Meanwhile, Jarvan IV, having inquired about Ted's condition, learned that all the soldiers who had stayed behind to cover their retreat had perished. His eyes welled up with tears, overwhelmed with grief.
The sight of Ted's severed arm and the wounds from the relentless torture pained him deeply.
Li Lin administered a dose of Shimmer to Ted and instructed Albrecht and several soldiers from the shield formation to escort him out of the village and tend to his injuries properly.
With anger blazing in his eyes, Jarvan IV turned his gaze back to Noxus, only to discover that something seemed amiss.
"Where's Prescott?" he asked, frowning.
"He just followed that noblewoman into a house. Judging by the soldiers' reactions, it seems there's been some commotion inside," Paldrek replied.
Jarvan IV looked at Li Lin. "Did your drone capture any footage?"
Since his attire hadn't been transformed into battle armor, he was unsure of what had transpired inside.
However, the drone had been on "optical camouflage" standby and had captured the scene of Prescott and the Pale Lady inside the house.
Li Lin nodded, his right arm lowering slightly as the fabric of his forearm transformed into a projection device, displaying the footage on a shield wall about as tall as a person.
Seeing the 3D imagery, Li Lin, Jarvan IV, Shyvana, and Paldrek fell into silence.
After a moment, Shyvana was the first to break the silence, "That woman, I sensed her danger before."
"That is the Pale Lady," Jarvan IV interjected before Li Lin could say anything, "Legend has it that her skin is devoid of color and her face constantly shifts. No one has ever seen her true form."
He took a deep breath, still astonished by such a spell that could seemingly make one disappear into thin air. "But from the footage, her abilities appear to extend beyond that."
"Teleportation… Is that Arcane Magic?" Paldrek questioned.
"It has nothing to do with Arcane Magic," Li Lin's response drew surprised looks from the three, "Piltover controls magic through Hextech, and the Hex Gates utilize the principles of Arcane Teleportation. I'm quite familiar with it."
"Hex Gates… I've heard of them. Palclyff City at the southern end of the Argent Mountains has constructed towers with this technology," Jarvan IV nodded, "Such technology enables ultra-long-range transportation and is very convenient for moving goods."
"My mechanical forces also use similar teleportation principles, though the cost is higher compared to the Hex Gates used as 'anchor points'," Li Lin continued, "From my research into Arcane Magic, the Pale Lady's disappearance is unrelated to teleportation; it resembles more of a mirroring spell."
With Jarvan IV's support, Paldrek and the Dauntless Vanguard soldiers selectively ignored Li Lin's comments about "researching magic."
Jarvan IV was puzzled, "Mirroring?"
"It's an ancient, long-lost Shuriman trick, often referred to as black magic or dark sorcery in Valoran. It can project mirror images of oneself, and even if the mirror image is destroyed, the original remains unaffected."
"This…"
Jarvan IV, Shyvana, and Paldrek exchanged glances, this being their first encounter with such an enigmatic magic.
"Could it be that the noblewoman is merely a mirror image of the Pale Lady?" Jarvan IV asked, frowning, "Can she transform into anyone's likeness?"
Suddenly, Paldrek's eyes widened as if he had just realized something, "Could they be trying to capture Your Highness… and possibly impersonate you to infiltrate the Dawn Castle and assassinate His Majesty?"
Li Lin was taken aback by Paldrek's deduction.
He hadn't expected such an assumption even in this real-world scenario. However, in the original timeline, Jarvan IV was never captured, so who could say?
Of course, even if LeBlanc did impersonate Jarvan IV as in some fan backgrounds, she couldn't enter Demacia's capital built with magic-nullifying Petricite.
Her dark magic wasn't advanced enough to bypass Ryze's protections, and Petricite would nullify her mirror magic.
A moment later, Jarvan IV confirmed Li Lin's thoughts, "That possibility cannot be ruled out, but impersonating me to assassinate my father is absurd. Her magic would not work in the capital.
"Unless she could lure my father out of the capital… But that's impossible; my father would surely notice."
Jarvan IV snorted dismissively.
"Since the Pale Lady has already departed, should we proceed as planned and capture all these Noxians?" Paldrek suggested.
Having just taken office and eager to prove himself, Paldrek saw this as a golden opportunity. The Black Rose's confrontation with Noxus was, in his view, a "perfect opportunity."
"They only agreed to exchange prisoners, not to let them leave Demacia safely," Jarvan IV said with a smile, "Li Lin, how's the situation on your end?"
"My mechanical forces are already in position. They won't be able to escape."
"Very well."
Jarvan IV surveyed the area and commanded the Dauntless Vanguard, "Those who offend Demacia shall be punished, no matter the distance! To arms, everyone! Let's crush the enemy!"
…
…
The outcome of the battle was evident.
Fifty fully armed Noxian soldiers and thirty recently freed, weak, unarmed prisoners had no chance against the Dauntless Vanguard Legion.
With only two shield formations of sixteen elite warriors, the fifty Noxian soldiers, lacking leadership, were swiftly shattered and scattered in all directions.
Shyvana, who had followed Jarvan IV hoping to prove her loyalty, had no opportunity to act.
However, most of those who managed to reach the village's exit were intercepted by a strange hovering machine.
Having witnessed a few unfortunate souls trying to bring it down, only to be obliterated by what seemed like magical energy spheres, the remaining Noxian soldiers surrendered.
When Li Lin, Jarvan IV, Shyvana, and Paldec entered the room, Prescott, abandoned by the Black Rose, nearly lost his sanity. He exposed himself and launched a suicidal attack against them.
Jarvan IV easily subdued him but chose not to kill him.
After all, Prescott was a general of a battle group, and his life was far more valuable than his death.
Capturing a general who had ambushed Demacia would have earned Jarvan IV an exceptional honor. Yet, he was not content with just that.
He immediately marched east, seizing the chance to strike the remaining main forces of the 37th Battle Group, stationed five kilometers away, before news of Prescott's capture could spread.
This operation involved an entire squadron of the Dauntless Vanguard—128 soldiers—assisted by Shyvana in her half-dragon form.
The continuous battles had already demoralized the Noxian soldiers. The sight of the Dauntless Vanguard's banner and the dragon terrified them. After losing a few hundred men, the majority chose to surrender immediately.
Li Lin's mechanical troops were not needed.
Jarvan IV was elated and promptly rewarded the brave Shyvana and the Dauntless Vanguard soldiers, promising that upon returning to Demacia, he would request his father to grant them even greater rewards.
In the original timeline, Jarvan IV would have returned triumphantly with Shyvana carrying the skull of the slain fire dragon, Yvva. Now, with Li Lin's intervention, they would return with hundreds of Noxian prisoners and a Noxian general, bringing a different kind of glory.
Though the world's trajectory had changed drastically, and the butterfly effect was evident, the ultimate outcome was surprisingly similar.
On the journey back to Wrenwall and during the days of rest, Li Lin found himself deep in thought, pondering whether some events in this world were destined to occur.
Although he hadn't sensed any corrective force in this world, given that the "heroes" of Piltover had experienced events vastly different from the original path, the recent trip to Demacia made him reconsider his thoughts on "world correction."
After much contemplation, Li Lin ultimately set these thoughts aside.
No matter the challenges faced, it was best to overcome them through effort.
Whether it was the Darkin, the Ruined King, the return of Mordekaiser, or even the Void in the end…
Even if a world correction mechanism existed, it was of little consequence. One must face what comes, and with only mortal power, he couldn't change the world.
It was more prudent to focus on leveling up, strengthening his own power, and ensuring he was equipped to confront future crises directly.
With these thoughts resolved, Li Lin's mood lightened. He opened his system panel to check his progress and was suddenly greeted by an exciting notification:
[The prerequisites for career advancement have been met!]
(End of Chapter)
=========================================================
DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE
SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS
PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).