The Glory of Noxus.

Chapter 437: Soleanna's Heartache and Katarina's Shyness

The autumn wind was as sharp as a knife, cold and bleak. It crossed the waves of the Conqueror's Sea and poured into Uzeris, trying to dilute the bloody smell in the city.

Uzeris, a city ruled by the Du Kocao family, was also invaded by Azir and Xerath.

The two resurgent ambitious men bewitched the lower-class Shurimans, using their poverty and dissatisfaction to weave a web of faith.

He skillfully manipulated these people and used them for his own purposes, collecting supplies and seeking intelligence, intending to isolate Uzeris from his eyes and ears and secretly plot the interests of the port.

On the day of her return, Katarina demonstrated the sharpness of the ominous blade and mobilized the Noxian warband without hesitation to cleanse the forces in the city.

All of a sudden!
The streets of Uzeris and the noble districts flowed like a river of blood, nearly dyeing the surface of the Conqueror's Sea red.

The dark night fell, covering the silent city like a veil.

In the city center of Uzeris, stands a majestic and solemn general's mansion.

Its existence represents the Noxian Empire's rule over the northern ports of Shurima, and also means that the empire will not give up this land.

Around the general's mansion, soldiers from the Reiser Garrison Legion were patrolling and on guard. The weapons in their hands and their cold eyes silently spoke of their loyalty.

Although Katarina's purge successfully maintained the power of the empire, it also aroused the anger and hatred of the Shurima people.

The surging undercurrent lurks in the northern port city, which may destroy the stable order and prosperity at any time.

At the same time, many Shurimans secretly planned to assassinate Katarina to avenge their relatives and compatriots.

Although most of the assassination plans failed, it could not stop the Shurimans from hating Katarina.

Deep in the general's mansion, dim lights dotted the quiet study.

Catalina was wearing black casual clothes and was working at her desk, handling the matters at hand.

Her eyes were focused and determined, and her inherent dignity dispelled the fierceness on her face.

This cleansing operation allowed Catalina to truly see the intricate interest relationships and many hidden forces within the North Port.

Azir and Xerath have only been revived for a few months, but they have already received extraordinary support.

In particular, the Desert Emperor Azir quickly won the support of more than half of the forces with his outstanding leadership and powerful strength.

These forces either surrendered openly or gathered together secretly, becoming a solid force in Azir's hands.

They all pledged allegiance to Azir, hoping to restore the former glory of the Shurima Empire.

The remaining forces gathered under Xerath and learned the power of the extraordinary system announced by Xerath.

Xerath openly abolished slavery, and with his unique personal charm and the published arcane magic system, he attracted many slaves and ordinary people to become his followers.

They believe that by following Xerath, they can gain greater power and higher status.

Therefore, they chose to accept Xerath's ideas and accept the guidance and training of believers, hoping to get rid of their previous identities.

Even become an extraordinary being and enjoy a life that was unattainable in the past.

Katarina's cleansing operation can be said to have unexpectedly curbed the fighting and gaming among different forces on the Shurima continent, temporarily stabilizing the situation.

The terrifying military force of the Noxian Empire and the strength displayed by Huo Jixing have made all parties deeply aware of this.

There is also a ferocious tiger lurking in the northern port, its fangs are so sharp that they are frightening.

"Azir's Ascension Edict!"

Catalina folded the letter, leaned her slender body against the table and chair, her eyes flickering.

After many days of efforts, the spies of the Reiser Garrison Corps learned the conditions promised by Azir to gather the forces of all parties.

It is an edict that allows you to participate in the ascension ceremony!

Katarina tapped the table lightly with her slender fingers. To be honest, she was also very curious about the ascension ceremony of the Shurima Empire.

However, the most important thing at the moment is to stabilize the order of the northern ports.

She had wanted to use the momentum of this cleansing operation to recapture the cities and oases near the northern ports.

These areas are no longer under the control of the Noxian Empire, which is a source of concern to her.

Catalina hopes to bring them back into the Empire's sphere of influence.

But Huo Jixing spoke out to stop her actions, saying that one must not underestimate the power of Azir and Xerath.

The ascension ceremony of these two people was not an ordinary ascension ceremony, but an ascension ceremony performed with the power of the ancient Shurima Empire.

The scale and power of the ceremony far exceeds that of ordinary ascension ceremonies and requires a long period of planning and preparation.

The most important thing is that the number of people who can ascend is limited to one person!
In the end, Catalina followed Huo Jixing's advice and decided to protect the interests of the Northern Port.

Adventurous expansion may lead Azir and Xerath to join forces, but stabilizing order in the northern ports is the top priority.

dong dong!dong dong!
A sudden knock on the door brought Catalina back to her senses.

Looking at the dark night outside the window, she got up and opened the door, and saw her mother standing outside with a smile on her face.

"It's time for dinner!"

As the wife of General Du Cocao, although Soleana does not hold a military position, she still controls the general's mansion.

"Okay, mother."

Catalina nodded slightly, threw on her coat, and followed Soleana to the restaurant.

Most of her memories of her mother, Soleana, date from her childhood.

Because he was trained by his father since childhood, he rarely met Soleana.

Later, my father launched the Shurima Expansion War under the instructions of the former imperial commander Bron Darkwill.

Her mother Soleana and sister Cassiopeia followed her to Shurima, leaving Katarina alone in the empire.

In the restaurant, candlelight flickered.

In the center is an intricately carved round wooden dining table with a mirror-like surface that reflects the soft glow of candlelight.

The table was filled with sumptuous home-cooked meals that were delicious and tasty.

Freshly baked white bread exudes an enticing aroma, with a slightly crispy golden crust and a soft and dense interior.

Next to it was a plate of bacon, the meat was tender, juicy, and carefully cured and smoked.

In addition, there is a specially prepared tuna bacon roll and a seafood delicacy, stir-fried sea bream.

These delicacies were specially prepared by Soleanna.

Catalina stepped in at the right time and saw Huo Jixing who had just come in. Huo Jixing was wearing a black suit and had a handsome face. He looked at Catalina and Soleana and nodded slightly.

The snow-white Poro lying on his shoulder poked his head out, but he didn't look at the crowd. Instead, he stared straight at the dining table, drooling.

Catalina and Huo Jixing sat down, their seats next to each other.

Soleana sat down opposite and observed Katarina who was sitting with Huo Jixing out of the corner of her eye, with a strange look in her eyes.

She knows her daughter very well.

Although Catalina was trained by the Du Coca family as a child, she did not have much exposure.

But as a mother and a member of the Black Rose, Soleanna has always been secretly paying attention to Katarina's growth.

Even though Katarina has now become a high-ranking officer in the Reiser Garrison Corps and an ominous blade renowned throughout the empire, she cannot ignore the ties of blood ties.

The same is true for Katrina.

After General Du Coquet's unexpected disappearance, she was hesitant about her mother and sister and could not bear to be cruel.

Even after knowing that they were members of the Black Rose, Katarina did not choose to detain them directly.

There are not many members in the Du Keao family now, and she has many concerns in her heart in order to maintain her status as one of the most powerful people in the Noxian Empire.

After a while, Cassiopeia gracefully snaked into the restaurant, glanced at the table, and sat down with Soleanna.

After everyone was seated, Soleana raised her gentle face, smiled softly and spoke.

"We don't need to be so polite. Let's just get started."

Huo Jixing glanced at Catalina and could tell that this was a private family banquet.

He was a little confused at first, as Catalina had specifically greeted him earlier, saying that they wanted to have dinner together tonight and that he should dress formally.

It turned out that he was planning to formally introduce himself to his mother Soleana and sister Cassiopeia.

Huo Jixing first placed the snow-white Poro on his left hand side, took out some food and let it enjoy.

Then he and Catalina ate and chatted with the others.

"Mrs. Soleana, this tuna bacon roll tastes good."

Huo Jixing tasted the tuna bacon roll on the plate and exclaimed in admiration.

This is the truth, not a compliment.

Soleanna's cooking skills are really good. The fresh tuna and the fried bacon are perfectly combined, with rich taste.

It has the freshness of tuna and the saltiness of bacon.

The taste of the fried sea bream with aralia is also quite unique. The sea bream meat is fresh and tender, and the fragrance of the aralia and the cooking method leave a lingering fragrance in your mouth.

"Katerina also loves tuna bacon rolls and used to ask for them when she was little."

Soleana's eyes moved between Huo Jixing and Katarina.

During this period, her identity and status changed frequently due to the changing situation in the empire.

Soleana is no longer as vigilant as before. She is obviously much more relaxed, with a calm smile on her face, as if she has found inner peace.

She has completely seen through the purpose of the Black Rose. What they value is her identity.

Although the Black Rose was once an organization she believed in, she realized the hidden conspiracy and betrayal and secretly decided not to serve the Black Rose anymore.

Soleana is ready to reconnect with her family and focus on the lives of Katarina and Cassiopeia.

Catalina had a brief conversation with her mother and sister during the meal. Only through communication could they resolve each other's concerns.

Mother Soleanna is much more mature and says that she will withdraw from the Black Rose and focus on the development of the family.

Although Cassiopeia has adapted to her current snake body, she still has some complaints about the Black Rose in her heart.

In the Emperor's Tomb incident, she saw her identity as bait.

After getting assurances from Huo Jixing and Katarina, Cassiopeia also decided to withdraw from the Black Rose.

She understood that this decision meant that she would bear the consequences of the missions she had previously performed and the intelligence information she had provided.

This will be decided by His Majesty Swain.

After a brief conversation, the atmosphere in the restaurant gradually became relaxed, filled with the aroma of delicious food and laughter.

Dinner is over.

Catalina said goodbye to her mother Solena, left the restaurant with Huo Jixing, and strolled towards the garden behind the mansion.

Under the night sky, the dim starlight fell and fell on them.

Huo Jixing and Catalina walked along the winding path and strolled in the garden.

The private meeting between the two should have been relaxed and pleasant, but at this moment it was not as calm as it was just now in the restaurant.

But a little nervous.

Huo Jixing looked at Katarina, the ominous blade with a tough personality, who showed her gentle side in the night, with the corners of her eyes slightly raised, as if she was a little shy.

Huo Jixing's heart moved, and he couldn't help but speak out what was in his heart.

"Katerina, you look very different tonight."

"Oh, what's the difference?"

Catalina raised her eyes and looked at Huo Jixing. The bloody scar across her left eye was much darker than before.

"It's become much more beautiful!"

Hearing Huo Jixing's words, a hint of shyness appeared in Catalina's eyes, like the fragmented moonlight blending into the Milky Way.

Then, she fell into a warm embrace, and when she raised her head slightly, she saw Huo Jixing's handsome face.

The relationship between the two was already close, and all it took was one of them to speak first to break through that thin layer of window paper.

Now, after experiencing the Tomb of the Kings incident and this Temple of the Sun incident, it can be said that everything has come to fruition.

Huo Jixing hugged Katarina tightly, staring at the familiar and beautiful face.

Feeling the graceful and sexy body trembling gently in his arms, his heart couldn't help but ripples.

(End of this chapter)