Chapter 122: Nangong Mengli

"Care to share what you've been up to these past few days?"

"Of course," Su Mu said with a faint smile, effortlessly spinning a lie.

After a long moment, surprise flashed across Murong Mengli's delicate face. "You actually killed Mu Cheng. So a metal cyborg's weakness is the soul."

"Exactly. Mu Cheng's physical body was indeed flawless, but without that physical barrier, he had no defense against a mental-type Transcendent. And I just happen to be one. Bubai was a huge help, too, of course. Without it, I never would have survived Mu Cheng's final self-destruction."

"Bubai?" Murong Mengli let out a soft laugh. "You really are a naming genius. I never imagined you had a trump card like that—taming a nightmare monster. And it's true, no one could have guessed Mu Cheng would blow himself up. To choose self-destruction so decisively after your mental invasion... if not for Bubai's Shadow Space, I probably would never have seen you again."

Su Mu shook his head. "It wasn't just Bubai. Your Crimson Heart played a role, too. If it hadn't bought me time, I wouldn't have been able to slip into the Shadow Space."

"So you've been recovering in the Shadow Space this whole time? Why didn't you come back to the Bronze Coffin?"

"I didn't stay there. I originally planned to heal in the Shadow Space, but then I suddenly felt the call of the Nightmare World, so I went there instead. I only just got back," Su Mu said with a straight face.

He was lying.

He had told Murong Mengli that he defeated the cyborg Mu Cheng using his mental power, omitting the fact that the man was a Silver tier powerhouse. Then, after Mu Cheng blew himself up, he had hidden in the Shadow Space and later jumped directly to the Nightmare World.

In that entire narrative, nothing but the names was true.

Murong Mengli didn't suspect a thing. She seemed somewhat distracted, repeatedly spacing out as she stared at her wine glass.

"Come, let's have another." She raised her glass and downed it in one gulp, a faint blush spreading across her flawless pale face.

Setting the glass down, a bitter smile touched the corners of her mouth. "This will probably be the last time we drink together."

Before Su Mu could ask, Murong Mengli continued, "I'm leaving."

Su Mu's eyes flickered. "Leaving? Because of the Murong Family Head's birthday banquet in three days?"

Murong Mengli gave a hollow nod. "Yes. There are only three days left. I've mobilized every resource at my disposal, but I still haven't found a single clue regarding the Eye of Gold. To avoid marrying Qian Zihao, leaving is my only option."

"Where do you plan to go?"

Murong Mengli shook her head. "Don't ask. I can't tell you. There are some things that will drag you into grave danger just by knowing about them."

She let out a long breath.

Taking a deep breath, Murong Mengli bit her soft lip. She looked at Su Mu with a strange glint in her eyes. It seemed difficult for her to speak, but she finally gathered her courage and forced the words out.

"Susu, there's one more thing I need to do before I go. Please don't blame me, but I really need a child..."

"So that's your reason for drugging me?" Su Mu calmly adjusted his Tinted Glasses, his expression completely composed.

Murong Mengli froze. "You knew?"

Su Mu smiled faintly. He picked up his wine glass, gently swirling the crimson liquid inside. "Royal Cellar, Blanc Prestige 158. It boasts a deep, rich ruby color, with a complex initial aroma of black cherries and violets, balanced by the woody notes of an oak barrel.

"But there's also a faint trace of medicinal scent mixed in. I figured someone of Miss Mengli's status wouldn't accidentally buy counterfeit wine. That leaves only one answer: the wine is drugged."

Seeing that Su Mu had seen through it, Murong Mengli dropped the act and openly admitted it. "That's right, the wine is drugged. Once I leave, I don't know when we'll meet again. We might never see each other for the rest of our lives. It would be very difficult for me to find another man like you—someone who doesn't disgust me and who possesses such a powerful mental talent.

"I need a child."

Murong Mengli stood up and gently slipped off her sapphire-blue coat. As it fell away, the silk slip dress underneath was revealed. Its thin straps outlined the soft curve of her shoulders, the delicate design accentuating her graceful collarbones and swan-like neck.

"Susu, don't blame me. Without the Eye of Gold, I can only pin all my hopes on a child. I..."

Her voice abruptly cut off. Having just stepped in front of Su Mu, Murong Mengli suddenly started breathing heavily. Her beautiful eyes were fixed unblinking on the palm of his hand.

There, resting in his palm, a dazzling Eye of Gold was quietly radiating light.

"This... this is..." Murong Mengli lost her composure. The elegant noble lady even started to stammer, staring at the Eye of Gold in utter disbelief.

Su Mu smiled faintly. "As you can see, the Eye of Gold."

Murong Mengli's head snapped up. A myriad of emotions flickered in her eyes as she looked at Su Mu—shock, excitement, disbelief...

The image of him holding the Eye of Gold pierced her vision. Bathed in the neon lights from the window, the young man's silhouette seemed plated in a layer of radiance. The glow softened his sharp, cold features and painted the tips of his hair with brightness. He looked like a ray of light—a ray of light illuminating her bleak life.

"Take it." Su Mu gently pried open Murong Mengli's stiff fingers and placed the Eye of Gold into her palm.

It was merely an Eye of Gold; he didn't feel any reluctance parting with it. The item was completely useless to him anyway. He wasn't a noble, nor did he have any bloodline to awaken.

As for selling it directly to the Murong Family Head? That had never even crossed his mind. Why would a grand noble deign to strike a fair deal with a commoner? If nobles were that kindhearted, they wouldn't be nobles. Did someone who didn't exploit others even deserve the title of noble?

When they could easily just rob him, why would they bother buying it?

He understood the darkness of human nature better than anyone. Perhaps the Murong Family Head would initially pay a steep price for it, but what about after he advanced to the Gold tier?

Besides, what Su Mu wanted was never money, but the entire Murong Family!

Wouldn't it be far more interesting to use Murong Mengli as a foothold to slowly devour the entire Murong Family?

Feeling the lingering warmth from the man's hand and the icy weight of the Eye of Gold, Murong Mengli finally snapped back to reality. She stared blankly at the stone and sank back into her seat, looking utterly dazed. Without her noticing, tears had already begun to well up in her neon-lit eyes.

She sat in silence for a long time before her hoarse voice broke the quiet. "Susu, thank you."

Su Mu smiled and raised his wine glass. "I should thank you for your Crimson Heart as well."

Murong Mengli wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and raised her glass in return. "Consider it a debt I owe you. You helped me, yet I drugged you. Has it taken effect? If it has, I can..."

Su Mu shook his head. "It hasn't. But I am rather curious—why are you so insistent on doing this?"

It was as if a massive weight had finally been lifted from Murong Mengli's chest. She broke into a radiant smile. "If it was purely about having a child before, then now... I admit, I really am a little tempted.

"Interested in hearing my story?"

"I'm all ears."

Clink!

The tall crystal glasses gently clinked together, ringing out with a crisp chime.

Amid the ringing chime, Murong Mengli began to tell her story.

"Actually, my surname isn't Murong. My true surname is... Nangong. Nangong Mengli." As she spoke the name, a look of reminiscence flashed in her eyes.