“Xiaoguang, tell me honestly. Are you really willing to do this?” Looking at Lian Qiguang, who was curled up cross-legged on the bed and still playing his game without a care in the world, Lian Yucheng was still somewhat unwilling to accept it.
“Mm.” Lian Qiguang nodded, then thought about it again. He put down the computer in his hands and looked up at Lian Yucheng. “Do you like children too?”
“What?” For a moment, Lian Yucheng could not keep up with Lian Qiguang’s sudden change of subject.
“If you like children too, I’ll give one to you after I give birth.” Lian Qiguang picked up the computer and started another game. “There are two anyway.”
“……” Lian Yucheng.
“I told Shaoxuan.” Seemingly noticing that Lian Yucheng was in a bad mood, Lian Qiguang turned off the computer and stuffed it beneath the pillow. “After some more time, when my body gets better, he’ll come back to live in District Three with me.”
“Go back to District Three?” Lian Yucheng was somewhat surprised.
“Mm.” Lian Qiguang nodded expressionlessly. “I don’t like it here. I want to go back to District Three.”
“Okay, I’ll prepare a room for you.” Lian Yucheng curled his lips in pleasure.
“No need. Shaoxuan said you live with Sister-in-law, so it wouldn’t be convenient for us to live together. We’re planning to buy a new house.”
“Who is your sister-in-law?” Lian Yucheng frowned and gave a light snort, a trace of unnaturalness flashing through his eyes.
Lian Qiguang looked at Lian Yucheng strangely. Wasn’t he together with Long Ying? Then why wouldn’t he admit it?
“Right.” As though he had thought of something, Lian Qiguang’s brows furrowed. “When you go back, bring that pig home. Also, I told Shaoxuan. He’ll send people to renovate the house from top to bottom, and he’ll also add a Level One defense system to it.”
A Level One defense system?
Lian Yucheng was somewhat astonished. Although he was a businessman, he knew that Level One defense systems were supposedly only installed in military districts and could withstand attacks at the Imperial level.
Lian Yucheng wasn’t stupid. In fact, he was extremely intelligent. He knew that Lian Qiguang never joked about such things. Since that was the case, something must have happened.
“What is it? What happened?”
Lian Qiguang glanced around. His voice slowed.
“It’s complicated. I can’t explain it in just a few words. In short, you have to listen to me. Once the house has been renovated and rebuilt, bring that pig home. Don’t go out casually anymore. Slow down your work as well. If there’s really something urgent that you absolutely have to go out for, you must make sure Long Ying stays by your side without leaving you for even a step.”
“……”
Seeing Lian Qiguang’s rare seriousness, Lian Yucheng’s heart sank.
He understood that Lian Qiguang must have some source of information. If Lian Qiguang could become this nervous, then this matter was certainly classified as a top-level secret. Since Lian Qiguang was telling him about it, the coming incident would affect Blue Star as a whole and might even threaten his own life.
“I understand.” Lian Yucheng nodded heavily. “You need to be careful too. If District Three really becomes unsafe, stay in District One. Don’t go back.”
“I’m fine.” Lian Qiguang silently shook his head. “Once disaster breaks out, it doesn’t matter where you hide.”
Sensing the atmosphere becoming noticeably oppressive, Lian Yucheng silently patted Lian Qiguang’s hand.
Inside the study, Xiahou Zhong looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan, who was standing ramrod straight, and snorted unhappily before throwing the documents in his hand over.
“The substitute commander appointed to go to Bu Luo Star was beaten half to death and thrown back by those stinking brats under your command. And they even had the nerve to say that if anyone wants to become their commander, they should first knock down their Blood Fiend Wolves. What the hell do they think they’re doing? Mutiny?!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan caught the documents and casually flipped through a few pages before calmly setting them aside.
“Why is the marshal telling me this? I’ve already taken off my military uniform.”
“You…” Xiahou Zhong was momentarily speechless. He glared angrily at Xiahou Shaoxuan. “What? You really intend to wash your hands of everything?”
“Reporting!” Xiahou Shaoxuan suddenly stood straight, his voice righteous and firm. “Rationality must take precedence over emotion. Objectively speaking, I am no longer qualified to serve.”
“If I tell you to return to Bu Luo Star and serve as its commander, and that this is an order, will you obey, soldier?!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan paused slightly, lowering his eyes to look at Xiahou Zhong.
“Grandpa, do you think I can possibly leave Xiaoguang right now?”
“……” Xiahou Zhong.
“Xiaoguang isn’t merely pregnant. There are also the 103 corpses that disappeared from the museum, as well as the person who has been hiding in the shadows all this time. Grandpa, war is on the verge of breaking out. Xiaoguang needs someone to watch over him right now.”
“So you’ve decided to abandon Bu Luo Star?”
“It’s not abandonment. If war breaks out, Blue Star will be the main battlefield.”
Looking at Xiahou Shaoxuan’s solemn face, Xiahou Zhong remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.
“Looks like you’ve made up your mind not to obey orders?”
“Reporting to the marshal, I am no longer a military officer. I am now an ordinary resident of Bu Luo Star. I can choose to refuse the government’s orders.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan stood ramrod straight, his voice cold and hard.
Xiahou Zhong put down the documents in his hand. After pondering for a moment, he looked up at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“I’ve intercepted the disciplinary action against the Blood Fiend Wolves. Next, the government will send a new commander to Bu Luo Star, but only as a replacement.”
“So?” Understanding Xiahou Zhong’s meaning, Xiahou Shaoxuan raised an eyebrow.
“Tell those stinking brats under you that they aren’t allowed to beat anyone up again.” Xiahou Zhong thought for a moment, then the corners of his lips curled into a meaningful smile. “I’ve applied for a year’s leave for you. Spend some quality time with Xiaoguang.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze and was about to speak, but Xiahou Zhong raised a hand to stop him.
“You’re an exceptionally outstanding commander. Blue Star needs you, and the government absolutely won’t truly abandon you. Besides, your supernatural ability has already reached the Imperial level. As long as you don’t blow up the Blue Star military’s main base and the government’s headquarters, I believe they’ll do everything they can to protect you. Of course…”
Xiahou Zhong’s face darkened.
“If you really dare to do something outrageous, I’ll chop you up myself first.”
“Yes!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan stopped, then gave a perfectly straight military salute.
Lian Yucheng gave Lian Qiguang some instructions about what he needed to be careful of and was unwilling to stay any longer. After bidding farewell to Xiahou Zhong, he prepared to leave.
Lian Qiguang tried to get up and see him off, but Lian Yucheng stopped him, telling him to rest properly and that he would come visit again when he had time.
Lian Yucheng left the Xiahou residence together with Long Ying. Seeing Xiahou Shaoxuan behind them seeing them off, Lian Yucheng kept a cold expression and couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him.
Noticing Lian Yucheng’s dislike, Xiahou Shaoxuan spoke.
“If you want to beat me up right now, I guarantee I won’t fight back.”
Lian Yucheng glanced at Xiahou Shaoxuan and snorted.
“Not fighting back? And then turning around and going to Xiaolian to complain to Xiaoguang?”
“……”
Xiahou Shaoxuan fell silent.
Was he really that kind of person?
Lian Yucheng boarded the aircraft. Before leaving, he glared at Xiahou Shaoxuan and threatened him.
“Xiahou Shaoxuan, if you dare do anything bastard-like to Xiaoguang again, I’ll chop you into pieces and feed you to the flowers!!”
Watching the aircraft fly away, Xiahou Shaoxuan remained silent for a long while before decisively turning around and leaving.
As for whatever Lian Yucheng had just said, he declared that he hadn’t heard a single word.
Inside an ornate, antique-style room, a beautiful man dressed in a loose Tang-style robe lazily leaned against a soft couch. Three thousand strands of black hair cascaded behind him, and his skin was as pale as paper, without the slightest trace of color.
His red lips were slightly pursed, enchanting and sinister as though stained with blood. His eyes were slightly closed, as if he had already fallen asleep.
Suddenly, the tightly closed door opened.
Qiu Limò walked in wearing a black coat, carrying a tray in his hands. He slowly approached the man, his footsteps light, as though afraid of waking him.
Qiu Limò stopped three steps away from the man. Looking at his pale, bloodless profile, a flicker passed through his eyes.
“Father, please have your meal.”
The man, who had seemed to be asleep, suddenly trembled his eyelashes and slowly opened his eyes.
A pair of strange, scarlet blood-red eyes was revealed. There wasn’t the slightest trace of warmth in them. Their coldness was terrifying.
The man straightened up and looked at the tray in Qiu Limò’s hands.
A bowl of blood still giving off warmth, and a plate of crystal-clear crystal cores.
The man extended a slender, delicate hand into the tray and pinched up a transparent crystal core.
His blood-red eyes narrowed slightly.
“A fifth-level crystal core?”
“It belongs to Zuo Jing.” Seeing the man’s displeasure, Qiu Limò spoke. “All of his blood has already been drained. The crystal core could only be cultivated to this level.”
The man gave a light snort and put the crystal core into his mouth.
A crystal core that should have been indestructibly hard was as easy to chew in the man’s mouth as candy.
“Since he had the intention of harming my teacher, he should have been prepared for what happened today.”
The man reached out and picked up another golden crystal core, idly playing with it in his hand.
“How are the preparations going?”
“Only waiting for Father’s order.”
“Heh…”
The man chuckled softly.
Suddenly, a sharpness flashed through his eyes. He grabbed Qiu Limò by the collar and pressed him down onto the bed.
The tray in Qiu Limò’s hands was knocked over. The crimson blood in the bowl slowly spread across the white bedsheets beneath them.
The man’s three thousand strands of black hair fell loose. His brows lifted slightly, and his blood-red eyes stared intently at Qiu Limò’s expressionless face.
Enchanting, yet dangerous.
It seemed Qiu Limò had long since grown accustomed to this. Facing the man’s body pressing down on him, he silently returned his gaze.
The man’s fingertips gently traced across Qiu Limò’s brows and eyes.
Their skin touched, cold enough to pierce to the bone.
“Even your eyes look so much like his.”
The man looked into Qiu Limò’s eyes and murmured softly.
Qiu Limò naturally knew what the man meant by “look like him.” His black eyes remained cold and indifferent, his expression calm, but his heart was filled with pain and bitterness.
The man slowly lowered his body. His red lips brushed over every part of Qiu Limò’s features, yet never actually landed.
After a long while, the man lowered himself completely, his cold body tightly embracing Qiu Limò as he buried his face against Qiu Limò’s neck.
His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of madness.
“Teacher, since you cannot live for me, then die for me.”
“But, Teacher, don’t be afraid. Because I will accompany you. I will accompany you forever, even if we are in Hell.”
…………