Vol 3. Chapter 43: The Protector General — Luokefei
Meanwhile, inside the banquet hall...
"Pay me back?! Those winnings came from your blatant cheating! Why should I pay you back?!"
"The hell are you talking about?! I never cheated! You're just terrible at gambling! No, not just terrible—you suck so badly it's embarrassing! A bet's a bet! Have some guts and pay up!"
"Pay my ass! What do you mean I suck?! You people were obviously manipulating things behind the scenes! Otherwise, how could I possibly lose that badly?! You seriously expect me to believe I rolled four ones ten times in a row? If you're trying to rob me blind, at least don't make it so damn obvious!"
"That was because your luck sucked! Damn it, you—!"
"You still dare swear at me?! I'll—"
...
...
Under the bewildered gazes of countless guests...
A blue-haired muscular giant and a slender white-haired female knight suddenly began arguing loudly in the middle of the banquet.
The argument only became more and more intense, almost transforming the elegant banquet hall into a noisy marketplace.
Everyone nearby wore expressions of utter disgust.
However...
Neither the surrounding guests nor the Royal Knights dared step forward to stop them.
The reason was simple.
The pressure radiating from the two of them was simply too terrifying.
No ordinary person could even approach.
After all...
The muscular man was Bernluoze, Lord of the Neutral City—Golden City.
And the white-haired young woman...
Was White Yama, one of the Heavenly Apostles of the Asumos Church.
Both of them...
Were genuine Eighth-Tier powerhouses.
The terrifying force fields surrounding them were enough to keep ordinary people far away.
In an instant—
An atmosphere of panic rapidly spread throughout the banquet hall.
Driven by fear, the guests began fleeing toward the exits.
Everyone knew...
If those two mortal enemies actually started fighting here...
The consequences would be unimaginable.
Even Xue Tianao, standing not far away, couldn't help revealing a solemn expression.
However—
Just as Bernluoze clenched both fists, gathering tremendous battle aura...
And White Yama gripped her sword, preparing to draw it...
With both sides on the verge of open conflict—
A streak of icy blue light carrying overwhelming frost suddenly shot between them.
Accompanied by an explosion of battle aura and magical power...
Along with a terrifying shockwave...
A gray-haired middle-aged man wearing a military uniform beneath a majestic cloak suddenly appeared before the two Eighth-Tier experts.
With one raised hand...
He forcibly suppressed the surging power emanating from both of them.
Then...
His expression completely emotionless, eyes filled with killing intent...
The man coldly swept his gaze across the pair.
"Mr. Bernluoze. Miss White Yama."
"Please remember where you are."
"This is neither Golden City nor the territory of the Asumos Church."
"Do not behave so recklessly."
The moment the uniformed man appeared—
The anxious Royal Knights nearby immediately erupted into cheers.
"It's the General!"
His arrival instantly erased every trace of fear from their hearts.
This middle-aged man was none other than the individual whose prestige within the Snow Night Empire ranked second only to Xue Tianao—
Or perhaps...
Equal to him.
The Empire's Protector General—
Luokefei-Bale.
He was also universally acknowledged as the strongest warrior in the Snow Night Empire.
Thirty years ago...
He had personally driven back the Demon King-class Abyss Demon known as the Sword Demon.
Casting a brief glance at White Yama and Bernluoze, who were about to clash...
Luokefei's voice carried unmistakable warning.
"If you insist on fighting..."
"I will have no choice but to intervene."
Faced with the imposing veteran general...
Neither of the younger Eighth-Tier experts said anything.
Instead...
They slowly dispersed the tremendous power surrounding them.
"My apologies, General."
"I was merely joking around with Miss White."
Bernluoze slowly stepped backward.
There was no longer any desire to continue fighting in his eyes.
White Yama glanced cautiously at Luokefei.
Then, although visibly unwilling...
She sheathed her sword once more.
"A joke?"
"I don't think you looked like you were joking."
She spoke with obvious disdain.
At the same time...
She couldn't help remaining vigilant toward Luokefei.
That old man...
Normally never involved himself in matters like this.
Yet today...
He had rushed over the moment trouble began.
As expected...
Was it because of Xue Tianao?
Glancing toward the blond man standing proudly atop the platform...
White Yama silently reached that conclusion.
Now she finally understood...
Why Xue Tianao had become the new Emperor so smoothly.
Apparently...
He had found a way to win over the Empire's Protector General.
"So then, Miss White Yama..."
Seeing that she remained silent...
Luokefei spoke once again.
"Do you still intend to fight?"
Compared with before...
An overwhelming pressure slowly poured out from Luokefei's body.
Like a tidal wave...
It surged directly toward White Yama.
Her brows immediately knitted together.
Meanwhile...
The nearby guests caught within the pressure involuntarily dropped to their knees.
Even White Yama's azure eyes gradually became serious.
This old man...
Was frighteningly powerful.
Thirty years ago...
When he drove back the Sword Demon...
Luokefei had already been a Mid Eighth-Tier expert.
Now...
After another thirty years of cultivation...
He was probably already High Eighth-Tier.
No...
Judging from the pressure alone...
He was likely approaching the very peak.
He's even stronger...
Than Snow Devourer was back then...
Although her competitive nature made White Yama desperately want to have a "friendly spar" with Luokefei...
Nick's earlier instructions forced her to avoid conflicts with members of the Snow Night Empire whenever possible.
Having no other choice...
She smiled rather bitterly.
"There's no need to be so tense."
"I have no intention of continuing this fight."
"My sincerest apologies for disrupting the banquet."
After performing an elegant curtsy...
White Yama completely ignored both Bernluoze and Luokefei.
She simply turned around...
And walked toward Archbishop Nick.
Luokefei didn't say anything further.
After all...
The only order he'd received had been to stop the conflict.
Since no battle would take place...
There was no reason for him to remain.
Besides...
He still needed to return and look after his daughter, who was staying inside the royal palace.
Thus...
Amid enthusiastic applause from everyone present...
Luokefei transformed into a streak of gray-white light and flew out through the banquet hall's window.
Just like that...
The insignificant disturbance at the banquet ended peacefully.
However...
After everything settled down...
White Yama became increasingly uneasy.
Of course...
It wasn't because she feared the murderous glare Archbishop Nick was directing at her.
Nor was it because she disliked the whispers surrounding her.
It was because...
She suddenly realized...
The young woman she had been assigned to protect...
Had disappeared.
?!
...Huh?
'Where... where's Mengxi?'
That's right.
The moment her argument with Bernluoze came to an end...
White Yama suddenly realized...
Mengxi was nowhere to be found inside the banquet hall.
Instantly...
An overwhelming sense of panic surged into her heart.
The young Heavenly Apostle visibly paled.
Just moments ago...
Mengxi had still been fooling around in the food section together with the young lady of the Black Rose Family.
How had she vanished in the blink of an eye?
...Wait.
The young lady of the Black Rose Family...
She was gone too?
W-What...
What exactly is going on?!
So then...
Where was Miss Mengxi now?
The answer—
Inside White Star Manor.
The manor had been arranged by Tianqiong as the temporary residence for members of the Black Rose Family.
At that very moment...
Inside Miss Yumo's temporary bedroom...
An incomparably beautiful black-haired girl sat on the windowsill with an extremely conflicted expression.
From time to time...
She cast rather helpless glances toward the large bed inside the room.
More precisely...
Toward the silver-haired girl lying sprawled across it in an utterly ungraceful manner.
Looking at Mengxi's tightly closed eyes...
And her deeply flushed cheeks...
The black-haired girl—
Miss Yumo—
Could only helplessly press a hand against her forehead.
Sigh...
'I should've known...'
'I never should've let her drink that much...'