Gu Jin shook her head gently. "It wasn't your fault. You were misled." Her gaze softened. "You only acted on what you believed to be true."

The three men exchanged uneasy looks. They all knew who she meant, Lady Ling.

For the first time, realization struck them. Lady Ling's words, her accusations… had all been lies.

Rick stepped forward carefully. "Lady Gu, Lord Long… Will you return with us?"

Gu Jin and Long Yifan exchanged a glance before nodding.

Rick's face brightened. With the help of an ancient artifact, he opened a glowing portal shimmering with runes.

"This will lead you safely back to the Mage World's council hall."

Gu Jin and Long Yifan examined the portal calmly. Their divine senses swept through it... it was genuine, without any hidden trap.

Gu Jin smiled faintly. "Then let's go."

Gu Jin and Long Yifan entered the portal without a hint of hesitation.

Once on the other side Gu Jin and Long Yifan stared at the beautiful sky and lush vegetation. They were thrilled.

"If you and Lord Long Yifan are tired, then we will arrange a proper place for you both to stay. You deserve the best we can offer."

Gu Jin gave a small, calm smile. "We only need a temporary place to rest. As for other arrangements, you can handle them later. You three should go and rest too, you've worked hard enough."

Hearing her words, the three men exchanged glances. Their faces glowed with pride and respect.

To be acknowledged by Gu Jin, the one blessed by the Mage God himself, was a rare honor. To them, she and Long Yifan were not just powerful... they were divine figures walking among mortals.

John immediately nodded and bowed deeply. "Understood, Lady Gu. We'll prepare the room at once."

With that, he and the others hurried away to make arrangements, still whispering to one another about how fortunate they were to serve under such extraordinary people.

A few minutes later, Gu Jin and Long Yifan were guided to a quiet room at the far end of the hotel. It wasn't grand, but it was peaceful, with a soft bed, a floor-to-ceiling window, and the faint scent of hotel freshener.

The moment the door closed, both of them fell back onto the bed with tired sighs.

Long Yifan stretched his arms above his head and laughed softly. "Finally! We've taken care of all those annoying villains. Now, maybe we can live a normal life for once."

Gu Jin turned her head toward him, a small smirk curving her lips. "You're forgetting someone, aren't you?"

Long Yifan blinked. "Hmm? Who?"

"Lady Ling," Gu Jin said simply, her tone calm but meaningful.

Long Yifan chuckled. "Oh, her? She's nothing compared to us. Too inexperienced, too cautious. She's not even close to being a god. If she dares to come after us, we can handle her easily."

Gu Jin shook her head, her expression thoughtful.

"You underestimate her. The real danger is never where people expect it. The ones who destroy worlds often start from the roots, the quiet, unnoticed ones. Those who hold true power often don't even realize it themselves."

Long Yifan's smile faded slightly as he nodded. "You're right… as always."

He looked at her seriously. "So what do you plan to do next?"

Gu Jin leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Since Lady Ling already knows we've arrived, or maybe she predicted it long ago, it's only a matter of time before she makes her next move. We'll need to watch her carefully."

"Watch her?" Long Yifan raised an eyebrow, then smirked and reached for the remote control. "Then let's see what she's up to."

He turned on the television.

The screen flickered to life, showing a live broadcast from one of the world's major channels.

And there she was, Lady Ling, standing on a grand stage, her white robes glowing faintly, her eyes shining like tearful stars.

Gu Jin and Long Yifan's gazes sharpened immediately.

On the screen, Lady Ling's voice trembled with sorrow as she addressed the crowd.

"I knew it from the very beginning… Gu Jin and Long Yifan were a bad omen. A sealed curse born into human form. If I had possessed enough power back then, I would have destroyed them before this day came."

Her words struck like thunder. The audience gasped, and several people began whispering among themselves.

Then, suddenly, Lady Ling covered her face and began to sob.

"But I couldn't," she continued between tears.

The crowd broke into loud chatter. Some mages shouted angrily; others looked frightened.

A young woman stood up from the audience and yelled, "If that's true, Lady Ling, then why didn't you expose her during the necromancy hearing? You defended her back then!"

Lady Ling lifted her head slowly, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Because… because she held an artifact capable of slaying a god. If I had spoken against her, she would have used it. I had no choice but to protect the world quietly."

A heavy silence fell over the hall. Then, one man spoke up. "An artifact that can kill a god? Is that even possible?"

Lady Ling's expression darkened. Her voice turned cold. "I don't know how it came into their hands. But I know this... Gu Jin and Long Yifan are dangerous. If they are allowed to live freely, this world will burn."

At that moment, a man from the audience stood up. It was Arnold, the very same lawyer who had once argued against necromancy. His sharp voice echoed through the hall.

"If that is true," he shouted, pointing at the camera, "then we must act now! Gu Jin and Long Yifan should be captured and executed! Along with them, every necromancer should be wiped out! The law protecting their kind must be abolished!"

The crowd roared in agreement. Voices shouted from every corner of the hall. "Kill them! Destroy all necromancers!"

It sounded less like a courtroom and more like a concert filled with rage.

Back in the hotel room, Gu Jin watched it all with a calm smile. Long Yifan chuckled beside her, shaking his head.

"Typical of Lady Ling," he said. "She always plays the innocent saint while turning everyone against her enemies."

Gu Jin's smile deepened slightly. "It seems she's desperate now. That's good. Desperate people make mistakes."

Meanwhile, in another room of the hotel, John, Marcus, and Rick were having a serious discussion.

"I'm starting to think Lady Ling has some personal grudge against them," Marcus said, pacing. "Otherwise, why would she try to turn the whole world against them?"

John nodded slowly. "It's possible. But something doesn't add up. If she's truly the guardian of the Mage God, why would she act like this?"

Rick rubbed his temples. "What confuses me more is how the world started losing its magical resources right after Lady Ling explained how Gu Jin and Long Yifan had slain the god. If Gu Jin and Long Yifan are the real ones chosen by the Mage God, then why would Lady Ling go against them?"

The three men fell silent, trying to piece together the truth.

But their conversation was cut short by a loud knock on the door. An assistant rushed in, breathing heavily.

"Sir, there's a mob heading toward the east side of the hotel. Toward the room where Gu Jin and Long Yifan are staying. They… they plan to kill them!"

The trio's faces turned pale.

Marcus clenched his fists. "How could they know our location? We made everyone sign a blood oath not to speak a word!"

John's voice trembled. "That means Lady Ling must be watching us. She's monitoring every move we make."

Rick's eyes widened. "She wants to kill them and erase the evidence before anyone can question her."

Without another word, the three of them ran down the corridor, heading straight for Gu Jin and Long Yifan's room. They banged on the door urgently.

Long Yifan opened it, leaning lazily against the frame. "What's with all the noise?" he asked with a half-smile.

Rick spoke quickly, "A mob is coming! They'll be here soon. You have to come with us, we've arranged a safe place!"

Gu Jin stood behind Long Yifan, her expression unreadable.

Marcus added, "Once we explain everything to the public, it'll be safe for you to appear again. But for now, please, you need to hide!"

Long Yifan chuckled, shaking his head. "No need. I can handle a few angry mobs."

Rick gaped. "Even if you're blessed by the Mage God, you're not invincible! There are too many of them!"

John stepped forward, pleading, "Please, both of you! There's always someone stronger out there. Don't underestimate them."

Gu Jin's eyes softened slightly as she looked at them. "We appreciate your concern," she said quietly. "Truly. But we won't run."

Long Yifan grinned. "Besides," he added playfully, "I was just about to spend some quiet time with my wife. Can you let us enjoy that?"

The three men stood speechless as the door closed in their faces.

John sighed. "People these days… they really don't listen."