“Are you going?”

Wu San Bo was surprised he turned his body and saw Lory walking towards him with smile plaster on her beautiful face, Wu San Bo cupped his fists and bowed his head politely “Madam”

Lory waved nonchalantly “Why are you being so formal?” Lory pretended to be annoyed.

Wu San Bo raised his head and chuckled, “Just like everyone else, Wu San Bo has great respect for Lory and not only because he married Zhao Li Xin but because of his own character and integrity.

“Can you infiltrate the Heaven gate sect alone?” Lory furrowed her brows even though she looked calm but her eyes clearly showed her uneasiness.

Wu San Bo appreciated Lory’s feelings, he suppressed a smile and explain without hurry, “The schedule for changing the matrix array is tomorrow so if I want to infiltrate better do it now”

Lory give an understanding nod “Miss Guan seems smart enough to get the matrix change schedule, she’s smarter than I thought” Lory highly praised Guan Men Niang’s intelligence because she knew how difficult undercover work was because Fargo had told her that every agent assigned undercover work usually get months if not a year training and they also have to pass a psychiatrist exam to be granted permission to carry out the task and after all the hassle they are only given a one year pass, or a maximum of two years to complete their undercover mission before being pulled from their mission.

Lory knew how tiring undercover missions were and for Guan Men Niang being able to keep him sane in the Heaven’s Gate sect for so many years was admirable.

Lory high praised for Guan men Niang make Wu San Bo feel proud thus he added “She was also very brave and strong” 

“No doubt about it,” Lory said with absolute certainty, then she took a deep breath, “But Miss Guan will need a lot of help finding the core of the protective array in the Heaven’s Gate sect, my guess is that the location of that core will be strictly kept secret and highly guarded so that even if Miss Guan finds out the location she won’t be able to do anything about it”

“Therefore, I will come myself and ensure that the core of the array is destroyed.” Wu San Bo puffed out his chest confidently.

“And also protect Miss Guan…” Lory said meaningfully.

Wu San Bo cleared his throat and quickly clarify: “Well, she is very important to our plan so her safety is our priority”

Lory tilted her head and smirked “Um, you mean, your priority?” Lory gives him a teasing look.

“Madam!” Wu San Bo’s face turned slightly red.

“What, that’s so obvious!” Lory shrugged.

Wu San Bo press his lips together then shyly ask “is it?”

Lory rolled her eyes “Please, even your dense Lord knows that you have certain ‘feelings’ about miss Guan” Lory made quotes sign with both hands, and the clever Wu San Bo somehow understood it and his face turned even redder even his ears become red as well.

Wu San Bo scratched his nose feeling embarrassed knowing everyone knows about his feeling, he thought he hide it perfectly, not long after Wu San Bo turn his gaze at Lory again “Madam, did I make the right decision?”

“Hmm?” Lory stared back at him with a questioning look.

Wu San Bo paused for a moment, he looked somewhat conflicted before continuing, “She was…. Wei Zu Tian plaything, one would say that she was impure, dirty… broken” Wu San Bo subconsciously bit his lip, he hated using these words to describe Guan Men Niang. 

“And what do you think?” Lory remains calm as she returns the question.

Wu San Bo rubbed his hands together “I don’t think that’s relevant” Wu San Bo honestly said, “Guan Men Niang is strong, brave, selfless, smart…and a bit cute too” His expression softened as Guan Men Niang’s smile flashed in his minds.

Lory smiled seeing Wu San Bo make a face she had never seen before, “So what are you worried about?”

Wu San Bo felt speechless under Lory’s purple eyes staring at him deeply, “I’m not worried but I think she’s worried and after what Wei Zu Tian did to her, I don’t know if she ever let another man enter her life, could she trust a man again?” Wu San Bo sighed heavily, he wasn’t dense enough for not aware that Guan men Niang always kept a safe distance between them as if she created an invisible wall around her so no one could enter.

Lory got what he meant, she knew some people like to keep themselves out of the world after experiencing major trauma, just like one of her brothers, Cliff, or like herself…

“It won’t be easy, it will take a lot of times to heal and for Miss Guan, it will be a lifelong journey for her to heal herself therefore it will take a lot of patience to work in a relationship like this, so… can you be patient for her?” Lory gives a gentle reminder of what may happen if Wu San Bo decides to pursue Guan Men Niang.

Wu San Bo understand what Lory means so he pondered for a few seconds then a determination fill his eyes, “People say we can’t rush for something that wants to last forever right so why can I wait….it’s not like I have a more important thing to do” it means he ready to wait for Guan Men Niang to open her heart.

However, if only people from the Black Turtle palace heard their King make such a statement they all will be vomit blood and scream exasperatedly ‘You got tons to do!’

Nevertheless, Lory knows Wu San Bo has made a decision so what else she could say other than support him “Off you go then!” 

Wu San Bo’s face instantly lit up, the doubt that clouded his mind this couple of months finally disappeared now he knows what he has to do for his future. 

Wu San Bo cupped his fist and bend his waist in ninety-degree “Thank you very much for your guidance, young madam”

his sincere gratitude puts Lory to shame nevertheless she has to act the part so Lory straightens her back and raises her hand in a dignified manner “Set forth Loverboy!”

“….O-kay”

Lory’s blatant teasing made him feel embarrassed, still, he felt grateful that he left with light feet and a big smile on his face.

Lory saw Wu San Bo leaving feeling happy for him even though he didn’t know how Guan Men Niang felt about Wu San Bo but Lory believed with patience and sincerity he would be able to move Guan Men Niang’s heart, besides Wu San Bo is a very manly handsome person, well he’s not as handsome as her husband but…oh, whatever.

Lory shrugged then he turned and walked back to her room, but then Lory felt someone watching her from above so she looked up, and there he was, Zhao Li Xin sitting on the roof, moonlight shining behind his back appear like a backlight and the wind blew his long black sleeves along with his long silky black hair that fluttering in the air like ink spilled on water, his entire countenance was cold and distant yet undeniably charming.

The coldness on his face melts when his eyes lock with Lory’s eyes, just with a single glance from him Lory feels her heart leap from her chest.

‘Wait, come back heart!’

Zhao Li Xin stretched out his hand in the air and suddenly Lory felt a strong energy coil around her waist then lift her up into the air and pull her towards him like a magnet.

Lory then smoothly fell on Zhao Li Xin’s lap, he wrapped his arms around her small waist leaving no gap between their bodies. 

“Hi…”Lory feels a bit suffocated when there is only an inch gap between their face, she can feel his warm breath blow her cheeks, and immediately her face blush like boiling crab.

  “How long you’ve been here” Lory try to make conversation to eased his beating heart but it only become worst when she heard his deep voice.

“Quite a while” he replies casually.

“Did you see me talking to Wu San Bo?” Lory narrowed her eyes as she questioned him.

“Not like you and San Bo trying to hide it” Zhao Li Xin defended himself.

“Yeah, we didn’t…and…what do you think?” Lory wiggled her eyebrows playfully while waiting for Zhao Li Xin’s opinion.

“I think….you gave him the encouragement he so desperately needed, it was something I could never do,” Zhao Li Xin said honestly.

His sincere compliment undoubtedly pleased Lory, then she wrapped her arms around his neck “I just gave a little push, in the end, it was all Wu San Bo’s decision”

“But it was your words that gave him the courage to make that decision,” Zhao Li Xin reassure her.

Lory didn’t know if that was true but she accepted the thought “I’m glad I could help” Lory grinned happily.

“Yes, and not only Wu San Bo, you helped many people and you changed the fate of many people including me, without you I don’t know where I am now or what I would become” Zhao Li Xin gently caressed Lory’s cheek then tugged the strand of her hair behind her ear “You are my miracle Lory, not only you saved my life but you changed my world completely, you made me hope for the future and helped me see the beauty of this world honestly I can’t remember how I lived before I met you and I don’t think I could ever live without you…” Zhao Li Xin’s voice was etched with tenderness and helplessness that made Lory’s heart aching for him.

“Hey don’t say that” Lory pouted her lips, she hated to see Zhao Li Xin sad.

Lory worry make Zhao Li Xin elated then he buried his face in her neck then slowly inhaled her unique scent that he loved so much “Sorry, I’m not in a good mood lately”

The nightmares that haunt him are even worse than the visions that Arthea showed him, yet he always forgets his dreams when he wakes up however, the horrible feeling remains like an untreatable wound that cannot be healed.

Suddenly a flash of red light appeared like a pillar pierced the sky and the night was lit up with a reddish light but in an instant, the light disappeared as fast as it came.

Lory was stunned “What is that?”

Zhao Li Xin’s face stiffened he gaze at the distance with a foreboding feeling glazing his heart “I don’t know, but the direction is from Yi Shan Mountain”