| PN | First One | 115
For the few puppets at home, having their father notice their actions before their plan was exposed meant that the surprise they had worked hard to prepare was likely to be ruined.
This was something the puppets, who had always wanted to help their father and give him a surprise, could not tolerate.
The five puppets exchanged glances, Xiang Yue’s tail shook slightly
He stood up calmly to take the gift bag, saying, "Thank you, Dad. We met with some friends before and will pay more attention to the time in the future; we won't stay up late anymore."
"That's right, Dad. Don't worry, we're just a little excited because we recently made some friends," Lan Luo said, smiling brightly at Qi Chao.
Li Bai nodded eagerly, quickly agreeing while clenching his fists tightly on his knees, clearly showing that he was very nervous at the moment.
Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian wore neutral expressions, but if one looked closely, it was evident that neither of them was looking at Qi Chao.
The two puppets knew that once their gazes met with their father's, they would definitely feel guilty.
Meeting with friends?
When did that happen?
Due to his surprise, Qi Chao didn’t notice that the few puppets were acting a bit strange. He leaned on the sofa, thought for a moment and then asked, “Are your friends from the Linjing District? Where do they live? Is it far from our home?”
Although he suspected that the children had made new friends and smiled as he told them that they could give gifts to their friends if they had met, Qi Chao didn’t feel as happy in his heart upon hearing the children actually confirm this.
It was similar to children meeting unknown online friends without their parents’ knowledge; any competent parent would worry.
Even though they lived in a villa, he had no idea when the children made these friends, nor did he know when they went out to meet them.
Sometimes being too focused on work wasn’t a good thing; it was easy to miss what was happening with the children at home.
Qi Chao felt a bit heavy-hearted.
“They’re from the Linjing District, not far from home. Those puppets are very friendly, so Dad doesn’t need to worry,” Lan Luo answered brightly.
Looking at the smile on Lan Luo's face, Qi Chao wanted to remind the puppets at home to pay attention to their safety.
To him, his children were very innocent, but their owners or fathers might not always be good people.
However, when his gaze fell on the gift bag in Xiang Yue's hand, Qi Chao fell silent for a moment and then said, “You need to tell Dad the next time you go out; otherwise, Dad will worry.”
Thinking from another perspective, the children at home were not foolish, and their combat skills were quite high. The likelihood of them encountering danger was low.
This was their first time actively making friends, so saying too much could easily dampen their enthusiasm.
“Okay.”
Li Bai and the others didn’t know about Qi Chao's complex thoughts, but they could tell that he agreed to let them meet Cheng Qi and Xiao Que openly. The puppets couldn’t help but feel a bit happy.
The tail behind Xiang Yue swayed even more vigorously.
Seeing the excited expressions on the puppet’s faces, Qi Chao couldn’t help but smile as well, but his worries still lingered.
Next time, I’ll go out with them to take a look, he thought. He needed to confirm whether his children might encounter any danger.
Since his children promised to tell him before going out next time, Qi Chao didn’t pay special attention to their movements.
He knew that they would definitely keep their promise.
After the few children bowed their heads to start studying, Qi Chao scratched his head, got up, and went to the basement to continue making the fifth puppet.
According to the original plan for the afternoon, he should have returned to the living room after working for six hours, but this time, he deliberately finished an hour early.
He would use that extra hour to spend time with his children.
Qi Chao felt that he had been too distant in his care and understanding of the children recently; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been unaware that his kids suddenly made good friends.
The few puppets were very happy to have Qi Chao’s company. Because of his work, they hadn’t spent quality time with their father for a long time, and even Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian, who usually showed little expression, had smiles on their faces.
“Dad, will being with us now affect your work?” Li Bai looked up at Qi Chao, tugging at his father’s clothes, his bright golden eyes filled with confusion.
“No, it won’t.”
Qi Chao smiled and took them to the upstairs greenhouse to water the plants. “Dad just wants to rest a bit earlier today.”
The puppets often followed Qi Chao to water the plants and already knew the watering requirements for each type of plant.
They obediently followed behind him with their watering cans, and upon hearing their father’s words, the anxious puppets instantly felt relieved.
Xiang Yue’s tail swayed slightly, and his red eyes hinted at a smile.
He was worried that Dad was delaying his work just to accompany them, but now that he heard Qi Chao deny it, Xiang Yue felt reassured.
Lan Luo, on the other hand, ran up to Qi Chao and squatted down beside him. His slightly curled, fluffy golden hair was particularly eye-catching, and even from his back, one could tell he was feeling relaxed.
The air was filled with the refreshing scent of grass and trees, along with the rich fragrance of flowers.
In the greenhouse, the sound of laughter between the black-haired man and his puppets could occasionally be heard, creating an exceptionally warm atmosphere in the chilly night.
In stark contrast, the atmosphere in the business apartment in the center of Linjing District was very oppressive.
The powered cage was twisted and crushed, the password lock occasionally emitting a crackling electric sound, while the puppet that was once inside had long since disappeared.
The apartment's owner, Wang Zhao, a well-known trader in the black market, stared at the empty cage with his eyes turning red with anxiety.
There was supposed to be an S-class puppet with a chain around its neck, delicate and beautiful like a little bird, but now there was nothing.
Where did it go?!
Wang Zhao was going crazy. The apartment was secured with mechanisms so sophisticated that not even a mosquito could enter, boasting a level of safety that could be considered top-notch in the black market.
How could an S-class puppet just disappear?
Just when he had finally found a willing buyer from the association for this puppet, why had it gone missing?!
The surveillance cameras had also been forcibly damaged.
At this thought, Wang Zhao nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Xiao Que had only a forty percent accuracy rate, and the old clients in the black market weren’t fools.
After trying once, few were willing to come back, which was why Wang Zhao hadn’t been here for such a long time.
Without clients, this puppet was practically useless, and he naturally wouldn’t spare it a glance.
But now it was different; the group of fools from the association was willing to accept this unsellable, mediocre puppet.
Wang Zhao knew that with Xiao Que’s capabilities, there would be at most four or five clients, and after that, no one would want to buy information from him again. It was better to make a quick deal and take the opportunity to scrape away the last bit of its value.
The association was coming to collect it tonight.
But now the cage was empty, and Wang Zhao trembled uncontrollably. He knew he couldn’t deliver the goods, and given the association's money-grubbing nature, he would definitely suffer a huge loss, potentially losing half of his fortune.
If he had known this would happen, he should have stayed here every day instead of leaving that useless thing here for a month.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had lost; in frustration, he kicked the cage hard. The cage didn’t change, but his foot made a cracking sound, causing him to gasp in pain.
In the darkness, Wang Zhao appeared particularly desolate.
What he didn’t know was that outside the window, a strange eye was watching him. A black pupil blinked through the glass and then vanished into the quiet night.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Ayu covered her red eyes with her hand.
After a long silence, she walked to the mother tree and relayed the information she had received to Moss.
“Xiao Que is the puppet the association has its eye on. The rare S-class puppet has gone missing, and the association will likely continue their investigation,” Ayu said, pinching the brim of her naval hat and pulling it down slightly. “Do we still need to keep monitoring Xiao Que?”
“Mm.”
Moss, holding a stuffed doll, remained expressionless. “Continue monitoring them until we can confirm that Xiao Que and Cheng Qi genuinely want to participate in the plan.”
Ayu nodded and turned to leave the mother tree. Her long silver hair sliced through the air, appearing exceptionally sharp.
Moss glanced at Ayu before opening a spatial vortex and arriving in the basement.
At that moment, Shen Yuxi was under the candlelight, gently stroking a transparent diamond with gloved hands.
“Father,” Moss called from behind him and then conveyed the information he had obtained from Ayu to Shen Yuxi.
He concluded with, “Moss wants Ayu to continue monitoring Cheng Qi and Xiao Que.”
“Mm, you did well.”
Shen Yuxi replied gently, his tone carrying approval. He placed the diamond in a box and turned to Moss. “If Xiang Yue and the others don’t actively seek you out recently, you don’t need to go to them for now.”
Moss understood that the trial ground was at a critical moment. He tightened his grip on the stuffed doll and nodded.
Shen Yuxi glanced at Moss before turning around. His gaze fell on the diamond in the box, and his slender fingers gently brushed over it, his expression becoming considerably more obscure.
The puppets could help Qi Chao.
But they must not bring trouble to Qi Chao.
Beside him, Moss watched his father's back and suddenly recalled the two men he had seen while monitoring Lu Chen.
They seemed to know in advance that Lu Chen would appear in the poisonous gas forest. He pressed his lips together beneath the bandages and said, “Father…”
Shen Yuxi responded with a sound of acknowledgment and turned his attention to Moss.
Noticing the light brain vibrating slightly, his blue eyes narrowed as he gave Moss a knowing look.
Moss understood and immediately closed his mouth, moving to a corner.
The person on the other side of the light brain must be Dad.
Moss knew that the only person who could make his father show a relaxed demeanor was Qi Chao.
“Brother Shen, are you still in the basement?”
Moss's guess was correct; the person on the light brain was indeed Qi Chao. As soon as the video connected and he saw the background behind Shen Yuxi, Qi Chao immediately deduced where Shen Yuxi was.
Shen Yuxi responded with a sound of acknowledgment, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.
Brother Shen was beautiful and had a gentle aura. When his blue eyes held a faint smile, it possessed a healing magic that made Qi Chao feel much lighter, no matter how troubled he was.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Yuxi noticed that Qi Chao seemed a bit distracted.
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly feel like the kids at home have all grown up today.” Qi Chao chuckled and recounted the events of the day, jokingly adding, “They made friends without telling me.”
It was just a joke.
At first, Qi Chao did feel a bit disappointed, but he knew that the children at home cared for him and understood that the kids would have their own lives. Such feelings seemed trivial in comparison.
As for why he wanted to say this to Brother Shen, Qi Chao thought for a moment and attributed it to Brother Shen's gentle nature, which allowed him to express these immature emotions.
“You are their most important dad. Xiang Yue and the others probably feel that it’s not yet the right time to tell you,” Shen Yuxi paused before adding, “Perhaps they just want to wait until they’re more familiar with their friends before introducing them to you.”
There was indeed such a possibility.
Qi Chao smiled and looked at Brother Shen. “It would be great if you were here in front of me right now. I’d like to hug you.”
Qi Chao was someone who said what he felt, and he was particularly straightforward when expressing his emotions.
Shen Yuxi was momentarily taken aback by his words, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
In a position where Qi Chao couldn’t see, he clasped the diamond in his palm, recalling Qi Chao’s warm body heat.
“I feel the same way.”
Shen Yuxi’s voice was slightly soft. After the two shared a long gaze across the screen, Qi Chao was the first to look away.
His ears were a bit red, and he cleared his throat, saying, “Well, I haven’t met the friends a few of the kids at home have made. I want to meet them in the next few days to prevent any unexpected situations.”
Shen Yuxi’s eyes reflected understanding.
He knew that it wasn’t surprising for Qi Chao to act this way, given his character.
After all, the motivation behind all of Qi Chao’s actions was for the kids at home. Shen Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly.
After chatting for a few more moments, they ended the video call.
He then looked up at Moss, his voice much calmer than before. “Have Agu reveal more capable puppets to Xiang Yue and the others to expedite their plan.”
He hadn’t expected Qi Chao to worry so much.
Since that was the case, it would be better for Xiang Yue and the others to finalize their plans sooner rather than later; at least that way, Qi Chao could temporarily set his mind at ease.
Moss nodded and continued to share the unfinished information he had previously withheld from his father.
“Did they know in advance that Lu Chen would be in the poisonous gas forest?”
When the topic of the trial ground came up, Shen Yuxi’s demeanor shifted; he was no longer as gentle as before.
He chuckled lightly, seeming quite interested, but there was an inexplicable chill in his voice. “Have Ayu monitor them. I’m curious about what they know.”
Shen Yuxi remembered that Agu had once told him about a peculiar person named Old Liu in the trial ground.
He didn’t care about what these people’s motives were or what they knew, as long as they wouldn’t interfere with his plans.
Moss nodded, preparing to use the spatial vortex to find Ayu.
Suddenly, he heard his father’s light brain vibrate. Sensing his father’s silent demeanor, Moss hesitated and stepped back from the vortex.
“Don’t worry,” Shen Yuxi said calmly. “It’s just Qiao Sheng.”
Moss understood, his bandaged lips pressing together slightly before he turned to leave the basement.
Marshal Lu was the only friend Qiao Sheng had.
Now, with his friend imprisoned in the trial ground, it was normal for Qiao Sheng to come looking for his father.
Moss knew that ever since the day they imprisoned Lu Chen in the trial ground, his father and Qiao Sheng had been completely at odds, and cooperation between them was no longer possible.
…
Old Liu and Zhang Li inside the trial ground were unaware that Ayu, who was referred to as the White-Haired Evil Eye in the original story, was about to place a cute little eye right next to them.
The two men excused themselves to the bushes to discuss their next strategy.
“All we need to do is cling tightly to the protagonist’s thigh!” Zhang Li reiterated their initial goal.
Old Liu expressed his agreement with both hands and feet.
“According to the original plot, not long after Lu Chen arrives at the trial ground, that ambiguous friend of his will come to rescue him, and will even clash with the villain for the protagonist’s sake, possibly taking out the villain’s most capable assistant!”
Zhang Li only saw this much and didn’t know what the following plot would be, but he could easily guess that the protagonist’s team would soon begin to rampage.
“Awesome!” Old Liu exclaimed excitedly, feeling that he would soon be leaving this miserable place; all he had to do was wait for the protagonist’s friend to arrive!
“Who is that assistant?”
Old Liu actually wanted to ask how many assistants the villain had, as the only one he could identify so far was that grinning black-skinned puppet chasing after humans.
Zhang Li was about to say something when he heard a faint sound coming from outside the bushes. He immediately shut his mouth as an ordinary-looking middle-aged man approached.
This man was one of Marshal Lu’s underlings.
Zhang Li and Old Liu instantly put on courteous smiles, trying to show their goodwill. However, the middle-aged man ignored them and turned back toward the cave after finishing his business.
Old Liu and Zhang Li felt somewhat disgruntled, but in order to get out, they had to suppress their emotions.
Old Liu awkwardly broke the silence, saying, “Brother Zhang, you still haven’t said which assistant we need to take down.”
“Oh, oh.”
Zhang Li casually replied, “It’s an ugly puppet wrapped in bandages; it’s the first one to be taken down.”
Of course, who gets taken down first was not important at all.
He didn’t know the subsequent plot; he only understood that such minor details were completely useless.
Anyway, what they needed to do now was to cling tightly to the protagonist’s group and safely get out of this hellhole!
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