Federation Military Department offices.
Qiudao and Changbei were still celebrating their success in snagging some treats from Jiang Qiuqiuās showcase when they heard the Admiral would be away for some time.
"Admiral, what about your upcoming duties?" Qiudao asked.
Mo Si adjusted his cape. "Send me encrypted messages for anything important. Turn down any social obligations. Iāll be back before the next legion inspection."
After noting everything down, Changbei tilted his head and asked curiously, "What are you off to do this time, Admiral?"
āWhat am I off to do?ā Mo Siās hand paused mid-air. Thinking of his unruly brother, he did something rare for him in front of his subordinatesāhe rubbed his head. "Iām going to deal with some trouble."
"Alright, Iām off. Remember to keep up with your training in your spare time."
After he left, Changbei muttered to Qiudao, "Itās a truce period, and thereās nothing going on with the Insect Race, right? The military is quiet. What could possibly need the Admiral to handle it personally?"
"And he seemed really reluctant about it. Qiudao, I bet his family set him up on a blind date!"
Qiudao...
"You shouldnāt gossip about a superior officer."
"Iām not gossiping, Iām just discussing our superiorās love life. The Admiral will be almost forty in a few years. Itās about time he found a wife."
As he rambled on about Mo Si, he was starting to cross a line. Qiudao raised an eyebrow. "Youāre over forty, and youāre single too."
"Hey, why are you bringing me into this! Itās not the same!"
"Youāre both single. Whatās the difference?"
The moment Qiudao finished speaking, Changbei slung an arm around his shoulders, grinning. "There is a difference! Iāve got you to keep me company. But for someone with the Admiralās status, his family will never approve of him staying single."
"Okay, this conversation is getting out of hand. Drop it." Qiudao slapped Changbeiās hand away. "Be more mindful in the future. And besides, I donāt plan on staying single forever with you."
With that, Qiudao walked out of the office ahead of him.
Changbei was left exclaiming in his wake, then he hurriedly scrambled to catch up. "What do you mean?! Youāre going to find a wife? Youāre kidding me!"
Changbeiās squawking voice echoed down the hall for a long, long time.
Elsewhere, Mo Chengyu had started wailing again.
The Left and Right Guardians stood by, their faces blank. They were already familiar with this routine.
Mo Si would be arriving soon, and Mo Chengyu was already starting to suffer. "Why, oh why did I have the bright idea to ask my brother to come? Once heās here, this place is going to turn into a monastery again!"
"Ugh, heās definitely going to nitpick everything."
"Heāll say I lack a soldierās discipline, that Iāve got rocks in my head, that Iām a man in his thirties who still acts like a childā"
"Heās bound to question my intelligence."
"Zuo Kai, what do you think? Should I tell him not to come over? Just so he doesnāt ruin my mood."
"Director, if you refuse Admiral Moās spiritual guidance, youāll have to drink an extra monthās worth of Spirit Nourishing Liquid."
Mo Chengyu...
"Aaargh!"
"I love my brother! Heās the best!"
The Right Protector discreetly gave the Left Protector a thumbs-up. The air was thick with smug satisfaction.
Just as they were exchanging knowing glances, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Zuo Kai went downstairs to get the door.
Strangely, the moment the front door opened, the entire little castle fell silent.
A man dressed head-to-toe in black, his posture ramrod straight, strode directly into the living room. He wore a pure black military cap with white piping. Looking down from the landing, Mo Chengyu nearly tumbled down the stairs.
Hearing the commotion, the man downstairs removed his hat and looked up, his sharp, dark eyes filled with disapproval.
The visitor was, without a doubt, Mo Si.