Chapter 7: The Knight’s Squire

“Sword and Flower?” Lin Wei murmured under his breath.

He understood now: the so-called “Sword and Flower” was a coalition of commoners, forged in the fires of noble oppression, rising up in rebellion to reshape the world through force. A vision born of desperation, seeking to overturn the existing order.

“Pity—it’s doomed to failure,” Lin Wei reflected, clarity dawning in an instant.

In his previous life, Western nations had traversed a similar stage, but there were fundamental differences. The West, through the invention of the steam engine, had liberated productive forces and undermined the very foundation of the nobility’s rule. That was the path to ultimate victory.

But this world was different. It did not pursue the liberation of productivity. Instead, every oppressor sought to seize the supernatural powers monopolized by the aristocracy—an act as futile as a stone against an egg—while wandering ever further from the road to industrialization.

Lin Wei was keenly aware: “Though I am not a noble by birth, I am ultimately a beneficiary of their rule.”

Naturally, he would not oppose the entire aristocratic class for the sake of so-called equality and justice. One’s position determines one’s stance. Even setting that aside, with his current power, he was little more than an ant in the eyes of the nobility.

Rather than bask in the adulation of the commoners, it was far better to feast heartily within the noble hierarchy.

In just these few days, Lin Wei’s worldview had undergone a profound transformation. The law of the jungle—survival of the fittest—was all that remained.

If, one day, the commoners truly gained the power to destroy the nobles, Lin Wei would not hesitate to change sides, raising both hands high in the name of freedom and justice.

“Take him away,” Nacken ordered the armored guards behind him.

The unconscious Duweier was dragged out of the room like a dead dog.

Nacken stepped in front of Lin Wei, his gaze encouraging. “The Earl is very pleased with you. From tomorrow, you will study the Knight’s Method under my tutelage, alongside Young Master Jon.”

“The Knight’s Method?” Lin Wei was surprised, but not particularly excited. After all, Nacken’s Knight’s Method had already been recorded and upgraded by the core sphere. With a bit of transmission time, he would gain the fruits of decades or even centuries of study, without the need for painstaking effort.

Nevertheless, Lin Wei feigned gratitude, tears nearly in his eyes. “Thank you, my lord, for your generosity. I will devote myself to assisting Young Master Jon!”

Nacken nodded in satisfaction.

…

On the borders of Tulip Domain.

A ruined town, its walls crumbling.

From a dilapidated thatched hut came a roar of unbridled fury.

“Why? Why was Duweier sent on this mission?!”

The speaker was a towering man, nearly two meters tall, with a mane of golden hair like a lion’s, his very presence exuding raw menace.

“Felix… I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop her.” Before the golden-haired giant sat a gaunt, brown-haired man, his face deeply lined by the passage of years.

“You know she is my only sister! In just three days of seclusion, she’s fallen into the hands of the Tulip family! Don’t you understand? Once inside their grasp, how could Duweier possibly survive?”

Felix’s veins bulged, his massive arms slamming the battered table, which instantly shattered under his blow.

“The mission began entirely by chance…” the brown-haired man tried to explain.

“Enough! I don’t care! I want Jon’s head!” Felix roared, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the other man. “You must create an opportunity for me—a chance to kill that bastard!”

“But that would expose all our prior arrangements…” The brown-haired man’s expression remained unchanged.

Felix pounded the wall with his fist. “Have you forgotten how many of our comrades have been slaughtered by the Tulip family? Can such hatred ever be erased? Jon is the Earl’s heir—killing him serves the very honor and purpose of ‘Sword and Flower’!”

The dimly lit room fell silent.

After a moment’s thought, the brown-haired man looked up.

“Felix, I support your decision.”

…

The days passed swiftly. Over the next few days, Jon, still wounded, remained confined to his chambers. Notably, Lin Wei, who was originally assigned to serve Jon, was instead ordered by the Earl to study the Knight’s Method with Nacken. In his place, several young and lovely maids were chosen to attend to Jon’s daily needs.

Night fell.

In Lin Wei’s room.

“At last, it’s almost here…”

Lin Wei sat cross-legged on his bed, the anticipation in his eyes intensifying.

In just a few more minutes, the transmission of the Knight’s Method for the squire stage would be complete. Soon, he would experience that superhuman power—beyond the limits of the human body!

Waiting felt endlessly drawn out.

“Ding!”

“Advanced Knight’s Method (Squire Stage) transmission complete!”

The mechanical voice of the core sphere, emotionless as ever, sounded like celestial music to Lin Wei’s ears.

The moment the transmission finished, Lin Wei felt waves of warmth surging through his limbs and bones, nourishing and tempering his flesh and skeleton. A sense of explosive strength blossomed within him.

The transformation did not abate, growing ever more intense, until Lin Wei even felt a searing pain.

“Is my body being reforged?” Lin Wei gritted his teeth, cold sweat streaming down his face. “Others train the Knight’s Method step by step, advancing steadily, their bodies strengthening gradually. But for me, the core sphere distills all the essence and pours it straight into my body—enduring this discomfort is only natural.”

Drawing on his perspective from a previous life, Lin Wei made a precise assessment of his condition.

Time ticked by, second after second…

At last, the burning pain vanished completely!

“Power…” Lin Wei opened his eyes, once tightly shut. Gazing at his seemingly slender arm, he could feel the surging, explosive might within.

He swung his arm fiercely, punching the air with all his strength.

Whoosh!

The blow sliced through the air with a faint sonic boom.

“Strength beyond human limits…” Lin Wei’s face was one of pure satisfaction as he reveled in the newfound potency of his limbs. “It’s truly exquisite!”

“Core sphere, display my current physical stats!”

Lin Wei issued a sudden command.