RoleplayNovel Chapter 266 266
Chapter 266 266
"And if they report the presence of such a force back to the viscount, it would bring an unnecessary amount of heat to this region before we are ready to receive it."
' And we cannot simply kill every messenger or scout they send either, since that would only make Viscount McClain more suspicious and guarded than he already is.' Su Ping thought to himself.
' I need both viscounts to remain at each other's throats, fueled by rage and a false sense of security, to fulfill the specific requirements for my next evolution.'
' If they stop to look at the shadows, my window of opportunity might close.'
Yu An stood in profound silence for a long moment, her brows furrowed in deep contemplation as she processed his concerns. She understood that their current predicament required a solution that was both invisible and accessible.
Suddenly, her eyes shimmered with a momentary spark of inspiration, and a rare, subtle smile touched her lips.
"What if we never truly left the village at all, then?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of cleverness that intrigued him.
"We have been over this, Yu An," Su Ping reminded her, his voice patient but firm.
"We cannot have them seeing us or the army on a daily basis. Familiarity breeds either contempt or discovery, and we can afford neither."
"But what if they simply didn't see us?" she countered, her smile widening just a fraction.
At this point, Su Ping was genuinely confused as to what she meant. He looked at her, waiting for the explanation of how she intended to hide an entire legion of the dead in a small, open rural settlement.
"I am saying, why don't we just hide the undead below the village?" she finally revealed her thoughts, gesturing toward the earth beneath their feet.
"They are not living beings, so they won't have any issues with being submerged or tucked away in the dark."
" Moreover, whoever that viscount sends to investigate probably wouldn't be able to sense their presence at all if we put them into a state of deep rest for the time being."
"The both of us could live above ground in the village, perhaps as the very 'mercenaries' the villagers remember, while the undead are safely hidden and ready to rise at a moment's notice," she continued, her plan gaining momentum.
"Or, we could use the village as a quiet base while we go about the McClain viscounty, learning more about their internal politics and their physical weaknesses to facilitate your next ascension, Master."
Su Ping remained quiet for a moment, his mind pondering how feasible the idea was.
' That could actually work quite well.' he realized, the brilliance of the plan settling in.
"You've really outdone yourself this time, Yu An," Su Ping praised her, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he looked at her with newfound appreciation for her tactical growth.
"It's all for Master's sake and the glory of your future," Yu An replied warmly, her posture softening slightly under the weight of his rare praise.
Su Ping merely nodded with a look of deep gratitude, already beginning to visualize the next steps of their hidden occupation.
He knew that with the dead sleeping beneath the soil and his own presence masking the truth above, the viscounty would be his for the taking before the first winter snow even began to fall.
A day later, trouble was busy brewing inside the Montgomery Viscounty.
The air throughout the entire estate was heavy, filled with a tension that felt like it could snap at any moment.
Word had traveled fast, and the shock of what had happened at the border was now settling into a deep, dark anger that touched everyone living within the stone walls of the mansion.
Inside the dining hall of the Montgomery estate, the atmosphere was even worse.
The large room, which was usually a place for quiet meals and stiff conversation, was now a scene of pure chaos and sorrow.
"Those McClain bastards! How dare they do this to me!" Viscount Montgomery roared, his face turning a dangerous shade of red.
He struck the heavy wooden table with his fist so hard that the silverware jumped and the fine plates rattled.
His breathing was heavy and ragged, his eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and pure, unbridled hatred. To him, this wasn't just a loss of his forces, but a direct slap in the face to his legacy and his name.
To think they dared to harm his beloved son!
From the looks of it, things were progressing just as Su Ping wanted. With the ruler of the Montgomery Viscounty in a rage, it would be far more easier for him to accomplish his objective.
"Henry, my poor boy... my sweet son," the Viscountess sobbed, her voice breaking into a high-pitched wail.
She was completely overwhelmed with grief, her body shaking as she clutched a silk handkerchief to her face.
She looked as though she might collapse at any moment, her world having been torn apart by the arrival of that horrific package.
Charles and Victoria stood nearby, and both of them had unsightly looks of rage on their faces.
Their expressions mirrored their father's perfectly, their eyes cold and their jaws set tight.
They looked ready to grab their swords and ride out that very second to spill blood in exchange for the life that had been taken.
To anyone watching, they were the picture of loyal siblings mourning a fallen brother.
However, among all the children, only Esmeralda stood with a different look. Instead of pure rage, she had a deeply disturbed expression on her face.
She stood slightly apart from the others, her mind racing a mile a minute as she tried to piece together the events of the last few days.
' This doesn't make any sense...' Esmeralda thought to herself, her eyes seemingly staring off into space.
She had personally helped Henry clear the way at the McClain border, using her own influence and skills to make sure his path was easy.
She had been there on the ground, knowing exactly what kind of forces were stationed in that area. Hearing about his sudden death was a massive shocker to her, one that she couldn't quite wrap her head around.