Chapter 2

I pushed open Lily’s bedroom door. She sat on the edge of the bed, her golden hair loose over her shoulders, one hand gently caressing her swollen belly, looking soft and vulnerable.

Johns stood beside her, tending to her with adoration in his eyes.

"Chu Men!" Her face lit up the moment she saw me. "You really came back!"

"Leader, I’ve retrieved the spiritual grass for you."

I opened the box. The spiritual grass lay inside, translucent all over, emitting a faint white glow.

Lily’s breath hitched. She took the jade box, gazing at it as if it were the most precious treasure in the world.

"It’s real… it’s truly the fifth-order spiritual grass…"

She looked up at me, her eyes even glistening with tears. "Chu Men, you actually did it! You’re so good to me."

"I would do anything for you."

Saying the words twisted my stomach with nausea.

Lily’s attention was fully fixed on the spiritual grass, oblivious to my odd tone. She carefully took it out, chewed and swallowed it, then wore an eerie smile.

"I can feel it… my child is growing stronger." Lily stroked her belly slowly, her voice filled with satisfaction. "Chu Men, once the child is born, I’ll have him call you godfather."

A cold snort came from behind me.

Johns stood to the side, his face dark with displeasure.

Lily glanced at him, then looked back at me with a soft smile. "The divine fetus needs peace to absorb the spiritual grass’s energy. Both of you, step outside."

"As you wish."

I turned and walked out.

Johns hesitated, then reluctantly followed under Lily’s gentle gaze.

In the corridor, he suddenly stepped in front of me, forcing a fake smile.

"Congratulations on completing such a dangerous mission, Brother Chu Men."

I stared at him, saying nothing.

"But…" Johns leaned closer, lowering his voice and dropping the smile. "Don’t think handing over a single blade of grass lets you take my place in the Leader’s heart."

"Move aside."

"Are you deaf?" Johns’s tone turned icy. "I’m warning you, stay far away from the Leader. Otherwise—"

I struck.

A sharp slap landed straight across his face.

Smack!

Johns was sent flying, slamming into the wall and spitting out blood.

"You… how dare you—" He clutched his cheek, eyes wide with shock.

I walked over and looked down at him. "Block my path again, and I’ll kill you."

Johns flinched back in fear, lowering his head, yet his eyes blazed with bitter resentment. I paid him no mind and walked past.

Late that night.

I lay on my bed when I sensed faint movement outside.

Breaking through to the fourth-order had vastly heightened my perception; every sound beyond my room escaped no notice.

It was the footsteps of a professional assassin.

I opened my eyes and glanced toward the window.

A dark figure slipped silently inside, moving with the litheness of a cat.

Clad in tight black clothes and a face mask, she gripped a cold gleaming dagger, aiming straight for my heart.

She stabbed downward in a flash!

I lifted a hand, catching the blade effortlessly between two fingers.

The dark figure froze.

"Is that all you’ve got?"

I sat up and looked at her. "Did Johns send you?"

She said nothing, trying to yank the dagger free—but my fingers clamped tight as iron, unmoving.

I pulled hard, throwing her off balance and dragging her to the bedside. Her delicate face was revealed as her mask slipped off.

"Scarlett? You’re a third-order expert—why would you obey a mere second-order ability user like him?"

I recognized her; Scarlett was ranked among the base’s third-order ability users, same as me.

"…He has me under his control." Scarlett’s voice was low, laced with suppressed agony.

"He poisoned me." She gritted her teeth. "The toxin flares up once a week, and only he has the antidote. If I disobey, the pain becomes unbearable!"

I stared at her for a few seconds, then reached out to press my fingers to her pulse.

"What are you doing?" She tried to struggle.

"Stay still."

I channeled the power of my World Purification Divine Core, sending energy flowing into her body.

The bone-corroding toxin winding through her veins shrank and dissolved instantly, meeting its natural enemy.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"This… this can’t be…"

I released my grip after a dozen seconds.

Scarlett stared in shock as the piercing agony faded completely, her skin regaining its healthy color.

"You… you saved me?"

"Consider it a favor." I looked at her. "Will you still try to kill me now?"

She fell silent for a moment, then knelt on one knee, her gaze resolute. "From today onward, my life is yours."

"Stand up." I waved a hand. "What has Johns been up to lately?"

Scarlett thought for a moment. "He’s building a constant-temperature flower garden to curry favor with the Leader. But to divert enough energy for it, he secretly cut thirty percent of the power supplying the outer city’s defense formation."

I fell silent for a second, then smiled faintly.

"Thirty percent of the power supply…"

Fetal movement would release pheromones that attracted venomous beasts.

In my past life, Lily’s labor had triggered multiple venomous beast hordes, costing countless base lives. And tonight, after ingesting the fifth-order spiritual grass, the massive surge of energy would send that little monster inside her into violent fetal movement, drawing hordes of beasts straight to us.

And right then, the outer city’s defenses had been weakened by Johns.

"Tomorrow morning," I murmured, gazing out the window, "the city gates are going to get lively."

"What?"

Scarlett looked utterly confused by my meaning.