People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

The shells rained down as if they were free, blasting craters and trenches into the ground. The Blood Demon Lord had to fill these with his blood, but his blood was limited. The enemy was using shells to change the terrain; who knew what kind of changes they could make?

The Blood Lord was proud enough to command his blood to avoid the craters left by the artillery fire, but he chose not to. He wanted to use sheer power and visual spectacle to open the eyes of these arrogant Victorians, making them remember what a Sarkaz truly was.

He was dumbfounded.

Victoria and Sarkaz had been locked in a stalemate for so long, and the Blood Demon Lord had accumulated so much blood to unleash this blood surge, yet they hadn't even reached the enemy's main force. Forget about replenishing his blood through battle; if he continued consuming blood like this, the Blood Demon Lord wouldn't be far from becoming a Source Stone Demon Lord.

I felt like my whole body was covered in the residue from the explosion of Originium shells.

The Blood Demon Lord actually has to thank God from the bottom of his heart that the Victorians didn't develop something like a nuclear bomb, otherwise, what would be the point of bombarding the ground?

That wouldn't just be setting the ocean ablaze, it would be evaporating it!

Seeing that the Blood Demon's attack had been thwarted, a mocking expression appeared on Duke Wellington's face, and he seemed more relaxed as he sat in his chair.

Behind him, Abrahma's footsteps approached slowly, carrying a spear-like staff. A blazing flame burned at the spear's tip, its heat distorting the surrounding air.

"Your Grace, I heard you've become the commander-in-chief of the Dukes' Alliance?"

The Duke of Wellington did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the distance ahead, and he simply replied calmly:

"It's true."

Regardless of the plan, Victoria's army always needed a commander. And among the four highest-ranking Grand Dukes, only two could be trusted to take command of the army.

It's either him or Amphilis Windermere.

Even the Duke of Caesar had to admit this: if the Duke's allied forces couldn't even achieve the most basic unified command and remained a disorganized mess, then neither besieging without attacking nor striking directly at the heart of the enemy would be a joke. The entire defensive line would be as leaky as sand, only giving the Sarkaz an opportunity to exploit.

As the date of the World Summit drew ever closer, even if Ernst was willing to buy them more time, the Duke himself could no longer delay.

Continuing to drag it out will only highlight Victoria's weakness; she can't even deal with the Sarkaz decisively.

We must quickly devise a plan and wage a battle to demonstrate our capabilities!

The final outcome of the Dukes' alliance was that the Duke of Wellington would take the lead.

There are many considerations involved. First, the Duke of Wellington is the most renowned war strategist in the world today. No one has the right to question his reputation as the "Death Knell of the Empire." Considering his achievements and status, it is reasonable for him to command Victoria's army.

Secondly, the other candidate for commander-in-chief, the Duke of Windermere, has a very special case.

She was very close to Ernst, and if she were to lead Victoria's army and win the war, given her reputation as the "hero of the recapture of Londinium," the Duke of Castells would have virtually no chance of competing with her.

It was absolutely not a matter of personal feelings; the Duke of Castells voted for the Duke of Wellington purely for the sake of checks and balances!

"However, this doesn't seem to be a question you should be asking, Sarkaz shapeshifter."

Duke Wellington turned his head slightly to look at "Abrahina" who had walked up to him, looked her up and down, and shook his head.

It has the form, but not the meaning.

In terms of disguise, the shapeshifter was indeed flawless. Even if the Duke of Wellington came to inspect it himself, he could not find the slightest flaw or weakness in the "Abrahina" beside him.

He even recreated Abrahim's attire, which the Duke of Wellington considered indecent.

Ripped black stockings, no pants.

His tone was perfectly controlled, carrying arrogance and conceit, confidence in himself as the chosen one, and the composure to treat even the Grand Duke as a collaborator or even a "servant."

Perfect.

If there is any flaw, it is fire.

The real Abrahma didn't have such a blazing, bright flame; her fire was cold, a deep purple.

That was Draco's flame, the flame of the soul, the embodiment of life force. When Abrahana sprinkled the purple flames, it was as if she were spreading life force, capable of awakening the dead. As long as her flames did not go out, the deceased could march eternally!

cost?

Abrahana never mentions the cost.

Her scheme was a desperate struggle for survival from beginning to end. So what price could possibly deter her?

The shapeshifter nodded slightly, no longer trying to argue its point.

If assassination doesn't work, then let's kill him openly. It doesn't matter, it's all the same.

He had actually already discovered the flaw in this disguise. After all, the original body that remained in Sherag had once tried to impersonate Raphsini, but Ernst had always been able to see through it easily at a glance.

Raphsini's flames were clearly different from Abrahana's; their color and temperature were not significantly different from ordinary flames.

Later, the shapeshifters gradually realized that it was because of "feeling".

In her office, Lavshini radiated a warmth that made Ernst feel alive, energetic, and tireless. It was the power that came from the fire burning in her chest.

If we were to translate her and her sister into online game terms, it would be like this: Raphsini is a priest who adds vitality buffs, while Abu Lana is a necromancer who resurrects the dead.

The shapeshifters couldn't imitate this, so they naturally couldn't disguise themselves in front of the Duke of Wellington and Ernst, who knew the characteristics of their sisters.

But it doesn't matter, he's already infiltrated.

"Where is my guard?" the Duke of Wellington asked calmly.

"They were held back by a part of us," the shapeshifter replied without hesitation.

"The intelligence reports don't mention you having this ability. To create multiple clones, each capable of holding off the Crimson Iron Guard—you might actually be the most troublesome one among the Sarkaz?" Duke Wellington tapped the armrest lightly, analyzing the situation.

"We just lived a little longer, so long that everyone forgot about us, that's all."

The shapeshifter raised his hand, and his right hand transformed into a sharp sword.

"Heh, we'll use Blood Demon's provocations against the entire Victoria to draw attention to the front, while you'll go all out to infiltrate our ranks from the rear."

Wellington laughed, finally stood up, and drew the sword from his waist.

That was not some fancy ceremonial sword; it was the weapon he carried with him when he went to the battlefield during the Four Kingdoms War!

Each jewel on this piece was taken from the treasuries of his defeated enemies and set there, including the then-powerful Gallic emperor who called his empire the "world" and was the most arrogant of them all!

But they all lost; they were nothing more than their own defeated enemies, their bodies never to be found!

The aged Felin unleashed a terrifying ferocity, turning towards the shapeshifter. This opponent, facing him as he neared the twilight of his life, might also be the most powerful adversary he had ever faced.

The shapeshifter who never slacks off, the oldest being among the Sarkaz.

His existence spans as long as all souls, therefore, even the souls cannot accept his will, and the day he personally took action is now unknown, perhaps a thousand or ten thousand years ago.

Power stems from the unknown, just as the shapeshifters said.

Everyone has forgotten him; he is the unknown itself.

"last question."

The Duke of Wellington asked, "Father..."

Where is Abrahana? Where is the King of the Tara?

A burst of purple flame answered his question.

The shapeshifter's disguise began to burn, and Abrahana's face gradually tore apart and melted away, like a sheet of white paper being smeared, revealing the shapeshifter's true face, or rather, his most commonly used appearance, which had been hidden behind it.

She has short, slightly wavy matcha-colored hair, matching light green, lifeless eyes, a cold face that seems like another mask, and a not-so-tall, somewhat thin body.

“I am here, Wellington. You don’t need to worry about me leaving. You are still useful. The King of Tara has not yet abandoned you.”

Abrahana responded, still covered in blood.

Shapeshifters don't bleed. This blood belongs to others.

On her way here, she killed everyone she suspected, because there was no time to verify each person's identity.

Anyway, they're dead, so be it. At worst, we can set them on fire, and they'll all get back up.

They chose to die voluntarily.

The shapeshifter glanced at her, not particularly surprised.

He did not send any agents to stop her; in other words, she was free to move around.

From the shapeshifter's perspective, Abrahana could simply watch the show without worry. Once he killed Wellington, Abrahana could claim that she was also tied up and unable to come to help.

This is good for her; at least she won't die. Deeppool and Theresis's cooperation can continue. Don't they want independence? Nobody's stopping them. Theresis might even offer some assistance.

But since she's here...

The shapeshifter withdrew his gaze, his tone remaining completely unchanged despite Abrahana's appearance.

"It doesn't matter, they're all the same."

So what if it's one against two? So what if it's best not to kill one of them?

He is part of the Shapeshifter syndicate.

Her body trembled slightly, and a drop of dew dripped from her raised arm, which had transformed into a sharp sword. Then, her second self appeared out of thin air and walked in front of Abrahana.

Now it's fair.

It doesn't matter, they're all the same.

Chapter 549 Did I arrive at the wrong time?

"How will the assassination attempt on the Duke of Wellington, commander-in-chief of the Victorian Empire's allied forces, affect the situation in Victoria?" - The Caster Daily.

"The Duke's Allied Commander was assassinated on his first day in office; witnesses claim the assassination scene may have included members of the Drak royal family, whose line has been declared extinct!" — Trinity Morning Post

"The Myth of the Empire's Death Knell Shattered! Tensions Escalate Near Londinium, What Does the Future Hold for Victoria?" — Kazimir Rose Daily

"Shocking! Unscrupulous Sarkaz prey on an octogenarian? Disguised to win the old man's heart!" — Kasimir Wine Gazette

Newspapers, or media in general, are truly amazing things.

They are the best channel for many people to access information that they may never have access to in their entire lives, and countless media outlets can interpret the same thing in all sorts of ways.

Seriously enough, it can lead to countless conspiracy theories, turning an unconscious glance or a casual hum into a deeply scheming interpretation.

They can make things light and entertaining. Even a piece of news that could shake the entire world can be extracted into a unique point of interest, leading to all sorts of amusing arguments.

Ernst believed he had seen a lot in his previous life. For example, he had seen countless reports about a certain open-minded gentleman in neighboring Japan, a country where life wasn't so good.

Some are paying attention to the impact of the sudden assassination of Abe, a figure of considerable prestige within Japanese political parties, on Japanese politics and on this turbulent world.

What some people are concerned about is whether the cult problem in Japan, exposed by his death, has reached a critical point. Will the hazy filter that Japan has cultivated for countless years through cultural promotion such as anime, Yamato Nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman), reverence for the past, and seriousness be completely torn away by this incident?

Of course, some people are also interested in the assassin. Whether it's the number one male gunner in the Japanese server, a candidate for the contemporary assassin hero, the holder of the Noble Phantasm Abe no Cleaver, or a fighter against the unjust society of Japan, these titles have been bestowed upon him. Movies about him were quickly made and broadcast, winning a lot of praise.

While some might notice the swollen figure, others might also notice the female bodyguard who claimed to have spent a fortune but ended up standing there dumbfounded, unable to protect anything, only to find out that her account and password were incorrect and Earth Online did not offer this service. And then there was the JK girl who was simply passing by and accidentally tripped and fell flat on her face.

Almost everyone got a laugh, traffic, or something else from the incident he caused.

H. Ernst was also thinking at the time, "Though I am in a humble position, I dare not forget my duty to the country."

After reading numerous reports, searching through many footage clips, and following the news for a period of time, he came to a conclusion.

The answer is: Nothing happened.

The death of someone who once reached the pinnacle of power in a country resulted in nothing more than an ordinary internet meme, much like Kennedy's in the United States. Moreover, this meme didn't even last long before being overshadowed by new trending topics. Most of those who typed "witnessing history" didn't actually experience much real emotion.

Q: But most news stories only last a day, yet how many people's lives have been changed behind the scenes?

"The Duke of Wellington is seriously injured."

When Ernst sat in his comfortably warm office in the Sherrag government building and actually read the news, his feelings were complicated.

The Duke of Wellington was clearly not a good man. His overly "people-oriented" behavior and his penchant for "profiting without capital" left Ernst with an extremely bad impression.

However, in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. With the Duke of Wellington's attitude improving, Ernst truly neither wanted nor anticipated that he would fall so easily.

Victoria's Optimus Prime collapsed with a "thud." The Duke of Wellington was a powerful Grand Duke, a position Victoria had held since the Four Emperors War, and one that still vied for second place. How much power did he wield, and how tightly did he hold onto it? What kind of hidden dangers would his fall bring?

Difficult to predict.

Ernst could only hope that this would be just a minor incident and wouldn't affect the overall situation.

At the very least, we must prevent the overall situation from deteriorating.

3 Now, we need a big enough, explosive enough, and attention-grabbing event to overshadow this wave of hype.

"No need to delay any longer, Vina, send out invitations to all the countries. The World Summit should be held."

Ernst nodded to Vina. The Aslan girl pursed her lips slightly.

Private matters always go wrong in places where nothing seems to go wrong. Who would have thought that Sarkaz would be able to carry out a decapitation strike on the enemy leader amidst a massive army?

Vina was even a little worried because, although Ernst did not personally go to the front lines and have any direct conflict with the Sarkaz, everyone knew that once the Sarkaz state-building draft was made public, it would be a blatant attempt to undermine the Sarkaz extremists in Lentinium!

Does this mean that Ernst is also at risk of being assassinated by the Sarkaz?

It wasn't that Vina didn't trust Jeragand; it's just that human worries are always boundless.