Chapter 355: Ambush

The seven grand duchies had gathered at a secret meeting place in the Sakamimir Valley. Although the seven grand dukes had formed an alliance to fight Brettel City, they did not trust each other enough to try to hold this meeting in one of their duchies.

In the end, the seven grand dukes decided to gather their armies in a neutral location, the Sakamimir Valley. Most of the soldiers temporarily camped on the plains outside the valley, while the seven Grand Dukes and their most elite experts gathered in the centre of the valley.

Warm, pleasant sunlight bathed the flowers and plants that grew on the slopes of the valley. In the centre of the Sakamimir Valley, a simple tent had been erected on a flat spot next to a stream. Inside, seven grand dukes were secretly negotiating while their subordinates stood by their sides.

If an accident were to happen here, the seven grand duchies would suffer a fatal blow. So not only were there numerous knights guarding the tent, but the tent itself was covered in magical barriers to protect the seven grand dukes inside.

The points of contention within the tent were who should lead the allied army, what checks and balances should be put in place, and how they should share the spoils of war. The years of warfare between them had left many grudges on the battlefield. This sudden new threat forced them to leave their differences unresolved, so there was bound to be some conflict.

Helen Tina of the Duchy of Helon had been feeling extremely agitated lately, and it showed; she was not as beautiful as she used to be. She was clearly very haggard. The news of her being violate had spread like wildfire among the seven grand dukes. Helen Tina had become an object of ridicule overnight. Moreover, anyone who saw her would have a strange look in their eyes. These looks made Helen Tina itch.

Moreover, Benedict Sackville of the Duchy of Narsen, who had originally been a reliable ally, had grown distant since the news had become public. Even now, after meeting Benedict Sackville here in person, he was noticeably less attentive than before, offering her only a polite greeting.

Helen Tina understood the root of the problem. However, since Han Shuo had really captured her and imprisoned her in Brettel City for a few days, even if she had a hundred mouths, she wouldn't be able to explain her innocence. During that time, the arrogant Helen Tina had also suffered a lot from those strange looks from others. Even some of the citizens of the Helen Empire thought that the tainted Helen Tina was not fit to be a grand duke.

If it hadn't been for her merciless and bloody methods in suppressing the rebellion, killing nine rebellious nobles in a row, she might have lost her status within the Helen Duchy. Now, in the midst of the meeting of the seven duchies, Helen Tina was once again treated with neglect.

At the time, Benedict Sackville was involved in a dispute with Alec Ambridge of the Duchy of Bavenden. The crux of the matter was the distribution of the spoils of war. Specifically, Alec Ambridge wanted the six magic crystal cannons in Brettel City, which were worth six hundred thousand gold coins. He fought relentlessly for the right to take all six.

Benedict Sackville had originally purchased these six magic crystal cannons for Helen Tina from the distant Brut Merchant Alliance through his secret channel. Therefore, Benedict Sackville believed that these six Magic Crystal Cannons were rightfully his, and he put his foot down, refusing to compromise in the slightest.

Suddenly, Helen Tina, who'd handed over six hundred thousand gold coins for the cannons in the first place, was completely forgotten. In the past, Benedict Sackville would have pursued Helen relentlessly, no matter what the cost. But now he'd reversed his position and was actively trying to recoup his losses.

Helen Tina's heart grew increasingly anxious as she watched the dispute between the other six Grand Dukes unfold. Unconsciously, her thoughts began to wander back to what she had become intimately familiar with over the past year or so - Han Shuo's utter ruthlessness. Comparing the six guys in front of her to the memory of that ruthless tormentor, she faintly felt that these six guys droning on in front of her were far from real men.

Instead, the image of Brettel City Lord's ruthless and demon-like eyes kept reappearing in her mind. She had a feeling that the six grand dukes in front of her had no way of defeating the ruthless Lord of Brettel City.

The population of Brettel City wasn't even a hundred thousand. Not to mention the other six grand dukes, even the Helen Duchy alone had the military strength to defeat her target. Now that the alliance of six grand dukedoms was about to advance towards Brettel City, she truly had a ridiculous thought. Even Helen Tina herself felt that it was absurd to believe that the allied troops would be defeated.

"Duchess Helen, what do you want from Brettel City?" Grand Duke Randy Allard of the Duchy of Bonton politely walked over to the almost statuesque Helen Tina.

Awakening from her contemplation, Helen Tina thought silently for a moment before her red lips moved and she said softly, "I only want the life of the Lord of Brettel City. However, victory may not be as easy as we think. I have nothing to back up this assertion but instinct, but I feel it to be true."

"Haha. Grand Duchess Helen, you must be very tired. We will surely win with the army of the seven grand dukedoms allied together. Even the Lancelot Empire, soaring with glory and prestige, was easily defeated by us that day. But now you're saying that one shabby little Brettel city will be able to stop our advance? That's ridiculous! Hahaha, After you were captured by that city lord, your courage seems to have been broken as well. Am I wrong, Grand Duchess Helen?" Alec Ambridge overheard the conversation and broke in abruptly. His sneer made no attempt to hide his contempt, and he burst out laughing at Helen Tina.

Normally at such moments Benedict Sackville, who'd just had a heated argument with Alec Ambridge, would have spoken up for Helen Tina. But he was unexpectedly silent, even nodding his head slowly. It was apparently the first time he'd agreed with someone who had just been his enemy.

Helen Tina felt only a cold feeling in her heart as she looked at the man who had repeated over and over again that he would take care of her until he died. She had a sudden urge to laugh.

"I'm a bit tired. You can continue the discussion." Helen Tina stood up wearily and spoke to the other six Grand Dukes before going out alone.

None of the six Grand Dukes urged Helen Tina to stay. Instead, Alec Ambridge waited until she was gone before he snorted, "It looks like she's been defeated in bed by the new city lord's skills. She can't even comprehend the current situation. Hehehe I really don't understand how someone could have been so stupid in the past to pursue her relentlessly."

"Who are you talking about?" Benedict Sackville roared as his temper boiled over. The mad pursuit of Helen Tina was now his greatest disgrace. He wouldn't let anyone off the hook for insulting him in this way.

"Hehe, nothing, nothing!" Alec Ambridge had unexpectedly found that teasing Benedict Sackville was a rather pleasant thing to do. Seeing him explode in anger was particularly gratifying, especially since he had not been able to win the battle for the magic crystal cannons.

On the plains outside the valley, in one of the tents set up by the Duchy of Helon, Helen Tina's calm face disappeared. Her heart slowly sank to a new low.

"Helen? What's wrong, why are you unhappy again?" Inside the tent, a high-ranking Super Beast named Firewind transformed from a phoenix into a beautiful woman dressed in red before pouring a cup of tea and handing it to Helen Tina with both hands.

"Sister Firewind. Could it be that being a virgin is so important? Why is it that after I came back from Brettel City, everyone seems to dislike me?" Helen Tina sighed at Firewind.

"Helen, why would you say something like that? That Bryan did nothing to you, he just blackmailed you to get a million gold coins. That's all." Firewind looked at Helen Tina in astonishment and asked confusedly.

After putting down the teacup Firewind had given her, Helen Tina sighed again and said with annoyance, "But everyone believes that the affair really happened and I basically have no way of explaining it.

"Just ignore them. They're just a bunch of nobodies. As long as you know that you have done nothing wrong in your heart, everything will be fine. What's the point of arguing so much?" Firewind continued to persuade Helen Tina, saying, "If that guy wasn't so powerful, I'd have killed him for you by now.

"Don't say such an outrageous thing. He is not someone we can beat. Otherwise, I wouldn't have formed an alliance with the other seven dukedoms. Helen Tina was suddenly alarmed and hastily persuaded Firewind not to act rashly. Soon after, she shook her head and laughed bitterly before saying, "Sometimes I can't help but think that if that guy had really raped me, he might have taken care of me. But I know that's just a fool's dream."

"How can you say such a thing? He is your worst enemy. Not only has he blackmailed you into giving him a million gold coins, but he has also released such disgusting information. We must find a way to kill him and claim your innocence. Firewind said hatefully.

Sighing again, Helen Tina helplessly replied, "Even if we kill him, I still cannot prove my innocence. This Brettel City Lord is not only sinister, but his strength is also extraordinary. I don't know why, but I feel like he's always around. I seem to be getting really confused.

Looking at Helen Tina's worried face, Firewind sighed in her heart as well. She really did not know how to comfort her.

Ever since Helen Tina left Brettel City and returned home, she'd had to deal with everyone's sceptical looks, mockery, and ridicule. In the past, when Helen Tina was in the Duchy of Helon, she was considered a true living goddess. Now, however, she has become the butt of the nation's jokes and has truly fallen from grace. For the moment, Helen Tina had no way of adjusting to the sudden change. Even her usual smile had practically disappeared due to an overwhelming amount of depressing anguish.

It's all because of that Bryan, I have to help Helen kill him! Firewind secretly thought in her heart.

Han Shuo was standing on a dirt mound, five kilometres away from Helen Tina's tent. Through a Yin Demon, he was able to hear Helen Tina's conversation with extraordinary clarity.

"That bitch still owes me six hundred thousand gold coins. Now that I'm counting the days, it's about time I got the rest of the money." Han Shuo muttered to himself. Moving his head and looking in the direction of Helen Tina, Han Shuo began to stealthily move towards the Sakamimir Valley.

A Yin Demon left Helen Tina's tent and gradually approached Han Shuo. Together, they advanced towards the Sakamimir Valley. When they were almost at the central tent, Han Shuo concealed himself with the earth elite zombie and hid in the depths of the earth. Only a Yin Demon could sneak around the central tent area.

The six grand dukes were still inside the tent. They had gone to great lengths to secure the tent. All sorts of magical enchantments had been crammed into the area. Even after half a day of exploring the area with the Yin Demon, Han Shuo came to the conclusion that he had no way of approaching the area silently.

It seems all I can do is wait for them to leave. These guys have really taken defence and security to new heights. The enchantments don't just cover the sky, they've even protected the ground beneath. They have even stationed the main army of seven grand duchies around the tent. Not even a legion of undead could wipe them out. They are truly a group of men who are not afraid of death. Han Shuo thought secretly in his heart. He hid motionlessly in the depths of the earth while the Yin Demon continued to snoop around the area.

After about an hour and a half, the six grand dukes came out of the tent with dissatisfied expressions on their faces. It seemed that the negotiations had not yet reached a conclusion, and that the operations to defeat Brettel City would have to wait for another day or two. Only when everything was in order could they move forward.

All six Grand Dukes had their experts at their side, on full alert. This was an excellent opportunity for an assassination. So each of them brought experts from their dukedoms. In addition, each of the dukes also had the aura of a formidable powerhouse protecting them.

In fact, there were definitely some who would participate in shady deals and secretly betray others if the opportunity arose. This kind of thing had happened in the previous meetings between the seven grand duchies. That's why they had all become so cautious and solemn.

Han Shuo hid in the deepest parts of the earth with no intention of secretly killing anyone. Instead, he waited until they had all left the valley before finally following one of them slowly under the cover of night. The target was the staging area of Alec Ambridge's army from the Duchy of Bavenden.

The dead of night. It was truly the perfect time to do something stealthy.

Although Grand Duke Alec Ambridge had come here to attend a conference, he had obviously not forgotten to pack for leisure. Inside a magnificent tent erected in the midst of his vast army, Alec Ambridge pushed a female knight, known for her amazing figure, onto a table. His hands moved to remove her armour from behind, leaving only her bare buttocks high in the air.

The female knight was spread out on the table, her fine black hair falling down her back and accentuating her cheeks. Such a perfectly moisturised, plump and round bottom. She was truly fit for Grand Duke Alec Ambridge's conquest!

There were actually two other men in the tent. They each wore a sinister expression and were both great swordsmen. In fact, the two men watched Alec Ambridge's lewd celebrations with indifference and familiarity as they grabbed their longswords and coldly surveyed the area.

Alec Ambridge moaned happily in high spirits. After releasing his seed and feeling the pleasure emanating from his lower abdomen spread throughout his body, suddenly felt as if the ground beneath his feet was shaking a little too much.

Due to the momentary pleasurable dizziness, Alec Ambridge did not pay too much attention to the change in the ground beneath his feet. But when a sharp pain shot up his leg, Alec Ambridge suddenly screamed in alarm, grabbed the female knight he was still mounting and threw her under his feet.

"Puuuu..."

Beneath the floor, sharp weapons easily penetrated the famous knight, causing her to twitch in reaction. Her mithril armour, renowned for its durability, was easily pierced as the weapon didn't slow down, stabbing deeper with the same force.

Terrified, Alec Ambridge felt the pit of his stomach go cold. Despite the painful wound on his left leg, he turned and hobbled towards the exit of the tent, shouting loudly, "Assassin! There's an assassin!"

The two great swordmasters inside the tent had rushed over before he had even used the female knight as a flesh shield. The two experts unleashed two dazzling rays of silver light that mercilessly fell upon the barely alive female knight.

After the silver swords pierced the female knight, the two men retreated. They roughly tossed the body, now riddled with gaping wounds, to the side and carefully looked down into the hole. The hole was about the size of a human arm. It seemed that the attack had probably come from this arm-sized hole.

"Damn, wasn't the ground covered with a protective rock barrier? How come there are still people who can attack me?" Alec Ambridge frowned at his mutilated left foot and said, "Luckily I managed to react in time, otherwise I'd definitely have died today. That damned earth mage actually dared to laze around. I want him dead!"

One of the Great Swordmasters replied with a darkened face. "Your Grace, the protective rock barrier below us is still there, but the enemy is extremely powerful. The piercing power of his weapon exceeds the protective power of the rock barrier. This guy is definitely not an ordinary expert. Fortunately, Your Grace is fine. However, we still don't know who would want Your Grace's life."

"Who could it be but that damned Benedict Sackville! All I did was taunt him with a few words, but he actually sent people to attack me at night. This man really deserves to die!" Alec Ambridge shouted before stepping outside the tent and shouting again, "Priest! Damn it Priest, get the hell over here! One of my legs is about to be crippled! I spend so much gold on your wages, but when I'm in trouble, you can't even speed things up a bit?"

During Alec Ambridge's tirade, Han Shuo, who had just failed the assassination attempt, left in sorrow. Even the tunnel formed by the Earth Elite Zombie had quickly filled up again.

Han Shuo had originally intended to kill Alec Ambridge outright, but who would have thought he would be so heartless? He'd unexpectedly grabbed the female knight he'd just screwed and sacrificed her to block a deadly attack at the critical moment. Luckily, Han Shuo had connected with the Yin Demon on his way out and heard Alec Ambridge's statement that Benedict Sackville was suspected. In the end, Han Shuo's goal had been achieved and he didn't think about any more reckless actions. This night could be considered a success.