Chapter 576: Death's Approach
Chapter 576: Death's Approach
[Through malicious threats and cunning persuasion, you successfully manipulated Prince Andre, the third prince of the Corlock Kingdom, leading to the subversion of a national-level organization. Your Silver Badge, "Usurper," has met the conditions for advancement.
However, as you chose not to seize power in the Corlock Kingdom but instead opted for its complete annihilation, you will not only advance to the Gold Badge, "Tyrannical False King," but also unlock an additional hidden route, "Tyrant's Shadow Hand."]
[After careful consideration, you selected the hidden route. Your Silver Badge, "Usurper," advances to the hidden Gold Badge, "Tyrant's Shadow Hand."]
[Tyrant's Shadow Hand: A hidden manipulator aiming to destroy various kingdoms, this figure thrives on inciting turmoil worldwide, seemingly driven by a grand ambition shrouded in mystery.
Equipped Effect: When ambushing enemies with 'Royal' identities, and if neither the target nor any witnesses discover you, your attack will have a 100% lethal effect.
Your efficiency and stealth will significantly increase when performing illegal acts;
The likelihood of your plots being exposed will drastically decrease;
When intentionally hiding your identity, the chance of being discovered will be significantly reduced;
If you deliberately remain behind the scenes, it will be challenging to find concrete evidence of your involvement.]
[Advancement Route: Upon the complete subversion of all existing human kingdoms, this badge will automatically advance to the Unique-colored Hidden Badge, "Veil King (Iron Black)"]
[Hidden Trait (No Equipment Required): Despite your meticulousness, caution, and cunning, ensuring a perfect concealment, those inherently suspicious and overly cautious conspiracy theorists will still sense the hidden dark aura emanating from you.]
"..."
This badge... seems not very useful and might even lead to unnecessary suspicion. But in certain situations, it could prove invaluable. In any case... it's passable, I guess?
"Good! Good! Excellent!!!"
As Lyon examined his newly acquired badge, he gazed at the distant kingdom, now reduced to molten iron, and the Corlock Kingdom, consumed by the "Sunset." The 'White Serpent,' which had been parasitizing Prince Andre's soul, couldn't help but laugh in furious amusement.
After shouting 'Good' three times, the White Serpent, having failed to protect the Corlock Kingdom and unable to sever the Corlock royal bloodline, left Prince Andre's soul without another word.
With its departure, the tricolor blood pearl between Prince Andre's eyebrows exploded, and the serpentine patterns on his soul vanished. Nearby, Felicia, who had been unconscious, moaned, and the black feathers covering her body quickly disappeared, revealing her original fair and delicate skin.
Lyon, after checking on the orphaned siblings and confirming their freedom from the Blood Oath's control, heaved a sigh of relief. He then crouched beside the fallen Prince Andre and asked, "That White Serpent has left. You two have escaped the Butcher King Guild's punishment... What do you plan to do from now on?"
"Our situation isn't urgent."
Looking at the destroyed Corlock Kingdom, Prince Andre remained silent for a moment before asking,
"What about the 1.3 million citizens..."
Lyon replied solemnly, "In about five or six hours, the Scorpion Chief will awaken. I'll have him contact the Cleaners to bring food, water, and other essential supplies. They might not have everything, but no one will starve or freeze to death.
As for the memories of these 1.3 million people, they will eventually be..."
The entire nation was evacuated in advance, as if you had predicted natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions."
"As for their destination, I, as the Skylark Prince, will accept them on behalf of the kingdom. If the situation becomes unbearable, the Scorpio Bureau owes me a huge favor this time, and they should be able to help us convince the Aurelon Kingdom to accept a small portion of them.
Although the short-term expenses may be high, for our two kingdoms with a combined population of nearly one billion, the 1.3 million citizens of the Corlock Kingdom can still afford it."
Burden? Are you sure?
After listening to Lyon's words, Prince Andre, who was lying on the ground in a state of exhaustion, couldn't help but roll his eyes at him.
Among the 1.3 million citizens of the Corlock Kingdom, there were over 20,000 scholars, and more than 60,000 elite soldiers remained. Skilled craftsmen and technicians in various fields were countless.
Even those vagrants who had been a financial burden on the kingdom, receiving basic education for three to five years, would become excellent laborers with minimal training.
Once you bring them back, your newly usurped First Princess will likely wake up laughing in her dreams. She would rather sell the royal palace to raise funds than let these "burdens" go, not even sharing a single hair with the Aurelon Kingdom.
"Forget it, it's good that you have a plan."
Considering that Lyon had saved Felicia and also slapped him back to his senses, Prince Andre remained silent for a while, suppressing his urge to criticize. He closed his eyes and said,
"If possible, I hope you'll treat them well. After all, they are our royal family... I owe them an apology.
And Felicia, after this incident, the Cleanup Bureau will undoubtedly keep her under strict protection. But I still hope you can give her some freedom and not turn her into a caged emerald bird."
"I'll make a suggestion to the Bureau to ensure Felicia's safety while minimizing restrictions on her freedom."
From Prince Andre's words, which sounded like a dying wish, Lyon detected a hint of something. After nodding in agreement, he asked with some surprise:
"Andre, don't you plan to live on with her? The machine you used to create bodies, I had Elder Algy retrieve it earlier. Your soul, though severely damaged and weakened by about seventy to eighty percent, was once at the level of a true god. With such a solid foundation, repairing the body and living for a few more decades shouldn't be a problem."
"I won't live."
Glancing at the unconscious emerald-eyed girl, Prince Andre, with longing in his green eyes, opened his collar to show Lyon the snake scales on his neck.
"When the White Serpent left, she altered my soul a bit. My soul will slowly disintegrate in prolonged agony.
If I were to enter the Realm of the Dead now, relying on the strength and obsession of my soul, I might still make it to the City of Regret. But if I wait a few decades for my soul to weaken further, I'm afraid I'll never make it there."
"Do you still plan to go to the City of Regret?"
"Yes."
Prince Andre nodded, a hint of melancholy in his expression.
"If the White Serpent didn't deceive me, and there are indeed people in the Realm of the Dead, then I'm afraid I won't be able to reach the City of Regret."
"It's not impossible..."
Lyon hesitated for a moment, then spoke with uncertainty:
"If you're truly prepared to die and are determined to apologize, I might have a way to get you there."
(End of Chapter)
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