The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 351 A Little Tune Between Acts

Just as Prince Colin's carriage was raising dust on its northward journey, a storm he himself had woven was sweeping through the Holy City with precise and ruthless rhythm.

Inside a private study.

Teach was sitting under the warm light, looking focused.

As the executor of the plan, he is playing a dual role.

In the public eye, he was the author of the popular "The Adventures of Baron Corsia," using impassioned words to pave the way for public opinion regarding his revenge.

Behind the scenes, he transformed himself into the most ruthless "debt advisor" at the Spire Bank, joining forces with a group of astute businessmen to begin laying a trap for the assets held by the Devol family.

His pen glided gracefully across the paper, writing a new chapter for the highly anticipated "The Adventures of Baron Corsia"—a story in which the venerable baron displays extraordinary perseverance in dire straits, moving Saint Sith with his wisdom and piety, calming the storm, and bringing sunshine after the rain.

His writing is filled with praise for hope and the Holy Light, enough to move any reader, especially believers who revere the Holy Light.

Similarly, he also used delicate strokes to depict a world full of exotic charm. Through vivid characters, he filled adventurous people with endless imagination about that unfamiliar continent and laid the foundation for "Jana Dream".

On the other side of his desk lay another completely different "manuscript"—a list from the Spire Bank of all the assets and liabilities of the Devol family.

After the "little fish" in the White Dew area finished sucking up the shrimp in the lotus pond, a real big fish finally began to enter the fray.

Dantès had already made contact with Barclay, the president of the Spire Bank. This cunning citizen, having discerned another meaning in the New World, immediately handed the esteemed Prince a sharpened knife.

Normally, even the most greedy merchants wouldn't dare to lend money to nobles easily, but it's a different story if a nobleman has something to hide and has offended another, more powerful nobleman.

It wasn't just the barons of the White Dew District who wanted to curry favor with Prince Colin; the citizens of the Holy City had long been trying to win his favor, far more so than the country bumpkins from the suburbs.

Both the president of the Spire Bank himself and the nobles behind the bank were full of confidence in this profitable acquisition.

The only remaining question is how to cut the meat on this cutting board.

As the Demon King's representative, Baron Corsia naturally wants to reclaim everything he has lost and take the biggest slice of the pie...

……

Just as Baron Corsia was writing the second chapter of hatred and punishment, another key actor took to the stage.

Sir Edmund Dantès, the newly appointed and highly regarded "reformer," launched a public interrogation of Hogan Nora, the president of the Imperial Bank, in an interview with the Daily Light, with a tone of both indignation and restraint.

He cleverly contrasted his own "unfair experience" of being denied a loan with the "insider information" that barons in the rural Bailu district could easily borrow huge sums of money far exceeding their repayment ability, and finally posed that sharp question that struck at the heart of the matter and was enough to provoke class antagonism—

"Why would an ambitious reformer run into obstacles with the rules, while the seemingly impenetrable principles of the Barons of the White Dew District seem to disappear without a trace?"

These remarks, like a stone thrown at the stained glass window of a cathedral, caused an uproar.

Every resident of the holy city is well aware of this unwritten rule, but most people edit their memories to seek peace in their spiritual world.

Now someone has broken through this barrier, and it's a sufficiently distinguished knight, and in a perfectly reasonable way.

What was originally an ordinary commercial dispute was immediately escalated into a conflict between commoners and nobles, attracting the attention of the Senate representing the nobles and the officers representing the citizens.

Faced with overwhelming public pressure, the reaction of Hogan Nora, president of the Imperial Bank of the Empire, was exactly as Edmund had predicted.

He acted as if he had just discovered the problem, displaying a furious outburst in public, shouting, "Outrageous! This must be thoroughly investigated!"

Of course, he had no right to investigate nobles; at most, he could bully the head of the Bailu branch, the powerless and insignificant Mr. Huck Alton—this country bumpkin who coveted his position as head of the branch.

But that's enough.

A smart person always does only what is their responsibility, being as hard as granite when necessary and as soft as a maggot when appropriate.

As for whether or not to investigate thoroughly, that's for the big shots to decide. Even if they've already foreseen the outcome, they would never rush in lightly.

With the intervention of the procuratorate, the investigation results were quickly released, and the investigation uncovered a surprising amount of information!

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police stormed into Huck Alton’s mansion and found tens of thousands of gold coins hidden in the walls—a fortune that no one earning less than a hundred gold coins a year could possess!
Huck was ashen-faced and confessed to his crimes without hesitation.

It was during his processing of the loan for Baron Devor that he made a "fatal procedural oversight"—failing to take the original title deed from Baron Devor as required, thus facilitating the latter's illegal second mortgage.

Not only that, driven by greed, he also took advantage of his position to accept a kickback from the barons of the White Dew District.

The Imperial Prosecutor's Office submitted one copy of the materials to the Holy City Grand Court and another to the Senate. The prosecution of Hark was a foregone conclusion, but holding the nobles accountable required the Senate's approval.

The Senate had no reason to protect an obscure country nobleman, especially since his rampant taxation in the White Dew District had caused instability in the local society and offended the citizens of the Holy City.

Although they did not strip Baron Devol of his sacred title, they tightened the noose around his neck even more severely—ordering him to immediately repay all his debts and approving the Imperial Prosecutor's Office to seize and freeze the assets under Baron Devol's name.

The Imperial Royal Cavalry have been stationed at Baron Devol's estate.

Seeing the imperial flag flying over the roof of the manor house, the farmers and small farm owners who had lost their land felt a sense of relief.

Although the lost land will never be returned, the wicked will ultimately face retribution.

As for the Devol family...

Although they and their servants were still allowed to live in the manor temporarily, this was merely a courtesy granted to them by the Senate.

They must find new accommodation as soon as possible and move out before the new owners move in.

Meanwhile, two other nobles in the White Dew district were also implicated. Although their debts were not as large as Baron Devol's, they were also forced into the predicament of selling land to pay off their debts.

It's not the deadliest yet.

The truly fatal flaw was that, due to the uncertainty surrounding the project in Bailu District, the panic selling by residents rendered their land deeds virtually worthless.

To pay off the debt, I'll probably have to bleed more than usual...

Thus, under the sharp blade of public opinion and the noose of debt, a bloody hunt targeting the rural nobles of Bailu District officially began.

The real reckoning has only just begun.

-

Outside the car window, the first snow of the Ottoman Empire fell silently.

Fine snowflakes fell from the leaden sky, draping the rolling hills and bare forests in a pristine white coat. The whole world seemed to fall silent, save for the drowsy rustling of wheels rolling over the thin layer of snow.

However, the young dragon Taf in the carriage had no time to appreciate the unique snowscape of the North.

She curled her small body into a ball, burying herself deep in the warm "nest" made of several expensive furs, looking listless.

This is related to her bloodline from "meat lizards," and the cold weather constantly reminds her that it's time to hibernate, making her instinctively want to fall into a deep sleep.

She rolled over impatiently in the warm blanket and muttered a complaint in a sleepy voice.

"Damn it! I hate snowy weather!"

While leaning back on the soft cushion reading materials, Luo Yan looked up from his book upon hearing the sound.

He looked with great interest at the "dragon pig" curled up in a ball and asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time.

"I find it strange that if meat-producing lizards grow so slowly, why would your Zeta tribe choose to use them as... uh, a source of nutrition?"

Mentioning the superiority of the Zeta clan instantly dispelled half of Taff's drowsiness.

She haughtily raised her small head from the fur, scoffed, and spoke in a tone that said, "You primitive creatures cannot understand."

"Do you think we're like you pig farmers, only pursuing speed and quantity? We're pursuing nutritional balance! The tails of meat-producing lizards provide all the amino acids the Zeta race needs, and the meat is delicious. We'll even create a habitable planet specifically for them to roam freely... What are you looking at me for? I won't give you any! Don't even think about it!"

Halfway through her sentence, she looked at Luo Yan warily and instinctively used her wings to protect her tail, as if it would be taken away by this evil demon king at any moment.

However, seeing her wary expression, Luo Yan simply smiled faintly.

"It's okay, I don't eat talking animals anyway."

They only eat the tail.

It seems that the Zeta Empire is more civilized than I imagined.

This only made Luo Yan more curious: how many planets' tails would it take to support the consumption of the Zeta Empire's citizens?
While he was pondering this, Taff suddenly flew into a rage. This girl was small in stature, but her temper was anything but.

"An animal! You dare call me an animal?! You, you have some nerve!"

"Hello to you too," Luo Yan replied casually, ignoring the "Dragon God's" anger. He closed the book and placed it on his lap, then continued to ask with interest, "So, how do you raise meat lizards? You can't wait a hundred years every time, can you?"

The racial superiority of the Zeta civilization once again prevailed. Taf suppressed her anger, puffed out her small chest, and said proudly.

"The secret lies in the feed!"

Before Luo Yan could ask a question, she continued in a boastful tone.

"With Zeta Technology, the best in the universe, there's nothing we can't do! We'll send a starship to the vicinity of the atmosphere and release pheromones across the entire planet! Every animal and dragon on the planet will have accelerated metabolism, both for reproduction and growth! This way, the longer-lived dragons will grow their thick tails just in time for harvest, while other creatures can provide the dragons with abundant food in their shorter lifespans... This is called a completely ecological farming system, can't you imagine it?"

Luo Yan looked at her in surprise and said with sincere admiration.

"Amazing... What's the formula for this pheromone?"

"The recipe is—what do you want to do?! Don't even think about it!!!" Taf, who almost let it slip, suddenly realized what she was doing and stared intently at her master.

"Don't get excited, I was just asking casually. Anyway, with the technological capabilities of this world, it's impossible to make it. If you don't want to, then forget it." Luo Yan smiled and said nonchalantly, flipping back to the half-read "Travels in the Kingdom of Rhodes".

Before entering the Academy, he will pass through the Kingdom of Rhodes, which borders the Kingdom of Ryan.

This place boasts vast forests and rugged hills. If the Kingdom of Ryan is the land of knights, then this is the home of greatswordsmen and mercenaries.

Although he wouldn't stay here for long, he was equally interested in the local customs and culture... just as he was interested in Tauf's hometown.

Who knows, one day he might have the chance to spread the Demon King's corruption there. It won't hurt to know sooner rather than later.

"Hmph, you know that much." Taff thought about it and realized it made sense, so she quieted down, curled up her tail, and changed into a more comfortable position.

She's made up her mind to outlive this guy!
How could a human possibly outlive a dragon?

The thought of this guy turning into an old man lying on his deathbed made her grin from ear to ear, and she started singing in her heart.

Luo Yan could naturally guess what she was thinking, but there was no need to argue with an immature kid. He simply read quietly.

After a while, Youyou suddenly appeared beside him, excitedly shouting, "Demon King, your followers have increased again!"

Luo Yan then entered a meditative state, his consciousness returning to the sea of ​​stars that shimmered in his mind, once again confirming the benefits he had gained from this trip to the Holy City.

【

Godhead: Luo Yan

Legendary Factors: The Demon King of Thunder County, the Flame King south of the Ten Thousand Ren Mountains, the generous, wealthy, and benevolent Prince Colin, a commoner councilor born in the Demon God Temple, and an ambitious reformer...

Influence share: 0.1% (↑0.01%)

Overdraft limit: 0%
Domination efficiency: 100%
】

Another legendary factor has been added.

It seems that after he left, his followers have created a new title for him. Luo Yan's gaze moved downwards, and when he saw the "Influence Share" column, his breathing quickened for a moment.

0.1%!

For thousands of years, the unshakable religious landscape of this planet has been shaken by him, which also means that he can finally condense a "Seed of Amethyst"!

He remembered that Elder Zacro of the Dragon family had the strength of an amethyst, and the ceiling of extraordinary power on this planet was getting closer and closer to him.

Having processed his excitement, Luo Yan smiled slightly, casually closed the Faith Power interface, and slowly spoke.

"The Holy City truly lives up to its reputation as a blessed land. In just one month, it has more than doubled my influence on this planet."

of course.

These influences are not necessarily all contributed by the Holy City; some also come from the continent of Gana across the vast ocean, and even from Hell and Thunder City, where he first set out.

The Demon King's corruption is gradually penetrating people's hearts, and the seeds he planted in their hearts are slowly sprouting and growing into a new tree.

This can be seen from the upbringing of Lumir, Teach, and even the Dantès family; the changes in their life trajectories were all due to their own influence.

Including the Knights Templar who traveled to the continent of Gana in the name of Saint Sith to spread civilization and faith—those young men will become his followers sooner or later!

This will be a continuous and slow process.

"Hehe, it's mainly because the Demon King did a great job!" Youyou chuckled beside her, offering a sincere compliment.

Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"Don't praise me anymore. When you praise me, it makes me feel like I'm admiring myself in the mirror."

"Huh?? Is that possible?"

Ignoring the astonished Youyou, Luo Yan closed his eyes again. When he opened them once more, the cozy carriage came into view once more.

He turned his gaze to the window, where the towering mountains and endless pine forests had been transformed into gentle hills and windmills.

In the distance, the tranquil village houses are faintly visible, with a few wisps of smoke rising straight up in the slightly chilly air, which then transforms into the majestic city walls and houses with red bricks and bright tiles.

This is the southern border of the Kingdom of Rhodes. It is far less prosperous and bustling than the Holy City, but it has its own unique charm.

Luo Yan knew that they were about to arrive at their first destination—Quartz City.

He had overheard Count Sylphine casually mention in a conversation about art that the city was a major commercial center in the south of the Kingdom of Rhodes, renowned for its unparalleled craftsmanship.

The empire’s finest pianos are made here.

It is said that the city is home to a large number of artisans and merchants from the empire, with a total population of over one million.

This is equivalent to "Thunder City of the Kingdom of Rhodes".

The carriage finally slowed down when the city skyline came into view, and Sarah's gentle voice came from outside the carriage at the same time.

"Your Highness, we are almost there... Should we inform the local lord?"

Luo Yan's current identity is still that of a prince, and this identity is written on his "passport" and is certified by the Senate.

According to imperial custom, when a prince arrives in a vassal state, the local lord should grant him the appropriate courtesy according to his title.

However, Luo Yan had no intention of disturbing the local lord.

The Kingdom of Rhodes was not his destination, but merely a stop on his journey. He preferred to experience the local customs and culture beyond the holy city as a traveler.

“No need, Sarah. We can just find an inn outside the city to stay in… and while we’re at it, get a cloak for Taff, so it doesn’t frighten the locals.”

Sarah said respectfully.

"Yes, Your Highness."

The carriage continued along the country road, its gleaming badge drawing the attention of countless farmers, though it did not particularly capture their interest.

The caravans from the empire also bore the emblems of various families, and they often saw the carriages of the Valencia and Castellón families appearing here.

They were just a bit odd; they'd never seen this purple moon before.

It didn't take long for Sarah to find a clean and simple inn near a camp outside the city, where many adventurers and merchants gathered.

Stop the carriage.

Wearing a cloak, Luo Yan handed the luggage, reins, and tip to the inn's waiter, then led Sarah and Taff, who were also cloaked, into the inn's lobby on the first floor.

The hall was bustling with noise, crowded with loud mercenaries and adventurers, while some suspicious-looking people sat in the corners, peddling useless amulets to the clear-eyed, seemingly novice adventurers.

This place is strikingly similar to Thunder City.

Luo Yan found an inconspicuous spot at the bar and sat down, ordering a local ale.

Just then, in a corner of the inn, a bard was holding a lute-like instrument and began to sing in a deep, slightly melancholic voice.

"Come, traveler from afar, sit down beside me."
The fire will warm your wind-cold knees.

I will strum the lyre and sing you a song of past sorrows.

Sing of that majestic tower, how it was buried by flames.

"Its fleet was once a mobile city-state at sea."

Thousands of flags kissed the salty waves.

Its king, wearing a golden crown, stood atop the dragon's head and sang:
'Behold! My authority is such that even the tides bow down at my feet!'

Scattered cheers rang out from the inn, and the noisy crowd stopped talking, casting curious glances at the bard.

The bard plucked the strings, paid homage to the people with his eyes, and then raised his voice, making it sound like the flames churning in a fireplace.

"However, a crimson harbinger of doom tore through the velvet curtain of night."

That wasn't a shooting star, but the angry eyes of the heavens.

Raindrops of fire, carrying the scent of sulfur, fell from the sky.

"Scorch every sail and every rope until they are gleaming!"

"The giant ship, wailing in agony, broke in two on the boiling sea."

Like a helpless beetle crushed by a giant!
That unsinkable legend, that majestic power that commands the ocean's submission.

It all ended in that vast flame, so abruptly!

"The king's crown shattered into seven pieces, scattered across the scorched earth."

People no longer sing the name of the dragon god, because there are new names worth continuing to sing.

They built new high walls on the old ruins.

With rusty swords, new hatreds and frontiers are drawn.

"So, drink this bitter ale, my friend."

Let's not dwell on those bygone dreams.

When the wheel of fortune unleashes its fury, everything vanishes.

Only the bard's song remains, echoing in the cold wind!

When the music ended, there was a moment of silence in the tavern, followed by enthusiastic applause.

The bard rose, smiled, and bowed to the crowd in thanks. Beside him, a clever young apprentice, carrying a tattered hat, moved among the tables and chairs, asking the guests for tips.

The guests casually tossed copper coins into their hats; these adventurers, who often didn't know where their next meal would come from, had no shortage of such small change.

Luo Yan felt that the poet sang very well. The epic and tragic feeling contained in the ballad was far superior to the sentimental love stories written by the nobles of the Holy City.

He smiled and took out a silver coin from his purse. With a flick of his finger, the coin traced a beautiful arc in the air and landed precisely in the apprentice's hat.

The young apprentice was so surprised when he saw the shiny silver coin that he couldn't stop smiling. He quickly ran over and thanked Luo Yan repeatedly.

"Thank you, sir! Have a pleasant day!"

"You're welcome. Could you tell me the name of this song?" Luo Yan nodded slightly and asked politely.

"This is a folk song from the Kingdom of Rhodes, called 'The Crimson Calamity Ballad,' a ship's song derived from an ancient prophecy! Legend has it that a fiery red star obscured the yellowish-brown star, and warships that blotted out the sky turned to ashes and sank into the white waves, thus ushering in a new era on the vast land."

The apprentice, excited by the huge reward of a silver coin, almost forgot about his work.

Only after a cough was heard did he hurriedly run to the next table.

Unlike Luo Yan, who was all smiles, Taf, hidden in the shadows of her cloak, was grimacing with rage, as if she wanted to devour everyone in the room.

Of course she could tell that the song was about the destruction of the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom, which was the most embarrassing thing that happened to her in her previous life when she was the "Dragon God Gutaf"!
Unfortunately--

Due to "master's orders," she could not speak in front of outsiders and could only bury her little head deep under her cloak, silently grinding her teeth.

Luo Yan naturally noticed her excitement.

He picked up his wine glass, gently patted the restless little head under the cloak with his other hand, and said with a smile to comfort her.

"Why are you getting so worked up? They're not singing about you."

Taff peered at him through the gap in her cloak with a questioning look, as if asking, "What's that?"

"Since it's a folk song from the Kingdom of Rhodes, it must be about the stories of the Rhodes people themselves."

Luo Yan did not answer the question directly, but instead took a sip of the fragrant ale and looked out the window at the unfamiliar land shrouded in wind and snow.

"All things that happen today are actually things that happened yesterday, and will happen tomorrow."

The prosperity of the Holy City is built on vast poverty, just as the extravagance of the demons is built on the squalor of the goblins... and this is destined to be unsustainable.

While a fire that burns everything may not change anything, it will happen when everyone longs for it to come.

Clearly, their arrival in this world was no accident, nor was it by chance, nor by Lint Isaac, Gutaf, or the bloodthirsty Chaos—

This is precisely the heartfelt desire of countless people who yearn for change.

Lint Isaac had obviously guessed this, so he knew he would come here.

As for Luo Yan himself...

That was discovered a long time ago, of course.

(End of this chapter)