The tremor sent foam from the wheat ale spraying directly into the face of the burly man holding the mug. The dragon’s roar on stage carried a furious growl that exploded throughout the entire tavern:
“You are the worst tavern I’ve ever had!”
Ha Ke slammed his mug heavily onto the table, about to flip the table and rise, when suddenly—
“Everyone, quiet down! Can’t you hear me?”
The crimson vertical pupils on stage carried an unparalleled sense of pressure, weighing heavily upon him.
The alcohol-fueled brutes instantly snapped to attention with a collective shiver, trembling legs as they stared toward the stage.
“It’s fine now, Alice, you continue.”
Selina smiled approvingly at the townsfolk who were listening intently, snapped her fingers, and a light spell illuminated the entire stage in an instant.
“Is this the same big idiot who wouldn’t get angry even when others pulled at her?”
“Alice” looked at Selina’s gentle eyes and suddenly seemed to shy away.
She felt that the way Selina shielded her from behind was a little—just a little, of course—cool!
Under the unified gaze, Shadow Lady quickly blushed, pulling her eyes away from Selina.
“I’m not seeing things, it really is Princess Her Highness Alice!”
“Her Highness is alive, Her Highness has come to save us!”
Shadow Lady immediately slipped into her dignified mode, beginning to explain her escape plan.
The sky, completely shrouded in Black Mist, actually revealed a sliver of Star Light.
When she had embraced Little Silver Dragon moments ago, she discovered that the sky, previously obscured by Black Mist, had leaked a corner of Star Light. Based on the direction of the star trails, combined with her earlier deductions about where the Crippled King had been wounded by the Immortal Phoenix, she was now certain—if they kept running north, they would find the fractured surface of the Jade Barrier and return to the Papal State.
The pitch-black night was as stifling as a steam basket, death looming over the entire Island.
“Everyone trusts me this much?”
“Alice” lowered her head, nervously rubbing her palms together.
She almost couldn’t believe it—those people who had been hiding in the ruins only moments ago were willing to raise torches alongside her and walk out of the darkness, all because she had stepped forward.
“That’s because everyone believes in you! Don’t be afraid, as long as you’re doing things for everyone, I’ll always be by your side!”
Selina gently brushed the hair from the girl’s brow. Beneath the blazing torch, the maiden’s figure seemed somewhat ethereal.
“Luo Lin, I’m so scared! Scared that we’ll fail, I—I’ll…”
She was a little somber, not because she feared her own disappearance.
After all, she was originally nothing more than a lifeless shadow. From the moment of her birth, she had stubbornly tried to prove she was stronger and more meaningful than Alice, so she never really cared much about her own existence.
Anyway, a small betrayal of the Cultists was still a betrayal, and a big betrayal of the Cultists was still a betrayal—so she might as well hit those bad people with something huge.
If she didn’t betray them out of fear of death, then what difference was there between her and never having lived at all!
She watched these brave warriors continuously rallying and charging forward, praying inwardly again and again, running through her plan time after time, terrified that a single mistake on her part would harm those who trusted her.
Soon, the torchlight gathered bit by bit, forming a golden River of Light, illuminating the blue bricks and red tiles of the Cold Street, and lighting up the curled wild grass and wildflowers.
“Hey, little fox, look over there! So bright, bright as the sun!”
Lilith carried the weakened little fox on her small shoulder. Forced back into fox form by consecutive battles and injuries to recover her Magic Power, Youfei raised her golden eyes and gazed at the distant district now bathed in light.
“It seems Little Silver Dragon has already started her operation. We need to hurry and catch up too!”
But just as she barely managed to lift her tail to cast Water Mirror Azure Cloud and teleport herself over, Kaluosi’s black烙印 and the endlessly bleeding wounds wouldn’t allow it.
So she could only lean against Lilith’s back and say softly:
“Chew, it’s up to you now, Lilith, chew!”
“Hmph, leave it to Lady Lilith!”
“Shhhh—shhhh—shhhh—”
The pitch-black shadow slithered like a viper flicking its tongue, casting its cold gaze toward the distant firelight.
“Number Ten’s” eyes were full of discomfort. Every time he was exposed to light, he, as a shadow assassin, was forced to retreat by habit, causing him no small amount of trouble.
But—a mere shadow, daring to willingly expose itself to the light?
Just because it wears human skin, it doesn’t actually think it’s human, does it!
The man looked into the distance, his cold eyes brimming with mockery.
Things that belong in the darkness should stay forever in the gutter. Death is the only归宿 for traitors.
“Watch out, they’re coming!”
Within the darkness-shrouded Island, light was never permitted.
Ghost Fire ignited on the other side of the street, the grinding sound of heavy armor soon echoing through the dead of night.
Ghost Soldiers lined up in formation, leveling their spears in unison at the rebels before them.
“How foolish, you ignorant rabble! Lord Crippled King already showed you mercy, and yet you dare to resist!”
“Indeed, lowborn are always lowborn!”
The Ghost Soldiers on both sides suddenly parted formation, revealing Anthony’s obese figure.
This Old Noble scanned the crowd without restraint, completely dismissing them. With so many Ghost Soldiers protecting him, why should he fear these ragged troublemakers?
Finally, his disgusting gaze settled on Alice, who was trembling slightly.
Knowing the inside story all along, he couldn’t help but grin.
“You fools, you don’t actually think she’s Alice, do you?”
He raised his finger high, believing himself to be the only wise man who had seen through everything, his face twisting with even more obvious scorn.
“Fireball!”
Before the fat pig could finish speaking, Selina struck first, a violently exploding fireball slamming hard into his fleshy face.
“Brothers, move according to Princess Her Highness’s plan!”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!”
As the first person struck, the stunned townsfolk quickly raised their torches in unison and hurled them fiercely at the snarling Ghost Soldiers.
However, their target wasn’t the neatly trained Ghost Soldiers—it was the small patch of shadow hidden behind them.
The burning torches dripped flames directly downward, scorching the ground bearing the shadows with a “sizzling” sound tinged with the smell of scorched earth.
The ghost that had just raised its spear overhead, about to thrust it into a citizen’s chest, suddenly twisted in agony like a snake whose vital point had been seized, its indestructible armor writhing painfully with it.
“It’s working! Fantastic! Princess Her Highness’s method works!”
No one expected that the shadow would be even more vulnerable than the monster itself…