Chapter 184: Obey the Demon Lord’s Will! Die, Holy See Lapdogs!

Translation by: Weebsread👹

​

The so-called “deal” was struck in just a few words—so swiftly that Lin Wei’s mind nearly stalled in disbelief.

​

By his calculations, the other party was so desperate for gold that he’d expected them to grovel for even a hundred coins. Clearly, something had gone catastrophically wrong for this particular demon bigwig.

​

Perhaps the demon ranks had fractured. Maybe a traitor had defected to a rival faction.

​

Or… had they gone so far as to infiltrate the Cult of the Evil God, embedding a spy deep within demon society?

​

Regardless, judging by their dire financial straits, a modest sum of gold was all it took to lure them into a trap—hire them to hunt his own head, and they’d obediently rush to assassinate him.

​

All he needed was to pick the right moment to spring the net. Straightforward, really. If luck favored him, he might even be able to dispel Afuduo’s Evil God’s Protection Mark—provided he could confirm her siblings’ safety.

​

But there had been no haggling. Not so much as a token protest.

​

He had barely spoken the words, “[Assassinate the Holy See’s Honor Knight, Lin Wei],” and the contract was accepted without hesitation.

​

Wait—was it the Holy See they despised, or did they bear some personal grudge against him as the Honor Knight?

​

He let out a long sigh. “Pointless. I can’t wring a shred of information out of them this way.”

​

“And from their tone, they must have set out to kill me the instant they sent that message.”

​

He was, in effect, commissioning his own assassination… but wasn’t even in the right place for them to find him.

​

It was a tangled situation, yes, but not unmanageable.

​

At least one thing was certain: somewhere out in the Borderlands, this demon lord’s assassin was already hunting Lin Wei, Honor Knight of the Holy See.

​

“Even if I hadn’t tipped off the city lord, the newspapers would mention my name.”

​

“In other words, if their information network is any good, they’ll know I’m in Argos by now.”

​

Time to move.

​

Even after branding Saintess Yalis with his Protection Mark, he couldn’t quite shake the worry. She was still too inexperienced—an easy mark for any con artist. If she stumbled into real danger, even divine protection might not shield her from trauma.

​

“Alright, you get some rest. If fate is kind, next time we meet, I’ll have news about your family.”

​

“Well then, I’ll be off. Until next time.”

​

For Afuduo, those words struck like a bolt from the blue.

​

Lin Wei didn’t pause. He turned and soared skyward, vanishing toward the horizon.

​

“Wha—wait! My family?!”

​

She stood there, stunned for a full three seconds.

​

The cat-eared girl’s mind rebooted with a jolt, her emerald eyes blazing with sudden hope. She nearly leapt into the air to drag Lin Wei back.

​

“What do you mean, my family?!”

​

“Mr. Lin Wei, can’t you finish explaining before you leave?!”

​

◇

​

The plaintive cries behind him faded quickly from Lin Wei’s mind.

​

He raced toward Argos at full speed, mentally preparing for the demon assassin now on his trail.

​

Strangely enough, he almost looked forward to it.

​

Ever since that disastrous negotiation, when the demons had tried to strong-arm him, their entire race had fractured. Now the front lines were being pushed back from the Empire’s borders into demon territory itself. All the lands they’d fought so bitterly to conquer were being surrendered without a fight.

​

Was this not the classic “drive the Demon Lord to the crematorium” arc?

​

No, no matter the prelude, the ending would always be the same: bitter, unrelenting regret.

​

He couldn’t help but smirk. “Thinking about it, it’s almost satisfying, isn’t it?”

​

“If only they’d listened to me, the demon race wouldn’t have collapsed like this.”

​

“Honestly… I wonder what faces they’ll make when they see me again?”

​

He could already picture the scene—a petty, delicious satisfaction bubbling up inside him.

​

Lost in thought, he flashed through the Imperial Capital via Portal, arriving at the Empire’s border in a heartbeat.

​

When the familiar skyline of Argos came into view, he finally reined in his wandering thoughts.

​

“What’s the Saintess up to right now?”

​

A pulse of will swept his senses through the area. The Protection Mark flared, pinpointing her exact location—she hadn’t wandered far. Lin Wei let out a breath of relief and descended gently to the ground.

​

“Oh… she’s distributing food?”

​

At that moment—

​

Yalis, clad in a white skirt trimmed with pale yellow, bustled about, her youthful face still round and innocent.

​

She was small and not especially strong, but with the Holy Maiden’s authority and a heart full of fire, she moved among the refugees with poise and purpose.

​

“Please form a line, don’t worry—there’s enough for everyone! Next, please step forward!”

​

“Thank you so much, Lady Saintess!”

​

The food line was orderly, all thanks to Yalis’s presence.

​

Watching the grateful refugees and seeing Yalis slip so naturally into her role, Lin Wei felt his worries melt away.

​

He waited quietly at the side, letting the line dwindle until it was halfway through before finally speaking up.

​

“Yalis.”

​

“Hm? Oh—Mr. Lin Wei, you’re back!”

​

She looked up, eyes brightening, and hurried over, momentarily abandoning her work.

​

Her white-and-yellow dress gleamed even amidst these grim surroundings. She practically glowed, the center of every gaze.

​

“I haven’t run off, you know. I’ve been working here the whole time!”

​

“Mr. Lin Wei, you have to believe me now—I’m not the type to ignore your orders anymore!”

​

The memory of his last harsh warning still lingered in her heart.

​

It was bad enough that he’d taken her friends on adventures and left her behind; worse still, he’d kept her close, forced to watch but never join in.

​

That… that was the kind of cruelty only a true demon could wield.

​

Even if he scolded her again, she never wanted to suffer that humiliation twice.

​

“Not bad, Miss Saintess.”

​

“As a reward, I’ll take you to see the wilds of the Northern Countries for real.”

​

That she’d stayed put, rather than running off, was genuinely impressive.

​

Lin Wei ruffled her hair, his expression grave yet gentle. She’d earned this praise, and he wouldn’t hold it back.

​

“Are we really setting out again?”

​

“Of course. I’ve already delivered the letter to the Holy See myself.”

​

“If all goes well, when Her Holiness Selena learns the border crisis is even worse than expected, she’ll mobilize resources and send aid to the front—spreading the Church’s doctrine, and easing the Empire’s burden in the process.”

​

When it came to refugees from the Northern Countries, both the Holy See and the Empire shared the same basic policy: refuse them entry, to prevent Collaborators who had sided with the demons from slipping through.

​

The Empire’s approach was blunt—simply bar the gates, and if a riot broke out, crush it with force.

​

The Holy See, compelled by doctrine—and the need to spread Alicia’s glory—was duty-bound to send Clergy to aid the refugees, no matter what.

​

In effect, the Church was helping the Empire stabilize the border. But what else could they do? That was their sacred mission.

​

“But there’s still something I need to clarify before we go.”

​

He’d been so busy delivering the letter and tracking down Afuduo that he’d forgotten to ask about the latest intelligence.

​

With no channels of his own, he couldn’t get real-time updates on the Northern Countries.

​

Fortunately, he had a source right here—saving himself a world of trouble.

​

“Let’s see… City Lord Tawatz?”

​

“Who—Sir Lin Wei!”

​

At the front lines, City Lord Tawatz was hard at work.

​

Ever since Lin Wei had promised last night to let Saintess Yalis report his efforts to his father, the Griffin Duke, the middle-aged city lord had felt a surge of youthful vigor.

​

He’d rushed to the front at dawn, working tirelessly, and was still brimming with energy.

​

Now, seeing Lin Wei wave him over, he hurried across the field, a genuine smile lighting his face.

​

“I heard from Lady Saintess that you were working in your room and didn’t want to be disturbed.”

​

“Are you finished now? How can I assist you?”

​

“I’m urging the Holy See to send more supplies and reporting the worsening border situation. Compared to yesterday, almost twice as many refugees have arrived—and the numbers keep growing.”

​

He squinted at the distant horizon, where more and more figures appeared.

​

Lin Wei turned to him, clearly hoping to tap into the Empire’s intelligence network.

​

“A few hours ago, Miss Iresha set out, but she mentioned demons have reappeared deep in the Northern Countries. Do you have any more details?”

​

“Lady Saintess…”

​

A local Clergy member approached timidly.

​

Lin Wei shot him a questioning look, but Yalis quickly explained.

​

“I went to the Holy See and convinced a lot of Clergy to come to the front lines and help, instead of just praying in the Cathedral.”

​

“We were supposed to work together…”

​

It would take time to gather all the information he needed.

​

Lin Wei nodded, smiling, and sent her off to her duties. With Yalis gone, City Lord Tawatz finally snapped back to attention and answered.

​

“Yes, Iresha’s report came from the Empire’s own sources.”

​

“And after she left, the Coalition Army stationed in the Northern Countries sent word of new developments.”

​

Lin Wei gestured for him to continue.

​

After a moment’s thought, Tawatz resumed his report.

​

“According to the Coalition Army, the demons who invaded the Northern Countries have suffered heavy casualties under our counterattack. Many high-ranking demons, taking hostages, have fled into the great Labyrinths. Thanks to the Adventurers’ Guild, most of them have been hunted down.”

​

“Most hostages have been rescued. What little demon military force remains is hiding, and we’re preparing to root them out.”

​

“But there’s one exception—the Selm Labyrinth. It’s one of the three super-Labyrinths in the Northern Countries, and among the world’s top five.”

​

The name sent a jolt through Lin Wei’s heart.

​

But outwardly, he remained calm, listening in silence.

​

“The problem is, the Labyrinth is so vast and unexplored, and the monsters inside are terrifying.”

​

“The Adventurers’ Guild has only been able to use scouting Skills to confirm that the demons, with their hostages, have gone into the lower levels.”

​

“But we don’t know exactly where, how many, or what the hostages’ condition is. The Coalition can only send small teams of adventurers and elite soldiers to search for clues. A direct assault isn’t an option.”

​

No sane commander would order a frontal assault on a Labyrinth—especially not Selm, a super-Labyrinth where siege engines were useless and the entire place was a monster’s domain.

​

Even a full army would be lost without precise intel—blundering about like headless chickens.

​

If casualties mounted and the enemy found an opening, they’d be slaughtered in the traps and corridors. That would be a flawless victory for the despicable demons.

​

…Wait, why did that feel like an insult aimed at himself?

​

“I see.”

​

But now wasn’t the time to get bogged down in details.

​

Lin Wei nodded, though inwardly he felt a death flag waving furiously over his head.

​

The Coalition and the demons were both heading for the Labyrinth’s lower levels?

​

Could this situation be any more “coincidental”?

​

If he was right, Iresha and the Hero’s Party would be heading there, too.

​

“If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve gone back to the Holy See—I’d have captured those demons on the spot!”

​

“The Coalition, the demons, and the Hero’s Party are all converging on the lower levels… The only silver lining is that the Holy See’s Clergy aren’t involved—unless you count me.”

​

“They shouldn’t find the hidden doors, the resting places of the sleeping Heroes… right?”

​

Yes.

​

All those Heroes he’d subdued and stashed away were still slumbering in that Labyrinth.

​

From the first team, led by the “Dragonflame Hero,”

​

To the “Mirror Hero,” the “Lifebringer Hero,” the “Seer Hero,” and others.

​

Especially the last one—the legendary “Great Adventurer Weiss” and his freakishly talented team.

​

If they’d had more time to grow, even in his Demon Lord days, when he had been invincible in the Demon Lord’s castle, he’d have only a ninety-percent chance of victory.

​

Now, all those would-be Heroes—supposed to sleep for eternity—were at risk of being discovered as the various factions stormed the Labyrinth.

​

If things grew loud enough to alert the Goddess, and she decided to meddle, the whole lot might awaken at once.

​

Time to run.

​

Run to the ends of the earth, no second thoughts.

​

With so many proto-Heroes gathered in one place, the odds of a true Hero emerging were sky high—he’d be a fool to bet against it.

​

“Ahem… In that case, I’ll take the Saintess to the Labyrinth myself.”

​

“The demons are everyone’s enemy—the Empire’s, the Northern Countries’, and the Holy See’s alike. And frankly, I can’t shake the feeling the Cult of the Evil God is involved. It’s all just too convenient, isn’t it?”

​

And that was the truth.

​

For the demons to slip into the heart of the Northern Countries undetected, the Cult had to be involved.

​

Whether to stop the Heroes’ resurrection, as part of his own Honor Knight duty, or for any number of reasons—

​

The Labyrinth was now a must-visit.

​

“If all goes well, maybe we can save all the hostages, too.”

​

“Well then, City Lord Tawatz, I’ll leave the relief efforts to you. I’m heading out—hmm?”

​

A sudden surge of violent energy rippled through the air.

​

It came without warning, like a summer day turning to blizzard.

​

A razor edge of mana, impossible to track, tore through space in a heartbeat.

​

Crack!

​

A burst of compressed light exploded across the square.

​

A shadow leapt high above, blade flashing faster than the eye could follow.

​

But the target wasn’t Lin Wei, nor the Clergy member.

​

No one else even noticed, but the blade was aimed straight at Saintess Yalis’s throat—and a wild, snarling voice split the air.

​

“For the Demon Lord!”

​

“Die, Holy See lapdogs!”