Chapter 111: Shadow of the Uncrowned (Second Update)

Golden hair spilled from beneath the scarlet hood, while emerald-bright eyes brimmed with unmistakable killing intent. The green kukris she held in reverse grip were works of art, exquisitely shaped and radiating an eerie jade glow.

Red shoulder armor, flared like the claws of a crimson dragon, complemented her close-fitting leather armor, its gold-edged patterns accentuating the elven rogue’s slender figure and perfect curves.

The owner of this template was none other than the legendary rogue from World of Warcraft: Valira Sanguinar, the Shadow of the Uncrowned!

The system’s description of the card read:

“Valira Sanguinar’s entire family was killed by bandits. She alone narrowly escaped death. Yet by then, she had nowhere left to go. The Scourge’s assault on the elven capital of Quel’Thalas had dealt a devastating blow to her people. This young high elf had always been a survivalist above all else—until she was kidnapped by rogues and sold to a slave trader.”

“She became the most powerful rogue of them all. Together with Varian Wrynn, the future King of Stormwind, who was suffering from amnesia at the time, and another druid, she formed a formidable gladiatorial team. They defeated countless powerful enemies, swept through the Dire Maul arena, and became champion gladiators!”

“After regaining her freedom, she became King Varian’s most loyal bodyguard and joined him in defeating the evil black dragon princess, Onyxia.”

The reason Mei Mumu had selected this template was the compatibility of their identities. It was much like using Gandalf’s template to join Kamar-Taj and train as a close-combat mage.

Valira might not have been the most famous rogue, and her strength might at best rank as merely second-rate across the countless realms. What was rare was how well her background fit.

Compatibility was what mattered most!

When the purple-bordered card depicting the beautiful elf in red leather armor dissolved against Natalia’s chest within her mind’s eye, Natalia clearly felt a cold force travel from Mei Mumu’s hands into her palms.

She shuddered.

“Do not resist this power. Let it merge with your bloodline and pass through your heart,” Mei Mumu said in a low voice.

Natalia did as instructed. She steadied herself and calmed her heartbeat. With every breath, that icy sensation flowed along her blood vessels, spreading through her organs, her muscles, and every inch of her body.

Natalia had expected the cold to freeze her heart. The opposite happened. When the sensation surged through her heart like a tide, she felt as though an entirely new world had opened before her.

Her eyes remained closed, yet she could sense the movement of the air around her.

Her skin clearly perceived currents of air at different temperatures. Once those sensations reached her brain, they formed a picture composed of varying shades of black and white.

All Mei Mumu saw was the card containing the legendary rogue template sink into Natalia’s body.

He had no idea what consequences using it on her might bring.

It ought to be a good thing.

“Tell me. What do you see?” Mei Mumu asked in a deep voice.

“A black-and-white world… I can feel the power of shadow!”

The power of shadow?

The Russian officials watching nearby all wore astonished expressions. This was far too strange to be real.

Mei Mumu continued to lead her on. “No! This is not enough! There is still too much heat in your heart, and that runs contrary to the path of shadow. This is the most critical moment. If you continue like this, the inheritance will be ruined. Open your mind and let me enter.”

Natalia’s entire body trembled. Because she trusted Mei Mumu absolutely, she did as he said.

She could distinctly feel that the hands holding hers seemed to have left their original position. Although his palms still clasped hers, it was as if they were moving upward along her arms.

The sensation left her embarrassed and unbearably bashful.

Even so, she endured the feeling of her soul being invaded.

She told herself, “Let go… Let go… Major Cao is my benefactor, my brother, my mentor… Without him, I would have died long ago. He is everything to me. He is my everything…”

This self-hypnotic murmuring helped her lower her guard and open her mind completely.

And then…

The invaders breached the village!

Mei Mumu, whose soul had left his body, appeared to enter Natalia’s spiritual world with an air of absolute seriousness.

Normally, this would have been an extremely dangerous act. Another person’s soul was their domain—their absolute home ground. If Natalia resisted even slightly, her formidable mental strength might not be enough to destroy Mei Mumu’s soul, but it could certainly injure him.

Natalia docilely accepted Mei Mumu’s intrusion. In the real world, it was no different from having someone strip her bare and arrange her legs into an obscene shape.

Of course, that was only a metaphor!

Once inside, Mei Mumu quickly located the ballerina’s memories that the Russians had implanted in Natalia. With a casual stroke, he severed the connection between those memories and Natalia’s soul.

The memories themselves remained, but all sensations associated with them were gone. It was as if someone were watching a film: there were only external images and sounds, with no feedback from the body.

Whenever Natalia recalled those events, she would be nothing more than an uncompromising observer. Given her intelligence, she would naturally realize that the intelligence department had tampered with her.

Next, Mei Mumu erased from Natalia’s soul the appearance, voice, and smile of Valira. From then on, Natalia would see only a blurred figure demonstrating the movements and techniques of a rogue within her mind. She would have no access to Valira’s combat memories or anything of the sort.

In a sense, Mei Mumu had temporarily confiscated the most crucial part of the inheritance.

When Mei Mumu’s soul withdrew from Natalia’s, even he could not help marveling at the astonishing strength of the spiritual—or perhaps soul-based—bloodline within his body.

His soul returned to his own body, while Natalia gradually emerged from her daze. She truly found herself more attuned to the cold aura surrounding her.

Mei Mumu’s voice rang out again, sounding like that of some mystical fraud. “All right. That’s enough. Slowly stand up. Focus your mind on the darkest place and imagine your body merging with that darkness.”

Natalia did as instructed.

Outside, Mei Mumu drew two circles in the air with the index finger of his right hand. It was a signal for them to gradually raise the lights, stopping when the room was still relatively dim.

Almost simultaneously, two generals in the observation room suddenly exclaimed.

“What is it?”

“Damn it. I think I just saw an illusion.”

It was not only the two of them. The other officials also noticed that something had changed.

With her eyes closed, her legs bent, and her body hunched forward, Natalia moved sideways across the room one step at a time. Yet her figure seemed strangely blurred.

The intelligence officers’ curiosity reached a fever pitch. At last, someone pressed a button.

Behind Natalia, an inconspicuous yellow light came on. It meant that someone wished to ask a question.

Mei Mumu waved them in, signaling that they could enter.

The First Carefree Prince of the Zhenguan Era

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