Chapter 1618: The Hardest Trial II

Avoiding his gaze, she quickly scooped another spoonful of fish into her mouth and pretended to be deeply occupied with eating, as though her full attention had always been devoted to the meal.

"I just looked a little," she mumbled around her food, sounding far less convincing than she intended.

Zhao Li Xin sighed. "Lory, did you hear what the doctor said?"

The other day, after the meeting, Lory had vomited quite badly, causing Lucas, Zhao Li Xin, and the other were panic and they frantically called the medical team as if someone was dying.

The doctor, who was usually polite to Lucas and the Grand Knights, sternly reprimanded them. He warned them not to discuss anything that might stress Lory. Although Lory wasn’t aware of the stress she was experiencing, that didn’t mean her body wouldn’t react. Although these reactions might seem mild, prolonged stress during pregnancy could affect the babies and the mother’s health.

After hearing the doctor’s ’scolding’, everyone realized their mistake. Perhaps because they were used to fighting alongside Lory and carrying out dangerous missions together, they had unconsciously thought she was invincible. But only now did they truly realize how fragile her condition was.

Lory lay on the bed, looking pale and listless while the healer tended to her, her usual vitality nowhere to be seen. Zhao Li Xin’s expression was shrouded with guilt. He felt like a failure; he should have known better.

He had seen many female cultivators weaken during pregnancy, even miscarrying for trivial reasons, like bumping into a table, falling, or simply from excessive anger.

No matter how strong a woman was, pregnancy was her most vulnerable time, both physically and mentally, and he should have protected her.

Seeing Lory lying weak and exhausted filled him with guilt. He then promised himself that he would no longer indulge Lory’s whim anymore. He should be more strict; he cannot allow this situation to happen again, no matter what, her well-being will always be his top priority.

"Lory, you promised me you would not let yourself become stressed. What if your condition worsens?" Zhao Li Xin asked, anxiety evident in his expression. "With your unstable power, what if your healing ability stalls when you get hurt, and you can’t heal yourself?"

Lory pouted in annoyance. "I know—I know! I only looked for a second, and you’re already scolding me."

Her voice trembled as tears welled in her eyes. "Why are you so mean to me? You don’t love me anymoreee...."

Zhao Li Xin was rendered speechless; he never thought Lory is gonna cry out loud.

Then he suddenly remembered the doctor’s warning.

’Pregnant women may experience heightened emotions due to hormonal changes. Their moods can fluctuate easily, so those around them must exercise greater patience.’

Or, as Fredhardt had summarized with alarming simplicity: ’She’s going to be more annoying than usual.’

Fargo’s immediate reaction upon hearing that was: ’Holy sh*t!’

Zhao Li Xin now realized the warning had not been exaggerated. Seeing tears stream down her cheeks make zhao fell to instant panic. Instinctively, he moved the bedside table aside and pulled her into his arms.

"That’s not true, I love you so much," he said immediately, gently patting her back. "I’m sorry, Lory, please don’t cry, okay."

Lory pounds his chest angrily while crying. "It is your fault!" she sobbed. "You’re the one who made me pregnant, and now I can’t do anythinggg..."

Her miserable wail struck Zhao Li Xin harder than any weapon, and for a moment, he did not know what to do.

This emotional version of Lory was completely unfamiliar territory to him. ⅇ

No matter how dire the situation, Lory had always been clear-headed, rational, and calm. Whether facing danger, hardship, or impossible choices, she rarely lost composure.

Therefore, seeing her whining and being utterly unreasonable left him completely speechless. At a loss, he could only continue coaxing her.

"Yes, yes, it’s all my fault, everything is my fault," he soothed, kissing the top of her head while holding her close.

"Don’t cry, wife. Tell me what you want, hm? I’ll give you anything." His tone was dangerously close to pleading.

Lory’s crying gradually quieted. Then she lifted her tearful face and looked at him pitifully. "Then..." she sniffled, "I want cheesecake."

Zhao Li Xin froze. His expression immediately turned to a mask of dilemma. Later on, "Um..." he hesitated. "The doctor said we should watch your sugar intake—"

Before he could finish, Lory burst into tears again, and this time, somehow, sounded even more heartbroken. If people didn’t know, they might think someone is dying.

Zhao Li Xin feel his soul about to leave his body.

"You liar, you said you were going to give me anything!" she cried untill her face turned red.

Zhao Li Xin lost his composure and was slightly scared as well. His eyes darted helplessly around the room as though searching for some hidden escape route or miraculous solution, but there was none, absolutely none. Meanwhile, his pregnant wife continues demanding cheesecake.

Zhao Li Xin had faced enemies stronger than himself, survived countless dangers, and walked through storms of blood without fear.

Yet none of those experiences had prepared him for a crying pregnant wife demanding forbidden cheesecake. For the first time in many years, Zhao Li Xin silently wished someone would appear and save him.

Zhao Li Xin had finally overcome his greatest ordeal; his willful wife had at last fallen asleep. He gazed at Lory’s peaceful sleeping face, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Never had he imagined pregnancy would make her like this, so childish, so whiny, and yet... so unbearably adorable.

Zhao Li Xin carefully brushed away the loose strand of hair resting against her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. His gaze then drifted toward her stomach beneath the blanket.

The reality that a child, no, twins that belonged to both him and Lory rested within that still-flat belly had yet to fully sink in. Even now, the truth felt surreal, fragile as a dream he feared waking from.

He had never thought he would become a father.

Nor had he ever imagined himself marrying the woman he truly loved.

No... Zhao Li Xin had long prepared himself for a life of solitude. Once, he believed that one day he would leave Hei Shen Sect and hand over all authority to the Four King Palace. They were talented and dependable leaders; he had never doubted their capability.

He had thought he would simply wander the world without purpose or destination, walking endlessly until he exhausted the life Heaven had granted him.

But who could have predicted that he would meet Lory?

The woman who had become the center of his life.

His home.

And now, she carried his twins. Zhao Li Xin still could not name the strange feeling growing within his heart, but he didn’t hate it; on the contrary, he welcomed it.

Zhao Li Xin let out a slow, deep sigh before quietly leaving the bedroom and walking toward the study behind the glass room. The soft glow of the monitor illuminated the darkened space as he typed on the keyboard.

His eyes narrowed slightly when the screen displayed footage from the news. It was Alinna.

The recording captured the moment she had abruptly fainted. Zhao Li Xin watched intently. All of a sudden, something caught his attention.

He pressed the rewind key and replayed the footage in slow motion. Only then did he notice it. Just before collapsing, Alinna had clutched the left side of her chest.

Lory’s brother had once said that the symbol hidden inside the cellar was connected to the Saintess. Destroying it had severed that connection, and the backlash had affected the Saintess’s health.

It seemed the symbol had been carved somewhere within her right chest. Perhaps directly upon her heart.

Zhao Li Xin leaned back in his chair, resting lazily against the backrest while his fist supported his temple. Dim light cast sharp shadows across his cold, detached features.

Truthfully, he had never liked these long, roundabout methods.

Schemes within schemes, hidden moves buried beneath layers of deception, it was troublesome and inefficient. Though there had been times when he employed such tactics himself, it was usually because he had nothing better to do.

Yes. He had been that bored.

Watching enemies remain blissfully oblivious to the disaster awaiting them, like frogs slowly boiling in a pot, had amused him for a time.

But now, the situation was different. The woman he loved the most was pregnant with his babies. She was weak, vulnerable, and her condition would only grow more delicate with each passing month, and that truth make him more anxious than ever.

What if the incident on the island happened again?

Zhao Li Xin’s fist tightened. The memory still lingered unpleasantly in his mind.

He rose from his seat and walked toward the window, his gaze settling upon the city below, bathed in the warm glow of sunset. From above, Harland looked peaceful, untouched by malice or grievance.

But Zhao Li Xin knew such peace would not last.

The enemy’s plans had become increasingly brazen with each passing day, and it would not be long before they reached Harland Kingdom.

After all, their goal had never changed: to eradicate the descendants of Lucient and bury the remnants of the Lucient family legacy along with the kingdom that protected it.

He turned around, his eyes landing on the computer screen. A paused image showed Salvo de Rova rushing anxiously toward Alinna.

His gaze darkened.

Alinna’s death might disrupt much of the enemy’s plans, but killing her now will only make her as a martyr. That would only solidify her position as a holy figure, replacing Lory.

And he would not allow that.

The enemy had carefully crafted Alinna into the embodiment of righteousness, benevolence, and selflessness. She had been prepared as the perfect contrast to bury Lory’s legendary reputation beneath her own radiance.

Killing her would be easy. But easy did not always mean wise, and Lory’s brothers understood this as well. What they needed was not the Saintess’s death, but the destruction of the Saintess’s image.

Zhao Li Xin’s cellphone suddenly buzzed; he picked it up immediately.

"Hello, Li Xin. How is Lory?" Fargo’s voice came through the phone.

Zhao Li Xin glanced toward the bedroom where Lory still slept peacefully. "She’s sleeping after eating," he replied, his expression softening almost imperceptibly.

"That’s good." Fargo paused before continuing, "Are you sure you want to join in?"

"Yes." His answer was calm but firm.

"Well, we could use your help." A hint of satisfaction entered Fargo’s voice. "We already investigated the human trafficking groups connected to the S.A.I.N.T. organization and Luxemborough, and just as expected, there’s more than one operation involved. You can imagine how many people who had become victims of this practice." Fargo’s voice grew heavy.

Zhao Li Xin remained silent.

He did not particularly care about humanity’s moral failings. In his long life, he had witnessed enough cruelty, greed, and depravity to understand that the darkness lurking within people’s hearts often surpassed imagination. Nothing surprised him anymore.

"So, where do you want to send me?" he asked casually, as though Fargo were assigning him the task of picking up dinner rather than infiltrating a dangerous enemy stronghold.

"There’s one location that has proven particularly troublesome," Fargo replied. "The area is vast, and every inch of it is heavily guarded by Paladins. Not only that, but they’ve also stationed several Constellation members there."

Zhao Li Xin listened without much interest.

"As expected," he said flatly.

"The bigger problem is that the entire place is covered by a special charm called the Wayfarer’s Bane," Fargo

continued. "Anyone who enters without permission will lose their sense of direction inside dense fog. The charm distorts perception, causing hallucinations and confusion. Most people end up wandering until they go mad."

His voice turned grim.

"It’s a particularly nasty charm. Only a handful of gifted people in the world are capable of creating something like that."

Zhao Li Xin’s expression remained indifferent. "You don’t have an amulet to counter it?" he asked. 𝚏𝗋ℯⅇ

"We do," Fargo answered, "but its effect only lasts a few minutes. Even if our people carry one, they still have to deal with the Paladins and the Dragxtarns guarding the area. Realistically, I don’t think they’ll be able to reach the target location before the protection wears off. We could overcome that problem by sending more people, but this mission might take longer, and we simply don’t have that kind of time."

"I understand." There was not the slightest hesitation in Zhao Li Xin’s voice. "Send me the location."

Fargo fell silent for a moment before asking, "Do you want someone to accompany you? I trust your abilities, but it never hurts to have support."

Zhao Li Xin refused without a second thought. "No. It’s unnecessary. I work better alone."

A chuckle came from the other end of the line. "Well, if you say so." Fargo paused briefly before adding, "There is one condition, though."

Zhao Li Xin raised an eyebrow.

"You must get Lory’s permission." The faint amusement in Fargo’s voice became more apparent.

"If she doesn’t approve, I can’t allow you to join the mission. No matter what, she still holds the second-highest authority in the kingdom after the King himself."

A faint smile tugged at Zhao Li Xin’s lips. "I’ll talk to her."

"Good." Fargo sounded satisfied. "Then tell her to call me personally and give her approval."

"Understood." The call ended.

Zhao Li Xin lowered the phone and glanced toward the bedroom. The coldness that had occupied his eyes throughout the conversation gradually softened. At the other side of the room, Lory was sleeping peacefully.

This mission is obviously dangerous, though it might not be for someone like him. The problem is how to convince his pregnant wife.

Zhao Li Xin rubbed his jaw, his expression troubled.