Surprised?!

Tina saw once again the tall city walls and towering spires of her hometown.

The emotions surging within me were almost uncontrollable.

Months ago, she embarked on a journey to the Empire, dedicating her meager strength to the beleaguered Goth. She traveled secretly, evading detection, was hunted by elves, betrayed by the Empire, then abandoned her mission and went to the north of the Empire to gather volunteer troops... and finally reached her destination.

Her hometown, Goth's capital, Danfeng Lucerne.

This is where Teldrassil's ancestors and the first pioneering knights arrived. They established the first towns here, exploring and building this wild yet fertile land. Generation after generation, until today, Goth has long since become a strong and great nation, creating its own glory.

But everything has an end, and royal power cannot last forever.

But at least, at least in Danfeng Lucerne today, people have hope, not despair.

Although a considerable degree of martial law remained in place, there were still pedestrians in the city, and commercial activities had not stopped, or rather, had resumed. Soldiers patrolled with high morale, and mage towers shone with a reassuring glow. Young people from various universities, including Saint Covelo, were giving speeches throughout the streets. Along the way, Tina even heard the Valentan Declaration four or five times, which made Tina both proud and saddened.

Over the months, the war situation has gone from pessimism to despair, and then to hope. The two people most often mentioned are Princess Tina, the Kang De Cathayan.

The latter is mysterious and astonishing, while the former excites and fills every Goth People with pride. Princess Tina, who saw through the imperial schemes and built a large army in the north, was previously a perfect woman renowned throughout the continent for her beauty and erudition. Therefore, her current transformation makes the Goth People even more fervent and reverent.

If Princess Tina were to return to Danfeng Lucerne at this very moment, she would surely be met with a frenzy of support and welcome from the Goth People... But for some reason, Tina did not do so. She contacted the court almost as if she were fleeing, and secretly returned to her home as if she were running away.

Because she didn't know if she could face the pure love, support, and cheers of her fellow countrymen.

This world is insane, evil, and devoid of light, forcing innocent people to make cruel decisions. There are no perfect solutions, no right or wrong; those who make the decisions will bear the consequences alone with their souls.

No, actually... I'm not alone.

"My daughter, though the journey has been long, you have finally returned home... Welcome back."

Although the people did not give you a grand welcome, your family will always be waiting for you to come back with open arms.

Archduke Reknos-Teldrassil of Goth embraced her.

In that instant, tears welled up and flowed freely. Sometimes, a father's embrace is the last haven where a girl can cry without restraint. There had been so much bitterness and sorrow along the way that she had nowhere to confide in. Just a few months ago, she was a carefree and innocent princess, but in a short period of time, she experienced betrayal and death, and then became stained with blood and thrown into the battlefield of slaughter... She finally returned home.

The Grand Duke gently embraced her, patting her back. His once meticulously combed blond hair was now slightly withered and pale, and his handsome face appeared thin. Only his well-trimmed beard and deep gaze supported his monarchical majesty. His strong body embraced Tina like a lion embracing a cub.

But sadness also came along with it.

For a father, nothing is more painful than being unable to protect his children.

The father and daughter each savored their own sorrow until Tina's sobs subsided and she gradually calmed down. The Grand Duke continued to comfort her, saying, "It's all over now, everything will be alright..."

"... Um."

With a heavy nasal tone, Tina lowered her head, left her father's embrace, and wiped her face. She was already a strong girl and wouldn't cry until she fainted. After venting her emotions, she slowly calmed down.

Looking at her, the Grand Duke felt a mixture of heartache and amusement, and teased, "It really breaks my heart, little Tina. It seems your father's embrace can no longer make you cry your heart out. You've found a better doll, one that's more comfortable to hold, and one that makes you cry more freely... Is that so?"

Tina blushed and lowered her head even further.

Regardless, being teased about something like this in front of one's father is still embarrassing.

"That's not bad." The Grand Duke, with his sharp eyes, nodded upon seeing this, then sighed softly, "It seems you still like him quite a bit... That puts my mind at ease."

Tina whispered, "Father..."

"Alright, Tina, at least this doesn't break my principles, sparing me from painful choices and decisions. My daughter, forgive me for having responsibilities to this country as your father, so whether as a father or as Goth's ruler, I must ask you..."

The Grand Duke took a step back, looked at his daughter, and said earnestly, "When will that boy you chose, that Cathayan Kang De, come to Danfeng Lucerne? For both personal and professional reasons, I need to see him as soon as possible."

"He..."

Tina avoided her father's gaze and looked down at her feet. "He wrote to me, and I replied. He said whether or not to negotiate depends on us, and I invited him to Danfeng Lucerne... He'll leave as soon as he receives the letter."

"I understand. I also received a letter from this friend from Cathay. His wording was very polite, revealing the calm and detachment of a Cathay philosopher, as if his reasons for helping Goth were simple, without any other desire for power or wealth... Considering the Valentan Speech that has spread throughout Goth, and the charm of my beloved daughter, I am willing to set aside the rulers' suspicions and believe in romance and love."

He gently brushed a strand of hair from his daughter's cheek, his eyes filled with tenderness. "If he truly loves you that much, even forever, then entrusting Goth to him and you is perfectly acceptable. If he saved Goth from the brink of destruction, then any way of thanking him is entirely justified."

Tina whispered, "Father, he probably has no interest in ruling Goth."

"That's going to be a headache."

The Grand Duke scratched his head in slight distress. "It seems the gods' test of me is not over yet... My precious darling, from the moment you were born, I have been thinking about your future. If any brat dares to intrude into your life, I will give him countless trials and breaths Long Yi, until he passes countless tests and intimidation with sincerity, only then will I hand you over to him..."

As he said this, a subtle displeasure crossed his face. "But back then, I couldn't have imagined that things would turn out this way. The man who was about to become my son-in-law was also the man who was about to save my country. I had to pay him the highest respects and express my gratitude, yet he showed absolutely no interest in my power and wealth..."

In other words...

Grand Duke Reknos clutched his chest in a slightly exaggerated manner, his rich facial expressions and two neatly trimmed, sword-like eyebrows twitching comically, completely devoid of any semblance of majesty.

He said sadly, "That means it won't be long before a reserved and calm Cathayan sits before me. He will stare at me like the Great Lake Yisi Is, answering 'Yes, Your Highness' to everything I say. It will be impolite for me to show even the slightest dissatisfaction with him for taking my daughter away. I can't threaten him, I can't speak harshly, I'll lack any fatherly authority, and he won't be aware of his role as a son-in-law. The Taidariel Family will welcome a Stella II..."

Seeing her father's familiar, playful expression and his comical tone, so different from his usual stern demeanor, Tina couldn't help but smile, "Second sister, it's not like that at all. Kang De is quite funny too..."

"Oh, that's even worse. I have a feeling this kid's going to be tough. We absolutely mustn't let him get involved with your second sister. Maybe we should stir things up and let those two fight it out..."

"What kind of father is this...?"

"You don't understand yet, Tina. This is the art of ruling. You still have a long way to go. You must know that a qualified ruler will never allow two unstable factors under his rule to combine into one, otherwise the family status of the male members of the sacred Taidariel Family will collectively drop by one rank..."

Finally back to the familiar rhythm, as family, the atmosphere within the family was cheerful and pleasant, and Tina's smile gradually became genuine, forgetting her previous sadness.

Listening to my father's amusing complaints, I reminisced about the carefree life I once lived.

"Come on, girl, Stella and Landisidun are eagerly waiting to see you..."

"Um."

"But then again... Tina?"

"Father?"

"I want to say that although he might be a tough kid to deal with, and I don't know how to approach him in this awkward situation, anyway... whatever you like, I like."

"..."

Tina stopped and lowered her head.

Her voice trembled slightly with tears. "Thank you, Father... and I'm sorry."

"Why apologize? You've done more than enough, more than enough." The Grand Duke gently patted his daughter's head, just like when she was a child. "Daughter doesn't need to apologize to her father."

Tina bit her lip. Humans are emotional beings, and sometimes reason can't control everything. She whispered, "Father, there's intelligence that the Elf Expeditionary Force has been mobilized..."

"Oh, we've heard about that too. The General Staff is conducting simulations and analyses, but in any case, Danfeng Lucerne's defenses have never been relaxed and have been continuously reinforced... Tina, this is the safest haven, because here, I will fulfill all my responsibilities as a father."

Tina fell silent and walked with her father through the familiar palace, her home.

But my heart has already drifted far, far away.

"By the way, where's your aunt?"

"My aunt dropped me off and then left. I asked her to go see Kang De and escort him... I originally planned to let her rest a bit and meet everyone before going, but she said she didn't really want to see you and everyone else, it would be too much trouble..."

"She's still the same as before... but I'm still happy she came, after all, she doesn't belong here... she didn't have to get involved in this mess."

"Yes..."

Tina stopped and glanced in the direction of Valentan. Her aunt should have left by now... Father was right, you didn't have to get involved in this mess.

Meanwhile, nestled among the peaks, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow turned to look in the direction of Danfeng Lucerne. Tina must have gone back by now... As her aunt, she still had to run errands to pick up a nephew-in-law.

"You're ordering me around..." she scoffed, "Be careful you don't actually steal me away, anyway..."

She shook her head haphazardly and continued on her journey from Danfeng Lucerne to Valenta; the road was rather long.

In Valentan, it was already the second day. Kang De had read the letter for the fifth time, then carefully put it away. Such a rare treasure should be framed and passed down to future generations so that every elementary school student could read it.

"Really..."

He looked north. "When will Tina arrive...?"

He then looked in all directions. "Those extraterrestrial enemies, come quickly!"

Let's not bump into each other.

"Your Highness," Hong San leaped onto the roof and said, "It's all arranged. We've sent people in several directions and spread the news. After analyzing the strategic situation, we've calculated Princess Tina and her group's possible routes and have positioned ourselves at various points. We should be able to meet them in advance."

Kang De crossed his legs. "Hmm... that's good. Hopefully, we can get rid of those troublemakers before Tina arrives... Alright, let's Godot here."

Who is Godot?

"It's... Ugh, that's not a good joke."

As he said this, a lingering shadow of unease crossed his eyes. "They'll come..."

"Hello--"

Tagelise, who appeared out of nowhere, waved from below, his smile carefree.

Kang De rolled his eyes at his smile, "Alright... don't worry, if he's lying to me, I'll personally award him an Oscar... He'll be there."

He shrugged.

Very, very far away, several shooting stars streaked across the sky and descended upon the earth.

The sky and earth changed color, thunder roared, and the temporary altar, marked with inscriptions, was a huge circle with intricate and mysterious patterns. The light dissipated, and the array on the ground was scorched by intense fire. The hooded man who had instructed his subordinates to deliver intelligence to Tina a few days ago ignored the dirt and heat on the ground and knelt down devoutly.

Three figures emerged from the dust.

"The underworld, with its eternally foul air, and its short-lived mud-blooded beings that can never stand up."

The figures emerging from the clouds were quite interesting: an old man, a young boy, and a middle-aged man, seemingly representing three generations. However, no one would mistake them for a family of three generations, because the youngest and thinnest child had a cruel smile on his face, his expression gloomy and arrogant. He possessed a terrifying aura that made people disregard his age even when they saw him.

He surveyed his surroundings; it was deserted. He scoffed, "Is this where it is? Where's the wine? Where are the women? Where are the slaves? Why weren't these prepared?"

The hooded man shuddered, about to speak, when the old man beside him said, "The mission is of utmost importance."

"A mission? It's just a drive. How much trouble can Cathayan, one who hasn't elicited any unusual reaction from the Star Palace? Only those old-fashioned guys would make such a fuss."

The Little Boy scoffed, "Having come to the lower realm, shouldn't we find some fun?"

The old man's voice was calm, yet unwavering. "First, find that Cathayan and make him turn against the elves. See what he's capable of. Then clean up the mess. After that, check the seal. There's no time for your boring, disgusting games."

The Little Boy's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't speak; instead, his expression grew increasingly gloomy.

Just then, the middle-aged man, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "... I feel like something's not right, I can't quite put my finger on it... Mudblood, are you sure no one's following you?"

The hooded man remained kneeling humbly, and no one asked him to get up; he himself felt it was only right to do so.

"Your Majesty, no, your humble servant can confirm that no one noticed my presence," he said respectfully. "In fact, there was this consideration in inviting you gentlemen to this desolate place. If you gentlemen wish to find some amusement, then I..."

The middle-aged man ignored him, still frowning. "Something's still not right..."

"Hey, Mengdi, it's just that you're new to the mortal realm and not used to it yet," the Little Boy said. "Do you think this is hundreds of years ago? That guy who could monitor the heavens is long gone. Let's go, find some fun, play with some women, kill some Mudbloods, make some specimen art, and then you'll forget..."

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged man suddenly turned his head and looked at him, his gaze sharp and intense.

What did you just say?

The Little Boy was startled, then frowned and said, "Looking for some fun..."

"No, the previous sentence!"

"That guy who can monitor the heavens has long ago..."

The middle-aged man's expression finally changed, but it was too late. The next moment, the nonchalant Little Boy and the calm old man both showed expressions of disbelief and looked up at the sky in unison.

In an instant, the previously gathered dark clouds were swept away, and crimson flames ruled the sky. A line of fire shot out from the clouds like a streak of light, and the cry of a phoenix resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

The enemy from the heavens stared in shock at the wildly flying flames.

They saw the Sourcefire Heavy Armor, which flowed with Heraclitus Flame Runes; they saw the Undying King's Halberd, which once defied the heavens and swept away the Void Spirit; they saw the Divine Phoenix Wings wreathed in raging flames, with nine phoenix tail feathers dripping with golden fire; and the king, bearing the blood of the phoenix, soaring through the sky.

Impossible.

That would never happen.

It's already clear that...

But what was happening before their eyes was not an illusion. Blazing Flame burned in the sky, but the souls of the three extraterrestrial visitors could feel the terrifying heat and the scorching killing intent.

"It's you!" Mengdi roared, transforming into a whirlwind, "Phoenix King Malegith!"

The king, with its fiery wings and fluttering phoenix feathers, had already swooped down.

The Flame at the tip of the halberd, like a wildfire, instantly dominated the sky, descended upon the earth, and transformed into a fiery domain that incinerated everything, firmly enveloping this area, isolating it from the outside world, and sealing off all traces of life.

Only the king's clear, resounding cry, like a phoenix soaring through the heavens, echoed throughout the world.

"--A hunky guy suddenly appears!"

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PS1: Five thousand words... How about that! Surprised? Unexpected?