Chapter 233

Half the private box and the theater's ceiling were sliced diagonally in half.

Screams and footsteps of people fleeing filled the air, yet the girl who did this merely smiled, asking for praise.

Li En looked around; there seemed to be no injured or dead, and he exhaled in relief.

"Wow, that was amazing."

Praise costs nothing, so Li En wasn't stingy—he had a feeling that if he didn't praise her well, the girl's next sword strike might land directly on him.

"Hmm, given that razor-sharp sword qi, it's not just 'maybe.'" Li En now possessed Lex's intuition, and it made him even more aware of how dangerous Hela truly was.

"At least seventh-rank."

He'd been careless. He'd probably need to bring the Garrison Commander just to stand a chance against this girl.

"So young."

Looking at the eager girl, Li En sighed.

"How much suffering has she endured? Rosalind wasn't a good mother. Damn it, I'm being influenced by Lex again."

Li En realized Lex's spirit possession had a peculiar effect: Sul made him less tolerant of injustice, Kuku slightly increased his curiosity and thirst for knowledge, while Lex made him become

"More sentimental? Die, you overly emotional hero—you deserve this!"

Li En was numb. He could accept any change, but becoming sentimental? He never expected this.

Especially when he saw the adorable little Dainya and little Hela—he wanted to ruffle their hair, hug them. Beneath Lex's playboy exterior, was there really a pure-hearted fool of a father?

But on the other hand, he felt himself growing numb toward ordinary people. To the "omnipotent Hero," only family and loved ones deserved attention—being a Hero was just a job.

"Pat, pat." Hela had come very close.

Uh-oh, he'd touched her without thinking.

Honestly, her hair was silky, her cheeks soft and plump.

She was actually being touched? Hela froze for a moment, then broke into a smile, nuzzling closer as if craving more affection.

"Li En!!"

Behind him, the other girl could no longer bear it.

She yanked Li En behind her, her dragon eyes glaring fiercely—only to meet the same dragon eyes glaring back.

The next moment, Hela's face lit up with sudden understanding, and she covered her mouth, giggling softly.

"You can't do it, can you?"

Nothing was more ironic than reality.

Do it? Do what? Slice through buildings—or cities—with one sword strike? Is that something a normal person could learn?

"By the way, I'm Thorne. Hela Thorne." She brushed her lips, her face nearly identical, yet wearing a seductive smile Dainya would never have.

But the hidden meaning in her words mattered more.

She'd abandoned the royal surname?!

At that moment, Dainya d'Alyse froze completely—this meant her older sister might be the sole heir, the only one bearing their father's surname, more truly the heir than she was.

"Li En!!"

"Why are you glaring at me? I'm not Lex."

Li En sighed. Can't you two sisters fight without dragging me into it?

He regretted coming along. Couldn't he go find Lex instead and leave this poor, innocent man alone?

But Li En exhaled in relief—Hela clearly had issues, but she didn't seem like a bad girl. Wait, am I being influenced by Lex again?

"Hela, what is your purpose?"

In the end, Li En asked.

He realized Hela hadn't planned to leave—she'd been waiting for him all along.

"Me? Shouldn't a child's purpose be given by their parents?"

Her pure eyes gazed silently at Li En, as if awaiting his command.

Li En felt it—if he spoke, she would obey any order, even now slaughtering the entire city. His scalp prickled—this being might be nothing more than a monster pretending to be human.

But the next moment, the girl suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hehe, just kidding. You're not my real father—I know that. But Mom's always nagging me: 'Listen to Mom. Mom suffered so much for you. Mom loves you most. Mom is the only one in this world you can trust.'"