“Samael... the vein.”
These demons had certainly been busy with their little schemes behind her back.
A mere Rank 7 demon dared to occupy a human city?
There had to be a larger power behind him. Was it an internal faction within the demon race, or something else?
“Lord, the magic crystal vein area is just ahead,” Derrick said, cautiously interrupting Lilith’s thoughts.
Lilith looked up.
The area ahead, which should have been forest, had been completely transformed.
Large swaths of land had been crudely excavated, revealing mineral layers below that shimmered with various hues of magic.
Magic runes pulsing with an ominous aura were scattered across the ground and in the air. Many listless human civilians moved like the walking dead, hauling ore under the whips of demon overseers.
At the heart of the mining area stood a temporary camp, where a gate emitted steady ripples of spatial energy.
That was the teleportation tunnel.
Dozens of demon guards surrounded the tunnel, including several captains whose auras reached Rank 4.
They clearly noticed the group approaching from the direction of the city. Their gazes were filled with confusion, especially when they saw Lilith being respectfully flanked by Derrick and the others.
“Halt! Lord Derrick, what is the meaning of—”
A Rank 4 guard captain stepped forward to block the path. He looked at Derrick, then at Lilith, his brow furrowed. “Where is Lord Samael? And who is this—”
He didn’t get to finish.
Derrick instantly rushed up and slapped him across the face, barking, “You fool! This is Her Supreme Majesty, the Demon King! How dare you speak so insolently!”
Lilith glanced over at that moment. With a single look, the crushing pressure of the Demon King washed over them.
The Rank 4 guard captain’s eyes widened. His legs buckled, and he dropped straight to his knees!
The other guards behind him, who were even weaker, collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
To these low and mid-ranking demons, the aura of the Demon King was that of an absolute master.
Lilith ignored the demons kneeling all over the ground and walked straight toward the teleportation tunnel.
Derrick hurried to keep up, while shouting harshly at the guards, “Keep your eyes open from now on! That traitor Samael has been executed! From this moment forth, you will obey the will of the Demon King in all things!”
Hearing this, the guards were scared out of their wits, pressing their heads even lower against the dirt.
Lilith stopped in front of the teleportation tunnel, carefully observing the swirling dark vortex.
“Is the tunnel stable?” she asked Derrick.
“Extremely stable, My Lord!” Derrick answered quickly. “It was constructed with the help of top-tier technicians and uses high-purity magic crystals from this vein as a power source. It has already successfully transported supplies and personnel multiple times. The exit on the other side is at the Seventh Outpost on the outskirts of the Dark Abyss. The coordinates are fixed.”
Lilith nodded. She reached out and lightly touched the edge of the vortex.
Dark energy coiled around her hand submissively.
Lilith withdrew her hand, turned around, and looked at Derrick and the rest of Samael’s former subordinates. “Every one of you present here will return to the Demon Realm through this tunnel.”
“I will be waiting for you there.”
With that, she stopped looking at them and stepped directly into the rotating dark vortex.
Her figure was instantly swallowed by the darkness and vanished.
Only after several seconds did Derrick let out a long sigh of relief, realizing his back was completely soaked in cold sweat.
He glanced at the guards still kneeling on the ground, a bitter smile playing on his lips.
Return to the Demon Realm...
What would be waiting for them?
The Demon King’s 'waiting' likely didn't involve a simple punishment.
But they had no choice.
Defy the Demon King’s orders? Samael’s fate was right there in front of them.
“Everyone, get up,” Derrick’s voice rang out. “Organize all personnel immediately. Gather all important supplies. We return to the Demon Realm in batches in one hour.”
“Remember,” he said, looking around at the crowd with a complex expression, “Her Majesty... is waiting for us.”
...
A few minutes later, Lilith opened her eyes.
The Demon Realm.
She was back.
The area around the teleportation tunnel looked like a supply transit station.
Not far away, several low-ranking demons holding weapons were staring in stunned silence at Lilith, who had suddenly emerged from the tunnel.
When they saw the horns on Lilith’s forehead and the unmistakable aura radiating from her...
Their shock turned into sheer terror and awe.
Thump! Thump!
The guards fell to their knees one after another.
“The... the Demon King... has descended...” a demon who looked like a guard captain stammered, his voice trembling so much it was barely intelligible.
Lilith ignored them, standing perfectly still where she was.
The low-ranking demon guards nearby remained prostrate, not even daring to breathe loudly.
As the minutes ticked by, the Demon King showed no sign of moving.
Three minutes passed...
The guards’ hearts began to race.
Is Her Majesty... testing our loyalty?
As expected of the Demon King, even standing still is so filled with overwhelming pressure!
In reality, Lilith was thinking: “...Which way was the Demon King’s Palace again? That guy Veen teleported me directly to the forest near the Holy City back then. I didn't even get a good look at what the Demon Realm looks like!”
Just as Lilith was about to bite the bullet and pick a random direction to fly in...
The air beside her began to twist and swirl.
A second later, Veen appeared half a step away from Lilith.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty. Was your journey pleasant?”
Lilith: “(⊙﹏⊙)”
She almost failed to control her expression.
How does this guy keep appearing out of nowhere?!
Though she was speechless internally, she had to maintain appearances. Lilith quickly regained her indifferent composure.
She didn’t turn to look at Veen, merely giving a soft “Mm.”
“It was fine.” She paused, deciding to take the initiative. “How did you know I was here?”
Veen smiled slightly. “Is that not obvious?”
His tone was light. “Guiding Your Majesty back to the throne is the duty of a loyal subject.”
She took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with him. The priority was to get back to the Demon King’s Palace and handle official business.
“Fine, enough talk.” Lilith finally turned her head and glanced at Veen. “Lead the way back to the palace. I have real work to do.”
Veen nodded without saying more. He stepped forward half a pace and lightly placed a hand on Lilith’s shoulder.
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
Lilith felt the surrounding scenery blur rapidly. In the next instant, they were back at the Demon King’s Palace.
Lilith blinked, adjusting to the sudden change in environment.
Just then, a slightly muffled mumble came from one side of the hall.
“Ugh... where did Veen go? He promised to bring me honey...”
Lilith and Veen turned their heads simultaneously.
On one side of the hall, a petite figure sat on the edge of a platform with her back to them.
It was Luya.
She was holding a piece of cake, eating it with intense focus, completely unaware that two people had suddenly appeared in the hall.
Lilith: “...”
Veen: “...”
Luya took another large bite. It wasn't until she finally seemed to sense something amiss that her chewing slowed down, and she turned her head in confusion.
At first glance, she saw Veen.
“Oh, Veen, you’re ba... ck...”
Her voice trailed off as her gaze slowly drifted from Veen to Lilith.
“Pfft!!!”
She suddenly sprayed breadcrumbs out of her mouth, jumping backward in shock.
“The... the-the-the-the Demon King?!!” Luya’s voice went up several octaves, filled with obvious guilt.
She scrambled to stand straight, tried to wipe her mouth, and finally froze in place, fidgeting awkwardly, not daring to look at Lilith.
“You... Your Majesty... Veen! You! Why didn't you say anything!” She suddenly whipped her head around to glare at Veen, her eyes full of accusation.
Veen shrugged. “I thought that with your perception, you would have noticed long ago.”
“I was busy eating!” Luya’s face turned bright red as she whispered her defense. Then she stole a quick peek at Lilith before immediately lowering her head again.
She hadn't forgotten about the time in the forest when she had disguised herself to get close and then tried to ambush Lilith.
Would the Demon King hold a grudge?
Lilith looked at the Third of the Four Calamities, then at Veen’s expression, which clearly showed he was enjoying the show.
She was silent for two seconds.
Then she turned her gaze to Veen, her tone returning to its usual calm. “Take me to the Main Hall. Also, notify every demon leader, noble, and legion commander you can reach... in short, call everyone in charge.”
She paused, then added:
“Tell them the Demon King has returned and is convening a meeting. They are to arrive within two hours. As for those who fail to show...”
Lilith’s tone turned cold. “Kill them all.”
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