The Loyalty Pact

Thomas slowly closed the chamber door. He neither summoned his Retainers for aid nor extended the grand courtesies befitting Brockman’s arrival. Instead, he simply sat before him, an icy stillness in his demeanor.

“Receive me? Are you jesting, my lord? I, Thomas, am indeed a Violet-Blood, but when Bonis gathered five million Violet-Blood elites for that final war, my ancestors unfortunately weren't among the chosen. Hmph, they weren't destined to sink into the ocean alongside Bonis! My forefathers eventually drifted to the Three Continents, enduring endless persecution from the Red-Bloods! And I… I was even raised by Red-Bloods! So tell me… must I truly respect you, a Councilor of the Supreme Council?”

The words were harsh, yet Thomas’s expression held little genuine hostility.

The other party was a Violet-Blood. In the current climate, a Violet-Blood might not be a friend, but they were certainly not an enemy!

A man beside Brockman sharply rebuked, “Audacious! Your Excellency Brockman is the Chief Councilor of the Nine-Tailed Supreme Council, and currently the Vice-Commander of the Violet-Blood Undead Legion! His rank is second only to Marshal Bonis, Grand Speaker Philip, and the three Hereditary Elders! Thomas, even if your ancestor were to be resurrected…”

So, Brockman had not only advanced to Tenth-rank but had also become the fifth most powerful figure among the Fiendkind, wielding immense authority… If Du Chen knew, he would undoubtedly think, *Eminences like him are always more satisfying to manipulate!*

“Enough, Syngh, allow me to speak!” Brockman chuckled. “Indeed, you need not respect me, nor even obey Marshal Bonis! But, my lord, you cannot deny one fact—the blood flowing through your veins can turn purple!”

“So what?” Thomas’s eyebrow twitched.

“As Violet-Bloods, we have a premise for further discussion, don do we, General Thomas? Given the current situation, do you believe Thornwood Valley still has a way out?”

Thomas fell silent. In truth, if not for Ted's stubborn resistance and Dud’s unwillingness to engage in street fighting, Thornwood Valley would have long since fallen! And while Thomas could escape through secret passages on the day Thornwood Valley was annihilated, what satisfaction would there be in fleeing alone? Power, wealth, status—the second-in-command of Thornwood Valley couldn't bear to lose these!

“Just say what you mean directly. I, Thomas, am not unintelligent. Thornwood Valley is now a Dead End. I have no leverage to haggle with you, only to accept or refuse!”

Brockman smiled elegantly, a soft laugh escaping him. “General Thomas is indeed a shrewd man! My purpose is simple—I offer you and Thornwood Valley a way out. In return, you shall lead Thornwood Valley to obey the Supreme Council and assist Marshal Bonis in completing the great resurgence of the Violet-Bloods!”

Thomas scoffed. “I have two points. First, Francis currently besieges Thornwood Valley; what power do you possess to rescue two hundred thousand Thornwood people? Second, Valley Master Sena is on the verge of death, and I may inherit the Valley Master’s position at any moment. So… what identity would I assume upon joining the Supreme Council? I, Thomas, dislike being a powerless lapdog!”

Brockman smiled. Thomas was clearly swayed by the situation, yet still clung to the lure of power.

“If you agree, from this moment, Marshal Bonis shall bestow upon you the title of General of the Eight-Tailed Thorns Legion, along with a seat on the Supreme Council. The two hundred thousand residents of Thornwood Valley shall remain your subordinates. Concurrently, Grand Speaker Philip will augment your forces with two hundred thousand Undead troops! Upon the success of our great resurgence, you may freely choose a territory on the Three Continents no smaller than today’s Lanning, to found your own state!”

Thomas’s eyes suddenly gleamed.

Brockman answered the other question with a knowing smile. “As for how to provide you and Thornwood Valley a way out… Thornwood Valley itself cannot be preserved, but we have already established a forward base within the Labyrinth of Life. You can lead the Thornwood Valley residents there to temporarily reside, while also collaborating with our impending resurgence efforts!”

Thomas curled his lip into a smile. “Two hundred thousand people from Thornwood Valley—can you really relocate them all at once to the Labyrinth of Life?”

Brockman did not answer directly. Instead, he turned to a figure beside him and commanded, “Syngh, demonstrate our capability to General Thomas!”

A figure stepped forth from behind him. Upon seeing this individual, Thomas's heart involuntarily trembled. Syngh possessed an extremely bizarre appearance. To put it crudely… you could call him Undead, for indeed, his skin was rough and rotting, his flesh a bloody mess. Yet, did the Undead typically sprout giant dragon wings from their backs? And if you claimed he was a Dragon Clan Undead, then… Syngh also had a tail trailing behind him, at the end of which was a miniature figure eerily resembling Syngh himself, as if a tiny version of him grew from his body!

Perhaps Du Chen, if present, might recall certain “Heh-gakka” creatures, but Thomas had never encountered a Huhuhu Beast. He could only wonder inwardly, *What species is this Syngh!?*

“General Thomas, do you recognize this?” Syngh said hoarsely, pulling a piece of bark the size of a pot lid from a satchel on his back.

Thomas exclaimed, “That’s Life Tree bark! You, you cut it down?”

Syngh grinned hideously, his mouth suddenly splitting wide enough to accommodate the bark. *Crunch, crunch*, he devoured the Life Tree bark whole, in a bizarre and terrifying spectacle!

Thomas was utterly dumbfounded. “What, what kind of power is this!?” Eating a Life Tree? Heavens! Fortunately, he hadn't argued with them, out of respect for their Violet-Blood status, otherwise…

Brockman seemed quite pleased with Thomas’s astonished expression. He explained solemnly, “Years ago, a horde of ferocious beasts calling themselves Huhuhu Beasts attacked the Subterranean Abyss. These beasts could reproduce by fission, boundless and formidable! They inflicted heavy casualties upon the Subterranean Abyss, so much so that even Lord Philip’s Undead Legion found it difficult to resist. However… Lord Philip diligently discovered that the Huhuhu Beasts’ power originates from the positive aspect of the Life Tree, while the Undead Legion’s power stems from the negative aspect… So, my lord, what do you suppose would happen if these two forces were to collide?”

Thomas pondered for a moment, then stated firmly, “Detonation!”

“Precisely! The clash of Undead and Life would, under normal circumstances, inevitably lead to an explosion! So, in the initial stages of the Huhuhu Beast attack, both the Undead and the Huhuhu Beasts suffered from the explosive collision of these two powers; neither gained an advantage! However, the Undead require corpses for transformation, but the Huhuhu Beasts’ bodies exploded into smithereens upon death, making it impossible to replenish the Undead Legion’s forces! Yet, the Huhuhu Beasts could reproduce by fission, so the longer the war dragged on, the more disadvantaged we became, almost to the point of losing even the Subterranean Abyss…”

Brockman burst into laughter. “But Lord Philip, with his unparalleled wisdom, coupled with the cooperation of the Life Tree, finally solved this dilemma!”

“Now, whether a Huhuhu Beast consumes an Undead, or an Undead consumes a Huhuhu Beast, a new species is born—the Netherbeast! Though Netherbeasts cannot reproduce by fission, they also do not require constant feeding to survive, unlike Huhuhu Beasts! While they lack the Undead’s ability to infinitely proliferate corpses, they also do not fear Holy Light-type natural enemies! One could say, Netherbeasts combine the strengths of both Huhuhu Beasts and the Undead, yet discard their weaknesses, forming a powerful new race!”

*Wham!* Brockman abruptly slapped Syngh’s peculiar body.

“Not long ago, Marshal Bonis personally led his army to capture the Holy Scion Green Gourd of the Huhuhu Beasts. That Green Gourd was truly colossal; Lord Philip’s twelve most exceptional Undead warriors ate for three full days just to consume it! And then… the twelve strongest Netherbeasts were born, known as Nether King Beasts! Syngh is one of them, possessing the Green Gourd’s infinite ability to devour the Life Tree, sufficient to assist you with the migration!”

Indeed, if the Green Gourd could guide millions of Huhuhu Beasts through the Labyrinth of Life back then, what difficulty would twelve Nether King Beasts face in evacuating two hundred thousand Thornwood people?

Thomas suddenly asked with surprise, “Netherbeasts are a brand new species. How do you guarantee that they will obey us Violet-Bloods!?”

Brockman slowly retrieved two small vials, one blue and one red, from his robes. “This is Lord Philip’s latest research—Heaven’s Tears! The red is the parent body, the blue is the child body. Before the Undead Legion deploys, Lord Philip mixes his own blood with the parent body, then stirs it with the blue child body, and gives it to the Undead to drink. Thus, the Huhuhu Beasts killed by the Undead, and the Netherbeasts transformed from them, become entirely under Lord Philip’s control!”

Thomas nodded, a peculiar expression dawning on his face.

Brockman concluded, “After all this, General Thomas, what is your answer? The Huhuhu Beasts are now in full retreat, their numbers sharply diminished by the Netherbeast Legion! The Supreme Council will soon annihilate all Huhuhu Beasts, turning them into livestock specifically for breeding Netherbeasts! Our great resurgence of the Violet-Bloods is about to commence. Will you not join us, who command the Netherbeasts!?”

…

Thomas smiled. “Please, Councilor, explain the migration process in detail!”

Brockman also smiled. “Thornwood Valley itself is one of the Heavens Beyond Heavens within the Labyrinth of Life. From today onwards, Syngh and two other Nether King Beasts will begin devouring the bark beneath Thornwood City. Within half a month, they will certainly excavate a massive tunnel capable of instantly migrating two hundred thousand people! And what you must do is hold your ground for half a month, ensuring our plan remains undiscovered!”

“Half a month?” Thomas frowned. “God-General Dud will likely not grant me half a month!”

“Heh-heh, I can offer you a solution!” Brockman said confidently. “I know Francis outside very well. Although he possesses some intelligence, at his core, he’s still a naive boy—indecisive and soft-hearted in his actions…”

Was this Du Chen? Uh, Brockman had thought so ever since Du Chen first sold him. And in the subsequent series of sales, such as the ambush at Mount Tianshan, Du Chen had always acted ruthlessly behind the scenes while appearing benevolent upfront, never giving Brockman a chance to change his mind!

Thomas understood Du Chen even less; his knowledge of Du Chen came solely from Zigurd’s accounts—that of the world’s foremost Philanthropist and exceptional student! He nodded. “There’s some truth to that! Just now, the observation post on the city wall reported that someone in the enemy army wanted to butcher captives, but Francis furiously intervened and publicly swore not to kill them! Moreover, the other day, Dud had an opportunity to sweep through Thornwood Valley in one fell swoop, but Francis, out of concern for his soldiers, forced Dud to retreat… From this perspective, Francis does not seem to be a ruthless individual!”

“Precisely!” Brockman chuckled. “We can exploit Francis’s soft heart, his fear of excessive casualties, to buy as much time as possible…”

The two conferred in secret for a while, then burst into hearty laughter together.

Brockman suddenly stood up. “Legion Commander Thomas, receive your orders!”

Thomas knelt with a resounding thud. “Your subordinate is present!”

“The matter of Thornwood Valley’s migration has been settled, but before that, the Supreme Council entrusts you with a grave responsibility!” Brockman declared sternly, “Ted and Helen have betrayed the Violet-Bloods. The General must execute them before the migration, as a Pledge of Allegiance!”

Thomas paused, stunned. It was reasonable for the Supreme Council to test his ability and loyalty with a minor task before a major plan. But killing Ted…

Ah, he understood! The Supreme Council's consideration was this: Ted held a deep-seated hatred for Bonis. If Ted learned of Thomas’s return to the Violet-Bloods, he would certainly be displeased and attempt to obstruct their plans. Therefore, Thomas needed to eliminate this obstacle before the grand scheme!

*Good. I never liked Ted anyway. Their father-daughter pair will serve as my Pledge of Allegiance to the Violet-Bloods!*

However, Ted currently commanded ten thousand Imperial Guards. To kill him… Thomas needed to carefully deliberate his strategy!

…

Du Chen summoned Adams and Aliza to his tent. He first mediated their conflict, which was surprisingly easy to resolve. Aliza, that naive child, didn't even understand what it meant to hold a grudge, and Adams was simple-minded; a few words from Du Chen nearly led him to kowtow and become sworn brothers with Aliza. Thus, the internal conflict dissipated.

Next, Du Chen inquired about the Twin Bloodline.

Adams said resentfully, “Enlightened One, this matter is truly strange! Since our family’s genealogy records began, every generation has unfailingly produced twins, one with an earth attribute, the other with a water attribute.”

Du Chen mused inwardly, *Interesting! If I could acquire this method of producing twins in every generation… Heh-heh, how amusing would it be to have a litter of twins with Xue Ji!*

Adams continued, “Furthermore, our family’s Secret Technique is also tailored to these two attributes, called the Mountain-Ocean Art! And the Mountain-Ocean Art is divided into two parts—the Green Mountain Rift and the Azure Tsunami! Due to the elemental clash of water and earth, no one in our family has ever been able to cultivate the entire Mountain-Ocean Art simultaneously; only one person can cultivate one half. However, our family’s secret tradition states that there is one way to cultivate the Mountain-Ocean Art to its highest realm: by slaying the twin brother who cultivates the other half of the Mountain-Ocean Art, and draining his battle qi!”

Du Chen was greatly astonished. What kind of family Secret Technique was this? Wasn’t this encouraging fratricide among descendants?

“You and Brockman chasing each other down—was it all for cultivating the Mountain-Ocean Art?”

Adams nodded. “Exactly. I killed Brockman once, and Brockman also killed me once. But we were both saved by Third Master and Philip respectively, and to this day, no one has managed to master the Mountain-Ocean Art!”

Adams gave two bitter laughs, then continued, “Killing a brother isn’t difficult, but there’s another reason why no one in our family has mastered the Mountain-Ocean Art for a thousand years: the Twin Bloodline—our family’s twin brothers seem to share some sort of mysterious link. If one advances, the other will inevitably follow suit shortly after. Thus, each generation of twin brothers possesses roughly equal strength; neither can truly kill the other, making it extremely difficult to determine a victor!”

Du Chen mused, *This Secret Technique is even more vicious than the Wind-Snow Thorns. Fratricide isn’t enough; it also ensures their strength remains balanced, perpetuating eternal mutual slaughter…*

But if one advances, the brother also advances…

*Wait a minute!*

Du Chen naturally recalled Arthur’s sudden Surge in Power. Could Phil have given birth to twins back then? Are Francis and Arthur brothers, and do they also possess this Enigmatic Link?

Upon careful consideration, Du Chen’s heart suddenly trembled—*Indeed!* Arthur’s every advancement had occurred after his own strength increased. The most recent instance was in Emerald City; at that time, he had acquired Green Cloud and the Invisibility Cloak, but not long after, Arthur suddenly became an Eleventh-Tier Divine Realm powerhouse…

However, then he reconsidered. *No, that’s not right.* Twins are usually identical in appearance. While he and Arthur both had golden hair and blue eyes, no one had ever mistaken them for each other. This proved that Francis and Arthur’s appearances still had many differences; at least, they were definitely not similar in the way twins are!

Du Chen's forehead throbbed with a dull ache as he asked, “Adams, does the Twin Bloodline exclusively manifest between twin brothers? I mean, is it possible for distant relatives to also share a Twin Bloodline connection?” Francis and Arthur were both descendants of Wolf, and thus could be considered distant relatives sharing the same blood!

But Adams shook his head. “This bloodline only appears between twins. Distant relatives… it has never occurred!”

Du Chen was not content and pressed further, “Then what were your ancestors’ names, and what was their status during the Fallen Gods era?”

Adams scratched his head. “Our family’s genealogy only records up to twenty years before the end of the Godslayer War. The initial two ancestors were twins, one named Segh, the other Torman. Before that… our genealogy has no record, and we descendants are completely ignorant!”

Segh, Torman—these names were far too common, like the John Does of Du Chen’s previous life, making them utterly untraceable! Du Chen asked several more questions, but Adams could barely answer any, constantly shaking his head.

With so few clues, Du Chen had no other way to further investigate his and Arthur’s relationship. He could only make a mental note of the matter. The next day, Dud, who had been inspecting overnight, finally returned, and with one sentence, he made Du Chen cast aside all other trivial concerns!

“Godfather, Dud has found a way to conquer Thornwood Valley without losing a single soldier!”

Du Chen’s eyes flashed with brilliance. “How much casualty will your method cause the civilians of Thornwood Valley!?”

Dud stated calmly, “The lives of the two hundred thousand Thornwood residents are entirely within Dud’s grasp. It merely depends on how many Godfather wishes to kill or spare; Dud will fulfill Godfather’s every desire!”

Du Chen abruptly stood up. If anyone else had uttered these words, it would be sheer boasting! But coming from Dud’s mouth, it meant he had truly seized control over the life and death of every person in Thornwood Valley! “Tell me your method!”

“As you command!” Dud’s voice was deep and resonant. “Last night, Dud observed the surrounding terrain of Thornwood Valley. Thornwood City is situated within a Heaven Beyond Heavens, enveloped by the Life Tree, with an outer layer of bark, and beyond that, a thousand miles of snowy mountains. The main entrance, a cliff face, presents an open road! Godfather, if I gather all the sacred artifacts within the army, supplemented by Andy’s martial prowess, we can shatter that lifeline cliff in mere moments! At that time, the wind and snow will surge into the perpetually spring-like Thornwood Valley, triggering a climatic anomaly. Though the valley’s military and civilians will not freeze instantly, they will be unable to withstand the sudden climate change, rendering them incapable of further combat!”

Du Chen fiercely rubbed his nose. “You intend to… ice over Thornwood City!?”

“Precisely! Does Godfather approve this plan!?”

Du Chen smiled, just about to speak, when a frantic cry echoed from outside, “No! You absolutely cannot blow up that cliff!”

Du Chen and Dud turned to look. Xue Ji, her face etched with fury, stormed into the tent, still holding a bowl of hot soup. Xue Ji had personally prepared a pot of soup for Du Chen and was just about to bring it to him when she overheard their military discussion. *Thud!* Xue Ji angrily slammed the soup bowl onto the table. “There’s a Divine Emperor’s Tomb on that cliff! It must not be easily damaged!”

Dud’s expression beneath his iron mask was unreadable. He turned and stepped back, not refuting his adoptive mother. Du Chen, however, frowned slightly, feeling a trace of displeasure. *Isn’t Prince merely a scientist who perished from his own research? And you’re giving your fiancé such an attitude, smashing dishes, all for the tomb of such a person… and it’s only a cenotaph, a false grave at that!*

However, this displeasure was fleeting. Seeing the soup Xue Ji had personally prepared for him, Du Chen felt a warm sensation spread through him. He said softly with a chuckle, “Don’t worry, as the Papal Curia’s Godfather, I wouldn't dismantle a Divine Emperor’s Tomb. I’ll relocate the Divine Emperor’s Tomb before we act.”

Xue Ji’s expression finally softened. But Dud stated calmly, “Speed is paramount in warfare. Given the capabilities of the General I fought the other day, if his spies discover us relocating the Divine Emperor’s Tomb, they will inevitably deduce my entire plan! If we must move the grave, it would be better to abandon the plan! Godfather, please decide which path to take!”

Dud had no intention of stirring discord; it was merely straightforward military advice, and indeed, it was logical! Yet, these words made Du Chen frown deeply!

“Xue Ji, Dud is also considering the well-being of our soldiers. How many lives will we save by destroying a cenotaph?”

Xue Ji stubbornly shook her head. “But we, as descendants of Fallen Gods and God-bestowed nobility, absolutely cannot damage a Divine Emperor’s Tomb!”

The two exchanged arguments, calmly at first, but somehow, the discussion regarding the Divine Emperor’s Tomb escalated into whether Divine Scion nobility should respect Divine Emperors. Following that, the disparity between the Divine Princess and the “hooligan” grew increasingly wide, their tones becoming more heated, until their debate finally erupted into a full-blown quarrel!

How many times had they argued? Was this the third, or the fourth?

Dud, a man of the military, was utterly helpless in domestic disputes. He stood holding his halberd, awaiting the outcome of their quarrel so he could make the most appropriate military decision. However, the servants outside, hearing their argument, hurriedly gave orders, “Quick, go find Young Master Anya and Miss Beibei! At times like these… only those two can calm down the Master and Mistress!”

It seemed their quarrels had become so frequent that the servants had gained experience in dealing with them!

But before the servants could find the two youngsters, a soldier outside the tent shouted, “Miki Duchy’s Queen Liana arrives!!!”