Chapter 896
"Who else tried to kill Shen Lang? Was it you?"
The pirate captain the woman had pointed out stood frozen. A moment later, her delicate hand struck him with a sharp crack, and his head shattered.
"You?"
Another head burst, and she flew like the wind to stand before Douglas Seiron, asking.
"Douglas?"
Douglas Seiron answered with a bitter smile.
"Princess Helene."
Though they were both members of the Seiron royal family, there was a vast difference in their status. Douglas's father was merely a prince, placing Douglas dozens of places down the line of succession, while Princess Helene was naturally ranked much higher.
Gazing at Princess Helene's exquisitely beautiful back, Shen Lang was overcome with a frantic, disbelieving joy.
*My... my sister is here again?*
Princess Helene said.
"Tell everyone the truth. What does the failure of your plan have to do with Shen Lang? You must speak honestly. Lying is not a virtue befitting a member of the Seiron royal family."
Douglas gritted his teeth inwardly. He desperately wanted to claim it was all Shen Lang's scheme, but he couldn't push that narrative any longer. If he ignored the facts and lied, Princess Helene would kill him on the spot. Though Douglas was a formidable martial artist who had defeated all the pirate warriors of the Goulou Gang, it was clear he was no match for Helene.
Reluctantly, Douglas spoke.
"The failure of my plan has nothing to do with Shen Lang."
"Is it true that you lied to frame and slander Shen Lang?"
At Helene's continued questioning, Douglas gathered all his fighting spirit and remained silent. He had no intention of admitting to that.
"Is it?"
Princess Helene pressed on. Douglas felt immense pressure and broke out in a cold sweat.
"Is it?"
Princess Helene once again extended her delicate hand.
"Yes. I lied to frame and slander Shen Lang."
*Swish.*
A willow-leaf saber flashed, and blood sprayed into the air. Douglas only felt a chill pass over his face, but in the next instant, crimson blood gushed out, carving an 'X' across his features. Princess Helene spoke slowly.
"Douglas, because you lied to slander Shen Lang, I have given you this small punishment. I will take you back to the Seiron Empire. I trust the Seiron royal family will pass a fair judgment upon you in trial."
Douglas stared at Princess Helene for a long time, his face stained with blood. There was so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't speak now. He could only glare at her with a look of utter resentment.
*Why are you doing this? Shen Lang may be your half-brother, sharing the same father, but you carry the bloodline of the Seiron royalty. I am your cousin, your own flesh and blood. Why are you favoring Shen Lang and causing this family strife?*
* * *
"My dearest brother, we finally meet."
Princess Helene, exuding a gentle fragrance, approached Shen Lang, embraced him, and greeted him with an intimate cheek-to-cheek press.
"Sister, are you an angel?"
Shen Lang asked, intentionally letting his eyes go hazy.
"No, you are my angel."
Princess Helene said affectionately. Hela, who was standing nearby, also came forward with her arms outstretched, intending to embrace the princess. Helene frowned slightly, seeming to hesitate. She didn't have very pleasant memories of Hela.
"Helene, my little sister, I was wrong before. I'd never seen a beauty like you in my life. Besides, I didn't even know we were sisters back then."
After saying this, Hela didn't hesitate to step forward and hug Princess Helene tightly, greedily inhaling her scent as she spoke.
"This feels so good. This is what family feels like. I can tell just by the scent."
Princess Helene looked from Hela to Shen Lang with an expression of utter disbelief. She asked.
"Didn't you say the founder of the Goulou Gang was named Loki?"
"Then what was Father's name when he was in the Empress's City?"
"He went by Liang."
"Hmm, I think the name Angela gave Father suits him perfectly. He is Loki personified. Didn't he lie with every other word?"
*Loki, Liang, and Jiang Li? Three names in one go. Father, you certainly lived an interesting life.*
But Shen Lang was the same. Hadn't he also taken on another name, Chou Zhongtian? In any case, Shen Lang was now starting to believe he was indeed Jiang Li's son. Amidst his father's brilliant and grand image, Shen Lang could faintly smell the scent of trash. Like father, like son, indeed.
"Hah! Good heavens!"
Helene sighed quietly before pulling Hela into an embrace. But she released her almost immediately because of something Hela said.
"Dearest little sister, I am so ashamed. You are purer than I am. Just now, when I embraced our sister Helene, my heart still beat faster, and immoral thoughts surfaced in my mind."
Shen Lang said nothing, but for a moment, he thought Hela gave off the strongest scent of trash. Helene turned her beautiful eyes to Shen Lang.
"Dearest brother, I believe I have some good news to share with you?"
Shen Lang's mind lit up, and he asked in a trembling voice.
"Sister Helene, don't tell me... you've come from the Devil's Triangle?"
"Brother, you are as exceptionally brilliant as the rumors say."
At that moment, Shen Lang felt as if his breath had been knocked out of him. The heavens must have taken pity on him, for he was finally about to hear news of Mulan and the children.
"When she entered the Devil's Triangle, Mulan expended a great deal of her mental energy. She hadn't woken from her coma by the time I left. But don't worry. Her life is not in danger; she just needs a very long time to recuperate. The coma is her body's self-preservation mechanism, and when she awakens, her spiritual state will have advanced another step.
The babies are fine too. Shen Li was originally very frail, but since entering the new environment of the Devil's Triangle, he has actually grown healthier. Little Princess Shen Mi is absolutely adorable. She lost her first tooth just as I was leaving. I held her and climbed to the rooftop to place the baby tooth up there. Shen Ye seems a bit clingy. I thought perhaps you hadn't given him enough attention before. Is that why he tries to hug my legs every time I hold Shen Li and Shen Mi? Unfortunately, I don't have three hands, so I couldn't hold all three babies at once.
Your family—no, our family—they are all well. I am terribly sorry, though, as I couldn't bring them out of the Devil's Triangle with me. I barely managed to escape on my own. I tried countless times to break through the dark, dense fog, but each time I was thrown back into the triangle. They waited for you for months, and when you didn't arrive, they grew very worried. You were supposed to enter the Devil's Triangle and be with them, and when you didn't show up, I became worried about you too. So I left the Devil's Triangle through the sea, and I never expected to meet you here. It's truly remarkable."
Before Princess Helene could finish speaking, Shen Lang threw his arms around her.
"Thank you, Sister. Thank you for everything you've done for me."
Shen Lang's face was streaked with tears. He knew things hadn't been as simple as Helene described. How dangerous was the Devil's Triangle? Princess Helene must have gone to great lengths to protect his family.
"There's no need to thank me. I was very happy while doing it. But I truly am sorry. I tried every method I could think of, but I couldn't bring them out of the Devil's Triangle."
* * *
"You killed my brother."
Haimeng knelt on the ground, cradling Haiyuan's headless body, and spoke to Princess Helene in a hoarse voice.
"I am very sorry. But just moments ago, your brother was also trying to kill my brother."
Douglas Seiron said.
"Princess Helene, you are incredibly strong. Your martial arts skill surpasses even our expectations. But I would like to ask you one thing. As powerful as you are, can you leave this place?"
Princess Helene shook her head.
"I cannot."
Douglas said.
"Please, say that again."
"I cannot leave the waters of this Lost Kingdom. For the past ten days or so, I haven't explored these ruins; instead, I tried to cross the sea and head north. But I failed every time and ended up back where I started."
Helene was telling the truth. The ruins of this Lost Kingdom were immense, spanning tens of thousands of square kilometers. How could she have known Shen Lang would be here? So, upon her arrival, her first instinct was to leave this place and find him. She had tried countless times, but all her efforts had ended in failure.
"Did you all hear that? Even someone as powerful as Princess Helene has failed to leave these cursed waters. So, Shen Lang, on what grounds did you claim you could save the Goulou Gang and lead us away from here? Your Highness Princess Helene, I was punished for lying to you. What will you do if your brother lies? Shouldn't he be punished as well, with an 'X' carved on his face?"
Douglas Seiron spoke in a tone filled with anger and resentment, blood dripping from his clever and handsome face.
"No. I punished you because you are a member of the Seiron royal family. As the third in line to the throne of the Seiron Empire, I have the right and the responsibility to discipline you. But Shen Lang, while he is my brother, is not a member of the Seiron Empire. Most importantly, I believe my brother would not lie. Even if he did, I would not punish him. However, as his guarantor, I would punish myself and carve an 'X' on my own face."
Shen Lang was stunned by Princess Helene's words.
*Dearest sister, are you... really so strait-laced? You could have just fudged it by saying the rules for nobles and royals are different. Why take it so seriously?*
Shen Lang looked at Haimeng and then at the pirates of the Goulou Gang. Their eyes were filled with despair, helplessness, and resentment. This resentment wasn't directed solely at Shen Lang; it had been accumulating for a long time.
Shen Lang took a deep breath. His sister, Helene, had brought the best possible news: his family was safe. This made his desire to return home even more intense. But to invade the Eastern world, he first had to secure the Goulou Gang's fleet. Moreover, he didn't need a Goulou Gang with its pride broken; he needed one that had rediscovered its confidence and will to fight. After all, they were the world's strongest pirate fleet. Shen Lang slowly walked up to the prepared platform and swept his gaze over the many members of the Goulou Gang.
"Pirates of the Goulou Gang, I, Shen Lang, have insulted you, I have looked down on you, and I still do. Because you have lost your pride, you have lost your dignity. You've been trapped here for so long that while your combat skills may have sharpened, your fighting spirit has died. Back then, Gang Leader Angela chose to bravely offer herself in the sea burial ritual to save you, and you didn't stop her. To reawaken your will to fight, I also chose to bravely undergo the sea burial ritual. But you remained numb, and you still chose to follow Douglas."
Haimeng retorted.
"Are you saying it was wrong for us to choose him? That the only right choice was to follow you?"