Chapter 1 Tirian Enters the Meeting Place

There was no gentle music symbolizing high society, nor was it in a high-end luxury banquet hall. This was just a reception room under the Port Authority, and the reception staff were several representatives of the military—some of whom he even remembered.

He had dealt with them in recent years.

Lister stood up to greet the "Great Pirate" who had entered the room.

"I'm sorry, our conditions are limited at the moment," the Chief of Defense said, extending his hand with an apologetic tone. "In a hurry, we can only prepare this kind of reception."

Tirian didn't respond to the handshake immediately, but raised his head and looked around—several representatives in Frost Navy uniforms stood behind Lister, their expressions fairly natural, but the other attendants and servants were obviously not so relaxed. Some were secretly sizing up the few undead who had entered the room with him, while others were pretending to be calm and turning their gazes elsewhere, but one thing was common: in addition to tension, there was only undisguised fatigue in their eyes.

Tirian laughed and shook hands with Lister.

"This is good—if you had really prepared a grand banquet for me at this time, and even found a few violinists to make noise, then there would be no need for us to talk."

Feeling the strength from the hand of the "Steel Vice Admiral" in front of him, the expression on Lister's face twitched slightly. Then he withdrew his hand, his tone a little awkward: "You have a prejudice against us, but you actually know the real situation—we just have different positions, but as soldiers, today's Frost Navy is still like you back then, firmly defending our city-state."

"Yes, I know, and I have already witnessed it with my own eyes. If not, I would not have accepted your invitation at all, General," Tirian smiled, his eyes swept across the badge on Lister's chest, and he paused slightly when he said the title "General." Then he shook his head and walked to the center of the room, saying, "Let's stop with the pleasantries. You and I both know what time it is now. We can talk about this city, talk about the future, or—if you have the courage—we can also talk about my father."

"Your father..." Lister sat down on the sofa. When he heard the other party's last sentence, his body obviously stiffened. The next second, the scene that all Frost people would remember for the rest of their lives reappeared in his mind—the giant reflected from the boundless sea, the eyes that opened in the clouds like two suns, and the mirrored city-state that was torn and peeled away from the city, and then burned to ashes in the giant's hands.

A tremor from the soul was surging. Lister forcibly suppressed his memories, looking at the Great Pirate sitting opposite him with lingering fear.

"So, that really was your father, the being who returned from the subspace..." he said hesitantly, each word seeming to make him tense, as if merely such conversation and mention would draw an indescribable gaze to himself. "In the end, it was really him who took action... but that posture has never appeared in..."

"It will appear in the records from now on," Tirian shrugged. "General Lister, congratulations, Frost will be the first city-state to witness and record this event."

Having said that, he paused, asking with concern, "I'm very curious, what's the atmosphere like in the city now, especially how do you people view this matter?"

"Tension and fear still permeate the city. I must admit that this night was difficult for everyone—the disaster ended, but in a way that most people cannot understand and feel deeply terrified. Many people are guessing what exactly was the existence that finally descended on the sea, but I think... if they really knew, the panic might be even worse," Lister sighed at this point. "The City Hall also dared to guess that it was your father only after sorting out a lot of information and clues—don't blame us for being slow, that scene was too shocking, anyone would hesitate for a long time."

"I can understand," Tirian sighed, his expression a little subtle. "He didn't tell me beforehand either. I was just as shocked as you were at the time."

Lister looked at the Great Pirate in front of him, a strange feeling rising in his heart, an irrepressible curiosity mixed with the instinctive tension of a person facing unknown fear. He couldn't help but imagine how this "Son of Duncan" would communicate with his terrifying father? How did they, father and son, decide to help with the Frost incident? How exactly does that shadow who returned from the subspace... view the world today?

"I want to ask," the hastily promoted general couldn't help but ask, "Your father, has he... really regained his humanity as rumored?"

When Tirian heard this, he looked surprised: "What about him doesn't seem human?"

The giant standing in the sky immediately appeared in Lister's mind, the scene of a city-state being burned to ashes and crushed into powder in the giant's hands. He opened his mouth, brewing a bellyful of offensive words, but he didn't dare to say a single word.

After holding back for a long time, the Frost General only said with a tense face: "I believe, he does have a human heart now..."

Tirian laughed: "I also believe that you said these words from the bottom of your heart."

After speaking, the Great Pirate of the Cold Seas picked up the red wine glass on the coffee table and solemnly raised it to Lister: "Let us toast to this friendship of mutual belief."

Lister: "..."

The Frost General raised his glass, clinked glasses with Tirian with a stiff smile, took a sip, and put it down again: "Then can I ask what you and your father plan to do next?" Tirian looked particularly frank: "I don't know."

Lister's eyes widened immediately: "You don't know?"

"He hasn't told me yet," Tirian spread his hands, but his eyes showed an irrepressible happy smile. He had fought wits and courage with the Frost Navy for half a century, but only this "friendly conversation" tonight made him the most happy. "Originally, I came here just because of my father's order. Later, I participated in the battle only to protect the city that Queen Lei Nora once protected. I never thought about the plan after that. It depends on my father's next mood."

Lister subconsciously opened his mouth: "Then how can we contact your father?"

Tirian raised his eyelids with a half-smile: "...You really want to contact him? Then I'll tell you a ritual..."

"Ah, that's not necessary," Lister immediately felt a tightening in his back and quickly waved his hand. "I just mentioned it casually."

"When discussing 'him,' it's best not to have such casual mentions, because you never know when 'he' will really notice you," Tirian said, his expression suddenly changing subtly, as if he had recalled some unpleasant memories, so he immediately shook his head, looked at Lister and changed to a relaxed tone, "Relax, young man, I'm just kidding with you. You're all too tense. This is the first time in fifty years that the Sea Mist Fleet has 'returned home.' Shouldn't we have a relaxed atmosphere like a family reunion?"

Young man...

The corner of Lister's mouth seemed to twitch, but he immediately restrained this embarrassment. Then, the expression on his face became serious: "General Tirian, then I won't hide it. Frankly speaking... Frost is in trouble now."

"I know, we just solved it."

"No, I'm not talking about that alien invasion... That invasion is not trouble, but a disaster. Now that the disaster is over, the subsequent troubles will follow one after another. Now Frost's order is crumbling. Even if this night passes peacefully, we still have to solve a lot of problems such as security, supplies, and maritime safety..."

"Then what does that have to do with me?" Tirian leaned back on the sofa, calmly staring into Lister's eyes. "I'm a rebel—I don't understand these things."

Lister's words hadn't had time to be spoken before they were directly choked back by Tirian's attitude.

However, after a few seconds of embarrassment, he quickly sorted out his emotions and opened his mouth again, seeming to want to say something.

But a rhythmic knock on the door suddenly interrupted what he wanted to say.

The door of the reception room opened, and an elegant man in a well-fitting formal dress, with his hair neatly combed and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, walked into the room.

"I hope my arrival isn't too abrupt," the man with the gold-rimmed glasses said with a gentle smile, bowing to the main guests in the room. Then he walked straight to the reception table. "May I join?"

"Oh, Mr. Principal Secretary," Tirian glanced at the young man who appeared in the room for a moment, suddenly remembering him. A smile appeared on his face. "I recognize your glasses—and your hairstyle."

Lister then looked at the Principal Secretary and quickly asked, "Is there any news from the City Hall?"

The Principal Secretary nodded and replied softly, "It's the City Hall."

Tirian on the side said, "Allow me to express my opinion first. I have no interest in your City Hall's resolutions—we are rebels..."

Before he could finish speaking, the well-dressed Principal Secretary suddenly turned his face, placing a document on the coffee table while looking into Tirian's eyes: "Then is there another possibility?"

He paused, pushed the document over, and said softly—

"Magistrate Tirian has arrived in his loyal Frost."