The winter night was exceptionally quiet. Under the illumination of the streetlights, large snowflakes continued to fall. A dead branch by the roadside, weighed down by the snow, snapped and fell to the ground with a soft thud.
Wen Wen followed behind Boyerov, holding a bottle of vodka and taking occasional sips. Although his physique didn't require alcohol to ward off the cold, snow days just felt better with vodka.
It was already midnight, but the area around the Ceremonial Center was still brightly lit. At this hour, there would usually be sparse pedestrians and street vendors selling traditional White Bear snacks, but tonight there was nothing. Due to Wen Wen and Boyerov's operation, everyone in the vicinity had been evacuated. It was far more convenient to have them leave now than to erase their memories and soothe their emotions afterward.
The timing of this operation was also deliberate. The Ceremonial Center was too crowded during the day. Part of the White Bear Forbidden Palace was a tourist attraction; Emperor Weitu even had to buy a ticket to enter. Blocking it off during the day would have caused too much disruption.
Boyerov walked ahead, his large boots making soft crunching sounds on the ground, a slightly grating noise, like fingernails scraping on tin. He held a bottle of White Bear's specialty beverage, with an alcohol content of seventy-two percent, and had no interest in the vodka Wen Wen offered.
Not only had the people near the Ceremonial Center been evacuated, but the White Bear Forbidden Palace was also virtually unguarded. The soldiers usually stationed at the entrance had all been given a day off. Tonight, the Kremlin Ceremonial Center would be a paradise for thieves, but if they truly came to steal, this place would undoubtedly offer them a surprise. The monster in the abandoned palace, once its abilities were activated, would affect all life within a five-kilometer radius without discrimination. Facing the creature up close wouldn't result in a significantly different intensity of attack compared to being one or two kilometers away.
The two entered the White Bear Forbidden Palace unimpeded. In the inner layers of the palace, Wen Wen encountered a fully armed squadron of over a hundred knights. These knights were all mounted on enormous polar bears, and each exuded the aura of a superpowered individual. While most were not particularly strong, the sheer scale of a hundred individuals was somewhat astonishing. They were the guards of the White Bear royalty, still carrying out their duties even after the change in regime.
The leading knight, urging his giant bear forward, dismounted beside Wen Wen and Boyerov. The other knights galloped away, disappearing from Wen Wen's sight.
"I am Klimy, captain of the White Bear Guard. I will be accompanying you throughout this operation."
Boyerov shrugged at Wen Wen and said, "After all, this is their ancestral home. Everyone has been evacuated so you can catch the monster, so someone has to keep an eye on the place."
Wen Wen smiled at Klimy, exchanged some pleasantries, and together they proceeded to the deserted abandoned palace. After traveling about seven hundred meters, the three arrived at a desolate courtyard. The buildings within the courtyard had collapsed, and a pile of snow, two to three meters high, occupied the center. A circle of barbed wire surrounded the courtyard, and the wire appeared to be electrified.
Klimy drew his thin sword and, with a few gentle swings, cut an entrance for them to pass through. He then smiled at Wen Wen and Boyerov, saying, "I wish you success. I will wait for you here."
"Generally, as soon as you enter this barbed wire, you might be affected by the monster. Once you enter the courtyard, the monster will awaken, but it might not necessarily do anything. Only when it truly feels threatened will it launch a area-wide attack." After speaking, Klimy had his polar bear lie down, and he reclined on the bear's belly, his back turned to the courtyard. Sultan Novel Network.
Wen Wen glanced at Boyerov and then stepped into the courtyard. Boyerov whispered to Wen Wen, "That guy is actually afraid of making a fool of himself, which is why he's staying outside. Me? I'm afraid of nothing." Although Boyerov spoke softly, Klimy heard him clearly. However, he was not provoked by Boyerov's words and continued to recline comfortably on the bear's belly. The sensation of that creature, only those who had tried it knew.
The two passed through the barbed wire and walked another ten meters to the courtyard entrance before stopping. Wen Wen extended his senses and discovered that the only life reaction nearby was within the snow pile, suggesting it was Wen Wen's target. Wen Wen tentatively took two steps forward; there was no reaction. He then picked up a long stick and poked the snow pile.
After the snow pile shook twice, a long sigh was heard. "Alas... my Great White Bear Empire is finished... finished..." Wen Wen's scalp tingled slightly upon hearing this, and he retreated back to Boyerov's side. "This is the former emperor of the White Bear Empire. You call this a remnant of the past dynasty?" "Also, this is an elder of Emperor Weitu, right? If I capture him, won't Emperor Weitu inject me with his bloodline..." Wen Wen truly did not wish to provoke any more Cataclysm-level powerhouses without reason. As for the emotion of grief, finding other substitutes would be just as effective, at most the effect would be slightly diminished.
"Don't worry, it's not the old emperor... it's just delusional," Klimy's voice drifted from a distance. "My Great White Bear Empire, vast territory, abundant resources, all nations pay tribute..." "How could such a large empire be destroyed."
The voice from within the courtyard did not cease with Wen Wen's retreat; instead, it began to ramble on. Accompanying its laments, an inexplicable power permeated from the courtyard. Wen Wen opened the Warehouse Administrator's nameplate, but it had no effect. Wen Wen still felt inexplicable sorrow, tears sliding from the corners of his eyes. He seemed to see an incredibly vast empire slowly crumbling, while he himself sat on the throne, exerting all his might but unable to reverse the decline. He watched as the armies of the Huafu Prefecture charged into his palace, tore down his banners, and overturned his feeding trough...
Wen Wen was not particularly moved by this scene, yet an inexplicable sorrow welled up within him. He was overcome with grief and lost the motivation to even think about how to capture the entity inside. Boyerov, standing beside him, sat directly on the ground, large tears streaming down his face as he wailed to the sky. He, too, saw the same scene as Wen Wen. Furthermore, because he was from the White Bear region, his feelings about this scene were far deeper than Wen Wen's.
Behind the brown bear outside, Klimy burst into laughter. He had made a wise decision to stay outside; otherwise, wouldn't he be sitting on the ground crying like Boyerov? When the entity's threat was not perceived, its power would not extend too far, so he was temporarily safe sitting here. However, as soon as someone intended to act against the creature, he would eventually be affected. Therefore, Klimy took out a strip of cloth and bit it into his mouth to ensure he wouldn't make a fool of himself when the time came.