Chapter 244 Crack

The inspection of the magic crystal cannon factory is about to end.

The goblin engineers in the factory were still immersed in the shock brought to them by the blueprint drawn by the demon king. They were either whispering excitedly or eager to discuss how to assemble the first prototype. Some suggested making a model out of wood first, while others ambitiously proposed to directly use steel. As for Luo Yan, his eyes had already turned to the distance - a small figure was quickly walking through the busy area of ​​the factory and walking towards him.

The guy's name is Snick, and he's the neighborhood committee director of the Goblin community.

Although he was a nobody not long ago, he was promoted by the Demon King and became the official lackey of the Lord's Mansion. Since that day, this guy has become a popular figure in the Goblin community of Black Wind Castle. Every time he goes out, he is followed by a large group of followers. Goblins shorter than him can't even see his eyes, but only his big nostrils.

But at this moment, he looked solemn, with an expression that was unusually serious, and at the same time humble like a French bulldog wagging its tail.

"Master Demon King..." Snick trotted to Luo Yan, panting, trying to make his posture look more formal, "I have important intelligence to report!"

Kunbu Tongya looked at Snik, then at Luo Yan, and tactfully did not ask any more questions. Instead, he waved to the craftsmen around him and said, "Okay, okay, let's put the chariot matter aside for now and go back to work!" Then, he saluted Luo Yan and left with the craftsmen, leaving a relatively quiet space.

Luo Yan stood with his hands behind his back under a steel frame outside the workshop, nodded slightly, and motioned for Snick to continue.

Snick licked his lips, with a hint of excitement in his eyes, but more of a cunning light.

"Master Demon King," he lowered his voice, a smug smile forming on his wrinkled face, "I found some weird guys in the Goblin community."

Luo Yan raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? Be more specific."

Snik lowered his voice, rubbing the corner of his clothes unconsciously with his fingers, with a hint of goblin-specific cunning in his tone: "They don't steal, rob, or gamble... They never even brag about how many treasures they have snatched from humans, let alone show off the rags in their hands! You may think this is nothing, but they are goblins! I have never seen such a quiet and low-key guy in my life!"

Luo Yan hummed softly, indicating that he understood, and Snick continued attentively.

"Your servant - I, a humble servant, immediately realized that something was wrong with them! Following your instructions, I did not alert the enemy, but asked my brothers to secretly mark these guys! Later I found that they were more suspicious than I thought. These guys never work, not even doing small business. They just wander around the community all day, or watch the several entrances and exits of the magic crystal cannon factory!"

When he said this, Snick's thin body suddenly straightened up, looking as if he was asking for credit, and laughed.

"Master Demon! Just say the word and I will lead people to get rid of them! You know, although we goblins are usually honest, gentle and kind, we will never be soft-hearted when dealing with such sneaky guys! And I promise you, we won't leave any traces..."

There was a dangerous smile on his lips and his eyes flashed with bloodthirsty excitement, as if he couldn't wait to rip open those sneaky goblins.

However, looking at Snik who was eager to try, Luo Yan just smiled faintly and said lightly.

"No need, just keep watching."

Snick was stunned for a moment and blinked in confusion.

"Master Demon, are you saying... to keep them? But... Snik feels that they are about to take action."

"That's just right."

Luo Yan said in a calm tone.

"Snick, why do you think I arranged for you to do these things? Do you think I don't know who is behind them?"

Snick hurriedly lowered his head, restrained his self-righteous look, and said with sweat on his forehead.

"Little one, little one doesn't dare!"

Luo Yan smiled faintly and spoke in a calm tone.

"It's easy to kill them. The army they have is nothing compared to the disobedient vassals in my maze. If I really wanted to do it cleanly, I would have done it at the Lords' Meeting. At most, I would have announced that it was food poisoning. Do you think the Dragun family behind them would have done justice for them?"

Snick felt a chill in his heart and couldn't help shivering.

I was in the meeting room at the time. If the Demon King really started killing people, wouldn’t I also be…

Looking at Snik whose legs were shaking with fear, Luo Yan suddenly smiled gently and continued.

"Don't be nervous, it's just a hypothesis."

“Yes, yes…” Snick nodded timidly, forcing a weak smile on his face. He rolled his eyes and said quickly, “Master Demon King is wise… Do you want them to take action and then implicate the people behind them?”

"That's right."

Snick opened his mouth slightly, and after some hesitation he couldn't help but probe: "But what if... they are really planning something dangerous?"

"Then make it happen."

Luo Yan shrugged lightly, his eyes so calm that it made people feel chilled.

"It's just a little confusion, nothing."

Snick swallowed, feeling a shudder in his heart.

Although he claimed to be smart, in Luo Yan's eyes, he was probably not much different from those guys who were quietly moving around; they were all just chess pieces on the chessboard.

But at the same time, a hint of fanatical worship ignited in his heart.

As expected of the Demon King—

It's really unfathomable!

Thinking of this, Snick stood up straight and nodded loyally.

"I understand what you mean, Lord Demon. I will continue to keep an eye on them and be prepared for any possible consequences. The moment they are exposed, I will lead my men to capture them all, quickly control the situation, minimize the losses, and let your people experience your majesty!"

Luo Yan looked at him in surprise. He didn't expect this guy to interpret it this way.

But it doesn’t matter. Whether Snick’s misunderstanding is intentional or unintentional, it is not a bad thing for me.

In fact, he might not care a bit more.

They were just a bunch of goblins.

They're not even a species.

What's more, Black Wind Castle was a territory that he had picked up for free.

To put it cruelly, whether they understand their own majesty or not, the only impact is their own mood, and whether they spend today and tomorrow feeling awkward or happy.

He just needs to be in control.

"I look forward to your performance."

Luo Yan nodded with satisfaction, then shifted his gaze away from the nodding and bowing Snik, and turned to look at the magic crystal cannon factory in the distance.

Steam filled the air as workers continued to work hard. The metal-laid factory building looked even heavier and more solid in the light of the fire, just like the situation that was firmly in his hands.

Under his personal supervision, the magic crystal cannon factory in Black Wind Castle was impregnable, and the Dragun family was impregnable, so they could only mobilize the power of the Chamber of Commerce Alliance to attack from the outside. At the same time, in order to cope with the increasingly boiling "public opinion", the Ministry of Truth has begun to investigate the disastrous defeat in Port Saldo.

Even if the final punishment for General Cebes was a light one, the gesture made by the Ministry of Truth was enough to shake the people around General Cebes. After all, not everyone is qualified to make a deal with the Dragun family, and it is impossible for everyone to benefit from this political game. There must be someone who is dissatisfied with this inexplicable failure, but just endured it under the pressure of reality.

All he had to do now was wait.

If nothing unexpected happens, some people should start to get anxious.

…

front.

The cold wind blew across the desolate battlefield, tattered flags fluttered on the city walls, and the smell of dried blood lingered in the air, as if telling the sadness flowing in the silence.

It has been several weeks since the Battle of Porto Saldo.

Facing the pursuit of the "Imperial Griffin" Hamelton, the Red Flame Legion fled in panic all the way, retreating from the crater to the Blood Flow Plains in the underground world, and only stopped the decline by relying on the dangerous terrain and nearby reinforcements. However, even after several weeks, this once unstoppable and powerful army has not been able to come out of that tragic defeat. From being sure of victory to fleeing in panic, their self-esteem was completely shattered.

What frustrated the soldiers was not only the defeat itself and General Cebes's indifference, but also the rumors circulating in the army.

It is said that in the distant Demon City, a demon king who had also experienced many battles revealed the secret - the tragic defeat of Port Sardo was not because the soldiers of Hell were not strong enough, but a premeditated political adventure! This is incredible news.

It is like a cup of fierce bitter wine, but also like a sweet rain that soothes the soul.

No one wants to admit their failure, especially when they clearly have all the advantages and can crush their opponents with just a flick of their fingers.

A few clipped newspapers became the only oasis and sustenance in the hearts of the soldiers on the front line... Even though their superiors had forbidden them to spread rumors, and even opened their letters and confiscated the newspapers enclosed in their letters. The more their superiors feared their gossip, the more they felt that their superiors had something to hide, otherwise why would they not even touch them? They didn't know.

General Cebes did have something to hide, but what he was afraid of was not their suspicions, but the possibility that these unfounded rumors would lead to the contamination of Chaos, which in turn might implicate the Ministry of Truth, making the originally simple matter increasingly troublesome.

As expected.

When everyone is afraid of something happening, it is very likely to happen.

Just when General Sebes was feeling anxious, people from the Ministry of Truth came to his door.

It was a hot afternoon.

A line of Abyss Knights wearing black armor rode tall demonic warhorses into the military camp in silence, with only the metallic clashing of armor echoing in the night. In the carriage behind them sat several Investigators wearing crimson robes, staring out the window with dead eyes.

Looking at this unusual team, the soldiers in the camp whispered and discussed in low voices.

"It's the Ministry of Truth!"

"The Ministry of Truth?! What are they doing here?"

"Could it be that General Cebes is really colluding with the humans in Port Saldo..."

"Hush! Do you have any evidence?"

"Shut up! You guys are asking for death!"

Some demons were in a state of panic, some had expectations in their eyes, but most of them had numbness in their eyes, especially those weathered veterans - compared to those rookies who believed that hell was invincible, they knew very well that they were just cannon fodder, and neither the Ministry of Truth nor the devil who spoke for them in the rear could really solve any problems.

Otherwise, why did they come now? But no matter what, the arrival of the Ministry of Truth investigation team was like a cold spring rain, bringing a rare coolness to this hot camp, so that those lingering demons no longer felt suffocated.

The Abyss Knights rode to the center of the camp and slowly stopped. Then a demon in a red robe got off the carriage in the middle of the team.

His name was Xilong, and he was the Temple Arbiter of the Ministry of Truth. At this moment, he was looking down at the front-line camp with indifference, like an expressionless stone statue.

Just behind him, senior recorder Moria followed him down from the carriage, holding a thick file in his hand. He opened one of the pages and swept the camp with a cold gaze.

"Let's get this straight." He pushed the gold-rimmed monocle on his nose, his tone cold and efficient, with a hint of leisurely elegance, "We are here to investigate matters related to the Battle of Port Saldo. The Ministry of Truth requires all officers, tactical commanders, logistics personnel, and soldiers who have experienced the battle to cooperate with the investigation. Anyone who dares to hinder our work will be treated as a traitor."

A tense atmosphere spread in the camp.

The Ministry of Truth has always had zero tolerance for traitors, and will even impose soul-crushing punishment!

The demons swallowed their saliva, their fingers numb with nervousness. Some demons also had a gleam of excitement in their eyes, and unconsciously clenched their fists, seeing the dawn of hope.

This time may be different -

Maybe they can really get the truth! Moria cast his eyes to Xilong on the side and nodded slightly respectfully.

"Mr. Xilong, please say a few words."

"I have nothing to say," Xilong looked at the anxious soldiers and officers, glanced at the pocket watch in his hand, and said in a meticulous tone, "A meeting will be held in the command tent in a quarter of an hour. All officers above the rank of centurion must attend."

No demons responded.

Xilong frowned slightly.

At this moment, General Cebes's adjutant Barlow suddenly stepped forward, took a deep breath and said.

"Yes, sir."

Looking at this Fire Demon officer, Xillon nodded slightly with satisfaction.

"Pass the order down."

…

There was a commotion in the Red Flame Legion's camp.

As the order was issued, officers above the rank of centurion gathered in the command tent, sitting upright and waiting for lectures from the officials of the Ministry of Truth.

This included General Sebes himself.

This majestic demon sat in the command tent, suppressing Xillon's momentum, as if it was not the latter who was investigating them, but the former who was listening to the latter's work report.

The servant from the Ministry of Truth frowned slightly, but did not get angry.

Arbitrator Xillon did not say anything, but just went through the procedures in a businesslike manner. Then he shook hands with General Cebes and politely escorted him to the door of the tent, thanking him for his cooperation with the work of the Ministry of Truth.

Looking at his boss's actions, Moria was a little undecided.

He thought Xillon would give the officers of the Red Flame Legion a warning, but he didn't expect that his superior did not do so.

How will they carry out their work later?

Seeing the confusion in Moria's eyes, Xillion smiled faintly and spoke in a nonchalant tone.

"Mr. Moria, what do you think of General Cebes?"

"There's something wrong with this guy." Moria said without hesitation, "All the demons I investigated before were frightened when they saw us, but he seems to be fearless."

It was precisely because of this guy's fearless look that the eyes of the centurions and thousand-man captains who were originally sitting upright gradually changed from fearful to relaxed.

Xillong's reaction seemed not to be at all surprised by his words, and he continued with a half-smile.

"Then why do you think it is?"

Moriah chuckled.

The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!

"Is there any need to ask? This guy must have a backer!"

Shillong looked at him meaningfully.

"Do you think it makes sense to move him?"

Moria was stunned.

What does this mean? Behind the Ministry of Truth is the Devil!

Even if General Sybes's backing is strong, can he be stronger than them?!

However, Xillong's eyes told him that things were not as simple as he thought.

After pondering for a long time, Moria managed to utter a sentence with difficulty.

"So...what are we doing here?"

"It doesn't matter whether we can find out anything or not," Xilong narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the camp in front of him, and continued in a steady tone, "It's important that we are here."

If they allowed the rumors to continue to ferment, coupled with the panic that spread throughout the camp, they would likely attract a being more terrifying than death - a force from chaos.

The Demon King of Thunder County made a risky move.

Whether he had expected this or not, the Ministry of Truth was indeed used by him and had to get involved in this muddy water.

but--

So what if you are used? It is normal for people to use each other.

Those who set fires are obviously more hateful than those who add fuel to the fire.

What Xillon hates more than the Demon King who exploits him are the nobles who use their power unscrupulously. They make deals with humans and use the blood of the Demon God's people as a gamble, completely forgetting the obligations that the Demon God gave them when he granted them power.

General Cebes must be punished.

Including the Dragun family standing behind him.

Of course, he is a devil who knows the times.

If the Dragun family wins in the end, just pretend he never thought about it.

But he still prefers another result.

It was not only because he had a natural liking for the Demon King who grew up in the temple, but also because the Dragun family had taken the initiative to attack twice in a row but had not made any effective progress.

As we all know, the more complicated the plan is, the more likely it is to reveal flaws when faced with unexpected events.

The Dragun family seemed to hold the initiative, but the advantage was not necessarily in their hands.

Perhaps even the devil couldn't stand it anymore.

Just as Xillon and Moria were chatting, a demon centurion walked up to them tremblingly, swallowed, and spoke in a low voice.

"Dear Mr. Arbitrator... My superior wants to meet with you. He said that there are some things he wants to discuss with you alone, but it is not convenient for General Cebes to know."

Xilong raised his eyebrows slightly, and a pleasant smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Oh? Please tell him that I am very welcome. How about in my carriage? There no one can hear us, and we won't be disturbed by others."

The demon officer nodded and spoke cautiously.

"My superior meant the same thing...see you later then."

Shillong nodded.

"I am waiting for his arrival."

Watching the demon officer leave, Moria looked at Xillon in surprise, with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

“Is this a breakthrough?”

Xilong smiled faintly.

"Who knows...but it could definitely be an opportunity."

Anyway, you'll know when the people arrive.

…

The dark night enveloped the front-line camp. The howling of wolves in the distance mixed with the crackling sound of the burning campfire, sounding particularly harsh in the silent darkness.

The shadow of defeat still loomed over the entire military camp. The soldiers were silent. Occasionally, low-ranking officers of the Red Flame Legion would exchange glances while patrolling, but no one dared to say anything, as if they were not in hell, but deep in the enemy camp.

Barro wrapped his military robe tightly, lowered his head and walked through the path between the tents, his steps were steady and cautious. His heart was beating fast, and his blood was beating uncomfortably, but his face showed no abnormality.

He had been observing for a long time, and after making sure that no soldiers were following him, he quickened his pace and walked into the camp of the Ministry of Truth Guards, and quietly came to a carriage.

The two Abyss Knights stood silently, their black armor glowing coldly under the bonfire. They did not stop Barlow, but only looked at him coldly, as if to confirm his intention.

"I am General Cebes's adjutant, and I have urgent information to report to... His Majesty the Demon God." Barro said in a low voice.

The Abyss Knight tilted his head slightly, and a cold response soon came from the carriage.

"Come in."

Barlow took a deep breath, pushed aside the heavy curtains, and stepped into the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was dimly lit, with only a small magic lamp hanging from the ceiling, casting a cold light.

Xilon sat in the seat opposite, his body wrapped in the red robe of the Judge, his eyes were still cold, and no emotion could be seen. Senior Recorder Moria was sitting next to him, flipping through an ancient parchment, the magic pen sliding on the paper, recording their progress of the investigation over the past day.

The door of the carriage was closed, and the noise of the camp was instantly cut off, leaving only the heavy air in the enclosed space.

With two pairs of eyes fixed on him, Barlow took a deep breath and spoke softly in a hoarse voice.

"It was a windless morning. Our artillery positions had been deployed on the high ground north of Saldo Port. 20 magic crystal cannons blocked all blind spots in the port leading to our positions. Even the stupid little devil had no doubt that the balance of victory had tilted to our side, and the humans in Saldo Port were already praying desperately in the flames of doom."

"You mean you can't lose." Moriah stared into his eyes, leaning forward slightly, trying to guess the subtle motives.

Barlow was silent for a long time, then nodded slowly.

"We have no reason to lose. The Empire's warships didn't even dare to approach the port of Sardo and only dared to land at a temporary harbor in the distance. Their line infantry marched towards the mountain. I clearly saw the despair on their faces, as if they were rushing to death... But that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is something that happened before the battle began."

He hesitated for a long time, and finally swallowed his saliva and told the story that he had buried in his heart for a long time.

"I was playing chess with General Cebes at the time. He was usually very focused, but he was a little absent-minded that day. Especially later, when he beat me, he suddenly said something that I still can't understand."

Moriah paused with his pen and frowned slightly.

"What did he say?"

Barlow took a deep breath and recalled what Cebes had said at the time: "War is never caused by any historical aspirations, but is simply a continuation of current politics... and the latter is always only to solve current problems."

The carriage fell into dead silence.

Xillon's eyes narrowed slightly, while Moria thoughtfully opened the new parchment scroll and asked excitedly.

"What do you think he means?"

Barlow gave a wry smile.

"If it was any other time, I would have thought he was just chatting... But at that moment, I suddenly had a bad feeling. Could he be hinting at the fate of Port Saldo? Was he hoping to pull me onto his carriage? Perhaps I shouldn't have speculated like this, but afterwards, he sent me to the front. If it was any other time, it would have been an opportunity to make a contribution. But thinking back on it, I always felt that he wanted me to die there."

"You are still alive." Xilong reminded softly.

Barlow nodded silently and spoke in a tentative tone.

"Yes... After that day, I dared not say anything and could only play dumb in front of him. He tried to test me several times afterwards, but I fooled him and pretended that I didn't remember anything... I don't know if I succeeded in deceiving him, nor do I know if I was overthinking it. If you hadn't come here, I might have taken this question to my grave, but since you're here... I think his backing might not be that solid?"

As he uttered this, his heart beat rapidly and his eyes flickered with fear.

This gold-level fire demon who was once feared on the battlefield, brought death to the port of Sardo, and even General Hamelton, the "Imperial Griffin", did not dare to look him in the eye, now had to bow his head to two silver-level demons.

In other words, to the demon behind them.

That was the only lifeline he could see.

General Sebes has done nothing now, but there is no guarantee that he will not eliminate this "hidden danger" in the next battle.

Moria's eyes were gleaming with unconcealable joy, and he worked non-stop to strike while the iron was hot.

"Don't worry, Mr. Barro. The Demon God will not let any traitor go, nor will he wrongly blame any loyal minister! You have found the right person by finding us. Any backer is just a paper tiger in front of the Demon God! Moreover, if you have read the newspaper, you will know that the Demon City attaches great importance to the 80,000 soldiers who died in the Battle of Port Saldo. Their families need an explanation, and the citizens of the Demon City also need an explanation... Tell me your speculation!"

Moriah's fanatical eyes made Barlow feel a little uneasy, yet inexplicably at ease.

really--

Even if General Cebes has a strong background, what does it mean in front of the devil?

He suppressed his restless heartbeat and spoke tentatively.

"What if the defeat at Port Saldo was... pre-planned?"

Xilong narrowed his eyes slightly, tapped the table lightly with his index finger, and looked into his eyes.

"This is a serious accusation. Have you thought it through?"

Barlow was silent for a long time and then nodded.

"I've thought it through."

A smile appeared on Shillong's face.

Although these few testimonies were not enough evidence to overthrow General Saibes, the determination of the Red Flame Legion's adjutant was enough.

Cracks have begun to appear in the iron fortress.

This will be a major breakthrough for the work of the Ministry of Truth.

He stood up from his seat and stretched out his right hand.

"You are welcome to join the light, General Barlow."

Barlow quickly stood up and shook his hand.

He knows.

Having taken this step, there is no turning back...

(End of this chapter)