Chapter 616: Fiance?

    It didn’t take long for them to arrive at their destination— a five-star hotel owned by the Master of the Land, Nasser.

    After living in a traditional-style mansion for a whole day and night, Gu Luoxin experienced a brief sense of disorientation when he was exposed to the sleek and advanced technology around. For starters, the elevator they entered was shaped in a transparent capsule that provided a spacious view of the luxurious interior.

    A mechanical voice greeted them as soon as they stepped in,

    "Welcome to the Argentum Tower, Young Master Ares. For safety reasons, may I ask if the three other garudas are part of your group?"

    "That’s right, they are my servants."

    "Very well. Allow me to record their entry."

    Following a soft beep, blue light flashed inside the capsule, scanning the three garuda servants from head to toe. Gu Luoxin couldn’t help but tense up, hot sweat beading on his temple. Not good... with how sophisticated the system was, wouldn’t it detect something suspicious—like how his body measurements and Ares were nearly identical, and how the wings clipped behind his back were fake?!

    The sudden predicament caught Gu Luoxin off guard, and he instinctively sought Ares for help. But the young master simply stood there calmly, not showing a hint of panic at all.

    Beep—

    "Entry recorded. Once again, welcome to the Argentum Tower. You will be heading to the 66th floor where the waiting lounge is. Congratulations to your betrothal, Young Master Ares."

    Fyuh...! Gu Luoxin silently let out a sigh of relief. T-That scared him to death! He thought he would be exposed from the very first second! Fortunately, he had been thinking too much. It seemed like even the system didn’t expect that Young Master Ares would bring his doppelganger along with him, much less a human disguised as a garuda.

    The elevator descended smoothly, and soon, they reached the 66th floor.

    Once again, Gu Luoxin subconsciously held his breath, his heart missing a couple of beats.

    For the one waiting for them outside was none other than Master Grinu, along with a line of servants wearing garuda masks behind him.

    "You’re one minute and thirteen seconds late from the schedule," was the first thing he said in a gruff tone.

    Hearing that, Gu Luoxin mentally beat the man up and slapped him left and right as Ares apologized obediently, "It’s my fault, father. The preparation took a little longer."

    For once, Master Grinu did not blatantly show his displeasure on his face. Maybe because this was a big day and he was not in his own territory right now, which was why he prioritized more on saving his own face. After all, he couldn’t expose how he had abused his own son for years. And Gu Luoxin’s speculation was proven true when he simply turned away, but not before leaving a sentence of warning, "You know what to do today. Don’t embarrass the Garuda."

    As always, Ares accepted all the criticism with a humble stance. "Yes, Father."

    The two groups merged with Master Grinu and Young Master Ares leading the way, while the servants trailed in two lines behind them. Gu Luoxin seized the chance to look around and marvel at the stench of wealth and money he could sense reeking from every inch of the hallway. Look at the carpet, it’s so soft and fluffy your shoes just sank in without a sound! Look at the chandelier, it’s so dazzling you would wonder whether it was made from real gold! And oh, the decorations and paintings along the corridors must have cost a fortune!

    Even back in the real world, Gu Luoxin had never stepped foot in such a grand building before!

    Alas, to evade suspicion, he only dared to roll his eyes around while keeping his head still because he had spotted several CCTVs planted along the corridors.

    The floor was entirely deserted save from their entourage. It seemed like the entire floor had been reserved for the garudas, sort of like a VVIP lounge. Yet when they turned around the corner, they unexpectedly stumbled upon another group, and the one leading them was—

    Gu Luoxin’s breath hitched, his heart lurching in his chest as his eyes flew open wide. He barely stopped himself from shouting out loud.

    That’s Noir... really Noir in the flesh!

    Although he looked older than he did in the real world, with a slight difference in his features, Gu Luoxin was certain it was him. It could only be him. He could recognize the man anywhere, in a single heartbeat. Not just because they had stood side by side and challenged several Cycles together, but because he was Noir.

    Gu Luoxin felt his heart tremble as he greedily took in the sight of the man. Oh God, he looked so dashing and unbelievably... sexy!

    Dressed in a three-piece suit with a windbreaker draped over his broad shoulders, he was a sight to behold. Every inch of his body exuded elegance and charm that emanated from his very bones. He merged perfectly with the extravagant interior as if walking on his very own runway, while the people around him simply blurred and faded into the background—or at least that’s how it appeared in Gu Luoxin’s eyes.

    A part of his curly hair was slicked backwards, accentuating his forehead and the high bridge of his nose. Help— how could he be more handsome than he already was?! Was this how he would look in a few years?!

    The little man in Gu Luoxin’s heart was somersaulting and jumping around restlessly, on the verge of keeling over from excessive excitement.

    Under the cover of the garuda mask, he let his eyes unabashedly roam over the man’s face, taking in the sharp lines of his brows, the light colored lashes framing his piercing emerald eyes, and his pale and soft lips. He was talking with another person beside him and had yet to realize Gu Luoxin’s presence.

    Senior, I’m here! I’m right here ah!

    Oh, how Gu Luoxin wished he could jump and wave at the man to draw his attention!

    Although they had met briefly before entering the Cycle, Gu Luoxin still found himself missing the man terribly, so much that his nose tingled. Alas, as things stood, he could only clench his fists and scream inside his heart, wishing desperately for the man to notice him and pay attention to him.

    Much to his surprise, his fervent prayer was answered, for Noir noticed their presence and turned their way in the very next second.

    His gaze swept over the group, brushing past Gu Luoxin standing in the midst of the servants clad in the same uniform with their masks on, before landing squarely on Young Master Ares. His originally stoic eyes rippled with a myriad of emotions, as though a massive boulder had been tossed into the surface of a calm lake without warning.

    Oh, Gu Luoxin’s heart abruptly ran cold like a bucket of icy water had been poured over his head. Oh, right, Young Master Ares, he...

    Then he heard Master Grinu inform his son, "That’s the Eldest Young Master of the Land, your fiance?."