Lanqi Is Going to Be a Pest

Night fell, and the streetlights of Palieu cast a dim, amber glow across the pavement. Having wrapped up his official duties, Nigel led Lanqi and Talia through the quiet streets and alleys, their footsteps swallowed by the darkness. Originally, it was meant to be a simple commission for Lanqi and Tata, after which Countess Rosalinda could handle the follow-up arrangements. But now that Lanqi had proposed a far more critical assignment, the two men needed to speak in greater detail. Before long, the elegant nameplate of Valentine Gallery came into view. Bypassing the front entrance, the three slipped quietly into the gallery through an inconspicuous side door. "Lanqi, what's this about the Blood Clan you mentioned?" Along the way, Nigel had picked up some shocking intelligence from Lanqi. To his knowledge, there had indeed been sightings of mysterious races recently, such as the powerful Tier 8 Undead that had once appeared in Lanqi's homeland of South Vantina. Passing through one exhibition hall after another, a hidden black door appeared before them. "The root cause of the Creti Empire's upheaval is actually the Blood Clan," Lanqi explained, gently pushing the door open and following Nigel into a long corridor leading to his office. "Of course, the Creti Empire had its own share of overly ambitious figures to begin with. The Blood Clan dealt with the anti-war faction, which conveniently aligned with the pro-war faction's desires. Right now, the Creti Empire seems to possess immense wartime cohesion, but if I'm not mistaken, the Blood Clan is preparing to eliminate any pro-war leaders they can't control through underhanded power struggles. And sooner or later, the pro-war faction will look for a way to purge the Blood Clan as well." The fundamental catalyst driving all of this was the awakening of Duke Rasheal, the Third Progenitor, deep beneath the Creti Empire. Although Duke Rasheal's authority, [Blood Mind Control], was difficult to employ in direct combat, it was the single most troublesome Blood Clan authority of all. Standing at the pinnacle of mental and illusion magic, the heavier a target's negative emotions were, the easier it was for Duke Rasheal to exploit their psychological flaws, achieving complete mental subjugation and compulsory domination. "No wonder... no wonder the Creti Empire managed to unify so quickly," Nigel murmured. "The United Council of Kingdoms Alliance had plenty of theories, but they were all mere conjecture..." Even though the Creti Empire possessed the strength to contend with the entire United Council of Kingdoms Alliance, it was an enormous behemoth whose internal factions had never spoken with one voice. When it came to launching a war, not even all of the War Gods had been on board. The fact that virtually every War God had entered the conflict this time had completely baffled the analysts at the United Council, who couldn't fathom how the Creti Empire had managed to forge a consensus among them. If a Tier 9 super-ancient Blood Clan was pulling the strings behind the scenes with an authority comparable to a Tier 9 Epic spell, everything fell into place. "Lanqi, how did you find out about this?" Nigel knew he shouldn't pry, but he couldn't resist asking. "I'm not entirely sure how it works myself, but after traveling so far, I'm fairly certain it's a revelation granted to me by the Goddess of Fate," Lanqi replied. "Perhaps She believes I made a Binding Vow with Her in a past life, which is why She bent the rules to interfere with my destiny and let me witness things no mortal was ever meant to see." Under normal circumstances, Lanqi wouldn't share such secrets so casually to avoid startling the enemy and exposing his own presence. But with the decisive battle against the Blood Clan fast approaching, and Nigel being an ally he now trusted with his life, Lanqi had no qualms about being candid with him. "I believe you." Nigel trusted that the Goddess of Fate was capable of such a feat. What Lanqi described was simply the highest form of precognition combined with a psychic illusion, bestowed upon him in a manner his mind could readily process without harming his brain. As long as a conduit existed, the Goddess of Fate could easily achieve it. If one were to enter the Temple of the Goddess of Fate and touch Her divine statue, all necessary conditions would be fulfilled. As the three walked deeper down the passage, a bright light appeared at the far end. Emerging outdoors from the gallery, a grand and imposing government building stood before them. Nigel led them up a spiral staircase. With every floor they ascended, the panoramic night view expanded. Upon reaching the office door at the end of the third floor, Nigel unlocked the heavy oak door with a key. The door swung open, and warm light instantly flooded the room, driving away the chill of the late autumn night. "Please, have a seat," Nigel said, gesturing toward the leather sofa to one side of the room. Lanqi looked around. Even after Nigel's promotion to major general, the office had changed very little. On the dark brown walls, old maps and yellowed newspaper clippings remained neatly displayed, with aging papers and manuscripts organized in meticulous order. Nigel walked around the desk, removed his black military greatcoat, and revealed his sharp suit beneath. Stepping beside a cabinet, he activated the office's sound-sealing barrier. Just as before, he swiftly poured three cups of coffee and took a seat opposite the two. "Thank you." Lanqi placed the cat onto the sofa and nodded in appreciation. "On top of the Creti Empire forging unprecedented internal unity, they have also secured the allegiance of neutral powers and top combatants, including Wither Cardinal Netochka, Decay Cardinal Farmer, and Cardinal of Dimensions Toliado," Nigel said, taking a sip from his cup. His sharp eyes pierced the rising steam, looking directly at Lanqi and Talia as he shared the latest verified intelligence. Before parting ways with Lanqi and Tata, he had to provide them with every detail in his possession. Among them, Toliado served as an intelligence-type cardinal and was more likely to support the Creti Empire with information rather than appear directly on the battlefield. Although his intelligence had once indirectly caused Bishop of Destruction Ivanos a great deal of grief, time had proven that Cardinal of Dimensions Toliado's information was undeniably accurate. As for the research-oriented Night Cardinal, while he had yet to make an official declaration, he had resided within Creti territory for many years and was strongly suspected of having already aligned with the empire. "Judging solely by the battle in the eastern theater, one cannot yet see the Creti Empire's truly terrifying might," Nigel reminded Lanqi. "After all, most of the War Gods and cardinals are concentrated on the Western Hub's front lines. The Creti Empire's heartland will be far more dangerous than the eastern border. You must also be careful not to cross paths with the Resurrection Church's cardinals." According to the Allied forces' intel, Wither Cardinal Netochka, the wielder of [Original Slate - Wood], and Decay Cardinal Farmer, the wielder of [Original Slate - Corrosion], were both Level 88. Meanwhile, Toliado the Dimensional One, wielder of [Original Slate - Space], was Level 87. Just thinking about these monsters existing alongside the Twelve War Gods had given Nigel a pounding headache for the past several days. "Why does the Creti Empire have the ability to fight on so many fronts at once? Couldn't they just pierce straight through the entire world by focusing all their strength in one spot? What on earth are their decision-makers thinking, meow?" Boss Cat raised its head and chimed in. Nigel didn't bother answering the little black cat. After all, it was just a feline; there were too many complex matters that couldn't be easily explained to it. Lanqi, however, was exceptionally patient. He took the time to answer even such naive questions in detail. "Against an alliance like the United Council of Kingdoms, declaring war on one member is virtually the same as declaring war on all of them. If you read more history books, you'll see that you can only blitz one target at the very beginning. Afterward, whether the invading party wants to or not, it will be forced to fight on multiple fronts. "Furthermore, from the Blood Clan's perspective, the faster Creti's strength is depleted, the more rapidly they can infiltrate the empire's core. In fact, they probably can't wait for the clashes between the Creti Empire and the United Council of Kingdoms Alliance to become even more brutal." Of course, Lanqi's analysis wasn't necessarily absolute. When it came to war and grand strategy, even future historians would argue endlessly with their own differing perspectives; none of the participants possessed an omniscient view. Perhaps decades from now, questions about this very war would appear on history exams, and even the people who lived through it wouldn't be able to provide the 'correct' answers. Currently, the Creti Empire's main force was focused on securing a breakthrough in the Western Hub. In the eastern theater, their efforts amounted to mere suppression, clearly aimed at preventing the eastern nations from sending reinforcements to the West. Their blitzkrieg targets had been chosen among the Central Plains kingdoms—all designed to facilitate the capture of their greatest strategic objective: the Western Hub, the Kingdom of Canbera. The clamor outside the window had long since faded, leaving only their voices echoing in the quiet office. "In any case, Lanqi, you must be mentally prepared," Nigel said, still concerned for his friend's safety. "Even if we secure an undercover identity for you to slip in, your disguise may differ drastically from your real appearance and age. Moreover, Creti's capital, Brierda, is protected by a special mandatory dispelling barrier. If you try to infiltrate using magical disguise, the risk will be exceedingly high. You'll need to rely on far more sophisticated physical disguises." He wanted Lanqi to understand the grave danger of stepping into the Creti Empire's belly. Once caught in enemy territory, no matter how capable Lanqi was, he would inevitably end up locked away in a dungeon. "Don't worry, Nigel. Did you forget that I'm also qualified as a beautician? Whether it's magical disguises or physical preparations, both are my specialties," Lanqi said with an unbothered smile. He had long heard that the Creti Empire possessed magitechnology distinct from the United Council of Kingdoms Alliance, distinct enough to be considered its own independent Imperial Magitechnology school. But he had already spent the past year researching ways to enter the empire. "..." Talia glanced at Lanqi with a skeptical expression, though upon further thought, since this fellow was so skilled at painting, doing makeup and painting fake skin wouldn't be out of the question for him. "What can you even accomplish by going to Brierda?" Nigel asked, now certain that Lanqi's true destination was indeed Brierda, just as he had suspected. Whether in an empire or any kingdom, core urban centers were much like the City of Flowers, Palieu: outside of extreme circumstances and designated zones, lethal force could not be used casually. An unauthorized casting of high-tier magic would almost certainly lead to swift trial and execution. "Though I'm not particularly fast at raiding an enemy's base, leaving me unchecked will still cause serious trouble," Lanqi answered, shaking his head slightly. "..." Nigel fell silent for a moment before giving a firm nod. Although he hated sending his friend into peril and serving as the catalyst for it, it was clear that Lanqi had already made up his mind. "In that case, Lanqi, in my capacity as Major General of the Posen Kingdom Capital Defense Force, I will officially designate you as a special military intelligence operative for our kingdom. I will be your sole handler. Regardless of how the war unfolds, as long as I am alive when it ends, I will personally verify your identity before the United Council of Kingdoms. Furthermore, should you require any intelligence or support along the way, I will arrange for our kingdom's other operatives in the Creti Empire to assist you. You will be their superior; only you may contact them, and they will not be permitted to initiate meetings with you." Nigel spoke with a grave, steady gaze fixed on Lanqi. This was not merely providing Lanqi with a cover identity; it was entrusting him with an immense responsibility. "Rest assured. The Alliance is sure to win, and the Empire is bound to fall!" Lanqi pumped his fist, speaking with absolute confidence. Seeing Lanqi's unwavering resolve, Nigel's expression softened with deep, complicated emotion. "Yes. We will drive back these invaders and defend our lands!" Nigel tried to mask his emotional stirrings. Both Lanqi's sense of mission and his profound responsibility seemed contagious, setting Nigel's thoughts churning. "The Alliance is sure to win, and the Empire is bound to fall." He clasped Lanqi's hand and gave it a firm shake, every lingering doubt dissolving in that moment. "I'll wait for your return in the City of Flowers," Nigel added with earnest conviction. "Nigel, meow, you see how normal this guy acts here in the City of Flowers, but when he decides to get weird, he can get truly unhinged," Boss Cat piped up, thoroughly convinced that casting a pest like Lanqi into enemy territory was the safest choice for everyone. He shouldn't be staying in their own half of the Southern Continent; he belonged squarely on the opposing team's half. "What kind of waves could he possibly make?" Talia looked down with disdain and asked the little black loaf. She had listened to Lanqi and Nigel talk for half the night, never expecting the usually cowardly Boss Cat to have so much faith in Lanqi this time. Could it be because Lanqi and the cat had journeyed together to the Northern Continent's Protos Empire in the past? Logically speaking, deducting the travel time, Lanqi had spent barely three months there at most. How much influence could he possibly have garnered in the Protos Empire? According to what little Hubao was willing to mention of that past, Lanqi's greatest contribution had merely been helping her seize Herrom Prison. "...Tata, meow, you sound just like I did when we first set out..." Boss Cat muttered, choking up as unpleasant memories flooded back, rendering it momentarily speechless. It knew that even if it told the whole story, Tata wouldn't believe it. Back then, the cat hadn't believed Lanqi could stir up storms either. Not until it witnessed that grand legendary documentary: *The Legend of Rocky McCarthy*. "Then I'd like to see what you can pull off in the empire, and whether it's entertaining enough to whet my appetite," Talia said, crossing her arms with keen interest as she appraised the young man. It would provide plenty of fresh bedtime stories for Hubao.