"I remember now." Diana suddenly opened her beautiful eyes and gave an inexplicable reminder. "Xi Nian, get ready!"
"Ready? Ready for what?"
Xi Nian turned to glance at his aunt and discovered that the one-shoulder, slit white dress she wore had changed into her crimson armored battle dress. A shield and silver sword were strapped to her back, while the tiara and bracelets on her forehead and wrists gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
"Auntie, you..." Xi Nian abruptly turned back in alarm, but his rushed words quickly died away.
The many tourists on the deck were still sightseeing and chatting, yet not a single one looked toward Diana after her change of clothes. It was as if, in everyone else's eyes, they no longer existed on the deck.
"Don't worry. They can't see us." As Diana spoke, she reached out and directly picked Xi Nian up. Raising the Golden Lasso in her right hand, she slightly crouched into a stance to gather strength.
Xi Nian realized what his aunt was about to do and cried out, "Wait! I'm not mentally prepared yet!"
Before Xi Nian had finished speaking, Diana had already leaped forward with decisive force, clearing dozens of meters beyond the cruise ship.
Just as the two were about to land on the sea, Diana swung the Golden Rope forward, looped it around a cresting wave in the distance, and pulled herself onward with its force, soaring high over the sea again!
It looked as though they were speeding across the ocean's surface, violently kicking up waves and ripples in their wake.
"Look! What's that?"
The tourists on deck all looked toward the sea ahead of the cruise ship. They could only see a straight white trail, mistaking it for some kind of tuna or other marine creature as they watched the white arrow of water rapidly vanish at the far end of the Aegean Sea.
Diana was like a humanoid fighter jet diving at low altitude above the ocean. Xi Nian, held in her arms, pulled a pair of wind goggles from his pocket and put them on. Only then could he open his eyes against the fierce gale rushing at him.
The sea visibly streamed backward on both sides of them. The yacht was soon left far behind before ultimately disappearing from sight. Across the vast ocean, only Diana and Xi Nian continued their diving flight.
And so.
They traveled toward an unknown destination for ten kilometers, perhaps even a hundred.
Until—
With a soft "pop," Diana carried Xi Nian through an invisible barrier.
Xi Nian's eyes widened. The endless deep-blue sea before them abruptly transformed into a lighter, crystal-clear expanse of turquoise water!
Amid enormous reefs standing like ranks of guarding soldiers, a majestic archipelago rested in the deepest part of those waters. The largest and most central island was ringed by beaches like golden quicksand. Inside rose towering mountains, and upon their peaks and cliffs stood numerous white temples and sanctuaries in the style of ancient Greece!
A great waterfall crowned the mountain range like a coronet, plunging down with magnificent force and forming a dazzling rainbow halo!
Diana did not need to explain. Xi Nian knew the moment he saw it.
This was the legacy of the Olympian Old Gods, a dreamlike paradise island isolated from the human world and free from worldly conflict!
Themyscira!
On the beach of Themyscira that faced the outer sea.
A group of wild female warriors dressed in ancient Greek-style leather armor and battle gear, armed with bows, metal spears, and other cold weapons, watched the unknown presence rapidly approaching through the nearby waters in a trail like an arrow of spray. They immediately raised their shields, drew their bows, and aimed their cold, sharp spearheads and sword points outward in unison!
At their head, a female general sat astride a powerful black horse, a Silver Longsword in hand. Her expression was resolute and stern, her exposed muscles bronze-colored, and her aura of dominance and killing intent surpassed that of most men!
Just as the Amazons were preparing to attack the intruders.
The female general stared at the increasingly close intruders, suddenly shuddered, and shouted, "Everyone, lower your weapons!"
"General?" "What...?"
The female warriors did not understand, but they still obeyed and put away their weapons.
Tap, tap!
One intruder—no, two intruders—arrived on the beach of Themyscira from the outer waters at incredible speed.
When they saw the armored woman wearing the coronet unique to the Amazon Royal Family, the Amazon warriors froze in astonishment. Then, with immense excitement, they placed their hands over their chests and dropped to one knee to show their loyalty and support—
"Your Highness!"
"Princess Diana, is that really you?" The female general dismounted from her black horse. Her entire body trembled as she asked in disbelief.
Diana set Xi Nian down from her arms and hurried forward, unable to hide her joy. "Yes, Antiope, Auntie. I'm back."
The two embraced tightly.
A smile appeared on Xi Nian's face. He tactfully stayed to one side, not disturbing his aunt's reunion with her family.
Antiope's formerly stern face was full of delight. She patted Diana's back and said excitedly, "Good, good, good! It's good that you're back! Your mother, every member of the Amazon people, and I have all been hoping and waiting for your return!"
"Mother... is she well?" Diana asked softly.
"She's very well, though she misses you terribly too." Antiope smiled and urged, "Hurry back to the palace with me. Let your mother and the others see you!"
"Antiope, wait a moment first." Diana shook her head.
At that moment, the Amazons present had already turned their eyes toward Xi Nian behind Diana, focusing on him in unison.
"A human?"
Many of the female warriors instinctively showed sharp looks of rejection and hostility.
"Princess Diana." Antiope looked at Xi Nian nearby, her expression returning to its previous stern indifference. "You should know that outsiders are not permitted to set foot on Themyscira. Much less a male human!"
Antiope then addressed Xi Nian. "Who are you?"
"I, I'm..." Xi Nian hesitated. Facing General Antiope and the fierce, stern Amazon warriors, he suddenly did not know how to describe his identity.
The most appropriate answer would be Diana's—adopted son?
In truth, Xi Nian had always instinctively rejected the identity of adopted son. That was why he had called Diana Auntie since childhood, and Diana had tacitly accepted the form of address.
But if he did not use the identity of her adopted son now, if he did not claim to be Diana's family, then there was clearly no way he could get past the Amazons.
Just as Xi Nian hesitated indecisively, Diana stepped forward.
Diana did not offer any explanation. Her exquisite, peerless face remained calm. Standing close before Xi Nian, she suddenly raised both hands and removed the coronet that marked her status.
"Princess Diana, what are you doing?!"
Antiope seemed to realize something and could not help crying out in shock.
Ignoring Antiope's words of attempted restraint, Diana smiled faintly. Under the astonished gazes of the Amazon warriors, she placed her Silver Coronet on Xi Nian's head.
Xi Nian blinked, unable to understand what this meant.
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