Love, Gun, Cupid

"That's right, it's deception. The guardians of the holy land firmly believe that they are the dark heroes who protect the city, driven by a lofty sense of responsibility, and executors of a great mission. They are full of honor and pride."

Therefore, even though this job has no salary, no social insurance and housing fund, no subsidies, no year-end bonus, the work schedule violates normal work, and they can't even talk to others, after the age of 25 they either have to give up their strength or gain weight due to their sweet tooth, and are tormented by various diseases and chronic inflammations, they still continue to do this job.

However, they were not heroes, but merely humanoid livestock, victims of microloans. "You, the White Dragon, cannot see, but I, as the dead, as the lich, see clearly. The souls and remains of the guardians of the holy land throughout history are bound within the temple, conveying resentment and regret."

"It seems that the god who gave the Greeks power also treated them like livestock. I killed them all, and I don't know if their souls can find peace by dying at my hands," Ragnar said.

“Seriously, after we break through the barrier, we might have to deal with the spirits inside. I will deal with them, but will you deal with me then?” Korobochka asked.

Ragnar swore an oath of magic without hesitation, promising that he would never harm Korobochka while she was dealing with the undead guardians of the Holy Land, but he made no further promises.

Both of them coveted the power, but now was not the time to act. So they reached out at the same time, injecting spells into the temple, which was within reach but actually surrounded by a thick barrier, in order to violently destroy the last obstacle to their path to power.

The two schemers initially had the time to observe each other's situation, but soon the power of this barrier forced them to devote all their energy. After being promoted to the highest rank, they had not experienced the feeling of being "extinct" in terms of energy for a long time.

In the dizziness of excessive energy consumption, the barrier finally shattered. Ragnar and Korobochka were pale. The former took a step back and saw a cobalt blue light appear on the latter's palm. Under that light, Ragnar saw a group of ferocious-looking women.

“This number…” He looked at the temple in astonishment, “Just how many humans has this god’s authority tempted?”

Korobochka used the remnants of souls as fuel. Wherever she went, black runes were drawn from her fingertips, winding and branching out into many twigs. Wherever the runes touched, the souls of the guardians of the holy land and their resentment burned together, turning into silent blue flames, while Korobochka danced as if in a gas stove.

"Bravo!" Ragnar clapped his hands in praise.

After a moment, Korobochka cleared the undead around the temple. She turned and her gaze froze as a sword forged in flames pierced her weakened shield, entered her body, and nearly severed her in two.

She frowned, trying to draw her sword, but Ragnar snapped his fingers, detonating the sword left inside Korobochka's body. Ragnar raised his hand, and more swords formed above his head, rushing towards Korobochka and detonating.

"You dare break your oath!" Korobochka's voice came from the smoke.

"I dare, because I have already paid the price."

Ragnar watched as the icicles emerged from his stomach, then reached out and tore them off. Normally, breaking his oath to Korobochka would cause icicles to emerge from his stomach, which would then extend and grow into new icicles, tearing his body to shreds from the inside.

But he had spent decades in the imperial high society and witnessed humanity develop lies, creating countless variations just like magic. If oath-keeping magic could achieve 100% effectiveness, then the imperial upper class would have been wiped out long ago.

Lying must be punished, but there are always rules that transcend the rules, allowing liars to modify the severity of their punishment. Ragnar spent ten years, or rather, ten years as a dog, before finally obtaining a simplified version of the secret technique from a great man.

Although this simplified version could only modify a fatal wound into a moderate one, and couldn't achieve the kind of power that allows adults to casually shift the cost of lying onto innocent people, it was perfectly adequate for him to kill Korobochka.

Although Korobochka survived the attack, Ragnar could sense that her life force had become extremely weak. Therefore, he could finally speak his mind without worry.

"Korobochka, I know you've always looked down on me, thinking I'm a disgusting pedophile, a sycophant who betrays his own kind for wealth and power, and a scoundrel who licks the asses of big shots."

You've always been arrogant and disdainful of others, reveling in the title of a child prodigy. Unfortunately, girlhood has an expiration date; once you're over eighteen, you're no longer a girl.

Studying witchcraft may seem mysterious and cool, but you'll never reach the master level in your lifetime because that title, and those surgeries that transform people into incredible monsters, are only for magic researchers.

Therefore, long before the news of your infertility broke, you had already been shunned by those magic researchers who had the potential to become masters, because you, an old woman who was past your prime, past your honor, and past your looks, was not worth associating with.

You think you're still at the center of high society, but you've already been ostracized by it. They're ready to banish you to the frontier. And if they want, the empire's propaganda machine can be in full swing, ready to promote a new genius girl at any time. The empire is a holy land, and people like you are its guardians.

So, you may seem close to the top, but you haven't spoken with the real high-level people. You know the gossip of high society, but you don't know the secrets that high society opens up to core players. And I know that even if I am an outsider, a pedophile, or a villain, I am still closer to that position than you.

And you, you stupid woman, how dare you look down on me, display your absurd sense of superiority, and even threaten to harm my daughter, my bloodline?!

Accompanied by Ragnar's resentment, his flames were first imprisoned within the swords, then released in a subsequent explosion. The brilliant flames shot straight into the sky, leaving a clear mark in the darkness and guiding Lin Jiade and the others.

Lin Jiade, Kapok, and the Ice Cave rested for an hour. It was already the early hours of the next day, a beautiful Friday. Most students' suffering would end at this time, and after class in the afternoon, they could play happily with their friends or go home to enjoy some happy time alone on their computers.

Lin Jiade finally felt a sliver of joy—this was the best way to find joy in hardship. His superficial injuries did not affect his mobility, and he could still use the Lionheart spell, giving him the strength to fight.

"So, we really shouldn't take a long-term view? Neither Ragnar nor Korobochka, the two of us combined are no match for them," said Kapok.

“And what about me?” Ice Cave said unhappily. “I’m not very good at fighting on the front lines, but I shared the power I gained with you, otherwise you wouldn’t have recovered so quickly.”

Kapok ignored the ice cave. Lin Jiade lowered his head in thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the captured but healthy Iphigenia and said to Kapok, "If Jianlan really is Korobochka, given her fervor for the Holy Land, she might be doing something bad."

While we were planning, Korobocka had already done the dirty work. It's better to do it now and regret it now than to regret it later, just like in the final stages of a football knockout match, where the goalkeeper runs into the opponent's penalty area to act as an attacker, making a final, desperate attempt.

"If you lose a football match, you'll at most get scolded by the fans, but if you lose today, all of us except you will die... But it's fine, if I die, I won't have to be a girl under your orders and suffer for it!"

Kapok's chest heaved with anger: "If I die, that's fine. But if you die and I live, have you ever thought about my future? I've become your bitch, and I've finally gotten used to having a master. But you, my master, are suddenly gone. Since you chose to put three marks on me to make me happy, to make me suffer, and to make me submit, then you should take full responsibility!"

"It's like saying, 'I don't know how I can live without you,'" the ice cave muttered.

"Uh, what happened between you guys?"

Although Lin Jiade and Mu Mian lowered their voices, Hana still heard them. She tried to mediate, and Lin Jiade and Mu Mian shut up. Just then, a bird flapped its wings and landed on Hana's shoulder. Hana said, "It's the captain's order!"

Lin Jiade and Mu Mian both became alert. The ice cave held its breath and instinctively grabbed Lin Jiade's arm. The three of them awaited their fate.

Hana's expression gradually became confused. She looked up at Lin Jiade, who was extremely nervous, fearing that Korobochka had ordered Hana to capture them.

Hana walked over, and Lin Jiade felt his heart beating faster and faster. He felt a little dizzy. Mu Mian prepared her spells, ready to take Hana hostage if the situation turned unfavorable. Bing Dong looked like he was about to cry.

"The captain told us to send the wounded and prisoners back, except for you and Mian. She told you to go find her."

Lin Jiade breathed a sigh of relief. The relief of surviving the ordeal made him relax. He and Mu Mian exchanged a glance and asked, "Where is the location?"

“She didn’t say, she said it was your private matter.” Hannah extended her hand. “I’ve delivered the message, we’re leaving now, good luck.”

"Thank you, it was a pleasure working with you."

Korobochka's authority puzzled Hana, but she still left in her only car with the bodies of her prisoners and comrades, generously leaving half of the supplies to Lin Jiade and his men.

"Where is Korobochka?" the ice cave asked.

Lin Jiade closed his eyes. Whether it was Korobochka or Jianlan, he was connected to her in two ways, just like their two kinds of relationships: the first was the lich and her life box. Of course, now Lin Jiade was just a backup, no longer the close relationship of sharing life and death when he first met Jianlan, but he could vaguely sense it.

The second possibility is the subjugation mark he implanted in Jianlan's body. Because he and Jianlan had some private experiments, he was certain that the thing was effective on Jianlan's body. However, he couldn't bring it up, as that would make him seem like a pervert.

So, this is why he was weak but had the courage to face Gladiolus... perhaps it was because of the Gladiolus he played.

Lin Jiade opened his eyes, pointed in a certain direction and said, "I feel like I'm heading in that direction."

“Let’s go then!” said the ice cave.

“Lin Jiade…I hate you,” Kapok replied.

They couldn't possibly walk there, or run there with their arms outstretched like wings. The ice cave proved its worth once again. She temporarily modified her wand using the supplies Hannah had left them. With Lin Jiade and Mumian activating the spells on their waists to reduce their weight, the three of them successfully ascended into the air, clinging to each other.

Nevertheless, the ice cave was still a bit strenuous, so Lin Jiade, who was sitting behind her, grabbed her hand to help maintain the wand's balance.

Ice Cave leaned back into Lin Jiade's arms, while behind him, Kapok held him tightly. Two different sensations, two equally wonderful feelings. Even though Lin Jiade was in a gloomy mood, he still found himself somewhat embarrassed to realize that he had lost his composure.

The ice cave sensed his change. She paused for a moment, then turned to look at Lin Jiade with a mischievous, delighted expression. She whispered, "Lin Jiade, if we can all survive and resolve all the troubles, let's have a good fight."

Lin Jiade's head flatly refused: "Sorry, I have an appointment with Jasmine."

“But I am Mu Xiu,” the ice cave said seriously, “even if something happens between men, I will still be a virgin.”

Chapter 112 The Holy Land is Complete (3) (Two-in-One)

Lin Jiade was stunned for a moment. He had never regarded Bing Dong as a complete woman before, and even called her Mu Xiu. He never expected that Bing Dong would take advantage of this.

“You’ve always called me ‘Mu Xiu,’ so I’ll just be your brother then,” Ice Cave said. “We can shower together, sit in the same place with our bodies close together, eat together, shower together, and sleep in the same bed with you… We’re all men, so you don’t need to be afraid.”

"Ice cave, it's not appropriate to talk about that now."

Ice Cave snuggled closer to Lin Jiade: "I know, I just want you to know how important you are in my life... I don't want to say anything unlucky, but the thought of that terrible possibility makes me so lonely, so incredibly lonely."

"I can't make promises about things whose outcome is unknown."

"Ah, you really have no sense of romance."

As Lin Jiade walked, his senses grew weaker. Just as he was wondering, a towering pillar of flame in the distance guided him.

The ice cave turned around, and the magic wand lowered the altitude, intending to sneak past quietly. However, Ragnar still didn't know how to find them, so swords fell from the sky, each one disintegrating upon hitting the ground, and red lotuses bloomed one after another around Lin Jiade and the others.

Flames blocked out five directions—up, down, left, right, and rear—leaving only enough space for the ice cave to rush forward. And on this path forward, Ragnar appeared, completely alone.

Ragnar had changed into casual clothes; at this moment, he was a black man wearing a suit and bow tie, with a shaved head, gloves, and sunglasses... Nevertheless, the soul does not lie. In the soul vision opened by Lin Jiade, the white flame of Ragnar's soul almost brought tears to his eyes.

Ragnar waved defiantly, then put his hands in his pockets, adopting the demeanor of a street thug. The surrounding flames converged, compressing the space around Lin Jiade and his companions. The ice cave had no choice but to lower its altitude and accelerate towards Ragnar.

Lin Jiade hugged the ice cave tightly, while Mu Mian hugged Lin Jiade tightly. The two of them drew their weapons together and swung their swords at the enemies below like cavalrymen... only one swing.

Ragnar reached out and caught the sword. He had intended to release heat into his palm and direct it through the weapon to Lin Jiade and Mu Mian's hands, an attack that could not be blocked by the shield.

However, the sensation in his palm told him that he was only holding a weapon, and the pain told him that it was Lin Jiade's celestial weapon, and only a weapon used by a celestial observer could ignore his shield and armor effects, and even cut through his dragon scales to damage the flesh beneath.

So, what about the other sword?

Ragnar quickly noticed that the other sword was still in Lin Jiade's hand, while the Kapok was nowhere to be seen. He immediately understood what had happened. Lin Jiade, gripping the Kapok, thrust it through the gaping hole in the Celestial weapon's defenses towards Ragnar's throat. He hit it, but that was all.

“If this were a celestial weapon, my throat would probably be pierced by now,” Ragnar said, pointing the sword tip at him. “Turning people into swords is fun, using them for performances is fun, but using them to slay dragons? What a joke!”

The terrifying heat traveled from his palm to Lin Jiade; if it had been successfully transmitted, Lin Jiade's palm would probably have turned into a braised bear paw.

However, Ragnar's energy flowed into the Celestial Weapon like a river flowing into the sea, disappearing without a trace. This made him realize that he had misjudged the purpose of the Celestial Weapon, but it did not affect the overall situation.

He grabbed Lin Jiade's sword, lifted him up, and flung him away, leaving the celestial weapon in his hand. Lin Jiade activated the spell on his waist in mid-air, and together with the now-human-formed Kapok, they slowly descended, only to be caught by the Ice Cave who arrived riding a magic wand.

With a thought, Lin Jiade caused the celestial weapon that was originally in Ragnar's hand to disappear and return to his own. Ragnar looked at his empty palm and muttered, "As expected, it's not easy to obtain a satisfactory weapon."

“I’m asking you, where is Korobochka?” Lindjad said.

Are you asking about someone's attitude?

Even so, Ragnar extinguished the flames, and as he looked around the ice cave, he suddenly froze, then said in a trembling voice, "Lingard..."

Following her gaze, Lin Jiade saw that on the stone pillars of the temple, Korobochka's limbs were pinned to the ground by swords, and blood was dripping from the sword that pierced her chest, flowing into the temple.

"Although I don't know if you're here to help her or to break with her, as you can see, she's right there. I defeated her, but this cunning woman has transformed into a lich. Destroying her physical body is not very meaningful, so we have to start by killing her phylactery."

Ragnar raised his hand to gather the flames: "Don't blame me, you're just unlucky."

Lin Jiade was somewhat bewildered. All the way there, he kept thinking about whether Jianlan was Korobochka, and if she was, how he could defeat her, take Jianlan back, and prevent Korobochka from reappearing.

As it turned out, the final boss he had envisioned was already dead, rendering all his previous plans futile.

The youth's sense of absurdity vanished immediately, as the fireball Ragnar constructed grew ever larger, and the energy gathered within it became so intense that looking directly at it caused his eyes to sting.

"This is not a complicated story: Korobochka and I hate each other, but that does not prevent us from cooperating on common interests, namely the divine authority in the Holy Land."

We had been planning this for years. Just as the confrontation between the Greeks and the guardians of the Holy Land was merely a sacrificial ritual in which the divine authority seized energy, Korobochka and I played a similar role, completing the sacrifice to open the gates of the Holy Land and confront the divine authority.

The difference is that we are not the accomplices of that authority, but rather we want to be the masters of that authority, becoming beings between gods and divine protectors.

The gods possess multiple authorities, but Korobochka and I understand each other. Neither of us will relinquish authority to the other; instead, we will eliminate the other the moment the Holy Land is opened, taking all the authority.

As Ragnar spoke, golden phantoms of broken spears and shields appeared around him. Meanwhile, Lin Jiade and the others were not idle either. All the supplies Hana had left them, all the lethal items, were thrown out by Lin Jiade and Mu Mian, which depleted Ragnar's shield, but were far from breaking it.

Lin Jiade's celestial weapon can break shields, but he dares not get close, gambling that Ragnar will be like a taxi driver giving away a fairy's dagger for free. Ragnar can make up for his mistakes with other trump cards, but if he loses once, given Ragnar's wicked nature, perhaps everyone he knows will die.

“I defeated Korobochka and merged with the authority left behind by Pallas Athena in the Holy Land. Surprisingly, part of this authority is within your companion, which gives me even more reason to kill you.”

Ragnar's spell took several minutes to prepare, and seeing that he couldn't break the shield, Lin Jiade and Mumian exchanged a glance, then retreated tactically into the ice cave, intending to wait for Ragnar to unleash his skill before engaging him in battle.