Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 410: Chapter 410. The Need for a Backer

Due to the heist, the capital went on an even more severe lockdown than when the jailbreak happened. This time, the army inside the Grand Barrack was mobilized. No one was allowed to travel in or out of the capital. Every house, including the nobles, was searched. This went on for a full two weeks.

Despite going from house to house, the capital was still a huge city. It was impossible for the army to cover every corner, especially the slums or the more shadowy districts. They wrecked many places in the slums, but the people in these areas were mostly uncooperative, so their search was not optimal. These areas were where the Demon Gang chose their secret hideouts.

Even if they somehow stumbled into the secret hideout, there was little they could do. They could search but wouldn’t find anything because they could not access Amon’s black space ring.

Furthermore, they had very little information about the thieves. There was almost no clue. All they had to go on with was the theft was conducted by the two city hall guards. These guards were nowhere to be found. The authorities went around questioning and even arresting the families and relatives of the guards, but they learned nothing.

They would never find the two guards because Amon had fed the real guards to Yuka. There was no trace left of them.

In the end, the army failed to find the thieves. However, they found many escaped prisoners. During the two weeks, these prisoners were either recaptured or killed for resisting arrest. Bu Zheng escaped recapture because he hid in one of Demon Gang’s secret hideouts. Amon also helped him put on a disguise to make it harder for the soldiers to identify him, even if they happened to find the hideout he was in.

Amon lay low during the tense lockdown and told everyone to do the same. He asked everyone to continue laying low for an additional week even after the lockdown was lifted. Everyone focused on cultivating during this time.

After the situation cooled down, Amon purchased another mansion in the same district as his current mansion. He had the same treatment to the basement of the new mansion. He reinforced it with words of power to seal it from intruders as well as adding an alarm system. He then had Shi Hei build a giant safe made of the hardest metal they could find in the market.

The safe could only be opened with two special keys. One he held, and the other he handed to San Guo. Diao Xin engraved words of power on the safe, enhancing its durability and making it only openable by either San Guo or Amon.

After the safe was completed, Amon filled it up with aer stones. When San Guo and the others saw the massive stock of aer stones inside the safe, they were speechless.

”There are ten million inside,” Amon informed.

”This can finance our operation for at least two years,” San Guo said. He was unaware that the amount Amon put inside the safe was only one-fifth of the aer stones they stole from the city treasury.

”Two years if we remain our current size, which we will not,” Amon said. ”We won’t stop expanding. Recruit more people, build our forces. Now that we no longer have to worry about funding, do not hold back.”

San Guo made an awkward laugh. He said, ”I am happy to do that, but with no backing from the authorities, there are too many limitations.”

”Don’t forget about the Gao Clan and their street dogs,” Gao Lan added. The Street Dogs were the underworld organization serving the Gao Clan. Their leader was a man named Xi Wen.

”Yes, two of our legal establishments had just been raided by them,” Lu Fei informed. ”One was a shop we used to sell our products. Another was the office of Fortune Escort Company.”

”Those bastards not only raided the place. They killed our people and burned the place to the ground,” Xin Wuming uttered angrily.

This incident happened during the week after the lockdown was lifted. Since most of Amon’s group was still lying low, they reacted late to the incident. The Demon Gang members rushed to the scene. They battled the perpetrators, but it was too late to save the establishments. Both sides suffered casualties from the clashes.

”As long as we have no kingdom backers, they will have no reservation in assaulting us. The authorities turn a blind eye even when civilians who work in our legal establishments are murdered,” Amon said. ”That’s why it is imperative to find Huang San soon. Without a strong backer, we will have problems growing even if we possess sufficient funds. Have you made any progress in finding him?”

”We still cannot find the thirteenth prince’s whereabouts,” Gao Lan said. ”However, we got news that Xa Jien had returned to the capital yesterday.”

”Good. Does our people have his current location?” Amon asked.

”Yes, he is residing inside his clan’s mansion. It is in another district restricted only for nobles.”

”I will go meet him directly,” Amon said.

*

The Xa Clan was a small but prominent clan in the city. Almost all of their members were sword experts and bodyguards to important members of the kingdom. They were respected by most, and not everyone could just stroll into their mansion.

Amon managed to ask for an audience thanks to the kingdom badge bestowed by Princess Huang Er. Even then, he had to wait outside the gate while the guard went in to report his visit.

When the guard came out, he was with the person Amon was looking for.

”You are still alive? We thought you died already,” Xa Jien uttered. His tone was not friendly.

Amon didn’t mind. Xa Jien was never friendly to him. ”I don’t die that easily,” he said.

”What do you want?” Xa Jien asked.

”I want to meet Prince Huang San,” Amon answered. ”Do you know where I can find him?”

”What do you want with him?”

”I have a promise to keep,” Amon replied.

Xa Jien waited for Amon to elaborate on his statement, but Amon didn’t say anything after that. The two just stared at one another. After a while, Xa Jien said, ”Come!”

He stepped into the street and walked in a direction. Amon followed him.

They walked for some time. Neither spoke the entire trip. They came into a large garden situated outside the palace wall. From how quiet the garden was, it was obvious the place was not open to the public. The garden appeared open without any fence, but Amon detected a force field surrounding it. He perceived a row of words of power on the ground along the garden’s edge.

Xa Jien brought Amon to a spot with a gate-like sculpture. That spot was the entrance to the garden. Four soldiers stood guard there.

The soldiers showed Amon and Xa Jien approaching. They recognized Xa Jien.

”Good day, Counselor Xa Jien. Here to enjoy the day?” One of the soldiers asked.

”Is the Thirteenth Prince inside?” Xa Jien asked in return.

”He is. The last we check, he is in the fifth pavilion,” the soldier answered.

”Thank you. I will go there. He is with me,” Xa Jien pointed at Amon.

The soldiers eyed Amon suspiciously, but since Xa Jien vouched for him, they didn’t object.

”Two of us will accompany you there,” the soldier said. He and his friend followed Amon and Xa Jien as they entered. Amon didn’t doubt the two soldiers escorted them because of his presence. He didn’t mind. Xa Jien also didn’t object.

”You joined the civil court?” Amon asked Xa Jien. He heard the soldiers call Xa Jien with the title counselor. ”I thought you would have preferred the military.”

Xa Jien replied, ”We from the Xa Clan mostly serve as protectors to most ministers. Hence, we mostly serve in the same court.”

They walked past various beautiful landscapes. Inside the garden was an artificial lake with multiple pavilions at the lakeside, situated a distance away from each other. A few of these pavilions were occupied. Each of these pavilions had a maid stationed outside, even the vacant ones.

They walked toward one that seemed vacant, except it was not. When they got near, Amon saw one man was inside the pavilion. The man was enjoying wine while staring at the lake.

Xa Jien and Amon entered the pavilion. The maid who stood outside the pavilion welcomed and ushered them in. The two soldiers who followed them stopped outside the pavilion. They stayed there and stood guard.

The man inside the pavilion continued drinking without turning back despite Xa Jien and Amon making no attempt to silence their footsteps. It was like he didn’t care if someone approached him from behind.

”Your Highness, I bring someone who wishes to meet you,” Xa Jien announced.

”Good Xa Jien, you finally visit me. Come, sit by my side. Let’s drink together,” Huang San said without turning back.

”Your Highness, long time no see. Amon came to request an audience,” Amon declared his presence.