Chapter 170 The Great Sage

Hao Ren felt he must learn a lesson in the future: never poke the most sensitive sensory organ of a canine – especially when you're standing right on her nose. Lily's nose tickled from the spear tip, and one sneeze sent Hao Ren flying. Just then, the burly demon who had been knocked to the ground was groggily trying to get up, so the two of them collided head-on…

Hao Ren felt like he'd slammed into a steel plate, finally getting a close-up experience of how hard a demon's muscles could be. The demon, at this point, instantly reacted, reaching for Hao Ren's neck to reverse the situation. Unfortunately, he grabbed someone even harder than himself.

Hao Ren's rigid shield sparkled, hissing as it blocked the demon's iron-clamp-like hand. Lily seized the opportunity, pouncing forward and knocking both of them to the ground. She opened her mouth and bit down. Hao Ren, with perfect coordination, rolled away, and Lily's fangs pressed firmly against the demon commander's neck.

"Everyone, freeze!" Hao Ren shouted in demonic, jumping back onto Lily's back to stand with Vivian. "This ferocious dog of mine has been eating demons since she was a pup – where's your boss?"

Before Hao Ren could finish, Vivian slapped him. "Are you crazy? Lily's already got him pinned."

Hao Ren scratched his head awkwardly. After confirming that the surrounding demons and black dwarves wouldn't make any rash moves, he signaled Lily to move her mouth slightly. He saw the demon commander below still struggling to escape from Lily's claws, but even Izhaks wouldn't dare say he could easily handle her brute strength, let alone a captain-level field officer. Hao Ren looked down at the demon and communicated with him, "Don't panic, we're not enemies. We have some history with the Mad Demon King – tell your men to back off a bit and promise not to suddenly attack again. I have something to talk about with you."

The demon commander looked at the human man waving a strange weapon and the odd big dog pinning him down, finally nodding slowly.

The surrounding black dwarves and demons retreated slightly, and the cyclopean eyes on top of the obsidian giants dimmed a little. Hao Ren jumped off, pointing his spear at the demon commander's neck, while Lily cautiously released the guy. The latter slowly stood up, still with the spear at his neck, full of vigilance. But he seemed to have noticed that Hao Ren and his group didn't have any murderous intent, and the muscles in his body relaxed a bit.

Hao Ren glanced slightly towards Lanina's direction, and as expected, found that she had no intention of stepping forward, instead covering her face with her hood. He already understood the succubus's thoughts.

An "Izhaks" of unknown origin had appeared in the Demon King's city, his voice and appearance almost indistinguishable from the real deal. It was difficult to determine his identity and motives. Therefore, it was hard to say whether these "remnants of the Demon King's army" were still on their side. If Lanina suddenly revealed her identity at this time, it was hard to guarantee what reaction the imposter Mad Demon King in the city would have – after all, Lanina was Izhaks's confidante back then, and it would be easy to expose a fake.

She was probably considering the timing to reveal herself.

"You're the remnants of the Mad Demon King?" Hao Ren made sure the demon commander was under his control, carefully considering how to confirm the situation in the Demon King's city. "Wasn't the Demon King's city destroyed? And Izhaks should be dead too."

"You call the King by his name directly!" The demon commander's first words were this, but he was also greatly surprised: there were actually people in this world who dared to say that name so casually, and a human at that. What was this guy doing here?

Hao Ren scratched his head with his other hand. "Never mind the name or whatever. I'm not with the Allied Forces, and I don't have any grudges with the Demon King's army – I'm just asking how you suddenly popped up again? How is the Mad Demon King still alive?"

As he asked this, he also paid attention to the movements of the Demon King's city in the sky. Although the location of their party seemed to be a blind spot directly below the Demon King's city, after so long, the people above should have realized that something was wrong with the small force they sent out. He wondered when the people left in the city would come down to check – it would be even better if the imposter Izhaks came down personally. Lanina and Izhaks could immediately verify the truth.

The demon commander guessed at the origin of this strange group of people, and replied with his head held high, "I don't know who you are, and I don't need to answer your question – anyway, our King has been alive and well from the start."

Hao Ren frowned. "You're saying the 'Mad Demon King' has been with you from the beginning? He was never 'dead'?"

The imposter Izhaks above had been in the Demon King's city from the start and never left? He hadn't suddenly appeared halfway?

The demon commander didn't say anything, but his attitude was obviously tacit.

Hao Ren thought for a moment, still wanting to ask some questions, but at this time, Lanina suddenly walked up from behind. She gestured with her eyes for Hao Ren not to worry, and then took off her hood. Immediately, a cry of surprise rang out from the surrounding black dwarves and demons.

This "Demon King's Right Hand" didn't often show her face to the outside world, but she was very familiar to the members of the First Legion stationed in the Demon King's city. Her appearance immediately stunned the audience. The demon commander's voice even trembled, "G... Great Sage?"

Hao Ren was just about to cooperate with Lanina's appearance with a pose or something, but when he heard this title, he didn't know what action to take next. He looked at Lanina with a strange expression. "Great Sage? Is that what they called you back then?"

"I sat in the Empire with strategy, what else could I be but a Great Sage?" Lanina shrugged. "Is this title strange?"

Hao Ren thought for a long time, but was too embarrassed to say that the feeling of incongruity was like a group of characters with the wrong art style suddenly having a normal one – look at the titles of this group of people, Husky, Broke, Mantis Shrimp, Good Person, Wang Daquan, and then suddenly popping out a Great Sage, it immediately felt like she'd crashed in from the set next door…

Not far away, Nangong Wuyue seemed to have thought of the same thing as Hao Ren, and she covered her forehead, muttering to herself, "Finally, someone in the team has a title that displays normally…"

Hao Ren covered his face: he felt that having a normal title among his group was the biggest abnormality…

At this time, Lanina waved her hand, telling the surrounding old subordinates to quiet down. She looked calmly at the demon commander. "It's me – what's the situation in the city now? How did you survive? Who's in charge of the city?"

The demon commander immediately stood up straight as if by reflex. "Yes, Great Sage! The city is in good condition! We were previously caught in an alternate dimension and were not damaged. The King is also safe and sound, he is sitting in the city!"

"Very good," Lanina nodded, raising her finger to point at Hao Ren and his group. "These are my friends, don't worry, they are quite reliable. After I was separated from the main force, I came to the human world and have been taken care of by them. These are reliable allies I met many years ago. Although they have not joined the Demon King's army, they have been providing assistance."

Lanina's lie came out casually, but it was obviously well thought out, and it had no loopholes for the demons in front of her. The demon commander had no doubts. He gave Hao Ren a smile full of feints, just like Izhaks. "I was very offended just now. But how did you get together with the Allied Forces?"

"Operating in the Demon Plane always requires an identity. Rather than mixing with the chaotic demons, it's better to mix with the Holy See Allied Forces, who still have some sense," Lanina looked into the demon commander's eyes. "Since there are no problems with the order in the city… then take us in, I want to confirm with the 'King' what has happened during this time."

The demon commander's reaction was normal. He nodded happily. "Of course, we'll call for the portal now."

Then he grinned. "Great Sage, your safe return is really the best news. The King will be very happy – the people in the city will also be more at ease. With your help, the reconstruction of the Legion should be put on the agenda."

Lanina noncommittally hummed, and then asked as if casually, "By the way, the King wasn't injured, was he? Has he been... quietly recuperating in the city all this time?"

"Yes, he's been in the city. But he's been studying the situation of the power furnace recently, so he doesn't show his face much."

"Studying the power furnace?" Lanina frowned almost imperceptibly, but immediately calmed down. "Oh, very good. Then open the portal."