harleyscars Chapter 86 The Astronomical Bureau Arrives at the Door; The Sun Family Offers Ancestral Graves as Co
Chapter 86 The Astronomical Bureau Arrives at the Door; The Sun Family Offers Ancestral Graves as Co
"Fix the door, plant the trees, then get out."
Lu Yuan's voice was calm and even, yet it carried an absolute and unyielding pressure that made the air in the courtyard seem to freeze.
Sun Changhe knelt firmly on the cold, gravelly ground, his forehead pressed against the earth, not even daring to raise his head.
The devastated courtyard was the best testament to his crushing defeat tonight. The foreign corpses strewn everywhere, the completely collapsed engine, and the lawn ravaged by the war—all were relentlessly slapping at his last shred of dignity. The masterly reputation he had built up over half a lifetime, and the formidable prestige of the Sun family, had long since been buried in the dust along with that broken iron gate, vanishing without a trace.
At this moment, he was as insignificant as an ant, filled only with fear and a sliver of hope.
"Senior... I'll get it done right away, immediately!"
Sun Changhe's throat tightened, and even his voice trembled. He hurriedly reached for his phone. His palm was soaked with cold sweat, slippery and sticky. The fingerprint unlock repeatedly failed, and the screen flickered three times before he finally managed to unlock it.
He practically growled through gritted teeth, his voice filled with lingering fear and anxiety: "Second brother! Wake up! Take the men up the mountain immediately!"
"Bring the construction team, landscaping team, carpenters, welders—everyone must be there! Don't waste a moment!"
"Yes! Now! Immediately! Start construction right away!"
The deputy on the other end of the phone was still clearly sleepy, muttering in confusion, "Master, what are you doing fixing the door in the middle of the night...?"
"I'll punish your father's life!"
Sun Changhe completely broke down, letting out a hoarse roar that stung his throat, leaving it dry and aching. He knew all too well that tonight's task wasn't just to repair a door, but to save the lives of everyone in his Sun family! The slightest mistake could mean the annihilation of the entire clan!
Lu Yuan didn't bother to look at him again.
This insignificant character couldn't cause any trouble, nor was he worth his time. He turned and calmly walked into the villa.
The sound of water from the second-floor bathroom had just stopped. At the corner of the stairs, a slender figure quietly peeked out.
Lu Qingxue's long, wet hair cascaded over her shoulders, dripping tiny water droplets. Her loose pajamas accentuated her fair and translucent face. Her skin, still flushed from the steam after her bath, was rosy and delicate. She shed her usual frailty and exuded an unprecedented lightness and ease.
She tilted her head, looking confused, her eyes full of doubt: "Brother, who's howling outside? It's so noisy."
"A moving company," Lu Yuan replied casually, his tone indifferent.
"Huh? A moving company working in the middle of the night?" Lu Qingxue blinked her clear eyes, her face full of confusion.
"His job is to clean up the broken things and settle the bills at the same time."
Lu Qingxue nodded as if she understood, then subconsciously raised her arm and lightly stomped her feet on the floor. Her movements were clumsy yet novel, and she was even surprised by her own change.
"Bro, I almost broke the showerhead while showering, and I even cracked a tile when I stepped on it!"
"It's normal," Lu Yuan said calmly.
She panicked immediately, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly with her small hands, and said in a low, hesitant voice, "Then...do I have to pay for it? The floor tiles and the showerhead are broken, it'll cost a lot of money, won't it?"
Lu Yuan looked up at her for two seconds. The lingering chilling killing intent in his eyes, aroused by the abnormality of the seal, was instantly diluted and dissipated by the trivialities of human life, and his heart was filled with warmth.
He had cultivated for nine thousand years, witnessing the fall of celestial demons and the vicissitudes of life, spending half his life in battle, his blade stained with the blood of countless enemies. Yet, in the end, what he found most comforting was his sister's silly, fussy concern for everyday matters. This warmth of family life offered a tranquility that no elixir or rare treasure could ever buy.
"You don't need to pay; someone else is eager to foot the bill."
Lu Qingxue immediately grabbed the stair railing and peered out the window out of curiosity.
At this moment, the villa's courtyard is brightly lit and bustling with people. Construction vehicles are coming and going, and workers are performing their respective tasks: lifting door panels, taking measurements, planting new trees, and welding steel frames—a scene of busy work done through the night.
Sun Changhe's legs went numb from kneeling, and he had long since stood up to give instructions, his back still bent extremely low, his posture humble to the extreme. His voice was weak, and he would often scold his subordinates for being too slow, but after scolding them, he would always subconsciously turn his head to look at the main building of the villa, his eyes filled with fear, as if he was afraid that the people inside would find it noisy or slow and have murderous intentions.
Lu Qingxue was stunned. After a long while, she managed to stammer out, "Brother, your moving company... is so dedicated! Not only do they work overtime all night, but they're also available whenever we call."
"Yes, the service is top-notch, they dare not be perfunctory," Lu Yuan echoed casually.
Lu Qingxue couldn't help but burst out laughing. But as soon as her laughter subsided, her stomach rumbled softly, completely out of place.
Her face flushed instantly, and she hurriedly raised her hand to cover her stomach, lowering her head in embarrassment: "I'm hungry."
"What would you like to eat?"
"I want noodles, spicy, and a fried egg!" She immediately looked up, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"OK."
Lu Yuan turned and walked into the kitchen. The refrigerator was crammed full, with Wagyu beef, seafood, and rare ingredients—presumably prepared deliberately by the Li family, fearing they might not be able to entertain him adequately. But even the finest delicacies couldn't compare to the bowl of hot and spicy vegetarian noodles his sister was longing for.
He skillfully started boiling water, chopped scallions, and cracked eggs to cook noodles. His movements were unhurried and deliberate, with every touch of heat and seasoning perfectly executed, far surpassing that of an ordinary chef. As the water boiled, the rich aroma of noodles mixed with spiciness slowly spread, filling the entire room.
Lu Qingxue sat at the dining table, hugging a soft cushion, her little face pressed against her knees, staring longingly at the stove, looking obedient and adorable.
"elder brother."
"Um?"
"Did I... cause trouble again tonight?" she asked softly, with a hint of unease in her voice.
The black impurities that had seeped from her body and the strange power surging within her still haunted her; that out-of-control and eerie feeling was truly terrifying.
"It's not exactly causing trouble," Lu Yuan said gently, scooping up noodles. "Your irregular sleep schedule and unhealthy diet have accumulated a lot of toxins and impurities in your body over the years. Tonight, the spiritual energy is cleansing your body, which is just a good thing as it helps to expel those impurities."
Lu Qingxue pursed her lips, remained silent for a moment, and then asked softly, "Then... will I become like you in the future? Possessing great power?"
Lu Yuan scooped out the steaming noodles, poured broth over them, and topped them with a golden fried egg, the aroma filling the air. He gently pushed the bowl towards his sister, his expression softening.
"Finish your noodles first, then think about becoming Superman."
"So you're admitting you're Superman?" Lu Qingxue's eyes lit up.
"When have I ever hidden anything from you?"
Lu Qingxue held her chopsticks, gently stirring the noodles in her bowl. Watching the sloshing soup, her voice suddenly lowered, revealing an unconcealed vulnerability: "Brother, what if one day you suddenly disappear again?"
Lu Yuan suddenly stopped moving.
The warm yellow light fell on the girl's face, but couldn't hide the lingering weariness and anxiety in her eyes. In just a few days, strange phenomena occurred frequently, a powerful enemy attacked, and she was on the verge of death. She seemed carefree, but in reality, her heart was always taut, constantly fearing that her only remaining loved one would leave again.
This girl is just used to pretending to be strong.
"No." Lu Yuan's tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.
"real?"
"real."
"Then let's pinky swear!" She immediately extended her slender little finger.
Lu Yuan chuckled helplessly: "How childish!"
"If I don't dare, I'll go back on my word!" Lu Qingxue stubbornly insisted.
Lu Yuan finally raised his hand, gently hooking his fingertip around her little finger, and said, word by word, "It doesn't count if I don't pull you in."
A simple promise instantly soothed all the girl's anxieties. Lu Qingxue's eyes crinkled into a smile, her gaze clear and warm.
Outside the window, the sizzling and crackling of welding machines rose and fell, along with the beeping of garden vehicles reversing and the sounds of workers at work. The earthy smell and the fresh scent of grass and trees mingled with the aroma of flour inside the house—a contrast of hot and cold, noisy and quiet—making this small dining table feel especially peaceful and warm.
Lu Yuan leaned back in his chair, listening to the howling of the mountain wind in the evening. His mind calmed down as he quickly sorted through all the changes and hidden dangers of the night.
The first seal in Antarctica has completely collapsed, causing a global backflow of spiritual energy and an imbalance of order. Cloud Peak Manor is still able to maintain stability thanks to his presence, but the second seal has already cracked and loosened, and the real chaos has only just begun.
Ordinary people may only experience temporary dizziness, fever, and physical discomfort, but those evil and filthy things that have been lurking underground for thousands of years will surely awaken and break free from their seals thanks to the chaotic flow of spiritual energy.
Tonight, the spiritual energy throughout Jiangnan is in chaos. Countless people in the city have undoubtedly been affected by the spiritual energy, resulting in physical abnormalities and rampant chaos. At best, their bodies become disordered; at worst, they lose control of their brute strength and become violent.
The most urgent task is to first thoroughly settle my sister's affairs and ensure her safety, and then take action to rectify the chaos and turmoil in the outside world.
Before my thoughts could settle, my phone on the table suddenly vibrated.
An unfamiliar number, with no clear origin.
Lu Yuan tapped his fingertip lightly and calmly answered the call.
"Mr. Lu, hello. I am Li Chengyuan from the Li family. I had the pleasure of meeting you once before at the entrance of the villa and exchanging business cards with you." The voice on the other end of the phone was extremely respectful, kept very low, and full of caution.
"Speak plainly if you have something to say." Lu Yuan's tone was concise and devoid of unnecessary emotion.
Li Chengyuan paused for two seconds, seemingly considering his words, his tone growing increasingly serious: "Two groups of people came down the mountain. One group were regular patrol personnel from the city, and the other group... had a special background and an extraordinary aura. They didn't force their way into the villa; they only said they wanted to come and talk to you in person."
"The team leader is Shen Qingci, the deputy director of the Jiangnan Office of the Astronomical Bureau."
Lu Yuan's gaze darkened slightly: "What is she doing here?"
"She didn't explicitly state her purpose, only informing us that seven bizarre murders had occurred overnight in the south, west, and old city of Jiangnan, and that all the unusual phenomena were highly consistent with the energy fluctuations at your manor."
Li Chengyuan paused, then solemnly repeated the other party's original words: "She specifically asked me to give you a piece of advice—if you only want to secure your home, you'd better block the well first."
wellhead.
Those two short words instantly made the leisurely warmth in Lu Yuan's eyes fade, replaced by a deep and cold look.
Ordinary martial arts practitioners and secular forces would only follow the crowd to investigate anomalies and explore energy sources. The fact that Shen Qingci could accurately point out the words "wellhead" is enough to prove that she has top-secret intelligence and is well-versed in ancient mysteries, and is by no means an ordinary, mediocre person who just goes through the motions.
She wasn't there to curry favor or test the waters; she was there to offer leverage and send signals.