Chapter 65
Sphinxes stood guard before the solemn and sacred Ari Palace. Fully armed sentries stood motionless under the scorching sun, their posture one of absolute readiness.
Since Situ’s departure, the palace felt even more vast and desolate.
Inside the Great Hall of the Ari Palace, “Edith” stood in the center of the smooth floor, head slightly tilted. Sunlight refracted through the gem-encrusted dome, casting a sharp, clean light over her features.
“Bring the person back immediately,” an indifferent voice echoed through the hollow hall.
A figure with a Golden Fly pendant hanging from his waist knelt behind Edith. “Yes, my King.” As ghost-like as his appearance, he vanished in an instant.
As silence returned to the Ari Palace, tap, tap, tap…
Clear, rhythmic footsteps approached. A figure emerged from behind the throne, entirely shrouded in a black robe tied with a white sash. The inner lining of the sleeves was embroidered with a red-and-black cobra pattern.
“What do you want with that captive?” As the person spoke, a grating sound like teeth grinding together could be heard. The black robe trailed behind, exuding a bone-chilling coldness.
Edith turned, walked up the steps, and sat upon the throne. Taking a sip of wine from the table, she looked down at the cloaked figure with a gaze of undisguised disdain. “I have a use for her, of course,” she said slowly.
“Heh,” the figure sneered, moving behind the throne. “Do not forget your identity. The Prince is about to arrive in Thebes. The seat you are currently occupying was never meant for you.”
On the throne, Edith’s expression remained unchanged. She swirled her wine glass with three fingers, seemingly oblivious to the cloaked figure’s wariness and hostility. Her gaze drifted toward the stone statues outside the hall, her lazy demeanor suddenly gaining a hint of dangerous charm.
Meanwhile, outside the city of Thebes.
Ye Zhiqing, holding the overseer credentials assigned by Edith, paced back and forth beside the river channel currently under construction. Virgil isn’t here?
Looking at the progress, it was much the same as when she had left. Furthermore, the personnel at the construction site seemed to have been replaced; Ye Zhiqing couldn’t see a single familiar face.
All these signs were highly unusual.
Captain Virgil always followed military orders strictly and held high prestige in the army. That was why, after the fall of Punt, the others were still willing to follow her to the death. Not to mention risking so much to sneak into Thebes to find her, and later getting in touch during the surveying work.
The last time they met, Ye Zhiqing’s order had been for Virgil to wait for her here. Had something gone wrong? But the message she received two days ago said everything was going smoothly.
Everything felt shrouded in fog. Ye Zhiqing refused to give up and searched thoroughly once more, but still found nothing.
Which link in the chain broke?
Ye Zhiqing looked up at the towering city walls nearby. Her gaze was distant; the answer, she feared, was waiting for her inside the Theban palace.
Seeing Ye Zhiqing’s poor complexion, Lamassu handed her some water. “Miss, who are you looking for? I can send someone to help you find them.”
After traveling across mountains and rivers and swaying on a ship for so long, Lamassu’s face showed rare signs of exhaustion. Yet, her attitude toward Ye Zhiqing hadn’t slackened in the slightest.
“Lamassu, I’m fine. Let’s go back.” Seeing the mix of eagerness and fatigue on Lamassu’s face, Ye Zhiqing blamed herself for her own haste and suspicion.
The group then rode their horses back toward the city.
As they reached a mountain hollow, thump, thump, thump… the sound of heavy objects striking rang out. This was followed by the neighing of horses and the sound of sharp weapons piercing flesh.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder. Ye Zhiqing tried futilely to use her last bit of strength to grip the reins, but she still crashed heavily to the ground.
A white light flashed before her eyes, followed by a surge of boundless darkness that gradually swallowed her consciousness.
Extreme cold and heat alternated within her body, tearing and twisting, as if trying to split her in two.
Voices from a distance gradually became clear.
“Still no news of Edith?”
“No. Our men followed her to Kentanvi but were shaken off. This woman is our last lead.”
“Does that merchant from Assyria have a connection to her as well?”
“Yes. Reports say Edith and she arrived in Kentanvi on that Assyrian merchant’s ship.”
“Wake her up.”
“Yes.”
The speakers were two men dressed as commoners. Their faces were covered with dark cloth, leaving only their eyes exposed. Scimitars, still dripping with blood, hung at their waists.
In front of them was a dilapidated, rotting wooden cross. The ground was covered in layers of old and fresh black bloodstains. A woman was tied to the cross, a feathered arrow protruding from her right shoulder, blood trickling down from the wound.
One of the men walked to the side, picked up a whip soaking in salt water, and struck the unconscious woman without mercy.
“Ah!” The unbearable pain exploded instantly. Ye Zhiqing tilted her head back with a cry of agony as a clear, bloody lash mark seeped through her light-colored robe.
This place looked like a dungeon; to the left was a pile of dark, filthy torture instruments.
“Who are you?” Gasping for air, Ye Zhiqing hung her head weakly, her mind racing to figure out which faction these two belonged to.
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