A moment later, he lifted his head and spoke to the men who had rushed up behind him. "Take it back," he said, his voice deep and calm, yet suffused with an unquestionable authority, as if those three simple words contained infinite power.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" his men replied in unison, their voices crisp and loud as they echoed through the night sky. They moved forward swiftly, expertly binding the unconscious Nine-tailed Red Fox with specially made ropes and carrying it away with utmost care, their actions precise and without a hint of slack.

...

Augustine slipped back into the Imperial Palace. By now, the moon was high in the sky, and the entire palace was steeped in a profound silence.

He gently pushed open the door to Su Yaoyao’s chambers. The room was filled with soft moonlight; Su Yaoyao was already asleep.

However, she was not sleeping soundly. Her brow was tightly furrowed, as if she were trapped in a painful nightmare.

A pang of heartache struck Augustine. He instinctively reached out to smooth her furrowed brow, but then his eyes fell on the unwiped bloodstains on his hand.

The crimson stains seemed exceptionally stark in the moonlight, a silent testament to the harrowing battle he had just fought.

He couldn’t help but sigh silently. Lowering his hand, he rose and slipped away, afraid of disturbing Su Yaoyao.

In her dream, Su Yaoyao felt as if she were adrift in a dense fog.

She saw Lucia standing there alone, his eyes filled with sorrow and despair.

Lucia’s eyes slowly welled up, and glistening teardrops began to slide down his cheeks.

Su Yaoyao’s heart burned with anxiety. She wanted to rush over, to embrace and comfort him, but discovered she couldn’t get near him no matter what she did.

A huge, cold, transparent mirror stood between them.

Lucia was trapped inside the mirror, crying helplessly.

Then, cracks began to appear on the mirror’s surface. They spread rapidly like a spiderweb, growing more and more numerous until, with a sharp shattering sound, the entire mirror disintegrated. And with it, Lucia vanished without a trace.

"No!" Su Yaoyao cried, jolting awake from the nightmare. It was now early the next morning. Sunlight streamed through the window, gracing her face, but it could do nothing to dispel the chill in her heart.

Her forehead was slick with cold sweat, and a sense of foreboding settled over her like a heavy shroud.

She frantically opened her Light Computer, intending to contact Lucia, but a trending news alert caught her eye.

Frenzied Beastman Incident in Imperial City! Royal Holy Knight Order Swiftly Neutralizes Crisis!

Last night, a sudden crisis shattered the peace of the Imperial City. A Nine-tailed Red Fox appeared in a frenzied state, indiscriminately attacking citizens and plunging the area into chaos.

Footage from the scene shows that the Nine-tailed Red Fox was immense and radiated a terrifying aura. Its fiery red fur glowed like a blazing fire in the darkness, and its nine long tails thrashed wildly. Panicked citizens fled wherever it went.

Its ferocity was unimaginable as it relentlessly attacked the crowds, filling the air with a cacophony of terrified screams.

At this critical juncture, Roland Saint Knight Captain, who happened to be on the scene, transformed into a Silver Wolf. He fearlessly charged the Nine-tailed Red Fox, engaging the frenzied beast in a life-or-death struggle.

Members of the Royal Holy Knight Order arrived soon after, joining the fierce confrontation with the Nine-tailed Red Fox.

As Su Yaoyao watched the footage from the scene, her pupils constricted. She recognized him in an instant—the Nine-tailed Red Fox was Lucia!

In that instant, a chill shot up from the soles of her feet straight to her heart. It felt as if she had been plunged into an icy cavern, the very blood in her veins freezing solid.

Su Yaoyao frantically scrolled through more reports. The latest video showed Roland, wounded and bloodstained, appearing before the media to give a statement.

His voice was laced with exhaustion but remained firm. "The Frenzied Beastman has been subdued by the Royal Holy Knight Order. There is no need to panic. We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety and stability of the Imperial City and protect the peace of every citizen."

Below the video, countless comments cheered, praising the bravery of the Royal Holy Knight Order.

Su Yaoyao’s mind, however, was in turmoil. ’Does "subdued" mean they’ve imprisoned Lucia, or have they already executed him?’ The question hammered at her heart again and again.

Overcome with anxiety, Su Yaoyao bolted out the door, barefoot and heedless of everything else. She had only one thought: she had to find Roland and get a clear answer.

The moment she was out the door, however, she ran right into Augustine’s arms.

"Your Majesty?" Su Yaoyao looked up, her eyes wild with panic and desperation.

Augustine’s brow furrowed tightly when he saw that she was barefoot. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

He said nothing, simply bending down and gently lifting her into his arms, as if she were the most precious treasure in the world.

He carried her back into the room and gently set her on the bed. Then, he slowly knelt, picked up her shoes with soft, skillful movements, and began to put them on for her. "Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?" he murmured. "You’re not even wearing shoes. What if you hurt your feet?"

Su Yaoyao looked at Augustine, and as she recalled his abrupt departure the night before, she began to suspect it was because of Lucia’s rampage.

And so, she asked urgently, "Your Majesty, Lucia... the Nine-tailed Red Fox that went berserk last night, what’s happened to him?"

Su Yaoyao stared intently at Augustine, her eyes filled with both hope and dread.

Augustine, however, seemed unwilling to answer her immediately. He remained focused on putting the shoe on one of her feet, then gently took hold of her other ankle to continue his task.

"Your Majesty!" Su Yaoyao couldn’t bear it any longer and cried out again in desperation.

Augustine sighed in resignation. "He’s been locked in the dungeon," he said slowly. "He’s still alive."

Hearing this, Su Yaoyao instantly let out a sigh of relief. ’As long as he’s alive, that’s all that matters.’ Without a second thought, she declared, "I’m going to go and perform a spiritual power soothing on him."

"Absolutely not," Augustine refused at once, his tone resolute. "He’s not in his right mind. If he wakes, he’ll attack anyone indiscriminately. More importantly, you are the Holy Female. I cannot permit even the slightest risk."

"It is precisely because I am the Holy Female that I cannot give up on any of our people. Purifying them is my duty," Su Yaoyao said, looking at Augustine with determination and resolve in her eyes.

Augustine looked at Su Yaoyao’s determined gaze and knew he could no longer dissuade her.

With no other choice, he had to lead her to the dungeon where special prisoners were held.

As they entered the dungeon, a damp, chilling air washed over them.

The Nine-tailed Red Fox was bound in thick chains that dug deep into its flesh, with blood slowly trickling down the iron links.

Its limbs, and even its tails, were pinned to the wall with massive, sharp spikes. Blood gushed unceasingly from the wounds, forming a dark crimson pool on the floor.

Its body was also covered in a shocking number of densely packed wounds from its battle with the Holy Knight Order.