1048-1053

Chapter 1048: Adapting to the Situation

Dwight revealed an obvious, difficult expression after hearing the orders. During this period of time, he investigated and understood the issues regarding the Grians. Even though the Grians usually appeared kind, they were as determined about their customs as what Dwight heard. For instance, they rarely interacted with outsiders and all of their men and women were wrapped up in their clothes. They believed that anyone who wasn't born in their ethnic group was 'filth' and interacting with 'filth' would stain them. This was why the Grians always wandered about and even in places populated by humans, they were always in their own group with few intentions of socializing with outsiders. However, these orders from Rhode were apparently targeted at finding trouble with them. He wanted to drag them out of their social circle, tear them apart, before throwing them aside!

Not even Dwight was sure of the thoughts that would go through the Grians' heads after hearing these orders, but there was no room for arguments anymore because Randolf and Joey had brought over the soldiers, which explained Rhode's stance. The soldiers were clad in high-quality armor and equipped with identical weapons that resembled long battle axes. But apart from the dark-colored hole at the top of the 'battle ax', there were also a few mysterious crystals that made the staff seem like it was forged from steel. Of course, Dwight knew what those weapons were; they were the portable magic cannons that Rhode created after opening up the Void Territory. The inconspicuous rods could blast incredibly terrifying light beams that were comparable to actual magic cannons. In the Void Territory, only the most elite of soldiers held the rights to wield this weapon. And now, Randolf led almost a hundred of them, which was apparently to clean up the mess. Even though the Grians had an advantage over them in quantity, these terrifying weapons could still turn them into ashes in an instant!

On the other hand, Randolf also informed Dwight clearly that this was an ultimatum! The Grians only had two choices: abide by the orders or leave the Void Territory. If they resisted, they would be killed. In this case, Dwight didn't know which choice the Grians would choose. But from his point of view, he felt like even though the orders were hard to accept, they were still acceptable. Besides, it was reasonable since they were visitors of the Void Territory, so they had to respect and follow the rules of this place. As for separation... that was indeed too demanding. However, it was still tolerable since they would be separated by families. As for their attire, Dwight agreed with both hands raised. He couldn't understand why those people chose to wrap themselves up so tightly. Besides, he didn't feel comfortable looking at them this way as he felt like he was a devil infected by an epidemic among them. If the Grians could remove these restrictions, wouldn't it be a good thing for them?

But... to convince them...

"When does it start?"

Dwight cleared his head, took a deep breath, and asked. After Randolf saw his expression, he nodded in satisfaction and replied.

"We will give them one day to consider. In order to prevent them from escaping, we will be blocking off this area from now; no one is allowed to leave or enter. I hope you can contain your subjects, Dwight. You should also understand that His Majesty's orders are final. If you continue to..."

"I understand, Randolf."

Without the need of further explanations from Randolf, Dwight understood what he meant. If Dwight were considered to have acted recklessly previously, it would mean now that he and his close companions clearly defied the Void Dragon's orders. Dwight was born in the Munn Kingdom and was aware of the consequences of his actions. Previously, he acted on impulse and it was impossible for him to stop now. But then again, he felt regretful. He would never do something that would risk the lives of his companions as many of them had blissful families. On the other hand, the Void Territory was becoming more prosperous with each passing day. It definitely wouldn't work chasing after some foolish matters than to lead peaceful lives. Besides, since the area would be blocked off soon, his companions and subjects couldn't intervene any longer, so it was still possible to back off. This was why Dwight nodded quickly in agreement. But thereafter, he hesitated and spoke.

"All right then... I have a request; please let me be the one to inform them."

"You want to do it?"

Joey curled his lips upon hearing Dwight's words. Then, he stared at Dwight with some suspicion.

"I say, Bro, don't tell me you have really taken a liking for a lady in there? I'm not afraid to tell you the truth that those people may behave innocently now, but when things go south, they may immediately turn into violent crooks."

This wasn't some alarmist talk by Joey. Since he was the intelligence gatherer of the Void Territory, he was more meticulous in this aspect, which was why he knew what kind of people the Grians were more than anyone else. It was due to this reason that Joey didn't feel like Rhode was overreacting. After all, if an uncertain factor like the Grians were to stay in the Void Territory, wouldn't they possibly cause trouble in the future? Before those scoundrels even had the chance to settle down, they should be quickly dealt with and chased out of the territory! This was also why Joey wasn't willing to let Dwight take the risk to make up for his mistake.

"According to the intelligence we gathered, there are a few hundreds of them. If they were to have a falling out with you, do you think you could kill them and make it out alive? I say, you'd better forget it. There are women everywhere, so why must you risk your life for a troublesome one? Although you've gone too far this time, fortunately this incident isn't too huge. You still have a chance to return home and enjoy your life in retirement. Do you really want to risk ending your life in this remote place?"

Even though Joey was convincing, Dwight eventually shook his head after more serious considerations.

"Thank you, Joey. But since I was the one who started this mess, I will need to resolve it. No matter what, I caused the situation to become what it is today, so it is only right that I make up for it. Besides, I've spent a few days with them; I think they will save me some face for it."

"Well, if you said so."

Upon hearing Dwight's words, Joey and Randolf exchanged looks with each other and nodded in agreement. Just as Dwight mentioned, since he was willing to do, they had no reason to stop him. Even though they weren't hopeful that Dwight would be capable of convincing the Grians, it was better than not doing it at all. If Dwight gave his best and failed to persuade them, it would only mean that the Grians were as stubborn and dangerous as the rumors stated. Once that happened, Randolf and Joey wouldn't have any hesitation in sparing their lives. During their time spent with Rhode, they grew tremendously and deeply understood the importance of steel and blood in many situations.

"You see, Randolf, I knew that guy was charmed by some lady in there."

Gazing at Dwight leaving, Joey curled his lips, shook his head, and spoke in his usual tone. On the other hand, Randolf knitted his brows, pondered for a few moments, before letting out a long sigh.

"Sigh... this isn't something for us to worry about, Joey. I suggest you send out some men to watch him. According to the intelligence, even though the Grians aren't powerful, there are a lot of them, after all, and Dwight might not be able to handle them. If anything were to happen, it will be tough to rescue him."

"Well, I do hope something happens to him 'cause this'll let others know that Boss isn't all talk."

After hearing Randolf's order, Joey felt rather discontent. Even though Joey didn't say much on the surface, he was in fact disapproving of Dwight's behaviors because Joey admired Rhode a lot. As one of the most senior members who joined Starlight ever since its establishment, even though Joey wasn't as useful as Anne or the others in battles, the things that he knew as a thief were much more than them. It was due to this reason that Joey worshiped Rhode more than most people because he realized that Rhode had no miscalculations, seemed to grasp everything in his hand, and dealt with every situation with ease. This made Joey trust him a lot. To him, as long as Rhode gave the order, it would be 100 percent accurate, and everyone under his command should follow accordingly! Even if there were any hiccups, Rhode would still be there to manage it!

And now, even though Dwight seemed sincere, Joey felt like he didn't take Rhode's words seriously. If not, Dwight definitely wouldn't put up such an expression. This was why Joey hoped that the Grians would give Dwight a hard time and teach him that Rhode's orders must be taken seriously and respected.

Of course, Dwight wasn't aware of Joey's views on him. At this moment, Dwight was urging on the horse with a whip, galloping toward Grians' gathering place quickly. He knitted his brows, feeling an odd sense of anxiousness deep down in his heart. Besides, for some unknown reason, he had a really bad hunch. He felt his heart pumping fast, which only happened when he faced unfavorable situations. But even so, he decided to head there himself, hoping to do his best to change everything.

As for the possibilities of succeeding, he wasn't feeling hopeful at all.

Shortly after, Dwight reached the perimeters of the Grians' gathering place. The calm, peaceful gathering place suddenly flustered as several muscular men clutching long swords stared at him. Only until they realized it was Dwight, they let loose a little. But even so, their gazes at him remained nervous. The men of Grians were unlike their women, who were wrapped entirely including their faces. But even so, the tall, muscular men also wore thick clothes and gloves and were clad in a cape or cloak. Their eyes were malicious-looking and an enormous curved blade was hung around their waist. After witnessing Dwight's arrival, their tensed faces let loose a little and at this moment, the woman who previously appeared around Dwight walked out of the gathering place quickly.

"Dwight, what is happening? I heard many soldiers have arrived and surrounded us. What should we do? What exactly is going on?"

"Calm down."

As the others crowded over, Dwight hurriedly took two steps back, pulling a distance away from the woman before him. He knew clearly that these people had reserved customs and it wasn't nice of an outsider like him to get too close to women. But now wasn't the time to discuss such customs. Dwight was well aware that Randolf had sent out the soldiers to seal off the area. Perhaps the Grians also realized it, which was why they quickly gathered around. At this thought, Dwight let out a long sigh in his head. It seemed like the situation really was troublesome this time.

Even though Dwight was concerned deep down in his heart, his expression remained extremely calm and peaceful.

"Don't panic, the soldiers were sent by the higher-ups. As for you guys... the final decision has been made."

Dwight spoke, before letting out a cough. Then, he displayed a forced smile to the woman in front of him.

"All right, could you allow me to meet the elders?"

Shortly after, under the lead of the woman and a few guards, Dwight entered the gathering place. Along the way he discovered that the gathering place was in a tense atmosphere with several fully-armored men patrolling the place. On the other hand, women and children remained in their homes, hiding behind tightly-locked doors as though a war were about to begin. Judging this scene, even though Dwight didn't say a word, he felt rather dissatisfied as these people didn't seem to treat themselves as refugees at all. Instead, they were acting like the owners of this land and were protecting themselves from foreign aggression...

Although he felt rather uncomfortable, he didn't say much. Shortly after, following the guards' lead, he arrived at the biggest house in the center of the Grians' gathering place.

The room made of crude clay and tiles weren't beautiful or clean. The radiance of the burning flames allowed Dwight to vaguely make out the people seated on the floor before him: they were mainly elderly men and unlike the people outside, they were clad in black clothes and curled up, sitting on the floor. Behind them stood a dozen fully-armored men. It was apparent that they were their personal guards. The instant Dwight entered the room, he sharply detected several gazes shooting toward him. Then, a frail, hoarse voice sounded.

"Greetings, Mr. Howard... perhaps... you can explain the exact situation to us?"

"Of course, Elder."

Dwight held down the trace of dissatisfaction in his mind and nodded to the elder. Then, he spoke. "Perhaps you've already heard that the higher-ups have made their final decision. They have proposed three conditions..." Dwight announced, repeating the orders like how Randolf and Joey told him. Upon hearing his words, the elders had no reaction. However, Dwight sensed the atmosphere in the room becoming heavier and even colder. One of the men standing behind the elders revealed a furious expression, gnashing his teeth and clenching his fists. As Dwight was about to finish announcing the last condition, he was interrupted by a loud snarl.

"That's impossible! They are blaspheming our honor and faith!"

"These are personal orders from His Majesty the Void Dragon."

The interrupted Dwight knitted his brows, gazed at the raging man, softly but clearly reminding him to 'watch' his behaviors. Dwight was born in the Munn Kingdom. His devotion to the Creator Dragon was absolute, unlike the brainwashed idiots in the Country of Light. Moreover, he respected everything that Rhode had done before he became a Creator Dragon. And now, he was discontented that these refugees actually rebuked and even objected to Rhode's opinion.

"But we're only here to seek shelter. We only want to live a peaceful life, Mr. Howard."

Perhaps sensing the dissatisfaction in Dwight's tone, one of the black-robed elders stopped the raging man and continued speaking.

"You have to admit that the conditions are unfair to us and are hard for us to accept..."

"Yes, I do admit it, Elder. But I'm sorry, this is the final decision by His Majesty the Void Dragon. You can either choose to oblige or leave," Dwight said and the elder's expression didn't change at all. Dwight couldn't help but pucker his brows, before continuing to speak with a raised voice. "Perhaps you're not aware, but this time they have sent out elite guards and sealed off the entire area. If you neither agree with the request nor leave, they will launch their attacks on you! The strength they possess is enough to destroy a city with strong defenses!"

"Of course we're aware of that, but we won't change our mind, Mr. Howard. All we want is to live here..."

"But the Void Territory prohibits Grians from entering the territory, Elder. You couldn't have forgotten about it, right?"

Dwight pulled a long face as the elder remained unperturbed and mumbled to himself. Dwight had never expected these people to be so stubborn and keep making meaningless speeches.

"Yes, we're aware, but we can never accept such requests... because it completely disregards our custom, honor, and pride!"

At this moment, Dwight realized that the face of the expressionless old man suddenly turned malevolent!

"Not only did you 'filth' degenerate yourselves, but you are also trying to force us into it! This is unforgivable! Evil 'filth' like you shouldn't even belong to this world. How dare you humiliate our greatest admiration! Not even the Void Dragon is allowed to criticize us!"

The elder glared at Dwight, his eyes glinting in flashes.

"Mr. Howard, I thought that you could still be rescued, but it's a pity that you're ultimately a fallen 'filth'. My apologies. This time, we will not agree to your requests, but... we need your help."

"You..."

Upon instinctively sensing that something was wrong, Dwight stepped back quickly when suddenly, he felt a gust of air, followed by immense pain to the back of his head. Then, he lost his consciousness entirely.

Chapter 1049: Mutation

"It seems like Dwight is useless in there."

Gazing at the Grians's gathering place in the distance, Joey curled his lips and said. Upon hearing his comment, Randolf twitched his brows and stared at the area in front him. It was noon on the second day. The entire gathering place for the Grians was completely sealed off by well-equipped guards patrolling and watching over the area. It was apparent that the Grians had no intention of packing up and leaving in accordance to the ultimatum. On the contrary, they seemed prepared for a deadly battle against Rhode's side based on their behavior, but Randolf doubted they were capable enough. With the powerful might of the 'magic spears', the guards even didn't need to get close and could blast their cannons from a distance. The Grians's blunt weapons and crude armor wouldn't stand a chance against them. Of course, just in case, Randolf had sealed off the entire area and announced to the public that this was a military exercise. Fortunately, the Grians refused to interact with outsiders, which was why nearby residents didn't know there were people living there. It was due to this that Randolf had no restrictions in launching their attacks. Besides, he also wasn't worried that his men couldn't bear to attack because they were the remaining mercenaries who survived the journey in opening up the Void Territory with Rhode back then. They had left blood and sweat all over this territory.

Randolf was initially concerned that the Grians would escape during midnight. But now, it seemed like they intended to fight to their death against them, which was rather unimaginable for Randolf. He couldn't understand what was going on in their heads. First, they were a group of weak nomads. Taking a step back, so what if they were as powerful as Anne and could utterly crush his men? If his men were defeated, stronger reinforcements would arrive immediately. Once that happened, Rhode could summon Celestina and Celia, or let Marlene and Alice step in and wipe out the Grians entirely. Even if the Grians hadn't personally witnessed Rhode's strength, they should also know that they were going up against the entire Void Territory. Would they even survive putting up this struggle?

Just what is going through their heads?

Randolf knitted his brows at this thought. Then, he cleared his mind and turned to Joey who stood beside him.

"How's Dwight?"

"That guy was tied up after being knocked out by those people. According to my intelligence, those people down there are busy with something bizarre. I feel like something isn't right. Do you think we should take action earlier?"

"Something bizarre?"

"I'm not too sure."

Joey puckered his brows at Randolf's doubt, rubbing his chin and recalling the intelligence he heard.

"I heard from my men that those people seem to be preparing for something. Overall, many of them were seen coming and going, but we have no information as to what they are doing exactly. The Grians are sharp; my men tried to sneak in and were almost spotted. In this situation, we shouldn't take the risk... How about... I seek help from Madam Alice?"

Joey spoke, his eyes lighting up. In fact, he prostrated himself in admiration toward Alice's ability in recording history. As long as he told her a name, she could immediately present all information of the person since birth. It was simply amazing to Joey. Even though he didn't know what had happened here, wouldn't it be clarified quickly after he reported it to Alice?

But after Randolf thought about it, he eventually shook his head and denied Joey's suggestion.

"... There's no need to; it will take some time to contact Grandia. By the time you receive Madam Alice's reply, time will almost be up. Don't forget that it was His Majesty who left this matter in our care. Can't we handle such a small matter?"

"Ugh... This..."

After hearing Randolf's opinion, Joey forced out an awkward smile. Indeed, even though it was much more convenient to get Alice's help, Joey also knew that it wasn't a smart decision to bother Alice and Rhode over such a small matter. Joey had followed Rhode for a long time and was aware of his thoughts. But despite that, Joey reconsidered the situation and still felt like the situation was tricky as the Grians were acting too strangely. For the sake of safety, Joey wasn't willing to commit any irrecoverable mistakes. After pondering for a few moments, Joey spoke.

"I still don't feel confident; let me go and check on them, Randolf. You stay here according to the plan. I will inform you immediately if anything comes up."

"... Okay then. I suppose that's fine."

Randolf hesitated to Joey's words. After all, it seemed to him that Joey was making a big fuss over a minor issue. Besides, the reason why he objected was since Rhode had given the order, he must have investigated the Grians beforehand, which was why he decided to send Randolf and Joey to handle the situation. If the Grians were too powerful for them to handle, Rhode would have summoned Celia and the others and wouldn't need them to lead soldiers instead. It was due to this reason that Randolf felt like Joey was doing something unnecessary. But eventually, he nodded in agreement with Joey and hoped that nothing would turn out badly. If anything were to happen... at least they could still be mentally prepared, wasn't it?

"By the way, what do you intend to do about Dwight's situation?"

"He's tied up in a small house in the center and I can't do anything about it. But I've told my men to save him if they find a chance. If they can't, I don't have other ways around it. I can only hope that guy is lucky enough. Oh, by the way, Randolf, he is locked up in the third house in the middle. You have to look closely when you strike. If not, those people will laugh their heads off if we kill him by accident. Well, just play it by ear. Anyway, that guy... Sigh. He'll need to depend on luck to save him this time. If he's killed before we manage to rescue him, he can only blame himself for it."

After the brief, Joey smiled and gestured to Randolf, before turning around and leaving quickly. As Joey blended into the darkness, Randolf shook his head with a forced smile.

This rascal... instead of learning the proper stuff, he picked up the strange terms and expressions that Madam Bubble uses and is always coming up with some weird words...

Randolf shrugged helplessly at this thought. Then, he turned around and gazed at the gathering place sternly with knitted brows. The sky darkened gradually and it was only one night left to the ultimatum. If those people didn't leave tomorrow morning, only destruction would greet them. Randolf sighed at this thought. He put up a solemn expression and gestured. Shortly after, a guard scuttled toward him.

"Pass the order: get ready for battle and stop the Grians from taking any desperate actions. From now onward, we will be in a state of emergency; seal off all routes outside the perimeter and prohibit anyone from entering and exiting. If anyone is to attack us, we will retaliate immediately. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

After hearing the command from Randolf, the guard nodded quickly and turned around to leave. Randolf turned over and looked at the scene below once again. Everything will end the next morning.

Of course, Randolf also had a hunch that perhaps the end would also come earlier.

Choking, thick smoke billowed with specks of sparks and a burning sensation. Dwight opened his eyes and saw the burning bonfire in front of him. He instinctively moved back, only to discover that he was tied up by thick ropes around a stake. He couldn't even budge.

"Where am I..."

Dwight shook his head. The immense pain from the back of his head left him numb. But shortly after, he returned to his senses. Right, I came to warn the Grian, but they refused to obey His Majesty's orders...

Dwight let out a sigh in his head. It seems like my efforts have failed. Those people refused to listen to him and now... what else can they do?

"Are you awake?"

At this moment, a voice rang beside him. He turned around and spotted a familiar figure. However, unlike the person he remembered, even though the woman standing close to him wore the same white robe, there were two more shimmering curved blades on her waist. Dwight puckered his brows at this scene.

"What are you people trying to do, Fiana? Don't you understand? You people can never defeat the guards as they are really powerful. So what if your people defeat them? His Majesty has several legendary beings around him and any one of them can destroy your people! Since all of you came from the Country of Light, I'm sure you've witnessed the catastrophe of Casabianca. In this situation, it serves no purpose to do this. It's useless even if you capture me as your hostage!"

"Don't worry about it, Dwight. The elders say they have a solution, and they will have a solution."

The woman's voice sounded so ear-deafening in Dwight's ears. The harshness and monstrosity in her tone made him uncomfortable. Her voice felt similar to that of the stubborn, fanatical, and even crazy emotions of the elders, as though she were a fearless, brainwashed puppet who knew nothing. Or perhaps, she didn't care at all. Even if a tsunami were to crash and engulf her to the bottom of the ocean, she still believed that she would be unharmed. She was as stubborn as a rock.

"What solutions do you people have? I don't think so."

Even though Dwight was annoyed by her words, he continued to shake his head.

"Fiana, listen to me. There is still time. No matter what..."

Smack!

But before Dwight finished his sentence, the woman suddenly took a step forward and landed a tight slap on his cheek to interrupt his words. Upon feeling the sudden blow, Dwight widened his eyes in astonishment, lifted his head, and gazed into the woman's eyes that seemed as though a pair of burning, raging flames. The woman pressed her hands against the hilts of the curved swords, gnashed her teeth, and glared at Dwight, snarling as though he was her father's murderer.

"Do not! Humiliate! our God! As long as our mighty God stays with us, no one will be able to destroy us! We came here according to the will of our God; we won't allow anyone to doubt our God's will! Our mighty God will protect us and remove every threat! There are no exceptions! No matter who you are, you will not be able to go against our mighty God!"

"..."

Dwight stared blankly at the growling woman who resembled a lunatic. After the woman finished her words, she stared coldly at him.

"This is the end of your fate, 'filth'. You shall be the sacrificial offering to our mighty God! Our God will protect us and punish villains who overestimate their capabilities and attack us! They shall perish along with their souls and devoured by nothingness! The strength of our God will enfold the world! And purify everything!"

The woman announced and gestured with her hands.

"Men! Drag him out! The ritual for our mighty God is about to begin. Let this blasphemous 'filth' have a taste of our God's wrath!"

Shortly after the woman's command, two sturdy men entered the room in large strides. They grabbed Dwight along with the stake and dragged him out of the cell like a dead dog, hauling him to the spacious house where Dwight first met the elders. But unlike before, the floor of the spacious house was now drawn with an enormous and mysterious ritual using black oil. The two men tossed Dwight into the center of the ritual. Dwight struggled using his strength but couldn't move at all as the heavy stake on his back and thick ropes completely restrained his movements. No matter how hard he tried to escape, he couldn't save himself now.

At this moment, the thin, black-robed elder appeared before him once again. But unlike before, he now held an ancient, brass staff. Dwight gnashed his teeth at this sight. He felt like something bad was about to happen to him! But he...

Damn it...!

"O' mighty God!"

The black-robed elder disregarded the struggling Dwight completely as though Dwight were just a meaningless object. The elder raised his arms, lifted his head to the pitch-black ceiling, and spoke loudly. The guards and that woman named Fiana standing on the perimeter of the ritual half-knelt immediately. They looked at the floor respectfully, while the black-robed elder lifted his chin high with an excited and crazy look in his eyes. The tone in his voice was so agitated.

"O' mighty God! Your loyal people! Your loyal people have faced a terrible threat! The 'filth' are trying to destroy us completely! They forced us to go against your divine will and leave this piece of land! But we will not leave! No matter the setback, it will never stop our fight for our God! O' mighty God, I humbly request for you to bestow us your strength! Help us defeat the evil here!"

As the elder spoke, the guards also began to chant under their breaths. The chant resounded in the air like an odd, ancient prayer. Even though the place seemed extremely peaceful, for some reason, Dwight was flustered as though something had gone wrong somewhere. He felt the air burning gradually. That wasn't his misconception. He also sensed the temperature of the ice-cold floor increasing slowly like a warm steel wok which became scalding at times. At this moment, the elder raised his arms once again and summoned loudly.

"Please bestow us your strength!"

———!

As the elder snarled, the ritual suddenly blazed and scarlet flames erupted in circles. In the blink of an eye, flames enveloped the entire floor. Upon realizing that he was surrounded by the flames, Dwight widened his eyes helplessly as they slowly approached him. But to his surprise, the flames didn't devour him as he imagined. Instead, they consciously twisted, twirled, and coalesced into a shape of an illusory human!

Boom!

A dazzling, scarlet column of light burst through the roof and into the night sky!

Chapter 1050: Appearing From the Flames...

"You're hoping to receive Madam Alice's assistance for... that?"

Perhaps hearing the doubt and ridicule in Gillian's voice, Joey let out an awkward chuckle. Of course, he knew Gillian wasn't an easy one to deal with. She might be smiling all day, but she would make one's life miserable once she started messing with them! He would be doomed entirely if he weren't careful! If it were in the past, Joey wouldn't have been willing to do so. But now, since he had already spoken, all he could do now was to put on a bold face and continue reporting. If not, who knew what troubles this sly and playful young lady would bring him?

But that was enough for Gillian.

"Your Highness Alice, I'll leave it to you then."

After ending the communication with Joey, Gillian turned around with a chuckle, gazing quietly at Alice, who sat in the corner reading a book. Alice heard her, but didn't say a word. She nodded slightly, extended her arm, and a heavy tome appeared in midair, quietly falling in front of her. The tome opened and on the empty pages, lines of words appeared on their own. As long as the target was determined, be it a person or group, Alice wouldn't have any difficulty. Shortly after, Gillian witnessed everything that they had done.

"Hmm... what's that? The refugees are doing some kind of a spiritual ritual. That's interesting. Could they be cultists? They wouldn't be intending to summon devils now, right? Or perhaps they are devil worshipers? In this case, we may need little Celestina to deal with them..."

"... Along with the chants, the ritual lights up. As the Grians's elder chants, the enclosed space slowly opens up. Then..."

But this was the end of the recording in Alice's tome. The same time the 'then' appeared, the sentences that were neatly recorded suddenly came to a halt. Not only that, but the recordings on the pages also faded away quickly as though an invisible eraser were removing the words. In the blink of an eye, everything was gone. The heavy tome in Alice's hand slammed itself close all of a sudden. As it happened too quickly, Alice and Gillian didn't react in time. After a few moments, Alice stood up with knitted brows, lifting her head in hesitation, and looked outside the window. Her expression changed slightly.

"This is bad."

After she spoke, she suddenly disappeared to nowhere. Meanwhile, Gillian also realized the cause of the problem. No matter what, the person who counteracted Alice's investigation was definitely much stronger than Joey and the rest!

"Joey, send the message; get everyone to retreat!"

What exactly is that?

Randolf stared blankly at the sudden burst of a scarlet light column rushing into the sky. He didn't know what exactly happened there. However, it was apparent that something was amiss. His heart sank instantly. He had followed Rhode for a long time and naturally suspected that something bad must have happened for this to happen. With this thought, Randolf hesitated no more. He lifted his head quickly and blew a sharp whistle.

"Everyone! Fire!"

"———!"

The guards were already in position. Upon hearing Randolf's order, they swiftly blasted a dozen golden magic beams across the night sky like a meteor shower that ripped through the darkness. The magic beams were aimed at the Grians's gathering place. In the next few seconds, the small gathering place would be blasted into filthy dust by the powerful magic beams. At this moment, Randolf could no longer concern himself about Dwight. Just as Joey said, Dwight could only blame himself for his bad luck and decision.

But at the next moment, Randolf widened his eyes in astonishment.

The magic beams didn't cause a series of explosions on the gathering place as expected. Instead, the instant they approached the scarlet light column, their trajectories were twisted all of a sudden and they merged into the column as though being absorbed by magnets! After the light column absorbed the magic beams, it doubled in size. Randolf gaped speechless as he had never witnessed this happened before. What... What exactly was going on?

"Randolf! Randolf! Madam Gillian ordered us to retreat immediately! Retreat!"

At this moment, Randolf heard the frantic screams of Joey from the back. Randolf turned pale and quickly reached out for a crystal in his pocket and tossed it in the air. Shortly after, the crystal erupted a bright, dazzling radiance that resembled daylight. This was the signal for an emergency retreat. Randolf didn't have a bad habit of watching a bustling scene curiously. After following Rhode for a long time, he witnessed many deaths as a result of being an onlooker. Times had changed and he definitely didn't want to be one of those idiots. Moreover, the light column was too bizarre to even absorb the magic beams like magnets. Just this point alone was strange enough!

In fact, this proved that Randolf made the best decision. Almost at the same time as he retreated, he felt a bone-piercing cold wind blowing against him. Then, the green prairie was instantly covered in a layer of frost! Not only that, but the blades of grass fluttering in the wind also froze! The frost spread in all directions and within a few seconds, it froze the surroundings completely. Randolf was baffled at this scene. Fortunately, he gave his order in time. If not, not even he could defy such a mysterious attack.

But...

After keeping a safe distance away and confirming that the mysterious chill had stopped spreading, Randolf lifted his head and scanned ahead. All he saw was white like the snowfield in winter. He trembled in fear, knitting his brows and staring sternly at the scene before him. Although it was shocking, he also felt really odd. If his men almost froze to death, wouldn't the Grians have turned into ice sculptures already? What was the purpose of them... doing this?

While Randolf let his thoughts run wild, the situation took a turn once again. The scarlet light column turned pale blue before quickly coalescing into a ball of light that flitted across the night sky. Along in its movement, Randolf and Joey instantly felt a scorching heat strike their faces as though they were tied, facing the grilling stove. Not only that, but the white, frozen prairie also melted suddenly; the frost evaporated under the blazing heat while the blades of grass instantly withered into lifeless yellow and collapsed to the soil. In an instant, the snowfield of a 'thousand miles of ice and fluttering snow' turned into a desert with 'lone smoke rising up in the air and the round sun setting slowly over the long river'. The withered soil and flying sand were totally unlike what they saw earlier. Randolf and Joey sucked in deep breaths of cold air, before exchanging terrified looks with each other. What exactly were they facing?

Meanwhile, Grandia was also facing a similar, intense view.

"What exactly is going on?"

Rhode asked, gazing at the solemn Marlene, Gillian, and Alice. He thought the matter with the Grians was insignificant, but it seemed otherwise now. It was pardonable that Marlene and Gillian were alarmed, but Alice's appearance was what truly surprised Rhode and made him realize the seriousness of the situation. This was because he was clear about Alice's personality; a 100 percent nerd who stayed home all day and wouldn't leave home unless necessary. And this time, she actually took the initiative... Was that group of Grians so capable?

"This was what happened... Master..."

Shortly after, Gillian explained the situation to Rhode, including the details of the failed cannon blasts and strange phenomenons that happened thereafter. Rhode knitted his brows. In all fairness, he felt rather strange when he heard the report. Even though it wasn't easy to be immune or defend against the magic cannons, it was still possible, after all. But what was with the fluttering snow and vast desert of intense heat thereafter?

Rhode didn't take the Grians seriously because he took them down in the game before. Although the Grians had a few powerful beings among them, most of them basically presented no threats to players. At least, Rhode didn't recall the Grians possessing the ability to devour magic power and transform it into other elements.

"How's the situation over there?"

"Randolf and Joey are investigating, but I heard there's almost nothing left."

Gillian spread her arms apart and curled her lips. Rhode pondered in silence before saying.

"What about the Grians?"

"Seems dead."

They decided to kill themselves to prove their determination and courage?

But Rhode didn't think that the situation was this simple. He puckered his brows and shifted his gaze to Alice who remained silent after arriving here as though she was thinking about something. Meanwhile, Marlene was also seemingly pondering deeply as though she faced a tough problem. Upon sensing Rhode's gaze, Alice looked up and explained.

"Your Majesty... this incident may be a little troublesome."

"Troublesome?"

Rhode asked. Perhaps Alice realized the doubts in his question, she nodded and continued to explain.

"In fact, I have to tell you that before this happened, I monitored the group of Grians according to Miss Gillian's request. Based on the historical tracing records, it states that they are preparing a summoning ritual, praying and yearning for the descend of their so-called 'God'. My historical records showed that they opened up a sealed space..."

"Sealed space?"

Rhode's gaze changed slightly. This was the benefit of Alice's 'Historical Tracing' as she could clearly record what the Grians were doing. For instance, the ritual would only be seen as a mysterious ritual by others without knowing its exact purpose. With Alice's 'Historical Tracing' was recording, it would also display the true meaning behind their actions. This was a killer weapon for the intelligence department.

"Then?"

"That was all. My records only showed that they opened a certain sealed space, before it was forcefully stopped and erased."

Since they opened up a certain sealed space, it meant that there must be something released from it. Rhode began to feel uncertain. Alice was the History Deity Warden and no one could beat her 'Historical Tracing'. But now, her ability was disrupted and erased...

"Could it be that the Grians summoned a devil?"

"No, Rhode. Instead, they..."

This time, Marlene finally spoke. She exchanged looks with Alice hesitantly, before answering awkwardly.

"If Miss Alice's and my judgments are correct, the Grians should have summoned a Deity Warden."

"... Huh?"

Rhode was taken aback. This was the first time he heard that the Grians were capable of summoning a Deity Warden. This surprised him, but come to think of it, only a handful of people were capable of resisting Alice's 'Historical Tracing'. Besides, Christie, Marlene, and Alice were Deity Wardens. Although according to them, no one survived except for Christie who fled back to the Astral Temple during the war with Chaos, weren't Marlene and Alice standing right before him now after miraculously crossing the boundaries of time? At this thought, Rhode wasn't as astonished anymore. Instead, he found it to be good news. After all, if it were one of the Deity Wardens, the Deity Warden should be willing to serve him.

But shortly after, he realized that the situation wasn't as simple as he had thought.

According to Alice, this particular Deity Warden had also died a long time ago. Just like Alice and the others, in order to secure a chance to return to the world in the future, the Deity Warden also had her own solution. She sealed a fragment of her soul in the space of another dimension. Rhode accepted this explanation because it was his younger sister who fused with the system. In other words, it was the final trace of the soul fragment of his younger sister as the Void Dragon. Since the Void Dragon could do it, it wasn't surprising that the Six Deity Wardens were aware of this method as its direct subjects.

But this was where the problem laid.

As a result, Rhode didn't know how the Grians got into contact with the residual soul of the Deity Warden, it was apparent that they were connected to the Deity Warden. Everyone knew that the Grians were fanatical and extreme toward their faith. In this case, the residual soul of the Deity Warden gradually changed after spending a long time with the Grians. Perhaps this Deity Warden was currently in a state of confusion and immediately attacked as soon as she was released from the sealed space, which caused her to instinctively sense danger and escape quickly.

"You're saying that... the Deity Warden thinks that she is a Grian?"

Rhode felt like the situation was getting out of hand. However, Alice's answer surprised him.

"No, Your Majesty. It's impossible for her to think of it this way. But the long years of interactions have apparently twisted her sanity. In this case, she may possibly do something extremely stubborn and determined. We hope you can find her as quickly as possible and stop her from doing something irrecoverable."

"I see."

Rhode nodded after finally understanding their thoughts. It was just like back then when he met Marlene's doppelgänger in the spatial corridor. As too much time had gone, it led to her thoughts being distorted and paranoid. And now, since this Deity Warden spent a long time with the Grians, it was imaginable how unstable and worrisome her mental state was. But even so, Rhode still had his doubts.

"Why must I be the one to go? Isn't it more convenient for Deity Wardens to go instead?"

There were three Deity Wardens around, so why must he be the one to do it? Besides, since they were all Deity Wardens, wouldn't it be easier for them to convince her? Besides, even though Rhode was the Void Dragon, they didn't know each other, after all. As for Rhode's doubt, the silent Marlene exchanged looks with Alice. After pondering for a few moments, Marlene spoke with some hesitation.

"Because, according to our judgment, this Deity Warden may possibly be the Contrast Deity Warden, Cassidy."

Chapter 1051: Contrast Deity Warden

"Contrast Deity Warden?"

Rhode asked, his eyes twitching slightly as this unknown title sounded really powerful. He knew that Christie was the 'Fate Deity Warden', Marlene was the 'Wisdom Deity Warden', and Alice was the 'History Deity Warden'. He had to admit that these three Deity Wardens were sufficient to show how mighty the Void Dragon was back then. It wasn't surprising that they were able to dominate the entire continent. As for the 'Contrast Deity Warden', she most likely wouldn't be an easy one to deal with either.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Alice nodded and continued to explain.

"You should also be aware that the six Deity Wardens were created by the former Void Dragon for the sake of protecting the Order of this world. We were each given six responsibilities: Christie was in charge of creating destiny, Margaret was responsible for recording rules, while I took charge of protecting the past. On the other hand, Cassidy's responsibility was to contrast all things, just like how the land exists due to the sky, darkness exists whenever there is light; everything is born in contrast. This was the most crucial foundation as for how the world of Order exists. Also, Cassidy is extremely powerful. In her hands, she can turn everything into its contrasting form: water and fire, kindness and evil, life and death. Among the six Deity Wardens, she was ranked second in battle strength, just below Her Highness Christie."

"In other words, you and Marlene can't defeat her?"

Rhode finally understood why Alice wanted him to take on Cassidy alone. However, he still felt dubious. Marlene and Alice were powerful beings, and yet they couldn't defeat Cassidy? They were Deity Wardens, so the difference in strength shouldn't be that huge... As though seeing through Rhode's doubt, Marlene forced a smile and replied.

"Rhode, you may not be aware, but the original intention of creating us Deity Warden, isn't for us to only become the Creator Dragons' dependents. We were created by the former Void Dragon to protect the world against Chaos. The ultimate goal of our strength isn't for battle, but to continue the existence of Order. Due to this reason, although we are powerful, on a certain level our battle strength isn't proportional. Honestly, Her Highness Alice and I are at the bottom in terms of battle strength, while the strongest ones are Her Highness Christie, the 'Fate Deity Warden', and Her Highness Cassidy, the 'Contrast Deity Warden'."

"I see."

Rhode nodded to Marlene. He finally understood the so-called division of labor between the six Deity Wardens. Unlike the four legendary generals and three archangels who were high-level 'hired thugs', the Deity Wardens' most important job was to maintain Order. Taking online games in Rhode's original world, for instance, the six Deity Wardens were the ones who performed program maintenance, which was on a totally different level from the three archangels and four legendary generals regardless of who was stronger. No matter how domineering the four legendary generals were in the game, as long as the programmer disliked them, he or she could remove them entirely in a few commands. This was the difference in level. But on the same level, it was an entirely different matter.

Just like elephants and dinosaurs could squash an ant, but it didn't mean that their battle could result in a draw.

Shortly after, Rhode thought of another question.

"Can't Christie do it?"

According to them, Christie was fully deserving of being the strongest and Rhode had also witnessed it inside Alice's 'Historical Tracing'. Back then, Christie truly gave him a domineering presence as though 'the world was within the control of her hands', while the remaining five Deity Wardens nodded obediently to whatever she said. That said, Rhode didn't see any dominance from these two Christies...

"It isn't impossible, but... Her Highness Christie is currently in the Astral Temple. If we rely on the princess only, it will be too risky. After all, the princess can't maintain the 'strength of fate' for too long and won't be able to defeat Cassidy. If Helen is here, perhaps there's still a chance to turn the situation around..."

"Who's that?"

Rhode didn't stop Alice when she mentioned Christie as the 'princess'. Ever since Karin started calling Christie that, basically everyone followed suit. In fact, in terms of identity and blood relation, she was indeed suitable for this title, which was why Rhode wasn't mindful about it. On the other hand, he was more curious about the other name that Alice mentioned. Upon hearing his doubt, Alice paused for a moment before explaining to him.

"She's one of the Deity Wardens and our companions, the 'Presence Deity Warden', Helen. She can give form to all imaginary things and also eliminate the reality of these beings, turning them non-existent. All along, she was the one who coordinated with Her Highness Christie in protecting the continent. But it was a pity that..."

As expected, none of the Deity Wardens were normal; they were all insanely powerful.

'Presence Deity Warden'? A title with such a high-end feel to it is on a totally different level than the unknown 'Contrast Deity Warden' of Cassidy. But there is no point in thinking about the 'Presence Deity Warden' anymore. I'm better off handling this problem in front of me first... W-Wait!

Rhode's eyes glinted at this thought as he suddenly thought of something. He lifted his head quickly, looked at Alice and Marlene, and asked.

"Since the 'Contrast Deity Warden' can transform all contrasting matters, in other words... she can turn Order into Chaos and Chaos into Order?"

"You're right about that, Your Majesty."

Holy!

Rhode shrieked in his head after hearing the confirmation from Alice. No wonder Alice and Marlene mentioned that they couldn't stop Cassidy. A Deity Warden who could transform Order into Chaos was too insane. Even though they were all Deity Wardens, Alice's and Marlene's strength relied on Order. If they were to take on Cassidy together, Cassidy could immediately transform Order into Chaos and perhaps even if they possessed heavenly powers, they could only stare helplessly and do nothing. It was due to this that they chose not to attack. On the other hand, in order to deal with Cassidy, they needed a being who could create Order, which was why they brought up Christie and Helen.

But now, the other 'Christie' was far in the Astral Temple. Even though they could still rely on Christie, Rhode refused to make her risk her life after learning about their blood relation. So the only choice left was him. As the Creator Dragon, he could make use of the dragon soul protection and even if Cassidy was up to no good, he didn't need to be afraid as he had his home turf as support.

But even so, Rhode still had some doubts in his mind. He knew that the situation wasn't as simple as it seemed. Apart from Alice's request for him to throw his hat into the ring, she also made another difficult request. She hoped that Rhode could reawaken Cassidy, which meant that he needed to rely on his strength as the Spirit Swordsman. But...

"Will everything be fine?"

After sending Alice, Marlene, and the others away, Rhode asked. Shortly after, his younger sister's nice, gentle voice rang in his ears. "It should be fine as long as you seal Cassidy into a card spirit like what you did with me and Marlene. Only then can her lost soul regain consciousness."

"But it isn't guaranteed to work, right? Didn't it fail when I tried it on you? I heard from Alice that Cassidy was just like you; she sealed up a fragment of her soul in another dimension. What should I do if I don't succeed in the end?" Rhode was apparently not too confident. It seemed like he was still brooding over the failed attempts to awaken his younger sister back then. Besides, he was also concerned that everything would be done for if he failed. Once Cassidy's soul vanished, no one would benefit. Rhode wasn't an OCD patient who had to gather all six Deity Wardens to fulfill his wish of eating six steamed dumplings. But since he would be going up against Chaos, the six Deity Wardens' experiences were crucial to him. Currently, with this opportunity before him, he had to be more cautious and meticulous. Anyway, that Deity Warden hid herself up after being frightened, while Alice couldn't spot her location using her strength. Right now, he could only use the Projection Crystal to scan the territory. But why did it sound like Cassidy was a frightened bunny?

"This is different, Big Brother. According to Alice, her ability was counteracted by Cassidy, which explained that the soul fragment in this alternate plane contains the core of her original self. For instance, the core is the most important part of a robot. As long as the 'original self' of the soul fragment exists, the sealing process will be guaranteed. As for my issue... it is different because my original self was caught in an accident when I transmigrated. And me, as the soul fragment, can't inherit the core strength of my original self. That was why you failed to turn me into a card spirit."

"I see."

After hearing his younger sister's response, Rhode felt at ease now. But he shook his head helplessly, before letting out a sigh.

"Sorry, I..."

"It isn't your fault, Big Brother. Besides, you don't need to apologize to me. We've talked about it, haven't we, Big Brother?"

"You're right."

Rhode quickly let go off the melancholy in his head. After all, it happened a long time ago and he had done everything he could. He would never constantly weep over some small stuff that happened more than 10 years ago like those women in third-rate soap operas who kept harping on about, "It was all my fault. I shouldn't have done that. Why must you treat me this way?" Even though he looked like a woman, he absolutely refused to watch those third-rate performances. Since his younger sister assured him that nothing would go wrong, everything should turn out well.

However, things didn't turn out smoothly. According to Alice's speculations, the Grians used a known method to release Cassidy's soul fragment that was sealed in the alternate dimension. Meanwhile, Cassidy's consciousness after she was just awakened was still unclear. Moreover, after years of infiltration by the Grians' mental strength, it caused Cassidy to basically take actions instinctively. Judging from this point, Randolf's attack was considered to succeed by a lucky stroke. If they were to stand idly by and did nothing, perhaps the confused Cassidy might really treat herself as the Grians' so-called mighty God and did whatever they told her to. It was as though a person who finally regained consciousness on the bed did things subconsciously to other's instructions. If that happened, perhaps Randolf and the rest would be lying in the grave and waiting for the group resurrection spell to bring them back to life.

That attack from Randolf was as though one just woke up in a blur and before one realized where one was, someone suddenly knocked the gong beside his ear. One who was greatly stunned surely wouldn't see who did it immediately. Instead, one would instinctively run away as far as possible as fear struck his soul. This was the case for Cassidy. She was so startled that she fled somewhere far away. What was worse was that Rhode didn't even know what she looked like. Fortunately, according to Alice, even though her investigation was counteracted by Cassidy, the six Deity Wardens possessed a sensing capability which allowed her to feel Cassidy's approximate location. And now, the only thing Alice could say was that Cassidy was still within the Void Territory and didn't run off to the Country of Light or Country of Darkness. This was the only news that let Rhode heave a sigh of relief because if Cassidy ran off to the Country of Light, he wouldn't have any solutions to search for her in that large place. If she headed to the Country of Darkness... it would be devastating as he would need to bear the risk of clashing with Ion in order to find her.

Fortunately, they were in an era of magic. With the help of the magic projection, Rhode finally saw Cassidy's appearance. She seemed like a swordswoman, had a healthy, wheatish skin tone, long, silver-whitish hair, and a big sword on her back. According to Alice, Cassidy was the only Deity Warden who used weapons.

The only thing Rhode could do now was to let Sara search for her using the Projection Crystal. However, the Void Territory was huge, and searching for a lost and flustered Deity Warden was as though finding a needle in a haystack. But Rhode had no other ways and could only wait patiently. Fortunately, news of this matter didn't spread to the Country of Darkness yet. And even if Ion knew about it, Rhode reckoned that Ion wouldn't stir any trouble soon, so he was relieved.

As for the Grians, there was no nothing left to resolve. On the other hand, the startled Deity Warden wasn't a little girl who could scream at the top of her lungs and be rescued. According to Joey's post investigations, the group of Grians were frozen into popsicles before being roasted from outside-in by the blaze. It could also be said that Cassidy helped Randolf in accomplishing his mission perfectly. On the other hand, that lucky bastard, Dwight, managed to escape with some 'unserious' injuries, which was why Rhode paid him the related insurances kindly and made him retire... Anyway, he wouldn't be able to work in this state, wasn't it?

"But Big Brother, don't you intend to tell others what you think?"

His younger sister was apparently more concerned about Rhode's biggest plan: to create a massive Dimension Gate and teleport the entire continent to another world. This was almost a cross-generational project, and even she had to admit that if it succeeded, the continent wouldn't have to face the endless infiltration from Chaos any longer.

But after returning to this world, Rhode had no intention of gathering the four Creator Dragons to discuss it. His younger sister understood his views. Lilian was standing on the same side as him and would listen to whatever Rhode told her. But it was hard to determine for the other three...

"Just like what I said, beneficiaries will never think about change. Even if they do, it will be out of their intention to protect their interest. We're the same too; same goes for everyone in this world. I suppose the other three are no exceptions. Do you think, as of now, they will agree with me to risk the entire continent? It isn't only the Void Territory and Country of Light; it also includes the Country of Darkness, Country of Law, and the entire Dragon Soul Continent. If any accidents were to happen, we would be going down the road of destruction. Do you think they will agree with me?"

Rhode spread his arms apart, shrugged.

"At least... you should try and speak to them about it."

"When the time is right, I'll do it. But now isn't the time for that." Rhode narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "The Void Territory isn't strong enough to accomplish everything yet, be it this plan or in terms of dealing with threats from the outside. If the hands that reach out to us for cooperation aren't trembling with fear and respect, everything will be meaningless. What we need now is to make them agree and acknowledge our plan and not start a discussion and vote our decisions. Be it objection, a forfeit, or veto, to me there is only one result. And has to be only one."

Rhode lifted his head and at this moment, his eyes glinted in an ice-cold flash.

Chapter 1052: Wanderer in The Dark

The sky before her eyes was still pitch-black. The deep, dark night enveloped the sky and even the round, scarlet moon brought upon a depressing and almost deadly solitude. Erin sat in front of the window, gazing at the documents on the table. She forced a smile at the scenery. Even though she was used to how it looked, it seemed a little strange to her at this very moment. It wasn't just about the memories of her returning home. It was more like... a change in her mood.

Erin shook her head with a bitter smile at this thought. As of now, she wasn't only the 'moon princess'; she was also here in the Country of Darkness as the diplomatic representative of the Void Territory. Not only did this leave her in an awkward spot, but it also affected everyone else, including the four legendary generals who asserted that this situation was unheard of. Even though it sounded powerful for a princess to be made a diplomatic representative by another country, it was challenging to determine what exactly the Void Dragon was plotting with the current relationship between the Void Territory and Country of Darkness. In fact, there were voices of objections from the Country of Darkness regarding this matter. Balende raised his doubt to Ion, saying that this wasn't appropriate. Although from a political standpoint, the fact that their princess held the diplomatic powers of another country seemed authoritative, it didn't mean that the Void Territory was on the path of seeking glory by selling out their country. As for the unique form of power where four countries were under the dragon soul protections despite having five Creator Dragons, the so-called duties of a diplomatic representative were far worse than that of the ones on Earth. At most, diplomatic representatives could only be considered a communication channel for the Creator Dragons. As for affecting national policies, the diplomatic representative had no say at all.

But the four legendary generals' concerns weren't only about those factors. Instead, they felt like this arrangement was harmful to their morale. The princess of the Country of Darkness became a diplomatic representative of another country and it just had to be the Void Territory. It was only less than a year ago after the Country of Darkness infiltrated the Country of Light. The undead creatures' memories were calculated in units of centuries; none of them could accept the fact that their princess actually went to the country that the Country of Darkness hit a snag with. Erin also heard that due to this matter, some ancient families expressed a certain degree of dissatisfaction to Ion. In the past, the Country of Darkness didn't have any strict rules to prohibit this. However, when it was Ion's turn to rule, he emphasized repeatedly. Despite that, Erin was considered an outstanding talent in the Country of Darkness. But now, she actually went her own way and worked for another Creator Dragon. If this news were to spread, wouldn't the beings of Country of Darkness be lowering their heads whenever they faced the Void Territory?

But this didn't affect Ion at all as he continued to work strictly and even invited Erin over to discuss diplomatic matters together. But everyone present saw that Ion didn't treat Erin as his younger sister. Instead, he treated her as the true diplomatic representative from the Void Territory. Although some thought that this was a sign of Erin losing favor with Ion, Erin knew clearly that this was only her big brother being a little overconfident...

Or perhaps, not just a little.

This discovery left Erin deeply worried because she realized that her big brother was getting increasingly bigoted. This had completely surpassed the range of persistence and reached a state of morbidness. In all honesty, one of the reasons why Erin accepted Rhode's suggestion to do this job was due to the current situation of the continent. Also, as a diplomatic representative, she didn't have much to do except informing the Creator Dragons of the meeting time for discussions. The other reason was that she also hoped to use this method to 'agitate' Ion into reconsidering his ideas. It was apparent that this style from a person like Rhode who never played by the rules caught Ion by surprise. If Ion was disgusted with him, he could still privately warn Erin to be careful of her identity as a royal family member and whatnot. And as long as Ion opened his mouth, Erin would immediately look for Rhode and quit her job. But what made her uncertain was that even though Ion was baffled when he heard her explanations from the start, he later restored the cold, indifferent attitude of 'everything is in the hands of the country's military'. Not even wagging tongues were able to move him as though everything Rhode had done failed to affect him at all.

But was that really so?

What worried Erin the most wasn't Ion's overly cold response. Instead, it was Rhode's reaction. In fact, from the start when she heard from him that he wanted her to become the diplomatic representative of the Void Territory, even she couldn't believe her ears. She tactfully told him about the inconveniences of doing this job with her identity, but he was equally calm in his response. Or perhaps, even more calm like he already expected it.

"Don't worry, Your Highness Erin. The things you're worried about will not be a cause for concern."

After meeting her big brother, Erin finally understood what Rhode meant exactly by that. Ion thought that everything was within his control, but what Erin feared was that Rhode seemed to understand Ion more than she did. Not only that, but Rhode was also seemingly sure that Ion would definitely not raise any doubt or object to this strange matter.

Although Erin once mentioned this matter to Ion in private and reminded him to be wary of Rhode, Ion didn't take her words seriously. This was what Erin was most worried about. Ion was beyond control. Not only did the earlier failure stop him in his tracks, but it also aroused his fighting spirit even further. The troubles that Rhode brought upon him were only challenges to steel himself before he eventually reached his goal. They weren't worthy of a mention and wouldn't affect his ultimate goal one bit.

The perspectives from both sides were from totally different levels, which left Erin at her wits' end. Even she, as the moon princess, failed to convince Ion, not to mention the four legendary generals. Not only that, but also what Erin was concerned about was that some people were trying to take advantage of the crisis for personal gains. Situations constantly surfaced during this period of time in the Country of Darkness. Even though Ion didn't mention a word, it seemed like he didn't have the time to find trouble with the Void Territory for now.

In other words, Rhode had reached his goal.

But Erin didn't know if her big brother understood this.

"Phew..."

Erin held her forehead at this thought. After returning to the Country of Darkness, she tried to change her big brother's thoughts. But now, it seemed like she failed completely. It was impossible for Ion to accept her opinion. And now, the only thing that Erin could do was to do what she should. Since Ion wasn't willing to consider her advice, she had to find a new way of retreat.

"Your Highness."

At this moment, an ethereal voice sounded, disrupting Erin's thought process. She looked up and saw the female servant entering her room silently. The servant gave her a deep bow, saying.

"Sir Balende is here."

"... Please bring him in."

Erin's expression remains unchanged. She put away the intelligence in her hand, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes. She gazed ahead, displaying a languid smile like a cat basking in the afternoon sun. Then, at this moment, an upright and tall figure appeared before her. He was one of the four legendary generals, the 'Spirit Chaser' Balende.

"Greetings, Your Highness Erin."

After entering the room, Balende immediately walked in large strides toward Erin, before bowing respectfully. Erin smiled at him and nodded in response.

"Long time no see, Your Highness Balende. You seem as strong as ever; I'm glad."

"Hahaha, Your Highness sure knows how to crack a joke."

Balende burst out in a hearty laughter, before extending his arm to pull out a chair for a seat.

"To the undeads like us who roam in darkness, we pay the price of life for us to remain in this world. But as for you, Your Highness Erin, you've blossomed into a beautiful woman; I still remember when you were an adorable young girl back then... Sigh, this is where the beauty of life lies..." Balende let out a soft sigh, while Erin remained silent and continued to smile at him. For Balende to take the initiative to visit Erin, it was obvious that he had something to discuss with her. This was also the change brought about by her identity. If it were in the past, even though the four legendary generals were respectful of her, they never had any dealings with her before.

Because how useful would a flower vase who wasn't involved in politics be to them?

But now, the situation was different from the past, after all.

"I suppose His Majesty is aware of our meeting, but I have to say that His Majesty may have belittled the Void Territory's strength."

As soon as Balende spoke about formal matters, he instantly turned solemn.

"Your Highness Erin. You've stayed in the Void Territory for a while, so I suppose you have a specific understanding of their strength. I would like to know the chances of the Country of Darkness defeating the Void Territory in a war."

"... Did Big Brother mention something about it?"

Erin tensed up instantly upon hearing his question. Among the four legendary generals, Ashvril was in charge of intelligence, Garcia was responsible for internal affairs, and Balende was the true military commander. Now that Balende looked for her personally and asked about the layout of the Void Territory, it most likely meant that the Country of Darkness had intention to attack the Void Territory! Upon hearing her question, Balende shook his head slightly and spoke.

"His Majesty is extremely dissatisfied with the dirty tricks as of late... and wishes to retaliate a little."

"..."

Even though Balende put it vaguely, Erin understood what he meant. She knitted her brows and even if Balende didn't speak out directly, she knew that her big brother intended to teach Rhode a lesson. Since the 'Spirit Chaser' came knocking on her door personally, it meant that a clash might occur between the Country of Darkness and Void Territory. Besides, as one of the four legendary generals, he might even lead the army personally!

"... Has Big Brother made his decision?"

"Currently His Majesty only has such an intention, but Your Highness Erin, I think you're aware of His Majesty's temperament..."

"Yeah..."

Upon hearing Balende's answer, Erin left out a subtle sigh. To Ion, a so-called 'intention' basically meant to get ready to execute the plan. In other words, this conflict might be unavoidable. But Balende was clearly pessimistic of it as the scene of Mini Bubble Gum bashing up Ashvril during the Order Ceremony was still vivid in his mind. Although the occasion was different back then and Ashvril lost the first move which gave Mini Bubble Gum the upper hand, gaining the upper hand over the four legendary generals couldn't be done by random Joes on the street.

No wonder Balende came to inquire personally.

But to Erin, this wasn't an easy question to answer. It wasn't due to her staying in the Void Territory for too long that she wanted to cover up for Rhode. Instead, she was somewhat hesitant because even though she didn't become an undercover spy to investigate the Void Territory's military secrets, she was still aware of the powerful beings around Rhode. In terms of battle strength, Erin was on par with the four legendary generals, so it was impossible for her to not detect the prestige of the Deity Wardens.

"I can't give you a direct answer. But please pardon my bluntness, Your Majesty Balende. Perhaps you shouldn't be considering our chances of winning. Instead, you should think if we even stand a chance."

"... Your Highness Erin, what you meant is...?"

Balende's voice trembled slightly. It was apparent that he understood the meaning behind her words. Erin nodded to his doubt and spoke.

"If it is a war between armies, the Country of Darkness still stands some chances of winning. The failure previously in the Munn Kingdom can't prove anything because the Munn Kingdom had been established for a long time. They have various complete systems and under the duchess, Lydia's, lead, their formation was extremely tight and neat. It was a huge and obvious difference from the uneven levels of the Country of Light's. Besides, with His Majesty Rhode's help and the preparation beforehand, it wasn't surprising that the Country of Darkness failed. But the Void Territory is different as it is a new territory, after all. Moreover, most people seeking shelter in their territory are mostly victims from the previous war. Although strong, young adults make up part of them, most of them were women and children. Even though His Majesty Rhode is currently reforming the Void Territory, in the meantime they can't form an army that can effectively stop the Country of Darkness. But... if it were based purely on the higher level, I don't think we stand a chance of winning."

Erin paused and gazed at the silent Balende. Then, she continued.

"His Majesty Rhode has many formidable beings on his side and that includes Miss Mini Bubble Gum, Miss Canary, and Miss Marlene. I'm sure you witnessed their strength during the Order Ceremony. Not only that, but he also possesses formidable power. At least in Grandia, I sensed three massive, powerful beings. Although I don't know who they are, their strength is definitely above mine! Even if the moon is full and round, I'm not confident of defeating them!"

"... Really?"

Balende turned solemn instantly. As one of the four legendary generals, he knew clearly that Erin's strength was just below Ion's. Moreover, with her invincible attribute under the full moon, Erin rarely faced worthy opponents and not even the four legendary generals could defeat her together effortlessly. But now, Erin actually told him that even she, under the full moon, wasn't confident that she could defeat Rhode's formidable subjects? And there were even three of them?!

Wouldn't it mean that Rhode had at least three powerful beings who were stronger than the four legendary generals?

"Not only that, but His Majesty Rhode also possesses three squads consisting of demons, elves, and battle angels respectively. I suppose the demolition of Casabianca provided sufficient proof for you. Also, he has those unique magic warships... Your Majesty Balende, honestly speaking, I've already reported this information to Big Brother, but he..."

This was the first time Erin looked down in disappointment. Even though she wasn't a spy, she still came from the Country of Darkness, after all. Even if she didn't probe into the military intelligence of the Void Territory, she was still more or less aware of the situation. However, all this didn't seem to attract much of Ion's attention. Perhaps to Ion, everything the Void Territory did was small-scale and as long as he ensured the strength on his side was powerful enough, he could defeat the Void Territory. But Erin knew that this definitely wasn't something minor and yet, she couldn't reveal too much from her standpoint as walls had ears. Even though Ion wasn't mindful, if news were to spread that the princess of the Country of Darkness wasn't confident that her country was as powerful as the Void Territory, she didn't know what ruckus the dark nobles would cause.

"His Majesty is being too impatient. This is a taboo, but we, as subjects, can't violate his orders..."

Upon hearing Erin's answer, Balende shook his head and spoke. Then, he stood up.

"All right then, thank you for your pointers, Your Highness Erin."

"You're welcome. It's nothing much."

Erin responded when suddenly something crossed her mind.

"Your Majesty Balende, has Big Brother started his operations? I'm not sure if this time, he will..."

Before Erin finished her sentence, Balende also paused and looked at her. Then, he spoke.

"Your Highness Erin, I heard that during your stay in the Void Territory, there was a royal vampire named Angelina who took care of you, right?"

"... I get what you mean now."

Erin's heart sank. Even though Balende's answer was neither here nor there, Erin already understood what her big brother intended to do.

Chapter 1053: Autumn Scenery

Late autumn.

The green layer of coating covering the tall, uneven mountain ranges had withdrawn and was replaced by a dress of crimson. Rhode sauntered across the field of red maple leaves, his footsteps resounding in the cracking of the dried leaves. In a single glance, he was surrounded by complete redness. Even though the vast prairie that grew over the land was about to step down from the main stage, the scattered maple leaves were as though stage curtains stopping the perfect actors from exiting. The curtains waited quietly for the actors to return to the stage for another magnificent performance. This was the cycle of the world. From beginning to end, the rhythm never changed.

The aromatic scent of chestnut wafted in the air. Its fragrance left one salivating.

"Everything will eventually grow and mature, Your Majesty Rhode."

Strolling in the maple forest alongside Rhode, Lydia raised her head and gazed at the beautiful, mesmerizing scenery. A gentle breeze wafted across the forest, silently sweeping leaves off the branches. In an instant, the forest before their eyes was as though experiencing a 'rainstorm and violent winds'. All around them were red maple leaves twirling and drifting in the wind, before landing on the ground gently. Time was as though a dream turning into reality, covering up everything in this world.

"I once thought that these children would not be able to survive this autumn. After all, what we faced earlier was anything but great with the howling winds, torrential rains, untimely hails, and intense heat. But it all seems like everything has its laws of nature. These pitiful and adorable little fellas survived the devastating storms and once again showed us the mature side of them. A little sapling begins growing from spring, gradually experiencing the summer heat and feeling the cleansing of the autumn winds. Finally, it has to face the harsh test of winter. But I believe that it will get through the winter safely."

Lydia said, turning around with a smile and gazing at Rhode who wasn't far behind.

"Your Majesty Rhode, thanks to your help this time, the young, fragile saplings are able to grow and mature gradually. This isn't a simple task; you're perfect to be a gardener."

"You're welcome, Your Highness Lydia. Besides, I don't find it troublesome at all. After all, fiddling with the motherland's flowers is also one of my hobbies."

Rhode replied and spread his arms apart. He lifted his head and followed Lydia's gaze toward the azure sky above. It was late autumn, the harvesting season, be it for the Void Territory or Munn Kingdom. Although the boundless sky of stars in the Void Territory gave a unique flavor to the late autumn scenery, Rhode had to admit that Lydia was truly a master of enjoyment: gazing at the falling red leaves, listening to the sound of clear water flowing down the creek, and admiring the boundless, golden wheat field from above was enough to give one a pleasing sense of comfort. Even Rhode had to admit that this was the first time he discovered that admiring the scenery could make him relax so much. Of course, the roasted chestnuts were also delicious; green and pure from any contamination and whatnot... There were still some benefits to being a transmigrator, wasn't it?

Of course, Rhode wasn't being modest. In fact, fiddling with the flowers of the motherland was indeed one of his favorite hobbies.

But it was a pity that he had no intention of becoming a gardener. With his personality, it would be bad if he accidentally committed some mistakes in principles...

"But I still have to thank you; Her Majesty Lilian looks so much better now. She became more confident and understands what she has to do. Perhaps..." Lydia turned around and looked towards the north in the distance, before letting out a subtle sigh. "... Serene will be glad to see Lilian doing well."

Serene wasn't doing great. Back then, after she was gravely injured by Chaos's trap, she rushed to Casabianca before her wounds were healed and fought against Boulder using all her strength. At that point in time, she was basically at death's door. If it weren't for the fact that she was one of the archangels, perhaps now, Lilian could only recite poetry at her tombstone...

"Besides, it was also thanks to you, Your Majesty, that my operations in the Light Mainland were successful."

Lydia said, switching the topic and turning around with a grin. She gazed at Rhode wittily and proudly. Rhode realized the meaning behind her words and the corners of his lips perked up. His eyes glinted with an undetectable smile.

It could also be said that after Casabianca was destroyed, only Lydia was left to shoulder this responsibility. Even though Sonia was closer to Lilian in person, her identity was more like a secretary and nanny. On the other hand, Lydia was the only true, worthy person who grasped the entire situation. As of now, she was slowly annexing and reshaping the various regions and forces of the Light Mainland using the strength of the Munn Kingdom as well as the anti-parliament forces. It could also be said that right now, she held the highest authority in the entire Light Mainland, her power and prestige as the archangel reaching an unprecedented peak. But it was a pity that even though she seemed impressive, it wasn't able to change the fact that the forces in the Light Mainland were weakening drastically. Even though most battle angels were in her control and this core strength didn't suffer tragically in the previous calamity, apart from this, there wasn't any good news as there was only one archangel with battle strength left. The initial three archangels were already at a disadvantage in numbers going up against four of the legendary generals. Now that there was only one archangel, Lydia was at a disadvantage in all aspects. With Lydia alone, it was impossible for her to take on the four legendary generals. Meanwhile, Serene wouldn't be recovering her battle strength anytime soon, which left Lydia with a hard time.

One thing fortunate for her was that the massacre in Casabianca baffled the ambitious people who tried to take advantage of the crisis for personal gains. Initially, these people couldn't wait to announce their objectives of establishing an independent country to fulfill their desires. However, every single one of them shut their mouths completely after the war in Casabianca happened as they were afraid that Rhode would eradicate them by sending magic warships for a spin above their new city. The parliament failed to resist the magic warships using the devils, so how was it possible that those people could defend against Rhode?

Taking Rhode's original world for comparison, the current Void Territory was as though a strong military country with nuclear weapons, while Casabianca was as though the Hiroshima and Nagasaki that were bombed during World War II. The power of nuclear deterrence wasn't about how strong they were, but if they dared to drop them. And now, Rhode had clearly announced to the world that no matter if one was willing or forced, implicated or wronged, as long as one resisted the rule of the Creator Dragons, one would be killed. There would be no trials or wrongful execution. He would rather kill 99 innocent people than to let that one person off. That was the professionalism of the Void Territory.

Under such 'nuclear deterrence', those ambitious people were scared witless as they went around begging for help to express their respect for the Light Dragon, surging forward like an endless river and overflowing like the Yellow River, unable to be stopped...

What made things better was Rhode's identity. Even though anyone would be afraid of a huge massacre or the demon king's bloody cruelty, Lydia neither attacked nor participated in it, which allowed her to maintain a good reputation and image. As a result, it made working with her less pressurizing. If it were Rhode... those people would surely stay away from him as far as possible. But Rhode wasn't mindful at all as having others fearing him was better than them belittling him. He looked forward to the day when everyone in the continent was fearful of the Void Territory's threat as this would prove how powerful he was. On the contrary, who would even be afraid of a remote place like Barce that survived on their people being whistle blowers?

"I'm sure you didn't invite me here to only admire the view, right, Your Highness Lydia?"

Upon hearing Lydia's words, Rhode asked, returning to the main topic. Previously, after Lydia visited Lilian, she invited Rhode to the Golden City to admire the captivating scenery of autumn. Of course, Rhode didn't mind despite knowing that she definitely had an ulterior motive. He also didn't want to be a workaholic like Ion and wasn't interested in dominating a country. Judging from the description of the Void Territory as a 'territory', it clearly showed his attitude toward this. Therefore, he didn't refuse Lydia's invitation and came here to admire the scenery.

He had to admit that the view was indeed magnificent. The chestnuts were delicious too.

But that was the end of it. It was time to talk business.

Upon sensing the meaning behind his words, Lydia chuckled and extended her arm. Along with her movement, the fallen leaves and dust above the stone table and chairs glided off the surface cleanly. Then, a maid silently carried a tray with piping hot red tea, placing them on the table respectfully. Rhode took the opposite seat from Lydia, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Your Majesty, take a look at this vast, golden wheat field. Even though it faced disasters, it continues to welcome the harvest season. But even so, we need to be careful. After all, apart from the often changing weather, poisonous bugs and wild animals are also eyeing the crops. They can't wait to taste and gorge on them to ensure they can get through winter. This is the natural behavior of all living creatures, isn't it?"

"Of course, that is why we need to take precautionary measures. The livestock that the farmers raised painstakingly aren't meant to be fed to the pack of wolves and a faithful sheepdog is the guarantee of a shepherd's life..." Rhode said and came to a pause. Then, he gazed at the chuckling Lydia who, upon sensing his gaze, crossed her arms and squinted.

"That's right, Your Majesty. But of course, the pack of sly wolves will not launch their attacks on a herd of sheep. Instead, they will hide in the shadow patiently, stare at the sheep that was left out of the herd, and pounce altogether... In the darkness, they are more capable than anyone else because they are the most outstanding hunters."

"Oh?"

Rhode twitched his brows. However, he wasn't too surprised because he was used to Lydia always going off topic to express her standpoint and transmit information.

"What you meant is..."

"According to intelligence, it seems like the Country of Darkness intends to attack you."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Rhode's expression remained unchanged, but in his mind he had just cursed Ion's 18 generations of ancestors. It seemed like the Dark Dragon just couldn't stand idly by. Rhode sent Erin back to apply some eye drops for Ion, but now, he actually came to find trouble with Rhode before the eye drop was applied? However, what reassured Rhode was that judging from Lydia's tone, the Dark Dragon seemed to have decided to play dirty and not start an open war, which was an advantage for Rhode. After all, if they were to clash openly, Rhode was concerned that he might not be able to manage the situation. But now, since the Dark Dragon was playing dirty...

What a joke. Players were best at using dirty tricks in BOSS fights.

"Thanks for your reminder, Your Highness. It seems like I need to prepare gifts for my possible uninvited guests."

These weren't just polite words. In fact, it was an extremely challenging process to gather intelligence from the Country of Darkness, not even with a godlike person like Alice on his side. This was because the dragon soul protection over the Country of Darkness was extraordinarily powerful, which made it tough for Alice to investigate. Besides, he would rather not have the information since he was unsure if it was accurate. On the other hand, it was much easier to gather information in the Country of Light as everyone was human and planting spies was more painless. In the Country of Darkness, undead creatures roamed the streets, which made it an exceedingly dangerous task to become a spy there. Despite that, Rhode didn't know how Lydia was capable enough to lay out an intelligence web in the Country of Darkness. But he wasn't worried that Lydia would lie to him. Based on his understanding of her, the information would be highly accurate since she revealed it to him personally.

"But it is hard for me to imagine which sheep those wild animals with their tails tucked and hiding the shadows are interested in. I'm looking forward to it; maybe they will realize that the sheep was actually a wolf underneath that clothing?"

"I'm not too sure about that, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing Rhode's words, Lydia let out a chuckle. Then, she lifted the cup of tea and sipped the delicious and fragrant red tea. She narrowed her eyes proudly, gazing slyly and meaningfully at the man opposite her.

"But... Your Majesty, I'm pretty sure they have their ways as wolves attract one another. Although I know you love domesticating animals, you have to be careful to not get bitten on your hand, okay? That will be really painful."

"..."

This time, Rhode didn't answer immediately to Lydia's caution. Instead, he knitted his brows and pondered deeply for the meaning behind her words. It was apparent that the Country of Darkness was coming for him this time. Besides, according to Lydia, their target seemed to be an undead creature too. Currently, Rhode had three undead creatures on his side. Shira was definitely impossible and he wasn't even sure if the Country of Darkness knew about her existence. What about Sara? No, the possibility wasn't high. This Corpse Slave had been staying in the core region all day to monitor the territory and never interacted with outsiders. Besides, security measures in the core region were so strict that even the four legendary generals had to take the consequences. The only one left was...

Angelina?

Rhode was taken aback at this thought, but he had to admit that the chances were high. Angelina had strong desires for power and was a vampire. Even though Rhode trusted her to a certain degree, he forbade her from establishing her own family. After all, vampires didn't have a great reputation and their breeding method wasn't suitable to be used in places of humans. Moreover, regardless of her contributions, Rhode knew that she was somewhat dissatisfied with his decision. In his reputation chart, Angelina was only on the 'Respect' level toward him. She was his first card spirit with such a low level of affection toward him. If the Country of Darkness was aiming for her... Yes... she might be a problem.

But it was a pity that Ion didn't seem aware that Rhode and Angelina had signed a contract. This time, Rhode was sure that Ion would return with nothing. At this thought, Rhode felt reassured.

"Don't worry, if the wolves don't change their ways, I don't mind teaching them a lesson."

Rhode said, lifting his head and gazing at Lydia.

"Thank you, Your Highness Lydia. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known about this."

"Huhuhu, you flatter me, Your Majesty Rhode. I'm sure you're aware of everything that is happening in the Void Territory, right?"

Lydia laughed at Rhode's gratitude. Then, she looked at him and winked playfully.

"Alright then, Your Majesty... since I have given you such interesting intelligence, don't you think you should return the favor?"

"What you meant is..."

Rhode was slightly surprised. Upon observing his expression, Lydia revealed a cunning smile. She lifted a finger to her lips and made a pondering expression. After a few moments, as though making up her mind, she said with a smile.

"It is really simple, Your Majesty Rhode. I'm not asking for too much, so... how about a kiss?"

"This..."

Rhode was dumbfounded.