Chapter 118
The visiting room fell into a chilling silence after Yan’s bombshell revelation.
The first to break the silence was the Chief Instructor.
“The Eastern Duke… he’s dying?”
“Yes.”
“Ha, madness…”
The Eastern Duke rarely ventured out of his domain, a figure of little concern to the Empire, let alone the East.
Had it not been for such a disposition, Count Zion would never have been able to expand his faction and influence as he has.
Yet, even a reclusive duke like him wielded absolute influence with just a word.
His death would surely bring chaos.
Why?
Because who among the nobles wouldn’t covet his seat?
Ambitious nobles would stop at nothing to claim the dukedom, resorting to lowly schemes and manipulations.
And then…
The Chief Instructor’s eyes sparkled with opportunity.
‘The perfect chance to save the Commander-in-Chief!’
With the Empire’s attention turned eastward, he could thoroughly search the Armenian region with ease.
For the Chief Instructor, who had to search cautiously, avoiding the eyes of the Empire and the revolutionaries, it was as if half the risk had vanished.
He glanced at Yan, the source of the information, biting back his curiosity. After all, Yan was in control of the situation.
To speak out would be to disrupt the mood, to interfere with Yan’s plan.
‘Besides, the Count Zion seems unperturbed, likely already aware. Even if I were to overturn the situation, it seems it would change little.’
The Chief Instructor swallowed his rising questions, deciding to watch how things unfolded.
Count Zion glared at Yan but said nothing.
‘How does that scoundrel know?’
But he quickly dismissed the thought as pointless.
Just as he had planted spies in the Eastern Duke’s garden and deduced the duke’s waning life.
‘He must have learned it through similar means.’
Count Zion finally spoke.
“Are you threatening me now?”
If Yan were to release this information during the hearing, Zion would be left chasing his tail.
Most would dismiss it as nonsense, but the ambitious nobles might take notice.
And if it turned out to be true…
He didn’t even want to think about it.
Yan smiled wryly at the Count, whose eyes blazed with fury.
“I merely pointed out the mess you’ve made, Count. It’s up to you to clean it up.”
“Hmph, really. Do you think it would be difficult for me to kill you right here?”
The Count eyed the handcuffs restraining Yan’s wrists.
Yan shrugged nonchalantly.
“Go ahead and kill me if you wish. But then, not only will you lose the dukedom, but your life might be at stake too.”
The Count snorted at Yan’s casual tone.
Indeed, killing the Chief Instructor and Yan here would be akin to signing his own death warrant.
They were the accused, due to appear at an upcoming hearing.
If they disappeared, the Empire’s many agencies would start an investigation, and his presence here would inevitably be revealed.
‘He’s no ordinary man.’
The Count glanced at the Chief Instructor.
“You’ve got quite the remarkable student, haven’t you?”
“Luck was on my side.”
The Chief Instructor chuckled, shrugging off the earlier tension.
Like master, like student, their mannerisms were strikingly similar.
The Count sighed deeply and addressed Yan.
“Let’s forget what was just said. I misspoke.”
“It’s already forgotten.”
Yan replied with a sly smile, prompting the Count to continue.
“So, back to the beginning. You said you’d help me ascend to the dukedom?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll need to give me something convincing. All you’ve done so far is issue a grave threat.”
Yan smiled thinly.
“How long have you planned to purify the Plateau of the Dead and earn the title of duke? At least 20, 30 years?”
The Count was taken aback, realizing Yan knew his plans precisely.
But the surprise didn’t end there.
Yan grinned.
“I’ll shorten that 20, 30 years to just three.”
“What? Th-three years?”
The Count stammered in shock.
It was unthinkable.
Even with meticulous planning and the best of luck, it would take at least 20 years.
And now, to reduce it to just three!
The Count quickly composed himself and asked.
“Is that even possible?”
“We can mass-produce a drug that purifies the Plateau.”
“A purifying drug?”
The Count’s face twisted slightly.
He had never heard of such a drug in his life.
If he had, he wouldn’t have donated a fortune to the Holy Order to dispatch priests.
Seeing the Count’s skepticism, Yan shrugged.
“If you don’t believe me, you’re free to leave. As I said before, I’m in this for the long-term gain with you, Count. And if this deal falls through, I have plenty of ways out.”
Yan extended his hand with a sly grin.
“A sinking ship or a sturdy one. Which do you prefer to board, Count?”
It was a choice between continuing the alliance with the special envoy or betraying him to join forces with Yan.
The Count watched Yan with conflicted eyes.
But his mind was more active than ever.
Was Yan telling the truth or lying?
If it was a lie, how much damage would he suffer, and if true, how much could he gain?
After a moment.
“So, should I disrupt the hearing? Or should I help you escape right now?”
The Count, with a politician’s smile, firmly grasped Yan’s offered hand.
* * *
At that moment…
The Special Task Force Commander leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyelids wearily. He had just received confirmation that the hearing he had orchestrated with Count Zion would proceed as planned the next day.
“A weight off my shoulders,” he muttered.
Had he not allied with the Count, he’d still be wracking his brain for solutions. It pained him to hand over the accumulated scandals of the Eastern nobility and the Count’s own corruption, but it was a small price to pay to cover up this affair.
Suddenly, the Commander’s head snapped up. He summoned one of his officers waiting outside.
“Chung!”
“Three days have passed since I ordered you to capture the test subject. Is there still no progress?”
The only threat left to him was the test subject from the Destroyer Project. He had bought some time by imprisoning Yan and the Chief Instructor, but he wanted to capture her and dispose of her as quickly as possible. He couldn’t afford to have his weaknesses exposed any longer.
The officer hung his head in shame at the Commander’s question.
“I’m sorry. We’ve been searching every place that intersects with the training grounds and the Chief Instructor’s routes, but so far…”
The Commander slammed his fist on the desk.
“Are you just going to sit here then? Get out there and find her!”
“Yes, sir!” The officer saluted, his face pale, and hurried out.
The Commander shook his head, muttering to himself, “At least Yan and that Chief Instructor are tied up, and the Inspector General is under investigation. It’s as if there’s no one left to make a move with the test subject.”
No matter where Lia hid, it was nothing more than a child’s game of hide-and-seek. Once the hearing dealt with Yan and the Chief Instructor, he could focus all efforts on finding her quickly.
He stood up abruptly, pacing near his desk.
“Everything is moving in the right direction.”
Yet, he couldn’t shake a nagging sense of unease.
After pacing for a while, the Commander sat down again, looking at the communication device on the table. He infused it with mana, and a blurry figure began to appear.
It was Count Zion, with whom he had agreed to hold the hearing.
“Hm? Why the call? I’ve already informed your subordinate that the hearing will be tomorrow.”
The Count seemed puzzled by the unexpected contact.
The Commander replied nonchalantly, “I felt I should express my gratitude. Thanks to you, my plan has fallen into place.”
“Ha, that’s good to hear. I’ve also benefited from your actions. Makes me want to pop open a bottle of champagne.”
The Commander felt a slight dissonance at the Count’s words.
‘Did he need the Eastern nobility’s secrets that badly?’
He shook his head.
No need for such idle thoughts.
‘It’s just anxiety making me overthink.’
The Commander cleared his mind and smiled at the Count.
“Even if I have to clear my schedule, I’ll come to you with a bottle of expensive champagne.”
“Ha! You’re welcome anytime. Don’t worry about the snacks.”
“Then, I’ll prepare for tomorrow’s hearing.”
“Alright. Now that I think about it, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The Count laughed heartily and ended the communication.
The Commander sighed deeply after the call.
“Is it anxiety that’s making my mind feel so strange?”
He closed his eyes tightly and leaned further back in his chair, forcing the intrusive thoughts away.
He hoped a good night’s sleep would dispel the lingering unease tormenting his mind.
* * *
As the day passed…
When the morning of the hearing dawned, nobles scattered across the empire began to converge upon the Imperial City to attend the much-anticipated inquiry.