"Just one hour ago, at 22:00 Imperial Capital time, 11:00 your time, we had just arrived at the border of the Kingdom of Ice and Snow when our aircraft suddenly came under attack by twelve Punisher Missiles. The plane made three evasive maneuvers and endured direct hits from two missiles; the rest were shot down by us. It was an unforgettable experience. Although we narrowly escaped death, we will not carry out any aid operations until this matter is thoroughly investigated and resolved."

Captain Longya summarized after recounting the experience.

"Captain Longya, this attack has nothing to do with our royal government..." King Cain quickly explained.

"We are not accusing your nation, but the objective fact is that we were ambushed on our way to the Kingdom of Ice and Snow. Our safety cannot be guaranteed here. By safety, I don't mean the dangers posed by Exotic Beasts and Different Dimensional Spaces, but the possibility of being stabbed in the back when we least expect it. Apologies, but we are here on a mission to assist, not to court death."

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly grew oppressive.

The only people in the conference room were King Cain, Prince Kester, Captain Longya, Ambassador Heze, and Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun, who stood behind Captain Longya.

Compared to King Cain's panic, Wang Lan paid more attention to Prince Kester. This man's demeanor and adaptability were far superior to King Cain's. Since arriving at the conference room, Kester might not have spoken much, but every time he did, he touched upon critical points, managing to keep the Kingdom of Ice and Snow's nearly collapsing morale from completely breaking, maintaining a sliver of room for negotiation. From this short half-hour alone, Wang Lan could ascertain that Kester's political acumen was far above Cain's.

While Wang Lan's focus was on Kester, Kester's attention shifted from Yu Ruoyun to Wang Lan.

Yu Ruoyun was the princess of Jade Country. Even though Jade Country no longer publicly acknowledged a royal family, the international community still implicitly recognized its existence. Even without the official title, she possessed the true status of a princess. Compared to Princess Aier, Yu Ruoyun was like a resplendent phoenix perched on a branch; her presence as an observer in such a high-level meeting was perfectly natural.

But this young man puzzled Kester. He was similar in age to Yu Ruoyun, with an equally striking presence. Yet Kester had never heard of a prince in Jade Country's royal family. And how could an ordinary student be allowed to observe such a high-level meeting?

The oppressive atmosphere lingered for a long while before Kester suddenly chuckled.

"Dragon Captain's concern is perfectly reasonable. If we cannot even provide security beyond the scope of assistance, it is indeed a dereliction of duty on the part of the Kingdom of Ice and Snow. But you should also understand our kingdom's predicament. The severity of our situation is even worse than that of Jade Country after its great victory. Our people lack food, the nation lacks resources, talent is draining away in droves, and our warriors cannot even fill their own stomachs. What's more despicable is that some ambitious individuals have been stirring up public sentiment and, with the help of certain notorious international organizations, have established the anti-government militia T.

"Ambassador Heze is aware of this as well. T was established five years ago and has consistently opposed the government. They have perpetrated several heinous acts, and this latest one is especially intolerable. In the past, we tolerated T because we genuinely lacked the strength to annihilate them. But now things are different. You have arrived. With your power, let alone T, even Jade Country's own government army could likely be wiped out by your team in less than a day."

"Prince Kester, eliminating an anti-government militia for you doesn't fall under the scope of our aid, does it? Moreover, Jade Country cannot and should not intervene in your civil war," Longya stated.

"But now it's not us asking you to intervene in our civil war; it's them dragging you into it. T took the initiative to attack you. Jade Country's dignity will not tolerate provocation by terrorists."

Kester's words plunged both Heze and Longya into silence.

"Ambassador Heze, Dragon Captain, upon hearing that you encountered a terrorist attack, my daughter Aier immediately led the Royal Guard to search for and rescue you. We swear that T will face the harshest sanctions!" King Cain quickly added.

"The Royal Guard? What kind of army is that?" Wang Lan, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked.

"The Royal Guard is composed entirely of Star Martial Warriors from our Kingdom of Ice and Snow. Although there are only a thousand of them, they are all battle-hardened, possess the most extensive combat experience, and their average strength is at the Star Cloud Stage," King Cain hurriedly explained.

Such average strength was considered high-quality among the Star Martial Warrior units of major powers, but if one knew the price paid for it, it's unlikely any nation would be envious. The weaker ones had all perished in battle.

"Is this the strongest force in the Kingdom of Ice and Snow?"

"No, it should be the *last* force of the Kingdom of Ice and Snow."

A glint flashed in Wang Lan's eyes, and his expression suddenly changed slightly. "Head Instructor, this situation might be serious."

"What are you thinking?"

"Since T dared to attack us, they clearly couldn't have failed to consider that they would incur the wrath of both us and the Kingdom of Ice and Snow. Yet, they still launched the attack. So, it stands to reason that we would retaliate. They couldn't have overlooked this. This isn't a Different Dimensional Space; even if T's members are ordinary people, Star Martial Warriors don't necessarily have an advantage if their opponents are prepared."

As Wang Lan spoke, King Cain still looked bewildered, but Prince Kester instantly shot to his feet. "Quick! Contact Princess Aier immediately! Inquire about their situation!"

Prince Kester hastily rushed out of the conference room. After a moment, a commotion erupted outside, and a figure burst into the room. "Brother King, it's terrible! Aier has been ambushed! The enemy possesses a large number of firearms, and she's currently trapped in a minefield!"

"What?!" King Cain sprang to his feet.

Large beads of cold sweat instantly streamed down his face like rain.

"Dragon Captain... I beg you, save my daughter..." As King Cain regained his senses, his gaze swept over Captain Longya, and he pleaded as if clutching at a lifeline.

At this moment, he resembled not a king, but an ordinary father.

"Has the Kingdom of Ice and Snow truly run out of troops to dispatch?"

"Dragon Captain, you may not be aware, but the gender ratio in the Kingdom of Ice and Snow has reached an alarming ten females to one male. The entire nation's armed forces are reduced to the Royal Guard and the Royal Defense Forces. The Defense Forces are deployed to guard five Different Dimensional Spaces, leaving the Royal Guard as the only combat unit we can mobilize. And it is this very force, our only force, that is now ambushed and in grave danger."

This time, it was Ambassador Heze who spoke. Frankly, he had been a diplomat for ten years, visited five countries, and possessed a broad understanding of the history and current affairs of nations across the globe. Yet, he had never encountered a situation as dire as that of the Kingdom of Ice and Snow.

"I implore you, Dragon Captain!" King Cain bowed deeply before Captain Longya.

"This... Without orders from the Ministry of Defense, we cannot intervene," Captain Longya said, his expression troubled. "Moreover, I cannot put my students at risk. Who knows if the enemy has a plan targeting us?"

"Dragon Captain, you are all formidable warriors. As far as I know, your team leaders all possess Star Sea Stage strength. Within my Royal Guard, the only Star Martial Warrior with Star Sea Stage strength is my daughter, Aier. Your one hundred cadets are all Galaxy Stage warriors, while in my Royal Guard, there are a pitiful twelve at the Galaxy Stage.

"Dragon Captain, the team you command possesses the strength to easily destroy our entire country. If T truly posed a threat to you, we would have been annihilated by them long ago. Please, I beg you. Aier is my only daughter, the jewel of the Kingdom of Ice and Snow, and the spiritual pillar for our two million citizens. We cannot lose her."

"Without orders from Jade Country, we cannot..."

"Dragon Captain, if Aier and the Royal Guard are lost, then tomorrow, you can return. We will pay the agreed-upon fee for this aid mission. Afterward, we will have our last meal and sink together with the Kingdom of Ice and Snow," Prince Kester said in a low, cold tone. "We have long been prepared for this day."

Dragon Captain frowned and looked towards Ambassador Heze, who stood up. "I will request instructions from our country."

Jade Country's objective was not merely to save the Kingdom of Ice and Snow itself, but also to secure the mining rights for its Energy Stones afterward. If the Kingdom of Ice and Snow were to fall, its Energy Stone mines would become international public property. Jade Country would then have to contend with other predators eager for a share. The Kingdom of Ice and Snow had held on for so long; Jade Country would not allow it to perish. Barring unavoidable circumstances, Jade Country had to ensure the kingdom's survival, no matter how firm a stance it had to take.

Ultimately, Jade Country approved King Cain's request, ordering Captain Longya to lead the support team from Modu City Star Martial Academy to rescue Princess Aier.

As for the potential risks to the cadets, that was merely an excuse. Just as King Cain had said, with such a lineup and such strength, they had deployed virtually the entire top combat power of Modu City Star Martial Academy. Eradicating a small country would be effortless. If T truly possessed such strength, would the Kingdom of Ice and Snow's royal family still be breathing? T would have conquered the Kingdom of Ice and Snow long ago. Besides, an overseas expedition without any risk? If they weren't even willing to face such dangers, what were they doing talking about closing five Different Dimensional Spaces for the Kingdom of Ice and Snow? They might as well pack up and go home.

Rescuing Princess Aier did not require the full mobilization of the support team; four elite squads would suffice.

Wang Lan's squad was among these four.

After receiving a map from King Cain showing Aier's last reported location, the four squads boarded helicopters under the gloomy sky and slowly ascended.

The pilot maneuvering the helicopters was the same ace who had flown them in, though the helicopter ride was far less comfortable than the passenger jet. There was turbulence, noise, and, from time to time, cold air seeping in through cracks in the fuselage.

"Damn, this chopper... it's so beat up, but it can still fly! Qi, you're truly amazing!"

"I'm not just bragging, you know. Forget this Model 5 Mashi; even if it were a Zero fighter, I could put on an aerial acrobatics show for you. Ever since that near-death escape today, I feel like I've reached a higher state. My skills have practically achieved perfect human-machine integration!" The pilot, who had grown familiar with the academy students, was now boasting up a storm.

"Qi, why not perform a stunt then?"

"Let's skip it. My skills are top-notch, but this chopper isn't. The slightest maneuver, and it might just fall apart."

"Qi!" Wang Lan, who had been deep in thought, suddenly raised his head. "Have you figured out the launch position of the missiles from earlier?"

"I've analyzed it. When we first detected the missile, its speed hadn't yet reached Mach five. Only after the second and third salvos did the speed increase. This suggests that the initial point of attack was within a three-kilometer radius of their launch base. But as for the exact location, I can't say."

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