Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 412: Chapter 412. A Shot for the Throne

”What can we do?” Huang San asked.

It was the same question as before, but the tone was different. It no longer carried a mocking tone. It was a genuine question.

So, Amon replied with a practical answer, ”We can prove to everyone that you are worthy of the throne. I don’t know the details, but I had heard words on the streets that there will be a kind of ancient ascension trial to decide the heir to the throne?”

”Oh? You have heard that? I guess you have ears in unexpected places,” Huang San remarked.

”We have no chance if we depend on that trial for the throne,” Xa Jien said. ”The participants to the trial will be decided in the next two weeks.”

”Two weeks? The words I heard were that the trial is still years away,” Amon said.

”Roughly four years, give or take,” Huang San informed. ”It all depends on the preparation. It is not easy to perform this ancient ascension trial. It is a trial created by my ancestors to settle the right to the throne without bloodshed. The trial is carried out in a pocket world. To activate this pocket world requires tremendous resources and preparations. Four years is roughly the time it takes to prepare it.”

”It takes four years, but the participants are decided in two weeks?” Amon asked.

”My father had just exited his cultivation seclusion recently. I guess he finally accepted the fate that he will no longer be able to prolong his life. He has been talking with the senior ministers to decide on his successors.”

”I take it that the participants will be Prince Huang Zi, Princess Huang Er, and Prince Huang Zhan.”

Huang San nodded in response to Amon’s statement.

”Why do they need to decide the participants before they prepare the trial? Is it because there is an entry limit to the pocket world used for the trial?” Amon asked.

”That is correct,” Huang San said. ”The more people entering, the more aer stones are required to maintain the doorway.”

”According to ancient rules, each participant is allowed ten entries, including the sovereign candidate,” Xa Jien added. ”That means they will be planning the trial for the entry of thirty people.”

”More entries require more aer stones...,” Amon muttered.

Huang San let out a long sigh. He said, ”I appreciate you rekindling the passion to my ambition. It’s just too bad you are too late. If you had come to me earlier, we could have done something. There is no time left now. I won’t be able to convince my father to give me a spot in the trial...”

”... Not necessarily,” Amon uttered.

”What do you mean?” Huang San asked.

”If we are to convince your father, we must make a bet,” Amon stated.

”A bet?”

”A bet on a task monumental enough that everyone in this kingdom will have no choice but to agree that you deserve a shot for the throne.”

”How do you suggest we pull that off?” Xa Jien asked.

Amon smiled at the question.

*

A week after Amon reunited with Huang San, several events made headlines in the capital. The thirteenth prince, who rarely made public appearances, did so by becoming a host to congratulate the opening of a few high-class establishments. These establishments were a large shop, a club, a restaurant, a workshop, and a logistics company.

These establishments were, of course, all owned by Amon. With Huang San endorsing these establishments, it was no different than broadcasting to everyone that these places were his. To mess with these establishments meant to offend him. The authorities under Gao Clan’s payroll would have to think twice if they made a move on these places.

The workshop Huang San endorsed was the same legal workshop previously shut by the authorities. Huang San visited the city hall and cleared the accusations. The case was easily settled because Huang San brought one of the soldiers present when the workshop was raided. This soldier admitted that he planted evidence in that workshop. He was immediately captured and put in jail.

The reason the soldier admitted to his deed was because his family was under Demon Gang’s custody. Amon promised to let his family go and provided them with some aer stones if he came clean. He had no choice but to comply.

With that settled, Ah Bin and the others were no longer fugitives. They could appear in public again. The workshop was also renovated before it was reopened. They could resume the large-scale production of the Thousand Dream Powder and Serene Tranquilize Powder. With Huang San’s assistance, they also had a better distribution network, as they did when they were still in the Royal Academy.

With the aer stone reserve they stole from the city treasury combined with the revenues from these establishments, they had more than enough aer stones they needed. Their assets and followers continued to grow at a rapid rate.

*

”Damnit! I thought the thirteenth prince is a worthless royalty who only knows how to throw away aer stones?” Gao Feng hit the table with his fist.

He was with Gao Fengze, Gao Yimin, and Liu Xin. The three brothers and sisters were gathering in a pavilion inside their manor.

”According to the record, Prince Huang San used to be a capable prince,” Liu Xin informed. ”He was even given full authority in Qishurg City. It was only after Qishurg City’s destruction that he fell into a frivolous and pointless lifestyle.”

”What makes him change?” Gao Yimin asked.

”It is obvious, isn’t it? All the establishments he supported are owned by Amon, who we are targeting,” Gao Fongze answered.

”According to my record, he and Amon used to be best friends when they were in the Royal Academy,” Liu Xin said.

”Tsk! Apparently, they still are,” Gao Feng uttered.

”What now? That guy always hides behind his people. It is difficult to get to him if we don’t take out his force,” Gao Yimin said.

”Unfortunately, it seems impossible now to get Senior Minister Pu Zhang to owe us. This Amon turned out to be a more cunning foe than I thought,” Gao Fongze said.

”Even for you?” Gao Feng asked.

”Hmph! I was unprepared because I don’t know much about him, but he had certainly dealt a number on us.”

”Did he? I wasn’t aware he had made a move,” Gao Feng said.

”He had taken out two of my minions,” Gao Fongze said.

”Really? Who?” Gao Yimin asked.

”So Fulao, my contact inside the city hall, and Xi Wen, the lapdog I put in charge of the Street Dogs,” Gao Fongze answered. ”So Fulao was found dead in his house. His throat was cut open while he was sleeping. Xi Wen died from poison that made him bleed black blood.”

”My record said that a similar poison claimed some victims in Qishurg City,” Liu Xin informed. ”Amon was once suspected as the perpetrator, but no charge was ever made.”

”Are you sure those two deaths were Amon’s doing?” Gao Feng asked.

”There is no evidence, but it should be obvious, shouldn’t it?” Gao Fongze replied. ”He is taunting us. He used the black blood poison on Xi Wen to make sure we knew it was him. As for So Fulao, he was a city official. He avoided using the poison so the authorities wouldn’t link his death to him.”

”Bastard! We should do the same. Send our people and assassinate his important personnel!” Gao Yimin said.

”Hmph! I already did that. None of the people I sent returned. They were expecting us,” Gao Fongze said. ”His Demon Gang had even performed a few raids into our territory these past few nights and caused some casualties. He was baiting us to strike back. We can’t play into his hands... Our advantage has been that we can trouble their legal establishments. Now that advantage is no more. With Prince Huang San backing him, we will be the ones in trouble if we are not careful.”

”So, we are going to just leave him be?” Gao Feng asked. He was unwilling.

”If you wish to win against an opponent like him, you must learn patience, my simplistic brother. Not everything can be solved with force,” Gao Fongze said.

Gao Feng didn’t like getting talked to like that. He gave Gao Fongze a hostile stare, but Gao Fongze acted like he didn’t notice it.

”You all stay away from him while I undo the damage he has caused us,” Gao Fongze said. ”The worst loss we suffer is the death of So Fulao. It is not easy grooming someone into an important position in the city hall. Without someone like him, who we can control, it will be difficult when we are doing things outside the law.”

”How long do we have to wait?” Gao Feng asked.

”I will tell you when it is time,” Gao Fongze replied. He stood and left the pavilion without explaining further.