The magical beasts retreated, and Shen Luolin returned to the Tower.
That lingering warmth followed him like a small tail, still clinging to his body. It wasn’t hot, just lukewarm—perfectly balanced. He tested his limbs, feeling the power within him flowing slowly, gradually mending the old injuries and lingering debts of his broken body. The chill that usually haunted him had dissipated significantly.
It was comfortable, but it made his skin crawl.
‘There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world.’
The Dragonkin were a prideful bunch who looked down on everyone; they certainly weren’t running a charity. Yesterday, they delivered a treasure for city defense, and today, they served up a mysterious bowl of “milk.” This hospitality was over the top.
When things were this unusual, there was bound to be a catch. He had to figure it out. Rather than passively accepting this dubious kindness, it was better to take the initiative and drag the fox’s tail out himself.
Having made up his mind, Shen Luolin changed into clean clothes and headed straight for the guest rooms where Syrna and Lilith were staying, using the excuse of “offering his thanks.”
The guest room was tidy, but the furnishings were simple, not quite matching the status of the two envoys. As soon as Shen Luolin stepped inside, the familiar warmth washed over him, even more potent than it had been in the Tower.
There was definitely something strange going on.
Lia served hot tea before being politely dismissed by Syrna. Only the three of them remained in the room. Shen Luolin picked up his teacup, blew on the steam, and made a casual joke.
“Does the treasure you sent also have a heating function? It’s much more convenient than a brazier.”
Syrna sat perfectly upright, the smile on her face seemingly welded on, flawless and impenetrable. “Lord Luolin is blessed by fortune. Perhaps the power within you is awakening, making you naturally resistant to the cold.”
Her response was seamless, pushing all the credit back onto Shen Luolin himself. However, the young Dragonkin girl beside her was clearly less experienced in the art of deception.
Upon hearing those words, Lilith’s face flushed red instantly. Her eyes kept darting toward a heavy curtain in the corner of the room. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but she was immediately silenced by a sharp glare from Syrna. She shut her mouth, looking aggrieved.
Shen Luolin took it all in. He didn’t press further, but he already had a rough guess. It seemed there was something valuable hidden behind that curtain. Was it some kind of Dragon artifact that generated heat? Or…
He stopped himself from thinking further. Since they wanted to play hide-and-seek, he would play along. If they didn’t want to speak, forcing the issue would only make him look tactless. After a few more polite exchanges, he rose to take his leave.
But the moment he turned and placed his hand on the doorknob, he focused his mind. Using the motion of opening the door as cover, he sent a tiny, imperceptible sliver of mental power toward the space behind the heavy curtain.
His mental probe was snapped the instant it touched the area behind the curtain, but in that final heartbeat before the connection broke, he felt it. That aura…
Shen Luolin’s footsteps faltered for a second. He didn’t look back; he simply opened the door and walked out. However, his gaze had darkened significantly.
The moment he stepped out of the room, the sound of a young girl stomping her foot in frustration echoed behind him.
“Your Majesty! Why didn’t you see him? He was right there!” Lilith yanked back the heavy curtain. “He actually thought it was some treasure generating heat! He has no idea you’re here, secretly using Dragon Flame to warm his room!”
Behind the curtain, a slender figure stood quietly. Moyin was still wrapped in that faded, grey blanket. A touch of melancholy and tenderness flickered across her beautiful face. She simply shook her head gently and pressed her hand to her chest.
There, she could feel a steady, powerful heartbeat—one that shared the same source as his.
“It is not the right time yet. I would only cause him trouble.”
***
That night, the atmosphere at the Frostwolf Castle victory banquet was unusually lively.
Large slabs of roasted meat and barrels of ale lined the long tables. The fireplace in the center of the hall crackled loudly, casting a golden glow on the grease-slicked, red faces of the soldiers. The joy of surviving the ordeal washed away the metallic scent of blood from earlier that day.
The hall was filled with the roars of men boasting and the crisp *clink* of mugs hitting one another.
Lucius was surrounded by a group of veterans. His flamboyant armor was covered in dried black blood and claw marks, which now served as his greatest medals of honor.
A one-armed veteran raised his glass, shouting with such fervor that spit flew everywhere. “Second Brother! If you hadn’t led the charge at the front today, not many of us brothers from the North Wall would be alive to drink this ale! My respects to you!”
“To the Second Brother!” the surrounding soldiers echoed, raising their cups high.
For once, the arrogance faded from Lucius’s face. He slammed his mug against the veteran’s and downed the strong liquor in one go. The movement was so heroic it drew a round of cheers.
In the corner, Julian held a glass of red wine, watching the scene with a smile. He had to admit that while his second brother was foolish and impulsive, he was indeed good material for the battlefield—someone men would die for.
Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, Julian’s gentle voice cut through the noise at the perfect moment.
“Second Brother, it seems your prestige among the troops is quite high.”
Julian had somehow drifted over to Lucius’s side. He wore the same gentle smile, dressed in clean scholar’s robes that looked starkly out of place among the blood-stained, rugged men.
The smile on Lucius’s face vanished, replaced by a look of suspicion toward his inscrutable third brother. “What are you doing here?”
Faced with Lucius’s cold attitude, Julian didn’t take offense. Instead, he toasted him with a smile, his voice smooth and warm.
“You fought a beautiful battle, Second Brother, though the casualty ratio was a bit unsightly. But no matter. I will handle the matters regarding the ledgers. I’ll be your support.”
“Hah, thanks but no thanks! With a ‘support’ like you, the Frostwolf family will be ruined sooner or later!”
“Sigh, do I really look that unreliable? Why don’t you ever believe that I truly have the family’s best interests at heart?”
The two exchanged barbs, their words laced with hidden daggers. Shen Luolin sat in his seat, eating his food bit by bit, quietly observing the two brothers undermining each other.
After several rounds of drinks, Julian set down his glass and walked slowly to the window. He looked out at the night sky, which was being swallowed by a chaotic blizzard. Using his habitually gentle tone, he spoke a sentence to the tipsy Lucius and the perfectly sober Shen Luolin that was enough to freeze the entire North.
“Second Brother. Eldest Brother.”
His voice wasn’t loud, yet it pierced their ears with absolute clarity. “Enjoy these final snows while you can.”
“I just received news from the Imperial Capital.” Julian turned around, that gentle smile still plastered on his face, but the eyes behind his lenses held a murderous chill. “In fifteen days, as soon as the snow stops, the Emperor’s 100,000 Imperial Guards will be at our gates.”
The blizzard was about to end, and the Empire’s butcher knife was already drawn.
“The Frostwolf family is to be… erased from the Empire.”
*Clatter!*
The glass in Lucius’s hand hit the floor and shattered. Every trace of drunkenness vanished from his face, replaced by shock and a towering rage.
“Julian! You traitor!”
The sharp steak knife in Shen Luolin’s hand scraped across his plate, leaving a harsh white mark. He wasn’t surprised that Julian would invite the wolf into the house, but he hadn’t expected the blow to come so soon or so ruthlessly.
Fifteen days… 100,000 Imperial Guards.
Shen Luolin slowly set down his knife. In that moment, his resolve became unshakable. And just as he made his decision, the cold system voice rang out in the depths of his consciousness.
**[New simulation world calibrated]**
**[Dungeon Name: Thorns and Masks]**
**[Would you like to enter now?]**