CHAPTER 473: CHAPTER 473 THE YOUNG GOVERNOR

After a hearty meal, Mellen still placed fresh meat on the grill, cooking it.

The air filled with the thick aroma of meat, but this grilled meat was not for entertaining Yang Yu and his company; it was to lure out her shy daughter.

"Hey, Bing Lu, if you don’t come down to eat now, I’m going to pack up."

Hiding in the cabin, Bing Lu cautiously poked her head out, watching her mother cook the meat. She glanced at Yang Yu near her mother but still didn’t dare step out of the cabin.

Mellen used a fork to skewer the freshly grilled meat and deliberately chewed it right in front of her daughter,

"You know my character, if I say I won’t save you any, then I won’t. Don’t be afraid; they’re all good people, they won’t do anything to you."

While speaking, Mellen placed another piece of meat on the hot plate.

It wasn’t until the meat was almost ready that Bing Lu, swaying her serpentine tail, took advantage of the moment Yang Yu and the others weren’t paying attention, to dart into the sand and stealthily approach the hot plate. She carefully reached out her hand to grab a plate and used tongs to head towards the meat her mother was grilling.

Unexpectedly, Mellen immediately grabbed Bing Lu’s hand, pulling her up from the sand.

"Say hello properly."

The caught Bing Lu was bewildered, her gaze shifting, averting her eyes like a little cat when she met Yang Yu and the others’ eyes.

After confirming from the corner of her eye that Yang Yu and his group were indeed harmless, Bing Lu lowered her head and started her self-introduction, tremulously,

"My name is Bing Lu, good evening."

Only after Bing Lu finished her self-introduction did Mellen let go of her hand.

Then, with the swiftness of lightning, Bing Lu quickly loaded the grilled meat onto her plate and swiftly flicked her tail, returning to the ship.

"This child..." Watching the departing Bing Lu, Mellen sighed deeply, "With such a disposition, she can’t become an excellent captain."

Yang Yu smelled the aroma of a task.

If he went to speak with Mellen now, saying he could help change her daughter’s temperament, he would surely get a task similar to educating Bing Lu.

He might even be able to recruit Bing Lu to his team.

But, after some thought, Yang Yu decided against it.

Bing Lu’s attributes were mediocre in all aspects, and her Level wasn’t even at twenty; the only promising aspect was her Mechanism Expert Lv.7, indicating the potential to become a Mechanic.

If Yang Yu had chosen a mechanical route when he was at his Level cap, perhaps he would have tried to recruit her.

But now... there was no room for her in Yang Yu’s team, her presence splitting the Experience would only slow down the team’s growth Speed.

Having made up his mind and following the principle that less is more, Yang Yu deliberately steered clear of the subject, diverting the conversation in another direction.

Mellen, too, cooperated and shifted the conversation to other topics.

Soon, the desert was illuminated by a sky full of stars.

Mellen organized her crew, gathering their belongings, preparing to return home.

The Fierce Land Sharks had become increasingly difficult to capture in the desert recently. If not for Queen Lamia’s upcoming birthday, Mellen would not have driven the Sand Sailing Ship all the way into the desert’s interior, chasing after the Fierce Land Sharks.

Having successfully captured a Fierce Land Shark, it was time to return and report.

Before departure, Mellen’s one eye took on the appearance of a venomous snake as she issued a warning to Yang Yu and his company,

"Remember what I’ve said, if you treat us with sincerity, we will do the same for you. If you dare to stand against us, you know the consequences without me having to say it, right?"

"If possible, I wouldn’t want to stand against you either. But who can predict the future? If it is you who ends up standing against me, by that time, I’ll simply have to cast aside the words I speak today."

The coldness vanished from Mellen’s face, and she burst out with a wild and unrestrained laugh, "Hahaha, you really are an interesting person. Isn’t this the time when most people would nod incessantly and agree like the wind? Only to go back on their word when it’s time to do so."

"Things that can’t be guaranteed are just that, they can’t be guaranteed. Thank you for your hospitality, today was truly enjoyable. I wish you smooth sailing."

After exchanging a greeting with Mellen, Yang Yu and his companions boarded the Lotcar, taking advantage of the cold of midnight that had yet to arrive, they restarted their journey, striving to reach Wansheng Country as soon as possible.

From the cabin to the deck, Mellen gazed into the distance at the direction in which Yang Yu and the others were disappearing, her tail coiled around the steering wheel, she gave the order to the waiting sailors,

"Set sail, depart."

...

...

Meanwhile, in Wansheng Country, inside the Palace, a lion-eared young girl sat upon the throne, listening to the reports from the front lines that the intelligence officers had brought back.

This lion-eared girl was draped in a luxurious crimson royal robe.

This red robe, made specifically for her, boldly incorporated a detachable design, offering not only luxury and beauty, but also practicality.

If any situation arose, with just a gentle tug on the ropes connecting it all, the cumbersome and useless decorations would fall away from her body, revealing her tall and slender figure suitable for battle, transforming into the lightest combat attire.

The one draped in a royal robe was not the king of this country, at least not yet.

To be precise, she was the sole daughter of the King of Wansheng Country, Wanzhang Lion—Qian Xialan.

Because the Luo Ze Empire had taken the fertile Sailuomen Plain in one fell swoop early in the war, the more protracted the deadlock became, the more it worked against Wansheng Country.

In an attempt to turn the tide of the war, Wanzhang Lion, who was over fifty years old, personally went into battle and achieved several local victories, reclaiming much of the lost territory.

However, a sovereign taking to the battlefield himself naturally faced unspeakable dangers. It was as if leaving the doors wide open with the safe placed right where it was most visible, fearing that it wouldn’t be seen by others.

As expected, Wanzhang Lion fell into a trap during one expedition, and from then on was confined to his bed, leaving the state affairs to his daughter who had just turned eighteen.

With the assistance of the cabinet ministers, Qian Xialan learned quickly and within a few months, successfully became an excellent proxy for the emperor.

Unfortunately, she was rushed into the position, and the very war problem that had troubled her father the most was now weighing on her, causing her endless headaches every day.

With Wanzhang Lion bedridden, the entire army’s morale plummeted. In the fight against the Luo Ze Empire, Wansheng Country’s troops were steadily retreating. The Luo Ze Empire even took Qinghe Volcano, forming a pincer position with the Sailuomen Plain, and the situation was looking grim.

After hearing the front-line report, Qian Xialan tightly grasped the armrests of the throne.

The Luo Ze Empire’s front line had advanced another forty kilometers. At this rate, once they penetrated deep into the heart of Wansheng Country and erected defensive fortifications, hoping to reverse the situation would be nothing short of a fantasy.

By then, the country, before it was truly in her hands, would be thoroughly lost to the Luo Ze Empire.

"Your Highness, the report is complete; it’s time to let the intelligence officer rest."

The voice of the Prime Minister sounded by her ear, and the displeased expression on Qian Xialan’s face gradually eased. She waved at the intelligence officer who had finished reporting, allowing him to go rest.