We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 357 The Gift of the Hidden, A Curse Against the Lord of Cinder!

The information that flashed before his eyes caused Xia En's pupils to shrink slightly.

"Does Dark Ice's statement contain crucial information about [Secrets]?"

"A research center hidden underground... a frozen town... [The People of Ice and Snow]..."

Xia En had a vague feeling that there was a thread that could connect all this information.

However, he lacked a crucial clue, preventing him from uncovering the truth hidden in history.

As the density of the [Hidden] solution increased, Shane could clearly feel—

An indescribable, mysterious power descended upon me from the darkness.

This power is somewhat similar to the surge of secret energy brought about by the [Secret Sea] during advancement; both are enhancements originating from within and stemming from the soul.

However, compared to the gifts of the [Secret Sea], it appears to be far more secluded and dangerous.

It gives the impression of something shrouded in mist, like something mysterious and hidden behind a fog.

Even a glimpse of its outline can instill unease and panic.

And this is exactly what the concept of "secrecy" means!

Xia En suddenly understood.

"This is... a gift from the [Hidden]?"

Just as the Storm Raider can extract arcane power from storms, the Deep Sea Devourer can extract arcane power while hunting deep-sea monsters.

The defining characteristic of the 【Guardian of Secrets】 profession is that it offers unique rewards for unlocking secrets.

At this moment, as the [solution density] increases, although the [secret] has not yet been truly cracked, it still brings Shane many benefits.

A cool sensation flowed through Xia En's mind.

It made his thinking more acute and active.

—This seems to have enhanced his soul strength and mental power to some extent.

This increased Shane's resistance to certain mental attacks and contamination, and also made him more adept at manipulating secret power.

Not only his spirit, but his body was also baptized by this mysterious power.

[Overall Qualifications: 30 → 31!]

Although the increase is not very large, it is quite considerable considering that this is only a gift from the 10% increase in [solution density].

If this trend continues, once Xia En deciphers these [secrets], his own strength will increase significantly.

The growth of strength is certainly gratifying.

But at this moment, Xia En's mind was not on that.

What intrigued him even more was the history mentioned by An Bing, and its connection to the mystery of the Great Yan Kingdom's demise!

Xia En composed himself and asked.

"Are you sure... those people are the real Blackflame Walkers, and not some other person in disguise?"

Anbing nodded solemnly: "I'm sure."

"Because I once had one of my tribesmen deliberately separated from the group, used as bait to set a trap, and ended up capturing several of them instead!"

"And when they were about to be captured by me, those guys did not hesitate and chose to commit suicide."

"I used the secret power of [Freeze] to forcibly spare one person's life."

"On them, I found a token that belongs exclusively to the [Black Flame Walker]."

"As for the only prisoner, he refused to answer my questions, and remained unmoved even when I threatened to torture him."

Dark Ice's expression was inscrutable as he said, "In fact, this only further proves their identity as the [Black Flame Walkers]."

"That terrifying willpower, that unwavering loyalty, and... that complex look in his eyes when he looks at me—who else could it be but the Blackflame Walker?"

"In the end, the man admitted his identity, but when I questioned him about why he did it, he said—"

"We are on the right track."

"From now on, the crown of righteousness will be reserved for us."

"After saying those words, he died in front of me."

Upon hearing this, Shane and Joey exchanged a glance, both able to see the surprise in each other's eyes.

If what Dark Ice said is true, the person who kidnapped the [Ice People] is indeed the [Black Flame Walker].

Therefore, the mastermind behind this incident seems to be about to be revealed.

The Blackflame Walkers of the past were different from those of today; they were a group of secret travelers who were absolutely loyal and obedient to the Lord of Cinder.

They will only obey the Lord of Cinder's orders.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them a group of suicide squad members.

Doesn't this mean that the order to capture the "People of Ice and Snow" came from Lord Cinder?

To be honest, Shane still found it hard to believe.

Because, in his memory, Yan Yan would never do such a thing.

but……

Although Yan Yan and Lord Xin are essentially the same person, they have different personalities and behavioral habits due to their memories and experiences.

Xia En couldn't be sure if he would do something so cruel and cold-hearted.

However, for some inexplicable reason, Xia En felt that there seemed to be some hidden secret in this incident that Dark Ice was unaware of.

Thinking of this, Xia En's gaze towards An Bing suddenly became somewhat complicated.

He can now somewhat understand how Anbing felt back then.

On one side is her family, who gave her birth and raised her, with whom she shares a deep blood bond.

On the other side is the person they love.

Both sides are equally important.

Being caught in the middle is obviously not a pleasant feeling.

From Anbing's perspective, this is even more of a betrayal by her lover!

The purpose of the marriage alliance was clearly to ease tensions between the Great Yan and the Ice and Snow People.

But the Lord of Cinder was secretly plotting against the people of the Snow People.

It would be impossible for Anbing not to feel anger and resentment.

Not to mention, there was also the death of Dark Ice's mother...

Xia En sighed inwardly and asked, "And then? What happened next?"

Anbing took two deep breaths to shake off her grief and indignation before speaking.

“After that, I went straight to Xin and confronted him face to face.”

"This is the only thing I can do."

"After all, the entire Great Yan Kingdom belongs to him. If he is really determined to take action against the Ice and Snow People, we have no power to resist."

"And I will never forget that scene."

“After listening to my questioning, Xin’s reaction was much calmer than I had expected.”

He sighed and said, "So, you found out after all?"

"[Even so, I have reasons to continue, no matter how much you resent me.]"

After saying that, he turned and left the palace without ever looking back at me.

Dark Ice's eyes reddened slightly as she said, "I never imagined his reaction would be so cold."

"Even if he makes up some excuse, even if he's just lying to me, I might still believe him..."

"But Xin wouldn't even give me a single explanation."

"Only then did I completely give up. All those past actions were just his pretense."

Dark Ice murmured sadly to herself, "So, it turns out, I was the only one who was deluding myself all along."

Both Xia En and the other person fell silent.

Based solely on Dark Ice's account, the King of Cinder's behavior is indeed disheartening.

Even if there was an impending catastrophe behind it, it still seemed a bit too cruel and inhumane. "Since then, I have been under house arrest in my palace and have not been allowed to go out even a step."

"That palace was so cold... even colder than the Eternal Coffin that came later."

"In the end, I only made one request to him."

"That is to return my mother's keepsake, which is this 'Fleeting Moment' to me."

An Bing gave a bitter smile: "But even for such a simple request, he still wants to play games with me."

"He had already agreed to the request in the letter."

"But just a few days later, he said that [Fleeting Time] had been stolen by a legendary powerhouse of unknown identity."

"But he is the Lord of Cinder, who can snatch the [Fleeting Moment] from his hands?"

"Even at that point, he still deceived my feelings... It's really awful!"

"It is precisely for this reason that I have such a strong attachment to the concept of 'fleeting moments'."

Upon hearing this, Xia En raised an eyebrow and, after thinking for a moment, said...

“Lady Dark Ice, in this matter, perhaps… Lord Cinder did not lie to you.”

Anbing was taken aback: "What do you mean by that?"

Shaun replied, "In fact, I found this [Fleeting Moment] in the ruins of a royal capital called [Shuton Kingdom]."

"And this kingdom is not in the far north, but in the southern continent, which is quite far away!"

"I think... it might have indeed been stolen by someone, and after going through many hardships, it finally appeared in the Kingdom of Shudon."

Anbing's expression changed slightly, and after a moment, she sighed.

"Perhaps that's true..."

"But at this point, it's pointless."

"Even without the [Fleeting Moment], it is an undeniable fact that Xin has deceived me multiple times and harmed my people."

Dark Ice looked at Xia En seriously: "Captain Xia En, can you return [Fleeting Time] to me?"

"This can be considered my final tribute to my mother, to the people of ice and snow, and to that past time."

At this moment, Xia En truly understood the reason for An Bing's unusual attitude towards [Fleeting Time].

However, even so, this pocket watch held irreplaceable significance for him.

Giving it to Dark Ice is clearly impossible.

“Mr. … “I am a white person.”

Seeing Xia En's expression, An Bing understood his resolute attitude, so she stopped insisting on demanding [Fleeting Time] and instead said...

"In any case, [Fleeting Time] is now yours. I'm the one who put Captain Shane in a difficult position."

“I can stop asking for it, but at least… please let me take another look at it.”

Seeing Anbing's understanding reaction, Xia En breathed a sigh of relief.

If she continues to insist, it will undoubtedly lead to a complete breakdown in their relationship.

However, Xia En is able to grant requests such as "just a glance".

Soon, Dark Ice took the [Fleeting Time] from Xia En's hands.

But after only a few glances, An Bing's expression changed drastically, and she murmured in shock.

"This secret power...this curse..."

"But how is this possible?"

Upon hearing this, Xia En frowned: "Ms. Dark Ice, what's wrong?"

"What curse?"

Xia En initially thought that An Bing was surprised because of the special spacetime secret power of [Fleeting Time], but judging from her words, it seemed that was not the case.

Dark Ice said with certainty, "There's no mistake, this pocket watch carries the curse of us, the [People of Ice and Snow]!"

"curse?"

Xia En was quite surprised: "But why have I never noticed it when I'm using it?"

Dark Ice's eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment, but she still answered subconsciously.

"Because... this curse is set against bloodlines."

"Only people with a specific bloodline will have it activated upon contact."

At this moment, Xia En also vaguely sensed something and asked.

"So, the bloodline it targets is..."

Anbing said with great difficulty, "It's salary."

Upon hearing this answer, Xia En's expression changed slightly.

"A curse targeting the Lord of Cinder?"

【Fleeting Moments】is an important relic of the 【People of Ice and Snow】, and even a token of their status as clan leaders.

Why would there be a curse targeting the Lord of Cinder in such a situation?

But upon closer reflection, the answer is actually self-evident.

This marriage alliance only eased the tensions; it did not completely eliminate the conflict between the Ice and Snow People and the Great Yan Kingdom.

Just as the Lord of Cinder harbored suspicions about the Snowborn, the Snowborn clearly did not truly consider the Lord of Cinder one of their own.

They might even be plotting an assassination attempt against the Lord of Cinder!

Unlike the "Ice and Snow People" who are naturally adapted to the environment of the "Far North".

The reason why the Great Yan Kingdom was able to establish itself in this place is at least 80% due to the efforts of King Xin.

Apart from the King of Cinder, there is no other Mystic or successor in the Great Yan Kingdom who can hold power.

In other words.

As soon as the King of Cinder dies, the Great Yan Kingdom will fall into turmoil and quickly disintegrate.

The people of the Great Yan Kingdom will then return to their former state of being refugees.

For some of the "Ice and Snow People," this means that the "Far North" has been purified.

And this curse on the "Fleeting Moment" is undoubtedly the most direct evidence of it.

At this moment, Xia En suddenly realized what the hidden truth he had vaguely sensed before was.

From Dark Ice's perspective, it was Lord Cinder who broke his promise and took the initiative to attack the People of Ice.

But what if...

What if the order of events is reversed?

It is the [People of Ice and Snow] who intend to take action against Lord Cinder.

After his defeat, Lord Cinder could no longer tolerate the offense the Snowborn had committed against him and took action to retaliate.

One's attitude towards the enemy should naturally be as cold as ice.

It seems understandable that they would capture the "People of Ice and Snow" for some kind of research.

Clearly, not only Xia En, but also An Bing realized this possibility.

She was an exceptionally intelligent woman, but her emotions clouded her judgment, preventing her from considering the truth of those matters.

"Could it be that……"

Anbing's expression shifted repeatedly, as if she were going through some intense internal struggle.

"But if that's the case, why didn't he tell me himself?"

"What...is the truth?"

Just then, an officer's voice came from outside the barracks.

"Captain Shane, General Moritz has given orders—"

"Those who have obtained the 'slots' on the secret path, assemble at the military headquarters now!"

(End of this chapter)