Chapter 230: Rescue Prelude

(Apart from the most agonizing congestion and sore throat, I am feeling much better; I should be able to resume extra updates starting tomorrow.)

At the surface headquarters of the Night’s Edge in the Royal City, within the inner conference room, those who knew of Wang Yu’s capture by the royal family had gathered around a round table to discuss the impending rescue mission.

"As it stands, there is only one path to saving Wang Yu from the royal family: a violent rescue. Any other approach, such as negotiation, would allow the royals to simply deny everything. In the worst-case scenario, once they realize they can no longer hide the truth, they might simply execute him to erase all traces."

Zieg’s hand glided over a magical projection of the royal castle at the center of the table, the miniature fortress rotating and shifting beneath his touch.

With a flick of his two fingers, he expanded a section of the castle, bringing it into sharper focus for everyone present.

"Wang Yu is likely held here, in a dungeon beneath the palace’s secondary wing. It is primarily used to detain enemies of the crown, such as foreign spies or collateral royal branches who have fallen in power struggles."

"Its construction differs from the prisons in the Abyss-Dweller’s depths, which are designed to contain Void entities or even 'Evil Gods.' The purpose of this dungeon is to facilitate the extraction of information from prisoners, rather than ensuring they remain trapped forever."

"It is highly probable that Wang Yu is being held here. Edward, I must entrust the confirmation of this task to you; given your status, you are the only one capable of doing so discreetly."

Zieg looked toward Edward, who nodded calmly, signaling that he understood.

"As for the actual breach, there is one piece of good news: the royal family’s ultimate defense, the 'Banner of Inthemis,' has temporarily stalled after being saturated by the God of Fear’s power for so long. It will take at least a month to recover—something I learned during my time at the Royal Research Association."

"That leaves us with other obstacles, which I will leave for Miss Aivia to analyze. In a sense, she is the true backbone of this rescue operation."

Zieg sat down, yielding the floor to Aivia, who was still busy scribbling calculations onto the endless pages Wang Yu had left behind.

"Breaching the palace is impossible while the Banner of Inthemis is active, but with that formidable shield temporarily neutralized, we have a fighting chance."

"The key lies in Mr. Zieg’s true form—his draconic body. When he assumes his dragon shape, his strength should exceed that of a Legend, and his physical durability will far surpass that of any legendary warrior."

"Impact—a sufficiently powerful impact. With Mr. Zieg’s assistance, I will force our way directly into the palace."

It was a bold plan, and seemingly the only viable means of entry given the capabilities of those present.

Zieg would reveal his true draconic form, dive from a sufficient altitude, and, shielded by a barrage of magical barriers, crash through all defenses to storm the palace.

The girl did not mention the gaze of "Him" that Zieg’s transformation might attract, for there was no need.

The Lady of the Night had just awakened from the influence of the God of Fear and was regaining her strength. Upon learning of Wang Yu’s plight, she had unhesitatingly pledged all possible aid to this dear friend and Archbishop.

She would use her power of concealment to shroud Zieg’s draconic form, preventing "Him" from finding him.

Once they had forced their way into the palace, this protection would be withdrawn at the opportune moment, for "His" gaze had been incorporated into the plan through private discussions between Aivia and Zieg.

"Once Mr. Zieg helps me enter the palace, I will find Wang Yu and bring him out. With my 'Phase Gate' spell, I am truly the best suited for this task."

The girl outlined the rescue plan concisely. It was reckless, sounding almost like madness, yet upon reflection, it seemed entirely sound.

She did not share too many details with the others, as those fell under the purview of her and Zieg.

Plans never keep pace with change; they could never predict whether success or disaster would arrive first. Adaptability was the most vital component of their strategy.

"We must catch the royal family off guard. We cannot give this behemoth a moment to react, or all our efforts will be rendered meaningless given their deep-rooted influence in the Royal City."

Zieg took back the lead, detailing the broader strategy.

"Assuming we successfully rescue Wang Yu, we will then face the full wrath of the royal family. At that point, we must possess enough deterrent power to force them to swallow their pride."

"Unlike an ordinary person who might be blinded by petty emotions, the royal family is ultimately more like a profit-driven merchant. They will not pay an exorbitant price for the sake of one man. We need a 'force' that is visible enough to make them abandon their pursuit."

Zieg’s implication was clear: a power capable of making the royal family hesitate. Currently, in the Royal City, that power was none other than the Night’s Edge.

"We do not know if the royal family has planted agents within the Night’s Edge, or who they might be. Therefore, we must keep the rescue plan contained to ensure no word reaches the palace."

"We need an opportunity to mobilize at least the majority of the Night’s Edge, and that opportunity exists—but it is still some time away. I must consult Miss Aivia on this."

"Twelve days from now is the day the Night’s Edge mourns our fallen comrades. Most of our members will gather then without raising royal suspicion. If we can inform them of Wang Yu’s capture at that moment, we will gain an unprecedentedly powerful ally."

Zieg’s gaze was intense, his tone calm and grave.

"However, the problem is time. We cannot be certain if Wang Yu can hold out that long. In twelve days, I can imagine the torture the royal family will inflict upon him. I leave the choice of whether to wait to Miss Aivia."

Zieg turned his head toward Aivia.

Aivia, who had been calculating throughout, looked up. Without a moment’s hesitation, she agreed to Zieg’s plan.

"I trust him. His will cannot be shaken by any means. What we do must not be a meaningless, reckless suicide. This twelve-day wait has purpose."

With consensus reached and the gears of their plan interlocked, the mission to rescue Wang Yu began to turn.

The girl and Zieg returned to the Night Veil Church’s residence, where they prepared for the violent breach. Sharl had used his family’s resources to procure vast quantities of alchemical materials, which were transported to the site with the help of several Night’s Edge squad leaders.

Upon learning of the Archbishop’s plight, the members of the Night Veil Church unhesitatingly gifted the girl the goods they had previously consigned to Aivia’s alchemical shop, including rare materials nearly impossible to find on the open market.

Aivia did not want to wait twelve days; no one was more desperate than she to save Wang Yu. But she understood that a rescue without a plan was merely suicide.

Suppressing the impatience rising from her heart, the girl focused all her energy on strengthening herself and preparing for Zieg’s draconic transformation. The calculations she had been performing were all for the tasks she had to complete over the next twelve days.

"Hoo... wait for me, Wang Yu. This time, it’s my turn to save you."

Exhaling softly, the girl glanced at the massive hole that still connected the surface of the Royal City to the Shadow Realm. Looking at it from an angle, she could see the palace atop the mountain known as the "Throne."

Turning away, the girl threw herself into her work, casting aside all distractions, single-minded and resolute.

……

"Clang, clang, clang... roar!"

The sound of metal grinding against metal, accompanied by strange, guttural shrieks, echoed sharply and inexplicably through the deathly silent prison corridor.

A tall knight clad in heavy full-plate armor dragged a cart-like object from the end of the corridor.

Bound to the cart by numerous enchanted chains was a bizarre humanoid creature with a skull-like goat’s head, its body covered in black fur. It struggled incessantly, causing the chains to rattle.

"Rudolph, you are responsible for detaining this Wendigo. See that it doesn't die. The frontline army captured it within the borders of Seowintan. The royal family intends to use this thing for some trades with the old nobility. Given your expertise, you should know how to handle it."

A calm, youthful voice entrusted the disposition of the creature to Rudolph, who was already present.

Space rippled slightly as Rudolph appeared beside the cart. He ran his hand over the Wendigo, feeling its unique texture and the strange energy contained within. His expression turned to one of fascination, and he clicked his tongue in wonder.

"A Wendigo? These things haven't been caught in over a decade. I thought they had gone extinct. To think I’d see one after the Seowintan conflict was resolved—this is marvelous."

"Cursed blood and platinum flesh... I am truly curious how these two extremely rare traits manifest in the same being."

"Lord Uller, I will handle it well. But may I take a small portion for research? It won't affect the trade at all. I will be... very careful and gentle..."

Rudolph looked at Uller’s iron-clad face, asking without masking his excitement and fanaticism; everyone in the palace knew what kind of man he was.

"As you wish, so long as you do as you say. Also, do not let this thing or any other escape. I have heard rumors of the mistakes you made in your youth."

Uller’s tone remained indifferent and stern. Without wasting further words, he granted the request, issued a warning, and cast his gaze toward the pitch-black depths of the prison.

"Understood."

Rudolph nodded with a smile and took hold of the cart.

His gaze pierced the darkness, lingering inside the prison for less than a quarter of a second. Uller turned his head naturally and departed without another word.