Ulterior Motives

"Master, you're so naughty."

Lying on the soft bed, Angela her chin on her hands, looking at Li Lin was sitting in a chair reading a book with a smug smile.

"You're planning to drag all these guys into this, aren't you?"

"Of course."

Li Lin turned a page and answered casually. After that, in exchange for the complete magic beacon, the Queen agreed to lend them the records of how they obtained the magic beacon. Although on the surface this deal didn't seem worthwhile, Li Lin didn't care at all. At present, the magic beacon was just a communication device of little significance. With the country's technology, it would take several years to fully master it.

In fact, Li Lin did this because, as Angela said, he didn't intend to let the power of these small countries go unpunished. Although their strength was insufficient to confront the Five-Nation Alliance, Li Lin still needed to take precautions. Moreover, it was more worthwhile to create more enemies than more allies for the Five-Nation Alliance. Now, the Five-Nation Alliance understood the seriousness of the situation, and to prevent these small countries from taking advantage of the chaos, they might change their strategy and try to appease and buy off these nations. For Li Lin, this was clearly not the situation he wanted to see. Currently, everyone had seen the magic ship flying in the air, and the Five-Nation Alliance would likely receive intelligence soon. Although the Five-Nation Alliance had never seen this magic ship before, given the precedent of the floating city, anyone who wasn't a fool should understand the connection. Although Li Lin hadn't openly provoked or damaged the relationship between these small countries and the Five-Nation Alliance, once this thorn was planted, things would become much easier.

"So, how did these guys obtain the technology of the Magic Empire, Master?"

Angela naturally understood what Li Lin was up to, so she didn't ask any questions. Instead, she looked at Li Lin with a curious and expectant smile.

"Could it have been unearthed from ruins?"

"That's hard to say..."

Li Lin carefully examined the records, his brow furrowing slightly. The records indicated that this country had possessed the magical beacons for a long time, and they had been diligently working to master the technology. However, the Magic Empire's beacon communication was built upon the foundation of its Magic Empire; since the lost civilization could not be recovered, these communication signals alone were meaningless. But as the saying goes, there's always a way. Although they didn't understand the specific meanings of these beacons, they still used some of the still-intact signals and added new meanings to them.

Among these, what caught Li Lin's attention the most was the method for obtaining the magic beacon.

"... It seems that was indeed the case."

Having said that, he closed the book and then stood up.

"Well then, I need to leave for a bit. Angela, get some sleep; we have important business to attend to tomorrow."

"Master, aren't you planning to take me with you?"

Upon hearing Li Lin's order, Angela pouted in dissatisfaction.

"This is something I should handle, not you. Be a good boy and stay here quietly."

As he spoke, Li Lin opened the door, and then his figure was completely swallowed up by the darkness.

Gazing at the bright moonlight, the Queen sighed softly. The day's events had left her utterly exhausted. Although on the surface the Arcane Mage hadn't posed any real threat, his immense pressure had been relentlessly weighing on her, making it difficult for her to breathe. This also explained why she had agreed to Li Lin's proposal without much thought. Deep down, she felt uneasy about the man's intentions, though she didn't know why. The Queen had always trusted her intuition, especially since becoming Queen.

After the meeting, Li Lin returned to his airship. Although the Queen, as the host, should have invited him to stay overnight in the royal city, she did not insist. For the Queen, it was best to stay away from this Arcane Mage.

It's late at night.

Turning her gaze away from the bright moon outside the window, the Queen spoke softly. Then, she went into her room, intending to go to bed—and then she just stood there, frozen.

Good evening, Your Majesty.

Li Lin's figure appeared in her bedroom at some unknown time; the figure, hidden in the darkness, now seemed to carry an ominous air.

"Arcane Mage?!"

Facing Li Lin, the Queen opened her mouth as if to shout, but she quickly calmed herself down and spoke in a composed and calm manner.

"It's so late, it's very impolite of you to barge into a woman's bedroom."

"I know I was rude, so I apologize in advance."

As he spoke, Li Lin waved his hand, and with the appearance of several magical runes, the air in the entire bedroom suddenly became still. It was as if an unusual barrier had separated reality from fantasy, dividing what was originally the same world into two different spaces.

What do you mean by that?!

Sensing something was amiss, the Queen's expression turned cold.

"Nothing."

Li Lin moved his hands, and a magical glow slowly emanated from the center of his palms, emitting an unusual light.

"I just wanted to confirm something."

As Li Lin spoke, a dark red beam of light shot out from his fingertips, striking Her Majesty the Queen's body. The cold, surging negative energy instantly filled the entire room, greedily absorbing all life force.

Faced with Li Lin's sudden attack, the Queen's expression changed slightly. Just before the dark red light was about to hit her, the Queen's wide dress suddenly moved without wind, and icy cold air radiated from her body, standing like waves in front of her, turning into a cold and hard wall that barely blocked the deadly attack launched by Li Lin.

Silent Spell.

Noticing the Queen's resistance, a smug look flashed in Li Lin's eyes.

"Well done, Your Majesty, but this is just the beginning."

As Li Lin spoke, he raised his hands. With a flurry of complex gestures and magical light, the air suddenly began to vibrate violently. At that moment, the ice wall that had been protecting the Queen shuddered violently, then dissolved back into vapor and vanished into thin air. Faced with Li Lin's counterattack, the Queen's expression grew increasingly grave. Although she didn't know why he had suddenly turned on her, it was clear that surviving against this mage would not be easy.

A series of rapid, strange, and muffled incantations rang out as the ice wall was destroyed, and several beams of magical light immediately appeared, enveloping Her Majesty the Queen's body. Just as she was about to launch an attack, she was surprised to find that Li Lin had suddenly stopped.

"Abyss Language."

With a smug smile, Li Lin gazed at Her Majesty the Queen, who was fully armed and ready.

"Mages of the Prime Material Plane do not use the magic of the inhabitants of the Lower Realms... Your Majesty, it seems your origins are quite interesting."

"Shut up!!"

Upon hearing this, the Queen's heart sank. It seemed her worst fears had come true. This man had indeed discovered her true identity!

Thinking this, the Queen no longer concealed her power. The icy chill emanated from her body more and more clearly, and the temperature in the air gradually began to drop. Even the windows were covered with a thick layer of frost. Li Lin stood leisurely in place, an invisible barrier blocking the rampant chill. After all, he was an Arcane Mage, how could he be threatened so easily?

"Go to hell!"

The chill in the room materialized with the Queen's furious roar; black flames appeared out of thin air, instantly engulfing Li Lin. Then, centered on the ground where Li Lin stood, the hard marble floor shattered with a crisp cracking sound, breaking apart like a spiderweb. Despite this, the Queen showed no sign of letting up. Her hands deftly drew intricate runes in the air, obscure Abyss Language flowing from her lips, condensing magical power and transforming it into a harbinger of danger. With a flick of her wrist, as the incantation ceased, several bolts of lightning struck the black flames precisely, unleashing a deafening roar and a surge of unrestrained destructive power, attempting to tear apart anything in its path.

The Queen was quite confident in her power. This black fire, capable of freezing everything, was her most powerful weapon; no one could escape safely before it. However, the leisurely voice emanating from the burning black fire was like a bucket of cold water poured over Her Majesty's head.

"Not bad strength."

As Li Lin's leisurely voice rang out, a scorching gust of wind dispersed the cold black flames, and he stood unharmed before the Queen, showing no signs of injury whatsoever.

"Unfortunately, you don't choose your opponent... Your Majesty, what are you planning to do, traveling all the way from Hell to the Prime Material Plane?"

At this moment, Li Lin's suspicions were finally confirmed.

Even upon meeting the Queen, he sensed a strange, though faint, power, equally malevolent as Angela's. Angela herself had noticed this, hence her warning. This caught Li Lin's attention, and during their subsequent conversation, Li Lin's subtle probing yielded some results. Although the Queen tried her best to appear as an ordinary noblewoman, she remained unfazed and showed no suspicion when Li Lin casually uttered magical terms incomprehensible to outsiders. This indicated that the Queen possessed considerable knowledge and expertise in magic, a rarity on the continent. Furthermore, since most magical resources were currently controlled by the Mages' Association of the Five-Nation Alliance (though not anymore), small nations like theirs generally had no access to magical intelligence or techniques. Yet, this Queen not only possessed profound magical knowledge but had even enabled her nation to utilize magical beacons... This in itself was quite bizarre.

Now, Li Lin has finally confirmed his judgment. What the Queen is displaying is genuine Hell power. The black fire that can freeze everything is something only a certain guy in his memory would use.

Therefore, the answer is quite clear: Her Majesty the Queen has likely been replaced by someone else long ago.

And those who can do this...

"A succubus? Or a shapeshifter? If you refuse to explain, then I'll have to send you back to your home planet so you and your master can figure it out yourselves... Although Arcane Mage have been gone for a thousand years, I don't recall relinquishing our administrative authority. If you're not staying in Hell and instead come to the Prime Material Plane to die, don't blame me for being impolite."

"... Couldn't you have come up with something even more outrageous? Arcane Mage?"

Just then, the queen suddenly straightened up and slowly removed her veil. From her small, cute mouth came a loud, deep male voice.

"So it was you?"

Hearing this voice, which possessed a mature masculine charm, Li Lin's expression darkened slightly. Although he had never actually met the other person, Li Lin was quite familiar with this infamous figure in the Abyss and Hell. His peculiar fetishes and strange nickname were often circulated even within the Magic Empire. Legend had it that this guy liked to travel to different planes, playing various roles to experience his "other life" while seeking a partner in those brief games. Moreover, he had unusual tastes, being open to both men and women, regardless of whether he was the dominant or submissive partner. Back in the Magic Empire era, Li Lin had been unintentionally compared to this guy, but he believed his own sexual preferences were at least not so distorted as to lead him to sexually assault men.

"I never imagined that a bisexual like you would come from that godforsaken place full of mirrors to come here for fun. Which man have you set your sights on this time?"

"Don't worry, at least it's not you, Arcane Mage."

The queen, revealing her true colors, wore a seductive and sweet smile, but her booming voice always gave off an odd feeling.

"I was just here to have some fun in the Prime Material Plane. To be honest, I didn't expect to run into you here."

"When did you obtain the magical beacon? I don't recall the Magic Empire ever making such a deal with demons."

Li Lin moved a finger, his expression unchanged, coldly staring at the queen before him.

"That's a secret, Arcane Mage, and... haven't I already given you the answer?"

You mean that stuff that's used to fool kids?

Upon hearing the other party's reply, Li Lin raised an eyebrow.

"Since that's how you put it, then I have no choice... You should know that I've always had a good relationship with the King of the Nine Levels of Hell. He'd probably be happy to see one of his mortal enemies crippled, and maybe I could even use that as leverage to get something in return. Demons may be cunning, but they still generally abide by the rules. This isn't your territory, demon, you should understand what I mean."

"But your power is not what it used to be, Arcane Mage."

Despite Li Lin's threat, the Queen remained remarkably calm.

"Are you planning to expend your precious strength to eliminate an unexpected variable like me? I think you should have much more serious enemies to deal with, shouldn't you?"

"The devil's words are not to be trusted, and the devil's words are almost the same."

Li Lin stared intently at the woman in front of him, his hands behind his back.

"Besides, I never said I wanted a one-on-one fight with you."

Upon hearing this, the Queen narrowed her eyes, then suddenly retreated at lightning speed. With a few crisp tearing sounds, her once magnificent and beautiful clothing was ripped to shreds. Behind the slowly falling fragments, Angela's petite figure stood there, watching the Queen with a cold, wicked smile.

"I thought it was some kind of thing, but it turns out to be a transvestite? A promiscuous woman with a two-way plug? What a lowly and barbaric species."

"I told you not to come along... although I knew you wouldn't listen."

Li Lin reached out and gently tapped Angela's head as a form of punishment. Then, he looked at the queen before him again.

"Now you should be able to tell me the answer honestly. I never expect demons to follow the principle of equivalent exchange, but I do admire their attitude when faced with power."

"..."

This time, the Queen did not reply immediately. She narrowed her eyes, her brown pupils now appearing as small as snakes, and carefully examined Angela before her.

"... Arcane Mage, you have a very interesting pet."

At least I don't share your interests.

Li Lin replied, glancing at the other person casually.

"Besides, the night is very short, and time is limited. I don't want to waste it. Tell me where you got the magical beacon, and I won't care why you came to this small country on the edge of the Prime Material Plane to be queen. Whether you want male or female concubines, I have no interest in that. Don't try to fool me with those demonic tricks. Although I don't deal with demons often, I have killed quite a few."

"Great bluff, Arcane Mage."

Faced with Li Lin's threat, the Queen calmly clapped her hands. Then, she shrugged and sighed.

"Well then, I'll be honest. I didn't come to the Prime Material Plane for tourism."

At this point, the Queen's expression darkened slightly.

"I've come seeking refuge. The war between the Lower Realms and Upper Realm has already begun."