Why Are You Here

Three thousand elite soldiers of the Firestorm Battalion stood in perfect formation, each one with chest out and head held high, exuding an imposing aura.

The surroundings were eerily silent. These three thousand men were so quiet, it was as if they didn't exist at all. Yet Su Li could feel a powerful sense of pressure emanating from them.

That was the aura only soldiers who had killed before possessed;

And a courage that only blood-stained hands could have.

It was Su Li's first time seeing so many real soldiers up close. She couldn't help but be awed by their presence, thinking: If these soldiers complete their training and all become sharpshooters, they'll be truly unstoppable!

Alexander Hayes's gaze swept over the three thousand Firestorm Battalion elites, but the moment he saw a shorter, paler soldier, his eyes suddenly grew razor sharp.

That soldier met Alexander Hayes's eyes for an instant, and the look in his own was deeply complicated.

Alexander Hayes quickly looked away and whistled. Instantly, the soldiers dispersed like a receding tide, leaving no trace behind.

Their entry and exit was both swift and silent, making Su Li appreciate the Hayes Regiment's rigorous training. She couldn't help but praise, "As expected of the Hayes Regiment—this looks easy, but it's hard to pull off."

Alexander Hayes's gaze seemed distant for a moment. When he heard Su Li's words, he quickly refocused and nodded to her, "You've had a tiring journey, my dear. Go rest and have a meal. Lola, Sean Hayes, protect the Princess Consort. I have urgent matters to attend to and will join you shortly."

Lily Evans hummed in agreement. It was just about lunchtime, and with Alexander Hayes having just arrived, she figured the Firestorm Battalion must have a mountain of affairs waiting for him. She let him go about his business and followed the guards into a cave.

The cave was beautifully decorated. According to the guard, General Hayes had personally ordered this room to be prepared for the Princess Consort.

Lily looked around the cave, her heart warm and sweet. He really never forgot to take care of her, no matter the circumstances.

Lily rested and had her meal. She was almost finished, but no matter how long she waited, Alexander Hayes didn’t come. She figured he must still be busy.

Being pregnant made Lily drowsy, and she hadn’t slept well the previous night. Soon, she lay down on the bed and drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in the northern forest of the mine, Alexander Hayes stood with his hands behind his back, face dark as iron, staring at a person dressed in a soldier’s uniform.

The person had striking, angular features and an air of heroism. She held a soldier’s cap in her hand, revealing a high ponytail—she was, unmistakably, a woman!

"Sophie, what are you doing here!?" Alexander Hayes looked at her, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

This woman, disguised as a soldier, was named Sophie White.

Sophie White lifted her chin and met Alexander Hayes’s gaze. "Alex, you wouldn’t let me come to the capital to find you. If I didn’t come here, how else could I see you?"

Alexander Hayes was clearly exasperated by Sophie White’s stubborn reply. He asked, "Sophie, I sent you to the Kingdom of Chu on a mission. How did it go?"

"It’s almost done. That’s why I finally had time to come here." Sophie White stepped forward. "Alex, you got married and didn’t tell me, so I missed your wedding banquet! If I hadn’t heard the news at the border camp, I wouldn’t even know you’d married the Princess Consort. Alex, when did you become so distant, marrying without telling me?"

Alexander Hayes let out a helpless sigh but didn’t say anything.

Sophie White raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you afraid I’ll kill your Princess Consort if I find out?"