Chapter 63: Could It Be... the Legendary Double Agent!?
Chapter 63: Could It Be... the Legendary Double Agent!?
For a moment, the air itself seemed to freeze, wrapped in an uncanny silence.
Lin Wei’s eyes snapped open. As his last word faded, his hand shot up, slapping his own shoulder.
A torrent of terrifying, boundless magic surged through his body. He swept every inch of himself, searching for even the faintest trace of tracking spells or hidden detection enchantments.
Only when he was certain there were none lingering did he finally withdraw his power, taking a cautious half-step back. Inside, his heart churned in turmoil.
The demons have sent someone to find me?
No... If I really think about it, this was never all that impossible.
Two years ago, when I agreed to sign that peace accord with the humans, it wasn’t out of some naïve hope for harmony. It was pure pragmatism—after weighing our strengths, it was clear neither side could wipe out the other. In fact, the humans had even eked out a slight advantage during the long stalemate.
With a pointless, grinding war dragging on, I chose to end the bloodshed and give both sides a chance at peace.
Yet, on the very day the treaty was signed, something happened I’d never imagined: a coup from within. And now—after losing me as their Demon Lord, their leader—the demon army has grown lax and feeble. Even the Northern Fortress, which should have held for at least another decade, is about to fall in just two short years.
So, trying to bring me back to lead the demons again isn’t exactly unfathomable.
But—hell no! Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t go back after what happened!
For five years, I fought tooth and nail, reclaimed most of our lost lands, and drove the enemy all the way to the Empire’s borders for you.
And this is how you repaid your great Demon Lord?
To hell with them all—let them drop dead for all I care.
Even if all four Demon Generals came crawling to me to commit ritual suicide and beg forgiveness—
I still wouldn’t go back. Whoever goes back is nothing but a dog!
“This really is some terrifying news, huh.”
Of course, the person across from him had no idea he’d just run a full magical scan on himself.
Suppressing the turmoil in his chest, Lin Wei forced a smile and glanced at her. He put on the smug look of someone who’d just uncovered a major secret.
“So, the Demon Lord is actually lurking in the Imperial Capital, secretly plotting something earth-shattering?”
“And where did you hear that? Or rather—who sent you to the capital to hunt for this so-called Demon Lord?”
“I can’t say…”
But Afuduo showed no sign of revealing anything more.
It wasn’t stubbornness, either. She pointed to her lips and whispered, “If I say it, they’ll know instantly. My family would be killed.”
“I see… So you’ve been cursed by the Demon God.”
Just as he suspected—the divine authority he’d abandoned had already found a new inheritor.
And that successor clearly knew their craft: using the Demon God’s power to bind someone with a curse, a taboo woven so that the moment a forbidden word was uttered, it would activate and alert the caster.
Lin Wei nodded thoughtfully. It was a simple but effective trick—invoke the Demon God’s might, set a taboo trigger, and the curse would strike the moment it was violated.
And the cursed never know exactly which word will trigger it.
Usually, though, it’s tied to the caster’s name or identity.
Of course, breaking the curse is simple enough—just start rattling off the names of every high-ranking demon general and have the victim nod or shake their head.
But let’s be honest—that’s no different from blowing your own cover.
Why would you know so many Demon Generals by name, anyway?
Oh! So you’re the great Demon Lord who snuck into the Empire to orchestrate some earth-shattering scheme!
Wait a minute—when did I ever have a secret plan in the Empire? Who’s out there making up these ridiculous stories? Are they just trying to stick the Catkin with an impossible mission?
“So… this demon bigwig didn’t give you any clues on how to actually find the Demon Lord?”
Lin Wei kept his expression neutral, feigning the air of an interrogator as he watched her.
Since they’d started searching for him, he needed all the details—better to be prepared than caught off guard.
Otherwise, what if one day he was sleeping soundly at home with his wife, only to have someone burst in and expose his identity as the Demon Lord?
If anyone dares to mess with my peaceful, domestic life, I swear I’ll go back and raze the Demon Lord’s Castle myself!
“No, that big shot only told me that His Majesty the Demon Lord is a handsome, unbelievably powerful, all-capable man who likes to stand on the battlefield, cover half his face with one hand, and laugh ‘hahaha’ to taunt his enemies.”
“It’s just a precaution, really. My orders are to lie low in the capital for now, blend in, and wait for more precise intel on the Demon Lord’s whereabouts.”
“In the meantime, I’m supposed to make connections with the capital’s elite and gather some intelligence for the demons… But honestly, that’s just a side task—I can use ‘avoiding exposure’ as an excuse to skip it.”
That… doesn’t sound quite right.
Did I ever laugh like that all the time?
Who the hell came up with this fake intel? How could anyone possibly find me based on that kind of description?
Not that Lin Wei was particularly worried about his real appearance being exposed. After all, when he first transmigrated into this world, he’d always worn a bronze mask.
Even during his five years among the demons, he’d only occasionally removed it—and even then, he’d cloak his features in the Demon God’s aura, shrouding himself in mystery.
Otherwise, someone would’ve sketched his portrait ages ago. There’s no way he’d have gone unrecognized for this long.
“Making connections with the capital’s elite, huh…”
With all the information she’s spilled, the only thing waiting for her now is a punishment worse than slavery, isn’t it?
Afuduo trembled as she crouched on the ground, hugging her knees. If only she hadn’t tried to show off and splurge today.
She should’ve just grabbed something cheap from a street stall and found a quiet corner to eat.
Ugh… It’s too late for regrets now!
At least she’d had a full meal before getting caught. No matter what happened next, her last supper had been a good one.
“So, I have a proposal for you—interested?”
“Huh?”
But the terrible fate she’d imagined never came.
Afuduo looked up, bewildered, only to see Lin Wei crouching down in front of her with a warm smile.
Gone was the aloof, intimidating presence—now they were eye-to-eye, and the pressure vanished completely.
“To be honest, the intel you’ve shared is pretty alarming. If I handed you over to The Holy Church, I’d probably be celebrated as a hero. I mean, the Demon Lord secretly plotting some grand scheme in the Empire… But there’s something you should know.”
He pointed to himself, grinning brightly as he explained:
“I’m actually just an adventurer from the Northern Countries, currently a probationary resident in the Empire… In other words, even if I handed you in, I probably wouldn’t get anything close to a reward matching the value of this intel.”
“You clearly understand how targeted recruitment works—so I’m sure you get what I mean, right?”
Afuduo nodded immediately, instantly grasping the dirty dealings between these cunning humans.
The same information, but depending on who reports it, the rewards can be worlds apart.
If a noble were to discover her and turn her in—
They might be promoted on the spot, maybe even granted land.
But if it was just a probationary resident, at best, they’d get a handful of gold coins as a token.
And if things took a nastier turn… Well, while praising you as a “loyal adventurer,” they might quietly kill you off and bury you somewhere, then try to claim all the credit themselves. Despicable humans were capable of anything!
“So, what kind of cooperation do you have in mind?”
“It’s simple. Write to that demon bigwig and tell them you’ve been captured by a noble and have surrendered.”
Afuduo was struck dumb on the spot.
She stared wide-eyed at Lin Wei, only to hear him continue, half-muttering to himself:
“But this noble is actually a leech—a total scoundrel, even rumored to have ties with the cult of the Evil God. The kind of man who only ever thinks about himself—a true piece of scum.”
“He plans to use you to spy on the demons and earn himself a promotion, but you’re also planning to use this opportunity to rely on his power to search for the Demon Lord, while conveniently passing along some intel about the Empire.”
“So right now, you’ll need some clues to offer as a show of good faith—to gain his trust. You get what I’m saying, right?”