Chapter 557: The Dark Shadow Empire’s Envoys

Chen Rui would naturally not refuse Tetenis’ request to go to the capital. With the reputation of the top leather armor master, Fonsaq, and the top accessories master, Tetenis, the Fallen Angel Empire’s Mechanic Association would definitely surpass the other 2 empires.

The old man initially wanted to teach Chen Rui the memory knowledge inherited from the ancient times, but the important discoveries of the few materials just now gave him a lot of inspiration in the research of black potions. He was about to experiment, so he didn’t force Chen Rui to stay.

Chen Rui walked out of the laboratory and said goodbye to Skye, his wife and others. Before leaving, the eyes of the 2 dark elf girls made him feel a little uneasy. It seems like…

Chen Rui then shook his head. Eve and Alian are a couple of years younger than Alice, and they are only little girls. They usually have too little contact with the opposite sex, so they just have some vague immature feelings. As long as I keep a proper distance, it will be alright when they have seen the world more.

Back at the house, Chen Rui told the latest intel of the Dark Shadow Empire. Athena and Kia both seemed worried. The civil war in the Fallen Angel Empire just ceased, and the foreign enemies immediately coveted them; Delia looked a little dignified. She was the first to get the intel of the Dark Shadow Empire’s envoy, but it was too late. After receiving the so-called “official” news about the mission, the envoy had already crossed Town Walan. The purpose was evident, which was to catch the Dark Moon by surprise.

Roman, Paglio, and Krobelus looked nonchalant. Only Zola said, “The powerhouse’s path is always full of thorns. You will experience countless fierce battles to break through the limit in order to reach the current level. As your woman and an experienced person, I will not be an obstacle in your journey toward the peak stage.”

Paglio had the most experience in the first half of the sentence. He watched this human’s strength take off step by step. After 2 years, he leaped to the level of the peak stage of the Demon Emperor from the Lesser Demon, and he also possessed the transformation ability that was comparable to the intermediate stage of the Demon Overlord’s combat power. This was an unimaginable miracle. The “grand master inheritance” was certainly an important reason, but it was also due to the countless training and battles on the edge of life and death.

The fairy dragon’s voice became louder, “But you don’t need to devote everything to a mere empire. So what if the empire is gone. We can go to another place or escape far away from the 3 empires’ border. If you want Shea or other women, just take them away together.”

Chen Rui didn’t expect that Zola, who had always fake daze, would say this. He knew that Zola still had lingering fears because he had almost died with Obsidian on the battlefield. Although Shea was his beloved woman, the Dark Moon was also a result of his hard work. Nonetheless, his women were not only Shea (strictly speaking, Shea was not counted yet).

“I’m not asking you to run away now, but I’m just saying that we have a way to retreat. My man is not some kind of guy who abandons his comrades and runs away cowardly.” Zola said while looking at Paglio.

“Understood.” Chen Rui nodded honestly with warmth in his heart.

Seeing the demonstrative glance of Ms. Fairy Dragon, the Master Poison Dragon choked with a sip of wine in his throat. What have I got to do with you motivating your own man?

“I also hope that my man will become stronger and stronger, then he can explore and study more higher-level secrets with me such as the silver box…”

Master Poison Dragon’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he patted Chen Rui’s shoulder vigorously, “Prosper together! Develop together!”

Chen Rui looked at Paglio with a weird look. Is the next sentence building a harmonious society together?

In the afternoon of the next day, the Dark Shadow Empire’s envoy finally arrived.

This time it was a man and a woman. The woman was Liliz who came to the Dark Moon with “Isis” to discuss the cooperation last time. Her power was the early stage of the Demon Emperor; the man could also be regarded as Chen Rui’s “acquaintance”, Terdila. He was an intermediate stage of the Demon Overlord whom Chen Rui had fought against in the Mountain Xilang’s Loki incident.

On the Dark Moon’s side, besides “Aguile”, Shea was surrounded by the capital’s Demon Overlords with Stiller as the leader. Sheriff Athena and Financial Officer Chen Rui disguised by Dodo were also there. According to Tetenis, the root cause of Dodo’s mutation was that it devoured the Dragon Power Essence of the red dragon, and the subsequent devil fruit induced and refined the power of Dragon Power Essence step by step. According to this principle, Dodo had great potential.

It was a pity that this slime was timid and cowardly. Now that he was with Chen Rui and others, he didn’t want to make progress at all, but his transformation ability was used to the fullest. With the cover of the secret treasure Evil Blue Tear from Roman’s Belphegor Royal Family, even Demon Overlord couldn’t see through him.

After both parties finished the ceremony, Liliz spoke, “Princess Royal Highness, the Dark Moon and the Bloody Vine Flower Estate of our Dark Shadow Empire have a very good foundation for cooperation. This time, I came by the order of Her Majesty Catherine to discuss with Your Highness about further in-depth cooperation.”

Shea immediately heard the meaning, “It is Catherine the Great, not Bloody Vine Flower Estate?”

“Yes.” Liliz smiled behind her thin veil. “Princess Shea shocked the Demon Realm in the battle of Town Leith Wilderness. This is a classic battle that can be included in the history. Her Majesty Catherine is full of praise for Royal Highness’s heroic strength and tactics. She wants to help Your Highness to smooth out the obstacles within the empire and ascend to the position of the empress.”

“Thank you very much for the kindness of Catherine the Great, but the affairs of the Fallen Angel Empire will be handled by the Lucifer Royal Family, so I will not trouble the Dark Shadow Empire. I will remember this kind intention in my heart as a testimony of the 2 empires going forward hand in hand.”

Terdila spoke with a rather hostile tone, “So, Lord the Dark Moon is going to reject the friendship of the empress of our empire?”

Shea was not an empress now. A lord rejecting the friendship of a great empress was a sufficient excuse to start a war. However, the excuse of war was only a justification. If they really wanted to start a war, they could do so without any reason. Terdila was just taking advantage of the situation.

“Hmph!” Stiller scoffed, faintly exuding the breath of the peak stage of the Demon Overlord, “Are you threatening us?”

In the presence of so many powerful Demon Overlords, Terdila was still domineering, making it clear that he was not afraid of becoming hostile. He represented the powerful Dark Shadow Empire. Once these Demon Overlords dared to make a move, the entire Fallen Angel Empire would be retaliated by multiples.

Chen Rui suddenly thought of the phrase “weak empire has no diplomatic relationship.” Diplomatic relationships were based on the power of the empire family, no matter in which world. Only when one’s own empire was truly powerful could it wash away the humiliation of history, deter the weaker ones, and be invincible on the international stage. The extreme methods would make one become an easy target of manipulation that made the true original intention deviate from the track further and further.

“Our empire and the Fallen Angel Empire have always been friendly and cooperating, and we also signed a peace agreement. How is there a ‘threat’?” Liliz’s expression remained unchanged, “Her Majesty Catherine also ascended step by step from the difficulties, so she naturally understood Princess Shea’s difficulties. Therefore, we came from afar with kind intention, hoping to help Your Highness.”

Chen Rui disguised by Dodo asked a prepared line under Athena’s hint, “What kind of help can Her Majesty Catherine provide?”

Liliz’s eyes were fixed on “Chen Rui” for a while and she replied, “Her Majesty Catherine has begun to stock up heavy troops in front of Tekula Fortress and Town Leia. It can go both ways to assist Princess Shea to control the entire empire by military force immediately in order to successfully ascend the throne.”

Liliz knew that the movements of the army in the territory could hardly be hidden from the eyes and ears of the Fallen Angel Empire, so she simply stated it with a high-sounding reason.

“‘Assist’? This word is used nicely” The real Chen Rui changed his voice and spoke behind the mask, “The Demon Realm has an old saying, there is never reaping without sowing. Then, in return of this “assistance”, what kind of price should we pay? Is it to pay a lot of money? Or to cede some important land?”

“Money and ceding of land cannot be equated with true friendship.” Liliz still had a charming smile. Everyone heard this remark. The cedes of land is not enough indeed.

“In fact, Her Majesty Catherine doesn’t want money or estate rewards, but she hopes to work hand in hand with Princess Shea to deepen the cooperation between both empires, including economic and military aspects. We will strengthen the trade between both empires and reduce the tax rates, promote development…” Liliz said a lot that sounded like a win-win situation, but in Chen Rui’s ears, these benefits contained a lot of prototypes of an economic war. I never thought Catherine actually has such insights.

“As a partner, we hope to get advanced ordnance manufacturing technologies such as the Dark Moon’s soil improvement technology, magic crystal cannon, heavy ballista, and so on. Including borrowing some exclusive talents such as the Sir Financial Officer Chen Rui…”

Liliz obviously came to the main point, and she smiled at “Chen Rui”, “Currently the 2 princes of the Bloody Empire are battling each other in the north of the Iron Fist Estate. After the Princess Royal Highness ascends the throne, Catherine the Great wants your empire from the Warlock Fortress to send troops to help the Bloody Empire quell the internal strife. Of course, the Dark Shadow Empire Army will enter the territory of your empire via Tekula Fortress to assist, and the First General Broc of our empire will also send troops from Jergal Fortress to put pressure on it.”

Chen Rui immediately understood Catherine’s intentions. The first was to obtain confidential technology and talents, and the latter was to seek benefit from the battle between the Fallen Angel Empire and the Bloody Empire. She really doesn’t need ceding of the land, nor does she need to seize the city. As long as the vital power of the Fallen Angel Empire and the Bloody Empire is exhausted, isn’t the lands within easy reach?

Looting a burning house, fishing in troubled waters, instigating fights among other enemies, conniving with us to damage a third party, then turning against us, watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted… There are countless strategies and calculations that supplement each other. Chen Rui lamented that he was incomparable. Judging from this trend, Catherine is determined to take advantage when the Fallen Angel Empire is at its weakest.

Shea and the capital’s Demon Overlords were not fools. Putting aside those economic and trade tricks, everyone could see the sinister intentions of the so-called “cooperation”. Shea immediately refused, “Please forgive that I can’t agree.”

Liliz was not surprised by Shea’s refusal, and she said with a smile, “Your Highness’ reply is too early. Anyway, Your Highness is now the lord of the Dark Moon, and you do not represent the will of the entire empire. If Your Highness does not agree, Her Majesty Empress can get another collaborator who can truly represent the Fallen Angel Empire such as… Sicali. Lucifer who occupies the capital of your empire or another more sincere royal family.”

The intention of the Dark Shadow Empire was very simple. Now the Fallen Angel Empire has no master. If you disagree, my army can invade and support a more obedient puppet to ascend to the throne.

This was a stark threat.

The faces of the Demon Overlords around Shea suddenly changed, and a wave of murderous aura shrouded Liliz. There seemed to be some kind of secret treasure beside Liliz as she still maintained a calm smile with a steady momentum.

Shea was recognized by the Sword of Fallen Angel and defeated Obsidian. She was the recognized heir to the empire. Even if the Demon Overlords had their own plans in their hearts, they couldn’t deny this. The envoy of the Dark Shadow Empire blatantly threatened the future empress of the Fallen Angel Empire now, that was equivalent to threatening the entire Fallen Angel Empire. Furthermore, in the presence of so many Demon Overlords, they were naturally impossible to sit back and watch.

The Dark Shadow Empire was stronger than the Fallen Angel Empire. Especially in this kind of internal friction battle, the Fallen Angel Empire suffered severe setbacks and was pulled further by the other 2 empires. Once these 2 envoys were killed, their last hope would be cut off. The Dark Shadow Empire would send troops that were hoarded at the 2 borders without hesitation. One action could have a massive consequence. Although Stiller and other Demon Overlords were angry, they still did not dare to move.

“What Madam Liliz wants to express is that we have to accept Catherine the Great’s ‘friendship’, even if we are not willing?” Chen Rui pondered for a moment, and his voice broke the increasingly rigid atmosphere.

This sentence was obviously knowingly asking. Liliz smiled and said nothing while Terdila sneered and said, “Sir Aguile, after a hurried farewell at Mountain Xilang last time, I missed sir very much.”

“Oh? I wonder if Sir Terdila’s golden puppet was repaired?” Chen Rui deliberately provoked Terdila. His current Royal Star Transformation power was no longer the same as the past, so he was not afraid of Terdila.

Then only everyone knew that Aguile actually fought against Terdila before, and it seemed that the latter had suffered a lot. However, Terdila didn’t fall for it. Instead, he added, “Sir’s strength is indeed extraordinary. With the God-Eating Mask in hand, I’m not an opponent. But what I can’t understand is why will the master of the dignified Beelzebub Royal Family actually submit to the Princess Royal Highness of the Dark Moon? The phrase ‘we’ just now is used so intimately like there is no feud between the 2 royal families.”

As soon as these words came out, the eyes of the capital’s Demon Overlord all locked on Chen Rui.

The God Eater Empire of Beelzebub was annihilated by the Fallen Angel Empire, and the 2 families could be described as enemies for generations. There had been rumors that Aguile was the remnants of Beelzebub, and everyone only thought it was a rumor.

Now the Dark Shadow Empire’s envoy Terdila personally said that Aguile was the master of Beelzebub who also mastered the God-Eating Mask. Moreover, from the dialogue between the 2, Terdila was defeated by the God-Eating Mask back then, and his Asmodeus Royal Family’s gold puppet was also severely damaged.

The fiance of Princess Royal Shea, the future prince consort of the empire, is actually the master of the Beelzebub Royal Family!

How can this not be shocking? So what is the intention of Aguile. Beelzebub to help Shea like this? What scheme he has? Several quick-thinking Demon Overlords suddenly recalled that the reason Obsidian sanctioned against Shea included “Lost God-Eating Mask fragment”. Could it be…

In an instant, many people began to whisper, and they looked at Shea with a complicated gaze.

TL: The envoys obviously came prepared. How will the diplomatic meeting turn out?