Chapter 3712: Hidden Trap (Part 1) ’I can’t wait to hear the news of Leech’s death.’ Orpal thought. ’Even if he survives, at least that little mongrel of Valeron has no way out. I’d pay my weight in Davross to see Thrud’s face when her bastard dies. ’That whore should have treated me better. It’s too bad I could teach her a lesson only now that she’s already dead, but it’s still an amazing victory. I got rid of Leech without having to lift a finger, just like he hoped to do with me. ’If he’s still alive, his reputation will take a huge blow. Ditching a baby to save his sorry ass won’t earn him any sympathy. When I come for Leech, he will be broken and in so much pain that he’ll beg me to put him down. ’I’m almost considering sparing him as the ultimate humiliation. Almost. There’s no way I won’t kill that-’ "Dead King, I bring you incredible news." Erion the Jormungandr slammed the double doors open and derailed Orpal’s train of thought. "I know I told you to inform me as soon as you learned something, but you could still knock." Orpal grunted, covering himself and his latest conquests with the sheets. "Tell me everything. Did Leech die? How much did he suffer? What about the little mongrel?" "I said I have incredible news, not good news." The Jormungandr had the appearance of a humanoid lizard, but his snout managed to express sore disappointment. "Figures." Orpal clicked his tongue. "Those Awakened idiots must have let Leech go after he gave them the child. At least Valeron’s dead now. Thrud’s bloodline is over, and so is Leech’s high and mighty attitude. I bet he’s-" "He’s alive." Erion cut Orpal short. "And I don’t mean just your brother, but also the baby." "What?" The Dead King couldn’t believe his ears. "Did Leech escape? How could they let him get away? Don’t tell me the Awakened underestimated him and sent only a handful of them for the ambush?" "Your talent for being wrong is impressive, my liege." Erion furrowed his brow and raised his hand for silence. "Verhen didn’t escape. The Awakened didn’t underestimate him. They sent fourteen people to deal with him. "They failed because he killed them all." "Are you serious?" Orpal’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and his shock awoke Night from her slumber, adding her voice to his own. "Yes, but just to be clear. Verhen killed thirteen of his assailants and kept one alive to lure the rest of the accomplices into the open. Without the survivor, I wouldn’t know what happened." Erion was the only one among Orpal’s lieutenants to have a strong relationship with the other members of his bloodline. Jorl was an exile, Akhton was a lone wolf, and no one on Mogar would tell Orpal the time to save his life. "And I wouldn’t even know anything about the fight if one of the dead Awakened weren’t a fellow Jormungandr." Erion’s expression showed no grief at the loss, only spite. "The Awakened Council summoned my patriarch for answers. "They allowed him to interrogate the prisoner, and the patriarch informed the rest of the clan of the events once he returned home." "What did your patriarch say?" Even in defeat, Orpal could see victory on the horizon. He had a hidden card exactly for a moment like that, and he was eager to play it. "Not much." Erion shrugged. "He has seen the whole fight via a mind link, but the Council demanded my patriarch to take an oath of discretion to protect Verhen’s secrets. "They allowed my patriarch to peer into the mind of the prisoner only to avoid any misunderstanding that might spark enmity between Verhen and the Jormungandr bloodline." "And your patriarch upholds such a stupid vow?" Orpal snarled. "Of course he does." Erion snarled back. "If he doesn’t, one of our youths will run their mouths and expose whatever secret the patriarch witnessed. Once that happens, the Jormungandrs would be marked as oath breakers and barred from accessing all future sensitive information. "This isn’t about you and your brother, my liege. This is about the pride and honor of an entire bloodline!" "Fine." Orpal grunted. "What did he say?" "That’s the incredible part." Erion replied. "The patriarch told us that Verhen fought like he had never seen anyone fight before. Like my patriarch doubts even he can fight." "Go on." Orpal smiled, seeing his death trap almost ready to spring on Lith. "Fourteen Awakened were more than enough to kill a Divine Beast. Your brother proved himself cunning, strong, and indomitable, but the Awakened had him pinned. Verhen was wounded and exhausted. "He would have died if the baby hadn’t infused him with Life Maelstrom." "Life Maelstrom?" Orpal echoed in disbelief. "Yes." Erion nodded. "Verhen quickly turned the tables after that, strong of the surprise effect. I repeat this because I want it to be clear. Verhen would be dead if not for the baby’s bloodline ability. "There was no trace of instant regeneration or any sign of a cursed object. Are you sure he is bonded to one?" "I’m sure of it." Orpal said. ’Or at least we think so.’ Night inwardly added. ’We only have Hystar’s word for it. In all our fights against your brother, even before I bonded with you, I never saw signs of a powerful artifact. Windfell told us that Solus can get far from Lith, but again, we have only words.’ ’Indeed.’ Orpal nodded. ’That Solus woman was hot, but completely useless when I ambushed Leech at the Heavenly Wolf restaurant. If she is his living legacy, where was she when Leech went berserk and we almost killed him?’ The Horseman of Night had no idea that the ploy of the World Tree to obtain Menadion’s tower had severed the bond between Lith and Solus, causing his memory loss. The more Orpal and Night thought about it, the less it made sense. "What did your patriarch say, exactly?" "That the fourteen Awakened played it smart. They ambushed Verhen when he was alone with the baby and away from a mana geyser. He had no way to conjure his super armor nor the time to summon a single Demon. "He fought alone the whole time. He had the help of his two Golems, but he always carries them in his omni pocket. Also, his bloodthirsty blade is made of Davross!" Erion’s shock was met by absolute indifference. "That’s yesteryear news." Orpal scoffed. "He crafted the Golems under Salaark’s tutelage, and she also reforged his blade. It’s public knowledge since he presented his new sword to the Royal Court." "Then how could the Awakened not know?" Erion was flabbergasted. "Because Leech is better known for his fight in his Divine Beast form. He uses a bigger blade made of lesser metals to coat the Davross one. It’s just like his armor." Orpal replied. "About that..." Erion cleared his throat. "His armor is made of Davross?" That news shocked Orpal and Night both. "So says the survivor and my patriarch." The Jormungandr nodded. "Impossible! Where could Leech find that much Davross? I have a full Davross set, but it’s human-sized! Lith can’t have beaten me again! He can’t!"