Chapter 1412 - 1326: Beneath the Celestial Maiden Palace

Chapter 1412: Chapter 1326: Beneath the Celestial Maiden Palace

Amidst the rushing river sounds, there was a humming of the clockwork turning.

Among dense banana forests and plantations, an iron-clad clockwork paddle steamer was sailing ahead, cutting through the waves.

Sitting at the top floor of the cabin, Horn opened a half window and frowned as he flipped through the intelligence handed over by Cheka.

As for Hilov, unusually she was not immersed in books, but instead enthusiastically watching the rainforest scenery outside the window.

Occasionally, she would stop her gaze at the hydraulic sugar mill workshops on either side, watching the workers carrying sugar water and sugar blocks back and forth, up and down.

Only what she didn’t know was, ten years ago, this place was mostly swamps, small patches of farmland, and barren beaches.

In a decade, with the influx of a large amount of manpower and capital, coupled with the unique climate resources of Black Snake Bay, this place became the largest producer of timber, herbs, spices, and brown sugar for the Holy Alliance.

At the same time, Black Snake Bay is also the area with the fewest national monopoly enterprises within the Holy Alliance, attracting a large number of oligarchs who have doubts about the Holy Alliance.

But these business oligarch families coming from all directions of the empire quickly discovered, something was amiss!

Although Black Snake Bay had numerous private enterprises and workshops running rampant, laws marked by freedom and loose regulation, and provided great political participation rights to the councilors.

Yet when they arrived, they realized it was not like that at all!

Indeed, there were no formal law enforcement institutions in Black Snake Bay, but it had unofficial enforcement agencies!

Gendarmerie responsible for inspection and trial, Cheka for cities, the Saint Father’s Association for rural areas.

Regarding those so-called private enterprises, all of them had backings from Thousand River Valley enterprises or subsidiary enterprises of Holy Alliance’s national enterprises that were friendly to the Holy Alliance behind them.

Not to mention the council seemed to have numerous political parties, but everywhere were Cheka’s pawns.

Along with several important positions and the Speaker himself being from the Holy Alliance, many industries were deeply tied with the Holy Alliance.

Named as a council, it was actually a one-party rule by the Holy Alliance.

Though the law didn’t state you couldn’t do certain things, the Holy Alliance laid down the rules that you couldn’t do them.

If you did, the tax police and gendarmerie could casually find an excuse to send you to prison, directly stripping you of all property, even darker than the Holy Alliance itself.

Upon arrival, many business oligarchs felt as though the sky had collapsed.

Federal politics was simply not like that!

External oligarchs should have more contact and establish connections with local oligarchs, enhancing trust.

Occasionally providing them with key resources or clearing obstacles proactively, then deep cooperation at that core interest point, committing crimes together, sharing spoils together, burying secrets together.

Finally, in an event of exposing a core secret or scandal of a family, propose involvement in politics, agree to form alliances, then use dark means to solve problems.

How could you directly tell me upfront that to build a workshop, I have to raise wages and buy insurance for laborers?

Federal politics was not like this!

They wouldn’t accept it!

So it’s clear, Holy Alliance is openly harvesting the wealth of oligarchs, while Black Snake Bay quietly does so?

No matter how, the resources of these oligarchs thus flowed down from the pyramid’s top into Black Snake Bay, transforming into roads, houses, new towns, plantations.

Each Black Snake Bay student in the three major schools and is Black Snake Bay People, their first choice is the Holy Mechanism Court Pope University, the second choice is the Holy Mechanism Court Draconic Alchemy Academy.

The third choice would barely and reluctantly be the Celestial Maiden City Medical University or Long Embankment City Comprehensive University.

Among the young people of Shattered Stone Plain, New Five Counties, Black Snake Bay, there is always a saying—"even in death, one must die in Holy Mechanism Court."

And Horn and Hilov proactively left Holy Mechanism Court, heading toward Celestial Maiden City.

They came out primarily to meet Red Dragon Cynthia and also bring the complete Ethereal Tower renovation plan and engineering team to Celestial Maiden City.

They mainly took charge of building the ether field clock in Celestial Maiden City, not aiming for full-day supply like Holy Mechanism Court but ensuring half-day or eight to nine hours supply is doable.

Gazing at the never-tiring scenery outside the window for a while, Hilov swayed her tail and walked to sit opposite Horn.

She sat down, propped her chin, tilted her head at Horn, a wolf ear folded, the other hung toward the floor: "What are you looking at?"

"Military deployment and troop movement reports from the Royal Court, along with some personnel changes." Horn still frowned.

Hilov blinked: "Since when could Cheka get hold of such intelligence?"

"Part of it is what they deduced by themselves, and part of it is bought from those clans."

"Such intelligence could be sold?"

"There is a middleman; moreover, recently Serafe is investigating the blank tax ledger case, with no time to bother them."

The so-called blank tax ledger is actually the Royal Court’s local tax institutions shooting the arrow then drawing the target, discovered by Serafe.

Hilov straightened her head: "Then what are you worried about? Isn’t it progressing according to your plan?"

"Not that simple." Horn handed a document to Hilov, "Serafe established a Chief of Staff, also appointed Konyaz as Marshal, responsible for the command of the Chief of Staff as well as all sixty thousand palace troops."

"Isn’t this a very normal personnel move?"

Horn shook his head: "Konyaz has too much power, this is not like Serafe’s style, they are likely unwilling to retreat, probably gearing up for a fight..."

To the female cricket mother, but Hilov was indifferent, she now only had one thought in mind—figuring out where she came from? What was up with the Holy Tree in her dream? And all those unresolved mysteries!

Horn now also put down his doubts, fixing his gaze on Hilov.

Aside from Hilov’s puzzles, he too had questions—why was Cynthia hiding underground? Whom was she evading? Why must she meet Hilov personally before she would speak?

Furthermore, he had a subtle feeling that as a witch, some puzzles around him might also find answers from Cynthia’s mouth.

In the rippling river water, the paddle steamer hurriedly sailed, finally arriving at the dock of Celestial Maiden City by dusk.

Horn and Hilov rushed into a carriage, heading straight to the Celestial Maiden Palace, quickly finished a dinner with curry.

Under the guidance of Ottatila, the two arrived in front of the Underground Palace gates.

Horn waited familiarly, while Hilov perked her ears and tucked her tail, her body trembling slightly.

"Don’t be afraid." Horn embraced her shoulders, "She dare not do anything to you, this time other witches will be coming too, bringing a small clockwork cannon inside.

She dares to act, witches will firstly take you away from the shadows, then there are more witches to besiege her."

Realizing killing this Red Dragon wouldn’t be a tough command for Horn.

"Not scared." Hilov tightened the clockwork on her legs, "It’s just, just kind of complicated."

The mystery of her origin, Serafe’s mystery, even Misera and Lilith, even the origin of this world, are buried in the Underground Palace.

Hilov had imagined her feelings for this moment countless times, but none of those imaginations guessed correctly, because she had too many thoughts running through her mind.

The heavy stone door slowly opened, Ottatila glanced back at the two: "Are you going down now?"

Horn looked at Hilov: "We can come again tomorrow, it’s okay, Cynthia is elderly, less sleep..."

Before finishing the sentence, a distant cold scoff came from inside the doorway.

Hilov took Horn’s hand off her shoulder, hugged it to her chest, swallowed, and raised her head: "Let’s go."

Nodding slightly, Horn was equally at a loss for words, he just lightly kissed Hilov: "No matter what, I love you."

The stone door quietly closed, and the three disappeared into the Underground Palace carrying glowing stone lanterns.