Bear followed.
Ghost followed.
Rose started after them.
Then stopped.
She looked toward Shen Tian.
"Aren’t you coming?"
Shen Tian looked toward the crown door.
"No."
Rose blinked.
"You actually aren’t?"
"Nope."
Her eyes widened.
"But..."
Shen Tian smiled.
"I told him to follow his path."
He walked toward the crown.
Rose looked toward the skull passage.
Then toward Shen Tian.
She hesitated.
A few seconds.
Then...
She followed Shen Tian.
Ghost noticed.
"Rose?"
She glanced back.
"I’ll check the other route."
Lu Chen immediately stopped.
"No."
Rose’s expression changed.
He turned.
"You’re coming with us."
She folded her arms.
"Why?"
"Because we’re a team."
"I’m scouting."
"We don’t split up."
Rose slowly raised an eyebrow.
"Since when?"
Lu Chen became quiet.
Black Wolf split into smaller teams constantly.
They had done it hundreds of times.
Rose continued.
"Ghost has you."
"Bear has you."
"I’m going with Shen Tian."
Lu Chen’s jaw tightened.
"Why?"
There was too much force behind the question.
Rose noticed.
So did everyone else.
She smiled faintly.
"Curious."
Lu Chen stared.
"About him?"
Rose’s expression cooled.
"About the door."
Silence.
[Don’t lie.]
Rose’s eyes narrowed.
[You’re interested in him.]
Something inside her snapped slightly.
Not because he was wrong.
Maybe she was interested.
A little.
But because he thought he had the right to interrogate her about it.
Rose stepped closer.
"Lu Chen."
He froze.
She almost never used his real name like that.
"You’re my commander during operations."
Her voice remained calm.
"You’re my friend outside them."
"But you are not my father."
Ghost quietly looked away.
Bear suddenly found the wall fascinating.
Rose continued.
"You do not choose who I talk to."
"You don’t choose who I walk with."
"And you definitely don’t get to question me like I owe you an explanation."
Lu Chen’s face changed.
"Rose..."
She turned.
"I’m checking the crown route."
Then walked toward Shen Tian.
Shen Tian watched her approach.
No smug smile.
No comment.
He simply pushed open the crown door.
That...
Made Rose even more certain she’d chosen correctly.
Lu Chen stared after them.
His fists clenched.
[Shen Tian.]
Rose heard it one final time before the doors separated them.
[Everything was fine before him.]
Her expression became cold.
No.
Everything wasn’t fine.
She simply hadn’t been able to hear him before.
The crown passage was completely different.
No darkness.
No blood.
No killing intent.
Golden light illuminated the corridor.
Ancient murals covered both walls.
Not battles.
Kings.
Emperors.
Generals kneeling.
Cities surrendering.
Armies laying down weapons.
Rose slowly examined them.
"This doesn’t look like a combat trial."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Good."
"You don’t want combat?"
"I’ve fought enough tonight."
Rose stared.
"You’re tired?"
"No."
"Then why..."
Shen Tian glanced toward her.
"Because beating Lu Chen repeatedly is getting repetitive."
Rose froze.
Then burst out laughing.
Shen Tian smiled.
"See?"
"What?"
"You agree."
"I didn’t say that."
"You laughed."
"That’s not agreement."
"Close enough."
Rose shook her head.
Then...
They reached the end.
A massive golden door.
No handle.
No lock.
Only words.
Rose looked toward the ancient characters.
"Can you read that?"
Shen Tian stepped closer.
The system translated automatically.
A sovereign does not ask who will follow.
A sovereign asks whether he deserves to be followed.
Shen Tian’s expression changed slightly.
Rose noticed.
"What does it say?"
He read it aloud.
She became quiet.
That was...
Unexpected.
Not domination.
Not strength.
Deserving loyalty.
Shen Tian touched the door.
Nothing happened.
Then...
A voice filled the corridor.
"Why should others follow you?"
Rose’s eyes widened.
Shen Tian remained calm.
He thought for several seconds.
Then...
"Because I don’t need them to."
Silence.
Rose slowly looked toward him.
The voice returned.
"Explain."
Shen Tian’s green eyes remained on the door.
"If someone follows me because I need them..."
"Then I’m using them."
"If someone follows because they’re afraid..."
"Then they’re a slave."
"If someone follows because I force them..."
"Then they’re waiting for the first chance to leave."
Rose stared.
Shen Tian continued.
"I don’t want that."
"I’ll walk where I want either way."
"I’ll fight who I want either way."
"I’ll become stronger either way."
His voice remained calm.
"If someone chooses to stand beside me..."
"Good."
"I’ll value them."
"Protect them."
"Listen when they speak."
"But I won’t become dependent on their obedience."
The corridor became completely silent.
Rose’s eyes softened slightly.
She thought of Lu Chen.
Black Wolf.
Years of following.
At first...
She had followed because she respected him.
Because he saved them.
Because he earned their loyalty.
But lately...
Lu Chen seemed to treat that loyalty as ownership.
Shen Tian...
Was saying the opposite.
The ancient voice spoke again.
"And if they disagree?"
Shen Tian smiled faintly.
"Then they disagree."
Rose’s eyebrow rose.
"That’s it?"
Shen Tian glanced toward her.
"What else?"
The voice continued.
"If they disobey?"
"Depends."
"On?"
"Whether they’re wrong."
Rose laughed softly.
The voice seemed almost amused.
"And if you are wrong?"
Shen Tian became silent.
Then...
"I fix it."
Rose stared.
No hesitation.
No excuse.
No claim that he couldn’t be wrong.
Shen Tian continued.
"I’m arrogant."
Rose’s lips twitched.
"Very."
He looked toward her.
"You weren’t asked."
She smiled.
"Sorry."
He looked back.
"But arrogance doesn’t mean pretending I’m perfect."
"If I’m wrong..."
"I’ll admit it."
"Then I’ll make sure I’m not wrong the same way twice."
The golden door began glowing.
Rose’s eyes widened.
Then...
The ancient voice asked one final question.
"What is a sovereign?"
Shen Tian’s smile returned.
"A man strong enough to stand alone..."
The entire corridor trembled.
"...and wise enough to know he shouldn’t have to."
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The golden doors opened.
Rose stared.
For several seconds...
She said nothing.
Then...
She quietly muttered...
"That’s annoyingly good."
Shen Tian looked toward her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No."
He smiled.
"Say it again."
Rose rolled her eyes.
"I said it was annoyingly good."
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"It was."
Rose laughed.
Then...
They entered.
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

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