The Sorrowful Little Princess

Having made a new friend, and a very rare male friend at that, Wonder Woman Diana was in particularly high spirits.

Her lively eyes sparkled with joy, the corners of her lips lifted slightly, and she could not help happily humming a classical song unique to Paradise Island.

The gentle, lilting melody flowed through the air like a clear spring, beautiful to hear, as though carrying Paradise Island's own mysterious charm.

Looking at Diana before him, with her outstanding figure and looks, like a fairy descended to earth, Li Qi was filled with fondness.

He frowned slightly, determination showing in his eyes, and silently resolved that he would help her leave Paradise Island and see the vast world outside.

After all, Diana already harbored rebellious thoughts and longed to leave Paradise Island, but her queen mother would not agree.

Yet this very conflict offered a chance for things to turn around.

The key now was to find Paradise Island's coordinates.

Li Qi asked Diana directly through the transmission image, "Diana, to be honest, I sincerely want to take you away from Paradise Island for a walk through the human world. But the question is, where exactly is Paradise Island? How can I come pick you up?"

After asking, he watched this innocent girl intently, his eyes full of concern.

The question stumped Diana. She had lived on Paradise Island since childhood and had never left this mysterious island hidden upon the ocean, so she truly could not answer right away.

Her thick, long lashes fluttered, a trace of bewilderment showing in her large, innocent eyes. Then she gave a sweet smile, tinged with helplessness.

Seeing this, Li Qi understood that the young girl did not know Paradise Island's precise location either and had no clear coordinate system.

He shook his head gently and stopped dwelling on it. After chatting with Diana for a while longer, it was time for her to rest on Paradise Island.

Diana lay on her side on a soft princess bed, covered with a luxurious silk bedspread embroidered with exquisite patterns.

Beside her was an intricate golden emblem with a classical charm, gleaming softly in the lamplight.

After Li Qi waved goodbye to her, the transmission image quickly dimmed, turning into a hazy mist before reverting to an ordinary boulder that stood silently before him.

Li Qi rose from the grand armchair and moved about on the floor, stretching his limbs and gently rotating his neck, producing faint cracking sounds.

The sisters, Ying Li and Ying Nan, followed behind him, light on their feet and attentive, ready to offer help at any moment, their eyes showing loyalty and concern.

Li Qi considered for a moment. Knowing full well that finding Paradise Island in the vast ocean would be no easy task, he summoned the artificial intelligence JARVIS, lifted his head slightly, and spoke into the air. "JARVIS, search the ocean for information on Paradise Island's location as soon as possible."

JARVIS immediately answered in his steady voice, "Yes, sir."

He then worked to find traces of Paradise Island's location amid a vast sea of information.

During the few days since arriving at Ta Lo Village, Li Qi had already ordered Stark Industries to install a dedicated Wi-Fi connection extending into the village from the outside world, so JARVIS now had access to extensive computing support and surveillance assistance.

Li Qi returned to the village chief's residence with the two sisters. By then, it was late.

Night gently covered the entire village like a sheet of black satin.

The sisters went to the rear kitchen to prepare dinner, their steps light. Soon after they entered, the clatter of pots, bowls, and utensils came from within, accompanied by the faint aroma of food.

Xu Wenwu and his daughter were still dutifully serving as bodyguards outside the door, standing tall like two resolute statues, safeguarding the residence.

Seeing how hard the father and daughter were working, Li Qi felt a twinge of sympathy and told Xu Wenwu to rest in another courtyard. He patted Xu Wenwu's shoulder and said, "Old Xu, go get some rest. Thank you for your hard work these past few days."

Then he called Xu Xialing into the courtyard and told her to rest in the room on the east side that night.

Xu Xialing naturally followed his arrangements, nodding slightly and saying softly, "Yes, sir."

Before long, a fragrant dinner was served.

The table was laden with sumptuous dishes: roast meat giving off an enticing aroma, a colorful vegetable salad, and steaming soups.

Li Qi, Xu Xialing, Ying Li, and Ying Nan ate together, chatting over their meal in a harmonious atmosphere.

After dinner, they sat in the courtyard for a while and chatted briefly. Then Li Qi took the sisters back to rest, while Xu Xialing slept peacefully alone in another room.

Early the next morning, fresh air poured into the room through the open window like mischievous sprites.

Sunlight fell softly across the bed, forming patches of golden light.

After waking, Li Qi enjoyed some of Ta Lo Village's specialty breakfast foods: soft, chewy steamed cakes paired with sweet honey, along with a steaming cup of herbal tea.

Then he headed to the ancestral hall again.

Inside the ancestral hall, besides the enormous Transmission Stone standing in the center, there were four or five others nearby.

These Transmission Stones had smooth surfaces and faintly exuded a mysterious aura.

Li Qi wanted to see whether he could connect to other mysterious spaces or regions.

He walked up to a Transmission Stone, gently stroked its surface, carefully examined its patterns, and then began tinkering with it.

However, after he tinkered for a while, none of the other Transmission Stones responded.

The sisters told Li Qi that transmission required both sides' consent. After thinking it over carefully, he felt that this was indeed the case and prepared to leave.

Just then, an image appeared on the enormous Transmission Stone in the center.

After some adjustments, the transmission connected, and Li Qi saw Diana on Paradise Island, looking somewhat sad and distressed, with a touch of sulkiness.

The princess of Paradise Island stood before the image, her eyes full of melancholy, her brows slightly furrowed, and her lips trembling gently as she poured out her troubles to Li Qi. "Li Qi, I was so careless. I accidentally unleashed the divine power inside me and injured General Antiope. I feel so guilty. I feel like I'm just someone nobody needs on this island, like a freak."

After speaking, Diana's eyes glistened with tears, and a crystal-clear teardrop slowly slid down her cheek.

Li Qi saw that Diana was wearing Amazon-style armor, its sleek lines gleaming with a metallic sheen, paired with an extremely short leather skirt and high combat boots. She looked valiant and imposing, like a true goddess of war.

Yet paired with her sorrowful expression, the sight could not help stirring sympathy.

Knowing that she blamed herself for accidentally injuring her aunt, Li Qi stepped forward to the Transmission Stone, his eyes full of concern and tenderness, and gently reassured her

: "Hey, girl, don't think that way. Being able to unleash the divine power within you is Paradise Island's hope, a symbol of the next queen's strength. Listen, you're brave. You're a strong girl. Don't feel like you're different from everyone else. This is exactly what makes you unique as a princess. I really admire your courage. Don't get discouraged or lose heart. This is the real you. Do you understand, girl?"

After his words of encouragement, Diana finally smiled through her tears.

A radiant smile bloomed on her face again, bright as sunshine, though a few tears still lingered in her eyes.

Then she said with a slightly pleading air, "Li Qi, hurry up and come take me away from Paradise Island. I want to see the outside world. It's too stifling here."

Li Qi nodded in agreement and asked Diana what she knew about Paradise Island's location.

As expected, Diana told him everything she knew, but there were still no definite clues.

Helpless, Li Qi sighed softly and could only offer her a few more words of comfort. Only then did Diana shut off the Transmission Stone and return to the training grounds to continue training.

As the Amazon Tribe's strongest female warrior at present, Diana always held herself to strict standards and did not dare slack off in the slightest, because she knew full well that enemies could appear at any moment. This was also something Li Qi greatly admired about her.

Li Qi told JARVIS to speed up the search for information on Paradise Island's location, while deciding to leave Ta Lo Village immediately and return to Stark Headquarters.

Once Paradise Island's location was confirmed, he would set out for it.

After returning to the residence from the ancestral hall, Li Qi summoned Xu Wenwu. With a serious expression, he told him

: "Old Xu, I'm going back to Stark Headquarters for a while. Stay in Ta Lo Village for now and handle security, and train the villagers further to improve their ability to protect themselves. Meanwhile, Stark Industries' Weapons and Equipment Department will come here to install antiaircraft missiles for Ta Lo Village, equip it with modern weapons and equipment, and modernize the village. I'm leaving all this security and defense work to you."

Xu Wenwu readily agreed. Straightening his back, he said firmly, "Rest assured, sir. I'll complete the mission."

Li Qi also left Xu Xialing, Ying Li, and Ying Nan behind.

Afterward, Li Qi left the remaining suits of powered armor and returned to Stark Headquarters in New York with the Stark Industries team that had come to install the network and communications systems.