Chapter 529 -Turbulent Undercurrents in Storm City
While John, Adam, and Blue Sea were discussing their next course of action, Duke Arsena was also meeting with Natasha in his palace at the same time.
Both of them were deeply concerned about the current situation in Storm City. Duke Arsena had received a plethora of bad news from his intelligence officer. After consolidating all the negative reports, he felt that there was no way to guarantee that Storm City would not face any further crises in the near future.
"Now, take a close look at all the information I've obtained. Our contacts in the Dark Realm have already sent us the Dark Faction's operational plans. The Dark Faction is prepared to launch an attack on Sunset Mountain. Although we can't be sure if they will simultaneously attack Storm City, given their past actions, there's a high probability they will do so.
Moreover, as I mentioned before, Mystery Saint has projected his power near Storm City, indicating that the Mystery Faction is also likely to attack us simultaneously with the Dark Faction's assault. With the strength we currently possess, we won't stand a chance. This is why I cannot agree with Mystery Protector's plan. We need the help of adventurers now! Without them, we won't be able to achieve our goals. We are both trusted entirely by His Majesty the Emperor, and we cannot let him down!"
Duke Arsena, as a Paladin, had a deep trust in Natasha as a warrior. He hadn't revealed everything to the Mystery Protector, but he chose to share all the information with Natasha.
After listening to Duke Arsena's words and carefully considering all the information, Natasha's expression remained calm, though there was a hint of hesitation on her face.
"Why don't you request more reinforcements from His Majesty the Emperor then? I believe the Emperor should be able to send additional forces to assist," Natasha inquired.
Duke Arsena shook his head, "I cannot request more reinforcements from His Majesty the Emperor. Other regions of the Empire are also under threat from hostile factions."
In reality, Duke Arsena wasn't only concerned about the safety of his own territory, Storm City. He was also thinking about the security of the entire Northern Myst Empire.
Upon hearing Duke Arsena's response, Natasha couldn't help but display a slightly mocking smile. In her view, Duke Arsena had too many things on his plate.
"If you don't request more reinforcements from His Majesty the Emperor, I won't be able to provide much help either. However, one thing I can assure you is that I will do everything in my power to complete my quest. If we cannot successfully defend Storm City, I will choose to return immediately to the Empire's capital. Then, I will inform His Majesty the Emperor of the situation here, and he should dispatch more reinforcements to reclaim Storm City."
After delivering these words, Natasha chose to depart. She had always been this way, avoiding excessive contemplation of matters.
Natasha's primary goal was to complete her quest, and if her quest exceeded her abilities, she would prioritize ensuring her own safety. After Natasha left, Duke Arsena's expression became even more troubled because he felt he had run out of options.
After a while, Duke Arsena turned to one of his servants outside his study and asked, "How is the situation inside Storm City now? Are those adventurers still feeling secure?"
The servant outside the study didn't provide a direct answer because he was also quite nervous. All the adventurers could access additional information from the player forums. The recent series of unexpected events in Storm City was the hottest topic being discussed on the forums. All players were well aware that Storm City was about to come under attack.
Players, of course, wouldn't offer their assistance to NPCs without some benefit. The majority of players were considering how to obtain more weapons and loot during the chaos of the impending attack on Storm City.
"Duke, it seems that adventurers are currently discussing the situation around our Storm City. However, you should be familiar with the majority of these adventurers. They only want to gain more benefits. If helping defend Storm City offers them greater rewards, they will assist us. If Storm City falls into chaos after an attack, and they can gain more benefits during the turmoil, they will surely choose to stand by and watch," the servant explained.
The servant's words were something Duke Arsena had already considered. He sighed, realizing that John was likely the only one left who could provide assistance.
After pacing back and forth in his study for a while, Duke Arsena finally spoke to the servant outside the door, "Besides seeking help from John, I don't have any other options. Please inform Captain Betack to find John as soon as possible."
Duke Arsena didn't intend to personally seek out John because he believed that, based on their previous encounters, John wouldn't be very receptive to him. Drill Sergeant Betack and John were well acquainted, and Betack had previously offered significant help to John and his two friends. If Betack personally sought out John, John was unlikely to refuse. The servant promptly delivered this message to Drill Sergeant Betack.
Drill Sergeant Betack double-checked Duke Arsena's orders to ensure there was no ambiguity. Once he was certain of the mission's clarity, he set out to find John.
Eventually, Drill Sergeant Betack and John met at the entrance of the Blue Sea Guild. Betack's appearance at the entrance of an adventurer's guild naturally raised eyebrows among the surrounding players.
John hadn't anticipated Drill Sergeant Betack's arrival, and he didn't want all the players to discover his true identity. He suggested, "Why did you come here? If you want to discuss something with me, let's head to the Great Library together. It's safer there since there might be hostile factions lurking in Storm City."
Drill Sergeant Betack nodded, and the two of them proceeded to Storm City's Great Library. Inside, an apprentice magus found them a quiet room where they could have a discreet conversation.
Drill Sergeant Betack got straight to the point, saying, "I've come here to find you on Duke Arsena's orders. The Duke hopes to enlist your assistance."
John wasn't surprised by Drill Sergeant Betack's words, as he didn't consider Betack to be someone who placed a high value on adventurers.
"Oh, is that so? In what circumstances does Duke Arsena seek my assistance? Does the Duke think that after recently being at odds with me, he can now ask for my help? At the very least, the Duke should show some sincerity, don't you think? Can the Duke consider giving up his enmity with the Ocean Sage? If he can turn an enemy into an ally with the Ocean Sage, I would be willing to offer my help," John mentioned the Ocean Sage, and Drill Sergeant Betack's expression instantly turned cold.
Though Drill Sergeant Betack hadn't personally experienced battles between the Northern Myst Empire and the Ocean Sage, as a guardsman of the Northern Myst Empire, he was certainly aware of the information related to the Ocean Sage. So, he responded straightforwardly, "You should be well aware that I cannot help Duke Arsena agree to this condition. I'm merely relaying the Duke's message to you. The Duke hopes that you'll remain in Storm City for the next few days because he believes Storm City is about to come under attack. If you're willing to assist us, he will certainly reward you handsomely afterward. He now knows that you're working on a hidden quest."
Drill Sergeant Betack's revelation surprised John greatly. He hadn't expected Duke Arsena to be aware that he was working on a hidden quest.
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