Chapter 1 After the Escape

After an unknown period of fleeing, the blizzard on the snowfield brought Arnelo to the city walls of Born City, the northernmost part of the Snowfield Province.

The towering walls of this city-state were engraved with weathered runes, the city gate blending into the snowfield. Nearby military cavalry patrolled, their gazes sharp, not missing a single detail.

Arnelo accelerated forward through the snow, the wind and snow behind him almost swallowing him whole. The sky was a bleak gray, with only swirling snowflakes dancing in the air.

As he approached the city walls, the wind and snow gradually subsided. The heavy clouds seemed to no longer shroud Born City, replaced by a faint ray of warm sunlight filtering through the gaps in the clouds.

This brightening light, like a guide, reflected off the city walls, gilding the edges of the ancient stone walls with a golden hue.

Arnelo's eyes were drawn to it, his heartbeat gradually slowing. The lingering, unshakeable fear in his chest began to be replaced by a sense of security and hope. The city-state's protective barrier seemed so gentle and welcoming, like a haven in paradise.

Arnelo walked into the city gate, no longer looking so panicked. When the military guard checked him, he took out the unique Imperial military identification from inside his clothes, engraved with his name and insignia.

The guard saw his identity, immediately saluted, and respectfully let him pass.

The city gate slowly opened before him, revealing the interior of Born City. Standing on the elevated city gate, he looked down at the bustling streets, lively markets, and grand buildings, all filling the city with vitality, a stark contrast to the desolate snowfield.

Arnelo took a deep breath. He could feel the unease that had been suppressed in his chest for so long being released, his heartbeat gradually stabilizing, every cell rejoicing in this moment of peace.

Walking forward along the main street, he understood that although he had escaped this calamity, he now had an even more important task to complete.

The people in the city had no idea what was happening in the outside world. They continued their lives, with ignorant laughter.

If High Priest Loren hadn't been so far from the Snowfield Province, he would have picked out some more lucky ones and slaughtered these livestock as evidence to present to the Batian Church.

The closer he got to the city center, the more orderly and solemn the buildings became.

One of the most striking buildings was the Nihility Knight Order's temple at the end of Born Square.

Its spire stood tall, every stone embodying traces of history.

When Arnelo saw the temple, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Entering the temple, he immediately found the high priest stationed there.

Seeing Arnelo, the Nihility Saint, a trace of shock flashed in the high priest's eyes, quickly turning into joy.

"Lord Arnelo, your arrival is an honor for the Snowfield Province branch of the Nihility Knight Order."

He saluted.

"Spare me your flattery. I need to see the governor of Born City, immediately."

Arnelo didn't have the patience to beat around the bush with the high priest, and said coldly.

The high priest was somewhat surprised by Arnelo's order. Clearly, something very urgent must have happened for Arnelo to show such an attitude, but the high priest nodded quickly and gestured for Arnelo to walk directly out of the temple.

"Of course, I'll take you to the governor's mansion."

He replied.

The interior of the temple was magnificent, but Arnelo was unmoved. He simply walked through the long corridor with the high priest and quickly left the temple.

The streets of Born City were paved with snow-white stone bricks, lined with trees and flower beds. Although there was wind and snow all year round, the northern vegetation here was still lush.

The pedestrians on the street stepped aside when they saw Arnelo and the high priest of the Nihility branch passing by.

Arnelo had no thoughts about the attitude of the people in Snowfield Province. This was almost a province that had been abandoned during wartime. If it weren't for its geographical location being extremely far from the northern border province and relatively close to Box Mountain Province, it would have been destroyed long ago.

Apart from being full of stubborn nobles, this remote province was also a mess, and even the imperial capital, Herlorm, had not sent anyone to take over the position of governor.

However, he heard that a new governor with a strong hand had recently taken office in Snowfield Province. Born City had even built a governor's mansion for him in advance, and the governor had been working there directly since taking office. As for the original lord of Born City, Viscount Black Born, he had been imprisoned for treason and would be escorted to the imperial capital, Herlorm, for further trial. Now, the city-state was jointly managed by the governor and several other lords, becoming a new administrative center unanimously recognized by the province's dignitaries and people.

Soon, Arnelo and the high priest arrived at the other end of the city-state. In the distance was a more magnificent new building—the Born City Snowfield Province Governor's Mansion. Their footsteps echoed on the stone road, carrying a sense of urgency.

Crossing an open square, the two arrived at the governor's mansion of Born City. The mansion stood on high steps, surrounded by statues of various Imperial heroes, as if their heroic spirits would continue to guard the empire for thousands of generations.

The high priest explained their purpose to the guard at the gate, and the guard immediately let them pass and contacted the important figure inside the mansion using communication equipment.

The door of the governor's mansion slowly opened, revealing a magnificent hall. Exquisite tapestries hung on the walls on the left and right, depicting the totems of various city-states in Snowfield Province. Wall lamps cast a soft light.

Before Arnelo had waited long in the hall, a middle-aged man walked down the wide steps. He was wearing a dark brown noble's robe, seemingly in the middle of his work, but had taken the time to come and meet them due to their arrival.

In the hall of the governor's mansion, every guard present saluted the noble middle-aged man and expressed deep respect.

"May I ask what brings the high priest to the governor's mansion today?"

Viscount Levin Qinston, who had walked up to the two, revealed steadiness and composure in his eyes. He invited the two inside and asked.

"It's not me who's here to see you, it's our Nihility Saint who has important matters to discuss."

The high priest succinctly introduced Arnelo's identity to Viscount Qinston, and said to Arnelo, "Lord Arnelo, this Viscount Qinston is the acting governor of Snowfield Province. When the governor is not present, many affairs can be handled by him on his behalf."

"So it's the Nihility Saint."

Hearing this, an expression of realization and respect appeared on Viscount Qinston's face.

"If you have any instructions, please tell me."

Levin Qinston's tone was calm, and every word was spoken clearly, giving people a very steady and reliable feeling.

The Nihility Saint nodded lightly.

"Viscount Qinston, I need to use the Snowfield Province's communication terminal immediately to establish contact with the northern border's battlefront and the imperial capital, Herlorm."

Arnelo's voice had no superfluous emotion.

"But, our Snowfield Province's communication terminal is now under the control and restriction of the Imperial military."

Viscount Qinston paused slightly, nodded slowly, and replied.

"I have the authority."

Arnelo glanced at Viscount Qinston with a stern expression.

"Alright, your request will naturally be fulfilled as soon as possible, but what exactly has happened that's so urgent that you need to contact the imperial capital and the battlefront so hastily?"

Viscount Qinston continued to walk forward with Arnelo and the high priest, and asked with some concern.

A trace of vigilance flashed in Arnelo's eyes, but he quickly returned to his coldness.

Qinston was a shrewd man, and it was only normal for him to care about the safety of Snowfield Province. What's more, he now wanted as many people as possible to know the news that "Loren has appeared in the Empire."

"The High Priest Loren from the Southern Continent has arrived. I must use the communication terminal as soon as possible to notify the imperial high command of this urgent message. As for the rest, we'll talk about it after the connection is made."

Arnelo answered briefly.

"Really?"

Viscount Qinston raised his eyebrows in surprise.

But he didn't say much, just nodded slightly, his expression solemn, and quickened his pace, signaling Arnelo to continue following him, as if he understood the urgency of the matter.

The three of them went up to the third floor of the governor's mansion along the stairs. The carpets in the corridor were embroidered with golden emblems and crests, reflecting the glorious will of the snowfield. This floor was the conference area and the governor's office, guarded by several elite guards of the province. The lights were arranged very appropriately in every corner, and the dazzling chandeliers on the high vaulted ceiling illuminated the entire corridor as bright as day.

Qinston's team, led by him, stopped in front of a large oak door. He reached out and pushed open the door, revealing a carefully decorated office. The walls were covered with dark wood-grain wallpaper, and the bookshelves were filled with valuable ancient books and archives of the city-state.

On the desk were neatly arranged documents waiting to be processed and valuable magic devices.

One of them was the communication terminal connected to the province's transfer center.

Qinston gestured for Arnelo to go to the communication terminal: "Nihility Saint, please."

Arnelo nodded indifferently, then looked at Qinston and the high priest without saying a word.

The two were seen by his gaze and immediately understood, nodded to him, and turned around to close the door.

Thus.

In this spacious office, only Arnelo was left alone.

His body couldn't help but relax slightly.

The air was filled with a slight scent of sandalwood, and the wall lamps cast ample light on the entire space. Every Protos Empire-style decoration and layout showed that this was an orderly and stable center of power.

This was exactly the sense of security and reliance that Arnelo urgently needed on the road of escape and battle.

Stepping to the communication terminal, he put the Imperial military's special [encrypted communication program] into the terminal and began to make the connections he needed.

Waiting for the communication to be connected, his heartbeat began to accelerate again.

As long as he passed on this message that was enough to shock the Protos Empire, it would still be a great achievement.

He would gain greater trust and unimaginable prestige from the Protos high command!

A buzz and a prompt tone came from the microphone, indicating a successful connection.

Arnelo's mission was finally about to be completed. All the pressure and shadows behind him were dispelled by the sunlight at this moment, filled with deep satisfaction and expectation, as if after a long journey, he had finally seen the oasis in his heart.

The next second.

A gentle voice, which surprised Arnelo somewhat, came from the microphone.

"Hello."

Arnelo was still immersed in that stability, his heart full of hope, but when this voice sounded.

A chill seemed to pour into Arnelo's brain from his ears.

His hand trembled as if it had been electrocuted, wanting to drop the microphone.

This didn't sound like the voice of an officer from the Herlorm National Defense Hall.

What frightened him even more was that he seemed to have heard this voice not long ago!

(End of Chapter)