I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

After reading the letter, Ji Tian remained silent for a moment.

That shouldn't be the case. With his current physique, he's already immune to both extreme cold and heat; Elena should know that.

But why send him a cloak?

Isn't this just a blatant waste of money?

He doesn't understand.

Lilith leaned closer, her head almost touching the letter. "What does it say? What does it say?"

Ji Tian folded the letter and tucked it into his pocket.

"Fun things to do in your spare time."

"What is it? Did you mention me? Master, did you say in your reply that you had accepted me as your clever, adorable, exceptionally talented, and beautiful disciple?"

"no."

"Why!"

"First, I haven't replied yet; second, I'm not good at lying."

Lilith's mouth bulged out like a pufferfish's, then deflated. She squatted down and folded a crooked paper crane out of croissant wrapping paper.

"Master, when you reply, could you mention me briefly? Just say, 'I've taken on a new disciple. He has silver hair and purple eyes, and he's very easy to raise.'"

Ji Tian looked down at her.

The paper crane was folded crookedly by her, its wings uneven, like a drunken bird.

"OK."

Lilith's eyes lit up immediately.

"Master, you're so kind! Could you add, 'She's also very good at folding paper cranes'?"

She held up the crooked paper crane with a smug look on her face.

Ji Tian stared at the paper crane and remained silent for a few seconds.

"...This doesn't count as knowing how."

"How can it not count! I figured this out myself while I was fleeing! I'm the only one in the world who knows this folding method! It's called 'Lilith-style Origami Art'!"

The receptionist next to him couldn't help but chuckle, then quickly lowered his head and pretended to organize the documents.

Ji Tian stood up and stuffed the bag of gold coins into his pocket.

"I'm gone."

"Where to?"

"Eat breakfast."

"Didn't we just have a croissant?"

"That's a snack, breakfast is breakfast."

Lilith immediately sprang to her feet, carefully tucked the paper crane into her cloak pocket, and jogged after him.

"Master, Master, what are we eating today?"

What would you like to eat?

"Small cakes!"

There are no cupcakes in the morning.

"So... sausage, fried egg, and toast?"

"Yes, that's true."

"And a cup of hot milk, please!"

"it is good."

"Master, you smiled when you were reading the letter."

"no."

"I saw it! The corner of his mouth curled up slightly! Just a tiny bit!"

You've misjudged.

"No! My eyesight is excellent! I relied on these eyes to spot pursuers in the distance while we were fleeing!"

"Now you should use these eyes to see where you're going, so you don't fall."

As they walked out of the Adventurers' Guild, a figure dressed in gray clothes and wearing a hood passed by them, nodding slightly to Ji Tian as a greeting.

The two passed each other by.

The figure walked through the passing adventurers and up to the second floor of the Adventurers' Guild without making a sound, as if no one had noticed him.

He went to the second floor of the Adventurers' Guild and knocked on the door of a private room.

A gentle voice came from inside the house, "Who is it?"

Legolas, the elven archer in the hero's party, replied with the secret code he and the hero had agreed upon, "An archer."

The door opened, and Alex stood in the doorway, asking with concern, "How are you? Are you alright?"

Legolas shook his head, walked into the room silently, like a fallen leaf drifting across the threshold.

His leather armor was covered in night dew and dust, and his long, dark brown hair was combed into thin braids by the wind, with a few strands falling across his forehead.

His amber eyes remained calm, but there was a hint of weariness in them.

Alex gestured for him to sit down and poured him a glass of warm water, pushing it towards him.

Legolas took the cup but didn't drink from it. He simply held it in his hand, feeling the warmth of the ceramic. "The Demon vanguard's camp is located sixty miles west of the Cross River Estuary, around an abandoned mine. The terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The east and north sides are gentle slopes, the south side has a dry riverbed, and the west side is close to the mountain wall."

"Not only that, they also set up sentry posts at the mine entrance and on the hilltop, which offered a wide field of vision and made it difficult to get close."

Alex nodded and asked, "Where is the commander?"

"I saw it clearly. It was a demon wearing full black armor, a head taller than the average demon, and wielding a double-edged battle axe. His tent was set up at the deepest part of the mine, surrounded by at least twenty elite guards. I observed him all day, and he never left the mine."

Alex frowned slightly: "What about logistics? Where are the supplies and provisions?"

"There are dedicated logistics camps outside the mine. There aren't many guards, but they're scattered around." Legolas paused. "Also, on my way back, I discovered something interesting."

"What is it?"

"There were unusual energy fluctuations in the direction of the Xiling Mountains last night. It was far away, but the intensity was very high. I climbed up to a high place and took a look. The sky was glowing with a dark red light, as if something had exploded in the mountains."

Mason raised an eyebrow: "A dragon?"

Legolas's gaze fell on Alex's face. "Uncertain. But that level of energy fluctuation doesn't seem like something an ordinary monster could cause. If there really is a dragon in the West Ridge Mountains, and it chose to appear at this time, it could very well affect the entire battle."

The room was quiet for a while.

Alex stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the flags on the distant city walls.

The morning light had already bathed the entire city of Kold, while a lingering twilight still hung on the western horizon.

He finally spoke, "Let's put the dragon matter aside for now. Our target is still the Demon Commander. Legolas, you've worked hard, go and rest. Tonight, once the Sage's Crown arrives, we'll make a final decision."

Legolas nodded, got up, and walked towards the door.

As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"I met that person who called himself 'Li Feiyu' in the Adventurers' Guild Hall today."

Alex turned around: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Legolas paused, "I just feel that his aura is a little different from yesterday. But I can't quite put my finger on what's different."

He pushed open the door and went out.

The door closed gently behind me.

Alex stood there silently for a moment, then shook his head, walked back to the table, and unfolded the parchment map again.

……

Third Army Corps Headquarters

General Mack sat at the end of the long table, with the huge sheepskin map spread out in front of him.

The candlelight flickered on his graying beard and hair, highlighting the deep wrinkles on his face.

He held a charcoal pencil in his hand, drawing and erasing on the map repeatedly, leaving a thin layer of eraser shavings on the table.

The curtain was lifted, and the adjutant strode in, holding a letter stamped with the Prime Minister's seal.

"General, an urgent message from the capital."

Mike took the letter, broke the wax seal, and pulled out the letter.

The handwriting on the letter was neat and meticulous, every word was carefully chosen, and even the punctuation marks seemed to have been carefully considered before being placed.

After reading the letter, he remained silent for a long time.

The adjutant cautiously asked, "General?"

Mike folded the letter and tucked it into his pocket.

He stood up, walked to the sand table, and looked at the red and blue signs.

The candlelight flickered behind him, casting his shadow on the tent wall, making him look like a hunched giant.

He sighed deeply, his voice hoarse, and said, "The Prime Minister said that the nobles in the capital are getting impatient. They need a victory to defeat Augustus, the Earl of the North, who is currently riding high and is very likely to become the next Prime Minister. If this drags on any longer, those opportunists will inevitably switch sides for greater benefits."

The adjutant lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Mike reached out and picked up a black chess piece representing the Demon vanguard from the sand table. He twirled it between his fingers; the piece was polished smooth and gleamed with a cold, eerie light in the candlelight.

"They only know how to win, but they don't know the price of victory."

He gently placed the black piece back on the sand table, west of Kolde City. "Send the order to reward the troops. Tomorrow morning, the entire army will assemble. The Third Army Corps, prepare for the expedition."

"But General, what about the hero—"

"He can do his thing, we'll do ours," Mike interrupted him, his voice regaining its usual seriousness. "He wants an elite raid, I want a head-on battle. We'll find out who's right and who's wrong after we fight."

The adjutant opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. He simply gave a heavy reply, turned, and walked out of the tent.

Mike stood in front of the sand table, looking at the densely packed chess pieces. The candlelight flickered on his face, casting his expression in shifting light and shadow.

As the sun rose higher, bugle calls sounded outside the Third Army Corps' headquarters.