CHAPTER 244: CHAPTER 54: KIDNAPPING

The bedchamber gradually quieted down, leaving only the sound of the Little Emperor’s breathing.

Su Xiao leaped down from the space in the ceiling, landing silently in a half-crouch, his long windbreaker spread across the floor behind him.

Walking slowly through the room, Su Xiao softly and quietly stepped onto the expansive bed that spanned over a dozen meters.

The Little Emperor was in a deep sleep, too exhausted to awaken.

There must be guards outside the bedchamber, so it was best to kidnap the Little Emperor first.

Taking out a thumb-sized bottle, Su Xiao held it in front of the Little Emperor’s mouth and nose, gently wafting the opening with his palm.

After a dozen seconds, the Little Emperor’s head tilted to the side, drool trickling down.

This wasn’t an anesthetic but a super potent sleeping drug; if consumed directly, it would knock out even an elephant, let alone the Little Emperor.

Su Xiao didn’t want to use anesthetics on the Little Emperor; the boy’s body was too frail, and it would be troublesome if something went wrong.

He hoisted the Little Emperor, grabbed a pile of nearby clothes, and the test tube from beside the pillow, then moved to the opening on the ceiling and leapt up.

Carrying the Little Emperor to the roof of the bedchamber, Su Xiao swiftly ran across to a pre-selected spot.

Though kidnapping the Little Emperor seemed easy, Su Xiao had to pass the palace’s strictest checkpoint by pretending to be a member of the Hunter Troop.

If not for the outbreak of turmoil in the Imperial Capital, infiltrating the Royal Palace would not have been so easy.

A Great General named General Bud was permanently stationed in the Royal Palace.

General Bud’s strength was second only to Esdeath. Though they had never officially crossed swords, it was at best a 4-6 split, with General Bud holding four, Esdeath holding six, indicating the Great General’s prowess.

General Bud was known for his old-fashioned ways, commanding the Imperial Guard of the palace, serving the Empire diligently, and even being blunt with the Chancellor. Esdeath and the Chancellor often called him the ’Old Stubborn’.

Adhering strictly to ancestral teachings, General Bud believed that military officials shouldn’t interfere with politics, which is why he did not intervene in the actions of the Chancellor and Esdeath.

General Bud was an Imperial Tool User, possessing the Imperial tool Rage of the Thunder God: Atemile, similar to Esdeath’s, an Elemental Imperial Artifact capable of controlling lightning.

If General Bud were in the Royal Palace, the vicinity of the Little Emperor’s bedchamber would be covered with a Static Net, making secret infiltration nothing but a dream.

Now, however, General Bud had already rushed to the battle line on the Imperial Capital’s walls.

This was also the reason why Su Xiao delayed his infiltration of the Royal Palace, as he was unsure where the Night Raid Team’s Contractors were, while those from the Imperial Capital were under General Bud’s command.

With General Bud personally at the frontline now, those Contractors were forced to harden their resolve and head to the front.

Of course, Contractors wouldn’t stay obediently on the front lines, but returning to the Royal Palace would still take time.

Su Xiao arrived at an unoccupied location, entering an unused great hall where worthless items were stored, requiring no guard.

He lit an oil lamp with a damaged shell and triggered a spool on his left wrist, releasing the Boundary Line two meters long.

Wrapping the Boundary Line around the Little Emperor’s neck, Su Xiao could decapitate the Little Emperor at any moment.

Su Xiao roughly pinched the Little Emperor’s philtrum, causing a few muffled groans, and after a brief twitch, his eyes opened.

"Hmm? Where is this?"

The County Emperor looked around in confusion.

"Where is the activation key for the Supreme Teigu?"

Su Xiao stood in the darkness, the dim oil lamp illuminating his eyes, those dark eyes strikingly visible in the gloom.

"Who do you think... How dare you, thief!"

The Little Emperor immediately understood what was happening, and just as he was about to shout, he felt a slight sting on his neck.

"Keep shouting, and for each shout, I’ll chop off one of your fingers. If there aren’t enough fingers, I’ll use your toes."

The Little Emperor wrestled with his thoughts for a moment but ultimately decided against shouting. The sharp feeling on his neck reminded him that his head might be removed at any moment.

"Thief, even if you get the activation key for the Supreme Teigu, it’s pointless. I can offer you riches; just disappear before my eyes immediately."

Though dazed, the Little Emperor naturally exuded some imperial presence, having been worshipped by many over the years, though he seemed more pliant in front of the Chancellor and Esdeath.

"Riches? Heh~, the ’wealth’ I desire, you can’t provide. You have a fondness for women, don’t you? Lead me to the activation key for the Supreme Teigu, or you’ll lose any interest in women from now on."

Su Xiao produced a dagger, aware that time was of the essence and opting for direct threats rather than mental torture on the Little Emperor.

"Wait, I’ll agree to your terms, just don’t... don’t come near me."

The Little Emperor instinctively stepped back, but the sting on his neck returned.

The Boundary Line was fastened around the Little Emperor’s neck, the other end linked to the spool on Su Xiao’s wrist, resembling a scene akin to walking a dog.

"Put on your formal attire and lead the way."

Su Xiao tossed the Little Emperor his clothes, as wandering the palace in pajamas would invite suspicion.

"If you wish to call for help when meeting a guard, just remember I will kill you and escape their pursuit."

While donning his clothes, the Little Emperor displayed a dismissive look, planning to call for help when encountering a capable guard.

Properly dressed, the Little Emperor led the way with Su Xiao following closely behind, both exiting the great hall in single file.

The Boundary Line was hard to detect, making Su Xiao appear like the Little Emperor’s guard.

Walking out of the great hall, the moonlight illuminated Su Xiao’s face, and as the Little Emperor glanced sideways, his body stiffened.

"You’re a subordinate of General Esdeath, why are you doing this?"

A trace of despair flickered in the Little Emperor’s eyes. Having seen Su Xiao’s skills, he knew the other wasn’t bluffing; Su Xiao possessed the ability to kill him and subsequently escape.

"Enough nonsense. You only need to lead me to the Supreme Teigu’s activation key. I’ll spare your life once I acquire it."

Su Xiao smiled at the Little Emperor, relieved he no longer had to pretend to be part of the lousy Anbu, nor act as a poker-faced stoic.

"Alright... alright then."

The Little Emperor seemed a bit more compliant.

"By the way, a word of caution: if you act up, I’ll kill you first then make sure to off the Chancellor as well."

The Little Emperor visibly flinched. The Chancellor was the closest person to him.

Such a naive and pitiable boy.

"I’ll give you the Supreme Teigu’s activation key; you mustn’t harm the Chancellor and you must set me free."

The Little Emperor gritted his teeth, his expression turning menacing under the moonlight.

The reason the Little Emperor readily agreed to retrieve the activation key was because it required royal blood to operate the Supreme Teigu. Outsiders would find it useless even if they acquired the key, and with one to two years, a new key could be made. The key was not crucial; the Supreme Teigu itself was irreplicable.

"That’s more like it. No time to waste, let’s go!"

Reluctantly, the Little Emperor led the way towards the center of the Royal Palace, where the activation key was situated near the Supreme Teigu.

The so-called Supreme Teigu was essentially a super-sized robot, towering over a hundred meters tall.

Immobile, the Supreme Teigu was usually hidden beneath the palace, partially underground, and would burst forth from beneath the Royal Palace when a member of the Royal Family activated it.

The immobile Supreme Teigu acted like a massive cannon capable of firing a powerful laser with a range covering the entire Imperial Capital, capable of leveling it within five minutes.

The Supreme Teigu was the pinnacle of the Empire’s Alchemy Technology, which had once flourished exceptionally before disappearing due to unknown reasons.