Love, Gun, Cupid

"He's mine!" the ice cave declared. "You won't take my last treasure away!"

More shadowy figures appeared above the black cat's head, then were formed into the shape of a sword and launched at high speed, crashing into the light shield rising from the ice cave and dissipating into smoke. Its shape was somewhat similar to the sword that Lin Jiade had destroyed in the Mirror Realm last year by Korobochka.

Is it... imitating me?

With this thought in mind, Lin Jiade opened his phone to urgently contact Jianlan. Coincidentally, a rapid response team composed of superhumans from Sanam Dongdo University was nearby and could arrive to provide support within five minutes.

He said to the ice cave, "Sorry, I can't protect your privacy now, our allies will be here soon."

"Perhaps we can cover this up with another lie, but now..."

The Ice Cave Wand lay horizontally, its light converging at the black cat's feet. Before the light burst forth from the ground, a door formed by a vortex appeared in front of the black cat. It nimbly jumped into it, and the next second, it emerged from the top of the Ice Cave.

Its claws tore through the ice cave's shield, rushing towards... Lin Jiade. Lin Jiade used his sword to block its deadly embrace and pushed it away.

The black cat opened a door in mid-air, and another door appeared in the alley. Ice Cave gave chase; she always lost her temper when facing her nemesis, and Lin Jiade was equally determined not to let her go. Killing the black cat would save Teacher Yang.

The two chased into the alley, wary of a possible ambush, but the black cat seemed to have sneaked in, and its accomplices did not appear.

Lin Jiade chased the cat to a Y-shaped fork in the road, where he separated from the ice cave. Lin Jiade was lucky; he caught up with the cat. The black cat stopped, and in its human form, it took a step forward. Lin Jiade raised his sword, and within the golden blessing, there was a mixture of his raging flames.

"Why...do you hate me?" the monster asked.

"Because you hurt the people I cherish, you hurt me, and you hurt the innocent citizens of Fuxing City. We will settle these three debts at once!"

“Kill me… Yang Xuemeng will die too.”

"Then I'll beat you half to death and take you back, and then find a way to break the contract."

"The reason I'm still here... is because I want to see you, to see the hero... whether to choose to save the monster or to fight it."

The answer, of course, was a fight. The ice cave had limited blessings for Lin Jiade, so the young man planned to finish the battle quickly. He shouldered his sword, gathered power in his legs, and launched himself forward, appearing in front of Iphigenia in an instant, his afterimage stretching across a straight line behind him.

He landed, the sword on his shoulder slashing forward with unstoppable force, shattering the enemy's shield. Iphigenia opened a door and teleported behind Lin Jiade. Black mist condensed into cat claws, reaching for the back of Lin Jiade's neck, but missed, because Lin Jiade had transformed into a sword.

The next second, Lin Jiade flipped over, piercing through Iphigenia's chest. He deactivated his sword form, landed, summoned his celestial weapon, and slammed her against the wall, pressing the celestial weapon against her neck.

“The Reed Warbler says you are something like a spellcaster, so what constitutes your body is a shell and core made of spellcasting, and the energy that fills the space between the shell and the core.”

I was taught by a sorcerer, so I know how to peel off your shell without damaging the core, causing your energy to drain away—a form of torture for sorcerous creatures.

"Stop, monster. My men are everywhere outside."

The only response from Lin Jiade was a scream; he recognized the sound as coming from the ice cave. At that moment, Iphigenia laughed.

"What did you do?" Lin Jiade asked.

“The guardians of the Holy Land… have been hunting me. I deliberately revealed… my presence while you were chasing me. The real one… encountered the traitor they were punishing.”

"asshole!"

"Bringing me back... will take time. How they treat traitors... is unpredictable. Are you willing to gamble, my... hero?"

Lin Jiade dared not gamble. He used his sword to draw a zigzag shape, turning the scattered pieces of Iphigenia into swords that flew towards the direction of the sound.

"Ouch, that hurts!"

The black cat's sigh kept echoing behind him, becoming clearer and more familiar... However, the sound was not distinctive enough, and Lin Jiade had no intention of listening.

It dragged its barely pieced-together body back to the dark side of the holy land. Outside the church of the Greeks' headquarters, it lay on the railing, drawing strength to restore its body.

It muttered to itself, "Lin Jiade, Yang Xuemeng's sweetheart. Yang Xuemeng is just a scapegoat; my contract with her is not enough for me to force her into a relationship."

So, what are my reasons for being so devoted to Lin Jiade?

Chapter 47: Division 7 (Bonus Chapter)

After splitting up with Lin Jiade, the ice cave headed deeper into the alley. Although she was alone, she was relaxed because her attributes were incompatible with the monsters. She might not be able to win, but she was certain she would not fail.

Her confidence lasted until she encountered her former teammates. Looking at the group of magical girls/young women/middle-aged women, Ice Cave took two steps back and stopped. Her presence caused a stir among the group.

Henrietta said, "The unrest in Rebirth City is the result of our negligence in guarding the Holy Land, so we will maintain order in Rebirth City independently and fight against those monsters and those who try to assist them."

And you, from what standpoint do you utilize the power granted to you by the Holy Land to act?

“In the past, I thought that even though I was being punished, I was still a guardian of the Holy Land. I thought that one day we would clear up the misunderstanding and I could return to the Holy Land. After spending these past few years together, I have developed a deep affection for everyone,” Ice Cave said.

“It’s good that you think that way,” Henrietta said. “The Holy Land punished you, and I didn’t take the opportunity to immediately take back your power because I hoped you would repent and understand your position.”

Ice Cave shook his head: "I don't think that way anymore. Besides, I have to chase a monster from the real world. Farewell."

She turned around, but the energy reaction behind her made her grab her wand and leap into the air, glaring back at Henrietta: "Are you crazy?!"

Henrietta gestured, and half of the team members mounted their wands and scattered, while she said to Ice Cave, "The monsters will be found and eliminated by others. Now the important question is between you and me: Ice Cave, from what stand do you wield the power given to you by the Holy Land?"

Ice Cave knew what answer the captain wanted, but she refused to lie, so she replied, "Right now, I'm helping a friend. I owe him a debt of gratitude, so I'm repaying him in any way I can."

"Do you like that boy?"

Ice Cave shook his head: "...I don't know. I've never been in a relationship before with my current identity, but I do know that he's the most important person in my heart right now."

Even if he has a girlfriend?

Ice Cave's eyes dimmed slightly: "Who I like and who likes me are two different things, and this is not the time to talk about that."

"I'm not against you liking anyone, but you know the rule: when you fall in love with someone, you must return the power that the Holy Land gave you."

The first reason for this rule is to allow the guardians of the holy land to enjoy their happy lives without being distracted by matters here.

Secondly, it is to prevent the guardians of the holy land from passing on their power to their offspring, thus turning public power into the power passed down through private families... Yes, the power of the holy land can be passed down from mother to direct female descendants.

Third, and most importantly, it is to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the feelings of the Holy Land's guardians to try to attack the Holy Land and pursue their own ambitions.

My concern about you is the last one: the person you like likes, namely Korobochka, I recently asked an acquaintance in Brilliant City about her, and found out that she is a cold, evil, and ruthless person with an enormous appetite.

She saved you from my clutches, and didn't stop her boyfriend from getting close to you, all to use him to win you over and gain the opportunity to set foot in the holy land.

Ice Cave felt a little guilty. Her relationship with Lin Jiade was the result of a spell she cast (or so she believed), and she couldn't use this to prove that her feelings for Lin Jiade were genuine and not part of Korobochka's conspiracy.

Moreover, it concerned a secret she had kept to herself, so the ice cave said stiffly, "No, I can swear by oath-keeping magic."

Henrietta sighed, "Of course I believe you. But I can't believe Korobochka. Even if you don't comply, as long as she finds a way to make you have a child and pass on the power to the child, which she will then raise, she can still obtain the key to the Holy Land in a short time."

Although I was forced to hide from Korobocka last time due to circumstances, allowing you to go crazy outside for a while, now I have every opportunity to make amends for my mistakes.

"Having lost the power of the sacred land, does that mean you can no longer love someone? If so, then you need to consider why the other person is close to you—is it because of your power, or because they love you?"

The ice cave felt even more bitter. If she lost the power of the sacred land, she would revert to Old Mu—unloved by her parents, treated as a substitute by her girlfriend, and cursed behind her back by those around her as a sissy, her personality as soft as a noodle. Old Mu, who relied entirely on others to stand up for him when bullied.

Old Mu's life is real, but it's utterly terrible and worthless. The Ice Cave surpasses him in every way. It's perfectly natural for her to have sex with the man she likes, while if he were to make a move on a man, he would be condemned by public opinion.

If that's the case, what reason would she have to change back?

“I refuse, Captain. Just now, I severed ties with my past self, so I don’t want to go back.” Ice Cave rubbed his chest. “I want happiness, I will fulfill my responsibilities, and I won’t tell you the secret I promised to keep. I’m just that greedy.”

"Then I'll have to achieve my wish in another way."

Henrietta channeled energy into her wand, and Ice Cave responded with the same spell. The difference in experience, energy reserves, and willpower led to Ice Cave's swift defeat.

She was knocked down and lay sprawled on the ground, struggling to grab a nearby wand, only to be kicked away by Henrietta's chubby foot.

Henrietta turned the ice cave over, unbuttoned her collar, and the cross-section of the pillar of light embedded in the ice cave's chest came into her view.

“Even if you’re lying to me, I’d still want you to call yourself the guardian of the Holy Land,” Henrietta said.

Ice Cave's hair was disheveled, and she gave a sneer as she looked at her former captain: "Captain... please allow me to call you that one last time. What exactly are we to the Holy Land?"

"We are the glorious guardians, the unsung heroes."

"Is that really the case? Every day, when I touch the cross-section of the beam of light, I ponder the meaning of our existence. More like tools than heroes..."

"Shut up!" Henrietta reached for the ice cave's chest. "Your power must be taken back, as well as the punishment the Holy Land gave you in the hope that you would repent. All of that will be taken back."

I will heal the wound in your chest, erase your memory, and let you return to the life of an ordinary person… Ice Cave, this is my last act of mercy.

Ice Cave sighed, the gentleness fading from her face, replaced by malice and disgust: "No, Henrietta, your pity is my punishment. You fat pig, I feel nauseous every time I see you. Now, I don't have to pretend anymore, and I can finally speak my true feelings!"

Bayern Munich defeated Dortmund 3-1, hence the bonus chapter.

Also, voting can begin for the RNG vs LNG match.

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Ice Cave's Determination

Henrietta was slightly taken aback. She cast more binding spells, pressing the ice cave to the ground, and said with a smile, "I've been in this position for so long, without promotion or retirement, because I love you beautiful and cheerful little birds the most."

Especially when you misbehave, I'll use all sorts of methods to make you submit to the rules, listening to my teachings with a pitiful expression. That's when my happiness reaches its peak.

“So it was an inferiority complex,” the ice cave said.

"I have another good thing to tell you. Do you know why so many sisters are willing to give up their power and return to their daily lives? It's because after the age of 25, the power of the Holy Land will produce an obvious side effect: a craving for sweets."

The tastes of the guardians of the holy land will be distorted, leading to overeating, which will not only easily cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, as well as obesity, but also diabetes and various inflammations.

Henrietta's hand separated the part of the pillar of light from the flesh and blood of the ice cave, and then blood-red lines appeared around the pillar of light. As Henrietta reached up to grab it, the ice cave turned pale with pain and let out a scream.

“Don’t worry, darling, it will be over soon,” she said.

Henrietta continued to raise the beam of light, releasing the guardian state that had frozen the ice cave. Energy escaped from her body, and when the energy dissipated, she would transform back into Mu Xiu.

"No, you can't..."

Seeing the horrified expression on Ice Cave's face, Henrietta felt a surge of pleasure. However, her smile was immediately distorted and made ridiculous by the flying glove.

Henrietta tilted her head in confusion, and Ice Cave tilted her head with difficulty. They saw the same view: Lingard released a stunned guardian of the holy land and said to Ice Cave, "You've only been separated for a short while, and you've already become so disheveled."

Before the ice cave could answer, he looked at Henrietta and the few Holy Land Guardians behind her: "Since you started this, don't blame us for retaliating."

Henrietta was about to launch into a verbal attack when Lingard lowered his body, braced himself with his left leg, and propelled himself forward with incredible speed. Henrietta's vision blurred for a moment, but years of experience allowed her to raise her staff. The next second, Lingard's sword struck her weapon with a dull thud.

Lin Jiade roared and activated the Lionheart spell. The exposed parts of his body faintly shimmered with the color of bronze. The physical enhancement provided by Chi You's Body Tempering Technique and the Lionheart spell combined into a terrifying brute force, which pushed Henrietta away.

Henrietta steadied herself in mid-air. Just as Lin Jiade was about to give chase, he saw the guardians around him raise their staffs. He had no choice but to adopt a defensive stance, unleashing all the energy stored in his celestial weapon in one go. He swept across the area, instantly annihilating all the attacks.

"Shall we continue?" he asked.

His response was met with the timid expressions of the guardians. The Lionheart spell gave Lin Jiade an imposing presence without anger, and his gaze was intense. Whenever they met his eyes, they felt as if their skin was being burned.

His sword reversed, piercing the ground and severing the bindings on the ice cave piece by piece. The ice cave grabbed his shoulders, stood up, and shoved the pillar of light back into its chest.

“You’ve been a great help, Lin…Lin Huang,” she said.

How are you feeling?

Ice Cave awkwardly tightened his legs: "I'm fine, we'll talk about the rest after this is over."

Lin Jiade nodded and looked at Henrietta: "The reinforcements I called will arrive in a minute. Are you willing to bet that they can take care of us in a minute?"

The answer is naturally no. The guardians of the holy land are good at slaughtering monsters, but not good at fighting people. This is a side effect of playing too many hack-and-slash games. Lin Jiade is the opposite. Every spell he uses and every growth is related to violence, destruction and pain.