"Mingyue, the family has already dispatched two masters to Frost Flower Star. They will arrive in three days. But during these three days, you must pay close attention to your surroundings and protect yourself well."On the video projection, Eastern Haoyue's voice carried a hint of worry, and his handsome face was full of concern."Mm, I understand, Brother." Dongfang Mingyue nodded, her fingertip gently tracing the edge of the screen."Also, Qin Tian is from the Seventh Bureau of the military, and he previously saved A Yu in the Qingmu Star Region. He's a friend and can be trusted." Eastern Haoyue added, his tone more certain."Okay." Dongfang Mingyue replied, a weight in her heart slightly lifting."Mingyue, remember, winning or losing the competition isn't important. Your safety is the priority." Eastern Haoyue reminded her again, afraid she might focus only on the competition and overlook the danger."Alright, I know, you're starting to sound like a nagging old man." Dongfang Mingyue chuckled playfully, trying to lighten the mood."You little rascal." Eastern Haoyue smiled helplessly. "Then I won't disturb you. Get some good rest so you'll have energy for the competition tomorrow.""Mm—Brother." Just as the call was about to disconnect, Dongfang Mingyue suddenly spoke."What's wrong?""You need to protect yourself over there too," she said softly, an imperceptible worry hidden in her eyes."Haha, don't worry!" Eastern Haoyue patted his chest, his tone hearty. "Those clowns can't hurt your brother."The video call ended, and the holographic screen dimmed, reflecting Dongfang Mingyue's worried face.She walked to the window, gazing at the white snow falling outside—The night on Frost Flower Star was exceptionally cold. Snowflakes landed on the clear glass, quickly freezing into a thin layer of ice, enveloping the entire city in a silent white.She naturally knew her situation was dangerous, but what she worried about more was her brother, Eastern Haoyue. Imperial Star was the center of power struggles. Since those people wanted to deal with her, who was far away in the Qingmu Star Region, they would inevitably use ten or even a hundred times the force to eliminate her brother.Her brother's situation was far more dangerous than hers.Dongfang Mingyue pursed her lips, her gaze gradually becoming firm. Originally, she only wanted to enter the Alchemist Association headquarters through the competition to improve her alchemy skills, but now, she had a more urgent reason—she needed to become stronger as quickly as possible, to fight alongside her brother on Imperial Star, and use her abilities to share even a sliver of his pressure."Miss, it's late, time to rest." A Yu, wearing pink pajamas, walked out, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "You have a competition tomorrow, it wouldn't be good if you're tired.""Mm, I know." Dongfang Mingyue nodded, turned to close the window, and followed A Yu into the bedroom.Soon after, the room lights went out, merging into the silence of the snowy night.=======Downstairs from the hotel, a soup shop with warm yellow lights was still open. By the window, two men sat at a table, their eyes occasionally glancing at the recently darkened window on the hotel's upper floor."Miss Mingyue is resting." The thin He Wu retracted his gaze, using psionic energy to condense his voice into a thin line, sending it only into Nie Yunxing's ear across from him. "The boss just sent a message saying someone has been targeting Miss Mingyue recently. Let's work a bit harder tonight and re-check the hidden danger points in the three streets around the hotel."Nie Yunxing nodded, his fingertips discreetly reaching for the short dagger at his waist under the table—they were the shadow guards sent by the Oriental Family. Thirteen guards were divided into three groups: two groups of overt guards stayed next to Dongfang Mingyue, protecting her closely; while they two were the covert group, responsible for scouting the periphery, observing every suspicious person approaching the hotel from a broader perspective."Soup's here!"At this moment, the shop owner walked over, carrying two steaming bowls of soup. Tender white lamb floated in the blue and white porcelain bowls, and a rich aroma instantly filled the air.He gently placed the soup bowls on the table and said with a smile, "Enjoy, gentlemen. A bowl of hot soup on a snowy day like this is the most comforting thing.""Thank you, boss." Nie Yunxing picked up his spoon and took a sip of soup. The warmth slid down his throat into his stomach, making him sigh comfortably. "Your soup is truly delicious. I drink it every day recently and never get tired of it.""Haha, that's because there's a secret!" The owner's smile crinkled the corners of his eyes, his tone carrying a hint of pride. "My soup uses the marrow bones of snow sheep, slow-cooked for a full seven hours. The meat is also freshly slaughtered snow lamb, with no extra ingredients added, relying solely on the fresh taste of the ingredients themselves."He paused, then added, "You can get free refills of soup. If you two need more, just call me.""Okay." Nie Yunxing smiled. "Boss, cut us another pound of lamb to add to the soup.""Alright!" The owner responded and turned to go into the back ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) kitchen.The kitchen lights were dim. The owner picked up the cleaver on the cutting board, the sharp blade slicing through the lamb, making soft "thudding" sounds. He looked down at the meat on the cutting board, but a subtle curve slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth.The snowy night wind was bone-chilling, the cold seemingly able to penetrate clothing and freeze one's soul.On the pristine white fabric, specks of blood bloomed like red plum blossoms, a shocking sight. The woman curled up in the snow, her once vibrant face now covered in wrinkles and showing signs of extreme age, like a withered flower ravaged by harsh frost, her breath so faint it was almost gone."A Yu! A Yu!""Sister—I can't go on—don't be sad for me—I'm happy to protect Miss—""No! You won't die! I won't allow you to die!!!""Miss—take care of yourself—A Yu will be your maid in her next life—""No! No!!!""Sister! Sister, what's wrong with you!"Whoosh—Dongfang Mingyue suddenly opened her eyes, gasping for breath, cold sweat trickling down her cheeks. What greeted her eyes was A Yu's worried face, looking at her anxiously."Miss, did you have a nightmare?" A Yu's voice was urgent, reaching out to wipe away her cold sweat.Dongfang Mingyue looked at the living A Yu before her, her eyes instantly turning red. She suddenly remembered something, threw off the covers, and rushed to the adjoining suite—that was A Yu's bedroom.Pushing the door open, she walked straight to the wardrobe, forcefully pulled open the cabinet doors, and frantically searched through the clothes inside."Not this one!""Not this one!""None! None!""Sister, what are you looking for? I'll help you find it!" A Yu ran in close behind, seeing the mess on the floor and Dongfang Mingyue's panicked state, she stomped her foot in distress.With a soft click, the bedside table drawer was pulled open by Dongfang Mingyue. Her gaze fixed on the deepest part of the drawer, where a pristine white coat was folded—it was the very one she had seen in her nightmare.The moment she saw the coat, Dongfang Mingyue's suppressed tears could no longer be held back. They rolled down like broken pearls, hitting the white fabric and creating a small patch of dark moisture.She covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling violently, but suppressed sobs still escaped through her fingers."Miss, what on earth is wrong?" A Yu quickly stepped forward, supporting her swaying body, her heart aching as if it were being squeezed. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Don't scare me!"Dongfang Mingyue turned around, gripping A Yu's shoulders tightly, her knuckles turning pale from the force. Her eyes were red, tears blurring her vision, and her voice trembled uncontrollably: "I—I dreamed of you—"Before she could finish, she could no longer hold back and burst into tears. Her cries were full of fear and helplessness, broken and intermittent, unable to form a complete sentence. She could only let her emotions completely collapse at that moment.A Yu's body suddenly stiffened. She looked at the white coat clutched in Dongfang Mingyue's hand, then at her crying uncontrollably, and instantly knew the answer.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.