Kolo City.
Peiti and the twelve high-ranking officials were ready. These twelve individuals were the governors or garrison commanders of the five cities in the Kolo region. Most of them were also part of the Kolo family. At this moment, they were surrendering to the Demon King, forsaking their previous identities and honor.
Everyone was assembled, and the gold collected from the five cities was packed and ready. Thanks to the unique nature of the Kolo region, even though it was just a county, it was wealthier than most count's territories in the southern border.
Gru, leading about a hundred orcish soldiers, carried the gold into the teleportation field. In just two days, he had swiftly plundered approximately four hundred million continental gold coins worth of gold. This was roughly equivalent to thirty to forty million Demon King gold, which they would send back in one go. There would be plenty more to plunder in the future.
"Prepare yourselves! You are about to arrive at the capital city!"
"Remember, do not look or ask too much. Everything in the capital city is classified, and no leaks are allowed!"
The Dark Dragon King said with a stern expression, "If anyone dares to violate this, I will make them regret their existence in this world!"
Peiti and the others were taken aback. Over the past two days, the Dark Dragon King had instilled in them a nightmarish sense of oppression. They already held him in the same reverence as one would a deity and would not dare to utter even half a word.
After Long Yi's instructions, he glanced at Sun Liu.
"Initiate the teleportation!"
"Understood!"
The Skydrake Archpriest, Sun Liu, raised his staff and struck the ground, instantly summoning a massive teleportation field. Within it were Gru and over a hundred orcish soldiers carrying the gold, as well as Long Yi, Peiti, and a dozen others.
"..."
Peiti could not believe her eyes. "A spatial teleportation field?"
This kind of teleportation field that could be activated anywhere and anytime was something she had never seen or heard of before. It seemed that the Demon King's forces were filled with talented individuals. In her eyes, ever since the former lord had gained the status of a Hero, forming the Divine Sword Heroes Guild, the fate of Kolo had been sealed, destined for tragedy.
The next moment, the teleportation field activated, and Peiti found herself in a place enshrouded in dense mist. This fog was not natural; it was an extremely potent magical mist, preventing her from discerning the full extent of the city. However, even in this haze, Peiti was astounded. She could clearly sense that this was a city of miracles, with a grandeur and miraculous construction beyond imagination. Every brick and tile seemed to be crafted with special techniques, radiating energy and enchanted effects. Peiti could faintly feel that the entire city was filled with powerful enchanted constructs, making it almost unbelievable.
Furthermore, the moment she arrived, Peiti noticed that her strength, reflexes, perception, vitality, spirit, and all her abilities had undergone a comprehensive enhancement. This city had a strengthening effect on her. In this place, she felt at least twice as powerful as she would in a normal environment! It was unbelievable, almost beyond comprehension. Before she could explore more, the thirteen of them were brought into the Demon Dragon Castle.
The Demon King's castle, rivaling a palace in grandeur, had doors that were dozens of meters high, easily allowing creatures as large as giants to enter and exit. As humans with a much smaller stature, they could not help but feel a profound sense of oppression when walking in such a place.
They were led by the Dark Dragon King into a sumptuous lounge. Rows of seats were symmetrically arranged, exuding an air of opulence. A dozen fox-kin attendants held bloodwine, silently waiting on either side. At the front of the lounge, on a high dais, there was a massive throne, unmistakably the primary seat and the highest-ranking position that only the master of this chamber and the entire castle, could occupy.
However, what left Peiti astonished was that at this very moment, seated on the primary throne was a draconian with dark golden scales. To his left and right stood two individuals---one burly, wielding a double-bladed spear and covered in diamond-like scales, and the other relatively petite, dressed in priestly robes adorned with seven-colored magical patterns.
Peiti could not comprehend the situation. Why was someone else seated in the primary position? She could not sense the draconian's strength at all. However, she could distinctly feel that the two individuals to his left and right were not concealing their aura, and it was so overwhelming that it was almost like facing the Dark Dragon King. Her intuition told her that these two draconians were possibly on par with the Dark Dragon King, if not slightly inferior. In other words, they were at the level of Dragon Kings!
How was this possible? The kings and monarchs of the dragons were an exceedingly rare and precious existence among the dragon-kind. The appearance of the Dark Dragon King had already shocked the empire. Why were there two more Dragon Kings in the Demon King's main castle? Even more bewildering was the fact that there were four draconians present at this moment, with three of them being Dragon Kings standing. So, who exactly was the one seated?
...
Peiti and the others were utterly dumbfounded as they witnessed an astonishing scene unfold.
The supposedly Demon King, stepping forward, knelt directly on the ground, his face filled with an attitude of submission and deep respect. "Master, I have not failed your mission and have successfully completed the task you assigned!"
Upon hearing these words, their minds went completely blank. Peiti felt her legs weaken, unsure if it was due to the overwhelming pressure in the room or if she had entirely lost control of her body. She found herself kneeling alongside the Dark Dragon King. The other twelve individuals followed suit, prostrating themselves, terrified to even take a breath. The situation was beyond their comprehension. The immensely powerful and terrifying Dark Dragon King, who had left a psychological scar on every Kolo resident who had encountered him, was now kneeling before another being, referring to them as his master. This completely shattered their understanding and this absurdity was something no one present had ever dared to imagine.
Peiti was filled with confusion, but she dared not speak. She did not know what to say.
The Demon King, Zhang Nu, nodded slowly. "You may rise. Are these the administrators from the Kolo region that you have brought back?"
Long Yi replied respectfully, "Yes, they are. They hold high prestige in the Kolo region. As long as they sincerely pledge allegiance to you, I believe it will be effortless for you to control Kolo Province."
"Indeed, but..." Zhang Nu's tone changed. "There is a rat among them."
At these words, Long Yi's expression changed drastically. Before he could identify the infiltrator, Zhang Nu activated a mind control spell with a light flicker of his will. Suddenly, a middle-aged man stood up, his expression filled with terror. He felt that he had lost control of his body completely, as if a horrifying presence was issuing commands to his body far more potent than those from his own brain. He was utterly powerless.
"You... you... you..." The Hero could not fathom how he had been exposed. All he could do was stammer, "I was wrong, mighty Demon King. Give me another chance. I don't want to die..."
The Demon King, with his crimson vertical eye wide open, gazed at the man. The moment their eyes met, the Hero let out a blood-curdling scream. His body split open from the middle, shattering into hundreds, even thousands of pieces. Each fragment continued to disintegrate into dust and powder. In the end, he vanished without a trace, as though he had never existed.
Peiti and the others had not sensed even the slightest magical fluctuation. Their shock was beyond words, especially after witnessing the Demon King's obliteration of the infiltrating Hero. When the crimson vertical pupil on his forehead turned towards the remaining twelve individuals, it swept over each of them.
In the moment that the eye gazed upon them, Peiti felt as if her soul had been plunged into the depths of hell. She was enveloped in an overwhelming aura of death, much like a person drowning in the center of the ocean, with no hope of survival. It was a despair she had never experienced before, a vivid and undeniable encounter with death.
Thankfully, it was just a brief glance, and the Demon King closed his crimson vertical eye. Peiti felt utterly drained, gasping for breath, trembling uncontrollably, and almost unable to control her bodily functions. She had always considered herself far from being a coward, but in the presence of this entity that defied comprehension, her once-prided courage, faith, and willpower seemed like a mere joke.
Long Yi knelt once again, his voice filled with remorse. "Master, it was my oversight. I am guilty of a grave mistake by allowing an intruder to infiltrate."
The Demon King chuckled. "Let it go, it's not that big of a deal. The others are fine."
As he spoke, twelve fox-kin maids approached, each holding a cup of blood wine. The Demon King spoke calmly, "Since you have chosen to pledge your loyalty to me, do not entertain thoughts of playing petty tricks behind my back. As long as you serve me with sincerity and wholeheartedly, you will receive the rewards you deserve, and today's choices will not be in vain."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Peiti and the twelve others hastily bowed their heads. They finally felt the oppressive aura that had hung over them diminish. They each took the cups of blood wine offered by the fox-kin maids and drank it all in one go, cementing their control under the true Demon King.
Satisfied, Zhang Nu nodded and said, "Li Si."
The Sky Drake Sovereign stepped forward, saying, "I'm here, master."
Zhang Nu continued, "You will take them through the next steps, instructing them on what to do and what not to do. Guide them through their roles."
The Sky Drake Sovereign nodded, replying, "Understood, master."
Li Si then led the twelve newcomers away for further employee training.
Zhang Nu turned to Long Yi and said, "You performed well this time. Once the interval for the baptism is complete, return to Darkness City on your own and undergo the next baptism."
Long Yi expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your grace, master."
Zhang Nu cautioned, "The commotion you caused this time was substantial, but it's the effect I desired. You will face significant pressure in the future, and when necessary, I will send Zhang San, Li Si, or Nancilia to assist you."
"While I may not hold Duke Bachor in high regard, he is not an easy fodder to deal with. Thunder Empire boasts a multitude of skilled individuals, both within its official ranks and among its hidden powerhouses like the Undying Phoenix, Hubert. You must be even more cautious and vigilant."
Long Yi replied firmly, "To share your burdens and lay down our lives for you, master, is the highest honor for us."
The game had just begun. The Chaos Federation and the Thunder Empire were destined for a prolonged confrontation. Facing such a colossal behemoth, Zhang Nu could not afford to be complacent. That was why he deliberately revealed some of his strength, but not the full extent. With the appearance of the Dark Dragon King as bait, he had already enticed many big fish to bite. These fat catches would be enough to satisfy the Chaos Federation, the Darkness City, and the Demon King for a while.
Next, Zhang Nu met with the orc city lord, Gru, to convert the plundered gold. He gained a staggering 38 million gold in one go. Gru had been performing well recently, so Zhang Nu decided to bestow a Demon Lord's Baptism upon him. Gru recently had a breakthrough during the Holy King's Baptism. At present, he was only at the early stage of Level 4. After the Demon King's Baptism, he immediately reached the late stage of Level 4.
"Thank you, your Majesty! Thank you, your Majesty!"
The orc city lord was overjoyed. With this pace, by training in the Tower of Lost Trials for a while and solidifying his foundation in Qi and martial arts, he would be able to become a Level 5 lord during the next Baptism. Gru deeply realized how correct of a decision it was to follow the Demon King. Now, not only was Berserk Beast City thriving, but he himself was making rapid progress. His strength was already on par with the former city lord.