The Ice Wall

“Who on earth could it be…” Alex had never felt this confused before.

He thought with some effort—he was a lion, a fierce lion!

Right now, his hair was messy and wild, truly making him look like one.

Lian had already been taken away by another prison raider. He couldn’t understand it.

He couldn’t understand why Lian had always disliked him from the very beginning—every time he appeared, she would keep her distance.

What had he done wrong?

There had to be some huge misunderstanding…

He scratched his aching head, touching his fluffy hair.

This hair was the result of Saint Luna’s pressure—just one of her bad jokes, done on purpose.

As for the woman who broke the prisoner out—he was certain he had never seen her before.

Even Lian seemed to have no impression of her identity.

Judging by her worn clothes, which looked like layers of rough cloth stitched together, she seemed like a traveler who had just crossed mountains and rivers—and her only purpose appeared to be finding Yalian.

He had been so confident that when Lian saw him, she would be overjoyed.

They would have easily taken her away openly under the identity of church officials.

But things didn’t go as planned…

She didn’t leave with Mana.

Instead, using a flimsy excuse, she followed that traveler and left.

And his burst of battle energy seemed to have caused some misunderstanding.

His sharp instincts told him that an even bigger misunderstanding was forming…

“I think I know you…”

Just for that reason, Lian followed a complete stranger.

What a ridiculous joke.

The adopted daughter of the Leonardo family abandoned her sworn brother and ran off with a stranger…

Was his impression really worse than someone she had never met?

What a joke…

If you described it like an old cliché hero story—

A dragon kidnaps a princess and locks her in a fortress.

The hero gathers a team and storms in, only to find that a woodcutter has already defeated the dragon alone…

And the princess leaves with that unknown woodcutter.

He felt a tight pain in his chest.

This was far beyond his expectations.

He blankly looked at the broken gardening pickaxe on the ground, then at the hole kicked open in the wall…

He was a golden lion.

He refused to accept that he had lost his chance just from someone else’s pressure.

His emerald-green eyes suddenly lit up like a hunting beast…

But…

There was nothing left to chase.

They had already escaped.

For the first time in his life, he felt helplessness and defeat.

But he truly had no way to fight against it.

A Saint… breaking in just to save Lian?…

His glowing eyes dimmed.

“Sigh…” He let out a long breath.

Looking at the pickaxe, he felt a bit helpless.

Before fainting, she had thrown it at him without hesitation.

Her gaze had been filled with hatred—tears mixed with killing intent.

Her reddish-brown eyes had turned crimson, as if she wanted to tear him apart.

What had he done wrong?

Was it because of his initial suspicion? Or his cold attitude?

He still didn’t understand.

Though he had been wary of Lian before, after she saved the Leonardo family, he had already accepted her as one of them.

“Who is it…” he muttered angrily.

He picked up the pickaxe and examined it.

No clues.

He put it away and walked out.

The prisoners had escaped—the seven masked figures needed to leave quickly.

Amid the faint wind, he heard footsteps.

The Church had arrived.

“What a hassle…” he muttered, scratching his golden hair.

He felt restless, wanting to smash something—but reason held him back.

He wrapped his face again with the white cloth.

“Everyone, follow me,” he called out urgently.

Yet his voice carried authority.

He was a born leader—everyone acknowledged that.

They quickly followed him.

“Damn it!” he cursed as he heard more noise.

Reinforcements had reached the Eagle Nest and were climbing up the spiral staircase.

Their only exit was blocked.

What now?!

He scanned the surroundings anxiously.

This was the Eagle Nest—

Rows of cell-like cages, like interlocking gears, and nothing else.

They were about to run straight into the reinforcements.

“Young master, honestly, I think the seven of us can just fight our way out,” the thief said with a sly grin.

“Don’t joke. Even I might not handle you lot, let alone the Church,” Alex replied with a bitter smile.

“No, Xiao Ai~ I agree with Paladin. Fighting out is fastest~” a cheerful female voice echoed.

“Karlena! You old woman! Don’t copy that maniac!” he snapped.

He was a true leader.

But…

What happens when a lion leads wolves?

When a noble heir leads a group of lunatics?

“Agree…” said the paladin Bruno.

“If Bruno agrees, I agree too!” said the assassin.

“Calm down!” the archmage Cooper shouted.

“Let’s just kill them all so they can’t expose us!”

“I’ll cast that fire spell—what’s it called…”

“Crimson Hellfire,” Alex added dryly.

“Yes! I’ll blow them all up!”

“Are you insane?! Even with a choir boosting you, you couldn’t!” Alex snapped.

“Nothing survives my magic! If it does—I’ll cast it again!” Cooper laughed wildly.

“Idiots…” Alex felt despair.

His team was full of madmen.

At that moment, the shortest person among them remained silent.

She simply wrote something on a board.

“Luesu, got something to say?” Alex asked.

He had already thought of a plan—he was just curious about theirs.

He took the board.

—Hide in the cells. When they all enter, let Cooper cast an ice wall and trap them.

Alex felt relieved.

Of course—Luesu was the strategist.

“Learn from her, you idiots!” he said helplessly.

“But we have you and her~!” they replied together.

He felt a slight warmth in his chest.

He knew…

They weren’t really like this.

They were just trying to cheer him up because of Lian.

This… was the strength of a team.

“Boom!”

The locked door was blown open by a small fire-element spell.

“Get up!” the black-robed bishop shouted angrily at the fallen priest.

“What happened?!”

“A prison break!”

“Who?!”

“Red-robed clergy!”

The assisting priests behind him exchanged confused looks.

Something felt wrong.

They had rushed up the only exit—yet saw no one leaving.

A bold realization struck him…

They were still inside.

“BANG!”

A loud crash echoed.

Behind them—

An ice wall rose.