Betrayal

Between the Duchy of Uno and the Shipu Federation lies a tall mountain range, nearly three thousand meters high.

This mountain is within the territory of the Duchy of Uno and serves as Uno's natural defense line.

Precisely because of this, throughout the hundred-plus years since the two countries were established, Uno and Shipu have had no disputes. They are considered collaborators and allies.

Although the tall mountain stands between the two countries, hindering large-scale contact, there is a relatively flat small plain on the other side of the mountain.

Most of the trade and exchanges between the two countries also take place through that small plain.

And that is also the most heavily guarded area of the two countries.

Not only is proof required to enter and exit, but sometimes strict body searches are conducted.

Therefore, the place Amy chose to smuggle through was definitely not there. Her smuggling route, unsurprisingly... was that natural defense line over three thousand meters high.

The Castile Mountain Range.

"If you want to bypass the checkpoints, you can only go through this mountain range. As you can see, this mountain is very high, and there are likely to be fierce beasts inside. If you want to go through, you'd best think it over carefully."

Somewhere outside the city, standing where she could clearly see the distant mountains, Amy reminded Li Qi.

Li Qi looked at her:

"Don't worry, you don't need to concern yourself with my safety. You just need to take me to the destination as agreed."

"...Alright, I've already advised you."

Amy mumbled to herself there, and Li Qi ignored her.

He turned to look at Generro behind him and said to him:

"You can go back now."

"You don't need me to keep following?"

Generro said, also glancing at Amy.

Li Qi shook his head: "No need."

Unlike Li Qi, Li Qi wouldn't need to come back after going to the Shipu Federation; he wouldn't have to walk the mountain path again.

But Generro would still have to return.

There was no need for Li Qi to make Generro run an extra trip; it was better to just part ways here.

Seeing Li Qi's insistence, Generro said no more.

He nodded slightly and left after bowing.

Generro wasn't overly worried about his Squad Leader's safety, because he knew the Squad Leader's strength.

Without Firearms, almost no one would be the Squad Leader's opponent in a one-on-one fight.

Besides, Li Qi was also wearing a Revolver.

Generro left, leaving only Amy and Li Qi standing there.

Amy saw this and was silent for a long time, her expression quite strange:

"You really aren't worried about what I might do to you."

Li Qi squinted at Amy, not directly answering her words, but looking at the distant mountains and asking:

"How do we go?"

"..." Amy glanced at what Li Qi was wearing now. Although it was still a dress, it wasn't a Noble's Lady's Attire, but a very light and convenient outfit suitable for movement.

Glancing at Li Qi's handbag, Amy said:

"Just follow me. After we cross this mountain range, someone will come to pick us up."

"Then, does that mean you are a Spy from the Shipu Federation?"

"No, I am neither from the Shipu Federation nor a Spy. Miss Angela, you seem to have some misunderstanding about me."

As they approached the mountain range near the border, about to leave the Duchy of Uno, Amy also seemed to relax considerably.

She corrected Li Qi's perception of her, denying her identity as a Spy.

Li Qi didn't speak, just looked at Amy's waist and abdomen.

The cylinder with the Magic Lock was hidden in the pocket at Amy's waist.

Noticing Li Qi's gaze, Amy knew what he was going to ask and immediately replied:

"Although I stole something from your country, I'm really not a Spy. This... can only be called an accident."

"Accidentally stole our country's secrets? Hmm, that's truly quite 'accidental'."

"To be honest with you, I didn't take this thing." As they walked into the mountains, Amy said to Li Qi, "One of your Nobles gave it to me. He knew my identity, which is why he chose to give this to me."

Amy should not have been lying when she said this.

From the moment he parted ways with Generro, Li Qi had been using his Superpower non-stop. He observed that Amy's heartbeat was normal, indicating that the chance of her lying was small.

Even without using his Superpower to observe, Li Qi wouldn't have thought Amy was lying.

Because... this seemed like something those Traditional Faction Nobles would do.

They might not know the value of what was inside the cylinder, or how much the blueprints within could change the world.

But they did know that if the Reformist Faction lost this item, they would definitely suffer a major blow.

Engaged in internal conflict, completely ignoring external enemies?

Li Qi subconsciously glanced back towards Uno. If the internal struggle between Uno's Reformist and Traditional Factions wasn't resolved soon, Uno probably wouldn't last much longer.

It seemed Li Qi's decision to go to Inglis was the right one.

After all, even if Uno were truly conquered and became a colony of another country, at least Li Qi could still live well in another nation.

After discussing these serious matters, both Li Qi and Amy fell silent.

The Castile Mountain Range was very high, with intricate and complex paths, and inhabited by fierce beasts. It was indeed difficult for ordinary people to traverse.

But this didn't include Mage Masters of Tactical Rank or higher.

Amy was Tactical Rank, and Li Qi was one rank higher than her. Their bodies, tempered by Magic Power, allowed them to move through the mountains as if on flat ground.

Although Amy didn't know Li Qi's strength, seeing that he could keep up with her, she understood that this Young Lady who dared to cross the mountains with her was not one of those delicate young girls she had seen in Uno's Royal Capital.

After walking for about half a day, they rested briefly under a rock. Amy pointed to a cliff in the distance and said:

"There's a steep slope over there. If we go down that slope, we can reach the Shipu Federation's territory. It's just... it's not easy to go down there. Are you sure you can do it?"

Li Qi answered without thinking:

"No problem, just lead the way."

Amy scratched her cheek: "No, I mean... if you can't do it, I can carry you down."

Perhaps it was being far from Uno, or perhaps it was just Li Qi being there, but some of Amy's thoughts became active.

She examined Li Qi's body, with a look in her eyes that Li Qi found somewhat repulsive.

Click.

Li Qi didn't speak. He simply picked up the Revolver from his waist, cocked it, and stared at Amy with a blank expression.

Amy's smile immediately froze. She pretended nothing had happened, turned her head, and walked towards the cliff:

"...It's almost evening. Let's hurry, or we'll have to spend the night in the mountains."

"Heh."

Li Qi seemed to let out a mocking laugh.

Amy pretended she hadn't heard anything and continued leading Li Qi forward.

The slope Amy mentioned was indeed very steep, almost a ninety-degree incline, with only a few seemingly unstable protrusions for footholds.

Upon reaching the slope, Amy first observed it, then said to Li Qi:

"I'll go down first. Watch how I go down, then you follow."

With that, she carefully descended the slope.

It was a slope several hundred meters high with few places to step. Amy observed and carefully made her way down, taking nearly fifteen minutes to 'jump' from the top to a safe spot at the foot of the mountain.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Amy was about to look up and call Li Qi down.

But when she turned around, she saw Li Qi standing right beside her.

"?! What the... When did you..."

Li Qi's ghost-like appearance made Amy instinctively cry out, but the next second she heard Li Qi ask:

"I remember you said someone would come to pick you up?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Then the person coming to pick you up should be just one or two, right?"

Li Qi asked again.

Amy rolled her eyes and said speechlessly:

"Otherwise? Shipu isn't my territory. It's already good enough that I can find one person to pick us up, okay?"

"Is that so?"

Hearing Amy's answer, Li Qi narrowed his eyes and looked down at the forest below.

He quietly released the hand covering Amy's mouth and asked her meaningfully:

"So, does that mean these people aren't yours?"

"These people...?"

Amy froze, also turning her head to look at the forest below.

Behind the large trees below the slope, a group of burly men emerged.

They wore slightly worn clothes and carried various weapons, subtly blocking the path ahead for Amy and Li Qi.

Feeling the slight killing intent from this group, Amy fell completely silent.

She knew.

She had been betrayed.