As the night fell, the Ke Mansion was ablaze with light, with the sounds of clinking cups and raucous laughter filling the air.
A crowd of powerhouses from the Underground City, each a big shot in their own right, swarmed around a young man. Even if it was just to get a good look at him, they wanted to crowd in.
These martial artists were indeed stronger than the mortals in Human City, yet, at their core, they were no different.
Their strength, wealth, and status were already deeply entwined with the Celestial Race.
From the very start, they had been plotting how to place their bets on which faction would win in the upcoming showdown at the City of Divine Beings, ensuring their families’ continuous prosperity.
They supported the Celestial Race, and they had a vested interest in the Ink City too.
No matter which side came out on top, they remained the big dogs from the Underground City.
Now, an influential figure from Ink City, who was also well-connected in the Celestial realm, had arrived.
“Oh, my dear nephew Ke, I remember when you were just a little tyke! You soaked me in the face with your pee! From that moment, I knew you were destined for greatness!”
“Ke nephew, the Jiang family has shared both hardships and joys with yours. As you soar to the top, don’t forget your old uncle!”
“What do you mean distant relatives? From now on, let’s get even closer!”
“Hmph, does your family even have a daughter? My Cheng family can offer you a girl—take who you want, I’ll even bundle them up for you!”
“Having a daughter is something to brag about? How about you, do you fancy someone else’s wife? I’ve been hurt in love myself, and I haven’t even had a wedding night; if you can overlook that…”
“…..?”
Things were getting a bit off the rails.
Just as Ke Mo was about to lift his cup, he coughed a few times, standing up to stop this madness. The atmosphere was spiraling out of control, and even the mud-skinned folks were getting dragged into it.
More chaos was not what he needed.
Ke Mo sternly rejected all their offers, putting on a businesslike demeanor and steering the gathering toward the main topic.
The rehearsal planning for the City of Heaven required cooperation from the Underground City.
Oh, and so did the rebellion plan for Ink City.
You have to admit, little Ke was a natural at this; he had these guys staring blankly in amazement.
“By the way, Ke nephew, isn’t this a military rehearsal? Why on earth is there a process for surrender?”
The head of a family, who was earlier eager to give Ke Mo a wife, asked.
Ke Mo explained, “For a performance… ahem, rehearsal, you have to cover all bases. Of course we need to consider every scenario; even if the chances of victory for Ink City are slim, they aren’t zero.”
“If Ink City does win the throne, we need to minimize our losses.”
“Betting on both sides isn’t that new to you all, is it?”
With just three sentences, the heads of the families went from clueless to enlightened.
Right, this did sound a lot like betting on both horses.
Ke nephew was remarkably thoughtful. No wonder he had spent so much time undercover in Ink City without being exposed; he was thriving!
They even felt grateful towards Ke Mo.
“Listening to you, Ke nephew, is better than reading ten years’ worth of books!”
“Cooperate? Absolutely! I’m no good at fighting, but I’m a pro at surrendering!”
“Enough talking; we big shots of the Underground City are right behind the Ke family now. With your thoughtful arrangements, following you means we won’t have to worry about our lives or fortunes!”
“Actually, if we all band together, we’re no weaklings! It’s just that we haven’t been able to work together sincerely before. With you leading the way, we could accomplish something great!”
“By the way, Ke nephew, you really don’t want a wife?”
The older gentleman, munching on sunflower seeds, hesitated to speak up.
He wanted to say something but found himself unable to chime in. After all, he was practically on the same level as Ke Mo’s son!
Next thing you know, one of the heads proposed brotherhood, suggesting they make Ke Mo the big brother!
Some heads of families were eager to invite him home for a long night of heartfelt discussions, under the guise of bonding.
Ke Mo respectfully declined; he had a hunch they were really after hooking him up with a bride.
So he stated that he would be heading back to Ink City that night, as someone was coming to pick him up.
His undercover friends knew too well that being an undercover agent is a risky business, especially as a double agent.
The one coming for him was the strongest in Ink City.
“Does Ice Chunk know where the Ke Mansion is?”
After greeting his father and being sent off by the heads at the grand entrance, Ke Mo suddenly remembered he’d forgotten to tell Ice Chunk the address.
But his concerns were slightly overblown.
Not long after, a figure glided through the bustling streets, leading a horse right towards him.
The woman had a cool demeanor, dressed in a style reminiscent of Ink City’s wandering heroes—a high-cold heroine, fierce and proud.
She led the horse to a stop right in front of Ke Mo and softly said, “Ready to go home.”
She came riding in at nightfall, looking every bit like Ke Mo’s imagined scenario of galloping through the rivers and lakes, yet she was telling him it was time to go home.
Looking into her gentle eyes made his heart skip a beat.
“Are you going to ride me home?”
“You’re riding me,” she replied.
“Eh?”
“I can’t ride.”
Ke Mo’s brain started to overheat; if she couldn’t ride, how did she get to the Underground City?
As if sensing his confusion, Ying Bing lowered her gaze and said, “I bought it.”
“Well, then you go first, and I can teach you.”
Ke Mo swung onto the horse and pulled Ice Chunk up with him.
She settled into his embrace, her eyes narrowing into a sly smile filled with delight.
“By the way, I just heard something about becoming family. How exactly does that work?”
“Oh, they want to become sworn brothers and have me call them ‘uncle’ or something.”
When the heads heard this, those who had just wanted to make connections fell silent.
They didn’t know how to retort and were taken aback by Ying Bing’s stunning beauty.
Had Ke Mo already found himself a heroic wife in Ink City? A heroine who couldn’t even ride a horse?
Seeing her with that moon-like, cold beauty snuggled in his arms made them think she probably knew next to nothing about martial arts.
“Let’s go! Riding is easy!”
With a squeeze of his legs, Ke Mo urged the horse forward onto the streets meant for carriages.
Instead of heading straight out of town, he took a detour to see some of the prettier sights of the Underground City first, planning to take a few laps.
Now that he thought about it, this was his first time sharing a horse with Ice Chunk—taking a leisurely ride.
Previously, he would either use a carriage or the somersault cloud.
Riding a horse was a hassle; it was uncomfortable and jolting. If you weren’t trained in combat, your bones would feel like jelly after a ride.
Well, Ke Mo had been training, so the bumps didn’t faze him.
However, he seemed to have a different set of worries because of the jolting ride.
At first, Ice Chunk nestled against him comfortably, but soon she realized something wasn’t right. She tried to shift toward the front of the saddle but ended up sliding back every time the horse jolted.
“Ke Mo.”
“Hmm?”
“There’s something wrong down there.”
