Standing on the distant Scandinavian Peninsula, the gates of the Queen's residence in the First City burst open.
A vintage four‑wheeled luxury limousine rolled out.
Five modern hover vehicles surrounded it in tight formation.
The convoy sped onto the vast elevated highways suspended high above the city.
"Why are we using something this old?"
Feng Mi shifted uncomfortably in the back seat.
"This is one of the Tenth Eve's personal collections. Gasoline is almost impossible to find nowadays."
No matter how smooth the road was, a ground‑contact vehicle could never match the stability of a hovercar.
And the faint smell of fuel inside the cabin made her even more uneasy.
To her, this antique belonged in a museum—not on the streets.
"Hover vehicles can't support heavy ballistic armor," Eve replied calmly, gazing out the window.
"This one can."
The First City had fewer than one hundred thousand residents.
Over thirty thousand were stationed across the world on various assignments.
That left fewer than seventy thousand actual inhabitants—
Yet the city's size exceeded that of a twenty‑million‑population metropolis from the old world.
Everything here was hyper‑modern.
Towering alloy skyscrapers.Magnificent sky gardens.
But there were no advertisements.No road signs.
Low population. Advanced technology.
The two‑thousand‑year‑old city had avoided nearly every urban problem known to mankind.
All roads were suspended.
Vehicles ran on automated navigation systems with near‑perfect collision prevention.
Traffic fatalities were virtually nonexistent.
But that only applied to accidents.
Not to warfare.
If struck by reinforced rounds…Bombs…Missiles…
Lightweight hover alloys would crumple instantly.
Old‑world wheeled military vehicles, however—after two millennia of development—could mount heavy composite armor rivaling ancient tanks.
That was why even today, the military still relied on wheeled war machines.
Eve didn't know what kind of attack awaited her.
Nor how trustworthy the security company she hired truly was.
So she chose the hardest vehicle available.
And that decision had clearly drawn the Elders' attention.
Inside a circular council chamber, the Elders sat in a ring.
A massive screen displayed live footage of Eve's convoy.
"She's using that car?" one Elder muttered nervously."Has she grown suspicious?"
"So what if she has?" Wang Chenxing smirked.
"Do we have a choice?"
He leaned back confidently.
"Besides… even that vehicle means nothing. We're capturing her, not killing her."
He paused, grin widening.
"…Not that anyone knows if she can be killed."
Could Eve die?
No one knew.
No one had ever killed her.
Every incarnation of Eve simply aged past one hundred… then dissolved back into a rib.
If attacked directly with weapons—what would happen?
Would she revert into bone?
Or remain unharmed?
No one knew.
But one thing was certain.
She would never truly die.
God's curse had never applied to her.
She did not age.
She did not perish.
Today's objective was simple:
Capture her.
Smuggle her out of the First City.
Deal with the rest later.
"Are all units in position?" Elder Chen Xiangdong asked.
"Yes." Wang Chenxing nodded.
"I've deployed four squads. Once we secure Eve, we'll airlift her out immediately."
"Our investigators will arrive on scene shortly after."
"Two hours later, Elder Chen, you'll address the city—announce the findings and expose the Young Faction's conspiracy."
"Our people will arrest their leadership within the day."
Wang Chenxing was clearly acting as overall commander.
If this coup succeeded—
He would rise above both major factions.
He glanced at the screen again.
Just a few armored cars…
Trying to withstand four armed squads—some equipped with heavy weapons?
Ridiculous.
He couldn't suppress his excitement.
Inside the limousine, a sound suddenly came from Feng Mi's handbag.
She opened it and pulled out a metallic device resembling an ear cuff.
She placed it over her ear.
With a tap, several thin mechanical tendrils extended.
One reached her lips.Another her brow.
A small holographic display unfolded, covering her eye.
"Miss Feng… looks like quite a few people are targeting Her Majesty," said a burly man in his thirties on the screen, forcing a bitter smile.
"What's happening?" Feng Mi asked sharply.
"We've detected three armed teams lying in ambush along the Queen's planned route."
He hesitated.
"There may be more. One team is equipped with heavy weapons."
"What?! Heavy weapons?!"
Feng Mi nearly shouted.
"How long until we reach them?"
The man tapped a control beside him, glanced at his display, then answered:
"About ten minutes at current speed."
"Big Sister, you should get out here," Feng Mi urged Eve anxiously.
"Let the convoy continue without you. Attacking the Queen's motorcade is still a capital crime."
"No."
Eve calmly removed a similar device from her own handbag and connected to the network.
This was the security company's private net—isolated from public systems.
"You're Kane, correct?" Eve asked gently.
"Feng Mi mentioned you. You're in command of this protection operation."
"Yes—Yes, Your Majesty!"
The man straightened instantly, face flushing red.
"I'm Kane! It's an honor to serve you!"
"Kane… once I enter the ambush zone, I'll be relying on you."
"Your Majesty, I strongly advise you reconsider," he said nervously.
"There's no need to take such risks."
"How did you locate the three ambush teams?" Eve asked suddenly.
Kane froze.
His expression turned awkward.
"We… accessed… municipal surveillance."
Unauthorized access.
A criminal offense.
Seeing his fear, Eve smiled faintly.
"I pardon you."
She paused.
"But if you could find those ambush teams through city surveillance… don't you think the ones controlling that system already know whether I've stepped out of the convoy?"
Kane's face went pale.
In the First City…
Who truly controlled municipal surveillance?
Who else but—
The Elder Council.
Eve's words were unmistakable.
The people trying to assassinate her…
Were the Elders themselves.
After a long silence, Kane spoke slowly:
"Your Majesty… I'm afraid I can't accept this mission."
"Our losses could be catastrophic. The risk—"
"Risk and reward coexist," Eve cut in calmly.
She drew a slow breath.
"I am taking a far greater risk than you."
"Trust me. Complete this mission… and the reward will exceed your imagination."
They stared at each other through the holographic link.
Silent.
Tense.
Sweat rolled down Kane's forehead.
At last—
Under Eve's unwavering gaze—
He yielded.
He nodded.
"Then… my life is in your hands, Commander Kane," Eve said with a radiant smile.
It was dazzling.
Disarming.
No man could resist it.
Kane snapped back to reality, hurriedly checking his tactical display.
"But Your Majesty—three minutes until the ambush zone. I don't have time to mobilize enough forces."
"No need to worry."
Eve smiled again.
"I have a plan."
Perhaps the Elders had forgotten something.
Their opponent—
Had been playing politics two thousand years ago.
When it came to orchestrating coups…
She was history's first master.