American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 242 Returning Home.

The dust of the battle has settled, but the cheers of victory still echo in the air.

But this clamor seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to reach the high platform.

Here, we see two Hippolyta from different eras: one is the Empress of the Empire, stripped of her divine golden armor, her face serene and deathly calm beneath a cold exterior.

The other was the Queen of Paradise Island, dressed in a simple white dress, with a gentle smile in her eyes.

The two Hippolyta gazed at each other silently.

Until the empress who ruled the world spoke first.

Her voice was no longer filled with violence and coldness, but carried an almost weary calm.

Hippolyta…

She called out the name that was exactly the same as her own, her gaze falling on the queen in the white dress, "You have a... good daughter."

She spoke these words somewhat stiffly, as if each word required great effort.

This was by no means an empty formality, but rather her formal recognition, as a monarch for a thousand years, of the strength, wisdom, and will that Diana displayed.

She ruled the empire for a thousand years and had seen countless powerful warriors, but Diana was a unique individual.

"besides."

Her gaze shifted slightly, glancing at Locke, who stood quietly to the side.

That gaze was extremely brief, fleeting, yet it contained incredibly complex emotions.

There was deep-seated fear, awe of its strength, and perhaps, even a hint of something she herself was unwilling to admit.
Is it a sense of relief that comes from its existence?

She made no statement or even a clear eye contact with Locke regarding his presence.

But that brief glance, and the silence that followed.
The unspoken words echoed clearly in the unspoken understanding between the two Hippolyta.

The queen in the white dress met her gaze with composure, a pure pride spreading across her face at the praise for her daughter.

Even regarding the unspoken consensus about Locke, she merely nodded almost imperceptibly, acknowledging this unspoken fact.

"Go back, go back to your country."

"Let's put the upcoming Royal Race on hold for now."

With that, the brief encounter came to an end.

The empress said no more. She took one last deep look at the girl who had inherited her glory, then swept her gaze across the empire she had ruled for countless years, a loneliness in her eyes that no one could understand.

She turned nimbly, her golden cloak billowing in the air, and led her guards into the deep shadows behind the platform.

She is still the empress, but she has chosen a different way to 'exit'.

As for Diana, the moment the Queen disappeared, she couldn't contain her excitement. She didn't even have time to put down her greatsword before she, like a fledgling returning to its nest, rushed straight towards the woman in the white dress.
Her real mother was Queen Hippolyta.

"mom!"

She hugged Hippolyta tightly, burying her head in that familiar and comforting scent, her voice choked with emotion yet filled with the joy of having regained what she had lost.

All that was once indestructible melted into the softest dependence at this moment.

Hippolyta gently embraced her daughter, patting her back softly, her eyes sparkling with contentment.

Locke stood quietly to the side, arms casually crossed, watching this heartwarming reunion. Only the lines on his usually expressionless face seemed to have softened slightly.

After what seemed like an eternity, Diana finally lifted her face from her mother's arms with reluctance.

Looking into her mother's gentle eyes, the questions that had been building up for seventeen years finally couldn't help but spill out:

“Mother, I…I have something to say about my origins, about Mr. Locke, about that name…Kent, and…”

Her words were urgent and incoherent, until Hippolyta gently interrupted her with a tender gesture, softly brushing away the strands of hair stuck to Diana's forehead with sweat, her eyes filled with affection.
Diana

Her voice was as gentle as an evening breeze, yet carried a certainty, "You already know... don't you?"

She looked into her daughter's deep blue eyes, which had lost their confusion and become clear and determined.

"You felt the power flowing within you, originating from the earth, echoing the thunder, as heavy as a mountain, as enduring as water... You also recognized that aura that shared your origins..."

"In the battle, you saw through the illusion of shadows and grasped the complete truth..."

“You even…heard the echo of your true name deep within your soul.”

The Queen smiled; it was a knowing smile.

"The answer is already in your heart. Everything you hear from others is no more, or rather... more real, than what you experience and understand for yourself."

"What you need now is not confirmation from me, but... believe in yourself, believe in everything you have seen with your eyes, felt with your heart, and verified through battles along the way."

Diana stared blankly at her mother, at the unreserved trust and encouragement in her eyes.

Yes…

The familiar power that surged when the bracers shattered, the comforting arcs of electricity when Mr. Locke repaired the equipment, the resonance of the four elemental powers within her like a surging river, the name that Marbas roared in terror, and the true name her mother crowned her in her memory…

All the clues and all the feelings had already pieced together a complete picture in her mind, like a jigsaw puzzle.

What she has been searching for may simply be confirmation.

And her mother's words at that moment were the best confirmation.

It confirms that she has the right to trust her own judgment and that everything she has experienced is the most truthful answer.

The confusion in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an ever-brightening joy.

She hugged her mother tightly again, this time not for comfort, but to share the joy of growing up.

"Ok!"

She nodded emphatically, her voice clear and strong, "I understand, Mom!"

She released Hippolyta, turned around, and looked over Locke's shoulder at the Imperial warriors below who were still cheering for her. A bright and responsible smile appeared on her face.

“So, next…” a renewed fighting spirit gleamed in her eyes, “we…”

"We should go home."

Before Diana could launch into a grand speech, Locke quickly interrupted her, fearing the child might cause trouble.

Diana was taken aback, her prepared enthusiasm nowhere to go, so she could only give an embarrassed smile and scratch her cheek.

But she quickly suppressed her smile, turned to face Locke, and her expression became more solemn than ever before.

She took a slight breath, her azure eyes looking directly at him, and spoke earnestly in an almost ceremonial tone:
“Mr. Locke, thank you so much! If it weren’t for you… I might not have been able to rescue my mother at all, and she might even be…”

She recalled the despair in the dungeon and the perilous battles.

And Locke's figure descended like a pillar of strength.

Locke was slightly taken aback by her sudden, formal thanks.

A rare look of bewilderment appeared on his usually expressionless face.

He instinctively tried to look away, to avoid that overly intense sincerity, but those clear eyes seemed to have a magnetic pull, locking his gaze firmly in place.

What should I say?
Is this what I should do?
But it seems like they're getting a little too close; they're not that familiar yet...

at least
On the surface, yes.

Could it be said that he was merely fulfilling Phillips's hired mission?

That seems too cold, after all... this girl...

Locke's lips moved, as if he were trying to find a suitable way to express himself, but in the end he only managed to squeeze out a dry sentence:
"...It's only human nature."

But as soon as he finished speaking, Locke seemed to feel that it wasn't convincing enough, and added stiffly, "Besides, Phillips promised me my reward: two griffins. I have to make sure you're safe."

Diana was taken aback for a moment when she saw him pretending to be all business despite having done so much. Then, her beautiful eyes crinkled into a bright, sly smile.

"Really~?"

She deliberately dragged out her words, "So Mr. Locke was only risking his life for the griffin?"

Locke was speechless at her words. He glared at Diana, only to find that she was laughing even more happily.

"cough!"

He coughed loudly, trying to salvage the situation, "Enough nonsense! Are you going back or not?"

Seeing the man's almost embarrassed and angry appearance, and recalling his previous godlike majesty and his clumsy attempt to cover up his mistake, Diana finally couldn't help but burst out laughing, and Queen Hippolyta next to her also covered her mouth and chuckled.

Looking at the mother and daughter laughing without any restraint, especially Diana's uninhibited and vibrant laughter...
Locke, who had initially tried to keep a straight face, eventually couldn't maintain it, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up in a smile.

"gone."

Without another word, Locke flicked his wrist, and the bizarrely shaped Yamato Blade quietly slid into his palm.

Then, he made a seemingly casual slash towards the void in front of him.

"Tsk-!"

A stable spatial rift, with its edges swirling with eerie blue energy and its interior distorted with light and shadow, was easily torn apart!
Across the crack, the outline of Paradise Island could be vaguely seen.
Locke sheathed Yamato, glanced back at Diana and Hippolyta, and gestured with his eyes.

The road home is now in sight.

He took the first step and stepped into the crevice.

Diana, supporting her mother, Queen Hippolyta, followed closely behind.

The scene before my eyes blurred slightly, and I felt a slight sense of weightlessness as if the space had shifted.

However, when they looked again, the three of them found themselves in the familiar and cozy Queen's bedroom.

The palace furnishings were exactly the same as when they left.

But Rong En
He still stood there quietly, as if he had been guarding this place all along.
Unlike the serious atmosphere when Locke left, his actions seemed somewhat abrupt at this moment.

He was holding half a black biscuit in his hand, and it seemed he had just taken a bite.

Locke's gaze locked onto what was in Ron's hand. He raised an eyebrow and said irritably:

"Well, you... Rong En!" He pointed to the half-eaten biscuit. "I'm fighting on the front lines while you're slacking off in the rear."

"And where would you find Oreos on Paradise Island?!"

"Didn't you tell me that you finished the bag you had on the plane?"

Faced with Locke's questioning, Ron expressionlessly and quickly stuffed the remaining half of the Oreo into his mouth, then smoothly took out a whole piece and put it into Locke's hand.

It looks like they're trying to shut him up with food.

Having done all this, Ron turned to Hippolyta and Diana behind Locke and bowed slightly:
"It's been a long time, Queen Hippolyta. It's so good to see you safe and sound."

Hippolyta smiled gently and nodded slightly in return: "It's been a long time, Mr. Ron. Thank you for your efforts and attention."

Nodding, Rong En's gaze then fell on the tall, beautiful girl beside the Queen, who was as lovely as the goddess of dawn.

He could feel those curious eyes scrutinizing him, so he calmly spoke:
"This must be... Princess Diana? I am Ron Jones."

"Hello... Mr. Rong En."

Diana politely returned the greeting.

But looking at the other person's green appearance, and recalling Locke's casual conversation the night before about an alien friend, Diana couldn't help but ask curiously, with a tone of inquiry, "Are you a Martian?"

This issue made the atmosphere in the palace somewhat delicate.

Locke was somewhat helpless.
Our friend's hometown was a topic that we had never mentioned before.
However, Ron didn't seem angry about the question. He simply looked at Diana calmly and said:
That was my first hometown...

"Now, I prefer to call myself one of the guardians of the Earth, just like..."

"Just like your father."

"?"

Earth Guardian? When did I ever receive that title?
He was clearly protecting his own farm and those little brats...

Chewing on his Oreo, Locke was about to steer the conversation back to reality when he heard a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps approaching from outside the palace.

It was clearly Ron who conveyed the news of the Queen's return through telepathy.

"boom!"

The palace gate was suddenly pushed open, and the first person to rush in was the tall and upright military commander of Paradise Island, whose face was filled with urgency and worry.

Phillips didn't even have time to straighten his somewhat disheveled armor before his gaze swept across the palace, finally settling on Queen Hippolyta with unbelievable ecstasy.

Following closely behind was the priestess Mona Lipe, who was still clutching an ancient scroll in her hand. Her usually calm face was now filled with excitement and relief.

Penelope stumbled along at the back, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes instantly filling with tears.

"His Majesty!"

General Phillips' voice trembled
She strode forward, then abruptly stopped a few steps away from Queen Hippolyta, pounding her right fist heavily against her left chest in a perfect Amazonian salute, her head bowed deeply.

"You...you're finally back! Your subordinate...failed to protect you properly, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Her voice was filled with remorse.

Menalipe bowed slightly: "Praise be to the gods! Your safe return is the greatest blessing for Paradise Island."

Penelope, her voice trembling with tears, cried out, "Your Majesty! Princess Diana! You're alright... Thank goodness, thank goodness!"

Looking at these familiar faces, Hippolyta was overwhelmed with emotion at returning home.

She stepped forward and personally helped General Phillips to his feet, her gentle gaze sweeping over the three men:
“Get up, Phillips. This is not your fault.” Her voice had a soothing power. “Menalipe, Penelope, I’m sorry to have worried you.”

"and"

His gaze then fell upon Diana, who stood to the side, his eyes filled with maternal pride, as he announced to the crowd:

"This time, it was Diana... who, through her own strength and wisdom, defeated the formidable enemy and brought me back."

The three Amazons immediately turned their attention to Diana.

General Phillips' eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and satisfaction, as if he were seeing his most outstanding student finally surpass him.

Menalipe's eyes gleamed with understanding, and she nodded slightly.

Being stared at by these gazes that carried different weights, Diana felt a little embarrassed, but more than that, she felt a warm sense of being recognized.

She instinctively straightened her spine, no longer appearing as a princess in need of protection, but as a warrior who could stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

"General, I did it."

"I understand what you taught me."

Phillips gazed at her, and though he knew nothing of the specifics, he understood everything from Diana's eyes.

So she nodded solemnly and bestowed upon her student a reward that was more powerful than a thousand words.

"The threads of fate have ultimately woven a brilliant star map in your hands, Your Highness." Mona Lipe stepped forward, her ethereal voice carrying the faint glow of a divine oracle, "You have not only rediscovered the Queen, but also your own complete celestial trajectory."

"The ancient prophecy has revealed its original meaning because of your return."

Ms. Mona Lipe is babbling on and on again.
Diana scratched her head and looked at Penelope with some confusion.

Penelope nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with tears as she laughed:

"What the teacher means is—you have no idea how worried we were! Welcome home, Diana!"

And looking at this scene before me.

In a corner of the adjacent palace, Locke leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed, looking rather sentimental.

Diana was being patted hard on the shoulder by Phillips, with a force that would make an ordinary strong man grimace, but she just grinned, smiling like a child who had just received approval.

Hippolyta was flanked by Menalipe and Penelope, one on each side, her gentle face showing both weariness and relief.

Chewing on the Oreo from Rong En, the refreshing matcha flavor melted on my tongue, strangely blending with the overly 'cheesy' scene before me.
Locke felt a tightness in his throat and subconsciously looked away.

To tell the truth
He's still not very good at dealing with the people here.
His feelings for Diana and Hippolyta are still based more on a heavy sense of responsibility than on the natural kinship that flowed between them.

He will protect them with everything he has.
Simply because it was his child, and she was the child's mother.

This is an inescapable obligation he bore for his choices at some unknown moment.

But...that's true.
But the slight upturn of Locke's lips betrayed a hint of satisfaction deep within him.

It's like discovering a seedling hidden in a corner of your own field that no one noticed.
It endured wind, frost, rain, and snow on its own without any cultivation or watering, yet it still sprouted ears of grain and swayed proudly in the wind.

"Locke." Ron opened the team voice chat.

"What's wrong?" Locke asked with a smile in his mind, turning his head to look at the Martian beside him.

Ron Jones stood silently beside him, which allowed him to find a bit of shared joy amidst the helpless clamor.

"So, have you and your daughter officially reunited?"

"Pfft—cough! Cough cough!"

Locke nearly spat out the Oreo crumbs in his mouth; he abruptly covered his mouth and coughed violently.

He then turned his head and stared at Rong En in disbelief.

You bastard, you actually schemed against me?!
"You—knew—it?!" Locke gritted his teeth in the team voice chat, each word laced with shock and fury at being kept in the dark. "When did this happen?! Why did you keep it from me?!"

"."

Ron's expression didn't change much; he simply turned his head slightly, his red eyes honestly meeting Locke's questioning gaze.

"After you entered that dimension," he explained, his tone so calmly factual, "they... essentially revealed part of the truth to me voluntarily."

As he spoke, Rong En's gaze drifted almost imperceptibly toward the head of the bed.

There, a wooden picture frame that had been turned upside down is now facing up, vaguely revealing the image embedded inside.

That was neither a portrait nor a photograph.

It's just a sketch.
The painting skills are not superb, but the brushstrokes are gentle.

In the painting, a man's back is visible as he stands alone in a vast, rolling field of wheat.

"I think."

Ron's voice echoed in Locke's mind, tinged with helplessness, "They didn't intentionally hide it from you, Locke."

"Perhaps... it just requires the right opportunity, or perhaps you need to see her with your own eyes and feel that bloodline resonance." He paused, then added, "Actually, the Queen doesn't know about this. Inviting you and informing you that it was Phillips and others' doing was a scheme."

"And obviously, you've confirmed that as well."

Locke followed Ron's gaze and saw the photo frame as well.

The nameless fire that had risen in his chest from being kept in the dark deflated like a punctured balloon, leaving only a bittersweet and complex sense of turmoil.

It's even harder to describe than the taste of raspberry matcha Oreo in your mouth.

He opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, but found that he couldn't form the right words, whether through his mouth or telepathy.

In the end, all he could do was vent all his emotions in a glare tinged with displaced anger.

He swallowed the remaining biscuit in his mouth with great force, as if he were swallowing some Martian.

Rong En accepted his glare without hesitation, even shrugging his hands with this humane gesture, as if to say—brother, I'm just stating the facts.

"Alright, my sisters, and our distinguished guests."

Just then, Queen Hippolyta's gentle voice broke the silent stare between the two.

She gently broke free from the women's embrace, took a step forward, her gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Locke and Ron. A bright smile, enough to eclipse even the most jeweled, bloomed on her face, carrying a genuine joy that seemed to have been washed away.

"The time of sadness and worry has passed, and the shadow of separation has been dispelled."

Her gentle voice echoed in the palace.

"Tonight, to celebrate Diana's victory and return, to thank Mr. Locke and Mr. Ron for their great help, and even more so for the perfect reunification of Paradise Island..."

She raised her voice slightly, her tone carrying the unquestionable authority of a queen, yet filled with a warm invitation:
"We will hold a grand banquet under the starry sky in front of the temple! Let the bonfires be lit, let the wine flow, and let the songs and dances continue until dawn!"

(End of this chapter)