National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

Ji Shengyue leveraged her status as the Puppet Queen to conspire with the Royal Palace officials in charge of logistics and procurement.

They forged a series of urgent reports requesting renovations for the Royal Palace.

The reports detailed the safety hazards in many of the Royal Palace’s key structures, which had fallen into disrepair over the years. To enhance their credibility, they even attached fabricated on-site photographs.

At the same time, she secretly arranged for people to stage several minor accidents in the Royal Palace,

things like a leaking roof and cracked walls, allowing Ye Lingyun to see the Royal Palace’s state of disrepair with her own eyes.

”Ye Lingyun, this Royal Palace is now beset by problems. Many places are in utter disrepair, which not only affects your living experience but also presents a grave safety risk.

I request an emergency allocation of building materials to begin renovations as soon as possible.”

Ji Shengyue tried her best to make her tone sound both humble and anxious.

Ye Lingyun toyed with the ruby in her hand, glancing nonchalantly at Ji Shengyue. She sneered, ”Hmph. Do as you please. But don’t try to pull any tricks, or you know the consequences.”

After Ji Shengyue left, Ye Lingyun’s casual expression slowly faded. She coldly spat out a single word: ”Idiot.”

...

After the materials were approved, Ji Shengyue meticulously arranged for her trusted guards to transport them.

They disguised the supplies as ordinary daily necessities and smuggled them in batches among the Royal Palace’s routine supply convoys.

To ensure security, each shipment was assigned a different route. They also established multiple signal points in advance along the way. If any lookouts from the Vampire Clan were spotted tailing them, a signal would be sent immediately to reroute the transport.

They also rigged the transport vehicles with mechanisms to rapidly destroy the supplies in an emergency, leaving no trace for the Vampire Clan to discover.

These guards were incredibly careful, like phantoms moving through the dark, not daring to make a single sound.

They knew full well that if they were discovered, not only would their own lives be forfeit, but the entire plan would also be for nothing.

Meanwhile, Raphael began studying the altar’s design plans.

Day and night, he pored over the ancient tome by dim candlelight, meticulously deciphering its mysterious symbols and patterns.

Every detail was crucial; the slightest error meant the altar might not function properly.

”Archbishop, can the construction of this altar truly succeed?”

Ji Shengyue watched Raphael, who was absorbed in his research, and the unease in her heart intensified.

Raphael looked up, his eyes glinting with determination. ”Her Majesty the Queen, please trust in the power of the Bright Holy See. This altar carries our hopes. As long as we work together, we will surely succeed.”

Once the materials were ready, finding a suitable construction site became the critical next step.

The Great Jing Empire has numerous mountainous regions, but finding a place that was both concealed and met the requirements for building the altar was easier said than done.

After secretly conferring, Ji Shengyue and Raphael decided to send out several scouting teams.

They were primarily composed of ordinary servants and attendants from the Royal Palace. In their daily lives, their low status within the palace made them inconspicuous, allowing them to more easily avoid the Vampire Clan’s surveillance.

The scouting teams disguised themselves as ordinary hunters, herb gatherers, and traveling merchants.

They dispersed to every corner of the Great Jing Empire.

They crossed mountains and passed through valleys, venturing deep into remote areas to carefully observe the topography, geomancy, and surrounding environment.

To avoid arousing the Vampire Clan’s suspicion, they would deliberately carry items befitting their assumed identities when they went out, such as hunters carrying game or herb gatherers with their collection baskets.

Every outing was fraught with danger; they had to guard against not only the Vampire Clan’s patrols but also the various wild beasts and harsh weather of the mountains.

After several days of arduous searching, one of the scouting teams finally sent back good news.

Deep within the mountains in the northern part of the Empire, they had discovered a valley. The location was concealed, surrounded by a dense forest, and a hidden stream ran through its center. The geomancy was superb, making it a perfect spot to build the altar.

Ji Shengyue and Raphael were overjoyed at the news, but they also understood that the real challenge was just beginning.

The construction of the altar officially commenced.

Ji Shengyue and Raphael led a group of loyal followers, bringing the supplies and traveling to the valley in secret.

They chose to depart on the night of a full moon, using the moonlight as cover to advance in silence.

To avoid leaving any traces, they had designated people to clean up behind them as they went, eliminating any clue that could reveal their passage.

Everyone remained on high alert along the way. At regular intervals, they would post a guard as a sentry to ensure their safety.

Upon arriving at the valley, everyone immediately threw themselves into the intense construction work.

Raphael personally directed the construction, guiding the artisans step by step according to the records in the ancient tome as they erected the altar’s framework.

Disregarding her status as Queen, Ji Shengyue participated in the labor herself, hauling stones and mixing mortar alongside everyone else.

Her hands grew blistered and her clothes were stained with mud, but she paid it no mind, driven by a single conviction: to reclaim her rightful power and save the Great Jing Empire.

...

The process of building the altar was not entirely smooth sailing.

The Vampire Clan’s spies were everywhere, and their activities had inevitably drawn some suspicion.

Just as everyone was busy working in the valley, they suddenly heard a commotion in the distance.

The guard on sentry duty came running back in a panic. ”It’s terrible, Her Majesty the Queen, Archbishop!” he reported. ”A patrol from the Vampire Clan is headed this way!”