Where is my Liang Yin?

Sang Qing, unable to vent her frustration, had no choice but to descend from the city tower and greet them.

"I was just saying, who could possibly be hit by such an obvious attack? Turns out it's you!" Someone stepped forward with a mischievous grin, throwing an arm around Sang Qing's shoulder.

"...What did I do?" Sang Qing, nursing the swelling on her head, asked gloomily.

"A civil servant~" The other spread his hands, still grinning. "This is the pain of being a weak, submissive civil servant!"

Sang Qing, speechless, shoved the two troublemakers, that is, the other and Lance, behind her, and marched ahead alone in a huff to lead the way.

The other covered his mouth and tugged at Lance, who had been unexpectedly silent since they arrived. "Even if you're about to see Li Yi, you don't have to start imitating him already, do you?"

"Mmm..." Lance's gaze kept drifting toward the battlefield, his entire demeanor distracted.

Following Lance's gaze, the other looked out and, sure enough, witnessed Huan Luo wreaking havoc on the field.

Outside the city gates, humans and monsters' vanguard forces were locked in combat. The monsters were still commanded by a distant magical beast, while the humans' vanguard remained our ever-valiant Huan Luo.

Now recovered from her injuries, Huan Luo seemed in excellent shape, her face no longer pale, her movements agile, and her deadly swordplay as captivating and impressive as ever. The other wondered if Huan Luo's body had fully healed over these months, but seeing her courageous form, surmised there was no problem, at least for now. As long as she didn't lose control mid-battle and attack friend and foe alike, the monsters' vanguard would be manageable.

"Hey, it just occurred to me—if Huan Luo really marries Bradley, their family will be so awkward!" Noticing Lance's distraction was unusually severe, the other tried to lighten the mood. "Because they're all so silent, ha ha ha..."

Seeing Lance still unmoved, the other's laughter grew more forced and quieter until she too fell silent.

Alright, since when did Lance become so concerned with the nation's fate? The other looked up, feeling dejected.

Suddenly, Lance snapped out of it. He grabbed the other's hand, his expression deadly serious. "Do you remember the large defensive magic array we learned?"

"Eh?" Though she voiced a question, the other's mind instantly recalled every detail of the large defensive array. Thanks to long and rigorous training, she remembered exactly where and how much magical energy to place at each point.

"Don't worry," she promised awkwardly. "Even if the day comes when I close my eyes forever, I'll remember it accurately."

"Good," Lance's smile finally returned, though it looked forced. "No matter what happens, use that array immediately."

"Why?" the other asked, puzzled. "Did you notice something unusual from the monsters?"

Lance simply squeezed her hand, smiling gently. "Just remember what Master said, good disciple."

...Lance was unwilling to explain, but the other didn't press. Out of habitual trust in Lance, she quickly set aside her doubts and agreed.

Following Sang Qing’s footsteps, they arrived at the front-line command post. Li Yi was there, overseeing the battlefield from the open-air command station. Summer Sunflower and Andy, who sat in a simple wheelchair, assisted him. The other and Lance entered behind Sang Qing. Li Yi looked up and tossed out a brief greeting, "All set?"

Obviously directed at the other, who quickly nodded. "No problem!"

Andy smiled in welcome. "Thank you for your hard work, and welcome back."

Lance replied with a smile. "It's nothing."

Summer Sunflower brought out freshly brewed tea for Lance and the other. After months apart, she was as radiant and graceful as ever. "We truly owe you both so much this time."

Quickly accepting the cups, the other and Lance watched as Summer Sunflower bowed in gratitude. The other hadn’t even taken a sip before she was startled by Summer Sunflower’s gesture. Lance, a step behind in drinking, hurried to help her up, but Summer Sunflower stubbornly remained half-knelt, forcing Lance to let go.

Summer Sunflower then knelt fully, offering the two a formal salute.

Now the other couldn't drink her tea at all. She hurried to help Summer Sunflower up, knowing that this formal salute was the highest courtesy. Summer Sunflower was her senior, vastly more experienced as a mage than either she or Lance. Receiving such a salute made the other feel as though her lifespan was shortened.

Lance, however, remained calm. He glanced at Li Yi's silent demeanor and Andy's flickering eyes, then said to the other, "Let Aunt Sunflower finish the salute. She must have something to say."

"Eh?" Unexpectedly persuaded by Lance, the other released her grip, and Summer Sunflower completed the ceremony.

"Thank you, and I’m sorry." Summer Sunflower remained bowed, her lips trembling before finally uttering, "I truly apologize, my dear."

The other had no idea what was going on. She turned to Lance, who shrugged in confusion, and surveyed the command post. No one met her gaze; everyone kept their heads down, including Sang Qing, who had been bantering moments before.

This atmosphere surely meant bad news…

The other wracked her brain, and suddenly an ominous thought struck her. Her eyes widened, and she unconsciously murmured,

"Right, where is Liang Yin?"

Summer Sunflower froze, but answered, "Liang Yin... hasn't returned yet."

"Does 'hasn't returned' mean she's late or...?" The other stared intently into Summer Sunflower's eyes, searching for the truth.

"I'm sorry," Summer Sunflower's eyes brimmed with regret and sorrow. "This time, Liang Yin might not be coming back."

"What do you mean? Where did she go? Why can't she come back?" A thousand questions raced through the other's mind.

"It's like this..." Li Yi stepped forward from the command table, placing his hands gently on Summer Sunflower’s trembling shoulders, and slowly began to explain.

On the day the other and Lance set out for the Imperial City, Liang Yin received a mission as well—to seek reinforcements for the vulnerable Acacia.