Chapter 272
Chapter 272
Chapter 272
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 272: Lan Qi’s Injustice Has a Debtor, Every Debt Has Its Owner
The next day.
The sunlight shyly pierced through the heavy clouds. Each golden beam, breaking the gloom, was like a released shackle, faintly outlining the mingled silhouettes of people and monsters on Helrom’s Sunday streets.
Every window along the buildings lining the street became a little stage of life. Small magical beasts or alchemical creatures rested their tails or tentacles on the sills, curiously peeking at the outside world.
And this morning—
Lan Qi had already left his inn near the Royal Academy of Magic in Protos.
He was on the road toward the Temple of the Annihilation Knights.
Tomorrow, he would begin his five working days at the Royal Academy.
But today, his last weekend day, he had to visit the high priest of the Annihilation Knights’ branch, the one who had granted him the Resurrection Certificate, and receive his future assignments.
As Lan Qi strolled leisurely, the voice of Boss Cat rang in his ears again.
The two of them, one man and one cat, relied on each other in this foreign land, and Boss Cat never stopped nagging him all day long.
“Meow, meow, Lan Qi, now that you’ve become the new head priest of the Annihilation Branch… you’re not really going to meet Archbishop Askson, are you…?”
If it truly came to that, the cat would never dare follow this kid to meet a cardinal!To be seen by such a calamity incarnate meant no resistance was possible; one misstep, and not even bones would remain.
“Relax. I’ve always taken my research seriously, and I’ve never forgotten my original purpose.”
Lan Qi replied calmly.
“Meow! Wouldn’t it be better if you just developed your career here in the Empire? I feel like even the Tyrant Branch is safer than the Annihilation Branch!”
Boss Cat was sure he was lying to ghosts.
Why on earth would he sneak into the Resurrection Church as a spy if all he wanted was to explore?
It figured Lan Qi must’ve gotten drunk on fake wine and lost his head again.
Boss Cat had long heard from Talia that this kid once caused quite a stir in the border city-states of South Mantina due to his drinking.
It worried that Lan Qi was digging himself deeper and deeper, unable to turn back. By contrast, if Lan Qi wanted to pursue any kind of business in the Empire, it would support him wholeheartedly—so long as he stayed away from the Resurrection Church.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already cut ties cleanly with the Tyrant Branch. The Pioneer is the Pioneer, and Rocky is Rocky. This journey in the Empire will definitely satisfy you.”
Lan Qi glanced back at his shadow, lifted his eyelids, and gave Boss Cat a smile.
“…Meow.”
Fine, fine… it would trust him one more time.
The city’s air carried the unique scent of magical potions, mixed with the faint fragrance of lingering rain.
Lan Qi walked along the neatly paved rectangular stone road.
With every corner he passed, the number of pedestrians decreased.
Even the windowsills of tall buildings became much quieter.
Then, a detail caught Lan Qi’s eye.
Not far ahead, a woman was walking toward the temple. Her long hair swayed gently in the breeze, spilling across her silver skirt-armor. The armor, thin and light, carried an ancient design—each joint bore the marks of exquisite craftsmanship. Sunlight glinted on her attire, scattering faint white light like rippling water.
Lan Qi recognized this woman in silver armor.
Their destination was clearly the same: the Annihilation Knights.
This woman, named Cid, had even been one of the reasons the final assessment had been delayed.
But Lan Qi had no interactions with her. Since they would eventually be colleagues, it was only a matter of time before introductions came—no need to greet her now.
That was what he thought—until, stepping into the next street, he felt no warning at all when a cold hand suddenly seized his arm!
The strength of that hand was such that it could easily shatter his bones, yet the owner’s precision ensured no harm came to him.
“You…”
Lan Qi didn’t even have time to react. Perhaps it was because he felt no hostility, or perhaps because the opponent’s power so vastly surpassed his own that his nerves weren’t qualified to keep up.
The moment he saw her face clearly, the wind roared in his ears. All gravity seemed to vanish. His soles lost contact with the ground. The crushing air pressure told him he had been lifted into the skies above the Imperial Capital.
Green light flashed in his eyes as it cut across the misty Helrom skyline, leaving a sharp trail. Clouds swept rapidly past his sides, biting cold searing into his skin.
Buildings, streets, vehicles, people—everything blurred into indistinct shadows, shredded by speed until only chaotic fragments of color and light remained.
The next moment, everything accelerated. His eyes were nearly forced shut by the frigid wind. The city beneath looked like shattered stained glass, scattered into fragments by the speed. Deafening winds filled his head with a buzzing roar. Each breath burned icy, as if drawn from the depths of a frozen cellar.
His vision dimmed. Consciousness drifted away.
Yet the hand held him fast, a force like magic bracing his entire balance—his only anchor in this high-altitude world.
When his mind nearly slipped into darkness, the speed suddenly dropped.
Then they descended, landing steadily. The jarring shock brought Lan Qi’s senses back.
“…!”
He pressed his forehead, steadying his swaying body, and realized that in just over ten seconds, he had been taken to a completely different place.
It was the interior of a grand, anciently designed building.
“If there’s a next time, could you maybe not bring me here like that?”
Lan Qi lowered his hand and shook his head. The weakness still lingered in his body.
His heart was strong, and even this tenfold acceleration roller coaster hadn’t made him faint.
But since he had been caught unprepared, even if she had been gentle, the difference in strength and physique was too vast. Had Lan Qi been a little weaker, he’d have passed out by now.
The silver-armored figure who had dragged him here ignored his words, simply walking toward her throne.
The space was vast, its tall lintels carved intricately. Mysterious artifacts and ancient paintings hung from the walls. It looked like a private museum, rich and deep in atmosphere, filled with priceless treasures collected from different lands and eras.
The floor was aged dark-brown wood, each board worn but distinct, carrying unique stories and histories.
The hundreds of square meters of the hall contained little else besides the throne—the sole seat of power here. Behind it stood shelves filled with bottles and flasks, from amber wine glasses to crystal-clear spirits, all awaiting their chosen moment.
Now, Lan Qi could clearly see the one who had brought him here by force.
Cid.
Her attire had changed.
She was still tall, her pale hair flowing down her back. Her eyes shone like stars in the night sky, like violets blooming in spring. The aura she radiated was that of an ambitious queen—unsatisfied with mere control of the present, intent instead on conquering everything within her gaze.
“Most of the time, I don’t like cooperating with others. People say I’m forceful, interfering, provoking—that I can’t work with anyone. But what I know is, I never let go of anything that benefits me.”
She introduced herself simply, her domineering yet calm gaze like a crystal lake with a sword poised to pierce a heart within it.
“Your Excellency has summoned me here for what purpose?”
Lan Qi gave a small Imperial salute. Before he could discern her true identity and intentions, he didn’t plan to say much more.
There was nothing to fear.
His life was already in her hands. If she bore him ill will, resisting would be pointless.
Cid turned her back to him, silent, ascending her throne.
She cast aside her disguise, revealing a cold beauty. She seemed unconcerned with Lan Qi’s feelings, caring only for what she desired.
The Cid persona had been nothing more than a magical disguise. Even the name itself was a fabrication.
“You may not have heard the name Sigrid.”
She propped her chin on one hand, looking down at Lan Qi with disdain, though clearly admiring his calm composure.
“But another name—you surely know.”
On her thumb was a sacred seal. She flicked it into the air like a coin.
It spun, flashing briefly with silver light before landing back in her palm.
Even in that instant, Lan Qi saw it clearly.
At its center was a silver crown beneath the moon, its glow forming a crescent as if shattering all enemies. The stars scattered at its edge were broken weapon fragments, symbolizing the defeat and pitiful fate of all who resisted.
This sacred seal, he knew too well.
He had seen countless such seals on Tyrant priests in the southwestern provinces.
But there was one difference—
This one in Sigrid’s hand shone with a domineering, dazzling orange radiance!
(End of Chapter)