Chapter 1619: Mental Training

At the King’s Men headquarters, Fargo ended the call and slipped his phone away. He turned toward Fredhardt, who was currently briefing several soldiers with a grave expression. The room was tense, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken urgency.

When Fredhardt finished speaking, he looked over. "What did Li Xin say?"

"He’s still wanted in," Fargo replied simply.

"As expected." Fredhardt didn’t seem surprised. He picked up a file from the table, scanned its contents briefly, then handed it over to Fargo.

"The number of sick gifted people keeps increasing," he said. "And all of them were administered the same vaccine from a company called Excom."

Fargo’s brows tightened as he read further. "And as it turns out," Fredhardt continued, "Jay traced Excom back to be a nominee company of Orsus."

A heavy silence settled between them just for a moment. Fargo then exhaled slowly, closing the file. "They’re moving in unison. At this point, it would already be spreading more than we anticipated."

His gaze darkened slightly. "I think the final stage will be a frontal war."

Fredhardt let out a low hum of acknowledgment. He picked up a coffee mug from the table, took a slow sip, and then sat back against its edge, his posture deceptively relaxed despite the weight of the conversation.

"I suppose so," he said with a sigh. "When all the cards are left on the table, what’s left is open war. Raw and simple."

"Also deadly," Fargo added quietly.

Fredhardt shook his head."I really don’t understand," he said quietly. "We’ve just come out of the darkest age of human history. Why do we have to start another destruction?"

Fargo’s expression darkened at that. "You know their plan was set in motion long before Nazareth awakened," he replied coldly. "And if it had succeeded, we wouldn’t just lose Lory, we would have lost Lucas as well." A murderous intent flickered beneath his composed exterior.

"Fortunately, everything ended well. Very well, in fact." His voice dropped slightly. "And that’s the only reason I haven’t drawn my sword and marched into Luxemborough and Dolza right now."

Fredhardt gave a faint shrug. "Yeah, you’re right. Theodore and Alexander have played a very long game to get where we are now, and I have to admit they’ve done a pretty good job of it."

He lifted his coffee and took a slow sip, unbothered on the surface. Then his gaze turned icy. "However, they will soon learn that every meticulous plan they’ve prepared will be down the drain."

"Hm." Fargo placed the file back onto the table. "Clift and I will be leaving tomorrow. Jay will continue investigating the other locations tied to the sacrifice ceremony, while you and Leon stay here to take care of the twins, right?"

As he spoke, he poured himself a glass of whiskey over ice. The liquid clinked softly against the glass.

Fredhardt nodded. "Yes... by the way, it’s twins now." A faint smile touched his lips.

Fargo raised his glass slightly. "Yeah. Cheers for that."

He took a long swallow, then exhaled lightly. "By the way, did your father get the news yet? That man’s habit of turning off his phone while working still hasn’t changed."

Fredhardt let out a helpless sigh. "Yeah. My mother is no better. I don’t even know where she is right now; she might be chasing another story somewhere. Honestly, my parents are far too energetic."

"They’re not old," Fargo replied flatly. "They’ve always been like that."

He set his glass down, the atmosphere shifting once more. "Anyway, we should prepare. The ceremonial sacrifice site will be guarded more tightly than before. After what happened on that island, I don’t think they’ll take any more chances."

"Got it," Fredhardt replied.

"By the way, you handle Zhao Li Xin’s preparations, after he gets permission," Fargo added.

Fredhardt lifted a brow. "Permission from Lory?"

"Uh-huh." Fargo’s lips curved into a faint, mischievous grin.

Fredhardt let out a low chuckle. "That’ll be interesting."

____________________________________________________________

__Somewhere else at cestine Palace__

"NO!" Lory crossed her arms, glaring at Zhao Li Xin.

Zhao Li Xin’s expression softened as he leaned forward slightly. "Wife..."

"I said no!" Lory pursed her lips in clear indignation.

Zhao Li Xin had already expected this. She would not let him go so easily. She must be worried, though he could not understand why. After everything she had seen over the years, after witnessing what he was capable of, after all the battles he had never lost, why did she still worry so much?

But he did not dare to ask. Not when Lory had become increasingly sensitive and emotional since her pregnancy.

"Alright—alright, don’t be angry." He sighed, sitting beside her and gently pulling her back against his chest. His arms wrapped around her waist, steady and familiar. "There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll only be gone for a few days. I promise I’ll come back soon."

"But... but it’s dangerous," Lory insisted. "You don’t understand how dangerous the Wayfarer’s Bane charm is. If you stay too long, you’ll start hallucinating, and become paranoid, then you begin to see things you fear most."

Zhao Li Xin narrowed his eyes slightly. "Have you been affected by the charm before?" The way she spoke felt too personal.

Lory’s tone turned grave. "I have. I was thirteen at the time, and it’s only my third commission." She paused, then continued.

"Lucas, I, and the others took a job to investigate a mysterious village. People said it was cursed, and that many had sent to investigate, but no one has returned. So we went to check it out. Unfortunately, the moment we entered, we fell straight into the Wayfarer’s Bane and got separated."

Zhao Li Xin’s arms tightened around her instinctively. "Did you get hurt?"

"With Girsha with me, nothing could hurt me, at least physically," she said softly, "but I still fell into hallucinations... and saw terrifying things."

She shifted closer into his embrace, as though seeking warmth from the memory itself.

Zhao Li Xin gently stroked her back, his voice low and concerned. "What did you see?"

Lory fell silent for a long moment. Then she said, "I was chased by a scary monster."

"A monster?" Zhao Li Xin’s brows furrowed.

"Yes... The monster looked like my test paper. It kept chasing me, forcing me to answer mathematical formulas, and it kept trying to hit me with a wooden ruler while demanding I solve quadratic equations... I don’t even know what that is. I’m not good at math, you know," she said wearily as she reminisced about the memory.

Zhao Li Xin didn’t know how to respond to this, then, slowly, he asked,

"...Why did you see a test paper?"

Lory’s brows knitted together. "Um... I think because there was a math exam next week and I hadn’t studied."

Zhao Li Xin fell silent, ’What a diligent student you are.’

Lory lifted her head and caught his expression. "Hey! I was thirteen, alright?" she huffed. "...and math is hard." She puffed her cheeks in mild protest.

Zhao Li Xin could not help it; he reached out and pinched her cheek lightly. "Then tell me, how did your exam go afterward?"

Lory’s eyes lit up instantly. "I got ninety-five out of a hundred! I passed with flying colors!" Then her enthusiasm faded into a tired sigh. "Well... when you have a Spartan teacher like Fred, you don’t really have a choice."

A faint chuckle escaped Zhao Li Xin. He could not help but wish he had seen her during those school days himself. Fredhardt had once shown him a collection of Lory’s old photos, each one more endearing than the last, and it only deepened that strange, quiet longing in his chest.

Fargo had, of course, offered a practical consolation: with their age difference back then, no one would have allowed Zhao Li Xin anywhere near her, let alone permit anything between them. In the end, the timing had been right, because relationships required not only the right person, but also the right moment.

Zhao Li Xin had accepted that reasoning. Still...He would have liked to see her then.

"Which is exactly why I’m not allowing you to go to that place!"

Lory declared firmly, pulling him back into the present.

’Oh... they were back at square one again.’

And just like that, the cycle resumed. Zhao Li Xin’s patience did not waver. If anything, it deepened, just like a still lake hiding something far more dangerous beneath its surface. He leaned in slightly, voice lowered, coaxing instead of pushing, speaking with a calm certainty that left no room for panic.

Just like a seasoned strategist, he deployed every weapon at his disposal to win the war, he used gentle words, soft reassurances, quiet affection, and above all, his own beauty. He had long since realized Lory had no resistance to it. That was the only thing he could begrudgingly thank his unknown mother and cruel father for.

Other than that, Lory’s other weakness was sweets and desserts. Her cravings had become even stronger during pregnancy, making it hard for her to resist them.

Sadly for Lory, the doctor had repeatedly reminded them to monitor her sugar intake carefully; therefore, she had not eaten any sweets or cake for the past two days, and she had begun to show symptoms of withdrawal. Zhao Li Xin, ever the "cruel" one, took this opportunity to his advantage.

Little by little, eventually, as expected, Lory’s determination began to crumble.

Then three days later. Fredhardt arrived at Lory’s room with the faint air of someone walking into a battlefield he had no intention of surviving.

As soon as he stepped inside, his expression immediately tensed and sullen. "So... are you willing to give Zhao Li Xin permission or not?"

"Yes..." Lory answered weakly.

Fredhardt stared at her for a moment longer, then slowly exhaled. "Then why are you crying?"

The dam broke instantly, and Lory burst into tears. "Fred, you are stupiddd—!"

Fredhardt closed his eyes for a second, as if silently begging the universe to grant him inexhaustible patience.

"I don’t get it, Lory? Are you sad? Upset? Worried?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain level.

"I don’t know anymoreeee!" she cried louder, gripping the blanket as it had personally betrayed her.

There was no logic here. No structure. Only emotion spilling over itself like a collapsing riverbank.

Fredhardt slowly turned his head at Zhao Li Xin, who sat beside the bed. His expression remained composed, calm, and entirely unfazed. He was gently wiping Lory’s tears with a handkerchief, his movements calm and practiced, as he had already accepted this outcome long before it happened.

"Has she been like this these past two days?" Fredhardt asked, his voice flat, almost hollow.

"It’s fine," Zhao Li Xin said softly without looking away from Lory. "Don’t cry y dear. It will hurt your eyes if you keep going like this." his voice was soft and tender.

"You’re going to leave meee!" Lory sobbed, clutching at him now as if anchoring herself physically could change reality.

Zhao Li Xin’s expression softened even further; there was no trace of annoyance or impatience on his face, only complete indulgence. "I’m not leaving you, my dear," he continued. "I’m just going away for a few days, and I’ll return soon before you know it."

"You promise?" her voice cracked.

"En," he nodded with a warm smile. "I promise."

When Fredhardt thought it was over, Lory suddenly cried harder again.

"Ahhh... you’re so nice to meee...I don’t deserve youuu."

Fredhardt pressed his eyes shut, he inwardly chanting to himself, ’Lory is pregnant—Lory is pregnant— Lory is pregnant.’

Fredhardt opened his eyes again and looked at Zhao Li Xin. The man was still gentle, and he didn’t look like he was pretending at all. At that moment, Fredhardt almost wanted to clap for Zhao Li Xin’s immeasurable self-control.

He really was the perfect husband for Lory. Only he could handle Lory’s current level of emotional chaos.

"Yeah..I can’t deal with this," Fredhardt muttered under his breath, his expression shrouded in conflict and faint fear. Then he turned sharply to Zhao Li Xin, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Zhao Li Xin, tell me what you need to finish this mission quickly. I’ll give you all the support you need. Even if you need a bomb, just say the word. I’ll personally fly a fighter jet and drop it exactly where you want it...Just give the sign."

Fredhardt paused, then added more seriously, glancing at Lory’s teary eyes.

"But I want one thing. Just one thing." His gaze sharpened.

"I want you back in three days. Maximum. Not four, not five, but three days, okay. Only three days, got it?"

Zhao Li Xin looked at him with a perplexed look. He didn’t understand why Fred was so serious. "...Um, okay?"

Lory lifted the empty plate toward him, her voice turning soft and whiny. "Fred... I want more cake..."

"You’re not allowed to eat any more cake, Lory," Fred rolled his eyes in annoyance, but then he heard a sound like a hot kettle.

"Wait, what is that sound?" 𝐟𝑟ⅇ

Fredhardt instinctively looked at Lory, her face already flushed and her lips trembling as he made that strange sound.