248: Chapter 249 The Sober Gu Family Couple

"Yes, Master, Fina accepts the command."

Upon receiving Lin Muyang's clear instruction, Seraphina, the Night Elf Maiden who had been as quiet as a shadow, performed a concise and solemn bow. A sharp yet serene light flashed in her purple eyes, indicating absolute focus on the task. She didn't need any extra movements; with just a subtle energy fluctuation, her entire figure dissolved into the air like a drop of ink in water, instantly fading, becoming transparent, and finally vanishing completely, as if she had never existed. There was no sound of wind, no afterimage, not even a ripple in space was stirred, only a lingering, extremely faint chill indicating her departure.

Lin Muyang nodded with satisfaction. With the Sky-Riding Ice Shuttle, Seraphina's strategic value and operational efficiency would undergo a qualitative change. Only then did he turn around and look at Jialiya, the blue-haired maiden standing quietly beside him, her body enveloped in a faint aura of death.

"Let's go, the two of us will make a trip to Tianhai City." Lin Muyang's voice was gentle. "Dealing with the equipment, plus possibly some other matters, will probably take some time. We might not be back for dinner tonight."

He raised his voice slightly and instructed the Succubus Maiden, Elabess, who was not far away, quietly discussing the dinner menu with Elena: "Ela, you and Elena prepare dinner together. Make plenty of dishes everyone likes."

"No problem~ Master, just go ahead!" Elabess, hearing this, immediately swayed her lithe waist and walked over elegantly with cat-like steps. Her charming, peachy eyes sparkled with a hint of mischievous amusement as she planted a loud, fragrant kiss "muah" on Lin Muyang's face, leaving behind a faint succubus scent. This bold and intimate gesture caused the cheeks of several more reserved young ladies nearby, such as Alice and Mo Yingmei, to involuntarily flush pink. They either lowered their heads or averted their gaze, pretending not to see.

"Sister Ela is truly bold..." Feng Ling chuckled softly, a hint of understanding and helplessness on her beautiful face. Lilia also blinked her emerald-like eyes, her small face slightly red, but with a smile in her eyes.

Lin Muyang smiled, gently pinched Elabess's smooth cheek, and said nothing more. He then briefly instructed the other young ladies to enjoy their free time but to be careful and not stray too far from the core area of the garden.

After giving his instructions, he took Jialiya's slightly cool hand. Jialiya's body stiffened slightly but she did not pull away. Her ice-blue eyes merely flickered, and her long eyelashes lowered, concealing the fleeting subtle fluctuation. Lin Muyang could feel the chill from her palm, characteristic of a Necromancer's lower-than-average body temperature, and the subtly stiff strength beneath her delicate skin, caused by nervousness.

"Let's go." Lin Muyang said gently. Invisible energy lifted the two of them, as if wrapped in a gentle breeze, and they instantly left the secret realm plaza, soaring towards the sky outside the Eternal Garden. He did not use an astonishingly fast speed, but maintained a pace that Jialiya could adapt to, while still quickly reaching Tianhai City.

At this time, the sun was setting, and dusk was approaching. The orange-red afterglow dyed the horizon into a splendid brocade, also gilding the rapidly passing mountains and rivers below with a warm golden edge. Jialiya was carried by Lin Muyang, flying through the air, feeling the whistling wind in her ears, and looking down at the rapidly changing, completely unfamiliar world below.

Towering skyscrapers beneath them looked like building blocks, crisscrossing roads were like glowing rivers of traffic, and the vast sea in the distance shimmered... All of this was completely different from the medieval-style world of magic and swords, monsters and wilderness she was used to. A strange emotion, a mix of unfamiliarity, novelty, and a hint of unease, quietly spread within her. Could this world truly accept an anomaly like her?

Meanwhile, in Tianhai City, East District, the Gu family estate.

This sprawling estate, blending classical garden art with modern architectural style, appeared serene and luxurious under the setting sun. Deep within the estate, in an independent three-story building, the Gu sisters were nestled in a soft, off-white sofa in a spacious, south-facing living room on the second floor.

Gu Shuanglin, wearing comfortable light blue loungewear, her long hair casually draped, was hugging a soft pillow. Gu Xiaoyu, in pajamas with a bear pattern, sat cross-legged without a care, her head close to her sister's, as they both stared at the screen of the oversized tablet computer in Gu Shuanglin's hand.

The screen displayed news reports about the aftermath of Lin Muyang's secret realm incident in Bear Country. Although official sources from various countries remained tight-lipped about the specific details, the shocking news of Lin Muyang turning the tide, rescuing trapped top-tier Class Transferees from various countries, and finally demonstrating what appeared to be resurrection abilities, still swept across the global internet like a hurricane, with an endless stream of analyses, conjectures, and exclamations.

"Lin Muyang is too amazing!" Gu Xiaoyu's bright eyes were fixed on the screen, as if stars were twinkling within them, her small face filled with admiration and excitement. "Look at this analysis post, it says he froze a thousand-meter glacier with one move! And this one, it says he single-handedly withstood the impact of the collapsing secret realm! Oh my goodness... and resurrection! Although he said it wasn't, it must be related to resurrection! So cool!"

"He's always been that amazing," Gu Shuanglin responded softly, her tone seemingly calm, but a hint of undisguised wonder flickered in the depths of her autumn-water-like eyes. She understood the world of high-level Class Transferees better than her sister, and she also understood what Lin Muyang's actions meant. Turning the tide might still be explained by his extraordinary strength, but those signs of reversing death and reshaping flesh... had already surpassed the scope of conventional power, touching upon a realm close to miracles. This made her feel, besides pride, a faint, indescribable sense of distance—he seemed to be drifting further and further away from their world.

The sisters were engrossed, occasionally discussing in low voices, completely unaware that not far from their cozy little building, in the main hall of the Gu family estate, a serious, even subtly competitive family meeting was quietly unfolding, centered around the very topic they were discussing—Lin Muyang.

The main hall was brightly lit. A huge crystal chandelier cast a soft yet bright light, illuminating the faces around the mahogany long table, some serious, some solemn, some implicitly excited. Besides Gu Shuanglin and Gu Xiaoyu's parents—Gu Changfeng, the current helmsman of the Gu Group, and his wife Lin Wanqiu—there were also several core members of the Gu family, including Gu Shuanglin's two uncles, and several cousins who held important positions within the group.

The theme of the meeting, unsurprisingly, was how to leverage Gu Shuanglin's connection with Lin Muyang to secure the greatest benefits for the Gu Group. Lin Muyang's current global reputation and deterrent power had reached an unprecedented height. Possessing the ability to resurrect, whether true or false, the healing and revival effects he demonstrated were undeniable. Any country, any organization, unless they were out of their minds, would try every possible means to befriend and win him over.

Money, beauty, top-tier equipment, rare magic crystals, territory, privileges... as long as they had something to offer, countless forces were secretly weighing their options, trying to get in touch with Lin Muyang. And the Gu Group, as a powerful force in the commercial landscape of Xia Country, naturally did not want to fall behind; in fact, they were arguably more eager than most forces to advance their relationship with Lin Muyang.

The reason was simple. Although the Gu Group had substantial assets and held significant influence in Xia Country's business world, compared to national organizations or multinational giants that controlled state machinery or had Nation-Guarding Level Experts, their foundation and influence were still a step behind. Their advantage, currently, seemed to be singular and crucial: the connection Gu Shuanglin had established with Lin Muyang. Lin Muyang didn't seem to reject contact with Gu Shuanglin, and even accepted her secret realm scroll, reciprocating with equipment, which, to outsiders, was already a very positive signal.

However, the Gu family was not a monolith. Originally, with Gu Shuanglin's talent and strength growing, she stood out among the younger generation of the family, already drawing the vigilance and dissatisfaction of her two uncles, Gu Changyun and Gu Changhai. Gu Changyun oversaw the group's traditional manufacturing and some overseas trade, while Gu Changhai controlled emerging magic technology investments and some secret realm resource development. Gu Shuanglin's rise meant that the future direction of family resource allocation might change, potentially even affecting their and their children's status and interests within the group.

Therefore, for a period, these two uncles and their faction secretly favored suppressing Gu Shuanglin's development. For example, in resource allocation and opportunities to participate in important projects, they would intentionally or unintentionally set up obstacles, or assign her difficult, unrewarding tasks. Their logic was: no matter how capable Gu Shuanglin was, she was still young and couldn't yet be the group's pillar. Suppressing her momentum a little would do no harm and could maintain the existing power structure.

But they never expected that Gu Shuanglin's "breakthrough" method would be so unexpected and unstoppable—she actually connected with Lin Muyang, this true dragon! When news of Lin Muyang's great display of divine power and near-miraculous abilities in Bear Country spread back, especially after it was confirmed that Gu Shuanglin had had private contact with Lin Muyang and might maintain communication, the attitudes of Gu Changyun, Gu Changhai, and others instantly did a complete 180-degree turn.

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Suppression? What a joke! It's too late to curry favor now! As long as Gu Shuanglin can take her relationship with Lin Muyang a step further—even if they just become friends, or even if they develop a more special relationship as they secretly hope—then the Gu Group will use this bond to leapfrog into a behemoth that no global power would dare underestimate! Its influence and the resources it can acquire will skyrocket geometrically, and surpassing those so-called national-level partners is by no means a pipe dream!

In the face of massive interests, what did those previous minor frictions matter? The key now was how to push this matter forward!

Thus, at this hastily convened family meeting, Gu Changyun, Gu Changhai, and the others were exceptionally proactive and blunt.

"Big Brother, Sister-in-law," Gu Changyun pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and said in an "earnest" tone, "Shuanglin is the pride of our Gu family. Her talent and looks are top-tier. Now that Mr. Lin Muyang is at the height of his power, this is a once-in-a-century opportunity for our Gu family! With Shuanglin's beauty and talent, combined with our Gu family's heritage, I believe no man in this world could truly refuse her. As long as we create opportunities for Shuanglin to have more contact with Mr. Lin Muyang..."

"Third Brother is right." Gu Changhai took over the conversation, his chubby face piled with smiles but his eyes sharp and shrewd. "No matter how strong Mr. Lin Muyang is, he's still a young man. Between young people, if they visit and communicate more, feelings will naturally develop. We can even make appropriate arrangements, creating some romantic chance encounters, or letting Shuanglin show her unique value in certain aspects. As long as the relationship becomes close, why would our Gu Group worry about not being able to soar? By then, let alone the top ten in Xia Country, even the top ten in the world might not be out of reach!"

In their words, they nakedly tied family interests to personal emotions, even implying an intention to use Gu Shuanglin's beauty and feelings to bind Lin Muyang. Although they spoke somewhat euphemistically, everyone present understood perfectly well.

Gu Changfeng and Lin Wanqiu sat in the main seats, their expressions not looking good. Gu Changfeng's brow was furrowed, and Lin Wanqiu showed even more displeasure. They loved their daughter and respected her wishes, and they knew even better what kind of person Lin Muyang was. Turning their daughter into a tool for the family to cling to power was by no means what they desired.

"Changyun, Changhai," Gu Changfeng spoke in a deep voice, carrying the authority of the head of the household. "The matter between Shuanglin and Mr. Lin Muyang is a matter of fate between the young people themselves. As parents, we only hope our daughter is happy and joyful, rather than pushing her out as a bargaining chip. What kind of person is Mr. Lin Muyang? His strength and vision far exceed our imagination. Those so-called arrangements and little design tricks of yours will likely seem like child's play before him, only serving to annoy him."

Lin Wanqiu also added with a firm tone, "We suggest letting nature take its course. If Shuanglin herself is willing to be friends with Mr. Lin Muyang, we support it. But if she is unwilling, or if Mr. Lin Muyang has no such intention, we will never force it, let alone pull any small stunts behind the scenes. I hope everyone sitting here understands that the current Lin Muyang is no longer someone we can calculate at will. His perception, his power—I'm afraid every word we say here, as long as he wishes, he can hear clearly. Any self-righteous cleverness could bring a catastrophe to the Gu family, rather than an opportunity!"

The words of Gu Changfeng and his wife were powerful and resonant, born both out of love for their daughter and a clear-headed recognition of Lin Muyang's strength. The main hall fell into a brief silence. Gu Changyun, Gu Changhai, and the others looked somewhat embarrassed, but the disapproval deep in their eyes had not completely dissipated. In the face of massive temptation, there are always those who harbor illusions of luck.

Just then, Lin Muyang arrived with Jialiya, like two wisps of light smoke, silently landing outside the grand gates of the Gu Family Manor. He didn't intentionally hide his aura, but with his current strength, as long as he didn't want to be found, the ordinary guards and Detection Arrays in the manor could not possibly discover him.

Just as Gu Changfeng had sensed, Lin Muyang's perception, brought about by his far-beyond-human horror attributes, had already heard the arguments in the main hall clearly. Those words about arrangements, creating opportunities, and binding brushed past his ears like a breeze.

"These parents aren't bad," Lin Muyang evaluated silently in his heart. The fact that Gu Changfeng and his wife could remain clear-headed, protect their daughter, and hold their ground in the face of massive temptation improved his impression of the Gu family significantly. As for the petty schemes of Gu Changyun and Gu Changhai, he couldn't be bothered to care. At his current level, the internal squabbles and interest calculations of these mundane noble families were like floating clouds in his eyes. As long as they didn't actually perform in front of him or harm the people he cared about, he didn't even have the interest to take a second look.

After all, the power he displayed was enough to shake any national-level power and make them rack their brains on how to treat him. Discussions similar to this one within the Gu family were likely taking place in the meeting rooms of countless powers, large and small, across the globe at this moment. If he cared about every single one, he wouldn't be able to do anything else.

He shook his head and cast aside these distracting thoughts. His purpose for coming here was clear and simple. Leading the still somewhat dazed Jialiya, his figure moved slightly. In the next instant, the two of them passed through layers of courtyards and corridors like ghosts, appearing precisely in front of the three-story building where Gu Shuanglin lived, outside the living room glowing with warm light.

Lin Muyang raised his hand and knocked on the door with moderate force.

"Who is it?" Gu Shuanglin's familiar, slightly lazy voice came from inside the room.

"It's me, Lin Muyang," Lin Muyang replied calmly.

"Lin... Lin Muyang?!"

Two short, suppressed screams of young girls immediately came from inside the room, followed by a flurry of rustling sounds, as if something had fallen to the floor, along with rapid, low-voiced conversation.

"Oh my god, why is he here?!"

"Quick, Xiaoyu, is my hair messy?"

"My pajamas! Sis, can I hide first?"

"Don't be silly, go wash your face! No, change clothes first!"

Standing outside the door, Lin Muyang used his divine sense to slightly perceive the chaotic scene inside, and a faint, imperceptible smile couldn't help but tug at the corner of his mouth. He didn't rush them, just waited quietly.

About two minutes later, the door was opened somewhat hurriedly from the inside. Gu Shuanglin appeared at the doorway. She had changed into a slightly more formal cream-colored knitted dress, and her hair had clearly been quickly brushed, flowing smoothly over her shoulders, though a trace of a blush still remained on her cheeks, whether from haste or shyness. Gu Xiaoyu hid behind her, poking half a head out, also having changed into a cute hooded sweatshirt. Her little face was bright red, and her eyes darted around, not daring to look directly at Lin Muyang.

When the two sisters saw Lin Muyang outside the door, along with the blue-haired girl beside him who had a unique temperament and a cold, aloof beauty, they both froze for a moment. Tension, shyness, and a faint, hard-to-detect sense of discouragement after being stunned by Jialiya's appearance and comparing themselves to her flashed through their beautiful eyes.

"Lin Muyang... if you wanted to find me, you could have just sent a message. Why did you come in person...?" Gu Shuanglin took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound steady, but the slight tremor at the end still betrayed her inner turmoil. She hadn't expected Lin Muyang to visit suddenly, let alone when she and her sister were both in loungewear and completely unprepared.

"It's nothing, I was passing by." Lin Muyang shook his head, his tone casual. "I came this time mainly wanting to borrow your Gu family's Equipment Modification Master." He pointed to Jialiya, who was standing quietly beside him, curiously looking at the furnishings in the sisters' room. "This new friend of mine has a rather special class; she's a Necromancer. I need to modify some existing mage equipment into a form suitable for her use."

"Equipment Modification Master?" Hearing this, a slight flash of disappointment crossed Gu Shuanglin's heart. As expected, Lin Muyang came to find her for official business, not specifically for her... but this disappointment was quickly suppressed. She was already happy to be able to help Lin Muyang. And the fact that Lin Muyang thought of coming to her first when encountering such a thing—didn't that prove that in his heart, she was considered a trustworthy friend who could provide help?

She immediately adjusted her mindset, her gaze falling on Jialiya beside Lin Muyang, her eyes flashing with unmasked admiration. What a girl with a unique temperament! Her skin was so fair it was almost transparent, her features were as exquisite as if carved from ice and snow, and a cold, mysterious aura that warned others to stay away swirled around her. Yet, her curves were still breathtakingly outlined beneath that slightly oversized stark white mage robe. This contradictory yet harmonious beauty was also fatal to members of the same sex.

Gu Shuanglin sighed inwardly. The girls appearing around Lin Muyang were truly one more outstanding than the last, making her, a young lady who prided herself on her looks and family background, feel a bit self-deprecating.

"This is the young lady you just summoned, right?" Gu Shuanglin composed herself, a proper and friendly smile appearing on her face as she proactively reached out her hand toward Jialiya. "Hello, my name is Gu Shuanglin, I'm Lin Muyang's friend. It's a pleasure to meet you."