Guests Converge for the Death Row Feast

With their objective set, Helen's cold, enchanting eyes slowly swept across Saint Bovin Square—should their operation encounter any unforeseen complications, this square would become the most chaotic location, the very epicenter of the impending crisis!

Saint Bovin Square, situated in the Imperial Quarter of Saint John City, sprawled for over a thousand meters in circumference. At its heart stood the towering statue of Saint Bovin, and radiating outwards from this central monument, Lanning's principal government institutions formed a protective ring around the square's perimeter.

To the north lay the Palace of Versailles, and to the south, Saint John Cathedral—the formidable strength of these two establishments needed no elaboration. The west housed the Imperial Capital Security Command, garrisoned by the Imperial City Watch and the outer Versailles Guards. While lacking the presence of truly powerful Eighth or Ninth-rank Battle Gods, their overwhelming numbers compensated for this.

On the eastern side of Saint Bovin Square, the central, scales-shaped, silver-white building among a row of structures represented their objective: the Lanning Department of Rites Tribunal. And deep beneath this Tribunal lay the Death Row Cells! Sulan had just confirmed that it housed at least three hundred high-ranking Battle Gods and Battle-Warriors!

Helen withdrew her gaze, a cold smile touching her lips as she indicated key points on the terrain. "Father, Sulan and I will carefully infiltrate through the underground. Please wait near the Imperial Capital Security Command on the western side. Should anything unforeseen occur, Sulan's friends will incite a warhorse stampede within the Command, and the ensuing chaos will aid our escape!"

Having concluded their strategy, the two women and their beast companion found a secluded corner to once again alter their appearances. Helen and Sulan then linked arms and melted into the earth, while Ted, disguised as a common Imperial citizen, meandered casually towards the Imperial Capital Security Command, seemingly sightseeing.

Elsewhere.

Hawkins lay silently concealed behind the pointed gable of a civilian dwelling. Despite his metallic armor, not a single sound betrayed his presence. Beside him were four elderly Beastkin in crimson robes, among them the Ape Elder, leader of the Crimson Mausoleum Guards, whom he had seen during the battle in the Auerbach Grand Canyon!

The Lanning Tribunal was a mere hundred paces away!

Creaking open, the main doors of the Tribunal parted, and Ilan emerged, leading a contingent of over a hundred guards. Their heavy footsteps echoed with a rhythmic thud, yet without any extraneous noise, before they swiftly entered the Palace of Versailles!

With an arrogant sneer, Hawkins remarked, "Elders, Arch-priest Kirilan has already helped us divert some of the guards. Stupid humans always assume we Beastkin are incapable of strategy; they are the truly foolish ones!"

The Ape Elder calmly replied, "Is this not excellent? Precisely because humans underestimate our Beastkin wisdom, they fall into traps more easily! Hasn't His Majesty and the Saint Baton Clan Head been subtly concealing their true capabilities for years, all for a moment such as this?!"

Only Hawkins chuckled, lightly waving his hand. "Then, according to the original plan: Elders, assist me in using the Beast Emperor's Unyielding Wall to directly pierce through the wall and enter the core of the Death Row Cells! You will neutralize the remaining guards, while I personally apprehend Steve. Afterward, my McAllen Royal Emissary contingent will cover our retreat!"

Their chosen path was to penetrate the very walls!

In a third location, Old Foye ambled along, leaning on his cane and exchanging greetings with commoners. Almost simultaneously with Hawkins' move, he arrived at a secluded alleyway. "Ah, old age catches up to you eventually," he sighed, "these old bones and limbs are truly useless now..."

As if lamenting his aging body, Old Foye's white robe suddenly dropped to the ground, and in the very next instant, his figure vanished from the spot as if into thin air!

The guests had nearly all arrived, and the grand feast within Lanning's Death Row Cells was about to commence!

...

Du Chen hastily pulled Porter back to Saint John Cathedral. Upon hearing the news, Ferdinand's purple brows twitched. Without a word of wasted breath, he immediately departed for the Imperial Palace in his capacity as Lanning's Godfather, intent on personally meeting the Beastkin envoys to ascertain their true intentions!

In a side hall, Porter curled up on a soft chair, resembling a sleepy kitten. She held a sweet fruit from the platter in both hands, nibbling it in tiny bites. Occasionally, her small tongue would dart out to blissfully lick the lingering sweetness from her lips. Her adorable demeanor made one want to reach out and playfully nip at her, while also drawing Du Chen's peculiar gaze.

"Hey, do you know your gaze is really strange!" Porter mumbled, her cheeks puffed out, the sweet fruit still between her teeth.

"I think *you're* the strange one!" Du Chen retorted, snatching the sweet fruit from Porter and taking a bite himself.

"Hmph..." Porter drew out her displeasure, casting a sidelong glance up at Du Chen. She crooked a finger, waiting for Du Chen to obediently return her sweet fruit. Once it was back in her hands, she cupped it to her mouth and happily, contentedly declared, "Don't snatch it again! As your Canine Strategist, I need to eat lots and lots of things to replenish my brainpower..."

She took two more bites of the fruit, then mumbled, "Personally, I feel the focus this time isn't just a Beastkin envoy contingent, but a *Royal* Beastkin envoy contingent! Do you understand?!" With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the fruit back to Du Chen.

Du Chen bit into it. "Royal? I understand..." Suddenly, his heart gave a jolt, and he exclaimed urgently, "Dus just sent me a message! Something's happening with Big Brother!"

Porter slightly raised her head and pushed up the glasses on her nose!

With no outsiders nearby, Du Chen listened intently through his Divine Sense. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he relayed Dus's message to Porter: "The Death Row Cells are in utter pandemonium! Three minutes ago, Ilan led more than half the guards into the Palace of Versailles, but immediately after, five immensely powerful Battle Gods suddenly appeared in the Death Row Cells. One of them is a Ninth-rank Battle God or higher, and the other four are all Eighth-rank, and they seem to be employing a Combined Assault Formation!"

Porter removed her glasses, gently polishing them. "And then?"

The sharpness in Du Chen's eyes intensified, his voice growing colder as he continued listening and narrating: "Four of them have subdued the remaining guards, and that Ninth-rank Battle God is trying to capture my Big Brother! But suddenly, two individuals burst forth from underground, engaging him in a fierce struggle and blocking his path. One of them is also Ninth-rank, the other slightly less powerful... The four Battle Gods holding the guards at bay simultaneously used a Secret Technique to isolate sound, seemingly to avoid alarming the guards... Damn it! How dare they touch my Big Brother?! They're courting death!"

In a furious rage, Du Chen slammed his fist down, shattering the table. He ripped off his long robe, revealing a black, form-fitting battle suit, and barked, "Deboning, come with me! Porter, you oversee things here!"

Porter suddenly leaped from her chair, her slender arm blocking the enraged Du Chen. "Wait! Are you going to protect Steve, or use this chaos to rescue him?!"

"Nonsense!" Du Chen exclaimed. "If I rescue Big Brother now, he'll become a fugitive unwelcome in his own country—his future would be ruined! Porter, what are you doing?!"

Porter's hands danced, swiftly but gently securing Du Chen's battle suit and attaching numerous items to him. Her voice was equally gentle. "It seems you haven't been entirely blinded by rage! The fighting hasn't alerted the Tribunal yet. If you just rush in like that, how will you explain your 'pre-knowledge' of the situation in the Death Row Cells?"

"I'll alert the Tribunal guards first, let them discover the unexpected situation in the Death Row Cells, then I can legitimately follow them in!"

"If you do that, after capturing the enemies, they'll belong to Lanning, and you won't get a single word out of them!" Porter said, gently pressing a mask onto Du Chen's face. "Go after you've disguised yourself! Here, I've prepared you; I guarantee no one will recognize you!"

After getting Du Chen ready, Porter donned a mask of his own, taking on Francis's appearance. He smiled faintly, spreading his arms and twirling around. "You and Deboning go covertly. Aliza and Beibei will stay with me. If the fighting alerts the Tribunal and causes chaos in Saint Bovin Square, 'Francis' will immediately rush to the square with his daughter and brother—that would be the most logical scenario!"

Du Chen paused for a moment, then heartily tapped Porter on the head, chuckling, "Truly worthy of being my Canine Strategist! Deboning, let's go!"

Porter clutched his head with an 'Ouch!' and grumbled, "Big oaf, you're going to knock me silly!" He pouted and added, "Be careful, don't overexert yourself! If things don't go your way, make a huge scene, draw in the Tribunal guards and Versailles Guards, then fish in troubled waters!"

Du Chen had already vanished. Porter, busy with his own preparations, cocked his head in thought. "Harry," he called out, "send a carriage out of the city, marked with Brook's seal! Oh, and when you return, please bring me three packs—no, make that five packs of sour plums!" He splayed out five fingers!

Having completed all this, Porter clapped his hands, then curled back onto the soft chair, munching on a sweet fruit held in both hands. His gold-rimmed glasses slid to the tip of his nose, and his large eyes blinked as he stared at the square outside the window. Suddenly, he slapped his forehead forcefully. "I really *was* knocked silly by Francis!" he exclaimed, hastily leaping up and rushing out the door...

"Harry! Six packs!"

...

Utilizing the miniaturized Lotus and the path previously provided by Ilan, Du Chen and Deboning stealthily infiltrated Lanning's Death Row Cells.

The underground Death Row Cells comprised nine levels, structured according to the severity of the crime. Steve was confined to the deepest, Ninth Level, constantly guarded by over a hundred watchmen, as he was the Empire's foremost high-profile prisoner. It was precisely such stringent security that, during Du Chen's previous visit, he could only rely on Ilan's Prerogative.

However, on this return visit, the guards on the deepest levels were noticeably fewer. As Du Chen reached the passage between the Eighth and Ninth Levels, Deboning suddenly waved his hand. "Young Master, wait a moment, that's the Auerbach Hurricane Array..." After a moment of closed-eye sensing, he stated with certainty, "Indeed, I witnessed this Secret Technique firsthand during the battle in the Auerbach Grand Canyon. Inside, it's definitely the Beastkin's Crimson Mausoleum Guards!"

He pointed out several locations in the passage to Du Chen. "This Hurricane Array is identical to the Beast Emperor's Unyielding Wall, both powerful Secret Techniques that create a vacuum by evacuating elemental energy. This entrance is now sealed by a vacuum Hurricane Array, which both silences sound and prevents outsiders from entering! If we rashly proceed, we'll likely fall into the Hurricane Array's trap!"

"Beastkin?" Du Chen's face darkened as he surveyed the empty passage, consulting Dus through his Divine Sense. He spoke aloud, "There are currently seven enemies inside in total. Four are collaboratively using a Secret Technique to control the guards—they must be the Crimson Mausoleum Guards. The other three are two women fighting one man, and the man has a slight upper hand... Alright, we'll use Old Sixth to drill directly through the wall, bypassing the Hurricane Array, and burst in! Remember, my Big Brother's safety is paramount! Capturing the Beastkin for interrogation is only secondary!"