"Then sell your military prowess!" Wang Xiaole leaned in closer, giving White Bear a serious look:

"I'm not talking about now. I'm telling you, Uncle:

When your country's military strength is almost restored to the point where it can start external wars, you will lend your military to Dibiles;

In return, Dibiles will pay you for hiring the army, based on the performance of the beastkin warriors on the battlefield. Payments can vary depending on their achievements."

"But what we lack most is not money..."

"I understand. You need food and water resources, right? Then we'll replace the hiring fees with the supplies you need according to the current prices;

Considering that Dibiles will likely face wars for a long time to come, your country's powerful soldiers will definitely come in handy."

"I see. This can indeed temporarily solve the issues. However, Dibiles's female generals may not be willing to lead our soldiers, and if our leaders lead the troops, they may feel uneasy."

"Uncle, you've forgotten: I am now the regent king, overseeing the beastkin, which is appropriate. Moreover, my status as a royal consort can reassure Dibiles completely!"

"Alright, the food issue is settled. However, to ensure peaceful coexistence between the two countries, we still need to find a way to stabilize the lower-ranking soldiers."

Wang Xiaole tilted his head and grinned,

"Soldiers?"

White Bear explained to him:

"Among the beastkin elites, they are not very resistant to interacting with humans, as many of them have married females who escaped from Dibiles;

The resentment towards humans is mainly harbored by certain lower-ranking soldiers, who inherit the hatred passed down by their ancestors from generation to generation."

"What percentage of the army do these resentful soldiers make up?"

"Probably around forty percent."

"Close to half... But that's not a problem. If we utilize their hatred effectively, they can be more efficient than ordinary soldiers."

"Stop beating around the bush, kid. Just say it straight!"

"These soldiers filled with hatred can serve as mercenaries sent abroad. As long as you tell them, Uncle:

Fighting alongside Dibiles is just a part of the plan, and your goal is to weaken the enemy as much as possible through warfare to fulfill our country's dream of unifying the Western Continent...

With this, those soldiers will fight with all their might."

"I understand. So, you mean to use their hatred towards humans against them. In that case, I can also add:

The more fiercely you perform, the greater the damage to our enemies. To redeem our ancestors' grudges, you must give it your all on the battlefield!"

"Exactly, Uncle. You're indeed sharp, you get it right away!"

"In that case... Let's cooperate!"

With a slap, the two of them high-fived for the first time.

Due to Wang Xiaole's lack of control, when White Bear released his hand, the injured hand of White Bear felt a sharp pain, causing him to involuntarily let out a yelp.

Despite this minor incident, White Bear did not recoil from the fact that his daughter was so attached to a male;

At least from that moment on, White Bear struck Wang Xiaole off the "villain" list in his mind and abandoned his plan to make his daughter see through the true face of this human;

Although it did not mean that White Bear truly approved of the relationship between Wang Xiaole and Bai Meow, he reluctantly treated him as one of his own.

Now that they became allies, it wouldn't hurt to repay the favor a little bit.

Therefore, not wanting to owe a favor, White Bear shared a piece of new intelligence with Wang Xiaole:

"Kid, according to the reports from my scouts stationed around the borders: just yesterday, an envoy group from the Papal Kingdom officially entered Dibiles."

This topic piqued Wang Xiaole's interest greatly:

"The Papal Kingdom? What are they up to?"

"From the information I received, it seems they are here to retrieve something important;

Um, I'm not very familiar with the religious practices of your kind, but I know the king of the Papal Kingdom is called the Pope;

It is said that the person the envoy group is preparing to take back ranks second only to the Pope in the country and is addressed as, holy, holy..."

"Holy Maiden?"

As these two words slipped out, the blood drained from Wang Xiaole's face instantly.

"Yes, Holy Maiden!"

In comparison, White Bear seemed quite relaxed in his expression.

This reaction was somewhat expected.

White Bear had sorted out both domestic and foreign wars and resolved potential thorny issues for the next ten years in that moment.

Apart from his daughter's affairs, there was hardly anything now that could give White Bear a headache.

Well, for now at least.

Since hearing about the envoy group entering Dibiles, Wang Xiaole started to worry:

If those people arrive while I'm away from the country, and due to the constraints of my own identity, they keep pressuring, it's highly likely that Petite will return to the Papal Kingdom!

Frankly speaking:

Although Wang Xiaole hadn't been in the beastkin kingdom for long, he had resolved many issues during this period, displaying remarkable efficiency.

However, the actions of the envoy group were swift, and with the distance factor, they might have the upper hand.

There was no time to delay any further.

Wang Xiaole decided to return to Dibiles immediately, and no matter what, he must intercept Petite before she leaves.

With this idea in mind, he directly informed White Bear:

"On the first day of accepting the regent king title, it may not be appropriate for me to return;

But since I have my own matters to attend to, I won't stay here any longer. I'm going back to the country today."

"Oh, so urgent?"

White Bear felt suspicious about Wang Xiaole's sudden urgency.

The king was, after all, a smart man, and he immediately connected Wang Xiaole's reaction to the information he had just shared.

"Upon hearing news related to the Holy Maiden, you are this anxious? Quite suspicious!"

"Uncle, you're overthinking it."

"No, I'm not overthinking it, and I'm starting to remember:

When our troops attacked the border, there was a young girl dressed as a priestess who aided the Dibiles defenders... Could she be the Holy Maiden?"

The reason for this connection arose because White Bear realized:

If the envoy group entered Dibiles to inform the Holy Maiden to return home, then undoubtedly, she must be in Dibiles.

Using the time when Wang Xiaole arrived in the beastkin kingdom as a dividing line, there were roughly two possibilities regarding the Holy Maiden's entry into Dibiles:

First, she entered Dibiles after Wang Xiaole arrived in the kingdom, but that was not possible since Wang Xiaole's arrival wasn't long ago;

If the Holy Maiden entered Dibiles after he started moving, the envoy group, no matter how important the Holy Maiden was, wouldn't have disturbed her just days after her arrival.

Therefore, the second possibility was the reality.

If the Holy Maiden had been in Dibiles for a while, then the aura of terrifying holy power White Bear felt from a distance on the battlefield made sense.

White Bear held some disdain towards certain humans but did not underestimate certain individuals.

The second-in-command of the Papal Kingdom possessed a power that White Bear could not overlook.

By noticing Wang Xiaole's impatient reaction, White Bear confirmed his suspicions and harbored doubts:

"You don't seem like a well-intentioned, impulsive good person to be so anxious about someone unrelated. Besides, the Holy Maiden is a female..."

Wang Xiaole knew what White Bear was about to say and didn't wait for him to finish, instead stating directly:

"Alright, Uncle, you guessed right. I have a complex relationship with that Holy Maiden named Petite. Now that you know, can I go?"

Originally, Wang Xiaole could have evaded this issue.

But upon second thought, he felt it was unfair to Petite to do so, hence he chose to tell the truth.

"Indeed, your casanova ways have reached an irredeemable point!

You not only have the Empress of Dibiles but also involved with the Holy Maiden, and recently you've taken an interest in our obedient daughter..."

"Uncle, what are you trying to say?"

"Our obedient daughter can't stay by the side of a frivolous man like you. Sooner or later, she'll fall victim to your schemes!"

As White Bear spoke these words, he glanced at his daughter repeatedly, the meaning clear: look! Dad has exposed this scoundrel's true colors, daughter, it's time to see through his facade and leave him, alright?

"..."

"Huh? Obedient daughter, you knew those two older sisters, right?"

"..."

"Huh huh huh, you even know more than them. You also know the blue-haired older sister, and the one who loves eating? Isn't this... playing multiple fields?"

At this staggering realization, White Bear, who finally grasped the shocking truth, looked at the human before him with a sense of apprehension for the first time.

If he had not miscalculated, at this moment, his daughter was with a rare scumbag among the best kind that had not been seen in a century.

From a certain perspective, compared to the Ogre King and the Fly Demon King, this human was far more insidious – the real threat!

White Bear had a change of heart; he no longer viewed Wang Xiaole as a "villain" but silently equated him with the "worst villain."

Deciding that his daughter must stay away from such a person, the old father was determined to make his daughter leave his side.

"Obedient daughter, come to Daddy, or you can go find your grandmother, just stay far away from this man."

Even faced with father's earnest advice, Bai Meow remained silent;

The young girl expressed her attitude through actions alone, turning and raising her hand to embrace her big brother tightly.

The situation was reminiscent of a teenager eloping against her parents' wishes, determined to be with her lover at all costs.

The daughter had truly grown up. With just a simple action, she heartlessly shattered the carefully pieced together heart of the polar bear once again.

At this moment, even the background behind him turned a grayish-white, the polar bear had completely turned into a pile of ash, waiting to be blown away by a gust of wind.

Facing the pitiful figure, Wang Xiaole deeply bowed, as if bidding a final farewell to the body. She glanced at the polar bear one last time, then left with Bai Meow.

As the two ran out of the palace, Baishui happened to be standing at a high place where he could see the ground, witnessing the scene of the two leaving side by side.

"Whether it's a daughter or a daughter's daughter, they all grow up to be the same!"

With these words, Baishui reached out his hand as if trying to grasp the long-lost past, raising his arm to shoulder height.

However, all that remained in his hand was a bird that would soon spread its wings and fly away.

The bird flew higher, not towards the blue sky, but to a place beyond Baishui's reach.

A feather eventually fluttered down.