[Day 1]
The high council room in Van's palace was locked for four hours.
No senior commanders were summoned—only him, his map, and Seth, who didn't know the truth.
That evening, Van wrote on a single sheet:
> "The South cannot be conquered from the front… but from within.
Start digging."
He handed the message to his personal servant, sending him east to the "Black Flame Caves," where exiled mercenaries had been hiding for years.
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[Day 3]
Van ordered the recruitment of fifty "Scorpions"—the continent's deadliest spies, who served only gold or blood.
Their mission: infiltrate the Kingdom of Wei, divided into three teams:
1. The "Heart" team: tasked with pinpointing Niren's exact location.
2. The "Echo" team: tasked with stirring unrest inside the southern capital.
3. The "Shadow" team: tasked with assassinating three of Wei's top commanders.
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[Day 5]
Van sent an official letter to the Northern Kingdom Yoxsa, requesting only diplomatic neutrality, offering in return a share of the new trade route.
That night, Van secretly met Kaiden, ordering him to train 200 elite fighters called the "Silent Blades."
He said:
"No one will know why they train… not even I will know their names."
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[Day 8]
Van visited Leila for the first time in a week, kissed Raine in front of her, and said:
"I want you to leave the palace for the Sea Fortress for a month… for Raine's sake."
She didn't ask why but sensed something moving behind his eyes.
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[Day 10]
Received the first report from the "Heart" team.
Niren was imprisoned in the underground fortress "Gor Namir," surrounded by a salty lake on all sides, reachable only through an underwater tunnel that opened once every seven days.
Van wrote on the report:
"We'll enter where they least expect it. We will take the fortress not by fighting, but by collapse."
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[Day 12]
Van began holding public military meetings about the northern rebellion to divert attention.
In secret, he ordered a 3D underground map created by the construction mages of the Golden Fortress.
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[Day 15] — Midpoint
He received a message from a spy:
> "The fetus is fine… but she is weakening."
He didn't reply, only grasped his dagger and carved in small letters on his desk:
"15 days... life or eternal regret."
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[Day 18]
Ordered preparation of the "Shadow Armor"—a silent black triple-layered armor designed for silent battles inside tunnels, made specifically for Van… unknown to anyone.
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[Day 20]
Started training the "Flood Unit"—30 fighters capable of swimming underwater while carrying heavy loads, tasked with crossing the tunnel to Gor Namir fortress.
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[Day 24]
Sent a fake message to the Kingdom of Wei:
> "I'm considering surrender… need 5 more days to secure local leaders. Do not kill the queen before then."
A deception, but he needed time.
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[Day 26]
He himself entered the tunnel on a secret first trial with Kaiden only.
He saw the fortress from afar… and heard a scream.
He didn't know if it was real or a hallucination.
But he muttered:
"We are close… Niren."
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[Day 29]
Everything was ready.
The tunnel was carved.
The "Flood Unit" awaited the signal.
The Scorpions were inside the fortress.
The "Silent Blades" prepared to unleash chaos inside the capital.
At night, Van wrote a brief will:
"If I die, don't tell him—say his father died fighting till the end."
He signed it:
"Van Raigor… father before emperor."