Chapter 100: The Proposal

The Mirror of True Sight could project an image of any location, as long as the caster knew the exact coordinates. But if you lost something and wanted the mirror to find it, that wouldn't work. You needed to know the place first.

That aside, what Queen Hippolyta wanted Liu A'dou to see was a fleet of aircraft carriers speeding across the ocean.

"This is the United States Third Fleet conducting military exercises in the Sea of Japan."

Liu A'dou knew exactly how frustrated his homeland felt in this world, yet in order to develop, it had no choice but to endure and stay silent. As long as the U.S. forces didn't cross the line, they could hold as many exercises as they wanted. The most China could do was send ships and radar stations to monitor every move.

"It's just a military exercise," Liu A'dou muttered. He wanted nothing more than to dismantle those ships, but that would be unrealistic and would only give America an excuse.

"Tomorrow evening, they'll carry out an operation called 'Banana Ball.'"

"What the hell?"

"They'll send two fighter jets across your homeland's border, do a big loop, and come back out."

A blatant provocation.

"Their patrol route will cross the airspace over Themyscira?"

"Yes. That's why I'm telling you this. Since the beginning of their exercises, I've been watching their every move. I know everything. So, what will you do tomorrow?" Hippolyta looked him in the eye.

Liu A'dou stayed calm and simply said four words: "Wait and see."

But in his heart, he thought: So Themyscira has always been an inseparable part of my motherland, huh?

Hippolyta smiled. She knew she hadn't misjudged him. This Liu A'dou was far more mature than he appeared: "You can stay here. Tomorrow, you can watch everything from the mirror."

"Thank you."

"This is the key. With it, you can come and go from this ruin space freely." The queen handed him a piece of pale grey jade and told him to keep it safe. These were remnants of the island's ancient heritage, things even Amazonian technology couldn't replicate. When the Supreme Power, the Lord Tongtian, left, this island was discovered by the gods of Mount Olympus, and it was granted to the Amazons. But the artifacts left here remained impossible to recreate.

Liu A'dou remained alone in the ruins, reverently admiring the greatness of his ancestors. Though he hadn't witnessed it himself, the tales Hippolyta passed on of those who left for another universe stirred his soul.

This was the temple of the ancient sages. As one of their protected human descendants, Liu A'dou was deeply moved—more than he let on.

He lingered in the grand hall for a long time. The largest room was the Hall of Enlightenment. Liu A'dou found a corner seat and sat down, trying to grasp the wisdom of the ancient cosmos. He didn't dare sit at the center—that had been the place of the Lord Tongtian and his personal disciples. It would be inappropriate to overstep.

Seated quietly, he wondered: What kind of teachings did they pass down?

Unconsciously, he slipped into a meditative state.

Of course, he wouldn't meet a sage or their disciples, but he was mimicking their pursuit of the Dao—bringing his essence, energy, spirit, heart, and body into sync.

Body: already trained to its peak in his previous world, where both power and finesse worked in harmony—whether in fist or sleight of hand.

Heart: perception. In a brush with death, he had discovered the Magic Box dimension on his own, proving he had transcended fear. He had grasped the Eighth Sense, moving freely between life and death.

Energy: through Ripple breathing, he turned each breath into strength.

Essence: his willpower. That had always been one of his strengths.

The last was Spirit—his soul. This was still his weakest aspect, but as the other four advanced, his soul had begun to awaken too.

The body was the microcosm. It connected to the macrocosm. The power of the microcosm came from the macrocosm, yet it was inseparable from it. Liu A'dou was already on the path to enlightenment. He just hadn't realized it yet.

Once he reached a state of "infinitely small within, infinitely large without," he would become a sage.

Of course, that was still a long, long way off. In a universe as vast as this, how many sages had there ever been?

Right now, Liu A'dou had only just reached the starting line.

When he finally opened his eyes, he felt more refreshed than ever—like his whole body had been massaged.

"I sat for an entire day, yet I don't feel the slightest discomfort. On the contrary, I feel more energized and alive than ever. Is this... what they call entering a true meditative state?" Liu A'dou muttered to himself, amazed.

A glance at the time reminded him—he hadn't eaten all day, and now he was starting to feel hungry.

Back in the Amazonian stronghold, cleanup was still ongoing. Faced with massive boulders, the warrior women relied only on simple wooden tools and their bare hands. Even with their immense strength, it was hard to clear everything in a short time.

"Where have you been? Elsa's been looking for you ever since you left," Ada Wong said. She knew that once Liu A'dou got hungry, he'd show up at the cafeteria on his own—no need to search.

"Is it something urgent?"

"You're the Pope of the Saints now. She wants to know when you plan to start selecting the new Saint Warriors." Ada spoke plainly. Truthfully, she had no idea what Liu A'dou intended to do.

Since arriving on Themyscira, Liu A'dou hadn't mentioned leaving. He acted like he was settling down. She couldn't guess what he had in mind.

But the truth was, even Liu A'dou himself didn't know what he wanted. Originally, his goal had been to steal the Moon Gem Pandora. But over time, his desire to steal the gem faded. His rising strength brought with it changes in mindset. After comprehending the Eighth Sense on Themyscira, he grew emotionally attached to this land. He wanted to help the Amazons, but soon realized Queen Hippolyta's foresight and wisdom far surpassed his own. All he could do was assist.

And when he learned that Themyscira was originally "Penglai Island," he became even more attached to it.

He now harbored a vague idea—still not fully formed—so A'dou decided to leave for New York to refine his thoughts.

"Where's Elsa now?" Liu A'dou asked.

"In her room."

"Let's go together," he said, walking side by side with Ada. "Have you started teaching her Cosmo?"

"I have, but she doesn't seem interested. Though her magic is powerful, her physical fitness is nowhere near the standard for a Saint Warrior. To learn Cosmo, she'll need physical training. I was thinking she could start training with the Amazon warriors first—what do you think?"

Liu A'dou shook his head. "We won't be staying long. She'll have to come with us—we're going to New York. We'll train her there."

"What made you suddenly decide to go to New York?" Ada was surprised by his plan.

"New York is a den of monsters. We can fish in muddy waters. Even a phantom thief needs to expand his business—it's time I met those superheroes face to face."

"Sounds like you've made up your mind."

Liu A'dou met Ada's eyes and nodded. "Ada, what kind of life do you want? A peaceful one, or something thrilling?"

He was asking for her opinion. They were lovers, though still getting to know each other and both holding things back. Despite being fellow transmigrators, Ada always felt Liu A'dou was wrapped in mystery. First came the Ripple, then out of nowhere, Cosmo. This man clearly had a dozen hidden cards and secret powers yet to be revealed.

Ada knew Liu A'dou was destined for greatness, but she herself wasn't someone who would settle for ordinary either. And she truly loved him.

"If you don't leave me, I'll never abandon you. Even until the end of time, even if the seas dry up and the earth crumbles."

Sixteen characters—her heartfelt vow. This woman, raised in America, used sixteen Chinese characters to express her love to Liu A'dou.

"Hold your hand, grow old with you." Liu A'dou pulled her into an embrace and gently asked, "Ada, will you marry me?"

"I will." Ada's cheeks blushed with happiness. This was the moment every girl dreamed of—being proposed to by the man she loved. But then, Ada asked the one question that had always lingered in her heart: "Is Liu A'dou your real name?"

He hadn't expected that kind of question in such a romantic moment. Liu A'dou was both amused and exasperated. "Of course it is. My whole family picked it together."

"Who names their kid 'A'dou,' the guy who couldn't be helped up? Were your parents hoping you'd amount to nothing?" Ada had a decent grasp of Chinese history.

That suddenly stirred an old memory in Liu A'dou's mind. He remembered being sick, only vaguely hearing his parents' voices. But he recalled them saying that they named him A'dou because they hoped he'd live a life of peace and prosperity—just like Liu Shan, the A'dou of Shu. Whether or not he became great didn't matter. What mattered was that he be safe and content.

"My parents hoped I'd live a peaceful life," Liu A'dou said softly. "I won't let them down."

"I believe in you."

In just half a year, they had gone from strangers to lovers. They'd faced danger together, and now they had found their happiness.

A rose suddenly appeared in Liu A'dou's hand. With a twist of his fingers, the stem of the rose transformed into a ring.

"Oh, A'dou…" The phantom thief's sleight of hand was simply magical. Even a rose could become a ring. As Ada slipped on the rose-ring, she felt pure bliss.

"Ada, you're beautiful."

Ada smiled like a flower, radiant and dazzling. Liu A'dou felt like the happiest man in the world. From now on, if a beautiful woman walked past, he swore he'd cut the glances from four or five down to two—just two—and devote himself entirely to Ada.