After watching the Dark Elves leave the stronghold, Vincent turned to look at Lopez, who was still struggling to get up.
The reason why he had sent the Dark Elves directly to Serene Spring City without questioning them further was that he also had someone who could tell him about Imperial City.
Vincent strode over to Lopez’s side and said with a cold smile, “Don’t force yourself anymore. My attack just now had crippled your cultivation so don’t even think about standing up. You also won’t be able to climb far!”
“What on earth are you doing? If you do this, the oracles in the Imperial City won’t forgive you!”
Lopez threatened Vincent with an angry expression, hoping that Vincent would recognize reality and not continue to hurt him.
However, Vincent just smiled at this and said disdainfully, “Oracle? What is an oracle? I even dared to destroy the statue of Gajero. Haven’t you heard of my deeds?”
Lopez’s eyes widened when he heard this. Of course, he had heard of a foreigner intruding into the Elf World and destroying the statue of Gajero. He looked at the strength of the foreigner in front of him and immediately realized the identity and purpose of the foreign race.
“You actually dared to intrude Imperial City. You really don’t know death!”
Lopez still had the same imposing manner as before as he rebuked Vincent angrily.
Vincent smiled slightly and raised the Return Journey of the Dead. The pitch-black blade reflected the sunlight into Lopez’s eyes, making him feel a strong killing intent.
Vincent said coldly, “When I ask a question, you must answer it. If you don’t answer me or choose to lie to me, I will kill you immediately!”
Lopez shivered subconsciously. He then took the initiative to ask, “If I tell you the truth, can you let me go?”
Vincent said indifferently, “You are now a cripple. You are useless to me. Why would I lie to you?”
Lopez took a deep breath and sighed slowly, “Then ask away!”
Vincent asked in a deep voice, “What exactly happened in the capital? Did you feel anything strange in the capital?”
Lopez’s expression was dark as if he was recalling something as he said, “There is indeed something strange in the capital. It has been happening for a few years… I seem to be able to hear the guidance of God. He will constantly tell me what to do and what not to do. I only need to do what God wants me to do. That feeling is as if I have been deprived of my consciousness and ability to move, but also as if nothing has changed. Because I am only willing to accept the guidance of God from the bottom of my heart!”
Vincent could not help but frown after hearing this. It seemed that the situation in Imperial City was even more dangerous than he had imagined. At the same time, he was uncertain what would happen to him when he entered the Imperial City.
Would he not be able to communicate with the other Dark Elves because he did not have any faith and was not controlled by the demons, or would he become a puppet controlled by someone else?
No matter what the situation was, it would make Vincent’s plan to infiltrate the city even more difficult!
Vincent quickly suppressed the worry in his heart. No matter how dangerous it was, he would not change his plan. Instead, he continued to ask, “Is there any news about the Elf King in Imperial City?”
Lopez shook his head and said, “I’m not sure, but I’ve never heard of any news about the Elf Kings since I’ve lived in the Imperial City! And I have lived here for many years!”
Vincent could not help but frown even more. If there was no trace of the Elf King in the Imperial City, then it could only mean that the Elf Kings had been taken away by Gajero and were no longer in Elf World.
Lopez noticed that Vincent seemed to be deep in thought. He could not help but ask, “I’ve answered all your questions, can you let me go now?”
Vincent stopped thinking and suddenly revealed a sly smile. He shook his head and said, “I’m sorry, I lied to you just now!”
Lopez glared at Vincent and shouted indignantly, “What? You b*stard! I’m obviously useless to you, but you still want to kill me!”
Vincent squatted down with a calm face and said sincerely, “Actually, I lied to you because of this sentence! If you are really useless to me, I can let you go, but you are very useful to me now, how can I let you go?”
“What are you planning to do?” asked Lopez. He looked at Vincent with a terrified face, and a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart.
Vincent did not answer Lopez’s question. Instead, he activated his Transformation Skill and transformed himself into an old Dark Elf. He then pressed his hand on Lopez’s body and shouted in a deep voice, “Modify shape!”
A crystal-clear light emerged from Vincent’s palm and gradually covered Lopez’s entire body. After the light faded, Lopez transformed into a Fire Elf!
“You, you are a devil! What is this method? What are you trying to do?”
Lopez did not know what had happened to him, but he clearly saw Vincent transformed from a foreign race into a Dark Elf. He could not help but shout at him in fear.
Vincent flipped his hand and took out the Heavenly Demon Token from his storage ring. He smiled at Lopez and said, “I am now the Dark Elf who wants to complete the mission in the Heavenly Demon Token. You are the key to completing my mission!”
Lopez was at a loss when he heard that. He immediately looked at his hands and saw that his nails had turned fiery red. The skin on his arms had also turned from pale to dark red. This meant that he no longer had the appearance of a Dark Elf, instead, he had become a fire elf!
Lopez said to Vincent angrily, “You, you, you can forget about using me to take credit in Imperial City. I will definitely expose your plot!”
Vincent nodded thoughtfully and said with a smile, “Thank you for your reminder. Modify the silence!”
Vincent once again used the authority to modify silence. Lopez’s mouth, which was constantly moving, suddenly lost all sound. All that was left was a look of despair as he looked at Vincent.
Vincent took out a metal chain from his storage ring and tied up the heavily injured Lopez. He then picked him up with one hand and strode toward Imperial City.
A team of dark elves was guarding the city gates meticulously. Each of them stood in place like statues, not moving at all. There was no life in their eyes as if they were soulless corpses.
When Vincent arrived at the city gates, he instantly noticed the strange behavior of the guards. He then walked up to them nervously.
At this moment, a Dark Elf guard suddenly turned around. His movements were stiff as if he was a puppet being controlled by someone. His eyes did not seem to move as he stared straight at Vincent. He asked mechanically, “Who are you?”
Vincent thought for a moment and said casually, “My name is Jacob, a mercenary who has been on the run for many years. I accidentally obtained a Heavenly Demon Token. Now that I have completed my mission, I am here to meet the oracle!”
The city guard turned his stiff neck slightly and glanced at Lopez, who was in Vincent’s hand. He then said, “Follow me!”
The city guard turned around in a stiff manner and walked straight into the city.
Vincent took a breath and followed behind the soldier. He walked into the city gate carefully.
After entering the city, the first thing Vincent saw was the houses and markets on both sides of the street. However, every household had its doors tightly shut, and the market was empty. There was no sign of life. He could only occasionally see some Dark Elves walking on the road. They were either transporting food or carrying something. No one was idle, and all of them were stiff and expressionless, like zombies.
Vincent felt slightly relieved when he did not feel anything strange happening to him. It seemed that he was not being controlled, and at the same time, he did not attract the attention of the surrounding Dark Elves.
What made Vincent even more relieved was that Lopez, who was still struggling in his hands, did not turn into a puppet.
This meant that the Dark Elves in Imperial City would return to their normal state after leaving Imperial City. They would not directly turn into puppets after returning to Imperial City. Instead, they would have to go through some special means to turn back into puppets!
Vincent believed that what made all the Dark Elves in Imperial City fall into such a state must be because of some special equipment or formation, just like the traps in Devil Flame City that could detect other races. As long as one was careful and aware of similar equipment or formations, they would not fall for it!
This was also the reason why the Dark Elves who escaped the Imperial City were not affected. They must have had some fortuitous coincidence, so they did not walk through the special equipment or the location of the formation. That was why they were frightened by the changes of the Dark Elves and escaped.
While he was thinking, Vincent had already followed the soldier into the palace. The palace was no longer the same as what the elves had described in history. Instead, it had been rebuilt into a pitch-black palace.
After entering the palace, Vincent found that the Dark Elves guarding the palace were even more zombie-like than the Dark Elves guarding the city gates.
Their expressions were numb, and their movements were stiff. There was not a hint of life in them. They were like stone sculptures!
Vincent analyzed in his heart, “It seems that the thing that is controlling the Dark Elves is inside the palace. The closer I get to it, the stronger the effect will be!”
When they reached a magnificent door, the soldier who was leading the way suddenly stopped. He turned around and said to Vincent, “Wait here. You are not allowed to leave without orders!”
Vincent nodded and said, “I understand!”
The soldier then pushed open the gate and walked in alone.
A moment later, a beast-like roar came from inside the gate.
“Come in!”
When Vincent heard the voice, he snorted subconsciously. This was because he could hear that the voice belonged to a demon!
Vincent adjusted his expression, pushed open the door, and walked into the palace with Lopez
