Mist Empire’s Rise: Fake Noble to Fog Queen

A ferocious expression spread across Zachary's rough face.

"Prisoner?" His facial muscles twitched. "Miss Luo Wei, you'd better know what you're saying. I, Zachary, am not—"

"Not someone to be trifled with, I know," Luo Wei intercepted his words. "Didn't you say you could crush my head with one punch?"

"Mr. Bunian, why don't you try it now?"

Zachary glared at her menacingly: "You think I wouldn't dare?"

"Well, would you?" Luo Wei said innocently. "Mr. Bunian, I don't understand why you harbor such malice toward a frail girl like me."

"I've never offended you; I even helped your business."

"Even when you threatened and extorted me, I gave in out of fear and paid you so much money. Yet you keep hurting me again and again, and now you want to harm my subordinates."

"Alas," she shook her head with disappointment, "how the world has declined and people's hearts have grown cold. For our safety, I have no choice but to restrict your freedom."

"Frail? Afraid?" Zachary's face contorted as he snorted angrily through his nostrils. "You've said all the good and bad words you could."

"I wasn't wrong about you from the start - you have ambitious eyes. You're not some kind-hearted noble girl at all!"

"There's no word of your power on the Western Continent. Who exactly are you?"

"I told you, I'm the master of Demon Island," Luo Wei smiled, "but Mr. Bunian, you didn't believe me."

Zachary's expression grew complex. He indeed hadn't believed it at first.

Before landing on Demon Island, he had thought his initial instinct about Luo Wei was wrong, because no one with brains and ambition would execute such a childish revenge.

When Luo Wei claimed to be the master of Demon Island, he had dismissed it as a proud noble girl trying to save face after being humiliated by him.

He hadn't wanted to humor her originally, but given the generous payment, he was willing to play along with the noble lady's "revenge game."

But Zachary never imagined that after delivering the slaves here, he would be ambushed by the undead.

The undead had been lying in wait by the shore. As soon as their ships approached land, they were surrounded by a mass of undead.

The leading undead mages immediately attacked him, and due to his underestimation, he was quickly hit by one of their dark magic spells, nearly losing control of his body.

What shocked him more was that the undead mage possessed the power of a high-level archmage!

Although Zachary was a high-level mystical smith, a smith's magic was mainly used for tempering the body - good for defense but weak in offense.

The undead mages' bodies were mere skeletons - breaking them achieved nothing as their magic came from their souls.

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Their souls were elusive; his punches passed through empty air, unable to harm them.

Finally, they both launched their strongest skills simultaneously. In that instant when their eyes met, they both realized that if these attacks landed, they would perish together.

Zachary didn't want to die, and the undead mage seemed afraid of dissipating too. They tacitly stopped but maintained their attacking stances, fearing a sudden sneak attack from the other.

By now, they had been in this standoff on the coast for nearly three days.

The undead didn't need food or water, but humans did. Zachary was both thirsty and hungry - the longer he stood, the more his strength drained.

He finally realized he had fallen for the undead mage's trap. Though they had the power to capture him, they played with him like a mouse, waiting for his strength to fail so they could take him down effortlessly.

These undead mages were truly cunning and treacherous!

Zachary deeply regretted coming to Demon Island and accepting Luo Wei's money.

If he hadn't made this deal, he wouldn't have fallen for this trap.

But it was too late for regrets now. Zachary could feel his senses dulling as his strength ebbed away. His legs were numb and immobile, his arms too sore to lift.

If this continued, he would surely fall into the enemy's carefully laid trap.

Better to try escaping while he still had some strength left.

Suppressing his rage, Zachary looked at Luo Wei: "I underestimated you, but I've never heard of your power on the Western Continent. Who exactly are you?"

Demon Island had existed for thousands of years. If someone had conquered it, news would have spread long ago. How could it remain hidden until now?

Unless she had only recently occupied this island.

When talking to clever people, a single glance could reveal inner thoughts. Luo Wei deflected his probe: "Before asking me questions, shouldn't Mr. Bunian show some sincerity?"

"For instance," she fixed her smiling black eyes on the exhausted Zachary, "you could first tell me who you really are."

Zachary replied without hesitation: "As you can see, I'm just a slave merchant."

"Oh? Would a slave merchant keep a group of toothless old slaves?" Luo Wei lightly exposed his lie. "Those old, weak, and sick slaves are just for show, aren't they?"

Zachary flatly denied it: "Miss Luo Wei, you have a vivid imagination, but I am truly just a slave merchant."

Luo Wei said sadly: "Mr. Bunian, I thought we were friends already, but you still treat me as an outsider?"

Zachary's face twitched. Friends? How could she say such things with a straight face!

Would a friend try to take him prisoner?

"Think what you will, miss, but I'm telling the truth," Zachary said without blinking.

Luo Wei clutched her chest and stepped back, utterly disappointed: "Mr. Bunian, I thought you would at least tell me that you're a high-level mystical smith."

Zachary stared with eyes like brass bells - how did she know he was a high-level mystical smith?

After a few seconds of surprise, Zachary glanced at Patrick. Of course - the undead mage must have told her.

"I am a high-level mystical smith," he finally admitted, "but no one said a high-level mystical smith couldn't be a slave merchant."

"Ah, since you're unwilling to talk, I won't press you," Luo Wei said gently. "Mr. Bunian, I respect your privacy."

Zachary showed an expression of expectation. A high-level mystical smith's magical weapons were priceless - just revealing his identity would earn him respect anywhere.

"Since you know I'm a high-level mystical smith, release me at once." Zachary lifted his chin arrogantly.

"If you release me, I can forgive your offense and give you a chance to request my services in forging magical weapons."

"Mr. Bunian, you really are..."

Luo Wei shook her head with an amused smile, then suddenly changed her expression, her gaze turning icy.

"Everyone, seize him," she stepped back and raised her hand, signaling the undead mages to attack. "If he resists, kill him."

Zachary's face changed drastically as he stared at her intently: "Miss Luo Wei, what do you mean? I'm a high-level mystical smith!"

"Yes, a high-level mystical smith," Luo Wei's face showed a childlike cruelty. "If I capture you, I'll have a high-level mystical smith slave."

"But if I let you escape, someone else would benefit."

"If I can't have you, no one else will."

"So," Luo Wei blinked, her tone light and cheerful, "Mr. Bunian, I won't force you to reveal your secrets anymore, and I don't need your forgiveness either!"

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