Chapter 24: Affection That Comes Too Late Is Worth Less Than Grass

It took an hour to reach Stanley in the Southern District.

As the car pulled into the villa, Luo Yunmian’s parents were already waiting for her outside. Her eyes welled up with tears the moment she stepped out, and her mother, Si Lan, pulled her into a tight embrace. "My daughter, you have suffered so much."

Leaning against her mother’s shoulder, Luo Yunmian offered comfort instead. "Mother, a long pain is worse than a short one. I will be fine."

Luo Huaichuan stood by, patting her shoulder with paternal tenderness.

Her grandmother, Duan Hua, also came out, chiding gently, "It is good that you are back. When you go out..."

They would hide in a place where no one knew them, a place where they could be ordinary lovers, basking together in the sunlight.

The mere thought of this made Liang Ran feel suffocated. She simply left the room and went outside to clear her head.

Si Jianan’s peach-blossom eyes narrowed, his handsome face darkening. Seeing the endless traffic jam ahead as he stepped out of the car, his expression turned livid.

After dismissing Jiang Ai, Ming Zheng took a bath, but lying in bed, she found it impossible to sleep. Her mind kept circling back to why Lin Ziyu had sent that message. If he truly wanted to sever ties with her, he wouldn’t have used her phone to add his WeChat, nor would he have gone out to eat with her.

Chen Ziyan reached out to help his younger brother sit upright on the sofa, poured him a glass of water, and gave his shoulder a firm, encouraging pat, filled with consolation.

While she was in Luan City, she had entrusted Jessica with the task of finding a taekwondo center.

The layer upon layer of mountain peaks in front perfectly concealed what lay beyond, forming a place isolated from the rest of the world.

"That’s true, you have always been someone who doesn't dwell on the past." Seeing that he, like her, had never returned to their alma mater, Ming Zheng felt a sense of relief. In truth, she had been feeling quite uneasy about the prospect of revisiting the school.

When the cloud carriage arrived at the prison, the Tribal King did not enter immediately. He waited until the hidden guards were in position and the Emperor General and the Grand Lady had arrived before signaling for them to follow him inside.

Jiu Baobao watched, wishing she could have some too. Brother Gua was so mean, not ordering a portion for her. Hmph.

However, before refining the spirit fire, one needed to be well-prepared, starting with ensuring one was in peak condition.

"But my Empress Mother brought me words from my eldest sister when she came to see you last time!" Huan Xue said, dropping a bombshell.

Ye Hao was clearly curious about this mysterious expert. Ever since the Ming Organization surfaced, he had been wondering what kind of person could possibly keep such a massive organization hidden.

It was so tight that she could even feel the rhythm of his heartbeat—a trace of what seemed to be... a sense of peace?

"Rise." The young man channeled his spiritual energy, his ten fingers flying as he cast a series of incantations. With a low shout, he slammed his bloodied palms onto the array disc.

"But you must realize that there are only three of us in all of Rong City with Heavenly King-level combat power. The enemy has seven Dark Trainers, plus others at the Quasi-Heavenly King and King tiers. How do you expect us to defend against that? Going out is too dangerous. If we are defeated, Rong City will be as good as handed over on a silver platter," Yu Cheng immediately countered.

Now, only one scene remained: everyone was guarding that mass of magic energy waves. The mental energy within the waves continued to flow outward, and Alva was still relentlessly squeezing the Chaos Evil God.

The dragons knew they had disturbed the humans, but such was their habit; they could only compensate by treating Luo Lei and his companions to an even more lavish breakfast.

"Alex, you are completely unworthy of being the master of Australia. To attempt to kill the three of us at a time like this, inciting internal strife—if we continue to follow you, Australia will surely perish by your hand," Grand Duke Qing Ye sneered.

But now that they had witnessed Jiang Hao Ran’s dreamlike combat style, many couldn't help but whisper among themselves, wondering if a person could truly cultivate to such a level.

As for the Chinese men’s basketball team, they were spared such vexing concerns. They approached the second half of the game with even higher expectations than they had held before the match began.