Chapter 23: Sir Hector

On the ground where the plain meets the hills.

Over a thousand allied cavalry, using the terrain's advantage, swoop down from above!

Dust and smoke billow, the warhorses' whinnies and the knights' soaring battle cries blend together.

And just beneath the plain they are charging into,

two figures stand there.

More precisely,

Su Ya shields Mei Li in front of him.

At this moment, he looks at Mei Li's serious expression and mutters to himself, wondering if this woman is hiding some invincible weapon that, if drawn now, could wipe out all the enemies.

But at this moment, watching Mei Li's solemn expression and the posture of someone about to draw the final card in a game of Yu‑Gi‑Oh,

she, with her magenta eyes, calmly and indifferently surveys the thousand‑strong cavalry charging toward her, lifts her small hand clad in silver‑white lace sleeves, and spreads her five fingers.

Su Ya can't help but hold his breath,

What will she do next? Release a Kamehameha‑style energy blast from her hand to sweep the enemies away? Or, like a magician, summon a meteor from the sky to pay tribute to the legendary king‑killer Mada? Or, following Fate tradition, summon an entire Servant on the spot, shoulder them both, and cut a path through the enemy ranks?

Summoning Zhao Zilong wouldn't even be enough; they have to summon Lu Bu!

And in the next instant,

at the enemy's side, the rear of the thousand‑strong cavalry suddenly stirs,

followed immediately by,

a fierce figure leaps up from behind the cavalry; the thousand riders look up, their faces startled by the sudden apparition.

The figure that materialized as Mei Li opened her palm stands 2.2 meters tall, with black hair whipping in the wind, bearing a two‑meter‑long greatsword on its shoulder, its whole body rippling with muscle!

Even appearing only within sight, it exudes an overwhelming aura of strength; its Hong Kong‑manga style contrasted with the thousand cavalry below makes it seem like a creature from another dimension.

This person, unmistakably, is the commander of this Macedonian army,

the hero, Seleucus!

"Th‑this, this…." Su Ya gapes, unable to help but twist his head and stare straight at Mei Li,

thinking to himself, even if you summoned Li Yunlong I'd accept it, but you just summoned the enemy's leader,

are you saying you want us to die even faster?!

And at this moment,

seeing Seleucus suddenly appear on the field, Mei Li's previously calm expression dramatically shifts; she looks bewildered and shocked at the figure leaping down.

"This isn't right!"

"What's wrong?"

Mei Li points at the uniquely styled powerhouse, swallows hard, and her expression instantly collapses,

"We're doomed!"

"This guy can take my technique bare‑handed."

Su Ya gasps sharply,

"So this fellow is that strong? Your move that could slay a thousand cavalry can't even scratch his hide?"

At this point, Su Ya finally gains a rough understanding of personal might in this world.

Meanwhile,

watching that figure spin freely 720 degrees, stepping on a ring of erupting dust and landing with a boom, a thought like Mei Li's arises,

"We're finished!"

matching Su Ya's and Mei Li's reactions,

at this moment, seeing Seleucus's companion cavalry tugging their reins, amid a chorus of "huh~huh~" noises, the entire galloping cavalry force forcibly halts, none daring to take another step forward.

The black‑haired cavalry commander at the front trots his horse in small steps to the fierce figure, and bows his head.

Su Ya cannot hear what the two are saying, but ten seconds later the cavalry commander raises his sword and gives a command,

the whole cavalry turns as if facing a great enemy, facing the western pass, seemingly awaiting something.

Not long after,

bathed in the lingering glow of the setting sun and the sky's pale‑yellow clouds,

a rapid rush of hooves sounds!

A cavalry unit of fewer than a hundred, all clad in silver‑white plate armor and bearing blue cloaks, ascends the pass and looks down from above.

Leading this cavalry is a middle‑aged man with gray‑white hair, a stern visage, gripping a three‑meter‑long unadorned spear, wearing a blue‑white knight's armor with a skirted breastplate, the chest bearing a blue dragon emblem.

At this moment,

the gray‑white‑haired middle‑aged knight, positioned high, slowly lifts his head, his gaze straight over the thousands of riders below, meeting the fierce figure behind them.

Seleucus also feels that stare and replies with a scorching, battle‑filled gaze.

Then,

the gray‑white‑haired middle‑aged knight scans the ground beneath his feet, seeming to think that occupying the high ground makes the contest unfair for both the enemy and himself.

He slightly raises his hand, halting the knights behind who wish to follow, and alone rides his white horse slowly toward the riders below.

The subordinate cavalry, at the leading commander's mildly resentful shout, immediately make way on both sides!

They are clearly the enemy, yet they do not strike immediately.

They clearly hold advantageous terrain, yet they do not launch an attack as expected.

One side is outnumbered, while the numerically superior side dares not act rashly.

Undoubtedly,

this middle‑aged knight who looks as if he hails from Britannia is a strong individual.

A hero knight of the same rank as Seleucus, perhaps even stronger!

"Who is that person?" Su Ya couldn't help but ask Mei Li beside him.

After carefully discerning, Mei Li's complexion subtly changed, and then she looked at Su Ya with a look of utter shock, even a hint of bewilderment.

Mei Li's voice was hesitant as she asked, "Don't you recognize him?"

Su Ya was startled and instinctively replied, "Should I know him?"

Having said that, Su Ya suddenly realized something was wrong.

Mei Li meant that this person could not possibly be unknown to him, and if he didn't know him, it would mean a massive flaw in his own identity!

Mei Li realized this loophole that directly exposed the truth, which is why she looked at him with such surprised eyes,

She may have already guessed—

Su Ya,

is not the king, merely a counterfeit who killed the king.

However, Mei Li did not expose Su Ya on the spot; after taking a deep breath and a mental brainstorm,

her gaze suddenly hardened!

Whether Su Ya is genuine or fake actually mattered little to her, or rather, if Su Ya is a counterfeit, it actually aligns even more with her original expectation.

And now, after Su Ya displayed his formidable talent, Mei Li has a reason to protect him until Su Ya joins her at the gaming table.

"Listen—"

"Su Ya,"

Mei Li said to Su Ya in a very solemn tone:

"From now on, such words can only be said to me. In the future, no matter who you meet, you must first learn the other's identity before forming your words—if you don't know, ask me first."

"And regardless of whether you are truly real or fake at this moment, whether you are willing or unwilling,"

"Now, you must be the closest kin of that heroic Knight."

Mei Li pointed at the middle‑aged knight with ash‑gray short hair who calmly passed through the companion cavalry formation, and said solemnly:

"And he is Yuse Wang's trusted minister."

"Across Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the whole of Britannia, each kingdom boasts countless estates and manors, the foremost wealthy magnates of the realm,"

"At the same time,"

"He is also a peak heroic Knight who is nearly at the legendary realm!"

"Your foster father, Sir Ecto!"

(End of chapter)