Chapter 679: Within Three Days, Assemble at Heavenly Mountain
Chapter 679: Within Three Days, Assemble at Heavenly Mountain
Larry had been running around all day. By the time he got back to the courtyard house Chloe had bought, it was already dark. He hadn't even eaten dinner yet. The moment he walked through the door, he collapsed onto the couch and couldn't move.
Chloe came over and sat beside him, gently massaging his arms, her eyes full of warmth. "You've been going nonstop all day. You must be exhausted."
"It's not that bad, really. I just spent two months in deep cultivation, cooped up in my room the whole time. My body isn't used to being on the move like this." Larry looked around. "By the way, where's Abigail?"
Chloe quickly explained, "I didn't ask her to leave. I wanted her to stay here for a while, but she felt like it would be awkward, so she insisted on finding her own place."
Larry's brow furrowed slightly. The situation in Aurora Citadel was getting more complicated by the day, and Abigail was a key player in all of it.
"Honey, I really didn't push her out. Do you want me to call her right now and ask her to come over?" Chloe looked hurt, tugging at his sleeve.
"I believe you," Larry said, trying to reassure her. "I'm just worried about her safety. At a time like this, she's too important. Someone could easily go after her."
"She said she'd look around for a place first," Chloe said. "If nothing works out, she'll stay with her master Vaughn. That way she can get cultivation guidance after work too."
That put Larry's mind at ease.
"Speaking of which, Chloe — what level are you at now?" Larry shifted the subject. When he came back, Chloe had mentioned she was working on merging with the Spirit Turtle's power inside her and that she'd gotten stronger, but he didn't know exactly where she stood.
Chloe smiled, looking rather pleased with herself. "I've been working really hard lately. I've already broken through the third tier and stepped into the fourth."
"Not bad." Larry was genuinely impressed, but still felt the need to say, "You still need to be careful though. The Spirit Turtle's energy is incredibly aggressive. Grandpa's not around, and I know nothing about that kind of creature energy. If something goes wrong, I wouldn't even know how to help you."
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Chloe smiled and brushed it off. She didn't want to go deeper into this topic — she was afraid he'd start asking too many questions.
Over the past two months, she had been quietly absorbing the power from the source blood inside her, converting it into her own source energy. Her constitution was now similar to Esmeralda's — Esmeralda constantly generated a cold-type ability from within, which she could absorb and turn into pure source energy. For Chloe, it was her blood that kept producing a massive surge of source energy. This energy was far more potent at its core than any genetic enhancement drug, and it had sent her strength skyrocketing over these two months.
In truth, her baseline level had already reached the sixth tier. If she unleashed the full force of the source blood within her, she could match someone at the peak of the eighth tier. It was this trump card that had allowed her to build Heaven's Gate in such a short time and use it to dominate most of the super-powered world.
Chloe leaned against Larry's lap and looked up at him. "Honey, once the election is over and the new king takes the throne, will you really take me away to live a quiet life? Just the two of us, away from all of this?"
"I promise." Larry gently stroked her fair, beautiful face, his eyes full of tenderness. "You're the one who pulled me out of hell back then. I wouldn't be alive without you. From the day I entered the Lewis family, I swore I'd spend the rest of my life protecting you."
Hearing him bring up the past, a flash of guilt crossed Chloe's eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't good to you back then."
Larry smiled softly. "That's all behind us now."
They sat holding each other for a long time, talking and dreaming about a simple, peaceful life — him farming, her weaving, nothing to worry about.
"Honey, do you want a boy or a girl?" Chloe's sudden question caught Larry off guard. He thought for a moment, then smiled. "Either one is fine with me."
"Okay," Chloe said with a sweet nod. "Once all this mess is over, I'll give you two. One boy, one girl. How does that sound?"
"Deal." Larry laughed and scooped her up in his arms, carrying her toward the bedroom. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck.
The night passed quietly.
The next morning, Larry was still sound asleep when his phone rang. He sat up, reaching for it, but Chloe had already picked it up and handed it to him. He glanced at the screen — it was the King.
He answered. "Is everything settled with Seraphim?"
"That's right," came the King's cheerful voice. "I called Seraphim's queen last night. She's very welcoming of Summer Nation's best coming over for an exchange visit. The trip is set for five days from now, one week in total. Someone will send you the detailed schedule shortly."
"Got it." Larry hung up.
Chloe looked at him. "Honey, when do we leave?"
"Right away." Larry's expression turned serious. "The files show Melanie went to Europe three months ago. I've already let this drag on too long. I need to get there as fast as possible. If I have to, I'll use Seraphim's official channels to dig into this."
"Alright. Be careful, and come back soon. I'll be here in Aurora Citadel waiting for you." Chloe helped him put on his jacket and tidied up his collar.
With no time for breakfast, Larry grabbed the Execution Sword and headed out the door, making his way to the military district to meet up with Frank. From there, he would lead the elite units of the Black Dragon Army and the Legion of Flame Surge straight to Europe.
The moment Larry left, Chloe's whole demeanor shifted. She sat on the couch, her face expressionless, her eyes cold.
Kneeling on the floor nearby — no one could say exactly when they had appeared — was a figure dressed in black, wearing a mask.
"Your orders, my lady."
"Fully consolidate the super-powered world within one month." Chloe's voice was ice cold. She didn't want to drag this out any longer — the longer she waited, the more could go wrong. She had to use the window while Larry was away from Aurora Citadel to silence any opposition and clear the path for what he was building.
"What's the plan of action, my lady?"
Chloe stood up. "Summon all Heaven's Gate elites. Everyone convenes at Heavenly Mountain base within three days. We bring the Heavenly Mountain faction to heel first, then march on Mount Westling in the Western Territory and deal with the Carefree Clan."
She had already worked out the full plan — strike hard and fast, take down the major powers one by one, and force these top factions to fold into Heaven's Gate and answer to her.
"Understood." The masked figure rose quickly and slipped out of the room.
Chloe went back to the bedroom and pulled open a hidden compartment at the bottom of the wardrobe, taking out a pitch-black trench coat and a brand new mask. She packed up her gear, picked up the True Evil Sword, and walked back to the living room.
"The True Evil Sword's energy signature is too obvious. Paisley can recognize it, and so can others." Chloe stared at the blade and murmured to herself. She thought for a moment, then dialed a private number. "I need a custom nano-disguise shell for a weapon."
She hung up and stepped out the front door.
She almost walked straight into Paisley.
Paisley blinked at Chloe, taking in the black bundle on her back and the sword in her hand. "What's this — Larry just left and you're already heading out?"
"That's none of your business. Stay in your lane." Chloe's tone was flat and cold.
Paisley had come here with a purpose — she wanted to get a read on Chloe. The morning news had been all over the military exchange between the two countries, and it was clear that Larry was the one leading Summer Nation's delegation. She had timed her visit carefully, knowing he would already be gone.