Bai Shui Town Square.
Leon Morsen still clenched the broken half of his sword tightly.
The searing pain from his cracked thumb nearly made him faint, but it was nothing compared to the bone-chilling despair that gripped his heart.
The longsword in his hand had once been the symbol of his power and glory, the confidence that paved his path to nobility.
Now… it was just a piece of rusted scrap mocking his foolishness and insignificance.
Warm blood dripped down through the cracks of his fingers, falling onto the grimy stone slabs with faint “plink” sounds.
The pain in his hand was nothing; right now, only a cold terror filled his heart.
‘Why? Why did this happen?’
That Great Lord… that Great Lord should have been his pawn, his tool!
“You… what… what exactly are you…” Leon Morsen’s voice trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.
His knight commander’s dignity and authority shattered like fragile paper before this steel monster radiating the chill of death.
Da Hei’s hollow eye sockets burned with eerie blue flames, coldly staring down at this small, trembling creature beneath him—without a hint of emotion.
To this war machine, bred only for killing and absolute obedience, words were meaningless.
Da Hei’s other massive hand, clad in heavy, menacing black armor, slowly lifted.
That huge hand, encased in cold black metal, moved not fast, but carried the shadow of death, utterly ignoring the despair and silent pleas nearly spilling from Leon’s eyes.
It was like picking up a helpless chick ready for slaughter.
The fingers gripped Leon Morsen’s head, tightly sealed inside his helmet, with precise and powerful force.
Metal scraped against metal, producing a teeth-grinding screech.
Then…
“THUD—!!!”
A dull roar erupted, loud enough to stop a heart—mixed with the sound of bones breaking and wood crashing.
Leon Morsen’s head, along with his polished helmet symbolizing his status, was slammed down by Da Hei’s irresistible brute force, like a slam dunk, onto the makeshift wooden platform beneath him.
The already shaky planks groaned in protest under the unbearable weight.
“CRACK”—a crisp sound, as vicious cracks spiderwebbed outward from the impact point, splintering wood shards flying everywhere.
Agony!
Leon felt every bone in his neck, and indeed his whole body, scream on the verge of shattering from the violent collision, as if about to completely fall apart in the next instant.
His vision instantly flooded with blinding blood-red and golden sparks; all he could hear was his own rough, hoarse, blood-frothed gasps of pain.
A few teeth mixed with blood splattered from his contorted mouth, and the searing pain of a broken nasal bone followed swiftly.
But he hadn’t even managed to suck in half a breath through this soul-rending pain…
Da Hei raised that massive armored boot, caked with dust and blood.
Without any hesitation or delay, as if casually crushing a bothersome rock in the road.
That giant foot, wielding the weight of a thousand tons, stomped down heavily and precisely, aiming straight for Leon Morsen’s chest.
“CRACK!”
This time, the sound of shattering bones was even clearer, more frequent, sending chills down the spine!
“Ughhh!”
The thick chest plate Leon had so proudly maintained—the one engraved with the Morsen Family Lion-Oriole Crest—caved inward with a horrifying curve, visibly denting under the assault.
Dark red, viscous blood gushed violently from his mouth and nose like a broken dam.
The warm blood instantly stained the cracked wood beneath him a deeper crimson—an appalling sight.
Too… brutal.
Beneath the wooden platform.
Those townsfolk who had barely managed to hide trembling in corners were eyewitnesses to this hellish scene.
Their faces went pale as death, legs weak, crawling and scrambling further away in fright, muffled sobs choking their throats, terrified that the next victim of that terrifying black-armored knight would be themselves.
The once bustling square rapidly emptied.
Only Leon Morsen remained slumped like a rag doll, life uncertain, surrounded by scattered broken sword fragments and shattered armor.
Standing motionless on the wooden platform were Su Nian and the nightmare incarnate—Da Hei.
Su Nian’s amber eyes could no longer fully conceal the shock beneath.
She stared fixedly at Da Hei’s merciless actions, her stomach churning.
Leon Morsen deserved this; he had just tried to forcibly abduct her, even drew his sword against her—a complete villain who deserved death.
Yet, watching him be treated so savagely, almost tortured to death, the cracking of his bones, the gushing blood—it stirred a strong, visceral discomfort in Su Nian.
It was too cruel, like… an execution.
Da Hei finished that final stomp as if it were nothing more than crushing a pesky insect.
The eerie blue flames burning in its eye sockets didn’t even glance down at the knight commander lying there, seemingly no more than insignificant trash.
Slowly, with the grinding metallic noise, it turned to the only person still standing on the platform—Su Nian.
Da Hei’s cold, hollow eyes, devoid of any human emotion, briefly settled on Su Nian’s face, modified by the Guanghui Plastication Technique and radiating holy brilliance.
There was no expression in those eyes—no malice, no kindness.
Hidden beneath the wide light-element magic robe, Su Nian’s fingertips quietly gathered light elemental energy.
Holy Light magic was the natural bane of undead creatures; she was confident.
But her mind raced.
Should she strike first?
Preemptive attack?
No… that wasn’t right.
She caught a crucial detail—this terrifying knight’s attack target was truly only Leon Morsen.
After beating him to the brink of death, it suddenly ceased all actions.
Unlike the lower-level undead that indiscriminately attacked fleeing townsfolk, its target from beginning to end was clear—only Leon Morsen.
Now that Leon Morsen was barely breathing, it seemed to have completed some unknown “task” or “order.”
Suddenly, a chilling thought flashed through Su Nian’s mind.
‘Order…’
‘Quest…’
Could it be possible that the figure she feared and hated most—the Horned Demon Bastard—was controlling this terrifying knight?
That guess stirred a bitter coldness and despair deep inside her.
Could it be… the Horned Demon Lord had tamed this dreadful knight?!
He had become the new master of this black-armored nightmare?
If so… this was terrible news!
It meant the Horned Demon’s power had grown even stronger, and her hopes of breaking free from his control and exacting revenge had become even more distant!
Ughhh…
How long would she have to pretend to submit?
Just as Su Nian’s heart churned with suspicion and confusion, disturbed by this horrifying possibility—
The Magic Phone in her arms vibrated faintly and abruptly.
That familiar vibration rate made Su Nian’s heart suddenly tighten.
She had set a special alert for messages from the Horned Demon Bastard, so she didn’t even need to look at the Magic Phone to know.
Su Nian quickly scanned the newly popped-up message.
[Horned Demon Lord]: The black-armored knight before you now follows me.
Of course!
It was really him!
Su Nian felt the world go dark before her eyes.
That bastard… he actually tamed this terrifying knight!
How did he manage it?
This monster had even troubled him for a long time, and now it was his pawn!
Almost immediately, a second message popped up.
[Horned Demon Lord]: I’ll have it pretend to confront you. Then you attack it with magic once; I’ll make it “injured” and flee, making it seem like you repelled it.
[Horned Demon Lord]: Make it look convincing, my Holy Lady.
‘Holy Lady…’
Those four words stabbed into Su Nian’s heart like a sneer.
She was forced to obey the Horned Demon Bastard and yet he still called her Holy Lady?
Damn it, he was deliberately trying to gross her out.
As for the fake fight and driving off the evil black-armored knight, aside from attracting even more enthusiastic townsfolk, it didn’t sound too bad.
If the Horned Demon Bastard wanted to trap her, there was no need for such complicated schemes.
As for playing along with the act—
She was already used to it.
Consider it practice for the future, making things easier for her.
Performing all kinds of shows anywhere and anytime!
***
Meanwhile, the black-armored knight in the town square, as if receiving some silent command, shifted.
Da Hei, who had stood motionless like a killing statue moments ago, stiffly turned its body.
The grinding of heavy metal joints emitted an ear-piercing “creak.”
Its hollow blue flaming eyes, cold and lifeless, locked directly onto Su Nian standing on the platform.
The aura of death swept like a tangible cold wind.
It raised that monstrous armored hand, grasping the massive black iron sword.
The blade tip pointed diagonally toward the ground, poised and ready to strike.
The aura of destruction gathered thickly around it.
Remember, it had defeated Leon Morsen in an instant without even using its weapon.
Now.
The scene before them formed an indescribably intense contrast.
A gigantic, terrifying black-armored knight exuding overwhelming death energy—a mobile steel fortress.
Facing it was a slender girl bathed in holy light, unearthly in her beauty.
One like a nightmare crawling out of hell.
The other a saint descending from the divine realm.
A strong visual clash!
The few townsfolk hiding nearby, not yet escaped, hearts nearly leapt to their throats.
They had just witnessed the miracle of the Holy Lady purifying the undead and dispelling the plague.
Then saw that black knight brutally crush the knight commander.
Now, faced with this standoff, they nervously clenched their fists for the saint who had brought them hope, palms slick with cold sweat.
“Holy Lady…”
Someone whispered shakily, voice trembling beyond control.
“Run!”
“That black-armored knight is too strong—no one can stand against it!”
“Yes, even the knight commander, such a formidable knight, and the entire Knight Order were like paper before that monster, powerless to fight back!”