At the very moment the livestream went dark, the Princess Alliance chatroom instantly erupted in excitement. Nangong Lin and the others were practically thrilled to the point of frenzy, as if injected with adrenaline.

During the first round of the stream, by the time they had received the news, the broadcast had already gone black. When the second round of the livestream resumed, they saw Princess at an absolute disadvantage, which made them extremely anxious.

However, true to her name, Princess had effortlessly reversed the tide of battle. That kind of dramatic turnaround sent them into waves of ecstasy, shouting her name like fangirls to vent their inner excitement.

Nangong Lin: Princess, number one in the world!

Mylene: No, no, my sister is number one in the universe!

Pixie: She’s way too badass. I completely surrender.

Snowy: That fight gave me chills… I’m still not over it.

Yunuen: That was even more intense than that showdown in Novice Village.

Little Fairy: Mmm, she’s so good! My legs are literally jelly right now.

Rakshasa: Princess, the best! My favorite!

Sachiel: *Hnnnnn*… So cool… my Princess is totally invincible!

***

At this moment, the invincible Princess had just finished drinking a bottle of High-Level Mana Recovery Potion.

“After making such a commotion, even though this place is far from Jade City, reinforcements will definitely be on their way. And those players watching the stream are bound to report me. Better grab the spoils quickly and get out of here.” Yae-hime looked around at the devastated land and murmured to herself.

Beneath the same sky, outside Jade City. Commander Blei led a troop of elite black-armored soldiers pouring out of the city, their march aimed straight toward the Mangrove Forest.

“This time, I won’t let you escape again!” Blei snarled, clad in red-and-black armor while mounted upon a towering, ferocious beast. The beast let out a savage roar and charged at full speed, with the black-armored soldiers swiftly following in formation.

Players outside the city, eager for a spectacle, quickly trailed after them, setting up livestreams, commentary, and all-in-one coverage.

Meanwhile, the busy Yae-hime received a message from Nangong Lin. The latter praised her a few times before moving on to serious business.

As expected, the Direct Army’s troops were on their way. Through the attached video, Yae-hime caught sight of Blei. “So that guy’s actually making a move himself. That’s a bit troublesome.”

Looking at the scattered equipment around her, Yae-hime sighed with a trace of regret. There was simply no way to pick it all up in the time left. Some of it would have to be abandoned.

“Rare gear is worth the most, make sure to grab as much of that as possible. As for Common and Uncommon gear, whatever’s left behind can count as charity.”

From Nangong Lin’s video, she could see a swarm of players rushing toward her direction like a bustling marketplace. Closing her game interface, she quickly began sweeping up the loot, striving to maximize her gains within the limited time.

***

Outside the game, in Dorado, USA, at a branch of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Mira had already logged out, staring at her phone with a grave expression. On the screen was an encrypted message sent from the Department of Homeland Security.

“That one’s danger rating just got bumped up to S-rank in one go.” Naturally, the *one* she referred to was Yae-hime. “This isn’t good. If my colleagues at Homeland Security kill her first, then who am I supposed to take revenge on?”

Mira tossed her phone aside, leaning back against the soft sofa cushions, tilting her head to gaze at the blank white ceiling above. “No, it’s already a stretch whether or not she can survive tonight. How frustrating.”

Thinking of how likely it was that the Black-hearted Princess would end up slain by Lucky, she let out a soft sigh. “Ah, in the end, she’s still too young. Offending someone who must never be offended can only be repaid with death.”

Yet despite her words, Mira herself was only eighteen years old. In terms of mental age, Yae-hime was actually older than her.

***

Cathay, Huadu City, Zhang family estate.

Taurus lay sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath in ragged gulps. The room around him was a complete mess, as if it had been ransacked. In fact, this wreckage was the result of Taurus’ own violent rampage.

Now that his fit of rage had passed, all that remained was fear. Fear of the Black-hearted Princess. Fear of death.

“Uuuu…” Hugging his arms tightly, Taurus trembled uncontrollably. His pale face was ghostly, and his eyes flickered with panic. In his mind, the scene of his death replayed over and over, every second crystal clear.

He had been so close. Just one step away from success. But that single step had become an unbridgeable chasm that ultimately led to his doom. The world collapsed, and it all ended in tragedy. Why had it turned out like this?

He thought and thought, and at last, came to a conclusion. “S.K.Y.! It’s all his fault! If only he had given the order for a full assault right away! Yes! It was all his fault! He made me suffer this humiliating defeat! That damned mutt! I swear I won’t let you off!”

Venomous words spilled from Taurus’ mouth, echoing repeatedly through the trashed room.

Meanwhile, S.K.Y. sat with his back against a damp stone wall, staring silently at the flickering candlelight ahead, his expression weary and somber. This was his hideout, nestled halfway up a mountain in Qingcheng, Linhnan.

His grandfather had once lived here and had built a simple mud-brick hut. Now it had fallen into decay. But beneath the house lay a secret, a hidden path that led deep into a cavern filled with stalactites.

As long as he brought enough food, he could hide in this place for a year or more without issue.

“That useless fool, Taurus.” He suddenly spoke aloud. “All talk, and still managed to screw everything up! We were this close. If he had just acted a few seconds faster, we could’ve won! Trash. Idiot. Worthless!”

With every word, his fury built. His pitch-black eyes began to flush red, like pools of blood. “Curse you, Taurus. Curse you, Black-hearted Princess. I won’t let either of you get away with this!”

As he roared, S.K.Y. dug his nails into his arm, tearing open his skin and drawing blood. The dim candlelight stretched his silhouette along the stone walls, making him appear taller. Suddenly, the shadow behind him opened blood-red eyes. And a gaping maw full of crimson teeth. It moved its mouth, as if speaking, but no sound came forth.

***

In-game. Blei barreled forward atop his ferocious beast, finally arriving at the scene ten minutes later. But it was too late. There wasn’t a soul in sight. The Black-hearted Princess had clearly vanished long ago.

As for the players who had died here, none had yet dared to resurrect. Their fear of the Black-hearted Princess had reached an entirely new level. Until they were certain she had left the area, none of them would dare log back in.

“She ran fast!” Blei clenched his iron fist, frustration dripping from his voice. Though he had sensed they might come up empty-handed, having his hunch confirmed still left him furious.

“All units spread out! Search the entire area! Report anything suspicious immediately!” He stared ahead and issued the command with a sweeping gesture. His troops responded instantly, fanning out to begin a meticulous search.

The nearby players, who had followed hoping for drama, felt disappointed. They had expected a showdown. But their disappointment quickly turned into elation. Scattered on the battlefield were a few pieces of equipment lying untouched!

In an instant, excited players surged forward, pouncing like rabid dogs to snatch whatever visible loot they could find.

Elsewhere, Yae-hime reclined comfortably in a luxurious beast-drawn carriage, gazing up at the endless blue sky, the corners of her lips curling into a smile. She murmured softly to herself, “Reaping leeks… really is addictive.”