“This…” Henry Clark looked at David Thompson.

David Thompson coughed lightly. “That might not be a good idea. There are more than forty of us…”

“My house is very spacious, so I’m not afraid of a crowd. I love lively gatherings!”

While David Thompson was still thinking of other excuses, Roger Smith couldn’t wait any longer and spoke up: “Since the young lady has so sincerely invited us, I think we should graciously accept, shouldn’t we?”

“Exactly, exactly.” Ethan Foster was also looking forward to it. The former chief’s residence must be incredibly luxurious and grand, and there would be beautiful women for company. Only a fool would go back to the barracks to stay: “She’s being so kind!”

David Thompson nodded silently, making up his mind to move out as soon as he found a place. Refusing now would embarrass Olivia Thompson too much: “Then we’ll trouble you, Miss!”

Olivia Thompson turned back joyfully and shot him a sideways glance, as if blaming him for still calling her “Miss.” That indescribable charm made the heart of the battle-hardened David Thompson race wildly.

After Henry Clark and the others had left, he quietly asked David Thompson, “Sir, I wonder, could the young lady be your biological sister?”

David Thompson nodded bitterly. “She’s the only daughter of Lord William Thompson. I’m an orphan adopted by Lord William. Without him, my mother and I would have starved to death…”

Henry Clark was moved. He hadn’t expected that someone who seemed so carefree could have such a painful past…

“How did you figure it out?”

“Oh, it’s obvious from a genetics perspective. Miss Olivia Thompson is as beautiful as a fairy, but you, sir…”

Sitting in the carriage, David Thompson gazed at the bustling city, the dazzling lights and nightlife, a world apart from the Far East. He was filled with emotion—this is why we fight so desperately, to protect this peace and tranquility.

Roger Smith and the others were in the carriage behind, but in this carriage, it was just him and Olivia Thompson.

Olivia Thompson: “After all these years, have you been well?”

David Thompson sighed inwardly. Six years—while other children enjoyed six carefree years of youth, he had spent them on the battlefield, enduring countless hardships and sorrows. He had watched his closest comrades torn apart and eaten alive by demons, their screams haunting his nightmares for countless nights. He had once hidden for a day and a night in a swamp teeming with water bugs, not daring to move to escape the demons’ pursuit. He had been besieged until food and ammunition ran out, forced to cut flesh from corpses to stave off hunger. Not to mention the dozens of injuries, the pain making him cry out in the night… How could he explain such deep suffering to a girl whose biggest worry in life was acne?

David Thompson nodded and said lightly, “I’m fine, just the food’s been terrible.” He changed the subject: “How’s the family situation these days?”

“Very well. With President Emily Harris’s wise leadership, we’re advancing toward hell at full speed.”

“Oh? What happened?”

“He’s ambitious and loves glory. In four years, he’s launched three campaigns against the Liufeng family, but each time Gavin Brooks Jr. beat us so badly we ran back with our tails between our legs. The Council of Elders demanded an explanation, and he put on a show of loyal indignation and gave a righteous speech…”

Olivia Thompson imitated Emily Harris’s tone: “‘The Liufeng family will be destroyed! If this is wrong, then let me be wrong. I won’t avoid admitting it, and I won’t regret it!’ And he actually fooled the Council of Elders and passed without issue.”

David Thompson remained expressionless. “A very forceful speech. Take away the first sentence, and the rest sounds like a confession from an unmarried woman in love with a married man.”

Olivia Thompson laughed so hard she nearly fell over.

“How are things on the Liufeng side? We keep losing, but they haven’t retaliated? That’s not Gavin Brooks Jr.’s style.”

“Brother, you don’t know. Liufeng Xishan is so ill he’s near death. His three sons each command troops and are waiting to seize power. Gavin Brooks Jr. is a daughter and has no inheritance rights, but they all fear her, so they transferred her away from the decision-making center and sent her to Xibing Castle as a frontline commander.”

“The president is being inconsiderate. The Liufeng family is making mistakes—why bother them now? If we want to destroy them, we can wait until they finish fighting among themselves, then go over!”

“That’s not it! What our president really wants isn’t the destruction of the Liufeng family. He’s delighted by the appearance of an enemy like Gavin Brooks Jr.!”

“How so?”

“In the past, if he wanted to dismiss someone he didn’t like, he had to work hard to find a reason—‘corruption, dereliction of duty,’ and so on… Now, all he has to do is pat their shoulder and say: ‘Go take Xibing Castle for me!’ That poor soul is finished! No one has ever gotten the better of Gavin Brooks Jr.. In the past six months, the border army commanders have been replaced like a revolving door, all because they lost to Gavin Brooks Jr. and were dismissed. And every one of them was at odds with Emily Harris. Tell me, doesn’t he just love Gavin Brooks Jr. to death?”

“I see… Is Sterling alright? He’s the most opposed to Emily Harris.”