Chapter 1593: Finding An Exit

Lory’s earlier heaviness lifted just enough for curiosity to slip through. She turned her head slightly, eyes glinting. "And what did they say?"

"Jay broke into the health data of cities that consume seed production from Anchora," Lucas began, his voice steady, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. 𝙛𝓇ⅇ

"He found a steady rise in illness cases. At first glance, nothing unusual... but the anomaly lies in who is getting sick." He paused, letting it sink in, before continue again. "The ones showing the most significant increase... are the gifted."

The air inside the car seemed to tighten.

Lory turned her head slowly, her gaze settling on Zhao Li Xin, studying him for a few seconds as if measuring something unseen, before she spoke again. "And no one’s aware of this?"

"No one will notice if they don’t know what to look for," Fredhardt replied coolly. "And don’t forget, Anchora has already bought off several key figures in multiple countries. It’s hardly surprising this slipped through." His tone sharpened slightly. "Besides, everyone’s attention is fixed on the Bael attacks lately. No one has time to look elsewhere."

A brief silence hung in the air before Zhao Li Xin’s voice broke it. "Then how are they treating the sick?" Zhao Li Xin, who rarely voiced his opinion, suddenly spoke his thoughts, which only showed how grave the situation was.

Fredhardt answered without hesitation. "Standard procedure. They’re admitted, diagnosed, and then given an injection. Officially, it’s to ’boost immunity’ against the disease."

"Injection?" Lory echoed, her brows knitting together. A faint chill crept up her spine. "You remember how MADD implants are administered... right?"

"That’s exactly what worries us," Fargo said, his voice lower now, stripped of its usual ease. "I thought destroying the facilities at Blackridge would put an end to this." A bitter breath followed. "Should’ve known it wouldn’t be that simple..."

"We have to stop the drug from circulating as soon as possible." Lory’s grip on the steering wheel tightened again, his voice turning tense with urgency.

Lucas drew in a slow, heavy breath, as though bracing himself before delivering the inevitable. "That won’t be easy. The International Health Organization, the IHO, has already approved its distribution." His tone hardened. "Without concrete evidence, we have no grounds to interfere. At best, we can prevent it from entering Harland. Beyond that..." He trailed off slightly. "It’ll be difficult."

"They’ve bought everyone, huh?" Lory muttered, clicking her tongue in frustration.

"Yes," Lucas said quietly. "And that leaves us as the only real obstacle to their plans." A brief pause lingered before his voice turned firm, almost urgent. "That’s why I need you back as soon as possible, Lory. I have a feeling..."

A subtle tension crept into his words. "...they’re going to make their move on our kingdom sooner rather than later."

"I’ll be there as soon as possible," Lory replied firmly.

Soon after, the call ended. Lory lowered the phone, her expression hardening as resolve settled in. Without another word, she pressed down on the gas pedal—the engine roared in response, and the car surged forward, slicing through the road at a blistering speed.

_________________________________________

Meanwhile, the world finds itself more divided than it has been since the Dark Age War ended. On one side stood Harland, ruled by the Lucient family, the Lucient name having long since transcended mere nobility into something closer to legend and myth. For many people, they are the rightful guardians of the world.

On one side is the Lucient family of Harland. Their character, morals, and dignity as royalty are already known throughout the world, making it difficult not to idolize them.

Furthermore, it was also the Lucient family who fought the Black Dragon when all hope was lost; they were the ones who banished the darkness and restored light to a shattered age.

On the other hand, came the S.A.I.N.T. organization that rose like a radiant force amidst despair. At its center stood the Saintess, a figure draped in purity, her presence almost divine in the eyes of the masses. Wherever Bael’s corruption spread, turning land and water into festering poison, she brought cleansing light. 𝖋𝘳ℯ

Cities that had fallen into sickness were restored under her touch, and people who had lost everything found hope again through her miracles. To the common folk, she was not just a savior; she was the savior.

Faith in S.A.I.N.T. spread rapidly, crossing borders and loyalties alike, gathering followers who saw in her the promise of salvation in a world steadily succumbing to decay.

And finally, there was Luxemborough.

Unlike the others, Luxemborough did not rely on faith or legacy; it wielded power. Cold, undeniable, and immediate. While others spoke of protection and salvation, Luxemborough demonstrated it. Their military advancements, their weapons, their ability to directly combat the Bael... all of it positioned them as a rising force no one could afford to ignore.

To nations gripped by fear, Luxemborough offered something simple and tangible: the strength to fight back. No miracles, no legends, just results.

And in a time where survival was uncertain, that alone was enough to win allegiance. Thus, the world fractured, not along the lines drawn on maps, but along the fragile, shifting boundaries of belief.

Some placed their faith in Harland, clinging to the legacy of heroes who had once dragged the world back from the brink. To them, the Lucient family was not merely royalty, but a symbol, proof that light could prevail, as it once had before.

Others turned instead to S.A.I.N.T., drawn in by the Saintess’s radiance, by the miracles that unfolded before their very eyes. Where corruption spread, she cleansed. Where despair festered, she brought hope. For many, that was enough. More than enough. Though there were those who believed in neither legend nor divinity.

As the skeptics...

They placed their trust not in stories or salvation, but in power—visible, measurable, undeniable. To them, Luxemborough stood as the only rational choice. Strength was truth, and survival favored the strong. And when whispers began to spread that S.A.I.N.T. leaned closer to Luxemborough than to Harland...

The balance shifted. It was two against one. For many, those were odds too dangerous to ignore. As the divide deepened, the conflict spilled beyond council halls and battlefields, erupting instead across the endless expanse of social media. Voices clashed in a relentless storm of belief, anger, and desperation.

’Seriously, how can you still believe in Harland? They’ve barely done anything to stop these monsters from rampaging. At least the Saintess is actually saving people, have you seen what she’s done for us?’

’I agree! The Saintess and the Paladins are clearly the new power. They’re the ones protecting us now, not some distant nobles.’

’Ah, shut up! Unbelievable, all of you. After everything the Lucient family sacrificed, you just throw them aside like they meant nothing? Ungrateful, the lot of you!’

’It’s not that we’re ungrateful, but think about it, aren’t they live privileged lives. So, isn’t it natural for them to fight for us? What else should that power be used for?’

’You—watch your mouth! Who do you think you are? Why should our King fight for you? Does the Lucient family owe you anything? They don’t! And when everything falls apart again, don’t come crawling back to us for help—again!’

’Exactly! If not for the King’s mercy in accepting all those refugees into L’Markieth, our lives would’ve been far more comfortable. He gave them everything, unlike other rulers who abandoned their people.’

’But think about it... doesn’t it seem like King Marcus already knew about Nazareth’s awakening? Shouldn’t he have warned the world? Keeping that hidden sounds pretty selfish to me.’

’What do you know? He did warn them! Why do you think the rich all had bunkers prepared? Those were quietly built and sold ahead of time. People just didn’t listen. Some countries didn’t even believe him.’

’I heard that too. And they couldn’t just announce it publicly without proof—imagine the chaos. Panic, riots... It’s already happening now. Stores are being looted everywhere.’

’And how can you all still believe in S.A.I.N.T. and Luxemborough? Haven’t you heard the testimony from the healers of the White Rose School?’

’I don’t buy it. That’s obviously Harland trying to smear their reputation.’

’Exactly. Those girls were lying, paid off to say all that.’

’Are you all that blind? There’s proof, CCTV footage, data records, and firsthand accounts. You think all of that was fabricated? How convenient.’

’Our King doesn’t need to drag others down to stand tall, alright? We follow him because of who he is. He’s never cared about fame or recognition. If he did, we would’ve heard long ago about how they hunted beasts across Harland, saving lives when they were still teenagers. But we didn’t. Not until the war forced it into the open.’

’That’s true. I’m not even a Harland citizen, but i swear I saw it with my own eyes, Princess Lorient, King Lucas, and the Archknights fought against thousands of demon beasts, THOUSANDS!’

’And let me remind you all, they weren’t even twenty back then,’ another comment cut in, almost in awe. ’Well... except for Fargo and Fredhardt, of course.’

The arguments only multiplied from there, voices rising and colliding in an endless tide, belief against belief, truth against truth, each side stubbornly refusing to yield; thus, the conflict raged on, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Zhao Li Xin scrolled through the comments with quiet intensity, his gaze sharp as it moved from one heated exchange to another. He had stumbled upon the livestream by chance while searching for news about the Saintess and the Paladins, yet now his attention remained firmly captured by the chaos unfolding within it.

His unusually serious expression did not go unnoticed by Lory.

"What are you reading, Li Xin?" Lory glanced at him briefly before returning her focus to the road, her tone turning lightly teasing. "Don’t tell me you’re looking up how to dismantle electronics again. If you like it that much, I can enroll you in one of our universities, you know."

Zhao Li Xin let out a soft chuckle. Beneath that calm exterior, however, a quiet warmth stirred in his chest. Lory had always been like this, thoughtful, attentive, effortlessly kind. No matter how much time had passed, she remained the same bright, gentle girl he had once met among the sea of bluebell flowers.

"Thank you," he said, his voice easy, "but no. I’m not reading about dismantling things." He tilted the phone slightly before slipping it away. "Just people arguing, about Harland... and our enemies."

A faint, relaxed smile lingered on his lips, as though the battles of recent days had never touched him.

Lory let out a long sigh. "Ugh, don’t read too much of that. It’ll just give you a headache," she muttered, eyes fixed on the narrow stretch of road ahead.

"Really? I find it quite entertaining," Zhao Li Xin replied lightly as he tucked his phone into his pocket. "If something like this existed in my world, it would make the Red Vermilion Palace work far more simply and efficiently."

Lory laughed at that. "Bei Li Yan would absolutely love it, that’s for sure."

"Mm," Zhao Li Xin hummed in agreement, his gaze drifting forward. "Where are we, anyway?"

He leaned slightly, glancing at the touchscreen display embedded in the dashboard.

"Since all the exit routes are blocked, and for some reason, security has tightened its scrutiny on anyone trying to leave Arwegian," Lory explained, her tone edged with irritation. "They’re digging into people’s backgrounds far more than usual, claiming they suspect terrorist involvement in the Bael attack. Because of that... we can’t use the normal routes."

It wasn’t an exaggeration. Every checkpoint had turned into a wall of suspicion. Travelers were no longer waved through with a glance at their identification; now, they were stopped, questioned, and examined as if each carried a hidden threat.

Personal records were pulled up without warning, histories dissected down to the smallest detail. Officers compared data across multiple systems, their eyes sharp, their patience thin.

Even the slightest inconsistency could trigger alarms.

Some were held back for further questioning, escorted away under the watchful gaze of armed guards. Others stood frozen as their belongings were searched piece by piece, their movements tracked, their words measured.

No one passed through unnoticed anymore.

Under such suffocating scrutiny, leaving Arwegian wasn’t just difficult, it was nearly impossible without drawing attention.

"It might be Salvo’s doing," Zhao Li Xin said calmly.

"That’s what I thought too." Lory pursed her lips, annoyance flashing across her face. "I think he’s obsessed with you. I don’t like it." She let out a small, disgruntled snort.

Zhao Li Xin chuckled softly, reaching out to gently stroke her head, his touch absentminded yet affectionate. "I don’t like it either."

"Mm. Just make sure to stay away from him," Lory warned.

Zhao Li Xin’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You should also stay away from his younger brother."

"Huh?" Lory blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

"That one... Sean something." Zhao Li Xin’s expression darkened faintly.

Lory paused, then her brows lifted in sudden realization. "Ah... right. I almost forgot about him if you hadn’t mentioned it."

So it’s his fault, huh...

Zhao Li Xin cleared his throat, as if brushing the thought aside, then resumed patting her head with quiet satisfaction. "Good girl. Keep up the good work."

Work... about what? Lory wondered, confusion flickering briefly across her face, but she said nothing. They had finally arrived at their destination.

"Don’t forget to put on your disguise," Zhao Li Xin reminded her.

Lory shot him a look, before casting a shapeshifting spell for both of them. after that she took out a Versipell potion, then handing one of it to Zhao Li Xin.

She uncorked her vial and raised it in front of Zhao Li Xin, "Cheers." She grinned, then took a large gulp. A second later, her face twisted in disgust. "Ugh... still tastes bad."

"Really? I think it’s not that bad," Zhao Li Xin muttered, his expression unchanged as he calmly drank the potion.