The dawn light had just begun to seep through the clouds when the kitchen of "Youyi Village" was already bustling with activity. The ingredient delivery guy skillfully unloaded the freshest vegetables and fruits from the interstellar transport, joking with the kitchen apprentices.
No one noticed a thin piece of paper, mixed in with the green vegetable leaves, quietly falling onto the preparation table.
The kitchen foreman was an old angel who had followed Chu Mo since the early days. When he saw the paper, his pupils constricted. He remained calm, pretending to organize the ingredients, and tucked the paper into his sleeve. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued directing the work.
Half an hour later, this piece of paper was placed on Chu Mo's desk.
Chu Mo had just finished his morning exercises. The air currents in his fingertips had become even more condensed, almost taking on a faint azure hue. He picked up the paper and looked at the line of writing.
"I hope we too can have a beautiful tomorrow—just like the people of your hometown."
His fingers suddenly stiffened.
The handwriting was elegant and powerful, clearly written in a hurry but still maintaining a noble bearing. More importantly, the words "your hometown" were like a sharp knife, stabbing straight into the deepest part of his heart.
Blue Star.
His hometown that could never be returned to.
Chu Mo stared at the paper for a long time, his thoughts churning. Who knew about his origins? Who would use such a phrase to test him?
The answer was almost ready to surface.
In this Royal City, the only ones who had heard him talk about his "hometown" were Su Mari at the banquet that day... and those two sisters at the first meal.
Kaisha. Liang Bing.
Chu Mo took a deep breath, a trace of complexity flashing in his eyes. These two had really gambled big. At this moment, Hua Ye's men were combing the entire city for them. Anyone who dared to harbor them would be charged with treason and have their entire family executed.
He carefully looked at the paper again, looking for more information. There was nothing else on it, no address, no name. But that only made it clearer: they wanted him to take the initiative to find them, or to wait for further contact.
Chu Mo was silent for a moment, then his palm heated up, instantly reducing the paper to ashes.
He walked to the window and looked out at the gradually awakening Royal City. In the distance, the spire of the palace gleamed golden under the morning sun, magnificent and majestic. But beneath that glory, how many unspeakable dark corners were hidden?
"Are you asking me to choose?" he murmured to himself.
To help, or not to help?
Helping would mean going against Hua Ye, putting his life on the line. Not helping would mean maintaining the status quo, continuing to play the role of the loyal "hound," waiting for the Second-Generation Gene, waiting for greater power.
From a purely rational perspective, the choice was obvious. He had no obligation to take risks for two strangers, no matter how noble or pitiful their circumstances.
But...
Chu Mo thought of Kaisha's eyes. When they met that day, there was no greed or possessiveness in her gaze—just a pure appreciation. In this increasingly distorted Royal City, such clarity was as precious as morning dew.
He thought of Liang Bing's free and uninhibited demeanor, despite all her wariness toward him, still maintaining the vitality unique to youth.
He also thought of those female angels in the "Immortal Palace," now dressed in Qipaos, maintaining their dignity through their work. But who knew how many of them, in the dead of night, would secretly weep for their lost freedom?
Chu Mo closed his eyes.
On Blue Star, he was an ordinary person, living an ordinary life, never having experienced true darkness. After crossing over to this world, he had seen too much: the fallen dignity of the female angels, the madness of those in power, the rampant distortion of desire.
Was this what he wanted?
No.
He wanted to survive, wanted power, but he never wanted to become a monster like Hua Ye.
Opening his eyes, a trace of determination flashed in Chu Mo's gaze.
"Knock, knock, knock." A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Su Mari walked in. He looked at Chu Mo, a hint of meaning in his eyes, "Chu Mo, you look like you have something on your mind."
Chu Mo's expression returned to calm as he smiled slightly, "Lord Su Mari is observant. I was just thinking about the expansion plan for the 'Immortal Palace' and some headaches."
Su Mari walked to the desk and sat down, "Expansion? His Majesty has given you so many privileges, and you're still not satisfied?"
"The more His Majesty favors me, the more I have to do things beautifully and not let His Majesty down." Chu Mo's tone was respectful but not fawning.
Su Mari stared at him for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject, "I heard that Kaisha and Liang Bing still haven't been caught."
Chu Mo's heart tightened, but his face remained unchanged, "Those two traitors deserve to be caught and punished."
"Traitors?" Su Mari laughed softly, "In the eyes of the old royal family, we are the traitors." He stood up and walked to the window, "Chu Mo, do you know why I'm telling you this?"
"Please enlighten me, Lord Su Mari."
"Because I've been thinking, if you were them, where would you hide?" Su Mari turned to look at Chu Mo, his gaze sharp, "The busiest places are the safest. For example... the 'Immortal Palace.'"
Chu Mo's brows furrowed slightly, "Lord Su Mari, are you suggesting that I search the 'Immortal Palace'?"
"No." Su Mari shook his head, "I'm just reminding you that His Majesty is very concerned about this matter. If anyone dares to harbor them..." He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.
After Su Mari left, Chu Mo stood by the window for a long time.
This was a warning. Or perhaps a test. Su Mari was telling him: I'm watching you.
But that only strengthened Chu Mo's determination.
If Su Mari already suspected him, then being careful was useless. What he needed was to move faster than Su Mari.
He turned and walked to a bookshelf, pressed a mechanism, and a hidden compartment opened. Inside lay a stack of materials—information on the key figures in the Royal City that he had collected over time, including Beili's, Su Mari's, and even some of Hua Ye's secrets.
He pulled out a blank piece of paper and quickly wrote a few lines.
"At the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), the east gate, the fifth warehouse."
Then, he summoned his most trusted confidant.
"Deliver this to the designated location. Remember, no matter who asks, you know nothing."
The confidant took the paper and left without a word.
Chu Mo sat back in his chair, closing his eyes to rest. The gamble had begun.
---
At the hour of Shen, the east gate, the fifth warehouse.
This was a warehouse owned by Chu Mo, usually used to store some bulk goods, remote and sparsely populated.
Liang Bing, disguised as a porter, cautiously approached the warehouse. She circled around several times to confirm no one was following before gently pushing the door open and slipping inside.
The warehouse was piled high with goods, the air filled with the smell of dust. She moved forward carefully, her right hand gripping a hidden dagger, ready to flee or fight at any moment.
"Over here."
A low voice came from the depths of the warehouse. Liang Bing's body tensed, then she followed the sound.
In the innermost part of the warehouse, behind a pile of goods, stood a man in a black cloak. He slowly turned around, revealing a familiar face.
Chu Mo.
Liang Bing breathed a sigh of relief, but remained alert, "You came alone?"
"Isn't that enough?" Chu Mo looked at her, a trace of a smile at the corner of his mouth, "Where's your sister?"
"Somewhere safe." Liang Bing didn't completely trust him, "First, you have to prove that you're not here to catch us."
Chu Mo didn't get angry. He just reached into his arms and pulled out a jade slip, tossing it to Liang Bing. "Inside is a detailed map of the city's patrol routes and checkpoints for the next three days, along with a transport manifest. Three days later, there will be a cargo ship heading to the Merlo Star Region. You two can disguise themselves as porters and blend in."
Liang Bing caught the jade slip, her face full of surprise, "You... you're really willing to help us?"
"Consider it repaying a favor." Chu Mo's tone was calm, "That meal you two had at my place, it was the first time I saw customers who truly appreciated the food. Plus..." He paused, "I owe your sister an answer."
Liang Bing was silent for a moment, then suddenly bowed deeply to Chu Mo, "Thank you. I... I misjudged you before, I'm sorry."
Chu Mo waved his hand, "Don't be too happy yet. Getting out of the city is only the first step. After leaving the city, you'll have to get through the starport security check, and after that, you'll have to dodge Hua Ye's pursuit along the way. Whether you can make it back to Merlo depends on your own abilities."
"I understand." Liang Bing straightened up, her eyes determined, "This kindness, my sister and I will remember it. If there's a chance in the future, we will definitely repay you."
"Just go." Chu Mo turned to leave, then stopped, "Oh, and tell your sister—her eyes are indeed very beautiful. I hope they always stay that clear."
After saying this, his figure disappeared into the shadows of the warehouse.
Liang Bing stood still for a long time, then carefully tucked away the jade slip and quietly left the warehouse.
---
That night, in the abandoned shack.
Kaisha held the jade slip, her divine sense probing inside, her expression gradually becoming complicated.
"He really helped us," Liang Bing sat beside her, her tone still tinged with disbelief, "Sister, you were right. He's different."
Kaisha put down the jade slip, her gaze thoughtful, "He said he owes me an answer?"
"Yeah." Liang Bing nodded, then remembered something, "Oh, and he also said your eyes are very beautiful. He hopes they always stay that clear."
Kaisha was momentarily stunned, then a faint, barely noticeable smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, "Interesting."
"Sister, can we really trust him?" Liang Bing still had some concerns, "What if this is a trap?"
"If it were a trap, he wouldn't have come alone, and he wouldn't have given such detailed information." Kaisha analyzed calmly, "Besides, with his current status, if he wanted to catch us, he could just tip off Su Mari. There's no need to go to all this trouble."
Liang Bing thought about it and felt it made sense. She breathed a sigh of relief, then her expression became complicated, "I still can't believe it. He's so trusted by Hua Ye, why would he take such a big risk to help us?"
Kaisha was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Maybe... he sees in us what he once had but lost."
"What do you mean?"
"Freedom. Dignity. A clear tomorrow." Kaisha looked up at the night sky outside the window, "Hua Ye gave him power and wealth, but took away the most precious things. He helps us, perhaps to prove to himself that he hasn't completely become a monster."
Liang Bing listened quietly, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
At that moment, in his secret office at the "Immortal Palace," Chu Mo stood by the window, looking at the starry sky in the same direction.
He had helped Kaisha and Liang Bing, not out of pure kindness, nor merely out of sympathy. There was calculation, too.
If they successfully escaped back to Merlo, they would become leaders of the opposition to Hua Ye. And he, Chu Mo, would have a crucial connection within the enemy camp.
If they failed and were caught, with the caution he had shown, it would be difficult to trace the clues back to him. At most, it would raise Su Mari's suspicions, but without solid evidence.
Either way, this was an investment. An investment in the future.
But deep down, he knew there was another, simpler reason.
He just didn't want to see that clarity in Kaisha's eyes be extinguished by this darkness.
---
Three days later, at the Royal City Starport.
Two figures disguised as porters, carrying heavy cargo boxes, slowly walked toward the transport ship's gangway.
Liang Bing's heart was pounding, her palm sweating. She glanced at Kaisha beside her, who remained calm, her gaze steady.
"Boarding pass." A guard stopped them.
Kaisha calmly handed over the documents. The guard glanced at them, then at their faces, and waved his hand, "Go ahead."
The two suppressed the urge to breathe a sigh of relief and continued walking forward steadily.
Just as they were about to step onto the gangway—
"Wait a moment."
A cold voice came from behind. The two froze, then slowly turned around.
Su Mari stood not far away, looking at them with a half-smile.