The flying vehicle stopped in front of an enormous villa.
Lian Qiguang looked through the window at the estate stretching beyond sight, and his first thought was—
If zombies ever came, this would actually be a pretty good place to hide.
“Young Master Lian, please.”
An Yi got out first and politely opened the door.
Lian Qiguang stepped out, expressionless, and followed An Yi and the group of muscular men toward the main gate.
An Yi placed his hand on a control panel. A red scan light swept over him, and an old man’s projection appeared in midair.
“Steward Qi, we’re back,” An Yi said respectfully.
“Ah, Xiao An,” the elderly man replied kindly. “Come in.”
The gate slowly slid open.
“Young Master Lian, this way.”
Inside, the courtyard was vast and immaculate—white stone paths, flowing fountains, lush flowerbeds, and several robots trimming the hedges.
Red flowers swayed in the wind, their yellow-brown stamens gently moving.
Beautiful—but Lian Qiguang noticed something immediately.
A tiny insect, barely the size of a fingernail, flew past a flower… and in an instant, a stamen snapped out like lightning, caught it, and swallowed it whole.
He paused briefly, then looked away.
After crossing the courtyard, they reached the villa entrance.
An elderly man in a black suit stood there with a line of robots behind him.
“Steward Qi, we’ve brought Young Master Lian,” An Yi said.
“Good work,” Steward Qi replied warmly, then looked at Lian Qiguang and bowed slightly.
“Madam, hello. I am the Xiahou family’s steward. My surname is Qi.”
Lian Qiguang’s gaze shifted from the flowers to him.
He stared for a moment.
Then slowly reached out—
and grabbed Steward Qi’s face.
He squeezed and pulled.
Everyone froze.
After a moment, he let go and tilted his head.
“…Not a robot.”
An Yi’s mouth twitched.
“Young Master Lian… Steward Qi is human.”
“But our family’s steward is a robot.”
“…Can that even be compared?!” the group silently screamed.
“Does Madam have any other concerns?” Steward Qi asked calmly, still smiling.
“No.”
Although still confused, Lian Qiguang nodded.
The men behind him stared.
So cute.
Such a soft-looking boy… paired with their rough boss… what a pity.
“Madam, this way please.”
Steward Qi led him inside.
But the moment Lian Qiguang stepped through the entrance—
A figure suddenly lunged at him.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
He moved.
Kick.
A clean arc.
Thud!!
The figure flew through the air and slammed into the ground, twitching twice before going still.
Silence.
“……”
Everyone froze.
Lian Qiguang calmly retracted his leg and adjusted his collar.
“He attacked first. I acted in self-defense.”
Steward Qi’s eyebrow twitched violently, but he maintained his smile.
“I apologize, Madam. That was my oversight. Weapons are not allowed inside the villa.”
He glanced at the Tang blade.
Lian Qiguang paused.
Then took a step back outside the gate.
He hugged his blade.
Expressionless.
“My blade never leaves my body.”
“……”
Steward Qi went silent.
“Blade stays, person stays. Blade leaves, all of you leave.”
Clack.
He unsheathed it two centimeters.
A cold, blood-like killing aura spread instantly.
The guards stiffened.
An Yi narrowed his eyes.
Too much killing intent.
This wasn’t something normal training could produce.
Steward Qi forced his smile.
“Madam, you misunderstand. We don’t intend to take your weapon. It’s just the Xiahou family rule.”
Lian Qiguang turned around and walked away.
Under everyone’s complicated stares, he sat cross-legged on the steps outside.
“I’ll stay here. You go in.”
“…Young Master Lian,” An Yi sighed and walked over.
“In battle, would you abandon your gun?” Lian Qiguang asked flatly.
An Yi paused.
“This is my life. I won’t hand it to anyone except myself.”
“This isn’t a battlefield.”
“For me it is.”
His tone was calm, but absolute.
Every moment… is a battlefield.
An Yi stared at him.
For a brief instant, he felt something behind those eyes—
not calmness,
but something far older.
Something that had seen death too many times.
Steward Qi stepped forward again.
“Madam,” he said, checking his device.
“The family head has given new instructions. You may carry your… weapon of life.”
“But it must be stored in a spatial device.”
Lian Qiguang looked up.
Expressionless.
“…What is a spatial device?”
“……”
Silence.
“……”
Everyone went silent again.
——Scene break——
Inside a study room.
An elderly man in a black military uniform watched the surveillance feed.
“Shaoxuan, your fiancée is interesting.”
In the corner, a massive man sat on the sofa.
Over two meters tall.
Muscular build beneath a thin black military shirt.
Sharp buzz cut.
Cold, wolf-like eyes fixed on the screen.
He looked like a beast ready to strike.
Xiahou Shaoxuan.
The same man who had once led the Blood Wolf Corps into pirate strongholds.
“Are you really planning to cancel the engagement tonight?” the old man asked, half amused, half sharp.
“……”
Silence.
“Shaoxuan,” the old man continued, “if you cancel it, you’re not only ruining that child—you’re also putting me in an unjust position.”
“I…” Xiahou Shaoxuan finally spoke lowly.
“…I’ll consider it.”
His gaze stayed on the screen.
On the slightly dazed boy.
For the first time, something unfamiliar stirred in his eyes.