Every corner of the castle was etched with their happy memories.
They met and fell in love here, secretly meeting, practicing swordsmanship together, and promising to become knights and eliminate werewolves.
Although he left, she believed he would return. She would wait here for him to become a great knight and come back to marry her!
But now, not only was it difficult to keep the territory and the castle, but even she herself was coveted by this powerful lord. She might have to fight desperately!
At worst, she would die!
But Andrew, Amelia might not be able to wait for you to come back!
Thinking of this, Amelia suddenly stood up, drew the ornate knight's sword from her waist, and looked at Chen Mo with a determined expression. A fierce and resolute aura erupted from her.
Chen Mo did not expect such a strong reaction. He hadn't even finished speaking before she was ready to turn hostile.
Surrounded by nearly a hundred knights' weapons, he remained calm, sitting in his chair, looking at Amelia with a serene gaze, and directly stated his purpose.
"As the lord of Knight Andrew, I am here to propose marriage on his behalf."
Chen Mo's words left everyone present stunned.
"Knight Andrew?"
"Could it be?.."
All eyes turned to the knight standing silently behind Chen Mo.
Amelia looked over with an excited expression. Could it really be him?
Andrew was also a bit stunned. He had thought Chen Mo brought him here to persuade surrender, but now Chen Mo suddenly said he was here to propose marriage.
He had thought his lord was captivated by Amelia's beauty and wanted to claim her for himself, feeling deeply pained and conflicted. But then he heard Chen Mo say it was for him.
Only then did Andrew realize that his lord had come not to persuade surrender, and the purpose of this expedition was not to conquer Marquis Leonard's territory but to propose marriage for him.
Thinking of this, Andrew was overwhelmed with emotion and stepped forward to Chen Mo.
Removing his helmet, Andrew knelt on one knee, placed his right hand on his chest, and solemnly performed a knight's salute to Chen Mo.
Looking at his loyal and brave knight, Chen Mo nodded slowly.
Andrew stood up solemnly and walked towards Amelia.
Seeing his face, the cold and noble Amelia trembled with excitement, her eyes turning red as she stared at Andrew's weathered face, unable to look away.
Equally excited, Andrew quickly approached Amelia and stopped in front of her. After a moment of deep gazing, Andrew, with red eyes, embraced the person he had longed for.
Amelia's body stiffened, then softened completely, burying her head in Andrew's broad shoulder. Even through the cold armor, they could feel the warmth and passion in each other's hearts.
After enduring the painful wait for her lover's return, facing the difficult situation of her father's death and the attack of a powerful enemy, Amelia had thought Chen Mo was forcing her into marriage. But it turned out her lover had become a knight and returned to marry her.
In Andrew's embrace, Amelia felt a sense of peace, as if she had finally found a place to lean on. All her grievances surged up, and she let go of all her strength, leaning on Andrew's shoulder, shedding tears.
…
In the end, Amelia joined Chen Mo's forces with her nearly hundred knights. Like Victor, Chen Mo allowed her to continue leading her troops.
Although the territory was still reclaimed, Chen Mo allowed her to keep the castle.
This time, apart from the knights executing escort missions for the caravan, exterminating werewolves, and those stationed at Blackstone Castle, Chen Mo brought only over two hundred men.
After some rest, the team grew significantly, and the knight regiment, now over three hundred strong, set off again, returning to Blackstone Castle.
A few days later, the knight regiment reached a valley. Unlike their hurried journey before, they chose an easier path this time.
Chen Mo rode a tall black warhorse at the front of the team, with Andrew and Amelia riding side by side behind him. Though they didn't speak, their exchanged glances were filled with deep affection.
Following them were four knights with bronze crests on their armor, including Victor.
Since joining Chen Mo's forces under duress, Victor had come to understand Chen Mo's true strength. Besides his terrifying personal power, the secret workshop in the castle continuously produced various magical and powerful items. Some were sold as treasures and luxury goods through the caravan, while others were exclusively equipped and used within the castle.
For example, their sturdy armor, sharp swords, stirrups that made riding easier, telescopes for seeing distant scenes, crossbows, pulleys, cement, clocks, and many other wondrous items, all invented by their mysterious lord.
The longer Victor stayed under Chen Mo, the more he realized Chen Mo's unfathomable depth. Especially his terrifying ability to cleave castle gates and single-handedly challenge werewolf packs, which filled Victor with awe. Gradually, he fully accepted Chen Mo's leadership and pledged his loyalty wholeheartedly.
Sometimes, Victor wondered about their mysterious and powerful lord's origins. If the concept of aliens existed in this era, Victor would surely think Chen Mo was one!
In fact, many of the territory's people worshipped Chen Mo as a god.
Before Chen Mo's arrival, they had suffered from constant wars and the threat of ferocious werewolves, living in hunger, fear, and hardship.
Since Chen Mo's appearance, the rampaging werewolves were continuously exterminated, and they hadn't seen a werewolf in a long time. Even if one appeared, their lord would swiftly eliminate it.
Wars and hunger were far from them now. The knight regiment was incredibly powerful, and the territory kept expanding, pushing the war zones further away.
New farming tools and extremely low taxes greatly improved their living conditions, giving them a life they never dared to dream of.
Grateful and respectful towards the lord who brought them all this, they revered Chen Mo, especially with the many magical legends about him circulating from the castle. How could an ordinary person be so powerful and magical?
Their lord must have seen the suffering of the world and come to save them!
Victor, riding behind Chen Mo, pondered whether Chen Mo was a god. It was hard for him to believe that a real person beside him could be the legendary god. But if not, how could he explain Chen Mo's wonders?
At the front of the team, Chen Mo was unaware of Victor's thoughts.
Now, with two of the three vampire elders from "Underworld" under his command, Chen Mo felt that the appearance of the true vampire progenitor, Marcus, was not far off.
Marcus was Chen Mo's first significant target and the most crucial first step in his core plan.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, Chen Mo shouted and reined in his warhorse. With a high-pitched neigh, the tall and majestic black warhorse quickly stopped.
This warhorse was one of the two hundred brought by Count Warren's knight regiment. To break through the castle gate, Chen Mo had strengthened it with an improved serum.
Although Chen Mo had cut the gate's latch, the doors were still heavy. At charging speed, an ordinary horse would break its bones and die, unable to open the gate quickly.
But this strengthened warhorse could.
Though it looked much taller and more majestic than ordinary horses, its strength, speed, endurance, and even intelligence far surpassed them.
Chen Mo often rode it alone to places with large werewolf packs, honing his swordsmanship.
It could easily run over 100 km/h, with a top speed of over 200 km/h, outpacing modern cars.
In medieval Europe, ordinary cars couldn't run, and off-road vehicles couldn't reach such speeds. This serum-enhanced warhorse surpassed all cars, with superior acceleration and agility.
Chen Mo reined in the horse, and its four strong legs quickly stopped.
Fortunately, Chen Mo and the team had kept some distance, and he had given a prior command, so the knights didn't collide.
With the horse's neigh, the knight regiment stopped uniformly behind Chen Mo, quickly entering a state of alert, drawing weapons and observing the surroundings, displaying high combat skills. Chen Mo's training and nurturing had not been in vain.
After the team stopped, Chen Mo looked up at the valley sides, where countless tall, dense trees grew on the slopes, their lush branches obscuring the view.
But Chen Mo's expression was extremely serious, the first time since he crossed into the "Underworld" world.
It was clear that a great danger lurked in the woods.