Exploration

Liu Zhengde's residence was unimaginably large. A preliminary estimate put its grounds at nearly ten thousand square meters at the very least. Perhaps that was one reason he had chosen to build it in the suburbs.

The dinner didn't last long. Everyone had been worn out by the journey, and no one wanted to bother with any extra activities. They just ate a little, gave everyone a chance to get acquainted with Liu Tian, who was visiting for the first time, and then announced that they should turn in early.

At dinner, Liu Tian got to sample the cuisine of the Crimson Cloud Empire and meet his mother, Sophie Lowis, who was close to giving birth.

Though several months had passed since they last met, Sophie Lowis showed no sign of nervous exhaustion under the servants' care. She was pregnant, far from home, and hadn't seen her husband or son in ages, yet she could even manage a little hop. Only her very prominent belly reminded everyone that she was about to give birth.

That wasn't just thanks to the servants' attentive care. More importantly, Sophie Lowis had a big heart. She seemed entirely free of homesickness and melancholy.

Sophie Lowis wasn't especially beautiful; at most, her looks could be called pretty. But her ruby-red hair and eyes had made Liu Yun fall in love at first sight.

As they spent more time together, Sophie Lowis's gentle, kind nature and good sense of boundaries, along with the occasional little temper, firmly captured Liu Yun's heart and persuaded the wandering adventurer to settle in the Hundred Flowers Kingdom.

And during the time Sophie's parents passed away, Liu Yun—a man who was brave, resolute, and capable—had unknowingly come to occupy her whole heart.

For twenty years, the couple had shared a wonderful relationship, and they were remarkably in sync about most things.

Whenever Liu Yun wasn't out at sea, the two of them were always inseparable, traveling around and enjoying life.

When Liu Yun was at sea, Sophie kept the household in perfect order, the model of a Hundred Flowers Kingdom housewife.

There was just one thing: Sophie had been very independent from a young age, and she placed great importance on raising her son to be independent too. She didn't want to control Liu Tian too much.

His father, Liu Yun, was a rebellious sort himself and had no interest in laying down rules for Liu Tian. By the time they realized that Liu Tian had inherited his father's stubbornness and had decided his own future, there was no turning him back.

"So, is it going to be a little brother or a little sister?" Liu Tian asked, watching Liu Yun press his ear to Sophie's belly. "Dad, you've been listening so hard. Have you figured anything out?"

"Hmph!" Liu Yun snorted. "Of course I have—it's a girl."

"A lively little girl, too. She was just patting my face! You'll have a little sister soon, son!"

"A girl?" Liu Tian raised an eyebrow. "You can tell just by listening? Dad, if you've got that talent, why not open a shop?"

"A father's intuition tells me it's definitely a girl. A sweet, obedient girl, nothing like your rebellious self!" Liu Yun said with a grin. "Isn't that right, honey?"

"Oh, you!" Sophie gently poked her husband's nose with her index finger. "She hasn't even been born yet. How would I know if it's a girl or a boy? Prenatal testing to determine the baby's sex can cause some harm, and I don't want to spoil the surprise. Would you only love her if she's a girl? You wouldn't love a boy?"

"I'd love either, I'd love either!" Liu Yun said with a silly grin. "Boy or girl, I'll love them!"

"I feel like a giant light bulb!" Liu Tian shook his head. "All right, Mom, Dad, you two take your time. I'll get out of here and stop being a third wheel. Oh, and someone's watching us. Dad, remember to tell Second Uncle."

"Someone's watching us in secret? Son, what are you talking about?" Sophie asked with a frown.

"Let Dad explain. I'm heading out. Get some sleep so you won't miss breakfast tomorrow." As he spoke, Liu Tian left, no longer lingering between the couple, reunited after a long separation.

What should he do now?

Bright moonlight mingled with the lamplight, illuminating the residence until every corner was as clear as day.

Thanks to the energy he'd gained from martial arts training, Liu Tian now slept only four or five hours a day. It was still early, nowhere near his usual bedtime.

Hmm. Nowhere to go.

Perhaps it was only natural that Liu Zhengde, his full brother, was just like his fifth brother despite his high position: a staunch supporter of monogamy.

So, though Liu Tian wandered around as he pleased, he wasn't worried about hearing anything he shouldn't or seeing anything he shouldn't.

Along the way, a number of servants and guards who didn't recognize Liu Tian's face nearly stopped him. If Liu Zhengde hadn't given Liu Tian his jade pendant as both a pass and a gift, the misunderstanding might have caused quite a commotion.

But after Liu Tian had toured most of the residence at an ordinary running pace, everyone had gotten to know the young master who'd arrived in a strange place for the first time and immediately started wandering around.

Quite a few people had done some training, but few practiced Secret Martial Arts, and none were very strong. At best, they were about as capable as a Martial Artist. The weaker ones might not even be able to beat Liu Wenhan.

Most of the guards, however, had calluses on their hands. They seemed to have trained with guns, and their hands were steady enough to show they weren't beginners. With firearms, they might provide at least some defensive value.

Of course, Liu Tian wasn't just wandering aimlessly. He was taking the opportunity to assess the defenses.

How should he put it? They were far worse than he'd expected. With defenses like these, they'd have to be hiding some kind of powerful weapon in secret.

Otherwise, Liu Tian was confident he could fight his way in through the front gate alone. As long as he wasn't caught in a crossfire or cornered, and he remembered the layout well enough to circle around a couple of times, he'd come away with little more than superficial injuries.

And speaking of the layout, he had unknowingly wandered into the courtyard while thinking. He looked up and noticed a mountain nearby. From the summit—or even halfway down—the entire residence was visible.

At that distance, even someone who practiced specialized Secret Martial Arts couldn't see clearly, but they could still make out the general layout without any trouble.

With defenses like these, they could deal with petty thieves, but if someone was truly determined and had the means to launch an assault, the guards would serve at best to buy some time.

Perhaps it was because the Crimson Cloud Empire had enjoyed a long period of peace, and because of the subtle differences between a centralized empire and a nobles' council, that its defenses were even weaker than those at Gayn Manor.

In any case, Gayn Manor had at least two or three Fighters stationed there year-round. Here, the best they had were Martial Artists and gunslingers who practiced second-rate Secret Martial Arts. There wasn't even a single Fighter in sight.

Gayn Manor was in the royal capital, after all, while this residence was in a remote suburb of Pei Commandery. In terms of restrictions and security, the former should theoretically have more of both.

These defenses were a bit of a problem.

Liu Tian mulled it over and, before he knew it, had reached the training room.