Conspiracy and Transcending Fate

"It's intelligence regarding the military deployment and mobilization of the elven invading forces."

Military intelligence.

Tina nodded, not surprised at all.

Since reaching an agreement with the nobles and wealthy merchants in the northern part of the empire, her popularity has been growing. This mercenary force, which volunteers to assist Goth in his battles, has received full support from the people of the northern empire. In addition to a large influx of new soldiers and a steady stream of supplies, the most important support has been intelligence.

Money can move mountains. Driven by the profit motive of exploiting the masses, the bigwigs spared no expense in hiring assassin organizations and groups of sorcerers to infiltrate Goth and gather military intelligence.

Under the pervasive prying eyes of the stealth walkers and eagle-eyed mages, Tina can always get precious information support one step ahead. Because the leek has not yet been harvested, the greedy predators hope that she can last a little longer - otherwise, a battle will be wiped out. How can everyone make money by manipulating the stock price?

Therefore, this volunteer force aiding Goth received support from all sectors of the empire almost every day, creating a magnificent scene of a shared destiny for mankind. It seemed that every human being was indignant about the elves' invasion and willing to do their part for Princess Tina's path to protecting the country.

We receive intelligence reports like this, which reveal the various military operations of the elves, almost every day.

Tina took the vetted intelligence report from the intelligence officer.

--Because we receive intelligence every day, we have to make necessary screenings. After all, the value of intelligence varies, and some is true while others are false. Moreover, we cannot rule out the possibility that cunning elves might use our schemes to set traps.

She nodded slightly. "Thank you for your hard work."

The officer bowed his head deeply. "It is my honor."

Back in the tent, Tina unfurled the scroll, Sword Saint Cascading Snow asked, "Military intelligence? Didn't the invading army slow their offensive and await further orders? What other intelligence is there?"

Tina glanced at it a few times, a smile appearing on her lips, followed by a hint of worry.

The Sword Saint observed this and asked, "What?"

Tina replied, "The deployment pattern remains the same. Most of the elven legions have already stationed themselves in nearby cities, while large-scale combat groups continue to disperse. Field battles and siege offensives in various locations have essentially ceased..."

"Have something to eat." The Sword Saint Cascading Snow pushed the wooden plate on the table, then said disdainfully, "The elves are terrified. They've retreated into the city, taking Goth civilians hostage, and scattered their main forces to avoid being suddenly attacked by your husband and having the Battle of Valentan repeated... They're afraid too."

Tina blushed, but didn't refute a particular subtle word, or rather, she didn't have time to refute it. She didn't sit down to eat either, but continued, "Besides, the elves are still reinforcing their troops. New signs of feed shipments have been discovered at the docks of several port cities. It's not the golden glutinous rice and spiritwood used to feed land beasts, but the dried spirit herbs used to feed pegasus and griffins. In other words, the elves have deployed a large number of air troops."

As she read the scroll, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. "Recently unloaded cargo, including heavy supplies, was tightly packed and transported by mages, resembling some kind of heavy magical equipment..."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow for a moment, then sneered again, "Air Force, heavy magical equipment—they're probably still keeping an eye on your husband. After all, intelligence about the Battle of Valentan has already spread. Everyone knows that your husband rode a giant eagle out of the city to unleash Forbidden Spell and summon longswords of light to bombard the earth. They're probably planning to defend against and intercept that... Heh, the mighty Dusk Moon Dynasty, forced to this point by a human."

Tina held the scroll, lost in thought and remained silent.

As the only two survivors of the Glittering Sand Incident, she and Kang De both underwent tremendous and painful growth, and the couple acquired a common trait: suspicion.

They are no longer easily fooled.

"What's on your mind?"

Faced with her aunt's question, Tina snapped out of her reverie, pursed her lips slightly, and then said, "The elves' preparations must go beyond this. I think, are they targeting Kang De...?"

"No doubt about it, otherwise, given the strength of the invading army, who would they need to be wary of?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow casually picked up a piece of soft toasted bread, dipped it in lamb broth, and put it in his mouth, saying indistinctly, "Only a military attack like Kang De's, which is completely unexpected and powerful, is the source of their fear and apprehension. This type of attack means that all the elven invading army's field troops, even their fleet, ports, and even their homeland, become unsafe."

"That's why they slowed their offensive, that's why they considered seeking peace... How awkward! They can't run away, and they dare not fight. They can only stay in the city and then draw air force from the mainland for defense."

At this point, a look of satisfaction appeared on the Sword Saint's face. Such a matter deserved a hearty toast, so she picked up the bowl and gulped down several large mouthfuls of soup.

The broth was incredibly delicious, made with top-notch ingredients, spices, and chef. Drinking this warm soup in the slightly chilly morning light was a treat for both the stomach and the body. The Sword Saint let out a satisfied sigh and slammed the bowl back onto the table with practiced ease, a gesture clearly indicative of his frequent heavy drinking.

She was about to praise the cook when she realized that her niece had already eaten more than half of the meal she had prepared, and she looked embarrassed.

However, Tina didn't pay any attention, and didn't even notice.

Her Highness remained frowning. Her aunt's words did not reassure her, because Glittering Sand's experience had instilled in her a habit of always preparing for the worst.

Her voice was filled with worry as she whispered, "If they've made these arrangements not to guard against a possible surprise attack by Kang De... but rather to actively encircle and attack Kang De?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow casually wiped his mouth, then paused, taken aback by the words. He reached for the intelligence scroll, glanced at it, and chuckled, "I know you're worried about him, but there's no need to be so sensitive."

She rose and walked to the Goth map hanging in the tent. She reached out and grasped it, and the air turned cold, slowly solidifying into icicles. The Sword Saint Cascading Snow raised her hand and hurled the icicles, which embedded themselves in the map, marking the numerous elven troops that the intelligence had indicated had been mobilized, as well as the transport ports where goods were being unloaded and transported.

"Did you see that? The Dusk Warband and the other five Dragon Banner Warband were wiped out. The military strength along the southern Valentan front is extremely weak, with only a few ragtag auxiliary legions cowering in the south. Besides that, a huge military vacuum has emerged around Valentan..."

She pointed her finger and said, "You're saying the elves want to actively besiege Kang De? Let's not even talk about whether they have the guts to do it. Even if they did, where would their troops be? Without mobilizing the army to coordinate, the heavy magical artifacts that have been transported here are useless. Do you think they can deal with Kang De with just an air force? Won't he just run away?"

At this point, she glanced at Tina beside her. "Furthermore, I've heard that the envoy to Valentan this time is Duke of Tiling Tagelise, the younger brother of the Phoenix King, a renowned legendary elven mage. If the elves have ill intentions, Tagelise himself will figure out how to act... You're being too suspicious."

Tina remained silent.

"Oh, silly girl."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow sighed, placed his hands on Tina's face, and rubbed them vigorously, making the girl's beautiful, azure eyes look at him with a cute surprise and struggle.

Then, looking at her niece, she said earnestly, "In short, relax. The elves mobilized these magical artifacts and troops here for military defense. As for you, Battle Axe Princess, if you don't intend to let Kang De truly understand the origin of this ridiculous nickname, then I advise you to recall your previous naive and adorable foolishness, and to rein in your iron-fisted, suspicious, cunning, and ruthless nature."

"So as not to scare him later..."

"Do you understand?"

Looking at Tina, whose eyes wavered and cheeks flushed, she continued to rub the other's face, "In other words, Your Highness, the war has changed. Your goal in battle is no longer to perish together with the elves and give the world a great surprise, but to keep an eye on your husband."

"To prevent him from being snatched away by some Empress of Cathay or some Crimson Queen, and besides, the Dusk Moon Dynasty has invested so much, they probably wouldn't mind adding another elven bitch to the mix."

"Silly girl, you're in for a lot of trouble in the future. Right now, the monarchs of all the countries are probably green with envy for you and your father. If a princess can bring such a humanoid Forbidden Spell to their side, even the emperors of the Human Empire would want to send all their daughters over..."

Tina, her face flushed, listened intently. Upon hearing this, she protested, "It's not that simple! My relationship with Kang De isn't that superficial..."

"Oh ho ho, you're quite confident now. Well then, let me ask you, what if some random bitch suddenly appears out of nowhere and tries to steal your husband? What will you do then?"

"I... I..."

"What do you mean, 'you' and 'me'? Are you a goose?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow said with exasperation, "Of all the women in the Taidariel Family, only you have such a weak and meek personality. Any one of your sisters would have torn them to shreds on the spot. Tell me, if your sister came to steal your man, what would you do? Would you still cry?"

Tina instinctively exclaimed, "No way!"

"Why not? Such a good catch, loyal and righteous, strong and tough, I'd want to snatch him away myself, let alone them." The Sword Saint Cascading Snow squeezed Tina's hands harder, making her start to whimper in pain.

So, show your domineering side!

She shook her head repeatedly. "Where did your spirit of chopping off elves' heads go? Where did your ruthlessness go when you gave that speech mobilizing the entire army to personally turn dozens of spies into mincemeat? If any little hussy tries to steal your man, show her that same ferocity and tear her apart, let her know you're not someone to be trifled with!"

Tina finally managed to break free from the clutches, covering her face and muttering, "They told me to tone it down..."

"Fool!"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow smacked her on the head. "Two different things! In front of your husband, you're naturally a shy, introverted, yet passionate and proactive elegant young lady. But in front of those lecherous hussies, you're the Battle Axe Princess who can confidently crack open an elf's head with an axe! Don't you understand that?"

Tina clutched her head, looking aggrieved, and said, "Oh..."

However, his voice still sounded slightly weak, revealing hesitation and retreat.

The Sword Saint made a move to strike, but then noticed the dejection and sigh in Tina's eyes. A thought struck her, and she slowly lowered her hand, looking earnestly at her niece. "What's wrong?"

The princess slowly began to shed tears again.

She whispered, "I want to see him, I want to hold him and cry my heart out, but I also don't want to see him, I'm afraid to see him... Aunt, do I really have to do this? To declare myself his wife without thinking, and then to run to see him without thinking, to assume the role of his wife, to tie him to Goth, to fight for Goth..."

At this point, a look of immense panic and confusion flashed in the girl's eyes.

Kang De's miraculous performance and victories in Valentan shook the continent, rewrote the course of Goth's war, and gave the struggling Goth a chance to catch his breath... But for Tina, it was a mixture of pain and joy.

She had previously believed that Kang De was dead, and fueled by immense hatred and rage towards the elves, the empire, and even the world, she opened Pandora's box, creating a colossal mess.

Using a Ponzi scheme combined with many of Kang De's ideas, and her understanding of these ideas, she exploited human greed to weave an unprecedentedly massive conspiracy...

In her script, when the deception could no longer continue and ultimately led to a chain reaction of destruction, she was already facing destruction alongside Teldrassil, without having to consider the consequences of reckoning.

But now, Kang De has turned the tide, using Forbidden Spell to intimidate the elves and reverse the course of this war, which was destined to end badly. This not only signifies the dawn of peace but also means that the deception will continue.

When the truth is revealed and the scam is exposed, the anger and hatred of those who have suffered heavy losses will be directed at Goth and Teldrassil. With such high investment amounts and expected returns, who will be held responsible for this fraud at that time?

The thought of this filled Tina with indescribable pain and confusion.

She knew that Kang De would take on all of this without hesitation and help her find a solution.

But can she really accept Kang De cleaning up this mess for her without feeling guilty?

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow slowly embraced Tina.

This once carefree Pearl of Goth has been undergoing a brutal transformation in just a few months.

Although the Sword Saint was strong, he was still just a man with a sword. While Tina was frantically swindling and deceiving to develop her downline and robbing Peter to pay Paul, she had been watching from the sidelines, marveling at the madness and horror of her niece's methods, and also feeling that once this method spread, it would definitely cause endless trouble.

At that time, Goth was in a critical situation and his country was about to perish. For the Taidariel Family, the country and the family were actually the same. Every member would defend the country until death, including the Sword Saint Cascading Snow, who had already decided to die - since he was destined to die, why should he be afraid of causing more trouble? After I die, who cares about the flood?

But now... it's really awkward.

Even the Sword Saint Cascading Snow was horrified by the terrifying astronomical figures and the enormous number of investors.

This mess can't be solved with a single sword.

Therefore, she understood Tina's distress, regret, and confusion at this moment.

This mess is just too big. With Tina's thick skin, she would never do something like seducing Kang De to clean it up for her. That would not only be opportunistic, but also despicable.

"Actually..."

Tina, nestled in his arms, murmured, "It wouldn't be bad if I could take my sister away..."

His plain words carried a faint hint of suicidal intent.

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow was startled, his hands tightening around her. "Don't say that!"

Tina didn't say anything.

The Sword Saint raised his head, took a deep breath, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Since this method was his idea, perhaps he has a way to deal with it... Teldrassil is a man of principle, always repaying kindness and grudges. If he can help us with this, we will definitely do our best to repay him... As long as we're alive, we'll always find a way to settle the score!"

The princess trembled slightly, remaining silent for a long time before finally letting out a soft "hmm."

Kang De's strategic deterrence, the war was called to a halt. The elves ceased all large-scale offensives, switched to defense, and awaited further instructions. The entire Goth battlefield fell silent.

Yet, beneath the silence, undercurrents still surged. The elves would not admit defeat, especially since the war was initiated by the pro-war faction. If they were to give up easily, it would inevitably invite a full-scale counterattack from the pro-peace faction.

No one wants to bear such consequences and responsibilities.

Therefore, the behind-the-scenes conspiracies, struggles, and efforts continue.

While the pro-war faction feigned being forced to agree to peace talks, the council leaders were still seeking ways and tactics to continue the war. They believed this was just a new political struggle and challenge, and were convinced that the elves would win, and that the other side was just a mere human who possessed special powers and was arrogant for a moment.

What they didn't know was that the parliament's efforts, the backroom deals, the pro-war faction's attempts and strategies, the strategic deceptions and schemes—what seemed like another power struggle within the Twilight Moon factions—were actually being pushed and manipulated by a mysterious force unknown to them, both overtly and covertly.

"Has the intelligence been delivered?"

"Yes, Princess Tina received it personally."

In an imperial city hundreds of miles away from this mercenary legion, a chess player received the message he wanted. On a larger chessboard, he might have been just a piece, but now, he was the one playing the game.

"That's good, I'll leave this place to you."

The hooded figure, his face hidden in the Shadow, stood up. "A day later, send over the new intelligence. Tell Princess Tina that the Elf Expeditionary Force will launch a surprise attack on Goth's capital. Only then will she seek help from Kang De, and the Forbidden Spell will believe it..."

At this point, a cold smile appeared on his lips hidden beneath his hood, "What will happen then? The Cathayan will be furious, believing they have been deceived by the elves. They will either fight the envoys, rush to the aid of Goth's capital under cover of darkness, or go straight to the elven homeland to retaliate."

"The first scenario is that he and Duke of Tiling will both be severely injured, and then he will be caught red-handed by the officials who come to arrest him. The second scenario is that the Elven Skywalker forces that have rushed to his aid from their homeland will give him a big surprise, and then the officials will clean up the mess... no, make the mess even more chaotic."

"And the third possibility... ha, the Dusk Moon Dynasty will suffer unprecedented damage and blows."

"No matter what, we'll always be the ultimate winners."

The richly dressed nobleman standing to the side bowed humbly. If Tina were here, she would definitely recognize him; he was one of the most powerful and influential figures in the northern part of the empire.

Now, however, they are as obsequious as servants. "Yes, we are always the ultimate winners."

"Alright, I'll leave this to you. Continue to support our poor little princess in protecting the country. Hope after despair, despair after hope—this is the tragic fate of mortals."

The hooded man sighed, "Therefore, transcending fate is our eternal pursuit and belief."

The other party replied respectfully, "Yes, transcending fate."

"Speaking of which..." the hooded man recalled something, "That so-called shareholding, you did a good job, actually coming up with this method. As expected of the most intelligent Goth Princess... Goth is destined to perish, and this princess probably won't live much longer either. We could learn from her method to make the empire even more chaotic."

The other party nodded and said, "Yes... We've made a great harvest. This isn't the end yet. When it ends, many minor nobles and merchants will go bankrupt, and we can even take the opportunity to buy up their properties at low prices. This method is truly ingenious."

"Yes, this would be very beneficial for us, and we could even consider other approaches... You can think about it some more; I should go now."

Having said that, the hooded man's figure vanished into the wisps of smoke.

"It's time to prepare for the arrival of these great lords in the mortal realm..."

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PS1: 5500. The second day of trying to sleep again. I haven't been able to fall asleep until dawn these past two days... Goodnight, goodnight.