Due to the wind and sand, Wenwu hadn’t fully made out the girl’s face before her figure blurred and vanished. Yet the moment she disappeared, a jade-green short sword materialized in his hand.

The gale died instantly as Wenwu gripped the blade. In a single stride, he stood before the still-shaken Crocodile.

*So fast.*

Before Crocodile’s words faded, Wenwu slashed his forearm and calf with lightning speed—wounds precise enough to force him to release Silver’s hair and drop to one knee.

Blinking once, Wenwu subdued Crocodile’s two brothers the same way.

"Wounded but not maimed. Controlled but not killed. This... this is the Master’s fighting style. Master... your memories..." Silver murmured, trembling with excitement.

After restraining the brothers, Wenwu approached the chubby guard holding the sack and held out his hand.

Trembling, the man handed over the sack.

Wenwu took it coldly. "Leave."

The chubby man helped the injured Crocodile up. As the four limped away, Crocodile glanced back. "Kid, I’ll remember this debt."

Wenwu didn’t respond. He untied the ropes. The elf girl peeked out, scanned the area for danger, then burst from the sack and threw herself at Wenwu, sobbing. He stroked her head gently.

The jade-green sword in Wenwu’s hand had already transformed back into the girl’s form. Silver walked over.

"Master, your memories returned?" Silver asked eagerly.

"N-no." *I’m a transmigrator. This amnesia act was just a cover. How could memories return?* Yet the flash in his mind moments ago felt unnervingly real.

"Jade Star-jie, we owe you for showing up in time."

"You mean the Master? He’s amnesiac."

"Seriously. No joke."

"I don’t even know how I summoned her successfully."

"Silver, what are you muttering to yourself about?" Wenwu asked, puzzled.

"I’m talking to Jade Star-jie."

"Talking?"

"Actually, Master—how *did* you summon her just now? If your memories aren’t back?"

"I don’t know. A memory fragment flashed in my head. I just... followed it. My body moved on its own."

"Do you truly remember nothing, my Master?"

That voice echoed in Wenwu’s mind again. Suddenly, he looked up at the sword spirit. "Were you speaking to me?"

"Yes, my Master."

The voice came from his mind, not his ears. Now he understood why Silver seemed to talk to thin air.

"I *am* amnesiac."

"Then allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Jade Star, a Wind-Attribute Sword Spirit. Your servant, Master."

"Oh... I see. Jade Star, why don’t you speak aloud?"

"Jade Star-jie gets flustered easily—takes forever to say one sentence. She prefers telepathy," Silver chimed in. Jade Star playfully punched his head, cheeks flushed, while Silver grinned like he’d won a prize.

"Summon me again if danger comes. I pray your memories return soon, my Master."

A breeze swept past. Jade Star vanished.

"Outsider! Release our princess, or face our wrath!"

Hostile voices rang out behind Wenwu the moment Jade Star disappeared.

But the elf princess gasped with relief. "Uncle Celeborn!"

"Princess Luna, fear not—we’ve come to rescue you!"

"Uh... I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Can we talk this over?" Wenwu turned, hands raised in surrender. Dozens of elves hovered midair, arrows nocked and aimed at him. He forced a friendly smile.

"Drop the act, outsider. My kin saw you lead the princess from our village."

*Great. Now I’m not just a kidnapper but a criminal.* He *had* tricked the princess out, but with no ill intent.

"Celeborn."

A regal elf woman glided forward from the ranks.

"Mother!" Luna flew into her arms.

"Your Majesty! I’ve apprehended the criminal who abducted the princess!" Celeborn pointed at Wenwu.

"That’s not true! Uncle Celeborn’s lying! He *saved* me! He’s no criminal—he was taking me out to play!" Luna defended him. Wenwu winced. *So much for clearing the kidnapping charge.*

The Elf Queen’s gaze followed Celeborn’s finger. The moment she saw Wenwu, her body visibly jolted.

"...You."