CHAPTER 247: CHAPTER 57: I ONCE TRUSTED YOU SO MUCH

"I didn’t expect you could smile. I always thought such an expression would never appear on your face."

After her initial surprise, Esdeath regained her calm.

"I once... trusted you a lot."

Esdeath murmured softly.

"Ah, I know."

Su Xiao’s voice was calm as the two stared at each other.

"Since we are not on the same path, today it’s either you die or I perish."

Esdeath’s tone was icy, a chilling air emanated from her, and ice crystals appeared on the ground beneath her feet.

Su Xiao held the Little Emperor in one hand and picked up the key floating mid-air with the other, receiving a prompt from Reincarnation Paradise.

[Main Mission: Imperial Tool·Supreme Power (Completed)]

Difficulty Level: Lv.8

Mission Brief: Obtain the activation key for the Imperial Tool·Supreme Power.

Mission Information: Imperial Tool·Supreme Power is the most powerful Imperial Tool, currently held by the Empire’s Little Emperor.

Mission Deadline: 30 natural days.

Mission Reward: 4 attribute points, 12,000 Paradise coins.

Mission Penalty: All attributes -3.

...

[Complete Main Mission: Imperial Tool·Supreme Power? Yes/No]

Choosing to complete, the activation key for the Supreme Power shattered in Su Xiao’s hand, causing an uproar among those present.

"How... could this happen, you damn bastard!"

An enraged roar sounded as the obese Chancellor ran out from the crowd, his expression fierce.

The Revolutionary Army had already surrounded the Imperial Capital, and the Supreme Teigu was the Chancellor’s final card.

"Esdeath, didn’t you say there was no problem? What’s going on!"

The Chancellor lost control of his emotions, roaring at Esdeath.

"Shut up, you fat pig."

Esdeath looked coldly at the Chancellor, who shuddered, suddenly remembering that this female general in front of him had once ordered the burial of tens of thousands of people alive.

The Chancellor whispered, "What do we do now? Without the Supreme Teigu, we’re all finished."

"At most, we’ll just be surrounded and killed by the Revolutionary Army. You’re too afraid of dying, Chancellor."

Esdeath didn’t regard life and death too heavily.

"What? You don’t have confidence to repel the Revolutionary Army?"

"Are you dreaming? The Revolutionary Army’s nearly two million troops have surrounded the Imperial Capital. If you have the ability to break through two million people, feel free to escape."

The Chancellor’s face turned pale. He didn’t want to die; he still wanted to control the Empire and become the Emperor.

"It’s all your fault, bastard! I’ll flay you alive."

The Chancellor pointed at Su Xiao.

"Oh? Are you sure about that?"

Su Xiao smiled with interest in his eyes; he was quite interested in killing the Chancellor.

"You... this..."

The Chancellor’s face flushed red, and he took two steps forward.

"If he truly intends to kill you, he might succeed. So, hide like the swine you are."

Esdeath suddenly spoke, causing the Chancellor to stop in his tracks, looking at Su Xiao with fear as he began to reassess him.

Being surrounded by the Empire’s strongest general and tens of thousands of troops without batting an eye showed a spirit that impressed the Chancellor.

"Chancellor, you’re okay; that’s great. Think of a way to save me, I’ve been kidnapped."

The Little Emperor looked at the Chancellor with a beaming smile.

"Your Highness?"

The Chancellor looked at the Little Emperor, his expression a mixture of laughter and mockery.

"I was worried about you before..."

The Little Emperor was interrupted by the Chancellor before he could finish.

"Useless."

"Huh?"

The Little Emperor looked at the Chancellor in shock.

"If you can’t activate the Supreme Teigu, what’s the use of keeping you around? You’ve wasted so much of my secret medicine."

The Chancellor looked displeased at the Little Emperor, his face full of disdain.

"Huh?"

The Little Emperor couldn’t comprehend the situation; the Chancellor actually called him useless and was ready to abandon him. Wasn’t this the Chancellor who had always taken care of him?

"Your Highness, you’re of no use now, die together with this thief. I don’t have the patience to keep up the act with you."

The Chancellor’s words left the Little Emperor utterly despairing, his face turning as white as paper.

"Chancellor... Have you been using me all this time? This has to be a joke, right?"

The Little Emperor looked dazed, but the Chancellor didn’t even spare him another glance.

As the Revolutionary Army attacked, the inability to activate the Supreme Teigu meant the Little Emperor was useless, and the Chancellor was ready to flee.

"General Esdeath, after dealing with this thief, we’ll find a way to leave the Imperial Capital. Our era of ruling the Empire may be ending."

The Chancellor sighed. The shattering of the Supreme Teigu’s key had caused him to lose his composure earlier.

"Find a way to leave on your own. I will stay and fight the Revolutionary Army to the death."

Esdeath did not deny the two ruling the Empire. That was indeed the case: the Chancellor managed the Empire’s internal affairs, while Esdeath handled campaigns outside. The two would discuss any major decisions.

"You all..."

The Little Emperor finally understood that he had been used all along. His most trusted Chancellor and General were the true rulers of this country.

"Seize them both!"

The Little Emperor shouted, but the hundreds of soldiers around were indifferent.

"Seize the two of us? I am your most close Chancellor; I raised you since you were a child, hahaha."

The Chancellor looked at the Little Emperor incredulously, still finding amusement in the fact that the Little Emperor tried to command his people.

"When attacking, don’t worry about the Little Emperor; he’s of no use."

"Yes, sir."

Unlike the Little Emperor’s order, after the Chancellor gave his command, most of the soldiers in the shrine responded in unison, except for Esdeath’s subordinates.

Su Xiao ignored what the Chancellor and the Little Emperor were saying as he was checking Reincarnation Paradise’s prompt.

[Main mission reward has been deposited into the Branding. Upon verifying that the Hunter has completed the main mission, the return mission is now being released.]

["Main Mission 2: Coordinate Positioning"]

Difficulty Level: Lv.4

Mission Brief: Reach a specific location in the Derivative World and set up the coordinates. The Coordinate Locator is stored inside the Hunter’s storage space.

Mission Information: The Coordinate Locator is a valuable resource. If lost in the Hunter’s possession, 100,000 Paradise coins will be deducted. If not enough Paradise coins are available, equivalent value equipment and items will be forcibly taken from the Hunter.

Mission Deadline: 10 natural days

Mission Reward: Qualification to return

Mission Penalty: Forced execution

...

The return mission finally appeared. Su Xiao didn’t understand Reincarnation Paradise’s reason for wanting him to set the coordinates, but the designated location was incredibly frustrating, as it lay outside the Imperial Capital and was not close.

Currently, Su Xiao felt trapped. The only way was to fight his way out, but with Esdeath + Will + tens of thousands of soldiers, his chances were slim.

This was a deadlock and also a lesson to pay attention to details in the future—if there was indeed a future.

After touching a woman’s corpse, one should wash their hands—what a painful lesson.

"Hahaha."

Suddenly, Su Xiao burst into laughter. From starting step by step in the Extreme North to finally being exposed due to the fragrance from Black Pupil, what an ironic twist.

"Why are you laughing?"

Even Esdeath couldn’t help but smile.

"I deceived you, the Chancellor, tens of thousands of soldiers, and in the end, it was Will’s nose that gave me away. Such a... speechless result."

Su Xiao felt no regret. It was typical for the Derivative Worlds—it was win or lose. And who knows? He might be able to fight his way out.

"Let’s have an exhilarating battle. If you win, my life is yours, Esdeath."

"Exactly what I wanted. Now I finally understand why I trusted you; it’s because we’re the same kind of people."

Esdeath seemed very excited.