Invasion - Chapter 102
Chapter 102
The first time she saw this Majesty, Lin Yuan had felt that she was elegant, gentle, the embodiment of all things beautiful.
Being near her, a desire to be close to her would well up in her heart.
But this time, the Queen, wearing her crown, in a white dress, standing by the window, with the panoramic view of the imperial capital behind her, still as beautiful and moving as before,
Made Lin Yuan's hair stand on end.
It was as if she saw some terrifying behemoth, Lin Yuan instantly tensed her body, her back tingling, her palms sweating.
Before, like a weak little cub, not knowing what giant being she was facing, she had been ignorant and fearless.
Now, having unknowingly grown up, she was finally able to clearly see the huge and terrifying being before her.
"What are you standing there for?" The Queen by the window, her red lips curved into a smile, waved to Lin Yuan. "Come here."
She stood by the window, her back to the light, her tall, slender silhouette bathed in the sunlight, her skin frighteningly pale.
Lin Yuan walked forward, coming to the side of the empire's highest ruler, and stood by the window with her.
"Lovely child, I'm so glad to see you again," the Queen reached out and gently touched Lin Yuan’s hair.
She wasn't wearing gloves today, her fingers warm and soft. Around her fair neck, she wore a ruby pendant necklace, the pigeon-blood red gemstone pure and teardrop-shaped, hanging on her chest.
Lin Yuan couldn’t help but glance at the stone.
"How was your trip this time?" the Queen asked her.
Her tone was as gentle as it had been when they last met.
So Lin Yuan slowly told her some of what she had seen and heard in the Land of No Eyes.
She spoke slowly, her emotions calm, the content concise, without lies, only carefully chosen.
The Queen, having listened to Lin Yuan's account of Guides and Sentinels, wasn’t surprised, clearly she had already known about these things.
She didn't even deliberately try to hide it, only expressing a hint of regret in her words,
"Indeed, back then, Sentinels and Guides were the best combat partners."
She furrowed her brows, sighed, looking out the window at the empire’s land, her tone filled with worry,
"Unfortunately, I don’t know why, but now, the number of Guides is dwindling, we can’t afford such losses anymore."
"Even though the empire is doing everything it can to protect Guides, we still can’t stop them from decreasing every year."
A question arose in Lin Yuan's heart.
The world hundreds of years ago was completely different from now, the way Sentinels and Guides interacted then also completely different.
During this long period, what had happened? What had been buried in the unknown history? So much so that everyone regarded this twisted present as normal.
Could it be that the current situation was truly just caused by the empire protecting Guides?
"Then, where do you want to go next?" The queen turned from the window and suddenly asked.
As she spoke, the high-altitude wind slightly lifted her veil.
Deep in those dark eyes, a blood-red light flickered.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and in the bright light, the Majesty wearing the crown suddenly looked cold and pale, like an empty, fake shell.
Only the red glow in her eyes stared at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan felt like her entire body was frozen, a powerful mental force pressing down on her, not allowing her to lie.
Lin Yuan wanted to step back, but quickly bit her lip, stopping herself from retreating.
Although her power might not be strong enough yet, she had never allowed her heart to be weak.
"I haven't decided yet, I don’t know where to go,”
Lin Yuan looked into those eyes, and said slowly, word by word.
The gem she had obtained from the Land of No Eyes was now in her bedroom.
Although she had obtained it a long time ago, she hadn’t put the stone in the box to let it reveal the destination of her next journey.
It was precisely to prepare for this moment.
For some reason, she had a premonition that there would be such a question, such a question under a powerful mental confrontation.
Blood-red eyes stared down at her.
The palace, the White Tower, the sky, and the clouds around her seemed to disappear.
Lin Yuan stood in a boundless, chaotic world, only that pair of red, glowing eyes before her.
Those red eyes, beautiful, strange, captivating, staring intently at Lin Yuan.
Time stretched infinitely, her thoughts turning hazy, making her almost want to kneel, to tell everything she knew, to offer everything she had.
Lin Yuan stood in that void, her scalp tingling, her palms sweating, but she eventually slowly straightened her body, her gaze meeting the red eyes.
"I don’t know," Lin Yuan said.
The wind blowing through the window finally stopped.
The white veil slowly fell, the red light in those eyes disappearing, the gentle serenity returning.
"You seem to have grown up, become even stronger than before," the Queen sighed, a helpless smile appearing on her lips. That smile, different from before, held a hint of surprise and appreciation.
As if she was surprised that Lin Yuan could withstand such powerful mental pressure.
"It's been a long time since I’ve seen such a strong child."
Lin Yuan, cold sweat dripping down her back, relaxed.
So Her Majesty wanted to know the secrets of that box.
The probing in the mental world was always two-way. As long as she didn't back down, she could also capture the other person's subtle emotions.
Just now, she had sensed the Queen's eagerness to know something.
She wasn’t as calm as she appeared, she also had something she didn't know, desperately wanting to get it from her.
Knowing that she also had requests, also had weaknesses, that was enough.
As if the small episode just now hadn't happened, as if neither of them cared, their harmonious, casual conversation continued.
"So, after this trip, you've become quite proficient at fighting alongside a sentinel?" the Queen asked Lin Yuan.
"Mm, I think so."
"Then, do you want to start practicing with more Sentinels? Multi-person coordinated combat?"
The Queen by the window, as she said this, slightly bent down, extending a finger, a rare excitement in her tone.
"I can practice with you."
"Who?" Lin Yuan pointed at herself, "You mean, me and you?"
The Queen laughed. She walked back to the main hall, sat on her throne, clapped her hands, and summoned Luther.
Lin Yuan was shocked. She already knew that this highest ruler of the empire was also a Guide.
But Lin Yuan hadn't expected her to want to do sentinel-guide coordinated combat training here, with her, in this palace?
Thinking about it, the Queen's words and ideas were very similar to Xun Hua's, even their training methods very much alike.
The first step, assign her a dedicated sentinel, and put them into actual combat.
The second step, start multi-person coordinated training.
Xun Hua had also said that this was the way Guides trained themselves back then.
Soon, several carefully selected sentinels, led by Luther, entered the palace at the top of the tower.
Several of them Lin Yuan had met before, all experts of the Royal Guard.
One was even Lin Yuan's acquaintance, Yun Luo, the one whose mental body was a black unicorn, who had a mechanical arm attached to one side.
The sentinels entered, knelt down on one knee before the throne, saluting. Their eyes burning, full of reverence and loyalty towards the queen.
The Queen didn't pay much attention to them, her gaze only on Lin Yuan. She raised her hand slightly. "Luther is with me. The rest are yours."
Lin Yuan: "You mean, I can attack you as well?"
The White Queen's lips curled up, her finger lifting the ruby necklace around her neck.
"If any of you can so much as touch the hem of my garment, you shall have this as a reward."
The battle at the beginning wasn't as difficult as she had imagined.
It was as if several screens opened before Lin Yuan’s eyes, simultaneously sharing the perspectives of multiple sentinels.
In an instant, scenes from different angles, many unfamiliar emotions, flooded in.
My God, it's Her Majesty, I'm actually seeing Her Majesty in person.
So exciting, the greatest honor of my life.
Her Majesty is so beautiful, I’ll be loyal to her for my entire life.
Guide Lin, finally I'm your Sentinel this time.
…
All sorts of emotions, as if several people were speaking at the same time, noisy and chaotic.
If it were any other Guide, regardless of whether their mental power was strong, it would probably be very difficult for them to adapt to such a sudden influx of chaotic consciousness.
But for Lin Yuan, it was actually very simple. She had a unique advantage.
Her special mental body had made her accustomed to the noise in her mind, since she was a child.
The tentacles chattered non-stop, constantly sending her different images.
Lin Yuan had become used to focusing on the key points in the midst of all this noise, blocking out distractions, and using her own stable and calm emotions to face and process these chaotic scenes.
In the vast hall with the high dome, Lin Yuan had four sentinels.
The Queen sat leisurely on the white throne, only Luther before her.
The four sentinels summoned their mental bodies. A giant eagle spread its wings, a unicorn's hooves sent smoke rising, a winged serpent swayed its tail, a sea beast roared. The powerful warriors, each showing their majestic forms, charged towards Commander Luther.
Before their most respected Majesty.
They were all elites of the Royal Guard, members of the Special Operations Unit, not those pampered noble children who only came to the Royal Guard for a position.
But true powerhouses, tempered on the battlefield.
Four against one, even if the opponent was their commander, Luther, they were still very confident of winning easily.
With the four of us, what use is a Guide to coordinate? Don't be a hindrance. Some sentinels secretly thought this.
They surrounded Luther and attacked.
On the throne, the Queen’s fair fingers touched her chin, her red lips curving slightly, her fingers gently tapping.
The magnificent palace instantly changed.
The mirror-like ground turned into a checkered chessboard, parallel lines extending infinitely.
The sentinel stepping on a black square suddenly felt his body falling, he looked down and saw sharp spikes at the bottom of the abyss.
Yun Luo quickly stepped onto a white square and reached out to grab a companion falling into the black abyss.
The ceiling disappeared, the sky turned blood red, and far away, on the white throne, the Queen sat, her elbow on the armrest.
Giant playing cards appeared on the chessboard, the eyes of the Queen of Spades on their faces turning, a strange smile appearing.
Several giant cards suddenly flew and spun, their edges sharp like giant guillotines, as fast as lightning, too fast for the eye to follow.
The cards flashed past, their sharp edges severing an eagle wing. The sentinel screamed and fell from the sky.
Clutching his bloody body, he rolled to the edge of the white chessboard, almost falling into the black hole, before being caught in the unicorn’s mouth.
The next moment, a king in armor stepped out from among the cards, laughing heartily.
The king's body was incredibly large, almost as tall as the White Tower, even the strongest sentinel was as powerless as an ant before him.
Yun Luo hurriedly retreated with his injured companion.
The world before him absurd and yet real, reminding him of the strange, distorted world of the Golden Tree Contaminated Zone.
The more terrified he was, the more terrifying the scene before him became.
A giant foot descended from the sky, and no matter how they ran, they couldn’t escape the giant shadow cast by the foot.
He watched as the giant sole descended upon him, the patterns on it becoming clearer and clearer, about to crush him into mincemeat.
The next moment, a pair of soft hands seemed to cover his eyes.
His vision disappeared, and he was in darkness.
【Don’t look, it’s an illusion.】 A gentle female voice rang in his mind.
Somehow, just these few words, calmed the fear, shock, and panic of the four sentinels.
Even the intense physical pain disappeared.
Light reappeared before his eyes.
But it wasn’t his own vision, but someone else’s perspective. As if from behind them, further away, watching them all.
So, the ground was still the ground, and the palace still the palace.
There was no abyss, no playing cards, no real injuries on the person who had fallen, the battle hadn’t even begun yet.
Her Majesty sat on her throne, a playful smile on her lips.
"Don’t be afraid, the real battle is about to begin,” that Guide Lin, behind them, said.
Guide, so this was a battlefield with a Guide. So this was the legendary powerful Guide who could open contaminated zones.
They had only heard of this Guide before, this was the first time they had personally experienced a Guide’s power.
So Guides, when they unleashed their power, could be this strong.
The sentinels looked at each other, shocked, and began readjusting their mental states.
Even though they had been caught off guard just now, it had also been incredibly embarrassing.
Before Guide Lin and Her Majesty.
Luther, standing there, a red light burning in his eyes, slowly drew his weapon.
The real battle had begun, four sentinels against a single Luther.
A rain of blades and swords, filled with killing intent.
The more Yun Luo fought, the more shocked he became.
He had been in the Royal Guard for many years, and he had sparred with Luther before, the commander's combat power was strong, but he himself wasn’t weak either.
Only, at this moment, Commander Luther was like a completely different person.
The long blade in Yun Luo's hand had pierced Luther’s shoulder, and normally, no matter how brave, he would have at least paused his actions.
Either stopping or taking a few steps back, avoiding further injury.
But now, Luther forcefully endured the blade wound, and with a kick, sent him flying.
As if he felt no pain at all, an endless fighting spirit seemed to ignite within the commander.
The desire to fight, burning from the depths of his soul, turned him into a madman, knowing no pain, only knowing how to fight.
Yun Luo got up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, shocked.
The distorted world, the ever-invading illusions, the crazed opponent who felt no pain…
If it weren't for the powerful Guide on their side, constantly protecting their mindscapes,
Then in this battle, let alone the four of them, even if more sentinels came, they probably wouldn’t be able to get past Commander Luther.
So, a Guide’s participation could change a battle this much?
Guide Lin, so this was Guide Lin’s true fighting style.
Just like Ni Ji had said, she was a true powerhouse.
The battle continued, grunts, clashes, the cries of mental bodies mixing together on the battlefield.
In the vast palace, blades and guns rained down, dust and smoke rose.
The sentinels fought, a four-on-one battle, yet Luther single-handedly suppressed them all.
The Queen on the throne, her elbow resting on the armrest, watched the battle before her with great interest.
Very interesting, she hadn't experienced this in many years, how nostalgic.
But she didn't need to expend much effort, she could easily control them.
Like playing with a group of kittens and puppies, letting them roll around before her.
After all, cubs were still just cubs.
Just as she yawned, slightly relaxing her guard, from behind the dust and smoke of the battling sentinels, a slender figure suddenly jumped out.
The person, her long lace skirt cut short with a blade, now with her long legs bare, under the cover of a sentinel, moved as nimbly as a rabbit, jumping over the battlefield.
It was Lin Yuan.
The Guide, who no one had noticed,
The Guide who was supposed to be standing in the back, protected by the sentinels, had made her move.
Lin Yuan jumped over the battle zone, reaching for the blood-red gem hanging on the Queen’s chest.
The Queen’s eyes constricted, and she retreated, the bright red pendant on her neck swaying.
Lin Yuan’s fingers had almost reached the blood-red gem pendant, when she saw a pair of cold eyes.
Her hand was caught by a cold hand, that hand as cold as ice, its strength frighteningly strong, it grabbed hers, twisting and throwing, instantly sending her flying.
Lin Yuan felt a sharp pain in her arm, her entire body flung through the air by the huge force.
She flew backwards. Fortunately, Yun Luo quickly moved and caught her. After landing, the two stumbled back several steps before finally stopping.
Lin Yuan’s arm was in excruciating pain, her entire arm broken, she collapsed, unable to get up.
The Queen raised her hand, stopping the battle, and stood up from her throne, slowly walking towards Lin Yuan.
Yun Luo stood protectively in front of Lin Yuan. "Your Majesty, Guide Lin is injured."
The Queen seemed a little surprised by Yun Luo’s protectiveness. She bent down and looked at Lin Yuan.
"You child, I originally thought you were just like your mother."
"Now I realize I was wrong. You are not like anyone."
"You are a unique child.”
Ty for the update 🐥🐥
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