Hearing the voice, Tina snapped out of her daze.
"Cecilia, don't misunderstand, it's not what you think!"
Tina desperately tried to shake off Ye Ming's hand, but found that no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.
The other person's grip was like a crab's claw, holding her tightly.
At this moment, Tina was truly speechless.
"Tina, you still call it a misunderstanding!"
Seeing this, a hint of imperceptible malice flashed in Cecilia's eyes. She shouted angrily, "I never expected this! Tina! You always pretend to be a pure and chaste maiden, yet you sneak men into the sacred Temple of Destiny behind our backs! How dare you!"
Although Cecilia appeared furious on the surface, her heart was blooming with joy.
Ever since the Wisdom God King decreed that he would personally select the Handmaidens of the Gods, many had sensed something unusual.
Since they were called "Handmaidens of the Gods," who would be the deity they were meant to serve?
The answer was self-evident!
In the Temple of Destiny, there was only one being who could be called a god, and that was the long-vanished—the God Lord.
Upon realizing this, everyone went mad.
Especially those factions and families eager to curry favor with the Temple of Destiny could not let go of this exceptional opportunity.
Therefore, after the news of selecting "Handmaidens of the Gods" was released, young girls representing various forces were sent to the Temple of Destiny.
They were to be personally chosen by the Wisdom God King.
Ultimately, from among thousands of beautiful and radiant maidens, each showcasing their unique charm, only one hundred were selected.
Thus, these one hundred maidens became the "Handmaidens of the Gods."
But recently, Cecilia had received news.
The Wisdom God King would select five more maidens from these hundred to be promoted to "Goddesses." It was rumored that these five Goddesses would henceforth be directly responsible for the God Lord's daily life.
What did this mean?
No one could possibly not know.
Therefore, among the one hundred Handmaidens, a silent competition had already erupted.
And under Cecilia's discreet observation, she had essentially determined that four of them would directly be promoted to "Goddesses."
Two of these maidens hailed from two other powerful factions that were on par with the Temple of Destiny. With such backing, their becoming "Goddesses" was virtually a foregone conclusion.
Another maiden had grown up alongside the Wisdom God King since childhood. No one would be surprised if she was promoted to "Goddess."
In addition, there was one maiden who seemed to possess a very special physique. During the selection of the Handmaidens, the Wisdom God King had appeared extremely excited.
Therefore, the maiden with the special physique could basically secure a spot as a "Goddess."
Now, it seemed, only one spot remained for promotion to "Goddess."
One could imagine how fierce the competition would be for this single spot.
Cecilia looked at the flustered Tina and sneered inwardly, "I had originally planned to create an 'accident' for you. Now it seems it won't be necessary!"
To Cecilia, Tina was one of her most formidable competitors.
This was not for any other reason than the fact that Tina's devout piety towards the gods had once been praised by the Wisdom God King.
Because of this single commendation, Tina had already been ostracized by many in this competitive group.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be cleaning alone in the Temple of Destiny today.
Hearing Cecilia's words, Tina's face turned pale, despair in her eyes.
Now that she was emerging from the Temple of Destiny holding hands with a strange man, no matter how she proved her innocence, no one would believe her.
"I told you, it's alright!"
Ye Ming still held Tina's hand, his voice gentle as he reassured her, "The gods will see your devout heart."
"R-really?"
Held by the young man beside her, Tina felt a warmth she had never experienced before. Wrapped in this warmth, it seemed all her gloom would be dispelled.
"Of course!"
Ye Ming stroked her head, smiling kindly.
"I..."
Tina dared not meet Ye Ming's eyes. Her previously pale delicate face was now tinged with a few blushes.
It was quite lovely.
"You... you two..."
Cecilia pointed at them, her chest heaving with anger.
The intimate actions of the two at this moment were, in her eyes, undeniably displaying affection and flaunting their relationship.
"This is outrageous!"
Cecilia pointed at Ye Ming and shouted, "Not only have you desecrated a Handmaiden of the Gods, but you have also trespassed into the Temple of Destiny. You're finished, the Enforcement Team will never let you go!"
Ye Ming chuckled wickedly at her words. "Oh? Is that so?"
He pulled Tina behind him, faced Cecilia, and said, "Actually, you've been monitoring Tina all along, haven't you?"
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Cecilia's heart skipped a beat.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Cecilia's gaze darted away, avoiding Ye Ming's eyes.
"Although I don't know your purpose in monitoring Tina, your reaction just now suggests I've hit a nerve!"
Ye Ming lifted Cecilia's chin, looking directly into her eyes.
When Cecilia saw those eyes, as deep as stars, her body trembled. "You... you bastard, let go of me! I am a Handmaiden of the Gods. If you dare to disrespect me, the entire Temple of Destiny will not let you go."
"Disrespect you? Heh! You're not worthy!"
Ye Ming flicked his hand, sending Cecilia crashing to the ground.
Just then, a string of footsteps echoed from not far away.
Ye Ming looked over and saw a group of guards, dressed in identical white uniforms with six-pointed star patterns on their chests, rushing towards them.
"It's... it's the Enforcement Team!"
Tina, behind Ye Ming, stammered.
Seeing this, Cecilia quickly got up from the ground and rushed towards the group, shouting, "Captain Falsi, you've finally arrived! Please, uphold justice for me!"
At the forefront of the Enforcement Team was a middle-aged man in his early thirties. His attire differed slightly from the other enforcement officers.
Moreover, behind him hung a majestic cape.
This man was Falsi, one of the captains of the Temple of Destiny's Enforcement Team.
He was also one of the ten Enforcement God Guards under the command of the Enforcement God King.
Seeing Cecilia approach, Falsi quickly supported her. When he noticed her disheveled state, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"Don't worry, I will definitely uphold justice for you!"
Seeing the two of them, Ye Ming's lips curved into a meaningful smile.
Now he finally understood.
Why had Tina cried out for so long in the Temple of Destiny without anyone responding?
Why did he and Tina run into Cecilia the moment they left the Temple of Destiny?
Why had the Enforcement Team arrived so quickly?
It turned out that all of this had been deliberately orchestrated.