Chapter 623: Under Attack?

    Gu Luoxin gaped at him with a blank look. He had barely processed the sheer information in the first sentence Noir said before he was left flabbergasted by the second one.

    D-Did Noir just say he looked nice? That Noir??

    Gu Luoxin couldn’t help blushing despite himself. It was fortunate that the guests were focused on the stage and the light where they were sitting was quite dim, otherwise Gu Luoxin suspected the deep flush of his cheeks would have burned through the veil covering his head. Oh Lord, how could... how could he say something like that at a time like this? Did he not know how easy it was for Gu Luoxin to be distracted by whatever he did or said? He must have known—he must, that’s why he had thrown that casual compliment on purpose.

    This darn sadistic senior! Gu Luoxin gnashed his teeth secretly. Now’s not the time to be distracted, Xinxin! You must focus on the task at hand!

    Taking a couple of deep breaths, Gu Luoxin forcibly suppressed the ripples in his heart, his expression turning serious, "The servants... they’re dead? How?"

    "Poisoned," Noir stated. "Just like your young master. Found their bodies in the bathroom one floor away."

    Gu Luoxin paled, his fists trembling atop his lap. Just like that, the three garudas who had come here together with him turned up dead one after another—and he was the only one left. How could he not be shaken upon this discovery?

    If... if he had not separated from them and gone to search for Noir, if he had stayed by Young Master Ares’ side all the time, would he have ended up with the same fate too...?

    Shivers ran down Gu Luoxin’s spine the more he thought about it. "Why..." he forced the words out with difficulty through his tightening throat. "Why would they kill Young Master Ares and his servants? What’s their goal? Isn’t this ceremony supposed to be nothing but beneficial for both territories?"

    Yet from the way things were developing, it was as though the culprit’s ultimate goal was to stir chaos, the bigger the better. What would happen if the Young Master of the Sky was found dead in the Land territory? Needless to say, a war would break out for sure!

    Whoever the mastermind behind this murder was, their goal was to sow discord between the Sky and Land territories!

    And the only ones who had the motive to do this were... the sirens?

    Gu Luoxin was startled by the notion that crossed his mind.

    Perhaps because he had watched and read too many detective series, he had somehow managed to pick up a trick or two, deducing the culprit’s identity based on the motive of the crime. And the more he thought about it, the more plausible this possibility became.

    Just think about it—this betrothal ceremony was a paramount event for both the Sky and Land territories, and there was no way they would do something that would jeopardize it. The sirens, on the other hand, got nothing out of this. Instead, if the other two territories were to merge through marriage, they would end up being the suppressed party, and the delicate balance between the three main territories would be broken forevermore! It was perfectly understandable for them to take action considering their unfavorable stance!

    But the main question was: how did they find out about this ceremony in the first place?

    "Speaking of which," Gu Luoxin suddenly recalled something important. "I haven’t seen both Xiao Shen and Da Shen around. Could they be... sirens?"

    He heard Noir let out a subtle sigh beside him. But before the man could speak—SNAP!—the lights in the hall went off all at once. And at the same time, a deep rumble shook the ground beneath their feet!

    The pitch-black darkness, coupled with the sudden earthquake, caused the situation to descend into a near-instant chaos. It was like a huge boulder had been tossed into a still lake, shattering the calm and tranquil surface.

    "AHHH!"

    "W-What’s happening?"

    "An earthquake? Here, of all places?!"

    "Why are we having a blackout so suddenly? Where’s the security?!"

    "Are you alright?" Amidst the chaotic cries and screams, Noir’s voice sounded as calm and composed as ever, piercing through the din and reaching Gu Luoxin’s ears akin to a dazzling ray of light that dispelled the darkness.

    Only then did Gu Luoxin snap back to his senses and his eyes widened when he noticed the position he was in.

    When the earthquake struck, his body had accidentally stumbled toward Noir, and Noir had caught him, wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him. The man’s solid warmth seemed to bleed through the layers of fabric and into his sensitive skin, causing Gu Luoxin to jolt upright as if he had been electrocuted. "I-I’m okay..." The rest of the words died down in his throat as he stared wide-eyed at the man in front of him.

    In the pitch-black darkness so dense that he could barely make out his own outstretched hand, he could see Noir clearly...

    For the man was shining, in a very literal sense.

    Noir’s emerald eyes glowed in an eerie light as if he was some kind of nocturnal beast, and a faint luminescence leaked from beneath his well-fitting suit, outlining the firm lines of his body in cold silver-blue. Combined with his sharply narrowed eyes and the unreadable stillness on his face, he looked almost... inhuman. Devoid of even a shred of warmth. More machine than a living person.

    Alas, Gu Luoxin had no luxury to examine his appearance further, not at this moment. "Are we under attack?" he asked anxiously.

    A cold glint flashed in Noir’s eyes. "Yes." And at the same time as he uttered that word, a sharp scream pierced through the air,

    "Oh my God, look at the news! It’s the sirens—!"

    ***

    Jin Jiuchi, as the Second Young Master of the Land, was supposed to be present at his elder brother’s betrothal ceremony. But he was given a special pardon, for he was out on an important mission right now.

    As for what kind of mission it was...

    "Now that we are here, can’t we go on a date, Nian’er?" he asked with his bottom lip jutting into a pout.

    Alas, all he received was a scathing glare from the exquisite jade doll. "Shut your mouth up for me."

    Jin Jiuchi gasped and clasped a hand over his chest with a hurt expression, yet Shen Nianzu didn’t even spare him another glance, and instead, focused on navigating the hover car through the cyberpunk city. Oh well, his side profile when he was driving looked so stunningly cool that Jin Jiuchi couldn’t even bring himself to continue throwing tantrums.

    Dropping the dramatic act, he propped up his chin and openly admired his stunning siren boyfriend with hot, intense eyes.

    Thanks to his name and connection, it wasn’t at all difficult for Jin Jiuchi to secure a box of potions for Shen Nianzu, ensuring that he would remain in his human form until the end of the Cycle.

    And as much as Jin Jiuchi wished his mission was to go on a fun date with his jade doll, reality was far too disappointing.

    He had, on behalf of the Land territory, been delegated to accompany the siren commander to pick up the young siren prince and escort them back to the sea. That’s right, it was none other than Prince Kaivia, whom the original Second Young Master had kidnapped at the start of the Cycle!

    Jin Jiuchi had no particular feelings toward the young siren, but because Shen Nianzu was far too focused on the mission, he couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed.

    Geez, why did Nian’er have to pay so much attention to that stinky fish? Now that they had finally reunited, couldn’t they spend some time together— just the two of them alone? Why was he rushing to pick up the kid as if he was chased by time? It’s not like there was any difference whether they did it now or two, maybe three hours later!

    Toward Jin Jiuchi’s endless inquires and complaints, Shen Nianzu eventually snapped, "Oh for fuck’s sake, stop running your mouth! You haven’t been to a high-level Cycle before, so you have no idea..." he pursed his lips tight, his expression growing somber. "I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this."

    And hence, they didn’t even get to savor the sweetness of the long awaited reunion before they rushed toward the city center where the young siren prince was held.

    What’s the worst that can happen, right? Jin Jiuchi thought, still sulking.

    But things abruptly changed when they neared the residence, and Shen Nianzu’s face paled all of a sudden.

    Almost immediately, Jin Jiuchi caught the slightest change in the silver-haired siren’s breathing rhythm like he had a near supernatural-level radar when it came to his Nian’er, and his hand shot out to stabilize the hover car before it could veer off course crash to the side.

    "Nian’er...?" His other hand reached out to touch Shen Nianzu’s cheek, and he was startled to find the latter covered in cold sweat. "What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell? Is it the potion?" He blurted out a barrage of questions, his tone tinged with concern and unconcealed killing intent as if he was going to hunt down the person who had handed them the potions to the end of the world if Shen Nianzu were to say yes.

    Gasping, Shen Nianzu clutched his chest as he struggled to speak, his breathing coming out in ragged, painful gasps. "The siren prince..."

    "Impossible..." he muttered in shock and disbelief. "He’s... dead?"