I just reached the maximum level, and you want me to be a puppet emperor?

Chapter 746 From that moment on, my life belonged to His Majesty Li Chen! (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

Sylph's words were filled with grievance and a deep affection for the pendant, as if she were truly terrified of being misunderstood and losing her life.

Li Chen's sharp gaze fell on her bare arms and calves, where there were indeed several relatively new bruises and abrasions that stood out starkly against her fair skin.

This made him think that the girl's story about being bullied and losing her pendant might have some merit.

But who is Li Chen? He never easily believes anyone's one-sided story.

As the saying goes, the more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to lie.

He listened calmly throughout, using the information as a reference rather than accepting it entirely.

Seeing Li Chen's still condescending, expressionless gaze hidden in the shadow of his hood, as if he could see through everything, Sylph's heart leaped into her throat, and her body trembled slightly with fear.

Especially when Li Chen slowly raised one hand, Sylph was so frightened that she almost suffocated, thinking that he was finally going to kill her. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she closed her eyes in despair.

However, the expected pain did not come.

She only felt a gentle yet irresistible force brushing against the soil beside her.

The next second, a cheap crystal pendant, covered in dirt, looking ordinary and even somewhat worn, flew out of the dirt and landed in Li Chen's hand.

The pendant was crudely made, and the crystal was cloudy. It was obviously a cheap, defective product. It might have been worth a few dollars a long time ago, but it seemed worthless now.

But who is Li Chen? He is a figure standing at the pinnacle of the continent, and for him, refining weapons and alchemy are merely minor skills that he can easily master.

A faint, chaotic light flashed from his fingertips, and the stains and wear on the pendant vanished instantly, leaving it crystal clear. Although the material remained unchanged, its luster and spirituality seemed to have returned to how it was when it was first meticulously crafted.

Then, to Sylph's disbelief, this mysterious and powerful "Cleric" actually knelt down on one knee and looked at her at eye level, even though his face was still hidden by his hood.

Li Chen handed the brand-new pendant to her, his voice softening slightly: "Take it safe, don't lose it again."

From Sylph's perspective, this moment seemed to be stretched out infinitely.

Moonlight shone through the gaps in the hood, seemingly outlining the cold yet graceful lines of the other person's jaw.

She couldn't see those eyes hidden in the shadows, but she could almost feel an indescribable, calm yet powerful force within them.

Tears blurred her vision, making it impossible for her to distinguish whether it was relief after fear or an indescribable feeling of being moved.

The figure before me was like a deity descended to earth, exuding both awe-inspiring majesty and, at this moment, revealing an unexpected tenderness.

Years later, when Sylph held a high position of power and recalled that night, she would always say with unwavering conviction, "From that moment on, my life belonged to His Majesty Li Chen."

Of course, these are all things to follow.

At this moment, Sylph reached out with trembling hands and carefully took the now crystal-clear pendant, clutching it tightly in her palms as if she were holding the most precious treasure in the world.

Hot tears finally streamed down her cheeks, and she choked up, unable to even utter a complete "thank you."

Li Chen reached out and pulled her up from the ground.

Sylph, having knelt for so long and experiencing such emotional ups and downs, felt dizzy and staggered as she stood up, almost falling over. In a daze, she thought she was dreaming.

“Take me around here, I want to see it for myself.” Li Chen’s voice pulled her back to reality. Sylph quickly wiped away her tears with her sleeve, carefully hid the pendant close to her body, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down, her tone carrying a hint of appeasement and assurance:

"Don't worry, my lord! I know the location of all the sentries, both visible and hidden, in the castle, as well as their patrol and shift change times! I guarantee I can take you away from everyone! Except for those forbidden areas with special barriers or those guarded year-round."

Seeing Li Chen's gaze fall on her again, seemingly wondering why she was so familiar with the patrol routine, Sylph hurriedly waved her hand to explain, a blush of embarrassment spreading across her face: "Sometimes I don't have enough to eat at night, so I sneak into the kitchen to find something to eat. I've never done anything bad!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized that stealing food wasn't exactly something to be proud of, and immediately lowered her head in grievance, like a child who had done something wrong.

Looking at her like this, Li Chen found it somewhat amusing. He unusually offered a word of comfort, his tone calm yet carrying a peculiar fairness: "If you live in this house and steal gold and silver treasures, that's your fault. But if you can't even satisfy your basic needs and have to steal food to fill your stomach, then it's the fault of this family."

These words were like a warm current flowing through Sylph's heart, causing her to suddenly raise her head, her amethyst eyes filled with disbelief and the excitement of being understood.

She nodded vigorously, as if she had found some kind of agreement.

"Take me to your place," Li Chen said casually.

Since it was late at night and he had plenty of time, he wasn't in a hurry to explore the so-called forbidden area in the back mountain.

The Pope's fate was not his primary concern; his main objective was to use this incident as a starting point to gain control of the Eternal Day Empire.

Observing the living conditions of the lower-level members of this family can sometimes reveal some of the family's true nature.

Upon hearing this, Sylph nodded without hesitation: "Yes, sir, please follow me this way."

She indeed knew the castle's layout and guards like the back of her hand.

She led Li Chen through the shadows of the castle, the corners of the corridors, and even some seemingly dead ends that actually held hidden secrets.

Her movements were light and practiced, like a kitten that was used to sneaking around in the night.

Li Chen followed silently behind her like her shadow, his aura completely concealed, but his spiritual sense spread out like an invisible spider web, constantly monitoring the surrounding movements and Sylph in front of him.

If she shows even the slightest sign of wanting to warn or play tricks, he will kill her instantly without hesitation.

However, Sylph behaved unusually well-behaved and obedient, even a little too diligently, for fear that leading the wrong way would displease Li Chen.

She led Li Chen through a maze of twists and turns, finally arriving at an extremely secluded courtyard on the very edge of the castle, near the outer perimeter of the barrier.

This place is less a courtyard and more a forgotten corner of the main building complex.

The low stone houses looked dilapidated, with moss climbing on the walls and a faint smell of mildew and weeds in the air.

Sylph pointed to one of the most dilapidated huts, whose windows were simply made of wooden strips nailed together haphazardly, and whispered, "Sir, I live here."

Calling this a storage room would be an understatement.

There were a few slightly better houses nearby, one of which had a faint light shining from its window.

Li Chen's gaze swept across the room, and through the gap in the curtains that were not fully drawn, he could see the figure of a woman inside.

(End of this chapter)