Chapter 1450: Sudden Upheaval!

Chapter 1450: Chapter 1413: Sudden Upheaval!

The winding path leading down to Luoxia Palace was carved into the hillside, and the terrace consisted of vegetation that was a mix of natural growth and horticulture.

Dikoschek quickly stepped onto a terrace ahead of the group, pausing briefly before a wall adorned with rows of stone griffin heads.

These heads spouted water downwards, forming a fountain landscape.

Redania’s chief spy bent down to drink from beneath the griffin heads.

Since Dikoschek hadn’t delayed the group’s progress, Lann didn’t stop him.

The Demon Hunter looked further down the terrace; some Redania soldiers were already carrying torches towards Luoxia Palace.

They formed a line, crossing a stone bridge over a crevice in the rock shelf.

By now, it should be around five or six in the morning. The sea, once shrouded in darkness, now slightly shimmered with a reddish-golden glow, just a bit brighter.

However, a dark cloud was slowly twisting, gathering over Sandy Island.

Lann watched the dark cloud, his originally displeased expression turning gradually somber.

“Are you still angry about our operation?” the spy chief tentatively asked, observing Lann’s expression. “I apologize again, sir. But I assure you, keeping you uninformed was because in our line of work, caution is paramount.”

“Coups, rebellions, secret captures… A lack of caution would mean failure.”

Based on prior interactions, Dikoschek confirmed that Lann actually agreed with their method of ‘internal purification.’

However, the situation always appeared overly complicated before it became clear, mixed with the disruptive influence of spies and personal agendas…

What exactly Philippa was plotting, whether she wanted to use this internal purification to ‘coincidentally’ clean out dissenters, Dikoschek was unsure.

After all, he couldn’t read the mind of a female warlock.

But from his personal perspective and motive, he had no major conflict with Lann.

Therefore, Dikoschek was quite frustrated now.

If they had spoken more openly during the banquet, they might not be in such an awkward position now.

But it’s merely ‘frustration,’ far from ‘regret.’

After all, the proper task of capturing traitorous wizards was being handled adeptly, in Dikoschek’s opinion.

The Demon-Blocking Golden Shackles were unfailing; those traitor warlocks wouldn’t have a chance.

The remaining issue was just one matter to consider…

“That girl,” Dikoschek wiped the water off his mouth and suddenly spoke softly to Lann, “Are you really planning to place her in Airetusa?”

“Don’t look at me with such an unnerving gaze, sir. I’m merely being realistic and rational; I suggest you reconsider.”

“Vizimir and I don’t want to clash with you or the warlocks. It would be best if we could discuss things peacefully.”

“Geralt is, in principle, the guardian of that critically important young lady, but everyone knows that it was you who pulled the girl out of that bloody pit in Sintra.”

“As long as you speak, Airetusa will undoubtedly agree, and both Geralt and Yennefer will certainly give it more thought, won’t they?”

Dikoschek waited a while but noticed Lann first frowned at the unnatural dark cloud over Sandy Island before responding without turning his face.

“How could you have such an absurd idea that I would speak to you and Vizimir about such things?”

“Because my absurd belief, sir,” Dikoschek slightly jabbed at Lann, “is that you ought to speak for that critically important young lady, not for anyone else.”

The chief spy tapped his toe on the ground, referring to the entire Sandy Island and the academy on it: “Airetusa is not safe.”

“On the surface, you’re here, along with numerous Great Mages, but what does that mean? Tonight, you witnessed, the northern warlocks delivering a blow to the Niflgaard people at Sodden Mountain.”

“But the Niflgaard people aren’t the mindless villains from poetry! They learn from every setback! See how two years later, there are now so many traitors among the northern warlocks! Who would have imagined it before?”

“Among the captured, some even came from Sodden Mountain!”

“Yes, I know, you’ve probably heard whispers from other sources saying that the kings’ arrangements for that young lady weren’t ideal. But the situation has changed; now, a safe and healthy Shirela is more valuable! She ought to be sheltered and cared for.”

Lann frowned at the sky: “Does Philippa know about your and Vizimir’s plans?”

“No.” Dikoschek replied decisively, “She doesn’t even know I’ve learned the girl has entered Airetusa.”

“My dear Phil might act important, but Vizimir is the king, so I only follow his orders.”

Though the spy chief’s words were sincere, Lann merely let out a cold laugh, not offering another word.

And suddenly!

“Boom!!!”

A thunderous clap resounded!

Under the heavy clouds in the sky, a bolt of azure lightning violently and tumultuously struck down!

And the landing point seemed not too far from Sandy Island, supposedly on the nearby sea surface.

The powerful voltage and current suddenly penetrated the air, and even made Dikoschek, who was about to say a few words to Lann, shiver with all his hair standing on end!

“Meretelli! Has Cliff gotten angry?”

The sentence included two gods, completely irregular, and it was unclear if it was a prayer or an instinctive cry of surprise that popped out of Dikoschek’s mouth.

The chief spy was indeed someone well-experienced, but he had never encountered thunder and lightning exploding so close by!

Dikoschek only remembered that he caught a glimpse of a glaring blue-white strong light with the corner of his eye!

In the following ten or so seconds, the blue-white glare stubbornly lingered in his peripheral vision no matter how he moved his eyes.

This was the residual effect after the eyeball was suddenly exposed to a strong light.

Other Redanian soldiers were also all displaying a look of panic and uncertainty.

What is happening?!

Wasn’t it said that once Gastang Palace’s anti-magic array was activated, the entire Sandy Island, except for the farthest Luoxia Palace, would be unaffected?

This situation hasn’t reached Luoxia Palace yet!

Under such ominous clouds, even the most ordinary Redanian soldiers knew this definitely wasn’t natural weather!

Someone as knowledgeable as Dikoschek was already planning in his mind.

Is this the wizards’ controlled thundercloud? Or the Druid’s technique known as the ‘Heaven Controller’?

And beside Dikoschek, Lann seemed already accustomed to that thundercloud and lightning.

He didn’t even turn his head to look at the lightning strike point close to Sandy Island, instead suddenly widened his eyes, staring at the stone griffin head where Dikoschek had just leaned over to drink water!

This stone statue seemed to be moving.

But in Lann’s eyes it was clear to see that it wasn’t the statue moving, but the illusion technique covering the griffin head was fluctuating!

They would become pitted, transforming from ornate smooth stone carvings into rough unsightly stones, then after a moment return to their original state.

Just like the huge stone bridge of Airetusa that was repaired not long ago, it bore marks of the sea breeze and salt content corroding the stone.

Airetusa, after all, having been built a long time ago, required repairs in various aspects. Though money for repairs was no longer an issue, the repair work itself required time.

The bridge was essential and naturally repaired first, while the gargoyle-shaped wall decorations were of lower priority and were currently uniformly covered by large-scale illusion techniques to maintain the mages’ dignity.

Lann also understood that this clear, blurry, then clear fluctuation signified that the magic overlaying the statue was being interfered with! Becoming unstable!

Gastang Palace!

Two seconds after the thunder had struck, observing the change in the wall sculpture, Lann immediately reacted and looked up towards the topmost part of Sandy Island!

Almost simultaneously with his shifting gaze it happened!

“Boom!!!”

A massive and majestic tower, fire and thick smoke gushed out from every window, gateway, and even the stone crevices of that stone tower!

Matching the commotion of the previous thunder crashing on the sea surface!

But the thunderous boom could still be dismissed as a sound from the natural environment, not catching much attention.

Yet the explosion! Blazing flames! The swirling winds and hot air echoing chaotically through the building’s gaps!

These terrifying sounds transmitted from the highest point of Sandy Island across the entire sea area!

Even the most foolish person wouldn’t claim this as a ‘normal sound’!

Magic itself is an unnatural force! This, even more so, is an unnatural explosion!

The explosion and fiery glow of Gastang Palace continued spreading, transmitting towards the open sea.

Redanian soldiers and Dikoschek were completely stunned by this sudden change.

They stared at the lofty Gastang Palace as if they’d seen a ghost.

“I’m coming! I’m coming meow!”

Rong Buqiu’s voice was mixed in with the increasingly distant explosion sound, climbing up from beneath the ground where Lann and the others stood!

The little cat shouted while running, and the voice even indicated it was rapidly approaching.

If calculated as if it dashed straight up from the secret cave of Sandy Island, then it must have started moving at the moment the thunderclouds began gathering!