Chapter 221: The Third Force

“Mo Yu.”

Moria’s voice woke Mo Yu, who was lost in her sorrow.

She lifted her tear-streaked face, looking at Moria blankly.

Moria handed her the crystal bottle he held.

“Give this to your sister.”

Mo Yu stared at the bottle, which glowed with a soft Holy Light, and was stunned for a moment.

“My Lord, this is...”

“sacred light spiritual water.”

Moria’s voice was calm.

“While it can’t completely cure your sister’s illness, it can alleviate some of her symptoms.”

sacred light spiritual water?

A look of surprise appeared in Mo Yu’s eyes.

Although she didn’t know what the sacred light spiritual water was.

She believed that her Lord would never harm her sister.

“My Lord!”

Mo Yu plopped down, kneeling on the ground again, and kowtowed heavily to Moria.

“Your kindness, Mo Yu will never forget!”

She carefully opened the stopper and fed the brilliantly glowing liquid, drop by drop, into Mo Yu’s mouth.

As soon as the sacred light spiritual water entered her throat, it transformed into a warm torrent, instantly flowing through Mo Yu’s limbs and bones.

A faint, visible golden aura enveloped her entire body.

On her paper-white face, a faint blush miraculously appeared.

Her previously almost imperceptible breathing also became steady and strong.

Mo Yu held her breath, her eyes fixed on her sister, afraid to miss any slight change.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Finally.

Under Mo Yu’s nervous gaze, Mo Yu’s long eyelashes trembled slightly.

Immediately after, her eyes, which had been closed for a long time, slowly opened a crack.

Confusion, bewilderment.

Her gaze focused on the ceiling for a long time before slowly turning to rest on her sister, who was crying with swollen eyes, by the bedside.

“Mo Yu...”

Mo Yu’s voice was hoarse and weak, like a feather drifting in the wind.

“What...what happened to me?”

“Why are you...crying?”

“Wah—!”

Hearing this weak greeting, Mo Yu could no longer suppress her emotions and suddenly threw herself into her sister’s arms, crying even louder.

She no longer had any of the composure of the Eternal Night Guild’s leader.

She had reverted to the helpless, lost little girl who could only rely on her sister.

“Sister! You’re finally awake!”

“I thought...I thought you would never wake up again!”

The two sisters embraced and wept, the long-suppressed fear and worry transforming into hot tears at this moment.

Moria stood quietly to the side, his silver eyes showing no emotion.

Zhou Huai’s consciousness, meanwhile, coldly calculated in his mind.

The effect of the sacred light spiritual water was even better than expected.

It seemed that Mo Yu, this “experiment subject,” could last at least a little longer.

...

At the same time.

Zhou Family Old Residence.

In the heavily guarded reception hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Zhou Ting sat in the main seat, his face ashen, slowly sipping the fragrant tea in his cup.

Across from him, Liu Zi'ang, the Third Young Master from the Imperial City Liu Family, was looking at the powerful old man, who held immense power in Donghai City, with an amused expression.

“Young Master Liu, you haven’t come this time just to enter that relic again, have you?”

Zhou Ting put down his teacup, his voice flat, betraying no emotion.

Liu Zi'ang chuckled at the remark, not bothering to hide his intentions.

“Old Family Head Zhou is indeed perceptive.”

“Old Fu has been missing for over half a month, neither alive nor dead.”

“I must take people in to see what exactly happened.”

Zhou Ting’s eyelids lifted slightly.

“Young Master Liu, you should be aware.”

“Recently, the people from the military have been like a group of sharks smelling blood, constantly circling around our Zhou Family.”

“At this time, if we make any move, I’m afraid it will immediately attract their attention.”

“Attention?”

The smile on Liu Zi'ang’s face grew wider, but there was an undisguised hint of mockery in it.

“What if it attracts attention?”

He leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes looking directly at Zhou Ting.

“To my knowledge, the military has secretly dispatched a specialized exploration team, composed entirely of earth-elemental professionals, who are conducting a carpet search of the entire underground area of Donghai City.”

“How long do you think that relic can remain hidden?”

Before Zhou Ting could answer, Liu Zi'ang spoke again, his voice like a rapid-fire cannon, each word precisely striking Zhou Ting’s heart.

“Also, don’t you find a few questions curious?”

“Who dug the tunnel that Li Gang escaped through back then?”

“If it was the military’s doing, they should have launched a full-scale attack through the tunnel long ago, instead of just using it to let a Li Gang escape.”

“And how were the tens of thousands of magic crystals you painstakingly collected swept clean? That Li Gang isn’t some Great Master of Formations; how did he, without anyone knowing, set up an illusion Formation right under the Radiant Alliance’s nose?”

“Finally, and most crucially.”

A cold glint flashed in Liu Zi'ang’s eyes.

“Which organization did the person Old Fu went back into the relic to chase belong to?”

The barrage of questions finally caused a subtle change in Zhou Ting’s usually impassive old face.

His hand, holding the teacup, paused in mid-air.

As the helmsman of the Zhou Family, he quickly understood Liu Zi'ang’s meaning.

“You mean...”

“Besides us and the military, there’s a third force involved?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Liu Zi'ang leaned back on the sofa, shrugging.

“I merely stated my questions.”

“As for whether such ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a possibility exists, Old Family Head Zhou, you need to judge for yourself.”

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

Apparently finding it a bit hot, he put it back down.

“Also, I must remind you.”

“We don’t have much time left.”

“In a couple of days, our Liu Family will send more powerful individuals over.”

“On one hand, it’s to retrieve Old Fu from the relic.”

“On the other hand, it’s to find the Divine Artifact in the relic as soon as possible.”

He looked at Zhou Ting, speaking each word slowly, his voice icy.

“Once the military discovers the relic first, our Liu Family won’t be able to protect you.”

“Those are my father’s exact words.”

“I hope Old Family Head Zhou considers this carefully.”

With that, Liu Zi'ang stood up, preparing to leave.

As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something, stopped, and turned around.

“Oh, right.”

That false smile reappeared on his face.

“My father has been missing my sister lately, and hopes I can bring her and Lu Qi back to the Liu Family to stay for a couple of days.”

“Old Family Head Zhou, you wouldn’t have any objections, would you?”

The muscles on Zhou Ting’s face twitched imperceptibly.

He looked at Liu Zi'ang, a hint of gloom flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

But he ultimately forced a smile, his voice calm.

“Naturally.”

“Yu Ru has been away from home for so many years; it is indeed time for her to return and visit.”

“Since Old Family Head Zhou says so, then that’s for the best.”

Liu Zi'ang nodded with satisfaction, then turned and left.

The reception hall door closed.

The smile on Zhou Ting’s face vanished instantly, without a trace.

In its place was an impenetrable gloom.

Not long after Liu Zi'ang left.

Zhou Feng walked in quickly from outside.

“Father, you called for me?”

Zhou Ting didn’t look at him, merely staring quietly at the tea leaves floating in his cup, his voice terrifyingly calm.

“How are the preparations coming along?”

Zhou Feng’s expression became serious at the question, and he quickly bowed and replied.

“Reporting, Father, preparations are almost complete.”

“Mm.”

Zhou Ting nodded, slowly picked up his teacup, and drained the already cold tea in one gulp.

“The Liu Family is likely preparing to abandon our Zhou Family.”

He placed the teacup heavily on the table, producing a crisp, muffled thud.

A terrifying killing intent burst forth from his cloudy old eyes.

“Our plan should also begin.”