I was a knight in the Middle Ages

The night sky was like a huge piece of dark velvet.

Above, the Milky Way glittered, dotted with countless stars.

In my ears, there was the ceaseless sound of waves crashing against the shore, mixed with the chirping of unknown insects from the depths of the jungle.

This was their third night on the island.

Alpha leaned lazily against a pile of dry thatch, closing its eyes to rest.

Fanxing, like a docile kitten, nestled beside Alpha, gently massaging his shoulders with her still somewhat immature but already well-developed hands.

The force was just right, and although the technique was clumsy, it carried a warm feeling.

"Lord Alpha," the clear voice of the starlight rang out in the quiet night, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anticipation, "when will we be able to leave this deserted island?"

Alpha didn't open his eyes, but a smile played on his lips: "What's wrong, little girl? Are you homesick?"

"Home?" Fanxing paused, a look of confusion and bewilderment appearing on her little face.

That was a word that was both distant and unfamiliar to her.

In the depths of Fanxing's memory, there is only the terror of being trafficked and the suffering of being displaced.

And the faint sounds of war and lamentation coming from the distant eastern continent.

“I was sold here when I was ten years old. I don’t remember what my home looks like,” Fang Fanxing said in a low voice, her voice tinged with loneliness.

But soon, she hugged Alpha's arm tightly, her tone becoming firm and dependent, "But I know that wherever Lord Alpha is, that's my home. As long as you're here, anywhere is home."

Alpha's heart stirred slightly. He turned his head, looked at Fanxing's eyes that shimmered with clear light under the starlight, and sighed softly.

Alpha reached out and ruffled her hair, his tone softening with promise: "Yes, once everything here is over, I'll take you back to the East to see our real home."

"East?" Fanxing blinked curiously.

“Yes, the East.” Alpha’s gaze was fixed on the horizon, as if it could pierce through the endless darkness and see the land he longed for.

Although this era is completely different from the world he once knew, magic and martial arts have replaced technology.

However, the general geographical layout and orientation of the planet beneath our feet have not changed.

According to historical calculations from another timeline, the East today should be in an era of dynastic change and cataclysmic upheavals.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the country was in turmoil, and then the Manchu cavalry entered the pass, changing the landscape.

If given the chance, if Alpha can survive this battle between gods and demons and the empire, he must return there.

Not as a bystander, but as a participant, to change the established course of history.

To stop that catastrophe, to save those flowers of civilization that should have shone brightly but withered prematurely.

That land holds the deepest bonds within Alpha's soul.

“Lord Alpha, no, Lord Lei,” Fanxing suddenly sat up straight, lowering her voice to remind him, “There’s someone outside… it’s Lord Feng.”

Alpha immediately snapped out of that moment of warmth and grand thoughts.

Alpha sat up, straightened his clothes, and pinched Fanxing's chubby cheeks.

Finally, she said softly, "Okay, you stay here for now and don't wander off. I'll be right back."

Stepping out of the simple campsite, a cool sea breeze rushed towards me.

Athena stood on the beach not far away, the moonlight casting a long, lonely shadow of her.

The two walked silently along the coastline for a distance, one after the other, without either of them speaking first.

The sound of the waves drowned out their footsteps, and also the sound of their heartbeats.

In the end, it was Alpha that broke the suffocating silence.

"Lady Athena, I'd like to ask, how is Lord Arthur...?" Alpha's tone was slightly probing. "And regarding the people we're supposed to meet, as you mentioned before, should the plan continue?"

“It seems Arthur’s judgment was right; you did ask.” Athena stopped and turned around.

Under the moonlight, Athena's expression was serious and complex.

Those beautiful eyes were now filled with worry and a hint of barely perceptible loneliness.

"Lord Arthur, due to the failure of his last mission, has been seized upon by his political enemies within the Church and has been... banished to the battlefield of black and white to engage in an endless meat grinder war with the Dark Council." Athena's voice was low and suppressed.

"Because of Lord Arthur's departure, his original plan has changed. Our people are now in dire straits and cannot leave safely. Therefore, this matter... can only be put on hold for the time being."

Alpha listened quietly, understanding dawning on its eyes.

The internal struggles within the Vatican were far more brutal and intense than he had imagined.

Arthur, that somewhat arrogant but still upright knight, ultimately became a victim of factional infighting.

According to Athena's ideals and stance, she should have stood on the same side as Arthur, and should even have been sent to the most dangerous battlefield to shed her blood.

But it was precisely because of Athena's special status, which was feared by the higher-ups of the Papacy, that she was "protectively" kept here.

This "unwelcome" situation is both a shackle for Athena and, to some extent, a form of protection for her.

"It's good that everyone is alright." Alpha only said four words in the end.

Alpha didn't feel much aversion towards Knight Arthur, but he didn't have much affection for him either.

However, compared to those other high-ranking paladins who regard human life as worthless.

Alpha still prefers to deal with people like Arthur, who are flesh and blood.

“Alpha,” Athena suddenly called him by name, her tone carrying a rare hint of confusion and inquiry, “what do you think… is the purpose of the Vatican’s recent actions and arrangements?”

This is a dangerous problem.

Alpha opened his mouth, but didn't know how to start speaking.

Is it for faith? For power? Or for that elusive divine authority?

Alpha has witnessed far too many dirty deals and cold-blooded calculations.

"W-W-W-W-!"

Just then, a sharp and urgent horn blast pierced the tranquil night sky; it was the highest-level alarm issued by the island's watchtower!

Athena's expression instantly turned serious. She looked sharply at Alpha, her eyes no longer showing any confusion, only the instinct for battle: "Go! Put on your gear and prepare for battle!"

"Pirates?" Alpha frowned and looked up at the horizon.

There, several menacing black warships were silently approaching the seemingly worthless deserted island under the cover of night.

Alpha couldn't understand who else would want to fight over this godforsaken place besides them, the disguised "Imperial Knights".

But at this moment, he had no time to think further.

Alpha turned and rushed back to the camp, putting on the heavy standard armor as quickly as possible.

"Lord Lei!" Fanxing had already prepared Alpha's weapons.

There was no fear on Fanxing's little face; she just tightly clutched the colorful seashell she had picked up during the day.

The moment Alpha turned around, she pounced on him like a nimble little sloth.

Fanxing clung tightly to his back, hooking her legs around his waist and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hold on tight." Alpha did not refuse.

Alpha knew that the power of time in the stars might save their lives in a critical moment.

Alpha donned his armor, picked up his spear, slung his scimitar over his shoulder, and charged into the moonlit beach, soon to be stained red with blood.

Three jet-black warships lay motionless on the sea a hundred meters away, like giant beasts, their iron armor menacing and their cannons gleaming, as if they might spew deathly flames at any moment.

Magical cannons already existed in this era, but the cost was extremely high, so they were not widely used.

Only a behemoth like the Ottoman Empire would install magic cannons on its warships, but their rarity did not change the tide of battle.

Dozens of small boats sped out of the shadows like a pack of wolves pouncing on their prey, quickly approaching the beach.

A rough estimate suggests that there were at least three or four hundred people, densely packed together, walking on the waves.

Alpha narrowed his eyes, his five senses far exceeding those of ordinary people under the blessing of the power of discipline.

Alpha clearly saw that those were not ordinary pirates at all.

Those are mutant warriors.

The boar-man was covered in rough leather armor, with exposed tusks and bulging muscles; the ground trembled when he ran.

Werewolves are agile, with hook-like claws and a bloodthirsty glint in their eyes.

They were not a rabble, but a secret imperial force that had undergone systematic modification and training; they were "war animals" secretly bred by the nobles.

"Prepare for battle," Athena commanded coldly, her silver armor gleaming under the blood moon.

Athena knew the truth, but chose to remain silent.

These "enemies" were not invading enemies, but rather the empire's final trial—a cruel game ostensibly for assessment, but in reality, a purge.

In order to save military spending, the imperial high command used the pretext of "survival trials on a deserted island".

By throwing civilian knights and mutated warriors into the same inferno and forcing them to kill each other, the aim is to select the "worth investing" elites.

Ironically, true noble knights never had to go through this hell.

"Ray, Dark, follow me and kill!" At Athena's command, her true subordinates—Alpha and the Dark Elf Peter—immediately responded.

Of the other seven, Achilles and the other two were her nominal superiors, and their strength was unfathomable.

The remaining four only reluctantly obeyed orders because Achilles nodded.

The battle broke out instantly.

There was no declaration of war, no standoff; killing was the only language.

The seven men plunged into the enemy ranks like sharp blades, with Alpha standing as a shield in front.

The great shield clashed violently with the warhammer, producing a deafening roar, like the beating of war drums, which provoked the boarman's furious roar.

They surged forward like a tidal wave, the ground trembling beneath their hooves.

"I'll hold the line, you guys watch your positioning!" Alpha roared, his figure standing as firm as a mountain.

He was well aware of the restrictions of this battle—he could not use high-level battle qi.

After all, "desert knights" shouldn't possess the power of the empire's elite; this is both a rule and a trap.

Fortunately, they had equipment.

Achilles sneered and, with a wave of his hand, all seven men simultaneously threw their javelins.

Seventy steel spears shot into the air with a piercing shriek, like a torrential downpour.

With his extraordinary strength, every strike accurately hits vital points—throat, eye socket, heart.

In an instant, over a hundred mutants fell to the ground, their blood staining the yellow sand.

These mutants, though powerful, were ultimately experimental subjects kept in captivity, and didn't even deserve to have names.

At this moment, they were merely "live targets" set up by the imperial nobles to save on the bounty.

Alpha firmly guarded the core of the formation, its shield as solid as a city wall, its hammer as powerful as thunder.

When the boar-man charged, he didn't retreat but advanced, sending the three giant beasts flying with a "Mountain-Shattering Strike".

The werewolf launched a surprise attack from the flank, but Peter's Shadow Blade silently slit its throat.

The Shadow Warriors roamed the rear, flashing with cold light and crackling with electricity, killing every enemy they encountered.

Under the blood moon, the beach became a battlefield.

The true purpose of this trial is far more than just an assessment.

It was a silent purge, a secret trial of commoner knights by nobles.

The battle raged from late at night until dawn, with the crimson sunset and the rising sun reflecting off the horizon.

The battlefield shifted from the initial beach to the dense, secluded mountain forest.

Beneath their feet lay a swamp of mud and blood, the air thick with the nauseating stench of blood and gunpowder.

At this moment, the once mighty mutant army has suffered heavy losses, with less than fifty elites remaining.

Of the imperial knights who fought valiantly against them, only eight survived.

All eight knights were seriously injured.

The silver armor was covered with deep, bone-revealing scratches and congealed dark red blood clots, obscuring its original luster.

Although the Imperial Knights are individually incredibly powerful, this trial has special limitations.

They can only rely on their standard equipment to kill enemies and cannot use their true strength.

This is like binding a tiger's limbs, forcing it to fight off a pack of wolves using only its teeth and claws, unable to unleash even one percent of its full strength.

The remaining eight knights were exhausted to the point of collapse. Every breath felt like pulling on a broken bellows, and sweat mixed with blood slid down their cheeks.

The remaining mutants on the other side were all top-tier experts who had fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

They seemed to have noticed the knights' predicament and were no longer in a hurry to launch a general offensive.

Instead, it cunningly relied on its astonishing speed to maneuver around the knights' formation.

Like a group of patient predators, they wait for the moment when their prey runs out of energy, thus exhausting the enemy's last bit of strength.

“They are taking turns resting, so we must also change our strategy, taking turns fighting to maintain our fighting strength,” Athena said, leaning on her longsword.

As the eastern horizon gradually turned red, the dawn's light finally pierced through the thin mist in the forest, illuminating the ravaged land.

A glint of wisdom flashed in her eyes, and she immediately changed tactics.

"Alright! Who will stand with me against this fiercest attack?" Alpha took a deep breath, trying to calm his disordered breathing.

Alpha's silver armor had long been stained dark red, emitting a strong, foul stench—a mixture of death and carnage.

"I'll do it!" It was Knight Jin who stepped forward without hesitation, his eyes resolute.

Ultimately, the first wave of defenders were the four knights of Lightning, Gold, Darkness, and Water.

Even the usually proud paladins now understood that they had to contribute to the collective in order to survive.

However, just as everyone had assigned tasks and prepared to face a new wave of attacks from the mutants...

On the distant sea, the massive mutant flagship suddenly sounded a deep and long retreat horn.

The sound of bugles echoed in the morning air, carrying a hint of resentment and anger.

The mutants who surrounded the area but did not attack roared angrily, but in the end they could only choose to retreat, disappearing into the forest as quickly as the receding tide.

Everyone was puzzled and filled with doubt, but they dared not relax their guard in the slightest.

The group instinctively formed a circle, warily watching their surroundings while trying to recover their dwindling energy.

"Are they going to blow us all up with one shot?" Alpha watched anxiously as the mutants retreated back to the warship, his brow furrowed.

"Probably not," Knightfire calmly analyzed.

His senses detected no fluctuations in large-scale energy accumulation. "The cost of a single round of magic cannon fire is far greater than the lives of us ordinary knights."

However, if the other side knew that there were actually three paladin-level enemies on this island...

Let alone one round, they would probably be willing to unleash ten rounds of devastating firepower.

Around noon, the three warships completely left the waters around the small island.

Another ornately decorated warship slowly approached, flying the flag of the empire, seemingly inviting the surviving knights to return.

"Let's go, we've passed the trial." Athena stood up wearily, a relieved smile on her face.

As the group traversed the battlefield strewn with corpses, they felt little joy.

Knight Yin and Ice had long since stopped breathing; their cold bodies lay in the mud.

They had clearly been slacking off in their usual training; otherwise, given a knight's physique, he shouldn't have died from exhaustion so easily.

"Lord Alpha, should I come and save them?" Suddenly, Fanxing's childish voice rang in Alpha's ears.

"No, you cannot use your abilities to save people in front of anyone except on my orders," Alpha refused decisively.

Alpha didn't want Star's special abilities to be exposed to anyone.

Once exposed, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect this child with his current strength.

"Yes, sir." Fanxing's voice lowered as she continued to lie quietly in the concealment of the armor, hiding herself.