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With a single command from the Ice Emperor, more than thirty elders of the Empire Guild unleashed their battle spirit, launching attacks against the assassins frozen by the Ice Emperor's icy power.
Meanwhile, the Ice Emperor wielded his ice spear, exuding an overwhelming aura as he approached Xu Aiguo.
Facing the murderous intent radiating from the Ice Emperor, Xu Aiguo took two steps back, feigning confusion. "Chairman Bing, I don't understand what you meanā¦"
"That assassination attempt on Zero during the Gate of Eternity incidentāI've already uncovered all your secrets. The reason I didn't expose you immediately was to use you to lure out your accomplices," the Ice Emperor said coldly. "Do I need to make it clearer?"
"You know the law of Dragon Nation: traitors will be executed without mercy."
Xu Aiguo's heart sank.
He wanted to argue, but at that moment, his secretary sent a message: "Boss, bad news. I just found out that your deleted call records with Mr. Amano have been secretly recovered by someone. It's very likely they've already been leaked. Also, it seems like we've been under surveillance these past few days."
Seeing this, Xu Aiguo finally realized the truth: he had already been exposed.
Tonight was nothing more than a carefully orchestrated pig-slaughtering setup.
The Ice Emperor had deliberately leaked the information about heading to Beihai to lure Xu Aiguo into making his move against the Empire Guild tonight.
But in reality, the Ice Emperor had never gone to Beihai. It was all a ruse.
Once Xu Aiguo had gathered all the dark forces scattered across the nation in one place, the Ice Emperor would strike, wiping them out in one fell swoop.
Since things had reached this point, Xu Aiguo dropped all pretense. "That's right, I sold some of Dragon Nation's secrets to Eastern Nation. But I don't think I did anything wrong. I used their money to cultivate talents for our Dragon Nation. What's wrong with that?"
The Ice Emperor's tone was cold. "You're beyond saving."
"In that case, it's time for you to pay the price for your actions."
The Level 495 Epic-ranked [War Knight] Xu Aiguo raised his dual axes, his eyes blazing as he stared at the Ice Emperor. "We've never fought all these years. I've long wanted to test myself against you."
"I've studied your abilities thoroughly. Although you're one of the top three strongest in Dragon Nation, you might not be my match."
The Ice Emperor scoffed. "Is that so?"
"Let's see what you're capable of."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the Ice Emperor struck his ice spear into the ground with a resounding clang. Instantly, sharp ice spikes spread rapidly from his feet in all directions, accompanied by the sound of cracking ice.
Xu Aiguo activated his SSSS-level [Shield of War] (a skill providing massive damage reduction and control immunity as long as the shield remains unbroken), attempting to block the attack.
However, with a loud clang, the very first ice spike shattered the Shield of War. The subsequent spikesāsecond, third, and fourthādrove Xu Aiguo back repeatedly.
In an instant, his health bar was nearly depleted.
The Ice Emperor looked at Xu Aiguo with disdain.
"This is all you've got? You've been the vice president of my Empire Guild for twenty-eight years, and yet you've learned nothing."
Xu Aiguo glared at the Ice Emperor furiously, humiliated and enraged.
"In that case, you leave me no choice!"
With that, Xu Aiguo suddenly pulled out a scroll from nowhere and crushed it.
The next momentā
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Dozens of glowing red spatial rifts surrounded them, pulsating with lightning energy.
As everyone present stared in confusion, figures began emerging from the rifts.
Although these individuals resembled people from Dragon Nation, closer observation revealed something differentāthey were not from Dragon Nation.
"Professionals from Eastern Nation!"
Even the Ice Emperor was momentarily stunned. "Why are people from Eastern Nation here?"
Xu Aiguo burst into laughter. "So this is what Mr. Amano meant by personally organizing the operation."
It turned out that when Xu Aiguo informed Amano about the night's plan, Amano had sent him a scroll via secret methods, instructing him to use it during the operation.
The scroll's function was to open spatial rifts between Eastern and Dragon Nation, allowing Amano's forces to cross directly into Dragon Nation.
Looking at the Eastern Nation professionals emerging from the rifts, several Empire Guild elders angrily rebuked Xu Aiguo. "You actually brought enemies from Eastern Nation to attack us internally? Xu Aiguo, do you even have a conscience?"
Xu Aiguo sneered. "Every man for himself, or the heavens will destroy him."
"Sorry, gentlemen, but from this moment forward, I am no longer a citizen of Dragon Nation. I will be joining Eastern Nation."
At this point, Xu Aiguo had already made up his mind: after completing this operation and eliminating the Empire Guild elders, he would flee to Eastern Nation.
If circumstances permitted, he would even take the chance to kill the Ice Emperor, one of Dragon Nation's top three strongest. After such an achievement, Amano might grant him high status and power in Eastern Nationāfar more than he could ever achieve in Dragon Nation.
There were about a dozen rifts in total, each capable of allowing only one person through.
Thus, thirteen professionals from Eastern Nation had arrived in Dragon Nation.
However, every one of these thirteen individuals was among Eastern Nation's most elite professionals.
Among them were eight Legendary-ranked professionals, including the three top experts of Eastern Nation:
Level 500 Nine-Turn Blade Emperor: Murai Ichiryu!
Level 500 Nine-Turn Witch: Ikawa Riyo!
Level 500 Nine-Turn Shadow Ninja: Kawasaki Jun!
Even the Eastern Emperor himself, Level 500 Nine-Turn Ghost Blade Dancer Amano Inoue, had personally arrived.
The Ice Emperor, having encountered these top-tier Eastern Nation professionals multiple times during the annual Professional Championship Finals, knew well how formidable they were.
Though there were only thirteen of them, each one was a one-man army capable of facing hundreds.
The Ice Emperor tightened his grip on his ice spear, preparing to unleash his full strength to deal with these opponents.
Dressed in foreign ghost armor and wielding a blood-red long blade, Ghost Blade Dancer Amano Inoue scanned the Empire Guild elders before his gaze settled on the Ice Emperor.
With a sneer, he said, "The Ice Emperor, one of Dragon Nation's top three strongest."
"We've met on the battlefield before."
"Indeed, we have," the Ice Emperor replied. "Seven times, to be exact. You lost five of them."
"I'll admit, your one-on-one skills are exceptional," Amano Inoue said. "But what if I bring out our top three Eastern Nation experts to join me? You, standing alone, how will you resist?"
As he spoke, Murai Ichiryu, Ikawa Riyo, and Kawasaki Jun stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Amano Inoue, radiating killing intent toward the Ice Emperor.
The Ice Emperor remained calm. "You seem to have forgotten something."
"This is Dragon Nation!"
Amano Inoue's eyes gleamed with murderous intent. "Your Zero killed my son during the Professional Championship."
"This debt will be repaid in blood."
With that, Amano Inoue drew his blood-red blade, pointed it at the Ice Emperor, and ordered coldly, "Kill all these Dragon Nation scum. Ikuzo!"
In the next instant, the thirteen elite professionals from Eastern Nation, along with the assassins Xu Aiguo had brought, launched a fierce attack on the Empire Guild members.
āāāāāāāāāāāāā
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