"It's broken."
In the gym, Kailin quietly watched the disconnected projection, her lips moving for a long time before a trace of melancholy appeared in her eyes.
She still hadn't managed to say anything to Chen Yu.
During the video call, she had merely served as a tool, exchanging a few perfunctory words with Chen Yu before the call was handed over to Little Devil.
After that, she hadn't spoken a word.
"Yes, it's broken." Noticing Kailin's dejection, Little Devil raised her hand and rubbed her small face. "Don't be so discouraged. You'll see him again in the future. This is the most crucial moment. Chen Yu has very important matters to attend to, and so does our Free Town. Let's put personal affairs aside for now, what do you think?"
"W-what personal affairs?" Kailin stammered slightly.
Little Devil simply watched her without saying anything. Under her gaze, Kailin became increasingly flustered, eventually slumping to the ground.
"Sister Ba, do you think I have a chance?"
"How can I be sure about something like this?" Little Devil pursed her lips and whispered, "Chen Yu is someone I can't fully see through. His thoughts are very deep, and he must have many stories hidden behind him. I'm not just saying this randomly. Despite his young age, his eyes have seen the vicissitudes of life."
"Lord Chen Yu has so many confidantes."
"Indeed."
Little Devil couldn't deny this. Although Chen Yu never seemed to show affection towards anyone, he was never lacking in confidantes who were fond of him.
Among these women, there were those who were very direct.
Ilia!
The mermaid princess from the North Sea.
While seemingly subtle, she was actually the most thorough in expressing her affection for Chen Yu among everyone. The White Dragon Jade Pendant was the best proof of this.
However, Chen Yu seemed to have no strong reaction to it.
Little Devil didn't believe he was slow to react. In fact, he probably understood it better than anyone, but he simply didn't accept it.
"Don't overthink it."
Seeing Kailin's dejected face, Little Devil gently comforted her.
"While he does have many confidantes, at least he has never shown any special treatment to anyone. Perhaps you do have a chance, and I'm quite optimistic about you?"
"Optimistic about me?"
"Mhm!"
"Why..."
"Do you really want to know the reason?" Little Devil blinked. "Of course, it's to make you happy. What else could it be? Come on, City Lord Kailin, it seems you haven't taken anything I said to heart at all. The most important thing for us right now is to solve the current predicament, not those so-called romantic sentiments. Once everything is settled, you can put in twelve parts of your effort to win him over. Wouldn't that be better? Have confidence in yourself; you're no worse than anyone else. Moreover, compared to others, you have a unique advantage."
"What advantage?"
"Being the City Lord of Free Town!"
Little Devil spread her hands. "For Chen Yu, Free Town is his most important foundation, his roots. The fact that he can hand it over to you without reservation is enough to prove his trust in you, isn't it?"
"That's right!"
Kailin's eyes lit up, and a smile appeared in them. "If Lord Chen Yu didn't trust me, he wouldn't have let me be the City Lord here for so long, without even inquiring about it. I really should be more confident. In terms of looks and intelligence, I'm no worse than anyone else. I'll go contact commanders Kuka and the others now."
"It seems you don't need to contact them."
The smile on Little Devil's face suddenly turned solemn.
Kailin looked confused, not quite understanding the meaning of Little Devil's words.
"Rou Si has arrived," Little Devil narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the gym wall. Her amber eyes seemed to suggest that the wall before her was no obstacle. "He has already reached the outer city gate of our Free Town. If nothing unexpected happens, the messengers are already on their way."
"City Lord."
Almost the instant Little Devil finished speaking, a capable-looking woman rushed into the gym, accompanied by Sona.
Upon entering the room, Sona immediately looked at Little Devil with a poker face.
Little Devil nodded gently at her.
"What happened?"
Kailin, who had been sitting on the ground, got up, emanating the authority of a city lord.
"Commander Rou Si wants to enter the city," the capable woman whispered. "The commander has brought many people, gathered at the north gate of our outer city."
"Bringing troops into the city?"
Kailin frowned, instinctively looking at Little Devil before speaking.
"Go inform Commander Er Gou to wait at the north gate. I will send someone with news later."
The capable woman ran out of the gym. Before Kailin could say anything, Sona spoke softly.
"Rou Si shouldn't have come."
"It is indeed rather abrupt to want to enter the city during such a sensitive period without any orders," Little Devil whispered with a smile. "But his entry also signifies that some people are probably getting impatient."
Sona and Little Devil's words left Kailin utterly bewildered.
Despite being the City Lord of Free Town, she felt as though the city was gradually slipping from her control.
"Sister Sona, Sister Ba, you guys..."
"You don't need to worry too much. Rou Si's entry was within our expectations," Little Devil whispered. "The defenses at the Blood Palace should remain unchanged, right?"
"No!"
Kailin said with a solemn tone.
"The Blood Palace is a place Lord Chen Yu has always cared about. It has always been guarded by legions, and Commander Er Gou spends more than half of his time at the Blood Palace."
"If that's the case, it's enough," Little Devil murmured.
"Perhaps not?"
Unexpectedly, Sona suddenly shook her head.
"I think the Blood Palace still needs more people. Rou Si is not coming with good intentions this time. Do you dare guarantee he isn't targeting the Blood Palace?"
"If he is truly targeting the Blood Palace, who do you think can stop him?" Little Devil raised her eyebrows.
Sona was speechless. Little Devil continued.
"I went to check the surroundings of the Blood Palace a few days ago. The defenses are already very strict. Even if we station more people there now, it would only be a waste of the city's troops. Moreover, if something really happens at the Blood Palace, the casualties would be even heavier."
"Then Chen Yu should be brought back!"
Sona frowned, clenching her right fist.
"I told Chen Yu to give up Fengqi City before. With him here, Rou Si wouldn't dare to act rashly. Now that he's trapped by Fengqi City, Rou Si's intentions have become more active. The Tiger Tally is in his hands. With him in charge, would Rou Si dare bring troops to the city in front of him?"
"I will guard it for him."
A look of determination flashed in Little Devil's eyes, and her lips turned deeper red.
"This is my promise to him!"