, creating Bloody Glory. Bloody Glory consists of two parts: Protagora Breathing Method and Blood Banquet Meditation. The Protagora Breathing Method can refine thirteen Blood n secret spots, condensing thirteen Bloody Vortices, whereas the Blood Banquet Meditation nurtures thirteen Unique Skill Runes, bestowing the Cultivator with thirteen extraordinary abilities. With this secret technique, Protagora single-handedly ughtered thousands of the Blood n and even annihted six of their thirty-seven lineages, reducing them to only thirty-one. At the peak of his fame, his name alone could make the young of the Blood n cry at night. In his twilight years, Protagora generously bequeathed this technique to four universities for free: Royal Hogwarts University, Hatingen Thunder and Storm University, Sheffield University, and University of Georgia. Thanks to the selflessness of this great philosopher, as a student of Sheffield University, Charles had the opportunity to learn this technique. Protagora''s unique breathing method matched the rhythm of Charles''s restless blood, producing a surging tide with every breath in and out. It was the first time since crossing over that Charles had immersed himself in cultivation. Protagora had once written in his handwritten secret scrolls, "There are thirty-seven Blood n lineages, and theoretically, Bloody Glory can condense thirty-seven Bloody Vortices. Regrettably, I was unable to fathom the profundities of this art; may future schrsplete it." In theory, condensing a single Bloody Vortex allows one to attempt to nurture Runes with Meditation Technique, thereby acquiring a Unique Skill. In practice, most who cultivate Bloody Glory refine seven or eight Bloody Vortices before they begin to practice the Blood Banquet Meditation. Many spend their entire lives without sessfully meditating on any Rune, and only a select few manage to master one or two Unique Skill Runes and gain Special Abilities. Charles had only condensed a Bloody Vortex at the brow point, allowing him to obtain the Insight Rune, which was somewhat inexplicable and purely due to good fortune. The Power of Insight dispersed slightly with the refinement of Bloody Glory. Although Charles''s eyes were closed, he could still remotely sense everything within the study.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The fluctuations of the Bloody Glory rolled over the Vampiric Hand Axe ced on the desk. This exclusive weapon of the Blood n resonated subtly with the Bloody Glory within his body. Charles allowed his internal Bloody Glory to naturally extend towards it. The Vampiric Hand Axe trembled slightly and suddenly disyed an insatiable thirst, frantically absorbing Charles''s Bloody Glory. Without opening his eyes, Charles let it consume his Blood Energy, curious to witness any peculiar transformations the vampiric weapon might undergo after being infused with the Bloody Glory. After more than ten minutes, having absorbed enough power, the Vampiric Hand Axe abruptly sent back a strange surge of Blood Energy. As Charles rejoiced, a diary hidden on the bookshelf seemed drawn by the aura, leaping out and hovering in the air, its pages rustling as they flipped. An authoritative voice echoed from an unknown distance directly within his mind, "How are you still alive?" "Mortal, you actually deceived me!" Charles was shocked, feeling a coldness in his limbs,pletely unaware of what had happened. Ever since returning from Synis, he had never looked through the original host''s diary, always worried about getting entangled with the Evil God again, and now he evidently had no need to worry... The Evil God had not gone far! Facing this desperate situation, Charles was not willing to sumb without a fight. Just as he was about to grab the Vampiric Hand Axe to resist, his body suddenly emitted rolling ck mist, exhaling an evil breath not of this world. An infinite corridor appeared before him, and a creature over three meters tall, with a skinless, crimson body, wielding a giant spiked mallet, stepped out of the void. The majestic voice thundered across heaven and earth, mixed with boundless anger, "Mortal, you still seek to conspire with Agms against me... He is but a mere oversea Evil God..." As the strange aura of the diary wafted towards the monster in the infinite corridor, the authoritative voice dered the battle begun, "Agms! With only a trace of your insignificant memory remaining, do you seek to stop me?" The creature, towering over three meters tall, wielding a giant spiked mallet, its skinless, crimson body suddenly howled to the sky like a primordial beast. The endless corridoryered upon itself, releasing a maelstrom of Fel Energy beyond mortal imagination, trying to stop another Evil God attempting to descend through the diary. The two overwhelming forces used Charles''s consciousness as their battlefield, striking together with the force of thunder igniting the earth''s me. Unable to bear it, Charles let out an agonizing scream. His brain felt as if it was brutally impaled by a wedge, the pain unimaginable. In just an instant, the pain exceeded the limits of endurance. His consciousness was torn to shreds by the two powerful Fel Energies, and he felt as if the world ceased to exist. The once ordinary diary now had countless pages flying chaotically, its cover bulging incessantly, sometimes revealing a castle, sometimes the infinite corridor, asionally a dignified middle-aged man sitting in a luxurious chair, and at times the skinless, crimson creature; a Blood me hand reached out from the diary, only for a giant spiked mallet to scatter it... Time passed indeterminably, within the cluttered room, all that was left was Charles Mecklen lying on the floor, his breath nearly gone. Beside himy the diary with a pitch-ck cover, and on the floor was a line of blood-drenched, hastily written words: I will return to im the soul owed to me, as per the covenant. Chapter 24 23. A fragment of consciousness suddenly gave birth to a thought: "Who am I?"Immediately, numerous fragments of consciousness were attracted and gathered, giving birth to a second thought, "I am Charles Mecklen!" A third thought arose naturally: "No, I am Huang Haisheng." As these three thoughts appeared in succession, more and more fragments of consciousness converged, interweaving memories of two people. But soon, a dominant consciousness suppressed all the chaotic thoughts: "I am Huang Haisheng, I have transmigrated to this world, replacing someone and becoming Sherlock Mecklen." The memories of the two individuals instantly became distinct, and the consciousness representing Huang Haisheng unhesitatingly devoured the other set of memories. Charles slightly opened his eyes, feeling an excruciating headache, and his body felt unbearably terrible, as if he had just endured a brutal punishment. At this moment, however, his mind was exceptionally clear, whether it was the memories of Huang Haisheng or those of Charles Mecklen. Everything, great and small, was arrayed before him, and he remembered even the tiniest details. He even remembered the Chinese and English languages that Huang Haisheng was proficient in, and the seven Old Continent languages that Charles Mecklen was expert in, as if he had just memorized each word afresh. He remembered that practicing Bloody Glory had triggered the arrival of the Evil God once summoned by Charles Mecklen. That wasn''t the worst of it. The arrival of this Evil God materialized the remnant thoughts of another foreign Evil God, Agmilas, which he had accidentally come into contact with not long before. The battling energies of the two Evil Gods had blasted his consciousness into fragments. Charles had no idea how he managed to reassemble his consciousness and recover, but he had no time to think about it because his body was in such terrible shape. Charles put his hand on the ground and struggled to his feet, shaking as he poured a glass of water and forced himself to drink, which significantly cleared his mind. "Too terrifying!" "Are the Evil Gods of this world really that fearsome?" "It''s been so long, and that diary could still invoke an Evil God!" "Just briefly touching that ancient scroll was enough to be tainted by its residual consciousness!?" "If ordinary people encounter an Evil God, don''t they stand a chance?" "If it weren''t for their battle..." "I would surely be dead." Charles sat down on the sofa, not fully in control of his body, and suddenly felt something amiss. A few minutes later, he exclaimed in horror, "What''s going on?" The Insight Rune between his eyebrows had become many times more complex than before, vaguely forming the shape of an eye. The range of insight had expanded from a sphere with a radius of fifteen steps to well over a hundred steps. The entirety of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was under the coverage of his special ability; he could switch the viewing angle from bird''s-eye to overlooking, from east to west, from south to north, at will. About half an hour later, Charles finally accepted a concept well known to the natives of the Old Continent. Summoning an Evil God¡ªdanger and opportunity coexist. Gazing directly at an Evil God brings a swift enhancement of spirituality! Unregulated and abnormal increases in spirituality can lead to madness, death, and obliteration! But if one can withstand it, the augmented spirituality is a gift from the Evil God. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This is extremely dangerous, yet also a deeply ironic reward. Having gazed directly at two Evil Gods and not died, Charles''s spirituality had received an unparalleled enhancement, and his "Insight" special ability had been amplified more than tenfold because of it. Generally speaking, one would often need to practice Bloody Glory for decades and have profound cultivation in the Bloody Banquet Contemplation Method to advance the Insight Rune to the point of resembling an eye. After quite a while, the headache that Charles had suffered had lessened to a bearable degree, and he also remembered that this wasn''t the first time he''d looked directly at an Evil God¡­ This explained why, since returning from Senez, Bloody Glory had been increasing every day. Glancing at the diary on the ground, Charles felt his heart suddenly skip a beat. This time, he did not shrink back; after all, the Evil God had already come. Since it''s already happened... It no longer mattered. Picking up the notebook, a line of text appeared on the pitch-black cover with a touch of his finger: "Agmilas Labyrinth" by Charles Mecklen. He was deeply astonished, having no idea how his diary could have turned into "Agmilas Labyrinth," or how he came to be listed as the author. He turned to the first page, where the original diary entries had vanished without a trace, leaving not a single word, but instead, a drawing of a labyrinth filled the page. As his finger touched this page, a surge of consciousness arose: Charles Mecklen summoned the primogenitor of the Blood Clan, Kahnstan, and crushed a filament of corrupt thought from the Labyrinth Evil God from the Agres Sea, capturing it in the diary, transforming it into a volume titled "Agmilas Labyrinth," with a total of fifteen pages, each depicting a labyrinth. If the author fails to proficiently master the fifteen labyrinths within the allotted time and draw the sixteenth labyrinth to prove himself, he will lose his status as author and his soul will be devoured by "Agmilas Labyrinth." Countdown: 256 days, 21 hours, and another three minutes and seventeen seconds!" "Damn it!" "This isn''t over yet?" "How am I supposed to master these fifteen labyrinths!?" After pondering for quite a while and still utterly clueless, he tossed the diary onto the desk. He was overcome with a sense of deep despair upon seeing the blood-written markings on the floor and instinctively rubbed at them with his foot, but they did not fade away ¨C these bloody inscriptions were as if branded onto the floor. Charles decided to cover up these writings with a new carpet the next day, for it would be hard to explain their origin should any guests come over. What, tell them that an Evil God left it? All of a sudden, Charles felt a bout of hunger. He knew it was because his Spirituality had suddenly surged, his body had consumed too much, and he needed to replenish his energy. He went to the dining room, grabbed a croissant to eat, but still felt hungry. He then took another one, and without realizing it, he had consumed all the croissants he had bought that day. After eating the last croissant, Charles had a bit of water, which made him feel slightly better. He noticed that the water jug in his room was empty. He thought to himself, "I should find some time to return to the university and ask the professors how to master Agmilas Labyrinth." "The professors at the university are protected by the Goddess; surely they would not fear these Evil Gods." Sheffield University worships Lady Black Moon, and the main reason Charles Meklen had chosen this university was¡ªthis is the Black Moon Era! This was the strongest time of Goddess Power! Charles went out to the yard, drew some water from the well, washed his face with the cold water, then filled the water jug and returned to his room. He put down the water jug and began to sort through his newly clarified memories. He still couldn''t remember the time before Huang Haisheng''s death, but he "recalled" how Charles Mecklen had foolishly summoned an Evil God. The Bloody Banquet Contemplation Method, founded by Protagora, involved meditating on the thirty-seven primogenitors of the Blood Clan and then slicing each of these primogenitors to consume them in a feast. Given its complexity and the bloodiness of the scene, it was considered the most vicious among the many secret techniques of the Human Race... At least nine of these Blood Clan primogenitors ascended to become Evil Gods in the Ancient Era, so the Bloody Banquet Contemplation Method generally required one to avoid these nine primogenitors; if one insisted on forcefully meditating upon them, it was tantamount to... summoning an Evil God. Chapter 25 24. Charles casually picked up the diary and was about to delve into "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" when suddenly he felt a surge within his heart and turned the diary over.The other side of the cover was red as if dripping with blood, and as his fingers lightly touched it, a line of text appeared on the blood-red cover: "Vampire Secret Scrolls", Author: Charles Mecklen. As he flipped open the cover, a wave of consciousness emerged: Charles Mecklen summoned the God of the Labyrinth Agmilas from overseas, repelled a strand of the evil intent of the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan, and encased it in his diary, which became a volume of the "Vampire Secret Scrolls", amounting to seventeen pages, documenting the secret technique of the Adonis Clan. If the author fails to master the Adonis Secret Scrolls proficiently within the specified time, he will lose the identity of the author and his soul will be taken away by the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan upon his return. Countdown: 6 days, plus 20 hours, and another twenty-three minutes and fifty-seven seconds!" "How could it be so urgent?" "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" had nearly an eight and a half month grace period, yet the Vampire Secret Scrolls had little less than seven days, which instilled Charles with an intense sense of crisis. He had chosen Bloody Glory at university and, by the way, had come into contact with some knowledge about Blood Clans. On the Old Continent, there are thirty-three countries, among which the five most formidable ones are: Inglima Empire, Fars Empire, Byron Empire, Black Phoenix Dynasty, and Lionheart Dynasty, known as the Five Great Empires. The Byron Empire was established by thirty-one Blood Clan families and is an outright Vampire Empire! The establishment of the Byron Empire was greatly related to the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, Protagora, who created Bloody Glory. This great human philosopher single-handedly slaughtered thousands of Vampires and even annihilated six of the thirty-seven Vampire families, reducing their number to thirty-one. His hands even bore the vengeful spirits of Vampire dukes, and at the height of his fame, he could stop the crying of Vampire children at night, which forced these Vampires to hold a summit. This summit accomplished two major matters for the Blood Clan. The first was the assembly of a large secret scrolls compilation committee by the chieftains and elders of each clan, which compiled all the secret techniques of the thirty-seven families. The second was to plan the establishment of a nation and decades later, they founded Byron, which withstood nearly a hundred wars from the Human Race''s Allied Army of the Old Continent, establishing the new empire''s foundation. The "Vampire Secret Scrolls" is the twenty-eighth volume of the compilation, also known as the Adonis Secret Scrolls, and is the inherited secret technique of one of the six King Vampire Clans, the Adonis Clan. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kahnstan, this Blood Clan Evil God, is the original ancestor of the Adonis Clan. The compilation of the Vampire Secret Scrolls began decades after the human philosopher Protagora created Bloody Glory. At that time, the philosopher was in his twilight years and, having attempted several times to seize the scrolls being compiled, he ultimately desisted for various reasons. Until his death, the great human philosopher never saw the Vampire Secret Scrolls. He left behind only one sentence: "Alas, I have not exhausted the mysteries of Bloody Glory; I hope future scholars can complete this technique." Students from the four universities had discussed whether Protagora would have ascended to godhood if he had acquired the Vampire Secret Scrolls and completed Bloody Glory. Of course, this question remained unanswered. After the successful compilation of the Vampire Secret Scrolls, only the higher echelons of the Blood Clan and the most outstanding young talents of the Blood Clan were qualified to peruse them; there were no records of humans viewing them. Charles sighed and thought to himself, "I really should take the time to visit the university and consult with the professors on some matters." "I''ll take a day off tomorrow!" He had moved to a new home, which was leagues better than his previous living environment but also brought some inconveniences, such as not being able to casually ask a servant from a savings association''s apartment to help him send a letter. It was already late outside, pitch black, with only the faint light from the oil lamp in the small study. Charles opened the first page of the "Vampire Secret Scrolls" and read it carefully for a while, he let out a slight sigh of relief. He couldn''t understand "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" at all, but after all, he had been exposed to some Blood Clan knowledge at university, and with the foundation of Bloody Glory, reading the Vampire Secret Scrolls wasn''t an obstacle. The foundation of the Adonis Clan''s vampire secret technique is named: Blood Flame Qi! On the first page of the "Vampire Secret Scrolls," there is a record of this secret technique. Blood Flame Qi is also one of the thirteen unique skills of Bloody Glory. The Blood Flame Qi created by Protagora was quite different from the vampire secret techniques of the Adonis Clan, it was more domineering and aggressive, but lacked the refinement and ruthlessness that came with a thousand hammers and hundred refinings. As Charles read, he tried to follow the instructions in the scroll, gathering Bloody Glory in his chest to cultivate the basic foundation of Blood Flame Qi, which required the opening of the Bloody Vortex at his heart. He had originally thought this step would be very difficult, but to his surprise, it was exceedingly easy; it only took a half-hour for him to condense the second Bloody Vortex in his chest. The formation of the second Bloody Vortex indicated that Charles Meklen had squarely stepped into the rank of Second Order Transcendent! If one followed the normal pace of cultivation, even someone with an above-average aptitude would need at least a year of arduous training to condense a single Bloody Vortex; many apprentices with average talents often needed more than three years to do so. For someone like Charles Meklen, whose talent was below-average, he had been unable to complete his cultivation even after four years at the university and had to rely on the Power of the Evil God to unlock his Transcendence. When he thought of the experiences of his predecessor, and the mess that he was left with, Charles sighed incessantly. Bloody Glory flowed from his brow into his heart and then back to his brow, creating a delicate cycle between the two Bloody Vortexes. Originally, Charles had only intended to cultivate Bloody Glory for a short time. He could not have imagined that it would attract the Evil God! And two of them, at that. Now, he had finally returned to "cultivating Bloody Glory for a short time," and had also advanced to a higher order, which made one marvel at the wondrous nature of the world. A few hours later, Charles opened his eyes and felt that the Bloody Vortex inside his chest had stabilized; the runes forming in his brows seemed to be clearer, and his range of insight had increased slightly. No sooner had he awakened than a thought surged from his diary: "Countdown to the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan''s descent: 26 days, 5 more hours, and another thirteen minutes and seven seconds!" Charles was both alarmed and delighted, privately thinking, "Condensing the second Bloody Vortex can delay Kahnstan''s descent by eighteen days! If I continue to cultivate, could I possibly prevent his appearance forever?" He knew that was unlikely to happen. Having looked at two Evil Gods directly and survived, he had enhanced his spirituality; it was inevitable his cultivation would make rapid progress for a short time, but after reaching a certain bottleneck, it would no longer be so swift. Nonetheless, this was still good news. As dawn was breaking, Charles pushed down his overflowing emotions and prepared to leave the house, planning to make a trip to Kilmainham Prison first. He had just taken on his new assignment not long ago and had already asked for leave once. Asking for leave a second time, in a brief period, wasn''t ideal; it was better to ask for leave in person rather than sending a servant to do so. Charles believed that Senior Melnirman would be an approachable person. However, what he didn''t expect was that when he arrived at Kilmainham Prison that morning, he found Melnirman hadn''t come to work at all that day. After waiting for two hours, Charles decisively took off from work early... Chapter 26 25, University of Georgia Black Moon Era Thirty-Three Fan Club As a First Rank Clerk Chief in the Fars Empire and a thirty-seventh-grade civil servant, Charles had stepped into the empire''s elite class, though he belonged to the lowest tier of the elite.In Kilmainham Prison, except for Menilman, no one could give him orders, nor could anyone hold him accountable for being late or leaving early. Charles stepped out of Kilmainham Prison and unexpectedly saw a familiar carriage; the little face peering out from the carriage window was even more familiar to him. Charles was slightly surprised and greeted her, "Miss Annie! What are you doing here?" Anne Brittany''s pretty face was full of smiles as she cheerily said, "I just happened to be passing by. Mister Mecklen, you''re off work so early today, do you have other matters to attend to?" Anne Brittany felt a little anxious; she had arrived quite early but didn''t know how to find an excuse to enter the empire''s prison, as her family had no relatives inside. Charles smiled faintly and said, "I just left work early; there''s nothing much to do today." Anne Brittany immediately said, "I''m actually going to a private gathering and am short a gentleman companion. I wonder if Mister Mecklen might assist?" Charles was not a fool; the excuse of "just happening to pass by" was truly worn out. This was the first time in either of his lives that he had encountered such a situation. Being pursued by a girl! And a standard beauty with wealth at that. Anne Brittany was impeccable in appearance, figure, demeanor, scholarship, upbringing, and even family background. Faced with the choice between returning to Sheffield University and going on a date with Anne Brittany, Charles hesitated for a moment before decisively making his choice and accepting, "It is a great honor to be invited by you, Miss Annie." At the same time, he thought to himself, "The matter of writing to my brother needs to be brought forward on my schedule." Charles got into Anne''s carriage and left Kilmainham Prison. The private gathering Anne Brittany was going to attend was the University of Georgia Black Moon Era year thirty-three aficionados'' assembly. In the Old Continent, almost every country had this custom; various social small groups were very popular. Lower-class people would have knitting clubs, laundry clubs, mainly for the purpose of securing work, while slightly wealthier families would join book clubs, cooking clubs, to expand their networks. University aficionados'' assemblies like this were already high-end social gatherings; after all, the Fars Empire had only four universities, each university a place blessed by God, every student a favored child of the heavens, with promising jobs and limitless futures after graduation. The venue for this gathering was the home of a young lady named Berrida. She was a university classmate of Anne Brittany, and their relationship was neither bad nor particularly close. At any other time, Anne would have refused such a gathering, as she did not enjoy boisterous events. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, it was for Charles that she accepted the invitation. After all, it took a lot of courage to ask a gentleman out alone, and such a gathering seemed less abrupt. Charles was concerned about his "future." He did not want to be devoured by the Labyrinth nor to see Kahnstan again, so he also continued to cultivate Bloody Glory while in the carriage, maintaining his training state. Golden Runes flickered in and out of sight at his heart, where the Bloody Vortex was located. Having faced the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan twice, his Blood Banquet Meditation Technique had made rapid progress and achieved minimal results. When the carriage stopped, he opened his eyes and felt that Bloody Glory had advanced a little further. Anne had been observing Charles the entire trip. She keenly noticed that he was in a state of cultivation, which surprised and impressed her. "Many people stop exploring the Transcendent after graduation because the path is so difficult, but Charles still has the heart to strive. His future achievements must be limitless." "If he could become a High-Level Transcendent, between us..." "There would be many more possibilities." Miss Annie thought to this point, and her pretty face couldn''t help but blush once again. Charles suddenly opened his eyes and saw Anne Brittany with a slight blush on her face, radiantly beautiful, and instantly his eyes lit up, but he tactfully said nothing. Anne truly felt a bit shy, she slightly lowered her head, allowing Charles to dismount the carriage first, then extended her small hand for him to help her down. A butler saw the two guests arriving, raised his hand to signal, and servants immediately helped open the large gate for them. Though Berrina''s father also held a position in the Empire and had an honorary title, he was merely a minor noble and couldn''t be compared with the Brittany Family at all. Anne''s arrival delighted the young lady, who personally came out to receive her. She saw Anne''s hand looped through Charles''s arm and was slightly surprised. At school, Anne was known as a cold beauty, never dating any boys nor showing any false pretenses to the opposite sex; this was the first time she saw the young lady of the Brittany family being so intimate with a male of her age. Berrina covered half of her face with a small fan, partly to avoid letting any inappropriate expressions show that might displease Anne, and partly to maintain her graceful demeanor. She chuckled and said, "Anne, everyone has been waiting for you for a long time." "Could this gentleman perhaps introduce himself?" Anne smiled modestly and said, "Mister Charles Mecklen, graduated from Sheffield University, currently employed at Kilmainham Prison, Clerk Chief." She walked arm-in-arm with Berrina toward the living room. In such a public setting, it was necessary to be clear about one''s identity; one couldn''t be overly modest, but having Charles introduce himself would obviously not be as fitting as Anne doing it for him. The time Charles introduced himself to Anne, he didn''t emphasize his civil position but highlighted being a First Rank Transcendent in order to be more credible to the other party. Now the scene had changed, and Anne adjusted the details of the introduction, concealing his Transcendent identity and emphasizing his civil position instead. Berrina''s pretty face showed a slight change in color, and even the small fan in her hand couldn''t hide her surprise as she asked in a low voice, "You''re a Clerk Chief?" If Charles had introduced himself as a Clerk Chief, Berrina would never have believed him and would have thought she encountered a swindler. Two or three years after graduating from university, almost all in government roles were First Order clerks, with a few from families with a strong background perhaps advancing earlier to become Second Order clerks. A Clerk Chief at such a rank was rather alarming; only those from great noble families could have such rapid promotion. The gap between a First Order clerk and a Clerk Chief was not to be underestimated; from the fortieth down to the highest thirty-seventh rank, including a rare opportunity for a job transfer, represented at least a decade or more of promotion and hard work, a threshold many civil servants might never cross in their lifetime. This change in status was not just about a salary three-point-six times higher; it brought with it recognition, position, benefits, welfare, power, and so much more. Berrina''s father was only two ranks higher than Charles in the government''s civil servant hierarchy. Anne smiled and answered, "Yes, Mister Mecklen recently purchased a house for less than two hundred Aegeus." Berrina could no longer question it; being able to purchase such a house worth two hundred Aegeus indicated that Charles''s salary was far beyond that of a First Order clerk. Charles sighed inwardly, knowing this was the Empire, filled with snobbery, class discrimination, contempt, privilege, wealth, and corruption... He would still need to adapt for a while. Chapter 27 26. Fianc茅e Anne quickly became the focal point of the gathering.The majority of attendees at this gathering were students from the University of Georgia, and they were all contemporaries who enrolled in the year of Black Moon Thirty-Three. Only a few invited "outsiders" were present. Charles, as an "outsider," tactfully chose to keep a low profile and sat down in the corner of the banquet hall, casually pulling out his diary to study. He now had two items that he always carried with him, never leaving his side: one was the Vampiric Hand Axe, and the other was his predecessor''s diary. In such a setting, it was not convenient to practice Bloody Glory, so Charles opened the side of the diary about Agmillar''s Labyrinth. It seemed that, due to his extensive research, he had gained a slight understanding of it. While Charles was further analyzing the first depiction of Agmilas Labyrinth, a gentleman approached him, revealing a set of white teeth and said with a smile, "I''m Andre, like everyone else, I am a junior at the University of Georgia. May I ask for your esteemed surname, sir, and would you be interested in joining us for a card game?" Charles gave a slight smile and answered, "Charles, graduated from Sheffield University. I''m not very good at card games, so I''ll pass." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Andre did not back down, and then two or three other young people came over, together with Andre, urging Charles to join. With their enthusiastic invitation, Charles found it difficult to decline. After making a few excuses, he reluctantly agreed. When he took a seat at the card table with Andre and the others, he sensed something was off but pretended to be unaware and started the first round with a smile. The card game played by Andre and his group was called the Tacularo cards, consisting of one hundred and forty-four cards in total. The best cards were The Nine True God cards, which were the only constant trump cards of Tacularo, the other trumps varied with each deck but often featured famous figures from the Old Continent, including kings, warriors, renowned scholars, and mysterious Evil Gods, along with various auxiliary cards. The gameplay wasn''t difficult, but there were many mechanisms for doubling the bets, leading to particularly large wins and losses after a single round. For this reason, Tacularo cards were only popular among the nobility and the wealthy; being able to play Tacularo was even considered a status symbol. Charles Meklen, who was originally adept at card games and had regained his memory, did not appear clumsy at the card table. After two consecutive rounds, Charles had lost one Fur and twenty Sheng Ding. Far from being annoyed, he became even more serene and composed. That group of young people was cheating! They must have heard from Berrina that Charles had a substantial salary and had recently bought a mansion worth two hundred Aegeus. It sparked a different kind of scheming in their minds. However, when it came to cheating, how could Charles, a Mathematics graduate, be outdone by these "wild creatures"? Not to mention, he also had the Eye of Insight. After probing for two or three rounds, Charles confirmed the young people''s greed and intentionally threw out some bait. He then led the card game to a stalemate. Although he lost more rounds, every few rounds he would have a "particularly lucky turn," often making up much of the initial outlay in one go. Seeing that after more than twenty rounds the gap between their wins and losses was still small, Andre became slightly impatient. He signaled his companions with a covert gesture and said with a smile, "The stakes are too small. It''s not very interesting to continue like this. How about we raise the bet?" Charles readily accepted. After increasing the bet, his "luck" seemed to worsen all at once. He lost more than ten consecutive hands and was down by over seventy Fur. When Charles, acting as if he was seeing red from his losses, also suggested raising the stakes, the group of young people was thrilled. They agreed in a seemingly coordinated fashion. This time, however, Charles''s luck suddenly caught fire. After a dozen or so rounds, not only had he won back all the money he''d lost, but he had also earned nearly thirteen Aegeus and an additional six Fur. The colors drained from the young people''s faces as they couldn''t understand how, with everyone working together and cheating, the cards could turn out like this? After winning one final round, Charles said with a beaming smile, "Sorry, but I have to take Miss Annie home now, she must be home before dinner." This excuse was beyond reproach. After all, the rules of the Brittany Family are indeed famously strict; no one dares to hinder Miss Anne from returning home late. Charles freed himself from the group of gambling youths fond of cheating and approached Anne, saying, "May I have the honor of escorting Miss Anne home?" Anne smiled faintly, bade farewell to several female companions, and as she left the banquet hall, she whispered, "Those people like Andre are extremely annoying; they often lure others to play cards at school, and they cheat together to swindle people''s money." "However, none of them have become Transcendents." Upon saying this, Anne smirked slyly. As a Dreamwalker, she had long observed the card game. Seeing Charles so confident of winning, she chose not to intervene. Charles couldn''t help but laugh, "Miss Anne, you can be quite the lady at times." Anne covered her mouth, but her eyebrows were curved, her mirth impossible to hide. She had been bored with idle chatter all afternoon, but seeing Charles demolish Andre and his group, turning their faces pale, she suddenly found today''s gathering quite amusing. Although Anne was bold, she didn''t dare let Charles escort her home. Instead, she escorted Charles back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 before reluctantly bidding him goodbye. Charles watched Anne''s carriage depart, feeling quite relieved. Even though he had been detained for a day, he believed it wouldn''t affect his resolution of the current predicament. If he ultimately failed to deal with the threat of the two Evil Gods, it wouldn''t be because of today''s meeting. In the following days, Menierman Sumei did not show up for work. Charles never arrived late but left early with great gusto; his dates with Anne Brittany became so frequent as to be startling, and their relationship warmed rapidly. Beyond the dates, he didn''t neglect serious matters, visiting Sheffield University a few times to consult with some of the most knowledgeable professors. However, none of the professors were familiar with Labyrinthology, and the research on Agmilas Labyrinth made no progress. As for the Vampiric Scroll, he dared not mention it¡ªsummoning Evil Gods was punished by burning! Going to the goddess-protected Sheffield University, excitedly confessing he had summoned the Blood Clan Evil God, would likely result in the professors personally setting up a pyre for him. Luckily, his practice of Bloody Glory made steady progress, and the repeat arrival date of the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan was postponed again, giving him a slight reprieve. The Empire''s postal system was rather efficient, and Charles soon received some good news. After receiving a written promise from his brother renouncing his inheritance rights, considering fraternal bonds, his brother included a Savings Union savings certificate in his reply, worth five hundred fifty Aegeus, gladly agreeing to help dissolve the engagement. His brother''s reply also contained information that his former fiancee had decided to visit Strasbourg in person to formally sign the documents of disengagement with Charles. The day after Charles received the reply, he had a very pleasant date with Anne, watching an opera, and took a public carriage home. As Charles walked leisurely into the alley and arrived at his doorstep, he unexpectedly saw a very attractive girl sitting on the steps of No. 58. She looked a bit disheveled, her forehead even dusted with soil, her pretty eyebrows slightly furrowed, clearly in a very bad mood. Chapter 28 27. Fianc茅es First Impression The girl was wearing a maple leaf long skirt commonly seen in the Fars Empire, which is standard attire for many women traveling long distances, thick and windproof, and able to hide many small items, such as a short dagger for self-defense. She was not carrying any luggage.She wasn''t as beautiful as Anne, but she was definitely a beauty with a score over eighty-five, with a slightly childish face full of collagen, her delicate eyebrows lightly knitted together, her mood very bad. Charles compared her with the image in his memory, although it was somewhat blurry, he was certain this lady was his fianc¨¦e¡ªSilvie Martin. In the past few days, Charles hadn''t dared to hitch a ride in Anne''s carriage, insisting on taking the public stagecoach home for fear of being seen by this lady in his current state. He shrugged his shoulders and strode over, speaking in as gentle a tone as possible, "Miss Martin, hope all is well with you." Silvie Martin regretted coming to Strasbourg alone from Behemoth Duchy; she should have traveled with companions. Strasbourg was much larger than she had imagined, and the public safety was far worse than she had expected. Within the first hour of setting foot in Strasbourg, Silvie lost all her belongings and didn''t even have a single Sheng Ding left on her. The return address Charles had given to his brother was Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, and it took her an entire day to find the residence by following the map. Silvie was ten out of ten certain she had the wrong place. Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was a mansion, hardly looking like a place her former fianc¨¦, who earned only a Fu Er plus seventy Sheng Ding a week, could afford to live in. But she had nowhere else to go. When Silvie Martin heard someone calling her name, she looked up slightly and indeed saw a familiar and annoying face. She said irritably, "Why did you give me a fake address?" Charles didn''t explain, but took out a key to open the door and added, "I live here now." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Silvie was so surprised that it wasn''t until Charles called her twice that she followed him into the house. Charles didn''t know why his fianc¨¦e disliked the "ex-fianc¨¦." Maybe the ex had a disreputable private life, or maybe he had some bad habits, but it wasn''t important. He hadn''t crossed over to be a scapegoat. Still, Miss Silvie Martin should still be a pure girl. Charles led Silvie to the small study, gestured for her to sit wherever she liked, handed her a glass of water, and casually asked, "Why don''t you have any luggage?" Silvie answered with a mix of annoyance and anger, "It was stolen at the station." Charles couldn''t help but laugh. He really hadn''t expected his fianc¨¦e to be so na?ve. Silvie grew even angrier. Biting her little white teeth, she hissed, "Can you stop laughing at me? You''re even more annoying than before." Charles nodded and immediately stopped laughing. It was indeed wrong to laugh at a girl, especially since he was not close to her. The "ex-fianc¨¦''s" memories of Silvie Martin were few; they really weren''t close. Charles took out the documents he had prepared in advance and handed them to Silvie, saying, "I''ve already signed my name. Just waiting for you to sign yours, and the marriage contract can be dissolved." "If you''re not assured, we can also have it notarized at the government office. I''ll pay for it." Silvie, still fuming, took the quill and quickly signed her name in beautiful cursive. Charles breathed a huge sigh of relief. He could now date Anne openly and without fear of a scandal in his harem. Charles carefully dried the ink on his copy of the document, placed it in an empty box, and smiled, "What do you plan to do next, Miss Martin?" It took Silvie quite a while to answer in a soft voice, "If it''s possible, I would like to stay for a few days." "Once my father sends the money, I will move out immediately." "I have completed my education at Behemoth National College and been employed as an imperial civil servant, and I should receive my job assignment in about half a month, so I won''t trouble you for too long." At last, Silvie Martin spoke with determination, her eyes full of tenacity and courage. Charles was slightly taken aback; such a look was familiar to him from his previous life, the type of confidence only found in independent and strong women. But even in that world, such women were rare. Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "Miss Martin, even though our engagement has been dissolved, I still have a responsibility to look after you whenever you are in need." "Feel free to stay here with peace of mind." This former fianc¨¦e had solved a big problem for him, and Charles had no intention of turning his back heartlessly. Besides, this was the world of the Middle Ages. Where the public order was not good. Being a jailer himself, he knew all too well that even the capital, Strasbourg, was as chaotic as it gets. To let a young girl wander outside would trouble his conscience. If Silvie were to leave on her own, the chances of something happening to her were almost certain. Silvie Martin breathed a sigh of relief, she discreetly touched the dagger hidden under her maple leaf skirt and said, "You mustn''t come near me at night." Charles pointed to the stairs by the side of the banquet hall, unconcernedly saying, "There are fifteen rooms on the second floor; you can pick any one you like." "Also, I''ve only recently moved in; this residence is lacking many household items. If there''s anything you need, please let me know as soon as possible. While there''s still light out, we can go out and buy them." Silvie put down her cup, pulled at her long dress to make a customary gesture, then exited the study and went up the stairs to the second floor. About a few minutes later, she came back down and said, "I need a kerosene lamp, a change of clothes, and bedding. I''m also a bit hungry; do you have anything to eat at home?" Charles smiled faintly and replied, "We have a few croissants, some stuffed bread, and a bit of East Kingdom''s floral tea left, but you might not be interested in those. Let''s go out to eat." "There are all kinds of stores on Elysian Pastoral Avenue; as a host, I should welcome Miss Silvie properly." Silvie Martin was very surprised; Charles''s gentlemanly behavior was uncomfortable for her, especially knowing the kind of man her former fianc¨¦ was! Charles Mecklen was the typical bad boy who did whatever he pleased because he came from a wealthy family. He was very familiar with flirting and had ambiguous relations with many ladies in Behemoth, with a reputation for having no self-respect. Silvie Martin had once been convinced that this former fianc¨¦ would be expelled from the college after scandals came out, unable to receive his diploma, which would have served him right. This was also one of the reasons Miss Silvie insisted on breaking off the engagement¡ªshe had no liking for playboys and rakish scoundrels and couldn''t imagine spending her life with such a worthless person. Chapter 29 28. Gossip about Menilmans job transfer Charles accompanied Silvie Martin out, carrying no firearms, only a newly custom-made magic alchemy wand.This magic alchemy wand boasted a simple yet slightly glamorous design, made from an extremely rare type of wood that was lightweight yet tough, with great elasticity. It was embedded with dozens of silver stars, which were obtained by melting down an old scabbard from the Sherlock Dynasty era, producing a brilliant flare of silver light when waved, much to Charles''s liking. It certainly wasn''t a magical item, but merely treated with magic alchemy to enhance its toughness. No matter how tough the wood, the likelihood of it cracking after embedding dozens of silver stars was quite questionable, but after being treated with magic alchemy, its flexibility could even compare to steel. A good wand was not only a luxurious and handy weapon but also one of the gentlemen''s favorite personal items, popular in every country on the Old Continent. Charles had recently had more money at his disposal. Initially, he had melted down the old scabbard intending to forge a magic sword, but after inquiring, he found the price exceeded his budget, so he gave up on the magic sword and custom-ordered this magic alchemy wand, spending eleven Fu Er and twelve Sheng Ding. After all, he wasn''t skilled in swordsmanship; using a wand was no different from using a rapier. Silvie Martin left Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 with her former fianc¨¦, still feeling somewhat uneasy. Charles chose the first restaurant they passed, picked a seat by the window, and expertly ordered two dishes. The culinary style of the Fars Empire was quite unique, unlike the Chinese method of individual orders, it appeared in the form of set meals on the menu. A dish consisted of a main course, an appetizer, a side dish, a complementing wine, a dessert, a soup, and so forth. Even the most basic menus included at least five items, with complementing wine and soup being indispensable. The restaurant was of decent quality; Charles ordered for himself lamb chops, crescent rolls, potato cubes, mushroom soup, sparkling apple cider, a few pieces of roast chicken, and a vegetable platter¡ªa typical man''s meal in terms of quantity. For Silvie Martin, he ordered a dessert-focused dish, with cheese and various cookies, plus a serving of milk tea¡ªa typical woman''s meal. Charles was also hungry; during the meal, the two ate in silence without engaging in conversation. After finishing the meal, Charles went to pay the bill and also requested a few extra bottles of wine; his new home lacked many things, including a stock of wine. He had enjoyed the taste of sparkling apple cider, so he bought some more. As usual, Charles didn''t take the wine with him right there but had the restaurant deliver it later to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. The two left the restaurant and quickly found a general store. After buying the items Silvie Martin needed, Charles also purchased twenty pounds of kerosene, as he often stayed up late studying his diary, consuming a significant amount of lamp fuel. After paying, he still had the goods delivered directly and took Miss Silvie back to his residence. Charles remembered that he was currently "in a romance," and although his relationship with Anne Brittany had not yet been clarified, he still needed to prepare in advance. He stopped Silvie, who was about to go upstairs after they got home, and said with a slight smile, "I have a favor to ask of Miss Silvie. I hope you can refer to me as ''cousin'' during this time. You know, a single man and woman together might spark some criticisms, and those would be more detrimental to you." "Alright, Cousin Charles," Silvie didn''t give him much room for further explanation, agreeing immediately and briskly walking up the stairs. The young lady didn''t compromise on comfort, choosing the largest bedroom on the second floor. It was located in the far end, with three walls having bright windows, an en-suite bathroom, and a huge wardrobe embedded into the wall. The original owner left behind a very sturdy bed, which was also too heavy to move easily, so it was left in the house. For a young girl, the room was nearly perfect, except for a slight fear due to its spaciousness. Silvie Martin stood before the south-facing window, gazing at the scenic views of the Lucavaro River, and felt a surge of boundless courage. The young girl gently clenched her fist and whispered, "New life, here I come." In the heart of every young girl lie countless vibrant dreams. About ten minutes later, Charles gently knocked on the door and said, "The grocery store clerk is here with the delivery." Silvie opened the door, and the grocery store clerk brought various items inside, placing them where the young girl directed. Throughout the whole process, Charles stood at the door without entering, being very gentlemanly. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This aroused a slight curiosity in Silvie about her former fianc¨¦. The Charles Meklen she used to know was not like this. This was not very Charles-like. Once the clerks had moved and arranged everything, Charles politely bid Silvie goodbye. He escorted the clerks to the lobby on the first floor, secured the door bolts, and then returned to his own room on the third floor. Charles had chosen a suite near the stairs on the eastern side; the suite had a bedroom, a study, a washroom, and a living room. Leading out from the living room was a terrace on the Elysian Pastoral Street side. The terrace ran from east to west with chest-high walls, and the entrances to all five suites were on this terrace. The south-facing terrace, however, was not continuous; each suite enjoyed its own separate open area. Sitting on the south-facing terrace, one could enjoy tea while admiring the beautiful scenery of the Lucavaro River. He lay in his room on an old sofa left by the previous landlord, silently calculating his finances. "I originally had five Aegeus in savings, sold the long maces for seventy-five Aegeus, won thirteen Aegeus in cards last time, and my brother sent me five hundred fifty Aegeus. After deducting the down payment of fifty Aegeus for the house, I still have¡­" "Five hundred ninety-three Aegeus!" "That''s quite a substantial amount of money." "Recent research on the Agmilas Labyrinth has not been going well, even the professors at my alma mater, Sheffield University, have no research on this overseas labyrinth. I should purchase some materials or find an expert in labyrinth studies." The next morning, as usual, Charles went to work at Kilmainham Prison. Not long after he stepped into the office, an unexpected visitor arrived¡ªMrs. Pascal, the reception secretary. This lady brought shocking news, lowering her voice, she said, "Miss Menierman Sumei might be transferred from Kilmainham Prison, stepping down from her position as warden, to take up a military position." Charles was greatly surprised by this news. After that day, Menierman Sumei never returned to Kilmainham Prison. Although the Empire''s First Rose, this warden senior, had indeed treated him well, the prospect of not needing to work overtime was somewhat reassuring to Charles, even though he preferred she did not come back for the time being. But there''s a big difference between not coming back temporarily and never coming back. He was directly under Menierman, and with this superior leaving, his future prospects were quite bleak. Mrs. Pascal was clearly not there to gossip. Her eyes fixed on Charles, clearly waiting for his response. While Charles was not entirely knowledgeable about workplace dynamics, he quickly understood that Mrs. Pascal was trying to extract some information from him about Menierman possibly stepping down as warden and leaving Kilmainham Prison, using this information as a way to test the waters. Chapter 30 29. Blood Flame Qi If the old Charles would have probably told the truth, the current Charles wouldn''t be so candid. He smiled faintly and said, "Perhaps Sister Menilman will go to the navy."Mrs. Pascal smiled slightly and said, "Perhaps!" It appeared that she had achieved some goal and soon took her leave. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles stayed in the office for a while, dealt with some official business, then calmly left early to go home. He didn''t have an appointment with Anne today because Miss Brittany was facing final exams. Despite her gifted talents, she still couldn''t ignore the university''s regulations, and she wouldn''t be able to come out for the next few days. Charles took the public carriage to Elysian Pastoral Avenue, had a meal first, then returned to number 58. Ever since his spirituality had been enhanced, his training pace had increased another notch. Recently, Bloody Glory was about to breakthrough, so as soon as he got home, he started intense training. A few hours later, an unexpected change occurred in the Bloody Vortex at his heart; countless minute pale golden Runes were born, forming a marvelous structure resembling a tiny golden heart. A brand-new Special Ability was silently born. ¡ª¡ªBlood Flame Qi! Blood Flame Qi! It is the foundation of the Adonis Clan Blood Clan''s Secret Technique. It is also one of the thirteen Unique Skills of the Human Race''s Great Philosopher, Protagora''s created Bloody Glory. A blood-colored flame Qi emerged from Charles''s body, and the Vampiric Hand Axe in his hand also emitted a blood-colored flame Qi. The two streams of blood-colored flame Qi resonated from a distance, and upon returning home, the Vampiric Hand Axe, which had been hanging on the wall as if yearning for its nest, automatically flew up and into the hands of its master. Charles was overjoyed and opened his eyes wide; the Vampiric Hand Axe circled around his hands, as if thrown by an invisible giant hand, fast as lightning. The moment the hand axe was about to slash into the wall, the Blood Flame Qi erupted, pinning it firmly in the air; the blade vibrated with a slight tremor. With a gesture from Charles, it flew back into his hands. This was the basic function of the foundational Secret Technique of Blood Flame Qi, one of the thirteen Unique Skills of Bloody Glory from Adonis Clan''s Blood Clan! Blood Flame Qi could scorch an enemy''s life, channel vitality back to its master, enhance the lethality of a weapon, and create an exquisite connection between the weapon and its master, allowing for it to be summoned back by thought at any time. In Charles''s mind, what he was absolutely not thinking about at that moment was summoning the weapon back, but rather a Combat Technique that the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, Protagora, limited by his knowledge system, had never thought of, nor developed before. ¡ª¡ªVoid Manipulation! The thought of himself controlling the flying axe from a hundred paces away to kill his enemies made Charles''s heart flutter uncontrollably. His predecessor was mediocre in swordsmanship and did not specialize in close combat. Charles inherited his predecessor''s shortcomings; he himself also disliked hand-to-hand combat. If he could use Blood Flame Qi to control the Vampiric Hand Axe and engage enemies from a distance, Charles suddenly felt more capable. The Fars Empire''s bureaucratic system afforded special treatment to Transcendents. With their supernatural abilities, Transcendents found it easier to make achievements and gain promotions through merit. Even better than the treatment within Fars Empire''s bureaucratic system was joining the Orthodox Divine Sect, where having a religious office could garner all sorts of privileges. Unfortunately, joining the Orthodox Divine Sect meant no longer being able to dabble in secular power. Life had to be bound by doctrine, such as the inclinations to never marry or own secular wealth, which were extremely inconvenient. Charles, having transmigrated, had no intention of becoming a western monk. Having formed a bond with the Vampiric Hand Axe, Charles grew rather fond of this weapon. He placed the hand axe back on the desk and sat down on the couch again. After practicing Bloody Glory for a while, until around four or five in the afternoon, Charles ate two croissants and prepared to go out for a walk. He had initially planned not to go out and just stay home for the day. But since Bloody Glory had condensed a second type of Special Ability, which was also the foundation of the secret technique of the Adonis Clan of the Blood Clan, the most powerful among the thirteen Unique Skills of Bloody Glory stirred his emotions, making him restless. Going out for a walk would be good for his health and spirit. Charles locked the door and turned from the alley into Elysian Pastoral Avenue. This thriving commercial street, two thousand six hundred pimis long, was still bustling with people and vehicles at this time. At four or five in the afternoon, the shops on Elysian Pastoral Avenue still had two to three hours before closing. The Fars Empire didn''t have a street lighting system, so even the most commercial streets could only operate until dusk. Charles strolled for half an hour, walked into four or five shops, didn''t fancy anything, and was about to continue wandering for a while before returning, when he heard someone calling his name. He looked up to see a slightly outdated, yet dignified and simple carriage rushing toward him. A beautiful young girl, still with a touch of childishness on her face, was leaning out of the window waving at him. It was Miss Silvie Martin, his former fianc¨¦e. She was glowing with happiness, smiling like a flower, seemingly having met with some joyous occasion. In the past few days, Silvie Martin had been out early and returning late. Charles never inquired about her whereabouts, but now, seeing his former fianc¨¦e look so happy, he couldn''t help but ask, "Miss Silvie, what''s making you so happy?" The carriage stopped beside Charles, and another lady stepped down from the carriage alongside Silvie. This lady was tall and slender, with graceful steps and a very agile figure, probably around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Her golden hair was coiled behind her head, and she was dressed in a lady''s hunting outfit, holding a delicate little cane in her hand. She had a pair of lake blue eyes, with a three-dimensional and exquisite face, a beauty not at all inferior to Miss Annie Brittany. Of course, she couldn''t compare to Menierman Sumei, whose nickname was The Empire''s First Rose. In the Fars Empire, no gentleman would dare to compare any other woman with her, as it would be considered a profanity that might provoke a duel in the middle of the street. Silvie introduced them to each other, saying, "This is my cousin, Sherlock Mecklen." "And this kind Miss Vini Yarsaenu, who helped me find my lost luggage." The lady placed a hand over her chest and performed a standard Empire salute, speaking with a soothing voice and an air of dignity, "Vinnie Yarsaenu, president of the Cat Detective Agency! I''ve heard Mister Mecklen works at Kilmainham Prison, I wonder if you would be willing to assist with cases involving your expertise in the future?" Charles smiled faintly and replied, "Everything is not a problem, Miss Vinnie, please feel free to ask whenever you need assistance." Silvie cheerfully said, "It just so happens that Miss Vinnie''s detective agency needs employees. They went to the municipal government to transfer my file, and now my work relationship has been moved to the Cat Detective Agency. I''m now a trainee detective!" Charles was slightly surprised, and although he had already broken off the engagement with the former Miss Fianc¨¦e, he couldn''t help but advise, "Have you thought this through? The treatment of private employees is not comparable to that of government civil servants." The state-run schools primarily trained talent for various levels of government, but also allowed graduates to seek employment on their own. However, the treatment for private employees was worse, and very few were willing to give up the opportunity to work in government. Silvie Martin said, "I''ve inquired about it, and I was probably going to be sent to the countryside to become a third-grade registrar, and it''s very likely there would be no promotion for several years." Chapter 31 30. Cat Elf Detective (Requesting a monthly ticket for April) Charles was greatly surprised, the disbelief written all over his face, as he exclaimed, "How is that possible? You''re a graduate from the Behemoth National Academy, not just some public school! You should at least be a second or third-class coordinator, and even a first-class coordinator wouldn''t be unreasonable. A fifth-class registrar is really too much, how did you end up as a third-class registrar?"In the Fars Empire, the ranks of registrars ranged from first-class thirty-ninth grade to fifth-class forty-fifth grade, considered the bottom of the civil service, a privilege granted to public school graduates. To assign such a post to a National Academy graduate was a clear sign of foul play. Silvie Martin said indifferently, "It''s nothing! Because I''m a girl." Choosing his words wisely, Charles changed the topic and asked, "How much is the detective lady paying you per week?" Vini Yarsaenu answered with a smile, "Eighty-five Sheng Ding, including lodging and two meals." Charles nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "The pay is very fair, identical to that of a first-class coordinator. Considering the included board, her quality of life might actually be a bit more comfortable than that of a newbie entering the government civil service." Vini Yarsaenu continued, "Miss Silvie is a very talented individual. My Cat Detective Agency happens to have an assistant who is getting married and has to resign, leaving a vacancy." Although the Fars Empire allowed women to work, the traditional forces were quite strong. Unless the husband''s family was truly ordinary and needed the wife''s salary, they would usually expect the wife to resign from her job. Charles indicated he understood. He didn''t plan to persuade her further, after all, she was already his former fianc¨¦e, and it wasn''t his place to interfere that much. Just as he was about to ask when she planned to move out, he heard Silvie say a bit sheepishly, "I haven''t received my salary yet. Although I got my luggage back, it only contained some belongings; I haven''t recovered any cash. The remittance from my father will also take some time. You''ll have to wait a little before I can pay you back for the expenses of your purchases yesterday." Charles smiled slightly and said, "You don''t need to be formal with me." The vivacious former fianc¨¦e said, "Miss Vini came with me to help me move. I wondered if you might be available to assist, cousin." Charles smiled and offered, "Miss Vini, Cousin Silvie, please come with me to my house for a chat. It''s too impolite standing out here in the street." He escorted the two ladies back to number 58, invited them to the parlor, fetched a bottle of sparkling apple cider, poured three glasses, raised his own as a toast before downing it, and said with a smile, "This place has decent sparkling apple cider. You ladies might want to give it a try." After Vini Yarsaenu came in, she looked around curiously. She barely sipped her cider and asked, "Mr. Charles, do you live here all by yourself?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles replied, "Yes, I do." Miss Vini didn''t press further but instead shifted the conversation, "I wonder, Mr. Charles, what do you think about women working." Silvie, a bit more hesitant, added, "I don''t want to resign from my job even after I get married. If the other person can''t accept that, I won''t marry." Charles, a man of modern sensibilities, of course had no issues with women working. He pondered briefly and answered, "I believe that women should have the freedom to choose their lives as they wish, as freely as birds." A crisp and familiar voice came from outside, calling out, "Mr. Mecklen, to think that you feel this way is simply wonderful." Charles almost jumped up; he hadn''t expected Miss Annie Brittany to pay him a surprise visit. He quickly said, "Miss Annie, please come in." He also introduced her to the two ladies, "Miss Annie Brittany! A good friend of mine." Miss Annie Brittany''s pretty face was alight with happiness and joy, as she had always worried that after getting married she wouldn''t be able to work and would be confined to her home, mingling in the tasteless social circles of the nobility. Charles''s response just now had seriously scored a lot of points for himself. Annie gave a small tug on her dress and performed a lady''s daily curtsy. Silvie returned a daily curtsy, while Vinnie still gave a standard Empire salute. With some awkwardness, Charles introduced them to Miss Annie Brittany, "This is my cousin, Miss Silvie Martin. This lady here is Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu, the president of the Cat Detective Agency! My cousin has just graduated from the National Academy and has come over from Behemoth Duchy to Strasbourg, and she''s about to start working for the Cat Detective Agency." Surprise showed in Annie''s eyes as she exclaimed, "Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu? The famous cat spirit detective? I have heard a great deal about your exploits and have always admired you. I even thought about working at the Cat Detective Agency after graduation!" Noticing Charles''s apparent lack of knowledge about the Cat Detective Agency, she explained softly, "The Cat Detective Agency is the only detective agency in the Empire where seventy percent of the employees are female, and all female employees can learn the magic of cat spirits after joining." "Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu is one of the Empire''s seven great detectives, known as the cat spirit detective, and is the pride of all women in the Fars Empire." Once more, Annie gave a formal court curtsy to Vinnie Yarsaenu, which unlike the daily curtsy that involved lightly tugging at one''s skirt, was the full version with several more complex and very elegant gestures. Miss Vinnie smiled slightly and said humorously, "I''m just an overindulgence in my natural freedom! On behalf of the Cat Detective Agency, I welcome Miss Annie to apply after her graduation." Upon hearing the surname Brittany, she knew this young lady was of high status and it was highly unlikely that she would become a female detective; her words were simply a matter of polite customary expression. Annie was also aware that her family would never allow her to become a detective, prominently in the public eye and she sighed deeply in her heart. Yet, the three girls soon found much to talk about. Upon finding out that Silvie was Charles''s cousin, Annie made several indirect inquiries in an attempt to find out more about Charles. Silvie was very accommodating, actually going so far as to say a few nice things about "this cousin" of hers, which eased the worried Charles a bit. He sat by the side, hardly interjecting, occasionally taking on the role of a temporary assistant, pouring sparkling apple cider for the young ladies. About an hour later, seeing that the three ladies were still engrossed in conversation, Charles couldn''t help but suggest, "Please excuse me for a moment, I will go buy some sparkling wine and desserts and come back. The house is too modest and nothing was prepared; my hosting may have been a bit rude." Miss Annie Brittany and Vinnie Yarsaenu both exclaimed at once, "No need!" The two beautiful ladies exchanged a smile, suddenly sharing an understanding. Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu smiled slightly and said, "I''ll go, my cats are stronger." She stretched out her slender right hand and made an odd dharma seal, then a cloying meow was heard, to which the cat spirit detective addressed in a doting tone, "Go to the nearby shop and buy some sparkling wine and pastries." After a drawn-out meow, there was silence outside. Vinnie Yarsaenu continued, "I''ve asked my cat to go buy the items; there''s no need for Mister Mecklen to go through the trouble." Charles was filled with astonishment; even though he had obtained part of the memories of his indigenous predecessor, he truly didn''t understand what was meant by the magic of cat spirits. Chapter 32 31. Three Kittens (Requesting another April monthly ticket) PS: Other authors don''t ask for monthly tickets, enjoying the tranquility of their scripting pace; I don''t ask for monthly tickets, as if to hint at slacking off, so... let''s ask for monthly tickets! (Probably will be on the shelves around May, April is still the month for the public version)It wasn''t long before there was a knocking at the door. Charles went to open it, and outside was a tricolor overweight cat, carrying a large basket. The cat put down the basket, meowed twice with a haughty air. Charles, who also had experience with cats back on Earth, skilfully stroked it several times. The cat purred satisfactorily, and then jumped onto a nearby carriage, curling up to take a little nap. Outside of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, two carriages were parked in the small plaza; one belonged to Anne, the other to Vinnie Yarseno. Since moving into No. 58, it was the first time it had been this bustling. The visit with the two Evil Gods couldn''t be counted. While amazed at the practicality of the Agile Cats'' Magic, Charles brought the basket inside and delivered it to the three ladies. Charles had seen Anne''s mechanical beetles, but those beetles obviously could not shop, they could only be used to summon servants from outside to make purchases. The Agile Cat Magic of Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu could directly control cats, which indeed was much more convenient than mechanical beetles. Charles even felt the impulse to ask Vinnie Yarsaenu to teach him this Magic. Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu''s chatting skills were very advanced, and the three girls had already started discussing a bizarre recent case. Charles listened for a while and gained some understanding of the situation. Recently, a series of disappearances had occurred in the Alcatraz District, not just individual disappearances, but whole families vanishing. There had been seven families, totaling more than sixty people, who had disappeared without a trace. In each household, everything seemed normal as if the family members had just left temporarily. The houses were not disturbed, and there were no signs of thieves breaking in, yet the people disappeared without a trace, leaving no clues behind. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this age, the Fars Empire''s Patrolling Army acted like the police on Earth, but their methods were crude, unsophisticated, with a success rate of solving cases lower than three percent. This resulted in the residents near the disappearances not placing any hope in the Patrolling Army, instead, they offered high rewards to private detective agencies. They were all worried that one day the disappearing would turn to them, hence the high rewards. Vinnie Yarsaenu was eager to claim this reward. She had brought up the case hoping to leverage the intelligence of the two ladies, whether Silvie or Anne, who were the rare well-educated women of this era, but clearly, she was left disappointed this time. With such a mysterious case, the two young ladies had no leads whatsoever. Charles listened for a while, and he too had no ideas. Before the crossing, he was a high school math teacher, not a seasoned detective, so he had no desire to speak on this kind of disappearance case. Suddenly, Anne Brittany exclaimed, "Oh no! I got too caught up in our conversation. It''s already time for me to head home." Vini Yarsaenu also smiled slightly and said, "I came to help Silvie move to the detective agency''s dormitory. I didn''t expect to chat for so long; I really must have bothered Mister Mecklen." Charles hurriedly said, "Not at all, spending a delightful afternoon with the three misses has only brought me joy and pleasure." Anne stood up from her seat, took Charles by the hand, and led him aside, saying, "I came today because I have some inside information to tell you." With a slightly surprised look, Charles asked, "What information?" Anne whispered, "Menilman has recently been involved in a case that has a wide-reaching impact. You need to be very careful." After finishing her sentence, she hurriedly said goodbye to him. Indeed, it was quite late. Miss Anne was often a well-behaved girl, except when¡­ she occasionally entered dreams in the middle of the night, startling others. Silvie went upstairs and packed up the things she bought a few days ago, which even included two large suitcases. With Miss Vinnie''s help, the former fianc¨¦e got on the carriage and also made a farewell gesture to Charles. After seeing off two carriages one after the other, Charles returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Although he always worried about troubles when Silvie was around, suddenly being alone, he felt somewhat empty. Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was really too big, living alone there was indescribably empty. Charles couldn''t help but think, "Should I hire a cook? Some servants? Or maybe get a pet?" Although he had some pastries with the ladies, he hadn''t had enough to eat, so after a slight hesitation, he went to the nearest restaurant and ordered a set meal. After dinner, he remembered the Clover Caf¨¦ he visited last time. Although the coffee of this era was slightly acidic, it was rich in flavor and quite good. It was much better than the heavily flavored tea that tasted a bit like peppery water, and more suited for staying up late than the flower tea from the East. He decided to buy a batch of coffee, not only for his daily drink but also to entertain guests. When Charles walked to the Clover Caf¨¦, he heard a meowing sound, very youthful, then he saw a half-grown Agile Cat cautiously watching him, also guarding three recently born kittens. Charles remembered seeing it last time, initially thinking the cat was chubby, he couldn''t help but smile slightly and said, "These kittens are very cute." The owner of the caf¨¦, an elderly lady, hearing the compliment from the customer, smiled and said, "If you like, sir, you may adopt one for free. Just take good care of these little ones." Charles hesitated for a moment, then squatted down to look at the three little ones. The half-grown Agile Cat seemed to sense that this man meant no harm and was not that alert anymore, and lazily laid down while the three kittens energetically climbed onto her belly to start suckling. After watching for a while, Charles said, "I''ll take a batch of coffee, a bit of each type. These three kittens are very cute, please allow me to take them all." "However, they are too small to leave their mother. Please take care of them for a few more days. Here are twenty Sheng Ding, considered as the board cost for the little ones during their foster period." The caf¨¦ owner was slightly surprised. Her caf¨¦''s revenue was not very substantial, and keeping a single Agile Cat was already a struggle, thus she couldn''t keep three kittens. Charles not only wanted to adopt the three kittens but also paid for their foster care, allowing them to stay longer. For the lady, this was indeed wonderful news, and she quickly agreed. Having adopted a few little ones, Charles was very happy. Experiences from his previous life with pets let him know that kittens should not be separated from their mother too early, otherwise, it''s difficult to keep them alive; hence, even though he loved them, he didn''t immediately take them away, planning to wait till the kittens were a month old. The purchasing power of twenty Sheng Ding, translated into nearly four hundred RMB, was enough to feed the three little ones for a long time. Bear in mind, the weekly salary of his former fianc¨¦e, Silvie Martin, was merely eighty-five Sheng Ding. As the coffee purchase was small, Charles didn''t ask the lady to deliver it, and simply carried it out the door. Chapter 34 33. Escape The office erupted with surging Fighting Spirit, and the Vampiric Hand Axe was burst apart by the Fighting Spirit, spinning closely behind Charles as it flew out. Anyone capable of bing the warden of Kilmainham Prison might not be of good character, but could definitely not be a waste, Charles knew this well. Hisst strike was only meant to dy the opponent, not foolishly intended to injure the new warden. Facing the Vampiric Hand Axe that was bounced back by the Fighting Spirit, he casually caught it and took control again, instead of running outside the prison, he turned and rushed into his office, not forgetting to repeatedly shout the words, "Warden Magru, don''t you dare force me to nder Miss Menilman!" several times. Magru was slightly surprised, knowing that this Level 1 Clerk Chief had some skills. He thought that his level 7 Fighting Spirit propelled hand axe would be enough to split the opponent in two, but unexpectedly, Charles calmly took control of the weapon. He did not know that Charles had awakened one of the thirteen Unique Skills, Blood me Qi, which allowed him to manipte bloodsucking weapons from a distance, and it was not merely by hand technique that he retrieved it. Magru roared in anger, shouting, "Catch this traitor!" Charles only achieved the secondyer of Bloody Glory. Even possessing two Special Abilities, "Insight" and "Blood me Qi," he had no chance of breaking out of the heavily guarded Kilmainham Prison. However, his office had arge window facing the streets of the Maen district. As one of the outer fifteen districts, the Maen district was veryplex. If he could blend into the residential area, there was a certain chance of escaping alive. He rushed into his office, without any hesitation, leaped out of the window with all his might, performed several rolls in mid-air to break his fall, and although hended somewhat awkwardly, he was uninjured. Charles quickly got up, activated his Blood me Qi, and broke into a sprint. A few minutester, a group of prison soldiers chased out, but the former Level 1 Clerk Chief was nowhere to be seen. Magru''s face looked extremely ugly; he hadn''t expected such a minor issue resulting in such a hugeplication! Many people must have heard the words Charles shouted while escaping. Having only recently be the warden and not yet fully in control of all powers or the prison''s military, there would definitely be people who would leak this information. Although he had been instructed by a certain power behind the scenes to investigate Menilman, he had secretly stirred up trouble without confrontation given theck of evidence against him, which would leave him helpless. He didn''t have the courage to openly break with Su Mei Family. The spread of this news would undoubtedlynd him in serious trouble, and even the powers behind him might not protect him. Magru in his office, mmed the desk fiercely, unable to fathom why Charles made nopromise, not even hesitating for a moment and instead immediately thinking of such a vicious counterattack? Was he really set up to be roasted over the fire? Clutching onto a sliver of hope, he shouted, "No one is allowed to speak of today''s event. If I find out anyone spreads the words just said, I will have you all taste what it''s like to squat in prison." People nearby the office almost all thought internally, "The new warden really intends to frame Miss Menilman." After escaping Kilmainham Prison, Charles hired a public carriage and rushed back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 at top speed. In this era without phones or inte, the deployment of the prison and patrolling armies wasn''t so quick, giving him a slim chance. Charles, gasping for breath, barged into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, pulled out several Savings Union deposit slips hidden in the bedroom. Having offended the new warden, the opponent would definitely not let him go, and the deposits at the Savings Union were sure to be confiscated. He had made up his mind toy low for a while, not being able to afford being without money. Given the efficiency of the prison army and the patrolling army of this era, Charles only needed to act swiftly to stand a chance of withdrawing all his deposits and flee afar. Charles had obtained the deposit slip and was slightly relieved that he hadn''t squandered much recently, except for ordering a new staff iid with dozens of silver stars; he hadn''t purchased any other expensive items. Since he was preparing to flee, Charles of course packed light, taking only the savings slip from the Savings Union, the Vampiric Hand Axe, his diary, the newly bought staff, a few clothes, and also retrieved a second-hand Magnum Hand Shuttle, after all, it was quite reliable for self-defense. After packing his belongings, he was about to leave his home when he heard noisy sounds outside. Determined, Charles decided against using the main entrance, sprinted to the yard, then leapt with all his might over the fence into the River Lucavar. No sooner had he dived into the river than a squad of the prison army rushed into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, their heavy boots stomping on the floor as they started their search. Half an hourter, Charles climbed ashore from a different location. His first action was to inspect the deposit slip from the Savings Union; although soggy from the river, it was stillrgely intact. Charles couldn''t afford to dy, so he stripped off his clothes, wrung them out a bit, and then dashed towards the nearest office of the Savings Union. When Charles hadpleted the procedures and withdrawn all his money, converting it to Fu Er currency, he sighed a great sigh of relief. With money in hand, as much as five hundred ny-three Aegeus, even running away felt less panicky. Though he knew that fifty denomination Fu Er currency would attract a lot of attention as soon as he spent it, he still exchanged one hundred and ten fifty Fu Er notes¡ªit was simply too cumbersome to carry the whole amount in smaller denominations. The remaining forty-three Aegeus, he exchanged for forty ten Fu Er notes and thirty one Fu Er notes. Luckily, he still had some small change on him, so he wouldn''t attract too much attention while shopping. After taking the money, Charles felt somewhat lost. He hadn''t been here long since he''d arrived; not even a month had passed, and he wasn''t very familiar with the Old Continent. As for the distant New Continent, there was even less information in his predecessor''s memories. "I definitely can''t go back to my hometown, too many people know me there, it''d be too easy to expose my identity," he thought.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Maybe¡­ leave the Fars Empire?" "It''s frustrating, I thought after transmigrating I''d have a cushy job, and even beauty chasing me, leading to a peaceful yet abundant life!" "How did it turn out like this?" After pondering for a while, Charles decided to first buy a set of clothes suitable for escape, his shoes were still those thin-soled leather shoes, veryfortable and lightweight for the city, but unsuitable for outdoor activities and long treks. As for his clothing, he needed to change into the most popr hunting attire on the Old Continent. Charles took a deep breath, about to find an unfamiliar tailor shop, when he saw two young men in ck coats, with stern faces, leaning on sheathed rapiers, standing at both ends of the long street, blocking his path. The two young men in ck coats exuded an intensity forged by life and death. Chapter 34 33. Escape The office erupted with surging Fighting Spirit, and the Vampiric Hand Axe was burst apart by the Fighting Spirit, spinning closely behind Charles as it flew out.Anyone capable of becoming the warden of Kilmainham Prison might not be of good character, but could definitely not be a waste, Charles knew this well. His last strike was only meant to delay the opponent, not foolishly intended to injure the new warden. Facing the Vampiric Hand Axe that was bounced back by the Fighting Spirit, he casually caught it and took control again, instead of running outside the prison, he turned and rushed into his office, not forgetting to repeatedly shout the words, "Warden Magru, don''t you dare force me to slander Miss Menilman!" several times. Magru was slightly surprised, knowing that this Level 1 Clerk Chief had some skills. He thought that his level 7 Fighting Spirit propelled hand axe would be enough to split the opponent in two, but unexpectedly, Charles calmly took control of the weapon. He did not know that Charles had awakened one of the thirteen Unique Skills, Blood Flame Qi, which allowed him to manipulate bloodsucking weapons from a distance, and it was not merely by hand technique that he retrieved it. Magru roared in anger, shouting, "Catch this traitor!" Charles only achieved the second layer of Bloody Glory. Even possessing two Special Abilities, "Insight" and "Blood Flame Qi," he had no chance of breaking out of the heavily guarded Kilmainham Prison. However, his office had a large window facing the streets of the Maen district. As one of the outer fifteen districts, the Maen district was very complex. If he could blend into the residential area, there was a certain chance of escaping alive. He rushed into his office, without any hesitation, leaped out of the window with all his might, performed several rolls in mid-air to break his fall, and although he landed somewhat awkwardly, he was uninjured. Charles quickly got up, activated his Blood Flame Qi, and broke into a sprint. A few minutes later, a group of prison soldiers chased out, but the former Level 1 Clerk Chief was nowhere to be seen. Magru''s face looked extremely ugly; he hadn''t expected such a minor issue resulting in such a huge complication! Many people must have heard the words Charles shouted while escaping. Having only recently become the warden and not yet fully in control of all powers or the prison''s military, there would definitely be people who would leak this information. Although he had been instructed by a certain power behind the scenes to investigate Menilman, he had secretly stirred up trouble without confrontation given the lack of evidence against him, which would leave him helpless. He didn''t have the courage to openly break with Su Mei Family. The spread of this news would undoubtedly land him in serious trouble, and even the powers behind him might not protect him. Magru in his office, slammed the desk fiercely, unable to fathom why Charles made no compromise, not even hesitating for a moment and instead immediately thinking of such a vicious counterattack? Was he really set up to be roasted over the fire? Clutching onto a sliver of hope, he shouted, "No one is allowed to speak of today''s event. If I find out anyone spreads the words just said, I will have you all taste what it''s like to squat in prison." People nearby the office almost all thought internally, "The new warden really intends to frame Miss Menilman." After escaping Kilmainham Prison, Charles hired a public carriage and rushed back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 at top speed. In this era without phones or internet, the deployment of the prison and patrolling armies wasn''t so quick, giving him a slim chance. Charles, gasping for breath, barged into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, pulled out several Savings Union deposit slips hidden in the bedroom. Having offended the new warden, the opponent would definitely not let him go, and the deposits at the Savings Union were sure to be confiscated. He had made up his mind to lay low for a while, not being able to afford being without money. Given the efficiency of the prison army and the patrolling army of this era, Charles only needed to act swiftly to stand a chance of withdrawing all his deposits and flee afar. Charles had obtained the deposit slip and was slightly relieved that he hadn''t squandered much recently, except for ordering a new staff inlaid with dozens of silver stars; he hadn''t purchased any other expensive items. Since he was preparing to flee, Charles of course packed light, taking only the savings slip from the Savings Union, the Vampiric Hand Axe, his diary, the newly bought staff, a few clothes, and also retrieved a second-hand Magnum Hand Shuttle, after all, it was quite reliable for self-defense. After packing his belongings, he was about to leave his home when he heard noisy sounds outside. Determined, Charles decided against using the main entrance, sprinted to the yard, then leapt with all his might over the fence into the River Lucavar. No sooner had he dived into the river than a squad of the prison army rushed into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, their heavy boots stomping on the floor as they started their search. Half an hour later, Charles climbed ashore from a different location. His first action was to inspect the deposit slip from the Savings Union; although soggy from the river, it was still largely intact. Charles couldn''t afford to delay, so he stripped off his clothes, wrung them out a bit, and then dashed towards the nearest office of the Savings Union. When Charles had completed the procedures and withdrawn all his money, converting it to Fu Er currency, he sighed a great sigh of relief. With money in hand, as much as five hundred ninety-three Aegeus, even running away felt less panicky. Though he knew that fifty denomination Fu Er currency would attract a lot of attention as soon as he spent it, he still exchanged one hundred and ten fifty Fu Er notes¡ªit was simply too cumbersome to carry the whole amount in smaller denominations. The remaining forty-three Aegeus, he exchanged for forty ten Fu Er notes and thirty one Fu Er notes. Luckily, he still had some small change on him, so he wouldn''t attract too much attention while shopping. After taking the money, Charles felt somewhat lost. He hadn''t been here long since he''d arrived; not even a month had passed, and he wasn''t very familiar with the Old Continent. As for the distant New Continent, there was even less information in his predecessor''s memories. "I definitely can''t go back to my hometown, too many people know me there, it''d be too easy to expose my identity," he thought. "Maybe¡­ leave the Fars Empire?" "It''s frustrating, I thought after transmigrating I''d have a cushy job, and even beauty chasing me, leading to a peaceful yet abundant life!" "How did it turn out like this?" After pondering for a while, Charles decided to first buy a set of clothes suitable for escape, his shoes were still those thin-soled leather shoes, very comfortable and lightweight for the city, but unsuitable for outdoor activities and long treks. As for his clothing, he needed to change into the most popular hunting attire on the Old Continent. Charles took a deep breath, about to find an unfamiliar tailor shop, when he saw two young men in black coats, with stern faces, leaning on sheathed rapiers, standing at both ends of the long street, blocking his path. The two young men in black coats exuded an intensity forged by life and death. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 35 34. Liemar Detective Agency (Requesting more monthly tickets again) The youth with the cross-shaped scar on his face revealed a set of pearly white teeth and smiled slightly, saying, "We have been watching you for a while. However, I thought it would be more merciful to act after you withdrew your bank savings, since that is your last wish before death.""Even though I had a savings book from the joint savings bank, the password was unknown, and it would have been rather troublesome to withdraw the money, so I agreed to your request," Edison said. Charles hadn''t expected that he had already been under surveillance and had no intention of using his newly tailored alchemy wand. In close combat, he was but a weakling, so without hesitation, he drew his Magnum Hand Shuttle and, aiming at the speaking youth, emptied the bullets. The youth with the cross-shaped scar on his face faced the muzzle with composure, drawing his rapier. With a light flick, he thrust out over ten times in a flash, and on the ground, cling-clang, fell more than ten bullets, each split into two halves ¨C his swordsmanship was supernatural. The limits of an ordinary person''s body made such high-speed swordplay impossible. Charles drew a sharp breath and asked, "A Transcendent?" At the other end of the long street, a cold voice came through, "Wells is a diviner. His unique skill is divining the trajectory of bullets, as you''ve seen, very effective." Charles grabbed the Vampiric Hand Axe hidden up his sleeve and asked, "A diviner? You relied purely on spirituality to find me?" The youth with the cross-shaped scar on his face said, "That''s right, so don''t even think about running away. No matter where you flee, you can''t escape my Divination." Charles tossed aside the now empty Magnum Hand Shuttle and asked, "Who are you? Why are you after me?" Wells, his rapier pointed forward, replied, "We''re from the Liemar Detective Agency. Our client comes from Kilmainham Prison, an official request for investigative assistance." "The orders from Kilmainham Prison were, regardless of life or death, better dead." Charles had always felt that the law enforcement teams of the Fars Empire were not very efficient, but he had not expected that in this world of special abilities, there was the option of Transcendent Detectives. The president of Liemar Detective Agency, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, was also one of the seven great detectives of the Empire, ranking even above the Elven Detective Vini Yarsaenu. The scale of the Liemar Detective Agency was more than ten times larger than that of the Cat Detective Agency, employing over a hundred detectives, among whom were more than ten Transcendents, two to three hundred detective assistants, a substantial number of apprentice detectives, as well as various clerical staff, covering a very wide range of business. Facing a pursuer who could divine the future, Charles was very troubled. He didn''t attempt to bribe them; the two Liemar Detective Agency detectives had already made it clear they intended to seize his cash, so to try such a method would be quite naive. In an instant, Charles calmed down and without hesitation unleashed his Insight, a holographic view enveloping the entire street. The Vampiric Hand Axe flew out, slashing toward the other detective. The Vampiric Hand Axe struck its target, emitting a dull sound. A ferocious flame erupted from the detective named Edison, forming a whirlwind of fire. The Vampiric Hand Axe sliced into the flames but could not break through the fiery whirlwind to harm the detective. Edison''s face twisted into a cruel smile as he said, "I am from the Liemar Detective Agency''s Flame Dragon Cavalry. Your petty tricks can''t break through my special ability." Without any visible movement on his part, a torrent of flame swept the Vampiric Hand Axe aside. The Vampiric Hand Axe fell to the ground, still carrying momentum, it bounced forcefully and shot towards Wells for several dozen steps before its energy faded and it fell by the side of the street. Charles''s heart steadied a bit, but on his face, he deliberately showed panic as he yelled, "A Third Order Transcendent!" The "Fighting Spirit" that Edison used was a knight''s most prized ability! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the Old Continent, it was said that being a knight was the most accessible Transcendent path and the easiest to achieve. The threshold was so low that even a commoner could have a chance to obtain a secret technique for cultivating fighting spirit. In the Fars Empire, Sheffield University had a complete knight training system. As long as one got into the National Academy, one could learn the breathing method. The most excellent students would condense a seed of strength, awaken the primal life force within themselves, break free from their cocoons, and upon acquiring fighting spirit, they would be granted the title of Knight. Even if one failed to enter the National Academy, many community organizations across the Old Continent also taught some breathing methods. For instance, the Liemar Detective Agency was known for practicing the Flame Dragon''s Breath Breathing Method, which awakened fighting spirit, allowing one to call oneself a Flame Dragon Cavalry. Charles, unable to awaken his fighting spirit at the National Academy, gave up this practice entirely after entering university. However, he still had a firm grasp of many common concepts. From Addison''s performance, he could tell that the other''s fighting spirit was roughly third level, which in the hierarchy of Transcendents, made him a Third Order Transcendent. Wells, holding his rapier, took a big step forward and said with a hearty laugh, "Choose me as your opponent, then! I''m a Diviner who isn''t good at fighting, and my strength is only at the Second Order." From the information he had, Charles supposed to be a civil servant with no practical combat experience and at most a First Rank Transcendent. The Bloody Glory he was proficient in shared similarities with fighting spirit in manner of combat, but it was widely known for being less powerful. The two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency approached the fight with a game-like attitude, not taking it very seriously, playing with Charles as a cat would with a mouse, even showing a touch of laziness. Charles silently calculated and when Wells stepped into a certain range, he said in a voice only he could hear, "Whether it''s from the East or the West, whether it''s from mythology or fantasy, there has never been any form of Divination that doesn''t have a price, and no Divination is omniscient and omnipotent." The Vampiric Hand Axe, which had fallen to the ground, flew up gracefully like an agile bird, striking Wells in the neck from an unusual angle. Under the manipulation of Blood Flame Qi, this bloodsucking weapon voraciously devoured the detective''s vitality and life force. Wells tried several times to pull the hand axe from his neck, but each time his hand lifted halfway, it fell back powerlessly. In just a few dozen breaths, his robust vitality was completely consumed by the Vampiric Hand Axe, and his body became like a withered leaf in the autumn wind, instantly decrepit, his once young and strong body withering away like an elderly man in his twilight years. Addison''s face was filled with horror, and facing such an unexpected turn of events, he missed the fleeting chance to rush in and save his teammate. Next, he made a decision that even Charles found surprising. His body erupted with flames as he unleashed his fighting spirit, fleeing as fast as he could. Charles was a university student and had completed a comprehensive and professional education in Extraordinary Knowledge at Sheffield University. When the two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency made their move, he spotted their weaknesses and designed his tactics accordingly. The two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency hadn''t even made it into the National Academy; it was only in the detective agency that they had the chance to learn breathing methods. Although they were not lacking in strength and had rich combat experience, their scholarship was significantly inferior¡ªthey had not seen through Charles''s true abilities. Addison was aware of Bloody Glory but knew little about its thirteen Unique Skills. The ability to manipulate weapons from a distance was considered a Special Ability associated with a High-Level Transcendent in his understanding. Especially since Charles had seized the initiative, killing Wells as soon as he made his move, the appearance of the bloodsucking weapon causing death was very much in the air of a "villainous" Demon King, leading Detective Addison to misjudge his strength and choosing the "smart" approach¡ªto escape alone. Although Addison was a salaried detective of the official agency, he earned a mere forty-two Fu Er a week, barely higher than a First Order clerk by less than one Fu Er. With so little income, why would he risk his life? Chapter 36 35. Promoted to Third Order Charles had no intention of chasing after him. He shook his head, walked over to Wells, pulled out his wallet, and also found a brand-new Magnum Hand Shuttle and a leather bullet pouch on the detective.As for the rapier that seemed quite valuable, he didn''t take it. First, he wasn''t skilled in swordsmanship, and second, it would be difficult to liquidate during his flight. Charles also picked up his second-hand Magnum Hand Shuttle and then strode away. After having devoured the life force of Wells, a Second Order Transcendent, he needed to find a place to digest it. It was only after Charles had left that the street gradually began to see pedestrians again. Murders on the street were common in smaller places, and even in the capital Strasbourg, it was not rare, nor did any passerby think to report it to the Patrolling Army. Instead, someone kindly notified the city''s coroner. The ghastly sight of Wells'' death made the nearby residents uncomfortable, necessitating a cleanup. Charles didn''t leave immediately; he turned back to Upper Zone Seven, hurriedly crossed through the center of Strasbourg, and entered Franche-Comt¨¦ District, which was distantly opposite the city center from the Marne District. Although he lacked experience in counter-surveillance, he had seen enough related posts online in his previous life to slightly mislead his pursuers. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once he left Upper Zone Seven, the prison army generally wouldn''t follow, and the Patrolling Army''s presence became weaker. If he could misdirect them towards the Marne and Lucavaro Districts, it would be even safer. Though there were stationed troops in the outer fifteen districts, they generally showed little interest in minor cases. He wasn''t worried about a citywide search either. He had fallen out with the new warden, a private grudge, without a clear accusation. Even if there were concrete charges, his low status and the minor nature of the offenses, such as trafficking in the prison''s extraordinary weapons, wouldn''t warrant such a large-scale operation. The Empire didn''t have such an abundance of Patrolling Army forces to squander. This truly wasn''t Earth! Although Charles worked in the Marne District, once he entered Franche-Comt¨¦ District, he could distinctly feel the difference between the outskirts and Upper Zone Seven. The area was dirtier and more chaotic; the buildings were messier, and the people walking the streets were expressionless, obviously under great life pressure, devoid of vitality. He had no time for reflections common to transmigrators and hurriedly found a passable tailor shop, entering directly and saying, "I need a robust outfit for a long journey." This tailor shop, called Wild Lily, had only an old tailor and not even an assistant. The old tailor glanced at Charles and said indifferently, "It will take five days!" Charles gave a slight smile and said, "I need it now, and I''ll pay you thirty percent extra." The old tailor methodically replied, "There are indeed a few ready-made outfits, but they don''t quite fit your size; they''ll need some alterations." Charles said, "Then please hurry!" The old tailor brought out several ready-made garments from the store; Charles chose a pair of calf leather boots, a sturdy hunting outfit, and also bought an old travel trunk that had been sitting in the store for a long time. He was embarking on a long journey without any luggage, which would have looked odd. The old tailor was skilled, and in about half an hour, he had altered the clothes. When making the payment, Charles decided to pawn his old clothes to the elderly tailor. The clothes he was wearing had been custom-made in an upper district tailor shop, from quality materials. Although not high-end and already second-hand, they were still more expensive than the clothes in the elderly tailor''s shop. The elderly tailor was known for his integrity in business, and he estimated a fair price, giving Charles two Sheng Dings, which completed this transaction to their mutual satisfaction. Although he had wrung them out, Charles still felt unpleasantly damp. He borrowed a towel from the elderly tailor, dried himself off, and changed his clothes, feeling much refreshed afterwards. Carrying his walking stick and newly purchased suitcase, Charles stepped out of the tailor shop and suddenly remembered that shortly before his arrival, a robbery had occurred at Hangzhou''s Wanjiaxing City¡ªa heist that ended within ten minutes as the police apprehended the criminal, a pace of action that made the Fars Empire''s Warden Army and the Patrolling Army look incompetent in comparison. Of course, he didn''t wish the investigative efficiency of the Fars Empire to improve suddenly. Experiencing one encounter with a fortune-teller detective was quite enough for him. Charles walked for a while and found a carriage waiting for passengers. He boarded and provided the coachman with an address to a famous manor outside the city. He wasn''t actually heading to that manor, but rather used the faraway destination because it would take five or six hours to reach, giving him ample time to assimilate the life force he had consumed. As a Second Order Transcendent, Wells'' vitality was exceptionally robust, and his Bloody Glory was almost at the bursting point. The coachman was delighted with the extended trip, a good job, and immediately set the horses in motion. Charles adjusted his breathing, circulated the Bloody Glory within him, and began to refine the absorbed life force. Several hours later, his left leg thundered as the third Bloody Vortex coalesced into form. Even though he was on the run, Charles felt a slight joy. Under normal cultivation progress, even a genius like Miss Annie would take five to six years after graduation to advance to Third Order. He spread his hands, and the Bloody Glory surged in his palms, now at least three or four times stronger than before. After briefly testing his powers, Charles contained the Bloody Glory, thinking to himself, "I wonder when I''ll be able to condense a Bloody Vortex in my right leg and successfully meditate on the runes of Quickness and Spirit Spider Techniques." He had chosen to focus on condensing Bloody Vortices in his legs in the hopes of sooner mastering these two extraordinary techniques. The Quickness Technique would allow him to be as light as a swallow, fast as a horse, agile as a monkey, and to jump as a deer. The Spirit Spider Technique would enable him to walk on walls, traverse mountains as if on flat ground, and even form spiritual power silk threads to swing through the air, possessing a bit of special reactive inspiration. Once he mastered these two extraordinary skills, his movement techniques and running speed would no longer be at the level of ordinary people. Even if he encountered a High-Level Transcendent, he could escape with ease, not to mention evading regular pursuers. Having assimilated the life essence he had consumed, Charles finally felt relieved enough to go through Wells'' wallet¡ªthis detective must have just received a sizeable payment from Warden Magrull Teller since it contained five Aegeus and some Fu Er "change." One Aegeus had the purchasing power of eight to nine thousand RMB, which showed that Magrull was indeed quite "generous" with his payment. In the wallet was also a receipt for a Rapier. Charles guessed that this detective, proficient in swordsmanship, had ordered a new weapon but had yet to collect it. He pocketed the cash and the receipt and casually threw the wallet out of the carriage window. By then, they had left the city area, and both sides of the road were wilderness. The wallet rolled into the underbrush, where it was unlikely ever to be found again. Chapter 37 36銆丟iant Axe Adventure Group (asking for monthly tickets to support Zhang) As the coach passed through a village, Charles left the fare and, without alarming the coachman, quietly disembarked.Watching the coach speeding away, Charles relaxed a little. He had never intended to go to that manor. After digesting the life essence he had consumed, he chose to sneak away halfway, which would make it more difficult for pursuers to track his movements. The village was small, with probably only a few dozen households, and a small street ran through the entire village. By now, the sky had turned dark, and even though Charles was a Transcendent, he did not dare to travel through the wilderness at night. This world''s wilderness was not safe¡ª even near the capital, Strasbourg, there were man-eating demons, ferocious wild beasts, and various unexplained dangers. Charles tried knocking on the doors of two villagers. The first household responded with a rude voice, rejecting his request for lodging. The second was much more amiable, although they also refused him, they directed him to Old John''s house at the head of the village. Old John was a hunter who also occasionally made business by providing lodging for strangers. By the time Charles found the old hunter''s house, the sky had already turned completely dark. He knocked on the door, asking for a place to stay. A tall, sturdy old man opened the door and said, "Come in." What surprised Charles was that the old hunter was not alone. There was a small adventure group in his room. The group consisted of five people, three men and two women. The leader was a middle-aged warrior wielding a giant axe. He was very vigilant and did not speak to Charles. The other two men were slightly younger, both in their thirties, with military sabers at their waists. Rapiers were great weapons for dueling on the streets, but in the wilderness, and in the army, a saber with a thick spine was the common weapon. Both men were clearly experienced adventurers, and in addition to their weapons, they were not lacking in various miscellaneous gear. Their gaze at Charles also carried a hint of scrutiny. The two women were quite young, with average looks¡ªone was a typical Fars woman with excellent wavy blonde hair, and the other seemed to have southern Old Continent ancestry with short brown hair. Both women were in their early twenties, just a few years older than Silvie. Public associations teach all kinds of Martial Techniques, and the National Academy imparts breathing methods. Even women were trained to have impressive skills. For example, Miss Silvie Martin, Charles''s ex-fianc¨¦e, surpassed him in swordsmanship. Many women choose to become adventurers after graduation, instead of working for the government, relying on their proficient skills or formally trained knowledge. Because... the Empire did indeed have some gender discrimination in job allocation. Silvie being sent off to the countryside to work as a registrar was not an exception, and it wasn''t much better in the other countries of the Old Continent. The blonde young woman showed interest in Charles and asked, "Are you also heading to Yorktown for that White Wolf?" Charles smiled faintly and said, "I''m just passing through; I haven''t heard anything about a White Wolf. What kind of beast is it?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The adventurers laughed, and the blonde young woman said, "The White Wolf is not a beast. He''s the best Demon Hunter, extremely skilled in slaying demons. Recently, he let slip that he has obtained a Heart Core of a demon and wishes to choose a Successor." Charles was slightly surprised. Being a Demon Hunter was a very widely applicable Transcendent profession. Whether accepting employment from the government, nobility, merchants, or even working solo, it was a great choice and very profitable, a high-paying industry. He had two college classmates who chose the career of Demon Hunter. They managed to become Transcendents before graduating, and now their weekly income was at least more than ten Fu Er, which was quite enviable. However, although being a Demon Hunter held vast employment prospects, this Transcendent profession had two major flaws: "Induction" required a demon''s Heart Core, which was extremely rare and super expensive, out of reach for ordinary people; and facing demons always required combat, which, despite the lucrative income, was also extremely dangerous. Charles had considered becoming a Demon Hunter in the past, but ultimately he chose Bloody Glory as he really didn''t have much talent for combat. After taking a quick glance at the five adventurers, Charles immediately deduced that none of them had transcended. A thought sprung to mind as he smiled and said, "I''m not interested in becoming a Demon Hunter, but I am quite curious about the visit. Would you mind if I join you on your journey?" "Don''t worry, I won''t compete with you for the chance to become a Demon Hunter because..." With a slight flick of his fingers, the air produced a soft crackling sound. Charles smiled and added, "I have followed the path of a knight and have already become Transcendent." Of course, Charles couldn''t actually manifest Fighting Spirit; his seed of strength was still just a seed. However, simulating Fighting Spirit with Bloody Glory wasn''t difficult, given that their paths were closely related. The five adventurers were visibly moved. The middle-aged warrior with the giant axe hesitated slightly before saying, "My name is Mason, and you are welcome to join the Giant Axe Adventure Group." The other two slightly younger men also introduced themselves. The blonde lady''s name was Hannah, and the young woman with light brown short hair was named Homonsa¡ªa name that definitely had a bit of Old Continent southern flair, which sounded rather peculiar to the authentic people of the Fars Empire. Charles, of course, couldn''t give his real name. Inspired by Homonsa''s name, he crafted his own, which also had a southern Old Continent vibe¡ªQian Nan. Being alone was eye-catching and would make it easy for pursuers to track him, but traveling with an adventure group would attract less attention, allowing him to better conceal his identity. Upon joining the Giant Axe Adventure Group, Charles tossed a Shengding Copper Coin and called out, "Mr. John, got any liquor? I''d like to treat my teammates to a drink." The Shengding coin of the Fars Empire looked dull red like a copper coin and was commonly mistaken for one, but it was actually an alloy. Charles had no idea what the formula for the coin was, but it was certainly durable, resistant to wear and tear, and unlikely to deform or discolor. Old John caught the coin and said flatly, "One Shengding is not enough." Charles shrugged his shoulders and tossed out two more Shengdings. Old John snagged the coins and turned to fetch the liquor. Charles knew a single Shengding wasn''t enough to buy drinks; he was deliberately creating an image of someone who wasn''t very wealthy but was quite generous. Though poor, he was open-handed, making it easy for people to distinguish him from the previous Clerks and Clerk Chiefs who were well-paid but lacked friends! Old John quickly returned with six large mugs of barley beer, handing one to each person. Mason took his mug of beer and immediately developed a great fondness for Charles, exclaiming, "Qian Nan! You''re the best new member I''ve ever seen." He lifted his cup and took a big gulp, an indescribable satisfaction on his face. Charles raised his mug to clink with the other four team members and sipped a little. Old John''s barley beer was much inferior to the fizzy apple cider he usually drank, slightly bitter with a taste closer to beer, only with a significantly higher alcohol content than beer. Chapter 38 37, Yorktown The Giant Axe Adventure Group was clearly not a wealthy one; they seldom had spare money to spend on drinks. So when Charles offered to buy them drinks, not just the three male team members, but also the blonde Hannah and the light brown-haired Homonsa were delighted.Old John even brought over a well-roasted wild pig''s knuckle as a complimentary gift for Charles''s purchase of drinks. Everyone carved out thin slices with their small knives to accompany their wine, quickly warming up the atmosphere. More than two hours after Charles entered the village, a seven-person team also arrived in this small village. They were all wearing the same black coats as Wells and Edison, which were the signature attire of the Liemar Detective Agency. These black coats were highly waterproof and windproof, and could even resist some slashes from swords. Moreover, the coats had many hidden pockets, which made them very convenient for long journeys. Winterburn said, "It''s too late to keep going; let''s stay in this village for the night." "Edison, can you ask around to see who can accommodate us in the village?" Winterburn was the leader of this team, forty-eight years old, a Fourth Order Transcendent, and a middle-level executive of the Liemar Detective Agency. He had a significant reputation among his peers and a considerable influence within the agency. Edison hurried off and soon returned, saying, "Old John''s place at the head of the village can accommodate us." The team quickly got moving. When they knocked on Old John''s door, Charles, who had already gone to bed, was awakened by the noise. He immediately activated his Insight, covering Old John''s entire house. "The Liemar Detective Agency? How did they catch up?" Charles was stunned. Hesitating for a moment, he decided not to flee immediately as any movement on his part would be tantamount to turning himself in. The team from the Liemar Detective Agency, seemingly unaware they were so close to their target. Winterburn, learning that an adventure group had stayed the night before, didn''t inquire further. After requesting some food and hastily eating with the detectives, they were arranged by Old John to sleep in other rooms. Charles dared not sleep anymore. He closed his eyes and slowly operated the Bloody Glory. It was extremely difficult, but he made it through until dawn. The people from the Liemar Detective Agency set off as soon as it was light. Which greatly relieved Charles. After a while, the members of the Giant Axe Adventure Group gradually woke up. As adventurers, they still had a basic level of vigilance and were aware that another group had arrived last night; however, since the newcomers didn''t do anything, they had no reaction. Charles joined the others for a simple breakfast and then set off for York Town. Charles felt somewhat uncomfortable, as he rarely walked in Strasbourg and was accustomed to taking public carriages. This time, however, he had to walk all the way to York Town, because the entire route was through mountain roads where carriages couldn''t travel. Even if they could travel, the Giant Axe Adventure Group wouldn''t hire a carriage for such a long trek outside the city as it was too expensive. Although he had been promoted to a Third Order Transcendent, Charles still found it arduous and thought to himself, "I need to train harder, condense the Bloody Vortex in my right leg, and quickly inscribe the Runes for Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique." "Or perhaps buy a carriage and drive it myself..." The team led by Winterburn had reached the estate Charles had specified the day before. They stayed for more than an hour, asking around thoroughly and, upon confirming that Charles was not there, they continued on their way along a certain road. Although the Liemar Detective Agency had numerous detectives, they only had one Transcendent like Wells, who was a fortune-teller. Before setting out, they had a wizard try to track Charles. The wizard only provided a direction without much detail. Charles was unaware that he had temporarily escaped a calamity. Amid his internal complaints, he finally reached York Town. This was a rather large town with a population of nearly a thousand. The famous demon hunter White Wolf had built a gigantic log cabin in the center of the town. In front of the cabin, there were already forty or fifty people divided into more than ten small teams chatting and whispering among themselves. The arrival of the Giant Axe Adventure Group was met with unanimous "hostility," as yet another group of competitors had appeared. On the way here, Charles had already gotten quite familiar with his five teammates. He knew that it was their leader, Mason, who aspired to become a demon hunter, and the other four teammates had accompanied him for that purpose. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As a lower-tier adventure group, they had all learned some breathing techniques, but only Mason and Homonsa had managed to condense their power seeds. Homonsa was younger and still had a chance to break through, but Mason was already over forty, and the opportunity to break out and become a knight endowed with fighting spirit was slim. Hannah was very interested in Charles, and on the way, it was this blonde girl who chatted with him the most. Charles knew why¡ªhe had revealed that he possessed transcendent cultivation and was a "knight" endowed with fighting spirit, making him a suitable partner for Hannah. Of course, a higher priority was the fact that Charles was quite handsome. Otherwise, he would not have won the affection of Anne Brittany. After all, the outcome of a heroic rescue sometimes resulted in a pledge of commitment¡ªor, at other times, in lifelong regret... The Giant Axe Adventure Group took up a spot in front of the large log cabin, and after Mason talked to an acquaintance to gather some information, he returned and said to the group, "White Wolf won''t appear tonight. He''s still a day''s journey away and won''t be back until tomorrow." "Most people have found accommodations in the town. Those who are here couldn''t find a place and have to stay overnight. It looks like we''ll have to camp out here tonight as well." Apart from Charles, the other five members all had experience with outdoor living. Moreover, the open space in town was much safer than the real wilderness. In no time, they managed to start a small fire and sat or lay down to rest, easing the fatigue from a day''s travel. Charles had no interest in becoming a demon hunter, and Hannah didn''t think she stood a chance either. So when Hannah suggested they find a place to have a drink, Charles readily agreed. What he didn''t expect was that Homonsa wanted to join them too. Charles informed the team leader Mason and took the two girls away with him, which caused the other two male teammates to grumble a bit. Although Charles had traveled for a whole day, after all, he was a Third Order Transcendent. With a little circulation of Bloody Glory, he managed to relieve most of his fatigue. The two ladies clearly didn''t have his abilities, and their fatigue was evident on their faces. Charles visited two inns in the town of York, both of which were fully booked due to the influx of adventure teams these past few days. Instead of looking for a third inn, he simply purchased a bunch of food and a large barrel of ale from the second inn and took the two girls back to the large log cabin. When Charles shared the food and ale with his teammates, the slight displeasure of the two men earlier vanished into thin air. After returning, Hannah ate a little and then, using her backpack as a pillow, fell soundly asleep. Homonsa held up a bit better, staying up to chat for a while, but she too looked like she couldn''t last much longer. Mason and the other two male teammates didn''t fare much better, so Charles simply suggested he would take the first half of the night watch, and they could take shifts for the second half. Even in town, it was necessary to keep watch at night. Chapter 39 38. Unexpected Acquaintance The long journey was extremely exhausting, everyone was so tired that they barely drank any beer, had some food, and fell into a deep sleep, leaving more than half a barrel left.Charles leaned against his travel case, pulled out his diary, activated his Special Ability "Insight," and pondered over the first Agmilas Labyrinth map. While being cautious of anyone approaching to tamper with things, he also poured himself a cup of beer and nibbled on some newly bought jerky. Occasionally sipping the beer and enjoying the night breeze, he found it quite pleasant. Outside the massive wooden house of the White Wolf, there were quite a few people, but it was rather quiet, with the intermittent sound of snoring, which added an extra bit of tranquility. As the sky began to lighten slightly, Charles felt a significant drain on his spirituality. He turned off his "Insight," rubbed his eyes, and looked around, considering which companion to wake up to take his place when he heard noisy footsteps. A group of people was entering from outside the town. The group quickly arrived in front of the large wooden house. The leaders were two men; one was exceptionally tall, over two meters, a height rarely seen even in Strasbourg on Earth. He carried a giant sword on his back and had a pair of meteor hammers hanging on his belt. The other man, unexpectedly, was someone Charles recognized¡ªthe merchant Louis Simi whom he had met at Duchess Meisu''s magic item auction and had previously dealt in multipronged chains. Charles was slightly startled, but soon strategized. Louis Simi looked like he had just returned from afar and probably didn''t know about the recent events in Strasbourg. It wasn''t the information age now, and even the most sensational news spread slowly. Rather than deliberately avoiding, he decided to approach and converse. As for whether Louis Simi returning to Strasbourg would report him... First, the matter was too significant, and a shrewd merchant like Louis would definitely weigh the pros and cons. Second, by that time, he would have long since taken flight. Charles stood up, walked toward the group, gave a slight nod to the veteran Demon Hunter White Wolf, then opened his arms to Louis Simi, saying, "Louis, I didn''t expect to see you here. I am Qian Nan, we chatted once at Duchess Meisu''s magic item auction." Louis Simi was slightly surprised, but being a successful businessman, he didn''t ask the atmosphere-spoiling question "Weren''t you calling yourself Charles Mecklen last time?" Instead, he cheerfully said, "Life is truly wonderful, do you also want to become a Demon Hunter?" The two men hugged each other and touched cheeks, an etiquette that signifies a deep friendship among men. Charles smiled and said, "I can''t walk the second Transcendent path anymore, otherwise I''d really hate to miss such a good opportunity." After chatting briefly, Louis Simi introduced Charles to the Demon Hunter, saying, "Qian Nan, my good friend, we''ve done some business in magic items together." White Wolf extended his hand to Charles in a handshake, a customary greeting for strangers meeting for the first time in the Old Continent, and said lightly, "White Wolf, a Demon Hunter." Louis Simi chimed in to lighten the mood, "I just came back from Byron, brought in a batch of specialty goods from there, and hired Mister White Wolf on the way, a very reliable Demon Hunter." Charles was immediately reassured. Louis Simi, just back from the Byron Empire, definitely wouldn''t know about the recent happenings in Strasbourg. "White Wolf" wasn''t his real name but a nickname; however, Charles who was also using a fake name, of course, wouldn''t mind that. He smiled and said, "I''ve recently got a treasure map, so I joined an adventure team to explore it, hoping for some modest findings." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. White Wolf''s eyes sparkled slightly, asking, "What kind of treasure map?" Charles smiled, "Bought it from an antique shop, supposedly a treasure from the ancient Orc Kingdom." White Wolf immediately lost interest, and said indifferently, "Such treasure maps are unreliable." Charles talked nonsense mainly to cover up why he appeared in a place like Yorktown. The change in White Wolf''s attitude was expected. A few people chatted casually and entered the giant wooden house. Charles also didn''t forget to wave to his adventure team mates, bringing in people from the Giant Axe Adventure Group as well. White Wolf clearly didn''t care about that, and without stopping the Giant Axe Adventure Group''s freeloading, he pointed to a muscular man and said, "I''m going to take a bath! Whatever you want to drink, just feel free to ask Sam, and remember to pay," then he strode off. Only two people in this team were White Wolf''s assistants; the rest were Louis Simi''s subordinates. Seeing White Wolf leave, Louis smiled and said, "Exploring treasures requires more equipment, and I just happen to have some suitable gear for the outdoors. If you see anything you like, take it, just give me a friendly price." Louis Simi raised his hand in a gesture, and his subordinates brought over a pile of equipment, including some extraordinary weapons. Charles, who was on the run, wished to travel as light as possible. Where would he have the interest in buying any equipment? As for those extraordinary weapons, although he had some savings, he really couldn''t afford such high-end items. He pretended to look interested for a while and found that among the batch of goods there was a black iron ring mixed in, unremarkable and dark. However, it carried a branch family crest of the Arthur clan. The Arthur family was one of the thirty-seven Blood Clan families and one of the Three Emperor Clans, with a status even higher than the Six King Clans. Although Charles couldn''t tell which branch of the family the black iron ring came from, it was undoubtedly a bloodsucking weapon. Curiously, he picked it up and tinkered with it for a while. Just as he was about to put it down, Louis Simi smiled and said, "Mister Mecklen, are you also interested in Blood Clan weapons? This weapon has a notable origin, but I''ve never been able to understand how it is used as a weapon." "If Mister Mecklen knows, please tell me. I am willing to pay for the knowledge." Since White Wolf had already left, the people from the Giant Axe didn''t dare to come over. They watched them chatting and laughing in the corner, with no outsiders nearby. Louis Simi then directly called Charles by his real surname. Feeling slightly guilty, Charles chuckled and asked, "I wonder, Louis, how much do you plan to offer?" After pondering for a moment, Louis Simi said, "I spent ninety-five Aegeus to buy this ring, thinking I had found a treasure. You also know that the Arthur family is one of the Blood Clan''s Three Emperor Clans; it''s definitely worth the price!" "But after obtaining it, I just couldn''t figure out how to use it, so it could only sell for a hundred ten Aegeus. If Mister Mecklen has a way to discover its true method of use, I can promise that, no matter how much it sells for, I am willing to pay 30% of the net profits as your appraisal fee." Curiously, Charles asked, "Louis, haven''t you sought someone knowledgeable in Bloody Glory to appraise it?" Chapter 40 39. Shan Luns Spear (Update one chapter and ask for monthly pass) Louis Simi gave a wry smile and shook his head, saying, "Bloody Glory is an ancient yet extremely niche Supernatural Power, and not many choose this path. I found two people, one of whom was not at all interested in my offer. The other gentleman wants me to buy back another bloodsucking weapon he owns, but his asking price is too high for me to accept."Charles, of course, knew how niche Bloody Glory was. At Sheffield University, he was the only person in his year to choose this path, and if you count three years back, it was still only him. He became somewhat interested, and Bloody Glory converged, flowing into the bloodsucking weapon. Louis Simi''s eyes lit up slightly, seeing that Charles was interested in the bloodsucking weapon, and he guessed the young man''s Transcendent path, feeling quite expectant on the inside. The black iron ring was not repelled by Charles''s Bloody Glory, but it was also not as insatiably thirsty as the Vampiric Hand Axe. It silently devoured a certain amount of Bloody Glory, emitted a faint buzzing, and in Charles''s hand, it bloomed with a blood light, transforming into a golden spear over two meters long. The spear was engraved with countless patterns and there seemed to be Blood Flame flowing within, exuding an extraordinary aura. Louis Simi showed a surprised expression and exclaimed, "A Shalunshi spear!" "It''s actually an Extraordinary Weapon from the Shalunshi Arthur family." Charles was also surprised. He did not recognize the family crest of the Shalunshi family and had never heard of the great reputation of the Shalunshi spear, but he knew of the family renowned for crafting Magic Weapons and that each changeable Magic Weapon was of exceptional quality and especially pricey. Few people could handle bloodsucking weapons, leading to the Blood Clan''s Extraordinary Objects being priced much lower than ordinary Magic Weapons, but these top-quality, shape-shifting weapons could fetch higher prices than Magic Weapons of the same quality. This was determined by market supply and demand. Business principles? He couldn''t explain it clearly at the moment. After some hesitation, Louis Simi said, "Mister Mecklen, you really have given me a wonderful surprise. I have a difficult matter now and would like to negotiate with you." "The Shalunshi spear is a top-tier secret treasure. If I auction it hastily, I cannot get a proper price, so I plan to wait for a top-tier auction next year before sending it for auction." "This means you''ll have to wait quite a while." "I am willing to pay an advance, which may cause you a slight loss, but you would receive compensation today. I am not forcing you¡ªif you are willing to wait, I will also honor my promise." Charles deliberately pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "I wish you, Mister Louis, unprecedented success at that top-tier auction. I don''t want to wait that long." Charles did not think waiting for next year''s auction was a good idea. Louis Simi was a businessman, and profit determined his stance. Once he returned to Strasbourg and learned that Charles Meklen was an empire''s wanted criminal, he would certainly not pay a single Gold Coin. Receiving an amount of money for nothing was a good deal no matter how you looked at it. Louis Simi was overjoyed. He picked out a Rapier from his merchandise and said, "I am willing to give this Extraordinary Weapon to Mister Mecklen along with an additional payment of two hundred Aegeus." "This Rapier is also a bloodsucking weapon, originating from the Asiluo Clan. Although the blade is slightly damaged, it is still worth over one hundred and fifty Aegeus." "The Asiluo Clan is one of the Three Emperor Clans of the Blood Clan, ranked alongside the Arthur family, excelling in Martial Techniques and swordsmanship, the best among the thirty-seven Blood Clan families, and known for producing famous swords." Louis Simi reversed the hilt and showed it to Charles. On the guard of the hilt was a special inscription, and he said, "This Blood Clan Extraordinary Weapon also has a very pleasant and elegant name¡ªBlood Rose." "You''re a perfect match with this!" Louis Simi showed the inscription on the hilt as clearly as possible, yet he didn''t show the slightest intention of drawing the rapier. Charles was startled, he knew the Shalunshi spear would certainly be expensive, but he hadn''t thought it would be that costly! Louis Simi had promised a thirty percent share of the pure profit, and he wanted to pay the reward in advance, so a thirty percent share of the profit would definitely be higher than a bloodsucking weapon plus two hundred Aegeus. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bloodsucking weapons sell for a fraction of the price of ordinary extraordinary weapons. Louis Simi''s quoted price of one hundred and fifty Aegeus probably had some margin, but it wouldn''t be too much lower. This meant that the Shalunshi spear could fetch a sky-high auction price of over twelve hundred Aegeus. In terms of the Chinese yuan, this price equates to more than twenty million, enough to buy a sub-top-level luxury house in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or Shenzhen, and in the Fars Empire, to buy a medium-sized manor. Charles beamed and said, "Louis, you really are an excellent businessman, it''s so comfortable dealing with you." He took the bloodsucking weapon, and remembered a short poem he had read in his past life: "A gentle thunder in one night weaves myriad threads, light after the rain flutters over tiles in uneven jade hues. The affectionate peony holds the tears of spring, while the powerless rose lies on branches at dawn." The Blood Rose was not a famous sword. At least, Charles didn''t know its origin, nor did he intend to inquire about its history. This bloodsucking rapier in his hands was destined to remain obscure. Charles had no plans to achieve great things with it. Louis Simi took out another purse and handed it to Charles, the purse heavy, obviously not filled with paper currency. Charles took the purse, surprised that Louis Simi was paying in Aegeus gold coins instead of Fu Er banknotes. It seemed Louis Simi knew what he was wondering about, shrugged his shoulders and said, "I just went to Byron for business, where they don''t accept Fu Er paper currency, only gold Aegeus and silver Fu Er, so I didn''t bring any paper money and had to pay with gold Aegeus." There were two denominations of Aegeus: one Aegeus and five Aegeus, which the People of Fars customarily called the "small Aegeus" and the "big Aegeus," and Louis Simi''s payment included coins of both denominations. Charles pocketed the purse and also put away the bloodsucking rapier. This transaction seemed to have brought them even closer together. The five members of Giant Axe Adventure Group watched Charles and Louis Simi apparently make a deal, but they were a bit too far to catch the content of their conversation. They only saw Louis Simi not only giving Charles a rapier but also a purse of coins, clueless about what the two were actually doing. Mason murmured, "Qian Nan doesn''t seem like an ordinary person!" All four team members nodded in agreement. Charles was far from ordinary; starting with his performance a moment ago, he was outstanding. Hannah''s eyes warmed slightly, and she started having some ambitious thoughts. White Wolf, after about fifteen minutes, came out in fresh clothes. He glanced at the members of the Giant Axe Adventure Group and said to Charles, "Your companions are not suitable for the Demon Hunter. Even if you know Louis, I won''t open this back door for you." Charles didn''t really care, but Mason felt especially disappointed; he had known the chances were slim before coming, but having his hope dashed by someone else still felt awful. Chapter 41 40. Transmigrators, often have some dreams! Louis Simi chuckled, "Mason! You want to go treasure hunting? I have an idea. There are many adventurers out there; they''re inexpensive, experienced, and much safer than your team."Louis Simi, who dealt in magic items, naturally had a keen eye. He could tell that none of the five people in the Giant Axe Adventure Group were Transcendent. In danger, they could only serve as cannon fodder and were not able to protect Charles, so he suggested recruiting more people. Although the adventure teams outside might also lack any Transcendent members, since those who had embarked on the transcendent path would not likely undergo the test of White Wolf to obtain Demon Hunter powers, having more people would generally be safer. Charles''s eyes lit up slightly as he said, "Thank you for your suggestion, Louis. I will recruit some new members after Mr. White Wolf selects the Successor." White Wolf had no intention of resting. He ordered his subordinates to prepare breakfast and invited Louis and Charles to the dining room, also sending food to Louis''s subordinates and the members of the Giant Axe Adventure Group. After eating breakfast, the three chatted casually until the sky was completely bright. White Wolf, full of vigor, left the giant cabin and shouted, "Young ones, who amongst you wishes to receive my inheritance?" Thunderous roars erupted outside the cabin. Clearly, many more people had arrived. Many had left their accommodations to wait by the cabin. Every transmigrator has some dreams! Charles initially planned to work as a stable civil servant within the government. If possible, he hoped to marry someone beautiful and rich like Miss Annie Brittany to elevate his social class, without harboring much ambition. But he hadn''t expected that Miss Menilman, whom he regarded as his support, would get entangled in political turmoil, forcing him to flee due to the new Warden Magrull Teller. If he had hesitated at that moment, he would definitely have been cornered, forced into unwanted actions, and his end would not have been pleasant¡ªthe least would have been a long prison sentence. After all, the new warden was planning to thoroughly investigate his case of embezzling extraordinary prison weapons, a case that would have skinned him even if it didn''t kill him. An inadvertent remark from Louis Simi had violently thrust open a vast door for Charles. This world had not yet embraced the concept that "people are the most valuable resource." But Charles knew that if he could assemble an adventure team of hundreds, how powerful would that be? He even had several ideas about farming, raising a revolt, or other grand schemes to get rich¡ªas long as he had enough time, he could expand his influence like a rolling snowball. White Wolf''s selection of the Successor was not too complicated. He first set the standard: must be under twenty years old. The aspiring young people fought each other in duels, resulting in a tall and robust candidate, replete with muscle. As the other adventurers prepared to leave, Charles stepped out of the giant cabin and called out loudly, "I am Mason, the leader of the Giant Axe Adventure Group! I need a group of people, weekly pay of one Fu Er, does anyone wish to join?" Although a weekly wage of one Fu Er was not high, it was certainly not low either, and it was very attractive to the adventurers, especially since they had taken a fruitless trip to Yorktown and needed to fill a gap in their income. The income of adventurers at the lower levels was not stable, and on the whole, was far less than that of a government official; they would hardly ever pass up any opportunity to earn money. Someone immediately asked, "What kind of people do you need?" Charles smiled and said, "This time, I need to transport some items, the more people the better. As long as you all consider yourselves strong and robust, you can join." "However, I must clarify that I''ll withhold everyone''s first week''s salary. The salary will be paid in the second week. Before the payday, no matter who leaves, they won''t receive any compensation. On the payday, you all can freely choose whether to continue with me or leave the group." Withholding a portion of the salary was a common practice in any industry on the Old Continent. After all, in such times, any employer who paid in advance was at risk of not seeing their employees the next minute. The members of the Giant Axe Adventure Group who came out with him couldn''t help but look at Charles. Mason really wanted to know how he had become the leader, but after hearing about the weekly salary, Mason hesitated for a moment and chose to stay quiet, giving his four team members a meaningful glance. He also wanted to earn this money. Hannah and Homonsa had no objections; in fact, they were even more hopeful that the handsome and wealthy-looking Charles would become the leader of the team. When they had arrived the day before, there had been forty or fifty people in front of the giant wooden house. Now, there were one hundred and fifty-sixty people, all from small adventure groups. After discussing with their companions for a while, more than ten adventure teams quickly indicated their willingness to accept Charles''s employment. In order to recruit more hands, Charles added a "weight" and said with a smile, "I will probably employ you for over a month, maybe even two months!" At these words, another seven teams immediately agreed to join. The adventurers accepting Charles''s hire had swelled to nearly a hundred. It was tough for adventurers to earn a stable income for two months, making this long-term employment very appealing. Charles looked at the adventurers who had accepted the employment and loudly said, "I come from the south and my ancestors had Beastman blood." Many adventurers laughed out loud; having Beastman blood in the Old Continent was nothing to be proud of, especially since the Beastman Kingdom had perished long ago, and its people were dispersed and regarded as lower-class in every country. However, the adventurers didn''t care much about this; after all, they were just there to be paid to do a job. No one cared about the employer''s ancestry. As long as they were paid, most adventurers would even work for the Black Phoenix Dynasty, the arch-enemy of the Fars Empire. Charles continued, "I have just inherited some property from an uncle, and in his belongings, I discovered a map of the Beastman Kingdom''s treasure. This time, my aim is to locate those ancient treasures. Here, I swear by the Goddess that if we do find the treasure, I will give out five percent to those who find it with me." This time, even the remaining adventurers were moved. Greed and flames flickered in many of their eyes, and quite a few of them even thought, "If we really find the treasure, wouldn''t killing this young man mean more for us?" White Wolf glanced at Louis and said softly, "Your friend really knows how to lie." Louis shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. When Charles met them earlier, he had said that the treasure map was bought from a second-hand store, and now it had become an uncle''s relic. Even if he wanted to cover for Charles, he didn''t know how to explain it. Besides, he was one hundred percent sure that Charles had no Beastman ancestry from the southern continent, as the Lady of the Brittany Family would definitely not befriend a Beastman, not even one with a trace of Beastman blood. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 42 41. A king is but one who has strong soldiers and sturdy horses! In the past, the Orc Kingdom and the Sherlock Dynasty competed for supremacy on the Old Continent, fighting so fiercely that the sky went dark and the earth dim. The war lasted for more than three hundred years; eventually, the Orc Kingdom was vanquished by the Sherlock Dynasty, which slaughtered millions of beastmen. Nevertheless, due to the centuries of war, the Sherlock Dynasty exhausted the nation''s potential and was conquered by the emerging Fars Empire.However, the Orc Kingdom had once been a top power in the Old Continent, and it was a well-known legend that the beastman nobles who were bloodily massacred had hidden much wealth before dying. In fact, some people had found the treasures hidden by the beastman nobles and became wealthy as a result. For seasoned individuals like White Wolf and Louis Simi, a possibly bogus treasure map could easily be dismissed with a sneer, but those lowly adventurers didn''t have such "resolve." They would flock to Yorktown for a Demon Hunter''s legacy and would naturally believe in a nebulous treasure map. After all, as long as someone was paying, even a fruitless trip wouldn''t mean a loss. Especially since Charles, after having been snubbed by White Wolf, had cleverly altered the origin of the treasure map from an old goods store to his uncle''s legacy, making it seem even more credible. The remaining adventurers were also stirred up, joining Charles''s new team, with only two groups declining the invitation. They didn''t even linger and promptly left Yorktown. With an amiable smile, Charles turned and said to White Wolf, "Mr. White Wolf, sell me all your barley wine, please!" "I''ll buy a round for everyone here." The adventurers erupted in cheers; suddenly, it became lively in front of the oversized wooden house. ...... Charles downed a mug of barley wine in one gulp, then suddenly slammed the cup onto the ground and roared skyward! He had always presented himself as polite and refined, and he indeed was: in his previous life as a mathematics teacher or even after transmigrating and working as a clerical office worker. But Magru Teller had signed his dismissal, capriciously erasing Charles Meklen''s hard work and forcing him to betray Menilman, and brazenly indicated that he would be discarded like a used rag afterward. It was suffocatingly infuriating. Before this, Charles had only wanted to bide his time and wait. Perhaps Menilman would extract himself from the political struggle and pull Charles up. But just moments ago, Charles suddenly thought of the chase by two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency and a surge of resentment welled up in him, shattering that illusion by his own hand. He wiped the beer from the corner of his mouth, looked at the over a hundred adventurers he had bamboozled, and a thought he was all too familiar with from childhood yet never contemplated realizing emerged in his mind! Since he had fled and could no longer climb the rank and file of the government to live an easy life on a steady paycheck, why not make a big scene instead? "Damn it!" "Princes and generals, have they not been spawned from common stock?" "The King, after all, is but one who stands strong in arms!" "Now I may be of lowly strength, and these adventurers are hardly sufficient, but one day, I''ll have thousands of warriors at my command, return to Strasbourg, and chop off Magru Teller''s head to show that bullying transmigrators has no good end." Huang Hai was born in an era of peace and had never experienced war in his life. Thus, he had never considered personal vengeance; even when being pursued, it was nothing more than "self-defense." Just in that instant, Charles suddenly understood what it meant to "carry a blade and have the instinct to kill" flare within him. Did he really swindle these adventurers for some damn treasure map of the Ancient Beastman Empire? He had no real treasure map, and even if he did¡­ What good was a mere treasure map? Even if he found the treasure, wouldn''t he still be a fugitive of the Fars Empire? Even if he went to another country to live, wouldn''t he still be oppressed by officials? Once Charles''s thoughts became clear, an aura naturally emanated from him. He glanced at the adventurers who were drinking heartily, stretched out his hand towards the sky, and bellowed, "Those who join me in this treasure hunt, I, Qian Nan, swear on the souls of our beastman ancestors, guarantee that their fortunes will never fall below a hundred Gold Eglus." "Let''s set off!" He kicked apart the luggage used to disguise his identity, not caring for its lack of anything valuable. Carrying the magic alchemy wand and the bloodsucking rapier gifted by Louis, he strode out of Yorktown. Influenced by his momentum, some adventurers couldn''t help but drop their cups and follow him. With someone taking the lead, the rest of the adventurers followed Charles in pairs and threes. The team thus began to develop a trace of cohesion rather abruptly. White Wolf glanced at the messy ground in front of his wooden hut and said, "Louis! Your friend is something. He''s definitely going to achieve great things." "However..." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why do I see the aura of a desperado in him?" "You wouldn''t be dealing with desperados, would you?" Louis Simi said with a wry smile, "He''s an Imperial Civil Servant!" "And a very promising one at that." Curious, White Wolf asked, "What kind of promising?" Louis Simi replied, "His companion is the daughter of a certain count." White Wolf was stunned for a moment before whispering, "No wonder! To marry a count''s daughter, one needs to have a bit of a desperado''s spirit." Louis Simi spread his hands; he didn''t mean it that way. Once out of Yorktown, Charles called out loudly, "Who knows the location of Machu Picchu''s ruins?" Immediately, an adventurer shouted, "I''ve been to Machu Picchu!" Charles smiled slightly and said, "Excellent, please lead the way, sir." Machu Picchu was a fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom, known as the never-falling Machu Picchu. After conquering the fortress using stratagem, the Sherlock Dynasty set fire to Machu Picchu, turning this fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom into ruins. Now, hundreds of years later, the place had become desolate, with many terrifying rumors emerging. Only a handful of adventurers dared to try their luck there. Hearing they were heading to Machu Picchu, some adventurers hesitated. The fortress of the Ancient Beast Kingdom was shrouded with too many frightening rumors. But when they thought about not being a small group, but rather a large team of over a hundred people, with a Transcendent leading them, and that Mr. Qian Nan reportedly had a treasure map, their hearts warmed with the thought that they might avoid danger and they continued to follow. Charles had two reasons for choosing Machu Picchu. First, this ragtag bunch was unlikely to endure a long journey, not even an elite army could handle long marches without difficulty. Machu Picchu was close, just over two hundred kilometers away from Strasbourg in a straight line. For these adventurers, it was merely a two or three days'' journey, a "sweet" target. Furthermore, he was due to pay the first round of salaries in a week. Though he could afford it, well... Uh! He was somewhat reluctant to pay out. Chapter 43 42. Conflict (The chapter title is this short just to ask for monthly votes) There was another reason he recently delved into the study of the Agmilas Labyrinth and needed a place to test his findings¡ªMachu Picchu was an ideal testing ground.To control this group of adventurers from various backgrounds as much as possible, Charles, on the road, adjusted the team structure on the pretext, "There might be dangers along the way, and we need a battle formation." He gathered the leaders of more than a dozen small adventure groups and divided the remaining members by gender¡ªthe male adventurers were responsible for carrying the gear, and the female adventurers were in charge of the food and water. Charles''s personnel adjustments were not drastic and were explained as temporary, so they encountered no opposition. In small adventure teams, the leader is typically the highest in combat power and the core of the team, with the members heavily reliant on the leader. By temporarily separating the leaders from their members, Charles naturally weakened the leaders'' influence and slightly enhanced his own "authority," allowing him a bit more control over the team. With over a hundred people, the adventure team was considered medium to large-sized, requiring Charles to continually seize various opportunities to strengthen his position throughout the journey. After a day''s journey, this temporarily assembled adventure team chose to rest in a place called Maple Leaf Village. The village was quite small and did not have enough vacant houses; fearing robbery, they refused to let so many people enter. Charles once again demonstrated his adept social skills, negotiating with the villagers to allow all the female adventurers to rest inside the village, while he and the male team members camped outside. As soon as Charles had arranged everything, a team dressed in black windcheaters appeared from the direction they had come. "People from the Liemar Detective Agency!?" The detectives from the Liemar Agency were quite noticeable in their iconic black coats. They had once encountered the Giant Axe Adventure Group in Charles''s village and then went their separate ways. Charles thought he had escaped a calamity, but these detectives had still followed them. Charles schemed internally, "These adventurers are unreliable; should a conflict arise, they might not side with me. I must strike first to give them a solid reason to fight." He beckoned with his hand, gathering the leaders of the small adventure groups and said softly, "These are detectives hired by my cousin. They too want to go to Machu Picchu, and if they find the treasure first, we will return empty-handed and watch them get rich off our prize." "I cannot allow that to happen. That is our wealth." "We outnumber them. Let''s capture these detectives and imprison them within our group until we find the treasure, then we can release them." Typical adventurers are reluctant to provoke powerful forces. The Liemar Detective Agency had hired over a hundred detectives, in addition to two to three hundred detective assistants and a significant number of trainee detectives, and even more than ten Transcendents; small adventure groups dared not conflict with them. Moreover, the president of the Liemar Detective Agency, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, was not just a High-Level Transcendent but also very influential, famous throughout the Fars Empire. Having these small adventure group leaders kill the detectives from the Liemar Agency was out of the question, but Charles''s instigation to capture and temporarily imprison them got some considering the move, especially since they indeed had the advantage in numbers at the moment. An adventure group leader named Yasi said, "Although they have only seven people, there are at least two Transcendents among them! Especially the leader Winterburn, I know him, he is a Fourth Order Transcendent, a genuine Flame Dragon Knight." Charles smiled slightly and said, "I will take care of this one, you five assist me." Charles was willing to take on the toughest fight, which sparked interest among the leaders of these smaller adventure groups. Under the direction of this "temporary leader," they quickly gathered their best members and divided the combat targets. Winterburn had a stern face. He was actually very annoyed. The wizard of the Liemar Detective Agency was far inferior to the diviner Wells in locating people, and he was certain that the mission had failed, having lost the target already. Not capturing Charles and also losing an important Transcendent detective meant a loss for the Liemar Detective Agency. Wells''s role in the Liemar Detective Agency was irreplaceable, as many cases depended on his diviner profession, and it was impossible to replenish such high-level special ability manpower in the short term. He noticed that there was a medium to large size adventure group in the distance, but as a seasoned detective of the Liemar Detective Agency, he was not afraid of these rabble, especially since there was no conflict between the two sides. Just as Winterburn was about to bypass these adventurers, he heard someone call out, "Is it Mister Winterburn?" Although Winterburn possessed strong Battle Qi, he lacked the ability to see in the dark. Furthermore, he did not recognize the voice of the speaker and was momentarily stunned before he responded, "It''s me!" Being a seasoned detective, he was experienced and did not let his guard down. But then he heard the other person say, "So it''s you who seduced my wife?" Suddenly, over a dozen men charged at him. Winterburn was shocked, thinking to himself, "When did I ever seduce so many men''s wives?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Charles had confidently claimed that he would lead against Winterburn, when more than ten men surrounded the seven detectives, he drew out Blood Rose and thrust his sword at Addison. Even the Liemar Detective Agency could not boast Transcendents everywhere. Of the seven detectives that came to chase him this time, only Winterburn and Addison were Transcendents. Charles, after all, was a Chinese, having grown up reading comics like "Thirty-Six Stratagems." Before making a move, he had already decided to take out Addison first. With this Transcendent knight gone, only Winterburn would remain, significantly reducing complications. Addison had not expected someone to strike at him directly. As a Third Order knight, his reactions were extremely quick. He drew his sword to block Charles'' strike, but he did not anticipate Charles'' complete disregard for martial ethics. Charles pulled out the Magnum Hand Shuttle and fired twelve shots, forcing Addison to let out a ferocious howl. His Flame Battle Qi erupted, swirling around him in a fiery tornado and narrowly blocking the incoming bullets. Charles had calculated this step before making a move. While a knight''s Battle Qi could protect the body, the distribution of strength during combat was uneven. Addison was fully resisting the bullets coming straight at him, which meant the defense at his back was likely inadequate. As he fired, Charles stabbed Blood Rose into the ground and activated his Insight Ability, targeting the weakest part of Addison''s Protective Battle Qi and threw the Vampiric Hand Axe. Under the control of Blood Flame Qi, the Vampiric Hand Axe traced a bizarre arc, breaking through Addison''s protective Flame Battle Qi. It had only been a few days since they last met, but Charles had advanced to a higher order, and the power of his Blood Flame Qi had increased significantly. The impact of this strike was far more powerful than last time, cleaving into the back of the Transcendent detective''s skull and burying the axe blade three inches deep. Chapter 44 People of Baron Louis Simi had just stimulated his Fighting Spirit, barely blocking the incoming bullets. How could he have any energy left to resist the Vampiric Hand Axe?Under the berserk amplification of the Blood Flame Qi, the life force of this Transcendent Detective gushed unrestrainedly like a fierce tide, swallowed by the Vampiric Hand Axe. Louis''s strength greatly surpassed that of Wells, still capable of putting up a desperate resistance. He crazily spurred on his Fighting Spirit to counter the devouring force of the Blood Flame Qi. He recognized Charles and shouted furiously, "It''s you!" Charles smiled without replying, re-drawing his rapier Blood Rose, slightly flicking it and furiously attacking with three strikes. If it had been a normal swordsmanship duel, even ten Charleses might not have been a match for Louis, whose sword skills were ordinary, merely learned but not mastered. Louis''s swordsmanship was extremely powerful, harsh, and seasoned with real combat. But Louis had fallen into a trap, already suffering severe injuries. How could he resist Charles, who wielded an Extraordinary Bloodsucking Weapon and had activated his Insight Ability? Charles effortlessly pierced through Louis''s body. Even with the Flame Fighting Spirit protecting him, Louis could no longer withstand the attack and collapsed on the ground, his eyes filled with a venomous hatred. The simultaneous drawing of life essence by the two bloodsucking weapons gave Charles a sudden boost in spirit. He shouted loudly, "Attack now!" At his urging, another twenty or thirty adventurers swarmed out and joined the battle. Winterburn felt both shock and anger. Although he was surrounded by five adventurers, he had held back in his attacks. Seeing Louis killed in an instant, how could he not realize they were targeted? Was this a targeted trap? This Fourth Order Knight knew the danger, and his Fighting Spirit burst forth unrestrainedly, immediately forcing the five attacking adventurers to retreat. Meanwhile, Charles absorbed the life essence transmitted back by the Vampiric Rapier while removing the Vampiric Hand Axe. He stimulated the Blood Flame Qi and threw the hand axe again. The small Vampiric Hand Axe, fluttering nimbly, swiftly chopped towards its target! Winterburn saw with his own eyes that Charles had used this eerie weapon to kill Louis. Not daring to underestimate it, he enveloped the area with his Flame Fighting Spirit and, with his strong swordsmanship, shattered the flying Vampiric Hand Axe. After being shattered, the Vampiric Hand Axe circled around and chopped down again, moving agilely like a flying bird. Such bizarre combat skills were unheard of on the Old Continent, and Winterburn dared not be reckless. He rotated his rapier, defending himself impregnably. Seeing Charles''s extraordinary skills, the adventurers were greatly encouraged, their morale soaring as they threw themselves into the fight. Charles manipulated the Vampiric Hand Axe with cunning unpredictability, drawing most of Winterburn''s attention. While controlling the Vampiric Hand Axe, he also hurriedly digested the absorbed life essence. At this moment, if he could enhance his strength even by a fraction, it would increase his chances of winning. Louis was a Third Order Transcendent, his life force fierce like a blazing flame, even more potent and robust than Wells. Using Bloody Glory, Charles enshrouded Louis''s life essence, stimulated the Protagora Breathing Method, and after precisely thirty-five breaths, the Vampiric Rapier stopped vibrating, and no more life essences came through. He withdrew the Vampiric Rapier, letting Louis''s corpse fall to the ground and glanced casually at the weapon in his hand. This newly acquired Magic Stabbing Sword was exceptional in craftsmanship, quality, and design, but the blade had numerous fine nicks. It was far more than the "slightly damaged" that Charles had mentioned; it was severely damaged. The previous owner of this Blood Rose, in his lifetime, must have fought countless battles. Otherwise, a magic weapon of such quality would not have been damaged to this extent. Charlotte remembered how Louis was enthusiastic about showing the inscription but never drew the sword from its sheath, and she cursed inwardly, "He really is a profiteer!" Subconsciously, she infused Bloody Glory into the blade and witnessed a bizarre scene! The Magic Stabbing Sword briefly fell silent before emitting a clear, piercing cry. The blade slightly liquefied, its damaged parts self-repaired until it was as good as new, shining like water. Her heart was greatly shaken, but she didn''t have time to think deeply about what this change meant. The next second, the Magic Stabbing Sword warmed slightly and transformed into a streak of crimson light that merged into her left arm, quietly forming the fourth Bloody Vortex. At this moment, Charlotte''s feelings could no longer be described as merely shocked. A magic weapon capable of changing form, each one was of extraordinary quality and especially expensive. Sharon''s spear could transform into a ring, allowing its owner to carry it around, and it was already top-notch merchandise. This Magic Stabbing Sword could not only self-repair but also spur the creation of a Bloody Vortex, pushing Bloody Glory to break through to the fourth level¡ªundeniably even more precious. For a moment, had she not been fleeing and had no means to sell this extraordinary weapon, Charlotte would have wanted to resell it and make a fortune. However, the bloodsucking rapier, Blood Rose, could self-repair and remain hidden within the Bloody Vortex, proving to be a perfect weapon for self-defense, and Charlotte was not keen on selling it. She flicked her wrist, and Blood Rose reappeared in her hand. She silently thought, "What a pity! My swordsmanship is too rudimentary; even with a divine weapon, I can''t become a master of the sword." Although Winterburn was surrounded and entangled by the elusive Vampiric Hand Axe, he was still a Fourth Order Knight and managed to dominate the fight. The other five detectives were no match for the group of adventurers. Under the assault of dozens of adventurers, two were killed and three were captured alive. Such is the nature of combat; it''s hard to ensure no lives are lost. Winterburn hadn''t expected the situation to deteriorate to this extent and couldn''t help but shout loudly, "We are from the Liemar Detective Agency, aren''t you afraid of Liemar Detective Agency?" Charlotte immediately replied, "Sorry! We are people of Byron." Winterburn exclaimed in horror, "You are spies?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, Charlotte didn''t need to answer; all the adventurers shouted in unison, "Yes, we are spies, spies of Byron!" No one wanted to offend the Liemar Detective Agency. Charlotte''s random utterances were supported by the adventurers hoping to shift the conflict onto the people of Byron. Winterburn''s heart suddenly sank; he believed them to a great extent. Charlotte using Blood Clan secret techniques and bloodsucking weapons, and both Wells and Edison had their life force drained. He indeed resembled a vampire, no longer daring to hold back his power. His body''s Flame Fighting Spirit surged, and his rapier once again knocked away the Vampiric Hand Axe and with a swift maneuver, he immediately killed the leaders of the two small adventure groups attacking him. With a successful strike, Winterburn forcefully broke through the encirclement. Under the boost of Qi Valley, he moved as fast as a galloping horse and blinked out of the fight. Watching him escape, Charlotte could only sigh in disappointment and gave up the chase. Although she had consumed Edison''s life essence, broken through the Third Order, advanced further, and possessed several special abilities, she was essentially a non-combat civil servant and inept at fighting. Pursuing alone might not have ended well. Chapter 47 46. Bloodflame Transformation Art (plus one more update, seeking monthly ticket) "Unfortunately, initiating the fourth Bloody Vortex and practicing Angel''s Thornpletely drained Addison and Winterburn''s life essence¡ªthe runes for the Quickness Technique will require about ten more days of effort." "However, there is indeed a better choice than the Quickness Technique, the Spirit Spider Technique!" The first page of the Vampire Secret Scrolls records the Adonis n Blood n''s foundational Blood me Qi! The second page then discusses¡ªBloodme Transformation Art. As the name implies, the Bloodme Transformation Art cannot transform, it can only turn into a mass of Blood me! Charles didn''t care whether he could transform into various animals or assume the appearances of different people, but if he could transform into a mass of Blood me, he would be able to float in the air, which, although slightly inferior to flying, would suffice for travel. During a noon break, Charles was summoned by Lord Leo, whose first words sent chills through his body: "Our Byron and the ck Phoenix Dynasty have already signed an alliance, so this time we intend to lure the restorer from South Serif and assassinate Archduke Ferdinand!" "Thus igniting the me of war!" Charles looked directly at the Evil God, his soul shattered and then regathered, activating all memories from his two lifetimes. Charles Mecklen, who had studied extensively in his early years, remembered clearly and was of course aware of the historic feud between South Serif and the Behemoth Duchy. To put it simply, South Serif was resisting the invasion of the Fars Empire and was on the verge of victory, but was betrayed by the Behemoth Duchy, leading to its downfall. Nearly two hundred years after its destruction, the people of South Serif were still rtively obedient to the Empire and acknowledged its rule, yet they harbored deep-seated hatred for the Behemoth Duchy. There was a rumor that someone who had drunk too much in a tavern shouted, "I am from the Behemoth Duchy¡­" and was beaten to death by a group of South Serif people. The hatred between the two nations was evident. If the restorer from South Serif assassinated Archduke Ferdinand, the Royal Family of the Fars Empire would have no choice but to seek revenge. The restorer of South Serif couldn''t withstand a full strike from the imperial army and would inevitably seek external help... The mere pping of a butterfly''s wings might well unleash a catastrophic storm. However, sometimes the storm is manipted by others. Although Charles was a transmigrator and had no affection for the Fars Empire, the thought of a war erupting and the countless innocents who would die senselessly still made him shiver with dread. Before he crossed over, he had lived in a country that had been at peace for decades. It was precisely because he had enjoyed prolonged peace that he understood the value of peace and the horrors of war. He said in a low voice, "I have not received these orders." Lord Leo said, "Your position is too low to be aware of the full details of this n, that''s not surprising." "However, you must fully cooperate with my actions."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Uponpletion of this mission, you can be assigned under mymand, and I assure you at least one promotion." Charles respectfully expressed his gratitude, but internally, he was thinking: "I must find a way to thwart the People of Byron''s ns." "It''s ridiculous, a fugitive like me, still thinking about helping the Fars Empire maintain peace." Lord Leo was very pleased with Charles''s attitude, gave a few more instructions, waved him away, and prepared to set off again. The team had moved extremely quickly, covering the distance to Machu Phu in just over two days. This ancient fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom, though breached and set aze by the Sherlock Dynasty, still presented a majestic aura even in ruins. The architecture of the Beastman Kingdom favored grandeur, with each building standing tens of meters tall, especially the fortress gates, which were imposing. Even though the city had been destroyed for hundreds of years, it still intimidated all who beheld it. Charles was too weary to be excited, but he volunteered eagerly to inspect the situation himself. Both the adventurers under hismand and Lord Leo found him to be very reliable. The adventurers thought their "leader" was brave to take on tasks personally, while Lord Leo saw this future subordinate as courageous and hardworking, an excellent candidate for close attendance. Only Charles knew that his solo venture into Machu Phu was to verify the results of his recent research into the first page of Agms Labyrinth. Charles entered Machu Phu, magic alchemy staff in one hand and the old Magnum Hand Shuttle in the other, striding majestically. As he stepped through the copsed fortress gate and the ruins blocked the view from outside, he promptly stowed both weapons, pulled out his journal, and flipped to the page on "Agms''s Labyrinth." He opened the first page,id the journal on the ground, and murmured softly for a while. When nothing happened, he was slightly disappointed, thinking that there was a w in his research. Then, a consciousness emerged: "Charles Meklen has discovered the ruins of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom, Machu Phu, fulfilling the requirement to establish the firstbyrinth. Machu Phu will now undergo maze-ification." Charles watched as the first page of "Agms''s Labyrinth" disappeared, and immediately felt something intangible emanating from the journal beneath his palm, spreading inch by inch, eroding the ruins of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom''s fortress. The first to be eroded was the fortress entrance behind him, from which it spread into the depths of Machu Phu. The consciousness surfaced again: "Machu Phu''s maze-ification will bepleted in eighteen days, during which time you must not leave this ce." Charles took a deep breath, put away his journal, turned, and walked to the fortress gate. Positioning himself inside, he called out, "There''s no problem inside. I also found a clean area where we can set up camp and wait for Archduke Ferdinand to pass through." Lord Leo smiled slightly and said, "Good!" Though he had heard some legends about Machu Phu, as a High-Level Transcendent, he was not the least bit afraid. He entered the ruined fortress with two servants. Charles then sensed a thought: "Labyrinth NPC increased by three people, erosion progress increased by 1.5%." He was both shocked and pleased ¡ª could there really be such good luck? The adventurers also entered the ruined fortress following him, and the thought continued to announce: "Labyrinth NPC increased by fifteen people, erosion progress increased by 0.8%..." "Labyrinth NPC increased by twenty-one people, erosion progress increased by 1.3%..." "Labyrinth NPC increased by thirty-four people, erosion progress increased by 3.3%..." "Total Labyrinth NPCs one hundred thirty-six people, total erosion progress increased by 16.5%." Charles took a long breath, finally certain that there was no error in his research direction. This fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom was immensely vast, having once stationed up to two hundred seventy thousand soldiers. Although only less than twenty percent had been maze-ified, it was already enough to ensure that anyone who entered would nevere out again. Although Lord Leo was a High-Level Transcendent with heightened alertness, after ncing around, he failed to notice anything amiss. Indeed, he would never have considered that it wasn''t something dangerous lurking, but that they had already "entered" the "danger." Chapter 46 45. Angels Thorn (Cant summon a monthly ticket even with three updates in one day?) Lord Leo showed a smile of pleasure and said, "Qian Nan, you are indeed an exceptional soldier. I will disregard your earlier mistake. My two servants and I have been on the road for a long time and need to rest. You keep watch for the night."Charles ushered Lord Leo into the adventure camp where the middle-aged member of the Blood Clan chose a large tree, leaned against the trunk, and pretended to sleep. His two servants split into shifts to guard their master, clearly distrusting the group of adventurers. Charles wiped the sweat from his forehead and moved away from Lord Leo, finding a secluded spot to sit down with a sigh. After rushing for a day and then fighting a battle, the sudden turn of events was extremely thrilling and adrenaline-pumping, but it left him doubly exhausted afterward. Charles felt sore all over and didn''t even want to move a pinkie. Although he had temporarily avoided danger through quick thinking, it was only a matter of time before Lord Leo realized he was not one of his own. If Lord Leo discovered he was not a member of the Adonis Clan but had cultivated Bloody Glory, which the Blood Clan greatly detested, how would he preserve his life under the wrath of a High-Level Transcendent? Charles still hadn''t come up with a solution. He knew that despite the seeming safety, danger lurked everywhere. A single mistake could lead to his untimely death. After resting briefly, although he was still very tired, he forcibly gathered his energy to operate the Protagora Breathing Method, needing to quickly assimilate Winterburn''s life essence. Lord Leo had impaled Winterburn, yet had not devoured his life force. High Order Blood Clan members prioritized the purity of Blood Energy, and uncontrolled, crazed devouring of life force could lead to monstrosity, so they would not randomly devour prey of lower Extraordinary Ranks except for occasional supplementation. But for Charles, the life essence of a Fourth Order Knight was too precious, and he hadn''t yet reached the level where he needed to be "picky," which is why he had delivered a stab. After more than a hundred breaths, when all the life essence had transformed into Bloody Glory, Charles did not open a fifth Bloody Vortex. Instead, he chose to condense a Bloody Rune¡ªAngel''s Thorn! His reason for making such a choice was: Because of the Blood Rose! Angel''s Thorn was one of the thirteen Unique Skills of Bloody Glory and also the foundation of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Technique. The Asiluo Clan, one of the Three Emperor Clans of the Blood Clan, specialized in Martial Techniques. Their swordsmanship was ranked first among the thirty-seven Blood Clan families. As the foundation of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Technique, Angel''s Thorn was not only an Extraordinary Secret Art but also Extraordinary Swordsmanship, renowned throughout the Old Continent. In the secret scrolls of Bloody Glory, the records about Angel''s Thorn were vague. No one knew how the great sage Protagora had learned this technique and achieved full mastery, integrating it into Bloody Glory. There were few students cultivating Bloody Glory in the four universities of the Empire, and since the death of the great sage Protagora, although other Unique Skills and runes had been mastered by some, no one had successfully cultivated Angel''s Thorn. Many scholars, after studying Protagora''s secret scrolls and the customs of the Asiluo Clan, concluded that practicing Angel''s Thorn required the "inheritance" of the Blood Clan. The Asiluo Clan''s elders would condense all of their cultivation into a special "seed." Only a member of the Blood Clan who received this "seed" could cultivate Angel''s Thorn and step into the practice of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Technique. Although Protagora had gifted the secret scrolls to the four universities, he himself had never taken any disciples, and after Fars and Byron established diplomatic relations, they declared that no member of the Human Race practicing Bloody Glory could enter their territories. Thus, no human had obtained the inheritance of Angel''s Thorn since. The Blood Rose''s ability to forcefully open the fourth Bloody Vortex signified that it contained the previous master''s understanding of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Technique. Charles certainly didn''t want to waste this opportunity. With a gesture, the Blood Rose warmed slightly and transformed into a stream of bloody light, merging into his left arm. In the Bloody Vortex on his left arm, the Magic Stabbing Sword transformed into a rune structure resembling a sword, trembling incessantly and striking gracefully. Charles slightly closed his eyes, and myriad bizarre and ruthless sword techniques emerged in his mind. Each move was inconceivably fast, as swift as lightning and thunder. It was fortunate that he had twice directly faced the Evil God, and his spirituality, comparable to a High-Level Transcendent, allowed him to deeply imprint these sword techniques in his mind and fully accept this Asiluo Clan''s inheritance. About several hours later, near dawn, Charles opened his eyes. There was a faint blood-colored gleam swirling in his gaze. He took a deep breath and with a flick of his hand, the Blood Rose appeared out of thin air. He held the Vampiric Rapier in his palm, caressing it gently, and thought silently, "The Extraordinary Weapon that Louis gifted me likely has some history. He could claim sheer luck in obtaining Shalun''s spear, but getting this Vampiric Rapier suggests a deeper intrigue." "Louis probably doesn''t know the origins of these two weapons; otherwise, he wouldn''t have given one of them to me." "I have a feeling this matter could involve some trouble!" Charles heard someone call out the name "Qian Nan." Without time to reflect on his newly acquired ability, he hastily stood up and ran over to Lord Leo. The Blood Clan Lord Byron, who had woken up, saw Charles and smiled slightly, saying, "I brought some blood bait. Would you like a couple of pieces?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Blood bait, a type of blood food made with magic, is one of the favorite foods of the Blood Clan and can be carried around for convenient and long-term storage. Since blood bait is made entirely from human blood, Charles, being human in both his past and present life, politely declined due to his psychological aversion to such food. Charles smiled slightly and said, "I brought a blood servant." Lord Leo nodded slightly without further persuasion, and with the service of two servants, he had a simple yet luxurious breakfast. The two servants laid out a picnic-specific cloth on the ground, set exquisite cutlery on tin plates, and arranged some blood bait and pastries. They also took out a beautiful wine jug and paired it with matching tin cups. After dining, Lord Leo wiped his mouth with a red napkin and said, "We can set off now." The two servants efficiently packed up the cloth, cutlery, wine jug, and cups, and stayed close behind their master, silent throughout. Charles called people into Maple Leaf Village, summoned all the female adventurers, tidied up the campsite, and set off with Lord Leo toward Machu Picchu. After a morning of long and arduous trekking, Charles complained incessantly. He had never endured such hardship. The adventurers he had gathered, due to their low income, did not own mounts. The reason Lord Leo did not require a mount was that as a High Order Blood Clan member, whether for long-distance raids or short sprints, he was superior to ordinary mounts. Moreover, as a spy infiltrating other countries, having a mount was inconvenient and unnecessary. It would have been awkward for him to have a horse just for himself! Moreover, they did not pass through any large towns where they could have bought horses on their escape route. Charles increasingly missed the Quickness Technique Runes he had never managed to master. Chapter 47 46. Bloodflame Transformation Art (plus one more update, seeking monthly ticket) "Unfortunately, initiating the fourth Bloody Vortex and practicing Angel''s Thorn completely drained Addison and Winterburn''s life essence¡ªthe runes for the Quickness Technique will require about ten more days of effort.""However, there is indeed a better choice than the Quickness Technique, the Spirit Spider Technique!" The first page of the Vampire Secret Scrolls records the Adonis Clan Blood Clan''s foundational Blood Flame Qi! The second page then discusses¡ªBloodflame Transformation Art. As the name implies, the Bloodflame Transformation Art cannot transform, it can only turn into a mass of Blood Flame! Charles didn''t care whether he could transform into various animals or assume the appearances of different people, but if he could transform into a mass of Blood Flame, he would be able to float in the air, which, although slightly inferior to flying, would suffice for travel. During a noon break, Charles was summoned by Lord Leo, whose first words sent chills through his body: "Our Byron and the Black Phoenix Dynasty have already signed an alliance, so this time we intend to lure the restorer from South Serif and assassinate Archduke Ferdinand!" "Thus igniting the flame of war!" Charles looked directly at the Evil God, his soul shattered and then regathered, activating all memories from his two lifetimes. Charles Mecklen, who had studied extensively in his early years, remembered clearly and was of course aware of the historic feud between South Serif and the Behemoth Duchy. To put it simply, South Serif was resisting the invasion of the Fars Empire and was on the verge of victory, but was betrayed by the Behemoth Duchy, leading to its downfall. Nearly two hundred years after its destruction, the people of South Serif were still relatively obedient to the Empire and acknowledged its rule, yet they harbored deep-seated hatred for the Behemoth Duchy. There was a rumor that someone who had drunk too much in a tavern shouted, "I am from the Behemoth Duchy¡­" and was beaten to death by a group of South Serif people. The hatred between the two nations was evident. If the restorer from South Serif assassinated Archduke Ferdinand, the Royal Family of the Fars Empire would have no choice but to seek revenge. The restorer of South Serif couldn''t withstand a full strike from the imperial army and would inevitably seek external help... The mere flapping of a butterfly''s wings might well unleash a catastrophic storm. However, sometimes the storm is manipulated by others. Although Charles was a transmigrator and had no affection for the Fars Empire, the thought of a war erupting and the countless innocents who would die senselessly still made him shiver with dread. Before he crossed over, he had lived in a country that had been at peace for decades. It was precisely because he had enjoyed prolonged peace that he understood the value of peace and the horrors of war. He said in a low voice, "I have not received these orders." Lord Leo said, "Your position is too low to be aware of the full details of this plan, that''s not surprising." "However, you must fully cooperate with my actions." "Upon completion of this mission, you can be assigned under my command, and I assure you at least one promotion." Charles respectfully expressed his gratitude, but internally, he was thinking: "I must find a way to thwart the People of Byron''s plans." "It''s ridiculous, a fugitive like me, still thinking about helping the Fars Empire maintain peace." Lord Leo was very pleased with Charles''s attitude, gave a few more instructions, waved him away, and prepared to set off again. The team had moved extremely quickly, covering the distance to Machu Picchu in just over two days. This ancient fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom, though breached and set ablaze by the Sherlock Dynasty, still presented a majestic aura even in ruins. The architecture of the Beastman Kingdom favored grandeur, with each building standing tens of meters tall, especially the fortress gates, which were imposing. Even though the city had been destroyed for hundreds of years, it still intimidated all who beheld it. Charles was too weary to be excited, but he volunteered eagerly to inspect the situation himself. Both the adventurers under his command and Lord Leo found him to be very reliable. The adventurers thought their "leader" was brave to take on tasks personally, while Lord Leo saw this future subordinate as courageous and hardworking, an excellent candidate for close attendance. Only Charles knew that his solo venture into Machu Picchu was to verify the results of his recent research into the first page of Agmilas Labyrinth. Charles entered Machu Picchu, magic alchemy staff in one hand and the old Magnum Hand Shuttle in the other, striding majestically. As he stepped through the collapsed fortress gate and the ruins blocked the view from outside, he promptly stowed both weapons, pulled out his journal, and flipped to the page on "Agmilas''s Labyrinth." He opened the first page, laid the journal on the ground, and murmured softly for a while. When nothing happened, he was slightly disappointed, thinking that there was a flaw in his research. Then, a consciousness emerged: "Charles Meklen has discovered the ruins of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom, Machu Picchu, fulfilling the requirement to establish the first labyrinth. Machu Picchu will now undergo maze-ification." Charles watched as the first page of "Agmilas''s Labyrinth" disappeared, and immediately felt something intangible emanating from the journal beneath his palm, spreading inch by inch, eroding the ruins of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom''s fortress. The first to be eroded was the fortress entrance behind him, from which it spread into the depths of Machu Picchu. The consciousness surfaced again: "Machu Picchu''s maze-ification will be completed in eighteen days, during which time you must not leave this place." Charles took a deep breath, put away his journal, turned, and walked to the fortress gate. Positioning himself inside, he called out, "There''s no problem inside. I also found a clean area where we can set up camp and wait for Archduke Ferdinand to pass through." Lord Leo smiled slightly and said, "Good!" Though he had heard some legends about Machu Picchu, as a High-Level Transcendent, he was not the least bit afraid. He entered the ruined fortress with two servants. Charles then sensed a thought: "Labyrinth NPC increased by three people, erosion progress increased by 1.5%." He was both shocked and pleased ¡ª could there really be such good luck? The adventurers also entered the ruined fortress following him, and the thought continued to announce: "Labyrinth NPC increased by fifteen people, erosion progress increased by 0.8%..." "Labyrinth NPC increased by twenty-one people, erosion progress increased by 1.3%..." "Labyrinth NPC increased by thirty-four people, erosion progress increased by 3.3%..." "Total Labyrinth NPCs one hundred thirty-six people, total erosion progress increased by 16.5%." Charles took a long breath, finally certain that there was no error in his research direction. This fortress of the Ancient Beastman Kingdom was immensely vast, having once stationed up to two hundred seventy thousand soldiers. Although only less than twenty percent had been maze-ified, it was already enough to ensure that anyone who entered would never come out again. Although Lord Leo was a High-Level Transcendent with heightened alertness, after glancing around, he failed to notice anything amiss. Indeed, he would never have considered that it wasn''t something dangerous lurking, but that they had already "entered" the "danger." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 48 47. The Monster in the Depths of Machu Picchu The place Charles "found" was a Beastman''s meeting hall, where the Beastman officers convened, indeed quite "clean."The adventurers were quite pleased with this "campsite"; after a brief cleaning, they cleared a large area. Lord Leo, though cautious, only felt he might be overly suspicious. Trusting in his own strength, he didn''t mind, having his two servants lay out a thick blanket to rest for a while and recuperate. His two servants loyally stayed by their master''s side, keeping Lord Leo separate from the group of adventurers. Nobody noticed that Charles had disappeared. By now, Charles had ventured deep into Machu Picchu fortress, standing alone on a desolate path, staring into the deeper parts of the fortress. This desolate path marked the boundary of the maze-ification of Machu Picchu. He could sense that the mazeification of Machu Picchu was pushing some entities deeper into the fortress. "Machu Picchu fortress actually harbors some weird entities, huh!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I wonder if I can capture a few to enhance the power of the Labyrinth." Charles had checked some records at Sheffield University and consulted several professors, deducing a bit of the "truth." The clash between the two Great Evil Gods must have resulted in the loss of some of their power, which merged into the journal. If he could consume the powers held within the "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" and the "Vampire Secret Scrolls" before the two Great Evil Gods found them, then they would never sense this part of their lost Fel Energy again. Because that power would no longer belong to them. But if Charles didn''t digest this portion of power within the set time, Agmilas and Kahnstan could sense their lost Fel Energy and lock onto the coordinates to descend once more. Although the deadline for the "Vampire Secret Scrolls" was tighter, Charles, proficient in Bloody Glory and learning the Adonis Clan Secret Technique from the Vampiric Scroll, found it not too difficult. The timeline of "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" was longer but wouldn''t extend; once the deadline arrived, Agmilas would inevitably return, unstoppable. Humans cannot resist an Evil God! Only gods can contend against gods. This was a consensus on the Old Continent. Charles was even more eager to master the control of fifteen labyrinths. Being cautious by nature, Charles did not step out of the confines of the Labyrinth, nor did he plan any reckless ventures, but some presence lurking in the shadows could not hold back any longer. A low whisper suddenly rose by his ear, as if his dearest lover was calling him over. This whispering murmur, filled with endless magic power, caused dozens of wild beasts to burst from their hiding places under its influence, moving with rigid steps towards the depths of Machu Picchu. Charles pressed his brow, hesitating whether to activate "Insight." He was unsure what magical creature uttered this whisper, but he was unafraid, thinking to himself, "I''ve faced the Evil God twice directly; how could some simple enchantment affect my mind?" Charles was certain that as long as he didn''t leave the boundaries of the Labyrinth, the creature lurking in the darkness wouldn''t be able to touch him. "Qian Nan! I''m here ¡­" Just as Charles was sitting confidently, a lady with wavy curled blonde hair called out softly while quickly dashing into the darkness. "Hannah?!" "Come back quickly!" Charles cried out in alarm, but it was too late. This moderately attractive young lady had a fondness for him, yet Charles had never considered having any intimate relationship with her, especially since they were still on the run. If they were to stop running, he had someone else in mind to be with. He had not expected that Hannah would follow him and be lured by the creature hidden deep within Machu Picchu. Without hesitation, Charles threw the Vampiric Hand Axe, which under the manipulation of the Blood Flame Qi, should have been agile and precise. Yet, after flying a dozen steps, it lost its responsiveness, disappearing into the darkness of Machu Picchu, never to return. Charles''s heart skipped a beat. He had traveled here in Synis, a famous seaside resort in Fars, and then returned to Strasbourg, the capital of the Empire, home to countless important figures and even watched over by deities. He had hardly encountered any creatures or faced any danger. Except¡­ that time he participated in the auction and got wrapped up in the Labyrinth. And the time he summoned two Evil Gods... Well! He had not encountered creatures, but had faced the Evil Gods! All in all, Charles could not fathom just how terrifying and what sort of sinister powers those things deep within Machu Picchu possessed. Charles looked towards the dark, unfathomable fortress ruins and Ms. Hannah, who had vanished without a trace, forcibly suppressing the urge to rush into the darkness to save her. Although he was now a Fourth Order Transcendent with two Extraordinary Weapons, he was still no match for the creature lurking in the depths of Machu Picchu. Rashly attempting a rescue would surely mean not only failing to save her but also risking his own life. Charles closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and performed the Protagora Breathing Method, forcefully suppressing the rising feelings of pity. The low murmurs continued¡­ An invisible force slowly eroded the darkness, the maze-ification relentlessly spreading. Several minutes later, Charles''s spirit slightly quivered, and with a shout, a small Vampiric Hand Axe elegantly flew up and landed back in his hand. At the same time, Charles saw what had become of her - Hannah had turned into a skeleton, as if she had been weathered for centuries! This poor female adventurer had had all her life devoured by the creature lurking in the darkness. Her face, wrinkled like old tree bark, bore a trace of bliss, eerie and horrifying. Near Hannah''s corpse were several dozen animals, their deaths equally strange, all reduced to skeletons. Charles pressed his hand down, turning over loads of soil, burying the bodies of Hannah and the animals. Within the scope of the Labyrinth, he could slightly manipulate the terrain, alter pathways, and even slightly twist space. This was not a power that ordinary Transcendents could wield. This was the lost, sinister power of Agmilas, the God of the Labyrinth from overseas. Having done this deed, Charles turned his body and walked away without looking back. Although he had no emotional attachment to Hannah or any close relationship, he was still filled with rage, silently swearing in his heart, "Whatever you are! Eighteen days from now, I will find you and expose you to the sun, watching you turn to ashes." "No! Perhaps fifteen days will be enough." The moment Charles turned, the whispering murmur also stopped. Dozens of vines rustled and crawled, passing through a boundary to enter a desolate path. These seemingly sentient evil vines, as if pulled by a mysterious force, were suddenly snapped taut, even emitting a chilling, shrieking sound, but they could not stop, pulling up even their roots, entirely entering the domain of the Labyrinth. Chapter 49 Antispace Sniper Rifle 48 Lord Leo opened his eyes, and two servants silently took out a water bottle, placed three pieces of blood bait into the water, vigorously shook it to mix, and poured the mixture into a tin cup to hand to their master.Lord Leo drank a cup of the blood water, felt slightly revitalized, and whispered a brief spell, releasing over ten palm-sized bats that soared into the sky. For the past several days, he had been using this secret technique daily to scout faraway places! The Vampire''s thirty-seven clans each possessed their own secret techniques. As one of the Three Emperor Clans, the Arthur family''s foundational secret technique was the Bloodline Mantra. The members of the Arthur clan were all proficient in spells. This Blood Bat Technique could attack enemies, transform into countless bats to escape, but its primary use was still reconnaissance. Lord Leo did not fully trust Charles. Over ten little bats flew out for two or three hours, but only two returned, merging back into Lord Leo''s body, which significantly invigorated the Vampire Lord. He said in a low voice, "Ferdinand is indeed passing nearby." "Qian Nan did not lie, he is still trustworthy." Charles said that Archduke Ferdinand would pass by Machu Picchu, and it really wasn''t just a casual remark. He was sorting documents for Senior Menilman when he happened to see a file about a recently detained South Serif restorer, who had been captured for plotting a rebellion. The document mentioned the route Archduke Ferdinand would take to Strasbourg. Charles was about to go to Machu Picchu and casually mentioned that Archduke Ferdinand would be passing by, unexpectedly earning more of Lord Leo''s trust through this remark. When Lord Leo sent out the Blood Bats to scout the nearby area, Charles tactfully stayed back, continuing to study the "Vampire Secret Scrolls." Seeing that Lord Leo''s Blood Bats had returned, he quickly put away the "Vampire Secret Scrolls" and respectfully approached, asking, "Do you need me to send someone to scout as well?" Lord Leo shook his head and said, "The South Serif restorers have already set up an ambush. Your men might spook them if they go." "Just the two of us will go." Charles had initially been relieved to hear that no additional people were needed, but he was slightly surprised when Lord Leo said he would accompany him, and remarked, "Me?" Lord Leo smiled faintly, "The South Serif restorers aren''t very formidable. Their assassination might not succeed. Our task is to fire a supplemental shot if necessary." "How is your gunmanship?" Charles hesitated for a moment then answered, "Not bad, I can snuff out a candle from twenty paces." Lord Leo reached into his collar and pulled out a massive firearm. It was over one and a half pi meters long, which would be about one meter and eighty centimeters on Earth, the barrel slightly thinner than an arm but gruesomely thick for a firearm. Over ninety percent of its parts shimmered with a metallic luster, exuding a sense of ruggedness, sturdiness, and weight. It not only functioned as a firearm but also as a formidable melee weapon. Rifles existed on the Old Continent even though sniper rifles did not. The design of this rifle was starkly different from that normally seen among the Blood Clan, clearly a specialty of a high-level alchemy workshop in the Fars Empire. Lord Leo chuckled, "I''m giving you a bargain! This is the signature product from one of the Six Great Alchemy Workshops, the Hawkwell Workshop''s Anti-Space Sniper Rifle!" "Space equipment is for holding, antispace for concealing. You can hide it in any everyday item, very convenient for carrying." "This rifle comes with a spatial magazine. When extracted from the concealed item, its antispace will convert to a spatial magazine. However, spaces are incompatible, so when it''s concealed in another item, the spatial magazine turns into antispace and spits out the ammunition, thus the bullets need to be carried with you at all times." "Besides, it can also transform fighting spirit, blood energy, and magic power into bullets. However, a lower-ranked supernatural can''t fire many shots, only enough for emergencies." "Its effective range is three thousand seven hundred pimi!" "Of course, unless it''s a supernatural sharpshooter, no one can hit a target that far with accuracy." "This time I brought two antispace sniper rifles; this one is yours." "Later, you can also try firing a few shots. After all, with the South Serif revivalists taking the blame, openly shooting at an archduke, and even if someone gets killed, the chances of ending up on the gallows are not many." Charles swallowed, initially assuming Lord Leo had spatial equipment on him; otherwise, how could a mere piece of clothing conceal such a long and thick rifle? Upon hearing the word ''antispace,'' he was even more surprised. Antispace extraordinary items are unique objects in this world. Magical equipment with antispace traits can hide anywhere, effectively turning ordinary items into specialized spatial containment equipment temporarily. This feature is unimaginable and highly creative. Not all magical equipment in the Old Continent are melee weapons; firearms are rarer and pricier. This antispace sniper rifle is a piece of magical equipment, and with the antispace trait, its price will definitely not be lower than the Shulen spear in Louis Simi''s hand! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seems Lord Leo means not to take this sniper rifle back!" What stroke of fantastic luck is this? However, as a transmigrator, Charles quickly came to his senses within seconds, secretly thinking, "If the weapon to kill Archduke Ferdinand is an antispace sniper rifle, then anyone possessing this weapon would be under suspicion of murder!" "This is setting me up to take the blame!" "Vampires are indeed up to no good!" "Pah! They are not even human." Charles pretended not to grasp the implication, accepted the antispace sniper rifle with a joyful expression, and slapped it onto his alchemy staff, that never left his side. True to its name, the rough-looking rifle seamlessly merged with the staff, making it only slightly heavier. Lord Leo then handed him a packet of bullets, saying, "These are specially made magic-breaking bombshell bullets, one shot is enough to kill a Titan demon. Although Ferdinand is also a high-level transcendent, he definitely can''t withstand a shot." Charles took the packet of bullets, opened it to take a look; the magic-breaking bombshell bullets were seven to eight times larger than regular bullets. There were only twenty in the pack, but they were extremely heavy and couldn''t be carried on one''s person practically. He waved at an adventurer, saying, "I remember you have an empty backpack?" The adventurer took out a leather shoulder bag, removed the miscellaneous items inside, and said, "I got a new backpack but didn''t want to throw this one away. Aside from being a bit old, it''s still quite sturdy." Charles packed the bullets inside and said, "Lord! Let''s set off." Lord Leo smiled faintly and walked out of Machu Picchu fortress. He seemed to have someone guiding the way; familiar with the path, he walked faster and faster until he broke into a run. Chapter 54 53. Lucavaro District Patrolling Army Commander The new warden was a handsome man, very young, just over thirty. He couldn''t help but smile when he saw Charles, "Mister Mecklen, you shouldn''t be working here anymore." Charles didn''t know the man, yet the man knew him, a fact that was quite intriguing. All Charles could reply was, "I haven''t received my transfer orders, so of course I must be diligent in my duties." The new wardenughed, "The first official task I''ve taken care of upon my appointment is to issue transfer orders for Mister Mecklen." True to his word, the new warden called Charles into the warden''s office and issued him transfer orders. Only after receiving the transfer orders did Charles realize he had be a "glorious" Chief of the Patrolling Army! Civilian Clerk Chiefs and military Sergeant Majors aremonly known as the lower rungs of the elite. Upon reaching this level of position, one has certain opportunities to be a manager, to possess an official status. The Chief of the Patrolling Army is an official status, and Charles''s new job level was a third-level Clerk Chief. That is to say, Mister Charles Mecklen had once again been promoted beyond his rank, and he was now a thirty-fifth-grade official of the Empire. ording to Fars legal practice, all the Patrolling Army units nationwide are categorized by district, with each district''s Patrolling Army having one chief, a civilian, and one overall patrol, a military officer, both working together to handle daily affairs. Nationally, the Patrolling Army is nominally under the direct jurisdiction of the Crown Prince, with no immediate superiors, but in reality, no Crown Prince has ever meddled in the affairs of the Patrolling Army. The low effectiveness and chaotic state of the Fars Empire''s district Patrolling Armies stem from ack of oversight and ountability to any higher-ups. His new workce was in the Lucavaro District, and his current title was: Chief Charles Mecklen of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Having received the transfer order, Charles thanked the new warden and bade him farewell, leaving Kilmainham Prison. After getting into a carriage, he hesitated for a moment, then decided to first pay a visit to his new Patrolling Army office. The adventurers could hold out for a few more days; it wouldn''t hurt to dy a few hours. Charles was very curious about the state of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army because right across from his residence on Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was the Lucavaro District. In his recollection, it seemed there was hardly any Patrolling Army presence in this outer district. More than an hourter, as he looked at the estate that had be deste, repeatedly reassuring himself that this was indeed Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, he finally believed he hadn''t mistakenlye to the wrong ce. The office of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army was located at the head of the west side of Sparrowhawk Street, directly opposite the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau. It hosted several departments in a joint office setting. In terms of area, it was quite impressive, nearly rivaling the bureau across the street. It was a medium-sized manor, covering more than 6,000 square pimi¡ªalmost the size of a standard ser field. After all, the outer fifteen districts wererger than the upper seven, makingnd and housing less expensive. However, it had been abandoned for who knows how many years, devoid of any people, showing no signs whatsoever that anyone had ever worked there. Charles held his forehead, muttering to himself, "My impression was correct; there really is no Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District." He was quite sure he was being targeted. Indeed, he had been promoted, from a thirty-seventh-grade first-level Clerk Chief to a thirty-fifth-grade third-level Clerk, and his sry had considerably increased as well, from a weekly six Fu Er and fifteen Sheng Ding to seven Fu Er and twenty-five Sheng Ding. Moreover, he had be the seemingly prestigious and powerful Chief of the Patrolling Army, in charge of the entire Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. The status of the Chief and the overall patrol of the Patrolling Army is based on the grade of their positions. The Chief of the Patrolling Army generally has a higher grade, and therefore, usually holds a status above that of the overall patrol. But apletely abandoned, deserted office location not only indicated that the head was a "leader without troops" but also suggested that someone had definitely yed some tricks¡ªhe was "exiled" here, not "promoted." Charles even got off the carriage and walked around the abandoned manor, confirming that indeed no one was there, as well as the presence of more than one nest of weasels, before he got back onto the carriage. This time, he no longer dyed and went straight to Machu Phu. Charles wasn''t sure if seeking help from his senior Menilman would be of any use, but he didn''t n to find the senior, despite her long and straight legs. He had his own ways¡ªrelying on oneself was better than relying on others, as a true man should. What Charles didn''t know was that Menilman had indeed be a naval officer, as he had jinxed. She had returned to Strasbourg not long before and was soon assigned to a fleet. She was no longer in the capital today and was already tied up with military duties, too busy to be disturbed. On the way, he opened his money bag, which contained a thick stack of fifty-pharis notes. Though Charles had anticipated that this "dirty money" would be substantial, he hadn''t expected it to be so much! He counted it, a total of one hundred and fifty notes, which amounted to seven hundred and fifty Aegeus. From searching Wells, Charles had obtained five Aegeus, and he had also received two hundred Aegeus as an appraisal fee from Louis Simi. Without counting change, he now had only seven hundred and ny-eight Aegeus. This "dirty money" had suddenly doubled his wealth. Of course, this was no surprise. Considering Magru Teller''s position, it was certain that he had a considerable fortune. The embezzled money he coughed up was probably but a small fraction of the former jailor''s wealth. Charles thought to himself, "With this money, I should pay off the house on Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. It might be worth considering buying a carriage, or finding a way to start my own business." "As a transmigrator, how can I justify not starting a business that makes money?" A day and a halfter, Charles saw Machu Phu again and felt quite emotional. After itsplete "maze-ification," he had established a peculiar connection with the ancient Beastman fortress ruins; he could even sense much of what was happening throughout the maze purely by perception. This sense was weaker than Insight; it was a bit like being nearsighted by seven hundred degrees, watching a movie without sses. You could get the whole story''s thread but not see what the protagonist looked like. Discover exclusive content at empire Of course, this subtle connection required him to be within a certain range. He had no perception of Machu Phu while he was in Strasbourg. As he neared the ancient fortress of the Beastman Kingdom, Charles reconnected with Machu Phu and chuckled, "Interesting, even Lord Leo has been trapped." Charles asked the coachman to wait outside and entered Machu Phu alone. There was no one left in the conference hall; it was a mess everywhere, with marks of swords on the floor and walls, dents caused by weapons like giant axes, spiked hammers, andrge clubs, and there were also two unlucky corpses. However, they were not people Charles knew; evidently, a battle had taken ce here. Charles stood in the conference hall for a short while, then turned and entered deeper into the fortress. He walked leisurely, not even bothering to draw a weapon, as if strolling leisurely in his own home. Chapter 51 50. An assassin, Archduke Ferdinand was killed. "Ensuring the safe entry of Archduke Ferdinand into Strasbourg is my objective for this trip; let the vampire go for now, there will be other chances to kill him."Charles nodded and followed the "senior sister sovereign." Honestly, upon seeing Menilman, his emotions relaxed a lot, and he really wanted to ask, "Senior sister, how have you been." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Menilman was already engaged in combat with the assassins, and he could only put away his antispace sniper rifle, picking up his magic alchemy wand to join the fight. His swordsmanship was not refined; his staff techniques followed the same line as his swordsmanship and were also not refined. Joining the fight was merely for show; the real combat power still lay with Menierman Sumei, the Empire''s First Rose. Menilman, a high-level Transcendent, finished the fight in mere minutes and stood by Archduke Ferdinand''s side, silently waiting. However, she was at a loss for words on how to persuade him. The love story of Duke Ferdinand Couple spread throughout the Old Continent. Although Menilman, ever since her fianc¨¦ became a pervert, no longer believed in love, she still held great respect for this couple who shared life and death. Charles walked up to Menilman''s side, observed her for a while, and spoke in a low voice, "Respected Duke, the ground is too cold. We cannot let the Duchess lie down like this." Archduke Ferdinand, who was not swayed by anyone, reacted to these words. He placed his hand on his chest and spoke softly, "You''re right, the ground is too cold. Help me carry Josephine onto the carriage." The guards clumsily lifted the Duchess onto the carriage, and Archduke Ferdinand held his wife''s hand, motionless and silent, just quietly shedding tears. Menilman gave Charles an approving gesture and directed the people to leave the hollow, heading straight for Strasbourg. They hadn''t gone far when reinforcement troops kept arriving, with several teams from the Patrolling Army setting out. On the way, Charles finally found an opportunity to approach Menilman and asked, "Senior sister, which department have you been assigned to now?" Menilman glanced at him and said, "I know all about your performance this time." This lady''s non-answer put Charles''s mind even more at ease. Gazing into the distance, Menilman said, "You have two options: one is that I will have you transferred out of Kilmainham Prison and arrange a position for you to continue in a clerical capacity. The other option is to transfer into military service, although the destination is uncertain, and it may be far, possibly away from Strasbourg." Charles placed his hand on his chest and said, "I am willing to transfer to military service!" With a senior sister like Menilman extending such long legs, how could he not embrace the opportunity? Continuing in clerical work would mean losing such a powerful backer, making future promotions and salary increases as "remote" as ever. In a low voice, Menilman said, "No matter what you saw this time, don''t speak of it to anyone, me included¡ªnot a single word." "Otherwise, I can''t protect you either." Charles had contemplated whether the intelligence about Byron''s collusion with the Black Phoenix Dynasty in the assassination attempt on Archduke Ferdinand could lead to his promotion and raise. But after hearing Menilman''s warning, he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him and immediately replied, "I will heed your teachings, senior sister." Politics is a very complex thing. Knowing he was a political novice, Charles chose to trust Menilman, to be completely honest, not to act smart, and to say nothing at all. When they neared Strasbourg, there were at least two hundred members of the Patrolling Army escorting Archduke Ferdinand into the Imperial capital. Charles breathed a sigh of relief; escorting the Duke was no easy task, and he worried that a mob might suddenly appear, indiscriminately attacking, and he would be caught in the crossfire. Although he was a person of Behemoth Duchy, his loyalty to Archduke Ferdinand was not so staunch. After entering Strasbourg, Menilman handed over the Patrolling Army to an officer who had hurried over and did not continue guarding Archduke Ferdinand. Naturally, Charles followed Menilman out of the team, about to ask what to do next? He still had a dismissal order on him! Then three gunshots were heard, and people kept shouting, "An assassin, Archduke Ferdinand is dead! An assassin, the Duke is dead, catch the assassin, Archduke Ferdinand is dead, fire..." It was immediately followed by a cacophony of gunfire; evidently, the assassin had also been killed by the random shots. Charles suddenly felt a chill in his heart. If Archduke Ferdinand could be killed upon entering Strasbourg, those wishing for his death likely included not only Lady Southseraph and the People of Byron. As for who else, he dared not let his thoughts wander. Menierman clearly breathed a sigh of relief, indifferent to the Duke''s death, and said, "Since he wasn''t assassinated on our watch, this matter doesn''t concern us anymore." "That''s right!" "The over one hundred Extraordinary Weapons missing from the prison were likely sold off secretly by the new warden Magru Teller, and it''s said that not a single one has been recovered." "On account of you, the reception secretary Mrs. Pascal and several handlers have all adamantly claimed it was the new warden''s doing." "Thank you!" Charles bowed slightly, reminded of Mrs. Pascal''s visit. He seemed to have casually mentioned something, but what did that have to do with this lady pinning everything on the new warden? He didn''t delve deeper. While feeling a sigh of relief, he also harbored some resentment, thinking, "I had wanted to personally take revenge, but who would have thought the new warden Magru Teller would fall so quickly?" This frustration wasn''t easy to dispel. Menierman clapped him on the shoulder and said, "I will assign you to handle this case as a small reward." Charles was immediately exhilarated. With a slight smile, he said, "I shall handle it impartially, strictly abide by the laws, and ensure that Mr. Magru Teller doesn''t suffer the slightest injustice." Menierman smiled faintly and said, "I trust your character!" "You get three days off, then go to the prison and take care of this case, and wait for the transfer order." "The Empire is headed for a grand war! The empires of the Old Continent will all be drawn in, and even nations from the New Continent will be involved." "Prepare to make your mark and achieve greatness!" Charles nodded, watched his senior sister stride away unburdened, and murmured softly, "Who knows how many will die!" He sighed softly! In this incident, he was an eyewitness, watching helplessly as the fuse to war was lit, incapable of doing anything. The feeling was far from pleasant. Despite knowing that he could never stop the war himself. The schemers had already laid the war out on the table; he, a mere ordinary transmigrator, could still only go with the flow for now. Charles sighed again, called for a carriage, and returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Chapter 52 51. Are you practicing Dark Breath? (Do you still have monthly tickets?) The residence had clearly been searched; the door had been kicked in, but fortunately, there weren''t any valuables in the house. After inspecting the damage, Charles found that he had lost some property, but it wasn''t serious¡ªin total, less than an Aegeus.Fortunately, this place was Elysian Pastoral Avenue, and he quickly found people to repair the door for him. He also hired a few middle-aged maids to clean the rooms again, as well as two errand boys to send safe messages to Miss Annie Brittany and Silvie Martin. In Strasbourg, he only had two social connections. Apart from "someone''s past" which he had thoroughly severed, there were only these two young ladies left. That night, both Annie and Silvie had someone send replies. Since it was too late, no one came over, but they both indicated in their letters that they would visit him early the next morning. Charles didn''t go back to his room upstairs, instead falling asleep in the small study on the ground floor. The escape hadn''t lasted long, but it left Charles feeling extremely exhausted. It was an experience he never wanted to go through a second time. The next morning, as soon as he opened his eyes, Charles remembered something he seemed to have forgotten. He had left those adventurers in Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu had become completely maze-ified; in other words, without his permission, almost no one could enter the ancient fortress of the Beastman Kingdom, and the people, demons, evil spirits, and oddities inside couldn''t leave. "Should I find some time to go back to Machu Picchu?" "I don''t even know what a maze-ified ancient fortress looks like yet!" "There''s a three-day holiday coming up. After I receive Annie and Silvie, I''ll set off for Machu Picchu." Miss Annie Brittany arrived very early. She was even a bit out of breath when she knocked on the door, clearly having run a considerable distance, although she had a carriage for part of the way. Upon seeing Charles, Miss Annie almost threw herself into his embrace, her eyes brimming with affection, and with a choked voice she said, "Why didn''t you tell me? A mere prison warden doesn''t have the right to act unilaterally. I can help you." As a transmigrator, Charles truly did not dare to entrust his life and property to a noble young lady he hadn''t truly interacted with yet. Perhaps Annie was pure enough, but her family was full of political animals who would not care about personal feelings, only interests. He was unfamiliar with the upper echelons of the Fars Empire, not knowing who was allied with whom or who was an enemy. What if the Brittany Family had a feud with the Su Mei Family? But of course, he wouldn''t be so blunt, and Charles reciprocated the hug with emotion, not following up on Annie''s words but instead changing the subject: "Miss Annie, I''ve been panicking these past few days, fearing I would never see you again." Annie was deeply touched, and they embraced each other, clearly having crossed the boundaries of friendship and stepping into... Before the two could do anything more, they heard Silvie''s energetic voice: "Charles! Are you really alright now?" Annie was startled and hurriedly struggled out of Charles''s embrace, took a handkerchief, wiped away her tears, and then casually passed it to Charles. Charles had overacted the part and managed to squeeze out a few tears, although his tears were far from as sincere as those of Miss Annie. Silvie Martin and Vinnie Yarseno walked in together; the Liemar Detective Agency''s president, seeing Charles, her eyes sparkling, said, "Mister Mecklen, I must admit I underestimated you." "You actually managed to kill eight detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency during your escape, including three Transcendents. It''s truly astonishing. What kind of combat prowess is this?" "I have been in the detective business for many years, and I have only seen one or two vicious criminals with such formidable fighting strength." "Oh! Sorry, I know that Mister Mecklen is innocent, and he can''t be compared with those criminals." Anne Brittany was startled and asked, "How did you get involved with the Liemar Detective Agency?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles made a show of nonchalance as he put away his handkerchief and answered, "Mr. Magru Teller wanted me to report on Sister Menilman. I refused to dirty my hands and desperately fled. Fearing that these dirty dealings would be leaked, he framed me for stealing an Extraordinary Weapon impounded by the prison and paid a hefty sum for the Liemar Detective Agency''s men to hunt me down." "I actually wanted to explain to those detectives, but they didn''t give me a chance." Anne exclaimed in shock, "You were actually able to counter-kill them while being pursued by eight Liemar detectives?" Not just Anne, but even Silvie Martin, who had already known about this affair, couldn''t help but look at Charles with new eyes, feeling that this former fianc¨¦ truly had some heroic qualities, and she almost didn''t recognize him. Vini Yarsaenu described vividly, "Wells is a fortune teller, rumored to be able to forecast bullet trajectories and slash through bullets with a rapier. Addison and Winterburn both practiced the Flame Dragon''s Breath Breathing Method of the Liemar Detective Agency, one a Third Order Flame Dragon Knight and the other a Fourth Order Flame Dragon Knight. If those few joined forces, even I might not be sure of an easy victory." "Mr. Charles, may I ask what Breathing Technique you practice?" "What Order Knight are you now?" Charles was slightly embarrassed, speaking in a low voice, "My path as a knight hasn''t been smooth. Silvie knows, I studied the Lamia Breathing Technique at the Behemoth National College, but even by graduation, I had only just managed to condense a seed of strength, never breaking through." "During my university years, I gave up the Dark Breath and chose Bloody Glory, and I''ve barely made a breakthrough to the Fourth Order now." Charles then said to Anne, "I''m sorry, I lied to Miss Annie that day." Anne Brittany still remembered, when they first met, Charles had claimed to be a First Rank Transcendent but she bore no grudge. Covering her mouth with her small hand, she whispered, "I don''t blame you." Charles had no choice. He hadn''t known Annie for long, and no matter how much he boasted, there was no explaining how he could possibly have broken through from First to Fourth Order in such a short period of time. As everyone knows, to make such a great leap in power levels in such a short time, there is only one possibility¡ªsummoning the Evil God! This matter, absolutely cannot be mentioned! It was a crime punishable by burning at the stake. In the eyes of all three ladies, the impression of Charles underwent an earth-shattering change, and it was a very positive one. He invited the three ladies to the small study, where Vini Yarsaenu had her Tri-Flower Fat Cat purchase some fruit wine and pastries. The four of them talked merrily, chatting away the entire morning until the three ladies took their leave together. Anne didn''t actually want to say goodbye, but it wouldn''t have been proper for her to make it too obvious, especially since she was a girl from the Brittany Family. As a noble miss, there were some dignities she couldn''t cast aside. Chapter 57 56. Empire Payday The adventurers who were called out gathered together and left the City Patrol Army Office in Lucavaro District. Charles spurred on his silver tongue once more, urging the remaining adventurers to join forces and clean up and repair this office location. There are two office buildings at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, one of which is a "dormitory," and the other is an office buildingrge enough to amodate nearly a thousand people for living and working, along with a stable, though now it''spletely empty without a horse or carriage in sight. After all, this is an outer city district, where the living facilities can''tpare to the top seven districts, so there is no piped water supply, just a well. By the time those sent out had returned with food and ale, Charles had already directed the adventurers to tidy up the office point to some extent. Having eaten something and drunk a little, the adventurers opened up their hearts, and even a few female adventurers danced a joyful dance in public. After all, their lives outside the city were not sofortable, and although most people still did not quite trust Charles, their mood had stabilised. Charles did not join these adventurers; he called for a carriage and returned to his ce in the Picardy District. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw two letters. Next to the main gate at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was a mail and newspaper delivery slot, and inside the room was a catch-all box ¨C a standard feature of slightly higher-end residences. One was from his school senior Menilman, the other from Miss Annie. Charles had been absent from Strasbourg these past few days, so he guessed that both had left him letters as they had not found him. He opened Menilman''s first, which simply mentioned, "Let patience reign, no matter what position you are now in, endure it for a while, you will be moved to the navy soon." With a slight smile, Charles thought to himself, "It seems there was a problem with the position arranged by my school senior. I was probably not meant to be the Chief of the City Patrol Army in the Lucavaro District." Menilman had hinted before that he would be transferred to military service and might be sent far away, leaving Strasbourg, probably to join the navy with her. Now, well! One can only say that the Empire''s government has too many dark hands, and the scene is fraught withyers of intrigue. Even ady of a top noble family like Menilman cannot have her way. The letter from Miss Annie was much longer and even asked if he had any free timetely, but the key point was this: "Behemoth Duchy has dered war on the Southern Seraph Territory. Please be cautious, reduce outings, and it''s best not to leave the top seven districts lightly." Although Charles was a transmigrator, he still let out a long sigh. War was inevitable. He could predict what would follow: Lady Southseraph would seek help from Byron and the ck Phoenix Dynasty, and the Fars Empire would also be drawn into the war... Three dayster, it was Monday again. In the Fars Empire, government departments pay sries on Mondays, hence in the Fars Empire, Monday is affectionately known by all workers as "Empire Payday." Though for non-government employees, the paycheck might note on this day. The "Patrolling Army" of Lucavaro District all received their wages for the week. Charles truly breathed a sigh of relief; his endeavors had finally not gone awry. However, there was still a minor incident that day. Charles encountered a familiar person. He met Dubin Alger, who was supposed to be serving in the Alexander Region, the young and handsome member of the City Patrol Army who was in charge of the Yang Miers wife-killing case. Dubin did note alone; he brought over a hundred members of the City Patrol Army to report in. Seeing the surprised look on Charles'' face, he called out, "Aren''t you Mister Mecklen?" "I remember you were working at the Central Government Office, howe you have also joined the City Patrol Army? And just like me, you have been reassigned to the Lucavaro District!" Charles smiled wryly and said, "There''s an old saying from the New Continent, ''Wherever life takes us, we''re bound to meet again!'' And here we are, meeting once more!" "Allow me to reintroduce myself: Charles Mecklen, Chief of the Lucavaro District City Patrol Army, thirty-fifth grade third-level Clerk Chief. I''m your direct supervisor." Dubin was dumbfounded, with his mouth agape, it took him a long while to ask, "May I inquire if you are the illegitimate child of some great noble family?" When hest saw Charles, he still imed to be a first-level clerk, and now he had suddenly be a third-level Clerk Chief. Wasn''t his promotion too fast? This speed of promotion could truly be described as horrifyingly quick! Charles smiled faintly and said, "If we bumped into each other on the street, I would still be a first-level clerk." Dubin misunderstood Charles as not wanting to show off, thinking thatst time he did not reveal his real position, which is why he somewhat felt relieved. Although bing a third-level Clerk Chief at such a young age was still too fast, it was barely eptable now. As for the question of his background, he didn''t expect Charles to answer¡ªsuch personal matters are not supposed to be asked, unless one is too surprised to hold back. Charles also had some questions and said, "Howe you and your colleagues havee to report in the Lucavaro District?" Dubin answered, "The information I received was: a bunch of people drawing pay without serving feared they would be held ountable and therefore scrambled about to secure this transfer. They moved out of Lucavaro District and filled in City Patrol Army positions across the Upper Seven Districts, and we, a bunch of brothers without strong backing, got booted out to fill their ces." "The good news is, we''ve all been promoted by one rank!" "The bad news is, ording to the normal career promotion cycle, we would have been due for promotion in half a year anyway." "I am Dubin Alger! A graduate of Habosk Public School, rank forty-seven third-level sergeant, your First Patrol Team Leader!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Charles, surprised, responded, "Habosk Public School? The same Habosk Public School that Zimmerman Axel Robin graduated from? Howe you couldn''t get into the National Academy?" Habosk Public School is the best public school in the Empire, bar none. Those who could enter Habosk Public School might not necessarily attend college, but they should at least be able to get into the National Academy. Dubin shrugged and said, "Because I got into a fight at school, I was punished and wasn''t allowed to take the National Academy entrance exam." Charles spread his hands and said, "That truly is the National Academy''s loss." Dubin had initially been very displeased with the transfer, but meeting an acquaintance lifted his spirits somewhat, not least because his new boss, Charles, didn''t seem like the type to give people a hard time. He introduced Charles to the hundred-plus members of the City Patrol Army he had brought with him. Most of these soldiers were frommoner families and came from various City Patrol Army units in the Upper Seven Districts, not all from the Alexander Region. Dubin was clearly an old hand within the City Patrol Army system, well-acquainted with people from other districts as well, essentially bing the leader of this group. Charles epted these "old hands" of the City Patrol Army with a sense of reflection, bing Chief of the Lucavaro District City Patrol Army probably meant someone was worried he''d be "a new officer ying the tyrant," trying to find fault with and get rid of a bunch of people, so they skipped town in advance. (Note: "A new officer ying the tyrant" is a colloquial saying in the Fars Empire.) Chapter 54 53. Lucavaro District Patrolling Army Commander The new warden was a handsome man, very young, just over thirty. He couldn''t help but smile when he saw Charles, "Mister Mecklen, you shouldn''t be working here anymore."Charles didn''t know the man, yet the man knew him, a fact that was quite intriguing. All Charles could reply was, "I haven''t received my transfer orders, so of course I must be diligent in my duties." The new warden laughed, "The first official task I''ve taken care of upon my appointment is to issue transfer orders for Mister Mecklen." True to his word, the new warden called Charles into the warden''s office and issued him transfer orders. Only after receiving the transfer orders did Charles realize he had become a "glorious" Chief of the Patrolling Army! Civilian Clerk Chiefs and military Sergeant Majors are commonly known as the lower rungs of the elite. Upon reaching this level of position, one has certain opportunities to become a manager, to possess an official status. The Chief of the Patrolling Army is an official status, and Charles''s new job level was a third-level Clerk Chief. That is to say, Mister Charles Mecklen had once again been promoted beyond his rank, and he was now a thirty-fifth-grade official of the Empire. According to Fars legal practice, all the Patrolling Army units nationwide are categorized by district, with each district''s Patrolling Army having one chief, a civilian, and one overall patrol, a military officer, both working together to handle daily affairs. Nationally, the Patrolling Army is nominally under the direct jurisdiction of the Crown Prince, with no immediate superiors, but in reality, no Crown Prince has ever meddled in the affairs of the Patrolling Army. The low effectiveness and chaotic state of the Fars Empire''s district Patrolling Armies stem from a lack of oversight and accountability to any higher-ups. His new workplace was in the Lucavaro District, and his current title was: Chief Charles Mecklen of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. Having received the transfer order, Charles thanked the new warden and bade him farewell, leaving Kilmainham Prison. After getting into a carriage, he hesitated for a moment, then decided to first pay a visit to his new Patrolling Army office. The adventurers could hold out for a few more days; it wouldn''t hurt to delay a few hours. Charles was very curious about the state of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army because right across from his residence on Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was the Lucavaro District. In his recollection, it seemed there was hardly any Patrolling Army presence in this outer district. More than an hour later, as he looked at the estate that had become desolate, repeatedly reassuring himself that this was indeed Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, he finally believed he hadn''t mistakenly come to the wrong place. The office of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army was located at the head of the west side of Sparrowhawk Street, directly opposite the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau. It hosted several departments in a joint office setting. In terms of area, it was quite impressive, nearly rivaling the bureau across the street. It was a medium-sized manor, covering more than 6,000 square pimi¡ªalmost the size of a standard soccer field. After all, the outer fifteen districts were larger than the upper seven, making land and housing less expensive. However, it had been abandoned for who knows how many years, devoid of any people, showing no signs whatsoever that anyone had ever worked there. Charles held his forehead, muttering to himself, "My impression was correct; there really is no Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District." He was quite sure he was being targeted. Indeed, he had been promoted, from a thirty-seventh-grade first-level Clerk Chief to a thirty-fifth-grade third-level Clerk, and his salary had considerably increased as well, from a weekly six Fu Er and fifteen Sheng Ding to seven Fu Er and twenty-five Sheng Ding. Moreover, he had become the seemingly prestigious and powerful Chief of the Patrolling Army, in charge of the entire Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. The status of the Chief and the overall patrol of the Patrolling Army is based on the grade of their positions. The Chief of the Patrolling Army generally has a higher grade, and therefore, usually holds a status above that of the overall patrol. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But a completely abandoned, deserted office location not only indicated that the head was a "leader without troops" but also suggested that someone had definitely played some tricks¡ªhe was "exiled" here, not "promoted." Charles even got off the carriage and walked around the abandoned manor, confirming that indeed no one was there, as well as the presence of more than one nest of weasels, before he got back onto the carriage. This time, he no longer delayed and went straight to Machu Picchu. Charles wasn''t sure if seeking help from his senior Menilman would be of any use, but he didn''t plan to find the senior, despite her long and straight legs. He had his own ways¡ªrelying on oneself was better than relying on others, as a true man should. What Charles didn''t know was that Menilman had indeed become a naval officer, as he had jinxed. She had returned to Strasbourg not long before and was soon assigned to a fleet. She was no longer in the capital today and was already tied up with military duties, too busy to be disturbed. On the way, he opened his money bag, which contained a thick stack of fifty-pharis notes. Though Charles had anticipated that this "dirty money" would be substantial, he hadn''t expected it to be so much! He counted it, a total of one hundred and fifty notes, which amounted to seven hundred and fifty Aegeus. From searching Wells, Charles had obtained five Aegeus, and he had also received two hundred Aegeus as an appraisal fee from Louis Simi. Without counting change, he now had only seven hundred and ninety-eight Aegeus. This "dirty money" had suddenly doubled his wealth. Of course, this was no surprise. Considering Magru Teller''s position, it was certain that he had a considerable fortune. The embezzled money he coughed up was probably but a small fraction of the former jailor''s wealth. Charles thought to himself, "With this money, I should pay off the house on Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. It might be worth considering buying a carriage, or finding a way to start my own business." "As a transmigrator, how can I justify not starting a business that makes money?" A day and a half later, Charles saw Machu Picchu again and felt quite emotional. After its complete "maze-ification," he had established a peculiar connection with the ancient Beastman fortress ruins; he could even sense much of what was happening throughout the maze purely by perception. This sense was weaker than Insight; it was a bit like being nearsighted by seven hundred degrees, watching a movie without glasses. You could get the whole story''s thread but not see what the protagonist looked like. Discover exclusive content at empire Of course, this subtle connection required him to be within a certain range. He had no perception of Machu Picchu while he was in Strasbourg. As he neared the ancient fortress of the Beastman Kingdom, Charles reconnected with Machu Picchu and chuckled, "Interesting, even Lord Leo has been trapped." Charles asked the coachman to wait outside and entered Machu Picchu alone. There was no one left in the conference hall; it was a mess everywhere, with marks of swords on the floor and walls, dents caused by weapons like giant axes, spiked hammers, and large clubs, and there were also two unlucky corpses. However, they were not people Charles knew; evidently, a battle had taken place here. Charles stood in the conference hall for a short while, then turned and entered deeper into the fortress. He walked leisurely, not even bothering to draw a weapon, as if strolling leisurely in his own home. Chapter 55 54, I will fulfill my promise! (A monthly ticket encouragement should be here) Mason, holding the giant axe, breathed laboriously; he had to protect his teammates behind him.In front of him stood a monster resembling an upright goat, strong and majestic, wielding a huge stick, its eyes filled with cruelty and a bloodthirsty glare. Hannah from the former Giant Axe Adventure Group had already gone "missing," and the other team members had been injured. Mason now deeply regretted letting Charles join them, otherwise he and his companions would not have faced such danger. As the goat monster charged forward with large strides, Mason''s eyes were filled with a solemn readiness to meet his death. In an instant, however, the goat monster suddenly vanished into thin air. Emerging from the shadows, Charles strode forward with a relieved smile and called out, "Luckily, I arrived just in time! Mason, Homonsa, everyone follow me; I''ll take you to a safe place." It was his first time manipulating the Labyrinth, deliberately crafting a crisis and appearing in front of a few familiar faces at the most critical moment. The hatred in Mason''s heart dissipated without a trace, and with gratitude for surviving the ordeal, he led the team and quickly followed Charles. Charles soon found all the members of the adventure group and brought them back to the meeting hall. Fortunately, the losses for this hastily assembled adventure group weren''t too severe, with only seven or eight dead, keeping their numbers over a hundred. Most of them had injuries, but with timely treatment, those who were seriously injured wouldn''t face life-threatening conditions. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Maze-ification of Machu Picchu had also assimilated the animals, monsters, strange creatures, and Evil Spirits that roamed this ancient fortress; they wandered around, somehow coming into conflict with the adventurers. Normally, the adventurers should have been obliterated. But because they''d become Labyrinth NPCs during the Maze-ification process, enjoying the biased protection of the Labyrinth''s rules, there wasn''t a massive loss of life. Leaders of over a dozen small adventure groups gathered, showing subtle resistance to Charles. All experienced adventurers, they surmised that everything that had happened was related to Charles. A leader of a small adventure group named Yasi stood up and said, "We are not spies of Byron, nor do we wish to get entangled with those Vampires. Let us leave, and we promise not to speak of this; we''ll even forgo our payment." Charles didn''t respond directly but with a beaming face announced loudly, "First, I want to thank everyone!" "I have found my family''s treasure!" With this statement, he silenced all other voices as nearly every adventurer was captivated by the topic of "treasure found." The prospect of treasure, wealth, and money took over the adventurers'' thoughts, eclipsing everything else. "I had sworn to the Goddess that if I could find the treasure, I would give five percent to those who found it with me." "I will honor my promise!" The enthusiasm of the hundred or so adventurers was instantly ignited; no longer did anyone want to delve into why they had been abandoned in Machu Picchu or faced such danger. Each one only considered how much money they could get. Charles''s gaze swept from left to right and then from right to left, making sure he had tempted everyone, before speaking with a devilish voice, "Unfortunately, the treasure I''ve found is not in the legal currency of Fars." "So, I cannot distribute money to everyone right now." "As you know, this treasure comes from ancient Beastmen nobility; it needs to be converted into Gold Aegeus and Silver Fu Er in Strasbourg..." "And Sheng Ding, what even is that?" "Ladies and gentlemen present here! You are all going to be wealthy." His words immediately won the cheers of the hundred-plus adventurers. Spreading his arms and shrugging his shoulders, Charles said loudly, "So, I must ask all of you to accompany me to Strasbourg and claim the wealth you deserve." "No problem." "We''ll go with you to Strasbourg!" "Your generosity is truly unparalleled." "May I ask, roughly how much money will we be splitting?" "Is going to Strasbourg considered a commission?" The adventurers bombarded him with their noisy inquiries, but Charles answered them all patiently. Once everyone had calmed down a bit, he led the adventurers away from Machu Picchu. Before leaving, he glanced back into the depths of Machu Picchu and murmured, "Last time, I said I would find you and expose you to the sun to watch you turn to ashes." "I misspoke!" "I was in a hurry to tend to some private matters." "Now¡­" Charles discovered that the monster who had killed Hannah, although trapped by the Labyrinth, was still able to resist being turned into a Labyrinth NPC. As to why Lord Leo could easily become an NPC while this monster could not, Charles didn''t have time to research at that moment. "I''ll come back eventually to fulfill my promise, to expose you to the sun, and watch you turn to ashes." Lord Leo was in quite a predicament now. He only wanted to take his servants and leave, but never expected that the ancient fort of the Orc Kingdom would suddenly become an endless maze from which he could not escape. Stay tuned to empire Luckily, vampires'' survival abilities are top-notch. Although the Blood Clan usually values elegance, in such dire straits, they could eat anything. Lord Leo even ate several live moles, which are plentiful in any desolate ruin. Charles did not know how to deal with this Lord of Byron, so he temporarily gave up on meeting him. After all, vampires are hard to "nourish to death." His carriage was stocked with a pile of food, along with drinking water and fine wine, all purchased when leaving Strasbourg. The adventurers who escaped the Machu Picchu maze had a feast, regained their spirits, and returned to Strasbourg full of anticipation, following Charles. With so many adventurers, Charles of course would not bring them back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58; instead, he sent them to the office of the Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District¡ªSparrowhawk Street Number One. Although it had been abandoned for who knows how many years, the basic structure was still sound. With some minor repairs and a thorough cleaning, it would be habitable. These adventurers, often sleeping outdoors, were not too picky about their living conditions. Coupled with the prospect of soon receiving money, they had no complaints about Charles''s arrangements. After taking care of the adventurers, Charles did not have time to return home and went straight to the Central Government Office, seeking out his "former boss," Madam Aldergonde, a very staunch and authoritative senior government official. Madam Aldergonde was quite surprised by Charles''s visit and asked, "How are things at Kilmainham Prison? Is your work going smoothly?" Charles laughed, "I''ve been transferred to the Lucavaro District, and I''ve joined the Patrolling Army." Madam Aldergonde looked slightly puzzled and remarked, "Is there a Patrolling Army over there? I recall that the patrolling armies of the outer fifteenth district¡ªyou know¡ªare just on the payroll in name only." Charles certainly knew that, and even if he hadn''t before, a visit to Sparrowhawk Street Number One in the Lucavaro District made it quite obvious. He said with a smile, "That''s why I need to re-establish my records; otherwise, I won''t be able to draw a salary." Madam Aldergonde nodded subtly, signaling her understanding. Charles had been her subordinate, and she was willing to grant him this small favor. She immediately issued a document for Charles; her assistance would end there, and he would need to handle the rest of the red tape himself. Chapter 56 55. Long-term Small Payment Contract Charles certainly wasn''t doing it for himself; his resume was impeccable.If he wanted, he could even become a real salary thief, as his legally defined boss, the Crown Prince of the Fars Empire, never interfered with the affairs of the Patrolling Army. Whether he went to work or not didn''t affect the salary distribution; he was doing it to secure "positions" for that group of adventurers. Since he had been forced to flee, Charles had resolved to do something significant. Once he turned this group of adventurers into the Patrolling Army, he wouldn''t just be a mere commander. As for the adventurers, there was no need to worry. The Patrolling Army was an official military position. Although the income of the lower ranks was meager, it was stable and safer. People generally wouldn''t attack members of the Patrolling Army. Their lives were much more settled than those of adventurers. If Charles could pull this off, it would be a godsend for these adventurers, and very few would refuse. Charles obtained the documents from Lady Aldebug, used Fu Er as a guide, visited several departments, and expertly "supplemented" some files. He had spent two years at the Central Government Office, not wasting his time, deeply familiarizing himself with the Empire''s bureaucratic procedures. Going through the regular process to recruit even the lowest-level public servants was a very difficult task. But if the existing public servants'' "files were lost," it was much easier to "supplement" the identities of lower-level Patrolling Army clerks. He even didn''t need to report to the higher-ups, just needed to navigate through some key low-level clerks. Of course, the most crucial part of this was that he himself was the chief of the Patrolling Army! He held considerable power. In total, Charles spent fifty-some Fu Er and obtained the identities of over one hundred seventy people in the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, of which thirty-some were "questionable." Of course, this wasn''t the full extent of the irregularities; officially, he had over seven hundred people under him. As for the remaining five to six hundred people, Charles dared not delve too deeply. Because this batch of Patrolling Army identifications had been "missing" for so long, the relevant department even supplemented some salary, which definitely would not be sent to the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. Charles did not care which department or who might intercept it. This money was also one of the "passes" for handling matters. As twilight fell, Charles finally returned to 1 Sparrowhawk Street in the Lucavaro District. These adventurers still didn''t know they all had new identities, eagerly awaiting Charles''s return and the "good news" he would bring. As Charles entered the office, he was surrounded by these adventurers, who incessantly asked him how he had dealt with the treasure and when they could receive the money. Charles, with a broad smile, loudly said, "Everyone, please quiet down and let me explain in detail how the auction went today." "I auctioned off the first batch of treasures today!" "No! The money isn''t available to be distributed yet." Hearing there was no money to be had, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Had these adventurers not known that Charles was a Transcendent, someone would have definitely taken action. Charles stirred up the adventurers'' emotions with a few words, then swiftly changed the subject, saying, "But I have not returned empty-handed!" "I secured a contract for small regular payments, every one of you can receive thirty-five to forty Sheng Ding each week..." "Continuing for life!" The group of adventurers were all stunned, and Mason couldn''t help but burst out angrily, "Isn''t this cheating? How can there be such a long-term, low-payment contract?" This so-called "long-term, low-payment contract" sounded unreliable to anyone and seemed like a crude new type of scam. People kept interjecting: "Pay up!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We want to pay directly." "Who would fall for this trickery?" "We have never heard of such a contract; how could it possibly exist?" "Several dozen Aegeus per week, effective for life, that would be a huge amount of money! It amounts to several Fu Er per year. If I could live for several decades, wouldn''t I be getting dozens of Aegeus!" Charles raised his hands high, pressed them down, and said, "I know you don''t believe, but please let me finish explaining the payment method. You will get a job and become a member of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. Most of you will be fifty-third class private first class, with very few being fifty-second class private second class." "As long as you keep working in the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, you can keep receiving this salary. However, if you plan to leave, then unfortunately, this long-term, low-payment contract will be immediately terminated." "This is the first batch of treasures; please remember, it''s only our first time!" "I promised!" "For those participating in the treasure hunt this time, I, Qian Nan, swear by the ancestors of the Beastmen, ensuring that their future wealth will not be less than one hundred Gold Eglus." "I will not break my word!" "Now, you can come forward and receive your Lucavaro District Patrolling Army identity proof." "This is an official document, issued by the Central Government Office, completely authentic; you can verify it at the relevant government offices." Yasi whispered to a companion beside him, "Do you really think he has a way to get so many of us into the Patrolling Army?" Many adventurers had participated in the Patrolling Army''s selection, but the selection greatly emphasized a "clean" identity¡ªthat is, it required internal connections. Most of them could never pass through. Although these adventurers came from different small teams, they had established some friendships during this time. The man Yasi addressed whispered back, "Anyway, it''s easy to verify; he can''t deceive us for long." Yasi nodded and saw everyone going to receive their new official documents; he also went forward and received a private second-class identity document. In the Fars Empire, the fifty-third class ranking generally recruits those who have completed a full secondary education or higher education. The weekly salary is thirty-five Aegeus, which is also the minimum wage set by the Empire, although in reality, many do not reach this minimum wage. The fifty-second class position''s weekly salary is forty Aegeus. Just having secondary education is not enough to obtain this position at the time of joining; one must wait for a promotion every five years. These low-level government clerks cannot compare with excellent college graduates, and their promotional cycle is two years longer. Public school graduates start at forty-ninth class, while graduates from the National Academy, such as Lady Alvina, Charles''s direct superior at the Central Government Office, start at forty-fifth class as an Assistant Coordinator. His former fianc¨¦e, Miss Silvie Martin, was also supposed to start her career as an Assistant Coordinator, but... Some things never follow the rules. After Charles had distributed the identity documents, he spoke loudly, "Today I am treating! Mason, Yasi, Homonsa..." He named a few adventurers, "Go buy some stuff nearby and have it delivered; I will pay." Chapter 57 56. Empire Payday The adventurers who were called out gathered together and left the City Patrol Army Office in Lucavaro District.Charles spurred on his silver tongue once more, urging the remaining adventurers to join forces and clean up and repair this office location. There are two office buildings at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, one of which is a "dormitory," and the other is an office building large enough to accommodate nearly a thousand people for living and working, along with a stable, though now it''s completely empty without a horse or carriage in sight. After all, this is an outer city district, where the living facilities can''t compare to the top seven districts, so there is no piped water supply, just a well. By the time those sent out had returned with food and ale, Charles had already directed the adventurers to tidy up the office point to some extent. Having eaten something and drunk a little, the adventurers opened up their hearts, and even a few female adventurers danced a joyful dance in public. After all, their lives outside the city were not so comfortable, and although most people still did not quite trust Charles, their mood had stabilised. Charles did not join these adventurers; he called for a carriage and returned to his place in the Picardy District. As soon as he pushed open the door, he saw two letters. Next to the main gate at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was a mail and newspaper delivery slot, and inside the room was a catch-all box ¨C a standard feature of slightly higher-end residences. One was from his school senior Menilman, the other from Miss Annie. Charles had been absent from Strasbourg these past few days, so he guessed that both had left him letters as they had not found him. He opened Menilman''s first, which simply mentioned, "Let patience reign, no matter what position you are now in, endure it for a while, you will be moved to the navy soon." With a slight smile, Charles thought to himself, "It seems there was a problem with the position arranged by my school senior. I was probably not meant to be the Chief of the City Patrol Army in the Lucavaro District." Menilman had hinted before that he would be transferred to military service and might be sent far away, leaving Strasbourg, probably to join the navy with her. Now, well! One can only say that the Empire''s government has too many dark hands, and the scene is fraught with layers of intrigue. Even a lady of a top noble family like Menilman cannot have her way. The letter from Miss Annie was much longer and even asked if he had any free time lately, but the key point was this: "Behemoth Duchy has declared war on the Southern Seraph Territory. Please be cautious, reduce outings, and it''s best not to leave the top seven districts lightly." Although Charles was a transmigrator, he still let out a long sigh. War was inevitable. He could predict what would follow: Lady Southseraph would seek help from Byron and the Black Phoenix Dynasty, and the Fars Empire would also be drawn into the war... Three days later, it was Monday again. In the Fars Empire, government departments pay salaries on Mondays, hence in the Fars Empire, Monday is affectionately known by all workers as "Empire Payday." Though for non-government employees, the paycheck might not come on this day. The "Patrolling Army" of Lucavaro District all received their wages for the week. Charles truly breathed a sigh of relief; his endeavors had finally not gone awry. However, there was still a minor incident that day. Charles encountered a familiar person. He met Dubin Alger, who was supposed to be serving in the Alexander Region, the young and handsome member of the City Patrol Army who was in charge of the Yang Miers wife-killing case. Dubin did not come alone; he brought over a hundred members of the City Patrol Army to report in. Seeing the surprised look on Charles'' face, he called out, "Aren''t you Mister Mecklen?" "I remember you were working at the Central Government Office, how come you have also joined the City Patrol Army? And just like me, you have been reassigned to the Lucavaro District!" Charles smiled wryly and said, "There''s an old saying from the New Continent, ''Wherever life takes us, we''re bound to meet again!'' And here we are, meeting once more!" "Allow me to reintroduce myself: Charles Mecklen, Chief of the Lucavaro District City Patrol Army, thirty-fifth grade third-level Clerk Chief. I''m your direct supervisor." Dubin was dumbfounded, with his mouth agape, it took him a long while to ask, "May I inquire if you are the illegitimate child of some great noble family?" When he last saw Charles, he still claimed to be a first-level clerk, and now he had suddenly become a third-level Clerk Chief. Wasn''t his promotion too fast? This speed of promotion could truly be described as horrifyingly quick! Charles smiled faintly and said, "If we bumped into each other on the street, I would still be a first-level clerk." Dubin misunderstood Charles as not wanting to show off, thinking that last time he did not reveal his real position, which is why he somewhat felt relieved. Although becoming a third-level Clerk Chief at such a young age was still too fast, it was barely acceptable now. As for the question of his background, he didn''t expect Charles to answer¡ªsuch personal matters are not supposed to be asked, unless one is too surprised to hold back. Charles also had some questions and said, "How come you and your colleagues have come to report in the Lucavaro District?" Dubin answered, "The information I received was: a bunch of people drawing pay without serving feared they would be held accountable and therefore scrambled about to secure this transfer. They moved out of Lucavaro District and filled in City Patrol Army positions across the Upper Seven Districts, and we, a bunch of brothers without strong backing, got booted out to fill their places." "The good news is, we''ve all been promoted by one rank!" "The bad news is, according to the normal career promotion cycle, we would have been due for promotion in half a year anyway." "I am Dubin Alger! A graduate of Habosk Public School, rank forty-seven third-level sergeant, your First Patrol Team Leader!" Charles, surprised, responded, "Habosk Public School? The same Habosk Public School that Zimmerman Axel Robin graduated from? How come you couldn''t get into the National Academy?" Habosk Public School is the best public school in the Empire, bar none. Those who could enter Habosk Public School might not necessarily attend college, but they should at least be able to get into the National Academy. Dubin shrugged and said, "Because I got into a fight at school, I was punished and wasn''t allowed to take the National Academy entrance exam." Charles spread his hands and said, "That truly is the National Academy''s loss." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dubin had initially been very displeased with the transfer, but meeting an acquaintance lifted his spirits somewhat, not least because his new boss, Charles, didn''t seem like the type to give people a hard time. He introduced Charles to the hundred-plus members of the City Patrol Army he had brought with him. Most of these soldiers were from commoner families and came from various City Patrol Army units in the Upper Seven Districts, not all from the Alexander Region. Dubin was clearly an old hand within the City Patrol Army system, well-acquainted with people from other districts as well, essentially becoming the leader of this group. Charles accepted these "old hands" of the City Patrol Army with a sense of reflection, becoming Chief of the Lucavaro District City Patrol Army probably meant someone was worried he''d be "a new officer playing the tyrant," trying to find fault with and get rid of a bunch of people, so they skipped town in advance. (Note: "A new officer playing the tyrant" is a colloquial saying in the Fars Empire.) Chapter 63 62. Flame Hand All the "scientific knowledge" Charles had learned in his life couldn''t ount for such a grotesque physical transformation, so he had to attribute it to the "magic" of this world. He had tried seven or eight times to transform from his fleshly form into Blood me and back again, which allowed him to improve his "proficiency." He could now change forms within seconds. In his Blood me state, he was immune to most physical attacks and could float hither and thither, which marginally qualified as a Flight Technique. Limited by the fact that Charles was still only "Fourth Order," the flight speed of the Blood me was not fast, barely faster than an ordinary person running, and he could not gain much altitude; floating to the ceiling was already somewhat strenuous. However, his body could change shape, which meant he could pass through many ces ordinary people couldn''t, so at least he wouldn''t have to worry about being locked up in a dungeon anymore. "It''s not like the unrestrained and dazzling flight of a fire streak through the sky as depicted in the tales of heretics from the sword-fantasy sagas!" Charles resumed his human form and, though heined and despite his reservations, his face was still full of smiles; he had not expected to master the Bloodme Transformation Art first. The Bloodme Transformation Art was a Secret Technique unknown to Bloody Glory. Protagora, after all, was not of the Blood n. Though he had learned countless secret techniques from the Blood n throughbat, these were limited to the entry-level skills of various ns and did not extend to the profound secret techniques. Charles pulled out a diary and flipped to the third page of the "Vampire Secret Scrolls." The first page of this scroll was about Blood me Qi, the second page was about the Bloodme Transformation Art, and the third page recorded the Adonis n Blood n''s Secret Technique¡ªme Hand! me Hand involved condensing Blood me Qi into a hand that could vary in size. At most, eighteen hands could be cultivated, each capable of draining the life essence of its target. Usually, the Adonis n members would not use the me Hand to attack enemies directly. They would arm the me Hands with weapons; using cold weapons was one thing, but in coordination with firearms, it could wield the destructive power of a small army. While Charles was studying the secrets of the me Hand, he also noted that the countdown to the arrival of the Blood n Evil God Kahnstan had been extended to: 71 days, plus 8 hours, and another twenty minutes and seventeen seconds!" which gave him some smallfort. The kerosenemp suddenly went out. Charles snapped his fingers, and a ball of Blood me ignited at his fingertips. He checked the oilmp and found it was out of kerosene. He added some fuel and relit it. By now, the skies outside had turned dusky. Charles decided not to continue his cultivation, put away the diary, and fed some sheep milk to his three Agile Cat cubs, ying with them for a while, which significantly brightened his mood. He grabbed some bread and had it with the coffee left from the night before. He walked to the window and nced at the sky. The weather today should be nice; the sky was very blue, opening the window weed a fresh breeze, and the temperature was quite pleasant. Charles secretly thought, "I''m not going to work today; I should also prepare a carriage."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As the chief of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, and with only a nominal boss who never interfered in practical matters, Charles didn''t even need to apply for leave to skip work, as the "supreme authority" to approve leave applications in the Lucavaro District Patrolling Armyy in his own hands. Charles brewed another pot of coffee and browsed through the newspapers for a while. The original Charles Mecklen had a habit of subscribing to newspapers; Huang Haisheng, having crossed over, had not canceled the subscription but had the delivery address changed from the Savings Union apartment to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. After reading the newspaper for a while, Elysian Pastoral Avenue started to buzz with activity, and Charles guessed that the carriage shops were opening for business, so he leisurely grabbed his cane and headed out the door. When he left the house, he carried a few items: a magic alchemy cane, a savings certificate from the Savings Union, a wallet, a diary, keys, an alchemical pistol, a Magnum Hand Shuttle, Blood Rose concealed in his left hand, and a Vampiric Hand Axe tucked at his lower back. He had added another weapon today, the assassin''s dagger was concealed within the Vampiric Hand Axe. The magic alchemy cane, which he held in his hand as a gentleman''s essory, didn''t attract much attention, and neither did the wallet, keys, or certificate, while Blood Rose hardly weighed anything. But the diary, two pistols, and the Vampiric Hand Axe made for a somewhat bulky collection of items. Charles had hesitated over whether to buy a space equipment, but those were pricier than extraordinary items from the antispace, easily breaking a thousand Aegeus. With Charles''s current worth barely over a thousand Aegeus, buying one seemed less appealing than not buying at all. Charles also specifically made a trip to the Gate of Brilliance, and, coincidentally, the exit faced thergest carriage shop on Elysian Pastoral Avenue, so without much hesitation, he headed straight there. This carriage shop was huge, constantly stocked with dozens of well-trained horses ready for sale. They not only sold brand-new carriages but also second-hand ones and provided experienced coachmen. Upon entering the carriage shop, Charles was immediately greeted by a senior broker from the shop with a smile, asking, "Are you looking to rent a carriage, sir, or would you like to purchase one?" Charles replied, "I''d like to buy a carriage. No need to rmend a new one, just rmend a second-hand one." Second-hand carriages were cheaper than brand new ones, mostly around seventy percent off. Moreover, many second-hand carriages were decorated, unlike the new ones that still required purchasing additional items like cushions, carriagemps, reins, and ornaments. The broker smiled and said, "Luckily, we recently had a noble gentleman who wanted to change to a brand-new model and sold his original carriage." "This second-hand carriage was also bought here when it was new. The original owner only used it for half a year, it is practically indistinguishable from a new one." Charles nodded and soon saw the "almost new" second-hand carriage under the guidance of the broker. It was a standard noble four-wheeled carriage from the Fars Empire. Fars and several other empires on the Old Continent had carriages crafted to eight standard styles: single-seat, double-seat, utility,fort, elegance, luxury, opulence, and nobility. On Earth, the categories would be simr to: electric single, senior scooter, A0, A, B, C, D, and E; or mountain bikes, off-road motorbikes, supact,pact, mid-size, full-size! Apart from the single and double-seaters being two-wheeled, all other styles were four-wheeled. The noble carriages typically usedrge wheels with a diameter of 1.5 pimis, featured a coachman''s seat with a canopy at the front and a luggage rack at the back, and the carriage''s interior was usually 2x6 or 2x8 pimis, offering ample space. Charles checked it over and even used his Insight but found nothing wrong with the second-hand carriage. He casually asked, "How much for this carriage?" The broker smiled and said, "When it was new, it sold for five Aegeus and three Fu Er. Now, it''s only four Aegeus!" Charles decisively said, "Please help me switch to this one." Chapter 59 58, Mister Mecklen please await the duel book Having knocked on the door of the Liemar Detective Agency, Charles saw a girl about Silvie''s age in a small room by the door, who greeted him with a smile, "May I ask what business you have here, sir?"Charles glanced at the nameplate on the desk: Miss Melmi, Trainee Detective, graduated from the National Academy. He smiled faintly and said, "I''d like to consult with Miss Vinnie Yarsaenu. I don''t have an appointment, but we know each other, my name is Charles Meklen." Melmi pulled a rope inside the room. In the Fars Empire, where telephones and telegraphs didn''t exist, indoor communication was a bit quirky, like this rope-pulling method which could transmit different messages through various signals. However, in the powerful countries of the Old Continent, magic alchemy communication devices were used, and though they weren''t as convenient as telegraphs and telephones for long distances, the reach was sufficiently long. After a while, a small bell inside the room rang. Miss Melmi gave a slight smile and said, "I''ll take you upstairs!" A clear voice called out, "Sister Melmi, I''ll take him upstairs instead." Silvie Martin hurried down the stairs, nodded slightly at Melmi, and added, "Charles is my cousin." Melmi showed a look of realization, tugged at her long skirt, slightly bowed her head while covering her chest modestly, and performed a customary lady''s courtesy. Charles placed a hand over his chest, returning a standard Imperial greeting, and followed Silvie upstairs. Silvie chattered, "Sister Melmi is a nice person. She graduated a year before me and is already a very excellent Trainee Detective. Maybe next year she could become a Detective Assistant, but you mustn''t entertain any thoughts about her." Charles felt a bit awkward and said, "Can we not talk about the past?" Silvie looked back and replied, "Alright! My dear cousin, you really have changed a lot." Charles thought to himself, "Cutting off past social ties was a smart choice indeed. Luckily, this ex-fianc¨¦e of mine wasn''t so attentive, or she would have figured things out long ago." Silvie led Charles to the office of the agency director, bowed her head in a greeting, then exited. Charles noticed another person in the room. A man who looked remarkably young, but could definitely not be a youth. His gaze was too sharp, revealing a worldly wisdom and an age that spoke of deep understanding! His eyes were so penetrating that one might overlook his features. It took Charles a few minutes to come to his senses, secretly thinking, "Why does he look the same, but feel so different? He isn''t the man from Sparrowhawk Street who tried to kill me!" Vinnie Yarsaenu, with her lake-blue eyes, showed a peculiar astonishment and said, "Don''t start a fight in my office." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "I do not consider myself a rash person, Miss Yarsaenu. Why such an admonition?" The man gave a slight smile and said, "Vinnie was talking about me, Mister Mecklen! First time we meet, but your reputation precedes you." "I am Aubrey Barrington Atwood, president of the Liemar Detective Agency." "Mister Mecklen, you''ve killed eight of my men. You truly have impressive skills." Charles suddenly felt, "Should I fight for it? Summon the Evil God again?" Aubrey Barrington showed no intention of fighting, evidently the words from Vinnie Yarsaenu, "Do not start a fight in my office," had its effect. Charles sighed and sat down on a couch in the office, stating, "I would rather not do this, but the former prison warden offered such a high price that your detectives were overly brave." "Please allow me to formally introduce myself: Charles Meklen, Grand General of the Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District, Clerk Chief of the 35th rank, third class! The faithful lapdog of Menierman Sumei!" Vini Yarsaenu couldn''t help but laugh, her laughter soft and pleasing to the ear. Even Aubrey Barrington Atwood cracked a smile and said, "Yes, if it weren''t for that status, I would have killed you right now, instead of hiring an assassin." "Since you have reached 22 Madele Street, did the assassin I hired fail?" "You killed him?" Charles shrugged and said, "No, he just glanced at me from a distance and then turned away." Vini Yarsaenu was slightly surprised and said, "Aubrey Barrington hired a Mid-Level Transcendent. How could you possibly have driven him off?" Charles casually replied, "He went to 1 Sparrowhawk Street, unfortunately, he encountered the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army in training¡ªover two hundred people seemed a bit excessive." "After all, Mister Atwood only paid for one person''s job." Charles''s answer was humorous yet subtle, without displaying any edge. Aubrey Barrington Atwood showed a pondering expression, and after a while, he said, "I see, Mr. Mecklen, although the strength you showed was mediocre, the power you actually possess far exceeds what you''ve shown." "So, during our first investigation, you were still a First Rank Transcendent, and I sent Wells and Edison. You were no longer a First Rank Transcendent then." "When I sent Winterburn, you performed beyond Fourth Order!" "Miss Yarsaenu invited me over, intending to resolve our feud, but the lives of my eight men can''t just be overlooked." "I have a suggestion. How about we settle this with a duel?" Charles asked, "Will you fight personally?" He had already decided to choose the site of the duel at Machu Picchu. Although Aubrey Barrington Atwood is a High-Level Transcendent, he might not be able to break through the labyrinth; if he could also lure him into a fight with Lord Leo, perhaps he could really eliminate this trouble. Aubrey Barrington Atwood shook his head and said, "I promised Miss Yarsaenu that I wouldn''t take part personally." "However, at that time, I thought the assassin had already taken care of you." "Looking back now, I underestimated Mr. Mecklen, and agreed too quickly, but I don''t intend to go back on my word." "The one to face you will be Wells, Edison, Winterburn, or perhaps a relative of a detective who died at your hands." "Blood vengeance, in a public duel¡ªnobody can call that unfair, right?" Charles nodded. He roughly understood that Aubrey Barrington Atwood still had some fear of Menierman''s elder sister; otherwise, he would not have taken such a circuitous route. Furthermore, openly killing an imperial official of the 35th rank isn''t easily dismissed. After all, according to imperial law, Charles hadn''t done anything wrong. Aubrey Barrington Atwood smiled slightly and said, "Then please, Mr. Mecklen, await the formal challenge." The famed detective rose to his feet, hat in hand, nodded slightly to Vini Yarsaenu, and then walked out of the office with unhurried steps. Chapter 60 59. The Youngest Knight King of the Empire Charles let out a long sigh and said, "I haven''t thanked Vinnie yet!"Vinnie Yarsaenu spoke in a low voice, "I originally wanted to have you pay out some cash to provide for the families of those detectives and peacefully resolve this matter. I didn''t expect Aubrey Barrington Atwood to have sent an assassin one step ahead of us, and in the end, we still had to solve the problem through a duel." Charles asked, "Who are likely to be my opponents in the duel?" Vinnie pondered for a moment and asked, "Mister Mecklen, can you tell me honestly whether you are a Lower-Ranked Supernatural, Mid-Level Transcendent, or High Order Supernatural Being?" Charles answered without hesitation, "Fourth Order!" In the Old Continent, the First to Sixth Orders are considered Lower-Ranked Supernaturals, Seventh to Twelfth Orders are Mid-Level Transcendents, and the Thirteenth to Eighteenth Orders are High Order Supernatural Beings, with those above the Eighteenth Rank having other titles! Vinnie Yarsaenu shook her head and said, "Then it''s best you avoid a duel!" "As far as I know, your challengers include at least two Mid-Level Transcendents and one High Order Supernatural Being." Unable to contain his frustration, Charles cursed, "Aubrey Barrington is such a scoundrel, how can I possibly fight against challengers above Intermediate rank? Not to mention there''s also a High Order." Vinnie Yarsaenu couldn''t think of a solution either and suggested, "I heard you practice Bloody Glory, or perhaps you could purchase an Extraordinary Weapon that bloodsucks at a high price." "However, bloodsucking weapons rarely appear on the market, and if you''re looking to buy one now, you must hide your intent to purchase, otherwise, people will maliciously hike up the price." Charles didn''t see the need to hide such matters and said, "I have two bloodsucking weapons!" Vinnie Yarsaenu let out a sigh of relief and said, "With an Extraordinary Weapon, maybe you can fight the two Mid-Level Transcendents, but that High Order..." "He''s Addison''s brother, there''s no way to buy him off." Charles thought to himself, "I must choose Machu Picchu as the dueling ground, making sure these avengers have a one-way ticket." He had intended to seek Vinnie Yarsaenu''s assistance, but at this point, it was no longer necessary. He rose to take his leave and said, "Thank you, Vinnie. I will be on my way now. I''ll have to ask you to take good care of Silvie in the future!" "She''s too honest and... too kind!" Vinnie Yarsaenu nodded and said, "Silvie is a good detective, I''ll take care of her." As Charles pushed open the door, he saw Silvie Martin standing outside. He couldn''t help but smile slightly and said, "I''ll be going now." Silvie asked anxiously, "What about the duel?" Charles was stunned for a moment; he had not activated his Insight and did not know Silvie had been standing outside the whole time. He could only reply, "Mix it up!" He brushed past Silvie Martin, leaving a comment, "Wanting me dead won''t be that easy," and walked out of the Agile Cats Detective Agency with composure. After Charles left, Vinnie Yarsaenu spoke in a low voice, "Come in!" Silvie entered the director''s office, still looking anxious. Vinnie gave a faint smile and said, "Your cousin still has some tricks up his sleeve, don''t worry too much about him. Go on with your work." Silvie left the director''s office and returned to the archives room. As a new apprentice detective, she had spent her days browsing case files to expand her knowledge, thinking to herself, "Am I really too honest and too kind?" "Pah! Charles doesn''t even deserve to speak such sacred words." Charles suddenly relaxed and returned to Elysian Pastoral Avenue, first stopping by Cat with Clover Coffee Shop to pick up his three kittens. The fluffy Agile Cat kittens were not shy at all. Their small eyes brimmed with vivacity and a desire to explore the world. Even when taken away from their mother, they didn''t struggle much and curled up comfortably in their new owner''s embrace, looking quite content. For these three kittens, Charles also bought some sheep''s milk, although cat milk would have been better. But the half-grown mother cat clearly couldn''t handle the "milking" process. He also took the opportunity to order a large batch of coffee. Last time his home was "searched", everything that could be lost was lost, with items like coffee and fruit wine that were easy to walk away with being the most thoroughly gone, not even an empty bottle remained. The somewhat elderly lady at the coffee shop happily conveyed her blessings, and Charles, feeling joyful, left a generous tip. He had barely returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 when Anne came for a visit. Their relationship had been making significant progress lately. Overjoyed, Charles asked, "I just bought some coffee. What flavor would you like to drink?" Anne replied, "Cappuccino!" As Charles made the coffee, he asked with a smile, "What shall we eat later?" Anne took a deep breath and said, "You are about to duel someone, how can you be so calm?" Charles was slightly taken aback. He really wanted to ask how Anne knew about his duel, but then wisely decided to drop the question and asked with a smile, "It''s just a duel, not a big deal." Anne glanced around sneakily before whispering, "In Fars, it''s possible to ask for help in such a multi-person duel. I can contact a High Order Supernatural Being for you. He is one of my cousins, a Seventeenth Rank Knight. Aubrey Barrington is just a Fourteenth Order Knight. I guarantee a stable victory." Charles knew that the Brittany Family was among the top nobles of the Empire, but he had not anticipated that Anne could bring in a Seventeenth Rank Knight. Throughout the entire Empire, High Order Supernatural Beings were extremely rare, each one an individual of extraordinary status. Menilman, The Empire''s First Rose, also held the status of a High-Level Transcendent. Knights are the Transcendents with the broadest path and easiest achievement, but they are also the most difficult to advance to High Order. Once Fighting Spirit reaches level ten, it can no longer be improved through sheer hard work, no matter how intricate the breathing techniques practiced, how delicate the Meditation Techniques employed, and no matter how diligent the training or how high the Talent. Every Knight must comprehend the Knight Certificates in battle, and only with these Certificates can they advance! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A Seventeenth Rank Knight is just one step away from collecting all the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates. Any Knight who gathers all the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates can prefix their name with "Saint", a status unparalleled. Zimmerman Axel Robin once roamed the Seven Seas, where he slew the Pirate King and successfully earned the "Saint" title, becoming known as the youngest Knight King of the Empire! Anne''s cousin must surely be a person of considerable weight in the political sphere of the Fars Empire. After a moment''s hesitation, Charles said, "For such an important matter, should I explain it to your cousin in person?" Charles was certainly not foolish enough to refuse outright; he indeed needed help. A High Order Transcendent was out of his league, and even with the Machu Picchu Labyrinth, there was no guarantee of success. The only other option would be to summon the Evil God again, but that was a sure path to death! Chapter 61 One thin human face If he had the chance to meet her once, Charles considered, her "cousin" would undoubtedly expand his connections and might even secure a powerful supporter for his marriage to Anne.As for whether it would offend the other party, that was not in Charles''s consideration. Decent people do not abandon their tasks just because they might fail¡ªthey do not hold back, do nothing, but prepare thoroughly and then bravely face the consequences of failure. Anne nodded vigorously and said, "In a few days, when my cousin returns to Strasbourg, I''ll arrange for you to join him for afternoon tea." Charles handed over a cup of brewed coffee and said, "Miss Anne, you''re truly my lucky star!" Blushing slightly, Anne accepted the coffee and sipped it with ladylike grace. Charles invited Anne to the third-floor terrace to enjoy the view of the Lucavaro River, and Anne happily agreed. They spent an afternoon together on the terrace. Although Charles still did not gain the privilege of dining with the lady, he escorted Anne away before dinner. He took Anne to the entrance of the alley and watched her carriage depart before he was about to find a place to eat when suddenly an intense chill pervaded his body, and his insight automatically activated. A strange man with a fierce killing intent, disguised as a passerby, was rapidly approaching him. The man was already very close. Charles instantly judged that at such close range it was too late to use the Antispace Sniper Rifle¡ªloading the rifle required a process. With a flick of his wrist, the Blood Rose sliced through the air and was "thrown" directly. The assassin had not expected Charles''s response to be so direct and intense. He thought he was well-hidden, that his target could not possibly notice him. Unable to respond properly to the Blood Rose hurtling through the air, he leaned back in a move similar to a limbo dance, his body nearly parallel to the ground. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Blood Rose nearly shot past his nose. However, the Vampiric Rapier miraculously turned lightly and circled back, looping around the assassin''s neck. Ding Ding Ding! Three sharp clangs rang out. The assassin now held a dagger in his hand and clashed with the Blood Rose three times in the blink of an eye, breaking Charles''s lethal move. Charles activated his Blood Flame Qi, controlled the Blood Rose to alter its attack, and simultaneously whipped out the Vampiric Hand Axe, hurling it fiercely at the assassin''s thigh. The assassin could no longer hide his identity, his Fighting Spirit erupted, and he kicked away the Vampiric Hand Axe. The dagger in his hand changed positions several times, clearing away the Blood Rose. Then, he twisted his body and sprinted away. The assassin had come knocking on his door. How could Charles let him live? The assassin was full of tricks, his power was even greater than Charles''s. Last time, sensing the danger, he had retreated. This time, he could even alter his appearance. Although temporarily repelled by the skill of weapon control by Blood Flame Qi, it was just the assassin''s caution. If he had fought relentlessly, he would definitely have overwhelmed Charles. If this assassin was prepared and returned, the newly promoted Clerk Chief might not have a way out. Charles planted the alchemical staff on the ground, took out the Antispace Sniper Rifle. The enemy was too close before, and he hadn''t had time to draw the rifle. But now that the enemy had run far enough, he had just the right shooting distance. Charles crouched down, his upper arm resting on his knee, assuming a standard shooting posture. He hadn''t imagined that when he fired, his hand would be so steady! The first Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet flew out and struck the assassin''s left shoulder. The specially made Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet was powerful enough to kill a Titan Demon in one shot, and even high-level Transcendents like Ferdinand and Lord Leo couldn''t withstand a single shot. The assassin''s body was blown in half, and the remaining half was flung a great distance by the aftermath of the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. Charles slapped the Antispace Sniper Rifle into his alchemical staff, recalled the Vampiric Hand Axe and Blood Rose, and quickly ran to the assassin''s side. The assassin gave him a vicious look, trying to say something, but died before he could speak. Charles rummaged through the assassin''s body and retrieved a wallet, a dagger, an alchemical pistol, and was just about to get up to notify the City Patrol Army when a thin object fell from the assassin''s face. A thin human face! Under this thin face was another unfamiliar face. Charles slightly realized and muttered to himself, "So he used this magical item to change his appearance, impersonating Aubrey Barrington Atwood at Sparrowhawk Street No.1, and this time he transformed into another face." "Sadly, he didn''t know that I have Insight!" "Nor did he know that Insight also has the feature of automatically activating against murderous intent." "This special ability has saved my life again!" Charles waved to several newspaper-selling boys by the road and said, "Anyone willing to go to Lucavaro District, Sparrowhawk Street No.1, City Patrol Army Office can start now. Let Dobin bring at least fifty men. The first one will get five Sheng Dings, the second will get four Sheng Dings, the third will get three Sheng Dings, the fourth will get two Sheng Dings, the fifth will get one Sheng Ding, and there are no rewards after the fifth." The newspaper boys ran off, each hoping to be the first to claim the reward of five Sheng Dings. In less than an hour, Dobin and a contingent of the City Patrol Army came jogging over. Seeing the dead assassin on the ground, he couldn''t help but say, "Chief! Did you use that rifle from last time? The power is too great." Charles shrugged and said, "Send the body to the chaotic burial mound outside the city, no need to register it!" The City Patrol Army is responsible for the city''s public safety. Though this is the Pi Kardi District, since the Pi Kardi District''s fierce battle with the City Patrol Army didn''t get here, Charles managing some unofficial business across territories is not much of an issue. Having taken the spoils of war, he no longer wanted to investigate the case. After all, the main culprit was the Liemar Detective Agency, and the feud between the two sides was deepening. Charles believed that a duel couldn''t solve the problem. Even if the Liemar Agency was willing to cease temporarily, once he gained enough power, he would uproot the Liemar Agency altogether. The group of newsboys returned as well, Charles called them over, asked for their ranks, indeed gave them their tips, and even gave each an additional Sheng Ding as a consolation prize, even the children who ranked after the fifth place received a Sheng Ding. He lived on Elysian Pastoral Street, and these keen-eyed newsboys, with his generous reward this time, would easily be called upon for tasks in the future. Dobin, who typically handled many such cases, wrapped the assassin''s body in a shroud and took it away, and once the City Patrol Army left, Elysian Pastoral Avenue was bustling once more. This era was just like that. No one cared about the lives and deaths of strangers. Incidents of people being killed in the streets were all too common for the residents. Charles returned to Elysian Pastoral Avenue No. 58, took out the newly acquired spoils of war ¡ª the wallet contained fifteen ten-Fu Er bills and some change, and aside from that, there was a piece of paper with an address written on it: Alcatraz District, Dragon Fortress Street No. 5, Chelsea Detective Agency. Chapter 62 61, The Cats Mask The Liemar Detective Agency was a small one, but clearly, they ran other businesses besides detective work.Charles memorized the address, then casually activated Bloody Glory and shattered both the wallet and the note into dust. The dagger was quite nice; after examination, Charles confirmed it was an Extraordinary Weapon. Surprisingly, it was also an Antispace equipment, with the attributes of Sharpness and Solidity. With Sharpness, the dagger could emit a section of blade light when infused with Fighting Spirit, Magic Power, or any other Transcendent Energy, its sharpness surpassing that of steel. Solidity allowed the dagger to be nearly indestructible, so it held its own when clashing with Blood Rose. If put up for auction, this dagger could even sell for more than two hundred Aegeus, already classifying it as a top-tier Extraordinary Weapon. The alchemical pistol was just an ordinary weapon, roughly on par with Charles''s magic alchemy wand, except for its finer craftsmanship, slightly longer range, faster firing rate, and higher precision. Charles owned two Magnum Hand Shuttles and could afford to replace one of them. The final spoil was that thin human face! His fingers gently touched it, and a consciousness entered his mind, "Cat''s Mask! It can mimic the appearance of six different beings, and randomly withdraw one skill from the mimicked target, limited to those that have been contacted. Wearing it slightly enhances agility and also serves as proof of membership in the Orc Assassin Alliance." Charles was slightly surprised, the Cat''s Mask was unable to extract the target''s "Special Ability," only "Skills", which was indeed a pity. However, it would be too powerful if it could extract the basic targets'' Special Abilities. Even so, the value of the Cat''s Mask might be higher than the assassin''s dagger, but he was no professional and could no longer appraise it accurately. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He knew of the Orc Assassin Alliance! On the Old Continent, there were five major assassin organizations, and the Orc Assassin Alliance was one of them. It was said that the members of the Orc Assassin Alliance were descendants of the ancient Orc Kingdom, possessing many special abilities from their bloodlines. They usually operated on the southern continent, rarely coming to the Fars Empire. Charles Mecklen, as an ordinary government employee, had never had any contact with any assassin organizations, only having read about them in university documents. Charles was curious, why would Aubrey Barrington Atwood seek out an orc assassin from the south to kill him? There was the Bloody Brotherhood right within the borders of Fars. "It is said that once the Orc Assassin Alliance takes on a job, they guarantee completion. If one assassin dies, another will be sent, endlessly, until the target is killed." "Aubrey Barrington Atwood is an informant! As long as this guy snitches, I won''t have peace." Thinking of this, Charles suddenly felt the urge to kill. If it weren''t so difficult to carry out, he would like to summon the Evil God right outside the Liemar Detective Agency. Charles collected the spoils of war and decided not to think about this matter anymore; it was pointless to worry, after all. He quietly ran Bloody Glory and began his daily training. Ever since returning to Strasbourg, Charles had become urgent in his practice. Having faced the Evil God twice, his spirituality had increased to an unbelievably high level, and his training progressed at an incredible pace. For ordinary Transcendents, it was easy to increase energy intensity, but to improve even a bit of spirituality was incredibly difficult; one must temper and train the mind ceaselessly for even a slight advance. Charles, on the contrary, turned things around, his spirituality was so high it matched that of a high-level transcendent; it was only his energy intensity that wasn''t enough. Most people who cultivated Bloody Glory would condense seven or eight Bloody Vortices before they began to practice the Blood Banquet Meditation Technique, and many could not succeed in meditating any runes for their whole lives. Charles had almost always condensed a corresponding Bloody Rune at the same time when he formed a Bloody Vortex. Now, only the Swiftness Rune on his left leg was slightly lacking, the Insight Rune on his forehead, the Blood Flame Qi Rune on his chest, and the Angel''s Thorn Rune on his left hand were all cultivated with great achievement, so his actual combat power far exceeded that of an ordinary fourth-order. Charles could overpower stronger opponents in the few battles he had because of this. The reason Bloody Glory was known as a vampire''s nemesis was twofold: one was because it could cross clans, cultivating several secret techniques; the other, more fundamental reason, was the Blood Banquet Meditation Technique! If one only practiced the Protagora Breathing Method, Bloody Glory would be unremarkable, merely granting a slight improvement in speed, but combined with the Blood Banquet Meditation Technique, Bloody Glory became exceptionally domineering. Charles didn''t encounter enemies often, and each time the circumstances were quite special, he always thought he won by strategizing, not realizing he was already strong. Charles didn''t know how long he had been practicing when suddenly his heart began to pound wildly. He didn''t know if this world had something akin to "deviating from the path," felt a slight panic but knew this emotion was bad and forcibly calmed himself. "What in the world is going on?" "Is there a problem with the Blood Flame Qi rune?" "Could I have been practicing incorrectly recently? But I have been following the ''Vampire Secret Scrolls'' to practice, so there shouldn''t be any issues, right?!" After all, Charles wasn''t from the Blood Clan, and Bloody Glory was a less common transcendent path; there were only a few scholars in Sheffield University skilled in this method, and he had to practice it on his own, so it was inevitable he would encounter various situations. At this moment, he could only forcefully calm himself, running Bloody Glory over and over in an attempt to suppress the anomaly in the Blood Flame Qi rune. But this Bloody Rune, trembling like a delicate heart, became increasingly agitated. Charles''s concentration slipped for a moment, and the Bloody Rune exploded, flowing through his blood to every part of his body. Charles felt his body starting to "mutate," even more panicked; he didn''t know whether to continue suppressing the force or to find a way to guide this energy out. The next second, he exploded... A burst of Blood Flame replaced Charles. After more than a dozen breaths, Charles realized afterward, floated around the room, and felt astonished at the changes in his body. "Am I now a burst of Blood Flame?" "It wasn''t a problem after all, I actually cultivated the Bloodflame Transformation Art!?" He reversed the Protagora Breathing Method, countless tiny golden runes reconverged, forming a small golden heart composed of numerous runes, and indeed, he returned from a state of Blood Flame back to flesh and blood. Charles raised his hands high to observe his body, which was the same as before, and couldn''t help but click his tongue in wonder at the marvels of magic in this world. Charles had always wanted to open a fifth Bloody Vortex, or at the very least, he hoped to master the rune of the Swiftness Spell soon; but he didn''t expect that it would be the Blood Flame Qi taking the lead in a breakthrough, culminating in the high-end technique, the Bloodflame Transformation Art. Charles ran the Protagora Breathing Method again, and his body of flesh and blood once more transformed into Blood Flame, drifting back and forth inside Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, feeling very peculiar. Although he had special abilities before, this was the first time he felt he was no longer just an ordinary human. Chapter 63 62. Flame Hand All the "scientific knowledge" Charles had learned in his life couldn''t account for such a grotesque physical transformation, so he had to attribute it to the "magic" of this world.He had tried seven or eight times to transform from his fleshly form into Blood Flame and back again, which allowed him to improve his "proficiency." He could now change forms within seconds. In his Blood Flame state, he was immune to most physical attacks and could float hither and thither, which marginally qualified as a Flight Technique. Limited by the fact that Charles was still only "Fourth Order," the flight speed of the Blood Flame was not fast, barely faster than an ordinary person running, and he could not gain much altitude; floating to the ceiling was already somewhat strenuous. However, his body could change shape, which meant he could pass through many places ordinary people couldn''t, so at least he wouldn''t have to worry about being locked up in a dungeon anymore. "It''s not like the unrestrained and dazzling flight of a fire streak through the sky as depicted in the tales of heretics from the sword-fantasy sagas!" Charles resumed his human form and, though he complained and despite his reservations, his face was still full of smiles; he had not expected to master the Bloodflame Transformation Art first. The Bloodflame Transformation Art was a Secret Technique unknown to Bloody Glory. Protagora, after all, was not of the Blood Clan. Though he had learned countless secret techniques from the Blood Clan through combat, these were limited to the entry-level skills of various clans and did not extend to the profound secret techniques. Charles pulled out a diary and flipped to the third page of the "Vampire Secret Scrolls." The first page of this scroll was about Blood Flame Qi, the second page was about the Bloodflame Transformation Art, and the third page recorded the Adonis Clan Blood Clan''s Secret Technique¡ªFlame Hand! Flame Hand involved condensing Blood Flame Qi into a hand that could vary in size. At most, eighteen hands could be cultivated, each capable of draining the life essence of its target. Usually, the Adonis Clan members would not use the Flame Hand to attack enemies directly. They would arm the Flame Hands with weapons; using cold weapons was one thing, but in coordination with firearms, it could wield the destructive power of a small army. While Charles was studying the secrets of the Flame Hand, he also noted that the countdown to the arrival of the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan had been extended to: 71 days, plus 8 hours, and another twenty minutes and seventeen seconds!" which gave him some small comfort. The kerosene lamp suddenly went out. Charles snapped his fingers, and a ball of Blood Flame ignited at his fingertips. He checked the oil lamp and found it was out of kerosene. He added some fuel and relit it. By now, the skies outside had turned dusky. Charles decided not to continue his cultivation, put away the diary, and fed some sheep milk to his three Agile Cat cubs, playing with them for a while, which significantly brightened his mood. He grabbed some bread and had it with the coffee left from the night before. He walked to the window and glanced at the sky. The weather today should be nice; the sky was very blue, opening the window welcomed a fresh breeze, and the temperature was quite pleasant. Charles secretly thought, "I''m not going to work today; I should also prepare a carriage." As the chief of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, and with only a nominal boss who never interfered in practical matters, Charles didn''t even need to apply for leave to skip work, as the "supreme authority" to approve leave applications in the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army lay in his own hands. Charles brewed another pot of coffee and browsed through the newspapers for a while. The original Charles Mecklen had a habit of subscribing to newspapers; Huang Haisheng, having crossed over, had not canceled the subscription but had the delivery address changed from the Savings Union apartment to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. After reading the newspaper for a while, Elysian Pastoral Avenue started to buzz with activity, and Charles guessed that the carriage shops were opening for business, so he leisurely grabbed his cane and headed out the door. When he left the house, he carried a few items: a magic alchemy cane, a savings certificate from the Savings Union, a wallet, a diary, keys, an alchemical pistol, a Magnum Hand Shuttle, Blood Rose concealed in his left hand, and a Vampiric Hand Axe tucked at his lower back. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had added another weapon today, the assassin''s dagger was concealed within the Vampiric Hand Axe. The magic alchemy cane, which he held in his hand as a gentleman''s accessory, didn''t attract much attention, and neither did the wallet, keys, or certificate, while Blood Rose hardly weighed anything. But the diary, two pistols, and the Vampiric Hand Axe made for a somewhat bulky collection of items. Charles had hesitated over whether to buy a space equipment, but those were pricier than extraordinary items from the antispace, easily breaking a thousand Aegeus. With Charles''s current net worth barely over a thousand Aegeus, buying one seemed less appealing than not buying at all. Charles also specifically made a trip to the Gate of Brilliance, and, coincidentally, the exit faced the largest carriage shop on Elysian Pastoral Avenue, so without much hesitation, he headed straight there. This carriage shop was huge, constantly stocked with dozens of well-trained horses ready for sale. They not only sold brand-new carriages but also second-hand ones and provided experienced coachmen. Upon entering the carriage shop, Charles was immediately greeted by a senior broker from the shop with a smile, asking, "Are you looking to rent a carriage, sir, or would you like to purchase one?" Charles replied, "I''d like to buy a carriage. No need to recommend a new one, just recommend a second-hand one." Second-hand carriages were cheaper than brand new ones, mostly around seventy percent off. Moreover, many second-hand carriages were decorated, unlike the new ones that still required purchasing additional items like cushions, carriage lamps, reins, and ornaments. The broker smiled and said, "Luckily, we recently had a noble gentleman who wanted to change to a brand-new model and sold his original carriage." "This second-hand carriage was also bought here when it was new. The original owner only used it for half a year, it is practically indistinguishable from a new one." Charles nodded and soon saw the "almost new" second-hand carriage under the guidance of the broker. It was a standard noble four-wheeled carriage from the Fars Empire. Fars and several other empires on the Old Continent had carriages crafted to eight standard styles: single-seat, double-seat, utility, comfort, elegance, luxury, opulence, and nobility. On Earth, the categories would be similar to: electric single, senior scooter, A0, A, B, C, D, and E; or mountain bikes, off-road motorbikes, subcompact, compact, mid-size, full-size! Apart from the single and double-seaters being two-wheeled, all other styles were four-wheeled. The noble carriages typically used large wheels with a diameter of 1.5 pimis, featured a coachman''s seat with a canopy at the front and a luggage rack at the back, and the carriage''s interior was usually 2x6 or 2x8 pimis, offering ample space. Charles checked it over and even used his Insight but found nothing wrong with the second-hand carriage. He casually asked, "How much for this carriage?" The broker smiled and said, "When it was new, it sold for five Aegeus and three Fu Er. Now, it''s only four Aegeus!" Charles decisively said, "Please help me switch to this one." Chapter 64 Madam Nancy One Aegeus could purchase the equivalent of eighteen or nineteen thousand yuan on Earth, and four Aegeus could buy a BYD Qin PLUS Glory there.A mere horse carriage, what kind of technology does it involve? It''s just a carriage without horses, not even an engine system. And it''s priced the same as the BYD Qin PLUS Glory? Most importantly, Charlotte, though he had never owned a horse carriage, often rode public ones and occasionally hitched rides in the Brittany Family''s private carriages, so he certainly knew they weren''t that expensive! The carriage broker said with a smile, "Such a fine carriage is hard to come by, sir. Aren''t you sure you want to reconsider?" Charlotte immediately raised his voice and said loudly, "Please get me a different broker!" This outburst immediately caught many people''s attention, and the color in the face of the broker who was serving him turned red as he lowered his voice and said, "I''m sorry, sir! Please allow me to apologize, this carriage can be sold for three Aegeus and eight Fu Er." Charlotte said coldly, "I don''t want to repeat myself!" The broker''s voice dropped even lower as he said, "Actually, just three Aegeus!" Charlotte shook his head and said, "This is your last chance to make an offer." For a long time on Earth, those who bought cars often suffered, enduring indifference, disdain, price hikes, and waiting months, yet insistent on buying a specific brand. Charlotte could not understand this at all. To him, these were all products of industrialization, none possessed epoch-making technology. Why not simply switch to a different model, why demean oneself like a dog? Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this era, horse carriages didn''t have much technological content. A carpenter could handle everything from logging to making the carriage. Forests surrounded the cities, wood was practically free, and labor was cheap. The most valuable part of a carriage was actually its decoration. Even in Strasbourg, not many could afford carriages. Since wooden carriages were extremely durable, often lasting decades or even generations, a new carriage often took months to find a buyer. The market for used carriages was even smaller, with many preferring to pay a premium for a new one rather than touching a used one. After all, it was something they''d use for decades. Practical pragmatists like Charlotte were rare, and as the one footing the bill, he certainly didn''t want to be treated like a fool ripe for the picking. The carriage broker, gritting his teeth, whispered, "Two Aegeus and eight Fu Er, and I''ll throw in lanterns, cushions, and reins!" Charlotte nodded and asked, "Can you recommend a draft horse as well?" This time the transaction was much smoother. Charlotte didn''t choose the all-gold, soft-glowing, long-haired, beautiful Argento horse that looked like it belonged in the divine realms, nor the so-called white marble horse, the all-white Bellona, nor the tallest Charles horse. Instead, he picked a two-year-old Brabant horse! In this world, because horses were too expensive and the cost of maintaining them was high, plus the existence of Supernatural Powers, knights emerged representing advanced combat capabilities, but large-scale cavalry did not. Almost ninety percent of horses were raised as heavy draft horses. In the Inglima Empire, there was a saying: There are more horses pulling carriages than being ridden. The Brabant horse was of medium size among draft horses, with average strength but still standing over two pimi in height, far taller than most common horses on Earth. They were hardworking, not picky about feed, and could manage the occasional missed meal. Although their strength was somewhat lacking, they had high endurance and relatively fast speed. The only flaw was that most Brabant horses had mottled coats¡ªred-brown, brown, chestnut, grey, and black mixed, typical of pinto horses, which made them less attractive and thus priced lower among draft horses. This two-year-old Brabant draft horse cost Charlotte two Aegeus, and the carriage broker even included one year''s worth of feed. Generally, horses in the Old Continent can live thirty to fifty years, as long as they are well-fed, which is more durable than the "endurance" of a carriage, and they can even serve over three generations of owners. Charles''s selection of carriages and draft horses had already caught people''s attention. A middle-aged woman in her thirties, strong in stature, with a resolute face like a man, dressed in slightly worn but clean clothes, stopped his way and said, "Sir, do you need a coachman?" "My driving skills are very good, my salary is low, and I can also help with some chores and cleaning." "I need this job, would you please employ me?" Charles hesitated slightly, and the middle-aged woman said softly, "The gentleman next to you can vouch for me." The horse and carriage broker paused and said, "Madam Nancy''s skills surpass many male coachmen. Her previous employer was very satisfied with her skills and even offered her a lifetime contract, but he had to sell his personal assets to overcome financial difficulties due to an investment in gold mines in the New Continent, which also led to the termination of her contract with Madam Nancy." Charlotte asked, "Madam, what is your weekly salary approximately?" Madam Nancy clenched her teeth and said, "Eighty-five Sheng Ding." This price was rather high, but Charles did not object and asked with a smile, "Do you accept a short-term trial?" Madam Nancy quickly answered, "I can." Silvie Martin''s weekly salary is also eighty-five Sheng Ding, but as a graduate of the Behemoth National College and being a highly educated person, it''s only natural for her to earn this salary. As a coachman, Madam Nancy''s high salary suggests only one possibility, she was originally trained as a high-class coachman in a noble family. Ordinary people wouldn''t employ a female coachman, so it''s likely that Madam Nancy was also a "designated item" for some noble lady. Such an expensive coachman is naturally hard to find a new job on the market, considering that not long ago, Charles''s weekly salary was only one Fu Er and seventy Sheng Ding. Madam Nancy''s weekly salary is nearly half the income of a forty-first class imperial public official. Charles chose used carriages and affordable draft horses because buying expensive ones would be pointless beyond mere facade and wouldn''t enhance comfort. But the comfort a high-class coachman provides is unmatched by ordinary coachmen, so despite Madam Nancy''s slightly high price, he intended to try her out for a week. After paying all the fees, Charles happily sat in his own carriage, and Madam Nancy put on the coachman''s hat, flicked her wrist gently, and drove the Brabant draft horses away from the horse and carriage broker. Indeed, Madam Nancy''s driving skills were exceptional, managing the carriage both quickly and steadily. Charles, half-reclining in the carriage, surveyed the interior decorations. This prestigious type four-wheeled carriage, likely a custom-made model, was slightly longer than ordinary carriages, definitely exceeding eight pi meters. The interior was divided into two compartments, front and back. The front, just over six pi meters, was typically the master''s compartment, and the back was two pi meters squared, used for servants and luggage storage, featuring a fully enclosed structure unlike the open luggage racks of ordinary carriages. The master''s cabin had high-order alchemy-manufactured, exorbitantly expensive crystal glass windows that made the interior very bright. The broker had said its original price was five Aegeus and three Fu Er, and he likely wasn''t lying. Besides the two rows of facing seats, the original owner whimsically designed a small "study" at the back of the master''s cabin. Though cramped, it had a desk, bookshelf, armchair, and even a fixed kerosene lamp slot. Charles adored this design, but generally, nobles would place a soft bed in this space. Charles initially intended to go home, but with a slight change of mind, he opened the speaking tube and said, "Madam Nancy, to the University of Georgia." Chapter 65 64. West Wind Goddess and Laurel Goddess In the Old Continent, dating was not a matter of convenience.After all, this was a world without telephones or the internet. Each time, it was either Anne waiting outside Kilmainham Prison or Charles going to the University of Georgia to find someone. Honestly, in the years after graduation, Charles had visited the University of Georgia far more times than his alma mater, Sheffield University. Sitting in "his" carriage, Charles looked at the landscape of Strasbourg, feeling a unique charm. He had always thought that the roads in this ancient country were too wide, even wider than many on Earth, but at this moment, he realized that without such wide roads, it would be impossible for carriages, especially the prestigious four-wheelers, to operate at all. Though only two paces wide, these carriages were much longer than Earth''s private cars or SUVs. While the size of the passenger compartment was slightly larger, there were also the horses pulling the carriage. Considering the turning radius of the carriage and its comparative lack of agility next to modern vehicles enhanced with various technologies, without such wide roads, many places would be inaccessible. Moreover, the Old Continent of this world, including the Five Great Empires, probably did not have a population of even one hundred million combined, yet their area far surpassed that of Europe on Earth, roughly equivalent to Europe plus Africa in size. The Seventh District of Strasbourg had numerous nobles, and many of their grand mansions were so large that they occupied an entire block each. Each mansion was built as beautifully as a garden, making the journey''s scenery quite pleasant. After entering the Val de Vaz District, the buildings became generally taller. Despite being in line with the other Seven Districts, the Val de Vaz District was clearly more special. From a distance, one could see the Imperial Palace''s rooftop as well as various government institutions. As they passed the Central Government Office, Charles felt a slight stirring in his heart. If he had stayed at the Central Government Office, he might have become a second-level clerk by next year and received a salary increase of several Sheng Ding. Perhaps with a few more years of effort, he could consider buying a small apartment, but a private carriage was forever out of the question. Madam Nancy''s voice came through a copper pipe installed in the carriage, "Mister Mecklen, we have arrived at the University of Georgia! Which building do you need to go to?" Charles pushed open the carriage door, alighted gracefully, and said, "Just wait here for me. I will probably return very late, so don''t worry about me." The Empire''s four universities did not allow outsiders to enter freely. Madam Nancy asking which building he wanted to go to implied that her previous owner might have had some special privileges. Charles, a bona fide Sheffield University graduate, indeed had a permanent pass for his alma mater. As a low-tier noble of the Empire, it was not difficult for him to get a multi-entry pass for the University of Georgia using a little money and connection. In fact, he had already obtained a multi-entry pass to the University of Georgia a long time ago. But a permanent pass was a bit more difficult to secure, and Charles did not need a permanent pass for the University of Georgia since Anne would graduate in a year. The multi-entry pass only allowed him to enter the university alone, without accompanying others or driving a carriage in and out. Having visited multiple times, Charles easily found the building where Anne Brittany was attending classes. Knowing that Miss Anne had class that morning, he had no intention of interrupting, so he found a bench outside her classroom building and continued studying his journal. Charles was very interested in the Quickness Technique and Flame Hand, but his first choice was the Quickness Technique, which could enhance his running speed, agility, dexterity, and reactions, providing a more fundamental boost to his combat abilities. "I wonder if I can condense the runes of the Quickness Technique before receiving the challenge letter." Charles flipped through his journal for a while, feeling slightly stifled, then closed it and tucked it into his coat. Just then, a girl hurried past, seemingly also somewhat troubled. She had a pair of deep blue eyes and was extremely beautiful, wearing a hand-embroidered tea dress that accentuated her graceful figure like a water lily. Her beauty was of the kind that on Earth could effortlessly make her a million-fan leading hostess on various short video and live streaming platforms. Charles often came to the University of Georgia, and he recognized this lady because she was quite famous. University of Georgia had a tradition of selecting twelve "Goddesses" among all the female students currently enrolled. By the way, Sheffield University had this tradition too. Anne Brittany was this year''s West Wind Goddess, and Taoles Sumei was the Laurel Goddess. Indeed, this beautiful girl was also Menilman''s cousin, and the Sumei family was quite prominent. Charles knew her but didn''t think Taoles knew him. He had no intention of greeting her and simply treated her as a passing landscape to admire. However, what he hadn''t expected was that Taoles stopped briefly as she passed by and asked, "Is it Mister Charles Meklen?" Charles, surprised, nodded and asked, "How do you know me?" Taoles said indifferently, "Being known as the man who dates the West Wind Goddess at the University of Georgia is widely recognized, and it''s not meant as a compliment." Charles smiled slightly and asked, "Miss Sumei! What can I do for you?" Taoles seemed to ponder for a while before saying, "My brother and Anne''s cousin are close friends in the military!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Not long ago, Anne''s cousin mentioned you when he visited my family." "Well, I won''t repeat what was said." "I just wanted to let you know that you will soon be challenged by two High-Level Transcendents!" Charles was shockingly surprised, and his expression faltered. He had never expected to be mysteriously challenged by two High-Level Transcendents. He was about to ask what was going on. Taoles had already turned away and left. He hurriedly said, "Thank you, Miss Sumei!" Taoles replied indifferently, "I just wanted to see the look of shock on your face. You''re welcome." "Also... they are both at the University of Georgia today." Charles wanted to turn and leave immediately, but... out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anne waiving at him from a distance as she left the classroom with a group of classmates. Charles definitely couldn''t just walk away, which would have consequences far more severe than facing two High-Level Transcendents head-on. He had no choice but to stride over. Anne asked curiously, "What were you and Taoles talking about?" Anne was indeed very curious; she had come out only to see Taoles Sumei, her "lifelong rival," talking to Charles and was eager to know what had been discussed. Charles dared not lie and honestly said, "She mentioned that her brother and your cousin are good friends, and they''ve arranged a duel with me." Anne''s beautiful eyes immediately widened. Chapter 66 65. The Insurmountable Class "Anne! Is this Mister Mecklen?"Anne hadn''t yet figured out how to placate Charles when she heard an exceptionally gentle voice. Two young officers approached side by side. Both were in their late twenties, triumphant and vibrant. One of the young officers was strikingly handsome, with golden short hair and emerald eyes, slightly effeminate, bearing a slight resemblance to Anne. Having joined the Patrolling Army, Charles had to catch up on some military knowledge from the Old Continent and recognized the other''s military rank on his epaulet, surprisingly a 24th Rank First-Level Warrant Officer. The 24th Rank position, in the Empire, was deemed an insurmountable class that ordinary citizens could not achieve in their lifetime through regular promotions, even with faultlessness and additional commendations. The other young officer, sunny and robust, with black hair and black eyes, naturally exuded an oppressive aura, was a 25th Rank Fifth-Level Army Warden, ten ranks higher than Charles''s Third-Level Clerk Chief. Without external help, Charles would need at least thirty more long years to reach such a position. Charles awkwardly performed an Imperial salutation and said, "I am Charles Mecklen, good afternoon to both gentlemen." The young officer, who resembled Anne, stepped forward and said, "Anne has asked me to help you with a duel." "Although I have agreed, I do have a small request." "If you can withstand my three moves, I will help unconditionally. If you cannot, I will still help, but please stay away from Anne afterward." Anne''s expression changed slightly, and she said, "Cousin Krel, I can do without your help." Krel Brittany gave a slight smile and said, "Mister Mecklen, what do you think?" Charles took a deep breath and said, "I respect Anne''s opinion!" "But... personally, I would very much like to duel with someone of your caliber, a High-Level Transcendent like Mister Brittany." Charles knew what to do to "earn points" in front of a member of the Brittany Family; he could not let Anne think he was a coward, nor could he show cowardice in front of Anne''s cousin Krel, giving him a bad impression. Most importantly, dueling with Krel held no risk to life. He was soon to face a duel invitation from the Fierce Horse Society, and having the experience of sparring with a skilled opponent would be greatly beneficial for the upcoming duels. Charles did not have the habit of placing all his hopes on others. He was ready to take matters into his own hands. Krel raised an eyebrow and said to Anne, "I won''t strike too hard." The Fifth-Level Army Warden at Krel''s side stepped back, clearing the area. Anne was a bit anxious but after looking at the two men, ultimately she stepped aside. This is the University of Georgia, where a martial spirit prevails among nearly all nations of the Old Continent. If Charles were to dodge this duel, it would not take long before he''d be nicknamed a coward. On the other hand, losing a duel is a fairly common occurrence and does not harm one''s reputation. He also believed his cousin would not strike too hard. When someone challenges to a duel, it is quite an attractive event at the university. Soon, dozens of students had gathered around, and more were continuously arriving. Krel Brittany stood more than ten steps away from Charles, but he did not move immediately. Instead, he leisurely took out a pair of pristine white silk gloves and said, "Do you mind?" Charles shook his head and replied, "Not at all!" As Krel put on the gloves, he said, "I have a bit of a germ phobia. During a duel, I prefer to wear gloves so as not to directly touch the opponent." Seeing that his opponent intended not to use a weapon, Charles also slowly activated Bloody Glory and said, "I washed my hands just before coming here." Krel smiled and said, "Please, defend yourself!" He appeared refined and somewhat effeminate, yet once he moved, he was as swift as a hurricane. His hands struck like blades, unleashing dozens of thrusts in an instant, filling the air with the phantom of his pointed fingers. The very first moment, Charles activated his Insight, and by the next, he had determined that he could definitely not keep up with the "hand speed" of the blond young officer, and his body instantly transformed into a mass of Blood Flame. Krel hailed from Hatingen Thunder and Storm University, which, unlike the other three universities, produced the most knights. Both Thunder Knights and Storm Knights are the top knightly legacies in the Old Continent. While Sheffield University boasts techniques such as Dark Breath and Black Moon Meditation Technique, Lady Black Moon''s most genuine legacy is not that of a knight but a Dark Moon Sorcerer! The University of Georgia is favored by the Elf God, and its most orthodox legacy is astrology and card magic. Anne Brittany chose the Transcendent path of the Dreamwalker, which belongs to this tradition. Incidentally, the Fairy Cat Magic mastered by Vinnie Yarsaenu also originates from the University of Georgia. The Blood Flame state is immune to most physical attacks, but knights from Hatingen Thunder and Storm University all have an element of thunder or storm in their Fighting Spirit. Charles had no intention to resist Krel''s hand blades directly but instead tried to "empty" his body. Under the agitation of the Fighting Spirit, the Blood Flame floated around like nimble feathers, clinging to Krel''s thrusting hands, lightly swirling around. Charles maximized his use of the special abilities Insight and Angel''s Thorn. Though Krel was unarmed, he employed the authentic knightly swordsmanship of Hatingen Thunder and Storm University. With Insight, Charles anticipated changes in the airflow. With the swordsmanship knowledge from Angel''s Thorn, linked to the Asiluo Clan, he predicted his opponent''s swordplay shifts and managed to withstand a round of assaults from this Seventeenth Rank Knight. Krel was greatly surprised. Although he had indeed held back, he had not expected Charles to navigate the danger so adeptly, avoiding his deadly Thunderstorm Sword Technique. Switching from thrusts to a light flick, Krel struck with his palm, and Charles, unable to react in time, was sent reeling back dozens of steps. Despite a gap of more than ten ranks between them, if Krel had been serious, he could have instantly killed Charles. However, after flicking Charles away, he did not strike again. Instead, he took off his gloves, casually stimulated his Fighting Spirit and shattered them into fine dust, asking, "Did you choose Bloody Glory at the university?" Charles regained his human form, his face somewhat pale. Krel truly was a Seventeenth Rank Grand Knight. Although by leveraging Insight and Angel''s Thorn, he avoided the opponent''s initial flurry of thrusts, it was akin to dancing on a knife''s edge. The Bloodflame Transformation Technique was still affected by the residual force of Krel''s Fighting Spirit, and he sustained minor injuries. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "If we were on a battlefield, my Insight would hardly be of any use; even if I could predict the opponent''s strike direction, I wouldn''t be able to withstand it. Even though Angel''s Thorn contains the Asiluo Clan''s sophisticated swordplay, my rank is too low..." Charles took a deep breath, Bloody Glory slowly circulating as he attempted to expel the residual force of the Fighting Spirit from his body, and answered, "Yes, I chose Bloody Glory." Chapter 82 Chat before going on the shelf When I first returned to the starting point, the performance of Sword Immortal was pretty decent, ranking second in the monthly ticket overall standings in the first month after launch and fourth in the second month, showing some pride and vigor, just like an elder is wont to express...But as a man reaches middle age and family troubles arise, I dragged Sword Immortal out over four years, from 2015 to 2018. Finally catching my breath, Martial God and Sword Immortal Through the Nine Heavens were written all the way to completion without taking many leaves of absence, almost a perfect attendance record until finished. When writing Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts, family issues continued, and after having written half of it, it''s still being serialized... Fairy Fox, The Chronicles of Strange Immortals, and Dragon-Riding Immortal Son-in-Law, though they started at different times, it was quite a coincidence that they all finished last year... Experience new stories on empire Dragon-Riding Immortal Son-in-Law was also written in earnest until completion, taking few leaves of absence... At that time, I finally caught another breath. Originally, I wanted to finish writing the Immortals and then continue and complete Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts because one should always aim for full completions in life... Dealing with consecutive yang energies, my brain wasn''t functioning very well. When I looked at the Immortals, it felt like reading a book unfamiliar to me. I had to read through thirty to fifty chapters to write the next one, otherwise, I would have no clue what the story was about... This year, I''ve somewhat recovered, but my brain still isn''t working too well... Continuing to write in such a state, the quality inevitably wouldn''t be very good. After much consideration, I decided to first regain my state, then write a relatively complete ending for "Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts" and "Immortals, Those with Boundless Mana." The First World War of the Magic World was a book written to find my way back to writing condition. I pondered a lot when choosing this book. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. First, I''m really not adept at Western fantasy The only book that might be considered to have some Western fantasy elements is Magic-Guided Armament, which probably performed the worst out of all my novels. For me, Western fantasy has two advantages: It forces me back to basics, unable to rely on previous writing experiences, bringing me back to when I first started, yearning for the stories under my pen, respecting performance, redefining characters, refining and solidifying my prose... Since it''s different from my previous writing themes, I must switch styles. Many habitual words can''t be used, allowing me to "shed the grease," skimming off the slickness and frivolousness of my words so they can settle and become more meticulous. Second, fantasy is really a niche genre. But a niche genre also means that I can let go of the anxiety over performance and devote myself entirely to writing. Third, as an old author who might stop writing at any moment and leave the industry, my condition worsens day by day due to age and mental exhaustion. After all, I have been writing web novels for twenty-five years now, having started in the year 2000, and I''m really tired... Knowing that whatever I write will likely not achieve much success, and under the pressure of making a living, there are many themes I don''t dare to touch... However, there are always some scenes that I want to behold at least once... I also invite my readers to join me on this journey, to witness the new landscapes together. Seeking encouragement from your initial subscriptions and monthly tickets! It''s only with your generous support that I can travel a bit further... Many thanks! Chapter 68 67. Quickness Technique (Hmm, asking for monthly votes) Indeed, having the company of a beautiful girl, riding in a prestigious carriage, sipping coffee while gazing at the riverside scenery of the Rose River, was exceptionally delightful.Back on Earth, as an ordinary math teacher, Mr. Huang had never experienced such luxury. On modern Earth, humanity was simply too competitive, and it was even more difficult to stand out! Charles was chatting leisurely with Anne while also finding time to practice Bloody Glory. Perhaps it was the relaxed environment that provided a special boost, for as they passed the Lantern Tower built in memory of the Lampbearer, the Bloody Vortex on his left leg suddenly trembled slightly and a Bloody Rune quietly took shape... Charles couldn''t help but smile broadly, thinking to himself, "Great, I''ve finally mastered the rune of the Quickness Technique." Charles felt as though his body had become half its weight, but in front of Anne, it wasn''t appropriate to start hopping around like a toad to try out his new special ability. He suppressed his urge, remaining calm and relaxed as he continued to enjoy the scenery with Anne, occasionally stepping out of the carriage to visit a stylish shop by the roadside. If there were no threat from the Evil God, no imminent duel, and no grievances with the Liemar Detective Agency, this kind of life was exactly what a less ambitious transmigrator would adore. The ambition stirred up during Charles''s escape dissolved by one or two percent in such an atmosphere. When he dropped Anne back at the University of Georgia and her carriage was still parked at the school by the time he returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, it was already evening. Charles specifically asked Madam Nancy if she would be going home. Madam Nancy said she could stay at home, needing only half a day off each week. Charles, being a modern man, keenly spotted an issue and asked, "Madam Nancy, do you have any family members that need looking after?" Madam Nancy, slightly embarrassed, replied, "I have a son!" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles asked, "Is he still in school?" Madam Nancy''s expression turned somber as she answered, "He dropped out over half a year ago." Charles smiled, "I''m in need of a young manservant to help with some chores. Let your son assist me." Madam Nancy was overjoyed, thanking him profusely. After confirming that Charles wouldn''t be going out, she drove away from Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 to fetch her belongings. Charles wasn''t worried about the newly hired coachman not coming back. The carriage service provided guarantees, and he was a high-ranking official in the Patrolling Army. Normally, the Patrolling Army''s case-solving efficiency was low, but for their commander''s case, the efficiency would certainly be higher and other district patrols would cooperate, as this was an "internal case". Alone at last, Charles could no longer contain himself. In the yard, he activated the Quickness Technique rune, and to his astonishment, he leapt to a height of seven to eight meters. This height was indeed terrifying, comparable only to some of the more renowned leaping antelopes. Charles bent his body and sped around the yard. His speed was so fast it almost seemed as though his feet didn''t touch the ground. He had come to a fantastical world, yet it was as if he possessed the legendary Qinggong. Charles repeatedly practiced the Quickness Technique in his own yard, growing increasingly pleased with this special ability. The Quickness Technique''s drain on Bloody Glory was very low; as a Fourth Order Transcendent, he could maintain the Quickness Technique nearly all day long. Madam Nancy returned quickly, and as a coachman, she naturally didn''t have a living space upstairs, but found a spot in the basement to set up her bed. Although Charles felt somewhat reluctant, this was not Earth, and if he allowed Madam Nancy to move upstairs, rumors about his fondness for robust female coachmen would likely spread uncontrollably, even affecting Anne Brittany''s perception of him. Such kindness wouldn''t substantially improve Madam Nancy''s circumstances, at most it would satisfy the transmigrator''s petty awkwardness. Charles was not a person prone to awkwardness, so he only felt uneasy for a moment before adapting to the local customs. Having a carriage indeed made things more convenient, and the very next day it rained, Charles rode the carriage to Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, enjoying the rainy view through the window with delight. Of course, if he didn''t have the carriage, he definitely wouldn''t have gone to work today. After all, in the Lucavaro District, he was the boss of the Patrolling Army. Nominally, Charles had over seven hundred people under him, more than a hundred of whom were adventurers he had recruited himself. Additionally, Dobin had brought over a hundred members of the Patrolling Army, so the actual number of people he could mobilize was two hundred and sixty-seven. When he reached Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, one hundred ninety members of the Patrolling Army were actually present. Seventy to eighty had taken leaves or simply skipped work. Charles knew that now was not the time to fuss about this. He initially received paperwork for over one hundred seventy people from the Central Government Office of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, although among those, the positions of thirty-some people were "fudged," but after processing the adventurers'' documents, there were still a few extra sheets. Charles first arranged for Madam Nancy to get an identity in the Patrolling Army, but Madam Nancy could only take up the lowest-ranking position. As a fifty-third class first-grade private in the Patrolling Army, her weekly salary was only thirty-five Sheng Ding, which couldn''t fully cover her salary expenses, and Charles had to dip into his own pocket to make up the fifty Sheng Ding. A regular coachman definitely wouldn''t be this expensive, and Charles didn''t know why Madam Nancy was worth so much. But... who cares!? After the probation period, if he was unsatisfied, he''d just fire her. Whether private employees or Imperial Civil Servants, none were irreplaceable; the Fars Empire had no laws protecting labor rights. Just like when he was still Clerk Chief, considered a low-tier elite of the Empire, he was still fired from his public position by Magru Teller. Charles dealt with some "official matters" lightly. As an external urban district, security in the Lucavaro District had virtually collapsed, mainly maintained by a delicate balance enforced by various gang members. Originally, the Patrolling Army here didn''t "actually exist," but now that there was a Patrolling Army, conflicts with the previous gangs were inevitable. However, aside from Dobin''s proactive work, the rest of the Patrolling Army were just muddling along, and although there were a few minor conflicts, no major incident had occurred yet. Dobin indeed had a good grasp on the gangs of Lucavaro District. As an outer urban area with a mix of city and rural influences, there were over twenty gangs, but the five largest controlled over ninety percent of the underground power in Lucavaro District. Charles had no interest in these matters and merely got to know them; after all, with his own mess to deal with, how could he possibly handle the Patrolling Army''s "business"? Charles stayed in the Patrolling Army for a while, had a heart-to-heart talk with a dozen people¡ªthis was based on his experience dealing with mischievous students from his teaching days. The recruited adventurers, still mindful of the money he had promised, and the Patrolling Army soldiers who came with Dobin, felt quite unsettled and needed some reassurance. Chapter 69 68, Doors Facing Each Other for Sniping Charles finished lunch and happily clocked out from work.The streets of Strasbourg, fresh from a rainfall, were extremely muddy; after all, this wasn''t Earth, where even the Imperial Palace didn''t have all paved roads, let alone the city streets! Such road conditions were unsuitable for a date, especially since Miss Annie was a noblewoman who couldn''t afford to get her shoes dirty. Charles planned to head straight home and continue studying his diary. The excitement he had felt when he first acquired his carriage had faded, and on the way back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, he no longer admired the scenery and even dozed off a little. Suddenly, the Bloody Vortex between Charles''s brows vibrated, and his Insight automatically activated. He "saw" a familiar corpulent figure a dozen steps away, wearing a large military uniform stretched tight and somewhat tattered, with an angry expression on his face, his left arm raised across his chest, holding a thunderous gun in his right hand, aiming it at "himself," ready to shoot. "Fuck!" "Magru Teller? How did he get out?" This former warden of Kilmainham Prison should be locked up in a cell, not moonlighting as an assassin. Without time to think further, Charles pushed open the carriage door, hooked his arm over the edge, and agilely flipped onto the roof like a cat. He took out the Antispace Sniper Rifle from his Alchemical staff, dropped the staff, and stepped on it to prevent it from falling off the carriage. He then knelt on one knee, taking a standard shooting stance, and loaded a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet; with the Quickness Technique he had recently mastered, he completed the whole process in one second and then pulled the trigger without hesitation! Though Magru Teller was the one lying in ambush, Charles managed a preemptive shot with the warning from his Insight and over three times the "hand speed" provided by the Quickness Technique. He hadn''t used the Magnum Hand Shuttle or Alchemy handgun on him, as the former prison warden was also a Seventh Rank Knight who had touched the threshold of being a Mid-Level Transcendent; ordinary bullets might not break through his Protective Battle Qi. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet blasted like divine fire onto Magru Teller''s body. Charles wasn''t close range in combat, but his shooting skills were reliable. Just one shot tore apart the upper half of his former superior''s body. From the lower abdomen down, Magru Teller, blasted by the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, rolled on the ground and then struggled to his feet without a hint of pain on his face. Instead, his expression was fierce as he shouted loudly, "You ruined my family! I will drag you down to Hell with me." Charles couldn''t help but retort, "It wasn''t me who stripped your family''s wealth!" He may have split the money, but he really didn''t force Magru Teller to spit out the "loot." He didn''t even know who had made the move. After all, there were so many members of the Patrol Army capable of interrogation... Charles was also wondering, "How is this guy not dead yet? Half of his body is decayed!" "Could it be that he has summoned the Evil God too?" Whenever Charles thought of the Evil God, he felt uneasy. There was no helping it, he currently had buffs from two Evil Gods that might descend at any moment! Charles was about to give his former superior an extra shot. Surviving with half a body¡ªit''s simply too horrifying. Although the essence of life of a Mid-Level Transcendent was exceptionally sweet to Charles, he did not attempt to use the Vampiric Hand Axe, as ranged combat was still safer. Magru Teller seemed to sense the danger and suddenly grew countless flesh-threads from his body. These threads touched the ground, and he abruptly leaped towards Charles at high speed. Charles aimed three times but failed to lock onto the target each time. He had no choice but to abandon shooting. After all, he wasn''t a Transcendent shooter, and he simply lacked the skill to hit such a swiftly moving target. He stretched out his foot to hook an alchemy wand, slapped the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle into it, and, with a flick of his hand, threw the Vampiric Hand Axe. Under the control of Blood Flame Qi, the Vampiric Hand Axe followed a bizarre trajectory, intercepting Magru Teller three times, but every time it struck the former prison warden, it was repelled by a strange force. The flesh-threads growing on Magru Teller soon turned into eight long legs. With these legs slicing through the air, he moved like a half-man, half-spider creature, several times faster than a normal human being. Worried about harming Madam Nancy or bystanders, Charles leaped prematurely, landing on the roof of a building along the street. Magru Teller immediately followed up, even able to run on vertical walls. The two moved from rooftop to rooftop, chasing and fighting. Madam Nancy showed no signs of panic. She touched the pistol inside her coat but ultimately gave up on joining the battle, sighed, and muttered to herself, "I''m sorry, Mister Mecklen, I''ve got a child." Charles''s Quickness Technique was still rudimentary, and soon the distance between them closed. Magru Teller raised his thunderous gun and fired eight shots in succession. The thunderous gun, though bulkier than the Magnum Hand Shuttle, had a smaller magazine to ensure firepower, and could only hold eight bullets. Charles returned a few shots with the Magnum Hand Shuttle, but the ordinary bullets it used, being of average power, were repelled by a strange force when they hit Magru Teller, completely unable to breach his defenses. Although the alchemy pistol was more finely crafted, with longer range, faster shooting speed, and higher accuracy, its power was not greater. Charles knew it wasn''t worth trying, so he reholstered the Magnum Hand Shuttle, preparing to switch to Blood Rose combat. After Magru Teller emptied his ammunition, he took out a box of special bullets with a sinister smile and loaded them into the thunderous gun. Charles inwardly complained, "I am a non-combat civil servant; why must I engage in a street battle?" Although the Patrolling Army was not the primary combat force, they were still troops. In the Empire''s military hierarchy, they were considered the main force in street fighting, the troops used to fill gaps, but Charles was the head of civil servants, not part of the combat sequence. Magru Teller fired eighteen rounds in a row before Charles belatedly exclaimed in surprise, "This guy has a spatial ammunition bag!" "Otherwise, how could he possibly carry so many bullets?" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles had intended to exhaust Magru Teller''s combat strength by dodging and fighting. After all, he was a graduate of Sheffield University and had long seen through the former prison warden''s source of combat power. This was a Cursed Armament! Originating from the Classical Alchemy of the Kabbalah Magic System, if Protagora was called a great philosopher, the Kabbalah was the philosopher amongst philosophers, belonging to the founders of a school of thought, not merely the creators of Secret Techniques. Kabbalah was a follower of the Lampbearer, who delved into the Dead Sea scrolls and even established a magic system named after himself, also the founder of Classical Alchemy, the grandmaster. Cursed Armaments were the pinnacle product of Classical Alchemy, also the ultimate masterpiece of Self Alchemy. Chapter 70 69, Classical Alchemy and Classic Alchemy Two alchemical schools were popular in the Old Continent.One was called Classical Alchemy, also known as Magic Alchemy. Charles''s staff is a product of this school, with the highest achievement called Self Alchemy, transforming oneself into rare and curious objects. For example, Magru Teller, now half-man half-spider, refused to die despite his lower half being blasted away. The followers of the Lampbearer did not establish a university. This school''s teachings were secretly passed down. Although Charles had seen some fragments of documents, he did not fully understand the Kabbalah Magic school and did not know how to crack the Cursed Armament. The other school is called Classic Alchemy, founded by the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, Hermes, a devout of the God of Mechanics and Alchemy. Hence, Classic Alchemy is also known as Mechanical Alchemy. Techniques like antispace and long-range sniper rifles are products of Classic Alchemy, and the highest creation of this branch is the creation of deities. Although the followers of the God of Mechanics and Alchemy did not found a university, the Great Philosopher Hermes had once been a professor at Hatingen Thunder and Stormwind University, hence all four universities offer Classic Alchemy courses. During his college years, Charles had also envied the splendor of alchemy, but although he was born into a merchant family, his elder brother controlled the family''s finances. Alchemy is famously a money pit, and his family could not afford to provide substantial funds for him to pursue such a money-draining venture. Moreover, he had never shown talent in the path of the Transcendent, not even being good at cultivating Fighting Spirit, so his family did not believe he could achieve anything in alchemy either. Fortunately, even among the four universities, there were not many who could afford the study of alchemy. So, during his school days, Charles maintained a rather peaceful mindset. Now, seeing a high-grade product of Classical Alchemy, aside from being chased, he also felt some regret that he could not take any spoils of war. The Cursed Armament is rooted in the user''s husk and soul; indeed, in some sense, the user''s husk and soul are also part of the materials for the Curse, making it impossible to separate. Once the user died, the Cursed Armament would also be destroyed. Magru Teller had long understood that he could not progress far on the Transcendent path. Being a seventh-level knight was probably the limit of his life, which is why he had spent all his wealth to seek out the thirteenth secret of the Alchemist Master, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, to custom-make this set of Cursed Armament for himself. Seeing Charles''s agile movement technique and missing all his shots, he threw down his thunderous gun, suddenly wielding a massive axe in his hand, sneered, and charged at him with a howl, even faster than before. Charles did not want to remain passive either. Manifesting the Bloody Glory, he swept his alchemy staff to "brush" against the descending massive axe, refusing to directly resist the blow. Although Charles was also a Fourth Order Transcendent, having mastered four Bloody Runes, Insight, Blood Flame Qi, and Angel''s Thorn, Quickness Technique, he was still rocked by a tremendous force that numbed his arm and could not help but inwardly exclaim, "What immense strength this fellow has!" Magru Teller, now completely transformed into a half-man, half-spider monster, wielded his axe swiftly. Although his axe skills were not exquisite, combined with his unparalleled strength, he made Charles sweat profusely from the effort to avoid his attacks. As he swung the round massive axe, striking fierce and aggressive blows, he bellowed, "Do you know? Once the Cursed Armament is activated, one can never revert again, I can no longer return to a human form, and it''s all your fault." Charles pointed his alchemy staff, executed the Quickness Technique, and leaped back more than ten meters, thinking to himself, "Without the Cursed Armament, you''d probably be dead by now." But there was no need to quip about that to the opponent and he called out solemnly, "Why seek revenge on me? I have no quarrel with you!" Raging, Magru Teller shouted, "If it weren''t for your accusations, saying I framed Menilman, how could I have been abandoned by the higher-ups, stripped of my warden''s position, and thrown into prison?" "Kilmainham Prison only held trash, and those damned prison guards were trash too. I should never have been there." "They forced me to cough up the wealth I had amassed over a lifetime, humiliated me, tortured me, and intimidated me." "I''ve killed them all now, leaving only you." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Magru Teller''s stamina seemed inexhaustible; swinging a giant axe and roaring in battle for over half an hour, he still showed no signs of fatigue. Though the battle between the two had drawn countless onlookers and even damaged many homes, Charles tried his best to prevent destruction in the surrounding area. However, the battle was not so easy to control, yet still, no sign of the Patrolling Army. Charles himself was the chief officer; of course, he knew what the Patrolling Army was like. He no longer hoped anyone would stop Magru Teller; he could only desperately think of a way to defeat his opponent with his current combat strength. Charles was fairly certain that as long as Magru Teller stood still, he could obliterate him with just two Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, but the former warden moved too quickly, and Charles didn''t have many of these bullets left. Lord Leo had only given him twenty in total, and once they were used up, that would be it. That''s why he was hesitant to fire recklessly. The Vampiric Hand Axe was blocked by the eerie energy emanating from Magru Teller, unable to chop through and break his defense. It was very likely that the Blood Rose wouldn''t work either, and the Magnum Hand Shuttle and Alchemy Handgun were even less likely to succeed. In an instant, Charles thought of seven or eight strategies, but none seemed truly useful. Charles felt that he was at a disadvantage, exhausting his wits without securing a victory, but he didn''t realize that, a hundred meters away, two spectators were utterly astonished by his formidable strength. Reggie Asu and Calanda Modi, both Mid-Level Transcendents and employees of the Liemar Detective Agency, were two of the candidates scheduled for a duel with Charles. They had brought the duel contract crafted by Aubrey Barrington Atwood and came to Sparrowhawk Street to deliver it, also taking the opportunity to observe their opponent. According to the records, Charles was merely a Fourth Order Transcendent who walked the relatively mediocre early-stage path of Bloody Glory but had an outstanding record, having killed eight detectives from the Liemar Agency, including Winterburn, who was also Fourth Order. They had not expected to witness Charles being "assassinated in the street" by a Mid-Level Transcendent. As Magru Teller dueled with Charles down the long street, his body was half-destroyed; the two just marveled, noting that the young man possessed a Transcendent-Level rifle and was decisive in action, truly skilled. When Magru Teller used the Cursed Armament, transforming into a half-human, half-spider monster, the two were genuinely astounded. Charles, with his limited combat experience, had no idea that in this state, Magru Teller''s strength was comparable to a Mid-Level High-Grade, at least equal to a Tenth-Level Knight. Being able to trade blows with Magru Teller, who was using Cursed Armament, and only slightly at a disadvantage, Reggie Asu and Calanda Modi exchanged glances, deciding to persuade their boss to remove both names from the duel list. After all, they weren''t truly "relatives" of those eight deceased detectives. Chapter 71 70. Trueè·¯Bloody Glory Charles had no idea that two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency were spying on him; he was particularly grateful at this moment that he had mastered the Quickness Technique rune yesterday."It''s a pity I haven''t broken through to the Fifth Order. If I could also master the Spirit Spider Technique rune, this monster wouldn''t be able to outrun me." In Charles''s mind at this time, Magru Teller had become a monster, as his former boss had used a Cursed Armament and could no longer return to his human form. Charles did not use the Blood Rose; in his opinion, it wouldn''t turn the tide of battle and would instead reveal a trump card, so it was better not to use it for the time being. In his right hand, he wielded an alchemy wand, and in his left, the Vampiric Hand Axe, occasionally throwing a weapon, managing to fight without falling behind and with unmatched flair, the scene was not unsightly. Reggie Asu, who was observing the battle from afar, was also a master of swordsmanship; he once marveled at Wells''s swordsmanship and recommended him as one of the top three in the detective agency, but Charles moved unfettered, the Vampiric Hand Axe was one thing, capable of being manipulated through space, but the changes in his alchemy wand in hand were exquisitely varied, obviously surpassing even Wells. This diviner, though he was killed by Charles at first encounter, was a rising star in the Liemar Detective Agency and highly valued by the older detectives. Not only was he a diviner, he also had a second profession and was also a Second Order Knight, much like his most proud technique of divining the trajectory of bullets, he could also foresee the variations of swordsmanship, but his more outstanding skills overshadowed those that were relatively less so. Wells had even beaten Fourth Order detectives in the Liemar Detective Agency with his swordsmanship. Reggie Asu whispered to his partner, "Charles has at least two Special Abilities, Blood Flame Qi and Quickness Technique; even if you don''t consider them as special abilities, his swordsmanship alone is sufficient to challenge higher levels, defeating many Fifth and Sixth Order knights." Calanda Modi took a deep breath and said, "Fortunately, we came and witnessed this battle; if it were on the dueling field, neither of us would be a match for this guy." "Not to mention, he has several Extraordinary Weapons." "Damn! Do government officials really have that much money? We''ve toiled for years to save enough to buy one Extraordinary Weapon, and even then, its quality isn''t necessarily that great." Reggie Asu watched the battle intently, somewhat confusedly stating, "How come the other party in the battle seems to be that warden? Isn''t he the one who hired our detective agency?" Reminded by his partner, Calanda Modi also realized that the person attempting to assassinate Charles was Magru Teller and responded, "Indeed, it''s that warden. I heard he has fallen from grace and had most of his fortune extorted, what''s he doing out here again?" "Perhaps! Charles''s Extraordinary Weapons might just be Magru Teller''s wealth." Both detectives weren''t particularly well-informed, and their wild guesses were naturally far from the truth. Charles continued to wield his alchemy wand, fending off Magru Teller''s giant axe, and the Bloody Glory within him surged like boiling blood, moving back and forth within the Bloody Vortexes. He even felt a heat all over his body, and his fighting spirit grew increasingly high. Charles thought this was just a normal phenomenon of battle until he accidentally made a block without pure force, failing to deflect Magru Teller''s giant axe. His body was shaken by a powerful force, feeling unwell in his chest, he cursed in his mind and was about to desperately retreat when the Bloody Vortex at his heart suddenly expelled a streak of Bloody Glory that pierced through the other three Bloody Vortexes. An odd sensation suddenly emerged as the Vampiric Hand Axe, spurred by Blood Flame Qi, began to wail and tremble, its speed abruptly increasing by thirty percent, smashing through the protective Fighting Spirit of the former jail warden. Magru Teller''s life essence drained away in torrents as he roared fiercely. His Fighting Spirit burst forth, flinging the Vampiric Hand Axe away, just as he was about to deliver a crippling blow to Charles with the axe, it slowed by a third, scraping across his cheek and embedding itself in a thick wall, completely shattering it and causing the entire wall to collapse. Charles had a narrow escape from death, his heart pounding wildly, but the sensation from before was deeply imprinted in his mind. The runes of Blood Flame Qi vibrated again, sending out Bloody Glory once more, infusing the other three Bloody Vortices, and indeed, that feeling came again. The control over the Vampiric Hand Axe was nearly twice as flexible as in normal situations, and its power had increased by forty to fifty percent, even stronger than the previous strike. "So this is the true way to utilize Bloody Glory." Having changed the control mode for Bloody Glory, the Vampiric Hand Axe once again breached Magru Teller''s protective eerie force. As the former jail warden reached to pull it out, Charles summoned the bloodsucking weapon back to prevent it from falling into the enemy''s hands. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Manipulating a weapon from a distance was not without its weaknesses; if the enemy forcefully grabbed it, the weapon would change ownership. To avoid this, Charles aimed his attacks at places like the neck and the back. Magru Teller was furiously enraged, swinging his great axe like a windmill, denying Charles any further opportunity for attack. After two successful strikes, Charles instead calmed down, suppressing his desire to attack and began to ponder. If the Blood Flame Qi could operate in this way, what about the other three Bloody Runes? Taking a deep breath, a surge of Bloody Glory rose from his left leg, pouring into the other three Bloody Vortices; his body suddenly felt lighter by a third. Charles leaped up, reaching one or two picometers higher than when activating the Quickness Technique normally, his speed also increased by thirty percent! Magru Teller chased after him in anger, but each of his axe swings only cut through afterimages. Charles was overjoyed, muttering to himself, "So this is how to use Bloody Glory. I''ve been activating it all wrong, how did I not discover this trick in Protagora''s secret scrolls?" But Charles didn''t know that typically, an Apprentice who trained in Bloody Glory had to have opened six or seven Bloody Vortices and begun practicing Blood Banquet Meditation, penetrating into the Bloody Runes. Cultivators at that level naturally knew the technique to connect multiple Bloody Vortices to amplify Bloody Glory. Discover hidden stories at empire With every Bloody Vortex he opened, he formed a Bloody Rune, taking a path different from others and thereby being unaware of this elementary trick. Having realized the trick of amplifying Special Abilities with the help of the Bloody Vortex, Charles''s battle capability surged dramatically. Seizing an opportunity, his figure flickered, closing in on Magru Teller. From his palm, the Blood Rose erupted, piercing the former supervisor''s head at a strange angle. Despite being protected by a Cursed Armament, such a critical spot being penetrated by Blood Rose, another bloodsucking weapon, caused Magru Teller''s cheeks to visibly collapse, his entire head soon exploding into a mist of blood. Charles retracted the Magic Stabbing Sword, watching as Magru Teller''s decapitated body fell to the ground. The Curse Technique backlashed, causing his body to disintegrate inch by inch until he turned into ashes, prompting Charles to sigh softly to himself. The man could have avoided death, even this dire fate, but he chose to side with a particular party, getting involved in the struggle between the great nobles... Chapter 72 71. Promoted to Fifth Order (more updates at midnight on Sunday) If Magru Teller had not wanted to investigate Menilman behind the scenes, or forcefully made Charles betray his senior, no one could have shaken his position. He could have stayed comfortably as a warden in his cushy job.Charles, too, did not understand why people in this world always employ unscrupulous means to climb the ladder of success. What''s worse, they only see the potential benefits and never consider how dire the backlash could be once they faced retribution. Magru Teller did not come from a prominent background, and if the former warden had even slight backing, he wouldn''t have been helpless after losing power, nor would he have been tormented so badly by several army wardens. How much had he sacrificed and suffered to climb to the position of warden at Kilmainham Prison? Now that his family was ruined and he himself destroyed, it was as hateful as it was pitiful and lamentable. Previously, Charles only had a conceptual understanding of the nobility from feudal dynasties through books, but after meeting Anne''s cousin Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei, he fully grasped that "the truth from books is shallow; one must experience it personally" is indeed an ultimate proverb. In this world, there is a vast difference between nobles and commoners. He truly did not believe that these two young officers could become Seventeenth Rank knights purely by their own strength¡ªone so young to be a 24th Rank First-Level Warrant Officer, and the other, slightly less distinguished, a 25th Rank Fifth Order Army Warden. Although they were enemies, Charles deeply knew that the president of Liemar Detective Agency, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, and warden Magru Teller, represented the upper limit of what ordinary people could achieve. After Magru Teller died, his body suffered the backlash of curse techniques and turned into ashes, leaving only a small, dark clump on the ground. Charles walked over and kicked it twice, not recognizing what it was since he hadn''t much exposure to Alchemy at university. As he debated whether to crush Magru Teller''s last remains under his foot or pick it up for someone else to identify, he was somewhat averse to handling residue extracted from a corpse. An eager voice then said, "Sir, could you sell me the remains of that curse technique under your foot?" Looking up, Charles saw two men. He didn''t recognize them, but he identified the black coats they wore as the signature of the Liemar Agency. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles asked somewhat playfully, "How much are you offering?" The speaker was Reggie Asu, who immediately recognized the clump of cursed remains. Even though the cursed armament was completely destroyed, this clump, once processed, could yield some curse technique materials. He had long wanted to ask an Alchemist Master to help craft a set of cursed armaments but had yet to gather all the materials. Even if he couldn''t use it himself, it could be traded, as Alchemy materials were priceless and many people wouldn''t accept Aegeus but only barter. Find more chapters on empire After pondering for a moment, Reggie responded, "Ten Aegeus!" Feigning profundity, Charles smiled and said, "I graduated from Sheffield University." Charles wasn''t bragging about his alma mater but subtly informing the other party that he "knew his stuff," although he genuinely didn''t recognize the item. The prestige of Sheffield University indeed worked. After a moment''s calculation, Reggie said, "Twenty-five Aegeus, that''s the highest price I can offer. Perhaps you could get a slightly higher price selling to those merchants, but they would need to authenticate and assess it, which is very cumbersome, and you might not get the money within half a month." Charles agreed with the other''s view and said, "Cash!" Reggie nodded, instructed his companion to stay, and then turned to leave. Half an hour later, he returned carrying a money pouch with freshly withdrawn notes from the Savings Union. Charles counted and verified the authenticity of the notes using methods taught at his school and, satisfied, declared, "This clump is yours now." The two completed the transaction, each getting what they needed and going their separate ways. Calanda Modi glanced back at Charles, who had already climbed back into the carriage, and whispered to his companion, "He must have recognized us." Reggie Asu responded with a slight smile, "But he pretended not to recognize us, didn''t he?" Calanda Modi, with a hint of envy, said, "With that mass of Curse Technique remnants, you should be able to complete that Cursed Armament set." Excited, Reggie Asu nodded and remarked, "In a few days, I might need some cash, can you lend me some to tide me over?" Spreading his hands, Calanda Modi replied, "No problem with lending money between old colleagues." Charles returned to the carriage and said to Madam Nancy, "Back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58!" The carriage started to move slowly, but Charles delved into his research on Bloody Glory. Through battle testing, he had discovered that rather than directly activating Bloody Glory, it was more effective to trigger each Bloody Rune and channel it to another Bloody Vortex, with each location amplifying the power by ten percent. He had activated four Bloody Vortices, which meant that each Bloody Rune triggered could amplify the power of his techniques by thirty percent. He finally understood why, in his time, Protagora had been invincible and became the nemesis of the Blood Clan! This Great Philosopher of the Human Race must have opened thirteen Bloody Vortices, which meant each of his techniques instantly amplified the power by 120 percent! Who, at the same level, could withstand an enemy whose power suddenly more than doubled? Harnessing this Secret Technique, Charles tried a new method to assimilate the life essence he had absorbed, finding it much faster than before. Having drawn from the intense life force of Magru Teller, a Seventh Rank Knight, by the time he returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, Charles''s right leg trembled slightly as he finally activated the fifth Bloody Vortex. In other words, Charles had finally ascended to a Fifth Order Transcendent. The next morning, as soon as Charles had gotten out of bed, he heard a knock at the door. Madam Nancy hurried up from the basement to ask about the situation and then opened the door. Miss Annie burst into the house like a whirlwind, showing none of the restraint expected from a lady as she charged up to the third floor. Charles had not even finished dressing when he saw Annie rush into his room. The young noblewoman, her face filled with urgency, said, "It''s terrible! My cousin''s army has been suddenly ordered to move and has already left for the front!" "He specifically sent someone to apologize to me, saying he couldn''t stand in for you at the duel." Charles was startled, but he quickly regained his composure. Having never fully relied on foreign aid, he smiled and said, "Miss Annie, thank you for letting me know. Although I too am disappointed, I quite understand Krel and Ebner''s position, as they are military men who must obey the commands of their country." "My affair is merely a private duel and should not interfere with national security. Their choice is the right one." Annie knew there was no use arguing about military deployments. Her cousin and Ebner didn''t have a choice, but she didn''t want Charles to face danger and said worriedly, "What will you do then? You can''t cope with a High-Level Transcendent!" Charles knew well that he had no chance of winning against a High-Level Transcendent in a duel, unless the duel took place at Machu Picchu Fortress. He now found himself longing for that fortress, which had been transformed into a maze. Chapter 73 72. Soul Communication Spell and Cat Transformation Spell (Give the old toad a boost) Charles first put on his clothes; although he held a civilian position, as the overall commander of the Patrolling Army, he also owned several sets of military attire. These days, he alternated between common attire and military attire. Yesterday, Madam Nancy had laundered several pieces of his common attire, and they were not dry yet, so today, he wore his military attire.On Earth, military attire prioritized utility, but in the Fars Empire, it was categorized into three levels: the lower-level soldier uniforms were simple, designed to be cheap and durable; from the 37th rank upwards, referred to as the lower echelons of the nobility, the focus of the military uniforms shifted to aesthetics, designed by a dedicated team of masters in clothing design ¨C speaking only of style, they were stunningly handsome. Above the 24th rank, referred to as the insurmountable class, the military attire was part of an extraordinary set, each piece worthy of being called a "family heirloom." Charles, although not a military enthusiast in his previous life, grew quite fond of the Empire''s military uniforms after crossing over to the Fars Empire. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having changed into his military uniform, Anne''s eyes brightened. When Charles usually sought her out for dates, he mostly wore common attire; this was her first time seeing the "skin" of Charles''s military uniform. Already exceptionally handsome, Charles looked even more majestic and imposing in his military uniform. Anne only indulged in admiring Charles''s "beauty" for a short moment before she couldn''t help but start worrying again. Charles asked Madam Nancy to prepare some coffee and took Anne up to the terrace, where he, the man about to duel, comforted the noble miss, providing her with mental encouragement. "Even without Krel and Ebner, it isn''t the end of the world," he said. "I have mastered several Bloody Runes and the unique techniques of Bloody Glory, and I possess two extraordinary weapons. Not even an ordinary mid-level Transcendent can do anything to me," he continued. "There''s also some good news, Miss Annie; I''ve just advanced to Fifth Order¡­" Charles used all his wits to get Annie to relax somewhat. Upon hearing of Charles''s advancement to Fifth Order, she showed a look of surprise and exclaimed, "How could you have done it so quickly?" Experience new stories on empire Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "Perhaps the pressure was just too great!" "I''m not talking about the duel!" she said. "It''s the desire... The desire to continue my relationship with Miss Annie that forced me to strive forward and refuse to stop," he explained. A blush spread across Annie''s lovely face, and after bowing her head slightly, revealing a charming girlish demeanor, she still couldn''t let go of her concerns; in a low voice, she said, "I will also think of a way to ensure your victory, Charles." After spending a little over an hour with Charles, she hurriedly took her leave, obviously intent on "thinking of a way." Charles couldn''t bring himself to keep her, so after seeing Annie off, he asked Madam Nancy to go to Sparrowhawk Street number one to inquire with his subordinates of the Patrolling Army about what had happened at Kilmainham Prison. The adventurers were one thing, but the group brought over by Dobin were the sneaky locals of Strasbourg, and gathering information was their specialty. Charles didn''t plan to go to work today, nor did he need to take leave. He intended to stay home and polish his newly mastered Bloody Glory. Madam Nancy returned quite swiftly, her face somewhat solemn as she informed Charles, "According to the Patrolling Army, the former warden, Mr. Magru Teller, suddenly launched an assault during his interrogation, killing over a dozen prison soldiers and escaping from the prison." "They say the scene was grisly!" Charles couldn''t help but mourn for his former colleagues, unsure if any of his acquaintances had perished in the tragedy. Fortunately, he didn''t know many people in Kilmainham Prison¡ªhardly even three¡ªso it seemed unlikely that they had all been killed by Magru Teller. Charles spent the entire day practicing magic at home and, as the evening arrived, an unexpected visitor came. It was the head of Liemar Detective Agency, Vinnie Yarsaenu, a detective with the title of Fairy Cat Detective and the employer of his former fianc¨¦e, Silvie Martin. The expression on the female detective''s face was complex as she got straight to the point, "I''m here to deliver a duel invitation." "Your duel with that former prison warden was witnessed by two detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency, who happened to be one of the original duelists. They have now both withdrawn from participating in the duel, and this is a new invitation." Charles remembered the two detectives who had bought the curse technique remains. He was slightly surprised; he had thought they were just passing by and didn''t expect there to be this kind of involvement. He smiled and said, "Having two fewer duelists is also good news, isn''t it?" Vinnie Yarsaenu shrugged and said, "You must have received the bad news too! Addison''s brother has been promoted to the 14th rank!" Charles took a deep breath and said, "Thanks, I really hadn''t received that piece of bad news." He had always planned to set the duel location at Machu Picchu and later, Annie had even offered the help of her cousin to fight on his behalf, so... Charles really hadn''t been paying attention to who his duel opponent was. Vinnie looked slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "You really don''t get flustered by surprises." While they were talking, three Agile Cat kittens staggered their way over. Ever since Charles had brought them home, he allowed them to move freely around the room, letting them fully express their love for exploration and adventure. He only sealed off certain spots that might be dangerous for the kittens to prevent any mishaps. Upon seeing the Agile Cat kittens, Vinnie Yarsaenu was very pleased and even took out a small bag of special soft cat food to feed the three little ones. "Mr. Charles, what made you think of raising three Agile Cats?" Charles answered, "The house is really too empty, I need a bit of lively spirit." Vinnie chuckled and said, "Mr. Charles, would you be interested in learning some Fairy Cat Magic?" Charles was about to refuse; he was a student at Sheffield University and wasn''t really interested in the fairy magic taught at the University of Georgia. Although he had fleeting thoughts of learning it before, those were just fleeting desires and he had lost the impulse afterwards. Vinnie Yarsaenu smiled slightly and said, "The basics of Fairy Cat Magic only involve two small spells, the Soul Communication Spell and the Cat Transformation Spell!" "With your spirituality, you probably only need a few hours to learn them. The Soul Communication Spell will allow you to communicate with your pets, making them a bit more docile, and the Cat Transformation Spell is quite an interesting little spell." After pondering for a moment, Charles smiled and said, "Then I''ll have to trouble you, Vinnie." In his previous life, he had pets too and knew how unruly these ''rebellious children'' could be when they didn''t listen. A magic that could make cats obedient, well-behaved, and not mischievous was certainly worth learning. Vinnie Yarsaenu had three reasons for wanting to teach Charles Fairy Cat Magic. She knew that if Charles wanted to learn Fairy Cat Magic, he didn''t necessarily have to learn from her. Even though Annie''s transcendental path was that of a Dreamwalker, she was a student at the University of Georgia, and finding a textbook on Fairy Cat Magic wouldn''t be difficult. Chapter 74 73. Soul Communication Spell and Cat Transformation Spell (Part 2) Charlotte''s recent combat achievements were indeed formidable. Discover more stories at empireVinnie Yarseno was very curious to know just how much depth Mister Mecklen still possessed. The speed of learning Fairy Cat Magic, performance, and results could probe many things, such as spirituality, comprehension, and talent. Moreover, although the Cat Detective Agency was a major detective agency in Strasbourg, it was primarily a female-led business, with female employees accounting for seventy percent of its workforce, making it relatively vulnerable at times and not renowned for combat prowess. Vinnie Yarseno had always been committed to recruiting external support for the agency so that in times of crisis, they could call upon formidable fighters. Although Charlotte was still a lower-ranked supernatural, her potential was boundless, and Vinnie wanted to invest in her early. As for the third reason, it was rather complicated; she always felt that Charlotte harbored many secrets... Having faced the Evil God twice, Charlotte''s spirituality was as high as that of a high-level transcendent. Learning entry-level magic was a breeze for him. He rapidly elevated his spirituality with the "Cat''s Three-Hand Seal" and sensed the life throbs of three Agile Cats. Following the rites of Fairy Cat Magic, Charlotte soothed the three Agile Cat kittens, and quickly felt that the little darlings were quite dependent on him, opening up their "spirituality shielding" and allowing him to explore their still tender minds. After communicating with the three Agile Cat kittens, Charlotte exited the Soul Communication Spell. When he opened his eyes, the three Agile Cat kittens were indeed more affectionate towards him, even vaguely understanding some simple instructions. In the Old Continent, there are at least a hundred schools of Soul Communication Spell. Fairy Cat Magic is a traditional spell passed down by the Elf God. This school of Soul Communication Spell, though just entry-level magic, has characteristics not found in Evil God spells and ordinary magic; it includes a layer of protection. Any cat that has had the Soul Communication Spell cast on it will receive the caster''s protection, repelling others from casting the same spell on it again. Charlotte, having successfully performed the Soul Communication Spell for the first time, was overjoyed and said to Vinnie Yarseno, "Fairy Cat Magic is indeed a very cute form of magic." Vinnie Yarseno''s face was smiling, but inside, she was shocked. Charlotte''s practice of the Soul Communication Spell was as easy as a walk in the park; his talent and flair were almost comparable to the most famous prodigies of the Empire. "He was able to perform the Soul Communication Spell right away. His spirituality rivals that of a mid-level transcendent, or perhaps even higher. His comprehension and talent are rare. I had already held Mister Mecklen in high esteem, but it seems I still undercalculated." "He is even more talented than I imagined." Although Charlotte had exited the Soul Communication Spell, he could still faintly sense the emotions of the three Agile Cat kittens¡ªthey were hungry. Charlotte smiled, fetched some sheep''s milk, and the little cats immediately lapped it up, eating adorably. Vinnie Yarseno played with the kittens alongside Charlotte for a while, then coaxed him to try the Cat Transformation Spell. Charlotte did not refuse and gladly attempted it. After roughly half an hour, his spirituality vibrated slightly, and a figure made up of countless pure white runes in the shape of an Agile Cat appeared on his forehead. His entire body shrank suddenly, transforming into a young Agile Cat. Agile Cats naturally possess a trace of Spiritual Power, and approximately one in a few thousand can, given a chance, condense faint spirituality. These special Agile Cats, once discovered, can sell at extremely high prices and become top-grade spiritual pets. Such a cat with faint condensed spirituality, falling into the hands of someone practicing Fairy Cat Magic, even has the opportunity to embark on a transcendental path under the enhancement of the Soul Communication Spell. Charlotte, now transformed into an Agile Cat, suddenly realized why Vinnie Yarseno encouraged him to practice Fairy Cat Magic¡ªbecause in his feline form, his spirituality had climbed to another level. "In my cat state, I can''t use Bloody Glory!" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Bloody Vortex has disappeared as well." "All the special abilities..." "No! Insight is still there." "Why is only Insight still present?" Charles''s entire being surged with spirituality, converging on his forehead to form a band of pale golden patterns, adding a touch of dopey cuteness. "Wrong, the Quickness Technique is there too!" "It''s just a little different now." Charles leaped vigorously, his small body soaring into the air and landing directly on the roof. He stepped lightly on the roof, darting to the corner of the house, the entire process as smooth as flowing water, without making a single sound. The Agile Cats'' version of the Quickness Technique, when performed by a human, was more lithe and swift, with an even greater leaping power. Vinnie Yarsaenu exclaimed in surprise; she hadn''t expected that Charles would master the Cat Transformation Spell with more ease than the Soul Communication Spell, and the Agile Cat he transformed into had directly advanced to Transcendent. It was known that when she had mastered Fairy Cat Magic, it took her a month after learning the Cat Transformation Spell for her cat form to become Transcendent. Of course, at that time, she had only just advanced to Transcendence herself, unlike Charles, who was already at the Fourth Order. Of course, she didn''t know that Charles had just advanced another order and was now a Fifth Order Transcendent. Even so, Vinnie Yarsaenu understood that this Mister Mecklen had an extraordinary foundation and must be hiding a huge secret. She didn''t continue probing, but waited for Charles to romp around the room to his heart''s content, and after he had returned to his human form, she proposed to take her leave. Charles tried to detain her, but Vinnie Yarsaenu refused the invitation to dine together. Vinnie Yarsaenu had also arrived by carriage, and when Charles saw her out, he saw the same plump three-colored cat from before, lazing on top of the carriage. Yet the moment the cat saw Charles, it suddenly became spirited, jumped down from the carriage, circled around Charles a few times, meowed a few times, and then elegantly followed its owner onto the carriage. Vinnie Yarsaenu, smiling, picked up her spirit pet and waved goodbye to Charles. After sitting back down in the carriage, she fell into deep contemplation. After a long while, she murmured to herself softly, "Mister Mecklen will become a significant figure in the future." Charles had mastered both the Soul Communication Spell and the Cat Transformation Spell, and he was quite excited. He kept trying out these two Fairy Cat Magic spells at home, thoroughly enjoying himself, and consequently, he woke up late the next day. He had just gotten up when Madam Nancy brought up the prepared breakfast and also placed a black-sealed letter on the dining table. Charles was slightly stunned, for in the Fars Empire, black envelopes were only used for death announcements to family and friends. He opened it and glanced at it, involuntarily letting out a slight sigh¡ªit was a death announcement from the reception secretary at Kilmainham Prison, Madam Pascal. He recalled what Madam Nancy had brought back the day before¡ªthere was an eighty to ninety percent certainty that Madam Pascal''s death was the work of Magru Teller; it couldn''t be a coincidence. He hesitated for a moment and then said to Madam Nancy, "Three days from now, a friend of mine is holding a funeral, but I can''t attend due to other commitments. Could you go on my behalf and also send a Fu Er donation?" Chapter 92 90. Flame Scorching Blast Bullet (Request for first order, request for monthly ticket) Large hands, composed of Blood Flame, danced through the sky, constantly making various gestures.A look of delight dominated Charles''s face. Harriet truly deserved to be a High-Level Transcendent, with particularly robust vitality. He had managed to condense seven Flame Hands. The Flame Hand was found on page three of the Adonis Clan''s Vampire Secret Scrolls and wasn''t considered a profound Secret Technique, but condensing each Flame Hand usually required a year or two longer than the previous one. It normally took three to five years for a typical Blood Clan member to cultivate the first Flame Hand, and over five years for the second. Thus, most vampires of the Adonis Clan, having cultivated one Flame Hand, did not continue to delve into this technique but sought to break through to higher levels instead. Young High-Level vampires of the Adonis Clan typically possessed only three to five Flame Hands, which were sufficient for them. Unless one was a very old vampire, who had endless years with nothing to do, would they condense more Flame Hands. Charles was not a vampire, and the Protagora Scrolls did not mention these details. After all, most people realized that cultivating this was too time-consuming and would automatically stop to seek a breakthrough at a higher level. He had consumed the life essence of a High-Level Knight and had not encountered a bottleneck in this Secret Technique. He had unwittingly condensed seven Flame Hands before realizing he might have gone too far. With a thought from Charles, one of the Flame Hands rotated its fingers and acquired a Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros, this transcendent Alchemical Handgun aiming in seven different directions sequentially, as adept as a real hand. Another Flame Hand then produced a Magic Stabbing Sword Blood Rose, its blade as white as snow, fluttering gracefully, employing the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship "Enthralling Phantom" to an extent even more bizarre than when held by hand, with each angle of the blade unfathomably precise, surpassing the limits of human imagination. Charles mulled secretly, "Isn''t this the legendary ability to fight with many arms? I even have an extra hand! Those two extra heads seem rather useless. Maybe it''s better without them." Having had his fun, he snapped his fingers, and the seven hands burning with Blood Flame gradually shrank and flew to his side, vanishing out of sight. Charles casually touched his journal and the thought came to him that the time of Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan''s descent was postponed by another eighteen days. "Page four of the Vampire Secret Scrolls is the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet, a Special Ability that launches Psy-Bullets with bare hands and can also be loaded into transcendent firearms, greatly increasing the force compared to launching them by hand," he noted. "Given my rich Blood Energy, mastering this Secret Technique should not be hard; I estimate at most a month or two." "However, I am not lacking in long-range attack techniques, so I will master the Spirit Spider Technique first, then consider the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet!" "The Spirit Spider Technique should take less than two weeks!" Charles patted off the mud from his clothes due to the combat, twisted the Labyrinth, and stepped right next to Silvie Martin. Silvie, not expecting him, had been gripping a dagger all the while and thrust it out with all her might. Fortunately, as Charles was now a Fifth Order Transcendent and had the Quickness Technique to aid him, he swiftly dodged the strike and said with a smile, "Don''t be nervous, Cousin Silvie." Realizing it was him, Silvie breathed out softly, relaxing as she exclaimed irritably, "Don''t call me cousin." Charles shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I''m afraid, from now on, you''ll stay my cousin." "Unless, we never contact each other again." "Though it doesn''t matter to me, Vinnie and I might have quite a lot of business, and you won''t be leaving the Cat Detective Agency, so try to accept this identity." Silvie pursed her lips and said, "Well, I suppose that''s better than some other identity, easier for me to accept." Charles had no idea why Silvie hated him. Even the real Charles Meklen, who once ran naked through the streets being chased, did not know that his former fiancee had seen him in such an embarrassing state. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Confronting the Evil God merely made his memories clearer, but it could not conjure up memories that did not exist. He didn''t care much about this issue either. For a first-level Clerk Chief, Silvie was quite a good marriage prospect¡ªsuitable family backgrounds, their parents were friends, and Silvie, a beautiful woman and a graduate of the National Academy, had impeccable character and temperament. But for a thirty-fourth and fourth-level Clerk Chief, this marriage was quite average. Silvie was of no help to his career, she could at most be a virtuous wife, but the young lady wasn''t willing to be confined to family life; she preferred to work, rejecting the role of the conventional housewife. Mr. Huang Hai Sheng, a traditional man, would have been very troubled had Silvie not actively refused this marriage, but the current situation made it much easier for him. Charles smiled wryly as he quickly located Vinnie Yarsaenu with Silvie. Although the cat elf detective had transformed into a desert cat and hid well, using several secret passages, Charles, being the master of the Labyrinth, easily found her. When Vinnie Yarsaenu saw Charles and Silvie appear before her, she couldn''t help but let out a surprised "meow" twice. Realizing that they didn''t understand, she immediately rolled over and reverted to her human form. Vinnie asked, "Did you kill Harriet? Are you really a vampire?" Charles took out the Blood Rose, gently wiped the blade with his hand, showing the detective his palm. A trace of blood seeped from where the blade had cut; he obviously wasn''t going to give himself a serious wound, just a slight scratch was symbolic enough. Vinnie Yarsaenu, who initially didn''t believe it, became even more skeptical upon seeing the wound on his hand. Vampires do not have blood. Even if they are cut, their wounds emit a mist of Blood Energy, not fresh blood. Silvie pulled Charles''s hand over, glanced at it, then let go. The cut was too shallow; there was no need for bandaging. Charles gestured for Vinnie Yarsaenu to follow him, and he soon left Machu Picchu with the two ladies. As the two women looked back at the fortress ruins, they were both slightly sentimental. They hadn''t experienced the horror of the Labyrinth, but were rather surprised that a High-Level Transcendent like Harriet had died here. Discover more stories at empire Neither of them asked how Charles had killed Harriet. Vinnie thought that Charles had countless secrets, and this was just one of them. As a detective, exploring secrets was her utmost joy¡ªasking directly would have been no fun. Silvie didn''t bother to ask; as long as Charles was alive, why should she care how he survived? She preferred not to concern herself too much with her former fiance. Chapter 76 75. Dawn Fire, Cat Shooting (Holding a kitten and asking for monthly votes) The man with brown hair and gray eyes quickly followed suit and dashed out of the restaurant, but Charlotte''s shadow was nowhere to be found. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.His flying dagger spun around in his hand and slipped into his sleeve as he smiled faintly, about to say something, when the next second, like the roar of a dragon, a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet came flying from afar... Charlotte fired this shot with resentment in his heart. He was just a mathematics teacher who had transmigrated. His highest life goal was to marry a rich and beautiful wife, rise in rank, and become wealthy; how had he ended up being pursued for murder time and again? In Kilmainham Prison, because of the new warden, Magru Teller''s selfish actions, he was forced to report on Menilman. He fled, but Magru Teller was not willing to let it go and spent a lot of money to have the Liemar Detective Agency assassins chase after him, which started a chain of misfortunes. He had killed eight detectives from the Liemar Agency, and Aubrey Barrington Atwood, the president of the agency, had even bribed assassins from the Orc Assassin Alliance... Troubles suddenly seemed endless. "Magru Teller! You died a deserved death." "Aubrey Barrington Atwood, I will definitely kill you, destroy your Liemar Detective Agency, ruin your family, end your lineage, and leave none of your line!" Although Charlotte was a transmigrator, deep down, he still held onto some traditional Chinese values! Yes, that included a particular fondness for annihilating the entire families of his enemies. The man with brown hair and gray eyes reacted with incredible speed, his body flickered, creating afterimages in the air as he miraculously dodged the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet hit the ground, creating a deep pit as big as a basin, with the force of the bullet carving a trench seven or eight meters long into the earth. The assassin''s eyes tightened as he suddenly began to run, his speed was like that of a cheetah. Charlotte had missed with a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet and was about to fire another shot, but seeing the speed of the assassin, he knew he had lost his chance. He stored the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle in his alchemical staff, and with what seemed like a casual throw, he planted it into the nearby wall, drawing the Blood Rose. Though Charlotte was not a combatant, in an instant, he made the best decision. Faced with the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin, the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle would be momentarily useless, and the alchemical staff had no value in combat, so he had to abandon it and sneakily set a trap instead. The Vampiric Hand Axe had limited lethality; if the opponent''s speed was nearly the same, he could play around with ranged attacks, but the assassin''s speed outstripped his, leaving no chance to distance himself nor any margin to divert attention to control the Vampiric Hand Axe. Therefore, Charlotte chose the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship! With his Insight Ability fully activated, the Blood Rose, infused with Bloody Glory, emitted a faint buzz, and his tension soared to unprecedented levels. Charlotte had never before chosen to clash head-on with an enemy; although this was the most perfect tactic he could think of in the span of a few breaths, how could he relax against such a formidable opponent? The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin took a quick step and leaped into the air; his flying dagger shifted unpredictably. Charlotte responded with his rapier, and in the fraction of a moment, they exchanged seven or eight moves. Equipped with the Quickness Technique and amplified by Protagora''s Secret Technique, Charlotte''s speed was still slightly inferior, but with his Insight Ability and his Magic Stabbing Sword being longer than the enemy''s flying dagger, he could predict the enemy''s move with each stab, surprisingly fending off every attack from the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin. The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin let out a soft "huh" and said, "The Asiluo Clan''s Angel''s Thorn?" "You don''t seem like a vampire!" Charles had no leisure for such composure as his opponent possessed; he fought with all his might, yet he found it barely sufficient and dared not distract himself by responding. The magic stabbing sword in his hands spun in continuous circles, clashing seventeen times with the throwing knives of the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin. The shrieking of the blade against the knives merged into a continuous sound, like a symphony. Such elegant utilization of swordsmanship was not Charles''s style, but rather the style of the Asilo Clan. The way of swordplay known as Angel''s Thorn is divided into twelve movements, and Charles could only perform the first one: Dawn''s Blaze! The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin had planned to kill a Fourth Order, based on slightly outdated information he considered it an easy task, hardly requiring a plan. He had intended to break into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 and kill Charles at home. When Charles went out to dine, he simply altered his plan, following him to the restaurant, intending to kill him there. The perverse pleasure of killing someone''s loved one in front of them was just a psychological tactic he enjoyed employing. He took delight in watching his intended victims betray their loved ones in a desperate attempt to survive. As he slit their throats with a single stroke, he would say a few words, "I am a person who venerates love. Had you chosen to be killed instead of betraying your loved one, I might have spared you..." He relished seeing the despair and regret, the emotional and moral collapse of his prey. Yes, that was quite a twisted hobby indeed. Little did he expect that Charles was even more "twisted" than he was. How could he possibly think Menilman was within his reach to kill? Not to mention Duchess Mesunu, not even the seven heads of the Orc Assassin Alliance put together could handle the Grand Duchess. In fact, Charles had overestimated the assassin as well! Anne was a daughter of the Empire''s earl. How could a mere assassin muster the courage to kill her? Even if there were a contract, the Orc Assassin Alliance would hardly dare to accept it. After dozens of fierce exchanges, the magic stabbing sword and throwing knife collided fiercely, each withdrawing to covertly recover their breath using secret techniques. The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin chuckled lightly and said, "I underestimated you!" Charles took a deep breath and replied, "You''re intermediate rank, not high order! You only understand at least two special abilities!" Charles had been frightened by the assassin, mistaking him for a high-level transcendent. But after battling for so long, he realized that the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin was not as strong as he had imagined. The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin had a method to conceal his presence, which is why he could elude the Insight ability, along with another special ability that could accelerate his movements. However, this speed-enhancing ability was not sustainable; otherwise, he would have been killed by now. How else could they have fought for so long? The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin showed a faint surprise and remarked, "Your observational skills are quite sharp." Discover more stories at empire "But, unfortunately, it won''t save you from your inevitable death." Charles chuckled and responded, "We''ll see about that!" Hundreds of meters away, where Charles had discarded his alchemical staff, three Agile Cats'' kittens climbed up a wall. At the beckoning of the Soul Communication Spell, the kittens worked together to pull an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle from the staff. The three little ones were panting with exertion but refused to rest. Instead, using the nearby wall, they set up the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle. The kittens huddled together, meowing wildly, as six small paws strained to pull the trigger. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet pierced the air like divine fire, covering hundreds of meters in an instant, aiming straight at the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin. The senior killer from the Orc Assassin Alliance, in the midst of leaping forward, was about to pounce on Charles. Chapter 77 76. Leopards Hunt The martial techniques that Orc Assassins learn contain many such fierce moves where they leap high and pounce down.While in mid-air, at the crucial moment between life and death, he sensed danger. With a flip of his body in an utterly impossible situation, he twisted his direction in mid-air. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet grazed past his shoulder and shot towards the distance. Before the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin could feel relieved, a pain in his waist left him gushing blood. Charles struck successfully but before he could extend his victory, the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin suddenly broke free from the Blood Rose''s blade, let out a piercing long howl, and fled towards the outer city district with a sudden increase in speed. Charles connected with the three Agile Cat cubs. The three little ones, being newly born, had fired a shot with all their might and then collapsed from exhaustion, sticking their little tongues out and lying on the wall, no longer able to muster any strength to bring over the Antispace Sniper Rifle. Charles could only regretfully watch the assassin escape. "There are too many spells that can conceal one''s presence and ambush from stealth; it''s impossible to guess which one it is. But the spells that allow for a sudden increase in speed can only be maintained for a very short time and are commonly used by Orcs, so it must be ''Leopard''s Hunt.''" "This special ability isn''t as lasting as the Quickness Technique, but its explosive power is so formidable. If it weren''t for the fact that each burst can only last for two or three breaths, I doubt I would have held out for much longer." In the fight, Charles sharply noticed that after each round of rapid attacks, the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin would indulge in some scornful remarks. Initially, Charles thought his opponent was of a bad nature, enjoying toying with his prey, but soon realized this was not the case¡ªthe assassin simply couldn''t sustain a torrential assault. He seized the moment when his opponent was catching his breath, commanding the three Agile Cat cubs to ambush and vigorously counterattack, and he was indeed just a hair''s breadth away from killing his adversary. As Charles watched the assassin''s figure vanish, he inwardly sighed, "What a pity!" With a few leaps, he found the three Agile Cat cubs lying on the wall; he stored the Antispace Sniper Rifle in his alchemy staff before gathering the little trio into his arms. Smiling, he said, "Thanks to you three, I''ll treat you to something tasty." He first settled the bill at the restaurant they had just been at and left twenty Sheng Ding as compensation for the damages caused by the fight. Then he chose another restaurant. In addition to ordering a meal for himself, he got the tenderest raw beef for the three Agile Cat cubs and asked the kitchen to chop it up and bring it to them. This restaurant didn''t have fruit wine, and the accompanying meal wine was barley beer. Charles took a sip and his brows immediately relaxed¡ªthe barley beer here had almost no bitterness, was crisp and bracing, and was very suited for quaffing. As Charles dined, he watched the Agile Cat cubs happily eating beef and couldn''t help but reveal a smile. He hadn''t expected that in this battle, the three little things would end up playing such a significant role. If it weren''t for that shot fired by the three Agile Cat cubs, they would definitely not have been able to fend off such a formidable assassin. Although the brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin was also a Mid-Level Transcendent, his strength was far superior compared to the previous assassin and that former warden Magrull Teller. Charles finished his dinner comfortably, and the three Agile Cat cubs also had their fill, their little bellies round and lying on the dining table mewing noisily. Charles called over a waiter from the restaurant and said, "Your barley beer is good, I''ll take three barrels of it. Have someone send them over later." He picked up the three cat cubs, left the money for the dinner and the barley beer, and walked back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. He greeted Madam Nancy, who was waiting on the first floor, "I''ve bought three barrels of barley beer. When the restaurant''s boy brings them over, take two barrels down to the basement and bring the third barrel up to me." After giving his orders, Charles quickly went up to the third floor, where he set down the three Agile Cat kittens, gave them some water, and let the little ones play by themselves. He then moved to the terrace facing the Lucavaro River, pulled over a lounge chair, and while taking in the views of the opposite bank, he took out the Cat Mask. This extraordinary object could transform into the likeness of six different creatures and randomly extract one skill from the transformed target, provided there had been prior contact. Wearing it could slightly increase agility and also served as a proof of membership in the Orc Assassin Alliance. Having encountered that brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin today, Charles became curious to see if the Cat Mask could transform him into the assassin''s appearance. As his fingers gently touched the thin human face on the mask, six different images surfaced one by one, three of which were ordinary people. The skills extracted by the Cat Mask were cooking, driving a carriage, and night patrolling, respectively. With a slight shift in his consciousness, the image of one of the ordinary people was replaced by that of the brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin, and more than a dozen Flying Dagger Techniques flooded into his mind. Charles couldn''t help but smile slightly. He hadn''t expected to draw such a "skill." The Cat Mask couldn''t extract the "Special Abilities" of a target, only "Skills," which was indeed a pity. However, if it had been able to extract the basic Special Abilities of a target, this Strange Object would have been far too powerful. The Flying Dagger Technique was, of course, not a Special Ability but a skill, purely composed of technique, proficiency, talent, and the profound "sense of the blade." The brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin must have put in an incredible amount of effort into the Flying Dagger Technique, not just for throwing, but also for wielding the short blades in close-quarters combat. Each move showed extensive refinement, a purely lethal skill. In terms of intricacy and complexity, the brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin''s Flying Dagger Technique was naturally far inferior to the Asiluo Clan''s Angel''s Thorn. The Angel''s Thorn was not only an Extraordinary Secret Art but also Extraordinary Swordsmanship, famous throughout the Old Continent. On the Old Continent, there are six or seven versions of Peerless Sword Techniques, including Five Holy Sword Techniques, Seven Divine Sword Techniques, and Twelve Overlord Sword Techniques. Enjoy more content from empire Each version includes the Asiluo Clan''s Angel''s Thorn. Each version also includes the Robin Family''s Golden Eagle Sword Technique. Yes, that''s the Robin Family of Saroses Robin, as well as Zimmerman Axel Robin''s Robin Family. Yet, the brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin''s Flying Dagger Technique excelled in practicality, aimed at actual combat, assassinations, street fighting, engaging with short weapons, and quick skirmishes, offering extremely sophisticated strategies. It was a prototypical assassin''s bladework. Though Charles didn''t have a flying dagger, he did have a Dagger. With the Cat Mask on, he threw the Dagger, and after it traveled a good distance, he summoned it back using Blood Flame Qi, thoroughly enjoying himself. He wasn''t fond of the Dagger taken from the previous assassin. Charles tried multiple times and discovered that although the Blood Flame Qi could manipulate ordinary Extraordinary Weapons, it wasn''t as naturally suited as bloodsucking weapons, lacking in flexibility and ease of use. Thus, he hadn''t used it in battles, but it was perfectly suitable for practicing the Flying Dagger Technique. After over an hour of practice, Charles had adeptly become a "master" of the Flying Dagger, with each flashy throw hitting the target precisely. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once he removed the Cat Mask, the Flying Dagger Technique disappeared. He attempted to continue throwing the Dagger and found that, although his flying dagger skill drastically decreased, it wasn''t as terrible as he imagined; the accuracy was higher than expected. Chapter 78 If senior sister were here, it would take only one move to kill you. Charles practiced for a while longer and then put on the "Leopard''s Mask" again.With this strange mask on, it was as if he had the best instructor, allowing him to experience various sophisticated techniques of throwing daggers and engaging in close combat. Each throw was perfected to the finest detail without any flaws. Charles believed that as long as he was willing to put in the effort, he could truly master the Flying Dagger Technique, and even without the "Leopard''s Mask," he could use it proficiently. "I guess I really have a talent for shooting and throwing, these long-range attack modes!" Charles kept practicing until it was completely dark. He put away the "Leopard''s Mask" and the assassin''s dagger. He was very satisfied with his practice and estimated that in another ten days or so, he would be able to use the flying dagger technique in actual combat. However, he also discovered a shortcoming in his Flying Dagger Technique. He always had to use Blood Flame Qi to control the flying daggers and to recall them. Blood Flame Qi''s control over weapons also had distance limitations. Exceeding the range would result in losing connection, causing him not to be able to exert full effort. The daggers would be much slower. Of course, the solution was simple¡ªbuy a batch of ordinary flying daggers, not planning to retrieve them at all. Blood Flame Qi could, in fact, enhance the power of the daggers and increase their speed. A better solution would be to custom-make a set of Transcendent flying daggers that could automatically return... Charles was reluctant to spend the money and didn''t see the necessity, as he still had the Antispace Sniper Rifle! Charles practiced the Flying Dagger Technique in part because he found the skill interesting, and also because... when he used Blood Flame Qi to control the Blood Rose and the Vampiric Hand Axe, it added many techniques to his arsenal. One of the three additional forms that the "Leopard''s Mask" could morph into was naturally Aubrey Barrington Atwood, with the extracted skill being¡ªshooting! The head of the Liemar Detective Agency was far better at shooting than Charles; Charles''s shooting skills honed in college could only extinguish a candle within twenty steps, whereas the head of the Liemar Detective Agency could shoot down birds in the sky. To Charles, Aubrey Barrington Atwood''s gunmanship was nothing short of miraculous and admirable. The other two personas were strangers to Charles, with the extracted skills being: Knight''s Spear Technique and Swordsmanship. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles merely glanced over them and lost interest completely. Although his martial skills were modest, he had learned orthodox academy-style swordsmanship during his time at the National Academy and college. The Knight''s Spear Technique and Swordsmanship of these two were just ordinary and not worth mentioning, so there was no need to practice them. By now it was late at night, and instead of going back to his room, Charles lay down on a lounge chair, closed his eyes, and soon seemed to have fallen asleep. More than an hour later, Charles still hadn''t stirred. A figure stealthily ascended, with three daggers just revealed in hand when gunshots broke out. The brown-haired, gray-eyed assassin moved his daggers like lightning, ting ting ting, consecutively slicing through the bullets. He gasped, "Did you notice me earlier, hiding on the side?" Charles had no interest in responding. While he was playing with the daggers, he had activated Insight, and coincidentally, he scanned the assassin lurking on the rooftop. Insight would automatically activate in the face of danger, but this assassin had a special ability that allowed him to perfectly conceal his murderous intent, so Insight could not give an early warning. However, if Insight was activated manually, the assassin could no longer hide. Charles purposely waited for him for a while. He knew ordinary bullets couldn''t harm this assassin, but the Antispace Sniper Rifle was simply too long to shoot covertly. After firing the bullet, Charles dropped his Magnum Hand Shuttle and leaped up, shouting, "Senior! Let''s strike together." The brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin was startled, well aware of the fame of The Empire''s First Rose. Menilman was not merely known for her beauty; she was a genuine High-Level Transcendent, her swordsmanship cruel and unparalleled. The assassin, with his Flying Dagger Technique rotating in his hand, clashed with Charles for more than ten moves, intending to retreat and recover, but unexpectedly felt air surge behind his head as a Vampiric Hand Axe spun towards him. He narrowly dodged by turning his head, but the axe seemed to "jump" and smashed into the back of his head. Charles had originally been very cautious of the assassin''s ultra-high speed, but after deducing that the opponent''s special ability was "Leopard''s Hunt," he was no longer as wary. Although Leopard''s Hunt significantly increased speed, it consumed too much energy and was not sustainable; after each round of attacks, the user needed to recover and reset their combat stance. Originally, Charles dared not be distracted, but now he was able to be entirely at ease, boldly using the Vampiric Hand Axe for a sneak attack. The brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin, having been brutally hit by the Vampiric Hand Axe, dizzied but regaining his "intelligence," shouted, "Menilman isn''t even here!" Charles laughed, "Of course! If the senior were here, she would have killed you in one move; why would I need to act redundantly?" The assassin, enraged, launched a flurry of furious attacks. Charles responded to each move, the Asiluo Clan swordsmanship in his hands resounding the prelude of the Angel''s Twelve Chapters¡ªDawn''s Fire! Relying on his Insight Ability and Magic Stabbing Sword, he firmly defended himself. After exchanging over a hundred moves, Charles remained on the defensive, but he was much more composed than in his previous battle. Half the reason was due to him studying the Flying Dagger Technique a few hours ago, instinctually comparing it to Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship, although such a short period was not enough to enhance his combat power, it deepened his understanding of swordsmanship. The Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship, known for its strangeness, ruthlessness, and unimaginable variability, was as fast as lightning thundering. Although Charles had been through several consecutive battles, he didn''t fully understand many subtleties of the sword techniques; he was merely executing them as per the tradition. Now, after a long, fierce struggle against the brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin, a flash of inspiration suddenly sparked in his mind, adding several new twists to his swordsmanship. A magic stabbing sword flickered like hovering firelight, momentarily carrying a hint of Dawn''s Fire. The brown-haired, grey-eyed assassin launched six rapid strikes, dispersing Charles''s magic stabbing sword and retreated backward, promptly scaling the rooftop. Just as Charles had thrown his Vampiric Hand Axe, two flying daggers shot toward him; he was forced to use his sword to deflect them, thus slightly weakening his control over the Vampiric Hand Axe. The assassin easily dodged the axe and vanished into the night after a few bounds. Charles switched to an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and also leaped onto the rooftop, but even his insight couldn''t locate the enemy; clearly, the assassin had already escaped far away. Charles sighed; he did not want to be targeted by such a formidable assassin. But with the opponent possessing lurking abilities and Leopard''s Hunt, he was exceedingly tough to handle. Twice he had managed to severely or slightly wound the opponent, but still, the assassin from the Orc Assassin Alliance had escaped. Continue your journey at empire "By the rules of the Orc Assassin Alliance, after killing this assassin, they would continue sending more. How should I solve this problem?" "I don''t have a way to deal with this assassin organization right now!" Chapter 96 94. Free Knights Order Charles, a Lower-Ranked Supernatural who had consolidated four Bloody Runes and possessed Insight, Blood Flame Qi, Quickness Technique, and Angel''s Thorn¡ªfour Special Abilities¡ªwas truly one in a hundred.Charles spent three days "resting" at home before he resumed his "diligent" work. He arrived at No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street and did a round of inspections first. As a superior officer, he had to be familiar with his subordinates. It wasn''t about being diligent; Charles was worried that an "assassin" might infiltrate without him noticing. Charles keenly noticed that the number of people coming to work had increased to over two hundred. He felt slightly puzzled and returned to his office to call Homonsa over. He had promised to help her advance to a knight and couldn''t do nothing. Charles carefully asked the girl from the southern continent about her training situation. As he had expected, Homonsa "dropped out" long ago. She hadn''t learned the Orthodox Knight Breathing Technique at the National Academy but from a wandering knight who passed through her hometown. This breathing technique was incomplete. Homonsa had been practicing it for seven to eight years, stuck at the breakthrough of the power seed, unable to make any progress. The Old Continent is not like Earth, where the culture is open, and any knowledge can be obtained through the internet and some professional schools. Inside the four universities of Fars, there is academic exchange, but outside the universities, even the National Academy rarely interacts externally, making it difficult for outsiders to learn the Orthodox Knight Breathing Technique. Charles pondered for a while and said, "The breathing technique you are practicing is the Flame Demon Breathing Technique, which is very popular in the southern continent, but actually, this technique has significant flaws. Over a hundred years ago, a professor improved the Flame Demon Breathing Technique and renamed it to ''Golden Forbidden Flame''!" "I can help you find a copy of the ''Golden Forbidden Flame'' manual. After you correct your breathing technique, I can also find a senior to try to forcefully infuse you with Fighting Spirit to break open your power seed." Just as Charles was trying to find a Transcendent path for Homonsa, he heard a knock on the door. A brisk voice called from outside the office, "Mister Mecklen, may I come in?" This voice sounded very familiar, and Charles quickly said, "Please come inside!" A person exuding a sharp aura and dignified features, distinctively attractive and slightly older, entered his office¡ªit was Madam Mavis, who was supposed to partner with him according to the standard configuration of the Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District and Inner Court Guard. This woman of complex identity said with a smile, "Sorry for the disturbance." Adhering to the protocol, Charles replied, "It''s no disturbance." He also gestured for Homonsa to leave. Madam Mavis didn''t glance at Homonsa another time. Once she left, Mavis said, "The Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District will be reorganized into the Free Knights Order and might go to the battlefield anytime." "I still have duties as an Inner Court Guard and cannot follow the Knighthood. Thus, I will temporarily resign from my position as chief patrol. Your new partner should arrive in a few days." Charles indeed knew about the military system of the Empire. The Fars Empire''s military was divided into five categories, ranked from highest to lowest: the Royal Knights Order under the Emperor, the private Knights Orders of the nobility, the local armies, the Free Knights Order, and the mercenaries. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Royal Knights Order, the private Knights Orders of the nobility, and the local armies are permanent forces; the Free Knights Order is a temporary militia assembled during wartime and disbanded after battles, while mercenaries are outsourced, generally not paid, and receive no wages. Instead, they are issued imperial licenses allowing them to legally plunder the enemy states during the war. The Patrolling Army belongs to the local armies, generally not allowed to leave their station. However, during a war, since the Patrolling Army is already part of the government''s military sequence and does not require additional salary, they might be assigned the designation of the Free Knights Order and given the authority to rush to the battlefield. Not just the Fars Empire, but all countries of the Old Continent were quite fond of organizing local armies to be used as cannon fodder on the battlefield. Of course, most Free Knights Orders were not part-time local military units but purely "temporarily conscripted armies," which often faced disbandment after the war ended. Incidentally, most detective agencies were officially registered as mercenaries, and the official registrations of adventure groups were also as mercenaries. The institutions responsible for the registration and management of detective agencies, mercenaries, and adventure groups under the Empire were the local Patrolling Armies. He was slightly surprised and asked, "Who is my new partner?" Lady Mavis responded with a slight smile, "I do not know." "However, you should be more concerned about where you will be sent after joining the Free Knights Order." Charles asked subconsciously, "Where will I be sent?" Lady Mavis answered, "You were born in the Behemoth Duchy, so there is a high probability you will be sent to the Behemoth Duchy to fight alongside Lady Southseraph." Charles frowned slightly, as he truly did not want to return to the Behemoth Duchy; being a transmigrator, he wanted to sever ties with his past to avoid being recognized by familiar "acquaintances" and exposing flaws. But he immediately thought, "If I go back to the Behemoth Duchy, I don''t necessarily have to mingle with my old circle of acquaintances; I just need to hide within the army." Lady Mavis said, "There is another matter, since you are to be reorganized into a knighthood and might be deployed to the battlefield, you are granted the authority to expand your troops; the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army can be expanded up to three thousand men. Furthermore, the Empire will provide you with additional manpower, but most will have to be recruited by yourself." "I have come here to bring you a batch of appointments and dismissals for the Patrolling Army and the Free Knights Order." Lady Mavis smiled, making no move. Understanding the lady''s implications, Charles said, "I will not stop anyone from leaving." Many were afraid to go to the battlefield, so those who were drawing pay without working were trying various ways to get transferred out of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army; Lady Mavis''s primary purpose in coming here was to intercede for these people. As Charles was so tactfully informed, Lady Mavis then smiled and said, "The documents are too cumbersome, they are in the carriage, I will have the coachman bring them to you later." Charles nodded with a smile, acknowledging he understood, and after exchanging some more casual words with Lady Mavis, the lady gracefully took her leave. Shortly after, her coachman delivered a large leather case filled with new appointment and dismissal documents. Recruiting soldiers on one''s own was a very challenging task for the military personnel of the Old Continent. After all, recruiting several thousand people in a short period was certainly not easy. But for Charles, this task was extremely easy. He finally understood why there had been more people coming to work today; they were here to handle their transfer procedures. Charles sat at his office for a while, then ordered Madam Nancy to prepare the carriage and went to his previous workplace¡ªKilmainham Prison. Chapter 80 79. Authentic Leopards Hunt (Released at Midnight, Asking for Initial Subscription) Charles, even though he had managed to drive off the leopard girl Philedrica, was extremely shocked. This beautiful girl with a pair of azure eyes moved even faster than the brown-haired, grey-eyed Algenon. If he didn''t have Insight as his special ability, which allowed his perspective to envelop the entirety of number 5 on Dragon Fortress Street in the Lucavaro District, he would have been kicked so hard he might have vomited blood just from the impact."The one who tried to assassinate me, I don''t know what beastman race they are, but they definitely aren''t part of the Leopard People! This leopard girl''s technique is the authentic Leopard''s Hunt!" "The burst of speed was just too fast." Charles had just rushed up to the third floor when he saw the brown-haired, grey-eyed Algenon. He offered a sunny, warm smile and said, "Good morning!" Algenon couldn''t help but curse, "You''re insane, it''s nighttime!" Charles flicked out his Magic Stabbing Sword, Blood Rose, and in an instant, unleashed twelve points of cold light, enveloping Algenon completely. He didn''t forget to explain, "I fear you won''t see tomorrow morning''s sun, so to prevent any regrets upon dying, I kindly asked how your morning was!" Charles displayed his Dawn Fire technique with fluid grace, forcing Algenon to retreat with a single move. His body lifted up high, and he could no longer find time to look for a window. The leopard girl Philedrica would catch up at any moment, and if the two enemies joined forces, all would be lost. He directly broke through the roof, escaping to the street. Having just breathed in the fresh night air, Charles sensed two attacks aiming for him. Without any hesitation, he withdrew his Blood Rose and transformed into a young Agile Cat. Taking advantage of the smaller size after the transformation, he jumped into a nearby building''s chimney. The very next moment, Algenon and Philedrica crashed through a neighbor''s window and precisely targeted the location of the stove, jointly engaged in a "cat hunt"! With the help of Insight and Quickness Technique, Charles managed to escape from the house under attack from the two enemies, leading to a frenzied chase of two assailants after one cat. Enjoy more content from empire Charles flipped onto the roof of a building, dispelled the Cat Transformation Spell, and drew out his Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, getting into a shooting stance. Just as Algenon and Philedrica lost sight of Charles, they sensed danger. Almost simultaneously, they each darted in different directions. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet sailed through the night sky, soaring into the air like a brilliant firework. After missing his shot, Charles immediately hid the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle within his clothes and once again turned into an Agile Cat, darting towards a nearby alley. Algenon and Philedrica gave chase but once again lost track of Charles. Philedrica said with frustration, "He must have some other kind of special ability, or else he couldn''t escape so easily every time." Algenon also felt that it was unlikely for two top assassins from the Orc Assassin Alliance to spend the entire night in pursuit without catching Charles. He must have other special abilities besides Blood Flame Qi and Angel''s Thorn. Pondering, he said, "It''ll be difficult for us to catch him tonight." Being a professional assassin herself, Philedrica knew that in this situation, the best course of action was to retreat from the battlefield and look for another opportunity. Assassins should always remain hidden in the darkness and never engage in direct combat. She nodded and said, "Let''s leave Strasbourg first." Algenon nodded in agreement, and the two of them employed Leopard''s Hunt, sprinting away several hundred meters. Charles reverted to human form and had a moment of decision as the two assassins slowed down, but then he shook his head, choosing not to take out his Anti-Space Sniper Rifle. In their non-combat state, the two were able to recover their energy very quickly, and soon accelerated again, dashing another few hundred meters. With such a long distance and swift-moving targets, using Charles'' barely average marksmanship would only waste the precious Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Charles leisurely followed them until they vanished into the night. He then turned and returned once more to number 5 on Dragon Fortress Street in the Lucavaro District. Since he had taken action, not to take something would seem like a bit of a loss. He broke into the Chelsea Detective Agency again and searched thoroughly, but he didn''t find any cash, neither any letters nor contracts, only a bunch of handguns¡ªdozens of them. It was understandable though, since assassins needed to be inconspicuous, and handguns were most suitable for that purpose. However, Charles was somewhat surprised that the detective agency had no third person; he had thought there would be at least seven or eight staff members! Charles packed up all the somewhat valuable things from the detective agency and took them to Number one Sparrowhawk Street; he surely wasn''t going to take them to his own house. Then he set the detective agency ablaze! He didn''t know if the two assassins would return, and even though the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District didn''t have any Transcendents, their numbers were still significant, and they could hold their ground in a fight. It had been several days since Charles had come to work, so his late-night arrival surprised his subordinates. Although the Patrolling Army wasn''t very impressive, they still retained basic military discipline, including night patrols. Charles instructed the night patrol not to disturb anyone else and took the spoils of victory back to his office. He didn''t think much of the loot; after all, the truly "valuable" items wouldn''t have been left behind by Algenon and Philedrica. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After tossing the items in a corner of his office, Charles lay down on the soft bed in the office; he was actually quite tired. Although it wasn''t too comfortable, after a night''s sleep and fully rested, Charles got up the next morning feeling somewhat refreshed. He freshened up in his office, and since he was there, he decided to deal with some official business. To Charles''s great surprise, the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District had a "big job" today¡ªthe body of Archduke Ferdinand was to be transported back to the Behemoth Duchy for burial, and the procession was to pass through Lucavaro District; hence, an order from the court demanded the Patrolling Army along the route to be "on alert." Charles thought to himself, "Archduke Ferdinand is already dead, no one will ''assassinate'' him now. This mission is bound to be very safe." "Should I join the excitement?" "Since I''ve crossed over, I haven''t enjoyed a feast yet!" Dobin had already nearly arranged everything, and it wouldn''t have made much difference whether Charles was there or not, but Charles still decided to personally lead the team to safeguard Archduke Ferdinand''s coffin, as if to see the Archduke off on his final journey. After all, he came from the Behemoth Duchy himself, and Archduke Ferdinand was considered his "former lord." Charles gathered his subordinates, and he found that today, there were very few absences; over one hundred and eighty people had shown up, mainly because there was a sum of money allocated for this operation from above. Charles sent a few of his men to buy drinks since they were going out on an escort mission, they didn''t buy any beer though. Before departure, he treated the more than one hundred and eighty members of the Patrolling Army to a hearty meal and distributed the handguns he had brought back the previous day as a reward. Dobin was quite moved; he was growing increasingly satisfied with Charles, his superior. He was easygoing, rarely caused trouble, and often treated his subordinates to feasts. On Earth, bosses who fooled their employees with cheap meals instead of bonuses were considered heartless, but in the Old Continent, such a superior was seen as possessing great conscience and virtue. Chapter 98 96, Black Scorpion Gang Although Scar from the Lone Wolf Gang was reluctant, he knew if he continued to provoke, Charles would dare to shoot and kill him. Scar admitted to himself that he had no ability to survive a shot from a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. He glared at the person who had spoken on behalf of the Dark Night Beast and said coldly, "Can you also represent the Dark Night Beast?"Yellow Bear moved forward silently, stepping up to show his stance and support the speaker. Although Scar wasn''t afraid of Yellow Bear, he didn''t want to clash with this Demon Hunter either. He vowed silently, "Hmph, wait until our Lone Wolf Gang joins the Patrolling Army. Sooner or later, we will make the Patrolling Army follow our commands. This damn youngster, he has no idea what society is. Does he think that our people will listen to him once they join the Patrolling Army? Naive." No one objected, and Charles distributed the majority of the expanded quota according to the size and rank of gangs present at this meeting. After Charles had made the allocations, he watched with amusement as the gang members argued over the quotas, their faces flushed with exertion, occasionally pulling each other apart, and making slight adjustments. It took a whole day to tentatively determine how many people each gang would send to join the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. His only requirement was that these gangs must actually send people to Sparrowhawk Street No.1 to participate in the daily training of the Patrolling Army. If they refused to come, they would lose their quota. The representatives from the thirteen gangs had no objections; after all, those who would be sent were just the low-level thugs from the gangs. A bit of hardship and a few extra trips didn''t affect these leaders. What these gang members didn''t know was that the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army had already been reorganized into the Free Knights Order, possibly mobilizing at any moment to go to war in the Behemoth Duchy. All Charles needed was an excuse to take these people away, and once they were on the battlefield, it wouldn''t be so easy to get them back. The battlefield was the best place to temper people. After a few battles, these people would only listen to their superiors and wouldn''t heed their former gang leaders'' commands anymore. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, the Patrolling Army was, after all, the Empire''s official military with decent treatment. What future could the lowest-level thugs of the gangs possibly have? Once the participation of the thirteen gangs in the Patrolling Army was confirmed, Charles asked them to send their people over first thing the next morning, but said nothing else and sent the gang members on their way. The next morning, Charles was particularly diligent as he took the carriage to work, a very rare continuation for him. Warden Anthony indeed proved to be a very credible person. Starting in the morning, prisoners, predominantly young and strong males making up seventy percent, were successively sent from the six major prisons of Strasbourg. The thirteen gangs of the Lucavaro District also gradually sent people to report, what Charles couldn''t understand was that there were quite a few young female gang members. Looking at this group of medieval gang girls, some dressed in short outfits, some in maple leaf skirts, and some in men''s clothing, they truly presented a bizarre and curious array of appearances. By the afternoon, Charles had "expanded" his subordinates to nearly three thousand people, of which twelve hundred came from prisons, and the rest, nearly a thousand plus, came from the thirteen gangs. Charles promoted his "old subordinates," including those adventurers he had tricked and the batch of the Patrolling Army brought by Dobin, to captains and vice-captains. He dispersed the prisoners and gang members among the groups, forming seventy to eighty combat squads, though many were not at full strength, with fifty people each. After the reorganization was done, it was already evening. Charles had the diverse group that made up the Patrolling Army line up in formation, activated his Blood Flame Qi, and his body radiated a boiling red light to bolster their morale as he shouted, "I''m sure everyone is hungry, I''ll take you all for a good meal." In the Old Continent, local militaries, especially the Patrolling Army, did not provide meals, and everyone was expected to fend for themselves. These people had been reporting and splitting into teams since morning, whether they were convicts or gang members, stubborn and conflict-prone; they were all both hungry and tired by now. Upon hearing Charles''s promise to "lead everyone to a good meal," everyone became excited and followed Charles out of number one Sparrowhawk Street. Charles called Mason and Homonsa over to his side and whispered, "Take your squads and buy a batch of food; deliver it to the Black Scorpion Gang''s area." Neither of them knew what Charles was planning, but they obediently took their men to buy food. Soon, some people began to sense that something was amiss, as Charles was not leading them to the commercial area in Lucavaro District, but was heading straight to the headquarters of one of the five major gangs, the Black Scorpion Gang. As a thirty-fourth-tier Clerk Chief and a lesser noble of the Empire, as well as a Transcendent, Charles boasted impressive military achievements from recent fights and held the title of the head of Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army, carrying significant prestige. Although the motley crew of the Patrolling Army harbored a few clever skeptics, no one dared to challenge him openly. Not to mention the convicts, the gang members recruited were lower-tier thugs who typically didn''t have their own plans. Dobin saw the Black Scorpion Gang headquarters appearing in their sight and, unable to help feeling uneasy, approached Charles and asked, "Boss, what are we doing?" Discover hidden tales at empire Charles didn''t respond to him, but instead pulled out his Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and shouted, "The thirteen gangs have already formed an alliance, why should we share the benefits with those who didn''t join?" "I now declare: Take down the Black Scorpion Gang, and the wealth will be divided among us all." He pointed the Extraordinary Rifle forward with one hand, his posture strikingly casual, and with one shot, he blew the front gate of the Black Scorpion Gang into rubble. Mama Karen had not only allowed Charles to borrow the Silver Rhinoceros long-term but also provided him with a box of one hundred and twenty Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, so he no longer had to worry about lacking firepower. The backbone of Charles''s Patrolling Army was a group of adventurers who had been deceived into joining. Hearing that they could loot as they pleased, they immediately spurred their men to charge. The convicts, who came from various major prisons, didn''t care about the Black Scorpion Gang at all. The members of the thirteen gangs, although sensing something off, were swept along into the fray at the Black Scorpion Gang''s headquarters. As one of the five largest gangs in the Lucavaro District, the Black Scorpion Gang boasted a strong force of seven to eight hundred people. While the gang had no Transcendents, their leader, Black Scorpion, was a veteran mercenary with outstanding martial skills and rich combat experience, who usually controlled several major streets in Lucavaro District without challenge. When Dobin had come to request reinforcements in the morning, Black Scorpion hadn''t wanted to meet at all and had rudely told him to get lost. Dobin, having brought only a few men, didn''t dare cause trouble on Black Scorpion''s territory and had to leave, swallowing his anger. Black Scorpion didn''t take throwing Dobin out seriously. As a local powerhouse, he knew exactly how many diligent workers were in the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army, not even a third as many as his gang. Even in a straight fight, he wasn''t afraid of the Patrolling Army, having no idea that in just one day, Charles would swell his forces to nearly three thousand men. Chapter 82 Chat before going on the shelf When I first returned to the starting point, the performance of Sword Immortal was pretty decent, ranking second in the monthly ticket overall standings in the first month after launch and fourth in the second month, showing some pride and vigor, just like an elder is wont to express...But as a man reaches middle age and family troubles arise, I dragged Sword Immortal out over four years, from 2015 to 2018. Finally catching my breath, Martial God and Sword Immortal Through the Nine Heavens were written all the way to completion without taking many leaves of absence, almost a perfect attendance record until finished. When writing Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts, family issues continued, and after having written half of it, it''s still being serialized... Fairy Fox, The Chronicles of Strange Immortals, and Dragon-Riding Immortal Son-in-Law, though they started at different times, it was quite a coincidence that they all finished last year... Experience new stories on empire Dragon-Riding Immortal Son-in-Law was also written in earnest until completion, taking few leaves of absence... At that time, I finally caught another breath. Originally, I wanted to finish writing the Immortals and then continue and complete Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts because one should always aim for full completions in life... Dealing with consecutive yang energies, my brain wasn''t functioning very well. When I looked at the Immortals, it felt like reading a book unfamiliar to me. I had to read through thirty to fifty chapters to write the next one, otherwise, I would have no clue what the story was about... This year, I''ve somewhat recovered, but my brain still isn''t working too well... Continuing to write in such a state, the quality inevitably wouldn''t be very good. After much consideration, I decided to first regain my state, then write a relatively complete ending for "Exiled Immortal in Martial Arts" and "Immortals, Those with Boundless Mana." The First World War of the Magic World was a book written to find my way back to writing condition. I pondered a lot when choosing this book. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. First, I''m really not adept at Western fantasy The only book that might be considered to have some Western fantasy elements is Magic-Guided Armament, which probably performed the worst out of all my novels. For me, Western fantasy has two advantages: It forces me back to basics, unable to rely on previous writing experiences, bringing me back to when I first started, yearning for the stories under my pen, respecting performance, redefining characters, refining and solidifying my prose... Since it''s different from my previous writing themes, I must switch styles. Many habitual words can''t be used, allowing me to "shed the grease," skimming off the slickness and frivolousness of my words so they can settle and become more meticulous. Second, fantasy is really a niche genre. But a niche genre also means that I can let go of the anxiety over performance and devote myself entirely to writing. Third, as an old author who might stop writing at any moment and leave the industry, my condition worsens day by day due to age and mental exhaustion. After all, I have been writing web novels for twenty-five years now, having started in the year 2000, and I''m really tired... Knowing that whatever I write will likely not achieve much success, and under the pressure of making a living, there are many themes I don''t dare to touch... However, there are always some scenes that I want to behold at least once... I also invite my readers to join me on this journey, to witness the new landscapes together. Seeking encouragement from your initial subscriptions and monthly tickets! It''s only with your generous support that I can travel a bit further... Many thanks! Chapter 100 98. Fars Empire Declares War Charles spoke these words with an air of nonchalance, yet the gang members listening couldn''t help but shiver with dread.The obliteration of the Black Scorpion Gang yesterday was truly heart-shaking. No one would have thought that the leader of the Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District could be so ruthlessly decisive and severe in measures. The Black Scorpion Gang, an organization that had been established for over a decade, had vanished overnight without surviving even a single night. Charles had initially intended to find his old acquaintance, Louis Simi, to appraise the wealth of the Black Scorpion Gang, but since Ross Bard had actively offered his allegiance, he entrusted this new "businessman" with the task. He no longer cared about the follow-up matters. In the following days, Charles did nothing but maintained his diligent routine of going to work every day. The overnight destruction of the Black Scorpion Gang made the Lone Wolf Gang, the Dark Night Beast, and the Golov Brothers Society much more submissive. Charles didn''t take advantage of the situation to pressure them, nor did he eradicate a few hesitating smaller gangs; instead, he was working hard to assimilate the power he had just digested. It was another Monday, once again the Fars Empire''s payday. The Fars Empire finally declared war on Byron. This message instantly caused a huge stir throughout the Empire. Various newspapers hotly debated the impending war, but the upper echelons remained silent, obviously in tacit agreement. The Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District finally faced a change. A decree from the Central Government Office ordered the reorganization of the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army into the Free Knights Order, granting the expansion of rights and transferring the previous Patrolling Chief, Lady Mavis, to assign a new Chief Patrol. Upon receiving the decree, Charles felt a sense of relief. But when he saw the resume of the newly appointed Chief Patrol assigned by the Central Government Office on the document, he immediately felt a sensation as if "a myriad of flowers were swirling, and the Goddess was dancing." The new Chief Patrol of the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army was a Second-Class Sergeant of the Forty-Second Grade. On paper, this military rank should theoretically belong to a fresh graduate, someone one or two years out of school, or even a little longer. In reality, however, this new Chief Patrol was a recent university graduate, with an evocative name: Taoles Sumei. The Laurel Goddess of the University of Georgia, Menilman''s cousin. Ah! Taoles had graduated and was no longer a student at the University of Georgia, ready to shed the title of Laurel Goddess. Seeing this name, Charles understood why he, a Forty-First Grade, First-Class Clerk, could be out-ranked by a Forty-Second Grade, Second-Class Sergeant who managed to "exceptionally" gain an official status and become a Chief Patrol with actual power. He racked his brain but couldn''t fathom why his new partner would be Taoles Sumei. This former Laurel Goddess of the University of Georgia was indeed efficient. On the afternoon Charles received the document from the Central Government Office, she appeared at No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street. When the beautiful young lady with azure eyes, looking as graceful as a water lily, stood in Charles'' office, her first words were, "I just wanted to see your look of astonishment." Charles spread his hands and asked, "How come you are joining the Patrolling Army?" Taoles, feeling very much at home, found some floral tea in Charles'' office, casually took out a card, placed it under the kettle, and soon boiled the water, making herself a cup of tea. Charles was dumbfounded and asked, "Is this the Card Magician''s craft from the University of Georgia?" Taoles carefully blew on the hot water while answering, "Yes, it''s the card magic created by Yuan Arthur Conan Doyle Ye, the first president of University of Georgia." "This card is ''Bonfire''!" "It''s very convenient for burning and cooking some hot water and food in the wild." Charles was envious, but he knew that he no longer had the energy to practice any card magic, so he just casually asked, "Taoles, what Order of Transcendent are you?" Taoles Sumei replied, "A Third Order card magician!" "Just a bit stronger than Anne." Charles didn''t want to continue this topic, for with Taoles''s nasty character, every word he said could possibly reach Anne''s ears, and it would inevitably be an exaggerated and embellished version. With her tea in hand, Taoles carefully sipped slowly. It must be said, she is worthy of being the Laurel Goddess of University of Georgia, The Empire''s First Rose Menilman''s cousin, with almost impeccable looks and very graceful demeanor. From her appearance alone, she could be termed flawless without any angle to criticize. However, when it comes to personality... Your journey continues on empire Charles didn''t want to comment. He also poured himself a cup of coffee. He was not accustomed to this world''s coffee; it was a bit too acidic, so he bought a batch of beans and roasted them himself to make a charcoal roast. Although the flavor was average and not entirely satisfactory, it was palatable at the very least. Taoles''s nose twitched lightly as she asked, "What coffee is this?" Charles gestured, "Want to try?" Taoles set down her tea, followed Charles''s brewing method by adding sugar and milk, and used the magic card ''Bonfire'' to heat it slightly, then took a careful sip. Her eyes immediately lit up. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Where did you get this coffee? It''s a bit bitter, but just the right amount, turning into a rich fragrance after adding sugar and milk¡ªI''ve never tasted anything like it." Charles didn''t play mysterious and explained, "I deep-roasted the coffee beans," and detailed the essentials of roasting coffee beans to Taoles. Taoles memorized quietly and then asked, "If you open a coffee shop, it would definitely do good business." Charles chuckled and said, "I''d prefer to open a chain of bubble tea shops." That stuff is a genuine "big business" on Earth, hugely popular with women worldwide. Charles had thought a lot about profitable businesses he could start on the Old Continent. Besides a pharmacy, he had also considered opening a bubble tea shop. While the former was an existing business on the Old Continent, just requiring adjustment in the merchandise sold, the latter idea seemed too "earth-shattering." He was unsure if it would do well. Taoles didn''t know what "chain" meant or what "bubble tea" was. She frowned, pondered for a while, and then said, "Milk and tea together doesn''t sound like they would taste good." "That business is doomed to lose money." Without explaining, Charles asked, "Taoles, are you really planning to work?" Taoles collected her magic card and said, "I''ve also brought the soldiers you urgently needed." "However, it seems you''ve solved that problem yourself." It was then that Charles remembered that Lady Mavis had mentioned that the Imperial Assembly would supply him with new soldiers. In recent days, a large portion of his Patrolling Army profiteers had been transferred out. But with the arrival of a batch of prisoners and recruitment of local gang members, he had momentarily forgotten about it. Chapter 84 82. Mrs. Mavis (second update, ask for first subscription, ask for monthly ticket) Although the Fars Empire allows women to work, the traditional forces are quite strong, and unless the husband''s family is really of average means and needs the wife''s salary, they will ask the woman to quit her job.Of course, if the woman''s family is quite powerful, women will also have more freedom. Charles had long known that his partner, the Patrol Army Superintendent, was a lady. Her name was Gertie Mavis. Seven years ago, she graduated from the University of Georgia. Her maiden name was Ofi, and she married a high-ranking official of the empire. She is now a First-Class Sergeant Major at the thirty-seventh rank. Madam Mavis has two military identities, one as the Patrol Army Superintendent of the Lucavaro District, the other as a guard of the Inner Court, and she can draw two salaries. Therefore, it''s entirely justified that she does not come to work at the Patrolling Army. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In seven years, Madam Mavis had risen from a First-Class Sergeant to a First-Class Sergeant Major and had formal military status. Moreover, she could serve simultaneously as the Patrol Army Superintendent and as a guard of the Inner Court; her career progress was much smoother than Charles''s. Charles was just hanging by a thread, and his promotion didn''t follow the regular procedure. From inside the carriage came a voice with a hint of cheerfulness, "It''s me! Mister Mecklen, I also have a position in the court. This time I''m here in the capacity of a guard of the Inner Court to temporarily relay a verbal command from His Highness, the Crown Prince." Charles was startled and thought, "How does the Crown Prince know me?" He bowed his head slightly and performed the imperial courtesy, saying, "I am all ears for His Highness the Crown Prince''s command." Madam Mavis stepped down from the carriage; she was a tall woman with a certain sharp and noble air that ordinary women did not possess. With dignified features and a unique charm, though slightly older, she was still an exceptional beauty. Since his arrival, the only woman Charles had seen who had a similar aura to Madam Mavis was his senior classmate, Menilman. The lady said, "You''ve shown courageous and diligent service in protecting the Duke Ferdinand Couple, and for this, you are specially awarded the position of a fourth-grade Clerk Chief at the thirty-fourth rank!" "Additionally, a reward of five Aegeus is granted to the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army!" "The documents from the Central Government Office will be delivered here tomorrow, and the cash reward will follow shortly." Charles was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Madam." Madam Mavis gave a faint smile and said, "His Highness, the Crown Prince, is quite fond of your attention to detail. Although the Duke is dead, his body still requires respect." Charles was taken aback; Madam Mavis''s words disclosed an important piece of information: "The Crown Prince was at the scene." He had yet to figure out what this meant. Madam Mavis did not engage in any more unnecessary talk and returned to her carriage. The carriage immediately drove away from Sparrowhawk Street No. 1. Dobin moved closer to Charles and said in a low voice, "Have you ever heard the rumors about the lady?" Charles shrugged his shoulders, indicating he had never heard anything. Experience tales at empire Dobin immediately perked up and whispered, "After I took office, I made a point of asking some old friends about the lady. Almost everyone in the palace says she is the Crown Prince''s secret lover." Charles recalled Madam Mavis''s charm and thought to himself, "The Crown Prince has quite decent taste." Dobin went on and on, recounting all the gossip he had gathered to Charles, including a rumor that His Highness had taken Madam Mavis out of the Imperial Palace in the middle of the night., Their carriage raced through Strasbourg in the dead of night., It was said that all the attending guards had heard sounds they shouldn''t have... Although Charles wasn''t sure about the authenticity of these rumors, he couldn''t help but think with amusement that "The Crown Prince sure knows how to have fun," which was a bit of a sacrilege to the heir of the Fars Empire. Before long, someone indeed sent over a small amount of cash, all in Sheng Ding coins, with no paper bills. In front of everyone, Charles opened the money bag and distributed rewards according to merit, first to Dobin and the ten members of the Patrolling Army who had followed to check the situation, and then he gave a sum to all the on-duty Patrolling Army soldiers. Having been a math teacher in his previous life, he certainly understood the principle of dividing chestnuts among monkeys. After distributing the money, he still had more than half left.Charles feigned a gesture, smacked his forehead, and said with a laugh, "I didn''t expect to have some left over., Let''s distribute another round." After three rounds of distribution had finally dealt away ninety percent of the reward, a few hundred Sheng Dings were left.Charles didn''t hesitate to say, "With this leftover money, there''s no fair way to distribute it to everyone anymore., Instead, why don''t we buy some barley beer and continue to drink merrily?" Charles''s suggestion was met with cheers and adoration from everyone, whether they were former adventurers or the old members of the Patrolling Army brought by Dobin; no one dislikes a generous superior. Though Charles often shirked work, he had been growing in stature and authority in the eyes of his subordinates. Handing the money over to Dobin, Charles didn''t intend to continue drinking barley beer with the group of Patrolling Army soldiers., He called over a soldier and instructed him to go to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, to inform Madam Nancy to bring the carriage over, and to prepare on the carriage some fruit wine, barley beer, food, water, blankets, a change of clothes, and so on, and to board the three Agile Cats kittens at the Cat and Clover Cafe, ready to set off for Machu Picchu. When Charles returned to his office to wait for Madam Nancy to bring over the carriage, Homonsa, with her light brown short hair, walked in. Seeing her, Charles smiled and asked, "What''s the matter?" Homonsa had joined the Giant Axe Adventure Group in the past, avoiding one crisis after another., She had also got along well with the five members of the adventure group., Although Hannah died in Machu Picchu, the rest of the team had received his favorable treatment. Homonsa took out a handgun from her bosom and placed it on Charles''s desk, saying, "I picked this up at the explosion site." The gun had an unusual design, similar to a type of revolver called the Chiappa Rhino on Earth., It was silver all over, with sharp edges on the body and numerous strange runes inscribed on the barrel., The handle was covered with some kind of animal skin, thick and very tactile. With just a touch, Charles knew this was an Extraordinary Weapon and, thinking about the events of the day and where Homonsa had "picked up" the handgun, he felt a headache coming on. This Extraordinary Handgun was almost certainly the weapon used by the assassin who killed Archduke Ferdinand. Homonsa spoke softly, "I know it can''t be safely turned into cash, and I dare not use it myself., Can you help me convert it to money?" "I really need the money to be promoted to Knight." Homonsa had already formed a seed of power, but forming a power seed didn''t mean she could metamorphose into a Knight with Fighting Spirit. Charles also had a seed of power, which he had obtained at the Behemoth National College by practicing the Lamia Breathing Technique. The Lamia Breathing Technique, also known as the Siren Breathing Technique, once mastered to a deep extent, could replace sleep and allow the cultivator to master water attributes. However, to this day, Charles had not awakened his seed of power! Half of the reason was that his aptitude was not suitable for the path of a Knight, and the other half, he could only attribute to elusive luck. Homonsa looked nervous as she spoke, knowing that what she was doing was taboo and dangerous. Chapter 102 100, covenantor of the gods Generally, armies like the Free Knights Order, temporarily conscripted for war, would disband on their own after the conflict, but due to the operational mechanisms of the Faust Empire not being as precise as gears, many Knighthoods continued to operate for a while after the war, drawing their pay for an extended period.The Empire mostly turned a blind eye to this and did not intervene much. The Free Knights Order''s registration term was typically one year, three years, or five years, depending on the scale of the war. It was common for the registration period of a Knighthood fighting on the front to expire, leading to the suspension of pay and mutiny, which could result in a loss in the war. Renewing the registration of a Knighthood was actually quite a niche job. How powerful is a Fu Er? It could extend a Knighthood''s registration to the maximum limit allowed by the Empire''s legal system! Although the Empire had never seen a Knighthood last over twenty years on phantom payrolls during peacetime, it was still a very worthwhile favor. Charles took the Knighthood''s registration document, courteously performed an Imperial salute, and without any explicit agreement, he and the middle-aged clerk said nothing to each other, not even exchanging a glance. Charles and Taoles left the office. The middle-aged clerk finished his workday as usual and followed his colleagues out. Upon exiting the Central Government Office, Charles asked, "Taoles, where are you heading?" Without any hesitation, Taoles responded, "Back to the university!" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles also intended to visit Anne at the University of Georgia and promptly informed Madam Nancy, upon which the carriage headed towards the University of Georgia. The four universities and the Central Government Office were all in the Val de Vaz District, so the carriage soon arrived at the destination. Charles had planned to part ways with Taoles at the university entrance but didn''t expect Taoles to address the talk tube, saying, "Just go in." She glanced at Charles, who looked mildly surprised, and said, "You graduated from Sheffield University, while I graduated from the University of Georgia, what''s so strange about having a permanent access pass to one''s alma mater?" Charles facepalmed, thinking to himself, "Am I puzzled by that? I''m just concerned about us showing up together and causing Anne to misunderstand." Although as far as freeloading goes, the young miss from Su Mei''s Home was no less appealing than the one from the Brittany Family, Charles still had some integrity. With patience, he said, "I just feel it''s inconvenient." With a hand over her mouth, Taoles chuckled softly and said, "I know you''re afraid of Anne getting the wrong idea, but she won''t misunderstand. I vowed in front of the Goddess when I entered the university to remain unmarried for life." Charles''s expression changed slightly as he asked, "You''re a covenantor of the gods!" Taoles nodded, and a touch of sympathy rose in Charles''s heart for the noble miss from the Sumei Family. Speaking indifferently, she said, "You needn''t pity me, I''ve had enough of that, just as I''m fed up with the arranged marriages my family sets up for me." Sighing, Charles said, "I used to wish my family would arrange a marriage for me." "Later..." Charles deliberately paused, not continuing his thought, acting much like an author of an unfinished online novel, kindling Taoles''s curiosity. She asked, "Although of humble origin, your university education and position as an Imperial Civil Servant should make you a good marriage candidate. Why didn''t your family arrange a match for you?" With a calm tone, Charles replied, "Because my brother is in charge of our household." Instantly, Taoles felt sympathy, imagining the pitiable younger brother bullied by a domineering older brother and sister-in-law in various dramatic scenes. Charlotte''s brother would definitely feel wronged if he knew someone thought this way about him. He didn''t wish for his brother to get involved with the family business, mainly because his brother was a typical wastrel, notorious and spendthrift, fearing that his brother''s involvement would squander the hard work of generations¡ªit wasn''t out of disregard for fraternal affection. Charlotte agreed to give up his inheritance rights, and he even sent his brother 550 Aegeus, which was almost seventy percent of the Meclen family''s cash reserves. There was nothing to fault in this arrangement. Although the Meclen family were merchants, they weren''t swimming in riches; their fortune was only a thousand or two Aegeus. Charlotte spoke this way mainly to sever ties with the past. He strived to maintain a solitary image in front of everyone and didn''t behave any differently even with Taoles, whom he had an average relationship with. When it comes to image management, one must be consistent in front of everyone. In order to comfort Charlotte, Taoles said, "Don''t be too sad, you know, the marriage partner arranged for me by the family once included Zimmerman Axel Robin, and that was after ''that incident''. Do you know how desperate I felt?" Your next chapter is on empire Charlotte suddenly forgot about his image management, shocked as he asked, "After the Night Window incident?" Taoles gave him a look and said, "What else? Did you think it was after the Empire Rose event? If that were the case, I would have gone mad." Charlotte tried to imagine, only to find himself unable to comprehend how the brains of the nobles of the Old Continent worked. He could imagine how Menilman Senior must have felt upon discovering her fianc¨¦''s unsightly truth and tearing up the marriage contract, only for the Su Mei family''s elders to discuss and decide to replace him with a cousin. He could envision the kind of emotion that must have engendered. He could also imagine the shock Taoles must have felt at the time... But he could not understand the logic driving the brains of certain nobles who orchestrated this scene. Were these the thoughts of proper humans? Charlotte asked, "And then you became a covenantor of the gods?" Taoles nodded and said, "That''s right. I decided then and there, as soon as I went to university, I became a covenantor of the gods. I will never marry." Charlotte could relate; in a similar family setting, he might have chosen never to marry as well. There''s a common saying in the education sector of the Empire: The National Academy serves the Royal Family and the Empire, while imperial universities serve the deities. Yet, most university graduates still choose to join the government for a high-income job. Only a rare few, during their university years, feel the "benevolence" of the deities and declare themselves as covenantors of the gods. In other words, Priest Apprentices! After graduating they can join the Orthodox Divine Sect and hold a priesthood position. Charlotte, too, had considered this path, but joining the Orthodox Divine Sect, despite its various privileges, would mean relinquishing any touch with secular power. His life would be constrained by doctrines, such as remaining celibate for life and being barred from secular wealth. It was too inconvenient, so he abandoned the idea. Of course, one could also choose not to join the Orthodox Divine Sect after graduation and find their own way, but they would still have to adhere to various doctrines, such as being celibate for life and not owning secular wealth. A covenantor of the gods could also choose to give up their status, but the cost would be immense. They would be looked upon with distaste by the deities, all supernatural abilities within the faith system would be annulled, and they would carry a negative buff worse than an Evil God''s curse for life. Chapter 86 84. Saint Mama Karen! (Fourth update, there should be another one later) ```In the Old Continent, ranks one to six are considered lower-ranked supernaturals, ranks seven to twelve as mid-level transcendent, and ranks thirteen to eighteen as high-level transcendent, and those above rank eighteen have other titles! Any knight who collects all eight of the Great Knights'' Certificates can prefix their title with "Sacred," a status so high, it is unrivaled. Other transcendent professions, upon breaking through rank eighteen, can also prefix their surname with "Sacred"! The most well-known characteristic of the Sacred Order is that without the aid of any extraordinary object, magic tools, or bloodline secret techniques, they rely solely on their own power to break free from the earth and soar through the skies. This Mama Karen could actually be called: Sacred Mama Karen! Experience more on empire So, when Annie saw this mama, she resigned herself to following her back, because even if she resisted, she would still be taken back. Even if Vinnie Yarsaenu, Charles, and Silvie together tried to stop it, they couldn''t change the outcome. Silvie watched Mama Karen and Miss Annie leave and said to Charles, "Cousin! How much pressure do you feel?" Charles glanced at his former fianc¨¦e and answered with a slight smile, "Not much! I can handle it." He was a man who had faced the Evil God twice! The second time was even with two of them, just a Sacred Order... "Damn it, the pressure is still pretty big." Charles knew that Annie''s family was extraordinary, that her father was an Earl, and that the Earldom ranked fifth in the hierarchy of the Empire... But he had never had a clear understanding of it before. Even upon meeting Annie''s cousin, who was a high-level supernatural, it didn''t bother him; he had never expected to see the "class difference" truly personified in a mama. The housekeeper mama of an earl''s family was of the Sacred Order! This is damn... Silvie looked sympathetically at Charles, not believing that her former fianc¨¦ was as carefree as he appeared, and she muttered to herself, "He''s probably still an underground boyfriend, the kind kept in the dark. No wonder he''s changed so much..." "Eh!?" "If he ends up successfully marrying Miss Annie, wouldn''t all those little secrets I know from the past become big handles?" "All I have to do is threaten to expose his past misdeeds..." Silvie hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling that her former fianc¨¦ would probably go as far as to commit murder to cover his tracks. In Silvie Martin''s eyes, Charles Mecklen had never been a "good person," and she believed he was capable of murder. Vinnie Yarsaenu watched the scene with interest, feeling as if she were witnessing a "grand play," so thrilling that it made her want to see the second act. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Vinnie couldn''t help but drop a hint, "Did Annie leave you anything?" Charles unfolded the newspaper and saw a shocking headline: Archduke Ferdinand Assassinated, Couple Journey Together to the Underworld. The subheadline read¡ªBehemoth Duchy declares war on South Serif Territory! ``` ``` Charles gave it a cursory glance without lingering and opened the newspaper, inside was a silver handgun... The style of this handgun was very familiar, resembling the Chiappa Rhino revolver of Earth, all silver, with sharp edges on the body, the barrel adorned with countless strange runes, and the grip covered with some kind of beast hide, thick and tactile. He had just seen one of the same model a few hours ago. Silvie didn''t recognize it, she had just graduated after all and her experience was not yet broad, but Vinnie Yarsaenu couldn''t help exclaiming, "This is the Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros!" "A transcendental alchemical handgun from the Huokeville Workshop!" "I heard they only produce five a year!" "After the combined efforts of the thirteen alchemist masters from the Huokeville Workshop, they have produced no more than twenty-five in total!" "This one should have a serial number!" Charles turned over the grip and indeed, there was a "Ê®©B" on it, marking it as the thirteenth Silver Rhinoceros produced by the Huokeville Workshop. Charles vaguely remembered that the Silver Rhinoceros that Homonsa had found had a serial number of ©D, meaning it was the fifth Silver Rhinoceros produced by the Hockwell workshop, a few years older than the one he held in his hands. The Silver Rhinoceros could also transform Fighting Spirit, Blood Energy, Magic Power, and other kinds of energy into bullets, its effective range wasn''t as far as the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, but it still reached over two thousand pimi. It could also use the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. It was also a transcendental firearm of the antispace classification. Aside from this Silver Rhinoceros, the package from Annie also contained six Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. On one hand, Charles felt grateful, touched by Annie''s significant favor, and on the other hand, he felt regretful that he could only borrow the Silver Rhinoceros for three days. He absentmindedly practiced some trick shots ¨C as a third-rate shooter with decent shooting skills, he had practiced these techniques diligently during his university days, the Silver Rhinoceros spinning around his wrist, the muzzle pointing in various directions. Meanwhile, Charles, through "touch," also knew an advantage the Silver Rhinoceros had over the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle. The Anti-Space Sniper Rifle had only one spatial magazine, but the Silver Rhinoceros additionally had a Psy-Magazine, capable of storing Spiritual Power, Fighting Spirit, Blood Energy, Magic Power, Fel Energy, and other kinds of compressed energy bullets. Since the Psy-Magazine didn''t involve space, the Energy Bullets wouldn''t be expelled when hidden. Annie must have asked quite a few people for help; now, the Silver Rhinoceros''s Psy-Magazine contained thirty-five Psy-Bullets, likely from the hands of seven individuals, each bullet with different attributes, but all quite formidable in power ¡ª a clear sign that those who contributed were all quite strong. Vinnie Yarsaenu, too, showed considerable interest in the extraordinary handgun, taking it over and playing with it for a while. She also compressed several Fairy Cat Magic bullets, all basic Cat Transformation Spells, so that anyone hit by a bullet, unable to resist Vinnie''s magic, would instantly turn into a little kitten. Silvie was also curious and took the transcendental handgun to try, but although her swordsmanship was extraordinary, even surpassing the former Charles Meklen, she had not yet awakened her Fighting Spirit, so she was unable to compress transcendental bullets. The three of them then returned to the carriage, where Charles politely said to the two ladies, "Good night!" before heading to the rear luggage compartment. Though it was a luggage compartment, it had four square pimi of space. One pimi in the Old Continent is equivalent to 1.15 meters on Earth, not to be confused with the similarly named picometer, a unit a thousand times smaller. For this journey, Charles had brought enough water, ale, fruit wine, and food, but the space in the luggage compartment was quite ample, enough for him to set up a sleeping area. Charles had also brought enough blankets; the wool blankets from the Inglimar Empire were of particularly good quality, much softer than the cheap blankets on Earth; it is said their wool is of better quality than that from other countries on the Old Continent. Madame Nancy also wrapped herself in her own wool blanket at the driver''s seat; she did not have the privilege to enter the front compartment, nor could she sleep with Charles, so she had to make do at her position. ``` Chapter 87 Duel The next day, early morning.The sun shone brightly, and the birds chirped in the woods. Charles rubbed his eyes, got up, stepped out of the carriage, relieved himself in a nearby grove, and wiped his face with the dew on the leaves. When he returned, Silvie had opened the coach door and said, "You can come up now." Charles got on the carriage and saw that both ladies had already tidied up the carriage and dressed neatly. Only then did he allow Madam Nancy to continue driving the carriage directly to the Machu Picchu fortress. When they arrived at Machu Picchu, another carriage was already parked in front of the fortress. Aubrey Barrington Atwood, the president of the Liemar Detective Agency, and another young soldier in his thirties stood together. Aubrey Barrington Atwood, upon seeing Vini Yarsaenu, greeted her with a smile. Vini returned the greeting with a standard Empire salute. As for Charles, he didn''t feel the necessity to greet Aubrey Barrington Atwood. After all, it was already a do-or-die situation, so why bother with false pleasantries? Seeing Charles and his group approach, the young soldier took a step forward and said, "I am Harriet Alva! Edison''s brother, a graduate from the first National Academy, and I practiced the Radiant Breathing Method!" Upon hearing ''the First National Academy,'' Charles instantly felt a deep respect. He had graduated from Le Man Public School and attended Behemoth National College, neither of which were the Empire''s top institutions, but later he had been admitted to Sheffield University, which somewhat compensated for the educational shortcomings. No one could say that a university graduate lacked a solid education. But hearing someone had graduated from the First National Academy still made him a bit envious. Zimmerman Axel Robin was also a graduate of the First National Academy, which is an affiliate of Royal Hogwarts University, and its graduates'' first choice of university. Thus, the First National Academy could also be considered a school under the wings of the Lord of Radiance, where students could learn the Radiant Breathing Method. Charles casually asked, "That''s a pity, why didn''t you apply for university?" Harriet Alva smiled slightly and said, "Because while I was studying at the First National Academy, I had a good friend named Zimmerman Axel Robin. Close to graduation, he suddenly attacked me, which made me miss the applications for university." Even though they were about to duel to the death, Charles couldn''t help but show a look of sympathy and asked, "This friend of yours, was he really a friend?" Harriet smiled faintly and answered, "If I could collect the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates, he would be the first one I challenge. Unfortunately, he has already been executed by the Empire, so I no longer have that opportunity." Charles hesitated for a moment, thinking to himself, "Actually, you still have a chance, just commit an irrevocable crime, get caught and sent to the real Kilmainham Prison, then you''ll have your chance to challenge Zimmerman Axel Robin. It''s just unknown if, after the memories are extracted by the Jade Scroll, you''ll still remember this." Of course, he dared not reveal this secret! Zimmerman Axel Robin was not yet dead, and that was absolutely a top-secret matter that must remain undisclosed. Charles was now also vaguely beginning to understand why Menilman had picked him to sign the documents. Indeed, he had shown talent and was a proper junior brother. Sharing secrets was exactly his senior sister''s subtle way of recruiting him. Lated, he performed exceptionally well... Now, he was absolutely considered a staunchly loyal subordinate to the Empire''s First Rose. Harriet Alva was very restrained, showing no impulse against the enemy who had killed his brother. He patiently waited for the witnesses to inspect the weapons of both parties, confirm the legality of the documents, and¡ªas was customary¡ªasked both if they wished to call off the duel, embrace each other, and turn their weapons to plowshares... Charles agreed on the spot. It was the first time Harriet Alva showed impatience, refusing to call off the duel. After a series of cumbersome procedures, under the watchful eyes of two witnesses and Silvie Martin, both stepped into the Machu Picchu fortress, and on an open ground, they began their standoff. Charles concentrated slightly, sensing the enthusiastic response of the labyrinthine Machu Picchu; he even received a piece of information: the NPCs of Machu Picchu''s labyrinth had increased to thirteen hundred twenty-one. Apart from those adventurers, many of the wild beasts that originally roamed the Machu Picchu fortress were now designated as NPCs, as well as some of the demons, evil spirits, and oddities that had dwelt in the ruins of the fortress. Harriet Alva''s weapon of choice was a standard military saber. As a forty-first-grade fifth-level officer, his finances were quite tight. He often needed assistance from his detective brother and, of course, could not afford any extraordinary weapons. Charles wielded an alchemical staff, created by dissolving an old magic scabbard from the era of the Sherlock Kingdom and incorporating special wood, resulting in a toughness that matched metal swords. The weapons of both participants had been inspected by the witnesses, and they had both promised not to use firearms during the duel. Silvie, unaware of this rule, became extremely worried upon learning that firearms were not allowed, her face filled with concern. Vinnie Yarsaenu, on the other hand, remained calm and collected, always believing that Charles must have some other countermeasures up his sleeve. Harriet held his military saber at his brow, saluted militarily, and with a sharp shout, his Radiant Fighting Spirit burst forth, launching a simple sprint that covered more than ten steps instantly, his saber cleaving downward with immense force. This strike, devoid of any flashiness, but with precision in power, speed, angle, and timing, showcased the decisive and straightforward nature forged through countless life-and-death battles on the battlefield. In terms of speed alone, it almost matched Algenon''s Leopard''s Hunt. Yet Harriet used no special abilities. Stay tuned for updates on empire Charles took a deep breath, stepped back lightly, and moved out of Harriet''s attack range. The two displayed the formidable fighting spirit of high-order knights and the adaptability of the transcendent with special abilities in combat. Harriet Alva casually shifted strategies, delivering twelve continuous slashes, each one terrifyingly precise. Unlike Algenon, who could only sustain a short burst, he leisurely said, "If I could attend university and learn the Divine Light Meditation Technique, Mr. Charles, you wouldn''t stand a chance against me even with one move." Charles thought, "Certainly not." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If Harriet Alva were to master the Divine Light Meditation Technique and develop various special abilities, why would he even bother fighting? It would be wiser to rush deeper into Machu Picchu''s labyrinth and use its power to contend with this high-level transcendent. Charles, relying on his Quickness Technique, managed to dodge all twelve slashes. Harriet, not the least bit daunted, his face full of confidence, declared, "I have been through countless battles in the military and have now earned two of the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates!" "Today, let Mister Mecklen witness the Proof of War!" Suddenly, a bloodthirsty aura emanated from Harriet''s body, and a blood-red military flag unfurled behind him. Chapter 88 86, Proof of War "Proof of War!?"Aubrey Barrington Atwood and Vini Yarsaenu exclaimed together. Aubrey Barrington Atwood was also a high-order knight and naturally knew that the Proof of War was one of the most difficult of the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates to gather. Although Vini Yarsaenu was not a knight, she also knew how difficult it was to obtain a knight''s certificate, and gathering the Proof of War was even more challenging. Anne''s cousin, Krel Brittany, and Taoles''s brother, Ebner Sumei, were both seventeenth-rank knights, but neither had been to a battlefield nor experienced war, and therefore lacked the Proof of War, missing the step to the Sacred Order by a hair''s breadth. Charles''s heart trembled slightly. He had long used the secret technique of the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, Protagora, driving the Quickness Rune in his left leg, channeling Blood Flame Qi, infusing it with the remaining four Bloody Vortices, and increasing his speed by forty percent; he could not push it any further. Although Charles had mastered four Bloody Runes, relying on Insight, Blood Flame Qi, Quickness Technique, and Angel''s Thorn, giving him battle prowess akin to a mid-level transcendent, he was still several notions short in a duel with a genuine high-level transcendent. Harriet used pure Fighting Spirit, and Charles could still cope relying on Quickness Technique and Angel''s Thorn, but once his opponent mobilized the Proof of War among the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates, Charles would not be foolish enough to continue clashing head-on. He retreated without hesitation, retreating into the ruins of Machu Picchu. Explore stories at empire Harriet''s Radiant Fighting Spirit also underwent a transformation, faintly enveloped in a layer of bloody aura, and he followed closely with large strides, convinced that Charles could not escape from his clutches. Harriet wielded his military saber with grandeur, and Charles fought while retreating, occasionally leveraging the Blood Flame Qi to remotely strike with his alchemical staff. The battle quickly shifted deeper into Machu Picchu. Aubrey Barrington Atwood and Vini Yarsaenu, as witnesses, sprinted forward to keep up with the two. Silvie also wanted to follow them, but she had not yet developed Fighting Spirit and lacked the acceleration; how could she keep up with four transcendent beings? Especially since three of those four were high-level transcendent. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Charles was not a high-level transcendent, with Quickness Technique and Protagora''s secret technique, his speed was unmatched by ordinary high-level beings. Soon, Silvie Martin lost sight of everyone. After running for a while longer, she realized she had lost her way, and her heart began to fear slightly. She shouted a few times, then worried about disturbing Charles, she dared not shout anymore. After searching the vicinity, she realized every path was unfamiliar, not at all the way she came, and soon she couldn''t even determine the direction. Aubrey Barrington Atwood and Vini Yarsaenu fared slightly better than Silvie, but they too soon lost sight of the two duelers and quickly lost each other as well. Aubrey Barrington Atwood was an experienced old detective. When he found himself alone, he suddenly snapped to realization, slapped the ground, leveraged the residual wave of Fighting Spirit to perceive his surroundings, revealed a startled expression, and exclaimed, "It''s a labyrinth!" "Why would there be a labyrinth here?" "Even if Machu Picchu fortress was occupied by some powerful creature, it couldn''t have formed such a complete labyrinth in such a short time, could it?" Aubrey Barrington Atwood, capable of forming the Lively Horse Society and a man of great decisiveness, turned around without hesitation and sprinted, even though the paths in front of him were unpredictable. Yet, with his experience with labyrinths, he finally escaped Machu Picchu half an hour later. Aubrey Barrington Atwood had just rushed out of the Machu Picchu fortress, and as he looked back, his heart pounded with fear, and his eyes revealed a deep wariness. Vini Yarsaenu quickly sensed that something was amiss. Her response was much more relaxed than her companions'', as this was the specialty of Fairy Cat Magic. She cast the Cat Transformation Spell and turned into a famously agile desert cat, leaping onto a nearby building and soon disappearing amidst the ruins of the fortress. Charles had to focus entirely on his battle with Harriet, unable to spare any attention to manipulate the labyrinth. Although Aubrey Barrington Atwood had managed to escape, Charles felt a slight regret but couldn''t do much more. Harriet employed the Proof of War, and the blood-colored military banner that unfurled behind him weakened his enemies and amplified his own powers. The Radiant Fighting Spirit tainted with blood possessed a strangely captivating quality. With every clash between Charles''s alchemical staff and his opponent''s saber, the Bloody Glory within him would boil like a frenzy, causing his heart to flutter and a sense of disgust to emerge. After exchanging a few more blows with Harriet, Charles took a deep breath, spun around, and disappeared. Having honed his skills in the military for many years and experienced dozens of battles, Harriet had developed an unparalleled confidence. No matter what tricks Charles had up his sleeve, Harriet believed he could cleave through them all with his saber. Where his saber pointed, the blood-colored military banner behind him rolled out, rippling outward, and indeed it immediately located the "target". Harriet thrust forward, clashing fiercely with a rapier. A powerful energy rebounded against him, and he exclaimed in mild surprise, "Charles! Have you actually been holding back?" He swung his saber backward with a loud cry, "Even if you have yet more tricks, you are doomed in this battle." A rapier swung out, counterattacking fiercely with sharp and vicious swordsmanship and robust Blood Energy, unafraid of the supernatural effect of the Proof of War. The person wielding it was none other than Lord Leo. Lord Leo didn''t care to know who Harriet was, considering they were all people from Fars, it made no difference if he killed him, no need to ask for details. Only then did Harriet realize that the person attacking him was not Charles, but a nobleman from Baron. His mind quickly turned, guessing the "truth," and he shouted, "Charles! You truly are shameless, conspiring with the people of Baron, acting as a lackey for the Vampires." Charles activated the Bloody Glory, suppressing the annoyance caused by the Proof of War, and shouted back, "My real name is Qian Nan, and I am indeed a person from Baron." "To die at the hands of a royal from the Arthur family is indeed a fortune accumulated over many lifetimes." Harriet cursed Charles for his shamelessness, but Charles didn''t pay much attention to him and took out the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, readying a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. As a High-Level Transcendent Knight, Harriet''s instincts blared a warning. He hastily dodged to the side as a streak of fire grazed past him and struck the ground, blasting a deep crater. Taking advantage of the moment, Lord Leo launched a series of swift sword strikes, and Harriet, sweating profusely, was placed on the defensive. Both being High-Level Transcendents, with Lord Leo''s remarkable swordsmanship and mastery over the Mysterious Secrets of the Arthur family, and Harriet''s solid and intense Radiant Fighting Spirit and sharp swordsmanship, they were a good match for each other, a meeting of equals. But with Charles lurking nearby and wielding a formidable weapon like the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, Harriet was thoroughly outmatched. Lord Leo felt confident, having defeated this human champion within twenty moves. Chapter 89 87. Some trivial friendships (seeking first subscription, seeking monthly ticket) Charles''s gunmanship was ordinary; after firing one shot, he found no opportunity to fire a second Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet.He had intended to wait patiently, but the diary in his embrace trembled slightly, and a thought entered his mind. "You may issue the following task to NPC Lord Leo: Kill Harriet Alva." "Reward him with more Labyrinth privileges." "NPC Lord Leo may issue the following task: Rescue him from the Labyrinth." "Reward: Teach the Bloodline Mantra." "You may issue the following task to NPC Harriet Alva: Kill Lord Leo." "Reward her with more Labyrinth privileges." "NPC Harriet Alva may issue the following task: Assist her in killing Charles Meklen." "Reward: Some insignificant friendship." After pondering for a while, Charles began to understand, what exactly was the trait of a Labyrinth NPC? As the owner of the Machu Picchu Labyrinth, he could issue tasks to NPCs, and anyone who entered the Labyrinth could accept tasks from NPCs and get rewards. The game-like nature of the Machu Picchu Maze-ification was not a problem of the Labyrinth Evil God Agmiras, nor of the Labyrinth itself, but of Charles, the owner. After its formation, the Labyrinth would shape its own style and characteristics according to the master''s will. If it were the real Charles Meklen, the Machu Picchu Labyrinth would definitely exhibit an ancient temperament, matching the cultural atmosphere of the Old Continent. But the current Charles, whose soul originated from Earth''s Huang Haisheng, a mathematics teacher, the world structure that most closely fits the Labyrinth in his memory are those detailed and rich games. Thus, after the Maze-ification of Machu Picchu, following Charles''s memory, a crude gamification took place, resulting in NPCs, and even such bizarre logic as "NPC Harriet Alva may issue the following task: Assist her in killing Charles Meklen. Reward: Some insignificant friendship." However, as it was the transformation of the Power of the Evil God, the core was not a game, and Charles was unable to fully grasp it immediately, only being able to explore gradually. Of course, Charles wouldn''t issue tasks to the two NPCs to gain more control over the Labyrinth privileges, which would be akin to "offering the hilt of the sword to others." He certainly wouldn''t assist Harriet in killing himself, which would be purely insane. The only thing worth doing was to rescue Lord Leo from the Labyrinth. The thirty-seven Vampire clans each had their own Secret Techniques, and each had a fundamental Secret Technique from which the clan''s techniques derived. For instance, the fundamental Secret Technique of the Asiluo Clan was the Angel''s Thorn, while the fundamental Secret Technique of the Adonis Blood Clan was the Blood Flame Qi! The fundamental Secret Technique of the Arthur clan was the Bloodline Mantra. As one of the Three Emperor Clans, the Arthur clan, known as the first magic clan of the Blood Clan, possessed countless, profoundly mysterious Bloodline Mantras. With this Secret Technique, the Arthur clan had members of the Sacred Order in every generation. Among the thirteen Unique Skills created by Protagora, there was no Bloodline Mantra, making Charles truly desire this Secret Technique. Lords Leo and Harriet were by then engaged in an intense battle. Neither of them knew why they had started fighting, but both felt it was trivial, and that killing the other was the real deal. After all, they belonged to different nations, the Fars Empire and the Byron Empire, humans and vampires, with far too many reasons to fight to the death. Harriet was constantly on guard against Charles''s sneak attacks, always holding back a third of his strength with every slash of his sword, increasingly at a disadvantage. He knew that if he continued to fight this way, he was bound to lose and had to locate the hidden Charles and kill him to focus all his attention on Lord Leo. At that moment, he let out a low roar, activating another proof of knighthood¡ª the Proof of Honor! Behind Harriet, beyond the blood-colored flag, a vague apparition of Saroses Robin, the symbol of the War God of the Fars Empire, emerged. Saroses Robin was one of the founding dukes of Fars, who helped King Akser ascend from a commoner to the throne, renowned worldwide for his loyalty and bravery. This ancestor of the Robin Family also represented the glory of the military! With both proofs of knighthood manifested, the blood-colored flag behind Harriet fluttered, sending out a ripple that spread, making his military saber slashes even bolder. After unleashing three blood-colored ripples in succession, Harriet still couldn''t find any trace of Charles, growing slightly anxious. Lord Leo, after a long battle, had more or less grasped Harriet''s strength. After all, the Radiant Fighting Spirit was quite popular in the Old Continent. Although it was antithetical to the vampire clan''s powers and not welcomed in the Byron Empire, it was not completely unknown to them. In his anxiety, Harriet inadvertently revealed a weak spot. He let out a long howl, and his rapier transformed into a Knight''s Spear. In his shadow, two other figures leaped out¡ªthey were his two servants trapped in the Labyrinth with him. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The spear of the servant from the Adonis Clan, a famous weapon of the clan, was most powerful when it took the form of a Knight''s Spear. With the Knight''s Spear in hand, Lord Leo''s Blood Energy surged, advancing him by an order, turning the spear into a sky full of light and shadow, blocking every counterattack route from Harriet. Harriet had not expected this Blood Clan Lord to have such a tactic. He had never faced a high-ranking member of the Blood Clan on the battlefield and lacked the experience to deal with them. Desperately resisting Lord Leo''s Knight''s Spear, he could no longer attend to the sneak attacks of Leo''s two servants. Two flashes of brilliance passed, and his back and ribs were slashed with two deep gashes. By now, Harriet knew the tide had turned. Taking a hit from Lord Leo''s sweeping Knight''s Spear, he spat out a mouthful of blood and without hesitation fled towards the outside of Machu Picchu Fortress. Why would Lord Leo allow his prey to escape? He uttered a light reprimand and quickly gave chase, with his two servants accompanying him like shadows. After running desperately for half an hour, Harriet realized he could not find the way out. His heart sank, and although he tried to rely on his military experience to find an exit, how could he have known that Charles was shifting the Labyrinth, changing the pathways? Lord Leo had been in the Labyrinth for a very long time and was well aware that it was impossible to leave the Ghost Fortress. He was not in a hurry, taking his time following Harriet, and casually pulled an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle from inside his collar. He had told Charles that he brought two Anti-Space Sniper Rifles with him, and he wasn''t lying. Continue your saga on empire Lord Leo''s marksmanship was much stronger than Charles''s. Even while running at high speed, he still managed a steady shot. Thanks to the vigilance Harriet honed on the battlefield, he rolled aside into a building, avoiding the shot. Charles, meanwhile, pulled out a Silver Rhinoceros. Although the firepower of the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle was fierce, it was not as flexible and convenient as the Silver Rhinoceros. He was quite interested in this Transcendent handgun, regretfully noting that of the two he had, one had to be returned, and the other must remain unseen. Chapter 90 88, sorry, I am an irregular descendant Explore more stories at empireCharles activated his Insight, locked onto Harriet who was hiding behind a building, and just as he was about to pull the trigger, he suddenly felt a twinge of regret. The last time he used the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, he killed an assassin and blew away half of his body, leaving no chance to absorb his life force. "Harriet is a High-Level Transcendent. If I could devour his blood essence, I might even break through to the Intermediate rank directly!" "I still face the threat from the Evil God, and in three months, the Orc Assassin Alliance will continue to send new assassins. I must seize every opportunity to improve." Charles hesitated briefly before deciding to take a risk. Machu Picchu was his labyrinth; this was already his home turf, and there could be no better opportunity. Lord Leo spared no ammunition, firing over a dozen shots and forcing Harriet to scurry around like a rat attempting to escape. Charles, holding the Blood Rose, chose a corner of the wall, focused his spirit to activate the labyrinth, and then with all his might, thrust out with his sword. Just as Harriet dodged Lord Leo''s gunfire with a leap and a series of rolls, taking cover at a corner, a rapier, as if anticipating his moves, aimed straight for his vitals. It was Charles who struck first, and only then did he activate the labyrinth. Harriet had a near-death experience. Despite exerting all his effort and summoning his protective Fighting Spirit, the rapier still pierced through the Radiant Fighting Spirit and went right through his chest. For this thrust, Charles had given up the Quickness Technique and instead invoked the runes of Angel''s Thorn, channeling Bloody Glory into the four Bloody Vortexes around him, enhancing the power of the Angel''s Thorn by forty percent. With the Blood Rose being a rare Extraordinary Weapon and all these factors combined, he managed the successful strike. Harriet managed to kick out fiercely, but Charles had already let go of the rapier and casually jumped away. As Harriet reached out to grasp the Blood Rose, attempting to pull out the stabbed rapier, a flash of red light shone on its hilt, and it automatically detached, flying into the darkness. It was Charles who controlled the Blood Flame Qi, retrieving the Blood Rose. As Harriet searched for Charles to kill this detestable enemy, Lord Leo adjusted his angle and fired another shot. Although Harriet dodged it, a bullet fragment grazed his abdomen, causing blood to pour out instantly. Charles took a deep breath and threw out the Vampiric Hand Axe. Despite being a High-Level Transcendent, a Fourteenth Order Radiant Knight, in the critical split second, Harriet managed to catch the swiftly slashing hand axe, but immediately felt a pain in his abdomen as another rapier stabbed up from the ground, piercing it. Enduring the pain, Harriet stamped down forcefully, the Radiant Fighting Spirit blasting through the ground. But underneath the soil, there was nothing left. Charles had shifted an underground supply corridor from the Machu Picchu fortress over, and after thrusting with his sword, he allowed the supply corridor to return to its original place. Harriet''s attack had only managed to strike the earth itself. Having succeeded twice in a row, Charles absorbed only a small part of the life force. Yet, Bloody Glory still seethed slightly. He made a slight adjustment to his stance, ready for the next ambush. Lord Leo leapt onto a nearby building and gestured to her. Charlotte hesitated for a moment before approaching. "Lord, I have completed the mission and killed Archduke Ferdinand. I had intended to return to the Empire, but encountered several colleagues who said they hadn''t seen you and guessed that you might be in some trouble. Therefore, I came back to look for you and ran into some Blood Servants I had collected on the way. Only then did I learn that you too were trapped here." "I''ve been wandering around nearby, looking for a way to rescue you. Not long ago, I met a hermit nearby, who advised me that I needed to bring a High-Level Transcendent into the Labyrinth to get you out. I used all kinds of means to lure this high-ranking officer from the Fars Empire here." Lord Leo was slightly pleased, as he had had enough of this accursed place. However, as a high noble, he maintained his composure with a wave of his hand and said, "I didn''t call you over to discuss this matter." "I know you''re eyeing that High-Level Transcendent''s rich life force and blood, but I must remind you that although we of the Blood Clan can draw upon the life force of our enemies to advance our Extraordinary Ranks, we cannot completely rely on this method." "Higher-order members of the Blood Clan place more importance on the purity of Blood Energy. Indiscriminate and uncontrolled devouring of life force can easily lead to degeneration into monsters. Therefore, we do not consume prey of a lower Extraordinary Rank than ourselves willy-nilly, only occasionally supplementing a little." "You are still a Low-Order member of the Blood Clan; for you it''s not a big problem, but you should be at the critical point where you need to consolidate your Blood Core and advance to the rank of baron." "Personally, I suggest not using the life essence of this High-Level Transcendent of Fars to advance your rank. Try to use it to attempt to consolidate your Blood Core instead!" "Let me tell you a secret, the sooner you consolidate your Blood Core, the longer your life span will be, and the more time you can maintain your youth." Charlotte was taken aback. The Protagora scrolls did not contain a Secret Technique for consolidating a Blood Core. Although this Great Philosopher of the Human Race had also lived long, he still died of old age just like an ordinary person. Seeing the expression on Charlotte''s face, Lord Leo could not help but ask in surprise, "You haven''t learned the Blood Clan Secret Technique of the Adonis Clan?" Charlotte took a deep breath and said softly, "I apologize, I am non-standard offspring!" As it is well known, vampires do not have the ability to reproduce; they can only transform new vampires through the Arcane Rite or the First Embrace. At the foundation of the Byron Empire, the belief was that Blood Clan members were noble and did not encourage the development of new members. They strictly cracked down on the unfettered creation of offspring, requiring all Blood Clan members to pass a "review" and obtain a "First Embrace certificate" before they could develop "Descendants" according to a regulated number. Both the Arcane Rite and the First Embrace are incredibly inefficient processes, which has resulted in the population of the Blood Clan in the Byron Empire remaining low. Currently, the total population of the thirty-one clans does not exceed twenty thousand, which is even less than one-thousandth of the total population. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite the Byron Empire''s strict regulations on the development of offspring, there are still Blood Clan members who develop offspring without obtaining a "First Embrace certificate." These offspring are referred to as "non-standard offspring." These non-standard offspring, strictly speaking, should not even exist and have no right to learn the secrets of their clans. Although the Elder Council of the various clans is not very strict in auditing non-standard offspring, generally turning a blind eye, these non-standard offspring are heavily discriminated against and most cannot receive the authentic heritage of their clans. Lord Leo uttered an "oh" and said indifferently, "No wonder you always try to hide your Extraordinary Rank in front of me." Charlotte gave an awkward laugh; his reasons for hiding his Extraordinary Rank were not due to this, but of course, he wouldn''t explain. Lord Leo casually tossed a book to her and said, "Even though you can''t practice our Arthur Clan''s Vampiric Scroll, the secret technique for consolidating the Blood Core inside can still serve as a reference; the method for Blood Clan members to consolidate Blood Cores is pretty much the same." Chapter 91 89. Secret Technique of the Arthur Clan Lord Leo said indifferently, "Although you have used our Arthur Clan''s secret technique, the Blood Core you''ve condensed might have some problems that could be unfavorable for your future growth, but you probably don''t care."Charles showed a look of surprise and said, "Being able to condense a Blood Core is already a fortune sent from the heavens; how dare I expect more! Lord, I will never forget your kindness throughout my life," Qian Nan said. Lord Leo waved his hand and said, "According to the Empire''s laws, you are not qualified to read the Vampiric Scroll. I only lent it to you because I appreciate talent. However, you must never speak of this, or I will certainly kill you myself." Charles nodded repeatedly, thinking, "Indeed, according to the labyrinth I visualized, the base is still the classic Labyrinth; it has not truly become gamified, and the NPCs are not real NPCs." "I just mentioned rescuing Lord Leo, I haven''t actually done it yet, and he already gave me the Arthur Clan''s Vampiric Scroll?" As for what Lord Leo said, "Using the Arthur Clan''s secret technique, the condensed Blood Core might have some problems, which could be unfavorable for future growth..." Charles truly did not care, as he was not a vampire. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason Bloody Glory could dominate vampires and Protagora could single-handedly slaughter thousands of the Blood Clan, exterminating six of the thirty-seven Blood Clan families, was indeed due to its extraordinary qualities! Such as using the Bloody Vortex to enhance the power of secret techniques, being able to practice the secret techniques of thirteen clans simultaneously, such as the Blood Banquet Meditation... The Vampiric Scroll given by Lord Leo was something Charles had no intention of returning. After all, Lord Leo was never going to leave Machu Picchu, so retrieving the scroll would be pointless for him. Charles tucked the Vampiric Scroll into his bosom and disappeared into the depths of the ruins. Lord Leo raised the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle again, and the battle resumed. Harriet, seriously injured all over her body and already in grave danger from Lord Leo''s pursuit, and now targeted by Charles, knew she had no hope of survival. She suddenly shouted, "I am Harriet Alva!" "Mr. Aubrey Barrington Atwood, Miss Vini Yarsaenu, if you can hear me, please pass on a message to the Empire for me. Byron has a grand conspiracy, Charles is a person of Byron..." "Charles is a vampire." She shouted repeatedly, her voice echoing through the ruins of Machu Picchu. Aubrey Barrington Atwood had long since fled Machu Picchu and naturally could not hear her cries. However, Vini Yarsaenu did hear Harriet''s voice. She was slightly startled, unable to understand why the Duelist would want to frame Charles. Vini Yarsaenu knew "the truth about Charles," after all, Charles''s cousin was in her detective agency, and both Charles and Silvie were brought up under the standard Imperial educational system, making it nearly impossible for them to be people of Byron. Especially since she knew that Charles practiced Bloody Glory, it was absolutely impossible for someone who practiced Bloody Glory to be a vampire. Silvie Martin also heard these words, and she believed even less that Charles was a vampire; she knew Charles''s family well and knew what kind of person he had been from childhood. Although Charles had been somewhat strange lately, especially with his rapid increase in strength, Silvie Martin would rather believe that her former fianc¨¦ had summoned an Evil God than believe he was a vampire. Charles smiled faintly, not at all concerned about this "slur," since this place was the Machu Picchu fortress, a place truly where "even if you scream your lungs out, no one would come to your aid." After a tacit agreement was reached, Lord Leo''s gunmanship became less accurate, firing frequently in the three o''clock direction, forcing Harriet to move towards a certain angle, deliberately "serving" Charles¡ªfirstly, because he had spent some time in Machu Picchu and had a slight understanding of this fortress labyrinth; secondly, as an NPC, he had some level of authority. Charles seized the opportunity and dealt a heavy blow to Harriet once again. After Harriet forced Charles back, he suddenly stopped hiding. With his saber planted in the ground, he shouted, "You bunch of vampires, all you covet is my life, aren''t you?" "I simply won''t let it happen as you wish!" "Mr. Aubrey Barrington Atwood, Ms. Vini Yarsaenu, please make sure to convey a message to the Empire! Charles is Baron''s spy, he is a vampire..." Amidst his shouting, Harriet suddenly drew a knife across his own neck. From a distance, Charles threw his Blood Rose, which simultaneously pierced through the body of the Empire soldier. Minutes later, Charles pulled his side sword out of Harriet''s body, which had already become withered, and picked up the opponent''s saber, silently giving a salute in the Imperial style. The other party was at least a qualified soldier, who, in the last moment of his life, wished to convey information about the People of Baron back to Fars. Although Charles could not allow the other party to return to Strasbourg alive, he did not hinder his respect for the Empire soldier who fought until the last moment. All of a sudden, Lord Leo''s vision cleared, and the enemy he had just been fighting with, as well as the "loyal Qian Nan," were no longer visible, and the pathways of the ruined fortress became clear. Overjoyed, his body leapt high, transforming into countless little bats. This time, without any hindrance, they broke through some invisible barrier, flew higher and higher, right into the clouds. Unlike previous attempts when he used the Blood Bat Technique to take to the air but couldn''t fly high, After flying far away, Lord Leo remembered that his two servants and the loyal Qian Nan were still in that deadly labyrinth. However, he didn''t hesitate for even a second, instructing the little bats to accelerate while silently saying in his heart, "Your sacrifices are valuable. Upon my return, I will report your merits to the military department and ensure that no one negates your contributions." From beginning to end, the Blood Clan Lord never considered turning back to save anyone. Charles watched Lord Leo fly away, unfolded the Arthur Clan Vampiric Scroll in his hands, hesitated for a moment, and then closed the scroll again. Lord Leo was right; real vampires should indeed consider consolidating their Blood Core, preparing for their advancement to Baron. However, Charles wasn''t of the Blood Clan; with the two Great Evil Gods possibly descending at any moment, and facing the third wave of assassination from the Orc Assassin Alliance, he needed to rapidly enhance his strength even more. Charles activated the Bloody Glory, slowly digesting and absorbing the life force he had devoured, choosing to invest this harvest entirely into "Flame Hand." The "Vampire Secret Scrolls" consisted of seventeen pages, recording seventeen Secret Techniques of the Adonis bloodline. If he couldn''t master the Adonis Secret Scrolls within the set time, he would lose the author''s status and ultimately have his soul taken away by the reemerging Blood Clan Evil God, Kahnstan. Although this urgency was repeatedly delayed, there were still less than seventy days left. Continue reading on empire By comparison, consolidating the Blood Core was not urgent nor essential. Chapter 92 90. Flame Scorching Blast Bullet (Request for first order, request for monthly ticket) Large hands, composed of Blood Flame, danced through the sky, constantly making various gestures.A look of delight dominated Charles''s face. Harriet truly deserved to be a High-Level Transcendent, with particularly robust vitality. He had managed to condense seven Flame Hands. The Flame Hand was found on page three of the Adonis Clan''s Vampire Secret Scrolls and wasn''t considered a profound Secret Technique, but condensing each Flame Hand usually required a year or two longer than the previous one. It normally took three to five years for a typical Blood Clan member to cultivate the first Flame Hand, and over five years for the second. Thus, most vampires of the Adonis Clan, having cultivated one Flame Hand, did not continue to delve into this technique but sought to break through to higher levels instead. Young High-Level vampires of the Adonis Clan typically possessed only three to five Flame Hands, which were sufficient for them. Unless one was a very old vampire, who had endless years with nothing to do, would they condense more Flame Hands. Charles was not a vampire, and the Protagora Scrolls did not mention these details. After all, most people realized that cultivating this was too time-consuming and would automatically stop to seek a breakthrough at a higher level. He had consumed the life essence of a High-Level Knight and had not encountered a bottleneck in this Secret Technique. He had unwittingly condensed seven Flame Hands before realizing he might have gone too far. With a thought from Charles, one of the Flame Hands rotated its fingers and acquired a Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros, this transcendent Alchemical Handgun aiming in seven different directions sequentially, as adept as a real hand. Another Flame Hand then produced a Magic Stabbing Sword Blood Rose, its blade as white as snow, fluttering gracefully, employing the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship "Enthralling Phantom" to an extent even more bizarre than when held by hand, with each angle of the blade unfathomably precise, surpassing the limits of human imagination. Charles mulled secretly, "Isn''t this the legendary ability to fight with many arms? I even have an extra hand! Those two extra heads seem rather useless. Maybe it''s better without them." Having had his fun, he snapped his fingers, and the seven hands burning with Blood Flame gradually shrank and flew to his side, vanishing out of sight. Charles casually touched his journal and the thought came to him that the time of Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan''s descent was postponed by another eighteen days. "Page four of the Vampire Secret Scrolls is the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet, a Special Ability that launches Psy-Bullets with bare hands and can also be loaded into transcendent firearms, greatly increasing the force compared to launching them by hand," he noted. "Given my rich Blood Energy, mastering this Secret Technique should not be hard; I estimate at most a month or two." "However, I am not lacking in long-range attack techniques, so I will master the Spirit Spider Technique first, then consider the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet!" "The Spirit Spider Technique should take less than two weeks!" Charles patted off the mud from his clothes due to the combat, twisted the Labyrinth, and stepped right next to Silvie Martin. Silvie, not expecting him, had been gripping a dagger all the while and thrust it out with all her might. Fortunately, as Charles was now a Fifth Order Transcendent and had the Quickness Technique to aid him, he swiftly dodged the strike and said with a smile, "Don''t be nervous, Cousin Silvie." Realizing it was him, Silvie breathed out softly, relaxing as she exclaimed irritably, "Don''t call me cousin." Charles shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I''m afraid, from now on, you''ll stay my cousin." "Unless, we never contact each other again." "Though it doesn''t matter to me, Vinnie and I might have quite a lot of business, and you won''t be leaving the Cat Detective Agency, so try to accept this identity." Silvie pursed her lips and said, "Well, I suppose that''s better than some other identity, easier for me to accept." Charles had no idea why Silvie hated him. Even the real Charles Meklen, who once ran naked through the streets being chased, did not know that his former fiancee had seen him in such an embarrassing state. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Confronting the Evil God merely made his memories clearer, but it could not conjure up memories that did not exist. He didn''t care much about this issue either. For a first-level Clerk Chief, Silvie was quite a good marriage prospect¡ªsuitable family backgrounds, their parents were friends, and Silvie, a beautiful woman and a graduate of the National Academy, had impeccable character and temperament. But for a thirty-fourth and fourth-level Clerk Chief, this marriage was quite average. Silvie was of no help to his career, she could at most be a virtuous wife, but the young lady wasn''t willing to be confined to family life; she preferred to work, rejecting the role of the conventional housewife. Mr. Huang Hai Sheng, a traditional man, would have been very troubled had Silvie not actively refused this marriage, but the current situation made it much easier for him. Charles smiled wryly as he quickly located Vinnie Yarsaenu with Silvie. Although the cat elf detective had transformed into a desert cat and hid well, using several secret passages, Charles, being the master of the Labyrinth, easily found her. When Vinnie Yarsaenu saw Charles and Silvie appear before her, she couldn''t help but let out a surprised "meow" twice. Realizing that they didn''t understand, she immediately rolled over and reverted to her human form. Vinnie asked, "Did you kill Harriet? Are you really a vampire?" Charles took out the Blood Rose, gently wiped the blade with his hand, showing the detective his palm. A trace of blood seeped from where the blade had cut; he obviously wasn''t going to give himself a serious wound, just a slight scratch was symbolic enough. Vinnie Yarsaenu, who initially didn''t believe it, became even more skeptical upon seeing the wound on his hand. Vampires do not have blood. Even if they are cut, their wounds emit a mist of Blood Energy, not fresh blood. Silvie pulled Charles''s hand over, glanced at it, then let go. The cut was too shallow; there was no need for bandaging. Charles gestured for Vinnie Yarsaenu to follow him, and he soon left Machu Picchu with the two ladies. As the two women looked back at the fortress ruins, they were both slightly sentimental. They hadn''t experienced the horror of the Labyrinth, but were rather surprised that a High-Level Transcendent like Harriet had died here. Discover more stories at empire Neither of them asked how Charles had killed Harriet. Vinnie thought that Charles had countless secrets, and this was just one of them. As a detective, exploring secrets was her utmost joy¡ªasking directly would have been no fun. Silvie didn''t bother to ask; as long as Charles was alive, why should she care how he survived? She preferred not to concern herself too much with her former fiance. Chapter 93 91, Life is precious but love is more valuable! Madam Nancy had been waiting outside Machu Picchu.Just as Charles was about to board the carriage, he saw Aubrey Barrington Atwood alighting from another. The Liemar Detective Agency''s president had not left after all. Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "I apologize for not being able to rescue Mr. Harriet''s body. There''s something peculiar about this fortress ruin." Aubrey Barrington Atwood gave Charles a deep look and asked, "Did you choose this place because you''ve signed a contract with a certain monster?" That was the most logical explanation! Charles did not contradict nor confirm the suspicion but merely bowed slightly and handed Harriet''s military saber to Aubrey Barrington Atwood, saying, "This is Mr. Harriet''s relic. Please return it to his family." "Though I wished to avoid such a tragedy, I was powerless to prevent it." After saying this, Charles boarded the carriage and, after ensuring that both ladies were seated securely, he opened the speaking tube and said, "Madam Nancy! Back to Strasbourg." Aubrey Barrington Atwood stood in front of the ruins of Machu Picchu, watching Charles''s carriage drive away, pondering for a long time before he got into his carriage. He found Charles Meklen increasingly inscrutable. If he could turn back time, Aubrey Barrington Atwood would never have accepted that order from Magru Teller. For the mere profit of a few Aegeus, he had not only lost eight detectives, including three Transcendents, but he had also lost a military connection like Harriet. So young, Harriet had been promoted to High-Level Transcendent; he was bound to have a limitless future and would have been a strong support for the Liemar Detective Agency. Besides, he had to face the recriminations from the Orc Assassin Alliance. Indeed, the Orc Assassin Alliance would continuously send assassins to chase their targets. But for such orders that caused them to lose personnel, they would add extra fees. If the employer could not pay the additional costs, they would also end up on the assassins'' hit list. The Orcs were never the kind-hearted sort. Too much trouble. Upon returning to Strasbourg, Charles first dropped Vinnie Yarsaenu and Silvie Martin off at 22 Madelaine Street in the Alkatraz district. Then he let Madam Nancy drive back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. He alighted from the carriage, feeling something amiss in the atmosphere. In front of the house, which was usually inhabitated by just him, and at most, counting Madam Nancy and three Agile Cats, unexpectedly there were three carriages parked. Two of them bore the coat of arms of the Brittany Family, and the other was a military carriage. Charles instructed Madam Nancy to take the carriage to the stable, and he himself stepped into the hall on the first floor, where three people were present. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One of them was naturally Anne, another was her cousin Krel Brittany, and the last was none other than: Saint Mama Karen! Charles suppressed the shock in his heart, smiled slightly, and said, "I did not expect so many guests. My humble abode is truly honored by your presence." Continue your journey on empire Krel laughed and said, "I have military duties to attend to and cannot stay long, so please allow me to be brief." "Firstly, I want to apologize for not being able to fight the duel on your behalf." "Though the movement of troops was beyond my control, I should have arranged for other friends to assist in advance. This was my oversight." "Fortunately, you''ve returned safely, and that, too, has eased my mind." "I, Krel Brittany, am willing to be friends with Charles Meklen for life and will stand by his side in any matter." Krel waved his hand, stopping Charles from speaking, and continued, "The second thing is, I would like to ask Mr. Charles, are you truly willing to marry my cousin, Miss Anne Brittany, as your wife and are willing to put in the effort for her?" Anne, with a look of anxiety, clutched her skirt tightly with both hands, but dared not speak, her face showing a mix of hope and fear. Charles placed a hand on his chest and smiled, saying, "One of my teachers at Sheffield University once said, ''Life is precious, but love is more valuable!''" "I am willing to do anything for Anne, to go through fire and water for her, without hesitation." Krel revealed a smile, and Anne also visibly relaxed. This elite from the Empire''s military said, "Mr. Charles, forgive my frankness, but a Fourth Order Transcendent does not qualify to marry a young lady from the Brittany Family." "You practice Bloody Glory, and if it were a time of peace, there would be no chance to advance this Secret Technique to a High Order." "To advance Bloody Glory, one must slaughter life, and it cannot be just any low-level life. But in the Empire, murder is a crime, and killing a Transcendent, to take their life force, is something neither the Empire''s laws nor the major families can tolerate." "But now you have an opportunity." "Byron has already declared war on your homeland, the Behemoth Duchy." "In no more than a week, Fars will also declare war on those bloodsucking Vampires from Byron." "Although I cannot yet speak for the Brittany Family, I am personally willing to support you in this matter and stand by your side." "However, what is needed now is for you to join the battlefield." Charles drew in a sharp breath and said, "But I''m still a civilian staff member." He had a rough understanding of Krel''s intention. His cousin really did support his relationship with Anne, which was why he was encouraging him to go to the front line. Only on the front lines, where the life force of High-Level Transcendents was dense, could Charles advance his Bloody Glory swiftly; only by becoming a High-Level Transcendent could he and Anne be together, and the battlefield was also the place where one could most easily attain achievements and rapid promotion. Of course, mere achievements did not necessarily lead to promotion, but with Krel''s help, nobody would be able to take away Charles''s accomplishments. Krel answered indifferently, "Civilians can also go to the battlefield, and transferring to military service is not a troublesome matter." Charles looked at Anne and replied resolutely, "For Miss Anne, for the Empire, and for the peace of humanity, I am willing to take a trip to the battlefield." Krel nodded and said, "I have said all I need to say. I have come back to Strasbourg to expedite a shipment of supplies and can only stay for two hours. If you don''t return in half an hour, we will have no chance to meet again." "Now, Mr. Charles, please strive to achieve and build a career." He hurriedly took his leave. With one less person in the room, the pressure on Charles seemed to increase rather than decrease. If he had a choice, he truly did not want to face Saint Mama Karen! Mama Karen chuckled and said, "I only came to say this: You may borrow the Silver Rhinoceros indefinitely without worrying about damage or loss." The matron pointed a finger at the ground where a small red box was placed and said gently, "Here are one hundred and twenty Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets!" After saying this, Saint Mama Karen told Anne, "Please make sure you don''t return home too late," and left as gracefully as Krel. Chapter 94 92. Mister Mecklen is still quite an interesting young man (giving it my all today). As soon as Mama Karen left, Anne Brittany collapsed into Charles''s arms, tears falling like pearls as she whispered, "I am a bad woman, a selfish woman. I struggled for so long, but in the end... I chose selfishness.""Mister Mecklen, I know this is highly immoral of me to say, but I still want to ask: Would you go to battle for my sake?" "I, Anne Brittany, swear on my family''s honor that if you do not return, I shall never marry in my lifetime!" "Or, you can refuse me." Charles gently patted Anne''s back and spoke in a low voice, "But this is also what I''ve dreamt of. Please allow me to accept this request. You know, this is the only chance a poor boy has to marry a count''s daughter." Anne let out a chuckle, only to succumb once more to tears welling in her sorrowful eyes. Charles wasn''t actually a poor boy, but as the son of a merchant, he was naturally separated by a chasm from the nobility. Without personal merit that could propel him to great heights, even if he accumulated more wealth, he wouldn''t get the approval from a count to give away his daughter in marriage. Charles wasn''t particularly afraid of going to war; he had Insight, he possessed the Bloodflame Transformation Art, his ability to survive was far greater than that of an ordinary Transcendent. Moreover, he truly needed an opportunity that could quickly enhance his strength. After all, he was under the pressing threat of the Evil God''s descent. And the battlefield was his only chance. Anne stepped out of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, wiped her tears, and boarded the carriage. As the carriage turned out of Elysian Pastoral Avenue, another carriage awaited. With elegant poise, Mama Karen stepped down and said, "Miss, you won the wager with the count." But Anne felt no excitement or joy, only sadness as she said, "I feel like a bad girl." "I am forcing the person I love the most to go to war. I feel deep guilt and unease." Mama Karen chuckled lightly and said, "Miss, you need not blame yourself; you''ve done nothing wrong." "And don''t blame the count either." "Even the count has things he cannot do. He worries that the most delicate rose of his household could be picked by someone careless, so he was compelled to use this last resort and conduct these tests." In a soft voice, Anne said, "The first time he met me, he risked his life running into the Evil God''s Corridor to save me; such testing was absolutely unnecessary." With a faint smile, Mama Karen thought to herself, "Without that bold move, he would not have even had the chance to be tested this time." "The count has already sent people to investigate this young man in Behemoth Duchy." "The results of the investigation, the count burned them the very same day, showed them to no one, didn''t mention a word to anybody, and was in a foul mood all day long." "He reached for his beloved sword nine times, and picked up the Silver Rhinoceros twice..." "The count would probably have liked to kill Mister Mecklen himself." "I guess, Mister Mecklen must be quite an interesting young man! He probably has quite a few dark secrets." Anne murmured softly to herself, "I have never wished so fervently that a war would not break out." "Every Empire wants to expand, and smaller nations are drawn into their orbit; this war has become inevitable," Mama Karen said. "Miss, you need not worry too much. Your father will not send him to a dangerous unit. After all, he is not as ambitious as Mister Krel." "Lord Count has taken advantage of Mister Krel this time, I hope he won''t be angry." Anne wanted to retort, but upon reflection, Charles''s day-to-day actions did indeed seem to lack grand ambitions. As the son of a wealthy merchant, he simply couldn''t compare to a young nobleman like Krel, who had access to far more resources. After seeing Anne off, Charles couldn''t resist whistling to himself. He said to Madam Nancy, "Please go to the Cat and Clover Caf¨¦ and pick up my three little darlings. While you''re at it, buy a few pounds of beef, some lamb, pork, onions, lettuce, and spices, and get two more barrels of ale¡ªwe''re celebrating today." Madam Nancy agreed and set off. Soon after, delivery boys from various shops came to deliver goods, and Charles told them to take everything to the backyard. Charles had already prepared a set of barbecuing tools essential for any transmigrator. Back on Earth, he hadn''t been this industrious; having transmigrated to such a bustling commercial street like Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, eating out was too convenient. Even when he didn''t feel like going out, with Madam Nancy offering private chef services, he had even less reason to bother. The view from the third-floor terrace was better, but after barbecuing, cleaning up would be a hassle. Running up and down the stairs didn''t appeal to Charles, and while he himself didn''t want to do it, bossing Madam Nancy around felt somewhat improper. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Madam Nancy came back with the last batch of goods and three kittens, Charles had already carved dozens of skewers, loaded them with various cuts of meat, seasoned with spices and fine salt, and began grilling over the brazier, the aroma wafting through the air. Upon seeing their owner, the kittens immediately jumped out of the bamboo basket Madam Nancy was carrying, meowing and darting towards Charles, rubbing against his pant legs. Seeing his cats, Charles was also quite happy. He communicated with them for a while using the Soul Communication Spell, took care of feeding the kittens first, and then called over to Madam Nancy, "Let''s have a bite together." Madam Nancy didn''t stand on ceremony. She took over the barbecuing, freeing Charles. Watching her skilled movements, Charles was surprised and asked, "Madam Nancy, how come you seem so familiar with barbecuing?" As she barbecued, Madam Nancy replied, "I have a friend who was a cook. We worked together for our former employer. She was very good at barbecuing, and my last employer loved grilled meat, so I often helped and picked up a few things." Charles became interested and asked, "Does that lady have a new job now?" Madam Nancy shook her head and said, "She''s not like me, not a person from the Old Continent. She''s a native from the New Continent, from a distant land in the east, captured and brought to Fars by the war, not a free person." "Her master had promised that as long as she served for five years, she would be granted a Freedom Certificate, allowing her to become a free person. But when her master invested in the gold mines in the New Continent and lost everything, he reneged on his word and sold her off to fatten his purse." Charles immediately fell silent; he knew about the human trafficking in the Old Continent, and even Elysian Pastoral Avenue had a slave market. He simply preferred not to dwell on these issues. Madam Nancy seemed to realize she had misspoken and fell silent. Lifting a skewer of grilled meat, Charles tried to lighten the mood with a smile and asked, "What''s the lady''s name?" As she placed a skewer of mushrooms on the grill, Madam Nancy said, "Her name was too long, and I only remember her nickname: Mrs. Plum Sauce." Chapter 95 93, This is also in Fars ("Chapter 81, Hymn of the Gods: Radiant Magic Array" is just two hundred subscriptions away from ten thousand. I''ll struggle a bit more, seeking a first subscription. If I can get the badge for first subscription over ten thousand, next month I''ll get a badge for daily updates of ten thousand words to please the readers. Hmm, this chapter might be a little late at midnight, but it will definitely be there.)Charles couldn''t help but smile and said, "What an interesting name, too bad I won''t have the chance to enjoy this lady''s cooking." Madam Nancy hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Actually, when I was buying things, I passed by the slave market and encountered Mrs. Plum Sauce. She''s not attractive and quite overweight, no buyers were interested in her, and her situation looked pretty bad." Charles poured himself a cup of barley wine, took a big gulp, and said slowly, "Madam Nancy, if you want to help a former colleague, go to the slave market and bring her over!" Madam Nancy was visibly shaken, quickly stood up, and said, "I will bring her back right away. Her cooking skills are truly excellent, I assure you will be satisfied." Madam Nancy hurried off, and Charles was left alone again. He drank a cup of barley wine and poured another. Having been in this world for so long, he had tried hard to adapt, but still often felt out of place. "I really wish I had the abilities of those senior transmigrators, to change an entire world!" Charles had entertained such fantasies, where with his own knowledge and insight, he would make a big impact in this world. But he was only a humble civilian clerk who, even though he climbed upwards "by any means necessary" and rapidly became a small influential figure at the bottom rung, was still a distant cry from changing the world. "I wonder where the Brittany Family will send me." "In fact, I''ve taken control of the Patrolling Army in Lucavaro District. If I try a bit harder and subdue the more than twenty gangs in Lucavaro District, that would be quite a significant force." "Maybe get into some business..." "As a transmigrator, it''s quite improper to only earn a ''slim'' fixed salary." "How about opening a pharmacy? Not to actually sell medicine, but under the guise of a pharmacy, sell some herbal teas, flower teas, beauty pastes, and tonics for nourishing the body. The good thing about this business is the low cost of raw materials, high profit margins on individual items, and the market competition is not fierce." Charles ate and drank, and before long he began to feel a bit tipsy, his thoughts becoming very disordered, lacking coherence. Madam Nancy brought back a lady in her forties, who was stocky and chubby. She wasn''t as tall and robust as Madam Nancy but carried an honest air of someone accustomed to hard work. Following the two women was a slave trader who, upon seeing Charles, smiled faintly and said, "Sir, are you looking for a cook?" "Allow me to introduce this lady." "She comes from the New Continent, of noble birth, and ended up in Fars because her home country was defeated. She''s a highly skilled cook, rigorously trained by professional experts. She originally worked for a baron''s family, diligently, earning the favor of her previous master..." Charles gave the slave trader a sidelong glance, cutting off his incessant chatter, and said, "I am the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. Tomorrow, I plan to join forces with the Patrolling Army from the Picardy District to carry out joint enforcement and clean up the chaotic slave market." "Do you have any objections?" The slave trader quickly swallowed the "five Aegeus" price he was about to quote and said with an embarrassed smile, "You only need to pay the cost price." Charles muttered, "Tomorrow we shall still carry out the joint enforcement, give the slave market a good sweep!" "These bastards, if you don''t catch a few of them and give them a harsh beating, they won''t understand what it means to respect the Goddess." Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce watched, dumbfounded, as with just a few grumbles about joint enforcement, the slave trader, while wiping sweat from his brow, gave Mrs. Plum Sauce to Charles for free. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles wasn''t one to normally bully people, but just... This was indeed the case in Fars. If he had been on Earth, he might have chosen to kill the human trafficker. To not pay for something that was freely offered was already his great mercy. Although he had compromised a lot, this kind of matter still couldn''t be settled with compromise. Charles knew he couldn''t help many people; he wasn''t yet capable of changing the world, but it was good to help even one person. He had obtained Mrs. Plum Sauce''s deed of servitude and planned to issue a Freedom Certificate when he visited number one Sparrowhawk Street the next day. Although hiring a free person as a cook would cost more money than using a free servant, he preferred to spend more to hire a cook. Hmm! Then convert this lady to the Patrolling Army as well. Milking an extra bit of the Empire''s salary could be considered compensation for Mrs. Plum Sauce. Mrs. Plum Sauce freshened up, paying special attention to thoroughly washing her hands before coming over to help Charles with the barbecue. It must be said that the lady''s culinary skills were remarkable, much better than those of Charles, the transmigrator from Earth. Ever since Charles started practicing, his appetite had become huge. Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce hardly ate anything. He cleaned up the dozens of pounds of food he had bought and drank more than half a barrel of barley wine. After eating his fill, Charles left the courtyard to the two ladies and went back to the third floor. Having spent the entire day being "displayed" on the street, Mrs. Plum Sauce was already very tired. The bustling activity just now had been her pushing through on willpower alone. As soon as Charles left, she sat down with a thud, taking deep breaths, and said, "Nancy, thank you." Madam Nancy spoke softly, "This new master has a very good temper. Except for not liking to be disturbed and only allowing room cleaning after work, there aren''t really any other taboos." "Also, there are often three young ladies who come here. Make sure you don''t speak out of turn in front of them. Mr. Charles usually has a good temper but remember, he is also a Transcendent. Not long ago, he just killed eight detectives, took out two assassins, and had a duel..." "In short, neither of us can afford the consequences of angering this gentleman." Nancy poured a cup of barley wine and handed it to her former colleague. Mrs. Plum Sauce accepted the cup and drank it down in one gulp, saying, "I''m actually quite hungry. I didn''t eat well yesterday, and today I didn''t eat anything at all. That detestable human trafficker even warned me not to talk recklessly, planning to make me cooperate with him to sell myself at a high price." Madam Nancy deftly roasted some of the leftover meat, mushrooms, and vegetables and gave them to Mrs. Plum Sauce, who devoured them hungrily. Madam Nancy said gently, "The hardship will pass. Don''t think about the past anymore." Charles on the third-floor terrace tapped his brow, turned off his Insight, and smiled slightly, looking forward to the new cook as he resumed his daily practice. He aimed to master the runes of the Spirit Spider Technique in the shortest time possible. With the Spirit Spider Technique, combined with the Quickness Technique, even if he encountered a High-Level Transcendent, he would be able to fight and flee simultaneously. The Transcendent system of the Old Continent, from Low Order to High Order, was purely divided by the strength of energy. Many Lower-Ranked Supernaturals barely possessed any Special Abilities, and even many intermediate-level supernaturals had no Special Abilities. The difference between those Transcendents who possessed Special Abilities and those who did not was like heaven and earth. Chapter 96 94. Free Knights Order Charles, a Lower-Ranked Supernatural who had consolidated four Bloody Runes and possessed Insight, Blood Flame Qi, Quickness Technique, and Angel''s Thorn¡ªfour Special Abilities¡ªwas truly one in a hundred.Charles spent three days "resting" at home before he resumed his "diligent" work. He arrived at No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street and did a round of inspections first. As a superior officer, he had to be familiar with his subordinates. It wasn''t about being diligent; Charles was worried that an "assassin" might infiltrate without him noticing. Charles keenly noticed that the number of people coming to work had increased to over two hundred. He felt slightly puzzled and returned to his office to call Homonsa over. He had promised to help her advance to a knight and couldn''t do nothing. Charles carefully asked the girl from the southern continent about her training situation. As he had expected, Homonsa "dropped out" long ago. She hadn''t learned the Orthodox Knight Breathing Technique at the National Academy but from a wandering knight who passed through her hometown. This breathing technique was incomplete. Homonsa had been practicing it for seven to eight years, stuck at the breakthrough of the power seed, unable to make any progress. The Old Continent is not like Earth, where the culture is open, and any knowledge can be obtained through the internet and some professional schools. Inside the four universities of Fars, there is academic exchange, but outside the universities, even the National Academy rarely interacts externally, making it difficult for outsiders to learn the Orthodox Knight Breathing Technique. Charles pondered for a while and said, "The breathing technique you are practicing is the Flame Demon Breathing Technique, which is very popular in the southern continent, but actually, this technique has significant flaws. Over a hundred years ago, a professor improved the Flame Demon Breathing Technique and renamed it to ''Golden Forbidden Flame''!" "I can help you find a copy of the ''Golden Forbidden Flame'' manual. After you correct your breathing technique, I can also find a senior to try to forcefully infuse you with Fighting Spirit to break open your power seed." Just as Charles was trying to find a Transcendent path for Homonsa, he heard a knock on the door. A brisk voice called from outside the office, "Mister Mecklen, may I come in?" This voice sounded very familiar, and Charles quickly said, "Please come inside!" A person exuding a sharp aura and dignified features, distinctively attractive and slightly older, entered his office¡ªit was Madam Mavis, who was supposed to partner with him according to the standard configuration of the Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District and Inner Court Guard. This woman of complex identity said with a smile, "Sorry for the disturbance." Adhering to the protocol, Charles replied, "It''s no disturbance." He also gestured for Homonsa to leave. Madam Mavis didn''t glance at Homonsa another time. Once she left, Mavis said, "The Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District will be reorganized into the Free Knights Order and might go to the battlefield anytime." "I still have duties as an Inner Court Guard and cannot follow the Knighthood. Thus, I will temporarily resign from my position as chief patrol. Your new partner should arrive in a few days." Charles indeed knew about the military system of the Empire. The Fars Empire''s military was divided into five categories, ranked from highest to lowest: the Royal Knights Order under the Emperor, the private Knights Orders of the nobility, the local armies, the Free Knights Order, and the mercenaries. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Royal Knights Order, the private Knights Orders of the nobility, and the local armies are permanent forces; the Free Knights Order is a temporary militia assembled during wartime and disbanded after battles, while mercenaries are outsourced, generally not paid, and receive no wages. Instead, they are issued imperial licenses allowing them to legally plunder the enemy states during the war. The Patrolling Army belongs to the local armies, generally not allowed to leave their station. However, during a war, since the Patrolling Army is already part of the government''s military sequence and does not require additional salary, they might be assigned the designation of the Free Knights Order and given the authority to rush to the battlefield. Not just the Fars Empire, but all countries of the Old Continent were quite fond of organizing local armies to be used as cannon fodder on the battlefield. Of course, most Free Knights Orders were not part-time local military units but purely "temporarily conscripted armies," which often faced disbandment after the war ended. Incidentally, most detective agencies were officially registered as mercenaries, and the official registrations of adventure groups were also as mercenaries. The institutions responsible for the registration and management of detective agencies, mercenaries, and adventure groups under the Empire were the local Patrolling Armies. He was slightly surprised and asked, "Who is my new partner?" Lady Mavis responded with a slight smile, "I do not know." "However, you should be more concerned about where you will be sent after joining the Free Knights Order." Charles asked subconsciously, "Where will I be sent?" Lady Mavis answered, "You were born in the Behemoth Duchy, so there is a high probability you will be sent to the Behemoth Duchy to fight alongside Lady Southseraph." Charles frowned slightly, as he truly did not want to return to the Behemoth Duchy; being a transmigrator, he wanted to sever ties with his past to avoid being recognized by familiar "acquaintances" and exposing flaws. But he immediately thought, "If I go back to the Behemoth Duchy, I don''t necessarily have to mingle with my old circle of acquaintances; I just need to hide within the army." Lady Mavis said, "There is another matter, since you are to be reorganized into a knighthood and might be deployed to the battlefield, you are granted the authority to expand your troops; the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army can be expanded up to three thousand men. Furthermore, the Empire will provide you with additional manpower, but most will have to be recruited by yourself." "I have come here to bring you a batch of appointments and dismissals for the Patrolling Army and the Free Knights Order." Lady Mavis smiled, making no move. Understanding the lady''s implications, Charles said, "I will not stop anyone from leaving." Many were afraid to go to the battlefield, so those who were drawing pay without working were trying various ways to get transferred out of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army; Lady Mavis''s primary purpose in coming here was to intercede for these people. As Charles was so tactfully informed, Lady Mavis then smiled and said, "The documents are too cumbersome, they are in the carriage, I will have the coachman bring them to you later." Charles nodded with a smile, acknowledging he understood, and after exchanging some more casual words with Lady Mavis, the lady gracefully took her leave. Shortly after, her coachman delivered a large leather case filled with new appointment and dismissal documents. Recruiting soldiers on one''s own was a very challenging task for the military personnel of the Old Continent. After all, recruiting several thousand people in a short period was certainly not easy. But for Charles, this task was extremely easy. He finally understood why there had been more people coming to work today; they were here to handle their transfer procedures. Charles sat at his office for a while, then ordered Madam Nancy to prepare the carriage and went to his previous workplace¡ªKilmainham Prison. Chapter 97 95. Conscription The new warden was named Anthony, and he was very enthusiastic when Charles suddenly came for a visit. After a friendly chat for a while, Charles revealed his purpose, "My Patrolling Army is about to be restructured into the Free Knights Order, but the Empire can''t supply me with enough manpower, so I''ve come to ask for your help!"Anthony, a clever man himself, smiled and said, "I''m sorry, but Kilmainham Prison holds only criminals with heavy sentences." Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "Of course, I know the prisoners of Kilmainham Prison won''t do. As the warden of Kilmainham Prison, you must know people from other prisons, I wonder if you could introduce me to them?" Charles was unaware of Anthony''s background, but he was one hundred percent certain that the man was also one of Senior Mavis''s people; otherwise, the other party wouldn''t have known him and wouldn''t have signed the transfer order so readily. How could he not make use of such connections? Indeed, Warden Anthony hesitated for a moment, pondered for a while, and then said with a smile, "If it''s inmates from other prisons, that wouldn''t be a problem." "Let''s do this! Tomorrow I will have those inmates report to number one Sparrowhawk Street. I''m not sure exactly how many people there will be, but there will definitely be more than a thousand." Charles was delighted, chatted awhile longer, and when leaving, he deliberately left a ten-Aegeus note on the seat. Anthony made no attempt to remind him and personally escorted Charles out of Kilmainham Prison. Back in the carriage, Charles now understood why influential people always managed to stay one step ahead of others. A few days ago, Kreel Brittany had mentioned to him, "Within a week at most, Fars will declare war on those bloodsucking creatures of Byron." Today, Madam Mavis also told him about the forthcoming restructuring of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army into the Free Knights Order and even brought the documents over so that he could legally recruit troops ahead of time. It just so happened that Charles had previously worked at Kilmainham Prison, and the new warden was on his side, which allowed him to recruit a group of inmates before others, bolstering his own Knighthood. By the time the Fars Empire officially declared war and others thought to recruit from the prisons, it would already be too late. Of course, higher-ups would know about the news even sooner, but they wouldn''t have Charles''s concerns; the armies of the nobility were always at full strength. Charles pondered for a while in the carriage, then said to Madam Nancy, "Let''s go back to number one Sparrowhawk Street." Although Anthony had agreed to arrange a batch of inmates for him, firstly, the number might not be sufficient, and secondly, the quality of the troops was worrisome. He still needed to find more recruits. Back at number one Sparrowhawk Street, Charles asked Dobin to invite the leaders of all the gangs within Lucavaro District over. Dobin took a few people and, after more than two hours, invited back fifty to sixty people, totaling representatives and leaders of thirteen gangs. Of the five largest gangs in the Lucavaro District, only three sent representatives: the Lone Wolf Gang, Dark Night Beast, and Golov Brothers Society. The other two didn''t let Dobin meet anyone important, showing quite an arrogant attitude. Although the gangs did not care much for the Patrolling Army, most did not wish to confront it, especially since Charles had sent someone to invite them cordially. Some gang leaders were curious about what the head of the local Patrolling Army wanted to do. However, most gang leaders dared not come in person, fearing the Patrolling Army might swoop in all at once and arrest them, so they sent their subordinates to represent them. The leader of the Lone Wolf Gang came personally. He claimed the nickname Scar due to a knife wound on his face; he was strong and intimidating. Although not a Transcendent, his combat skills were exceptional. The deputy leader represented the Dark Night Beast, who went by the nickname Yellow Bear, a First Rank Transcendent. Yellow Bear was tall and sturdy, not following the path of knighthood but that of a Demon Hunter! Even more robust than the Demon Hunter known to Charles as White Wolf, who was already a towering figure over two pemi in height. The Golov Brothers Society was a gang led by three brothers, but none of the Golov siblings came. Instead, an unremarkable person arrived, slight of build, with a dagger hanging at his waist, calling himself Golden Rat! Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Apart from the representatives of the three major gangs, what really attracted attention was the leader of a smaller gang, a slightly robust woman with agreeable looks. She went by the name Doll Sister, a Transcendent, and she was one of only two Transcendents among the gang members present, pursuing the path of the Puppeteer. Charles faced the gang leaders with a rather amicable attitude, with smiles on his face, but the words he spoke were quite domineering, "Lucavaro District must fall under the jurisdiction of the Patrolling Army!" Many gang representatives were stirred. If rumors had not previously spread that the head of the Patrolling Army was not only a Transcendent but also single-handedly "killed eight transcendental detectives from the Fierce Horse Society," the gang members would surely have rioted! The boss of the Lone Wolf Gang, Scar, with a ferocious gleam in his eyes, asked, "What do you mean by this, Commander Charles?" Charles smiled slightly and said, "I have a batch of blank documentations. I need each of you to send a group of your people to join the Patrolling Army and take part in managing the Lucavaro District." Enjoy new chapters from empire This time, the commotion among the gang members was even greater. However, their attitude was much different from before. Scar gave a savage smile and asked, "How many documentations do you have? You could give all these spots to the Lone Wolf Gang! I will manage the entire Lucavaro District for you." Of the five largest gangs in Lucavaro District, only the Lone Wolf Gang was represented by its leader in person. Though Scar was not a Transcendent, he was confident in his supreme martial prowess and felt that ordinary Transcendents were no match for him. He was quite eager to show Charles who was boss and give this commander a taste of his own medicine. Charles smiled faintly and raised his voice, "There can only be one voice in Lucavaro District, and that is my voice, Charles Meklen. I don''t mind being challenged, nor do I mind killing those who challenge me." Charles took out the Silver Rhinoceros, loaded the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets into the chamber one by one, and slapped them onto the table. Upon seeing this Extraordinary Handgun, Scar maintained his fierce demeanor but stopped talking; he knew that an Extraordinary Weapon in the hands of a Transcendent could easily surpass two or three ranks to kill an opponent. Yellow Bear and Doll Sister also kept silent. Although both were Transcendents of the First Order, they lacked the confidence to contend with Charles. The once restless gang members finally calmed down. Charles had a "fearsome reputation" after all. While most of the Patrolling Army in Lucavaro District were on the payroll without working, there were still over two hundred people showing up for work every day¡ªit wasn''t a small force. Even the strongest of the five gangs in Lucavaro District did not have the confidence to take on the Patrolling Army alone. Moreover, Charles was not looking to trouble everyone but to "share power" with the gangs. No one wanted to miss out on this "feast." Almost immediately, someone spoke up: "The Lone Wolf Gang can''t swallow such a large piece of cake alone. We, the Dark Night Beast, are willing to share some of the responsibility with Commander Charles." Chapter 98 96, Black Scorpion Gang Although Scar from the Lone Wolf Gang was reluctant, he knew if he continued to provoke, Charles would dare to shoot and kill him. Scar admitted to himself that he had no ability to survive a shot from a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. He glared at the person who had spoken on behalf of the Dark Night Beast and said coldly, "Can you also represent the Dark Night Beast?"Yellow Bear moved forward silently, stepping up to show his stance and support the speaker. Although Scar wasn''t afraid of Yellow Bear, he didn''t want to clash with this Demon Hunter either. He vowed silently, "Hmph, wait until our Lone Wolf Gang joins the Patrolling Army. Sooner or later, we will make the Patrolling Army follow our commands. This damn youngster, he has no idea what society is. Does he think that our people will listen to him once they join the Patrolling Army? Naive." No one objected, and Charles distributed the majority of the expanded quota according to the size and rank of gangs present at this meeting. After Charles had made the allocations, he watched with amusement as the gang members argued over the quotas, their faces flushed with exertion, occasionally pulling each other apart, and making slight adjustments. It took a whole day to tentatively determine how many people each gang would send to join the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. His only requirement was that these gangs must actually send people to Sparrowhawk Street No.1 to participate in the daily training of the Patrolling Army. If they refused to come, they would lose their quota. The representatives from the thirteen gangs had no objections; after all, those who would be sent were just the low-level thugs from the gangs. A bit of hardship and a few extra trips didn''t affect these leaders. What these gang members didn''t know was that the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army had already been reorganized into the Free Knights Order, possibly mobilizing at any moment to go to war in the Behemoth Duchy. All Charles needed was an excuse to take these people away, and once they were on the battlefield, it wouldn''t be so easy to get them back. The battlefield was the best place to temper people. After a few battles, these people would only listen to their superiors and wouldn''t heed their former gang leaders'' commands anymore. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Besides, the Patrolling Army was, after all, the Empire''s official military with decent treatment. What future could the lowest-level thugs of the gangs possibly have? Once the participation of the thirteen gangs in the Patrolling Army was confirmed, Charles asked them to send their people over first thing the next morning, but said nothing else and sent the gang members on their way. The next morning, Charles was particularly diligent as he took the carriage to work, a very rare continuation for him. Warden Anthony indeed proved to be a very credible person. Starting in the morning, prisoners, predominantly young and strong males making up seventy percent, were successively sent from the six major prisons of Strasbourg. The thirteen gangs of the Lucavaro District also gradually sent people to report, what Charles couldn''t understand was that there were quite a few young female gang members. Looking at this group of medieval gang girls, some dressed in short outfits, some in maple leaf skirts, and some in men''s clothing, they truly presented a bizarre and curious array of appearances. By the afternoon, Charles had "expanded" his subordinates to nearly three thousand people, of which twelve hundred came from prisons, and the rest, nearly a thousand plus, came from the thirteen gangs. Charles promoted his "old subordinates," including those adventurers he had tricked and the batch of the Patrolling Army brought by Dobin, to captains and vice-captains. He dispersed the prisoners and gang members among the groups, forming seventy to eighty combat squads, though many were not at full strength, with fifty people each. After the reorganization was done, it was already evening. Charles had the diverse group that made up the Patrolling Army line up in formation, activated his Blood Flame Qi, and his body radiated a boiling red light to bolster their morale as he shouted, "I''m sure everyone is hungry, I''ll take you all for a good meal." In the Old Continent, local militaries, especially the Patrolling Army, did not provide meals, and everyone was expected to fend for themselves. These people had been reporting and splitting into teams since morning, whether they were convicts or gang members, stubborn and conflict-prone; they were all both hungry and tired by now. Upon hearing Charles''s promise to "lead everyone to a good meal," everyone became excited and followed Charles out of number one Sparrowhawk Street. Charles called Mason and Homonsa over to his side and whispered, "Take your squads and buy a batch of food; deliver it to the Black Scorpion Gang''s area." Neither of them knew what Charles was planning, but they obediently took their men to buy food. Soon, some people began to sense that something was amiss, as Charles was not leading them to the commercial area in Lucavaro District, but was heading straight to the headquarters of one of the five major gangs, the Black Scorpion Gang. As a thirty-fourth-tier Clerk Chief and a lesser noble of the Empire, as well as a Transcendent, Charles boasted impressive military achievements from recent fights and held the title of the head of Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army, carrying significant prestige. Although the motley crew of the Patrolling Army harbored a few clever skeptics, no one dared to challenge him openly. Not to mention the convicts, the gang members recruited were lower-tier thugs who typically didn''t have their own plans. Dobin saw the Black Scorpion Gang headquarters appearing in their sight and, unable to help feeling uneasy, approached Charles and asked, "Boss, what are we doing?" Discover hidden tales at empire Charles didn''t respond to him, but instead pulled out his Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and shouted, "The thirteen gangs have already formed an alliance, why should we share the benefits with those who didn''t join?" "I now declare: Take down the Black Scorpion Gang, and the wealth will be divided among us all." He pointed the Extraordinary Rifle forward with one hand, his posture strikingly casual, and with one shot, he blew the front gate of the Black Scorpion Gang into rubble. Mama Karen had not only allowed Charles to borrow the Silver Rhinoceros long-term but also provided him with a box of one hundred and twenty Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, so he no longer had to worry about lacking firepower. The backbone of Charles''s Patrolling Army was a group of adventurers who had been deceived into joining. Hearing that they could loot as they pleased, they immediately spurred their men to charge. The convicts, who came from various major prisons, didn''t care about the Black Scorpion Gang at all. The members of the thirteen gangs, although sensing something off, were swept along into the fray at the Black Scorpion Gang''s headquarters. As one of the five largest gangs in the Lucavaro District, the Black Scorpion Gang boasted a strong force of seven to eight hundred people. While the gang had no Transcendents, their leader, Black Scorpion, was a veteran mercenary with outstanding martial skills and rich combat experience, who usually controlled several major streets in Lucavaro District without challenge. When Dobin had come to request reinforcements in the morning, Black Scorpion hadn''t wanted to meet at all and had rudely told him to get lost. Dobin, having brought only a few men, didn''t dare cause trouble on Black Scorpion''s territory and had to leave, swallowing his anger. Black Scorpion didn''t take throwing Dobin out seriously. As a local powerhouse, he knew exactly how many diligent workers were in the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army, not even a third as many as his gang. Even in a straight fight, he wasn''t afraid of the Patrolling Army, having no idea that in just one day, Charles would swell his forces to nearly three thousand men. Chapter 99 97. Bad Business Association Black Scorpion, hearing the shattering sound of the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet breaking through the door, had no idea what was happening. He thought to himself, "Could it be the Lone Wolf Gang? Or perhaps the Dark Night Beast?""I have had no conflicts with other gangs recently, so why would they suddenly attack us, the Black Scorpion Gang?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Confident in his combat abilities, he grabbed a chain and rushed out of the room, only to see several times more people had flooded into their territory. The leader, a young man holding an Extraordinary Rifle in one hand, looked majestic and divine as he aimed at him. Charles didn''t recognize Black Scorpion, but seeing the gang leader''s "extraordinary presence," he didn''t hesitate to "kill the chicken to scare the monkey." Even a High-Level Transcendent couldn''t withstand the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet with just Protective Battle Qi. Black Scorpion, a mere gang leader who hadn''t ascended to a Transcendent, how could he possibly resist? Charles killed Black Scorpion with a single shot. Although he wanted to establish his authority and to intimidate this motley crew of subordinates, acting willfully reckless and shooting with one hand, his aim was unexpectedly good. Hit by a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, the Black Scorpion Gang''s boss''s body burst into a cloud of blood mist, annihilating him without a trace. Charles hadn''t anticipated that the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, when hitting a regular person, would have such tremendous power. Dobin was a veteran of the Patrolling Army, knew Black Scorpion, and seeing Commander Charles''s ferocity, how he "exploded" Black Scorpion with a single shot, immediately shouted, "Black Scorpion is dead! Those of the Black Scorpion Gang who wish to surrender will not be killed, those who resist will be executed without mercy." He shouted several times, but Charles''s makeshift Patrolling Army, containing many prisoners and low-level gang enforcers, had no concept of discipline. And since Charles had already promised to divide all of Black Scorpion Gang''s wealth, many gang members hadn''t even had the chance to surrender before being killed. Charles had no intention of restraining his subordinates; in his past life, he was a math teacher and had no experience in such matters. Without their leader, the Black Scorpion Gang, not being any well-trained military unit, crumbled under the attack of the Patrolling Army, and many surrendered their weapons. In less than half an hour, Charles had taken over the Black Scorpion Gang''s stronghold. The Patrolling Army was rampantly looting, searching for valuables and even frisking the bodies of Black Scorpion Gang members, dead or alive, quickly pocketing any pouches of money they found. Looking at the chaotic scene, Charles breathed a sigh of relief. He had been uncertain before setting out, having never truly led an army before, but designed this battle based on human nature. So far, the outcome was decent, at least he hadn''t botched it. Dobin, along with his subordinates, made vigorous efforts to control the Patrolling Army, commanding the surrendering Black Scorpion Gang members to drop their weapons and sit in a circle on the ground. When Mason and Homonsa arrived with a large supply of food, some semblance of order was finally restored within the Black Scorpion Gang''s territory. Black Scorpion had been killed by a shot from Charles almost immediately upon appearing, and without their leader, the Black Scorpion Gang had barely mounted any significant resistance. Although dozens were killed in the conflict, and over a hundred had escaped, there were still five to six hundred people left. Charles dispersed these men into various combat squads under his command, distributed the food brought by Mason and Homonsa, and while everyone was eagerly eating, he jumped onto a statue in the Black Scorpion Gang''s territory, overlooking everyone and loudly declared, "I told you, I would share the wealth of Black Scorpion with everyone!" Discover more content at empire "My old subordinates know, Mister Mecklen always keeps his word." "After you''ve eaten, we can begin collecting the wealth. I will have a professional appraise it, converted into Fu Er and Sheng Ding, distributed to each according to their effort in today''s battle," he said. Charles did not confiscate the valuables that his subordinates had hidden away; any small items could be concealed, but anything larger couldn''t be easily hidden. After all, this patrolling army had little loyalty, and he wouldn''t anger this motley crew over such a small amount of wealth, as it could cause problems. Charles''s shout was met with a thunderous welcome, as nobody would disdain the scent of money. Originally, Charles had wanted to take advantage of the momentum to target another major guild, but seeing the people exhausted after their excitement, he had to abandon that plan. After these people had eaten, Charles didn''t dare to lead them back to number one Sparrowhawk Street, for it was a unit of highly complex membership, and it was possible that many could get lost on the way back. He ordered his subordinates to rest on the spot and selected a room for himself. Fearing trouble in the middle of the night, Charles didn''t sleep but practiced Bloody Glory throughout the night. The next morning, the headquarters of the Black Scorpion Gang became bustling. After being awakened, Charles came out and asked, and it turned out that a few guilds that hadn''t gone to number one Sparrowhawk Street yesterday had sent people over, requesting to meet with him. Following yesterday''s battle that wiped out the Black Scorpion Gang, this rabble had somewhat gained morale, and nobody informed them, just rounded up the people from these guilds and made them wait for Charles to wake up. However, the presence of so many people caused some disturbance, and Charles was still alarmed. He washed his face and tidied up his appearance a bit to look more commanding, and then had the people from those guilds brought over. Among the members of the guilds who came, the most notable was an older man smartly dressed, who didn''t seem like a guild member at all, but from the looks of others, Charles knew this guy held some status. The man opened the conversation, saying, "I am Ross Bard of the Bard Commerce Guild!" "As a local commerce guild of the Lucavaro District, I wish to lead the entire Bard Commerce Guild in joining the Patrolling Army." The five biggest gangs in the Lucavaro District are the Lone Wolf Gang, the Dark Night Beast, the Golov Brothers Society, the recently annihilated Black Scorpion Gang, and the Bard Commerce Guild. The Bard Commerce Guild is particularly unique; it''s not a conventional gang but rather a coalition of seventeen shops that formed a security troop with gang-like elements, rarely clashing with other gangs, just ensuring the safety of the seventeen shops'' businesses. Originally, the Bard Commerce Guild didn''t want to get involved in Charles''s actions and had refused Dobin, but last night''s battle had already alarmed various forces. Once Ross Bard learned that the Black Scorpion Gang was completely annihilated overnight, he immediately persuaded the other members of the commerce guild, and they came over early in the morning to join. He feared being too late in acting, as Charles might target the Bard Commerce Guild next. Charles hadn''t expected the Bard Commerce Guild to be so perceptive; he grinned and said, "Very good!" "Welcome to the Patrolling Army family, Bard Commerce Guild." He glanced at the others and asked, "And you?" The faces of these gang members were ashen, and they hurriedly responded, "We also wish to join the Patrolling Army." Charles said to Dobin, "Check to see if there are any other local gangs not willing to join the Patrolling Army voluntarily. I will help them to join with dignity." Chapter 100 98. Fars Empire Declares War Charles spoke these words with an air of nonchalance, yet the gang members listening couldn''t help but shiver with dread.The obliteration of the Black Scorpion Gang yesterday was truly heart-shaking. No one would have thought that the leader of the Patrolling Army in the Lucavaro District could be so ruthlessly decisive and severe in measures. The Black Scorpion Gang, an organization that had been established for over a decade, had vanished overnight without surviving even a single night. Charles had initially intended to find his old acquaintance, Louis Simi, to appraise the wealth of the Black Scorpion Gang, but since Ross Bard had actively offered his allegiance, he entrusted this new "businessman" with the task. He no longer cared about the follow-up matters. In the following days, Charles did nothing but maintained his diligent routine of going to work every day. The overnight destruction of the Black Scorpion Gang made the Lone Wolf Gang, the Dark Night Beast, and the Golov Brothers Society much more submissive. Charles didn''t take advantage of the situation to pressure them, nor did he eradicate a few hesitating smaller gangs; instead, he was working hard to assimilate the power he had just digested. It was another Monday, once again the Fars Empire''s payday. The Fars Empire finally declared war on Byron. This message instantly caused a huge stir throughout the Empire. Various newspapers hotly debated the impending war, but the upper echelons remained silent, obviously in tacit agreement. The Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District finally faced a change. A decree from the Central Government Office ordered the reorganization of the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army into the Free Knights Order, granting the expansion of rights and transferring the previous Patrolling Chief, Lady Mavis, to assign a new Chief Patrol. Upon receiving the decree, Charles felt a sense of relief. But when he saw the resume of the newly appointed Chief Patrol assigned by the Central Government Office on the document, he immediately felt a sensation as if "a myriad of flowers were swirling, and the Goddess was dancing." The new Chief Patrol of the Lucavaro District''s Patrolling Army was a Second-Class Sergeant of the Forty-Second Grade. On paper, this military rank should theoretically belong to a fresh graduate, someone one or two years out of school, or even a little longer. In reality, however, this new Chief Patrol was a recent university graduate, with an evocative name: Taoles Sumei. The Laurel Goddess of the University of Georgia, Menilman''s cousin. Ah! Taoles had graduated and was no longer a student at the University of Georgia, ready to shed the title of Laurel Goddess. Seeing this name, Charles understood why he, a Forty-First Grade, First-Class Clerk, could be out-ranked by a Forty-Second Grade, Second-Class Sergeant who managed to "exceptionally" gain an official status and become a Chief Patrol with actual power. He racked his brain but couldn''t fathom why his new partner would be Taoles Sumei. This former Laurel Goddess of the University of Georgia was indeed efficient. On the afternoon Charles received the document from the Central Government Office, she appeared at No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street. When the beautiful young lady with azure eyes, looking as graceful as a water lily, stood in Charles'' office, her first words were, "I just wanted to see your look of astonishment." Charles spread his hands and asked, "How come you are joining the Patrolling Army?" Taoles, feeling very much at home, found some floral tea in Charles'' office, casually took out a card, placed it under the kettle, and soon boiled the water, making herself a cup of tea. Charles was dumbfounded and asked, "Is this the Card Magician''s craft from the University of Georgia?" Taoles carefully blew on the hot water while answering, "Yes, it''s the card magic created by Yuan Arthur Conan Doyle Ye, the first president of University of Georgia." "This card is ''Bonfire''!" "It''s very convenient for burning and cooking some hot water and food in the wild." Charles was envious, but he knew that he no longer had the energy to practice any card magic, so he just casually asked, "Taoles, what Order of Transcendent are you?" Taoles Sumei replied, "A Third Order card magician!" "Just a bit stronger than Anne." Charles didn''t want to continue this topic, for with Taoles''s nasty character, every word he said could possibly reach Anne''s ears, and it would inevitably be an exaggerated and embellished version. With her tea in hand, Taoles carefully sipped slowly. It must be said, she is worthy of being the Laurel Goddess of University of Georgia, The Empire''s First Rose Menilman''s cousin, with almost impeccable looks and very graceful demeanor. From her appearance alone, she could be termed flawless without any angle to criticize. However, when it comes to personality... Your journey continues on empire Charles didn''t want to comment. He also poured himself a cup of coffee. He was not accustomed to this world''s coffee; it was a bit too acidic, so he bought a batch of beans and roasted them himself to make a charcoal roast. Although the flavor was average and not entirely satisfactory, it was palatable at the very least. Taoles''s nose twitched lightly as she asked, "What coffee is this?" Charles gestured, "Want to try?" Taoles set down her tea, followed Charles''s brewing method by adding sugar and milk, and used the magic card ''Bonfire'' to heat it slightly, then took a careful sip. Her eyes immediately lit up. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Where did you get this coffee? It''s a bit bitter, but just the right amount, turning into a rich fragrance after adding sugar and milk¡ªI''ve never tasted anything like it." Charles didn''t play mysterious and explained, "I deep-roasted the coffee beans," and detailed the essentials of roasting coffee beans to Taoles. Taoles memorized quietly and then asked, "If you open a coffee shop, it would definitely do good business." Charles chuckled and said, "I''d prefer to open a chain of bubble tea shops." That stuff is a genuine "big business" on Earth, hugely popular with women worldwide. Charles had thought a lot about profitable businesses he could start on the Old Continent. Besides a pharmacy, he had also considered opening a bubble tea shop. While the former was an existing business on the Old Continent, just requiring adjustment in the merchandise sold, the latter idea seemed too "earth-shattering." He was unsure if it would do well. Taoles didn''t know what "chain" meant or what "bubble tea" was. She frowned, pondered for a while, and then said, "Milk and tea together doesn''t sound like they would taste good." "That business is doomed to lose money." Without explaining, Charles asked, "Taoles, are you really planning to work?" Taoles collected her magic card and said, "I''ve also brought the soldiers you urgently needed." "However, it seems you''ve solved that problem yourself." It was then that Charles remembered that Lady Mavis had mentioned that the Imperial Assembly would supply him with new soldiers. In recent days, a large portion of his Patrolling Army profiteers had been transferred out. But with the arrival of a batch of prisoners and recruitment of local gang members, he had momentarily forgotten about it. Chapter 101 99, lets go to the Central Government Office to register the Knighthood together. Taoles did not bring anyone over; she only brought a list.Theoretically, Charles was supposed to take the list and requisition the staff from these departments. Read new chapters at empire After all, the Patrolling Army might be sent to the front lines, and nobody really wanted to join. Charles just glanced at the list and then cast the matter out of his mind. Taoles was full of curiosity toward Charles; she knew that this man was her cousin''s subordinate, Anne''s boyfriend, a humble little person, a social climber... As for Charles''s identity as a Transcendent and his recently brilliant military achievements, Taoles didn''t care much. The Su Mei Family lacked neither High-Level Transcendents nor young geniuses. If she weren''t a girl and could receive her family''s support, Taoles even had the confidence that she could advance to Intermediate rank at this age and perhaps reach the fringe of High-Level Transcendent in a few years. Normally, among college students and young people who had just graduated a few years ago, Lower-Ranked Supernaturals were numerous. In contrast, those around thirty years old and above¡ªapproaching middle age ¡ªtended to have more Mid-Level Transcendents, and most High-Level Transcendents were usually in their forties or fifties. All paths to Transcendence required time to be honed, with only a rare few geniuses able to move faster, but such events were not within the calculations of ordinary people. After sipping a little coffee, Taoles said, "There''s another thing! We need to go to the Central Government Office to register the Knighthood." Having spent two years at the Central Government Office, Charles knew their procedures and said, "Then we should leave now. If we wait any longer, I''m afraid they will have stopped working." Taoles, holding her coffee, left the office with composure. Watching Taoles board her carriage, Charles had no choice but to follow. Taoles took over the small study inside the carriage, even pulling a book from the shelf to read leisurely. Charles, knowing his place, remained silent and only reported the address to Madam Nancy. When the carriage arrived at the Central Government Office, the two disembarked and walked shoulder to shoulder into Charles''s former workplace. He felt quite sentimental and thought, "I hope I don''t run into any acquaintances; it would be awkward to explain my current status as a thirty-fourth grade four Clerk Chief and also the leader of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army." But fate did not cater to his wishes. As soon as Charles entered the Central Government Office, he ran into a former colleague, Mister Edgar, who was beaming as he walked out and almost brushed past him. Charles stepped slightly to the side, intending to avoid him, but Edgar, with a sharp eye, recognized his former colleague and called out, "Is that Mister Mecklen? I heard you went to prison. What a pity. Starting over there means recalculating your promotion period. You missed this round of promotions." After giving Charles a slight nod, Edgar turned to Taoles with a triumphant air and said, "Are you friends with Charles? He''s a good man, just unlucky. Missing this promotion means he has to wait another three years." "I am a level two Clerk at the Central Government Office, and I might be promoted to level three soon." Taoles was the Laurel Goddess from the University of Georgia, and rarely did graduates of her caliber work at the Central Government Office. Her beauty was beyond the aesthetic standards of this government department. Edgar was eager to ingratiate himself and even imagined a scenario where she would admire him, abandon Charles, and throw herself into his arms. Having no other choice, Charles interrupted his peacock-like former colleague, saying, "We''re here to take care of some business, and if we don''t hurry, everyone will be off for the break. You know as well as I do that the Central Government Office waits for no one." The Central Government Office even has an old joke: frontline soldiers with orders in hand came to request a shipment of weapons, only to find the Central Government Office closed. An arrogant civil servant said, "Even war must not interfere with our knocking off work." He chased the frontline soldier out and leisurely went for afternoon tea. The outcome of the story was far from beautiful; that Imperial unit perished due to lack of supplies and lost the battlefront. The arrogant civil servant was subsequently executed for dereliction of duty. Yet, the story spread far and wide, and almost every civil servant in the Central Government Office had heard it, with nearly everyone repeating the saying, "Even war must not interfere with our knocking off work." Edgar could only watch as the two left, but did not forget to call out loudly, "May I know the name of you, the beautiful lady?" Taoles didn''t look back at all. After walking a distance, she complained softly, "Doesn''t your Central Government Office have any female staff? Why does he look like he''s never seen a woman before?" Charles laughed and said, "Of course he has not seen a girl as beautiful as you. Even I don''t get to see one often." Taoles flashed a mischievous smile and asked a soul-piercing question, "Who is more beautiful, me or Anne?" Without hesitation, Charles quickly countered, "There''s a saying in the New Continent: In the eyes of a man deeply in love, no woman can compare to his beloved." Taoles laughed and said, "How come I''ve never heard that saying before?" Charles just shrugged his shoulders and did not explain; he had improvised the saying using Earth''s wisdom. Soon, the pair found the military knighthood department of the Central Government Office. Charles, returning to his previous workplace, moved through the familiar place. Seeing several dozen employees chatting and laughing as if about to knock off work, he hurriedly grabbed a rather silent middle-aged man, slipped him a Fu Er, and asked, "We are from the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army and we want to reorganize into the Free Knights Order, could you tell us how to proceed with the formalities?" The silent middle-aged man pinched the Fu Er note in his hand, and said, "I''m able to process it, do you have any paperwork?" Charles handed over the documents brought by Taoles, the middle-aged man looked over them, and said, "I also need evidence of your identities and the Knighthood application form, which must clearly state the name of the Knighthood, its location, the jurisdiction it falls under..." Charles answered each query, and when it came to the name of the Knighthood, he didn''t hesitate to say "Westwind Knights," given that Anne Brittany was the West Wind Goddess of the University of Georgia. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though the former Laurel Goddess was right beside him, if he dared to name it Laurel Knights, he might have to remain a single toad for life. Taoles didn''t object, and whispered into Charles''s ear in a very soft voice, "You owe me a favor." Charles just shrugged his shoulders and acknowledged this debt of favor, recognizing that owing a favor to Miss Su Mei was an honor in itself. When registering the Knighthood at the end, the middle-aged man seemingly casually asked, "Duration of registration?" Charles''s eyes instantly sparkled, and in his mind was only one thought: "This Fu Er is really well spent." He lowered his voice and said faintly, "Nine nine nine!" Chapter 102 100, covenantor of the gods Generally, armies like the Free Knights Order, temporarily conscripted for war, would disband on their own after the conflict, but due to the operational mechanisms of the Faust Empire not being as precise as gears, many Knighthoods continued to operate for a while after the war, drawing their pay for an extended period.The Empire mostly turned a blind eye to this and did not intervene much. The Free Knights Order''s registration term was typically one year, three years, or five years, depending on the scale of the war. It was common for the registration period of a Knighthood fighting on the front to expire, leading to the suspension of pay and mutiny, which could result in a loss in the war. Renewing the registration of a Knighthood was actually quite a niche job. How powerful is a Fu Er? It could extend a Knighthood''s registration to the maximum limit allowed by the Empire''s legal system! Although the Empire had never seen a Knighthood last over twenty years on phantom payrolls during peacetime, it was still a very worthwhile favor. Charles took the Knighthood''s registration document, courteously performed an Imperial salute, and without any explicit agreement, he and the middle-aged clerk said nothing to each other, not even exchanging a glance. Charles and Taoles left the office. The middle-aged clerk finished his workday as usual and followed his colleagues out. Upon exiting the Central Government Office, Charles asked, "Taoles, where are you heading?" Without any hesitation, Taoles responded, "Back to the university!" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles also intended to visit Anne at the University of Georgia and promptly informed Madam Nancy, upon which the carriage headed towards the University of Georgia. The four universities and the Central Government Office were all in the Val de Vaz District, so the carriage soon arrived at the destination. Charles had planned to part ways with Taoles at the university entrance but didn''t expect Taoles to address the talk tube, saying, "Just go in." She glanced at Charles, who looked mildly surprised, and said, "You graduated from Sheffield University, while I graduated from the University of Georgia, what''s so strange about having a permanent access pass to one''s alma mater?" Charles facepalmed, thinking to himself, "Am I puzzled by that? I''m just concerned about us showing up together and causing Anne to misunderstand." Although as far as freeloading goes, the young miss from Su Mei''s Home was no less appealing than the one from the Brittany Family, Charles still had some integrity. With patience, he said, "I just feel it''s inconvenient." With a hand over her mouth, Taoles chuckled softly and said, "I know you''re afraid of Anne getting the wrong idea, but she won''t misunderstand. I vowed in front of the Goddess when I entered the university to remain unmarried for life." Charles''s expression changed slightly as he asked, "You''re a covenantor of the gods!" Taoles nodded, and a touch of sympathy rose in Charles''s heart for the noble miss from the Sumei Family. Speaking indifferently, she said, "You needn''t pity me, I''ve had enough of that, just as I''m fed up with the arranged marriages my family sets up for me." Sighing, Charles said, "I used to wish my family would arrange a marriage for me." "Later..." Charles deliberately paused, not continuing his thought, acting much like an author of an unfinished online novel, kindling Taoles''s curiosity. She asked, "Although of humble origin, your university education and position as an Imperial Civil Servant should make you a good marriage candidate. Why didn''t your family arrange a match for you?" With a calm tone, Charles replied, "Because my brother is in charge of our household." Instantly, Taoles felt sympathy, imagining the pitiable younger brother bullied by a domineering older brother and sister-in-law in various dramatic scenes. Charlotte''s brother would definitely feel wronged if he knew someone thought this way about him. He didn''t wish for his brother to get involved with the family business, mainly because his brother was a typical wastrel, notorious and spendthrift, fearing that his brother''s involvement would squander the hard work of generations¡ªit wasn''t out of disregard for fraternal affection. Charlotte agreed to give up his inheritance rights, and he even sent his brother 550 Aegeus, which was almost seventy percent of the Meclen family''s cash reserves. There was nothing to fault in this arrangement. Although the Meclen family were merchants, they weren''t swimming in riches; their fortune was only a thousand or two Aegeus. Charlotte spoke this way mainly to sever ties with the past. He strived to maintain a solitary image in front of everyone and didn''t behave any differently even with Taoles, whom he had an average relationship with. When it comes to image management, one must be consistent in front of everyone. In order to comfort Charlotte, Taoles said, "Don''t be too sad, you know, the marriage partner arranged for me by the family once included Zimmerman Axel Robin, and that was after ''that incident''. Do you know how desperate I felt?" Your next chapter is on empire Charlotte suddenly forgot about his image management, shocked as he asked, "After the Night Window incident?" Taoles gave him a look and said, "What else? Did you think it was after the Empire Rose event? If that were the case, I would have gone mad." Charlotte tried to imagine, only to find himself unable to comprehend how the brains of the nobles of the Old Continent worked. He could imagine how Menilman Senior must have felt upon discovering her fianc¨¦''s unsightly truth and tearing up the marriage contract, only for the Su Mei family''s elders to discuss and decide to replace him with a cousin. He could envision the kind of emotion that must have engendered. He could also imagine the shock Taoles must have felt at the time... But he could not understand the logic driving the brains of certain nobles who orchestrated this scene. Were these the thoughts of proper humans? Charlotte asked, "And then you became a covenantor of the gods?" Taoles nodded and said, "That''s right. I decided then and there, as soon as I went to university, I became a covenantor of the gods. I will never marry." Charlotte could relate; in a similar family setting, he might have chosen never to marry as well. There''s a common saying in the education sector of the Empire: The National Academy serves the Royal Family and the Empire, while imperial universities serve the deities. Yet, most university graduates still choose to join the government for a high-income job. Only a rare few, during their university years, feel the "benevolence" of the deities and declare themselves as covenantors of the gods. In other words, Priest Apprentices! After graduating they can join the Orthodox Divine Sect and hold a priesthood position. Charlotte, too, had considered this path, but joining the Orthodox Divine Sect, despite its various privileges, would mean relinquishing any touch with secular power. His life would be constrained by doctrines, such as remaining celibate for life and being barred from secular wealth. It was too inconvenient, so he abandoned the idea. Of course, one could also choose not to join the Orthodox Divine Sect after graduation and find their own way, but they would still have to adhere to various doctrines, such as being celibate for life and not owning secular wealth. A covenantor of the gods could also choose to give up their status, but the cost would be immense. They would be looked upon with distaste by the deities, all supernatural abilities within the faith system would be annulled, and they would carry a negative buff worse than an Evil God''s curse for life. Chapter 103 101, Movement Two: Dawn Sky charles had no idea that, under the guise of an admirer of the west wind goddess, his intimate demeanor with the laurel goddess while wandering around the university of georgia campus was enough to make people want to beat him up.taoles didn''t say what he was going to do back at school, and charles didn''t think to ask, but while he was waiting for anne, he urged a few times for taoles to leave, yet taoles did not move, which made him alert. although taoles was a covenantor of the gods, charles could not guarantee that anne would be magnanimous. he was racking his brain when he suddenly heard a stranger calling out. "is that mister mecklen?" charles glanced over and realized he didn''t recognize the person, who called him in a refined manner, wearing a monocle. although the old continent had seen the advent of eyeglasses with temples, the old-fashioned monocle had not yet been completely phased out and was still quite a valuable gentleman''s accessory. charles nodded, answering, "yes, it''s me." denying it was pointless, as there weren''t many men at the university of georgia who didn''t know him. "i''m hans!" "i think that while you''re pursuing anne, being together with taoles at the same time is a gross violation of public morals, a highly unethical act, and i challenge you to a duel." charles was shocked and was about to explain when mister hans had already crossed his fists and executed a series of kickboxing moves, lunging straight at him. taoles pursed his lips, smiled, and stepped back, clearing the area for the fight. charles had also learned kickboxing, one of the seven most popular bare-handed combat techniques in the old continent, which could be learned at the national academy, and professional teachers taught it at the university, although he wasn''t proficient. if it hadn''t been for the inheritance of angel''s thorn and later leveraging the mask of the cat to learn some assassin''s flying dagger technique, charles would have still been a close-combat failure, capable, before becoming transcendent, of handling at most two or three ordinary stout men who hadn''t studied combat technique and swordsmanship. at this moment, although the duel was sudden, charles was already well able to cope; with a slight sway of his body, he easily dodged hans''s successive attacks using the quickness technique''s speed and balance, and with a flip of his body, he used the sea serpent kick from kickboxing, flipping his challenger to the ground. the sea serpent kick is a very fierce move in kickboxing, characterized by the power and unpredictable trajectory of the kick, like a giant sea serpent in the ocean. having triumphed over his opponent, charles was about to speak a few words to lighten the atmosphere when someone loudly shouted, "mister mecklen? please, allow me to challenge you to a duel for anne." before charles could respond, a whirlwind swept towards him as a student from the university of georgia leaped forward, demonstrating a route of golbas combat technique with a dazzling display of legwork that enveloped his upper body. charles still used the sea serpent kick, delivering a high kick that knocked the second challenger out of mid-air, but before he could catch his breath, a third challenger spoke up¡­ before his duel with harriet alva, charles had never been in any duel, but today he unexpectedly received twenty-three challenges, all from students at the university of georgia. when the twenty-third opponent fell to charles''s kickboxing, he habitually shouted, "next!" but there was no twenty-fourth challenger, and applause erupted around him. charles looked around and saw anne with a flushed face, feeling somewhat guiltily, he asked, "have you finished your class?" anne smiled and said, "you defeated the sixth challenger just as i was finishing class." sea??h th§× nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. charles did not see taoles and wisely did not ask about the former laurel goddess. anne also did not mention the senior student. after boarding the carriage, charles suggested they go to the opera, to which anne happily agreed. the two enjoyed a sweet performance of the opera. in the evening, after parting with anne, charles returned to elysian pastoral street no. 58. he told madam nancy, "have mrs. plum sauce prepare the ingredients for barbecue tomorrow, i''m inviting a gentleman over for dinner." charles had not yet received the order to depart, but he had already obtained the registration documents from the knighthood. he was making preparations for the future. although ross bard of the bard company was a decent merchant, his company only dealt in ordinary goods. charles, intending to purchase items useful on the battlefield, had to turn to louis simi. he planned to personally invite louis simi to his home for dinner the next day. after giving instructions to madam nancy, charles went back up to the third floor. as was his routine, he played with the cat for a while before he began training in bloody glory. his primary focus recently was still the spirit spider technique, but he also maintained practice in other bloody runes. after completing an hour and a half of breathing exercises combined with meditation on the spirit spider technique, he sequentially practiced insight, blood flame qi, and angel''s thorn, each for half an hour. towards the end of his practice of angel''s thorn, a myriad of bizarre, brutally efficient, lightning-fast swordsmanship styles suddenly underwent a novel transformation in charles''s mind. the newly emerged swordsmanship, like a sliver of light, seemed fragile but possessed boundless potential. each unremarkable sword move concealed more intricate and unexpected variations, bursting forth with dozens of changes within a single stroke. an epiphany struck charles; this was the second movement of the angel''s twelve chapters: dawn sky! bereft of any natural talent in close combat, he had inherited the legacy of angel''s thorn but never prioritized swordsmanship as his main discipline. although he had continuously trained, he never devoted more effort. charles had not expected that, while he had not yet mastered the spirit spider technique, he would break through in the swordsmanship of the asiluo clan. with a flick of his finger, the blood rose emerged floating in the air. charles reached out and grasped the blood rose, casually twirling it into a sword flower. he could feel his meteoric improvement in swordsmanship. the magic stabbing sword moved as flexibly as part of his body, seemingly fused with his thoughts. with a mere flicker of intention in his mind, the blade had already elegantly flipped, pointing at the target. charles stood quietly with the sword for a long time, then stored the blood rose into his left arm. after briefly washing up, he went to bed. discover more stories at empire the next day, charles left the house for a while. by noon, he had brought louis simi back. the merchant''s attitude towards charles was noticeably warmer. he had learned of everything charles had been doing recently, including the fact that when he had met charles, the chief of the lucavaro district patrolling army was on the run. he knew this young man had turned the tables, not only taking down the former warden magrull teller of kilmainham prison but also gaining the support of the empire''s first rose once again. besides admiration, he deeply regretted his initial "investment" had been too small. when louis simi knew charles had become clerk chief of the empire''s thirty-fifth class, his first thought was, "i should have given him the shalun''s sergeant lance back then!" a bloodsucking weapon, though expensive, was less valuable than the friendship of a thirty-fifth class influential figure of the empire. Chapter 104 102, Divine Horse later, charles had been promoted again, and louis simi was already preparing a gift, planning to pay a visit, but he hadn''t anticipated that charles would invite him over for dinner before he could act.louis simi would never refuse the olive branch of friendship extended by charles, although he had interactions with many officials of the empire, charles, who was an acquaintance not yet prominent, with a promotion speed as fast as lightning, was fundamentally different from those people. returning to elysian pastoral street no. 58, charles chuckled and said, "my cook, mrs. plum sauce, is skilled in the exquisite barbecue brought over from the new continent, which i am eager to share with someone, but you know, louis..." "anne is a lady." louis simi also chuckled and said, "indeed, miss brittany is not suited for such rugged food." "however, i have no such problem." "i have long heard of the new continent''s barbecue, with its unique flavor, yet i have never tasted it. i truly owe you thanks for your generous sharing, charles." mrs. plum sauce and madam nancy had already prepared everything needed for the barbecue, while charles and louis simi sipped on barley beer and tasted the barbecue, casually discussing the recent news of the empire. after some pleasantries, charles said, "i might also have to go to the battlefield, so i wanted to ask, louis, do you have anything that could help increase survival on the battlefield?" louis simi chuckled, "i did have some armor, but they''ve already been reserved. you know, the upper echelons of the empire are never short of well-informed people." stay updated with empire upon hearing that louis simi didn''t have what he needed, charles couldn''t help but feel slightly disappointed. s§×arch* the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. louis chewed on a delicious lamb kidney, pondered for a moment, then said, "actually, what you need most now, i believe, is to make a will." "although it''s a bit ominous to speak of such things, i still earnestly advise you to take care of this matter first." "no one can guarantee that they will survive the battlefield, and without a will, settling your estate can be very troublesome." charles thought about it for a while and actually found louis simi''s advice quite good, saying, "i really should make a will." louis simi chuckled and said, "the reason i suggest you make a will is there''s another reason." "the only thing that can improve survival chances on the battlefield, is luck." "you should know too, warriors who make wills can have them incinerated at the temple of the lord of radiance, and they usually receive a blessing from the lord of radiance." "on the battlefield, there is nothing that can enhance luck more than the blessing of the lord of radiance." charles''s eyes lit up; he suddenly felt that this dinner invite wasn''t in vain, the lord of radiance being a deity who bestows luck on his followers. the most famous miracle of the glowing door at elysian pastoral avenue is that anyone who enters will randomly exit from one of the four doors, and the direction they exit is their most fortunate direction for the day. he laughed heartily and said, "louis, you can also be called lucky louis! every time i meet you, something good happens." louis simi gave a slight smile and said, "perhaps it''s because i too follow the lord of radiance." it was the era of the black moon, and the goddess had the most adherents in the old continent. however, there still were those who worshipped other deities, and followers of the evil god were not few in number. the byron empire, for instance, almost exclusively worshipped ancestral gods, all of whom were vampires and descendants of the evil god. charles no longer spoke, frequently urging to drink more. after having eaten, he invited louis to the third-floor terrace for a coffee and to pet cats. the three agile cats went all out in their charming antics, completely relaxing louis and making him feel particularly content. louis, like taoles, couldn''t stop praising the new-style charcoal roasted coffee and was willing to spend ten aegeus to buy the recipe. charles generously gave away the method of roasting charcoal coffee, genuinely not seeing the method as something valuable. in the old continent, no one had thought to roast coffee beans this way; sooner or later, someone was bound to figure out the correct steps once they thought about it. louis simi, having received the new coffee recipe, was overjoyed and immediately notified his coachman, who quickly retrieved an item. he handed a large box to charles and said, "having received the coffee recipe, i am beyond happy. just so happens i received a very interesting item intended as a gift for your promotion and housewarming. but, i received the news too late and felt it lacked sincerity and timeliness to present it now. now, thankfully, i have an excuse to give it away." charles did not reject the gift; sometimes, to refuse a gift is to refuse friendship, and he did not want to turn down the friendship of a businessman. especially a businessman dealing in magic artifacts like louis. he had previously thought that he wouldn''t have much interaction with louis, but now charles felt that he might need a "stable" channel for unloading goods. indeed, although he couldn''t sell the silver rhinoceros in his possession, he currently needed the other weapons. however, there would inevitably come a day of "weapon surplus," and he''d have to dispose of some unnecessary items. in front of louis simi, charles opened the box, which contained a pair of metal leggings and surprisingly, also an instruction manual. "is this the legendary divine artifact horse?" charles was slightly surprised; he was aware of the item. divine artifact horse, produced by the star workshop, one of the six great alchemy workshops of the fars empire. although not an extraordinary object, it was extremely popular. normally appearing as leggings, when used, divine artifact horse would extend two highly elastic leg extensions, increasing the user''s running speed by two to three times and slightly enhancing their jumping ability. without the quickness technique, this divine artifact horse would be an object charles greatly desired, serving as an artifact for emergency escapes. however, having acquired the quickness technique, he had little need for it, as the divine artifact horse was quite heavy and could offset some of the technique''s effects. besides, it could only accelerate in a straight line and was not flexible. charles, of course, did not show this reaction. louis, clearly unaware of his special ability, had chosen the gift thoughtfully. charles showed a look of delight and said, "thank you, louis, i really need this." with a slight smile, louis said, "i just hope that when you''re fleeing, your graceful form won''t draw too much attention from your superiors." charles laughed heartily; it was an old joke from the old continent, but quite appropriate for the situation. the two talked for an afternoon, and then louis simi took his leave. the next day, charles indeed wrote two wills, sending one to anne brittany stating if misfortune befell him, all his possessions would be divided into three, half to his beloved anne, and the remaining half again divided between his brother and his sister. the other will was personally taken by him to the temple of the lord of radiance to be incinerated. Chapter 105 103. First Appearance of the Westwind Knights charles just wanted to simply establish a persona.he also aimed to gain some favor from anne in the process. but he hadn''t expected that after burning the will at the temple of the lord of radiance, his "luck" would indeed skyrocket. the very same day, the westwind knights received a marching order. charles didn''t even have time to say goodbye to anne before he was rushed by the overseeing team to set off hastily, leaving strasbourg. before the departure, the central government office''s military logistics department provided the locally reassigned knighthood with five military carriages and a batch of supplies, including military provisions and weapons. most of the patrolling army which was supposed to be replenished for him didn''t show up; only about a hundred people came under different pressures to report, and were immediately disbanded by charles and assigned to various combat squads. after charles left the city, local gangs in lucavaro district soon realized, albeit too late, that their gang members had been swept up by him, out of their control. the gangs reacted differently, most cursing charles, but there were also some who made different choices. doll sister, all alone, caught up with charles outside the city and requested to join the knighthood. charles was surprised but had just agreed when yellow bear, the second-in-command of dark night beast, also brought a group to catch up and requested to join the knighthood as well. originally, charles''s patrolling army was comprised of ordinary people, with only him as a transcendent. mrs. mavis could not be counted, as she didn''t really come to work at the patrolling army. this was fundamentally why charles could easily take control of the patrolling army, as he possessed the military force to suppress everything. latterly, taoles replaced mrs. mavis as the chief patroller, adding the second transcendent to this patrolling army. with doll sister and yellow bear joining, this newly reassigned westwind knights, which had only changed roles a few days ago, impressively had four transcendents, and could truly be described as "strong and well-equipped." liemar detective agency, an established firm with over a hundred detectives, hundreds of detective assistants, and apprentice detectives, ranks in the top five within the detective sector of the fars empire, yet only about a dozen of the official detectives were transcendents. the overseeing team escorted the westwind knights out of strasbourg and then returned to the capital. they were merely an overseeing team, not "warrior escorts." once the overseeing team left, charles issued an order to station the troops. he also needed to "unify the thoughts" of the departing westwind knights. charles cut down a large tree with a single sword stroke, jumped onto the stump that was over a meter high, and loudly proclaimed, "before i set off, i had already received an imperial edict. the lucavaro district patrolling army has been reformed into the free knights. i have already obtained the knighthood''s registration documents, and our new name is¡ªwestwind knights!" charles had not shown the central government office''s reorganization document to anyone. mrs. mavis rarely came by, and no one dared ask why a noble lady like taoles would join the patrolling army. hence, these former members of the patrolling army still didn''t know that they were no longer "merely" an army but had also taken on the role of a knighthood, nor did they know about the change in their leader. today, suddenly, an overseeing team came and forced the "patrolling army" to leave strasbourg, leaving everyone dumbfounded. only charles was composed, so the others simply followed his orders quietly. the overseeing team belonged to the royal knights order and was a special military force, all members were highly skilled in martial arts and nobility; they did not recruit commoners, and everyone from squadron leader upward was a transcendent. no one dared to resist the overseeing team because the consequence would undoubtedly be an on-the-spot slaughter. when this "military with a complicated origin" heard that they were now members of a knighthood, they couldn''t help but cause a commotion. not only did the formal members of the patrolling army seek ways to transfer out, but even the prisoners and gang members equally didn''t want to enter the battlefield. charles had mustered all of bloody glory, loudly declaring, "everyone needs not worry; we are merely changing our stationing location, not heading to the battlefield." "our deputy leader of the knighthood, miss taoles, is from the su mei family. do you believe such a noble lady would go to the battlefield?" this example was overly compelling, and with veterans like dobin from the patrolling army continuously appealing, both the prisoners and gang members temporarily calmed down and patiently listened to charles speech. in his previous life, charles was a math teacher. though not professionally "drawing pies in the sky," he had often used various fabricated stories to encourage his students to study hard. he spoke loudly, "our destination as the westwind knights is behemoth duchy! as everyone knows, archduke ferdinand was assassinated by those revolutionaries from south serif. their local armies are going to seek revenge, so we''ll be taking over their role, staying in behemoth and continuing our old trade as a patrolling army." "all we have to do is nothing, wait for the war to end, and everyone will get promoted one or two ranks, resting on our laurels." "this is a rare opportunity..." charles racked his brain and was so eloquent that he almost "believed" himself, thus temporarily appeasing the morale of the westwind knights. discover more stories at empire he announced several appointments: taoles had already been the deputy leader when she registered in the knighthood. managing a knighthood of three thousand people couldn''t be done by just two persons, so charles promoted dobin to quartermaster and even gifted him the newly acquired shadow horse, which he didn''t need, but dobin did. he also temporarily combined several combat squads to form two whirlwind teams, led by the doll sister and yellow bear. charles used every trick in the book in personnel matters, twisting and turning to ensure that the knighthood would not dissolve halfway through the journey. he deliberately waited until evening, when everyone was tired and hungry, to announce the start of dinner. after these three thousand-plus people had a hearty meal, some of their dissatisfaction evaporated. charles called a few "old subordinates," taoles and doll sister, and yellow bear, the two transcendents, to have dinner together and also asked why they had followed. the doll sister''s reason was that she hoped to become part of the imperial nobility. yellow bear''s reason was similar; he hoped for a stable, respectable job, having already a family and children; he no longer wanted to keep mingling with gangs. charles said nothing, had dinner, and let everyone go about their business, then diligently made another round of inspections. he didn''t return to his carriage to rest but instead left the campsite and walked a few hundred meters. when he was alone, he softly said, "philedrica! come out." the doll sister let out a light laugh and jumped down from the nearby treetops, asking, "how did you know it was me?" she removed the mask on her face, revealing a pair of eyes full of passion and vigour. charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "you brought a handgun!" the leopard girl''s large, round ears twitched twice, and she said dejectedly, "i forgot, you plundered a batch of handguns from no. 5 dragon fortress street in the alcatraz area. i thought everyone would use these handguns, which makes it easier to hide our identities." s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 106 104, Dear Leopard Woman, please resist with all your might when the assassins destroyed archduke ferdinand''s sarcophagus, they actually left behind several broken walking sticks at the scene. how could assassins who managed to produce alchemical explosives not have access to firearms?therefore, the only explanation was that there had been a problem with the firearms they had prepared. recalling the batch of handguns he had taken from the chelsea detective agency, everything started to make sense; those assassins were connected to the orc assassin alliance, and their prepared handguns were foiled by charles. thus, charles paid extra attention to this type of handgun. when the "doll sister" appeared before him, the first thing he noticed was the additional identical handgun she carried. charles, in his deliberate manner, flicked his finger, and the blood rose materialized at his hand. he grasped the hilt of the magic stabbing sword and said calmly yet confidently, "dear ms. leopard woman, please resist with all your might." philedrica lightly raised her refined eyebrows and said, "you should know, i am a tenth grade beastman assassin!" charles replied, "how coincidental! i just recently dueled publicly with a fourteenth order radiant knight and killed him." stay connected with empire the leopard girl''s momentum faltered momentarily; she had actually received this news as well. last time she and algenon joined forces, they almost got reversed by charles. both believed that this guy might not be that strong, but his special abilities were weird and tricky, good for both direct confrontations and stealthy assassinations. despite this, the leopard girl felt that with a bit of spirit and a fair fight, she might not necessarily lose. however, after receiving the news that harriet alva was killed in the duel, she lost that confidence altogether. there was, after all, a significant gap between intermediate and high order supernatural beings. philedrica flicked open a hidden throwing knife, but showed no intention of using it, saying, "those people waited until archduke ferdinand''s remains left your jurisdiction before they acted, which is credited to me." charles pondered for a moment, then slightly nodded and said, "you want to exchange that for an intact body?" philedrica, a bit choked up, said, "if that''s not enough, i can exchange a secret with you. i need to utilize your knighthood to escape strasbourg." charles, slightly curious, asked, "why do you need to flee?" philedrica responded, "that''s none of your concern, but the secret i know is very much related to you." although charles displayed a confident demeanor, and had progressed in angel''s thorn, mastering the second movement: dawn sky, which indeed advanced his swordsmanship significantly against the leopard girl, would prefer not to fight if he could avoid it. s§×arch* the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. he was, after all, a civil official, although he now also served as the head of the knighthood, he was still a civilian, and had not switched to a military role. charles pondered for a moment, then said, "alright! i can take you to behemoth." philedrica said, "the su mei family has encountered a severe problem. several major nobles want to crush this empire''s first rose." charles exclaimed in surprise, "why?" he soon understood and exclaimed, "is it the families of those souls who died at the hands of zimmerman axel robin!?" the leopard girl''s eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "how can you be so clever?" charles knew that zimmerman axel robin had killed many people in duels, but had never considered what impact this might have, as it was of no concern to him. but of course, once he was willing to think, he immediately understood the crux of the matter. this matter was called the empire rose incident, and the young men involved in the duel were all fighting under the banner of avenging miss menilman. when these young men were killed, their families would deeply hate zimmerman axel robin, as well as menilman sumei. if menilman sumei hadn''t been involved, these young men wouldn''t have died in vain. this was known as ¡ª a beauty bringing disaster. as for whether menilman was innocent, it was completely irrelevant as the families who lost their young would inevitably harbor deep resentment towards the related individuals. charles suddenly understood why the unfortunate former warden, magru teller, had to force himself into framing miss menilman. behind magru teller, there must have been the backing of a major noble. once exposed, he was sacrificed without hesitation, as the former warden likely had no choice at the time. philedrica still wanted to salvage some honor and asked, "do you know who is really behind this affair?" charles answered without hesitation, "of course i know!" a joke, he had helped menilman dig up the top documents related to the night window incident and the empire rose incident, the contents of those documents were etched in his mind. who zimmerman axel robin had killed in the duels and what families were behind these individuals? charles was aware of all this, although previously, he had never thought about these matters, since this troublesome affair had nothing to do with him, it wasn''t worth wasting brain cells over. the leopard girl''s beautiful turquoise eyes showed a hint of anger as she said, "you know everything, so why do you still want me to say it?" charles put away the blood rose and replied indifferently, "because previously, i didn''t apply my mind to this matter." his body paused slightly as he suddenly understood why taoles sumei had become his "deputy"¡ªthis former laurel goddess from the university of georgia had come to seek protection by his side. at the same time, he also understood why the effort to have ms. menilman from his side join the army failed, and even more so, why it was menilman who went to receive archduke ferdinand because originally the unfavorable charge of failing to protect the archduke was meant to be pinned on his beloved senior. he couldn''t help but mutter, "should i switch allegiances?" the old continent didn''t have the colloquial expression "cling to someone''s coattails." hearing his murmur, philedrica hastily looked down at her own long, straight, strong, and beautifully shaped legs, suddenly feeling a sense of crisis. for the first time, charles felt that the political landscape of the fars empire was also rather intricate and complex. he had gotten tangled in a whirlpool of unknown magnitude and felt slightly headache. he was about to return to the camp when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "was the real doll sister killed by you?" philedrica put on the mask, transforming back into the slightly bulky but still attractive doll sister, and said, "the fee for killing someone is very expensive, nobody paid, and i wouldn''t kill for no reason." "i just knocked her out, tied her up, and threw her on the bed. she''s probably woken up by now, and with her doll secret technique, escaping wouldn''t be difficult." having received his answer, charles took a deliberate look at philedrica''s clothes, ignored the leopard girl, and walked back to the camp. Chapter 107 Labyrinth 2 charles returned to the military carriage and touched the cat mask in his arms, muttering to himself, "so this thing is standard issue for the orc assassin alliance."the mask used by philedrica was clearly another such extraordinary object. even while marching, charles did not slack on his training, he still practiced the spirit spider technique for an hour and a half as usual, before sequentially training in four other bloody runes. after completing his training, he took a short nap. waking up the next morning, charles discovered that more than ten people had fled. in the armies of the old continent, the level of training and the elite nature could not be compared at all with the modern armies of earth. even for the most basic of long marches, countless individuals would desert, and it was even possible for entire units to collapse. especially since his westwind knights was a makeshift force, consisting only of a few regular patrolling army members, with the rest being adventurers, prisoners, and gang members. that just over ten people had fled was already a tremendous success from his expectations set the day before. charles first took some time to regather the knighthood, rallied this motley crew with a spirited speech, and then announced it was time to eat breakfast before they resumed marching. the next day''s march saw over thirty more people desert; charles helplessly adjusted their direction slightly. by the fifth day, nearly three hundred people had escaped. initially, after absorbing the black scorpion gang, the westwind knights had alarmingly exceeded three thousand members, but now it had dropped below three thousand again. still, he had finally managed to bring this group of the free knights to machu picchu. the westwind knights entered the maze-ified fortress of machu picchu, where all members completed their transformation into npcs. a consciousness suddenly transmitted from the diary hidden inside charles''s robes: "charles meklen''s machu picchu labyrinth has obtained a large number of npcs, fulfilling the conditions for promotion, and may now arrange a second labyrinth." charles hadn''t expected that the ruins of the machu picchu fortress could still accommodate a second labyrinth? with both surprise and joy, he opened the second page of "agmillar''s labyrinth" on the ground, and immediately felt the diary under his palm lose another page. an intangible force expanded outward, and once again, evil energies corroded the ancient ruins of the orc kingdom''s fortress. that consciousness surged once more: "machu picchu requires eighteen days to complete the double-layer labyrinth, during which time you must not leave this place." charles also learned that once the second labyrinth was arranged, machu picchu would form a double-labyrinth world, and his control over npcs would increase by another level, tasks issued would multiply, and the tasks available on npcs would also increase. of course, for charles, what was more important was that he could vaguely understand the movements of his subordinates. if they were in machu picchu, they absolutely could not escape; outside machu picchu, those soldiers within a certain range of charles would provide positional indicators. each fleeing soldier would essentially be "reporting" their movements to charles. charles arranged for the knighthood to settle down, and he mulled over the newly gained information while holding the diary, gradually assimilating it, and his mastery over the maze art deepened yet another layer. the orders charles had received were to proceed to the behemoth duchy as soon as possible, but they did not specify "how soon is as soon as possible"? charles, of course, did not hesitate to stay, as the war between the behemoth duchy and the south serif territory was none of his business. moreover, with such a disorganized group, entering the battlefield would likely see them disperse within minutes, which would help nothing. going there would be worse than not; it was better to avoid bothering the behemoth people. part of the westwind knights, those adventurers who had been enticed by charles to join the patrolling army and to this day had only received "small, long-term payments" without seeing a second installment of money, were quite familiar with machu picchu. with this group of "experienced guides," the new members of the knighthood quickly adapted to the "environment." no country on the old continent had the capability to support long-distance hit-and-run tactics, and naturally, neither could the westwind knights. they had not brought enough supplies, which were supposed to be provided by the towns or cities along the way, and even that meant enduring hunger all the way to behemoth duchy. s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. since charles had stopped, he naturally could not obtain supplies along the way, so he chose to send combat squads out in batches to "forage." he had also privately complained that the war potential of the fars empire was not even comparable to that of ancient china, but in a world with transcendents, the outcome of war was often decided by powerful transcendents, and armies composed of regular people were just cannon fodder, so an appropriate military system had never been developed. the foraging combat squads, under charles''s strict instructions, also brought back a batch of seeds. although charles knew that it wouldn''t be possible to grow food within a fortnight, he always felt he might eventually make a base out of machu picchu, so he took precautions and led the knighthood to clear some of the wilderness nearby. days quickly went by, and although charles was extremely busy, he miraculously managed to prevent any desertions from the knighthood, which astonished both taoles and philedrica. your adventure continues at empire yellow bear, along with dobin, had become charles''s right and left-hand men. despite his gang-related background, he had not indulged in the gang members'' vices, had been entirely fair in emergency situations, was a transcendent, and quickly gained a considerable amount of admiration. one day, charles broke away from everyone and went to the place where hannah was buried. though he and this female adventurer had had no special connection and he had not originally intended to get involved emotionally, as the first person to die after he had formed his team, charles still felt some concern. in front of him, there was a swirl of black fog that drifted but was not confined by the labyrinth power, and it could never escape. charles performed an empire salute and said softly, "i promised you i would help you take revenge, though it has been delayed, i hope you don''t mind." he flipped his hand and lightly pressed, and the labyrinth power converged. the monster immediately burst apart, turning into a puff of blue smoke. though this matter was not significant, charles had always kept it in mind. now that he had avenged hannah, he felt somewhat relieved. now, most creatures in the labyrinth, including the monsters, strange beings, and evil spirits, had been transformed into npcs by the labyrinth, although this labyrinth was only a manifestation of charles''s thoughts and not true gamification; his control over these extraordinary beings was limited. charles stood silently for a while, then revealed the blood rose. lord leo had escaped, leaving his two servants behind, and charles prepared to eliminate these two servants to boost his own strength to the next level. lord leo was a high-level transcendent, and his two servants were also strong, selected from hundreds of blood servants, and were of intermediate rank. charles believed that killing these two servants of lord leo would save him at least a few dozen days of training. he silently sensed the feedback from the labyrinth and quickly found the two servants of lord leo, who were eating a ground rat, and with a flicker, he disappeared from the spot. Chapter 108 106. Prime Blood Boiling lord leo fled for the first time intending to retrieve his two servants, as these servants were strong and had served him for many years, playing significant roles in his life. however, during his second escape, he gave no thought to them, realizing that no servant, no matter how important, was worth risking his life for.after lord leo left, the two servants, relying on their exceptional strength, managed to survive in the labyrinth despite the difficulty. but the scarcity of food within the labyrinth meant that they often went days without anything to eat, gradually weakening. charles appeared nearby and observed them for a while, confident that these two servants were not vampires. vampires are quite proud and exclusive, with the older ones being even more so. even if the byron empire did not harshly suppress the proliferation of descendants and even implemented a "first embrace certificate" to constrain it, many of the older vampires were reluctant to sire offspring, preferring to leave that to the younger bloodkin. the two blood servants of lord leo were merely "servants" controlled by vampires, possessing certain vampiric characteristics but falling far short of true blood clan members, as they had not undergone the "first embrace." for instance, they couldn''t replenish their body''s consumption of blood energy by drawing life essence. lord leo, trapped in the machu picchu labyrinth, was still lively and at the height of his strength thanks to his vampiric talents, but the strength of his two blood servants had already plummeted to sixty or seventy percent of their peak. with a wave of his hand, charles unknowingly separated lord leo''s two servants, who, by the time they realized what happened, had already lost sight of each other. charles drew his vampiric hand axe and hurled it with blood flame qi. each vampire clan is born with a different physical structure; most can only condense a single bloody vortex with their rank determined by the strength of their blood energy. once vampires reach a certain level of cultivation, they gather blood energy and condense a blood core to ascend to higher ranks. charles, now a fifth order transcendent, possessed a blood flame qi that was more subtle and robust than before. coupled with the amplification from the other four bloody vortexes of his bloody glory, the vampiric hand axe pierced the air, emitting a whistling moan. it cleaved directly into the back of a blood servant, who toppled to the ground without any chance to react. after the successful ambush, charles patiently waited for the vampiric hand axe to devour all the essence blood from the servant before smoothly recalling the bloodsucking weapon. when he attempted to assimilate the life force, the bloody glory within his body suddenly boiled, and an unexpected change occurred. the life force of lord leo''s blood servant was like "poison," rampaging within him, scorching everything in its path like flame, as harsh as profound ice, destroying all bodily functions. surprised and frightened, charles activated the bloody glory, hoping to expel this life force, but to no avail. desperate, he struggled to recall whether the protagora secret scrolls mentioned any solution to this predicament. having faced the evil god twice, the second time gazing directly at two, the benefits included improved spirituality and enhanced memory. the protagora secret scrolls he had read during his college years were vivid in his mind, but none mentioned this situation. in his panic, charles remembered the two vampire secret scrolls he possessed. he quickly took out the adonis clan''s "vampire secret scrolls" and the scroll gifted by lord leo from the arthur clan. while forcibly battling the strange and venomous life force rampaging inside him, he rapidly read through them. the adonis clan''s "vampire secret scrolls" recorded only secret techniques, with no additional text. charles found nothing after flipping through them. holding onto his last hope, when he turned to the arthur scroll, his eyes brightened as he encountered a secret technique describing the exact situation he was experiencing. before the vampire''s thirty-seven clans had established their nation, they had slaughtered transcendents without restraint, using their bloodsucking traits to elevate their ranks. this incited the wrath of the great empires, triggering a continent-wide backlash that led to merciless slaughter by transcendents of the human race, led by protagora. six vampire clans were exterminated, wiped out by humanity. after founding the empire, the blood clan promised the human empires they would not hunt transcendents indiscriminately. the great empires also vowed not to hunt transcendents within the human race for cultivation of their bloody glory without just cause, achieving a delicate balance. from that point on, it was no longer a state of war, and very few humans chose to practice bloody glory. s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. but the vampires still worried that someone like protagora might appear again among the humans. therefore, the committee in charge of compiling the vampire secret scrolls gathered the wisdom of the most talented individuals from the thirty-one vampire clans and, after exhausting all their thoughts and efforts, created a secret technique named prime blood boiling as a countermeasure against bloody glory. the essence of this secret technique was not complex; it employed the powers of the nine ancient progenitors who ascended to the evil god in the ancient times, ensuring a special "imprint" was found within the blood energy cultivated by each clan. every blood clan member who mastered prime blood boiling would have blood energy far purer than their peers; it could not be consumed by vampires from any other clan, nor could it be consumed by humans practicing bloody glory, resulting in their power increasing by leaps and bounds daily. this was an auxiliary secret technique, yet it was more precious than any offensive secret technique. because it required harnessing the sinister powers of the nine ancient progenitors, only members of the three emperor clans and six king clans could practice it. it also could not prevent cannibalism within the same clan, and just like lord leo of the arthur clan, his blood servants also bore this imprint from the evil god in their bodies. "damn it!" "what should we do now?" "only the bloodline mantra unique to the arthur clan can counteract the backlash of arthur clan''s prime blood boiling..." in an instant, charles understood he had no choice but to channel this toxic vitality into his throat and, using the secret technique of bloody glory, he opened the sixth bloody vortex. the bloody vortex in his throat opened, and this strange force grew even stronger. charles silenced the other five bloody vortices and, following the arthur clan''s secret technique, he forcibly condensed the bloody runes of the bloodline mantra. protagora, the great philosopher, had never obtained the secret techniques from the arthur clan. the vampire secret techniques he had obtained were mainly from the asiluo clan, followed by those from the adonis clan and the bellos family, also one of the six king clans. the other ten secret techniques all came from grand duke vampire clans, even from marquis-level clans. continue reading at empire at that moment, charles had no ancient techniques of his predecessors to follow and had to create his own secret technique based on bloody glory and the arthur clan''s secret scrolls. initially, charles found the runes of the bloodline mantra complex and profound, utterly perplexing. after dozens of failed attempts, he could not help but vomit a mouthful of black blood. when the pool of black blood hit the ground, it sizzled with corrosive force. just then, a leisurely voice came from the endless void: "young one! the secret methods of the arthur clan are not to be messed with so recklessly." charles was shocked, and immediately, a will invaded his mind, which did nothing but pluck at a mental string as if by intention or by accident. charles had a flash of insight and exclaimed, "i know! i know now..." the runes of the bloodline mantra, previously incomprehensible, suddenly unraveled in his mind like mathematical symbols, with clear logic... Chapter 109 107. Promoted to Sixth Order in the throat''s bloody vortex, countless shattered golden runes assembled into a book with a black cover studded with innumerable golden specks. the previously invasive life force, akin to toxic poison, had quieted down, allowing charles to manipulate bloody glory to assimilate it.half an hour later, charles finally digested the life force of this blood servant, and the sixth bloody vortex in his throat stabilized. sensing the book within this vortex, adorned with a black cover and countless golden specks, he recalled that mysterious voice, that supreme will, and felt a bone-chilling cold in his heart. he knew what it was. because it was not the first time he had seen it. it was a blood clan evil god. charles couldn''t help but think, "do i possess some trait that attracts evil gods specifically?" "why can''t i be blessed by a true god for once? even if not by the nine great true gods, their attendant gods or subordinate gods would do!" charles looked up to the sky, though of course, he could see nothing. a mere sixth order transcendent, yet lacking the ability to cross the void and discern anything. the sixth bloody vortex he had opened, an undocumented one in bloody glory, had formally advanced charles to the sixth order. discover stories with empire most remarkably, he had also refined the runes of the bloodline mantra, obtaining his fifth special ability. however, each spell of the arthur clan required arduous practice, and he had just perfected the bloody rune of the bloodline mantra. he hadn''t yet started to practice any specific secret technique and couldn''t deploy any of the bloodline mantra spells. despite this, charles was quite satisfied. he buried the body of lord leo''s servant and went in search of another blood servant. this time, charles again threw the vampiric hand axe from a distance. this blood servant, suspicious, especially with a comrade missing, was particularly vigilant and unexpectedly countered by clashing with the vampiric hand axe using his flesh-and-blood body. the vampiric hand axe was thrown back at him, and charles, somewhat astounded, retracted the axe, wondering how this servant''s physical body could be so formidable? he soon found the reason. there was a body-hardening secret technique within the vampiric scroll of the arthur clan, named: blood butcher! as he perused the scroll, he inadvertently glanced at this technique. it was rather crude, specifically designed for the training of blood servants; legitimate blood clan members never learned it. the blood butcher, also considered a kind of knight, could transform every part of his body into a weapon, his muscles and bones as hard as steel, with tremendous strength, able to fight until the end of his life. charles activated the vampiric hand axe and tried twice more, only to have lord leo''s servant block him staunchly each time; he no longer attempted to fight but simply abandoned the battle. after all, the opponent was in his labyrinth. as long as he waited a while longer for his adversary''s strength to continue waning, he could take whatever he wanted with ease, so why bother now? charles put away the vampiric hand axe, leaving the blood servant to his fate, and returned to the camp of the westwind knights. taoles saw him return and couldn''t help but say, "we can''t stay here any longer, there simply aren''t enough nearby villages for us to gather provisions. we must make haste and obtain supplies on the road." charles shook his head and said, "we must stay here for a full eighteen days!" "cut down on the rations, letting everyone starve for a few days won''t hurt." he had to wait until the second labyrinth was set up. compared to that, starving the westwind knights for a few days was trivial, especially since charles had calculated that it certainly wouldn''t kill anyone. taoles said in a low voice, "aren''t you afraid of a rebellion?" "once over three thousand people start creating chaos, there''s no way to subdue them." charles smiled slightly and said, "the last thing i fear is their rebellion." in the machu picchu labyrinth, what sort of rebellion could a bunch of npcs even mount? charles even felt that having these members of the knighthood starve for a few more days could help them understand what "discipline" means! he had already decided not to leave before the maze-ification was complete, and he also exerted control over the food ¡ª only those who obeyed had something to eat. seeing that charles wouldn''t heed her advice, taoles felt somewhat helpless and could only make preemptive preparations extensively. sea??h th§× n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. whether they were prisoners, gang members, or even adventurers, there were women among them. after departing, taoles asked charles for over a hundred people to form an all-female team, which she led quite successfully, having received a formal university education. the villages of the old continent usually had small populations and not much stored grain. machu picchu was a ruin of the ancient orc kingdom, with hardly any villages nearby. under charles'' stubborn leadership, the knighthood quickly fell on hard times and had no choice but to implement a rationing system, where everyone could only eat a small piece of dark bread. at least water was plentiful; there was a water source inside the machu picchu fortress. the worst part was that charles often disappeared. apart from the daily foraging parties, anyone else who tried to escape would often end up lost within the fortress. sometimes they were merely steps away from the main gate, yet within a few paces would find themselves in bizarre locations. complaints within the knighthood grew louder by the day. dobin, yellow bear, taoles, and philedrica, bearing the face of "big sister doll" from the orc assassin alliance, were all forced to participate in placating the crowds. everyone was running around, exhausted, as handling an uprising from a three-thousand-member knighthood could lead to severe consequences. the only ones who remained fairly calm were charles'' earliest subordinates, the adventurers he had tricked. these experienced individuals, having returned to machu picchu, communicated tacitly and had stealthily hidden some food in the first few days. as days passed, the westwind knights resembled a powder keg about to explode, which could be set off at any moment by an accidental spark, suddenly exploding and blasting everyone to smithereens. then, one morning, even the foraging party couldn''t leave the machu picchu fortress. the knighthood exploded completely, as countless people shouted loudly, demanding that charles come out and explain himself. even though dobin, yellow bear, taoles, and philedrica did their utmost to calm the situation, it was to no avail. soon, some began to fight. though dobin had brought along former colleagues from the patrolling army and suppressed over a dozen disputes, three thousand people were just too many, and he soon couldn''t hold them back any longer. this ragtag knighthood was finally ignited; they blamed and cursed each other, and some even surrounded several leaders, ready to resort to violence at any moment. though taoles was a third order card magician, she couldn''t cope with so many people. she squeezed a "magic card¡¤open door," which could open a door on any wall to slip away, yet she was still making a last-ditch effort. suddenly, someone shouted, "these bastards deceived us, let''s catch them and force them to reveal the way out." immediately, several others echoed the call, and the situation deteriorated to the point that it was just short of becoming irredeemable. Chapter 110 Spirit Spider Technique charles was meditating with his eyes closed when a thought entered his mind: "machu picchu has completed its secondary maze-ification!"he opened his eyes, smiling faintly. he felt it, the brand-new machu picchu fortress, this ancient beastman kingdom stronghold was actually quite vast, after all, it was once claimed to be ¡ª ''the unbreachable machu picchu''. it was built between two mountain peaks and was itself a vital passageway. at its peak, it had housed up to 270,000 troops, with hundreds of barracks, serving as the last bulwark protecting strasbourg. after the sherlock dynasty conquered this fortress through strategy, they preferred to set fire to machu picchu, turning the stronghold of the ancient beastman kingdom into ruins, precisely because it was too hard to attack. the sherlock dynasty had lost a lot of forces, and since they were in a hurry to capture strasbourg, they didn''t have enough troops to garrison. later, the sherlock dynasty, which had overthrown the ancient beastman kingdom, simply constructed another official road that bypassed machu picchu, giving up on repairing the fortress. with the secondary maze-ification of machu picchu, charles could do much more with the ruins of this ancient beastman kingdom''s stronghold. he could even remove some of the collapsed buildings and set up completely new structures, although the creation of new buildings was very time-consuming and required the cooperation of npcs. charles''s consciousness swept through the maze, and he quickly sensed what was happening. without any hesitation, he stepped forward and arrived at the scene of the incident. charles stood on high ground, looking down, and commanded in no uncertain terms, "members of the westwind knighthood who are willing to obey my orders, head east!" with a gesture of his hand, a stone archway appeared. this was one of the original constructions of the machu picchu fortress, known as the homer''s gate. it was built entirely out of stone and was not burned down, just overgrown with moss and vines. charles had shifted this gate over here, a move so masterful it immediately intimidated everyone. mason, homonsa, and other members of the knighthood with an adventurous background, rushed towards homer''s gate without delay. they all had rich experience and knew there was something tricky between this smooth-talker and the fortress. dobin hesitated slightly but then led a group of people straight toward homer''s gate. yellow bear, philedrica, and taoles were the third batch to head for homer''s gate, bringing along seven or eight hundred people with them. the rest were unwilling to relent, causing a racket and cursing loudly. charles snapped his fingers, and instantly numerous stone walls appeared, dividing these people. homer''s gate rose slightly, so that everyone could see those who had followed charles''s orders. charles stood atop a tall pillar, looking like a deity as he shouted, "i give you one last chance. those willing to follow my orders, raise your left hand. those who do not will remain forever in the ruins of this fortress, until they turn to dry bones." find more to read at empire even though the old continent had transcendents, no one possessed the secret techniques associated with the labyrinth. these knighthood members, originally criminals and gang affiliates, had already been shocked by charles, but they were simply too emotional for the moment to back down. s§×ar?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. now, with charles standing atop the tall pillar, casting a cold, emotionless gaze below, the noise from the people still bickering steadily decreased until there was silence. people began to raise their left hands, some raised their right hands, and still others raised both hands. on earth, elementary school children are trained to differentiate between left and right hands, but in the fars empire, nobody teaches this, and many people can''t tell their left from their right well into adulthood. charles didn''t make it difficult for this disorganized crowd. as long as they raised a hand, no matter which one, he opened a pathway for them. soon, there wasn''t a single person left inside the maze of machu picchu fortress; they had all walked out. charles also felt a tinge of sentiment; machu picchu was a very special place for him. he hesitated for a moment, then let mason and homonsa, his two "old subordinates," take a hundred men to stay behind. he planned to remake machu picchu into a fortress anew. although there are only so few of us, it''s still a "seed." charles also felt somewhat worried, thinking that if something were to happen to homonsa, he would be much more at ease if she stayed in machu picchu. having left mason and homonsa behind, charles continued on his way with the westwind knights, heading towards the behemoth duchy. sitting in the carriage, charles glanced through his journal for a while and thought to himself, "so, agmillar''s labyrinth doesn''t necessarily require finding fifteen ruins; one can also layer the labyrinth onto the same city." "i wonder what the conditions would be for stacking a third labyrinth?" "or, could i find another city ruin somewhere?" charles flipped through the journal again, spending some time looking at the vampire secret scrolls. there are fifteen pages of agmillar''s labyrinth and seventeen pages of the vampire secret scrolls. charles had already mastered three of them: blood flame qi, bloodflame transformation art, and flame hand, and he was studying the fourth page, flame scorching blast bullet. after browsing for a while, charles put away his journal. he patted his right leg where, in the bloody vortex within, dwelt a pale golden rune spider. after spending eighteen days in machu picchu, he had finally cultivated the runes for the spirit spider technique. if sixth order transcendents were to be graded, charles would likely be at the very top. he possessed six special abilities: insight, blood flame qi, quickness technique, spirit spider technique, angel''s thorn, and bloodline mantra. the bloody glory surged within the six bloody vortices, occasionally being amplified several times like the tide, suddenly accelerating its circulation inside his body. charles mused to himself, "having mastered the spirit spider technique, with my speed, not even an ordinary high order could catch up." "as long as i''m a bit more cautious, there should not be any danger to my life on this trip to the behemoth duchy." just as charles was thinking this, a scout from the westwind knights returned with a report that two armies were engaged in battle up ahead. the westwind knights, having spent eighteen days in the machu picchu labyrinth, were initially at risk, but after the crisis passed, they actually gained some cohesion. the squad, which was often sent by charles to requisition provisions, had been transformed into scouts and were surprisingly qualified for the role. even taoles was somewhat astonished, thinking that charles must have taken military courses in college. of course, charles hadn''t taken such courses, and huang hai sheng wasn''t versed in military matters. even his online political commentary was amateurish. the current cohesion and discipline of this patchwork knighthood could only be attributed to "good luck." charles dispatched several more scout teams. he had no intention of getting involved in the battle between the two armies; he only wanted to find a way around them. but before the scouts could return, there were sounds like that of mountains crumbling and tsunamis approaching, followed by countless chaotic shouts piercing the sky. in this knighthood, the one with the richest experience on the battlefield was actually the leopard girl philedrica. her expression shifted slightly as she said, "one side has been routed; those are the victory shouts of the pursuers." Chapter 111 109. Yahoo Knighthood and Byron Cavalry charles was just about to respond when philedrica reminded him, "it''s already too late to run. if we change our formation now, it will turn into a one-sided slaughter. only by facing the attack head-on can we maintain order."although charles only discussed military strategies on paper, he knew philedrica was absolutely right. considering the composition of the westwind knights, once the battle began, those prisoners would probably flee, triggering an avalanche-like chain reaction. he immediately ordered the westwind knights to set up a solid defensive formation, preparing for the imminent impact. experience tales at empire he did not know which armies were involved in the battle; he could only hope that the victorious side would be their allies. although the patrolling army was a local military force primarily responsible for maintaining public order and had barely any battlefield experience, they could still set up a basic solid defensive formation quite robustly since massive gang fights occasionally erupted on the streets. this formation could protect the patrolling army from significant harm to the greatest extent possible. as for counterattacking? what was that? the patrolling army had never had such requirements. half an hour later, the landscape was swarming with fleeing soldiers, and behind them, a cavalry unit was methodically reaping lives, clearly a well-trained elite force. being born in the behemoth duchy, charles recognized at a glance that the scattered forces fleeing ahead were from his "hometown," and even recognized them as baron phile''s yahoo knights, having seen them since his childhood! the barons of phile had always been vassals to the dukes, owning lands on the eastern side of the behemoth duchy. this generation''s baron phile had a deep friendship with archduke ferdinand, with their grandfathers connected through intermarriage and friendship. as for the pursuing troops behind them, such elites definitely could not belong to lady southseraph''s forces. the southern seraph territory had no army of its own; it was managed by the empire''s military. the restorers of southern seraph had never undergone formal military training. except for their burning passion, they were barely a tad better than the patrolling army. the old continent had knights, but very few cavalry units. a cavalry that could form a pursuing formation must be the elite of the great empires. although the pursuing cavalry was not wearing baron''s distinctive dark red uniforms, from the crescent moon loose formation they commonly used, charles could precisely deduce that these were baron''s cavalry. charles cursed, "hell''s bells! how did we encounter people from baron?" logically speaking, the behemoth duchy had just declared war on southern seraph, and baron had just declared war on the behemoth duchy; baron''s troops should not have appeared on the battlefield so quickly. especially since they hadn''t even reached the behemoth duchy yet; this area was still territory of the fars empire. charles feared encountering people from baron the most. he practiced bloody glory, and baron''s vampires hated humans who practiced bloody glory the most. usually, they would draw swords upon meeting, and if they encountered each other on the battlefield, it would definitely be a fight to the death. this baron cavalry unit, upon learning that someone was practicing bloody glory here, might even give up chasing these fleeing soldiers from the behemoth duchy and attack the westwind knights with all their might. charles had very little faith in this troupe of knights under his command. even though the pursuing baron cavalry numbered only about a couple of hundred, he believed that under the charge of such elite cavalry, the poorly trained, disheartened, diverse, and utterly unmotivated westwind knights, lacking proper weapons like long spears or large shields to defend against cavalry assaults, might not withstand even one charge. charles looked around, about to find a long spear to conceal his identity, but immediately cursed himself silently, "idiot!" "what are you looking for a long spear for, use rifles!" "no matter how clever the vampires are, could they possibly discern the origin of the martial skills of the user from an antispace sniper rifle?" facing the elite cavalry of byron, using the vampiric hand axe or blood rose was not possible, as it could easily attract concentrated fire from the vampire army. however, there were no such restrictions on other transcendent weapons. without hesitation, charles reached inside his collar and pulled out his beloved gun. since he was heading out to march, he obviously couldn''t carry the alchemical wand. the battlefield wasn''t a place to show off style or status. consequently, he left his wand, magnum hand shuttle, alchemical pistol, and personal carriage at home. now, with madam nancy and mrs. plum sauce looking after elysian pastoral street no. 58, he left without the need to send away and foster out the three kittens, which was reassuring indeed. charles waved his hand, and an aide brought over the box containing magic-breaking bombshell bullets. normally, he carried only three such bullets, sufficient for a street duel. if the first three shots didn''t kill the enemy, there''d be no chance for another shot. but on the battlefield, that was clearly insufficient. charles loaded twenty magic-breaking bombshell bullets and quietly took out two silver rhinoceros guns, also loading them with bullets, and slipped them into his holsters. he had originally left the hockwell silver rhinoceros at machu picchu but retrieved it for the battlefield this time. as for the other fire kelwell silver rhinoceros mk-10, its psy-bullet magazine originally contained thirty-five bullets, roughly from seven people, each bullet''s attribute was different, but all were quite powerful, loaded by anne''s proxy. when vinnie yarsaenu played with it, she also compressed a few fairy cat magic bullets, all basic cat transformation spells. once hit by a bullet, if unable to withstand vinnie''s magic, the target would instantly turn into a kitten. after retrieving the three firearms, charles felt somewhat relieved. just then, dobin came galloping back on a magical horse, yelling, "the enemy only has two thousand men; we can win!" charles didn''t need a magical horse, its best use besides escaping was for scouts. thus, he had given it to dobin, this veteran of the patrolling army, who did not disappoint, bringing back crucial intelligence. of course, although he knew the enemy only had two thousand men, he definitely wouldn''t commit to the battle. what kind of material were the patrolling army made of? he knew perfectly. the last thing one needs on the battlefield is a hot head. seeing charles unmoved, dobin quickly added, "they only have this cavalry unit; the rest are women from lady southseraph, whose combat power is even weaker than ours." only then did charles show a slight change in expression, hesitating a bit. as he deeply pondered, just when he decided to forgo taking a risk, the fleeing soldiers from the westwind knights spotted the fars empire''s army nearby and swarmed towards them. although charles lacked military experience, he had read enough historical and military web novels to know he must not let the fleeing troops break through his camp. if their formation were breached, a single charge by byron''s cavalry could rout this ragtag group of knights. despite his reluctance, charles still raised his hand high and commanded, "shoot on sight anyone who approaches; let them circle around and regroup in the rear." "yellow bear, take five hundred men to intercept these routed soldiers in the rear. execute on the spot those who do not obey orders." charles''s commands, though chaotic and unprofessional to any real military strategist, let alone an armchair general, stabilized the morale at that moment. s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 130 128, Famous Painting Worldly Flowers is a floral crown, with delicate blooms and a wild charm, vying in five colors for beauty, not luxurious but somewhat better looking than a regular crown.Once worn on the head, it would be surrounded by fascinating flowers of five colors that slowly lifted into the air, allowing one to fly upon the blooms. As the lifting power came from exotic flowers, the speed and duration of flight depended on the cultivator''s mastery. Forged by Saint Alchemist Master Stardust, the Worldly Flowers could be powered by any energy; Fighting Spirit, Blood Energy, magic, or soul power¡ªall could control this extraordinary object. Charles had admired it for a while but had not been willing to keep it with him. He put it back in the box meant for holding the Worldly Flowers. Although these exotic flowers could remain unfading for years, they were quite fragile and no more hardy than average fresh flowers, and equally delicate and vulnerable. Even though Saint Alchemist Master Stardust had sealed the wondrous seeds within so that as long as the roots and branches remained undamaged, they could slowly blossom and repair the extraordinary object, few people were willing to use it carelessly. Charles thought it best to take the opportunity to sell it; the object was precious but not particularly practical. Besides these two high-order extraordinary items, the Baron''s collection consisted almost entirely of mid-level items¡ªafter all, he had a preference for high-quality objects. However, there were also two low-order extraordinary items: a pair of handguns named "Famous Paintings." These handguns weren''t weapons in the traditional sense. Shooting someone with one of them would leave the target completely unaware, but firing the other at a wall or a canvas would create a lifelike portrait of that person. The portrait could interact simply by singing, dancing, smiling, showing annoyance, or seductive gestures. However, it lacked real logic, reacting like a puppet on strings. The handguns "Famous Paintings" could only produce five magical portraits. If a sixth was made, the first would disappear, always maintaining the number at five. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon acquiring these handguns, Charles''s first thought was that he should sell them. They were merely amusing trifles, utterly useless. With the money from selling them, wouldn''t it be better to go on a real date with a beautiful girl? He then recalled Anne Brittany and mused, "If I could hang Anne''s magical portrait at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58..." "Tsk!" "I should give these handguns to Anne and then have her give me her magical portrait." Suddenly, Charles became clever. He picked up the five magical portraits secretly hidden by the Baron, curious about which beauties the Baron had collected. Obviously, such things couldn''t be seen by the Baron''s wife, so instead of being displayed on a wall in the castle, they had been kept secret. Upon revealing the first magical portrait, Charles''s initial reaction was a sense of familiarity. He was sure he hadn''t met this lady before, with her sultry looks and gorgeous appearance, slightly older in age but with a mature charm and a touch of sentimentality. After pondering for a moment, Charles suddenly broke into a cold sweat as he found numerous indescribable scenes with this lady in his memory. Charles was shocked on the spot and thought, "Damn! Did Mister Charles Mecklen have such a high-end game in his early years?" The magic portrait was indeed as lively as a "short video," with glimmering eyes that seemed to look right at you, filled with life. Charles dared not to look any longer and quickly closed the magic portrait. He didn''t recognize the lady, but he had "memories" of her¡ªshe was the wife of another baron from the Behemoth Duchy. Of course, that baron had no idea about it, and neither did any other baron. Otherwise, how could Sherlock Mecklen have possibly continued his studies in Strasbourg? He would have been strangled by one of the barons long ago. Charles switched to another magic portrait, and his first reaction was a sense of familiarity¡ªit was a young girl, vibrant and lively, with a hint of spring in her eyes and brows. She was quite similar to the woman in the first portrait, a beauty in her own right, and he hurriedly closed the portrait, not daring to look any longer. He also had memories of this young girl¡ªshe was the daughter of the lady in the first portrait¡­ Even though Charles''s memory had become incredibly sharp after facing the Evil God directly, many things would settle into the depths of his memory if he didn''t think of them. They were like books tucked away in the deepest part of a library that go unseen unless someone borrows them. Their knowledge doesn''t vanish¡ªit simply isn''t seen. "Holy shit! Mister Charles Mecklen, how did you manage not to get beaten to death back in the Behemoth Duchy?" "Maybe Kahnstan killed you because the Evil God couldn''t stand your messy life, being too upright to ignore it." Charles didn''t even know if that was self-mockery. He struggled for a while before he started to look at the other three magic portraits, releasing three relieved sighs in succession. He didn''t recognize these three ladies and there were no unspeakable images of them in his memory. Although they were all quite attractive, they would no longer cause Mister Mecklen to be "shocked to his core." Charles suppressed the old memories that were bubbling up in his mind. He didn''t want his spirit to be corrupted, so he carefully put away the three magic portraits, planning to burn them later. Among the twenty-six mid-level transcendent items left by Baron Feil, nineteen were non-combat items. Like dark luxury, worldly splendor, and famous paintings, they were valuable and each had its unique use, but they couldn''t be used in combat. He wasn''t particularly interested in them, so he focused his remaining attention on the seven extraordinary weapons. Baron Feil''s collection didn''t contain any bloodsucking weapons from the Blood Clan, nor creations from classical alchemy. Perhaps the baron had a preference for classic alchemy, as all the extraordinary weapons he collected were creations of classic alchemy. Among the six extraordinary objects Charles had sent out, two were magic guns given to two ladies, a magical stabbing sword to Dobin, a giant axe to Yellow Bear, and two knight''s spears to his newly subdued folks, Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft. Your next journey awaits at empire Of the remaining seven extraordinary weapons, five were magic stabbing swords, which Charles had no interest in since he was not short on extraordinary weapons, especially after he obtained the Blood Rose. The remaining two were magic gun holsters, which happened to be exactly what Charles needed. The hallmark of classic alchemy was the antispace technology, which allowed items with antispace attributes to be hidden within any object, making them incredibly convenient to carry. Classical alchemy lacked this technology but had the ancient magic bag technique, which was severely limited. It required very high-end magic materials and constant input of energy to maintain once something was placed inside, unlike the easily realized antispace technology. Previously, Charles had considered purchasing a piece of spatial equipment, but these items cost far more than the antispace extraordinary items, easily exceeding a thousand Aegeus. Back then, his total wealth was a little over a thousand Aegeus, so he couldn''t afford to buy one. These two magic gun holsters could only fit two long guns, five handguns, and a thousand rounds of ammunition. However, due to spatial repulsion, they couldn''t contain antispace alchemical magic guns, making them far superior to the integrated space bullet bag belonging to Magru Teller, the former warden of Kilmainham Prison who merged with the Cursed Armament. Chapter 113 111, Colorless Blade at the moment of life and death, charles'' hand was exceptionally steady.this shot hit the arrogant knight of the south serif restoration squarely. the magic-breaking bombshell bullet could kill even high-level transcendents, let alone this arrogant knight who wasn''t one. even with the proof of war and the blood butcher''s empowerment, he couldn''t withstand a single magic-breaking bombshell bullet. both armies, countless people witnessing with their own eyes, one side''s morale was sky-high with knights charging, while the other side casually picked them off with rifle shots. in the end, alchemy prevailed over the blood butcher. with one shot, charles blew away the upper body of this arrogant knight. the warhorse, carrying its master''s lower body, still galloped for dozens of meters before coming to a confused halt beside charles. the blood butcher could turn every part of the body into a weapon, with muscles and bones as tough as steel and formidable stamina allowing combat until the end of life. it could easily fend off ordinary bullets, but when faced with a magic-breaking bombshell bullet crafted through alchemy, this tragic demise was all that awaited. even though he''d killed the enemy cavalry commander, charles'' situation hadn''t improved at all. in the center of the battlefield, with charging knights ahead¡ªnow leaderless but showing no sign of stopping¡ªand his own knighthood behind, if he fled back in panic, the westwind knights would probably not support him and would likely collapse even sooner¡­ charles took a deep breath and shouted, "charge! charge for me! kill these people of baron!" he waited a moment. if his men didn''t move at all, or if their charge was weak and disorganized, he''d have to abandon everything and flee using the quickness technique and spiritual spider technique. but contrary to charles'' expectations, the westwind knights yelled out and actually began to charge. being someone born in peacetime, he couldn''t comprehend how killing the enemy commander on the battlefield¡ªespecially in such an overwhelming manner¡ªcould boost morale so tremendously!? most importantly, most of his men were prisoners and gang members; they had scant military discipline, but in a favorable situation, they could still fight reasonably well. after all, whether prisoners or gang members, they had really fought before, even in street brawls; they were somewhat experienced in fighting. stay tuned for updates on empire once the westwind knights began charging, charles steadied himself, raised his left arm to brace the rifle, and started shooting continuously at the enemy''s main force knights. as the two armies clashed, charles had already killed seven or eight men. he hurriedly unloaded the magic-breaking bombshell bullet, shoved the rifle inside his collar, and switched to the vampiric hand axe and the blood rose for close-range combat. though both extraordinary weapons were ill-suited for the battlefield, as a sixth order transcendent, charles could still wield them with immense lethality. before the battle, charles had wanted to hide the fact that he practiced bloody glory, but now that the fight had begun, there was no need for secrecy. he unleashed bloody glory in full force, and he didn''t forget to deliver an extra blow to the severed lower half of the arrogant knight. even though his upper half was blown away and his life force nearly depleted, every little bit helped. s§×ar?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. if it was a direct confrontation on the battlefield, the westwind knights, despite numbering three thousand, had low combat effectiveness, and their morale was questionable. facing nearly two hundred elite knights of baron, they were more likely to be on the losing end. if things had gone as charles had planned before the battle, forming a solid defensive formation with rifles and handguns to hold steady, the knights of baron might have evaluated their losses and possibly retreated on their own, never engaging in battle. after all, knights breaking through a solid defense would inevitably suffer losses, and not everyone is a knight equipped with protective fighting spirit. but he had not anticipated that while he was thinking of deceiving the enemy, he would be lured out of the battle by the enemy''s commander from the very start, triggering a desperate attack. the battle tilted towards a situation that no one could have anticipated, and once it began, it was unstoppable. during the charge of the baron cavalry, charles used the anti-space sniper rifle to "pick off" several knights who were at the forefront, almost completely annihilating the cavalry''s transcendents, which also caused the momentum of these elite baron cavalry to falter again and again, making their charge outwardly strong but inwardly weak. taoles had not expected that his first time on the battlefield would be this kind of fight. miss sumei, with her profound family learning, did not use any offensive magic but instead took out a card named "gale" and used it against the people of baron just as the two armies were about to clash. when a strong wind appeared on the battlefield, bringing with it dust and sand, the people of baron involuntarily closed their eyes. knight who closed their eyes on the battlefield were as good as walking military merit medals. within charles''s knighthood, there were two other transcendents, yellow bear and philedrica. although yellow bear was only a first rank transcendent, as a demon hunter who used the heart core of a demon bear during his ascension, he was incredibly tough and immensely strong. on the battlefield, he was as effective as the blood butcher, but he was currently gathering the defeated troops and was still behind. but philedrica, a leopard people girl of high intermediate rank, a tenth grade orc assassin, had real combat power even higher than that of charles, far surpassing yellow bear. on the battlefield, she switched to a knight''s spear and fought with such formidable bravery that she rarely met an adversary who could withstand a single blow. the accumulation of numerous conditions allowed what was originally the weaker side to unleash a one-sided slaughter, and in an instant, nearly half of the nearly two hundred baron knights were killed or wounded. charles killed several people in succession and simply put away the vampiric hand axe, relying on the asiluo clan swordsmanship to move through the battlefield like a ghost. his magic stabbing sword was like a venomous snake, claiming countless souls. with a clear ringing sound, charles''s rapier was blocked for the first time on the battlefield by someone wielding a shield, who parried the magic stabbing sword and then hacked down with an axe, the force mighty and heavy. charles nimbly dodged, counterattacking with his sword to kill another baron knight, he shouted, "blood butcher?" the man did not say a word, his axe and shield whirling wildly. he possessed immense strength and although he wielded a heavy weapon that was not an extraordinary weapon, he managed to hold off the blood rose. after several exchanges, charles had the upper hand, but still could not break through the opponent''s solid defense, which was like a tin can. his swordsmanship techniques changed over and over, trying to find a flaw, but the blood butcher was also a mid-level transcendent. if it wasn''t for the battlefield, charles would have many tricks up his sleeve, but surrounded by enemies on all sides, he could no longer adapt as easily. charles changed his sword technique from the dawn fire to dawn sky, his sword light shimmering like a sky full of silver stars, penetrating everywhere, but there were no openings to be found on his enemy. charles killed three baron knights who had rushed to help their comrade, and suddenly bloody glory began to simmer. inside the bloody vortex on his left arm, the runes shaped like a rapier flickered subtly, faintly gaining an additional layer of colorless light. at the same time, blood rose''s blade also spat out a pale golden aura no longer than a few fingers, retracting and extending unpredictably like a serpent flicking its tongue. charles shouted loudly, his longsword gracefully slashing down. the blood butcher, wielding the iron shield and huge axe, tried to deflect this stroke, but with the blade now coated in that pale golden aura, it became exceedingly sharp, slicing through the man and his shield as one. charles sheathed the blood rose, only to discover that there were no longer any standing enemies on the battlefield. enemy corpses lay everywhere as the westwind soughed. Chapter 114 112. The Westwind Knights can have only one voice. charles decapitated his opponent, but a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, "lantern, why the hell did i bother comparing swordsmanship with him? wouldn''t it have been better to just use flame hand and pull out the silver rhinoceros to kill him?" only now did he realize that his entire body was drenched in cold sweat; the fight just now had been incredibly tense.after a victorious trial, the westwind knights were beginning to faintly resemble a regular army. when charles stood there, without any orders, the entire knighthood fell silent, quietly waiting for the knight commander to speak. it was a while before charles took a deep breath and shouted, "we are the westwind knights, and we have won!" cheers immediately erupted on the battlefield, each wave louder than the last! once the cheering had subsided a little, charles said, "under my leadership, the knighthood will keep winning and return home safely." "now, let''s start cleaning up the battlefield. all the wealth we gather will be divided equally." the cheers that followed this announcement from charles were even louder; while some had cheered half-heartedly before, now the cheers were sincere and came from deep within. after all, money was dearer to them than charles. dobin couldn''t help but approach and said, "we''ve completely annihilated that knighthood of byron''s; we should take advantage of this momentum to crush the remaining forces of lady southseraph as well." "they number only two thousand, and both their morale and training are extremely poor." charles had no desire to fight. war meant death, and this was not some righteous war to protect one''s country. in the struggles of a few major empires, every person who died was innocent. he said, "pick five hundred men and scout ahead. i will follow with the main force shortly. remember, remember, you must wait for me to bring the main forces before engaging." dobin, without any suspicion, cheerily called for a dozen combat squads and left. charles directed his men to clear the battlefield and rounded up the defeated troops of behemoth duchy, having no intention to battle lady southseraph. he only planned to delay for an hour or two, and by then, those people from southseraph would likely flee. the end result would be joy for everyone, except he himself would be blamed for "missing a military opportunity," causing dobin some dissatisfaction. but what could he do, being the knight commander? dobin likely wouldn''t say anything anyway. and so, the matter was peacefully resolved. sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. how wonderful everything was! charles rounded up the defeated troops of behemoth duchy, which amounted to over five thousand men. baron phil was a great noble of behemoth duchy, second in status only to archduke ferdinand. well, the duke ferdinand couple was now gone. thus, baron phil''s status was second only to grand duke joseph. that is, franz joseph, the new duke of behemoth and archduke ferdinand''s nephew. charles learned from the defeated that poor baron phil had been killed by that rough knight in front of the two armies more than an hour ago. just as he had killed that knight in front of both armies, baron phil''s knighthood of aegeus had collapsed, just like the battle he had fought moments ago. charles had almost exactly replicated the scene from not long before, when the allied forces of byron and south serif defeated baron phil''s knighthood of aegeus. if it were a proper military strategist, even a keyboard one, they''d find these defeated troops to be a huge headache. but charles, a second-rate bludgeon, didn''t think at all. he actually had no authority to deal with these defeated soldiers, nor a good way to handle so many people, but he grandiosely waved his hand and scattered these more than five thousand defeated men, expanding his own westwind knights. right after this command was given, several knights from the defeated knighthood stood out. a middle-aged man, clad in full armor with a pair of neat little moustaches on his face, yelled in desperation, "knight commander charles, you have no authority over us!" "we are not your people of fars." "i demand to be treated as equal in rank, i demand you return the command of the knighthood to me, i demand you immediately deploy troops to retrieve the baron''s body..." this fellow in one breath made more than ten demands. charles pulled out an anti-space sniper rifle from his collar and said, "who the hell are you?" as the other party was about to identify himself, mister charles mecklen had already mercilessly pulled the trigger, blowing the brave man into two pieces with a single shot. after killing the man, charles then realized that he had acted impulsively, and he thought to himself, "have i been reading too much online fiction? why do i kill people at the drop of a hat?" in fact, after the war, charles''s emotions had always been somewhat "unstable," and he himself had not noticed this abnormality. but after firing that shot, he sobered up... however, the way the people around him looked at him had also changed. charles knew that at times like this, he had to tough it out and not reflect. he took a deep breath and shouted, "the westwind knights can only have one voice..." the yellow bear, who had been tasked with rounding up the defeated troops and had always regretted not being able to fight, heard these words and thought, "this i''m familiar with!" he immediately bellowed out with his rough voice, "it''s knight commander charles mecklen''s voice!" those gang members who had attended that meeting all remembered the scene of charles slapping down the silver rhinoceros and threatening scarface, as well as the eventual annihilation of the black scorpion gang by the patrolling army. at first, their voices were scattered, but soon they merged into a roar, the entire battlefield echoing the shout, "it''s knight commander charles mecklen''s voice!" before long, prisoners who were not gang members, as well as the old patrolling army and adventurers, also began to chant along. this scene stunned the defeated troops of the knighthood into silence; no one dared to stand out again. the knighthood had just been defeated, and morale was in disarray. baron fars had been slain in battle, and the man who had spoken was baron fars'' deputy. he had merely expressed a different opinion and was killed like slaughtering a chicken, his death gruesome beyond words. the power of a magic-breaking bombshell bullet was too great; even high-level transcendents couldn''t withstand it. an ordinary person hit by one would surely be left without a whole corpse, with most of their body blown to bits. this thing wasn''t meant for the battlefield at all; it was meant for duels between high-level transcendents. each magic-breaking bombshell bullet was worth one and a half aegeus¡ªhow could they possibly be used in a war where ammunition was spent like water? it was simply because charles didn''t know their price; he had gotten twenty magic-breaking bombshell bullets from lord leo, six from anne, and a whole box from mama karen without spending a penny. had he known how expensive they were, he might not have hesitated to shoot that rough knight, but he probably wouldn''t have fired the remaining shots. find more chapters on empire using a magic-breaking bombshell bullet worth one and a half aegeus to kill a few "worthless" ordinary people was simply sinful! charles thought, "yellow bear, you''ve really made quite a path for yourself!" "this guy really does have something special." with a faint smile, charles looked more terrifying than a demon in the eyes of the defeated troops of the knighthood. after all, this knight commander had just commanded his forces to annihilate byron''s cavalry, the very force that had just routed them. Chapter 115 113. War reports can lie charles spoke slowly, "if anyone else wishes to express a dissenting opinion, feel free to bravely stand up.""i was impulsive just now!" "i promise it won''t happen again." the entire battlefield was silent as a graveyard. charles was known for his unpredictable temper and readiness to kill. who could actually trust him? charles let out a sigh of relief. had there really been a brave soul to stand up against him, he didn''t know what he would have done. after all, he had indeed been in a foul mood when he killed the man. charles thought that having just been through a war might have caused him a bit of a "random killing syndrome," but now that his emotions had stabilized, he was sure he wouldn''t kill indiscriminately again. since the defeated knighthood didn''t oppose him, charles''s reorganization proceeded exceptionally smoothly, creating nearly two hundred combat squads, each typically comprising fifty men. charles deliberately left some of the combat squads undermanned, seeing a certain "beauty in incompleteness" in doing so. however, he opened exceptions for himself, dobin, yellow bear, taoles, and philedrica by organizing direct command squads, each fully staffed with two hundred physically robust and skilled warriors. he hadn''t completed the reorganization when he heard a noise coming from the direction of the last battle, and within half an hour, he saw dobin riding a swift horse, looking triumphant, escorting more than two thousand men back. charles was dumbfounded and desperately wanted to ask, "didn''t i tell you not to engage in battle prematurely?" discover exclusive content at empire "and, how does it look as though there was barely any fight?" dobin dismounted the swift horse and shouted, "these people are just ordinary farmers who were forced to fight. as soon as i approached, they surrendered." "how shall we deal with these people from south serif?" charles thought to himself, "how would i know?" but as was his custom, he dispersed these additional two thousand south serif people into various combat squads. with the inclusion of these two thousand plus south serifs, the westwind knights'' combat squads grew to a total of two hundred and sixty-seven, swelling their numbers to over ten thousand men. charles inquired with the surrendering south serifs and learned why two armies had come to fight within the borders of the fars empire. baron philes wanted to launch a surprise attack on a major town in south serif territory. without notifying fars, he borrowed the territory of the fars empire to attempt an invasion of south serif territory, but his lover, who happened to be a woman from south serif, risked her life to leak the news. the restorationists of south serif immediately dispatched an army to intercept them. they were well aware that these farmers were not strong fighters, so they asked the people of baron for help. charles did not sympathize with baron philes. the hatred between behemoth duchy and south serif territory was irreconcilable. it was foolish enough that the baron had taken a lover from south serif, let alone that he allowed her to learn of his marching route. indeed, he deserved his fate. charles even thought that if he could find the baron''s corpse, he would erect a monument for the fellow, inscribed with "baron philedrica, died from foolishness, disclosed military intelligence to a mistress of south serif..." "future generations will probably question the barony''s stupidity. i, too, cannot comprehend it and can only attribute it to the baron''s intelligence being afflicted!" it''s imperative to ensure that baron philedrica''s name is "enshrined in history." while commanding the westwind knights, charles had gathered the supplies of two armies, prioritizing resupplies for his "old subordinates," then sent out a combat squad, with "severed heads" in tow, back to strasbourg to report the victory before continuing the march towards behemoth duchy. that very night, reality taught charles meklen, an obvious military novice and mr. yellow bear, a profound lesson. his haphazardly consolidating troops led to severe hidden dangers, and approximately two thousand men deserted under the cover of darkness. in a rush, charles began another round of "firing up the blood," as well as reorganizing the troops, but by lunchtime, about three hundred more had fled, and he could only regretfully give up on "healing them." although charles had thought about returning to machu picchu and converting these people into npcs, he soon abandoned the idea. even with the supplies from the yahoo knighthood and the south serif restorationists, it was still insufficient to sustain the expanded westwind knights for more than a few days. there were no nearby towns or villages around machu picchu that could provide enough food. going back and forth was likely to cause not just a reduction in deserters, but possibly a complete collapse on the spot. s~ea??h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the only consolation was that charles had allocated the supplies to his old subordinates, and those who deserted were virtually empty-handed, having taken nothing with them. after annihilating byron''s cavalry, charles also gathered over a hundred warhorses. he straightforwardly assigned twenty horses to dobin, cultivating this competent subordinate as a professional scout and also gave a few to the combat squads of taoles, yellow bear, and philedrica. the remaining horses were all added to his own direct combat squad, forming an "amateur" cavalry unit. after marching continuously for several days, the westwind knights finally entered the territory of the behemoth duchy. too many had deserted along the way, now only slightly over six thousand remained, shattering much of charles''s dreams of commanding vast armies. fortunately, upon entering behemoth duchy''s territory, the number of deserters miraculously dropped to single digits, reaching a level where he could pretend there were no deserters at all by closing his eyes. the orders charles received were very vague, simply telling him to support behemoth duchy without specific instructions. thus, upon entering the territory of behemoth duchy, he sent people to report to grand duke joseph and also submitted the "battle report." as a transmigrator, charles had no "respect" for the duke. his battle report stated: the yahoo knighthood had been completely annihilated by lady southseraph, he himself had repelled the south serif restorationists, killing hundreds... he didn''t mention a word about incorporating the yahoo knighthood or accepting the surrender of the south serif restorationists. he emphasized that he brought tens of thousands, suffered heavy losses in repelling the south serif restorationists, and was now left with less than six thousand men. he hoped grand duke joseph would replenish their supplies, troops, and even provide a stationing place, essentially raising every possible demand. charles believed that in such a backward medieval era, these nobles likely wouldn''t place much emphasis on intelligence and probably wouldn''t see through his lies. after all... who cares! war is inherently a messy affair. he wasn''t afraid that grand duke joseph, a knight commander of the fars empire, would turn against him. a few days later, charles had not received a reply from grand duke joseph, but he did receive a reply from the duchess. the reply mentioned that grand duke joseph, eager for revenge for his uncle, had mobilized all the duchy''s forces and was fiercely attacking southern seraph territory. he was at the frontline and it would take several more days to get a battle report, making the reply even later. it also denied the westwind knights entry into mostar castle, the capital of behemoth duchy, and arranged for charles''s troops to be stationed instead at silver pigeon fort, the domain of baron philedrica. Chapter 116 114, Silver Pigeon Fort charles didn''t know, at this time, the duchess joseph was so panicked that she didn''t know what to do.duke joseph had indeed led all the troops of the behemoth duchy to attack the southern seraph territory, but the situation was very bad. the duke was trapped in a small city called interlaken at the front line and was unable to break out. the duchess had been anxiously waiting for the reinforcements from baron philedrica, whom her husband trusted the most, only to receive the devastating news that his forces had been completely wiped out. but what frightened the duchess even more was that the empire had always wanted to turn the behemoth duchy into a behemoth territory or a county of the same name directly under the central administration of the fars. now, with no troops within the behemoth duchy and a powerful enemy outside, the army trapped, and allied troops wiped out, the "scheming" imperial forces were approaching the city. the duchess almost wanted to flee back to her family''s home. sea??h th§× n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. it was with reluctance that she arranged for charles''s westwind knights to be stationed at baron philedrica''s silver pigeon fort. baron philedrica died on the battlefield, never imagining that in the end, he couldn''t even protect his own home. charles didn''t want to go to the battlefield either and he also lacked an intelligence system. the combat squad led by dobin, which had recently switched to scouts, was still very amateurish. they could only ask farmers and the like for information and couldn''t gather any valuable intelligence. therefore, having a place to station themselves made them very happy. after several days of marching, when the westwind knights entered silver pigeon fort, baron philedrica''s territory was in turmoil. finally, the baroness came out personally with her three children to welcome charles. when charles heard that the baroness was coming to welcome him, he had imagined some romantic scenes, but upon seeing baroness philedrica, he could only criticize in his mind: "why is she so old?" the baroness was not just old, but due to living a life of luxury, she had also grown somewhat obese, reaching the point where any honest assessment of her appearance would be politically incorrect and almost a personal attack. when they met, the baroness nodded with a smile and extended her right hand in a downward gesture. charles simply pretended not to see it. since she wasn''t a great beauty like his senior sister menilman, he didn''t want to develop a pure friendship with the baroness. of course, this action resulted in an extremely awkward moment. the eldest son of baron philedrica stepped forward and rebuked, "mister mecklen, don''t you think you are being extremely impolite?" charles knew this was impolite. he glanced again at the baroness and deeply dismissed the idea of "straining himself" to do it, saying, "it''s not that i am impolite, just that i haven''t rinsed my mouth today, which is very inconvenient." "if i were to kiss the back of the baroness''s hand, i''m afraid the exquisite fragrance of her hand might be lost forever." this response, which borrowed a popular meme from earth, cleverly mitigated some of the awkwardness, and the baron''s eldest son had nothing more to say. the baroness withdrew her plump hand and said coldly, "thank you, mister mecklen, for bringing the friendship of the empire''s royal family." "your troops may be stationed in the military camp of silver pigeon fort." having said that, the baroness turned away, no longer mentioning the banquet that had been prearranged. charles was indifferent; he really didn''t want to have a meal with the baroness. if he had to choose a lady to dine with, there were two options in his own knighthood. taoles was known as the laurel goddess at the university of georgia, and philedrica, though of beastman descent, was no less beautiful than any human beauty. dining with these two ladies would indeed be delightful; dining with the baroness would be anything but, only likened to sitting on pins and needles. after settling the knighthood, charles took dobin and decided to tour silver pigeon fort, including grabbing a meal. although the military camp at silver pigeon fort also provided catering, the quality was ordinary. charles was not the type of officer to suffer hardships along with his men; he preferred to sneak out to enjoy some local cuisine. baron philedrica''s silver pigeon fort, known as the "northern senis," is a renowned ancient city on the old continent. charles had crossed over to senate, the famous seaside resort of fars, and he was quite interested in the northern part of senate. this city preserved the complete style of the sherlock dynasty and was the fars empire city with the most natural rivers, boasting many exquisite ancient buildings and arch bridges, gingerbread houses, picturesque sherlock-style streets, numerous museums and galleries. the most famous attractions were the city hall and the lantern tower at silver pigeon fort. additionally, silver pigeon fort''s ale was well-known, available in dozens of flavors, especially the candy-flavored ale, which was famous throughout the old continent. even from the new continent, many merchants came every year, enduring hardships and traveling long distances to transport the ale from silver pigeon fort. having just left the military camp, charles heard a gentle voice behind him asking, "where are you going?" charles turned around and saw a pair of deep blue eyes. taoles, as elegant as a daffodil, was wearing a maple leaf dress that made her look very neat. charles responded, "i''m going to try some local cuisine. silver pigeon fort''s ale is famous across the old continent; how can i not give it a try?" taoles smiled slightly and said, "can i join you?" charles hesitated slightly but then agreed immediately. originally, he had not intended to invite taoles. after all, he had a "half-step girlfriend," just a step away from achieving the "lover" milestone, and any ambiguity with taoles could jeopardize his future. but, since taoles had followed him, charles didn''t mind having a meal together. the three of them were traveling together and hadn''t gotten far when they saw philedrica with her mask off. the leopard girl gave a playful daily salute and asked, "may i join?" dobin didn''t recognize philedrica, but he didn''t have a say in the matter. taoles, however, seemed to have met an old friend and said, "the more, the merrier." continue reading at empire charles was taken aback and sent dobin ahead to "scout the way," diverting his loyal subordinate. he then couldn''t wait to ask, "you know philedrica?" with a low voice, taoles said, "didn''t you know? philedrica is also a student at the university of georgia." "she posed as that female gang member and came to find me on her first day joining the knighthood." charles was even more astonished and exclaimed softly, "she''s a student at the university of georgia, too?" "how come i''ve never seen her?" taoles shrugged her shoulders and replied, "she is my senior. she graduated two years before me; of course, you''ve never seen her." "when philedrica was at university, she was quite the forest goddess, her popularity rivalling that of anne." amid his shock, charles suddenly remembered that out of the twelve servants of the elf god, five had the form of beastman. the forest goddess was in the form of the leopard woman, adept at hunting and cultivating plants. in other words: skilled in assassination and poisoning. Chapter 117 115, Beastmen will never be slaves the tradition at the university of georgia to select the twelve most beautiful female students as the twelve goddesses stems from the fact that the elf god''s retinue includes twelve female attendants.these include the west wind goddess, the laurel goddess, the forest goddess, the goddess of favor... incidentally, the goddess of favor assumes the image of a cat woman and is also the origin of fairy cat magic. sheffield university also has this tradition, naturally, because lady black moon''s retinue also includes female attendants. discover exclusive content at empire charles couldn''t help but say, "how could someone who graduated from the university of georgia become an assassin?" taoles said nothing, but philedrica sneered and retorted, "have you ever seen a beastman civil servant in the central government office?" charles immediately fell silent; he had not only never seen a beastman civil servant, he had never even heard of one, and he also understood why there were none. s§×ar?h the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the empire''s discrimination against beastmen is deeply ingrained. having beastman ancestry is not a matter of pride on the old continent; following the downfall of the orc kingdom, its people were left destitute and scattered, considered lower-class in every country. louis simi once griped, "a lady from the brittany family would never befriend a beastman, not even someone with a trace of beastman blood." this matter, when spoken of, is nothing but ironic. humans worship a goddess that resembles a beastman. they also use the revered titles of beastman-shaped goddesses to address the most beautiful girls in university, and consider it an honor. yet they discriminate against beastmen... charles came to a realization, gave philedrica an empire salute, and said, "i apologize. i''ve never been inclined to think about things that don''t concern me." "i''m not unaware of the discrimination against beastmen; i just never thought about joining the ranks of the discriminators, so i forgot about it for a moment." in philedrica''s sea-green eyes, there was a faint touch of emotion; she could genuinely see that charles, in that instant, honestly believed she could join the government and be a legitimate civil servant. having such a thought could only mean that charles mecklen had never discriminated against beastmen, believing they should enjoy the same rights as any empire citizen. philedrica snorted and said, "i forgive you." at the same time, the leopard girl thought to herself, "for your attitude, i''ll extend the third wave of assassins to six months." charles was still unaware that a casual remark had postponed the reaper''s visit. although he probably wouldn''t have been afraid of being targeted by an assassin again. poor dobin had gone ahead to scout for a good restaurant, but when he returned to find his superiors and colleague, he realized they had all disappeared. fortunately, charles was meticulous and had scribbled a message on the ground: "we''re off to eat due to some matters, you can move about freely, don''t worry about us." this message might look like plain words, but they weren''t really... dobin was utterly disheveled by this for a full seventy seconds in the wind. when charles was writing on the ground, taoles and philedrica exclaimed in unison, "colorless blade!" he breathed out a pale golden beam of energy from his fingertips, it was no longer than a few inches, flickering uncertainly like a serpent''s tongue. although it was not as dazzling as when it clung to blood rose, it could still cut through metal and stone with lethal sharpness. charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "the secret technique of the asiluo clan is indeed renowned across the continent, known to all." the great philosopher of the human race, protagora had mastered dozens of techniques and deeply infiltrated the blood clan, combating countless blood clan experts. by various means, he obtained the secret techniques of the thirteen clans and thus created bloody glory. the thirteen secret techniques of the blood clan incorporated into bloody glory can be categorized as one emperor, two kings, three dukes, and seven marquesses! among them, the asiluo clan is the sole imperial lineage and the core of bloody glory, angel''s thorn is not only an extraordinary secret art but also extraordinary swordsmanship. the colorless blade is a special ability awakened only after cultivating angel''s thorn to the mid-high tier, capable of being attached to a sword blade and even piercing through the protective battle qi of a high-level transcendent. on the battlefield, charles had slain dozens of byron''s cavalry. because they were "not of high quality," he had not advanced in rank, but having used the asiluo clan''s swordsmanship so frequently, he effortlessly cultivated this special ability. it was no wonder taoles and philedrica gasped in unison; neither of these girls were inexperienced, but charles''s mastery of the colorless blade meant that he was akin to wielding a divine weapon regardless of the armament he held, which would be a substantial advantage in combat. the leopard people girl, who had once fought with charles, was even more astounded and thought to herself, "i''ve changed my mind; i should find a way to have those guys who hold a grudge against me attempt to assassinate charles." "assuredly they will come and not return, settling our grudges once and for all." when charles took the two girls out to dine, he was unaware that philedrica had already harbored ''malicious intentions,'' planning to use him as a pawn to dispose of her ''undesirables.'' silver pigeon fort truly deserved the title of "the north''s sinis" as the city was interwoven with rivers, creating dozens of waterways, with arched bridges seen frequently linking the two banks. both sides were lined not only with galleries and small museums but also many unique novelty shops and numerous small taverns that were a signature sight in silver pigeon fort. strasbourg did have its share of taverns, but they were not as densely packed. most commercial areas predominantly featured coffee shops, creating a decidedly different ambiance from that of silver pigeon fort. charles selected a tavern with a sailboat for its sign, taking the two girls inside, and called out loudly, "bring us a dozen beers first, and what food do you have? prepare some for us." initially, when charles had arrived here, he found it unusual that every restaurant had no menu, but now he had adapted to the local customs, knowing that in the countries of the old continent, diners eat what is available, without room for choice or complaint. these small taverns doubled as restaurants and offered their own signature dishes. the tavern owner, noting charles''s imposing presence and the stunning beauty of the two girls beside him, hurriedly said, "today we have the finest lamb and freshly caught fish." "as for the beer, not to brag, but on this entire street, at most only three other establishments can compare with the beer we brew," he added. charles was immediately intrigued and inquired about the names of the other three taverns. while casually chatting with the tavern owner, he had the staff wipe down the tables and chairs again and also chose a seat that would allow him to escape quickly if necessary. after all, having been the target of assassination attempts before, he was left with a psychological shadow. soon the tavern owner brought up the beer and charles took up a glass, drinking it down heartily, and felt refreshingly invigorated, finding it much better than the beer from strasbourg. he instantly asked, "how much beer would i need to buy for you to deliver it to strasbourg?" the tavern owner smiled and replied, "any amount is possible¡ªwe have caravans that set out daily. provided that the caravan is paid adequately, they can deliver the beer to the new continent, let alone strasbourg." Chapter 118 116, Uncle Brule indeed, charles had ordered ten barrels of ale. it wasn''t that he couldn''t afford more, but he also wanted to order ale from several other pubs. since ale has a shelf life and cannot be stored for a long period, its quality would deteriorate even if it didn''t spoil.while he dined with the two ladies, a fierce argument was unfolding at silver pigeon fort''s baronial estate. the baron''s three children were all fiercely cursing charles. although the baroness remained silent, she was obviously very dissatisfied as well. especially since baron philedrica had just been killed in battle, the arrival of an army at silver pigeon fort right after was highly suspicious. all three aristocratic siblings believed that charles was sent by the duke to annex silver pigeon fort. they couldn''t comprehend the fear of the duchess while grand duke joseph led the troops, their ally baron philedrica had been entirely defeated. their naive minds couldn''t fathom a more complex, logical idea. sear?h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. philedrica''s eldest son said decisively, "mother, silver pigeon fort belongs to our family; we must drive this man away. we cannot let this charles and his damn knighthood stay here permanently." "i heard he''s just a 34th rank clerk chief. we could send him to the front lines to fight the south serifs by issuing an order in the name of a higher official." philedrica''s younger son exclaimed, "brother''s right. let those bastards fight it out amongst themselves, and we just wait for the war to end." although the baroness didn''t possess the capability to process too complex or sophisticated logical reasoning, she had some insights. even though imperial civil servants are divided into fifty-three ranks, higher-ranking officials can''t always order lower-ranking ones about. the baron had subordinates above the 24th rank, officials declared as an unsurpassable class, but these couldn''t issue orders to a strasbourg clerk chief, even if he were a top-ranked clerk. while the baron''s family argued, a young man rushed excitedly into the room, exclaiming, "sister, guess what i found out? that charles doesn''t have his own army at all. his westwind knights are all our people." "i have found out that he, believing he could command these people after they surrendered on the battlefield, is laughable. you know what''s funny, sister? three thousand of them fled the first night, and another two thousand the next day¡­" the baroness'' brother, who clearly wasn''t good at math but didn''t think so, spoke mysteriously, "now, just a call to arms from us, and his men will return to silver pigeon fort to fight for us, since they originally were knights of yahoo." the words of the young man slightly encouraged the baroness, who then asked, "is that true?" philedrica''s eldest son exclaimed, "uncle brule! this is very important, are you sure?" the young man clapped his hands, and over ten people walked in. the baroness recognized several of them as soldiers from their own knighthood of yahoo. indeed, they described charles exactly as the young man had. even they knelt down and loudly claimed, "we were just unfortunate to fall into an ambush, temporarily defeated by those damn south serifs. later, several gentlemen stabilized the front and counterattacked those south serifs, but this damn charles appeared out of nowhere, claiming all the fruits of victory." "he also took advantage of our knighthood of yahoo''s continued battles and extreme fatigue, forcibly making us surrender." "baroness, you need not say a word; we will return to silver pigeon fort if you come forward." explore more at empire the baroness, still cautious, asked, "how many men did charles originally have?" the young man spoke eagerly, "he only has two to three hundred men, all of whom, it was said, were convicts released from several imperial prisons before departure." the baroness nodded her head and made a resolute decision, saying, "we''re going to the barracks." the baron''s three children were all excited, running around until they returned, already dressed in their custom-made armor. the eldest son of the baron was only fifteen this year, and because he was not very bright and had not completed higher education, he was studying at home with a private tutor. he wore a sword at his waist and, though not very heroic, was brimming with confidence. he rushed ahead to get on the carriage, his still childish face full of malice, thinking, "how am i going to kill that charles?" "killing him with a sword would be too easy for him." "he should be hanged in the military camp in front of everyone." "that would also intimidate those peasants and let them know that at silver pigeon fort, they can only obey our family''s commands." the baron''s family, traveling in six carriages and accompanied by a host of servants, maids, a butler, and soldiers who had deserted from charles''s westwind knights, eagerly headed straight for the barracks. the baroness''s brother, brule, was even more excited than the baron''s family. he was slightly relieved that baron philedrica had died in battle. the baron didn''t think much of his brother-in-law who was also from a noble family but had frittered away his inheritance through excessive indulgence in entertainment and poor financial management, even selling off his lands. brule had tried to borrow money from his brother-in-law a few times but never managed to borrow much; the baron gave him at most a few dozen aegeus each time, but he always spent it all too quickly. brule thought to himself, "this time, by helping my sister and her family take back control of silver pigeon fort and commanding the army again, i must have her appoint me as chief financial officer. then i can take money off the books without having to look at anyone''s face." "this charles meklen guy is really my lucky star. if he hadn''t come to silver pigeon fort and made my sister''s family feel the crisis, how could i have had the chance to manipulate things from behind the scenes?" "although he might not even know why my sister is after him, let him remain clueless. i, brule, certainly won''t explain to him that he''s being manipulated by me to ruin because he''s in my way," "after killing him, i''ll frame him with a charge of treason and claim he was a spy for byron!" "a mere clerk chief, having such good luck to lead a knighthood; once i seize military control, i''ll give the yahoo knights to my sister, and his knighthood will of course belong to me." brule grew more delighted the more he thought about it, and even spurred his horse to gallop, rushing into the barracks first. the westwind knights, who had been trapped in machu picchu and fought byron''s cavalry, were all quite neurotic; suddenly someone burst into the barracks, and everyone unconsciously gathered together, forming several solid defensive clusters. it was terribly unfortunate that charles wasn''t there, taoles wasn''t there, even dobin wasn''t there, and philedrica wasn''t there either; with yellow bear lacking authority, the westwind knights were virtually leaderless, reacting like a nervous creature without a brain. as brule shouted loudly, "kneel and submit! you scum, i''m here to save you!" in the chaos, someone shot at the baron''s brother-in-law. Chapter 119 117, even wiping out an entire family is just like this. brule, shot in the shoulder, was furious and yelled, "someone dares to shoot at me? i will hang the shooter! i am the brother-in-law of a baron..."as the gunfire erupted, the disorganized cavalry could no longer control the situation, nor did anyone care about brule''s status. dozens of rifles fired wildly, bombarding the ambitious young man until his body was riddled with holes. the baron''s eldest son was extremely excited, urging the coachman desperately to speed up the carriage, unhappy that his uncle had entered the camp first. when the carriage burst into the camp, the baron''s eldest son leaped out, not even bothering to look at who the corpse on the ground was, drew his side sword, and shouted, "i am the baron''s eldest son, everyone must obey my commands, and those who refuse will die." a volley of rifle fire met him. this poor noble boy, who had not even condensed a seed of strength, how could he withstand the bullets? like his uncle, he too was shot full of bloody holes, his cruel smile still on his face as he fell under the carriage. the coachman, terrified, scrambled all over himself, miraculously unhit by the gunfire. he leaped from the carriage and ran wildly, trying to escape the camp, only for someone to shoot, killing him on the spot. inside the carriage, the baron''s wife and two children finally realized what was happening, trembling with fear, but the soldiers of the westwind knights, having already killed several people, were furiously aggressive. they stormed the carriage, dragged the family out, and shot them on the spot. the servants, maids, and butlers following in the five carriages were panicked. people constantly jumped from the carriages, trying to flee. the members of the westwind knights, though few were well-trained soldiers, excelled in this kind of street slaughter, typically the domain of gang members. hundreds surged out, using all sorts of weapons. the baron''s servants were quickly slaughtered, staining the long street with blood. charles, who was eating with two ladies, was not too far from the camp, but close enough to hear the gunfire, which sounded incessant like popping beans. he immediately became worried and told taoles, "i need to go back and check, wait for me for a moment." taoles, leaving a fu er, said, "i''ll go back with you." charles nodded and said to the tavern keeper, "keep the change!" the cost of living in fars was not that high; the meal definitely did not cost a fu er. the tavern keeper hurriedly gave back a sheng ding, which charles pocketed, causing taoles to roll her eyes beautifully. in fact, in the old continent, the vast majority of villages and towns did not use cash but bartered goods, only in cities did people get used to using sheng ding and fu er. the currency in fars, whether aegeus, fu er, fu er banknotes, or sheng ding, was very expensive to produce, so they were not like the highly circulated currencies on earth that everyone possesses. not only in the fars empire but also in all nations of the old continent, currency circulated only among the wealthy, in very limited quantities. just like in ancient china, although silver was also currency, most people never used it. only in novels did everyone have a handful of silver coins. in reality, ancient people used copper coins, cloth, and various agricultural products as equivalents. because a sheng ding''s purchasing power was equivalent to nearly twenty chinese rmb, charles usually ordered some fruit wine, beer, coffee, and the like to round up the total. the three hurriedly left the tavern. charles, without caring about breaking norms, leaped onto the nearby rooftop. with quickness technique and newly mastered spirit spider technique, his movements were as light as a swallow, wall-walking as if strolling on flat ground. philedrica activated leopard''s hunt, and was surprised to find herself barely keeping up, thinking, "how has his strength improved so quickly?" taoles watched the two companions wall-walk away, took out a magic card "turn into cat," flicked it with her slender finger, transformed into a white spirit cat, leaped onto the rooftop, and closely followed the others. charles madly rushed back to the camp, only to see the baroness and the baron''s three children, along with a bunch of servants, maids, a butler, and a young noble who looked blissfully dead, and charles was nearly dumbstruck. he had just gone out to eat, only a few streets away, always capable of rushing back at any moment, how could such a thing still happen? he hastily grabbed yellow bear, who had stayed back at the camp, and asked what had happened? yellow bear was quite candid and retold the events as they had occurred. after questioning a few more people, charles roughly understood that the baroness, under the incitement of some, had sought to seize the westwind knights. in truth, charles did not care so much for the knighthood, although the westwind knights had enough members, it was just too chaotic. along the way, he had suffered enough, his days filled with constant troubles, realizing that warfare was not just about amassing numbers, managing an army required attending to innumerable issues. if the baroness was willing to pay a sum of money, he might even consider selling off the westwind knights. even if it were seized, it should still be far better than the westwind knights wiping out the baron''s family completely clean. exterminating an entire household could not be more severe. charles inquired about the identities of the deceased and could not help but criticize, "these bastards even killed someone''s little brother-in-law, isn''t that too inhumane?" upon learning that the westwind knights had killed the baron''s family, charles initially panicked, but after some chaotic rushing around, he was no longer too frightened. he had already crossed through. he had faced the evil god three times already. was he still afraid of killing a baroness, the baron''s eldest son, the baron''s younger son, the baron''s beloved daughter, the baron''s brother-in-law, and the baron''s servants, maids, and butler? suddenly, charles felt the number of people killed was really too many. after philedrica and taoles came back and saw the scene of dead bodies everywhere, they tactfully stood aside, not saying anything, leaving charles room to maneuver. knowing his subordinates had killed people and he could not shirk the responsibility, charles knew the only way to save himself was to align their stories. he gathered his soldiers and spoke loudly, "just now! a tragic event occurred. revolutionaries from south serif burst into silver pigeon fort, killing the baron''s family. although we fought and repelled the invaders, we couldn''t save the baroness and her children¡­" "i suggest everyone observe a moment of silence for the baroness." sear?h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. by now, many in the westwind knights already knew that the people they had just killed were nobles of high stature in the empire, the baron held a seventh-level title, commanding the power of life and death over his lands, a dominion not even the emperor would interfere with. explore stories on empire although they had not killed the baron, as he had already perished on the battlefield earlier, killing the baroness and her three children was a crime grave enough to send everyone to the gallows, leading many to silently pray and some even prepared to flee. when they heard charles''s speech, it was like seeing a glimmer of sunlight in hell. Chapter 120 Barons property is way too much. "it was all that damn lady southseraph!""exactly, it was lady southseraph who killed the baroness." "we fought desperately, but we couldn''t stop those villains." "we will avenge the baron." "they wouldn''t even spare the poor children." under charles''s efforts, nearly all the members of the westwind knights readily admitted that it was lady southseraph who had killed the baron''s family. charles took a deep breath and shouted, "but among us, someone tipped off lady southseraph. those who left the knighthood today, i will report them accurately and mark their names on the battle report to the empire, indicating their involvement in the slaughter of the baron''s family." the soldiers of the westwind knights were silent for a while, but soon someone started chanting slogans after charles. charles, with his voice dry from speaking, finally calmed down the knights and then had yellow bear lead some men to collect the bodies of the baron''s family. he himself led the team to take the bodies to the outskirts and burned them to ashes. baron fehr died in battle, and the baroness and the three children were murdered by the "south serif restorationists," and just like that, silver pigeon fort inexplicably fell into charles''s hands. without any hesitation, he brought a group of people and took up residence in the baron''s mansion. this time, he did not suggest dividing the baron''s wealth among them. the baron''s wealth was substantial. he worried that the hands of the westwind knights might lose control. getting a great sum of money today, and by nightfall, they might abscond with the funds, adding thousands of fugitives to the empire, impacting the social order. charles, taoles, and philedrica had just finished their meal, settled down in the baron''s mansion, and took the opportunity to have a tour together. the leopard girl had regained her true appearance. the westwind knights were in chaos and fear, and no one paid attention to the beautiful girl who had joined the side of their leader. even if someone did notice, nobody dared to ask. although charles had not been in charge of the westwind knights for long, he had already established a certain authority. everyone in the knighthood knew that the leader was "ruthless and merciless," and no one dared to challenge his authority. the baron''s residence was not the most luxurious in the fars empire, at least not as substantial as 58 sixth avenue in the val de vaz district. the brittany family was undoubtedly many dimensions stronger than the fehr family. however, as a seventh-rank noble, baron fehr''s home still earned charles''s lavish praise. silver pigeon fort was not a castle but a city like strasbourg, but baron fehr''s residence was indeed a castle. named¡ªdove castle! baron fehr, the first generation, commissioned the famous artist milan boudasso from byron to construct it, a task that took thirteen years. the initial selection for dove castle was a hill. milan boudasso cut half of the hill away. for the side facing outside the city, he created four layers of terraces, blending seamlessly with the walls of silver pigeon fort. for the side facing inside, he designed a courtyard that was more than ten paces higher than the city''s interior. from the outside, dove castle stood tall and majestic. from within dove castle looking out, it offered a commanding and exhilarating view. the silver pigeon fort spans over 100,000 square paces, with five main buildings and nearly a thousand rooms. generations of barons have amassed countless art pieces, famous paintings, antiques, sculptures, and even extraordinary objects, each of great value. charles''s gaze flitted and his mind reeled as he continuously appraised the prices of these items. sear?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. he planned to craft a deceptive report to fool the empire, but as a fourth-grade clerk chief, he didn''t harbor much hope for it; if the empire sent people to thoroughly investigate the matter, he would need to slip away and make a hasty escape. on this occasion, charles had left his home for battle, not flight, so he hadn''t carried any cash with him. as was his habit, he had placed all his assets in the savings union. now, stranded in silver pigeon fort without any outlets of the savings union to withdraw his funds, he feared his money would be lost if he became a fugitive from the empire. his only hope was that baron fehr''s cash flow could compensate for some of his losses. the thought of being unable to carry any gold, silver, jewels, or even his house and stable when fleeing filled charles with considerable regret. "hmm!" "if there''s a one in ten thousand chance," "that the empire believes my nonsense, they will still send someone to take over silver pigeon fort; after all, it''s the territory of a baron, and there''s absolutely no chance they would hand it over to a thirty-fourth rank fourth-grade clerk chief." "i''d better amass more wealth then, otherwise wouldn''t all my efforts be in vain, ending up empty-handed after doing all the hard work?" a butler followed quietly behind the trio, trembling slightly. out of a total of sixteen butlers in the baron''s service, fifteen had already perished: four followed baron fehr to the front lines and were killed in the ensuing defeat, while the rest had just recently gone to the barracks and then... it is said they were all slain by south serif''s restorers. this remaining butler from the baron''s manor, of course, didn''t believe such twisted and malevolent fabrications, but he dared not disbelieve them either¡ªhe even felt that whether he believed it or not, he could be killed shortly. however, as someone who had been trained since childhood to be a qualified butler, he had no other thoughts in mind but to diligently and loyally serve his new "masters." charles couldn''t help but ask, "butler dart, do you know how many extraordinary objects the baron has collected in total?" butler dart bolstered his spirits and said with a quivering voice, "the generations of barons only cared to collect the finest pieces, so there are not many extraordinary objects in the pigeon fort, merely forty-five!" charles was thrilled beyond measure and thought to himself, "forty-five? although not as many as those seized over the years in kilmainham prison, these have to be prime selections; the ones in the prison are hardly comparable." charles asked again, "is there a catalog?" dart, while wiping sweat from his brow, said, "yes, the baron would compile and catalog the household collections every year, complete with descriptions." charles said, "fetch it for me." he was quite pleased with the "baron''s sensibility." in fact, many noble families on the old continent had the habit of compiling their collections into catalogs and then sending these catalogs to nearby nobility for ease of sharing. this practice was not found among earth''s medieval nobility¡ªan emblem of the difference between the two worlds. read exclusive adventures at empire soon enough, charles obtained the catalog of baron fehr''s collection. he skipped past the initial art pieces and found the pages on extraordinary objects. baron fehr had dedicated an entire page to each extraordinary object, complete with detailed descriptions. charles''s eyes immediately fixated on a knight''s spear; the few extraordinary objects he owned were either bloodsucking weapons or products of classic alchemy, but this knight''s spear was a classic work of classical alchemy. Chapter 121 Dark Luxury the extraordinary object in charles'' hand, the vampiric hand axe and blood rose, needless to say, were bloodsucking weapons, not artistry from the human race.the antispace sniper rifle, two hockwell silver rhinoceroses, and even the extraordinary dagger snatched from the first assassin were all products of classic alchemy. um, the mask of the cat is not an alchemical creation, it is an authentic magic item. charles usually doesn''t like to use this extraordinary object very much. this knight''s spear itself only has two attributes, solidity and armor piercing, but it comes with a very special attribute¡ªone who holds this knight''s spear can summon a "spirit horse"! spirit horses do not exist in the old continent; they live in another world. the summoned spirit horses are the best mounts on the battlefield, charging into battle almost without getting tired. charles pointed with his hand and asked, "where is this knight''s spear stored?" the butler, dart, shivered with fear, whispering, "it was taken away by the baron." charles recalled and realized that he hadn''t seen this spear on the battlefield, silently thinking, "where did the baron''s extraordinary knight''s spear go, the boorish knight who killed the baron was only using an ordinary spear?" he immediately sent someone to inquire with lady southseraph, who had surrendered, and soon got the result: that boorish knight had received six extraordinary weapons from the baron, all of which were sent back to byron. charles suddenly had the thought, "this guy died justly." getting something on the battlefield and not keeping it for oneself, but sending it back to byron¡ªwhat kind of brain does that? but then remembering he was a blood butcher, it wasn''t surprising anymore. explore stories at empire a blood butcher is also a kind of knight, but unlike a proper knight, the power seed of a blood butcher comes from the "master''s" grace. blood butchers can train every part of their bodies into weapons, their muscles and bones hard as steel, they possess tremendous stamina, stronger in defense than knights of the same level, and can fight until the end of their lives, but they are not perpetual motion machines, their extreme endurance comes at the cost of their vitality. in other words: a blood butcher is just a dog of the blood clan, never treated as human. whether in fars or in byron. other than saying that the boorish knight had the conviction to be a dog, there isn''t much else to say. charles passed over five extraordinary objects in succession. baron fars, going to war, naturally took his best collection. each of the six extraordinary objects made charles drool, but unfortunately, all were lost on the battlefield, sent to byron by that blood butcher before he had a chance to snatch them back. charles wandered through the remaining thirty-nine extraordinary objects, this time he wasn''t focused on weapons but set his sights on an extraordinary carriage. what charles was most concerned about now was how to take away the baron''s wealth without anyone knowing, and this carriage best met his urgent need. the carriage was also a product of classical alchemy, a ring when not in use, it unfolds into a black carriage drawn by eight spirit horses. according to the collection booklet, this carriage made by the holy alchemist master stardust over a hundred years ago. he made a total of thirteen carriages at the time, known as the luxury of darkness. the dark luxury wasn''t just fitting of the word "luxurious," but it was also one of the fastest carriages on the old continent. when the dark luxury first made its appearance, it was wildly sought after by the aristocracy of various nations on the old continent. if it weren''t for its primary black color scheme, which didn''t match the style of royal families, it would have certainly been collected by the various royal households. even dukes and earls might not have had the chance to purchase them, let alone fall into the hands of a baron. when baron fars bought the dark luxury, he had invested a great amount of money, with the price reaching up to 3,600 gold aegeus. even on earth, there were few luxury cars that could rival it in terms of price. when charles asked, the butler dart hurriedly said, "the dark luxury was taken out by the baroness today, so it''s not in pigeon castle." only then did charles realize that among the six carriages he had captured today, there was even an extraordinary object. he cursed to himself, "i can''t believe i overlooked it." he quickly inquired and learned that all six carriages had already been brought back from the military camp and were now at pigeon castle. s§×arch* the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. relieved, charles asked about the other items again and was upset to learn that three pieces had been lent out by the baron. those were his items, how could the baron just lend them out so casually? knowing his position was precarious and finding it impossible to demand the return of those three extraordinary objects, charles decided not to dwell on it any further. he turned his attention to the cash flow of pigeon castle. dart, the butler, did not dare to delay and said, "pigeon castle''s cash has always been scarce. the baron likes to collect various artworks and rare items, extraordinary objects. in addition, the baroness holds banquets every year, and there are also expenses for various luxuries and travels. it all adds up to a substantial amount. now there are less than ten thousand aegeus. however, if we include the gold aegeus, there is a total of fifty-six thousand aegeus." hearing there were less than ten thousand aegeus, charles felt a deep pain. how could a baron have so little money? especially after hearing that baron fars had wasted money on worthless artwork and rare items, and the baroness had spent aegeus on meaningless banquets, luxuries, and travels, it was even more agonizing. all he could think was, "that''s my money!" "this couple wastes my money..." upon hearing that there were as many as fifty-six thousand gold aegeus, charles was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "that''s several small goals." however, he also became worried, as gold aegeus were coins and quite heavy. if he was alone, he might not even be able to carry much away. "i''ll send these gold aegeus to machu picchu, and surely no one will be able to find them there." as charles was quietly planning his "fortune," dobin burst in, shouting, "there''s trouble! lady southseraph''s army has already reached the castle, we must go out and meet the enemy." charles was taken aback and quickly asked, "approximately how many people?" dobin''s words shattered charles''s fantasy, saying, "about more than ten thousand people, and they aren''t just makeshift peasant soldiers. they seem to be the main forces of the south serif restorationists." charles felt a pang of panic and asked, "aren''t their main forces supposed to be fighting with grand duke joseph?" "why would they come to pigeon castle?" of course, dobin had no answer. how would he know why the main forces of the south serif restorationists had appeared at pigeon castle? taoles said, "we should indeed gather our men quickly and leave the castle to meet the enemy." charles looked at taoles and dobin, thinking to himself, "are you two ill? with a castle to defend us, and the westwind knights being a mere rabble, wouldn''t it be suicide to leave the castle to fight against lady southseraph''s forces?" Chapter 122 120, Prime Blood Limitè·¯Ultimate Barrier philedrica saw charles''s expression and roughly guessed his thoughts, speaking in a low voice, "there must be transcendents among the enemy ranks, the castle is insufficient as a reliance."charles thought to himself, "transcendents can decide the victor, but they can''t determine the outcome of the war!" s~ea??h the n?velfire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the nature of warfare on the old continent was unlike anything charles knew of from any era on earth, due to the existence of transcendents. although charles could not even be considered an armchair general, he understood that the essence of war is interest. high-level transcendents might decide the victor, but without enough soldiers, it is impossible to grasp the fruits of victory. without sufficient war dividends, a country would become weaker with each battle. transcendents cannot decide everything. the ancient orc kingdom and the sherlock dynasty had their moments of glory, with countless high order transcendents, but still they declined because, by the end of these nations, the domestic situation was already dire, yet the upper-class nobles did not perceive this as a problem at all. charles meklen had read history books during his university years, and had felt nothing then; but upon arriving in the old continent, he could clearly see that every country here actually harbored great perils, with the whole society in a state of decay. he took a deep breath and declared, "have all of the westwind knights go up on the castle''s walls, and conscript young men from within silver pigeon fort. say that lady southseraph intends to slaughter the entire fort, killing every family as revenge for the destruction of yesteryears, and let everyone fight for their loved ones, their families, and for silver pigeon fort." taoles said, "that''s meaningless." charles took a deep breath and countered, "i am the commander! everyone will listen to my orders." taoles did not argue, and hurriedly left to relay the orders to the barracks. philedrica actually wanted to say, "i''m leaving now." she had initially escaped from strasbourg by using charles, as internal problems arose within the leopard people''s orc assassin alliance, and she needed to lay low for a while. however, at that moment, the leopard girl instead said, "i''ll help as well." charles nodded, and instructed the butler dart, "gather the young men from within the fort. i will take them to fight for silver pigeon fort." baron phile''s pigeon fort, with its hundreds of servants, was a considerable force. allowing them to rest at ease within the fort was disrespectful to the soldiers who were fighting bravely. the butler dart did not dare argue and went to gather the servants of the castle. half an hour later, charles stood atop the walls of silver pigeon fort. the battlements were swarming with people, including soldiers from the westwind knights and individuals from all walks of life. they were frightened by charles''s depictions of "slaughter," and the old "tradition" of enmity between behemoth duchy and south seraph territory made this propaganda seem exceptionally real; no one wanted their families to be massacred. thus, many were eager to respond. charles also hastily formed another unit, reorganizing the residents of silver pigeon fort into an "auxiliary force" to assist the various combat squads. outside the walls of silver pigeon fort, an army of more than ten thousand was assembling in formation. amazingly, they had not set up camp but intended to attack the city directly. due to its intersecting rivers and picturesque scenery, the terrain around silver pigeon fort was not very high. limited by the baron''s finances, the walls of the fort were only a little over three meters, and its defensive strength was indeed not very robust. charles looked out as far as he could see but couldn''t make out much. he couldn''t even bring the entire enemy force into his line of sight. a small squad emerged from the formation of the south ceraph reclamation army, stopping a few dozen meters away from the walls of silver pigeon fort. a middle-aged man in leather armor shouted loudly, "i am jonathan from the south ceraph restoration army! many of you should have heard my name." "i command you to surrender and leave the city immediately!" "if there is any resistance, my sword will wash this city in blood." there was an uproar atop the walls; many residents of silver pigeon fort were thoroughly convinced that the southseraph intended to massacre the city. people began to shout, "get lost! despicable south serif people, you do not deserve to have a country." "everyone from south serif is a mongrel." "the imperial assembly will annihilate you south serif people." "you won''t even be able to hold onto the capital of south serif." the behemoth duchy''s hatred for south serif had spanned generations; both sides had always looked down upon each other. this now ignited the fury of the silver pigeon fort''s inhabitants, who immediately burst into harsh curses. charles had never actually heard of jonathan. he guessed that the other party might be the leader of the south ceraph reclamation army. estimating the distance, charles pulled the anti-space sniper rifle out from the collar of his shirt, took aim at jonathan, and pulled the trigger. the magic-breaking bombshell bullet shot forth like a fire dragon, a red streak trailing through the air, heading straight for this commander of the south ceraph reclamation army. in an instant, knights around jonathan erupted in a dark red glow, forming a magic shield. the magic-breaking bombshell bullet struck the shield, merely causing the dark red screen to tremble slightly and explode into a brilliant firework, but failing to penetrate the magic shield. charles didn''t fire a second shot. shocked, he exclaimed, "the ultimate barrier!" the radiant magic array, known by its brilliance, was touted as the continent''s number one defensive magic circle and held the reverence of being called the hymn of the gods. the blood clan also had a defensive magic circle named: prime blood limit. alongside the radiant magic array, the prime blood limit was known to the world as: the ultimate barrier. in terms of defense capabilities alone, it probably wasn''t far off from the radiant magic array. the prime blood limit originated from the arthur clan, being one of the highly profound secret techniques of the bloodline mantra. to charles''s surprise, there was a transcendent blood clan member among jonathan''s ranks. over ten high-level transcendent members of the blood clan had activated the prime blood limit and successfully blocked the magic-breaking bombshell bullet. jonathan''s face remained impassive, seemingly indifferent to the surprise attack. he spoke in a deep voice, "the people of silver pigeon fort are prepared for sacrifice, ready to embrace death." "begin the siege!" with a wave of his hand, jonathan''s troops slowly advanced, their cries shaking the firmament, causing the faces of silver pigeon fort''s people to change. charles shouted with vigor, "victory shall always belong to the people of silver pigeon fort." "behind us lie our homes, our loved ones, our everything. we cannot allow any south serif person to set foot inside silver pigeon fort." experience tales at empire after shouting the slogan, he turned to jonathan and bellowed, "i am the westwind knights'' commander, the commander of silver pigeon fort. mr. jonathan, let us duel on the battlefield." although charles had proposed a duel, he had already planned to fire another magic-breaking bombshell bullet as soon as jonathan left the protection of his knights. jonathan looked at him deeply but did nothing, ignoring charles''s challenge completely. just as charles was about to take the opportunity to mock the timidity of this commander of the south ceraph reclamation army and boost morale, a warm sensation brushed across his chest and a thought entered his mind: charles meklen, in the capacity of acting commander of silver pigeon fort, was resisting the south ceraph reclamation army, meeting the requirements for setting the third labyrinth. silver pigeon fort was about to undergo maze-ification; please repel eighteen attacks from the south ceraph reclamation army during this period, and don''t leave or surrender. Chapter 123 121. Charlottes Strongest Form charles couldn''t help but think, "can''t we maze-ify first, then fend off the 18 attacks from lady southseraph?"if silver pigeon fort could be maze-ified, charles was confident he could turn all the invaders of the south ceraph reclamation army into npcs. although his thoughts were messy, charles''s command proceeded methodically. he had successively accepted the defeat of baron philedrica''s armies and two thousand troops from the southern selav army. although nearly forty percent had deserted, all weapons were confiscated. along with the arsenal stored at silver pigeon fort, they had amassed three thousand firearms and even a batch of bows and arrows. charles arranged the rifles for the first round based on their range, and the handguns and archers for the second round. after two rounds of firing, hundreds from the restoration army had fallen, but they also charged to the foot of the city walls. subsequently, six or seven transcendents broke through, leaping into the air to storm the battlements. these transcendents, either shielded by magic or bolstered by fighting spirit, had colors swirling about them. bullets and arrows shot towards them were either casually deflected with their weapons or bounced off by their magic and fighting spirit, completely intimidating the defense forces of silver pigeon fort. taoles pulled out a card and muttered under his breath, "he insists on fighting a defensive battle from the fort." philedrica held a dagger in each hand, one forward and one reversed, sighed, and prepared to clean up after charles. charles, holding the anti-space sniper rifle, saw the fearless charge of the six or seven transcendents and thought to himself, "haha! this time i''m experienced. i won''t engage in close combat with the flame hand and hockwell silver rhinoceros unused." discover stories with empire he raised the anti-space sniper rifle high, pulled the trigger, and simultaneously, a giant hand composed of seven blood flames appeared behind him. two of them held a fire kelwell silver rhinoceros and a hurkweil silver rhino mk-10, three other flame hands held the blood rose, vampiric hand axe, and an assassin''s dagger, and the remaining two, though empty, emanated a faint golden light, signaling the activation of the colorless blade. this was already charles''s strongest form. sear?h the ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. a blood butcher who leapt into mid-air was the first to be targeted by the magic-breaking bombshell bullet. his cultivation was not as good as the two he encountered on the battlefield, and he was instantly blown into fragments in mid-air. the second target of the magic-breaking bombshell bullet was a formal knight, who having witnessed his comrade shattered, was too late to change direction in mid-air. he hastily gathered all his fighting spirit, shouted, and focused it on his lance, attempting to pierce the magic-breaking bombshell bullet with his lance. his idea was good, but his cultivation couldn''t keep up with it and he too was blown into a dazzling fireball, man and lance together. the third transcendent, not sure what secret technique he used, moved sideways half a meter in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the lethal blow, turning his face green with fright. the anti-space sniper rifle and the two silver rhinoceros fired a round with the effect of a "mini-barrage", blowing up two transcendents in mid-air. during charles''s second round of shooting, the remaining transcendents were finally adept enough to react in time. two of the transcendents reacted quickly, deployed their fighting spirit, and blasted each other with a strike, drifting off together and landing prematurely. they no longer dared to leap, hastily retreating back to their ranks. another transcendent, extraordinarily fast, was no sure target for charles''s gunmanship, so he wasn''t selected as the first round''s target. by the time of charles''s second round of shooting, he had already stepped onto the battlements of silver pigeon fort. this transcendent also reacted extremely quickly, mustered his strength, twisted his body, and landed below the walls, not continuing the assault. upon landing, he swayed and shifted, changing his position seven or eight times. charles aimed for a long while but couldn''t find an opportunity, ultimately letting him return to his military formation. one confrontation had pushed back the transcendents who climbed the city, boosting the morale of the westwind knights and the militia of the silver pigeon fort, who then engaged the south ceraph reclamation army below the city walls. initially, charles worried the westwind knights and the militia of the silver pigeon fort would collapse at the start of the battle, but surprisingly, after enduring an earlier fight and even directly defeating byron''s cavalry, they proved more resilient than he had anticipated. as for the militia of the silver pigeon fort, their fighting spirit was even more vigorous, driven by the desire to protect their homes. after four or five hours of fierce fighting, nearly a thousand soldiers from the south ceraph reclamation army lay dead below the city walls before jonathan finally ordered an orderly retreat, like the tide drawing back. charles, not wanting to continue using the magic-breaking bombshell bullets, switched to a regular rifle and also killed more than ten from the restoration army. seeing the forces from south seraph withdraw, he suppressed the fatigue weighing on his body and heart, first consoling the soldiers of the westwind knights and then offering a round of motivational encouragement to the militia of the silver pigeon fort before counting the dead. although they had the advantage of the terrain, this intense battle had still cost the lives of over three hundred from the westwind knights and the militia of silver pigeon fort, with many wounded. war is not a game, and witnessing countless lives vanish and seeing warriors with grievous injuries filled charles with a sense of gloom. he could not understand why these people chose to fight. if it were to resist tyranny or if they were driven by dire desperation, he, too, would rise up. but south seraph had been a part of the fars empire for many years now, not exactly thriving but certainly not in a state of unlivable conditions. moreover, he knew that the people of south seraph didn''t actually harbor much hatred toward the empire but solely resented the behemoth duchy. but... that hatred had been exploited by the major empires! having experienced it firsthand, charles knew too well that the assassination of duke ferdinand and his wife was a conspiracy. whether it was the behemoth duchy or the capital of south seraph, both were pawns manipulated by others, their lives and hatreds cared for by no one. the people of these two places were merely used by the powerful empires as a fuse that, when ignited, leads quickly to complete devastation; they were sacrificial lambs... both the behemoth duchy and the capital of south seraph had been conquered by the fars empire, yet the people of these areas bore no intense hatred toward the empire... charles simply could not understand or empathize. as he continually issued orders to collect the bodies of the fallen, he directed that the wounded be transported to pigeon fort and summoned all doctors from silver pigeon fort to care for them. after completing the solemn aftermath of the battle, charles could no longer bear to muster interest in tallying the baron''s wealth. standing atop the fortress, he gazed distantly at the south seraph reclamation army preparing for a second assault, and murmured to himself, "i am truly a political fool." "all i wish for is peace in the world, and for there to be no pointless wars¡­" "perhaps, to these people, this war means a great deal." "may your deaths be for ideals, not conspiracies." "if i had a choice, i truly would not want to kill anyone." Chapter 124 122, Old Fu Er charles was very worried about jonathan''s decision to send out those ten plus knights, as prime blood limit''s defense was too strong.you must know, even alchemical explosives couldn''t break the radiant magic array, and though the prime blood limit was a bit inferior to the radiant magic array, it couldn''t be pierced by the magic-breaking bombshell bullet either. but during the south ceraph reclamation army''s second siege, charles still didn''t see those ten plus transcendent blood clan members appear on the battlefield. he completely couldn''t understand what jonathan was thinking by letting these restorers go to their deaths. could those not be his "brethren"? as long as he moved out of the range of the anti-space sniper rifle, he no longer needed their protection. even if there could be dangers on the battlefield, as a commander, couldn''t he make a little sacrifice? ordinary people sacrifice, and the commander can''t take a little risk? charles had always felt that he had some understanding of the nobility of the old continent, but now he realized he still hadn''t understood deeply enough. s§×ar?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. even in the second wave of the siege, not even the few retreatants among the transcendents showed up again. charles led the westwind knights and the militiamen of silver pigeon fort in a hard battle, losing over two hundred more men, but they repelled lady southseraph again, and another seven to eight hundred soldiers of the restoration army lay beneath the walls of the silver pigeon fort. after two defensive battles, the sky was gradually darkening, and yet the south ceraph reclamation army still hadn''t set up camp. charles had a feeling, could jonathan have gone mad? continuing to fight like this, treating his soldiers like they weren''t human, could these ordinary soldiers withstand a third round? although charles wasn''t very experienced militarily, he also felt it wasn''t possible to continue fighting like this. he divided the westwind knights into two, letting half of the troops rest, and divided the militiamen of silver pigeon fort into three, only keeping a third to continue defending the city, letting another group rest temporarily, and another group to go back to the city to transport supplies and continue recruiting people to defend the city. while charles swiftly arranged his soldiers to rest, he also brought up a batch of food from the city, distributing it to everyone, all the while watching the movements of the south ceraph restoration fighters. as the night deepened, charles had just had torches prepared when he saw the south ceraph reclamation army on the move again. along with a massive army surging through the fields, he was shocked to see, jonathan''s ten plus knights were also moving with the army, along with a few transcendents who had been pulled back in the first wave of attacks. this time, the south ceraph reclamation army truly committed all its strength, holding nothing back. at that moment, charles instantly forgot the criticisms he had of jonathan a moment ago... it turns out this old fellow was more crafty than he imagined. taoles, philedrica, yellow bear, and dobin all wore serious expressions; they all understood the gravity of the situation. taoles said in a low voice, "we can''t hold them back..." she actually wanted to persuade charles to withdraw from silver pigeon fort. philedrica was somewhat more naive, thinking, "whether silver pigeon fort falls has nothing to do with an assassin from the orc assassin alliance; i will not risk my life for silver pigeon fort." "i''m sorry! i''m withdrawing from the fight." dobin glanced several times toward the mare with magical speed on his leg, and said in a low voice to charles, "captain, put on the magical speed mare!" yellow bear wore no expression. he was a demon hunter, tough skin and strong flesh were advantages of a demon hunter, but running was not a demon hunter''s specialty; he had little hope left, pitying only that he had joined charles hoping to secure a future for his children and wife. now, there was no future, and he was going to be gone too. the few of them all knew that charles''s most relied upon magic-breaking bombshell bullets couldn''t penetrate the prime blood limit, much less withstand jonathan''s ten plus knights, not to mention several other transcendents acting together. this time, they couldn''t resist the siege. the ordinary members of the westwind knights and the militia of silver pigeon fort still didn''t quite grasp the situation, forcibly rallying their spirits to repel the third wave of the siege. many of them didn''t understand that this wave of attacks couldn''t be repelled. charles didn''t say a word, a wildly insane thought spinning relentlessly in his mind. he watched as jonathan and the dozen knights by his side had already charged to the center of the battlefield. he clenched his fists, then slowly opened his hands again. he felt his body, wanting to pull out a cigarette, but then he remembered¡ªthis was fars, not earth. there were no such things as cigarettes here. in such a critical moment, an absurd thought crossed charles'' mind, "should i start selling cigarettes in fars? it would be a tremendously profitable business, big enough to support military expenses even in an eastern superpower." "forget it! now''s not the time to think about this." "what was i thinking just now?" "that idea was too crazy." "damn it, i''m a civil officer, i really shouldn''t be on the battlefield. why would such a crazy idea even cross my mind?" "i have the quickness technique, and the spirit spider technique might just work..." "ptui, just fantasies, shouldn''t i be thinking that with the quickness technique and the spirit spider technique, escaping wouldn''t be a problem at all?" "those knights who can use the prime blood limit once united, are invincible on this battlefield." "even with three extraordinary firearms and magic-breaking bombshell bullets, they couldn''t touch them..." "but..." "why do i keep having such crazy ideas?" seeing that charles did not respond, dobin reached out and patted his shoulder. charles, acting on reflex, grabbed and pinned his good subordinate to the ground. realizing it was dobin, he quickly apologized, "i reacted instinctively, didn''t realize it was you." dobin, with an embarrassed face, stood up and repeated his earlier suggestion, "do you want to wear the divine steed armor?" charles shook his head and said, "i don''t need it!" continue reading at empire he glanced at the westwind knights preparing for battle and the silver pigeon fort militia, ready to risk their lives to protect their homeland. suddenly, he felt a surge of passion and said, "taoles, philedrica, yellow bear, dobin, you guys hold silver pigeon fort for me." all of them were briefly stunned, no one realizing what charles was planning to do. taoles replied irritably, "what are you going to do? don''t think i don''t know¡ªyou want to steal baron philedrica''s wealth!" philedrica also shook her head and said, "i''m running for my life too. thanks for the shelter all this way, but i''m not going to fight to the death for silver pigeon fort." however, yellow bear spoke somberly, "captain, could you look after my family? if possible, let my oldest son join the patrolling army. i don''t want him to be in a gang like me. also, tell him i can''t be there for his fifteenth birthday." dobin wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing, instead just thumping his chest and saying, "leave it to me." then they watched as charles drew out blood rose and leaped down from the ramparts of silver pigeon fort. Chapter 125 123, Movement Three: Eternal Dawn "i can''t hold off those dozen or so knights capable of invoking the prime blood limit, but without their protection, jonathan certainly can''t resist me either," he said.charles fully activated his quickness technique and spirit spider technique, and, after gaining a boost from six bloody vortices, his speed was as swift as lightning. at that moment, he suddenly understood why dobin, taoles, and philedrica all thought they should fight outside the city. the mode of warfare in this supernatural world was indeed unlike any era on earth. charles charged into lady southseraph''s restoration army, with his blood rose making light, varied, and rapid strikes like crimson lightning, while his blood flame qi-controlled vampiric hand axe harvested the lives of the people of fars from a distance like a bloodsucking bat. in just an instant, more than a dozen lives had vanished under charles''s hand. with his insight activated, he didn''t linger in battle but specifically targeted the weak points of lady southseraph''s army. all the members of the westwind knights on the city walls, as well as the militia of silver pigeon fort, stared in shock as charles, like a lively carp, broke through the waves in an army of thousands, heading straight for the opposing commander. philedrica couldn''t help but take a deep breath and shout, "defense! defense! we need to buy charles time." the leopard people girl no longer mentioned fleeing. taoles replaced his magic card, his gaze filled with determination. yellow bear chuckled and suddenly seemed at ease. although the outcome of the battle was still uncertain, he was filled with confidence. sea??h th§× n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. dobin said nothing, but he arranged the westwind knights into the most appropriate formation and took his place on the front line. to everyone''s surprise, two bursts of fighting spirit erupted from the militia of silver pigeon fort. two supernaturals who had originally planned to conceal their strength and protect only themselves couldn''t help but reveal their true powers. jonathan hadn''t noticed at first, but when he saw someone cutting through the army and passing by his guardian knights, his eyes suddenly tightened, and he knew he should continue ordering his troops to attack the city. however, a few seconds later, he shouted aloud, "come back, retreat!" he also ordered the soldiers beside him to shout loudly, calling the guardian knights back. the dozen or so guardian knights had almost reached the walls of silver pigeon fort, but upon hearing the shouts from behind, they hesitated, gave up continuing to attack the fort, and turned back to save jonathan. combat power can be stacked, but speed can''t be accumulated by sheer numbers. charles, with his quickness technique and spirit spider technique, was much faster than the group of knights and had also gained a head start. by the time they returned to the middle of the battlefield, they saw charles had already broken through the army''s formation and was a few hundred steps in front of jonathan. charles switched to the anti-space sniper rifle and fired, only to see a pitch-black knight''s spear thrust out, carrying an arcane and complex force. with one thrust, it created a strange vortex that precisely deflected the magic-breaking bombshell bullet with a subtle force. the magic-breaking bombshell bullet hit the ground and exploded, creating a huge crater. jonathan shouted, "i am always guarded by the strongest protectors. you can''t kill me. once my guardian knights come back, you''re as good as dead. make your last words now." charles fired several shots, all deflected by a mysterious knight''s tactic to deflect the magic-breaking bombshell bullet. he had never seen such a formidable person before! well, except for the evil god, that doesn''t count. truth be told, he hadn''t seen many formidable people at all. of all the formidable people charlotte had seen in his life, sister menilman was the most impressive, but this knight seemed to be no less capable than menilman. at this moment, charlotte''s blood surged with fervor, heedless of everything else; he just wanted to kill jonathan, end this war, and save the lives of many more innocent people. without pause, he charged to within a few dozen paces of jonathan. with a low shout, jonathan commanded, "go! kill that farsian." the knight donned his face mask and became like a raging wind, meeting charlotte head-on. charlotte tucked the antispace sniper rifle inside his collar and drew out the blood rose again. unfolding the swordsmanship of the asiluo clan, he clashed with the knight in a single exchange and was shaken by the other''s robust fighting spirit; bloody glory tumbled incessantly, reverberating violently. charlotte let out a loud cry, completely disregarded the turmoil within his bloody glory, and wielded the asiluo clan''s swordsmanship to its fullest in the blink of an eye, hoping to break free from the knight''s entanglement to either shoot jonathan or land a hit with the vampiric hand axe. however, the mysterious knight''s gunmanship was both marvelously unpredictable and ferociously unparalleled, keeping him tightly entwined to the point where charlotte had no opportunity to be distracted and could only focus entirely on wielding his sword. facing off against the knight''s spear with a shorter weapon, charlotte was already at a disadvantage, and as a lower-ranked supernatural, it only took seven or eight moves for him to be utterly overpowered. the knight''s black spear struck like lightning, backing charlotte into a corner where he had no room to maneuver. charlotte even heard the mysterious knight''s cold voice stating, "die, farsian." in this moment of desperation, it was as if a sunrise suddenly blossomed in charlotte''s hand¡ªa dawn that inevitably follows the deepest darkness. with a clever lift of the blood rose, he hooked it onto the black knight''s lance, allowing the thrust to carry him out of the attack range. this exquisitely unimpeded move was from the angel''s twelve canticles, the third canticle: eternal dawn. under the crushing pressure of a dire situation, charlotte''s swordsmanship improved by leaps and bounds, snatching a glimmer of hope for himself. dawn always brings hope. eternal dawn brings boundless hope. this move in asiluo clan''s swordsmanship brought about more ingenious changes in charlotte''s swordplay. however, after just over a dozen moves, he was once again firmly suppressed. jonathan''s ten guardian knights had by now returned, just a few hundred paces away from joining the battle. jonathan himself had broken out in a cold sweat earlier, never expecting charlotte to be able to wield such an exquisite swordsmanship in the face of certain death, fearing that he would break past the only blockade and reach him. upon seeing charlotte once again subdued and his guardian knights returning, he finally relaxed and declared, "farsian! your stubbornness has kindled my rage." "i''ve decided that after i take silver pigeon fort, not a single person will be spared, all will be slaughtered." "i want the behemoths to receive the retribution they deserve." "and i want the behemoths in other regions to understand that resistance is futile, it only brings upon them annihilation. only swift surrender can earn lady southseraph''s mercy." charlotte launched several strikes, but could not shake off the mysterious knight''s pursuit. he was aware that once those knights capable of invoking the prime blood limit returned, he would be left with no place to die, let alone wonder if he could pass through to the other side again, a question not even lady black moon might be able to answer. originally he had been somewhat desperate and was preparing the documents for surrender, but upon hearing jonathan''s threats, a surge of anger suddenly filled him, bringing an unprecedented clarity to his mind along with immense courage. experience more tales on empire Chapter 126 124. Movement Four: Wings of the Hatchling Dragon the secret technique of asiluo clan''s angel''s thorn swordsmanship, in charles''s mind, flowed like a light spring, clear and lucid, revealing the complexities of various sword moves. previously, he knew only how to use them, knowing what happened but not why it happened, but at this moment, each variation was as clear as day, without the slightest hesitation.charles suddenly let out a shrill cry, leaping up, his speed suddenly increased by a third, and his swordsmanship quickened by half. in one breath, he executed sixteen strikes, the sword light converging like a hatchling dragon taking to the skies, forcefully breaking away from the mysterious knight and soaring into the heavens. angel''s twelfth symphony, fourth movement: wings of the hatchling dragon! this variation in swordsmanship was not about the technique itself but in controlling the bloody glory. it allowed the flow of bloody glory to increase by thirty percent, manifesting as a thirty percent increase in speed and a fifty percent increase in swordsmanship, making the bizarre transformations of angel''s thorn, swift as thunder and lightning, even more vivid and thorough. having shaken off the mysterious knight, charles''s sword flickered downwards, preventing the mysterious knight from leaping into the air, while a flame hand grasped the hockwell silver rhinoceros and fired at jonathan. this renowned gun, which once assassinates archduke ferdinand, fired a magic-breaking bombshell bullet that could change the history of the old continent. jonathan''s smile had not yet faded when he was struck in the head by this shot, his entire skull shattered by the magic-breaking bombshell bullet, and his headless body fell to the ground. charles dared not linger any longer. after firing the shot, another flame hand drew another hockwell silver rhino mk-10 and fired eight shots in rapid succession, firmly suppressing the mysterious knight on the ground and briefly halting the guardian knights who were about to rush into the battle, his whole figure sweeping through the night sky like a giant bat. he rolled to the ground, applied the quickness technique and spirit spider technique, and the newly mastered fourth movement: wings of the hatchling dragon, then sprinted towards silver pigeon fort. the mysterious knight and the guardian knights, driven mad, closely pursued him. capitalizing on his faster movements, charles saw silver pigeon fort within sight. glancing back at the more than ten transcendents chasing him, a thought crossed his mind. he turned a corner, leading these frenzied, crazed transcendents, their minds filled only with the desire to kill him due to jonathan''s death. in the old continent, transcendents were overwhelmingly dominant over ordinary people. with insight, charles attacked again from the back of the south serif restoration army, like entering a land of no one, carrying the more than ten formidable transcendents crashing through. in less than half an hour, he had led this group of transcendents around in a large circle, causing slight disarray in the ranks of the south serif restoration army. charles persisted, leading the ten plus transcendents in continuous circles within the restoration army attacking the city. by the time he reached the sixth circle, the army assaulting the city finally collapsed. taoles drew a magic card: gale! it stirred up countless particles of dust, as if someone were pursuing these people. dobin decisively ordered the city gates to be opened to chase after the south serif restoration army. the reversal on the battlefield forced the transcendents chasing charles to bitterly abandon their pursuit. the ten plus knights activated prime blood limit to withstand the bullets and arrows chaotically flying across the battlefield and followed the retreating army, leaving the battlefield. charles stood on the battlefield, witnessing all this unfold, but was already too exhausted to join the battle. although he hadn''t been in battle long, he had crossed through the entire south ceraph reclamation army, fought knights of a higher tier, and was chased down like a dog in a humiliating manner. at this point, bloody glory was nearly depleted, and his combat strength had plummeted to rock bottom. the battle lasted until dawn, and dobin had driven back over a thousand surrendering soldiers. this time, charles dared not recklessly accept the surrendered troops. this army was the elite of the south ceraph reclaimers, and even if they surrendered temporarily, there was no telling when they might turn against him. hesitating for a moment, he decided to send these people to strasbourg for the empire to deal with them. however, having endured such a battle gave charles inspiration. he altered the details in the document originally meant for the empire, claiming that before their arrival, the elite army of south ceraph had already seized silver pigeon fort, killed baron feilor and his entire family, and looted all of the baron''s wealth, leaving no one alive. he had led his army to fight ferociously and had only just recaptured silver pigeon fort, but alas, not a single body of the poor baron''s family could be found. maybe these people from south ceraph had taken their heads back to the southern seraph territory to boast of their military exploits, and he couldn''t reclaim the baron''s wealth either. charles felt that this altered document was more perfect than his previous drafts. he then dispatched five combat squads to escort these thousand plus prisoners, report the battle results, and also sent his document back. stay updated via empire having dealt with this matter, he returned to silver pigeon fort. the journal conveyed another thought: charles had repelled the southern selav army three times, but since he had left silver pigeon fort, the maze-ification had failed. charles meklen, acting temporarily as the commander at silver pigeon fort, was resisting the southern selav restoration army, meeting the requirements to set up a third maze. silver pigeon fort was about to launch its second maze-ification, and he must withstand eighteen attacks from the southern selav army in the meantime, without leaving or surrendering. charles was greatly discouraged, thinking, "can it ever be good again?" "i fought so hard to repel the southern selav army, and just because i counterattacked outside the fort, my previous three battles are wiped clean?" "moreover, i remembered adding npcs was supposed to speed up the maze-ification process. why does it work in machu picchu but not in silver pigeon fort?" "is this thing secretly biased against me?" as charles was indignant, the journal slightly vibrated again, conveying another thought: charles meklen had already defeated the southern selav restoration army once, and after maze-ification, he would gain a passage that directly connects to machu picchu. this boosted his mood slightly. "if i can connect to machu picchu, transporting the baron''s wealth would be much easier." "pah! if silver pigeon fort were maze-ified, why would i need to transport the wealth?" "the entire silver pigeon fort is mine. even if the baron has heirs, they can only manage the superficial silver pigeon fort, not the real one." charles was fantasizing about how wonderful his days would be once silver pigeon fort also became a maze. unexpectedly, the journal vibrated once more: the count has been completed, exceeding the numeric understanding limit, please enter the npc number manually. it was then that charles understood why, despite having so many people in silver pigeon fort that could theoretically be turned into npcs, the maze-ification process hadn''t increased. considering that silver pigeon fort was a city from the late middle ages and not that large as a baron''s domain, he carelessly filled in a number, 586,000, on the journal. the third page of ''agmillar''s labyrinth'' disappeared, never to make a sound again. s~ea??h the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. charles waited and waited, but the journal remained silent, prompting him to notice that the third page of ''agmillar''s labyrinth'', which should have disappeared, had only just now vanished. he sighed and thought, "this damn maze has quite a few bugs!" Chapter 127 125. Spiritual leader, the final totem clad in exquisite armor and wielding the black knight''s lance, the young man gazed at the gathered remnants of a defeated army. thinking of the murdered jonathan, a flame seemed to burn within his heart, wishing he could pierce the detestable charles with his lance right then and there.more than ten leaders of the south ceraph reclamation army huddled together, each one somewhat disheartened and all bearing traces of sorrow, even as some quietly sobbed. charles truly did not know who jonathan was. jonathan was the last prince of south serif as well as the only member of the royal family. if he had been willing to surrender, no duchy for archduke ferdinand, but at the least, he wouldn''t lack a viscounty. if the emperor were particularly pleased, it''s possible he might have even bestowed an earldom. jonathan was also the supreme spiritual leader of the south ceraph reclamation army, the final totem of the people of south serif. his death was of critical importance to south serif, tantamount to the assassination of archduke ferdinand¡ªan occurrence akin to the heavens collapsing and the seas and mountains roaring. the people of south serif could not bear this outcome. the young knight declared resolutely, "we must attack silver pigeon fort and kill everyone. the murderer who killed jonathan, i must kill him with my own hands and make him suffer all the tortures of the world before he dies." "even so, we cannot bring back jonathan." "i am guilty." the young knight, tears covering his face, saw jonathan as a father figure, the one who had raised him from an orphan to a high-ranking knight. jonathan had no talents in the transcendent path, but in his youth, he had studied at the baron university. in guiding young people, he was an excellent teacher. it was jonathan who personally instructed him in the ebulrahan clan''s "flesh furnace" and even helped him master the clan''s knight spear technique, "golden requiem," to a state of perfection. the ebulrahan clan, one of the vampire''s six king clans¡ªtogether with the adonis clan, beros, and others¡ªwas hailed as the foremost knightly clan among vampires, renowned for its hereditary flesh furnace, ranked first among the vampire thirty-seven clans in knight breathing technique. combined with the meditation technique and the knight spear technique, "golden requiem," it produced countless high-order knights and even sacred order knights over the generations. the ebulrahan''s secret method and hatingen thunder and storm university are the most prestigious heritages on the old continent, fostering knights. an elderly mage consoled him, "cyrus, don''t be too hard on yourself. you have done your best. it was the man from baron who was too cunning. i have captured one of their people and interrogated him to extract some clues. with the aid of divination, i figured out his origins. he is from behemoth, studied in strasbourg, and returned to serve his homeland." s~ea??h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "he still has family in behemoth¡­" cyrus abruptly stood up, shouting, "i will kill his family to make him experience the grief of losing loved ones." "where is his family?" the elderly mage said helplessly, "according to the divination results, he has cut off contact with his family, so my divination cannot determine the relevant facts. but we can capture some people from behemoth to find out. such a distinguished character, who managed to become the commander of an army at such a young age, must be well known in behemoth." "this man is also cunning. when confronted with the two armies, jonathan introduced himself, ''i am jonathan of the south ceraph restoration army! many of you might have heard of my name.''" "he introduced himself as, ''i am the westwind knights'' commander, the commander of silver pigeon fort, mr. jonathan, let''s duel on the battlefield.'' he never mentioned his own name." "however, these petty tricks are useless. i can soon find out his information." cyrus immediately perked up and said, "send out scouts to inquire about the young men who have enrolled at the university of strasbourg, focusing on those from noble families. he has become the commander of silver pigeon fort, he must be..." "how could i be so foolish? if he has become the commander of silver pigeon fort, of course, he is the son of baron philer." the old mage said awkwardly, "no, i have inquired, and baron philer''s eldest son is only fifteen years old." stay connected with empire cyrus exclaimed, "then it must be a nephew or someone similar. we should be able to get results quickly if we follow this lead." "also, send someone for reinforcements immediately. we need to attack silver pigeon fort once again." the old mage sighed and went to arrange these matters. cyrus glanced around at the generals of south serif, then looked at the ten or so knights from the people of baron standing nearby as straight as flagpoles. these men, from the arthur clan, had been trained from a young age in the bloodline mantra, specializing in the prime blood limit. originally, they were supposed to train as guards for the direct descendants of the arthur clan, but this time they were also sent out to protect jonathan. no one expected charles to be so cunning and brave enough to charge alone on horseback amidst thousands of troops and slay jonathan. thinking about this, cyrus was in great pain and was baffled as well. why, as a high order knight who practiced the flesh furnace, a secret technique, and mastered the golden requiem gunmanship, and consistently had the upper hand in battles, was he still unable to prevent charles from killing jonathan right before his eyes? he plunged into deep self-blame, overlooking a small detail. charles did not care about the mode of combat. if a sword was suitable, he used a sword; if an axe was better, he used an axe; if the anti-space sniper rifle was appropriate, he used it; if hockwell silver rhinoceros was the right choice, he used that... caught up in the knight''s spirit, he insisted on using the knight''s spear, never wore any firearms, and even believed that with his high order knight''s gunmanship, he could sweep away any enemy in combat... this was a difference in life attitudes and essential character traits between the two men, also leading to different outcomes. amid his grief, cyrus also stirred himself. jonathan had never had any offspring, and whether it was congenital or due to years of constant efforts for the restoration, leading to some physical problem, he had always regarded cyrus as his successor and trained him accordingly. with jonathan''s death, cyrus, no matter how grieved, knew that he had to be strong and continue to strive for lady southseraph''s restoration army. he was working hard to gather the scattered troops, collect intelligence, and request support. meanwhile, charles was bitterly awaiting lady southseraph''s attack. his previous efforts in battle had been nullified, and he must now withstand eighteen attacks from the restoration army before he could maze-ify silver pigeon fort. at this time, charles, having arranged military affairs, had already returned to the fort. this time he was much more delighted and selected six extraordinary weapons for taoles, philedrica, yellow bear, dobin, and two transcendents who had revealed their identity during the battle. these two transcendents had lived in silver pigeon fort for many years, treating this beautiful city as their hometown and had married and raised children here. their loyalty to silver pigeon fort was beyond question. Chapter 128 126. Silver Pigeon Fort Maze-ification Progress (2/18) one of them was named gwen, nicknamed the spotted deer! the other was called bankcroft, nicknamed the wind wolf! in their earlier years, they adventured together and after accumulating some wealth in middle age, they left the adventuring group and settled down in silver pigeon fort.both of them were tenth-grade knights, which means they had reached the peak in their breathing techniques and meditation technique, but they had never been able to obtain any knight''s certification, preventing them from advancing to the rank of intermediate knight. charles subtly expressed his intention to recruit them. initially, the two wanted to reject the offer, but looking at the extraordinary weapons in their hands, they ultimately felt too embarrassed to refuse and agreed to join the westwind knights. with the addition of gwen and bankcroft to his ranks, charles''s spirits were slightly lifted, giving him the sensation of being transported to the era of the three kingdoms, recruiting warriors of the age. even though the spotted deer gwen and the wind wolf bankcroft were not considered powerful transcendents in the old continent, the sense of achievement was still the same. once gwen and bankcroft joined the westwind knights, charles immediately established two combat squads of two hundred men each under their command. the main force of the westwind knights, barely considered competent soldiers, consisted of charles, dobin, taoles, philedrica, yellow bear, and the two newly-formed combat squads of two hundred each. the remaining combat squads still amounted to a mere rabble. charles''s direct combat squad was made up primarily of adventurers, along with some elite members of the patrolling army and premier fighters from the guilds. the combat squads led by taoles and philedrica consisted of female adventurers and members of the guilds. of course, dobin''s combat squad was based on the backbone of the patrolling army. yellow bear''s combat squad was composed purely of guild members. s§×ar?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. gwen and bankcroft''s squads were made up of the now ''annihilated'' yahoo knights and friends from their own adventuring days. some of their comrades from those days had also settled in silver pigeon fort with them. what surprised charles was that after a defensive battle at silver pigeon fort, although the westwind knights had lost five to six hundred men, their numbers had not declined but instead increased, reaching a total of seven thousand. many of the soldiers who had fled were warriors of the yahoo knights; after escaping back to silver pigeon fort, they now quietly chose to "return." charles also conducted another round of recruitment in silver pigeon fort. with the merit of defending silver pigeon fort and his remarkable achievement of charging alone into the enemy''s formation, killing the enemy commander, and defeating the south ceraph reclamation army, combined with his status as a behemoth person, he received much affection from the citizens of silver pigeon fort, making the recruitment process very smooth. charles even had the capacity to be selective, enlisting a group of strong, local men, which allowed the westwind knights to quietly expand to eight thousand members. charles dared not expand the army any further, because the finances of silver pigeon fort could not support an army that large. baron phile''s extravagant lifestyle meant he had not invested much in the army, and he had not set aside a substantial budget for the military. the next day, charles began to take inventory of the baron''s personal assets. he also sent someone back to strasbourg to invite louis simi and ross bard to visit silver pigeon fort. tasking taoles with the inventory of the baron''s personal assets was charles''s decision. after all, taoles was a young lady of the su mei family; the mere wealth of a baron was not enticing enough to cloud her judgment, and charles couldn''t trust the others with this task as much. he did not know how the empire would ultimately deal with his situation, but time was of the essence, so he had to seize every moment to liquidate the baron''s wealth. "agmillar''s labyrinth" could turn silver pigeon fort into a maze, but it would not convert the baron''s immovable property into assets under his name. it would be better to sell them off. the labyrinth was his, and so was the gold aegeus he had obtained from selling the real estate, equivalent to winning twice. some of the baron''s luxuries, although the maze-ification of silver pigeon fort could hide them, these luxuries were initially meant to flaunt value. hidden luxuries were meaningless; whom could he show off to in the labyrinth? therefore, he needed to liquidate them quickly as well. in short, to turn the baron''s wealth into charles mecklen''s wealth still required a bit of finesse¡ªit couldn''t be done just by maze-ification. charles had been enjoying peace for no more than five days when lady southseraph attacked silver pigeon fort again. it was cyrus who could not contain his hatred and, lacking reinforcements, carried out a test attack. in charles'' hands were now philedrica, taoles, yellow bear, the spotted deer gwen, and the wind wolf bankcroft, five transcendents. the westwind knights, after several battles, had become united, and with the support of the residents of silver pigeon fort and a large number of auxiliary militia, they easily repelled this attack. this increased the maze-ification progress to (1/18). charles, delighted by the repulsion of the south ceraph reclamation army, deliberately sent someone out of the city to provoke them, inciting cyrus to rage on the spot. he attacked silver pigeon fort a second time without regard for his exhausted troops and was ambushed by charles, who had set a trap and cut off his forces, defeating them once again. the maze-ification progress of silver pigeon fort advanced to (2/18). this victory had a different significance for charles; it was a straightforward and clear confrontation between two armies outside the city, a direct triumph. although strategy played a part, it at least showed that the current westwind knights had gained some semblance of form after several battles. cyrus retreated extremely quickly this time, which charles regretted deeply as he couldn''t lure the enemy into attacking silver pigeon fort once more. a few days later, before charles could await a third attack from the south ceraph reclamation army, he finally received a letter from grand duke joseph, who instructed him to strike fast and join the battle at interlaken city. the grand duke''s messenger was very arrogant, treating the thirty-fourth-ranked fourth-grade clerk chief as though he were a dog, commanding and rude in his speech. charles suppressed his anger and asked the messenger carefully, learning that the grand duke was trapped in the small town of interlaken under dire circumstances. righteously indignant, charles declared that he would set off to assist the duke the very next day. but the next day, charles was bedridden with a sudden stomach ache, preventing him from sending out troops. the grand duke''s messenger cursed at the door for a full day. on the third day, charles fell flat, injuring himself, which led to another delayed deployment. the grand duke''s messenger even kicked open his bedroom door, saw his legs wrapped up like rice dumplings, and then stormed off slamming the door. explore more stories with empire on the fourth day, the duke''s messenger urged him once more to dispatch his forces urgently and threatened charles that he would report his deliberate delay to the duke. finally, charles stopped making excuses. he found someone to impersonate lady southseraph to break the legs of the messenger and sent the man to cyrus, along with a letter filled with bitterly sarcastic and competent criticism. cyrus, unable to control his fury, killed the grand duke''s messenger and sent the head at a gallop to interlaken city, it was said that the duke vomited blood on the spot from anger. just as charles had dealt with the duke''s messenger, louis simi and ross bard arrived with their respective merchant caravans at silver pigeon fort. Chapter 129 127, how could this kind of goods be the killer who murdered Jonathan? the empire was highly vigilant and strictly restrictive regarding the nobles possessing supernatural power.as a seventh-ranked noble of the empire, baron philedrica was entitled to the protection of eight knights. at the onset of the war, he sent six of them to accompany the duke into battle in the southern seraph territory. later, during a covert attack on southern seraph, the remaining two extraordinary knights died alongside baron philedrica on the battlefield. thus, silver pigeon fort became nearly powerless. although baron philedrica possessed immense wealth, he never considered hiring outsiders, confident in his eight extraordinary knights. in the eastern great nation on earth, due to long-lasting peace, many young people do not grasp that hiring someone for labor and hiring someone to risk their life are never priced the same. charles had once wondered why baron philedrica didn''t hire a batch of detectives and adventurers. with time and a deeper understanding of this world, he finally grasped that hiring transcedents for tasks, murder, or war involvement were all differently priced affairs. a few fu ers could get a transcendent to do some tasks for you, a few aegeus might get a transcendent to kill for you, but at the lowest, the price would need to be ten times that to get a transcendent involved in war. after all, the first two were selling skills, but the latter was selling their life. the life of a transcendent was indeed quite valuable. baron philedrica had only a little over ten thousand aegeus in cash, enough to hire about a dozen transcedents for no more than ten days to fight for him. baron philedrica was reluctant to spend his money. nor was he willing to exchange his most precious collections for money to hire transcedents. charles was different, he valued life over money. he certainly wouldn''t use "precious" cash to hire transcedents, as that was his money. however, those luxury items that were hard to liquidate, sitting useless in the fort, could be converted into cash to hire transcendent-level detectives, which might help him survive the upcoming war, especially since those were baron philedrica''s collections. only the victor secures the richest fruits. the loser gains nothing. charles conspired within the pigeon fort for a day with two individuals, reaching two deals: he handed louis simi fifty luxury items and ross bard thirty-five luxury items. they would convert these into cash for him and use it to hire a group of detectives and adventurers. throughout, the two businessmen never met nor knew of each other''s existence. businessmen prioritize profit, but charles did not trust his entire fortune to the two businessmen, nor would he discuss more important matters with them. he simply intended to transform the baron''s wealth into a force that could assist him. s~ea??h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. while charles was making every effort to reinforce the fort''s defenses, cyrus had identified more than ten young people who had studied in strasbourg. in this era, of course, photographs did not exist, and even portraits were rare, so he had to rely on written documents to determine who might be the murderer of jonathan. curiously, the first document cyrus picked up was about charles mecklen. upon seeing that mister mecklen had a promiscuous private life and had once been chased sword-in-hand, running naked through the streets, he immediately tore up the document and discarded it, muttering, "how could such trash possibly be the murderer of jonathan?" as a disciplined man, cyrus greatly despised charles mecklen''s type, especially since charles had broken through the south ceraph reclamation army''s lines during a battle between two armies and killed jonathan with all his might! if this fellow named charles mecklen was so skilled, how could he possibly be chased by a sword, running naked through a bustling market? it is said that mister charles mecklen disrespected even his fianc¨¦e and had long proposed an annulment. such a person could kill jonathan, and in the bravest manner no less!? experience new stories with empire could this be making fun of me? charles was unsure whether louis simi and ross bard would bring him hope and assistance, or just take these luxury goods and watch to see if he would die at silver pigeon fort. but no matter how uncertain the future, he had to make this move, take a gamble; it was better than sitting on a gold mine and just waiting to die. he sent the two merchants away and locked himself in his room. this was originally baron philedrica''s bedroom, very spacious and also the highest point of pigeon fort, with two terraces that provided views over the entire town of silver pigeon fort as well as the vast plains outside the town. as for luxury, perhaps only those top mansions worth hundreds of millions on earth could compare. charles placed thirty extraordinary items before him, owning these treasures for many days but only now having the chance to truly admire them. baron philedrica had a total collection of forty-five extraordinary objects, of which six were taken to the battlefield and forever lost, three were borrowed and could not be recovered, and six were given by charles to taoles and philedrica, and granted to four subordinates: yellow bear, dobin, the spotted deer gwen, and the wind wolf bankcroft, leaving only thirty items remaining. of these, his favorite extraordinary item was undoubtedly a carriage known as ''dark luxury,'' which was now reverted to a gemstone ring, quietly worn on his left index finger. magic items and exceptional objects are also categorized into ranks, like the transcendent levels of humans: low order, intermediate rank, high order, and even the sacred order! however, as a baron, baron philedrica''s collection did not feature any sacred extraordinary items, but it did include two high order extraordinary items, one of which was dark luxury, and the other being floating flowers of prosperity, also crafted by the esteemed alchemist master stardust. floating flowers of prosperity was a flying tool. on the old continent, only sanctified individuals could fly, and flying tools below the sacred order were extremely rare, rarely seen even at the largest auctions on the old continent, perhaps appearing only once in over a decade. therefore, the price of floating flowers of prosperity exceeded even that of dark luxury; baron philedrica had spent years of taxes from silver pigeon fort to purchase it and hardly ever dared to use it after the purchase. saint alchemist master stardust also serendipitously came across some seeds of strange flowers from a foreign land, which, once bloomed, would not wither for years and naturally had a unique attribute that allowed them to float in the air. stardust had asked many people, but no one recognized these peculiar foreign flowers, so he named them: "floating world!" this sacred order alchemist, inspired by these flowers, created the floating flowers of prosperity. as he never obtained another batch of seeds of these peculiar flowers, he could not produce a second floating flowers of prosperity, which underlined the rarity of this extraordinary object. however, both flowers of prosperity and dark luxury were not extraordinary weapons and could not be used for combat. Chapter 130 128, Famous Painting Worldly Flowers is a floral crown, with delicate blooms and a wild charm, vying in five colors for beauty, not luxurious but somewhat better looking than a regular crown.Once worn on the head, it would be surrounded by fascinating flowers of five colors that slowly lifted into the air, allowing one to fly upon the blooms. As the lifting power came from exotic flowers, the speed and duration of flight depended on the cultivator''s mastery. Forged by Saint Alchemist Master Stardust, the Worldly Flowers could be powered by any energy; Fighting Spirit, Blood Energy, magic, or soul power¡ªall could control this extraordinary object. Charles had admired it for a while but had not been willing to keep it with him. He put it back in the box meant for holding the Worldly Flowers. Although these exotic flowers could remain unfading for years, they were quite fragile and no more hardy than average fresh flowers, and equally delicate and vulnerable. Even though Saint Alchemist Master Stardust had sealed the wondrous seeds within so that as long as the roots and branches remained undamaged, they could slowly blossom and repair the extraordinary object, few people were willing to use it carelessly. Charles thought it best to take the opportunity to sell it; the object was precious but not particularly practical. Besides these two high-order extraordinary items, the Baron''s collection consisted almost entirely of mid-level items¡ªafter all, he had a preference for high-quality objects. However, there were also two low-order extraordinary items: a pair of handguns named "Famous Paintings." These handguns weren''t weapons in the traditional sense. Shooting someone with one of them would leave the target completely unaware, but firing the other at a wall or a canvas would create a lifelike portrait of that person. The portrait could interact simply by singing, dancing, smiling, showing annoyance, or seductive gestures. However, it lacked real logic, reacting like a puppet on strings. The handguns "Famous Paintings" could only produce five magical portraits. If a sixth was made, the first would disappear, always maintaining the number at five. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon acquiring these handguns, Charles''s first thought was that he should sell them. They were merely amusing trifles, utterly useless. With the money from selling them, wouldn''t it be better to go on a real date with a beautiful girl? He then recalled Anne Brittany and mused, "If I could hang Anne''s magical portrait at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58..." "Tsk!" "I should give these handguns to Anne and then have her give me her magical portrait." Suddenly, Charles became clever. He picked up the five magical portraits secretly hidden by the Baron, curious about which beauties the Baron had collected. Obviously, such things couldn''t be seen by the Baron''s wife, so instead of being displayed on a wall in the castle, they had been kept secret. Upon revealing the first magical portrait, Charles''s initial reaction was a sense of familiarity. He was sure he hadn''t met this lady before, with her sultry looks and gorgeous appearance, slightly older in age but with a mature charm and a touch of sentimentality. After pondering for a moment, Charles suddenly broke into a cold sweat as he found numerous indescribable scenes with this lady in his memory. Charles was shocked on the spot and thought, "Damn! Did Mister Charles Mecklen have such a high-end game in his early years?" The magic portrait was indeed as lively as a "short video," with glimmering eyes that seemed to look right at you, filled with life. Charles dared not to look any longer and quickly closed the magic portrait. He didn''t recognize the lady, but he had "memories" of her¡ªshe was the wife of another baron from the Behemoth Duchy. Of course, that baron had no idea about it, and neither did any other baron. Otherwise, how could Sherlock Mecklen have possibly continued his studies in Strasbourg? He would have been strangled by one of the barons long ago. Charles switched to another magic portrait, and his first reaction was a sense of familiarity¡ªit was a young girl, vibrant and lively, with a hint of spring in her eyes and brows. She was quite similar to the woman in the first portrait, a beauty in her own right, and he hurriedly closed the portrait, not daring to look any longer. He also had memories of this young girl¡ªshe was the daughter of the lady in the first portrait¡­ Even though Charles''s memory had become incredibly sharp after facing the Evil God directly, many things would settle into the depths of his memory if he didn''t think of them. They were like books tucked away in the deepest part of a library that go unseen unless someone borrows them. Their knowledge doesn''t vanish¡ªit simply isn''t seen. "Holy shit! Mister Charles Mecklen, how did you manage not to get beaten to death back in the Behemoth Duchy?" "Maybe Kahnstan killed you because the Evil God couldn''t stand your messy life, being too upright to ignore it." Charles didn''t even know if that was self-mockery. He struggled for a while before he started to look at the other three magic portraits, releasing three relieved sighs in succession. He didn''t recognize these three ladies and there were no unspeakable images of them in his memory. Although they were all quite attractive, they would no longer cause Mister Mecklen to be "shocked to his core." Charles suppressed the old memories that were bubbling up in his mind. He didn''t want his spirit to be corrupted, so he carefully put away the three magic portraits, planning to burn them later. Among the twenty-six mid-level transcendent items left by Baron Feil, nineteen were non-combat items. Like dark luxury, worldly splendor, and famous paintings, they were valuable and each had its unique use, but they couldn''t be used in combat. He wasn''t particularly interested in them, so he focused his remaining attention on the seven extraordinary weapons. Baron Feil''s collection didn''t contain any bloodsucking weapons from the Blood Clan, nor creations from classical alchemy. Perhaps the baron had a preference for classic alchemy, as all the extraordinary weapons he collected were creations of classic alchemy. Among the six extraordinary objects Charles had sent out, two were magic guns given to two ladies, a magical stabbing sword to Dobin, a giant axe to Yellow Bear, and two knight''s spears to his newly subdued folks, Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft. Your next journey awaits at empire Of the remaining seven extraordinary weapons, five were magic stabbing swords, which Charles had no interest in since he was not short on extraordinary weapons, especially after he obtained the Blood Rose. The remaining two were magic gun holsters, which happened to be exactly what Charles needed. The hallmark of classic alchemy was the antispace technology, which allowed items with antispace attributes to be hidden within any object, making them incredibly convenient to carry. Classical alchemy lacked this technology but had the ancient magic bag technique, which was severely limited. It required very high-end magic materials and constant input of energy to maintain once something was placed inside, unlike the easily realized antispace technology. Previously, Charles had considered purchasing a piece of spatial equipment, but these items cost far more than the antispace extraordinary items, easily exceeding a thousand Aegeus. Back then, his total wealth was a little over a thousand Aegeus, so he couldn''t afford to buy one. These two magic gun holsters could only fit two long guns, five handguns, and a thousand rounds of ammunition. However, due to spatial repulsion, they couldn''t contain antispace alchemical magic guns, making them far superior to the integrated space bullet bag belonging to Magru Teller, the former warden of Kilmainham Prison who merged with the Cursed Armament. Chapter 131 129. Magic Gun Bag Magru Teller''s Cursed Armament was rooted in the user''s physique and soul. In a sense, the user''s physique and soul were also part of the materials for the curse technique, completely inseparable. If the user died, the Cursed Armament was destroyed as well.After his death, the Cursed Armament turned into remnants of curse technique, and the bullet pouch for Extraordinary Firearms perished alongside it. Charles sold it to a passing detective from the Westwind Knights, Reggie Asu, for twenty-five Aegeus. Both of these magic gun pouches were leather gloves that exposed five fingers and possessed attributes that made them extremely difficult to wear out and kept them dust-free. Baron Philed was excessively particular about his collection of magic items. He did not fancy weapons, especially not Extraordinary Firearms, so his collection contained only two magic guns, which had been given by Charles to Lady Taoles and Philedrica. Charles did not feel any regret, as these people helped him guard Silver Pigeon Fort; the weapons were of no use to him. Entrusting them to those who could utilize them better was the right decision. Charles was admiring these Extraordinary Items and had to admit, the Baron''s taste was indeed exquisite. Aside from the lack of magic weapons, each piece in his collection was quite extraordinary, mostly worth hundreds of Aegeus, and a few even exceeding a thousand. These were the true representations of Baron Philed''s riches. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Charles asked, "Who is it?" A voice came from outside, tinged with excitement, "It''s me, Dobin. I have some great news to share with you." Charles, of course, would not entertain a gentleman in his bedroom. He opened the door and asked, "What''s the good news?" With a proud smile, Dobin spread his arms wide, his body emanating a faint, misty light. Charles, surprised, asked, "Fighting Spirit? Have you advanced to a knight?" Dobin nodded emphatically. He had once attended Habock Public School alongside Zimmerman Axel Robin. If it weren''t for being forced to leave, he certainly would not have advanced to knighthood at such an old age. Charles had never inquired about this aspect of Dobin''s life, but recognizing the familiar glow on his body, he couldn''t help but ask, "A Radiant Knight?" Dobin answered, "Yes! I bought a Cultivation Secret Scroll for Radiant Knights at a high price, and have been diligently practicing the Radiant Breathing Method. I just got that Magic Stabbing Sword and couldn''t resist practicing the swordsmanship for a while longer. I didn''t expect to break through." While Charles felt happy for him, he couldn''t help recalling another high-order Knight who practiced the Radiant Breathing Method, Harriet Alva, the brother of the detective Addison from Westwind Knights, and the only opponent he''d ever defeated in a duel. Although that time, he wasn''t alone. He had help from Lord Leo and even utilized a firearm, which he had promised not to use. Well, he had won nonetheless. Dobin was as jubilant as a child. He prided himself on his excellent swordsmanship and talent, but he was only able to blend into the Patrolling Army, where he served as an inconsequential forty-seventh tier third-level sergeant, dealing with trivial tasks. His heart often felt heavy, though he appeared cheerful. This time, following Charles out to battle, he worked tirelessly, taking on both his responsibilities and those not assigned to him, without a single complaint. However, as new figures such as the Yellow Bear, Philedrica, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft began to emerge around Charles, he grew increasingly restless and developed a sense of crisis. Having broken through the power seed and gained Fighting Spirit to become a knight, Dobin just wanted to share with Charles, despite Charles not being an ideal person to share with. Charles said, "Gather everyone, let''s celebrate with some drinks." Dobin agreed and sent someone to inform the other colleagues. The Silver Pigeon Fort was now occupied by the Westwind Knights, with several leaders having their own rooms. Charles had even incorporated the original baron''s servant directly into his battle squad for easy command. Soon, several people gathered in the banquet hall of Silver Pigeon Fort. However, since it was rather rushed, the kitchen was still preparing the food, and only a few barrels of beer and a batch of fruit wine were available for now. Charles raised his glass first and said, "Here''s to Dobin becoming a knight." Whether it was Taoles, Philedrica, or Yellow Bear, none of them were surprised by this; they all knew that Dobin''s swordsmanship was outstanding and his foundation was solid, and that it was only a matter of time before he would break through. The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, although Tenth Grade Knights themselves, were adventurers and had become knights later in age than Dobin, and they sincerely congratulated him. While his subordinates, although Taoles and Philedrica could hardly be counted as such, the former only being a subordinate and the latter more of an infiltrator, were around, Charles wanted to say something to boost morale. He said in a solemn voice, "Before the new orders from the Empire are issued, we might be staying at Silver Pigeon Fort for a long time. Although we have achieved many victories along the way, we ultimately failed to save the baron and his family, and I don''t know if there will be any punishment. But I can promise that I will take any responsibility and share any rewards with all of you." Just as Charles was going to continue his motivational speech, having no military skills except for this little skill developed from being a teacher, someone hurriedly came in to report, "Lord Captain, Lady Southseraph is here again." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles put down his wine glass, walked out of the banquet hall without a word, and without needing his order, Taoles, Philedrica, Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft followed him up to the city walls. From afar, Charles saw his "old acquaintance" Cyrus and couldn''t help but shout with raised energy, "Cyrus, care for a duel between men?" Cyrus, who despised him immensely, knew that Charles was "too scheming," still stepped out, wielded the Black Knight''s Lance, and said, "Come down then!" Stay connected with empire Charles hadn''t expected that Cyrus actually planned to duel himself. After having fought Cyrus, he knew the man was genuinely skilled. Although he had made continuous breakthroughs in battle and mastered two moves from the Asiluo Clan''s Angel''s Sonata Swordsmanship, he considered that given the great difference in their grades, a one-on-one battle would be difficult to win. Moreover, he couldn''t leave Silver Pigeon Fort, otherwise the maze-ification would fail, so he had just been provoking his opponent casually. Seeing Cyrus stand before the assembled troops, he chuckled and said, "Just kidding, you took it seriously?" Cyrus, furious, shouted, "Don''t you have any knightly spirit at all?" Charles responded, "I don''t practice Fighting Spirit, I am not even a knight, so where would I get any knightly spirit from?" With Charles''s previous battle achievements, having single-handedly broken through the enemy''s army and killed Lady Southseraph''s leader Jonathan, despite his claim of joking, neither the Westwind Knights nor the militia of Silver Pigeon Fort believed he was afraid to fight, and they started to stir loudly, cheering for Charles and continuously mocking Cyrus. Cyrus stared at Charles, smiled coldly, gestured with his hand, and two groups of South Serif warriors brought up several hundred heads, divided into three piles on the ground. He said, "I heard you are from Behemoth, so I randomly picked three families who had someone accepted into Strasbourg University, slaughtered them all. Do you want to check if any of your family members are here?" Chapter 132 130. The Duchesss Messenger Charles was startled; he truly hadn''t anticipated that Lady Southseraph could be so utterly ruthless.He strained his eyes looking into the distance, even using Insight to see those three piles of heads, none of which belonged to anyone he knew. However, his heart trembled slightly as he thought to himself, "I''d better pretend, just in case he actually finds the family of Charles Mecklen." Although he very much wanted to sever ties with the past of Charles Mecklen, he didn''t wish for it to end in such a tragic way. After all, Charles''s elder brother had been kind to him. Even though he had not wanted him to interfere with the family business, he wasn''t stingy when it came time to divide the inheritance; he had been quite fair. At this thought, Charles burst into loud wailing, pretending to leap down from the battlements to fight Cyrus to the death, while whispering, "Quick, stop me!" Dobin and Yellow Bear were closest to Charles and, hearing his command, although puzzled by the order, they did not hesitate and went up to hold him back. As Charles struggled fiercely, he exclaimed, "Let me go, I want to kill this bastard, I want him to pay with his blood for this debt!" Seeing Charles reacting like this, Cyrus felt a weight lift from his heart and a tad bit of satisfaction, thinking to himself, "I indeed chose the right course; I truly have killed his entire family." The Westwind Knights and the militias from Silver Pigeon Fort, witnessing this scene, thought Charles was genuinely grief-stricken. They believed Cyrus had actually slaughtered Charles''s entire family. Instantly, they were united in their animosity and fought side by side, filled with furious roars, and the voices of thousands cursed Lady Southseraph for her shamelessness. Cyrus didn''t bother to argue with the Westwind Knights and the militias on the battlements. With a wave of his hand, the South Ceraph Reclamation Army swarmed forward, initiating the "third" siege. Charles told Dobin and Yellow Bear they needn''t hold him back any longer and threw himself into the battle. The classic volley of rifles, handguns, and bows and arrows, followed by Transcendents each leading their own combat squads to defend a section of the wall, commanding the other squads and the militias of Silver Pigeon Fort. After more than two hours of fierce fighting, Cyrus, seeing that the walls of Silver Pigeon Fort could not be breached, ordered his troops to withdraw, leaving behind hundreds of corpses. This siege was not very intense and the defense was relatively relaxed, which allowed the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort to progress to (3/18). Charles wished that Cyrus would attack a few more times, but this time, Cyrus had come to deliver "heads," to confirm whether Charles''s family had been killed or not. The siege was simply opportunistic and he had no intention of continuing the battle. Watching Cyrus''s retreat, Charles became worried, thinking to himself, "At this rate of fighting, when will Silver Pigeon Fort be fully maze-ified?" "Only when Silver Pigeon Fort is fully maze-ified can I move all of Baron Ferlanden''s assets and take greater control of this city, further interpret ''Agmillar''s Labyrinth,'' and prevent the arrival of the Evil God." The danger of two Evil Gods possibly descending at any moment hung over Charles like the Sword of Damocles, always ready to fall and utterly obliterate him. After all, Charles was not a military man, nor was he well-versed in this world, his vision limited to Silver Pigeon Fort. What he didn''t know was that at this time, the war machines of several major empires had already been set in motion. Just in the Southern Seraph Territory alone, Byron had deployed two imperial armies. By now, Grand Duke Joseph was completely out of resources, with no external reinforcements, and the messengers he had sent out had been "killed by Lady Southseraph." His heart was filled with bitter frustration. He kept writing letters to his wife, expressing his deep love for her just as Uncle Ferdinand adored Auntie Ferlanden. He also continually sent people to Strasbourg for help, hoping that an army would come to rescue him from dire straits. However, the Fars Empire, aside from dispatching the Westwind Knights, surprisingly maintained silence and did not send a second army into Behemoth Duchy. It was not until recently that three knight orders belonging to Fars invaded Ferlanden of Byron! Ferlanden''s standing in Byron far exceeded that of Behemoth Duchy in Fars. His Majesty Emperor Julius Axtel VI of Fars evidently intended to abandon Behemoth Duchy, allowing Grand Duke Joseph to tie down Byron''s forces while Fars''s main forces would enter like a dagger, thrusting straight into the heart of Byron. On the second day after the Fars Empire''s knighthood struck at Ferlanden, the Black Phoenix Dynasty also declared war. As the sworn enemy of the Fars Empire, they would only choose to support Byron. The various beastman tribes of the southern continent also subsequently announced their support for Byron, leaving the situation of the Fars Empire perilously dire, surrounded by a tripartite alliance. The future of the world was uncertain, but at least at this moment, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Fars. On the second day following Cyrus''s retreat, the Lady of Grand Duke Joseph also sent a messenger. This messenger was one of the Grand Duchess''s personal maidservants, and she arrived at Silver Pigeon Fort with three guards. The last messenger from the Grand Duke had been an unpleasant experience for Charles, but faced with the duchess''s maid, he had to show some courtesy, after all, he too was a Behemoth. This maidservant of the Grand Duchess, named Belisa, was only nineteen years old, very young, and also quite the beauty. Upon entering Silver Pigeon Fort, she requested a private audience with Charles. Charles received the Grand Duchess''s personal maidservant on a terrace within the Pigeon Fort. Belisa took several deep breaths to calm her emotions before saying to Charles, "Mister Mecklen, you are now the only knighthood within Behemoth Duchy." Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "Did Grand Duke Joseph take all the troops away?" Belisa nodded and said, "Originally, there was also Baron Felman''s Yahoo Knights, but he was unfortunately ambushed by Lady Southseraph, and his forces were completely annihilated. Therefore, there are no other organized troops left within Behemoth Duchy." Discover hidden tales at empire "But the Grand Duke needs help. I am here specifically on behalf of the Duchess to request Mister Mecklen to travel to Interlaken City and fight alongside the Duke''s men. Please depart today." Charles thought, "I''m still waiting for the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort!" "Moreover, what do I care about the Duke''s life or death? Although the Westwind Knights have fought a few battles and vaguely honed a semblance of military presence, they are still a motley crew. Even if I went to Interlaken City, it would only mean marching to my death." He shook his head and said, "Silver Pigeon Fort is also in grave danger. Those damned South Serif women have already attacked Silver Pigeon Fort a few times. I must protect this place." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Belisa took several deep breaths again and said in a low voice, "I apologize, Mister Mecklen. The Duchess guessed you might be in trouble, so she has already invited your father, brother, and all your family to her estate." Cyrus, as a South Serif, did not know the details about Charles''s background and could not find his real family. But the Grand Duchess had long been aware of who the commander of the Westwind Knights was, what his family was like¡ªthese details were clearly written in the documents that arrived from Strasbourg. Chapter 133 131, please give up on the people of Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles'' brow furrowed slightly, extremely displeased with the Duchess; this was an outright threat.Belisa took another deep breath to suppress the anxiety in her heart and said, "Please give up the people of Silver Pigeon Fort." "The safety of the Duke far exceeds that of Silver Pigeon Fort. Your presence here has no significance for the overall war situation; only by rescuing the Duke can this war be completely reversed." "Mister Mecklen, please consider the bigger picture." As a transmigrator, Charles naturally felt a sense of alienation from everyone in this world, but having fought alongside the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort for so long, he had developed a subtle and different kind of affection for them. To let him abandon the people of Silver Pigeon Fort to save a Duke Joseph, about whom he knew next to nothing, was utterly preposterous! Was this not absurd? It was messing with Charles himself. Belisa, a maidservant by the Duchess'' side, was naive; she had dedicated her young life to serving the Duke''s family, believing that serving them outweighed everything else. She used this belief to persuade Charles. The young girl had thought that Charles would surely show deep emotion and demonstrate what loyalty meant... Although Belisa was a maidservant, she had accompanied the Duchess to many high-class events and was highly noticeable at many sophisticated banquets, with not a few young noble gentlemen showing their interest in her. Thus, in the heart of the young girl, she believed that by simply speaking out, it would be difficult for a young man to refuse her. This was the unmatched confidence built over the years from continuously receiving the favors of young men. Charles only replied, "I need to consider!" He planned to have a stomach ache again tomorrow. Just suffer for three more days for now. Belisa stood up and loudly said, "The Duke''s life hangs by a thread, and you are a Behemoth man; what else is there to hesitate about, what else is there to consider? For the sake of the Duke, is that not an undeniable reason?" Charles really couldn''t suppress his anger and answered, "The Duke is someone''s dad, but not mine. He''s just the Duke of Behemoth Duchy. My most vivid memory of Archduke Ferdinand from my childhood is of him imposing several taxes each year." Belisa, infuriated, nearly jumped and shouted, "You only remember the taxes, but don''t you recall who protected you, allowing your family to live and work in peace, and enjoy a peaceful life?" Charles chuckled softly, "I remember our family''s caravan being robbed by bandits once. When my father asked the Duke for help, the Duke charged a fee but did nothing. He waited what must have been seven or eight years without seeing the Duke dispatch troops to wipe out those bandits, but he did see the Duke send troops into the South Serif Territory." "Moreover, I always thought that after a hundred years, it would be Ferdinand''s children who inherited the dukedom, not Joseph." Belisa could not withstand such cunning argumentation, and soon the young girl began to speak incoherently; she felt every word the other said ''made sense,'' but these ideas conflicted with the beliefs she had held since childhood. The two argued for half an hour, and Belisa ended up sitting on the ground, sobbing loudly. Charles discarded the duchess''s maid and gracefully left the terrace, arguing with Belisa was simply a waste of time. No sooner had Charles left than Belisa''s three guards rushed in. Seeing the girl in such grief, all three were furiously enraged. A blond young man drew his side sword and said, "I must duel with Charles for making Miss Belisa cry, it''s utterly unforgivable." Far from stopping him, the other two said in unison, "Charles is indeed a brute, unforgivable. We''ll stay here with Belisa for a while. Mosa, after you defeat Charles, remember to bring Miss Belisa some fruit wine and bread. She hasn''t eaten anything all day because of the journey." Mosa, looking at his two companions who were comforting Belisa, suddenly felt that not dueling might be better, that keeping Belisa company was more important. But having already spoken, he had no choice but to grit his teeth, charging out of the terrace, and he found Charles who had just returned to the city walls. He shouted, "You made Miss Belisa cry. You must apologize to her, or I will challenge you to a duel and tarnish your reputation." Charles glanced at him incredulously and said, "Miss Belisa is crying because she heard some bad news. I left her alone, hoping she could have some peace." "What does her crying have to do with me?" "If you want a duel, go find Cyrus!" "From here, it''s only four hours at most before you see his camp." Mosa hadn''t expected that there would be people like Charles in the world. For a moment, he didn''t know whether he should really jump down from the city wall and go find Cyrus for a duel. Mosa''s intelligence clearly told him that someone was making a fool of him, but he couldn''t swallow his pride and fiercely said, "Don''t let me find out that you have offended Miss Belisa, otherwise I definitely won''t let you off." Charles, utterly fed up, used the Quickness Technique, Spirit Spider Technique, and the recently mastered Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. With a flicker of his body, he moved behind Mosa and kicked him off the city wall. When he delivered the kick, there was no warning, and it was incredibly fast. Mosa, even as an intermediate-rank knight, hadn''t even processed what was happening before he was hit. As he fell through the air, he twisted his body and landed squarely on his feet, bellowing in fury, "You dare to ambush me?" Gripping his sword, Mosa leapt effortlessly back onto the city wall as it wasn''t very high. Charles coolly said, "So, this time it shouldn''t be considered an ambush, right?" He met the young knight head-on with another kick, hitting him in the face and once again sending him over the city wall. Both times Charles kicked, he had held back, as after all, the other party didn''t warrant a death sentence; it was just a quarrel over pride. This time, when Mosa fell to the ground, he roared, leapt up at the same time, and brandished his side sword, creating a flurry of sword flowers to protect his face and upper body, and charged up the city wall again. Charles stepped forward, brushed past Mosa, and with a deft sweep of his leg, tripped the young knight, sending him tumbling down for the third time. Charles suddenly felt it was really pointless to "bully a child". Originally, he was a teacher who had never fought in his life. Charles Mecklen was nothing extraordinary in swordsmanship, gunmanship, or close combat, but after just a few dozen days since his arrival, and several brutal battles, he had already become quite a "master." "I should be close to advancing to the seventh rank, becoming a mid-level transcendent," he thought. Charles no longer glanced at Mosa, who had again climbed back to the city wall. Mosa didn''t dare continue to fight with Charles and dejectedly went to find his Miss Belisa. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 134 132. Such a Man The distant horns sounded, and a much larger army from South Serif once again appeared on the horizon; Cyrus''s reinforcements had finally arrived, and he launched the "Fourth Siege".Belisa and her three guards had been desperately persuading Charles to rescue Duke Joseph, even subtly threatening him with his parents and brothers, but Charles remained unmoved and cleverly leaked this information. As a result, whenever he was on the city tops, preparing for war with a "pained" expression, he would receive adoring glances from the people of Silver Pigeon Fort. Many even looked at him with pity, believing that "Charles sacrificed his own future and family for them". Most notably, Charles "never spoke" of it and stoically swallowed the bitter brew, which only enhanced his stature. This also meant that every time the beautiful Miss Belisa and her three guards appeared at the city top, they faced universal disdain from the people of Silver Pigeon Fort, who regarded them as a "flood and wild beasts". Had Belisa not been a messenger for the Duchess, she might have already been clubbed and handed over to Lady Southseraph. No one could endure being abandoned during war, facing enemy slaughter alone. Only a naive maid like Belisa could think that everyone would be willing to sacrifice for the Duke. Belisa looked at Charles standing on the city top, growing increasingly anxious. This Westwind Knights was the only military force inside Behemoth Duchy. If it was wasted on Silver Pigeon Fort, there would be no help left for Duke Joseph. Remembering the Duchess''s last instructions and torn inside, she looked towards the direction of Interlaken City and suddenly made up her mind. She walked up to Charles, attempted to speak several times, but remembering the information received by Grand Duke Joseph''s wife about this man once chased naked through the streets by someone''s husband, she couldn''t bring herself to decide. Biting her lip, Belisa thought sadly, "The Duchess said, if even using his family doesn''t coerce him to send troops, there''s only one last resort left¡ªto sacrifice myself..." "Such a man..." "I really cannot accept." "But the Duke is still in Interlaken City waiting for reinforcements." As Belisa wrestled with her thoughts, when she saw Charles commanding his men, preparing for battle, she took several deep breaths, closed her eyes, and said loudly, "Mister Mecklen, if you agree to abandon Silver Pigeon Fort and go to rescue Grand Duke Joseph in Interlaken City, I am willing to date you." It was as if Charles heard the funniest thing in the world. He couldn''t help but look at the most beautiful maid amongst the Duchess''s entourage with an "Are you freaking crazy?" expression. He also admitted Belisa was a pretty girl, probably on par with his ex-fianc¨¦e, Silvie Martin. Silvie was full of vitality, Belisa was refined and elegant, and having spent years with the Duchess, had even developed a calm and composed aristocratic demeanor. But...he had a better, legitimate girlfriend! For a moment, Charles did not know what to say; he was utterly dumbfounded. The warriors of the Westwind Knights burst into various fits of laughter. Anne frequently visited number one on Sparrowhawk Street, and most of the old members of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army knew Charles was dating the Earl''s daughter, the young Miss Brittany. Belisa, hearing the laughter of the Westwind Knights, thought they were happy for Charles. After all, as Charles'' subordinates, they ought to be pleased at his chance with such a beautiful young lady. The three guards showed expressions of grief and anger. They had known about this plan before they set off. As admirers of Belisa, they couldn''t accept this arrangement, but they were forced to, as Duke Joseph''s safety was paramount. They quietly waited for Charles to accept it all. They believed no one could refuse Belisa. They were saddened... Charles gestured and finally said to Taoles, "You explain it." Taoles put down her hand covering her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter, and asked softly, "Miss Belisa, did you go to college?" Belisa''s face turned red, and she murmured, "I have self-studied courses from the University of Georgia." She was ultimately just a maid and had never actually attended college. Despite her feeling that if given the chance, she would definitely manage to get into a university. Taoles said, "Do you know that the University of Georgia has twelve goddesses?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mosa stepped forward and loudly said, "If Miss Belisa had the opportunity to attend the University of Georgia, she would surely become one of the twelve goddesses." Taoles slightly smiled and said, "I believe so too." Although he said he believed, Taoles did not think so at all. The twelve goddesses of the University of Georgia were always the most outstanding current female students. As the Laurel Goddess, Taoles did not think Miss Belisa qualified except for her appearance, which barely made the cut. In terms of family background, temperament, learning, performance, and even the path of Transcendence, she could match the University of Georgia''s twelve goddesses. The Laurel Goddess said, "Charles has a girlfriend he is dating who is the daughter of Earl Brittany and also the West Wind Goddess of the University of Georgia, hence his knighthood is named the Westwind Knights." Belisa''s face turned pale, and after a long while, she whispered softly, "How could he possibly win Miss Brittany''s heart?" "That''s impossible!" Charles helplessly shrugged his shoulders and replied, "You know, the Serpent of Destiny sometimes plays jokes on mortals." "Those who can withstand the jokes sometimes receive rewards." "I don''t know how it awarded me with Anne." "Praise the nine True Gods, praise the Lady Black Moon, praise the Serpent of Destiny!" Belisa grew paler and said, "I don''t believe it!" Charles took out the Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros Mk-10, turning the handle of the gun around, and said, "This is the gift Anne gave me before I went on a campaign, from Earl Brittany''s private collection, unquestionably genuine." Belisa covered her pretty face and ran away frantically, her three escorts also hurried to comfort the lady''s maid. A duke''s lady''s maid indeed holds a status higher than that of a minor noble, but she could never compare to an authentic earl''s daughter. Belisa truly could not understand how a scoundrel like Charles could win the favor of Miss Brittany, nor could she grasp why the "masterstroke" she discussed with the duke''s wife had turned into a humiliating blunder. Charles had the earl''s daughter as a girlfriend, how could he possibly accept a lady''s maid? Even if it was the Grand Duke Joseph''s lady''s maid! Taoles watched as they disappeared from sight and asked, "Does it feel especially good to boast about having a count''s daughter as a girlfriend?" Charles seriously answered, "A man with broad horizons will only use this to spur himself on, not to brag." "If it weren''t for the incredible things Miss Belisa said¡­ too preposterous. I wouldn''t have sought Taoles''s help to refuse her." "My loyalty to Miss Annie Brittany must be acknowledged by the Lady Black Moon." Charles spoke righteously, spouting high-sounding but barely believable nonsense. Yet, he heard crisp applause. For a moment, he thought someone was mocking him. The next second, his face changed. Was it the enemy? Chapter 135 Is that you, 133? The applause didn''t come from anyone beside Charles.It meant that someone had invaded silently and even Insight had no reaction. What frightened Charles even more was that he found everyone around him frozen: Taoles, Philedrica, Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankroft, along with all the Westwind Knights and the militia of Silver Pigeon Fort were all like wax statues, their expressions vivid but stiff, even the wind had disappeared. For a moment, Charles wanted to summon the Evil God and die together with this mysterious and terrifying enemy. With a click, Charles loaded the six Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets into the magazine of the Hurkweil Silver Rhino Mk-10 and began to look for the enemy. An elegant lady, approximately in her forties or fifties, descended from midair, step by step. She exuded a noble and luxurious demeanor, but her clothes clearly indicated her identity; she was not a noblewoman but a female butler. Charles stuttered as he spoke, calling out, "Mama Karen!?" "How did you come to Silver Pigeon Fort?" The Sacred Mama Karen smiled faintly and said, "Anne wouldn''t settle down and even had a row with the Earl, so I came." Mama Karen didn''t detail that Anne had broken down in tears when she received Charles''s will, the young miss of the Brittany Family had been ready to chase after Charles out of Strasbourg and live or die with him. How could Earl Brittany possibly allow that? He had a big argument with his daughter and, facing her persistence, had to make a concession, allowing Anne to promise not to leave Strasbourg, and sent Mama Karen to follow Charles, to protect his safety. Caught between her emotions and her reason, Anne chose reason. After all, she was a First Rank Transcendent and wouldn''t be of much help by Charles''s side, but if Mama Karen took action, she could ensure Charles''s safe return. Mama Karen had intended to observe quietly from the sidelines, only intervening when Charles was in danger to save him, not wanting to disturb the war. But Charles''s performance just now had been so impressive that she couldn''t help but applaud and decided to appear. Anne had grown up in front of Mama Karen since she was young, and in her eyes, she was like her own daughter, needing careful protection. Mama Karen hadn''t been very fond of Charles nor did she believe he was the man destined for Anne''s life. But in this war, Charles''s performance had improved with each time, "brave and wise," "commanding with authority," very much like the Earl in his younger days. Especially since he dared to charge alone and, in the midst of thousands from the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, he killed Jonathan, which made her look upon Charles with new respect and decided to disregard the young man''s past. Although that past... Well, it''s best not to dwell on it. Mama Karen thought to herself, "What man doesn''t play the fool when he''s young? Ever since he met Anne, he has reformed and become a new person, and the courage he displayed in the war cannot be faked." "Especially this time, having made two significant achievements in a row, when the war is over and he returns with honors, he''ll be worthy of Anne." Charles had no idea what the old Mama was thinking; to him, Mama Karen was the most terrifying existence he had encountered since crossing over, second only to the "three Evil Gods." In the presence of a Sacred Order, he was filled with trepidation, always worried that the old Mama would slap him to death on a whim. It wasn''t that Charles was being unnecessarily anxious; Mister Mecklen''s past was indeed too unsightly to behold. Charles, with respectful demeanor, hurriedly said, "Those South Serif people will be attacking the city soon, Mama Karen, please hasten to rest inside the fort, so as not to disturb you, my lady." The old Mama became even more pleased with these words. At a time when battle was about to commence, Charles''s concern was for the elderly, worried she might be disturbed, rather than using her to join the fight. Mama Karen laughed and said, "Don''t worry, I''m at least a..." Suddenly, the world came back to life, and countless chaotic sounds rang out loudly and in confusion. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was slightly stunned by the sudden liveliness of the world and took a moment to recognize these voices. "Sacred Order!" "The South Serif people have deployed a Sacred Order!" "Damn it, these despicable South Serif people, they are too shameless." "What do we do?" "Goddess of the Black Moon above, save the poor people of Silver Pigeon Fort." Mama Karen never expected that someone would steal her lines. The old lady looked up to the sky where a man in his thirties, dressed in coarse clothes with thick eyebrows and big eyes, stood hundreds of meters high in the air, barehanded, his stance tall and straight like a spear, proudly looking down upon Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles exclaimed in shock, "What''s happening?" Mama Karen calmly said, "A Sacred Order has arrived, I''ve withdrawn a layer of the Dreamscape!" Charles finally caught on and asked in a low voice, "Did you also graduate from the University of Georgia?" Mama Karen smiled and said, "Yes." Charles sincerely said, "Georgia is a good university." Mama Karen said indifferently, "I was there when you spoke to Anne." Charles suddenly became embarrassed and dared not speak; this old lady was really too frightening. Indeed, a Sacred Order truly deserves the name! This man in his thirties, dressed in coarse clothing, with thick eyebrows and big eyes¡ªas soon as the Sacred Order made their appearance, it filled everyone in Silver Pigeon Fort with despair. Only a Sacred Order can contend with another Sacred Order. And in everyone''s hearts at Silver Pigeon Fort, it was certain that there wasn''t a single Sacred Order member present. Taoles lowered his voice and said, "Charles, this is bad for you; if I die, I won''t let you off!" Philedrica also said with a bitter face, "I should''ve left long ago; I shouldn''t have stayed. What was I thinking to defend Silver Pigeon Fort with you?" Yellow Bear''s complexion grew dim as he said quietly, "Captain, if you survive, remember to take care of my family." Dobin swallowed hard, his heart filled with grief and anger. He had just been promoted to Knight and now he''d encountered a Sacred Order! Why did it have to be like this? The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft were old comrades in arms. They bumped fists and said softly, "For Silver Pigeon Fort." "For our homeland." "This is our fate..." The morale at Silver Pigeon Fort suddenly plummeted to rock bottom. If Charles had first seen the Sacred Order of Lady Southseraph, he would have certainly felt as desperate as everyone else, but he saw Mama Karen first, which gave him a sense of exclusive relief. He smiled slightly and called out loudly, "Don''t despair! I will lead everyone to repel Lady Southseraph again, even if they have a Sacred Order." Taoles exclaimed in a low voice, "But that''s a Sacred Order! Have you gone mad?" Philedrica also uncharacteristically cursed, "Charles! You... bastard. I should have killed you, and I''ll take on the task to assassinate you myself." Charles turned to look at Mama Karen once, the kind-faced head housekeeper who performed an Empire salute, but no one around noticed her presence, just as when she had arrived. Charles laughed and said, "If I can repel them, you have to promise me one thing!" Taoles and Philedrica shouted together, "If you can repel Lady Southseraph''s Sacred Order, we can promise you anything." Charles looked up at the sky, full of confidence, and drawled, "At my wedding, you''ll come and be bridesmaids for Anne." Chapter 136 134. Battle of the Sacred Order Dobin, Yellow Bear, Gwen the Spotted Deer, and Bankcroft the Wind Wolf all gasped in unison, adopting a tone of skepticism mingled with a faint hope as they asked, "Commander, do you truly have a way to drive back this Sacred Order?"Charles bellowed, "People of Silver Pigeon Fort! Lift up your heads and watch how I repel the Sacred Order of Southseraph!" "This scene shall be etched forever in the annals of Silver Pigeon Fort." "Dobin! What day is it today?" Dobin replied blankly, "Monday." Charles drew the Blood Rose, proudly pointing it towards the sky, and exclaimed, "Decades from now, you will all remember that Charles Meklen, on the Empire''s payday, defeated the arch-enemy of Behemoth Duchy, the Sacred Order of Lady Southseraph!" With a wave of his hand, the steward Dart brought up a box filled with "Ephemeral Blooms." Donning the Ephemeral Blooms, Charles was surrounded by numerous delicate and swirling flowers, a riot of multicolored blossoms encircling him as he slowly rose into the air. Mama Karen made a mischievous face and then disappeared, invisible to the eyes of anyone at Silver Pigeon Fort because she had never appeared before them. In the next instant, Mama Karen materialized in front of the rugged, bushy-browed Sacred Order of Southseraph whose eyes were older than thirty. The Sacred Order was slightly taken aback and exclaimed, "Dreamwalker!?" A surge of fiery Fighting Spirit engulfed him, countering the dream-like powers of Mama Karen. However, he could only ensure that he himself was not troubled by the dream, as neither the people of Silver Pigeon Fort nor those of Southseraph could see Mama Karen. This was the Dreamwalker, always traversing within dreams. Mama Karen softly spoke, "This strange sir, can you withdraw from this war?" The middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph responded gravely, "I am fighting for Southseraph." Mama Karen smiled gently and said, "So I only ask you to cease your assault on Silver Pigeon Fort." The middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph flatly refused, "I refuse!" "Let the battle commence!" Mama Karen said indifferently, "I won''t lay a hand on you, and I doubt you can find a Dreamwalker, but I will kill that young man." The housekeeper pointed her finger at Cyrus, her tone no longer gentle but filled with a chilling mercilessness. The middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph shouted fiercely, "I will also kill that young man." He stretched his hand towards Charles, who was still slowly floating in the air. Mama Karen replied, "Very well!" She vanished into thin air, and the middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph hastened his Fighting Spirit, sweeping fire across the sky in an attempt to find Mama Karen without success. If it were a battle of one-on-one, even with control over dream powers, Mama Karen could not hide her spirituality from him, but if she stayed at a distance, the middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph was almost blind. With Jonathan dead, the importance of Cyrus had surpassed everything else. He was no ordinary Knight Commander like Charles; the middle-aged Sacred Order of Southseraph felt uneasy and hurriedly controlled his Fighting Spirit to return to Cyrus''s side. Charles had just levitated tens of meters when the middle-aged noble of the Sacred Order from South Serif turned and walked away, retreating back to the ranks of the South Serif Restoration Army. No one saw Mama Karen, nor did anyone know why the middle-aged noble of the Sacred Order retreated. Everyone at Silver Pigeon Fort concluded that it was Charles''s unparalleled courage that had repelled this invader from South Serif, and a thunderous cheer erupted throughout Silver Pigeon Fort. Taoles, Philedrica, Dobin, Yellow Bear, Gwen the Spotted Deer, and Bankcroft the Wind Wolf couldn''t figure out what was happening at all. This just wasn''t scientific! Well, the Old Continent didn''t have science, only Magic Alchemy. In that moment, Charles''s reputation, whether among the Westwind Knights or in the hearts of the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort, skyrocketed to an unbeatable extent. Everyone gazed up at his figure, surrounded by mystical flowers in mid-air, with respect and adoration. At that moment, Silver Pigeon Fort was Charles''s Silver Pigeon Fort. Nothing could surpass the will of the people. Hovering mid-air, Charles heaved a sigh of relief. Although he knew Mama Karen would surely defend him from that middle-aged noble of the Sacred Order from South Serif, facing a Sacred Order was still a tremendous pressure, even more so than facing the Evil God. After all, the first time he directly faced the Evil God, the real Charles Mecklen had died instantly, not even feeling the pressure; the second time his soul shattered... The third time, the mysterious Blood Clan Evil God did nothing. Charles slowly descended at Silver Pigeon Fort, not having risen very high in the first place, carefully collecting the mystical flowers and putting them back into the wooden box. This levitation had cost him seventeen or eighteen mystical flowers; he was extremely heartbroken as it could affect the selling price. Charles landed at the top of Silver Pigeon Fort; there was silence at the battlements. Once he had collected the mystical flowers, the loudest cheers yet erupted, and people kept shouting loudly, "Long live Commander Mecklen!" This shout startled Charles, making him think, "Isn''t that revealing my surname?" He hurriedly looked back, only to see that the Restoration Army of South Serif was slowly retreating, growing farther and farther from Silver Pigeon Fort. The shouting from the battlements probably wouldn''t be heard, and he was slightly relieved. Just then, an idea transmitted from the diary in Charles''s arms: Charles Mecklen has defeated the South Serif Restoration Army again, Silver Pigeon Fort maze-ification progress (4/18). Before he could rejoice, a second idea transmitted from the diary: Charles Mecklen, acting as the temporary commander of Silver Pigeon Fort, has repelled Saint Vigo, and will receive a reward after the maze-ification. Charles waited for a long time, but the damn diary didn''t specify what kind of reward it would be. He stood at the top of Silver Pigeon Fort for a good while, finally sure that Mama Karen was no longer going to appear. Reluctantly, he ordered the Westwind Knights and the Silver Pigeon Fort militia to rotate their guard shifts, and he himself returned to the Pigeon Fort. At this moment, Saint Vigo''s face sported a new scar, and he held the unconscious Cyrus in his arms, roaring furiously. He had not expected the old woman to execute dream manipulation so exquisitely, even with all his efforts, he still couldn''t prevent Mama Karen from pulling Cyrus into a dream. His body''s Flame Fighting Spirit burned into the sky, and after a long time, this Holy Knight of South Serif managed to suppress his anger, bitterly saying, "I promise not to strike against Silver Pigeon Fort." As soon as he spoke, Cyrus''s eyelids twitched slightly, and he slowly came to. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cyrus''s eyes were initially confused, but he quickly became lucid. He struggled out of Saint Vigo''s embrace and said to the air, "Madam, could you please give me a chance to duel with that person in a dream?" "If you agree, I can have the South Serif Restoration Army temporarily retreat." Chapter 137 Dream Duel "Yes!"Mama Karen''s voice echoed through the air. Saint Vigo stared into the air, but he never found the opportunity to make his move. After a long while, he finally said, "That woman has left." Cyrus breathed a sigh of relief and said to Saint Vigo, "I will find his weakness in the Dreamscape." "The next time we meet on the battlefield will be his end." Saint Vigo said indifferently, "You are a High-Level Knight and have cultivated the Ebulrahan Clan''s Secret Technique of the Flesh Furnace, your strength is far above his." "His swordsmanship, mysterious and spicy, is certainly the Asilo Clan''s Angel''s Thorn." "But your Golden Requiem is not inferior to his." Saint Vigo stated word for word, "Last time, you just failed to kill him within a few moves, but you did not lose." "You must have confidence in yourself." Cyrus hung his head in deep thought for a long while, then said, "The fact that I couldn''t stop him from killing Jonathan means I lost, making any excuses is pointless." Saint Vigo didn''t try to persuade him further, simply saying, "From your description, he likely did not go to study in Fars, but went to study in Byron, just like Jonathan." The nearby old mage wiped the sweat from his forehead and murmured lowly, "Master Vigo is right, I must have divined it wrong." Charles in his bedroom, still diligently practiced Bloody Glory as was his custom. The Insight Rune on his forehead trembled slightly, and the next second, he found himself standing in a wilderness. Mama Karen was sitting under a large tree with a smile, drinking tea. Charles hurried over and asked, "Mama Karen, do you need me for something?" Mama Karen said, "That young man Cyrus wants to duel you in the Dreamscape once, and he promises that if you agree, he will order the South Serif Restoration Army to retreat." "He can''t kill you in the Dreamscape, and more experience fighting a High-Level Transcendent is beneficial for you, do you want to duel a few more times?" Charles was shocked and quickly said, "Let him attack Silver Pigeon Fort a few more times instead, I don''t need him to retreat." If Cyrus were to retreat, the Maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort would be jeopardized, something absolutely unacceptable. As for the experience of fighting high-order foes, Charles felt he already had too much, he truly didn''t want to accumulate any more. Mama Karen couldn''t help but laugh and said, "Alright! I''ll decline this Dreamscape duel for you." Charles pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Mama, could you relay a message to Cyrus for me? If he can send a hundred men to continuously attack Silver Pigeon Fort twenty times, I can tell him a big secret concerning the Southern Serif Territory... " "Hmm, life and death." "In any case, it''s extremely important." Charles of course did not know any significant affair concerning the Southern Serif Territory, but if Cyrus truly believed such nonsense and kept sending a hundred men to attack Silver Pigeon Fort twenty times, the city''s Maze-ification would be complete. He even allowed for a few extra times, just in case Cyrus came to his senses midway and interrupted this method of "aiding the enemy" in besieging the city. Mama Karen found Charles increasingly amusing and chuckled, "I can pass a message for you." Her figure slowly disappeared, and after a while, reappeared, saying to Charles, "The young man said if you agree to a duel, he will send someone to attack the castle in the way you described." Charles was overjoyed and said, "Tell him to hurry and attack the castle!" Mama Karen, brimming with excitement, went to convey the message again and came back saying, "The other side insists on dueling first." Charles quickly said, "We must attack the castle twenty times first." Mama Karen found this affair even more amusing, and after passing messages back and forth seven or eight times, they finally agreed that Cyrus would attack the castle five times, then they would duel once, after which Cyrus would attack another five times, then another duel, and then another five attacks... Charles slapped his thigh and thought, "This guy is actually quite cautious. If he didn''t know that I was mazing Silver Pigeon Fort, he definitely wouldn''t have agreed so readily." Cyrus did not understand what Charles was up to. Despite racking his brains, he couldn''t figure it out, but he knew he couldn''t let Charles''s "scheme" succeed. He also didn''t believe Charles knew any crucial secrets that were a matter of life and death for South Seraph Territory. Thus, Cyrus decided that after completing one duel with Charles, he would no longer abide by this agreement. After leaving the Dreamscape of Mama Karen, Charles continued to train in Bloody Glory, practicing tirelessly whenever he had free moments, not daring to slack off even a little. He had no choice, while others could afford to be lazy in their training, at worst failing to advance or making slow progress, his insufficient cultivation could lead to the arrival of the Evil God. Indeed, Lady Southseraph sent a hundred people to attack Silver Pigeon Fort, and it happened that Dobin was on night duty. Since the attack was so weak, he led his direct combat squad, repelled this wave of attack, and did not notify Charles. Just after Dobin repelled this attack, Lady Southseraph organized another hundred people to attack Silver Pigeon Fort. Still puzzled by what drove Lady Southseraph, he continued to command his subordinates and repelled this small-scale assault too. When the third wave of a hundred attackers appeared, Dobin finally got irritated and sent someone to fetch Charles. After being informed, Charles ordered the Yellow Bear''s combat squad to provide support, but he did not show up himself. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few hours later, Charles gently touched the diary, and a thought transmitted, Silver Pigeon Fort mazing progress (9/18). He was slightly relieved and muttered to himself, "At least half the progress is completed. I just wonder if Cyrus will attack a few more times as agreed." As the sky grew slightly brighter, Charles was taken into the Dreamscape by Mama Karen, where he saw Cyrus again, holding the Black Knight''s Lance. Cyrus stood with his legs apart, slightly bent forward, and without saying a word, launched an assault. Charles could only draw Blood Rose, employing the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Swordsmanship. After a few exchanges, Charles was already at a disadvantage, Although Charles had mastered four movements of the Angel''s Twelve Movements¡ª the First Movement: Morning Blaze, the Second Movement: Dawn Sky, the Third Movement: Eternal Dawn, the Fourth Movement: Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. Still, faced with Cyrus, who was going all out, he seemed inadequate and could only rely on the Quickness Technique, Spirit Spider Technique and the increased speed from Wings of the Hatchling Dragon to match this human knight practicing the Blood Clan''s secret techniques. After more than thirty exchanges, Charles finally made a small mistake and was "killed" by a spear thrust from Cyrus. Although it happened in the Dreamscape, Charles still felt intense pain. As his body fragmented and gradually vanished, he yelled, "Jonathan is just a substitute, the real Jonathan..." Then he disappeared right in front of Cyrus. Cyrus rushed forward a few steps, shouting, "How could Jonathan possibly be a substitute?" "You''re talking nonsense, come back quickly!" Back in his own body, Charles, still feeling a great pain in his chest, chuckled softly and said, "Cyrus must have been fooled." Chapter 138 136, Lord Timothy of the Blood Clan is above Charles had waited a whole day, and Lady Southseraph did not launch an attack. He waited another day, and still, Lady Southseraph made no moves. On the third day, Charles could no longer bear it and asked Mama Karen to relay a message to Cyrus.Cyrus agreed to the meeting immediately. Charles angrily accused, "How could you not keep your promise? I even shared the great secret about South Serif with you." Cyrus simply smiled and replied, "Since it''s a secret, let''s keep it a secret forever." "Jonathan raised me from a child, and I only recognize one Jonathan." Only then did Charles realize he had outsmarted himself. The bond between Cyrus and Jonathan was too deep; he had no desire for a "real Jonathan." Moreover, he did not know that Cyrus had already decided that no matter how elaborately Charles hoped he would stage an assault with a hundred-men, he would never fall for it. Charles''s behavior further convinced Cyrus that he must be plotting something significant. Charles, utterly dejected, was about to tell Mama Karen to call off the meeting when he heard Cyrus say casually, "If you are willing to duel with me ten times, I''ll lead an assault once." Charles could not help but curse under his breath, "Damned native." Charles had used Mandarin, which Cyrus did not understand, but that did not matter. He immediately raised the stakes: "Twenty duels, and I''ll assault once." Charles said indignantly, "Do you think I''m a fool? You just want to kill me twenty times and have no real intention of assaulting." Cyrus raised three fingers and said, "By the Blood God Timothy above, I have promised the commander of Silver Pigeon Fort to duel him twenty times before sending a hundred warriors to assault. If I break my oath, may I never be able to avenge Jonathan." Charles took a deep breath. Timothy was the ancestor of the Ebulrahan Clan and the Evil God who created the first vampire''s Knight Breathing Technique known as Flesh Furnace. His Knight''s Spear Technique, Golden Requiem, had once resounded across the continent. Even within the human factions, some admired this Blood Clan knight. Since Cyrus was practicing the Flesh Furnace and Golden Requiem, although he was human, swearing an oath to Timothy, the founder of the Ebulrahan Clan, it was bound to be fulfilled. Such an oath was very heavy and almost impossible to break. Charles hesitated for a moment then said, "I accept your terms." He did not forget to say to Mama Karen, "I''m troubling you again, Mama." Mama Karen smiled and said, "I do enjoy watching the young ones lively dueling in the Dreamscape." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s much better than dueling in the real world. No one dies, and it''s not as cruel." Charles thought to himself, "That''s true, since no one dies, dueling a few times doesn''t matter." Cyrus held the Black Knight''s Lance towards the sky and shouted, "Fight, coward!" Charles snorted coldly, and Blood Rose struck first, taking advantage of his speed to attack. The first time the two clashed in reality, Charles was at a disadvantage after merely seven or eight moves. Once Charles had mastered the third movement, Eternal Dawn, they could spar for more than ten moves. Later on, he made continuous breakthroughs, mastering the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. That time, he had driven Cyrus back and carried Jonathan away with one spear. They did not clash again after that. The second time they dueled in the Dreamscape, Charles only managed to block thirty moves before he was finally checkmated and "killed" by Cyrus with a spear. This time, Charles was shocked to discover that Cyrus''s strength had improved drastically within just a few days. From the beginning, he was at a disadvantage, and within twenty moves, he was again "killed" by the spear. About ten minutes later, Charles reappeared in the Dreamscape, facing Cyrus, who was full of battle intent and a fierce killing aura, and a hint of fear began to form in him. However, remembering that he would not die, he once again urged the Blood Rose to attack aggressively. This time his defeat was even more miserable; he didn''t last twenty moves before Cyrus swept his legs away with one spear and ended his life with another. At this moment, Cyrus fully displayed the grandeur of a High Order Knight, surpassing even Harriet Alva. Charles appeared in the Dreamscape again, forcing himself to calm down, no longer recklessly attacking, and began to parry and dismantle Cyrus''s moves. But this time, Cyrus''s spear technique also changed, with each spear faster than the last. After twelve thrusts, his momentum peaked and he blew apart Charles''s head with one spear thrust. The fourth battle, the fifth battle, the sixth battle¡­ Charles''s condition fluctuated, but his battle record was on a downward slide, even failing to last ten moves during the tenth dream duel. When Charles appeared before Cyrus for the eleventh time, Cyrus, with spear in hand, said, "This time, you won''t withstand even one of my thrusts." Charles held the Blood Rose vertically in front of him and said softly, "Yes, this time, it should only be one move." He leaped high, his frustration from consecutive failures unleashing his boundless potential. Blood Rose turned into streaming flames, no longer thinking of parrying and dismantling, only attack, defense, and guard! Charles resorted to a mutually destructive move, the Fifth Movement ¡ª Dragons'' Fire Breath! Blood Rose and the Black Knight''s Lance interlocked in the void, clashing thirty-seven times. Charles was picked off by Cyrus''s spear and died again in the Dreamscape, but Cyrus was also struck by Charles with a thrusting sword through his left eye just before his death. Just as Cyrus said, Charles could not withstand even one move this time. But in a desperate counterattack by Charles, Cyrus ended in mutual destruction. This was also the first time in the duel that Charles had managed to wound Cyrus, and directly counter-killed this formidable foe. Mama Karen, in the Dreamscape, had created a comfortable chair and a quaint little round table, adorned with exquisite snacks and afternoon tea, enjoying both the duel between two talented young men and the scenery, in utmost contentment. This strike by Charles was nearly desperate; from the beginning, he had not planned to survive, he tricked Cyrus with one move, and all his furious assaults were to manipulate the Blood Flame Qi and launch Blood Rose. This fight was too calculative, but the next time, with Cyrus on guard, it wouldn''t work. Even so, Mama Karen still held Charles in higher regard, able to constantly reflect during the battle and adapt to his enemy, proving that this young man was not one to reject change or be bound by convention. "A fine young man." "Though his past has some dark spots, acknowledging mistakes and sincerely loving Anne, and with a promising future, the old lady is willing to do a little something for the two kids." "Not sure if it''s Anne''s good judgment, or meeting Anne was his destiny, that made this young man desperately change." Charles and Cyrus, this time, appeared together in the Dreamscape. Charles picked up his confidence again. A trace of seriousness tinted Cyrus''s face, but he still believed that the victory in the twelfth duel belonged to him. Chapter 139 137. Older than Fighting Spirit ```The Ebulrahan Clan is known as the top Vampire Knight family. As one of the Three Emperor Clans, the Asiluo Clan ranks even above the Ebulrahan Clan. The reason it is not considered the premier Knight family is that the Asiluo Clan has always been more classical, now somewhat of a niche lineage of swordsmen. The Angel''s Thorn practices a form of Battle Qi that is even older than Fighting Spirit. Fighting Spirit comes from the surging life force of Knights, while Battle Qi originates from the warriors'' unyielding and relentless combat will! Charles had recently mastered the Colorless Blade, and had broken through the First Order of Battle Qi. At this moment, he was channeling the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Techniques at full strength, a faint golden glow emanating from his body. It wasn''t until now that he truly appreciated how talented Protagora, the Great Philosopher of the Human Race who created Bloody Glory, really was. The Blood Clan''s Secret Techniques, for the most part, cultivate a single Bloody Vortex. Bloody Glory, however, can cultivate up to thirteen Bloody Vortexes, and it can also use the other Bloody Vortexes to amplify the power of Bloody Glory, enhancing the strength of thirteen Unique Skills. The second advantage of Bloody Glory is that it can mimic the thirteen Vampire Clans, to the point that even true Blood Clan members cannot see through the disguise. Without the ability to conceal his identity at will, even if Protagora was incredibly powerful, he couldn''t possibly wander freely in the Blood Clan''s territory, decimating numerous Blood Clan members. He could at any time masquerade as a Blood Clan member, blending in and thus surviving dozens of encirclements by High Order and even Sacred Order Blood Clan members, turning the tables and killing his pursuers. Until now, Charles had assumed that Lord Leo had been careless and that he had just managed to fool him, but at this moment, he understood that Bloody Glory, created by Protagora, truly was an unparalleled Secret Technique and the nemesis of the Blood Clan. The sixth-order Bloody Glory that he cultivated, bit by bit turned into the Asiluo Clan''s Stellar Battle Qi, and the pale golden radiance on his body grew from a faint glimmer to a bright light. In a one-on-one duel, the Asiluo Clan''s Stellar Battle Qi is more potent than any Special Ability and is even more powerful than powers like Bloody Glory, which are weaker in the early stages. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cyrus was slightly surprised, but he didn''t care in the least and said, "You actually held back during the previous battle. Today, I will teach you that in a life and death struggle, you must give it your all without any hesitation." The Black Knight''s Lance turned into an endless violent wind, stabbing towards Charles from all directions. Charles moved as if he had grown wings on his ribs, his movement technique light and graceful. His Magic Stabbing Sword, Blood Rose, varied infinitely, each thrust trying to maintain distance, never facing Cyrus head on. But, during the occasional counterattack, the pale golden light gathered by the Colorless Blade would burst forth, evening out the disadvantage of the shorter blade. After more than twenty exchanges of intense combat, Charles once again found himself at a disadvantage. In his heart, Cyrus wondered. He couldn''t understand how Charles, a mere Low Order, even if at the peak of the First Order Transcendent, could exchange so many moves with him, a High Order combatant? He just felt that his opponent was incredibly fast, even slightly faster than himself, a High Order combatant, and Charles possessed a naturally "Keen Combat Sense" that often allowed him to detect changes in his opponent''s techniques and anticipate them, thereby evading the most dangerous points of each attack. Cyrus thought to himself, "This guy is actually a combat genius!" "It''s just a pity that I practice the Flesh Furnace, which is a Secret Technique for tempering the body. The several Special Abilities I cultivate are also focused on the body, and he seems to know that my flesh and blood have been tempered a thousand times, attacking every time at the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and even aiming for the back..." "This cunning fellow." At this moment, Charles was giving it his all. He unleashed a series of thrusts, trying to break free from the entanglement and turn the tide, but Cyrus''s Black Knight''s Lance wrapped around him, pulling him into a storm of spear moves. A reverse elbow strike caved in Charles''s chest, and he "lost his life" on the spot. ``` About fifteen minutes later, Charles appeared again in the Dreamscape. He raised his hands and said, "Let''s take a break." Cyrus pondered for a moment and said, "Sounds good." Charles quickly sat down cross-legged on the ground and said, "Mama Karen, could you get us a barrel of ale? It would be even better if it''s chilled." Enjoy more content from empire Mama Karen smiled slightly and said, "Everything is available in the Dreamscape; you just can''t take it out of the dream." Without lifting a finger, two barrels of cold and refreshing ale appeared in front of the two young men who were mortal enemies. The barrels even bore the mark of the most famous tavern in Silver Pigeon Fort and were almost indistinguishable from real ale, with no flaws to be found. Charles opened the ale and took a big gulp, feeling exhilarated all over, and exclaimed, "Dreamwalkers are really convenient, it''s a shame I didn''t choose University of Georgia back then." Cyrus, imitating Charles, popped open the ale and took a big drink, then said calmly, "Which university did you attend in Baron?" Charles hesitated slightly, then answered, "I went to Heidelberg University!" Cyrus nodded and said, "Just as I thought, the Asiluo Clan-sponsored Heidelberg University." "I attended T¨¹bingen University, the Ebulrahan Clan''s family university; Jonathan also studied there." Charles couldn''t continue the conversation, having just killed Jonathan, the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army. When mentioning the person who raised him, Cyrus couldn''t help but talk at length, not caring whether Charles was a good listener or not, and continued, "Jonathan didn''t have any Transcendent talents. As a human, he faced discrimination at the universities in Baron, so he had been training me from an early age, teaching me the Flesh Furnace and Golden Requiem. It was only after I became a formal Knight that he let me go to T¨¹bingen University to study." "Jonathan repeatedly instructed me to only study at T¨¹bingen University and not to become a Vampire." "You know, Vampires can''t procreate; they can only create new Vampires through the Arcane Rite or the First Embrace." "Back then, several barons were willing to take me as their Descendant, and a professor from T¨¹bingen University was also willing to provide me with a full set of Arcane Rite, but because of Jonathan''s warnings, I refused them all." "Jonathan reminded me that I am from South Serif, not from Baron. He believed that if I became a Vampire, I would gradually forget about the South Ceraph restoration." "Actually, he was right, I really want to become an Everlasting Kind too!" "Human life is just too short." Charles was just chugging his ale, not knowing what to say, and he had no interest in speaking. Suddenly, Cyrus asked, "Why do you not want to become a Vampire?" Charles wiped the alcohol from the corner of his mouth, thought for a while, and then made up a lie, saying, "Because of love." Mama Karen covered her mouth, her heart filled with mirth. As someone who had seen all of Charles''s investigation reports, Saint Karen knew very well that Charles was spouting nonsense; did he not want to become a Vampire? The Bloody Glory he cultivated didn''t have that function. Chapter 140 138. Sixth Movement: Sunset Melting Gold Cyrus sighed and said, "I''ve never even been on a date with a girl."He had spent his entire life preparing for the restoration of Lady Southseraph, devoting almost all his time to training, which allowed him to become a High Order Knight at such a young age. Where would he find the time to date girls? Charles dared not touch this subject. Charles Meklen had been on countless dates with women, and even after transmigrating, his dates with Anne could be described as "frequent." He was afraid of stirring Cyrus''s emotions. Charles took another large gulp of barley wine and said gravely, "You''ve killed so many people, don''t you feel it cruel?" Cyrus scoffed and replied, "Do you know how many of Lady Southseraph''s people died because of the betrayal by the people of Behemoth?" "Forty percent!" "A full forty percent!" "The pain Lady Southseraph''s people suffered that year is the price Behemoth''s people must pay. We are sworn enemies who will not rest until we''re dead; if given the choice, I would slaughter all of Behemoth''s people." Charles sighed again and remained silent. During his university years, he had read some historical records. The founding of the Fars Empire was achieved by stepping over countless corpses, stirring massive torrents of bloodshed, with countless lost souls and bones forging the empire''s crown. Charles was merely a transmigrator; he did not wish to comment on such complex matters. Should the people of Behemoth have betrayed Lady Southseraph? Definitely not. Should Lady Southseraph seek to restore her land and obliterate the Behemoth Duchy? This question only brings debate, not answers! If given a choice, Charles would wish for a world without war. Unfortunately, he had no choice. Cyrus took a big gulp of fine wine, kicked the barrel away, and exclaimed, "Let the battle continue!" "One day, I will kill you as I did in the Dreamscape, with the most ferocious punishment, making you pay for the blood debt of Jonathan." Although Charles was aware that "his" parents and brother were in the hands of Duchess Joseph, it didn''t stop him from saying, "Do you still remember the heads you showed me underneath the walls of Silver Pigeon Fort?" Cyrus replied coldly, "If you have the chance to kill me, show no mercy; it''s the fate I deserve." "From the first day on the battlefield, I was prepared for life and death!" Explore hidden tales at empire "I can kill others, and others can kill me; dying on the battlefield, I would not complain." "For Southseraph, I am willing to sacrifice everything, life is but a trivial matter." Charles had nothing to say. He had grown up in an era of peace, and he had no common topics or compatible views with someone like Cyrus, who had borne deep-seated blood feuds from a young age. He put down the barrel of wine, drew out the Blood Rose, and the Stellar Battle Qi of the Asiluo Clan erupted. The swordlight flickered, like a glorious blazing sun. During this bout, Charles only lasted 28 moves before Cyrus killed him with a spear, the Black Knight''s Lance piercing through his lower abdomen. When Charles reappeared, neither of them spoke, and they silently dueled. In their eighteenth duel, Charles grasped the Sixth Movement: Sunset Melting Gold, and the number of moves in their duel returned to over thirty. In their nineteenth duel, Charles lasted 31 moves. In their twentieth duel, Charles lasted 35 moves. Both of them tacitly agreed not to appear in the Dreamscape again. The next day, Cyrus, as agreed, led his troops to attack the city, advancing the maze-ification process of Silver Pigeon Fort to (10/18). sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A day later, when Charles and Cyrus reappeared in the Dreamscape, Mama Karen even prepared bread, roasted meat, mushrooms, at least three kinds of fruit wine, and over a dozen casks of ale from different taverns, turning the duel arena into a high-class buffet, with food sprawling across long tables. In the first duel, Charles was disastrously defeated, lasting only one move before being stabbed by Cyrus''s rampant spearing 17 or 18 times, lifted into the air like a ragbag and fiercely slammed to the ground, dying very ingloriously. Charles keenly noticed that Cyrus''s speed and spearing speed had increased, rendering his once-prided Quickness Technique, Spirit Spider Technique, and Wings of the Hatchling Dragon useless. Without the edge in speed, he was doomed to such a dismal defeat. Charles didn''t have a good solution and couldn''t quickly turn the tide. He and Cyrus dueled up to sixteen matches, each ending with his being killed in one move, without any chance to resist. It wasn''t until the seventeenth match that Charles saw a turning point. His Stellar Battle Qi transcended amidst despair, breaking through a thin barrier, advancing to the Seventh Rank, becoming a Mid-Level Transcendent. With his upgraded strength and all-around improved physical prowess, Charles, in this duel, managed to resist up to the seventh move before bitterly losing. In the eighteenth duel, Charles, now more skilled with his newfound power, again managed to resist more than ten moves under Cyrus''s stormy Golden Requiem gunmanship. In the nineteenth duel, Charles lasted two additional moves. In the twentieth duel, Charles was once again killed with one eccentric move by Cyrus¡­ The next day, Cyrus led his troops to attack the city again, advancing the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort to (11/18). Although Charles was killed forty times consecutively by Cyrus in the Dreamscape, seeing Silver Pigeon Fort''s ongoing maze-ification still brought him some comfort. As he watched Cyrus''s army slowly retreat, the journal in his embrace emanated a will for the first time in a long while: Charles Meklen, the temporary commander of Silver Pigeon Fort, repelled Saint Vigo. After maze-ification, he would be rewarded with Mind Passage: it could transport people and objects of a lower Extraordinary Rank than his own into Machu Picchu or the maze-ified Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles was truly elated by this joy, as after the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort, not only could he freely travel between the two labyrinths, but he could also transport Extraordinary beings and items of lower ranks than his into the two labyrinths¡ªwasn''t that incredibly convenient? After being elated for quite some time, Charles discovered two bugs: many of the Extraordinary items in his possession were of a higher rank than his own, such as the Dark Luxury and the Fleeting Worldly Splendor, which were High-Order Extraordinary Objects and couldn''t be sent into the labyrinths. Another bug was¡­ While he could send things into the labyrinths, he couldn''t retrieve them from afar; to retrieve things sent into the labyrinths, he had to first go to Machu Picchu or Silver Pigeon Fort and physically transport them. Although being able to send items into the labyrinths was already quite convenient, Charles, with the mind of a transmigrator, immediately came up with seventy or eighty exploitable methods. For example, he could transport food and crop seeds to Machu Picchu to make it easier for those staying there to cultivate the land, or he could transport ale from Silver Pigeon Fort to Machu Picchu and then to Strasbourg, thereby earning profits after saving a great deal on transportation costs. Nevertheless, there was still a minor annoyance. Charles sighed and thought to himself, "This darn labyrinth has quite a few bugs!" Chapter 141 139. Seventh Movement: All Things Hazy Mama Karen sipped her floral tea, watching the two young men duel with the vigor of dragons and tigers.This kind of Dreamscape duel had taken place more than ten times, each consisting of twenty rounds. Neither Charles nor Cyrus ever brought up just how long the duel would last. During this time, both men''s strengths had soared at a rapid pace. Each time Cyrus became stronger, he managed to kill Charles more swiftly. Although Charles had not achieved another breakthrough to ascend to the Eighth Order within these short ten-plus days, he had comprehended up to the seventh movement of the Angel''s Twelve Symphonies: All Things Hazy. His Stellar Battle Qi took on a more dangerous form from this chapter, transforming from the overwhelming glory of the scorching sun to a concealed, shadowy edge, so perilous that even Cyrus was averse to taking a hit from Charles''s sword. Yet Charles still couldn''t withstand more than thirty moves, continuously suffering defeat in all twenty rounds. But he wasn''t discouraged and, with respectful decorum, bowed to Mama Karen before exiting the Dreamscape. Cyrus always found Charles somewhat peculiar, but couldn''t figure out why and didn''t bother to guess. He, too, paid his respects to Mama Karen before returning to the South Serif military camp. After the two young men left the Dreamscape, Mama Karen stretched languorously. When she was young, she enjoyed spectacles, and instead of mellowing with age, her interest in all manner of entertaining affairs only intensified. Charles and Cyrus each had their own schemes. Ordinary clever people might rely solely on their intellect to solve problems and stop exerting themselves, but these two were different; they did not let this reliance slacken their personal cultivation. Having personally witnessed their mutual honing over this period, where each treated the other as a whetstone, Mama Karen felt her trip was well worth it. Otherwise, how could she witness such interesting young men? S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a light clap, everything within the Dreamscape vanished. Standing on a mountain peak dozens of kilometers away from Silver Pigeon Fort, Mama Karen gazed at the city and the encroaching military camp of Lady Southseraph. She had a premonition that within this period, another Sacred Order Transcendent had joined the camp, evidently concealing their presence with the intent to spring a surprise on her in collusion with Saint Vigo when the moment was ripe. Little did they know that the Dreamwalker''s Special Ability was profound and mystical. In this period, Mama Karen had drawn almost everyone''s dreams into her realm. In other words, neither Silver Pigeon Fort nor Lady Southseraph could keep their secrets from her, except the Transcendents. Their Spirituality was much higher than that of ordinary people, and unless it was a combat situation, Mama Karen was reluctant to pull Transcendents into her Dreamscape, as it would impose a great strain and consume too much of her spirituality. Mama Karen murmured to herself, "The Sacred Order is not as common as cabbages. It''s rare for Lady Southseraph to have one Sacred Order member, it''s almost impossible for there to be another. The other must belong to the Blood Clan of the Byron family, but it''s hard to say which Sacred Order member of the thirty-one clans it is." Mama Karen was unafraid of being attacked by those of the same rank. Dreamwalkers traverse dreams, not excelling in direct combat, but are exceedingly hard to kill. After ascending to the Sacred Order, they would almost never appear in front of anyone again, and no one could find their true forms. Each appearance was but an illusion in a dream. She didn''t think that the cooperation of two Sacred Order members would be enough to locate her. Now awake, Cyrus grasped his Knight''s Spear, and with a gentle shake, the Black Knight''s Lance transformed into countless spear shadows. But in the next instant, the shadows coalesced back into a single Knight''s Spear, pointing in the direction of Silver Pigeon Fort. He whispered to himself, "To think that battling with such a lowly Transcendent could actually refine my skills." "Although this fellow''s strength is lacking, his battle instinct is horrifyingly keen." "It''s a pity that the three Special Abilities I''ve comprehended¡ªFlesh Regeneration, Steel Bones, and Organ Generation¡ªall focus on tempering the flesh, allowing me to recover quickly no matter the severity of my injuries and enhancing my defense, even fearless of higher-ranked enemies. Yet they are of no use against such slippery foes." "That guy seems to know my strengths; he almost never trades blows with me directly, but every counterattack is aimed at killing me. This man... truly one of the most cunning I''ve ever encountered." "However, my progress has been significant." "Next time we meet in reality, I''ll give you a taste of death." Cyrus gazed into the distance at Silver Pigeon Fort, suddenly feeling a hint of nostalgia for Charles. At the same time, Charles had awakened in his own bedroom. He touched his left arm and chuckled to himself, saying, "If I encounter Cyrus in reality, I''d take out all the guns and blast him into a sorry state." "I don''t believe he could withstand one Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, two Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets... ten Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, not to mention twenty, or even thirty." "Moreover, I have prepared two fresh tricks for him. I hope he''ll enjoy them." In the past few weeks of fighting, not only had Charles''s swordsmanship improved dramatically, but he had also mastered two Secret Techniques of the Asiluo Clan, named Fierce Corrosion and Dark Corrosion! Fierce Corrosion is a Secret Technique used in conjunction with the first six chapters of the Angel''s Twelve Choruses, which can make Stellar Battle Qi become treacherously overwhelming. Once it penetrates the enemy''s body, it burns like an intense fire, continually scorching the enemy''s vitality. The more they try to suppress it with Fighting Spirit, Spirituality, or Magic Power, like pouring oil on a fire, the more it aids the Stellar Battle Qi to grow. Dark Corrosion is a Secret Technique that can be activated after the Angel''s Twelve Choruses have broken through to the seventh chapter: All Things Hazy. The Stellar Battle Qi shifts from the intensity of a blazing sun to a darkened state, with hidden sharpness, allowing for an even more unpredictable attack that gives no warning, nestling inside the enemy''s body. It can suddenly erupt several days, or even more than ten days later, proving to be even more vicious than Fierce Corrosion. Whether it is Fierce Corrosion or Dark Corrosion, the Stellar Battle Qi that is injected into the enemy''s body will burst forth and return to its original owner when in proximity, carrying back a large amount of vitality. The Asiluo Clan became one of the Three Emperor Clans and dominated the Old Continent not just because the members of this Blood Clan were swordsman with unfathomable and thunderous swordsmanship, but also because of the many Special Abilities of the Stellar Battle Qi which makes it extremely difficult to defend against in battle. However, the rapid improvement in his swordsmanship and Stellar Battle Qi, along with mastering the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Techniques: Fierce Corrosion and Dark Corrosion, were not as fulfilling to Charles as another gain which made him even happier. He left the bedroom for the terrace, overlooking the entirety of Silver Pigeon Fort, watching the bustling crowd in the city, as well as the Westwind Knights and the militia of Silver Pigeon Fort busily preparing for battle. A proud smile suddenly formed on his face. Just as Charles was about to utter a sufficiently impressive line to lighten the mood, he heard the sound of the door being pushed open. Belisa hurried in, calling out loudly, "Mister Charles Mecklen, I beg you, please save Grand Duke Joseph!" "We''ve already delayed here for too long. I fear the Grand Duke might not hold out much longer; the Behemoth Duchy cannot be without its Duke." Find your next adventure on empire Although Belisa pleaded desperately, she was filled with hopelessness. The most beautiful maid at the duke''s side had been refused by Charles countless times before. She had expected to be turned down once again, but to her surprise, Charles gave a slight smile and replied, "Alright!" "We''ll set off for Interlaken City tomorrow." Chapter 142 140. Silver Pigeon Fort Maze-ification Complete Belisa couldn''t believe her own ears and added, "Really?"Charles shrugged his shoulders and answered, "Of course, it''s true." Belisa jumped up excitedly and hurriedly ran out; after all, she was still a young girl, not some seasoned politician. When she was happy, she couldn''t hide it. Charles gently touched the diary in his arms, feeling very pleased. Two days ago, Silver Pigeon Fort had completed its maze-ification, and he no longer needed to stay confined here. Having completed the maze-ification, Charles had received his deserved rewards. A secret passage had formed between Machu Picchu and Silver Pigeon Fort, though not in the literal sense, but more as an "overlap" between the two cities. Any corner of Machu Picchu could lead to Silver Pigeon Fort, and residents of Silver Pigeon Fort could find themselves in Machu Picchu through any street. Over the past few days, Charles had sent all of Baron Philedrica''s assets, including gold from Aegeus, Fu Er''s paper money, and extraordinary objects, to Machu Picchu, hidden inside a second-layer maze. Without his guidance or permission, no one could find these treasures, not even if they searched every nook and cranny of Machu Picchu. As for Baron Philedrica''s luxury goods, Charles did not move them to Machu Picchu, as after all, Machu Picchu was a dilapidated fortress of the ancient Orc Kingdom. The environment was too harsh; the luxury items, being delicate, could be damaged by the harsh conditions within days. At the same time, Charles also sent a batch of supplies to the troops stationed in Machu Picchu, as for him, Machu Picchu was possibly the most significant city in his heart, one that was bound to be developed sooner or later. Charles had also tried the "Mind Passage." Indeed, he could send supplies and even living beings from the outside world into Machu Picchu and Silver Pigeon Fort, but he could truly only send them in, and could not retrieve anything unless he returned to these two cities. Even so, the Mind Passage was a very important special ability for Charles. He could purchase all sorts of supplies in Strasbourg, not needing transport, and directly send them to Machu Picchu, or buy various commercial products and send them directly to Silver Pigeon Fort, saving a significant amount of travel expenses. What made him happiest was that, immediately after the completion of the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort, there was a prompt that, because there were too many NPCs, a second maze-ification could be added. By staying another eighteen days in Silver Pigeon Fort, he could also complete a double maze for the city. However, Charles temporarily did not need to double the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort. He planned to spend another eighteen days there later when he had time, to let the city undergo a second maze-ification, but now he had other matters to attend to. The reason Charles had agreed to help Belisa rescue Duke Joseph, of course, was not for the duke, but because Mama Karen had told him two things. The South Ceraph Reclamation Army had received another Sacred Order. Although Mama Karen was not afraid of two Sacred Orders joining forces, Charles no longer planned to continue holding Silver Pigeon Fort. He had stayed only to wait for the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort. Now that the maze-ification was complete, foolishly continuing to hold the city held no meaning. Charles wasn''t worried about Cyrus leading troops to massacre the city after his departure. If he were to leave, he had ways to lure away the people of South Seraph from outside the city before he left. The second thing was, he had commanded the Westwind Knights to defeat the Byron cavalry, "annihilating" a South Seraph army, and the reward for that was set to arrive at Silver Pigeon Fort tomorrow. The Empire''s process of documenting achievements and issuing rewards was quite slow, so although the reward for his first battle had arrived, the one for "recapturing" Silver Pigeon Fort and holding off the South Ceraph Reclamation Army''s siege for nearly a month, killing the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, Jonathan, and repelling a Sacred Order of South Seraph, still needed to proceed through the bureaucracy. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles felt somewhat helpless but could understand the situation. Being able to receive his first reward during the war, rather than being promoted for his merits years after the war, was already the result of the efforts of capable individuals. Although Mama Karen did not explicitly say it, Charles believed that Earl Brittany''s power must have played a role. Yes, perhaps Menilman''s senior''s influence was there too. Although he was born in the Behemoth Duchy, he was now considered a genuine person of Fars, even working and living in the capital, Strasbourg. Hence, Charles could refuse the duke''s messenger and disregard the duchess''s maid, but he could not turn away the empire''s envoy who came to present the awards. They would definitely make him go to rescue the duke, and Charles could only go with the flow. Charles stood on the terrace, enjoying the breeze for a while, when another lady came to visit. Upon seeing Charles, Miss Philedrica, the beastwoman, couldn''t help but exclaim in amazement, "How did you become even more formidable?" "How does hiding in your bedroom every day make you stronger? What kind of logic is that?" Charles had been dueling with Cyrus in the Dreamscape every day, which dramatically increased his strength, making him far more powerful after just a few days of absence. No wonder Philedrica was astonished. Charles smiled and said, "If you wish, you can also train in your bedroom." Philedrica showed a wary expression and said, "Please do not consider me for this!" "I do not intend to give up my career as an assassin." Charles shrugged his shoulders and asked, "What brings you here?" Philedrica''s expression darkened slightly as she said, "You might not know yet, but the southern Orc tribes have joined Byron''s side. Now, Byron Empire, Black Phoenix Dynasty, the southern Orcs, and Southern Seraph Territory have formed the New Order International Alliance to oppose the Fars Empire." "As a beastwoman, I might not be able to stay in Fars anymore, so I came to say goodbye in advance." Charles felt a bit sad too. Although their first meeting had been a life-or-death affair, and they could not yet be considered true friends, they had fought side by side after all. He said softly, "I wish you a safe journey. Here are twenty Aegeus as my personal gift to you." Philedrica didn''t stand on ceremony with Charles and, after taking the money, she turned and left. A little while later, Taoles also came to visit. She was much closer to Charles, undoubtedly because of the connection through Menierman Sumei. Taoles came because, before leaving, Philedrica handed over her directly commanded combat squad to her. Taoles came to ask how she should handle this situation. Without much hesitation, Charles said, "I''m going to perform another expansion. Take Philedrica''s team for now; I''ll have further arrangements soon." The day passed uneventfully. Early the next morning, Charles did not wait for Cyrus''s siege; in fact, he no longer needed Cyrus to attack Silver Pigeon Fort. However, he did receive a troop from Strasbourg. To Charles''s surprise, Louis Simi and Ross Bard were also in the group. He had almost forgotten about the two businessmen. Chapter 143 Baron Fabolais 141 The team from Strasbourg was quite imposing, consisting of a knighthood of about three thousand, over two thousand accompanying staff, at least more than twenty carriages, and a massive merchant convoy...Gazing down from the ramparts of Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles could see fluttering on the flags a golden pheasant tailflower, a privilege only the royal relations could brandish, as well as a crest representing noble rank. The visitor was a baron related by marriage to the Royal Family. Charles hesitated for a moment, then opened the gates of Silver Pigeon Fort, leading everyone out to welcome the guest. He didn''t want to create an image of defiance, especially since Mama Karen had already sent word, informing him of the visitor''s identity. Silver Pigeon Fort, a Baron''s Domain, could never be handed over to a clerk chief of the third or fourth order. After complex political struggles within the Empire, the Emperor enfeoffed his brother-in-law, Baron Fabolais, to Silver Pigeon Fort. This little brother-in-law of the Emperor was coming to take over his own domain. Charles had everything arranged and the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort completed. He had transferred his assets and even made certain arrangements, so when he went out to receive Baron Fabolais, he wore a smile and his attitude was humble and gentle. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Baron Fabolais was a fat middle-aged man in his forties. Upon seeing Charles, he actually deigned to wave his hand from inside the carriage, bypassing the Westwind Knights and the local militia of Silver Pigeon Fort, and went straight into the city. The baron''s attitude was that exclusive arrogance of the great nobility. In his view, merely waving at Charles was already a great favor, and that was considering he had "reclaimed" Silver Pigeon fort. After all, it was now his domain. Charles didn''t care; he knew nobles were like that. After all, when they died, their blood was red too. However, the Westwind Knights and the local militia of Silver Pigeon Fort were filled with anger. Charles was their idol, and during this time, his achievements had conquered everyone. He could fairly arrange everything, lead the charge into battle, slay the leader of Lady Southseraph''s forces, allocate land to every fallen warrior, bestow Gold Eglu, promote every soldier who had distinguished himself, never treating anyone with arrogance. He shared hardships with his soldiers, always at the forefront of the war... Ah, a transmigrator''s basic playbook! After all, the land belonged to Baron Felar, and the compensation was paid from the baron''s coffers. How much money did Charles himself even have? When Charles received Mama Karen''s tip-off, he had a bold idea. As he now saw the procession with the fully loaded carriages and the splendidly dressed attendants, his heart swelled. "The wealth of Baron Fabolais might not match that of Baron Felar, given that he previously had no domain, but it certainly won''t be a small sum..." "All this¡­ it''s my wealth!" "If things keep disappearing frequently in Silver Pigeon Fort, surely they can''t blame me for it." "These great nobles won''t miss a few cheap trinkets." After the complete maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort, Baron Fabolais was still unaware that his belongings might just vanish without a trace, ending up hundreds of kilometers away at Machu Picchu stronghold... Yep, that''s very Charles. Charles suddenly quickened his pace to catch up with the baron''s carriage, then said in a low voice, "The forces of Lady Southseraph are still nearby. Your Excellency, your life is worth more than all the Gold Eglu; please do not take unnecessary risks. Enter your faithful Silver Pigeon Fort quickly, and take refuge in your palace." "I will vow to protect your team from the rear." Although Baron Fabolais didn''t think much of a commoner who had become a fourth-level Clerk Chief, Charles''s words were indeed pleasing. What about ''a golden body worth a fortune''? He truly was a big shot, a supreme plutocrat of the Empire, utterly different from those commoners. In response to Charles''s flattering attitude, the baron said indifferently, "Those Lady Southseraphs will no longer come to Silver Pigeon Fort." He added a bit proudly as an explanation, "Before departing, His Majesty the Emperor had the Augusladin High Priest accompany me." "Below the Sacred Order, how could that bunch of homeless dogs dare to come." Charles thought to himself, "South Serif also has the Sacred Order." But he wouldn''t say this out loud, instead he spoke with an envious tone, "Your Excellency Baron Fabolais truly is unlike the other barons." This compliment made Baron Fabolais feel great, both body and soul. Originally, before he came to Silver Pigeon Fort, he wanted to give Charles some trouble, and he had another duty: to thoroughly investigate the true cause of Baroness Phyllis and her family''s death. He had always felt that the truth wasn''t important, what was important was to let Charles know who was the real master of Silver Pigeon Fort. But Charles''s performance made him think that Charles''s report was the truth! Who the hell cares how Baron Phyllis''s whole family died? If not for their deaths, where would Baron Fabolais of Silver Pigeon Fort be? He intentionally stuck out his chubby face and gave Charles a smile, considering this to be the greatest honor bestowed. Charles didn''t keep up the act, he almost threw up continuing the performance. If it weren''t for seeing this baron bring a large amount of wealth, a walking treasury, he would have directly rewarded him with a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. After all, Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros killed Archduke Ferdinand, killed Jonathan, the last prince of South Serif, so, killing one more little brother-in-law of Axel VI wouldn''t matter much. Soon, a carriage full of sacred meaning passed by Charles, an old man leaned out, and with a smile said, "Mister Charles Mecklen, congratulations!" Charles knew that this must be the Augusladin High Priest and quickly said, "I have also arranged lodging for you, High Priest. Everything is set up just like Strasbourg''s Temple of Glory, only, due to the rush, there may be some oversights." The Augusladin High Priest nodded and Charles conveyed a hint that he knew of his arrival. What this represented, the High Priest understood very well. He was curious about Charles and said, "Please arrange for me a guard, a young, handsome virgin youth." Charles immediately thought of Dobin but quickly dismissed the thought, as Dobin would not be able to meet the High Priest''s requirements. Cyrus could, though... As expected, Lady Southseraph did not attack. Once the convoy entered Silver Pigeon Fort, Baron Fabolais didn''t head to the fort, but stood atop the city wall, gazing over the city that now belonged to him, feeling an endless excitement, mumbling to himself, "From now on, in Silver Pigeon Fort, if I want people to cry, there should be no one laughing. If I want them to laugh, even if their whole family has died, they must laugh like squealing pigs." "I, Baron Fabolais, am about to become the master of Silver Pigeon Fort." Charles muttered in his heart, "No, you''re about to become an NPC of Silver Pigeon Fort." "Hmm? The High Priest actually failed to convert?" "It seems this darn labyrinth can''t convert Sacred Order!" It appeared the High Priest sensed something; when he gazed towards the distant mountain peak where Mama Karen was drinking tea, a look of realization dawned on him. Chapter 166 164, free like a bird After the High Priest of Augustine left, Charles also immediately set off. It was only when he camped at night that he suddenly found an extra person in the troop, the personal servant girl of Duchess Joseph''s wife, Belisa.Anastasiya mustered up the courage to say, "The Duchess has died, and there is no one to protect Sister Belisa anymore. If she stayed in Mostar Fortress, she might be taken over by some noble, so she followed us and left." Charles really wanted to ask, "Aren''t you afraid I''ll take you over?" But he felt the joke was tasteless and too vulgar. Although Belisa was somewhat na?ve, she was not stupid. She clearly knew her status entirely depended on the Duchess. With the Duchess killed by Cyrus, she became a plaything, at risk of falling into a tragic state at any moment. Thus, upon learning of the Duchess''s death, she made a prompt decision not to return to Mostar Fortress but to follow Anastasiya instead. Anastasiya, too, sympathized with the servant girl and boldly took her along on the road. Charles looked at Belisa for a full seven minutes before saying, "My knighthood doesn''t feed idlers." Belisa puffed up her small chest and said, "I am also Transcendent!" Charles was surprised; he really hadn''t seen it. He asked, "You are a Transcendent as well?" Belisa said somewhat proudly, "I have self-studied courses from the University of Georgia." "I¡­ don''t have the talent of Dreamwalker or card magic. I always wished to be free like a little bird, so I chose ''Extreme Flyer.'' I am now a Second Order Extreme Flyer and can glide from a height of several meters." "Well, actually a bit higher is also fine." At this point, Belisa''s face turned red again. Charles was aware of what Extreme Flyers were, a typical path of "useless Transcendents." Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire When Extreme Flyers reach the Sacred Order, they can fly, but... everyone in the Sacred Order can fly. Before reaching the Sacred Order, Extreme Flyers can ride the wind... to glide! Low Order Extreme Flyers, like Belisa, can jump from a height of several meters, even tens of meters, without injury, Intermediate rank can jump from higher, and High Order can jump even higher¡­ Extreme Flyers can simply control the wind... That''s it! This Transcendent path only has this much to it, no other Special Abilities. Right, it does have one benefit; once in the Sacred Order, the flying speed is much faster than other Sacred Orders, fast... by a lot! Charles had not expected that this former servant girl was actually a "beautiful little useless one." Alright then! It''s not completely useless; at the very least, she is a Transcendent! He was genuinely worried that any minor conflict might see this fragile Transcendent dead and gone. Charles hesitated for a moment, took out a mask, and handed it to Belisa, saying, "Practice your Flying Dagger Technique and gunmanship more." He didn''t forget to add, "I''m lending it to you. Once you''ve practiced well with the Flying Dagger Technique and gunmanship, remember to give it back to me." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had to give this "little useless one" some self-preservation skills, or at least make her somewhat useful, right? Belisa received the cat mask, her pretty face still a bit flush. She certainly knew that her Special Ability wasn''t very useful. She also recognized the cat mask "lent" by Charles as an Extraordinary Item, having truly self-studied courses from the University of Georgia. The former servant girl said softly, "Thank you." Charles looked at Anastasia, without blaming her. Although Anastasia had taken her troops to intercept Cyrus on her own initiative, and it would have been total annihilation for them if Cyrus didn''t have bigger goals, where not a single one would''ve survived, Charles felt that it didn''t matter. He wasn''t such a strict commander, nor was he saintly enough to supervise strangers so meticulously. In any case, the outcome this time wasn''t bad; it was a stroke of good luck. Next time, they might just be as fortunate. In warfare, a lot of the time, it is indeed down to luck. If their luck really turned sour... Charles would collect their bodies, if there were any whole bodies left, that is. Having dealt with the minor issue of Belisa, Charles left some people on guard, instructed the entire army to rest, had something to eat himself, and continued with his cultivation. In the middle of the night, while Charles was cultivating, he suddenly broke through a bottleneck. The Bloody Glory within him surged like a tide, endlessly oscillating, traveling back and forth between six Bloody Vortexes. At a certain moment, a Bloody Vortex formed in his right hand as well. Charles slightly opened his eyes, and once the Bloody Glory in that area stabilized, he attempted to reverse the Bloody Glory into the Stellar Battle Qi of the Asiluo Clan, just as he had anticipated. With the amplification provided by the other six Bloody Vortexes, the Stellar Battle Qi effortlessly broke through, advancing to the Eighth Order! After feeling out his newly gained power, Charles dissipated the Stellar Battle Qi and allowed his body''s energy to return to Bloody Glory. So far, Charles had only tried to convert Bloody Glory into the Asiluo Clan''s Stellar Battle Qi and hadn''t yet attempted other Blood Clan Secret Techniques. He also hadn''t considered trying different Blood Clan Secret Techniques because what he wanted more was to condense a Blood Core. To condense a Blood Core! The first choice was naturally the Bloody Vortex in his left hand. As a member of the Three Emperor Clans, the Asiluo Clan had a profound potential, and his mastery of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Techniques was the best. Recently, Charles had repeatedly cycled the Bloody Glory, refining his Blood Energy and even momentarily giving up on Devouring Life, not using this ability in several battles. For now, it seemed there were no obstacles in his way. Charles silently pondered, "Following the current progress, perhaps forming a Blood Core really is possible." He was somewhat excited too. Though becoming a member of the Blood Clan might have its inconveniences, who wouldn''t want to possess a long life? Charles stepped out of the military carriage, and the camp was very quiet, with only soldiers on night watch gathered and chatting. In reality, they should be hiding in dark corners, staying vigilant at all times. But for what had been a ragtag Knighthood not long ago, achieving this much was already commendable, and Charles didn''t demand more. To him, it was passable that these night guards hadn''t just gone to sleep. Charles found a secluded corner to relieve himself, and just as he was shaking off the last drops, he hesitated. After fastening his belt, he stamped down forcefully. A shadow burst from the ground, a glint of cold steel aiming straight for his face. Charles hadn''t expected that there could still be an assassin lurking; had he not come out to relieve himself, This assassin... Perhaps would have quietly slipped away. With a flip of his wrist, the Blood Rose was already in hand, knocking away the incoming Dagger. The attacker, although masked, could almost be identified by Charles through his use of Martial Techniques as one of the People of Baron, utilizing the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship, just modified for a short sword. After twenty exchanges in which their blades never collided, just as Charles was about to draw a Silver Rhinoceros to catch his opponent off guard, the Blood Clan assassin had already freed himself from Charles''s Rapier, whispering, "I''m on your side!" Chapter 145 143, First Taxation Day (Double Monthly Tickets Requested) ```Charles handed Louis Simi fifty luxury items and Ross Bard thirty-five luxury items, instructing them to exchange these goods for cash to hire a group of detectives and adventurers with the proceeds. By now, the fight at Silver Pigeon Fort was over for Charles, and the two men had yet to bring over the detectives and adventurers, which was certainly an issue they couldn''t explain away. As for pocketing the money, that was something neither of them dared to do, no matter how bold. If Charles had died at Silver Pigeon Fort, neither man would have had to worry, but not only did Charles survive, he also got promoted to the second rank of level 32 common affairs and became a power-holding elite in charge of the Patrolling Army and the Knighthood. Although he was a lower-tier elite, killing two businessmen was as easy as flipping one''s hand. A level 33 first rank common affairs and level five Clerk Chief are equal in rank, but level 33 is the ceiling for the Clerk Chief, yet only the starting line for common affairs. As lower-tier elites, Clerk Chiefs have a certain chance of obtaining an administrative role, managing specific affairs, whereas common affairs are guaranteed to receive administrative roles, entering the managerial hierarchy of the Empire. After all, Louis Simi was much bolder, and after leaving Silver Pigeon Fort, he came to Charles''s side and said in a low voice, "I have acquired a detective agency for you. They weren''t doing very well, but they have a full staff. I thought rather than hiring detectives, it would be more convenient to have our own agency." "The procedures were really too slow, and that caused a bit of a delay." With a slight smile, Charles accepted this "reason". The batch of luxury items he provided should have been just enough to acquire a medium-ranked detective agency, but acquiring a detective agency was not as simple as simply deciding to do so; Louis Simi must have used all his wits and resources. There''s no need to treat businessmen as friends. Charles didn''t feel betrayed by Louis Simi; all he needed was enough "profit" in return. Ross Bard was bitter; he indeed weighed his interests. Upon returning to Strasbourg and learning that Charles had killed the leader of the South Ceraph resistance, Jonathan, outside Silver Pigeon Fort, and that Lady Southseraph had even sent a Sacred Order to seek revenge, he concluded that Charles wouldn''t survive, so he did nothing. When he learned that Charles had not only defeated the South Ceraph Restoration Army several times but had even "driven away" the Sacred Order from South Ceraph, Ross Bard''s vision went dark, knowing he had backed the wrong horse. He didn''t know how Charles managed to drive away the Sacred Order, but he knew that the day he left Silver Pigeon Fort was the day Bard & Co. would cease to exist. Ross Bard chose to abandon all business partners, liquidate all the fixed assets of his family, and had his entire family take all the movable assets to the Inglima Empire. He came alone to see Charles. When he saw how easily Charles forgave Louis Simi, he knew he had made yet another wrong choice. Charles paid no attention to this businessman, but during the first pause, he called Belisa and her guards over and said gently, "We''re about to go to the front lines, but Miss Belisa, you need to report back to the Duchess, so we must part ways." Belisa hesitated but eventually agreed, even though she also wanted to follow to Interlaken City, saying, "Please take care of the Duke." Charles nodded and after sending Belisa off, he didn''t continue the march but began another round of reorganization. This time he expanded his own, Taoles, Yellow Bear, and Dobin''s direct combat teams to five hundred men each. The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft kept their direct combat teams at two hundred men each. The conscripted militia from Silver Pigeon Fort was disbanded and integrated into the Westwind Knights. The Westwind Knighthood became a massive force of over thirteen thousand men. Though this knighthood''s quality was incomparable to a proper knighthood due to the complexity of its composition, having fought a few battles, they were now a disciplined military force. Then, Charles led this army straight to Machu Picchu. As for Duke Joseph¡­ ``` Curse his big head. Baron Fabolais took a long seven or eight days to recover and no longer looked dejected. He had used all his wits to obtain Silver Pigeon Fort, but reaped no benefits from it; that damned Lady Southseraph didn''t leave a single coin for him, thoroughly plundering Baron Fele''s wealth. This fact once left him in deep despair, and the opportunity for Baron Fabolais to bounce back was the first tax collection day at Silver Pigeon Fort after his arrival. Read exclusive content at empire When Charles was at Silver Pigeon Fort, no taxes were collected at all. Baron Fabolais'' first tax collection caused complaints and grumblings, and even led to conflicts with local residents, but, with his own Knighthood, the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort dared not speak their anger aloud. In the afternoon, after strutting around Silver Pigeon Fort, he returned to the fort and couldn''t wait to visit his treasury, which was once Baron Fele''s treasury. However, before he arrived at the fort, it had been cleaned out, not even a mouse was left, thoroughly empty. After passing through heavy guards, Baron Fabolais stepped into his treasury, ready to count the taxes collected that day, only for his eyes to bulge in an unprecedented manner. He rubbed his eyes again and again, but still saw nothing. The treasury was as empty as the day he arrived; not even a mouse was there, thoroughly empty. "Where is my gold Aegeus? Where are my taxes? What about my savings?" "My money..." Baron Fabolais let out a shrill howl, sounding like an injured wild dog, or a wild cat that failed to mate, pitiful to the point where one would want to kick him to death. A few minutes later, Baron Fabolais, boiling with rage, finally saw a line carved by a sharp blade on the wall: ''We, Lady Southseraph, have taken all your wealth!'' Below it was a signature: ''Cyrus, Temporal Commander of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army.'' The signature was flamboyant, clearly showing the sheer delight of the person who had written those words. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Baron Fabolais'' hands shook with fury. He left Strasbourg for Silver Pigeon Fort, thinking he would spend a prosperous life in this wealthy territory, so he brought all his life savings with him¡ªa significant amount of money. Baron Fabolais was so heartbroken he felt he could dare to duel with the Sacred Order. When pushed to the brink, humans could do anything. Even challenge a dragon! Suddenly, Baron Fabolais broke down in tears, punching and kicking the walls, sobbing and cursing, "Cyrus, you won''t die a good death! Cyrus, you took my money, how could you take all my money, not leaving even a single coin!" "Cyrus, if I catch you, I''ll definitely deliver you to the Augusladin High Priest." "I want the Augusladin High Priest to punish you severely!" "How can someone be so cruel, to take away all my savings, my money!" "Damn Southseraph people! They are robbers, real robbers..." At this moment, the only thought in Baron Fabolais'' mind was: ''My enmity with the Southseraph people shall not coexist under this heaven. My grudge against Cyrus, this vendetta shall not end until death.'' Chapter 146 144. New Order Pact International Alliance (Double Monthly Tickets) In the Fars Empire, government departments paid salaries every Monday, thus in the Fars Empire, Monday was affectionately called ¡ª Empire Payday.Most lords in the Fars Empire collected taxes on Tuesday, thus Tuesday was affectionately called ¡ª Lords'' Tax Day. The person responsible for the infamous Baron Fabolais Tax Day Massacre was Charles, who was refurbishing the Knighthood at Machu Picchu. As he led an entire Knighthood into Machu Picchu, a thought immediately transmitted through his diary, telling him that he could undergo the third "Maze-ification." Charles originally had no desire to go to the frontline and fight to the death for an Imperial Duke he didn''t even know, so he settled down to refurbish in Machu Picchu, as the Westwind Knights needed training and motivational speeches anyway. Now, with the "secret passage" between Machu Picchu and Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles no longer worried about supplies. He could get food directly from Silver Pigeon Fort, just by placing the food at a designated spot in the fort, and it would appear in Machu Picchu the next second. Silver Pigeon Fort itself is a commercial city with numerous waterways, indicating prosperous trade and an ever-abundant food supply. Although Machu Picchu Fort had been long abandoned, some houses just needed a bit of repair to make them quite livable. The fort gradually became lively after the Westwind Knights took up residence. Occasionally, Charles had someone go to Silver Pigeon Fort to buy barley beer. The person sent to buy the beer only remembered the fortune he hadn''t yet retrieved when he saw Baron Fabolais leading his Knights to collect taxes. As Baron Fabolais stared at his empty treasury, Charles was also looking at his own treasury, dazzlingly filled with Gold Aegeus. Dozens of boxes filled with Gold Aegeus were arranged in two rows, some from Baron Philedrica''s estate, some from Baron Fabolais'' estate. Charles wasn''t too clear on the source of each piece of Gold Aegeus, but¡­ does it really matter? No, it doesn''t! What mattered was that all these Gold Aegeus belonged completely to him, Charles Mecklen. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Explore more stories at empire This amount of Gold Aegeus exceeded one hundred thousand, to be exact, about one hundred twenty thousand Aegeus. It was a collaborative contribution from both Barons, and represented their entire hidden wealth. In addition to these gold-created currencies, he also had a considerable amount of Fu Er paper money. Over ten thousand of it came from Baron Philedrica, and more than thirty thousand from Baron Fabolais. Baron Philedrica was fine since he was already dead and had no further use for the money. Without this cash flow, Baron Fabolais probably only had debts remaining. This money was actually a loan secured by Baron Fabolais using the tax rights of Silver Pigeon Fort; his expenditures were so great, he had run out of cash surplus long ago. Charles counted the Gold Aegeus and Fu Er paper money over and over, becoming almost addicted to this game. The most joyful game in the world is counting an unexpected windfall from the heavens. Each recount added a bit more joy, although no matter how many times he counted, the wealth remained the same, but the secretion of dopamine was honest in providing happiness. Charles grabbed a handful of Gold Aegeus, letting them fall through his fingers. He suddenly remembered that Baron Fabolais also had some expensive private collectibles. Just as he was about to make another trip back to Silver Pigeon Fort, he mused discreetly, "Better not, I fear the shock might be too much for the Baron to bear." "Hmm! If Baron Fabolais couldn''t handle the shock and had a heart attack, dying on the spot." "Wouldn''t it be wonderful if the Empire sent over another, wealthier Baron?" As Charles was about to "tirelessly" make an effort, he sensed someone breaching the labyrinth¡ªnot infiltrating Silver Pigeon Fort but Machu Picchu. Astounded, he hurriedly left his vault. A team of Beastmen had stormed into Machu Picchu. They instantly became aware that something was amiss with the ruins of this ancient Beastman kingdom''s fortress and were just about to evacuate Machu Picchu. If Charles had emerged just a little later without activating the labyrinth, these Beastmen might actually have escaped it. With a feigned grab, Charles made the Beastman team unwittingly change direction amid the confusing structure. Having worked for some time as "colleagues" with Philedrica, Charles had learned a bit about Beastmen. The southern continent was a relatively chaotic place, several major countries had their sphere of influence there, but none could completely control the southern continent. There were nearly a thousand Beastman tribes; some formed alliances, some carved out their territories, and others waged wars against each other, even holding age-old grudges. But no matter the tribe, each one despised the Sherlock Dynasty without exception. After the fall of the Sherlock Dynasty, the Beastman tribes of the southern continent came to despise the Fars Empire. Although it was Fars that had destroyed Sherlock, who else but Fars had inherited the lands and people of the Sherlock Dynasty? Thus, this time, the Beastman tribes from the southern continent joined Byron, the Black Phoenix Dynasty, and the South Serif in forming a New Order International Coalition. This was a squad of Beastmen on a special mission. They hailed from the Hunchback Red Bear Tribe. The Beastmen of this tribe, half man, half bear, possessed immense strength and were covered in either black or brown coarse fur, but their backs blazed red like flames. Hence, they were named the Hunchback Red Bear Tribe. Their mission might be reconnaissance or even the assassination of a leader. Charles trapped this Beastman squad and was about to split them up to interrogate one of them about their true purpose. If it was unrelated to him, he would just let them go. Though it was a time of war, Charles still felt some aversion to "killing." He waited patiently for a while and realized that this experienced Beastman squad, undisturbed by the labyrinth''s shifts, remained cohesive. Charles thought to himself, "Since I can''t separate them, I might as well ask outright." Having dueled Cyrus hundreds of times, even though his best record was a draw, Charles had honed some fighting resolve. Facing a Beastman squad trapped in the Machu Picchu maze did not frighten him. He revealed himself and demanded, "What are you Beastmen doing in Machu Picchu?" His response was a meteor hammer, as large as a human head! Capitalizing on the Quickness Technique, Charles somersaulted, dodging the hammer. However, the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior who had thrown the hammer continuously swung a pair of spiked meteor hammers like bolts of lightning and thunder, relentlessly targeting Charles''s face. Charles hadn''t expected to encounter such a master. In terms of hammer technique alone, the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior was at least of the intermediate high rank, possibly even a Knight of the Tenth Grade or higher. The meteor hammer, a heavy weapon unleashed by the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, packed crushing force. Charles dared not intercept it with his magic sword. Instead, relying on his movement technique, he constantly jumped and dodged, again shouting, "If you don''t explain your intentions quickly, I won''t be so courteous." The Hunchback Red Bear Warrior wielding the meteor hammer bellowed, "We are here to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand!" "Since you''ve discovered us," Chapter 169 167. Not to alarm friendly nations (requesting monthly tickets) Charles had indeed brought Julian along.He had not delayed along the way, for he did not return to Machu Picchu since he had Julian with him. Instead, halfway there, he sent Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft to take the Westwind Knights to Machu Picchu, leaving the four there and calling Taoles back, also having Taoles bring back a batch of war horses. To be sent on a mission to the Inglima Empire, Taoles, as a lady from Su Mei''s Home, was naturally the right choice. Since he had called Taoles back, he certainly needed to leave someone to watch over the home. Charles, not trusting Dobin alone nor the rest, simply left them all behind. When Taoles met Charles, she didn''t complain much. Machu Picchu was not far from Strasbourg, and she often sent people to Strasbourg to buy newspapers. Although the news was a bit delayed, she was not completely uninformed. She asked a few eager questions, deeply regretting that she hadn''t been able to go to Mostar Fortress to witness the Grand Duchess''s beheading. When she met Anastasiya and Belisa, she was even more curious. Seeing Julian, she was somewhat surprised. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles, however, did not conceal Julian''s identity and had informed several key subordinates beforehand to prevent them from treating Julian as a mere companion out of ignorance. The Augusladin High Priest had already sent people to pass messages several times, urging him to return to Strasbourg quickly. Charles waited near Machu Picchu for a day, waiting for Dobin and the others to escort the Knighthood personnel and also for Taoles to rejoin the group. Find your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire As soon as Taoles returned, he immediately continued on his journey. Over two hundred kilometers, in this era, it really took a few days to travel. Fortunately, after the army left, only a small troop of fifty remained, and with the war horses Taoles had brought back, their speed greatly increased. When Charles saw Strasbourg again, he felt an endless array of emotions. When he had left, he was a thirty-fourth rank, fourth level Clerk Chief, but now he was a twenty-ninth rank, first level general affairs chief. War, indeed, was the quickest shortcut to a promotion. Upon returning to Strasbourg, Charles and Taoles went first to the Central Government Office military Knighthood division. The Westwind Knights had received orders to support the Behemoth Duchy. Although Grand Duke Joseph had died in battle and the Duchess had been beheaded, along with some nobles with actual power who had died alongside Grand Duke Joseph in the small town of Interlaken, the Duke''s most trusted Baron Filio also perished on the battlefield, and his entire family was wiped out, leaving only Anastasiya, his illegitimate daughter... It was considered a completed mission. Cyrus had ultimately retreated after all. The Central Government Office military Knighthood division, apparently having been hinted at by higher-ups, allowed the Westwind Knights to mark the mission as completed, giving the highest evaluation, reporting to higher authorities, and also issued new orders. They commanded the Westwind Knights to assist the Inglima Empire in clearing out the "pirates" hidden in Cappadocia City, without alarming the allies. Though part of the Old Continent, the territory of the Inglima Empire was not located on any part of the mainland; it was a nation consisting of three large islands and thousands of smaller ones. The three main islands were collectively called the Inglima Tri-Islands, each known as Notruden, Song Spirit, and Ojibwe! The capital of the Inglima Empire, Notruden, was on the smallest of the Inglima Tri-Islands, Notruden. Although the smallest in area among the three islands, it was flat and fertile, and nearly ninety percent of the population of the Inglima Empire lived on Notruden. Cappadocia City was on Song Spirit Island, the second largest island of the Inglima Empire, but the island was almost entirely mountainous, with only small plains, thus the population was very sparse and scattered across the island. Cappadocia had been occupied by pirates, and its population once exceeded ten thousand, making it the largest city on Song Spirit Island at the time. Even now, as it has become a mere small town with only a few thousand inhabitants, it still ranks as the fifth "large city" on Song Spirit Island. Charles obtained a document, roughly two hundred years old, in which the Inglima Empire requested assistance from the Fars Empire to eradicate the pirates of Cappadocia City. He also acquired the formal military dispatch orders from the Fars Empire. Politically speaking, there were virtually no flaws. Of course, while its legality wasn''t an issue, Charles knew that if anything went wrong, he would be a "sacrificial lamb." The Empire would surely find an excuse to shirk responsibility and pin the blame on him. The Augusladin High Priest, who pushed for this action, naturally believed that nothing would go wrong, after all, neither he nor Charles would allow the Westwind Knights to appear on the Inglima Empire''s territory. After completing the necessary "procedures," Taoles parted ways with Charles; she returned to Strasbourg, having personal matters to attend to. Charles arranged for everyone to gather at Sparrowhawk Street number one. After some hesitation, between visiting the Augusladin High Priest and Anne Brittany, he decided to go to the University of Georgia first. Anne had just finished her class when she saw a black carriage parked outside the academic building. Previously, Charles did not have a permanent pass to enter the University of Georgia, only a multiple-entry permit, which should not have allowed him to drive in. However, cloaked in dark luxury, he transformed it into a carriage only after entering the university campus. Charles, with a smile, stepped down from the carriage and asked, "Might I have the honor of inviting Miss Anne for afternoon tea?" Anne was both shocked and delighted. Had it not been on campus, she might have thrown herself into Charles''s arms. Even so, she graciously offered her hand with a beaming smile, allowing Charles to help her onto the carriage. Once on the carriage, Anne threw herself into Charles''s arms. The two had never been so close; Charles could hear Anne''s heart pounding. He felt slightly proud, a bit sweet, and of course, somewhat troubled. His greatest crisis during this trip to the Behemoth Duchy was the threat from Cyrus to expose his past. Charles was still unaware that the Duke had already conducted a "background check" on him and thought that his past remained unknown for now. Yet, he was very concerned about what Anne might think if she ever learned about Charles Mecklen''s past. Charles inwardly debated, "Should I just turn raw rice into cooked rice?" "Hmm, maybe not!" "I feel like Earl Brittany would kill me." "Besides, it''s not ethical." "I''d rather fail than use such despicable methods to succeed." On the way to the Behemoth Duchy, Charles omitted the beginning and end of his story, sharing only half of it with Anne. Anne also spoke about how much she had missed Charles. As the carriage left the University of Georgia for the reserved restaurant, Charles, instructing the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior to slow down, took out a carefully prepared gift. Chapter 148 146, Blood Clan and Beastman Whether it be genuine Blood Clan vampires or humans who cultivate Bloody Glory, those of intermediate rank or below can advance their strength by devouring the life force of others, but vampires looking to ascend to high order can only rely on condensing a Blood Core to advance.The various clans of the Blood Clan are born with different physical structures, and although they can also cross family names to practice other clans'' secret techniques, the speed of such cross-training is inevitably slower than practicing their own clan''s techniques, thus, even though there are vampires who practice different vampiric secret techniques, they are not mainstream. Most of the Blood Clan only condense one Bloody Vortex, and like human knights, are ranked by the strength of their Blood Energy, not in the manner of Protagora''s Bloody Glory where one advances each time a new Bloody Vortex is opened. For vampires, the process of ascending to high order is, in form, very simple: as long as one compresses and condenses the Bloody Vortex into a Blood Core, one can ascend to high order. The Blood Clan divides high order into two phases: Ranks thirteen through fifteen are called barons, while sixteen through eighteen are called viscounts. Byron truly bestows noble titles on those of his clan who reach high order, as it is the tradition within the Vampire Empire to not award honors to those who haven''t entered high order. After ascending to high order, Blood Clan members place greater importance on the purity of Blood Energy and will not recklessly devour prey of a lower Transcendent rank than themselves, only occasionally supplementing a small amount, like a dessert after a meal. Indiscriminate frenzied devouring of life force can easily cause them to fall into monstrosity; the reason the Blood Clan has the nickname of vampires is because they truly can fall into non-human monsters, losing their human form and all rationality. There is a saying: A vampire that can think and converse effortlessly as a human is not actually the complete version; a completely fallen creature that has lost human form and all rationality, with desires in shambles, is the real vampire. Not a single member of the Blood Clan wishes to become that kind of monster. Contending with the fel energy within is the eternal fate of every vampire. Cultivating Bloody Glory is different. Humans can practice Blood Clan secret techniques, but the biggest difference between humans and vampires is whether or not they have undergone the mysterious rites or have been given the First Embrace by a high-ranking Blood Clan member. At the intermediate rank or below, whether one practices Bloody Glory or the authentic Blood Clan secret techniques, the difference from vampires isn''t significant, but at high order, there is a clear marker¡ªhumans cannot condense a Blood Core and cannot elevate a Bloody Vortex to a vampire''s Heart Core. The Protagora Scrolls do not contain the secret technique for condensing Blood Cores. As is widely known, although this Great Philosopher of the Human Race lived a long life, he still died of old age like an ordinary human. No one knows why Protagora did not become a vampire. It could be that he never obtained the secret technique for condensing Blood Cores, or he possibly detested vampires and didn''t want to become one of them, or there might be other reasons. Charles possesses scrolls from both the Arthur Clan and the Adonis Clan, and both vampiric scrolls contain the methods for refining Blood Cores. Lord Leo once said that if the Adonis Clan used the Arthur Clan''s secret technique to condense Blood Cores, there would be slight issues that are detrimental to future growth, because the Bloody Glory opened using the Adonis Clan''s secret techniques is essentially different from that of the Arthur Clan. But Charles is not of the Adonis Clan; he is a human who practices Bloody Glory. With six Bloody Vortexes, he can choose any number of them to condense into a Blood Core; he even has the option to condense multiple Bloody Vortexes into Blood Cores. Lord Leo had one more thing he did not say: Although using the life force of others to condense Blood Cores and ascend to high order is relatively easy, such Blood Cores are inherently of the lowest quality and almost certainly sever the path to further advancement. After advancing to intermediate rank, Charles indeed wished to try condensing a Blood Core, as he had no psychological barriers! Whether he lived as a human or as a vampire made no difference to him. In both the Old Continent and the New Continent, vampires could live under the sun with complete legitimacy, even establishing their own states. The temptation of immortality offered by becoming one of the Everlasting Kind was considerable for anyone. Of course, becoming a vampire also had some non-negligible impacts, vampires could only perform the First Embrace, were unable to reproduce, were shunned by the gods, let alone the True God, even the Evil God disliked the Blood Clan. Only the ancestors of the Blood Clan would bless their descendants. Additionally, they would lose some of the desires of life and were prone to fall into depravity... Charles jumped down from the city wall, arrived amidst the group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and led them to a "marketplace" in Machu Picchu. This was a commercial area within the Westwind Knighthood, dominated by the trading corps of Louis Simi and Ross Bard. Machu Picchu was only two hundred kilometers away from Strasbourg and was originally a commercial hub. Far from inconveniencing the merchants, Charles instead called upon the members of the Westwind Knighthood to repair nearby houses and clean up a space that was very suitable for business. The houses were rented out to the merchants at very cheap rates, and it was declared that commercial activities conducted in this area¡ªwould be tax-exempt. This policy was only published for a few days, and the area had already begun to thrive. There was even a rudimentary tavern. Charles casually ordered a table full of food, inviting the dozen or so Hunchback Red Bear Warriors to eat, and had someone call over the Yellow Bear. The Yellow Bear was a Demon Hunter. Becoming a Demon Hunter required a monster''s Heart Core, and upon appointment, one''s appearance would transform to resemble that of the monster. For instance, if one''s appointment involved using a werewolf Heart Core, they would closely resemble a Werewolf, agile and very enduring. The Heart Core of a demon bear was used by the Yellow Bear when he advanced, so he was incredibly tough-skinned and strong in defense, as well as mighty in strength, serving a role on the battlefield akin to that of the Blood Butcher. He knew how to disguise Beastmen as Demon Hunters. No one knew the origins of the ancient Beastmen ancestors, but there was always a saying on the Old Continent, that the predecessors of the Beastmen were also Demon Hunters. However, modern Demon Hunters simply could not rely on reproduction to pass along their powers; even their offspring had no difference from ordinary people, casting doubt on this claim. Regardless, it was certainly feasible to disguise Beastmen as Demon Hunters. The Hundred Bear Chief, Big Bear Tyrant, and other Bear People, who hadn''t had a proper meal for a long time, finally had the opportunity to dine in a tavern, with unlimited supply of barley wine. This group of Bear People indulged in eating and drinking, downing over two hundred servings of food and averaging a barrel of barley wine per person. Having eaten and drunk their fill, this group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors didn''t care where they were and just lay down on the ground, wanting to sleep. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles certainly couldn''t allow this, so he kicked these dirty fellows awake and took them to an ancient abandoned military camp nearby. These Bear People slept snoring loudly, completely oblivious to being in enemy territory. Thinking of Philedrica, Charles suddenly felt that the assassins from the Orc Assassin Alliance were completely different from this group of Bear People. The Orc Assassins he had met behaved almost indistinguishably from the Human Race, except for some Beastman traits, and didn''t display any rudeness. Philedrica could even study at the University of Georgia. However, this group of Bear People gave him the impression that they completely fit the depiction of Beastmen in fiction¡ªuncouth, gluttonous, fond of drinking, without vigilance, and especially loud snorers. Charles didn''t bother with these Bear People because he had his training to attend to, so he returned to his own residence. He suddenly thought, "It would indeed be impressive to have such a guard unit by my side when I go out. It''s a pity that Fars is now hostile to the Beastman tribes, who have joined Byron''s side." He pondered a few methods, but they all seemed unfeasible. He also didn''t know whether he could rely on this group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, so he could only let it be. Charles felt they ate too much and were not as easy to keep as Agile Cats... Chapter 149 147, One hundred Labyrinth Guardians Baron Fabolais has received one piece of bad news after another these days.First, some of the famous paintings he had collected disappeared. In place of each missing painting, a signature tag from the mysterious thief Cyrus was left. In fact, Charles hadn''t taken them away; these fragile paintings would have been ruined by the terrible environment of Machu Picchu in just a few days¡ªit was just that they were hidden, leaving Baron Fabolais unable to find them. Baron Fabolais absolutely refused to believe that this guy named Cyrus had such extraordinary powers. Having lost all Gold Eglus and banknotes, he could still say this guy named Cyrus was highly skilled in thievery, as gold coins and banknotes are easy to hide, but stealing items under the heavily upgraded security levels and the close watch of countless guards¡ªespecially paintings which are not easy to transport¡ªmade the Baron suspicious of an insider at Silver Pigeon Fort. He no longer trusted the original servants of the fort; even after several rounds of investigation, no suspects were found, so he simply drove out all the old staff, leaving only those who had come with him from Strasbourg. Then, some of his everyday items, such as cutlery and valuable jewelry, also disappeared one by one. This time, the signature left behind was: "The Handsome Virgin, Cyrus." At first, it was minor items that were missing, but soon even large items started to vanish, such as furniture, and even his favorite carriage mysteriously disappeared. At the time of the carriage disappearance, the signature in the stable was changed to: "The Fresh and Delicious Handsome Virgin, Cyrus." This audacious thief, originally a relatively decent temporary leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, became the mysterious "Handsome Virgin, Cyrus," then "The Fresh and Delicious Cyrus," morally declining step by step. Baron Fabolais was truly enraged. He had no interest in the evolution of Cyrus''s signature tags, seeing them as mere clownish provocations. He suspected the traitor came from his inner circle; he thought it must be the knighthood and the servants brought from Strasbourg who had been bribed. He personally pressed several suspects and even killed some servants, but to no avail. In a few days, all of the carriages at Silver Pigeon Fort had disappeared, along with a batch of supplies and weapons. Every time something was lost, a signature from Cyrus was left behind, frightening Baron Fabolais into moving to live with Augusladin High Priest during the night. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The High Priest reluctantly let him stay for a night, disdaining him for being neither young nor beautiful, nor a virgin, and certainly not fresh and delicious. He evicted him the next day. Fortunately, as the things continued being taken, Baron Fabolais found Silver Pigeon Fort quiet once again. He planned to wait for the next tax collection day, take a sum of cash, and then hastily return to Strasbourg to weep and beg his sister for another loan. Leading his own Knighthood to fight the Restoration Army led by Cyrus outside Silver Pigeon Fort for a decisive battle to reclaim his wealth was never an option for the Baron. Charles also didn''t focus all his attention on transporting wealth. Every day, he was still cultivating, cultivating, cultivating, waiting for the third "Maze-ification" of Machu Picchu. Except for the fact that the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors ate a bit too much, life was quite stable. The third "Maze-ification" of Machu Picchu proceeded without any significant disturbances. On the eighteenth day, there was no activity in the morning, but at dusk, a strand of thought came from the diary: "Machu Picchu has completed its third ''Maze-ification'', having reached its limit and no longer able to ascend. It can now transform a hundred Labyrinth Guardians." Charles had never encountered such a situation before and hesitated for a long time. He was somewhat puzzled, wondering why he would need Labyrinth Guardians if there were already NPCs? Charles didn''t realize that as an Earthling, the labyrinth transformed according to his will, which is why NPCs existed; the orthodox labyrinths had Labyrinth Guardians. These beings were neither human nor entirely of the labyrinth, wandering its depths, protecting it, and slaying all intruders. Agmilas was an overseas Labyrinth Evil God, adept not only at creating labyrinths but also their guardians. Even though Charles didn''t know what a Labyrinth Guardian was, he had no intention of using the Westwind Knighthood for it. After contemplating for a moment, he jumped up, pressed his hand on the ground, and through his control of the labyrinth, sensed the eighteen Hunchback Red Bears. He whispered softly, "Transform them into Labyrinth Guardians." For this group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, Charles had considered two options: one was to kill them to enhance the Bloody Glory, but he had recently planned to try and consolidate a Blood Core. This method of drawing life force from others to form a Blood Core could result in a mixed and impure core, affecting its future growth. The other was to present them for commendation; he had even convinced the Hundred Bear Chief and the others by promising them a visit to Silver Pigeon Fort, but as favorable as commendations were, how could they compare to the value of eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors transformed into Labyrinth Guardians? Well, they were enemies anyway. No need for pity. This squad included three Transcendent Beastmen, aside from the Hundred Bear Chief and the other strong bears, there was the oldest one, a Transcendent old bear named Honey. This old bear had loved eating honey when he was young, hence the effeminate name. What was most valuable was that these three Transcendent Beastmen were all above Tenth Grade Intermediate rank Beastmen. Due to their sturdy bodies and immense strength, and their use of heavy weaponry, they could unleash might on the battlefield comparable to a High Order. The Hundred Bear Chief, the strong bears, and Honey, these Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, had been living extremely well these past few days, with plenty to eat and drink, then practicing their martial skills, completely forgetting their task to investigate Archduke Ferdinand''s death. At first, they kept their guard up, but after staying in Machu Picchu for over ten days, enjoying good food and drink every day and growing more trusting of Charles with each passing day, they were no longer so keen on heading to Silver Pigeon Fort. Since Archduke Ferdinand was dead, their mission was considered complete. The Bear People were a race that adapted to circumstances easily; they were not in a hurry to return to the southern continent and even felt that living in Machu Picchu was not too bad. When Charles transformed them into Labyrinth Guardians, at the bottom of Hundred Bear Chief''s heart, a voice seemed to ask him, "Would you choose to stay in Machu Picchu forever?" He answered without hesitating, "If I can eat my fill every day, practice martial arts with my brothers, I am willing to stay in Machu Picchu forever." It seemed his words were acknowledged. He felt a slight weight upon him, and suddenly he was donning a set of armor, looking very majestic. The Hundred Bear Chief noticed his comrades were all experiencing the same thing. Each had changed into a new suit of gleaming armor, which fit them perfectly. If Baron Fabolais were to see this, he would definitely recognize these armors; these eighteen sets of armor were all his, meant to be worn by his close bodyguards who would cluster around him when he went out, for both protection and display. After Charles transformed the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors into Labyrinth Guardians, he didn''t feel anything had happened, so he went to check on them personally. When he saw the Hundred Bear Chief, the strong bears, and Honey, a sudden chill ran through his heart¡­ Chapter 150 148. Why do I trust this diary so much? (Double votes for monthly tickets) The Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, when observed with the naked eye, still appeared crude, powerful, savage, magnanimous, and ferocious. However, when Charles activated Insight, what he saw was a group of monster bears that had completely lost their vitality, with dull fur and only faint white fires in their eye sockets.Charles had not expected that Labyrinth Guardians would be such creatures. If he had known, he would have preferred to kill the group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors rather than transform them into Labyrinth Guardians. Charles even saw the Hundred Bear Chief pick up a barrel of beer and drink heartily, while water continuously seeped from his chest and belly, indicating that the bear''s body was "leaking" and could no longer retain food. A slight chill arose from the depths of Charles''s soul. The Old Continent had True Gods as well as Evil Gods. Whether it was the Ancestor God of the Blood Clan or Agmilas, both were Evil Gods. They were called Evil Gods not because their powers were insufficiently strong, but because their powers belonged to the realm of fel energy. In this world, there is only one thing that falls under the realm of fel energy, and that is "evil spirits." They are not living beings. Although they possess all characteristics of living beings, they have no life, cannot reproduce, cannot think, have no emotions, and can only act according to some strange rules, without even desires... Vampires are actually a kind of evil spirit. A very special kind of evil spirit. Since he had transmigrated, he knew that his predecessor had died summoning an Evil God, and he also knew that he was cultivating Bloody Glory, a strange power that belonged to the realm of fel energy. But because the fact of transmigration was even more bizarre, he had always neglected certain details. Due to the remnants of Labyrinth Evil God Agmilas and a shred of intent from Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan battling each other, the formation of the two diaries, despite the constant risk of bringing the Evil Gods back, had brought him innumerable benefits. Whether it was the increased spirituality from facing an Evil God directly, the rapid progress of Bloody Glory, or the increasingly mysterious Labyrinth Power... For a long time, Charles had even thought that the Evil Gods were not so terrifying. As for the downsides, Charles hadn''t felt them yet. It was only at this moment that Charles suddenly realized he was deeply ensnared, walking step by step towards an unmeasurable darkness. Charles took out the diary and suddenly had a thought he had never considered before, "Why do I trust this diary so much?" "I believe that as long as I control fifteen labyrinths, and map out the sixteenth labyrinth, proving myself, Agmilas will never come." "I believe that as soon as I master the seventeen pages of the Adonis Clan''s Bloodline Mantra, Kahnstan will be unable to harm me ever again." "I am complacent about my own progress, I enjoy the convenience brought by the Bloodline Mantra and the Labyrinth, thinking I will eventually get past the crisis of the Evil Gods'' descent." "But... when have the Evil Gods ever told the truth? Spoken honestly?" "How can this diary be trustworthy?" Looking at the group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, who had already undergone a cursed transformation, lost their lives, and become Labyrinth Guardians, Charles suddenly felt an upsurge of fear. A tremendous fear. It even reminded him of the time he swallowed a Blood Servant of Lord Leo and was backlashed by the Prime Blood Boiling, when the mysterious Blood Clan Evil God actually helped him master the Bloodline Mantra in a friendly manner. Why would an Evil God be so kind-hearted? Charles had a feeling that since the moment he had transmigrated, a huge conspiracy had enshrouded him, one that was so well hidden that he could not find any traces of it. The reason he questioned and reacted today was not because he was extremely vigilant or had noticed something amiss, but because as a transmigrator, he could not easily accept turning a group of living beings into evil spirits. Charles did not know that Labyrinth Guardians were such entities. ``` He had thought they were much like Labyrinth NPCs, capable only of publishing tasks, accepting tasks, and being perceptible to him within a certain range, otherwise indistinguishable from ordinary people. He didn''t realize this was "damaging and deadly." Charles abruptly activated the Quickness Technique and leaped to the highest nearby point, looking at the bustling crowd below, living peacefully just as in Silver Pigeon Fort, when a terrifying thought suddenly struck him, "Could it be that one day, these ''NPCs'' might turn into evil spirits?" Charles dared not entertain the thought any further. He suddenly leaped up and sprinted out of Machu Picchu, onto the wilderness, and shouted with all his might, "Mama Karen, I have a question." "Mama Karen! May I have an audience with you!" "Mama Karen! Mama Karen! Mama Karen..." Charles screamed desperately for two hours, but Mama Karen did not appear. His heart suddenly chilled, and he turned back to Machu Picchu. Some fifteen minutes later, he appeared in Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles knew this was the Old Continent, with numerous gods and Transcendents, someone must have an answer to his question. Since Mama Karen was not present, he could seek out another of the Sacred Order for advice. There was a significant figure in Silver Pigeon Fort who could help solve his conundrum¡ªthe Augustine High Priest! Even though it was extremely risky, he came to Silver Pigeon Fort without looking back. As the High Priest of The Lord of Radiance, Augustine might have questionable integrity, but he was definitely a person of profound wisdom and insight into most of the world''s secrets. Charles also knew that he should be in the small town of Interlaken, fighting side by side with Duke Joseph, but his sudden appearance in Silver Pigeon Fort was highly suspicious, and the High Priest might see through something, yet he had to take this risk. Facing the Sacred Order was better than facing an Evil God. Although the Augusladin High Priest only stayed in the fort for a few days, he bought an abandoned mansion in Silver Pigeon Fort and transformed it into the Temple of Glory. He came to Silver Pigeon Fort not just to play bodyguard for the Emperor''s brother-in-law but also for another purpose, such as recruiting believers for The Lord of Radiance. This Temple of Glory already had a small group of followers, who came to pray every day. Charles lingered outside the temple for a full quarter of an hour before he gathered the courage, stepped into the temple, and first saw a group of young boys learning the Radiant Breathing Method. He had another purpose for his visit and didn''t dare to linger. He said to the temple''s servant, "Lucavaro District Patrolling Army head, Westwind Knights'' Commander, thirty-second rank second-class clerk Charles Mecklen wishes to see the High Priest." The temple''s servant wore a peculiar expression and said softly, "The High Priest has been waiting for you all along; please go right in." Charles suppressed the urge to explain that he "wasn''t here for a special tribute," and walked slowly into the temple. Inside a small and quiet chamber, he saw the Augustine High Priest sitting there, emaciated. Just as Charles was about to articulate his purpose for coming, the Augustine High Priest smiled faintly and said, "My child, are you confused about something?" Charles took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, I''m somewhat perturbed." "I once witnessed..." "An ancient painting said to depict the true visage of an overseas Evil God." "It was at an auction." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles added quickly, clarifying so as not to be misunderstood. The Augustine High Priest still had a smile on his face, "Oh! I''m aware of that painting; it''s now kept at 25 Magnan Street, in the hands of that lady." ``` Chapter 173 171. The real power class "Aubrey Barrington Atwood!?" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire"How did he end up on Baker Street?" The president of the Liemar Detective Agency was in a hurry, yet still extremely alert, as if he had sensed someone watching him; he suddenly turned around. Charlotte discreetly turned her face and even raised her arm to shield her cheek, a very nonchalant and comfortable pose. Aubrey Barrington Atwood didn''t see any suspicious individuals and continued on his way. Anne came over, following Charlotte''s gaze toward Aubrey Barrington Atwood, the president of the Liemar Detective Agency, and said, "He is quite decisive. Having heard about your great victory at Silver Pigeon Fort, he actually sold the detective agency to you." Charlotte was startled and asked, "When did he sell the detective agency to me?" Anne asked with surprise, "Don''t you know? Louis Simi helped you with the acquisition, and the price was quite favorable. It''s said that a collection of luxury goods, along with a sum of cash, was used to take over the property and personnel of the detective agency." Charlotte was of course aware that Louis Simi had helped him acquire a detective agency, but Louis Simi had not mentioned that it was the Liemar Agency. At that time, Charlotte had other matters to attend to and didn''t inquire further because all he needed was a gesture from Louis Simi; which detective agency was acquired did not really matter to him. Charlotte watched the figure of Aubrey Barrington Atwood disappear into another street and couldn''t help but exclaim, "What talent!" He himself didn''t know whether he was referring to Louis Simi or Aubrey Barrington Atwood in calling them talented. After all, both of these sleeping dragons were quite gifted, one actually thought of acquiring the Liemar Agency, and the other made a swift decision to sell the Liemar Agency to him. Remarkably, the two of them managed to make it happen. Charlotte couldn''t help but laugh, "Let''s go visit the Liemar Detective Agency tomorrow." Anne also smiled, "Sure!" Having been apart for so long, they just wanted to enjoy some peaceful time together. Even though Anne was curious and wanted to check out the Liemar Agency, she didn''t want to disrupt such a beautiful afternoon. Soon after, the apartment''s butler brought in coffee, meals, beer, fruit wine, and some desserts. Charlotte and Anne sat in front of the living room''s floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the view of the street through the magic alchemy crystal glass, and enjoyed a relaxed and delightful afternoon meal. After eating, Charlotte chatted casually with Anne over coffee for a while, and as the evening darkened, he then took Anne back to the University of Georgia. Charlotte hesitated for a moment but decided to return to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Although the Baker Street apartment was very cozy, he still enjoyed the busy hustle and bustle of this place, and besides, the house here was bigger. He returned to the third floor and saw another life-sized portrait of Anne. In this portrait, Anne was wearing a long silk robe with exotic flair, accentuating the girl''s graceful figure. She was even using an ancient Eastern greeting to welcome him back to the bedroom. Charlotte admired it for a while and then switched to another bedroom to sleep. The next day, when he got up and before he had the chance to find Anne, the Augusladin High Priest paid him a visit. The priest''s face showed a hint of weariness as he said to Charlotte, "We are set to depart at the end of this month, so you need to be prepared." "We are an envoy team, and we will be wearing a uniform attire. You and your subordinates need to visit the Embassy Street to customize our common and formal attire, and even the weapons must conform to regulations. Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets are not allowed, nor are antispace or space weapons. As a diplomatic officer, you are qualified to select a batch of weapons..." The Augusladin High Priest listed a bunch of precautions, and Charles had Madam Nancy prepare a mug of barley wine, but the High Priest declined, asking for a glass of water instead. Charles hadn''t expected the High Priest to be so meticulous about status in the details. After chatting for a while, the High Priest hurried off. As an ambassador, and especially as a war envoy with full authority, he had to sign an alliance with the Inglima Empire and ideally persuade the Inglima Empire to send troops. He had a lot to prepare and was very busy. However, for the Augusladin High Priest, being an ambassador, no matter how busy, was better than being thrown into the meat grinder of the war in Ferlanden. It is said that a member of the Sacred Order has fallen on those battlefields. Once the High Priest had left, Charles went to Sparrowhawk Street No. 1. Although he wanted to spend another day dawdling with Anne, he ultimately had to do some serious work. Dobin, Yellow Bear, and others were staying in Machu Picchu, so now at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, there were only Taoles, Belisa, Anatasiya, and eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, as well as thirty selected warriors from the Westwind Knights, half from the Patrolling Army and half from the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort, all of whom had clear identities. When Charles was selecting them, he even added the standard that they should have received at least a middle-level education and be able to read and write fluently. The Fars Empire did place considerable emphasis on education, but it couldn''t achieve the universal literacy of modern countries on Earth. Only five percent of the people could receive primary education, and the vast majority of the Empire''s citizens were still illiterate. When Charles arrived at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, Taoles wasn''t there; after all, being a lady of the Sue family, she had returned to Strasbourg and naturally had her private affairs. But Belisa and Anatasiya were present. In his capacity as the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, Charles first filled in their positions. Given that Anatasiya was a graduate of the University of Georgia, she was directly appointed as a Grade One Clerk, while Belisa, having only completed higher education, was chosen to be a maid beside the duchess. Although she had always been studying hard on her own, her educational background was insufficient, so she was appointed as a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant. Of course, this was against the rules; in reality, Belisa didn''t qualify to be an Assistant. Originally, when Charles''s ex-fianc¨¦e, Miss Silvie Martin from the National Academy graduated, she only got a job as a Forty-seventh Grade Third-Level Registrar. It even made Silvie so indignant that she gave up the assigned job to become an apprentice detective. But now... Times have changed, and Charles could indeed be considered part of the Empire''s privileged class, even slightly higher than the lower ranks of the privileged. Moreover, not only had his job rank become high enough, but he also held substantial administrative power. Not to mention the wartime temporary appointment of Westwind Knights'' Commander and the nominal position of war envoy with full authority for the Fars Empire to the Inglima Empire, just the two administrative positions as the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army and the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau made it a piece of cake to arrange positions for a few of his own people. If Silvie Martin knew that her former fianc¨¦ could even secure a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant position for a maid with only a higher education, she would surely have something to say about it. Yes, this would be so Silvie. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 174 172. The New President of Liemar Detective Agency Charles didn''t stay on Sparrowhawk Street for long; after a rare morning of diligent work, he happily ducked out early to pick up Anne from class.The two of them first had lunch together before making their way to the Alcatraz District. Three of the seven major detective agencies in the Fars Empire were located in this district, including the Liemar Detective Agency, aside from the Cat Detective Agency. The financial situation of the Liemar Detective Agency was clearly much better than that of the Cat Detective Agency. It consisted of three buildings on the street front: one with five floors and two with three floors. Each building had training facilities on its rooftop, allowing detectives to practice swordsmanship, gunmanship, and various other skills. The reason Aubrey Barrington Atwood was willing to sell the detective agency was that its assets mainly consisted of its industry reputation and a group of seasoned professional detectives. The real estate and the registered agency name were not valued as highly. Moreover, Charles had risen too quickly. Although Liemar Detective Agency had personnel, it couldn''t compare to a Knighthood. Aubrey Barrington Atwood believed that, with his ability, making a comeback would not be difficult. Furthermore, a group of veteran detectives were willing to start anew with him. Thus, selling the Liemar Detective Agency to recoup a batch of funds was the best choice. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire Charles and Anne got off the carriage, gazing at the three office buildings of Liemar Agency with mixed feelings. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles said with a smile, "Let''s go in!" As soon as Charles and Anne entered the premises, a gentle trainee detective receptionist asked, "May I ask, sir, what business do you need to attend to?" Charles answered, "I am Charles Mecklen. Call over the detectives of the agency." The trainee detective receptionist slightly hesitated, not daring to delay, and hurried off. After a while, she came back and reported, "Mister Mecklen, please go to the large terrace on the rooftop. All members of the detective agency are waiting for you." "I apologize, but we really don''t have a place large enough to accommodate all detectives, so we have to request you move to the large terrace." Charles nodded and followed the trainee detective up to the large terrace on the fifth floor with Anne. This building was the office; of the other two three-story buildings, one was the dormitory and the other the archives and armory. Charles had long known that Liemar Agency employed over a hundred detectives, with an additional two to three hundred detective assistants, a considerable number of trainees, as well as various clerks. Indeed, the number was substantial, certainly not fitting into an ordinary meeting room. When he reached the large terrace on the fifth floor and saw the rooftop densely packed with people, even though he had once led a Knighthood of over ten thousand members, he was still taken aback by the crowd. All detectives fell silent; they all knew Charles''s name, and they also knew that it was because Aubrey Barrington Atwood had accepted an assignment to assassinate him. As a result of this case, three Transcendents and eight detectives were lost, which was not even the gravest consequence. This Mister Charles Mecklen had then smoothly risen to prominence, becoming the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, Commander of the Westwind Knights, and Chief of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau¡­ Um, the Empire''s special plenipotentiary war commissioner on a mission to the Inglima Empire was his new official position, a piece of news not yet known to these detectives. Every detective felt a complex mix of emotions, uncertain how Charles would deal with them. With a smile, Charles asked, "Would all the official detectives please step forward?" About eighty people moved forward, and Charles inquired, "Are there any Transcendents among you?" The eighty-some detectives almost all shook their heads. Charles nodded slightly, he had already known that Aubrey Barrington Atwood would not leave him the best batch of people, and he smiled saying, "I will be the new president of Liemar Detective Agency, and if any of you do not wish to stay at Liemar, I will provide a compensation for the contributions you have made to the agency over the years." "To the formal detectives who are willing to stay at Liemar, I will increase each person''s weekly salary by twenty Sheng Ding." Charles''s approach was not unusual on Earth, namely the N+1 severance compensation; as for a new boss raising every employee''s salary, it''s an old tactic, just one that most capitalists don''t like to use. Charles''s words set the detectives whispering among themselves, and except for two or three people, almost everyone chose to stay. Charles clapped his hands and said, "Since you''ve chosen to stay, you are my employees. Please stand behind me, not in opposition." The eighty-some detectives immediately stood behind Charles, and with these eighty plus people, Charles''s momentum surged, overwhelming the rest of the employees. Charles, smiling genially, said, "As for detective assistants and trainee detectives, if you wish to stay, just speak up to these detectives behind me. If you want to stay and a detective is willing to choose you, your salary remains the same." Of course, Charles was not going to give everyone a raise. These seasoned detectives, although no longer Transcendent, still had their experience, which was indispensable for carrying out detective work. But these detective assistants and trainee detectives were not of such great value, and his attitude towards them was blatantly obvious. A detective called out loudly, "Little Charles, John, come to my side." Someone had taken the lead, and soon, there were a hundred or two hundred detective assistants and trainee detectives standing behind Charles, leaving the remaining detective assistants and trainee detectives somewhat embarrassed, looking dejected. Many of them did not want to leave the detective agency either, as even in Strasbourg, it was not easy to find a stable job. Charles smiled faintly and then dropped another bombshell, saying, "For those not chosen by the detectives, if you have a better place to go, I won''t stand in your way, and will even provide a severance fee. If you have nowhere better to go, you may report to the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District tomorrow. As you know, I am still the general commander of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, and we are in need of people there." This statement was astonishing. Many of the unchosen detective assistants and trainee detectives simply could not believe that such good fortune was possible. Perhaps the income of the lower ranks of the Patrolling Army was temporarily lower than that of detective assistants and trainee detectives, but their career prospects were much more stable. Moreover, these people also knew that Charles would keep his word, as he truly was the general commander of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. The atmosphere, which had been slightly cold, finally warmed up after his statement, and many changed their attitudes towards Charles, becoming more friendly. Working with Aubrey Barrington Atwood was one job, and working with Charles was another; only those taken away by Atwood were his core members. The rest were just hired from the labor market. Clearly, Charles was the better boss. Anne was on the side, watching Charles change the ownership of Liemar Detective Agency with just a few words; her heart was full of admiration. She had never doubted Charles''s abilities, but seeing it firsthand was still different. Chapter 153 151. Stealing the Camp Charles, this time, didn''t delay his journey, and soon he encountered fleeing soldiers.As before, Charles gathered these deserters. He had brought ten ordinary combat squads precisely for this purpose, and by the time he was nearing Mostar Fortress, he had more than five thousand men under his command. By then, the capital of Behemoth Duchy, Mostar Fortress, was completely surrounded by the vast army of South Serif, with despair hanging overhead, and scarcely any soldiers on the walls. Charles saw the flag of his "old friend Cyrus" as well as the banners of several other units from the South Ceraph Reclamation Army. The army had seemingly just closed around the fortress, and their formation was still relatively loose. Instantly, Charles abandoned any plans to forcibly enter Mostar Fortress. Entering would be like trapping himself in a sealed jar, making it difficult to come out alive. At a location several dozen kilometers from the camp of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, he used the wagons to set up a temporary camp and took Dobin to scout the enemy. Dobin owned a magical horse and was originally responsible for gathering intelligence, commanding a small cavalry unit. At this life-or-death moment, Charles, not trusting anyone else, had already decided that if the battle situation turned dire, he would promptly retreat, as preserving his own life was the utmost priority. He was not the kind of person who thought that "life is but a trivial matter!" The two set off together, and Dobin indeed noticed that Charles''s speed was incredibly fast, not falling behind even compared to himself, who rode a magical horse. Ever since Charles had mastered Radiant Fighting Spirit, he could travel a thousand miles in a day and was close to advancing to the Second Order. This world was truly unfair. Many people reached their fifties without even nearing Transcendence, while others, still very young, were already High-Level Transcendents. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In his younger days, Dobin had missed many opportunities, but this also allowed him to delve deeper, refining his swordsmanship and nurturing the seed of life so that once he broke through, due to his substantial accumulation, his early progress in cultivation was extremely rapid. Dobin thought that now that he had become a formal knight and had a magical horse, he should be the envy of the entire Westwind Knights for his speed. In contrast, Charles had not expected to compete over such trivial matters with him. When they neared Cyrus''s camp, Charles watched from a distance for a while. His insight couldn''t see that far as insight provides a panoramic view, not a long-distance view. Even if he could have seen that far, he wouldn''t dare to look. Playing with skills in front of the Sacred Order could lead to a horrific death. After observing for a while, Charles moved to a different military camp. The South Ceraph Reclamation Army was not actually a unified force; it had seven or eight internal factions. When Jonathan was alive, he could suppress the other commanders with his authority, but after Jonathan was killed by Charles, Cyrus lacked the prestige to command the rest of the armies. In this camp, the faint sound of wailing could be heard. Charles listened for a while but couldn''t continue; he knew there might be someone undergoing torture inside, but feeling powerless to save them, he only suggested to Dobin, "Let''s scout the other camps." Dobin said somewhat angrily, "These South Serif people are really too cruel." Charles sighed. He, of course, knew how much the South Serif people despised the people of Behemoth. If not for the betrayal of the Behemoth Duchy, they would not now be merely a territory, but a duchy like Behemoth, and not so many would have died in the war. But Charles also felt that the South Serif people''s mistreatment and slaughter of Behemoth''s people were wrong. Of course, this was just his opinion. He believed that if this issue were discussed on various social media platforms back on Earth, there would surely be six or seven different viewpoints. This matter: only disputes, no answers! Charles had just stood up when he hurriedly ducked down and held Dobin as well. Dobin, seasoned in combat, didn''t ask why but instead drew a Magnum Hand Shuttle and grasped the hilt of his sword with his other hand. Soon, the two heard the sound of many people moving. They exchanged glances, each showing a hint of surprise. Charles thought, "Which army could it be?" "Are they planning to ambush this military camp? Isn''t that a certain death?" "I must intervene to save them." He weighed the situation and didn''t expose himself immediately, knowing that if he went out then, he might be mistaken for an enemy, which would be troublesome to explain. Charles planned to wait until these people charged into the camp ahead and were in danger to act¡ªno explanations needed then. Action would speak louder than words, and he could immediately earn their trust. The army quickly passed by where Charles and Dobin were hiding. Using his insight, Charles could see that this army was clearly dressed in Behemoth attire, half in military uniforms and the other half seeming like servants of nobility, led by a young lady dressed in exceptionally fine clothes tailored by a master. "This style, I''ve seen Anne wear it!" Charles muttered, already having a rough idea of their identity¡ªit must be a miss from a noble family of the Behemoth Duchy. As to which family, Charles couldn''t determine; he wasn''t versed in these matters. As they neared the Southern Serif military camp, the young lady swung her arm, drawing the two side swords at her waist and charged ahead into the enemy camp, her swords flashing as she killed two sentries. Charles was slightly surprised and thought to himself, "Her swordsmanship is impressive! Genuine Hatingen Thunder and Storm University secret sword techniques. The last time I encountered this swordsmanship, it was with Anne''s cousin, Mr. Krel Brittany." Hatingen Thunder and Storm University are renowned for producing the most knights, whether Thunder Knights or Storm Knights, representing the pinnacle of knightly heritage on the Old Continent. Only the bloodsucking techniques of the Ebulrahan Clan, known as the foremost among Vampire Knights, can compare. Experience exclusive tales on empire This young lady, like Krel Brittany, was trained in both the Hatingen Thunder and Storm University knighthood traditions. One of her swords was wreathed in lightning, with arcs gently leaping, and the other sword generated gusts of wind, determined to pulverize all enemies. Though but a girl, she emanated an invincible, fierce, and dominating aura on the battlefield. Except for being slightly less powerful, she was nearly a perfect knightess. After killing the seventh soldier, her sword finally met resistance¡ªa distinct Vampire Knight from a specific clan, his face twisted into a fierce grin, his sword targeting the flaws in the young lady''s swordsmanship. Charles couldn''t help but think to himself, "They were well-prepared indeed!" "To be able to withstand an assault at the camp gates shows that they were prepared. It also shows that the commanding officer had no concept of counter-ambushing the camp. Isn''t this the time to set up an ambush?" Charles, playing the armchair military strategist, muttered quietly¡ªthe only listener nearby, Dobin, couldn''t understand at all. The Old Continent has simpler military tactics. Everyone relies on the strength of their leading transcendents to duel, then just push straightforwardly as a group. Occasionally, they execute forced marches, but things like camp raids or counter-stealth raids are neither part of any school curriculum nor summarized in war tactics. Chapter 154 152, Baron Fellers illegitimate daughter (asking for the last monthly ticket of April) The girl leading over a hundred people was quickly surrounded, and although she was very brave, she was simply too young, had not been hardened by the years, and had a low Transcendent rank, which was being contained by the opposing Vampire Knight.With companions being killed one after another, the girl''s two rapiers flailed more desperately, all in a frenzied effort to fight off her attackers. The Vampire Knight, however, was not in a hurry, leisurely saying, "Anatasiya! You''re still so impulsive, just like your mother. I''ll send you to hell right now, to reunite with her." Fire seemed about to burst from the girl''s eyes, clearly harboring deep hatred for this Vampire Knight. Dobin couldn''t stand by any longer, he leaped forward, exclaiming, "Do not fear, I will help you." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A South Serif knight silently stepped forward, blocking the way of this forty-seventh ranked Third Order corporal. Charles''s rapid promotion was due, first, to his sufficient military exploits, and second, to having support from behind the scenes. Poor Dobin had the former but not the latter; he had yet to be promoted and could only wait until after the war when Charles would reward his subordinates based on their contributions. Having just been promoted to Radiant Knight, his recent progress had also been extremely fast, but ultimately he was a First Order knight, and his opponent was a Third Order knight, far superior in strength. Had Dobin''s swordsmanship not been honed to perfection, closing the gap between their Extraordinary Ranks, he would likely have fallen within a dozen moves. The Vampire Knight leisurely looked at Dobin and taunted, "Another one who''s courting death." Charles pressed his hand against the ground and lightly leaped into the air; as he flew over Dobin, he casually swung his sword, killing the South Serif Third Order knight. Then he pulled out a Silver Rhinoceros and fired six shots in succession, turning the Vampire Knight, who wanted to confront him on the battlefield, into a sieved corpse. At the time of his death, this nameless Vampire Knight wore a face that could not rest in peace, with an incredibly frustrated expression. All six bullets were Psy-Bullets, equivalent to the full force of a Transcendent of the same rank who created the bullets. He hadn''t even bothered to use Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, thinking the opponent unworthy of such costly ammunition. His gunmanship was originally mediocre, but he hadn''t spared any effort recently wearing the "Mask of the Cat" to analyze Aubrey Barrington Atwood''s shooting skills. Charles, although not quite a master of gunmanship, was now quite remarkable, and his six strategically angled shots, taking advantage of the opponent''s unpreparedness, were immediately successful. Charles, after killing two Transcendents, immediately Intimidated the entire field. He shouted, "Move quickly, the Sacred Order of the enemy will be here soon. I''ll cover our retreat." Whether or not a Sacred Order from Lady Southseraph would arrive, Charles did not know, but having said that, everyone would choose to withdraw. This was a small life skill he had accumulated; if you don''t present the situation as dire, many people will hesitate. And this slight, unwilling hesitation might be the difference between life and death on the battlefield. The girl had originally wanted to continue the assault, especially since the two Transcendents in the camp were dead, but upon hearing Charles''s words, she also reluctantly gave up and led her team out of the battle. Charles and Dobin covered their retreat, and once the girl''s team was far enough away, Charles immediately went on a killing spree, leaving the South Ceraph Restoration Army that had surrounded him and Dobin in complete disarray. Actually, the camp wasn''t heavily manned, with only a few hundred people. Moreover, of the only two Transcendents present, one was casually slain by a sweep of Charles''s sword, and the other was killed by his six shots, leaving nothing but ordinary people who stood no chance against such a fierce opponent. Charles, having dueled Cyrus in the Dreamscape for hundreds of rounds, had perfected his swordsmanship beyond compare. Witnessing his "superior" wield the Asiluo Clan''s peerless Swordsmanship with a grace and swiftness that killed as easily as slicing through chickens, Dobin felt disheartened and thought to himself, "I should have studied hard in my younger years instead of being unable to suppress my temper and getting into fights. If I had made it to college, I might have been no worse than Mister Mecklen." Enjoy more content from empire Dobin had never regretted his impulsiveness back then, but at this moment, he truly felt a pang of regret. Charles dispersed the army and sent all the supplies in the military camp to Machu Picchu using the Mind Passage, taking Dobin with him to quickly withdraw from the battlefield. It wasn''t long before the two caught up with the team led by the young girl. The girl performed an Empire salute, her face full of gratitude as she said, "Thank you both for your help." "Without you, we would have certainly been surrounded by Kalong and suffered heavy casualties." Charles casually asked, "Who is Kalong?" The girl suddenly spoke with a stammer. To her, that Vampire Knight was an extremely terrifying enemy, and also a rising star in Byron''s forces who had recently gained prominence with several victories. He was too strong for her to defeat. This young gentleman casually killed a Third Order Knight who was even more powerful than herself, and with just one confrontation had killed the "overwhelmingly powerful and extremely terrifying" Kalong, even having the audacity to ask afterward, "Who is Kalong?" Charles''s question suddenly reminded her of a very impressive senior of hers, but... He probably didn''t remember her anymore. Charles also felt he had boasted too much and quickly changed the subject, introducing himself, "I am the Commander of the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District, Westwind Knights'' Commander, Mister Charles Meklen of the 32nd Rank, Second Class. Due to numerous battles with Cyrus''s forces along the way, I was delayed and only managed to arrive at Mostar Fort now." The girl''s eyes notably brightened, and she exclaimed in surprise, "You are the one who recaptured Silver Pigeon Fort?" After saying this, her eyes noticeably dimmed, and in a low voice, she said, "I am Anatasiya. You should have heard my name." Charles truly hadn''t heard of it, but Dobin beside him let out a low exclamation, saying, "It''s the baron''s illegitimate daughter, Filip''s." Charles was about to ask which illegitimate daughter? A progeny of Baron Filip still lives? Weren''t they all killed by "Lady Southseraph"? He then thought of a possibility and asked, "Your mother is Lady Southseraph?" Anatasiya''s eyes suddenly reddened, and she was on the brink of tears as she said softly, "Yes!" Charles thought to himself, "This woman is not to be trusted!" He then heard Anatasiya, choking with sobs, say, "Lady Southseraph refused to believe my mother, thinking she was a spy sent by my father to seduce them into attacking. So, they tortured her mercilessly..." "Torturing her to death!" Charles suddenly felt as if something were blocking his chest. Although he despised Baron Filip and believed he shouldn''t have trusted a woman, as Lady Southseraph, the lady had done nothing censurable in her loyalty to her country and people. Yet he never imagined such a lady, faithful to South Serif, would be distrusted by her own people, even tortured to extract a confession until her death. All he could say was, "No need to raise a sigh for the worldly dust on plain clothes, still on the clear and bright festival, one can return home; deeply resenting that people''s hearts are not like water, arbitrarily the calm ground raises waves." "This is a poem from the New Continent, given to Miss Anatasiya, may you mourn in peace." Anatasiya obviously did not understand, the poem copied from the mysterious oriental fantasy world, then translated by Charles into the language of the Old Continent in his awkward way. Her face showed an expression of "I don''t understand, but it sounds impressive, Mister Mecklen truly excels in both arts and arms." Charles thought, "As expected, she didn''t understand, but it''s better that way." Chapter 155 153. Writing a letter (requesting the first monthly ticket after midnight in May) After Charles''s consolation, Anatasiya did indeed feel a bit better. Ever since her mother had betrayed her, and was tortured to death by Lady Southseraph, and her father was plotted against resulting in the total annihilation of his army, she had not experienced any happiness or peace.At all times, she lived in regret, sorrow, sadness, despair, and helplessness; she even contemplated ending her own life many times, but it was her mother''s hatred that had sustained her until now. Whenever Anatasiya considered dying, she would remember the scene of her mother being tortured and vowed to kill those enemies, which was the only reason that kept her alive. Seizing the opportunity, Charles extended an invitation, saying, "A great battle is imminent. It is too dangerous for Miss Anatasiya to be alone. I invite you to join the Westwind Knights and fight alongside us." Knowing about Anastasia''s mother''s ordeal, Charles was completely reassured that she could not possibly betray him. Her hatred toward Lady Southseraph was deeper than that of any genuine Behemoth. Anatasiya hesitated briefly but then agreed wholeheartedly. Amongst the people by her side were a portion of defeated Behemoth soldiers and some servants her mother had left behind who were extremely strained due to the lack of logistics, making it very hard for them to carry on. Charles also gave her a special sense of trust. Especially since he had reclaimed Silver Pigeon Fort, the city where she had lived since childhood, which held countless wonderful memories. Lately, Anatasiya had heard many legends about Charles Meklen, especially on the South Ceraph Reclamation Army''s side, where Charles was depicted as an evil Demon King and a brutal murderer for killing the leader of the Restoration Army, Jonathan, and for driving back the sacred South Serif who they revered like a god. However, Charles''s reputation was much better among the Behemoth folk. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In terms of prestige, amidst the almost total losses of all Behemoth nobility on the battlefield, many even perishing, Charles was virtually seen as a savior by the people of Behemoth Duchy. Charles hadn''t realized that gathering the fleeing soldiers this time around was much easier than before. Charles had taken Anatasiya back to the Westwind Knights'' camp, where he first picked out around five hundred of the best soldiers from those he had gathered and replenished Anatasiya''s troops. Anatasiya had not anticipated that Charles would be so generous in providing such a large number of troops for her, adding much to her favorable impression of this young, handsome, and legendary Mister Mecklen. Charles was actually a bit distressed about the gathered fleeing soldiers not being able to quickly form an immediate combat force. Anatasiya clearly had experience in leading troops; just the fact that she had led more than a hundred people to launch an assault at such a time showed that this lady was talented. He also didn''t forget to simultaneously replenish troops for himself, Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankroft, expanding combat squads from fifty to over twenty. Charles only thought he had experienced a common battle. But he had no idea that by killing Kalong and that third-order Transcendent knight from South Serif, he had already stirred up a major uproar within the South Serif Reclamation Army. Several generals of the South Serif Reclamation Army jointly proposed to Cyrus to deploy the Sacred Order to kill Charles. Of course, Cyrus also wanted to see Charles dead, but after the last ambush failed and the Blood Clan Sacred Order had left to join the decisive battle at Ferlanden, relying solely on the South Serif Sacred Order was simply not enough to overpower Mama Karen. That Charles also had Sacred Order protection was something Cyrus didn''t want to mention since it could demoralize the troops. The most problematic issue was that Byron kept insisting that the South Serif Sacred Order should also head to Ferlanden and was making very severe threats, putting a lot of pressure on Cyrus. Without a Sacred Order to lead, would they really bet on Mama Karen''s "mercy"? Cyrus disagreed with deploying the Sacred Order, which infuriated several generals of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army because no one wanted to confront Charles. Charles had killed Jonathan, so every member of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army clamored for revenge, but also found various reasons not to engage in battle with Charles when they heard his name. Charles''s feat of slaying Jonathan amidst thousands of troops was too shocking. Especially since everyone in Nansela knew that Cyrus was a High-Level Transcendent and practiced top-tier Knighthood legacies such as Flesh Furnace and Golden Requiem, his immense strength made him seem like a future Sacred Order. Yet, not even he could defeat Charles. This only increased the fear people of the Behemoth Duchy felt towards their young commander. Even though all the records indicated he was a Lower-Ranked Supernatural, no one believed it. Charles didn''t know what the Nansela people were thinking; after reorganizing his troops, he sent a letter to Mostar Fort and also expressed condolences to the Duchess, albeit insincerely. He certainly didn''t mention that he had been idling away in Machu Picchu. Instead, he portrayed himself as a warrior who, though relentlessly blocked by Cyrus-led South Ceraph Reclamation Army, fought fiercely to advance toward Interlaken City, only to witness its fall and the Duke Joseph being slain. As for whether the Duchess believed it... It didn''t really matter. He also wrote letters to his father and brother. To avoid giving himself away, the letters were kept brief and penned by different subordinates to prevent identification by handwriting. Each letter included two sentences: The battle is imminent, Nansela people are here again, and I''m unable to say more. And: Busy in battle, writing on behalf of a certain soldier, unable to pen this letter myself, thus lacking genuine emotion, I feel deeply remorseful. Unfortunately, no sooner had the letters been dispatched, than the South Ceraph Reclamation Army closed in, leaving no gap. Mostar Fort had not responded so he didn''t know the Duchess''s stance nor the situation of his family. The South Ceraph Reclamation Army began its assault on Mostar Fort but because Charles''s Westwind Knights were "watching closely," they could not commit all their forces and always had to keep one or two battalions to monitor Charles and prevent a sudden attack. After five or six days of fighting, Charles showed no intention of joining the battle. But the arrival of two separate groups made it impossible for Charles to continue lying low. The first group came from Strasbourg, numbering less than a hundred, mainly to give Charles new orders. Find your next read at empire The second group was the Knight Order of the Baron Fabolais, more than three thousand strong. This time Baron Fabolais brought neither servants nor convoy, appearing rather "frugal". Baron Fabolais requested Charles to rally to him and follow his command. Upon receiving this order, Charles engaged a nearby South Ceraph Reclamation Army in battle and requested support from Baron Fabolais, claiming he was nearly overcome. Indeed, that was very characteristic of Charles. Chapter 156 154. The Dignity of Nobility (requesting the first monthly ticket of May after midnight) Baron Fabolais was truly ignorant in military affairs, and when he saw Charles fighting fiercely against the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, seemingly on the brink of being pushed back at any moment, he panicked and immediately ordered the Knighthood to fall back dozens of kilometers to avoid being scorched by the flames of war while also ordering Charles to hold his ground at all costs, never allowing the people of Nansela to break through.Originally, Charles was considering how to continue to fool this baron, after all, the forces of Nansela he was fighting were just a small detachment of under a thousand men¡ªcontinuing the battle, it would be easy to wipe them out. Cyrus solved this problem for him by deliberately opening a gap and breaking the encirclement. Baron Fabolais immediately commanded the Knighthood to charge into Mosstar Fort. In his view, Mosstar Fort, with its solid and thick city walls, was far safer than the unprotected plains. The city walls gave the nobles a sense of security. After Baron Fabolais and his Knighthood entered Mosstar Fort, Cyrus closed the ring once again, completely besieging the city. Although Charles was surprised that Baron Fabolais would fall so blatantly into a trap, he also breathed a sigh of relief, as this meant the baron would not be forcing him to align with him. After Baron Fabolais entered the city, the envoy from Strasbourg began to announce the promotion from the Central Government Office for Charles. He was elevated three ranks for the incredibly distinguished merit of "recapturing" Silver Pigeon Fort. However, what surprised Charles was that he did not go from being a 32nd class second rank Bureaucrat to a 29th class fifth rank Bureaucrat, but was instead promoted from a 32nd class second rank Bureaucrat to a 29th class first rank Clerk Chief. The last time, he was promoted two ranks, going from a fourth rank Clerk Chief to a fifth rank Clerk Chief, and having reached the top rank in the Clerk Chief position, he was later promoted to a second rank Bureaucrat, which effectively meant there was a hidden half rank gap between Clerk Chief and Bureaucrat. But this time, Charles had always thought that he would make it to a fourth rank Bureaucrat or stop at a fifth rank Bureaucrat, never expecting to leap past a "class" and become a first rank Clerk Chief. In many cities, a Bureaucrat could serve as a deputy to the City Lord, and in cities with lords, one could take up the role of a senior manager in government affairs. A Clerk Chief, on the other hand, jumps a social class and can directly become the chief official in many small towns. One more step up from a Clerk Chief and you reach the position of Counselor, a rank considered to be insurmountable, and a true Imperial bureaucrat. With the increase in his position''s rank, he also gained a new governmental identity: the Director of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau. The Administration Bureau is the primary authority of a district, theoretically on the same level as the Patrolling Army of the district; however, in reality, it has much better treatment. Nevertheless, the two do not report to each other, as the Patrolling Army remains relatively independent, being nominally directly subordinate to the Crown Prince. Charles still remembered the Sparrowhawk Street where the Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District was located¡ªthe Patrolling Army was at Sparrowhawk Street number one, and the Administration Bureau was across the street, at Sparrowhawk Street number two. His future office locations would be conveniently close, as he would only need to cross the street to reach the other department. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the Fars Empire, it was already a "custom" for the Central Office to promote positions, the Emperor to bestow honors, and the Empress to grant wealth. Besides the upgrade in his position and changes in his administrative role, Julius Axler also increased his Knighthood quota to twenty people, and the Empress was even more generous, bestowing a residence in the prestigious Val de Vaz District. It was well known that the Val de Vaz District was where the Imperial Palace, the four universities, and the Central Government Office were located, and where all the great nobles resided. Owning a residence in the Val de Vaz District was the lifelong dream of many minor and medium nobles. Without a high enough position, money alone couldn''t buy a house in the Val de Vaz District. The residences in the Val de Vaz District have a unique moniker¡ªthey''re called the "Dignity of Nobility." Experience exclusive tales on empire Without a residence in the Val de Vaz District, one has no dignity. The messenger from Strasbourg announced the rewards, then hastily left the war zone after delivering the documents. Originally, these messengers didn''t want to be here¡ªwouldn''t it be better to declare the Central Government Office''s commendations and bestow the grace of the Emperor and the Empress in a safe place? Who would have thought that Charles Mecklen would be so brave to actually make it to Mostar Fort? Charles was very satisfied with the reward he received. In the bureaucratic system of the Empire, even if he followed the proper procedures and everything went smoothly, it would be difficult for him to become a first-grade clerk before retirement. From clerk, to Clerk Chief, to executive officer, and then to executive chief¡ªeach of these four major levels required a long fifteen to twenty years. Even with a very powerful supporter, to be promoted to a first-grade executive officer before retirement would be considered sky-rocketing through the ranks. Solid military achievements combined with backing were key to Charles''s swift promotion. If it were only military achievements... Well, just like Dobin, who is still a forty-seventh ranked third-class sergeant. Charles''s promotion brought great joy to everyone in the Westwind Knights. After all, Charles was a good superior who often treated his subordinates to meals. Especially after leaving Strasbourg, Charles frequently distributed extra equipment, and many members of the "old Westwind Knights" had even changed their gear two or three times. In other armies, such a thing was essentially impossible. Occasional spoils from the battlefield were taken by superiors, and the best one might do was to give a few newly recruited soldiers; most superiors gave nothing at all. Charles had not expected that his promotion would also boost morale. After Cyrus placed his knights in Baron Fabolais''s knighthood, he left behind a division of the Restoration Army to watch Charles closely while he himself led the main force to attack Mostar Fort. The defending forces in Mostar Fort were already few; although they received reinforcements from Baron Fabolais, they still struggled to defend. Had there not been over ten Transcendents and a Sacred Order stationed within, the fort might have fallen long ago. After holding his forces in place for several days, Charles realized he could not continue this way. He had come to Mostar Fort hoping to avoid more deaths; if Mostar Fort were to fall, then he would be powerless to do anything. He had held his forces for many days for two reasons: first, to hasten the integration of the routed soldiers, and second, to observe how warfare was conducted on the Old Continent. At Silver Pigeon Fort, he had only fought defensive battles and not this type of field battle. After these days of observation, although Charles still lacked confidence, he chose a night when the moon was obscured, and the winds were fierce, to decisively lead a surprise night assault on Lady Southseraph''s camp. He avoided Cyrus''s camp and targeted the three weakest encampments of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army. The assault was easier than Charles had anticipated; his army deployed and, in less than half an hour, defeated a predetermined target. At this time, the division of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army assigned to keep watch on Charles hadn''t even reacted. Chapter 157 Attack the Camp (Asking for the first monthly ticket of May) The South Serif Restoration Army actually consisted of more than ten groups, and although nominally under the command of Jonathan, they were in fact not subordinated to each other.During the siege of Interlaken City, under the counterattack of Grand Duke Joseph, at least three Restoration Army groups were shattered. Charles gathered and defeated one of the retreating groups from the Westwind Knights, captured another in an attempt to save Anatasiya, and virtually annihilated another. Now, the South Serif Restoration Army had dwindled to more than 40,000 troops in eleven groups. The group led by Cyrus was the most powerful, comprising about 10,000 men. The other two stronger groups of the Restoration Army had 6,000 to 7,000 troops each, subtly confronting Cyrus. Experience new stories on empire The remaining groups varied in strength, relying solely on their imposing generals. The quality of their soldiers was not up to that of the Patrolling Army, nor that of the gangs in Lucavaro District, not even as good as the militias from Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles selected three targets, all of which were the weakest of the lot. After breaching one encampment, he headed straight for the second, not forgetting to check his weapons along the way. Since acquiring two Hockwell Silver Rhinoceroses, Charles had also tried creating his own energy bullets. If he wanted to create Sixth Order bullets, one would take an entire day, which was not as beneficial as using that time for training. He only made a batch of First Order bullets for everyday use. However, the power of a First Order bullet only equated to a First Rank Transcendent''s full-force attack, which was rather mediocre. When ambushing the camp, long spears were inconvenient, and rapiers were highly unsuitable. He wielded a Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros in each hand, targeting only the remarkable South Serif officers. Under Charles''s dual guns, countless South Serif souls were lost. Although using just First Order Bloody Glory bullets, very few could withstand even one shot. If one shot didn''t do the job, Charles would fire two! If two shots were insufficient, Charles would throw his Vampiric Hand Axe. In assaulting the first encampment, Charles encountered no enemy that the Vampiric Hand Axe couldn''t handle. Although the battle was brief, half an hour was enough for the people of South Serif to react. As Charles approached the second encampment, he saw gun barrels protruding from the hastily built wooden fences. Although not numerous, they were enough to cause significant damage. Charles didn''t let the Westwind Knights charge forth, not yet accustomed to trading the lives of his soldiers for victory. With a wave of his hand, eighteen robust "big men" in armor charged with giant axes, meteor hammers, wolf fang clubs, spiked clubs, and heavy war hammers. The sparse firing began from within the Restoration Army camp, but bullets bounced off or penetrated these men without eliciting any response, their momentum bringing panic to the soldiers inside the camp. A somewhat disheveled South Serif Restoration Army officer muttered, "This is the Westwind Knights, capable of fighting Cyrus''s troops to a stalemate. Had I not fled quickly, I would have been killed just now." Another officer, somewhat annoyed, scolded, "Don''t talk such nonsense!" "You didn''t even try to resist; you just dropped your soldiers and ran, a total disgrace to our South Serif people." The disheveled South Serif Restoration Army officer, the leader of the recently routed encampment, had no awareness of defending against a midnight raid. By the time he woke from sleep, the entire encampment was in disarray and could no longer organize a counterattack, which was why he fled alone. When Charles stormed his camp, there was no enemy that two bullets and the Vampiric Hand Axe couldn''t handle, simply because the strongest leader had quietly slipped away, offering no resistance. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Olay, observing the enemy charging like "beastmen," felt a chill in his heart. He now somewhat regretted his decision to stand alone, pondering, "If I had agreed to join Cyrus''s army, at least there would be a Sacred Order to rely on, no need to fear these terrifying fellows." A warrior wielding a meteor hammer suddenly leapt high, hurling the weapon which smashed fiercely onto the fort''s fence, shattering it with immense force. Olay roared and brandished his Knight''s Spear to block the meteor hammer warrior. After a brief clash, he attempted to deflect the enemy''s hammer, but the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit from his spear weighed heavily on his heart. He couldn''t help but blurt out in a loud shout, "High-Level Transcendent!" A deep voice chuckled and muttered, "Drink after the fight! Drink after the fight..." While the warrior with the meteor hammer was blocked, the other seventeen warriors stormed into the camp, slaughtering wildly like eighteen pure war machines. Dobin witnessed this scene and couldn''t help but swallow his saliva, whispering, "Are these Bear People that terrifying?" Indeed, these eighteen valiant warriors were the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, who had transformed into Labyrinth Guardians, and it seemed there were no issues even outside the Labyrinth. These eighteen massive bears had long forgotten that they were Beastmen and should have stood with the Byron Empire. Instead, they became the most loyal guards by Charles''s side. Charles also couldn''t help but swallow his saliva, thinking, "So NPCs and Labyrinth Guardians are completely different. NPCs barely change and remain human, but Labyrinth Guardians are no longer alive; they are a group of Evil Spirits, devoid of life, emotion, reason, or even desires. They cannot reproduce, cannot think, and can only act according to some bizarre rules..." "The Evil God is indeed an Evil God!" The eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors that stormed into the second fort obliterated all resistance in a flash, despite the fort leader''s attempt to hold them back. But he could only barely resist the mighty bear onslaught. When a companion bear had slain more than a dozen Southseraph people, seeing the mighty bear still struggling, he threw a newly captured Knight''s Spear, penetrating the still-brave warrior through the back and pinning him to the ground. Olay coughed up blood in great gushes, seeing no chance of survival. His camp broke down in an instant, all the Southseraph people fleeing in madness. Charles waved his hand, and all his troops attacked together, sweeping up this routed army toward the third camp. This time, Charles did not lead the charge himself, but still let the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors forcefully breach the fort, employing no clever tactics. Once they broke through, he directed the main forces to reap the results of the battle. Having crushed the third enemy camp, Charles unhesitatingly ordered a retreat, personally covering the rear. He displayed no reluctance to fight further nor was he blinded by the rich spoils of war. By the time Cyrus arrived with the main army for rescue, he only saw three flattened camps, seething with furious roars. This campaign! Charles''s overnight conquest of three large camps spread both inside and outside the walls of Mostal Fort. His fame was immense, unmatched! It made those Southseraph people, who had only heard of Charles Mecklen''s fierce reputation, truly see how brutal the Westwind Knights'' Commander was. Charles hadn''t expected that squashing a soft fruit would garner him such renown. Well, that was very un-Charles. Chapter 158 156, Sorry, the hero cant save South Serif (First monthly ticket of May) ```Cyrus did not order the troops to pursue the attack; he knew Charles''s craftiness and that Charles had a Mama Karen by his side. Moreover, Charles had chosen a night of darkness and high winds, conditions unsuitable for the deployment of a large army. Although his rage was beyond measure, Cyrus was after all a qualified commander. He took advantage of the situation to regroup the defeated troops from three major camps and retreated to his own camp. Charles returned to his camp and, not having seen Lady Southseraph''s forces pursue him, finally felt at ease. He first allowed the warriors who had sallied forth to rest, ordered the warriors who had remained behind to strengthen their vigilance, and then returned to his carriage. After eating something and practicing Bloody Glory to restore his spirits, he replayed the midnight raid in his mind. Charles thought of the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors and couldn''t help but associate them with the Radiant Magic Array he had seen when the Duke Ferdinand Couple was attacked, as well as the Prime Blood Limit he had witnessed near Jonathan. He pondered to himself, "I''ve heard that the beastmen also have this kind of Defensive Magic Circle called Beast God Protection. I wonder if these eighteen Hunchback Red Bears are capable of it?" Charles gave it a moment''s thought and felt it was unlikely. To form a Radiant Magic Array or a Prime Blood Limit, at minimum, everyone involved had to be Transcendent. Where would ordinary people get the Fighting Spirit, or any other Energy? Without Supernatural Power, how could one construct a Supernatural Defensive Magic Circle? After a bit of thought, Charles dismissed the idea. He was not using any lavish darkness, only a regular military carriage at present. Generals who didn''t share hardships with their subordinates yet still won battles have never been rare throughout history. However, Charles admitted to himself that he didn''t have the ability to do so, as he wasn''t even an armchair military strategist, so he honestly used a standard military carriage. Fortunately, even a standard military carriage had ample space. Living in it alone, he did not feel cramped. Upon reflection, Charles felt that he hadn''t gained much experience and knew that it was unlikely he would become an excellent military strategist. Lacking sharpness on the battlefield, his few battles to date were purely due to the weakness of his opponents and his own good luck, so he decided not to make a greater effort. Just as he was about to step out of the carriage for some fresh air, his vision blurred slightly, and he found himself on a vast grassland blooming with flowers, with exceptionally stunning scenery. Then, Charles saw a person he absolutely did not want to see¡ªCyrus. He couldn''t help but ask, "Cyrus, how do you always manage to enlist Mama Karen''s help?" Cyrus said indifferently, "How about we have a direct confrontation in reality just once?" Charles spat and responded, "That would be murder!" Cyrus replied, "If I truly wanted to kill someone, Mama Karen would definitely stop me. I need you now. Let me defeat you in public just once, and I''ll grant you a military achievement for the relief of Fort Mostar." Charles stroked his chin and said, "But I don''t trust you!" "Don''t talk about making vows." "I feel that you would rather break your vow than kill me." Cyrus smiled faintly and said, "If you don''t agree, I will send a letter to Fort Mostar, asking them to hand over your parents and elder brother. I''ll withdraw my troops, and I''m sure they will agree." Charles cursed fiercely, "You are shameless! Cyrus, you''ve changed, become shameless. You''re a hero of South Serif, how can you do such a shameless thing?" ``` Cyrus had really thought he had killed Charles''s entire family, but as the war dragged on, how could he not seek more information about Charles? Discovering Charles Meklen''s identity was not difficult, he had merely been temporarily misled, and such a matter could not possibly remain hidden. With a faint smile, Cyrus said, "It''s not that I haven''t killed before, I just killed the wrong person, that''s all." "As for a hero... sorry, a hero can''t save South Seraph. Only a bloodthirsty, ruthless Demon King can bring about the rebirth of South Seraph." "For South Seraph, I can sacrifice myself, I can go to hell, I can abandon all self-respect and morals, I can even abandon... hatred." "I need to defeat you publicly once, to solidify my position in the South Ceraph Reclamation Army." "You need a great military achievement, and if my intelligence is correct, you''re still the Clerk Chief, right?" Charles wanted to retort, "Clerk Chief? I quit that position long ago." But then he felt that the Twenty-Ninth First Class Assistant Manager didn''t seem like a high-ranking position either, so he didn''t refute Cyrus''s remarks and said, "I actually don''t need it that much." Seeing Charles so "stubborn", Cyrus brought out the last thing he wanted to use, a trump card, and said in a low voice: "If you don''t agree, I will write down all your embarrassing stories in Behemoth Duchy, and send them to that young lady in Strasbourg." Charles burst into a laugh and said, "What embarrassing stories could I possibly have?" Find your next adventure on empire Cyrus watched Charles quietly, feeling a slight admiration for the guy''s "resilience" and said, "My messenger will arrive shortly, if you agree, we''ll duel at the foot of Mostar Fortress tomorrow, and if not, weigh the consequences yourself." Cyrus turned around, about to exit the Dreamscape, when Charles, teeth itching with frustration, suddenly filled his voice with energy and shouted, "Let''s have a fight." In Cyrus''s hand, the Black Knight''s Lance magically appeared, and he lunged at Charles with even greater speed than before. Charles''s Blood Rose also appeared suddenly in his hand, and with a slight twist, he repelled Cyrus''s Black Knight''s Lance. He unfurled all the sword techniques of the Asiluo Clan and parried three consecutive strikes, then suddenly letting out a clear whistle, his longsword exuded a faint golden aura as he took a risky counterattack. Cyrus raised his arm to meet the Blood Rose in a head-on clash, incredibly failing even to pierce his skin with the Colorless Blade. Charles couldn''t help but praise, "Your Steel Bones are becoming more refined, are you not worried that you''ll become too hard and won''t be able to soften up in the future?" Cyrus completely failed to understand such a poor joke and kicked out, only for Charles to stretch out his foot to block and retreat with the momentum. Just as Cyrus was about to activate his Knight''s Spear to continue the attack, Charles directly exited the Dreamscape. He knew he could not defeat Cyrus and just wanted to make him uncomfortable. Holding the Black Knight''s Lance, did Cyrus realize he had been played by Charles, just to make him feel awkward and uncomfortable? Cyrus, maintaining his posture with both hands on the lance, pointed forward obliquely, and it was a while before he placed a document on the ground and gracefully exited the Dreamscape. After the two young men had left, Mama Karen finally appeared leisurely. With a gentle wave of her hand, all the documents burst open, and the writing from within floated up into the air. There were the names of more than thirty women, all female. Behind each name were their "adventures" with Charles. There were affairs between Charles and the wife of a certain Baron, the anecdotes of Charles being pursued and running naked through the streets, the legend of Charles spending a fortune to win a beauty''s favor for a night... Mama Karen perused for a while, murmuring to herself, "It''s not complete!" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 159 157, Cyrus, I curse you to a terrible death (asking for the first monthly ticket in May) Mama Karen said, "The person whom the count has requested is far more professional than this."With a gentle wave of her hand, she made the words disappear, then she suddenly covered her mouth and laughed. The mama remembered the day she received the investigation document; the count very much wanted to kill Charles himself. She could understand that feeling. "Even the Evil God, upon meeting young Mister Mecklen, might wish to kill him." "Because not even the paradisical world the Evil God paints to lure people into corruption offers days as joyous as his." "Only Anne could make such a willful and unruly young man willing to let go of his past!" Mama Karen''s face was full of kindness. The Dreamscape quietly shattered... Charles sat in the carriage, feeling a bit lost and also a hint of murderous intent. He, of course, knew what Cyrus used to threaten him; the memory was clear in his mind! Now, what Charles worried most about was whether Mama Karen would come to know these scandals. If Mama Karen knew, then it would mean Anne knew as well... "Stagecoach lamps!" "Cyrus, I wish you a wretched death." "You want a duel? I will kill you right in front of both armies." "I''ve held back several trump cards just to be able to defeat you in reality." "Let''s see then if your Steel Bones can withstand a few shots of the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet." Charles certainly didn''t trust Cyrus; no matter what oaths Cyrus made, he wouldn''t believe them. He didn''t want to duel at first, but since Cyrus insisted on exposing his big secret, Charles no longer cared, and he intended to kill Cyrus in the duel. Charles got out of the carriage, he had recently planned to try and condense a Blood Core and thus had not used Bloody Glory to devour life force, because only through self-cultivation could the condensed Blood Core be the most pure and perfect, with unlimited potential. Condensing a Blood Core with the help of external forces... S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Was not a choice for Charles. Having decided to kill Cyrus with all his strength, Charles felt as if a certain blockage had been removed from his heart. The sky was not yet bright, and the camp was constantly stirring with people moving about, guarding against a sneak attack from Lady Southseraph. A whiff of fragrance breezed through, and Charles immediately knew that Anatasiya had come. Philedrica had already left, Taoles had been left behind in Machu Picchu, and now in this military camp, there was only one woman, Anatasiya. This girl, who should have been full of vigor, always had an expression of unbearable exhaustion on her face. Even now, there was a touch of sorrow, deeply furrowed between her brows. In a soft voice, she said, "Mister Mecklen..." Seeing her hesitant expression, Charles grinned and said, "You haven''t done anything wrong. Those aren''t your responsibility, don''t be too hard on yourself." Anatasiya almost cried out loud. As an illegitimate daughter, although she couldn''t appear in public, she had lived a comfortable life. Ever since her mother betrayed them to Lady Southseraph, everything in her life had collapsed. Her mother was dead, killed by the hands of her own loved one, and her father was dead, killed by the People of Baron. She had no idea where to go from there. Anatasiya covered her face, trying her best not to let the tears flow. Charles also thoughtfully said nothing, waiting for the girl to compose herself before saying, "No one can choose their birth." Anatasiya asked with a downcast emotion, "Should I count myself as a person of Behemoth or as a Lady Southseraph?" Charles spoke in a gentle voice, "Neither, you are a person of Fars!" "This world divides people into different communities because of faith, religion, region, culture, and various other reasons. Because there are different stands, people dedicate their lives to illusory matters." "Maybe some believe that their sacrifices have meaning, but I feel..." "There should only be one kind of person in this world. People can wage wars for interests, for their country, for the right to survive, but they really shouldn''t wage war over identity." "I am a person of Fars, and so are you, as are those of Behemoth and those of South Serif. We shouldn''t have different identities and sacrifice ourselves for them." "Maybe what I say is wrong, maybe few people agree, but I truly think so." Anatasiya had never heard such an unbelievable proposition. She always thought that the people of Behemoth were different from those of Lady Southseraph and even didn''t know how to refute Charles for a moment, but deep down she faintly felt that if, within the Empire, there was no longer any distinction of where one was from, all being people of Fars, indeed a lot of wars could be reduced. Charles handed her a handkerchief, feeling slightly embarrassed as he watched Anatasiya take it and wipe her tears. The handkerchief belonged to Anne. It was after his escape, when he had just returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, and Anne came to see him, giving it to him to wipe his tears, which at the time were not sincere. Now that he was lending it to another girl to wipe her tears, he couldn''t help feeling a bit guilty toward Anne. After Anatasiya had wiped away her tears, Charles, in a rather ungentlemanly manner, took the handkerchief back and said, "Perhaps what I''m saying makes no sense, but Miss Anatasiya, take it as a life creed!" "Believing that you are not from any region but from Fars will make many things easier for you." Although Charles was comforting Anatasiya, his mind was entirely filled with Cyrus; he thought of nothing else but the duel with Cyrus that was to take place tomorrow. At that moment, Cyrus himself was having an argument with two generals of the Restoration Army. Both were High-Level Transcendents and commanded two armies that ranked just below Cyrus. Though grudgingly subservient to Jonathan''s leadership, they were not convinced by Cyrus. Zolman spoke loudly, "Cyrus! You cannot duel with Charles. You are the leader of the Restoration Army; you cannot take such a risk. I shall take your place in tomorrow''s duel, and I will surely slay this murderer beneath the walls of Mostar Fortress to avenge Jonathan." Another general, Limberson Rock, said, "No, let me do it." "Zolman, you are getting old; what if you make a mistake and disgrace our people of South Serif?" Read exclusive adventures at empire "I''ve recently made a breakthrough in swordsmanship and have forged the Certificates of Glory, Courage, and War. I am certainly capable of teaching that little whelp from Behemoth what it means to be a true Knight." News of Charles''s actual status eventually spread within the South Ceraph Reclamation Army. While the lower-ranked soldiers remained ''Intimidated'' by his military exploits, the high-ranking officers of the Restoration Army all knew that Charles Mecklen was nothing more than a Lower-Ranked Supernatural. So when Cyrus expressed his intention to duel Charles beneath the walls of Mostar Fortress, the other two most important generals of the Restoration Army, Zolman and Limberson Rock, both wanted to fight in this ''destined'' duel that would make them famous all over the world. Cyrus remained silent, allowing the two generals to argue until they were about to escalate the quarrel into a duel. He then said indifferently, "The people of South Serif cannot fight among themselves; Zolman will participate in the battle. As a level fifteen Knight, he has a slightly higher rank." Zolman and Limberson Rock exchanged glances, each with a trace of smugness. Their argument was actually performed for Cyrus. Before coming to Cyrus, they had agreed that it didn''t matter which of them would fight the duel, as long as it wasn''t Cyrus himself to earn prestige. They both hoped to prevent another Jonathan from rising. Chapter 160 158, dare you not know my name? (Asking for the first monthly ticket of May) Charles had, after all, worked in the Fars Empire''s Central Government Office for two years and was familiar with the various official procedures of the Empire.Being quite cunning, he prepared three copies of a duel letter "with legal effect" and had sent someone to Mostar Fortress in advance to request Lady Southseraph and the Augusladin High Priest act as witnesses for the duel. The Duchess and the High Priest gladly signed their names and sent the document back, and only then did Charles send the duel letter to Cyrus''s camp. Cyrus made a few changes to the letter and suggested a third witness, Vigo, a Sacred Order Knight of South Ceraph. Charles didn''t mind, agreed to Cyrus''s amendments and the third witness, and once all the documents were in the hands of the concerned parties, the formalities of the duel were completed. Early the next morning, the Grand Duchess, the High Priest, and even Baron Fabolais climbed up to the battlements to watch the fight, ready to cheer for Charles. Although Baron Fabolais had some complaints about not being asked to be a witness, he was still quite excited, muttering incessantly, "Kill those Southseraphs, they stole my money, my paintings, and even my furniture..." "Cyrus, you won''t die a good death." "No one can steal my possessions and go unpunished. I curse you to die at Charles''s hand." "Go on, Charles, as long as you kill the thief who stole my property, I''ll speak to my sister afterwards and get you promoted." Charles had broken through three military camps, and Cyrus was no longer besieging Mostar Fortress. He had gathered all his troops together, but for those inside Mostar Fortress, the situation hadn''t changed at all; they didn''t dare to flee the city. By noon, Charles arrived under the walls of Mostar Fortress with his own direct troops, Dobin, The Yellow Bear, Anatasiya, The Spotted Deer Gwen, The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, and eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors. Charles was ready to slay Cyrus under the walls of Mostar Fortress. Cyrus, too, brought numerous leaders of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army to the foot of Mostar Fortress. Both sides harbored deep hatred and had no intention of wasting words when Lady Southseraph, delicate as she was, called out from atop the city, "Today, Charles Meklen and..." A rude voice interrupted the Grand Duchess''s speech, shouting, "Not Cyrus! It is I who will duel with Charles, the murderer." "I am Zolman of the South Ceraph Restoration Army, the man who will ultimately bury the Behemoth Duchy." "Charles Meklen, do you have any last words?" Zolman''s words greatly boosted the morale of the Restoration Army, as they cheered. Many knew of Zolman''s strength and believed he could kill Charles to avenge Jonathan. The death of Jonathan at Charles''s hands was an unacceptable affront to the people of South Ceraph. Every South Ceraph wished to kill him in vengeance for their leader. This was Charles''s second official duel in his life. He was utterly unaware that his opponent had been switched. Facing Zolman, a South Ceraph Restoration Army officer who was in his fifties but still as vigorous as a youth, Charles couldn''t help but retort, "Who are you?" Zolman was furious and exclaimed, "You dare not know my name?" Zolman in Southseraph, and even in the Empire, was indeed a renowned figure. After all, he was only second to Jonathan in the Restoration Army. If it weren''t for his age, Jonathan might not have handed over the Restoration Army to Cyrus. Charles was utterly confused; he hadn''t even heard of Jonathan, so how could he know Zolman? He couldn''t understand why Zolman would fly into a rage simply because Charles hadn''t heard his name, and he added fuel to the fire by saying, "It would be just as well if you didn''t know my name either." Zolman was especially angry, exceptionally so. Charles looked genuinely sincere, not lying¡ªit was the truth that he didn''t know the name Zolman, but Zolman knew Charles Mecklen! The high-ranking officers of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army almost all had a dossier on Charles. This fact made Zolman even angrier, and he bellowed, "I am your dueling opponent, let us have a duel to the death." All of Charles''s strategies had been prepared for Cyrus, and once used, they might not be effective again. He was very annoyed and had no desire to duel Zolman in public. Charles waved his hand for his subordinates to bring over the dueling document, looked over it carefully for a while, and discovered that Cyrus had changed a few words, thus altering the dueling party in the document to a vague South Ceraph officer. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He couldn''t help but curse under his breath, "These natives have even started to play tricks with the documents." What Charles didn''t know was that there was infighting within the South Ceraph Reclamation Army as well; there were people who did not want Cyrus to have too much prestige. His reputation had been rising recently, and if he lost to Cyrus in a duel, Cyrus would, figuratively speaking, be stepping on his head, escalating his fame enough to suppress much of the opposition within the Restoration Army. The three noble figures on the walls of Mostar Fort, the Duchess and Baron Fabolais, all looked at each other, not understanding what Lady Southseraph was up to. Discover stories with empire The Augusladin High Priest, on the other hand, watched with interest. Initially, he had no interest in this duel; Charles, though somewhat extraordinary, was after all just a mid-level Transcendent. Only a handful of people knew this, and within the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, only Cyrus was aware. But no one believed that Charles''s ascension to mid-level would change anything. Cyrus did not even remind Zolman, as he deemed it unimportant. Zolman broke out from the crowd on Mostar Fort and loudly cursed, accusing Charles of being a coward who dared not enter the dueling field. Charles waited for more than ten minutes before finally stepping into the dueling ring, saying, "I always thought my opponent would be Cyrus." "Could it be that the infighting within the South Ceraph Reclamation Army is this severe?" "Has Cyrus actually sent you here to die on purpose?" Zolman was furious. He had indeed been intimidated by Charles''s military achievements, but after learning that Charles was merely a lower-ranked Transcendent and even reading in the dossier about his early years of running naked through the streets, he held Charles in even greater contempt. Zolman shouted, "Today, I will beat you into running naked." He thought this was a potent humiliation. Charles indeed turned ashen, looking at Cyrus, who simply shrugged and said nothing. To him, this was a necessary sacrifice for the unity of the South Serif people, although it cost Charles his privacy. He still felt no guilt. Charles took a deep breath and consoled himself, "Perhaps these old news may prevent me from marrying Anne, but I now hold a decent position and don''t necessarily have to live off a woman''s support." "Today, all these bastards must die." "Even if it means summoning the Evil God, I can''t allow them to live." In an instant, Charles adjusted his mindset, drew the Blood Rose, his fighting spirit blazing like fierce fire. Chapter 161 159, Movement Eight: Twilight Dirge Zolman was a fifteenth-level Knight, having earned the Five Great Knights'' Proofs: Proof of Glory, Proof of Courage, Proof of War, Proof of the Hills, and Earth''s Proof.Zolman was not a man who kept his promises, so he did not earn the Proof of Oath. He was a South Serif, and for the cause of the Restoration, he had always fought in his homeland, never seen the sea, nor had he earned the Proof of the Ocean. He had never witnessed a storm, hence he did not possess Storm''s Proof. Despite this, he remained a very powerful Knight, his body billowing with the Flame Fighting Spirit, the most widely known in the Southern Seraph Territory, and his Knight''s Spear emanated a fierce white glow. As a High-Level Transcendent with widespread fame, and Charles as a rising star in the military, the duel between the two of them not only attracted great attention from the South Ceraph Reclamation Army and the Westwind Knights, but even the inhabitants of Mostall Castle were quite interested. At this moment, the ramparts of Mostall Castle were packed with people. Belisa followed the Duchess, looking down at the youths dueling below the castle and suddenly felt a warmth in her heart. Although Charles also rejected her, she inexplicably developed a slight fondness for this young man. Discover hidden stories at empire Charles was a type she had never seen before, which was very fresh to Belisa. Just as Charles and Zolman began their decisive battle, almost no one noticed that Cyrus quietly left the dueling grounds, retreated to his own camp, and immediately led a squad of elites away. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Curiously enough, although Belisa was very focused on the duel, she inadvertently glanced over and spotted Cyrus''s departing figure. This girl indeed performed poorly in Charles''s presence, but she had become the most sought-after young lady in Mostall Castle for a reason, and was no empty-headed girl; a girl of no worth would not be kept by the Duchess at her side. Belisa glanced at the top of the ramparts where almost all the great nobility of the city had come out to watch the battle. Her heart skipped a beat, and suddenly an idea emerged, "What if Lady Southseraph attacks the city?" She wanted to tell the Duchess about this, but she also knew how strict the Duchess was. If she guessed wrong, she would certainly be punished. As for the High Priest, that was even less an option¡ªever since Augustine, Augusladin High Priest, entered the city, he had requested several young, handsome virgins from the Duchess, with a lecherous look on his face. Belisa dared not imagine if the High Priest demanded her from the Duchess, whether the Duchess would refuse. She knew deeply that she was just a maid; even if she was favored, she would not cause the Duchess to offend a Sacred Order High Priest for her sake. Especially since Mostall Castle was in a precarious state and desperately needed the protection of this Sacred Order. Baron Fabolais was even less suitable. Belisa disliked the Emperor''s brother-in-law intensely and knew that he was not a skilled commander. "If Lady Southseraph attacks the city, everyone watching the duel will be unprepared. I need to find help." "Help..." "Right outside the city." Belisa took a few steps back, ran to an unoccupied section of the city wall, and then jumped down like a little bird. She too was a Transcendent, but she never showed her capabilities. The battle between Charles and Zolman started at a climax. Charles''s swordsmanship was quick and varied, Zolman''s Knight''s Spear was fierce and Unparalleled, and it also bore a fierce white glow¡ªthe Fighting Spirit condensed, forming a Special Ability, much like Charles''s Colorless Blade. Charles had several Special Abilities, and Aslor''s swordsmanship had been cultivated to the Seventh Movement: All Things Hazy. Although slightly at a disadvantage, he could still hold his own. The two had fought over twenty exchanges, with the range of their battle gradually expanding. Charles tried to drag the fight into a "mobile combat" mode. His Bloody Glory was far less robust than his opponent''s Fighting Spirit, but with the Quickness Technique, Spirit Spider Technique, and Wings of the Hatchling Dragon among his abilities, his speed was not inferior. As long as he did not attempt to decide the battle, he could drag it out for a long time. This was the battle experience he had honed through hundreds of duels with Cyrus in the Dreamscape. Though Zolman was a rank above Cyrus in terms of being a Transcendent, his actual combat prowess was far inferior. He found himself helpless against Charles''s hit-and-run tactics, yet he did not believe that Charles could defeat him with such tricks, bellowing, "Is that all you''ve got? Fight like a man! This jumping around isn''t suited for you and will only make your death more miserable." Charles paid no attention to the mockery; he was considering which move to use to finish his opponent while keeping more of his trump cards hidden. The feast should not be fed to dogs. His most powerful trump card must be reserved for Cyrus. Dobin, Yellow Bear, Anatasiya, as well as The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, who were spectating, suddenly saw a young girl sprinting towards them. Upon seeing them, Belisa exclaimed, "The South Ceraph Reclamation Army might take advantage of everyone watching the duel to launch a surprise attack on Mostar Castle. Is anyone willing to help?" Dobin and Yellow Bear, as well as The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, all deferred to Charles as their leader and unanimously declined, "We need to hold the line for Mister Mecklen and can''t leave the duel." Though Belisa was disheartened, she still tried to plead, "If Lady Southseraph launches a surprise attack, Mostar Castle will fall, and everyone including the Duchess and the townspeople will die. Please, help me." Dobin and the others refused again, but Anatasiya took a deep breath and said, "I''m willing to help!" Belisa was overjoyed and said, "I''ll take you there; I''ve seen the direction their army is moving." Anatasiya spoke to Dobin and Yellow Bear, "I must go and see; if Lady Southseraph truly intends to attack, I must stop them." Dobin did not try to dissuade Anatasiya. With Charles and Taoles absent, he was effectively the one with the most authority in the Westwind Knights. He murmured, "Go quickly and return quickly. If Lady Southseraph doesn''t act, don''t say anything when you come back." He didn''t believe that Lady Southseraph would attack Mostar Castle but was willing to provide cover for Anatasiya. Belisa and Anatasiya hurriedly left with a small combat team. Zolman was indeed far inferior to Cyrus. After exchanging more than fifty moves, Charles began to gradually fall into a disadvantage. Charles launched a fierce attack with his fast sword, looking for an opportunity to act. He was not some "knight," and this duel had no rules requiring the use of cold weapons. However, after several hard clashes between his Blood Rose and Zolman''s Knight''s Spear, a cold current suddenly flowed through his body. The Asiluo Clan''s Angelic Twelve Movements he had been practicing intensively for many days suddenly broke through. What was originally vague and elusive in his swordsmanship suddenly carried a hint of desolation, causing the white aura on Zolman''s spear to melt away a little with every clash against the Blood Rose. The Eighth Movement: Twilight Dirge! Chapter 162 160. Some secrets, the living cannot know The Asiluo Clan''s Twelve Angelic Chapters of Swordsmanship once dominated the Old Continent.Before the emergence of the Robin Family, the Asiluo Clan was considered the premier family of swordsmen on the Old Continent. Even though the Robin Family had produced more than ten exceptional swordsmen and the likes of Saroses Robin who assisted Emperor Axel in founding the Fars Empire, and Zimmerman Axel Robin, a legend in his own right, the Asiluo Clan never fell behind, also boasting several swordsmen who could match their caliber. The Twelve Angelic Chapters is a sword technique that can be infinitely mastered, yet, even among the Asiluo vampiric kin, few could grasp the sixth chapter before the age of fifty, and nearly all who did eventually became Sword Saints. Of course, the longevity of the Blood Clan played a part in this. Charles never felt that continuously grasping new sword moves was anything special; he always thought it was quite normal. But this... Was absolutely not normal. Unlike Charles, Cyrus had already become a knight before attending Tubingen University, and he had been practicing the Flesh Furnace and the Golden Requiem for over a decade longer than Charles had been exposed to Bloody Glory. Despite having daily guidance from a Sacred Order, he still couldn''t leave Charles behind during their duel in the Dreamscape. Charles felt that Cyrus was very strong, incredibly powerful. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cyrus felt that Charles was terrifying, truly damn terrifying, like a monster. Now, it was Zolman''s turn to feel this terror. Before dueling with Charles, Zolman thought that a mere Lower-Ranked Supernatural would perish within five moves, but after engaging, he felt that ten moves might be more realistic. However, after fifty exchanges, Zolman understood why Cyrus couldn''t defeat Charles, why Charles could execute Jonathan and garner such an impressive reputation¡ªthe man was a once-in-a-lifetime genius in swordsmanship. Though arrogant in his mastery of the Five Great Knights'' Proofs and skilled in the art of the gunlance, no matter how ferocious his attack, Charles''s exquisite swordplay dissolved it effortlessly. Just as Zolman was pressing Charles into a disadvantage, he was shocked to discover that Charles''s swordsmanship had suddenly advanced a level, and the Stellar Battle Qi he wielded now contained a dissolving power. Stay tuned with empire Zolman couldn''t help but yell out, "Have you stared an Evil God in the face?" "How is it possible to improve your swordsmanship during battle?" Just as Charles was feeling somewhat smug about his breakthrough, his "biggest secret" was exposed, immediately arousing a killing intent within him as he thought, "I can''t let him live." "Even if it means revealing the secret move I was saving for Cyrus." "People finding out about Charles Mecklen''s past will at most make it impossible for me to date Anne, but if they know I''ve summoned an Evil God, I could be condemned to death." Zolman had no idea that his words had not only sealed his prophecy but also his own fate. As Charles''s sword light tangled with Zolman''s Knight''s Spear, Zolman was delighted, his Fighting Spirit far more robust than Charles''s Bloody Glory. In such a direct confrontation, he could kill Charles within minutes by continuously channeling his Flame Fighting Spirit into the battle. Meanwhile, Charles, while desperately holding on, activated the Flame Hand. A hand composed purely of Blood Flame quietly pulled an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle from the collar of his clothes, while another Flame Hand adeptly loaded a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. With Charles''s body as a cover, both Flame Hands cooperatively extended the rifle barrel from beneath him and rapidly squeezed the trigger. Zolman had no idea that Charles possessed such a unique skill. The lower half of the man hit by the bullet was instantly pulverized. With a sweep of his sword, Charles pierced the High-Level Transcendent''s throat. Charles hesitated briefly, deciding against devouring the Transcendent''s life force. He was planning to attempt forming a Blood Core soon and needed to maintain the purity of the Bloody Glory. Lord Leo had said that the earlier one formed a Blood Core, the longer their lifespan would be. Although starting at the early Intermediate rank was somewhat premature, it was generally better to do it sooner than later. Besides, Charles had some concerns about his public image, devouring life force was something he could do covertly, but doing it in the presence of tens of thousands made it difficult. Flicking the blood off his Blood Rose, Charles picked up Zolman''s Knight''s Spear and said indifferently, "There are some secrets the living should not know. Rest in peace." All of a sudden, thunderous cheers erupted from atop the fortress of Mostar. Lady Southseraph fell silent for a moment, then cried out as she charged onto the battlefield. The Westwind Knights also didn''t hesitate and began their assault. What had started as merely a duel exploded into a war the moment Charles killed Zolman. Charles hadn''t anticipated such a turn of events; he was still too green, and had underestimated the brutality of war. However, he did not hesitate for long and immediately threw himself into the fray, wielding both the Blood Rose and the freshly taken Knight''s Spear. With his superior swordsmanship, he moved through the chaotic army as if no one else was there, spearing and slashing, and promptly killed sixteen or seventeen men. After engaging in the battle, the first person Charles looked for was Cyrus, but he couldn''t find his old adversary no matter how hard he looked, prompting him to call out to Dobin, who had rushed onto the battlefield, "Have you seen Cyrus?" Dobin shook his head. Remembering that just earlier, Belisa''s maid had come asking for help, thinking someone might take the opportunity to attack Mostar Fortress, he called out, "The Duchess''s maid came earlier to request assistance; someone might exploit the situation to launch a sneak attack on Mostar. Anatasiya has already taken people over." Charles was shocked. He looked toward the ramparts of Mostar Fortress and saw crowds of onlookers. Even though he was no military strategist, he knew that with Mostar now undefended, it was the perfect opportunity to attack. Cyrus was definitely a competent commander; since he was absent from the battlefield, he must have gone to sneak attack Mostar. Charles was unaware of the internal affairs within the Restoration Army, but he guessed that Cyrus, having bypassed Zolman to duel him, must have opted for something more urgent. What could be more urgent than taking Mostar Fortress? Charles cursed, "Damn it! Caught in Cyrus''s trap. He wasn''t out for a duel; he used it as a ruse to draw the people of Mostar out to watch, then seized the chance to launch a sneak attack." Charles also couldn''t understand how Cyrus could weave such an intricate plan, each step so finely crafted? Of course, he didn''t know that Cyrus hadn''t planned it that way at all; he was forced to concede the duel, but when he saw the people on the ramparts, he had decided on the spot to raid, which was far simpler than Charles imagined. But in any case, things had already reached the worst scenario. As Charles was fiercely battling with the Restoration Army troops remaining under the city, there was no way he could kindly spare forces to help defend Mostar Fortress. He quickly concluded that the best course of action was to take advantage of Cyrus''s absence at the sneak attack on Mostar and crush the current Restoration Army ahead of him. If he could defeat the South Serif Army before Cyrus conquered Mostar Fortress, there might still be a chance to turn things around. Chapter 163 Lady, please lend me your head for a moment. Just as a fierce battle between the South Ceraph Reclamation Army and the Westwind Knights was unfolding at the foot of Mostar Castle, Cyrus had already leaped onto the city walls, and his direct subordinates from the Restoration Army were throwing grappling hooks, scaling the unguarded walls of Mostar Castle.By the time seventy to eighty percent of his troops had climbed onto the battlements, a combat squad of a few hundred people led by two girls appeared below the city. Cyrus only glanced coldly at them before leading his troops toward the duchess who was watching the battle from the castle, completely disregarding those who were fighting Belisa and Anatasiya below the walls. The Augusladin High Priest sensed the approach of the Southseraph Lady on the city walls. He had just leaped into the air when a streak of flame shot towards him¡ªVigo of the Sacred Order from South Ceraph had intervened, blocking the High Priest from joining the fight. The radiance and flames entangled around both of their bodies grew more intense as they fought, moving further away, evidently unable to provide support to the troops below anymore. With Cyrus leading the charge, he showed no mercy to the watching nobles on the city walls, cutting through the "spectator seats" in one breath and charging straight toward Grand Duke Joseph''s wife. This Duchess had not been in her position for long, as not long before, it had been Duchess Ferdinand and her husband ruling the Behemoth Duchy. Terrified, she lost all her composure and cried out, "Please don''t kill me." Cyrus spoke indifferently, "Madame, please lend me your head for a moment." Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire With one sword stroke, he severed the neck of the Imperial Duke''s wife, grabbed her head, and turned to leave without a moment''s hesitation. Baron Fabolais witnessed this scene and was so frightened that he jumped straight off the city walls, even screaming, "Charles, save me!" But no one paid him any heed. Cyrus''s siege was solely to kill the Grand Duke''s wife and was not aimed at him. Charles was tied up fighting the Southseraph Lady''s army and had no spare efforts to save the baron. When Baron Fabolais leaped from the city walls, he broke both legs and lay on the ground, howling in agony. Cyrus led his troops from inside to open the gates of Mostar Castle and charged out, shouting loudly, "I have breached Mostar Castle and slain Grand Duke Joseph''s wife¡ªlong live Lady Southseraph!" At the very moment Cyrus exited the castle, the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, already locked in bitter combat with Charles''s Westwind Knights, collapsed completely, scattering in retreat. The morale of the Westwind Knights soared. Charles dared not pursue the fleeing soldiers and ordered his troops into a defensive square formation to prepare for Cyrus''s assault. The Westwind Knights contracted their line, forming into several iron squares and moved closer together. The iron square defense was an old tradition of the Westwind Knights, after all, they had once been the Patrolling Army. After exiting the city, Cyrus took a distant look at Charles and without further attention to his lifelong adversary, he regrouped the Restoration Army and slowly began to withdraw. Charles breathed a sigh of relief. He had no confidence that he could withstand Cyrus''s full assault on the plains. After the South Ceraph Reclamation Army retreated, he finally noticed Baron Fabolais, still wailing until his voice was hoarse, and had him taken back into Mostar Castle. He himself had absolutely no desire to enter Mostar Castle, as he had no wish to encounter his "family." In this short battle, Charles''s forces had lost over a thousand men, not counting the squad that Anatasiya led away. He was inconsolably grief-stricken. Although war always brought death, it was unacceptable to lose one''s own men. Facing the fallen soldiers of the Westwind Knights, Charles was certain he could not be a qualified military leader. Dobin volunteered with his men to undertake reconnaissance. After about two hours, when he returned, he brought back not only Belisa and Anatasiya but also several hundred prisoners. Dobin announced loudly, "Lady Southseraph has already retreated." "They scaled the walls from the north, but Belisa and Miss Anatasiya held the rear of their forces. Cyrus, in his eagerness to kill the duchess, abandoned these men, and we captured them." Charles was silent for a long time. He finally realized that he had been deceived by Cyrus once again. Cyrus never intended to duel, and even killing the duchess may not have been his true goal; his goal was "retreat." As for why retreat? There were only two reasons: logistic support was failing, and the situation of the battle had changed, requiring Lady Southseraph to continue serving as cannon fodder. Charles silently gathered the Westwind Knights, cleaned up the battlefield, and collected all the baggage left by the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, as well as the equipment of the fallen soldiers. He first ensured a round of supplies for his troops, then sent the remaining goods and the bodies of the deceased to Machu Picchu. Back on Earth, when he read those historical transmigration novels, he never quite understood why they went through the trouble of building tombs for the soldiers. The ancestral grave of the Old Yellow''s family had long been forgotten, but at this moment, he could empathize fully. At dusk, a baron from Mostar Fort sent an invitation for him to enter the city. Charles glanced at the name and promptly refused. It wasn''t much later that Baron Fabolais also sent an invitation for him to enter the city, but Charles still chose to refuse, saying that Lady Southseraph might attack again, and he needed to protect the peace of the night for the baron. Baron Fabolais was deeply touched and sent over a batch of food. Charles directly distributed it to his soldiers. In total, seventeen or eighteen nobles from Mostar Fort sent invitations, and Charles refused them all. He truly didn''t want to enter the city, A night passed without incident, and by the next morning, Charles was pondering whether to leave early, as the battle for Mostar Fort was over. Although the battle had a strong start but a weak finish, Lady Southseraph had surrounded Mostar Fort with great momentum. Yet, when Cyrus breached the fort, he only killed the duchess and then withdrew his forces without even pillaging. He was just hearing a report from his subordinates that a visitor had arrived, claiming to be his brother. Charles sighed. He really didn''t want to have any ties to the past, nor did he want to see his "family," but he couldn''t just ignore them. For the first time, he met his brother, Mycroft Meklen, and his sister-in-law, Winnie Meklen, who had taken her husband''s surname upon marrying, in a military carriage. Charles'' brother was seven years his senior, in the prime of life, and as quite a successful businessman, there was a hint of cunning in his demeanor but a complex mix of feelings towards this brother. Charles, apart from getting into university, had been quite a disappointment when he was younger. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Winnie''s feelings were even more complicated than her husband''s. Her maiden name was Winnie Martin. Indeed, Charles''s sister-in-law was also Silvie Martin''s sister. She had once pushed strongly for Charles''s marriage to Silvie, but later, Charles had done several discreditable things. Silvie "blew her top" and repeatedly tried to cancel the engagement, with Winnie persuading her sister. In the end, Silvie successfully called off the engagement. And Charles put on a show of¡­ the prodigal son returning home¡­ Chapter 164 162. Brotherhood Charles showed great enthusiasm toward his elder brother and his brother''s wife. He recalled that whenever Charles needed money, he would demonstrate this enthusiasm when asking his brother for it.In front of his younger brother, Mycroft Meklen was actually quite strict, but before he departed, he had heard that his brother had become a second-class clerk chief of rank thirty-two, as personally announced by Baron Fabolais. He was considered a "big shot," which inevitably made him somewhat reserved. Although the couple was brought to Mostar Fortress, they had no chance to meet any nobles. In fact, Charles was the highest-ranking Imperial official Mycroft Meklen had ever met in his life. When conducting business, he inevitably dealt with local officials¡ªofficials before whom he had to humbly and cautiously lower his voice. In his own brother''s eyes, these officials were probably nothing more than minor annoyances. It was Winnie who spoke first, saying, "Charles, your brother was taken to Mostar Fortress, and I heard you were leading troops in battle. We have been very worried about you. I''m also worried about you. Have you suffered any hardships? Have you been injured?" Winnie, his sister-in-law, had always been good to Charles. She even introduced her own sister as his fianc¨¦e and took great care of him, even during Charles''s schooling years by giving him some pocket money. This made Charles feel obliged to show respect to his sister-in-law. He smiled gently and said, "I am quite well." He had fought many battles and yet had almost never been injured; it was quite miraculous considering the various duels, assassinations, and street fights he was involved in. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles pondered for a moment before asking, "Is there something you need?" "There may still be wars outside the city, which could be very dangerous." Mycroft Meklen hesitated before saying, "It''s those nobles. They hope I can invite you into the city. They want to hold several balls to celebrate." Charles chuckled, "Just after two ducal couples died and Mostar Fortress was captured by Lady Southseraph, only to have Cyrus retreat. These nobles, rather than focusing on strengthening their military, are in a hurry to organize balls? That''s so like the nobility. Losing themselves in revelry is what they excel at. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire Charles also knew why so many nobles invited him; they were all afraid of another war, and Charles Meklen, after all, had to be considered a strong guarantee of safety. Especially since he had truly fought Lady Southseraph. Just that day, at the foot of Mostar Fortress, in front of everyone, he killed the infamous Zolman and routed the rebellious South Ceraph Reclamation Army. But Charles had no interest in mingling with them; these nobles could not provide him with any career advancement. Although Charles was born in Behemoth Duchy, he bore an obvious stamp of the Fars Empire. He attended one of the Empire''s top four universities, Sheffield University, worked at the Central Government Office after graduation, served as Clerk Chief at Kilmainham Prison, and then transferred to the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army as Grand Patrol... Although he was politically naive, he knew he needed to distance himself from the nobles of Behemoth Duchy to avoid suspicion from the Central Government. As for returning to serve in Behemoth Duchy, Charles had never even considered it. What future could Behemoth have? His family was merely a lineage of merchants unable to provide a political background. In Behemoth, where local nobility wielded strong power, he could only be a dog, never a respectable person. Charles certainly wouldn''t tell his brother and sister-in-law these things, he simply answered, "I belong to the Knights'' Division of the Central Government Office, and without an order from Strasbourg, I can''t enter Mostar Castle." "You see, I miss father and you so much, I dared not enter Mostar Castle, let alone to attend a ball." Mycroft Meklen was at a loss for words, he naturally knew Charles wasn''t telling the truth. How could people in Strasbourg, far away in Mostar Castle, know if he had entered the city? Winnie intervened to ease the atmosphere, and asked, "How is Silvie? Since she went to Strasbourg, she hasn''t been writing much." Charles smiled slightly, and said, "Silvie is doing well. She chose to become a female detective and joined one of the seven largest detective agencies in Strasbourg, the Cat Detective Agency. I also know their chief, Vini Yarseno, who is an extremely impressive High-Level Transcendent, flourishing the detective business; under her guidance, Silvie will have a great future." Winnie sighed and said, "I always thought that you two would end up together, so the engagement was broken off, wasn''t it?" Charles nodded. Silvie must have written home about this matter, and he was even less inclined to hide it. Although Silvie was a nice girl, Anne was clearly better. Thinking of this matter, Charles couldn''t help but feel a slight melancholy. Damn Cyrus, spouting nonsense about his past, he wondered if Mama Karen would find out? He had never thought that the Duke would investigate him, especially since he and Anne "hadn''t even started," and even on Earth, companies that seriously do background checks were rare, let alone on the Old Continent? Charles still harbored some hope¡­ Especially since the Duke had sent Mama Karen to protect him, which led Charles to wrongly evaluate a father''s love for his daughter and the luck bestowed upon him by the god of fortune. One underestimated, one overestimated. Charles shared a simple meal with his brother and sister-in-law in a military carriage, and then sent them off. Before they left, he gave them a gift: a military carriage. This carriage, supplied to the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District by the logistics department of the Central Government Office''s military division, had a clear origin and would not cause any trouble. All he had to do was report it as a combat loss to settle the accounts. Charles''s family actually had an old carriage, which was outdated and quite small, mainly used for carrying goods, making it uncomfortable to sit in. He had heard Winnie complaining to his brother, wanting to replace it with a brand-new one, but his brother always thought it was too expensive. Even though they could afford it, the old carriage wasn''t unusable, so he said several times to sister-in-law Winnie, to wait a few more years to change the carriage. The carriage Charles picked was of very good quality, and it also used military draught horses, quite young at only eight years old. Mycroft Meklen and his wife were quite happy; although they prided themselves on having a clear conscience towards their younger brother, they were unsure if Charles harbored any resentment and had even worried that if Charles rose high, he might seek revenge on them. Charles''s attitude, though not very intimate, displayed respect towards his brother and sister-in-law. This carriage was even a gesture of goodwill, and on their way back to Mostar Castle, Winnie said, "I still feel that Silvie and Charles were a good match." "Before, you thought Charles was too frivolous to properly run a household, but look how well Charles is doing now?" "I want to write to Silvie, urging her that the things Charles did when he was young are not unforgivable." Mycroft Meklen suddenly felt the urge to say, "Would you let me do those things?" Chapter 165 163. Holy Pie (Requesting the second monthly ticket for May) Charles bid farewell to his brother and sister-in-law, then made a decision¡ªto evacuate from Mostar Fort that afternoon.He had a premonition that if he stayed any longer, something unfortunate might occur. Mostar Fort now lacked a duke, and also lacked a duchess. The Duke Ferdinand couple had no surviving children who reached adulthood; it was said the Grand Duke Joseph couple had a daughter currently enrolled anonymously at a university. Charles did not believe that this unknown noble girl could inherit the Behemoth Duchy. The attitude of the Empire had become quite clear¡ªthey intended to transform Behemoth Duchy into an imperial direct-controlled territory, which could be managed by appointed officials, just like what happened at Silver Pigeon Fort; they had not allowed Baron Ferland''s relatives to inherit but had let Baron Fabolais, an outsider, take over. The local forces of the Empire were divided into imperial direct-controlled territories, locally-autonomous territories, the nobles'' lands, overseas territories, and overseas protectorates. As an empire, of course, the more direct-controlled territories, the better. It would be ideal to have none of the disobedient autonomous territories and noble lands, but the Empire itself was governed by high nobility, creating a contradiction between the needs of the Empire and its administrators. At Charles''s command, the Westwind Knights immediately sprang into action. Now, after leading his subordinates to several victories, Charles''s prestige had grown daily, and members of the Knighthood, irrespective of their background, were willing to obey his orders. Charles''s target was still Machu Picchu; he had nowhere else to go. When Charles was directing the army to prepare to march, the Augusladin High Priest descended from the sky. Despite having just been through a battle, the High Priest was calm and composed, with not a crease on his priestly robe. Charles bowed respectfully, yet wondered internally, "Could it be that someone from my Westwind Knights has caught the eye of the Augusladin High Priest? To openly stop us, this young lad must have some charm." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Augusladin High Priest declined Charles''s invitation to board the military carriage and said with a slight smile, "Mister Mecklen, do you know why Cyrus withdrew his troops?" Charles shook his head to indicate he did not know. The High Priest said indifferently, "It''s because the battle between Byron and us has intensified. Both empires have already deployed over five hundred thousand troops in total to Ferlanden and committed at least ten of each side''s Sacred Order, with dozens of High Order warriors. The casualties are increasing severely, and both empires are pulling troops to reinforce Ferlanden." Charles was startled; the Sacred Order could easily crush an army, and so many had been deployed to Ferlanden? Not to mention the dozens of High-Level Transcendent beings¡ªthis level of power was not common. Neither Behemoth Duchy nor South Serif had more than ten High-Level Transcendents combined. Charles asked, "Does the High Priest have any advice for me?" The Augusladin High Priest said, "You have three or four options. For example, you could go to Ferlanden, but I highly advise against it. Or you could stay in Behemoth Duchy, though you might not be able to compete with Baron Fabolais, and you would miss the opportunity to build your own legacy. Or perhaps¡­" "Embark on a mission to the Inglima Empire!" Charles was somewhat puzzled and asked softly, "Isn''t my rank too low to be an envoy of that level?" The Augusladin High Priest laughed and said, "Yes! Your current rank certainly isn''t enough to serve as the Fars Empire''s ambassador to Inglima, but it''s enough to be my assistant." Charles''s eyes lit up, saying, "I am willing to serve diligently before and behind the High Priest, to do these insignificant tasks." War was cruel; Charles would certainly not refuse the chance to leave the battlefield. However, he had some doubts and cautiously added, "Will my Westwind Knights serve as part of the escort?" The High Priest shook his head and said, "The envoy team doesn''t need that many people; you can bring at most fifty people. Strasbourg will also send another group, and we will meet there first before setting off." Charles hesitated slightly. He didn''t want to lose the Westwind Knights. Though the knighthood wasn''t considered among the strongest, they had been together for quite some time and had acquired a group of Transcendents. After all, which transmigrator didn''t have dreams? The Westwind Knights were the seeds of Charles''s dreams. Seeing through his thoughts, the High Priest chuckled and said, "Your Westwind Knights can have two choices. Entrust them to Baron Fabolais..." "Alright, I know you would refuse." "Then there is another option, stationing them in Cappadocia City." Being a university-educated man, Charles quickly recalled the information about Cappadocia City. It was a small coastal city but not a famous seaside resort like Cannes; it was a port with a small population of only a few thousand people. Originally, Cappadocia was a pirate fortress. After it was captured, the occupying pirates were hanged, and it transformed into an ordinary city. However, what was important was that it was within the borders of the Inglima Empire. Charles instantly understood and said with surprise, "Are you asking me to turn Cappadocia into a maze?" The Augusladin High Priest subtly nodded. Charles truly understood then. This High Priest was about to embark on a mission to the Inglima Empire but was worried about being captured and executed, so he wanted to secure a backup plan. Without hesitation, Charles responded, "I will devote myself to protecting your back, High Priest." The Augusladin High Priest nodded with satisfaction and said, "Child, I am very pleased with your wisdom." Charles and the High Priest didn''t discuss how to get the Westwind Knights, a group numbering in the thousands, into the Inglima Empire and take over Cappadocia, because they both knew it was impossible. What Charles needed was to firmly control the Westwind Knights, and the Augusladin High Priest had given him a "pretext" to maintain control of the knighthood. As for where this knighthood was stationed, it didn''t really matter, and nobody cared about their location. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire The Augusladin High Priest said to Charles, "I must start for Strasbourg now. You should also quickly lead your men back to Strasbourg; our duties are not yet fully secured and require operation. There is no time to waste." Only then did Charles understand that the High Priest had given him a blank check; nothing was certain yet, and he suddenly felt the urge to stab the "grand swindler" of The Lord of Radiance several times. Forget it... He wouldn''t win just yet. The Augusladin High Priest smiled slightly, without a trace of shame for just having drawn a "big pie in the sky," and with a graceful gesture, he was enveloped in brilliant light and said, "Child, I''ll be waiting for you in Strasbourg." As Charles watched the High Priest transform into a shooting star and disappear into the sky, he immediately chose to leave; he no longer wanted to stay at Mostar Fort. Chapter 166 164, free like a bird After the High Priest of Augustine left, Charles also immediately set off. It was only when he camped at night that he suddenly found an extra person in the troop, the personal servant girl of Duchess Joseph''s wife, Belisa.Anastasiya mustered up the courage to say, "The Duchess has died, and there is no one to protect Sister Belisa anymore. If she stayed in Mostar Fortress, she might be taken over by some noble, so she followed us and left." Charles really wanted to ask, "Aren''t you afraid I''ll take you over?" But he felt the joke was tasteless and too vulgar. Although Belisa was somewhat na?ve, she was not stupid. She clearly knew her status entirely depended on the Duchess. With the Duchess killed by Cyrus, she became a plaything, at risk of falling into a tragic state at any moment. Thus, upon learning of the Duchess''s death, she made a prompt decision not to return to Mostar Fortress but to follow Anastasiya instead. Anastasiya, too, sympathized with the servant girl and boldly took her along on the road. Charles looked at Belisa for a full seven minutes before saying, "My knighthood doesn''t feed idlers." Belisa puffed up her small chest and said, "I am also Transcendent!" Charles was surprised; he really hadn''t seen it. He asked, "You are a Transcendent as well?" Belisa said somewhat proudly, "I have self-studied courses from the University of Georgia." "I¡­ don''t have the talent of Dreamwalker or card magic. I always wished to be free like a little bird, so I chose ''Extreme Flyer.'' I am now a Second Order Extreme Flyer and can glide from a height of several meters." "Well, actually a bit higher is also fine." At this point, Belisa''s face turned red again. Charles was aware of what Extreme Flyers were, a typical path of "useless Transcendents." Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire When Extreme Flyers reach the Sacred Order, they can fly, but... everyone in the Sacred Order can fly. Before reaching the Sacred Order, Extreme Flyers can ride the wind... to glide! Low Order Extreme Flyers, like Belisa, can jump from a height of several meters, even tens of meters, without injury, Intermediate rank can jump from higher, and High Order can jump even higher¡­ Extreme Flyers can simply control the wind... That''s it! This Transcendent path only has this much to it, no other Special Abilities. Right, it does have one benefit; once in the Sacred Order, the flying speed is much faster than other Sacred Orders, fast... by a lot! Charles had not expected that this former servant girl was actually a "beautiful little useless one." Alright then! It''s not completely useless; at the very least, she is a Transcendent! He was genuinely worried that any minor conflict might see this fragile Transcendent dead and gone. Charles hesitated for a moment, took out a mask, and handed it to Belisa, saying, "Practice your Flying Dagger Technique and gunmanship more." He didn''t forget to add, "I''m lending it to you. Once you''ve practiced well with the Flying Dagger Technique and gunmanship, remember to give it back to me." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had to give this "little useless one" some self-preservation skills, or at least make her somewhat useful, right? Belisa received the cat mask, her pretty face still a bit flush. She certainly knew that her Special Ability wasn''t very useful. She also recognized the cat mask "lent" by Charles as an Extraordinary Item, having truly self-studied courses from the University of Georgia. The former servant girl said softly, "Thank you." Charles looked at Anastasia, without blaming her. Although Anastasia had taken her troops to intercept Cyrus on her own initiative, and it would have been total annihilation for them if Cyrus didn''t have bigger goals, where not a single one would''ve survived, Charles felt that it didn''t matter. He wasn''t such a strict commander, nor was he saintly enough to supervise strangers so meticulously. In any case, the outcome this time wasn''t bad; it was a stroke of good luck. Next time, they might just be as fortunate. In warfare, a lot of the time, it is indeed down to luck. If their luck really turned sour... Charles would collect their bodies, if there were any whole bodies left, that is. Having dealt with the minor issue of Belisa, Charles left some people on guard, instructed the entire army to rest, had something to eat himself, and continued with his cultivation. In the middle of the night, while Charles was cultivating, he suddenly broke through a bottleneck. The Bloody Glory within him surged like a tide, endlessly oscillating, traveling back and forth between six Bloody Vortexes. At a certain moment, a Bloody Vortex formed in his right hand as well. Charles slightly opened his eyes, and once the Bloody Glory in that area stabilized, he attempted to reverse the Bloody Glory into the Stellar Battle Qi of the Asiluo Clan, just as he had anticipated. With the amplification provided by the other six Bloody Vortexes, the Stellar Battle Qi effortlessly broke through, advancing to the Eighth Order! After feeling out his newly gained power, Charles dissipated the Stellar Battle Qi and allowed his body''s energy to return to Bloody Glory. So far, Charles had only tried to convert Bloody Glory into the Asiluo Clan''s Stellar Battle Qi and hadn''t yet attempted other Blood Clan Secret Techniques. He also hadn''t considered trying different Blood Clan Secret Techniques because what he wanted more was to condense a Blood Core. To condense a Blood Core! The first choice was naturally the Bloody Vortex in his left hand. As a member of the Three Emperor Clans, the Asiluo Clan had a profound potential, and his mastery of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Techniques was the best. Recently, Charles had repeatedly cycled the Bloody Glory, refining his Blood Energy and even momentarily giving up on Devouring Life, not using this ability in several battles. For now, it seemed there were no obstacles in his way. Charles silently pondered, "Following the current progress, perhaps forming a Blood Core really is possible." He was somewhat excited too. Though becoming a member of the Blood Clan might have its inconveniences, who wouldn''t want to possess a long life? Charles stepped out of the military carriage, and the camp was very quiet, with only soldiers on night watch gathered and chatting. In reality, they should be hiding in dark corners, staying vigilant at all times. But for what had been a ragtag Knighthood not long ago, achieving this much was already commendable, and Charles didn''t demand more. To him, it was passable that these night guards hadn''t just gone to sleep. Charles found a secluded corner to relieve himself, and just as he was shaking off the last drops, he hesitated. After fastening his belt, he stamped down forcefully. A shadow burst from the ground, a glint of cold steel aiming straight for his face. Charles hadn''t expected that there could still be an assassin lurking; had he not come out to relieve himself, This assassin... Perhaps would have quietly slipped away. With a flip of his wrist, the Blood Rose was already in hand, knocking away the incoming Dagger. The attacker, although masked, could almost be identified by Charles through his use of Martial Techniques as one of the People of Baron, utilizing the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship, just modified for a short sword. After twenty exchanges in which their blades never collided, just as Charles was about to draw a Silver Rhinoceros to catch his opponent off guard, the Blood Clan assassin had already freed himself from Charles''s Rapier, whispering, "I''m on your side!" Chapter 167 165. New Weapon Charles thought to himself, "Who the heck said we''re on the same side?"The assassin spread his arms wide, resembling a huge bat, as he soared into the air and rushed out of the military camp in an instant, without even disturbing the Westwind Knights on night watch. Charles hesitated for a moment before activating the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon to follow. From their brief exchange, Charles had roughly assessed that this Blood Clan assassin was of a higher Transcendent rank than him, but his understanding of the Angel''s Thorn swordsmanship was not as profound¡ªthe assassin had only grasped the Fourth Movement: Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. As for how many of the Asiluo Clan''s Special Abilities he had mastered, the assassin hadn''t used them, so it was impossible to tell. After they left the military camp and ran for a while, covering over ten kilometers, the other stopped, turned around, and said, "Brother, you''ve got guts! You actually infiltrated a knight''s order of the Fars Empire, and this particular knighthood is quite elite. Whose noble private army might it be?" Charles replied offhandedly, "This is an army affiliated with the Military Knight Orders Department of the Central Government Office. It was reorganized from a local knighthood and has been through several battles. You could say they''re veterans of war." "What are you doing infiltrating the camp?" Since the other had mistaken his identity, Charles didn''t bother to correct him, thinking he might be able to fish for some information. Julian Asilo pulled down his mask and spoke, "The Fars can''t hold off our alliance with Baron, the Black Phoenix Dynasty, and the southern Beastman tribes on their own. I heard they want to form an alliance with the Inglima Empire and the Lionheart Dynasty. That''s why the military department has sent over a dozen elite spies to infiltrate the Fars Empire, aiming to find out when their envoy will depart, so we can ambush them." Startled, Charles thought to himself, "Aren''t they planning to ambush me?" He asked in a low voice, "Who will they send for the ambush?" Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire Julian Asilo shrugged and said, "It''s still Baron Leo!" Charles thought, "So Leo is a baron?" Those who rank below a duke can be referred to as lords, so many viscounts and barons often habitually refer to themselves as lords without mentioning their actual titles. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was the first time Charles had heard that Leo was actually a baron. In Baron, one''s title is closely related to one''s strength, which meant Leo was a High-Level Transcendent but within the Fifteenth Order at most, probably only equivalent to Zolman, whom Charles had just killed, or maybe even less powerful. Seeing the strange expression on Charles''s face, Julian Asilo laughed and said, "You must have heard about it too. Baron Leo suffered a big loss last time he came here. It wasn''t Ferdinand who died by his hand, which led to a reprimand from the military." Charles thought, "I hadn''t heard about that," but he said, "I don''t know much. What details do you have? You can tell me." Julian Asilo was a first-year student at Heidelberg University. As a descendant of a count from the Asiluo Clan, he had taken up the most traditional Transcendent training from an early age and had already become a Transcendent before even attending the university. Now, he had even stepped into the ranks of Mid-Level Transcendents. Despite his young age, his strength was not to be underestimated. Because of the war, Baron conscripted a group of students from the university, and Julian, due to his excellent swordsmanship and mastery of the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, which gave him lightning speed, was assigned to spy in Fars. Being born into the Asiluo Clan, Julian had countless family elders in the military and even upperclassmen at Heidelberg University, so he was very well-informed. Hoping to infiltrate the Westwind Knights to gather intelligence originally, Julian hadn''t expected to bump into a "fellow native." Excited, he shared all the recent gossip he had heard, providing Charles with quite a bit of valuable information about Baron. Curious, Charles asked, "Baron Leo is just a High-Level Transcendent. I heard that the special envoy the Fars are sending this time includes members of the Sacred Order. How could he succeed in an assassination?" Julian smiled proudly and said, "Last time when we attempted to assassinate Ferdinand, we had to conceal our identities, pretending it was the work of Lady Southseraph, so we could only use equipment from Fars." "This time, since we''ve already gone to war with the People of Fars, there''s no need to hide our identity. Naturally, we''ll be using Baron''s extraordinary equipment." "The military has specially approved five super long-range repeating alchemical rifles. Although this new equipment lacks the antispace attribute and is not convenient to carry around, it has a longer range and can fire consecutively." "A Sacred Order individual might be able to resist a shot from the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, but what about ten shots? Twenty shots? A hundred shots?" "No matter how thick the Sacred Order''s defensive shell is, as long as we''re willing to use the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, we can eventually penetrate it." Charles pondered for a moment. If Julian was telling the truth, then the five super long-range repeating alchemical rifles, firing indiscriminately without considering the cost, really might be able to kill the Augusladin High Priest outright. Charles also possessed extraordinary firearms and had used Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets to kill more than a few people, and of course, knew how effective they were, but they also weren''t without weaknesses. For example, in a direct confrontation, they weren''t so sharp. When he had wanted to shoot Jonathan on the battlefield, Cyrus had used a Knights'' Spear to deflect several Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Even many high-level Transcendents, when fully powering up their Fighting Spirit for protection, could withstand one or two shots. Also, hitting a Transcendent moving at high speed during combat required an exceedingly high standard of gunmanship. Charles had many times refrained from shooting because he wasn''t confident of hitting the target and didn''t want to waste the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Once in close combat, firearms weren''t as useful as the sword and knight''s spear, regardless of the ammunition used. Unless the target was unprepared. For instance, Zolman never expected that, after activating his flame ability and using the body as cover, Charles could shoot from below in a surprise move with the anti-space sniper rifle, completely destroying his lower half with one shot. Or in the case of an assassination since even high-level Transcendents wouldn''t always keep their Fighting Spirit protection activated all the time due to its draining nature. This is why many high-level Transcendents didn''t favor extraordinary firearms and rather preferred fast-firing weapons for mid and lower-level Transcendents. In the Old Continent, due to technological limitations, all firearms were single-shot. If the People of Baron had developed repeating firearms, Charles imagined, combined with the unrestrained use of Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, it really could change the dynamic of combat among the high-order Transcendents and above. There might even be the emergence of street gunfighting techniques he had seen on Earth in "Detective Coldfeathers," Or the super ability gun duels from an ancient web novel, "Slightly Sour Secret School ABC." Julian was animated as he spoke, feeling an instant connection with Charles, as if they were kindred spirits, and he seized the moment to make a request, "Senior! You must have graduated from Heidelberg University, right?" Charles nodded frantically. Julian said somewhat sheepishly, "I haven''t had a comfortable night''s sleep in a long time. What''s your status in that knighthood of Fars? Could you arrange a place for me to sleep? And if it''s possible to have a bath too, that would be wonderful." Charles... Chapter 168 166. Peers of the Augusladin High Priest Charles indeed brought Julian back to the camp, arranged for him to bathe, and had him stay in the same carriage as himself.Charles also wanted to pry more information about Byron from him. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A spy as young and inexperienced as Julian Asilo, yet surprisingly knowledgeable and exceedingly talkative, was truly a find that comes once in a hundred years. Julian had not expected this "senior" to have such a high standing in the Knighthood, waltzing into the military camp with him with such ease, commanding respect from everyone around¡ªno one dared to question them. Even when Charles took him aboard the carriage, many faces even showed a "blessing" expression. Indeed... "How heartwarming." Charles had just finished practicing his Secret Technique and was still fully awake, feeling no need for sleep. After bathing, Julian also practiced for a while. With his young age and good talent, he quickly regained his spirited appearance. Julian merely missed the comforting sense of a good night''s sleep, not that he truly needed to sleep profoundly, especially since Fars was the enemy, and he was in the enemy''s camp. Julian Asilo was not so "careless." Seeing that Charles wasn''t asleep either, he couldn''t help but ask, "I haven''t yet inquired about my senior''s name. I am called Julian, Julian Asilo." Charles answered, "I am called Qian Nan. I do not bear the Asilo surname. In the camp, I use a different identity, and my real name isn''t for you to know. You shouldn''t ask." Charles knew his own name carried quite the reputation. If he were to reveal the name Charles Mecklen, there would be no way to hide his identity then. Well, if his identity were exposed, he would have no choice but to kill Julian. Charles prayed to the gods of fortune to watch over both himself and Julian. If they didn''t watch over them¡ªso be it! Julian immediately showed an expression of "I see," and said, "Qian Nan? Are you a non-standard Descendant?" Charles''s face showed a hint of envy but also secret shame, while Julian''s face displayed a slight unease but then a dawning realization¡ªone a skilled actor, the other na?vely sincere. Vampires held themselves in high regard, not only despising ordinary humans but also showing great discrimination towards Descendants who had not received the "First Embrace Certificate." Of course, there were also kind young people like Julian who did not discriminate against "non-standard Descendants." He comforted, "Senior doesn''t have to be too concerned about identity. As long as you can condense a Blood Core and become a High Order Vampire, Byron will acknowledge your status." "I believe that you will become a High Order Vampire eventually." Charles was aware that Byron''s laws provided a "special path" for non-standard members of the Blood Clan. As long as one ascended to High Order status, they could obtain a title like a regular Vampire, receive the "First Embrace Certificate" retrospectively, and become an "official" Vampire. Charles smiled and nodded, squeezing out a profound and especially complex expression on his face to replace the tumultuous drama in his heart. Julian had a very high opinion of Charles and took the opportunity to ask him about the swordsmanship that Charles had used during their sparring. Charles had acquired it from the Blood Rose''s inheritance of Asiluo Clan, and many details were not clear to him. He had not dared to inquire Julian about these aspects, but now that Julian had taken the initiative, he was happy to cooperate. The two talked about swordsmanship, about the secret techniques of the Asiluo Clan, about the Twelve Angelic Chapters, about the gossip of various clans, about military intelligence of nations, and the more they talked, the closer they felt. A large committee composed of leaders and elders of various vampire clans had compiled all the secret techniques of the thirty-seven clans into the Vampiric Scroll. After the successful compilation of the Vampiric Scroll, only the elite of the Blood Clan and the most incredible young geniuses were qualified to peruse it. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire Julian was among these, "young geniuses." He was not only proficient in the Asiluo Clan''s secret scroll but also dabbled in the scrolls of other clans. Although according to vampire rules, one generally did not practice the secret techniques of other clans because doing so would slow down cultivation speed and hinder the practice of one''s own clan techniques, for a young genius like Julian, it was a different matter. The emergence of Protagora made the Blood Clan members realize that those with ordinary talent should honestly practice their clan''s secret techniques, while the more talented prodigies should explore other clans'' techniques for greater achievements. Although Charles dared not divulge that he was also proficient in the secret scrolls of the Arthur Clan and Adonis Clan, which did not fit his unorthodox status, he still gained a lot from Julian''s words. When Charles expressed that being an unorthodox descendant, he didn''t have the complete Asiluo Clan''s secret scroll, Julian actually recited it for him, completing some details that Charles was missing in his Asiluo Clan inheritance. It made Charles quite reluctant to "eliminate" the young man. After dawn, both were reluctant to part, feeling satisfied, they stepped out of the carriage together. Last night, Charles had brought a young and handsome boy back, and not many people knew about it; however, as they emerged from the carriage in broad daylight, it quickly became common knowledge around the camp. Anatasiya and Belisa heard rumors in the camp that Charles had brought back a young and handsome boy the previous night, had arranged for him to take a bath, and had him stay in his carriage all night. Both girls thought it must be a false rumor! When both laid eyes on Julian, they were shocked and initially showed disdain, but immediately felt indescribably perplexed!? Anatasiya''s mother was a spy secretly selected by Lady Southseraph and was known for her beauty; otherwise, she wouldn''t have been able to mesmerize Baron Fars. Anatasiya inherited her mother''s beauty and also attended Hatingen Thunder and Storm University. Although her status limited her from becoming a campus goddess like Anne or Taoles, under her maple leaf skirt, there were countless pursuers. As for Belisa, she was no stranger to the numerous young men who offered her flattery while in the company of the duchess, all with eager eyes. Both girls had heard that Charles had a girlfriend, but at this moment, they both doubted whether Charles really had a girlfriend or if his girlfriend could be a man? Charles was unaware that he and the Augusladin High Priest were now being seen in the same light by the two girls. He ordered the knighthood to set off, planning to bring the knights back to Machu Picchu first, then select a few dozen people to head to Strasbourg. If the Augusladin High Priest indeed acquired the position of a special full-power war ambassador to the Inglima Empire, he would have to prepare to go to the Inglima Empire. Although he didn''t know what political status he would have within the delegation, as long as he could safely get through this war hidden inside the delegation, that was all that mattered. Charles did not like war, but since war was inevitable and he could not turn the tide alone, then to protect oneself wisely was the best choice to make. When Julian heard that Charles was going to Strasbourg, his eyes lit up, and he said, "Senior, may I accompany you?" Chapter 169 167. Not to alarm friendly nations (requesting monthly tickets) Charles had indeed brought Julian along.He had not delayed along the way, for he did not return to Machu Picchu since he had Julian with him. Instead, halfway there, he sent Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft to take the Westwind Knights to Machu Picchu, leaving the four there and calling Taoles back, also having Taoles bring back a batch of war horses. To be sent on a mission to the Inglima Empire, Taoles, as a lady from Su Mei''s Home, was naturally the right choice. Since he had called Taoles back, he certainly needed to leave someone to watch over the home. Charles, not trusting Dobin alone nor the rest, simply left them all behind. When Taoles met Charles, she didn''t complain much. Machu Picchu was not far from Strasbourg, and she often sent people to Strasbourg to buy newspapers. Although the news was a bit delayed, she was not completely uninformed. She asked a few eager questions, deeply regretting that she hadn''t been able to go to Mostar Fortress to witness the Grand Duchess''s beheading. When she met Anastasiya and Belisa, she was even more curious. Seeing Julian, she was somewhat surprised. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles, however, did not conceal Julian''s identity and had informed several key subordinates beforehand to prevent them from treating Julian as a mere companion out of ignorance. The Augusladin High Priest had already sent people to pass messages several times, urging him to return to Strasbourg quickly. Charles waited near Machu Picchu for a day, waiting for Dobin and the others to escort the Knighthood personnel and also for Taoles to rejoin the group. Find your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire As soon as Taoles returned, he immediately continued on his journey. Over two hundred kilometers, in this era, it really took a few days to travel. Fortunately, after the army left, only a small troop of fifty remained, and with the war horses Taoles had brought back, their speed greatly increased. When Charles saw Strasbourg again, he felt an endless array of emotions. When he had left, he was a thirty-fourth rank, fourth level Clerk Chief, but now he was a twenty-ninth rank, first level general affairs chief. War, indeed, was the quickest shortcut to a promotion. Upon returning to Strasbourg, Charles and Taoles went first to the Central Government Office military Knighthood division. The Westwind Knights had received orders to support the Behemoth Duchy. Although Grand Duke Joseph had died in battle and the Duchess had been beheaded, along with some nobles with actual power who had died alongside Grand Duke Joseph in the small town of Interlaken, the Duke''s most trusted Baron Filio also perished on the battlefield, and his entire family was wiped out, leaving only Anastasiya, his illegitimate daughter... It was considered a completed mission. Cyrus had ultimately retreated after all. The Central Government Office military Knighthood division, apparently having been hinted at by higher-ups, allowed the Westwind Knights to mark the mission as completed, giving the highest evaluation, reporting to higher authorities, and also issued new orders. They commanded the Westwind Knights to assist the Inglima Empire in clearing out the "pirates" hidden in Cappadocia City, without alarming the allies. Though part of the Old Continent, the territory of the Inglima Empire was not located on any part of the mainland; it was a nation consisting of three large islands and thousands of smaller ones. The three main islands were collectively called the Inglima Tri-Islands, each known as Notruden, Song Spirit, and Ojibwe! The capital of the Inglima Empire, Notruden, was on the smallest of the Inglima Tri-Islands, Notruden. Although the smallest in area among the three islands, it was flat and fertile, and nearly ninety percent of the population of the Inglima Empire lived on Notruden. Cappadocia City was on Song Spirit Island, the second largest island of the Inglima Empire, but the island was almost entirely mountainous, with only small plains, thus the population was very sparse and scattered across the island. Cappadocia had been occupied by pirates, and its population once exceeded ten thousand, making it the largest city on Song Spirit Island at the time. Even now, as it has become a mere small town with only a few thousand inhabitants, it still ranks as the fifth "large city" on Song Spirit Island. Charles obtained a document, roughly two hundred years old, in which the Inglima Empire requested assistance from the Fars Empire to eradicate the pirates of Cappadocia City. He also acquired the formal military dispatch orders from the Fars Empire. Politically speaking, there were virtually no flaws. Of course, while its legality wasn''t an issue, Charles knew that if anything went wrong, he would be a "sacrificial lamb." The Empire would surely find an excuse to shirk responsibility and pin the blame on him. The Augusladin High Priest, who pushed for this action, naturally believed that nothing would go wrong, after all, neither he nor Charles would allow the Westwind Knights to appear on the Inglima Empire''s territory. After completing the necessary "procedures," Taoles parted ways with Charles; she returned to Strasbourg, having personal matters to attend to. Charles arranged for everyone to gather at Sparrowhawk Street number one. After some hesitation, between visiting the Augusladin High Priest and Anne Brittany, he decided to go to the University of Georgia first. Anne had just finished her class when she saw a black carriage parked outside the academic building. Previously, Charles did not have a permanent pass to enter the University of Georgia, only a multiple-entry permit, which should not have allowed him to drive in. However, cloaked in dark luxury, he transformed it into a carriage only after entering the university campus. Charles, with a smile, stepped down from the carriage and asked, "Might I have the honor of inviting Miss Anne for afternoon tea?" Anne was both shocked and delighted. Had it not been on campus, she might have thrown herself into Charles''s arms. Even so, she graciously offered her hand with a beaming smile, allowing Charles to help her onto the carriage. Once on the carriage, Anne threw herself into Charles''s arms. The two had never been so close; Charles could hear Anne''s heart pounding. He felt slightly proud, a bit sweet, and of course, somewhat troubled. His greatest crisis during this trip to the Behemoth Duchy was the threat from Cyrus to expose his past. Charles was still unaware that the Duke had already conducted a "background check" on him and thought that his past remained unknown for now. Yet, he was very concerned about what Anne might think if she ever learned about Charles Mecklen''s past. Charles inwardly debated, "Should I just turn raw rice into cooked rice?" "Hmm, maybe not!" "I feel like Earl Brittany would kill me." "Besides, it''s not ethical." "I''d rather fail than use such despicable methods to succeed." On the way to the Behemoth Duchy, Charles omitted the beginning and end of his story, sharing only half of it with Anne. Anne also spoke about how much she had missed Charles. As the carriage left the University of Georgia for the reserved restaurant, Charles, instructing the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior to slow down, took out a carefully prepared gift. Chapter 170 168, 5 Central Street, Val de Vaz District Charles hadn''t returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, so he had to temporarily replace Madam Nancy with a Red Bear Warrior. However, this warrior was only average in skill, so to add a touch of romance, he had the Hunchback Red Bear pull the dark luxurious carriage a bit slower.Charles took out the pair of handguns named "Masterpieces" and handed them to Anne, saying, "I obtained this trophy on the battlefield." "They''re not weapons. If you shoot someone with one of them, the person won''t notice anything, but if you shoot the other one at a wall or a canvas, an image will appear of someone who can interact simplely, sing, dance, smile, or show anger." "It can only create five magical portraits. If the number exceeds that, the first one will disappear, always maintaining only five." "I thought that, as my first loot from the battlefield, it should be given to my favorite girl." Although the Masterpieces were part of Baron Filner''s collection, theoretically, they had been seized by Lady Southseraph, and Charles had snatched them back from her. Even if the original owner wanted them back, perhaps he could "redeem" them according to the laws of the Empire. Moreover, since Baron Filner no longer had legitimate heirs and only had a daughter born out of wedlock, Anatasiya, who legally had no right to inherit, Charles was quite bold and untroubled in giving the gift. Anne was both shocked and delighted. Obviously, she was delighted that Charles finally gave her a gift, and moreover, this pair of handguns inspired in her the thought: "This is the most appropriate gift." "I was just wondering what excuse I could have..." Charles didn''t know what Anne was thinking, and the two of them peacefully had their afternoon tea. At dusk, Charles took Anne back to the University of Georgia, watched her change to her family''s carriage and leave, and then he also headed back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Charles''s return made both Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce very happy, and the three Agile Cat kittens were constantly circling him, trying to catch his attention. Charles picked up one Agile Cat kitten, caressed its soft fur, feeling a sense of relief and said, "Prepare something to eat for me tonight. I have things to do tomorrow and will go to bed early, so there''s no need to prepare tea and coffee." Mrs. Plum Sauce prepared a set meal for Charles. After eating, he went back to his room to practice for a while, curled up with the three Agile Cat kittens, and had a comfortable night''s sleep. The next morning when he woke up, he rubbed his eyes and was contemplating whether to look for Anne or the Augusladin High Priest when he heard a noise downstairs. Charles got up and went downstairs, only to see someone had delivered two large oil paintings wrapped very securely in burlap. He couldn''t help but ask, "I didn''t order any paintings, could there be a mistake with the delivery?" Before the delivery worker could answer, Mama Karen walked into Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, smiling and said, "There''s no mistake. Anne asked me to order the five largest frames available. These are two of them." "I suggest Mister Mecklen hang one in the study on the first floor and another in the bedroom on the third floor." Still groggy from waking up, Charles casually asked, "Why?" Mama Karen chuckled lightly and said, "What do you think? The other three, one was sent to your estate outside the city, and the other two were sent to your residence in the Val de Vaz District." Charles gradually became more alert and remembered that he indeed had two more residences as rewards from the Queen. Thinking about the number of frames, he asked in awe, "Are they all portraits of Anne?" Mama Karen did not answer but instead asked, "Where do you think it would be appropriate to hang them?" Charles thought to himself, "Isn''t that obvious?" Workers delivered a painting to the large study and another to the third floor, hanging it in the bedroom''s rest area. Mama Karen did not linger after delivering the paintings and soon left. The old nurse always had a smile on her face and looked at Charles with a profound gaze. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After Mama Karen left, Charles removed the canvas that covered the painting in the study, revealing that it was of the largest size, intended to be a life-size portrait. As the canvas fell, the oil painting indeed depicted a magnificently dressed portrait of Anne, her face full of happiness. It even seemed to make a beckoning gesture towards Charles, as if inviting him to dance. Charles also reached out, as if to hold hands with the Anne in the painting, and indeed followed her in a half-dance across the space. He remembered he had errands, so he hadn''t yet admired the painting upstairs and hurriedly left the house with Mrs. Nancy. Yesterday, he had ridden in dark luxury to show off in front of Anne, but Anne hadn''t even noticed the change in his carriage, so today, Charles honestly switched back to his original second-hand carriage. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire Primarily because he had errands, using a Transcendent carriage would surely make people suspect he had made a fortune in the war. Such matters would definitely bring some trouble, especially since he and the Augusladin High Priest were plotting an embassy to the Inglima Empire. Any jealousy could stir up waves and spoil their plans. Once Charles''s status was higher, he could enjoy a more luxurious life without these issues. Charles decided that when he returned from the Inglima Empire, he would set up several businesses to begin amassing wealth of his own. Although he had come into a sudden fortune at Silver Pigeon Fort, such events are rare and don''t represent a reliable way to earn money. Charles first went to the Temple of The Lord of Radiance to inquire about the Augusladin High Priest''s whereabouts, then withdrew a sum of cash from the Savings Union before heading to the Minister of Foreign Affairs'' residence. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was one of the highest-ranking officials in the Empire, typically held by a hereditary Count Dardanian. The official residence was located at No. 5 Central Main Street in Val de Vaz District! Incidentally, the Emperor''s palace was located at No. 1 Central Main Street. The Central Government Office was not on Central Main Street. All of Central Main Street housed the empire''s official residences and was where the truly powerful nobles and officials stayed. The street was patrolled by the Royal Knights Order, and ordinary people could not enter. Charles had a document from the Military Knighthood Division of the Central Government Office, which permitted him to enter this street, but he was anxious as he headed straight for the Foreign Minister''s residence. Upon arriving at the gate, he was stopped by guards. After he explained that he sought an audience with the Augusladin High Priest, the guards led him into a room to wait. The room was filled with various officials waiting for an audience. They also held considerable status, for those of lesser rank could not enter this room and had to wait outside the Minister of Foreign Affairs'' residence, feeling the difference in their status as they braved the elements. Chapter 171 169, you dropped your stuff. Charles quietly hid in the corner, listening to the people in the room discuss grandly. Nearly everyone was consciously or unconsciously showing off their status, so he quickly realized that everyone in the room held a higher rank than he did.Being able to reach the rank of Twenty-Ninth Grade First Level Clerical Chief within two to three years after graduation was already quite an achievement for the young talent, but this position was still considered low level in the room. Charles silently listened to the people in the room bragging, boasting, and jabbering... He didn''t know if anyone had informed the Augusladin High Priest of his arrival, but he was patient. After all, many things in this world were beyond human efforts. As a mere human, he should know when to worry and when to forgive himself. The affairs that the Augusladin High Priest plotted were well beyond his authority to interfere; he just needed to go with the flow. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles silently practiced Bloody Glory. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the Foreign Minister''s residence that aided him; his cultivation felt divinely assisted and progressed slightly faster than usual. Charles had just brought seven Bloody Vortexes to halfway completion when he heard someone loudly shout, "Lucavaro District Patrolling Army commander, Westwind Knights'' Commander, Lucavaro District Administration Bureau Chief, Twenty-Ninth Grade First Level Clerical Chief Charles Mecklen, please come with me." Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the room, Charles left the waiting room and followed a servant through many twists and turns to a very quiet reception room. He saw a young official, probably around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, dressed meticulously, holding a cup of coffee as if snatching a leisure moment amid busyness. Judging purely by age, Charles guessed that the man was not the Foreign Minister but must hold a high position, and he hurriedly introduced himself politely. The young official nodded and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I''ll cut to the chase. Charles Mecklen, are you willing to take on a diplomatic mission to the Inglima Empire?" Charles answered, "I am willing." The young official nodded, took a document, and was about to sign his name. Charles, quick on his feet, swiftly handed him a wallet, saying, "You dropped this." The young official leisurely opened the wallet, glanced at the Fu Er bills inside, suddenly smiled, took another document, and said, "I heard you fought a battle at Mostar Fortress with Lady Southseraph?" Charles humbly said, "Just a trivial matter, all for the Empire, for the Emperor." The young official slightly smiled, signed his name on the new document, stamped it, and handed it to Charles, saying, "First go to the Central Government Office, submit this document, and then go home to await further instructions." Although Charles felt that the young official was not busy¡ªan air of leisure as he drank his coffee¡ªhe still tactfully hurried to take his leave. The young official put the wallet into his pocket and continued to drink his coffee leisurely. This was his routine. Since Charles was more perceptive than others, he exchanged the document to shorten his "ordeal" by a few years. After leaving the Foreign Minister''s residence, Charles, familiar with the procedures, went to the Central Government Office. After visiting several departments, his new title became: Lucavaro District Patrolling Army commander, Westwind Knights'' Commander, Lucavaro District Administration Bureau Chief, Fars Empire''s Special Envoy Plenipotentiary for War to the Inglima Empire, Twenty-Eighth Grade Second Level Clerical Chief Charles Mecklen! The document Charles received at the Foreign Minister''s residence differed from the one he was originally supposed to receive only in the last line¡ªinitially, there was no change in his ranked position. The young official who took the bribe saved him several years. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire Moreover, this change of position had nothing to do with Charles''s merits; it was a normal promotion due to accumulation, and it didn''t affect the part concerning his military rewards. Charles had received his new identity document, and as he was about to leave the Central Government Office, he saw several former colleagues, who were chatting loudly, led by one who looked radiant and triumphant. Someone caught sight of Charles and couldn''t help but call out, "Charles, what brings you back here again?" Charles smiled and replied, "I''m here for some job reassignments." The radiant-faced colleague said, "Edgar mentioned that you had come back once before. How come after going to prison, you stopped staying in touch with your old colleagues? You never reach out to us when you return!" "I''ve just been promoted to a second-level clerk, a bit later than Edgar, but I''ve finally caught up with this promotion wave and was about to invite my colleagues to celebrate. How about it? Join us!" "Oh, oh, oh, what did you just say? Are you handling some job assignments? Can I help you at all?" Charles smiled and said, "I''ve just finished dealing with that." A female colleague, with some slight freckles and not an unattractive appearance, couldn''t help but say, "Charles, are you finally leaving the prison? Which door did you use? Are you returning to Val de Vaz District, or still out in the fifteenth district?" Charles vaguely remembered this female colleague; he had once invited her to dinner during his time at the Central Government Office, but they hadn''t had the chance to delve deeper into their relationship before his unfortunate incident, and their relationship was rather innocuous. Charles Mecklen, a graduate of Sheffield University, was strikingly handsome, which made him quite popular among women. While he had faced some "stumbles" professionally, if he could be transferred back to Val de Vaz District, this female colleague felt he still deserved another chance. Charles laughed and said, "No, farther than that." The female colleague instantly lost interest, and the other colleagues also greeted him but not too warmly. This was akin to the Middle Ages of the Old Continent, not the info-saturated Earth, and although Charles had shown remarkable performance in a few battles within the Behemoth Duchy, the Behemoth Duchy was not the main battlefield of the Empire. His exploits were rarely reported in the newspapers, and Charles had never had the chance to make the papers, so his colleagues still were unaware of his significant rise in status! Charles exchanged brief pleasantries with them but had no interest in showing off in front of his former colleagues, considering such petty bragging unworthy. He declined to dine with his old colleagues and had just left the Central Government Office when Madam Nancy arrived, driving a carriage to pick up her master. Although Charles preferred to keep a lower profile, he could not pretend not to recognize Madam Nancy and confidently stepped into the carriage, waving goodbye to his colleagues. Several colleagues witnessed Charles getting into a private carriage and were slightly surprised. The woman who had spoken earlier couldn''t help but say, "Did Charles actually buy a carriage?" The recently promoted colleague, sounding a bit sour, said, "Miss Lucavaro, you must have noticed that it''s just an old second-hand carriage, not a brand-new one, and the horses are the most cost-effective kind." The female colleague pondered for a moment, then laughed and said, "Let''s not talk about him anymore; today we are celebrating your promotion." She decided to put Charles out of her mind, for if he couldn''t return to work in Val de Vaz District, he wasn''t worth another chance. Chapter 172 170, 221B Baker Street Charles had pushed these old colleagues to the back of his mind; his chances of intersecting with them were diminishing.Although just a few months ago he was merely a first-level clerk, eagerly waiting for a promotion, he had now become a twenty-eighth class, second level Clerk Chief¡ªa position almost unattainable for his former colleagues in their entire lifetimes. Although in the realm of clerks, there was a chance for promotion every three years, various things always came up to interrupt the process. Especially, advancing from a clerk to Clerk Chief was exceedingly difficult; his old colleagues had worked hard for over twenty years, and it was a feat for them to even rise to the position of a first level Clerk Chief. Only a select few elites could rise to a second or even third level Clerk Chief before retirement; anything higher required luck. As everyone knows, those from ordinary families generally do not have much luck in the bureaucratic system. Charles had received his identification papers and still had a few options. Of course, the most responsible choice was to head to the embassy street, where not only embassies from other countries were situated but also officials dispatched by the Fars Empire, who would be "trained" there with free food and accommodation. Charles decisively chose the most comfortable option; he had Madam Nancy drive the carriage to the University of Georgia to continue his date with Anne. He arrived earlier than usual and still had to wait a while before Anne finished class. Charles was about to suggest having a coffee first before dinner, and then a follow-up program, when Anne whispered, "Shall we go to your estate?" S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was about to instruct Madam Nancy to head to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, when he heard Anne preempt him, "Madam Nancy, go to 221B Baker Street!" Charles was slightly surprised; Anne gave a sweet smile and asked, "Have you not yet visited your mansion awarded by the queen in the Val de Vaz District?" It dawned on Charles that he indeed had never been back to that mansion; while Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was merely a residence, anything bestowed by the queen certainly qualified as a mansion. Charles gladly said, "Indeed, I have not yet visited. I did not expect that my first visit would be with Miss Annie, which makes it extraordinarily meaningful." Anne, upon hearing this, was immensely delighted. Unknowingly, the two of them ended up holding hands. On the way, Charles remembered that he had not yet collected the keys, but remembering that Anne knew the Lock Picking Technique, he did not want to ruin the romantic mood. The carriage quickly arrived at Baker Street, a small, very quiet and elegant street, where the entire street consisted of condominium residences. There were no standalone houses, but the residences on Baker Street, both in terms of structure and services, were far superior to the Savings Association Apartments Charles had previously rented. No. 221B was on the first floor of the last apartment building on the street, with an independent door opening onto Baker Street, no need to enter through the main apartment entrance. When Anne alighted from the carriage, she took out a set of keys and skillfully opened the door to No. 221B, also waving Charles over. Charles was momentarily stunned, but fluently accepted the situation, saying, "You already collected the keys for me?" Anne spoke softly, "I hurried it along, otherwise who knows when the mansion would have completed all the procedures." "However," Charles continued, "when I was awarded by the queen, I was only a twenty-ninth class first level Clerk Chief; the mansion I received could not possibly be any bigger." Charles silently calculated; Baker Street was very close to the University of Georgia and 58 Sixth Avenue, and not far from Central Street either. In other words, this was a secretly arranged meeting place by Anne, who selected and possibly influenced the Queen''s gift through the power of the Count''s family. The location on Baker Street was very special as it was very close to the center of Val de Vaz District. Therefore, despite its unremarkable reputation, it was highly favored by the officials of the Empire because it was very convenient for their commutes to and from work. This was why the residences in this location were highly sought after and generally not bestowed upon lower-level clerks, who would prefer a larger home rather than one on Baker Street. However, these were all service apartment residences, so there was no space to park carriages; all carriages had to be parked in the nearby carriage parking lot. Of course, taking a public carriage was also a good option. Because horses were not kept, the entire street was remarkably clean. Charles entered 221B Baker Street and immediately saw a magical portrait hanging in the center of the living room. It portrayed Miss Annie Brittany dressed in hunting attire, spirited, with a warm smile, welcoming with a grand courtly gesture. Although Miss Annie was stunningly beautiful and her portrait''s gestures were pleasing, Charles couldn''t help but swallow hard. He asked softly, "Is every portrait different?" Annie nodded and said, "I have specially selected your favorite five outfits and ordered the largest frame overnight. Do you like it?" Charles thought it would be even better if it were silk stockings. Unfortunately, whether in the Old Continent or the New Continent, such things did not yet exist. He even considered becoming an inventor himself. "I like it! I really like it very much." This small mansion was actually divided into two floors with stairs inside, having only one living room, one study room, and five residences. The living room and study were downstairs, while all the residences were upstairs without a kitchen; however, the apartment building itself offered meal services. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire Charles and Annie took a tour around the room, and he found that the entire 221B had been renovated and that all the furniture was new. He asked Annie, and unsurprisingly, she had helped with the furnishings. Charles tapped a small brass bell placed in a corner of the hall. It was an inexpensive but interesting alchemical device, designed to ring its counterpart bell when struck. Sure enough, not long after, the apartment''s butler arrived and politely asked, "Sir, what can I do for you?" Charles smiled, "Please bring two cups of coffee and two sets of meals, and also buy a keg of beer and five bottles of fruit wine." He handed over one Fu Er and said, "Keep the change as a tip." The apartment butler happily departed. It had been a long while since Charles knew many high-end apartments offered similar services, but his own Savings Club apartment was not up to par. Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was a completely different type of residence, and today was his first time trying it, which he found quite novel and interesting. Annie also preferred to spend a quiet moment with Charles in a secluded corner, uninterrupted. However, previously, Charles''s place was far too distant. Visiting Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 meant he couldn''t do anything else for the day, wasting much of it on carriage rides. Charles was casually chatting with Annie while standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling alchemical crystal glass window, enjoying the serene streetscape of Baker Street when suddenly he frowned, spotting a familiar figure hastily passing by. Chapter 173 171. The real power class "Aubrey Barrington Atwood!?" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire"How did he end up on Baker Street?" The president of the Liemar Detective Agency was in a hurry, yet still extremely alert, as if he had sensed someone watching him; he suddenly turned around. Charlotte discreetly turned her face and even raised her arm to shield her cheek, a very nonchalant and comfortable pose. Aubrey Barrington Atwood didn''t see any suspicious individuals and continued on his way. Anne came over, following Charlotte''s gaze toward Aubrey Barrington Atwood, the president of the Liemar Detective Agency, and said, "He is quite decisive. Having heard about your great victory at Silver Pigeon Fort, he actually sold the detective agency to you." Charlotte was startled and asked, "When did he sell the detective agency to me?" Anne asked with surprise, "Don''t you know? Louis Simi helped you with the acquisition, and the price was quite favorable. It''s said that a collection of luxury goods, along with a sum of cash, was used to take over the property and personnel of the detective agency." Charlotte was of course aware that Louis Simi had helped him acquire a detective agency, but Louis Simi had not mentioned that it was the Liemar Agency. At that time, Charlotte had other matters to attend to and didn''t inquire further because all he needed was a gesture from Louis Simi; which detective agency was acquired did not really matter to him. Charlotte watched the figure of Aubrey Barrington Atwood disappear into another street and couldn''t help but exclaim, "What talent!" He himself didn''t know whether he was referring to Louis Simi or Aubrey Barrington Atwood in calling them talented. After all, both of these sleeping dragons were quite gifted, one actually thought of acquiring the Liemar Agency, and the other made a swift decision to sell the Liemar Agency to him. Remarkably, the two of them managed to make it happen. Charlotte couldn''t help but laugh, "Let''s go visit the Liemar Detective Agency tomorrow." Anne also smiled, "Sure!" Having been apart for so long, they just wanted to enjoy some peaceful time together. Even though Anne was curious and wanted to check out the Liemar Agency, she didn''t want to disrupt such a beautiful afternoon. Soon after, the apartment''s butler brought in coffee, meals, beer, fruit wine, and some desserts. Charlotte and Anne sat in front of the living room''s floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the view of the street through the magic alchemy crystal glass, and enjoyed a relaxed and delightful afternoon meal. After eating, Charlotte chatted casually with Anne over coffee for a while, and as the evening darkened, he then took Anne back to the University of Georgia. Charlotte hesitated for a moment but decided to return to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Although the Baker Street apartment was very cozy, he still enjoyed the busy hustle and bustle of this place, and besides, the house here was bigger. He returned to the third floor and saw another life-sized portrait of Anne. In this portrait, Anne was wearing a long silk robe with exotic flair, accentuating the girl''s graceful figure. She was even using an ancient Eastern greeting to welcome him back to the bedroom. Charlotte admired it for a while and then switched to another bedroom to sleep. The next day, when he got up and before he had the chance to find Anne, the Augusladin High Priest paid him a visit. The priest''s face showed a hint of weariness as he said to Charlotte, "We are set to depart at the end of this month, so you need to be prepared." "We are an envoy team, and we will be wearing a uniform attire. You and your subordinates need to visit the Embassy Street to customize our common and formal attire, and even the weapons must conform to regulations. Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets are not allowed, nor are antispace or space weapons. As a diplomatic officer, you are qualified to select a batch of weapons..." The Augusladin High Priest listed a bunch of precautions, and Charles had Madam Nancy prepare a mug of barley wine, but the High Priest declined, asking for a glass of water instead. Charles hadn''t expected the High Priest to be so meticulous about status in the details. After chatting for a while, the High Priest hurried off. As an ambassador, and especially as a war envoy with full authority, he had to sign an alliance with the Inglima Empire and ideally persuade the Inglima Empire to send troops. He had a lot to prepare and was very busy. However, for the Augusladin High Priest, being an ambassador, no matter how busy, was better than being thrown into the meat grinder of the war in Ferlanden. It is said that a member of the Sacred Order has fallen on those battlefields. Once the High Priest had left, Charles went to Sparrowhawk Street No. 1. Although he wanted to spend another day dawdling with Anne, he ultimately had to do some serious work. Dobin, Yellow Bear, and others were staying in Machu Picchu, so now at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, there were only Taoles, Belisa, Anatasiya, and eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, as well as thirty selected warriors from the Westwind Knights, half from the Patrolling Army and half from the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort, all of whom had clear identities. When Charles was selecting them, he even added the standard that they should have received at least a middle-level education and be able to read and write fluently. The Fars Empire did place considerable emphasis on education, but it couldn''t achieve the universal literacy of modern countries on Earth. Only five percent of the people could receive primary education, and the vast majority of the Empire''s citizens were still illiterate. When Charles arrived at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1, Taoles wasn''t there; after all, being a lady of the Sue family, she had returned to Strasbourg and naturally had her private affairs. But Belisa and Anatasiya were present. In his capacity as the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, Charles first filled in their positions. Given that Anatasiya was a graduate of the University of Georgia, she was directly appointed as a Grade One Clerk, while Belisa, having only completed higher education, was chosen to be a maid beside the duchess. Although she had always been studying hard on her own, her educational background was insufficient, so she was appointed as a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant. Of course, this was against the rules; in reality, Belisa didn''t qualify to be an Assistant. Originally, when Charles''s ex-fianc¨¦e, Miss Silvie Martin from the National Academy graduated, she only got a job as a Forty-seventh Grade Third-Level Registrar. It even made Silvie so indignant that she gave up the assigned job to become an apprentice detective. But now... Times have changed, and Charles could indeed be considered part of the Empire''s privileged class, even slightly higher than the lower ranks of the privileged. Moreover, not only had his job rank become high enough, but he also held substantial administrative power. Not to mention the wartime temporary appointment of Westwind Knights'' Commander and the nominal position of war envoy with full authority for the Fars Empire to the Inglima Empire, just the two administrative positions as the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army and the Head of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau made it a piece of cake to arrange positions for a few of his own people. If Silvie Martin knew that her former fianc¨¦ could even secure a Forty-fifth Grade First-Level Assistant position for a maid with only a higher education, she would surely have something to say about it. Yes, this would be so Silvie. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 174 172. The New President of Liemar Detective Agency Charles didn''t stay on Sparrowhawk Street for long; after a rare morning of diligent work, he happily ducked out early to pick up Anne from class.The two of them first had lunch together before making their way to the Alcatraz District. Three of the seven major detective agencies in the Fars Empire were located in this district, including the Liemar Detective Agency, aside from the Cat Detective Agency. The financial situation of the Liemar Detective Agency was clearly much better than that of the Cat Detective Agency. It consisted of three buildings on the street front: one with five floors and two with three floors. Each building had training facilities on its rooftop, allowing detectives to practice swordsmanship, gunmanship, and various other skills. The reason Aubrey Barrington Atwood was willing to sell the detective agency was that its assets mainly consisted of its industry reputation and a group of seasoned professional detectives. The real estate and the registered agency name were not valued as highly. Moreover, Charles had risen too quickly. Although Liemar Detective Agency had personnel, it couldn''t compare to a Knighthood. Aubrey Barrington Atwood believed that, with his ability, making a comeback would not be difficult. Furthermore, a group of veteran detectives were willing to start anew with him. Thus, selling the Liemar Detective Agency to recoup a batch of funds was the best choice. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire Charles and Anne got off the carriage, gazing at the three office buildings of Liemar Agency with mixed feelings. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles said with a smile, "Let''s go in!" As soon as Charles and Anne entered the premises, a gentle trainee detective receptionist asked, "May I ask, sir, what business do you need to attend to?" Charles answered, "I am Charles Mecklen. Call over the detectives of the agency." The trainee detective receptionist slightly hesitated, not daring to delay, and hurried off. After a while, she came back and reported, "Mister Mecklen, please go to the large terrace on the rooftop. All members of the detective agency are waiting for you." "I apologize, but we really don''t have a place large enough to accommodate all detectives, so we have to request you move to the large terrace." Charles nodded and followed the trainee detective up to the large terrace on the fifth floor with Anne. This building was the office; of the other two three-story buildings, one was the dormitory and the other the archives and armory. Charles had long known that Liemar Agency employed over a hundred detectives, with an additional two to three hundred detective assistants, a considerable number of trainees, as well as various clerks. Indeed, the number was substantial, certainly not fitting into an ordinary meeting room. When he reached the large terrace on the fifth floor and saw the rooftop densely packed with people, even though he had once led a Knighthood of over ten thousand members, he was still taken aback by the crowd. All detectives fell silent; they all knew Charles''s name, and they also knew that it was because Aubrey Barrington Atwood had accepted an assignment to assassinate him. As a result of this case, three Transcendents and eight detectives were lost, which was not even the gravest consequence. This Mister Charles Mecklen had then smoothly risen to prominence, becoming the General of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, Commander of the Westwind Knights, and Chief of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau¡­ Um, the Empire''s special plenipotentiary war commissioner on a mission to the Inglima Empire was his new official position, a piece of news not yet known to these detectives. Every detective felt a complex mix of emotions, uncertain how Charles would deal with them. With a smile, Charles asked, "Would all the official detectives please step forward?" About eighty people moved forward, and Charles inquired, "Are there any Transcendents among you?" The eighty-some detectives almost all shook their heads. Charles nodded slightly, he had already known that Aubrey Barrington Atwood would not leave him the best batch of people, and he smiled saying, "I will be the new president of Liemar Detective Agency, and if any of you do not wish to stay at Liemar, I will provide a compensation for the contributions you have made to the agency over the years." "To the formal detectives who are willing to stay at Liemar, I will increase each person''s weekly salary by twenty Sheng Ding." Charles''s approach was not unusual on Earth, namely the N+1 severance compensation; as for a new boss raising every employee''s salary, it''s an old tactic, just one that most capitalists don''t like to use. Charles''s words set the detectives whispering among themselves, and except for two or three people, almost everyone chose to stay. Charles clapped his hands and said, "Since you''ve chosen to stay, you are my employees. Please stand behind me, not in opposition." The eighty-some detectives immediately stood behind Charles, and with these eighty plus people, Charles''s momentum surged, overwhelming the rest of the employees. Charles, smiling genially, said, "As for detective assistants and trainee detectives, if you wish to stay, just speak up to these detectives behind me. If you want to stay and a detective is willing to choose you, your salary remains the same." Of course, Charles was not going to give everyone a raise. These seasoned detectives, although no longer Transcendent, still had their experience, which was indispensable for carrying out detective work. But these detective assistants and trainee detectives were not of such great value, and his attitude towards them was blatantly obvious. A detective called out loudly, "Little Charles, John, come to my side." Someone had taken the lead, and soon, there were a hundred or two hundred detective assistants and trainee detectives standing behind Charles, leaving the remaining detective assistants and trainee detectives somewhat embarrassed, looking dejected. Many of them did not want to leave the detective agency either, as even in Strasbourg, it was not easy to find a stable job. Charles smiled faintly and then dropped another bombshell, saying, "For those not chosen by the detectives, if you have a better place to go, I won''t stand in your way, and will even provide a severance fee. If you have nowhere better to go, you may report to the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District tomorrow. As you know, I am still the general commander of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, and we are in need of people there." This statement was astonishing. Many of the unchosen detective assistants and trainee detectives simply could not believe that such good fortune was possible. Perhaps the income of the lower ranks of the Patrolling Army was temporarily lower than that of detective assistants and trainee detectives, but their career prospects were much more stable. Moreover, these people also knew that Charles would keep his word, as he truly was the general commander of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army. The atmosphere, which had been slightly cold, finally warmed up after his statement, and many changed their attitudes towards Charles, becoming more friendly. Working with Aubrey Barrington Atwood was one job, and working with Charles was another; only those taken away by Atwood were his core members. The rest were just hired from the labor market. Clearly, Charles was the better boss. Anne was on the side, watching Charles change the ownership of Liemar Detective Agency with just a few words; her heart was full of admiration. She had never doubted Charles''s abilities, but seeing it firsthand was still different. Chapter 175 173, The Cunning and Sly High Priest Running a detective agency requires not only a Transcendent to preside over it but also outstanding business acumen. Charles actually had no one to use for this; he lacked this skill himself and did not have the corresponding talent amongst his subordinates.Taoles and Dobin were members of the Patrolling Army, not Charles''s subordinates. People like Yellow Bear wouldn''t end up in a gang if they could work as detectives, and neither The Spotted Deer Gwen nor The Wind Wolf Bankcroft had this kind of talent. As for Anatasiya and Belisa¡­ Charles didn''t even know if they could do the job. He chose to trust the old detectives of the Liemar Detective Agency and even deliberately let them pick their detective assistants and trainee detectives to clear out the unstable elements within the agency. Although doing so would make this group of "agency veterans" stick together more closely, there wouldn''t be any internal strife within the detective agency in the short term. Those who were excluded to work as detective assistants and trainees mostly had educational backgrounds, which was necessary for this line of work. They might not be favored by the old-timers of the detective agency and were subject to exclusion, but that didn''t necessarily mean they had anything against Charles himself. These people, sent over to the Patrolling Army, would naturally stand out and excel if they were capable. If not... After all, the salary was paid by His Majesty the Emperor, and Charles Mecklen wouldn''t lose anything. Using management concepts from Earth, which were hundreds of years ahead of this era, and although he only grasped the surface, Charles quickly smoothed over the unstable atmosphere within the Liemar Detective Agency. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next thing he announced was the second matter: Dinner! Charles paid out of his own pocket to treat everyone at the Liemar Detective Agency to a grand feast. With this meal, everyone at Liemar, at least verbally, praised the new president and showed the most basic "affection." After the dinner, Charles gathered the small number of people who were reluctant to stay, gave them an inspiring talk, and made a show of trying to retain them. In the end, two old detectives chose to stay, while only one insisted on leaving. Charles provided him with a sum of money according to their agreement, and everyone parted on good terms. Charles spent an afternoon at the Liemar Detective Agency and then left with Anne. As soon as Charles left, the detective agency quieted down again. An old detective suddenly asked a question, "What do you guys think of the new president?" A middle-aged detective replied, "I don''t care what he''s like, I just want to work honestly, earn money, and provide for my family." The words of the middle-aged detective garnered approval from everyone, after all, those detectives with aspirations and capabilities were the extreme minority. Most detectives were just ordinary people who viewed this profession as just another job. In the following days, Charles had no more time to spare. Every day someone sent by the High Priest of Augustine came to urge him to hurry and take his people to the Embassy Street. Out of necessity, Charles could only take his people to Embassy Street, first to tailor their outfits, and then collect a batch of weapons specially made for diplomatic staff. These matters might not seem numerous, but they kept him busy for a good three to five days. Just as he finished with these matters, the High Priest of Augustine informed him that he could now choose special personal weapons designated for envoys. Charles went to the Minister of Foreign Affairs'' official residence once again. Senior diplomatic officers had access to a special weapons arsenal. As a diplomatic commissioner, Charles could select an Extraordinary Weapon from the arsenal exclusively designated for diplomatic staff. The weapon was not to be issued to individuals and had to be returned after each diplomatic mission. However, in reality, all it took was a report explaining how the weapon was "lost" to secretly keep it. Hmm, this was intel obtained through the Tenfold True Word Technique. Charles didn''t hesitate to pick an Extraordinary Handgun called the Silver Knight! This Extraordinary Handgun has three attributes, Trajectory Correction, Ejecting Draw Gun, and Double Shot Burst. When firing the Silver Knight, as long as the aim isn''t too far off the target, it automatically corrects the direction of the bullet, allowing even a normal person to achieve a perfect hit rate. However, this feature has a downside, skilled gunmen can''t shoot as they please because it automatically "calibrates". To put it simply, if an apple were placed on a person''s head, an ordinary person would shoot the person dead, and a skilled marksman would do the same... As for the Ejecting Draw Gun attribute, the moment it comes into contact with the fingers, it actively ejects, enabling quicker drawing and shooting, but this also leads to frequent accidental activations¡ªjust an unintended touch will cause it to pop out... The Silver Knight isn''t an Antispace Item, nor does it have a spatial magazine. It has a normal magazine, and an energy magazine. Ordinary Extraordinary-class firearms can only fire separately, but the Silver Knight can simultaneously shoot normal bullets and Energy Bullets, striking with a Double Shot Burst, catching the enemy off guard. Honestly, this thing turns a novice into a skilled gunman, but for someone who''s already a skilled gunman, it''s a hindrance. Charles himself isn''t short of weapons. Although diplomatic envoys aren''t allowed to carry Antispace Weapons, meaning his Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and Silver Rhinoceros can''t be used, the Blood Rose isn''t included in this restriction. It''s not an Antispace Weapon, and with Blood Rose in hand, Charles fears no enemy. He chose the Silver Knight solely because, as a special weapon for diplomatic personnel of the Empire, it has an extremely high market price. After selecting his weapon, Charles left the Foreign Minister''s official residence. He went to bid farewell to Anne in advance and then headed to the embassy district to find the Augusladin High Priest. The diplomatic mission was about to depart, and he wouldn''t be able to return home for the next few days with lots of miscellaneous things to take care of. In just a few days, the over two hundred-person diplomatic mission left Strasbourg. The highest-ranking individual in this diplomatic mission was naturally the special full-power War Envoy, the Augusladin High Priest. However, his deputy wasn''t Charles but Viscount Duranni. Charles''s position was still too low. Although the Augusladin High Priest had painted a rosy picture, he hadn''t actually given him a bite of it. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire However, as a special full-power War Commissioner, Charles''s status wasn''t low either. Within the mission, he was ranked number eight at least¡ªhe even had a military carriage to sit in and didn''t need to ride a horse. The Fars Empire was in dire need of external assistance. Therefore, apart from carriages, the diplomatic mission was also fully equipped with warhorses, a very rare provision. The group left Strasbourg and sped along the road. In roughly seven to eight days, they reached the seaside and boarded a warship bound for the Inglima Empire. The Augusladin High Priest indeed had great powers. Midway, a merchant ship approached and transferred Charles and all his subordinates onto it. Only then did Charles realize that the Augusladin High Priest never intended to take him to the Inglima Empire. His mission was to go to Song Spirit Island and secure a "retreat" for the great priest. Charles stood on the merchant ship, watching as the Augusladin High Priest left. He was so angry that his teeth itched¡ªhe had never expected to be manipulated like a pawn by a native. But¡­ There was nothing he could do about it. Just as Charles was about to order the merchant ship to change course, he suddenly realized that someone from their group was missing, breaking out into a cold sweat. Julian Asilo had disappeared. Chapter 176 174, From today on, I am the captain of this ship. Charles broke out in a cold sweat in an instant.After circling around the merchant ship seven or eight times, he still saw no sign of Julian Asilo, and his heart suddenly missed a beat. Gazing out at the sea, the warship carrying the Augusladin High Priest had long disappeared from view. Being much faster than the merchant ship, even if he were to give chase now, it would be impossible to catch up before the ship reached the Inglima Empire. Charles bit his lip, wisely deciding to abandon the chase and to remind the Augusladin High Priest that a spy from the Byron Empire had snuck aboard his ship. If he didn''t go and warn them, he could still claim to have no knowledge of this matter. If he did catch up, how could he explain knowing that Julian Asilo had infiltrated the group? Surely he couldn''t say that he was the one who brought him in? Moreover, if there were to be an incident, it would have already occurred by now; there was truly no way to change anything. Charles saluted in the direction of the distant horizon, praying for the Augusladin High Priest and for Julian as well¡ªafter all, if the two were to meet, at least one would get hurt. Who cares? As long as it''s not him, Charles Mecklen, who gets hurt. Charles steadied himself, ignoring the ghostly stares of Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa, and asked, "Where is the captain?" The captain of this merchant ship was named Simon, who, upon hearing the call, emerged and said, "Officer, what can I do for you?" Charles''s earlier erratic behavior, darting about the ship, had caught his eye, leading to several speculations, though none were fully confirmed. Charles asked, "How many days will it take to reach Cappadocia City?" The captain answered, "About five days." Charles pondered for a while then inquired, "In which country is your merchant ship registered?" Captain Simon shrugged and replied, "This is an unregistered merchant ship." Charles''s eyes lit up, and he declared, "From today onward, I am the captain of this ship." Simon smiled faintly and said, "I am not only the captain but also the owner of this ship. If you want to become the captain, you can buy it off me." Charles drew the newly acquired Silver Knight and placed it against the captain''s forehead, stating, "Please rephrase that." Simon''s expression turned extremely ugly as he said, "Kill me, and you won''t survive on the high seas either!" Charles replied, "We won''t survive if we don''t kill you." "So, do you choose death for all of us, or do you choose for us all to survive together?" Simon exclaimed in shock and anger, "No one is out to get you. I am just fulfilling my agreement with the Augusladin High Priest to take you to Cappadocia City." "If you don''t want to go to Cappadocia City, I can take you to another port on Song Spirit Island." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles said, "I will die the moment I set foot on Song Spirit Island, so you choose!" Simon looked at Charles as if he were insane, and the other sailors on the ship also drew their weapons. The ship was a medium-sized merchant vessel, about one hundred tons according to Earth''s standards, and with merely sixty to seventy sailors aboard. Although they outnumbered them, their strength was clearly no match for Charles''s side. Charles, Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, Hundred Bear Chief, Bear Tyrant, and Bear Sweet¡ªon Charles''s side, there were seven Transcendents. Aside from Belisa, nearly every one of them could single-handedly slaughter the entire merchant ship. In the end, Simon chose to submit, saying resentfully, "Fine! The ship is at your command." Charles put away the Silver Knight and smiled, saying, "You''re a wise man indeed." He was just looking for a reason to turn hostile, the nonsense about dying upon arriving at Song Spirit Island was completely made up on the spur of the moment. Charles was a transmigrator, not an indigenous person bound by rules and traditions. Given the opportunity to play a real-life version of grand maritime exploration, why not play it? If there was an opportunity to do something, why not go for it? He had to control this merchant ship to make a big move in Cappadocia City. Aboard the ship, no one understood what Charles was thinking. Even Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa thought he was a bit crazy. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire After gaining control of the merchant ship, the first thing Charles did was integrate its crew with his own Westwind Knights; though the sailors and his team numbered just over a hundred in total, he formed five combat teams with himself, Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, and Captain Simon each leading one. Captain Simon had secretly resolved to find an opportunity to throw him overboard. Charles knew that such heavy-handed methods wouldn''t win everyone''s approval, but with his Insight Ability, monitoring the whole merchant ship wasn''t a problem and he was not afraid of resistance. Under Charles''s command, the merchant ship named ''White Tea'' sailed at an accelerated pace and entered the port of Cappadocia City in four and a half days. This coastal city, which had once been a pirate''s fortress because it was not on the main sea route, had now become an ordinary city for the same reason. The number of merchant ships entering and exiting Cappadocia''s port normally didn''t exceed five, and most of them were just stopping to unload cargo and restock provisions without staying long. When White Tea entered Cappadocia City, everyone assumed it was just another ordinary merchant ship, and indeed, like a typical one, it began to unload goods. The "crew" also left the ship one after another to seek "entertainment" within the city. The system of the Inglima Empire was about eighty to ninety percent similar to that of the Fars Empire. This small city was not the fief of any noble; Notruden had only assigned a municipal commissioner to manage it, and the city had only two hundred members of the Patrolling Army. When Charles left the White Tea with Taoles and the others, Captain Simon secretly gathered the sailors who remained on the White Tea and said, "We have already delivered these people of Fars to Cappadocia. Our task is complete. Once we''ve resupplied with fresh water, we''ll set sail immediately and leave these Fars crazies behind." One sailor asked, "Should we report these people of Fars?" Simon replied with a complex expression, "The Fars Empire and the Inglima Empire aren''t at war. The two nations are allowed normal interaction, so what exactly can we report?" "Are we to report that they''re planning a surprise attack on Cappadocia?" "Not to mention that there are only fifty of them!" "Even if they took this small town, what could they achieve? Turn to piracy?" The sailor sheepishly fell silent. Simon still harbored a significant fear of Charles, after all, Charles had too many Transcendents under him, and the rest were elite warriors. All he wanted was to abandon these Fars madmen and return to the high seas. While Simon was gathering his sailors, Charles was trying to maze-ify Cappadocia, but ''Agmillar''s Labyrinth'' provided no response for a long while, likely not meeting the requirements for maze-ification. Charles wasn''t surprised by this; Machu Picchu was a ruin and Silver Pigeon Fort was temporarily under his control, which was why they could undergo maze-ification. Cappadocia had its own commissioner and Patrolling Army, how could it be maze-ified? But there was another thing he found peculiar¡ªdid the Augusladin High Priest know about this or not? Chapter 177 175. Salted Fish Balls "A normal city cannot be eroded by the Power of the Evil God,""It seems one needs to conquer this small city in order to initiate its maze-ification." Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire Charles pondered for a long time, suddenly feeling as if he were the Great Evil God himself, conquering a city, transforming a city into a labyrinth, and then turning its people into Evil Spirits... He hadn''t considered conquering Cappadocia. As the Special Envoy for Total War to the Inglima Empire, how could he explain conquering Cappadocia to the Inglima Empire''s officials? "This is a declaration of war!" Charles''s current problem was, if the High Priest knew this detail and had him maze-ify Cappadocia, it would be a huge "pitfall." If the High Priest didn''t know, the problem was even worse ¡ª it meant Labyrinth Evil God Agmillar still had another hidden side. "Unfortunately, there are almost no records of this Labyrinth Evil God on the Old Continent. I really want to take a trip to the New Continent to uncover the secrets of this overseas Evil God." "Of course, before that, I need to resolve the issue of the arrival of the two Evil Gods first." Charles tapped on the ground and stood up. Although he had landed, he didn''t venture deeply into Cappadocia as he always needed to maintain his Insight Ability to envelop the Bai Cha under its effect. He decided to set aside Cappadocia for now and go back to the Bai Cha to "quell the rebellion." A little girl, around eleven or twelve years old, carrying a wicker basket containing a dozen salted fish, walked past the harbor. She wore a patched, coarse dress that had been altered to fit her size, her hair slightly yellowed, her face bearing a reddish hue from the constant sea breeze ¡ª not particularly pretty but not ugly either. As she brushed past Charles, he suddenly stopped the little girl and asked in Inglima Language, "Are you selling salted fish?" The girl gave him a wary glance. Charles, in his Fars military uniform, was distinctly dressed compared to the locals. She didn''t trust foreigners and said, "Not selling!" As the girl was about to bypass Charles, he pulled out a shilling and asked, "Would this money suffice?" The girl glanced at it. Not recognizing the currency of Fars ¡ª since Cappadocia used the currency of the Inglima Empire, pounds, shillings, and pence ¡ª she still shook her head determinedly. Charles, feeling helpless, as diplomats rarely handle their own finances, hadn''t exchanged any Inglima Empire currency and now found himself in a pickle. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the girl was about to leave, seeing Charles standing there looking helpless, she placed a salted fish on the ground, gestured to him, and quickly ran off. Charles felt quite awkward; he wasn''t so desperate as to live off a little girl''s "charity"! Besides, he really didn''t have anything to barter with, even if he caught up with her to offer something in return. Charles picked up the salted fish, activated Bloody Glory and gently rubbed it; the fish crumbs fell, and in his hand were several shiny salted fish balls. He smiled slightly and said, "Salted fish flavored ''Drop Dead Balls''." He wandered around the harbor some more, bought a dozen mulberry papers, and exquisitely wrapped the salted fish balls. Captain Simon was fervently and vocally rallying his group of over a dozen subordinates when someone knocked on the door, then violently kicked it open. Charles walked in with a grin, holding a paper package and said, "Take a look at what gift I''ve brought you all?" "This is an alchemical Magic Potion. It is said if you eat it without the antidote once a week, there will be a bang, and you''ll explode." "Let''s all try it!" "I hear it tastes quite good." Simon and the sailors he had incited stared at the paper wrapper in Charles''s hand, their faces filled with shock. Alchemical magic potions already sounded sinister, let alone one that could explode after consumption¡ªwho would dare to try it? At that moment, Charles burst in, and Simon, of course, knew that his act of "mutiny" had been exposed. He hurriedly said, "I am willing to continue serving you, with no second thoughts." Despite his efforts to explain, the more anxious he got, the less coherent he became. The sailors he had rallied even turned against him, shouting, "He urged us to sail away secretly and leave you in Cappadocia. We can all swear that no one agreed to his plan." These people were all talking at once, each trying to prove their "innocence." Charles ignored them, stretched out a hand, and lightly touched his forehead. A Flame Hand flew out from behind his head, snatching a passing seabird. He casually stuffed a red, salty fish ball tainted by the Bloody Glory into the bird''s mouth, then let the bird fly away. He then deliberately made an epiphany-like expression and said, "This alchemical magic potion also has a unique feature¡ªif it gets too far from the person who poisoned it, it will explode immediately." As he spoke, the bird, soaring high, exploded mid-air into a mass of flesh and blood, leaving Simon and all the sailors involved pale, no longer harboring any doubts about the power of the magic potion. Charles pulled out the Silver Knight, pressed it against a sailor''s forehead, and said, "You have a choice, die by my hand, or take the potion?" The sailor swallowed hard, took the salty fish ball, and put it in his mouth. It tasted horrendously unpleasant and was incredibly salty, but he swallowed it with difficulty. With one person leading, the rest of them, no longer needing Charles to point the gun at them, also reluctantly consumed their salty fish balls. When it was Simon''s turn, he bowed his head, feeling nothing but deep sorrow. He had just taken a private job to transport Charles and his group to Cappadocia and had never expected Charles to be a "madman" who would soon take over his merchant ship and now force him to take the magic potion. Simon looked up at the barrel of the gun pressed against his forehead and swallowed the salty fish ball without hesitation. Under the gun, how could he not submit? Charles put away the Silver Knight and said indifferently, "I''ll be needing a few more ships." Simon exclaimed in shock, "You want to be a pirate?" Charles tapped him on the head and said, "Pirate, my foot. I''m a diplomat from the Fars Empire. How could I possibly become a pirate?" Simon had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Charles say, "It''s you who''ll be the pirate! I''m just a nameless assistant. When your Pirate King flag waves over the ocean, I''ll disappear into obscurity, bravely withdrawing from the scene." Simon was utterly dumbfounded, completely unable to understand Charles''s train of thought. Charles, utilizing techniques from the ancient East, successfully used the salty fish balls as alchemical magic potions to bring the captain to heel, then ignored any minor details. He walked onto the deck, looking out at the sea, feeling a tumultuous surge building within him. Ever since he had been out at sea, Charles felt that he hadn''t changed, but everyone around him, whether acquaintances or strangers, sensed an incredible change in him. Suddenly, Charles quipped, "The Great Voyage series really is a great game." Chapter 178 176, This is a declaration of war! This seaside town had several taverns where the sailors of the White Tea, having entered the town, were all drinking and making merry in various pubs, while the members of the Westwind Knights roamed about, exploring Cappadocia City.Charles, lacking any sailing experience, was unaware that a port which had previously harbored pirates and was now not under strict official control, often docking unregistered smuggling ships like the White Tea, was unsafe; thus, he paid no mind to his subordinates'' free activities. That the sailors of the White Tea only stayed in the taverns was also a result of many years of maritime experience. As the former Laurel Goddess of the University of Georgia looked around without Charles by her side, she decided against taking any action. In fact, she wasn''t adept at fighting and didn''t feel brave enough to cause trouble without Charles, her "warrior shield." Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire Anatasiya and Belisa had now become good friends. The pair wandered around this seaside town together and soon, Anatasiya detected someone following them. Being a Second Order Transcendent Knight from Hatingen Thunder and Storm University, Anatasiya was never scared of a battle. She signaled to Belisa and they split up at a crossroads; sure enough, someone followed each of them. Belisa, who dared not engage in combat, made a light leap onto a nearby rooftop. She circled around and shook off her pursuer, then caught up with Anatasiya. More than ten men dressed as sailors were following Anatasiya, and one of them had a bag, motioning as if they were about to make a move. Belisa, unsure of what was in the man''s bag and fearing her friend might be ambushed, was used to seeing conspiracy and trickery beside the Duchess. She quickly drew two handguns. Charles never allowed his subordinates to lack weapons, and she easily obtained two non-Transcendent alchemical handguns, which, although not Extraordinary Weapons, were far superior to standard-issue handguns. Despite her gentle nature, and fear of killing someone, Belisa didn''t rush to shoot the assailants. Instead, she fired at the group of sailors'' bag, splitting it open. From inside, a flurry of black smoke followed by a swarm of black insects emerged, filling the air chaotically. The black insects swarmed the sailors nearby, piercing their skin and burrowing in, causing the sailors to scream and frantically slap at their bodies. Belisa let out a scream and shouted loudly, "Anatasiya, run! They have insects." Anatasiya, bold by nature and only intending to draw out their trackers, laughed at Belisa''s fear upon hearing the warning about the insects, but then she saw the swarm resembling a small dark cloud. Though brave, Anatasiya was still a girl and, given the vast number of insects, potentially numbering in the thousands, even a man would hesitate to touch them, not knowing whether these insects were poisonous. She summoned her Thunder Fighting Spirit and leaped onto a nearby rooftop. Seeing Belisa, she waved, and the two quickly met up. The swarm of insects was bizarre, burrowing under the sailors'' skin only to emerge elsewhere, biting and creating finger-sized bloody cavities all over their bodies. Seven or eight black insects flew towards the two girls. Anatasiya drew her rapier and with a flick, sliced all the insects in midair. The sliced insects turned into fine black smoke and drifted back to the swarm. Anatasiya, shocked, asked, "What''s going on?" Belisa replied, "I saw them holding a bag and suspected they were planning to release poison, so I fired a shot and burst the bag open. Then, all these insects flew out; they''re terrifying, they actually consume people." Anatasiya, watching the sailors being bitten by the swarm of insects, said, "These are not real insects; they must be some kind of extraordinary object. That bag must be the means to control them." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There''s no saving these sailors now, but we can''t let the swarm disperse. Otherwise, the whole Cappadocia City will be doomed. Who knows how many would die." Belisa regretted her impulsiveness in breaking the bag and asked, "What should we do then? We can''t handle these bizarre insects!" Anatasiya decisively said, "Go find Charles; he must have a way." The two quickly left the scene, but they had not gone far when they saw another group of sailors catching up to them. A young sailor pointed at them and shouted, "It was them who destroyed the Bag of Insects, killing more than ten of our brothers." A one-eyed sailor, pulling out a crystal vase from his waist, roared, "Dare to kill my people, and I''ll capture you alive to be tormented by all the brothers before being dismembered." Anatasiya was about to leap into battle when Belisa grabbed her, hurriedly saying, "What if they still have that thing?" Anatasiya hesitated. She was actually not afraid of the insects, as the Thunder Fighting Spirit could kill all the insects instantly, but considering Belisa''s lack of combat ability, she still pulled Belisa and retreated quickly. The self-proclaimed Redbeard, seeing them flee, stuffed the crystal vase back into his waist and led his men to draw swords and chase wildly. The chase went on until they encountered a group of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, who were drunkenly and clumsily singing in the vulgar dialect of the Beastmen, mixing their songs with loud howls, causing a great nuisance. Belisa shouted, "Someone is chasing us; everyone, back to the ship quickly." Upon hearing that Belisa was being chased, the leader of the bears bellowed, "I''ll kill them." Belisa wanted to stop him but was powerless to do so. She could only watch as the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors collided with the group of sailors. These warriors were not the type to greet; they drew their weapons, and in a single encounter, they killed seven or eight people. The self-proclaimed Redbeard, although skilled in swordsmanship, couldn''t withstand the "critical hits" from the group of Bear People. He was hammered to death by the Hundred Bear Chief and his comrades without even a chance to use the crystal vase at his waist. Seeing such a vicious scene, Belisa did not know what to do. It was then that Anatasiya grabbed her and ran toward the harbor. Now that a life had been taken, they needed Charles to intervene. Anatasiya and Belisa hadn''t reached the ship called the White Tea when Charles was already alerted. Concerned for his subordinates, he called everyone from the ship and nearby tavern sailors at the dock to prepare for a response. The first person he encountered was Taoles, who asked, "What happened?" Taoles pointed and said, "I''ll lead the way." Then this former Laurel Goddess led Charles to the civil officer''s residence. Although Charles knew that attacking the civil officer''s residence was akin to declaring war, he charged in without hesitation. Chapter 179 177, do I actually have the physique to burst into a soldier? The administrator of Cappadocia City, called Domingo!He was handing over "goods" to a fleet ¨C approximately over six hundred recently captured natives of Song Spirit Island. The Inglima Empire was not established by the natives of the three Inglima islands; people from various countries of the Old Continent crossed the sea to set up more than twenty small kingdoms. Later, one of the founding dukes of the Fars Empire, Duke Guillaume, led his troops across the sea and nominally unified the three Inglima islands. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire The three Inglima islands had undergone seven conquests and three unifications. People from various countries of the Old Continent crossed the sea to establish more than twenty kingdoms. The Inglima Empire, now known as the Red Dragon Dynasty, was not established by the natives of the three Inglima islands. It was Duke Guillaume, one of the founding dukes of the Fars Empire, who led his troops across the sea and nominally unified the Inglima islands. The third Emperor of the Inglima Empire adopted a suggestion from the then Minister of Finance and secretly sold the natives of Song Spirit and Ojibwa Island to the New Continent. This was a sinister trade route that also caused the residents of Song Spirit Island and Ojibwa Island to increasingly resist the rule of the Inglima Empire. When Charles stormed into the administrator''s mansion, he even deliberately wore a cat mask, thinking that if it were a misunderstanding, he would just turn around and leave since the other party had no proof and couldn''t do anything to him. But as he stormed into the administrator''s mansion and saw the natives of Song Spirit Island bound in chains, and some even caged for resisting fiercely, a fire of rage surged to his head. Domingo, the administrator of Cappadocia City, on seeing a group of people barge into the mansion, thought his slave trading had been exposed and without hesitation pulled out a handgun and fired at Charles. Chatham, the leader of the slave trade fleet, was originally a pirate and a Transcendent. In the era when Zimmerman Axel Robin roamed the seas, knowing he was no match, he pledged allegiance to the Inglima Empire and did their dirty work out of the public eye. Having been a pirate and slave trader for many years and having seen countless Transcendents, he recognized Charles''s movement technique as soon as he stormed into the mansion and shouted, "It''s a person from Baron!" Baron and the Inglima Empire were competitors in the slave trade, both empires having territories in the New Continent and both desperately needing people to populate those new lands. Domingo, convinced immediately, shouted, "You people from Baron, do you want to declare war on the Inglima Empire?" Originally holding Silver Knight, Charles rolled, dodged the bullets fired by Domingo, pocketed Silver Knight under his ribs into the gun pouch, pulled out Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros, loaded it quickly, and pulled the trigger. Domingo, although quickly promoted, relied mostly on his family background rather than education and ability. He was not even a Transcendent; how could he withstand the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet? He was instantly exploded by a shot from Charles. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Domingo blown apart by a shot, Chatham was greatly shocked. Domingo had always been cautious with him, not allowing him to bring more than twenty people into Cappadocia City. Seeing how formidable Charles was, as well as the sailors who followed into the administrator''s mansion, Chatham chose to retreat without hesitation. After killing Domingo, Charles turned the gun towards the slave trader. Chatham reacted swiftly, firing several shots at the bound natives of Song Spirit. Charles clapped his hands on his crown and unleashed seven Flame Hands, guarding left and right, blocking these evil bullets, while Chatham seized the opportunity to escape. Charles stored the Silver Rhinoceros, his heart pounding fiercely, feeling somewhat faint. Although the battle was brief, its impact was profound. He had actually killed an administrator of the Inglima Empire. How was he to explain this action? Even if the other party was involved in slavery, a diplomat from the Fars Empire shouldn''t be dealing with it. Even if he intervened, he shouldn''t have been so brutal as to kill an official overseeing a city of the Inglima Empire. That was totally indefensible. After Domingo died, the guards at the bureaucrat''s residence all surrendered, their morale extremely low. Charles didn''t know how to deal with these soldiers from the Inglima Empire, and was worrying about it when a patrol unit burst in. The head of the patrol, seeing Domingo''s half-destroyed body on the ground, not only did not attack. Instead, he knelt on one knee and said, "Lord Byron, we wish to surrender." Charles had expected a fierce battle. Hearing the offer of surrender, he could hardly believe his ears. But the next words of the patrol superintendent made him understand the reason. The superintendent from Cappadocia City, in a calm tone, said, "I am from Spirit Island, and so are my subordinates. If you could take us all with you, we are willing to join Lord Byron." Charles quietly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "For now, join my troops. When I leave, I will take everyone with me." In just half an hour, Charles had succeeded in taking over the bureaucrat''s residence, killed the bureaucrat stationed by the Inglima Empire, drove away the leader of the slave ships, Chatham, and had the patrol troops of Cappadocia City surrender¡­ The development of events was unbelievably fast, incredibly so. Even Charles, a well-traveled transmigrator, was momentarily at a loss about what to do. Sometime later, Anatasiya and Belisa hurried over, and only then did Charles find out what had happened from them! He no longer had the heart to ask Taoles why he had shown them this route. After all, while he was in the Fars Empire, he could choose to keep a low profile, for this world was just so, but once in the Inglima Empire, Charles could no longer tolerate the trafficking of people. Especially since it was the Inglima Empire trafficking the natives of Spirit Island. Charles would stand by the Spirit Islander''s side no matter what. He ordered all the Spirit Islanders to be set free and even asked each one personally if they would like to join his army? This batch of captured slaves were all young adults, seventy percent were males, and the rest were young females. Their hatred towards the Inglima people who had captured them was beyond measure; every slave capture was accompanied by bloodshed, and Domingo had directly killed those "worthless" old people and "inconvenient to transport" children; they all harbored deep-seated vendettas against the slave traders. So, Charles hardly needed to incite them; the over six hundred captured Spirit Island natives nearly all agreed to join his army. With the guards of the bureaucrat''s residence, the patrol troops of Cappadocia City, the captured natives from Spirit Island, plus his own sailors and Westwind Knights fighters, Charles suddenly realized that he now had over a thousand people under his command. "Do I actually have the physique to explode with soldiers?" "How did it start with just fifty people before departure, and now suddenly again I have an army of a thousand?" An idea emanated from the journal in his arms: Charles Mecklen, in his role as the commanding officer of the Cappadocian occupying forces, was combating the slave-trading powers of the Inglima Empire, had fulfilled the requirements for setting the fifth Labyrinth, Cappadocia was about to be Maze-ified, please assemble a fleet, and own eighteen or more mid-sized ships, during this period, one must not leave Cappadocia more than a day''s journey away. Chapter 180 178. The trick of tampering with fate Charles gazed at the disappearing fifth page of "Agmilas''s Labyrinth," and felt the force of destiny, so enigmatic and irresistible that he found himself on the perpetual path of maze-ification.He suddenly remembered that The Lord of Radiance also governed luck, and although not as adept as the Serpent of Destiny in manipulating fate, was still a True God capable of influencing destiny. "As a follower of The Lord of Radiance, could the Augusladin High Priest possess some ''tricks'' to meddle with fate?" he wondered. "Is all this arranged by the high priest?" At this thought, Charles shuddered and said to himself, "Even though Sacred Order possesses vast divine powers, they surely cannot achieve this, I must be overthinking." He felt the intent emanating from the diary: the task of acquiring eighteen middle-sized ships or larger was indeed difficult. Even though Cappadocia was a port city, there weren''t many ships docked there¡ªafter all, it was only a small city with a population of a few thousand. Charles even doubted that without the dark trade of slave trafficking, there might be even fewer ships docking in this small city. Knowing he had little time left, he armed his soldiers with weapons from the quartermaster''s stockpile and hurriedly rushed to the port. Unfortunately, he was too late. Two merchant ships had already set sail and left the port of Cappadocia. Charles indeed had a way to chase down the two merchant ships on his own. With the Bloodflame Transformation Art and the bustling worldly distractions at his disposal, he was confident he could subdue the two vessels. However, after hesitating for a moment, he decided to order the rising of Byron''s flag over Cappadocia City, abandoning the pursuit of the slave ships. Looking at the fluttering flag of Byron, Charles thought to himself, "I hope this crude tactic can be of some use." Protagora was a person of Fars, so his Bloody Glory Secret Technique was only hidden in the four universities of Fars. Now, few practiced Bloody Glory in these universities, which is why it wasn''t the first time Charles had been mistaken for someone of the Blood Clan, and he felt he needed to exploit this misunderstanding. Although Charles was a transmigrator and the Fars Empire was far from perfect, he had not lived here long, but he had already made acquaintances, many friends, and even relatively loyal subordinates, which made it impossible for him to retain a sense of detachment from this world. Although still not loyal to the Axel Royal Family, he found himself wanting to do something for the people of this nation, and if it were possible to quell more wars and allow more people to enjoy peace, he was willing to struggle and make an effort for it. Now, including the White Tea, only four merchant ships were docked at Cappadocia, but the diary''s report on the maze-ification progress was only (1/18). Charles made a decisive decision, commanding the newly acquired army to seize the three merchant ships. To him, the vessels docked at the harbor were like fish on the chopping board, and all resistance was trivial. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once he captured the three ships, the progress of maze-ification reported by the diary indeed reached (4/18). The captains of the three merchant ships were furious. Although driven to the docks, they dared not confront the might of seven Transcendents and an army of over a thousand soldiers, yet they still had the courage to express their dissatisfaction verbally. One captain shouted angrily, "No one will come to Cappadocia anymore after what you''ve done!" Charles replied with a faint smile, "I don''t care!" Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire "I''m here to ask you now, has anyone been involved in slave trading?" The three captains looked at each other, all seasoned veterans aware of Cappadocia City''s "specialty" and cognizant of the fact that the two ships that had just departed were engaged in the slave trade. They all shook their heads in unison and said, "We are all legitimate merchants and have never dealt with the slave trade." Charles immediately summoned the Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia to come over and asked, "Are they lying?" The superintendent replied in a low voice, "Indeed, they are all legitimate merchants, none engaged in slave trading." Pleased with the answer, Charles said, "Since none of you trade in slaves, you have a choice: join my army or be executed by me." The three captains were furious, but faced with the dark muzzles of the Westwind Knights'' soldiers'' guns, they all chose to bow their heads for the time being and agreed to enlist. Charles then repeated the "trick" he had performed not long ago; however, the dried fish he initially received from the little girl was too small, so this time, he only gave the captains and first mates of the three merchant ships the dried fish version of the "legs-stiff eyes-staring pill." After securing the "loyalty" of the three captains, Charles immediately disbanded the sailors of the three merchant ships into his own forces and promoted the three merchant ship captains and the defecting Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia to the rank of captain. By now the two fugitive slave ships had vanished without a trace, and Charles ordered the removal of Byron''s flag, for its presence would likely prevent other merchant ships from approaching. As for whether the escaped slave ships would spread the news, Charles was unconcerned. Given the primitive means of communication of the era, it was a very long time before he would need to worry about the issue. Charles appointed Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa as the new captains of the three merchant ships. As for the original four captains, even after they had consumed the dried fish version of the "legs-stiff, eyes-staring" pill, he did not trust them enough to let them return to their ships, for that substance was merely salty and truly non-toxic, and would not cause anyone to explode. Cappadocia City was different from the previous two cities. Machu Picchu was a ruined fortress devoid of people, and Silver Pigeon Fort had not belonged to him¡ªit was merely that the old master had died, and no new master had arrived, leaving a brief vacancy. But now, Cappadocia City could be considered entirely his, though not from a legal standpoint. Without hesitation, Charles issued a decree to abolish all taxes, relieving all residents of debts to the government, and returned all the taxes stored in the civil servant''s office, collected over the previous two months, to the residents of Cappadocia City. The taxes collected before that period had been sent to Notruden, and Charles had no way to retrieve them. After abolishing the taxes, Charles did not forget to zealously promote the measure and even had the over six hundred natives rescued from Song Spirit Island testify to their experience, painting himself as a "messianic savior." Charles knew that once the Inglima Empire realized someone had occupied territory belonging to them, they would inevitably send troops to retake Cappadocia City. The tax exemption he had promised would be doubled and collected back by the Inglima Empire''s tax officers. Therefore, he needed to secure as much trust as possible before this small seaside city completed its maze-ification, after which he would take these people to Machu Picchu. At that moment, the emissary group from the Fars Empire had already arrived at Notruden Port and had been sent to the Inglima Empire''s summer palace specifically reserved for receiving foreign guests! Upon disembarking, the Augusladin High Priest immediately went to visit Notruden''s Temple of the Lord of Light and met with the local High Priest. The two High Priests cordially spent an afternoon together, and as for what they discussed, only they and The Lord of Radiance knew. Chapter 181 179. Another salted fish Charles fiddled with the crystal vase in his hand, staring at the swarm of insects flying chaotically in the thick black smoke. He didn''t even know what this was all about.The sailors tracking Anatasiya and Belisa, who were identified by the Patrolling Army, were all under Chatham. Among them, the two most formidable ones, one named Red-beard Morgan and the other called Poison Bee Jack, each had an Extraordinary Object they claimed to have brought up from a deep-sea treasure. If they had been with Chatham at the time, Charles might not have easily controlled the situation. With these two Extraordinary Objects, Red-beard Morgan and Poison Bee Jack roamed the seas and had some fame. They were once well-known pirates but now are notorious slave traders. They were also unlucky. Belisa shot through Poison Bee Jack''s Bag of Insects with a single shot, causing him to lose control of the swarm, which backfired on him. Red-beard Morgan encountered the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors and was beaten to death by the Hundred Bear Chief and the bear warriors, without even having the chance to use his Extraordinary Object. When Charles''s pursuit of Chatham was unsuccessful, he took over three merchant ships and promptly came over to handle this troublesome matter. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire After the Bag of Insects was broken, although destroyed, it still had an inexplicable attraction to the terrifying swarm, so these strange insects that could devour living beings did not leave but only flew within a certain range. The Superintendent of Cappadocia City, named Cruz, was a native of Song Spirit Island but was born in another city. He went to Notruden in his youth to study and after graduating, became a civil servant in the Inglima Empire. However, he offended his superior and was kicked to this seaside town. Cruz was quite pleased to return to his homeland. However, he later discovered that Domingo was trafficking the people of Song Spirit Island. Despite several attempts to stop him, Domingo, not only a civil affairs officer of Cappadocia but also the chief of the Patrolling Army, held a cloud-covering position in this city, similar to Charles''s in the Lucavaro District, and gradually Cruz became disheartened and resentful towards the Inglima Empire. Seeing Charles hesitating to deal with the terrifying swarm, Cruz stepped forward and said, "Poison Bee Jack used that bag to control the swarm. I''m willing to rush in and retrieve it." Just as he was about to rush towards the swarm, Charles grabbed him and said, "You are not a Transcendent, going in there would mean certain death. Let me do it." Then this conscientious Patrol Army Superintendent watched as Charles straightened his collar and strode toward the swarm, feeling moved and thought, "This Mr. Qian Nan is truly a light of humanity. With such outstanding talents in Byron, who can''t dominate the Old Continent?" "Such a corrupt empire as Inglima should be eliminated." Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, and Simon, the four captains, all had their hearts in their throats. The first three were genuinely worried, while the latter feared that if Charles died, no one would provide them with the ''antidote''." More than a dozen strange black insects, sensing Charles''s presence, buzzed their wings and flew towards him. Charles gave a slight smile, activated his Eighth Order Stellar Battle Qi, and his body emitted a faint golden glow, allowing these black insects to bite at him. All the Secret Techniques of the Blood Clan carry the trait of Life Absorption. These strange black insects landing on Charles''s body had their shallow life forces instantly absorbed, turning into black mist drifting toward the swarm. Soon, more than ten other black insects flew over, still having their shallow life forces absorbed¡­ Continuously, black insects flew over, most of them turning into a black mist the moment they hit the Stellar Battle Qi, but the insects kept increasing in number, almost completely enveloping Charles. The spectators had varying emotions, but all were extremely tense, watching Charles as he steadily advanced, enveloped in a thick blanket of bugs, and they all silently sweated for him. Initially, Charles felt nothing, but he soon noticed that these bizarre insects, after their life force was absorbed, dissipated almost immediately, as if they had never been there. He slightly concentrated, thinking, "These insects might not be real; they''re not living beings but a form of evil spirits." As Charles reached the center of the swarm, he saw the ground littered with bones, which slightly frightened him. He noticed a small cloth bag in the hands of one skeleton, and he walked over to pick it up. Belisa had shot through it with a spear, but now the bag was completely undamaged. Charles raised it high into the sky, and countless black mists seemed to find their way back to their nest, swarming into the bag. The bizarre black bugs followed the mists into the bag, and within moments, the sky was clear again, leaving nothing behind. Charles pocketed the cloth bag, feeling that it didn''t possess much power. The Bag of Insects was effective against ordinary people, of course, but against the Transcendents, it likely wouldn''t be very useful. As long as one used Fighting Spirit, or some other energy to protect themselves, they could simply rush forward and kill the owner of the Bag of Insects, easily securing victory. If the owner of the Bag of Insects was of an extremely high Supernatural Tier and strong, why would they need to use this Extraordinary Object to claim victory? S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles planned to sell the item later, opting to exchange it for some Gold Eglu, which would be more profitable. Having dealt with the swarm of bugs, the nearby residents began to return to their homes one by one, each person bowing to Charles as they passed by, and Charles smiling and acknowledging these residents in turn. That continued until he saw a little girl running towards him, throwing a salted fish at him, leaving embarrassment frozen onto Charles''s face. This was the most embarrassing gift he had ever received; the last equally embarrassing gift was another salted fish. Charles guessed that the little girl lived nearby, so he didn''t go to greet her directly but instead made a mental note to make it up to her later. In the following days, he continuously issued orders, attempting to make Cappadocia City a bit better. Although Charles had been a mathematics teacher before his transmigration, he found himself surprisingly adept at handling the economy. Within just a week or so, the market in Cappadocia City was noticeably more vibrant, although it was still a small city of a few thousand people and could not become excessively prosperous. Despite having transmigrated once, he still couldn''t fully appreciate how significant the abolishment of taxes and debt forgiveness was for ordinary people, an encouragement that was nearly enough to rekindle their zest for life. While Charles was causing a commotion in Cappadocia City, the Augusladin High Priest in the Inglima Empire was flourishing, having already met with over a dozen Empire officials and held two formal talks. However, there was still no progress regarding the alliance. The Augusladin High Priest was not too anxious; he was just relieved to avoid being thrown into the meat grinder of a battle with Ferlanden. No one noticed that a young man named Julian, using the identity of a diplomat from Fars, was frequently gathering intelligence and also thriving remarkably. Chapter 182 180, this is really a chaotic place. On the second day after occupying Cappadocia City, Charles sent letters to Notruden, but he was unable to wait for a reply. Instead, he was greeted first by two merchant ships mooring at the docks.Before the crews of these two merchant ships could even understand the situation, they were boarded by the Westwind Knights, who had been lying in wait for some time, and all the crew were detained. Charles skillfully "brainwashed" them, using the combination of salty fish essence and leg-stretching, eye-bulging pills, progressing the Labyrinth to (6/18). There was a minor incident this time; one of the captains, who claimed to have been a pirate, retired after losing an arm during a boarding fight when a Transcendent on the target ship severed his limb. He then turned to becoming a merchant ship''s owner, but as he was not familiar with the business, his venture was not very successful. This captain, known as Crazy Horse Davis, learned that Charles had taken control of Cappadocia City and now had four merchant ships under his command, adding his and another ship, totaling six merchant ships. His enthusiastic offer to ally himself was so fervent that Charles suspected he might be a spy for Baron. However, Charles was short on sailing talents at the time, so he still extended a very warm welcome to this former pirate captain and offered him quite a generous remuneration. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles himself, Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, and the battle squad of Cruz, the former Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia City, each had a hundred men; he afforded Crazy Horse Davis the same treatment. Crazy Horse Davis, having gained Charles''s "trust," and knowing his desire to assemble more ships, proposed a very tempting suggestion, "Lord Qian Nan! If you wish to have your own pirate fleet, it''s not enough just to occupy these merchant ships. We also need a batch of warships, even just one." Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire "While merchant ships do possess cannons, their firepower is too weak." "I believe you must be aware, on land, Transcendents decide the outcome of battles, but at sea, it''s the artillery that determines victory, as Transcendents can''t fly after all." "Hmm, the Sacred Order is another matter altogether." "Faced with the Sacred Order, surrender is pretty much the only option left to discuss." Charles thought it made sense and asked, "We can''t exactly rob the Royal Navy of the Inglima Empire, can we? Besides that, there''s no way to acquire warships." Crazy Horse Davis chuckled, "Besides robbing the Royal Navy, I know of another way. On the other side of Song Spirit Island, at most a half-day''s sail from here, there''s a small island called St. Michael Island. It harbors a pirate fleet that calls themselves the Golden Goat, equipped with over thirty ships, including three warships." Charles''s eyes lit up upon hearing this; he was also familiar with St. Michael Island, as it was quite renowned. It used to be the capital of a small nation, Saint Michael. This small nation had just that one city, and its Kings through the ages were obsessed with turning the island into a fortress. After dedicating centuries and the nation''s full resources to construction, the entire island became a fortress, easily defended and hard to attack. Despite being a small country, it was a stronghold that the Inglima Empire couldn''t conquer for a long time. Eventually, they had to compromise, ennobling the King of this small nation as a Duke, and the nation acknowledged the Inglima Empire''s rule over the British Isles. But ironically, during the second year after this small nation surrendered to the Inglima Empire, a civil war broke out. A nephew of the new Duke Michael, desiring to claim the throne and reinstate the kingdom to appoint himself King, colluded with a pirate group with plans of betrayal from within and without... Unsurprisingly, this pirate group slaughtered all the members of the Saint Michael Royal Family, including that clever nephew, and took control of St. Michael Island for themselves. However, the greatest flaw of pirates is their ignorance in statecraft. The rare talent capable of governing a pirate city is one in a million within the pirate ranks. This group of pirates was quickly vanquished by their peers, and St. Michael Island passed through several hands afterward. Charles knew about St. Michael Island because there were related materials in the university, but he had no idea why someone was now secretly occupying it. Continuing in a persuasive tone, Crazy Horse Davis said, "St. Michael Island is much better than Cappadocia City, with the annual comings and goings of merchants'' ships numbering one to two hundred, amassing countless wealth." "If we can capture St. Michael Island, we will be the new kings of the Whale Sea." Charles was certain that this newly pledged subordinate was a "classic fool." How could he conquer an island even the Inglima Empire had not managed to take, with just six merchant ships and little more than a thousand men? The bluster of Crazy Horse Davis might deceive those blinded by greed, but Charles certainly would not believe him. However, after a moment''s thought, Charles considered, "Crazy Horse Davis must be in cahoots with someone on St. Michael Island. Should I try to use that to my advantage?" "After all, if I can''t use him, I won''t lose anything." "Especially since the island is only a half-day''s voyage from Cappadocia City, which will not affect the maze-ification." After weighing the matter in his mind, Charles posed a humble approach, asking, "St. Michael Island is easy to defend but hard to attack, how can we conquer it?" Crazy Horse Davis answered confidently, "The fleet of the Golden Goat from St. Michael Island has just set sail recently, and currently only about a dozen ships are left to guard the island. It''s at its most vulnerable. I''ve had several dealings with the Golden Goat''s fleet and can lead us there under the guise of resupplying. Then we strike at midnight to take the city by surprise. St. Michael Island will easily fall into our hands." Charles thought to himself, "Based on this strategy alone, it''s tantamount to seeking death. I''ll have to find an opportunity to kill this man." Indeed, heeding the advice of Crazy Horse Davis, Charles began mobilizing the whole city. Riding the waves of his rising fame in Cappadocia City and with five hundred new recruits, he expanded the Westwind Knights to two thousand men. This new Westwind Knights was inferior to his original troops; after all, the original Westwind Knights were formed from Strasbourg''s Patrolling Army and were, at the very least, the local forces of the Fars Empire''s capital. The main composition of this new unit was slaves, newly freed natives of Song Spirit Island, who had nothing but morale to offer. Not long after the two thousand Westwind Knights set sail on the six merchant ships, Charles heard a familiar name. Crazy Horse Davis knew nothing about Charles, much less that this Mr. Qian Nan had the Insight Ability. So, after setting sail, he discussed with a few subordinates¡ªhow to lure Charles into the encirclement formed by the slave ship leader Chatham. Charles was quite surprised; he had let Chatham go, hoping he would spread the word that Cappadocia City had been occupied by the People of Baron, but he hadn''t expected Chatham to actually plan an ambush to eliminate him outright. Charles, accustomed to living in Strasbourg for a long time, had complained countless times about the chaos in this medieval nation, but compared to Fars, the Inglima Empire was truly chaotic, where slave traders could collude with clerks and even pirates. It was indeed a place of disorder. Chapter 183 181, Naval Battle Crazy Horse Davis said in a deep, hoarse voice, "This foolish Byron kid, thinking that with so-called alchemy magic potions, he can control a great pirate.""Once I capture him alive and torture him with the most cruel punishments, let''s see if he can still hold on and not send out the antidote." His subordinates all burst into raucous laughter, mocking Charles in various ways, with one even shouting, "Look at his delicate skin, we could toss him to Chatham for some fun." With a raspy laugh, Crazy Horse Davis said, "He is much more foolish than I imagined, to actually think that he can take down St. Michael Island." "When the fleet of the Golden Goat appears on the horizon, I hope he doesn''t piss his pants from fear." These people brazenly discussed how to send Charles and the six merchant ships into a trap. With a smile, Charles played the "spectator" not present at the scene, and soon he figured out the plan of Crazy Horse Davis and Chatham. They had colluded with the pirate fleet of the Golden Goat on St. Michael Island to set up an ambush, a pincer attack one-quarter day''s journey from Cappadocia City, awaiting Charles''s incursion into the surrounded area to strike together. Their warships with firepower far surpassing the merchant ships would even out the disadvantage of lacking a Transcendent. Charles had to admit the plan was excellent; if he were to encounter it at sea, even as a Transcendent, he wouldn''t be able to cross the hundreds of meters to attack the enemy''s ships. However, the enemy''s ship-mounted cannons could cover his fleet of merchant ships. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire Normally, a Transcendent could only swim over to fight valiantly or use Extraordinary Firearms to retaliate, but the former would be gunned down by rifles at sea. Transcendents are not unkillable, especially in the sea, where most Transcendents can''t employ their superior movement techniques, left with no choice but to take it head-on with their Fighting Spirit, inevitably leading to a tragic outcome. As for the latter, no matter how powerful a firearm is, it can''t beat cannons. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It could only be said that Crazy Horse Davis, Chatham, and these pirates were indeed adept at naval warfare; their plan was "perfect." The only thing that wasn''t perfect was that the people executing it were too foolish, and their target was a¡ªtransmigrator. These medieval pirates might experience fewer conspiracy and trickery plots in their lifetime than what an Earthling sees online in one day. Calculating the journey, Charles knew he was about to enter the "encirclement." He immediately called over the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors and broke into the lower deck where Crazy Horse Davis was plotting. For better control, he chose to be on the same ship as the former pirate. Crazy Horse Davis, timing the moment, was about to leave the lower deck to find Charles and "offer his plan," luring him into the encirclement. Without his guidance in the vast sea lacking reference points, the two parties might miss each other entirely. The two men ran into each other at the door of the lower deck. With a smile, Charles asked, "Have you eaten?" Crazy Horse Davis, utterly confused, failed to grasp the profound meaning of this Eastern greeting and replied, "Not yet! But that''s not important, we need to maintain our course, I''m guiding the fleet." Charles drew his Silver Knight and shot him in the forehead, blowing the head of the former pirate filled with schemes. The subordinates of Crazy Horse Davis were instantly in an uproar. As someone attempted to resist, Charles slightly sidestepped, and five or six Hunchback Red Bear Warriors stormed the lower deck. After a flurry of punches and kicks, they quickly floored Davis''s men and dragged them up on deck like dead fish. Looking towards the distant sea, Charles said, "I want to circle around to the eastern side of that fleet behind us. Who can guide me?" A pirate still harboring a glimmer of hope said, "There''s no fleet behind us!" Charles backhandedly fired a shot, exploding the man''s head. After asking again and receiving no response, he fired again, killing another former pirate. """ The extreme measures immediately caused panic among the remaining pirates, who began to plead, "I know the navigation routes, I can guide, Davis colluded with Chatham, it has nothing to do with us, we are willing to surrender..." Charles made every Hunchback Red Bear Warrior watch a pirate and then ordered with a smile, "If I say ''Kill!'' you twist off the head of the person you''re watching, it doesn''t matter if you make a mistake, after all, it''s someone else who dies." These former pirates were so terrified that they didn''t dare slack off, diligently pointing out the navigation routes for Charles''s fleet. Charles stripped the clothes from the dead men and tossed them into the sea. Although he did this with an indifferent expression and a casual demeanor, inside he was in turmoil, feeling very uncomfortable. His reason told him that if he didn''t kill, it would be himself and his friends, along with his subordinates who would die, but his emotions told him that if he continued to kill like this, he would eventually become a monster... "Life really is full of dilemmas!" Charles sent Davis''s clothes to Cruz, who, after putting them on, stood at the bow of the ship, and Charles had all the merchant ships raise a white flag. He took out the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and climbed up the mast, ready to shoot the leader of the opposing side first if things went south. Of course, even if things went well, he intended to shoot the opposing leader as well. Soon, five pirate ships appeared on the horizon. Cruz, dressed in Davis''s clothes, waved his hands and shouted loudly from the bow of the ship. Before departure, Charles had secretly held a meeting without Crazy Horse Davis''s knowledge, so Cruz knew exactly what to do. The five pirate ships fired two rounds of cannon shots. Seeing that the merchant ships did not retaliate, they lowered their small boats and sent men over. They quickly returned, and the five pirate ships approached Charles''s merchant fleet. As the two fleets came within tens of meters of each other, Charles waved his fist and exclaimed ecstatically, "It worked." Honestly speaking, as a math teacher who couldn''t even be considered a keyboard military strategist, Charles had no confidence in his own plan. Although he had prepared various contingencies in case of failure, he couldn''t compare to the joy he felt at this moment. Of these five pirate ships, four were converted merchant ships, with only one being a true warship. On the deck of the warship stood a burly bearded pirate. He had a slight look of confusion on his face but was still full of confidence, directing his pirates to prepare for boarding. Charles pressed down the muzzle of his gun and took a shot at this pirate chief. The pirate chief never expected to be taken out by a sneak shot. A normal rifle bullet couldn''t penetrate his Protective Battle Qi. Extraordinary Rifles and Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, such valuable weapons, were intended for the assassination of a duke; this pirate chief probably never thought he would be treated the same as a grand duke in his lifetime. With the sound of the gunshot, the pirate chief was reduced to half a body. Charles''s shot was slightly low, blowing away his lower half, and the unsupported upper half fell onto the deck, smearing it with fresh blood. Charles''s gunshot was the signal to counterattack. Anatasiya was the first to lead her team onto the pirate warship. """ Chapter 209 206. A Widowed Great Eldest Princess of the Royal Family Charles had his meal and parted ways with Aurora, even declining her suggestion to go shopping. He felt uneasy without his weapons; normally, he carried at least the Blood Rose, and before he had the Blood Rose, he would carry the Vampiric Hand Axe and a Magnum Hand Shuttle.Aurora said nothing but asked Charles to escort her back to the Foreign Minister''s residence. After dropping her off, Charles hurried back to the embassy street. When he found Taoles and retrieved the Blood Rose and the Withing Rose, and stored them in the bloody vortex inside his left arm, he finally took a deep breath of relief¡ªthe sense of security returned. He thought to himself, "It''s a pity the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and the two Silver Rhinoceroses are at Machu Picchu, otherwise I''d feel even more secure." Charles then retrieved two Knight''s Spears and a pair of Rapiers. As it was getting late, he returned to his room and practiced Bloody Glory for a while, planning to go to bed on time when he remembered the two documents. In order not to affect his mood for the duel, and since the Augusladin High Priest had not returned, Charles had not touched the two documents. He did not open the one from the High Priest and took out his own document, broke the wax seal, and pulled out the official document. It was a standard royal document, which, aside from commending his contribution to the alliance between the two countries, contained only one substantial statement, promoting Charles Mecklen to a 27th Rank third-level civil affairs director. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he was promoted by one level, Charles was still not within the untouchable class of 24th Rank or higher, nor was it as high as his position on the side of the Empire of Englima. But Charles knew that his experience in Englima was an extremely unusual case, after all, not everyone had the opportunity to be received by the Emperor and gain his favor. He was very pleased and stored the important document. The next day, the Augusladin High Priest, quite unusually, appeared at the embassy. These past few days, his whereabouts had been unknown. The High Priest looked fatigued, his legs weak, as if he had been doing some heavy "physical work". Charles quickly handed the document over to the High Priest. The Augusladin High Priest pulled out the document, looked at it for a while, and said indifferently, "Mister Charles Mecklen, your wonderful life in Englima is over." "You are about to return to Strasbourg, and there will be a new appointment." Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire He generously handed the document to Charles, who glanced at it and indeed saw the message urging him to return home. It was not merely chatter from the High Priest. He was full of incomprehension and asked, "Why am I the only one returning?" The Augusladin High Priest, with a smile on his face, said, "I don''t understand it myself why only you are to return. However, this is a good thing. I too miss Strasbourg, but for the Emperor, for Fars, I must continue to stay in Englima." Charles, seeing that the High Priest looked very happy, couldn''t see how he missed Englima at all. He actually felt a bit nostalgic for Strasbourg himself, mostly missing Anne. Although in Notruden, he had recently begun to make some friends, Julian was Byron and would eventually return to Byron. Aurora''s personal charm apparently couldn''t compare to Anne''s. Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa would all go back with him, which went without saying. After chatting with the High Priest for a while, Charles wrote a document and submitted an application for returning home to the Foreign Minister''s residence. As a diplomat, every action of his had to be proper to avoid causing displeasure between the two nations. Soon, Charles received the official document from the Foreign Minister''s residence. Not only did they wish him a smooth journey, but they also designated a warship for him, allowing him to return to Fars on what could be proudly called an Englima warship¡ªa rare honor indeed. In the afternoon, the Imperial Palace sent someone over to summon him to the palace. Amidst the envy of the other diplomats, Charles boarded the royal carriage. This time he carried no weapons, so after passing through numerous checkpoints and being frisked by the eunuchs, he met Emperor Alfred Guillaume once again. His Majesty, the Red Dragon Emperor, was delighted to see Charles and kept him for a royal feast. The main dishes served were almost identical to those Aurora had offered the day before, only made more exquisitely¡ªespecially the pot of sticky vegetable mash decorated with a circle of fried fish heads, which seemed larger and had a more tragic look in their eyes than those served at Aurora''s meal. At the table, Emperor Alfred Guillaume proudly said, "I''ve also dispatched an envoy group to go with you to Strasbourg." "The special envoy of this mission is my aunt, a widowed Great Eldest Princess of the royal family. I specifically chose her for you; you must seize this opportunity well." Charles could not help but swallow a mouthful of fish head. He truly did not understand the emperor''s logic¡ªwhat with the aunt, widowhood, and Great Eldest Princess... Each word was serious, but coming from the emperor, each carried a profound desecration. Seeing Charles''s stunned expression, Emperor Alfred Guillaume thought he was overjoyed and eagerly said, "Besides the feast, I''ve also prepared a little appetizer for you. Ms. Aurora Soumay, an officer accompanying my aunt." "How about that? I treat you well, don''t I?" "You need to give it your all, Sir Charles Meklen." Charles nodded repeatedly, though he truly did not know if he should ''give it his all.'' What severe consequences would come after he ''gave it his all''? Emperor Alfred Guillaume prattled on, thoroughly informing Charles about his aunt''s various preferences. By the end of the dinner, Charles knew her liking for silk underwear produced in the New Continent. He even knew intricate details such as the Great Eldest Princess''s dining tastes, favorite novels, and beloved poems. Typically, only a personal maid or a chief steward would be privy to such detailed knowledge. For Charles, this meal was as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles. He had not expected to receive such a unique mission from Emperor Alfred Guillaume, who, although had said nothing explicitly, hinted so clearly it was almost written on his face ''I want to be amused''. Under such heavy pressure, Charles even felt the characteristic dishes of England weren''t too bad. After dinner, under the guise of the emperor draping an arm around his shoulders, Charles was escorted out through two sets of palace gates. Every corridor they passed was filled with countless gazes fixated on Charles''s behind, as if he were a sycophant seducing a foreign emperor. Charles felt as if he were being embraced by a real Red Dragon¡ªa continuous tense apprehension encasing him, fearing that at any moment the emperor might turn hostile and literally eat him alive. Only when he had left the Imperial Palace did he finally take a long, deep breath, feeling as if he had just escaped from some demon''s lair. Chapter 210 207, Female Sacred Order in Black Robes Charles was certain that Emperor Alfred Guillaume was not "a young man without guile, unable to keep secrets"; his initial impression of the Red Dragon Emperor was completely wrong.Although this emperor might have been young, he was absolutely inscrutable, with strategic depth, and every move he made was fraught with significance; he was not the shallow type who merely appeared to enjoy spectacles. A member of the Sacred Order could absolutely conceal their power without ordinary people noticing. Yet, Emperor Alfred Guillaume had revealed his strength twice¡ªonce on the bridge in Notruden, by patting him on the shoulder, and just now, when he had sent him out of the Imperial Palace, with an arm around his shoulders. Such actions must have deep meanings... As Charles sat in his carriage, looking back at the Red Dragon Palace, an inexplicable fear surged within him, just like the sensation he felt the second time he faced the two Evil Gods. Charles sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart, ceased his pondering, and waited as the Imperial carriage took him back to Embassy Street. He did not enter the Embassy of Fars but instead turned to leave, opting for something more understated and luxurious. Before leaving, he wanted to take one last look at the residence bestowed by the emperor. This mansion was at No. 698 on the South Bank Street of Serventes! On either side of the Serventes River, there were streets running through Notruden; near the Red Dragon Palace was the South Bank Street of Serventes, and near the Yuquan Palace was the North Bank Street. South Bank Street of Serventes was more bustling, filled with many famous buildings from the English Empire, as well as numerous attractions, high-end shops, restaurants, taverns, caf¨¦s, and even tea houses nearly absent in Fars, offering teas from various countries for tasting and purchase. No. 698 on the South Bank Street of Serventes was not far from Embassy Street, and under the pull of eight Spirit Horses, the luxurious dark carriage arrived within minutes. Charles transformed the dark luxury into a ring, and couldn''t help but look up at the residence that was even stranger than he had imagined. It was certainly peculiar, not luxurious. It stood on an isolated small hill, which, although not very tall, was about seventy to eighty meters high, so carriages could not reach it. A specific area had been designated at the base of the hill for parking carriages; currently, this carriage park was empty, clearly indicating that no one was residing in the mansion. Charles had long since received the real estate documents and keys. He looked at the main gate of this house, which was built very imposingly, but with no obstructions behind it. From there, two sets of steps were visible¡ªone leading down only a few steps to the carriage park and one ascending up the hill. Charles couldn''t be bothered to open the gate and triggered the Quickness Technique, leaping over the gate, and after about seventy to eighty steps, found a small platform. There were two more sets of steps here¡ªone led to a residence halfway up the hill at No. 699, and the other continued to the peak, which was No. 698! Charles was slightly interested in this neighbor, guessing that no one currently resided there. He took the steps leading midway up the hill, intending to first check out what that residence looked like. He had barely walked about twenty or thirty meters when a faint voice drifted down from above, "This is a private residence; trespassers, please refrain." Charles hadn''t expected the neighbor to be there, and, feeling quite embarrassed, hurriedly produced his real estate documents, saying, "Sorry, I have the real estate documents." No sooner had the words left his mouth than the documents flew out of his hand, seemingly on their own. This shock was not trivial, and Charles drew his rapier, assuming a defensive stance. Someone had taken the documents from his hand without revealing any trace of themselves, which was truly terrifying. After a moment, a slender figure in a black robe appeared elegantly in the air and said, "You''ve gone the wrong way; the top of the hill is where No. 698 is!" This slender black-robed figure tossed down the real estate documents, and in the blink of an eye, disappeared from Charles''s view. Charles leapt up and caught the descending documents, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Sacred Order!" "How could there be a Sacred Order!?" He regretted his rashness as he marveled in secret, why would such a neighbor exist? At the parking area at the foot of the mountain, there weren''t any carriages, and he had assumed the place was uninhabited. Moreover, looking at the steps he had walked, there were hardly any footprints, which meant the resident here... Was none other than that woman in the black robe of the Sacred Order! She didn''t even have a single servant. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Of course, it''s possible that her servants might be of the Sacred Order too. But that possibility was too low. "Why would a Sacred Order live here?" "What does Emperor Alfred Guillaume mean by giving me this residence, having a bizarre Sacred Order as a neighbor?" "I haven''t been set up, have I?" Charles, lost in his wild thoughts, changed his path. He quickly reached the top of the mountain. The summit of this small mountain had flat terrain, equivalent to several acres¡ªa small square, and on one side, there stood a Sherlock-style building, remarkably tall. Although it had only five floors, each floor was likely over six meters high, decidedly a high-rise building by Earth standards. Charles took out his key, pushed open the door, and entered. The first floor was similar to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, with three studies, two salons, a large hall, and two dining areas. The place was covered in thick dust, seemingly uninhabited for a long time. Charles glanced around the room and decided not to explore further. After all, he had to return to Fars. He would consider cleaning up next time he came. Charles closed the door again and looked toward the middle of the mountain as he descended, recalling that mysterious female of the Sacred Order. Although Earth''s customs would suggest visiting a neighbor, Charles felt it was definitely not a good idea. That mysterious female of the Sacred Order seemed temperamental; if she killed him on a whim and threw him into the Sevantes River, even Emperor Fars might not seek justice for him. Charles took a deep breath, walked down to the base of the mountain, summoned his dark luxury, and returned to the Fars Embassy. He wouldn''t be in Notruden for much longer. Over the next few days, he bought several gifts to take back to Strasbourg, and said farewell to Julian, who had no particular reaction, only wishing him favorable winds. Charles knew that if he were to return to the battlefield, he would surely encounter Julian there, and then they would not be friends but enemies. But such matters elevated to the national level left him with little to say, so he could only bid Julian a diligent farewell. This time, he was not going to include Julian in the diplomatic delegation again. A few days later, Charles received news that the warship, Giant Whale, which would take him back to Fars, was ready to depart. He packed his belongings, took Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa, along with eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and headed to the port. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t expect that he would meet an acquaintance yet again at the port. Chapter 186 184, Lafayettes store Before setting off, Francis Drake instructed only one thing, "A few pirate leaders, you must send them to Notruden; that''s our military achievement. The rest is up to you."Charles still hadn''t figured out how to delay for a few more days. Nor had he figured out how to discreetly get rid of Chatham. He hadn''t expected that James Cook and Francis Drake had no intention of taking him away, not even the pirate crew, wanting only a few leaders. He agreed immediately, with utmost sincerity. After all, with Chatham''s six pirate ships, he was only one ship away from completing the maze-ification, the two had helped him enormously. While Charles was relieved to have escaped one calamity, he was also deeply concerned that the mobilization of two of the Inglima Empire''s navy flagships, Magical Alchemy Warships, could not possibly be for a trivial reason. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire He just hoped that James Cook and Francis Drake''s actions were not aimed at the Fars Empire. Three days after James Cook and Francis Drake left, a merchant ship from Notruden brought a letter from the Augusladin High Priest, telling him to finish his "private affairs" and make his way to Notruden as soon as possible. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was overjoyed and immediately announced the conscription of the merchant ship. Under the stupefied and enraged gaze of the shipowner, he informed him that it was just a joke. No one knew that beneath this "joke," Cappadocia City had quietly completed its maze-ification. A thought leaked out from the diary: Charles Mecklen attacked and occupied Cappadocia City, repelled and captured Chatham''s fleet, the maze-ification was completed, gaining two passages that directly connected Machu Picchu and Silver Pigeon Fort. The diary also hinted at a second maze-ification opportunity. But Charles decisively chose to let it go, as he didn''t have the confidence that he could procure another eighteen ships in a short time, all the more so since the Augusladin High Priest was already summoning him, and it was time to head to Notruden to meet up. Charles left the fleet made up of pirates, slaves, and Cappadocian citizens to Simon and Cruz, the former Patrol Army Superintendent and proprietor of the first merchant ship. Without any trial, he had Chatham and several key subordinates beheaded, their heads boxed up, and with his original crew, he followed the merchant ship that brought the letter to Notruden. After all, as a person of Fars, bringing a fleet to Notruden could easily lead to a diplomatic dispute. During his time in Fars, Charles had heard of Notruden''s prosperity being second only to Strasbourg. Yet, when the merchant ship entered the port of Notruden, he was nonetheless astonished by the prosperity of this emerging city. Notruden was a port city, with a river running through it and into the ocean. Along the banks of the river, the Englima People had built numerous grandiose structures that resembled marvels, constructing at least more than two hundred bridges, in a style that was quite medieval punk. Once Charles disembarked the ship, he hired several carriages, and with his team, headed straight for the embassy street in Notruden. The embassy streets of the Old Continent nations were home not only to the embassies of various countries but also to their own administrative organs, including the political office, Patrolling Army, and so on. First thing, Charles went to the Patrolling Army on embassy street, turned over the heads of Chatham and his key subordinates, and wrote a document portraying James Cook and Francis Drake as heroes who had rescued foreign envoys, taken down Cappadocia City, and defeated the pirate fleet. He had promised Francis Drake and would naturally not go back on his word. James Cook and Francis Drake were both exceptional individuals of the Inglima Empire with limitless futures, and while Charles didn''t know if he''d need them in the future, he still tried to forge good relations. After dealing with this matter, Charles then went to the Fars Empire''s embassy, where, possessing the documents of a diplomatic envoy, he quickly obtained accommodation. However, when he inquired about the Augusladin High Priest with the embassy staff, everyone professed ignorance. Charles asked around and only found out that the High Priest''s life in Notruden was rich and varied, often leaving early and returning late, or even not coming back at all, behaving like an unusual "social butterfly." He also visited Viscount Duranni, the second-in-command of the mission, who owned property in Notruden, and had gone home on the second day, never to reappear. Charles wandered around the embassy but failed to encounter any high-profile individuals nor understand what he was supposed to do. In both his past life and the present, Charles had never been a diplomat. After pondering for a moment, he decided to go out and get to know Notruden, while also shopping for a couple of weapons. Diplomatic personnel couldn''t carry many weapons because if discovered, it would cause trouble, so before landing on the island of Notruden, Charles sent his antispace weapons and the magic gun pouch back to Machu Picchu via Mind Passage. He had lent the Silver Knight to Belisa, and feeling that the former maidservant could fully exploit the weapon''s advantage, he did not take it back. Now he only had a magic stabbing sword, Blood Rose, which was not within the restricted range. Since Charles made a tidy sum in Cappadocia City, he wasn''t short on Inglima Empire gold pounds. As soon as he left the embassy street, he could feel someone tailing him. Charles turned and saw two of Notruden''s Patrolling Army, realizing it was necessary surveillance. He gave a friendly wave and continued his search for weapon shops. Chapter 187 184, Lafayettes store_2 Although Charles had never visited Notruden, he was proficient in seven languages of the Old Continent, including Inglima Language. Using the languages he had studied at university, he asked a few locals and quickly found the busiest street in Notruden, soon discovering an exquisitely decorated weapon shop with a very imposing sign hanging above the door¡ª"Grandfather''s Store!"Charles was intrigued by the sign and calmly pushed the door open to enter. This store spanned five floors, each covering over two thousand square "pi mi". The building''s footprint was three to four times larger than Charles''s residence on Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. However, the yard of the shop was quite small, capable of fitting only a single carriage, evidently a trade-off made during its construction. The first floor was designed in an ancient store layout, with counters on all sides and a central H-shaped counter leading to the stairs upstairs. Inside the H-shaped counter, more than a dozen clerks bustled about attending to customers. A young female clerk approached with a smile and asked in a very respectful tone, "Sir, may I assist you with something?" The young female clerk''s appearance could only be described as passable, far from beautiful, but her youth and practiced propriety in speech made her unobjectionable. Charles silently praised the store to himself, appreciating the commendable staff training, and responded with a slight smile, "I am looking to find a weapon suitable for myself." Charles was not strapped for cash, but based on ample life experience, he didn''t reveal his eagerness to buy, instead adopting a casual browsing demeanor. The young clerk''s eyes brightened slightly as she spoke, "You''ve come at just the right time; we''ve recently received a batch of fine products. If you had come a few days later, they would have been sold out¡ªthis batch is indeed very popular." Charles couldn''t help but commend Grandfather''s Store again. He did not believe for a second that this young clerk could have come up with such a polished sales pitch on her own; it must have been carefully trained by the experienced shop owner, word by word. He did not expose her, instead saying, "Then please help me find a few suitable rapiers, the standard models will do. If there are any weapons from the Blood Clan, please bring them all to me." In Grandfather''s Weapon Shop, the substantial profits came from magical items, while ordinary goods were just complementary sales and did not constitute the main profit. The young clerk, hearing that standard models were sufficient, showed little change in expression but her eyes clearly displayed some disappointment. Upon hearing about Blood Clan weapons, her spirits lifted, and she quietly said, "Blood Clan weapons are not displayed on this floor, please follow me, I will take you to the third floor." Charles, not at all daunted, followed the clerk through the winding counters and up two floors. The third floor was designed with VIP rooms, each served by a dedicated person, furnished like small parlors, complete with offer of black tea and tobacco. Soon, more than ten Blood Clan weapons were laid out before Charles, and astonishingly, three of them were even bloodsucking weapons. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bloodsucking weapons were rare among the Blood Clan and even rarer among humans. In his lifetime, Charles had only seen a few. Many of the renowned top-tier weapon stores in the Fars Empire did not have any bloodsucking weapons. Louis Simi had acquired two bloodsucking weapons in Byron purely by accident. That Grandfather''s Weapon Shop could produce three showcased their exceptional prowess. He casually picked up a Vampire Dagger, glanced at the engravings, and said with a smile, "The Arthur family''s inscription, a pity it''s not from a prestigious house, and the quality of the Blood Core used is also somewhat inferior." He put down the Vampire Dagger, thinking to himself, "Daggers really aren''t my style." Charles skillfully demonstrated the expertise of an aficionado of niche weapons. Such discerning expertise was not found in every customer. The young female clerk showed a look of admiration; she whispered, "Our shop has never had this many bloodsucking weapons before. These three bloodsucking weapons have complicated origins. Had you come a day earlier, you wouldn''t have seen them." Bloodsucking weapons, a category apart within magic weapons, could only unleash their power in the hands of the Blood Clan. Ordinary people couldn''t use them¡ªindeed, they would have their life essence drawn by the weapon. Besides collectors, almost no one was interested in bloodsucking weapons, and the clerk was very eager to sell them, the commission from selling one extraordinary weapon being substantial enough for her to stretch some rules, adding some extra "implications" while selling. Charles pretended not to notice, having no interest in such low-level "implications." Another bloodsucking weapon was a rapier, of much higher quality than the dagger, crafted by the Bellos Family. Charles slowly drew it out, appraised it with a few words, and put it down again. He already had the Blood Rose, so he did not particularly need the Vampiric Rapier, especially since the Bellos Family was not renowned for their swordsmanship, and the quality of their rapiers was mediocre. The third vampire weapon was a short handgun. The Blood Clan especially liked to use rapiers and handguns as weapons, having produced over a dozen famed handguns and three rapiers that had ranked among the top ten in the world. Although Julian had mentioned that Byron had developed a super long-range repeating alchemical rifle, he had never seen the Blood Clan''s extraordinary firearms. This handgun was not mass-produced, exhibiting master-level craftsmanship in its finish, Charles also did not know the origin of this bloodsucking weapon. As he was pondering about this weapon, a hearty voice came from outside, "So it''s Mr. Qian Nan, what brings you to my humble store?" Julian Asilo walked into the VIP room, gave Charles a big hug, causing the young female shop assistant to wear a complicated expression. This young gentleman knew the owner personally, clearly a highly esteemed guest. However, since the boss himself had come out to greet him, she guessed that her expected commission would probably fall through. The young female shop assistant tactfully stepped aside, which was part of the training for employees at the store belonging to the old gentleman: clever, obedient, knowing when to advance or retreat, understanding when to remain silent. Charles was genuinely shocked, a significance that was indeed extraordinary. He inquired in astonishment, "How do you have property in Notruden?" Julian smiled and said, "Let''s talk on the fifth floor, it''s not convenient here." He led Charles up to the fifth floor, entering an obviously very private and luxurious office, before he finally spoke lightly, "My surname is Asilo, a descendant of the three Blood Clan emperors. Owning several properties abroad, isn''t that a common occurrence?" Charles felt it was somewhat incredulous, and keenly sensed something different about Julian. His demeanor had undergone a radical transformation and no longer carried the naive innocence of their first encounter. He found a sofa to sit on, and Julian casually handed him a cup of black tea, yet remained silent. The room quietened down, and the atmosphere turned slightly odd for a moment. Charles slowly sipped the black tea, noticing it did not contain blood bait. He smiled faintly, put down the teacup, and said, "Allow me to reintroduce myself: Supreme Commander of Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, Westwind Knights'' Commander, Head of Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, the Fars Empire''s Emissary to Inglima Empire with Full War Powers, 28th Rank Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Charles Mecklen!" A smile slowly spread across Julian''s face as he said, "Julian Asilo, freshman at Heidelberg University. Before departing for Fars, I was just promoted to 24th Rank First-Level Warrant Officer." "Senior! It''s my first foray, and I still carry a bit of naivet¨¦. You truly gave me a substantial lesson!" Charles had deceived Julian, and there were no good intentions toward this Byron youth, but after all, he was a transmigrator, and transmigrators have thick skins. With a flush of embarrassment, Charles said, "War and lies, indeed, are the greatest tests of character. It''s only been a few days! You''ve grown from a clueless youth into a qualified man." "Congratulations!" Julian also poured himself a cup of black tea, speaking leisurely, "I always thought my life''s first deception would come from a beautiful older sister." "Yet I never expected to be preempted by a devious senior." Chapter 188 185, Fars First Rose Charles cracked a smile and said, "I, too, hoped that my first deceit in life would come from a beautiful upperclassman¡­"Julian interjected, "You mean Menilman, the upperclassman?" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles immediately spat out the sip of tea he had just taken and said, "Don''t joke about that kind of thing!" Julian burst into hearty laughter, regaining some of his innocent vivacity. He didn''t actually hate Charles so much. Even though Charles had nearly played him like a fiddle and deceived him out of the Asilo Clan''s secret scroll, Julian could sense that Charles never intended to betray him, which he found quite "novel." As a vampire and a descendant of one of the three imperial clans, Julian knew how humans felt about vampires: hatred, fear, trepidation, but if given the chance, nearly every human would choose to become a vampire, just for the promise of a long life. Yet Charles was unlike any other human he had ever encountered. Once he knew Charles''s identity, Julian guessed immediately that he wasn''t a vampire at all but a human who had practiced Bloody Glory. Although most vampires detested humans who practiced Bloody Glory, their hatred actually stemmed from the secret technique''s creator, Protagora, the Great Philosopher of the Human Race, who had slaughtered too many vampires. Julian didn''t feel there was any deep-seated hatred between him and Charles. Countries wage wars against each other, each loyal to their own side, showing no mercy, but that doesn''t necessitate mutual hatred between individuals. This was Julian''s philosophy of life. Unable to help himself, Charles asked, "You know about Upperclassman Menilman, too?" Julian whispered, "The name of Fars''s First Rose is famous even to me. I had the fortune of seeing Miss Menilman once and even entertained the idea of having my father propose a marriage to Count Sumei on my behalf." Charles spread his hands and asked, "Why didn''t you? Did you lose to Zimmerman?" Julian shrugged his shoulders and gave Charles an answer that made him want to laugh and cry at the same time, "I was only five years old that year." This time, it was Charles''s turn to laugh heartily. He felt somewhat relieved that he hadn''t taken another sip of tea, or he would''ve had to spray it out again! Charles reflected for a moment on who he had liked when he was five years old. After giving it some thought, he remembered that back then, his favorite had been Optimus Prime, the Cybertron robot that could transform into a flat-nosed truck. In less than two months, because Optimus couldn''t fly, he had taken a liking to Red Spider, the talkative guy who could turn into an F-15 fighter jet. Later, because Red Spider was too weak and always got beaten up, he shifted his admiration to the cool and formidable Megatron¡­ Well, at the age of five, he hadn''t yet taken a liking to pretty girls. Julian shrugged and said, "Although I still admire Miss Menilman, times have changed." He raised his eyebrows suggestively at Charles. Charles lifted his left hand high and said, "I have someone else I like." Charles was actually quietly astonished that Julian had managed to find out so much about him, including his identity and some less reliable rumors. This young member of the Asilo family indeed had the talent for espionage. The two wisely did not bring up the war between Byron and Fars, and the atmosphere was as harmonious as ever. Julian suddenly said, "There''s a dance tonight hosted by Victory Champagne Count, would you like to attend?" Charles hesitated slightly and said, "That doesn''t sound too appropriate, does it?" Julian replied with a slight smile, "The Augusladin High Priest will also be attending." Upon hearing that, Charles immediately agreed. Since his arrival in Notruden, he had not had the chance to meet the Augusladin High Priest. Having the opportunity to meet the superior of the delegation and inquire about his next course of action was indeed a favorable turn of events. Just after Charles had agreed, he remembered something and asked with curiosity, "The Champagne Count? Isn''t he one of our Counts from Fars? What is he doing in Notruden?" Julian explained with a smile, "Not the Count Bedivere, it''s Count Ranmalock." Then it dawned on Charles. The Champagne Count was a nickname for Count Bedivere, a figure from Fars, famous for having a champagne winery within his domain that was renowned throughout the Old Continent. Several times Charles had wanted to purchase a bottle of champagne from the Bedivere Count''s winery, but had been disappointed each time due to the unavailability of stock. It was actually Count Ranmalock of the Inglima Empire who had unmatched martial prowess. Rumored to have ascended to the Sacred Order when he was young, he was invincible in the dueling arena and had never tasted defeat on the battlefield. Therefore, he earned the reputable nickname of Victory Champagne Count, with a far greater fame than Count Bedivere and was once a figure spoken of in the same breath as Zimmerman. Realizing it was this legendary figure''s banquet, Charles became excited and casually mentioned, "I fear my status may not be sufficient to attend Count Ranmalock''s dance." Julian clapped his hands, and soon someone came in and placed an invitation with gold leaf before Charles. Charles, acknowledging the rapid advancement of his position, still felt a profound gap between himself and Julian. Fortunately, his attitude was good, and he wasn''t troubled by these trivial matters. Taking the invitation, he said, "Are you selling that handgun?" Julian replied, "Of course I''m selling! Those are just some weapons I''ve recently discarded. However, I can''t give it to you for free. I didn''t come to the Inglima Empire through official channels and I''m really short on cash, otherwise I wouldn''t be selling them." Charles then understood why the young female shop assistant had said that even if he had come earlier, he wouldn''t have seen those Vampire weapons. He smiled and said, "What a coincidence, I happen not to be short on cash at the moment." Julian promptly said, "This Withing Rose can shoot regular bullets and Blood Energy Bullets. Each time it hits an enemy, it absorbs the enemy''s life force to create new bullets, so it''s practically with infinite ammunition." "I abandoned it because it''s just a Lower-Ranked Supernatural Object, and each bullet only has the power equivalent to the full strike of a Fifth Order Transcendent. After I advanced to an Intermediate rank, it wasn''t much use to me." Charles didn''t mind the tier of the Withing Rose; he was in need of a convenient weapon for the time being. Besides, the Withing Rose, with its nearly unlimited ammunition as it could draw life force from enemies, seemed quite suitable for him to use. After pondering for a moment, Julian said, "We''re friends after all. Two hundred Gold Pounds, how about that?" Charles immediately took out his wallet, counted out two hundred Gold Pounds, and placed them on the table. The fortune he had made in Cappadocia City was once again being put to good use. Julian accepted the Gold Pounds and had the Withing Rose brought in. After examining it for a while, Charles felt a slight warmth in his left arm, and the Withing Rose, like a blossoming and wilting flower, merged into the Bloody Vortex inside his left arm. Chapter 189 186, Blood Rose and Withering Rose go well together. Charlotte was slightly surprised!But Julian''s face remained calm as he said, "The specialty of our Asilo Clan''s Extraordinary Weapons is their ability to integrate into the Bloody Vortex." Charlotte remembered Blood Rose, caressing her left arm, thinking to herself, "It does go well with the Withering Rose." In battles among commoners, firearms had a tremendous advantage, but they had an insurmountable weakness at the Extraordinary level. Even low-order melee weapons like swords could unleash extreme power if the wielder''s rank was sufficient, but Extraordinary firearms were limited by their inherent ranks and could not fire bullets beyond their class. Charlotte owned an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and two Silver Rhinoceroses, but without Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, he could not breach the protective energy surge of a Transcendent, and even with the bullets, he had encountered a peerless Transcendent who could deflect them with a single Knight''s Spear. To this day, he could not understand how Cyrus could deflect the high-speed Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Cyrus, wielding the Black Knight''s Lance, was like an unshakeable mountain, no matter how much Charlotte improved or how close he came to mastering swordsmanship. Cyrus was like the unfathomable sea, always finding a way to overpower him. The several hundred duels they had had in the Dreamscape remained Charlotte''s most profound nightmares to date. Hmm, after dueling with Cyrus, Charlotte didn''t really fear High-Level Transcendents anymore. He even felt it wasn''t so difficult when he killed the South Ceraph Reclamation Army General, Zolman, who was at the fifteenth rank of Extraordinary Ranks. Though, in that battle, Charlotte had used a little trick. But in combat, especially a fight to the death, shouldn''t one use all means available, using whatever works? Seeing Charlotte deep in thought, Julian thought he was dissatisfied with the power of the Withering Rose and said, "If you don''t like it, when I return to Byron, I can have the Withering Rose brought to me, and I''ll exchange it for an equivalent Aegeus." Charlotte smiled slightly and said, "No, I like this gun very much." "Have you ever heard a common saying from the New Continent, ''To give away roses is to leave fragrance on one''s hands''?" Julian had truly never heard this saying from Earth. He pondered it in his mind for a moment and couldn''t help but laugh, "That saying has a nice flavor to it." "If you''re not too busy, let''s have lunch together this afternoon and travel together in the evening." Charlotte nodded in agreement. Julian didn''t leave but instead rang a bronze bell to summon someone. Shortly after, a meal cart was brought in. He had ordered Byron''s famous crispy pork knuckle, tender suckling pig, a selection of sausages, freshly baked bread, and a small barrel of beer. Julian tied a napkin around his neck and complained, "The scenery in the Inglima Empire is nice, but the food is really terrible. I don''t want to go out to eat; that experience..." Julian couldn''t find the right word at that moment. Charlotte filled in, "Dark cuisine." Julian''s eyes lit up and he said, "Exactly, that''s the word. To describe the Inglima Empire is to talk about the Hell of delicacies, and we are the gourmands of Hell." "I won''t ask you to go out to eat; that would not be good hospitality." The two of them had a meal together in Julian''s office. ``` Although they hadn''t gone to any famous restaurants, Charles truly found these dishes quite tasty, especially Byron''s ale, which was now no less superior to the best ale brewed by the famous pubs in Silver Pigeon Fort. He even thought he should ask Anne to try Byron''s cooking next time he returned to Strasbourg. After they had finished their meal and switched back to black tea, they chatted away the afternoon until it was almost time for the dance. Julian even had someone bring Charles a change of clothes to ensure he wouldn''t embarrass himself at the event. Charles'' Fars diplomatic common attire was indeed not suitable for a dance. As they left Lafayette''s store and Julian was about to hail a public carriage, Charles smiled slightly and touched the ring on his hand, summoning a luxurious dark carriage pulled by eight spirit horses out of the void. "Let''s take my carriage," he said. Julian happily stepped into the luxury dark carriage and said, "My brother has one too. He even planned to give it to me as a birthday gift, but I didn''t accept it." Charles felt a tinge of sourness and asked, "Why not?" Julian replied with confidence, "Who would want a second-hand carriage as a birthday gift?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. More than a hundred years ago, Master Alchemist Stardust made thirteen luxury dark carriages, and the ones passed down now are all considered antiques. But when Julian called them second-hand, it wasn''t exactly incorrect either. Charles had only shown off the luxury dark carriage to two people¡ªAnne had no clue about its specialties, and Julian thought of it as nothing more than a second-hand carriage... This is what it means to be from the top class of nobility. The extraordinary item that Baron Fiel treated as an heirloom was nothing but a trifle in their eyes. Charles felt increasingly sour. The luxury dark carriage was, after all, a high-order extraordinary object. The carriage pulled by eight spirit horses didn''t require a driver. The last time he had a Hunchback Red Bear Warrior fill in as coachman was mainly to avoid causing a sensation. But this time they were going to attend the dance of Victory Champagne Count, the legendary figure of the Inglima Empire Lanmalock¡ªit would be odd not to cause a sensation, so Charles did not ask for a shop assistant from Lafayette''s store to serve as a coachman. In just over ten minutes, the luxury dark carriage arrived at Victory Champagne Count''s Champagne Palace. The spacious square in front of the palace was filled with sumptuous carriages, and any carriage worth less than five hundred gold pounds seemed out of place. It was a gathering not just of Inglima Empire''s nobility but of nobles from various nations. In a place swarming with so many nobles, Charles didn''t dare activate Insight. After all, among these nobles were transcendents, and using Insight would be akin to spying, which is incredibly impolite. But even with his naked eye, Charles could not spot Augusladin High Priest. Julian urged, "Let''s go inside." Charles casually put away the luxury dark carriage and made space for a white carriage that had just entered the square. A young lady aboard leaned out and gracefully expressed her gratitude. She didn''t care about the magic of Charles'' carriage being able to shrink into a ring, she was just thankful for the vacated parking spot. In his previous life, Charles was an ordinary person¡ªwhat high-end society could a math teacher experience? At most, he got a glimpse of it in TV dramas, but the dramas nowadays were too unrealistic. In this life, he came from a family of merchants, not the magnate kind, where even purchasing a new carriage required careful consideration¡ªhe had never experienced a true noble gathering. Anne was an incredibly down-to-earth girl who never showed off her family background. Having crossed over, this was indeed the first time Charles had been to such an event, and he felt oddly, damn nervous. ``` Chapter 190 187, Gentle ```Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire In his previous life, Charles had never had enough money to travel, nor had he seen those famous European palaces and known how opulent they were. But when he stepped into the Champagne Palace, his first reaction was, "Holy shit, this is all built on the people''s hard-earned money!" Charles believed that the opulence of the Champagne Palace was unparalleled, even by the palaces of Europe on Earth, since ancient Europe had no magic, transcendent beings, or alchemy to create such awe-inspiring architecture. Lamps imbued with alchemical magic, which even now Charles could not afford, hung throughout the entire Champagne Palace, lighting up the palace as if it were daytime. Such a scene on his Earth would only occur in certain specific occasions when people extravagantly squandered electricity; in this medieval world, it was akin to a miracle. Countless nobles clad in luxurious attire strolled through the palace. Even the most expensive movies couldn''t capture this extraordinary opulence. In every corner of the Champagne Palace, there were servants and food; wherever there were people, there were others holding fine wines awaiting someone to partake. Numerous beautiful girls dressed as maids fluttered about like butterflies among flowers, serving every guest. Charles took a deep breath, turned to Julian, and whispered, "Is this also the custom in Byron?" Julian whispered back, "How could it be!" Charles let out a sigh of relief, his tense nerves somehow easing. Julian went on, "Our Byron is much finer than Inglima. Although our nations were established around the same time, we of the Blood Clan aren''t like these newly-minted nobles of Inglima." Immediately, Charles'' nerves tensed up again. Though he had never attended a noble''s ball in the Fars Empire, he guessed it wouldn''t be any less grand than this. Charles remembered Anne only took him to the University of Georgia''s Black Moon Era Year Thirty-Three Hobby Group, never mentioning noble balls or similar events. With Anne, Charles almost believed she was just an ordinary girl who happened to have a bit more money, a great noble, but no different from himself, with similar likes such as opera, drinking coffee, and taking walks¡­ But standing in the Champagne Palace, he suddenly realized that Anne Brittany was not an ordinary girl; she was the daughter of Earl Brittany, born into one of the most powerful noble families of the Fars Empire, a noble young lady who couldn''t differentiate between a High-Order Extraordinary Object like the darkly opulent lamp worth three thousand six hundred Aegeus and a second-hand luxury four-wheeled carriage, valued at two Aegeus plus eight Fu Ers, which came with lamps, cushions, and reins! Charles had always thought it was a simple romance, but in that moment, he suddenly sobered up, belatedly realizing how gentle was the miss of the Brittany Family? Julian snapped Charles out of his thoughts with a gesture, asking, "What''s wrong?" Charles suddenly came back to reality and smiled, "It seems like everyone brought a female companion, only us two are a pair of men." Julian pointed out and said, "Even the Augusladin High Priest brought a young boy." Indeed, Charles saw the Augusladin High Priest, holding the arm of a handsome young man. He couldn''t tell if the young man was a "virgin," but somehow felt that, whether or not he had been, he certainly wasn''t now. The Augusladin High Priest was engaged in a lively conversation with another senior priest of the Lord of Light. Charles was inclined to go over and say hello, but after glancing at the handsome young man by the priest''s side, he decided it was best not to disturb them at the moment. At least, not while Julian was by his side¡ªhe couldn''t go and greet the Augusladin High Priest. That was where Charles drew the line on his conduct. Julian was here at Count Lanmalock''s ball in a private capacity. Even though he came from a distinguished background, he was still young, and being in a foreign land, no one approached him to say hello. Julian didn''t mind this, and together with Charles, they began to explore the Champagne Palace. He was from Byron and had rarely visited Inglima, let alone the Champagne Palace, and he was curious about this renowned palace. ``` Charles decided to treat it as if he were touring a scenic spot, strolling through the Champagne Palace with Julian. At will, he could grab a glass of champagne produced by the Earl of Bedivere of the Fars Empire. This feeling was quite exhilarating. For comparison, imagine touring the Palace of Versailles, or the Belvedere Palace, or some other ancient palace in Europe, with attendants and maids serving at your side, allowing you to freely partake in the finest food and wine. What a delight that would be? Charles even wanted to look for unopened bottles of champagne produced by the Earl of Bedivere''s Domain to send straight back to Machu Picchu. Then, a group of more than ten noblewomen passed by, and two middle-aged beauties even cast flirtatious glances at them; one of them even secretly dropped a handkerchief. Not knowing what custom that implied, Charles pulled Julian away and left hastily. Julian said in a low voice, "Aren''t you interested in the noblewomen of the Inglima Empire?" "Although the customs of the Inglima Empire may not be as liberal as in Fars, the women in Inglima are quite passionate." Charles, still unnerved, said, "What if it''s a honey trap?" Julian put a hand to his forehead, saying, "This is the Champagne Palace! How could such a thing happen here?" "I get it now. Charles, could it be that you''re a virgin? Have you never touched a woman?" Charles nodded repeatedly. He was most afraid of people bringing up his past, and least afraid of being considered a virgin. What''s wrong with being a virgin? Believing him, Julian let out a light chuckle and decided not to let his "friend" continue to feel embarrassed, saying, "If you don''t fancy those married Inglima ladies, you could try dating the misses, but they can be quite troublesome and might actually push for marriage." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After thinking for a moment, a switch seemed to flip on in Charles''s mind, and memories that he had deliberately sealed away came flooding back¡ªthey were all about the licentious anecdotes of nobles from the Old Continent. Just like in Europe and America on Earth, some were very open and passionate, while others were very conservative. However, in the circles of nobility, it was obvious that there were many who were passionate and unrestrained, regardless of gender. Charles was very averse to such matters, saying, "I already have someone I like, and I hope to marry in the future. You can handle that kind of thing!" Julian showed a look of admiration, saying, "I''m not interested in those matters either." As they were chatting, they heard a noisy commotion with several people shouting, "There''s a duel!" "Mr. Jeremy Reyna and Mr. Elian Wood are going to duel over Miss Veronica." "I''ll bet ten gold pounds on Jeremy, I''ll bet fifteen gold pounds on Jeremy." Charles glanced at the thronging crowd and said, "Are there still such boring things?" Julian smiled faintly, saying, "Let''s go over and enjoy the spectacle." "What if we need to intervene?" Chapter 191 188, has Menilmans senior sister come to Inglima? Two young men brandished their rapiers, constantly probing each other; merely judging by their postures, they were indeed graceful and generous.Having glanced at them, Charlotte immediately lost interest and said in a low voice, "Such mediocrity, you could take on eight of them by yourself." Julian replied quietly, "Eighty wouldn''t be a problem, either." Both Charlotte and Julian were swordsmanship experts, their foundational skills derived from the Asiluo Clan''s Angel''s Twelve Chapters. Charlotte had already mastered up to the eighth chapter: Twilight Dirge, combined with the foundation of Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, slightly surpassing in swordsmanship skill. Julian, a Mid-Level Transcendent with more formidable Stellar Battle Qi cultivation, had crossed swords with Charlotte without a clear victor, but neither Charlotte nor Julian thought highly of the two show-offs in the duel. Although the two dueling were Transcendents, their swordsmanship was quite ordinary, with only their postures passing as standard, revealing too many flaws. Having encountered Lower-Ranked Supernaturals on the battlefield, Charlotte had grown accustomed to dispatching them with a single strike, as was the case in the skirmish at Mostar Fortress, where he rescued Anatasiya, slaying two Transcendents in swift succession¡ªone look and they were down. However, he considered the two Duelists before him even less impressive than those he had killed. Looking around, Charlotte saw people cheering for the duelists and placing bets, adding to his growing disdain for the nobles. As the "object of the duel," Miss Veronica, blushing with both shyness and pride, clearly found it flattering to have two Transcendent young men duel over her. A single glance was enough for Charlotte to know this girl wasn''t to his taste, especially when compared to Anne or, like a common Inglima hen next to the likes of Menilman... Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire He felt he was insulting Anne just by thinking so. As Charlotte was about to leave, a cry of surprise rang out¡ªthe outcome of the duel had been decided, not by superior swordsmanship, but because Jeremy Reyna tripped over his own feet and fell while moving swiftly. Charlotte, having been on the battlefield several times and dueled often, was no novice at swordplay. He could clearly see that Mr. Jeremy Reyna seemed to have fallen intentionally. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crowd, disappointed, grumbled incessantly, while the victorious Elian Wood left with the lady on his arm, Veronica offering an apologetic glance to the loser before following the winner away. Charlotte found the whole affair unbearably vulgar. As the onlookers dispersed too vigorously, he turned around to find Julian missing. Somewhat surprised, Charlotte knew that Julian, a Mid-Level Transcendent, couldn''t have been swept away by the crowd; he must have left on his own. Only something significant could have made Julian abandon him. It was then that Charlotte remembered: he was a diplomat and Julian, a spy. Their relationship wasn''t one of comradeship but merely that of casual friends with some personal affinity. Having eaten and drunk his fill, and not knowing anyone at the ball, Charlotte found a secluded corner and took a seat on a bench, looking out at the bustling dance with a distant gaze. In fact, before he transmigrated, he used to enjoy finding a scenic spot to sit quietly and watch people come and go. But in the city, there was no such scenery; all he could see was the unique fatigue of the city, everyone toiling like ants, not for themselves but adding profit to some colossal entity. Charlotte''s mind wandered freely until he heard a gentle voice asking, "Are you a Transcendent? It doesn''t have to be of a high level, just a modest mastery of swordsmanship will do." Charlotte looked up to see a young girl in a blue court dress, whose appearance could only be described as unexceptional at best. He nodded and replied, "I am a Transcendent. My swordsmanship is decent, passable, I guess." The girl showed a hint of excitement and lowered her voice, "I''m of age, yet no man has ever dueled for me. So I arranged one myself, paying for it, but one gentleman fell ill, missing the duel. If nobody duels for me at tonight''s ball, my life would be dimmed. Could I persuade you to duel for me, just once?" "I''m willing to pay two Gold Pounds." Charles had never heard such an absurd request and asked, "Aren''t you afraid of being exposed by doing this?" The girl dressed in a blue court gown snickered and said, "Everyone does it. Mr. Jeremy Reyna and Mr. Elian Wood who just dueled also took Ms. Veronica''s Gold Pounds." Charles was shocked and thought to himself, "Do the nobles of the Inglima Empire all play such boring games? What''s the point of such a duel?" Seeing him still hesitant, the girl whispered, "If you''re afraid of getting hurt, you can arrange with the opponent to throw the fight at a certain move, and if you''re willing to give up five Shillings, you can even get the opponent to admit defeat." Charles hurriedly said, "Sorry, I don''t fight for others." He firmly declined the offer. This was a place where the elite of various countries gathered, including many from Brittany. If word of this mess got back to Strasbourg, and Anne Brittany found out that he was dueling in Notruden for another girl, it would truly be a case of a minor mistake leading to a major disaster. Hmm, Charles confirmed once again, the signs that this girl in the blue court gown was of age were indeed not strong. The girl dressed in the blue court gown was very disappointed. After attempting to persuade him a few more times and being rejected yet again by Charles, she could only leave helplessly. However, it wasn''t long before he heard someone shouting, "Mr. Rahu and Mr. Xanibal are dueling for Miss Charlotte..." Charles finally realized that these luxurious nobility balls had quite a few additional entertainments. Many noble girls seemed to enjoy creating their own dramas. After a while, someone shouted about the third duel happening. Charles had completely lost interest in it. Failing to find Julian, he decided to look for the Augusladin High Priest. He still needed to consult his superior about how to proceed with his work. Just then, he heard someone announcing that a certain Mr. and another Mr. were dueling for Miss Sumei, which surprised Charles. His first reaction was: Did Menilman''s senior sister come to the Inglima Empire? His second reaction was: I have to go and see. With a nimble leap, he used the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, playing a round of "wall-walking" in the Champagne Palace. In just a matter of seconds, he arrived at the site of the duel, where a crowd of young nobles had already formed a circle. Finding it impossible to push through the crowd, Charles simply leapt up forcefully, jumping towards the dueling arena. Mid-air, two Rapiers lunged towards his chest and left ribcage. Charles pushed back with his hands, striking one person''s elbow and causing their Rapier to clash with the other''s Longsword, causing both blades to recoil from each other. Having dueled many times on the battlefield, Charles instinctively kicked out twice... Chapter 192 189, Fars First Rose, indeed always has Duelists abound Two young gentlemen who were not particularly handsome suddenly took flight and descended into the crowd, provoking screams from many people.When Charles landed on the ground, he realized that he was the only one in the dueling area. By logical deduction, the two who had attempted an ambush and were then kicked away by him must have been the gentlemen engaged in the duel. Well, astonishingly weak. He also saw that Miss Sumei! She wasn''t any Miss Sumei he knew! She was neither Menilman Sumei nor Taoles Sumei! Alright then! He also didn''t recognize the third Miss Sumei. This Miss Sumei exuded a heroic charm, slightly more attractive than any Inglima Empire noble lady he had seen at the ball. She possessed a certain valor that ordinary girls lacked. To make a simple comparison, she somewhat resembled a Yue Opera actress Charles used to see online before crossing over, one with a slightly devilish and haughty air. She wasn''t adorned in a luxurious, complexly styled, and expensive gown. Instead, she wore a hunting outfit that was quite out of step with the ballroom atmosphere¡ªa waist-cinched short jacket, rather tight leather pants, topped off with a pair of ankle boots. Though slightly dusty, the outfit gave her a vibrant and distinctive appearance. This Miss Sumei, who first appeared impatient, couldn''t help but be slightly surprised by Charles''s sudden descent from the sky and his bare-handed dispatch of two duelists. She secretly thought to herself, "No wonder Susie said she''d arrange a surprise for me! I thought it was just a common, trite duel, but she organized a more complex act. That must have cost quite a sum!" "We are just ordinary friends, why would she spend so much money?" "But still, it''s pretty boring." "This type of play-acting a duel for a lady is really too dull, even with the added drama, it''s just... unbearably boring." "I clearly refused her..." Charles realized he had become the focus of everyone there, but when looking at the unfamiliar "Miss Sumei," he felt slightly embarrassed and chuckled, about to explain himself, when he heard someone call out, "I, Jorance, am willing to issue a duel challenge to this gentleman on behalf of Miss Sumei!" A man in his late twenties strode into the area, and everyone hurriedly cleared a path for him, clearly indicating that this Jorance had considerable prestige within the Inglima Empire and must hail from no ordinary family. "Miss Sumei''s" expression changed suddenly, and she said, "Thanks, but I don''t need a man to duel for me." Jorance bowed slightly towards her and elegantly said, "According to the customs of the Inglima Empire, a duel does not require the lady''s consent, as long as both gentlemen are willing." Charles quickly said, "Sorry, may I choose to forfeit?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he had misspoken. Whether in Fars or Inglima, rejecting a challenge was seen as cowardly. Conversely, bravely facing a challenge, even if defeated, would only earn one commendation. Of course, that applies to a conventional duel. Unscheduled duels generally do not allow for fatalities. If it''s the type of duel where both parties have severe animosity and the duel is to the death, that''s a different set of rules, involving formal legal procedures, and one can seek assistance. The Old Continent took blood revenge very seriously, if one party declined, the law allowed the one who proposed the duel to kill the other under any circumstances, including but not limited to assassination. As soon as he uttered those words, he provoked laughter from countless people, with some mocking him in whispers and scolding him as a coward, even starting to attack him from various angles, such as mocking Charles''s appearance. Jorance said with great grace, "If you swear never to pursue Miss Sumei, I can allow you to give up the duel." Charles took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions, and said, "I apologize, if you had said the full name, I might have relented, but since you only said Miss Sumei, I cannot back down." He picked up a rapier from the ground, one of the weapons used by one of the Duelists just now, gave it a light flick, and indeed it was a fine sword, just in the wrong hands. Charles''s words elicited reactions from everyone present. "Miss Sumei" was slightly surprised, then said, "Are you a man from Fars?" Charles nodded and answered, "Yes!" Realizing the truth, "Miss Sumei" then commented, "No wonder you rushed in so fiercely!" "My name is Aurora Sumei!" Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire "Menilman is also my distant cousin, only our families split several generations ago, and our branch moved to the Inglima Empire." Although it was just a misunderstanding, and Aurora Sumei didn''t consider herself a petty girl, an inexplicable sourness still welled up, and she couldn''t help but say, "The First Rose of Fars indeed never lacks Duelists." Well, this statement seemed like a compliment but was a direct jab at a certain lady''s heart. If Menierman Sumei had been present, upon hearing this statement, she would have bristled like a cat with its tail stepped on. The Empire Rose incident was a scar that Charles, as her senior, never wished to touch in her entire life. Because too many young people had died because of that affair. The beginning of the matter was so disgraceful. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, this statement was also an attack on nearly all noble girls on the Old Continent, with strong collateral damage of the critical hit variety. As opposed to those noble ladies who had to pay for duels out of their pockets, simply for the sake of ridiculous pride. Under the skirts of the First Rose of Fars, the innumerable admirers who were willing to challenge the Sacred Order for Menilman, even at the cost of their lives, were like a message to all the girls on the Old Continent, showing how pitiful their charm was. Although in Fars, Menilman was called the Empire''s First Rose, in other countries, she would be referred to as the First Rose of Fars, but the charm of this "Miss Sumei" was like a mountain reaching into the clouds, weighing heavily on the hearts of every noble girl on the Old Continent, suffocating them irrespective of their nation. No matter how much they prided themselves on their endless charm, exquisite beauty, and unparalleled elegance, none could escape feeling ashamed once they compared the number of men willing to duel for them. If someone were to say, "The First Rose of Fars indeed never lacks Duelists!" what kind of humiliation would that be? Charles, being a man, would never fully understand this feeling. After saying this phrase, Aurora Sumei found herself also the target of backlash, and felt a blockage in her heart. Jorance was silent for a long time, then suddenly bowed deeply to Aurora Sumei, and only after a long while did he straighten, speaking in a slightly fervent tone, "This gentleman from Fars, please allow me to propose a duel on behalf of Miss Menierman Sumei." Chapter 193 190. Visit (Request for double votes on the last day of the month) Charles didn''t even plan to introduce himself, his rapier trembling in his hand, the sword light like a dazzling stream of light, enveloping the brave gentleman completely.Jorance was horrified. Unlike Charles, he had never been on a battlefield, nor was he a gifted genius like Julian, Krel, or Ebner, who were either intermediate or high-level Transcendents. Facing Charles''s legendary swordsmanship, as he had only half drawn his longsword, his glamorous suit was pierced with sixteen or seventeen holes. Charles pierced only the suit and did not harm Jorance''s skin at all. Such swordsmanship was considered shocking and extraordinary; many expensive knights might not be able to achieve it. Jorance finally drew his rapier completely, but Charles had already sheathed his sword and stepped back. He looked down at the holes in his suit and said softly, "Do I not even qualify to draw a sword for Miss Menilman?" This statement not only struck a blow to every noble young lady of Inglima present but also made many men, proud of their swordsmanship, blush with shame. Being a Transcendent, regardless of the country, is extremely rare. The young nobles who could attend Count Victory Champagne''s ball, mostly weren''t those who progressed through sheer training or innate talent, but those who advanced with vast resources, including the consumption of precious magic potions. Yet, even so, these young nobles were considered exceptional among their peers. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this group of young nobles, Jorance was considered one of the best. He did not even fully draw his sword before he was regrettably defeated, how could it not be awe-inspiring? Jorance performed an empire salute, handed his sheathed longsword to Charles, and left gracefully. Charles picked up the rapier off the ground, touched the rapier handed to him by Jorance¡ªa gesture of willing concession of a duelist who had lost. To hand over the weapon to the victor was to admit defeat wholeheartedly, never to challenge again. This rapier was a standard Sherlock magic stabbing sword! Baron Fars, although he had collected several magic rapiers, none were antique like this one. Charles had long heard of the great reputation of the Sherlock magic stabbing swords. By chance, he had once purchased a scabbard from the Sherlock Dynasty and melted it down to create an alchemical magic wand, which he usually used to store his Antispace Sniper Rifle. Latter, when he went to the battlefield, he no longer carried this wand, and he didn''t bring it with him for his mission to the Inglima Empire either. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire This was the first time he personally experienced the aura of a magic stabbing sword forged during the Sherlock Dynasty era. The magic stabbing sword was clearly a fine specimen from the Sherlock era, not just some common hundred or two-hundred Aegeus item. The blade was slender, the edge no wider than two fingers, emitting a faint blue glow. The blade touched the ground, while the hilt reached up to Charles''s ribs. The hilt seemed to have been repaired but had deliberately preserved the original owner''s family crest, from a very ancient family of that era. This magic stabbing sword had three attributes: Tough, Swift, and Magic Breaker! Toughness prevented the blade from fearing hard clashes, a property many extraordinary weapons possessed. Swiftness was rarer, slightly increasing the speed of the sword, and though the increase was only three to four percent, in many situations, it could be life or death. Magic Breaker was even more rare, as long as fighting spirit or a similar attribute of energy was infused, it could repel other extraneous energies, specifically aimed to counter protective battle Qi and defensive magic shields. This magic stabbing sword also had a very beautiful name: Unicorn! Just as Charles had sheathed the magic sword, he saw a beautiful face¡ªit was none other than "Miss Sumei". By that time, the onlookers had dispersed, and even the original two duelists had quietly left, but this young lady stayed; she clearly had something to say. Charles smiled and asked, "Miss Aurora Sumei, is there something you need?" Aurora asked, "Have you met Menilman?" Charles replied, "Menilman was my senior at school and also my superior, but my promotion wasn''t as fast, so I couldn''t keep up with her pace!" Aurora Sumei couldn''t help but ask, "Is she very beautiful?" Charles smiled and said, "I believe every woman possesses her own starlight. I never judge a woman''s appearance, only praise their good virtues." Aurora Sumei looked wistfully lost for a moment before saying, "I still don''t know your name." Charles answered, "Sherlock Mecklen! An ordinary person from Fars, here in the Inglima Empire following the envoy group, merely a minor character in it." Aurora Sumei was slightly surprised and asked, "Are you a subordinate of the Augusladin High Priest?" Charles suddenly felt uneasy. Just as he was about to retort, he heard Aurora Sumei say, "May I visit you at the Fars embassy tomorrow?" Charles breathed a sigh of relief, realizing Aurora Sumei hadn''t thought of anything untoward. Although he was puzzled as to why Miss Sumei would want to visit him, he politely replied, "You are welcome anytime." Aurora Sumei smiled slightly. This young girl was still very beautiful, definitely a top beauty, only slightly lacking the gentleness of a woman, leaving behind a scent as she gracefully departed. Charles subconsciously compared her to Anne but quickly abandoned this dangerous thought. Charles was thinking about what to do next, whether to continue finding a place to lie low or to seek out the Augusladin High Priest, when he heard a gentle voice, "Mister Mecklen, long time no see." Charles looked up and saw a figure in a priest''s robe. He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "High Priest, I came to Notruden and have been wanting to find you, but after asking everyone, no one knew your whereabouts." The Augusladin High Priest approached with a smile and said, "I''ve been busy running around for the empire''s diplomacy, hardly having any time to return to the embassy." "I''m in urgent need of help, and it''s great that you''ve come, Mister Mecklen." Charles asked, "There are many people in the envoy group; I''m just the eighth person, what can I do?" The Augusladin High Priest said somewhat awkwardly, "The others, once they reached Notruden, just disappeared. Viscount Duranni has his own property here; the day after arriving in Notruden, he went home and never showed up again. The others all have their reasons, so no one can help." "So, I only have Mister Mecklen to rely on, and I would like to visit..." Charles suddenly remembered that Aurora Sumei would be visiting him tomorrow and said, "Tomorrow, a young lady will come to see me, could we choose another day?" The Augusladin High Priest''s expression revealed a mix of surprise and delight, "Is it that Miss Sumei?" Charles nodded, and the Augusladin High Priest, with an unusually relaxed tone, said, "The one I plan to visit tomorrow is Miss Sumei''s father." Chapter 219 215, um, I dug out his Blood Core_2 Yes, when Charles was in Cappadocia City, he had the city and merchant ships all fly the Mecklen Family''s merchant flag.The great whale, looking up at the starry sky, was too massive to dock, so Charles and Princess May jumped into the sea ahead of time. He used the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique to sprint across the waves, and as they got close to Cappadocia, someone shouted, "It''s Mister Mecklen!" Immediately, the entire port erupted as countless residents, seemingly out of nowhere, waved their hands, clothing, baskets, and all sorts of messy things, cheering loudly, "Welcome home, Mister Charles Mecklen!" Princess May gave Charles an unexpected look and said, "You''re quite popular, aren''t you?" Charles chuckled awkwardly; he had not expected that after being away for so long, he would still command such prestige in this city. As soon as he set foot on the port, he saw Cruz, the former Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia City, approaching with a team. On seeing Charles, Cruz''s eyes brimmed with tears, and he exclaimed, "Your subordinate greets Mister Mecklen." Charles raised his hand to help him up and asked, "Why are there only five or six ships left? Has everyone not disbanded yet?" Cruz replied softly, "They''ve taken alchemical magic potions and are very worried they will die. I had no choice but to concoct some ointment and trick them into thinking it was an antidote. Surprisingly... it worked rather well." "Now, the merchant fleet of Cappadocia City has expanded to twenty-three ships, and several merchant ship owners have joined voluntarily. Most of the merchant ships are not docked at the port; they''re out transporting goods and have not left Cappadocia City." "Everything in this city is thriving, life is much better than before." Charles took a glance at this "temporary subordinate" and for the first time realized that this guy was actually talented! His alchemical magic potion was a fake, and under normal circumstances, it would have been found out quickly. Charles didn''t expect that Cruz would actually maintain the fleet with a ruse of his own making. Well, there were some details that didn''t quite add up, but for the moment, Charles decided not to investigate further. Getting by without complicating things, and embracing ignorance on some matters, is a great wisdom in life. Charles took Princess May to the City Lord''s Mansion, and along the way, he noticed that the population of Cappadocia City seemed to have increased, and the city''s army seemed to have grown as well. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire He inquired with Cruz, and the former Patrol Army Superintendent replied, "Because you rescued the people of Song Spirit Island, freeing them from slavery, many people after your departure brought their families to Cappadocia, and it also attracted residents from other cities. Now Cappadocia has nearly ten thousand residents." Charles hadn''t expected the city to surprise him even more. He asked around and couldn''t understand how a city with almost no management could get better and better? Could it be that as long as the officials don''t meddle, the people themselves will make their lives better? Such a thought is too dangerous. It''s not conducive to the ideas promoted by the Empire, so it''s better not to entertain such thoughts. Charles did not introduce Princess May''s identity to anyone. The people of Song Spirit Island didn''t have a good impression of the Inglima Empire; after all, the Inglima''s local governor here was involved in slave trade, capturing natives of Song Spirit Island to sell to slavers. Dressed in plain robes, Princess May was wrapped up snugly, not looking at all like a princess. In Cappadocia City, Charles enjoyed high prestige, and no one dared to question why the lady by his side was always changing. Charles first arranged accommodation for Princess May, then pretended to deal with the "governance" of Cappadocia City a bit. The small city had been left without his guidance, but thanks to the presence of the "Westwind Knights," security was very good. Additionally, with no tax officials to worry about, the residents were at ease, and commerce had developed, becoming about twice as prosperous as when he had left. Not long after Charles returned to the City Lord''s Mansion, Simon hurried over. On seeing Charles, he too showed a face brimming with joy, his countenance not betraying the slightest hint of being forced. Charles had Cruz leave to do some work and then summoned Simon alone, asking, "How have you been feeling lately?" Simon coughed and answered in a low voice, "I''m aware that you didn''t actually give us alchemical magic potions." "Because many people have left Cappadocia City to transport goods and nothing happened, it''s completely different from the effects of the magic potion you described." "I myself had people stop using the antidote, and no one has died because of it." Charles was surprised by Simon''s frankness and asked, "Why don''t you leave?" Simon laughed, "Because you don''t know, after forming a fleet, we make a lot of money! Much more than a single merchant ship could earn. And since your Cappadocia City doesn''t collect taxes, everyone really likes it here." "We do business to get rich! Don''t you think?" Charles pondered for a moment; he truly hadn''t anticipated this turn of events. In the following ten days, Princess May didn''t talk about leaving. She didn''t seclude herself as she had in Notruden and aboard the Giant Whale, but went out every day to stroll around and visited every corner of Cappadocia City, quite excitedly. It wasn''t until ten days later, when Charles reached the part of the novel where the protagonist Du Wei died, that the Great Eldest Princess became furiously angry, cursed the author for half a day, and even wished that every friend the author knew would be reluctant to pick up the check at meals. She even devised a plan that once in Strasbourg, she would find about ten beautiful young women to disguise as readers and visit this malicious author every day. Now Charles felt even more relieved that the author hadn''t crossed over. If they were in the same world, he would undoubtedly be beaten up. Princess May didn''t want to continue listening to the story for two consecutive days, only muttering, "Why did the prince have to die? Such a great character, why did the author have to kill him off?" "This person... must have been raised by a stepmother when young, hence the stepmother-like disposition." On the third day, Princess May finally relented, asking Charles to prepare a merchant ship so they could set sail for Fars. Although Charles was very comfortable in Cappadocia City, he was eager to return to Fars, to Strasbourg, to see Anne again. Simon arranged the cleanest merchant ship for Charles, which was his former White Tea, and Charles and Princess May set sail. This time, they encountered no dangers. When the merchant ship docked at the port of Fars a few days later, Princess May took out a small crimson Heart Core and tossed it to Charles, saying, "You''ve worked so hard telling stories throughout the journey, consider this your payment." Charles took the crimson Heart Core, which was translucent and faintly glowed with a pale golden light, containing tiny specks of gold, very beautiful. He thought it might be the Heart Core of some magical creature and mused, "I''m not going to be a Demon Hunter, it''s no use to me, I could sell it." But the very next second, his expression changed as he hesitantly asked, "Does this thing come from... that Blood Clan member of the Sacred Order?" After disembarking, Princess May looked around and, disappointed with the scenery of Fars, said, "Yes!" Charles asked incredulously, "When you said you severely wounded him, do you mean to say..." Princess May said indifferently, "Hmm, I took his Blood Core!" Charles gazed at the crimson Heart Core in his hand, struck with shock, unable to compose himself for a long time. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, it was a Holy Blood Core of the Blood Clan. An invaluable treasure. Chapter 195 192. Its best to leave a name in this covenant. When Charles introduced Taoles, Aurora was immediately taken aback. She knew that the Fars Empire had its own branches of the family, but she never expected to meet a cousin of her own within the diplomatic delegation.Aurora had graduated many years ago, and was much older than Taoles, who had just graduated. Even for nobles who start with a high status, advancement still requires one step at a time, although their promotions happen more quickly. It is not about jumping directly to a certain level of position. Indeed, she had been working for seven or eight years and was older than Charles. Knowing that one of the three girls was her cousin, Aurora''s opinion of Charles shifted slightly. The four girls began to chat casually, effectively leaving Charles out of the conversation. Charles didn''t know why Aurora was seeking him, but since he knew she was the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a cultural officer at the minister''s residence, he used his intuition to guess that her reasons for meeting him were not personal. Thus, he sat patiently on the side, waiting for his "time" to come. Soon, it was noon. Aurora suggested taking the three girls out for lunch. Charles immediately mentioned he had plans for the afternoon and suggested they continue later. Aurora, without confronting him directly, took the three girls out for lunch. Once the four girls had left, Charles swiftly engaged in his own luxurious activities and headed to the store at Lafayette. With the experience from the previous day, Charles easily found Julian, who was about to have lunch. Julian was quite surprised to see Charles, not only arranging a meal for him but also asking how he enjoyed the previous day. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Charles briefly shared his experiences from the day before, making Julian suddenly realize that this fellow indeed had some unique luck. Charles himself wasn''t aware of it, but Julian was deeply impressed. Not many young nobles from various countries are reliable; most are dissolute, only concerned with enjoying life and incapable of handling any serious matters. However, even in a decadent class, there are always a few outstanding individuals. Charles, just a merchant''s son, didn''t seem like much in the eyes of someone descended from a prestigious family like Julian''s, but his ability to mingle with the finest among the nobility was indeed a fascinating stroke of "luck." Since his arrival, Charles had met nobles like Menierman Sumei, Anne Brittany, Taoles Sumei, Anne''s cousin Krel, and Sumei''s brother Ebner¡ªrarities of talent within the Fars Empire. And also Vinnie Yarseno, Philedrica¡ªexemplary figures from common backgrounds. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even on Byron''s side, he knew individuals like Baron Leo, Cyrus, Julian¡ªnone of them were common folk. Julian still didn''t know that in Cappadocia City, Charles had also befriended two of the most promising officers of the Imperial Navy, James Cook and Francis Drake. Otherwise, his astonishment would have been even greater, even though knowing just Aurora Sumei was enough to surprise him. Julian said softly, "Do you realize how lucky you are? Aurora Sumei is a renowned beauty in the Inglima Empire. Countless people have tried to date her and returned unsuccessful, and even I am a bit envious of you." Charles recalled Aurora Sumei''s awkward encounter from the day before. Although Miss Sumei indeed was an exceptionally beautiful woman, he couldn''t see the situation as Julian had described. He remained rather rational, not wanting to provoke Julian, and said, "Since you''re so interested in this beauty, why don''t you come back with me this afternoon? Technically, you''re part of our delegation as well!" Julian was slightly surprised, but then couldn''t help but laugh, responding, "Alright, I''ll come back with you." Julian was indeed a part of the delegation, but he was under Charles''s command, so he infiltrated the vicinity of the Augusladin High Priest. Once he arrived in Notruden, he secretly slipped away because there was no way to continue undercover. Although Julian often seemed mature for his age, and was indeed intelligent, he had just started his sophomore year and lacked extensive social experience. He had managed to infiltrate the delegation, but he had no idea what to do next. As a spy, he still lacked professional training. Moreover, Julian had really gone to the front lines to pad his experiences. As a descendant of the Asiluo Clan, he didn''t need to risk his life to become a real spy. After lunch, as expected, they both took the luxurious, dark carriage back to Embassy Street. When they returned, the four girls were still not back. Charles and Julian casually chatted, drinking tea while waiting for several hours. In the afternoon, the four girls finally came back, full of enthusiasm. Among them, Taoles kept silent about what they had for lunch but couldn''t stop praising the afternoon shopping spree. Out of the four, she was the wealthiest, had bought a lot of things, and even needed a shared horse carriage to haul everything back. Anatasiya also had a bit of money, after all, she was the illegitimate daughter of Baron Philedrica. Although she had some money, it wasn''t much; she only bought two dresses. Only Belisa was in the worst situation, the former maid had indeed no money. Although the Duchess was generous, she wouldn''t bestow much wealth on a maid. All of Belisa''s possessions added up were not even worth a few Aegeus, certainly a lot better than Charles used to be as a lowly senior clerk, but nowhere near Sherlock Mecklen who later sky-rocketed with all sorts of dark and grey incomes. Charles didn''t introduce Julian to the four girls. Taoles and the others had long known of Julian''s identity, but it was inappropriate for Aurora, being a diplomat of the Inglima Empire, to know Julian''s identity. When they returned in the afternoon, Aurora was in good spirits and after exchanging a few words with the three girls, she requested a private talk with Charles. Charles knew that this was the real reason for Aurora''s visit and immediately took her to a private meeting room. This was, after all, the Fars Empire''s embassy, often needing to discuss some covert matters; such meeting rooms were seven or eight in number, typically vacant. Upon entering the room, Aurora got straight to the point, "The alliance between Inglima Empire and Fars Empire is currently under detailed discussion." I''m here to express my gratitude for easing my embarrassment yesterday, and also to remind you, you''d better try to have your name included in this alliance," she said. It will be infinitely beneficial for your political career, and I believe you understand that without needing a detailed explanation from me." Charles was surprised; he hadn''t expected the Augusladin High Priest, who seemed not very diligent, to sign such an important treaty? Charles did not question Aurora, as her status ensured her information was undoubtedly internal. He said in a low voice, "Thank you, Miss Sumei, for your friendship. May I know if there''s anything I can do for you?" It was evident Aurora Sumei was seeking something, otherwise, why would she disclose such a big secret to him? Couldn''t it be merely because Sherlock Mecklen had a face even Evil God would envy? Chapter 196 193, Ban Lanmalock ```Aurora Sumei forgot Charles with just a glance, feeling that this young man was simply too clever. She had only mentioned the matter of the alliance, and he had guessed that she needed help. "Does Menilman really have that kind of charm?" "Even an insignificant admirer is proficient in both letters and arms, not only excelling in swordsmanship but also so clear-headed?" She said in a low voice, "I hope you can fight a public duel for me." Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "Aurora, do you still need to find someone to help you duel?" Aurora Sumei''s face turned slightly red as she protested softly, "Not every Sumei is called Menilman." Charles almost wanted to add that there were indeed many men who dueled for Taoles, but the little common sense he had left made him swallow those words. If he had spoken out, Miss Aurora Sumei would certainly have turned against him on the spot. It was bad enough not to compare to Menilman, but worse still to not match up to Taoles, which would have been a real stab to the heart. Aurora calmed her surging emotions and said, "Because the subject of your duel is the son of Count Ranmalock, a Mid-Level Transcendent Knight, I can''t find anyone else." Charles said indifferently, "As long as it''s not Count Ranmalock himself, I probably won''t have any issues. However, such duels usually have some pretext and consequences, right? What''s the whole story behind this?" It wasn''t long ago that Charles had advanced to an Eighth Order Transcendent. Although he was only Mid-Level, he did not fear any Mid-Level Transcendents, even if the opponent were at the twelfth rank. After all, he had even fought and killed one or two High-Level Transcendents... Hmm, he couldn''t remember how many he had killed. But he was very curious about the origins of this incident. If the son of Count Ranmalock challenged a gentleman to a duel, indeed it would be hard to back down, but Aurora Sumei was a woman. No gentleman would challenge a lady to a duel, and Charles always felt something was off about this affair. When Aurora heard that Charles didn''t care about the object of the duel, she breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "Ban is my classmate, both in the National Academy and university. I don''t know what got into his head, he''s been especially hostile towards every male around me." "In any case, a few months ago, we had another conflict. He said that if I could find someone to defeat him publicly within a year, he would stop pestering me. If I couldn''t find anyone, I would have to... never marry." "He''s simply a madman." Charles was also astounded and thought to himself, "This must be some kind of adamantium straight male, steel virgin, right?" "He clearly shows that he likes Aurora, could have simply suggested dating her, although in a domineering way, it would at least show normal intelligence! But forcing a girl to remain unmarried for life? What sort of nonsense is that? Was his brain kicked by a magic spirit donkey?" Charles had received such a large "gift" from Aurora and, if he could leave his name on the alliance between the Inglima Empire and the Fars Empire, his future would surely be limitless, he might even become immortalized in history because of this alliance. Offering her a little help was naturally the right thing to do. When Aurora talked about Ban Lanmalock, her bosom heaved with evident emotional turmoil; it took a good while for her to calm down before she asked again, "What weapon do you need? Ban is very skilled with a lance." Charles said, "I excel with a handgun!" Aurora, startled, touched the tips of her two index fingers together and pulled back an arm''s length away; she thought using a handgun against a lance was madness, the disadvantage in weapons was too great. Charles hooked his finger and made a slight motion, and Aurora realized he was not speaking of the melee weapon, but of marksmanship. She shook her head and said, "You can''t use Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets in a duel, this is not a fight to the death. You can''t really kill the son of Count Ranmalock, ordinary bullets can''t go through the defense, Ban''s Frost Dragon Fighting Qi is famously strong." Charles hadn''t really thought about this. The duel with Ban was clearly not a matter of blood vengeance and wouldn''t allow a fight to the death; the shortcomings of firearms were blatantly exposed at this point, lacking enough lethality at the Transcendent level. ``` Charles pondered for a moment and said, "Then I''m also proficient in swordsmanship." After all, most of Charles''s victories in battle were achieved with the help of three Extraordinary Firearms, and aside from that, he truly only excelled at swordsmanship. Aurora sighed and said, "You should practice your gunmanship more. Rapiers are too short, and they are at a disadvantage against a Knight''s Spear." Charles nodded. He had learnt this the hard way. After dueling Cyrus hundreds of times in the Dreamscape, he had been bested countless times by Cyrus''s Black Knight''s Lance. Charles had basically experienced all the disadvantages a rapier had against a Knight''s Spear. Cyrus was a bona fide master of gunmanship, and purely in terms of skill with a lance, Charles had never encountered anyone more adept than him. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aurora said, "I can get you a Knight''s Spear, and I can also procure for you a Magic Stabbing Sword, but such duels require fairness, and there''s not much more I can do." "What kind of weapon do you need? I mean, between these two weapons, what attribute do you most require?" Charles was surprised and asked, "I can choose the attribute?" "Why couldn''t you?" Aurora retorted. Although Charles owned several Extraordinary Weapons, he basically used whatever he came across, without a clear plan. The Extraordinary Weapons he did have just happened to suit him. Aurora''s words once again made him realize the difference in class. He pondered for a moment, then said, "I practice Bloody Glory!" "If there are any bloodsucking weapons, get me two. By the way, I won''t be returning them after the duel!" Aurora gave him an exasperated look and said, "I''m not that petty." When it came down to discussing serious matters, it was often a brief exchange. The two reached an agreement, and Aurora took her leave, but not before she arranged another shopping trip with Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa. After Aurora left, Taoles asked, "What exactly did my cousin want from you?" Charles shrugged and said, "It''s an Inglima Empire tradition; she wants to hire me for a substantial sum to duel with another suitor." Surprised, Taoles asked, "You didn''t agree, did you?" Charles replied, "If the price is right, why wouldn''t I agree?" Taoles then asked, "Do you know who my cousin''s suitor is? Ban Lanmalock?" "Of course I know," Charles answered. "What does it matter? It''s not Count Ranmalock himself." "He''s just a Mid-Level Transcendent after all!" Taoles glanced at Anatasiya and Belisa, both of whom wore expressions of disbelief, as if they had just seen someone challenge an Ancient Dragon. Only then did Charles sense something might be amiss, and he asked, "Is there something special about this Ban Lanmalock?" Chapter 197 194. Notrudens Youngest Lion Taoles asked, "Do you know that Count Lanmalock excelled in martial arts and was promoted to the Sacred Order when he was young? Whether on the dueling ground or the battlefield, he has never tasted defeat and is reputed as the ''Victory Champagne Count.''Charles answered, "Of course I do." Taoles continued, "Do you also know that Count Lanmalock was once considered a genius on par with Zimmerman?" Charles countered, "What does that have to do with his son?" Taoles whispered, "Even the People of Fars know that Ban Lanmalock is just like Count Lanmalock in his younger days, and his talent is said to surpass his father''s. He has defeated sixteen high-level Transcendents in the dueling grounds. It''s not an overstatement to call him the strongest knight among the younger generation of the Inglima Empire." "He also has a nickname¡ªthe youngest lion of Notruden." Charles honestly did not know these things; the university only taught knowledge, not the affairs of the nobility, just as he also didn''t know that the Su Mei Family of the Inglima Empire had been in charge of diplomacy for generations. Charles had truly never heard of the deeds of Notruden''s youngest lion. Indeed, before his date with Anne, he didn''t even know nobles of high birth such as Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei, nor had he ever heard of them. Although there are newspapers on the Old Continent, none dare to report on the affairs of the nobility unless it is to sing their praises. Charles hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "This youngest lion of Notruden, how does he compare with Krel and your brother?" With a hint of pride, Taoles said, "Of course he doesn''t measure up; both of them are high level, and they''re already close to reaching the threshold of the Sacred Order." Charles immediately perked up, and upon hearing that this youngest lion of Notruden was not as fierce as Krel, he felt reassured and asked, "How do they compare to Cyrus?" Seeing the strange expressions on the three women''s faces, he quickly said, "Oh, oh, oh, Cyrus might not be very famous..." "Then let me compare him to someone else." The expressions on the faces of Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa, each distinctly beautiful, were all contorted. In their minds, it was utterly incredulous that anyone could utter such an astonishing statement as "Oh, oh, oh, Cyrus might not be very famous...". Taoles had heard during her time at Gorky University that the South Ceraph Reclamation Army had a genius who studied at Byron''s Tubingen University, mastering the Golden Requiem gunmanship, and ranked first in his class. Anatasiya''s situation was even more straightforward, being a native of Behemoth and with both generations of dukes and the duchess of Behemoth Duchy being from her family. Her father, Baron Filler, along with a host of Behemoth''s nobility, were all killed by Lady Southseraph, and Cyrus, inheriting Jonathan''s will, became the leader of the South Ceraph Restoration Army. Once considered by Anatasiya as a mortal enemy who killed her mother, several generals of the Restoration Army under Cyrus''s command, two of whom Charles had killed upon meeting them without even asking for their names. And as for Belisa, she was right by the duchess''s side, witnessing how Cyrus besieging the fortress caused the numerous nobles of Mostar Fortress to live in perpetual dismay. Everyone talked about Cyrus with fear, and even some of the more cowardly nobles dared not mention Cyrus''s name, referring to him only as "that person." Even the wife of Grand Duke Joseph was beheaded by Cyrus leading troops into Mostar Fortress. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such a legendary figure was, in Charles''s words, "Oh, oh, oh, Cyrus might not be very famous..." and he even thoughtfully added, "Then let me compare him to someone else." The three girls all had a question they wanted to ask: "Who else are you planning to compare him to?" If not for their refined and cultured demeanor, they would certainly have added a strong interjectory particle between "still" and "planning." Charles did think of a person they could compare him to, and asked, "How does he stand compared to James Cook and Francis Drake?" Taoles replied, "These two are the elite of the Inglima Navy, more than ten years older than Ban Lanmalock, naturally stronger." After listening to Taoles''s explanation, Charles suddenly realized it was not so easy to position the youngest lion of Notruden. If just a bit higher, he wouldn''t stand a chance, if just a bit lower, Charles could handle it himself... What was he to do now? Taoles saw Charles''s contemplative, almost inviting-a-thumping facial expression and suddenly felt that perhaps worrying about him was unnecessary; after all, it wasn''t for her he was dueling, she might as well stay silent. Anatasiya and Belisa, though also worried for Charles, weren''t that close with him. Seeing Taoles not offering counsel, they could only quietly fret. Thankfully, these duels were non-lethal, and a defeat was not unacceptable. Having gotten no answer from the three girls, Charles decided to go ask Julian. As dinner time approached, Charles, full of vigor, made another trip to the old man''s shop. Julian, having seen him, was quite happy. When Charles brought up Ban Lanmalock, Julian gave a faint smile and said, "You''ve come to the right person." Charles asked, "How come I have come to the right person?" With a hint of pride, Julian answered, "Among the youth under twenty in the Five Great Empires, Notruden''s youngest lion and Byron''s youngest sky are tied!" "You might as well call me ''Your Excellency of the Sky''." Charles slapped his thigh and said, "If I''d known you were almost the same, I wouldn''t have worried at all!" Julian, annoyed, pointed at Charles and said, "Mister Mecklen, please rephrase, or there will be no dinner for you today." Charles gave a goofy smile and quickly corrected himself, "To be mentioned in the same breath as you is truly impressive indeed." "Hmm! It certainly is quite impressive." Charles''s initial comment might have been a bit dismissive, but those last words were genuinely from the heart. Julian''s strength was truly extraordinary, especially for someone so young, being only a freshman, with an unfathomable future ahead of him. Motivated, Charles asked, "Why are there only two young men under twenty in the Five Great Empires? Don''t Fars, Black Phoenix Dynasty, and Lionheart Dynasty have any remarkable youths?" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire Julian awkwardly said, "That''s not the case. In Fars, Black Phoenix Dynasty, and Lionheart Dynasty, the most formidable individuals under twenty are all ladies. As a person of Fars, surely you''ve heard of the name ''Strasbourg Rose''?" Charles awkwardly answered, "I''ve only heard of ''The Empire''s First Rose''." Julian was at a loss for words, then he remembered that Charles was a merchant''s son and could naively say: Being of common birth, he indeed wouldn''t know about these noble matters. But... one might also say: Charles Mecklen has no eyes for the ''ordinary''." Suddenly, Julian felt a tightening in his heart. Chapter 198 195. Stay up late writing documents Charles returned from Julian''s "freeloading" visit and went back to Embassy Street, where he secluded himself in deep thought about how to get his name on the alliance treaty between the two nations.Although Aurora Sumei had only provided a piece of intelligence, that piece was worth ten thousand Aegeus. Many people would be willing to pay ten thousand Aegeus but still might not obtain such information. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for taking over Ban Lanmalock''s duel, it had not yet entered its procedural stage, so it seemed there was no need to consider it for the moment. He currently possessed two rapiers, one was Blood Rose and the other was Unicorn, along with a Vampiric Pistol called Withing Rose. Although these were not as handy as an Antispace Sniper Rifle or two Silver Rhinoceroses, they were sufficient for general combat. Charles did not know what two weapons Aurora would send, but if there were two more bloodsucking weapons, he would not be at a disadvantage in terms of weaponry. As for his own strength, that was an unavoidable issue no longer worth considering. Charles had not thought for long before he heard a carriage returning. He stood up to meet it and, sure enough, saw the Augusladin High Priest. This particular priest had a face flushed with joy, evidently having enjoyed his time recently. Upon seeing Charles, he cheerfully asked, "How was your meeting with Miss Sumei?" Charles decided to be straightforward, saying, "Aurora and I have already discussed promoting an alliance between our two countries to fully confront Byron. Tomorrow, I will draft a document to be delivered to the Foreign Minister of the Inglima Empire, that Count Su Mei." The Augusladin High Priest was startled and exclaimed, "How can you be so reckless with such a national affair?" Charles patted his chest and replied, "It is precisely because this is a national affair that I must give my all. Miss Sumei has already agreed to help me submit the document." Charles also found no other excuse to sign his name on such an important document, so he simply played a bigger game, bluffing the Augusladin High Priest. The Augusladin High Priest was somewhat distressed. He repeatedly advised that national affairs could not be handled so recklessly and even specially "hinted" to Charles that he had made great progress recently and might even have a chance to meet the Imperial Emperor of the Inglima Empire next month. Charles became increasingly suspicious, pondering, "How does the Augusladin High Priest seem unaware of the alliance?" "Could someone else be pushing this matter? Is it someone else from the embassy group, or perhaps a covert agent?" In such matters of diplomacy, there often are tactics involved¡ªsuch as sending an official diplomatic delegation and, covertly, another. Those behind the scenes are the ones who can determine the diplomatic strategy. Charles and the Augusladin High Priest argued fiercely for a while. They then found a private room and talked into the late night. Surprisingly, Charles persuaded the High Priest who agreed to submit a document, but specified that he would only seal it, not sign his name. The Augusladin High Priest was worried that the matter was too reckless and might implicate him personally. Meanwhile, Charles was overjoyed. He immediately stayed up all night to write a document. In his previous life, he had been a math teacher; in this life, he was a legitimate clerk of the Central Government Office. The alliance treaty document included countless detailed data points, articulated many reasons, drew from much publicly accessible data from Earth, and was impressively eloquent, nearly integrating stories from the Thirty-Six Strategies. Fortunately, he was an Eighth Order Transcendent, able to stay up all night writing, producing over twenty-three thousand words. He obtained the official seal from the High Priest, knowing that the High Priest did not want to get involved, then excitedly went alone to the residence of the Foreign Minister of the Inglima Empire. Originally, his status was not sufficient; it was utterly impossible for him to meet the esteemed Count Sumei. However, wasn''t there someone on the inside? He approached Aurora Sumei, and this young lady actually managed to secure him an opportunity to have lunch with the Count. The place where Count Sumei dined was a small restaurant, yet it was situated at a high vantage point within the Foreign Minister''s residence, offering a panoramic view of the river flowing through Notruden, a sight far superior to that from Charles''s Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, with its views over the Lukawaro scenery. The only company the Count had during lunch was Aurora and Charles. This highly influential aristocrat of the Inglima Empire appeared all smiles, showing no visible emotion as he chatted and laughed with his daughter, creating a very relaxed atmosphere. Charles, of course, knew to keep quiet. As soon as the Count''s lunch was served, he couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow slightly; it was in the style of Fars. At that, the Count Sumei took the opportunity to ask, "You are a person of Fars, taste the Fars-style dish my chef has prepared and see if it''s authentic or not." Charles''s lunch was a meal of roast chicken, grilled fish paired with steak and salad, and a serving of champagne to accompany the meal. Frankly speaking, most restaurants in Fars couldn''t offer authentic champagne. After tasting it, he nodded repeatedly and said, "It''s more authentic than any Fars dish I''ve ever had, though my palate cannot be the standard as I''ve only dined in public restaurants and never had the chance to taste nobility''s private meals." Count Sumei laughed upon seeing a thick dossier by his side and asked, "Is that for me to see?" Charles hurriedly presented the document he had stayed up all night preparing. The count took it, read a few lines, and couldn''t help but express great surprise. By the time he finished the first page, he was deeply engrossed in it. Halfway through, he spoke to Charles, who was still enjoying his meal, "Mister Mecklen, please continue eating at your leisure; I need to meet with His Majesty the Emperor at the palace." He also said to his daughter, "Please keep Mister Mecklen company. Don''t let him leave before I return; we might need him to explain some things." Count Sumei hurried off. Although Charles did not know why the Count stopped eating halfway through the document, it did not affect his appetite in the least. Charles finished his meal in no time and, seeing Aurora had finished hers, he eyed the Count''s untouched lunch and adeptly brought it over to himself, saying, "It''s not fitting for someone as noble as the Count to eat something that''s gone cold." Aurora had never seen anyone quite like Charles and said quietly, "So, you''re just going to eat it?" Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Charles savored a bite of Count Sumei''s fried goose liver, finding it quite delightful and far surpassing the quality of ordinary restaurants in Strasbourg, and answered, "What''s wrong with that?" Aurora shook her head, deciding not to argue with him about what is called table manners. Seeing how quickly Charles was eating, she almost pushed her meal, of which she had eaten less than a tenth, towards him. In a low voice, Aurora said, "I''ve found a bloodsucking weapon, a Knight''s Spear, but I haven''t found a suitable rapier." "If a bloodsucking rapier won''t do, my father also has a treasured magic stabbing sword..." Chapter 199 196, His Majesty Alfred Guillaume Charles didn''t ask about the Magic Stabbing Sword, since it was given to him for free; he wasn''t choosy.Before Charles had traveled across time, he had once seen a female artist say, "Eat while there''s food, don''t wait until there''s none and then cry." How could it be worth less than a few Aegeus? What was there to pick and choose? S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it really wasn''t useful, selling it would also bring in some income. While eating, Aurora and Charles chatted leisurely, and the afternoon passed delightfully. In the evening, as Count Sumei had not returned, Aurora arranged another dinner for Charles, this time featuring the style of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, focusing on delicacy, where the general dishes were slightly sweet, and desserts were predominant. In Strasbourg, Charles had never tasted such exquisite cuisine and couldn''t help but sigh. Aurora asked curiously, "Do you not like the cuisine of the Black Phoenix Dynasty?" Charles said nonchalantly, "No! It reminded me of a girl who always used to eat at ordinary restaurants with me." Anne never fussed or complained about the restaurants Charles chose. Charles always felt that the restaurants he picked were quite decent, but today he realized that noble dining was indeed different from common eateries, much higher in quality and far more refined. This detail alone highlighted the considerable refinement of the young lady from the Brittany Family. Though both daughters of a count, Anne''s quality of life was certainly not a hair less splendid than Aurora''s. Having known Aurora for only two days, Charles had already experienced what noble life was like, but having known Anne for over half a year, he had never felt anything different. It took considerable subtlety and patience to achieve such an effortless demeanor that went unnoticed. Since his mission to the Inglima Empire, Charles had for the first time missed Strasbourg. Of course, Aurora had no idea who Charles was dating in Fars, but she found it odd that, typically in front of a girl, no normal man would mention another girl, after all, whether she meant it or not, it would give Charles some chances. Most men would seize this slight chance, desperately trying to impress, but Charles seemed to have no such intention. She curiously asked, "What kind of girl is she?" Charles smiled slightly and said, "A bit headstrong and very just." Charles wouldn''t leak his information. This wasn''t Earth, where assassins and their organizations were rampant¡ªhe didn''t want to cause any trouble for Anne. Even though the girl from the Brittany Family would fear no assassin. Aurora didn''t continue to probe but suddenly asked, "Among those three girls, which one do you like?" Charles chuckled and said, "Your cousin, Taoles, has become a covenantor of the gods. Anatasiya is the illegitimate daughter of Baron Felmale of Silver Pigeon Fort, and Belisa is a maid of the wife of Grand Duke Joseph; all have various reasons to be on the go." Hearing Charles''s explanation, Aurora became even more intrigued and asked, "What differences do you find between the girls of Fars and the girls of Inglima?" Charles was about to employ a tactic of circumvention and smooth evasion when he suddenly heard a voice say, "I''m sorry, Mister Mecklen, but you won''t have time to compare the girls of the two empires any longer, the Emperor commands your presence." Charles was quite surprised, he had never expected to be summoned by the Emperor of the Inglima Empire, he hurriedly stood up and said, "Count Sumei, you''ve returned so soon?" Charles was blatantly lying, Count Sumei did not return early at all, he had already had two meals. Count Sumei chuckled and said, "Follow me." He said to Aurora, "You come along too." The count took Charles and Aurora, hastened into a carriage, exited the Minister of Foreign Affairs'' residence, and headed straight for the Imperial Palace. Charles had never been to the Imperial Palace in Fars, even though he had received several awards from the Emperor and Empress. However, this did not mean he had caught the sovereign couple''s eye in Fars; after all, how noble were His Majesty the Emperor and Her Highness the Empress? The awards were dispensed by the Royal Family''s team, not personally known by the imperial couple to every meritorious front-line officer. He also had never imagined that by toppling the Inglima Empire, he would actually get a chance to enter the Imperial Palace. Well, on Earth, it was more convenient, as one only needed to buy a ticket to enter the Forbidden City. However, that place was overrun with tourists; reservations were required. Yet, the thought that the former master of this Imperial Palace had to buy a ticket to revisit his own home, even though the tickets were not cheap and required queueing, Charles felt it was bearable. The Inglima Empire had a total of fifteen Imperial Palaces, but the one where His Majesty the Emperor usually conducted his affairs was the Red Dragon Palace. The founder of the Inglima Empire, once one of the founders of Fars as the Duke of the Red Dragon, held a title that still belonged to the Inglima Royal Family, thus the power center of the Inglima Empire was known as the Red Dragon Palace. The Red Dragon Palace was majestic, its architecture viewed from above formed a giant cross shape with over two thousand rooms and numerous gardens. It was surrounded by the residences of high officials of the Inglima Empire. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire This area, known as the District of the Dragon, was slightly elevated by dozens of meters compared to its surroundings, as it was originally a hill that had been leveled by several generations of Inglima Emperors to construct countless buildings. Thus, from the Red Dragon Palace, one could gaze over most of Notruden, further emphasizing the nobility and transcendent status of the Royal Family and high officials. Charles sat in Count Sumei''s carriage, admiring the streetscape of the District of the Dragon through the window, and couldn''t help but marvel at the nobles'' luxury. When he saw the Red Dragon Palace, he involuntarily exclaimed, "What a magnificent palace, it truly is a miracle built from piles of Gold Pounds." Count Sumei gave a slight smile and said, "Indeed, without Gold Pounds, the Red Dragon Palace would never exist, but Gold Pounds alone are not enough." Charles nodded and thought to himself, "Having money alone, without privileges, is akin to having a seventy-year property right." However, he just thought about it, such clich¨¦s from two different worlds and backgrounds would likely not be comprehensible to anyone from the Old Continent. Even Count Sumei was thoroughly frisked along the way. Charles could not hide his Blood Rose or Withing Rose; he simply had to hand them over obediently, fortunately, he had not brought the unicorn, and the rapier was temporarily left at the Fars Embassy. After passing through numerous checkpoints, Charles was completely groped by a group of palace eunuchs, and then he finally met the fifteenth Emperor of the Inglima Empire, His Majesty Alfred Guillaume. This emperor was very young, not exceeding twenty years old, possibly not even eighteen yet, with a trace of youthful innocence on his face. Upon seeing Charles, His Majesty the Emperor looked him up and down several times before suddenly smiling and saying, "I know many things about your past." Chapter 200 197. Capricious Red Dragon Emperor Charles almost thought that His Majesty was a fellow transmigrator, but then he heard the Emperor recount several of his own past stories.Yes, those were the romantic escapades of Charles Meklen. He breathed a deep sigh of relief, no longer so panicked. What Charles feared most was someone discovering his identity as a transmigrator, second only to someone discovering that he had once summoned the Evil God. As for the old embarrassments of Charles Meklen, those had to rank third. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If those were found out, it would only affect his marriage. Though losing Anne would deeply sadden him. But having transmigrated once, he could withstand such minor troubles. Emperor Alfred Guillaume became more and more excited as he spoke. Count Sumei remained composed, after all, he was already aware, while Aurora Sumei''s eyes grew brighter and brighter. She glanced back at Charles, slightly raised her eyebrows, and made an inquiring gesture. Charles spread his hands in resignation and admitted openly. Aurora nodded, indicating that she understood. One couldn''t tell what she was thinking, but suddenly the atmosphere turned strange. Charles looked at this young Emperor of the Inglima, and though they had only met for about fifteen minutes, he already knew what kind of person the fifteenth Red Dragon Emperor of the Inglima Empire was. A young man who wore his heart on his sleeve and could not keep a secret. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire Emperor Alfred Guillaume, spoke till he was dry-mouthed, reached out his hand, and immediately someone in the palace brought him a glass of champagne. He drank it in one gulp and said, "Every time I look over the information sent by spies in Fars, I truly envy you." "Is that baroness very beautiful?" Charles answered, "Very beautiful!" Emperor Alfred Guillaume continued, "Mrs. Yang Miers... I mean, is Miss Sophie Brittany beautiful?" This time Charles did not answer, and simply said softly, "She has passed away, Your Majesty." Emperor Alfred Guillaume paused. As the Emperor of one of the strongest empires on the continent, he did not quite grasp the concept of respecting others, but he did not dwell on it and asked about the appearances of a few women. Charles answered casually, which left the Emperor very satisfied. Charles observed His Majesty''s satisfied expression. In a moment of reverie, it almost seemed to overlap with those profiles of avid royal readers on the Internet back on Earth, even though he hadn''t gone into the details of those past events. Clearly, the Emperor had filled in many of the blanks himself. Indeed, Charles even wanted to recite a book of Ali''s stories for him on the spot. But thinking of Fan Xian reciting "Dream of the Red Chamber" after he transmigrated, and considering his own far lesser stature, he refrained from actively offering any foreign culture. Although he couldn''t introduce the advanced culture from Earth to a young Emperor in the palace of the Inglima Empire, Charles still made a very good impression on the Emperor. No one knew where this inexplicable favor had come from. After asking many questions, the young Emperor Alfred Guillaume spoke quickly, "Since you have come as an emissary to the Inglima Empire, you deserve a reward. I hereby grant you the 24th Rank as a participant in policy and a political position as the Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace. I''ll also pick a residence in Notruden for you. Which location do you prefer?" Charles quickly replied, "I like places near rivers and seas where I can fully enjoy Notruden''s culture." Emperor Alfred Guillaume gave a slight smile and said, "There happens to be an abandoned riverside garden in the royal estate. I will bestow it upon you." Charles had not expected that without even addressing serious matters, merely past deeds would earn him such significant benefits. In the Fars Empire, he did not know how many more years he would have struggled to reach the 24th Rank, regarded as an insurmountable class. Unexpectedly, after meeting the emperor only once, he was awarded such status. As for whether this position was from Fars or from Inglima, it did not matter; the salary was the same, only paid in Inglima''s gold pounds and shillings. Count Sumei, upon seeing that His Majesty the Emperor had finally stopped mentioning Charles''s embarrassing incidents, gave a light cough and said, "Mister Mecklen''s documents were very insightful. You''ve seen them as well, Your Majesty. My suggestion is to ally with Fars as soon as possible." "We need to limit the expansion of those vampires'' power. Having a strong Byron Empire is contrary to the interests of the Empire." Emperor Alfred Guillaume finally regained some of his dignity and said, "I have discussed this with the other ministers, and their opinions align with Lord Sumei. I agree to sign the alliance." An official wheeled over more than ten documents on a quadricycle and then quietly retreated. Emperor Alfred Guillaume continued, "These are the alliance documents discussed and agreed upon by the higher officials of the Inglima Empire. Archives Commissioner Charles Mecklen, after you have reviewed them and if there are no objections, you may sign them." Charles exclaimed in surprise, "Doesn''t this require the signature of the Augusladin High Priest?" Count Sumei explained to him, "Mister Mecklen, as a diplomatic envoy, you are the lowest-ranked diplomat but also possess the power to sign state documents." Urged on by the Emperor and Count Sumei, Charles reviewed the dozen or so documents. He couldn''t decipher their content, but he knew he had no choice. He braced himself and signed his name on all of them. After all, even if there were issues, Charles Mecklen could leave a notorious legacy, and once he closed his eyes, it would no longer be his concern. After Charles had signed the documents, they were sealed in the presence of the Emperor of Inglima and the Foreign Minister. Another cart of documents was then wheeled over; these were from the Inglima Royal Family. Then came a third cart of documents for the Inglima Ministers of State¡­ Charles felt like an underground author whose books were not selling well but who was nonetheless compelled by the publisher to sign five thousand copies, ensuring no unsigned versions were available in the market. He spent a whole night signing documents in the imperial palace. Of course, His Majesty the Emperor had retired to rest early on, and even Count Sumei and Aurora had gone to rooms reserved for ministers in the palace. Charles alone, a modern-day embodiment of tireless labor, battled fatigue. By noon the next day, Charles had finally finished signing all the documents, five of which were to be taken later to the Fars Empire. When Charles, who had taken a night''s rest and was energized, was led out of the Red Dragon Palace by Count Sumei, the first thing he asked was, "Count Sumei, may I go back to Embassy Street first?" He wanted to go back and sleep well, for even as a Transcendent, he had been severely tested by the young Red Dragon Emperor during the night. Count Sumei replied with a gentle smile, "Of course you may. I can arrange for a carriage to take you there." Chapter 201 198. Quickness Technique 脳2 Charles returned to the embassy and went straight to sleep. When he woke up, it was already the evening of the next day. He ordered some food and moved around a bit to loosen up. Realizing it was quite late and there was little to do, he returned to his room and began practicing Bloody Glory.He had been practicing diligently and continuously, making different improvements in the six unique skills he was proficient in: Angel''s Thorn, Bloodline Mantra, Blood Flame Qi, Spirit Spider Technique, Insight, and Quickness Technique. Charles always felt that the first breakthrough would probably be Angel''s Thorn or Blood Flame Qi, but unexpectedly, as he practiced till dawn, the Bloody Rune of the Quickness Technique vibrated slightly and split off a new one, leading to an unforeseen breakthrough in this unique skill. With an additional Quickness Technique Rune, Charles instantly felt lighter. With a slight gathering of energy, he leapt into the air and noticed his speed was slightly faster by a fraction, and he seemed to be able to jump higher as well. Charles stepped out of his room. At that moment, dawn was just breaking, and no one else was around. He jumped with all his might, reaching the height of about eight or nine meters, one or two meters higher than when he first condensed the Quickness Technique Rune. His movement technique''s speed, leaping height, and nimble changes were all enhanced. A touch of joy emerged in Charles''s heart, and he thought to himself, "With another breakthrough in Quickness Technique, my odds of victory against Retainer Lamarlock in the duel have increased." Since he was in the embassy and not at his own home, Charles felt it was inappropriate to demonstrate the Quickness Technique. As a diplomat, how would it look to be jumping around like a monkey and running wildly in the embassy? Excited, Charles didn''t return to his room but wandered aimlessly around the embassy. He pondered: "Retainer Lamarlock is a master of gunmanship. If I duel him using a rapier, I''m at a disadvantage, but I''m also not skilled in gunmanship." Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire "After so many duels with Cyrus, even though I''m familiar with his gunmanship, I really haven''t learned it. Reading martial arts novels, characters often steal martial arts skills through sparring, but I guess my talent is insufficient. Although I''m familiar with the stance of the Golden Requiem gunmanship, how to harness energy and the fine techniques are beyond me. If only I could steal a fraction of Cyrus''s gunmanship, I would have nothing to worry about." Suddenly, Charles thought of something, slapped his thigh, and said, "Why don''t I find a weapon longer than a long spear? And then use the Cat''s Mask to learn how to wield it?" "There is already a master of the Meteor Hammer in my team." With this line of thought, Charles''s mind brightened. The Cat''s Mask he possessed could morph into six different creatures'' forms and randomly extract one skill from the morphed target, as long as there had been prior contact. Wearing it also slightly increased agility. Charles didn''t really need to morph into someone else''s appearance, nor did he need the small boost to agility the Cat''s Mask provided. The agility boost from this extraordinary object was far too minor for Charles, who had the Quickness Technique, and was virtually negligible. However, he had used the Cat''s Mask to learn the Orc Assassin''s Flying Dagger Technique and Aubrey Barrington Atwood''s Shooting Technique. The other skills, such as driving a carriage, cooking, and standing guard, were of no value to Charles and could be swapped out completely. He had lent the extraordinary object to Belisa, who learned the Flying Dagger Technique and Aubrey Barrington Atwood''s Shooting Technique. Then, she returned the Cat''s Mask. Charles went to find eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and after briefly making contact, he swapped out the ordinary human. To his surprise, he did not extract the Bear People''s Meteor Hammer Technique from the great bear but instead extracted the Bearman Battle Axe Technique. He wasn''t disappointed, however, as he managed to extract the Meteor Hammer Technique from Hundred Bear Chief and the Bearman Shield Hammer Technique from Bee Honey. Charles decisively gave up the Battle Axe Technique. This combat technique was too strength-oriented. With his strengths lying in the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, he was a swift-type swordsman. His strength was greater than an ordinary person''s, but in the realm of the transcendent, it was not remarkable. He simply couldn''t wield a battle axe. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even after learning the Battle Axe Technique, it could only intimidate ordinary people and was not suitable for dueling experts. Seeing that the sky had brightened considerably, he left the embassy, released the "Dark Luxury," and headed to Old Buddha''s shop to find Julian. To Julian''s surprise, he asked, "Now you want to have breakfast here too?" Charles, without a hint of embarrassment, replied, "That''s a trifle. I have a duel with Retainer Lamarlock. My rapier is too short, putting me at a disadvantage, and I''m not skilled in gunmanship, so I thought of learning a couple of other weapons on the fly." Although Julian was still visibly shocked, he reluctantly accepted and asked, "What weapons do you want to practice?" Charles decisively said, "Meteor Hammer Technique and Shield Hammer Technique." Julian retorted, "Aren''t those Beastman things?" Charles shrugged his shoulders. He knew that in front of Julian, he couldn''t keep using the "I am Qian Nan" Beastman joke, but such matters didn''t necessarily require an explanation. Although Julian was deeply puzzled, he still found Charles a pair of meteor hammers and a set of shield hammers. Old Buddha''s shop sold only fine goods, and although these two weapons were not Extraordinary, they were not ordinary merchandise either. Extraordinary weapons from the Beastmen were even rarer than bloodsucking weapons, and most Beastmen did not have much money. Ordinary humans could not handle the heavy weapons of the Beastmen, so Old Buddha''s shop did not stock them. Julian took Charles to the basement, where Old Buddha''s shop also provided a service for trying out weapons. Charles put on the Cat''s Mask and after briefly trying out the weapons, he handled the pair of meteor hammers with incredible finesse. The Hundred Bear Chief was the leader of this team of Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and his power was even greater than that of the Bear Tyrant. He simply did not prefer to test the meteor hammers, but his skill with the hammers was even superior to that of the Bear Tyrant. When Julian saw Charles donning the Cat''s Mask, he somewhat understood. But as soon as Charles took off the Cat''s Mask and clumsily wielded the meteor hammers, almost hitting himself and nearly throwing one at Julian, Julian was confused again. Julian kept him company for a while, then left Charles to his practice and went to take care of his own business. Charles practiced all morning and by the time Julian sent someone to invite him for lunch, he had managed to swing the meteor hammers convincingly. While it was not enough for a Transcendent battle, he could certainly crush a few ordinary soldiers without issue. In the afternoon, he tried the Shield Hammer Technique. This martial art required too much strength and stature, so after getting slightly familiar with it, he promptly gave up and devoted himself entirely to mastering the Meteor Hammer Technique. After the two countries signed the alliance, there were still very complex procedures to follow. During this period, Charles had nothing to do and couldn''t leave Notruden temporarily. Aurora did not come to see him. Charles went out early and returned late each day, mainly visiting Old Buddha''s shop to borrow Julian''s place to practice the Orc Meteor Hammer Technique, also taking care of lunch and dinner. One could not tell if it was because he had a talent for long-range weapons, but his Meteor Hammer Technique improved incredibly fast, making rapid progress each day. Even in the occasional sparring sessions with Julian, he managed to hold his own. Chapter 202 199. Wings of Heaven Charles looked at the meteor hammer, lost in thought. Julian, coming down to call him for a meal, couldn''t help but ask, "What''s wrong with you now?"Charles replied, "I always feel that the meteor hammer isn''t quite right for me." Julian nodded in agreement, saying, "Indeed, it doesn''t suit you!" "Although the Beastman''s Meteor Hammer Technique involves special techniques for exerting force and isn''t purely about brute strength, without exceptional strength, many moves can''t be fully utilized." Charles, with a thoughtful look, asked, "What do you think if I get a long rope and tie a dagger to one end?" Julian, shocked, exclaimed, "What kind of weapon is that? Can it even be useful?" Charles thought to himself, "You haven''t seen it, so you don''t know how fancy roped throwing weapons can get." He pondered for a long while and said, "Get me a long rope and find two short knives." Julian indeed went to help him find the items. The old man''s shop had all kinds of weapons, and they were not short of ropes and ordinary short knives. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In his previous life, Charles was a math teacher and had never practiced traditional martial arts, much less roped throwing weapons. The maximum exposure he had was watching little clips of Yan Yan and Han Liang on Bilibili, just glimpsing occasionally. However, he was proficient in the Beastman Flying Dagger Technique, and now, having practiced the Meteor Hammer Technique, his foundation was somewhat stronger than that of an ordinary martial artist. He cut the rope Julian found to a suitable length and attached the two short knives. With a flick of his fingers, a short knife flew out like a flash of lightning, reaching the end of the rope and getting pulled back. Following a flick of Charles''s wrist, the short knife soared up in a loop through the air. Combining the Flying Dagger Technique and Meteor Hammer Technique and referencing the roped weapon techniques he had seen, he quickly became proficient with this weapon that had never appeared in the Old Continent. Most importantly, he also possessed the Blood Flame Qi... It only took a short while for Julian to change his expression drastically, because even he could see that Charles''s new weapon, if used in battle, would have many drawbacks but in a duel, it would simply be unfair. With the same force, the speed of the flying knife would definitely be faster than a rapier and a Knight''s Spear. A true flying knife, once thrown, would be gone, but a roped weapon could be shot repeatedly. Most importantly, this is an Extraordinary world, fundamentally different from Earth''s martial artists. Both Julian and Charles were proficient in the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, with extremely fast movement techniques, capable of circling around an enemy without ever getting close for a direct confrontation. He remembered the dagger he hadn''t sold yet and decided to immediately retrieve it. When he got back, he would pair it with a Vampire Dagger and find an Alchemist Master to craft a set of Transcendent Level roped weapons. After playing around with the roped weapon, Charles put it away and suddenly shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, Julian interjected, "That dagger has already been sold." Charles smiled and said, "That''s not what I was going to mention. Although this weapon turned out better than I expected, it also has a drawback¡ªit can''t pierce through well-armored enemies." Julian suddenly realized and thought to himself, "The other dagger shouldn''t use the Blood Clan''s weapons. We need to find a short weapon with Armor Piercing and Magic Breaker attributes." Charles handed the makeshift roped weapon back to Julian. Without the Armor Piercing attribute, this roped weapon could definitely not break through Ban Lanmalock''s Frost Dragon Fighting Qi. The heavier meteor hammer was a bit more reliable. Even though the Meteor Hammer wasn''t an Extraordinary Weapon, its sheer weight and the enormous kinetic energy when swung were enough to make any Transcendent dodge in fear. When Charles clashed with the great bear tyrant, he was suppressed by the opponent''s Meteor Hammer to the extent that he couldn''t get close. While he had many strategies to break the deadlock, such as using firearms, relying solely on the rapier to counter the Meteor Hammer was very difficult. Julian, inspired by Charles, secretly learned the rope dart technique and felt a bit guilty, so he said, "You''re going to duel Retainer Lamarlock, you should at least practice some Gunmanship. How about I accompany you to refine the Asilo Clan''s Gunmanship for a few days?" Charles had only received the inheritance of Angel''s Thorn from the Blood Rose and completed the Asilo Clan''s secret scrolls through Julian, realizing that the Asilo Clan also had Gunmanship. The Asilo Clan were classical swordsmen who practiced a battle spirit older than Fighting Spirit. The cultivation of Fighting Spirit, from the power seed to the Fighting Spirit, originated from the surging vitality of knights. The cultivation of battle spirit, however, required the condensation of a spirit seed, arising from the indomitable and relentless battle will of warriors! Therefore, the Asilo Clan''s Gunmanship also fundamentally differed from the Knight''s Gunmanship currently popular in the Old Continent, named: Wings of Heaven! This lower rank of the technique greatly emphasizes speed, while at the higher rank it emphasizes spiritual suppression. Sacred Order members of the Asilo Clan who trained in the Wings of Heaven even had many instances where they appeared enveloped in numerous spiritual auras at the outset, making the enemy believe that a celestial being had descended and surrendered without a fight. Julian was called the youngest firmament of Byron, half of the reason being his Gunmanship. He wanted to make his mark on the battlefield, so he devoted seventy percent of his energy to the Wings of Heaven, investing less in the Angel''s Twelve Chants. Therefore, as a Mid-Level Transcendent, he only managed to reach Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, still inferior to Charles. Charles knew that no matter how hard he tried, it was impossible to achieve proficiency in Gunmanship in just a few days, so he initially gave up on Gunmanship, looking to try his luck with the Meteor Hammer technique. However, since Julian suggested it and was willing to accompany him to practice Gunmanship, there was no reason to refuse. Charles borrowed a Knight''s Spear from Julian, who also had his own long spear, but in such sparring, using an Extraordinary Weapon was somewhat excessive, so he also chose a standard Knight''s Spear. The two set up their stances in the practice arena beneath the old man''s shop. Knowing his Gunmanship was mediocre, and since he had barely practiced during school and wasn''t seriously trained in the Asilo Clan''s Wings of Heaven, Charles took the initiative. The Wings of Heaven was divided into seventy-seven movements, also based on Stellar Battle Qi, and derived from the Angel''s Thorn; although Charles hadn''t practiced much, his spear thrust was still quite swift. Julian, a true master of Gunmanship, saw Charles'' thrust and smiled slightly, pressing down on Charles'' spear with his own Knight''s Spear, causing Charles to involuntarily slide forward and get knocked to the ground by Julian''s knee. After Charles got up, he said somewhat vexedly, "I know how to counter this move with a rapier, no problem, but with a long spear, it feels clumsy." Julian said, "Gunmanship and Swordsmanship fundamentally share similarities, but there are many differences. Our Asilo Clan''s scripture on the Wings of Heaven specifically states: for offensive movements, do not leave it high in the south, nor low in the north, neither too low in the east nor too high in the west, thrust forward with one spear; for defensive movements, keep it open above and not below, empty inside and not outside, twine above but not below, block outside not inside, sway gently but not weakly, press down but not bland, spear towards the center." "Your thrust just now was superficial and missed the true essence of Asilo Clan''s Gunmanship." Charles, feeling dizzy and confused, thought to himself, "Why does this sound like fruit tree cultivation to me?" Chapter 203 200, Duel Witnessed by the Royal Family Charles wasn''t particularly afraid of Julian, having crossed hands with him before without coming to any harm. However, this time, while practicing gunmanship with Julian, he belatedly realized that Byron''s youngest Transcendent had a truly fearsome mastery over the spear.Julian''s gunmanship was even superior to Cyrus''s. The same ordinary move, when executed by Cyrus, Charles could handle, but when Julian used it, he could not resist. Apart from his lack of skill in gunmanship, one could also see that Julian''s moves were much smoother. Julian was simply too young, only a freshman. If he reached Cyrus''s age, his strength would certainly surpass Cyrus''s. Under Julian''s guidance, Charles''s gunmanship¡­ still improved extremely slowly. The Cat''s Mask could only extract skills, not special abilities. Not giving up hope, Charles tried once, but only managed to extract "Wine Tasting" from Julian, which was of no value to him. After a few days of practicing with Julian and barely getting familiar with the seventy-seven moves of Wings of Heaven, Aurora sent someone to deliver three things to him: a challenge letter, a knight''s spear, and a rapier. Charles had gone to Julian''s grandfather''s store during the day and didn''t receive these three items until he came back in the evening. Aurora had also come during the day, but after asking Taoles and learning that Charles would not return until late, she left someone to wait for him and went back herself. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was Charles''s third formal duel in his life! The opponents in the first two duels had both been high-level Transcendents. Whether it was Harriet Alva or Zolman, they were both formidable and had strong reputations. When Charles received the third challenge letter of his life and saw that his opponent was Ban Lanmalock, he couldn''t help feeling a little sentimental, finally receiving a challenge from someone of the same rank. Both he and Ban Lanmalock were mid-level Transcendents, and though Ban Lanmalock was of a slightly higher rank, there was no longer an insurmountable gap in strength. The date of the duel was set for three days later! The witnesses for the duel were Count Ranmalock, Count Sumei, and his Majesty Emperor Alfred Guillaume! A common challenge letter is produced in triplicate ¨C one for each party involved and another to be sent to "the local Patrolling Army office" for safekeeping. However, this challenge letter was issued in five copies, with two of them sent to the Englima and Fars Royal Families respectively. The prestige of this duel instantly skyrocketed countless levels. The knight''s spear that Aurora had sent bore the emblem of Ebulrahan Clan, was dark red in color with intricate patterns, had a blade sharp beyond compare, a flexible shaft, a robust shield, and a balancing cone at the rear. Overall, its design was quite similar to the ancient European knight''s spears from Earth, but in this world, with the emergence of Transcendents, the nations of the Old Continent have also developed complex knightly spear techniques, so the knight''s spears had become much sturdier, and were not comparable to the disposable ones on Earth. In the duels and battles of the Old Continent, one would not hear the sound of "a spear breaking and echoing through the skies." This was a transcendent-level knight''s spear! Charles actually had another Transcendent-level knight''s spear; he won it in a duel with the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, Zolman, below Mostar Fort, taking his opponent''s spear. However, not being skilled with the spear, Charles sent it to Machu Picchu and never carried it with him. This knight''s spear was named Collapsing Mountain and had five attributes: Armor-Piercing, Shock, Magic Breaker, Blood Loss, and Life Absorption for self-repair. Even in Byron, it was a respectable knight''s spear. Perhaps due to the shortage of time, Aurora had not found a Vampiric Rapier, but the rapier that was sent instead was of remarkable quality, not inferior to that of a unicorn. The duel letter Charlotte received also designated the duel site, and it was not specified by Ban Lanmalock, but by Alfred Guillaume, the Emperor of the Inglima Empire. The place chosen for the duel was above the Severn River, passing through Notruden. Transcendents, if sprinting at full speed, could temporarily run on water, but if they stopped moving, unless they possessed a special ability, they would sink. By choosing the Severn River as the arena, His Imperial Majesty exhibited a wicked sense of humor, forcing both contenders to keep running incessantly, making the duel more thrilling and allowing a larger audience to spectate from both banks of the sufficiently long river. Charlotte possessed both the Quickness Technique and the Spirit Spider Technique, so he truly wasn''t afraid to duel above the river''s surface, but he also knew that Count Ranmalock, one of the duel''s witnesses, had raised no objections, indicating that Ban Lanmalock must have a corresponding special ability that gave him a certain advantage in such a riverine setting. Charlotte had just signed the duel letter and had Aurora''s messenger take it back. Suddenly, a group dressed in Fars''s envoy uniforms rushed into the embassy, and upon seeing Charlotte holding the duel letter, one person asked, "Where is the Augusladin High Priest? Is Mecklen here?" Seeing this envoy team arrive so urgently at night, Charlotte was slightly curious and said, "The High Priest is not here; he''s currently in discussions with officials from Inglima on diplomatic missions." "I am Charlotte Mecklen. What can I do for you gentlemen?" A lavishly dressed man stepped forward, seeing Charlotte he said somewhat arrogantly, "So you''re the Mecklen who signed the treaty?" Charlotte nodded slightly, replying, "Yes, that''s me!" The man said, "You don''t need to know my name. I am here solely to convey the will of our king. The Augusladin High Priest has achieved outstanding merit on his mission to Inglima, and you have signed a treaty, contributing greatly to the Empire, therefore a special commendation has been granted." "Here are the reward documents for both of you. I have rushed here and am utterly exhausted." "These two documents are for you to keep, and the one for the Augusladin High Priest should be delivered by you. I must return home to rest now." The man handed over two documents and left hurriedly, his attitude was as arrogant as could be, yet he did not trouble Charlotte further. He had come all the way to the Inglima Empire, enduring the hardships of travel to complete his mission, not wanting to create any complications or waste words with Charlotte. Charlotte received the two documents, watching the high-born man depart from the embassy, and then suddenly he felt somewhat more reconciled to Emperor Alfred Guillaume appointing him to an office and a political position, even bestowing upon him a set of residences. The nobility of the Old Continent often had intricate connections, even familial relationships, and close blood ties, possessing offices in various countries. Diplomatically, they were adept at maneuvering situations to their advantage - this was the style of these nobles. The concept of loyalty to a single country had not yet arisen in the Old Continent. For nobles, loyalty first belonged to themselves, then to their family, followed by their domain; the nation was merely the ruler above them, not an entity to whom they owed unconditional allegiance. The loyalty of the majority of the Old Continent''s nobility to their country was far less than that of the commoners. Charlotte put away the two documents and went back to his room to sleep. He needed to rest well in the coming days, preparing for the duel. Chapter 204 After three days The noble who delivered the documents hurried over and, after leaving behind two documents, never appeared again.The Augusladin High Priest also had not shown himself for the following three days. During these three days, Charles went out early and returned late, training vigorously in various martial techniques at Old Master''s shop. On the day of the duel, he brought Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and a host of attendants to the banks of the Servantes River. Thanks to the recent promotion within the Inglima nobility circle, the banks of the entire Servantes River were densely packed with crowds, attracting countless spectators to this duel. Two days before the duel, Charles had learned that many Notruden nobles had placed bets on his duel with Ban Lanmalock. He simply withdrew two thousand gold coins and entrusted Julian to bet on him, rejoicing if he won, and if he lost, well, the money was plundered anyway, it would go back to where it should. The Servantes River is the largest river on the island of Notrudenia, passing through more than ten cities before flowing into the sea at Notruden. This river is spanned by over two hundred bridges, with sixty to seventy just in Notruden, the most famous of which is the Notruden Grand Bridge. Named after the city, this grand bridge connects the two banks of the Servantes River, one end in the Dragon District leading directly to the Red Dragon Palace, and the other end at the Golvin Mountain where the Guillaume family''s Yuquan Palace is located for summer retreats! The Notruden Bridge is divided into upper and lower levels. The lower level allows access to ordinary Notruden residents, whereas the upper level is a unique bridge-style palace, mostly open to the public as well, except on major holidays or some special days when it becomes a venue for important events and is closed off to the public. Like now, members of the Guillaume royal family, including the Emperor himself and a host of high officials, were all in the palace on the upper level of the Notruden Bridge, ready to watch this spectacle. When Charles arrived at the riverbank, he was ready to enter the arena immediately, but was stopped and informed of the duel proceedings. There would be three performance-style duels before his main event with Ban Lanmalock, followed by a grand finale. Charles listened until veins throbbed on his forehead, but he ultimately said nothing and patiently waited for his moment. He did not find Ban Lanmalock but guessed that the latter was with his father on the Notruden Bridge. Thoughtfully arranged by the Royal Family for a duel witnessed by royalty, Charles and his companions were provided a platform by the riverside. The platform was pre-arranged with chairs and even provided food, champagne, and ale, allowing him to wait comfortably for the duel. Charles picked up a cup of ale and took a sip when he heard a long cry. A Sacred Order leaped into the sky, making him exclaim in admiration. The setting for this duel truly was grand, even having a Sacred Order present. This Sacred Order, high in the sky, announced in Inglima Language the names of the first pair of performers and introduced their backgrounds. Then two young knights leaped onto the small boats prepared for them, commencing their duel on the river''s surface. Charles had thought everyone possessed the ability to tread on water, not expecting such a setup. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire The duel between the two young knights ended with one of them being knocked into the Servantes River. The winner courteously extended the Knight''s Spear and pulled the loser onto his own boat. The Sacred Order presiding over the duel then announced the next pair of duelists. These duelists were much stronger, each leaping into the Servantes River from opposite banks, their bodies steaming powerfully as they activated their Fighting Spirit. Being a nation comprised of the three Inglima islands, Inglima is a maritime country, hence knights who practice marine system Fighting Spirit are particularly numerous, including navy captains James Cook and Francis Drake, both enveloped in marine system Fighting Spirit. Charles watched the two men race across the surface of the Sevantes River, their knight''s spears twirling like dragons. It was slightly more interesting than the first match and far surpassed the previous one in skill. The duel lasted over an hour before one side was defeated. The vanquished knight swam back to shore, soaked and disheartened, walking away without speaking to anyone. The victor sprinted across the river and even received an invitation from the Emperor to watch the next duel from Notruden Bridge. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By the time the third duel commenced, Charles couldn''t help but feel invigorated because the Sacred Order presiding over the duel announced that this match would be a fight to the death. The challenger had accused the other of defiling his fianc¨¦e. The accused, too frightened to fight, had asked his own brother to take his place. Seeing both young men step into the boat, Charles knew this duel might lack the skills of its predecessors, but it would surpass them in brutality. Ten minutes later, Charles felt quite melancholy as he watched the two young men impale each other''s abdomen with their knight''s spears, both dying together. He didn''t quite understand. What was the point of such a duel? The real culprit had not been hurt at all. Both of the men who died were innocent. When the Sacred Order in the sky announced his name, Charles casually picked up the Knight Lance Collapse Mountain. As he hesitated slightly, considering swapping weapons, he heard a sharp cry from across the river, and a figure soared into the air, approaching rapidly. A clear voice echoed above the Sevantes River, "Charles Meklen! If you willingly stay away from Miss Sumei and admit defeat, I will postpone this duel." Charles remained silent, activating the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique to leap up. He wasn''t one to project his voice loudly enough to reach both sides of the Sevantes River, as there was a Special Ability involved, not merely skill, so he chose not to speak and instead answer with action. Both were fast, and their knight''s spears clashed for the first time over the Sevantes River, emitting a strange whistling sound, Charles''s recently practiced Wings of Heaven Spear Technique, mediocre elsewhere, performed brilliantly at that moment, matching speed with speed, not losing ground at their first encounter. After a thrust, they passed by each other, swapping positions. Charles, using the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, miraculously stood on the water surface, his knight''s spear raised, his aura steadily intensifying. Ban Lanmalock stood on the river surface too but differently. Underneath him was a round-table-sized ice floe. Notruden''s youngest lion stood on his ice floe, as stable as a mountain range. His knight''s spear also aimed at Charles, a hint of surprise in his heart as he exclaimed, "Despicable man of Fars, you dared to steal Aurora''s heart while I was not in Notruden. I will not allow you to leave the Sevantes River unscathed." Charles was about to ask, "What kind of unscathed?" But Ban Lanmalock was already stepping on the river surface, launching his second assault. Every step he took on the river spawned a patch of ice floe, a secret art of the Lamblock Family known as Frost Dragon Fighting Qi, exuding an intense chill and valiant spirit. Chapter 205 202, Duel on the River Tagus Charles also refused to show weakness, his Knight''s Spear wielded with the technique Collapsing Mountain, he gave a light flick and subtly shifted his position, foiling Retainer Lamarlock''s assault from locking onto him.The second exchange between the two was yet another fierce collision. Charles performed well, but not as impressively as on the first strike, his hands failing to fully deflect the force, causing one foot to step into the river water. However, he immediately slapped the surface of the Sventis River with his Knight''s Spear, leveraging the rebound to leap into the air, simultaneously forcing the advancing Retainer Lamarlock to retreat. The two ran wildly across the surface of the river, circling three times before spontaneously launching another assault. The two Knight''s Spears struck out like dragons emerging from the sea, like flood dragons stirring the tides. After six or seven rounds in the blink of an eye, Charles''s grip began to falter slightly. He knew that with only his spear skills, he could only go so far, and that continuing would likely lead to his defeat. He took a deep breath and shouted loudly, "Count Lamarlock''s spear skills are esteemed as the finest in the Old Continent, hence I also chose the Knight''s Spear to show my respect." "I have now seen the gunmanship of the Lamarlock Family, please allow me to switch to a weapon more suited to my hand." The crowds on both shores erupted into loud cheers. Charles''s words greatly flattered the pride of the Englima People and even won the affection of some Notruden residents. Even Emperor Alfred Guillaume, watching from Notruden Bridge, grinned and said, "Allow Charles Mecklen to change to his weapon of choice." Soon, the Emperor''s will was conveyed to the two duelists by the overseeing Sacred Order, and Ban Lamarlock let his Knight''s Spear hang down and shouted, "Change your weapon then!" Charles tossed back the Collapsing Mountain, the Knight''s Spear crossing the vast expanse of the Sventis River to plant itself on the riverbank, where Julian, smilingly, plucked it out and, with both hands, sent Charles''s previously shown rope dart flying into the air above the river. Charles was taken aback, having expected Tory to throw him the backup Meteor Hammer. Tory, holding a pair of Meteor Hammers, also paused for a moment and said to Anatasiya and Belisa, "What a peculiar weapon!" Catching the rope dart, Charles faced another attack from Lamarlock immediately. With no other option, Charles displayed all the tricks of the rope dart, a flurry of extravagant moves that even Emperor Alfred Guillaume, spectating, couldn''t help but praise. Ban Lamarlock, who had never seen such a weapon before, felt every one of Charles''s strikes to be full of force with the rope introducing various clever applications, allowing Charles''s body to send the twin daggers flying with the swing of the rope, forcing Lamarlock to be extremely cautious. After seventeen or eighteen moves, Ban Lamarlock finally grasped the intricacies of the rope dart. If it had been an Extraordinary Weapon, he might have been slightly troubled, but as it was a mere common weapon, it could not penetrate his protective Frost Dragon Fighting Qi. Though the rope was longer than the Knight''s Spear, it was not considered a threat. With his spirits rekindled and a change of tactics, Lamarlock''s every thrust with the Knight''s Spear carried a threefold spinning force ¨C if it caught Charles''s dart, it would surely get entangled. Seeing the tide turning against him, Charles quickly threw the dart out and shouted, "Ban Lamarlock, I think it''s time to bring out some real skill, no more playing games." With a gesture, Tory activated a Magic Card, and a mysterious force transported a pair of Meteor Hammers onto the river''s surface. Charles snatched the Meteor Hammers and shifted his technique, employing a set of ferocious and unyielding Orc Meteor Hammer Technique, yet intricate in its handling. Lamarlock responded move for move, clashing with Charles for over twenty rounds before he understood his rythm. With a shake of his hands, his Frost Dragon Fighting Qi spread along the shaft of his spear, touching Charles''s twin hammers, the dominant icy Fighting Spirit forcefully cracking the Meteor Hammers apart. Although Charles''s meteor hammers were of fine quality, they were mere ordinary weapons and couldn''t withstand the fierce Fighting Spirit of the Lamblock Family. Charles dropped the chains in his hands and gestured again. Anatasiya threw both of her magic rapiers at once. It was only after releasing the rapiers from her hands that she realized she was used to wielding dual swords, but Charles normally used only one magic sword; she couldn''t help but inwardly exclaim, "Damn, I was too mesmerized to remember which one to pass to him?" Charles hadn''t actually specified this detail, thinking that during the duel, whether Taoles tossed him meteor hammers or Anatasiya tossed him a stabbing sword, either one would be fine. However, he hadn''t expected the dual-sword wielding knightess to throw both rapiers at him. With a backhanded motion, he caught both magic rapiers in his hands. These two Extraordinary Weapons were fine pieces, and it would have been too much of a pity if they had fallen into the Saventies River. Seeing a complicated expression on Retainer Lamarlock''s face, Charles chuckled awkwardly and said, "Time to change weapons again." Retainer Lamarlock didn''t waste words, invoking his Knight''s Spear, which surged like a frost dragon stirring the seas, exhibiting the family''s Knight''s Spear Technique, creating waves that soared to the heavens, as imposing as a mountain. Finally wielding his customary weapon, and having learnt from the previous dozens of moves of combat experience, Charles was no longer so flustered. Relying on the Quickness Technique and the Spirit Spider Technique, he moved all over the river surface. Crossing or separating the swords, he showcased the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship to its fullest extent. Charles, having cultivated the Angelic Twelve Chapters to the eighth chapter: Twilight Dirge, purely in terms of swordsmanship, neither Cyrus nor Julian were his match. Even though his star fighting spirit was slightly weaker, he had already opened up seven Bloody Vortexes, with six which could enhance power, thereby evening out much of the gap. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was not a traditional warrior. Before, he hadn''t felt that changing weapons would make a difference, but under the immense pressure of Ban Lanmalock, one of the strongest knights of the younger generation, he finally realized that the Magic Stabbing Sword was more to his liking. Blade length advantages or disadvantages mattered little compared to the enhancements from the Angelic Twelve Chapters. The two combatants fought fiercely over the Saventies River for two to three hundred moves, leaving all the watching nobles and the residents of Notruden feeling that their trip was well worth it; they watched in rapt fascination, continuously cheering them on. Aurora was by her father''s side at that moment, watching the duel from the Notruden Bridge. She looked at Charles, who had efficiently wielded several different weapons throughout the fight, and who was now holding his own against Retainer Lamarlock with a pair of rapiers, his swordsmanship even more elegant and graceful. She couldn''t help feeling a touch of jealousy, and thought to herself, "Is Menierman truly the most beautiful woman on the Old Continent?" "First there was Zimmerman, and now there''s Charles Mecklen, not to mention who knows how many admirers are willing to duel to the death for her." "Why can she be so outstanding when we''re both girls?" What Aurora didn''t know was that Ban Lanmalock had challenged Charles Mecklen for her sake, and that the duel was made such a grand spectacle, nearly everyone knew that the Emperor had acted as witness. That day, at least half the girls in Notruden envied and were jealous of Aurora Sumei, wishing they could say to her, "Why can you be so radiant when we''re both girls?" Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire Chapter 206 203, Movement Nine: Nocturnal Elegy ```Charles''s greatest advantage lay in the spiritual enhancement brought about by facing the Evil God twice, which allowed him to make rapid progress in cultivating the Bloody Glory during the time he crossed over. It was only recently that his progress had fallen back to the level of a "normal genius." Even so, the improved spirituality still gave Charles a distinctive edge in certain aspects. For example, when he could control multiple targets at once, he didn''t find it odd while using Flame Hand, thinking it was normal. But now, wielding dual swords and executing combined offensive and defensive maneuvers, each sword performing its own intricate changes as if he were directing limbs, he finally had an epiphany. After several hundred exchanges, Ban Lanmalock gradually gained the upper hand. His cultivation was after all more profound than Charles''s, and he had been practicing his gunmanship for much longer. In terms of battle experience, the two were comparable; Charles''s hundreds of duels in the Dreamscape, along with several battlefield skirmishes, compensated for his shorter period of practice. All in all, however, Ban Lanmalock was a bit stronger. As Charles''s swords danced in the air, he began to feel overwhelmed. Just when everyone thought the situation would not change, he suddenly switched his dual sword technique, employing a different style of swordsmanship with each sword. Though they were both techniques from Angel''s Twelve Cantos, the sword in his left hand was like the rising sun, morning light, the ocean; while the one in his right was like dusk, night, indistinct¡ªlike they were split into two, two swordsmen of similar skill fighting together. This immediately balanced out the disadvantage and brought the fight back to a sequence of attacks and defenses, a back-and-forth exchange. Outsiders could not fathom the subtlety of this technique, but Julian, who had also practiced Angel''s Twelve Cantos, recognized the brilliance. He thought to himself, "So the Asilo Clan''s swordsmanship can also be used this way." Julian knew that Charles''s swordsmanship surpassed his own, and he was aware that the first six cantos and the latter six of Angel''s Twelve Cantos were entirely different. The first six ranged from dawn to sunset, whereas the latter six began with dusk. In other words, the essence of the Asilo Clan''s swordsmanship lay in the latter six cantos. Of course, Charles could not possibly double the power of Angel''s Twelve Cantos, so he used one hand''s technique as the primary force, going all out, while the other hand''s technique played a supporting role, employing only the first six cantos. It appeared as if the swords were equally powerful, but in reality, they were quite different. It was just that those not well-versed in Asilo Clan''s swordsmanship could not see the subtleties at all. Especially the first six cantos of Angel''s Twelve Cantos, which were so bright and grand that they showed no signs of weakness. As the fierce duel escalated, Charles''s sword techniques alternated between both hands, his left hand''s sword like dusk, night, dimness; while his right hand''s sword was like the rising sun, morning light, the ocean¡ªimmediately gaining the upper hand. Ban Lanmalock was hailed as Notruden''s youngest lion, and although he was several years younger than Charles, he had been practicing various Transcendent methods since childhood and had a stronger foundation. Despite being unable to fully cope with Charles''s dizzying array of swordsmanship, he managed to guard himself firmly, wielding his Knight''s Spear to fend off Charles, keeping him at a distance of five steps. After Charles launched three consecutive sword strikes, he was slightly moved in realization that Ban Lanmalock''s Knight''s Spear was positioned perfectly to intercept every attack. He recognized that his two-handed sword technique had been figured out by his opponent. He did not continue to change his moves and instead threw a rapier, which landed on the shore, in front of Anatasiya, leaving himself with only one rapier. His aura suddenly surged with increased intensity. At just a glance, Julian couldn''t help but exclaim, "The Ninth Canto: Nocturnal Elegy!" This was a world of Transcendents; even in the Asilo Clan, very few people specialized in both swordsmanship and gunmanship. Most channeled the majority of their effort into developing various special abilities. For example, one could cultivate the Colorless Blade or possess stronger Stellar Battle Qi, and even if their swordsmanship was slightly inferior, with their versatile and unpredictable sword glow, they could overpower the opponent. Julian had only cultivated Angel''s Thorn to the level of Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, not because he couldn''t advance further, but because beyond that, everything starting with Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, like Colorless Blade, Fierce Corrosion, and Dark Corrosion, was based on Stellar Battle Qi. His main focus was gunmanship, so there was no need for him to invest that much into swordsmanship. Though Julian reckoned he might reach Charles''s level of mastery in Angel''s Twelve Cantos by the same age if he dedicated himself fully, he was still astonished by his "good friend''s" innate talent for swordsmanship. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ``` At this moment, the Cervantes River was covered with floating ice due to their battle, frozen by Ban Lanmalock''s Frost Dragon Fighting Qi. Countless round tables of floating ice dotted the river surface, creating a marvelously unique sight. When Charles Meklen made a breakthrough just before battle, unleashing the Ninth Symphony: Nocturnal Elegy, the entire river seemed to be draped in a layer of night. Only Charles''s movement technique across the battlefield could be seen, like a soulful cat in the dark, elegant, light, but harboring a lethal intent, ready to explode with a fatal strike at any moment. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire Their duel escalated once again after Charles abandoned a rapier. Emperor Alfred Guillaume watched with intense satisfaction, and glancing around, he asked, "Ban Lanmalock is our youngest lion in Notruden. What title suits Charles Meklen?" Count Sumei spoke indifferently, "Charles isn''t young anymore." His Majesty the Emperor responded with a small ''oh'' and returned his focus to the duel. Aurora couldn''t help but roll her eyes; she knew what her father meant. If Charles were too favored in front of the Emperor, it would unleash a series of consequences, such as... her career competition getting tougher. Aurora herself wasn''t young anymore. Despite being of noble birth and having a good father, it took her five or six years to rise to the rank of Nineteenth Equivalent Participant, a cultural commissioner for the diplomatic official''s residence, after graduating from university. Just a few years after university, reaching such a position showed Aurora''s excellence, but for a young lady, it was an age when the roses began to wilt. In the first few years, Count Sumei was quite picky about his son-in-law. A few years earlier, there were many harsh conditions. But now, the count had reached the point of "even a man from Fars would do." Julian came from one of the three imperial clans, the Asiluo Clan, where home education had ensured that he studied systematically, and so he was now a freshman at university. Ban Lanmalock''s father was a renowned warrior across the Old Continent, a very young man when he advanced to the Sacred Order, and he took an aggressive approach to his son''s education, setting Zimmerman Axel Robin as the benchmark. As a result, this young man entered university at twelve and graduated in just a year and a half. Aurora''s difficulty in accepting Ban Lanmalock was partly due to his excessive straightforwardness, his steely demeanor, as well as the age difference... To her, Ban Lanmalock was simply too young. Charles''s griffin suddenly let out a clear, piercing cry, and he revealed the first genuinely heartfelt smile since the battle began, crying out, "Mr. Ban Lanmalock!" "The warm-up is over." Chapter 207 204. The bare feet of the Goddess of Victory Ban Lanmalock was losing his composure!When Charles had made his appearance with a Knight''s Spear, Ban thought this would be a conventional duel. Next, when Charles switched to a fancy rope dart, Ban believed it to be a specialty weapon of Fars. When Charles switched to a meteor hammer, Ban truly believed that this was Charles''s ultimate hidden talent. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire But when Charles switched to double swords, Ban could no longer be certain of how many more skills Charles possessed. When Charles gave up a rapier and was only left with a griffin''s beak, Ban Lanmalock was one hundred percent certain that this guy''s proficiency in weapons was not limited to these, there must be more up his sleeve. At that moment, Charles shouted, "The warm-up is over." Ban Lanmalock actually let out a breath of relief, thinking it was just as expected, and loudly exclaimed, "Come on!" "Let us fight a satisfying battle." Charles swung his sword, drawing seventeen circles in the air, forming seventeen rings of light with the Colorless Blade, pushing them forward with his sword. Ban Lanmalock had never seen such an extraordinary swordsmanship, he focused and prepared to engage, but just as his Frost Dragon Fighting Qi started coursing through him, he felt a sudden heaviness underfoot, breaking through the ice layer and stepping into the water. In his haste to mobilize the Frost Dragon Fighting Qi, he wasn''t quick enough to stabilize his stance, revealing a huge vulnerability. Charles smiled slightly, amplifying his Quickness Technique to the highest level, sending the griffin''s beak straight forward. It broke through Ban Lanmalock''s spearmanship, pointing at his chest, he said calmly, "You''ve lost." Ban Lanmalock hadn''t expected to lose so decisively. He was a resilient man and did not want to argue that it was because the ice layer had shattered, making him unstable on his feet. He spoke in a low voice, "You''ve won!" He spun the Knight''s Spear in his hand, offering the handle to Charles, then let go, turned around, and left. Charles reached out and caught the Knight''s Spear, glancing at the water below, the seven Flame Hands returned one by one, merging into his body from beneath his feet. This move was designed to counter Cyrus, but Charles never expected to use it against Notruden''s youngest lion. At the start of the fight, as soon as Charles realized that Ban Lanmalock was using the Frost Dragon Fighting Qi to solidify the ice layer, moving freely on the river''s surface, he thought of this strategy. However, to avoid suspicion, he went through much trouble beforehand. The moment Ban Lanmalock stepped through and shattered the ice layer was calculated by Charles, who had used the Flame Hand to melt the thick ice from beneath, leaving only a thin layer. If at the start of the battle, Charles had employed this move, it would have been useless. With both fighters'' spirits at their peak, Ban Lanmalock could freeze the water with a simple step, never falling into the trap. But after several hundred exchanges and fighting the entire morning, all of noon, and part of the afternoon, neither fighter''s spirit was at its peak. Ban Lanmalock, aiming to conserve his fighting spirit, did not let it leak out to freeze the river. It was this slight detail that let Charles seize the Goddess of Victory by the ankle. Charles raised the rapier and Knight''s Spear in his hands high, cheers erupted from both riverbanks, and countless Notruden girls threw him kisses of victory. Charles made two rounds on the river Sevantes before returning to shore. His first words to Taoles were, "Quick, get me a dry set of clothes and shoes. I''m completely soaked, and it''s really uncomfortable." Although Charles could stride over waves relying on the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, he was not water repellent. By now, both he and Ban Lanmalock were soaked through. Charles didn''t know how Ban Lanmalock felt, but he was definitely eager to change into a new set of clothes. Taoles looked at Charles, who was soaked all over, and said somewhat playfully, "You''ve got a nice figure!" Charles replied, "Cut the chit-chat." sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Taoles hummed and said, "Alright, no chit-chat then. Why would you think I''d prepare these for men?" Charles was at a loss for words. The three ladies in his party, including Taoles who was also a miss from Su Mei''s Home, although her father was not a count and could not compare to the distinguished status of Menilman, was indeed a top-tier noble lady and certainly not someone to do such things. Anatasiya, despite being an illegitimate daughter, was still Baron Feel''s daughter and had been raised in comfort and privilege, never having done any hard labor, and was a bona fide young lady of privilege who had attended university. Belisa''s status might have been lower, but since she was a little girl, she followed the Duchess, serving as a maid in name but never really doing any strenuous work, always directing other servants instead. Just then, Julian approached and delivered a set of clothes. Charles finally breathed a sigh of relief, boarded the dark luxurious carriage, closed the door, and even drew the curtains. He took off his soaking wet clothes, wiped down his body with a towel, and changed into the comfortable and dry new clothes, immediately feeling his entire spirit returning. As soon as he stepped down from the carriage, he heard a squad of soldiers wearing royal knight''s armor approaching loudly, "Mister Charles Mecklen, the Emperor summons you." Charles hurriedly stowed the dark luxury and followed the royal knights to the Notruden Bridge. Seeing the Emperor of Inglima, one of the Five Great Empires of the Old Continent, twice in a few days was an extremely rare honor. Even many of the great nobles of Inglima might not meet the Emperor as frequently. Charles, while in Fars, had not even seen Emperor Julius Axler, let alone the Emperor. He hadn''t seen the Imperial Palace doors, having only met the Emperor''s brother-in-law, Baron Fabolais, who was known for his love of "squandering his wealth." Emperor Alfred Guillaume seemed very pleased to see Charles, even arranging a seat for him beside himself and said, "Actually, the performances after each duel are the most enjoyable part." "This time, the performance is by the royal song and dance troupe, and I''ve heard the lead dancer is a princess from the New Continent, with an outstanding figure, and apparently, a husband..." Charles couldn''t understand why His Majesty seemed even more excited when he brought up the lead dancer''s husband, but he still complimented, "Your Majesty''s troupe must be the pinnacle of the entire continent." Emperor Alfred Guillaume sighed and said, "It''s a pity they say that I, as the Emperor, should not indulge in pleasure and forbid me from attending!" "Only on such occasions can I witness the elegance of the song and dance troupe." Charles glanced at the Inglima officials and nobles around him and decided not to join the conversation. Soon, more than ten decorated boats sailed on the River Seventus, the largest of which crossed to Notruden Bridge. The other decorated boats threw out hooks and chains to catch this boat, preventing it from being carried downstream. Dozens of beautiful dancers appeared one after another, singing and dancing. However, this classic dance was truly not as provocative as the ones the young ladies on the short video websites performed, and after watching for a while, Charles lost interest. He only regretted that, being beside the Emperor, it was impossible to sneak away halfway. Chapter 208 205, Whale Hunting and Lion Pills Charles felt so drowsy watching the performance.This period was even more exhausting than his duel with Retainer Lamarlock. Emperor Alfred Guillaume, however, seemed quite thrilled and even bestowed some gold pounds on the dancers on the spot. Unfortunately, a bunch of ministers were dissuading him; otherwise, he would have liked the troupe to perform a couple more times. After struggling through it, Charles was about to take his leave when he heard Emperor Alfred Guillaume say, "Lord Mekelen, does Fars also have similar dance troupes?" Charles thought to himself, "Even if we did, I wouldn''t know!" "Such an extravagant song and dance troupe that no one but the Royal Family could afford, I''ve seen one in England, but in Fars, when would I ever get the chance to come across such a thing?" Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire Just as he was about to reply, he suddenly felt countless eyes fall upon him. The ministers from England all fixed their gaze on Charles, putting him under immense pressure. Charles could only give a wry smile and said, "In Fars, I am but a mere head of the Patrolling Army, not high-ranking enough to have seen such lavish spectacles." This response greatly satisfied the senior officials of England, and Charles felt the pressure on him lessen somewhat. Emperor Alfred Guillaume expressed his regret, "That''s right, your status is not high enough, it''s a pity I can only appoint you to an office in England and can''t promote your position in Fars." "You must strive harder, Lord Mekelen." Charles dared not respond; was this an encouragement for him to probe into Fars'' affairs and report to the Emperor of England? Wasn''t that akin to being a high-level spy? If he did a good job, he could be hanged, and the charge would not be taken any more lightly than summoning the Evil God. He was in a split... Probably his body would end up in a split as well... Emperor Alfred Guillaume said contentedly to the officers around him, "Alright, don''t stare so at Lord Mekelen; I shall return to the Red Dragon Palace now, to deal with those state affairs." He patted Charles on the shoulder, saying, "I will summon you again in a few days!" Charles felt as if his shoulder was weighed down by a primordial beast -- not a mental pressure, but a physical one. He was shocked to realize, "Emperor Alfred Guillaume is at least of the Sacred Order." The Emperor departed with a group of ministers in tow. Charles waited a good while before he prepared to leave, but was stopped by Aurora, who called out, "Mister Mecklen, you''ve truly been through a lot today." Charles took a deep breath and circulated the power of Bloody Glory to drive away the physical oppression left by Emperor Alfred Guillaume. He managed a faint smile and said, "I did receive a generous reward, didn''t I?" Aurora said, "Let me take you out to dinner as a way to thank you." Charles readily agreed, "I have no problem with that." The two of them got off the Notruden Bridge, and Aurora, not taking a carriage, took Charles by foot to a restaurant on the banks of the Severn Tisse River. This restaurant was exquisitely decorated, extending over the water on the side facing the river, allowing guests seated there to enjoy their meal while admiring the beautiful view of the Severn Tisse River. Aurora ordered a few authentic Englimar dishes, and Charles had thought that a high-class restaurant like this one wouldn''t serve food that was too bad, even though Englimar cuisine was notoriously unpalatable. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he realized he was wrong when the first course arrived. The dish consisted of a mushy basin of mashed vegetables, around which fried fish heads were arranged. Not to mention the presentation, the smell alone was rather off-putting, with each fish head staring out with bulging eyes as if to communicate to the guests how pitifully they had died and that they couldn''t rest in peace even on the dinner table. The second course seemed normal enough, a gigantic pork knuckle¡ªbut the preparation was rather unusual. Charles prodded it with his dinner knife and confirmed it was raw. Aurora explained, "This is our famous Englimar dish, salted pork hand. It uses no seasoning other than salt and is not cooked. Instead, it is coated with salt and left to air dry. Then it must be stored in a cave, to develop a unique flavor¡ªoften taking years to produce a single piece." Encouraged by Aurora, Charles cut off a small piece and tried a bite, only to find his tongue going numb from the saltiness. As the following courses were served, and upon trying each one with Aurora''s introduction, Charles felt that few things in the world could be more painful, even more so than watching classical dances at the Emperor''s side. He had known that Englimar cuisine was terrible, but he didn''t expect it to be this bad. Each dish used quality ingredients, but their preparations were mind-boggling, with creativity that seemed to soar beyond the heavens¡ªit would be nearly impossible for a normal person to make something so inedibly inventive. As Aurora casually brought up dueling, Charles was putting all his effort into dealing with the "hard dishes" and couldn''t afford to be distracted. Seeing that he had no interest in duelling, Aurora changed the subject, saying, "What do you think of His Majesty''s dance troupe?" Charles, having just managed to swallow a bite of salted pork hand, replied, "I always feel it''s strange to have a dance troupe but no assassination attempts." "Under normal circumstances, shouldn''t a princess with a genocide grudge be making her appearance as a female assassin?" Aurora couldn''t help but laugh out loud, "An assassin? Do you know how many members of the Sacred Order are at His Majesty''s side? Probably more than Fars has invested in Ferlanden. If an assassin appeared, it''s likely not just the assassin, but the organization the assassin came from, the patrons who hired the assassin¡ªall would be uprooted." Charles exclaimed, "There was more than one Sacred Order member present today?" He had never actually seen what it was like when the Emperor traveled. But upon reflecting on the young Emperor, it made sense that the protection around him was stronger. That should be normal. However, Charles couldn''t help but secretly sneer, "With the Emperor''s formidable strength, probably not many on the Old Continent can compare. Does he really need any protection?" Meanwhile, the Fars embassy was bustling with activity. Charles had not returned, but Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa had, and they brought back Charles'' spoils of war¡ªthe Knight''s Spear of Ban Lanmalock. Since he had to meet the Emperor, of course, Charles couldn''t carry any weapons. His unicorn, Blood Rose, the Magic Stabbing Sword given by Aurora, as well as the Withering Rose and the Knight Lance Collapse Mountain, were all taken back by Taoles and the others. Everyone at the embassy was passing around the Knight''s Spear of Ban Lanmalock, which was quite famous in Notruden and called the Whale Slayer. It was said that when Count Ranmalock was young, he had used this spear to kill a giant whale, hence the name. Later, as Count Ranmalock''s cultivation improved, he switched to a Knight''s Spear more suited to his stature, and the Whale Slayer was passed down to his son, Ban Lanmalock. Armed with the Knight''s Spear, Ban Lanmalock had defeated over a hundred opponents in duels, earning the spear another nickname, Lion''s Bulge, also symbolizing the status of Notruden''s youngest lion. Chapter 209 206. A Widowed Great Eldest Princess of the Royal Family Charles had his meal and parted ways with Aurora, even declining her suggestion to go shopping. He felt uneasy without his weapons; normally, he carried at least the Blood Rose, and before he had the Blood Rose, he would carry the Vampiric Hand Axe and a Magnum Hand Shuttle.Aurora said nothing but asked Charles to escort her back to the Foreign Minister''s residence. After dropping her off, Charles hurried back to the embassy street. When he found Taoles and retrieved the Blood Rose and the Withing Rose, and stored them in the bloody vortex inside his left arm, he finally took a deep breath of relief¡ªthe sense of security returned. He thought to himself, "It''s a pity the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle and the two Silver Rhinoceroses are at Machu Picchu, otherwise I''d feel even more secure." Charles then retrieved two Knight''s Spears and a pair of Rapiers. As it was getting late, he returned to his room and practiced Bloody Glory for a while, planning to go to bed on time when he remembered the two documents. In order not to affect his mood for the duel, and since the Augusladin High Priest had not returned, Charles had not touched the two documents. He did not open the one from the High Priest and took out his own document, broke the wax seal, and pulled out the official document. It was a standard royal document, which, aside from commending his contribution to the alliance between the two countries, contained only one substantial statement, promoting Charles Mecklen to a 27th Rank third-level civil affairs director. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although he was promoted by one level, Charles was still not within the untouchable class of 24th Rank or higher, nor was it as high as his position on the side of the Empire of Englima. But Charles knew that his experience in Englima was an extremely unusual case, after all, not everyone had the opportunity to be received by the Emperor and gain his favor. He was very pleased and stored the important document. The next day, the Augusladin High Priest, quite unusually, appeared at the embassy. These past few days, his whereabouts had been unknown. The High Priest looked fatigued, his legs weak, as if he had been doing some heavy "physical work". Charles quickly handed the document over to the High Priest. The Augusladin High Priest pulled out the document, looked at it for a while, and said indifferently, "Mister Charles Mecklen, your wonderful life in Englima is over." "You are about to return to Strasbourg, and there will be a new appointment." Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire He generously handed the document to Charles, who glanced at it and indeed saw the message urging him to return home. It was not merely chatter from the High Priest. He was full of incomprehension and asked, "Why am I the only one returning?" The Augusladin High Priest, with a smile on his face, said, "I don''t understand it myself why only you are to return. However, this is a good thing. I too miss Strasbourg, but for the Emperor, for Fars, I must continue to stay in Englima." Charles, seeing that the High Priest looked very happy, couldn''t see how he missed Englima at all. He actually felt a bit nostalgic for Strasbourg himself, mostly missing Anne. Although in Notruden, he had recently begun to make some friends, Julian was Byron and would eventually return to Byron. Aurora''s personal charm apparently couldn''t compare to Anne''s. Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa would all go back with him, which went without saying. After chatting with the High Priest for a while, Charles wrote a document and submitted an application for returning home to the Foreign Minister''s residence. As a diplomat, every action of his had to be proper to avoid causing displeasure between the two nations. Soon, Charles received the official document from the Foreign Minister''s residence. Not only did they wish him a smooth journey, but they also designated a warship for him, allowing him to return to Fars on what could be proudly called an Englima warship¡ªa rare honor indeed. In the afternoon, the Imperial Palace sent someone over to summon him to the palace. Amidst the envy of the other diplomats, Charles boarded the royal carriage. This time he carried no weapons, so after passing through numerous checkpoints and being frisked by the eunuchs, he met Emperor Alfred Guillaume once again. His Majesty, the Red Dragon Emperor, was delighted to see Charles and kept him for a royal feast. The main dishes served were almost identical to those Aurora had offered the day before, only made more exquisitely¡ªespecially the pot of sticky vegetable mash decorated with a circle of fried fish heads, which seemed larger and had a more tragic look in their eyes than those served at Aurora''s meal. At the table, Emperor Alfred Guillaume proudly said, "I''ve also dispatched an envoy group to go with you to Strasbourg." "The special envoy of this mission is my aunt, a widowed Great Eldest Princess of the royal family. I specifically chose her for you; you must seize this opportunity well." Charles could not help but swallow a mouthful of fish head. He truly did not understand the emperor''s logic¡ªwhat with the aunt, widowhood, and Great Eldest Princess... Each word was serious, but coming from the emperor, each carried a profound desecration. Seeing Charles''s stunned expression, Emperor Alfred Guillaume thought he was overjoyed and eagerly said, "Besides the feast, I''ve also prepared a little appetizer for you. Ms. Aurora Soumay, an officer accompanying my aunt." "How about that? I treat you well, don''t I?" "You need to give it your all, Sir Charles Meklen." Charles nodded repeatedly, though he truly did not know if he should ''give it his all.'' What severe consequences would come after he ''gave it his all''? Emperor Alfred Guillaume prattled on, thoroughly informing Charles about his aunt''s various preferences. By the end of the dinner, Charles knew her liking for silk underwear produced in the New Continent. He even knew intricate details such as the Great Eldest Princess''s dining tastes, favorite novels, and beloved poems. Typically, only a personal maid or a chief steward would be privy to such detailed knowledge. For Charles, this meal was as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles. He had not expected to receive such a unique mission from Emperor Alfred Guillaume, who, although had said nothing explicitly, hinted so clearly it was almost written on his face ''I want to be amused''. Under such heavy pressure, Charles even felt the characteristic dishes of England weren''t too bad. After dinner, under the guise of the emperor draping an arm around his shoulders, Charles was escorted out through two sets of palace gates. Every corridor they passed was filled with countless gazes fixated on Charles''s behind, as if he were a sycophant seducing a foreign emperor. Charles felt as if he were being embraced by a real Red Dragon¡ªa continuous tense apprehension encasing him, fearing that at any moment the emperor might turn hostile and literally eat him alive. Only when he had left the Imperial Palace did he finally take a long, deep breath, feeling as if he had just escaped from some demon''s lair. Chapter 210 207, Female Sacred Order in Black Robes Charles was certain that Emperor Alfred Guillaume was not "a young man without guile, unable to keep secrets"; his initial impression of the Red Dragon Emperor was completely wrong.Although this emperor might have been young, he was absolutely inscrutable, with strategic depth, and every move he made was fraught with significance; he was not the shallow type who merely appeared to enjoy spectacles. A member of the Sacred Order could absolutely conceal their power without ordinary people noticing. Yet, Emperor Alfred Guillaume had revealed his strength twice¡ªonce on the bridge in Notruden, by patting him on the shoulder, and just now, when he had sent him out of the Imperial Palace, with an arm around his shoulders. Such actions must have deep meanings... As Charles sat in his carriage, looking back at the Red Dragon Palace, an inexplicable fear surged within him, just like the sensation he felt the second time he faced the two Evil Gods. Charles sighed deeply from the bottom of his heart, ceased his pondering, and waited as the Imperial carriage took him back to Embassy Street. He did not enter the Embassy of Fars but instead turned to leave, opting for something more understated and luxurious. Before leaving, he wanted to take one last look at the residence bestowed by the emperor. This mansion was at No. 698 on the South Bank Street of Serventes! On either side of the Serventes River, there were streets running through Notruden; near the Red Dragon Palace was the South Bank Street of Serventes, and near the Yuquan Palace was the North Bank Street. South Bank Street of Serventes was more bustling, filled with many famous buildings from the English Empire, as well as numerous attractions, high-end shops, restaurants, taverns, caf¨¦s, and even tea houses nearly absent in Fars, offering teas from various countries for tasting and purchase. No. 698 on the South Bank Street of Serventes was not far from Embassy Street, and under the pull of eight Spirit Horses, the luxurious dark carriage arrived within minutes. Charles transformed the dark luxury into a ring, and couldn''t help but look up at the residence that was even stranger than he had imagined. It was certainly peculiar, not luxurious. It stood on an isolated small hill, which, although not very tall, was about seventy to eighty meters high, so carriages could not reach it. A specific area had been designated at the base of the hill for parking carriages; currently, this carriage park was empty, clearly indicating that no one was residing in the mansion. Charles had long since received the real estate documents and keys. He looked at the main gate of this house, which was built very imposingly, but with no obstructions behind it. From there, two sets of steps were visible¡ªone leading down only a few steps to the carriage park and one ascending up the hill. Charles couldn''t be bothered to open the gate and triggered the Quickness Technique, leaping over the gate, and after about seventy to eighty steps, found a small platform. There were two more sets of steps here¡ªone led to a residence halfway up the hill at No. 699, and the other continued to the peak, which was No. 698! Charles was slightly interested in this neighbor, guessing that no one currently resided there. He took the steps leading midway up the hill, intending to first check out what that residence looked like. He had barely walked about twenty or thirty meters when a faint voice drifted down from above, "This is a private residence; trespassers, please refrain." Charles hadn''t expected the neighbor to be there, and, feeling quite embarrassed, hurriedly produced his real estate documents, saying, "Sorry, I have the real estate documents." No sooner had the words left his mouth than the documents flew out of his hand, seemingly on their own. This shock was not trivial, and Charles drew his rapier, assuming a defensive stance. Someone had taken the documents from his hand without revealing any trace of themselves, which was truly terrifying. After a moment, a slender figure in a black robe appeared elegantly in the air and said, "You''ve gone the wrong way; the top of the hill is where No. 698 is!" This slender black-robed figure tossed down the real estate documents, and in the blink of an eye, disappeared from Charles''s view. Charles leapt up and caught the descending documents, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Sacred Order!" "How could there be a Sacred Order!?" He regretted his rashness as he marveled in secret, why would such a neighbor exist? At the parking area at the foot of the mountain, there weren''t any carriages, and he had assumed the place was uninhabited. Moreover, looking at the steps he had walked, there were hardly any footprints, which meant the resident here... Was none other than that woman in the black robe of the Sacred Order! She didn''t even have a single servant. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire Of course, it''s possible that her servants might be of the Sacred Order too. But that possibility was too low. "Why would a Sacred Order live here?" "What does Emperor Alfred Guillaume mean by giving me this residence, having a bizarre Sacred Order as a neighbor?" "I haven''t been set up, have I?" Charles, lost in his wild thoughts, changed his path. He quickly reached the top of the mountain. The summit of this small mountain had flat terrain, equivalent to several acres¡ªa small square, and on one side, there stood a Sherlock-style building, remarkably tall. Although it had only five floors, each floor was likely over six meters high, decidedly a high-rise building by Earth standards. Charles took out his key, pushed open the door, and entered. The first floor was similar to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, with three studies, two salons, a large hall, and two dining areas. The place was covered in thick dust, seemingly uninhabited for a long time. Charles glanced around the room and decided not to explore further. After all, he had to return to Fars. He would consider cleaning up next time he came. Charles closed the door again and looked toward the middle of the mountain as he descended, recalling that mysterious female of the Sacred Order. Although Earth''s customs would suggest visiting a neighbor, Charles felt it was definitely not a good idea. That mysterious female of the Sacred Order seemed temperamental; if she killed him on a whim and threw him into the Sevantes River, even Emperor Fars might not seek justice for him. Charles took a deep breath, walked down to the base of the mountain, summoned his dark luxury, and returned to the Fars Embassy. He wouldn''t be in Notruden for much longer. Over the next few days, he bought several gifts to take back to Strasbourg, and said farewell to Julian, who had no particular reaction, only wishing him favorable winds. Charles knew that if he were to return to the battlefield, he would surely encounter Julian there, and then they would not be friends but enemies. But such matters elevated to the national level left him with little to say, so he could only bid Julian a diligent farewell. This time, he was not going to include Julian in the diplomatic delegation again. A few days later, Charles received news that the warship, Giant Whale, which would take him back to Fars, was ready to depart. He packed his belongings, took Taoles, Anatasiya, and Belisa, along with eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and headed to the port. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t expect that he would meet an acquaintance yet again at the port. Chapter 211 208, Widowhood has nothing to do with this matter. James Cook was the captain of the Colossal Whale.Charles once had a relationship with the captain of the White Sea Dragon, Francis Drake, as well as Captain James Cook in Cappadocia City, and with the help of their battle ships, they vanquished a fleet of slave traders. There was an exchange of Gold Pounds between them. By the way, Charles entrusted Julian with his two thousand Gold Pounds which, after vanquishing Ban Lanmalock, had quadrupled to over eight thousand Gold Pounds. Combined with some he already had, he now possessed over nine thousand Gold Pounds, making him wealthy even by Inglima standards. Upon seeing James Cook, Charles enthusiastically embraced the other man. James Cook was also quite pleased to see Charles. He had previously had a pleasant time in Cappadocia City, and upon returning to Notruden, learned that Charles had not only delivered Chatham and the heads of important subordinates as promised but also depicted himself and Francis Drake in documents as heroes who saved a foreign emissary, recaptured Cappadocia City, and defeated a pirate fleet. He also heard that His Majesty Alfred Guillaume was very fond of Charles, having summoned him several times in succession, and even bestowed upon him a position and political status in the Inglima Empire, which made him even more eager to cultivate a closer relationship with this young man. Charles arrived early at the port, where James Cook invited him aboard the Colossal Whale and arranged for him to stay in a guest room just below the Captain''s Cabin. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. By noon, Aurora also brought a team aboard the Colossal Whale. When she saw Charles chatting and laughing with James Cook, she could scarcely believe her eyes. James Cook, thirty-five this year, was a twenty-fifth rank warrant officer of the Empire and a High-Level Transcendent. His Marine System Fighting Spirit was torrential and vigorous. He became a naval captain through true skill, commanding a Magical Alchemy Warship, and held an esteemed position. Generally arrogant, he looked down upon those who gained high ranks through noble birth rather than merit, and even when dealing with someone like her¡ªa nineteenth class joint participant with a political status as a Cultural Commissioner in the Diplomatic Officer''s Mansion¡ªhe was unwilling to offer more than cursory courtesy, at best simply conducting official business formally. But right now, this exceedingly proud naval captain was conversing with a foreign diplomatic commissioner as if they were close brothers. Aurora, feeling sentimental, also recalled some words her father had spoken in the past couple of days, advising her to seize the opportunity. Although Aurora had previously found these clich¨¦d words somewhat repulsive, she was now slightly moved. Charles greeted Aurora warmly, as the two of them were, after all, friends with bonds stronger than Gold Pounds. Charles had acquired two Magic Stabbing Swords, two Knight''s Spears, and a unicorn for Aurora''s decisive battle, all of which were fine quality. This bond, then, was even more substantial than that with James Cook. James Cook, though he felt that Aurora had gained a higher rank than himself merely through her father''s protection and could hardly accept it, greeted her with a smile due to her gender and Charles''s mediation, though his aloofness was apparent. Aurora had no need to ingratiate herself with James Cook. The three of them gathered together, chatted casually, and waited for the arrival of the Great Eldest Princess. However, they waited until the afternoon and still the Great Eldest Princess had not arrived. James Cook did not dare to rush her, and instead complained a few words. Charles did not dare to join in but simply smiled and acted as a silent listener. As James Cook was complaining about the Great Eldest Princess''s temperamental nature and unsuitability as a diplomatic envoy due to her self-imposed seclusion following her husband''s death, the sky darkened slightly, and a figure in a black robe appeared above the Magical Alchemy Warship. Charles almost let out a cry of surprise because he had seen this "neighbor" not long before, still in the same style of black robe, the same graceful figure, the same forbidding aura, mysterious and unpredictable... The Great Eldest Princess in the black robe, now holding a book in her hand, looked no different from when Charles had seen her that day. However, he never imagined that this mysterious, Sacred Order neighbor was indeed the Great Eldest Princess. As they were talking merrily, James Cook saw Charles looking stunned, head raised to the sky, and he himself felt a bit foolish. A faint voice came from above: "Arrange a quiet cabin for me." James Cook hastily led the way, assigning the Great Eldest Princess a cabin next to the captain''s cabin, right across from Charles. Charles and Aurora watched the Great Eldest Princess enter her cabin and instructed that she should not be disturbed; both managed to suppress their laughter as they greeted James Cook and headed to their own cabins. Having to command the Magical Alchemy Warship to set sail, James Cook couldn''t keep the two company. He returned to the captain''s cabin, feeling a cold sweat on his back, constantly speculating whether Her Royal Highness the Princess had heard his ramblings. Once back in his room, Charles practiced Bloody Glory as usual. After he had cycled through all the Bloody Vortex, wondering how to pass the time¡ªsince traveling by ship in this era could be rather dull¡ªhe heard someone knocking. Thinking it was Aurora, he opened the door, only to find a slender figure in a black robe instead. This Great Eldest Princess was named Mei Guillermo! Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire Her black robe covered even her face, revealing only a pair of lifeless eyes. Charles performed an Inglima salute and was about to speak when Princess May said, "Do you have any books here? I only brought one and have finished it." Charles, slightly surprised, replied, "Books? What kind do you want?" Princess May spoke indifferently: "Novels." Having transmigrated, Charles had perused several Old Continent novels and thought: "Old Continent novels are clumsily written and full of clich¨¦s. They''re not even worth the eyes of online writers desperate for reviews on Zhihu, who can''t get a contract." Although he didn''t voice it, his disdainful expression revealed all his internal drama. Princess May''s lifeless eyes became slightly annoyed as she said, "You too look down on those masters of the novel?" "Do you know how many stories of joy and sorrow, love and hatred, grandeur and fluctuations they have created?" "Do you know how deeply they''ve delved into the human heart, upheld morality, cared for mankind, and shown compassion for the world?" She extended her hand and pushed, her slender palm just making a gesture that weighed on Charles like a mountain. He couldn''t even draw his rapier, only frantically channeling Bloody Glory as he struggled to say, "I do like classic literature!" As a transmigrator, he never expected that by disdaining the shoddy novels of the Old Continent, he''d offend a Sacred Order princess with high status. Widowhood has nothing to do with it... Chapter 212 209, The whole room was filled with Charless hoarse and strained voice. Great Eldest Princess May Guillaume raised her voice slightly and said, "Have you also read some classic novels? Then please describe which authors'' books you have read?"She casually mentioned a few authors, leaving Charles at a loss for words. Of course, he knew nothing; what kind of interest could a ghost have in the novels of this era? Great Eldest Princess May Guillaume sneered and said, "I knew you were just bluffing. You know nothing about literature and haven''t read any classics. Today, I will teach you, a deceitful little minister, a lesson on behalf of all the literati." Charles was truly losing his mind. His thoughts were racing chaotically as he tried his utmost to invoke Insight to "see" the book inside Princess May''s room. It was a knight novel, a genre that had long fallen out of favor on Earth, with only Don Quixote¡ªa satire on knight novels¡ªbeing celebrated as a great classic of world literature. Charles had never read Western knight novels, but with just a glance through this Old Continent''s knight novel using Insight, he was sure that even the worst knight novels on Earth couldn''t be as poor as this one. He rummaged through all the web novels he had read in his life, discarding those with backgrounds too different from the Old Continent, and found, to his dismay, very few fantasy classics. While he cursed those web novel authors for not writing more fantasy, from the few classic web fantasy novels he had, he picked one¡ªafter discarding the overtly male-oriented titles¡ªthat was slightly more female-oriented and called out loudly, "Once upon a time, there was a Grey Fort Kingdom, with a fourth prince named Roland..." Princess May was actually quite annoyed. Charles becoming her neighbor was abnormal, as was being chosen by the Emperor''s nephew for a mission to Fars, and seeing Charles again on board the great leviathan vessel only confirmed her suspicions about the dirty schemes of the Emperor''s nephew. At first, she was indifferent while Charles recited, but when she heard about the fourth prince Roland saving the witch Anna who was about to be executed, her eyes suddenly lit up with excitement for a story the likes of which she had never encountered before. She retracted the palm she had pushed forward, reducing her force by seventy to eighty percent, and pushed Charles into the room, stepping in after him and closing the door behind her. The room was filled only with Charles''s voice, hoarse and exerted... Yes, he was reciting a novel. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire After half an hour of recitation, having gone through only about five or six chapters, Charles was nearly dehydrated, even more exhausted than after dueling with Retainer Lamarlock for several hours. Princess May was sitting cross-legged on her bed, listening patiently to the story he told. Finally, Charles felt that the threat to his life was gradually dissipating. He poured himself a glass of water, drank it down in large gulps, and then with a light cough, he changed to a less strained and more engaging tone to continue reciting the novel for the Great Princess. As Princess May listened, she grabbed a pillow, leaned back lazily on it, and became increasingly enchanted by the story. Suddenly, a knock on the door sounded, and Aurora''s voice said, "James Cook is inviting us to dine in the Captain''s Cabin." Just as Charles was about to agree and get up to open the door, Princess May suddenly soared up, covered his mouth, and with a slender finger traced lines in the air. Pink Fighting Spirit converged into a line of Inglima text: "Don''t tell them I''ve been here?" Charles thought to himself, "After all the commotion we just caused, they must already know; why bother pretending otherwise?" The Great Eldest Princess traced another line of text: "I sealed the sound with my Fighting Spirit." Charles was quite surprised, thinking to himself, "There''s such a technique?" The Great Princess May released her grip, and with a swirl of her black cloak, she vanished within the room, leaving Charles with no idea how she had left. He stood up to open the door and saw Aurora in a long dress, looking very much like a noble young lady, which was completely different from her usual hunting attire. He chuckled and said, "I was just practicing." Aurora seemed a tad surprised and said, "Why explain it to me? I wasn''t going to check your room." Charles did feel a bit guilty and glanced back at his room, which led Aurora to peek inside as well. Charles was relieved to find the room empty, but Aurora couldn''t help but change color and asked, "Why is your room better than mine?" Charles was baffled. He hadn''t expected Aurora to care about such a thing. James Cook had reserved the two finest guest rooms on board for Charles and Great Princess May Guillaume, which naturally meant that Aurora had to be given a slightly inferior room. Aurora, fuming, said, "I''m going to ask James Cook for an explanation. I am a Nineteenth-Equivalent after all." Charles spread his hands, thinking, "Thank goodness she didn''t find the widowed Great Princess hiding in my room." As for the room matter? After all, it was a trivial issue! He believed that James Cook could handle it. In the unlikely event that Cook couldn''t, he would simply swap rooms with Aurora. He could accept that, given that his rank was lower than Aurora''s. He glanced at the princess''s room, where Aurora stated, "Her Royal Highness the Princess does not want us to disturb her, and she won''t join us for meals, either." The two of them made their way to the Captain''s Cabin, where the previously sullen Aurora became demure and didn''t bring up the issue of the rooms. She behaved like a proper noble young lady, elegant and gracious, with a charm that was admirable. James Cook, on the other hand, was quite talkative. He had been cautious and reserved on their previous encounter because he wasn''t familiar with Charles, unlike how he was with Francis Drake. But now he had come to know Charles as a person of fine character and great potential, who had also won the favor of Emperor Alfred Guillaume, so Cook''s attitude had changed. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During the meal, it was only James Cook and Charles who talked, while Aurora remained silent. Charles was quite interested in the Magical Alchemy Warship and inquired about various aspects of the warship. James Cook was willing to explain most of it, although a few matters were designated as military secrets and could not be elaborated upon. The meal ended with both host and guest in good spirits. Afterwards, James Cook offered them coffee before excusing himself to tend to the warship''s operations. Charles wanted to take a walk on the deck and was about to ask Aurora to join him when he heard a faint voice say, "Dinner is over, come to my room now." Helpless, Charles could only bid Aurora goodbye, saying he needed to return to his practice. Aurora left without a word, drifting away. Charles returned to his room and stood at the door, looking at the one opposite. Just as he was wondering whether he should really go over, Princess May''s door opened, and he was pulled in by an unseen force. As the door closed behind him, Charles saw Princess May sitting on her bed with a pillow in her arms, a pot of brewed tea by her side, clearly prepared in advance. He had no choice but to continue reading novels to the Great Princess. However, as the story progressed to sections involving chemistry, cursed be the Old Continent with no chemistry, he was forced to make things up on the spot... As night fell, Charles finally managed to excuse himself. Back in his room, he took a long breath and muttered to himself, "Thank the author! If I ever make it back to Earth, I''ll have to treat her to a meal to show my gratitude." "...Actually, I wouldn''t mind if she treated me." Chapter 213 210. The Principle of Demonic Magic "Oh! There are so many kinds of magic? Truly unfathomable.""Magic can be used this way?" "The fourth prince is really a genius." "Is this a Fars author? I would like to visit this great novelist!" Sweating profusely, Charles hurriedly said, "No, you don''t!" "This author..." "He has gone on a trip." "Mm, a very long one, it is said he fell seriously ill and is searching for a very strange herb to cure his sickness." Resting her chin in her hands, Princess May fell into thought for a while, then suddenly said, "Don''t talk about this book anymore, I think you''re terrible at storytelling, ruining a good novel. When I get to Fars, I will buy the original and read it myself. Until then, you shall not spoil the story for me." Although Princess May''s face was covered by a black robe, Charles believed that beneath it, the Great Eldest Princess must be looking down her nose at him. Just as Charles breathed a sigh of relief, he heard Princess May say, "Choose a slightly less good story instead!" "A slight... slightly less good story?" Charles suddenly had the dreadful premonition that, should he ever return to Earth one day, he surely wouldn''t be able to find any other author''s work for a meal. After a long contemplation, he finally picked a fantasy that he thought girls might like and said, "Once upon a time there was a count who had a son named Du Wei. This Du Wei, he never wet the bed..." "He couldn''t speak even when he was three years old, and everyone thought he was mute, or even an idiot. On his third birthday, as it rained and lightning flashed wildly, he suddenly blurted out his first words: ''Damn it!''" As Charles told the story, he always pictured a tall, bulky man around 1 meter 89, wearing expensive glasses, angrily roasting, "Who are you saying writes slightly less good books?" Princess May was quickly captivated by the story. She found the book she was listening to had a roller-coaster plot, vivid characters, humorous language, and even a touch of class. Except for the stories she had just heard from Charles, all other novels she had read were rubbish compared to this one. She could hardly imagine that there could be such wonderful stories in the world. She suddenly understood why Charles looked disdainful when he heard that she liked novels. Inwardly, the Great Eldest Princess thought, "Are Inglima''s novels so much worse compared to Fars''s? No, I''ve bought many novels by Fars authors, and they''re not this captivating!" "Could it be? Only in Fars can one find the authentic Fars novels? Do they not publish their best novels in Inglima?" "What kind of bizarre rule is this?" Princess May still felt that Charles was clumsy at storytelling, unable to convey the essence properly. She did not know that Charles was trying hard to adapt the original stories to fit the style of the Old Continent, discarding plots involving transmigrators, which inevitably made the stories somewhat fragmented and prone to collapse. After reluctantly listening for a day, when letting Charles leave in the evening, she said, "This story is way too good, and you still told it poorly. I must buy the original book in Fars as well. Tomorrow, you will give me another story." Charles was at a loss, and as he was about to leave first, Princess May added, "I shall also pay a visit to this author when I go to Fars." Charles hurriedly said, "He is the same author as the previous book." Princess May spoke coldly, "The conception, creativity, writing style, and literary flair of these two books are completely different. Are you trying to fool me?" Charles hadn''t expected the Great Eldest Princess to have such a deep understanding of literature and of course knew the two books weren''t by the same author. He was about to make up an excuse about the author going away when he heard Princess May say, "You aren''t going to tell me he''s gone on a long journey again, are you? Every author in Fars goes on a long journey? Do you take me for a fool?" Charles hastily replied, "No, no, it''s his wife, she''s extremely jealous and will not allow him to have any contact with female readers. Every time he receives a letter from a female reader, she punishes him by not allowing him dinner, and if a female reader comes to visit, she beats him up..." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s truly inconvenient." Charles wiped his sweat and felt fortunate that he had transmigrated; the novelist wouldn''t be coming to the Old Continent to beat him up. Princess May was dubious but waved him off anyway. The very next morning, Charles woke up with a throbbing headache, deep in thought about which fantasy novel might suit the taste of the widowed Great Eldest Princess of the Old Continent. An ancient classic was out of the question¡ªthat book had four protagonists, one of whom had an affair with his own teacher, also a princess... And the book contained quite some indecent descriptions of the princess. He also lacked the ability to forcibly alter the characters of that book. Reciting it as is, Princess May would surely misunderstand, perhaps even becoming enraged enough to kill. While he was freshening up, he heard the ship''s alarm bells ringing loudly and immediately felt relieved. He hurriedly ran up to the deck and saw two Magical Alchemy Warships slicing through the waves, bearing the flags of Byron. James Cook also came up on deck, peered into the distance, and with a grim expression, said, "Turn around, we only have one warship, we surely can''t withstand two of Byron''s warships." Charles couldn''t help but say, "Could we perhaps ask for Princess May''s assistance?" Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire James Cook shook his head and pointed to the sky, "They have a Sacred Order too!" Charles looked up into the distance. His cultivation was slightly inferior to James Cook''s. Insight was an all-encompassing observation, not a long-range vision, so it took him a while before he could see two silhouettes floating in the sky. Clearly, Byron''s side had also deployed members of the Sacred Order. James Cook''s decision was right, relying on speed to shake off the two Magical Alchemy Warships was the best choice. Two warships combined were definitely stronger than one, but two warships combined might not necessarily be faster than one. The Giant Whale, under James Cook''s command, swiftly executed a beautiful turn but, pressed by Byron''s two Magical Alchemy Warships, couldn''t set course back to Inglima and had to be forced westward. The technological aspects of the three Magical Alchemy Warships were similar, and their sailing speeds varied little. The Giant Whale couldn''t shake off the two warships behind it, and for the time being, they couldn''t close in either. Byron''s two Blood Clan of the Sacred Order also seemed to have no intention of catching up for a decisive battle with Princess May. Both parties sailed for several days, gradually veering off the continental shipping routes and began heading into the depths of the ocean. People in the present world had only explored two continents, new and old, but had delved much deeper into the oceans, confirming the existence of seven great seas, with the most exploration being in the Whale Sea. As the Magical Alchemy Warships entered the deep sea, Charles occasionally saw deep-sea whales breaking the ocean surface, spraying plumes of water into the air. This ocean was the home of the gigantic whales, and sailors often encountered various sea whales, hence the name. Chapter 214 211, this is the real royal sister flight! This tedious sea chase was a true test of a commander''s caliber.As one of Inglima''s naval elite, James Cook''s command abilities were beyond question, yet the two Magical Alchemy Warships that appeared and disappeared intermittently, relentlessly on his tail, put immense pressure on James Cook. His mission was not to engage in battle, but to escort the envoy to Fars. James Cook was well aware that his main task was to deliver the envoys to Fars, not to engage in a decisive naval battle with the forces of Baron. Gazing into the distance at the sea, he said to Charles beside him, "If the Leviathan sails northward, it can circle around to the other side of Song Spirit Island. I recall you have a fleet in Cappadocia City. I will drop you off at Song Spirit Island so that you can cross through and set sail from Cappadocia City to Fars." Charles exclaimed in surprise, "Wouldn''t that mean you have to draw away the two Magical Alchemy Warships from Baron?" "If Princess May is not on the warship, and Baron''s Sacred Order intercepts your ship..." Charles hesitated, leaving the rest unsaid. There were many taboos on a warship, and it was inappropriate to speak certain things. James Cook said in a grave voice, "This is my duty." "The primary duty of a soldier is to accomplish the mission." Charles shook his head and said, "I have a better way!" "You might as well hear me out, James. If it doesn''t work, we can proceed according to your plan." James Cook was a stubborn man. If it had been anyone else, he would have outright refused without even listening. But Charles was different to him; he patiently responded, "Speak." In truth, he did not believe Charles could offer any valuable suggestions. After all, Charles was a civilian and entirely outside the military hierarchy. Although Charles had captured Cappadocia City and built a fleet from scratch, which did impress James Cook somewhat, he did not consider it military talent, just good fortune, especially since it was Chatham''s fleet that he had coerced into surrendering. What he did not know was that Charles had his own set of problems: the fleet in Cappadocia City was purely for the purpose of "Maze-ification," hastily put together. When Charles left, he had left the fleet in the hands of Simon and Cruz. One was a merchant ship owner, the other the former Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia City. The former could not be relied upon and had barely obeyed under the threat of a pufferfish pill; the latter, a native Song Spirit Islander, had initially been deceived into thinking Charles was from Baron, and later... When James Cook and Francis Drake arrived at Cappadocia City, it was impossible to keep Charles''s true identity a secret. It was lucky that no one exposed him on the spot. Charles did not believe, upon returning to Cappadocia, that he would still find a "fleet." As for using the Labyrinth to return to Fars... It was not part of Charles''s plan. The fewer people who knew this secret, the better. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, this secret directly implicated Charles Mecklen in the summoning of the Evil God. Clearing his throat lightly, Charles said, "Actually, Inglima''s navy is certainly superior to Baron''s navy, and I also firmly believe that you, James Cook, possess command and combat abilities far surpassing any naval officer of Baron." This flattery made James Cook quite comfortable, and he showed a willingness to listen, waiting for Charles''s strategy. Charles said, "Therefore, I have a plan. Let me try to draw away one Magical Alchemy Warship, creating a one-on-one combat situation for you to face the other one." James Cook also recognized this strategy, but he still patiently explained, "This is almost impossible." Charles gave a slight smile and said, "The people of Byron not only can wait on the inevitable path of the Giant Whale Ship, but they can also dispatch two members of the Sacred Order to exert pressure on Princess May. It''s as if they have us completely in their grasp." James Cook nodded. The Giant Whale Ship would be intercepted at sea by two of Byron''s Magical Alchemy Warships; clearly, someone had leaked information. Charles then made a surprising suggestion to James Cook, "If Princess May were to take you to escape, would they send warships after you?" James Cook categorically rejected the idea, "I will never leave the warship." Charles smiled and said, "No one can make you leave the warship, for without you, this plan cannot be executed. I certainly won''t be commanding this big toy." Charles took out the Cat''s Mask and handed it to James Cook, saying, "We''ll have Miss Aurora Sumei disguise herself as you, letting the Great Eldest Princess take her for a ride around the vicinity of the two Byron warships. Even if they have suspicions, they will still dispatch one warship to pursue." Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire "Moreover, they will definitely send at least one member of the Sacred Order!" "Without a member of the Sacred Order, they can''t stop the Great Eldest Princess." James Cook''s mind cleared up suddenly. Although the plan was crude, if Princess May truly took him, the "captain," and fled, the people of Byron would pursue them even if they sensed a potential deceit. If they didn''t pursue, it wouldn''t be a big problem either; Princess May could simply take a detour and then return. After pondering for a long time, James Cook said, "I will go explain this plan to Princess May right away." Charles thought to himself, "That''s perfect!" "These past few days, I''ve nearly run out of novels to recite." "Every time after reciting a few dozen chapters, Princess May would say, ''This is an unparalleled story, but your words are dull, your expression dry, diminishing the story''s brilliance. Shut up. I will go buy the original to read. Bring me another tale!''" "Even juicing doesn''t work like this." "This is draining the pond to get the fish!" James Cook went away for dozens of minutes, then came back in a hurry and said, "Princess May agrees with the plan, but she has rejected Miss Aurora, insisting that you act as me." Charles''s forehead thumped at that moment. This was a bit too much to handle! However, since he had proposed the plan, he inevitably couldn''t refuse such a request. He personally tried to persuade Princess May, but her answer was, "Not negotiable." Charles could only look aggrieved and entrusted two Knight''s Spears and a Magic Stabbing Sword to Taoles. He only brought with him a griffin, as well as two ordinary pistols and a bag of bullets. As for Blood Rose and Withing Rose hidden inside his left arm''s Bloody Vortex, they were his security that he would never leave behind. After making these arrangements, he then changed into James Cook''s uniform, stroked James Cook for a while, and transformed into the appearance of this Inglima naval officer. Princess May''s arms went under Charles''s armpits and gently lifted him, activating a surge of Fighting Spirit, and took a roundabout flight near the two Byron Magical Alchemy Warships. Although Charles had tried using "The Flourishing World Blossoms" to levitate, flying in Princess May''s embrace felt quite different. He muttered to himself, "This is truly an ''elder sister'' flight experience!" Not just an elder sister, but a "your highness" elder sister! Chapter 215 212, Misplaced Anger Far Away Well, although in theory, no matter what is being commanded, people should always be at the top.Upon sensing the aura of Princess May, Charlotte suddenly felt that being on the lower end might be okay. The stance isn''t what''s important. The commanders of the two Magical Alchemy Warships of the People of Byron were also unclear about what the Englima People were up to; they did recognize James Cook, however. After all, a young military officer of this caliber who is also a High-Level Transcendent and captain of a Magical Alchemy Warship, would not number more than twenty across all Five Great Empires. This kind of basic intelligence wouldn''t be lacking in the Five Great Empires. When Princess May approached near the two Byron Empire Magical Alchemy Warships, one of the warships fired a cannonball. With a slight detour, Princess May easily dodged the alchemy cannonball since its accuracy was compromised by the great distance. The Transcendent Level Magical Alchemy Cannon fired the alchemy cannonball, bursting in the air. Despite being quite far away, Charlotte was so frightened that her hair stood on end as she whispered, "Princess May, we can retreat now." The Great Eldest Princess said indifferently, "How can we not return fire at least once." Before Charlotte could say anything, he felt the whooshing of wind by his ear, as Princess May dived and hurled him towards one of the Magical Alchemy Warships. Relieved of the burden of Charlotte, the Great Eldest Princess charged up her Fighting Spirit, transforming into a pink meteor that clashed with a Transcendent Level Magical Alchemy Cannon. Two Sacred Order Blood Clan members from Byron hastily ascended to the sky to block the Great Eldest Princess. The Transcendent Level Magical Alchemy Cannons, each extraordinarily expensive, required Transcendent materials and technological expertise for their construction, far surpassing personal Transcendent Level weapons in complexity. If Princess May were to destroy one, the loss would indeed be severe. Charlotte hadn''t expected to be thrown onto the enemy warship. He hurriedly drew out his griffin sword; with a flash of the blade, he sliced two charging Byron naval soldiers. "I must have offended Her Royal Highness the Great Eldest Princess!" "Actually, it''s not bad to just sit on the warship and tell stories to Her Royal Highness the Princess earnestly. So what if it''s a bit excessive? There are so many online novels that even if I recited the beginning of one every day, it would take years to run out. And if push comes to shove, there are always the world''s classics!" "Why should I complain, why don''t I realize the blessing I''m in?" On one hand, Charlotte frenetically criticized himself, and on the other, he fought desperately, truly staking his life, for an entire warship of Byron naval soldiers was swarming to attack him. Worried about being shot from the shadows and fearing a siege, Charlotte dared not linger. He executed the Quickness Technique and the Spirit Spider Technique, dashing chaotically across the warship. His Asiluo Clan swordsmanship flowed like a cascade of flowers, full of grace and color. Even when he had charged into battle alone under the walls of Silver Pigeon Fort and killed Jonathan, Charlotte had never been this thrilled. After all, beneath Silver Pigeon Fort lay open wilderness where he could escape, but now he was trapped on a Magical Alchemy Warship with very limited space. There were indeed High-Level Transcendents on this Magical Alchemy Warship, even seven or eight Middle-Low Order Transcendents. The peril and excitement of this battle were unparalleled in Charles''s experience since crossing over to this world. When Charles struck with his griffin, a Byron officer also brandished his sword to counterattack. With a single exchange of blows, Charles failed to kill his opponent, and he immediately employed the Quickness Technique, leapt up, and jumped down to the next deck. Alone, if he were to be surrounded by the people of Byron, it would only take a dozen or so moves before he was beaten to death, so he dared not tangle with any enemy. On this Byron Magical Alchemy Warship, nearly all the sailors had gone mad¡ªthey had never expected to be attacked by a single human boarding their ship. At that time, Charles was using the Cat''s Mask to take on the appearance of James Cook. Although he wasn''t using the marine system fighting spirit or swordsmanship in the Englima style as the records indicated, such fierce combat power could only belong to someone of captain''s rank. Even though some had their doubts, no one stopped to think it over¡ªthey all just wanted to encircle and kill Charles first. James Cook, watching from a distance, was startled to see Princess May throw Charles overboard, and while he worried for Charles, he noticed another Byron Magical Alchemy Warship accelerating towards the Colossal Whale-Mammoth. In an instant, James Cook realized that the captain of this Byron warship believed he was not on board and thus launched a forceful attack. Operating a Magical Alchemy Warship is extremely complicated. Having a captain on board or not makes the combat power completely different. The enemy wanted to take advantage of "James Cook not being on board" to crush the Englima Magical Alchemy Warship. After a moment''s hesitation, James Cook made up his mind, cast aside his worries for Charles and Princess May, and ordered his Colossal Whale-Mammoth to slow down, choosing a battlefield to duel the Byron warship. Charles fought a bloody battle, not knowing how many he had killed. He had at least six or seven wounds on his body, but with no way to escape, he could only valiantly fight on. He didn''t even have the leisure to hate the Great Eldest Princess anymore. The radiant sword light of the griffin swept from left to right but was blocked by another Byron officer''s sword. Charles hurriedly used the Quickness Technique to evade this sword-skilled enemy, but spurred on by Blood Energy, he failed to bring forth his energy and was entangled by the officer''s relentless swordsmanship. Charles was taken by surprise and tried to break through the Byron officer''s blockade. His griffin''s sword light slashed repeatedly, taking out six or seven ordinary naval soldiers who lunged at him, but he sustained another wound in the process. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just when Charles thought he was finished, a delicate hand descended from the sky, grabbed him, and soared upwards. Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire Princess May, while flying with her fighting spirit, slashed out beams of fighting spirit light behind her. Two relentless Byron Blood Clan at the Sacred Order pursued her. The Magical Alchemy Warship, where Charles had been fighting just moments ago, followed close behind. Although the Sacred Order could fly, they could not always stay in flight. Eventually, they needed to land, rest, and replenish their energy, so the warship had to keep up with them. In the eyes of the people from Byron, their Sacred Order could rest on the warship at any time, but the Great Eldest Princess could not. Eventually, they could wear down this Sacred Order princess from Englima. Charles was gasping for air, his Blood Energy greatly depleted from the recent battle and nearly exhausted. Suddenly, he heard Princess May quietly ask, "Are you an admirer of Menilman?" Charles was slightly surprised, wondering why the Great Eldest Princess would bring this up, and casually replied, "Menilman senior is my idol." Princess May chuckled and asked, "Do you know how I came to be a widowed princess?" Charles had no idea, but before he could answer, Princess May said, "My husband was killed in a one-on-one duel by that famous Zimmerman Axel Robin, who was engaged to Menilman." "Now do you understand why I threw you overboard?" Chapter 216 213, that scumbag Alfred Guillaume (please bring more monthly tickets) "He was the finest young officer in the Inglimar Royal Navy, unparalleled to this day. It was just a routine operation to encircle pirates; no one expected to encounter Zimmerman Axel Robin¡­""Right, back then he didn''t go by Axel, just Zimmerman Robin." "Initially, my husband''s navy had the upper hand, but he was infuriated by Zimmerman Axel Robin''s humiliation. Being naturally proud and never believing his swordsmanship could be bested, he agreed to a fair duel between the two." "Zimmerman Axel Robin¡­" "It was in that duel he killed him, shattered the Inglimar Royal Navy, and suddenly became the Pirate King''s right hand." "No one can describe the despair I felt at the news; if it weren''t for the novels sustaining me, I fear I wouldn''t have survived all these years." Charles was originally very angry, but after listening to everything Princess May said, he felt a bit of sympathy, reducing his great anger slightly, he loudly said, "What does that have to do with me?" "I''m not Zimmerman Axel Robin!" Princess May gently said, "It was Alfred Guillaume, that scoundrel, who asked you to approach me, right? Even if there were no old grievances, what''s wrong with me punishing a little troublemaker harboring ill intentions?" Charles was suddenly speechless. He really wanted to say, "This damn well has nothing to do with me either." But how could he clearly explain such a situation? Emperor Alfred Guillaume had set him up ever since he granted him the residence at 698 South Riverside Avenue; this black pot, he had to bear it whether he liked it or not. Princess May smiled faintly and said, "Didn''t I ultimately save you?" "You should feel fortunate that you know a few novels." "Otherwise¡­" The Great Eldest Princess didn''t say what would happen otherwise because two of Byron''s Blood Clan of the Sacred Order were already closing in. Charles looked out from a high altitude, seeing The Giant Whale battling with one of Byron''s Magical Alchemy Warships, while another one of Byron''s warships, although not able to catch the flying Sacred Order, was still persistently following behind. He took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions, and said, "Find an island and drop me off." "In a battle with a Sacred Order, I am just a burden." Charles had no desire whatsoever to continue staying with the Great Eldest Princess. Princess May nodded, then let go. Charles fell from the sky, nearly losing his soul, but luckily he activated the Bloodflame Transformation Art just in time before hitting the sea, slightly cushioning his momentum, and then a splash plunged him dozens of meters deep into the sea. Charles hurriedly reverted to his human form and activated the Quickness Technique, rising to the surface. The three Sacred Orders in the sky had already begun their confrontation, and he gasped for air, choosing to simply drift with the waves, not attempting to run across the sea surface. There were two enemies of the "Sacred Order" in the sky, any of whom could strike him dead with a single blow ¡ª how could he possibly recklessly expose himself? Charles figured out the direction and estimated the journey ahead, deciding to swim toward Song Spirit Island, feeling that this massive island must be the nearest land. Having just endured a fierce battle, exhausted and drained, Charles did not swim at full speed, but instead slowly recovered his Bloody Glory while leisurely advancing toward Song Spirit Island. Soon, he could no longer see the three Sacred Orders in the sky, nor could he find any warship. Just as Charles felt fortunate to have regained his "freedom," he noticed an enormous, indescribably large dark shadow slowly rising beneath him. An alarm sounded in his mind, and he hastily swam to the side, just as a gigantic whale burst through the sea surface, even leaping into the air. The whale was so enormous that it far surpassed the largest living creature on Earth, measuring around sixty to seventy meters, like a small mountain leaping into the air before crashing back into the water, sending waves several stories high. Charles felt like a coffee bean thrown into a cup and furiously stirred, helplessly riding the waves high into the air, then slamming back down with the massive surges. For the first time, he comprehended the formidable, irresistible force of nature ¡ª even as a Transcendent, he felt as insignificant as dust. After the whale breached and fell back into the water, it flicked its tail, sending Charles, who had just steadied himself, flying back into the air. As Charles fell, he landed beside the whale and drew his unicorg to stab into the beast, but as the whale turned slightly, an eye larger than his body firmly fixed on him. Embarrassed, Charles retracted his unicorg, only to unexpectedly notice a hint of a smile in the whale''s eye. The whale spread its fins, seemingly inviting him. Hesitating for a moment, Charles boldly leaped onto its back. Surprisingly, the whale did not dive underwater or attempt to leap again but steadily swam in a certain direction. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles found it very peculiar as he looked around; the sea and sky were clear, the weather was fine, and the scenery was beautiful, yet everything felt strange. But with things as they were, Charles did not know what else to do but to adapt as things came. He tried to take off his clothes one by one, wringing them dry before putting them back on ¡ª there was no Julian to prepare dry clothes for him now. Though in Earth''s martial arts novels, it was common for highly skilled masters to dry their clothes with internal energy, such control was beyond almost all the Transcendents of the Old Continent. Charles knew he couldn''t do it either; Bloody Glory had no temperature, and while Blood Flame Qi could ignite his clothes, drying them without burning them was a difficult skill. Charles practiced for several hours atop this mysteriously appearing whale, recovering most of his Bloody Glory and regaining his full combat strength. With renewed courage, he couldn''t help but yell, "Old buddy, what''s your name?" The whale beneath him seemed to understand and responded with a loud sound, like singing, but Charles couldn''t comprehend the whale''s "language" and spread his hands, saying, "Sorry, I don''t understand!" The whale seemed quite annoyed by his "foolishness" and spouted a jet of water. Using his quick reflexes, Charles managed to dodge most of it but still got his freshly dried clothes soaked again. He decided not to provoke the whale any further and patiently waited, confident that whatever the origin of this whale, he would eventually find out. It couldn''t possibly be aiming to eat him? Charles was confident on that front; setting aside whether he tasted good, he was surely not enough to fill it. Chapter 217 214, Pink Meteor Charles had no idea how much time had passed. Nightfall was arriving over the ocean¡ª a chill arose with the wind, and he was starting to feel a bit hungry.This giant whale must be a Transcendent Creature, so imposing that no fish dared approach. Even if Charles wanted to catch a few fish to eat raw, he found no targets. He had never experienced this before and didn''t know how long a Transcendent could last without food. As for his injuries, they had mostly healed already. He had used the Bloodflame Transformation Art to morph into Blood Flame and then back into his human form, which alleviated some of the wounds, though it consumed some Blood Energy. After changing back and forth seven or eight times, his body was already mostly recovered. While Charles was deep in thought, he suddenly noticed what seemed to be a shooting star streaking across the sky and quickly made a wish, "May I escape the danger of the Evil God and become of the Sacred Order!" After a while, he felt that this wish wasn''t grand enough. How could a transmigrator be so lacking in ambition? While the shooting star hadn''t yet faded, he made a second wish: to become a Deity. Some time later, noticing that the shooting star still hadn''t gone out, he made another wish: for a glass of Coke! This time, he noticed that the color of the shooting star in the sky was off; it was slightly pink and was falling toward him, growing larger and larger. Charles urgently shouted, "Danger, old pal, let''s quickly get out of the way!" The giant whale let out a sonorous song, seemingly very excited. Charles saw that the giant whale seemed not to understand what "danger" meant and was about to plan his own rescue when he recognized the shooting star. Sure enough, as the pink shooting star flew over his head, he finally saw it clearly¡ªit was a burst of pink Fighting Spirit, and wrapped in it was a woman in a black robe, graceful and curvaceous. Princess May gracefully landed on the whale''s head, reached out her delicate hand, and patted the giant ocean beast''s big head. The whale responded with an even louder song that echoed through the night. Still unnerved, Charles asked, "Is this yours?" Princess May replied, "I''ve taken up a side job as a magician; it''s my magical contract beast." "You can call it ''Gazing at the Stars,'' or ''A''kong'' if you like," she said. Charles''s mind instantly pictured Inglima''s famous dish. No matter what, he couldn''t associate this giant whale with a bowlful of fish heads. The fish and shrimp that had been eaten by the whale probably wouldn''t die feeling so regretful. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire Only then did Charles realize that the Great Eldest Princess hadn''t just carelessly abandoned him; rather, she''d been kind enough to arrange for a giant whale to pick him up. No wonder the giant whale was so friendly. And so human-like. It had an owner after all. Princess May let out a sonorous long howl that sounded almost identical to the whale song, and ''Gazing at the Stars'' immediately turned its massive body, changing direction. Charles then remembered to ask, "How did your battle with those two of the Sacred Order go?" "And what about on James Cook''s side?" Princess May, while comforting her contract beast, answered, "I''ve seriously injured one of Baron''s Blood Clan of the Sacred Order, and James Cook did well¡ªhe sank the Baron battle ship that was entangled with him." Charles was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Then let''s hurry back!" Princess May coldly said, "Why should we go back?" ``` Charles exclaimed in surprise, "Having beaten the People of Byron, why not return?" Princess May, standing charmingly atop the giant whale''s head looking up at the stars, replied, "It''s not easy to get a breath of fresh air; why hurry back? We just need to make sure we arrive at Fars around the right time." "The Giant God Whale is packed with people¡ªI''m very uncomfortable there. It''s nowhere near as pleasant as being with Ah Kong." Charles nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself, "That works for me, just send me back." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, after a while, he despairingly realized that the Great Eldest Princess clearly did not regard him as a person because being with him didn''t cause her any "discomfort." This... was a bit too much. He still wanted to be considered a person. Princess May, when aboard the Giant God Whale, was completely different¡ªappearing carefree and relaxed. She looked at the stars for a while and then, from somewhere, pulled out a huge pillow, hugging it as she walked over to Charles. She placed the pillow down, leaned against it, and said, "Continue telling me stories!" "I want to hear the one about Du Wei." Charles, with a tearful face and about to protest¡ªsince he hadn''t eaten or drunk anything all day¡ªsuddenly spotted an exquisite kettle and some pastries. Overjoyed, he snatched up the kettle and pastries, devouring them ravenously. It was only after nearly polishing them off that he remembered to ask, "Princess, have you eaten yet?" Princess May replied indifferently, "Can you tell the story now?" Charles forced himself to perk up and continued with Du Wei''s tale. Frankly speaking, sitting on the back of a giant whale, accompanying a beautiful princess... Well, Charles hadn''t seen Princess May''s face, so her beauty could be momentarily set aside. In fact, just describing it in words seems quite romantic. But for Charles, it was sheer misery. On the back of the whale, without any shelter, the midday sun was scorching, and the whale''s skin was so slippery that it was very hard to sleep. Although Princess May provided food and drink, as time passed, the pastries grew less and less fresh... All in all, Charles¡ªaccompanying Princess May, riding the giant whale while stargazing at sea¡ªhad traveled for seven or eight days and had had enough of this life. The more time passed, the more Charles missed the VIP cabin on the Giant God Whale, not to mention his several properties. Even the still desolate Machu Picchu would be more comfortable than living on the back of a whale. Princess May, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed this lifestyle, listening to Charles recount classic Earth novels every day and occasionally leaving for a bit to enjoy nearby rides. Once, she even somehow gathered a group of whales to accompany them next to the stargazing whale, forming a magnificent and stately procession. The only slight consolation for Charles was that during these days, to resist the intense sunlight of the day and the cold night winds, he constantly practiced Bloody Glory. On the seventh or eighth day, his Blood Flame Qi lightly trembled and broke through again, and another cluster of runes appeared, finally refining the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet. The Vampire Secret Scrolls, detailing the secret techniques of the Adonis Clan and consisting of seventeen pages, with each page recording one Adonis Clan secret technique¡ªCharles had already mastered the first page: Blood Flame Qi, the second page: Bloodflame Transformation Art, the third page: Flame Hand, and he finally also mastered the fourth page: Flame Scorching Blast Bullet, successfully delaying the return of the Blood Clan Evil God Kahnstan by nearly twenty days. The fifth page of the Vampire Secret Scrolls recorded another secret technique of the Adonis Clan: Magic Flame Horse. This was a summoning technique. ``` Chapter 218 215, um, I dug out his Blood Core ```The Magic Flame Horse is a type of Spirit Horse! Spirit Horses do not exist in the Old Continent; they live in another world and can only be summoned, not bred. They must be tied to an Extraordinary Object as their anchor in this world, as they cannot exist independently. The Spirit Horse is the best mount on the battlefield. They charge into the fray and hardly tire, but if the Extraordinary Object they depend on is destroyed, they will never appear again. A Spirit Horse undergoes a transformation every hundred years. Sometimes, they grow stronger, sometimes they split into two different Spirit Horses, and other times they perish. Generally, if a Spirit Horse manages to transform two or three times, there is a chance for it to become a Magic Flame Horse. It is almost incorporeal and can walk on any surface, be it hills, swamps, or water, and can even dash through a sea of flames. Summoning a Magic Flame Horse is extremely difficult, but the Adonis Clan''s Blood Magic not only allows for the summoning of Magic Flame Horses but also enables the re-forging of the Magic Flame Horses with Blood Flame Qi, allowing for an exceedingly close relationship with the Blood Clan. It can even draw upon its master''s strength or reciprocate by endowing strength to its master. After having spent a day narrating novels to Princess May, Charles finally relaxed and began flipping through the Adonis Clan''s secret scrolls. He was also quite interested in the Magic Flame Horses. In ancient China, traveling by horse relied on the availability of relay stations and inns for resupplying horses with fodder and beans. After a day''s travel, riders could find provisions at these establishments. In contrast, transportation in the Old Continent was very inconvenient. Despite the presence of knights, cavalry was not widespread, and there was no corresponding convenience supply chain, which made riding horses troublesome as one had to manage the horses'' fodder themselves¡ªa significant hassle. Even in ancient China, deploying cavalry required a large number of supporting troops. In the Old Continent, a cavalry expedition often necessitated more than ten times the number of infantry providing logistics. What''s more, the Old Continent lacks grasslands that facilitate the swift movement of cavalry; instead, forests predominate the landscape. Charles, however, had heard that in the New Continent there are vast grasslands and the development of cavalry is much faster than in the Old Continent. A creature from another realm like the Magic Flame Horse requires no fodder; it only needs magic power to sustain its existence. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire Charles didn''t value it much as a mount for battle, but for traveling purposes, it was much faster than a carriage. Even the dark luxury could not compare to the speed of traveling by horseback. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles was perusing the Adonis Clan''s secret scrolls, also known as the "Charles Mecklen Diary," when Princess May suddenly reached out and took the diary from him. She glanced at it and tossed it back to Charles, saying, "To what rank has your ''Bloody Glory'' been cultivated?" Charles replied softly, "Eighth Order." Orders seven to twelve belong to the Mid-Level Transcendent. At the moment, Charles counts as just entering the mid-level and still has a long way to go before reaching High-Level Transcendent. Princess May didn''t say much, only lightly stating, "Not far ahead lies St. Michael Island." Charles was slightly startled and inquired, "The St. Michael Island occupied by the Golden Goat fleet?" Charles remembered Crazy Horse Davis saying that departing from Cappadocia City, it would take at most half a day''s journey to reach St. Michael Island and the Golden Goat fleet, which possesses about thirty ships, three of which are warships. One of those warships should be in Cappadocia now, though he wondered how the fleet was faring. Princess May hummed in acknowledgment and then stated, "Even I wouldn''t dare venture to St. Michael Island." "They have one Magical Alchemy Warship, one Ancient Magic Warship, and a Sacred Order individual in command." "Back then, Zimmerman Axel Robin sought to conquer all the pirate fleets and personally engaged in a duel with the master of the Golden Goat fleet..." Unable to contain his curiosity, Charles asked, "What was the outcome?" Princess May answered, "The outcome was that Zimmerman gave up on St. Michael Island." Charles, who had previously not thought much of the Golden Goat fleet, now held it in higher regard upon learning of its glorious accomplishment and remarked, "No wonder Francis Drake and James Cook do not speak of attacking this island city." Princess May laughed softly and said, "Even with a Sacred Order on their ships, they wouldn''t dare approach St. Michael Island." Charles queried, "If we are not heading to St. Michael Island, where are we going?" Princess May spoke indifferently, "Naturally, to Cappadocia City!" "Don''t you have a fleet there?" Somewhat sheepishly, Charles said, "I was a bit crude in my control of the merchant ships back then, and I left no one in charge. That fleet has probably disbanded by now." Princess May suggested, "Why don''t we take a look to find out?" Charles didn''t argue further; after all, if the fleet was gone, it was no big deal. If it was still there... Well, wouldn''t that be too good to be true? The next day, when the sun rose, Charles saw a small hill emerging from the sea. The entire hill had been transformed into a city, with massive cannons at every direction. Around this island city, thirty to forty mid to large vessels were sailing back and forth, but only a dozen or so flew the flag of the Golden Goat fleet. Without instigating conflict with this pirate fleet, Princess May had the giant whale that looked up at the stars bypass St. Michael Island and head toward Cappadocia. The whale was much faster than average merchant ships. By the afternoon, Charles saw the small seaside city once again. To his surprise, the port of Cappadocia City, although indeed missing its previous seventeen ships, still had five or six merchant vessels docked, flying his flag. ``` Chapter 219 215, um, I dug out his Blood Core_2 Yes, when Charles was in Cappadocia City, he had the city and merchant ships all fly the Mecklen Family''s merchant flag.The great whale, looking up at the starry sky, was too massive to dock, so Charles and Princess May jumped into the sea ahead of time. He used the Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique to sprint across the waves, and as they got close to Cappadocia, someone shouted, "It''s Mister Mecklen!" Immediately, the entire port erupted as countless residents, seemingly out of nowhere, waved their hands, clothing, baskets, and all sorts of messy things, cheering loudly, "Welcome home, Mister Charles Mecklen!" Princess May gave Charles an unexpected look and said, "You''re quite popular, aren''t you?" Charles chuckled awkwardly; he had not expected that after being away for so long, he would still command such prestige in this city. As soon as he set foot on the port, he saw Cruz, the former Patrol Army Superintendent of Cappadocia City, approaching with a team. On seeing Charles, Cruz''s eyes brimmed with tears, and he exclaimed, "Your subordinate greets Mister Mecklen." Charles raised his hand to help him up and asked, "Why are there only five or six ships left? Has everyone not disbanded yet?" Cruz replied softly, "They''ve taken alchemical magic potions and are very worried they will die. I had no choice but to concoct some ointment and trick them into thinking it was an antidote. Surprisingly... it worked rather well." "Now, the merchant fleet of Cappadocia City has expanded to twenty-three ships, and several merchant ship owners have joined voluntarily. Most of the merchant ships are not docked at the port; they''re out transporting goods and have not left Cappadocia City." "Everything in this city is thriving, life is much better than before." Charles took a glance at this "temporary subordinate" and for the first time realized that this guy was actually talented! His alchemical magic potion was a fake, and under normal circumstances, it would have been found out quickly. Charles didn''t expect that Cruz would actually maintain the fleet with a ruse of his own making. Well, there were some details that didn''t quite add up, but for the moment, Charles decided not to investigate further. Getting by without complicating things, and embracing ignorance on some matters, is a great wisdom in life. Charles took Princess May to the City Lord''s Mansion, and along the way, he noticed that the population of Cappadocia City seemed to have increased, and the city''s army seemed to have grown as well. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire He inquired with Cruz, and the former Patrol Army Superintendent replied, "Because you rescued the people of Song Spirit Island, freeing them from slavery, many people after your departure brought their families to Cappadocia, and it also attracted residents from other cities. Now Cappadocia has nearly ten thousand residents." Charles hadn''t expected the city to surprise him even more. He asked around and couldn''t understand how a city with almost no management could get better and better? Could it be that as long as the officials don''t meddle, the people themselves will make their lives better? Such a thought is too dangerous. It''s not conducive to the ideas promoted by the Empire, so it''s better not to entertain such thoughts. Charles did not introduce Princess May''s identity to anyone. The people of Song Spirit Island didn''t have a good impression of the Inglima Empire; after all, the Inglima''s local governor here was involved in slave trade, capturing natives of Song Spirit Island to sell to slavers. Dressed in plain robes, Princess May was wrapped up snugly, not looking at all like a princess. In Cappadocia City, Charles enjoyed high prestige, and no one dared to question why the lady by his side was always changing. Charles first arranged accommodation for Princess May, then pretended to deal with the "governance" of Cappadocia City a bit. The small city had been left without his guidance, but thanks to the presence of the "Westwind Knights," security was very good. Additionally, with no tax officials to worry about, the residents were at ease, and commerce had developed, becoming about twice as prosperous as when he had left. Not long after Charles returned to the City Lord''s Mansion, Simon hurried over. On seeing Charles, he too showed a face brimming with joy, his countenance not betraying the slightest hint of being forced. Charles had Cruz leave to do some work and then summoned Simon alone, asking, "How have you been feeling lately?" Simon coughed and answered in a low voice, "I''m aware that you didn''t actually give us alchemical magic potions." "Because many people have left Cappadocia City to transport goods and nothing happened, it''s completely different from the effects of the magic potion you described." "I myself had people stop using the antidote, and no one has died because of it." Charles was surprised by Simon''s frankness and asked, "Why don''t you leave?" Simon laughed, "Because you don''t know, after forming a fleet, we make a lot of money! Much more than a single merchant ship could earn. And since your Cappadocia City doesn''t collect taxes, everyone really likes it here." "We do business to get rich! Don''t you think?" Charles pondered for a moment; he truly hadn''t anticipated this turn of events. In the following ten days, Princess May didn''t talk about leaving. She didn''t seclude herself as she had in Notruden and aboard the Giant Whale, but went out every day to stroll around and visited every corner of Cappadocia City, quite excitedly. It wasn''t until ten days later, when Charles reached the part of the novel where the protagonist Du Wei died, that the Great Eldest Princess became furiously angry, cursed the author for half a day, and even wished that every friend the author knew would be reluctant to pick up the check at meals. She even devised a plan that once in Strasbourg, she would find about ten beautiful young women to disguise as readers and visit this malicious author every day. Now Charles felt even more relieved that the author hadn''t crossed over. If they were in the same world, he would undoubtedly be beaten up. Princess May didn''t want to continue listening to the story for two consecutive days, only muttering, "Why did the prince have to die? Such a great character, why did the author have to kill him off?" "This person... must have been raised by a stepmother when young, hence the stepmother-like disposition." On the third day, Princess May finally relented, asking Charles to prepare a merchant ship so they could set sail for Fars. Although Charles was very comfortable in Cappadocia City, he was eager to return to Fars, to Strasbourg, to see Anne again. Simon arranged the cleanest merchant ship for Charles, which was his former White Tea, and Charles and Princess May set sail. This time, they encountered no dangers. When the merchant ship docked at the port of Fars a few days later, Princess May took out a small crimson Heart Core and tossed it to Charles, saying, "You''ve worked so hard telling stories throughout the journey, consider this your payment." Charles took the crimson Heart Core, which was translucent and faintly glowed with a pale golden light, containing tiny specks of gold, very beautiful. He thought it might be the Heart Core of some magical creature and mused, "I''m not going to be a Demon Hunter, it''s no use to me, I could sell it." But the very next second, his expression changed as he hesitantly asked, "Does this thing come from... that Blood Clan member of the Sacred Order?" After disembarking, Princess May looked around and, disappointed with the scenery of Fars, said, "Yes!" Charles asked incredulously, "When you said you severely wounded him, do you mean to say..." Princess May said indifferently, "Hmm, I took his Blood Core!" Charles gazed at the crimson Heart Core in his hand, struck with shock, unable to compose himself for a long time. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Indeed, it was a Holy Blood Core of the Blood Clan. An invaluable treasure. Chapter 220 216, Count Dardanian Charles took another careful look and finally confirmed that the tiny golden "spots" he had seen were actually "Bloody Runes."Charles gently activated Bloody Glory to check and confirmed that it was the Blood Core of the Duolian Clan. The secret technique of the Duolian Clan, based on the Blood Chain Technique, elevated one to Transcendence and could condense a blood lock chain, with infinite secret techniques, specializing in long-range attacks. Although the Duolian Clan was neither one of the three Emperor Clans nor among the six King Clans, the clan''s secret techniques were extremely powerful, producing many famous Transcendents who had made countless significant contributions to the Byron Empire. Princess May showed no interest in the port and said, "Let''s set off! Let''s reach Strasbourg sooner." Charles quickly released the Dark Luxury; Princess May got on the carriage and closed the door. Charles touched his nose, knowing it was highly inappropriate for a man to share a carriage with a princess, so he reluctantly took the coachman''s seat. Fortunately, the coachman''s seat in the Dark Luxury was quite comfortable, equipped with a canopy above, and the Spirit Horses did not require driving. He issued commands to the eight Spirit Horses, and the Dark Luxury sped towards Strasbourg. Charles browsed through the secret scrolls and pondered how to assimilate the Blood Core, enjoying himself leisurely. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because of the Prime Blood Boiling, if he wanted to assimilate this Blood Core, using Bloody Glory or other clans'' secret techniques wouldn''t work. He must cultivate the Duolian Clan''s secret technique to the realm of Prime Blood Boiling, and condense a Blood Core to begin digesting this Holy Blood Core. Of course, using it this way would definitely result in a massive waste. A Holy Blood Core at most could advance a person to the early stages of High Order; it couldn''t be transformed without loss. If he wanted no waste, using it to craft a Sacred Extraordinary Item would maximize the value of the Blood Core, but to create a Sacred Extraordinary Item, at least a Sacred Order Alchemist Master would be needed. Charles didn''t know any alchemist master of this level, and crafting such an extraordinary item, apart from requiring the Blood Core, would also need countless precious materials and the cost would be exorbitant. Although Charles could afford it, he was not very keen on investing. For him, even if a Sacred Extraordinary Item were crafted, keeping it safe wasn''t guaranteed. Sacred Orders might not be interested in worldly riches, but they would definitely vie for a Sacred Extraordinary Item. Charles was only of Intermediate rank, even by High Order he wouldn''t be able to utilize a Sacred Extraordinary Item. He held the Blood Core while contemplating, "This Blood Clan''s Sacred Order probably can''t re-condense a Blood Core for over a decade. As for whether they can recover their strength, that depends on luck; it could take decades, perhaps even never." "The lifespan of a Blood Clan''s Sacred Order exceeds that of humans, and their strength is relatively formidable. For the Great Princess to take out one of their Blood Cores in a two-against-one situation shows her strength is terrifyingly great," he thought. Charles placed the Blood Core on his right arm, then pressed it in forcefully. The Blood Core, passing through the skin, entered the Bloody Vortex of his right arm. As Charles raised his arm and looked closely again, he found it flawless. The Blood Core was a condensed Bloody Vortex. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire It was also fortunate; the seventh Bloody Vortex opened by his Bloody Glory was initially intended to refine the Bloody Rune of the Duolian Clan. If it were any other Bloody Vortex, it would repel the Prime Blood of the Duolian Clan and couldn''t be hidden, but this particular Bloody Vortex was perfectly suited for hiding this Duolian Clan''s Blood Core. After securing the Blood Core, Charles decided to set aside this treasure for the time being and continued diligently studying the Adonis Clan''s secret scrolls, researching the secret techniques of the Magic Flame Horse. The secret technique of the Adonis Clan, based on Blood Flame Qi, all changes in special abilities derived from the Blood Flame Qi; Bloodflame Transformation Art, Flame Hand, and Flame Scorching Blast Bullet were all advanced applications of Blood Flame Qi. But the Magic Flame Horse, also known as summoning a Magic Flame Horse, was different. It relied on the Adonis Clan''s Blood Energy as bait to lure a Magic Flame Horse from another world, then used Secret Techniques to control it. Charles reversed the Bloody Glory, turning all his Blood Energy into Blood Flame Qi. The two vampire weapons on him immediately became restless, whether it was the Blood Rose or the Withering Rose, both seemed to resonate with the Blood Flame Qi. Although these two weapons belonged to the Asiluo Clan, the Blood Flame Qi could resonate with any vampire weapon from any clan and manipulate them. Charles had previously been accustomed to fighting with the twelve angelic chords, but after switching to Blood Flame Qi, he knew that his way of fighting must also change accordingly. For instance, holding the Blood Rose, but there was always a Flame Hand holding the Withering Rose. If his Collapsing Mountain were still by his side, it would mean an additional two Flame Hands manipulating Collapsing Mountain, or he could personally use Collapsing Mountain, allowing the two Flame Hands to wield the Blood Rose and the Withering Rose, respectively. The Adonis Clan, though only one of the six royal clans, had always prided itself on its formidable combat strength because a member of the Adonis Clan who had cultivated the Blood Flame Qi acquired ranged attack capabilities, and cultivating a Flame Hand was like having an extra avatar. If not for the fact that cultivating an extra Flame Hand took too much time, having multiple Flame Hands attack simultaneously was akin to having several Adonis Clan members ganging up in a group assault. Therefore, the Adonis Clan was always known as the most resilient vampires. Even other Vampire Clans didn''t like them much and were reluctant to duel with members of the Adonis Clan because it was always too disadvantageous for them. The thick luxury of darkness was incredibly fast; it was just that within the territory of Fars, several battles had already erupted. Charles encountered a few battles along the way, but his current strength also qualified as formidable, making mere soldiers a trivial concern. Moreover, Charles was accompanied by a Sacred Order Princess Inglisma, whether it was a small group of Byron soldiers, the Black Phoenix Dynasty, or Beastman warriors, none could trouble him. On his way, Charles didn''t encounter any large troops, neither enemy nor ally. Several days later, he hastened back to Fars. The first thing Charles did, naturally, was to report to the Central Government Office, and then have the Central Government Office represent him in formally submitting the documents to the Minister of Foreign Affairs'' residence. Count Dardanian, upon hearing that the Great Princess May Guillaume of Inglisma had arrived in Strasbourg, hurried over. It was the first time Charles had met this high-ranking hereditary Count from the Empire''s hierarchy. Count Dardanian must have been a beautiful man when he was young, and now, he was a handsome middle-aged man, meticulously groomed. He courteously invited Princess May to stay at a palace of the Royal Family. When receiving Princess May, the Count did not forget to give Charles some reassurance and allow him to go home and wait for the Empire''s next arrangement. Having been away for too long, Charles was relieved to be back in Strasbourg. He was pleased to avoid the obligation of receiving the princess, and with a bit of secret joy, he bid farewell to Count Dardanian and went back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Chapter 221 217. Newly Appointed Although he already had an apartment at 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District, Charles still preferred No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street, partly because the house there was bigger, and partly because Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce were there, offering more thoughtful personal services.Most importantly, he had raised three Agile Cats, and the kittens were at their cutest and most entertaining stage. On his way back to No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street, he took a detour to No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street. Taoles had a residence in Strasbourg. She was an unmarried lady still living with her parents, so she was not at the City Patrol Army Office in Lucavaro District, but both Anatasiya and Belisa were there, as well as his eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, who had returned to Strasbourg before Charles. Charles retrieved his two Knight''s Spears, Collapsing Mountain and Whale Slayer Lion Maru, along with another Magic Stabbing Sword. As for the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle, the two Silver Rhinoceroses, the assassin''s Dagger, the Vampiric Hand Axe he used to carry with him, the Magic Alchemy Wand, and other items, they were all in Machu Picchu. He couldn''t retrieve them that day, and indeed, much of his wealth wasn''t necessary to recover. After all, for Charles, the Savings Union was not considered secure. Machu Picchu was the truly secure place. Having returned to No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street, Charles sent Madam Nancy to send messages to Annie, Taoles, Vini Yarsaenu, and Silvie Martin. This was his only social circle in Strasbourg. As for the Liemar Detective Agency, Charles planned to visit in person when he had time, thereby negating the need to send messages. Charles hadn''t expected that after these oral messages were delivered, several of the ladies gradually arrived at No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street. Annie was the first to arrive, as Madam Nancy had given her the message first. Upon seeing Charles, tears misted in Annie''s eyes. She had been extremely worried during this time, especially as Tailor had returned early with some distressing news: Charles was with the Great Eldest Princess of the Inglima Empire, luring two members of Byron''s Blood Clan Sacred Order. That was certainly not good news. Knowing that Charles had returned safely, Annie set aside everything else. She had to see Mister Mecklen, determined not to wait until the next day. Vini Yarsaenu and Silvie Martin came together. Vini Yarsaenu, the famous female detective, hadn''t expected Charles''s career advance to be so swift. She even considered moving her detective agency to Lucavaro District. After all, in Lucavaro District, Charles truly covered the sky with one hand. Taoles was the last to arrive. She went to No. 1 Sparrowhawk Street first and brought Anatasiya and Belisa with her. When Charles saw the three of them, the curse of the Great Eldest Princess suddenly popped into his mind. Well, it wasn''t the curse wishing every author''s acquaintance would dodge the bill at meals. It was about finding a dozen lovely young ladies disguised as readers to visit this author every day. In Charles''s mind, the thought was, if Princess May appeared again, this place could probably host a Shura banquet. The most luxurious kind. No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street had never seen so many visitors. Charles''s mood had never been so complicated. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He really wanted to slap himself. What was he thinking sending messages to Taoles? Fortunately, Miss Annie Brittany was a very generous girl, especially since her portrait hung in the living room on the first floor of No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street, giving her a lot of confidence. She even took on a bit of the hostess''s air and helped arrange an afternoon tea. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire As for half-complicated feelings, Silvie Martin might rank next to Charles. She was now Charles''s cousin, but in fact, she was his former fianc¨¦e. If anyone knew Charles best, it was she. Silvie Martin knew how terrible this "cousin," her former fianc¨¦, had been, but she never imagined the earth-shaking changes in him after just a few years apart. She had always thought Charles was a prodigal son returning. But when Silvie saw the five girls who came to visit No. 58 Elysian Pastoral Street one after another, each one of them having top-tier beauty, each with notable family backgrounds, ranging from high to low but all remarkable ¡ª even the lowest among them, Belisa, had been a personal maid for a duchess and was accustomed to grand scenes. The most, most, most important thing was that, besides Silvie, all five were Transcendents. Now, she suspected her former fianc¨¦ wasn''t just a returning prodigal son; he had transformed into an even higher level of playboy. Annie Brittany, daughter of a count, senior at the University of Georgia, First Rank Transcendent. Taoles, a young miss from the Su Mei family, graduated from the University of Georgia, Third Order Transcendent. Anastasiya, illegitimate daughter of Baron Fel, graduated from Hatingen Thunder and Stormwind University, a Second Order Transcendent. Belisa, personal maid to Duchess Joseph, self-studied at the University of Georgia, a Second Order Extreme Flyer. Vinnie Yarsaenu can''t be counted, otherwise it would be too frightening... Silvie could hardly believe that her former fianc¨¦ could even handle being a High-Level Transcendent. In Silvie''s mind, she even entertained a possibility, "If I hadn''t broken off the engagement and married Charles, would I be greeted every morning upon opening the door by a noble lady crying and holding a child?" "Hmm, perhaps some older beautiful ladies, or even men angrily holding rapiers!" "Such a life..." "I would never want it." "Breaking off the engagement was the best decision I made." The one consolation for Charles was that he had no special relationships with any of the young ladies, not even any flirtations, so after spending a short time with the guests, he quietly withdrew from the ladies'' circle and continued pondering his diary in the corner with his three Agile Cat cubs. On one hand, Charles, tried to improve his strength daily, on the other, he was deeply wary of the two Evil Gods, and he did not fully trust the diary. He thought for a while, took a mug of ale, and after taking a swig, felt refreshed all over. Since he had acquired the passage between Silver Pigeon Fort and Machu Picchu, he no longer lacked Silver Pigeon Fort''s ale. Silver Pigeon Fort''s ale, far superior to that of Strasbourg, had a taste somewhat like beer, which Charles greatly favored, and he rarely drank the fruit wine abundantly produced in Strasbourg. Of course, he still hadn''t gotten access to the more expensive champagne. When in Inglima, whether it was Count Lanmalock or the Red Dragon Palace, it seemed the champagne was everywhere, readily available, but back in Fars, the homeland of champagne, Charles found it difficult to acquire proper champagne. At that moment, Vinnie Yarsaenu and Silvie were preparing to take their leave as it was getting late. Charles put away his diary, had Madam Nancy bring out the gifts he had bought in Inglima for the ladies, and saw them out of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Taoles also took Anastasiya and Belisa to bid farewell. Charles saw the three ladies off; they didn''t need gifts, having already accompanied him to Inglima. The Brittany family had very strict rules, so Anne couldn''t stay long either. She waited until everyone else had left before getting ready to leave. Before walking out, she whispered, "I''ve already inquired, and your new assignment is still for the Behemoth Duchy." Charles asked in surprise, "Why is it back to Behemoth again?" Anne said, "Our campaign in Ferlanden with Byron isn''t going well, so someone proposed that we make a feint at South Serif Territory, not to occupy or win, but just to draw some of Byron''s troops over." Charles was somewhat speechless; the battle plan did have some viability, but why was it him again? Anne hugged him, whispering, "But this time, your superior will be my cousin, and he will take care of you." Charles wanted to ask more, but as Anne rushed home and he had no immediate departure, he didn''t ask further, having plenty of time still. After seeing Anne off, Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 quieted down, except for the magical portrait of Annie Brittany on the first floor, which bowed slightly, performing a courtly curtsy. Charles smiled slightly and returned an empire salute. He loudly told Madam Nancy, "Tomorrow, send me to Baker Street, and remember to remind me to bring some things over." Madam Nancy responded, and together with Mrs. Plum Sauce, headed back down to the basement. Although Anne had arranged for some items at 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District, Charles still lacked the ale he preferred to drink, the fruit wine for hosting guests, coffee, and various other miscellaneous items. Charles anticipated frequently visiting 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District, so he prepared in advance. In the next few days, apart from dating Anne, Charles was incessantly busy with several departments, not expecting that his administrative position as a specialized plenipotentiary war commissioner of the Fars Empire in Inglima Empire would not end upon his return but was somewhat of a semi-permanent governmental role, requiring extensive paperwork every time he returned. For instance, he had acquired the position of Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace and a 24th rank first-class official in Inglima, which all had to be reported and approved, allowing him to hold positions concurrently. While most times the Central Government Office and the Minister of Foreign Affairs would review and approve without issue, there were occasional complications. Although Charles didn''t encounter any troubles or obstructions, the bureaucratic procedures of government paperwork were frustratingly complex. After several days of running around, he also learned about his new assignment. It involved Krel Brittany, the up-and-coming talent of the Imperial Army, who had performed excellently in Ferlanden and was thus appointed as the commander for the military operation into South Serif Territory. The person who recommended Charles to Krel Brittany was none other than Her Majesty the Empress... Chapter 222 218. Brittany Offensive Charles was still on the high seas.When James Cook had sent Aurora, Taoles, and the others back to Fars. Emperor Julius Axler happened to review the documents regarding this matter, and just then, Her Majesty the Queen came to find her husband and casually mentioned, "This Charles Meklen is quite talented; have him go help Kreel Brittany." Emperor Julius Axler VI didn''t even consider it before agreeing to his beloved wife''s request, and just like that, Charles became a subordinate of Kreel Brittany. The incident seemed entirely coincidental. It wasn''t pushed forward by any significant figure. It is said that after Earl Brittany heard about this, he called his daughter over and recounted the whole story to her. Otherwise, Anne couldn''t have known about it in such detail. On the sixth day after Charles returned to Strasbourg, a guest he had anticipated arrived at his residence at 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District. No, strictly speaking, there were two guests. Charles had originally arranged to meet with Anne at 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District, but when he waited for a knock on the door and opened it, he saw two men and a woman. The woman was naturally Anne, but the two gentlemen were Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei. Charles was slightly surprised, but quickly invited the three into his room and asked, "Gentlemen, when did you return to Strasbourg?" Ebner Sumei smiled slightly and said, "A few days later than you. We''ve been coordinating logistics these days and have been nearly driven insane by the busyness." "We were originally worried that the quality of the replenished knighthood wouldn''t suffice in battle, but when we heard that your Westwind Knights were also involved, we were somewhat relieved." Charles asked, "How many knights in total?" Kreel Brittany replied indifferently, "Seven! However, apart from the Purple Goldfinch Knights and Fabolais''s knighthood, which I took over, they are all converted from local troops, and the quality of the soldiers is very poor." "Well, actually, the soldiers of Fabolais''s knighthood are also pretty bad." Charles couldn''t help but smile wryly; of course, he knew what Baron Fabolais''s knighthood was like. Frankly speaking, they weren''t even enough for one assault from his Westwind Knights, which were a standard mixed knighthood. With his promotion, Charles had also found some small connections and recently gathered much information, asking, "Isn''t the Purple Goldfinch Knights Viscount Berlant''s knighthood?" Kreel Brittany stated, "Correct, it is Viscount Berlant''s knighthood." "On the Felanden Battlefield, we, Fars, and Byron injected a large number of troops successively, raising the number to dozens of knights. After extended battles, both sides have suffered the loss of more than a dozen high-level officers, with a total of seven or eight knighthoods being defeated." Ebner Sumei said, "Viscount Berlant died in battle, leaving no direct descendants. After his knighthood was reconsolidated by the Empire, it was given to Kreel Brittany, who had performed outstandingly on the battlefield." Kreel Brittany spread his hands and announced, "As a result, I gained command of a cavalry troop and was reassigned from Felanden, becoming the temporary military Governor of Behemoth Duchy." This genuinely surprised Charles. This signified that following the deaths of Archduke Ferdinand and Grand Duke Joseph, the Behemoth Duchy was no longer under the control of the families associated with the two dukes but had entered the direct jurisdiction of the Empire. The territorial power of the Empire is divided into: counties directly governed by the Empire, territories with local autonomy, noble estates, overseas territories, and overseas vassals. The Governor is the highest administrative official of an autonomous territory! Which means: Kreel Brittany had replaced the original Behemoth Family and had temporarily become the master of the duchy. Ebner Sumei spoke with a smile, "Kreel Brittany bears the military task of consolidating all the military forces of Behemoth Duchy and attacking the territories of Southern Seraph, and even the military campaign is named after his surname, being called the Brittany Offensive." Charles tilted his head, thinking, "If anyone says Earl Brittany didn''t push this forward, I would surely scorn their intelligence." Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire He of course knew what Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei had come for? Kreel Brittany needed to completely control all the military forces of Behemoth Duchy, and Charles Meklen, by nature, bore the mark of the Brittany Family. Not to mention that since Anne had entered the room, she hadn''t said a word, but there hung a magical portrait of Miss Brittany in the living room of the residence at 221B Baker Street, with a mischievous and charming smile. This was no longer a hint... Charles gave a little shake, and in the corner of the hall was a small brass bell. Soon after, the apartment''s butler arrived at the door and politely inquired, "Sir, what can I do for you?" Charles responded, "Bring four cups of coffee and four servings of food." He casually handed over a Fu Er and said, "Keep the change as a tip." The apartment butler happily left. It wasn''t long before the butler brought over the coffee, a meal set, and some desserts. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles invited Krel Brittany, Ebner Sumei, and Anne to dine with him and said, "I will definitely support Krel with all my strength." "You don''t need to worry about my side." Krel smiled slightly. He had never doubted that Charles would refuse since the two families were close to becoming relatives. The Brittany Family currently only had one Earl, but that might not be the case in the future. Krel Brittany was in a good mood because this trip had gone smoothly, and he even shared some personal matters with Charles, "Ebner Sumei and I, after going through one battle after another in Felanden, have both gathered the Proof of War." "Now, both of us have collected the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates, just lacking that last bit of opportunity." "Next, it''s a race between us to see who will become the youngest Sacred Order in the Fars Empire first." "Oh, limited to those who are still alive, of course." Charles couldn''t help but chuckle. He knew whom Krel Brittany was referring to, even though he was aware that the true youngest Sacred Order was not actually dead. Charles jokingly said, "It''s a pity that I am neither a knight nor young anymore, so I can only be a spectator and cannot participate in such competition." Krel Brittany looked at Charles with a touch of emotion. When they first met, it had been Anne who asked for his help to participate in a duel. However, due to the army''s deployment, he had to break the commitment, which Krel Brittany considered almost a sacrilege. He felt a bit better only after promising to always pay the debt of friendship. But then, to his surprise, Charles had actually killed the high-order detective from the detective agency in a duel, a fact that Krel Brittany, unable to distinguish Harriet''s identity, found quite impressive. Yet even Krel hadn''t imagined just how much he had underestimated this future cousin-in-law. At Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles had charged alone into the fray and killed Jonathan, then at Mostar Fort, he slew two Transcendents and a High-Level Transcendent from the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, Zolman, garnishing quite the impressive military record. Although still not on par with him, Charles was becoming the "little War God" of the younger generation in the army. Recently, on his mission to Inglima, Charles even dueled with Notruden''s youngest lion, supposedly for a miss from Su Mei''s Home. While the news made Anne smash a set of tableware in anger, it also started to make Charles Meklen''s name known across the Old Continent, no longer just an obscure figure. Thinking about this, Krel Brittany chuckled to himself. He knew how angry his cousin had been at the time, but he didn''t see it as anything significant; after all, Charles wouldn''t stay in Inglima and not return. Indeed, from beginning to end, Anne never mentioned Aurora in front of Charles. Ebner Sumei, who was "in the know," laughed and said, "Meklen, you''ll catch up with us sooner or later." Charles didn''t think he could become a Sacred Order so soon, let alone be confident about when he could advance to a High Order. He shrugged his shoulders, skipped over the topic, and asked, "When do you plan to set off next?" "My Westwind Knights were left near Machu Picchu on the way to the Behemoth Duchy, so it''s a good opportunity to bring them along." Krel Brittany said, "I''m not sure for the moment. You know the Empire''s efficiency has never been too high." He pushed away his plate and said, "I''ve finished eating. These last few days haven''t been easy. Ebner Sumei and I haven''t had a proper meal, so staying here was very pleasant. But we have things to do and don''t want to disturb you and Anne any longer." Krel Brittany''s visit was to confirm whether Charles would join his side. Although they had a good relationship, this step still needed to be taken in person and not taken for granted. Now that it was confirmed that Charles, his future cousin-in-law, would stand firmly on his side, Krel Brittany needed to prepare for other matters. It was his first time leading an army independently, and he wanted to make this battle a resounding success. Charles didn''t try to keep them, saying, "Make sure to call me when you''re leaving." Ebner Sumei laughed heartily and followed Krel Brittany''s steps, leaving 221B Baker Street in Val de Vaz District. As soon as they left, Anne became lively, walking around the room. Despite having bought many things, she was still not satisfied. She dragged Charles out again to shop for more items. Although Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 was Charles''s home, it felt somewhat unhomey to Anne, even though she had made it her own in some ways. Val de Vaz District''s 221B Baker Street, which she had chosen herself, was different; she held a special affection and wanted to make it cozy and sweet. Naturally, Charles wouldn''t dampen her spirits and happily accompanied Anne out the door. He still remembered that he owed a balance on his Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 property, and discussed with Anne on the way whether they should settle that final payment first. Chapter 223 219. Angry Bunana Charles received salaries from two countries and also had slots for a private knighthood, and not considering savings, his income alone was more than enough to cover the final payment for Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58.Anne agreed with him on dealing with this debt. For Charles, handling this matter was convenient; he transferred some Aegeus to Anne, who naturally brought back the corresponding debt documents to him. They left the Val de Vaz District, but they did not go to the Picardy District. Although Picardy District had a complete range of goods, it lacked class. To purchase high-end products, one needed to go to the Alexander District. Although Anne tried to be as "frugal" as possible, after all, she was the daughter of Earl Brittany, so this shopping trip taught Charles what "spending" really meant. They spent a total of fifty-two Aegeus. Well, converted to Renminbi, nearly a million was spent. Miss Annie Brittany took care of all the payments. Mister Charles Meklen was only responsible for signing the delivery addresses. Charles knew that this day would eventually come, he had prepared himself long ago and chose to silently accept it... After buying their items, they returned to 221B Baker Street in the Val de Vaz District. Charles saw a carriage stopped in front of the house; the person on the carriage did not get off, clearly waiting for someone. Just as Charles and Anne were about to move their items inside, a voice said, "You really live here. I came to ask why, even in Fars bookstores, those two books are not available?" Charles stiffened completely. It wasn''t just on the Old Continent; even on Earth, those two books weren''t easy to find in bookstores. Web novels were published, but with limited prints and not being bestsellers, their availability in stores was generally poor. Princess May in a black robe got off the carriage and, upon seeing Anne, nodded slightly as a greeting. Fearing that Anne might misunderstand, Charles hurriedly introduced, "This is Princess May Guillaume, the biological aunt of His Majesty Alfred Guillaume from Inglima, here on a diplomatic mission to our Fars Empire." "And this is Anne! Annie Brittany, the beloved daughter of Earl Brittany and also my good friend." "Princess May, please come in, and I will explain everything to you in detail," Charles said. Charles racked his brain for an explanation until everyone was seated in the room and coffee was served, but he still couldn''t think of a proper reasoning. In the end, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and say, "I too saw these two books when I was young, in a bookstore in the Behemoth Duchy." "So they weren''t available in Strasbourg?" "They are quite old books now, perhaps the publisher doesn''t have them in stock anymore," he explained. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire Princess May appeared very disappointed and mumbled to herself, "I also looked through Fars novels, still the same ones, no different from those in Inglima. Far from comparing to the stories of Roland and Du Wei, how could such great novels not be bestsellers?" Anne curiously watched them both but wisely said nothing. Princess May lingered only briefly before telling Charles, "I will make a trip to the Behemoth Duchy then." Sweat beaded Charles''s forehead again; even the Behemoth Duchy wouldn''t have those two books. But he couldn''t just slap his own face right now. He could only weakly say, "I wish you a smooth journey." Princess May didn''t stay much longer and soon got up to leave. If Annie wasn''t there, she wouldn''t have minded letting Charles continue to tell her stories, but with Annie there... She also wanted to carry herself with the grace of a princess. After seeing off Princess May, Charles decided to start by "confessing half the truth;" he whispered, "I''m in trouble." Anne asked, "What kind of trouble?" Charles cut the story short and highlighted the essential parts, saying, "The princess is a fan of novels. She brought a novel on board, and I inadvertently showed a look of disdain and almost got slapped by the princess." "In a moment of desperation, I claimed I had read better novels and fabricated one on the spot. I managed to dodge that bullet but ended up attracting even bigger trouble." Anne exclaimed, "You can write novels?" Immediately, Charles outlined the content of two fantasy novels, picking just the summaries, and shared them with Anne, whose eyes grew brighter as she whispered, "I have an idea." Charles asked, "What idea?" Anne said, "I will find a few scribes who work fast. You can recite the novel to them, and once it''s organized, we''ll find a publisher to publish it." sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That should take care of it." Charles, both surprised and delighted, asked, "Can we really do that?" Anne nodded and said, "Leave it all to me." "I can bring people over tomorrow." Charles sighed with relief and said, "Anne, you truly are my lucky goddess." Anne Brittany smiled radiantly; she believed the words Charles had spoken. Charles didn''t know Princess May; he used to be an ordinary Earthling and, since crossing over, a merchant''s son, unaware of the high society affairs. But as a young lady of the Brittany family, how could Anne not know the Great Eldest Princess, Princess May Guillaume, who was a novel aficionado, and whose husband''s demise at the hands of Zimmerman in a duel was already famous across the Old Continent? Anne had always thought highly of Charles''s ability, which is why she gradually started dating him, but she had not expected Charles to know about novels too. Since Charles had crossed over, busy with surviving, he had no idea that novelists held a high status in the Old Continent, with many famous writers even entering the court to share their latest works with the Royal Family and high nobility. Anne, too, had cherished several novels but thought Charles disliked them because he seemed to despise them, so she deliberately hid her hobby. Anne had also secretly felt sorry that Mister Mecklen disliked novels, thinking she might have to hide this hobby and sneak around to read novels in front of him. But it turned out Charles didn''t dislike reading novels; he thought those novels were terrible, and he could write far superior ones himself. Just from hearing the outlines Charles shared, Anne thought these two novels were indeed better than any novel from the Old Continent, especially when Charles briefly mentioned the death of Prince Chen, making Anne''s heart break, wondering how Du Wei could not live a happy and joyous life with Prince Chen. Anne decided that when publishing, she would personally find someone to write an extra chapter to include in the text, insisting on hiring the best novelist to ensure Du Wei and Prince Chen live happily ever after. Well, Charles didn''t know Anne would do such a thing. If he knew¡­ He would definitely advise Anne not to let the ghostwriter use their real name or common pen name, but to adopt a pen name in the style of Inglima: Furious Bunana! It would help sustain a long life. Chapter 224 220, Up-and-Coming Author: Anne Mecklen While Charlotte patiently awaited news from Krel Brittany, Anne arranged for fifteen skilled scribes to work with him. Every day, Charlotte would recite five thousand words, and then immediately another scribe would take over, keeping them all working at top speed. Incredibly, they managed to produce fifty to sixty thousand words each day.These manuscripts would then be sent to a publisher with some connections to the Brittany Family. By evening, the drafts were organized into final copies, illustrated, and every sixty thousand words were compiled into a volume. In just seven days, the first volumes of two books were on the shelves of every major bookstore in Strasbourg. Charlotte, a person deeply concerned with his image, insisted on not revealing his name on either book and even gave the naming rights to Anne. After confirming that he truly did not wish to have his name attached, she published the two novels under the pen name Anne MacLennan. Yes, the spin-off about the loving relationship between Du Wei and the Crown Prince was also released under this pen name. Charlotte was terrified that Princess May would find out that the Behemoth Duchy didn''t have these two books and would dig up something from him. After all, the Great Eldest Princess had single-handedly dealt a heavy blow to a Duolian Clan Blood Transcendent and even extracted their Blood Core. That achievement was far too memorable for Charlotte. Even Senior Menilman wasn''t that brutal. So, leveraging his status as a Transcendent, Charlotte worked tirelessly every day, feverishly memorizing the novels. Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei had not come by these days; they were busy. This military expedition of the Purple Goldfinch Knights was also an opportunity for them. As they were not the direct successors of their families, they had no chance of inheriting titles and had to earn their way on their own. Not every noble is born with a golden spoon in their mouth; some only have a gilt one. As the days passed with Charlotte diligently memorizing the manuscripts, he began to yearn for the times he spent outside in cities like Strasbourg, Silver Pigeon Fort, Cappadocia City, and Notruden. His life there was actually quite good. It wasn''t as unbearable as now, where he had to memorize novels from Earth every day. These two novels were over three million words each, and the Old Continent had never before seen such lengthy sagas. And to have stories that remained thrilling and full of unexpected twists and turns was incredibly addicting to read but agonizing to memorize. Charlotte couldn''t count how many times he thought about cutting out plotlines and leaving the novels unfinished. But the mere thought of the fierce Princess May made him realize that truncating his stories might just lead to his own dynasty coming to an abrupt end at the hands of the Great Eldest Princess of Inglima. A week after the novels were published, Krel Brittany finally settled the military affairs and came to inform Charlotte that they could set out on their journey. Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, readying his belongings for departure. Anne thoughtfully prepared a creative support team for him. This team consisted of ten horses and fifteen skilled scribes, ensuring that Charlotte could continue memorizing on the move during the tumult of military campaigns and could send batches of manuscripts back to Strasbourg every few days. Neither Krel Brittany nor Ebner Sumei had any objections to this arrangement. Upon departure, Charlotte brought along Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, and the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, as well as all the members of the Patrolling Army from Sparrowhawk Street Number One, amassing a group of nearly two hundred people. Of course, this modest troop paled in comparison to the other Knighthoods. At present, Krel Brittany only controlled two Knighthoods. The other five were: Charlotte''s Westwind Knights, currently in Machu Picchu; another belonged to the Baron Fabolais, which had already returned to Silver Pigeon Fort; another Knighthood, consisting of the defeated troops under Grand Duke Joseph''s command, was stationed at Mostar Fort; and the remaining two were Knighthoods converted from local military forces of the Behemoth Duchy, with complicated backgrounds. Kreel Brittany had to subdue these forces one by one. Although it was somewhat difficult, he still brimmed with confidence. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, he had already made the best start; the formidable Westwind Knights had already sworn their loyalty, and the commander of the knights was absolutely trustworthy. Charles followed the army for a day and then approached Kreel Brittany with a request to go to Machu Picchu and bring back the troops. Kreel Brittany, of course, immediately granted permission. He continued the campaign with two of the main legions, while Charles split off from the main group and headed straight for Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu was the first Labyrinth he had acquired and the only one that had undergone thrice the "Maze-ification." It could almost be considered Charles''s most significant base of operation. Charles didn''t care about the fleet in Cappadocia City because he knew he couldn''t control it, but the Westwind Knights in Machu Picchu were where he left his most loyal subordinates. Charles, accompanied by Taoles and others, hurried back to Machu Picchu. From afar, he noticed that Machu Picchu was somewhat different from when he had left; it was far busier than before. Charles was slightly puzzled. As he approached Machu Picchu, he heard someone shouting excitedly, "Officer MacLennan is back!" "Mr. Charles is back." "Our leader is back." Cheers, like waves, billowed one after another and quickly spread throughout Machu Picchu. Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, and hundreds of others surged out to surround Charles and his party, escorting them into Machu Picchu. Once inside this Labyrinthine city, Charles found it busier than ever. Not only had the population increased by nearly thirty percent since his departure, but tens of new shops had also opened up. Just as he was about to inquire what had happened, he saw Ross Bard from Bard Commerce approaching with a beaming smile. Charles had not punished him before, not due to any far-sighted strategy, but simply as a quirk of being a transmigrator; yet seeing this merchant still irked him. Just as he was about to scold him, he heard Ross Bard say, "After you left, I moved my entire family over here and had every merchant from Bard Commerce send people to open branches in Machu Picchu." "I also helped the brothers of the knighthood with their needs to settle down, providing them with moving expenses to bring their families to Machu Picchu." "Now, the population of Machu Picchu has nearly reached twenty thousand." Ross Bard''s face was full of sycophancy. Charles had said nothing last time, but Ross Bard had felt a chill to his core. After Charles left Machu Picchu, Ross Bard had wallowed in pain and sent for his family to return, investing his entire fortune into Machu Picchu with a gritted resolve. The current state of Machu Picchu, transformed in appearance, was the result of Ross Bard''s tireless efforts and the full application of his lifetime''s business acumen. With a few casual inquiries, Charles learned the truth and suddenly had a revelation, "Sometimes, staying silent and posing without a word can be quite effective." Chapter 225 Menilman and Menier Charles, although a civilian, had fought several battles on the battlefield, having experience with both the army and the navy. He knew not to bring along any arbitrary soldiers; thus, even though the population of Machu Picchu was booming, he selected only a little over two thousand men, leaving the rest to continue developing in Machu Picchu.Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire The reason he brought only two thousand men was also that the Purple Goldfinch Knighthood had less than three thousand men. Bringing too many would have been embarrassing for Krel Brittany. Besides, the original Westwind Knights never had that many people. This time, Charles left Taoles and Belisa in Machu Picchu. He had considered leaving Anatasiya as well, but since Anatasiya preferred the battlefield, he took her along with Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft. This time, Charles selected the most robust warriors. Their movements were incredibly swift, and they caught up with Krel Brittany''s main force within a day. Krel Brittany''s troops brought too much baggage, far more than was needed to attack South Serif, making their movement extremely sluggish. Krel Brittany had heard that Charles had won several victories in the Behemoth Duchy, but he hadn''t expected him to muster a knighthood as large as "over two thousand men." He knew that the Westwind Knights were originally the Patrolling Army from the Lucavaro District. Most patrolling armies were just on paper, and having a few hundred men was considered good. Where did these two thousand come from? Krel Brittany couldn''t figure it out no matter how he tried. But Krel Brittany wasn''t the type to seek clarity in everything. To him, a powerful Westwind Knighthood was a good thing. As for Taoles'' absence, he highly appreciated it. After all, he was a good friend of Ebner Sumei, and Ebner didn''t want his sister on the battlefield either. Krel Brittany had intended to ask Charles to leave Taoles at Silver Pigeon Fort, but it turned out Charles had already left Taoles in Machu Picchu. This pleased Krel to no end and earned him Ebner''s favor. They all believed that Charles thought it convenient for Taoles to return home at any time due to Machu Picchu''s proximity to Strasbourg¡­ In any case, it wasn''t a significant misunderstanding. The army soon arrived at Silver Pigeon Fort. The person to greet Krel Brittany was not Baron Fabolais but someone Charles had never expected yet had been lingering in his mind¡ªMenilman Sumei. The Empire''s First Rose was still strikingly charismatic, leading a troop of hundreds outside of Silver Pigeon Fort, waiting for their arrival. Charles held no affectionate feelings; rather, this senior was his most reliable support since his arrival, and without Menilman''s promotions, he wouldn''t be here today. Upon seeing Menilman, Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei were much more excited than Charles, their demeanor as submissive as that of two tail-wagging puppies. Before Charles had a chance to greet her, he saw Krel Brittany hand over a large amount of baggage from his troops, even including the civilians that transported the baggage, to Menilman. He suddenly realized that his senior''s days in the navy must not have been easy. This also explained why Krel Brittany stayed in Strasbourg for so long and brought more supplies than needed for the attack¡ªthese were meant for Menilman. Before leaving, Menilman finally noticed Charles, motioned him over with a wave of her hand. Charles, feeling very nervous, approached his senior and heard Menilman say softly, "Keep up the good work!" Charles nodded vigorously. Menilman didn''t say much else and turned to leave. Charles couldn''t help but say, "If you pass by Cappadocia City, you can stop to resupply. I have a bit of influence there." Menilman nodded slightly, leaving behind three men with different emotions, each taking the provisions and her troops, and soon disappeared outside of Silver Pigeon Fort. With many rivers and proximity to the coast, moving forward from Silver Pigeon Fort leads to several prominent port cities of the Fars Empire. Menilman''s fleet was likely stationed in one of them. While Charles had speculated before, it was only now he truly understood how profoundly the Empire Rose incident impacted Menilman, necessitating her to arrange her own supplies. Krel Brittany slapped Charles on the shoulder, drawing him and Ebner Sumei close, and whispered, "This matter must be kept from everyone." Ebner Sumei didn''t speak; he just glanced at Charles. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles sighed and said, "Menilman is my senior and the one who promoted me. Apart from betraying Anne, there''s nothing I''m unwilling to do for my senior." This answer greatly satisfied the two gentlemen. It clarified that Charles was not merely an admirer but occupied a different position. Especially to Krel Brittany who patted Charles on the shoulder again and said, "Let bygones be bygones. Anne is a good girl, and I will support you fully." These few words were loaded with meaning. Charles listened with a pounding heart. The three had just concluded their deepest level of communication, establishing a silent agreement to stand together, when they saw a pink light streak across the sky and then make a slight turn midair before plummeting toward the ground. Chapter 226 221, Menilman and Menier_2 Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei''s expressions changed dramatically, exclaiming, "Sacred Order!?"Charles was more familiar with that pink Fighting Spirit, and shouted, "It''s Princess May! Princess May Guillaume." This statement turned Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei from shock to full-blown terror, as they both exclaimed, "Menier is in danger!" The two of them activated their Fighting Spirit, turning into two streams of storm and lightning, and rushed out of the group. Charles hesitated slightly, then told a few of his subordinates, "I''ll go have a look too." He knew of the grudge Princess May held against his schoolmate, although the grudge seemed somewhat inexplicable. Wouldn''t the Great Eldest Princess, who even he feared, lash out, let alone facing Menierman himself? Could this be the vengeance of a husband slain? In the Eastern Great Nation where Charles had lived in his past life, there was a saying: a feud over a father''s murder, a grudge over a wife stolen! This phrase was used to describe the depth of personal enmities. It stood to reason that, reversed, having her husband slain by Zimmerman in a duel was surely a lifelong relentless resentment for this widowed Great Eldest Princess! The Great Eldest Princess always traveled in a black robe, never showing her face, with no other hobbies aside from novels, nor did she interact with anyone. She was certainly devastated after her husband''s death, only short of a complete change in temperament. Ah, Mister Charles Mecklen had personal experience. He had been thrown onto an enemy warship by the Great Eldest Princess, thrown into the sea, and even intimidated with a whale. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not to mention the painful life of being forced to memorize novels... He would say that traveling with Princess May was the most torturous time since he had transmigrated, even including his previous life, the worst of both combined. Even now, his group included a team of quick scribes and fast horse couriers for dispatching manuscripts. The aftereffects had not yet dissipated. Charles was somewhat worried about Menierman, his schoolmate, but he knew his worry was useless; after all, he was merely a Mid-Level Transcendent. If Princess May were to explode in fury, High-Level Transcendents like Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei might be somewhat effective, but what could he do? Stand on the side and shout, "Stop fighting!"? What a strong flavor of a romance novel heroine. Even with his Quickness Technique¡Á2, Spirit Spider Technique, and even using the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, Charles was still far behind the two High-Level Transcendents, whether Kreel Brittany or Ebner Sumei, unlike any other High Order he had encountered before. High Orders are different too! Thirteenth Rank and Eighteenth Rank could never be the same. Practicing common Secret Techniques and the Old Continent''s top knight inheritance can''t be on the same level. Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei, who practiced the Old Continent''s top knight inheritance, had just broken through to the Eighteenth Rank and were just a step away from advancing to Sacred Order. No matter how vigorously Charles pushed his Secret Technique, he still fell increasingly behind the two already stirring up storms and lightning. By the time he arrived at the scene, Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei were already standing behind Menierman, with their rapiers drawn, ready to fight for the Empire''s First Rose. Princess May, in her black robe, still wore her cold, aloof expression as she faced everyone, like a proud plum blossom that bloomed defiantly on a snowy day. But almost everyone knew that it was Princess May alone who was the stronger party. An army of hundreds was, in fact, the weaker side. Charles, panting and holding his knees, noted that the fight hadn''t started yet, and there might still be a chance. He prepared to try his "Su Qin Technique," although he was no Su Qin or Zhang Yi, but he was confident in the knowledge of his past world and his accumulated knowledge as a transmigrator. Just as Charles was about to speak, he heard Princess May say, "None of the bookstores in the Behemoth Duchy had those two books you''ve talked about." "Have you been lying to me all this time?" Charles hadn''t expected that, while he was composing his lines, he would become the center of attention. Suddenly with Princess May''s remark, including Menierman, everyone''s gaze focused on him. Kreel Brittany even asked in lip language, "What books?" Ebner Sumei made a gesture, expressing his own confusion. In a flash, Charles very much wanted to tell everyone, "I''m in the wrong place! I''m leaving right now! Pretend I was never here!" Well, that''s three sentences. Without waiting for a response from Charles, Princess May indifferently said, "I have important matters right now concerning the books. We''ll explain everything when we return to Strasbourg." Charles roared inwardly, "What do you mean ''we''? Who''s ''we'' with you? ''We'' or not ''we''..." But he dared not speak out, afraid that Princess May would suddenly vent her anger and kill him first. This Great Eldest Princess was truly mad. Even the Blood Clan''s Sacred Order, claiming to have excavated the Blood Core, had indeed done so. Princess May turned her head and said to Menierman, "It''s all thanks to this fellow, tricking me into thinking there were two novels available only in Behemoth Duchy. That''s why I came here searching for the original novels." "I never expected our paths to cross like this." "This is our first meeting, right!?" "Miss Menierman Sumei?" "Or perhaps you prefer another title, Miss Rose of Fars?" Menierman responded faintly, "Stop talking nonsense." "Princess May Guillaume, draw your sword." Princess May gave a slight smile, about to mock her harshly once more, but then she saw Menierman''s whole body enshrouded in a night-like intense Fighting Spirit, her feet slowly leaving the ground, and the glow on her sword turning to a dark shade. Under the enveloping darkness, a strange full moon emerged. Dark Breath Technique! Black Moon Goddess Meditation Technique! Menierman had already ascended to the Sacred Order. Everyone present couldn''t help but get excited. Charles wasn''t excited; he was just dumbfounded. Menierman was the most talented knight! Everyone knew. Despite the radiance of the Empire''s First Rose being constantly supressed by her lawless fianc¨¦, Zimmerman Axel Robin, who dominated the entire Old Continent, her charm, talent, and prowess remained unmistakably evident. Menierman had always been the foremost rose in the hearts of all young men in Fars and throughout the nations of the Old Continent. But at this moment, Menierman also proved that she not only possessed beauty but also strength that matched her unparalleled beauty. Princess May smiled slightly, suddenly transforming into a pink streak of light, charging toward Menierman. Blackness collided with pink in the sky. An instant created the crisp sound of an air burst, swirling endlessly, like summer''s gentle thunder. The three men on the ground, despite being willing, were powerless to interfere in the duel. As none of them were of the Sacred Order, none could ascend to the air. Charles had never kept the Floating World Blossom close by, because although it could fly, each ascent would cause countless petals to scatter, much too fragile, and each petal was part of Aegeus, which he was loath to use. At this moment, even if Charles wanted to help, it was absolutely impossible. Even if he had the Floating World Blossom at hand, he couldn''t possibly interfere in a battle of this caliber. This was a duel between the two most renowned ladies of the Old Continent. This duel was about winning, losing, and... pride. Princess May transformed into a myriad of falling flowers, hundreds of petals emerging within the pink Fighting Spirit. It was Charles''s first time witnessing the Great Eldest Princess truly in action. When she confronted the two Blood Clan Sacred Orders, her Fighting Spirit never had such impressive variations. Princess May''s Fighting Spirit truly matched the ancient Earth poem: "The east wind fills with blossoms a thousand trees by night. More scattering, May showers!" Menierman''s Fighting Spirit, like a dark night with a wicked moon aloft, danced gracefully in the moonlight, her body merging with the night. Charles had never before seen such beautiful combat, such breathtaking scenes. It also reminded him of another ancient Earth poem: "The common moon that shines before my window is unlike any other when May blossoms differ." Chapter 227 222, the power to determine ones own destiny The plum blossoms were more beautiful, the Black Moon colder.The higher the plum blossoms stood, the more elusive the moon became in the night sky. Charles had initially been worried that Sister Menilman, who had just advanced to the Sacred Order, might not be a match for Princess May. But he quickly realized that he probably didn''t understand Sister Menilman deeply enough. Menierman Sumei was absolutely not just a newcomer to the Sacred Order. She had always been hiding her true strength. In the entire Old Continent, both Menierman Sumei and Princess May Guillaume could be considered part of the first tier of the Sacred Order. If we are only talking about female members of the Sacred Order? Well then! Charles Mecklen was ignorant, he hardly knew any other female members of the Sacred Order, but anyway, he felt that Mama Karen was far from matching Sister Menilman or Princess May. If there were a bucket of popcorn at this time... That would be too heartless and insane. Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei would definitely beat up anyone who ate popcorn at this time. Regardless of gender! Without distinction of age. Suddenly, Kreel Brittany said, "Princess May isn''t using Red Dragon Fighting Qi." Hatingen Thunder and Storm University produce the most great knights, whether it''s a Thunder Knight or a Storm Knight, they represent the pinnacle of knighthood on the Old Continent. Only the Ebulrahan Clan, renowned as the first knightly clan of vampires, and the University of Tubingen they established, could rival them. However, it wasn''t to say that there were no other top-level knightly traditions on the Old Continent. For example, the Red Dragon Fighting Qi of the Englima Royal Family and the Frost Dragon Fighting Qi of the Lamblock Family are also top-notch knightly secret techniques, but these secret techniques are no longer found among commoners. Although Charles had attended university, he was not so knowledgeable about noble affairs. He had always thought Princess May practiced Red Dragon Fighting Qi, even if it was somewhat pinkish, but since they were similar in color, he thought they shouldn''t be too different. Upon hearing Kreel Brittany say this, he couldn''t help but ask, "It''s not Red Dragon Fighting Qi?" Ebner Sumei interjected, "Absolutely not." He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "If Krel and I are not mistaken, this Fighting Spirit must be one that Princess May created herself." Kreel Brittany also affirmed, "That''s what I think." "This princess is truly a genius." "Not inferior to Menierman." Charles could hear that Kreel Brittany''s voice trembled slightly as he spoke, it was quite clear he did not wish for any female to surpass Menierman. Charles didn''t want to dwell on these matters and asked, "Who could win?" Ebner Sumei decisively replied, "I don''t know." He looked up at the sky and added, "Menier must have been hiding her strength for a long time." "Nobody knows when she advanced to the Sacred Order, but she definitely didn''t do so recently. This Black Fighting Qi is robust and solid, certainly above the Twenty-First Rank." "Princess May''s strength is definitely above Menier''s, but her Fighting Spirit is self-created. This technique still has some minor flaws, not quite having the perfection of the well-tempered Black Fighting Qi, making her prone to small lapses in battle. For the time being, it is not as refined, but in the future..." Kreel Brittany added, "The future is limitless." "This Princess May will undoubtedly stand at the very pinnacle one day." "Being a knight, I feel somewhat ashamed." Charles breathed a slight sigh of relief; he really didn''t want Senior Menilman to get into trouble. For some inexplicable reason, he also didn''t want Princess May to come to any harm. The three men were powerless to intervene in the duel, gazing anxiously at the sky, their hearts hanging by a thread. In the air, two streams of Fighting Qi light chased each other back and forth, tearing through the high clouds into shreds, occasionally colliding to create a series of thunder-like roars. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles''s neck had grown sore from watching, so he simply lay down on the ground. At that moment, a very pretty face blocked out the sky above him. Startled, Charles exclaimed, "Anatasiya! What brings you here?" Anatasiya smiled faintly and countered, "Can''t I come to watch the excitement?" Charles was left speechless. Apparently, she could? The illegitimate daughter of Baron Fele, with her hands on the twin swords at her waist, gazed skyward, her face full of admiration and her heart filled with excitement. She fantasized incessantly about how wonderful it would be if she were also so powerful. Anatasiya considered herself quite strong among her peers, with few being stronger than her, but compared to Menilman and Princess May, she was still not strong enough! Anatasiya had an insatiable desire for power. She cared not one bit about love; she simply wanted the power to determine her own fate. Charles glanced around and noticed that nearly all of his subordinates had come over. After all, all of Charles''s subordinates were Transcendent, and even Dobin had advanced to Second Order Transcendent in this time, with his swordsmanship improving leaps and bounds. Using Charles''s "leading by example" as an excuse, his subordinates laid down on the ground one after another to watch this rare Transcendent battle. Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei couldn''t lose face by doing the same. Wasn''t that too unsightly? Besides, both were High-Level Transcendents who wouldn''t feel neck pain just from looking up for a short while, so they continued standing. The battle lasted for several hours. It wasn''t until the night sky began to darken that after another crossing of the two streams of Fighting Qi light, which resulted in a fierce collision, they parted without continuing to circle. From the ground, the two orbs of Fighting Qi light in the high sky hung like beans in the air, silent for a moment, before the pink one shot toward Strasbourg. Minutes later, Menilman landed quietly on the ground, draped in the night''s darkness with moonlight appearing intermittently within it. With her feet firmly on the ground, all traces of the Fighting Qi manifestation had disappeared. The Empire''s First Rose didn''t say anything, simply greeting Krel Brittany, Ebner Sumei, and Charles Meklen before quietly leading her team on their way. As Krel Brittany watched Menilman''s team leave, he took Ebner Sumei and Charles with him to rejoin his own team and entered Silver Pigeon Fort. On their way, everyone preferred to remain silent, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. It was only upon entering Silver Pigeon Fort that Charles learned Baron Fabolais was not there, and he couldn''t stay either¡ªhis assets were all lost. Now, the baron had nothing left but his immovable properties in Strasbourg. He left Silver Pigeon Fort in tears, going back to cry to his queen sister, hoping to exchange for another estate. However, the baron, whether out of disdain for the trouble or guided by someone wiser, surprisingly left his Knighthood behind at Silver Pigeon Fort. Without a master at Silver Pigeon Fort, Krel Brittany unceremoniously commandeered Baron Fabolais''s Knighthood and handed it over to Anatasiya. At first, Charles felt puzzled, but he quickly came to realize the reason behind it. Anatasiya was a graduate of Hatingen Thunder and Storm University, a legitimate junior to both Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei. Graduating from the same university, this social relationship often provided extra help when needed. Just as Charles had won Menilman''s favor, which led to his promotion. While both were Second Order Transcendents, Dobin, who hadn''t attended university, could only bitterly remain a forty-seventh rank Third Level Sergeant. To date, he had not received any documents for promotion. Chapter 228 223, Grand Duke Josephs last estate Dobin didn''t get promoted.Not long ago, it couldn''t be blamed on Charles. It wasn''t that he hadn''t reported it; it''s just that the higher-ups had always failed to approve it. But now, the responsibility fall squarely on Charles''s shoulders. With his continual promotions, he had long received the authority to approve the positions of many, including Dobin''s, though it involved some bureaucratic wrangling and wasn''t a direct promotion. So, Charles had no problem providing Anatasiya with a compensation of a Level 41 Class 1 Clerk and Belisa with a Level 45 Class 1 Assistant. Poor Dobin. Charles could swear to the heavens that he had no intention of deliberately suppressing this loyal subordinate; he had simply forgotten about it. Krel Brittany now commanded four knighthoods. He personally led the Purple Goldfinch Knights, while the Maple Leaf Knights were assembled by Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei themselves. Krel did not trust others and handed the leadership to his best friend, Ebner Sumei. The other two were Charles''s Westwind Knights and the Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights that Anatasiya took over, a name recently changed by Baron Fabolais; previously, the knighthood was not known by this name. Krel Brittany only stayed at Silver Pigeon Fort for three days to resupply before continuing on his journey. He had almost given all his supplies to Menilman, leaving his own troops rather low on resources. It was only after resupplying at Silver Pigeon Fort that the knighthood''s combat capability was restored. Krel Brittany''s way of resupplying was to levy an additional fee directly according to the Empire''s wartime regulations. Feeling somewhat remorseful toward the people of Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles led a detachment of the Westwind Knights back to the fort to distribute compensation to everyone who was taxed after Krel Brittany departed with his troops. Although the amount of the compensation was not substantial, it won Charles even warmer support from the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort. Those he had taken to Machu Picchu would occasionally travel back and forth to purchase supplies and brought back news, like no taxes in Machu Picchu and almost free housing, and so on. However, Machu Picchu was a derelict fortress, and its living environment was nowhere near as good as Silver Pigeon Fort, so not many were interested in living there. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But this time, Charles purposely returned to issue compensation to the people of Silver Pigeon Fort... Nobody knew that the money actually came from Baron Fabolais, even though he would never spend it on his subjects. Almost all the people of Silver Pigeon Fort believed it was compensation out of Charles''s own pocket, and a minor "settle in Machu Picchu" movement even emerged there. This was something Charles hadn''t expected. After Joseph''s death, his knights had fled back to the Behemoth Duchy, gathering at Mostar Fort without a nominal leader to this day. After leaving Silver Pigeon Fort, Krel Brittany headed straight for Mostar Fort, intent on securing the "last legacy" left by Grand Duke Joseph. As long as he could take control of this knighthood, there would be no force in the Behemoth Duchy capable of resisting him. Archduke Ferdinand had died without an heir, murdered, which led the Empire to entrust the Behemoth Duchy to his nephew, but after Joseph''s death, particularly since the Grand Duke''s wife also passed away, the Empire was no longer willing to relinquish control of Behemoth Duchy. Although the nobles of Behemoth Duchy did not want to be annexed by the Empire, they were a disorganized lot, each with their own agenda. Everyone wanted a piece of the benefits, and no one wished to put in the effort. The situation was no longer in their hands. In short, the situation at Mostar Fortress is in complete chaos. A few days later, Krel Brittany led troops into Mostar Fortress. Charles was also a member of this army, and the Westwind Knights were even an important part of it. Charles had never set foot inside Mostar Fortress; the last time he came, he only stayed outside the city and did not enter. This time, as he entered the capital of Behemoth Duchy, he felt quite emotional since he was, after all, a Behemoth native. However, not long after he entered the city, he saw nobles swarming in. These nobles had already engaged in several rounds of "civil war" to fight for power, resulting in at least dozens of deaths. Charles listened as the nobles rushed to curry favor with Krel Brittany, supporting their causes and attacking each other, and it didn''t take long for him to feel relieved for Belisa. If Belisa hadn''t made a quick decision to escape Mostar Fortress, she would likely have been tormented to death by these nobles by now because of her identity. Although Belisa might be somewhat naive, she was not foolish, and sometimes she could make decisions promptly; it was just that she had always been by the duchess''s side and lacked some experience. Of course, because she had always been by Grand Duke Joseph''s wife''s side, her insights in certain areas were more than sufficient. Krel Brittany had no interest in these local nobles of Behemoth. He ordered his soldiers to expel these wastrels but directed Charles to call several leaders from Grand Duke Joseph''s former faction to the Ducal Mansion to discuss affairs. Having received the order, Charles set out with only Anatasiya to the Mostar Fortress barracks. Anatasiya had by then cast aside the identity of Baron Fel''s illegitimate daughter and no longer mentioned being a person of Behemoth or the affairs of Lady Southseraph. She had settled down in Strasbourg and was now a bona fide Imperial clerk. Just like when she traveled with Charles, she was a first-class clerk of the 41st rank, a resident of the Imperial capital. The gates of the Mostar Fortress barracks were tightly closed. During this period, this knighthood also received numerous overtures from nobles, but most of them could not promise them a future, and these local nobles of Behemoth might not even have a future themselves. This caused the knighthood to be very wary. Upon arriving at the barracks, Charles immediately announced his name loudly, calling out, "Commander of the Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District, Westwind Knights'' Commander, Head of Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, the Fars Empire''s Special Plenipotentiary War Commissioner to the Inglima Empire, Charles Mecklen Meklen of the 27th rank and third-class domestic affairs!" "I request the three squadron leaders of Mostar Fortress Knights to open the camp gates and accompany me to meet Behemoth''s military Governor, Krel Brittany." Charles shouted this three times in a row, but no one in the barracks responded. Without hesitation, Charles pulled out an Anti-Space Sniper Rifle from his collar. He had returned to Machu Picchu and retrieved his most trusted weapon. He raised Bloody Glory and shouted, "If you don''t open the gates, I''ll blow them up and make my own way in." This threat, too, received no response. Without any hesitation, Charles pulled the trigger. A single Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet blew up the gates of the barracks. That was rather violent. Chapter 229 224, Void Folding The Mostar Fortress Knighthood, in fact, hadn''t figured out what to do?The leader of this knighthood was naturally Archduke Ferdinand, and after the Duke Ferdinand couple was assassinated, it was Grand Duke Joseph who became the master of this knighthood, but Joseph''s control over the knighthood had considerably weakened. If it weren''t for the banner of avenging Duke Ferdinand, he probably couldn''t have commanded this knighthood at all. With Joseph''s death in the South Serif territory, the knighthood was left without a master. Aside from the leader, Mostar Fortress originally had a total of five captains, two of whom were high-level transcendents who both made it back alive to Mostar Fortress. The other three were mid-level transcendents, two of whom died in battle in the South Serif territory, so now three captains are in charge of the knighthood. Having two high-level transcendents and one mid-level transcendent in its command, Mostar Fortress Knighthood didn''t really care about the political changes in the Behemoth Duchy. When Charles called out from outside the military camp, none of the three captains cared. Although Charles had killed Jonathan and dueled Zolman to the death, he only had a certain prestige in the eyes of the commoners and soldiers. These high-ranking individuals didn''t think he was anything special, only that the youngster was just lucky. It wasn''t until Charles blasted the military camp gate with a shot that the three captains finally became unsettled. The Green Knight Enzo couldn''t help saying, "A young man from Strasbourg dares to be so arrogant, I will go and teach him a lesson." His other colleague remained silent, the Blood Knight Diack nodded slightly, and only then did the Green Knight turn around and leave. Blood Knight Diack was known as Behemoth''s number one knight, and his strength ranked first in the knighthood. The Green Knight was also a high-order transcendental, but he needed the approval of the Blood Knight; as for the other mid-level transcendental, his opinion didn''t matter at all. After Charles blasted the gate of Mostar Fortress''s military camp with a shot, he put away the anti-space sniper rifle, knowing that he wouldn''t need this old comrade for the time being. Anastasia had never seen Charles so fierce and asked in a low voice, "Do you have a grudge against them?" Charles touched his nose and said, "Yes." He was too embarrassed to say that the person who had chased Mister Charles Mecklen through the streets naked was an intermediate-ranking officer of the Mostar Fortress Knighthood. Although it wasn''t "Huang Hai Sheng" who streaked, whenever Mecklen remembered this embarrassing incident, he still felt quite disgruntled. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire This time he was passing a message on behalf of Kreel Brittany, after clearly stating his purpose, the Mostar Fortress Knighthood actually didn''t respond, not even sending someone to reply. Adding old grudges to fresh ones, he was slightly more violent than usual. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Green Knight Enzo mounted his warhorse, had his men deliver the knight''s spear, clamped onto the knight''s spear, let the horse gallop, and he himself was like a whirlwind. The Green Knight Enzo had no intention of listening to Charles''s explanations. Since he wanted to be violent, let it be violent. As a high-order knight, the Green Knight Enzo believed that even in front of Kreel Brittany, he would have more face than Charles, and even if he injured the other party, no one would hold him accountable. This was the confidence of a high-order Transcendent not bound to a mere physical existence. Charles''s insight took the lead, pre-emptively sensing the approach of the azure Knight Enzo galloping towards them, and he said to Anatasiya, "Step aside a little, to avoid getting caught up in the fight." Indeed, Anatasiya leapt back as instructed. Although she was a graduate of Hatingen Thunder and Stormwind University, cultivating a top-tier Knight inheritance, she was still too young, merely a second-order Transcendent, and indeed could not intervene in a duel of the mid-high tier. Since leaving Behemoth Duchy, Charles had honed his skills in combat with Inglima over the open seas, and his cultivation improved moderately. He remained an eighth-order Transcendent, but his confidence had swelled considerably. On this occasion, following Krel Brittany to Behemoth Duchy, he also carried a Knight''s Spear, bestowed by Aurora: the Collapsing Mountain. This was a bloodsucking weapon, featuring five attributes: armor-piercing, impact, Magic Breaker, blood loss, and life absorption to repair the weapon itself. Charles, holding the spear in both hands, silently recalled the secret essentials of the Asiluo Clan''s Secret Technique "Wings of Heaven." As Knight Enzo came within less than twenty meters of him, Charles suddenly moved, leaping into the air, soaring on the wind with the enhancement of double Quickness Technique, the Spirit Spider Technique, and the Wings of the Hatchling Dragon. When he reached the apex of his jump, Knight Enzo had just advanced another seven or eight meters, the optimal distance for an attack by Wings of Heaven. Knight Enzo had not expected that his plan to charge on horseback would be disrupted. He intended to rush up to Charles and, at the peak of his knightly power, deliver a blow with amplified force, surely sufficient to inflict a severe wound on Charles with a single strike. He could never have anticipated that Charles would suddenly leap high, causing his power-peak spear thrust to miss its target entirely. As Charles reached the highest point of his jump, his spear descended like a collapsing sky, plunging straight down from the air. Knight Enzo could only muster his Fighting Spirit to divert his spear thrust towards the heavens. What he did not account for, however, was that Charles''s spear thrust was a feint. As Knight Enzo adjusted his spear to parry upward, Charles lightly shifted his footing and effortlessly changed direction once more. It was one of the reasons why the Asiluo Clan''s gunmanship secret technique was called "Wings of Heaven." This particular technique was named "Void Folding," not a special ability, but pure gunmanship. Without the Quickness Technique, Spirit Spider Technique, and Wings of the Hatchling Dragon, there would be no such agility, balance, or power to control one''s body. Knight Enzo attempted to adjust mid-fight, already struggling to maintain control of his spear technique. By the time Charles altered course in mid-air, Enzo''s thrust was beyond retraction, and he could only watch in dismay as Charles held Collapsing Mountain aloft, delivering a crushing blow that toppled both the knight and his steed. The Knight''s warhorse cried out in despair, unable to rise again, its neck broken with a single strike from Charles. Despite channelling his high-tier Fighting Spirit to dodge lethal blows and managing a block with his own spear, the blow from Charles left Enzo with aching back and chest, but without real injury. Enraged, he leapt to his feet, cursing, "You Strasbourg scoundrel, dare to launch a sneak attack?" Charles was momentarily taken aback and then realized why the other did not acknowledge him as a Behemoth man. In recent times, Charles had won several victories in Behemoth. He had even slain the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, Jonathan, and killed Zolman in a duel beneath Mostar Fortress, reaching such towering prestige. The native commanders of Behemoth did not want to recognize him as one of their own, to prevent him from gaining even greater influence. Charles landed lightly, pointed the spear Collapsing Mountain and said, "If you are not convinced, then come at me again!" Knight Enzo gripped his long spear tighter. Every move Charles had made was beyond his common understanding, exceeding his ''common sense'', and this high-tier Knight truly did not dare "come at him again." Chapter 230 225, Maybe this is destiny. Charles''s "Wings of Heaven" gunmanship technique was personally trained by Julian.Although there were not many secrets to this shot¡ªthe power technique, movement changes¡ªany Transcendent well-versed in gunmanship, even just at intermediate rank rather than high order, could figure out the subtleties after a few days of contemplation. But the most cruel aspect of the battlefield is... Often, there''s no second exchange. The souls killed by "Wings of Heaven," if given time, might have been able to unravel Asiluo''s gunmanship, but they generally wouldn''t get a second chance. Techniques similar to "Void Folding," the "Wings of Heaven" has seventy-seven variants, sufficient to kill enemies seventy-seven times over. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire When Charles learned gunmanship from Julian, his progress was quite ordinary, but during the duel with Retainer Lamarlock, he delivered the peak strike of his life, although by the second shot he could not maintain the same standard and had to switch weapons after a few more moves. However, after that duel, Charles improved every day in gunmanship. Now facing Enzo, a Green Knight who barely surpassed the threshold of a High-Level Transcendent, he only saw flaws everywhere, rigidity in combat, plenty of exploitable weaknesses. The strike just now had greatly bolstered Charles''s confidence. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He paid no heed to the Green Knight Enzo, who didn''t dare "go again," and boldly entered the Mostar Fort Knighthood''s camp. The Green Knight Enzo hesitated for a moment, then, stifling his anger, he stabbed a wounded warhorse to death with his lance and turned back to the camp. Anatasiya hesitated before deciding not to follow him in. In case Charles ended up fighting people inside the camp and had to look out for her, the odds of them fighting their way out were slim; but without her as a burden, escaping would be no difficult feat. Anatasiya herself had led troops and fought in battles, and even waged warfare alone in the lands of Southern Seraph Territory and Behemoth Duchy, qualifying as a competent commander. She approached issues from a strategic standpoint, rather than letting emotions prevail. On this occasion, Charles quickly encountered Blood Knight Diack and another Mid-Level Transcendent captain. Seeing that not a speck of dust had settled on Charles, but that the Green Knight was quite disheveled and considerably more docile, the Blood Knight knew that in the recent duel, Charles hadn''t suffered a disadvantage and that the Green Knight had definitely lost. Although Diack believed his own strength far surpassed that of Green Knight Enzo, he knew he couldn''t make this comrade concede defeat in such a short time and had to acknowledge this young man whose reputation was on the rise in Behemoth. Blood Knight Diack asked, "Why have you come here?" Charles gave a faint smile and replied, "Behemoth''s military Governor Krel Brittany has sent me to invite the three squadron commanders to discuss the matter of deploying troops." Blood Knight Diack let out a faint sigh and said, "Under the leadership of Grand Duke Joseph, we gathered all of Behemoth''s knighthoods, only to suffer a massive defeat at Interlaken City. Of the twelve knighthoods that set out, only three returned, with casualties accounting for seventy percent." "Even Grand Duke Joseph perished in the small town of Interlaken, and the Lady Southseraph even reached Mostar Fort and killed the Grand Duchess." "Behemoth now can no longer endure the ravages of war." "We need to recuperate and recover." Charles smiled faintly and said, "These matters, you will need to discuss them personally with Krel." ``` The Blood Knight Diack, left with no choice, could only say, "Let us go see Mr. Krel right away." The three squadron leaders of the Mostar Fortress Knighthood, along with a dozen personal knights, followed Charles to the Ducal Mansion, which now lacked a master, and Krel unapologetically took over the place. In this meeting, Charles did not participate. It was not that his status was insufficient, but that he could not be bothered to partake in a lengthy and dull political meeting. Cyrus had been steeped in politics from a young age, Ebner Sumei also hailed from a noble background and was well-versed in politics, while Charles, a commoner of merchant origins, had seen much, yet was still half a political ignoramus. He would only find such meetings vexing. Charles didn''t even stay in the Ducal Mansion, leaving it to ascend the walls of Mostar Fortress. Gazing down at the city and the flat expanse below, he suddenly felt rather contemplative. The last time he came to Mostar Fortress, he had been outside the city, fighting desperately for its survival. Yet the nobles inside had done nothing, even allowing Cyrus to breach the ramparts and decapitate the Grand Duke''s lady. Although that duel brought Charles fame, Cyrus was the one who reaped the most renown. With Zolman''s death, Cyrus took complete control of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, silencing any opposition. Now, Cyrus was leading the South Ceraph Reclamation Army into the Ferlanden Battlefield. Charles didn''t know how many of those from Nansela would make it back to their homeland. According to the current war progress, when this battle concludes, the Fars Empire should still exist, as should the Byron Empire. However, as the catalysts for the war, the Behemoth Duchy and Southern Seraph Territory might not remain. The Behemoth Duchy lost two Dukes and even both of their Duchesses had perished; it was no longer an independent duchy and had to choose between being a directly controlled county or a self-governing territory. While this wasn''t necessarily bad for the people of Behemoth, the local nobility would surely feel the blow. Many nobles would lose their lands, like the Baron Fel who lost his entire family. The future for Southern Seraph Territory was bleaker. If Krel''s offensive proved successful, Southern Seraph Territory would cease to exist as its army was battling in Ferlanden for Byron, and it was likely that the Southseraph''s army would also be no more. Without land or army, perhaps the people of Southseraph might cease to exist as well. Among all choices, war is never the best one. Anatasiya, who had been quietly following Charles, suddenly asked, "Will there be no more peace for the Behemoth Duchy and Southern Seraph Territory?" Charles gave a wry smile and replied, "There might be peace, but not necessarily the kind everyone can accept." After a long silence, Anatasiya spoke softly, "Can you help me retrieve my mother? I want to bury her in Silver Pigeon Fort." Charles nodded and said, "I will do my best." He glanced at the beautiful young girl and felt a stir of emotion. Both noble girls, Anatasiya and Anne followed similar life protocols, but because of their different origins, their lives diverged. Both girls graduated from top universities and were Transcendents. Anatasiya, being slightly older by two or three years, held a slightly higher Extraordinary Rank. Both were beautiful and of good character and temperament, but one remained a loved daughter of a count, enjoying a blissful life, while the other had to fight alone on the battlefield. Perhaps this was fate. Just as he used to be a math teacher and transmigrated into this world of Transcendents. ``` Chapter 231 226, well, lets talk about morality later. Krel Brittany did not spend much effort to subdue the Mostar Knighthood.Whether it was Blood Knight Diack, Green Knight Enzo, or another captain, they all decided after a discussion to fully support him and strike at the South Serif Territory. With the intention of winning over the Mostar Knighthood, Krel still let them lead this knighthood. Krel could almost be counted as one of the most outstanding individuals of the younger generation in the Fars Empire, so Charles was not at all surprised that he managed to handle the Mostar Knighthood. However, considering various aspects, Charles gave his superior a special suggestion to divide the Mostar Knighthood into three and select excellent soldiers to supplement the Purple Goldfinch Knights, allowing Blood Knight Diack and others to recruit additional troops. Krareel adopted this suggestion and indeed had Blood Knight Diack, Green Knight Enzo, and another captain each establish a new knighthood, drawing a group of robust soldiers into the Purple Goldfinch Knights and the Maple Knights. Viscount Berlenton''s Purple Goldfinch Knights are some of the strongest forces on the continent, stronger than many private knighthoods of count-level nobility. Julius Axler gave this knighthood to Krel Brittany also with significant consideration, as it would remove a disobedient great noble from the empire and gain a loyal commander. The Goldfinch Knights had fought until they lost their leader, which shows the fierceness of the battles and the severe casualties, indeed necessitating personnel replenishment. As for Krel, he also supplemented the Maple Knights because he had personally founded this knighthood and felt differently about it. After the split, the Mostar Knighthood ceased to exist, which was very beneficial to Krel Brittany. After the split, the three captains were each able to obtain a knighthood of their own which they were quite satisfied with. Though Krel Brittany drafted a group of strong soldiers from them, gaining the authority to recruit soldiers was, for them, more beneficial than detrimental ¡ª at this time, it was actually easy to gather disheartened soldiers from defeated forces and supplement their ranks. Krel Brittany, having taken over the Mostar Knighthood, was not so eager for the other two knighthoods remaining, whose forces had been severely depleted in battle, each reduced to less than five hundred men. He stayed at Mostar Castle for seven days and did a simple reorganization of his knighthoods, then decided to personally lead the Purple Goldfinch, Maple and the newly established three knighthoods in a raid on the South Serif Territory, leaving Charles and Anatasiya in Behemoth, and also gave Charles an order to gather the remaining two knighthoods. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Krel Brittany didn''t say so, Charles guessed that he had also received a recommendation about himself from Blood Knight Diack and Green Knight Enzo. Clearly, Krel had adopted it. Honestly, Charles had no interest whatsoever in going to war in the South Serif Territory. He was too happy to stay behind. Krel''s departure was well-organized. After leaving Mostar Castle, he said to Charles, who had come to see him off, "In this troop, only Abner and you are the people I trust. Abner will come with me to fight, the rear can only be entrusted to you." "Our strategic goal is not to overtake the South Serif Territor, but to escalate the war to draw in Ferlanden''s army, so we really need a stable rear." "Do not disappoint me, for we are of one body." Charles smiled slightly and said, "I will protect the home front for you." "You can trust me at any time." "You know, I''d really like to become part of the Brittany family." Kreel Brittany revealed a smile, his trust in Charles was also based on this point, and there was no more stable political alliance than a marriage alliance, especially since the Brittany family could offer Charles so much. Both publicly and privately, Charles would never betray. Beyond interests, there lay his appreciation of Charles. In Kreel Brittany''s eyes, Charles was an outstanding commander and a very good friend, capable and of excellent moral character, and of solid integrity. Well, that''s enough about morals. Charles bid farewell to Kreel and had just returned to Mostar Fort when his diary transmitted a thought: Charles Meklen had temporarily obtained the rule of Mostar Fort, satisfying the conditions to set up the sixth labyrinth. Mostar Fort was about to undergo maze-ification. He was to complete eighteen cycles of taxation during this period and was not to leave the area. Charles was slightly surprised. He had never expected "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" to set such a condition this time. Perhaps for the people of the Old Continent, this condition was very challenging since taxation had always been a major problem for feudal governance. But for someone who had read about the post-feudal era, where taxes were as common as hairs on a cow in books, Charles had a completely different understanding of heavy taxation. He returned to Mostar Fort and immediately gathered all the nobles of the city to discuss the ownership of the Duke''s Mansion. After the deaths of two generations of dukes, the nobles of the Behemoth Duchy, though reluctant, also realized that the country would probably no longer have a duke, so everyone coveted the inheritance left after the downfall of the duchy. The Ducal Mansion in Mostar Fort was the most luxurious residence, a perfect symbol of status for the nobles who valued luxury and indulgence. However, previously no one had enough authority to suppress the other dissenters. Though Kreel Brittany had the status, he was a member of the Brittany family and had to maintain some decorum, so he had not dealt with the matter. Find more to read on My Virtual Library Empire As soon as Kreel Brittany left, Charles immediately convened the nobles to discuss the disposal of the Ducal Mansion, giving all the nobles of Mostar Fort a "hint" that he was "ordered" to handle the inheritance of the duke. Charles had grown up in the Behemoth Duchy, but his home was not in Mostar Fort; it was in Seagull City, the third-largest city of the Behemoth Duchy, a coastal city. Indeed, he had spent a few years studying in Mostar Fort before entering university since both the Lemann Public School and the Behemoth National College were located there. He considered himself familiar with Mostar Fort, but he had never realized before that the city had so many nobles. Those of the 37th rank and above were considered lower-tier nobility, and those of the 24th rank and above belonged to an insurmountable class. Mostar Fort had well over five hundred lower-tier nobility and dozens from the insurmountable class. This was certainly not all; part of Mostar Fort''s nobility, fearing war, had fled to Strasbourg or other places. This was not all of Behemoth Duchy either; these were just the local nobles of Mostar Fort. Chapter 232 227, Rumors of Hometown ```Charles, while not holding the highest position, had the Westwind Knights at his command and the Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights also obeyed him, and by representing Krel, he ensured that the local nobles of Strasbourg were quite submissive to him. His reputation, earned through consecutive battles, also played a crucial role in this. Charles addressed the local nobles with a smile, "Unfortunately, Duke Joseph fell in the South Serif territory, losing such an excellent leader is a loss for each and every one of us." "However..." "Strasbourg is the city of all Strasbourgians, and the wealth of the city should rightly belong to every Strasbourgian." His words were cleverly nuanced, luring in the attention of almost all Strasbourgians as Charles continued, "I have decided to divide the wealth left by the Duke equally among everyone." This statement resonated with the nobility, even prompting some to cheer quietly. With a smile, Charles said, "But Strasbourg is a large city with a population of over a hundred thousand, perhaps even more, making it impossible to divide the wealth directly among individuals. This requires the nobility to take on the responsibility." Each noble''s heart quivered at these words, indescribably grateful for Charles''s wisdom, the words struck each noble''s heart like the most sagacious King. Charles then subtly shifted the conversation, "There are just three criteria for this matter: fairness, fairness, and more fairness." "However, some things can''t be evenly divided or cut, like this Duke''s Mansion! So I have a small request, which is to start with the Duke''s Mansion and conduct an auction. The cash from each auction will then be distributed equally among all the nobles present." "What do you think, gentlemen?" The Strasbourgians cheered in unison, fully endorsing the decision, their eyes clouded by the immense benefits, having completely forgotten to question the validity. Charles immediately commenced the first auction, naming it the "Strasbourg War Tax Levy Assembly." Before the auction began, he publicly declared that he would not touch a coin of the auction proceeds, asking the Strasbourg nobility to elect eighteen of the most virtuous and respected individuals to collectively oversee this significant sum of money. This announcement served as a "reassurance pill" for the nobility, who quickly elected eighteen nobles, bringing their private knighthoods to watch over such a considerable amount of cash. The first item auctioned off went very smoothly, with the Duke''s Mansion being particularly coveted by the Strasbourg nobility. Some thought that since the auction proceeds were to be shared among all, it absolutely shouldn''t be sold cheaply to benefit one sole individual. Consequently, nearly everyone was determined to "drive up the price," whether they intended to buy it or not. In the end, the Duke''s Mansion was auctioned for the astonishing sum of 63,000 Aegeus. Charles had once mortgaged Silver Pigeon Fort for several thousand Aegeus and dumped the debt onto Baron Fabolais, at which time he thought himself quite ruthless; the fort was certainly not worth that much. Residential areas in Strasbourg of similar size sold for only a few thousand Aegeus. How could the residential estate of Silver Pigeon Fort sell for the same price as a capital city property? He had not anticipated that the Ducal Mansion would auction for such an exaggerated amount. When the first "Strasbourg War Tax" from the auction of the Ducal Mansion was recorded, the diary indeed transmitted a thought: the maze-ification progress of Strasbourg is (1/18). As one of the top-tier nobles of the Empire, the two Dukes obviously owned more than one residence. Charles put these properties up for sale one after another, experiencing for the first time the labyrinth transformation progress rapidly advancing. After selling a residence in the eastern part of the city, the maze-ification progress of Strasbourg reached (18/18), achieving one full labyrinth transformation. ``` The diary immediately sent out a wisp of thought: "Charles Meklen had obtained the position of temporary ruler of Mostar Castle and had already performed the taxation duties, meeting the requirements for setting up the seventh Labyrinth. Mostar Castle was about to initiate its second maze-ification. Please complete eighteen instances of taxation. During this period, you must not leave this place." Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire Charles then began to auction off the estates, shops, and collections of the two dukes... He soon completed the second maze-ification of Mostar Castle and obtained three passageways leading to Machu Picchu, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Cappadocia City. To Charles''s surprise, the diary didn''t prompt a third maze-ification. Although he knew this thing was very "random," he still felt somewhat regretful. After completing this "great auction," Charles announced that he was leaving the remaining matters to the local nobles of Mostar Castle. He wouldn''t interfere at all, and, to show enough "sincerity," he didn''t even stay at Mostar Castle. He took the Westwind Knights and Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights and left to gather two other Knighthoods. As soon as Charles left, Mostar Castle became bustling... For Charles, this was just a minor surprise. Having completed two mazes was already a harvest, and as for the other gains... Well, there was no rush for now. The three Knighthoods that had escaped back from the Southern Seraph Territory, aside from the Mostar Castle Knighthood, belonged to two barons who had both luckily survived. Although they had suffered heavy losses, they had at least saved their lives. They also received orders from Strasbourg, instructing them to assist Krel in attacking South Serif again, but which of the barons was willing to gamble their last resources? Both holed up in their own territories and even formed an alliance, preparing to resist Krel. They didn''t expect that Krel didn''t even care about their pathetic few hundred soldiers and didn''t bother to come. Instead, it was Charles who came with the Westwind Knights and Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights in a mighty force. In order to "avoid suspicion," Charles didn''t leave a single person behind in Mostar Castle. He left cleanly and spotlessly. When they were close to their destination, Charles suggested to Anatasiya that he would go to Seagull City, and she should head to Ode Mountain City. Anatasiya readily agreed and took the Maple Leaf Knighthood to Ode Mountain City. Seagull City was the third-largest city of Behemoth Duchy and also Charles''s hometown where he had countless "romantic affairs." For instance, there was a baroness who was seductive and charming, mature yet glamorous, and a baroness''s daughter who was youthful and lively... Besides these, there were quite a few "old acquaintances." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Well, such as... Well, such as... Well, also such as... Charles was quite worried that Anatasiya might hear some unsavory "rumors" in Seagull City. As far as he knew, there were still quite a few "rumors" about Mister Mecklen in this small hometown city. Chapter 233 228, Enjoy yourself in the ocean of words. Charles stopped outside Seagull City, sending Dobin and Yellow Bear to notify Baron Valentine.He did not wish to meet the Baron and even felt embarrassed about the matter. Charles hoped that Baron Valentine would hand over the Knighthood so he could return to Krel to report, trying to make the matter as simple as possible. After Dobin and Yellow Bear had left, they returned in half an hour, both forcibly shaved bald and bearing a message, "Tell Charles to wash his ass clean!" This was initially just a simple threat, but for a moment, Charles thought his affair with the Baron''s wife and daughter had been exposed. After repeatedly inquiring about the details, he confirmed that it had nothing to do with Baron Valentine at present; the Baron was still "completely oblivious," and someone else was furious. The one who ordered Dobin and Yellow Bear to be held down and shaved bald was a Knight Captain under Baron Valentine, Freeman Simon Qing Martin. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire This Knight Captain, Freeman Simon Qing Martin, was highly dishonorable. Upon entering Seagull City, Dobin and Yellow Bear were surrounded by his orders, and under the threat of hundreds of rifles, they could not resist and were humiliatingly pinned to the ground and shaved bald. This incident left Charles feeling helpless. Freeman Simon Qing Martin was the man who, years ago, caused Mister Charles Mecklen to run wildly through the streets in an embarrassing manner. At that time, Freeman Simon Qing Martin was a middle-ranking officer in the Mostar Fort Knighthood; Charles had not expected that Mister Martin would have returned to his hometown and now served under Baron Valentine. Well, if it weren''t for Freeman Simon Qing Martin''s family being in Seagull City, destroying their affairs at Mostar Fort, that incident wouldn''t have happened. Normally, Mister Charles Mecklen was very cautious in his actions. For instance, Baron Valentine was still completely unaware of the situation. Dobin and Yellow Bear were extremely angry, viewing the incident as a supreme humiliation and strongly demanding that Charles immediately order an attack on the city. Even though Charles was "insane," he would not kindle the flames of war against his own hometown, especially since he was a peace-loving person. Thus, after hesitating for a few minutes, he had his subordinates find a set of bow and arrow. Despite the rise of firearms making bows nearly obsolete, many still favored this ancient long-range weapon. He shot a challenge letter into the city. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles hoped to resolve the issue of Seagull City through a duel rather than war. Less than half an hour after the challenge letter entered Seagull City, a squad of soldiers burst out of the city gates. Leading them was a big bearded man wielding a rapier, with a ghastly pale blue face and body brimming with fighting spirit, who bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Charles, you bastard born of a bitch, come out and die." Charles had not expected the challenge letter to have such a quick effect. He was even more surprised that Mister Freeman Simon Qing Martin had also become Transcendent. If Mister Martin had possessed the strength of a Transcendent back then, Charles would likely have not survived to leave Seagull City and attend university in Strasbourg without the intervention of the Evil God. Charles took a deep breath. The past was always there to confront. He galloped away from his troops, saying, "Been a while, Mister Freeman Simon Qing Martin." As soon as these words were spoken, the soldiers behind Freeman Simon Qing Martin burst out laughing. There was no helping it, as the incidents involving Charles and Freeman Simon Qing Martin were almost universally known in Seagull City. This matter is just that funny. Even the soldiers of Seagull City didn''t take the threats of the Westwind Knights seriously, and Charles couldn''t show off his prestige in his own hometown however famous he might be in Behemoth Duchy. Nobody believed Charles would attack Seagull City, where his father, brother, and family lived. Charles was at least shielded by a layer of ''transmigrator'' skin and managed to hold up, but Freeman Simon Qing Martin could not contain himself, and he didn''t look back, mainly because he was too embarrassed to. Mister Martin clenched his teeth, swung his rapier, and charged at Charles. Charles pointed at Collapsing Mountain and said, "I''ll dismount first!" Freeman Simon Qing Martin seemed insulted by these words, and with a roar, his speed suddenly increased by ten percent. Only then did Charles remember that he had said something similar the first time he met Freeman Simon Qing Martin. He didn''t mean it, it''s just¡­ He genuinely didn''t want to think too much about the past. Freeman Simon Qing Martin was middle-aged when he, stimulated by "something," suddenly broke through life''s limits and became a Transcendent, but due to his age, after becoming a First Order Knight, he had no hope of being promoted again. Although his combat power surged to 200% due to anger, the gap between him and Charles was just too wide. Facing such a flawed swordsmanship, Charles only needed to press down with his Knight''s Spear to throw Freeman Simon Qing Martin to the ground. Charles was too embarrassed to hit him hard. Freeman Simon Qing Martin rolled over and got up, still swinging his rapier furiously. His swordsmanship was about the same as Charles Mecklen''s at the beginning, barely passing the National Academy swordsmanship class. Now, Charles, after numerous trials, had become proficient in both swordsmanship and gunmanship. Although he still did not excel in close combat¡ªhe was better at long-range attacks¡ªhe had no difficulty handling such a mediocre opponent. With a twist and a wrap of his Knight''s Spear, Charles flipped Freeman Simon Qing Martin over again. After exchanging dozens of moves, Charles threw his opponent several times, and although Freeman Simon Qing Martin still wanted to bravely fight again, the Serpent of Destiny wouldn''t allow it. Exhausted, he lay on the ground, cursing loudly. Charles shouted to Freeman Simon Qing Martin''s soldiers, "Aren''t you going to help your captain up?" These soldiers indeed sporadically came forward, helped Freeman Simon Qing Martin up, and kept advising their officer, "It''s all in the past, and you can''t beat him. Charles even went to Strasbourg University, now he''s the toughest man in all of Behemoth¡­" Freeman Simon Qing Martin roared, "The toughest my ass! That coward who I chased around the streets with just a rapier, running bare-assed." Charles almost wanted to order the men of the Westwind Knights to cover their ears, but it was probably too late. He took a deep breath, recalling the rapid documents Anne had prepared for him, and decided to write another book as soon as he turned around, featuring Freeman Simon Qing Martin as the protagonist, letting this gentleman, who lived somewhat stifled in reality, thoroughly enjoy himself in the ocean of words. This book must use the angry Bunana as a pen name, and it must be published in Behemoth without Anne''s knowledge. Freeman Simon Qing Martin didn''t know yet that he would become forever renowned, intimidating the literary circles of the New and Old Continents, and becoming one of the cultural symbols of the Fars Empire. After vociferously cursing Charles for a while, and knowing there was nothing he could do as the other was now stronger and came with a thousand-strong knighthood, he could only curse and walk back to Seagull City with help from his soldiers. Chapter 234 229, your reputation wasnt good to begin with That day, Charles camped outside the city and felt too ashamed to return to his hometown.By evening, his brother Mycroft Meklen had arrived. Since Lady Southseraph of the Restoration Army had been killed by Cyrus and her head taken, no one bothered the Meklen family anymore, and Charles''s father took the family back to Seagull City. When Mycroft Meklen saw his brother, his emotions were notably mixed. The last time he saw Charles, his younger brother had appeared impressive, but his situation was precarious, as Lady Southseraph''s Restoration Army was still outside the city, and no one knew what tomorrow might bring. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But this time when he saw Charles, Mycroft Meklen already knew that his younger brother had been promoted and even acquired a diplomatic status, having gone on a mission to the Inglima Empire. He was said to have gained the Inglima emperor''s favor and was offered a position there. In Strasbourg, Charles''s rank wasn''t high enough to make the papers, but in Seagull City, he was the talk of the town, especially since there had been many rumors about him already, and the recent topics had indeed become quite rich. Charles never returned to his hometown, otherwise, if he had read a few Seagull City newspapers, he would have had no illusions about his situation. Mycroft Meklen spoke to his brother with a hint of humility, saying, "I am here under Baron Valentine''s orders, hoping you will withdraw your troops." "After all, this is your hometown, why ignite the flames of war here?" "Your reputation is already not good..." Charles cut off his brother, saying, "I am acting under orders from His Majesty Julius Axler to take away the knighthood of Seagull City. Do you think the orders from Baron Valentine can be compared with those from His Majesty Julius Axler?" "Brother, I too do not wish to ignite the flames of war in our hometown, but the only way to prevent it is for Baron Valentine to follow the orders from Strasbourg and hand over the knighthood." "I am not Lady Southseraph, treating me as an enemy is unnecessary." "Also..." "Dear brother, do not speak of the past to me anymore." "I am not asking you as a younger brother, I am asking you as Charles Meklen of the Fars Empire, Strasbourg, the General of Lucavaro District Patrolling Army, the Westwind Knights'' Commander, the Head of Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, Fars Imperial Envoy with full powers to the Inglima Empire, and a 27th Rank third-class domestic affairs director!" "As well as Inglima Empire, 24th Rank first-class senator, Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace, Charles Meklen." Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire "Do not bring up the past again." "I do not want our brotherly affection to suffer because of this." Mycroft Meklen''s expression grew slightly downcast as he replied softly, "I understand." Charles said gently, "Go! Tell Baron Valentine that I am not his enemy, and I did not come to attack Seagull City; I am merely ordered to relocate the knighthood under his command." "This command comes from his majesty Emperor Julius Axler, and it is not something a mere baron can resist, nor something I, a minor 27th Rank third-class domestic affairs director, can indulge." Mycroft Meklen had nothing more to say and requested to leave, but Charles urged him to stay for dinner and took out some gifts he had brought back from Notruden, asking him to distribute them to every member of his family. Charles Meklen was a nomadic person with little attachment to family. After he went to Strasbourg, the only thing he would mention in his letters home was "asking for money." After Mycroft Meklen cut off his brother''s financial support, Charles Meklen stopped writing to his family altogether. Although "Huang Hai Sheng" had a better character than Charles Meklen, he truly had no affection for the Meclen family... Thus, Charles had no intention of supporting the Mekren Family. He thought it was good enough for the Mecklen family to stay in Seagull City, providing some financial support at most. Well, it might be worth trying to nurture Mycroft Meklen''s children, his nephews and nieces. If he could educate a few college students, or even a few Transcendents, that would be very helpful to him. Mycroft Meklen had three children, two boys and a girl, so among the gifts Charles gave to his brother were three rapiers from the Inglima Empire, each worth at least six or seven Fu Er of high quality. Although their quality might not necessarily be better than those from Fars, their different styles and exotic allure clearly made them more popular. Mycroft Meklen had come on foot, so Charles, citing the abundance of gifts as a reason, prepared a carriage for his brother and mentioned that there was no need to return it; the family could keep it for their use. The Meclen family, being merchants, actually needed carriages to transport goods and since they had many people, multiple carriages were often required for travel. However, neither Charles''s father nor his brother had ever been willing to invest in this area. He had given them one last time, and now by giving another, he estimated they would probably have enough for the family''s use. Mycroft Meklen left with complex feelings, taking the carriage and gifts back to Seagull City. After seeing his brother off, Charles, as usual, sent Dobin out with some men to patrol the nearby area¡ªan act of caution he had brought from Earth, which could help in early detection of enemy ambushes. He had thought that there wouldn''t be any enemies in Seagull City, but he still maintained this habit. For Charles, breaking a habit was a bad thing. However, he did not expect that less than an hour after Mycroft Meklen''s departure, Dobin hurried back and said, "A military force has left Seagull City and is moving towards us. In about a few tens of minutes, they could launch an attack." Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "There are only a few hundred people in Seagull City, do they dare to attack our Westwind Knights?" Dobin shrugged his shoulders and said, "Perhaps Baron Valentine thinks he''s a military genius?" Charles was speechless, issuing several orders in rapid succession, withdrawing half of the knighthood to ambush near the camp. Sure enough, not long after, a few hundred-strong knighthood appeared outside the camp. Baron Valentine led at the front, his face alight with excitement. He lowered his voice and said, "Charles is a coward; everyone in Seagull City knows what he is made of. I am going to shatter his myth and burst the bubble of this ''strongest knight of Behemoth'' reputation he''s built up." "Win this battle, and every soldier will receive a Sheng Ding." Hearing this from afar, Charles couldn''t restrain himself from issuing a command. Countless torches flared to life as he raised Bloody Glory and bellowed, "Those who surrender on the spot will be rewarded with twenty Sheng Dings. Whoever captures Baron Valentine alive will be heavily rewarded with one hundred Aegeus!" Compete in terms of money? Charles feared not a mere baron! Chapter 235 230, Everyones past is not just one-sided Charles, although a layman in military affairs, understood the importance of equipment. The Westwind Knights he led had all been equipped with a rifle each, a rapier, and a dagger. Some soldiers might have a combination of a spear and a handgun instead because some were proficient in the Knight''s Spear, and carrying a rifle would be too cumbersome for them, so they switched to something like the Magnum Hand Shuttle. Therefore, when he gave the command, Baron Valentine and his subordinates saw countless dark gun barrels. Just as some thought to resist, they were fired upon simultaneously and riddled with holes. The Knighthood of Valentine originally served as the local garrison of Seagull City, so they were not of high quality. Although Valentine had the right to maintain a knighthood, he found it too expensive and simply did not have his own troops. After suffering a great defeat in the Southern Seraph Territory, their morale had already plummeted to the lowest depths. Now, being "surrounded by the enemy planning to ambush," many of them immediately panicked, dropped their weapons, and sought to flee. These men were all captured alive by the soldiers of the Westwind Knights and pinned to the ground. Charles didn''t break his word, and publicly gave each surrendering soldier twenty Sheng Ding. Once the soldiers from Valentine''s Knighthood received their money, they were taken to the back and searched, confiscating all possessions apart from the twenty Sheng Ding. Charles never shortchanged his own people, so the soldiers of the Westwind Knights had developed the habit of keeping small amounts of booty for themselves on the battlefield. The soldiers of Valentine''s Knighthood, unaware of their comrades'' fate, began to surrender in growing numbers after seeing the precedent. Baron Valentine was no great general, and his decision to attempt an ambush stemmed from his knowledge of Charles being a local with many unsavory rumors, which led to some contempt. By this time, he was already in a state of panic, unsure whether to surrender or not. While Baron Valentine hesitated, a thin and tall youth quietly gestured, and seven or eight companions crowded around him, pinning Baron Valentine to the ground. Afraid, Valentine begged, "Don''t kill me, don''t kill me, I am a baron of the Empire, a high-ranking noble..." Others had their eyes on Baron Valentine, but after the thin youth pinned the baron down, he drew his handgun from his waist, as did his companions. This immediately intimidated those who wanted to come up and fight over the "hundred Aegeus." The slender youth, restraining the baron, did not give up his weapon as he approached Charles. Charles was about to reward them with a smile when his expression suddenly changed, and the youth''s appearance overlapped with a memory from Charles Meklen''s past. Unable to hold back, he exclaimed, "Are you Yang?" The youth coldly replied, "No!" Charles was momentarily moved, but quickly suppressed his emotions and smiled, "I must have mistaken you for someone else." He gestured, and The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft took Baron Valentine away, and he personally led the small team of seven or eight to the side. Charles beckoned, and the thin youth hesitated before following him to a secluded spot. Charles couldn''t help but be overwhelmed by his memories, precious to the point of being deep and unforgettable for Charles Meklen. Helpless, he sighed and asked, "Yang, are you well?" This youth was named Yang Meilianye, whose sister was Charles Meklen''s first love. The two families lived close by, and Charles Meklen and Talia Meilianye, being of similar ages, often played together. Around the time Charles was seventeen, Talia Meilianye contracted a serious illness and died. According to the transmigrator''s medical knowledge, it was a disease that even modern Earth''s medical science could not cure. Back then, Yang Meilianye had always been Charles''s little tag-along. After her sister died, Charles''s reputation had turned foul, and they hadn''t been in touch for a long time. "I''m doing well," Yang replied indifferently. A sense of melancholy rippled through Charles''s heart, but there was nothing he could do except let out a sigh and say, "This time I''m back, I wanted to visit your sister." Yang''s eyes sharpened, then lowered again as he said, "On the mountain outside Seagull City, you know that Temple of the Dark Goddess." Charles sighed, the temples of the nine True Gods, which also double as graveyards, were essentially the main business of the deities. But the Temple of the Dark Goddess on the mountain outside the city was in ruins, with only an aging priest struggling to maintain it. The other priests had moved to the new temple in the city. Only very poor families would send their deceased loved ones there. Charles wanted to say something more but found himself at a loss for words. He handed the bounty over to Yang and said, "Don''t stay in Seagull City any longer. I won''t kill Valentine; he will still be the lord of Valentine. The guy has a bad temper and holds grudges; he will definitely retaliate against you." Yang let out a cold laugh and said, "We''re not afraid of him." After a pause, he added, "We were planning to try our luck elsewhere anyway." Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire Charles glanced over at Yang''s companions, all young and with a fierce energy about them, and asked, "Have you joined a local gang?" Yang shook his head, a hint of pride in his voice as he said, "I''ve formed my own gang." Charles wanted to advise against it, thinking that being part of a gang had no future, but upon considering the society of the Old Continent, he swallowed his words; there wasn''t much of a future for commoners in other professions either. Yang gestured dismissively, took his companions, and strode away, with Charles not attempting to stop them. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In Charles Mecklen''s memory, Talia Meilianye wasn''t a particularly beautiful girl, nor was she gentle. She was like a tomboy, running around the streets all day like the boys. Charles Mecklen did many things with her that many young girls would do: running around together, catching birds, playing pranks, doing odd jobs, and exchanging small gifts. Charles even felt that if Talia Meilianye hadn''t died, it''s very likely that Mister Mecklen wouldn''t have become what he later turned into. Perhaps he would have lived as diligently as his brother, a good family man taking care of his household. Maybe with a decent job in Strasbourg, he would have thought of bringing Talia Meilianye over, working hard to earn money, a small family living a life that wasn''t wealthy but very happy. Although Silvie Martin was Charles''s former fianc¨¦e, it was Talia Meilianye who was his childhood sweetheart. Charles pressed his eye socket slightly, feeling a faint wetness. Even though he was an Eighth Order Transcendent, he still couldn''t suppress the slight shivering of his body. He knew! Even though someone''s soul had passed away, taken by the Evil God, this body still couldn''t stop grieving¡­ Everyone has a past, and everyone''s past isn''t just one-sided! Life is complicated. Chapter 236 231, Front Line Intelligence Baron Valentine was brought forward, looking completely dazed. He was indeed a bit afraid, not knowing how Charles would deal with him. Originally, he thought Charles was notoriously infamous in Seagull City, having an even worse reputation than this lord himself, certainly not an extraordinary person. Most of the rumors were probably exaggerations. After all, he had met Lady Southseraph, and those South Ceraph Reclamation Army troops were just too ferocious; the Behemoth Knighthood simply couldn''t stand against them. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But as he was captured, he also saw Charles''s Westwind Knights, which had a completely different demeanor than his own knighthood. Indeed, Charles''s Westwind Knights were in shambles earlier, but after winning several battles, their morale boosted, training was in place, wages were paid in full, and naturally, they became disciplined. Gradually, Baron Valentine began to grow scared. He shouted a few times, trying to attract attention, but a soldier from the Westwind Knights stuffed his mouth with rotten cloth strips, and suddenly he could only muffle noises. Inside Charles''s Westwind Knights, there was no shortage of gang members, who had little respect for the nobility. It took a while for Charles to suppress his emotions and ordered Baron Valentine to be brought before him. Seeing the baron brought up complicated feelings, entirely different from when he had just met Yang Meilianye, when he had inadvertently recalled Talia Meilianye. If Talia Meilianye represented the brightest aspect of Charles Meklen''s life, this Baron Valentine represented the darkest aspect of his life. Charles didn''t want to kill Baron Valentine, he smiled faintly and said, "According to the Empire''s rules, I can ask for ransom." Baron Valentine was overjoyed, shouting, "I can pay the ransom! As long as you let me leave alive, I''ll pay any amount." Charles pondered for a moment and said, "Then let it be ten thousand Aegeus." Baron Valentine''s soul trembled with distress, and he said, "Can it be reduced a bit, say, one hundred Aegeus?" Charles smiled faintly and said, "Nine thousand nine hundred Aegeus will do." Baron Valentine embarrassingly said, "I mean to give you one hundred Aegeus." Charles smiled graciously, not taking offense, and drew his rapier, slashing over seventy times on his body, and said, "I''ve cut you into eighty-one pieces, and I''ve marked a price on each piece. If you don''t want a certain piece, feel free to bargain." He left Baron Valentine to ponder over it. Although Charles Meklen indeed owed some apologies to the baron in the past, that bit of guilt, in the heart of "Huang Hai Sheng," wasn''t worth so much money. Things! It wasn''t his doing. Baron Valentine brought out several hundred of his men, and Charles didn''t take it lightly. He reorganized these people slightly and put Dobin in temporary command. He didn''t plan to incorporate them into the Westwind Knights. Firstly, the people from Seagull City wouldn''t want to leave their homeland, and secondly, it wouldn''t be easy to explain to Kreel Brittany. Among these hundreds of prisoners was an old acquaintance. Freeman Martin! Charles didn''t want to take him along and specifically ordered the release of Freeman Martin so he could represent Baron Valentine in negotiating the ransom with the baron''s wife. Freeman Martin, the captain, huffed and puffed in frustration but was powerless. After discussing with the baron for several hours, he eventually returned to Seagull City. The following afternoon, Freeman Martin came back to deliver a message that the baroness had decided to come in person to negotiate. Without hesitation, Charles left Valentine Baron behind and departed with his knighthood. Given the choice, he would have preferred not to have a past at all. On the way, Charles encountered Anatasiya, who had also dealt with the Ode Mountain City knighthood. At Charles''s strong recommendation, they didn''t return to Mostar Fort but went back to Silver Pigeon Fort instead. At Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles received a welcome that emptied the streets, as nearly all of its people held him dear. Though Charles''s time managing Silver Pigeon Fort was brief, he brought tangible benefits to every person there. After the last taxation by Kreel Brittany, Charles made a point of returning to compensate each individual. To the people of Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles was an incomparably good "lord." Even though Charles wasn''t yet qualified to be a lord. Anatasiya, too, held fond memories of the city she was born and raised in, and what comforted her further was that her mother''s remains had also been transported to Silver Pigeon Fort during those days. After Charles promised her, he wrote a letter to Cyrus. He hadn''t held much hope, but to his surprise, not only did Cyrus fulfill the request, but he also had the coffin sent back to Silver Pigeon Fort. However, from this incident, Charles also saw how strong Cyrus''s control over the people of South Serif had become. Even from Ferlanden, he could still command the people of the South Serif to do his bidding. In fact, by writing that letter, Charles had also done Cyrus a favor. With Cyrus''s intelligence, he surely understood what it meant for Charles to be in Behemoth. This had always been part of the Fars Empire''s plan. Charles was merely going with the flow, allowing Cyrus to get a head start. It was beneficial for Charles, for Cyrus, for the Empire, and for everyone involved, except perhaps for Byron. Anatasiya found a serene and ancient temple where she laid her mother''s remains to rest. Completing this task made her feel as though she had shed a great burden, as if unloading a heavy load. Anatasiya had always carried a mountainous sense of guilt, feeling as if her very existence was a mistake. From a young age, she knew her mother had "endured humiliation and hardship" as a spy for Lady Southseraph. At that time, she was lost, not knowing whether to stand with her father or her mother, until her mother relayed the painstakingly gathered intelligence to Lady Southseraph, only to be tortured to death by the latter. Anatasiya knew she should hate those specific individuals, but she couldn''t decide whether she should like Behemoth or be loyal to South Serif. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire It was not until she met Charles and deeply resonated with his ideals did she realize that she was a person of Fars, a standard person of Fars with her own country, her own friends, and in the future, her own family. In Silver Pigeon Fort, Charles soon received intelligence from the frontlines: Kreel Brittany, the most talented of Fars''s young generation, had already flattened seventy percent of the South Serif territory, conquering seven or eight cities. Currently, only two cities continued to resist obstinately. In his letter to Charles, Kreel Brittany mentioned that he needed to transfer food and supplies from the rear. These were urgently needed not only by the military but also by the occupied people of South Serif. After reading the letter, Charles fell into deep thought. The supplies that Kreel Brittany was requesting were excessive¡­ Chapter 237 232. Days at Silver Pigeon Fort Yang Meilianye sat quietly in front of Lady Black Moon''s Temple. He had been waiting for over ten days, yet Charles had not come at all... The young man clenched his fists tightly, his face full of resentment as he whispered, "I will go to Strasbourg to find you." Yang turned to descend the mountain, followed by over a dozen youths of similar age, carrying packs and looking like they were set for a long journey, all thinking to themselves, "Yang and his sister really have a deep bond!" Charles did not know that someone had once waited for him for a long time in front of Lady Black Moon''s Temple on a small hill outside Seagull City. He had thought about visiting Talia Meilianye, but ultimately decided to deliberately "forget." That was Charles Meklen''s past, not his own... Charles was now busy mobilizing resources. Of course, he did not want to levy from common folk but also knew that targeting the nobility openly would incite the wrath of the Imperial Nobility, so he opted for a different approach¡ªselling spoils of war! He marked the map of the South Serif Territory with prices and offered it to the nobles of Behemoth Duchy under the name of Kreel Brittany. Charles did not expect the remarkably good outcome; the nobles of Behemoth Duchy bought eagerly, allowing him to quickly gather the first batch of resources, which far exceeded what Kreel Brittany needed. Charles, following the demands of Kreel Brittany, transported this batch of resources to the frontlines, sending the surplus to Machu Picchu. When this batch of resources reached the frontlines, even Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei were surprised. Both knew they had asked for too much and even thought it extraordinary if Charles could manage to secure even thirty percent of the materials. When they saw the full amount of resources, they worried that Charles might have exploited too harshly, potentially inciting public resentment. Kreel Brittany even summoned The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft to inquire in detail, and they explained thoroughly about the sale of the "South Serif Territory." Kreel and Ebner both thought Charles was truly a genius! To come up with such a diabolical idea? Kreel Brittany had initially considered bringing Charles to the frontlines, but with the battles progressing so smoothly and the South Serif Territory offering almost no resistance, and the rear areas in dire need of Charles to ensure supply delivery, he changed his mind and wrote a letter to Strasbourg. Just as Charles was selling the lands of South Serif joyously, a detachment arrived from Strasbourg. They came for one purpose¡ªto announce Charles''s new administrative title: Temporary Civil Commissioner of Mostar Fort, Biber City, Seagull City, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Ode Mountain City! After announcing this appointment, the detachment hurriedly returned. The highest civil office allows one to serve as the deputy to a city''s lord. If it is a city with a lord, one can become the city manager; a commissioner transcends a rank to become the chief official of a town. Charles, being a level twenty-seven grade three commissioner, had no problems managing one city, but to simultaneously hold the position for five cities, even temporarily, granted him too much power. Mostar Fort, Biber City, Seagull City, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Ode Mountain City are the five largest cities in Behemoth, together holding over seventy percent of Behemoth''s wealth. Upon receiving his official papers, Charles thought deeply for a while, then wrote a letter back to Kreel Brittany. Why such a sudden appointment? There was only one explanation, Kreel Brittany must have helped in some way. He did not express gratitude, but mentioned the matter in his letter, and subtly hinted at the end that he could supply as much material as last time, but only once more within the next three months. After finishing the letter, Charles had no intention of inspecting his territory, considering he was only the temporary civil servant of these five cities; there was no need to put on airs! However, he could not relax as the "thunder" at Silver Pigeon Fort had already burst. Everyone suspected that someone had embezzled the money that was supposed to be shared by all. Each time that huge sum of money was checked, a little bit was missing. Because of this, several nobles had already resorted to dueling, and blood had been spilled in a few instances. The nobles of Silver Pigeon Fort kept writing letters and sending people, hoping Charles would return. Of course, Charles would not interfere. What did the trouble at Silver Pigeon Fort have to do with him? He stayed at Silver Pigeon Fort, where his days were very comfortable. As long as he stood on the battlements, he would constantly receive lavish praise from the passing residents of Silver Pigeon Fort, making him feel as if he was floating in bliss. Why bother with Silver Pigeon Fort? Charles refused countless times, utterly annoyed, and simply took dozens of people out of the city for a hunting trip. The hunting trip was expensive. He came from a common background, a family of traders, and had no right to engage in such a luxurious activity. It was only as the civil servant of the five cities that Charles could afford to indulge in hunting as a leisure activity. The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft were escorting materials to South Serif, while Taoles and Belisa stayed at Machu Picchu. He currently only had Dobin, Yellow Bear, and Anatasiya by his side. Dozens of people, riding war horses, galloped across a plain outside of Silver Pigeon Fort, with a light breeze on their faces. Charles finally felt a sense of freedom when he suddenly saw a group of wild boars running past. He pulled out a Magnum Hand Shuttle and fired three shots, felling a small wild boar. Such a hunting activity, naturally, would not use Extraordinary Firearms. Riding fast horses, shooting at high-speed targets, achieving such results, Charles was quite satisfied. Anatasiya also drew and shot, her swordsmanship outstanding, but her shooting skills left much to be desired. She emptied her magazine without hitting a single boar, which frustrated the young girl so much that she pulled out the rapier at her waist and threw it fiercely, pinning a wildly fleeing boar to the ground. Charles smiled slightly and said, "Anatasiya, your shooting skills need improvement!" "How about I lend you the Cat Mask so you can practice your gunmanship?" Charles had lent the Cat Mask to Belisa, and Anatasiya was well aware of the wonders of this Extraordinary Object. She hesitated for a bit and then said, "Lend it to me for a few days!" Charles handed over the Cat Mask. Suddenly, a sense of alarm arose in his heart. He hastily activated Insight and immediately saw a man dressed in animal skins, with a pair of pointed ears on his head, holding a regular rifle, shooting at him from a few hundred meters away. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire Charles drew his Unicorn, cleaved down the bullets shot at him, and shouted, "Assassin!" He pressed his hand on the saddle, and his whole body soared into the air. With double Quickness Technique and Spirit Spider Technique, he was much faster than a horse. Charles had not been targeted by an assassin for a long time, and he would not allow this assassin to escape. The distinctive appearance of this assassin reminded Charles of a very old "case." He still had a bounty on his head from the Orc Assassin Alliance. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 238 233, Horse King Clan, Wind Travels Thousand Miles! Philedrica once said she''d help delay the third assassination attempt. Charles also believed that Philedrica must have done everything she could. Therefore, facing the orc assassin, Charles was neither panicked nor angry; he was no longer the low-order extraordinary he used to be. As Charles charged forward, the orc assassin remained unflustered and fired eighteen shots, his gunmanship even surpassing that of Aubrey Barrington Atwood. Charles managed to cut through the incoming bullets, but each time the angle became trickier. Just as the eighteenth bullet came flying, Charles had just sliced the seventeenth. Twisting slightly, he knew he couldn''t deflect this bullet, but Charles was not someone who relied solely on swordsmanship to get by. A Flame Hand flew out, crushing the bullet, and at the same time, he closed in on the orc assassin. The orc assassin leisurely secured his rifle and drew out a long-handled spiked hammer, gently nudging it horizontally across Charles''s chest. Charles''s single-horned griffin engaged with the orc assassin for a few moves, and he was immediately surprised by the subtlety of the other''s spiked hammer technique. Having briefly trained in the orc meteor hammer technique, Charles had some understanding of the intricacies of orc martial arts. Relying on their robust physiques, orcs often used heavy weapons but wielded them with remarkable finesse that gave the illusion of agility. This particular orc assassin was also of intermediate rank but proved to be much more skilled in combat than any other orc assassin Charles had encountered, as well as the three Hunchback Red Bear Warriors under his command. The orc assassin''s spiked hammer technique carried a leisurely grace; each move seemed to place the spiked hammer in the perfect position, letting Charles''s rapier strike it. Since his spiked hammer was heavier and his strength more formidable, Charles''s rapier couldn''t budge the opponent''s weapon. The orc assassin wasn''t young anymore, his face etched with years of hardship, his pointy ears too long, appearing not at all cute, nor ferocious¡ªonly giving off an unpleasant sense of filth. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles took a deep breath and executed a series of rapid sword strikes; the clash of weapons produced a constant din of metallic sounds. The orc assassin exuded an appearance of ease, but gradually, a look of appreciation appeared on his face. Suddenly, he roared loudly, and the hammer burst into a flurry of blows, forcing Charles to retreat several steps. Before Charles could rally, the orc assassin spoke for the first time, his voice hoarse and gritty, calling out, "Charles! Our beastman army will soon march through here and into Strasbourg." "I shall leave your head here for now!" "After I follow the army and flatten every city in our path, I''ll come back to kill you as an afterthought." Charles was greatly shocked and exclaimed, "The beastman tribal army from the south?" The orc assassin pressed his chest for a moment, then turned and walked away. His speed was incredibly fast. Charles assessed briefly and knew he couldn''t catch up. He grabbed a Silver Rhinoceros and fired three shots; the orc assassin dodged them all with ease. Anatasiya, Dobin, and Yellow Bear had just caught up when the orc assassin was already gone. Anatasiya''s surprise showed as she said, "That was a member of the beastman''s Horse King Clan!" "The movement technique he used was Wind Travels Thousand Miles!" Charles had heard of the Horse King Clan, a peculiar orc race. Their progression into transcendence was extremely slow, yet they placed significant emphasis on the cultivation of special abilities, meaning the Horse King Clan''s combat capability could not be measured by ranks alone. But since cultivating special abilities is actually more difficult than advancing in extraordinary ranks, the Horse King Clan rarely had young experts. The clan''s elders were mostly middle-aged men or women in their forties and fifties. Transcendents of that age generally had well-honed combat techniques that spoke to a return to the essentials, a steadiness in their moves. Wind Travels Thousand Miles may not necessarily be faster than the Agility of the Leopard, but this Beastman assassin clearly had a much deeper mastery of his Special Ability than any assassin Charles had encountered before. Charles''s complexion grew grim. This Beastman assassin from the Horse King Clan was at least forty or fifty years old, having practiced for over thirty years longer than him. Even though his Supernatural Tier was not high, his strength was undeniably formidable. He had never really come across such an aged Transcendent! This type of old fellow, tempered by years, was truly troublesome to deal with. However, what worried Charles even more was that if the Beastman tribes'' grand army really did attack, the four Knighthoods under his command would definitely not withstand it. The Westwind Knights had only deployed two thousand men, and the Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights under Anatasiya''s control had even fewer numbers and weaker combat power. As for the other two Knighthoods combined, they barely surpassed a thousand men and were still not as good as the Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire It wasn''t just that he couldn''t withstand it, even Krel Brittany couldn''t withstand it; the two Knighthoods under Krel Brittany''s command, one had collapsed and was undergoing reorganization, the other was newly formed. As for the three Knighthoods that splintered from Fortress Mostar''s Knighthood, they were even less of a match. There was only one thought in Charles''s mind, "What should I do?" "Should I die for my country, or should I quickly escape?" "Where could I escape to? The Beastmen''s army would surely be heading straight for Strasbourg, and it would be futile even if I fled back to Strasbourg." "Right now, Strasbourg has only the Royal Knights Order..." "Or maybe I am worrying unnecessarily. Although the Strasbourg army might be insufficient, they would surely not lack High-Level Transcendents, or even Transcendents of the Sacred Order!" After repeatedly analyzing, Charles finally decided to send out intelligence to Strasbourg and Krel Brittany first. As for when the Beastman tribal Allied Army slaughtered their way over, he would consider how to respond at that time. Charles lost interest in hunting and returned to Silver Pigeon Fort with Anatasiya, Dobin, and Yellow Bear. The next day when he got up, he heard Dobin come to report in a hurry, "The Beastman army outside, just like emerging from the ground, has already firmly encircled us." Charles got ready, took all his weapons, and followed Dobin up to the ramparts, his eyes tightening slightly. Charles had fought a few battles before, but he had never seen such a vast "enemy army." The Beastman grand army encircling Silver Pigeon Fort numbered in the tens of thousands, besieging the city and leaving no gaps. After watching for a while, Charles didn''t find any Transcendent of the Sacred Order among the Beastman army and breathed a sigh of relief. "Forget it, let''s continue the maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort!" Charles touched the diary in his pocket and decisively chose to initiate the maze-ification. After this Beastman army had encircled Silver Pigeon Fort, they immediately launched an assault on the fortress. Charles''s experience in defending a city was quite rich, after all, having had a confrontation with Lady Southseraph''s Restoration Army before. He commanded the Westwind Knights and easily repelled this tentative attack. The Beastman army left behind more than ten corpses and withdrew, but in less than half an hour, they launched a second attack. This time they swapped in a squad of over a hundred Hunchback Red Bear Warriors. Chapter 239 War is the most efficient way of training. The Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, towering in stature, was considered a mighty breed among the beastmen. Charles had eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors under his command, well aware of the formidable prowess of this type of beastman warrior. He reached back and drew his Antispace Sniper Rifle, aimed at a Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, and pulled the trigger. Although this Hunchback Red Bear Warrior was powerfully strong, already at a Mid-Level Transcendent, he was still blasted apart by Charles''s shot from the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. After killing a Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, Charles turned the gun barrel and targeted a second one; this warrior, despite swiftly raising his battle hammer, still failed to block the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. Unless an Extraordinary Weapon coupled with a highly skilled warrior was used, even High Order ones had difficulty resisting the power of the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. By the time Charles had blasted the fifth Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, these most robust warriors among the beastmen had already closed in on Silver Pigeon Fort, scrambling up onto the battlements. Charles put away the Antispace Sniper Rifle and switched to the Knight''s Spear Collapsing Mountain, gathering energy with both hands, he challenged two more Hunchback Red Bear Warriors. When using the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, Charles targeted Mid-Level Transcendents, maximizing the benefit of these expensive bullets. However, with the Knight''s Spear, he specifically targeted ordinary Hunchback Red Bear Warriors. By doing so, he maximized the effectiveness of his combat ability. These ordinary Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, although not Transcendents, were not any less lethal than the transcendent warriors when it came to slaughtering regular soldiers, mainly due to their tremendous strength. As Charles took action, his subordinates also joined in the battle. When the eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors appeared, the attacking Hunchback Red Bear Warriors showed slight unrest, continuously shouting loudly to their comrades, but those who had been transformed into Labyrinth Guardians could no longer respond to their former kind. Though the battle was fierce, it didn''t last long¡ªonly about several minutes. Then, the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors retreated, leaping down from the battlements. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire Charles, on the battlements, struck each remaining Hunchback Red Bear Warrior with his spear shaft, causing severe injuries or knocking them unconscious. At this moment, he could not be too concerned; he only hoped to wait for the third maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort to take more Labyrinth Guardians in hand. The beastman army surged like a tide wave after wave, giving no respite to the Westwind Knights who defended the fort. By evening, Charles''s hands were too tired to hold the Knight''s Spear, but he had also seen the completion of the third maze-ification of Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles placed his hand on the ground, choosing to convert all the prisoners into Labyrinth Guardians. Over a hundred beastman warriors who had invaded Silver Pigeon Fort but had not yet died in battle, tentatively stood up, each roaring into the sky, emanating a strange aura. Although this added some strength to the fort''s defenses, Charles still did not have much confidence in the future of Silver Pigeon Fort, given the overwhelming number of surrounding beastman armies. He also did not understand why these beastman armies attacked one group at a time instead of all at once. If tens of thousands of beastman troops attacked together, even with the maze-ification, Silver Pigeon Fort could not withstand so many beastman troops and would likely have fallen by the afternoon. Charles secretly circulated Bloody Glory, this sinister energy coursing through each Bloody Vortex, gradually restoring his strength and energy. When Bloody Glory transformed into Stellar Battle Qi, a bottleneck somewhat loosened, and with a slight push of Stellar Battle Qi, it broke and overflowed, advancing to the First Order. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles took a deep breath and thought to himself, "War is indeed the most efficient way to train, but it''s just too dangerous, constantly a matter of life and death." As the Stellar Battle Qi broke through again, Charles had now become a Ninth Rank Transcendent. He took a deep breath, drew the Knight''s Spear Collapsing Mountain embedded at the top of the castle, and shouted, "We must win! Silver Pigeon Fort must win!" At that moment, not only his Westwind Knights but also Anatasiya''s Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights and the other two Knighthoods, along with the militia of Silver Pigeon Fort, cheered loudly. Charles''s prestige in Silver Pigeon Fort was incredibly high¡ªhe had led Silver Pigeon Fort to numerous victories against Lady Southseraph''s attacks and even slain Jonathan, the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army, unlike Baron Fabolais who had already fled back to Strasbourg, making Charles the true lord in the hearts of the people of Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles pointed to the distance and said, "Tomorrow, we shall repel the beastmen''s army and restore peace to Silver Pigeon Fort." The cheers of the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort grew even louder. Of course, Charles couldn''t guarantee that they would be able to repel the beastmen''s army tomorrow, but he could evacuate the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort into Machu Picchu, leaving behind an empty city to disappoint the beastmen. After a day of battle, Charles had no certainty about withstanding a full onslaught by the beastman army, for the South Serif Restoration Army didn''t possess such strong military forces or so many Transcendents. The now triple-mazeified Silver Pigeon Fort was capable of letting its residents evacuate and even make the invading beastman army suffer a minor setback. Charles silently calculated what tactics to adopt? He had no one to discuss with¡ªwhether the Westwind Knights, Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights, Dobin, Yellow Bear, or Anatasiya, none were strategists, and discussing with them was futile. Charles had to bear the pressure alone. He patiently waited through the night, and as dawn broke, the beastman army indeed resumed their assault on the fort. This time, Charles did not stubbornly defend the top of the castle but lured the beastman warriors into attacking Silver Pigeon Fort, utilizing its maze-like structure to repel the beastman army''s attacks time and again. In the afternoon, during Charles''s twenty-first repulsion of the beastman army''s siege, suddenly someone cheered loudly, shouting, "The beastmen are indeed retreating." Charles looked into the distance and indeed saw several tribal flags of the beastman army slowly moving toward Mostar Fort, he sighed in relief, not knowing the reason but glad that the beastman army was retreating. Just as Charles relaxed his guard for a moment, a mace flew up from the top of the castle, heading straight for his forehead. Charles lifted his Knight''s Spear Collapsing Mountain, pitting it against the beastman''s mace. His weapon was not at a disadvantage, and with a single exchange, although his spear was deflected, he immediately counterattacked, his spear flickering as he thrust out twenty-eight times in succession. The beastman assassin, who thought his timing for the sneak attack was exquisitely perfect, didn''t expect Charles to react so quickly and counterattack so fiercely! Although the assassin had practiced for twenty or thirty years longer than geniuses like Charles, Cyrus, and Ban Lanmalock, mastering the weapon to return to its simplest form, purely at will, he was not a genius. His power had been forged over time, not something that could improve significantly in a short span. Chapter 240 235. Calling for Strong Wind In a short period of time, Charles again advanced a rank, and the increase in strength brought about a transformation as significant as rebirth. After more than ten moves exchanged, Charles fully demonstrated the Asiluo Clan''s rapid gunmanship with his Wings of Heaven technique, exhibiting it to its fullest extent. Knowing he had failed at the first move, the Orc Assassin realized he could no longer complete the assassination. With a flip, he fell off the city wall and shouted, "Although I can''t kill you myself, you should feel proud to die at the hands of three Sacred Order shamans." Charles was shocked and exclaimed, "Three Sacred Orders?" The Orc Assassin did not explain but used Spell of Wind Travels Thousand Miles and instantly caught up with the orc army. Just as the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort were vigorously cheering, three figures floated into the air and immediately, a fierce wind arose, engulfing the heavens and the earth with rolling dust and sand, obscuring the sun. Charles finally understood why the orc army had retreated. The spell cast by these three Sacred Order Orc Shamans did not distinguish between friend and foe, hence the orc army had retreated to avoid being destroyed by the catastrophic spell. The three Sacred Order Orc Shamans summoned a mighty wind that swept across the heavens. In a place like Behemoth, such wind forces could not naturally occur; only in the vast ocean or the endless desert could such cruel weather exist. Enveloped by endless wind and sand, the storm gradually advanced, and in less than half an hour, Silver Pigeon Fort was buried. The relentless winds continued unabated until half a day later, when the residual effects of the winds summoned by the three Sacred Order Orc Shamans finally subsided. The orc army had not lingered at all and had already departed. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The three Sacred Order Orc Shamans, after employing their powerful wind technique, did not glance back at the city. Each of them controlling a fierce gale, they followed the orc army. They were highly esteemed within the orc community and had not bothered to intervene until two days of unsuccessful assaults on Silver Pigeon Fort necessitated their action. After the storm, the entire Silver Pigeon Fort was buried under sand, no longer recognizable as the city famous for its interlacing rivers and numerous channels; it had become a massive sand dune. Usually, in such a city, all life inside would be completely extinguished, leaving no survivors. About a day later, a funnel seemed to form beneath Silver Pigeon Fort, incessantly draining the sand that buried the city, as if a vast invisible hole underground was ceaselessly swallowing the sand. By evening, Silver Pigeon Fort reemerged above ground, the sand blown by the Sacred Order Orc Shamans'' summoned winds had vanished without a trace. Charles reappeared atop the city walls, still looking fearful, utterly unprepared for the Sacred Order Orc Shamans to possess such earth-shattering power. He also approximately understood the ultimate weapon the orcs intended to use against Strasbourg; it was these Sacred Order Orc Shamans, planning to summon fierce winds to obliterate Strasbourg completely with sand. At that moment, apart from Charles, not a single soul could be seen on the city walls of Silver Pigeon Fort. But as soon as Charles gingerly stepped onto the ground, the city seemed to come alive again. Soldiers from the Westwind Knights and residents of Silver Pigeon Fort gradually surfaced, and the entire city regained its vitality. As noisy sounds filled the city once more, the city, known as the "Northern Senis," regained its original splendid beauty. Almost everyone was unaware of what had just transpired. But when they discovered the orc army had retreated, they were only relieved and no one was paying attention to why the strong wind that had just brushed past had suddenly disappeared. If it had been an ordinary city facing such a cataclysmic force, it wouldn''t have been lucky; the city would have been buried by dust, and its population and civilization completely destroyed. However, Silver Pigeon Fort was a city that had undergone triple maze-ification, and Charles, at the most critical moment, had hidden all the residents in the third layer of the labyrinth. Now, he had inverted the three layers of the labyrinth, hiding the buried Silver Pigeon Fort in the second layer, so the entire Silver Pigeon Fort appeared completely unharmed. Silver Pigeon Fort had already been destroyed, it was just that the destroyed Silver Pigeon Fort was hidden by Charles. If the orc Sacred Order shamans hadn''t been too confident and had stayed to observe a little longer, all the residents of Silver Pigeon Fort would have been inevitably covered by the sand and wind without any chance of survival. Charles, even with his ninth rank transcendence, would have been able to save his own life but wouldn''t have been able to save anyone else. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire It was only because the three orc Sacred Order shamans were overly confident in their spells, that Charles had a chance, but he knew Silver Pigeon Fort would not have a second chance. If the orc Sacred Order shamans knew the truth, they could truly destroy the city. Charles closed his eyes, not knowing what to do. In the end, he made a somewhat impulsive decision. Charles said to Anatasiya, "Guard Silver Pigeon Fort for me. I need to go out for a while." Facing tens of thousands of orcs, the Westwind Knights were no longer of any use, but Charles had to return to Strasbourg to protect Anne, even though he knew that Anne had Mama Karen by her side, and lacked no powerful guardians. Charles selected five Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, all of them transcendent, including the original Big Bear Dominator, Hundred Bear Chief, and Bear Honey. The remaining two transcendent-level Hunchback Red Bear Warriors were prisoners captured during the attack on Silver Pigeon Fort, who had been converted into labyrinth guardians. Charles didn''t bring anyone except for the five Hunchback Red Bear Warriors. It wasn''t that he coveted the combat power of these five beastman warriors but with them, he could conceal his identity. If he encountered a human army, he could reveal his identity; if he encountered an orc army, he could blend in with the five Hunchback Red Bear Warriors and not be discovered as a human. Charles set out with the five transcendent-level Hunchback Red Bear Warriors without any encumbrance, and after about two days, he caught up to the tail end of the orc army. To Charles''s astonishment, the army attacking Strasbourg was clearly not the only one! He encountered at least five orc armies along the way, vast and grand, their banners covering the sky. Charles had always felt that even if Strasbourg was short on troops, with high-level transcendent and Sacred Order surely present, they might not be at a disadvantage in battle, but seeing so many orc armies, he was no longer sure. The beastman tribes of the southern continent had evidently come out in full force this time, bringing all their strength to bear. After some consideration, Charles followed Big Bear Dominator and blended into an orc army. To conceal his identity, he swapped weapons with Big Bear Dominator, wrapped himself in beast skins, painted some random patterns on his face, and took up a pair of orc flails, ensuring no orc would suspect his identity. The vanguard of the orc army soon came into contact and fought with the Royal Knights Order of Strasbourg. Neither side assumed a decisive battle posture; after a brief contact, they each pulled back. Chapter 241 236. War is truly a terrible thing. A werewolf suddenly woke from his sleep and let out a long howl to the sky, which disturbed the slumbering beastman warriors. Numerous beastman warriors were awakened, but most of them, upon seeing it was just a werewolf howling, went back to sleep. Isn''t a werewolf howling a normal occurrence? A werewolf that doesn''t howl at midnight is not a proper werewolf at all. It was only this werewolf who wore a puzzled expression, sensing an evil energy trying to invade his body, stirring his fighting spirit to resist, which is what had awakened him. He looked around left and right but noticed nothing, and then he fell back into a deep sleep. Charles was hiding not far away, shook his head, and gave up on corrupting this werewolf. Machu Picchu was not far from Strasbourg and was once a fortress of the ancient Orc Kingdom. Although now in ruins, it still hosted several beastman armies for temporary encampments. Charles, following the beastman army, had also returned to Machu Picchu, and using the Triple Maze, he concealed the Westwind Knighthood and the merchant groups and attempted to transform some of the beastman warriors into Labyrinth Guardians. He had only tried to convert eighteen Hunchback Red Bear Warriors and prisoners from Silver Pigeon Fort. This time, he encountered problems he had not faced before when trying to convert on a larger scale. Transforming into Labyrinth Guardians actually involved using a strand of Agmilas''s evil energy to corrupt the creatures that entered the maze, turning them into Evil Spirits. But Agmilas was not omnipotent. When beastman soldiers gathered in one place in significant numbers, or if the rank of beastman Transcendents was slightly higher, this transformation would fail and be resisted by the beastman warriors. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Taoles couldn''t help but say, "We are on the Old Continent, not the New World. The glorious light of the nine True Gods is intense here and protects us. You better reduce your contact with the power of such Evil Gods as Agmilas." Charles gave a bitter smile and said, "I know." In the Old Continent, aside from the vampires, hardly anyone worships Evil Gods. The New World also worships the nine True Gods, but their power is slightly lacking there, leading many people to worship Evil Gods instead. Agmilas is particularly popular among New Worlders, and many cities in the New World are maze-ified to protect their inhabitants. As Augustine, the High Priest, was aware of Agmilas, so, of course, was Taoles, who was a bit worried about Charles delving too deeply. Charles couldn''t explain that he was already in too deep. Although Charles Mecklen worshipped Lady Black Moon and attended Sheffield University, which was under her protection, his path of transcendence followed Bloody Glory. Though he did not worship the gods of the Blood Clan, he still belonged to the realm of evil energy. Later, Charles Mecklen, in his pursuit of transcendence, summoned the Evil God¡­ That turned out to be an even more tragic affair. After that came the story of Huang Haisheng. In his total ignorance, he came into contact with that scroll and absorbed the aura of Agmilas, inadvertently drawing the attention of two Evil Gods and nearly losing his life. If Charles had a choice, he wouldn''t want it either, but his predecessor had already gone too far down this dark path, leaving no chance for changing it. He even thought that if he had been transported back to when Charles Mecklen was still at university, he would definitely choose the path of transcendence under Lady Black Moon, even if he couldn''t master the Dark Breath technique, he could still try becoming a Dark Moon sorcerer. Daylight was fast approaching, and the beastman army resting in Machu Picchu gradually began to move out, leaving behind a mess at the site. Charles quietly sensed the NPC tag he had laid down as he moved with the beastman army towards Strasbourg, which was gradually being eradicated. NPCs differ from Labyrinth Guardians; although the master of the labyrinth can assign tasks to NPCs, and NPCs can carry a few tasks, they are not controllable¡ªonce he left the labyrinth, Charles could only sense the location of the NPCs at most. It was the first time he learned that the markings of NPCs could be erased. If it were only Charles alone, then a High-Level Transcendent leading hundreds could dismantle this labyrinth, but if the labyrinth had enough NPCs, even Labyrinth Guardians, it could withstand armies several times its size. This was also why many cities in the New Continent chose to undergo Maze-ification¡ªbecause the power of Agmilas could indeed fend off the omnipresent evil spirits, weirdness, demons, beasts, and other crises of the New Continent. The greatest advantage of the labyrinth''s power was "secrecy." It was easiest to unleash its power when the selected targets were utterly unaware; once detected, its power was not hard to deal with. Charles had also discovered that it was quite effective against the Blood Clan, who were also "evil spirits," but against ordinary Transcendents, it was very average. Lord Leo was once trapped in the labyrinth and couldn''t escape no matter how hard he tried, but the former president of Liemar Detective Agency, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, had managed to escape. At the time, he thought it was an accident, but now it seemed¡­ It was not. Previously, Charles had not delved deeply, but now that he had a deeper understanding, he felt more and more that the power of the labyrinth was not sustainable. Agmilas was still just an overseas Evil God and was not nearly as benevolent and imposing as the nine True Gods! Belisa had, like Taoles, spent a long time in Machu Picchu. She had already sensed the peculiarities of this ancient ruin of the Orc Kingdom''s fortress. Although Charles never mentioned it, she had read many books, especially about matters from the New Continent due to her association with the lady of Grand Duke Joseph. She guessed that Machu Picchu was a labyrinth. She now deeply loved this city. Belisa chose the path of the Extreme Flyer because she felt it brought freedom. The freedom she experienced living in Machu Picchu was far more delightful than being by the side of Grand Duke Joseph''s lady. She could do anything she wanted without constantly trembling in fear that a slight mistake might lead to scolding and punishment by her master. In Machu Picchu, she was one of the masters, not a maid anymore. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire Belisa was not as worried as Taoles¡ªshe murmured in her heart, "Actually, Maze-ification isn''t so bad! So many cities in the New Continent have undergone it." However, she wouldn''t dare say this to Taoles¡ªwho was a covenantor of the gods. Although she never showed zealotry in her beliefs, Taoles was definitely one of the most steadfast believers in the Old Continent. Charles clapped his hands and said, "Ladies, help me to continue guarding Machu Picchu." "I want to see for myself the war between the Orc army and Strasbourg." "I will take away all of the Labyrinth Guardians. You will have to rely on your own strength, and the Westwind Knights left here, to cope with the Orc army." Taoles said, "I will help you watch the home; go with an easy mind!" Charles waved his hand, took an entire hundreds-strong team of "Orcs," and left Machu Picchu quietly. This was the entire result of his transforming Labyrinth Guardians. As she saw Charles leave, Taoles turned to Belisa and said, "War is truly a terrible thing." Chapter 242 237, Food Charles was an official following Krel Brittany and stationed in the Behemoth Duchy, serving temporarily as a civil servant in Mostal Fort, Baberry City, Seagull City, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Ode Mountain City. According to the laws of the Empire, he should not leave his jurisdiction, and leaving it privately during wartime could even result in the supreme penalty for the crime of treason. Although the laws of the Empire were sometimes a joke, for someone like Charles, who virtually had no backing, they were often quite serious and not a laughing matter. Perhaps many people with little social experience think that once they cling to someone powerful, they can act recklessly, believing that their patron will always protect them. However, anyone with basic social sense would know that no superior likes someone who only causes trouble. They''re just powerful figures, not biological mothers... Although Charles was worried about Anne, he couldn''t just reveal his identity and abandon the five cities he was supposed to protect to return directly to Strasbourg. If he had done so, many nobles would likely have been eager to escalate matters and lead him to the gallows. Moreover, purely from a cost-benefit perspective, with the war potential of Strasbourg, Charles could accomplish more by roaming outside. For example, he now had an additional force of Beastmen warriors; just among the Transcendents, there were seven individuals, five of whom were Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, and the other two were Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warriors. Hmm, Charles also felt that he had too much fate with bears. The nobles of the Fars Empire had not expected that the Beastman tribes could bypass the frontlines and appear directly under the walls of Strasbourg City. Now, Strasbourg was constantly quarreling, also continuously conscripting from the civilians to replenish the Royal Knights Order. The Royal Knights Order originally stationed in Strasbourg was the strongest force in the Fars, but most of their force had been redirected to Ferlanden, and now, the Royal Knights Order remaining in the capital was less than one-fifth of its normal strength, greatly weakening their power. For political reasons, only the Royal Knights Order, Patrolling Army, and other local military forces were in Strasbourg. The private knighthoods of the great nobles were kept within their own territories, and the Emperor could never allow the organized presence of other nobles'' knighthoods in the capital. Julius Axler was extremely furious, having already rebuked several ministers, but this did nothing to help the capital''s crisis. The Beastman army continued to arrive, soon surpassing two hundred thousand, and their numbers were still increasing steadily. Yet, the Beastman army was very restrained; they only lightly engaged with the Royal Knights Order that came out of the city, then withdrew from the battle without launching a large-scale siege. The bureaucrats of Strasbourg still hadn''t figured out what these Beastmen really wanted. Why weren''t they in a hurry to besiege the city? Strasbourg had already sent out messengers, urgently calling for reinforcements from the armies around the capital. If this continued for long, this Beastman army would inevitably face difficulties. Concealed among the Beastman army, Charles had already become aware of these southerners'' tactics, as he had encountered more than ten Beastman Sacred Order shamans. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire These Beastman Sacred Order shamans just wanted to repeat what they did at Silver Pigeon Fort, again in Strasbourg. Using strong winds to stir up dust and bury Silver Pigeon Fort only required three Sacred Order shamans, but burying Strasbourg with dust wasn''t enough with just three Beastman shamans. The Beastmen were clearly aware of this; they might have gathered at least twelve to fifteen Beastman Sacred Order shamans. If Strasbourg were to be buried, this two hundred thousand-strong Beastman army could thoroughly destroy the Fars Empire, and no force within the Fars could withstand this Beastman army. At this moment, all the gates of Strasbourg were closed. Although Charles wanted to carry a message, there was no way for him to enter the city area under the close watch of the Beastman army. The Royal Knights Order of the Fars would hardly believe him and let him into the city. Charles gazed towards Strasbourg, missing Anne, but all he could do now was hope that the Sacred Order of Strasbourg could withstand the sacred shaman spellcasters of the orc. He was deeply surrounded by hundreds of thousands of orcs, with dangers all around, and thus dared not do much. All of a sudden, the Hundred Bear Chief growled quietly as an orc army approached, threatening them. This orc army was not large, numbering only in the hundreds, but they were escorting nearly a thousand human captives, and orcs were continuously beating and berating the prisoners. Charles, suppressing the hotblood in his heart, said sternly, "Ask them what they want." The Hundred Bear Chief immediately roared, "State your tribe and purpose." An elderly werewolf stepped forward and called out, "We are from the Shanda tribe, delivering food to the front lines." "We need to rest and need a place to process food." Charles glanced at the troop and felt a slight jolt in his heart. Besides the human captives, there was really no "food" in this troop, which meant that these human captives were the food. Charles, suppressing the surging anger in his heart, waved his hand and said, "Let them into the camp." The Hundred Bear Chief indeed passed down the order and cleared the way, allowing the werewolf tribe to enter the camp to rest. Just as Charles was thinking about how to handle the situation, he heard the sounds of a fight and hurried over, only to find a female human captive in conflict with several werewolves. The female prisoner was severely injured, her arm was probably broken, hanging limply at her side, her head covered in blood. Her exquisite clothing was soaked through with mud and fresh blood, and was so torn it was impossible to make out even the style let alone the color. Her feet were bound and several werewolves were savagely beating her with clubs, yet she uttered not a sound, rolling on the ground in a very awkward posture, still trying to strike back. A burly werewolf roared, "Girl, you killed more than twenty of our brothers, before you die, I will let you taste the most exquisite flavor in the world." "Brothers, stop your beating, let me handle this." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles glanced at the camp entrance, signaled a few Hunchback Red Bear Warriors with his eyes, and strode over, calling out, "This woman is mine now." The burly werewolf glared furiously and shouted, "Our Shanda tribe is not to be trifled with." Charles flashed a toothy smile and retorted, "Coincidentally, our Hunchback Red Bear Warriors aren''t either." He reached out his hand and thus, the Knight''s Spear-Collapsing Mountain obediently handed over to him. The burly werewolf''s eyes narrowed sharply, and he suddenly screamed, "You are human." Charles forcefully thrust Collapsing Mountain, wielding the Wings of Heaven gunmanship, which he had recently mastered with increasing finesse. The speed, angle, and strength of this spear were impeccable, piercing through the werewolf''s throat with a single strike. Charles flung the werewolf aside and shouted, "Kill!" His hundreds of orc warriors immediately erupted into action. The Shanda tribe''s werewolf warriors, having only two Transcendents among them, saw one Transcendent werewolf already pierced through the throat by Charles''s spear. The other Transcendent, an elderly leader, was about to sound a long howl in alarm but was quickly silenced by a smashed skull. Chapter 243 238. Sophia Garanord Although the number of people on both sides was similar, Charles''s subordinates were stronger, especially with Charles''s Knight''s Spear, which moved like an agile dragon, finding almost no match among his foes. The Hundred Bear Chief, the dominant Great Bear, Bear Honey and four other Transcendent Level Bear People, were even more formidable. Two of the combat-ready Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warriors did not even need weapons; they swatted down Werewolves as easily as if they were slapping cucumbers, with satisfying crispness. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The one-armed female human captive had not expected such a turn of events. She did not understand why the Beastmen were fighting among themselves, but her strong will to live drove her to pick up a Werewolf Combat Saber from the ground, cut the ropes binding her feet, and muster all her strength to stand up. She was gravely injured, with wounds all over her body. Just standing up made her involuntarily spit out a mouthful of blood. Charles, with a backhand thrust of his spear, pinned a Werewolf to the ground and barked, "Don''t overexert yourself! You need treatment!" The one-armed female captive asked warily, "Are you a human? Why do you command so many Beastman warriors?" Charles said bluntly, "I''m not in the mood to explain." "Later, try to find a way to escape!" "I still have missions to attend to and can''t take you with me." Charles was now without enemies at his side. He switched to the Withering Rose and fired dozens of shots. This Low Order Bloodsucking weapon''s every bullet equaled a full-force attack of a Fifth Order Transcendent. Against these regular Werewolf Warriors, it was more than enough. Soon, Charles blew the lingering blood mist off the Withering Rose''s barrel, looked around, and saw that the Werewolves of the Shanda tribe had been thoroughly eradicated. He ordered the bindings released from the human captives, preparing to release the group of humans. As for how they would survive, that was beyond Charles''s concern. Surrounded by a Beastman army, he simply couldn''t look after so many people. To have extended a hand to save them was to have done his utmost duty. The woman with the wounded arm clenched her teeth and said, "I am a Seventh Rank Dark Moon Sorceress, and I can fight alongside you." Charles, slightly surprised, counter-asked, "Did you graduate from Sheffield University?" The woman with the wounded arm replied, "Not yet, I am a sophomore." Charles looked more closely at the young underclasswoman with a bit of astonishment. When he was a sophomore, he was nobody, yet there she was, a Seventh Rank Transcendent, and even a Dark Moon Sorceress¡ªa profession Charles greatly envied. He nodded subtly, saying, "That works." Since she was a Transcendent, she certainly had some use, and he was in need of Transcendent Level combat power at the moment. The majority of the humans were residents from the nearby areas, and a few were soldiers from Fars. Given that Charles had not revealed his identity, the vast majority chose to leave on their own. These captives were deeply wary of the Beastman warriors under Charles''s command. However, more than ten people eventually chose to stay. They quickly clustered around Charles''s "junior," clearly knowing and trusting her a lot. Charles did not dare remain where he was. The human captives he had released were ordinary people. If caught by the Beastmen, they would not be able to keep silent and would reveal everything about him. Therefore, Charles dealt with the Werewolf corpses of the Shanda tribe and led everyone away. Charles bypassed dozens of Beastman armies and only when he was sure that no one could catch up did he reestablish a camp. There were nearly a thousand Beastman tribes on the Southern Continent, and many of them even had blood feuds with each other. Consequently, the Beastman armies did not command each other, making it not easy to pinpoint a specific Beastman tribe. ``` The more than ten people following Charles, although showing signs of weariness on their faces, were quite exhilarated after escaping death. Hence, on the journey back, no one complained. These individuals possessed great physical conditions. Even with the exception of a junior sister who had lost an arm, there were also three Transcendents among them. Though these three were merely lower-ranked, at the First or Second Order, their abilities were only slightly stronger than those of ordinary people. After setting up camp, Charles called these people over and asked, "Are you all from Strasbourg?" A young man with slightly curly, golden-tinted hair answered, "We are students from Sheffield University. You saved us, and as long as we can return to Strasbourg, there will surely be a generous reward waiting for you." Charles was mildly surprised and asked, "You are all students from Sheffield University?" When he saw more than ten young men and women nod in unison, he curiously inquired, "How did you end up outside the city, captured by the Beastmen?" The junior sister with the severed arm took a deep breath and said, "Sophia Garanord!" Seeing Charles''s face show no sign of recognition, she did not introduce her identity and continued, "We were looking for a certain herb as part of a school assignment on the outskirts of Strasbourg." "After discovering the Beastmen army, we misjudged the situation, planning to fight our way back to Strasbourg, but ended up encircled. Nearly half of our classmates died¡­" Sophia''s voice trembled a bit as she said, "Many of them were eaten by those ferocious Beastmen. We were taken as food to be delivered to the troops at the front." Charles sighed and said, "It''s all in the past now." Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire He was a transmigrator, and although he knew that Beastmen and humans had many different customs, which was a norm for Beastmen, he could not accept this custom. Sophia bowed her head slightly and said, "I still wish to know your identity. We''re not prying into your secrets, but it will determine how well we can cooperate in the future." "My last name is Garanord, and even in death, I would never assist the Beastmen in attacking my fellow humans." Charles looked at this junior sister in a new light and said, "I, too, am a graduate of Sheffield University. These are my paid subordinates." Sophia expressed her puzzlement, "Your moves earlier didn''t seem to involve Dark Fighting Qi!" Charles looked somewhat sheepish and said, "I did not choose the Dark Breath method, I chose Bloody Glory." Sophia showed a look of sudden realization and said, "The Spirit Spider Technique, one of the thirteen Unique Skills of Bloody Glory! Were those Beastmen blood puppets created using the Spirit Spider Technique? I understand now. " Charles really wanted to clarify, but he merely shrugged his shoulders and said, "I am a civil servant from the Behemoth Duchy, and by law, I cannot leave my jurisdiction. However, when I learned about the Beastmen army, I was worried about my family in Strasbourg, so I secretly followed them and managed to blend in because of this group of subordinates." Sophia Garanord completely believed Charles. The girl wiped her face, revealing a pair of emerald eyes, astonishingly beautiful and pleasing to the eye. There was still a hint of doubt in her gaze, and Charles said helplessly, "My name is Charles Mecklen! I graduated in the year of Black Moon thirty-three." Sophia Garanord reminisced for a moment. She didn''t recall any graduates with the surname Mecklen among the seniors of the previous terms, but then again, the seniors she remembered were all rather distinguished. The young man with the slightly curly, golden-tinted hair who had spoken earlier suddenly exclaimed, "Aren''t you that guy who chased away the Goddess of the West Wind from the University of Georgia?" ``` Chapter 244 239, Strasbourg Rose Over ten Sheffield University students seemed to have opened the floodgates of gossip as they all began to recall the person named Charlotte Mecklen. Sophia Garanord even remembered this "senior." Indeed, Charlotte was not famous while at school, so when Sophia tried to remember the outstanding seniors, she couldn''t recall anyone with the surname Mecklen. However, once the topic of the man who chased away the West Wind Goddess from the University of Georgia was raised, not only the students of the University of Georgia but also those from Sheffield University respected him greatly. After all, Charlotte was their senior, and many of the younger students felt a certain sense of pride in that. This feeling was quite subtle and even gave this group of students a sudden sense of firm trust in Charlotte. Sophia Garanord realized that Charlotte looked a little upset and quickly said, "So it''s Senior Charlotte, we are willing to follow your command on everything." Charlotte''s heart stirred and he asked, "I have some intelligence that I can''t get back to Strasbourg. If any of you has a way to sneak back into Strasbourg and bring this information back, I am willing to help with all my strength." "This time the orcs have gathered more than a dozen Sixth Order shamans, they might use the Great Wind Technique to lift the sand and attempt to bury Strasbourg." After hearing this news, Sophia Garanord was not surprised in the least and said, "Senior, if it''s this message, there''s no need to send it back to Strasbourg." Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire "Strasbourg has at least forty to fifty members of the Sixth Order, a mere dozen orc Sixth Order shamans can''t create any significant trouble." "The orcs'' call upon the Great Wind Technique can also be countered by many among the Sixth Order." Charlotte blushed, as he was from a humble background, he truly did not know that Strasbourg had so many Sixth Order members hidden, and he was even more ignorant of what lay beyond the Sixth Order ranks? Sophia Garanord''s words somewhat reassured him as he said, "Since there''s no need to deliver the message, let''s just roam around the outskirts of the orc army for now." "I suggest you all treat your injuries first, as there might be many battles ahead." Right after these words came out, a young man tore off a small piece of skin, pulling out a black cloth bag, and said, "I have the best Light Holy Water." "Sophia, you are the strongest among us, and you have been injured the most in protecting us, you should recover your strength as soon as possible. Take all this Light Holy Water for yourself!" After declining several times, Sophia Garanord finally accepted it. She took out a fine-spouted porcelain bottle from the black bag, gently poured the liquid on her arm, and white mist swirled around as her broken bones made a cracking sound and regrew. After treating her wounds, she hesitated a moment, then lifted her slender neck and drank a few drops of the liquid. Her complexion immediately brightened, showing a significant improvement in her injuries. Sophia Garanord passed the bottle to another injured person and said, "Nenod, you should also treat your injuries, you are a Dark Knight, the best among us at frontal combat." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The injured man did not hesitate and took the bottle, drinking a small sip as well. The bottle was passed from one to another, as nearly all of these young people had injuries, and many were severe. Those companions who were more seriously injured had already been beaten to death by the orcs and had become their food. The young man who took out the black bag appeared to be in pain, as he had originally just wanted to impress the Goddess of his heart, but Sophia Garanord ended up sharing it with everyone. Sophia Garanord finally handed him the black cloth bag and said, "When I return to Strasbourg, I''ll repay you double." The young man hesitated wanting to speak, ultimately remaining silent about not needing to be repaid. Charles only found it amusing, and didn''t disturb the group of youths, waiting until they had regained some energy before having his subordinates present a selection of weapons for them to choose from. Nenod chose a Knight''s Spear, and the others also picked weapons suitable for them. Sophia Garanord hesitated slightly then asked, "Do you have a Knight''s Spear of slightly better quality?" Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "Aren''t you a Dark Moon spellcaster, junior sister?" The young man who had just offered the holy water, somewhat boastfully interjected, "Not only is Sophia a Seventh Rank Dark Moon spellcaster, but she is also a Sixth Order Dark Knight; while the twelve goddesses of University of Georgia may be beautiful, our Rose of Sheffield is the most radiant flower among the four universities." Charles nodded slightly, suddenly recalling someone Julian had mentioned, and casually asked, "Junior sister, have you heard the name ''Strasbourg Rose''?" Sophia Garanord''s dirt-streaked face turned a shade of red, and she said, "That would be me!" "You''ve heard of my nickname as well?" Charles nodded and said, "I graduated many years ago and am not so familiar with the school anymore, but there was a guy named Julian who mentioned it to me." "I was just about to¡­" Charles suddenly hit the brakes on his tongue, stopping himself from saying that he only knew of ''The Empire''s First Rose,'' since that wouldn''t be very emotionally intelligent. Full of curiosity, Sophia Garanord asked, "Julian?" Charles nodded and replied, "It''s said that he is as famous as you, the youngest Byron Julian Asilo." Sophia Garanord let out an exclamation, and the rest of the University of Georgia''s young students joined in the chorus of surprise. Charles hadn''t heard much about Julian, but these young people, who were "in the know," were surely aware of the youngest fearsome individuals under the age of twenty in the Five Great Empires, weren''t they? These were the figures they were preparing to challenge and hopefully surpass someday. They were their most admired and esteemed contemporaries. Seeing that they all seemed to have heard of Julian, and being somewhat curious himself, Charles decided not to continue the topic and said offhandedly, "Speaking of Julian, it reminds me, I do have a decent Knight''s Spear with me. However, this item holds sentimental value, so I can only lend it to you, junior sister." With a clap of his hands, a Hunchback Red Bear Warrior brought over a spear called Lion Maru. Knowing that his return to Strasbourg would inevitably lead to extremely fierce battles, Charles had prepared an extra Knight''s Spear. Sophia Garanord took the Knight''s Spear known as Whale Butcher, also called Lion Maru, and recognized its origin with just one glance. She was completely stunned and stammered, "Is this the Whale Butcher?" Charles nodded. Quickly, Sophia Garanord asked again, "Is it the weapon of Ban Lanmalock?" Charles smiled slightly and said, "Yes, not long ago I was on an envoy mission to Inglima; Ban Lanmalock insisted on duelling me. Under the witness of His Majesty Alfred Guillaume, we dueled on the Sevante River, and he lost this Knight''s Spear to me." Chapter 245 240. The Gods Guardians of Strasbourg ``` Even with the shishi ball in hand, Sophia Garanord couldn''t help but ask, "Did you really defeat him, senior?" Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "I''m several years older than he is!" Sophia Garanord couldn''t help but mutter to herself, "I''ve seen many Transcendents who are much older than me, but there are very few who are stronger than me." It was not surprising for Charles to know Julian, as he had served as an envoy to Inglima, and in Sophia Garanord''s and the other juniors'' minds, they just assumed he had met Julian in Notruden. Of course, that was true. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But for Charles to have also met Retainer Lamarlock under the witness of Emperor of Inglima, and to have defeated him, this glory was beyond description. Even though he was several years older, it did nothing to diminish this achievement. The respect from this group of juniors, which even included Miss Sophia Garanord, the Strasbourg Rose, suddenly grew a few degrees. After arranging for the group of Sheffield University juniors, Charles realized that hiding a dozen humans among a few hundred beastman warriors was not difficult, but for a moment, he didn''t know what else to do. However, he would not need to worry about this for long. Because he was concerned about being discovered, Charles continually had to change camping spots. That morning, he was about to move to a new location when he saw the sky was a blanket of grey. He decisively commanded his subordinates to head for a nearby hill. As he reached the top of the hill, he saw that above Strasbourg City, the skies were howling with strange winds and the dust clouded the air, the momentum far exceeding the last time at Silver Pigeon Fort by more than tenfold. More than a dozen beastman Sacred Order shamans were floating in the sky, working in unison to whip up the dust and bury Strasbourg beneath it. Charles''s heart couldn''t help but race; his city housed his love and his friends, but he was only a Mid-Level Transcendent and could do nothing substantial. Sophia Garanord and the students from the University of Georgia also grew worried, even though they all knew that Strasbourg would not fall so easily. As Charles''s concern grew, he wanted to rush down several times, but even if he did, he didn''t know what he could accomplish. Was he to attempt an assassination of a Sacred Order? Even the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet might not be effective against a Sacred Order, and he didn''t have the means to harm one, unless he summoned the Evil God... Just as Charles was seriously considering the consequences of summoning two Evil Gods, a painting flew halfway up to the sky from Strasbourg City. Charles felt the painting to be very familiar, as he saw it transforming into endless corridors. The corridors overlapped, and countless skinless monsters wielding massive hammers appeared within them. The vast winds and dust that fell upon the endless corridors simply disappeared without trace. Charles exclaimed in surprise, "It''s that painting!" He certainly remembered that painting, not only because it had summoned the Labyrinth Evil God Agmiras from overseas, but also because the painting''s appearance had a story that brought him closer to Anne. To this day, Charles still didn''t know what Yang Miers intended to do with the painting depicting the overseas Evil God. The gentleman was now dead, and there was nowhere to inquire. ``` He did know in whose hands the oil painting resided¡ªanother widowed Her Royal Highness the Princess of the Fars Empire, the sixth Emperor, Julius Axler''s second daughter. This widowed princess was a taboo topic in the Empire, so much so that even the high priest of Augusladin dared not refer to her by her title, nor would he speak her name. Charles knew next to nothing about this lady; he was considerably more familiar with another widow, Princess May Guillaume of Inglima. Well, not that familiar, at least not on terms better than acquaintance. When Charles caught sight of that oil painting, his tension eased slightly, but just a few hours later, he heard a resounding noise from the skies as endless corridors crumbled, and countless red-skinned monsters carrying huge hammers, as if skinless, screamed and turned to ashes. The oil painting that depicted the true likeness of the Evil God from overseas reappeared in the sky, but it shattered into countless pieces instantly, destroyed completely and thoroughly. More than ten beastmen shamans of the Sacred Order joined forces¡ªsuch immense power, not even this cursed object could withstand it. Charles''s heart leaped, but before he could truly start to worry, a light soared into the sky, and he saw a square building rising, opening four grand arches in four directions with a majestic aura. It was the Gate of Glory on Elysian Pastoral Avenue. As the Gate of Glory lifted, several buildings followed, forming a shimmering protective barrier, enclosing the entire Strasbourg. More than ten beastmen shamans of the Sacred Order, exhausting all their mana, unleashed the Great Wind Technique all day long, stirring the dust in the sky to change colors, but Strasbourg, protected by the divine powers of twelve True Gods, remained undisturbed. Charles finally breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, he felt the diary in his embrace tremble. He took it out for a look. On the side titled "Agmillar''s Labyrinth," it felt like a bestseller suddenly going into a second printing. From its original fifteen pages, the diary quickly expanded to over thirty. A strand of thought entered his mind: Charles Mecklen has inherited the legacy of the Evil God Agmillar from the Labyrinth of the New Continent. Once mastery over more than fifteen labyrinths was obtained, a passage to the true Agmillar Labyrinth would open! Charles''s eyes widened in disbelief. He knew the Evil Gods were tricky, but this tricky? Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire The original hint in the diary was: If the author fails to master fifteen labyrinths within the stipulated time and craft a sixteenth, proving their worth, they would lose the title of author and have their soul devoured by "Agmillar''s Labyrinth." However, it never mentioned that mastering more than fifteen labyrinths would open a passage to the real Agmillar Labyrinth! In other words, if he controlled fewer than fifteen labyrinths within the time limit, the Evil God Agmillar would descend upon him; more than fifteen, and he would be delivered as an "extra meal" to the Evil God. Whether he succeeded or failed, he was doomed either way. What was he to do? After much contemplation, Charles cautiously thought, "The Old Continent has no influence from Agmillar, and not many are familiar with this evil deity. I found no relevant documents at Sheffield University. Augusladin High Priest mentioned that many cities in the New Continent have chosen maze-ification; there must be a way to resist Evil God Agmillar. To resolve this issue, it seems I''ll need to make a trip to the New Continent." "Only in the New Continent will I find the solution to deal with Evil God Agmillar." "I''ll take care of the present first, then consider the future." Charles pocketed the diary and gazed at the sky. Chapter 246 241, Black Moon Goddess above Charles had just realized that the city he had lived in for two or three years was harboring such formidable power. Apart from that widowed princess who deliberately released the painting depicting the visage of the overseas Evil God, no Sacred Order Supernatural person had made a move yet. It seemed as though even the princess had acted specifically to destroy that painting. More likely, it was to buy time for the activation of numerous miracles. The miracles left by these nine True Gods alone were enough to steadily withstand the Great Wind Technique employed by more than ten beastmen of the Sacred Order shamans. He had thought that attractions like the Door of Radiance or the Lantern Tower were simply slightly mystical, merely scenic spots, just places for people to visit daily! Who would have thought that these miracles left by the gods could also function to protect the city? The beastmen''s Sacred Order shamans, flickering in and out of visibility high in the sky, showed no signs of giving up. They continued to desperately invoke their spells. Regardless of how vast the winds of heaven and earth were, or how thick the dust they whipped up, they could never penetrate Strasbourg. The world seemed chaotic, with only a small orb of light at the very center. Charles watched for quite a while, unsure of the outcome. The small hill they occupied provided a wider view but also subjected them to stronger winds. As time passed, the gale near Strasbourg grew fiercer, and many ordinary beastmen and college students yet to advance to Supernatural status were struggling to cope. Sophia Garanord couldn''t help but suggest, "We should take cover; otherwise, things could get very bad." Charles hummed in agreement and swiftly directed everyone to descend the hill and use the mountain to shield against the fierce winds. This group of hundreds found shelter behind the small hill, and indeed, the situation improved greatly. Despite still being tough, it was now much better than on the mountain peak, or even on flat ground. Charles was not proficient in defensive spells, his intention was to tough it out, but unexpectedly, once behind the small hill, Sophia Garanord stuck her lion marble in the ground, brought her hands together at her chest, and chanted silently as a Dark Moon rose slowly, enveloping the huddled group. Charles then remembered that Sophia Garanord''s primary Supernatural path was that of a Dark Moon Sorceress. The famous defense spell of the Dark Moon Sorceress, "Black Moon Goddess Above!" This spell, well-known throughout the Old Continent, was not a Radiant Magic Array or Prime Blood Limit, known for their robust defenses, nor was it like Beast God Protection, renowned for its offensive and defensive capabilities. Instead, it was celebrated for its rapid deployment, wide application, low mana consumption, and durability. Even so, this was not a defense spell that ordinary Middle-Low Order Supernaturals could cast alone. That Sophia Garanord, at just Seventh Rank, barely above Intermediate rank, could solo-cast "Black Moon Goddess Above!" truly made her deserving of being one of the strongest youths under twenty from the Five Great Empires. She rightly earned the name, Rose of Strasbourg. If solely on the merits of Supernatural talent, Sophia Garanord was certainly on par with her sister and Charles''s fellow disciple, Menierman Sumei, and indeed could stand alongside Julian, Ban Lanmalock, and others. A hint of envy crept into Charles, thinking, "I wonder when I will be able to cultivate to the Prime Blood Limit, and also cast this defense magic circle by myself." The Radiant Magic Array is called Hymn of the Gods. Prime Blood Limit is known as Ultimate Barrier, originating from the Arthur Clan''s Vampiric Scroll. They were both among the most famous Defensive Magic Circles in the Old Continent. Charles had also received the heritage of the Arthur Clan, had activated the Bloody Vortex, and even condensed the Bloodline Mantra, although he had not yet mastered any of the True Word Spells. Charles had faced two Evil Gods and the enhancements in his spirituality, which had recently been exhausted, initially soared rapidly but now slowed, reducing him to the level of an ordinary genius. Lately, he had only mastered the Quickness Technique x2 and the Flame Scorching Blast Bullet, and developing new Special Abilities wasn''t as quick anymore, and he could only work harder on his swordsmanship, gunmanship, and Extraordinary Ranks. Ranks are easy to ascend, but Special Abilities are hard to gather! This was a commonly recognized fact about transcendent cultivation in the Old Continent. Charles could confront enemies of higher Extraordinary Ranks with his Lower-Ranked and Intermediate-Ranked Supernatural identity, not just through various strategies and weapon enhancements, but mainly because he directly faced Evil Gods, which improved his spirituality and led to a period of crazy breakthroughs in several Special Abilities. Cyrus, Julian, Ban Lanmalock, and even Sophia Garanord, although they had never directly faced Evil Gods, were all naturally abundant in spirituality, easily the top geniuses who could effortlessly condense Special Abilities, standing out among their peers. Others like Anne, Anatasiya, and Taoles, were slightly inferior, but still exceptionally brilliant among university students, one in hundreds, with immeasurable futures ahead of them. Charles also planted his landslide sword into the ground, sat down cross-legged, circulated Bloody Glory, tried his best to maintain peak condition, and patiently waited for the storm to pass. At that point in time, the sky was indistinguishable between morning or dusk, day or night, and it was unclear how much time had passed when suddenly a dull thunder exploded in the sky, the violent wind accumulated to its peak, turning into a torrential downpour. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Violent winds, torrential rains, thunder! Charles couldn''t help but start worrying again about his friends in Strasbourg, especially Anne, and he thought to himself, "If I were by Anne''s side right now, she would feel so much more at ease." At this time, Anne couldn''t possibly be by Charles'' side. Earl Brittany had long since gathered his family together, and as he looked up at the sky, a cold sneer flickered on his lips. Numerous ideas formed faintly in his heart as he pondered, "These pitiful Beastman barbarians, lured by others, thinking that by destroying Strasbourg, they can reclaim this land and restore their ancient territories." "Just as Beastman do not need humans, humans do not need Beastman." "Without the Beastman Allied Army attacking Strasbourg, those wastes would never have been able to wage a war to destroy the Beastman." "After this great war, the Beastman tribes should probably be erased from the Old Continent." No matter how furiously the storm, the torrential rain, and the lightning raged outside the Defense Shield, Strasbourg was like an ancient, submerged ferocious beast, gathering force for a counterattack. Anne, by her father''s side, was of course safe. She was not afraid, but she did miss Charles quite a bit. After the two had met, they had quickly entered a period of passionate love, their dates becoming quite frequent. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire In Anne''s eyes, Charles seemed to have been triggered by some threshold, changing from a somewhat lazy person to one striving with incredible effort, continuously earning accomplishments, promotions, and ascending through Extraordinary Ranks¡­ Anne couldn''t help but think, "He must be aiming for marriage to push himself to this extent, relentlessly advancing. I too must work hard, not to hold back my Mister Mecklen." Chapter 247 242, Beastmans Charles managed to hold out until the third day, when he had no choice but to command his small team to retreat, as his supplies were running low. Before leaving, Charles looked back at Strasbourg, which was still being battered by howling winds, flashes of lightning, and pouring rain, and he couldn''t help but complain, "Those beastman saints really have staying power!" Sophia Garanord, unfamiliar with such an old joke from another world, earnestly replied, "Sacred Order members are capable of fighting for several days." Charles returned a smile and led his small team toward Machu Picchu. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire This small troop of hundreds, battling against stormy winds and thunderous skies, took half a day to put twenty kilometers between themselves and Strasbourg. Fortunately, the further they got from Strasbourg, the less they felt the impact of the beastman Sacred Order shaman''s Great Wind Technique, and beyond twenty kilometers, the wind in the sky, although still howling, allowed them to faintly see the gray sky, the torrential rain had weakened to heavy rain, and the thunder was almost invisible, flashing across the sky only occasionally. Charles took a deep breath and said to Sophia Garanord, "We have a base; we can rest there for a while." "We can''t intervene in battles of the Sacred Order, so let''s wait until the outcome in Strasbourg is decided before we consider how to fight," he added. By then, Sophia Garanord had come to fully trust Charles, not just because he had saved her but also because of his consistent display of courage, determination, reliability, and other qualities hardly seen in his peers. Sometimes, she even felt a slight jealousy toward that West Wind Goddess from the University of Georgia. Charles didn''t pause; he led his beastman troops and continued marching toward Machu Picchu. Not far from their departure, they came upon an orc encampment. Around this encampment were thousands of human heads hanging densely: some shriveled, some fresh, with old people, men, women, and children... Charles had guessed at some things but had never dared to imagine the extent. With just a few hundred men, as Strasbourg''s surroundings were dominated by beastmen, it was difficult to get supplies. How was an army of a few hundred thousand orcs to be supplied? Charles had known what the "main food" for orcs was since he rescued Sophia Garanord and her companions. Humans! When Charles saw this orc encampment, he did not say a word; instead, he gestured and commanded, "Attack!" Sophia Garanord had been subtly reminding her fellow students not to act rashly, as they were surrounded by a massive orc army with dangers everywhere, and it seemed impossible to save these innocent people. She herself could barely hold back and wanted to rush in to fight. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing Charles''s order, Sophia Garanord could no longer suppress her feelings. She shouted and, holding her Lion Maru, was the first to charge into the orc camp, her Knight''s Spear sweeping and toppling seven or eight orcs to the ground in quick succession. Following her were more than a dozen students from Sheffield University. They had almost become the "main food" for the orcs. Whenever the Empire proposed a sweep of the orc tribes, there was always someone who objected on humanitarian grounds, arguing that orcs should not be slaughtered either. Despite this, almost everyone in the Empire knew that only a very small number of orcs had adopted human civilization and customs, and the vast majority still retained the habit of consuming their own kind and other races. In the southern part of the Old Continent, where the climate is complex, orc agriculture has never been well developed, and food has always been scarce... Charles once thought that the assassins of the Orc Assassin Alliance, with their behavior no different from that of humans except for some orcish traits, did not come off as crude; even Philedrica managed to study at the University of Georgia. It wasn''t until he encountered the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors that he felt as though the orcs in the novels were indeed just like this¡ªcrude, gluttonous, fond of drinking, unsuspecting, and snoring loudly at night. However, these Bear People were already among the more civilized and progressive of the orc kinds. In reality, most orc tribes were far worse than Charles had imagined. The assault ended swiftly. Charles didn''t even enter the fray. After all, in his team, there were already more than ten Transcendents. Charles, Sophia Garanord, Hundred Bear Chief, Bear Tyrant, and Bear Honey were even Mid-Level Transcendents. The remaining four Bear People and three students from Sheffield University were also exceptionally strong. Not something an ordinary Beastman barracks could withstand. Charles glanced at the Beastman soldiers lying injured or who had surrendered on the ground and said in a low voice, "Take them with us, and continue the retreat." Sophia Garanord couldn''t help but ask, "What about these people?" Charles called out with force, "We are the Knighthood of the Fars Empire, those willing to come with us, follow immediately, those who do not wish to, please feel free to leave." "The Beastman army will appear soon, and you must escape as quickly as possible, or their retaliation will be extremely harsh." Normally, Charles would have taken all the human prisoners with him, but he didn''t have the time right now. At Charles''s command, they set out immediately, with almost no delay, even abandoning most of the spoils of war and only taking some weapons with them. About two hundred human captives followed the company; some were reluctant to join and wanted to leave on their own, some even dilly-dallied, wanting to negotiate terms with Charles, such as some travel expenses, some were angry and wanted to take revenge after being liberated, others were looting goods in the Beastman camp, and some simply wanted to rest for a while, completely unaware of the danger they were in... Sophia Garanord couldn''t bear it and said, "We can still take more people with us." Charles sighed and said to Sophia Garanord, "We can''t make choices for them." "Moreover, staying behind to persuade a few people doesn''t save them but dooms us all." Sophia wanted to argue further, but Charles was very determined; although the battle was brief, it would still attract nearby Beastman forces, and they had to leave at once. Not long after Charles''s forces left, a Beastman troop burst into the camp, while five to six hundred people were still lingering in the camp. What awaited them... Charles forced himself not to think about those unwilling to leave. At the moment, he completely abandoned his emotions, operating his mind entirely on reason. Humans will risk life and death for minor benefits and for reasons of no value. After all, he once lived in an era of information overload and had seen countless stark examples. Charles led his forces to march more than ten kilometers. At that distance, only the undulating breeze remained, and the sky also cleared up, without a drop of rain. He found a place to rest, and about an hour later, dust rose in the rear, accompanied by the roaring sounds of Beastmen. Chapter 248 243銆丄gmiras Evil Gods Power Charles really wanted to change his clothes, but since he had left in a hurry, he hadn''t brought any clean clothes with him, so he could only sigh, "Such a typical Earthling problem." Indeed, only in the world he originally came from were dry, clean, and comfortable clothes the norm of life. In this world of the Transcendent, such a thing was rare indeed. Many times, Charles had no choice but to wear damp, somewhat dirty, and very uncomfortable clothes, but there was nothing he could do about it, as this was the norm in the Old Continent. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire Faced with his pursuers, Charles still had the capacity to think about such matters... Because he wasn''t really afraid of fighting! Soon a Beastman army appeared on the horizon with many large Beastmen carrying fresh human heads, limbs, or half torsos around their waists and necks as their rations. When Charles used to command the Westwind Knights, he would surely form a defensive iron barrel formation first, then shoot with rifles, but now his subordinates were all Beastman Warriors, so he could only have those with shields up front, wait for the pursuing Beastman army to fire a sparse volley of arrows, and then order the charge. Thanks to the Quickness Technique ¡Á2, Charles''s speed soared to the maximum. He drew out the Withing Rose and started firing continuously. Each bullet from this Transcendent handgun was equivalent to a full-strength strike of a Fifth Order Transcendent. Perhaps Mid-High Tier Transcendents could withstand it, but ordinary Beastman soldiers could not. In the short sprint distance, Charles successively killed dozens of Beastman soldiers. When he reached melee range, he then absorbed the Withing Rose into the Bloody Vortex on his left arm, reached out his hand, and Big Bear handed his Knight''s Spear Collapsing Mountain. With a loud shout, Charles charged into the enemy troops, continuously piercing six or seven Beastman soldiers. Suddenly, he heard a loud roar as a two-handed war hammer blocked his Knight''s Spear. Charles''s hands tingled slightly; this Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior turned out to be a Mid-Level Transcendent, whose strength was not inferior to Big Bear and almost on par with the Hundred Bear Chief. The Grinding Mountain Yellow Bears and the Hunchback Red Bears were two branches of the Bear Clan and also two of the most powerful warrior tribes among the Beastmen. The Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warriors had stronger physiques, but the Hunchback Red Bear Warriors had more refined martial skills. It was a common saying among the Beastmen: don''t encounter a Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear on the battlefield, and don''t challenge a Hunchback Red Bear in a duel. Charles shook his spear, creating seven or eight spears blossoms, aiming for the eyes of the Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior. The Bear Warrior, not to be outdone, roared and swung his two-handed war hammer, determined to trade life for life with Charles. Charles didn''t back down; with Collapsing Mountain, he directly blinded the Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior''s eyes. As for the enemy''s swinging hammer, he simply flicked it away with a slight movement, avoiding it by unleashing the speed of a Transcendent. With a backhand strike, Charles hit the head of the Bear Clan Transcendent warrior, knocking the Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior unconscious. He intentionally held back, as, after all, as long as he could return to Machu Picchu, these were all potential guardians for his Labyrinth. This Beastman pursuer party had only this one Mid-Level Transcendent warrior; the other two Low Order Transcendents were already killed by Sophia Garanord. The rest of the ordinary Beastman soldiers were slaughtered and scattered after a single charge. Charles sent a small team of Werewolves to go around and block the scattering Beastman soldiers, continuously shouting loudly to make the defeated Beastman army surrender. This pursuer party had no idea what they were truly facing and thought they were up against another Beastman army. With their commander killed, their resistance was not very fierce, and most soon chose to surrender. The Beastman soldiers who refused to surrender were all killed by Sophia Garanord and the students of Sheffield University. They were almost eaten as food, and regardless of the original attitude towards the Beastmen, they all turned into "Beastmen haters." Charles defeated and recruited the chasing soldiers. Not daring to linger, he continued to charge towards Machu Picchu. In the following two days, he encountered no more battles; it seemed the Beastmen army had all gathered at Strasbourg. Having reached Machu Picchu, Charles incorporated the humans he had saved along the way into the Westwind Knighthood, and he transformed all the captive Beastman soldiers into Labyrinth guardians. Just as all the Beastman captives and paths were transformed into Labyrinth guardians, a thought suddenly transmitted from the diary in Charles''s arms: "Charles Meklen has acquired over a thousand Labyrinth guardians, including nine Transcendents. He may use the opportunity to ''Maze-ify'' three times and infuse himself once with Agmiras''s Evil God Power." Charles was slightly surprised. He hesitated for a moment before resolutely deciding¡ªinfuse! Charles''s choice was made without any reason, nor did he know what the consequences would be. He purely followed his intuition that he should choose... Witnessing the oil painting depicting Agmiras, the Evil God from overseas, being destroyed by over a dozen Beastman Sacred Order shamans, his diary mysteriously absorbed the dispersed aura of Agmiras, surging to thirty-seven pages. Originally, "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" contained only fifteen pages because Silver Pigeon Fort had completed three ''Maze-ifications,'' Machu Picchu had completed three, Mostar Fortress had completed two, and Cappadocia City had completed one, leaving only six pages remaining. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now with an additional thirty-one pages, Charles was not short on ''Maze-ification'' attempts, and he was unsure of the value of these extra attempts. Having made his choice, a sinister power began to erode into his body. Charles felt strangely familiar with this force, as it was almost too familiar, compelling him to spontaneously activate the Bloody Glory, merging with this power, and then... Something happened that he could never have anticipated. This power from the infinite void, infused into his body as Agmiras''s Evil God''s Power mixed with the Bloody Glory, created a Bloody Vortex within his eyes. At the core of this Bloody Vortex, countless silver Bloody Runes emerged, forming a mirror. Within the mirror, there were countless corridors, passages, turns, city walls, and halls... For a moment, Charles thought it was some Blood Clan Evil God who had discovered him, not that he had received the power of Agmiras. About ten minutes later, "Agmillar''s Labyrinth" once again lost three pages, dropping from thirty-seven to thirty-four pages. Charles had not mastered any Evil God''s Power; he had simply opened up a new, previously unrecorded Bloody Vortex in the annals of Protagora. He practiced the Protagora scrolls in a straightforward manner, except for summoning Evil Gods, but there were two exceptions. One was when he received the Arthur Clan scrolls taught by Baron Leo, opening a Bloody Vortex in his throat. The other was receiving the infusion of the Agmiras Evil God''s Power, opening the Bloody Vortex within his eyes... Well, this Agmiras, the overseas Evil God, has a somewhat peculiar identity. Chapter 249 244, Congratulations! The Westwind Knights are the first loyalist troops. Charles had studied the history and culture of the thirty-seven Blood Clan families during his time at the university. He knew that vampires held the Three Emperor Clans in the highest esteem. The Three Emperor Clans were the Asilo Clan, the Arthur Clan, and the Fanga Family. The Asilo Clan were masters of swordsmanship, ancient and noble; the Arthur Clan''s spells were unmatched; the Bloodline Mantra was profoundly mysterious; their Prime Blood Limit was even capable of rivaling the defensive magic of the Radiant Magic Array. The Fanga Clan were more mysterious than both the Asilo and Arthur Clans¡ªtheir vampires were loners, seldom holding specific positions in the Byron Empire. When Charles had examined the documents years ago, he also saw the Fanga Clan''s Secret Technique, called the Infinite Mirror Realm, which could create a world within a mirror and allow travel at will. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire The scrolls of Protagora also recorded that he had fought Transcendents from the Fanga Clan three times in his life, each time narrowly escaping death. Had he not carried a type of resin capable of obscuring reflective surfaces, he would have been killed all three times. Charles was quite certain that the Bloody Vortex, formed in his eyes, was a Fanga Clan Secret Technique; hidden within it, the silver Runes formed a mirror, indeed the Infinite Mirror Realm. Charles pondered deeply, murmuring to himself, "Could it be that the Fanga Clan''s Blood Ancestor is Agmilas? Did he stir no storms in the Old Continent and secretly venture to the New Continent to establish a whole new faith?" "That doesn''t make sense! If the Fanga Clan''s Blood Ancestor is Agmilas, how come their abilities appear completely different?" "Although the Infinite Mirror Realm can traverse the void, and even evolve into a world within the mirror, it seems somewhat similar to a labyrinth and might even share the same essence, but it is not the same power, after all." "Or perhaps, Agmilas is a descendant of the Fanga Clan''s Blood Ancestor?" "Hmm, I remember..." "Well, I don''t remember what happened when Agmilas encountered Kahnstan, the two Evil Gods." Charles desperately tried to remember, but only had a vague impression; his soul had been shattered at that time, completely unable to perceive the outside world, naturally, he couldn''t know what happened between the two Evil Gods. Charles had already activated nine Bloody Vortexes, two of which were not recorded in the scrolls of Protagora; he had condensed eight Bloody Runes. Most astonishingly, all three from the Emperor Clans had activated Bloody Vortexes and had begun to condense Bloody Runes; as far as fortunes go, he was now no less than Protagora in his prime. Charles was very curious about his newly acquired Special Ability. However, finding mirrors in Machu Picchu was difficult so he had to give up for the time being. Charles put away his journal, thinking to himself, "If I stay in Machu Picchu, I should have some peace for a while, but... I must do something!" "Why not lead the Labyrinth Guardians on a nearby patrol, and capture as many beastmen soldiers as possible?" Having been here for a long time, Charles also generally knew that the war mode of the Old Continent still relied on the outcome of Transcendent duels to determine the victory of a battle. It was somewhat like the wars in storytelling, where the audience only cares about fierce warriors clashing one-on-one, assuming such duels could decide a war, completely indifferent to who brought how many soldiers, nor believing that civilian officials leading enough soldiers could overpower a superior warrior. Charles himself had charged alone into enemy ranks and had experienced over a hundred battles, aware that the combat ability of ordinary soldiers was indeed overlooked. Under Charles''s command, the Labyrinth Guardians totaled over a thousand beastmen, including nine Transcendents: five were Hunchback Red Bear Warriors, three were Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warriors, and one was a Werewolf¡ªCharles couldn''t remember when he had captured him; four of these Bear People were Mid-Level Transcendents, including his newly captured Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior, named Xiong Wandi! After turning into Evil Spirits, this Mid-Level Grinding Mountain Yellow Bear Warrior''s eyes blazed with a faint blue fire. Charles did not know whether he could see, but in battle, he was as agile as if he were not blind at all. With this force of over a thousand beastmen Labyrinth Guardians, Charles could even confront a regular army of over ten thousand. When Sophia Garanord arrived at Machu Picchu, she never expected to find the ancient ruins of the Beastman Kingdom''s fortress transformed into their current state. Taoles and Belisa had both heard of this Strasbourg Rose and were surprised that Charles had brought her here. As the steward of Machu Picchu, Taoles took these ten-plus students from Sheffield University to bathe and change into new, clean clothes. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Sophia Garanord reappeared in hunting attire before everyone, even Taoles couldn''t help but exclaim, "Miss Garanod, your beauty is indeed as legendary, able to tempt birds to sing upon your shoulder." With a slight smile, Sophia Garanord responded, "I have also heard of the Laurel Goddess''s beauty, sufficient to ignite any man''s spirit of duel." Taoles shrugged her shoulders, actually not at all fond of people dueling over her. With a graceful figure taller than both Taoles and Anne, Sophia Garanord''s eyes, like sapphires, were not tender but carried an unrestrained authority. This was the first time Charles had seen the true appearance of the Strasbourg Rose; previously, Sophia Garanord had been too disheveled, and he couldn''t discern what she was supposed to look like. The first thing that came to Charles''s mind was Empress Catherine. Chapter 250 244, Congratulations! The Westwind Knights are the first loyalist troops_2 Of course, it wasn''t the real queen from history that he had seen, but the queen performed by Marina Alexandrova. The rest of the Sheffield University students were actually also exceptional talents, but behind Sophia Garanord, they automatically became the backdrop and followers. Sophia Garanord solemnly performed a courtly curtsy to Charles and said, "Sophia Garanord thanks Mister Charles Meklen for your rescue. Should you ever need it, the Garanord Family will surely repay you." Charles really wanted to ask Taoles what the Garanord Family was all about. But he held back, as it was not something you ask to someone''s face. He gave a slight smile and said, "Miss Garanord, don''t fret over it. What I did was nothing more than what any person of Fars would do." As soon as Sophia Garanord arrived at Machu Picchu, she knew Charles was no ordinary man. Being able to bring a deserted Beastman dynasty fortress back to life, bustling with twenty thousand people and forming a close to ten thousand strong knighthood... This was definitely not something an ordinary Imperial officer could accomplish. Especially when Sophia Garanord met Taoles, she became even more convinced of her speculation. Charles, according to his official duties, was but a lowly ranked twenty-seventh grade civil servant... Sophia Garanord thought to herself, "Mister Charles Meklen must want to use this war to advance to a rank above the tenth or even become nobility!" It was only because there was no rebellion in the Old Continent, after all. In the Old Continent, one could aspire to the Emperor''s position by expanding territories. Duke Guillaume, for instance, took over the British Isles and established the Inglima Empire. The New Continent, on the other hand, had nearly infinite ownerless land. As long as one had the capability, they could take as much land as they wished. Otherwise, Sophia Garanord would surely have suspected Charles of rebellion. The promise of Sophia Garanord was essentially a kind of political support. Her standing in her own family was much higher than Anne''s and Taoles''s in Brittany and Sumei''s Home, even higher than Krel Brittany''s and Ebner Sumei''s in their respective houses, which is why she could make such a significant promise. Ah, Mister Charles Mecklen, had no idea what Miss Sophia Garanord had promised. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Taoles, however, caught on and was slightly astonished, but he didn''t disclose anything. Charles came back to his senses and to be honest, the impact Sophia Garanord had on him was greater than Menilman''s. He couldn''t find a point of reference for Menilman in reality, but Sophia Garanord was just too similar to the Russian actress who played Empress Catherine. When he first watched that foreign film, Charles''s only thought was: Release my queen! But after a small shock, he was ready to get down to business and said to Sophia Garanord, "Would you all be willing to temporarily join the Westwind Knights?" Sophia Garanord answered, "We all are willing." Charles nodded slightly and immediately assigned a two hundred-strong battle team to all the students from Sheffield University. These university students were the Empire''s top talents, and it would be a waste not to make use of them. Charles said, "We cannot confront the Sacred Order, but we cannot do nothing. I plan to strike at those invading Beastmen on the outskirts of Strasbourg." "Everyone can rest at Machu Picchu for two days, and we will depart after." When Charles returned to Machu Picchu, naturally there were countless things to do. He didn''t go out of his way to entertain his junior fellow students, but not one of the Sheffield University students minded, instead, they all felt that this senior had a bit of the dignity of a superior. The second day of Charles''s return to Machu Picchu, Anatasiya arrived with more than two thousand elite of the Westwind Knights from Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles was very surprised, but then learned it was Taoles who had sent a letter asking her to come and join them, leaving Dobin and Yellow Bear to lead the three other knighthoods. There would be no more battles at Silver Pigeon Fort, after all. The Beastman''s main army had already attacked Strasbourg, so leaving a portion of the Westwind Knights'' finest warriors at Silver Pigeon Fort was meaningless. Charles indeed needed this knighthood. After further rest and reorganization at Machu Picchu for a day, he chose to mobilize completely. The current Westwind Knights still followed the same organizational structure Charles had created initially, with fifty men to a team. But including himself, Taoles, Dobin, and others, the teams directly under them would be slightly larger. For ease of command, mainly because there were so many people and he couldn''t manage on his own, the largest teams wouldn''t exceed eight hundred men. Such a battle organization had its advantages. Once on the battlefield, the teams could fight independently. Each team was capable of operating on its own without much need for a commander''s allocation. Charles was a military novice. This mode of operation was most advantageous for a commander who didn''t even qualify as an armchair strategist. He only needed to issue the simplest commands, and the leaders of each fighting team would handle the detailed battle orders. In fact, ever since he reorganized the Patrolling Army of the Lucavaro District into this knighthood, this structure hadn''t caused any problems. Instead, it often provided a sense of smooth command on the battlefield. The fully mobilized Westwind Knights soon clashed with the outer forces of the Beastmen. Chapter 251 244, Congratulations! The Westwind Knights are the first loyalist troops_3 Charles chose not to engage with the powerful tribes but specifically targeted the weaker, smaller orc tribes with fewer numbers. As a result, he achieved victory after victory, capturing dozens or even hundreds of orc prisoners every day. After seven or eight days of such peripheral combat, the number of guards in Charles''s Orc Labyrinth had increased by more than two thousand, and he had entered into the rhythm he was most familiar with "rapid troop expansion." Charles had planned to continue this combat for a while but soon realized something was amiss. The orc army began to collapse in large numbers. After Charles defeated several orc tribes in succession, he felt increasingly uneasy. He commanded the Westwind Knights to press forward and march toward Strasbourg once again. This time, there were no storms on the way. When the Westwind Knights arrived beneath the walls of Strasbourg, the sky was clear, except for a ring-shaped mountain formed by thick layers of dust around Strasbourg, and no trace of the orc Sacred Order shamans remained. Moreover, Charles soon encountered the Royal Knights Order pursuing the orcs. The leader of this Royal Knights Order was someone Charles just happened to know, albeit not very well. He was a young man Charles had seen at the mansion of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with whom he had a relationship of more than Fu Er level. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon seeing Charles, the young man couldn''t help but smile slightly and said, "Mister Charles Mecklen, congratulations! Your Westwind Knights are the first troops loyal to the king." He casually wrote a letter and handed it to Charles, saying, "I would advise you not to partake in the pursuit of the orcs but to go to the Central Government Office as soon as possible." Charles took the hint and immediately smiled, saying, "I understand, thank you for your good intentions." "This is not the right moment, but please allow me to express my gratitude later." In such a public setting, it was certainly not convenient to show a friendship of Fu Er level. The young man smiled faintly, led a company of the Royal Knights past Charles''s Westwind Knights, and marched on. After a moment of hesitation, Charles decided to heed the advice, leaving the majority of his people outside the city, especially the Orc Labyrinth guards, who were certainly not allowed into Strasbourg, and took two thousand Westwind Knights directly into the city. There were continual departures of the Royal Knights Order from the city, but no more acquaintances were encountered, and no one paid him any attention. Charles left the Westwind Knights at Sparrowhawk Street No. 1 and went to the Central Government Office with Sophia Garanord, Taoles, Belisa, and Anatasiya. All his male officers were absent, otherwise, it wouldn''t have been an entirely female contingent. Charles submitted the young man''s letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the authorities, and it wasn''t long before a messenger from the Imperial Palace arrived at the Central Government Office, specifically calling Charles over. The messenger beamed with joy upon meeting Charles and said, "His Majesty the Emperor personally commanded the battle and has just repelled the great orc army, slaying seven orc Sacred Order shaman spellcasters. He then learned that someone had come early to Strasbourg to show loyalty to the king." "His Majesty Julius Axler is very pleased and believes that Mister Charles Mecklen has indeed shown loyalty to the Royal Family. He rewards you with a promotion of two ranks, elevating you to the 25th degree, fifth-level domestic affairs director and allows you to expand your private knighthood to a hundred members." "Additionally, His Majesty heard that you practice ''Bloody Glory'' and has bestowed upon you a Blood Core from a baron of the Blood Clan. He has also assigned the Star Workshop to craft a special bloodsucking weapon for you, all expenses and materials to be covered by the Royal Family." Charles was incredibly surprised by these rewards. He accepted the letter and the sealed casket containing the Blood Core from the royal messenger, handed over a "tip," and sent the royal messenger on his way from the Central Government Office. Grateful for the benefits, Charles felt indebted to the young man but speculated that his hasty departure as the first one to leave the city was to claim credit and that he would not return so soon, making it impossible to visit him for the time being. Leaving the Central Government Office, Sophia Garanord and Taoles took their leave one after the other from the group. Both were from Strasbourg and certainly wanted to go home first. Charles escorted the two ladies back to Sparrowhawk Street No. 1 and then returned to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 himself. He was still unclear on how the Empire had turned defeat into victory. So, he asked Madam Nancy to inform Anne and also told her to bring back a few of the latest newspapers on her way. Charles had been constantly on the move, engaged in battle after battle, and was quite exhausted both physically and mentally. Back in the familiar surroundings of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, he first took a refreshing bath, changed into a clean set of clothes, and had Mrs. Plum Sauce prepare him a meal. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire As he was enjoying this rare moment of peace, Anne hurriedly arrived. As soon as she saw Charles, she threw herself into Mister Mecklen''s arms, tears streaming down her face. Charles cleared his throat and began his spiel in an emotionally charged tone, "I encountered the orc army, and from the mouths of the captives, I learned that the orc forces had crossed the border to attack Strasbourg." "Although I knew Strasbourg would certainly be safe, I couldn''t bear the worry, so I led my Westwind Knights on a risky return journey. I was constantly barred from entering until the gale cleared, and I immediately rushed into Strasbourg." "Seeing Anne safe and sound makes me feel that all the risks on the road and the battles with orcs were all worth it." Anne felt extremely warm and cozy in Charles''s arms. Listening to him recount his achievements didn''t impress her much, but hearing the name of the Westwind Knights moved her deeply. She knew already that Charles''s knighthood was called the Westwind Knights, but hearing Charles mention the name brought about a different sentiment. Anne whispered softly, "I would have preferred you stay in a safe place and not return rather than you competing for the honor of being the first to rush back to Strasbourg." Chapter 252 245. Mirror Spirit Last time, Charles, not knowing any better, notified everyone he knew at the same time; this time he wasn''t going to make the same mistake. On the first day, he only notified Anne, and the two of them were able to enjoy a cozy afternoon together. On the third-floor terrace, they drank coffee, petted cats, and admired the picturesque view of the Lucavaro River. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Across the Lucavaro River lay Charles'' jurisdiction. He was not only the head of the Lucavaro District Patrolling Army but also the director of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau and the owner of both No. 1 and No. 2 on Sparrowhawk Street. However, situated at No. 58 on Elysian Pastoral Street, the third floor wasn''t very high, and from his own terrace, he couldn''t glimpse No. 1 on Sparrowhawk Street. Even though the two young people did nothing more than engage in casual conversation, sharing the sentiments they felt during their separation, it still brought Charles great joy and contentment. Accompanying his beloved girl on the terrace of his house, gazing at the distant scenery, and watching three well-behaved and adorable Agile Cat kittens running around was indeed a surrounding sense of faint happiness. After all, aren''t many people working hard, busily chasing after just such a moment of leisure? If one could always be so relaxed and comfortable, without a care in the world, there would be no need to hustle for a living. However, this world needs more workhorses than people who can appreciate happiness. That''s why some are constantly pushing the world toward chaos. Charles had never imagined that he, a math teacher, would cross over to another world, nor did he think that a civilian like him would lead soldiers. And in less than a year, he had been tempered into what could be coined an "old hand" on the battlefield. After seeing Anne off, Charles still followed his daily routine, practicing Bloody Glory. Having completed his daily exercises, Charles found a mirror. When he channeled the Bloody Glory from all nine Bloody Vortices into his eyes and looked at a mirror in the hall, a "Charles" appeared in the mirror too. This "Charles" struck the same pose as him, but there was an indescribable evil smirk on his face. Charles smiled slightly and said to himself, "So this is a Mirror Spirit?" The Infinite Mirror Realm of the Fanga Clan was a very strange and malevolent special ability. Members of the Fanga Clan who practiced the Infinite Mirror Realm couldn''t normally come into contact with mirrors because whenever they looked into one, a "Mirror Spirit" would be born within. These Mirror Spirits could only exist within the mirror, but in the world of the mirror, they have the same abilities as their original masters. Only by killing these Mirror Spirits can a Fanga Clan member wield control over that mirror. The more Mirror Spirits they killed, the more mirrors they could control, and the stronger the Fanga Clan member''s Infinite Mirror Realm would become, eventually evolving into the Mirror World. Charles raised an eyebrow, and the Mirror Spirit did the same. Charles picked his nose, and the Mirror Spirit followed suit. Charles struck a seductive pose, and the Mirror Spirit mirrored the gesture. Charles reached out and grabbed a Knight''s Spear, and the Mirror Spirit did likewise. Charles put down the ordinary Knight''s Spear in his hand and switched to Collapsing Mountain... The color drained from the Mirror Spirit''s face. While a Mirror Spirit could replicate the abilities of its original master since those abilities came from the master, it couldn''t replicate extraordinary objects, not even their regular mirror images. Charles burst into laughter and, carrying the Collapsing Mountain, stepped into the mirror. This world within the mirror was extremely small, limited to only a part of Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, since it could only reflect that part of the room on a daily basis. Charles pointed his lance forward, and the spirit also raised the Knight''s Spear, both adopting identical stances and displaying the Wings of Heaven gunmanship of the Asiluo Clan, launching an assault at the same time. When the two Knight''s Spears collided, the Collapsing Mountain faintly bloomed with a blood-colored aura, and the spirit''s Knight''s Spear instantly shattered. The Collapsing Mountain had five attributes: Armor-Piercing, Shock, Magic Breaker, Blood Loss, and Life Absorption to repair the spear body. It was the Magic Breaker attribute that played its role, as the spirit itself was but a form of evil spirit, and the Knight''s Spear in its hands was merely a phantasm of evil force, suppressed by the Magic Breaker attribute of the Collapsing Mountain. Charles flicked his Knight''s Spear and skewered the Mirror Spirit on it, reached out to grab the spirit''s head, and casually twisted it off. The Mirror Spirit, with its head twisted off, turned into wisps of black smoke and dissipated into nothingness. Charles stood still for a moment, sensing that he had control over this tiny mirror world. After standing silently in the mirror world for a while, Charles smiled and said, "Interesting!" "It''s just too troublesome." He stepped out of the mirror world and began walking around the room, holding the mirror in his hands. Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce, as well as his three Agile Cats'' kittens, had no idea what their master was up to. But neither Madam Nancy nor Mrs. Plum Sauce, both highly trained servants, would disturb their master, merely bowing politely to Charles and ignoring his odd behavior. Charles took the mirror and reflected it all over Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, then stood on the balcony, lifted the mirror high, and reflected the surrounding streets, rivers, and scenery. When he rehung the mirror back in its place and entered the mirror world again, the world had expanded enormously, including much of Elysian Pastoral Street, a section of the Lucavaro River, and many buildings; even Madam Nancy and Mrs. Plum Sauce were there, along with the three Agile Cats'' kittens, and even some passersby in the distance. However, the buildings on Elysian Pastoral Street in the mirror could not be entered, as the mirror could only reflect their exteriors and not the interior structure of the buildings; and the Lucavaro River was just a shallow layer, appearing wide, yet not even deep enough to cover one''s ankles. The people in the mirror world seemed lifeless, only repeating a few movements over and over. At first, Charles found it amusing, but soon got bored with the place. He left the mirror world, musing to himself, "It seems there''s only one mirror like this at home. A world structured within a single mirror is too fragile. I need to get more mirrors, but it''s too late now. The shops on Elysian Pastoral Avenue have all closed; I can only go tomorrow." Early the next morning, before Charles could ask Madam Nancy to notify Vini Yarsaenu and Silvie Martin, as well as a few other friends, or even step out to buy mirrors, he already had a visitor at his door. As Charles was contemplating Mrs. Plum Sauce''s breakfast, he heard a knock on the door. He instructed Madam Nancy to open it, and in came a middle-aged gentleman he did not recognize. The middle-aged gentleman was simply dressed, with a dignified appearance, no decorations on his person, and was accompanied by a young lady he did recognize¡ªSophia Garanord. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire That''s when Charles remembered that he had forgotten to inquire with Taoles about the Garanord Family''s background. Chapter 253 Miss Bunanas anger will surely make her a literary giant of the Fars Empire. Sophia Garanord changed into a formal dress and, upon seeing Charles, curtsied slightly and said, "I''ve been under Mister Mecklen''s care for some time, and I''ve specifically come to express my gratitude." The middle-aged gentleman smiled slightly and said, "I am Armand, the butler of Count Galanod''s mansion, accompanying the young lady here, and I also bring the Count''s gratitude." "The Count says, ''Sophia''s life is more precious to him than all the treasures in the world. He cannot imagine how to live if he were to lose his daughter. He does not know what gift could possibly equate to the value of Sophia, so he can only offer the most sincere friendship as a token of thanks.''" "If you need anything in the future, please tell us, and the Garanord Family will spare no effort to help." Charles wore a faint smile on his face, but internally he combed through his memories and mused, "Count? I don''t think I''ve heard of him. Forget it, no use racking my brain, I''ll ask Taoles later." "Well, actually Anne would also know. She definitely knows what status Count Galanod holds, how could I have forgotten yesterday?" "Oh, right¡­" "Asking Anne about the Roses of Strasbourg, in her presence, would be like flirting with death. Out of reverence for life and desire for a peaceful living, I instinctively avoided this tragic question." Some of the nobility in the Empire hold actual power and have very high status, while the status of others is relatively ordinary due to historical reasons. For example, Archduke Ferdinand, although an archduke, does not have as much influence as Earl Brittany. The Brittany Family''s nanny is of Sacred Order, while it is a struggle for the Archduke to gather even a few of Intermediate rank, let alone the High Order Transcendents. Charles invited the two of them in and instructed Mrs. Plum Sauce to prepare coffee and tea. Although he was having his meal, he had to stop and let Mrs. Plum Sauce clear the breakfast away first, requesting the two visitors to take a seat in the small study. Every move of Sophia Garanord spoke of the air of a noble young lady, yet her sapphire-like eyes seemed to stealthily suggest that with Butler Armand present, it was inconvenient for her to show familiarity. Charles took this as an illusion and treated the two guests as ordinary friends. Sophia Garanord and Butler Armand stayed for half an hour, after which the middle-aged gentleman reminded, "Miss, the Count has matters to attend to shortly and needs your presence." Sophia Garanord rose, curtsied slightly, and took her leave. After seeing off the two visitors, Charles actually let out a sigh of relief; Butler Armand seemed to exert quite a bit of pressure on him, though he couldn''t quite say why. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles no longer felt like eating breakfast and had Madam Nancy send letters to Vinnie Yarsaenu and Silvie Martin, as well as asking Madam Nancy to stop by Sparrowhawk Street No. 1 to bring Anatasiya and Belisa over. Since Taoles had just returned to Strasbourg, Charles didn''t disturb him. Mrs. Plum Sauce, upon knowing that guests were coming and they were several young ladies, started to prepare pastries and couldn''t help muttering to herself, "Mister Mecklen''s guests are always such beautiful young ladies. I don''t think I have ever seen a gentleman among his visitors." "If he were born in the New Continent, he''d probably have a hundred children by now." Charles, while at home, did not constantly activate Insight and was unaware of his cook''s sotto voce criticism. Half an hour later, Mrs. Plum Sauce brought up several well-baked apple pies. Having skipped breakfast, Charles was not very hungry, but the apple pies, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, burst with warm apple sauce at every bite, refreshing and delicious, so he finished off a whole plate of them. An hour later, the young ladies arrived one after the other at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. Well, Miss Annie Brittany was the third person to arrive. Miss Taoles was the last one to arrive. Except for Belisa, all of these ladies were university graduates, and even Belisa was a high-quality woman, after all, she was a Second Order Extreme Flyer, while most university graduates could never even come close to touching the edge of the Transcendents. Soon, Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58 turned into a ladies'' chatting session, and Charles wasn''t that he couldn''t get a word in¡ªit was that he dared not intervene rashly, so he just stayed by the side, trying to make his presence as little felt as possible. When Silvie heard Anatasiya mention that Charles was now the temporary civil officer of Strasbourg, Seagull City, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Ode Mountain City, she asked in surprise, "Have you been back to Seagull City?" This seemingly insignificant question immediately garnered the attention of nearly all the ladies. Charles came from a merchant family and his relationship with his family was not very good, his brother wanted to take over all the family assets, and that was the public persona Charles had cultivated for himself. Even Vini Yarsaenu was quite concerned about Charles'' family; the son of a merchant was just too outstanding, already counted as one of the most distinguished young people in the Empire, while the others all had illustrious backgrounds. Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "I sent them some small gifts," his tone carrying a hint of grievance. Silvie Martin certainly knew Charles'' "true face," but the rest of the ladies couldn''t help but imagine things, with Anne even fantasizing about a malevolent sister-in-law urging her husband to pressurize his brother¡ªan all too common trope in folk tales¡ªeliciting a motherly-like sympathy. It was only then that Silvie realized the atmosphere was a bit odd; she didn''t dare bring up this topic either, given the somewhat awkward nature of her and Charles'' identities. Moreover, Charles'' sister-in-law was also her own sister¡ªonce these relations were exposed, Silvie''s former fianc¨¦e status would be impossible to conceal. She hurriedly said, "Although it may not be nice to say this, I still feel that you should just live like this." Silvie''s words were very vague, but to the ears of the ladies present, they carried a sense of "helplessness" and "brotherly strife." Anatasiya, who was quite straightforward, said, "I''ve also heard that there are many rumors about Mister Mecklen in Seagull City. He has no grudges or enemies, why would someone spread rumors about him? It must be his brother, trying to prevent him from returning to inherit the family property..." Charles broke into a cold sweat and hastily said, "Anatasiya! Please don''t talk like that, let''s forget about these things." Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire He had more than just enemies in Seagull City. He was practically surrounded by enemies! It was just that some of them didn''t know they were at odds with Charles Mecklen, that''s all. And for those who did know, what they were spreading were not rumors. Charles thought to himself, "I was considering whether to make Mister Freeman Simon Qing Martin the protagonist. But for the sake of my future reputation, whether he likes it or not, he has to take on this role." "Mister Freeman Simon Qing Martin will have his name etched in history." "The enraged Miss Bunana will surely become a literary master in the Fars Empire!" "I am a clean man." Chapter 254 247, Alchemy Magic Crystal Glass Window At dusk, Charles bid farewell to every young lady. Although he and Anne were deeply in love, they refrained from any intimate behavior in front of others, as they had plenty of time alone. Charles did not go home. Instead, he walked a few hundred steps along Elysian Pastoral Avenue and spotted a shop with alchemical magic crystal glass. The shop was already closed, but under the dim moonlight, Charles''s reflection clearly appeared on the crystal glass. Suddenly, the reflection on the alchemical magic crystal glass window grinned and gestured invitingly. The Fanga Clan members who practiced the Infinite Mirror Realm indeed grew stronger with each Mirror Spirit they killed, but if they were killed by a Mirror Spirit, they would be replaced by that Mirror Spirit, assuming their identity. Find your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In Byron, there''s a legend that all Fanga Clan members who practiced the Infinite Mirror Realm were killed by Mirror Spirits. The active members of the Fanga Clan today are said to be "Mirror Spirits." Charles did not know whether this legend was true, but one thing was certain, the Mirror Spirits were actually very dangerous. Yet, Mirror Spirits also had a significant weakness. Without hesitation, Charles stepped into the alchemical magic crystal glass window. Immediately, his eyes beheld the brightly lit Elysian Pastoral Avenue, bustling with people¡ªfar more than on the ordinary Elysian Pastoral Avenue, each person wearing a bizarre smile. They conversed with one another, but their mannerisms did not seem like they were speaking to the people beside them, as if they were talking to someone who didn''t exist. They pushed open every shop''s door, but often, nobody came out. It was always someone else who emerged. The entire Mirror World''s Elysian Pastoral Avenue exuded a trace of strangeness, with an indescribable sense of discord. Charles could not find his Mirror Spirit, but he quickly realized why this Mirror World was so eerie. This alchemical magic crystal glass window had stood on this street for many years, reflecting countless people. The Mirror Spirit manipulated the world within this freestanding alchemical magic crystal glass window, mirroring the evening Elysian Pastoral Avenue out. These people did not appear at the same time, which is why the streets were so crowded and their behaviors so peculiar. A newspaper boy hurried past. Reacting swiftly, Charles slapped his hand, activating his Stellar Battle Qi and struck the boy on the top of his head. In the boy''s hand was a handgun, indeed the Withing Rose hidden in Bloody Glory. The child revealed a creepy smile, turned to ash, and Charles retrieved the Withing Rose, but a chill ran down his spine. "This Mirror Spirit can even transform into other people, making it difficult to find and kill," he muttered. "Forget it! Let''s not look anymore." Without thinking, Charles flicked the Withing Rose and fired a bullet that killed a passerby. He did not glance at the ash-forming passerby, but fired at another passing woman... This is the Mirror World, these people are reflections in the mirror. Charles did not mind killing everyone. With every person the Withing Rose shot, a new bullet appeared in the magazine. These Mirror Spirits evolved into people, although lifeless, still possessed a trace of fel energy. Withing Rose couldn''t distinguish between the two types of power yet swallowed them all the same. This discovery surprised Charles. He stood still and fired continuously. As fewer people were on the street, suddenly a young girl rushed in front of Charles, opened her mouth, but couldn''t speak. However, her expression seemed to accuse him of killing the innocent. Charles killed the girl with one shot. Surprisingly, the Withing Rose magazine had over a hundred more bullets. He was slightly amazed and then laughed, saying to himself, "I didn''t expect the Mirror Spirit to be so interesting!" After the girl was shot, she turned into ashes. Suddenly, the people on the street paused and then started embracing each other. They then merged into one person. After merging, this person would embrace another, continuing to merge. Soon, Elysian Pastoral Avenue in the Mirror World was left with only six "Charleses." They stared at Charles, each holding a magic alchemy wand, and rushed at him from different directions. Charles often shopped on Elysian Pastoral Avenue and had passed by this shop many times. His most common image reflected there was him holding a magic alchemy wand. He shook his head, put away the Withing Rose, and drew the Blood Rose. With a flick of his sword, he cut one of the "Charleses," along with the wand, in half. The other five "Charleses" each displayed the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship, but Charles moved effortlessly. Despite being surrounded by five Mirror Spirits, he still had an easy time. He quickly found a flaw in one of them and casually cut her down with his sword. "You can''t use the true essence of the Asiluo Clan''s swordsmanship!" Charles sighed, the Blood Rose twirling to engage with a Mirror Spirit''s wand. The Mirror Spirit shuddered, invaded by the Dark Corrosion, and instantaneously burst into a puff of black smoke. The Mirror Spirits couldn''t replicate Extraordinary Objects nor could they reproduce secret techniques outside of the Fanga Clan. However, the power of Mirror Spirits originated from Fanga Clan Members who practiced in the Infinite Mirror Realm; thus, the stronger the original owner, the stronger the Mirror Spirit. At Low Order and Intermediate rank, Fanga Clan Members could still rely on Extraordinary Objects or cultivate other powers. But at High Order, finding equivalent rank Extraordinary Objects becomes harder, and secondary powers can''t keep up with the clan''s secret techniques. Well, for Charles, these were not problems for now. When he had cut down the last Mirror Spirit with Blood Rose, he also gained control of that Mirror World. Charles vaguely sensed another Mirror World, one derived from the mirror hanging in his home. Charles smiled gently, stretched out his right hand and slowly pinched, merging the two Mirror Worlds into one. He lightly stepped forward, not emerging from the alchemical magic crystal window on the street, but rather walking out from the mirror at home. This was the Fanga Clan''s Secret Technique: Infinite Mirror Realm. As long as there was a reflective surface, they could freely come and go, effortlessly appearing and disappearing. Those who mastered the Infinite Mirror Realm could also trap any foe, even if slightly stronger than them. Of course, this secret technique also had a weakness: it was most powerful within the Mirror World. If someone like Protagora chose not to enter the Mirror World, or even covered up the mirrors, they could avoid being manipulated by this technique. Charles pondered for a while and then softly said, "This indeed is a very peculiar secret technique, just a pity it cannot be used on the battlefield." Now, he was certain that the Infinite Mirror Realm and Agmillar''s Labyrinth Art were completely different things. As to why using up three Maze-ifications might earn the Infinite Mirror Realm? This was a conundrum that Charles couldn''t explain. Chapter 255 248, Star Workshop On the third day of Charles''s return to Strasbourg, Anne couldn''t come to accompany him due to classes, so he decided to pay a visit to the Star Workshop. His Majesty Emperor Julius Axler had granted him a baronial Blood Core of the Blood Clan and assigned the Star Workshop to craft a bespoke bloodsucking weapon for him, with all expenses and materials to be covered by the Royal Family. Charles had many extraordinary weapons in his possession, but the only one that truly resonated with him was the Blood Rose. Although the Withering Rose could also be stored in his left arm''s Bloody Vortex, it was just a low-tier extraordinary weapon. Collapsing Mountain was decent, but it was not convenient to carry around. Among other extraordinary weapons, his favorite were the three Antispace firearms. Unfortunately, whether it was the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle or the two Silver Rhinoceros pistols, they relied too heavily on the expensive and hard-to-find Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Charles was also curious about what kind of extraordinary weapon the Star Workshop could forge for him. The Star Workshop was located in Rosaire District, which is also the old city area of the Sherlock Dynasty. He had strolled through these streets before with Anne. He did not take his luxurious dark carriage; instead, he had Madam Nancy drive the horse-drawn carriage. Charles had heard of the Fars Empire''s Six Great Alchemy Workshops. The three Antispace firearms he possessed were from the Hawkwell Workshop, one of the Six Great Workshops. He had once owned a magical horse from the Stars that was not an extraordinary item, but nonetheless a fine alchemical object, which he gave to Dobin. The history of the Star Workshop was long, and it occupied an enormous area, taking up an entire block. Both sides of the street consisted of Stars'' shops, and behind these shops were the east and west alchemy workshop areas of the Stars¡ª all Stars products came from these workshops. With the Emperor''s documents in hand, Charles casually entered a shop and presented them. The shop owner didn''t dare to deal with such an enormous matter on his own and respectfully invited him to the back. Soon, Charles met a young man. Wiloma Stars! The young workshop master of the Star Workshop! Well, in the Old Continent, the term "young workshop master" did not exist. Wiloma Stars, the owner of the Star Workshop and the sole son of Hassu Stars, was also a costly Alchemist Master and the youngest high-order Alchemist in the Old Continent. Hassu Stars had no interest in receiving Charles himself, so he only sent his son to meet him. When Wiloma Stars saw Charles, he showed a very friendly smile and said, "At the command of His Majesty Julius Axler, the Star Workshop will spare no effort." "May I know what quality of Blood Core you hold in your hands?" "Is it low order, or intermediate rank?" Startled by the question, Charles did not answer Wiloma Stars but instead said, "Could you please return the documents to me first?" Wiloma Stars found it odd and replied, "I apologize, but this document is the credential bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor to Stars, and it cannot be returned to you. If you insist on taking it back, please forgive us for not being able to craft an extraordinary weapon for you." Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire Charles smiled apologetically and said, "I merely wish to take another look at it, not to take it back." Even though it was an odd request, Wiloma Stars returned the documents to Charles. After looking through them three times, Charles discovered an exhilarating fact: His Majesty the Emperor did not mention the rank of the Blood Core he had awarded! This was no mistake by the Royal Family. A baron of the Blood Clan is a high-level transcendent, and obtaining a baron''s Blood Core is already quite challenging. No one would expect... that Charles still had a Holy Blood Core! Charles gave the document back to Wiloma Stars, and with a smile, he said, "I need a private space." Although Wiloma Stars thought Charles was a troublemaker, he agreed to his request and found him a room. Charles pressed on his right arm and took out the Duolian Clan''s Holy Blood Core from the Bloody Vortex. He had always not known what to do with it. Although Charles knew that he might not need a Sacred Order extraordinary object before his own promotion to Sacred Order, he also knew that possessing an item of this caliber was quite dangerous. After all, an ancient Eastern proverb said, "A common man who possesses a jade is guilty by virtue of the jade he possesses," but with the opportunity right in front of him, why miss out? When Charles, with a smile, handed over the Duolian Clan''s Holy Blood Core to Wiloma Stars, the face of the youngest High Order Alchemist in the Old Continent changed seven times in an instant. The reason Wiloma Stars''s face didn''t change more than that was not for lack of time, but because human skin cannot display more complex colors. He certainly couldn''t question Charles, for Charles was able to produce a document from none other than His Majesty Emperor Julius Axler. This document was undoubtedly real¡ªthere were two copies of it, the other being directly sent to the Star Workshop by the Imperial Palace. Wiloma Stars was stupefied for a few minutes before excusing himself and hurrying to consult with his father. After about half an hour, he returned with a peculiar expression and said, "In half an hour, you will receive a bloodsucking weapon." Charles was particularly surprised and asked, "Really, half an hour?" Perhaps one of the Nine Great True Gods could craft a Sacred Order extraordinary weapon in half an hour. But Charles firmly could not believe that an Alchemist Master could complete such a massive "project" in such a short time. Wiloma Stars chuckled and said, "In just half an hour, you will see the result; why not wait a little while?" "Give me that Blood Core." Charles was not afraid either; if the other party could covet this Holy Blood Core, he could hand over the Duolian Clan Blood Core to them. Wiloma Stars then hurried off again. Half an hour later... Wiloma Stars did not return. Charles held his patience and waited another ten minutes or so, but Wiloma Stars still had not returned. He began to grow restless. Charles indeed did not believe that the Star Workshop would swallow up his own Blood Core, especially as he was carrying an imperial edict. But since the object was of extraordinary value, Charles could not guarantee that there would be no accidents; he couldn''t help but call out, "Please ask Mr. Wiloma Stars to come here." As they were considered "distinguished guests," the Star Workshop had arranged for staff to be on standby. When Charles asked to see Wiloma Stars, the appointed low-rank alchemist did not dare to delay and hurried off. About another half an hour later, Charles was already so impatient he wanted to start tearing the place apart when Wiloma Stars finally hurried back with a box in hand. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon seeing Charles, he immediately apologized, "Mister Mecklen, my father miscalculated the difficulty in crafting this weapon, which caused the slight delay." "However, although it was a bit delayed, the weapon has become relatively perfect because of it. I believe you can understand an alchemist''s desire for perfection." Charles looked at the small box; it was too small and didn''t seem like it could contain a weapon... Chapter 256 249. Blood Spirit Rhinoceros Charles took the box, still somewhat in disbelief, and said, "It''s simply unbelievable that your father could craft a Sacred Transcendent Weapon in half an hour." Wiloma Stars smiled faintly and said, "How could that be possible." Charles''s expression changed slightly, a bad omen suddenly looming. Seeing the change in his expression, Wiloma Stars knew there had been a misunderstanding and said with a smile, "As far as I know, even for a Sacred Order Alchemist with an abundance of materials, the shortest time needed to craft a Sacred Transcendent Weapon is two years and six months." "The Sacred Transcendent Weapon is now in the hands of Earl Brittany, a Sacred Transcendent Handgun." Charles was slightly surprised; he really hadn''t expected that Anne''s father would have a Sacred Transcendent Weapon. Charles calmed down a bit when he realized that Wiloma Stars was full of confidence and didn''t seem to be trying to deceive him. Since the man was right in front of him, even if the other party planned something, he could "adapt accordingly." While a High Order Alchemist might hold a respected status, their combat ability is generally mediocre; he might be able to stab the other man to death with a single sword thrust. Wiloma Stars was unaware of Charles''s ill intentions, but he knew Charles''s patience was probably at its limit, so he cheerfully revealed the mystery, saying, "You know, we had an unprecedented battle with the People of Baron at the Felanden Battlefield, where both sides deployed dozens of Sacred Order beings, and several of them perished." Charles nodded slightly, and Wiloma Stars continued, "Count Garanord slew a Transcendent of the Blood Clan and destroyed his weapon. Finding the weapon interesting, he entrusted us at Star Workshop with its repair." Charles hadn''t expected to hear about Anne''s father, and now he was hearing about Sophia Garanord''s father. He asked casually, "What official role does Count Garanord hold?" Wiloma Stars looked slightly surprised and said, "He is the Minister of War, a top dignitary of the Empire. Haven''t you heard of him?" Sweat beaded on Charles''s forehead; he truly hadn''t heard about it. He understood the significance of the Minister of War; if on Earth, it would roughly be the equivalent of a five-star general in the United States or a seven-star marshal in France. Charles really didn''t know that Sophia Garanord''s family was so powerful, that Count Garanord was the Minister of War. This Minister of War had just recently killed a Sacred Order Blood Clan member on the Felanden Battlefield... Wiloma Stars waited for a moment, and when he saw Charles did not ask any further questions, he continued, "But the weapon was destroyed in its most crucial part, and my father couldn''t repair it, so Count Garanord sold it to our Star Workshop." "My father was initially planning to dismantle it to obtain a batch of precious materials, but then unexpectedly, you sent over this Holy Blood Core." "You must have guessed that the Blood Core destroyed by Count Garanord is precisely what the Sacred Transcendent Weapon lacked. With your Holy Blood Core, my father can now repair it." Charles finally understood why Hassu Stars, the Sacred Order Alchemist, could produce a Sacred Order bloodsucking weapon for him in just half an hour. He took a deep breath, opened the box in his hand, and inside was a very short piece of chain. It was extremely slender, probably even thinner than a chopstick, but of course, there are no chopsticks on the Old Continent, and it wasn''t long, just enough to wrap around the wrist once. Hmm, it was a bracelet. The chain section was blood-colored, and while intricate, it had absolutely nothing in common with a weapon. Wiloma Stars whispered from the side, "However, this weapon requires the Duolian Clan''s secret technique to be activated, or else you won''t be able to use it. But that does not affect the fact that it is a Sacred bloodsucking weapon." Charles asked impassively, "What is its name? And what are its unique uses?" Wiloma Stars replied, "Its name is: Blood Spirit Rhinoceros." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The weapon master who designed the Blood Spirit Rhinoceros was very skillful. Depending on the Blood Core embedded, it can exhibit different forms and give birth to different attributes." "Originally, this weapon looked like a handgun, but once embedded with the Duolian Clan''s Holy Blood Core, I don''t even know what changes it will undergo!" Charles could not glean any useful information from Wiloma Stars, so he decided not to ask further. He infused a trace of Bloody Glory and was certain that it was indeed an Extraordinary Object, deep and unfathomable, at least he could not wield it now. Charles stored the Blood Spirit Rhinoceros away and said, "I have one last request, I hope the Star Workshop can keep this a secret for me, just say that I used a baron-grade Blood Core." Wiloma Stars laughed, "I can help with that, but as you know, the related documents must be sent back to the Imperial Palace. Whether the news leaks from there is beyond the control of the Star Workshop." Charles smiled slightly and said, "As long as you do your best, I won''t insist." Wiloma Stars did not expect that the Royal Family''s task would be completed so easily. After chatting with Charles for a while, he took his leave, "The Star Workshop has many matters to attend to, I can no longer accompany Mister Mecklen." Charles did not mind and said, "I, too, must be leaving." Continue your story on My Virtual Library Empire He left the Star Workshop, not returning to his carriage, but strolled through the streets for a while. While passing a shop with Magic Alchemy Crystal Glass windows, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he stepped into the "Mirror World". The Mirror Spirit born from this window reacted almost identically to the one in the Magic Alchemy Crystal Glass window of the shop on Elysian Pastoral Avenue. Charles''s tactics did not change, and half an hour later, he had dealt with the Mirror Spirit and had taken ownership of the Mirror World within this glass window. However, the Rosai district was simply too far away; this Mirror World could not be connected to the one Charles had on Elysian Pastoral Avenue. Charles did not care, he just wanted to find a quiet place to examine his newly acquired Blood Spirit Rhinoceros. He did not dare to exert his power in the Star Workshop, but in the Mirror World, he did not worry. He directed all of his Bloody Glory into the Bloody Vortex of his right arm, and the surging Blood Energy from this Bloody Vortex flowed into the Blood Spirit Rhinoceros. This Sacred extraordinary item was truly extraordinary in quality. Charles infused almost all of his Bloody Glory, yet it still showed no reaction. When he could no longer extract any more Blood Energy and was about to temporarily give up, the short chain started to wriggle upwards as if coming to life, burrowing into the Bloody Vortex in his right arm. Clearly, this Sacred Extraordinary Item was full of spirituality, but it was not yet willing to recognize Charles as its master. Charles pulled it out from his right arm, but as soon as he let go, the Blood Spirit Rhinoceros burrowed back in. It seemed that apart from transforming from a Holy Blood Core into a Sacred Extraordinary Item, it underwent no other changes. Chapter 257 250, Business is about meeting mutual needs ``` "Alas, my strength is still too weak," he lamented. Charles gave up trying and after staring at the Mirror World in the shop window for a while, recovering about thirty to forty percent of his Blood Energy, he finally stepped out of the window. He checked the Withering Rose, and just like the last time, the bullets transformed in the Mirror World after killing the Mirror Spirit would disappear upon leaving the Mirror World and would not reappear even if he entered again. But these bullets were not valuable items, nor were they Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, so it was no loss once they were gone. Charles returned the way he came and found the carriage still parked by the curb. After getting on the carriage, instead of instructing Madam Nancy to immediately return to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, he pondered for a moment, took out the Baron''s Blood Core, and withdrew the Blood Rose from the Bloody Vortex in his left arm, and said to Madam Nancy, "Go to the largest shop and ask if it''s possible to enhance the quality of this Rapier." Madam Nancy took the Blood Rose and the Baron''s Blood Core and got off the carriage. After a while, she returned with both items and said in a low voice, "I asked five shops, and all said it couldn''t be done." Charles took back the Blood Rose and pulled out the Withering Rose, saying, "Try another five shops and ask again." Madam Nancy did as told, but soon came back, reporting, "Three shops said it''s possible, but the asking price is very high, with the lowest being 1,500 Aegeus." Charles was rather speechless and said, "Understood." He took back the Withering Rose. This Extraordinary Weapon had cost him two hundred Gold Pounds, which had slightly more purchasing power than Aegeus. The price of the Blood Clan Baron''s Blood Core was hard to estimate, but it was likely no less than a thousand Aegeus, and to invest another 1,500 Aegeus for a new weapon would bring the cost close to three thousand Aegeus. The price was reasonable. After all, Baron Fel had spent 3,600 Aegeus on the luxury of darkness, which wasn''t even an Extraordinary Weapon but a luxury item. Spending only three thousand Aegeus for a High Order Bloodsucking Weapon was quite a bargain. But the accounting should not be done this way. Julian had given him a friendly discount for the Withering Rose, whose original price was far more than two hundred Gold Pounds. The Blood Clan Baron''s Blood Core was priceless and precious, so if handled properly, its value could possibly double or triple from a thousand Aegeus. Charles felt that it might be better to sell the Baron''s Blood Core and directly exchange it for a Bloodsucking Weapon, which might even save him the Withering Rose and the processing fee. He silently marveled at how lucrative Alchemists were, earning one or two thousand Aegeus from a single transaction; he could likely never save up that much in his lifetime just on salary. Just as Charles was about to have Madam Nancy drive the carriage back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, he heard a voice outside say, "Excuse me, sir. I am Shawn Connor from the Blue Magpie Workshop in the Star District, and I''ve heard you have a Baron''s Blood Core in your possession. May I inquire if it''s for sale?" All workshops and shops in this district belong to the Star Workshop, so Charles knew that having Madam Nancy inquire in the Star District shops about enhancing a Bloodsucking Weapon''s quality was sure to catch the attention of interested parties. He said in a low voice, "How much are you offering?" Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire Shawn Connor''s voice reached the carriage, "1,500 Aegeus." Without hesitation, Charles replied, "The price seems fair, but I am not in need of money; I am only willing to trade it for a High Order item." It didn''t take long for Shawn Connor''s voice to respond, "May we discuss it at my workshop?" Charles said, "Let''s find a coffee shop outside instead." "The Star District is known for its Alchemical Products, but the environment for drinking coffee is not quite as good." ``` Charles pushed open the carriage door, and Shawn Connor was a middle-aged man with a somewhat resolute appearance. He was dressed neatly, but his face bore a slight weariness. He calmly boarded the carriage and sat opposite Charles, also scrutinizing the unfamiliar young man. Upon Charles''s instructions, Madam Nancy urged the carriage forward, driving out of the district and turning down two streets before they could see many coffee shops. Charles casually chose one and, together with Shawn Connor, alighted from the carriage and entered the coffee shop. Charles ordered a cup of the shop''s specialty coffee, while Shawn Connor ordered a classic bitter coffee, similar to an Americano from Earth. Shawn Connor spoke first, saying, "You inquired in several shops, wanting to upgrade the quality of two bloodsucking weapons but haven''t placed an order. I surmise that you''re not entirely satisfied with these two bloodsucking weapons." Charles smiled faintly but did not say the other party had guessed wrongly. The power of the Withing Rose was indeed slightly lacking, but it was already quite useful. Blood Rose, on the other hand, was his primary weapon, without a doubt. Charles found the Vampiric Rapier very handy; it matched well with his Asilo Clan swordsmanship and could harvest the Bloody Vortex, making it an incomparable choice. Seeing that Charles did not object, Shawn Connor believed he had guessed correctly, saying, "I don''t know if you want to improve the quality of the two bloodsucking weapons for yourself or for a friend." "But you know, apart from in Byron, bloodsucking weapons are considered to be on the cheaper end among Transcendent weapons in other countries." "Even in Byron, due to the differences among clans, the compatibility of bloodsucking weapons is relatively poor." "However, a baron-grade Blood Core, due to its wider applicability, can be used to forge a brand-new bloodsucking weapon suitable for the owner, or to enhance the quality of a handy bloodsucking weapon. It might be somewhat insufficient in the human Empires, but in Byron, it can definitely sell for a sky-high price." At the appropriate moment, Charles interjected, "Flour is more expensive than bread." Shawn Connor felt this phrase hit the nail on the head and laughed, saying, "Indeed, that is the case." "Business is about each getting what they need." "You possess two unsuitable bloodsucking weapons and a baron''s Blood Core." "I have two High Order bloodsucking weapons but lack customers willing to pay." "I am very keen to know if the two High Order bloodsucking weapons I have are what you need. If so, then we can continue our negotiations." Shawn Connor took out two handguns that were clearly crafted by the same Alchemist. Aside from the color scheme and a few minor parts, the main structure and dimensions were nearly identical. These handguns were exquisitely designed, elegant without sacrificing grace, and very easy to hold. They reminded Charles of the "Rattlesnake" produced by Sigurd. Even to someone military-averse like him, the guns seemed quite beautiful. Charles pondered for a moment and then looked at the workshop owner again. Although he spoke in an uplifting and confident manner, the tiredness in his eyes and brows could not be concealed. Charles said lightly, "I guess you''ve exhausted your entire fortune in crafting these two bloodsucking weapons... haven''t you?" A bitter taste, very much like that of Shawn Connor''s defeat, could no longer be hidden. It was the taste of life. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The main undertone was always bitter, just occasionally sweetened with a hint of sugar. Chapter 258 251. Alchemist always has a dream Shawn Connor took several deep breaths before he seemed to struggle out of a state of being overwhelmed, gave a faint bitter smile, and said, "I was too impatient, and you saw right through me." "During my business trip to Byron, I encountered two very affordable High Order Blood Cores, and though I intended to sell them, I couldn''t resist. You might not understand, but alchemists always dream of creating one or two signature pieces." "I exhausted all my resources, even borrowed a sum of money, to craft these two Vampiric Pistols." "I thought I could sell them at a high price, but at several auctions in Byron, they all ended with no bids." Charles showed slight surprise and asked, "Why is that?" Shawn Connor remained silent for a long while before he said in a low voice, "I am from Fars, and what I learned was Classic Alchemy." Charles had an epiphany and said, "Classical Alchemy is popular in Byron." He owned several Extraordinary Weapons crafted from both Classical and Classic Alchemy, and he didn''t find any inconvenience in them. In fact, the Extraordinary Firearms made by Classic Alchemy were more to his liking for their convenience, except that the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets they used were slightly expensive, and there were hardly any other drawbacks. However, Charles also understood why the Vampires of Byron didn''t favor Classic Alchemy¡ªthey don''t like machinery! They themselves are a kind of Evil Spirit, and most machinery is ineffective against them. Weapons crafted by Classic Alchemy might be extraordinary against humans, but against Vampires, they become somewhat inferior. Vampires actually place more importance on the damage weapons can do to their own kind, just like humans do. Shawn Connor said in a low voice, "I am willing to sell one of the pistols to you in exchange for your Baron Blood Core." Charles smiled faintly and said, "I''ll take both pistols. How about a thirty percent discount?" Shawn Connor looked up in astonishment and said, "That''s completely impossible." "I''m already selling them at a loss." "To offer a further thirty percent discount¡­" "You''re trying to strip me to the bone." Charles spread his hands and said, "Anyway, you can''t sell these two pistols, so you might as well sell them both to me." Shawn Connor flatly refused, "No! I will only sell one of them." Charles didn''t continue to argue and instead asked, "What was your original asking price for these two pistols?" Shawn Connor said with a dejected expression, "Five thousand Aegeus! Five thousand for one, sixteen thousand for both." Upon hearing the price, Charles did a quick mental calculation and came to a conclusion, with one Aegeus equivalent to the purchasing power of eighteen to nineteen thousand yuan; according to Shawn Connor''s original quote, the price of each pistol was close to a hundred million, and the two together exceeded three sets of small goals. How is this selling at a loss? Where is the bone-stripping? This is a true capstone of the wealthy class. His eyes shining slightly, he asked, "Do these two pistols have any special synergy when paired together?" Shawn Connor''s eyes sparkled as he said, "The Blood Cores of both pistols are from the Nicholas Clan. One pistol''s Blood Core holds an engraved Quickness Technique x6, while the other''s holds x7, and when both pistols are in the hands of one owner, they can grant the effect of a Quickness Technique x9." "As for other attributes¡­" Charles smiled faintly, his exterior calm, but his heart was like a tumultuous sea, with only one thought floating above the inner turmoil: "I want it! I want it all!" "I must have those two handguns." Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire "Even if it''s the biggest expenditure of my two lifetimes combined." "Most soldiers of the Westwind Knights don''t earn but a few dozen Sheng Ding a week, and this sum could even sustain the Westwind Knights for two to three months... but it''s worth it!" Charles might not even need these weapons for their attack capabilities, as long as he could elevate his Quickness Technique to x9, he would be absolutely invincible in speed below the Sacred Order. What''s more, he himself already has a Quickness Technique x2! Charles even let out a small "Oh", not knowing how his acting was, but Shawn Connor apparently hadn''t seen through it, as he said with a strained voice, "Even now, I can''t accept a price lower than three thousand Aegeus for a single handgun, and for both handguns combined, at least ten thousand Aegeus." Charles even "sympathetically" patted the other''s shoulder and said, "You won''t be able to sell them." "And have you considered, someone might find an acquaintance to make separate offers to you for purchase?" Shawn Connor''s eyes lit up as he said, "No matter which one I sell, I will raise the price of the remaining one because only the buyers will know the superiority of these two handguns." "Extraordinary Weapons are supposed to be expensive, after all, they can save lives and kill enemies in battle, how could they be cheap?" Charles asked, "Have you never considered that the person buying one of these handguns might not use it and is simply collecting it?" Shawn Connor said anxiously, "How is that possible? My creativity, my work, perfect and flawless, how could anyone not use it?" Charles shrugged and said, "Many nobles actually don''t fight personally." Shawn Connor argued, "I won''t sell the fruits of my labor to such people." Charles sighed and said, "But it''s those people who have the money! Now I see why you haven''t been able to sell these two handguns." "Your stubbornness will bankrupt you!" Struck at his soft spot, Shawn Connor became dejected, murmuring non-stop, "I won''t go bankrupt, I won''t go bankrupt, I still have a chance for a comeback, I can surely become a great Alchemist." Charles, with a look of sympathy, said, "Sell them to me, and you''ll have the capital for a comeback. I guess your debts are about to become unmanageable, and the interest on those loans must be incredibly high." "You still have a chance now, but if you keep dragging it on, with interest rolling over non-stop, you might end up using all the money just to pay the interest and have no chance to bounce back." Shawn Connor bowed his head, murmuring countless times to himself, and Charles didn''t disturb him; the man needed some time alone to think things through. After more than half an hour, Shawn Connor finally made up his mind and said, "If you include the Baron''s Blood Core, the two Bloodsucking weapons, and add six thousand five hundred Aegeus, you can take them." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles shook his head and said, "I can''t give you the two Bloodsucking weapons I have on hand, but add three thousand Aegeus to the Baron''s Blood Core." Shawn Connor''s forehead bulged slightly with tense veins as he said, "That price is absolutely impossible." Charles said, "Both of my weapons are worth over a thousand Aegeus each, your price is seriously lacking sincerity." The two argued back and forth over the price, each loosening their bottom line bit by bit, with the price gradually approaching what both had in mind. When the price reached somewhere between the Baron''s Blood Core plus seven thousand Aegeus and four thousand five hundred Aegeus, Charles played his trump card, summoned a waiter, ordered two cups of coffee and said, "Why don''t you consider it a bit longer?" Torn internally, Shawn Connor finally pushed the box containing the two handguns towards Charles and said, "The Baron''s Blood Core plus five thousand five hundred Aegeus!" "That''s my final bottom line!" "I can see that you love them a lot and hope that they will accompany you in achieving great deeds and forging a legend." Chapter 259 Future Famous Gun: Rattlesnake Charles didn''t haggle further and agreed immediately. Of course, he didn''t have that much money on him, not even in his Savings Union account. After all, it was 5,500 Aegeus, which, when converted into the purchasing power equivalent in the currency of the people, amounted to a small fortune. Only a trip back to Machu Picchu would allow him to gather enough cash to pay Shawn Connor and complete the transaction. Charles suggested going to withdraw the money, mentioning that he needed to leave Strasbourg for another city. Shawn Connor was clearly hesitant. He thought for a moment and proposed a deal: exchange the goods first, and then he would accompany Charles to get the cash. Charles didn''t mind. The master of the Blue Magpie Workshop in the Star District immediately called a street runner, and soon, seven or eight low-order alchemists, led by a middle-aged woman, arrived at the caf¨¦. This lady was evidently Shawn Connor''s wife. She was worried about her husband but knew she couldn''t stop him. She merely bade him a soft farewell, hoping that he would return soon. The lady took away the Baron''s Blood Core, and Shawn Connor, as if drained of all his strength, pushed the gun case to Charles and said, "Now they''re yours." Charles smiled and said, "Let''s set off!" He snapped his fingers, releasing Darkness Luxury, and told Madam Nancy, "You go back to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58! If Anne comes over in the next couple of days, just let her know I''ll be out for a day or two and will be back soon. No need to worry." Madam Nancy drove the carriage away. Shawn Connor, looking at the Darkness Luxury, couldn''t help but walk over and touch it, asking, "Is this the Darkness Luxury made by Saint Alchemist Stardust?" Charles smiled and answered, "It is indeed the Darkness Luxury. We need to hurry, a regular carriage would take several days on the road. Even with Darkness Luxury, if we don''t hurry, we might not be back by tomorrow." Shawn Connor climbed into the Darkness Luxury, finally feeling completely reassured about the transaction. A person who owned a Darkness Luxury certainly wouldn''t mind a few thousand Aegeus. Indeed, a normal person wouldn''t spend thousands of Aegeus on a Transcendent carriage. Once aboard the Darkness Luxury, Charles opened the gun case and looked at the two High-Level Transcendent Bloodsucking Handguns lying quietly within, and took one out. Holding the Bloodsucking Handgun, Charles instantly knew that this Transcendent Handgun had six attributes: Speed Amplification, Devouring Life, Energizing Bullets, Antispace, Invisibility, and Violent Poison. It had a composite magazine that could be loaded with ordinary, energy, and Magic Breaker bullets. The Speed Amplification was essentially Quickness Technique x6. Devouring Life could devour the life force of enemies, healing the wielder and also forming Blood Energy Bullets, similar to the attribute of the Withing Rose, but with the added feature of healing the wielder''s injuries. Energizing Bullets was a unique attribute; it could make ordinary bullets move as if alive within the enemy''s body and also allow Blood Energy Bullets to continually devour the enemy''s life force, increasing their own power and creating sustained damage. No need to mention Antispace, Invisibility, and Violent Poison. They could be concealed within any object, allow the wielder to hide in the air, and inflict a potent poison on the fired bullets. It was indeed worthy of being a High-Level Transcendent Handgun, even more lethal than the Hockwell Silver Rhinoceros. Charles put down this handgun and took out the other one; this other Transcendent Handgun had eight attributes: Speed Amplification, Devouring Life, Ultra Long Range, Antispace, Eagle Eye, Bear Strength, Hotblood, and Sleepless. It also had a composite magazine that could be loaded with ordinary, energy, and Magic Breaker bullets. The Speed Amplification of this Transcendent Handgun was slightly stronger than the previous one, being Quickness Technique x7. No need to mention the Ultra Long Range. It was even stronger than the range of the Anti-Space Sniper Rifle that Charles had, covering an extremely broad area of effect. Eagle Eye could enhance vision, Bear Strength could amplify strength, Hotblood could momentarily stimulate physical energy, and Sleepless could trade life force for stamina. These two transcendent handguns were difficult to compare in terms of superiority, but Charles loved them both. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He caressed them for a moment and asked, "Do they have names?" Shawn Connor replied, "No, I had hoped they would become representative works of an alchemist''s career, but since they were never sold, I never named them." Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire Charles said, "I think they could be called Rattlesnake!" Charles always felt that they resembled the "Rattlesnake" handguns produced by the Sigurd company on Earth, so he casually chose that name. Shawn Connor''s expression stiffened slightly as he whispered, "Good name." These two handguns, in fact, had a name, which was¡ªRattlesnake! Because they had not been sold, Shawn Connor had discarded that name, not expecting that their first master would still name them Rattlesnake. This could only be described as fate. Of these two transcendent handguns, one key part was painted with a red primer, Charles planned to name it Red Rattlesnake, the other had parts coated in blue bright paint, Charles planned to name it Blue Rattlesnake. He hid the two vampiric pistols within his wrists, able to draw and shoot with just a slight flick. Pulled by eight spirit horses, the dark luxury carriage only trotted within Strasbourg but sped up once outside the city, leaving dust in its wake. The dark luxury sprinted much faster than ordinary carriages, and the spirit horses, with their long endurance, were no ordinary mounts, able to run for several days and nights without rest. At this time, outside Strasbourg City, there were still a few beastmen, but most beastmen simply could not keep up with the dark luxury. Those that could, tended to be somewhat smarter and would not recklessly block the carriage. After all, anyone who could handle a transcendent carriage must be a "great noble." In the Old Continent, a great noble generally also meant transcendent, even high-level transcendent. By evening, the dark luxury had already reached Machu Picchu. Upon seeing Machu Picchu, Shawn Connor''s expression subtly changed, but as the dark luxury entered Machu Picchu, the scene before him greatly surprised him. Being from Strasbourg, he certainly knew of this ancient beastman fortress ruin just two hundred kilometers from the capital of Fars, but he never expected that this ruin had come back to life and become quite prosperous. Charles returned to Machu Picchu, feeling more at home than at Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58. He took out two stacks of Fars banknotes and handed them to Shawn Connor, smiling, "Please count them." As Shawn Connor counted the money, he couldn''t help asking, "Why has this place regained its vitality?" Charles found this question difficult to answer, so he simply replied with a smile, "Maybe because there are no taxes here." Shawn Connor''s eyes immediately lit up. Charles didn''t stay, paid for the handguns, and returned with Shawn Connor to Strasbourg. The next morning, he dropped Shawn Connor off at the Star Workshop, and upon returning to Elysian Pastoral Street No. 58, unexpectedly received a document ordering him to quickly return to his own jurisdiction and not to linger in Strasbourg. Chapter 260 253, Beastman Sacred Order The document was worded with such severity that Charles dared not treat it with negligence. With just enough time for a brief farewell to Anne, he hurriedly left Strasbourg with all his subordinates. This time, Sophia Garanord was not part of his team. Neither were those junior brothers and sisters from Sheffield University. This return to Strasbourg could be considered full of gains for Charles, whether in terms of his official position or personal strength, both of which had been enhanced. Aside from feeling slightly reluctant to leave Anne, his mood was rather pleasant. Upon leaving Strasbourg, Charles regrouped with the troops stationed outside the city and headed straight for Machu Picchu. Despite encountering small bands of beastman stragglers along the way, no troubles arose. After all, he was now commanding the main force of the Westwind Knights and Labyrinth Guardians, strong enough to take on any beastman tribe head-on. Back in Machu Picchu, the first thing Charles did was transform the beastman warriors captured en route into Labyrinth Guardians, and then he discovered a big problem. Among the more than three hundred beastmen he had captured, there was one who just could not be transformed into an NPC and completely failed to become a Labyrinth Guardian. At first, Charles was quite surprised, but his surprise soon turned to... Horror! Who could resist being transformed into an NPC? Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire The answer was something no one wanted to face. In an instant, Charles thought of seventeen or eighteen strategies, but in the end, he decided to do nothing. It was as if he had discovered a tiger among his flock of sheep. When the tiger pretended to be a sheep, the best course of action for the shepherd was also to pretend it was a sheep, not to fuss over the tiger and remind it of its true identity. With this new variable, he did not continue to stay in Machu Picchu. He ordered Taoles to lead the elite of the Westwind Knights on their way while he took the Labyrinth Guardians down another road. It didn''t take much effort for Charles to identify the "alien" within the group; it was an elderly beastman who, like Philedrica, belonged to the Leopard People. Despite his old age, he was still in robust health, tall and lean, his physique as refined as iron. A day''s journey from Machu Picchu, the Old Leopard Man still hadn''t left the group, prompting Charles to stop. He certainly couldn''t bring him to Silver Pigeon Fort. Charles took out the Red-Blue Rattlesnake. He didn''t plan to use it for battle but instead gently placed it on his left leg, incorporating it into the Bloody Vortex of his left leg. In front of Shawn Connor, he hadn''t done this, but now facing a fearsome beastman Transcendent, Charles couldn''t afford to keep any secrets. These two Vampiric Pistols resonated with the Quickness Technique runes within the Bloody Vortex, elevating this Special Ability to a ¡Á10 level. Charles felt as light as air all over his body and his confidence surged immensely. The Labyrinth Guardians, like the Westwind Knights, were divided into combat squads of fifty each, and there were about twenty or thirty of these squads. Charles first dispatched a squadron consisting largely of the old, weak, and sickly beastmen to find a campsite ten kilometers away. Half an hour later, he ordered another combat squad with lower combat effectiveness to join the first one. The third time, he cautiously sent away the Old Leopard Man''s team. After the squad had been on the road for about ten minutes, Charles did not hesitate to lead the remaining Labyrinth Guardians, changing directions and marching at full speed. In the evening, when Charles stopped to rest, he took count of his Labyrinth Guardians and discovered that the three dispatched combat squads had all returned, and without his noticing, they had integrated back into the group¡ªa shock that was no small matter. Charles spent that night restless and in torment. At dawn, he let out a sigh of relief and switched to another "tactic." After a dazzling series of maneuvers, he left most of the troops and the Old Leopard Man in place, taking only the most elite Labyrinth Guardians with him in a swift run. However, by evening, he found that his group was getting larger and larger, until eventually, all of the Labyrinth Guardians had returned, and the Old Leopard Man was safely hidden among them. On the third day, Charles grit his teeth, abandoned the nine transcendent Labyrinth Guardians, and relying solely on urine evasion, exerted the Quickness Technique ¡Á10 to its full potential and ran wildly through the night. But as the sky began to brighten slightly, he saw a Beastman camp firmly waiting ahead... Charles took a deep breath and finally understood that the other party was simply toying with him, just as he had long suspected that something was not right with the old Leopard Man, the other party had also noticed his little actions. Charles took the Collapsing Mountain into his hand and strode into the Beastman camp. With a single command, all the Beastman Labyrinth Guardians drew their weapons, aiming at the old and frail Leopard Man. This aged Beastman, who had pretended to be clumsy and injured, showed astonishment at first upon facing the hostility of all fellow Beastmen, but then he smiled and stood up, saying, "Human boy, you are quite clever, managing to see through my disguise." "But do you truly know whom you are facing?" Charles felt a toothache coming on and said, "I''m not familiar with the Beastmen of the Sacred Order." The aged Old Leopard Man''s eyes flashed sharply as he said, "You realized that I am of the Sacred Order?" Charles gritted his teeth and said, "Yes." He did not explain how he saw through the disguise; there was truly no need for such explanations. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Old Leopard Man grinned, showing his teeth, and retorted, "Aren''t you afraid? I can easily annihilate all of your followers." Charles thought to himself, "How could I not be afraid? But if you won''t leave, what can I do?" He replied, "Fear is useless." "Besides, since you''ve infiltrated my Labyrinth Guardians, I guess your condition isn''t at its peak. Were you crippled by the Sacred Order of Strasbourg?" The Old Leopard Man chuckled and said, "You guess correctly. Even though I''m left with only a tenth of my strength, it''s still enough to kill you and all these traitors." Charles had never thought that he would face a "Sacred Order" Beastman, and one of the most ferocious "Beastman Saints" at that. He didn''t know why this Old Leopard Man had infiltrated his team, and he didn''t care to know. After all, he wasn''t one of those who''d "learn the way in the morning and die content in the evening." The Old Leopard Man did not immediately act but instead looked at the group of Labyrinth Guardians with a sad expression. After a while, he spoke softly, "Do you know why the Beastmen would mobilize all their forces?" How could Charles know? The Old Leopard Man didn''t wait for his response and continued, "It''s because the Byron Empire promised that a Blood Ancestor would appear to help us break through Strasbourg." "Only those despicable Vampires deceived us. No Blood Clan Evil God appeared, and what awaited the Beastmen was their doom." "Strasbourg is protected by the Nine Great True Gods. Even the combined strength of our sixteen Beastman Saints couldn''t breach the city''s defenses. After employing the Great Wind Technique for more than ten days and exhausting all our Mana, the Sacred Order of Strasbourg suddenly made a full-fledged attack, wiping out hundreds of thousands of our Beastman army and several Shaman Beastman Saints..." "Beastmen..." The Old Leopard Man heaved a long sigh, sounding almost like a cry of mourning... Charles''s expression was complex; he didn''t understand why the other was telling him all this. Chapter 261 254. Beastmen are people too Charles hesitated for a moment and then passed a cotton handkerchief, saying, "Please wipe your tears." The Old Leopard Man took the handkerchief, wiped twice, and suddenly burst into anger, "What tears? Where are the tears? I haven''t cried." With a pinch of his hand, the cotton handkerchief was crushed into pieces. The strength needed to crush cotton far exceeded that required to smash a walnut. Charles didn''t say anything. Since he had crossed over, he had made many small things to make life comfortable, such as these inexpensive cotton handkerchiefs. He usually carried several and discarded them after use, which was very convenient, and he didn''t mind losing one. Charles''s mind whirled continuously. Although the Old Leopard Man hadn''t started a massacre yet, he felt it was only a matter of time unless he could change the situation. He took a deep breath and decided to go big, it was either do or die, or turn the tables. Charles slowly said, "Elder, I believe you must understand a truth." "There is only one type of human, and there should also be only one type of beastman, not countless tribes." "There is only one type of human, beastmen are also humans, and enmities should not last a thousand years." "This failure, for the Beastmen, should not just be a failure, but an opportunity to see the rainbow of success." The Old Leopard Man had no reaction, making Charles wonder if he had spoken too high-end? He decided to lower the "comprehension" threshold and said, "Beastmen should have a king and be unified under this king''s rule¡­" The Old Leopard Man waved his hand, saying, "Stop a moment! The sentence before this one." Charles quickly said, "This failure, for the Beastmen, should not just be a failure, but an opportunity to see the rainbow of success." The Old Leopard Man said, "Not that one." Charles said, "There is only one type of human, Beastmen are also humans¡­" The Old Leopard Man interrupted him, "That''s enough, no need for the latter part." He pondered for a long time, repeatedly muttering, "There is only one type of human, Beastmen are also humans¡­" "What an insightful statement." "Why couldn''t I have thought of it?" "If I had heard this earlier, I could have prevented this disaster." Charles precisely identified the need of the Old Leopard Man and said softly, "There is only one type of human, there should also be only one type of Beastman, not divided into countless tribes." "Humans are humans, Beastmen are also humans, and they too should have the noble right to exist on this earth." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Old Leopard Man slapped his thigh, exclaiming loudly, "That''s the statement!" Charles wiped his sweat and thought, "What else should I say to make this old man spare me?" The Old Leopard Man stood up and said, "I understand now why the Beastmen failed." "Humans are humans, Beastmen are also humans, and they too should have the noble right to exist on this earth." Charles thought, "Don''t you think the previous sentence is also important?" But he quickly realized that the concept of tribes was deeply ingrained in every Beastman''s mind, and since Beastmen indeed differed in race and customs, it was impossible to unify them. His attempt to instill the concept of unification was completely lost on the Old Leopard Man. He had no intention of changing the Old Leopard Man''s mindset. He simply wanted to use his words to beg for a chance to live. Charles was about to express his views on the concept that "Beastmen are also humans," when he heard the Old Leopard Man ask, "Would you become a beastman?" Charles was startled and thought, "Is he asking me to reincarnate as a beastman?" "Wrong, this world does not have the concept of reincarnation; the Nine Great True Gods do not engage in such tricks." Then he heard the Old Leopard Man whisper, "I once thought of many ways to restore the ancient Orc Kingdom." "I also prayed to the Beast Gods of Eternity and Illusion." "Finally, on a stormy night, I received an enlightenment from the Dragon of Eternity and Illusion, and created the Beast God Transformation Technique, a secret technique that allows beastmen to transform into humans and humans into beastmen." A sudden clarity struck Charles, and he exclaimed, "You are an assassin from the Orc Assassin Alliance!" The Old Leopard Man grinned and said, "Correct, I am Tumishen." Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire Charles felt a chill in his heart; there were seven leaders in the Orc Assassin Alliance, three of whom were of the Sacred Order, and Tumishen was one of them. This beastman of the Sacred Order had a fearsome reputation, ruthless and unmatched. He had claimed the lives of many officials across the countries of the Old Continent. Tumishen even had three successful assassinations of those of the Sacred Order to his name. Charles, distracted, asked, "You aren''t here to assassinate me, are you?" Tumishen chuckled and said, "Did you take our Orc Assassin Alliance''s slogan seriously?" "Without such claims, how would we attract clients?" "If it were endless assassinations, how could this industry continue?" "However, the young orc assassins these days are indeed becoming more foolish, truly tangled up in such slogans." "Let''s talk about something serious. I can teach you the Beastman Transformation Technique, and you can become a beastman." "A clever young man like you should belong to the Leopard People." Charles, looking embarrassed, dared not refuse, fearing that this leader of the Orc Assassin Alliance might turn hostile and kill him on the spot. He said, "I''m afraid I won''t be able to learn it." Tumishen pressed his head and said, "No worries, the Beast God Transformation Technique is a very simple spell; please accept my consciousness." Charles felt countless profound thoughts descending upon the top of his head, various secret techniques, all sorts of transformations, sinking into his mind. He wanted to refuse but couldn''t. It was a long while before he heard Tumishen say, "You must diligently practice the Beast God Transformation Technique. When I return, if you have mastered it, I will take you to do a big job. If you haven''t mastered it, I will kill you." When Charles opened his eyes, he found that the Old Leopard Man had disappeared without a trace. He was still in shock, thinking for a long time without understanding why this old leopard man had sneaked into his own Labyrinth Guardian or why he had suddenly left. As for the big job mentioned by Tumishen? He had no intention of following him to do it. If only this period of war would end, he would return to Strasbourg. He did not believe that this leader of the Orc Assassin Alliance would dare to go to Strasbourg. Before the war, Strasbourg used to allow beastmen access, and even Philedrica could go there to college. But after the war, since the beastmen sided with Byron, it should be impossible for any beastmen to enter Strasbourg again. Just as Charles thought of this, the myriad secrets of the Beastman Transformation Technique surfaced in his mind, and his face immediately darkened. The Beastman Transformation Technique was very popular within the Orc Assassin Alliance; naturally, these orc assassins preferred to wear a mask crafted with the transformation technique in the form of a cat rather than laboriously cultivating this secret technique. Tumishen was capable of infinite transformations; Strasbourg couldn''t stop him. Chapter 262 255. Beast God Transformation Technique Charles led the Orc Labyrinth Guardians, marching aimlessly for several days, before finally confirming that Tumishen indeed had not followed them. He still didn''t know what this Beastman of the Sacred Order''s purpose was? Came mysteriously, left nonchalantly. In the middle... He even cried. Once Charles had calmed down afterward, he was completely certain that this Beastman of the Sacred Order was not there to assassinate him; he wasn''t important enough to warrant the attention of a member of the Sacred Order. He did guess that Tumishen might have had injuries and could have been avoiding the pursuit of human members of the Sacred Order, but he had no evidence of this. Besides, he didn''t think that human members of the Sacred Order, upon encountering a group of Orc Labyrinth Guardians, would patiently distinguish that they were with the Westwind Knights and spare them. They would definitely simply kill them all. Charles resumed commanding his Orc Labyrinth Guardians, marching toward Silver Pigeon Fort, and also pondered the Beast God Shapeshifting Art for a few days. He had the Special Ability of the Bloodflame Transformation Art, but the Bloodflame Transformation Art could only turn him into a mass of blood flame, and was not the versatile kind of transformation spell that allowed for myriad forms. Its primary function was for escape and healing wounds, and it was almost useless in combat. Although the Beast God Shapeshifting Art was portrayed by Tumishen in a majestic manner, suggesting something extraordinary like receiving enlightenment from the eternal and illusory dragon on a stormy night and creating this Secret Technique, S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. the Beast God Shapeshifting Art could only enable Beastmen to turn into humans and humans into Beastmen; it provided no other special abilities. Furthermore, due to the different body structures of humans and Beastmen, humans could not cultivate the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit of the Beastmen, and Beastmen''s bodies could not operate the Secret Techniques of humans. Thus, when humans transformed into Beastmen, or Beastmen into humans, their strength could not be converted, leaving them essentially reset to "blank slates." A Transformation Technique that, aside from changing one''s life form, had "no value" whatsoever. Even the Orc Assassin Alliance led by Tumishen only popularized the Cat Transformation Spell, because it did not affect one''s own strength¡ªit was a decent accessory for an Orc Assassin. Very few practiced the Beast God Shapeshifting Art. Tumishen said, "The Beast God Shapeshifting Art is a very simple spell." And he was indeed not lying; the spell was no more profound than the Cat Transformation Spell. However, cultivating the Beast God Shapeshifting Art was much more complicated than the Cat Transformation Spell. It required an in-depth understanding of the bodily structure of each type of Beastman to ensure the transformation was indistinguishable from a true Beastman. Charles tried to understand the body structures of the Hundred Bear Chief, the Great Bear Overlord, and the Bear Honey; after spending five or six days, he indeed managed to transform himself into a small Bear Person, slightly over two meters tall. When transformed into a Hunchback Red Bear Warrior, the Bloody Glory within Charles was sealed off, unable to be activated. Although his strength increased, Bloody Glory was never known for strength, but his body became much clumsier, retaining only his characteristic spirituality. Charles tried it once; after transforming into a Hunchback Red Bear, he never attempted to transform into any other type of Beastman again. After a great detour, he finally returned to the "loyal" Silver Pigeon Fort. When he appeared beneath the city of Silver Pigeon Fort, countless residents climbed up the city walls, waving their arms and cheering to welcome the Westwind Knights back home. Charles returned to Silver Pigeon Fort, feeling even more at home than in Seagull City or his own hometown; he recognized many of the residents there. While waving his hand, he led the Westwind Knights into the city. Some of the soldiers from the Westwind Knights came from Silver Pigeon Fort and had defended it multiple times against the South Seraph Reclamation Army and the orc armies. As a result, they were very well-regarded in the city, and nobody feared the soldiers of the Westwind Knights¡ªin fact, they were even more popular than the native Silver Pigeon Fortress Knights. After Charles left, only Dobin and Yellow Bear, along with the other three knighthoods, remained in Silver Pigeon Fort. Upon his return, he took over all affairs of the fort and was incredibly busy for several days. Krel Brittany''s documents arrived at Silver Pigeon Fort again, hoping that he would organize another shipment of supplies to the Southern Seraph Territory, and also requested that aside from the Westwind Knights, the other three knighthoods should also join the battle in Southern Seraph Territory. In Krel Brittany''s letter, Charles learned that Byron''s troops hadn''t arrived, but the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s army had invaded the Southern Seraph Territory, and both sides were locked in fierce combat. Charles sighed. It was still the early stages of the war, and most regions of the Fars Empire hadn''t yet been mobilized to participate in the conflict. Even life in Strasbourg was as usual, with hardly any disturbances; shops remained open, and the lives of the residents were not too affected. However, as more and more countries got involved in the war, Charles believed that the good days would soon be gone forever. He pondered over Krel Brittany''s letter for a day before he began to gather supplies for the frontlines. At the same time, he ordered his Westwind Knights to utilize the booming trade of Silver Pigeon Fort to begin stockpiling food and daily necessities. He also started construction on a large warehouse in Silver Pigeon Fort. This large warehouse, nominally for storing supplies purchased by the Westwind Knights, actually had direct connections to Machu Picchu, Mostar Fort, and Cappadocia City. Charles also sent people to Mostar Fort and informed Taoles, who was left in charge of Machu Picchu, to begin building warehouses. The supplies stored in the warehouse could be retrieved from any of his maze-ified cities, a precaution for the future. Since Krel Brittany had not sent back The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, Charles could only have Dobin, Yellow Bear, and Anatasiya lead the three knighthoods to transport supplies to the Southern Seraph Territory. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire After Dobin and the others left, Charles was once again left alone. The main figures of the Westwind Knights were Taoles, Anatasiya, Belisa, Dobin, Yellow Bear, along with The Spotted Deer Gwen and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, and now none of them were by his side. Beside Charles, other than the ordinary soldiers of the Westwind Knights, there were only a little over a thousand orc labyrinth guardians, so he wasn''t lacking in combat power, given that among the orc labyrinth guardians were nine Transcendent warriors. A few days after Dobin and the others departed, an urgent message came from the frontlines, with Krel Brittany asking Charles to send yet another group of soldiers. Charles was somewhat reluctant to part with the soldiers of the Westwind Knights. There is a saying in the Art of War from China, "Kindness does not secure command of an army!" But he would rather not be an outstanding military strategist than to have his Westwind Knights die in a senseless war. In Charles''s opinion, the war in the Southern Seraph Territory was meaningless. But he couldn''t refuse Krel Brittany''s request; after hesitating for half a day, he left behind a thousand soldiers from the Westwind Knights, choosing as many locals from Silver Pigeon Fort as possible, and led the remaining Westwind Knights and the orc labyrinth guardians to the Southern Seraph Territory himself. For Charles, taking charge personally meant he could protect even more of his soldiers. Chapter 263 256, New Novel Charles, in the Behemoth Duchy, could still feel "peace," with almost no flames of war, but as soon as he entered the Southern Seraph Territory, the aura of war was palpable. The people of Southern Seraph had originally only hated the Behemoth Duchy, yet after such a prolonged conflict, they harbored not the slightest fondness for the Fars Empire either. Charles''s Westwind Knights had barely entered the territory of South Seraph when they were attacked twice. And these attacks were not even from the South Ceraph Reclamation Army; the bulk of the Restoration Army was still in Ferlanden. These were merely local farmers. Now possessing a strong force, Charles easily defeated these two attacks. After the battles, he neither slaughtered his enemies nor magnanimously released them, instead he incorporated them into the Westwind Knights, attempting to indoctrinate them. However, the results weren''t good, with frequent escapes by the captives. Charles never expected that among the dozen or so adept scribes Anne had arranged for him, there was one young man brimming with creative spirit. While copying novels for Charles, he greatly admired the tales of Charles and was inspired to try his hand at novel-writing himself. After the Westwind Knights entered the Southern Seraph Territory, this quick-handed scribe named Italo Calvino suddenly burst with inspiration. Taking Charles as a model, he wrote a novella. In this tale, he boldly depicted Charles as Jonathan''s illegitimate son, and made Cyrus into a faithful knight dedicated to protecting his young master. The two together ruled over Nansela and Behemoth, established heroic feats, and received awards from Emperor Julius Axler of Fars¡ªone being made a duke, the other an earl. Although the story completely overlooked the plot hole of Jonathan''s death, the overall narrative was smooth. When Charles received Italo Calvino''s original novel, he was very impressed. Leveraging his years of experience reading novels, he filled in a section where Jonathan set up twelve trials. He even managed to add a brother for Jonathan, forcefully infusing the mythology of Hercules and the tale of the Lion King into the story. The story then shifted to the ending where Charles, after completing the twelve trials, was about to inherit Jonathan''s ambitions. His brother killed him and framed Charles for the deed... Zolman was honored! He would have been forgotten by history, but due to a lack of characters, he was made to be Jonathan''s brother and even acquired a new nickname "Scarface." Drawing on many classics, his character was more vivid than in real life¡ªbecoming very cunning, thinking three steps ahead, and utterly wicked, with every pore oozing malice and bad schemes. After several revisions, Charles decisively used this novella, replacing his original plan, to indoctrinate the people of South Seraph. Charles knew that most commoners in this world couldn''t read, so he had the scribes, each with a copy, tell the story to the people of South Seraph. At first, these Southern Seraphs naturally refused to believe it, but they couldn''t stand up to Charles''s appearance whenever doubt arose. He would show immense pity and give them some benefits, such as better food or personally bandaging a young South Serif man¡ªlimited to wrapping bandages, since he really didn''t have a medical skill set. This indoctrination "novel" unexpectedly had excellent results. The captured people of South Seraph gradually stabilized in their emotions. However, because the story worked so well, there was a bit of restlessness among Charles''s soldiers of Behemoth origin. To cater to the emotions of the Behemoth people, Charles quickly released a second version of the story, giving himself a mother from Behemoth. Although his own mother was indeed from Behemoth, to spare her any shame, the character was changed to be Anastasia''s mother. Baron Fel of Silver Pigeon Fort was thus honored with a distinctive colored cap he had never received in his lifetime. As the "audience" provided emotional feedback, the novel originally created by Strasbourg''s quick scribe Italo Calvino and personally revised by Charles, underwent several revisions, with the plot becoming more perfected and the brainwashing effect increasingly potent. This story quickly spread throughout the Southern Seraph Territory. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the thirteenth day since Charles entered Southern Seraph Territory, an independent South Ceraph Reclamation Army actually came to join her. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire Charles was overjoyed and took great care of the leader of the South Ceraph Reclamation Army. Upon learning that he had had to start working after receiving a higher education due to his impoverished background, she even specifically imparted to him the Beastman Transmutation: Over-Back Red Bear Warrior Transformation, to the young man named Sebalde. No one knew whether this young man truly possessed a talent that was unfortunately drowned out by life, but Sebalde actually achieved success in the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior Transformation within five or six days, managing to turn his hands into "bear paws," which significantly increased the strength in his arms. After this example spread, Charles'' march encountered no more obstacles, and almost every day, more people from South Serif came to join her. As for whether this would lead to disaster, Charles no longer wanted to think about it; after all, she wasn''t going to take over South Serif and the Behemoth, and this issue should be considered by the future rulers of these regions. What did it have to do with Charles? Having quelled the rebellion of the South Serif people, the Westwind Knights'' advance sped up significantly, quickly approaching the front-line battlefield. By this time, Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei had been locked in fierce battle with the forces of the Black Phoenix Dynasty for seven or eight days. They had no idea that Charles had run back to Strasbourg, otherwise both of them would have been outraged. The front line was under strain while someone in the rear ran back to the capital "for a vacation"! Who could stand such a thing? Because they knew nothing, the news that Charles personally led troops to reinforce them deeply moved Kreel Brittany and Ebner Sumei. Both were too busy to meet with Charles and simply sent orders for him to capture a nearby small city. This small city was none other than Interlaken, where Grand Duke Joseph had once been trapped and where he fell in battle. The Behemoth Duchy''s army was completely destroyed here, with only ten to twenty percent managing to escape; the rest found their graves in this small city. Due to the Battle of Interlaken City, seven tenths of the noble class in the Behemoth Duchy perished, leaving many territories without an heir, such as Silver Pigeon Fort, which was then usurped by Baron Fabolais. The defense of Interlaken City was entrusted to a Noble Knights of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, numbering only seven to eight hundred. Interlaken had been largely ruined in the previous fierce fighting, with walls damaged everywhere and no longer defensible, and since the Old Continent had no tradition of defending cities, upon seeing the Westwind Knights, the Noble Knights assessed the numbers and wisely chose to retreat. Charles entered Interlaken and a strand of thought then threaded through his diary: Charles Mecklen became the master of Interlaken City, fulfilling the requirement to set up the thirteenth Labyrinth, and Interlaken was about to undergo Maze-ification. Chapter 264 257, The First Battle 1v1 Duel Interlaken City requires the acquisition of one thousand eight hundred new residents to complete its transformation into a labyrinth! During this period, one must not leave this place. Charles immediately felt that this small city had completed its transformation into a labyrinth at an astonishing pace, arguably the fastest such transformation since he acquired "Agmillar''s Labyrinth". However, it was only now that Charles realized that even the three instances of infusing the labyrinth with Agmiras Evil God''s Power were considered part of the transformation process. Silver Pigeon Fort and Machu Picchu had both completed three transformations, Mostar Fort had completed two, and Cappadocia City had completed one. In addition to the three instances of infusing Agmiras Evil God''s Power, there were, incredibly, twelve instances in total. With the first transformation, Interlaken City gained access to the pathways leading to Machu Picchu, Silver Pigeon Fort, Mostar Fort, and Cappadocia City. Charles decided to save three transformations for emergencies, as for the moment, he did not wish to acquire a passage leading to the true Agmilas Labyrinth! After the completion of Interlaken''s transformation, Charles commanded his orc warriors to renovate the small city. The previous battle had caused the city''s residents to suffer heavy casualties, with many fleeing, leaving it nearly a ghost town. Charles found it not too difficult to refurbish Interlaken City. For convenience, he had all the old and low houses in the city demolished; after all, orcs are strong, and he divided the entire small city into five districts, redesigning all the houses. Charles, in his previous life, was a math teacher, not an architect. Asking him to inventively design a set of residences was naturally challenging, but for him to draw inspiration¡ªthat was much easier. In his past life as a math teacher, earning a low salary made buying a luxurious house a dream, yet Charles had indeed watched many videos about luxurious houses¡ªlike those featuring wine... Uh, this wasn''t about luxurious houses. More like the image of wealth that comes from viewing luxurious residences and rooms discussed by Uncle Ai, Ya Feng, and others. After Charles''s redesign, Interlaken City did indeed start to look the part. Of course, a warehouse was essential. While Charles was actively involved in his many projects, the Black Phoenix Dynasty dispatched three knight orders to attack Interlaken. Charles''s Westwind Knights Order was elite, bringing just over a thousand human soldiers and a thousand orc labyrinth guardians. Together, they totaled more than three thousand. It''s worth noting that a regular knighthood might total just a few hundred members at most¡ªunless one considered super nobility or the Royal Knights Order. Westwind Knights Order''s impressive numbers, while perhaps attributed to Charles''s potential to "mass recruit", already far exceeded those of your typical knighthood. The commander of the Black Phoenix Dynasty could not ignore such a strategic force. He sent out three knight orders, each consisting of a few hundred members from the regular knights order, totaling a little over a thousand. Their main intention was to keep Charles''s Westwind Knights Order tied down in Interlaken to prevent their involvement in the main battlefield. Charles was unaware of the enemy''s strategic intentions, mistook the three knight orders for the vanguard, and believed that a large army would soon continuously arrive. He wasn''t even a keyboard military strategist, so he failed to analyze the purpose behind the enemy''s movements. To avoid a protracted battle, Charles deployed his forces as soon as the three Knighthoods had yet to stabilize their footing. The leaders of these three Knighthoods were all Barons, who had thought this would be an easy fight. Unaware of Charles''s reputation, the troops from the Black Phoenix Dynasty still believed that the Westwind Knights were simply converted from the Patrolling Army. Although they were puzzled as to how this Knighthood had swelled to such a large size, they cared even less. Any commander with a bit of military knowledge knows that farmers hastily conscripted cannot form an effective fighting force. The greater their number, the more the logistical pressure, without a corresponding increase in combat effectiveness. Indeed, this military common sense isn''t wrong at all. However, after several battles, the Westwind Knights had already become quite powerful, not to mention Charles had over a thousand Beastman warriors. These were fighters from various Beastman tribes, each with considerable individual strength. When Charles led the Westwind Knights out of Interlaken City, the leaders of the three Knighthoods still exchanged humble gestures. They regarded Charles as a military novice and believed that the battle was as good as won. In the end, Baron Remorse Bird from the Black Phoenix Dynasty obtained the right to engage first. He led his Knighthood out of the formation and shouted, "Leader of the Westwind Knights, come out and face me in single combat!" Charles had never engaged in such a "single combat" on the battlefield before. He enthusiastically pulled out his Blue Rattlesnake and fired a shot at Baron Remorse Bird. He didn''t even use the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet but a Blood Energy Bullet instead. The Blue Rattlesnake was a High-Level Transcendent Bloodsucking Handgun. The upper limit of the Blood Energy Bullet''s power could reach the Fifteenth Order. Although Charles''s strength was insufficient to compress it beyond the Ninth Rank, he never expected that a single shot would explode Baron Remorse Bird''s head, instantly killing him. With a single shot, Charles had killed the enemy Baron and suddenly felt, "Has the single combat not even started yet?" Baron Remorse Bird had also not anticipated that someone would use a High-Level Transcendent Extraordinary Weapon. His body collapsed to the ground, adding over three hundred Energy Bullets to the Blue Rattlesnake''s Energy Magazine, "sponsored" by his "friendship"¡ªthe essence of his body''s Energy condensed. Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire Even if of average power, the upper limit of an Energy Bullet depends on the person compressing the bullet. Given that Baron Remorse Bird was killed by a single shot from Charles, one can imagine that his Transcendent level was not high. Charles casually reholstered the Blue Rattlesnake back into his Bloody Vortex on his left leg, switched to his Knight Lance Collapsing Mountain, and a single charge shattered Baron Remorse Bird''s Knighthood, then he directly assaulted the other two Knighthoods. Barons Raven Black and Baron Color Crane of the Black Phoenix Dynasty hadn''t expected Baron Remorse Bird to die so quickly. They hastily commanded their Knighthoods to counterattack, but the initial charge, led by the defeated soldiers of Baron Remorse Bird''s Knighthood, was poorly handled by both. Even Charles, a military dilettante, shook his head in disapproval and then let the Westwind Knights take advantage of the momentum to press the attack. Before the two sides clashed, the formations of the Knighthoods led by Barons Raven Black and Color Crane had already been disrupted by the fleeing soldiers. The two Barons tried to leverage their exquisite martial skills to turn the tide on the battlefield, but each was surrounded by three Bear Tribe warriors, with at least two being Mid-Level Transcendents and the third a lower rank Transcendent. After only a few minutes of combat, both Barons were captured alive, and their Knighthoods were completely defeated. Worried that these fleeing soldiers would be regathered by the Black Phoenix Dynasty, Charles desperately tried to entice them to join him on the battlefield. Ultimately, quite a few still fled, but when it came time to tally the prisoners after clearing the battlefield, there were about four to five hundred. Charles locked up these prisoners in the "warehouse" and then headed straight for Machu Picchu. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 265 258, Constant Fighting ``` Charles, after crushing three knighthoods, didn''t wait for the enemy''s "main force" and even thought that the commander of the Black Phoenix Dynasty was planning some kind of special "conspiracy." He temporarily promoted Italo Calvino, the fast-hand scribe, to defend Interlaken City while he himself left with the Orc Labyrinth guards and a portion of the Westwind Knights to set up an ambush. It can''t be said that Charles''s military competence was average; it was non-existent. His tactic was copied from the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms." Charles didn''t know that his action had startled the commander of the Black Phoenix Dynasty. The commander also thought Charles was planning some "big move," especially since Charles had casually crushed three knighthoods, already proving his strength. The Black Phoenix Dynasty sent out another knighthood; this time it was one from the Royal Family, not only well-equipped but also led by a High Order Transcendent. Krel Brittany learned of the situation in Interlaken City a day later and also sent Ebner Sumei with the Maple Leaves Knighthood to strike. The two forces maneuvered their troops between seven or eight small cities and quickly became embroiled in a confused battle. Charles encountered two knighthoods, which were much stronger than any of the enemies he had faced before. After two battles, Charles didn''t suffer a loss, but he did face a casualty toll of a hundred or two, which pained him deeply. Charles was indeed not a qualified commander, but he really was a good commander who cared for his subordinates. After two battles, he noticed that the armies on the front line had completely mobilized. With knighthoods constantly crisscrossing, he considered retreating to Interlaken City to temporarily withdraw from the chaos. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But before he could retreat the Westwind Knights from combat, he encountered a main force of the Royal Knights Order from the Black Phoenix Dynasty. After a fierce battle, Charles realized he had maneuvered himself behind the enemy lines of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, unable to return to Interlaken City. While Charles was troubled by this, several main forces of the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s knights were also in great fear. They didn''t know Charles had inadvertently broken deep into enemy lines in the chaos of battle; they thought the bold commander from Fars intended to attack their rear. Soon, a knighthood desperately caught up with Charles''s Westwind Knights and the two sides fought grimly in over ten battles. Charles tried several times to kill the leader of this knighthood on the battlefield but after fighting seven or eight duels, neither could gain an advantage over the other. This knighthood was one of the main forces of the Royal Knights Order of the Black Phoenix Dynasty. The Royal Knights Orders of the Five Great Empires varied in size but were all large knighthood groups with at least fifty to sixty knighthoods. Their main forces differed from ordinary battle groups and could be called the super-elite of an empire. To be honest, even Krel Brittany''s Purple Goldfinch Knights and Maple Leaves Knights couldn''t match the quality of soldiers of the Royal main forces from the great empires. Charles''s ability to clash head-on with this knighthood surprised his opponent tremendously. The commander of the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s Royal Knights, a distant relative of the Royal Family named Chloe Hadrian, was exceptionally talented and powerful. Before college, she had already ascended to Transcendence, and by graduation, she was at the Fourth Order. Now in her thirties, she was the rare High Order Supernatural Being, her spear and javelin techniques were nearly magical. She had obtained the Five Great Knights'' Proofs and was a fifteenth-order High Order Knight. Chloe originally thought that in Fars''s army, aside from Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei, no one could challenge her, so she also dared to duel Charles. But after several battlefield duels, she experienced a sense of danger and thrill. Charles truly had no honor in combat, employing all manner of unpredictable moves. Twice, Chloe even thought she wouldn''t make it back home. Chloe once again caught up with Charles''s Westwind Knights, but this time, she didn''t immediately launch an attack. Instead, she let her soldiers rest for a while. Her knighthood had reached their limit after continuous pursuit and incessant fighting. ``` Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire ``` Chloe''s personal aide, a lady of low nobility origin, had prepared tea for him, a dietary custom of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, which, in their case, wasn''t really tea but a thick soup boiled with plenty of food items. No matter what food was served, there would always be a portion of this "tea" at the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s dining table. He slurped the tea while munching on a wheat bread mixed with various grains and nuts, occasionally furrowing his brows as he pondered how to defeat the enemy. As per the customs of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, Chloe''s adjutant, who also fulfilled another "role", was considered the most trustworthy companion for a commander on the battlefield. This adjutant lady had maintained her meticulous hair and nearly spotless uniform despite marching for days and engaging in continuous battles. Her prominent chest was especially striking. Seeing Chloe''s worried expression, she said, "Although Fars''s commander is very cunning, and has even raised a group of Beastman slave warriors, he is merely a Mid-Level Transcendent after all." "The previous battles were all about conspiracy and trickery, not real strength." "I believe, Mr. Chloe, that you will surely kill him on the battlefield next time." Chloe nodded slightly, and although he had not gained an advantage in so many fights, he still had this confidence. As long as he could see through Charles''s various tactics, strength would ultimately become the decisive factor. At this moment, a messenger ran over, shouting, "The enemy commander, Charles Meklen, is issuing a challenge. He''s come out alone, without anyone accompanying him." Chloe hurriedly finished his tea and stuffed the wheat bread mixed with grains and nuts into his mouth, saying, "I''ll go and meet him again." He picked up his spear and walked out of the camp alone, indeed seeing Charles waiting calmly by himself at the forefront of both armies. Chloe shouted loudly, "Charles, today you will die by my hand!" Charles smiled faintly and responded, "Chloe, this isn''t the first time you''ve bragged." Charles had not only fought with High Order Supernatural Beings before but had also killed high-ranking ones like Harit and Zolman. However, not all High Order Supernatural Beings were the same; rank was not the only measure of combat power. In the Dreamscape, Charles had been defeated by Cyrus hundreds of times. Before acquiring the Red-Blue Rattlesnake dual guns, he never felt confident enough to directly challenge Cyrus, but his confidence in challenging Cyrus greatly increased after obtaining the Red-Blue Rattlesnake. However, he had not encountered Cyrus again since then. This Knight Commander of the Black Phoenix Dynasty was also one of the tougher opponents he had faced. Only with Quickness Technique¡Á10 was Charles able to turn the tide in his favor repeatedly during challenges against higher-ranked opponents. After a few exchanges of verbal sparring, Chloe made a Thrust, gliding close to the ground, his spear making no fancy maneuvers, just a sweeping side strike. ``` Chapter 266 The Proof of Oath Charles dragged his Collapsing Mountain backward and took a diagonal step back, then he shook his spear to counterattack. On the battlefield, rapiers weren''t quite the suitable weapon, and Charles had gradually got used to using the Knight''s Spear. The spears and gunmanship of the Black Phoenix Dynasty differed slightly from those popular in Fars, Byron, and Inglima, with the Black Phoenix''s technique being more exquisite and possessing many unexpected variations. In comparison, the gunmanship of Fars, Byron, and Inglima was relatively simple and unadorned. Even the Wings of Heaven, famed for its variability in Byron''s gunmanship, was slightly inferior in terms of variety. Fortunately, Charles had the Quickness Technique x10, and every exchange was fast against slow, pulling the fight into his own rhythm. Chloe braced her spear horizontally to deflect Charles''s strike, her spear quivering with seven or eight blossoms, each composed of five petals. Despite having witnessed it numerous times, Charles couldn''t help but silently praise the intricate delicacy of this move. Unable to decipher her gunmanship, he simply didn''t try; he stepped back and waited for Chloe to slightly retract her spear thrust before the Collapsing Mountain struck like lightning, counterattacking once more. The two had been dueling back and forth on the battlefield for over half an hour, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Behind Chloe, the flag of the Black Phoenix Dynasty fluttered, the War God vaguely appearing, and she was shrouded by the illusion of a hillock. Using three out of the Five Great Knights'' Proofs, she was as hard-shelled as a turtle. Charles did not walk the path of a knight. The Stellar Battle Qi transformed by Bloody Glory was authentic swordsman heritage, unable to conjure the Knight''s Proofs, but he had a diverse set of skills, often relying on his speed to create distance before firing his gun. However, the Energy Bullets he used from the Blue Rattlesnake, provided by Baron Bird of Regret, were only average in strength, not even able to break through Chloe''s Earth''s Proof defense. In previous duels, Charles had already tested Chloe''s gunmanship, surmising she also had the strength to deflect Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, so he purposefully didn''t use them and employed Energy Bullets to probe. At the start of this duel, he continued using Energy Bullets. Seeing Chloe repeatedly deflect them with Earth''s Proof without making a move to specifically counter, he thought, "It should be time." After firing two shots in succession, he switched his Blue Rattlesnake to an alchemic magazine and pulled the trigger. A scroll suddenly burst forth from Chloe, and almost reflexively, she lifted her spear, continuously swirling the blade to ensnare the incoming Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, flicking it away. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet fell to the ground, blasting a deep crater upon impact. Astonished, Charles exclaimed, "You''ve actually also conjured the Proof of War?" Chloe glanced at Charles, her eyes filled with wariness. If not for her Proof of War protecting her from all schemes and treacheries on the battlefield, she would have been in peril. Chloe hadn''t expected that Charles, after many one-on-one fights, had all along concealed his possession of Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, always shooting with Energy Bullets instead. Just now, she had been shot twice with Energy Bullets before he suddenly fired one, releasing a Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet. If she were alone, she would not have reacted in time and could have suffered a great loss. Chloe bellowed, "Despicable scoundrel, come and fight me face to face!" "You Fars breed pig, you only know how to fight on women." "Come on! Fight like a man." "If you had the courage to fight me face to face, I would name my son after you, Charles!" Charles was simply too fast, and every fight with him put Chloe through hardship; now, at last, she erupted, swearing furiously on the battlefield. Charles felt somewhat sheepish; he had once used this move to ambush Zolman, killing him with a single shot. However, Zolman, who had also gathered the Five Great Knights'' Proofs¡ªProof of Honor, Proof of Courage, Proof of War, Proof of the Hills, and Earth''s Proof¡ªwas not a man of his word, so he didn''t receive the Proof of Oath and was unable to guard against ambushes on the battlefield. Charles had not expected the Proof of Oath to be so useful, making it impossible for him to ambush others; all his previous plotting had been in vain. How could he, with only intermediate strength, challenge a high-order opponent, relying solely on his astonishing speed? As for whether Chloe''s son was named Charles, he didn''t care¡ªafter all, wasn''t his last name Mecklen? Charles put away the Blue Rattlesnake and switched back to Collapsing Mountain, musing to himself, "Indeed, high-order extraordinary weapons require matching high-order transcendent strength. If I were high order, each bullet would carry the force of a high-order full-strength strike, and purely through gunmanship, I could compete with this guy for a day." "Unless I find a high-order to condense bullets for me, but to condense a single bullet that equals a full-force strike of one''s own strength, it would take a day or two. No high-order transcendent would be willing to do such arduous work." Charles and Chloe fought viciously for a day until both were exhausted. They each returned to their camps. Chloe yelled angrily, "Charles Meklen is nothing but a lowlife on the battlefield, not daring to face me head-on, only running around playing with conspiracy and trickery." "Tomorrow, I won''t duel him anymore. I''m going to lead my troops in a charge." It was the first time her aide had seen Chloe with such an expression. Chloe Hadrian, of royal lineage, although from a distant branch, still held a prestigious position. She was one of the most prominent young figures of the Black Phoenix Dynasty. Even though she couldn''t compare to the prodigies of the previous generation like Zimmerman or this generation''s Kreel Brittany, she was still very famous, known for being mild-tempered, resolute, and courageous. This was the first time her aide had seen Chloe curse and lose her temper on the battlefield. She knew she couldn''t persuade him, after all, Charles was indeed too upsetting, and she herself couldn''t think of any way to help her superior, so she offered only gentle comfort. Charles had no beautiful female aides; Taoles was the superintendent of the Patrolling Army, his colleague, not his subordinate. Even if there were, he wouldn''t dare to have any¡ªalthough Anne was gentle and generous, Charles firmly remembered an elder named Goron once said, "Men come in many types, but women are all the same." "To think your girlfriend or wife is different from other women is just because you haven''t seen the others; it doesn''t mean they don''t exist." "There isn''t a woman who doesn''t get jealous; the only difference is how strong her preference is." Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Charles didn''t have time to think about these messy thoughts. He returned to his own camp and first circulated the Bloody Glory to recover his strength, then began to ponder the possibility of a midnight raid on the camp. "Chloe has the Proof of Oath, which can predict attacks and ambushes against him, but that thing shouldn''t apply to camp raids, right?" "Although he is formidable, his subordinates are nothing special. I now have nine transcendent orc warriors, and during the raid, a mass brawl will likely get him killed." "Although, some of these Labyrinth Guardians are sure to die by his hand." "That''s a bit of a pity!" Chapter 267 260. A victory built on sacrifices is not a victory. If it were Taoles, Belisa, Dobin, Yellow Bear, The Spotted Deer Gwen, and The Wind Wolf Bankcroft, Charles had decided never to use the lives of these Transcendent subordinates to stack up a dead High-Level Transcendent. Even if he had gone mad, he wouldn''t do such a thing. That would be exceptionally foolish. If it were the Transcendent Beastman guards, Charles would consider it for a while, but he ultimately abandoned the idea because he truly felt that a victory built on sacrifice was no victory at all. Even though these Labyrinth guardians were essentially Evil Spirits, he still couldn''t make that decision. Charles had always acknowledged that he was neither a qualified military strategist nor a competent commander; he only wanted to get the Westwind Knights through this war with as few casualties as possible, not seeking to make a name for himself. Every battle fought before had been out of necessity, with compelling reasons to fight. But Charles didn''t believe that any reason justified sacrificing his subordinates to kill Chloe. Although Chloe was indeed an impressive knighthood general, to Charles, she wasn''t worth that price. Charles eventually abandoned the idea of attacking the camp and instead withdrew a portion of the Westwind Knights soldiers and moved all the supplies, leaving only the quick-moving elite forces. This was a small piece of experience he had gleaned from several pursuits. With elite forces holding down the battlefield, the enemy would not dare to pursue, which allowed the supplies to retreat safely; once the supplies were secure, the elite could leave at will, and the enemy could do nothing about it. Charles fought and fled, taking a large detour in the rear of the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s forces, unwittingly causing the entire battlefield to shift. The main forces of the Black Phoenix Dynasty had to face head-on with Krel Brittany''s Purple Goldfinch Knights and also worry about fires in their rear, truly feeling stretched thin and stuck in a dilemma. Krel Brittany took advantage of this and fiercely attacked, pushing back the main knight forces of the Black Phoenix Dynasty and reversing the tide of the battlefield. Ebner Sumei also took the opportunity to strike from the rear, continuously defeating two subordinate knighthood forces of the Black Phoenix Dynasty; the clash intensified increasingly. Charles didn''t know the situation on the main battlefield; he had already penetrated deep behind enemy lines. He had taken such a large detour with the idea of escaping back to Interlaken, never intending to attack the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s main forces. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire Charles had been fighting behind enemy lines for nearly two months. Every time he tried to find a way back, he was "stopped" by Chloe. Charles didn''t realize that every direction he found was a weak point of the Black Phoenix Dynasty''s main forces¡ªif he had cut in from the rear, perhaps the entire line could have collapsed, which is why Chloe fervently blocked him every time. Charles had never been engaged in such prolonged combat, feeling physically and mentally drained, barely functioning anymore, and finally losing Chloe''s pursuit once more. He desperately wanted to find a place to rest for a few days and resupply. During this period, he hadn''t ceased raiding; although every time he raided, he would give the common people of the Black Phoenix Dynasty an IOU, explaining that as long as they brought the IOUs to Mostar Fort or Silver Pigeon Fort, they could exchange them for Sheng Ding and Fu Er, yet he still felt a sense of emptiness after each raid. He always felt that doing so wasn''t quite right, but it was the only way to keep the army going. Charles didn''t know that with him raiding ahead, Chloe''s forces behind him were having a terribly hard time. Charles, as a military novice, holds a simple viewpoint, which is to leave no supplies for the enemy. Hence, each time he plundered, he left nothing behind, not even a single needle for the pursuing forces. He did not bother to burn the supplies he couldn''t take with him. The ability of the Mind Passage allowed him to transport supplies one-sidedly back to Machu Picchu, Silver Pigeon Fort, and several other locations. Although he couldn''t retrieve them, he ensured nothing was wasted. With Charles''s ruthless looting, Chloe, who followed behind and hoped to resupply, found it impossible and had to gather supplies from farther away. This was why the Westwind Knights, led by Chloe, increasingly could not catch up with Charles due to their own shortages. Furthermore, Charles Meklen''s reckless plundering had already caused a great disturbance in the court of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, with many politicians attacking each other and even criticizing the frontline troops. While Charles was considering the next direction to move, a werewolf ran up to him and reported, "Commander, the town just ahead is Iya." Charles was shocked. His geographical knowledge, half from his previous life and useless in this world, and half from his university studies, had led him astray in this haphazard march. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Charles had never imagined he would end up in Iya Town. Iya Town wasn''t really a town, just as Shijiazhuang isn''t really a village. Both are large cities, except Iya Town belongs to the Black Phoenix Dynasty, while the latter belongs to Hebei. The reason Charles was surprised was that Iya Town was an inner city of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, not a border town, and he hadn''t expected to penetrate so deeply. "What shall we do now? Have we really ventured this deep into the territory of the Black Phoenix Dynasty?" "Hmm, I heard that Iya Town is a free commercial city with no garrison!" "I wonder if what the university textbooks say is correct." While Charles was still thinking, his many battles had honed his instincts, which acted faster than his brain. He waved his hand and commanded, "Take down Iya Town!" His Westwind Knights had swelled again to nearly five thousand, including new followers like Lady Southseraph and a substantial number of Black Phoenix People. Although Charles issued IOUs during his robberies, not everyone believed him, and he generously took these people along as well. Along the way, for those who were more troublesome, he found isolated places to send them back to Machu Picchu. This behavior, perceived by the bold Black Phoenix People who followed the Westwind Knights, was seen as "brutal." As a result, those Black Phoenix People who remained grew increasingly obedient, for the disobedient had all "disappeared." Of all his military skills, Charles was most adept at reorganizing forces; he integrated these people into various combat squads as naturally as commanding his own limbs. With a command from Charles, this expanded knightly force stormed into Iya Town. The residents of Iya Town, who had been leading peaceful lives, were utterly dumbfounded upon seeing the knights of the Fars Empire and offered little serious resistance before choosing to surrender. After occupying Iya Town, Charles heard a long-missed message from his diary: "Charles Meklen has become the ruler of Iya Town, fulfilling the condition for mazification. Please impose taxes in Iya Town eighteen times; before completing this, you must not leave." Chapter 268 The only ones left are the Westwind Knights. The residents of Iya Town soon learned what it meant to be heavily taxed after their hometown was occupied by the troops from the Fars Empire. The governor, Neyman, was a relatively conscientious official. He had hoped to appease the invaders with a sum of money to make them leave while also sending messages to nearby cities, hoping they would dispatch troops to drive away these "invaders." However, he had not anticipated that the Westwind Knights, upon entering Iya Town, would capture a group of young and strong individuals, insisting on taking them back to the Fars Empire. Neyman had no choice but to try and persuade them, only to find that the leader of the Knighthood was quite reasonable and agreed to ransom the youths for a poll tax. The tax was not steep¡ªonly one drachma per head. The currency of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, the drachma, differed from that of Fars, Byron, and Inglima; their base currency was a bimetallic coin minted together with gold and silver, denominated according to the ratio of these two metals. Approximately 3.2 drachmas were equivalent to one Fu Er. The Black Phoenix Dynasty also had paper money, which had an equivalent purchasing power to the gold and silver coins, but Charles insisted on receiving the gold and silver drachmas instead of paper currency. The residents of Iya Town naturally refused to let their sons, fathers, brothers, and husbands be taken away by the People of Fars and enthusiastically paid the taxes to ransom the captured youths. After collecting the first taxes, Charles began capturing children throughout the town. Having dealt with him before, Neyman knew Charles wasn''t "cruel" and again tried to persuade him to spare these poor children. Charles still demanded one drachma per child as tax. After the children, Charles tried to capture women, elders, livestock, and furniture, causing turmoil for about a week. Unbeknownst to all the residents, he completed the maze-ification of Iya Town. When the local armies from several nearby cities came to the rescue, Charles did not hesitate to retreat. Shortly after his retreat, the wealth of the nobles, wealthy merchants, and farm owners of Iya Town vanished without a trace, and the town''s food storage mysteriously decreased by seventy percent. Charles had just sent the amassed wealth and food to Machu Picchu when he sensed that the connection between Iya Town and the other mazes had been severed. He knew that maze-ification was not invincible; he had only maze-ified cities that lacked a Transcendent, so this was the first time someone had managed to break the maze-ification and restore Iya Town to normal. Although surprised, Charles did not linger; now that he was well-supplied and had a clear direction, he promptly set out for Interlaken City. This march went smoothly, and Charles soon returned to the front line. Chloe arrived at Iya Town ten days after Charles. Wherever he went, cries of anguish filled the air, and rumors spread that Charles could tax hundreds of times a day, having pillaged the city''s wealth thoroughly. However, as a member of the Royal Family, Chloe only had contact with the nobility and already had a horrible impression of Charles''s plundering tactics, which left nothing behind. Thus, he believed this rumor without doubt. Enraged, Chloe immediately led his troops in pursuit, but this time, he was unable to catch up with Charles. Charles, finding a gap in the battle lines of the two armies, slipped away calmly and finally returned to Interlaken City, several months later. The small city was the same as when he had left it, because Charles had attracted such great attention, and the front lines were embroiled in ongoing fierce battles, miraculously the small city had not experienced further warfare, and even several hundred residents had returned. The residents, of course, could not find their old homes anymore. They were allotted houses by Italo Calvino, a quick-handed scribe temporarily appointed by Charles, who was inexperienced in warfare but specialized in handling documents, and he even designed a set of techniques for distributing the houses, focusing on one method in particular¡ªdrawing lots! S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire When Charles returned, everything in Interlaken City was in perfect order. He had just rested for two days when Krel Brittany, accompanied by Ebner Sumei, came to visit. Charles was quite surprised and hurriedly welcomed the two into the city, asking, "Mr. Brittany and Mr. Sumei, what brings you here? Has the frontline war ended?" Krel Brittany sighed and said, "The frontline war has not yet ended, but Brittany''s offensive has." Ebner stated, "Byron did not withdraw his troops; instead, he kept reinforcing them, forcing the Empire to also increase its troops in Ferlanden. Originally, we feigned an attack on the South Serif to draw Byron''s forces and split them, but this strategic goal has completely failed. Therefore, the Purple Goldfinch Knights and Maple Leaf Knighthood must leave and continue to participate in the war in Ferlanden." Charles had not expected this news and could not help asking, "What about South Serif?" Krel Brittany answered, "We can only abandon it." Seeing Charles somewhat reluctant, Ebner said, "It''s strategy! We can recover South Serif sooner or later." Charles wanted to ask about the Behemoth Duchy, but his rationality prevented him from voicing this question. This matter was beyond Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei''s control. He pondered for a moment, then asked, "May I request to stay in South Serif?" Krel Brittany shook his head and said, "Your position is too low to hold a military governorship. Even I am not qualified to be a lord, so you shouldn''t even think about it." Although Ebner also doubted what Charles could do after the departure of the Purple Goldfinch and Maple Leaf main forces, he knew that Charles wanted to stay in South Serif to keep the war away from the Behemoth Duchy. After all, the Behemoth Duchy was Charles'' homeland. It was natural for him not to want his homeland ravaged by war. He smiled and said, "However, there are other ways." "For instance, just like in Behemoth, I and Krel Brittany can appoint you as the municipal official of several major cities in South Serif." Charles felt slightly less upset. He was not solely concerned for the Behemoth Duchy; he also wanted no more warfare in South Serif. Although he did not know to what extent he could make a difference, doing something was better than doing nothing, wasn''t it? Krel Brittany patted Charles on the shoulder and said, "After we leave, we will need some supplies. Someone will go to Silver Pigeon Fort. I will always remember this friendship, so I won''t say more than necessary." Charles nodded and said, "I will prepare the supplies." The two did not say who the supplies were to be given to, but everyone, including Ebner, was well aware of the intended destination of the supplies. Krel Brittany smiled softly and said, "Don''t be so discouraged. Although we didn''t achieve our strategy, we haven''t lost the battle." "Additionally, the other knighthoods have disbanded throughout the war¡­" Krel Brittany blinked and said with a smile, "From now on, in the Behemoth Duchy and the South Serif Territory, only the Westwind Knights will remain." Chapter 269 262, Tacit War One thought dominated Charlotte''s mind, "This is just too dark!" The Fars Empire aimed to directly annex the Behemoth Duchy and the Southern Seraph Territory into its own territory and also intended to abolish those Knighthoods. Regardless of whether Brittany''s offensive had involved Byron, these two goals had been essentially achieved. The South Ceraph Restoration Army was in Ferlanden, and the Knighthood of the Behemoth Duchy had been completely annihilated. It wasn''t just the noble''s Knighthoods that were gone, but even Baron Fabolais'' Knighthood had been utterly destroyed during Brittany''s offensive. As for whether Baron Fabolais would go crying to his sister or something else, Charlotte could not care less. In the following days, Kreel Brittany handed over the defenses one by one to Charlotte and also transferred several other Knighthoods to him. However, he requested and took with him The Spotted Deer, Gwen, and The Wind Wolf, Bankcroft, both Transcendents. Charlotte magnanimously agreed. Charlotte naturally wouldn''t retain these Knighthoods. He disbanded them and reorganized them into the Westwind Knights. He also provided Anatasiya, Dobin, and Yellow Bear with eight hundred-man combat squads and specifically promoted the swift clerk Italo Calvino, and Sebalde from the South Ceraph Restoration Army, granting each of them two hundred-man combat squads. Charlotte had planned that once Kreel Brittany''s Purple Goldfinch Knights and the Maple Leaf Knights withdrew, the Black Phoenix Dynasty would fiercely attack, and he had construed a strategy to fight while retreating. Yet to his surprise, after Kreel Brittany''s withdrawal, the main Knighthood of the Black Phoenix Dynasty also retreated, leaving only Chloe Hadrian, who had entangled with him for two months! Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire Chloe was mainly disgruntled, feeling played by Charlotte and determined to fight to the death against Charlotte Mecklen in Southern Seraph. Upon learning that Chloe had stayed, Charlotte immediately sent a message suggesting that the war was far too horrifying. Instead, the two sides should cease hostilities and stay put until the war was over. This was Charlotte''s true sentiment. Having tangled with Chloe for two months, he knew the man was formidable and his Knighthood was elite. Instead of committing a large number of soldiers and enduring daily casualties, it was better to engage in a tacit war. When Chloe received this letter, he cursed Charlotte as a coward, cursing him from his maternal grandfather down to his great maternal grandfather, tearing apart two copies of "The Charlotte Chronicles"¡ªthe novel created by the swift clerk Italo Calvino¡ªand also challenged Charlotte to a duel. Charlotte certainly didn''t fear Chloe, but he truly had no interest in battle. So, he sent a reply mentioning that after numerous encounters with no decisive winner, it was pointless to engage in further duels. They should both train hard, and once someone had advanced beyond their current realm, they could then have their duel. To Charlotte''s surprise, Chloe actually thought the suggestion was good and responded in the affirmative. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although there were some complications, the war did indeed progress in the direction Charlotte had hoped for. Both armies were in a standoff, and both commanders were desperately cultivating. The situation was nearly identical to the "tacit war" Charlotte had envisioned. Besides refining "Bloody Glory," Charlotte actively spread "The Charlotte Chronicles" throughout the Southern Seraph region, even specially training hundreds of storytellers. There were no storytellers as a profession on the Old Continent, usually just writers who moonlighted as storytellers, but only the nobility enjoyed such a luxury. This, then, was adding an entertainment option for the common people of the Fars Empire and a whole new job category. With this nonsensical novel, Charlotte''s brainwashing of the people of Southern Seraph went extremely smoothly. Especially since Charlotte proclaimed that the Southern Seraph Territory would levy no taxes in the future, coupled with many lenient economic policies, many Southern Seraph people gave up their resistance. In reality, Charlotte didn''t care about collecting taxes because war was the quickest way to accumulate wealth. Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei were uninterested in Southern Seraph, and the Empire had not yet had the chance to appoint officials to the area. With the collapse of the former administrative system of Southern Seraph, the entire region was now entirely at Charlotte''s discretion. He had swallowed up countless lands, shops, houses, estates, and industries during the war, part of which he had promised to sell to the nobles of Behemoth Duchy. He had no intention of breaking his word, but aside from that, his war income was substantial enough to sustain the Westwind Knighthood. Besides maintaining the Westwind Knighthood, Charles had no administrative expenses. As for the future... He was not the ruler of the South Serif, nor could he become its lord, so why worry about the future? Two and a half months later, a delegation from Strasbourg arrived, giving him the same treatment as Behemoth, making him the civic official of the five largest cities in the South Serif. Charles himself could not have imagined that after the appointment was announced, cheers erupted throughout the South Serif Territory. He, who had only governed the South Serif for a few months as a temporary official, had actually won the heartfelt affection of its people. Along with the delegation came news that the Fars Empire and the Inglima Empire had finally formed an alliance to jointly confront Byron, the Black Phoenix Dynasty, and the Beastman tribes. Although Charles had some complaints about the nearly half a year it took for the two countries to complete the alliance, he also breathed a sigh of relief, as this meant that Inglima''s troops might come across the sea to join the war and relieve the pressure on Fars. After sending off the delegation, Charles thought he would have some peace, but the very next day, he received a high-profile visitor. Princess May Guillermo, the Great Eldest Princess, made a grand visit to the South Serif. Charles looked at the Great Eldest Princess of the Inglima Empire and was completely "nervous." No, he was shocked. He could understand everything. Why wouldn''t the Great Princess stay in Strasbourg reading novels? What was she doing in South Serif? Accompanying Princess May was Miss Aurora Sumei. Charles had almost forgotten that Miss Sumei was also part of the delegation. Princess May and Aurora didn''t bring a delegation but a "mercenary army." Calling it a mercenary army wasn''t quite accurate; although it was essentially a mercenary operation, it was actually a detective agency. It just so happened to be the detectives from the Liemar Detective Agency. This detective agency had escorted the foreign princess and the deputy envoy to the South Serif, and upon seeing Charles, they were all quite excited. They were better informed in Strasbourg than in Behemoth and the South Serif; they already knew that the new owner of the detective agency was thriving more than ever. Especially this time, they knew that Mister Charles Mecklen was acquainted with the princess and countess of Inglima and were deeply grateful that the former president, Aubrey Barrington Atwood, had sold the detective agency, and they were equally thankful for their decision to stay. Charles had no time to deal with the members of his detective agency. He arranged for Princess May and Aurora to stay at the residence of a noble from the South Serif and couldn''t help but ask, "Princess May, you and Aurora, why are you interested in coming to the front line?" Princess May said indifferently, "In a few days, someone is going to the Silver Pigeon Fort. I have some personal grievances to resolve." Chapter 270 263. Im just... naturally shy. Charles was greatly shocked and asked cautiously, "How did you know?" Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire The fact that Menilman was coming to Silver Pigeon Fort was supposed to be a secret, but even the Great Eldest Princess of the Inglima Empire knew about it¡ªdid everyone know then? Princess May said indifferently, "Your labyrinth''s passages were quite useful; I have returned to Cappadocia City a few times, where I encountered Menilman restocking supplies after docking." Charles was extremely shocked! Seeing the astonished expression on his face, Princess May continued indifferently, "Labyrinths aren''t very secretive things, so why do you look as if your greatest secret has been exposed?" Charles was extremely extremely shocked! He knew the labyrinth wasn''t considered a high-end power, but he hadn''t expected it to be so full of loopholes in the eyes of Sacred Order. The fact that Princess May could travel through the passages to Cappadocia City, whether starting from Machu Picchu or Silver Pigeon Fort, was an incredibly explosive revelation. With a puzzled look in her eyes, Princess May asked, "Or did you think I had discovered that those two novels were actually written by you?" Charles was absolutely astounded! He had reached the limit of his shock; he could not be more surprised. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Princess May remained silent, but Aurora said, "When Princess May bought those two books at the bookstore, she asked the publisher and easily found Miss Annie Brittany. Miss Annie readily admitted it." Charles couldn''t help but ask, "Annie just admitted it?" Aurora shrugged and said, "The author''s name is Annie MacLennan! Even if she hadn''t confessed, what difference would it have made?" Charles nearly exceeded the limit of his shock once again; he truly did not know that Annie had used such a blatantly transparent pen name for those two novels. "Annie MacLennan!?" "Isn''t that admitting it without being coerced?" Curious, Princess May said, "Mister Mecklen, I must say, you are indeed a genius novelist. Why hide your identity? I''ve read ''Chronicles of Mekron'' as well; although it''s not as polished as the other two in terms of language and details, probably due to being hastily written, the story''s quality still surpasses that of the other two novels." Charles thought to himself, "Joke''s on her, those were Greek mythology and The Lion King!" Having been completely exposed by Princess May, and no longer able to hide anything, he simply said, "I am just... naturally shy." If Earl Brittany had been there, he surely would have said, "Mister Mecklen! You are naturally lascivious! Shy? Would a man streaking be shy?" Even though Earl Brittany wasn''t there, the two ladies who had read the spin-off about Du Wei and Prince Chen''s romantic love also couldn''t help thinking: "A man who writes such steamy novels claims to be shy?" "Is someone insulting shyness here?" Charles didn''t dare to continue discussing the novel''s issues and casually asked, "Did Senior Menilman also go to Cappadocia?" He thought this question would be safe. Then another thought crossed his mind, "Why haven''t Princess May and Senior addressed their private grievances in Cappadocia City? Why return to Silver Pigeon Fort to resolve them?" "Yes, this matter should not be asked about..." Charles immediately sensed that this question was also unsafe. Princess May said indifferently, "She said it was you who asked her to go to Cappadocia City." "Indeed, she also took away your fleet!" Charles didn''t mind losing those few merchant ships; after all, once he left Inglima, he could no longer control Cappadocia, and that fleet would sooner or later go out of control. Having it taken by Menilman was still putting it to good use. However, Princess May''s remark also made him sensitively realize something, Menilman didn''t possess a Magical Alchemy Warship. If this lady had a Magical Alchemy Warship, why would she need any ordinary merchant ship converted into a warship? Charles felt a pang of sympathy for the lady, as Menilman maintained an almost perfect image in the eyes of the common people of the Fars Empire. Charles had also been proud to have secured a strong ally, but as his status rose, he gradually realized that this lady wasn''t having an easy time. The impact of the Empire Rose incident was profound and turbulent. Initially, Charles had thought that this lady held a high and powerful position, after all, he was only a forty-first class clerk, but now he knew that the warden of Kilmainham Prison wasn''t really an important bureaucratic position. Now even Charles Meklen had become a thorough bureaucratic figure: General Commander of the Patrolling Army of Lucavaro District, Commander of the Westwind Knights, Director of the Lucavaro District Administration Bureau, Fars Empire''s special plenipotentiary war commissioner to Inglima Empire, interim civil officer of Mostar Fort, Biberli City, Seagull City, Silver Pigeon Fort, and Ode Mountain City, civil officer of the South Serif Region including Arcadia Port, Sedona City, Solvan City, Carmel Town, and Interlaken City, and a twenty-fifth class fifth-grade civil servant! Indeed, South Serif Territory had been quietly reorganized into the South Serif Region by the Empire, and his five major city civil offices no longer had ''interim'' prefixes. If Charles had transmigrated with the identity he held now, he and Menilman might not even be sure of whose support was more significant. Of course, Menilman still had the backing of the Su Mei Family and a host of supporters, whereas Charles Meklen had nothing behind him. Charles never considered Anne as his political bargaining chip. Although he had gained quite a few political benefits from the Brittany Family, he truly considered marrying into wealth as a phase of his life''s goals, but he would never sacrifice Anne for political gain. To exemplify, if Anne and her father, Earl Brittany, fell out, he would definitely not take the Earl''s side for the sake of his so-called future, but would stand in front of Anne even if it meant losing everything. After all, he was just a transmigrator who originally had nothing to his name. Because of the war, Charles''s thinking had become a bit slow; it took him a long time to fathom why Princess May had come to South Serif? But he soon realized... Because Princess May personally commanded his clerks and even summoned Italo Calvino, who had been appointed the interim manager of Interlaken City, from Interlaken City to Sedona City... She spurred them on with all her might! Charles wasn''t a web novelist or an author of any sort, unaware of how brutal the editors within the industry could be in demanding drafts, but he was convinced that no editor on Earth pushed as hard as this. Because of the war and his practice, Charles''s once-neglected career of oral storytelling suddenly sparkled anew. Except for sleeping and eating, he had to narrate stories during all other times. Yes, even when going to the restroom, Princess May wouldn''t follow, but she would send a clerk to accompany him. Chapter 271 264. One must not get too drunk like the green ox! Chloe had been immensely diligent in his cultivation recently, making rapid advancements in his Fighting Spirit. He had undergone the trials of war, breaking through the bottleneck and harnessing the Earth''s Proof from the Eight Great Knights'' Certificates, thereby nearly doubling his strength. Brimming with confidence, he grabbed his spear, stepped out of the military camp alone, and loudly challenged Charles, shouting a challenge. Charles, who was dictating and parched from speaking, was overjoyed to hear Chloe''s challenge and exclaimed, "Little Chloe! I am coming to take your life..." Before he could finish, Princess May held him back and said indifferently, "I''ll go!" Charles expressed his surprise, "This... isn''t this inappropriate?" But Princess May had already soared into the sky, completely ignoring him. Meanwhile, the swift clerk Italo Calvino whispered urgently, "Mister Mecklen, don''t waste any more time. We are still a long way from the daily word count set by the Great Eldest Princess, and if we delay further, we won''t have dinner today." Charles sighed deeply and resumed dictating the online novel, now deeply regretting having shown off on the warship. The novels of the Old Continent were not impressive, and yet he had openly shown disdain. What was he thinking? One should not indulge too deeply! Well, that too was a line from a certain online novel. Suddenly, Charles shuddered, thinking to himself, "Just don''t let the Great Eldest Princess hear about this book. I remember the last... did it finish? Or not?" "Anyway, I feel the Great Eldest Princess would never be satisfied with that ending." "If she thinks I''m deceiving her, she''ll force me to continue dictating." "That would really be deadly." Chloe, dumbfounded, watched as Princess May Guillaume descended from the sky, a single thought in his mind, "It''s over!" "I''m going to die!" "No... Sacred Order is so elevated, they hardly care about the death of ordinary people." "Charles Mecklen made it to Iya Town, and no Sacred Order intervened; how is it that when I come to challenge Charles Mecklen beneath Sedona City, a Sacred Order appears?" "Is he some great earl''s illegitimate son?" "No, wait..." Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire "How am I not dead yet?" Amidst these tumultuous thoughts, Chloe heard the chilling voice of Princess May, saying, "Charles Mecklen is busy writing a novel these days; you must not disturb his deadline." Mister Chloe Hadrian made a frantic and sincere effort, quickly saying, "Mister Charles Mecklen and I had reached a tacit agreement of war, and my challenge was merely to foster friendship. I was unaware that Mister Mecklen was busy with his writing, and I will certainly not challenge him again." Princess May was satisfied, flicked Chloe on the forehead with the force of a Sacred Order, knocking him unconscious, and then floated back to Sedona City. Chloe''s deputy, who had been watching the duel from the military camp, was quite worried about her superior. When Princess May appeared and revealed her Sacred Order strength, the deputy''s brain froze, and she was as stunned as a chick under a tiger''s paw. When Princess May knocked Chloe unconscious, the deputy screamed, grabbed a rapier, and dashed out. When she threw herself onto Chloe and found he still had a heartbeat, she fainted from the overwhelming relief. Frankly, it was quite baffling for the commander and his deputy of a knighthood to be lying together in front of enemy gates, but it happened just like that, quite overtly. Charles, busy with his dictation, was oblivious to the scene. Had he known, he would''ve gone out and speared them both with a single thrust, ensuring it passed through both, determined not to let them die by differing tactics. More than ten minutes later, Chloe''s subordinates tentatively rushed out of the military camp and carried the two back. Charles only found the chance to ask during dinner, how was Chloe doing? A rather straightforward scribe replied, "Her aide ran out, and then they both slept under the castle walls for a while before going back." Charles was completely stunned and kept echoing in his mind, "Slept under the castle walls for a while and then went back? What were they doing? Are the people from the Black Phoenix Dynasty so unrestrained?" "Did I miss an exciting part?" He couldn''t quite believe it and asked another scribe, who answered, "Indeed, they slept under the castle walls for a while. Chloe lay down first, and her aide sprinted out, initially carrying a rapier, but when she got there, she just lay on top of Chloe." These efficient scribes, like Charles, had to hustle daily to meet their deadlines. They worked even harder than Charles; Charles just dictated while they wrote every day, their fingers calloused from the effort. You see, these quick scribes usually didn''t write even five hundred words in an office day. But once sent out by Anne, they started at an average of ten thousand words a day. None of them had actually gone to the city walls; they all heard it from the soldiers of the Westwind Knights, naturally missing a lot of details. The straightforward scribe, still worried Charles might not believe him, said, "They truly lay down under the castle for over ten minutes!" Charles thought to himself, "Chloe isn''t up to snuff either!" "Hmm, she practices the Royal Family''s secret cultivation from the Black Phoenix Dynasty, which indeed isn''t comparable to Bloody Glory and also aims to enhance endurance." "Chloe dares to challenge likely because her cultivation has improved somewhat." "Lucky I didn''t go out, otherwise I really thought I could beat him." "I''ve been busy memorizing lately and neglected my cultivation. In a few days after I''ve memorized these two books, I must work hard on my cultivation." After dinner, Charles started his grueling dictation again. He always felt that the authors of the two books should treat him to a meal; how many genuine readers had he garnered for them in the Fars Empire? And with hardcore fans like the Great Eldest Princess from the Inglima Empire to brag about, wasn''t it more impressive than boasting about Barack Obama? Even though the manuscript fees all went into Charles''s pocket. But that''s not important. There was a time when Charles even deluded himself into thinking he hadn''t crossed to the Old Continent, but into a city rebirth story famous for its shameless plagiarism¡­ Until one day, Princess May suddenly called him out, said nothing, and took to the air. Charles asked, "Princess May, where are we going?" Princess May indifferently said, "To Silver Pigeon Fort! Menilman has already arrived." Charles sighed deeply and sincerely said, "Praise Sister Menilman." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This wasn''t a thought! This was a shout. Then he heard Princess May coldly say, "Quite bold!" Only then did Charles realize, he was being carried by an enemy of Menilman, hanging mid-air¡­ Chapter 272 265, King Charles the Lionheart ``` "Not big, not big, really not big." Charles really didn''t have much courage, plus, what does this have to do with courage anyway? Provoking the Sacred Order is something wise men do not do. Princess May said nothing more. Amidst his cold sweat, Charles also began to reflect¡ªhad he been too "out of control"? How could he say in front of Princess May, "Praise Sister Menilman"? Let''s not forget, the person forcing him to recite the novel aloud was Princess May; wasn''t this an outright act of passive resistance? Princess May flew a hundred or two hundred kilometers, then gracefully landed, and said, "Bring out your Dark Luxury." Charles asked, "Weren''t we flying straight there?" Princess May said indifferently, "Menilman''s strength is not to be underestimated; I need to conserve energy for the upcoming battle." Charles obediently brought out the Dark Luxury, muttering under his breath, "Great Eldest Princess, your endurance is lacking too!" "How far have we flown anyway?" "Even a little ant has better endurance." The two got on the Dark Luxury, and Charles noticed that Princess May''s behavior seemed a bit odd, but since the Great Eldest Princess was shrouded in a black cloak, her face covered, he couldn''t see her expression, so he simply pretended nothing had happened and sprawled honestly in his seat, even wanting to stick out his tongue and pant. He had been exhausted lately. The Great Eldest Princess was even more ruthless than a capitalist! When QiDian Chinese readers ask for updates, they at least leave the author breathing room, with the highest standard being the eagle that loves eating chicken; Princess May was basically demanding like an AI standard from Charles, non-stop blah blah blah as long as he wasn''t out of power... She wasn''t human at all! Charles, in front of Princess May, silently complained, feeling quite relieved. After Princess May got on the carriage, she did not speak for a while, occasionally glancing at the scenery outside. After a long time, she could not hold back anymore and said, "Do you feel something''s not right?" Charles glanced outside the window and replied, "We didn''t take the wrong path." Princess May fell silent again for half an hour, then asked, "Are we...?" Charles gave the Great Eldest Princess a perplexed look and countered, "Are you hungry? Want to eat something? I... didn''t bring any food, but maybe we could buy something when we pass a village." Princess May took a deep breath and said, "As an Imperial Princess, I shouldn''t be in the same space with a foreign man." A bucket of cold water seemed to be poured over Charles''s head, and he finally realized why Princess May was acting strangely. Not only had he boarded the carriage very casually, but he had also sprawled out quite unrestrainedly in front of the princess, which was very unseemly. Indeed, in the Old Continent, the feudal Empire still prevailed, and offending the Royal Princess could result in execution. At first, Charles was a bit scared and didn''t get up, but a few minutes later, he came to terms with it and said, "Since it''s already like this, Your Royal Highness the Princess needn''t mind, especially since there are no outsiders, and I won''t tell anyone." "Let''s just leave it at that!" Princess May hesitated for a long time, then finally nodded slightly. Suddenly, Charles remembered how Princess May often took him to her room to recite novels. How come she suddenly became concerned about not being in the same carriage with him? "This woman is really peculiar; no wonder she''s a widow." ``` Charles blurted out a cheeky complaint to ease the awkwardness and smoothly offered, "How about I recite a book for you..." "Ah, create a new novel?" No sooner had Charles spoken than he almost slapped himself. He had almost finished memorizing those two novels, and once he had, wouldn''t he be released from his misery? To memorize another one, when would he ever regain his freedom? Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire Princess May said indifferently, "That''s fine!" Charles decided to pick a short one. After several minutes of agonizing thought, he chose a non-web-based fantasy work and began to recite to Princess May, "Once upon a time, there were four children who found a large wardrobe in their house. The wardrobe was filled with many clothes, and as they played hide-and-seek inside, they found themselves in a forest blanketed with ice and snow..." "They encountered a lion! The lion told them that a witch ruled the world and they were the saviors of the world..." Princess May suddenly interrupted his recitation and asked, "Is this a novel you created with Lionheart King Charles as a template?" Just as Charles was about to reply with a no, he realized that this classic fantasy novel from Earth bore an uncanny "similarity" to the life of the great warrior called Lionheart Charles, the Founding Emperor of one of the Five Great Empires on the Old Continent, the Lionheart Dynasty. Princess May said lightly, "Don''t publish this book in Fars; publish it in Inglima instead!" "Make sure to praise the Lionheart King generously, and you might get some unexpected benefits." Charles didn''t believe that writing a novel could bring any unexpected benefits. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He said, "You can publish these novels in Inglima, as long as you pay the manuscript fee." Princess May was taken aback and asked back, "All can be published?" Charles nodded, and Princess May thought to herself, "Can even the extra stories of Du Wei and Prince Chen be published?" "Well! He really is a shy man!" Charles had no idea that he had sold himself out. He was completely unaware of the existence of the extra stories, let alone the book. When Anne was handling this matter, she even "silenced" the ghostwriter by having her sign an agreement to permanently give up the copyright and swear never to speak of the matter. She also promised a substantial fee, and for every book of extra stories published, a royalty equivalent to one-tenth of a Yisheng Ding would be paid! One Yisheng Ding was worth slightly less than twenty Chinese yuan, so one-tenth of a Yisheng Ding for each book was equivalent to about fifteen percent of the book''s price¡ªan amount many best-selling authors on Earth could not get. Anne was not short of money. Indeed, the ghostwriter Anne found was for the young lady. This lady also had Anne sign an agreement, ensuring that the truth of herself being the original author would not be revealed. Well, the ghostwriter lady worried more about this issue becoming public than Anne did. She deeply believed that she had brought out her best talent in this book, but... it must never be known that she wrote it! Little did the ghostwriter lady anticipate that, for the rest of her life, just the royalties from this extra story alone would amount to several Aegeus each year. She lived well into her nineties, with her royalties increasing annually. She kept her promise, never once mentioning the matter. It was only after her death that the great-great-granddaughter of the ghostwriter discovered a mysterious sum of money coming into her ancestor''s account annually. She traced it to the publishing house, and that''s when this great secret was revealed! Yes, that''s right! Charles would be wrongfully accused for over a century! Chapter 273 Student #266, Letter from Senior Sister The dark luxury indeed was a great carriage! As long as it had been to a location before, the eight spirit horses could take the carriage there without a driver. Thirteen dark luxury carriages had been built for over a hundred years, and there were few places they hadn''t been to. Whenever Charles drove the dark luxury, he would enjoy the pleasure of high-end smart driving. When the walls of Silver Pigeon Fort appeared in the not-too-distant distance, Charles let out a slight sigh of relief. He did have a special fondness for Silver Pigeon Fort, after all, it was the so-called "place where he had once battled." Just as Charles was about to disembark, he heard Princess May say, "Come up!" Charles was just about to ask, "Where exactly should I sit?" As the carriage door opened, the striking figure of Menilman appeared inside the dark luxury. Charles nearly had another big, big, big shock. Menilman sat next to Charles, opposite Princess May, with both ladies acting as if no one else was present. Just as Charles was about to push the door and sneak out quietly, he heard Menilman say, "Don''t go, I just have a few words with Princess May." Charles thought to himself, "I don''t want to hear a word," but his body obediently stayed put. He was actually quite curious¡ªwhat on earth was the connection between Menilman and the Great Eldest Princess? They didn''t seem to have any enmities, did they? Princess May said in a low voice, "Last time in Cappadocia City, I spared your life, but this time, don''t expect to have that opportunity again." Charles thought, "Battled in Cappadocia too?" Menilman said indifferently, "If it weren''t for Fars, and Inglima being Fars''s ally, I would not have spared you either." With just a few words, the atmosphere became extremely tense, and Charles certainly didn''t want to be affected by the battle between the two female members of the Sacred Order. Especially since the dark luxury was his possession, worth thousands of Aegeus, it couldn''t be destroyed in the battle. He quickly interjected, "How about we get out of the carriage first?" Princess May said, "There''s no need. Even seated, I can take down this calamitous enchantress." Charles glanced at Menilman. Although the Empire''s First Rose did indeed cause a lot of turmoil, she could hardly be associated with wrecking a nation and bringing calamity¡ªafter all, the enchantresses who did indulge in such acts typically had quite impressive identities, like empresses of the great Empire, such as Da Ji and Yang Yuhuan. A few even held the title of emperor, like Wu Zhao, Catherine, and the Queen of Egypt... Well, Charles couldn''t remember what the Queen of Egypt was called; he only remembered that the actresses in several related movies were all pretty decent. Menilman didn''t sneer, instead, she took off her gloves with an aristocratic grace and tossed them onto Princess May''s chest. Princess May''s hands showed a hint of pink fighting spirit, ready to deliver a devastating blow at any moment. When Charles thought of how the dark luxury could be blown up in an instant if the two female members of the Sacred Order took action, turning thousands of Aegeus to dust, he couldn''t hold back anymore. He pressed his hand against the carriage floor and shouted, "Retract!" The dark luxury instantly disappeared, transforming into a ring. A slender hand reached out and grabbed the ring. Princess May said coldly, "Are you worried we might damage it?" "Just a second-hand carriage!" "And you dare to be so bold?" A mass of pink fighting spirit sent Charles flying out. As Charles activated Bloody Glory, he flipped in mid-air and landed on the ground, feeling no injury at all. He knew Princess May must have shown mercy for the effort he put into carrying novels; he quickly shouted, "This thing is quite expensive! I''m not made of money, so of course, I hope to live a bit more frugally!" Menilman took a step forward, blocking in front of Charles, and said, "Do not lay a hand on my junior brother. If you dare, come at me." Princess May''s body surged with pink fighting spirit, and her feet slowly left the ground. Menilman did not show weakness either; his body seemed to carry a piece of the night, and within this night, the Black Moon loomed, also slowly rising into the air. The two''s momentum clashed, and their auras entangled, and in the next instant, at least seven explosions of energy collided. Charles, amidst the residual shockwaves of the two Sacred Order''s full-force competition, tumbled several more times before hurriedly activating the Quickness Technique x10, rapidly retreating from the battlefield. He had not run far when he sensed countless colliding forces and the dispersed energy, pushing him to slide out sixty or seventy steps. Turning his head, Charles saw two orbs of luminous energy rising slowly into the sky, suddenly splitting the clouds above. After watching for a while, he turned and headed towards Silver Pigeon Fort. Such a battle was quite novel the first time one saw it. But after watching it more, it was all the same. When Charles returned to Silver Pigeon Fort, he received a grand welcome from the residents; every passerby greeted him, and almost everyone asked what was happening in the sky? Charles assured everyone not to worry and went straight back to the fort. Originally, this place should have been Baron Fabolais''s territory, and the fort should have been his property, but Charles seemed more like the master of the place than Baron Fabolais. Even the servants of the fort, upon seeing Charles return, would take the initiative to prepare food for him. Charles instructed the chefs to prepare a few more dishes, and this time he did not have to wait long. About half an hour later, Sister Menilman and Princess May arrived one after the other. The two did not mention the battle, acting as if the other did not exist. With his strong mental fortitude, Charles managed to get through the meal. After dinner, Princess May coldly commanded, "Three days from now, we must return to Sedona City." Charles hurriedly nodded, and Princess May gracefully departed. After Princess May had left, Menilman then said to Charles, "Try not to provoke this madwoman. After all, she is of the Sacred Order, and her mental state is extremely unstable." "I need a supply of materials, help me arrange it." Charles had long prepared these materials. After asking Menilman, and learning that her subordinates had already arrived at Silver Pigeon Fort, he arranged for someone to transfer the materials to Menilman''s subordinates. Menilman was in a hurry; after receiving the materials, she left Silver Pigeon Fort without lingering. After sending off Menilman, Charles felt immediately relaxed at the thought of having more than three days of vacation. He definitely would not go back to Sedona City early. Just as he was preparing to ask the servants of the fort to prepare a few barrels of ale, planning to enjoy the night view and slowly sip it in the evening, a steward from the fort handed him a letter, saying respectfully, "Miss Sumei left this letter for you and asked me to pass it to you after she departed." Charles was also curious about what Menilman might have left in a letter for him. When he pulled out the letter and saw the first line, he almost jumped up. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire Menilman had told him a great matter! Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 274 267, A New Journey "I have already gained the allegiance of Zimmerman''s former followers, and I have nearly a hundred warships, but without a Magic Warship, we can never become a powerful fleet. I have drafted a plan to attack St. Michael Island and seize two Magic Warships from the Golden Goat fleet. If you are willing to join, you can come to Cappadocia." After reading this letter, Charles was disturbed for a long time. He had not expected that his senior, who had taken to the seas, had already mustered such a considerable force. If Menilman really took over St. Michael Island, his senior would transform overnight into a force that could not be ignored by the Seven Seas. The Golden Goat pirate fleet on St. Michael Island has a Magical Alchemy Warship, an Ancient Magic Warship, and is overseen by someone of the Sacred Order. Its strength is formidable. Precisely because it is so strong, once it is absorbed, Menilman would soar to new heights, no longer just The Empire''s First Rose, but a bona fide Empire noble, certainly no less distinguished than Count Sumei of Inglima and Count Sumei of Fars. To join or not to join? That is a question. For the moment, Charles did not want to make a decision. However, he also knew that since Princess May had appeared, Chloe would no longer trouble him, and a tacit war would truly break out between the Southern Seraph Territory and the Black Phoenix Dynasty. After all, the Southern Seraph Territory is a place both tasteless to the appetite of Fars and regrettable to discard for the Black Phoenix Dynasty. Cyrus had already taken the South Ceraph Reclamation Army to Ferlanden due to the various wars, it had become an area with no taxing value and was not a strategic location. The Black Phoenix Dynasty had no compelling reason to conquer it. Since there is temporarily no war between the South Seraph Region and the Behemoth Duchy, taking a trip to Cappadocia City seems like a viable option. What Charles actually cared about was not St. Michael Island but Cappadocia City. He was only two times away from completing the fifteen required instances of Maze-ification, and currently, Cappadocia City had enough warships¡ªsimply perfect. Although once one controls more than fifteen Labyrinths, they will obtain a passage to the true Agmilas Labyrinth! But if he does not complete this, Agmilas will arrive soon. Charles was running out of time. But this matter required careful consideration. Charles put away Menilman''s letter and started a three-day vacation. Three days later, he went directly from Silver Pigeon Fort to Interlaken City, and then from there, he returned to Sedona City. The original premier city and capital of South Serif were Arcadia Port, but the front lines with the Black Phoenix Dynasty were at Sedona City, which is why Charles''s Westwind Knights were stationed in Sedona. This place was essentially the temporary capital of South Serif. Charles had managed it quite well. Upon his return to Sedona City, he resumed his days of oral rote learning, but this routine was soon to come to an end. Princess May received a document from the Inglima Empire, instructing her to return to the country as soon as possible. Before she left, she had Charles recite the entire "Legend of the Lionheart King" and also instructed him to have the continuation of two other books sent to Inglima at any time. Then, she left with Aurora. Before Aurora left, she only asked Charles to write to her if there was nothing else, without saying much else. Once Princess May left, Charles gave his fast-writing clerk team a holiday, which was met with their unanimous support and lasting cheers. Charles was having a rather tough time these days. The days of these diligent scribes were passing by in a manner not even fit for a dog. Charles instructed these scribes to send back the manuscripts they had produced over this period to Stellarburg in batches, not all at once, as he had finally made up his mind to make a trip to Cappadocia City. Perhaps "obtaining a passage to the true Agmilas Labyrinth" might not be a death sentence, maybe he could avoid opening it? But waiting for Agmilas to come was indeed certain death. Furthermore, with Menilman organizing a fleet of nearly a hundred warships, there were definitely lots of experienced sailors among them, and surely some had been to the New Continent. He couldn''t go to the New Continent just yet, but finding someone familiar with it and asking them was also a strategy. After arranging the various affairs of the South Seraph Region and the Behemoth Duchy, Charles stationed a few capable subordinates in several cities. Then, directly from Interlaken City, he used the portal and appeared in Cappadocia. Although there were portals between labyrinths, Charles rarely used them, and this was his first return to Cappadocia since leaving Inglima. When he appeared in the city, passersby occasionally turned their heads. On sighting him, they suddenly burst into exclamations, and with elated frenzy spreading across their faces, they ran wildly, shouting, "Mister Mecklen is back!" "Mister Mecklen is back..." Soon, Charles was surrounded by people, each one eager to reach out and touch him, many with tears streaming down their faces, clearly filled with deep affection and nostalgia for him. Raising his hands high, Charles said, "It''s me, I''m back. Can anyone tell me where Cruz and Simon are?" S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Immediately, someone gave him directions, "Master Cruz and Master Simon are both at the City Lord''s Mansion, along with Miss Sumei." As Charles made his way there, he was thronged by countless residents of Cappadocia, in a grand procession like a street parade. Charles didn''t feel like he had done anything remarkable to deserve the adoration of Cappadocia City''s inhabitants, but whenever he mentioned this, the response was always an even more fervent cheer. Eventually, Charles chose to say no more. As he walked along, he noticed that Cappadocia City had undergone new changes since he had left; the population of the small city had at least tripled, the streets were bustling with activity, and many new houses had sprung up around the city. Arriving at the City Lord''s Mansion, he made more discoveries. Numerous unfamiliar faces were coming in and out of the mansion. When people cheered, these strangers first looked puzzled, but they quickly showed a dawning realization and looked at Charles with warmth in their eyes. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Before Charles could send word of his arrival, Menilman emerged to greet him with more than a dozen subordinates, among whom were Cruz and Simon. They both held Menilman in high regard, their eyes beaming with respect. Upon seeing Charles, their enthusiasm was palpable, and they came forward, respectfully bowing. Menilman''s face showed a hint of fatigue, which seemed to ease a bit upon seeing Charles. When Charles entered the City Lord''s Mansion, Menilman dismissed the other subordinates, leaving only Charles with him, and said, "I have already devised many plans and have had several encounters with the Golden Goat fleet of St. Michael Island, with victories on both sides." "Now the only way is to work from the inside out, but I don''t have any inside help on St. Michael Island. We need someone to infiltrate." Charles asked, "Doesn''t anyone on St. Michael Island recognize me?" Menilman smiled slightly and replied, "No, there are quite a few who know you." "You have no idea how famous you are." Chapter 275 268, The Eight Beastman Blood Oaths Charles asked with a belly full of doubts, "Then how do I infiltrate?" Menilman said, "In a few days, a slave ship will enter Saint Michael Island! The ship is carrying Orc slaves." Charles asked, "And then?" Menilman said, "Don''t you know the Beast God Shapeshifting Art?" Charles was once again greatly shocked and retorted, "Senior sister, how do you know about this?" Since Menilman knew that he could perform the Beastman Shapeshifting Art, Charles didn''t think it was necessary to hide it anymore! But Charles was very curious, how did Menilman, so far out at sea, know he could perform the Beast God Shapeshifting Art? Menilman smiled faintly and said, "Tumishen used to be under my command. Believing that the People of Byron were unreliable and having broken off with the other Beastman tribe leaders, he took some Orc Assassins and sought refuge with me at sea." "When the Orc Allied Army besieged Strasbourg, Tumishen was forced by the Orc Elder Council through a blood oath to return. After the great defeat, when he met you, he thought of having you disguise as an Orc slave to infiltrate Saint Michael. That''s why he taught you the Beast God Shapeshifting Art." Charles paused for a moment, then asked, "So..." Menilman said, "He wasn''t there to assassinate you but to convey my greetings instead." Only then did Charles understand why the Old Leopard Man had mingled with the Orc Labyrinth Guards. Was it all for this purpose? Menilman smiled and said, "Tumishen said you are very interesting and perfectly suited to infiltrate Saint Michael, so he just gave you a scare." Charles remembered the Old Leopard Man saying before he left, "You must diligently practice the Beast God Shapeshifting Art. The next time I return, if you have made progress, I will take you to do something big¡­" So, this was the "something big" Tumishen was talking about. He was somewhat resistant, knowing that being an inside agent never ended well. He said, "Senior sister, I''m rather timid and not good at disguising myself. I''m afraid I might ruin your grand plans." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Menilman said, "Tumishen also told me: If you are willing to be an inside agent, he can resolve the crisis with Agmilas." This time, Charles was not surprised. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Does he know a lot about the Labyrinth Evil God?" Menilman said, "Tumishen once went to the New Continent and even built a Labyrinth! He had the idea of building a passage between the two continents. If successful, it would have been very convenient, but he failed." Charles nodded and said, "I am willing to help senior sister take down Saint Michael Island." In a low voice, Menilman said, "Thank you!" After a silence, the Empire''s First Rose said faintly, "There are very few people who can help me, and among those willing to help, you are the most special! Should I overcome this predicament, I will certainly not forget today, when a junior brother went out of his way for me." Charles, without any hesitation, accepted the invitation and said gravely, "Senior sister! I will also need a copy of the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit secret technique for Beastmen." Menilman flashed a brilliant smile and said, "I''ve already prepared it for you." The orc''s Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit is said to be a Secret Technique taught to the orcs by the Eternal and Illusory Dragon, one of the Nine Great True Gods. It is suitable for orcs of every race, but the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit cultivated by different orc races is distinctly different. The orc''s Fighting Spirit is similar to the path of Transcendent knights among humans, except that when Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit surpasses the Tenth Grade, it does not condense the knight''s proof but instead binds the orc with eight great orc blood oaths: The legacy of blood must be passed on, never give up on companions, never break an alliance even in death, protect the faith till the dying breath, fearless self-sacrifice, no dread in certain-death battles, show mercy and love for life, and respect the cycle of nature! Tumishen had to take part in the siege on Strasbourg precisely because of the blood oath, "never break an alliance even in death." The eight great orc blood oaths are the source of orc power; once violated, the blood oaths crumble, and their power would plummet, likely never to recover. Charles had never considered cultivating the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit, and even though it was not a secret among the various orc races, he had never actually sought to take a look at it. Menilman handed Charles a wax-sealed parchment scroll and said, "This is something Tumishen left for you, a record of the original Secret Technique when the Eternal and Illusory Dragon taught it. It is said that there''s a certain chance of confronting this True God directly and receiving divine favor." Charles was wary of anything that could summon a god, but thinking that a True God might be different from an Evil God, he still accepted the original Secret Technique scroll. Now that he had accepted the mission, he felt calmer and asked, "Senior, once I infiltrate St. Michael Island, what exactly should I do?" Menilman said, "You have three tasks: First, try to send out news as much as possible; we need to know the true situation on St. Michael Island. Second, assist any internal resistance forces in St. Michael; although we have no insiders there, they are not of one mind internally. It is said that there''s an organization called Golden Goat; try to make contact with them. Third, find a way to get into the prison on St. Michael Island. There are three Sacred Order individuals imprisoned there, and as long as you release them, St. Michael Island will inevitably fall into chaos." "Once St. Michael Island itself reveals any weaknesses, I will command the warships to assault with all their might." "The master of St. Michael Island once dueled with that person one-on-one, and the outcome was a draw. However, he was younger then, and his power... might not be stronger than mine is now. But just in case, I have prepared three Sacred Order individuals for the Golden Goat Fleet master. I trust that should be enough to ensure victory." Charles was quite surprised to hear about the three Sacred Order individuals. He had originally thought that Menilman''s situation wasn''t that great, but now it seemed he had underestimated The Empire''s First Rose. In such a difficult situation, she was still able to recruit helpers of the Sacred Order. Truly a formidable woman! Menilman continued, "Their Magical Alchemy Warship comes from Fars. It originally belonged to Duchess Meisu and was the flagship of the Northern Fleet, but no one knows how it ended up on St. Michael Island." "However, the most formidable things on St. Michael Island are the Ancient Magic Warship and the island itself. Both originate from the ancient Kingdom of Saint Michael, and I am not quite clear on what secrets they hold." "If you can find out the secrets of the Ancient Magic Warship and St. Michael Island itself, it would also benefit our conquest of the island." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire Charles memorized all these matters one by one. After talking with Menilman for several hours, he was arranged to stay at the City Lord''s Mansion, his original room having been taken by his senior. Fortunately, Charles didn''t really care about these things and he slept well even in a different room. After resting for a day, Charles also needed to make some preparations for infiltrating St. Michael Island. As he was going to St. Michael Island, many weapons could no longer be carried with him, and he could only send Collapsing Mountain and the griffin back to Machu Picchu. He only kept a Silver Rhinoceros, a Red-Blue Rattlesnake, a Blood Rose, and a Withing Rose with him. Ah, and the Blood Spirit Rhinoceros as well. Chapter 276 269, Infiltrating the Slave Ship Charles had abandoned many of his early weapons and equipment. For example, the second-hand Magnum Hand Shuttle that had followed him from the start, the Vampiric Hand Axe, and the magic alchemy staff he had later crafted for a considerable sum of money. There were also some fine pieces of equipment that Charles had never really used, such as the assassin''s Dagger, the two fingerless glove-shaped magic gun pouches, as well as the Crystal Vase and Bag of Insects obtained in Cappadocia City, and the Transcendent Knight''s Spear he acquired from killing Zolman. Originally, the assassin''s Dagger had Antispace attributes and was a good infiltration weapon, but Charles had long since mastered the Colorless Blade, an inherent special ability that was more convenient than using equipment. The magic gun pouches were spatial equipment, which had a significant disadvantage¡ªtheir inability to be concealed. Once searched, they could never be hidden again, so they couldn''t be carried around. As Charles checked his extraordinary items, he recalled three Extraordinary Objects that weren''t in his possession: the Dark Luxury had been taken by Princess May, who Charles didn''t dare to ask for it back; the Lion Maru - Whale Killer was still with Sophia Garanord, whom he needed to ask for it; the Silver Knight was with Belisa, an extraordinary object he could ask for at any time, but he had no use for it once retrieved. Apart from weapons, Charles needed to enhance his own strength as well. In the South Seraph Region, he had fought fiercely with Chloe, dedicating every day to his cultivation, and Bloody Glory had accumulated to an incredibly robust level. In the Old Continent, all cultivation systems classified the ranks of Transcendents according to the intensity of energy, except for Protagora''s Bloody Glory, which initially distinguished ranks by the number of Bloody Vortexes one had opened. The ranks set by Protagora were not precise. After all, most of the Blood Clan opened only one Bloody Vortex. In actuality, many who practiced Bloody Glory only opened one or two Bloody Vortexes, but if they accumulated enough Blood Energy to be sufficiently potent, they were still regarded as Intermediate rank or even High-Level Transcendents. Charles had now opened nine Bloody Vortexes, but in fact, he had converted Bloody Glory into Stellar Battle Qi, which was far beyond the Ninth Rank or even Tenth Grade, and had stepped into the eleventh level, not far from High-Level Transcendent. It was unlikely that Bloody Glory itself could be improved much further in a short time, but Charles wanted to master the special ability of the Magic Flame Horse in the next few days. Each progress in his Adonis Clan''s Secret Technique would delay the arrival of Kahnstan. With over two months left before Kahnstan''s arrival, if he could master the Magic Flame Horse, he could delay it by another two or three months. The Magic Flame Horse, almost without a physical form, could walk on any kind of ground, including hills, swamps, water surfaces, and even dash through seas of fire, making it the ideal mount. After losing the Dark Luxury, Charles had longed for the Magic Flame Horse, but his upcoming mission had intensified his desire for the creature. The Magic Flame Horse could gallop over water, quickly as lightning even over the open sea, making it an excellent aid in escaping danger. To infiltrate St. Michael Island, Charles''s greatest need was to ensure his own survival, and the Magic Flame Horse aid greatly in this regard. In the following days, Charles devoted himself to the intensive study of the Adonis Clan''s Secret Technique, even temporarily giving up the refinement of other secret techniques within Bloody Glory. ``` However, the efforts of the past few days were clearly insufficient to break through a special ability. When Menilman informed him that the slave ship had already reached the designated sea area, Charles could only regretfully board the merchant ship prepared for him, and left Cappadocia City. The plan designated by Menilman was quite simple. When the merchant ship approached the slave ship, it would attempt to "seek help," pretending to have lost fresh water in a storm. Regardless of whether the slave ship agreed to assist or not, it would be detained for a moment, and that moment was enough for Charles, a Transcendent, to infiltrate the slave ship. The plan was simple but also quite practical. About five or six days after sailing out of Cappadocia City, the merchant ship Charles was on encountered a large ship painted with a black seagull on the open sea. As the merchant ship was about to approach, the large ship with the black seagull fired several cannon shots. Although they were just ordinary cannonballs, it startled the people on the merchant ship. To conceal the operation, the people aboard the merchant ship were unaware of the plan. They only knew to approach the slave ship, but with the large ship painted with the black seagull opening fire, where would the merchant ship dare to get closer? The merchant ship quickly turned around and hurriedly fled. The large ship with the black seagull pursued for a while before giving up and returning on its course towards St. Michael Island. During the chase between the two ships, Charles didn''t take action but instead leaped into the sea. Relying on his Transcendent strength, he dived beneath the surface to the bottom of the slave ship and activated the Colorless Blade, grabbing onto the underside of the ship. Charles clung to the pirate ship as it turned around and set sail back towards St. Michael Island. Only then did he use his skills to quietly climb aboard. This was just an ordinary pirate ship, and there were no other Transcendents on board. Charles, proficient in the Quickness Technique, moved through the ship as if it was uninhabited, completely undetected by anyone. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire The slave ship had about a hundred crew members, with the slaves being transported in the lower deck cabins. The lower deck cabins were, of course, cramped and stifling, making them unbearable. Charles didn''t go down to suffer in advance but instead found a hidden spot on the ship to hide. It was only a few days later when he overheard from the crew that they were half a day away from St. Michael Island that he used the Beast God Shapeshifting Art to transform into a small, "weak" Hunchback Red Bear youth, just two paces tall. He didn''t need to do anything; he only had to show his face in the lower deck cabin to be mistaken by a few crew members as a Beastman slave who had escaped from the bottom layer. He was caught on the spot and pushed back into the lower deck. As soon as he was stuffed into the lower deck, Charles almost vomited. The smell was terrible, but what was worse was the space being too cramped. The Beastmen couldn''t even stand up straight, let alone sit with their heads raised. Many of the Beastman slaves had a dull look in their eyes, becoming numb under such torment. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles found it extremely unbearable, this kind of human trafficking, but he also knew that this was not the time for him to play the hero. He had no choice but to curl up like the other Beastmen, trying his best to make himself small. Initially, Charles was somewhat reluctant to infiltrate St. Michael Island, but upon seeing these Beastman slaves, he suddenly didn''t regret agreeing to this task anymore. Curled up, Charles could do nothing else but slowly circulate the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit Technique. Even though resuming his human form would allow him to regain his strength, having a bit more combat power at hand while in the Beastman form might be useful in times of need. Seeing these Beastmen who were treated like livestock and thinking about how humans were also trafficked in the same way, he secretly vowed that as soon as he got out, he would definitely annihilate St. Michael Island, putting an end to the slave trade in the Whale Sea. ``` Chapter 277 270, The New Member of the Pirates Charles had received modern education and always believed that it was not certain specific groups of people that were evil, but certain morally degenerate actions. Humans had emerged from a primitive state of raw meat consumption and blood-drinking, having gone through nature''s cruel selection, and gradually developed feelings of shame, morality, dignity, love, compassion, and more. This was civilization, and it was also shackles. Slave traders did not possess any noble sentiments. They trafficked Beastmen as well as humans, could trade natives as well as nobles from the New Continent, and it was even possible that some slave traders dealt in the citizens of Fars or Inglima¡ªit was just that he had not encountered any yet. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire It was a sinful industry. It should be abolished with violence. Charles tried to put aside all distractions. After all, in such an environment, his transformed Hunchback Red Bear self, though considered "slender" in bear terms, was still tall by human standards and very uncomfortable. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In such a state, he could only practice the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit for a while and empty his mind. When in the state of cultivation, he could ignore the harsh environment outside, which made him feel a little better. The cultivation of Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit, like the human Fighting Spirit, required the condensation of a power seed, which is the concentration of vitality. Back in his days at Behemoth National College, Charles had practiced the Lamia Breathing Technique, also known as the Siren Breathing Technique, for a while. This breathing technique could replace sleep and allowed mastery over water, but he did not succeed in its cultivation. Charles didn''t think that cultivating Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit would be very different from his past experiences, but as he delved into cultivation, he felt a lively vitality stirring all over his body, constantly gathering towards his lower abdomen. His lower abdomen gradually heated up, as if a small lump of charcoal had been lit, warming his entire body. Even in the damp and dark ship''s hold, his bear fur was not so wet anymore. In his Beastman state, due to the different body structure, Bloody Glory was in a sealed state, but the power seed condensed through the Lamia Breathing Technique during his early years at the National Academy¡ªhaving never broken out of its cocoon and long ignored by Charles¡ªsuddenly emerged and then shattered the next second, merging into his lower abdomen. Initially, Charles thought that after years of "hard work," he had finally witnessed the emergence of the power seed. But the reality was that the power seed, condensed through the Lamia Breathing Technique, had been completely shattered. Reflecting on "his" past, Charles couldn''t help but feel nostalgic. This was like a final farewell to "the past," as even the last trace of the former Charles Meklen disappeared from this world. This essence of life, although not very strong, was still the result of several years of arduous cultivation by Charles Meklen. After it entered his lower abdomen and combined with the vitality concentrated by the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit, a small "seed" was quietly born. With the formation of this seed, it was like having an "on/off switch" inside his body, allowing him to control the concentration or release of vitality. While Charles was experiencing this entirely new sensation of cultivation, he heard someone shout loudly, "Wretched slaves, come out! Those who don''t will die down there forever." Charles gathered his spirits and was the first to climb out of the ship''s hold. The dazzling sunlight made him squint involuntarily, and after a while, he gradually adapted to the brightness outside. One after another, Beastman slaves crawled out of the ship''s hold. The crew of the slave ship continued to count. After a while, some went down, dragged out a dozen corpses, and cast them into the sea without a second glance. Charles noticed that the horizon before him was an island of immense allure. It was so elevated that it could be considered a miniature mountain at sea, with the entire expanse transformed into a fortress. Alchemical Cannons pointed in every direction from their gaping mouths. Surrounding the island, nearly a hundred merchant ships were anchored, half of which were slave ships. Apart from Beastmen, most of the slaves were natives from the three Inglima islands, and a very few were from the New Continent, where natives usually fetched a high price. These slaves would be sold off in various directions, for instance, those from the New Continent would definitely be shipped to the Five Great Empires. Only Empires like Fars and Inglima, with their affluent citizens, could afford such luxury commodities. The natives of the three Inglima islands would generally not be sold back there but rather transported to the Old Continent to be sold to Fars, Byron, and the like, with a minor portion also sent to the New Continent. The sale destination for Beastmen was exclusively the New Continent; why would the great empires of the Old Continent bother to purchase such beings when they already considered them too numerous? Charles was born in another world, and the education he received was also from another world; he could not accept such a blatant trade in sin. But at the moment, he was powerless to do anything about it. The slave ship summoned the Beastmen to the deck simply to throw the dead ones overboard. The sailors fetched several Beastmen and buckets of seawater to clean the lower deck and then crammed the slaves back in. Soon enough, the slave ship entered Saint Michael Island. Charles and the others were transferred from the ship to a make-shift warehouse where they stayed for half a day. Then a man arrived, donned in the vividly colored shirts and dyed shorts that pirates favored, to select slaves. Charles, tall and young-looking, was quickly chosen. He was initially worried that he had been selected by another slave trader, but that concern soon dissipated. Charles, along with the few hundred selected slaves¡ªpart Beastman but mostly regular humans¡ªwere forcefully taken to the walls of Saint Michael Island and assigned to heavy labor, moving various materials under supervision. With his robust physique, Charles was tasked with carrying stones to mend the walls. Having lived two lifetimes, Charles had never undertaken such menial work. But now, with his current status, he had to bear the indignity and slowly operate the seed of his strength, carrying the stones and deliberately dragging out the labor. It wasn''t until evening that someone brought a bucket of murky slop, made from who knows what, with a foul smell to feed the working group. Hungry, the slaves clambered over one another chaotically to eat. Charles, however, seized the chance to look around. When he spotted a pirate sound asleep in a corner of the battlement, he thought, "Opportunity knocks!" He quietly crept up and gave a determined push, sending the pirate tumbling over the edge. Just as the pirate was about to fall from the battlement, Charles suddenly reached out, grabbed the man''s wrist, and shouted, "Quick, save him! Someone''s falling!" The unfortunate pirate, having been abruptly awakened as Charles pushed him off, was already shouting frantically with a horrified expression, crying out, "Don''t let go!" Several pirates nearby, noticing the commotion, rushed over and, all hands on deck, managed to pull the fallen pirate back up. With a meek expression, Charles pretended to join the rush to eat but was stopped by a subordinate pirate leader who eyed him up and down before saying, "I just happen to need people in my team, come with me." Chapter 278 271, The Pirates Daily Duels Charles''s methods were somewhat crude, but they were effective; in less than a day, he''d risen from a slave to a lowly pirate. There were pirates of all sorts on St. Michael Island, including quite a few Beastmen, so he didn''t stand out at all. However, unlike with the prison army and the Patrolling Army, no one here handed out free weapons, so he had to pick up a tree branch to carry around, which, oddly enough, made him look somewhat bearlike. The pirates and slaves along this stretch of the wall quickly became familiar with the little bear pirate who had newly joined the Golden Goat Pirate Group. All the slaves knew that this little bear pirate was once one of them, so he treated everyone extremely well, even pushing forward a few small projects to improve the lives of the slaves. All the pirates also knew that this little bear pirate was not only hardworking but also clever, often coming up with crafty ideas that solved problems just right and made life easier for everyone. Since arriving on St. Michael Island, this was the first time Charles had to apply all his wits to rebuild his "social relations." After blending into St. Michael Island for about seven or eight days and finishing his tasks, Charles found a secluded spot to stealthily practice his Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit for a while. He actually wanted to practice Bloody Glory, but he didn''t dare risk reverting to his original identity, so he had to use Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit to hone his spirituality! Charles''s spirituality was among the highest within the High-Level Transcendents. With enough spirituality, he could learn various Secret Techniques at an incredibly fast pace. Although he lacked the direct blessing from facing the Evil God, he was still on the level of a "normal genius." Lately, the force seed formed by the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit was growing increasingly hotter. Even after a day''s labor, just a moment of practice would cause the heat waves radiating from the force seed to refresh his body as if new. Charles took a deep breath, about to run the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit for a second time, when suddenly he felt a draft behind his head. He quickly dodged, and a black iron rod whizzed past his head, narrowly missing smashing his skull. Since coming here, Charles had never been this close to death. Even when facing the Evil God, it had been a direct shattering of his soul. Even when up against the Orc Assassin, he had managed to fight back and forth. Even when dueling with High-Level Transcendents, at least he could strike back. But this attack came out of nowhere, and with his Bloody Glory sealed, all special abilities gone, he didn''t sense it coming and barely reacted in time. Charles kicked a branch from the ground, gripped it in his hand, and whipped it back, striking his attacker''s wrist. The black iron rod clattered to the ground with a clang. Charles looked intently at his assailant and erupted in fury, shouting, "Why do you want to kill me?" The person who attacked him was a pirate from another section of the wall. The pirate''s face was panic-stricken as he yelled, "It''s boss Monkey that wants you dead, it''s got nothing to do with me!" Charles knew who this Monkey boss was. In the world of pirates, few bothered to remember others'' names, nor were many keen to reveal their own, as they all had dishonorable pasts. Consequently, nicknames were the norm. Boss Monkey was also a Beastman, though Charles didn''t know his exact lineage. He was surely from the Moken Tribe, naturally red-faced and extremely cunning, with a heavy hand in all affairs, brutal to his subordinates and even worse to the slaves. Rumors even abounded that he had a grim taste for human flesh, often killing a slave to secretly cook and eat. Charles couldn''t recall offending Monkey boss, but he wasn''t one to harp on the past. After all, they were enemies now, so why bother with the reason for their enmity? That would just be seeking trouble, boring himself, and indulging in self-torment, wouldn''t it? Charles picked up the black iron rod. Although it wasn''t very long, measuring about one and a half meters, it felt rather light as he swung it with his Hunchback Red Bear physique; still, it was much better than a branch. The pirate who had attempted to ambush Charles, seeing his expressionless face, thought he didn''t dare to offend Boss Monkey and turned to run. Charles waited for him to run more than ten steps before he let the iron rod fly from his hand, smashing it onto the head of the ambushing pirate and bursting his brains out. Charles was sometimes soft-hearted, but when it came to someone trying to kill him, he consistently showed no mercy. After killing the pirate with one blow, Charles walked over, picked up one of the pirate''s legs, and dragged him towards another section of the wall. Boss Monkey, who hailed from the Moken tribe, was laughingly whispering with a few of his subordinates when he saw Charles and immediately panicked. He hastily grabbed an iron fork and shouted, "Charles! What do you think you''re doing?" Charles bellowed, "You had your men ambush me, trying to blow my brains out. I demand a duel with you!" Boss Monkey began to chuckle again upon hearing this. His recent panic was because he had a guilty conscience¡ªhe wasn''t thick-skinned enough. But he certainly wasn''t afraid of a bear person who had just joined the Golden Goat Pirate Group. The beastman pirate yelled, "We have a distinguished guest from the New Continent who wishes to eat bear paws, and you are the only Bear People here." "I originally intended to let you die peacefully, but since you refuse to go quietly, I''ll have to kill you myself!" Waving his arms, he called out, "Everyone, attack together!" Boss Monkey had the demeanor of a small-time pirate leader, full of bluster. But once he spoke, he chickened out and didn''t lift a finger himself. Dozens of pirates immediately charged forward. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire On St. Michael Island, fighting was an everyday occurrence, with deaths happening daily; power ruled over all, with no concern for right or wrong, and no place for justice or rationale. Charles took a deep breath, forcing himself to quickly adapt to the pirates'' ways. Facing the first pirate who rushed at him, he sidestepped and tripped the attacker with his foot, then swung his stick and instantly struck the back of the pirate''s head. This vulnerable spot, hit by the iron rod, meant certain death for the pirate, who wasn''t a transcendent and had no protective fighting spirit to save him¡ªhe died without uttering a sound. Charles even found time to mock, "You don''t even say goodbye before leaving? No manners at all!" Charles had learned martial techniques from the bear people, including the Hundred Bear Chief, Xiong Ba, Xiong Mi, and even Xiong Wandi. His use of the Old Bear Stick Technique was truly skilled. Facing off against dozens alone, he was not at a disadvantage and quickly knocked down five or six men. The pirates were hardly elite soldiers; good at bullying when they had numerical superiority, they soon began to falter as the tide turned against them, and gradually, no one dared to move forward. Charles ignored the pirates who surrounded him, neither daring to engage nor willing to back down. He charged with his black iron rod towards Boss Monkey. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beastman pirate roared, holding the iron fork with both hands and thrusting it at Charles''s chest. Charles deflected it with the back of his hand, knocking the fork aside. The two fought viciously for several rounds. The transformed Hunchback Red Bear Charles had greater strength and more exquisite stick technique. He deliberately feigned a flaw, then brought the stick down and broke the neck of Boss Monkey from the Moken tribe. Charles let out a triumphant howl to the sky as the seed of power in his lower abdomen suddenly exploded... Chapter 279 272, Jump down No matter if it was his past life or this one, Charles experienced Fighting Spirit for the first time. However, it wasn''t the Knight''s Fighting Spirit of the Human Race, but the Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit of the Beast Tribe. Bloody Glory belonged to the overall category of Fel Energy. Although close to Fighting Spirit, it was not Fighting Spirit, and when he converted Bloody Glory into the Asiluo Clan''s Stellar Battle Qi, it still wasn''t Fighting Spirit. Blood Flame Qi... Well! Blood Flame Qi is also part of Fel Energy, not Fighting Spirit. But Charles Mecklen wasn''t so fixated. As long as he could become Transcendent, any type of path was acceptable, which is why he gave up studying Fighting Spirit during his college days to practice Bloody Glory instead. Charles Huang Haisheng cared even less about what he practiced. In fact, he would have preferred to become a Dark Moon sorcerer, but since his predecessor had already created the character, he had no choice but to continue on the path of Bloody Glory towards Transcendence. Charles stood proudly like a bear, radiating the glow of Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit, holding a murderous black iron club, and with a sweeping glance, the pirates along this stretch of the wall trembled with fear, not knowing who had the wit to suddenly shout, "Welcome, Lord Qian Nan, to take charge of our squad." Charles was very pleased with the fellow, calling out, "Does anyone object?" With his recent killing of the monkey boss and the outbreak of Bloodthirsty Fighting Spirit, clearly having advanced to Transcendent, how could these ordinary pirates dare to resist? They all believed that if someone now voiced disagreement, they would be adding supper for their new leader that evening. Beastmen love to eat humans, a notion deeply ingrained in the pirates'' hearts as an innate trait of the beastmen. Charles himself had not expected that without standing out in his original squad, he would become the leader in another. Pirate society was inherently chaotic, with frequent private fights and deaths being common occurrences. For these ordinary pirates, considered fodder, even if they got a new leader, no one would care. Charles becoming the leader of a few dozen pirates didn''t elicit any reaction from the mid-tier of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, and the higher-ups were completely unaware. With his recent experience, he quickly blended in with the slaves and pirates under his management, even promoting a dozen strong slaves to the rank of pirates, secretly teaching them the Beast God Shapeshifting Art - Hunchback Red Bear Warrior transformation, thereby greatly strengthening his squad''s capabilities. The Beast God Shapeshifting Art was the trademark Secret Technique of the Orc Assassin Alliance, and the cat masks created through the Beast God Shapeshifting Art even served as an identity proof of an assassin hailing from the Orc Assassin Alliance. Before Charles, no human had ever practiced it. For a bear person to know the Secret Technique of the Orc Assassin Alliance was seamless. Even though they were taught the Beast God Shapeshifting Art - Hunchback Red Bear Warrior transformation, it was unlikely that any of these slaves could ascend to Transcendent status, and even if one or two managed to do so through relentless effort, it would probably be a matter of years, or even decades later. Charles''s intent wasn''t to cultivate Transcendents. He had two purposes: practicing the Beast God Shapeshifting Art could increase strength, just like how people on the Knight''s path could augment their physique through breathing techniques before ascending to knighthood. At this time, Charles''s identity was that of a beastman, a young Hunchback Red Bear. This identity had its advantages, as beastmen would feel kinship towards him, but it also had its disadvantages, as humans would be wary of him¡ªafter all, beastmen didn''t have a good reputation among humans. But for the slaves who received his teaching of the Beast God Shapeshifting Art - Hunchback Red Bear Warrior transformation, regardless of their origins, they naturally grew closer to him, experiencing a subtle sense of "kinship." Half a month had passed since Charles entered Saint Michael Island, not just stabilizing his footing, but also roughly grasping the city''s intelligence on this island. Saint Michael City had a population close to one hundred thousand, which would be considered a large city even in the Old Continent. Keep in mind that the capital of the Behemoth Duchy, Mostar Fortress, was roughly this size, and the combined population of the top ten cities on Song Spirit Island might still be less than that of Saint Michael City. However, the population of this island city consisted mostly of transient individuals, accompanying pirate ships and merchant vessels including pirates and black market traders, and slaves who had been sold here. The actual members of the Golden Goat Pirate Group numbered just over thirty thousand, with more than half of them being full-time pirates. The rest were low-rung pirates responsible for menial tasks; they had neither the qualifications to go out to sea nor the privilege to board the ships and, in some cases, they could even become part of the merchandise themselves. For example, if some big shot had a craving for bear paw, the monkey boss dared to set his sights on Charles, sending people out to "hunt the bear for its paw." However, with the monkey boss''s failed attempt at flattery, his death was just that, and there was no one to avenge him. These menial-task pirates nominally belonged to the Golden Goat Pirate Group, but in reality, they were divided into more than a dozen groups, each led by a Transcendent-level boss. Charles had killed the monkey boss and unleashed his Fighting Spirit, which had already caught the attention of many pirate group leaders. During this time, there were occasional hints suggesting he join a certain leader. These low-level pirate leaders, although they had advanced to the Transcendent level by chance, lacked vision and savvy, extending no "serious political promises" when trying to recruit; not even the promise of becoming a captain, leader, or deputy. Charles paid them no heed. An excited pirate came running over, even calling out loudly, "Boss! Someone is willing to sell the thing you''re looking for, but the asking price is a bit steep." As a Bear Person, Charles obviously couldn''t use the martial techniques of the Vampires, as all Blood Clan techniques required various special abilities to drive them. Simple moves were of mediocre power, and he was looking to procure a bear-tribe weapon. On Saint Michael Island, there weren''t going to be any weapon shops, and since he couldn''t acquire his preferred meteor hammer, he thought of getting an iron chain. What Saint Michael Island didn''t lack were ships, and naturally, the iron chains for anchors were in ample supply, though most vessels wouldn''t carry many chains. Charles had gone out to purchase a length of iron chain and had yet to succeed. This pirate brought back good news, but Charles wasn''t particularly excited. He viewed this weapon as just a makeshift tool; it didn''t really matter whether he had it or not. He asked indifferently, "How much are they asking for?" Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire The pirate replied, "Five Gold Pounds!" Charles cursed, "Tell them to go to hell! Even an Extraordinary Weapon isn''t that expensive. They want five Gold Pounds for a lousy iron chain? Are they robbing me?" The messenger pirate was somewhat confused and answered, "This iron chain was stolen! They attacked a merchant ship, killed the crew, burned the ship, and after taking the treasures aboard, they realized halfway through that the anchor was a bit heavy. That''s when they discovered the anchor chain from the First Order merchant ship." "However, they are adamant about the price and refuse to lower it." "They also said that if there aren''t five Gold Pounds, they''d rather dump it into the sea than let us have it at a discount." Charles snorted and had no intention of buying the exorbitantly priced chain. He didn''t trust these pirates and believed that even if he was willing to pay the asking price, they would still hike it up on the spot. Besides, although he had earned a position as a small-time leader, where would he get the money? The monkey boss hadn''t dropped a single Gold Coin when he died, and all his money was in Machu Picchu; Charles simply couldn''t afford such an expensive weapon. Charles said, "Let them throw it into the sea!" "It''s just a piece of iron chain; the sea''s got plenty of that stuff." Charles saw a patrol team approaching from afar and quickly kicked away the small-time pirate in front of him. The patrolling pirates were genuine members of the Golden Goat Pirate Group and were full-time pirates, not to be trifled with by the menial-task pirates like them. As the patrolling team approached, a middle-aged pirate glanced at Charles and asked, "Are you that Qian Nan?" Charles replied with a naive smile, "Yes, that''s me. Do you have any orders, officer?" The middle-aged pirate replied with a cold smile, gesturing towards the sea beneath the city walls, "Jump down!" His fellow pirates burst into laughter, displaying mocking expressions, eager to see Charles make a fool of himself. This pirate, nicknamed Black Seahorse, enjoyed tormenting the menial-task pirates the most, and making someone jump into the sea was his habit. If anyone resisted the order, he would use the excuse of disobedience to inflict severe punishment. With over a hundred bottom-tier pirates having died by his hand, he was notorious throughout Saint Michael City. When Charles heard the command, he showed no sign of resistance; he even mime a preparatory run-up but as he passed by the pirate Black Seahorse, he suddenly reached out, grabbed him, and they both jumped off the city wall together... S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 280 273, Eleventh Order vs Fourth Order The Black Seahorse was caught off guard and actually got caught by Charles. As he was suspended in mid-air, he cursed loudly, "Brat, I will make you die a miserable death, enduring endless torture..." He was not worried about being in danger. Although the walls of Saint Michael City were high, the sea was below, and as a Fourth Order Transcendent, he was confident he could easily escape the predicament. The Black Seahorse, along with Charles, fell into the water. The impact from leaping off the city head caused both to sink quite deep into the sea. The pirate leader could no longer curse out loud and thought bitterly, "Once I get back to the city, I''ll throw you into the dungeon and use all sorts of cruel torture to make this Bear Person realize what true cruelty is." "You think just because you''ve ascended to a Transcendent, you can be respected on St. Michael Island?" "I must tell you, a First Rank Transcendent is nothing." The Black Seahorse was about to use his abilities to resurface when he took a heavy blow in the abdomen. The force of the blow was not great, but it was extremely cunning, as if a high-velocity bullet had penetrated his Protective Battle Qi, causing all his energy to disperse. After plunging into the sea, Charles returned to his human form, struck with one blow, and without sparing another glance, he used the Beast God Shapeshifting Art to transform back into a young Hunchback Red Bear and emerged from the water. When Charles reversed Bloody Glory and channeled it into Stellar Battle Qi, he reached as high as the eleventh order, just a step away from becoming a High-Level Transcendent. Since his arrival, he had always been fighting with opponents who were many levels higher than himself. It would be too unworthy of his time if he couldn''t kill a Lower-Ranked Transcendent with one strike on the rare occasion that he faced one, wouldn''t it? As Charles surfaced, the essence of life in the Black Seahorse''s body suddenly contracted, converging into one point, making him look as terrifying as a skeleton. In the next second, this concentrated life essence suddenly exploded, shattering the Black Seahorse into pieces, yet eerily, not a single drop of blood was to be found. This was a Special Ability stemming from Stellar Battle Qi ¡ª Dark Corrosion! Charles usually fought against opponents who were ranks above him, so the might of this Secret Technique was not apparent, as his adversaries were either exceptional geniuses or powerful figures who could withstand the Secret Technique, Dark Corrosion. However, Dark Corrosion was one of the secret techniques of one of the three emperors of the Blood Clan, the Asiluo Clan, and its bizarre and overbearing nature was undoubtedly revealed when faced with a mere Fourth Order pirate. Charles shouted excitedly on the sea''s surface, and soon a rope was lowered by his subordinates, pulling him back up. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Black Seahorse''s subordinates waited on the city head for a long time but never saw their leader come up. The group of pirates looked at each other, not knowing what to do. The Black Seahorse could toy with Charles because the Black Seahorse was a Fourth Order Transcendent. But there was no second Transcendent among the Black Seahorse''s subordinates. How could they dare to swear at Charles, a Transcendent, or even blame him? Pirate groups only respect personal strength; who cares about your status? Even if these pirates were formal pirates, they wouldn''t dare to blame Charles. As time passed and the Black Seahorse still didn''t resurface, the pirates grew increasingly alarmed, sensing that their leader was done for. Charles took the towel handed to him by a subordinate, causally wiped the seawater from his face, and with a naive smile, said, "Do you want to follow me from now on?" ``` The full-time pirates glanced at each other a few times and silently followed in Charles''s footsteps. This was a pirate group where no rules applied¡ªstrength ruled supreme. Without a powerful leader to protect them, they couldn''t maintain their status; they might turn into lowly pirates responsible for menial tasks in the blink of an eye. Although Charles might not be an ideal leader to side with, these pirates didn''t really have much choice. Charles took this group of pirates and his original followers on a patrol, swaggering around, and then went back to the inner city without showing any fear. There were simply too many members of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, more than the population of a common small city, and few pirates had any kind of management talent, so everything was fairly chaotic. The lowly pirates doing menial tasks formed cliques, and hardly anyone cared about them. The full-time pirates were slightly better off but not by much. After replacing Black Seahorse, Charles took over his residence and his patrol duties. Initially, he was somewhat anxious but soon found out that no one cared, and nobody even asked him, "Where did Black Seahorse go?" Enjoy new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire Charles had lived in a peaceful era and, due to his age, had never witnessed so-called underworld societies, mafias, gangs, clubs, or fraternities. Therefore, he truly couldn''t understand how killing the leader simply allowed one to take over another''s power¡ªwhat kind of social state was that? However, Charles quickly adapted to his new identity and his new "job," and began the usual "troop enhancement." The part of the city wall patrolled by Black Seahorse had about ten sections, each overseen by a group of pirates accompanied by slaves, varying from several hundreds to a hundred or so. Charles didn''t interfere with these small pirate groups since the pirates were unruly and hard to tame. Instead, he picked out two to three hundred slaves from among them, expanding his direct troop to over five hundred. The lives of these slaves were bleak and hopeless. Most were grateful and considered in debt to him for their rescue, proving far more loyal than the pirates. Among these rescued slaves, Charles chose the strongest dozen and taught each of them the Beast God Shapeshifting Art, specifically the Hunchback Red Bear Warrior transformation. Only a small part of the slaves were Beastmen; most of the slaves trafficked on Saint Michael Island were human. Although the slaves taught the Secret Technique couldn''t elevate to Transcendents in such a short period and only gained a bit of strength, learning the Transformation Technique naturally made them feel a kinship with the young bear men, as if they had met someone from their hometown. As for the leaking of the Secret Technique, Charles wasn''t worried at all. First, he only chose to secretly teach slaves who didn''t know anyone on Saint Michael Island and were oppressed, making them closer to him. Second, he was taking a risk and didn''t care much anyway; he believed that as long as he showed enough strength, everyone would choose "loyalty." Charles''s rapid rise among the pirates soon caught the attention of the higher-ups. One of the ten great captains of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, nicknamed Deep Sea Squid, who commanded three ships, suddenly singled out Charles to accompany him in welcoming the flagship of the Golden Goat fleet. Charles had no clue why he was singled out, but he took his followers to the port anyway. Deep Sea Squid was one of the higher-ups in Saint Michael. Apart from the captain, the Golden Goat Pirate Group had five vice-captains and then the ten great captains, each commanding over a thousand subordinates and owning at least three ships. One of the pirate leaders Charles had dispatched before was one of the ten great captains of the Golden Goat Pirate Group. So, Menilman said he was "quite famous" on Saint Michael Island. ``` Chapter 281 274, Ancient Magic Warship Crazy Horse Davis had colluded with the slave trader Chatham and the Golden Goat Pirate Group in order to ambush him on the sea. Charles saw through the two men''s trickery. During the first sea battle, he fired a blunderbuss at a burly bearded pirate. The pirate leader who died in frustration was one of the top ten generals of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, nicknamed Monster Eye! After Charles killed Monster Eye, it caused a huge uproar within the Golden Goat Pirate Group, with many old pirates swearing to kill him. At that time, the Golden Goat Pirate Group was preparing to launch a major attack on Cappadocia. Coincidentally, James Cook and Francis Drake had just taken the White Sea Dragon and the Titan Whale to dock in Cappadocia, which made the pirates abandon the idea. They were pirates, not battlefield madmen. Although the fleet of the Golden Goat had two Transcendent-class warships, no one was inclined to clash to the death with the navy of the Inglima Empire. Charles was completely unaware of the situation above. He didn''t know that he had killed one of the top ten generals of the Golden Goat Pirate Group. Because he had killed Monster Eye with a single shot at that time... In fact, Charles didn''t even remember the incident now. If someone were to mention he had once killed a certain bearded pirate, Charles''s first response would certainly be, Who is this guy? Charles waited a long time at the port before he saw the deep-sea squid coming out with his pirate followers without any reaction upon seeing Charles. Charles didn''t do anything unnecessary either, like running over to "chat." After more than an hour passed, a small black dot finally appeared on the sea surface. Thanks to the Blue Rattlesnake''s special ability "Eagle Eye" provided to him, Charles could see that the small black dot on the sea surface was actually a warship. Although the distance was still far, Charles was already shocked. Though the Golden Goat''s fleet had a Magical Alchemy Warship, the flagship was another vessel, the Ancient Magic Warship¡ªthe Queen Bee! The Queen Bee was touted as the fastest ship among the Seven Seas. No one knew how it had been built, nor did anyone know who had built it. The Queen Bee had been guarding the Kingdom of Saint Michael ever since its inception. Charles was also very curious about this legendary warship. Across the Seven Seas, there are a total of twelve Legendary Warships. Ships like the White Sea Dragon and the Titan Whale, which are magical alchemy warships, do not make the list. The design of the Queen Bee was not at all like a product of this medieval era. Its hull was slender, at least three hundred sails long, and its bow rose high with the head of an ancient female demon mounted on it. Well, not a sculpture¡ªit''s the kind of head that was chopped from the neck of an ancient female demon. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire It was said that this ancient female demon, named Dumusha, could turn everything she saw into water streams when she opened her eyes. Transcendents might be able to resist a bit, but ordinary warships that were in sight of Dumusha''s head, which hung from the bow of the Queen Bee, would immediately turn into water streams, merging with the vast ocean. This was also the Queen Bee''s ultimate weapon! It was also the guarantee of the Queen Bee''s dominance over the Seven Seas. The hull of the Queen Bee was painted with countless transparent bees'' wings, which was a magic array that had been lost to time. It allowed the ship to sail against the wind and waves at a speed that dominated the Seven Seas. It was said that in ancient times, some people had mastered the true method of controlling the Queen Bee, enabling it to travel to another world. Each wing on the hull was also a gunport, allowing one to look around from inside the ship, but from the outside, one could not see within. Charles had heard of the Queen Bee before and had even seen some literature about the Queen Bee at the university. Arriving at St. Michael Island, it seemed that everyone was raving about this flagship of the Golden Goat. But seeing it for the first time, he was still a bit awestruck. Charles thought to himself, "If senior could get the Queen Bee, she really could dominate the Seven Seas and become a major force on the ocean..." "Hmm, I think the Queen Bee suits me better." Charles was truly grateful to Menilman for her promotion and did have feelings for this senior that were limited to clinging to her coattails. When with Krel and Ebner, Charles tried his best to blend in, but he really wasn''t a true bootlicker like Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei. If he had the chance to take the Queen Bee, he would certainly keep it for himself. He would never give it up to Menilman. That would be a sin! The speed of the Queen Bee was indeed very fast. It appeared above the sea surface and within a few hours, it was already in the waters around St. Michael Island, slowing its pace and gradually approaching the shore. A tall, imposing man with a strong presence slowly levitated into the air. He had three golden rings on his hand, but they were definitely not ordinary gold, for they emitted a strange glow, extremely dazzling and eye-catching. This man was the leader of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, Golden Ram Herolf, a Sacred Order Transcendent. The deep-sea squid immediately took everyone to greet him. Herolf did not linger at the harbor but went straight to his palace. The deep-sea squid followed him, but left Charles behind to welcome the pirates who would return later. A few more hours passed before a fleet appeared on the sea. This fleet consisted of ordinary merchant ships, or warships converted from merchant ships, just like the fleet Charles had in Cappadocia City. By the time this fleet docked, it was already evening. Countless pirates disembarked, swarming into St. Michael Island, while the wealth and slaves plundered from the ships were Charles''s responsibility to unload and deliver to different people. The largest share, naturally, went to the owner of St. Michael Island, Golden Ram Herolf, followed by the five deputy leaders and then the ten captains, and only after that was it distributed to the lower and middle tiers of pirates based on their contribution to the raid. Piracy is a profession without a salary, with income entirely based on plundering. Therefore, the pirates who could go out to sea and stage a large raid were generally wealthy, and the leaders were even wealthier, with Herolf being rich enough to rival nations. On the other hand, the pirates who couldn''t go to sea were quite impoverished, barely getting by with menial work, only slightly better off than slaves. Moving wealth for others was a hard and thankless job. Charles led his men and worked all through the night, finally managing to deliver the goods to the pirates'' dwellings. As dawn just started to break, Charles returned to the harbor. Gazing at the Queen Bee, he felt an intense longing. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Men love cars. Why don''t they like ships? It''s because they can''t afford them. Why don''t they like spaceships? It''s because Earth''s technology cannot produce them. If Charles had money, he would buy a second-hand carriage. Now, with an Ancient Magic Warship right before his eyes, he experienced a sense of "This thing will eventually be mine" ¨C a tiny, determined notion. Chapter 282 275, brother, can you take me on a tour around the Queen Bee? Although most of the pirates had left their ships, there were still some who remained on board. When a pirate slipped down from the Queen Bee, Charles suddenly approached, stuffed all his money¡ªwhich was a bundle of unidentifiable national currency¡ªinto the pirate''s hand, and whispered, "Brother, could you take me for a tour on the Queen Bee?" The pirate glanced at the money in his hand, chuckled, and said, "You have ten minutes." He pocketed the money and took Charles onto the legendary warship. Charles, feeling exhilarated, followed the pirate up to the deck and was about to enter the cabin when he heard the other say, "You can only go this far, not inside." "You''ve got eight minutes left." Charles asked, "Only on the deck?" The pirate flashed a toothy smile and said, "Of course! Your bit of money just gets you to step on the deck." Charles glanced around, noticing the quietude of the ship since most people had already gone ashore to revel. Life on the high seas was rather dull, and no sailor could remain calm once ashore. Those unlucky enough to stay on the ship were lazing around somewhere, lowered their guard because they were back in their den. He took a deep breath, slightly bowed his head, and his stature shrank a bit. The pirate who led him aboard had a smug smile freeze on his face, but before he could cry out, he was punched in the stomach, feeling all his life force concentrating there. He desperately wanted to shout, but his body could no longer support him, and Charles blurred in his vision before turning all dark. Charles glanced at the pirate who had turned into a mummified corpse, slightly gathered energy, and shattered him into bits. As for why there were some remains on the deck? By the time someone came to check, several hours might have already passed. Charles didn''t revert back to his bear form but strutted into the cabin. In the Hunchback Red Bear''s young state, his strength had fallen too severely, making it impossible to adapt spontaneously. Moreover, the identity of a Hunchback Red Bear was not prestigious and provided no aid in blending into the Queen Bee, even risking exposure of his identity. Charles could kill and plunder and make his getaway¡ªwithout "Qian Nan" there, the plan for inside-out collaboration would fail. Two pirates were talking and walking out. On seeing Charles, both showed a look of surprise, but one of them, unbothered, while the other asked, "Who are you? How did you get on the Queen Bee?" Charles smirked slightly and said, "Old Mark took a sum of money from me to let me come aboard for a stroll." The two pirates didn''t know who Old Mark was. With nearly a thousand pirate sailors on the Queen Bee and several named Mark, the inquiring pirate frowned displeasedly, snorted coldly, and said, "I don''t care who took your money, get off the ship quickly before I flay you and throw you into the sea to taste the flesh-killing brine." Charles reached out with both hands and with two snaps, twisted the necks of two pirates, casually opened the nearest cabin, and tossed the two bodies inside. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire After slightly dealing with the "blood scent", Charles even stripped a set of clothes from the two pirates, along with two rapiers. The pirates had handguns on them too, but Charles, deeming them of poor quality, didn''t take them. On his way, Charles encountered seven or eight pirates. Some of them didn''t care who this young man was and just brushed past him, while others were more "diligent," or perhaps foolishly courting death, and tried to stop Charles, only to be killed by him, meeting their grim demise. Charles was a Mid-Level Transcendent, and even among them, he was of a high segment. He was proficient in various Special Abilities, excelling in both Gunmanship and Swordsmanship. He could instantly kill Low-Level Transcendents and was confident in taking down other Mid-Level Transcendents with seven or eight out of ten certainty. But how many Transcendents could be in a pirate group? If Charles wasn''t concerned about alerting the High-Level Transcendents of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, or even the Sacred Order Golden Goat itself, he would have been confident enough to activate "Unparalleled." Charles had once spent some time on the Legendary Warship and even had his own fleet, so he roughly knew the structure of a ship. He made his way directly to the Captain''s Cabin but found the door guarded not only by two pirates but also by a thin red strange snake that coiled around the doorknob like a rope. While the two pirates seemed steady and were likely Transcendents, Charles wasn''t too worried about them. However, the strange red snake made him quite wary. Without daring to get close, Charles circled around to the outside, activated the Colorless Blade, and stabbed a hole in the neighboring wall. Using the Bloodflame Transformation Art, he transformed into a mass of Blood Flame and drilled through. Charles continued to create holes with the Colorless Blade and then drill through using the Bloodflame Transformation Art. After winding around, he suddenly entered a rather spacious room, brightening before him. He glanced at the room''s furnishings and felt confident he was in the right place. After a brief survey, he spotted a mirror. Overjoyed, Charles stepped into the mirror in one stride. This mirror only reflected the Captain''s Cabin. When Charles entered the Mirror World, he saw more than ten people piled into a "tiny" Captain''s Cabin, all crew members of the Queen Bee, but surprisingly, Golden Ram Herolf was absent. Charles guessed this was because the level of Golden Ram Herolf was too high for the Mirror Spirit to be able to replicate him. The Mirror World was too cramped and overcrowded for firearms to be practical, so Charles had to rely purely on his skill to deal with a throng of Mirror Spirits in the confined space. For a genuine member of the Fanga Clan, Mirror Spirits were just as powerful as they were themselves, making them tough to deal with. But for Charles, who specialized in Bloody Glory and spent more time studying the Secret Techniques of the Asiluo Clan and Adonis Clan, and possessed several powerful Extraordinary Weapons, had considerable experience dealing with Mirror Spirits. Even faced with a mob, he managed to hold his own, and after a fierce half-hour battle, he had completely eradicated the Mirror Spirits. Charles didn''t linger in the Mirror World but drilled back out, took down the mirror, and haphazardly shone it around to ensure that every corner of the Captain''s Cabin was drawn into the Mirror World. He then reflected the door gap before hanging the mirror back up again. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After doing all this, he suddenly felt a chilling sensation, as if someone was watching him. Charles turned toward the windows of the Captain''s Cabin. This cabin had five "bee wing-like" windows, meaning five portholes. Now, in each bee wing-shaped porthole, there was a Mirror Spirit looking coldly at him, each in different postures, some sitting, some lying down. Charles shrugged his shoulders and stepped into one of the bee wing-shaped portholes. Chapter 283 276, Welcome to the Queen Bee. Mirror Spirit stood atop the tumultuous sea, like a prince of the Sea Race, even performing an Empire salute, smiling as he said, "Welcome to the Queen Bee!" Charles, faced with Mirror Spirit''s greeting, couldn''t help but ask, "How did you become so smart?" Mirror Spirit smiled elegantly and said, "It''s because your strength has increased." Charles glanced at the surging seas around him, suddenly realizing something. The mirror in the Captain''s Cabin could only reflect the cabin itself, but the portholes had experienced all the oceans the Queen Bee had sailed through. It was the largest mirror world he had ever seen, truly boundless. Of course, Mirror Spirit wasn''t telling the truth. Charles could even sense an odd aura on this Mirror Spirit that didn''t belong to the Fanga Clan, most likely a mysterious force from the Queen Bee was affecting it, leading to changes he couldn''t have anticipated. Charles drew his Blood Rose. Mirror Spirit also drew a Rapier, taking a combat stance. Charles, slightly raising his eyebrows, executed the angelic twelve-chapter swordsmanship, and Mirror Spirit performed the same technique. Both were fast, and they fiercely fought fifty to sixty moves in an instant. For every sword strike by Charles, Mirror Spirit countered with an identical one, matching speed, angle, and variations in sword technique perfectly. This was indeed fighting "the mirror image of oneself." Charles was not the least bit alarmed. In the heat of the battle, he pressed on the Blood Rose, and miraculously, a Red Rattle Tail Snake appeared in his hand, and he decisively pulled the trigger. Miraculously, a handgun appeared in Mirror Spirit''s hand as well, but it didn''t pull the trigger; its face only showed shock and the embarrassment of being deceived. Charles fired several shots, killing the Mirror Spirit standing on the ocean''s surface. Even as its body shattered, dissolving into nothingness, the look of disbelief remained on its face, not understanding why Charles had a power it couldn''t replicate! Having killed this Mirror Spirit, Charles sensed faintly that he had grasped a bit of the Mirror World, which felt strange. Only by killing a Mirror Spirit could one control the Mirror World, and having only a slight control like this had never happened before. He soon realized there was only one possibility, that the five portholes'' Mirror Worlds had connected together. Charles suddenly had a bittersweet thought, musing, "Why did I struggle to climb up here? With the Queen Bee''s hive-shaped portholes everywhere, if I just mastered each Mirror World one by one, I could freely come and go aboard the Queen Bee..." "I''m still too accustomed to thinking from a normal person''s perspective, forgetting this is a Supernatural World." Charles raised his gun and killed a leaping fish, knowing the Mirror World was troublesome. The Queen Bee had sailed through numerous seas, and the Mirror World was too vast. It wasn''t feasible to adopt his previous method of killing every creature he encountered; it simply wasn''t possible to kill them all. Charles could only trick the Mirror Spirit into coming out to kill it. The shot just now had easily killed a Mirror Spirit, but it would also warn the other Mirror Spirits, making them more cunning. Charles closed his eyes, then suddenly smiled, tossing the Red Rattle Tail Snake high into the air with his eyes still shut. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the Red Rattle Tail Snake reached its peak, it began to fall rapidly until it was close to the sea surface, when suddenly two figures materialized from thin air, reaching out for the Red Rattle Tail Snake. The Vampiric Pistol suddenly flipped its barrel, and a bloody large hand appeared on its handle, repeatedly pulling the trigger and exploding the two Mirror Spirits. Charles indeed felt it, the Mirror World that he could control had expanded by more than threefold. He smiled, suddenly stepped forward, and indeed stepped into the "water" soon reaching the bottom. A mirror could never reflect the ocean floor. Although the sea in the Mirror World is vast and even the waves can be high, it cannot have the depth of a real sea, as its water is very shallow. The Flame Hand returned the Red Rattle Tail Snake to Charles, who took the Bloodsucking Handgun, spun it in his hand, and commanded, "Part the Sea!" From under Charles'' feet, a white line unfurled, splitting the boundless ocean into two halves, one controlled by Charles'' Mirror World, the other by the two other Mirror Spirits. Two "Charles" appeared from the Mirror World. Being Mirror Spirits, they didn''t understand human cunning and thought Charles, with such a grand setup, had found a way to deal with them, and that a thunderous strike was imminent. The two Mirror Spirits, one wielding a rapier and the other holding guns in both hands, saw Charles fire seven or eight shots, all deflected by their weapons. Charles felt a chill because the strength of these two Mirror Spirits had slightly improved compared to the ones he had just killed. However, Charles had also discerned that these two Mirror Spirits were the real deal, not mere illusions. Having infiltrated St. Michael Island, he hadn''t brought the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullet, and the killing of the three Mirror Spirits earlier had been a deception, shooting them unguarded. Charles moved swiftly, grappling with the two Mirror Spirits. The two Flame Hands casually spun the magazine of the Red-Blue Rattlesnake to "Devouring Life" mode, shooting continuously at the sea behind the two Mirror Spirits. As the Flame Hand-operated Red-Blue Rattlesnake killed each sea creature, Charles'' controlled Mirror World expanded slightly. Fear appeared on the faces of the two Mirror Spirits who screamed together, as the sea behind them in their Mirror World suddenly boiled over, with countless big fish, sea monsters, and sea creatures crossing the white line, attacking Charles''s controlled Mirror World. Charles also smiled slightly and likewise manipulated his Mirror World, spawning numerous marine lives to counterattack. The two Mirror Spirits hadn''t anticipated that whenever the fiercest sea monsters appeared in their Mirror World-controlled sea, the two Flame Hands would decisively shoot and kill them. Charles''s controlled Mirror World was far stronger than theirs, turning their attacks not only ineffective but also worsening their situation. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Charles advanced layer by layer, suddenly the Mirror World dimmed slightly, one of the Mirror Spirits'' powers suddenly dropped, and he swiftly cut it down with a sword, killing another Mirror Spirit. Charles then held the absolute upper hand in controlling the Mirror World, and moments later, he killed the last Mirror Spirit. Completely controlling the Mirror World of five portholes, Charles stood on the sea in the Mirror World, snapped his fingers lightly, and the Mirror Worlds inside these five portholes merged into one with the cabin''s mirror. Just as Charles was about to exit the Mirror World, he heard voices; through the Mirror World, Charles looked toward the Captain''s Cabin and saw Golden Ram Herolf scolding some subordinates. Chapter 284 277, Treasure and Queen Bee Charles had lingered for far too long in the Mirror World, his actions of boarding the Queen Bee and killing several people were finally exposed. He hastily turned his head back, not daring to pay more attention, for Golden Ram Herolf was of the Sacred Order, and might detect something. Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Golden Ram Herolf still looked towards the porthole, but he didn''t suspect anything, as the Queen Bee was no ordinary magic ship. As one of the twelve Legendary Warships atop the Seven Seas, no one could come and go freely. Moreover, his Captain''s Cabin was guarded by two Transcendents and a magic serpent; no one could easily get in. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Golden Ram Herolf was extremely angry; he bellowed, "Someone actually let an enemy infiltrate the Queen Bee! What on earth have you all been doing?" "And now we still haven''t found the person!" "Damn it! Damn it all!" Those under Golden Ram Herolf''s scolding didn''t dare make a sound; they too were clueless as to how someone had managed to infiltrate the Queen Bee, as this place was St. Michael Island, where outsiders simply couldn''t enter. They had also made inquiries, and no one saw any strangers board the ship! Charles had encountered several pirates who didn''t care to meddle in others'' affairs, but these pirates were reluctant to invite trouble upon themselves. Given Golden Ram Herolf''s volatile temper, and unpredictable mood swings, to admit they had seen a stranger could lead to questioning why they didn''t intervene, and possibly followed by severe punishment. Pirates who could survive in the Golden Goat Pirate Group were well-acquainted with Golden Ram Herolf''s temper and understood the value of staying out of trouble. This, unintentionally, had helped Charles a little. After venting his anger, Golden Ram Herolf sat in the captain''s chair, his rage still unabated, and ordered, "I will have the Queen Bee find that intruder." Gently rubbing a Golden Ring, Herolf soon heard a buzzing sound that started softly but quickly intensified, echoing from bow to stern, the sound of flapping wings could be heard in every corner. Countless peculiar black insects manifested from the void, targeting every corner of the Queen Bee, initiating a thorough search. Charles dared not look outside, for fear of alarming Golden Ram Herolf, but the Mirror World would reflect everything from the outside world, and the black insects'' mirror images also appeared in the Mirror World. Charles caught one of the black insects and felt a twinge of familiarity; suddenly, he remembered that in Cappadocia City, he had killed two subordinates of the slave trafficker Chatham¡ªRed-beard Morgan and Poison Bee Jack¡ªand had seized two extraordinary objects, one being a finely-crafted Crystal Vase, the other a Bag of Insects. The black insects released from the Bag of Insects looked identical to the one in his palm. He hadn''t paid much attention to it initially, but now, upon closer inspection, it indeed resembled a wasp, only longer and larger, entirely black but actually, amidst the blackness, were faint dark red patterns. Charles thought to himself, "So this is the Queen Bee? Quite fitting indeed. But what is the connection between the Queen Bee and the Bag of Insects?" "I recall hearing that Red-beard Morgan and Poison Bee Jack brought two extraordinary objects from a deep sea treasure; could it be that treasure is connected to the Queen Bee?" Charles then opened his hand again, allowing the mirror image of the Queen Bee to fly away; he did nothing more, and waited quietly for a long time. Golden Ram Herolf, using the Queen Bee, searched the entire warship thoroughly, inside and out, three times over, and still found nothing, which was quite alarming. An enemy capable of easily infiltrating the Queen Bee, escaping calmly, or even hiding, was indeed a huge headache. Herolf, for the sake of his dignity, didn''t admit that he couldn''t find Charles but simply whispered in a low voice, "Consider him lucky, he''s already escaped." He dismissed his subordinates and stayed alone in the captain''s cabin for a while, then suddenly looked up at the porthole, observing the tumultuous sea, and St. Michael Island not far off. "Lately, everything seems to be a bit off, Menilman has her sights on me; had she had a Transcendent warship, she nearly would have finished me off last time. Where did that woman find two of the Sacred Order to help her?" "One of them I recognize, must be Tumishen from the Orc Assassin Alliance, and the other one..." "Damn it, where do all these Sacred Order come from?" Herolf poured himself a glass of wine, gulped it down, and started to get slightly agitated, having had a duel with Zimmerman in his early years. On the surface, there was no clear winner which contributed to his fame. But only Herolf knew that in that duel, he used a Secret Technique that involved sacrificing destiny to withstand Zimmerman''s torrential assault. Afterwards, he was forced to pay a price to fate and since then, his strength had ceased to improve. Herolf drank another two glasses of wine, and began muttering to himself in discontent, "If I hadn''t encountered Zimmerman back then, my strength would not be at a standstill now, and that woman Menilman would be no match for me." "Even with help on her side, I have the Queen Bee and would not be at a disadvantage." "It''s all that damned Zimmerman''s fault." "I heard the guy died!" "Good riddance." Herolf had initially planned to spend the night on St. Michael Island since the city was much more comfortable than the ship, but after the intrusion incident, he couldn''t be bothered to go back. After drinking an entire bottle of wine, he laid down in his clothes on the bed and soon fell into a deep sleep. Charles made no movements, simply remaining in the Mirror World. The next day, Herolf went ashore once more, and only then did Charles crawl out from the porthole. He didn''t enter the Queen Bee but used the Quickness Technique to quietly drift to another porthole, waved his hand and then very roughly reached in, pulling the Mirror Spirit out. As a transmigrator, Charles had pondered over many weaknesses of the Mirror Spirits and one hypothesis was, what if he only reflected part of his body in the mirror? This attempt proved that when he only waved a hand over the porthole, the Mirror Spirit''s strength was only that of a single hand... The Mirror Spirit, dragged out through the porthole, screamed silently and turned into black smoke under the sunlight. Charles immediately sensed that he had gained another Mirror World. The hull of the Queen Bee was painted with innumerable transparent bee wings, densely packed with thousands of portholes. Even though Charles had discovered a minor bug with the Mirror Spirits which greatly increased his efficiency, the task was still progressing slowly. He had to be wary of being seen, often needing to enter the Mirror World to avoid the pirates'' eyes and ears, which further delayed him. By the afternoon, Charles had only managed to handle less than a tenth of the portholes. He even considered soaring up, making his shadow appear in all the portholes, but reason stopped him from such a suicidal action. Charles was sure he could not handle more than five Mirror Spirits at once. Chapter 285 278, Infinite Mirror Realm脳2 If it were just an ordinary mirror, that would be one thing. The Fanga Clan members occasionally shattered mirrors by accident, and the broken pieces would give birth to dozens, if not hundreds, of Mirror Spirits. Mirror Spirits could only exist within the Mirror World. Only by killing their original owner could a Mirror Spirit take their place and step out of the Mirror World, becoming a dangerous apparition. As long as one didn''t enter the Mirror World and gathered up and destroyed the broken pieces of the mirror, those Mirror Spirits would vanish. Enjoy new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles could not possibly abandon the task, manipulating all the portholes aboard the Queen Bee. Although he couldn''t take over the Queen Bee with this alone, it brought him one step closer to doing so. Charles caught a Mirror Spirit, watched it scream silently, and then turn to ashes. Suddenly sensing something, he quickly hid inside the porthole. Dozens of pirates strode toward the harbor and boarded the Queen Bee. One pirate glanced at the porthole, of course seeing nothing. Charles snapped his fingers, linking this porthole to the Mirror World he controlled. In an instant, countless silver Bloody Runes were born in his eyes. These newly born silver runes formed a second mirror, and the two sets of silver runes combined to establish a remarkable connection¡ªthis was the Infinite Mirror Realm x2! This was also a brand-new Special Ability, which could be called¡ªMirror Gate! Mirror Gate could create a Mirror Gate at any time and place, allowing one to return to the Mirror World through it. If put bluntly, it was akin to carrying around a mirror that controlled the Mirror World. This ability was an unparalleled escape Divine Skill for the vampires of the Fanga Clan. This was also why the Fanga Clan, despite not being known for strong offensive power or impressive Martial Techniques and Spells, could still solidly remain one of the Three Emperor Clans. The vampires of the Fanga Clan were very difficult to kill. They were the best assassins due to their ability to appear and disappear unpredictably. Charles had already taken control of the Mirror Worlds within hundreds of portholes, and when connected, he could almost monitor a large part of the Queen Bee. The ocean within the Mirror World was vast and boundless, as though without limits. An ordinary mirror, placed in a certain spot, would hardly move and could only reflect a small area, so the Mirror World it created would not be too big. The Queen Bee had been in existence for at least several hundred years, having sailed through numerous seas and docked at countless ports, which made its Mirror World immensely vast. Even if he carried a mirror and toured for decades, Charles might still not be able to create a Mirror World larger than that of the Queen Bee. Moreover, the existence of the Mirror World depended on the mirror itself, and if it were broken by accident, Charles'' decades of hard work would go to waste. The Queen Bee itself was an Extraordinary Object and nearly indestructible, making its formed Mirror World extremely stable. This was another crucial reason why Charles was unwilling to give up control of all the portholes on the Queen Bee. The Ancient Magic Warship soon set sail. Charles found it odd that Golden Ram Herolf hadn''t moved with the warship. After some hesitation, he chose to temporarily leave the Queen Bee. Charles leapt out of the Mirror World and dived back to the harbor, still using the Beast God Transformation Technique, he transformed into a little Bear Person. He had been away for several days, and his subordinates dared not ask any questions. One of the top ten generals, the deep-sea squid, sent someone over once. Transcendent wasn''t there, and the general didn''t bring up anything. Charles had been ready to flee through the Mirror Gate if his identity was exposed, but nothing happened in the end. It can only be said that in a place where pirates gather, chaos abounds, and there is no reason to be found. Over the past few days, Charles had been fighting continuously with the Mirror Spirit and was somewhat tired, especially since the drain on his spirituality was substantial. It was only after resting for two or three days upon returning to St. Michael Island that he regained his spirits. Another reason for Charles''s return to St. Michael Island was to verify some things. Back when he was a slave, he had no personal freedom at all. Even if he wanted to escape, there was nowhere for him to go on St. Michael Island. Afterward, as a lowly pirate doing menial work, he still couldn''t move around freely; his freedom was limited. But after replacing Black Seahorse, he gained the qualification to go anywhere except the Imperial Palace. After regaining his spirits, Charles found an excuse to take a tour around Saint Michael City. Back in the day, the Kingdom of Saint Michael was exceptionally wealthy, making this city, a fusion of mountain and island, a giant fortress rarely seen in Inglima and Fars. The city is divided into seven layers, with the Imperial Palace, of course, at the very top. The second layer is where the nobles of the former Kingdom of Saint Michael resided, and now it''s inhabited by the five deputy leaders and the likes of the top ten generals of the pirate groups. The third layer is where the middle-class pirates, dark merchants who come and go from St. Michael Island, slave traders, and guests of mysterious status stay. This layer also constitutes the commercial trade area with pubs, casinos, slave markets, and pirate bazaars. The fourth and fifth layers are for barracks and warehouses, and the sixth and seventh layers are where the lowly pirates, who perform menial work, and the slaves reside. Charles went directly to the third layer, and after casually looking around for a while, he found a shop with display windows. Seeing that no one was around, Charles calmly entered the Mirror World, which was quite vast. After all, it had reflected the streetscapes of Saint Michael City for many years and had been frequented by countless pirates, slave traders, and underground merchants. He saw a Mirror Spirit identical to himself, propping up its cheek, sitting on a stone stool by the roadside. Upon seeing him, it shrugged its shoulders and said, "I really wish I could walk in the outside world like you." "You should know, this place is too small, really too small, and really too dull." "Can you lend me your body just for a little while?" "I''ll just go out for a short time and come right back to give your body back to you." Charles shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Sure!" Overjoyed, the Mirror Spirit reached out its arm to touch Charles, but what awaited it was a slim rapier. Charles stabbed the Mirror Spirit through with his sword, felt the Mirror World for a moment, and still found it was not under his control before saying, "You''re actually lying!" When the Mirror Spirit reappeared in the crowd, it was about to shout out these words in anger, but Charles preempted it. Charles now held a Red Rattle Tail Snake handgun and fired six shots in rapid succession, all of which were dodged by the Mirror Spirit with bizarre movement techniques. He knew that the Mirror Spirit would get stronger and stronger, but he hadn''t expected this one to be more troublesome than any other he had encountered before. This was not surprising since his Infinite Mirror Realm had advanced. The Mirror Spirit also drew a handgun identical to the Red Rattle Tail Snake. Although it did not possess Special Ability properties, each bullet could deliver a full-powered hit of a First Rank Transcendent. The two exchanged more than a dozen moves in the streets of the Mirror World, moving at high speeds as if performing parkour, showing off even cooler gunmanship than Gun Fighting Technique. Charles suddenly revealed a smile and flung the Blood Rose at the Mirror Spirit as quick as lightning. The Mirror Spirit also threw a rapier, but its face immediately showed a look of horror as if it knew it had made a mistake¡­ Chapter 286 279. Purely malicious In front of Charles, a Flame Hand appeared, seizing the rapier projected by the Mirror Spirit. In front of the Mirror Spirit, a large hand of flames also emerged, but in its eyes, despair was much more pronounced. Charles''s Blood Rose was an Extraordinary Weapon, whereas the rapier thrown by the Mirror Spirit was just an ordinary mirrored one. Charles''s Flame Hand was the Secret Technique of the Adonis Clan, while the Mirror Spirit''s fiery hand was only a reflection, lacking the subtle mysteries of the Adonis Clan''s Secret Technique. Therefore, Charles''s Flame Hand easily crushed the Mirror Spirit''s projected rapier, but the Blood Rose pierced through the Mirror Spirit, turning it into ashes. Having gained control of this Mirror World, Charles left immediately. He strolled through the third tier of the city of Saint Michael, took control of five shop window Mirror Worlds, and then found a secluded spot to deploy the Mirror Gate. Charles, of course, did not return to the five Mirror Worlds he just controlled nor did he choose the Queen Bee; instead, he appeared on Elysian Pastoral Avenue. Charles did not go home. Taking advantage of the early daylight, he bought a few mirrors, hired a carriage, and headed straight for Machu Picchu. He was going to Machu Picchu to retrieve the Crystal Vase and the Bag of Insects, as these two items were definitely related to the Queen Bee. Charles planned to take them on board the Queen Bee to try them out. Without the luxury of darkness, his journey was slightly inconvenient, causing some delay before he could get the two Extraordinary Objects. Then, using the Mirror Gate, he appeared on the Queen Bee. The direction in which this Ancient Magic Warship sailed was, astonishingly, towards Notruden. Charles did not know why this Ancient Magic Warship was heading for Notruden, but it did not hinder him from conducting a small experiment. Charles released a black insect, or it could be called a Queen Bee! Without being directed by the holder of the Bag of Insects, this black insect circled around Charles, headed downwards, and made a beeline for the bottom hold of the Queen Bee. Curious, Charles transformed into a wisp of Blood Flame and followed closely. All of a sudden, an endless malice surged towards him like a monstrous wave. In that instant, Charles couldn''t even breathe. He even thought he was once again facing the Evil God. The bottom hold of the Queen Bee had no floor, just an intense darkness that was impenetrable. Within the darkness, numerous black Queen Bees buzzed, their dark red eyes filled with all the malicious thoughts of humankind. The darkness of the hold occasionally churned, generating a powerful force that transmitted to the strange Magic Arrays surrounding the hold. Charles could sense that this mass of darkness was the driving force behind the Queen Bee, and it did not originate from this world. Charles suddenly understood why the ship was named Queen Bee; its power source was a "hive" capable of spawning extreme darkness and pure malice. He didn''t know what that thing was. But he knew, this thing was very sinister. The black Queen Bee released by Charles had mingled into the darkness, and could no longer be located. He took out the Bag of Insects, this Extraordinary Object produced a bizarre attraction, and countless Queen Bees swarmed towards it, voluntarily burrowing inside. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire Charles touched his chin, thinking to himself, "Can it only collect some Queen Bees? This thing isn''t very useful!" Just as he was about to try out the Crystal Vase, he felt an immense oppressive force. A colossal creature rose from the dark depths beneath the ship, seven or eight feet tall. It had a strikingly beautiful head and the upper body of a voluptuous woman but coupled with the body of a giant bee, its lower half was that of a massive Queen Bee. Its wings vibrated behind it, producing a grating sound like teeth grinding. Charles propelled himself with Blood Flame, bursting out of the hold, when suddenly, he heard a thunderous boom. The gigantic creature had pounced onto the sealed deck of the hold, shaking the entire Queen Bee. Charles, with his heart still racing, thought to himself, "What kind of monster is this?" He heard the continuous, thunderous roars below. The creature was slamming against the hold like it had gone mad, as if it could burst out at any moment. Not daring to linger any longer. No sooner had Charles left than a dozen or more pirates appeared in the hold. They dared not go down to the bottom of the ship; one of the pirate leaders shouted, "Pull it up!" Soon, a group of slaves was brought over. The pirates threw dozens of slaves into the bottom of the ship, and shortly after, countless screams were heard, along with the chilling sound of crunching and chewing. Charles did not witness this scene, but he did see the pirates taking a group of slaves down. After a while, there was no more noise from the hold, and the pirates all came up, but the slaves were nowhere to be seen. He immediately knew what had happened. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group of pirates had sacrificed the lives of the slaves to appease the monster, calming it down. Charles couldn''t help but take a sharp intake of breath, not having expected the Queen Bee to be such a sinister Ancient Magic Warship. Although it was proven that the Crystal Vase and Bag of Insects were certainly related to the Queen Bee, they seemed to have no use, except that the Bag of Insects could contain some Queen Bees and enrage the Queen Bee''s Queen. Charles did not feel any gain. In the following days, he worked hard to "conquer" the Mirror World. By the time the Queen Bee reached Notruden Island, he had already mastered half of the porthole windows. These porthole windows combined to form a collective Mirror World, and Charles had a fairly good understanding of the places the Queen Bee had sailed to. He discovered a great secret: the Mirror World reflected by the Queen Bee''s portholes showed the scene of its construction. The Queen Bee was not built in the Seven Seas, but on the Old Continent. The Queen Bee did not dock at Notruden but at a port about five or six hundred kilometers away from Notruden. It was a military port, and Charles even saw the warships of the Inglimar Empire''s Royal Navy. Although he knew the slave traders colluded with the officials of Cappadocia City, he had not imagined that the Golden Goat Pirate Group would have an understanding with the Inglima Navy as well. But on second thought, that was normal. Any empire needs a clean glove to do its dirty work. If Inglima engaged in this, Fars certainly did too; it was just that Charles''s status was not high enough to have come into contact with it yet. This could also explain why when the White Sea Dragon and the Titan Whale appeared at Cappadocia City, the Golden Goat fleet gave up attacking, and the Inglimar Royal Navy had never shown the intent to attack Saint Michael Island. Charles learned from the pirates'' discussions that the Queen Bee would stay at this port for a week. He suddenly felt like making a trip to Notruden to see an "old friend". Golden Ram Herolf was not aboard the Queen Bee; what better opportunity could there be? Understanding is a very subtle thing. Not everyone is in on it. While some in the Inglima Empire colluded with pirates, there were definitely others... who knew nothing of it. Chapter 287 280. Princess Mays Charles Mecklen was a 25th rank, fifth-class administrator in Fars, a 24th rank, first-class councilor in the Inglima Empire, and the Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace. In the Inglima Empire, Charles had transcended insurmountable social classes, and upon returning to Inglima, he flourished even more than in Fars. Indeed, the Augusladin High Priest was still in Notruden. Upon arriving in Notruden, Charles immediately went to visit the Augusladin High Priest. The High Priest, content in Notruden and unconcerned about Fars, was cheerfully riding in a carriage to discuss some church matters with local priests of The Lord of Radiance when he heard the sound of the carriage door being opened and a young man burst in. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the Augusladin High Priest saw Charles, he was extremely surprised and asked, "Why have you returned to Notruden?" Charles shrugged his shoulders and said, "Due to personal matters!" "I know you do not care about money and glory, High Priest, but there is an opportunity to save the people of Fars that you surely would not want to miss." Though the Augusladin High Priest had his quirks, he was indeed a true member of the Sacred Order. In Charles''s plan, this High Priest was very important. When the Augusladin High Priest heard about money and glory, his eyes lit up and he asked, "What opportunity is this?" Charles answered with a smile, "There is an Ancient Magic Warship belonging to pirates docked at a port hundreds of kilometers away. I discovered this news by chance..." The voice of the Augusladin High Priest trembled as he asked, "Is this true?" An Ancient Magic Warship, incalculably valuable and belonging to pirates, essentially meant it had no legal owner and could be openly seized. Charles replied, "Of course, I was hiding on that ship when I came to Notruden Island." "Moreover, there is no Sacred Order aboard the ship, High Priest, before you it is like a defenseless, pure virgin." The excitement of the Augusladin High Priest grew even more, but after a few minutes of excitement, he fell into contemplation and said, "Unless you can find another member of the Sacred Order, I will not make a move." Charles did not ask why the High Priest had made this condition, but he immediately agreed, saying, "It''s possible!" The Augusladin High Priest showed a smile that said ''just as I thought'', a smile filled with profound meaning, as though holding back a flood of complaints. As Charles was planning to visit someone else, he heard the High Priest say, "Go to 698 South Sevantes Riverside Street." Charles was startled and asked, "What''s at 698?" The High Priest answered with a smile, "Princess May came back from Fars and switched to a new carriage." Charles suddenly felt uneasy, and rightly so, as the High Priest continued, "It''s that black luxury of yours." "Originally, the Great Eldest Princess resided at 699 South Sevantes Riverside Street, seldom leaving the house, but now she goes to the bookstore every day, and every time she leaves, she rides in the black luxury, and all of Notruden knows it..." Charles defiantly said, "How does this concern me?" The Augusladin High Priest patted his shoulder and said, "You probably don''t know yet, but Emperor Alfred Guillaume has recently promoted you!" "Mister Charles Mecklen, you are now a 23rd rank, second-class councilor, the Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace and the Literary Advisor of the Yuquan Palace!" This news was indeed surprising and delightful, but Charles did not understand why the Augusladin High Priest connected all these events together. The High Priest saw that he seemed somewhat bewildered, so he delivered the final heavy blow, speaking with a smile, "The reason for your promotion is that you''ve won the great delight of the Great Eldest Princess." Charles couldn''t help but blurt out, "Isn''t this just forcefully creating a public image?" And it was even encouraged by none other than the Emperor of the Inglima Empire, His Majesty Alfred Guillaume himself! The Augusladin High Priest didn''t understand what "forcefully creating a public image" meant, but he still said with a smile, "You''ve arrived at 699 South Sevantes Riverside Street!" "Mister Charles Mecklen, I wish you good luck!" "Should you find another of the Sacred Order to act, I am at your beck and call." Charles got down from the carriage, feeling somewhat dazed as he looked at the small hill beside the Sevantes River and hesitated... Five minutes later, he was standing in the lobby of 699 South Sevantes Riverside Street. He hadn''t even said anything when he was outside, and the door opened by itself. It was Charles''s first time visiting the private residence of Princess May, similar in style to number 698, also quite large, with many books piled up in the rooms. The Great Eldest Princess was still clad in a black robe, her demeanor cool and aloof, not even preparing a glass of water for Charles. Abiding by the principle of "since I''m already here," Charles straightforwardly made his request, saying, "There is an Ancient Magic Warship of pirates docked at a port hundreds of kilometers away, and it has no Sacred Order overseeing it. I want to gather a few people and seize it." Princess May was silent for a while, then asked, "Is it the Queen Bee?" Charles nodded and replied, "Yes, that ship!" Princess May said, "You can''t seize it!" Charles was slightly surprised and asked, "Why?" Princess May coldly explained, "The control core of the Queen Bee is one of the three Golden Rings, now in the hands of the Golden Ram Herolf, and its storage container, the Crystal Vase, has long been lost!" "With the Golden Ring in his possession, Herolf could destroy or sink it, but as long as the Golden Ram summons it, it will return to St. Michael Island." Charles''s body trembled with excitement as he took out the Crystal Vase and handed it to Princess May, asking, "Is this it?" Princess May felt the Crystal Vase, took down the opulently dark ring and handed it to Charles. All the excitement Charles had momentarily felt vanished. Princess May was quiet for a while, then unusually explained, "Even if you obtain the Queen Bee, you won''t be able to keep it!" "But under my name, no one else would dare to target it." Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire Charles''s sense told him that Princess May spoke the truth; if he were to quietly take the Queen Bee, all would be well, but having alarmed the Augusladin High Priest and Princess May, surely many would know that this Legendary Warship was in the hands of a Mid-Level Transcendent. Not to mention that a decree from the Central Government Office of the Fars Empire or an order from Julius Axler could plunge him into difficulties. Even assuming nominal ownership by his senior, Menilman, wouldn''t be safe due to Menilman''s status, which was not sufficient to stop the covetousness from the Empire''s upper echelons. But under Princess May, there would be no problem at all. She was, after all, the aunt of the current Emperor of the Inglima Empire, His Majesty Alfred Guillaume the fifteenth. Chapter 288 281, St. Michael Island is blessed Princess May seemed to feel that her explanation was not enough, and after a while, she added another sentence, "Without the Golden Ring, you can only temporarily shelter the Queen Bee. Even if you want to turn against the Fars Royal Family and control the Queen Bee to sail the Seven Seas, it''s not possible." Charles sighed and asked, "Is this crystal vase really the container for the Queen Bee?" Princess May retorted, "Haven''t you already got your hands on it?" Charles gave a sheepish smile and said, "I got it unintentionally, I didn''t know what it was for! Although it is also a crystal vase, it might not necessarily be the storage container for the Queen Bee." Princess May said coldly, "Don''t you know the origin of the Queen Bee?" "It was one of the seven Magic Warships built during the pinnacle of the Sherlock Dynasty''s national power!" Princess May turned the crystal vase upside down and said, "You can look at its bottom, there is the royal insignia of Sherlock!" Charles took it and glanced at it, saw nothing, and then used his Insight. The crystal vase briefly lit up and became transparent, revealing indeed an insignia at the bottom. However, what surprised Charles was that the vase contained half-filled "water" that barely seemed to move when shaken. Only after a while did the water in the crystal vase begin to shudder, but there was something odd about it¡ªit felt like it wasn''t just water in a bottle but a piece of the sea, with the splashes emerging not as spills but as waves. All of a sudden, Charles had another question and asked, "Even if it''s the container, what if it doesn''t match?" Princess May replied indifferently, "This thing is designed to be universal!" Charles was left with one last question, "When do we depart?" Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire Princess May said, "Now!" Charles thought to himself, "Actually, there''s no rush!" But since Princess May had agreed, he was not going to make unnecessary complications. Just as he was about to ask whether they would fly directly or take a carriage, he saw Princess May put a finger to her lips, whisper a few words, and then make a throwing gesture with her hand. After a minute, Charles heard the voice of the Augusladin High Priest outside, speaking in a very respectful manner, "Your Great Eldest Princess Royal Highness, I have never left and am ready to depart with you at any time." Only then did Charles realize that the old fellow had never left. Princess May reached out to grab Charles and slowly ascended. Enveloped in pink Fighting Spirit, Charles felt much more comfortable than during the previous "sister flight", and even had the leisure to glance at the High Priest Augusladin, who followed leisurely behind. In the blink of an eye, the three of them flew out of Notruden, heading straight for the naval port. This time, Princess May did not stop but flew directly, and from afar, they saw the Queen Bee. She then let go of Charles and silently glided down, slipping into the cabin of the ancient Magic Warship. The High Priest Augusladin followed closely behind. Charles suddenly felt somewhat superfluous. As a Mid-Level Transcendent, what was his role in a battle of the Sacred Order? To stand out unnecessarily? Soon the entire Queen Bee began to tremble, and countless wings on the ship buzzed, while the ancient siren known as Dumusha that was hanging on the prow let out painful howls, yet her tightly closed eyes never opened. Charles truly feared what would happen if that thing opened its eyes; he wasn''t sure he could withstand the supernatural abilities of the ancient siren called Dumusha. By all means, this siren, if not an Evil God, was not far from it, and a mere Mid-Level Transcendent was truly insignificant in comparison. The Inglimar Royal Navy at the port grew tense, not understanding what was wrong with this pirate ship. The Queen Bee had docked there before, always quietly arriving to load and unload goods before leaving without a fuss; it had never caused any trouble. The wings of the Queen Bee shrank suddenly, and countless compound eyes opened on the hull, each made up of thousands of tiny eyes. Charles hurriedly pulled up his clothes to cover himself, not daring to imagine what would happen if he was seen by these compound eyes. A shrill voice suddenly rose, reminding Charles of the monster half-woman, half-giant bee on the underside of the ship. He was starting to worry about Princess May when the high-pitched sound abruptly stopped. He heard Princess May''s voice saying indifferently, "It''s done." Charles opened his eyes and didn''t see the Queen Bee, only Princess May and the Augusladin High Priest with a face full of ecstatic joy. He asked, "Where''s the Queen Bee?" Princess May took out a tiny crystal vase, and Charles looked at it, unable to discern anything special. He hastily activated Insight, and the crystal vase became transparent. Inside, on half of the water''s surface, floated a tiny ship. Aside from being really small, wasn''t that the Queen Bee? Charles, both shocked and delighted, asked, "What about the pirates inside?" The Augusladin High Priest shrugged his shoulders and said, "They volunteered to merge with this Ancient Magic Warship." Charles remembered how the pirates had thrown slaves into the bottom of the ship and couldn''t bear to think further. After all, they were pirates guilty of heinous crimes; perhaps this ending was acceptable. Charles gave the crystal vase back to Princess May. Although the Queen Bee was worth a fortune, in its current state, it was useless to him. It was safer in the hands of Princess May. If it were the normal Queen Bee, Charles wouldn''t mind forming a fleet and playing pirate himself. The Augusladin High Priest sounded slightly regretful as he said, "This Queen Bee is missing the key item to control it, the Golden Ring. It can only be used occasionally. If Golden Ram Herolf summons this Ancient Magic Warship, it can only be sealed in the crystal vase, otherwise, it would still try to find its master." Suddenly, Charles felt a sense of duty to get to work. As expected, Princess May said indifferently, "You go back to St. Michael Island and find a way to get those three Golden Rings." Charles took a deep breath and then heard Princess May add, "I hear you''ve already gained a little power there and should be able to hide a few people. The Augusladin High Priest will go with you. When it''s critical, he can offer you a little help." Charles''s eyes immediately brightened. Who was the Augusladin High Priest? A lover of beautiful boys... Pfft! Wrong, he is the High Priest of the Lord of Radiance at the Sacred Order. Sacred Order! With such an old timer, an old geezer like that accompanying him, St. Michael Island was in for a blessing. Golden Ram Herolf would have to respect that. It''s just a pity that the leader of the Golden Goat Pirate Group wasn''t a pure and beautiful virgin male; otherwise, everything would have been perfect beyond perfection. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles said in a low voice, "I will certainly retrieve that Golden Ring for Her Royal Highness the Princess." Princess May said indifferently, "Not for me, but for us." The Augusladin High Priest turned his head away, savoring the scenery with delight, using his body language and facial expression to indicate that he hadn''t heard anything just now. Chapter 289 282. Princess Mays New Ride When Charles woke up in the morning, he was of course residing at 698 South Sevantes Riverside Street. The place had been cleaned for him, and new furniture had been moved in. Then he saw an exceedingly peculiar "big ship" on the Sevantes River. Ah, the Queen Bee! Docked at the shore, the Queen Bee lay there peacefully, already exerting great pressure on the other ships on the river. After all, this was an Ancient Magic Warship, superior even to Inglima''s Magical Alchemy Warships. Even if you combined all the forces of the Five Great Empires and the New and Old Continents, there would only be a total of twelve such Legendary Warships. Yes, this warship was moored on the south bank. It was somewhat like waking up in the morning to find a spaceship parked in your own driveway. Not to mention the neighbors in the community, nearby police officers would probably have the military send someone over to ask if it was an alien invasion. Around the Queen Bee, there were indeed two warships, and on the shore, there was nearly a thousand-strong military presence. However, the most prestigious part was that three figures of the Sacred Order were floating in the sky. Charles felt the urge to go out and say, "Don''t panic! This is Princess May''s new ride!" "Given by me..." But he knew all too well that his influence was insignificant. His words would not be believed, so he waited patiently at home. Firstly, the three figures of the Sacred Order descended one by one, entering 699 South Sevantes Riverside Street. Shortly after, they came out and spoke to both the warships and the troops onshore, then left on their own accord. Not long after, the Red Dragon Palace dispatched an envoy, dispersing some of the troops and warships but leaving a regiment behind, obviously for Princess May''s use. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The leader of this military force was someone Charles recognized, an old acquaintance, none other than Ban Lanmalock! This youngest lion of Notruden appeared to have improved his Cultivation significantly. With every move, he exuded the aura of a strong figure. Charles thought to himself, "If I''m not mistaken, he must have advanced to High Order. His progress is so rapid." Seeing that the situation was resolved, Charles finally got dressed and got up. The location of 698 South Sevantes Riverside Street was truly excellent, as almost every bedroom had a view of the Sevantes River; some rooms allowed simultaneous views of the river that traversed Notruden and the cityscape. The bedroom Charles had chosen even offered endless vistas without him having to leave his bed. He descended calmly and upon spotting the temporary military camp cordoned off by several horse-drawn carriages, he courteously inquired, "Is Mr. Ban Lanmalock around? Please inform him that an old friend, Charles Meklen, has come to visit." Before anyone could send word, Ban Lanmalock himself emerged. Seeing Charles, his expression complex, he asked, "Why have you come to Notruden again?" Charles pointed to the Queen Bee on the river and replied, "I arrived on that ship. It was an unexpected journey, and I''ll be leaving soon." Although Ban Lanmalock''s tone wasn''t very pleasant, he actually bore no malice towards Charles. Last time, although not defeated by strength, he had wholeheartedly accepted his defeat and kept his promise, no longer pursuing Aurora Sumei. However, what troubled Notruden''s youngest lion was that he had thought Charles and Aurora would become a happy couple, but rumors of Charles and Princess May were spreading in Notruden, which made the young lion''s heart uneasy. He initially thought this matter was settled! But he soon witnessed Princess May, described as darkly luxurious, frequenting bookshops and bookstores, and he even heard that Princess May had obtained the rights from Charles to publish four novels. These rumors were quickly confirmed; the four novels were available for purchase all over Notruden. But... What made the heart of Notruden''s youngest lion even more uneasy was that the author of the book was Anne Meklen. It was said she was a young miss of the Brittany Family, a biological daughter of Earl Brittany from the Fars Empire. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire And that wasn''t all. People brought back various gossip about Charles from Fars, so outrageous that anyone with a "normal IQ" would find it hard to believe. For instance, Charles was once a guest in the homes of several barons and their wives and was even chased through the streets with a sword by a gentleman for his improper behavior, forced to run naked... And then there was... ``` Well, Ban Lanmalock simply didn''t believe it. Who was Charles? He was the man who had dueled with Notruden''s youngest lion on the Sevantes River and had won a fair and square victory. To say someone could chase him down the street with a sword until he ran naked... Wasn''t this an insult to the intelligence of all Notruden''s men? Who had such ability? The Sacred Order? The Sacred Order was not that cheap! Anyway, when Ban Lanmalock met Charles, everything was very complicated. He absolutely refused to believe that Charles was a frivolous whore. After all, he had seen Charles with his own eyes, who was indeed a gentleman. Moreover, both Aurora and Princess May were ladies of extremely discerning taste; how could they possibly fancy such a thing? But to say he was respectable? That didn''t seem quite right either, because Ban Lanmalock was certain¡ªthere were three ladies involved with him, and even the rumors involving Princess May were said to be endorsed by the Emperor himself, and the news was true. Even if it was unbelievable before, when Ban Lanmalock saw the Queen Bee, he really didn''t know what to feel. Because all the rumors pointed to one thing: This Ancient Magic Warship was a gift Charles had given to Princess May. What kind of gift was that! He had stolen the flagship of the Golden Goat fleet! And it didn''t require a crew! Because this warship was the flagship of the Golden Goat fleet, the royal ship of Saint Michael! Renowned across the Seven Seas. One of the twelve Legendary Warships. Ban Lanmalock really wanted to ask Charles, "How do you manage to make life so complicated?" "Is there no limit to your showboating?" Charles and Ban Lanmalock didn''t utter a word, just stood there. Ban Lanmalock had countless thoughts churning inside him, and Charles was also very nervous. He was worried that Ban Lanmalock might suddenly challenge him to a duel again. Charles had neglected his cultivation recently, and his level was a bit behind Ban Lanmalock''s now. Moreover, he didn''t have his Knight''s Spear with him. Nor did he carry any Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets. Relying solely on the Blood Rose and the two Red-Blue Rattlesnakes seemed a bit insufficient for a fight! Although the Red-Blue Rattlesnakes were high-priced Extraordinary Weapons, the shortcoming of firearm-type Extraordinary Weapons was that their power depended on bullets. Charles couldn''t condense High Order Energy Bullets himself, and without the Magic-Breaking Bombshell Bullets, he couldn''t bring out the true power of these two Extraordinary Weapons. Charles was pondering, how could he win based solely on swordsmanship? Then he heard Ban Lanmalock say, "The Red Dragon Palace has given an order for me to follow your command from now on. May I ask, what are we going to do?" Charles hadn''t expected that, aside from the Augusladin High Priest, he would have such an ally. This time, St. Michael Island was really blessed. This was very much like Emperor Alfred Guillaume! ``` Chapter 290 283. Mr. Rogge Ota Rivers changed his surname to Guillaume ``` Charles was certain that Ban Lanmalock was an Englima person who had no tacit understanding with pirates. So, he said bluntly, "We are going to eradicate the Golden Goat Pirate Group on St. Michael Island." "However, this is a military secret, and you cannot tell anyone." Ban Lanmalock was overjoyed and exclaimed, "As a man, to achieve great deeds is to seize the day. Mister Mecklen, rest assured, I, Ban Lanmalock, will give it my all." Charles actually didn''t know what to do either. He was just a minor undercover agent. The task Menilman had given him didn''t include capturing St. Michael Island single-handedly. His mission was to deliver messages, establish contact with the resistance force the Golden Deputy Goat on the island, and rescue the three members of the Sacred Order from St. Michael''s prison. Although all tasks were not simple, they fundamentally still fell within the scope of "internal support" activities; however, dispatching a great priest from Englima and also bringing Notruden''s youngest lion along with a troop of Englima''s army was definitely outside his remit. Charles could only take one step at a time. It couldn''t be helped, as the task was arranged by the Great Eldest Princess of the Inglima Empire, Anne, and it was also possible that some Emperor had a hand in it, leaving no room for refusal. In the entire Inglima Empire, there were few people who could make Ban Lanmalock follow orders so readily¡ªPrincess May couldn''t manage that. After all, the youngest lion of Notruden''s father was Count Ranmalock, and in his day, he was a figure who could stand side by side with Zimmerman. Charles hadn''t chatted with Ban Lanmalock for a few sentences before a group of messengers arrived, requesting Charles to go with them to the Red Dragon Palace. Charles had no choice but to bid farewell to Ban Lanmalock and follow the messengers to meet His Majesty Alfred Guillaume, the Emperor. Having gone through all the formalities, Charles once again saw the young Emperor. This time, Alfred Guillaume displayed an air of unconcerned tranquility and gracious magnanimity, flawlessly portraying the young Emperor of a vast empire, impressing every dignitary so much so that they would proclaim, "Truly, he is a sovereign among men!" Charles always felt something was amiss, but dared not speak a word about it. His Majesty Emperor Alfred Guillaume inquired about the matters concerning the alliance between the two countries and only engaged in a short conversation of about fifteen minutes. He did not ask Charles to stay for dinner and allowed him to leave. Charles breathed a sigh of relief, for he was actually quite intimidated by the young Red Dragon Emperor, but as he was leaving the Red Dragon Palace, a palace attendant hastily caught up with him, handed over a letter, without uttering a word, and then hurried back. When Charles returned to 698 South Riverbank Avenue in Cerventus, he opened the letter to find erratically flamboyant handwriting. The content of the letter was simple, just a few phrases: You have done very well; I didn''t expect that you could win over my aunt from the perspective of writing novels yourself; the two gifts were given with much thought. Lord Mecklen! Keep up the good work, and I won''t let you down. Your new position is already in process. The novels you wrote are not bad, but why is there only "The Legend of the Lionheart King"? There''s no "Red Dragon Emperor"? Hurry and write a book on the Red Dragon Emperor; the day you submit it, I will gift you a piece of land on the New Continent. After pondering for a while, Charles slapped his thigh and thought to himself, "I can only trouble Mister Rogge Ota Rivers to change his surname to Guillaume now." "Mister Qiu is in his prime and won''t cross over to this world for at least forty years, so I am quite safe." Having planned the new novel, Charles didn''t intend to start "mouthing" it immediately¡ªafter all, his fast-writing staff team wasn''t with him, and writing by hand was just too exhausting. Far away in Strasbourg, Garanord''s Home was hosting a dance. The protagonists of this dance were all quite young and of very prestigious identities. They conducted themselves with politeness and elegance, forming several small groups and chatting casually about various recent gossips. Even the war in Ferlanden was merely one topic of gossip among them, not the whole. At the center of the dance, naturally, was Sophia Garanord. ``` This Strasbourg Rose had little joy on her face; she preferred adventure over such tranquil, luxurious, and somewhat decadent social balls. A dozen or so young men were gathered around Sophia Garanord, engaging in animated discussion. There were other young men who wished to join them, but the dozen or so who were already there had distinguished status, naturally forming a barrier that made those of insufficient standing feel ashamed and dare not approach. These dozen or so young nobles were discussing the most scandalous gossip of late, none of which reached Sophia Garanord''s ears. Suddenly, a young man said, "I heard, Sophia, that you recently obtained a Transcendent spear. I wonder if you could let us appreciate it?" "Or perhaps we could each bring out our own treasured Knight''s Spear for comparison, to see whose is more precious?" This suggestion was met with cheers from the young men, all of whom were keenly interested in this Strasbourg Rose and wished to earn Sophia Garanord''s favor. A chance to overshadow others with a real coup, why wouldn''t they agree? S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They all believed that the Knight''s Spears treasured by their families could outshine any others. Sophia Garanord found the whole affair quite amusing and didn''t bother getting involved. A noble lady suddenly flitted over, saying, "Sophia! You are the pride of Strasbourg. Your collection of spears must be extraordinary. I''ve wanted to see them several times, but you''ve never agreed. Will you show them this time?" Sophia Garanord felt no fondness for this distant relative and noble lady, replying indifferently, "Sorry, but that spear was only lent to me by someone else; it''s not mine to show." The young man who had proposed the comparison of Knight''s Spears was somewhat embarrassed and retorted, "The Old Continent is rife with famous Knight''s Spears known by name; if you won''t show us, Sophia, at least let us know its name." Sophia Garanord, exasperated, responded dismissively, "It''s named ''Whale Slayer''." The word had barely left her lips when the entire room fell silent. Someone stuttered, "Is it the ''Whale Slayer'' known as Lionheart?" "The weapon of Notruden''s youngest lion?" What many were thinking, however, was whether it could be Count Ranmalock''s weapon? Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire After all, Count Ranmalock''s fame was unmatched in Fars at present. The young lady couldn''t help but exclaim, "How could you have possibly obtained ''Whale Slayer''? How is that possible?" Sophia Garanord said coolly, "A friend of mine won this Knight''s Spear in a duel on the Severn River, under the witness of Emperor Alfred Guillaume, against Retainer Lamarlock." "Indeed, he only lent it to me temporarily, so I really can''t allow you all to admire it." With that, Sophia Garanord strode away, leaving behind a group of young nobles with their heads swirling with imaginations. What does it mean to be the Strasbourg Rose? This is the Strasbourg Rose. She can easily have a friend who defeats Notruden''s youngest lion and "borrows" his Knight''s Spear for her pleasure. What is style? This is style... That was the unanimous thought among the bewildered young nobles who had been a part of the misunderstanding. Soon, the events at the ball spread throughout the noble circles of Strasbourg. The duel between Charles and Retainer Lamarlock was already known in Strasbourg, but rumors don''t care for the truth... Sophia Garanord herself didn''t expect that without telling a single lie, without deliberately guiding any public opinion or trying to do anything, she would end up at the center of the storm of gossip. The latest scandal about Charles dueling Notruden''s youngest lion for the Strasbourg Rose, even compelling him to hand over the family heirloom, the Knight''s Spear Lionheart ''Whale Slayer'', spread throughout Strasbourg, flying faster than news from the Ferlanden front lines. When Anne Brittany heard this gossip... Chapter 291 284, Miss Gunner Makes a Comeback Given that last time, a whole set of dinnerware had been smashed. Miss Annie Brittany did not lose her temper again, but she spent a considerable sum to hire the author who wrote the spin-off to make a second comeback, adding a new plotline to "The Legend of Charles". Charles Meklen bravely dueled the youngest lion of Notruden for Miss Annie Brittany and sent the spoils of his victory to Miss Annie to treasure forever. Annie believed that the whaling ship was only temporarily in the hands of Sophia Garanord, but it would always belong to her, Annie Brittany. She even decided that once she reclaimed the whaling ship, she would display it at 221B Baker Street in the Val de Vaz District and then invite a few noble ladies over for coffee. Annie even wrote a "monologue" personally for the Annie in "The Legend of Charles". "Indeed, I cannot compete with Sophia Garanord for the spotlight." "But in love, it''s victory, not reason, that counts." Charles was unaware that a stir concerning him had arisen in Strasbourg. He had stayed in Notruden for a few days, each passing with considerable ease, and he soon received two sets of promotion documents. The documents for his last promotion to a rank twenty-three class two councilor, Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace and Literary Advisor of the Yuquan Palace, had also just been received by him on this occasion. This time he was promoted to a rank twenty-two class three councilor, Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace and Literary Advisor of the Yuquan Palace, Cappadocia City, St. Michael''s City Administrator! Yes, this is what you call a meteoric rise. Yes, this is what you call the lavish grace of the monarchy! Upon receiving his official documents, Charles did not linger in Notruden any longer, but brought with him Augustine High Priest, Ban Lanmalock, and nearly three hundred elite warriors of the Inglima Royal Knights Order, sneaking back to St. Michael Island through the Mirror World. During Charles''s prolonged absence, a slight mishap occurred; the residence originally belonging to Black Sea Horse was now occupied by a pirate known as Angler. This pirate was quite shrewd; noticing Charles''s disappearance, he forcefully took over Charles''s influence and, conveniently, all of Charles''s possessions as well. When Charles returned, about seventy to eighty percent of his former subordinates immediately gathered around their "old leader" and recounted to him, all at once, the events that had transpired during his absence, with none raising "questions" about the newcomers Charles brought with him. The Augustine High Priest merely looked on with an amused smile, a bystander confident in Charles''s ability to handle the situation, while Ban Lanmalock''s fists hardened. For convenience during transit, this time he had switched to a Knight''s Spear forged by Classical Alchemy that could be stored as a ring, which he now took out with a swipe of his finger and charged into the fray. St. Michael Island was once a regular city where each family lived separately, but after being occupied by pirates, these pirates, in order to control their subordinates, formed districts. Pirates belonging to the same gang would occupy a small territory and live clustered together. There was no helping it; the pirates'' control over their subordinates was too weak. If the subordinates lived separately, they often mysteriously defected, being lured away or even joining other pirates on their own initiative. The Angler, heedlessly content for not even two days, was now training new female slaves in his new lair. Charles''s "old guard" simply didn''t acknowledge him, no one tipped him off, and his former subordinates were too disorganized to react, so no one informed him of the intrusion. When Ban Lanmalock burst into his room and saw the bloody scene, with several young women tortured and covered in blood, his anger erupted like a volcano. The youngest lion of Notruden, though of noble birth, was actually a youth with a strong sense of justice. His father, Count Ranmalock, had provided a very positive education, encouraging his son to help the weak, face enemies with courage, and keep promises... Because of his prestigious status and his exceptional qualities, he had never had the chance to witness the darker sides of society and had thought that pirates were just ordinary bad guys. Upon witnessing this scene, the youngest lion of Notruden erupted with rage the likes of which he had never felt before, skewering the pirate known as Anglerfish with his spear and lifting him into the air with a single thrust. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the pirate was a Lower-Ranked Supernatural, he was as fragile as a baby in the hands of Ban Ranmalock and did not even put up a serious fight before Ban Ranmalock had killed him. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire After killing Anglerfish, Ban Ranmalock''s fury had yet to be vented; all he wanted was to battle these despicable pirates. Charles followed him in, patted Ban Ranmalock''s shoulder, and said, "I always knew you were the best helper! Only a knight like you would dare to charge at a notorious enemy without fear of danger." Charles''s words slightly quelled Ban Ranmalock''s anger, to which he said in a low voice, "I want to kill all the pirates on this island!" Charles said, "I can promise you that, kill as many as you want." "But not now, we have to gradually build up our strength." Ban Ranmalock said softly, "I can call my father here." Charles cursed in his mind for Golden Ram Herolf, "Damn it!" Was this even human? The Augusladin High Priest was merely a "regular" Sacred Order. Count Ranmalock, on the other hand, was unrivaled and undefeated in his life, as renowned as Zimmerman and one of the fiercest warriors on the Old Continent! If this noble lord were to get involved in Saint Michael Island... Well, Menilman''s plan would be utterly doomed. Charles was not previously familiar with Ban Ranmalock, but now that he knew a bit more about him, he realized what kind of character the youngest lion of Notruden was ¨C truly like a lion, fiery in nature, not tolerant of even a speck of dust in his eye. But such a youth was also easy to manipulate, he said quietly, "You are the youngest lion of Notruden, not a weak youngster under Count Ranmalock''s wing!" Charles did not say anything, but Ban Ranmalock''s eyes sparked with a different light. His eyes burning bright, he said softly, "Charles, from today on, you''re my best friend. I''ve heard a saying from the New Continent, that one should have five kinds of friends, one of which is a loyal opposition¡ªsomeone who constantly advises and prevents one''s friends from making mistakes and keeps them on the right path." "You are my loyal opposition!" Charles did not yet realize that his own scandals and old news were already flying all over Notruden. Ban Ranmalock considered him a mentor and friend. If Count Ranmalock knew about it, he would probably be shocked, thinking his son had fallen into bad company while feeling quite pleased about it. He patted Ban Ranmalock''s shoulder and said, "Taking down Saint Michael Island is but a small step for the young cubs of Notruden to make a name for themselves!" "It is merely the beginning of your legendary life. How could you call for parental help at such a time!?" Well, the sister doesn''t count as a parent. Well, and the Augusladin High Priest is nothing... Although Charles''s words were righteous and filled with passion, this was, damn it, just about interests! Chapter 292 285. Rebellion in Saint Michael City St. Michael Island had fallen into Menilman''s hands, and Charles might have managed something, but in the hands of Count Ranmalock, Ban Ranmalock would definitely have claimed a hefty share, and Charles... Well, he might have ended up with an empty city. After all, if it had been Charles Meklen, he would have certainly devoured all the wealth accumulated over the years by the Golden Goat Pirate Group, sparing not a single person or a penny for outsiders. By his own measure, Charles assumed Count Ranmalock to be of the same cut. Otherwise, how could the Victory Champagne Count afford to throw parties with so much Fars-produced champagne? Charles Meklen, never managing to obtain even a single bottle at his level of a twenty-five fifth-grade city administrator, while Count Ranmalock could practically bathe in champagne. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire Well, perhaps as the Archives Commissioner of the Red Dragon Palace and Literary Advisor of the Yuquan Palace, Cappadocia City, St. Michael''s City Administrator, twenty-second third-grade senator, Charles Meklen could get his hands on a few bottles. Upon his return, Charles effortlessly killed a pirate leader nicknamed "Anglerfish," seizing all under his command. Logically, he doubled his followers... With plenty to spare! The name of Qian Nan, the King of Bears, gradually became well-known within the Golden Goat Pirate Group. Although the increase in manpower made Charles a significant force among the lower-tier pirates, he still failed to catch the attention of the pirate group''s upper echelon. Firstly, his personal strength was "not high," as he was merely a First Order Red Bear Warrior, and secondly, he didn''t own a ship. After all, in a pirate group, only those with ships could call themselves pirates; those without were merely foot soldiers. Without a ship, there was no way to go out and plunder, no plunder meant no income, and without income, there was nothing. If he were an ordinary pirate, he would definitely have tried to get a ship, but Charles wasn''t really a pirate and naturally had no interest in acquiring one, unless it was an Ancient Magic Warship or a Magical Alchemy Warship. About seven or eight days after Charles''s return, a "major event" finally shook the pirate group. The Golden Ram Herolf, desperately waiting for his flagship to return and using the Golden Ring to summon it, found no response even after a day had passed. The big-time pirate began to sense that something was amiss, but he still couldn''t believe that anyone would leave behind his Queen Bee. He sent his fleet to Notruden to welcome his flagship. In theory, the return of the Queen Bee would take a few days, and Herolf patiently waited on one side, yet he could not contain his temper and had already tortured dozens of female slaves to death. Every day, Charles and the others could see bodies being dragged out from the highest floors of Saint Michael City and then thrown into the sea. Ban Ranmalock mentioned several times that if he were not limited by his rank, he would have long gone up to Mount St. Michael to duel with the Golden Ram Herolf. Although Charles could bear it, he hastened his activities. Unfortunately, he truly wasn''t the man for this job, managing neither to find any trace of the Golden Vice Ram or to contact this resistance force. He also failed to discover the conditions of the three detained Sacred Order figures. As for transmitting messages outside, he did attempt it several times. Charles used the Mind Passage to send messages to Cappadocia City several times, but since this Special Ability was a one-way channel, he never received a response from Menilman. The atmosphere in Saint Michael City grew increasingly oppressive, and after about a dozen days, the pirate ship returning from Notruden finally brought back a "dire piece of news." Someone had seen the Queen Bee on the Sventis River. It was said that Fars''s famous writer Charles Meklen, in order to please Emperor Guillaume XV and the widowed aunt of His Majesty Albert, executed a strategy known as "Python," seized this Ancient Magic Warship, and presented it to Her Royal Highness the Great Eldest Princess. Her Royal Highness the Princess had the Queen Bee deliberately parked on the Sevantes River to show off, allowing all the residents of Notruden to gawk at it. As for why it couldn''t be summoned back, the pirates didn''t know the reason and could only guess that the Sacred Order of the Inglima Empire had intervened, suppressing the flagship of the Golden Goat fleet. Upon receiving this news, Golden Ram Herolf was furious and personally led the fleet away from St. Michael Island. Charles immediately passed on the news and also decided to do something. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With Herolf not in Saint Michael City, the city no longer had a Sacred Order to preside over it. If it had been before, Charles of course could do nothing. Saint Michael City still had five major deputy leaders and ten great generals! Although they wouldn''t all stay in Saint Michael City, some would go out to sea to plunder, but there were always six or seven people stationed. These great pirates, being either high-order or mid-order, Charles thought he could take on any single one of them, but challenging so many mid-high tier pirates was beyond his capabilities. But the past is the past, and now is now. Charles now had Augusladin High Priest, a Sacred Order. He also had Ban Lanmalock, the youngest lion of Notruden, who had just advanced to high-rank. Charles believed he could take on five ordinary high-rankers and, even setting the bar lower, could still take on three. Five hours after Herolf sailed out, Charles launched a "rebellion." Charles was not a professional in this field; he didn''t even bother with a pre-battle mobilization but directly took all his men and stealthily attacked the second layer of Saint Michael City. Of the five deputy leaders of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, only one remained, two went out to sea to plunder, and the other two followed Herolf to Notrudenia. Of the ten great generals, only three were present, the rest either went out to sea to plunder or followed the Golden Goat, marking the emptiest moment of St. Michael Island. The Golden Goat Pirate Group had been rampant in the Sea of Giant Whales for years and had collusions with the Royal Navy of the Inglima Empire, never imagining someone would dare to rebel internally. When Charles reached the only deputy leader stationed at St. Michael Island, the deputy leader was still calm and said, "I have heard of you, Bear King Qian Nan! You want to stand out in the pirate group, work hard for a few more decades, then maybe. But you actually staged a rebellion, do you know how powerful the Golden Goat is?" "Ignorance isn''t a mistake, arrogance is, and you are too full of yourself." Although Charles did not fear this high-level transcendent pirate, he had only one thing to say to this deputy leader, "Augusladin High Priest!" "Attack!" Augusladin High Priest had never heard such disrespectful words in his life, but he made no protest and released his force of radiance, shooting seven arrows of light! Augusladin High Priest was not merely a knight; he was a true old mage. This spell, Light Arrows, although common within the system of The Lord of Radiance, also depended on who wielded it. When the deputy leader of the Golden Goat Pirate Group heard Charles cry out: "Augusladin High Priest, attack!" he was relaxed, thinking this small Bear Person was just bluffing. But when he saw a Sacred Order of Radiance, a grand priest, burst out from behind this small Bear Person, his eyes nearly popped out. Of course, he couldn''t withstand the "Indignant Strike" of a Sacred Order. Chapter 293 286. We must first preserve the fruits of victory. The Augusladin High Priest, of course, was not angry with him. A mere pirate deputy head was hardly worth his anger. Anyway, these seven Arrows of Light were definitely the pinnacle of the Augusladin High Priest''s lifetime achievements, exploding the unfortunate deputy head into "nothingness" on the spot. Of course, the seven Arrows of Light weren''t yet capable of annihilating matter. The main issue was that the explosion was too fine! Charles, holding his guns in both hands, shouted loudly, "Surrender and live, resist and die!" Then, conveniently, he shot and killed two pirates who were stubbornly resisting. Pirates, of course, cared little for loyalty and rarely possessed "Unyielding Loyalty". Faced with a Sacred Order action, the subordinates of the deputy head surrendered one after another. Charles immediately incorporated these pirates into his team, the whole process as smooth as eating and drinking, done effortlessly. The Augusladin High Priest and Ban Lanmalock had never seen such a smooth surrender. Before they could express their surprise, Charles had already had the surrendering men point out the deputy head''s treasure hiding place, and sent all his belongings through the Mind Passage to Machu Picchu. The Augusladin High Priest looked at the barren streets, not yet having time to reflect, when three pirate chiefs remaining in Saint Michael charged over with their men. Ban Lanmalock, fearing that the Augusladin High Priest would casually kill these enemies, leaving him with nothing to do, charged with his spear and killed one of the chiefs from the Golden Goat Pirate Group. The remaining two chiefs, seeing the slowly ascending Augusladin High Priest, turned and ran, only to be shot dead from behind by Charles. The Augusladin High Priest casually launched an Arrow of Light, taking out the last of the pirate group''s upper echelon, then floated in the sky with a smile, watching Charles subdue the group of pirates. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles swept through the entire second level, then led his team to storm the highest level of Mount St. Michael. The ancient Kingdom of Saint Michael, carved a city out of a mountain, with the top level being the location of the Imperial Palace, exquisitely constructed with countless pieces of art. After being seized by pirates, the building was almost unmaintained and had deteriorated a lot. Herolf, becoming the master of this place, had no sense of aesthetics and had added some practical defense cannons, making this ancient palace even more of a mess. With Golden Ram Herolf away, only his personal guard was left to defend the palace, all handpicked by Herolf over the years as the most capable fighters among the pirates. Although most of these personal guards had followed him to Notrudenia, there were still over a thousand left, extremely fierce in combat. Even the shots from the Augusladin High Priest couldn''t intimidate these desperate felons. The Augusladin High Priest fired a few Arrows of Light, killed several of the most fierce guards, and seeing the pirates still shouting and brawling, shrugged his shoulders and said, "Do I need to kill a few more?" Just as Charles was about to respond, suddenly, the entire Imperial Palace unleashed a defense shield. He fired a shot, but the shield was unscathed. Charles couldn''t help but curse out loud, yelling, "Augusladin High Priest, can you break this damned shell?" The Augusladin High Priest shouted from the sky, "Maybe I can, but I wouldn''t recommend forcing it." Charles understood the High Priest''s implication; if this Sacred Order expended all his power, their rebel force would lose its advantage. Charles immediately said, "To the third level!" Ban Lanmalock couldn''t help but say, "Why don''t we keep pushing on?" Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire Charles answered, "We need to secure the fruits of our victory first." Ban Lanmalock couldn''t comprehend the response, but he didn''t resist Charles''s command. Since childhood, his education had taught him that during war, it was best to obey the command of superiors, unless he was certain that his superior was a complete fool... Indeed, Count Ranmalock had taught his son just that. Charles retreated to the second level, but he didn''t linger, he merely raided the second level again before charging into the third level. The third level of Saint Michael City housed the middle-tier pirates, dark merchants, slavers, and mysterious noble guests who frequented St. Michael Island. It also featured taverns, casinos, slave markets, and pirate markets among other commercial trading areas. Having absorbed the lieutenants and staff of three generals from the Golden Goat Pirate Group, Charles''s power swelled immensely. The mid-level pirates, slavers, and those certain mysterious guests, faced with such a dominant rebellion, had little courage to resist. After all, the presence of Augusladin High Priest floating in the sky had a deterrence that was not inferior to a nuclear bomb on Earth. Charles raided one street block after another, forcing these people into the Mirror World. Transporting so many through the Mind Passage to any city would have caused commotion, but there was no issue with the Mirror World¡ªit was entirely empty. The Fanga Clan members relished fighting in the Mirror World because there, they were like deities and could often fight beyond their usual limits. Anyone who knew about the Fanga Clan members would definitely not enter the Mirror World to fight them. Once inside the Mirror World, there was only one way out: to kill the master of the Mirror World. The Mirror Spirit had many restrictions, such as being unable to leave the Mirror World unless they killed the original master and replaced him, thus appearing in the real world. However, Fanga Clan members could not only come and go freely, often controlling more than one Mirror World, but also disguise themselves as others. Only through careful concealment could they be hard to detect. Once sent into the Mirror World, these people were effectively locked in a bizarre prison, unless someone managed to kill Charles, there was no way to rescue them. As for the various goods, wealth, and money on the third level, they were all sent to Machu Picchu. After raiding the third level, Charles headed straight for the fourth floor. The fourth and fifth levels were barracks and storages. By now, Augusladin High Priest and Ban Lanmalock had come to understand what Charles intended to do. Charles was planning to empty Saint Michael City of all its inhabitants and resources except for the first level which he hadn''t managed to conquer, turning the city into a ghost town. They both knew that Charles practiced Bloody Glory, which derived from the Blood Clan''s Secret Technique. Whether as a pinnacle human being of the Sacred Order or as the so-called strongest of the young generation of Brittonian Young Lion, they were well educated about the capabilities of vampires. The Fanga Clan members had always maintained an image of elegance, mystery, and being top assassins, yet the Infinite Mirror Realm could be used so brutally by Charles, which opened their eyes. Atop Mount St. Michael, the fiercest pirates of the Golden Goat Pirate Group had originally prepared to staunchly resist Charles, undaunted even by his Sacred Order status. St. Michael Island itself was also a giant war machine, not only possessing a Defense Shield but also the most ferocious firepower. However, they had not anticipated that Charles would avoid a forceful assault. Watching this rebellious army continuously pillage, the pirates even began to wonder, "Who really are the pirates?" Chapter 294 287. The Return of the Golden Goat Charles stood at the port, gazing at the sea for a while. The diary in his arms remained still; he knew he had not yet taken control of St. Michael Island. The ships still at St. Michael Island were controlled by pirates and slave traders on the second and third tiers, as well as underground merchants who didn''t believe someone could successfully rebel on St. Michael Island, so few had fled. Charles acted swiftly and gained control of almost ninety percent of the ships. He had Ban Lanmalock command all the ships to transport a batch of liberated slaves to Cappadocia City. The fleet commanded by Ban Lanmalock had just disappeared over the horizon. Charles looked at the empty St. Michael Port, now devoid of a single ship, and a slight smile crept onto his face. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire He wasn''t sending all the ships to Menilman just to transport slaves; Ban Lanmalock taking the ships away was mainly to give them all to Menilman. Charles planned to send all the slaves of St. Michael to Cappadocia City. If these people wished to return home, they could wait for merchant ships in Cappadocia; if they decided to stay and live, Cappadocia City, being on Song Spirit Island, a huge island, certainly had no trouble accommodating this batch of slaves. If they wished to join Menilman or Charles''s forces, it would naturally be even more convenient. As for the pirates of St. Michael, let''s not mention the lower-tier pirates. Even though some have done bad deeds, the number wouldn''t be too many. Charles didn''t have the capability to judge each one and would do a brief screening before sending them off to Machu Picchu to be integrated into his Westwind Knights. For the middle and upper-tier pirates, Charles would hand them over to Ban Lanmalock, which would be a significant source of military merits. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Charles planned to keep only the most elite portion to guard St. Michael Island. If Golden Ram Herolf returned safely, he would surely flee immediately; if it were otherwise, Charles would be able to adapt accordingly. Charles felt no regret at not being able to take the first tier of Saint Michael City; he had already made a huge profit and had dealt a severe blow to the Golden Goat Pirate Group, thus achieving his "strategic objective." These pirates didn''t care about the loss of slaves and lower-tier pirates, for to them, these were merely consumables. But without these consumables, the city would unquestionably be unable to function. Like many large cities, having only well-dressed upper-class citizens is not enough for it to function. Despite their controlling the vast majority of wealth, the city would become lifeless without the labor force from the lower tiers; all city functions would cease to operate. Golden Ram Herolf certainly didn''t understand this principle, and perhaps few on the Old Continent did either. The Augusladin High Priest, in his flowing priestly robe, said with a smile, "I won''t need material goods for my share. Just transfer it to my account at the Savings Union in Strasbourg." Charles smiled slightly and said, "For such matters, High Priest, you need not instruct me. I will ensure it is done flawlessly." Charles, seeing no more trace of the fleet on the sea, was about to leave with the High Priest when he heard the rumble of cannon fire distantly echoing. The two exchanged a smile and did not leave, patiently waiting for a while before two fleets appeared on the sea surface, engaged in fierce battle. One fleet had fewer ships, only about twenty, but it included a Magical Alchemy Warship, and a tall, burly figure was floating above it. With the aid of the Magic Array on the Magical Alchemy Warship, he was fighting against three Sacred Order adversaries. The Augusladin High Priest said indifferently, "That is the real use of a Magical Alchemy Warship. Its greatest function is to be a mobile Magic Array. As long as Golden Ram Herolf doesn''t stray far from this Magical Alchemy Warship, even Zimmerman wouldn''t necessarily be able to do anything to him." After watching for a while, Charles said, "Augusladin High Priest, would you like to join in and help?" The Augusladin High Priest shook his head and said, "Even with one more person, the outcome of the battle cannot be changed." "We''re lucky that the Ancient Magic Warship of Goat Herolf was stolen by you. If he still had that warship, he might have even turned defeat into victory." Charles couldn''t help but click his tongue. He knew that the Ancient Magic Warship was more powerful than the ordinary Magical Alchemy Warships, but he couldn''t see just how formidable it was. In his eyes, even the Magical Alchemy Warship was already quite impressive. The Augusladin High Priest was unwilling to participate in the battle, and Charles didn''t insist, saying, "According to the High Priest''s prediction, does it mean that Senior Sister Menilman can''t win?" The Augusladin High Priest said, "That''s correct." Charles said, "If that''s the case, we should also retreat." "Given the current situation of the battle, in a few more hours, Goat Herolf will withdraw to St. Michael Island." "If he can still grasp the secrets of St. Michael Island, then Senior Sister Menilman can only retreat as well." The Augusladin High Priest deeply agreed. Though Charles felt somewhat regretful, he knew when to strive for something and when to decisively give up. Young people always like to give up when they shouldn''t, and to be stubborn where they shouldn''t persevere. They always think that failure will bring them experience, but in reality, they are just wasting time with no gains. Those who achieve success directly will leave them far behind. There are countless motivational sayings in this world, but none can satisfy hunger. The "pirate rebels" led by Charles and the Augusladin High Priest soon vanished from St. Michael Island. A few hours later, while Goat Herolf was retreating from battle, he suddenly felt an additional layer of energy wrapping around him. He abruptly raised his hands, and a brilliant light emanated from his body. An enormous shadow of a man with wings on his back, tens of pimi in height, appeared above St. Michael Island, and the presence of Goat Herolf continued to climb. Menilman took one glance and immediately ordered a retreat. The three Sacred Orders dispersed, and even with a Magical Alchemy Warship, Goat Herolf didn''t dare to pursue them. After all, Menilman was quite formidable. Without the durability of the Magical Alchemy Warship, he wasn''t sure he could defeat this Fars''s First Rose in a one-on-one fight. Goat Herolf said coldly, "Menilman, as long as I hold St. Michael Island in my grasp, don''t you ever dream of coveting it again." "Without your Magical Alchemy Warship, even with the help of two Sacred Orders, you will always be powerless against me." Menilman''s complexion was as calm as still water, but her bright eyes were fixed on St. Michael Island, not looking at Goat Herolf any longer. She wondered how Charles was doing and whether he had escaped. But she had no choice but to call off the attack, for the power of St. Michael Island was boundless, beyond the force that she currently wielded. "I hope my junior is all right!" Chapter 295 288, too despicable, too shameless Golden Ram Herolf was eager to return to St. Michael Island, and his Magical Alchemy Warship was fast, already leaving his fleet of ships far behind. Menilman''s fleet had long since separated Golden Ram Herolf''s Magical Alchemy Warship and his twenty-some standard warships. By the time Golden Ram Herolf realized, under the threat of three Sacred Order members, the pirates of those twenty-some ships had all surrendered. Witnessing this scene, Herolf wanted to fight again but no longer had the courage, and he could only watch helplessly as Menilman took his twenty-some ships away. Although Herolf''s heart ached, he remained confident with a Magical Alchemy Warship still in his possession, as regular warships could be recruited at will. After all, St. Michael Island always had hundreds of merchant, war, and slave trade ships docking, so he could quickly restore his strength. He cursed loudly into the sky for quite some time before realizing, why was there no one to respond from St. Michael Island? He had left a few ships on the island, and the slave traders and underground merchants'' ships would normally join in the commotion. Why was there no sign of them this time? Herolf brought down the warship and directed the Magical Alchemy Warship toward St. Michael Island. When he arrived back at his base and stepped out of the cabin, he saw that the entire St. Michael Island was deserted; the usually bustling slaves and lower-rank pirates, the ships docked at the ports, even the taverns, shops, and exchanges that should have been lively were all eerily silent. Herolf was dumbfounded and soared into the sky to scout layer by layer, growing increasingly disheartened. He couldn''t accept the reality¡ªhow could St. Michael Island suddenly be empty? He even doubted if he had gone to the wrong place. But the familiar buildings confirmed that he had not made a mistake¡ªthis was St. Michael Island. Moreover, he had just summoned the spirit of Saint Michael, which responded as readily as ever, so there could be no mistake! It wasn''t until Herolf reached the first layer of Saint Michael City that he saw the familiar guards, who had mixed emotions upon seeing him. They also saw how Menilman''s fleet seemed to deliberately keep the Magical Alchemy Warship separated from the ordinary warships, and Herolf, disregarding the regular warships, was desperately sailing towards St. Michael Island, leading all the warships to be entangled by Menilman''s fleet. Menilman appeared to be intentionally maintaining the battle situation, not even attacking much with cannons, just keeping a restraining distance. Only after Golden Ram Herolf returned to St. Michael Island did Menilman, with three Sacred Order members, withdraw, then strike full force, taking down the "last twenty-some warships" of the Golden Ram''s fleet in one fell swoop. Well, St. Michael Island didn''t have a single ship left¡ªCharles''s move was much darker than Menilman''s. Golden Ram Herolf might not have realized during the battle, but his pirates on the first layer saw it clearly¡ªMenilman played with Golden Ram Herolf like a child, making this sea battle a classic. Menilman''s strategy wasn''t very complex; he simply exploited Golden Ram Herolf''s fear and eagerness to return to St. Michael Island, waiting until he got back and activated Saint Michael''s spirit before closing in for the kill. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Actually, Golden Ram Herolf still had a chance. He could have turned the Magical Alchemy Warship around to rescue his warships, but he missed the opportunity, not daring to leave the protection of Saint Michael''s spirit, and watched helplessly as Menilman won the battle and reaped a rich war bounty. By taking those twenty-some warships, Menilman also gained a large number of experienced, skilled sailors, instantly becoming the largest fleet in the Whale Sea. Except for lacking a Magical Alchemy Warship, there were almost no flaws. The morale of these pirates was nearly broken. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire Charles Meklen had just robbed St. Michael Island clean, and now it was Menilman''s turn, but it truly left the Golden Ram''s fleet without a pot to piss in. If this were ancient China, such a scene would undoubtedly entail a drama of monarchs and ministers weeping in despair, but the Golden Ram Herolf was just a pirate from the Old Continent, and he had just been informed of the shenanigans Charlotte had pulled on St. Michael Island. Charlotte had done these deeds in his true form, so the moment Herolf heard about it, he knew that it was this despicable bastard who had stolen his Queen Bee ship. Golden Ram Herolf was so angry his hands trembled. He had gone to Notruden Island and inquired about the Queen Bee. Although he thought several times about taking it back by force, he never had the opportunity. After all, the Queen Bee was in the hands of Princess May, and Notruden was the capital of the Inglima Empire, filled with countless Sacred Order members. Would they really allow a pirate leader to wreak havoc? He had long spied for a chance but returned only with festering hatred. Herolf had also gathered information about Charles Meklen. Since Charles was a man of Fars, the rumors about him in Inglima were wild and varied, the most sensational being that as a servant of Fars, while on a mission to Inglima, he had chanced upon the widowed Princess May and was so awestruck by her beauty that he was relentless in his pursuit. The son of Count Ranmalock, the youngest lion of Notruden, Ban Lanmalock, couldn''t stand watching his obscene antics and issued a challenge. The two fought a duel on the River Seventure, witnessed by Emperor Alfred Guillaume, and this despicable and shameless man resorted to cunning to defeat Notruden''s youngest lion. Princess May originally had no regard for this man, but after he learned of the princess''s fondness for novels, he took up the pen himself. Disguising himself as a female author, he used the feminine pseudonym Annie MacLennan to write a total of four novels to win the princess''s favor... As for the gossip about giving away second-hand carriages, that was a complete mess. On the contrary, the act of giving away the Queen Bee ship was rarely discussed because it reflected too positively on Charles, something the Inglima People were uncomfortable to acknowledge. Despite his infamous reputation, when the people of Inglima talked about him, they strangely felt a sense of endearment, as if he were a mischievous child of their own, without too much hate. Most of that was because Charles was also an official of Englima, with legitimate duties and a political identity, also considered one of their own in the hearts of the Inglima People. This gossip even overshadowed the old tale from Fars, Charles''s hometown, where he was once pursued by a gentleman with a sword and had to run naked through the streets. The Golden Ram Herolf couldn''t help but curse loudly, "Charles, you are too despicable, too shameless, how could you stoop to do such things?" "How could you do such things to Saint Michael?!" "This hatred, this vengeance, we can''t coexist under the same sky!" "I swear I will kill Charles, this despicable little man, this utterly shameless wretch." Charles had never imagined that one day a great pirate would damn him as despicable and shameless... Well, that''s very Charles. Chapter 296 I still believe in my junior. Menilman led the fleet back, her comrades Tumishen and Sabastine displaying some joy on their faces. Tumishen had brought a part of the Orc Assassin Alliance to join Menilman, hoping that The Empire''s First Rose would let him fully realize his ambitions. Sabastine was a female pirate who had been subdued by Zimmerman. When Zimmerman led them to join Fars, she was initially quite happy. After all, how could being a pirate compare to being an admiral of a great empire? But Sabastine didn''t expect that once Zimmerman returned to Fars, he stopped caring for these subdued pirates. They were often suppressed within the Imperial Navy, and with her fiery temperament, she simply colluded with a bunch of pirates, deserted the Fars Empire Navy, and returned to her old profession. She wasn''t like Tumishen, who defected voluntarily. Menilman also faced suppression in the Imperial Navy and had to seek supplies on her own. The Empire''s First Rose located Sabastine''s hideout and stormed it; Sabastine was subdued by Menilman in a duel. As a pirate, she didn''t particularly care which master she followed, so she surrendered right away. After her surrender, Sabastine still worried that Menilman might not hold out, considering The Empire''s First Rose was forced to rob pirates, which spoke volumes of her dire situation. However, the female pirate didn''t foresee that Menilman would suddenly acquire a large cache of supplies from Silver Pigeon Fort. Later, she even made Little Inglima in Cappadocia into an outpost. This trading hub not only thrived commercially, but also provided Menilman with nearly twenty ships, boosting her forces significantly and enabling her to secure a foothold in the Whale Sea. Sabastine had thought this was good enough and was surprised when Menilman aimed to attack Saint Michael Island¡ªshe almost thought Menilman had gone mad. As a pirate, she knew just how powerful the Golden Ram fleet was! It was certainly not a target Menilman could conquer. But still¡­ Sabastine never expected that Menilman would find a "person" to infiltrate Saint Michael, who provided several key pieces of intelligence and even managed to divert the fearsome Queen Bee, revealing Golden Ram Herolf''s location and setting up the ambush. The intelligence Menilman received was that the Queen Bee had been stolen¡­ Sabastine simply couldn''t believe such absurd talk; only foolish pigs would take it for truth. But this time, indeed, Golden Ram Herolf wasn''t with the Queen Bee, only a Magical Alchemy Warship was, catching Menilman off guard. With three from the Sacred Order attacking, they forced Golden Ram Herolf into a mistake, seizing more than twenty warships of fairly good quality. Today Menilman''s fleet had gloriously broken through the one-hundred mark and now counted one hundred and twenty warships. Although lacking a Magical Alchemy Warship, it was virtually the largest fleet in the Whale Sea apart from those of the Five Great Empires. Of course, Menilman was still officially an admiral of the Fars Empire. Sabastine couldn''t help but say, "Although we didn''t severely damage Golden Ram Herolf, by taking his fleet, we should have deterred him from coveting Cappadocia any longer." "However, we also need to be cautious¡ªhe may come for a final battle after switching to the Queen Bee." "That Ancient Magic Warship is indeed too vicious." "Very difficult to deal with." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Menilman said indifferently, "He won''t have the Queen Bee anymore." Sabastine scoffed, saying, "Your junior from Sheffield University claims that someone has already taken the Queen Bee. Although his recent intelligence has been reliable, I still advise you not to believe him." "You know, as long as the Golden Ring is in hand, no one can take the Queen Bee from Golden Ram Herolf." Menilman said softly, "I still believe in my junior." "Forget it, let''s not argue anymore." "We''re heading back to Cappadocia. We need to reorganize the fleet." "Sabastine, it''s time you had a fleet of your own." Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire Upon hearing that she could once again have her own fleet, Sabastine was overjoyed and no longer cared about the matter with the junior. Menilman kept the information about this junior highly confidential, not even sharing it with her or Tumishen. Who exactly was this person? Sabastine was quite curious. What kind of person was this graduate of Sheffield University and why had he earned Menilman''s trust? When the fleet appeared in the waters off Cappadocia, the expressions of the three Sacred Order members became solemn. Beyond Cappadocia City, unexpectedly, there were over a hundred ships, including warships and merchant ships. Many of them had a certain reputation on the Seven Seas, belonging either to a slaver or to the dark trade fleet, most of which were related to the Golden Ram fleet. Suddenly, an idea struck Sabastine, and she thought, "Could it be that Golden Ram Herolf was employing a trap, luring us to attack while the Queen Bee seized Cappadocia for him?" "Although the fleet is intact, without a base, how are we to resupply?" "Golden Ram Herolf is indeed cunning and deceitful." "Yet he really sacrificed more than twenty ships..." "Is this a form of warfare wisdom?" As Sabastine was pondering over the logical flaws, she saw a person radiating brilliant light, floating up into the sky, a gentle voice spreading through the heavens, "I am Augustine''s High Priest. Miss Menilman, do not worry. These ships, brought back from Saint Michael Island, are our spoils of war." A large ship sailed out from the port of Cappadocia. Charles, hands on his hips, appeared quite jubilant. He had just calculated the income from this "robbery"¡ªit was indeed a vast fortune, equivalent to twenty-seven or twenty-eight Baron Fabolais. Charles wore a smile not because he was looking forward to seeing Menilman again, but because he had made a substantial fortune, "Ridiculous, thinking of doing business after coming here? What business could compare to wartime profits?" "Well, alright!" "Writing novels is also quite profitable. Emperor Alfred Guillaume had even promised me, ''Once your manuscript, Red Dragon Emperor, is submitted, I''ll grant you a piece of land on the New Continent!''" "I wonder how large that piece of land might be?" Thinking of this, Charles''s face was filled with happiness. This expression, seen by Sabastine, made her involuntarily shrug her shoulders. The shock from learning that the port''s fleet in Cappadocia City was seized from Saint Michael Island had shifted entirely to a single thought: "Truly worthy of being the Empire''s First Rose, her charm is irresistible." "A person who could summon Augustine''s High Priest, and with both wisdom and bravery, seized over a hundred ships from Saint Michael Island, is truly a figure not inferior to Zimmerman." "Such a figure, and yet he''s her loyal servant." "When will the day come when such a man pursues me?" Chapter 297 290, Senior, this undercover mission failed "It''s a pity that the first layer of Saint Michael City did not fall, otherwise the wealth obtained might have been more than the lower six layers combined," Charles thought of this and was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the Augusladin High Priest, who, with a beaming smile, said, "Mister Mecklen is in such good spirits." Charles replied, "Joy shared is doubled!" The Augusladin High Priest smiled faintly. He certainly knew what "shared joy" meant. This time, infiltrating St. Michael Island was indeed a cause for "shared joy!" Ban Lanmalock, standing nearby, was even more thrilled, sharing in the "shared joy." Charles knew that as someone born into a great nobility, Lanmalock might not consider money that important, so he granted him a fleet, allowing him to choose ten warships and to select sailors freely. Indeed, Ban Lanmalock did not care about money, but he had a deep obsession with surpassing his father and achieving greatness. However, nobody thought this young lion could match his father. No matter his accomplishments, they would be compared to his father''s and found wanting in the conclusion. Ban Lanmalock was not resentful, but every time he encountered such a situation, a seed of "rebellion" in his heart would sprout. It was as if Charles had just watered it. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire Having his own fleet, being the son of a great noble, he could legally own this private fleet. It was as if giving Ban Lanmalock a resounding push through a wide-open door, like showing an awkward young boy who had never touched a girl or knew what a smartphone was, the homepage of the dance section on Bilibili. Ban Lanmalock occasionally felt grateful to Aurora. If it weren''t for Miss Sumei, he would have never met Charles, nor would he have dueled with Charles and formed a "solid friendship." Charles would not have brought him along to attack St. Michael Island. If he hadn''t been part of the attack on St. Michael Island, how could Ban Lanmalock, before turning twenty, have had his own fleet of ships? It wasn''t just one ship, but ten, and he could freely choose experienced sailors. Most importantly, these sailors were completely free of charge... Charles''s promise to these pirates was that as long as they served him for five years, they would become legal residents of Cappadocia City and would own a piece of land and a house for free. If they didn''t like island life, they could go to Fars, where there were eleven cities to choose from for settlement. To save space, I won''t list the names of these cities. If they disagreed with serving, their heads would be chopped off and thrown into the sea. Almost no pirate chose the second option! When Menilman''s fleet crossed paths with Charles''s, Charles brought the Augusladin High Priest, and Ban Lanmalock leapt onto Menilman''s flagship. His ship also joined Menilman''s fleet. Charles said, "Senior sister, the undercover mission this time was a failure." "Circumstances have changed, and we had to return ahead of schedule." "Although I''ve sent several messages, I have not discovered the Golden Goat Organization, nor have I managed to make contact with the rebel forces on Saint Michael Island, let alone locate the imprisonment location of those three Sacred Order members." "Hmm, it might have been on the first layer of Saint Michael City, which I failed to capture. There was a protective shield there, and even the Augusladin High Priest was powerless against it." The Augusladin High Priest cleared his throat and said, "Among the people you sent back, there are all the members of the ''Golden Substitute Goat.'' After learning that they were captured by us, they have all revealed their identities." Charles was greatly startled and asked, "How did they get captured as well? Without St. Michael Island, they can''t act as insiders anymore, so aren''t these rebels useless? Shouldn''t we send them back?" The Augusladin High Priest, with a face full of spring breeze, said with a smile, "They have all stated they''d rather die than go back, and are actually quite eager to join us." Menilman inquired, "Did you bring back a lot of people with you?" Charles responded, "Nearly eighty or ninety thousand. I rescued all the slaves and also recruited the middle and lower-tier pirates. Senior sister, you can select a group of people for your needs, and I''ll arrange for the rest, as they have another destination." Sabastine couldn''t help but speak up, "Eighty or ninety thousand people? You''re boasting. Doesn''t that mean you practically emptied St. Michael Island?" Charles chuckled awkwardly, about to be modest, when he suddenly noticed the female pirate. Previously, his eyes were so fixated on money that he hadn''t paid attention to Sabastine. Now, blurting out, he said, "Wonder Woman?" He quickly realized his mistake, but the female pirate''s tall stature, long legs, robust figure, and elegantly exquisite face did indeed lead him to mistake her for "Gal Gadot." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Especially since this female pirate was clad in leather armor, bearing a striking resemblance to Wonder Woman in her battle stance. Sabastine couldn''t help but smile slightly and said, "Wonder Woman? I quite like that nickname. Is that the welcome gift you''re giving me?" Feeling Sabastine''s aura, Charles realized that she was also a member of the Sacred Order and quickly said, "If you like it, it would be my greatest honor." Menilman, although somewhat skeptical, preferred to back up her junior brother and suggested, "Let''s return to Cappadocia first." Charles had also noticed Tumishen, but he didn''t mention the Beastman Sacred Order''s intimidation, greeting him warmly and reverently as a junior, which made the Old Leopard Man a bit uneasy. When the fleet arrived in Cappadocia, with over two hundred vessels capable of long-distance travel, either merchant ships or converted warships, the sight was incredibly imposing. Once Menilman came ashore, she realized Charles wasn''t exaggerating. There were indeed many new faces in Cappadocia, and that was only a portion of them, as Charles had sent some to Machu Picchu, where he too needed to reap some benefits. The rescued slaves were much more reliable than the pirates. Having been slaves, they longed even more for a better life. Indeed, Menilman didn''t need so many people. Without the leisure to catch up with Charles, she immersed herself in work. Digesting so many captives and warships was no easy task. With nothing much to do after staying a few days, Charles noticed that Menilman, Tumishen, and even Sabastine were all busy. Even the Augusladin High Priest and Count Ranmalock could see that, when it came to "explosion of troops," The Empire''s First Rose was far behind her junior brother Charles. His annexation and recruitment were simply an "art." First, he disbanded any cliques, then divided them, offering various promises and enthusiastically encouraging them, selecting reliable people to offer the best treatment. He used these privileges as a carrot to entice those who had yet to benefit to work hard¡­ Especially, he implemented a system of identity recognition that eliminated differences in region, race, nationality, and habits, achieving extraordinarily wonderful results. Chapter 298 291, A simple little spell Menilman only selected a portion of robust sailors; after all, she was a naval officer of the Fars Empire, not interested in the infamous pirates and preferring to recruit from the common folk. After Menilman finished the selection, Charles started his own "troop surge". Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire In just three days, he completed a task that would take a Sacred Order three consecutive weeks to finish. It wasn''t just Menilman, Tumishen and Sabastine who were left in awe, even the well-acquainted Augusladin High Priest and Ban Lanmalock couldn''t help but be astonished. Under the name of the Westwind Knights, Charles took everyone in and passed down the Beast God Shapeshifting Art ¡ª Hunchback Red Bear Warrior transformation to a group he picked as the "most loyal and reliable". Tumishen once said: The Beast God Shapeshifting Art is a very simple minor spell. After studying it, Charles found that it was indeed "a very simple minor spell". The paths of other Transcendents could be followed continuously, as most Extraordinary Secret Arts came from deities, and a rare few from great philosophers of the Human Race, such as Protagora, such as Kabbalah who created Classical Alchemy and Hermes who created Classic Alchemy, each making remarkable contributions in the realm of the Transcendent. But Tumishen was just an ordinary Sacred Order, and although the transformation technique he created bore the name of Beast God, it was just a "minor spell" that enabled one to reach merely the First Order Transcendent. A human practicing the transformation into a Hunchback Red Bear for years with great efforts could eventually succeed and advance to a First Order Transcendent. But if he were to practice the Leopard People transformation, despite years of arduous practice to succeed, becoming a Leopard Person, he would still remain a First Order Transcendent. Regardless of how many other Beastman transformations one practices, they would only be confined to the First Order. A Beastman transforming into a human... In even rarer cases, they might not be able to achieve the First Order at all. For this reason, the Beast God Shapeshifting Art was rarely delved into by the Orc Assassin Alliance; for these assassins, what value was there in becoming another Beastman? Becoming human was possible, however, for changing identities and infiltrating human nations. But Charles Meklen turned this "minor spell" into an identity marker; no matter what one''s former status or where they came from, once they joined the Westwind Knights and started practicing the Red Bear Warrior transformation, they became solid brothers. It was like on Earth, regardless of where you came from, as long as you studied together, you were classmates, even if graduation was decades apart, you could still bond over old ties; and if you served in the military together, you were comrades-in-arms worldwide, with a very firm relationship. Especially when the number of people practicing the Red Bear Warrior transformation increased, naturally someone would sum up some experiences, which Charles would compile and openly teach, making practicing this Secret Art more convenient and easy. Some of the slaves who followed him early in Saint Michael City, those with decent talent, even managed to transform one of their hands into a bear paw, or grow bear fur on their faces. Tumishen never imagined Charles would use the Secret Art he created for such a purpose? Although they couldn''t complete the transformation into Bear People, at most gaining some strength, it was enough to improve their physique and make this group of soldiers from various backgrounds stronger. Those who made a little progress in their practice naturally developed a stronger sense of cohesion. It''s like giving out a small, inexpensive ID badge, and many would readily accept being part of an organization ¨C a subtle state of mind. Menilman always regarded Charles as a younger brother who had sought her guidance, and though this younger brother grew quickly, it was like an Earthly adage, "When young, if you''ve seen too many amazing people, it''s hard to make friends." She never felt that Charles was really that "outstanding". Could he possibly be more outstanding than that person? Zimmerman Axel Robin was not just dazzling. He simply dominated an entire era. He was destined to leave his name in history. The Victory Champagne Count, Lanmalock, held supreme power, never tasted defeat in his life, but his greatest label wasn''t being the number one marksman in the world, nor how many thrilling victories he had¡ªit was that he had once been the equal of Zimmerman! But when Menilman looked at Charles, it was as if she was looking at a completely different species. Charles was not Zimmerman, but he was not the kind of not Zimmerman either. Just as someone could be unmatched in martial prowess, the unbeaten champion across the land, while another, only adept at writing poetry, yet that person named Li Bai, though lacking any martial strength or heroic presence, often indulging in wine, unrestrained and wild, could never be overshadowed by the former''s martial skill, even if it were tenfold, a hundredfold, or a thousandfold greater. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fast promotion to Transcendent status was one thing; Zimmerman was already of the Sacred Order in his youth. Charles also wrote novels, something Zimmerman could not do. Zimmerman, with his overwhelming martial force, could become the Pirate King; Charles, lacking such force, could easily empty St. Michael Island as well. Charles himself did not realize that in the eyes of the four Sacred Order individuals, his status had subtly changed. Menilman acknowledged him, Tumishen had become respectful, and Sabastine simply became Charles''s "friend." Forget about the Augustine High Priest! Charles certainly wasn''t going to keep any close relationship with him. After half a month, Menilman finally reorganized the fleet, and when she again proposed to attack St. Michael Island, there was no longer any voice of dissent within this fleet. Before, no one believed she could take St. Michael Island. Now, no one doubted that The Empire''s First Rose could not set foot on her loyal Mount Michael. When Menilman held several days of military conferences to discuss the strategy for conquering St. Michael Island, Charles Mecklen remained silent. Tumishen told him there was a big task for him. Menilman wanted him as an inside man. Now, he didn''t think it was a big deal; the role of inside man was out of the question. These days, Charles was wondering when he should "return home in glory"? According to the command of His Majesty, Emperor Fars, he should now be in the South Serif Region, resisting the troops of the Black Phoenix Dynasty. Having been away for so long, it was time to go back. Seeing that after several discussions, everyone still couldn''t come up with a good solution, Tumishen couldn''t help but ask, "Charles, if you were to devise the military plans, how would you go about conquering Saint Michael?" Charles never expected anyone would ask him this question. After all, this was Menilman''s fleet. Although he referred to Menilman as senior sister, he was from the army''s civil service, not the navy, nor was he Menilman''s subordinate. He had no desire to interject unnecessarily. An outsider giving pointers was incredibly annoying, after all. Besides, having stayed on St. Michael Island so long, he knew the ins and outs of the island city well and felt it wouldn''t be too hard to take down. At that moment, he modestly said, "I personally think that the simplest method would suffice." "I don''t do complicated military strategy either!" Chapter 299 292, come and hit me if you dare ``` If Charles had made this statement before his visit to St. Michael Island, at least half of the generals at Menilman''s military conference would have cursed, "Idiot!" Sabastine would have even pointed to Charles''s nose and said bluntly, "Get this idiot out of here." But since Charles''s return from St. Michael Island, no one under Menilman dared to underestimate him again. Menilman had fought many battles, capturing over twenty ships, and had become a classic military case study at major empire universities. Yet Charles, without making any noise, brought back more than a hundred ships, along with seventy to eighty thousand people. Who would dare to look down on him now? What earned him the most respect from Menilman''s generals was this: Out of the hundred-plus ships Charles had taken back, he left ten for Ban Lanmalock and did not keep a single one for himself; he gave them all to Menilman. But no one believed that Charles could have a simple method. Though the Golden Ram Herolf was a bit in dire straits, this was a supernatural world, and all the miraculous military strategies developed on Earth were inapplicable here. Byron had once been called a "military genius" for attempting to use the Fanga Clan''s Infinite Mirror Realm to maneuver his forces unpredictably, but when the transcendent humans of several great empires jointly attacked, they killed several Fanga Clan vampires. Byron''s army was left with no retreat, no supplies, and met with a miserable death. It was total annihilation in the physical sense. The stench of the burning vampire corpses was said to have reached Byron. The transcendent vampires who followed him fought and retreated, but during the long withdrawal, they were pursued and killed by swarms of human transcendent beings, resulting in heavy casualties, with none returning to Byron. Although the Golden Ram Herolf had lost all his ships and many pirates, he was still of the Sacred Order, with one Magical Alchemy Warship and St. Michael Island. Menilman, even now able to command four of the Sacred Order, still had no way to secure a victory over him. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire In the supernatural world, only the transcendent beings can decide the outcome of a battle. Charles felt everyone''s attention on him, but he didn''t really care, as he had now developed resistance; he wouldn''t bat an eyelid even when giving a PowerPoint presentation in front of hundreds. "When I left," Charles said easily, "I took all the food from the six lower levels of St. Michael Island!" "The first level of St. Michael Island probably doesn''t have much food left. If it were only the Golden Ram Herolf alone, even if there were little food, it would suffice for him, and besides, he could fish for himself." At the mention of fishing, Menilman''s generals couldn''t help but laugh, as it was indeed rare for someone of the Sacred Order to fish himself. Charles continued, "But the first level still has his own guard. These people could last a month or two at most, and that would be the limit of survival." "Our current advantage is that we have enough ships. By surrounding St. Michael Island, we could just watch the pirates starve." "Just a little bit of patience!" "Victory! It''s just like that." This strategy was nothing new, but the generals under Menilman listened as if it were a revelation because such tactics had never existed in this world; usually, transcendent beings, with their greatest advantage being mobility, were difficult to completely surround. Yet after Charles proposed the strategy, all of Menilman''s generals accepted the plan! The strongest aspect of the Golden Ram Herolf was not that Magical Alchemy Warship, but St. Michael Island itself, which was the most powerful war machine. Even those of the Sacred Order cannot go without food! To starve the Golden Ram Herolf to death was clearly the easier option compared to storming St. Michael Island. Menilman immediately made the decision, saying, "We''ll attack St. Michael Island now, we can''t give them the chance to gather food." ``` Tumishen smiled faintly, thinking to himself, "If I can take down St. Michael Island, I can recruit another batch of assassins from the Orc Assassin Alliance." Sabastine was even more confident about the future. Ban Lanmalock was also rubbing his hands together with eagerness to participate in the assault on St. Michael Island ¡ª a city whose historical reputation made it famous for never having been directly conquered, except by the collusion of the worms of the old kingdom with pirates. For Notruden''s youngest lion, this was even more alluring than the charms of Aurora Sumei. The Augusladin High Priest, on the other hand, was very calm. Charles was very forthright and transferred a hundred thousand Aegeus to the High Priest''s account! In terms of purchasing power on Earth, that would be equivalent to eighteen or nineteen "small goals." The High Priest was very satisfied, as he and Charles had developed an "unbreakable" friendship. It was just a one-day voyage from Cappadocia City to St. Michael Island. Previously, because Cappadocia served as a transit point for the slave trade and had somewhat followed the lead of the Golden Goat Pirate Group, the two had coexisted without issue. Later, when the Golden Goat Pirate Group wanted to attack, various issues arose, and they never went through with it. No one expected that Cappadocia City, relatively weaker, would flip the script and attack St. Michael Island. Menilman was certainly an excellent commander. She brought her fleet near St. Michael Island and calmly set up the formation, sealing off the island so tightly that not even the wind could get through. In the past, no one could achieve such a feat, but who would have thought that Menilman would have so many warships at her disposal, while St. Michael Island had none? Well, that''s not entirely true. There was still one Magical Alchemy Warship. Golden Ram Herolf was furious upon hearing this news. He burst into the air, ready to send the Magical Alchemy Warship out to sea, but when he saw four beams of light soaring into the sky, he swallowed his rage and cursed loudly over St. Michael Island. Menilman, a noblewoman, and Augustine, the High Priest, were too dignified to stoop to cursing others. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tumishen, being a beastman, had no reservations about cursing, but with his clumsy tongue, after exchanging a few barbs with Goat Herolff, he stormed off in a huff, only to be repelled back by the Saint Michael spirit invoked by Herolff. Sabastine was fiery, but lacking in literary culture her insults were limited to "you''re a pig," "you eat dog shit," which were neither hurtful nor effective. However, the beautiful female pirate was also wise. She took Charles Mecklen up into the skies, urging Charles to exchange insults with their adversary. Charles was a refined person and not one to hurl insults. All he could muster was a meek, "Golden Ram Herolf, the Queen Bee was taken by me, the people and ships on your island were taken by me; if you dare, come and fight me!" "If you don''t come and fight me, then you''re just a little dog." Then, the officers under Menilman witnessed a shocking sight. Golden Ram Herolf spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and fell straight down... Charles touched his own forehead, felt it was a bit soft, realized he had touched the wrong spot, quickly withdrew his hand, and said, "This must certainly be a ruse by Herolf to lure us in." "I''ll insult him some more!" "Herolf! Come and fight me, won''t you?" Golden Ram Herolf was of the Sacred Order, after all; a fall wouldn''t bother him, but the mouthful of blood he had spat out in a fit of rage had indeed damaged his vitality. Just as he struggled back to his feet, he heard Charles Mecklen''s loud cry and felt a surge of heat in his chest before spitting another mouthful of blood. Insulting someone isn''t about the vulgarity of the words or the wit of the phrases, but about really hitting the tender spot in the heart. And Charles, he truly struck right at Golden Ram Herolf''s heart. Chapter 300 293, The one who does not eat others Sabastine was momentarily startled, then reached out to pat Charles on the head and said, "I don''t think he''s pretending." Charles replied, "For someone of the Sacred Order, being cursed for days and nights shouldn''t change their complexion. My cursing was so feeble, how could it possibly make him spit blood?" Sabastine looked around at the sole ship in the empty Saint Michael Port, where hardly anyone was seen moving in Saint Michael City, and said, "I think... it''s not about how forcefully you cursed but how viciously you acted." Sabastine deeply sympathized with the Golden Ram Herolf, having been ousted from her own lair by Menilman, and she even wondered if all Sheffield University graduates behaved this way. Was this the motto of Sheffield University? Tumishen, feeling aggrieved from his recent disadvantage, used a secret Beastman technique quietly to infiltrate Saint Michael City. The very moment the Golden Ram Herolf got up, Tumishen struck out with a claw, hitting this great pirate leader of Whale Sea right in the back. Although Herolf was poked twice in the heart by Charles, he was still a battle-hardened member of the Sacred Order. A swirling mist of water appeared on his back, and with a sway of his body, he vanished. Tens of steps away, a rush of azure water surged, and the Golden Ram Herolf reappeared within it. With one unsuccessful strike, Tumishen knew he had missed. Although he managed to touch the Golden Ram Herolf in time, the force of this touch clearly could not compare with the accumulated strength of his initial strike. After his failed move, Tumishen burst into laughter and soared into the sky. Although the Golden Ram Herolf quickly pursued, the old Leopard Man was most proud of his unmatched speed. Before the Golden Ram Herolf could invoke the spirits of St. Michael Island, Tumishen had already escaped the range of the spirits'' activity. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Golden Ram Herolf had chased halfway when he saw four members of the Sacred Order watching intently. He felt frustrated but still suppressed his anger and retreated to Saint Michael Island. Tumishen sighed deeply, a look of regret on his face as he said, "If that old fellow had reacted a bit slower and had been hit by my Leopard Heart Corrosive Bone Claw, his combat strength would have dropped by at least ten percent." Menilman smiled slightly and said, "Take it slow, we have time." The five of them were in the air, four could fly, and only Charles, who piloted a flight, was not used to it, whispering, "Can you put me down first? I''m scared of heights!" Well, Sabastine did bear some resemblance to that "Wonder Woman," except for her bust size, which was quite ample. Charles wasn''t actually afraid of heights; he was a bit overwhelmed by the sight. He didn''t dare do anything to a female of the Sacred Order. He just wanted to escape from the ordeal as quickly as possible. Sabastine patted his head and said, "You''ll get used to it. Later on, I can take you flying often." Charles hurriedly declined, "That would be too embarrassing." Sabastine smiled slightly and said, "You don''t need to be polite with me." The High Priest of Augusladin thought to himself, "It''s better to be polite with Charles." "When he''s impolite, he truly dispenses with courtesy. Baron Fabolais still doesn''t know where his fortunes went." The Golden Ram Herolf, trapped in Saint Michael City, didn''t really care; after all, being of the Sacred Order, he had rarely suffered from hunger. He hadn''t cared much about food before, as the trade at St. Michael Island was always bustling, never lacking in grain or any supplies. During the period after being robbed by Charles and Menilman, he had been preoccupied with his sorrows and had neglected to replenish his supplies. However, as time passed, Golden Ram Herolf quickly realized something was amiss. Menilman neither launched an attack nor issued a challenge, but simply besieged them quietly. Occasionally, if a ship passed by, Menilman would intercept it. If it wasn''t a ship from Fars or Inglima, he would swallow it directly; only those from the two empires were allowed passage but couldn''t approach St. Michael Island. On St. Michael Island, aside from the original guards, there were also the crew from the Magical Alchemy Warship, totaling two to three thousand people. The first level of Saint Michael City stored the wealth accumulated by Golden Ram Herolf, but there really wasn''t much food. In the past half month, they had consumed most of their supplies, and now having been besieged for seven or eight days, St. Michael truly began to experience a shortage of food. Charles occasionally went up with Sabastine to observe and discovered that St. Michael had already started slaughtering pirates¡­ Coming from Earth, he really couldn''t stand this scene, while Sabastine seemed to consider it normal, whispering, "You are also ''Those Who Do Not Eat Humans,'' aren''t you?" Charles was slightly taken aback, retorting, "What are ''Those Who Do Not Eat Humans''?" Sabastine pursed her lips and said, "Originally, it''s a faction among the beastmen, mainly advocated by another leader of the Orc Assassin Alliance, named Septimius! He believes that beastmen should not prey on their own kind, nor should they eat beastmen from other tribes, and they shouldn''t eat humans either." "They should also learn civilization, possess morals¡­ and so on, in short, it''s quite an old-fashioned faction. Tumishen is also one of ''Those Who Do Not Eat Humans.'' He might take a liking to you, firstly because you clearly bear no prejudice against beastmen, and secondly because he adheres to the creed of not eating humans." "Septimius and Tumishen want to make non-cannibalism a doctrine of the Orc Assassin Alliance, but the rest of the leaders do not all support them." "Many humans, including vampires, have embraced the concept of not eating humans, and those extremist vampires who adhere to the doctrine, even advocate for Blood Energy to be pure, rejecting the practice of devouring life energy for cultivation." Charles was amazed and said, "There''s such a good faction?" Sabastine said, "Anyway, there are very few ''Those Who Do Not Eat Humans'' among pirates. Although I don''t consume humans either, I''m not from that faction." "I''ve always thought ''Those Who Do Not Eat Humans'' is a joke, they''re just an ideology, they don''t teach Extraordinary Secret Arts, who could truly adhere to it consistently?" Suddenly, Charles felt a new confidence in this world. Looking again at the cruelty of Saint Michael City, he suddenly felt he could somewhat endure it. Not acceptance, but endurance! He couldn''t help but gather his energy and bellowed, "Pirates of St. Michael, as long as you escape, you can survive. If you continue to stay in Saint Michael City, sooner or later, the most cruel fate will befall you!" Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire "Golden Ram Herolf is not a good leader, he is already finished!" "Come out! Join us!" What met him was the extremely furious Herolf throwing a Knight''s Spear his way. However, the Knight''s Spear had traveled too far, and Sabastine easily caught it in her hand, giggling, "Not bad, still a fine piece." Charles took a look, it wasn''t an Extraordinary Weapon, and he couldn''t help but recall Zhuge Liang of "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats"¡­