She didn't know what the Overlord had done to her. All she knew was that her vision distorted in an instant, and the surroundings became a surreal, kaleidoscopic blur.
The scene was like countless film reels rapidly rewinding, with no discernible trajectory to follow.
The speed was so fast she could barely register anyone's appearance before they flashed past.
This phenomenon felt like it lasted an eternity, yet also like the blink of an eye.
The moment she blinked, the surrounding scenery suddenly vanished like a mirage.
Originally, she should have been by the banks of the Wu River, but now she found herself standing on a broad avenue.
Her pupils contracted slightly as she took in the sight before her: a vast square not far ahead, flanked by towering city walls and gates, with ancient soldiers armed with weapons standing guard and patrolling.
Through the open gates, she could see structures vastly different from those outside—a majestic complex of buildings, the palace of an emperor.
Brunhilde recognized this palace immediately.
"Xianyang Palace"—the imperial palace before her eyes, the very seat of power where The First Emperor held court.
But now was not the time to dwell on which era she had been transported to. There was something far more pressing.
To prevent Xiang Yu from detaining her, her gentle and beautiful younger sister had willingly stayed behind to become his captive. This thought alone filled Brunhilde with agitation.
"Randgriz?"
"Huh? Yes, sister!"
The immediate response to her flustered call startled Brunhilde, leaving her momentarily stunned.
Randgriz stood just behind her, wearing a similarly puzzled expression.
Was it an illusion?
Brunhilde stepped forward and embraced her, feeling the solid warmth of her sister's body.
"I wasn't left behind?"
Randgriz murmured in confusion.
Hadn't he said she would stay? Why had she been transported away as well?
Of course, Brunhilde was just as bewildered, but her expression quickly darkened as she sensed a mark within her own body.
When they were sent away, she thought she had seen Randgriz being struck as well.
"Randgriz, do you sense a mark inside you?"
"Huh? Let me check... Yes, I see it."
So, what was the purpose of this mark? A flicker of unease passed through Randgriz.
Could they remove it?
"It would be best not to erase this mark. It serves as your identification token for entering the Qin Empire in this era. Without it, you will be judged as enemies—and the consequences..."
The voice of the Overlord of Western Chu echoed in their minds.
Was he still observing them through some means? Communicating in real time?
No—this was a message left within the mark.
Just as the message cut off abruptly, the sisters were startled by a sudden anomaly.
Two streaks of golden light plummeted from the horizon straight into Xianyang City. Gods—were they deities of the East?
No, they seemed to be gods from the distant eastern islands.
In the next instant, the two newly arrived gods were attacked. Countless branches materialized from the void, coiling around them like vines before they could react, binding them instantly.
Then, right before their eyes, the two gods visibly aged at an alarming rate—their divine power and life force being drained away.
They struggled desperately, but to no avail. In the blink of an eye, they were dragged into the void and vanished.
"The consequences would be like this."
The interrupted message now resumed.
In other words, if the sisters lacked this identification mark, they too would be instantly assaulted by those eerie branches?
As they were pulled into the void, the two faintly glimpsed an enormous, towering tree.
"Sister, that was..."
"It looked like Yggdrasil."
Though they had only caught a fleeting glimpse, the sight left the Valkyrie sisters deeply shaken.
For a moment, it almost felt as though they were standing before the World Tree itself.
And so, they were left with another question: Was this strange, mystical giant tree guarding Xianyang?
That was definitely not something a human could possess. Was this the protection of a deity from the Eastern Immortal Realm?
Brunhilde knew that during this period, the gods of the Eastern Immortal Realm and other mythological pantheons were in a state of mutual isolation. Any deity from another mythology who trespassed would be met with ruthless retaliation. She hadn't expected it to be true.
Which brought her back to a question: Didn't Xiang Yu say he wanted to keep Randgriz?
Perhaps it was purely to tease the two sisters. That bastard of a man!!!
"That bastard!"
Brunhilde couldn't help but curse under her breath.
Seeing this, Randgriz was momentarily stunned before she roughly understood why her sister was cursing. A faint smile couldn't help but tug at her lips.
Randgriz also believed that Lord Xiang Yu had merely been toying with the two sisters and hadn't actually done anything to them.
Now, recalling how he had said he wanted her to become his Yu Meiren, her chest gave a slight, involuntary flutter.
Soon, however, the sisters composed themselves and focused on their surroundings. The city of Xianyang was now filled with an atmosphere of solemnity and excitement.
The main avenue outside the imperial palace should have been bustling with vendors hawking their wares and stalls open for business, but today, it seemed as if all commerce had come to a halt.
So, one might assume the avenue would be quieter today?
On the contrary, both sides of the avenue were now packed with crowds. Countless citizens cast fervent gazes toward the Xianyang Palace.
"Sister, the ground—"
"The ground?"
Randgriz suddenly looked down in surprise, signaling her sister to do the same. What was happening with the ground?
Brunhilde glanced down. The avenue was paved with stone slabs—nothing unusual—
Wait, no. Brunhilde noticed something. The stone slabs paving this avenue were unnaturally precise.
If this were a modern construction, it wouldn't be strange. But the problem was, this avenue had been paved over two thousand years ago. That was utterly baffling.
Looking closely, each slab was nearly identical in size, as if they had been cut and polished with modern tools.
A closer inspection of the walls of Xianyang Palace revealed the same astonishing precision in their construction.
Suddenly, the clamor of the crowd quieted slightly. The reason? A procession of black-armored soldiers emerged from the gates of Xianyang Palace.
Each soldier exuded an aura of killing intent as they marched forward in perfect, powerful unison.
Between them, a lavish carriage came into view, flanked by the black-armored guards. Seated atop it was a figure clad in an ornate black robe embroidered with gold.
This figure radiated an overwhelming presence, one that made it impossible to meet his gaze directly.
There was no mistaking it—this was the ruler of the Great Qin Dynasty, the First Emperor, Ying Zheng.
As if sensing the sisters' stares, the First Emperor's gaze swept toward them. His eyes seemed to carry a tangible weight of murderous intent.
In that moment, the sisters froze like rabbits caught in the sight of a predator, not daring to move a muscle.
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