Chapter 38: A Special Key
"Are there any Imperial Artifact users within the Revolutionary Army headquarters?"
Terry nodded.
"How many?"
"Most Imperial Artifact users are out on missions. Only one remains at headquarters."
"Ability."
"City-Melting Iron Blade..."
Terry began describing the Imperial Artifact's ability. Once betrayal started, it became easy.
"One person plus two thousand troops, huh. Looks like I'll need to be careful."
Su Xiao roughly understood the situation at the Revolutionary Army headquarters.
"Where is the Revolutionary Army's Imperial Artifact vault, and how do I enter it?"
Terry's head drooped low, as if he were contemplating something.
"I have one condition. If you agree to it, I'll tell you everything I know. I happened to learn these things by chance."
A glint of light flashed in Terry's eyes—something resembling humanity was about to emerge.
"Speak."
"I want money, a lot of money. You're from the Dark Division, so you shouldn't be short on cash, right? Or maybe money is just a concept to you."
"Agreed."
Su Xiao took out a bag of gems and tossed it in front of Terry. Terry let out a bitter laugh.
"I know I'm doomed. These things are useless to me. Give this money to my wife."
Su Xiao's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
'Aren't you afraid I'll kill them?'
"Hahahahaha."
Terry burst into laughter.
"In this world, if I die, what will happen to them? My son is just an ordinary soldier, and my daughter is too beautiful—so beautiful that many covet her. With money, it's different. Only money can solve the problem."
Terry's face twisted in anguish. He hated this world, hated this unfair society.
"Agreed."
Su Xiao simply replied with two words.
"I don't quite trust you."
Su Xiao was taken aback.
"You have no choice. My patience is limited."
"Fine."
Terry began recounting what he knew. He was a good father, but not a good soldier. Since ancient times, loyalty and family could not both be upheld—you gain something, you lose something.
Terry abandoned his convictions for his family. That was human nature, nothing shameful.
"I'm just a small leader. I don't know anything more."
"That's enough."
The Dragon-Slaying Flash appeared in his hand. Moonlight illuminated the blade as it sliced through the night sky, and a spray of crimson blood erupted.
"Lina..."
Terry collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his throat.
The night was deep. In this long-unvisited primeval forest, a fine drama had unfolded.
Su Xiao picked up the blood-stained bag of gems. From start to finish, he had only struck one blow—killing Terry.
Terry's strength was too weak. No treasure chest dropped, only 2 Mana Points were gained.
Stepping out of the primeval forest, Su Xiao began looking for gaps in the patrols.
Half an hour later, a dark figure darted out from the forest, timing it perfectly with the patrol shift.
Thirty seconds later, the patrols around the ancient castle increased.
Su Xiao crouched on the castle's rooftop. This castle was at least forty meters tall.
Sneaking in through the main entrance was impossible. Su Xiao scanned the area below and soon spotted an open window.
Taking advantage of the night, Su Xiao climbed the castle's outer wall like a gecko. After confirming the terrain inside the window, he flipped in.
This was a corridor. After checking the floor, Su Xiao headed toward the staircase.
The Imperial Artifact storage was in the basement. Forcing his way in was out of the question—the noise would alert the Revolutionary Army inside the castle. He had another plan.
Su Xiao's current situation was actually very dangerous. If discovered, he would be surrounded by the Revolutionary Army.
In the corridor, Su Xiao suddenly stopped. He kicked off the wall beside him, leaped up, and grabbed a chandelier on the ceiling.
"How's your sister-in-law lately? She's about to give birth, right?"
"You little brat, there's still two months. Don't stay single forever. I've noticed Tess from logistics giving you the eye. You little..."
A burst of laughter came from a six-man patrol team.
The patrol soon passed through the corridor. None of them noticed the person five meters above their heads.
*Crack.*
A faint sound echoed. One patrol member looked up suspiciously, but ultimately found nothing.
At that moment, Su Xiao was sprinting down the staircase. The chandelier had made the noise due to age, but luckily, he had reacted quickly.
Arriving on the third floor of the castle, Su Xiao sensed whether there were guards in the corridor.
The corridor was silent. The patrol had just passed through. The Revolutionary Army headquarters was tight on the outside but loose on the inside.
Su Xiao moved silently through the corridor, like a spirit of the night.
"Room thirteen, room fourteen... here."
Su Xiao stopped in front of a door. A short piece of hemp rope and two finger-length steel wires appeared in his hand.
*Click, click, crack.*
The door swung open. Su Xiao slipped into the room.
"Who's there? In the middle of the night?"
A lazy female voice came from inside, sounding young.
Su Xiao dashed toward the source, pouncing onto a large bed.
"Mmph~."
A short, muffled sound emerged. Su Xiao pressed a pillow over the head of a petite figure.
The small figure was clearly terrified, struggling violently under the blanket.
Understandably so—a girl sleeping soundly, waking up groggily in the dead of night, only to be pinned down. Not crying was already a sign of strong mental fortitude.
After struggling for a while, the woman under the pillow went still. Su Xiao lifted the pillow. He couldn't let this woman die.
He checked her breath. She wasn't dead.
Pale moonlight streamed into the room. The unconscious girl had delicate features and a petite frame.
She looked about seventeen or eighteen, but her height was only around 1.4 meters.
Su Xiao took out a syringe of anesthetic and injected her. Hoisting the girl over his shoulder, he began sneaking toward the Revolutionary Army's basement.
Arriving on the first floor of the castle, the guards here were noticeably more numerous. Several guards stood watch at the main entrance.
Torchlight illuminated the first floor brightly. Su Xiao carried the half-naked girl, evading one guard after another.
From the staircase on the first floor, he moved to the far left side, where the stairs led to the basement.
Su Xiao pressed his index finger to the ground, sensing the situation below.
"One, two, three... twelve guards, huh."
Forcing his way in was clearly not an option. Even if he killed them one by one, a single shout from any guard would ruin everything.
Su Xiao put on a gas mask and, after sensing the airflow, poured a bottle of black liquid onto the ground.
*Hiss~.*
A cloud of white smoke spread out. This was also an anesthetic, but different from the one used on the Northern Prince.
That one was odorless and tasteless but slow-acting—unsuitable here. If one of the twelve guards with a weaker constitution collapsed first, the others would immediately be on alert.
This one was faster-acting but had a pungent smell.
"What's that smell..."
*Thud, thud.* One after another, the sounds of bodies hitting the ground came.
After waiting a minute, Su Xiao walked down the steps. Soon, a massive metal door appeared before him.
To quickly destroy this metal door, he would need an explosive of immense power. Otherwise, he could only enter through normal means. But those normal means were absurd—the key to opening it wasn't a key.