Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 472: Chapter 472. An Invitation to the Northern Border

”I truly can’t understand your optimism. But by the Gods, it’s contagious!” Huang San exclaimed. ”I feel less worried now after talking to you, even when you have not provided me any concrete evidence to support your confidence.”

”Good,” Amon uttered.

”That is until I think about our next challenge, the rebels. Are you sure we can eradicate them? There are only two years left. We haven’t made any significant move on them. Our biggest confrontation with them was during this city’s uprising, but that operation was a response to their attack. We ourselves haven’t made any advance. Can you please share your plan for my peace of mind?”

”No,” Amon said flatly. ”The fewer people who know the plan, the less likely for the plan to be leaked.”

”Are you saying that you don’t trust your liege?” Huang San asked.

”Don’t be offended,” Amon replied. ”If it’s any consolation, I don’t trust anyone.”

”It’s not, but again, I will trust your plan. See? Unlike you, I trust my followers.”

”I also do. I just don’t trust them to never commit mistakes. Hence, it is better not to burden them with the chance to make one if I can help it.”

Huang San rolled his eyes. ”Are you now saying I will make mistakes by accidentally leaking your plan?”

”Not will, but you might. I don’t want to take the chance,” Amon replied.

”Sigh, I don’t want to argue with you. Just tell me when you need my help with your plan, whatever it is.”

”I will,” Amon said.

”By the way, I never thank you for helping me build my reputation. The way you spread my legend throughout the country is impressive, even when some of the tales are a bit over the top. They said I was leading the charge into the city when the gate opened. They said I was inside the city when the firestorm enchantment occurred and that I helped save some citizens from getting burned alive. Some even said I infiltrated the city all by my lonesome to open the gate for the army to enter. It’s kind of ridiculous if you think of it. Which prince will take that kind of risk? Those involved know I never set foot inside the city during the siege.”

Amon chuckled. ”With enough funds and influence, I can make people believe any lies. I can make a man believe he is a woman, or a woman believe he is a man.”

”Hahaha...,” Huang San laughed. But when he saw Amon’s serious face, he stopped and said, ”Wait, you are not joking? That was absurd!”

”You should see the place I came from...,” Amon muttered.

”Huh? Are you saying that White Cloud City had someone with gender-transforming arts?”

”Never mind that. Here, it has been one year since you ate this.” Amon handed Huang San an Aetherium Fruit.

”You not only keep a lot of secrets but also have a lot of secret treasures on you,” Huang San remarked. ”I thought the first fruit you gave me was the only one you have. Now I feel stupid for getting depressed about not repaying you with something of equal value.”

”Keep following and believing in my counsel. That is repayment enough,” Amon said.

”That, I can do,” Huang San nodded. He looked at the fruit in his hand. ”If you give me another of this fruit, I should be able to break through into the Intermediate Mystic Stage.”

”That’s the goal. You must reach that stage before we enter the trial,” Amon said.

*

The following months proceeded as normal. The First Demon Legion performed routine tasks and training. Amon started forming some squads with potential soldiers and sent them to areas where rebels were known to be rampant. This was to give them field experience and to further spread their legion’s prestige as the rebel’s bane.

By then, Zong Hua’s intelligence network had gathered plenty of confirmed rebel bases, but Amon didn’t hit those bases. He didn’t want to spook the snake before the big push.

One day, Lieutenant Colonel Hao Yang asked Amon for an audience.

”A summon from Prince Huang Zhan?” Amon asked.

”My liege is a great man who respects people who respect him. It will be in your interest not to decline his invitation,” Hao Yang said.

Amon snickered. ”Why does that sound like a threat?”

”It is what it is,” Hao Yang replied.

Amon resumed reading the letter Hao Yang gave him. ”He asked me to come to Fort Lion’s Den. That is at the Northern border of this country.”

”That fort is His Highness’ main base. He rarely invites anyone to come to that place. You should be honored,” Hao Yang said.

Amon nodded. ”You are dismissed.”

”Will you go to Fort Lion’s Den?” Hao Yang asked.

”You are dismissed,” Amon repeated.

Hao Yang’s face turned into a scowl, but he didn’t insist on an answer. He turned around and walked out, leaving Amon to resume reading the letter.

*

Amon decided to accept Huang Zhan’s invitation. Before departing, he went shopping around a spirit beast arena. The arena was where captive spirit beasts were pitted against each other for entertainment. Gambling stalls and vendors who sold spirit beast-related goods lined up the field outside the arena.

The district this arena was in was among the territory ruled by the underworld coalition, so the Demon Gang received a cut for profits produced by this place. In addition, anything that went on at this place would also be known by the Demon Gang, like when a rare spirit beast was brought in.

Amon had told Gao Lan more than a year ago that he was looking for a new spirit beast to tame. He preferred the flying type. His Flying Sword art was useful but was lacking for long-distance travel. It was also slower than a proper transport beast.

Gao Lan had sent him reports on multiple flying spirit beasts with higher superior grades, but Amon was not interested in taming the beasts she offered, until now.

He walked into a large store. Behind the store were cages of various sizes. This store specialized in providing spirit beasts for beast tamers. Spirit beasts not sold for a long period would be offered to the arena for use in the fighting pit.

A store clerk greeted him, ”Good sir, are you looking for a particular beast? Let me know your preferences. I will be happy to assist you.”

”I’m looking for Lao Ku,” Amon told the clerk.

”Oh, you are the one Master Lao Ku is waiting for. Come! I will bring you to him.”

Amon followed the clerk into the rear courtyard. This courtyard wasn’t open to the public. Only the store personnel were back here. More cages were in this courtyard. The spirit beasts inside the cages were rarer than the ones displayed outside. The clerk asked Amon to wait while he went to call Lao Ku.

Amon laid eyes on the spirit beast he came for. The spirit beast was a large bird. It was smaller than the Great Eagle. What was special about it was its feathers. They were bright red and emitted light as if they were burning.

The red bird was completely still inside its cage. Its wings were folded to the front and covered its lowered head. It appeared like it was resting or conserving its energy in case an opportunity to escape showed itself.

”She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Someone came to greet Amon.

”She is,” Amon replied.

”I am Lao Ku. You must be Colonel Amon. Gao Lan told me about you,” Lao Ku offered a handshake.

Amon didn’t take the handshake. He said, ”Gao Lan should have arranged the necessary payment. Have you prepared everything for the taming process?”

”We didn’t expect you to come so early, but all the necessary preparations had been completed. We just need to move the cage to the taming hall, and we can begin immediately.”

”Then what are we waiting for? Go ahead and move the cage,” Amon said.

”Certainly,” Lao Ku responded. He proceeded to call the necessary personnel. Several workers came and operated the contraption at the bottom of the cage. The contraption revealed a series of wheels under the cage. The cage was then pushed into one of the buildings surrounding the courtyard.

Throughout the process, the red bird remained still. However, Amon noticed its eyes were alert when its cage moved. Its glaring red pupils darted around its surroundings. Those pupils only stopped when they rested on Amon. For some reason, the bird acknowledged Amon as the most dangerous being there.

Its survival instinct took charge and uttered a shriek. Its wings were spread. A massive torrent of flames burst out of the cage. The workers pushing the cage were caught off-guard and were burnt by the sudden immolation. They screamed and ran away with burning bodies.

”Damn it! Didn’t I ask someone to add a fire barrier around the cage?” Lao Ku cursed. He ordered people with water-element arts to douse the flames and pacify the red bird inside the cage.

Throughout the incident, Amon was smiling.