Eddie arrived to a scene of vast devastation, with mountains of giant spider corpses resembling small hills. The ground was scorched with raging flames.
Hope Town had been reduced to ruins, even some of the surrounding mountains had partially collapsed.
Near Eddie, a massive meteorite was embedded in the ground, still radiating heat and emitting wisps of smoke.
It was clear that an unimaginable battle had taken place here, a clash of titans.
Eddie felt a sense of relief that he hadn't been there to witness it.
If he had returned earlier, he might not have been the beneficiary he had hoped to be, and could have even lost his life amidst such overwhelming power.
It was one thing to desire powerful enemies as fertilizer for his plants, but quite another to face such dangerous foes head-on.
Besides the giant spiders, Eddie noticed the corpses of numerous flying beasts scattered across the battlefield. In a makeshift camp, surrounded by a ring of torches, the bloodied figure of General Old Ma sat on a boulder.
"You're here, take a seat," General Old Ma said, looking extremely weary but relieved to see Eddie.
"I... I'm sorry I'm late..." Eddie wanted to explain his detour into the Sea Mirage Palace, but decided against it, feeling it unnecessary.
"It was my intention to have you captured by the palace guards.
The teleportation scroll I gave you was meant to take you to the royal garden, not the city's teleportation platform.
I knew what kind of battle was coming and couldn't let you, a young man, return to such danger," General Old Ma explained, patting Eddie's shoulder.
"I'm just glad you came back...
Thank you for risking your life to seek help.
Without you, my soldiers would've been wiped out long ago. And thank you for not abandoning us. You are the most trustworthy battle partner.
If you ever need Old Ma, just say the word, and I'll be there, no matter the distance."
Eddie realized that General Old Ma was as cunning as an old fox.
The general had sent him for help to protect him and deliberately directed him to the royal garden, where the palace guards would catch him.
The only unexpected part was his detour into the Sea Mirage Palace, leading to his delayed return. General Old Ma had thought he was detained by the palace guards until now.
Eddie quickly waved off the credit for the rescue mission. "It was the Hurricane Marquis Squad that sent the message. I came back too late. Here's the tiger talisman back to you!"
General Old Ma smiled, "Do you think the members of the Hurricane Marquis Squad could summon two national guardians so quickly? "
"Only because of your plea did His Majesty dispatch them. They usually don't intervene in national wars, only acting when the country's safety or future hope is threatened. "
"Their involvement this time was due to the threat posed to you by the Devil's Hall. They wouldn't normally concern themselves with the life and death of ordinary soldiers!"
Eddie was both amused and frustrated by this protective behavior of the strong towards potential young talents.
The lives of thousands of soldiers could be disregarded, but they would go out of their way to protect a young warrior from another country.
He realized this was quite logical from the perspective of the Innate Strong.
To them, ordinary people were as insignificant as ants, and they couldn't possibly attend to every matter. But for a promising child in danger, they would not stand idly by.
Eddie realized that these attitudes of the strong were similar to his own. He wouldn't lament every mercenary's death, but he might save one he found likable from a monster's attack.
He nodded in understanding, suspecting that there might not have been an hour-long limit in the Sea Mirage Palace.
Perhaps Night Empress had intentionally kept him there.
Regarding the other authoritative voice, could it be Emperor Hua Xu Ri of Tian Luo? But it sounded... somewhat unmanly. Could the emperor be a woman? Eddie quickly dismissed the thought, as it was unlikely in the male-dominated Dragon-Tongue Continent.
Eddie politely declined to take credit for the successful rescue, stating that it was the Hurricane Marquis Squad who sent the message first, and that he had arrived too late. General Old Ma then revealed that he had intentionally sent Eddie to the royal palace with a teleportation scroll, meant to be used in the direst circumstances, as a measure to protect talented young individuals like him. He explained that the national guardians only intervene when the country's future hope, represented by such young talents, is threatened.
Old Ma then warned Eddie to be cautious of the Devil's Hall, suggesting that they might target him next.
He reassured Eddie that he and his elite Hurricane Troops owed him a life debt and would come to his aid whenever needed.
After this conversation, Old Ma left with his troops, leaving Eddie alone.
Eddie, feeling somewhat out of place, spent his time studying the basics of spatial teleportation with Old Fox, who seemed to enjoy showing off his knowledge.
Old Fox even left Eddie with a book on spatial theory to study and went off to a palace banquet, leaving Eddie frustrated and cursing under his breath.
However, Eddie's mood soon improved when he received a message from the chief of the Thief's Guild, who relayed a message from the City Lord of Falling Flowers.
She was waiting for him at the ruins of Hope Town and urged him to come quickly. Excited by the prospect of seeing her again, Eddie reminisced about their previous encounters and the sensations they brought, which filled him with a mix of excitement and anticipation.
Eddie, eager to see the City Lord of Falling Flowers, used a teleportation scroll to reach the ruins of Hope Town, excitedly calling out to her upon arrival.
However, to his surprise, not only was the smiling City Lord of Falling Flowers there, but also the mysterious beauty who always carried a book. Eddie was momentarily stunned by this unexpected encounter.
He had been excited about meeting the City Lord of Falling Flowers again, but the presence of two women at once overwhelmed him.
The thought of charming both simultaneously seemed an insurmountable challenge, far more difficult than winning over just one.
In the presence of the mysterious beauty, any romantic advances towards the City Lord of Falling Flowers seemed impossible.
Eddie suspected that the two women knew each other and had intentionally come together to thwart his romantic plans.
When he asked if they knew each other, both the City Lord of Falling Flowers and the mysterious woman denied it.
Eddie was skeptical of their denial, finding their simultaneous arrival too coincidental.
The City Lord of Falling Flowers, smiling mischievously, asked Eddie to introduce the mysterious woman to her. Eddie, however, was unable to do so, as he had never seen the mysterious woman's face and did not know her name.
The City Lord of Falling Flowers jokingly suggested that the mysterious woman was just passing by, and the mysterious woman agreed, using the phrase "just passing by" that Eddie had once mentioned.
The City Lord of Falling Flowers playfully accused Eddie of knowing the mysterious woman, based on their shared knowledge of the phrase.
Eddie struggled to respond, feeling that his future romantic prospects were at stake.
Determined to protect his potential for future happiness, Eddie decided to tell a lie to navigate the situation.