The Princess And The Lord-Chapter 1420: The Long-Awaited Moment II

The preparations to begin the process of saving Lucas were anything but easy. Tension hung heavily in the air, thick and unspoken. Though everyone tried to appear composed, the anxiety was unmistakable, etched into every furrowed brow, every tightened jaw.

Even Zhao Li Xin, who was usually the epitome of calm detachment, showed signs of unease. It wasn’t due to a lack of confidence in his own abilities, but rather, it was because the person he was about to help held extraordinary significance.

Lucas wasn’t just anyone.

He was someone so important that Lory had once been willing to give her soul to Lazarus in exchange for saving her brother. And no one understood the depth of Lory’s love for her brother better than Zhao Li Xin, and that knowledge, more than anything else, unsettled him.

As a result, the man who was usually indifferent to danger—even toward his own life-now appeared quietly irritated, the weight of responsibility chafing against his otherwise stoic nature.

"Can we all go into the Cryo Room?" Fargo asked hesitantly, concern tightening his voice. He was worried about Lucas’s condition, but also didn’t want to disrupt the focus Zhao Li Xin and Lory needed. One wrong move, one small misstep, and Lucas might not survive.

Zhao Li Xin paused in thought, then gave a slight nod. "That might actually be helpful. You can set up a barrier in case my fire loses control."

Everyone visibly tensed. They had seen Zhao Li Xin’s fire before. It was no ordinary flame; it radiated a power that could be seen, felt, and feared.

"Will it really go berserk?" Jay asked, a hint of nervousness creeping into his voice.

Zhao Li Xin gave a nonchalant shrug. "I don’t think so,... but who knows what would happen during the process."

"Oh..." Jay muttered, clearly not reassured. Fargo summons a handful of protective charms and amulets from his spatial ring, then tosses them at Fredhardt, Jay, and Clift.

"These are the latest charms and amulets made by Bellerophon. It should be enough to protect us... Hopefully," he added under his breath, sounding far from convinced.

"Come on, don’t be so tense. Nothing’s going to happen, I’m here, aren’t I?" Lory said cheerfully, trying to lift the mood. Her bright tone made Jay relax slightly, but then her eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint. "Although... my blood sugar is a bit low today, it might affect my performance, sooo..."

Before she could finish, Jay, Clift, and Fargo simultaneously pulled out lollipops, strawberry candies, and chocolate bars, offering them up to her with the urgency of soldiers appeasing a volatile goddess.

Lory’s eyes turned into crescent moons as she smiled with glee. "Now that’s more like it," she declared shamelessly, swiping every sweet from their outstretched hands.

Fredhardt narrowed his eyes at her, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "So this is how you maintain your secret snack stash, even after I confiscated everything."

"In the end," Lory gives a solemn look to Fredhardt, "The student finally surpasses the teacher."

"..." Fredhardt fell silent, clearly not amused.

Zhao Li Xin watched the exchange from the corner of the room, a rare smile tugging at the edge of his lips. His gaze briefly flicked to Fredhardt’s disgruntled face, and in his heart, he chuckled.

’See? No one ever wins against her.’

Luckily, their light-hearted jokes helped ease the tension, if only for a moment. As the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, the mood shifted once again.

The moment they stepped out and faced the floor where the Cryo Chamber is, a heavy silence fell over them. Nervous energy rippled through the group as they took in the reinforced structure looming before them.

As Fredhardt had mentioned earlier, the room was now much larger and far more fortified than before. After suffering multiple damages, thanks to Zhao Li Xin’s volatile power, the facility’s engineers had been forced to upgrade the chamber’s design and security measures.

Several technicians and engineers in pristine white lab coats moved busily around the room, double-checking every panel and component. They had been summoned on short notice by Fredhardt himself, who had emphasized the critical importance of today’s operation. His stern words had left no room for doubt; everything needed to be flawless.

Understanding the gravity of the task, the technical team worked with precision and urgency, inspecting the chamber from top to bottom. Clipboards, holographic screens, and diagnostic devices passed swiftly between hands until Fredhardt finally arrived to review their progress.

He listened carefully to the reports from the head engineers, nodding occasionally. These were the same people who had overseen the room’s reconstruction, and Fredhardt trusted their expertise. Once he was satisfied that all systems were functioning perfectly, he gave a single command, "Clear the room."

No one asked a question then, without hesitation, the technicians filed out one by one, leaving the chamber silent and still. A moment later, another door opened. Lory stepped in, followed by Zhao Li Xin, Stephan, and the rest of the group. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation.

Fredhardt turned to issue his next instruction. "Jay, Clift—secure the control room. I want eyes on everything. No mistakes."

"You got it!" Jay responded with a grin, slapping Clift lightly on the chest as a signal to move. The two men walked off toward the observation deck without another word.

Fredhardt, Lory, Zhao Li Xin, Fargo, and Stephan remained just outside the cryo chamber’s main entrance. They waited silently.

From the surveillance room, Jay’s voice came through the loudspeaker, calm and clear.

"All secure. You’re good to go."

With a mechanical hiss, the heavy iron door began to open. Cold mist rolled out into the room like creeping fog, curling around their feet and drifting into the air. The sound of the vacuum seal releasing echoed ominously as the cryo chamber was finally revealed.

Lory took a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves fluttering in her chest. The cold air from the cryo chamber did nothing to help, but she stood her ground. Just then, Stephan gently patted her shoulder.

"Don’t be nervous. We’re all here with you," he said warmly.

Lory forced a small smile, touched by his reassurance. "Thank you, Uncle Stevie."

Without a word, Zhao Li Xin reached out and entwined his fingers with hers. The quiet strength and warmth of his grip calmed her more than any spoken comfort could. It was a silent promise—he was with her, no matter what came next.

As they stepped fully into the chamber, Zhao Li Xin and Lory moved to the center, becoming the focus of the operation.

Surrounding them, Fargo, Fredhardt, and Stephan took up a triangular formation, ready to raise a barrier at a moment’s notice in case Zhao Li Xin’s power surged out of control.

In the control room, Jay folded his arms across his chest, then brought a fist to his mouth, trying to calm his own nerves as he watched from behind the reinforced glass. Beside him, Clift stood with his hands tucked casually in his pockets, but his eyes were sharp and unblinking as he stared through the window.

Despite their contrasting postures, both men watched the chamber before him with equal anxiety.

The tension in the room was thick, almost suffocating. Everyone could feel it pressing down on them, a heavy silence that gripped their chests. They all knew what happened next would be critical. There would be no turning back.

One by one, they subconsciously held their breath.

Zhao Li Xin closed his eyes, his expression calm on the surface, but within his mind, he reached inward, calling upon the fire spirit that dwelled within him.

[How’s the King?] he asked silently.

The fire spirit’s voice echoed through his consciousness, steady and solemn.

[The same. Frozen in time.]

Zhao Li Xin takes a deep breath, [My power should be enough to save him... right?]Though confident in his strength, he sought reassurance. Because there could not be room for error, not even the smallest mistake.

[Yes, Master. You have the power to destroy the parasite lodged in the King’s body.]

A pause, then the spirit added, [But... I advise you not to kill that thing inside the king’s body. At least, not yet.]

Zhao Li Xin’s brow furrowed. [Why?]

There was a pause before the spirit added,

[But... I advise you not to kill the creature inside the King’s body. At least, not yet.]

Zhao Li Xin’s brows furrowed. [Why?]

The fire spirit hesitated, as if carefully choosing its words.

[Well... I heard a voice say that.]

[Whose voice?] Zhao Li Xin asked sharply.

[I’m not sure... but it didn’t sound evil,] the fire spirit replied, its voice lowering nervously, as if afraid of being scolded by its temperamental master.

Zhao Li Xin’s eye twitched. ’Unreliable as always,’ he thought with irritation.

[The voice also said... it promised the creature would be useful for your endeavor someday,] the spirit added quickly, hoping to redeem itself.

Zhao Li Xin scoffed, sarcasm thick in his tone.

[Is that so? And what else?]

The fire spirit paused to think, then said with a hint of excitement,

[Oh! Emperor Lei Yu left you a message.]

It dawned on Zhao Li Xin that the fire spirit wasn’t a divine weapon—it was more like an answering machine. If not, why did everyone arbitrarily leave messages for him?

So annoying!

[What is it?] Zhao Li Xin asked, his patience wearing thin.

The fire spirit wanted to cry, but he braced himself and replied,

[He said, "Sometimes... showing mercy to your enemy is not so bad."]

Zhao Li Xin facedarkened, ’Mercy... to my enemy? For what purpose?’

In his world, there was a saying: ’Showing mercy to your enemy is the same as being cruel to yourself.’ And Zhao Li Xin had lived by that creed for as long as he could remember.

To be cruel.

To be merciless.

To never hesitate or grant reprieve, whether the enemy was man or woman, young or old, in the end, he treated them all with equal severity.

That path had never felt difficult to walk. Zhao Li Xin was born with something missing in his heart, or perhaps something vital had been stripped away before he could even understand it.

He couldn’t say what it was, only that forming genuine bonds had always been difficult. Most of his relationships were built on necessity, gain, or duty.

Even with someone like Tian Meng Ji, his master that supposed to be a father figure for him, but even with him, their bond was forged from shared interest and obligation, not affection or warmth, at least for his part.

So being merciless came naturally. And the world around him, the brutal environment he was raised in, it’s only reinforced that mindset. Mercy had no place in his world. It was a weakness. A risk. A mistake that could cost lives.

So why now?

"Li Xin, are you okay?" Lory’s gentle voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

When he lowered his head, he saw a pair of beautiful purple eyes staring up at him, concern clearly etched across her face.

Zhao Li Xin was momentarily mesmerized, lost in her gaze for a few seconds before realization snapped him back to the present. He pushed the troubling thoughts aside, knowing there were more urgent matters to deal with.

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I’m fine,"

Zhao Li Xin then turned his gaze toward Fredhard, Fargo, and Stephan, his expression hardened with renewed focus.

"Get ready," he instructed them firmly. "It’s time."

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