Chapter 259 Dividing the spoils

Before dawn, the sky of the Demon City was still shrouded in gloomy purple mist. The hell furnace in the distance reflected the dim dome, revealing a cold bloody glow.

Even before dawn, the shocking changes in Black Wind Castle had already spread back to the Magic City, and rumors about the war swept through the streets like a tide.

At the market, vendors who were displaying their wares gathered together and whispered to each other, discussing a piece of gossip that had been passed on to countless ears.

“Elder Zakro…actually took action himself?!”

“Is this true?!”

"He is a Purple Crystal-level warrior, an elder of the Dragun family. How could he commit a crime in public at Black Wind Castle?"

"I heard that the Dragun family has already distanced themselves from him, and the Ministry of Truth has even issued a wanted notice for him, but they have not publicly declared him a traitor to Hell..."

"He is a noble after all, so why can't he hire an assassin who can do the job more efficiently?"

"What are you thinking... What assassin could do this?"

At a banquet of a noble.

Several Hell nobles who had been drinking since the beginning of the banquet until late at night gathered together, and their enthusiasm for gossip was no less than that of the vendors in the market.

“I heard that he had gone crazy at that time!” A slippery golden slime noble lowered his voice and excitedly recounted the gossip, his eyes drifting to both sides from time to time, “Countless goblins and hell dwarves from Black Wind Castle died! There were also many undead... but those guys should not be counted. In short, that terrifying demon was like a demon beast, slaughtering on the streets and tearing apart the army that blocked his way. He only wanted to kill Luo Yan!”

The demon youth sitting next to him couldn't help but click his tongue.

"How big of a grudge is this?"

The golden slime shook its head like a wave drum.

"I don't know! Maybe there's a story behind it that we don't know about!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone next to him interrupted.

"That's not the point! The point is that the Baron of Black Wind Castle actually won! You should have seen that guy, the one at Miss Padridge's birthday party!"

As soon as these words were uttered, the originally noisy environment suddenly became quiet, and then immediately it was like an exploding pressure cooker that almost overturned the table.

"What?!"

"Just, just that gigolo?!"

"Isn't Elder Zakro at the Amethyst level?! He, isn't - how is this possible!"

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! There is a difference of at least three ranks between them... maybe four!"

"I also think it's impossible! There must be someone helping Luo Yan behind the scenes!"

"I did hear that someone intervened...some said they saw blood, and some said they saw a domain?!"

"Demi-god?! Could it be Prince Colin?!"

"No doubt about it. He is the only demigod-level vampire in the entire Demon City. Moreover, he was the one who pushed for the armament plan of Black Wind Castle. The magic crystal cannon factory might have shares owned by the Colin family. Zakro was stupid because he shouldn't have taken action in Black Wind Castle. That was simply courting his own death!"

"But I heard that... in the end, Zak Luo seemed to rush into the lord's mansion and planned to take hostages, but was killed by Luo Yan? What's going on here?"

"Could it be... the will of His Majesty the Demon God?"

"Hush! Don't say that!"

Although they said so, these nobles showed no intention of stopping.

Listening to the lively discussions, Baron Avisler, who was sitting in the corner, couldn't help but shiver. The shaking rim of the cup splashed the beer foam onto his hand, making a sizzling sound under the high temperature.

If until yesterday he still regarded the duel in the Commercial Street Park as the shame of his life, then now he was extremely grateful that Baron Luo Yan did not take action personally.

Even the Purple Crystal-level warriors were defeated by him...

Is this guy really just a silver?! Avisler was so scared that his blood was shaking when he thought about how he almost fought with him.

Amid the heated discussions, the rumors became more and more outrageous. The initial version was somewhat logical, such as Prince Colin beat Elder Zakro to a cripple, and in the end Luo Yan chopped off his head with a full-strength blow. Later, it was even spread on the streets that in the end, the Demon God showed his divine power and gave Luo Yan a divine weapon to kill demons, banishing the rebellious Zakro to the subspace where he would never see the light of day.

As for those increasingly outrageous rumors, the Dragun family took an indifferent attitude.

Not to mention that they are now busy dealing with the covetous eyes of other great nobles, and have no time to protect the reputation of Elder Zakro. Even if they have the energy to do this, they will definitely not let people think that they and Zakro are still tied to the same boat.

Just like that, ignored by all parties, the rumors fermented wildly for three whole days.

It was not until the latest issue of the "Magic City Daily" came out, revealing the shocking news about General Sebes, that people shifted their attention from the "death of Elder Zakro" and the "Silver Demon King who defeated the Amethyst-level strongman" to the former's "unspeakable" crimes.

"General Cebes confessed his crimes! The injustice of 80,000 soldiers was redressed! The Port of Sardo tragedy came to an end!"

Newspapers were unfolded in the bustling crowd, and the crimson headlines were particularly eye-catching on the black and white paper!

Under interrogation by the Intelligence Department, General Cebes admitted that he had deliberately used the disastrous defeat at Port Sardo at the behest of Zakro Dragun to try to obstruct the implementation of Black Wind Castle's new armament plan, because Zakro was dissatisfied with the Demon King of Thunder County.

His testimony was recorded in detail in the newspapers, with regret between the lines, as if all the guilt had been analyzed thoroughly. He himself was portrayed as a former officer who had gone astray but eventually chose to confess his guilt and kneel in front of the statue of the devil to repent - just like what was painted in the magic photo.

As soon as the latest issue of "Magic City Daily" came out, it immediately became the focus of discussion in the entire city.

In taverns, markets, unknown mysterious alleys, and even in factories that were still operating at night, people were talking about this shocking news, and the discussion was endless.

"General Cebes... pleaded guilty?"

“This…this is impossible!”

"That's his brother, how could he have the heart to do that?!"

"God of War... I would rather believe that he did it for money, or was bribed by the Os Empire..."

"That's ridiculous!"

Some demons were very happy, while others found it hard to accept. Some cheered for the wisdom of the Demon God, while others cursed the dirty politics. Some pessimists thought that hell was going to end like this, as they could do such a despicable thing and be so cruel to their own people. However, some demons who had been to human society laughed at them, saying that the Os Empire was no exception. The only difference was the means.

But no matter what, it has happened and the dust has settled.

At least those 80,000 soldiers did not die in vain.

At least the Cabinet and Parliament didn't just shut the door and pretend it never happened.

Compared to being forgotten in a corner where no one cares, this is definitely a great justice.

"Cheers to the Demon King!"

"cheers!!!"

“Ahhhhh!!!”

In the tavern near the slums of Magic City, the air was filled with the strong aroma of beer.

Lizardmen in maid outfits carried trays filled with roasted lizard tails and beer, moving between the crowded long tables. The huge barrels were knocked open by the hell dwarves wearing goblin fur hats with axes, and they shouted at the goblins in the kitchen to help pour the wine. Enthusiastic cheers rose and fell, and it was as lively as a festival.

Compared with the power struggles in the Magic City, the attitudes of these soldiers returning from the front lines are much purer.

The retired veterans raised their glasses, laughed heartily, chanted his name loudly, and expressed gratitude for his deeds.

"Praise the devil! Praise the damn justice!"

“He really kept his promise!”

A goblin in leather armor staggered to his feet, rubbed his red nose with his index finger, and shouted loudly under the influence of alcohol.

"Once Black Wind Castle is rebuilt, I will go and join him!"

The hell dwarf next to him raised his cup and paid tribute to a goblin, which was a rare display of respect.

"Haha! I toast to you!"

The tavern was in an uproar as the soldiers clinked their glasses to celebrate. Some of the drunken guys even climbed onto the table and sang impromptu limericks in praise of the wise and powerful Demon King.

Although the Battle of Porto Saldo itself was a tragic defeat, for the thousands of numbers in the war reports, the fact that the culprit who planned the conspiracy was able to receive the final trial was a great victory!

The "general" who led them to win the war was undoubtedly the Demon King who stood shoulder to shoulder with them from beginning to end!

He was the first to issue a deafening roar, angrily denouncing the mediocrity at the hearing and demanding justice for the soldiers on the front line! He fulfilled his promise and brought justice to them—even though they had almost forgotten about it! Thanks to this, the sales of beer in the pub were much better than usual throughout the day!

The entire Demon City seemed to be soaked in a wine barrel.

Compared to the lower-level demons who don't have access to much information, the nobles of the Demon City know it all -

Sybes's confession was not out of repentance, nor was it as innocent as reported in the newspapers. It was purely the result of some kind of transaction.

"It seems that the Intelligence Department used a sentence reduction in exchange for his confession. I heard that the Ministry of Truth is already preparing to weave the truth," a noble sipped his wine at the banquet and chatted with his companions in a low voice with a smile, "Oh, it seems that the remaining inheritance of Zakro will be divided up. I wonder if Xino's child can inherit even a fraction of it."

Another noble sitting opposite him shrugged his shoulders and said without hesitation.

"Why not? Hasn't he already chosen the side of the winner? The Padrich family and the Melusine family are both very particular about their appearance and will only take their own share. Besides, if he doesn't choose this way, as a puppet of Zakro, he will only die with that old madman. As a puppet of the demon king, at least he has gained more than he has lost."

"As expected of Karamos, he is the best among succubi," a demon noble could not help but sigh, "It is said that even the most severe torturer in the Ministry of Truth could not pry open the mouth of Saibes. I am really curious about what means he used to turn a battle-hardened general into his puppet, making him obey his orders and let him be manipulated at will."

"Zakro is dead, so why is he still so stubborn? What kind of ability is that? I think... that demon king is more like a succubus."

[That Demon King] seems to have become a synonym for someone.

Although no one mentioned his name, everyone knew who it was talking about.

A noble who was familiar with the high-level insider information nodded and continued in approval.

"Indeed, I heard that Festing submitted a motion for review, nominating him as the 29th member of the parliament. For a silver-level human baron to be nominated, there are many factors involved... I can't even tell how many people are pushing him from behind."

"It's just a nomination, not the election." A baron couldn't help but say sarcastically.

Humans can now be members of hell's parliament. Hell is getting worse every year!

The other baron sitting next to him glanced at him and said with a sneer.

"Are you a country devil who just came to Magic City? For the Padrich family, nomination is equivalent to approval, otherwise they won't even mention it."

The whispering continued until the end of the banquet.

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These well-dressed guys didn't get drunk enough to dance on the table, and no one wrote poetry for the devil.

Of course, love poems don’t count.

In the hell where the strong are respected, there is no legend more legendary than challenging a purple crystal strongman with a silver body, especially when that gentleman looks so handsome.

Although it is true that Miss Padridge is a strong competitor, as the saying goes, only the strong are worth challenging. This is true for Baron Avisler, and it is naturally also true for Miss Slime and Miss Tentacle, who have a strong desire to win.

For a whole day, the name of the demon king was mentioned throughout the demon city, whether it was a dance at the upper class or a gathering where rural demons had a drink.

In this way, the tragedy in Porto Saldo came to an end.

Although it was not Luo Yan's work, and he was not capable of doing it to this extent, many people still attributed this honor to him. No matter what, those demons living at the bottom of society finally got the justice they expected, instead of having their glory and shame hastily ended in the name of corruption. The nobles of the Demon City also got the harmony and peace they hoped for. The cleansing of Zakro's forces finally came to an end, and the mighty waves did not continue to rise and fall.

But in contrast, hell may lose a lot in terms of interests beyond justice.

After all, many accounts that could not be settled were blamed on the dead man Zakro.

Perhaps the devil will give fair punishment.

But that kind of thing can only be known when you go to see the Demon Lord.

In short, Zakro's crime has been determined, and the armament reform plan of Black Wind Castle is no longer hindered. And Sebes's confession has become the last sickle for the Intelligence Department to harvest the remaining forces of Zakro, and it can be regarded as clearing a group of termites lying on the cheese... Although another group of termites will soon replace them.

Luo Yan thought that things would not go so smoothly, especially the intriguing look of the Minister of Intelligence, Karamos, when he took away Zakro's body, which made him feel that he might be involved in some huge conspiracy, or even in the game between the two ministers. However, the final result was beyond his expectations. Karamos seemed to just want to express the elders' concern for the younger generation, and did not ask him to do more.

This was indeed somewhat beyond his expectations.

In addition, until the end he didn't know why he sensed the aura of the Mad Talker from Zakro, but the whole incident turned out to be the best outcome for him, and he had no fault to complain about it.

First, the head of the Dragun family was changed, and secondly, he successfully entered the parliament as the Baron of Black Wind Castle. Zakro, who had been chasing and biting him like a mad dog, died suddenly in his manor, and everyone thought he was murdered. They suspected that he not only had the support of a demigod-level strongman, but also was appointed by the Demon God.

He originally thought that Goligo would hate him, after all, he killed his beloved disciple, but in the end, he didn't.

The Supreme Judge Lahem sent a letter of apology to his mansion, reflecting on the fact that he arrived too late, causing his mansion and territory to suffer too many casualties, and that the money would eventually be appropriately compensated by the finances of the Magic City.

Not only that, the demigod-level lich even voted in favor of his suitability for membership in the council, and he thus received a full six votes in favor, which even surprised Festing.

After all, in his original estimation, two votes in favor and four abstentions would be the best result.

As a result, everyone is "very interested" in him now.

…

Parliament Building.

Luo Yan, who had been dormant in Black Wind Castle for a long time, finally returned to the center of power in the Magic City.

With his feet on the granite steps, he looked at the magnificent gate and emblem again and felt extremely relaxed all over, as if he had unloaded a 10,000-pound burden. His mood was completely different from when he first arrived here.

Standing at the door of the building, Luo Yan thought for a moment, then looked at Festing beside him and said.

"There's something I don't know whether I should say."

Festing raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke in a friendly manner.

"Are you proposing to my daughter? Then I have to make some preparations."

"Well, it's about a more sensitive topic." Ignoring Festing's casual joke, Luo Yan glanced around quickly, making sure no one was paying attention, and lowered his voice and said, "Actually... that day I smelled chaos from Zakro—"

"Hush."

Festing suddenly made a gesture of silence, indicating that he should stop talking.

Luo Yan noticed that a faint black aura was entwined around them, separating the two from the outside world. Passersby seemed to be unable to see them, but would not bump into them.

This... is it another domain? The foundation of the Padrich family is not inferior to that of the Colin family. I think they also have some secret recipes. He couldn't make up his mind for a while.

However, being able to force out the power of his domain from two grandmasters in a row within a month is an unprecedented achievement.

"If you are not sure, don't say anything. If something didn't happen, just pretend it didn't happen. You are a smart person and you should be aware that some problems are not problems at all before they become problems. It is not always smart to discover problems too early." Festing's voice was meaningful, as if he was sharing his life experience.

Of course Luo Yan knew what he meant, so he shrugged lightly.

"Okay... Actually, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have told you. For example, Mr. Karamos, I didn't tell him anything."

Festing curled the corners of his mouth, smiled and patted Luo Yan's arm, revealing his white and neat teeth.

"I'm glad you trust me so much. The Padrich family never disappoints their allies... So, are you ready? Next, I will take you to visit your office. Everyone you meet along the way will salute you. I hope you won't be too surprised, because there will be many more such things in the future. They may even chase you to your Thunder County."

Luo Yan took a deep breath and pretended to be nervous.

"So, do I need to clock in here every day?"

Festing laughed.

"How is that possible! Ordinary people hire lawyers to file lawsuits. Do you think we really have to sit in front of a square table and gnaw on boring rubber stamps all day long like the demons outside imagine? The only thing you need to do is to let people know that you are here and claim your share of the interests. Only then can the huge machine of hell continue to operate and avoid another episode like the Port of Saldo tragedy... Come to think of it, don't you have a servant you can trust? If not, I can introduce you to some reliable guys."

Luo Yan knew what kind of people he would introduce to him, probably some guys who came from prominent families but were frustrated, such as a down-and-out lord or a citizen whose ancestors were nobles.

They may not be very capable, but they are more than capable of playing the role of servants, secretaries, drivers, etc.

Of course, Luo Yan would not agree to Festing's proposal.

This kind of demon can hit everyone with just a brick thrown in a place like Shanghai. Why does he need anyone to introduce it to anyone?

And what if he loses control and something really happens between him and Mia, wouldn't his driver become his father-in-law's driver?

That won’t do!

Although he didn't have a suitable candidate at the moment, his eyes fell on a nightmare boy who was standing dejectedly at the door holding a wooden box.

Luo Yan vaguely remembered his name, which seemed to be Karisman. He once played an unnamed nightmare civil servant in the "Abyss Times" - although he did not reveal his name, this level of anonymity and real name is only a fig leaf apart.

Now it seems that he has encountered a career crisis and is in the darkest moment of his life.

Following Luo Yan's gaze towards the entrance of the Parliament Building, Festing raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Are you sure? Letting a rookie do such an important job?"

"He is not a rookie, but a worker ant who can expertly move around every corner of the building, recognize every face, and know who to contact for each matter...if this building is compared to an ant nest. Isn't this what I need?"

Luo Yan had a faint smile on his face as he looked at the surprised Mr. Festing and continued slowly.

"Also, as the new councillor number 29, do you think I should show off my talents or try to reduce my presence? You should know that the labyrinth in Thunder County is my base."

The guy was able to get a job in the Capitol by his own ability, so there is absolutely no problem with his ability. The interviewer has already done a background check and ability assessment on him.

Besides, he might have lost his job because of me.

The liquidation is over, the chess pieces controlled by Zakro have been cleaned out, but the same cannot be said for the chess pieces of others.

Those people didn't dare to look at me for too long, but it was too easy to get a small clerk.

Wouldn't it be easy to make trouble for him after he was in the limelight? Festing understood Luo Yan's expression, suddenly laughed, patted his shoulder, and gave him a thumbs up in appreciation.

"Interesting! Go ahead! Let me see the charm of the legendary 'demon king'. I bet... that unlucky boy will sell his life to you."

Luo Yan looked at this frivolous "colleague" speechlessly, and then said.

"I don't need his life."

"I just need him to be in a safe place, doing what he can do."

(End of this chapter)