Monster Cub Live Stream – CH68

Chapter 68

Hearing the familiar voice, Xia Changluo curved his lips slightly. “I know.”

He paused, then asked, “Are you here for Aunt Bai’s memorial banquet?”

“Yes.” Lin An’an shifted a little closer to Xia Changluo, discreetly using his own body to support him.

Xia Changluo was still too weak, after all. After crouching for too long, his body had begun to sway slightly, as if he could no longer hold himself steady.

Lin An’an caught one of his brother’s hands and carefully sent over a thread of his ability, helping him block out some of the toxins in his body as well.

Xia Changluo gently squeezed his hand back. “White Aunt’s memorial banquet starts tomorrow morning at ten. Before that, I’ll go to her room on the top floor.”

Lin An’an nodded, then immediately remembered that Xia Changluo could not see him, so he said, “Okay.” He leaned forward and gave Xia Changluo a light hug. “Big Brother, be careful. No matter what, your own safety comes first.”

“Mm, don’t worry.” Xia Changluo said softly. He wanted to hug him back, but was afraid someone might notice something unusual, so he could only tighten his grip on Lin An’an’s hand instead. “Let’s hope everything goes smoothly.”

Lin An’an murmured, “It will.”

With other people around, Lin An’an did not dare take up too much of Xia Changluo’s time, afraid someone would notice something off.

After a brief exchange, Lin An’an stood up and left with Feng Wu.

Perhaps because he had too much on his mind, Lin An’an barely slept that night.

At some unknown turn after he had rolled over yet again, the person beside him suddenly reached out with a long arm and pulled him solidly into his embrace.

Lin An’an said in a small voice, “Sorry, Brother Wolf. I woke you.”

“No.” Feng Wu answered just as quietly. “I wasn’t asleep either.”

The warmth in front of him was comforting and steady, so Lin An’an simply buried his head deeper into the other man’s chest and closed his eyes again.

Feng Wu pressed him a little closer. “Sleep. There’s a lot to do tomorrow. Get as much rest as you can while you still can.”

“I know.” Lin An’an’s voice sounded muffled. “Brother Wolf, loosen up a little. I can’t really breathe.”

Feng Wu froze for a second, then quickly loosened his arms. A faint flush spread over the tips of his ears. “…Sorry.”

Lin An’an twisted around a little on the bed, shifted himself upward, and tucked his head into Feng Wu’s shoulder hollow.

“Good night, Brother Wolf,” he said softly.

The next day’s operation went even more smoothly than Lin An’an had expected.

A little past eight, he heard Xia Changluo’s voice through their spiritual link.

Ah Lin, I’m about to go to Aunt Bai’s room. Xia Changluo said. I’ll find a hidden spot to stash the detector in a bit.

Lin An’an replied at once, Okay. Be careful.

I will. Xia Changluo answered softly.

At the same time, on the top floor of the imperial main palace—

After getting dressed, Xia Changluo pushed open the door and, unsurprisingly, saw the three guards standing outside, still shadowing his every step.

“Your Highness.” The lead guard lowered his head slightly. “His Highness the Second Prince instructed us to let you go out less and avoid the wind. There are still nearly two hours before the memorial banquet begins. You may wait a little longer before going out.”

“I’m not going outside.” Xia Changluo shook his head lightly. “Today is Aunt Bai’s memorial day. I’m going to her room.”

The guard paused slightly. Bai Cenrou’s room was inside the main palace. If Xia Changluo was only going there, then technically he wasn’t leaving the building, so it did not seem to conflict with Xia Yuanhan’s orders.

Xia Changluo clearly had no intention of giving them room to refuse. Supported by Uncle Lu, he walked toward the lift.

Just as they were waiting for the elevator, Xia Yuanhan’s voice sounded from behind him. “Big Brother, are you going to Aunt Bai’s place?”

Xia Changluo turned his head and gave a light hum.

“Perfect timing. I’m going too. Let’s go together.” Xia Yuanhan stepped up beside him and smiled faintly. “It’s a pity Ah Lin isn’t here today. The three of us used to go together.”

He sighed. Whether it was the expression on his face or the emotion in his eyes, it all looked genuinely regretful, as if he truly felt sorry that Xia Lin was absent.

Xia Changluo’s fingers curled slightly at his side. He let out a sigh and asked with concern on his face, “Yes. Missing White Aunt’s memorial banquet… Ah Lin will definitely be very upset. Yuanhan, how is Ah Lin’s illness? Has it improved at all lately?”

“The healers said Ah Lin’s condition is too rare.” Xia Yuanhan lowered his eyes. “They’ll do their best.”

Xia Changluo closed his eyes, as though he could not quite bear to hear that answer. Even his body trembled faintly.

Uncle Lu, standing at his side, steadied him and called worriedly, “Your Highness…”

Xia Changluo raised a hand and waved it faintly. “I’m fine.”

He took two shallow breaths, opened his eyes again, and let just the right amount of sorrow show on his face. He looked terribly fragile.

“I’m fine,” he murmured once more. “I believe Ah Lin will get better.”

A faint smile passed across Xia Yuanhan’s lips. He seemed extremely satisfied with Xia Changluo’s reaction.

The elevator gave a soft chime. Uncle Lu helped Xia Changluo step inside.

Ever since his condition had worsened, ever since Xia Yuanhan began monitoring his every move, and ever since Xia Jiyuan’s behavior had turned increasingly strange, Xia Changluo had not once returned to the top floor of the main palace.

He had long suspected Xia Jiyuan’s abnormal behavior had something to do with Xia Yuanhan. But it was only after hearing the truth from Xia Lin that he understood just how cruel Xia Yuanhan truly was.

No—not cruel. He had no heart at all.

At that thought, Xia Changluo lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the emotions surging uncontrollably within them.

By the time the elevator delivered them to the top floor, Xia Changluo had already hidden all traces of it.

Xia Yuanhan stepped out first, then turned back and extended a hand toward him. “Come on, Big Brother.”

Xia Changluo briefly leaned on that offered hand, then let go almost at once. “Let’s go.”

Xia Jiyuan’s relationship with Bai Cenrou had never been especially close. So although they lived on the same floor, they slept in separate rooms.

To be more exact, Xia Jiyuan had never been especially close to any of his three empresses.

When he was little, Xia Changluo could not understand why. But as he grew older, he came to understand the reason.

Xia Jiyuan was an extremely cold-hearted man. In his eyes, there was almost nothing but benefit and utility. Family and love mattered less to him than even a capable subordinate.

There was never much familial warmth between Xia Changluo and Xia Jiyuan either. In fact, because of the way Xia Jiyuan had long restricted Xia Lin’s range of movement, Xia Changluo’s feelings toward him could be described more accurately as aversion and dislike.

But that dislike had never been strong enough to become murderous intent.

Xia Jiyuan was not a good husband, nor a good father. He was not even what one might call a great emperor. But as ruler of the Empire, even when some of his decisions were questionable, his starting point truly had been the Empire, not his own selfish gain.

Xia Yuanhan, however, was different.

Xia Changluo did not dare imagine what the future of the Empire would look like if the throne really fell into Xia Yuanhan’s hands.

Even before becoming emperor, Xia Yuanhan had already wrecked the Empire—no, the entire galaxy—into the riddled, broken state it was in now—

A chill rose through Xia Changluo’s chest. His steps faltered and his body swayed sharply, until Uncle Lu hurriedly held him up. Only then did he recover himself.

Xia Yuanhan said with concern, “Big Brother, if you’re not feeling well, you should go back and rest. The memorial banquet is still later.”

“I’m fine.” Xia Changluo gave him a pale smile.

Seeing him insist, Xia Yuanhan said nothing more.

Bai Cenrou’s room was next to Xia Jiyuan’s. While Xia Yuanhan was opening the door, Xia Changluo—standing beside one of the decorative suits of armor placed near the doorway—moved his fingers lightly.

The tiny detector was slipped into the narrow gap at the armor’s joint without anyone noticing.

Xia Changluo let his lips rise faintly, then smoothed the expression away again. In his mind, he quietly called, Ah Lin, I’ve hidden the detector in the decorative armor by the door.

Elsewhere, Lin An’an received Xia Changluo’s message at once.

Got it. Lin An’an replied. When you leave the top floor, let me know.

Lin An’an nodded at Feng Wu, signaling that Xia Changluo’s part had already succeeded.

A little over ten minutes later, Xia Changluo activated the spiritual link once more.

Feng Wu was already prepared. The moment he got the signal from Lin An’an, he immediately linked to the detector.

On the top floor of the main palace, the tiny hidden detector silently flew out of the armor. Avoiding the patrolling mechanical attendants at the doorway, it slipped through a narrow ventilation opening and entered Xia Jiyuan’s room.

Xia Yuanhan had not installed any additional defense system inside the room, so the detector began scanning the room in silence and with ease.

Its live visual feed was projected onto the light screen before Lin An’an. His eyes remained fixed on it without blinking, unwilling to miss even a single corner that might contain evidence against Xia Yuanhan.

“Does His Majesty’s room have a safe or something similar?” Feng Wu suddenly asked.

Lin An’an thought for a moment. “It should, but I don’t know where he put it.”

Feng Wu nodded and said nothing more, focusing fully on operating the detector.

The detector was coated with Feng Wu’s metal ability. Objects like safes were, generally speaking, made from various kinds of metal.

It did not take long before the detector came to a stop in front of the headboard. A very noticeable prompt popped up on the light screen.

The tiny detector rolled in the air once, suddenly became visible, and expanded a few sizes. Two metal arms extended from inside its body and pressed a hidden button on the headboard.

With a soft di-li sound, the headboard slid apart, revealing a large metal safe hidden behind it.

The detector’s metal arms quickly adhered to the safe. Feng Wu’s metal ability seeped into it, and with a click, the safe’s heavy metal door opened almost effortlessly.

Lin An’an unconsciously held his breath.

The inside of the safe looked empty. He froze for a second. “There’s nothing inside?”

“No. There is.” Feng Wu said softly. Controlled by him, the mechanical arms reached deeper into the safe and lightly swiped through a transparent barrier.

The transparent barrier shattered instantly. Behind it lay a tiny chip, not even as large as a fingernail.

Feng Wu’s lips curved faintly. “Found it.”

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