Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!
Chapter 754 - 410 The Secret Guard and the Interrogation

Chapter 754: Chapter 410 The Secret Guard and the Interrogation

A thousand miles east of the Apa Plain, in the Lake Capital City of Tenochtitlan, there was a secluded manor to the south of the city.

The sun was setting in the west, and Lake Texcoco shimmered with the light of the waves. The prayers of the evening echoed throughout the entire Capital City, reaching into the underground chamber of the manor. The emblem of the Sun Hummingbird stood erect in the dark chamber, casting a faint glow under the dim candlelight. In the shadowy confines of the chamber, several figures sat encircling another figure, and the lengthy questioning continued.

"...you said last time that the King in the north has a huge Bronze Beast, that, once ignited with fire, can launch stone balls and emit smoke, smashing any target in front of it?"

An icy voice asked calmly. Each word in that voice was steadily calm, devoid of personal emotion.

"Yes, yes! The huge Bronze Beast firing stone balls, the poor Yolodila family, right in front of me, was turned into rubble by the terrifying stone balls of the Bronze Beast. It was too tragic, just as tragic as our Zicao family..."

The Zicao Clan Leader Guramo slouched on his seat. His eyes were unfocused, his cheeks flushed, and he breathed heavily, his expression was oddly excited. It seemed as if all his energy had been drained, and before him, everything appeared as shifting shadows. He couldn’t control himself, his usual self-discipline had crumbled away, and he couldn’t help but blurt out anything and everything.

Querying voices came through the shadows, and he revealed all he knew, without reservation, every sentence true.

"...you also said, there are two types of Bronze Beasts, one capable of firing stone balls, reaching as far as two miles and knocking down robust trees. The other shoots buckshot, which within a hundred steps, turns people into sieves?"

"Yes, yes! We saw the large Bronze Beast knock down trees, and then we knew, manors of nobles everywhere couldn’t be defended! We saw the small Bronze Beast kill a group of people and knew that we couldn’t win in open battle either! Unable to defend and unable to win, we had no choice but assassination! I sent my most perfect daughter to assassinate him, but she failed, and our family was destroyed, wuwuwu..."

As he said this, Guramo collapsed to the ground, crying messily, completely surrendering his body to uncontrollable emotions.

The Chief Intelligence Officer Gillim sat cross-legged in front of Guramo, two sharp Bronze Daggers tucked at his waist. His demeanor was grave and meticulous as he solemnly waited for some time. Yet Guramo had not ceased his crying, and his tears and snot flowed together, dampening the mat.

"Give him another bottle of the specially prepared Holy Water."

Gillim’s icy voice sounded once more. Three secret guards quickly approached; one restrained Guramo’s body, another gripped his chin, and the last one poured a jug of special "Holy Water" into his mouth without refusal.

"Ah! Haha! ...Ah! How beautiful, this is the ancestral manor of my Zicao family! I want to climb the tall Kapok tree, and from there, soar into the sky!"

In just a moment, Guramo sat up, his face showing uncontrollable joy as he broke out into sincere and hearty laughter.

"...you say, when you attempted to assassinate the King in the north, you had made contact with generals from Tarasco. The second Spear Legion Commander Ezpan did not agree, but hereditary Nobility Huitu Puapu and the Sky Oorta consented, as well as some Warrior Captains from the legions, and Warrior Camp Chiefs from the garrison troops. They promised that after the King’s death, they would rise up together and support the Tarasco Prince?"

"Ah? Yes, yes! How wonderful it would have been if the King of the north had died during his northern campaign! There would surely have been revolts among the legion commanders, and our Zicao family could have supported the Prince even further. Ah! But the King did not die in the northern campaign, and the assassination failed too! Leading his troops southward, the despicable Huitu Puapu and Sky Oorta came to silence me, destroying the entire Zicao manor!"

Once again, Guramo became agitated under the influence of the specially made Holy Water, his emotions completely unmanageable as he shouted excitedly.

"Ah! My heart aches, I regret it! If I had known today, why would I have chosen assassination? No, I don’t regret it. Could our family really have been sent to guard the northern border? No, I do regret it. Even if it meant guarding the border, we could have preserved our family..."

Intelligence Officer Gillim remained silent, deep in thought.

The latest intelligence had arrived. His Highness Xiulote had reorganized the legions of the Kingdom of the Lake. Huitu Puapu and the sky Oorta were stripped of their powers as generals, one exiled to the seaport, the other reassigned to farm anew, while other involved generals were all exiled to the north of the Lerma River. As a result, any threat of Prepetcha surrendering to the Nobility was eliminated, and the stability of the Kingdom of the Lake was further solidified.

It was a while before Gillim spoke again.

"Guramo, when you contacted everyone, did you reveal Prince Shatini’s identity?"

"...Prince Shatini? Ah, right, Prince Shatini. He really is the most suitable prince to be supported, possessing both the Divine Eagle Bloodline and the blood of a Colima Noble Chief, capable of receiving support from both sides... Reveal his identity? I showed some tokens from the Royal Family which were given to me by secret guards. I hinted a few times, but most people didn’t catch on. The only one who truly knows Prince Shatini’s identity is the great Colima chieftain, Iymar!"

At this point, Guramo seemed to suddenly come to his senses. He painfully knelt down and pleaded with the Chief Intelligence Officer before him.

"Respected Lady Serpent of the Alliance! I contacted the generals everywhere, I supported Prince Shatini, I assassinated the King of the North, all at the insinuation of the secret guards! The secret guards are under your command, so it must have been your instruction behind it all. I followed your orders, I devoted myself to you! Please, you must help me, and restore the Zicao Family!..."

Upon hearing this, Gillim’s expression grew even more solemn. His words fluctuated slightly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Listen to me? Guramo, you never followed the secret guards’ plans! The secret guards never told you to assassinate His Highness Xiulote at this critical time, to create chaos in the western part of the Alliance! The secret guards only told you to wait for the right moment, to obediently follow His Highness and gain his trust, to integrate into the Kingdom’s system. Your moment to act would come after King Aweit had pacified the four corners. Yet for your own little fief, you rashly committed assassination and raised an army, jeopardizing the Alliance’s major plans?"

"Ah! Respected Lady Serpent..."

At these words, a heavy sense of crisis overwhelmed Guramo. He respectfully prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to offer any rebuttal.

Fleeing from the Zicao Manor with much difficulty, traveling discreetly to the Mexica Alliance, and finally meeting the mysterious overseer of the secret guards, who turned out to be King Aweit’s chief adjutant, the Lady Serpent of the Alliance!

The Mexica King scheming in the south, planning for the Alliance’s chief successor? In that moment, Guramo’s premonition turned into reality; he had become entangled in a staggering conspiracy, unknowingly transformed into a pawn. At this moment, his life was in others’ hands, his sons taken away, leaving him completely powerless to resist.

"Lady Serpent! Although the Zicao Family is now destroyed, I still have my uses! I have connections with the southern Nobility, I am familiar with the southern mountain and river terrain; I hold the Zicao Family assassin training methods, I am skilled at training beauties and concocting poison; I am more than willing to entrust you with my life and serve you with unwavering loyalty!..."

Gillim sat solemnly in his place. He gave Guramo, who lay prostrate before him, a cursory glance before finally speaking.

"Guramo, rest assured! As the Chief Divine witnesses, you will appear where the Alliance needs you most."

With that, Gillim stood up solemnly, escorted by two secret guards, and made his way out of the dark chamber. As he reached the door, he whispered to one of the secret guards beside him.

"Double the Holy Water, interrogate him again. Then, wait for my order."

"As you command, Lady Serpent."