After Grote left, Witherbone too departed the chamber, his face filled with barely concealed eagerness.
The drawbacks of the Dark Pact's loose structure were laid bare at this moment—without strong, binding authority, these powerful members cared little for others' thoughts.
Let alone the fact that they were all creatures of the evil alignment, never bound by decorum in their actions.
With the departure of the two, silence fell over the room. The atmosphere, after the earlier tension, was far from pleasant.
Viscount Berna shook his head. This was the nature of the Dark Pact—besides him as the President, no one else held unquestionable authority. To gain the respect of others, there was only one way: strength.
"I think no one is in the mood to continue trading. If you have anything to exchange, speak with your intended partners in private."
He paused. Then his expression turned serious.
"Five days from now, on May 14th, I will open a portal to the Abyss."
Behind Emi, where Li De stood silently in his role as subordinate, his heart clenched at those words, pupils contracting sharply.
Open a portal to the Abyss? Was the Dark Pact planning to invade Green City?
"No matter if it's Green City's Transcendent or other high-ranking professionals, once the portal is opened, they will inevitably be drawn to the evil aura of the Abyss.
"And by then, the unguarded Green City will become territory of the Dark Pact!"
"In the Abyss, I have already stationed enough demons. Though they may not be able to kill a Transcendent—"
Viscount Berna swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes burning with ambition. "They will buy us time.
"The moment the portal opens will be our best opportunity to strike!"
In those deep eyes surged a fanaticism few could comprehend.
"The gods in the heavens shall fall. The Abyss will descend upon the world."
"Darkness… is eternal."
At his words, the others exchanged glances—excitement stirring in their eyes.
After months of planning, they were finally about to reap the rewards.
Attacking a city protected by a Transcendent—such madness! And yet, what a thrill!
Li De looked at Viscount Berna's ecstatic expression, his own eyes full of confusion and doubt.
Was it really just for the Crimson Mage Tower? Was this level-19, nearly Transcendent figure—who commanded several level-15 dark bosses—really willing to pay such a price?
First, they used the power of evil gods to forge a weapon that could suppress artifacts.
Then they plotted for months to open a portal to the Abyss just to lure away Green City's Transcendent…
Could the Crimson Mage Tower truly be worth so much?
Li De grew increasingly suspicious and wary. He raised his alertness even further, though the lack of clear information kept him from discerning Berna's true motives.
And his pressure surged again.
He only had five days left.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. His plan had to change again—he must go all in.
There was no turning back.
But now, Li De held the greatest advantage of all—while the Crimson Mage Tower seemed like the hunted, it had already slipped into the shadows.
While the Dark Pact thought themselves concealed in darkness, their entire plan had already been exposed.
And that… would be the key to turning the tide.
Li De glanced deeply at Emi beside him. Thank the Goddess of Luck for this blasphemer.
He genuinely began to suspect that Emi had once been blessed by a deity. From the start, this man had been ridiculously fortunate.
And the title 'Blasphemer' truly fit.
After Viscount Berna left, his eyes still filled with that fanatical light, the others dispersed.
Thanks to Witherbone's scheming, this meeting ended on a sour and fruitless note.
But for Li De, who had attended as a bystander, this venture deep into the enemy's lair had revealed a trove of valuable information.
"Lord Emi, please wait."
Just as Li De prepared to leave with Emi, Viscount Berna looked at his back as if he had noticed something, raising an eyebrow and calling out to stop them.
Li De's body froze. A cold glint flickered in his eyes, and his body instantly prepared for combat.
Fortunately, Viscount Berna's next words arrived in time.
"I would like to speak with you."
Two cloaked and hooded figures looked curiously at Li De and Emi before turning and exiting.
In an instant, only three remained in the opulent room.
Li De stood behind Emi in silence. Though his face appeared calm, mana had already begun to circulate into his magic models.
Viscount Berna approached with a warm smile.
His gaze landed meaningfully on Li De. "May I ask your name?"
A jolt ran through Li De's heart.
In that instant, he smiled and replied calmly, "Vampire. Iro. It is an honor to receive your attention, esteemed Viscount Berna."
Berna nodded slightly, his smile as affable as before.
"Iro… I feel like I've heard that name somewhere. You're quite the promising young man."
Then he turned to Emi.
"Lord Emi, why did the Temple of Knights suddenly begin hunting you? Was your identity in the Dark Pact compromised?"
Emi narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded.
"I accidentally revealed a Shadow Priest ability and was discovered by a bishop. After undergoing divine testing from the God of Knights, my disguise was exposed. As for the rest…"
He trailed off, letting Viscount Berna fill in the blanks himself.
Berna nodded knowingly, sighing with some regret. "What a shame. Perhaps you should've asked us for assistance."
"Thank you for the offer. But it's all in the past. In fact, I should thank them—because of their hunt, I gained immortality at the border."
"Such magnanimity would earn the praise of any god."
"I believe we should not dwell on the past. What interests me more is the Twelve Magic Scrolls. With Viscount Berna leading us, perhaps we'll one day touch the radiance of artifacts."
"Lord Emi, I believe you won't be disappointed. The artifact will be yours—I promise you that, on my name."
Li De stood quietly to the side, coldly observing.
These two seasoned schemers had just run the entire playbook—probing, clarifying, currying favor, drawing in—each one lightly delivered, yet executed to perfection.
And to outsiders, the whole exchange looked entirely normal.
After a few more rounds of conversation, Viscount Berna turned his gaze to Li De, speaking a sentence full of hidden meaning.
"Lord Iro, the power within your bloodline… is truly admirable."
"All thanks to Lord Emi's guidance." Li De placed a hand over his chest with perfect composure.
Viscount Berna, who had been watching him closely, revealed a flicker of disappointment, then smiled once more.
"The Dark Pact needs talented individuals like you, Lord Iro. Welcome."
"It is my honor."
With that, the two turned and left.
Once Li De was gone, Viscount Berna's shadow suddenly twisted as if alive.
A moment later, a chilling voice emerged from it.
"Such potent bloodline power… Viscount Berna, is he truly just a vampire bloodline descendant?"
The voice echoed like wind in an empty cavern, freezing to the bone.
Viscount Berna turned to look at the writhing shadow cast upon the golden-tulip-embroidered carpet under the warm yellow magical lights. His expression was icy.
"No. But that doesn't matter. A vampire is of no use to us."
"What I want is the Twelve Magic Scrolls."
"But the scrolls… are still in that one's hands," the shadow hissed, twisting into grotesque, sinister shapes.
"Silence. The Twelve Magic Scrolls cannot be lost. They are essential for His Majesty's return from the Abyss. No matter who holds them, no matter the cost—we must obtain them."
At the mention of "His Majesty," the shadow trembled uncontrollably.
"As you command, my master. All for His Majesty."