A Sudden Turn of Events

Godrick's soldiers were numerous, but they had one very obvious weakness.

Most of the soldiers had nearly lost their minds, another consequence of the Shattering.

Those soldiers who retained their self-awareness more or less held important positions.

Thus, Lin Luo and Melina easily made their way into the castle.

Stormveil Castle's defenses were indeed tight. It was not merely the number of guards; the crossbow platforms scattered throughout the castle were even more troublesome.

A soldier stood behind every crossbow platform. Should any enemy dare enter, those crossbows would turn them into sieves in an instant.

The soldiers patrolled the castle. Even the occasional rat that climbed up from below would be mercilessly slain, showing just how formidable Stormveil Castle's defenses were.

Lin Luo and Melina successfully bypassed the first line of defense and arrived at a small room around the corner on the second floor.

There was a Site of Grace here. Once it was activated, they could reach Stormveil Castle directly in the future.

Godrick should have been not far beyond the second line of defense at the gate.

After activating the Site of Grace, Lin Luo cast the spell over himself and Melina again. After all, its duration was limited.

However, just as Lin Luo intended to bypass the second line of defense, he discovered that groups of soldiers had arrived both in front of and behind them.

What was surprising was that, in broad daylight, every squad had lit torches.

It should have been a laughable sight, but Lin Luo's expression turned grave when he saw it.

At the same time, he felt a trace of regret, and even more anger.

He regretted not killing Gostoc outright back then. What angered him was that it would have been one thing for Gostoc to scheme against him, but this display clearly meant to kill both him and Melina here. He had no idea what they had used, but he could no longer feel the call of Grace.

"Melina, go reside within the Grace first..."

Lin Luo stretched out a hand to shield Melina behind him as he spoke.

"Hm?"

Melina let out a puzzled sound. "What is it...?"

"That should be... a Sentinel's Torch..."

Lin Luo frowned slightly. Good lord, was Godrick really that wealthy, to equip so many Sentinel's Torches?

But there was no way they would light Sentinel's Torches for no reason so early in the morning!

Lin Luo recalled Gostoc's face...

"I should've slaughtered him back then! Damn it, next time I won't be such a saint!"

Lin Luo slapped himself hard across the face, startling Melina beside him.

"What happened?!"

Melina hurried over, grabbed Lin Luo's hand, and looked into his eyes.

"It's nothing..."

Lin Luo froze for a moment, then looked at Melina and suddenly smiled.

"That Sentinel's Torch can expose us. It was made specifically to counter invisibility."

Lin Luo said, "I suspect this was Gostoc's doing!"

"Is that why you want me to return to the Grace?"

Melina puffed out her cheeks, seemingly a little angry. "I... am not just a vase..."

It was the first time Lin Luo had seen Melina speak in such a tone, and he found himself staring blankly at her.

Good lord, was she acting cute? No, no, whatever it was, she looked so adorable...

As Lin Luo thought that, useless tears streamed from the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like the infiltration has failed..."

Melina failed to notice the change in Lin Luo's expression. She lowered her head and thought for a moment.

"No!"

Lin Luo held one hand out in front of Melina.

"The infiltration hasn't failed yet."

"But don't they have Sentinel's Torches...?"

"If we kill them all, then no one will know anyone infiltrated!"

Lin Luo revealed a wicked smile, yet Melina felt an incomparable sense of security when she looked at him...

"It sounds absurd, yet when Lin Luo says it, it somehow feels so convincing..."

Melina could not help murmuring.

"Let's test this blade's edge..."

Lin Luo pulled Malenia's Prosthetic Blade from his item pouch.

"Be good and return to the Grace. Remember what I said before: as long as a man is alive, he will never let the person he loves stand in front of him!"

Lin Luo chuckled softly as the invisibility around him gradually faded.

Melina wanted to say something more, but when she saw Lin Luo's unquestionable gaze, she ultimately nodded obediently.

"You just need to stay behind me and be beautiful..."

Lin Luo leaned close to Melina's face and gently kissed her.

"From here on... leave it to me, as Melina's blade!!"

Melina's face flushed crimson as her figure slowly dissipated.

"Then... let the slaughter begin!"

His eyes slowly turned a dead, midnight blue—the aura of the God-Slaying Queen.

Lin Luo strode slowly out of the room and stood directly before the soldiers.

The patrolling soldiers immediately spotted Lin Luo ahead. Good lord, he had just swaggered out like that. Was he looking down on all of them?!

The lead soldier felt utterly humiliated. He immediately pulled out the horn hanging at his waist, and its ringing call instantly spread throughout Stormveil Castle.

All the soldiers immediately went on alert. Leaving one or two soldiers behind at their posts, everyone else rushed toward the horn's source.

The lead soldier did not rush to attack. He first ordered several squads to surround the area, preventing Lin Luo from escaping.

Lin Luo remained expressionless. He leaped directly down from the stairs and slowly put on his helmet with his left hand. There was no other reason—blood splattered, and it was dirty.

Before long, most of Stormveil Castle's forces had gradually gathered around him. A rough count put them at several hundred men.

Lin Luo stood amid the crowd, a cruel smile curling across his lips.

"Kill this lowly Tarnished! Hand him over to Lord Godrick to be grafted! We'll definitely be rewarded!"

No one knew which soldier captain had shouted it.

It had to be said that those words instantly ignited their morale.

The soldiers immediately surged forward. How was the man before them an enemy? He was clearly mobile military merit!

Unfortunately...

The man standing before them was called Lin Luo...

They might not have known it, but after today, that name would become Stormveil Castle's nightmare.

At the center of the crowd, Lin Luo adjusted his helmet. The longsword in his right hand radiated a bloodthirsty hunger.

"Then... I'll use you to sharpen my blade!"

Lin Luo held his sword horizontally as his body rose into the air.

"Waterfowl... Dance!"

"The sky looks so strange..."

On Stormhill, Little Red Riding Hood looked toward Stormveil Castle. The sky had actually turned blood-red.

"Has the evil of grafting drawn heaven's wrath...?"

Little Red Riding Hood clasped her hands before her chest and silently prayed.

Within the Grace, Melina listened to the terrifying screams outside and worried for Lin Luo's safety.

Yet she did not go out. Lin Luo had told her not to leave, so she would not leave.

Lin Luo was facing countless enemies outside. She desperately wanted to go help him, but she knew that if she went out, she might only become a burden...

"Hehe... now you know the consequences... of offending me, lowly Tarnished..."

As Melina worried for Lin Luo, a familiar voice sounded behind her.

Melina frowned slightly and turned around. It was Gostoc.

"Then... as his maiden, you can go die with him!"

Gostoc held a dagger in his hand, a sickly smile on his face.

"..."

Clever as she was, she immediately understood what had happened.

"As expected... I should have killed you long ago!"

Melina's face darkened. It was the first time anyone had heard her say such words.

"It's too late for regrets! You... die!"