Alien world

Chapter 1751, Section 384: You Smell So Good

At this very moment, in the secret stronghold of the Chaos Cult.

Annan, while strolling around the underground hall, even spotted a newspaper.

Besides The Empire, newspapers such as The Voice of Liberty and Critical Moment were also placed on the restaurant's shelves, all freshly published.

Annan picked up the Imperial Gazette and the Voice of Freedom and saw the Empire's reaction to the matter: the state religion would not let it go and would send a tribunal to hunt down the chaotic sects.

In his view, this was most likely another charade orchestrated by the Inquisition for the Chaos Cult—by continuing to hide under the Empire's nose, the Chaos Cult, remaining stagnant, couldn't gather any information. Only by making their move could they facilitate intelligence gathering by Albek... and Annan.

Annan got up and picked up another newspaper, and had just sat down when a rat-man approached and placed its paw on his shoulder.

"Get your filthy paws off me."

The hand that had reached out withdrew sheepishly.

Annan continued reading. The empire declared that it would take bloody revenge, but most people thought that the empire was just talking this time.

After all, the previous expeditionary forces, the Chaos forces approached the border, and the Empire mobilized, but in the end, it was all talk and no action, and nothing really happened.

People don’t doubt the empire’s weakness, but they all believe that the empire does not want to go to war with the forces of chaos.

The empire's true intentions, however, lie hidden beneath this calm facade.

At that moment, Annan smelled a strong musky scent, different from the fragrance of flowers, entering his nose.

He looked up and realized that the person sitting next to him was a female rat-person.

After grooming and dressing up, changing out of her leather armor, and wearing a floral dress, the female rat-woman looked like a large plush toy.

“Beautiful lady, I was just joking.” Annan affectionately put his arm around its shoulder. “You smell so good, what is that scent? It’s wonderful.”

Having just been rejected, she was now being pursued again, leaving the female rat-woman feeling somewhat uncomfortable, her shoulders stiff as a rock.

Since it didn't speak, Annan asked, "Did the rat-man priest send you?"

Remembering Lord Black Monkey's orders, the female rat-woman, who had been entrusted with this critical mission, nodded.

"You shouldn't have betrayed Lord Black Monkey."

“Betrayal? My leaving with the Black Monkey is the real betrayal.” Annan said, talking about how long he had known Prince Aidan and how close they were.

The implication is that more money is required.

The female rat-man seemed not to understand. She looked like a novice and awkwardly hinted to Annan that by siding with Lord Black Monkey, he could obtain everything, including me.

Annan seemed unmoved, but his tail, like a snake, quietly extended out from behind him.

"If I betray Gray Fog for personal gain, won't I betray Black Monkey for personal gain in the future?"

“Go back and tell Black Monkey that I am willing to maintain good relations and cooperation with the Sturn Ratmen.”

The female rat-woman's body suddenly trembled slightly, and she lowered her head.

The succubus's black tail silently wrapped around its bare tail, like a vine or a strangler vine, coiling around and around.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

Just then, a gentle voice came from the side, interrupting Annan's actions.

Annan pulled back the half-wrapped tail and looked at Prince Aidan standing in front of him.

"No, you came just in time."

……

The female rat-person returned to her nest.

The gray-furred rat, draped in a wide black robe like a bat, spoke: "You failed?"

There was no response; the mother rat-woman walked forward blankly.

Black Monkey wasn't surprised. Since it had no one else, it had to choose from among its wandering knights.

Succubi have discerning tastes, so it's normal that they wouldn't find Olme attractive.

"Go back now, and don't tell anyone about what happened today."

"what?"

Annan's image shattered before my eyes, and the fullness on his tail vanished instantly.

The female rat-person murmured uncertainly, "It seems... it's a success..."

call--

The gray-haired rat priest conjured a gust of wind and pounced on the mother rat-woman, revealing a body wrapped in bandages. "What did you say?!"

"It said it was willing to be with me..."

"What do you mean by 'with you'?!"

"Do it with me..."

"do what?!"

"Be my friend..."

While the black monkey was overjoyed, he inwardly sneered.

After all, he was a country bumpkin from the abyss, with little experience. He couldn't resist a clean brown rat.

"Tell me everything Olme just said to you!"

……

"The black monkey made its move?"

“Yes, it’s your turn.” Anan leaned back in his chair.

"You'll betray me if I don't take action?"

Prince Aidan sat down opposite Annan, his gaze sweeping over the small stack of newspapers.

"How could I give in so easily? The easier something is to obtain, the less it is valued."

The spade tail circled back to the front and was grabbed and played with by Annan.

"I will keep it hanging on, letting it taste the sweetness at the beginning, until it gets stuck due to sunk costs and sinks deeper and deeper... until it willingly lets itself be manipulated by me."

What is sunk cost?

"Simply put, you pay a team of mercenaries to find something for you. They find it, but suddenly raise their fee, refusing to give it to you otherwise. Since you've already spent money, giving up now would be a loss, so you have no choice but to pay the difference..."

"Understood." Prince Aidan nodded. "As expected of you."

Annan then noticed that Prince Aidan's face was still swollen: "Why do you still have dark circles under your eyes?"

Annan, now a succubus, had greatly increased his melee combat abilities, and with Prince Aidan constantly on the defensive, he was soundly defeated by Annan.

Prince Aidan once again revealed that familiar smile that was hard to be hostile to: "I owe you."

With Annam speechless, it no longer matters which side Prince Aidan was on.

All he needed to know was that Prince Aidan was his friend.

Annan felt relieved after figuring it out: "If I remember correctly, your brother took your body away, but since you're still alive... so you're a ghost now?"

"I guess so. Without a resurrection spell, it's not a true resurrection."

"What does it feel like?"

"I don't seem to feel anything. My soul is still my soul, and my body is still my body."

It's certainly not as easy as Prince Aidan made it out to be, but the fact that he chose to say it means he can still handle it.

"By the way, a bard who was also from the Chaos Cult once told me you were still alive. Was he also an elite?"

"travelling poet?"

Prince Aidan sat up straighter: "Describe his features."

"At once……"

Annan suddenly realized that the person's appearance was like a wet oil painting, a blur in his memory.

"I'm afraid I won't remember... I only remember that he was dressed as a bard, carried a lute with him, and that I first met him in Breeze City."

"That's him."

"Who?"

"The bishop of the Chaos Cult, and also the only human legion commander under the Demon Lord..."

"More skilled than me?"

Prince Aidan, noticing a sudden surge of competitive spirit in Annan, said, "I can't say much about him, but I can tell you, be careful of the bard..."

(End of this chapter)