“What is it?” Budweiser asked when he noticed the change in his son’s expression.

“My father, you may not believe it, but just now, someone placed two hundred million on Princess.” Carlsberg gave a bitter smile.

“Who has money to throw around like that?” Two hundred million US dollars was not a huge sum to Budweiser. Yet the act of tossing that much money into the saltwater sea still piqued his curiosity.

“The Mo Family of Cathay,” Carlsberg said.

“That superfamily? Interesting.” Budweiser chuckled.

“It seems the rumors of the Mo Family secretly protecting Princess were not groundless.” Carlsberg put away his phone and spoke in his usual flat tone. His surprise had come not from the amount of the wager but from the chosen target.

“Two hundred million, most likely just a gesture of support.” Budweiser’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Too bad, tonight that Princess will be beaten to death before everyone’s eyes.”

Ironic, truly ironic!

“It doesn’t seem that simple,” Carlsberg muttered with a furrowed brow. “My father, do you think that Princess has any chance of winning?”

“None. Not even the slightest,” Budweiser declared. He had studied martial artists extensively and naturally understood the gulf between them.

Although Lucky and Princess were both Grandmasters, the former had already stepped into the Intermediate Phase, while the latter had only just entered the Primary Phase. The gap between Primary and Intermediate might appear small, yet in truth it was like heaven and earth. Countless Primary Grandmasters had spent their entire lives unable to cross into Intermediate.

“The Mo Family throwing away two hundred million like this is certainly thought-provoking,” Carlsberg remarked.

“They’re only making a gesture. Nothing worth caring about,” Budweiser replied with complete indifference.

“Yes.” Carlsberg nodded, though unease lingered in his heart. Still, since his father had spoken so firmly, it had to be correct.

At the same time. On Baiding Island. The lights blazed so brightly it was as though day had descended. Several dozen kilometers from the square, massive generators roared without pause, supplying an endless current of power to the site.

At the docks, several luxury yachts were moored alongside an ostentatious fisheries patrol vessel. Had the ship still been fitted with vertical missile launchers, it would have been truly frightening. But unfortunately, it was now nothing more than a genuine fisheries patrol ship.

In the dueling square, several hundred people had already gathered, most of them martial artists and transcendents. A smaller portion consisted of prominent figures from across the world.

Lucky sat in a redwood chair, sipping black tea brewed by his subordinates, utterly at ease as though on vacation. There was not the slightest trace of tension in him; in fact, he seemed faintly delighted. The thought that in less than an hour he would crush that detestable Princess beneath his palm only made his mood better and better.

No one spoke on the scene. It was not that they didn’t want to speak, but the pressure exuded by the masters present was overwhelming. If those experts chose silence, the weaker ones naturally dared not utter a word. For all they knew, they might offend some short-tempered powerhouse and be beaten half to death on the spot. And if that happened, they would have no choice but to accept their fate.

After all, these monsters that had surpassed human limits rarely acted with reason.

**Tap, tap, tap!**

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed. Two graceful figures appeared not far away. One was tall and slender, with delicate features and waist-length hair, dressed in a flowing black gown. The other was petite and adorable, clad in a sky-blue dress, looking no older than an elementary schooler in her fifth or sixth year.

The moment the two entered the square, they immediately drew attention. As late arrivals, being noticed was inevitable. Yet such a pair—one tall, one small—naturally sparked curiosity. In an occasion like this, was it really appropriate to bring along a child? Some couldn’t help but wonder in their hearts.

Among the gathered elites, some recognized Pixie at once, and any sense of surprise quickly faded. As for the young girl at her side who looked only around twelve, they couldn’t even be bothered to pay attention. If only they knew that this little girl was actually the strongest among everyone present, jaws and eyes alike would surely have dropped to the ground.

“No one seems intent on stirring trouble,” Mylene whispered softly. She had only debuted a year ago, and most of her missions were top secret. Even in the capital, few knew her true background, let alone these foreign powerhouses.

“This island will be without dispute in just a few months. What neighboring country would dare stir up trouble now?” Pixie smiled as she spoke.

“True.” Mylene nodded lightly.

On the other side, Lucky set down his teacup and glanced over, his gaze carrying a hint of surprise. But it vanished just as quickly. After all, the place was teeming with experts. Even with Pixie present, she could not hope to stir up much of a storm.

The two casually found a spot to stand, saying nothing, simply waiting in silence.

The square was shrouded in a heavy air of quiet.

Under the same sky, within the City of Chaos.

“Thirty minutes left. More than enough time.” Yae-hime had already finished dinner. Now she changed into a black-and-white tracksuit, slipped on a pair of white Anta sneakers, and slung an Adidas sports bag over her right shoulder.

She looked less like someone going to a duel and more like someone heading out for a night jog.

“Hopefully things won’t go too far off track,” she murmured anxiously as she glanced at her sports bag. Inside was a change of clothes. If she was unlucky and got teleported into water, ending up drenched, at least she would have something dry to wear.

Little Blue had thoughtfully packed the clothes in vacuum-sealed bags. Even if submerged for over ten minutes, they would remain dry.

“Master, are you ready?” Little Blue suddenly asked.

“All set. I’ll be back soon. You all take good care of the house.” Yae-hime replied.

“Mhm!” the Vera clones nodded in unison.

“Master, safe travels!” At that moment, Little Blue’s eyes glowed with a blue light.

“Safe travels…?” Yae-hime suddenly thought of the ominous phrase ‘lost during teleportation’, and an uneasy chill crept into her heart. She wanted to say something, but before the words could leave her lips, her figure dissolved into a burst of white light and vanished.

The space trembled faintly.

“Hm?” Little Blue tilted her head, her face full of puzzlement. “This teleportation feels a little different from usual. Never mind. The deviation shouldn’t be too big.”

With that, she floated off toward the kitchen and instructed Chef One to prepare tonight’s late-night snack.

***

Somewhere within the space near Baiding Island.

‘What’s going on… This teleportation feels completely different from usual!’

At that moment, Yae-hime found herself suspended in a strange place filled with radiant colors and overflowing with spatial energy. It was something she had never encountered before.

‘Teleportation failure?’ The thought alone made her scalp tingle, a chill seeping through her entire body. ‘I can’t possibly be that unlucky!’

She tried to move her hand, only to realize she couldn’t even twitch a single finger. It was as if she had completely merged into this wondrous realm, becoming part of the space itself. The sensation was utterly surreal.

‘This is bad… I have a terrible feeling about this…’ As though to confirm her premonition, the colorful space suddenly collapsed. Multicolored shards scattered like shattering glass.

In the next instant, she saw only endless darkness. From within that pitch-black void, a faint yet all-too-familiar aura emanated. An aura that was terrifyingly dangerous!