Chapter 1540: A Moment of Repose II

Bzzz. Bzzz. Bzzz.

The phone vibrated against the table, breaking the quiet night. Lory reached for it at once.

"Hello?"

"Hi, sis. What are you doing?" Lucas’s voice came through, light and familiar.

Lory leaned back against the balcony railing, the cool metal pressing into her spine. Beyond her, the villa lay bathed in soft lights and silence. "Just enjoying some lychee tea after a shower."

"Glad you’re enjoying yourself," Lucas chuckled. "How’s the villa?"

"Quiet. Tranquil...most of the time," Lory replied shortly. "How’s the palace?"

"Busy, all the time," Lucas said, his tone slipping into a whine.

Lory laughed, listening to him complain. "Did Fred work you butt off again?" she teased.

"Yup, we got a lot of work after all," Lucas sighed. Then his voice sharpened, losing its laziness. "By the way—how’s the situation there? Have you noticed anything strange?"

"Not yet," Lory said calmly, without a trace of worry, only quiet calculation. "We’ve only been here a few days. If they were here already, they’re probably waiting for the right moment."

"Yeah. They should have had information about you from Luxemborough and the Paladin, so they wouldn’t dare move hastily," Lucas agreed.

"Yeah, anyway, got any news from Luxembourg or the S.A.I.N.T. organization?" Lory asked, sipping her tea through the straw.

"No. After we challenged them openly, everything’s gone airtight," Lucas snickered coldly. "But since they know they can’t face us head-on, they’ll go after you first, someone connected to the Archknight and me, but still an outsider," he said the last words with a light chuckle.

"An outsider, huh?" Lory laughed softly, amused.

"Well, they still don’t know who you really are," Lucas teased. "Can you blame them?"

"I suppose not." Lory finished the last sip of her iced tea and set the empty glass on the table beside her.

"Oh, by the way," Lucas added casually, "I heard they’ve taken a strong interest in your husband."

"Li Xin?" Lory wasn’t surprised. The bounty on Zhao Li Xin’s head had made that inevitable.

"Yup. And since they’ve realized how strong you both are, I imagine they’ll only send their best to finish the job," Lucas warned.

"Yeah. Don’t worry about me," Lory said, leaning lazily against the railing.

"I’m not," Lucas shot back. "Just keep the damage minimal, okay? I don’t want our citizens worrying unnecessarily."

"Oh?" Lory straightened slightly. "Something else happened?"

"Nothing unexpected," Lucas explained. "There’s been a significant increase in Bael attacks on our allied territories, so we’ve been sending aid to help them. But in addition, the areas that were attacked by Bael suddenly turned black and killed everything around them. The trees withered, the grass died, and the soil became infertile, as if the land itself had been poisoned. Even the air turned toxic. And until now, efforts to restore the area have all failed."

Lory fell silent. "Not even Lucient power?"

"I haven’t tried," Lucas admitted. "My abilities are better suited for offense than nurture. Maybe yours..."

"Water gift?" Lory murmured.

"I don’t know," Lucas said. "But I think we should try."

"Alright," Lory agreed. "Once this is over, I’ll go and see the situation myself."

"That would be great," Lucas muttered, quieter now. "I just hope it’s that simple."

"Come on, don’t jinx it, Luc," Lory scolded him lightly.

Lucas chuckled. "Fine. That’s all for now. Wait, Fred is coming," Lucas let out a helpless tone. " He brought a lot of files again, anyway—I’ll call you again later, sis."

Lory laughs at Lucas’ misery, "Okay. See you, brother~."

The call ended. Lory lowered her phone and let the night air wash over her, her expression calm, thoughtful, and already several steps ahead.

As she slipped the phone into her pocket, a distant thrum reached her ears, faint at first, like a pulse beneath the night. Lory paused, brow knitting slightly.

The sound grew heavier, layered with bass and laughter, vibrating through the still air until even the railing beneath her fingers seemed to hum.

She turned toward the neighboring villas.

Lights flared to life across the grounds, flashing in reckless colors. Shadows moved behind wide glass windows, silhouettes dancing, arms raised, bodies in constant motion.

Music spilled freely into the open night, unrestrained and unapologetic, its rhythm traveling all the way to her balcony as if determined to announce its presence.

Lory sighed, already knowing the answer.

"There they go again," she let out along sigh.

Apparently, the other villa had decided that tonight was as good a night as any to descend into chaos. The music boomed louder, punctuated by whoops and cheers, the kind of noise that suggested poor decisions, expensive drinks, and a complete disregard for neighbors.

She rested her elbows on the railing, watching with mild disbelief as the party showed no signs of restraint. Even from this distance, the energy was palpable—wild, careless, and entirely too enthusiastic.

"...So much for tranquil," Lory said dryly, though the corner of her lips lifted despite the complaint.

Lory glanced at her watch. Ten o’clock already. Not particularly late, but late enough for families with children, or anyone who valued a quiet night. She already imagined the authorities would come again to stop the disturbance.

She didn’t particularly care. Their villa sat far enough away that the noise reached her only as a distant vibration. Besides, the entire building was soundproofed. Once the windows and balcony doors were shut, the outside world might as well not exist.

Sure enough, the moment Lory stepped inside and slid the balcony doors closed, the noise vanished completely. The music, the laughter, the chaos, all cut off at once. Silence settled over the room, calm and absolute.

She headed down to the first floor, rinsed the empty teacup, and set it neatly in the sink just as Zhao Li Xin descended the stairs.

"Are you done cultivating?" Lory asked, glancing at him as she moved toward the counter and picked up her car keys.

"En..." He stepped closer, his gaze quietly following her movements. "Are you going out?"

"Yes." Lory lifted the car key card and gave it a small wave. "I’m going to get a midnight snack. Luckily, you’re out of your spatial ring. I can take you with me."

Zhao Li Xin had never been fond of going outside unless there was something important that demanded it. And if he ever ventured out this late at night, it was never for a good reason.

However, after meeting Lory, he found himself growing accustomed to these small, ordinary outings, especially after coming to this world, where diners and street stalls stayed open nearly twenty-four hours a day, and the roads were bathed in bright lights that made the streets feel safe even deep into the night.

"Alright," he said. "Do you want to eat something?" As he spoke, a black coat materialized in his hand, summoned effortlessly from his ring.

Lory slipped the jacket on, thinking aloud. "I think I’m craving a burger... and chocolate ice cream. Oh, and French fries."

Zhao Li Xin instantly recalled an image of a peculiar dish, of meat and vegetables pressed between two pieces of bread. Even to this day, he still found the food looked strange. But Lory liked it, and that was all that mattered.

"Sure," he replied. "Want me to drive?" The great Lord had now become a perfectly capable driver.

"Yes, thank you, babe." Lory handed him the key card, then laced her fingers through his. Together, they walked out into the quiet night, unhurried and at ease.

For two people whose heads were priced high on the black market, Lory and Zhao Li Xin were very much at ease. To Lory, fate was something to be met head-on, so whatever came, would come, so why worry about it?

For Zhao Li Xin, this was nothing more than another Tuesday for him. In fact, if someone asks him, he would look at you with a flat look and say ’Huh, what about it?’

They veered into the glow of a fast-food diner, the neon lights washing over the car as it rolled into the drive-through lane.

Lory leaned toward the open window and placed her order with practiced ease: a burger, French fries, and ice cream. Then she turned to Zhao Li Xin.

He hesitated, weighing his choice in silence. At last, he spoke. "Poko Pop —"

"No." Lory cut in at once, sharp and final. She had no intention of listening to Zhao Li Xin cough all the way home.

He paused, then let out a soft sigh, resignation laced with disappointment. "Hot tea, then."

Order placed, they drove off, the night road stretching calmly ahead of them. As they headed back, Lory was in the midst of eating her burger when she glanced to the rearview mirror. It was then she noticed one black car tailing them.

Lory chewed her food slowly, her gaze drifting to the rearview mirror as the black car continued to trail them. It turned where they turned, paused where they paused, and finally came to a stop behind them at a traffic light. It kept a careful distance, just enough to pretend innocence, yet every movement was far too deliberate.

She couldn’t tell whether their pursuer was incompetent... or simply confident. Either way, it was conspicuous.

"Li Xin," Lory said lightly, almost amused, "We have a guest, dear."

"I know," Zhao Li Xin replied, his voice calm and even, as though she had remarked on the temperature rather than an impending threat.

The car slipped away from the main road and eased onto a narrow, winding strip of smooth asphalt, a one-way path clinging to the mountainside.

On one side, a dark stone wall towered high, its rough surface standing tall, illuminated by streetlights, while on the other side was a steep ravine, bordered only by a thin fence that stretched along its edge.

Lory’s expression sharpened at once, realizing this stretch of road was perfect, too narrow to maneuver freely, too isolated for witnesses. An ideal place for an ambush.

She calmly finished the last bite of her burger, wiped her hands with a damp tissue, and discarded it, her movements unhurried despite the danger pressing in.

"Watch for the road, honey." Lory gave a casual warning. At the same time, she summoned a pair of guns from her spatial ring.

"En, fasten your seatbelt." However, regardless of the situation, he still prioritizes Lory’s safety above all else.

As he expected, a motorcycle suddenly came from the opposite direction. Its engine roared as it accelerated, its headlights flashing brightly. A moment later, the rider abandoned the bike, letting it hurtle uncontrollably across the asphalt, its metal creaking as it hurtled toward their car.

Zhao Li Xin reacted without hesitation. His hand yanked the handbrake, and the steering wheel spun sharply beneath his grip. The car twisted in a tight arc, tires screaming in protest as it narrowly avoided the sliding motorcycle.