My mom is waiting for treatment, and you're summoning me to be a hero?

"Your Majesty, I also have a... list of male members here."

When He Yuan said those words, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Yin Xue was the first to react.

She spat out the chicken in her mouth with a "pfft," then collapsed onto the table, laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking.

She laughed and patted Lin Mo's shoulder, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hahaha... So that's why you have absolutely no feelings for me! So that's why... Hahahaha!"

Losa, holding her water glass, couldn't help but smile.

In all his years, this was the first time he had ever seen a subject prepare such a thing for the emperor.

Mianmian tilted her head, looking at this and that, completely bewildered by what had happened.

She simply stuffed the last piece of chicken into her mouth and continued chewing.

Lin Mo's lips twitched, and he took a deep breath.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

He Yuan was startled and subconsciously took half a step back, almost dropping the roster in his hand.

Lin Mo pressed his temples, his voice very low.

"What I mean is, I have no plans to get married."

"But what other countries think..." He Yuan muttered to himself.

Lin Mo looked up at him.

His gaze was calm, but He Yuan's voice grew softer and softer until he finally shut his mouth.

"What other countries are there? Just wipe them all out."

He Yuan was stunned.

He had always believed that His Majesty had launched the war merely to consolidate the foundation of the new nation.

Let's send a warning to the surrounding powers and let all countries know that the Human Empire is not to be trifled with.

But judging from this tone... it really means they're all going to be wiped out.

He swallowed hard, not daring to say anything more.

But after hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but say, "But... since those girls are already here, we should at least go out and meet them."

Yin Xue immediately raised his hand: "I agree! Let's go take a look!"

Lin Mo glanced at her.

Yin Xue wore an expression that said, "I just want to watch the show," without any guilt whatsoever.

Mianmian also raised a little paw, even though she had no idea what she wanted to see.

Lin Mo was silent for a moment, then said, "Alright, I don't have anything else to do anyway, let's go take a look."

……

As soon as Lin Mo and the others stepped into the palace, a wooden figure rushed over.

It is Otmu.

He chuckled as he looked at Lin Mo.

This guy has been very free lately, spending all his time wandering around the capital, hanging out with the heroes and collecting stories, going wherever there's excitement.

"Boss! I heard you're going to choose a concubine?"

Lin Mo ignored him and walked into a large hall deep inside.

The hall was packed with people.

Not just a few, but dozens.

The line stretched from the entrance into the depths of the hall, forming several rows.

Dressed in red and green, with tinkling ornaments, their perfume was so strong it was almost suffocating.

Several palace ladies were also maintaining order nearby.

Holding a ruler, pen, and notebook, they are conducting the final selection.

Lin Mo sat down on a chair to the side, and He Yuan immediately handed him the roster.

"Your Majesty, this is the final list, a total of forty-seven people, selected through three rounds of screening..."

Lin Mo opened the roster.

The first page features an exquisite portrait, meticulously drawn with fine brushstrokes, depicting the eyebrows and eyes like a painting, with small notes beside it.

[The Earl of Batter's daughter, seventeen years old, well-educated and knowledgeable in music and painting.]

He looked up at the girl who was first in line inside the hall.

She had a round face, a flat nose, and squinty eyes, and was giving him a flirtatious look.

Lin Mo looked down at the portrait, then looked up at the real person.

Look down at the portrait again, then look at the real person.

"This is ridiculous, there are even photoshopped pictures of this person?"

His voice wasn't loud, but He Yuan heard it clearly.

He Yuan wiped his sweat and explained in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, they are, after all, nobles... portraits are bound to be somewhat embellished..."

Lin Mo flipped through a few pages.

A portrait depicts a woman with an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a cool and aloof demeanor, with the caption "Daughter of a marquis, with a beautiful appearance."

He looked up and searched around, and in the third row he saw a woman with a square face, thick lips, and a broad back, who was trying her best to act shy.

Turn another page.

The woman in the portrait is gentle and charming, with affectionate eyes.

He searched for a long time and finally found a girl with freckles, a pointed chin, and a mean look in the corner.

He was glancing at his competitor out of the corner of his eye.

Lin Mo closed the roster and tossed it onto the table.

"They've even tampered with the harem's roster."

He looked at He Yuan.

"You must have received quite a bit of money too."

He Yuan's face turned pale, and he almost knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please understand! How could I possibly have such audacity! I only received this roster today! It was sent by the Royal Household Department, who said it had already undergone three rounds of screening..."

He spoke quickly and urgently, his forehead covered in sweat.

Lin Mo looked at him without saying anything.

He knew He Yuan.

When the Li family was being slaughtered, he was the first person in the rebel army to recognize him.

They are also the ones who know their own methods best.

He couldn't and wouldn't dare to tamper with such a thing.

"Looks like we need to get this group sorted out."

Lin Mo said calmly.

He Yuan shivered.

He knew without even thinking what His Majesty meant by "rectification".

Those nobles who slipped money into this roster are probably in for trouble.

Just then, a voice rang out from inside the hall.

It wasn't that kind of soft, affected, coquettish voice.

Instead, it was a clear, spirited female voice.

"Your Majesty, I hereby report."

Lin Mo looked up.

A woman in a red leather jacket stepped out of the queue.

She was tall and slender, with a short sword at her waist, and her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing a face with distinct features.

She was beautiful, but completely different from the heavily made-up noble ladies next to her.

Her face was free of makeup, and her eyes held a sharp edge, like a knife yet to be drawn.

Moreover, some of them look familiar.

"My daughter is a hero."

She knelt down on one knee.

"No family background, from another world. Possesses memories and knowledge from another world."

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised to find that the person was actually a warrior.

Before Lin Mo could speak, Ottmu's pupils suddenly contracted.

"It's her!?"

Lin Mo turned his head: "You know him?"

Otmu leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of surprise.

"Boss, have you forgotten? Back in Stoneclothes Village, that city lord came with a group of warriors to collect taxes and extort money from the villagers. You killed them all, and only this one escaped—it was her."

Lin Mo remembered.

That's true.

At that time, he went to Stonecloth Village to get Stonecloth Grass, and happened to run into the city lord who came to collect taxes and a group of heroes.

The hero leading the group activated the Holy Revelation, nearly drowning all the villagers.

That was when Otem awakened and became the Beast King.

After that, all the heroes were killed, except for one who was swept away by the river.

It's this woman in the red leather jacket.

He looked at the woman again.

She was still kneeling there, her back straight, her head down, her expression unreadable.

The other women in the hall kept their distance from her, as if afraid of catching some bad luck.

The brave hold a high status in this world.

But in the eyes of these noble ladies, a female warrior with no background, no family, and who came to the talent show all by herself was no different from a beggar.

Lin Mo looked at her for a few seconds, then looked away.

"You stay; everyone else can leave."