Lord of the Sky City-Chapter 829 - 811: Set an Example to Deter Others

This night, the four people in the cell stayed wide awake.

Ever since Athena came and revealed the news that Zuluo would be executed the next day, the four in the cell had been visibly shaken.

Zuluo needed no further words. From the moment Athena left, he was utterly broken, curling up in the corner of the cell like a fool, his gaze constantly locked in disbelief.

As for Denise and Kashu, they too had a sleepless night. But unlike Zuluo, their concern was not about him. They didn’t know Zuluo well, and the disparity in status and ability between them and Zuluo placed them on entirely different levels, so his life or death meant absolutely nothing to them. What truly terrified them was the signal behind Zuluo’s execution. This signal was undoubtedly a bad omen for them.

Even the Great Elder of the Magic Energy Research Institute closed his research notebook that night. Yet he was still the Great Elder, and while he wasn’t conducting his studies, he wasn’t scheming either—it was as if he was merely resting his eyes in anticipation, waiting for the final outcome.

Indeed, in some sense, even Zuluo, Denise, and Kashu were waiting for the final decision. Athena had declared Zuluo’s execution, but words were just words. Who could know for sure whether she was bluffing or not? Thus, nothing could be definitively resolved until the last moment.

As such, the night passed in the blink of an eye, and early the next morning Monte arrived at the prison with a group of Void Magic Warriors.

"Take him away."

Monte was already physically imposing, and with Zuluo’s spirit long broken, when the guards opened the prison cell door, Monte appeared gargantuan before him—as though Zuluo were nothing more than a tiny chick.

Under Monte’s orders, two guards immediately flanked Zuluo, hoisting him up from both sides.

"Wait, wait! What are you doing? Let me go!"

Realizing that the guards were about to take him out of the cell, Zuluo began to struggle frantically, shouting hoarsely, "I am the Young Master of the Heavenly Ancestor Church! You can’t kill me! You can’t kill me! Bring Rocky here! Let him come—I’ll agree to any conditions he sets!"

His desperate pleas for survival were futile. The guards Monte brought were all clad in Void Magic Armor, making escape impossible. As for his words, they were entirely ignored. In Thunderhawk City, the skies did not belong to the Heavenly Ancestor Church. Here, the skies belonged to Rocky. Who would care about Zuluo’s identity?

Thus, Zuluo was swiftly dragged out of the cell by the guards. As he was taken away, the sleep-deprived Denise and Kashu grew increasingly uneasy.

Could it be that Rocky truly intended to kill Zuluo?

Was he really set on opposing the Heavenly Ancestor Church? ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Everyone knew that the Heavenly Ancestor Church, after suffering consecutive blows, was no longer capable of challenging Rocky. Rocky could easily extort a fortune from them. As long as his demands didn’t directly threaten Rick or the Church’s existence, they were likely to comply.

But if Rocky killed Zuluo, it would create genuine enmity between the two. This hatred wouldn’t easily dissolve unless one side was utterly annihilated.

Thus, Denise and Kashu believed there was still room for negotiation. From any angle, executing Zuluo was not the optimal choice.

Time dragged sluggishly amid their rising anxiety. Minutes turned into hours; one hour passed, then another, and soon it was noon. As the sun reached its highest point, Athena once again appeared in the cell.

When Denise and Kashu noticed Athena’s arrival, their gazes instinctively shifted towards her. They then realized that this time, she wasn’t alone. Behind her stood the towering Monte, gripping a bloody, severed head!

Zuluo!

Monte was following Athena, with Zuluo’s head in his hand!

The sight of the bloodied, still-steaming head sent chills rippling through Denise and Kashu. Their last shred of hope shattered—the confirmation that Rocky had truly agreed to Athena’s proposal and had indeed killed Zuluo!

How could this be!

Staring at Zuluo’s severed head, Kashu was beyond stunned. He couldn’t fathom that Rocky would make such an unfavorable decision!

Indeed, Kashu was entirely correct: from one perspective, killing Zuluo seemed utterly detrimental. But from another angle—the perspective of a City Lord—it was completely advantageous.

Rocky’s previous actions, while conducted in his capacity as City Lord, were fundamentally more like those of a merchant. He had no choice—it was because his foundations were weak. Everything had to follow the principle of maximizing profit. This gave Kashu insight into Rocky’s mindset, as their core tendencies were similar—they were both merchants.

But Rocky no longer needed to prioritize profit above all else. He had survived his most challenging times, both externally and internally. Now, he evaluated issues with the strategic perspective of a City Lord.

Viewed from this lens, killing Zuluo proved to be the most advantageous move.

On the one hand, the Heavenly Ancestor Church had little to offer that could tempt Rocky. In terms of resources and sciences, they couldn’t compete with the Sky Alliance or the Magic Energy Research Institute. As for cooperative potential, a severely weakened Church couldn’t compare to the Kafka Empire. The only thing they might provide Rocky was wealth.

Yet Rocky already lacked no money. Even if he did, he could demand it from others. A ransom of millions of Gold Coins could easily be built into negotiations with the Three Great Alliances or powerful corporations, and they wouldn’t hesitate over that number for a second. So, when all was considered, perhaps the only thing the Church could truly give him... was Zuluo’s death.

Killing Zuluo would indeed sour relations with the Heavenly Ancestor Church. But it would also produce an immensely powerful and undeniable shockwave—an impact that no amount of money could buy. For instance—right here, right now—Denise and Kashu, imprisoned in the same cells, had already been deeply shaken. This shock would naturally push negotiations forward, compelling them to make quicker decisions.

So Rocky, without hesitation, approved Athena’s suggestion and executed Zuluo.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."

As Denise and Kashu continued staring dumbfounded at Zuluo’s head, Athena had quietly approached their cell. She smiled faintly at them and said, "The time left for your decisions is running out."

With these parting words, Athena slowly turned and left the prison, taking Monte with her.