Chapter 158

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Protagonist:

Xuan Ge

Starlight in the deep universe was silent as water, night completely enveloping the flagship.

Only faint starlight filled the conference hall, permeated with a heavy, tranquil stillness.

Xuan Ge stood with hands behind his back before the floor-to-ceiling window, his profound gaze piercing through the glass toward the vast star river outside, a faint aura of pressure coiling around him.

Light, shallow footsteps sounded from behind; Xuan Ge knew who it was without turning back, his tone flat and calm as he asked softly:

"Luo Rui Ya, are both children asleep?"

"General, they're both asleep~"

Luo Rui Ya stepped with light tread, stopping at a position slightly behind Xuan Ge's side, her posture slightly bowed, fingertips unconsciously clutching her skirt hem.

Her heart was already in turmoil; she understood clearly the General's late-night summons.

It was inevitably for Robin and Sunday; she could only force herself to remain calm and quietly await Xuan Ge's arrangements.

Xuan Ge slowly turned his gaze, the corner of his mouth hooking a faint smile, his eyes gentle as he looked at her.

He had long seen through the unease in Luo Rui Ya's eyes; this mother's heart held only the two children.

Afraid he, this Divine Might General, would strike and harm them; afraid the children would become pawns in power struggles.

"Have you heard of the Chosen?"

Luo Rui Ya lowered her head slightly, furrowing her brow in deep thought; this term seemed to echo from the depths of memory, yet she could never grasp its concrete shape.

After a moment's thought, she gently shook her head: "Apologies, General, I have never heard of it."

"Good; not knowing is also a good thing."

Xuan Ge withdrew his gaze, looking once more toward the star river outside, his gaze seemingly piercing through endless time and space.

He saw Xi Pei seated upon the Path, and spoke in a deep, measured tone:

"Your children are the Chosen personally selected by Xi Pei, same as me, possessing the potential to ascend to godhood."

"Wh-what!?" Luo Rui Ya snapped her gaze upward, eyes full of disbelief, staring fixedly at Xuan Ge's back.

The earlier dispute between Xuan Ge and Ge Feimu, she had only thought the two children might merely be different from ordinary people.

She had never dared imagine they could actually touch the threshold of godhood; such a matter was too shocking, too perilous.

Xuan Ge turned around, walking slowly toward the conference table, raising a hand to gesture for Luo Rui Ya to sit, his tone still calm:

"I am Harmony's Emissary, yet I am the Hunt's Chosen, able to influence the Hunt Path's direction;

while your two children are the Order Twins, likewise able to influence the Order Path's trajectory."

Luo Rui Ya sat as bid, fingertips icy, mind racing rapidly; she stayed silent for a long time before speaking in a trembling voice:

"You mean, among Harmony's Three Aspects, one face is Order?"

"Seems you're no ordinary musician."

Xuan Ge propped his elbow on the tabletop, chin resting on one hand, his tone carrying a few hints of meaningful probing.

"Apologies, General, I concealed my past." Luo Rui Ya offered no defense, frankly bowing in apology:

"Before becoming a musician, I once participated in the Harmony Festival, hailing from a related family; I've heard a thing or two about certain inside matters."

"No need to apologize; that you can see this layer is already no easy feat."

Xuan Ge chuckled lightly, recalling Ge Feimu's painstaking, stumbling efforts to verify Harmony's true essence, a trace of irrepressible amusement flashing in his eyes.

Luo Rui Ya took a deep breath, pressing down the stormy waves in her heart; maternal instinct completely overrode her awe of the Divine Might General.

She raised her eyes to meet Xuan Ge's gaze directly, her expression firm, tone flat yet concealing resolve:

"General telling me this, is it to make Sunday and Robin walk the path to godhood?"

Even if she died, she would protect the two children, absolutely never letting them become Xuan Ge's sacrificial offerings.

Xuan Ge's fingertips lightly tapped the tabletop, the crisp sound echoing repeatedly in the empty conference hall.

An intangible pressure suddenly spread, bit by bit eroding Luo Rui Ya's mind.

He did not answer immediately, merely watching her quietly, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

Fine cold sweat beaded on Luo Rui Ya's forehead; her back was already soaked through.

At this moment Xuan Ge lurked at the boundary of night and starlight, the pressure around him like an abyssal demon.

But one thought of Robin and Sunday's pure, innocent smiles, and she gritted her teeth, refusing to yield an inch.

Even if she exhausted everything, she would stop Xuan Ge's plan.

As long as she died, Sunday and Robin would inevitably drift away from Xuan Ge.

"What is the price of godhood?" Luo Rui Ya's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor, yet remained firm.

Xuan Ge considered seriously for a moment, yet his tone carried a few notes of indifference:

"I'm not sure either; perhaps it's discarding the seven emotions and six desires, losing one's humanity."

To him, godhood was inherently a lowly choice; he only wanted to guard those beside him and pass days in peace, but some things, one has no choice.

"General, do you really intend this? Robin... she relies on you so much."

Luo Rui Ya closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh, fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

Robin's childlike admiration for Xuan Ge, she saw it clearly; she feared this dependence would ultimately turn into a blade stabbing at the children.

"Rest assured, though I'm no saint, nor any good person, I won't strike at the children."

Xuan Ge added silently in his heart: 'Unless it's worldly obligations.'

Xuan Ge chuckled lightly, the dense pressure around him vanishing without a trace in an instant.

The stifling atmosphere in the conference hall suddenly cleared, and Luo Rui Ya was finally able to breathe heavily.

"The Order Twins can indeed influence the concept of Order, but with just the two of them, it is still far from enough to make the Order Aeon reappear in the universe."

Xuan Ge paused, his voice suddenly deepening, his gaze turning sharp:

"I have my own plan, you cannot stop me, moreover, your family is also plotting this matter."

He stared tightly at Luo Rui Ya, speaking word by word:

"I guarantee to you, I absolutely will not let them get hurt.

So now, do you choose to stand on my side, or your family's side?"

Luo Rui Ya's whole body stiffened; this was not a choice at all, but forcing her to forcibly choose Xuan Ge.

She could not resist her family's plotting, yet Xuan Ge's strength and determination made her even more powerless to resist.

"General Divine Might, a word worth nine tripods, never goes back on his word. I only hope you will treat Robin and Sunday well."

Luo Rui Ya slowly stood up, steeled her heart, and reached out to take off her clothes.

She thought Xuan Ge wanted to use her as a hostage, using her father's identity to coerce the two children; for the children, she was willing to compromise.

"Hey hey~ stop." Xuan Ge immediately closed his eyes and turned away, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness:

"I never had such an intention."

Luo Rui Ya's shoulder strap had already slipped down; hearing this, her movement paused, she reached out to pull up the slipped clothing, and looked at Xuan Ge with confusion:

"General, are you not going to use me as a hostage, utilizing the children to achieve your goal?"

"Am I really such an unscrupulous villain in your eyes?"

Xuan Ge muttered in a low voice, then opened his eyes, his tone calm: "Can I not be the two children's uncle, protecting them wholeheartedly?"

Luo Rui Ya was first stunned, then couldn't help but laugh lightly, her tightly wound nerves completely relaxing.

She raised her hand to fix her shoulder strap, sat back down, looking at Xuan Ge before her with relaxed brows and eyes, the previous fear dissipating by more than half.

"Lord General, then when you debated with Ge Feimu before, why did you declare you wanted to marry me?"

Luo Rui Ya's brows and eyes curved, asking with a touch of playfulness.

Xuan Ge sighed lightly, his expression turning serious, a trace of apology in his eyes:

"Ge Feimu's words hit the mark sentence by sentence; forced marriage never conformed to my code of conduct, at that time I was also provoked into losing my head for a moment, lost my propriety, sorry."

Luo Rui Ya stood up, though still retaining some wariness of Xuan Ge's pressure, she dared to speak frankly:

"Since it is so, Older Brother, you and Robin's relationship, you handle it yourself, younger sister can't help."

Finished speaking, she gave a slight nod to Xuan Ge, turned and slowly walked out of the conference hall.

Watching Luo Rui Ya's departing back, Xuan Ge raised his hand to stroke his cheek, sighing lightly with a face full of helplessness:

"Dahlia, it's all your fault, I've really been harmed quite badly by you..."