Chapter 202: Superficial Harmony

Stepping out of the temple complex and into the bustling lower city of the Imperial Capital, Wu Qingsong was suddenly confronted by a chaotic sprawl of disorderly and aesthetically unpleasing buildings.

The ground was covered in dust and mud, the air thick with a mixture of various unpleasant odors, and the heat was uncomfortably intense. Countless noises suddenly assaulted his ears, making Wu Qingsong, who had spent several days in Padamia, feel a strong sense of discomfort and even a bit of disorientation.

A group of barely clothed children begged them for alms, passersby on the street argued loudly, a vendor shouted at the top of his lungs, desperately trying to sell his wares to the surrounding pedestrians. Further away, a draught horse being whipped by its driver neighed angrily and helplessly.

This world might be impoverished, dirty, and chaotic, but it was also filled with an indescribable vitality.

Every person here struggled to survive, but precisely because of this, they were real. Their voices, their movements, their living environment—all were real, unlike Padamia, which, despite its perfection, evoked not the slightest sense of familiarity or warmth.

“I still prefer a world like this,” Wu Qingsong couldn’t help but say.

Xeila said nothing. Instead, she glanced at a row of two-wheeled carriages soliciting passengers by the roadside, seemingly randomly selecting one to board with Wu Qingsong.

The carriage immediately began navigating the complex, web-like streets and alleys of the lower city, quickly reaching the riverside. There, they switched to a small boat, once again winding along the canal through several twists and turns, changing boats again and traveling for quite some time until finally docking in an unfamiliar place.

As they disembarked, a beaverfolk vendor approached, trying to sell his goods. Wu Qingsong noticed him subtly signal Xeila, indicating safety. Xeila then led him toward a house by the roadside.

“Wu!” 

As soon as they closed the door, Liuli and the others rushed downstairs, throwing themselves at him with relief.

“What took so many days? We were worried sick,” Ram anxiously asked. “Are you both alright? Did everything go smoothly?”

This wasn’t the reaction Wu Qingsong had expected, but he had considered various possibilities over the past few days. 

So, he quickly asked, “Are there any members of Dark Moon here?”

“If Xeila doesn’t count, then no.”

Well then… Wu Qingsong suddenly reached out and placed his hand on Ram’s chest, awakening her ability.

The same expression of bewilderment and slight frowning that had appeared on Xeila now appeared on Ram’s face, as if waking from a dream, yet somewhat uncertain.

“Ram?” Wu Qingsong asked.

“Why are we…?” Ram glanced at Xeila, looking hesitant to speak further.

“We should head upstairs,” Wu Qingsong said. “Beck, guard the perimeter.”

“Tagraedi, what exactly is going on?” Daryl asked, confused.

“Just wait a moment,” Wu Qingsong replied. He then proceeded to awaken and subsequently deactivate the abilities of both Ling and Liuli.

As he had suspected, their reactions were almost identical, each one appearing to come out of some sort of trance.

“Wu?” Ling suddenly looked a bit scared. 

Why had they all agreed, and even encouraged Wu Qingsong to take such a risk? Previously, while they had felt concerned, they had all believed Wu Qingsong was doing the right and necessary thing. But at this moment, she realized that Wu Qingsong had neither the necessity nor the responsibility to take such a risk.

No support, no backup, no escape routes, everything had depended solely on them.

If they were discovered, there would be only one outcome.

What did the internal conflict of the elves have to do with Wu Qingsong? They had clearly been following a completely different path, so why had they all suddenly been persuaded by Dark Moon and Red Moon, unanimously agreeing that Wu Qingsong should take such a risk?

“I suspect this is Red Moon’s ability,” Wu Qingsong said. “She might be able to guide or amplify everyone’s perception of a certain matter, subtly influencing everyone to act according to their intentions.”

Wu Qingsong had been pondering this matter over the past few days. He concluded that the Dark Moon members likely couldn’t directly manipulate people’s thoughts. If they could, they wouldn’t need to go through so much trouble. They would only need to use their abilities repeatedly to quickly assemble a massive and utterly loyal team.

This ability must have certain limitations and couldn’t completely override a person’s will. Wu Qingsong speculated that Red Moon might be able to amplify certain thoughts within people, guiding them to become dominant.

Take Ram for instance. She naturally wanted to weaken the elves’ power to give Silver Moon and Nina a better chance of success. Perhaps it was this underlying desire that made her so easily influenced, leading her to think exactly the way they wanted.

“This is terrifying!” “These people are so despicable!” Ling and Liuli exclaimed simultaneously.

“Xeila?” Ram asked.

“She should have been affected too, but she’s fine now,” Wu Qingsong quickly reassured them.

“So what do we do now? Break ties with them?” Daryl asked.

“No,” Wu Qingsong shook his head. 

The feeling of being used was undoubtedly unpleasant, but given their current situation, they couldn’t afford to sever ties with the Dark Moon. Without their help, they might not even last a day in the Imperial Capital before being discovered and sold out to the elves.

Without the Dark Moon’s assistance, they couldn’t leave the Imperial Capital safely, nor could they return to Esola safely.

Moreover, they knew too much about Wu Qingsong’s group, while his knowledge of them was minimal. Xeila might know a bit more about the Dark Moon, but Wu Qingsong had no doubt that if they suspected her of betrayal, they would sever all ties with her immediately and bury all the information she knew.

They could easily betray Wu Qingsong, destroying everything he currently had, while he couldn’t do any substantial damage to them. Even if he seized an opportunity to eliminate Dark Moon and Red Moon along with their entourage, it wouldn’t benefit him in the slightest, not even offering the satisfaction of revenge.

For an organization as vast as the Dark Moon, how effective could that really be?

“We definitely need to part ways with them,” Wu Qingsong said. “But not now. At least, not at this stage. We need to maintain at least a superficial cooperative relationship with them for now. Since we know what kind of people they are and what abilities they have, and how to guard against those abilities, they don’t pose much of a threat to us anymore.”

“They are in the dark, and we are in the light. We have no choice but to proceed this way,” Ram said, glancing at Xeila. “What do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know,” Xeila shook her head. She was somewhat blank.

Since her injury was healed, she had been like this. She could still perform necessary tasks well, but aside from that, she seemed to have lost interest in everything.

“Come back with us?” Wu Qingsong suggested.

There was a flicker of light in Xeila’s eyes, but she quickly shook her head again. “I don’t belong there.”

“Xeila, staying here will only make you a tool under their control. Why not give yourself a chance…” Wu Qingsong couldn’t help but say.

A sudden rush of footsteps interrupted him. “Sir, a carriage has arrived at the door.”