Three days later, a funeral was held for Bulat. Only the remaining members of the Night Raid attended.
Tatsumi had been in a miserable state after returning, but thanks to a few words from Zhang Yong, he regained his fighting spirit.
That evening, Zhang Yong left the headquarters as usual, but instead of heading straight to the slums, he went elsewhere… the Imperial Palace.
The guards walked seriously through the corridors, not daring to be careless because the place was adjacent to the Imperial Army's training grounds.
That was General Budo's place—it was said he rarely left that location.
But today, the corridors were silent. The two guards stood before the gate of the training ground, waiting for their shift change.
Then suddenly, a fist pressed against each of their chests, causing them to collapse unconscious to the ground.
A shadow passed between them. He wore a long coat, his hands in his pockets, his face covered by a white mask.
This was Zhang Yong. He walked in as if he owned the place, but in truth, he had simply entered to provoke someone.
Then Zhang Yong kicked the door open forcefully. There was only one person in the entire training ground—General Budo.
General Budo looked furious upon seeing Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong raised his hand toward Budo and said, disguising his voice, "Yo, how are you? I came to say hello."
A deadly silence fell.
"What is the meaning of this?" Budo looked at Liu as if he were about to explode with rage.
"I came to say hello. Are you stupid?" Zhang Yong said, a mocking laugh at the end of his words.
Budo looked as if he might explode at any moment, before realizing that this man had come here to mock him.
"I see… you're a clown, and you dare enter the Imperial Palace!" Budo said angrily, striking his fists together.
"Please don't take it too seriously. Or rather, do—or your head will fly off," Zhang Yong smiled from behind the mask, and with a single step, he froze the ground.
Budo exploded from his spot like lightning, leaving sparks of electricity behind him.
His charged fist shot toward Zhang Yong's face with blinding speed.
But Zhang Yong disappeared before the fist could touch him.
Void Path - Earth Fold
He appeared behind Budo, a spark of ice gleaming in his hand, and struck his back with force.
The cold erupted at the point of contact, and ice began to creep over Budo's body, but the latter was the stubborn type.
"Is that all you've got?!" Budo roared, and a wave of lightning erupted from his body, shattering all the ice around him and creating an electrical vortex.
Zhang Yong leaped back and smiled. 'Come on, old man, give me your lightning,' Zhang Yong thought with a grin.
Seven flames rose behind Zhang Yong and shot toward Budo with speed.
"A trivial trick!" Budo shouted. He raised his hands and unleashed lightning around him, condensing it into a sphere of lightning and launching it toward Zhang Yong.
The electric sphere nullified the flames and carved its path toward Zhang Yong.
Zhang Yong opened his arms and smiled behind the mask. "Show me what you've got!"
Lightning Path - Catastrophe Charge
The electric sphere struck Zhang Yong's body, and he began to absorb the lightning into himself.
"Im… impossible!" Budo screamed, his eyes widening in shock. "How can you…?!"
[The host has risen to level 37]
When Budo realized the trick, his expression grew even darker. "You… how dare you deceive me, you clown!" Budo thundered, lightning coiling around his body.
Zhang Yong stood firm, his white mask reflecting the lightning flashes. "Deceive? You gave it to me so generously yourself."
"You bastard," Budo was still raging at this moment.
"I heard the General possesses a stronger skill. Come on, show me the 'Steel Shooter' you boast about!" Zhang Yong taunted him, giving a thumbs-down.
Budo exploded with rage. "You will regret every word!"
A black beam of lightning shot from Budo's armor, scorching the air in its path—but Zhang Yong stood his ground.
Heavenly Demon Records - Black Turtle Shield
Lightning Path - Catastrophe Charge
He opened his arms and received the lightning. The black beam struck his chest directly, and a shockwave erupted that shook the very foundations of the Imperial Palace!
Dust and smoke scattered everywhere, but Zhang Yong stood unharmed, his body gleaming with black and gold sparks. The only thing damaged was his clothes.
[The host has risen to level 42]
Black smoke emerged from beneath the mask as Zhang Yong coughed. "I think that's enough for today." He turned and began running away.
Budo was furiously enraged as never before, his eyes burning with killing intent.
"You won't escape!" Budo roared, raising his arms toward the sky. "Manifestation of the Thunder Emperor!"
Suddenly, the sky erupted with a black thunderstorm, and pillars of black lightning rained down toward Zhang Yong from every direction. The earth shook, and the walls began cracking from the intensity of the shocks.
Then suddenly, ice spears shot toward Zhang Yong, making evasion difficult.
Death Path - Ghost Form
Zhang Yong turned into a transparent shadow. The ice spears passed through his body without leaving a trace.
But he felt the real danger when a dense darkness took shape behind him.
"You flee like a rat. I didn't expect anyone would try to provoke Old Man Budo." A female voice emerged from where the spears had appeared.
She was a young woman—slender, tall, and beautiful, with long light blue hair and blue eyes. She wore a general's uniform with long sleeves and buttons on her arms, a blue scarf around her neck, high-heeled boots, a pointed hat bearing a clan emblem, and a tattoo on her chest.
It was none other than Esdeath.
"Tch, I didn't account for her. I thought she'd be busy," Zhang Yong clicked his tongue, frowning beneath the mask.
'though personally she looks hot , but nah i don't feel attracted to her'
Zhang Yong bent slightly, ready to leap. "Oh, you came yourself? It's an honor to meet General Esdeath."
Esdeath did not laugh. One step, and the ground beneath Zhang Yong's feet exploded into a vortex of ice thorns!
Void Path - Earth Fold
Esdeath moved with blinding speed, her ice thorns chasing Zhang Yong's shadow as it vanished and reappeared throughout the streets.
Each step he took left behind a new layer of ice, while she never stopped pursuing him for a moment.
"Running again? Is that all you've got?" Esdeath mocked as she raised her hand. Hundreds of ice spears formed in the air around her.
Wind Path - Wind Road
Heavenly Demon Records - Dark Dragon Rush
Zhang Yong mounted the black dragon and propelled himself at speed along the Wind Road.
But Esdeath's ice spears chased him like a hungry serpent. Each spear radiated a cold so intense it nearly froze the air around it.
"You won't escape me so easily!" Esdeath shouted, and with her next hand motion, she unleashed a full ice storm toward Zhang Yong.
Heavenly Demon Records - Black Turtle Shield
A deep black shield formed around Zhang Yong, but the strike was stronger than he expected. The shield shattered after seconds, and ice shards pierced his body, leaving shallow wounds that immediately began to freeze.
"Ah... damn it!" Zhang Yong growled, trying to maintain his balance on the dragon.
Wood Path - Sacred Wood Art
Instantly, Zhang Yong began healing himself as he sped forward.
Belial whispered, "If you don't move now, this really will be your end."
Zhang Yong had no time to reply. Esdeath was approaching quickly, her blue eyes gleaming with darkness.
Yin Path - Dark Night Flame
A skull rose from purple energy above Zhang Yong's head and shot out behind him.
The purple skull exploded behind Zhang Yong, releasing a shockwave that forced Esdeath to pause for a moment.
He used those precious seconds to vanish into the narrow alleys of the capital.
"You won't escape!" Esdeath screamed as she shattered the ice wall Zhang Yong had created as a barrier.
But when she broke through the wall, she found nothing. Zhang Yong had completely disappeared.
Far away, Zhang Yong smiled with exhilaration. 'So this is Esdeath's power? No—she didn't even unleash 30%. No, even less than twenty. Her level of strength might equal a Venerable in my world. The strongest general—she deserves her name.'
Zhang Yong turned and headed to the slums. He had to meet the former Prime Minister Shouri, who was traveling here with his daughter.
Zhang Yong arrived at the designated location and, instead of opening the door, used Ghost Form to enter.
"Zank, I have arrived," Zhang Yong said in a sharp tone to hide his injuries.
"Master!" Zank immediately bowed to Zhang Yong. "I have done as you requested. They are in the room. We have not mistreated them and have provided everything they need."
Zhang Yong looked at Zank and asked, "What did you do with the money I gave you?"
Zank smiled brightly. "We invested it, set up shops and businesses to generate income to support our cause."
Zhang Yong nodded. At least they weren't foolish, and this outcome was satisfactory.
Originally, Zhang Yong thought he would have to give them orders about what to do and what not to do, but he was secretly pleased.
Then Zank led him to where the former Prime Minister was staying. Zhang Yong knocked on the door and entered.
Inside was Shouri—a bald, elderly man with a large mustache and a short beard. He wore a crown and a winter coat. Beside him was his daughter, named Spear
Spear was a young girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes, in her teens. She wore a winter coat and a large hat.
"I apologize for the manner in which my followers brought you here, Prime Minister," Zhang Yong said, still wearing his mask.
Shouri stood slowly, his aged eyes studying Zhang Yong cautiously. "I have long wondered who stands behind this secret organization… and now, finally, I see the face behind the mask."
Spear, who was behind her father, gripped his arm anxiously. "Father…"
Zhang Yong pulled a chair, sat down, and invited the Prime Minister to do likewise. "Please, former Minister, I am here to help you."
Shouri laughed bitterly. "Help us? You kidnapped us on our way to the capital."
"Kidnapping?" Zhang Yong shook his head. "If I wanted you dead, you would have been dead the moment the current Prime Minister planned to assassinate you."
Spear trembled. "Assassination?!"
Shouri, however, did not appear surprised. He knew the current Prime Minister was corrupt enough that he wouldn't hesitate to do such a thing. "Hmph, let that minister try to kill me. I still will not help a rebel like you."
Zhang Yong's eyes glinted with understanding. 'I see—he thinks I'm from the rebel army.'
Zhang Yong sighed softly. "Prime Minister, you are mistaken. I am not from the rebel army. Do you think the people, with the suffering they endure, would not think of rebellion? The rebel army tries to change the Empire from the outside by destroying it, while we—the people's children—try to revive our country and reform it from within. We do not seek its ruin."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Shouri stared at Zhang Yong with eyes gleaming with wisdom and suspicion. Spear breathed rapidly, her blue eyes widening in astonishment.
"Reform from within?" Shouri finally said in a hoarse voice. "Pretty words… but I have seen many revolutionaries speak the same way, only to turn against the people once they attain power."
"Minister, you are one of the honest political men in this country. The current minister sent a group of soldiers—the Three Beasts under Esdeath's command—to intercept your convoy and slaughter your soldiers. You would have died if I hadn't brought you here. I bear you no ill will. Tomorrow, I will send you to the palace. We need you to confront the minister. Even if you don't believe me, believe in our shared interests. We want nothing more than to be rid of the corrupt minister," Zhang Yong said, attempting to negotiate.
Finally, Shouri sighed and shook his head. "Even if you are sincere… what guarantees the success of this plan? The current minister has the support of General Esdeath and her army, as well as General Budo. You… who are you to face them?"
"God." Zhang Yong reached his hand toward a food tray on the side and picked up a spoon.
Five Elements Path - Five Elements Substitution
In an instant, the iron spoon in Zhang Yong's hand turned into water that spilled onto the floor. In that moment, the temperature of the room changed until the minister could see his own breath. Then the temperature shifted again, making the room so hot that the minister broke out in a sweat.
"This… impossible!" Spear whispered, her blue eyes widening in shock.
Zhang Yong closed his palm, and the temperature returned to normal. "This is just a simple demonstration, Minister. Now that you've seen my abilities, are you willing to cooperate with me?"
Shouri sighed softly, trying to calm himself. He was not negotiating—he was forcing them. If he possessed such power, and they refused, they would die. If he were alone, he might not have agreed, but he did not want to risk his daughter's life beside him.
"Very well, 'God.' Let's assume I believe you… what exactly do you want?"
"I will explain. I know you want to fight the minister to the end, so just continue your goal."
"First, there is the military problem. Even General Budo will not join you. Simply put, he cannot move because he is preoccupied with the rebel army, which poses the greatest threat to the Empire. The other reason he cannot eliminate Honest is his alliance with Esdeath based on mutual benefit," Zhang Yong explained calmly.
"Correct. Therefore, we need to eliminate either the rebel army or Esdeath. Then, upon entering the palace, I can search for information to expose Honest. But the problem is, with Honest deceiving the young Emperor, it will certainly not be easy," Shouri said, stroking his chin.
"But I don't think you'll have problems. As the honest and good minister, you will be able to attract Budo. Ask him to accompany you. If Honest feels pressured and fabricates charges against you, Budo will protect you because he was a 'witness'—and Honest won't be able to assassinate you secretly in the middle of the palace, because that would make him a suspect. Moreover, with Budo's personal protection, you will be safe," Zhang Yong continued calmly.
A heavy silence fell over the room after Zhang Yong's words. Shouri stared at the masked man with eyes reflecting a mind calculating every possibility.
"Let me understand this clearly…" Shouri said slowly. "You want me to go to the palace, confront Honest directly, relying on Budo's protection—where he will be my witness against any assassination attempt?"
Zhang Yong nodded. "Exactly. But there is an additional condition."
"Which is?"
"I want you to tell me anything abnormal—such as the appearance of someone, or the like."
Shouri could not see what Zhang Yong was aiming for. His eyes were piercing as he stared at this masked man. "Your condition is strange… what exactly are you hiding?"
"Don't worry, Minister." Zhang Yong finally stood. "You handle the palace. Leave everything else to me. You focus on the investigation—I will find a way to dispose of Esdeath."
After Zhang Yong left the safe house, He headed directly to the Night Raid hideout. Midnight had passed, and the cold wind swept through the empty streets of the capital.
Asmodeus on his right shoulder laughed softly. "Finally! This reminds me of the old days, haha!"
Belial on his left shoulder shook his head. "That old man is not stupid. He may try to turn things around later."
"It's a relationship of mutual gain. Each of us needs the other. And certainly, his daughter will be a bargaining chip. When his role is over, I will get rid of him," Zhang Yong said, his eyes gleaming with cunning.
Now, with a new character appearing from nowhere, sooner or later he would have to intervene in the story.
It had been easy for him not to affect the course of the Douluo world, but now—the outcome was different. He would have to intervene sooner or later.