Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 764: Chapter 764. Another Special Mission

A few months later, Amon was back in Saintly Sin City. He had reported his mission completion. After that, he spent his time relaxing in the faction hub. As he had expected, he received a summons before the end of the day.

He went toward the Carrion Tower. He was instructed to climb to the top from inside the tower instead of flying directly from the outside. He followed the rules. After an unnecessarily long journey through intentionally confusing corridors, he arrived at the mushroom top.

He didn’t see the Vermillion Vulture. Yao Ai probably sent it somewhere, or it got bored and went out to hunt.

The mushroom top of this tower had opened walls. The shell-like ceiling only covered two-thirds of the space. The remaining one-third had an open ceiling, making it a huge balcony. A large throne was at the edge of this balcony. The back was facing him, while its front faced the city below. It was a perfect spot to view the city from on high like a God who gazed contemptuously at the mortals below.

Amon sensed Yao Ai on this large throne. He heard her calling, ”Come, look at this view with me.”

Amon walked over as instructed. He stopped beside the throne. Yao Ai was there, with one arm on the armrest, and one hand propping her head lazily.

”What do you think of the view?” She asked.

”Majestic,” Amon answered. ”And vain.”

”Oh? Is that so?” A smile crept up on her face. ”Why did you say that?”

”Without improvement, there was no meaning. The Mercy Domain has been stagnant for too long. No, this entire lower realm is the same. It is in a dormant state. Without advancement, it will slowly rot away.”

”Interesting. Are you suggesting we break the status quo between the three domains? But even if I wanted to, this balance has been in place for millennia, and trust me, it is not by choice. We three domain lords have had our fair share of conflicts. However, not one of us can gain a complete advantage over the others.”

”I can help you gain this advantage.”

Yao Ai turned to Amon and observed his face. After a while, she said, ”You know. If anyone else said that, I would have thrown him in a bowl of acid and peeled his skin little by little, because I know they are just boasting. You, however, I can see that you truly believe it. I don’t know which one is worse, a boasting liar or a delusional lunatic.”

”I am neither.”

Yao Ai laughed. ”And you believe that too, haha... Nevertheless, they are just words. How are you going to prove that? And know that failure to uphold your words to me means a punishment worse than death.”

”Give me every intel you have on the two rival domain lords. I will devise a plan to take them down.”

Yao Ai smiled at Amon. ”Forget that. I’m not here to listen to you trying to talk your way into giving you such a monumental undertaking. I want to hear the report from you directly about the special mission I assigned to you.”

”I have taken care of Hai Di’s special captive.”

”I believe you. Even before you submitted your report, my spies had reported an uproar in Hai Di’s domain. A large-scale search is currently ongoing inside that domain. However, the fact that a search is conducted means there is no corpse. You also didn’t mention that you killed the captive in your report. Yet, you also don’t bring the captive before me. So, where do you stash this person?”

”Somewhere safe. Don’t worry. His work will benefit us and help us disrupt the balance between the three domains in our favor.”

Yao Ai didn’t say anything. She continued to look at Amon sharply.

”Look. I can snatch this person from Hai Di’s territory. What makes you think that Hai Di can’t do the same? The best way to keep the captive hidden is by limiting the information. I acted discreetly throughout the mission. No one can link me to the captive’s disappearance. Hai Di wouldn’t know if the deed was by this domain, the Commitment Domain, or even some random organizations from his own domain. By keeping all members of your domain oblivious to this, the secret of the captive’s whereabouts will remain hidden.”

Yao Ai didn’t say anything. She tapped her fingers on her throne’s armrest while thinking.

Amon added, ”Your instruction is to ensure the captive doesn’t help Hai Di acquire the means to get an advantage on you. I have fulfilled that mission. All I ask is that you trust me that I will utilize this captive to help our faction instead.”

”Now, that’s the problem. I am not sure that I can trust you enough,” Yao Ai uttered.

”Then give me more special missions to prove my loyalty,” Amon said.

Yao Ai returned to tapping the armrest while remaining silent. After a while, she finally said, ”Very well. Since you ask for it, don’t regret this. I will give you a mission that most will think impossible.”

”Say it.”

”Remember when we first met, I mentioned the Cryanid plague at our Northwest border.”

Amon nodded.

”It hasn’t gotten any better. If anything, it is worse. If this continues, I’m afraid the infestation will spread to my inner domain. When that happens, my force will be severely occupied. If the other two domains use the chance to attack, it will be difficult to stop them. That status quo that you say as if it is a bad thing, it will get destroyed, not in our favor.”

”What can I help with the plague? Are you going to let me lead your force at the border?”

Yao Ai laughed at the question. ”Hahaha! If I order them to obey an unknown slayer like you, the warlords will most likely revolt. Even if they don’t, you will vanish overnight due to an unforeseen accident.”

”Then I don’t understand how I can help. As I understand, the Warlords generally possess the Supreme or Mammoth Stage cultivation levels. If even they couldn’t hold back the plague, I don’t see how I can make a difference. While I don’t believe something is impossible, it must be within reason.”

”I am not sending you there to fight the Cryanid plague. I am sending you there to discover the reason behind their unnatural behavior. While Cryanids tend to move in a swarm, their current behavior was too controlled, too focused. It is as if they move with one purpose. A collective that moves without a care for the survival of their swarms.”

”You suspect someone or something is controlling them?” Amon asked.

”I can’t think of any other reason,” Yao Ai nodded. ”You can track down Hai Di’s captive with such limited intel and complete the mission without ruffling many feathers. If you are truly as capable as you believe you are, then you should be able to find out the reason behind this Cryanid plague. If you manage to do it, we will speak again about you working for me to upset the balance between the current domains.”

”Very well. I will not disappoint you.”

”Make sure that you don’t. You complete this mission, and I will forget about you hoarding Hai Di’s captive for yourself. Fail, then don’t bother coming back. If you don’t die from the mission, my agents will hunt you down.”

”I understand. I will leave for the Northwest border in one week.”

”Why not just leave right away?”

”I have something important to take care of first.”

Yao Ai seemed about to say something, but didn’t.

”During this one week, can I also be granted the service of the faction’s top smiths?”

”What for?” Yao Ai asked.

Amon took out the ceremonial dagger that Yao Ai had broken. ”I wish to repair this dagger.”

Yao Ai snorted. ”Why bother? Here, take this Moonfire Dagger. It has the same grade as your broken one. Consider it my gift.”

Amon caught the dagger Yao Ai had tossed to him. It was a dagger with a curved blade. Its blade was silver, but its edge crimson. Amon sensed fire elements coursing through it. He injected his aether, and the blade went ablaze.

The elemental energy didn’t form a longsword like the ceremonial dagger did, but Amon could sense that the flame coating the blade increased its sharpness and penetrating force a great deal. He swung the dagger, and it produced a burst of fire.

Amon actually preferred to be given the service of a high-grade smith because he also wanted to repair his Xian Cloth, but he could see from Yao Ai’s manner that she didn’t want to let him use the service.

”What about the purge?” Amon asked.

”What about it?” Yao Ai asked in return.

”You said you would explain it to me after I complete my mission.”

”I said if you complete the mission without a flaw. You are keeping the captive for yourself. I am already generous for not demanding that you hand him over.”

Hearing that, Amon didn’t push the issue. He excused himself. Yao Ai told him to visit the mission center before leaving. She had instructed the people there to gather all the intel regarding the Cryanid plague, so Amon didn’t start the mission blindly.