Above The Sky
Chapter 713 - 713 2 Ironwing Dragon Group_2

713: Chapter 2 Ironwing Dragon Group_2 713: Chapter 2 Ironwing Dragon Group_2 As for things like scattering yolks, bisecting earthworms, and slapping children who pass by…, they naturally wouldn’t do such things, but essentially, these became the standard fare of folktales.

“Why is there no news of Mountain People’s rebellion from the Imperial Capital?

I haven’t even heard anything about it around the Golden Prairie.”

Ian asked this on his way to the Governor’s Mansion, not really expecting an answer.

After all, for a guard like Piman, not knowing meant not knowing; they simply followed instructions from above.

To his surprise, the knight actually had an answer, “Of course, it’s because of the grand meeting.

Officer, you’re still young and a genius at that, so I guess you might not understand these nuances, right?”

“How could they possibly report such news externally or to the upper hierarchy during the meetings in the Imperial Capital, especially since it hasn’t affected the Agate Stone Plains.

It’s not that significant of an issue.”

“Everything will calm down once the general returns.”

— This is just too real.

Blinking, Ian felt a sense of overly real absurdity in his heart— he hadn’t expected that Terra would also have the tradition of no major events during the national congress.

Could a rebellion of the Mountain People actually be concealed?

And if there’s no problem around the Agate Stone Plains, then it’s not a big deal… Who came up with that idea?

Ian, however, had no desire to know the answer to that question.

Guided by Piman and the other knights, the group made their unhindered way into Nauman City.

With Ian’s identity and reputation, there were some within Nauman City who recognized him.

Especially since Marquis Barton occasionally mentioned Ian, everyone knew that there was a favored White Folk Alchemist under the Marquis’ command, who had even joined the Knight Order of Inspectorate at the young age of less than twenty years old.

Now, as dusk fell, the streets became busier instead of quieter.

Food had become more expensive, as had the price of alcohol, so the nightlife of Nauman City saw an increase of seafood stalls, mainly featuring shellfish and fish, which dominated the market.

These were items that were hard to price-gouge in Nauman City and served to fill the current market gap.

There were quite a few patrolling knights on the streets, their Armored Clothing exceptionally refined, incorporating laminated armor designs.

Ian even spotted two brand-new Armor Suits at a bridge guard post in the Upper City District.

Clearly, the all-out standoff with Fiery Flame Land was putting immense pressure on South Ridge—it seemed Nauman City was reaching into the depths of its armory.

Arriving at the Governor’s Mansion without issue, Piman and the others took their leave, as they lacked the authority to go inside.

Ian waited for the Gate Guard to pass the message inside the Governor’s Mansion, while the officer on duty, seeing that the Inspector Knight who had come was such a handsome young White Folk, couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Please wait a moment.”

After verifying Ian’s Knight’s Medal and the personally written lordship commission from Marquis Barton and His Highness Michael, he respectfully said, “I will report this right away.”

Minutes later, Ian received a reply: “Please, come in.

The colonel is waiting for you.”

Having already been there once, and with a map in his Silver Chip, Ian had some spare time to observe some of the Governor’s Mansion’s inhabitants while being led to the Governor’s Office.

Unlike when Marquis Barton was in charge, the Governor’s Mansion no longer maintained a dozen individuals to surveil different areas in various ways— even the number of knights was small, and the staff seemed unusually sparse.

And just like that, while gazing around the first-floor office area, Ian spied a glowing red target, signaling hostility.

“Huh.”

Ian thought: “A spy so brazenly working in the Governor’s Mansion?

He really isn’t afraid of death.

And now that Marquis Barton and his elite knights are gone, what are these leftovers but trash, unable to notice such an obvious target?”

This was one of the reasons he wanted to come to the Governor’s Mansion.

After Ian speculated there was a spy inside, he planned to use his Spirit Energy to see if he could spot any clues.

But unexpectedly, he found the target simply by opening his Foresight View, as easy as picking up money on the ground.

Though that was the case, no one else had Foresight View, and who could hide from a Prophet?

Yet Ian looked again more closely and found a clue: “Wait…

isn’t that a Flesh Shapeshifter?”

“So it has taken over one of the staff?

It seems I’ve misjudged the Governor’s Mansion.

Such creatures have an incredibly strong camouflage and replacement ability—I didn’t expect Fiery Flame Land to be using them already.”

The Flesh Shapeshifter was a monster Ian had encountered in the Subspace Labyrinth of the Avak Domain, which had killed two members of the Huai Guang Rescue Team with its extremely powerful parasitic ability.

This shapeshifter could read the brain memories of lower-level Sublimators and then mimic them perfectly.

Apart from some discrepancies in weight, it had no other drawbacks.

Ian resolved to inform Colonel Majorva about this issue during their meeting.

It seemed that Fiery Flame Land had gained some intel in the Avak Domain, and some of that information might have been sent back even before the Deceased Monarch arose.

With various thoughts in his mind, Ian made his way into the office of the Governor’s Mansion.

Inside the office, a lean man with brown hair stood up, smiling as he came forward to shake hands with Ian.

“They say it’s one thing to hear about someone, quite another to meet them.”

Colonel Majorva spoke softly, “Mr.

Ian, I presume you already know who I am, so no need for introductions.

I heard you left the Imperial Capital two weeks ago.

How is it that you’re only arriving in South Ridge now?”

Because of Marquis Barton, Ian felt particularly averse to this warm and smiling approach, even suspecting in his mind, ‘Is this another trap being set for me?’