Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon

Chapter 288: Chapter 287 Departure and Journey

Chapter 288 -287 Departure and Journey

“Whoo——————” 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The train whistle blew, signifying that this journey was nearing its end; the final stop would be the Royal Capital, Shengxia.

In the business-class carriage, Dane, Ryan, Farrelan, and Shandela were seated together, idly enjoying the scenery outside just like the other passengers. However, only they knew that their hearts were not as calm as they appeared.

Dane was perhaps the better off among them, as even after leaving Magnificent Castle, he was often able to communicate with Mr. Zhao through consciousness, which made him feel watched over by the divinities. However, both Ryan and Shandela were much more anxious; the closer they got to the Royal City, the clearer the information they received—messages from various sources unanimously pointed to one conclusion: Duke Longjiu was not deeply embroiled in a tough battle outside the Royal City, the King along with his Royal Guards had been defeated, and the heart of the Kingdom had now fallen into the hands of the Longjiu Family.

“It really doesn’t seem like a great battle took place here,” Farrelan said in a low voice, looking out the window.

This was also what Dane had in mind.

Not far from the railway tracks were vast wheat fields. The ripe wheat had already been harvested, leaving only stacks of straw piled up by the fields, waiting to be used as fuel for winter warmth. Farmers were scattered, airing the wheat, while the draft cattle grazed leisurely; such a leisurely scene was not something you would see during wartime.

The train they were riding was another piece of evidence.

Dane had thought it would take a long time to reach the Royal Capital, but the north-south railway company was still operating as usual. The four of them had managed to buy tickets from Bloodhand Port to Shengxia the next morning, and from the company’s notice, they had stopped service for less than half a month. This seemed to indicate a frightening fact: it was that Duke Longjiu had encountered little resistance, and the dissimilarity in strength between the two sides was despairingly great.

This was also why Shandela’s face had been pale since boarding the train.

Colonel Ryan also had a deep frown, a stark contrast to his demeanor back in Magnificent Castle.

“Once we get to the Royal Capital, what do you plan to do?” Dane asked, lifting his tea in a casual manner.

“…I can’t believe that General Fales would fall so quickly,” Ryan replied quietly after checking the surroundings to ensure no one was paying attention, “Of course, if the worst has indeed happened, then I will look for hidden resisters. If there’s none in the Royal City, I will look elsewhere.”

“What about you?” Dane turned to Shandela.

To be fair, he had quite an appreciation for the former Magnificent Castle defense officer. Although she initially caused some trouble for the Paradise Sect, as soon as she realized the Lord had been controlled by the Evil God, she immediately stood in opposition to the corrupt nobles. During the time she helped the Paradise Sect with political affairs, her performance was neither slack nor evasive—a rare talent indeed.

If possible, he didn’t wish for Shandela to be put to death as an old scourge in the Royal Capital.

“I… don’t know.”

However, Shandela shook her head somewhat lost, “If the Royal City has already fallen into the hands of the rebels, then it’s very likely that General Fales… ”

Initially, her idea was to help the Kingdom Army in whatever way she could, even if it was just assisting a friend.

But now, this plan seemed to be getting further and further away from her.

It was hard for her to imagine General Fales would choose to surrender.

And what about Elise Ben?

When everything had been changed, could she really find this friend in a city already foreign to her?

“My advice is not to be impulsive,” Dane said in a hushed voice, “They might still be alive, just hidden away. Even if they’ve been sacrificed, your impetuosity would only add another victim to this civil war.”

“Civil war? This is usurpation! It’s rebellion!” Ryan clenched his fist tightly.

“So it is for the Laurel Family. Yet a century ago, the Laurel Family also became the rulers of the Old Continent through war,” Dane pointed out calmly.

“That’s different! Back then, there were many kingdoms on the Old Continent, and the Laurel Family was always fighting external wars, but now…”

“Do you think the rule of the Laurel Family will last forever, never to experience any change?” Dane countered, still calm.

“That—” Ryan was momentarily at a loss for words. The notion of eternity was difficult for anyone with a logical mind to easily concede.

“Of course, I don’t oppose your seeking revenge,” he said. “But meaningless sacrifices are pointless, and Duke Longjiu may not necessarily be the final victor. After arriving at the Royal Capital, I should be staying at the Golden Rose Hotel in the city center—if it hasn’t closed down, that is.” At this point, he looked at Farrelan.

“It hasn’t closed down; it’s doing well,” Farrelan curled his lip.

“Hmm, then you can come to me when you’re uncertain where to go,” Dane continued. “I may not have many skills, but I’m pretty good at gathering information. More importantly, I can get in touch with Mr. Zhao, and you both know what sort of person he is, what kind of power he holds.”

“Thank you…” Gratitude flickered across Shandela’s face.

Farrelan gave him a deep look.

“And what about you, detective?” Ryan asked.

“Me? I don’t have that much of an obsession with His Majesty the King,” shrugged Farrelan. “As long as my family is unharmed, it doesn’t matter to me who the king is. But if they’re hurt in a civil war, then I’d have no choice but to fight to the end.”

“You’re the last person I’m worried about,” Dane chuckled. “Because you always make the choice that’s most beneficial for yourself.”

“Yes, you’re still blaming me.”

“No, I’m praising you.”

“We’ve entered the city,” Ryan interjected.

The four of them looked out of the window one after another to see the thick stone walls of the city rushing past, the streets beside the railway tracks bustling with people. But soon, they began to notice the remnants of war—a house had been half-destroyed by cannon fire, leaving only a few lonely wooden beams on the roof.

A bit further on, such signs became increasingly common, such as the ubiquitous banners of the Longjiu Family crest, ancient hero statues that had been torn down… As they approached the station, Shandela couldn’t help but cover her mouth, because here they could already vaguely see the inner walls of the Royal Palace. Hanging on the wall were a dozen or so dark silhouettes swinging in the wind. What made her even more anxious was that the Longjiu Army seemed to have set up an execution platform below the city walls. Though she couldn’t see the executed, rows of guillotine stands were evidence that a considerable amount of blood had been shed here.

At this point, there was no disagreement about the facts. The Kingdom Army was defeated, and the defeat was utterly thorough. Duke Longjiu had not only occupied the palace which only the King should tread, but he also displayed his own banners alongside the corpses of the defeated on the battlements. He even had the spare capacity to maintain the normal functioning of the Royal Capital while carrying out purges, at least superficially, as the lives of the local people seemed almost undisturbed.

The train slowed to a stop at the platform.

The four of them stepped out of the carriage, and the time to part ways had arrived.

“Remember what I said,” Dane reminded them once again.

Ryan didn’t say anything more, just waved and turned to leave. Shandela bowed to him before following the Colonel and disappearing into the crowd. It was the first time someone of her status had saluted a newspaper reporter.

“You’ve changed.”

Farrelan suddenly spoke.

“How so?” asked Dane.

“The old you would’ve never cared about the outcome of this war. To you, it was just a bunch of nobles biting each other, that’s all.”

“I still don’t care,” he replied.

“No, I know you, old friend,” Farrelan shook his head. “If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t pay attention to others’ descriptions of the war, whether it’s a civil war or a rebellion, it made no difference to you. But today, you’re making excuses for Duke Longjiu, even emphasizing your view of the Laurel Family. Of course… I know you’re not speaking for the Longjiu Family, you’re actually speaking for the Paradise Sect, right? They’ve already secured their foothold in Magnificent Castle, and if they continue to grow, they will eventually clash with the new king of the Old Continent…”

Dane was silent for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, “Your insight is still as sharp as ever. But you’re wrong about two things.”

“Which two?”

“First, I’m still the same as I used to be, perhaps with a few minor changes, but not much has altered regarding what I care about,” he turned to look at his old friend. “Second, the conflict isn’t something that might happen eventually. It has already begun.”