The Bog Island Heist: An Invitation to the Festivities

Father and daughter conferred briefly, then re-examined the entire subterranean cavern.

Eight hundred elite Sea Clan warriors, each wielding sacred artifacts of war and possessing the might of at least a Three-Star Battle-Warrior, fixated their gazes upon the target; a fully enclosed Magic Formation, personally laid down by the Sea King, sealed so tight that not even a wisp of air could penetrate it. Furthermore, a hundred of The Masters were intimately linked to the target, ensuring they would instantly detect any disturbance.

Most critically, the sacred artifact box was one with the Life Tree. Unless one possessed the power to sever the Life Tree itself, liberating the box was an impossibility!

Du Chen might, by a strenuous effort, attempt it, but at what cost? One misstep, and they would face the wrath of six hundred thousand Sea Clan warriors swarming around Bog Island! A truly cunning thief would never engage in such a high-stakes gamble!

Du Chen's nose was pinched until it threatened to turn purple, yet in the end, he could only let out a long, weary sigh!

Beibei, seeing her father's worried face, pouted with frustration, "This is no fun! I can't believe Daddy has moments when even *he* can't steal something!"

Du Chen suddenly smiled, a glint sparked in his eyes, and an idea blossomed within his mind. "Beibei, the path of thievery comprises three realms. The lowest realm involves close-quarters pilfering, where one relies on skill and technique to personally snatch the objective. The middle realm entails intricate planning, seizing the target by surprise, effortlessly..."

Beibei's large eyes flickered with comprehension. "I know, I know, the most formidable thief makes people willingly deliver the target into their own hands! Daddy, are you saying..."

"The Grand Thief need not lift a weapon!"

Du Chen rubbed his right thumb along the tip of his nose, pointing at the box that was nearing its final polish. "Once they open it, Daddy will make them *willingly* deliver the item into my hands!"

The little girl tugged at her braid, a lost expression on her face.

For some reason, after Du Chen had a complete plan in his mind, he suddenly let out a profound sigh.

Leaving the cavern empty-handed, Du Chen turned and soared towards the Belkus, docked by the shore. As soon as he entered the cabin, he couldn't help but smile.

Porter sat blankly by the window, clutching a Harp, his eyes distant and unfocused, lost in some unknown contemplation.

Du Chen suddenly appeared behind him, lightly tapped the back of his head. "Your Highness, what are you thinking about?"

Porter startled, whipping his head around. "Oh, it's you? It's nothing, I just remembered playing here when I was a child... Any progress on the matter?" He mumbled a clumsy excuse, but Porter inwardly gave a bitter, tragic smile, *What am I thinking? I'm thinking about the owner of that lock of long hair you guard in your embrace!*

*Too late, everything is too late...*

*Once, I was confident that by donning a man's guise and first becoming your sworn brother, I could capture your heart. Once, I dreamt of the day my kingdom was restored, when I would appear before you in the regalia of a Queen. Once, in the Miki Duchy, the seat of Regent Prince—in my mind, you had occupied it countless times...*

*Alas, that single strand of hair...*

*Perhaps I was too confident?*

Du Chen didn't know what Porter was thinking, and enthusiastically relayed his discoveries of the past few days, finally saying, "I verified with my own eyes, if not for the contents of that pouch, the Sea King would assuredly hold no fondness for ruling Bog Island! In other words, as long as we drain the water from under the cauldron—severing the connection between that item and Bog Island entirely—then persuading the Sea King to abandon Bog Island, and restoring Miki Duchy, would be a natural and inevitable outcome!"

Hearing 'restoring the kingdom,' Porter, with great effort, roused himself from his myriad tangled thoughts, forcing a smile. "I agree with all your deductions, but... that thing isn't easy to get! How do you, the Grand Thief, plan to act without lifting a weapon?"

Du Chen tapped Porter's forehead. "Silly boy, aren't you very clever? I've divulged all the intelligence; can you still not deduce my intentions?"

Du Chen suddenly sighed again, and it was this sigh that reminded Porter.

His expression shifted, and he said with joy, "In a few days, it's the Batuk Family's millennial commemoration. As an ally of the Batuk Family, the Sea King is bound, both by sentiment and by reason, to attend. And given the Batuk Family's emphasis on etiquette, the ceremony is guaranteed to be tediously long and pompous! Therefore, there will definitely be a prolonged vacuum period on Bog Island without the Sea King. Then you can return to the island... Good, as soon as the official envoy from the Batuk Family arrives with the formal invitation, our plan can be set in motion! But..."

Porter suddenly couldn't smile. "But for your scheme to work, you will require an absolutely undeniable alibi witness. Do you plan to use Annie from the Batuk Family or someone else as this witness?"

Du Chen also sighed. "Life is unpredictable. Who would have thought that Annie, who cried and forced marriage upon me three years ago, would become an Eminence of the Batuk Family today? Who would have thought that three years hence, we would be scheming against each other over the burdens we each carry... Heh heh!"

With a bitter smile, Du Chen's expression turned serious. "When I go back, I will immediately have Deboning, bearing your token and list, contact the slave leaders on the island. You and Lancy must proceed with caution and establish clandestine contact! If necessary, Gode's Grand Triangle Navy will secretly assist us! Additionally, I will contact Arthur... If all goes as expected, we will achieve our entire objective in one decisive strike!"

The two discussed for a while longer. Porter hesitated. "Don't worry, there will be no problems here! You..." He suddenly smiled, "Hey, you haven't answered my question from earlier on the way here, whose hair is that in your arms?"

Du Chen froze, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "We are brothers; ask no more... Be careful, Beibei, let's go!"

*"We are brothers; ask no more"?!*

*"That's the only answer you give me?!"*

Porter, in a daze, strummed the Harp. *Snap*, a silver-strand string broke...

Time flowed like water, days passed simply. Bog Island seemed calm, but beneath the surface, a storm was brewing. The leaders among the Miki remnants had already begun clandestine talks with Porter, and Du Chen, too, was feigning negotiations with the 'old turtle'. Du Chen just didn't understand why their reverence was so exceptional? It felt… excessive. Their gazes were less like gratitude for a kingdom-restorer, and more like awe for a true sovereign...

*What in the hell is going on?!*

Five days passed in the blink of an eye. Du Chen finally received the anticipated news—at noon that day, two Purple-Golden Vessels appeared on the eastern sea of Bog Island. Banners bearing Lightning Tridents seemed to declare to the heavens and earth, "We belong to the Batuk Family!"

Moments later, a procession of servants, clad in black formal wear and white gloves, arrived impeccably below the pavilion where Du Chen resided. Du Chen, having already seen them, went downstairs to greet them, but upon seeing the leader, he paused, taken aback.

Golden hair, purple skirt, an elegantly regal noble young lady, exuding grace and opulence—it was Annie. She curtsied with a smile, "Old classmate, I have come to escort you to Emerald City for the ceremony!"

Du Chen verbally accepted the invitation. In the days leading up to the ceremony, official invitations would be delivered, accompanied by a grand reception. These were all Noble Etiquette, and within Du Chen's expectations, but he had not anticipated that Annie herself would be the one to come!

"Heh heh, old classmate, you could have just sent a steward, why did you come personally?"

Annie smiled, "Du Chen's Divine Cult has been rising like a storm across the Aethelgard Continent these past two years. If we were to merely dispatch a steward, would that not be a grave breach of etiquette for our Batuk Family?"

Du Chen asked with a smile, "Miss Annie has come to pick me up. Who, then, will be escorting the Sea King to attend the ceremony?"

"It's my aunt, Lady Betty. She's currently at the Goddess's Palace, discussing some minor affairs with the Sea King and will arrive on another ship. You will both meet in Emerald City!" Annie saw Brook and the others all descend from the pavilion and asked, intrigued, "It seems you all plan to attend the ceremony? Are you not leaving anyone here to continue negotiations with the Sea King?"

Annie, despite being far away in Emerald City, knew about his negotiations on Bog Island. The Batuk Family's intelligence truly was formidable! Du Chen rubbed his nose and replied, "Everything that needed to be discussed has been discussed. We plan to return directly to Einz from Emerald City, and will not be returning to Bog Island!"

"Oh?" Annie's sky-blue eyes flickered with a strange glint, and she smiled, "Everyone attending? This is indeed a profound honor for my family! Shall we board? Do you plan to travel on my family's vessel, or the Belkus?"

Without waiting for Du Chen to answer, Annie smiled, "May I perhaps reminisce about some old student days of yore on the Belkus?"

Du Chen's heart clenched. What did this girl mean by so resolutely insisting on boarding my ship?

Not only Du Chen was surprised, but Annie's accompanying servants were also taken aback. "Miss, this is not proper etiquette..."

"Can I not simply seek a quiet place to catch up with an old classmate?" A sharp glint flashed in Annie's eyes. "You need not follow me; simply lead the way ahead in the larger ship!"

The servants exchanged uneasy glances, able only to nod. With matters expressed to such an extent, Du Chen could only offer a slight bow and a smile, then invited, "In that case, it would be my honor! Miss Annie... after you!"

The two walked shoulder to shoulder to the seaside and boarded the Belkus, but two of the ship's sailors were missing—Porter and Lancy, who had remained on Bog Island, orchestrating the clandestine plan for kingdom restoration!

After Deboning had settled some minor farewell arrangements with the Sea Clan, the Belkus slowly pulled away from the dock.

The sea breeze blew gently. Annie's Purple-Golden Vessel led the way, with the Belkus following behind. Du Chen and Annie stood side by side on the ship's deck. Beibei, sensing the moment, discreetly shooed everyone else away.

After sailing for a little over ten minutes, neither of them spoke first. Du Chen felt a touch of awkwardness and chuckled, "Back then, the first time we went on an academic excursion, it was just like this. But back then, Professor Jamis was sunbathing, Sem was fishing, and the most amusing part was Jason still meticulously calculating fishery yields..."

"I don't wish to hear about such trifles!" Annie suddenly lowered her head and softly interrupted Du Chen. "Francis, you must surely perceive that my insistence on boarding your vessel was not merely for the sake of reminiscing, was it? Between old classmates, why resort to such subtle ploys?"

Du Chen offered an awkward smile.

Annie gazed up at the sky, resting her hand on the railing as she let out a languid sigh, allowing the sea breeze to playfully tangle her long hair. "I boarded the Belkus simply to rediscover the sensation of freely breathing the sea breeze, unburdened by the watchful eyes of stewards or servants... You wouldn't mind, would you?"

Du Chen said with a touch of melancholy, "I understand. As we mature, the burdens placed upon our shoulders become too numerous, and the freedoms we surrender, too vast..."

"Yes! Do you still remember Avril?" Annie suddenly asked.

Du Chen pressed his lips tightly. "Of course I remember, but I haven't heard from her in over a year, and haven't seen her in three! The last I heard of her was after the Star River victory, when Prime Minister Antoine and I went to negotiate. How fares she now?"

"Back then... after that incident, Avril and I shared a similar fate, becoming close confidantes. I saw her a month ago!" Annie smiled mysteriously, "But now she's neither at the Battle God Academy nor within the Lanning Empire..."

Du Chen asked doubtfully, "Then where is Avril now?"

Annie, however, shook her head, giving a mischievous smile. Only then did Du Chen vaguely glimpsed the shadow of that gentle girl who had run away from home all those years ago. "That foolish girl said she would fulfill the promise she made to you back then. In any case, you will be utterly astonished when you see Avril again!"

Du Chen was astonished *now*! Could Avril truly still remember that promise?!

*Three years...*

Without waiting for Du Chen to press further, Annie changed the subject. "Last time I saw you, you had many servants with you, and many things couldn't be said. Francis, may I now pose a question to you?"

"Please do!"

Annie smiled, her sky-blue eyes staring into Du Chen's similarly colored ones, and slowly said, "I am now a Six-Star Battle God, proficient in both battle qi and Spiritual Power! Naturally, I understand more than before, for example... my memories have been… tampered with!"

Du Chen fiercely clenched his jaw. Here it was. With Annie's rise in power, this issue was utterly unavoidable! *Damn Helen! The residual effects you left behind all those years ago have finally manifested!*

Annie saw Du Chen avert her gaze and shrugged. "Times have changed. I have no desire to pursue culpability now. My family's intelligence network also conducted an assessment, and someone implanted a sense of reverence and adoration for you within my memories. This sentiment then transformed into what I believed was love, and this matter should have nothing to do with you—for you rejected the marriage, sought no personal gain, and instead caused considerable unpleasantness with my family..."

Du Chen listened in silence, a knot of unease coiling in his gut, rapidly calculating Annie's true intentions.

"I just want to ask you, the reason you gave for rejecting the marriage back then was that you already had someone in your heart. Was that statement… *true*?"