"Ahem..."
Chang Ye Yu Huo's mind raced. "This matter," he said, "is a long story, and there might be some misunderstandings. I recall back then... it seemed like one of our guild's youngsters had a bit of a spat with Mo Chen Xue, and it festered, eventually leading to this whole mess. But... White-Clad Alliance Leader, please rest assured, I, Chang Ye Yu Huo, have it under control."
After all, while the Crimson Moon Knights weren't the top guild in Heavenly Machine City, they still had their reputation and strength. Chang Ye Yu Huo was confident that his Cold Night Guild's strength could crush the Crimson Moon Knights, but it was still early in the game, and everyone was focused on development. It was best to avoid conflict if possible; it wasn't worth it.
Thus, he said with a smile, "The White-Clad Alliance Leader personally requests this, and we of the Cold Night Guild naturally have to give face. Don't worry, I'll talk to those brats and tell them to stop."
"En."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Alliance Leader Chang Ye Yu Huo. If the Cold Night Guild needs anything in the future, the Crimson Moon Knights will not refuse!"
"Good!"
...
After ending the voice call, Lin Zhao messaged Xiao Xia again: "Alright, I've spoken with Chang Ye Yu Huo. He's agreed not to attack you anymore. If anything happens again, find me, and I'll stand up for you."
"Mm-hmm!"
Xiao Xia nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, White-Clad Alliance Leader."
"You're welcome."
After closing the voice call, Xiao Xia looked at Mo Chen Xue and pouted. "Xiao Xue, there's something I need to tell you. I hope you won't be angry..."
"What is it?" Mo Chen Xue asked, looking up.
"I told White-Clad Alliance Leader about this."
"Ah?!"
Mo Chen Xue's face was filled with panic. "You... I... What do we do?"
"There's nothing to do."
Xiao Xia shared a screenshot of Lin Zhao's last message with her. "He's already smoothed things over for us, so starting tomorrow, we can openly enter and leave White Horse City without worrying about being hunted."
"But..."
Mo Chen Xue pursed her red lips, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. She had troubled him after all. What would he think? Would he see her as a weak and useless girl, or just a useless person with a pretty face? If so... Mo Chen Xue would rather he hadn't helped her. Da Feng Novel.
Yuan Qi Man Man frowned beside them. "As expected of an alliance leader, his words carry weight. Look at his commanding tone, as if he can handle anything in the world. What if Chang Ye Yu Huo goes back on his word? What can White-Clad do then? It's probably just talk. If the Crimson Moon Knights really needed to mobilize, would he be willing to waste development time to help us? Would he really be willing to fight the Cold Night Guild for the sake of a few of us?"
"Yuan Qi!"
Xiao Xia immediately frowned. "What are you being so sour about? If you have the ability, ask Chang Ye Yu Huo to stop the fighting. The problem is you don't have that ability. Now White-Clad has stepped up to uphold justice for us, and you're a beneficiary. What do your words mean?"
"I don't need it!"
Yuan Qi Man Man's temper flared. He gritted his teeth. "I don't need White-Clad's pity, nor the Crimson Moon Knights' false compassion. I've seen too many of these big shots. They talk a good game, but when it comes to actually doing something, they just disappear."
"Yuan Qi."
Mo Chen Xue looked at him calmly. "Thank you for accompanying me to White Horse City during this time. I'm truly grateful. But if you continue to speak like this, please leave immediately. I don't need friends like you by my side. I know White-Clad's character, and I don't need you to tell me. I believe he will do as he says. He's different from others."
"Xiao Xue!"
Yuan Qi Man Man looked at her with disappointment. "Who is White-Clad? The alliance leader of the Crimson Moon Knights, the president of a guild with over 2,000 people. How is such a person different from a corporate CEO in reality? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Why is he so good to you? He must have an agenda. Would he help you without expecting anything in return? I don't believe such a person exists."
"What are you trying to say?"
Mo Chen Xue let out a cold smile and looked at the man who had been passionately pursuing her these past few days. She said with a laugh, "Are you trying to say... if White-Clad mobilizes White Horse City to help me, he'll definitely have conditions? He'll want me to be his woman, or his plaything in bed, right? Is that what you mean?"
"I... I didn't mean that..." Yuan Qi Man Man was somewhat embarrassed.
"You're hilarious."
Mo Chen Xue's smile was icy cold. "Ever since we were attacked by Chang Ye Yu Huo, White-Clad has never said a word to me. And you tell me he has an agenda for everything he does?"
"Xiao Xue, I really didn't mean..."
Yuan Qi Man Man tried to explain, but he was poor with words.
"Yuan Qi!"
Xiao Xia offered a way out. "What you said just now was a bit excessive. If White-Clad were to hear it, how heartbroken would he be? He used the Crimson Moon Knights' influence to plead with Chang Ye Yu Huo for us without seeking any reward, and you think he's after Xiao Xue's beauty? That's really inappropriate."
"I... I'm sorry, Xiao Xue..."
Yuan Qi Man Man's brow furrowed, wishing he could kneel and apologize to Mo Chen Xue, but his pride wouldn't allow it.
"It's fine."
Mo Chen Xue smiled faintly. "We'll continue leveling as usual tomorrow. Everyone get some rest."
"En..."
The group dispersed unhappily.
...
On the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, Lin Zhao trained until half-past midnight. He was still a little short of the 50,000 monster kill quota. He wasn't in a hurry this time; he could still complete the quest tomorrow. He couldn't keep overworking his body. He logged off with Chen Xue, Shen Xing Chen, Ding Chi, and others. downstairs, Wang Ju had prepared seafood congee and some barbecue. He was truly all-around.
"Shen Xing Chen, Ah Xue."
Lin Zhao pushed open the door to the conference room on the first floor. "Come over, I have something to tell you."
"Oh?"
The two young beauties followed him into the conference room. The conference room in the villa wasn't too large, able to accommodate about 20 people. Lin Zhao closed the door, turned on the lights, and then took out his phone, placing it on the table. He played two recordings of Mo Chen Xue and the others being killed for them.
"..."
Chen Xue's brows furrowed. "What does this mean? When did Mo Chen Xue offend Chang Ye Yu Huo? That shouldn't be the case. Chang Ye Yu Huo was developing in a county town in Furong Province before, a hundred thousand miles away. Logically, there shouldn't be any grudges."
"It's likely at someone's instigation."
Shen Xing Chen thought more deeply than Chen Xue. Her gaze fell on the video. "If I'm not mistaken, it's likely Ghost King paying, and Chang Ye Yu Huo doing the work, completely crushing all of Mo Chen Xue's hopes in the game. This way, Mo Chen Xue will obediently return to him. Or, if he can't have it, he'll destroy it. Either of these psychological states is possible."
"Is it that disgusting?"
Chen Xue gritted her teeth. "How can people be so ugly..."
"Beauty is original sin."
Shen Xing Chen crossed her arms and pursed her red lips. "My family background is better, so I can't empathize, but I can imagine. Ah Xue, you used to work in a bar, so you should have more experience. In this world, being good-looking might just be a girl's biggest original sin."
"Mhm..."
Chen Xue nodded gently, thoughtfully. "It's true. The girls who worked with us back then, as long as they were a little prettier, either became appendages of some boss or powerful figure, or they quickly packed up and left. It was basically impossible to maintain one's principles and make money at the same time."
"And you?"
Lin Zhao looked at Chen Xue with a hint of heartache.
"Damn it!"
Chen Xue widened her beautiful eyes and glared at him, giving his chest a light punch. "What are you thinking, you scoundrel? Am I the kind of person who would compromise? Don't worry, I've never been kept by any boss. Even..."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao looked confused. "Even what?"
Chen Xue's pretty face blushed. She didn't say anything more. How could she? Should she say that when she was a little girl, she was dirty and ugly, and almost died countless times? Later, she was saved by Sister Crimson Moon, and followed her to train as a special forces member. She had shot sea beasts on the coastline with a large gun, snapped the spine of a two-headed wolf with one hand in a radiation zone, and shattered a helicopter with a single punch in a war zone. Such a self, no man dared to like her, and even if there were, she wouldn't be interested.
Shen Xing Chen, also a girl, raised the corner of her mouth, knowing what Chen Xue was thinking, and even feeling a sense of resonance. Hadn't she herself been the "even"? From childhood, her father and brother were too strict, and she had very few boys around her. When she was in school, although many boys pursued her, Shen Xing Chen didn't fancy any of them. To put it crudely, her first kiss was still intact...
Thinking of this, Shen Xing Chen felt a pang of sadness. She was peerlessly beautiful, captivating the world, yet it was all wasted.
Lin Zhao crossed his arms and looked at the two beauties. Naturally, he didn't know what was going on in their little heads.
When Shen Xing Chen and Chen Xue looked up at Lin Zhao, he had started playing the built-in match-three game on his phone, making them want to punch this simpleton to death.
"So..."
Lin Zhao saw the two beauties regain their senses and immediately put away his phone. "I sent a message to Chang Ye Yu Huo, hoping he would give me some face and stop hunting Mo Chen Xue and her group. Chang Ye Yu Huo also agreed. I don't know if this will be the end of it."
"En, well done."
Chen Xue said, "Indeed, we shouldn't just stand by and watch."
Shen Xing Chen narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Don't forget, Chang Ye Yu Huo most likely took money from the Prosperous Peony Guild. Is there such a thing as taking money and not doing the work? Since you've already spoken on their behalf, have you considered what happens if Chang Ye Yu Huo doesn't agree? If he dares to disrespect the face of your White-Clad Alliance Leader, what will you do?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "What do you think should be done?"
Shen Xing Chen glared at him. "Are you just going to say whatever you want? Hmph, the rest is up to me to handle."
Saying that, she said softly, "I will issue an order for the entire alliance to be on alert tomorrow, ready to mobilize. If Chang Ye Yu Huo truly dares to go back on his word and trample on the face of our Crimson Moon Alliance Leader, we will ride our horses into Ning Province and slaughter everyone from the Cold Night Guild, leaving no one alive."
...
Lin Zhao and Chen Xue felt their hearts flutter. They exchanged glances, both feeling that Shen Xing Chen, the vice alliance leader, was extraordinary. She spoke the most ruthless words in the gentlest tone.