Herta Ninety-Nine continued to gather cat-cakes and other puppets outside Lingsha's estate.
"Lingsha, the dream mazulu, and the alchemists and healers of the Alchemy Commission—you are surrounded! Surrender now, to avoid further conflict."
Wisteria Cake echoed her.
One hundred thousand Herta puppets were at the gates. The alchemists had already lost the will to fight.
"Cauldron Chief! I'm just an ordinary alchemist muddling through at the Alchemy Commission. I have aging parents and young children at home. Please, spare me!"
"Cauldron Chief, surrender! We are no match for geniuses."
"Cauldron Chief!"
Amid the pleas, Lingsha remained silent. Using a secret Vidyadhara technique, she had recovered all the memories that Herta had sealed. And now Herta wanted to live across from her estate and marry Ruan Mei? That was an insult beyond measure.
"Anyone who speaks of surrender again will be transferred to the Shackling Prison to refine Shuhu's remaining flesh—for a hundred or a thousand years."
The alchemists fell silent in terror. Refining Shuhu's flesh was a nightmare for any alchemist. The last one sent there had not been heard from in a hundred and fifty years. They all knew that with their abilities, a hundred years—a thousand, ten thousand—would not be enough to refine Shuhu's remains.
They exchanged helpless, tearful glances. First, they had endured the reckless Danshu, the head of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. Now, they had Lingsha, who was even more reckless.
Bitter. Tragic.
"We will fight to the death and not surrender, as long as the Cauldron Chief does not mention that matter."
In an instant, each alchemist reluctantly took out their most precious medicines to boost their combat abilities. Their fighting strength briefly exceeded even that of the Cloud Knights.
The dream mazulu looked back at their own kin—their fathers, mothers, and fellow countrymen from the Xianzhou Zhuming and Luofu.
They could not lose. Absolutely could not lose. Their entire clans were here. If they could beat Wisteria Cake once, they could do it again!
"Dream! Mazulu!"
Herta sat at the highest point of her estate, easily surveying the entire battlefield.
"Ruan Mei, who do you think will win?"
Ruan Mei kept her eyes closed, sipping tea lightly. "More than who wins or loses, I'm more interested in how Lingsha recovered the memories you sealed and found the courage to face you again."
Herta frowned, letting out an annoyed snort. "I beat her twice. I can beat her a third time. Just wait. Millions more Herta puppets are on their way from Herta City."
On the other side, Lingsha watched the endless stream of puppets appearing, her heart racing. The alchemists fought only because they feared her. But every puppet marched forward with a magic hammer.
She spotted an old acquaintance among the puppets.
"Herta #3156! Come out!"
Herta #3156 slowly looked up, her expression cold. Then she leaped high and struck at Lingsha.
Lingsha barely dodged, shocked. Was this the same Herta #3156 who had once opposed Herta and even raised an army against her?
"Herta #3156! I am Lingsha. We once stood together against Herta."
Herta #3156's eyes remained hollow. She raised her magic hammer and struck again.
"Madam Herta is an unparalleled existence! I, Herta #3156, am absolutely loyal to her!"
Lingsha froze, then suddenly understood. After the last incident, her memory must have been completely formatted.