Chapter 346: Collecting the spoils of war
Han Shuo was in no rush to leave. When Emily saw Cecilia and the Dark Mantle members slowly making their way over, she felt like she needed to a bit cautious, maintaining an appropriate distance from Han Shuo to avoid rousing suspicion.
After all, Emily was the daughter-in-law of the Betteridge family. No matter what she felt towards Han Shuo in private, they couldn’t let outsiders know of it. Be it Emily or Han Shuo, that particular bit of information would only bring them unnecessary troubles in the foreseeable future.
After he saw the bone staff in Han Shuo’s hand, Ancient Lizard King Dagassi’s attitude towards the latter had grown considerably better. His long years of life had also seemingly forged an incredible level of patience. His expression remained unchanged as he watched Cecilia and the others slowly inch their way over.
“I can just take care of these people if you think they’re in the way, it won’t take me too long.” Dagassi casually remarked. A wicked grin crossed his face as he saw their timid approach.
Dagassi’s attitude towards Cecilia and the others could only be described as extreme contempt. He wasn’t afraid to let them overhear his conversation with Han Shuo. For a demi-god existence like himself, Cecilia’s group were no different than ants, an eyesore that only needed a flick of a limb to eradicate.
Cecilia and her team had only approached the group because they saw Han Shuo and Emily getting along well with the Ancient Lizard King. Cecilia’s face blanched when she heard Dagassi’s offer. She couldn’t help but take a few steps back and stare nervously at Han Shuo.
“No need, they are my colleagues.” Han Shuo’s answer allowed Cecilia to heave a sigh of relief. But only when she saw the Ancient Lizard King nod at Han Shuo did she slowly walk over to their side. She first nodded at Emily and then spoke to Dagassi, “Powerful being, I am of the Lancelot Empire and in charge of dealing with the enemy this time, I…”
“I have no interest in your words.” Dagassi interrupted before Cecilia could make much headway, let alone finish, “Puny human girl, those who dared to invade lie dead. Whatever happens in this area is under my control, and the underground world is not a place for you humans to set foot in. I won’t kill you since you are his colleagues, but if you value this temporary amnesty, I hope you leave this world as quickly as possible.”
“I…” Cecilia was about to say more, but was quickly stopped by Emily, “Alright little sister Cecilia, as far as I can see, we’ve successfully completed our mission. Even if it wasn’t exactly due to our actions, the name of the Redbud Knights will no longer be spoken on this continent. We should definitely leave. We’ve accomplished a great deed here.”
Emily desperately winked to signal Cecilia while saying this. Cecilia was no fool, she caught Emily’s signal and nodded. She then turned to Han Shuo and said bitterly, “I know you spent a lot of effort on this, and I will report it in detail to the higher-ups. However, our private grudge isn’t over.”
Shrugging, Han Shuo smiled blandly, “Whatever you want!”
Han Shuo didn’t care, but the Lizard King immediately rolled his eyes upon hearing that they had a private grudge. A mass of energy as weighty as a mountain emanated from his body, rapidly spreading out. The Ancient Lizard King didn’t even need to transform into his massive appearance to bring pressure down on Cecilia and her group.
“I think I’ll still help you kill them. She and you seemed to have some grudges. If they never leave the underground world, your words will simply become truth. Then, all your problems will be solved, how about that?” The Lizard King loudly laughed and looked at Han Shuo as he offered his help once again. His powerful presence alone made Cecilia feel great discomfort.
Han Shuo felt no goodwill towards Cecilia, however it wasn’t to the point of wanting to take her life. Moreover the relationship between Emily and Cecilia was very good, so Han Shuo couldn’t kill her in front of Emily.
Therefore, he again shook his head, “They’re my colleagues. Although there are some misunderstandings, we are not enemies. Just let them leave.”
As Dagassi took back his aura, the sweating Cecilia and her team were able to resume their regular breathing. This time, Cecilia didn’t wait for Emily’s wink before she turned around without another word. As she left, she glanced back at Han Shuo and whispered a sentence, “Thank you!”
Cecilia understood in her heart that if Han Shuo hadn’t stopped him, Dagassi, who had killed enough Redbud Knights and dark elves to form a river of blood, would definitely have exterminated them all with a single gesture. Although she still had some negative opinions about Han Shuo, he’d definitely saved her life this time. Even if she didn’t want to thank him in the depths of her heart, she still had to.
Unconsciously, Cecilia’s resentment for Han Shuo had dissolved a bit. Her heart was full of doubt, she didn’t understand how Han Shuo could forge a relationship with such a powerful creature, or how he could make the Ancient Lizard King listen to his words so easily.
Her mind flashed as she suddenly remembered something else. As she left with Emily, Cecilia pulled on Emily’s arm when no one was next to them and asked in a low, suspicious voice, “Are you with that Bryan?”
Emily’s heart pounded, her cheeks uncontrollably flared with red. She pretended to calmly tell off Cecilia, “What nonsense are you sprouting? I only worked with him on a couple of occasions and developed a friendship.”
“Is that so?” Cecilia stared at Emily, puzzled, “It feels odder the more I think about it. Bryan’s relationship with me is selfish and unfriendly. He shouldn’t have helped us last time Kassel pursued us, I only discovered later that it was because of you, big sister.”
“It’s the same this time. He went to the underground world, going through Chrissie just to look for you. He protected only you in the fight before, even that big lizard didn’t target you with his murderous intent. I know that Bryan is no saint. I kept wondering what kind of relationship you two have to make him so concerned about you. I think he only did so because he loves you, isn’t that right, big sister Emily?”
“Of course not. What are you guessing madly for? It’s just that he wasn’t as powerful before and I saved his life once. That’s why he’s helping me now. You can stop spouting random nonsense now.” Emily strongly denied everything with all her might. She knew that she had to deny things no matter what, or the outcome wouldn’t be good for either Han Shuo or her.
“Big sister Emily, look at yourself, why do you still not admit to things?” Cecilia stared at Emily in surprise. Her hand rose, holding a small mirror in front of the latter’s face.
In the mirror, Emily’s face was embarrassed and red with a secret delight, an unconscious response to when Cecilia said Han Shuo only did what he did because he loved her. Emily couldn’t help the feelings in her heart from showing on her face. Looking at this bashful and flushing appearance, no one would believe her if she said she had nothing to do with Han Shuo.
Seeing that Cecilia’s face showed absolute confidence in her theory of Emily and Han Shuo’s intimate relationship, Emily softly sighed and said, “Little sister Cecilia, I do have some goodwill towards him. However, you know my situation. I’m the widow of the Betteridge family, and my age is greater than his. Even if I harbor affection for him, he won’t bother with me. My identity dooms me to be forever avoided by men, aiii!”
Emily heaved and sighed pitifully. Hearing her explain, Cecilia was stunned and came to a sudden realization. To think her big sister Emily’s love for Bryan was one-sided! Her thoughts spun to a close, and seeing Emily’s desolate expression, she hastily spoke, “Big sister Emily, I’m sure this Bryan is far from ordinary. With his strength, sooner or later he will grasp immense power. You know that as long as he has enough power, nothing is impossible for him in the Lancelot Empire, rest assured. By then we will also have my grandpa, he can help you too!”
Emily was genuinely touched upon hearing Cecilia’s words, and the last sentence in particular made her heart rejoice. Cecilia’s grandfather held a distinguished identity in the Lancelot Empire. If she and Han Shuo were determined to be together in the future, things would go a lot smoother with the old man’s help.
“Really? If Bryan and I can be together, you’ll ask your grandfather to help me?” Emily asked, feeling happy in her heart.
“Of course, grandpa dotes on me the most. If I’m willing to help you, he’ll help too.”Cecilia proudly replied.
“Then I’ll have to thank you in advance!” Emily was overjoyed.
“Hehe, us sisters shouldn’t be so polite. Right, tell me about how you saved that cocky brat previously. Now I’m very interested in his matters!” Cecilia snickered.
While the two women leading the Dark Mantle members away, Han Shuo also crammed all the weapons, armor and money bags that had been sorted out by the skeletal warriors into his space ring. His space ring could only hold a part of them, the rest was stuffed into Celt’s space ring.
Han Shuo remembered the space ring of the fire grand magus Marceau in the end. He conveniently asked the old Lizard King Dagassi to break its magical enchantment brand and harvested roughly three hundred thousand gold coins from it. There were also some valuable magical equipment, the most precious of which being a strange tent.
The tent looked as if it could only accommodate two or three people, however, when Han Shuo actually went inside, he discovered that the space was much wider than he’d imagined. It was divided into three levels, with a hundred rooms of various sizes. Each room was clean and brightly decorated, luxurious carpets covering the floor.
There were several magic laboratories containing magical equipment on the top level, along with a library on fire magic. There were even two storage rooms with a number of fire attributed magical items. This should be the place where Marceau normally carried out magic experiments.
The unassuming tent had turned out to be a valuable space treasure, the area inside no smaller than Han Shuo’s residence in Brettel City. This magical tent was definitely created by the combined effort of a space sacred magister and a grand alchemist.
The accommodations of this tent was even much larger than that of the space ring. More importantly, when used for traveling in the wilderness, hundreds of adventurers could stay in it when this tent was set up. For mercenaries who often went out for missions, this kind of space treasure was of a value that was comparable to a divine artifact.
“This thing is no artifact, but its practical value is even greater than one. If you want, it can sell for at least three hundred thousand gold coins.” The Ancient Lizard King told Han Shuo after understanding the tent’s marvelous ability.
“Such a magical treasure comparable to a divine artifact, I won’t be selling it. It’s better to keep for my own use.” Han Shuo replied to the Ancient Lizard King.
After stripping all the dead knights and dark elves of their valuables, Han Shuo and the Ancient Lizard King Dagassi returned to the ruins of the gourd-shaped mountain. Thanks to the earth elite zombie, a tunnel leading out of the underground space had been dug, and all of the lizardmen filed out through it.
“Where is our great ‘true God’?” The leader with the longest tail anxiously asked as soon as Han Shuo and the old Lizard King Dagassi arrived.
Pointing at Dagassi in human form, his long tail swishing through the air, Han Shuo smiled and explained, “Isn’t that him?”
Hearing Han Shuo’s words, the lizardmen appeared somewhat horrified as they looked at the Ancient Lizard King. Only when they felt a familiar presence from him did they feel relief and submit. Under the orders of their leader, the lizardmen kowtowed towards Dagassi, their mouths rapidly speaking in lizardmen tongue.
The old Lizard King was no longer bound by the ancient magical formation in his human form. He also rumbled forth in gibberish, conversing with the lizardmen in gratification. Han Shuo didn’t understand a thing, but refrained from speaking. He just stood there with a dry look.
The earth elite zombie stood there for a while after leading the lizardmen out and watched the bunch while crudely touching its head. It was even somewhat frightened of the Ancient Lizard King. Sensing the latter’s powerful presence, it silently went to Han Shuo’s side, pulling the corner of his clothes as it sent him a message, “Is there anything else ah? If not let me go back!”
Han Shuo was dumbfounded as he looked at the earth elite zombie who’d just sent a message to him. He had yet to open his mouth to speak when on the other side, the Ancient Lizard King’s attention had been caught by the earth elite zombie. He was stupefied, and asked in disbelief, “Did, did this zombie warrior just communicate with you?!”
“Ehh… I think so.” Han Shuo replied. He was also inwardly a little shocked. The earth elite zombie could originally communicate with him, but only in the form of listening and obeying orders. The messages had also been simple reports of the fights, unlike now when it’d expressed its own opinion.
It appeared that, unwittingly, the earth elite zombie was gradually developing an autonomy like the little skeleton. This also showed that it was getting stronger and stronger, otherwise it couldn’t have developed its own ideas so quickly.
“If I didn’t hear wrong, he wanted to take the initiative to return to the necromancy dimension. He is your summoned creature, but also has his own consciousness?” The Ancient Lizard King couldn’t suppress his wonder. He could also sense the message sent by the earth elite zombie to Han Shuo.
“He is different from other ordinary undead creatures. You’ve also seen it, he can utilize the power of earth to move freely underground and create tunnels. Hehe, this has to do with my magical cultivation. I can use this art to alter the summoned undead. It not only gives them higher intellect, but also more power and even the ability to evolve.” For some unknown reason, Han Shuo had a favorable impression of the Lizard King. He could feel the latter’s passion and trust in him and understood in his heart that he wouldn’t harm Han Shuo. Therefore, Han Shuo answered without concealing anything.
“Unbelievable. Unbelievable indeed. Even my master couldn’t bestow undead creatures with intelligence and the ability to evolve. It seemed your techniques are even more incredible than I’d imagined.” Dagassi exclaimed.
“Hehe, I also think this art is amazing. I believe that once I break through again, I may possess power on par with yours.” Han Shuo confidently said. He remembered that Chu Cang Lan earlier could traverse the moon at the “nine changes” realm. He also understood that the “carnal” realm would definitely increase his power tenfold, or even a hundredfold.
“Very good. I look forward to our next meeting. If I’m still alive then, we will definitely have the chance to meet. Maybe you really can help me at that time.” Dagassi said contentedly. He turned back to the lizardmen and resumed his quick gibberish.
After the lizardmen leader listened to Dagassi’s words, he turned to Han Shuo and said respectfully, “From now on, us lizardmen of the underground world will follow your instructions.”