Wicked Reincarnation

Chapter 226: Rescue 4

Trigger warning: Bits of torture and possibly gore

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The first layer, the core of the capital was as quiet as the rest. The buildings were still destroyed but the plaza and palace were back in their full glory and excellence as if they were never dirtied and tainted by death and torture.

From the back of the plaza, Lia and the boy examined the gate. Two soldiers were patrolling.

"I can't believe I'm doing what you say," Lia watched the dark outline of the boy under the moonlight. At the end, she had to rely on a small kid's plan. Well, his help was appreciated.

"I'm going to go big sis," the boy walked to the entrance. Lia followed a bit before hiding herself and watched from a bit of distance the boy's act. With this, the boy was putting himself in danger too but the soldiers might not get suspicious as the boy was only a child in their eyes.

A few minutes later, Lia heard the boy's aggrieved voice, "I want to see my sister!"

"Who are you?" a soldier's voice appeared.

"My sister is Eri! She's one of the captains! I miss her and-" so the act continued.

The boy played an incredibly believable act of a younger brother left behind by his sister without any notice. So he came to find her. As the soldiers got gradually impatient, the boy slipped past the defence and ran into the palace.

"Hey, come back! You can't enter even if you are-" this was the cue for Lia to run up to the gate. Once the soldiers chased after the boy who surprisingly was nimbly enough to escape them, the entrance was left wide open.

Lia used the situation to rush past the gate and enter the palace. As Lia lived in the palace for quite a while, she knew the spots she could hide in without having anyone find her.

Lia heard the noises and voices of the soldiers catching the boy, then his small, "Sorry," before they disappeared. Lia hoped that the boy would make it safely back.

Lia's even breath gradually calmed her racing heart. In the dark room, Lia hid, she waited until she was sure no one was there. Using the time, she went through all the possible places someone could be held and imprisoned. But wasting time by searching through every place wasn't ideal compared to catching someone and forcing them to reveal information.

Suddenly, Lia's hand glowed. Yano was calling.

"Yes? "Lia's low whisper prompted Yano to also quiet down his voice, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm right now in the palace."

"What?" Yano sounded displeased.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll tell you later. It's inconvenient now."

After a few seconds of silence Yano finally answered, "Ok."

Lia had to hurry. Everyone was waiting. She had to get back as soon as possible.

Lia opened the door and peeked out. The well-lit hallway had no one in sight. It was empty. Lia covered her face with the hood and quickly made her way through the hallway.

There was one place to definitely avoid. It was the area where Min lived. Right now, Lia was on the other side of the palace where mostly the staff went around. As it was night, they should be all sleeping.

Lia managed to get to the area where the staff quarter was, however, she didn't enter it. As most of the staff shared a room, waking one up would only alarm everyone else.

Moreover, how could simple servants and attendants know of any of Min's plans? That was why Lia targeted someone else. The person who hid in the dark while Lia still lived in the palace and who Min relied on secretly.

It was the assistant. Back then Lia has only seen him once but never even exchanged words with him. Now this lanky assistant properly took care of all matters for Min. Someone like him who was powerless yet informative was the perfect target. Since Lia already knew where he had hidden himself for most of the time back then, she was sure that old habits didn't die so easily.

Next to the staff quarters, there were several rooms. One of the rooms was at the far end, of a dead-end hallway. The paint slowly tore off at some places and the door looked tattered and old.

Lia stood in front of the door but heard no noises. Still, she put her hand on the doorknob. The next second she entered a black room with the only light source coming from the far end.

Blue sparks akin to Timo's electricity were condensed in a small ball that floated in the air. Surrounding it were two large and thin hands.

The sparks lit up a part of a male's face. Lia drew closer to the person without making any sounds before- Mhmmh- she wrapped her hands around the assistant's mouth and pulled his head backwards.

CRACK.

The bones in his nape made terrifying sounds but this obviously wouldn't even harm an immortal. While the confused assistant tried to heal his spin, Lia threw him off the chair before slamming him into the wall. Then with the impact of the broken iron chair, she nailed him to the wall.

"Kuah, w-what the hell?" pure confusion swung in the assistant's voice as he looked into the darkness before him but couldn't even see the outline of his predator. The bloody holes the iron poles tore in his arms and legs got increasingly painful as his spine was completely restored.

The blue ball wasn't able to project any light onto Lia's figure but not even a second later her voice made the assistant flinch, "Tell me where the captains went. On what mission?"

The voice was familiar to the assistant, "You-"

"Only say what I want to hear."

Lia picked up another piece of the broken chair before she approached the assistant and held her hand over his mouth. The sharp edge of metal dug into his stomach. This close proximity made it able for them to be able to read the emotion in their eyes.

"Mhm! Mhmm!" the assistant nodded furiously and Lia pulled the broken piece out. The assistant rang for air as tears fell down his face. Even though he couldn't die, pain was still anyone's worst mortal enemy. Lia found that the assistant was too weak.

"The three captains went to the Mortal World."

Lia's eyes flashed, "What are they doing there?"

Lia held the weapon against the assistant threatening to give him even worse torture.

"The Ghost King wants to completely eliminate the Mortal World!"

Lia froze. Min wanted to take this course? But didn't he already stop targeting the Mortal World? Just what was his goal and plans?

"With only three captains?" Lia had no time to waste.

Min wanted to destroy the Mortal World. That was information. His motives behind it weren't important for now. The three captains would be naturally Eri, Timo and Zayn.

"Ha!" the assistant actually laughed, "Do you think we haven't prepared? Weapons? The mortals have nuclear bombs then what we got? Ghosts? Haha!"

"You're being cocky," the pole drilled through the assistant neck and his laugh gurgled in his throat.

However, those three captains and massive amounts of ghosts would be able to eliminate the Mortal World. Especially if the countries started to fight against each other. Was that their intention?

Lia quickly tapped her circle. With all these thoughts running around she had to inform Yano and the others as quickly as possible. They had to go to the Mortal World and take care of it.

"What's wrong?" Yano's worried voice came through.

"Yano, listen closely," Lia briefly recounted the details. Then she was met with silence.

"I think it's best if you head to the Mortal World," Lia encouraged Yano to act but then another voice appeared, "Is it true? Will earth perish?" It was the bartender's.

Lia bit her lip. The morals were listening. Yano must've been with them, at this hour?

"I'm sorry bu-" Lia stopped.

She turned her head around and looked through the empty room. Even in the darkness Lia could see she was alone.

"Dammit," Lia cursed and bolted to the door. The assistant managed to escape. During the time she talked to Yano, the assistant pulled out the iron poles and walked away.

Lia was too occupied with Yano to notice it.

"What's wrong?" Yano heard Lia's cussing and instantly asked.

"Nothing, just something came up. I'll get back to you," once again Lia cut their conversation short. Out of the black room, Lia saw the blood trail the assistant left behind.

He couldn't have gone far. Even if he healed himself in the short time, he wouldn't be able to walk fast. The blood led Lia towards the staff quarter. Surprisingly it seemed like the assistant walked to his room instead of alarming Min or anyone else.

For some reason, Lia had instincts telling her that the assistant hid something. There was no reason for him to get back to his room. Lia's guess was right, the minute Lia ripped his door open, she saw him pulling out weird plastic bags filled with liquid.

There was no time for Lia to think. She closed the door then dashed up to him just when he put the bag to his lips. Flinging the bag away with the liquid spilling all over the ground, Lia threw the assistant against the wall.

She spun around before kicking him in the face. His nose broke and he wailed on the ground.

"P-Please stop! I told you everything!<2

Blood gushed from his face.

"Sorry but leaving you alive will only harm me. You have to die,<2 emotionless Lia kicked at the assistant again who tried to defend himself with his arms.

"I-I won't tell anyone! I swear!" the assistant's wail was pitiful yet quiet as if he wanted to show her, he really had no intention to reveal or give her away. However, unfortunately, Lia paid him no heed. She continued to pound at him until the assistant had no other choice but to resort to that.

"W-Wait! I have something you want!"

Lia didn't stop.

"No, someone you want!"

The attacks ceased.

"Who?"

"See for yourself," the assistant barely managed to stand up.

Under Lia's careful watch, he put his hand on a wall. The wall opened up. In the darkness, a hallway opened up to a room.

"P-Please believe me. Follow me," the assistant walked in with his hands up.

If he really had someone she cared about- Lia couldn't throw this chance away. She decided to go with him.

"It's just here," the assistant didn't stop talking as if he'd die if he didn't. Before Lia, a glass vitrine appeared with many tubes connecting from the darkness into it.

However, it was the person lying inside unconscious that made Lia's hands tremble.

"Noel!" Lia drew closer to make sure it was really him.