Nalan Imperial Family
In just a few months, the western sector of Blue Rose City had been fully restored. Not only that, the various buildings and stores exuded an unmatched brilliance of luxury and wealth than any before.
When Li Mo Shang gazed at the entrance amongst the group, he couldn't help but applaud the efforts taken to reconstruct and improve the western region of the city. Almost like a phoenix rising from ashes, the node of commerce within Blue Rose City performed much better than before its destruction, attracting more and more sources of wealth to drain and amass.
The Nan Qing government had done absolutely nothing in the reconstruction of the western sector. The citizens of Blue Rose City had all amassed their wealth to hire, accumulate, and painstakingly rebuild and renovate the ruined buildings to their current display from their previous stages of wreckage.
Standing directly before them were two massive pillars spanning ten meters into the sky, words engraved onto their sides. Golden Tail of Blue Rose.
As the group toured around, numerous, lavish displays of mythical animals, figurines, jewelry; any item relatable to entertainment or satisfaction could be found all around them, the chaotic sounds, lights, and tantalizing aromas bewitching several of the group's members to investigate and splurge.
Seeing more students cheerfully depart towards the various stores, merging into the stream of shoppers and excited people, Li Zhen Yue gave a lighthearted shrug of her shoulders, a sheepish smile on her face.
"Stop!" she shouted, waving to gather everyone's attention. As their glances fell upon her, she swept her arms to her sides, loudly speaking to project her voice.
"This is where we separate, and I won't be seeing you guys back to the campus! Your fault if the guards bust on you!"
"Hah! No way we're letting ourselves fall to such an elementary mistake!"
A loud, collective roar issued from the throats of the students, causing Li Zhen Yue to instinctively crouch backwards, hands over her ears with a surprised yelp. When only the buzzing of the surrounding shoppers flowed into her ears, she looked up with a muted grumble.
There, she could see four sore thumbs standing out from the massive river of people. Gradually wading through the sea of human limbs clustered in the entrance of the western sector until she could distinctly see clearly, Li Zhen Yue found herself staring at Wang Xing, Li Mo Shang, Su Yuan'er, and Lin Shi Meng loitering around the pillars.
Each perused their respective terminals, completely disinterested by the stimulating allures surrounding them. Puffing her cheeks, Li Zhen Yue fiercely strode towards the rest of her dormmates, placing both hands on her hips as she glared towards the four miscreants.
"Hey!" she complained as soon as she found herself before them, her velvety voice gathering quite the attention. "You agreed to come here, what are all of you doing now!?"
"I was looking at a message sent by my professor. There was a notification of an upcoming project that could potentially jeopardize my scoring arrangements." Wang Xing was the first to respond, stuffing his terminal into his pocket as he walked forward as if to distance himself from the rest.
"I agreed to come here, not that I would spend my money." Lin Shi Meng was next to respond, glancing at the fuming Li Zhen Yue with an indifferent expression, her delicate eyebrows lightly fluttering before returning to her terminal with interest.
"You only told me that there was something fun…" Su Yuan'er quietly whined. When Li Zhen Yue didn't get a response from Li Mo Shang, she trembled with anger before marching over to stand directly before him, thrusting her face against his.
"Li. Mo. Shang! Do you even have anything to say?"
"…you're attracting a lot of attention?"
With Li Mo Shang's nonchalant response, her expression deflated as she gazed around, discovering dozens of curious gazes aimed directly onto herself. Hiding her face into her coat from embarrassment, she spoke no more as she stood next to Wang Xing, deftly withdrawing her terminal and devoting her attention towards it.
"Can we go somewhere? Anywhere that's not eye-catching as here…" she bemoaned. Raising his gaze to find that the crowd of spectators had not fully receded, Li Mo Shang signaled to Wang Xing and Lin Shi Meng before striding forward, placing his terminal. However, he soon discovered his arm trailing behind, causing him to look back to discover that Su Yuan'er was still holding his hand.
Meeting his gaze, her countenance twitched slightly, as she quickly stepped forward to match his stride. Wang Xing quickly followed as well, Lin Shi Meng giving a light sigh before consoling Li Zhen Yue. Although he had stepped forward to disengage the awkward circumstance, Li Mo Shang had little clue on what to do next, and he glanced at Wang Xing who shrugged, a similar expression on his pale countenance.
Both of them continued to uncertainly walk forwards until they naturally came to a halt.
"…how about Golden Tail Mall? It should be enough to fulfill the job?"
Lin Shi Meng quietly suggested accompanied by a light breath, the rest of them quickly jumping onto the idea as they turned in the direction of the Golden Tail Mall. Quietly exchanging helpless glances and suppressing a partially laughing and crying outburst, the group of five quickly strode towards the grandiose mall plaza.
The granite plaza floor greeting his eyes once more, Li Mo Shang didn't know whether to feel nostalgic or interested given his only previous experience. Unknown to anyone in their group, a storm was beginning to encroach onto their path.
-
Within the Golden Tail Mall's restricted areas, a man dressed in a blue employee's uniform sat hunched over an array of display screens, his eyes flickering across each one. Suddenly, he bolted upright, disbelief encroaching onto his eyes.
Smacking himself to free his mind from the shock, the man's fingers flew over the workstation's keyboard, manipulating the displayed image to zoom into a certain group of young shoppers strolling through the mall's assortment of stores. When the resultant image matched with his expectations, the employee commanded the workstation to follow the group, his body leaping from his seat as he rushed down the hallway.
Resting his hands on his knees as he struggled for breath, the employee hurriedly knocked on the door with his right fist.
"What is it?" an impatient voice drawled through, a thick sense of doom encroaching the employee from all directions. Swallowing and mustering his courage to speak, the employee slammed a fist onto his own thigh, the dull pain sobering his fearful mind.
"It's…it's the target," he spoke hoarsely, his voice no louder than a mosquito's beat. "The target is on site, shopping at the mall…"
Hearing no response, the employee fretfully attempted to force his dry throat to swallow down his fears, quivering in his shoes.
"…acknowledged. Dismissed."
Moments later, a curt voice rang from within the room, the employee releasing a light tremble of relief. Patting his chest as he emitted a huge sigh, cold sweat dotting his brow as he trudged back towards his station.
Sinking into the hard leather seat, he felt as if the usually uncomfortable chair was heaven.
Within the room, three figures could be seen seated around a circular, white table, the room lacking any other articles of furniture. Upon hearing the employee's muted cry, one of them stood, clasping his hands as he bowed towards the others.
"Your Excellency Baili, Your Imperial Highness, this Su shall depart immediately to deliver the target safely!"
"Mm. Go, don't disappoint me."
One of the other occupants replied a handsome youth who had yet to enter his twenties, his expression relaxed as he reclined in a comfortable willow chair. Dressed in a lavish, purple robe decorated with delicate swans, coiled dragons and tigers, a phoenix knotting around his torso, the youth lazily waved towards Su Xuan, giving him permission to depart.
Giving a final bow, Su Xuan quickly strode from the room with a stern expression, leaving behind a worried Baili Ming Zhen and the youth.
"…Your Imperial Highness. Should this one also dispatch the personal forces to oversee the operation?"
Baili Ming Zhen whispered into the youth's ear before stepping back, his expression one of worshipping and subservience, one that would have terrified Su Xuan if he had witnessed such a spectacle. The youth nodded, a thoughtful expression on his countenance as he rested his chin on his left palm, the other hand's fingers lightly drumming on the table's surface.
Pondering for a moment, he leaned backwards, staring at the fluorescent lights, before finally speaking.
"…Ming Zhen. Dispatch the Black Tiger forces to capture the target. I want to see a successful report, not Magistrate Yang's pleading expressions for forgiveness."
"Understood! Ming Zhen shall instruct them immediately!"
Striding from his chair, Baili Ming Zhen kneeled onto one knee, striking his chest with his fist as he properly saluted the youth. His expression solemn as he left the room, Baili Ming Zhen withdrew his terminal as he made a series of calls.
Within the room, the elegant youth narrowed his eyes, a predatory light shining through.
"Now, now, I wonder how you will escape this time? My dear, dear little pet." he mused, the thin lips rising into a thin, sinister arc.
-
Li Mo Shang didn't expect what he saw before him. At the very least, he didn't expect the usually reserved and indifferent Lin Shi Meng to be obsessing over a small cushion, a simple smiling expression drawn over the fabric. Her cold expression had completely receded as she energetically hugged the plushie to her chest, a thin shade of scarlet stretching over her face as she squealed like a lost girl finding her first bout of spring.
Observing from the side, the other four could only reveal wry smiles, their lips twitching as they glanced towards each other. When Wang Xing and Li Mo Shang both glanced towards her, Li Zhen Yue instinctively hid behind Su Yuan'er, shaking her head like a broken rag doll.
"No way," she complained. "I don't want to go embarrass myself another time. Student Wang, you take the task! Your female partner won't get mad at you."
Wang Xing shook his head, a gentle smile on his countenance as he refused Li Zhen Yue's attempts.
As Li Mo Shang and Su Yuan'er didn't appear to be in the mood of intervening, Li Zhen Yue eventually had to drag Lin Shi Meng back, the latter hiding her face from shame, her cold countenance fully shattered and ground to dust.
Finally pacifying the situation, Li Zhen Yue heaved a large sigh, shaking her head as she glanced both Wang Xing and Li Mo Shang, bursting into a bout of cheerful laughter. Both of them held multiple bags in their free hands, each filled to the brim with various articles of the girls' majestic rampage.
Li Mo Shang struggled to contain his expression, his facial muscles threatening to twitch uncontrollably. Unable to free either hand to distract himself with his terminal, Li Mo Shang did his best to prevent his thoughts from drifting onto either Su Yuan'er's delicate hand grasped within his own, or a bag chock full with female undergarments both frilly and flamboyant…
"Oh? Where have you run off, to return so late?"
Suddenly, a lilting voice could be heard, attracting the shoppers' attention. As Su Yuan'er raised an eyebrow at the somewhat familiar yet odd voice, she turned her head towards its source, stiffening afterwards.
Silver hair flowing to the shoulders, dull teal irises, high cheekbones and the always present amused smile on his face as well as that customary gentle curve of his lips, Su Yuan'er's gaze hardened, her hand curling into a fist within Li Mo Shang's hand. As if noticing her gaze, the man turned towards the group, his eyebrows shooting up when his gaze landed on her figure.
Striding calmly with a unique rhythm, the rise and fall of his feet echoed in Su Yuan'er's heart, bringing forth waves of rage and fear. Coming directly to a stop before Li Mo Shang, the handsome youth extended forth his right hand, making an inviting gesture as he directed it towards Su Yuan'er.
"My little pet, are you done scurrying about now?"