White wings sliced through the sky as Kaisha and Liang Bing flew without daring to pause. After traversing nearly half of the Angel Nebula, they finally sighted that familiar, beautiful planet—Planet Merlo.
As they landed, somewhat disheveled, outside the Lord's castle, the old Lord Hoffman was already there, waiting alone.
"Father!" Seeing the familiar figure, Liang Bing's tightly strung nerves finally snapped. She cried out, her voice a mix of grievance and lingering fear.
Kaisha did not lose her composure, but her tightly pursed lips and slightly reddened eyes betrayed the hardships and pressure of the past few days.
Lord Hoffman was elderly, his golden hair streaked with silver. His face was majestic, carrying an air of wisdom and stability. He stepped forward quickly, scrutinizing his two daughters. After confirming they had suffered no physical harm, he let out a sigh of relief, though his brow soon furrowed deeply.
"I have already heard rumors of what happened in the Royal City. Hua Ye... how dare he be so blatant!"
The three entered a secret room. Kaisha clearly recounted their experiences in the Royal City: Hua Ye's covetousness and pursuit, and finally, how they had obtained Chu Mo's help to escape.
Liang Bing supplemented the story, especially regarding the shift in Chu Mo's status and their ultimate decision to take a life-threatening gamble by asking him for help.
Lord Hoffman listened quietly. When he heard Chu Mo's name and his current position in the Royal City, a look of deep thought flashed in his eyes. When he heard that Kaisha had staked their lives on "intuition" and a brief conversation, his gaze toward his eldest daughter held a complex mix of admiration and worry. And when he heard of the "favor" Chu Mo claimed and the ingenious escape plan, he leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply.
"This Chu Mo... is not simple," Hoffman said slowly. "To climb to such a position beside a man like Hua Ye, gaining his trust to the point of being granted Second-Generation Angel Genes—that is not something achieved through mere flattery or cheap tricks. He must possess profound shrewdness and a hidden agenda."
"Father, do you think he helped us out of some kind of kindness? Or perhaps dissatisfaction with Hua Ye?" Kaisha asked.
"Kindness may exist, but it is certainly not his primary motivation." Hoffman's gaze was sharp. "His use of the term 'investment' is very accurate. He sees the potential in you sisters, the value of Planet Merlo, and he sees that Hua Ye's Heavenly Palace Order is neither a monolith nor a long-term solution."
"He is placing a bet—betting on the variables that may arise in the future and on the returns you might bring. This favor is heavy, but also dangerous. It means that one day, he may make a request we find unimaginable."
Liang Bing was somewhat indignant. "Then... haven't we just invited a big trouble?"
"It is both an opportunity and a shackle." Hoffman looked at his daughters. "But regardless, he saved your lives and brought you back to me from Hua Ye's clutches. Planet Merlo acknowledges this debt. As for the future... we shall see. The priority now is to strengthen Merlo's defenses. Hua Ye has lost face; he won't let this go. Overt and covert measures will come soon."
---
Sure enough, the day after Kaisha and Liang Bing returned to Merlo, furious roars nearly took the roof off Hua Ye's palace in the Royal City.
"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Hua Ye kicked over an exquisitely carved table, sending rare fruits and fine wine spilling everywhere.
His face was ashen, flames of rage dancing in his eyes. "Two female angels! Right here in my Royal City! So many elites searching for so long, and you couldn't even find a single hair! And now you tell me they've swaggered back to Merlo?"
Below, the generals and officials responsible for the pursuit were as silent as cicadas in winter, cold sweat pouring down their faces.
Su Mari stood behind Hua Ye, his expression equally grim. He bowed slightly. "Please calm your anger, my King. It was our incompetence. However, according to reports, the timing of Kaisha and Liang Bing's escape was very suspicious—it happened exactly when the city guards were relatively relaxed. Furthermore..."
"Furthermore what? Stop stuttering!" Hua Ye barked impatiently.
Su Mari glanced at a cold-faced male angel nearby with eyes as sharp as a hawk—Kunpeng, the captain of Hua Ye's guard.
Kunpeng took the hint, stepped forward, and knelt on one knee. His voice was flat and emotionless. "Reporting to the King: I have reviewed all entry and exit records of the Royal City around the time the sisters disappeared. During that window, only one convoy held a special permit to leave the city."
"Whose convoy?" Hua Ye narrowed his eyes.
Kunpeng looked up and spoke two words clearly: "Chu Mo."
The hall fell into a sudden silence, save for Hua Ye's heavy breathing. Numerous gazes, some overt and some hidden, turned toward the direction represented by that name. A strange atmosphere of suspicion permeated the air.
Su Mari added in a timely manner, his tone carrying a well-measured hesitation: "My King, the reason Chu Mo's convoy left the city was to fetch a gift prepared for you. The timing and the motive... seem a bit coincidental."
Just as the atmosphere of suspicion began to ferment and Hua Ye's anger turned into scrutiny, an attendant outside announced loudly:
"Lord Chu Mo seeks an audience with King Hua Ye to present a gift!"
The crowd was stunned. Hua Ye's brow twitched; his anger subsided slightly, replaced by a flicker of interest. "Let him in."
Chu Mo entered the hall calmly, followed by subordinates carrying several crates of varying sizes. He wore his usual respectful smile, appearing completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere. He first gave a deep bow. "Chu Mo pays respects to King Hua Ye!"
He then signaled his men to open the crates.
The smaller crates contained a dazzling array of rare treasures: crystals from unknown star regions emitting soft energy pulses, lifelike gemstone birds... each piece a perfect blend of art and value.
When the two largest crates were opened, they drew everyone's eyes—inside were several women with graceful figures and stunning beauty, but they clearly possessed traits of other races. They wore light, exotic clothing, their eyes filled with curiosity, shyness, or wild glints. Their beauty was entirely different from that of the Angel race, full of fresh and stimulating exoticism.
Hua Ye's gaze was instantly hooked. As his eyes landed on the exotic beauties, the corners of his mouth stretched into an uncontrollable grin. His previous rage seemed to wash away. "Old Chu, ah, Old Chu... you always know how to bring me surprises! These are..."
Chu Mo stepped forward with a smile, introducing them like prized possessions. "My King, I had my men travel to several remote star regions and spent a great deal of effort to find these. These sea crystals have a calming effect when worn. As for these beauties..." He lowered his voice with a knowing smirk, "They come from different galaxies and races, each with a unique flair. I guarantee the King will experience unprecedented pleasure."
Hua Ye was delighted. He walked down from his throne to inspect the treasures and beauties up close, nodding repeatedly. "Good! Good! Old Chu, you truly know my heart! You should be rewarded!"
At that moment, Su Mari's cold voice rang out again, breaking the harmony. "Manager Chu's gifts are indeed timely. However, before the King enjoys himself, shouldn't you explain the connection between your convoy last night and the escape of Kaisha and Liang Bing?"
The atmosphere froze again. All eyes focused on Chu Mo.
Chu Mo turned to Su Mari, a look of surprise on his face. "Where does this accusation come from, General Su? The convoy last night went out specifically to retrieve these gifts! To let the King enjoy them sooner, I urged them on day and night. I wouldn't dare delay."
He turned back to Hua Ye, his voice earnest. "The King is wise. My loyalty is as clear as the heavens and the earth! For General Su to doubt me so... could it be..." He paused intentionally, a look of "sudden realization" and "fear" crossing his face. "Could it be that I have been too proactive in serving the King recently and accidentally stole General Su's spotlight? How reckless of me! If that is the case, I apologize to General Su here and now!" With that, he bowed slightly toward Su Mari.
"You!" Su Mari turned pale with rage at this reversal. His feminine composure slipped as he took a step forward. "Chu Mo! Stop trying to confuse everyone! Why would I slander you out of jealousy? This involves the escape of major fugitives; we must get to the bottom of it!"
Chu Mo immediately acted frightened, shrinking toward Hua Ye's side and looking at him as if for protection. "King Hua Ye, look at General Su... I am purely loyal and only wish for the King's happiness. I truly don't know how I offended the General to earn such suspicion..."
"Enough!" Hua Ye finally spoke. He was currently holding the slender waist of an exotic beauty and interrupted the dispute impatiently. He glanced at Su Mari with dissatisfaction. "Su Mari, without solid evidence, how can you casually doubt Old Chu? He has done so much for me over the years; I know his loyalty. Your words might chill his heart."
Su Mari's chest heaved as he suppressed his fury. He bowed respectfully to Hua Ye, though his voice sounded like it was squeezed through his teeth. "Yes, my King. I... misspoke. But this matter is strange; I will... find the evidence."
Hua Ye waved him off, his attention already fully returned to the exotic women and treasures. "Fine, fine, go do your investigating. Old Chu, come, come... tell me more about these little beauties. What special talents do they have? Hahaha..."
Su Mari gave a frigid look to Chu Mo, who still wore an innocent smile, then turned and left the hall without another word.
---
A long while later, Chu Mo took his leave from the sounds of singing and decadence, stepping out of the noisy royal palace.
In the shadow of a pillar outside the hall, Su Mari was waiting like a cold statue.
Chu Mo stopped, his smile unchanged. "Is General Su waiting specifically for me? Do you have more advice?"
Su Mari turned slowly. His eyes, which usually held a feminine smile, were now cold as frost. "Chu Mo, I always thought that while you had no great ability, your mind was at least quick enough to judge the situation and please the King. But today..."
He took a step closer, his voice extremely low but carrying a bone-chilling coldness. "Your courage is much greater than I imagined! To dare secretly send off the people the King specifically named! Do you really think that by relying on these clever tricks and playthings, you can deceive the King forever?"
The smile on Chu Mo's face faded slightly, but his eyes remained calm, even carrying a hint of innocence. "General Su, I have already explained this clearly. I knew nothing of it; the convoy was simply executing the King's orders. If you insist it was me, then please, produce the evidence. Otherwise..." He straightened his back slightly. Though still shorter than Su Mari, his aura was not inferior. "Such baseless suspicion might not be good for your reputation, General."
"Evidence?" Su Mari sneered, a flash of killing intent passing through his eyes. "You think you did it perfectly? I have many eyes inside and outside the Royal City. Chu Mo, don't think that because you have the King's favor now, you can ignore me. When I find the evidence, I want to see if the King will still protect you!"
Chu Mo met Su Mari's threatening gaze and spoke slowly and clearly: "Then... I shall await you, General. I have a clear conscience. If you have real proof, I will accept the punishment. If not..." He paused, his tone turning cold, "Then please, General, stop this shadow-chasing that harms the harmony between colleagues. After all, we both serve King Hua Ye, don't we?"
Having said that, he ignored Su Mari's ashen face, nodded slightly, and turned to walk away. His pace was steady, his shadow stretching long under the palace lights.
Su Mari stood in place, watching Chu Mo disappear around the corner. His fists clenched so tightly his nails nearly bit into his palms. He whispered to himself, "Chu Mo, we'll see. The King's favor is like the clouds—here today, gone tomorrow. When you fall from the heights, I will show you the meaning of a true... price."
As Chu Mo walked out of the palace district, all expression vanished from his face, leaving only a bottomless calm and a sliver of icy sharpness.
Su Mari's suspicion and hostility were within his expectations—in fact, he had provoked them intentionally. Maintaining a surface peace with the most insidious viper by Hua Ye's side was no longer enough. Sometimes, an appropriate conflict and the appearance of "vying for favor" were a more effective cover.