"Hello. I'm Corsica's envoy."
Yuka pulled an official letter from his thick stack of documents and handed it to the Greek gate guard.
"Corsica?"
The guard hesitated, then turned his head and shouted behind him:
"Biggs! Ever heard of Corsica?"
"Nope."
The man called Biggs answered instantly.
He wore light Greek armor, long brown hair draped over his shoulders. Around twenty-five. Sharp eyes. Arrogant posture.
"Never heard of it."
Yuka froze.
"What? Corsica's embassy… isn't in the Embassy District?"
"There's no Corsican embassy here."
Biggs walked over, eyes glued to Yinling.
"Impossible," Yuka said quickly. "Why don't you let us in so we can look?"
"Sorry."
The first guard lowered his spear, blocking their path.
"Only those with verified identity credentials and clearance documents may enter."
The disdain on his face was obvious.
After all—
Every day, countless people tried sneaking into the Embassy District.
They had no reason to be polite.
"But you saw our official letter!" Yuka insisted.
Biggs sneered coldly.
"There are 123 embassies inside. I remember every single one. No Corsica."
He glanced at the papers again.
"These IDs look fake too. Thieves trying to sneak in, huh?"
He smirked.
"Too bad you're illiterate. Now get lost."
His hand moved to his sword hilt.
"We're not thieves! You bastards!"
Yinling snapped.
Her fingers trembled—already entering combat readiness.
She had been irritated since earlier.
Now falsely accused?
Her anger exploded.
Biggs' expression darkened instantly.
Adam reacted faster.
He grabbed her arm.
The contact snapped her back to rationality.
This was Athens.
If they fought—
Their identities would be exposed immediately.
Exposed inside a giant stronghold?
Suicide.
Between the ancient giants…
And the vampire monarchs' warlords…
Any one of them could tear Adam apart.
Entering the tiger's den was one thing.
Getting sealed inside it?
Not worth it.
"Enough," Adam said calmly.
"We're not thieves. If there's no Corsican embassy, we'll leave."
He wanted this over.
But Biggs laughed.
"Leave? Too late."
He stepped forward, eyes vicious.
"You insulted nobility. That's a crime."
"I'll send you to the patrol bureau. Explain yourselves to a judge."
His gaze slid to Yinling.
"As for this lady… she can stay behind. Keep me company while I personally help her 'search' for that unlucky Corsican embassy."
He raised a hand.
Instantly—
More than ten Greek soldiers surrounded them.
Spears leveled.
"What are you doing?! We have diplomatic documents! We're envoys!"
Yuka shook the letter frantically.
Ignored.
Adam still held Yinling's wrist tightly.
His eyes turned cold.
Calculating.
Killing all of them here—
Pros and cons.
Biggs' lips curled.
"Under Giant Greece's rule… even if you really are envoys, killing a few from some nameless backwater won't matter."
He leaned closer.
"I suggest you don't resist."
"Is that so?"
Adam exhaled softly.
"Then I wonder… would anyone care if a few guards died?"
Under their watch—
He bent down.
Picked up a small stone.
Slowly.
Very slowly—
He crushed it.
Into powder.
The faint cracking sound—
Froze every soldier in place.
He wasn't using full strength.
In fact—
He crushed it deliberately slowly.
Slow enough for them to process.
Slow enough to feel terror.
Slow crushing required far more force than instant destruction.
Their fear deepened with every second.
"Monster…"
One guard whispered.
His spear hand trembled.
"Adam, don't—"
Yuka rushed forward, hugging him, thinking he'd attack.
Adam gently pushed him aside.
Then asked calmly:
"Now… may we leave?"
If possible, he didn't want this attention.
But it was still better than being dragged to patrol custody.
And he would never abandon Yinling.
The soldiers subconsciously stepped back.
The encirclement loosened.
Biggs clenched his teeth.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
If they fought—
They would lose.
But if they didn't—
His threats meant nothing.
His father was a Senate Elder.
In this world—
Even kings of small nations bowed to Greek Senators.
Though he himself was only the youngest son—
Without inheritance rights.
That was why he was stuck as a deputy captain here.
And already furious about it.
Now?
Humiliated in front of a woman?
Unacceptable.
The standoff froze the gate.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Then—
A deep voice cut through the tension.
"What's going on here?"
A bearded middle-aged man walked out from inside the district.
He wore the same light Greek armor—
But his bore intricate engraved patterns.
A captain.
"Captain Kays! These people tried to force entry," Biggs accused instantly.
Yinling nearly lunged at him—
Stopped only by Adam's grip.
"You're the captain?"
Adam spoke coldly.
"We're Corsican envoys. We only seek the Corsican embassy."
"Envoys? Let me see the letter."
Kays extended his hand.
Yuka hurriedly passed it over, hands shaking.
Clearly frightened.
Kays opened it while studying Adam.
Read briefly.
"You're Yuka?"
He looked up—
Still staring at Adam.
"I'm Adam," Adam answered.
"Yuka is me!" Yuka added quickly from the side.
"What's your role?" Kays asked Adam.
Ignoring Yuka entirely.
"He's my guard captain—Adam," Yuka explained hurriedly.
Still ignored.
Kays smiled faintly.
"You look more like the noble."
He tossed the letter back to Adam.
Turned and walked inside.
He waved casually.
The soldiers immediately dispersed.
Returning to the gate.
Only Biggs remained—
Unwilling.
"So… we're allowed in?" Adam called after him.
"The Corsican embassy isn't here," Kays replied without turning.
"Then where is it?" Yuka shouted.
Kays pointed across the street.
"Residential district. Somewhere there. Don't remember exactly. Go ask."
"Residential…?"
They followed his finger.
Rows of plain four-to-five-story buildings.
Old. Dirty. Crowded.
Laundry hung from bamboo poles and ropes.
Closed storefronts below.
Rotten vegetables littered the streets.
Drunks lay unconscious in alleys.
Chaotic.
Low-class.
"In a place like this…"
Adam suddenly realized—
Their diplomatic status—
Was far lower than expected.
Much lower.
"Let's go ask around," he said.
The three walked slowly into the night.
Behind them—
Deputy Captain Biggs stood motionless.
Teeth clenched.
Eyes venomous—
Locked onto Adam's back.