Rise of The Demon General Chapter 782. The Hyanid’s City

Upon his arrival at the Northwest border for a crucial mission, Amon's primary objective was to secure the cooperation of the warlords engaged in a desperate fight against the encroaching Cryanid Plague. He foresaw that a thorough investigation into the Cryanids' motivations for invading the Mercy Faction would inevitably require him to venture beyond the established borders.

Whispers and tales of the treacherous, mist-shrouded border painted a grim picture, none of which spoke of solitary ventures. Despite possessing a clandestine puppet army, and even with a stroke of fortune allowing him to bypass the border's dangers undetected by formidable spirit beasts, the ever-present Cryanid forces remained a significant threat. To delve into the very heart of the Cryanid territory, a formidable army of powerful cultivators would be indispensable for mere survival.

However, a second, unforeseen path presented itself during the recent engagement outside Defunct Edge City. This alternative became apparent when Amon registered the startling fact that the humanoid Cryanids could converse in human language. The very notion that communication was possible sparked the idea that negotiation might also be an option.

Yet, this emergent second option was fraught with considerable uncertainty and a potentially high degree of risk. Had either Wan Luan or Ru Xou consented to his request for collaboration, Amon would have steadfastly adhered to his initial strategy. But with their outright rejection, he resolved to embrace the peril. If circumstances became dire, he was prepared to deploy his entire puppet army as a sacrificial shield to ensure his own escape.

To his surprise, Xou Liang and his companions volunteered to accompany him. Their small contingent offered no discernible advantage, serving no purpose in either of his planned courses of action. Initially contemplating their dismissal, Amon ultimately allowed them to join, rationalizing that a few additional, disposable assets would not be a disadvantage.

He was now capitalizing on his final disposable asset.

"Sir Amon! How could you possibly betray Her Ladyship’s trust? I will–Hrrghh...!!"

A cruel blade emerged from Xou Liang’s chest, impaled by one of Amon’s battle puppets positioned stealthily behind him. The puppets, emitting no discernible aura and maintaining a facade of forming a defensive perimeter, had successfully precluded Xou Liang from sensing the approach of the one behind him.

Following the piercing strike from behind, two more battle puppets seized his arms. Simultaneously, Amon’s own arm moved with swift precision. A beam of swordlight flashed past Xou Liang’s neck, swiftly severing his head from his shoulders.

"This should serve as undeniable proof of my commitment," Amon declared to the assembled humanoid Cryanids. "My intention to form an alliance with your people is genuine. Why else would I have journeyed this far?"

The female humanoid Cryanid scoffed, "Hmph! Even with your sincerity, how can a human as feeble as yourself possibly aid us in our conquest of the mainland?"

"I can infiltrate from within, providing you with vital intelligence and assisting in determining the optimal timing and location for your strikes," Amon replied.

"The demise of one of your own does not definitively substantiate your claim," interjected the male humanoid Cryanid. "For all we know, he could have been an unwitting pawn, unaware of his manipulation. Your kind is notorious for employing deceit and sacrificing your own. You likely orchestrated this to gain our trust, only to turn against us later. Tell me, what tangible benefit could you possibly derive from assisting us?"

"Did I not already state that I would grant you half of this realm’s territory? The remaining half would be mine. We shall share this land," Amon responded.

The female humanoid Cryanid emitted a laugh, a sound unsettling and unnervingly creepy.

After her laughter subsided, she turned to her male companion. "Master Ublaith, let us simply eliminate this human. Why are we prolonging this pointless discussion?"

"Patience, Arrasixx," Ublaith cautioned. "It was the elder who specifically instructed us to meet this individual. While I harbor no particular regard for him, we are bound to honor the elder’s command."

Ublaith’s gaze fell upon the fragmented remains of the battle puppet near his feet. He continued, "I am aware that humans possess the specialized knowledge to construct these automatons... Battle puppets, I believe they are termed. This particular unit possesses the capacity for vocal communication. My intelligence network has confirmed that such a feature in a battle puppet is exceedingly rare. This strongly suggests you are an individual of considerable expertise among your people."

Although Amon had made the request, it was in fact Zee Whang who had meticulously installed the vocal component onto the battle puppet. Such a component existed within the lower realms, yet it offered no discernible enhancement to a battle puppet's combat prowess, thus seeing infrequent use.

Ublaith surveyed the battle puppets encircling Amon. "Given your extensive collection of these battle puppets, it is evident you are not as lacking in strength as your cultivation level might suggest. Nevertheless, I still fail to perceive the inherent value in forging an alliance with you. We certainly would not place our reliance on any intelligence you might provide."

"I understand. Does this signify your rejection of my offer?" Amon inquired.

"I desire to... however, my elder expressly instructed me to escort you to him. Therefore, I shall be bringing you to him."

"Hm... I must decline."

"That was not an offer; it was a directive."

Ublaith unleashed his cultivation aura, and Amon could immediately ascertain the male humanoid Cryanid’s cultivation level. While not as potent as Yao Ai’s, the power was comparable. Amon estimated his cultivation to be within the same Devil Realm as Yao Ai, likely at the Overlord Stage.

‘Damn it,’ Amon cursed internally.

He was moments away from deploying his puppet army as a distraction when he detected new arrivals encircling him. From every opening leading into the cavern, a Cryanid Whale emerged.

Though Amon was no longer intimidated by Higher Mythical Beasts given his current strength, he couldn't vanquish such creatures instantaneously. Moreover, the Cryanid Whales possessed immense bodies that obstructed nearly the entire passage. He would need to defeat them to proceed, a luxury he couldn't afford with an Overlord Stage cultivator targeting him. In essence, he was cornered.

"I intend to honor my elder’s request, but if you resist, he will not hold me accountable for accidentally killing you," Ublaith stated. "So, will you accompany me, or not?"

"...Very well. Lead on," Amon responded. He recalled all the battle puppets surrounding him back into the black spatial ring.

Ublaith’s brow furrowed at the sight but remained silent. He turned and re-entered the tunnel from which he had emerged. Arrasixx gestured for Amon to follow Ublaith, an instruction Amon complied with. Arrasixx positioned himself behind Amon, while the Cryanid Soldiers flanked them, forming an impenetrable cordon. Escape was impossible.

Given the circumstances, Amon decided to attempt establishing a rapport with his captors.

"By the way, I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Amon, and I hold the Slayer rank within the Mercy Domain."

"We are aware. We heard your companion's address to you," Arrasixx replied curtly. "As Master Ublaith mentioned, your human territorial disputes are of no concern to us. You are all merely sustenance to us."

"What precisely are your kind? I've found no records in this realm's history mentioning beings such as yourselves. Are you an evolved species of the Cryanids?"

"Do not speak such foolishness. We are distinct from these Cryanids. We refer to our kind as Hyanids."

"Arrasixx. There is no need to elaborate further. Our sole duty is to deliver him to Elder Xlasstazh. Nothing more."

"You are correct, Master Ublaith. Thank you for the reminder."

Following this exchange, the two Hyanids ceased their conversation. Amon made several attempts to engage them further, but his efforts were met with disinterest. With no other recourse, Amon resigned himself to silently following.

Amon was led through numerous winding passages. Anyone else would be disoriented by such a labyrinthine route, but Amon meticulously noted every turn. The tunnels traversed were teeming with Cryanids. They then entered a cavern far more expansive than the initial one where they had met. This cavern, too, was filled with Cryanids, primarily those not yet born, and was packed to the brim with colossal Cryanid eggs.

Amon observed the cavern ceiling. Cryanid Flies blanketed every inch of it, vigilantly guarding the eggs. This was clearly the Cryanid hatchery, and Amon suspected the existence of many similar caverns.

His suspicion was confirmed as they passed through several more caverns containing Cryanid eggs. Shortly thereafter, they entered a cavern of immense proportions, making the preceding ones appear as mere chambers. This colossal cavern was an underground metropolis. No Cryanids were observed within this domain; instead, they halted at its periphery. This cavern was the domain of a different species: the Hyanids.

Amon observed a multitude of Hyanids – elders, youths, and children – engaged in various activities such as sanitation, commerce, and general movement. Hyanid children were playing amongst their peers. All of them emanated a cultivation aura, albeit at differing levels. The majority were weak cultivators. Aside from their distinctive features, he could scarcely distinguish them from humans.

However, one distinctly human activity was conspicuously absent among the Hyanids: leisure. Amon couldn't spot a single Hyanid who was idle. Every individual was occupied with a task; no one was observed resting. If there was a defining characteristic that set the Hyanids apart as inhuman, it was their apparent lack of any inclination towards indolence.