’Damn it!’ he cursed inwardly.
’That bastard Tim never even left the city wall.’
’The intel was wrong!’
Inside the control room, a figure sat leisurely at a wooden table covered in maps and reports.
Hearing the door open, he slowly turned his head, asking in confusion, "Oh? If it isn’t our busy Lord Casimir?"
"Skipping that rare gala at the castle, are we? What brings you to this boring old wall?"
The two Elite Warriors and the Ranger sitting beside him also turned their heads, giving Casimir a casual greeting. It seemed their relationship with him was fairly good.
Casimir forced himself to remain calm, explaining with a smile, "It’s nothing. I was just worried the demon beasts might go back on their word and launch a surprise attack, so I came to check things out."
"What about you? Why aren’t you at the banquet?"
"I was about to go, but I forgot something here."
Tim smiled. He was about to casually praise him for being "so thorough," but his gaze inadvertently swept over the cloaked figures behind Casimir.
He froze for a moment, then his expression changed drastically as if he had just remembered something.
"Casimir! You... You’re actually with the Stone Race..."
"SWISH!"
Before he could finish, Nili’s figure vanished. The next instant, she had reappeared at Tim’s side.
A cold light flashed. Tim let out a muffled grunt as a thin line of blood appeared on his neck, fresh blood gushing out.
"Why waste time being polite? Attack!" Nili snorted coldly. With a flick of her wrist, her dagger was about to strike again.
"Damn it! Casimir is a traitor!"
"Protect Mr. Tim!"
The two Elite Professionals reacted with extreme speed. The Warrior roared, drew the Giant Sword from his waist, and swung violently at Nili.
Meanwhile, the Ranger leaped backward, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow. An arrow wreathed in the Wind Element instantly locked onto Nili.
In the cramped control room, the Stone Assassins’ agile movements were restricted, forcing them to fall back repeatedly.
Fortunately, they had the advantage in numbers and were all formidable. After a brief but fierce struggle, they finally subdued the two Elite Professionals, binding them securely with iron chains.
However, the commotion from the control room was too loud and had already alerted the other Mercenaries on the wall.
"Enemy attack!"
"Something’s happening at the control room! Get over there!"
The sounds of chaotic footsteps and shouting came from outside the blockhouse.
"Ror, do your best to control the Mercenaries outside!"
After giving the order to the other Blood Race member, Casimir cast aside his noble bearing. He rushed in front of the terrified mercenaries, drew a dagger, and threatened, "Quick, open the city gate! Now!"
"Yes, yes! Please, don’t do anything rash."
The trembling Mercenaries began to struggle with the heavy winch.
"CREAK, CREAK..."
"RUMBLE..."
Accompanied by the rumbling of the winch, the heavy stone gate began to slowly swing inward.
This sent the Mercenaries on the wall into a complete uproar.
"You Blood Race are really unreliable," Nili couldn’t help but complain to Casimir while keeping a wary eye on the door.
"This isn’t the time for that. Follow me, quickly." Casimir’s face was grim. He was the first to rush out of the control room, with Nili and the Stone Assassins close behind.
By now, the entire section of the wall had descended into chaos. There were running figures, swaying torches, and panicked shouts everywhere.
"My King, what should we do now?" Nili asked.
’This commotion is too big. The Blood Race at the castle will probably be alerted soon.’
Chen Yu opened his eyes, his round, squishy body bouncing once.
"We’re already here."
Just as he finished speaking, a dense buzzing, like a tidal wave, surged from the pitch-black night sky.
Everyone looked up to see the Poisonous Sting Bee Legion soaring over the city wall, appearing above the inner ramparts.
"The Demon Legion is here?"
Seeing this, Casimir hurriedly peered through the blockhouse’s firing slit, gazing into the deep darkness outside the city.
Ten Secret Magic Ancient Trees, like mobile war fortresses, appeared on the dark wasteland, their steps making the very earth tremble.
And in the very center of the legion of Ancient Trees, a Slime wearing a Crown and a cloak stood silently upon the Wild Boar throne.
Its round, squishy body seemed tiny, but framed by the Demon Legion, it appeared majestic and imposing.
...
「Eternal Night Territory, Blood Race Castle.」
In the banquet hall where the gala was being held, the crystal chandeliers overhead cast a hazy glow, reflecting off the polished marble floor.
A cloaked Bard was strumming a Lute, singing ancient Blood Race ballads that praised the glorious past of their people.
Gorgeously dressed Blood Race nobles gathered in small groups, holding goblets filled with crimson liquid. They moved between long tables laden with silver cutlery and pastries, laughing and talking in low voices.
The air was thick with the rich scent of wine and the tang of blood.
"To another victory for the Blood Race!" a drunken Blood Race elder exclaimed, raising his goblet high.
"We are the eternal masters of the Eternal Night Territory! Those lowly demon beasts and filthy Stone Race will never set foot in our lands!"
"To victory!" the other Blood Race members echoed with smiles.
"To eternal life!"
The clinking of glasses rose and fell throughout the hall.
But in a corner of the ballroom, Deng Lun merely glanced at the scene before returning to drinking alone, taking no part in the boisterous celebration.
Before long, a Blood Race noble sitting by the window suddenly narrowed his eyes. He looked out at the pitch-black night sky and chuckled with a drunken slur, "Heh, they even arranged a fireworks show for tonight’s celebration. How quaint."