A shaft of sunlight pierced through the cabin window, casting a dazzling illusion across the floor.
General Lee squinted slightly, his eyes narrowing against the light.
Inside the cabin, he wore a brand-new suit of golden armor. He sat in the chair, hunched over, his hand trembling as he held a teacup. His spirit looked utterly drained.
Heavenly Generals, rushing over at the news, quickly filled the corridor—but Nathan Young blocked them all at the door. In the cramped cabin, only General Lee, Nathan, King Northmore, and King Virūḍhaka remained.
After a long silence, King Northmore bowed and spoke softly: “General, it’s been years since we parted. Everyone misses you—no wonder they’re so excited. Would you… perhaps say a few words to the men on deck?”
As he finished, he quietly glanced at King Virūḍhaka.
General Lee blinked, his mouth opening slightly, but for a long moment he couldn’t utter a word—as if lost in confusion.
Nathan Young shot King Northmore a sidelong glance and said quietly, “My father is exhausted. Let him rest for now. Meeting can wait until another day.”
Resting at a time like this?
The two Heavenly Kings exchanged glances.
“General,” King Virūḍhaka coughed twice and said, “perhaps it’s best to meet with everyone—just to put their minds at ease. Once you’ve seen them, we can withdraw from here.”
General Lee blinked, his gaze growing vacant. Clad in armor, he looked more like a hesitant old farmer than the spirited commander he once was.
After a long while, a gentle knock came from outside the door.
Nathan Young took a deep breath, turned to open the door, whispered a few words to the Heavenly soldier outside, then quickly returned.
“What is it?” King Virūḍhaka asked.
“General Percy wants to see my father—he says it’s urgent business. Only a fool would entertain him now.”
“He probably wants us to reinforce them, doesn’t he?” King Northmore chuckled.
“Father, what do you think? Should we see him?” Nathan Young asked quietly.
The moment his gaze met Nathan’s, General Lee turned away, squeezed his eyes shut, and said hoarsely, “No, no. Tell him I won’t see him. I… will see no one.”
......
In the pitch-dark corridors of Underworld City, Belle walked slowly, holding a torch and stepping over wounded soldiers lying across her path.
Her blue eyes, like polished jade, accidentally fell upon faces twisted in pain and smeared with blood. Unconsciously, her hand tightened around her skirt.
“How could it come to this…”
Suddenly, she felt as if the whole world had changed. She lowered her head, afraid to look around any further.
Barely able to hold her breath as she passed through the blood-reeking corridor crowded with wounded soldiers, Belle finally reached her own room deep within Underworld City. She closed the wooden door and covered her face, breathing deeply—unable to calm herself for a long time.
Were any of those wounded… people she knew?
She didn’t know. She hadn’t dared to use her torch to see any of their faces. When she entered the room, she’d even tossed the torch onto the sand by the door, not bothering to place it in the wall as usual.
She’d long known that war was like this, but when it truly arrived before her eyes, it was still impossible to accept.
Finally regaining control over her emotions, Belle took a deep breath, determined not to let herself cry. She pulled out a fire striker from her sleeve and, hands trembling, lit the oil lamp.
“Well, little girl.”
“Who’s there?”
Belle jumped in fright and turned around quickly.
In the faint light, she could just make out a figure in the dark corner of the room. Startled, she backed up two steps until she was pressed against the desk.
“I told you before, little girl, that you shouldn’t have come to Blossom Mountain. Look at you now—scared out of your wits. This is no place for someone like you.”
Lord Lao stepped out of the shadows, and only when the light fell on his old face did Belle finally breathe a little easier.
“Sir, why are you here? If the Heavenly soldiers see you, there’ll be trouble!”
“This is a demon den—if the demons can’t see me, how could the Heavenly soldiers?” Lord Lao chuckled, pointing through the air. The flame in the oil lamp instantly grew brighter.
“Anyway, you shouldn’t have come.” Belle pouted, “It’s too dangerous here.”
With that, Belle turned and began rummaging through the bamboo scrolls on her desk.
Lord Lao walked over to her and said, “Weren’t you fine in that cell before? Why did you run out again?”