Chapter 1727: Chapter 579: Raiders of the Lost Treasure

Richard’s overwhelming authority could suppress his subordinates, but not everyone would comply with him.

General Pan, who entered the underground palace, brought some very bad news — the Tangzang army had come again, this time with more numbers and an aggressive, malevolent intent.

Richard hurriedly assigned the task of collecting the Yunchin treasures to General Pan and himself climbed out of the underground palace to see what exactly was happening.

The moonlight was dim, and the eastern horizon had already begun to show a hint of dawn.

The day was about to break.

What greeted Richard was a forest of swords and spears and a flood of banners.

The Tangzang army, numbering at least ten thousand, surrounded the Seven Treasures Pagoda in three tight layers, impenetrable.

Approximately five squadrons of air troops, mounted on a large red-winged stork, soared through the sky, adorned with stars and moon.

Urged by continuous horn calls, far off there were still flows of Tangzang troops converging in this direction.

The lake was densely packed with warships, sailing back and forth, causing the blooming water lilies to sway.

Indeed worthy of being the most powerful empire on the Silk Continent, the Tangzang soldiers’ military quality was truly exceptional!

A regiment or so of black-armored heavy armored cavalry approached with only the sound of hooves, without a single neigh from a horse, silence camouflaging an incredibly terrifying killing intent!

The Summer Palace Guard seized the commanding heights of the Seven Treasures Pagoda and set up a thick shield formation at the foot of the tower. The Punisher Corps and Mage Corps were on high alert, arrows notched and swords unsheathed, ready for battle.

“This is the first and last warning! If you cross this line, the Summer Palace Guard will regard it as a deliberate armed provocation and reserve the right to retaliate!” Nedved stood on the second level of the pagoda and waved his hands forward.

The sound of arrows whistling through the air was immediate and incessant. A vast shadow shot forth in unison, and a dense forest of arrow tails formed a neat fence on the blank ground between the two armies, naturally creating a dividing line.

This overt threat needed no verbal explanation; it was universally understood.

The drums sounded three times, and the Tangzang army halted their advancing footsteps; their formation remained as stable as a rock. The warriors were indifferent and silent, unperturbed by the miraculous archery display.

The Ninth Prince Xiao Kong was negotiating with the bearded general under the command flag. Upon seeing the old man finally emerge from the underground palace, he shook his head, concluded his conversation with the general, and returned dejectedly.

“What’s the flying fuss?” Richard asked Xiao Kong in confusion, “Your master is His Highness, the Prince. Is it possible the general here doesn’t even give face to him?”

“It’s not about giving face or not, but rather being pushed to the limit!” Xiao Kong shrugged to his father with a bitter smile, “The general of Heru City said, why should His Highness allow a foreign army to run wild on his territory? I might have to go fetch the mentor to come here, otherwise, the issue really can’t be resolved!”

“It’s not that serious; we won’t end up fighting. Don’t worry about that, my lad!” Richard patted Xiao Kong’s shoulder and gestured to the Summer Palace Warriors to stand down.

As the local landlord, the official institutions of Heru City must have dispatched a large number of scouts to secretly monitor the Summer Palace Guard’s every move. Richard was already mentally prepared for this, as no country or regime would ignore a foreign army on its own territory.

The Summer Palace Guard had come from afar, first taking Heru City by storm and then undertaking large-scale excavation to open the underground palace of the Seven Treasures Pagoda. Even if there was a previous notice from His Highness the Prince, it would be impossible for the local government institutions not to be upset!

Richard had been somewhat mentally prepared beforehand, but he still firmly believed that this Tangzang army was not here to start a war. They wanted to give the Summer Palace Guard a show of force, dampen their spirit, and remind everyone who really was the master here!

“General, I am here to formally protest your assembling of a large army to surround our diplomatic envoy!” Richard stood with Xiao Kong on the dividing line, smiling while facing the bearded general who approached on horseback.

“Lord Richard, although you are an envoy from a foreign land and a guest of His Highness the Prince, that does not mean you can act lawlessly!” The interpreter of Heru City, under the bearded general’s direction, angrily questioned Richard in slightly awkward Aegean Common Language, “Who gave you the right to damage our country’s ancient relics?”

“You’re overstating it, General. It’s hardly what you’d call damaging a relic. If we fill in the surface, the Yunchin Seven Treasures Pagoda will be just as it was! Of course, to express my apologies, I’m also willing to pay a sum for repairs and compensation!” Richard glanced at the overturned ground and cunningly said, “However, I must clarify, I came to the Seven Treasures Pagoda to rescue someone, with the permission of His Highness, the robust Prince! If you have any objections, you could have the censors impeach His Highness instead of blaming me!”

Xiao Kong, listening on the side, could only purse his lips—his old man was clearly exploiting a verbal loophole!

The mentor did agree to the old man coming to the Seven Treasures Pagoda to rescue someone, but when did he agree to excavating the underground palace? The mentor, no matter how clever, could not have imagined someone would chisel a passage through walls over ten meters thick!

By dragging the mentor into the water, Richard absolved himself of responsibility, leaving Heru City’s officials no choice but to roll their eyes.