CHAPTER 173: CHAPTER 152: IN THE BLIZZARD_3

The crowd fell silent, each person widened their eyes, triple-checking to ensure they were not seeing things.

Someone discovered a ruin deep in the northern frontier. From the magical runes in the ruins, it is speculated to be related to the Knight Lord. The one who commissioned the discovery is recruiting an elite Hunter Squad to explore the ruins. Whoever can bring back information related to the holy sword can share in the reward of 5000 gold lions.

That is the ruin of a true divine spirit!

Previously, every ruin related to the Knight Lord contained a holy sword. It is a guide from the Knight Lord to the most devoted followers. The legendary knight who wields the holy sword will lead the Empire and Holy Hall into a bright future.

The Empire desperately needs a new Saint now.

If the Knight Commander were still alive, there would be no doubt about the possession of the holy sword. However, now everything has become shrouded in mystery.

Who will become the next Knight Commander of the Empire is the hottest topic in the capital, but most of the people are unsatisfied with the candidates promoted by the church, and there have been many dissenting voices within the Kingdom Army.

Could it be...

That Abaddon, who is colluding with the church, will become the next Saint?

When the hunters entertained this thought, they suddenly felt the Empire’s future was shrouded in darkness.

But regardless, news of the ruins quickly spread throughout the capital.

That afternoon, Abaddon assembled an elite Knight Order. It was a force composed of dozens of elite knights and over a dozen high-tier priests from the church, equipped with the finest gear, determined to claim the holy sword from within the ruins.

Abaddon will personally lead this elite force into the depths of the northern frontier.

For Abaddon, who has been subject to scrutiny recently, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As long as he acquires the holy sword, becoming the next Knight Commander will become an inevitable reality. More importantly...

He might thereby leap into the realm of a Saint. As a veteran knight who has served in the Kingdom Army for nearly thirty years, this was an irresistible temptation.

When the church privately approached Abaddon, he almost immediately agreed to the plan proposed by the Pope.

In exchange, the Pope used some method he had never seen before to spare him from the penalty of breaking his oath.

For a long time, jealousy for the other side had almost drowned him.

A younger, stronger young knight who possessed all knightly virtues emerged. Abaddon witnessed this young knight winning battle after battle, saw her become a role model revered by all knights, and saw His Majesty Henry personally appoint her as the Empire’s Knight Commander.

And he, as an aging knight, stumbled into the Fourth-Order Medal in middle age, with no further progress afterward.

Abaddon knew that people like him were destined to become the backdrop and then be eliminated by time.

But he was unwilling!

He had clearly put in considerable effort, yet all good things were snatched away by the other side. Those records associated with "the youngest" always ignited a raging flame of jealousy within his heart, and he hovered on the brink of breaking his oath for years, until the Pope found him.

And now, the other side is already dead.

He saw the scene of death left in Ximu Town that day, which was rather horrendous. He reviewed it many times, and even now, Abaddon occasionally takes out that report.

As the Pope said, only the living can advance further.

"You must retrieve the holy sword."

The stern voice pulled Abaddon back to reality. He was kneeling on one knee, bowing his head to the man seated on the holy throne. In theory, the position of Knight Commander is equal to the Pope, but Abaddon knew that it was all earned through loyalty, just that the object of his loyalty has shifted from the royal family to the Pope seated on the holy throne before him.

Every word spoken by that lofty elder seemed to convey the divine spirit’s will, "It is your destiny; go retrieve what belongs to you."

"As you wish."

Abaddon respectfully saluted the Pope, yet at the moment he turned around, he could no longer contain the joy within.

Can you see it, "former" Knight Commander?

Destiny stands on his side!

Meanwhile, deep within the northern frontier.

Lindong and Ethan walked one after the other through the blizzard. The outline of the capital had long disappeared into the snowy horizon.

Here, there was only boundless cold, white becomes this world’s sole color, as if apart from them, there is no living creature to be found. Ethan couldn’t remember how long they had been walking in the snowstorm. Fortunately, they were friends of the ice elves, and the cold would never trouble them.

This was about meeting the parents.

Although Lindong mentioned she lived alone, Ethan understood it was a tribe living deep within the blizzard, characterized by white hair and red eyes.

He had no prior experience in this aspect and could only rehearse his opening lines in his heart again and again:

Hello, I’m dating Miss Lindong; my name is Ethan. You can just call me Little Sen.

I run a small business, opened a shop, and recently the business has been quite good.

These are some local specialties I brought from Ximu Town; please don’t mind them.

...

"We’re almost there."

The red figure walking in front suddenly stopped, standing atop the snow slope. However, the scene behind her was somewhat different from what Ethan imagined; there were no villages, no traces of human habitation. Looking up the snow slope, there was only a mountain cave buried in the snowstorm.

In front of the cave was an upright wooden sign.

The blizzard hadn’t obscured the text on the sign; it was in Lindong’s handwriting.

"Mr. Big Cat."

The sign read.

Then, Ethan saw the scene inside the cave.

There’s nothing there, no one but themselves, only some simple wooden furniture.

"Haven’t been back for a long time."

Lindong stretched lazily, turning around to show Ethan a bright smile.

"Welcome to my home as a guest!"