The Prerogative

“Thirteen: Yesterday, a fox-tribe woman was seen inquiring about you around York Town, claiming to be your girlfriend! Old Eight sent men to shadow her, but they discovered she acted suspiciously and likely employed a highly sophisticated Art of Disguise…” The script on the letter was strong and forceful, clearly penned by Adelman, the influential figure of York Town. The language used was a cipher known only to the thirteen power brokers of York Town, including Du Chen himself!

“That night, the fox-tribe woman didn't stay at an inn but camped on the edge of the Misty Forest. I intended to seize the opportunity to ascertain her true identity, but to our dismay, we arrived too late! The fox-tribe woman had vanished without a trace, though a few tufts of fox fur remained at her campsite. Nearby, several low-level Aberrant Beasts were found dead from sheer terror, and all of Old Eight’s men dispatched to monitor her had their heads severed and hearts gouged out! My deduction is…”

There was no need to read the rest of the deduction; the enigmatic fox-tribe woman was, in all likelihood, Princess Susanna McAllen, who had miraculously escaped! And her disappearance was, in all probability, the doing of the Saint Baton Family!

It was conceivable that Susanna, after escaping the Grand Canyon, had been forced into hiding, yet she remained unaware that Du Chen had manipulated her. Still considering Thirteenth Master an accomplice in tomb raiding, she had come to York Town seeking Du Chen's help!

However, Susanna had also ventured into the Auerbach Grand Canyon. Lacking Deboning's exceptional power to resist curses, and without Du Chen's Holy Light to cleanse all evil forces, she naturally couldn't evade the Saint Baton Family's relentless pursuit! The Saint Baton Family likely possessed a Secret Technique to detect those cursed by the Beast Emperor’s Seal, thus, even with her Art of Disguise, Susanna was immediately apprehended the moment she showed her face in York Town, a hub teeming with various factions!

The Saint Baton Family had already made their move. Aside from the Daobet who had been irradiated by Holy Light, Susanna was the sole survivor of the tomb-raiding party, yet even this lone survivor had not escaped the curse's influence!

If Susanna was captured alive, then Thirteenth Master himself would be next!

Heh! Bring it on. This old man is ready!

Du Chen's thoughts then shifted to Philip and that enigmatic organization. Had they, too, fallen victim to the curse? Theoretically, it seemed unlikely. Philip himself was an Undead Battle God, and furthermore, a genius alchemist specializing in anti-plant-based research; even if cursed, he could probably break it with ease, right?! And what about Brockman, that ‘capable’ fellow?

While Du Chen pondered Philip, Philip himself...

Within a gloomy palace, Philip slumped in a chair, his already bloodless Undead face now a terrifying ghastly white. Before him, two rows of strangely shaped figures stood to his left and right. Brockman occupied the chair to Philip's left, but the chair to Philip's right remained conspicuously empty.

“Alas!” Philip sighed deeply, asking despondently, “Still no news from Rogliff?”

Brockman nodded. “Yes, ever since Ted and Helen, father and daughter, conspired with the nine-star Divine Pet Sulan to assassinate Lord Rogliff on the Arcania Continent three months ago, I've sent four additional teams to support Lord Rogliff, but we've been utterly unable to apprehend Ted and Helen again!”

“Useless curs!”

Philip roared in furious indignation, slamming his monstrous right fist, which had fully recovered, onto the floor. With a thunderous ‘BOOM,’ the diamond-hard ground cracked apart.

“Send one more detachment to Rogliff! If he still fails to apprehend Ted and Helen this time… he needn't bother returning!” Philip's massive right arm trembled slightly, and his expression reverted to one of somber gloom.

Brockman knew precisely why Philip was displeased. His life's work – the Composite Aberrant Beasts – had just demonstrated their terrifying, ultimate power, only to be effortlessly snatched away by a single word from another! How could Philip not be suffocating with frustration?! He counseled, “Lord Philip, while the Composite Aberrant Beasts have vanished, the twenty Crimson Mausoleum Guards proved with their lives that your Undead Project was a complete success. This alone demonstrates that your wisdom and efforts were not in vain!”

“Alas, both the Undead Battle God and the Composite Aberrant Beasts are the culmination of my life's work! Damn it, who *is* that person!?” Philip clenched his massive fist. “Why has another mysterious Battle God, wielding such terrifying Holy Light, suddenly appeared?! Damn it, the Battle God on Mount Tianshan could be traced through his alliance with Flaying and Deboning, but this individual hasn't left me a single clue! Their Holy Light attributes are essentially identical, suggesting they originate from the same source. I honestly hope they are the same person, because if they aren't, then the power of their organization is truly terrifying!”

This was the deeper reason Du Chen had switched to flying with ‘The Sixth’ at that time. Philip had seen the three lotuses on the Qian Trigram and was familiar with their aura. If Du Chen had flown using the Qian Trigram Lotus Platform, Philip would likely have immediately connected it to the Battle God who instantly killed him on Mount Tianshan, then to Flaying, and subsequently to the Yessar Church…

However, by switching to ‘The Sixth,’ Philip's perception was constrained. It wasn't that he lacked intelligence, but rather that people of the Battle God World simply couldn't conceive of one person being able to emit two Holy Lights of differing essence yet identical attributes!

Another reason Philip couldn't connect the dots to Du Chen was that although Andy had reverted to his Snow Wolf form, he differed from both his former ‘Fat Wolf’ and ‘Handsome Wolf’ incarnations. Philip did know that Du Chen had acquired another Divine Pet named Andy, but this ‘new Andy’ was the discarded, composite Aberrant Beast Pamir’s body, remade through fusion. Naturally, he wouldn't be identical to his previous forms — especially in terms of strength and intimidating aura!

“Enough. Let's move on. The reason I've summoned you all here today is to inform you of something important!” Philip forced himself to rally, his expression brightening somewhat. “As Lord Brockman stated, in the Auerbach Grand Canyon, my Undead Battle God experiment was proven by the twenty Crimson Mausoleum Guards to be a resounding success! While it only enhances the power of an Undead Battle God by twenty to thirty percent, the converted Undead Battle Gods are absolutely obedient to commands! Therefore…”

As Philip spoke, nearly everyone in the palace began to grasp the implications, and a buzz of excited whispers filled the air, brimming with eager anticipation!

Philip raised a hand, signaling for silence, and stood up proudly. “Therefore, the Undead Battle God Project is a success! The Marshal has decided to launch the project ahead of schedule!”

“Victory is assured!”

“Our shame shall be washed away in blood!”

The palace erupted in fervent passion, as if years of suppressed emotions had finally found their day of release!

“The precise operational plan has already been discussed by the Marshal and us lords! In essence, it's four words: Wage War to Sustain War!”

Philip let out a booming laugh. “Of course, our current forces are insufficient, and logistics cannot yet sustain a protracted war! However, we possess the seeds of the Undead Battle God. Once hostilities commence, as long as we secure victory in the first battle, the fallen Battle Gods of our enemies will provide us with an endless supply of soldiers – Undead soldiers requiring no logistical support!”

He grinned ferociously, immensely proud of the Undead Battle God Project conceived by his own hand. “For us, the initial phase of the war will undoubtedly be arduous, as our numbers of Undead soldiers will be few. But as long as we endure a few battles, our forces will swell with each victory, and our enemies' soldiers… Oh, their soldiers will become *our* soldiers!”

“Haha! To have our enemies supply us with soldiers, Lord Philip, your genius conception truly inspires awe and admiration!”

The people in the palace applauded in unison, not out of flattery, but from genuine praise and exhilaration!

Philip's triumphant smile was unsettling. “This is a long process, but it begins today. I declare that ‘The Prerogative’ Project, conceived and planned by countless ancestors and comrades over decades… commences!”

Amidst the cheers, Philip turned to Brockman, who remained silently contemplative. “Lord Brockman, what troubles your mind?”

Brockman, startled, mumbled a response, then smiled as he regained his composure. “I merely worry that ‘The Prerogative’ Project might be launched a bit prematurely. After all, while the Undead Battle God Project has succeeded, the Composite Aberrant Beasts and Eminence Project have not yet fully come to fruition! And the other remaining projects are far from perfect…”

“Perfection does not exist in this world. We have already accomplished more than enough, far more than our adversaries, and that is sufficient!” Philip gazed at the fervent crowd below, then suddenly lowered his voice, speaking into Brockman's ear: “We Outsiders can never truly comprehend the sentiments of their native people. They have been suppressed for far too long; they can wait no longer! Especially the Marshal; he is already two hundred and thirty-seven years old. This elder wishes, in his lifetime, to no longer witness newborns of his clan drowned alive due to frailty and the inability to be allotted precious resources…”

Brockman sighed, muttering, “Lord Philip, please issue your command!”

“Excellent. You are the leader of the vanguard army's clandestine agents, and your thieving prowess and mastery of the Art of Artifact Annihilation are unparalleled in this era. Now, the first phase of ‘The Prerogative’ Project has a mission that only you can undertake!”

“Thieving prowess…” Brockman felt a prickling sensation on his face, reminded of the mysterious thief in York Town who had stripped him bare!

“What is the mission, my Lord? Please command!”

“Battle God Isle!”

“Battle God Isle?” A figure flashed through Brockman's mind. “Francis should have returned to Battle God Isle by now, shouldn't he? Could it be…”

Philip shook his head with a smile. “Francis is not yet our mortal enemy – at least, not until he learns *that* truth, he won't fight us to the death. So, he is not your primary target… However, if you can ascertain his true intentions while you're there, all the better!”