Chapter 1115: Chapter 572: Adam: Azure Dragon, You ****_2
Li Ming looked at the cunning bastards in front of him, not expecting them to offer any help.
In the past, under such circumstances, many people would have started handing out business cards, but now they’re all pretending to be ignorant.
With a quick glance, he noticed that the Empire warships had mostly disappeared, retreating promptly.
Clearly, it is to ensure that the fragments they possess are not lost.
Seeing things turning unfavorable... They ran away like rabbits, and he couldn’t help but shake his head, put away the Infinite Hammer, and said lightly, "Thanks for the congratulations, everyone, but I have things to do; I’ll be leaving first."
Now, he has too many things to accomplish, and must cherish every moment.
Everyone naturally dared not stop him, clearing a path, watching his figure disappear.
They all understood that this departure might set off significant strife.
......
Empire Capital.
Adam sat behind the table, lightly tapping his fingers on the amber tabletop, with holographic star maps intertwining into a cocoon beside him.
The eyes in his eye sockets were deep as an abyss, staring at a virtual screen on the left displaying a complex trajectory star map.
"According to the time estimate, Li Ming’s delivery should be today." He murmured quietly, his heart’s beating speed involuntarily accelerated.
He slowly exhaled, it’s been a long time since he felt such apprehension... Well... not exactly.
The last time he sent people to capture Li Ming, he felt similar apprehension, and it succeeded then.
But this apprehension is more intense than last time; whether he can obtain the Eternal Silence Star involves many plans afterward.
Even though he had captured Li Ming, the most crucial bargaining chip, it’s still uncertain if he could succeed.
Over long years, he’s witnessed too many unforeseen occurrences.
He furrowed his brows, sighed: "Progress over at Heckler’s side is indeed smooth; they’ve found the Holy Castle’s coordinates, probably already reached the location."
"If things fail on my side, I’ll have to temporarily avoid his edge."
He shook his head helplessly, lifted his hand to rub his brow.
In the room, time silently flowed by, and after an indeterminate period, a communication window suddenly popped up before him.
It was Costate.
A sharp glint flashed in Adam’s eyes, just about to connect, but he paused, took a calming breath, then calmly connected.
Costate’s large face immediately popped up, with a complex expression mingled with hesitation, consternation, etc., as if aged considerably.
Even before speaking, Adam had already received much information, his heart involuntarily sinking, and he spoke out, probing: "Still haven’t obtained the Eternal Silence Star."
Costate hesitated to speak, nodded first, then shook his head, confusing Adam, who slightly frowned: "What do you mean? Did we succeed or not?"
Costate opened his mouth, the events beforehand were too complicated, too shocking.
For a moment, he didn’t know where to start, could only follow Adam’s words to respond, voice heavy: "Considered a success, but only got half..."
"Half?" Adam was taken aback but quickly responded, squinting his eyes: "The Eternal Silence Star shattered? Who holds the other half?"
He was somewhat displeased at this moment, having captured Li Ming and handed him over to Chrono, yet only received half in the end.
"Azure Dragon." Costate uttered the two words with extremely complicated emotions.
Adam couldn’t fully grasp the complexity of Costate’s emotions now, somewhat surprised but unsurprised, pondered:
"Azure Dragon, indeed can’t underestimate him, managing to snatch things from Chrono."
The result was not as hoped, but it wasn’t entirely fruitless, albeit somewhat dissatisfied, though the action had concluded, he could only console:
"No need for excessive remorse, Azure Dragon can’t be judged by conventional standards, we’ll have to plan later regarding the piece in his grasp."
Only then did Costate recall that even Adam didn’t know Li Ming hadn’t been captured.
He had almost forgotten this, considering the events that followed as minor in comparison.
But now, he still had to explain, his lips moved and he spoke softly: "Holy Emperor, Li Ming wasn’t actually sent; Azure Dragon snatched him back again."
"Hmm?" Adam, pondering earlier, looked surprised, "Li Ming wasn’t sent over? But..."
He abruptly paused, his expression uncertain, initially intending to say, the routine reports and several video exchanges during transport showed no errors.
But suddenly figured out, Costate was speaking euphemistically. In fact, he was saying he was completely played by Azure Dragon.
"Well played, Azure Dragon." Adam didn’t dwell on why it failed; the result was already a failure.
But he suddenly looked at Costate, his expression calmed down, praised: "Able to snatch half from Chrono, indeed worthy of my reliance as a Prince of Empire."
Since Li Ming wasn’t sent, then Chrono certainly wouldn’t turn against them.
The cost Costate paid to secure that half was certainly enormous.
Costate’s expression shifted; he couldn’t endure, feeling the urgency to clarify, gritting his teeth: "Holy Emperor, let me explain first."
"Things happening in the Deep Dimension World were incredibly complex; although Li Ming wasn’t sent over, Chrono actually turned against us."
Adam’s expression immediately turned uncertain but didn’t rashly interrupt, quietly listening as Costate narrated.
"Moreover, Azure Dragon, don’t know by what means, endured the joint attack from Chrono and Istanbul head-on."
"And Chrono fled in extreme disgrace, causing Istanbul to dare not act, all repelled by Azure Dragon."
"Is it indeed so..." Adam’s expression turned grave, pondering, "Li Ming also known as Talos, has means to balance Chrono, this was predicted he would secretly collaborate with Azure Dragon."
"But him enduring attacks from two Forbidden Life Forms alone is surprising."
"However, ultimately securing half is sufficient." He consoled Chrono again, "Though only half, it still gives me more bargaining chips."
"The matter of the Eternal Silence Star is temporarily settled; return and help me deal with pressure from Heckler’s side, seeing it’s smooth there."
Costate showed a bitter smile, "You needn’t worry about Heckler’s side."
"Oh?" Adam, initially calculating how to handle Heckler, looked surprised.
"The Holy Castle has already been preemptively occupied." Costate said despondently.
"What?" Adam’s expression changed; he hadn’t interfered with Heckler because the Holy Castle was already within the Empire’s possession.
By all accounts, it would enhance the Empire.
Upon hearing it’s already preemptively occupied, he naturally lost composure, urgently asked: "Who?"
Followed by another query, "How do you know about this?"
"This is tremendously complicated; the Eternal Silence Star, for unknown reasons, reflected the Holy Castle scene." Costate said increasingly helplessly, "I’ve sent you a video; please take a look?"
Reflecting the Holy Castle scene?
Adam furrowed his brow, somewhat displeased, up till now, Costate actually withholding details.
A virtual screen popped up beside, playing the video Costate transmitted.
He calmed himself to watch, but as the progress bar advanced, his expression changed dramatically.
Changes in the King-making Trial... The abruptly attacking Titan Branch... He finally understood why Costate described things as complex.
But upon seeing the figure holding a purple hammer on the King’s Trial platform, he turned furious, repeatedly questioning: "Azure Dragon, again, it’s Azure Dragon!"
"How did he locate the Holy Castle, how did he preempt?"
Costate opened his mouth, naturally unable to provide an answer.
Adam’s expression was uncertain, could only suppress emotions, and continue watching.
Until the last part, when the Dark Prison Giant, equally matched with Tan Ding, was heavily injured by Azure Dragon’s hammer and subsequently destroyed by the Holy Castle.
He completely lost composure, jumped up, fists clenched, knuckles slammed heavily against the amber tabletop, spreading fine cracks inch by inch, with golden energy patterns surfacing beneath his skin.
The holographic star map surrounding him violently trembled, his face distorted, fierce, terrifying, almost speechless.
After a moment, he squeezed out a word from his throat, harsh and difficult: "How... could he be so powerful!"