Chapter 1589: Fire and Light

Lory watched as Salvo de Rova and his entourage walked toward Zhao Li Xin with firm, arrogant strides, as if this place belonged to them.

Salvo de Rova’s expression was cold, and he exuded a lordly air around him, as if he were the king of this land. Such an arrogant man, Lory more or less understood his character by now.

Then her gaze shifted to her beloved husband. The man wore the same cold and indifferent expression; however, while Salvo de Rova acted as if he were superior to everyone else, Zhao Li Xin exuded pure detachment, as though no one in this world could ever enter his sight.

Both men carried a similar temperament, and Lory found herself curious about how this meeting would unfold. The last time Salvo met Zhao Li Xin, she had not been there. Now, she could finally witness it with her own eyes, even if only from afar...at the moment. ℴ

The Arwegian soldier commander immediately stepped forward to greet Salvo de Rova. He extended his hand for a handshake, "Sir de Rova, you have come, but unfortunately, your arrival may be in vain." The commander did not seem to have a good opinion of Salvo de Rova, nor of the Paladin.

Salvo de Rova wasn’t offended, as he didn’t care what his commander thought of him. He accepted the handshake. "We just received word, so we’re late. I hope you understand," he apologized, though there was no trace of remorse in his voice.

"Of course, we understand," said the commander. Then he turned to Zhao Li Xin with an inquisitive look. "Thanks to this young man, we managed to avoid heavy casualties. It’s a shame I still don’t know your name yet, sir."

Before Zhao Li Xin could speak, Salvo cut in. "We meet again, Mr. Zhao."

Zhao Li Xin frowned slightly, a faint crease forming between his brows as he looked at Salvo de Rova. He wondered how the man had managed to see through his disguise despite the Versipell Potion. The potion was not something ordinary people could detect so easily, yet Salvo had recognized him almost immediately.

’Interesting.’

"Hm, you’re here..." Zhao Li Xin replied nonchalantly, his tone calm and indifferent, showing no intention of revealing his true identity. Salvo might already know who he was, but Zhao Li Xin had no reason to expose himself in front of the Arwegian soldiers, he never been a generous man.

Behind Salvo, several paladins stiffened at Zhao Li Xin’s casual attitude. Their expressions darkened instantly, offended by the lack of respect shown toward their lord.

"Hey! How dare you speak to our lord like that?!" one of them barked, then stepping forward with a hand on his sword. "Do you even know who you’re standing in front of?!"

"My lord, allow me to teach him a lesson!" another paladin added, his voice filled with hostility, clearly eager to draw his weapon.

The air grew tense in an instant, hostility spreading like a spark in dry grass.

Salvo slowly raised his hand; a simple gesture was enough. The paladins who had been ranting immediately fell silent, their mouths snapping shut as if an invisible force had pressed down on them. None of them dared to speak again, though the anger in their eyes remained.

"You have loud dogs," Zhao Li Xin said flatly, his voice calm and emotionless, as if he were merely stating an obvious fact.

The insult hung heavily in the air, and for a brief moment, even the sea breeze seemed to pause. Salvo did not react with anger. Instead, a gentle smile slowly appeared on his face, polite, composed, and perfectly controlled.

"Pardon them," Salvo said calmly, his voice smooth and courteous, though the smile on his lips never reached his eyes.

"Of course. I wouldn’t be so petty as to care about a dog’s bark," Zhao Li Xin replied nonchalantly.

His casual mockery ignited the paladins’ anger once more. Their expressions twisted with fury, their hands tightening around their weapons. Never in their lives had they been treated like this.

They were the gods’ chosen soldiers; because of that, they were revered and respected wherever they went. People usually bowed their heads in their presence, speaking with caution and humility.

Yet this man looked at them as if they were nothing more than worthless insects beneath his feet. The humiliation burned in their chests like fire.

Not far away, Lory listened to the entire conversation from her perch on the broken billboard, using the wind to carry their voices clearly to her ears. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head slightly.

Zhao Li Xin truly had a special talent for provoking people. Handsome, faithful, powerful, and equipped with a dangerously sharp tongue, even for a lifetime, she believed she couldn’t find a more perfect man than him, even if she searched the whole world...that’s why she found him in another world.

"Why are you here, Mr. Zhao?" Salvo asked, his tone calm but laced with unmistakable cynicism.

"Enjoying the beach," Zhao Li Xin replied casually, as if discussing the weather.

"Alone?" Salvo narrowed his eyes slightly, disbelief flickering across his face. He was certain Raven Jane should be somewhere nearby, yet no matter how carefully he scanned the surroundings, he could not find her presence.

Zhao Li Xin shrugged lightly. "Can’t I?"

"So you traveled all the way to Arwegian territory just to walk along the beach... alone?" Salvo asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Is that not a good reason for you?" Zhao Li Xin replied shamelessly, not caring whether his excuse sounded reasonable or not. He glanced briefly at the sea, then added in a calm, indifferent tone, "It’s a beautiful beach..."

Suddenly, a loud boom echoed behind them. A damaged building that had barely been standing finally crumbled down, its weakened structure collapsing under its own weight.

Stones and wooden beams crashed onto the sand, sending dust and debris flying into the air. The sound of breaking walls and falling rubble rang loudly across the ruined shoreline.

Nearby, one of the few remaining palm trees tilted dangerously before crashing down with a heavy thud, its broken trunk swallowed by the scattered debris.

Everyone instinctively turned to look behind them.

The once beautiful beach was now nothing but a wreck, broken buildings, fallen palm trees, shattered stone, and scattered ruins stretched across the shore. Smoke and dust still lingered in the air, and the waves quietly washed against the destroyed coastline, as if mocking what had once been a peaceful place.

"...Once," Zhao Li Xin emphasized calmly.

The single word fell like a silent slap across everyone’s face.

"..." No one spoke.

Salvo, the Paladins, and the soldiers all stood there in complete silence, rendered utterly speechless by Zhao Li Xin’s blunt remark and the undeniable reality before their eyes.

"I didn’t know you were quite a jester, Mr. Zhao," Salvo mocked, a faint sneer tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Oh, I might not look like it, but people who know me well used to say I’m quite a humorous person," Zhao Li Xin replied with a flat, straight face, his tone completely serious. No one could tell whether he was joking or not.

The Paladins looked at him in disbelief, their expressions stiff and confused, unsure how to respond to such a shameless statement.

From afar, Lory, who had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation through the wind, almost fell from the billboard

’WHICH PEOPLE, introduce them to me!’

Suddenly, a violent rush came from the sea, followed by a deafening roar that shook the ground beneath their feet.

Rooaaar—!

The water exploded upward as Bael rose from the sea once more. Seawater cascaded down its massive body while dark purple burns still smoldered across its cracked, bark-like skin. Its hollow white eyes glowed fiercely, locked onto Zhao Li Xin with pure murderous intent.

Bael dragged itself onto the shore, claws digging deep into the sand. The vines around its body began to writhe violently, twisting and coiling like a nest of enraged serpents. Its shoulders hunched, muscles tightening, and its claws slowly lifted, sharp tips digging grooves into the air as it prepared to strike again.

The sea behind it churned wildly, waves crashing harder and faster, as if responding to the monster’s fury. Bael lowered its body slightly, letting out a low, rumbling growl, the unmistakable posture of a beast about to launch another deadly attack.

"Oh, he finally woke up," Zhao Li Xin muttered in a calm tone, his gaze casually resting on Bael as if he were merely watching a stubborn animal get back on its feet.

"You aren’t going to finish it?" Salvo de Rova asked in a teasing tone, the corner of his lips curling slightly. ℯ𝕝.

Zhao Li Xin glanced at Bael with a bored expression before turning his gaze away. "I already did what needed to be done," he said calmly, clasping his hands behind his back, clearly showing he had no intention of taking action again.

A ripple of panic spread through the soldiers as soon as they realized Zhao Li Xin had no intention of moving again. Their tense relief from moments ago was shattered instantly, replaced by unease and rising fear.

Some tightened their grip on their weapons, while others instinctively stepped back, their eyes darting between Bael and Zhao Li Xin.

The Gifted People combat group was no better; their formation stiffened, and several of them quietly shifted into defensive positions, a ripple of mana energy gathering faintly around their bodies.

They had just witnessed Bael being thrown into the sea, yet the monster was already rising again, and now the only person capable of stopping it had stepped aside.

"Everyone, take position!" the commander shouted, his voice sharp and urgent.

"Prepare to engage!" another soldier yelled, raising his weapon as he moved into formation.

The soldiers quickly snapped back into action, boots digging into the sand as they formed defensive lines. Weapons were raised, shields lifted, and spiritual energy began to gather among the Gifted People combat group.

Their earlier relief vanished completely, replaced by grim determination and rising fear. The battlefield, which had briefly felt safe, was once again filled with suffocating tension.

Salvo stepped forward without a word, his silver cape swaying lightly in the sea breeze. With a smooth, deliberate motion, he drew his white sword from his waist.

Shing—

The blade gleamed under the sunlight, pure and flawless, as if carved from light itself.

A soft glow began to spread from the sword, then quickly intensified. Bright white energy surged along the blade and flowed into Salvo’s body, wrapping around him like a radiant aura.

His armor shimmered, his blond hair fluttered in the rising energy, and the air around him trembled under the pressure of his holy power.

For a moment, he looked like a divine knight descended from the heavens. Without hesitation, Salvo stepped forward and swung his sword. A brilliant arc of light shot from the blade and tore through the air, striking Bael with overwhelming force.

BOOM!

The radiant strike crashed into the monster, piercing straight through Bael’s chest and tearing open a massive, gaping hole as blinding white light burst out from its body.