Chapter 178: Chapter 82: Slaying Duke Mu Huo
As Zorn emerged from the secret exit,
the Lantern-carrying Elder was already waiting nearby with his carriage.
Zorn boarded the carriage.
The Lantern-carrying Elder lightly tapped the carriage lantern hanging to the front right of the driver’s seat.
A hazy beam of light enveloped the entire carriage.
The carriage sped off as if weightless, gliding over the thick snow toward a small town in the South Suburbs.
"Master, after your grand entrance in that catastrophe... I’m afraid our Ogrande City is about to become the safest rear base in the entire Steam Empire. Although many things have happened here recently, bringing the city to the verge of a standstill, it’s foreseeable that Ogrande City will soon experience a new era of prosperity and bustle."
As a Viscount of the Republic—a title higher than Zorn’s—the Lantern-carrying Elder had no shortage of information channels.
"Master, you told me before that the gray fog in the north is about to dissipate and that the number of the Confused will decrease."
"As you instructed, I have been acquiring manors and farmland in the Northern Border Region that were once shrouded by the fog."
"Mm."
Zorn gave a slight nod from inside the carriage.
"Manage these farms well. They will bring us handsome returns."
The Lantern-carrying Elder was an expert at farming.
Zorn only needed to give him some confidential information, and the Elder would naturally know what to do.
Zorn didn’t have to concern himself with the many miscellaneous details.
He could leave them to these Lower Rankers, and they would handle everything perfectly for him.
His thoughts drifted as Zorn gazed at Ogrande City in the distance.
At that moment, battles of all sizes were erupting in every corner of Ogrande City.
Not far away, near the steam railway tracks, three Level Eight Transcendents were entangled in a fierce struggle.
Booms echoed, accompanied by strange halos of light that constantly flared and howled.
Ogrande City had now completely devolved into a battlefield for Transcendents.
Over the past period, Ogrande City had suffered a considerable blow.
Many residents were even fleeing the city.
It seemed the great decline of Ogrande City was at hand.
However, this battle’s outcome was already decided. Once it concluded and the situation in Ogrande City stabilized, the roar of the Steam Factories would thunder once more, and residents from all over would be drawn to the city.
Ogrande City already possessed immense steam-powered industrial might. It would unleash its full strength in the long and drawn-out war to come.
Then, Zorn turned his gaze to the snow-covered South Suburbs of Ogrande City.
After surveying the area for a moment, Zorn slowly asked,
"After Duke Mu Huo’s resurrection, did he continue to flee?"
The Lantern-carrying Elder focused for a moment before replying,
"After his resurrection, the intensity of his life aura weakened somewhat. Although it was a powerful means of resurrection, it still had an effect."
"Right now, Duke Mu Huo isn’t moving. He’s in the process of recovering."
"Excellent." Zorn nodded slightly.
Previously, Duke Mu Huo, like many other Transcendents, had been stationed in Split Mist Town.
Their original plan was to break through Split Mist Town and contact Archbishop Andre to form a strong defensive line.
But then Zorn, who doesn’t play by the rules, directly borrowed the power of his [Divine Kingdom] and shattered their defenses.
This led to the tragic on-the-spot death of Duke Mu Huo, who had only recently been promoted to Level Six.
The others truly died.
But Duke Mu Huo, who possessed a one-time powerful resurrection ability, survived.
Back when he first obtained the inheritance of the [Evil Spirit Wizard], Zorn had used the source fire from the Lantern-carrying Elder’s lantern to anchor a piece of flesh and blood.
And that very piece of flesh and blood happened to have been devoured and absorbed by Duke Mu Huo.
Now that he had anchored Duke Mu Huo, no matter where the Duke fled, he could not escape the Lantern-carrying Elder’s anchor.
About an hourglass later, Zorn, led by the Lantern-carrying Elder, arrived at the remote town where Duke Mu Huo was hiding.
"Master... I’ll provide cover for you."
The Lantern-carrying Elder raised his lantern and was about to get off the carriage.
"You’re only Level 4. You’d be defeated in a single exchange. Duke Mu Huo won’t be merciful enough to spare you."
"Just find a safe place and hide."
"Yes, my master!"
Heavy snow weighed down the rooftops of the small town.
The eerie, blood-red sun cast crimson ripples across the sky, like an invisible hand stroking the entire remote town.
Ogrande City had already been exceptionally turbulent these past few days. Combined with the terrifying fluctuations from a moment ago, all the households in the small town had long since gone into hiding.
Only a few bold individuals peeked out through their windows, surveying the situation outside.
Zorn made his way down the wide, deserted street, his feet sinking into the snow with each step.
Before long, he stopped outside a standalone, three-story building in the center of town.
From here, one could get a perfectly clear view of the entire town.
’The steam train tracks were nearby. If something went wrong, I could even hitch a free ride on a steam train to get out of here quickly.’
Just as Zorn was sizing up the red-painted house,
CREAK!
The door was pushed open, and a woman in a long, red winter dress stumbled out, crying.
She was holding a child in her arms.
"Lord Zorn Corick, for the child’s sake, I beg you, please let us go!"
Tears streamed down her fair, delicate cheeks as she wept with profound sorrow.
"If you are willing to spare him, I will persuade him to give up that dreadful Evil Spirit Sequence! I only ask for your mercy!"
