Chapter 24 Silence

Silence reigned on the second floor of the banquet hall.

Gu Shen shook off Meng Xiao's hand and turned to leave... he left the banquet directly.

Lin Lin ambled along behind him, hands in his pockets.

It wasn't until the two of them had left that Meng Xiao slowly came to his senses.

He lowered his head, gazing thoughtfully at his palm.

Interesting...

Meng Xiao had seen Gu Shen's file beforehand, and he knew that this S-level from Dongzhou hadn't participated in Deep Sea Trials for a long time, so the [Deep Sea] database didn't contain a specific and accurate strength assessment.

But he had clearly seen Ba Kui's attack just now. Gu Shen was an extraordinary being at around the "Seventh Layer"!

If he was a Seventh Layer extraordinary, why hadn't his released mental power generated any "suppression"?

Did he possess a powerful sealed item, or... was there some other good fortune?

"Grand Duke."

Ba Kui's voice interrupted Meng Xiao's thoughts.

This "Giant Bear" wasn't burly when he didn't use his abilities; he even looked a little thin. He stared at the backs of Gu Shen and Lin Lin as they left, and said in a low voice, "Is there anything you need me to do..."

"No need."

Meng Xiao waved his hand, saying calmly, "Tonight is Her Majesty the Queen's banquet. We must fulfill our duties as guests."

...

...

Cold wind swept across the top of the giant building.

Gu Shen leaned against the railing, looking up at the sky. Perhaps because these "floating mansions" were higher, the dome of Beizhou was even more brilliant. The stars twinkled in the night sky, as if they could be plucked with a hand.

Lin Lin, with a cigarette in his mouth, leaned against the doorway of the rooftop. "Hey... are you ready to leave? The banquet is still going on. Don't you really want to go in and eat something?"

If Gu Shen was leaving now, then he would most likely leave with him...

But he wasn't lying when he said he was hungry back in Grand Duke Zhuxue's guest room. He was truly hungry after this tiring journey.

With the farce with Grand Duke Zhenyue over, the thing he cared most about was "food."

Gu Shen smiled. "How could I leave just like that?"

He was hungry too.

"It's idiotic to miss out on free stuff. We have to get this meal back one way or another." Gu Shen said quietly, "I'm just thinking about something..."

"You're wondering why Zhenyue is targeting you?"

Lin Lin snuffed out the cigarette butt and said slowly, "This matter is a bit complicated..."

Before he could explain, Gu Shen waved his hand. "I'm not that stupid. Meng Xiao probably doesn't like the Gu family because Miss Meng family likes CN021, right? My surname is Gu, and I'm so close to Gu Nanfeng, and I took the initiative to come to Beizhou to meet, so it would be strange if I wasn't targeted."

Lin Lin laughed. "It seems that you and Gu Nanfeng really have a good relationship... you even know the identity of CN021."

General Xiugu had done a good job of keeping it a secret.

Sending Gu Nanfeng to Beizhou back then was a plan entrusted to him by the tomb keeper and Gu Qilin, so this was a secret that only a very few high-level officials in Beizhou knew.

"After the banquet is over, you'll have plenty of trouble."

Lin Lin watched the excitement, not minding the trouble, and tsked. "That Meng Xiao is not a kind person. It is said that he is extremely tough, which is how he was able to successfully inherit the name of Zhenyue, as well as his father's legacy."

"How scary..."

Gu Shen asked cooperatively, "What will he do?"

"He might beat you up severely, to the point of being half dead." Lin Lin shrugged and asked curiously, "What, aren't you afraid?"

Afraid?

Gu Shen couldn't help but laugh. What a joke.

He was Hades!

If he was really pushed, he would undo the seal of the Ruler of Truth... Judging from his feeling of fighting with Meng Xiao just now, that guy should have just entered the Fourth Stage not long ago, and his mental power was only slightly stronger than his own.

This fight was doable, and Gu Shen wasn't afraid at all.

But if they fought, it would probably be difficult to end.

Grand Duke Zhenyue had a fierce and ruthless nature, and he would never suffer a loss. If this guy was going to be ruthless... then Gu Shen could only guarantee that his methods would be even more ruthless than Zhenyue's.

"There's nothing to be afraid of." Gu Shen said lightly, "I don't think there will be a fight. With Lin Chou here, Meng Xiao can't make any waves."

The reason he said this was because the "Blessing of the Goddess of Destiny" he carried with him had not yet sent any definite crisis guidance.

If Grand Duke Zhenyue had murderous intentions towards him, then the pendant would definitely be able to sense it...

Or, if this grand duke was planning some "special measures" that would be detrimental to him, the pendant could also offer guidance.

Getting on Lin Lin's ship was because of this guidance.

However... one thing worth considering was that when he went up to the second floor earlier, it was something he did under the guidance of the "Blessing," but the pendant didn't warn him of the "attack" that followed.

Was it because the pendant knew that the Giant Bear Ba Kui couldn't hurt him?

Then what was the reason the pendant guided him upstairs?

These thoughts were too messy.

Gu Shen sorted them out.

A moment later.

Gu Shen looked at Lin Lin and smiled. "Actually, I'm very curious about what your real identity is."

Lin Lin was stunned.

"At first, I thought you were just a garrison guard of the Kǔbǎo Fortress, sacrificing your life for your home and country... one of the guards in the many fortresses on the Beizhou's Right Wing, nothing more."

"Later I thought... you weren't that simple. You should have some connection with the 'Lin family' in the Central City, otherwise the Right Wing generals wouldn't have moved so quickly in the storm resistance battle."

"Now I think they're all wrong."

Gu Shen said slowly, "Your identity is more important than I imagined, much more important."

"...My identity is not that important."

Lin Lin's expression didn't change much.

He had known for a long time that this kind of conversation would arise, so he neither denied nor affirmed it, but said lightly, "I bled in Kǔbǎo, sacrificed my life for my homeland, and I am qualified to be a garrison guard of Kǔbǎo."

"Of course."

Gu Shen smiled slightly and said, "Abandoning the imperial wealth and nobility of the Central City, abandoning the fine clothes and delicacies that you were born with, you are more qualified than anyone to be a 'garrison guard' on the frontier."

The two people's conversation wasn't serious.

The night wind swirled around them.

Windbreakers and black hair flew together.

"We all have secrets, which is good." Gu Shen said seriously, "Thank you for helping me write the files. I will remember this favor in my heart in the future, and I will definitely repay it."

"Don't talk about these useless things."

Lin Lin frowned. He looked up at the faint starlight in the dome and urged impatiently, "Go back quickly after catching enough of the cold wind on the rooftop... lest others think there's some messy relationship between the two of us."

Gu Shen: "???"

Why were the things this guy said so weird?

...

...

When Gu Shen returned to the banquet hall, the awarding ceremony was being held.

The Second Investigation Army, as a miracle of survival in the Maze Mission, was awarded the "Collective First Class Medal" for its great contribution to the Outpost Mission. Grand Duke Zhuxue presented the award on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, and also made a further invitation, inviting Yuan Yuan and his team members to visit Her Majesty the Queen's residence.

This was an unparalleled honor.

However... Zhuxue only awarded First Class Medals to the explorers of the Investigation Army.

Gu Shen sat under the stage, smiling and applauding.

These guys had been through hundreds of battles, sacrificed their lives for the army, and carried out countless Outpost Missions.

And he was from Dongzhou, and this was his first time at the Outpost.

If he only participated in one "mission" and received this kind of honor... then this medal would not be convincing to the public, so Gu Shen's name did not appear on the honor list of the First Class Medal.

Gu Shen expressed his understanding and didn't care at all.

He couldn't use Beizhou's medals anyway.

Looking at the happy smiles on the faces of those rough men on the stage, Gu Shen's eyes softened.

He still remembered those conversations when he was trekking through the [Old World].

Zhu Xiao said that getting a First Class Medal alive in the army was something worth bragging about for the rest of one's life.

Even Su He, who was usually the most serious and didn't smile, was smiling at this moment.

Seeing this scene, Gu Shen was sincerely happy for these guys...

At this moment.

The applause in the hall was like thunder.

The generals all cast sincere and grateful gazes at the heroes of the Maze Mission.

...

...

The banquet ended.

Grand Duke Zhuxue came to Gu Shen's table as soon as possible.

He frowned and glanced at Lin Lin, who was gorging himself beside Gu Shen, forcing himself to ignore this guy who didn't understand table manners.

He took a deep breath.

Zhuxue smiled and extended his hand. "Little Gu, I'm sorry that this time's 'award'... didn't invite you to the stage. I hope you can understand."

"It's okay." Gu Shen shook his hand and said calmly, "I understand."

"Although there is no 'award'... Her Majesty the Queen's invitation is still valid for you." Lin Chou stared into Gu Shen's eyes and asked seriously, "Forgive my presumptuousness, are you willing to accept this invitation?"

That's what he was waiting for.

"I've been in Beizhou for a long time this time..."

Gu Shen didn't rush to agree, but hesitated for a moment and said, "I hope it will be as soon as possible."

Zhuxue smiled. "That's natural. Not everyone is qualified to be invited to meet her."

"Including him?"

Gu Shen cast his eyes to Grand Duke Zhenyue not far away.

"..."

Lin Chou maintained his smile, but was actually a little headache. This Gu Shen seemed to be a grudge holder.

"You're right, I am indeed a grudge holder. Being broad-minded is not a good thing. I saw these four words written on the tombstones of many people in Qingqiu." Gu Shen raised his glass and smiled at Grand Duke Zhuxue, "Moreover, some things are not up to you and me... are they?"

As Gu Shen's voice fell, a low and mellow voice rang out not far away.

"Lin Chou, the banquet is over... Now, if I have personal matters to resolve, there shouldn't be any problem, right?"

Meng Xiao said leisurely, "I'll come to you after I've resolved my personal matters."

The banquet was over, and many people had already left.

The many followers of Grand Duke Zhenyue's table slowly stood up.

Their eyes were locked on Gu Shen.

"Obviously, even if I am willing to 'let things slide,' someone doesn't intend to end it there."

Gu Shen slowly shook the liquid in his tall wine glass and asked softly, "As a guest, coming to Beizhou for the Outpost, resisting the storm, removing the mental toxins, and being provoked like this at the Merit Feast, tell me... should I hold a grudge when I encounter such a thing?"

Grand Duke Zhuxue's expression was a little ugly.

Because of the previous changes... the conversation he had originally scheduled with Meng Xiao had to be postponed to another day.

Considering the relationship that the Meng family and the Lin family urgently needed to repair, Lin Chou didn't mind making amends, wooing, and appeasing some things.

But today, this Grand Duke Zhenyue's behavior was a bit too domineering.

Most importantly.

Meng Xiao didn't know the meaning of Gu Shen to "Her Majesty the Queen."

This guy didn't know at all.

The so-called "further invitation" was not an invitation to the members of the Second Investigation Army at all. After awarding the First Class Medal, they should have returned. The only person who was really invited to visit the residence was Gu Shen!

Even Lin Chou himself didn't know why his sister specifically named this young man from Dongzhou to meet him.

The atmosphere became stagnant.

"Is this going to be a fight?"

What surprised Gu Shen was that Yuan Yuan suddenly spoke. He was wearing a well-tailored dress, slowly stood up, and then a dagger slid out of the wrist cuffs...

"This is the first time in my life that I've worn a dress. The designer said he's never seen a dagger added to the cuffs of a dress." Yuan Yuan glanced at Gu Shen and said in a low voice, "Captain Zhongyuan told me before he left that if we meet in the Central City, someone might be disadvantageous to Little Gu... no matter who it is, just fight them."

Yuan Yuan took the lead in expressing his position.

The other members of the Second Investigation Army also stood up, Su He, Li Chen, Mo Hongyi...

In terms of status, they were not as good as Grand Duke Zhenyue, let alone the generals who were present today.

But in terms of strength, they were generally extraordinary beings in the Third Stage.

These people were ruthless people who had successfully returned from the [Maze Mission]. Gu Shen had seen them attack the Golden Spike Flower in a dream. Their combat quality was extremely high, their cooperation was tacit, and they were unusually fierce!

After both tables stood up, only Meng Xiao, Gu Shen, and Lin Lin, who was focused on eating, were still sitting.

The atmosphere on the field became subtle...

Zhuxue took a deep breath.

Obviously, both sides intended to develop the situation to a tense point, forcing him to stand up.

And whether to maintain Zhenyue or maintain Gu Shen... he had to make a decision.

A few seconds later.

"Let's end it here."

Lin Chou looked in the direction of Meng Xiao and said in a deep voice, "Meng Xiao, the banquet is over. What are you still waiting for?"

With these words, he was seeing them off.

Grand Duke Zhenyue slowly stood up. He raised his hand to signal his followers not to attack and end this confrontation.

Meng Xiao wasn't angry.

He wasn't as violent and impetuous as rumored.

He also wanted to see Lin Chou's reaction by intentionally developing the situation to this point... and the final result was both somewhat surprising and not so surprising.

Lin Chou said, "I won't see you off. We'll talk about Guangming City another day."

"What a pity."

Meng Xiao looked at Gu Shen and said with a smile, "Gu Shen... right? I'm starting to be interested in you. We'll meet again."

Gu Shen said lightly, "Is that so? I'm not looking forward to it at all."

Meng Xiao turned and left.

Behind him came Gu Shen's laughter to Lin Chou.

"Your Excellency Zhuxue, I'm sure you know... although my surname is Gu, I'm not a member of the main family of the Nagano Gu family."

"The matter between the Meng family and the Lin family has been raging for some time, and I've probably heard some of it. If someone really wants to show his 'iron fist' in this matter, then I can call Gu Nanfeng to Beizhou... and the two of them can have a fair fight, but I think this is not fair to someone, because he will most likely be beaten until he can't stand up."

Meng Xiao's footsteps paused.

"Brother Gu, don't tell such a big truth."

Lin Lin chewed on his steak and said seriously, "Gu Nanfeng is a title. He will beat the shit out of Fourth Stage extraordinary beings."

...

...

(The last three days of the month, there will be more updates during the double monthly pass period.)