Black Angel, Episodes 11-15 (Total 20 Episodes) Author: Cheng Jia

This post was last edited by s175366 on 2015-11-24 21:09.

*Black Angel*

Author: Cheng Jia
Publisher: Novel Channel

- New Character Introduction -

Carlot Sephiroth: Nicknamed "Know-It-All," a mysterious magic gunslinger, his frivolous demeanor conceals a deep and calculating mind. The head of the "Inspectorate," the powerful institution of the Kingdom of Rama.

Xiongwo Zhennan: A mountain assassin and sorcerer, ranked second only to Shangyuan Mingren in Dio's personal assassin group, "Tianxing Group." He possesses the power to manipulate blue demons, is proficient in hypnosis, and keeps a venomous snake within his abdomen. Annie: A

beastman girl controlled by Xiongwo Zhennan, impersonating the Rama princess to assassinate Roland. A curse planted within her by Xiongwo Zhennan causes her to transform into a berserk blue demon upon hearing her own name.

Li Xun: A member of the Li family of Zhongzhou, a spy with a pilot background, and the pilot of the Pupeng "Li Xiaoyao." Entrusted by Li Yan, escort Xinran and Roland to the capital of Rama. Pilot, a type of demon wielder, with exceptional mental talent, able to communicate with birds through telepathy after training.

-New Login Mechanical Armor-

no. a07: Sun God

Author: Alexander the Holy Grail

During the "Vampire Succession War", the first light-attribute mechanical armor in the history of Central Continent was developed against the undead's main weapon, "Dark Armor". The first pilot was Amanralda Arthur, and later Amanralda Roland succeeded him. The Sun God is a symbol of the Holy Kingdom's military might, the marshal's personal machine.

Pilot: Amanralda Roland

Beast Form: Chariot

Attribute: Light

Weapon Equipment:

1) Photon Rifle (External weapon. Attachments: Medium-grade light crystal laser, solar rechargeable battery.)

a) Ultraviolet Mode: The most effective weapon to eliminate the undead, and has a sterilization function. (5,000 rounds remaining at 100% charge)

b) Cluster Mode: A general-purpose laser weapon. Long range, strong penetration, capable of penetrating the armor of tanks and mechs. (20 rounds remaining at 100% charge)

2) Divine Light Wheel: A golden wheel located behind the Sun God. When activated, it spreads a light energy barrier within 500 feet. Used to dispel negative environmental effects caused by necromancy, such as "Eternal Night" and "Death Domain". 3) Photon Blast

(MAP weapon): An automatically guided blasting mine equipped in the Divine Light Wheel. The explosive is mixed with powder of low-grade light crystal. The high-energy radiation from the explosion has a high temperature and blinding effect. 3 rounds remaining.

4) Heaven-Defying Sword: The longsword form of the photon pulse cannon, a powerful melee weapon.

5) Photon Pulse Cannon: An ultimate weapon with astonishing destructive power. Even more astonishing than its destructive power is its range. It is said to be able to attack the moon directly from the ground. Naturally, the energy consumption is also extremely high. One round remaining.

Engine: Light Crystal Engine (equipped with jet propulsion).

Features: 2:1 ratio of high-grade Holy Crystal to high-grade Wind Crystal. Due to the extreme rarity of high-grade Holy Crystal, the cost of Light Crystal is extremely high. Light Crystal can replenish its energy under sunlight, greatly enhancing its continuous combat capability. Normally used in land combat mode, it can sustain flight for eight minutes after activating the jet engine.

Disadvantages: Light Crystal is expensive and scarce, and most weapons and ammunition are limited. The machine has a built-in solar charging device, but the charging efficiency is greatly affected by the environment and is unreliable.

Mass-produced Bumblebee:

A small flying mecha, powered by mid-grade Wind Crystal, with high mobility. It is the main air combat mecha used by various countries in Central Continent. It is also commonly used for reconnaissance and transport. Divided into four types: air combat, reconnaissance, transport, and bombing.

Attribute: Wind.

Weapons: Knight's Spear, Explosive Crossbow (air combat type only), Bomb (bombing type only).

- Newly Logged-in Servant -

Blue Oni: An evil spirit born in the "Dark Demon Realm," summoned to the human world by a sorcerer, it resides within a young girl's body. Once its name is called, it transforms into a gigantic demonic beast. If its host is killed, the Blue Oni also dies.

Pupeng: An unimaginably large bird, rare in number, living on extremely high snow-capped mountains, rarely interacting with humans. It has a bright and gentle nature, and abhors violence. Once domesticated, it can be used as an aerial vehicle, equivalent to a Boeing 747 in the Central Continent. In war, Pupeng typically serve as "motherships" for transport ships and air combat units. Pupeng only trusts its "pilots" and does not accept commands from anyone else.

Thunderbird: A blue lightning spirit, violent in nature, possessing the magic to summon lightning.

Episode 11, Chapter 1: The Blue Oni Curse

After three hours of intensive training, Xinran was exhausted and nearly collapsed.

At this moment, Feng Lin walked in and reported, "Miss, Mr. Carrot wishes to meet with you alone."

"Please ask him to wait in the living room."

"Yes, sir."

Roland leisurely fanned herself with a folding fan, then turned to Xinran with a smile and asked, "Little boy, the show is about to begin, don't give yourself away~"

Xinran, with the help of a maid, put her hair up and touched up her makeup one last time, muttering resentfully, "Lanlan... do you really think this is necessary? I have a bad feeling, like I've fallen into your trap..."

Lanlan put on a pitiful look, staring at Xinran with sparkling eyes and said, "Darling, can you just stand by and watch a frail little girl negotiate with the fierce and barbaric Rama? She's so timid, what if she gets scared out of her wits by Carrot Sephiroth and signs an unequal treaty without thinking...?"

"Pah! If that's the case, you'll be waiting to be hunted down by the Queen!" Xinran jumped up in frustration and strode towards the living room.

Lanlan, seizing the opportune moment from behind, reminded her, "Elegance, elegance, ladylike elegance!"

Xinran turned around and glared fiercely at her, then had no choice but to change her pace, adopting a swaying, cat-like gait. She did indeed appear graceful and elegant, but only she knew the effort involved.

After arriving in the living room and taking her seat, Xinran was still pondering Roland's words, wondering whether Karot Sephiroth was a bear or an elephant. When the Rama envoy actually entered the room, Xinran was startled upon seeing him, exclaiming, "So it's you!"

The envoy was a timid and cautious fox-person. Although surprised, he dared not look directly at the Holy Kingdom's commander, bowing his head and asking, "Marshal, have you greeted me?"

It turned out that Karot Sephiroth was the Rama official Xinran had met that morning. It was he who had taken away the mysterious little girl who had narrowly escaped a car accident.

Xinran realized her slip of the tongue and wished she could slap herself. She quickly feigned a deep, composed smile and said, "Lord Carrot, how have you been?"

Carrot mustered his courage and glanced at "Amanrada Roland." She did look somewhat familiar, but he couldn't recall where he'd seen her before. As he looked, a look of lust and infatuation crept onto his face. Although he had heard that Roland was one of the seven beauties of Middle-earth, he never imagined she would be so beautiful. It was as if every glance, every strand of hair, was created by the Creator for the purpose of bewitching hearts.

Xinran was acutely familiar with the way Carlot stared at him—he would also display the same lecherous look when he saw a beautiful woman—and while annoyed, he was also slightly smug. He coughed lightly and said casually, "Many years ago, I accompanied the late King on a diplomatic mission to your country and had the honor of meeting you briefly at a banquet." This seemed believable, but in reality, it said nothing at all.

Carlot didn't delve into it and chuckled, "Marshal, you have a good memory. Even a nobody like me can remember things so clearly. No wonder the Holy Kingdom's military strength is at its zenith."

Xinran breathed a sigh of relief and reminded himself not to say anything more carelessly. He then invited Carlot to sit down and got down to business.

Before the meeting, Roland had already told Xinran the issues to be discussed and the Holy Kingdom's position. In addition to stopping the border friction, the most important thing was to punish the human traffickers, return the trafficked women, compensate for the losses, and issue a public apology.

To Xinran's surprise, Carlot accepted all of his conditions without uttering a single word of objection. Even the women from the Holy Kingdom who had been trafficked to Rama had been safely delivered to Elman along with the delegation, and would be returned to the Holy Kingdom as soon as the negotiations ended.

"Mr. Carrot's straightforwardness is truly flattering. Please speak frankly; what are your country's conditions?" Xinran reacted quickly, knowing that Carrot's straightforwardness must have some ulterior motive.

Carrot smiled slightly and said humbly, "Your Excellency the Marshal is very perceptive; you must know that there are two incompatible forces in our country."

(Perceptive my foot!)

Xinran inwardly groaned; he had only been at the front lines for a few days and knew very little about the political struggles within Rama. Fortunately, his mind worked quickly, and after a moment's thought, he smiled seriously, "Oh~ I understand, so you represent the faction against Dio."

Undoubtedly, the military, represented by Dio, was one of the strongest forces in Rama. Dio was a proponent of war, and Carrot, as the peace envoy, could only be from his opposing faction. As for the origins of this faction, Xinran had no idea.

Calrot was once again impressed by Xinran's quick wit and bluff, and said with deep admiration, "Marshal, you've hit the nail on the head. To be honest, I am the executive director of the Overwatch Council. I've come to Elman to respond to the anti-war calls of the people and invite Marshal Roland to our capital, Tianyou City, to conclude a treaty of lasting peace. You should know that in the hearts of our people, Your Excellency holds even greater prestige than the Holy Queen herself. Only a treaty signed between Your Excellency and our King Hoffmann can guarantee that the two countries will never again be at odds."

Xinran immediately understood that the "Overwatch Council" Calrot mentioned was the force opposing Dio, but she couldn't understand his proposal. How could Roland, as a marshal of a nation, be so foolish as to go to his death in the enemy capital? This couldn't be a trap—there's no such idiotic trap in the world. The only explanation was that Calrot had other reasons. Without batting an eye, she said, "Tianyou City is too far. Why not invite Emperor Hoffman to our Holy Capital to sign the treaty, and enjoy the scenery of the Holy Kingdom along the way?"

Emperor Hoffman was Dio's mentally challenged father.

Carlot hesitated, saying, "Emperor Hoffman is seriously ill and not fit for a long journey..."

Xinran smiled and said, "Then let's change the signing location to the front lines. I can represent the Holy Queen, and Crown Prince Dio can represent his father."

Carlot wiped away a cold sweat and had to tell the truth: "If that warmonger Dio knew about the peace negotiations, he wouldn't be satisfied even if he killed me. How could he sign calmly? Just as the border is Dio's sphere of influence, Tianyou City is entirely under the control of our Oversight Council. We can absolutely guarantee your safety. Once the treaty is signed and announced to the people, even if Dio wanted to start a war, he would be forced to abandon it due to public opinion."

Xinran gradually understood. It turned out that the Holy Kingdom's position had become a bargaining chip in Dio's power struggle with the Oversight Council. Dio hoped to establish his dictatorial rule through war, while the Overwatch Council sought to undermine him, consolidating its position and winning popular support by renewing peace between the two nations.

Logically, Xinran would naturally choose to support the Overwatch Council. After all, Dio was his mortal enemy. He believed Roland would make the same choice. However, after speaking with Carlot, he discovered that Dio merely wanted to start a war, while the Overwatch Council was betraying its country.

Carlot had even said this to his face. If war was inevitable, then the Overwatch Council would stand on the side of the Holy Kingdom.

"We will spare no effort to cooperate with the Holy Kingdom, providing maps, troop deployment diagrams, and even Dio's advance plans. Our agents planted in Dio's army will also play a role, providing your country with timely and complete intelligence," Carlot said smugly. "As long as Dio can be brought down, the Overwatch Council is willing to provide everything—money, agents, weapons—even if Your Excellency wants the King's sword, we can get it." Xinran felt deeply

disgusted. To be so arrogant in colluding with a foreign power—the Overwatch Council's depravity was unimaginable. Cooperating with such an organization offers no sense of security, let alone trust.

Seeing Xinran's worry, Carlot offered, "To express our sincerity to His Excellency the Marshal, the Oversight Council has specially sent you a very distinguished hostage." He then revealed a cunning smile, "Your Highness, please come in."

The little girl, clutching a doll, entered silently with cat-like steps, her large, pitiful eyes curiously gazing at Xinran's face. Just three hours earlier, on the streets of Elman, she had looked at the same person with the same eyes, yet now she no longer recognized Xinran in disguise. A

wise person doesn't make the same mistake twice. Xinran remained calm at the appearance of the orc princess, asking in a stranger's tone, "Little sister, what's your name?"

The little girl shook her head in terror, clutching her doll tightly and backing away, as if asking her to say her name was a painful experience.

“No need to be afraid, Your Highness,” Carrot appeared behind her at the opportune moment, preventing the girl from retreating. “This is not your palace, and there are no guards or servants surrounding you. Even if you admit to being Dio’s illegitimate daughter, it won’t cause any trouble.”

Carrot’s tone was more of a threat than a consolation. The implication was clear: if the princess didn’t cooperate, trouble would ensue.

The little princess was clearly terrified of the man behind her. She looked at Xinran with tearful eyes and cried out, “Run—run away—”

“Carrot—let her go!” Xinran, thinking the little princess was being abused by Carrot, stood up angrily.

“Run…run away…” the little princess kept repeating the same words.

“Little sister, come to me,” Xinran held out her hand. “In my house, no one will dare bully you.”

Carrot shrugged and chuckled, releasing his hand from the little princess’s shoulder.

Xinran held the little princess in his arms, surprised to find that the child's body temperature was extremely high, burning hot to the touch, as if he had touched a branding iron. At the same time, the little princess struggled in his arms, her expression terrifying as she gritted her teeth, like a trapped wild beast.

Xinran tried to comfort her, then hurriedly turned to ask Carlot, "She seems to be sick, quickly tell me her name."

Carlot revealed a vicious sneer, lowering his voice to say, "Anne, Anne~ wake up, my dear Anne, the Green Demon from the Dark Realm, heed my call..."

"What did you say?" Xinran completely failed to understand his incantation-like muttering.

Awooo—

the little princess let out a beast-like roar, violently pushing Xinran away. The force was unbelievable.

"Anne... Anne... my name... oh dear, it hurts so much..."

Anne groaned incoherently, her voice becoming increasingly rough and unpleasant, finally turning into a series of incoherent, meaningless howls.

Her body swelled, like an inflatable balloon, bursting open. Her clothes and skin burst open, revealing a dark, demonic skin that radiated a sinister aura. A sharp horn sprouted from her head. She went from less than three feet tall to a giant over two meters, her entire body glowing with a phosphorescent blue light. Her legs were short and thick, but her arms were incredibly long, disproportionately thick, and her wide, piercing eyes also shone with a blue light.

The monster the girl had conjured rose to her feet and turned to stare at Carrot. Stunned

, Xinran then noticed that her spine protruded outwards, each vertebra sprouting a crescent-shaped bone blade, like a row of sharp bars, running from her neck to her tailbone. A long, thick, round tail trailed behind her, writhing like a snake.

"Blue Demon, kill Amanralda Roland!" Carrot roared.

"Woohoo!" the Blue Demon roared to the sky, turning and striding towards Xinran.

Xinran first gathered his inner energy, preparing for battle, but after a slight hesitation, he dissipated it.

He couldn't use the Void Heaven Demon Art in front of Karot, even if the other was an assassin; it would reveal his identity. Besides, he really didn't want to hurt this poor little princess. Although she had now become a demon beast, she had once been human, and an innocent child at that.

The Green Ghost shattered the jade screen behind Xinran with a single punch. The powerful force shot out, piercing through the wall. At the same moment of the attack, it uttered a final human voice.

"Woohoo~~ Run—run fast!"

Xinran suddenly realized that Annie's initial shout of "run fast" was a warning to him.

With this thought, Xinran leaped into the air, landing lightly on the Green Ghost's back. He slapped its head and shouted, "Sit down!"

The Green Ghost swayed and fell to its knees with a thud. It reached behind it unwillingly, but failed to grab Xinran, instead leaving ten bloody claw marks on its own back.

Xinran leaped into the air again, lunging at Karot.

"Hmph, you're asking for trouble!" Karot's lips moved, quickly chanting a spell, then suddenly fixed his gaze on Xinran in mid-air, two eerie blue beams shooting from his eyes.

Xinran was startled, grabbing the chandelier and performing a backflip to cling to the ceiling, narrowly dodging the blue beams.

"Who's fighting here?"

Noisy footsteps sounded outside the door, and four guards burst in. Upon seeing the blue demon, they turned ashen-faced and hastily drew their swords.

Karot nonchalantly glanced at the four. The guards, met with his blue gaze, immediately became dazed, their faces showing a sleepwalking expression.

"You guard the door, don't let anyone in."

"Yes..."

The hypnotized guards dropped their weapons and walked out blankly. Karot closed the door behind them.

At this moment, Xinran was also cornered by the blue demon. Compared to its massive size, the Blue Demon was remarkably agile. Under the grip of its incredibly destructive claws, escape seemed virtually impossible for Xinran. Worst of all, he had no will to fight. He neither wanted to harm the Blue Demon nor could he reveal his true skills. His only weapon was his rudimentary and half-baked Wind Sword technique, but… he hadn't brought the Divine Sword!

The excuse that neither side at the negotiating table should carry weapons was now useless. Deep in danger, Xinran was distressed yet also felt a sliver of hope. He thought, "Thank goodness it was me who came to see Karot, not Lanlan." Being able to take Lanlan's place in danger was a stroke of good fortune for him.

Of all the opponents Xinran had encountered so far, the Blue Demon wasn't the strongest, but it was definitely the most troublesome. It was as ferocious as a wild beast, as fearless as a troll, and possessed a heart driven mad by pain. Its eyes were only on Xinran, its prey, and it would not slow its attack until it killed him. Whether it was tables, chairs, or walls, anything that blocked his attack on Xinran was destroyed under his giant claws. He was like a blue chariot, charging towards Xinran again and again.

Finally, Xinran was cornered by the blue demon with no way out. The blue demon raised his giant claws, his sharp nails flashing with phosphorescent light, like the eyes of a ghost.

"Stop!"

A white light flew through the air and struck the blue demon's left claw.

Blood splattered.

Ouch!

The blue demon painfully withdrew his hand; all five fingers of his left hand had been severed at the root.

A white hidden weapon was embedded in the wall, trembling slightly; it was a folding fan. The snow-white fan unfolded on its own due to gravity, and the epiphyllum flowers painted on it were stained with the demon's blood, vividly red, with a unique, poignant beauty.

A wheelchair appeared in front of the door.

"Lanlan!"

Xinran rushed towards the door.

However, the blue demon was faster than him, blocking the doorway and confronting Lanlan head-on.

The pain had driven away the last vestige of humanity in its heart. It opened its blood-red maw, ready to devour the girl in the wheelchair.

"Get out of my way!!" Xinran roared, grabbing the green demon's tail and sending it flying, crashing heavily to the floor. In his desperation, he could no longer care about acting. The green demon, severely injured, couldn't get up for a moment.

Xinran rushed forward and picked up Lanlan, calmly saying, "Don't be afraid, I will protect you."

Roland smiled sweetly, presenting the sword to Xinran with both hands.

"Marshal, your sword."

A foul stench came from behind, and the green demon approached again.

Roland calmly shouted, "Quickly, kill it!"

Xinran gritted his teeth, gripped his sword, and stepped forward.

"Green demon—eat that woman, and don't leave the child behind either!" Carrot roared hysterically.

"Woo woo woo woo woo woo~~" The green demon howled to the sky, its blood-stained claws slashing down.

Xinran pressed his sword forward, scenes of practicing swordsmanship with Roland flashing through his mind. The Wind-Swift Sword's most crucial element is the timing of the strike—the golden ratio of killing techniques. Finding it requires a bit of luck, but even more so, a bit of inspiration. As if struck by a flash of inspiration, he seized the opportunity and decisively struck. The beautiful, gleaming sword light fell like a snowflake lightly onto the Blue Demon's face.

A strike of just the right weight—enough to knock it down, but not enough to kill it.

A flash of light, and a crack appeared on the Blue Demon's face, running from its brow to its jaw like a pale red thread.

As if time stood still, the Blue Demon remained in its attacking stance for three seconds before collapsing backward, blood gushing forth.

"What a Wind-Swift Sword… truly lives up to its name…"

Carrot muttered dejectedly, backing away towards the door.

Xinran pressed forward, sword in hand, and sneered, "Mr. Know-It-All, have you ever considered how you died?"

A mad glint flashed in Karot's eyes. He resolutely picked up the guard's discarded sword, plunged it into his abdomen with a backhand motion, and slashed downwards, shouting, "Long live Rama—"

"Stop! You can't die yet—" Xinran instinctively rushed forward to stop him.

"Hehe...hehe...little beauty, come to hell with me!" Karot threw down his blood-stained sword, cursing venomously.

A large blue snake slithered out of the ripped-open abdomen, its fiery red tongue fixed on Xinran's eyes.

(Oh no! My legs are weak, my body won't obey me...)

It was hypnosis; the "Serpent of Fate" that Carrot kept inside him housed his evil soul.

The green serpent raised its head, its gleaming fangs locked onto Xinran's throat. In just a fraction of a second, it could inject enough venom to kill a bull into its prey.

"Hehehehe~ Better late than never, what a magnificent scene."

At the critical moment, an untimely, frivolous laugh came from outside the door.

Immediately afterward, a gunshot shattered the deathly atmosphere in the room. The green serpent trembled violently after being shot, its body then stiffening, turning into a pale gray stone statue.

Xinran turned her head in surprise to look outside the door, only to see a strange man leaning against the door, casually blowing away the gunpowder smoke.

"Hello, beautiful lady. Although I don't know who you are, your beauty and courage alone are enough to make me, Carlot, admire you wholeheartedly. How about we become friends?"

The man was dressed in luxurious clothes, with a meticulously combed, gleaming slicked-back hairstyle. He had long, sharp eyes, delicate features, and a frivolous smile playing on his lips. Due to his impeccable grooming, the man appeared much younger than his actual age, and his pale, bluish skin hinted at a long history of excessive indulgence in alcohol and women.

Xinran was slightly startled and pointed at the corpse on the ground, asking, "You're Carrot, then who is he?"

The stranger who called himself "Carrot" laughed loudly, "You mean that dead ghost? Have you heard of Dio's personal assassin group, the Skywalker Group? He's one of its top lieutenants, second only to Kamaitachi Akito in the group. He's the Blue Oni Master, Kumamon Masao, from Shangri-La, and one of the most famous sorcerers under the Old Man of the Mountain. As for that tragically deceased little girl, of course she wasn't Dio's daughter. Dio had no children at all; she was just a pitiful sacrifice. Kumamon Masao sealed the Blue Oni Talisman inside this girl's body to assassinate you. Once the incantation is recited, the vengeful spirit will break free."

Carrot spoke these words without a trace of pity, as if simply showing off his "know-it-all" knowledge. The real Carrot was indeed a competent diplomat, possessing the air of a playboy and the eloquence of a conman. Before Xinran could speak, he began to complain.

"Alas, beautiful lady, you have no idea how miserable I am. Being sent as an envoy to Elman, a land teeming with beauties, should have been a wonderful mission, but my luck has been terrible. First, I was detained by Dio's private soldiers at the border, then I was kidnapped by assassins and brought to Elman, where I'm locked in a dark room with rats for company." He wiped his eyes, making a pitiful yet laughable expression.

"Originally, I was willing to accept my fate and let these villains manipulate me, but I overheard their plan. My God, it was terrifying! You can't imagine the shock and anger I felt when I heard they wanted to assassinate Elman's most beautiful night-blooming cereus. As the protector of love and beauty, I, Carrot Sephiroth, will never allow such a thing to happen!" Carrot declared solemnly.

Next, Carrot launched into a long, rambling account of how he risked his life to escape from prison, risked crossing the street, risked drinking a bowl of wonton noodles (a specialty of Elman), risked getting a haircut and a bath, risked changing clothes and getting his nails done, risked flirting with the tailor's wife, risked asking the old man selling ice cream for directions to the Marshal's Mansion, risked crossing the street again, and finally risked arriving at the venue to save Xinran's life.

"Shooting from that far away counts as risking your life to save someone?" Xinran asked irritably.

"Oh dear~ Miss, you don't know," Carrot said with a grin, "My gun is called Balabala. It has a strange name and a strange temper. You have to wear gloves before firing, otherwise the shooter will turn to stone." He then showed Xinran the handkerchief wrapped around the gun handle, proving that in his haste, he hadn't had time to put on gloves and had fired the magic gun wrapped in the handkerchief. For "Balabala," one of the four great magic guns capable of petrifying living beings, this was undoubtedly a dangerous maneuver.

(Balabala was a religious totem popular in ancient equatorial regions, now extinct. Legend has it that it was the ancestor of the "chicken-snake.")

"An earth magic gun that can turn opponents to stone?" Xinranpi retorted expressionlessly. "Mr. Carrot, if you were a skilled gunslinger, you wouldn't be held hostage by an assassin." He had interacted with Song Xi, who wielded the "Water Undine," and was well aware of the power of the four great magic guns.

Carrot smiled wryly: "You're right, I have a first-rate gun, but not a first-rate gunslinger. Besides, compared to meeting a beautiful lady, a magic gun is nothing."

“I wholeheartedly agree.”

Carlot paused slightly, scrutinizing Xinran for a long time before exclaiming, “Damn it! You’re a man!”

Xinran laughed, “If you can’t even tell that, you’re not the real Carlot.”

Carlot snorted in disappointment, lit a cigar, took a puff, and said sullenly, “Although I’m not interested in men, you might be an exception. Speaking of which, BL culture is all the rage these days; having a transvestite girlfriend isn’t bad. What do you say, beautiful lady? If you don’t want me to see the real Marshal Roland, then we’ll just have to talk about love.”

Xinran sat down in a chair that had luckily escaped the destruction of the Green Ghost, and said lazily, “Lanlan, I’m too lazy…” "Dealing with this fool is up to you."

Roland spun his wheelchair to Carlot and smiled faintly, "Know-it-all, it's been years, you're still as scoundrel as ever."

Carlot touched his nose and said awkwardly, "Don't mention 'Know-it-all.' Ever since I compiled the list of the Seven Beauties of Central Continent and the Martial Artists Ranking for the Adventurers' Guild, I haven't worked for them anymore. The nickname 'Know-it-all' has been thrown into the dustbin of history. Just call me 'Mr. Know-it-all,' I prefer the upgraded nickname." He then smiled at Xinran and said, "I know you've always wanted to ask why I know you're not Marshal Roland. The answer is actually quite simple: many years ago, I had a brief encounter with Your Excellency."

"I see... Hey, Lanlan, you really were playing me!" Xinran glared at Lanlan in annoyance.

The little girl general stuck out her tongue, feigning innocence and cuteness, and said, "Little boy, don't be angry. It's because the previous Carrot was a fake that I devised this counterfeit strategy. If you're angry, take it out on that fake."

Xinran said irritably, "He's dead! What else is there to say? Continue your conspiracy talks. I'm tired, I'm going home to sleep."

"Hey, hey—beautiful lady, may I ask your name, where you live, your phone number, and if you're free for dinner tonight? It's an honor to meet you—" Carrot hurriedly caught up.

Xinran gave him the middle finger and walked away without looking back.

Carrot said sullenly, "So clueless..." Then, looking at Roland, his expression suddenly turned serious. “Kumo is an outstanding assassin, but unfortunately, he’s also the worst negotiator,” Carrot said self-deprecatingly. “He revealed all of our Inspectorate’s cards right from the start. All I can do is wait for your reply, Marshal Roland. Are you willing to cooperate with me to end this war?” Roland

nodded and smiled, taking Carrot’s hand without hesitation. Inwardly, Carrot frowned. After so many years, the demonic aura lurking around him had grown even stronger. Just shaking his hand gave her a foul feeling of being poisoned and corrupted…

(If she had a choice, she really wouldn’t want to cooperate with Carrot Sephiroth…)

Like Roland, Xinran felt the same way about Carrot. This man was shrouded in mystery; beneath his frivolous and talkative exterior lay an unfathomable cunning.

Episode 11, Chapter 2: The Peace Talks

“Ah-Jun, are you home?” Xinran, now dressed as a man, knocked on the door of the guest room where Li Yun was staying.

"Uncle, please wait a moment, I'll be right there." Li Jun, still in her pajamas after a good night's sleep, opened the door. Her voluptuous figure exuded the alluring scent of a mature woman, making Xinran's eyes widen.

Li Jun's face flushed under his gaze, and she asked irritably, "Is there something you need?"

"Oh, I've been busy all day, my legs are weak, I just wanted to find a comfortable bed to sleep in." Xinran looked into Li Jun's eyes, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Li Jun dared not meet his gaze, lowering her head and saying shyly, "Your room is next door! Wait, who is she?" She noticed Xinran was holding a bloody mass in his arms and took a step back in fright.

Xinran patted Annie's back and said, "She's a poor little girl who was used as an assassin and almost killed me."

Li Jun was shocked to hear this and asked anxiously, "An assassin?! You're injured? Where's Marshal Roland?"

Xinran smiled and said, "Lanlan and I are both fine. I came to ask you if there's any hope for this little girl."

"Come in quickly." Li Jun hurriedly brought over a medicine box, and without even changing his clothes, he picked up Annie and laid her flat on the bed to check her injuries.

"Her right hand is severely injured, four fingers have been severed, and she's bleeding profusely from her face, with the wound reaching her skull... My God, who could be so cruel?" Li Jun quickly cleaned the little girl's wounds, his face full of pity.

Xinran touched his nose and laughed awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I did it to save my life..."

Li Jun smiled sweetly at him and said softly, "Don't blame yourself. Who can blame you for something like this? Actually, Uncle, I think you've become more and more kind-hearted. In the past, you wouldn't have cared about the life or death of your enemies."

Xinran scratched his head and laughed foolishly, "In that case, I've taken another big step towards becoming a great hero."

Li Jun wasn't disgusted by Xinran's boasting and joking at all, and smiled with pride, "That's right, my Uncle is the best!"

Hearing her sweet words, Xinran couldn't help but feel a little distracted. He sneakily pressed himself against Li Jun's back and reached out to hug her slender waist.

"Ah Jun, we..."

"Shh—don't be silly! Can't you see I'm busy? Sit down obediently." Li Jun scolded.

"Oh..." Xinran seemed to shrink back like a child being scolded by his mother, and sat down on the bed dejectedly.

"By the way, where's the finger?"

"Here—" Xinran pulled Annie's severed finger from her pocket.

Li Jun examined the wound with practiced ease, then smiled with satisfaction, "Uncle, you're so thoughtful. You even thought to use your internal energy to seal the wound and prevent cell death."

"Hehe, it's nothing. I'm always bold, meticulous, gentle, and kind—"

Li Jun was used to his self-praise, but she still noticed a hint of surprise.

"Me? Why are you talking like a girl?" she asked, amused.

Xinran blushed and exclaimed in annoyance, "Pah! Don't mention it! I was forced to play Lanlan's shadow warrior today, and I'm almost going crazy."

Li Jun quickly took out a scalpel, a hook, and sutures, first reattaching the severed finger, then suturing the wound on her face. After finishing all that, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned to tell Xinran, "I've done my best. Whether we can pull her back from the brink of death depends on luck. Uncle, you seem very tired?"

Xinran yawned and said sleepily, "I'm so sleepy, I haven't slept for two days..."

Li Jun smiled and said, "Then go back to your room and rest."

"Oh..."

"Hey! Don't sleep in my bed!"

"Oh..."

"Wake up!"

"Huff...huff...huff..."

"Sigh, naughty uncle...I really can't do anything with you." Li Jun looked at Xinran's sleeping face with difficulty, not knowing what to do. It would be terrible if someone saw him sharing a room with Xinran. Helpless, he had no choice but to forcibly drag this rascal out of bed and nervously take her to the next room.

Xinran lay on her own bed and slept soundly. Li Jun wiped away a cold sweat, secretly trying to make sure no one had seen him. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, and then something warm pressed against him. Then, the front of her nightgown was lifted, and a pair of warm hands reached up, brazenly grasping her unbraced breasts.

"Ouch—no…" Li Jun was both ashamed and anxious, wanting to struggle but her body was limp and powerless. Xin Ran's hands and chest were like a hot furnace, easily melting away the threads of her psyche.

Xin Ran lovingly kneaded the two full, smooth breasts, whispering in Li Jun's ear with a smile, "My dear niece, you just said I've become kind-hearted, Uncle is really touched—"

"You…you pervert! Stop it! We can't do this…people will laugh at us!" Li Jun struggled, panting, desperately trying to maintain her last shred of consciousness. Xin Ran

threatened with a smile, "I was originally going to do you a favor and return the nude photos I took last time, but since you're so heartless…then forget it." Saying this, she tried to pull her hand away.

"No!" Li Jun instinctively pressed down on his hand, suddenly realizing that this was tantamount to encouraging him to continue playing with her body. Torn between two options, she felt utterly ashamed.

Xin Ran's fingers moved downwards, caressing Li Jun's soft abdomen for a moment, teasing the mature and beautiful woman into a hungry moan. His fingertips continued to explore downwards, finally reaching the beautiful, moist valley between her legs.

"Stop! We can't continue..." Li Jun hurriedly squeezed her thighs together. This not only failed to stop Xin Ran, but instead forced his fingers tightly against her honeyed opening.

Xin Ran calmly slid his fingertips, circling around the overflowing peach blossom valley.

"Ugh...no...it itches...bad uncle...you're just teasing me, no, not there..." Li Jun couldn't help but moan. The precepts of the Vatican and the desire of carnal lust tormented her will. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her pretty face was flushed red with pleasure. Her tightly clenched thighs unconsciously relaxed.

Xinran took the opportunity to pull down her panties, playing with them between her fingertips, and said with a grin, "Look, your little white darling is already soaking wet."

Li Jun was so embarrassed that she snatched back her panties and hid them under her pillow. Xinran

lay comfortably on the bed and smiled, "Good niece, help your uncle take off his clothes. If you serve me well, I'll give them back to you."

Li Jun's heart was pounding like a deer, her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing became rapid. She knew that the moment she had been longing for was about to arrive.

Although she was full of anticipation, she still refused to admit defeat.

“Uncle…we really can’t do this…it’s too shameful,” Li Jun sobbed, her back to Xinran, her head buried between her knees. “I truly love you, I like you, and I want to be your woman, but…I can’t betray the Vatican’s rules! If Abin finds out about us, he’ll feel ashamed and be laughed at by others…”

Xinran smiled slightly, reached out and pressed her shoulder, and said softly, “Ajun, wasn’t it our good son who first brought us together? He would never feel ashamed for his parents’ happiness. As for others…it’s ridiculous. Do you live your life for others? Caring too much about what others think will make you lose yourself. Are you willing to be a walking corpse shaped by the Vatican’s rules for the rest of your life? Happiness is not for the cowardly. You must seize the opportunity.”

Li Jun was moved by his words and shyly sobbed, "But I... I'm embarrassed... What if others find out? It won't be good for your reputation..."

Xinran chuckled, "Don't talk nonsense, Jun. Has my reputation ever been good? Tonight's events are our little secret. If you don't tell, and I don't tell, who else will know?"

It was indeed a weak attempt at comfort, but it was enough for the woman who was moved.

Li Jun finally turned to look at Xinran and murmured shyly, "Uncle... you must treat me gently..." Then she suddenly threw herself into his arms.

Xinran was overjoyed and happily rolled up his beautiful niece's nightgown, saying, "Good Junjun, put your hands up and don't move!"

Li Jun let out a soft moan and raised her jade-like arms with captivating charm.

Xinran undressed his beautiful niece like peeling a banana.

In the blink of an eye, the twenty-eight-year-old goddess doctor presented Xinran with her pristine body, untouched by a man for over a decade.

Without the obstruction of clothing, Li Jun's plump, supple skin, like lily petals,

and her full, fragrant body, like ripe fruit, provided Xinran with a more complete stimulation. He lovingly caressed every inch of Li Jun's skin, lingering particularly on her lower abdomen. Li Jun's figure was quite different from the slender young woman favored by Eastern aesthetics; at the age of blossoming youth, she resembled a goddess of spring straight out of a Western classical oil painting. Her slightly protruding abdomen, her round, trembling, jelly-like buttocks, and her full, round breasts all displayed a demure and serene beauty. In stark contrast, her frame was quite petite, so when Xinran embraced her, he felt no sense of slenderness, as if he were holding a large, fragrant cotton ball.

Li Jun lacked confidence in her figure, crossing her arms and covering her chest, shyly asking Xinran, "Don't look... What's so interesting about a fat, ugly old woman like you..."

Xinran shook her head and laughed, "Silly talk! My dear niece isn't ugly at all, much better than young girls. I just love you when you're chubby, you're incredibly cute." Saying this, she pulled Li Jun's small hand to her crotch, "Look, my little brother doesn't lie."

Touching the burning hot penis, Li Jun's hand trembled involuntarily. Back in Ganlin Valley, although she had a troll husband, she had never actively touched his body.

Xinran gently guided Li Jun's hand, teaching her how to arouse her little brother, making it grow stronger.

Li Jun shyly and timidly responded to her lover's desire, awkwardly caressing the man's large penis with her delicate hands, which had previously been used to studying sacred texts. Her alluring eyes also curiously stared at the purplish-red glans, watching it grow thicker and stronger in her hands, radiating an arousing heat.

Li Jun involuntarily licked her lips, an indescribable thirst burning in her chest.

Xinran seized the opportunity to whisper in her ear. Li Jun first showed surprised affection, then blushed deeply. After hesitating for a long time, she finally knelt before Xinran, opened her cherry-like mouth, and swallowed his large penis.

"Oh...so good, Ah Jun is really good!" Xinran trembled with pleasure.

Encouraged by her lover, Li Jun sucked on her uncle's large penis even more diligently, licking it with loud smacking sounds, letting out lascivious moans, occasionally glancing up to observe Xinran's feelings, afraid of not doing enough and being disliked by him. Her actions were unintentional, but to Xinran, they were incredibly stimulating. He impatiently pulled out his penis, pushed Li Jun down onto the bed, and, driven by passion and love, found the moist, fertile entrance to her paradise, conquering the beautiful young woman's body in one fell swoop.

Although Li Jun had given birth, years of abstinence had restored her vagina to the tightness and elasticity of a virgin. The initial, violent intrusion of the large penis inevitably caused some stinging. However, unwilling to spoil Xinran's enjoyment, she merely let out a soft moan.

Xinran parted Li Jun's thighs and thrust deeply, watching the large penis move in and out of her rosy vulva, drawing out a pool of viscous fluid that clung their pubic hair together. When they separated, it left behind many thin, sticky strands, like lotus roots still attached. With each thrust, her full breasts and buttocks swayed, a breathtakingly beautiful sight, even her thighs trembled, rippling with layers of snow-white waves.

Li Jun was driven to ecstasy by the rape, yet dared not cry out loud, biting the corner of the blanket and moaning softly in distress, quickly reaching orgasm.

Unexpectedly, to make matters worse, Xinran, in a fit of passion, lifted her thighs and lightly bit the tender flesh of her inner thigh.

"Ahhhhhh!"

The pain brought even more intense pleasure, propelling Li Jun to the peak of sexual ecstasy. His hands and feet clung to Xinran like an octopus, and he climaxed violently.

"Okay, Jun... wait for me." Xinran thrust a few times with all her might, sending her hot semen into her niece's uterus.

"Are you alright?" Xinran asked somewhat embarrassedly, "I wanted to pull out... but I couldn't hold back in the end."

Li Jun rubbed Xinran's nose with his fingertips, smiling and comforting her, "Silly girl, I'm a doctor, of course it's okay." He sighed and reached out, "Give it to me."

Xinran asked blankly, "Give me what?"

Li Jun playfully hit him, scolding, "You've already gotten your share, hurry up and give the photo back!"

Xinran muttered disappointedly, "What a spoilsport..." She got up and retrieved a nude photo, returning it to Li Jun.

Li Jun casually tore them up and continued to press, "What about the others? I remember you took a lot."

Xinran grinned wickedly, "One for each night of passion, until they're all returned, fair enough?"

"You...you're so mean!" Li Jun grabbed his ear in embarrassment and anger, causing Xinran to cry out in pain. Li Jun immediately softened, resignedly saying, "Fine, I didn't expect you to keep your word anyway. Tell me, how many are left?"

Xinran scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly, "About twenty or so."

Actually, there weren't that many.

Li Jun sighed, his expression turning strange.

Xinran saw through his niece's intentions and whispered in her ear with a smile, "If you think it's too few, I have more negatives."

Li Jun was mortified and hid under the covers, cursing Xinran as a villain.

Xinran pulled back the covers and slipped inside, kissing her face and threatening, "Is that how you talk to an elder? If you're so fierce, I won't give you the photos, and I'll take my son back!"

Li Jun was so angry she wanted to cry, complaining, "You're a devil!"

Xinran hugged the beautiful young woman's soft waist and comforted her, "Being tested by a devil is an essential part of a priest's training."

Li Jun was coaxed and kissed, her heart pounding like a deer, and she trembled, "Please... spare me."

Xinran seized the opportunity to blackmail her, "If you want the photos, you'll have to behave."

Li Jun swallowed her anger and said, "Do you mean what you say?"

Xinran smiled and said, "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond."

Li Jun sighed, "I'll just consider it a dog bite... When is the next time?"

Seeing that she had changed her mind, Xinran was overjoyed and said with a grin, "If needed, I'll let you know. If you miss me anytime, you can come and report to me yourself—like tonight."

"Pah! I don't even want you!"

Li Jun got up to leave, but Xin Ran hugged him tightly, saying without room for refusal, "Sleep with me tonight."

Li Jun was held tightly in his uncle's strong arms, and suddenly his whole body went weak and he had no strength left. He gasped and said, "You bad guy... I can't take it anymore, if someone sees this, my reputation will be completely ruined..."

Xinran laughed, "Mother of my child, we already have a son, what are we afraid of gossip about?"

Li Jun retorted, "Bin'er isn't your biological son..."

Xinran chuckled mischievously, "Then let's raise another biological one, my dear niece, would you like to have a baby for your uncle?"

Li Jun was too embarrassed to speak. Xinran stroked the petite, voluptuous body in her arms, and said with a wicked smile, "By the time you get all the photos back, you'll probably be carrying my seed."

"Ah...you're so annoying..." Li Jun groaned, "Don't bully me...please, don't torture me...Uncle, I'll listen to you and have a son for you...but please don't let anyone else know!"

Xinran pulled the young woman's two pink legs to her waist, and with a powerful thrust, his large penis penetrated deeply into Li Jun's overflowing vagina, thrusting and pumping tenderly, while brazenly asking Li Jun, "My dear niece, how does my little brother compare to your troll husband?"

"Mmm~ Bad Uncle... Of course, it's yours... the bad one~" Li Jun's pretty face flushed red, her starry eyes closed tightly, her pink legs and jade arms wrapped around the little devil like spring vines around a tree, opening her heart to yield to his pleasure, climbing to the peak of the intimate union of spirit and flesh under the forbidden pleasure, offering up the true love she had treasured for twenty-eight years without reservation to the... hateful yet adorable little uncle who was wantonly playing with her body.

After their lovemaking, Xinran and Li Jun fell asleep in each other's arms. Having not slept for the past two days, Xinran was very tired and soon fell into a deep sleep. Li Jun slept with him for a while, thinking that her little uncle hadn't eaten anything yet and would definitely complain of being hungry when he woke up. So she quietly got up, tied on an apron, and

went to the kitchen to cook. Xinran slept soundly until the sun was high in the sky, when suddenly he smelled the aroma of food. He wrinkled his nose, groggily got up, and sleepwalked to the kitchen.

Hearing footsteps, Li Jun turned around and saw Xinran walking towards him in her pajamas, squinting like a lost child. Li Jun burst out laughing.

Xinran yawned and said with a grin, "It smells so good! What are you cooking?"

"Nothing fancy, just chicken noodle soup. Just make do with it."

"What? This is already very good! Ah Jun, your cooking is amazing! Just the smell is making my mouth water."

Li Jun turned back and touched Xinran's nose, gently scolding, "You big glutton..." She quickly ladled out a bowl of noodles, poured on the fragrant chicken broth, and added a cute, golden-brown fried egg.

Xinran stood in the kitchen, wolfing down her food, muttering, "Ah Jun, you're amazing... Well, I know quite a few girls, but those who can cook are extremely rare, not to mention their skills, especially my sister, who's practically a master of poison lurking in the kitchen."

Li Jun was naturally delighted to receive praise from his lover for a simple bowl of noodles, but on the other hand, he felt quite sorry for Xinran. He thought to himself that his uncle's girlfriends were indeed all show and no substance. Whether it was the "Domineering Flower" or the "Silver Dragon Mirror," aside from their tempers, they probably knew nothing about women's chores. His uncle was going to suffer if he married one of them. Half-jokingly, she said, "Uncle, how about hiring me as your housekeeper? Cooking and sewing for the ladies."

Xinran put down her bowl of noodles, put her arm around her waist, and laughed, "Ah Jun, how about being my boudoir tutor and harem instructor, teaching my other beloved concubines housework?"

"Pah! You really are..." Li Jun was both amused and exasperated. A weight lifted from her heart; from Xinran's answer, she was certain that in his heart, she was no less than any other woman.

Li Jun rested her chin on her hand, pondered for a moment, then gently took Xinran's hand and said softly, "Uncle, I wasn't joking."

"Oh?" Xinran looked up, staring blankly at her.

Li Jun said sadly, "You know, there's no future for our relationship... Uncle, you are my only love in this life, my everything. I can't live without you, but... I can't marry you. The honor of my family and the dignity of the Church won't allow me to act recklessly. I've already given you my body and soul, but I don't want to restrict your freedom at the cost. Since I can't be your wife, I can only hope you find a better woman..."

Xinran became more and more nervous as she listened, stammering, "Hey, hey—what are you saying? Jun, you won't... commit suicide, will you?"

Li Jun burst into laughter, the sorrowful atmosphere he had painstakingly cultivated vanished, and groaned, "Idiot... how could you..." "Thinking about suicide? I'm so happy right now, it's like I've sprouted wings and am flying to heaven. Why would I want to commit suicide?"

Xinran scratched her head and smiled shyly. "The book says that some nuns who have been celibate for life feel they've lost their spiritual support once they break their vows, and it's not uncommon for them to choose to end their lives in distress."

Li Jun laughed. "The vow of abstinence was indeed my spiritual support, but not anymore. I've found a better and more positive spiritual support, and that's you, my lovely, silly little uncle."

Xinran breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. "As long as you don't do anything silly, I'm fine with being a little silly too. What did you just say? You hoped I would find a better woman, encouraging me to chase girls, right?"

Li Jun scolded, "No! I meant that no matter what kind of woman you want to marry in the future..." "Anyone must pass my test first. Only if I find my niece pleasing can you marry her."

Xinran asked, puzzled, "What good will this do you?"

Li Jun smiled mysteriously, "I'll negotiate with her. The price for marrying my uncle is to tolerate my existence as her secret lover. Although I can't openly marry into the Su family, I'll follow my uncle in other roles—nanny, housekeeper, or harem tutor, I don't care about titles, I only ask to serve you forever. If you don't agree, I'll… Don't think I'm easy to bully just because I look weak. Actually, I'm very fierce! When I get angry, I'm capable of anything!"

Xinran was moved by her devotion and, holding Li Jun's hand, laughed, "You're overthinking it ." "Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not planning on getting married yet."

Li Jun was taken aback, then smiled bitterly, "I'm fine, but Ba Wang Hua and Shui Jing would probably cry if they heard you say that."

Xin Ran sighed, thoughtfully saying, "Ah Jun, I think it's all because of youth. When I'm older, my heart won't be so restless."

Li Jun said affectionately, "Uncle, I've always wondered, as a man, what are you pursuing? I can't see your ideals or desires. You seem to be just seeking excitement, living a life where as long as it's fun, that's fine. Forgive my bluntness, but that's too immature."

Xin Ran said half-jokingly, "Maybe what I'm pursuing is just a spectacular death."

Li Jun's heart trembled, and he almost burst into tears.

Xinran smiled slightly, her tone dreamy yet tinged with melancholy, and said, "You know, there's a bird in the world that has no feet. It can only keep flying, and when it stops, it dies. I think perhaps there are people in the world like that bird, who believe that every day the sun is new and live a life of perpetual travel. There's the story of Kuafu chasing the sun in Eastern mythology, and I believe Kuafu could understand the glory and dreams of people like me." She then laughed heartily, reverting to her carefree expression: "Ah Jun, I just had a great idea!"

Li Jun was startled and asked worriedly, "Judging from your expression… could it be that your old habit of causing trouble has flared up again?"

Xinran laughed excitedly, "That's right! Lately, I've been getting played, and I'm in a terrible mood. Hmph, I'm going to defy the heavens!"

"...Just tell me you're going to cause trouble. Tell me, who are you going to prank this time?"

Xinran chuckled and said, "The scope of the prank is very large, from the cunning little fox Lanlan to the hateful big fox Carrot, including the white wolf Dio, they are all within my prank range."

Li Jun was startled and said uneasily, "Don't do anything reckless! Judging from your tone, it seems like it might affect the peace between the Holy Kingdom and Rama."

Xinran replied without a hint of embarrassment, "On the contrary, what I'm about to do will bring true peace to both countries, a peace completely different from the conspiracies and schemes of the Supervisory Council—a peace that is open and aboveboard!"

※※※※

Rushing to the Marshal's Mansion, Xinran volunteered to dress as a woman, instantly reverting to her identity as a shadow warrior.

Lanlan was quite surprised, not understanding why Xinran, who had recently been so adamant about not dressing as a woman, had suddenly changed her tune.

(Could it be that her latent transvestite has been triggered...?)

"Don't let your imagination run wild!" Xinran patted Lanlan on the head and said energetically, "Set up the celebration immediately! The venue will be the Grand Arena, and all citizens must participate. Arrange VIP seats for Rama's delegation, and prepare champagne, flowers, and beautiful women—the more the merrier!"

Lanlan asked inexplicably, "What are you up to? Today isn't National Day, why are we having a celebration?"

Xinran smiled and said, "Today isn't a holiday, but many years later, it will be recorded in history as a Peace Day."

Lanlan thought for a moment and finally understood Xinran's plan. Shaking her head, she said, "That won't do. Carrot's visit is secret. Such a grand celebration would be an invitation to the Dior Inspectorate to sabotage him."

Xinran sneered, "That's exactly what I want. Lanlan, you should know better than me that Dior is our enemy, and the Inspectorate isn't a trustworthy friend. Rather than letting them profit from behind the scenes, we should drag these schemers to the front lines to fight Dior." She turned and dialed a number: "Hello, is this the Elman Daily? This is Amarada Roland. Um, no need for formalities… How many reporters do you have? Good, I need manpower. Give me…" "Let's get two hundred people, all smart and capable. The photographer needs to be top-notch too. Yes, this historic moment needs you to record it. How's your newspaper's circulation? I need to know if the Holy Capital and Tianyou City will be able to see the paper on the day of publication. That would be great. For remote areas, contact your local sister newspapers to reprint it. In short, I need overwhelming publicity, to let the whole world know what's happening today at the Elman Arena. Okay, all the work is up to you."

Lanlan had already guessed Xinran's plan, and slapped her forehead, sighing, "Darling, you're so wicked! I heard your family is in business?"

"A small business, but we're quite well-known in the real estate industry. Are you buying a house?"

"No, I'm reminding myself never to do business with your Su family. The title of the number one unscrupulous merchant in Central Continent is indeed well-deserved."

Regardless of what Lanlan thought, the celebration was held as scheduled, according to Xinran's expectations. The entire city's inhabitants were invited to the grand opening ceremony of the "First Peace Festival and Welcome Ceremony for the Rama Envoy," held at the Elman Arena. Surrounded by beautiful women and flowers, the delegation, led by Carlot, strode confidently onto the stage, waving to the citizens who had called for peace in gratitude.

Oops, to correct that. Only Carlot strode confidently, waving, and showing his respect. The other members of the delegation, however, were ashen-faced, their legs trembling, constantly wiping away cold sweat.

"Mr. Councilor... is it really necessary for us to attend the Holy Kingdom's celebration?" one of the envoys asked, mustering his courage.

"In a sense, we are the protagonists of today's celebration," Carlot replied cheerfully.

“But… if this continues, His Highness Dio will definitely get wind of it!” the envoy said, his face contorted with despair. “He’ll definitely kill us!”

Carlot laughed, “Elman has so many Holy Kingdom troops; Dio will pay a heavy price if he wants to eliminate you.”

The envoy was practically in tears. He couldn’t understand why the Inspectorate had sent such a clueless playboy as their leader. “Lord Carlot, we can’t stay in Elman forever. Once we leave the border, we’ll be within Dio’s sphere of influence. Are you confident you can pass through the military zone alive?”

Carlot laughed heartily and said decisively, “No!”

The entire delegation froze.

“Then why…”

Carlot pointed behind him to the maidservant attending him, grinning, “If someone held a gun to your waist and forced you to attend the celebration, how many of you would dare refuse?”

The envoys turned around and, sure enough, saw the smiling, elegantly dressed beauty holding a small pistol, aiming maliciously at their vests. The crowd fell silent, too terrified to utter a sound.

The champagne bubbles, the fragrance of flowers, the smiles of beautiful women, the well-intentioned speeches from both sides, the beautiful hopes for peace, the sincere handshakes and embraces… the celebration, fraught with hidden danger, concluded perfectly thanks to the full “cooperation” of the Rama delegation. The citizens of Elman, having drunk their fill of fine wine, left the venue happily, filled with anticipation for peace. For them, the greatest gain tonight, even greater than peace between the two nations, was finally having the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Marshal Roland. Although they had imagined Elman's fleeting beauty countless times beforehand, the moment “Roland (the imposter…)” entered the venue, a wave of astonishment surged through every nerve in everyone's body. The venue was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; a full ten seconds passed before the silence was drowned out by cheers and applause.

At the same time, Marshal Roland's portrait appeared on the front page of the Elman Daily, accompanied by an editorial personally written by the editor-in-chief, enthusiastically praising "Peace Day" and making the most optimistic predictions about the future of the two countries.

A photograph of Marshal Roland shaking hands with Ambassador Carlot also spread throughout the Holy Kingdom and the land of Rama. The photographer's skillful touch cleverly eliminated Carlot's mournful expression, replacing it with the most inspiring smile a politician could muster, making the people of both countries truly feel that peace, like the goddess of spring, was irresistibly descending upon the northern lands.

Regardless of the Holy Kingdom's reaction, in Rama, the news of Peace Day caused a huge uproar. The military "learned" of the Inspectorate's secret visit to Elman and angrily condemned Carlot and his entourage for their treason.

In fact, the military had known about the delegation's whereabouts for a long time and had even devised a plan to assassinate Roland; the only thing they hadn't anticipated was the assassination's failure.

The Overwatch Council reacted swiftly, immediately changing its image to that of peace envoys, thus winning public support. Even among the orcs, who honor battle, true warriors were merely healthy adult men with wives, children, and parents. Faced with the choice between glory and family happiness, most preferred the latter.

Furthermore, the Overwatch Council's influence within Rama far surpassed that of the military. While the military controlled the citizens' service obligations, the Overwatch Council controlled their thoughts. Almost all media and propaganda outlets were under its control.

The Overwatch Council, officially known as the "Reproductive and Marriage Overwatch Council," was a government agency established to alleviate the marriage pressure caused by the male-to-female imbalance in Rama. Using forceful administrative and legal means, it controlled the personal freedom of all women of marriageable age, deciding which woman should bear children for which man, and whether male infants should be killed or kept. Finally, all female infants born to the citizens were raised and educated by the Overwatch Council, serving as their most powerful bargaining chip and a reproductive tool for this morally bankrupt and barbaric nation. Unwittingly, this order has also become a pathetic weapon for politicians within the Overwatch Council to vie for power.

This insane and ridiculous order has become the golden rule within Rama. The Overwatch Council doesn't want change, the military wants change, but their only solution is war. For most citizens, compared to the destruction and death brought by war, it's better to passively maintain the existing order of the Overwatch Council.

Would cooperation between the Overwatch Council and the military inject new vitality into the Rama people? The answer is no. The military can only gain more benefits through expanding its military power; without war, their existence is meaningless. This is Dio's position.

The Overwatch Council opposes war. War requires conscription, which means death, and the majority of those deaths are men. Almost all men of marriageable age are eligible for service; their deaths drastically reduce the domestic demand for female spouses, leading to a significant drop in the birth rate and directly weakening the Overwatch Council's control. This is the position of Carrot and his colleagues.

Groups with diametrically opposed stances, both possessing the power to influence the nation, typically try to avoid conflict. Otherwise, the country would be destroyed, resulting in utter ruin and mutual destruction. However, things are different now. Xinran set fire to Elman, burning away the facade of peace between the Overwatch Council and the military, making a direct confrontation inevitable. On the day of

Elman's celebration, Dio also learned of the peace treaty signed between Roland and Carrot, deeply shocked.

For Dio, once the Overwatch Council gains the support of the Holy Kingdom, their next step will undoubtedly be to create public opinion, urging the cabinet to abolish his position as Crown Prince. Emperor Hoffmann, suffering from dementia, was at the mercy of the Overwatch Council. Far off on the front lines, he was naturally powerless to intervene. Therefore, eliminating the Overwatch Council had become a more urgent measure than waging war against the Holy Kingdom.

An emergency meeting was held in Ironclad City, where Dio and the White Triad discussed countermeasures until late into the night. Angela believed that peace talks were now a fait accompli, and the people had heard of them; forcing war would surely alienate the people. Rather than going against the tide, it was better to mend the fence after the sheep were lost…

Dio, being as astute as he was, immediately understood Angela's intention. That same day, a press conference was held in Ironclad City, issuing a public statement: the Rama military firmly supported the peace treaty between the two countries, and the Crown Prince himself was pleased to see the once tense situation between the two nations improve. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Marshal Roland and Mr. Carrot for their efforts in promoting peace between the two countries. To further discuss the contract details, His Highness the Crown Prince warmly invited Marshal Roland and his entourage to visit Bintie City. He also hoped that Mr. Carrot, for his meritorious service, would also come and stay, where His Highness would hold an awarding ceremony to present Mr. Carrot with the "Order of the Olive Branch."

Dio's statement made no mention of the Overwatch Council, making Carrot's trip appear purely private. The military, meanwhile, claimed credit for facilitating peace. Unaware of the situation, the public might even believe Dio was Carrot's backer. Little did they know, His Highness the Crown Prince wished to tear Carrot apart.

The next day, Elman also received a briefing on Dio's statement. Roland sought out Xinran to discuss countermeasures with Carrot. The cunning Roland subtly hinted to Carrot: from the Holy Kingdom's perspective, cooperating with either the Overwatch Council or Dio was irrelevant…

Carrot, of course, understood her unspoken meaning. If the Holy Kingdom and the military were to join forces, the Oversight Council, lacking the support of a regular army, would have no chance of survival.

Carlot's reply was unexpected. This ostentatious man actually groveled at Roland's feet, displaying a shameful, obsequious expression.

"Lord Carlot... what are you doing?" Roland asked

, feigning surprise. Carlot raised his head and said with a fawning smile, "Marshal, what do you think I look like?"

Roland said calmly, "Like a dog..."

Carlot, far from being angry, was instead smug. "Your Excellency is right. I, Carrot, am just a dog, a lapdog who only seeks wealth and glory and has no other ambition. Not only am I a dog, but all of us in the Oversight Council are dogs. Although we are dogs, we still hope to follow a good master. Prince Dio is a wolf, only thinking about skinning dogs and eating their meat. To save our lives, we have no choice but to beg for the Marshal's protection. You should know that keeping a dog can guard the house, but keeping a wolf will only bring harm..."

Roland sneered, "Well said, Mr. Carrot, I'm definitely keeping this dog of yours."

"Woof woof~ woof woof~" Carrot grinned and imitated a dog's bark. Xinran, watching from the side, almost vomited. He always considered himself shameless, but compared to Carrot, he was nothing. After all, a mortal's skin cannot compare to that of a politician.

Roland's attitude represented the Holy Kingdom's military position. Now she decided to support the Supervisory Council, this harmless dog, against the rebellious white wolf. The next question was whether to accept the invitation from Bin Tie City. If she didn't go, she would undoubtedly be branded a peacebreaker, something the Holy Capital couldn't accept. If she did go, it would be like venturing into danger alone, and no one could guarantee what Dio might do.

Dio quickly received Roland's reply. After a string of words of admiration, Roland stated that he was happy to accept her invitation and would travel to Bin Tie City in three days. Before that, Mr. Carrot would arrive in Bin Tie City to meet with her.

Dio wasn't surprised that Roland dared to come; if she didn't, she wouldn't be Ameralada Roland. But… why did that good-for-nothing Carrot arrive first? Wasn't he afraid of death? Dio couldn't understand.

The speed of events exceeded Dio's expectations. On the very day Carrot departed, the Kingdom of Rama also reacted to the Crown Prince's statement. A mysterious official, appointed by the cabinet to handle the "Iron City Peace Talks," appeared on the snow-covered Elman Avenue and stopped Carrot's carriage.

"Yo-ho~ Miss Hua, you're right on time!"

Carrot jumped down from the carriage and shook hands with a black-clad girl with a hood and a long sword at her waist.

It turned out that the official representative appointed by the cabinet was none other than the recently returned "Overlord Flower." Her ability to assume such a high position despite being a fugitive was undoubtedly due to the influence of her father, Hua Wuji.

"Miss Hua, it's said that the Grand Tutor is determined to return to the cabinet, and the position of Prime Minister is undoubtedly his," Carrot flattered.

Being in the same carriage as Carrot made Hua Zuojing very uncomfortable. "My dad doesn't actually like being an official..." she said casually.

"Yes, yes," Carrot chuckled, "That's what you call fate. The old man, though indifferent to fame and fortune, has no choice but to return to the political arena to save the people from the flames of war, hahaha~"

Hua Zuojing jumped off the carriage and walked into the snow without looking back.

Carrot called out in confusion, "Miss Hua...it's cold outside, don't you want to sit down and chat?"

Hua Zuojing replied without turning around, "We'll talk when we get to Bintie City. I don't want to waste time."

Carrot sullenly shrank back, muttering to himself, "This woman is still so aloof...that wretched old maid, what's there to be proud of? I curse you to never find a man!"

His curse was destined to fail; the Overlord Flower was already taken.

Episode 11, Chapter 3: The Assassination

The Overlord Flower and Carrot's joint appearance greatly surprised the Bintie City officials who were lined up to welcome them. Both were Dio's mortal enemies, yet they dared to venture into the lion's den together—they were truly courting death.

Dio, however, remained calm, politely inviting them to a welcoming banquet. His worry and anger remained hidden.

The unexpected appearance of the "Overlord Flower" disrupted Dio's plans. Killing Carrot was merely crushing an insect for him, but he dared not lay a hand on the Overlord Flower—he couldn't afford to offend that old monster, Hua Wuji.

When the Beast Master Hua Wuji roamed the world, Dio was just a little kid in open-crotch pants, only able to look up to and worship the old man, never daring to dream of being his enemy.

Dio's unexpected actions were entirely within Roland's calculations. The Overlord Flower had recently visited Xinran in Elman and held a secret meeting with Roland. The outcome of the meeting was just as Li Yan had hinted to Xinran: the two women reached a consensus on facilitating peace between the Holy Kingdom and Rama. After returning home, the Overlord Flower immediately persuaded her father to intervene and advocate for peace negotiations. The Beast Lord was a close friend of the previous Holy King, and Alexander was also a sworn brother; he never wanted war between the two countries. Hearing his daughter's words, he became even more determined and resolved to make a comeback.

The Beast Lord's return coincided with the interests of the Overwatch Council. They both wanted to weaken the young military faction led by Dio through peace talks with the Holy Kingdom; therefore, it was not surprising that the Queen of the Beasts and the Overwatch Council's special envoy, Carrot, were on the same side.

Dio, however, harbored a sliver of cold-hearted fantasy about his former idol. In front of Carrot, he questioned the Flower Queen: "Little sister, what a hero my godfather was! How could he cooperate with the despicable and greedy Inspectorate? I absolutely refuse to believe it! There must be a conspiracy!"

Carrot sneered, "Has Your Highness forgotten why Grand Tutor Hua was forced to retire and why Miss Hua had to leave her homeland?"

Dio's face paled, and he sighed, "I still don't believe Grand Tutor Hua would let personal grudges interfere with state affairs..."

Carrot arrogantly replied, "Your Highness seems to have misunderstood something. The affairs of Rama must be decided by the Rama people, not by you alone."

The Flower Queen, a chivalrous and righteous woman, though deeply resentful of Dio, also harbored no goodwill towards the Inspectorate. She proactively clarified her position: "Your Highness, please don't worry. Our past grievances will be settled in the future. I'm here today not to target you, nor do I intend to be a lackey of the Overwatch Council. My sole purpose is to facilitate peace talks and restore order to the border."

Dio breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and smiled, "If you think I'm not beyond redemption, let's forget our past grievances and remain good friends."

"But..." The Flower Queen knew she had ruined Dio's dignity as a man and didn't believe he could be so magnanimous.

"It's nothing. I've gotten used to it over the years," Dio said magnanimously. He was a man destined for great things and would never let personal grudges ruin his hard-won position, especially now, as the Flower Queen's sympathy was particularly important to him.

After the unproductive welcoming banquet, Dio once again summoned the Triad.

First, Angela brought bad news. Her intelligence department had received information that the Overwatch Council and the Cabinet were discussing convening a National Assembly to hold a national referendum on whether to abolish Dio's position as Crown Prince.

The people have always been manipulated by the Oversight Council, so the outcome of the vote was predictable. With Cabinet Secretary Hua Wuji openly opposing Dio, the Oversight Council was even less likely to back down. Once the resolution passed, Dio's political life would be over.

Hearing Angela's words, Dio fell silent. He knew his fate was on the brink of an unprecedented hurricane; in this turmoil, he would lose not only his status but also his family and loved ones. Strangely, at this moment, his real concern wasn't for the domestic chaos, but for his ailing father…

(If I'm reduced to a commoner, my father's life probably won't be easy… Is this the end of the Siegfried family's rule?)

"No! I will never accept this!" Dio slammed his fist on the table and roared, "I will mobilize the army to besiege the capital and completely annihilate the Oversight Council!" His murderous aura shocked the three people present, who dared not speak for a moment.

Angela asked tremblingly, "What about the peace negotiations?"

Dio took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "The initiative for peace talks is entirely in the hands of the Oversight Council. If they succeed, it will undoubtedly destroy my position. The only option now is to sabotage it."

"Kamaitachi" Uehara Akihito said in a sinister voice, "Leave this matter to me! Kill Roland, and then kill that dog Carrot. The peace talks will be a pipe dream!" Angela

shook her head and said, "The failure of Xiong Wo Zhennan has already proven that assassination is not feasible. Akihito must not repeat the same mistake."

"Thunderbird" Julian asked, "Does Your Highness have a foolproof plan?"

Dio laughed and said, "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. You just wait and see... I will not only sabotage the peace talks, but also take the opportunity to eliminate the Holy Kingdom's First General, forcing the two countries into a situation where war is inevitable. At that time, apart from me, Dio, no one else can save Rama."

The Triads looked at each other in shock. They did not know what methods Dio would use, but the target was self-evident: the Holy Kingdom's First General could only be Amanrada Roland.

"Prepare a banquet. I need to have a private talk with that old fox, Carrot." With a cruel smile, Dio made a malicious gesture towards Yuan Mingren.

"The Crown Prince wants to invite me for drinks? Excellent, excellent, it's an honor." Carrot seemed completely oblivious to the impending disaster, following Angela out the door, his lustful eyes lingering on the Butterfly Princess's slender waist as if glued to honey.

Reaching the door, Angela stopped and said, "Please come in, sir. His Highness is waiting."

Carrot wasn't in a hurry to enter, smiling at Angela and saying, "Beautiful lady, could you spare a few minutes to chat with me?"

Angela frowned, "The Crown Prince is waiting for you—"

"It's alright, it's alright, let him wait a little longer," Carrot waved his hand and laughed, "Consider it my last words, okay? As the saying goes, a bird about to die sings a mournful song, and a person about to die speaks kind words."

Angela's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the cunning Carrot had already sensed the impending danger.

“You… just say what you have to say.” She lowered her eyes, avoiding Carlot’s gaze.

Carlot chuckled to himself, “Miss, you probably don’t know I can read faces. Judging from your face, you must be in the throes of unrequited love, right?”

Angela looked surprised and said hastily, “Nonsense! Absolutely not!”

“Your face reflects your heart. Your lies can’t fool me, nor can they fool your own feelings,” Carlot said confidently. “I dare say, you’re not only in love, but it’s going very badly. Perhaps it’s because of some conflict I can’t know about. You’re having a fight with your lover—”

Angela’s surprise gradually turned to sadness, and she murmured, “Do you have anything else to say…”

Carlot smiled, “Let’s see him one more time.”

“Huh?”

"Whatever the reason, isn't it a pity to part ways forever like this? Regardless of the outcome, please give him another chance and listen to his explanation. Otherwise, years later, you will regret your rashness today. Beautiful lady, I have finished speaking. Don't ask me why I'm telling you this. As the protector of love and beauty, it is my bounden duty to wipe away the sorrow in your beautiful eyes," Carrot said earnestly.

Angela silently shed tears, then suddenly burst into laughter, instantly regaining her former radiance. “Mr. Carrot, you’re quite strange, but I like it, because the way you speak is just like my lover.”

Carrot whistled, feigning surprise. “Really? Introduce me next time.”

Angela watched his retreating figure, sadly muttering to herself, “Mr. Carrot… in the afterlife, will you regret your rashness today?”

“Oh! Mr. Carrot, what a rare guest! Please, have a seat!”

“Of course, of course.”

“Mr. Carrot, you don’t know, but seeing you makes me inexplicably sad.”

“Why do you say that, Your Highness?”

“Your appearance is strikingly similar to my poor, short-lived younger brother. Alas… you don’t know how much I loved him… seeing you today, I just—”

“Come on, Your Highness has been searching for your brother for so many years, don’t you get tired of it? We’re both smart people, let’s speak frankly.”

“Uh, haha, haha~ Sir is indeed a straightforward person…” Dio gestured. Four guards entered carrying a large trunk.

The box was placed on the ground with a loud thud, indicating its immense weight.

Dio, beaming, said, "It's just a small token of my appreciation, sir. Please take a look."

Carlot stared intently at the box, swallowed hard, and carefully lifted the lid. Instantly, golden light filled the room.

A whole chest full of gleaming gold coins!

Karot was completely mesmerized, staring at the coins with a dreamlike expression.

"These...are all for me?" He turned to Dio, asking incredulously.

Dio nodded arrogantly and laughed, "That's right, all for you..."

Before he finished speaking, a whooshing sound came from the chest. Immediately afterward, a gleaming blade emerged from Karot's throat.

"Ugh, damn it..." Karot gripped the blade in despair, collapsing onto the pile of gold coins with his eyes wide open in death.

Shangyuan Mingren, who had concealed himself in the chest using the Bone-Shrinking Technique, withdrew his longsword and kicked the corpse aside.

Dio scooped up a handful of gold coins and scattered them on Karot's face, laughing sarcastically, "A man who claims to be dedicated to peace is so greedy. A chest of gold is enough to make you lose your mind. Hmph, the Inspectorate is nothing special." He summoned guards to drag Karot's body away and bury it in the garden.

The guards were so focused on digging the hole that they didn't notice the "dead man" lying on the ground suddenly blinking...

Dio raised the wine glass in front of him and drank it all in one gulp. Not satisfied, he then drank the glass of wine that had been prepared for Carlot. Julian, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but remind him, "Your Highness—that drink seems to have been drugged..."

Dio threw down his glass and laughed heartily, tilting his head to tell Julian, "Carlot's nose is sharper than a dog's. If it was drugged, how could he not smell it?"

"But I remember Your Highness asked me to prepare anesthetic. Wasn't it meant for Carlot?"

"That drug was for someone who never uses tricks. You see, the world is so cruel. Those who don't use tricks are destined to be tricked." Dio sighed, stood up, and ordered, "Julian, how is the mage squadron?"

"Everything is ready, we can go to war at any time!"

"Don't be so nervous. I have no intention of sending our precious mage squadron to the battlefield. You'll just act as emcees for now, and tomorrow you'll properly entertain Elman's distinguished guests."

Julian's expression was solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Highness! I have a small request..."

"Speak."

"If Su Xinran is among the visitors, please allow me to kill him with my own hands! For the sake of my father and brother, please have mercy,

Your Highness!" Dio laughed, "You really know how to make things difficult for people. You should know that I have the same intention, but it doesn't matter. If someone is destined to meet the King of Hell, it doesn't matter who does the deed. Julian, have you ever thought about what would happen if Su Xinran didn't come to Bintie City?"

"Then please give me a day off, Your Highness. I'm going to Elman to kill him!"

Dio shook his head and sighed, "Hatred has made you lose your mind, Julian. You should go to the Butterfly Pavilion, find a pretty girl, have a couple of drinks, and calm yourself down."

Julian hesitated, then stormed off from the Crown Prince's palace.

After seeing Julian off, Dio glanced at the clock, thinking it was about time, and went to the Butterfly Pavilion to visit another "rare guest."

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Shangyuan Mingren silently following behind him. Dio stopped and turned back, feigning surprise, saying, "Mingren-kun, you exude such murderous intent! Do you intend to kill me and take my place?"

The naturally cold and calculating Shangyuan Mingren was not one for jokes. Hearing this, he hurriedly knelt at Dio's feet, protesting, "I only wish to accompany and protect my lord; I have absolutely no ill intentions. Please forgive me, my lord!"

Dio shook his head and laughed, "Get up, Mingren-kun. Following me with such murderous intent, won't the whole world know that I, Dio, am going to do something wicked? Go back; Angela and I can handle that guest."

"Yes, sir!" Shangyuan Mingren bowed and withdrew, disappearing like a wisp of smoke in the wind.

Dio arrived at the Butterfly Pavilion, where a maid led him to Angela's private tea room. It was nearly dusk, and the Butterfly Pavilion was packed with guests, a golden time for romantic evenings with candles burning brightly. However, in the proprietress's tea room, there was only one female guest.

Angela and the Queen of Flowers sat facing each other. Dio arrived uninvited and sat down beside the two women with ill intent. He chuckled, "Why are you two so silent? Are you perhaps thinking of your sweethearts?"

The domineering woman gave him a cold glance and asked Angela unhappily, "I told you I didn't want to meet this guy outside the negotiating table. Why did you lie to me?"

Angela, also preoccupied, had completely lost her usual smooth talk and could only offer a wry smile and apology.

Dio, unfazed, chuckled and said, "Little sister, don't be angry. This isn't Angela's fault; she was just asked to do it. I know you don't want to meet me, so I had to find a middleman who's on good terms with both of us to act as a go-between. Come, let me offer you a toast."

The Flower Queen frowned, suppressing her anger, and said, "What if I refuse?"

Dio put down his glass and said earnestly, "Little sister, that's not right of you. You must know that you're working in Bintie City as a diplomat. If you refuse to see someone or accept their kindness simply because you dislike them, how can you complete your diplomatic duties? Such willfulness not only betrays the expectations of millions of citizens but also damages the Grand Tutor's reputation."

The Flower Queen thought it made sense. Although she didn't like Dio, he was, after all, a representative of the military. Her purpose in coming here was to bridge the rift between the military and the Supervisory Council, between Rama and the Holy Kingdom. Focusing too much on her own preferences would only deepen the rift. So she raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp, then refilled Dio's cup, saying directly, "Your Highness, I'd also like to toast you—but let me make this clear, after this, I won't keep you company

any longer." "Oh dear, why bother... What unresolved hatred could there be between siblings to warrant such a reaction..." Angela chimed in, trying to defend Dio.

Dio, however, understood the Flower Queen's temperament better than she did, and chuckled, "Angela, you misunderstand. My sister has no reason to hate me, and I don't want to bring up the past. Those were just retributions for my foolish youth. I think her coldness towards me is probably a way of implying that she already has someone she loves, and that I shouldn't harbor any unrealistic fantasies."

Angela was taken aback, and asked the Flower Queen curiously, "Does Flower Queen have someone she loves?"

The Flower Queen blushed and asked in a low voice, "Is that so strange?"

"Oh~ Who is he? He must be a hero of our time, comparable to the Grand Tutor!" Angela continued to press. The privacy of the "Overlord Flower" temporarily relieved her of the sadness stirred by Carrot's dying words.

Whether it was the rising alcohol or shyness, the Overlord Flower's face flushed even more, and her head felt slightly dizzy. Setting down her glass, she smiled happily, "He's not my dad's type. He's thin and cute, very gentle, a little mischievous, and a little naughty… But you're absolutely right that he's a hero of our time. In the Holy Kingdom now, the Smiling Knight Su Xinran's reputation is even greater than my dad's!" She giggled, a proud air about her.

Upon hearing the name Su Xinran, Dio was first stunned, then clapped his hands and laughed, his face beaming. Angela, however, paled and lowered her head deeply.

"Oh~ So my future brother-in-law is the famous Su Xinran! Congratulations! Angela, quickly fill Miss Hua's cup—"

"Indeed, Miss Hua has found such a wonderful match, making countless girls envious. She needs to drink a few more cups," Angela began, her face plastered with a carefully crafted fake smile, while intense jealousy and hatred were deeply buried in her heart. She believed that the Tyrant Flower was the biggest obstacle between her and her lover, and all the resentment she had previously felt for Su Xinran was now transferred to her.

The Tyrant Flower reluctantly drank a few cups of wine, then stood up and said, "Your Highness, Sister Angela, I'll take my leave. See you at the negotiation table tomorrow." She turned and took a step, then her body went limp, and she knelt weakly on the ground.

"What...what's going on..." She struggled to support herself, feeling weak and limp, her mind a complete blank, her consciousness rapidly fading...

Angela lifted her skirt, drew a gleaming dagger from her thigh, and lunged at the fallen Queen of the Flower.

Dio stopped her, hurling his wine cup at her. The jade cup flew three feet away, suddenly encountering an invisible wall of energy, shattering into pieces.

Angela gasped. If she had recklessly pounced, she would be the one torn to pieces right now. Queen of the Flower truly lived up to her reputation as Rama's most dangerous woman; even though she was poisoned and lying on the ground, she was still not to be underestimated.

"Dio...you're despicable...so shameful..." the Queen of Flowers cursed angrily, "You'll get your comeuppance..."

Dio smiled nonchalantly and said leisurely, "I recently bathed in a hot spring and had the good fortune to taste the wonderful flavor of this Ten-Step Fall. I was quite captivated. I dare not keep such a good thing to myself, so today I'm sharing it with my sworn sister. I hope my sworn sister understands my infatuation. Speaking of which, this drug was originally given to you by your lover, Su Xinran. It's quite a rare coincidence that you were poisoned by this drug today~ Hahahaha~"

"Despicable cowards...I won't let you get away with this, just wait for me...little one..." The Queen of Flowers managed to utter the last word before finally fainting.

Angela cautiously approached, picked up the candlestick, and poked the flower's back. Seeing no reaction, she excitedly told Dio, "She's unconscious! Kill her quickly!"

Dio shook his head, saying, "No one is allowed to touch a hair on her head!"

Angela was greatly disappointed and retorted, "Does Your Highness not still cherish your past love?"

Dio stared coldly at her, suddenly raising his hand, intending to slap her. However, he ultimately controlled his emotions and slowly lowered his hand. Angela paled, staring blankly at him, not daring to utter a sound.

Dio sighed, "Angela, are you ill? Why have you suddenly become so confused? Killing the Queen of Flowers is one thing, but can you handle the wrath of the Beast Lord?"

Angela said shamefully, "This servant is foolish and failed to think of that in time."

Dio said, "Never mind. Go and imprison the Queen of Flowers. I don't want anyone but you and me to see her... What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?"

Angela had seen the Queen of Flowers today, and it made her miss the beautiful times she and Xinran had shared. Overwhelmed with emotions, she couldn't sort out her thoughts. After a long silence, she suddenly knelt before Dio, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "Please, Your Highness, grant me a night's leave. I need to see someone—please don't ask where I'm going, or who I'm seeing. I promise I'll be back before dawn..."

Dio smiled and said, "And then? Will you come back to Tianyou City with me, or go with that mysterious lucky one?"

Angela, holding back her tears, swore, "Your Highness need not worry. I will follow you until death."

Dio nodded and said, "Go ahead. And please give my regards to that man. To be honest, I'm a little jealous of him, but for your sake, I will wish him well. Be careful on the road, and come back as soon as possible, lest you miss the last bus home."

Angela was deeply moved and sighed from the bottom of her heart, "I have mistakenly fallen in love with another man, but I will never betray Your Highness because of this."

Dio waved his hand and said, "Enough nonsense, hurry up."

Angela returned to her bedroom alone, opened her wardrobe, selected an outfit, and held it up in front of the mirror. Not satisfied, she changed into another outfit, but still not pleased. Finally, she changed into a colorful dress, sadly recalling that she had worn the same dress when she first met Husuo Suning. Now, the moment of parting had arrived; the clothes remained the same, but her feelings were completely different…

As she left, she suddenly remembered an important matter she hadn't settled. So, avoiding the servants' eyes and ears, she quietly went to the room where Hua Zuojing was imprisoned. Two orc guards stood outside the door, bowing hurriedly upon seeing her, their lecherous eyes glued to the chest of this beautiful woman in the army.

Angela sneered inwardly. Even lecherous men have different levels of skill. If they were bold enough, they would look me straight in the eye; if they had good taste, they would notice my waist. Fools who only know how to look at a woman's chest… they deserve to be cannon fodder.

Her contempt didn't show on her face. Angela smiled and waved to them, saying sweetly, "Thank

you for your hard work." The guards were flattered and repeatedly said, "You're too kind," and "It's our duty."

Angela asked casually, "Has the woman woken up?"

"Still unconscious."

"Madam, are you going to interrogate her now? I'll wake her up immediately—" A guard turned and opened the door.

Angela followed him into the bedroom, shaking her head. "Not yet. You two come in, close the door. I have something to say to you."

The two men exchanged glances, their faces glowing with excitement. Serving a beautiful woman was, of course, a supreme honor, and perhaps even a wonderful romantic encounter…

Filled with reckless daydreams, the two men followed Angela in, asking, "What are your orders, Madam?"

Angela sat gracefully on the side of the bed, extending her slender hand to caress the woman's cheek. Only after confirming she was truly unconscious did she rise, smiling warmly at the two men, and ask, "How long have you been working for His Highness?"

"Almost ten years."

"Me too."

"Oh, quite the veterans. You two have served His Highness so loyally; you deserve better prospects. Ten years isn't a short time. If you had worked hard, you should at least be generals by now."

The two men were filled with shame upon hearing this. One stammered, "His Highness hasn't promoted me, probably because he thinks I'm foolish and incompetent."

The other, more perceptive, mustered his courage and said, "I've been thinking day and night about how to perform well and serve His Highness, but unfortunately, I haven't found an opportunity."

Angela laughed, "The opportunity to rise to prominence is right in front of you, but you two have ignored it."

Overjoyed, the two men said in unison, "Please enlighten us, Madam!"

Angela pointed to the bougainvillea on the bed and asked, "You know this woman, don't you?"

"Of course."

"You've heard about the feud between this woman and His Highness, haven't you?"

The two men exchanged glances again, one of them suppressing a laugh as he said, "Of course we've heard. Heh heh~ His Highness really shouldn't have provoked this vicious woman."

Angela sensed the schadenfreude in his words, and while she was secretly furious, she smiled instead: "Good that you know. Put yourselves in his shoes. His Highness suffered at the hands of this damned woman; how could he not harbor resentment?"

One of the guards angrily said, "If it were me, I would have fucking killed her and fed her to the dogs long ago!"

The other guard disagreed, lecherously saying, "Brother, that would be a waste. If it were me, I'd have my fill of rape before killing her!"

"You're the idiot," his companion said smugly. "What the lady meant was for us to put ourselves in His Highness's shoes. By 'put yourself in His Highness's shoes,' I mean to stand in His Highness's position—he's out of his balls; what's he going to do with a woman?"

“Not bad, not bad. Then the only way to vent our anger is to kill her.”

Angela smiled with satisfaction. “Since you understand His Highness’s feelings, why don’t you avenge him?”

The guard was stunned and said awkwardly, “But… this… His Highness instructed us not to harm Hua Zuojing.”

“Yes, after all, her father is the Grand Tutor of the court. If we kill her, we'll have to pay with our lives.”

Angela giggled, saying disdainfully, “No wonder you've wasted ten years of your youth and are still just lowly servants.”

“What does Madam mean?”

"To gain promotion and higher rank, one must be adept at understanding the emperor's intentions. His Highness is Hua Wuji's adopted son; would he publicly sentence his adopted sister to death? His Highness has entrusted you with the important task of guarding Ba Wanghua, which shows his good intentions. Think about it, is it necessary to make such a fuss to guard a woman who is only half alive?"

One of the guards reacted quickly, lowering his voice to ask, "You mean... His Highness wants to use us to get rid of Ba Wanghua?"

Another guard was still somewhat doubtful: "Is that really the case? Madam wouldn't have misunderstood His Highness's intentions..."

Angela said coldly, "His Highness is also a man. When a man's most precious thing is taken away, how can he not feel resentment? It seems that you still cannot grasp the true meaning of this resentment... Perhaps only when you become like His Highness can you truly understand." As she spoke, a chilling murderous aura flashed in her phoenix eyes.

The two men were terrified. One kowtowed and begged, "Madam, spare our lives!"

The other pushed his companion, forcing a smile, "Fool! Madam is His Highness's representative. Her will is His Highness's will. Madam's instructions to us must be at His Highness's behest. Don't you understand?"

Angela praised, "You're quite clever."

The kneeling guard, feeling humiliated by his companion's praise, rose, drew his sword, and shouted, "I'll kill Ba Wanghua right now to avenge His Highness!"

Angela waved her hand, "Stop! Ba Wanghua is the Grand Tutor's daughter after all. If you kill her like this, both of you will be dead." Saying this, she pulled out a hairpin and handed it to a guard, instructing him to prick Ba Wanghua's wrist. The hairpin was coated with a strong anesthetic; once dissolved in the blood, it would cause complete paralysis and muscle weakness, leading to heart failure and death within an hour. However, the anesthetic itself is not poisonous, so there would be no signs of poisoning leading to death. Even if Dio discovered that the Queen of Flowers had died, he could only blame it on an overdose of "Ten Steps to Death."

Watching the Queen of Flowers' pupils gradually dilate, emanating an aura of death, Angela felt a weight lifted from her heart. She muttered to herself, "What I can't have... you can't have either!"

"Um, Madam, is this alright?" one of the guards asked tremulously.

"Don't worry, Madam, we will absolutely keep our mouths shut," the other said smugly.

Angela nodded with a cold smile, tore off two checks, and handed them to them. "You can cash them at any bank in the country. Fill in the amount yourself. This is a small token of His Highness's appreciation; please don't be shy." Ignoring their tearful gratitude, she turned and hurried away.

The checks had already been coated with a deadly poison. The two unfortunate souls, unaware that they were about to follow in the Queen of Flowers' footsteps, eagerly bowed as they saw Angela off. As soon as Butterfly Princess left, one of the guards winked at his companion and said, "Hey buddy, go keep watch outside. I'm going to have some fun."

The other guard asked in surprise, "What do you want to do?"

The first guard pointed to the sleeping beauty on the bed and said, "Nonsense! Of course, I'm going to play with this sleeping beauty."

"Damn! You're interested in someone who's about to die?"

"Idiot, it's precisely because she's about to die that we should hurry up. Don't you think, if it were a normal sleeping beauty, how many of me would dare to touch her?"

"That's necrophilia, how disgusting..." "

She's not dead yet, why worry about so much? Anyway, it's free money, let's just make use of her."

"You're a real beast..."

"Idiot! We're beasts to begin with." Saying that, he hurriedly pulled down his belt and pounced on the bed.

"Ah--" Suddenly, he screamed, his body trembled violently, and then he slid off the bed like a dead snake.

"Huh? You're done so quickly, you're really useless--" Another guard walked forward with a smile. Suddenly, she saw the supposedly unconscious Angela staring coldly at her, her starry eyes blazing with murderous intent.

"Ahhh—help…uh!"

A cold, sharp blade severed his throat, crimson blood spurting out. Angela shoved the corpse off her, leaping into the air, nearly falling.

"The poison's taking effect…damn Angela…" She looked around, searching for an escape route. A cacophony of footsteps approached from outside the door; her dying screams alerted the guards. Trapped in a tiger's den, with the deadly poison still in her system, escape was virtually impossible. Angela quickly assessed the situation, resolutely opening the window, turning and hiding under the bed, clutching her Tai Sui sword tightly in case of emergency.

Almost simultaneously, a group of guards burst through the door. Seeing the corpse on the floor and the open window, they assumed Angela had escaped and chased after her, cursing. The corpse was removed, leaving the room reeking of blood. The Overlord Flower patiently hid under the bed, believing that the most dangerous place was the safest. Before escaping, she had to suppress the burgeoning poison within her.

The panicked guards searched the Butterfly Pavilion thoroughly, but found no trace of the Overlord Flower, and had to inform Dio.

"In broad daylight, a woman as conspicuous as the Overlord Flower couldn't have gone far; she must still be lurking somewhere in the city!" Dio decisively ordered, "Seal the city gates and forbid anyone from leaving!"

"The city should also be thoroughly searched—" Shangyuan Mingren excitedly interjected. This assassin expert, like a bloodthirsty viper, trembled with excitement at the mere scent of danger.

Dio shook his head and said, "Maintain the status quo within the city."

"Your Highness..."

"My lord, Amanrada Roland is about to enter the city. I don't want her to realize she's entering a dangerous place. As long as we keep a tight grip on the city gates and prevent the 'Overlord Flower' from escaping and reporting back, that's enough."

"My lord is wise! I will personally go to the city gates to check—"

"Thank you for your trouble." Dio rubbed his neck, wearily muttering to himself, "Sister Zuojing, you are truly my nemesis..."

Episode 11, Chapter 4: The Feast at Hongmen

On a cold winter morning, a time when one should be comfortably sleeping in a warm bed, the Holy Kingdom warriors stationed on the border mountains had to get up early, standing in neat rows outside the camp gates, awaiting the arrival of the marshal.

"Ugh... Ugh..." The sleepy-eyed company commander Basque yawned impatiently, muttering pretentiously, "My cousin is still the same as always, never punctual."

The sergeant next to him deliberately asked, "Does His Excellency the Marshal also often arrive late when he's having a tryst with Lord Basque?"

The soldiers around them covered their mouths and chuckled. On this quiet and boring morning, teasing their superior had become their only source of amusement.

"Hmph, she wouldn't dare!" Basque said arrogantly. "Back then, Cousin Roland was just a little girl. If she tried to put on airs in front of me, I would have spanked her little bottom without hesitation."

"Hahaha~~ Your Excellency is so majestic."

"When Marshal arrives, Your Excellency should also give us a performance."

"Alright, you... damn it! Are you looking for a beating! Toot-toot-toot-toot-" Basque angrily blew his bugle. "All of you, stand at attention! Look at your behavior, you're a disgrace to the Holy Kingdom's soldiers!"

"Lord Basque..." The sergeant gave him a wink and lowered his voice, "Cousin is here."

Basque turned around and saw a group of people approaching on the misty official road. Leading the way was a troop of cavalry, followed by a rather luxurious carriage, and then the infantry bringing up the rear.

Basque wiped away a cold sweat and hurriedly went forward to greet them. The group stopped in front of the military camp, and the well-trained guards stood on both sides of the carriage. A cavalryman dismounted, opened the carriage door, and stood respectfully to the side.

Several men in civilian clothes, with an air of elegance and distinguished bearing, stepped down from the carriage. Basque knew they were the envoys for the peace talks and quickly bowed. The thought of seeing the legendary Amanrada Roland filled him with excitement.

The guests had all disembarked, but there were no women among them. Basque looked around blankly, unable to identify who the real Marshal Roland was. Mustering his courage, he asked a messenger, "Excuse me, sir, where is Marshal Roland?"

The man glanced at Basque's epaulets, rolled his eyes, and arrogantly replied, "The Marshal's schedule is a military secret. Your position... I regret to inform you, you have no right to inquire."

Basque, having been rebuffed, blushed deeply and slunk back to his barracks. Just as he entered, he heard a clear voice calling, "My dear cousin~ I missed you so much~"

"Huh?" Basque looked up blankly, then suddenly a fragrant breeze wafted towards him, and a soft, white figure fell into his arms.

"Whoa~~" Basque was startled, instinctively trying to shake off the foreign object, but it was stuck to him like glue, impossible to break free from.

"You... what kind of monster are you..." Basque's face turned ashen.

"Hehe~ Cousin, I'm your sister Roland!" A messy head popped out from the white ball of yarn, a sly smile spreading across her pretty little face.

Basque looked closely and realized that this monster who called herself "Roland" was actually a little girl, her body wrapped in an oversized sweater that covered her hands and feet, making her look like a white ball of yarn.

"Little girl, what are you doing in my barracks? Don't you know this is a military stronghold?"

"Is a military stronghold so great? As the marshal of the Holy Kingdom, is there any place I can't go?"

"...There's a limit to bragging, isn't it? Aren't you ashamed to say such things at such a young age?"

"But Lord Basque, you call yourself my cousin, and you don't blush at all." The little monster said with a grin.

Basque blushed and angrily questioned, "Pah! I didn't lie! Unlike you, you're so young and already talking nonsense without any shame."

"I can testify that Lanlan didn't talk nonsense," Xinran walked out with a smile and took the little pest from Basque's arms.

"Hey~ Brother Suning... why are you with her? Didn't you go to greet Marshal Roland?"

Xinran patted Lanlan on the head and laughed, "Marshal, it seems that Lord Basque doesn't recognize you, his cousin."

"Yes, what a heartless cousin~" Lanlan said with her hands on her cheeks and a grin.

Basque stood there dumbfounded for a long time, trembling as he pointed at Lanlan and asked, "You...you're really the Marshal?"

"The real deal!"

"But...how can the Marshal be a child? This...is too strange...am I dreaming?"

Xinran laughed, "Brother, you're very clear-headed. Anyone who has seen Amanrada Roland's true face would react the same way.

" "Hmm, hmm! Compared to someone who screamed, fainted, and foamed at the mouth, your composure is quite good." Roland glanced at Xinran and giggled.

Basque stared blankly at Roland, unable to believe that the great "cousin" he had fantasized about for over ten years was actually a little girl who looked like a loli in every way... His gaze shifted to Xinran's face, and he said blankly, "If she really is Marshal Roland, then who are you?"

Xinran laughed, "I'm Zhang Husuo Suning from the Second Outpost Company, brother, you're not so scared that you don't even recognize me, are you?"

"Bullshit! I know you're Husuo Suning!" "Basque grabbed Xinran by the collar, looking like an enraged bear. 'I asked you for your real identity, don't tell me you're just a low-ranking officer—if the little girl in your arms really is a marshal, you're at least a general or higher!'

Xinran smiled helplessly, taking off his paladin badge and placing it in Basque's palm. 'Brother, I didn't mean to deceive you. I concealed my identity for work convenience. If I had revealed my identity from the beginning, we wouldn't have had a chance to be friends.' Basque

stared at the badge in astonishment, then suddenly covered his face and burst into tears, stumbling out of the tent.

Roland pinched Xinran's nose with schadenfreude, laughing, 'You rascal, you made my cousin cry, let's see how you get out of this.'

Xinran also felt deeply guilty, getting up to chase after him out of the tent: 'Brother Basque, I'm so sorry—please forgive me—'

'Hahaha~~ Do you guys know?' " "Being too famous isn't always a good thing. Take me, Lord Basque, for example—I've unknowingly become the

elder brother of a paladin!" "Let me tell you, the Smiling Knight Su Xinran, who commands respect throughout Central Continent, is my little brother!"

"Knight Su, to admire my heroic glory, didn't hesitate to serve under me under a false identity. Time and again, she was moved by my glorious achievements and heroic spirit, finally mustering the courage to open her heart and express her love to the Tiger of my Holy Kingdom! Oh dear, as the elder brother of a paladin, shouldn't I also take on a prestigious title? My little ones, from now on, you shall call me the Demon Knight, His Highness Basque! How about that, impressive enough? Wahahahahaha~~"

"Ha~ So he was crying tears of joy after all." Lanlan was both amused and exasperated.

"Hmm…it seems there's no need for an apology." "Xinran whistled as she walked towards the Basque, a mischievous smile reminiscent of Husso Suning playing on her lips.

Roland watched his beloved laughing and joking happily with the soldiers, feeling both admiration and envy. No matter the environment, Xinran always managed to blend in with those around her. This was something Roland could never do. Roland secretly mused, 'They say women are made of water, but Xinran is truly made of water; she takes the shape of whatever container she's poured into…

' 'Hey? You… what are you trying to do! I… I'm not a bad person, I'm just a poor little girl… You can't bully little kids, okay? Waaah! You can't just suddenly come over and kiss someone's face!!' Her melancholy reverie was interrupted by a group of unruly beauties suddenly pouncing on her, lifting Lanlan high into the air with a pair of strong arms. Around her, two other pairs of equally enthusiastic slender hands pinched and twisted Lanlan's rosy, apple-like face…

'Yo yo~ I'm so happy, we finally see our little darling again!'" The Scarlet Witch jumped up and kissed Lanlan's cheek, her excited eyes shining like two light bulbs.

"Sand King—put her down! Let me hold her too!" The centaur woman frantically tried to snatch Lanlan from the Sand King's grasp.

"No… Lanlan is my darling… I won't let you play with her." The Sand King picked up Lanlan and fled like the wind.

"Stop!" Juno and Julia chased after them relentlessly.

Lanlan cautiously raised her head and asked the Sand King, "Um, big guy… what do you want to do to me?"

"Hmm, my husband wants me to protect you… from the bad guys."

"…You think this is protecting me? There are no bad guys here! Stop right now—I'm getting carsick!"

"No, no! Julia and Juno are bad people, they're going to dress you up like a doll!"

"...Boring women, let go—I'm not your toy! How can I, a dignified marshal of the Holy Kingdom, be treated like this by you... Hey?"

"Gotcha!" A flash of red light, and Juno snatched Lanlan from the Sand King's grasp.

"Yay~ The cutest doll in history is about to be born!"

"Wait~ If you really want to play the doll game... Hmm, let me join in too~" The Sand King chased after them.

The bored women gleefully abducted Lanlan, their weak moans carried on the wind.

"I'm the Marshal... You can't treat me like this... Waaah~~"

"Hmm... Heh heh, surprisingly cute."

"...What do you mean?"

Xinran looked at Duke Amarada Roland, the active-duty commander of the Holy Kingdom's three armies, dressed in a cute dress, with a bow in his hair and teary eyes, and smirked, "I didn't expect you to be so cute dressed as a doll."

Although she didn't like her current outfit, Roland was still quite happy to be praised for being cute by her sweetheart. Her face flushed, and she said shyly, "Really cute? I feel awkward..."

...She was too happy too soon. Xinran's next words almost made her furious.

"Hmph, finally you've gotten your revenge for being forced to dress as a woman. Go to Iron City dressed like this."

Roland was shocked and hurriedly grabbed Xinran's hand, pleading, "No! Dressed like this... people will laugh at me, little boy, give me the clothes quickly!"

"Too late," Xinran covered her mouth and chuckled mischievously, "Your clothes have already been donated to the poor families living nearby."

"Wh-what!?" "

As a high-ranking official, shouldn't you care a little about children who can't go to school? Look—" Xinran pointed to the door, "There's a charity donation drive in the camp. You rich guys from the city only need to donate a coat, and one less orphan will freeze to death on the street."

Roland stared blankly at the camp gate, where a group of ravenous goblins were stripping a mink coat off a diplomat from Elman's entourage.

"No, no—it's indecent assault, sexual harassment, rape, ahh~ my butt~" the poor fat diplomat cried out in agony.

"Squeak~ Shut, shut your stinking mouth!" Prince Hee-hee stepped forward and stomped on his belly.

The Minotaur followed and forcibly snatched the coat, grinning evilly, "Sir, we're not interested in your old ass, we just ask that you donate this coat."

The old hag forcibly pulled his hand and pressed his fingerprint on the donation book, comforting him with a grin, "Giving love is like donating blood appropriately, it's not only good for your body, but it will also bring indescribable comfort to your soul..."

"Waaah... But I'm clearly in pain both physically and mentally right now... Achoo! So cold..."

It was a pitiful sight; the nearly one hundred envoys who accompanied Roland were all robbed without exception, and had to change into military uniforms to keep warm. Xinran clapped her hands and laughed, "That's more like it! Wearing military uniforms proves that you are public servants of the country. Sirs, keep negotiating! You absolutely cannot let down the people's expectations of you!"

The shivering diplomats cast venomous glances at her; if looks could kill, Xinran would have been riddled with holes by now.

Roland twisted his ear and said coquettishly, "They have no grudge against you, why are they bullying you for no reason!"

Xinran smiled through the pain, "The day before yesterday at the press conference in Elman, those old lechers' eyes were glued to me like glue. They didn't dare to do anything on the surface, but who knows how many times they fantasized about me. Isn't it only right that I charge a little admission fee now?"

"Being looked at won't kill you, and besides, you're a man—"

Xinran shook his finger and laughed, "My little sweetheart, don't forget that I appeared on stage as your shadow warrior. Their lewd looks at me are tantamount to spiritually desecrating you. We can't let that happen."

"Pah, pah, pah! Shut up, you're getting uglier and uglier," Roland said, his face flushed with embarrassment. He finally understood Xinran's wicked nature once again and sighed helplessly. "Anyway, please put aside your personal likes and dislikes for now. If anyone looks at you like that when you meet Dior tomorrow, please don't lose your temper, darling... for world peace."

"Tch, what a compliment! So you're not planning to show your true face? Let me make this clear: Dior is an old acquaintance of mine. If he sees through me, you'll be responsible for all the consequences."

Roland said resentfully, "Stop talking nonsense! How can I go see anyone looking like this!"

“Have more confidence. There are plenty of lolicon in this world. A pitiful, childlike appearance might be more appealing to the Rama people.”

Just then, Basque rushed in to report, “Your Excellency Marshal, Your Excellency Paladin, Ironclad City has sent an invitation, inviting Your Excellency to a banquet in the city.”

Roland waved his hand and said, “Please politely decline for me.”

“Yes, sir—um…”

“Is there anything else?”

“Uh…” Basque gave Xinran a wink, hesitating to speak.

Xinran laughed, “Brother, your cousin isn’t an outsider. Speak your mind.”

“Yes, cousin, just say what you want to say.” Roland teased with a smile.

Basque blushed, giving Xinran a look that said, "You little brat, you got what you deserved. Don't blame me for being disloyal." He said in a deep voice, "There's a woman outside the camp who wants to see the Holy Knight. She's from Bintie City."

Upon hearing that it was a woman, Roland's ears perked up immediately, and he asked nervously, "Who is it?!"

"Uh, no, whoever it is—I'm not seeing her! I'm not seeing her at all!" Xinran jumped up, shouting in a panic, and rushed towards the tent exit.

"Stop!" Roland shouted sharply, her face frosty. "Who is it?"

"Lanlan... listen to me, it must be the landlady coming to collect rent—"

"Landlady?" Lanlan said fiercely, enunciating each word clearly. "What do you think this place is?"

"Um... no, no, I misspoke... it's the delivery lady, an old woman, whatever. What's the big deal?" Xinran stammered, cold sweat pouring down her face. He had kept his true relationship with Angela a secret from Roland, never expecting her to come looking for him at this critical juncture.

Roland sneered without speaking, then turned to Basque and asked, "Cousin, what kind of woman is she?"

Basque didn't dare lie to his superior, so he had to answer truthfully, "It's Angela, the Butterfly Princess..."

Roland rubbed his temples and said lightly, "Angela, a very familiar name. She seems to be the head of Dio's secret service... What's she doing here?"

"She looks very haggard, like she's been drinking, and she's not quite right in the head."

"Nonsense! I asked you what she's doing here!"

"This... I don't know. She only said she wanted to see Brother Su Ning, and that... she said if she didn't see him, she'd... she'd die in front of the camp."

"Very good, very good... What a devoted and loyal woman," Roland said coldly, suppressing his jealousy, giving Xinran a heavy slap on the shoulder. "Hey, you should go see her soon, lest you can't collect her body in time."

With a relieved smile, Roland said, "Good Lanlan, you're so understanding—I'll be right back!" He then ran out of the camp.

Roland was heartbroken, tears welling in his eyes as he murmured, "That hateful philanderer… he only listened to the first half of what I said! I… how could I be understanding!"

Basque was nearly bursting with laughter, thinking, "Even the mighty Marshal of the Holy Kingdom can't escape the shackles of romantic love."

"Ahem, ahem… Your Excellency Marshal, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave—"

"Wait—" Roland gestured, "Cousin, please tell Dio's envoy to wait a moment. I've decided to go into the city for a banquet tonight."

(Huh? Why the sudden change of heart?) Basque was utterly bewildered.

"A change of scenery might lift your spirits, don't you think?"

"Your Excellency is absolutely right! I'll go inform Brother Su Ning right away."

"No need! Hmph, he's completely unreliable anyway, going with him will only cause trouble."

"...Well, he can do some good things occasionally, right?"

"Enough nonsense, prepare the carriage."

"Yes, sir!"

※※※※

Upon entering Bintie City, Roland sensed something unusual. As a border town and a military garrison, it clearly lacked a somber atmosphere, appearing overly peaceful, so peaceful that it made one suspect it was all a deliberate facade. Dio held a grand welcoming ceremony in front of the city gate and gave an impromptu speech.

"Your Excellency, please say a few words as well, our soldiers are all looking forward to seeing your heroic figure." Finally, Dio invited Roland to speak. He himself was very curious about what kind of person Amanrada Roland was.

"I'm sorry, I'm not feeling well, I'll have to skip the speech." A deep voice came from inside the carriage.

Dio frowned. Roland's refusal was within his expectations; after all, this Holy Kingdom general, known for her mysterious ways, consistently refused to appear in public. The press conference at Elman's seemed to be the only exception, but Dio didn't believe that person was the real Roland. What surprised him was the frustration and irritability in Roland's tone; it was clear she was extremely displeased.

Dio wasn't interested in Roland's worries, but his opponent's poor condition undoubtedly increased the security of his plan. So he deliberately chuckled lightly, "Elman's ephemeral beauty, indeed, cannot bloom before vulgar people, hahaha~ But Your Excellency, the speech can be skipped, but you can't refuse the feast specially prepared for you."

Roland was silent for a moment, then replied, "If you can accept one condition, I might as well attend the banquet."

Dio said with interest, "Hehe~ You're already making demands before even sitting down at the negotiating table; your professionalism is admirable… What is the condition? Tell me."

“I will attend the banquet in my mechanical armor. If the venue in Iron City is large enough, and if Your Highness’s guests will not feel uncomfortable with my presence, I will accept your hospitality.”

Dio paused for a moment, inwardly cursing, “Women are always women, cautious and suspicious at all times. In that case, the plan will have to be slightly altered… No matter, I’ll give you a handicap, I’ll still be the winner!” He smiled wryly, “The Sun God of Your Excellency is also a treasure of the Holy Kingdom. Even if I cannot see the Marshal’s beautiful face, it is still a rare privilege to admire the Sun God.”

Roland became suspicious of his straightforwardness, and after a moment’s thought, guessed what was going on. Either Dio truly meant no harm, or he was fully prepared and confident that he could defeat him, who piloted the Sun God.

“If my death can bolster your ambition with a false sense of confidence, then so be it!” Roland muttered to himself. “But… this might destroy the Sun God, and we’ll need to adjust our plans… If only Xinran were here… Sigh, he must be flirting with that slut, right? You wretched little boy, come help your little patient!” With a soft sigh, Roland pressed the Sun God’s activation button.

With a deafening roar, the carriage shattered into pieces, then strangely reassembled, transforming into a warrior-like mechanical armor. Clad in golden armor and a golden crown, a massive black two-handed sword hung at his waist, and an elegantly designed cannon engraved with dragon patterns slung across his shoulder. Behind him was a golden ring that resembled a shield, standing like a god before the city gate.

All the Rama people, including Dio, gasped in surprise, then simultaneously spat on the ground and stomped on it. This was an exorcism custom passed down through generations of beastmen. Whenever they encountered something terrifying, they would express their fear through this small ritual. In their eyes, the mighty sun god was undoubtedly a demonic being.

Dio, feigning composure, led the sun god into the castle hall. A banquet had already been prepared inside, and many Rama officials were awaiting Roland's arrival. However, as heavy footsteps drew closer, the tables, chairs, and wine glasses began to clatter and dance, and the guests, terrified, looked at each other and scrambled away.

Roland, watching the fleeing crowd from the window, sneered, "Your Highness, weren't you sure my appearance wouldn't cause any trouble? What's going on here?"

Dio entered the hall, picked up a wine glass from a table, and filled himself with fine wine. He bowed respectfully to the Sun God from afar, smiling slightly, "I had intended to drink with you, but alas, the opportunity has passed."

"Oh?"

"Marshal, the reason those cowards fled wasn't because of you. In other words, they were like ants before a storm, sensing the impending doom and sending warnings to each other, preparing in advance to resist the disaster."

"I see..." The Sun God stood proudly in the center of the hall, his deep blue eyes fixed on Dio at his feet. "So you're the one who orchestrated this storm?"

Dio downed his drink in one gulp, then smashed the glass. Footsteps approached rapidly, and fully armed Rama soldiers rushed out from all corners, surrounding the Sun God.

"These pieces of trash think they can create a storm?" Roland sneered disdainfully.

Dio shook his head and raised his right hand. Several disheveled Holy Kingdom peace envoys were pushed forward, gleaming blades pressed against their necks. They were the officials who had accompanied Roland to the negotiations, and after being brutally robbed by Xinran, they were once again plagued by misfortune, becoming Dio's prisoners.

"You want to use them to threaten me into surrendering?" Roland asked calmly.

"Nonsense," Dio chuckled sinisterly. "These guys are far from enough to threaten you into surrendering, but they're quite competent as meat shields." With that, he waved his hand, and twelve strange figures dressed in black robes and wearing wide-brimmed pointed hats stepped out of the encirclement, using the hostages as shields, and slowly approached the Sun God. Then, suddenly, they revealed staffs hidden in their sleeves and loudly chanted incantations.

(A magician... Oh no, it's a resonance wave spell!)

Roland pulled the jet engine, and the Sun God soared into the air, the golden ring on its back shattering, extending twelve symmetrically arranged mine launchers, firing "photon bombs" with automatic guidance systems. The spindle-shaped photon bomb struck the surrounding mages with pinpoint accuracy. After the explosion, a high-energy beam of light, like a golden tide, engulfed everything within ten meters of the Sun God. The

once magnificent banquet hall was now a scene of carnage, its cracked, charred walls smeared with the blood of the dead. Those from the Holy Kingdom closest to the Sun God narrowly escaped the calamity, fleeing the scene without Roland needing to speak.

Boom—

the Sun God crashed heavily to the ground. Through the window, Roland was surprised to see Dio still sitting at the table, drinking alone. The photon bomb that destroyed the hall hadn't harmed a single hair on his head.

At the same time, a new attack came from directly above.

The mechanical armor was struck by the sudden sonic wave, emitting an angry buzz. The sonic wave caused the crystal to resonate, and after a chilling crack, the Sun God's energy center, the "Light Crystal," shattered. The mechanical armor immediately shut down, and the heavy body fell backward, like the corpse of a giant beast.

Dio clapped and laughed, "Julian, well done."

A white-clad mage appeared in the air and gracefully landed behind Dio. It was Julian, one of the White Triads, the Thunder Bird. He was the one who destroyed the Sun God's "resonance wave." Before Roland entered the hall, he had hidden in the air with invisibility magic. As for the twelve mages, they were merely sacrifices to attract Roland's attention.

"How does Your Highness intend to deal with her?" Julian asked.

"Is that even a question? Of course, we'll eliminate her completely!" A sinister voice came from behind Dio, and "Kamaitachi" Uemoto Akito descended from the wall like a ghost. His clothes shifted in color under the light, making him appear like a blank wall when he stood in the corner.

"Akito-kun is right, but who will kill Roland?" Dio looked around.

Akito whistled, and suddenly many masked ninjas sprang from the ground. No one knew where these guys had been hiding; they appeared like mushrooms.

Akito made a hand gesture, and the ninjas understood, leaping onto the Sun God. Before they could even move, flashes of white light appeared, and these killing experts from Shangri-La fell one after another, all dying instantly.

Shangyuan Mingren's face turned ashen, and Dio frowned as well. "Mingren-kun, did you see clearly what killed the expert of the Tianxing Group?"

"It seemed to be sword energy."

"Did you see the angle and movement of the sword?"

"This... I'm incompetent!"

"Never mind... I didn't see what happened either. This Amanrada Roland is truly terrifying."

Julian asked worriedly, "Your Highness, the retreat is ready. Now we await your order."

"I cannot return home in peace until Roland is dead."

"But..."

"Don't worry, I won't let my brothers make any more unnecessary sacrifices. Since we can't kill Roland, let's destroy the Sun God along with him." "

Ordinary explosives probably won't be enough to destroy the Sun God."

"Hmph~ What if it's a nuclear bomb?"

"Your Highness... you're not joking, are you?" Julian was shocked.

"Mingren-kun, bring out what we've prepared."

"Yes, sir!" Shangyuan Mingren clapped his hands three times, and the hall floor slowly cracked open, revealing a black warhead buried in the basement, painted with a chilling red skull. The warhead was small, but over a hundred technicians were busily working around it. Numerous instruments were adjusted and calibrated; detonation circuits, like veins on a leaf, were spread throughout the hall, one of which was connected to the Sun God's hatch.

The detonation time was set forty minutes later. Faced with such a massive and intricate destructive system, even gods and Buddhas were powerless.

After completing the final adjustments, the technicians saluted Dio and quickly evacuated the basement. The floor slowly closed, everything appearing so peaceful; who could imagine that beneath their feet lay the depths of hell?

"Your Highness... is it really necessary to use nuclear weapons?" Julian asked anxiously. "If we do, the entire city will be destroyed!"

Dio tapped his forehead, feigning concern. "Sigh, I really have a headache... the city I built with my own hands, to be destroyed by my own hands, sigh, I'm going crazy with pain~" But his eyes gleamed with a cruel light, more of an excitement than sorrow.

"My lord, there's no need to blame yourself. For the greater good, a little sacrifice is worthwhile."

"In these forty minutes, who else will attend this half-finished banquet? The Smiling Knight? The Storm Knight? The Overlord Flower? Or some other important figure? Haha, I really want to stay and drink with the heroes."

Julian's heart trembled. He finally understood that Dio's purpose was not just to murder Roland. In fact, Roland was just bait. He wanted to wipe out all the famous generals of the Holy Kingdom gathered at the front lines during these forty minutes of destruction.

“But won’t our own people be affected too?” The bookish Julian was still uneasy. “What about the civilians who couldn’t evacuate, and the troops left to defend the city?”

“Ahhh~ My head hurts so much, Julian, you’re so cruel, reopening my wounds time and time again, making me experience the sorrow of the world and the cruelty of life…”

“Your Highness…”

“Julian, just say less!”

“My Lord—”

“Don’t make the lord sad anymore. I’ll say it again, this is an indispensable sacrifice on the road to victory. As warriors, as servants of Rama, we should feel the greatest honor to bravely sacrifice ourselves when the lord needs us.” “

I’m sorry, My Lord, I’m just a military mage, and most of the time I’m just an ordinary bookworm. You’re right, I don’t understand the honor of soldiers very well. Thank you very much for your guidance.”

“Hey, Julian, my headache suddenly doesn’t hurt anymore. Have a drink with me,” Dio said.

“Your Highness, this is no place for drinking. Please evacuate immediately.” Julian’s scalp tingled at the thought of standing on a nuclear bomb.

“I feel the same way,” Shangyuan Mingren said in a deep voice. “A hunter who keeps talking about his prey is bound to be attacked by the beast. If Your Highness wants to drink, you can do so when you reach Tianyou City.”

“I really can’t do anything with you. You have no romantic soul whatsoever, and you don’t know the joy of life. Isn’t such a life bleak?” Dio stood up and addressed the Sun God loudly, “According to custom, a powerful enemy should say a few heroic words before dying, but Marshal Roland, I have nothing to say to you. If there is an afterlife, I hope we can settle our score fairly on the battlefield.” With that, he turned and left the hall. Julian followed closely behind. Shangyuan Mingren walked last and locked the door.

“Julian, has Angela returned?” Dio asked.

"Not yet, Your Highness... Could Angela have betrayed us?"

"Impossible," Dio said firmly. "Others might betray us, but Angela absolutely won't. I have absolute confidence in that."

"But..."

"She's probably pouring her heart out to Su. Sigh, this Angela, she doesn't care about the occasion or time when she's in love. If this continues, it's not a big deal if she misses the retreat, but it'll be troublesome if the Smiling Knight doesn't make it to Ironclad City in time. It's a waste of my efforts to prepare such a grand welcoming ceremony..."

"I do have a plan, Your Highness. Do you still remember the Overlord Flower?"

"You plan to let her go?"

"Exactly, she'll definitely go to Su to inform him."

"Hehe~"

"What does Your Highness mean?"

"A good idea, but it's not needed."

"Could it be..." Julian's expression changed slightly.

Dio covered his brow with his hand and looked towards the Butterfly Pavilion, muttering to himself, "Sister Zuojing is always proactive. Before you come up with a plan of feigned indifference, she may have already broken out of the city."

“That’s impossible! The city gates are heavily guarded, and there are experts from the Skywalker Group on duty! Besides… there’s been no news of any changes!” Julian said dismissively.

Dio turned to look at him and said seriously, "Julian, these measures you mentioned can only restrict ordinary people, but they're useless against Sister Zuojing. She's a superhero. Do you understand what the word 'superhero' means? When you think you can completely control her, that's when you underestimate her."

"Hehe~ Your Highness has deep feelings for Miss Hua. I wonder if Angela will be jealous when she finds out."

"Of course, Zuojing is my sister, my only sister. I originally hoped she would become my wife, but alas... If I had known we would turn into enemies, I would have preferred to maintain our sibling relationship... As for Angela, she's a good woman too. She has a new love now and won't be jealous of me. Ahh~ Damn it, two good women have left me. Damn it, I have a headache again!"

"Is it because I was too talkative?"

"That's right! You finally have some self-awareness."

A bloodied officer staggered forward, knelt at Dio's feet, and said tremblingly, "Your Highness... something terrible has happened!"

"What terrible thing has happened?" Dio asked nonchalantly.

"It's Hua Zuojing, she... she escaped from the city!"

Dio smiled without speaking, but Julian's face turned ashen, and he roared in embarrassment, "Damn it! What are the troops guarding the city doing? Where are the experts of the Tianxing Group?!"

"The army has withdrawn from the city according to His Highness the Crown Prince's orders, and the people of the Tianxing Group... they're all... dead...

" "What!? Who did it?!"

"It was Ba Wang Hua. She stole a military uniform and sneaked in, then suddenly went on a killing spree. Before we even figured out what was going on, more than half of us were killed... In the end, only I managed to escape at the cost of my life."

Dio waved his hand and laughed, "It doesn't matter, she'll come back anyway. Whether it's Ba Wang Hua or Roland, let the big firework buried underground send all these troublemaking women to their doom."

Episode 11, Chapter 5: The Heartless Tale.

Now, Xinran learned that Butterfly Princess had come to the military camp and went to see her excitedly.

Upon entering the tent, a strong smell of alcohol filled the air. Angela, dressed in a colorful dress, sat absentmindedly on the bed, her eyes red and swollen, her face pale. A light snow was falling outside, and her clothes and hair were damp, with remnants of unmelted snowflakes.

Julia approached carrying a bowl of soup, meeting Xinran at the door. She handed the bowl to him, saying softly, "Go in and comfort her; she's been crying."

Xinran placed the bowl on the table, pulled up a chair, and sat opposite Angela. She stared intently into Angela's eyes for a long while, then smiled and said, "Boss, are you still angry with me?"

Angela was startled, lowered her head, and sighed softly. Before coming, she had imagined their meeting many times. In her imagination, "Husuo Suning" had once coldly turned his back on her, ruthlessly summoned guards to detain her as an enemy, and had also tearfully uttered words of love, and had been speechless with embarrassment. However, she never expected that the first words this handsome young man, who had caused her such heartache, would be to ask if she was still angry.

"How childish…so immature," Angela sighed self-deprecatingly. "I'm so stupid, I misjudged you from the very beginning."

She scratched her head, puzzled, and asked, "Boss lady, did I make you hate me?"

Angela smiled slightly, her sorrow vanishing. She touched his bangs and said softly, "Silly boy, I'm not angry with you, I'm just laughing at myself for being so foolish, mistaking you for my dream prince." Her voice was still full of tenderness as she spoke, but the feeling was different now; compared to love, it was more like an older sister's pity for her younger brother.

Xinran felt deeply defeated by Angela's transformation, as if he had lost an invisible war, while the disheveled Angela seemed to have the upper hand.

"In other words, I'm not your ideal partner?" he asked defiantly.

Angela laughed, "You're disappointed, aren't you? If my expectation of the perfect man is 100 points, you could give me 99. Are you satisfied now?" Xinran pondered

for a long time, then asked dejectedly, "Where did I fall short... Was it dishonesty? I approached you with a false identity, took advantage of you..."

Angela shook her head, "I was surprised, even angry, by your lies, but I have to admit that lies are also part of your charm. You're a natural actor. When life pushes you onto the stage, when fate brings you the right supporting roles and audience, you have to..." "To perform, you have to lie. Even if the audience and supporting actors know they're being manipulated, they can't help but applaud and cheer, their faces beaming. That's your magic."

Xinran smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, boss lady. So, what exactly is my fatal flaw? I know you no longer like me. Your eyes are so calm. I'm afraid of women with those eyes."

Angela held his hand and gently replied, "Su Ning, your fatal flaw is that you'll always be a child who never grows up."

Xinran's expression changed drastically, and he pulled his hand away unhappily.

Angela was well aware of his psychological changes. When a smart woman escapes the snare of love, she becomes even wiser than before. Angela knew that her words had hit Xinran's weak spot, even deeply hurting his heart. She liked this feeling and decided to take advantage of it further, making Xinran show that same frustrated, bewildered, and helpless expression again. Seeing Xinran's weakness, her heart softened, and a sweet tenderness arose within her. From this moment on, her purpose was no longer to put an end to a ridiculous love affair, but to drive a bleeding wedge into the heart of Huso Suning, this perfect son of God. He would surely feel pain and never forget her for the rest of his life.

"You're unhappy because I've touched a nerve," Angela said calmly. "Suning, has any other woman ever said that about you?"

Xinran nodded awkwardly and whispered, "Yes, my sister."

“Sigh, it seems my feeling was right,” Angela said, looking into his eyes with pity. “Indeed, everyone has a youthful and naive phase, but the difference between you and normal people is that while others mature and become real men or women, you remain a child.”

Xinran couldn’t help but tremble. He curled up in his chair as if chilled and whispered, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Can we talk about something else?”

Angela ignored his request and continued, “You try to imitate the life of normal people, to pursue women like a grown man. Yes, you’re very good at dealing with women. Even I, an old hand, am captivated by you. I doubt any girl in the world can escape your clutches. But that’s far from enough. Men pursue women because they crave love and are willing to love someone. But you’re different. You’re a pitiful cripple, lacking healthy emotions—you can’t truly love anyone.”

The shock Angela’s words sent through Xinran’s heart was no less than a death sentence. He jumped up angrily, wanting to smash a piece of furniture to vent his anger, but then thought it was ridiculous and sat down sullenly, pounding on the armrest in frustration.

Angela calmly observed his behavior, a feeling of pity rising within her. She stroked Xinran's knees and said, "Poor child, come with me. I will cure your illness and make you a healthy and happy man."

Xinran pondered for a moment, then finally shook her head and said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I don't want to be led by the nose. I like my current life, traveling around, stopping and starting, meeting new friends, seeing new scenery... Maybe one day I'll get tired, weary, and realize I'm old, and then I'll settle down somewhere, build a family, and live out the rest of my life peacefully, just like you said. But not now."

"Everyone gets old, and so do you," Angela's voice was distant and mysterious, as if she could see the future. "But I don't think you'll ever stop, give up your wandering for a woman, a family, or even something happier. Don't underestimate me just because I'm a woman with long hair and short brains. I've read a few books and met many unique and extraordinary people. There are people in this world who spend their lives on the crest of the wave. When they feel tired, they'd rather be buried at sea than be pushed ashore by the waves."

Xinran stood up excitedly and grabbed Angela's hand tightly. “Sister Angela, you’ve hit the nail on the head! That’s wonderful, finally someone understands my predicament! Hey, may I kiss you?”

Angela nodded shyly, lowering her eyes and raising her head. Xinran lightly kissed her lips. It was a kiss from a confidante, not a lover; though lacking desire and passion, Angela experienced a unique refreshing sensation.

Angela glanced at the clock, reluctantly saying, “Suning, I have to go back.”

Xinran smiled bitterly, “Will I ever see you again?”

Angela sighed, “It’s best not to. Next time we meet, we’ll be enemies.”

Angela left calmly. Xinran’s heart, however, was far from at peace. Standing outside the camp gate, watching Angela’s figure gradually disappear into the swirling snow, she felt a deep sense of loss.

A slump came from behind her as Basque's exaggerated laughter rang out: "Hey! Raven boy, why are you looking so down?"

Xinran turned around and looked at him with a bitter expression, saying sadly, "Dude, I've been dumped..."

Basque was overjoyed upon hearing this and pressed, "Dumped by Butterfly Princess?"

"Yeah..."

"Hahahaha~ Gold always shines, and a fool will eventually be exposed!"

"Pfft... I'm dumped, what are you so happy about!" Xinran's face was full of black lines.

Basque patted his shoulder and laughed, "Alright, bro, heartbreak is like a cold, you get used to it after a few times."

"Pah! Shut your jinx, one experience is never enough."

"Haha~ Say what you will, come drink with me tonight and drown your sorrows, too bad you can't hold your liquor, and General Li Yan is out on business, it'll be hard to find a drinking buddy of equal strength." Basque suddenly remembered something and said seriously, "I almost forgot to mention, a big woman covered in blood barged into the camp, specifically asking to see you."

Xinran was taken aback and asked suspiciously, "Who is she, and where is she now?"

Basque laughed awkwardly, "How would I know who she is? How many women have you been sleeping with outside?"

Xinran waved his hand and said, "Stop talking nonsense, where is that woman now?" He had a vague sense of foreboding.

"Oh, it seems like Dr. Li is an old acquaintance of hers. She should be at the medical station now... Little brother, where are you going?"

Xinran said without turning his head, "The medical station!"

※※※※

The so-called medical station was Nightingale's mobile ward. Just

as Xinran was about to knock on the door, he saw the orc girl Annie walking towards him. Upon seeing Xinran, her eyes lit up, and she grabbed his hand, speaking in broken Holy Kingdom Mandarin, "Brother... Mom told me to come find you." Since being cured and adopted by Li Jun, Annie had become a nurse at the medical station.

Xinran pinched the little girl's cheek and complained, "Why are you still calling me brother? Didn't I tell you to call me Dad?"

Annie shook her head with a shy smile and whispered, "Mom doesn't allow me to call you Dad, and brother isn't old at all..."

"Naughty girl~" Xinran smiled wryly and quickly walked into the ward. He saw Li Jun busy at the bedside, and the woman lying on the bed was none other than the Overlord Flower.

Xinran's heart leaped into her throat. Impulsively, she rushed to the bedside, picked up Bawanghua, and cried out in anguish, "Zuo Jing's wife! What happened to you? Who did this to you—ouch! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Ah Jun, let go!"

Li Jun twisted Xinran's ear, expressionlessly dragged her out of the room, and said irritably, "Can't you see I'm busy? You're just making things worse!"

"Ah Jun, can you tell me about Zuo Jing's condition? I...I promise I won't cause any trouble."

Li Jun stood silently by the bedside for a long time before finally speaking, "The external wounds have been cleaned and bandaged, and are not serious. The problem now is the internal injury...If it were just a superficial injury, it's impossible for him to be in a deep coma for so long. I suspect he's been poisoned..." As she spoke, she pried open Bawanghua's mouth, sniffed, and muttered to herself, "A strange sweet smell, maybe it's an anesthetic..." She quickly pressed on Bawanghua's arm, the finger marks lingering on the inelastic skin for a long time.

Li Jun expertly took Ba Wanghua's hand, carefully examined her wrist, and quickly found an injection mark on the wrist vein. Based on experience, he could deduce that a highly effective muscle relaxant had been injected.

After a moment's thought, he resolutely tore open Ba Wanghua's bra, reached out and touched her; her heartbeat was so weak it was almost imperceptible.

Li Jun lowered his head and whispered in Ba Wanghua's ear, "I'm giving you an injection of a heart tonic now. Whether you pull through depends entirely on yourself. Think of your parents, relatives, and things you can't bear to part with."

Xinran knew nothing about medicine and could only worry anxiously. Hearing Li Jun's words, she couldn't help but interject, "Jun, let her think of me too..."

"Shut up!"

"Ugh..." Xinran fell silent.

After the injection, Ba Wanghua's condition didn't seem to change.

"How is she?" Basque also rushed over to visit.

Xinran shook her head, looking worried, and said, "I don't know... It's okay, Ah-Jun will definitely have a way."

Li Jun felt very embarrassed, fearing that they would see through her lack of confidence in saving Ba Wanghua, and angrily said, "Don't get in the way here, all of you get out!"

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly heard a weak call from behind: "Little one... Little one... I have something to tell you..."

"That's great—you're finally awake!" Ignoring Li Jun's obstruction, Xinran excitedly rushed forward, hugging her weak lover tightly, afraid that if she let go, she would lose her forever.

Ba Wanghua barely opened her eyes, gazing intently at Xinran. Before being pushed into a coma by illness, she uttered the words that sustained her as she fought her way out of the encirclement: "Save the Marshal... Dio has gone mad."

Xinran's body trembled violently, and she abruptly stood up, standing there stunned for a moment before turning back to Li Jun with a serious expression, instructing him: "Jun, I entrust Zuo Jing to you. Please take good care of her for me." With that, she buried her face in Ba Wanghua's chest and gave her a deep kiss before rushing out the door.

The beautiful touch of her lover's passionate kiss lingered on her skin, and Ba Wanghua's heart pounded like a deer's, shyly lowering her eyes.

"Well done..." Li Jun checked her condition, praising Xinran's frivolous actions for the first time, "A kiss can revive a failing heart; that's much more effective than injections or medicine."

※※※※

Meanwhile, Xinran left the ward and went straight to the hangar, boarding the Crimson Lotus.

The roar of the mechanical armor shook the military camp, and Prince Xixi and his mother, the old hag, rushed over upon hearing the news. Julia and the Sand King also followed Basque to the hangar.

"Raven boy, where are you going?" Basque stood with his hands on his hips, blocking the doorway.

Xinran impatiently shouted, "Get out of my way! I'm going to Ironclad City! Lanlan... she can't be hurt!"

Basque retorted, "Pah! Are you out of your mind? What can you do alone? If you're going, we'll all go together!"

Xinran angrily retorted, "You're the idiot! Ironclad City is garrisoned by Dio's elite troops. With just this small outpost, attacking the city is like throwing an egg against a rock!"

Basque sneered, "Raven boy, don't think you're so great just because you're a paladin. Marshal Roland isn't just your marshal. As a soldier of the Holy Kingdom, I have an obligation to go with you."

Xinran was impressed by his heroic spirit . Dong sighed, "Brother, please get your facts straight. This isn't a problem that can be solved by bragging alone."

Basque laughed loudly, proudly declaring, "I, Basque, have boasted countless times in my life, but what I'm saying now is the truth. Raven boy, just believe me this once."

Xinran said helplessly, "Alright, you lead the first company of brothers in a feigned attack on the city, and I'll take the opportunity to break through and rescue Lanlan."

Before Basque could reply, someone angrily shouted, "Squeak—Damn it! Boss, why, why only the first company? We, the second company, can't fall behind!" It was Prince Xixi. Hearing that Xinran was going to risk his life alone, he immediately led the goblins to volunteer for the mission.

Xinran was both touched and amused, shaking her head and saying, "Hehe, I appreciate the sentiment, but you won't be of any help on the battlefield."

The loyal minotaur confidently said, "Boss! Goblins really can't help, but I'm different. Take me with you, and I guarantee I'll beat those orc idiots to a pulp!"

Hehe retorted unconvinced, "Baoyu, you, you dare look down on us! Our great Second Border Outpost Goblin Company is also, also, a dignified soldier! How, how can you be cowardly in the face of the enemy!" These words were really not like the style of a goblin.

Xinran shook her head and smiled wryly, "Hehe, Baoyu, neither of you can go. Don't forget, you're not soldiers, you're actors."

"Young Master, you're wrong about that," the old hag said dismissively. "As dedicated actors, experiencing different roles is our duty. Since you're playing soldiers, you should show the courage of soldiers. Those who use stunt doubles when danger arises will never become great actors."

Seeing everyone's high spirits, Xinran knew she couldn't stop them, so she simply waved her hand and shouted, "Fine! Since you're not afraid to die, I have nothing more to say. Brother Basque, the command of the 'Go Die! Go Die! Go Die! Go Die!' is transferred to you. All you have to do is stall for time and attract the enemy. Please try to avoid unnecessary sacrifices. Thank you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a red light flashed in the cabin, and Juno sat upright in the assistant's seat.

"Hehe, Master, how could I miss such a lively scene?"

Xinran smiled slightly, and through the window saw Yulia and the Sand King standing in the ranks, fully armed, eagerly watching the Crimson Lotus Kai slowly take off.

"Take care, everyone!" Xinran activated the jet engine, and Crimson Lotus Kai spewed forth a jet of flame, hurtling towards Ironclad City at breakneck speed.

At this moment, only twenty minutes remained before the nuclear bomb detonation.

When Crimson Lotus Kai arrived above Ironclad City, Dio's elite troops had already retreated to Heaven's Blessing City. The two thousand defenders left in the city, unaware of the impending doom, reacted immediately upon seeing the enemy's mechs approaching, climbing arrow towers and sniping Crimson Lotus Kai with heavy crossbows loaded with bombs.

Xinran, too lazy to deal with the grunts, fired an impact drill, destroying the nearest arrow tower at its base. She extended her mechanical arm, grabbed an orc warrior, and demanded, "Where is Marshal Roland?"

The orc screamed in terror.

Enraged, Xinran clenched her fist and crushed him to death.

After capturing three more, she finally learned Roland's whereabouts. She then turned and charged towards the castle, deploying her floating shield and using her high-temperature flame blade to slice a huge skylight through the castle ceiling, slowly descending.

At this point, there were only ten minutes left before the nuclear bomb was detonated.

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