Chapter 681: Back To Shenzhou

We did not leave Armus immediately.

First, we flew east, cutting through the skies toward another major city, one that carried no political power, but was financially strong. The city belonged to trade, logistics, and information. Jarul’s family had roots there, and his son had been managing things in his absence.

Primus led the way.

Only his face was open. Steve, North, and I wore dark cloaks and smooth masks that hid our features. I had no particular reason to do so, I just felt like it.

We landed on the edge of the city and moved through its upper districts until we reached a fortified estate. Multiple shops lined outside the estate all carrying Jarul’s name. They included all kinds of stuff from weapons, armors to even furniture and carpets for houses.

A demon was waiting at the entrance, clearly placed there to receive guests. He wore simple but well-kept robes and kept his head lowered in a respectful posture, eyes flicking briefly toward Primus before settling back down.

"Lord Primus," he said carefully. "You were expected. Please, follow me."

He turned without another word and led us inside.

The interior of the estate was quiet and orderly, built more for function than display. Maps of Armus covered the walls. Trade routes, supply lines, population centers. It was clear Jarul’s son had been doing his job properly.

A younger demon stood waiting inside.

He was tall but leaner than most demons, with dark red skin and shorter, backward-curving horns. His presence was controlled, but there was a faint tension beneath it, the kind that came from carrying responsibility too early.

The moment he saw Primus, he straightened sharply.

"Lord Primus," he said, bowing his head. "I am Kharvek, son of Jarul."

Primus inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Good. You’re younger than I imagined."

Kharvek allowed himself a brief, nervous smile. "Responsibility does that." He glanced at the cloaked figures behind Primus but asked no questions. "When I was told you were coming, I cancelled all my meetings and got ready to receive you. I must say your presence here will bring us lots of business."

Primus chuckled softly. "Calm down, kid. I have some news for you. Depending on how you take it, you’ll either get a lot more business... or a lot more headaches."

Kharvek let out a careful breath and gestured toward the seating area. "Please. Sit. If this concerns Armus, I’d rather hear it properly."

We took our seats on the sofas arranged around a low stone table. Kharvek sat across from Primus, posture straight, hands folded, eyes sharp with attention. He was younger than Primus, but not naïve.

Primus didn’t waste time.

"I want your family’s main headquarters moved," he said plainly. "From this city... to the capital of Armus. Right beside the Bloodreaver state."

Kharvek froze for half a second.

"...That’s not a small request," he said slowly. "Our operations here are deeply rooted. Trade routes, contracts, neutral standing, moving the core of our family would draw attention."

"That’s the point," Primus replied. "Armus is no longer a background world. The changes that have happened will attract attention. People are going to gather here, quietly." He leaned forward slightly. "And I want eyes on everything."

Kharvek’s gaze sharpened. "Eyes how?"

"I want you to monitor Armus," Primus said. "Everything. Political shifts. New factions. Strange movements. Unusual visitors. Anything, good or bad, that might matter in the long run."

He paused, then added, "You will send all of it to your father in Shenzhou. And from there, it will reach me."

Silence stretched.

Kharvek leaned back, mind clearly racing. "So you want us to act as an intelligence hub," he said.

"Yes," Primus said. "Quiet ones."

Kharvek tapped a claw lightly against the armrest. "And secrecy?"

"Absolute," Primus replied. "No banners. No announcements. No public alignment beyond relocation. Officially, you’re just expanding trade operations closer to the capital."

Kharvek nodded slowly. "You want us to build an intelligence network inside Armus," he said. "Informants. Traders. Couriers. Maybe even outsiders who don’t realize they’re feeding us information."

Primus’s lips curved faintly. "Now you’re thinking like your father."

Kharvek exhaled. "This will put us in dangerous territory. If something goes wrong, we’ll be caught between factions."

"Armus will protect you," Primus said evenly. "And so will I."

That answer carried weight.

Kharvek studied him for a long moment, then lowered his head slightly. "All right," he said. "We’ll do it. I’ll begin preparations immediately. The move will be gradual. Quiet. By the time anyone realizes what we’re doing, it’ll already be done."

"Good," Primus said. "Your father needs to hear everything. No filtering. No assumptions."

"I understand," Kharvek replied. "If Armus changes, you’ll know before the rumors spread."

Primus stood. "Then we’re done here."

Kharvek rose as well and bowed respectfully. "I won’t fail you, Lord Primus."

As we turned to leave, I glanced back once.

Kharvek was already reaching for a communication seal, expression serious, mind fully engaged. He wasn’t just moving headquarters.

He was laying the foundation for Armus’s eyes and ears beyond its borders.

********

We returned to the capital.

Before we reached the teleportation hub, I summoned my summons. I handed them cloaks and masks identical to ours. They accepted them without question.

Only Primus remained uncovered. When we entered the teleportation hub, the change was obvious. The area was no longer neutral ground.

Bloodreaver banners lined the platforms. Armed patrols moved in tight formations. Gates were monitored constantly, and every traveler was inspected in more detail before entry or exit.

This wasn’t subtle control. It was ownership. The moment Primus stepped forward, the guards froze.

Then they bowed.

Deep.

Respectful.

"Lord Primus," one of them said. "The gate to Shenzhou is prepared."

Primus nodded. "Open it."

The gate flared to life and we stepped through.

Shenzhou hit us all at once.

The moment we arrived, noise crashed over me, voices speaking in a dozen languages, machines humming and clanking, carts rolling past with heavy cargo, footsteps overlapping without rhythm. Beings of every race moved through the wide streets, brushing past one another without pause.

We moved out into the street, and the noise only grew louder.

This was Shenzhou.

We moved through the streets in formation. Even cloaked, we stood out. Our auras were restrained, but power has weight. People stepped aside instinctively. Conversations dipped when we passed.

Eventually, we stopped in front of a massive warehouse carved from reinforced alloy and stone.

Above the entrance, a sign read:

JARUL & SONS • INTERGALACTIC CARGO • FASTEST DELIVERY IN SHENZHOU

I whispered. "We are here again."

We stepped inside. And just like last time Jarul was walking around barking orders and then he noticed Primus.

The massive demon froze mid-step. His eyes widened, then narrowed, then widened again.

And then he laughed.

A deep, booming sound that turned heads across the warehouse.

"Well I’ll be damned," Jarul said, striding forward. "Should I call you Prince Primus now?"

Primus snorted. "Try it and I’ll burn your favorite ship."

Jarul’s grin widened. "You made it back alive."

"Unfortunately."

Jarul clapped a hand on Primus’s shoulder, then paused, sensing something different. "You’ve grown strong."

"I have," Primus replied.

Jarul glanced at the rest of us, his eyes lingering on our masks. He didn’t ask questions.

Instead, he gestured toward a reinforced door at the far end.

"Office," he said. "We’ve got a lot to talk about."

And with that, we were ready to leave Armus behind, stepping closer to the heart of the Blue Spiral Galaxy, and beginning to carve a path of our own toward the Prime Galaxy.