The monster standing at the front, the one pretending to be Lina’s father, didn’t back away like the other magical beasts. Instead, it took another step forward.
Half the skin on its face had peeled off, revealing the dark red flesh beneath. But its dead fish-like eyes still stared at Lina. It struggled to force its mouth into a crooked, tear-like smile.
“Lina!”
It imitated the deep, distinctive voice of a father speaking, pleading:
“Lina!”
“Don’t listen to that monster!”
“Come here. Daddy’s right here!”
It raised its hand—the one that had already turned into a claw. Palm facing up.
“Look, Daddy’s holding your favorite roasted sweet potato!”
“This one’s still warm!”
“Come on, let Daddy take you home!”
Those were the exact words her father had said to her before he left for the last time while he was still alive.
“Roasted sweet potato!”
“Still warm!”
Lina’s eyes trembled violently. Her gaze pierced through the smoke and dust, as if she could actually see that honest man who always saved the good things for her.
“Dad…!”
“Daddy?”
Lina mumbled through her tears. They streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.
“Is it really you?”
“Is it really you?”
“You didn’t completely turn into a monster, right?”
“You’re still Daddy, aren’t you?”
“I knew it…!”
“I knew you couldn’t bear to leave me!”
“Lina! That’s fake! Don’t listen to it!”
Yisela’s heart tightened. She hadn’t expected this magical beast to see through human memories and strike so accurately at the weakest part of Lina’s heart.
“No! It’s real!” Lina sobbed, her eyes unfocused. “I want to go to my daddy!”
Just as Lina was about to lose her mind again, Yisela snapped.
“SHUT UP!!!”
This time, she was genuinely furious. Her neck was covered in cursed black patterns, and a massive amount of power gathered in her mouth.
Roar!
A tremendous dragon roar erupted, sending shockwaves of energy that blasted all the surrounding monsters away. Everyone present covered their ears, stunned into silence by the roar.
As Yisela held everyone in check, Captain Lei Meng seized this precious moment to breathe.
“Everyone, listen to my command!”
“Form a circular formation centered on the magic array!”
“Heavy shield users, to the front!”
“Spear users, in the middle!”
“Archers and priests, to the back!”
“Move it!”
The surviving knights quickly snapped out of their paralyzed state. Years of training kicked in, and they began to rally around Captain Lei Meng.
“First Squad, with me! Hold the Eastern Gap!”
“Second Squad, protect the priests and the wounded! Retreat to the innermost part of the magic array!”
“Third Squad, clear the dangers inside the camp!”
“If you find anyone acting suspicious, subdue them immediately—no need to follow protocol.”
Orders were passed down one after another. The camp, which had been as chaotic as a pot of porridge, began to regain order.
The knights formed human walls with their thick, large shields. They shielded the uninfected villagers and the wounded behind them. Back to back, they stood firm. Spears jutted out from the gaps between shields.
Some infected, crazed traitors tried to break through the line. But they were immediately cut down without mercy by the knights. Blood splattered on the shields, but no one took a step back.
Captain Lei Meng personally led his men to hold the most dangerous West Side. It faced the camp’s entrance, the area with the highest concentration of monsters.
The greatsword in his hand whistled through the air as he swung. Each strike cleaved a pouncing monster in two.
“Hold the line!”
“Hold!”
He roared loudly.
“For our comrades behind us!”
“For the light!”
“We cannot retreat a single step!”
With his encouragement, the knights’ morale slowly returned. They were no longer just defending passively. They began to organize counterattacks.
The archers nocked their arrows and aimed at the monsters outside the camp. Wave after wave of arrows rained down, pinning the writhing figures to the ground. The priests hurriedly treated the wounded knights and villagers.
Yisela watched the knights’ reestablished defensive line and relaxed slightly. She turned her head to look at Lina, still trembling in her arms.
Lina’s little face was exceptionally pale. Her eyes were empty.
“See that?” Yisela reached out and covered Lina’s eyes, preventing her from looking at the writhing monster outside. “That’s fake. Someone who truly cares about you would never send you to your death.”
Lina trembled. She couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into loud sobs.
“Her Highness the Princess…!” She sniffled and asked with a broken voice. “My dad… is he really dead?”
Yisela was silent for a moment. Then she firmly held Lina’s cold little hands.
“I don’t know where people go when they die,” she answered honestly. “But I know that your father would want you to live well, not become food for those monsters.”
She hugged Lina tighter.
“And as long as I, the Princess, am standing here, nothing will touch a single hair on your head.”
Lina leaned against Yisela. She listened to the shouts and screams of the knights outside, mixed with the howls of monsters. Her tears silently flowed down without a sound.
“Your Highness…!” she choked out in a very small voice. “Thank you.”
Yisela didn’t turn around. She just gave a soft hmph. She looked down at her own hand, now covered in black cursed patterns from forcibly using her body’s power. Her face was a little pale.
“Don’t talk. You rest. I still have to go out there and blast all those ugly things to pieces.”