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Luan Yu, being a local of Mingdu, didn't just have a regular pass—she had a residence permit, a soul engineer badge, and even official credentials from the Mingde Hall.
But she wasn't the type to flaunt her status. She simply flashed her permanent pass, helped Meteor and Liuying get theirs too, and then took them into Mingdu.
The three of them entered the city from the east side. Luan Yu was dressed in a flowing blue dress, with Meteor on one side and Liuying on the other. They walked through the bustling streets of the East District, surrounded by a noisy crowd and vendors shouting out their goods. Shops lined both sides of the street, their windows packed with all kinds of items, with soul-powered lamps flickering and casting reflections of different colors on the merchandise.
The skyscrapers pierced the sky like needles, and sunlight poured down through the gaps, landing in bright patches that danced along the hem of Luan Yu's dress.
They kept heading toward the central part of Mingdu. That was where the imperial palace stood, and also where the bigwigs of the city lived. Most of the high-ranking officials of the Sun Moon Empire had villas in this area.
After all, living close to the palace made it easier for these officials to attend morning court sessions. Even though the Sun Moon Empire's architecture leaned toward the modern, it was still a feudal empire—a country ruled like a family business.
As ministers, none of them dared to keep the Emperor waiting. Just in case anything urgent came up and they couldn't make it to the palace in time, most of them had homes in the center.
Luan Yu's older sister happened to be one of those top officials. Though she was in the military, she had to be stationed in Mingdu when there was no war going on.
Luan Yu herself had refused to join the Sun Moon Empire's political system and lived freely. But as a Level Nine Soul Engineer, a titled Douluo, and someone who came out of the Mingde Hall, she still got the royal treatment. The imperial family even gave her a villa in the central district, hoping to win her over.
She didn't want to be tied down by the Empire, but with her sister in the military, she couldn't just outright reject the royal family's goodwill. Turning them down directly would've been seen as disrespecting the Xu family, the ruling house of the Empire—which would've caused trouble.
That's also why she spent most of her time traveling and avoided coming back to Mingdu unless necessary—just to steer clear of all that drama.
As they walked, the noise and crowds of the East District gradually faded away. Compared to the buzz of the outer city, the central district was calm and quiet. The people who lived here were either filthy rich or super powerful, and they all preferred peace. Very few merchants could afford to open shops in this area, and regular citizens usually stayed away.
If you saw a store here, you could bet someone big was backing it.
By the time Luan Yu led Meteor and Liuying to the villa, the sky had already gone dark. The front gate was slightly ajar, a warm yellow glow spilling out through the gap. Luan Yu gently pushed the door open, and a wave of fresh floral scent from the garden hit them. In the center of the yard, a pond sat quietly, with lotus flowers blooming under the moonlight—like they were silently welcoming the three of them.
As soon as they entered, a few servants came out to greet them. Even though Luan Yu had been gone for years, someone had clearly been keeping the place clean. Otherwise, they would've been greeted by dust clouds instead of fresh air.
The staff may not have seen her in person for years, but they recognized her from the soul-powered photos on file. After all, working in a place like this wasn't just for anyone—these servants had some background. Normal folks wouldn't even get considered for a job like this.
Waving them off, Luan Yu turned to Meteor and Liuying and pointed at the elegant villa in front of them. "Alright, you two. From now on, this is your home."
"Home, huh?"
Meteor and Liuying exchanged a glance, both of them clearly a little moved. Sure, people at Dilong Sect had treated them well—Nan Shuishui especially—but something had always felt like it was missing.
Now, standing here in Luan Yu's villa, they finally felt like they'd found a real home. It had that quiet, warm vibe that the sect never quite gave them.
The place was massive. Meteor and Liuying each picked a room—and naturally, they chose ones right next to each other.
"Alright, let's just rest up today," Luan Yu said with a soft smile after showing them around. "Tomorrow, I'll take you on a proper tour of Mingdu and we can get you some daily essentials and stuff."
"Okay. You go rest too, Auntie," Meteor said.
Both of them nodded, then headed off to their rooms.
Time passed slowly. Night fully settled in. Meteor, still not used to the new place, couldn't sleep. Suddenly, he heard a door creak open next door. Light footsteps followed, fading into the distance. He frowned.
Throwing off his blanket, he slipped on his pajamas and quietly opened the door. The hallway outside was still and silent. He followed the direction of the footsteps.
Luan Yu's villa had four floors. He and Liuying were staying on the third. But the footsteps clearly went up to the fourth floor, which wasn't used—it was just an open rooftop terrace.
Meteor pushed open the terrace door and immediately saw a silver-haired girl standing there, her back to him, hands resting on the railing as she gazed up at the stars.
Liuying turned when she heard the door. Seeing that it was Meteor, she gave a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry… Did I wake you?"
Meteor shook his head and walked over to stand next to her, looking up at the sky too. He chuckled. "What are you doing up here star-gazing by yourself?"
Liuying looked up, her voice soft. "It's quieter here. And it feels closer to the sky."
Meteor didn't say anything more. He just stood beside her quietly, staring up at the night sky. Below them, the lights of Mingdu flickered on and off, one after another.
He knew. As an artificial human, Liuying didn't dream like normal people. She didn't even need much sleep. What she loved most was finding high places to just sit and look at the stars. Sometimes she'd stay there the whole night, until sunrise.
Back at Dilong Sect, she used to sneak onto the roof and sit there for hours. Only Meteor ever noticed and kept her company. Nan Qiuyue, who slept like a log, never found out.
By the stairway leading up to the rooftop, Luan Yu stood quietly. She was dressed in an icy blue nightgown, arms crossed as she leaned silently against the railing, watching them for a while before turning and walking away.
She'd tried her best to muffle her footsteps, but with how sharp Meteor and Liuying's senses were, they'd noticed her the moment she arrived. Neither of them said anything, though.
As the night grew darker, a gentle swarm of fireflies began to gather around the two of them. In the shadows, even some spiders and cockroaches quietly crept closer.
"....."