Chapter 48: The Holding-Your-Breath Competition Cannot Be Lost!
In the City of Mysteries, on a small street opposite the Great Library.
All other shops were closed, with only one small restaurant remaining lit. War Chief Priest Josda’s patience was about to turn into anxious desperation.
Using the Divine Power Simulation, a talent gifted by the War Goddess, he arranged for his fanatical followers to disguise themselves as followers of the God of Nature and launch suicide attacks at several key locations in the City of Mysteries.
Now that the attacks had been initiated, the task of making the Empress of Eternal Night grieve over the Azurevine Empire should have been completed.
However, for another task, killing Roger Charles, who provided the Empress of Eternal Night with strategic support for her plan of impersonating the restoration army, Josda had still not found an opportunity.
He couldn’t fathom it. As midnight approached, that useless brother was still reading in the Great Library?
Although there were many mages obsessed with research, according to the information, this notorious useless brother of the imperial capital knew no magic at all!
Moreover, the City of Mysteries was in chaos, and a search for cultists had already begun. If he delayed any longer, it would be difficult for him to leave.
However, he could not leave without completing the War Goddess’s task.
If he left, the power bestowed upon him by the Goddess would backlash, a consequence he absolutely could not bear.
The gods were cruel to their enemies and equally ruthless to their own priests and believers.
If Josda hadn’t known that the Great Library was personally arranged by the Empress of Eternal Night, with advanced protective formations and reconnaissance measures, where entering would guarantee exposure and force him to face an entire city’s enemies alone, he would have wanted to go in and find Roger.
“How can a dandy have such patience, not curious about the commotion outside, to truly be immersed in his studies?”
Josda tapped the table, his pupils suddenly constricting.
He saw a small squad of city guards searching house by house.
They would soon reach his shop.
The imperial capital had suffered over a hundred thousand casualties due to his followers’ bombings, and the entire city was in a state of panic and rage.
Josda truly could not leave now.
After a moment’s thought, he cast an illusion, altering his appearance and clothing.
At first glance, he now resembled a larger version of the small restaurant owner.
Then, he conjured a gold coin between his fingers.
In his sleep, the small owner, who was clutching a money bag and thinking about how to spend this huge fortune, suddenly convulsed, blood flowing from all seven orifices.
Soon, his movements gradually ceased.
At the same time, some memories that did not belong to him appeared in Josda’s mind.
The shepherd’s money was not so easily earned.
The small squad of city guards was somewhat surprised to find this shop still open.
They had been busy all night and were all hungry.
“Boss, do you have anything to eat?”
“Only noodle soup.”
“Eleven bowls, with meat. My treat.”
The generosity of the city guard captain earned him cheers from his team.
Only good food could slightly alleviate the lingering gloom on their faces.
Josda worked quickly, and soon eleven steaming bowls of noodle soup were served.
The city guard squad finished eating at lightning speed and prepared to continue their search.
Suddenly, a young team member said, “Boss, Captain, we haven’t checked this owner yet.”
Instantly, Josda, who was washing dishes, tensed up, clutching the dagger in his arms.
The captain wiped his mouth and slapped the back of the young member’s head:
“This soup has taken decades to perfect. Do you think those priest lords from the church would personally cook this? Stop wasting time, let’s go to the next place.”
“Captain sees all!”
They all flattered him. The noodle soup was indeed very authentic. The squad laughed and left the small restaurant.
Josda released his dagger, his eyes flickering, “I wonder if I’m lucky, or if you are.”
He sat back down in the center of the shop, continuing to wait for his “guest” like an ordinary small owner.
Leaving the City of Mysteries rashly now would be more dangerous. He might as well continue to sit here and wait for the prey to come to him.
Would that young master Charles really not go home tomorrow either?
Having waited this long, his holding-your-breath competition must have a result!
Sunk cost.jpg
…
…
While Josda was engaged in a battle of wits with the air, Roger had already returned to the Charles manor.
Lying on his bed, he couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
It wasn’t out of fear.
After hearing the Empress of Eternal Night’s past, he felt that the purgatory he had envisioned was nothing in comparison.
Especially since he had decided to stand on the same side as the empire from now on, and thinking back to those eyes yearning for life, his unease had lessened significantly.
He couldn’t sleep because he was thinking about how to help this vast empire.
To defeat the gods within ten years, even with the Empress of Eternal Night’s power somewhat enhanced compared to the game, was still a near-impossible feat.
There was only one Empress, but seven gods.
No, and the God King who controlled everything from behind the scenes!
If Roger was waiting for the system to grant rewards and accumulate stats and abilities, then the gods were absorbing Faith Power and Life Essence, tirelessly building themselves into numerical monsters.
Prayer was slow-harvesting, sacrifice was fast-harvesting.
As long as believers lived, the gods would not perish.
There was truly no other monstrously powerful individual like the Empress of Eternal Night.
“Therefore, while improving the empire’s strength, we must also strike at believers as much as possible. We must grasp both!”
With this decline and that rise, the empire would have a sliver of hope.
This was a destined path, difficult, even futile.
But since he had chosen it, he would walk it to the end.
To resist the eternal night that prevented the world from truly embracing the light…
Damn it, he was fired up!
Roger rubbed his throbbing temples and gave a self-deprecating smile.
Perhaps, as Your Majesty had said, his soul harbored a hidden trait of “seeking death”?
If the opportunity arose, perhaps he too wanted to be the man who turned the impossible into the possible…
…
…
The next day, in the Imperial Council Hall.
The Empress of Eternal Night and eleven cabinet ministers looked at two empty chairs with solemn expressions.
Last night, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Arts had also fallen under the charm of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, admiring the young man, and were swept away by the divine power storm.
However, the work that needed to be done still had to proceed.
The more pressing matter now was the need for someone to fill the vacancy of the Commander of the City Defense Garrison.
The military forces of the City of Mysteries were divided into three main systems: the Royal Guard, the Standing Army, and the City Defense Garrison.
The Royal Guard protected the Stellar Palace, and the Standing Army was the mobile force to resist foreign enemies.
The City Defense Garrison was similar to modern-day police departments, responsible for daily defense, maintaining public order, and occasionally handling urban appearance and sanitation.
Last night, the Commander of the City Defense Garrison had also been at a celebration banquet at the Northern Garrison. Being unskilled and fond of drinking, he had evaporated into smoke while tipsy.
The Deputy Commander was promoted on the spot but was killed while dealing with cultists.
The Director of the First Garrison served temporarily but was assassinated…
The parachuted Commander of the City Defense Garrison died in an accident this morning…
The exceeding risk of death also came with the task of hunting down remnants of the church and thoroughly investigating the truth behind the bloody night.
A position that was usually fought over fiercely had become a hot potato, with no one willing to take it.
And if a simply incompetent person was appointed, the Empress worried that they would not be able to handle the search mission.
Roger, who had stayed up all night contemplating the path to a strong nation, was a bit slow-witted now.
He didn’t know any suitable candidates, so he planned to simply spectate and wait for the next agenda item.
Unexpectedly, Margaret’s eyes darted, and she said to Angelina, “Speaking of young nobles in the imperial capital, the most learned and currently without a position is undoubtedly Roger Charles! Your brother should be able to handle this, right?”
The Empress of Eternal Night replied on his behalf, “He indeed can.”
Roger immediately sat up straight.
【I was just here to spectate, and the melon ended up on my own head?】
【Little fan, you’re taking a narrow path, and you still want me to devise a strategy to deal with my sister?】
【And Your Majesty, what do you mean? You clearly know I’m here, and you agreed. I can’t even use shadow clones!】
Angelina pursed her lips. Her useless brother had been training under Lord Dio for a long time, so he shouldn’t mess things up, right?
As for the risk, Your Majesty had bestowed immense favor upon the Charles family, so she hadn’t considered it at all.
She was about to accept on Roger’s behalf when she suddenly saw someone stand up and request permission from the Empress first:
“Your Majesty, I am willing to concurrently serve as the Commander of the City Defense Garrison. I humbly request your approval!”
It was none other than Dio Brando!
