Chapter 407: Conflict Between Two Women

“Is there any movement from Rod?” But soon, Gu Jian calmed down. Thinking of this most complicated factor, he inevitably felt a hint of doubt and concern. Rod had left a deep impression on him. The things he did were truly earth-shattering. If this plan was flawless, then Rod was undoubtedly the only potential problem—his most unstable element and the one most likely to disrupt the plan, so he had to be watched closely.
“Nothing wrong. The reports say he’s remained calm, nothing unusual!” the man continued to answer.
Hearing his reply, Gu Jian remained frowning, deep in thought, unsure of what he was thinking.
“Just some Rod. What’s the big deal? Even if he’s a strong warrior at the Yang Xuan realm, so what? Can’t we still kill him? What if a thousand people attack him? If that doesn’t work, ten thousand? I doubt even the legendary beings of the Yang Xuan realm could withstand that!” Seeing Gu Jian’s troubled expression, another middle-aged man beside him spoke in disdain. While this world valued martial prowess, it still seemed weak in the face of a nation or a large group. Just imagine—thousands of saints or even gods-level warriors attacking at once. How many could withstand such an assault? Probably none.
“Don’t underestimate others. The abilities at that realm are beyond your imagination!” Clearly dissatisfied with the middle-aged man’s words, Gu Jian said coldly. He still remembered vividly the battle his father had told him about—a battle involving a Yang Xuan realm warrior who single-handedly fought against an army of ten thousand. After two days and nights of fighting, he killed an entire ten thousand and then left quietly. Did Rod have such ability now? Gu Jian wasn’t sure, but it was undeniable that he couldn’t be underestimated.
“Alright, proceed according to the original plan. Also, keep a close eye on Rod’s movements, especially these days. I need to know everything about every action he takes!” Unconsciously, Gu Jian had already regarded Rod as his greatest enemy, the most threatening one. He needed to know every detail.

After his subordinates left, Gu Jian sat quietly on the chair, rubbing his head, which throbbed with pain. Damn Rod—he had ruined too many of his plans. Too many things had happened recently, leaving him almost breathless. First, the Mi Jiao clan was destroyed, then Wuyou City was captured, and now Shuimu City had also fallen to them. More importantly, due to him, conflicts had arisen within the pro-war faction. His father’s fate was unknown, causing his two elder brothers to be blinded by power and engage in a fierce civil war in Shuimu City. Not only were they laughed at by others, but their interests were also severely damaged—all because of Rod’s appearance.

With the decisive battle approaching, Gu Jian had to keep an eye on this man, as only he could disrupt his plans!

……

Three days passed—three days of utter silence, so quiet it became uncomfortable. A storm was coming, and such stillness made it hard to breathe. Yet the people in Dark Moon City seemed unaware of this. As more caravans arrived and supplies increased, they became noisy once again, with prosperity evident in every corner.

In the middle of the night, the city was illuminated by fireworks and lights, with crowds of people filling the streets. It seemed they wanted to make up for half a year of isolation by indulging wildly. Amidst the beauty, Rod often couldn’t help but sigh bitterly. People were so ignorant, easily deceived by illusions. The common folk were easy to pacify—given a peaceful life, they would behave properly and even praise those in power.

Even with such an obvious crisis, they didn’t worry. How long could this prosperity last? How much longer could this hustle and bustle continue? What would happen to Dark Moon City during the impending war? It was unknown, but it was certain that this prosperity might vanish soon, like a dying person’s final flicker of life.

“Big brother, what are you thinking about?” Lucy, walking beside him, asked curiously, seeing Rod lost in thought.

Today, at her insistence, Rod had taken some time to go shopping with her, leaving the little girl excited and blushing. She had complained a lot these past few days. For some reason, since the incident with Nightingale, Rod could clearly sense her change—her once honest nature had become more cunning.

For example, this afternoon, with a major battle approaching, Rod didn’t have time to idle around, but he was still dragged out by this little girl’s coquettish behavior, who used every trick in the book to pull him along. Moreover, Rod sensed a strange smell. These past few days, he had spent almost all his time with Ada working on preparations, which caused this little girl great dissatisfaction. She followed him everywhere like a koala, sometimes even engaging in silent “wars” with Ada, leaving Rod at a loss—seemingly, she had truly grown up. “No! Hehe, we should go back!” Disliking such a noisy scene, Rod said to Lucy. “What’s wrong?” Not hearing Lucy’s reply for a while, Rod asked with a wry smile. Turning around, he saw Lucy looking reluctant. “Hmph, Big Brother wants to go back to Sister Ada again!! It’s so hard to get out and spend time with someone else! Let’s play longer!” Pulling at Rod, Lucy coquettishly pleaded, her pitiful look making it impossible for anyone to refuse her. “Ahem… um…” Seeing Lucy bring up Ada again, Rod smiled bitterly. These past few days, the moods of these two little girls had been quite strange. “There’s still a lot to do. Besides, if we don’t go back now, Ada will worry about you!” After thinking for a moment, Rod could only come up with excuses to persuade her. “She won’t worry! Hmph, she’s already monopolized you these past few days and isn’t satisfied yet. She doesn’t even give me any time. Never mind, let her worry. Let’s continue!” With a sly look unfamiliar to Rod, Lucy said excitedly. Shaking his head, Rod followed Lucy, not knowing what to say. It wasn’t until midnight that he finally managed to persuade her to go back, after making a bunch of promises, which finally made her stop. Back at the city lord’s residence, Ada was indeed waiting for them. Seeing Rod, she was initially delighted, but soon looked reluctant upon seeing Lucy. That’s how emotions work—selfish to the extreme, often turning best friends or even family members into enemies. Of course, Lucy and Ada hadn’t reached that stage yet, which was fortunate. After all, their relationship was already good, and knowing who Rod was, what he disliked, and what his future would hold, they both understood they couldn’t have Rod all to themselves. At least the Nightingale before them was someone they couldn’t surpass, so they held back a bit.

But after all, both of them had been pampered since childhood, and deep down they still carried a hint of pride and stubbornness. Naturally, they would feel some slight dissatisfaction and have their own thoughts—after all, no one is that generous as to truly want to share the person they like with someone else, even their best friend.

Seeing the two of them start “communicating” with their eyes again, Rod forced a wry smile. Their gazes seemed to spark in the air as they stared at each other! Lucy’s gaze was full of provocation and triumph, like a little girl who had stolen candy, while Ada’s gaze lacked any sense of challenge.

“Ahem… um… right, I just remembered there’s still one thing left to take care of. I need to go find Lilith. You two… go on, hehe, continue!” Not wanting to stay any longer, Rod found an excuse with a wry smile and fled in a hurry.

“Big brother…” As soon as he ran out, the voices of the two girls came from behind him, speaking in unison but unevenly.

But Rod wouldn’t give them a chance—he vanished from their sight in an instant.

“Hmph! Bad big brother!” Lucy stamped her foot and complained softly.

Ada also looked frustrated.

“Come with me! I have something to tell you!” She then turned her gaze to Lucy and said.

“Fine, fine!” Lucy muttered with a pout, and the two girls left the hall together, each carrying their own emotions.

Having escaped their sight, Rod went to the edge of the small lake, letting the breeze blow on him. With a sigh, even someone as slow as him should have realized their feelings by now. Yet Rod began to hesitate—seemingly for the first time in his life, hesitating because of love!

He didn’t know exactly what he felt for the two girls. To consider them his sisters seemed to go beyond that boundary. To say he liked them… for some reason, his heart felt troubled. But to draw a line between them brought a sense of reluctance and distress. It was a mix of all emotions, tangled together, making it hard to know how to deal with or face them.

Staring blankly at the night sky, he thought of Nightingale. If she were by his side now, she would surely give him a good idea!

“Half a year, Nightingale, wait for me. Then we’ll go do one last thing before leaving this noisy world!” His gaze softened as he murmured softly. But if observed closely, a faint murderous intent and coldness could be seen deep in his eyes.