Vincent was stunned at first, then said with a pained expression, "Your Highness, you have actually been in a coma for thirty years. Vincent is my father, and he told me to lead the soldiers to wait for you here..."
Xiao Xun was startled, then playfully punched him.
"You brat, you dare to joke with me. Honestly, how long have I been gone?"
"Seven days, Your Highness."
Vincent put away his playful expression and said with a stern face, "The soldiers find it difficult to endure the weather here and miss Santy Roman."
Xiao Xun pondered for a moment, remaining silent.
"Have there been any leads on what I asked you to find?"
Vincent shook his head in shame, "Not at all. What Your Highness mentioned is too preposterous; we've found nothing in the past seven days."
"What about them?" Xiao Xun asked, naturally referring to Ducal and Giffney.
"They left with the soldiers early this morning," Vincent replied. "The search is still underway, and everyone will lead a team out."
"Aren't Sasha and the others familiar with the map of this area?"
"Sasha said they rarely leave the vicinity of their own tribe and know almost nothing about this area. But it's fine. According to the map Your Highness provided, we've divided the area into twelve large regions for searching. We've already finished three, and results should come soon."
"There's no rush for this, but it must be found," Xiao Xun cautioned. "This is crucial for the further advancement of Santy Roman's technology!"
Although Vincent didn't understand what technology meant, he still nodded, "Understood!"
Back in Santy Roman, when Xiao Xun was present, he had installed many defensive cannons and Ultimate Transcendents in the Fire Shield Divine King Palace. Initially, Sailerpes had questioned the need for them, arguing that if the capital fell, the palace would be lost anyway.
However, she had never considered that the enemy might be within the city.
Many survivors also drove tanks and flew planes from the arsenal, setting up artillery.
Horton hadn't expected that after less than half a year in prison, the technology outside had advanced so rapidly.
For a time, the two sides entered a stalemate.
The massive sounds of artillery left no citizen of Santy Roman in peace.
They were forced to face the situation of fighting their own kin, even fighting shoulder-to-shoulder against enemies one moment, and becoming mortal enemies the next.
Sailerpes had tried using light magic, but it couldn't revert those who had turned into zombies, meaning that once turned, they were enemies.
Riding a black dragon, she soared through the sky, launching indiscriminate attacks on Horton's troops stationed on the city streets.
The black dragon Boldjga spewed flames, filling the entire street with the foul, unbearable smell of burning carrion.
Returning to the Divine King Palace after a circuit, the Prime Minister approached. "Your Majesty, when the capital's sewage system was being built, the old Prime Minister instructed that a secret passage to the outside city be specifically constructed. I found the blueprints on the old Prime Minister's desk. The entrance is not far from us, perhaps..."
Sailerpes frowned, "Have you ever seen a king abandon his people, desert the capital, and flee alone?"
The Prime Minister said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, escaping offers a sliver of hope to return stronger."
"Don't try to persuade me any further. I will not leave."
The Prime Minister sighed, "Alright! I've selected ten men from the Royal Guards to form a suicide squad. They will go through the secret passage to seek help from other dukes."
Sailerpes nodded, "Good. How much longer can we hold out?"
"I'm afraid we can only hold out for a few more days. Much of the food and water have been contaminated. We are now relying on the grain and water reserves beneath the palace."
"When were the grain and water reserves built beneath the palace? How come I didn't know?"
"I recall reporting it to you, and you agreed."
"Did I? Perhaps there was too much to deal with, I forgot."
"This was Prince Svein's idea, and it seems to be very useful now."
Horton watched Santy Roman under the bombardment, his eyes narrowed, contemplating something.
"How much longer do you plan to drag this out?"
Beside him, someone draped in a large cloak approached and stood alongside Horton, their identity obvious.
"Shut up, I know!"
Horton was in a foul mood, showing no mercy even to the envoy sent by the Four Demon Kings. "Stop bothering me, I have a plan!"
"I must remind you, this is the capital, and many people will surely know what's happening. The forces of the five surrounding dukes are already on their way here," the envoy warned, regardless of Horton's bad mood. "If you don't want to lose your life here, take action quickly!"
"I know, stop rushing me, I know!" Horton gritted his teeth. "If I can't take Santy Roman this time, I'll die for you to see."
Horton lifted the tip of his right foot and quickly lowered it. After stomping three times, he suddenly said, "If these people weren't turned into undead, would we have even won by attacking the capital?"
The envoy scoffed, "You want to become the King of Santy Roman, don't you? Would you bear to turn all your people into undead?"
In fact, this was the plan of the Four Demon Kings. After Sailerpes' demise, there would be no effective resistance they could unite against. Horton would lose his purpose as a distraction, making his presence or absence inconsequential.
"Of course, my dear collaborator."
Horton stared at the demon envoy Lapots's cloak, took a sudden step forward, and said, "Population can grow again, but the chance to capture Santy Roman is only this once!"
"As long as you help me!"
"Well said, you have the potential to be a king!" The demon envoy Lapots clapped and laughed heartily. "Actually, you can completely use another power to change the tide of the battle."
"What power?"
"Summoning demons," the demon envoy Lapots said. "Why don't you summon a powerful demon from the void to serve you?"
"But the demons from the devil legions..." Horton was somewhat worried. After all, in his usual impression, those demons were insidious, cunning, bloodthirsty, and utterly uncontrollable.
The unknown was always terrifying.
"Don't worry, with the techniques I'll teach you, those demons will never betray you." The demon envoy Lapots said, "We've come much further than you on this path!"
"Is that true?"
Horton was still somewhat worried. After all, accustomed to undead soldiers who desired nothing and never betrayed, he found demons inherently displeasing.
"If I were lying to you, would there be any point in releasing you from that dirty, smelly dungeon?" the demon envoy Lapots retorted. Horton gritted his teeth, "Fine, I'll trust you this once!"
Thirty minutes later, the demon envoy Lapots quickly left the formation. Behind him, the seductive sounds of a succubus could be heard from Horton's tent.
"Ah... Master..."
"Truly useless trash!"
He cursed fiercely, then vanished from the spot.