Ge Zheng now felt like he was neither here nor there. Surrounded by a dark void, he had nowhere to exert his strength. He wanted to summon his flying sword, but where was the enemy? He could tell that he had fallen into an alchemical item designed specifically for imprisoning prisoners. Usually, he would have been very happy to have the chance to study such an item, but now he couldn't muster any interest. He felt unjustly defeated, if he had known, he would have used wind magic to soar into the sky, which could have defended against the matrix shield at his feet.
Sorge Wilen was very agitated: if the master died, the summoned beasts bound by the agreement would definitely die along with the master. If Ge Zheng had an accident, then Sorge Wilen's loved one would also be doomed to suffer. He used fifty percent of his power to pursue, this was the maximum power he could use in his human form.
His speed was indeed very fast, but the three ahead were very familiar with the terrain. Seeing him catch up, they didn't continue running on the rooftops, instead they jumped into the alleys, twisting and turning, evading Sorge Wilen several times.
The wise dragon was very angry, wishing to burn the entire residential area with a breath of dragon fire.
After running and chasing, the three suddenly stopped, Sorge Wilen was overjoyed and about to charge at them, but found that they had reached the base of the city wall, they climbed over it and dashed into the starlit wilderness, Sorge Wilen followed suit and jumped into the air, his body already opening a pair of dragon wings.
"Hoo" Sorge Wilen flapped his dragon wings and chased them out of the city, a sentry guarding behind the female wall after the leap, half-asleep and misty-eyed, glanced outside the city, muttering to himself: "It turns out it's a bat..." Sorge Wilen did not hear this comment, otherwise he would probably not be able to resist stopping to teach this ant who disrespected the dragon.
Although Sorge Wilen still had a human body, the immense dragon wings on his back suddenly increased his speed to another level, and soon caught up with the three. He didn't know when, but each of them had a long black bundle in their hands. Without any mutual signal, each of them chose a direction and ran away.
Sorge Wilen thought luckily: fortunately he captured three magical beasts to fit his fabricated identity as a beast tamer, otherwise it would have been difficult this time.
Sorge Wilen gracefully landed, his huge dragon wings trailing on the grassy fields outside the city like the hem of a luxurious evening gown.
The three dark shadows slowly retreated from the directions they had run, each of them had a large, watchful creature in front of them!
If they were ordinary bandits, undoubtedly the best choice at this moment would be to use Ge Zheng to threaten Sorge Wilen, but the three were the henchmen of the three princes, unable to complete the mission, there was only a dead end for them. If they used Ge Zheng to threaten Sorge Wilen, in case something went wrong and Ge Zheng died, they would also face death.
Each of the three tied the long cloth bundles to their backs, assuming a fighting stance opposite Sorge Wilen!
The wise dragon couldn't help but laugh, there were always some stupid people in the world, how incredibly overestimating their own abilities...
Kou Di, with several dozen guards, rushed over in a sweat, he knew Ge Zheng was Fei Fei's private tutor and a prominent figure in the Grand Duke's presence. If something happened to him under his protection, the Grand Duke would not forgive him when they returned.
The disturbance inside the city had alarmed the royal guards of the city. The two groups met, and came out of the city gates in pursuit. Kou Di led the way, with Captain Wood, the leader of the detachment under the supervision of the royal guard, boasting how flawless the city's security was under the supervision of the royal guard.
The sound of a hundred cavalry hooves shattered the tranquility of the wilderness, as they approached, the warhorses suddenly became restless and began to neigh uncontrollably, the previously neat formation suddenly became chaotic.
Captain Wood found it humiliating that in front of these "bumpkins" from the south, he had wanted to boast about the city's security, only to have a delegation kidnapped. He had also wanted to boast about how well trained his subordinates were, but now their cavalry formation was in disarray.
"Steady, steady! Control your horses!" Captain Wood shouted loudly in the darkness. Before his voice fell, a powerful roar emanated from the darkness, scaring all the warhorses, as they backed off and fell to the ground together. An overpowering stench filled the air, and a mixture of horse urine and droppings flowed out.
"What in the world!" The sudden prostration of the warhorses caused many knights to fall, and for a while, cries of panic filled the air. Captain Wood shouted out, but no one answered. In the darkness, a few red lights flashed. Captain Wood threw a torch over, and as the flame flickered, a huge tiger with flaming red eyes squatted on the ground, seemingly sitting on something.
"Roar!" The temper of the Fire-eye Tiger King was not good, someone dared to throw flames in front of the king of the fire beasts, for it was a blatant insult.
The Six-legged Leopard Lord was like the ghost king of Tartarus, its thick paws made no sound on the ground. Its natural black and grey mottled fur, a slight leap into the night, could make it disappear. Among the three beast kings, the Six-legged Leopard Lord was the true hunter!
"Ah! What is that..." They had already noticed that on their escape route, there was a six-meter long leopard, staring at them with lifeless green and yellow eyes.
Mong, the Earth Bear King, pounded the ground and roared, a yellow magical light covered its whole body, Wood's soldiers were petrified with fear, they were practically no different from the warhorses they were riding.
"Roar, roar, roar..." The three beast kings roared, the knights were unable to form a battle line, trembling and raising their weapons become a huddle.
Ge Zheng had already been released by Sorge Wilen, but he was also somewhat dissatisfied with the city's guards. He had actually been attacked in the inn! This was the first-rate security of the Imperial City?
"Don't be afraid, they are our friends." Ge Zheng walked out of the darkness, standing beside the torch, and looked at Captain Wood, then said, "In fact, if it wasn't for these 'friends,' I wouldn't even know where I am." Captain Wood's face turned red, Ge Zheng pointed at the huge tiger, "The person who attacked me is under the backside of the Fire-eye Tiger King, I hope the respected Captain will take him back for questioning. I don't understand why I attracted this unwarranted disaster shortly after arriving in the royal city." Sorge Wilen stood behind Ge Zheng, without the imposing air of Ge Zheng, but he was inwardly happy: this time, saving Ge Zheng not only improved their relationship, but also let him see his own value.
Ge Zheng looked at the three beast kings: if any of these three was used as a mount, apart from the dragon knights from thousands of years ago, there would be no one on the continent who would be his equal.
"Sir, please let me take away the assassins." Since no one dared to approach the Fire-eye Tiger King, Wood had no choice but to boldly request Ge Zheng. The alchemist seemed to have just remembered: "Oh, go ahead." As soon as he said that, the Fire-eye Tiger King shook its massive body, moving its rear end from the three people. Wood sent someone over to check, "They are dead!" Ge Zheng shook his head, secretly blaming himself for not thinking of this earlier.
The commotion lasted all night, and the soldiers' horses didn't recover until after midnight, Ge Zheng had already returned to the city ahead of them.
Early the next day, Delsonn hurried over: "Master, it's not safe here, you'd better move to my place." Ge Zheng shook his head and said, "No need, after this incident, the Emperor is sure to send the guards of the city to protect us, so it's actually safer now. You should go back and focus on your training." Although in his heart, Ge Zheng knew that if it hadn't been for his complacency, he wouldn't have been kidnapped. Delsonn was still worried, but Ge Zheng was determined not to move, and he had no choice but to send some of his personal guards to Ge Zheng. Since he was well-meaning, Ge Zheng didn't refuse.
When the Three Princes woke up, their faces looked very unpleasant. An old and middle-aged aide stood quietly by the side, never expecting that none of the three brothers could bring Ge Zheng back. According to the information, he had overestimated Ge Zheng's strength, never expecting such a failure.
At this time, someone came in a hurry from outside. Bowing his head, he presented a cylindrical object with both hands and entered without saying a word, kneeling down to present the cylinder.
The middle-aged aide went up to accept the cylinder and had the person stand up. He opened the cylinder and took out a piece of paper, after reading it, his facial expression changed slightly: "Your Highness, it seems that they should have succeeded, but later they were taken back by someone else." He pondered for a moment, and took out a badge-like object from his bosom: "Let the Third Prince take care of this matter." The middle-aged aide took the badge, and with just a glance at the badge, his body trembled: it was actually him!
...
Central District of Delsonn Royal City: Six, Seven, Ten, and Eleven, are named after the first Emperor of the Austa Empire, the Nal Emperor's Palace. Those who can live here are either rich or noble, and it is home to all the prominent aristocrats and major merchants from all over the city. This area is very sought after and is a commercial haven dreamed of by all merchants. It's the dream of countless merchants in the Empire to own their own business in this area.
Compared to those small-time merchants who dream of having a "place in the sun" in the rich and noble district, Rong Heng Trading Company is considered fortunate; they have the largest shop in the district, with a wide range of goods. From the snow fox skins in the Arctic to the deep-sea fish fins in the profound sea to the four-eyed flying snakes in the Hanzhao wilderness and the clam oil from the Wuhui Salt Flats, one can find all these in the Rong Heng Trading Company's store.
Passing by the spacious and grand entrance of the Rong Heng Trading Company, the merchants would stomp their feet enviously, but could only shake their heads: "Who made them the number one trading firm on the continent, only they have such strength."
Today, the Rongheng Trade House was somewhat different from before. Several managers in the store had already entrusted all the business to their subordinates early in the morning and rushed to the East City Gate together.
As the sun rose, the three iron gates in the city gate were slowly pulled up. With creaking and groaning, people waiting outside the city rushed in. In addition to those bringing daily supplies into the city, there were also carts transporting chamber pots.
The managers of Rongheng Trade House were quite influential figures in the Delson Royal City. However, they had to endure hunger, stench, and the discomfort of not being able to sit down, despite being respected individuals, indicating that the person they were to welcome was truly remarkable.
Glancing at the sun overhead, one of the men asked a young attendant behind him, "What time is it now?" The attendant, with a round flat box hanging from his neck, wiped it and checked the time: "It's already ten o'clock." The timer he wore was an alchemical item, much more convenient than an hourglass, but also much more expensive.
The managers felt hungry all morning and, being older, they started to feel dizzy. The attendant suggested, "Let me fetch some chairs for you to rest, sirs." However, he was scolded without reason and felt wronged as he muttered to himself about their behavior.
Around eleven o'clock, an ordinary carriage finally arrived at the East City Gate. Seeing the markings on the carriage, the managers breathed a sigh of relief and went to welcome it. The attendant efficiently paid the city entrance tax, and the carriage smoothly entered the city without being stopped.
"Lord Clos, you've had a hard journey," the usually fierce managers greeted the person outside the carriage like obedient little granddaughters.
The carriage pulled over to the side of the street, the door being pushed open with a rustle, and a young face emerged. Clos said nonchalantly, "You're all here. How are the preparations going?" One person stepped forward and said, "Rest assured, everything has been prepared according to your and Miss's instructions. We are just waiting for you to take charge. Tomorrow is the royal challenge, and it's the best time for us to act..." Clos glared at him fiercely, causing the man to cover his mouth and quickly realize his mistake. It wasn't appropriate to discuss such secretive matters in public.
"Go back!" Clos frowned and closed the door.
Clos didn't allow them to ride in the carriage, so the old men had to follow behind with empty stomachs. Along the way from the East City Gate to the Rongheng Trade House in the Wealthy District, the others inside felt a few hundred curses for the man who spoke inappropriately.
Back at the trading house, Clos didn't intend to let them rest: "Find a secure place." The managers didn't dare to defy him and hastily brought him to the secret room of the trade house, and arranged for a large number of people to guard outside.
Clos took out a golden sphere from his chest and pressed a button the size of a black bean on it. With a "swoosh," the golden sphere burst open, turning into several different sizes of rings stacked together. A faint misty light spread out, gradually forming an imperceptible barrier.
Clos clapped his hands. "Alright, even a level thirteen professional won't be able to eavesdrop within my Golden Droplet Barrier. We can speak freely now." The managers glanced at each other, all thinking: the rumors about Lord Clos' alchemical mastery rivaling the titled craftsman Parachelsus's are not unfounded!
"Alright, you don't have to stand around, sit down and speak. Tell me about your plan."
The exhausted managers finally sat down to catch their breath after a tiring morning. The leading manager said, "Sir, as we discussed, this year's royal challenge is different from previous ones. Not only were the envoys from the three southern great nations invited to perform, but also powerful nations from all over the continent were invited to observe. This is because the Emperor of the empire has ulterior motives."
Clos was intrigued. "Oh, what motives?"
"Previously, the great thief Heinrich stole the imperial treasure Moon's Coronet, leaving the empire's intelligence agency puzzled as to how he managed to open the treasury door. The Emperor is likely to conclude that an enemy nation helped Heinrich."
"However, the country in question has covered its tracks seamlessly. Even the empire's intelligence agency couldn't find any trace. Emperor Meijeff the Fourth is furious and is contemplating countermeasures. In reality, this royal challenge is meant to showcase the power of the Auster Empire to the continent!"
Clos frowned, making the manager think he had said something wrong. Inside, Clos felt uncomfortable about Heinrich's matter.
"Alright, why did you stop? Go on."
"As you know, the Auster Empire has always had exceptional war generals, but its magic and alchemy have been lacking. Hence, they have always stayed in the southern part of the continent. Unexpectedly, due to a dispute between the three southern great nations, the Emperor unintentionally discovered an alchemy genius. He wants to use the southern nations' alchemy to intimidate the empire and show that the Auster Empire not only has powerful war generals but also skillful alchemists."
In fact, Duke Maris offered the alchemy equation, and the inept palace alchemist of Emperor Meijeff the Fourth was at a loss. It was heard that there was an alchemist in the Duchy of Maris who managed to decipher the equation, which sparked this idea. After all, the Auster Empire has always been established based on its war generals. If the alchemists from the southern countryside could make a strong showing, it would be the best. If not, alchemy has always been the Empire's weak point, and no one would ridicule Emperor Meijeff the Fourth for it.
"We have already bribed the imperial officials in charge of receiving foreign envoys. Among the gifts prepared for the foreign envoys is our trading house's alchemical toys. Although small, these toys can demonstrate the Auster Empire's current level of alchemy in detail. When a plague breaks out in the city of Delson, the origin will be traced back to these esteemed guests from the Auster Empire. We will definitely make a huge profit! If this incident provokes a war between the Auster Empire and other countries, our trading house can also profit from war supplies, making even more profits!"
Finally, Clos showed a hint of a smile. "You've done well."