Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

Chapter 619: Chapter 619: Time is a Butcher’s Knife

“You’re saying that those Enchanting Demons happened upon Sicakun’s troops by chance and treated them all as food?”

Emperor Luo Hui’s expression was solemn. The bad luck of the troops he had sent out, encountering such an incident, was truly worthy of immense sympathy and outrage.

“As Your Majesty has said, at present, this is the most likely possibility.

Our armies are mostly male, and the Enchanting Demons’ abilities are particularly effective against males. If another unit were to be ensnared by the Enchanting Demons’ Illusion Magic, what happened that day could very well repeat itself.

Furthermore, according to intelligence gathered by Princess Latis, though Enchanting Demons are considered low-ranking members of the Demon Clan, it seems they grow stronger as they absorb more vitality.

I believe we should locate and eradicate all of the Enchanting Demons as soon as possible.”

No sooner had Liu Qi proposed this than it was met with unanimous approval from the other generals.

Only Emperor Luo Hui of the Luo Ze Empire and National Guardian General Wolishi slightly furrowed their brows. While the appearance of the Enchanting Demons was certainly worrisome, the most pressing issue at present was the war over the Sailuomen Plain.

They didn’t know whether the Enchanting Demons would continue to be active on a large scale or what impact they might have, but every front line was currently secured tight, and it was not feasible to spare a large number of troops to comb the area around Qinghe Volcano.

If they did, the fruits of the war they had painstakingly cultivated might be snatched back by the Subhumans.

Moreover, Wansheng Country would not be likely to cooperate with an investigation.

Qinghe Volcano was a critical part of Wansheng Country, and who knew whether those Subhumans would launch a surprise attack while they conducted their investigation, dragging the search troops into the fray.

Damn it, if only the Enchanting Demons appeared within the controlled regions of Wansheng Country and sowed panic this winter.

Then next year, the war could be brought to an end, and Wansheng Country would be thoroughly subdued, becoming a vassal state to the Luo Ze Empire.

Seeing the Emperor and the Great General remaining silent, Liu Qi twirled a lock of hair that hung over her shoulder with her finger and said:

“Your Majesty, I understand your concerns.

Indeed, undertaking an investigation in these extraordinary times would require us to assume certain risks.

My intelligence department also has a plethora of other matters to investigate.

Diverting some personnel would also slow down our intelligence gathering here.

But we cannot ignore this matter. Therefore, I have a proposal.”

Liu Qi paused, took a deep breath, looked around to ensure everyone present was in the know and that no one was eavesdropping on the meeting, then she spoke earnestly:

“Everyone here should be aware that the Hero has already arrived in our country and is currently adventuring.

I think this would be a great training opportunity for the Hero. We could assign him a female investigation team to delve into the vicinity of Qinghe Volcano and investigate this matter.

At the same time, we can report both the possibility of Enchanting Demon sightings and the Hero’s investigative mission to the overseer sent by the giant dragon.

If the Hero successfully resolves the matter, we could offer him an exceptionally generous reward, furthering our relations with him.

If not successful, there’s no need to worry too much about the Hero’s safety either, with the giant dragon’s overseer watching over him, the Hero and his companions are unlikely to encounter any mishaps.

After experiencing a setback, the Hero is bound to grow rapidly, and we won’t have to worry too much about the advent of the Demon King.

Additionally, after the investigation concludes, we may have the opportunity to make the Hero a strategic asset in our war against Wansheng Country.

Our signed agreement doesn’t include a clause forbidding the Hero’s involvement in the war.

After witnessing the brutality of the Beastmen, I believe the Hero would be more than willing to step onto this stage for growth.”

Using the giant dragon’s interest in the Hero to involve them, thereby controlling costs and risks?

Indeed, a good idea.

Leaning back in his chair, Emperor Luo Hui closed his eyes,

“Let me think on this.”

General Wolishi stroked his goatee, joining the rest of the generals in silently waiting for Emperor Luo Hui to make a decision.

About half an hour later, Luo Hui finally opened his eyes and spoke:

“If I remember correctly, you previously mentioned that the Hero was entrusted with an important task by the Goddess Sect.”

The Hero should now be leading his companions in investigating that matter.

Since that is the case, there’s no harm in having him also take a look into this incident.

Given what has happened, we still need to alert the soldiers at the front line.

If necessary, female Priests capable of dispelling can be equipped to accompany them.”

After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Luo Hui continued,

“Speaking of which, the Goddess Sect has also asked us to investigate the disappearance of some Priests…”

We can also appropriately reveal to them the intelligence regarding the Enchanting Demon sightings.

The Goddess Sect, devoted to chastity, absolutely will not tolerate the existence of such sinister members of the Demon Clan.

I believe they would be quite willing to assist us.”

No one objected.

Soon after, the matter was settled.

With the main topics concluded, the Luo Ze Empire’s military council continued to discuss some minor issues for an hour.

It was only after Emperor Luo Hui formally declared the meeting over that the attendees orderly departed to carry out their tasks.

Among them, as the head of the intelligence department, Liu Qi had the heaviest burden on her shoulders.

Even in her busyness, she made a point to stop by General Walshi’s side, express her gratitude in a low voice,

“General Walshi, please convey my thanks to your Miss.

If it were not for Miss Rosalind, I might not have thought of this possibility so quickly to propose such a plan.

Miss Rosalind is truly clever and lively; it is my great fortune to have made her acquaintance.

If the hypotheses I’ve made are true, I will surely visit in the future. Furthermore…”

Liu Qi handed an envelope to Walshi,

“This is the schedule of the Second Prince, along with an invitation to his banquet.

With so many tasks at hand, I won’t be delivering it to your residence personally.

Miss Jin is exceptionally talented and captivating; all she and the Second Prince need are a few more opportunities to interact.

Please, General Walshi, be sure to cherish the chance your Miss has created for the younger Miss.”

After speaking, Liu Qi left with a meaningful smile, leaving General Walshi pinching the corner of the envelope, his brow furrowed and his expression somewhat dazed.

As a father who had children late in life, he had heard a little about Rosalind and the Eldest Prince.

Being from a powerful noble family, securing a connection to the Royal Family was an opportunity as rare as wishing upon stars. However, Walshi did not feel as happy as he had imagined.

“They used to be so young back then, but in the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and their personalities have changed a lot.”

With memories surfacing, Walshi murmured to himself and tucked the letter into his pocket.

In the past, his eldest daughter had always yearned for a peaceful and tranquil rural life, wasn’t fond of socializing, and was always immersed in her own world. She even said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s not with officials or nobles; even if it’s a beggar, as long as two people truly love each other, there’s no problem…”

But now…

Indeed, time has the power to change a lot about a person.

From when she started to change, Walshi could no longer remember clearly.

But it doesn’t matter, as Walshi himself couldn’t recall exactly when he had gone from a spirited young man to an aging old man either.

Time truly is a butcher’s knife.