Chapter 69: An Unexpected Clue

Under the veil of night, Li Chuan stood by the ship's railing. The river water rippled and moonlight washed over the deck, yet his heart raged like a stormy sea, utterly unable to find peace. Earlier, during an unintentional instance of eavesdropping, he had overheard a conversation between Lana and her accompanying guards, catching the four words: "Royal Alliance." These few short words struck him like a sudden thunderclap, catching him completely off guard.

He had originally thought Lana was merely a noble-born foreign princess, and that he was accompanying her on this voyage due to her foreign mission and certain personal grievances. But now, it seemed the forces hidden behind her were far more complex than he had anticipated.

Earlier that day, Li Chuan had intended to go to the storage room to fetch some spare tools to repair the ship's steering wheel. As he reached the end of the corridor, he faintly caught a murmur coming from Lana's room. The voice was very soft; had the corridor not been so quiet, he probably wouldn't have caught a single word.

"...We cannot allow the Alliance to lose its grip on the situation..." That voice was solemn and urgent.

"Do not worry, Her Highness Lana has already secured the critical documents. As long as we can safely arrive at Dawn Port, everything will proceed as planned." Another voice was low, carrying a note of firmness.

Li Chuan had not wanted to eavesdrop, but his feet seemed nailed to the floor. He realized that the conversation between these two might reveal Lana's true mission. He held his breath, struggling to capture every single word.

"Her Highness must be careful. If those people detect the Alliance behind us, things will become much more complicated." The low voice sounded once more.

Alliance? What alliance? Li Chuan's brow furrowed tightly. He knew Lana's status was extraordinary, but the "Alliance" clearly did not refer to the single power of her own country, but rather to a much larger organization or faction.

At that exact moment, the doorknob turned slightly. Li Chuan hastily slipped to the side, pretending to walk past as if nothing were amiss. Two guards pushed the door open, scanned their surroundings vigilantly, and then departed from the room.

Though he had not fully understood the contents, these fragments were enough to put Li Chuan on high alert. He quickened his pace back to his own room, his mind churning turbulently. He realized he might have been reeled into a whirlpool far deeper than he had imagined.

In the dead of night, Li Chuan still could not sleep, those conversations playing over and over in his mind. Tossing and turning, he finally resolved to take action. He had to figure out Lana's true identity, and what the "Royal Alliance" behind her truly was.

He quietly slipped into the crew's conference room, which was where Lana's retinue had previously placed their luggage. Li Chuan knew his actions were extremely dangerous, but curiosity and intuition drove him forward.

As he rummaged through several wooden chests, he suddenly discovered a sealed letter tucked inside a thick volume of scrolls. The envelope was stamped with an exquisite patterned crest, featuring the motif of a crowned lion at its center. This was by no means an ordinary letter.

Before he had time to dwell on it, a cold voice rang out abruptly from behind: "Who is there?"

Li Chuan whirled around to find Lana's personal guard standing at the doorway, gripping a long sword, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.

"What are you doing here?" The guard's voice was low and laced with danger.

Li Chuan forced himself to remain calm, concealing the letter within his sleeve and putting on an innocent expression. "I... I was looking for repair tools. The steering wheel had a minor issue today."

The guard clearly did not believe his explanation at all. He took a slow step forward, his gaze falling upon Li Chuan's slightly unnatural arm. "Hand it over."

Li Chuan knew he could not conceal it, but he knew the importance of this letter even better. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly vaulted over the table and sprinted toward the window. The guard immediately drew his sword and gave chase, but Li Chuan was agile and limber, leaping through the window in a flash and fleeing at top speed along the edge of the deck back to his own quarters.

Early the next morning, Lana summoned Li Chuan to the deck. Her expression was stern, and a fire seemed to burn within her eyes.

"What exactly were you trying to do last night?" She cut straight to the point, her gaze piercing directly into Li Chuan's heart.

Li Chuan remained silent for a moment before finally choosing to counter with a question: "Why didn't you tell me that there is a Royal Alliance behind you?"

Lana's expression shifted slightly, but she quickly masked it. She let out a cold laugh. "Do you think you are qualified to know such things?"

"Perhaps I am not qualified, but since I am already entangled in your plan, you at least owe me the truth." Li Chuan met her gaze directly, his tone resolute.

Lana stared at him, and after a long while, she finally sighed, her tone softening with a trace of complex emotion. "Li Chuan, you have no idea what you are facing. The Royal Alliance is not something you can comprehend. If you continue to investigate, it will only bring your own doom."

Her tone was cold, yet deep within her gaze lay a faint hint of worry. Li Chuan keenly perceived this. He asked no further questions, but his inner doubts only deepened. He made up his mind that no matter what, he had to uncover the secrets behind Lana, because he faintly sensed that this concerned not only Lana herself, but potentially also his own destiny and the future of the entire continent.

Ever since that conversation with Lana, Li Chuan felt as though he were surrounded by an invisible fog. He knew the "Royal Alliance" behind Lana was no ordinary faction, yet the specifics remained hazy. To unearth the truth, he decided to take a more cautious approach.

Late one night, Li Chuan quietly made his way to the ship's library. He remembered that there was a collection of books concerning the history and politics of various nations here; perhaps he could find a clue regarding the "Royal Alliance." Under the dim candlelight, he flipped through one heavy tome after another, trying to piece together a complete picture.

Just as he was immersed in the sea of books, a faint footstep sounded outside the door. Li Chuan swiftly blew out the candle, hid behind a bookshelf, and held his breath. The door was gently pushed open, and two figures entered. By the faint moonlight, Li Chuan recognized one of them as Lana, and the other as her personal maid.

"Your Highness, have you truly decided?" the maid asked in a low voice, her tone full of worry.

"Yes," Lana replied softly. "We have no way out. Only by relying on the power of the Alliance can we achieve our goal."

"Yet, Master Li Chuan seems to have sensed something. Could he become an obstacle to us?"

Lana fell silent for a moment and sighed. "I believe he can be trusted. But before we act, we must ensure he does not interfere with our plans."

A tight knot formed in Li Chuan's heart as he realized he might be in danger. He carefully shifted his position, trying to hear more clearly.

"Tomorrow, we shall meet with the Alliance's representative at Dawn Port," Lana continued. "Everything must proceed according to plan without a single flaw."

The maid nodded. "I will arrange everything to ensure nothing goes wrong."

The two whispered a few more words before leaving the library. Only after their footsteps faded away did Li Chuan dare to emerge from his hiding spot. His heart beat like a war drum, while keywords such as "Dawn Port" and "Alliance representative" echoed endlessly in his mind.

The next day, the ship arrived smoothly at Dawn Port. This was a bustling port city, crowded with merchant vessels, with people coming and going in a continuous stream through the streets. Yet, Li Chuan felt an inexplicable sense of oppression, as though an invisible pair of eyes were watching him from the shadows.

By custom, the crew was allowed a day of rest at the port. Seizing this opportunity, Li Chuan quietly trailed Lana, wishing to pinpoint the location of her meeting with the "Alliance representative." He followed her from a distance, weaving through several narrow alleyways until they finally arrived before an ancient stone building.

Lana glanced around, and confirming that she was not being followed, walked swiftly into the building. Li Chuan hid in a corner, observed for a moment to ensure no one else entered or exited, and then quietly circled around to the back door, attempting to find a way inside.

He found that the back door was unlocked. Pushing it gently open, he stepped into a dim corridor. Following the corridor, he heard whispering coming from ahead. He approached cautiously and, peering through a narrow gap, saw Lana conversing with several individuals dressed in lavish attire.

"Your Highness, the documents you have brought are of utmost importance," a middle-aged man said, his tone brimming with reverence.

"This is the agreement personally signed by my royal father," Lana replied. "I hope the Alliance will honor its commitment and assist us in fulfilling our grand undertaking of restoring the nation."

Li Chuan's heart gave a violent jolt. Restoring the nation? Could it be that Lana's country had fallen, and her purpose in this journey was to resurrect her ancestral land?

"Rest assured, the Alliance has always been dedicated to upholding the legitimate status of all royal houses," another woman said. "We will give your actions our full support."

Lana nodded. "Thank you all for your support. I will arrange the next steps as soon as possible."

Li Chuan realized he had glimpsed a monumental secret. However, he still did not fully grasp the background and motives of this "Royal Alliance." He decided to retreat for the time being to avoid being discovered.

Back on the ship, Li Chuan's state of mind remained unsettled for a long time. He knew he was deeply trapped in this political vortex and could not easily extricate himself. Yet, his feelings for Lana made it impossible for him to stand by idly.

Just as he was pondering countermeasures, an elderly crew member quietly entered his room. This crew member was usually reticent, but at this moment, his expression was grave.

"Li Chuan, I know you are investigating Her Highness Lana," the old crew member said in a low voice.

Li Chuan was startled. "Who are you? Why do you know this?"

The old crew member sighed. "I was once a guard to Lana's royal father. For reasons of the past, I concealed my identity and joined the ship to escort Her Highness. Now that matters are urgent, I can no longer stand idly by."

Li Chuan was surprised. "Then do you know about the 'Royal Alliance'?"

The old crew member nodded. "It is a secret organization composed of multiple royal houses, established to safeguard the interests and status of various monarchies. Her Highness Lana's journey is precisely to seek their support in reviving her country."

Li Chuan experienced a sudden flash of insight. "So that is how it is. Then what can I do?"

The old crew member gazed at him intently. "Her Highness trusts you and hopes you can assist her in completing her mission. But this path is fraught with danger; you must mentally prepare yourself."

Li Chuan drew a deep breath, his heart caught in conflict. Though troubled by Lana's secrecy, he could not help but want to help her. He looked at the old crew member and asked firmly, "If Her Highness Lana truly wishes to revive her country, why didn't she just tell us openly instead of hiding so much?"

The old crew member fell silent for a moment, his tone heavy. "It is not that Her Highness distrusts you, but rather that she fears implicating the innocent. The adversaries of the Royal Alliance are extraordinarily powerful; they not only covet the power in Lana's hands, but will also hunt down and annihilate all her allies without mercy."

"Then is the Alliance truly trustworthy? Will it genuinely help her restore her nation with all its might?" Li Chuan pressed further.

The old crew member shook his head. "The Alliance is a complex organization, and the various royal houses are not entirely harmonious among themselves. Their support is mostly conditional—Lana will have to pay a tremendous price."

These words struck a heavy chord in Li Chuan's heart. He had originally thought that restoring the country was merely Lana's personal mission, never expecting such intricate power struggles to be tangled behind it. He pondered for a moment and resolved not to wait passively.

Li Chuan decided to take further action. Carefully recalling the secret letter hidden within his sleeve, he felt he might find a clue within it. In the stillness of the night, he retrieved the envelope and used a small blade to carefully pry open the seal.

The moment the letter paper unfolded, a complex picture came into view. It was a map marked with several critical geographic locations, accompanied by dates and operational plans noted in ancient scripts. In the corner of the letter paper was stamped the crest of the "Royal Alliance."

Concentrating, Li Chuan examined it closely and discovered that the locations marked on the map actually involved strategic border fortresses of multiple nations. His heart sank heavily: this was not merely a plan to restore a nation; it was highly likely a conspiracy of war sweeping across several countries.

Realizing the gravity of the issue, he sought out the old crew member that very night and showed him the map. Upon seeing it, the old crew member's expression turned grim. "This is likely the comprehensive master plan of the Royal Alliance, and Lana is merely a pawn within it."

"Does she know about this?" Li Chuan asked.

"I fear she does not know the full extent of it," the old crew member sighed. "Lana is still young, and her understanding of the Alliance falls far short of veterans like us. She may think she can control everything, but in reality, the Alliance may have already used her to the fullest."

Early the next morning, Lana gathered everyone and announced an important decision: "Starting today, our voyage will enter a more clandestine phase. Please make your preparations as soon as possible, for the days ahead may be fraught with unknown dangers."

Her expression was calm, yet a trace of anxiety could not be concealed within her eyes. Li Chuan's heart churned; he felt an urgent urge to confront Lana, yet worried that acting rashly at this moment might ignite an even greater crisis.

Just at that moment, an unfamiliar warship appeared on the horizon, rapidly closing in on them. The banner flying from its mast bore the emblem of a red eagle, matching the map markings in Lana's secret letter precisely.

Lana's expression shifted drastically as she swiftly issued an order: "Everyone, prepare for battle!"

Li Chuan stood upon the deck, watching the enemy vessel draw nearer and nearer. He realized that this was not only Lana's trial, but the moment of his own choice as well. Amidst this sudden crisis, he had to find his own answer.