Watching the four Spirit Pagoda members leave in disgrace, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue felt the boulder weighing on their hearts crash to the ground. They both let out long breaths, their taut bodies finally relaxing.
The two hurried forward, their faces filled with gratitude, and bowed solemnly. "Thank you for saving us, President Mu Chen! Without you today, the consequences for us would have been unthinkable."
Mu Chen waved a hand lightly. His expression remained calm, but his voice carried a note of certainty.
"You're Wulin's parents. Protecting you is only right."
Then his tone shifted, and a shadow gathered between his brows as he voiced his doubts. "But I'm curious. The Spirit Pagoda has always acted cautiously. Why would they come looking for you specifically and track you all the way to your home?"
At those words, Tang Ziran and his wife both fell silent. Their expressions instantly grew complicated and grave, unspoken secrets lurking in their eyes. Neither answered.
Seeing their evasiveness and hesitation, Mu Chen sighed helplessly. His tone was earnest yet stern.
"You must tell me the whole truth. Only when I understand every reason behind this can I truly protect you. Today, I happened to arrive in time and force them back. But what about next time?"
"If I fail to arrive in time and you're forcibly taken away, what is Wulin supposed to do, out there all alone?"
That pointed question struck home. Every earnest word instantly brought the hesitant couple to their senses.
The danger to their own lives was a small matter compared with implicating Tang Wulin.
They exchanged a glance, the hesitation in their eyes vanishing completely. They no longer harbored the slightest doubt. The secrets and burdens buried in their hearts for years were finally about to emerge.
"President