Chapter 678: Confirmed
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 678: Confirmed
"An internal agent?"
Muen’s gaze sharpened. He turned instantly, looking toward the source of the explosion at the base of the wall.
Sure enough, amidst the swirling clouds of dust and smoke, the main gate—fortified by dozens of powerful arcane formations and nearly impregnable from the outside—had been blasted open from within.
Though the breach wasn't large, it was wide enough for the Demon Race to pass through. The low demons who saw the opening reacted as if they had been injected with adrenaline. Ignoring the searing heat lingering from the alchemy bombs, they began to swarm into the fortress like a nest of disturbed hornets.
The gate guards rushed to meet them. The two forces collided in a frenzied struggle for control of the breach, and the ground was quickly stained crimson with splattered blood.
"Striking at a time like this... is it because they sensed danger?"
The enemy had played this trump card the moment the battle began. It was far too deliberate to be a coincidence.
There would have been much better opportunities to play this hand later.
Muen frowned, muttering a few words under his breath before turning to Verner. "Mr. Verner, was the mole caught?"
"No."
Verner shook his head. "The explosion was sudden. By the time the guards reacted, the gate had already been blown open. Judging by the scene, the person responsible is likely dead."
"A suicide bombing? It seems the agent never intended to make it out alive." Muen rubbed his chin. "Can we identify them?"
"It’s too chaotic right now to confirm anything."
As Verner spoke, the slaughter at the gate reached a fever pitch within a single minute. Every second, demons died screaming under blades, and every second, Imperial soldiers were buried in the blood-soaked earth.
In such a state of carnage, trying to identify someone who had been blown to smithereens was asking the impossible.
In truth, on this battlefield, people vanished without a trace every hour of every day. All that remained of them were the pale, ink-dried names on a soldier’s roster.
"Thorough work," Muen remarked.
"Indeed. It seems I must take back what I said earlier." Verner gave a self-deprecating smile, but a faint fire of rage burned deep in his pupils. "This fortress is not entirely under my control. Heh, I was overconfident. I didn't expect the demons to pull a move like this. They truly caught me off guard."
With the Duke currently injured, Verner felt the sting of humiliation for allowing such a massive lapse in security under his watch.
"A single breach shouldn't be enough to actually bring down the wall, right?"
"Of course not. It’s just that the suddenness of it has left our manpower a bit stretched for the moment."
"I see."
Muen looked behind Verner. The soldiers there had clearly been mobilized in a hurry. After all, if it weren't an emergency, a man of Verner’s status would have no reason to be here in person.
"Then I’ll go help as well."
"No!" Verner countered immediately. "I cannot allow you to be in such a dangerous position, Young Master Muen. Please, stay in—"
"I told you when I entered this fortress, didn't I?" Muen interrupted him. "Have you forgotten, Mr. Verner?"
"Forgotten what?"
"I said... I came here to join this fight, not to watch it." Muen stared into Verner’s eyes, emphasizing every word. "I will fight alongside those soldiers."
"..."
Verner froze. Realizing that Muen’s words were a sincere commitment rather than a hollow platitude meant to boost morale, that look of gratification—one Muen had seen several times since arriving—reappeared on his face.
"Is that so... then I have been disrespectful again. My apologies, Young Master Muen."
"Now isn't the time for apologies."
"Quite right."
Verner snapped back into focus, his demeanor shifting instantly as he began directing soldiers to plug the breach.
His command was exquisite and meticulous. The guards, who had been panicked by the sudden explosion, quickly regained their composure. They shifted from instinctive reactions to a disciplined battle array, coordinating with one another to push the encroaching demons back step by step.
Even as the situation stabilized, Verner’s deployment of troops remained flawless. Under his direction, every soldier knew exactly what their role was. This wasn't merely a desperate shuffling of resources; with a few gestures, Verner was re-solidifying the entire wall’s defense.
"You have a lot of prestige among these soldiers, Mr. Verner," Muen said suddenly. "Regardless of rank, they don't doubt your orders for a second. They’ll give their lives to carry them out... For a commander, that’s impressive."
"Haha, prestige? I’m a man whose cultivation hasn't even reached the Third-Tier. What prestige could I possibly have? As you can see, I don't even dare leave the protection of my personal guards. I’m hardly in a position to talk big to you, Young Master."
Verner shook his head mockingly. "I simply benefit from the Duke’s trust. Though I hold no noble title, my authority in this fortress is... second only to the Duke himself. To put it bluntly, I’m just riding his coattails."
"You’re too modest, Mr. Verner. Being able to earn my father’s trust is proof of your ability in itself. It’s no wonder the demons are so desperate to kill you. I heard that during the last Abnormal Mutation, they sent six separate waves of assassins after you," Muen noted.
"Yes... I still feel a lingering fear when I think about it. If I hadn't been lucky enough to be stationed inside the fortress at the time, I might be like my former colleagues—buried in the sands of the Abyss," Verner said with a sigh.
"Yes, quite lucky..."
Muen’s peripheral vision swept over Verner’s profile.
In truth, this man—the de facto second-in-command of the fortress—looked quite young, likely only in his early thirties. With his refined, scholarly appearance, he was the type who could walk through the Upper District of Belland and have neglected noblewomen tossing their handkerchiefs at him. His long years of military service seemed to have left no scars on his face.
Muen had, of course, investigated him. He knew Verner held no title and no Imperial commission. He had attained his position solely through his outstanding talent and the Duke’s favor.
More importantly, in all the intelligence Muen had gathered, there was absolutely no record of Verner’s past.
He was like a man who had appeared out of thin air. Aside from the years he had spent assisting Muen’s father, there wasn't a single trace of his existence.
"Ah, look at me. I meant to go help, but I ended up chatting with you again," Muen said with a slight, apologetic smile, as if suddenly realizing the time.
"It’s no matter. I suspect we may not even need your intervention now, Young Master." Verner smiled back. It was a warm, approachable smile that easily lowered one's guard.
"I think I’d better go support them anyway. Consider it a warm-up."
Muen turned and walked quickly toward the breach, where the fighting was entering its final stages.
However, the moment he reached the base of the wall, he beckoned Abel over and whispered a few words into his ear.
"What... is that true?" Abel looked visibly shocked.
"Do as I said. Go."
"Yes, sir!" Abel’s expression turned grim. He cast a cautious glance behind him before leading his squad away at a quick pace.
Muen continued toward the dangerous battlefield. As he walked, he tapped the hilt of Elizabeth’s blade and murmured to himself:
"Now... it’s basically confirmed."