Chapter 192: "Just an Honor Knight—Take Down the Saintess With Everything You’ve Got!"

"Ah, I see... Thank you, miss."

Lin Wei accepted the commission with practiced ease, then stepped out of the Adventurers’ Guild.

Outside, the street was alive with bustling crowds, but the Saintess stood quietly amidst the chaos, waiting for him.

Her golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, each silken strand artfully arranged to spill over her shoulders like a living masterpiece. The dress she wore was far too refined for any ordinary adventurer, perfectly complementing features so exquisite they seemed sculpted by the gods themselves.

No matter how crowded the street, she was destined to draw every gaze.

"Where did that beauty come from?"

"She must be from the Empire, right? But what’s someone like her doing in the City-State of Brook at a time like this?"

"Maybe she’s the daughter of some noble family..."

The murmurs rippled through the crowd until Lin Wei, just seen inside the guild, reappeared.

Yalis, who had been lost in thought, instantly brightened, her smile radiant with anticipation.

"All done, Mr. Lin Wei? Did you get the mission?"

"Of course. I’m a Senior Adventurer, after all—taking on an exploration quest is nothing out of the ordinary. I picked up some intel while I was inside, too. I’ll fill you in as we walk."

The weight of the crowd's stares was almost palpable.

Lin Wei took Yalis by the hand, guiding her away from the main road with a silent sigh.

Even in disguise, there was no hiding the Saintess’s presence.

That flawless face, the luxurious attire, the aura that drew every head. And her skin—so fair and delicate, untouched by hardship.

Even if she weren’t the Saintess of the Holy See, she could easily pass for a highborn daughter of nobility.

But none of that mattered for the mission ahead.

"Selm Labyrinth is one of the three great labyrinths of the Northern Countries—actually, it’s ranked among the top five in the world."

"They say it’s been here since before the Age of Gods. When the war of the gods erupted, countless deities fell upon these grounds, transforming it into what it is now. That’s why Selm Labyrinth has over a dozen entrances."

"Really, it’s more like an underground city than a maze. The Adventurers’ Guild has records of expeditions reaching the twelfth floor, but the safe routes deeper in were overrun by monsters years ago. These days, the deepest safe zone is only on the ninth floor."

Lin Wei had visited this labyrinth countless times.

Honestly, whether it had twelve floors or twenty-two made no difference to him. He’d just activate [Monster Intimidation] and bulldoze his way through.

He rarely bothered to kill monsters unless they blocked his path. A couple of portals later, and he’d be at his destination.

In truth, most of what he was telling the Saintess now was information he’d just learned himself.

"Safe zone?" Yalis asked, her curiosity piqued.

As the Saintess, she had never set foot in a super labyrinth before. She’d only heard brief mentions during her studies; the concept of a "safe zone" was entirely new.

"It’s simple," Lin Wei explained. "The Adventurers’ Guild establishes rest areas on each floor."

He was happy to elaborate. Seeing her puzzled expression, he continued as they left the City-State of Brook behind.

"The guild exists to minimize casualties and share information. Over the years, they’ve mapped out safe routes on the first nine floors of Selm Labyrinth."

"Each route has a safe zone at its entrance—protected by powerful magic arrays. The safest routes even have markets set up."

"If you’re just here to sightsee, you can stick to those paths. But if you want to make real money... you have to delve into the unknown, using the safe zones as your base. By the way, the demon hostages are somewhere in those unmapped sectors."

With just a few words, Yalis’s curiosity was fully ignited.

So this is what a super labyrinth is like? Multiple entrances, guild-run safe zones? She’d always imagined labyrinths as little more than twisting corridors and hidden chests.

But as Lin Wei described it, she could already sense—even before seeing it herself—this was no ordinary maze.

It was a sprawling underground metropolis. Meeting Lin Wei truly was her greatest stroke of luck.

Without him, neither Her Holiness, her father, nor even Sister Meilin would have ever brought her here. Even if it were for training, she’d have been sent to a far simpler labyrinth at best.

"So, Mr. Lin Wei, what’s our plan of attack?"

Yalis was already slipping into her role as an adventurer.

Lin Wei wasn’t just looking after her; he was giving her a real say in their decisions.

Her heart pounded with anticipation as she looked at him, eager to play the hero.

"Based on the intel I just got from the Adventurers’ Guild..."

"The first four floors are thoroughly mapped—no demon activity, not even monster corpses. The current theory is that the demonfolk are hiding deeper, past the fifth floor."

After so many years, the monsters on the upper levels were weak and sparse. If the demonfolk dared show themselves there, the guild would have sniffed them out immediately.

"So, we’ll take the safest route straight to the fifth floor."

"You’ll get a feel for the labyrinth there, then we’ll push deeper and search for clues."

"I see... What about the monsters on the fifth floor? How strong are they?"

Yalis, enjoying her newfound sense of participation, looked at him with earnest seriousness. She knew her questions probably wouldn’t change the plan, but it felt good to pretend she was strategizing.

With Mr. Lin Wei, there was always something new to discover.

"Probably... Level 30 to 60?"

"The monsters in the unmapped areas are usually stronger. Near the safe routes, they’re weak—adventurers pass through every day, clearing them out. The monsters barely get a chance to grow."

To be honest, Lin Wei found the question a little tricky.

He always just bulldozed through with [Monster Intimidation]. Who knew how many monsters died along the way, or what their levels were? Who had the time to check the power of every ant when you were in a hurry?

"No need to worry about level. If I pick a fight for you, you’ll be able to handle it—even if you can’t win outright, you’ll at least be able to put up a fight."

Battling higher-level monsters was worth more experience than fighting those at your own level. Plus, he’d secretly buff her if needed—might as well let the Saintess have a little fun.

He stopped and pointed to a bustling marketplace just outside the city walls, nestled at the foot of towering mountains.

"There—that’s one of the labyrinth’s entrances."

"Huh? We’re here already?"

At the center of the crowded market stood a wide, sloping passage descending deep underground.

Adventurers streamed in and out, while city guards lounged nearby, yawning with boredom.

Clearly, the upper levels were as safe as any tourist attraction.

"Told you there were lots of entrances."

As Lin Wei surveyed the lively scene, his gaze lingered on an unremarkable vendor hawking minerals and metal goods—so ordinary, they were almost invisible.

But to Lin Wei, former Demon Lord, the truth was obvious.

A faint thread of magic extended from his senses, enveloping the air.

It was a familiar Skill—one that mapped everything around him in his mind’s eye.

This time, though, he focused a portion of his energy on that single, nondescript merchant.

The disguise peeled away under his gaze—bone, meridians, blood vessels, then the very flow of blood itself.

A nearly imperceptible wisp of black energy pulsed through the merchant’s heart.

He’d been monitoring the area since they arrived—only now did he spot the anomaly.

Lucky, really, that it had gone so smoothly.

"...Evil God Cultists, huh?"

So that’s why so many refugees from the Northern Countries had been brought to this labyrinth.

Even here, they’d stationed cultists to monitor the entrance. But who were they really watching?

Adventurers heading into the depths? The Coalition Army’s elite rescue teams?

Or... some VIP leading a squad?

If it was the Holy See, that narrowed the list—one of the three great knights, perhaps a Vice Commander or Central Archbishop.

If it was the Coalition Army’s generals... well, those were all people Lin Wei had already defeated. No big names came to mind.

As for the Griffin Duke, sending him personally would be ridiculous—he wouldn’t risk his life just to rescue hostages.

Unless... the person inside the labyrinth was someone he absolutely couldn’t abandon.

"Like his own daughter?"

Krulu’s infiltration of the labyrinth had probably already been discovered by both the demonfolk and the Cult of the Evil God.

Add in Yalis, the Griffin Duke, and the rest...

Lin Wei had only planned to check on the sleeping Heroes after entering the labyrinth, just in case.

But now, the clues were starting to add up.

"Could they really be after Yalis?"

He didn’t want to go on a killing spree unless he had to. It was messy—he’d have to knock out his allies first, then ensure no cultists escaped.

"Tsk... Letting Krulu into the labyrinth was supposed to be bait, to lure those Four Idiots out one by one."

"But if the Cult of the Evil God and the Empire both get involved, things are going to get messy."

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

Lost in thought, Lin Wei led Yalis into the labyrinth.

◇

Demon Lord’s Castle.

Dark clouds blanketed the sky, as if the heavens themselves were about to collapse.

Occasional flashes of crimson lightning painted the world in apocalyptic hues.

A demonfolk, face twisted with anxiety, approached the throne—formidable in appearance, yet now so frail it was almost pitiful.

Long, elegant fingers swept across the tray, reviewing the reports in an instant.

"How interesting... Krulu has been spotted."

"And she’s making contact with the Hero?"

It had been half a month since her betrayal and escape.

Even now, the Demon Lord herself had tried to enact Divine Punishment on the traitor. But as a Catkin-Demon hybrid, Krulu’s atavistic blood had allowed her to slip away during the chaos at the Northern Fortress.

Who would’ve expected her to resurface so soon?

"Looks like planting agents near the Hero was the right move."

"Thankfully, after losing so many Heroes in the past two years, the new ones are so weak they can’t compare... Otherwise, she would’ve been exposed and executed the moment they met."

Still, everything was proceeding according to plan.

Sitting on her throne in a black formal dress, the acting Demon Lord radiated an air of regal authority.

She gazed at the storm-wracked sky and the ominous labyrinth below.

For some reason... she caught herself thinking of the figure who once sat on this very throne.

But he had only ever been a temporary vessel—a human, not one of their own.

Those not of our race are destined to betray us. His only worth was to persist until the true king’s return.

"If you hadn’t abandoned the demonfolk and turned your back on us..."

"Even if you weren’t the real Demon Lord, I would have given everything—even my life—to keep following you."

"But in the end... you were human, and you betrayed us."

No point dwelling on it now.

The former "Judgement Spirit, First of the Demon Generals," now acting Demon Lord—Sabela—sat high upon her throne.

Just as the false Demon Lord once had, she tapped the armrest in thought, the crisp sound sparking a flood of new ideas.

"If Krulu’s here, send the Headless Horseman, Morteir, to hunt down that traitor."

"And I hear the Griffin Duke’s daughter, Saintess Yalis, is in the City-State of Brook as well?"

The tapping ceased.

Sabela looked up, her red eyes blazing with power.

She had made her decision.

"The Holy See’s Saintess won’t stand by and watch. She’ll enter the labyrinth as well. Begin the operation: capture the Saintess and use her as bait for the Griffin Duke."

"Send word to the Church—we need at least three senior Legacy-level cultists at the scene. They’ll handle her guard... Honor Knight Lin Wei, was it?"

Three senior Legacy-level Evil God Cultists—an impressive lineup.

Even one of the three great knights would struggle against the Headless Horseman, Morteir, plus three elite cultists.

And that’s not even counting the other experts already in position.

"Honor Knight Lin Wei? Never even heard of him."

"Let’s hope he lasts more than three minutes."

Sabela smiled, confident.

Time to prepare a victory feast for her returning champions.