"The Doru River Disaster Realm restart mission is the largest operation currently planned in the Northern Continent."

"So everyone who can enter this mission is an elite!"

"Considering the losses from the previous subjugation mission... after the list of team members is confirmed, there will be a period of intensive training. During this period, the team leader can select team members, which is the 'squad'."

"In theory, 'squads' are a free matter, but because these few candidates who are exempt from the exam are all powerful figures in the Northern Continent... so in fact, many transcendent beings have already been pre-selected for this 'squad'."

A'Liuer paused deliberately when she said this.

She explained, "Take Zhong Yuan, whom you know, as an example. Before entering the building, he had already reserved Yuan Yuan as his deputy to enter his team... Because Yuan Yuan's strength and experience fully meet the requirements of the restart mission, this is almost a certainty."

Gu Shen nodded.

Whether it was Lu Zhe or Zhong Yuan... which captain who could enter this building didn't have a trusted old subordinate who cooperated well?

This mission, which brought together these top geniuses, would definitely meet their requirements.

"So..."

Gu Shen lightly tapped the table with his finger and asked thoughtfully, "Does every candidate here who is exempt from the exam have a designated person?"

"Yes, but not entirely."

A'Liuer thought for a while and said, "The S-class Mu Wanqiu from Investigation Corps Team One is bound to Lu Zhe. These two candidates who are exempt from the exam will enter the same team. They don't have any special requirements for other team members and will wait for the final list to be confirmed before forming a squad."

"A'Liuer," Gu Shen smiled, "You know who I want to ask about..."

"Mr. Gu wants to ask about... Duke Zhenyue?"

A'Liuer said with a headache, "He has also internally appointed several transcendent beings... but didn't we agree earlier not to cause him any trouble?"

"Give me the information on these transcendent beings."

"I will do what I promised you, but there is one premise... I will not offend others unless they offend me."

Gu Shen's tone first sank, and then he smiled and said, "You should know better than anyone that I am participating in this restart mission only because I reached an agreement with the Queen... I don't care about the views of the dukes and generals of the Northern Continent at all, but the trend of public opinion has reached this point, and it seems that someone is deliberately doing it. If in a few days, someone tries to coerce me with pressure and provokes me first, I can't just stand there and get beaten, right?"

"..."

A'Liuer sighed deeply.

"I will send you the list of internal appointments made by Duke Zhenyue," she said helplessly, "Next, I will go to him and solemnly warn him to avoid causing you trouble."

Gu Shen smiled and bowed.

After A'Liuer left, the smile in Gu Shen's eyes slowly disappeared. He stared at his reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window not far away and asked softly.

"Is this matter really that simple?"

Although the room was empty and there was no one around, the words just now sounded like someone talking to themselves.

But Chu Ling knew that he was talking to her.

She said frankly, "The probability of A'Liuer being able to stop Zhenyue is very low... I suggest you prepare in advance to avoid falling into a passive position."

"Of course, I know that." Gu Shen chuckled softly, "I'm not an idiot, I won't wait for Meng Xiao to attack before thinking about how to fight back. What I'm curious about is not this matter... but something that happened even earlier."

"Even earlier?"

"Meng Xiao is targeting me just because my surname is Gu?" Gu Shen rubbed the pendant on his chest, and his tone became unconsciously cold, "There are too many people in the world with the surname Gu... Even if he can't beat Gu Nanfeng, there are other members of the Gu family to be found in the four regions of the Northern Continent, but he insists on causing me trouble. Why is that?"

With Duke Zhenyue's intelligence network, how could he not know?

That he and the Gu family of Changye have no "blood relationship" and just happen to share the same surname!

The protection of the Goddess of Destiny was now in a state of absolute emptiness.

The cross pendant emitted a faint fluorescent light.

It can only provide guidance between "life and death," and answers to most of the questions in this world cannot be obtained from it.

Gu Shen shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

……

……

A'Liuer stood in front of Duke Zhenyue's door.

Before she could raise her hand to ring the bell, the door opened by itself.

"Envoy, please come in."

A lazy and leisurely voice sounded.

A'Liuer only took a slight step forward before stopping. She didn't look closely into the room, because Meng Xiao was naked and soaking in the bathtub in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. The curtains were drawn open, and large swathes of sunlight poured down. Although this Duke Zhenyue held many important fortresses in the Northern Continent, he was ultimately from Light City, and was completely different from the simple and hardworking Northern Continent generals at heart—

A'Liuer had heard more than once that he was an alternative who loved enjoyment and was extremely extravagant.

Of course.

He had the qualifications and the ability to do so.

"I know why you've come..." Meng Xiao closed his eyes. The sunlight fell, shimmering in the bathtub. The scars on his body also emitted a similar glow, and for a moment, an aura of sacred majesty filled the cabinet.

"It must be for Gu Shen's matter, right?"

Meng Xiao smiled and casually picked up a goblet, gently shaking it.

A'Liuer's expression was solemn.

As the Queen's envoy, she was naturally extremely sensitive to the power of other God Seats.

Meng Xiao exuded the aura of the "God Seat of Light!"

Was this a show of force?

"Don't misunderstand... I have no hostility, but this room full of 'Spiritual Radiance' cannot be released or retracted at will. This is my cultivation method, and it has always been like this. You came at the wrong time." Meng Xiao noticed the change in A'Liuer's expression and said leisurely, "Lord A'Liuer must forgive me... After all, I am not a prophet, nor do I have clairvoyance. How would I know that you would choose to visit at this time?"

A'Liuer calmed down.

She said seriously, "Duke Zhenyue, His Majesty has heard about your conflicts and disputes with Gu Shen."

"Oh?"

Meng Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly.

He focused his gaze on the wine glass and asked softly, "So you are here today on His Majesty's orders? His Majesty hopes that I and Gu Shen will not fight, smile at each other, and let the previous matters be forgotten?"

"..."

A'Liuer was silent for a moment.

"I cannot represent His Majesty today." She said frankly, "I don't know what conflicts you and Mr. Gu have... but why not stop here?"

"So you only represent yourself..."

Meng Xiao's smile slowly disappeared.

He raised his head, stared at A'Liuer, and his voice gradually became cold, "In Light City, an envoy like you would be expelled... Don't do things for your master without permission."

"Mr. Meng, you must be clear..."

A'Liuer was no longer polite and said quietly, "This is the Northern Continent."

She released the Queen's divine power, and the temperature of the entire room suddenly dropped...

Inside the bathtub, the shimmering water surface began to freeze.

However, these ice shards only spread to Meng Xiao's chest before they began to melt, because another "scorching force" also began to be released outwards. The scars engraved on Meng Xiao's chest, shoulders, arms, and all over his body turned into golden swimming fish.

A large amount of steam surged out.

Meng Xiao said calmly, "Of course I know, have you forgotten my identity? I am from the Northern Continent..."

He spoke word by word, his voice like a divine decree, spreading and echoing!

"Duke Zhenyue!"

These fiery rays of light collided with the mist.

The huge room was instantly filled with boiling steam... On both sides of the room, one half was scorching hot, and the other half was bitterly cold.

A'Liuer remained motionless.

She placed one hand on the door, crushing the door frame with her fingers.

In an instant, her pupils had turned snow-white.

Between the agitation of the divine power of the two God Seats, a barrier was faintly formed... The two divine powers did not truly release hostility, but instead canceled each other out, stopping at the point. Meng Xiao and A'Liuer simultaneously withdrew their power. Under their control, the source matter and divine power in the room formed a delicate balance.

If they continued to fight... the commotion would be too great.

There were many strong individuals in this building. The slightest leakage of aura would attract attention immediately.

"Are you crazy, daring to attack me?"

Meng Xiao smiled very gently, but the words he spoke were very sinister, "When I see His Majesty, I will truthfully report it."

"There's no need for that much trouble."

A'Liuer said coldly, "I am His Majesty's eyes... She sees everything that happens here clearly. Now I am the 'messenger' acting on His Majesty's orders."

Meng Xiao still had that lazy and leisurely expression.

He stared at the back of the steam and mist, trying to see the spiritual manifestation of that great will behind A'Liuer...

Unfortunately.

The space behind A'Liuer was empty, with nothing there.

The Queen would certainly not "divinely descend" for such a trivial matter.

A'Liuer said expressionlessly, "Meng Xiao, I will remind you one more time, Gu Shen is a distinguished guest of the Northern Continent... If you insist on going your own way and continue to provoke him, you will have to bear the consequences yourself."

"What a useless warning."

Duke Zhenyue shook his head and smiled, "Have you finished speaking?"

A'Liuer was silent.

He lay in the warm bathtub, stretched his body, and said lazily, "If you're done, then please leave. Given my status, opening the door for you is already giving face to His Majesty... If His Majesty doesn't personally speak, what makes you think you are qualified to intervene in my affairs with Gu Shen?"

These words left A'Liuer unable to respond.

Having traveled the Northern Continent for many years, this was the first person who was so arrogant and did not take her, the [Envoy], seriously.

Meng Xiao stroked his wrist, where a circle of bright light was clasped, submerged by the aura of light, appearing to be a bracelet.

"I am a cowardly and fearful person who is petty and vengeful... Once I really go crazy, I forget everything. Not even the Light God can stop me, let alone the Queen."

Meng Xiao stared into A'Liuer's eyes and said seriously, "Therefore, Your Excellency, the esteemed envoy, I hope that you will not appear in my sight from now on. Otherwise... I'm afraid that one day I won't be able to control myself and I'll attack you."