Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 734 Don’t mess with him

The air is burning.

It seared his heart and lungs.

"Xiao Li...you...you're still...alive..."

The senior sister's dying voice was like a clear spring, calling Li back from a hellish nightmare amidst the boundless heat.

He still remembers that in that real nightmare, he walked at the end of the procession, following his master and grandmaster, his senior brothers and sisters, and many other master craftsmen of all kinds. He walked into that terrifying and magnificent giant anti-magic forging furnace with seemingly no hesitation, but actually with trepidation.

[The Dark King of the Morning Dynasty surrendered to the King of Calamity, betraying the 'Legendary Plan'...]

The monsters will find us sooner or later...

Swordlake City has failed... The furnace exploded... Holy Day, my daughter and son-in-law are inside...

[The camp at the foot of Sigh Mountain has lost contact; hundreds of thousands of troops have vanished without a trace; and the No. 6 furnace in the majestic city is probably gone too...]

Accompanying them were the dwarf prince and master blacksmith of Chained City, the ancient elf craftsmen and sorcerers of the Ancient Tree, the venerable masters and senior scholars from the Three Towers, and countless other craftsmen with names and titles. Some were silent and quiet, while others whispered among themselves.

[Besides us, how many furnaces are left?]

There probably aren't many left...

If Project Legend fails...

He remembered the dense incantations and arrays inside the anti-magic forge, hypnotic and eerie.

He remembered that people were arranged in formation, positions, and rotation order, in an orderly manner, but the atmosphere was also somber.

He watched in horror as the mages who were desperately trying to maintain the magic circle sweated, suffered heatstroke, fainted, collapsed, and burned in his blood-red vision, turning into mummified corpses.

He remembered that the sect leader was engulfed in flames, yet he still resolutely wielded the forging hammer, each strike powerful, until the demonic fire in the furnace seemed to overflow with life. The sect leader's figure disappeared in the flames, his iron bones turned to charcoal, and his flesh turned to ash...

He remembered that opposite his master, the nameless craftsman seemed oblivious, continuing to hammer away with complete absorption until the flames engulfed him as well.

He remembered his master stepping forward in grief to take over, resolutely wielding the hammer amidst the raging flames that even profound temperature-regulating magic, fire-avoiding talismans, heat-insulating materials, and fire-resistant armor could not withstand.

Weapons are forged with our lives.

Of course, what he could never forget was that in the increasingly unbearable heat, he, the youngest disciple in the Mingyang Sword Pavilion, was utterly terrified after witnessing his master vanish into thin air.

"No, it's too hot. Let me catch my breath and cool off. Senior brother, let me cool off..."

He was so terrified that he lost his mind, forgetting his resolute vow before the mission, and deserted in the suffocating heat.

he.

he!
Sorry, I'll be right back, I swear, just a quick breath...

The excruciating burning pain on his skin made him lunge at the locked door, pounding on it frantically and pleading with every adult and god he could.

[Let me out! Please! Let me out... out...]

Countless eyes from inside the anti-magic furnace turned to him, some disappointed, some reluctant, some angry, and some numb. But soon, amidst shouts of reprimand, everyone returned to their places, chanting incantations, blowing air, feeding materials, or swinging hammers...

He was left only with his powerless pounding and hoarse wails.

Until someone patted him on the shoulder.

【Xiao Li.】

Wearing forged armor, her skin also scorched red and her hair curled back, the fourth senior sister stood weakly behind him, managing a feeble smile.

Faced with his desperate pleading eyes, she acted swiftly, twisting the complex three-layered lock in succession to open the door a crack.

He pushed him out the door, still stunned and bewildered in despair.

Who opened the door?!

[Oh no, the billet has cooled down! It's taking shape!]

No, if this continues, it will only become an ordinary anti-magic weapon!

【close the door!】

[The temperature is rising quickly!]

A cool breeze rushed in, and he stumbled and fell outside the door, turning back blankly.

In the room filled with red light, she, his senior sister who usually took the best care of him, peeked at him through the crack in the door.

He left behind a final smile.

Contrary to his expectations, the smile was both gratified and forgiving.

There was no hint of blame.

The door slammed shut.

The flame for the Macintosh is running low!

[Activate backup fire!]

[No, the temperature controllable by magic has already reached its limit; increasing it further will cause a fundamental repulsion!]

We can delay the mutual exclusion, for example, by using additional anti-equilibrium methods, such as light and shadow spells, to get the nerds of the Redhorn Tower to do it...

[Or, like the descent technique, briefly disrupt the laws of nature, temporarily halting the flow of heat to areas of lower temperature... Hey, War Tower! Try Elber's formation disruption!]

No, that's not enough! Bloodthorn said that what the new anti-magic forces need to do is neither delay the return to balance nor prevent the laws from breaking down, but to delve into the very source! Otherwise, they won't be able to withstand and deconstruct the magic energy of the Macintosh...

[I don't understand! You damned mages, speak human language!]

Amidst the astonished gazes of the guards outside, he took a few breaths of cool, refreshing air, which cleared his mind from the heat and brought him back to his senses.

What did he do?
Grandmaster, Master, Mistress, Aunt, Uncle, Senior Brother...

And... Fourth Senior Sister.

He rushed back in a panic and frantic rush, slammed the door shut, and tears streamed down his face.

not like this.

No.

Tears blurred his vision.

no……

He used all his strength, wanting only to use his fists, his teeth, his knees, his head, or even more simply, his life... to blast open the giant gate of the anti-magic furnace that had opened for him and then closed for him.

no! ! !

He cried uncontrollably.

He wasn't trying to desert, he wasn't trying to abandon everyone, he was just... he was just too hot and wanted to catch his breath...

I was just momentarily confused...

no……

His hands pounded desperately on the increasingly hot door until they were red, swollen, numb, and bleeding...

[Master Ruya is done for, next up!]

We're short-staffed!

"I'll do it; enough dwarves have died today..."

He was crying so hard outside the door that he could no longer see anything in front of him.

But he could still hear the sound of hammers from the anti-magic furnace behind the door, again and again, solid and powerful.

We shouldn't have used the fire left behind by that monster Macintosh; we should have listened to the Obelisk and used dragonfire!

Where can you get a dragon head tied to your head right now?

No time to regret it! Upvote!

I... can't feel... my hands... quick, take over...

This forging hammer is no good anymore, let's replace it!

[Backup flammability activated!]

The temperature is rising much faster than expected. Update your spells and incantations! We can't afford to be burned to death so quickly!

The arguments between the masters and craftsmen rose and fell, as jarring and unpleasant as his cries.

Until the final hammer fell.

clang.

boom! ! !
The anti-magic forging furnace exploded with a deafening roar.

It poured thousands of flames into the air.

He was completely enveloped in shock and despair.

On the streets of Emerald City, Li broke free from the entanglement of the "evil whispers" and suddenly opened her eyes!

He bathed in the raging flames as he walked step by step toward the trembling King Lausanne II.

"The vampires reborn from the ashes..."

The little bastard of the Hollier family muttered his pitiful hearsay:
"...Only this one person."

Li clenched his fist.

But they don't know.

These young people, still in their early years, did not experience those dark and tumultuous years.

they do not know.

do not know.

The flames extinguished on Li's body, revealing her scorched skin and muscles. The vampire's self-healing mechanism immediately began to operate, regenerating tissue, forming scars, and expelling dead skin...

They didn't know that he had only broken free from his supernatural abilities.

What you can't escape is the nightmare.

In his nightmare, he slowly woke up with severe burns, struggled to crawl out of the ruins, turned over the unrecognizable corpses, and finally touched his fourth senior sister's hand by the still-hot stove.

"Xiao Li...you...you're still...alive...that's so good...so good..."

She was already completely blackened, barely recognizable as human, incoherent, and on the verge of death.

But my senior sister's hands were still firm and strong.

[Send the unfinished piece, send it, send it to the commander's tent...]

Those rough, calloused hands, weathered by time, had once held his hand as he ran up and down the sword hut.

Just one more step... Twins of Destiny... know what to do...

And that sword, gleaming like gold and cold as ice, which should have been a sword but was forged crookedly and looked more like a saber...

Tool blank.

Centuries later, in the Emerald City, Li walked down the street. He gently shook his head, and the horrific burn scars on his face and head gradually peeled off, revealing new skin.

Before long, Li's skin became smooth again and her facial features became regular.

Only their armor, despite being made of special heat-resistant materials, was burned black and charred.

“Executioner… Red Wing…”

"Not an ordinary blacksmith..."

"The billet caster..."

Li coldly stared at Lausanne II and Yannick before him, watching them express their fear of him.

But no one knew better than him that it was not a rebirth from the ashes at all.

And he... wasn't even a casting artist at all—the Rising Sun Saber shouldn't have been a saber in the first place.

He is not immune to fire and can also be injured by high temperatures.

Each time he awakens his superpower, the burns and scorching pain he endures in the heart of the raging fire are excruciating and relentless.

His only skill was patience.

Endure the high temperatures, endure the flames, endure the burning, endure every single second they ravage your body.

And most importantly—endure the nightmares.

In his nightmares back then, he escaped the anti-magic furnace, avoiding being tortured to death by the raging flames.

So, as a price...

He will endure the eternal burning at the stake, again and again, in reality and in a life without end.

That's it.

“You didn’t show this trick when you executed me at the Hill of Pain.”

Severely injured, King Lausanne II was powerless to speak.

“Because there’s no need,” Yannick stared cautiously at Li. “He would love for you to resist more fiercely when you are ‘executed,’ to kill fewer of the political enemies of the other six families, in order to consolidate the rule of the Blood Sea Throne, and incidentally return to the Star Kingdom to make some more use of your remaining influence—like now.”

How could I bear to kill you?

Li did not speak.

“So,” Lausanne II said, his face ashen, “I’m the fool who got played?”

Just like before.

Nothing has changed.

Yannick shrugged:

"Don't be discouraged. Li was originally a tool used by the Nightwing King to eliminate dissidents. He is well-versed in the art of internal power struggles, using coercion, manipulation, and feigned indifference. He has been using such methods for hundreds of years—"

Li suddenly turned his head and looked at Yannick.

“Oh, Count Li,” Yannick stopped abruptly, glancing at the charred marks on the ground and taking a step back quite naturally, “He is yours now, and I accept it wholeheartedly without a second thought.”

But he narrowed his eyes.

"Congratulations! The key to the Emerald City conflict has now fallen into your hands," he said, regaining his gentlemanly demeanor. "I'm sure you can secure even greater benefits for the Kingdom of Night and for your Queen..."

Yannick changed the subject:
"And not just running errands for the internal strife within the Star Kingdom?"

Li frowned first, then his expression changed, and he snorted disdainfully.

"Stop your disgusting tricks, kid."

“I didn’t use any superpowers,” Yannick said, raising his hands with an innocent look. “I was just telling the truth.”

At this point, Yannick smiled slightly:
"But you hesitated just now, didn't you?"

Li did not answer.

"Boom!"

A deliberately heavy footstep interrupted Yannick.

Li and Yannick both stiffened and turned their heads.

Heavy footsteps approached slowly—it was a swordsman clad in armor.

"So, this is the vampire killer who has the whole city in a state of panic?"

Li and Yannick exchanged a glance.

"It doesn't seem as terrifying as they described?"

The knight walked step by step toward King Lausanne II, ignoring the charred Li and the two vampires covered in blood.

Li did not react, while Yannick beamed with delight, feigning surprise:

"Ah, it's Captain Seychelles of the Emerald Legion!"

Seychelles responded with a soft hum, then focused its gaze on the assassin on the ground.

For someone like this to require such a large-scale effort, with everyone from top to bottom being repeatedly warned to be careful of supernatural abilities, Prince Thales is being far too cautious.

“I thought you were guarding the nobles in the Kongming Palace,” Yannick said, his eyes darting around. “I wonder whose orders you are on…”

"You're under arrest, vampire."

Yannick choked for a moment.

Seychelles glanced at the two of them deliberately before letting out a soft snort and looking at the dying King Lausanne II on the ground: "Of course, I'm talking about him—the assassin, in the name of His Highness Thales."

Hearing the other party's malicious double entendre, Yannick frowned slightly, while Li remained unmoved.

King Lausanne II listened to their conversation with a blank expression, his heart filled with sorrow.

Even with such swordsmanship and an immortal body...

He ultimately failed to scale that towering watchtower.

And those on the tower, whether it was the prince or everyone else, continued as before, easily drowning him in pools of blood and lives with just a flick of their fingers.

And his sword.

King Lausanne II closed his eyes and gently curled the corners of his mouth.

“Well then, I’ll be taking the prisoner with me now. You two, who like to wander around at night, may do as you please,” Seychelles said softly.

Yannick raised an eyebrow and glanced at the expressionless Li with a leisurely air.

Li remained motionless, only his eyes flickered slightly.

Seychelles was not in a hurry, but simply waited quietly for the two vampires to react, his right hand intentionally or unintentionally brushing against the hilt of his sword.

The atmosphere among the three men became tense as they surrounded the convicted criminal lying on the ground.

At that moment, the three people present all stiffened and turned to look in the other direction.

Another figure carrying a sword appeared at the other end of the street and slowly walked towards them.

“That is…” Yannick asked, puzzled.

"Cassian?"

Seychelles recognized the newcomer and frowned:
"You're here too? Then who's going to watch over the two people in Kongming Palace...?"

Cassandra smiled.

“Don’t forget, Seychelles, Prince Thales ordered us to stay in the palace to ‘watch over’ the two young masters Kevin Deer,” Knight Cassien said, looking at the vampire assassin who had lost his right arm and was covered in charred remains, “wasn’t it to guard against this one?”

The people in the room were all taken aback.

After a few seconds.

"So that's how it is. The appearance of the two Extreme Knights here is due to His Highness's meticulous planning and foresight in laying a trap beforehand!"

Yannick suddenly became righteous and looked at Li coldly:
"To prevent certain individuals from taking advantage of the situation and causing trouble!"

Li remained silent.

Seychelles gave a soft hum.

Ignoring the subtle standoff between them, Cassandra slowly walked toward the fallen King Lausanne II.

“You certainly don’t recognize me, Knight,” he sighed, “but I remember you.”

Both vampire guests were intrigued by these words and looked over at each other.

Seychelles is usually decisive and wanted to finish work as soon as possible, but for some reason, he was unusually curious at this moment:
"You? You know this bastard assassin?"

Cassandra smiled slightly, remaining silent.

King Lausanne II, covered in wounds, struggled to open his eyes.

Who is this?
"At that year's election, a mysterious knight, hiding his face, fought his way through the crowd to the finals amidst gasps of astonishment, only to be narrowly defeated by His Highness Horace in one move," Cassie said softly.

The two vampires exchanged a glance.

No.

King Lausanne II trembled slightly, his eyes flickering:
That wasn't a narrow defeat. Nor was it a single move.

“Back then, I was just a spoiled brat, mingling in the bustling crowd, and that’s when I first witnessed the splendor of knightly duels,” Cassandra said with a touch of sadness, looking down at his palms. “And so, after that, I became a knight.”

knight?

King Lausanne II smiled sarcastically upon hearing this:
"A wrong decision."

“Yes, so he eventually came back to inherit the family business,” Seychelles scoffed.

Cassandra shook his head, ignoring his old friend's sarcasm.

"So, when another mysterious knight appeared at the election many years later, I remembered: it was you, knight."

"I am not a knight."

King Lausanne II sneered and vehemently denied it.

They did kill quite a few knights.

Yannick suddenly spoke up: "According to you, if he wins the election in the end, he should have gained both fame and fortune and a bright future, right? But how did he end up like this..."

“Enough,” Seychelles interrupted impatiently. “Enough with the nonsense.”

“Oh, sorry, old friend,” Cassandra said, smiling apologetically. “I don’t know why, I’m just a little sentimental today.”

Looking at the ashen-faced King Lobsang II, a wave of emotion welled up within him:

Perhaps it was because they witnessed the sudden collapse of their childhood idol, or perhaps it was because they witnessed the ultimate fall of an honorable knight?
Li suddenly turned his head and glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at Yannick, who was standing innocently to the side, craning his neck to watch the commotion.

Seychelles scoffed, drawing his longsword and pointing the tip at the defenseless Lausanne II:
“Very well, let me cut off this monster’s four limbs first—oh, only three limbs left—just to be safe…”

“I’m sorry,” Cassandra sighed.

"...Then, as the prince said, we'll escort him back to Kongming Palace, one after the other, where there are specially prepared cages to guard against his special abilities..."

"You can't take him away."

"And also to guard against others interfering halfway through—" Seychelles realized what he meant, immediately stopped speaking, and looked at his old friend in confusion: "What?"

With a deep sense of apology, Cassandra smiled gently and naturally stepped in front of King Lausanne II:
“I’m sorry, Seychelles, but he can’t go back to the Sky Palace with you.”

It took Seychelles several seconds to understand the sentence, and after realizing what it meant, her expression changed slightly:
"are you serious?"

Li, who was watching from the sidelines, looked at Yannick again, who shrugged and spread his hands innocently.

Swish.

In response, Cassandra drew his longsword, his smile weary.

Seychelles' expression turned completely cold.

“Listen, Prince Thales said,” he looked at his old friend and gently turned his wrist, “that if we take this dog lock of Federico back to the Palace of the Sky, Lord Jann’s innocence will be proven, the crisis in the Emerald City will be resolved, and everything will return to normal.”

normal?

King Lausanne II on the ground gave a faint, cold laugh.

Look around you, then look at Beimen Bridge. You call this normal?

"And you believe what he said?" Cassien replied.

“Of course I don’t believe it,” Seychelles’ eyes changed, and he lightly flicked the blade of his sword. “That’s why I’m here, in case anyone—whether it’s that prince, or young master Federico, or any other ambitious person who wants to see Emerald City suffer—plays any tricks when arresting criminals and hinders Emerald City’s return to order.”

“I see,” Cassandra murmured, nodding.

That's why I say you know better than me how to be an official.

“But I didn’t expect it to be you,” Seychelles said coldly. “Just because you watched this vampire tournament years ago and are still thinking about old times? Or did you secretly meet with Master Federico after the prince and I left and he persuaded you?”

"No, I just had to..."

Before he finished speaking, Seychelles' longsword shot out like a snake spitting its tongue!

At the critical moment, Cassandra spun around to dodge, while simultaneously swirling his sword to meet his opponent.

clang!
The two were instantly separated.

"The 'Rose' lineage of the Tower of Termination versus the 'Snake Faction' mercenaries of the Eastern Plains," King Losang II, spitting out blood, sneered, "Is there any more boring style of duel in the world?"

However, Cassien sighed, remained silent, and continued to stand in front of King Lausanne II.

Instead, Seychelles lowered his head and frowned as he looked at his longsword.

He missed the mark.

In the past, this attack should have at least forced the opponent away from the target.

“Wow, you two, let’s talk this out,” Yannick said with a worried look. “Why fight amongst yourselves?”

For what seemed like the umpteenth time, Li looked thoughtfully at Yannick.

"That's enough, stop!"

Everyone turned around at the same time:

Prince Thales appeared on the street, surrounded by a crowd, and headed this way.

Everyone present frowned.

“Very well,” Lausanne II smiled weakly, “the great man has finally descended from the tower.”

He was met with a merciless blow from the hilt of Cassandra's sword.

Upon the arrival of the distinguished guest, the two vampires (perhaps out of a habit of seclusion) stepped aside, Seychelles turned around and bowed with displeasure, and even Cassie, who was blocking Lausanne II's way, nodded in greeting.

"Is this the result of your elaborate manhunt?"

Thales couldn't understand the situation, and he suppressed his anger and questioned:

"Captain Seychelles, what's going on?"

Seychelles paused, then turned around.

“I’m puzzled too,” he asked in a deep voice, “Why, Cassandra?”

Cassandra smiled, but before he could speak, another voice answered before he could:
"because I."

Everyone's expression changed again.

As the woman's voice rang out, another figure emerged from the darkness behind Cassandra and appeared before the group.

In that instant, Thales' eyes widened, and he gasped in shock:
"Hilary?"

Miss Hilla Kevindeer, dressed in smart travel attire, stepped onto the new suburban land and coldly observed the crowd.

Marius, Wyatt, Commuto... The guards behind Thales stirred.

Seychelles couldn't help but speak up:
"Miss Hillay?"

Li remained silent, while Yannick seemed quite interested:

"Ah, I didn't expect that."

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Hilly sneered and stared directly at Thales:
"You really think I wouldn't get a word of you setting a trap here to hunt down killers, Thales?"

Thales glanced at Hilly, then at Cassandra beside her, and his expression shifted several times as he understood what was going on.

“Very well,” Thales took a deep breath, his smile somewhat forced, “then let’s capture him together, Hilly.”

Hilly squinted, her voice rising:

"Oh, us?"

Thales sighed.

“Listen, this assassin has a kill list on him… In short, he’s Federico’s pawn in influencing Emerald City, and the catalyst for Jenn’s imprisonment. Once he’s caught, the case will be clear, and we can break the deadlock between Jenn and Federico…”

He stepped forward and said with all his might:

"Believe me, this is also helping Jenn get out of trouble sooner..."

“Or I can help you,” Hilla said coldly.

Thales was taken aback: "What?"

Hilly glanced back at the dying assassin, then turned back with an incredibly sharp look in her eyes:
"Since no one can interfere from outside the court anymore, whether Federer is convicted of treason or Jenn is convicted of illegal usurpation, it will be up to you to decide, right?"

These words startled Thales and gave Seychelles and others pause for thought.

“Hilay, what I did…” Thales said in disbelief.

“I see through you. You think you’re considering everyone’s interests, but in the end,” Hilly sneered, “the only person you ever want to help is yourself, or your so-called ideals.”

Thales felt a jolt in his heart.

He wanted to refute, but he was speechless.

“No, none of us want to see Emerald City drenched in blood,” he struggled to compose himself in shock. “In this matter, we should be allies.”

"Then why wouldn't you let me become the city lord in the council hall?"

Thales was speechless for a moment.

“We’re no longer allies,” Hilly retorted bluntly. “Ever since the day you rejected my offer of cooperation—you can’t cooperate with, let alone be allies with, a liar who’s a habitual liar who tries to manipulate and mislead you and will betray you sooner or later, remember?”

Thales felt a void in his heart.

Behind him, Wyman sighed.

If only I had persisted that day and forced His Highness to apologize to her!

Yannick shook his head from the side: Kid!

“I know, Hilla, I know that after everything that’s happened, I can’t trust you, but at least,” Thales tried to calm himself down, regain his composure, and keep up with the other’s thoughts, “we can’t let this guy keep killing people.”

"He won't."

Hillary answered very simply:

"I'll take care of him."

“You?” Thales asked in surprise.

King Lausanne II on the ground also sneered:
"Really, little girl, you?"

Cassandra, who was guarding him, frowned, about to deliver a final blow, but Hilly sneered and slowly turned around.

"Oh, so you don't remember me."

She smiled slightly and tilted her head to look at King Losang II:

"Servant?"

Attendant?

The way Hilaire was addressed puzzled Losang II.

Should I remember her?

Why is this little girl...?

The next moment, a strange light flashed in Hillay's eyes:
"I!!!"

In that instant, King Losang II swayed slightly and his expression changed drastically!

In his ears, the girl's deliberately drawn-out tone strangely changed, transforming into a sound that was beyond human capability, shaking his soul and deafening him!
It sounds like fingernails rubbing against a wooden board.

There was an indescribable sense of dread.

"It's you!"

He instinctively shrank back, his eyes filled with shock:

"you!"

Amidst the puzzled looks of those around her, Hilly ignored him and turned to look at Thales.

“Cassian, take him away,” Miss Kevin Deer said coldly.

Cassandra nodded in agreement.

But Thales was not prepared to back down.

"The Knight of Seychelles, Count Li, and Councilor Hollier!"

The prince shouted the order:

"That assassin is the key to finding the truth behind the old case and solving the predicament in Emerald City. If I can get him back, I will repay him!"

Everyone tensed up, while Hilly frowned deeply.

"If necessary, my Star Lake Guard can also lend a hand..."

“No need!” Hilly interrupted him sharply.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Hilaire stepped forward and faced the prince directly.

“Tails,” she began softly, but her voice grew increasingly sharp as she spoke, “I’ve heard that you’re known as the North Star, and that you’re very powerful and influential in both Dragon Sky City and Eternal Star City, to the point that even His Majesty fears you?”

These words were sarcastic, and Thales' eyelids twitched, causing him to clench his fists involuntarily.

“I admire you immensely,” Hilly said with a smile that didn’t fade, and pretended to clap her hands. “So I’ve decided to learn a lot from you.”

After Hilly finished speaking, everyone was puzzled.

But they would soon no longer have any doubts.

The next second, to everyone's astonishment, she smiled and, with perfect ease, drew a dagger and held it to her throat.

Thales' eyes widened suddenly!

what?
“In the name of Cecilia Kevindir, the female heir of Emerald City,” Hilla said with a radiant smile, but her words sent chills down one’s spine, “those who stand in my way tonight shall pay the price in blood for their families and be the eternal enemies of the Iris Flower.”

Upon seeing this scene, a commotion arose among those present, and those in the know about the Star Lake Guard had mixed feelings.

Thales was so dizzy from looking at it that he had to take a deep breath.

"Cassian!"

Seeing that things were spiraling out of control, Seychelles angrily exclaimed:

"This concerns the master's life; as his subordinate, are you just going to do nothing?"

Looking at the mistress, Cassandra wanted to say something, but ultimately sighed.

Hillary, however, coldly urged:

“Cassian”.

Knight Cassandra hesitated for a moment, then turned and grabbed the back of Lausanne II's collar, dragging him away.

The assassin, already powerless to turn the tide, didn't resist. He just stared blankly at Hilly, his face full of disbelief.

The Star Lake Guardians instinctively wanted to step forward to stop them, however...

"Who dares to move!"

Hilai shouted sharply, still holding the dagger to his neck, blocking Cassandra's path and staring intently at everyone on the other side.

Thales gritted his teeth and said:
"Hilai!"

Hilly turned to him, smiled maliciously, her contempt evident.

This scene made Thales' eyes widen in anger, and he clenched his fists tightly.

He turned slightly to the side and lowered his voice:

“Count Li, Yang, your clan is known for its agility and swiftness, I wonder…”

Li remained expressionless and did not respond.

“It’s worth a try,” Yannick readily agreed, but looking at Hilly’s resolute expression, he changed the subject, “However, if something goes wrong, who will be held responsible? Who will be considered an enemy of the Iris? The one who started it? The one who instigated it? Or everyone present?”

Everyone else frowned.

Thales clenched his fist even tighter.

Before long, Cassien and Lausanne II disappeared into the mist.

Wait, fog?

Many people realized what was happening, looked around, and were all astonished: After a fierce battle at Beimen Bridge all night, when did so much fog come up?
It obstructs the view and hinders tracking.

It's incredibly strange.

In the light mist, Hillay's smile grew even brighter.

“Very good, very obedient,” she said softly. “It’s best not to let anyone follow us; I have a way of finding out.”

Thales took a deep breath and swallowed back all his irrational emotions.

“Very well, Hilay,” the prince said in a deep voice, “what exactly do you want?”

Upon hearing this, Hilly held the dagger firmly in her hand and gave him a deep look.

“You know what I want, Thales, you’ve always known,” Ms. Kevin Deere said with a complicated look in her eyes. “Now it’s your turn to choose.”

Her expression turned stern, and her tone changed:
"Bad, or worse?"

Telston's anger:
"you--"

“No rush,” Hilly interrupted him confidently, a strange smile on her face. “I have plenty of time.”

She turned around and scanned everyone.

"Just remember: now, you possess the terminally ill Emerald City..."

Hilly said coldly:
"And I possess the elixir to save Emerald City."

Thales' expression changed.

After saying that, Hilly didn't let go, but turned around and walked onto the streets of the new suburbs.

"Cecilia!"

Thales couldn't help but speak up.

But Hilla walked resolutely, without looking back or responding.

She simply walked step by step into the thick fog in the distance.

Watching Miss Kevin Deer's retreating figure, a nervous Wyatt swallowed hard and walked up behind Thales:

"Your Highness, should we...?"

Marius, standing nearby, slapped Wyatt hard, silencing him.

Everyone looked at Thales.

But the prince's expression was conflicted, his mind in turmoil. He simply stared blankly at Hilaire's departing figure without responding.

Seeing this, everyone reacted in different ways.

But without the prince's order, no one dared to act rashly.

Until Hillay completely disappeared into the early morning fog.

All that remained were the astonished looks of the crowd.

And the Duke of Starlake's slightly trembling fist.

An unsettling silence fell. Thales slowly exhaled and turned around.

“Clean up the mess, return to the palace, and report,” he gritted his teeth, his voice trembling, “fuck everyone.”

Everyone seemed to wake from a dream and obeyed the order.

Many people walked past Duke Xinghu, who was suppressing his anger and keeping his head down in silence, trembling with fear and not daring to say a word.

Even Wyman dared not ask the prince again, "What about the extra meal we agreed on tonight?"

"Let me give you some advice, Earl Li."

Yannick cautiously floated past Li and spoke softly, barely a whisper: "Having lost this round, he'll definitely be looking for revenge elsewhere..."

"Don't provoke him these days."