The lavish starship war-vessel cruised all the way to Nathan Yates's command tent before stopping. Only then did the soldiers of the Dragon-Chen Legion realize what was happening, and it startled everyone!
But when Chu Linfeng, Lance Li, Wan Qi Chen, and Lena Lin stepped out together, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—they'd thought it was an enemy raid at first.
Of course, you couldn't blame the Dragon-Chen Legion for being jumpy. That starship was simply too powerful—a treasure far beyond their usual realm, impossible for the lower ranks to detect.
"Alright, everyone disperse! Back to your posts! Messenger, escort the Throne to Deputy Ye's command tent."
Lance Li's expression was odd; this really wasn't the right moment for them to show their faces.
Still, Lance Li wasn't idle. Right now, he was touring the camp with Wan Qi Chen and Lena Lin, introducing the Legion's structure and composition while also strengthening his ties with Wan Qi Chen—after all, they'd be working together from now on. And technically, even though Wan Qi Chen's cultivation was lower, his position outranked Lance's.
Meanwhile, Chu Linfeng headed straight for Nathan Yates's command tent. Along the way, he noticed something strange: the Dragon-Chen Legion's camp was suddenly filled with female soldiers. No doubt about it—these were the survivors from the Red Lark Legion.
Of course, some of the male soldiers were pretty strong, too. Many were wounded or disabled, but the force they formed together was nothing to scoff at. Chu Linfeng could already tell: this Red Lark Throne wasn't your average commander.
He hadn't even entered the tent when Chu Linfeng roared, "Nathan Yates! You've got some nerve!"
Everyone's heard that enemy Thrones can be killed, can be humiliated, but nobody ever heard of one getting slept with! Nathan Yates really set a precedent for the entire Star-River Dominion.
Right now, Nathan Yates and Lydia Hong were meeting inside the command tent. Their relationship had always been perfectly clean—but after that incident, things were anything but! What was Nathan supposed to do now? Pretend nothing happened? Dodge responsibility? At this point, he might as well just cut down Throne Red Lark with a single sword!
At the start of the war, it didn't matter whether he killed or spared her. But after everything that's happened, if Nathan really tried to kill her now—could he still call himself human?
Throne Red Lark was even more aggrieved... She was a top commander, a Throne! She hadn't died in battle, hadn't been captured, but instead... she'd been slept with! What was she supposed to do now? Seek death? But what about her soldiers, and all the families and noncombatants under her protection?
But what other options did she really have...?
Chu Linfeng strode into the command tent, shot Nathan Yates a fierce glare, then turned to Throne Red Lark. His first impression left him genuinely stunned—what a beauty, and not lacking in authority either!
Lydia Hong's temperament was nothing like Lena Lin's. Lena was all sharp edges—her aura blazed forth, unstoppable, like an unsheathed sword that would kill anyone who blocked it.
But Lydia Hong was different. She was a powerhouse among women, but her dignified aura was something only a true leader possessed. She didn't need to speak or move—her presence alone commanded respect.
"So, you must be Throne Red Lark of the Duskmire Dynasty, right?"
"Defeated commander Lydia Hong, greeting Throne Chu."
Lydia Hong's heart tightened. This young man—he really was the legendary Chu Linfeng, the one who kept rewriting the myth! Throne Chu, supreme commander of the Frostbane Dynasty's First Legion!
"That's right. What a shame, though."
Chu Linfeng suddenly shook his head and sighed. Nathan Yates didn't get it, but Chu Linfeng continued, "It's a shame, Throne Red Lark—serving the Duskmire Dynasty of all places."
"With all due respect, Throne Chu, I don't agree. What's wrong with the Duskmire Dynasty? They nurtured me, so of course I serve them."
"Ha! That's where you're wrong, Throne Red Lark. Throwing pearls before swine—that's what I call a shame. You should know how the world works: in the end, it's every man for himself. Do you really think Duskmire Dynasty 'nurtured' you out of kindness?
If you can't give them what they want, do you have any value left? The day you lose your worth, what will you be then, Throne Red Lark? You ought to learn a thing or two from Nathan Yates."
Chu Linfeng smiled. He didn't need to explain any further. Right now, Throne Red Lark had only two choices: defect, or die.
Chu Linfeng was never the type to let an enemy walk away unharmed. If Throne Red Lark still wanted to return to the Duskmire Dynasty, it would only be as a corpse.
"Throne... Could we maybe slow down, or let me handle this myself?"
Nathan Yates gave a helpless, bitter smile, glancing at Chu Linfeng and testing the waters as he spoke.
But Chu Linfeng didn't give him any slack. "Shut up! Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"
Nathan Yates saw the look on Chu Linfeng's face and grew even more anxious. Was Chu Linfeng really going to kill Throne Red Lark—no mercy at all?
"Enough! Look at you—pathetic. I know you two used to work together in the Duskmire Dynasty, so you count as old friends, right? But Nathan, you know how I operate. And honestly, I'm not happy with how you've handled this!"
"Then, Throne... Please, tell me plainly—what exactly should I do?"
"What should you do? Nathan Yates, do I really need to spell it out for you? Just take her! If you like her, go for it—what are you waiting for? You're still hoping I'll give you advice, warm your bed, set everything up so you finally crawl in?
Honestly, aren't you ashamed? A grown man, acting all passive—having a deputy like you in my Dragon-Chen Legion makes me blush for you!
"Huh? Throne... It's not like that..." Nathan Yates was confused. What was Chu Linfeng even saying? Something felt off about his tone!
"Not like that? Doesn't matter what it is—right now, this is how it is! I don't waste words. Straight and to the point.
First: If you don't acknowledge her as your wife, and she doesn't acknowledge you as her man, fine! I'll handle it. She's a defeated commander—I'll give Throne Red Lark all the dignity she deserves, let her die with honor, and send word to the Duskmire Dynasty.
Second: If you do acknowledge her as your wife, then you'd better take responsibility and keep her in line. Got it?
Chu Linfeng finished speaking, but inside, he was utterly frustrated.
Honestly, this wasn't what he'd planned. On the way back, he'd already made up his mind—no matter what Nathan Yates wanted, Throne Red Lark had to die! Otherwise, how could he uphold military discipline? But now he realized Throne Red Lark wasn't just a pretty face—she was the real deal!
The Dragon-Chen Legion was expanding fast, and it was exactly when they needed talent. Chu Linfeng was someone who valued capable people—and for a moment, even he hesitated.
Besides, it wasn't a baseless decision. The two of them might not have the title of husband and wife, but they'd already done what counted. As long as Nathan Yates was willing to claim her, Chu Linfeng could give them a chance.
"Throne, this all happened so suddenly—I haven't even processed it yet. Could you give me some time to think it over?"
"Time? There's no time. Here's the latest intel—take a good look, both of you."
Chu Linfeng tossed down a transmission stone. Lydia Hong picked it up, glanced at it, and her face changed dramatically—her eyes filled with disappointment.