Chapter 631 - 395: When the Dust Settles (Part 2)
The new envoy has dismissed all accusations made by Luo against them, without any explanation, simply letting them go home.
Only Su Mo knows that it was Luo’s arrangement that allowed these people to be seen as "innocent" in the eyes of the Upper Court.
In this city, anyone might be suspected of rebellion or assisting Fenrir’s escape, except for those whose personal freedom is safeguarded.
By coincidence, when everyone was being released from custody, they happened to encounter the special transport for Amir and others, leading to a direct confrontation between the two groups.
Amir and the officials were still in their work uniforms, indicating that the new envoy had shown them no leniency, arresting them directly upon taking office.
The once proud eyes now bore expressions full of confusion, despair, and some even shed helpless tears.
But no one showed them any sympathy, as they were receiving their deserved consequences.
On the other side of the iron bars, Shangguan Li coldly eyed the despondent Amir.
Su Mo walked to her side, looking at Amir with her, and whispered, "It might be tricky to personally take revenge on him."
Shangguan Li scoffed, "No need, seeing him fall to this state today is enough to let my father’s spirit rest in peace. Let him suffer for the rest of his life until his death."
The first group of prison vehicles transported officials, while the second group carried the societal elites.
Among the crowd, Su Mo spotted an "old friend."
Dress appeared utterly disheveled, wearing crumpled pajamas, his unkempt dreadlocks hanging loose.
This guy apparently wasn’t very cooperative during his arrest, with a broken nose, missing a front tooth, and his bloodstained face still dirty — as unsightly as can be.
One mercenary corps leader who had grievances with Dress sarcastically remarked, "Oh my, isn’t this the renowned King of Intermediaries, Old D? Haven’t seen you in such a sorry state for two months."
"Life in prison can be dull, but luckily you know how to rap; perhaps entertain the inmates with your song and dance."
Dress looked over upon hearing that and quickly spotted Su Mo, as though he had found a lifeline. He frantically tried to rush over, "Old Su! Old Su! It’s me, Old Su! Do you remember me?"
The guards, seeing his unruliness, struck his shin with a baton, causing him to collapse and scream in pain.
As the guards dragged him back, Dress continued to cry out to Su Mo, "Old Su! We were great buddies once! When you were starting out, I looked out for you many times and gave you many good jobs. Please, save me, Old Su!"
These words made Su Mo stop. He pondered for a moment and then walked up to the transport guards and said, "Is it possible to call your leader? I have something I’d like to discuss."
Su Mo was a notable figure in New Moon City, having recently been reborn from the ashes. Since Zhou Hanyan’s downfall, he was recognized by everyone as the next King of Mercenaries.
Given that Su Mo had proactively requested, making a call was not a breach of protocol, so the transport guards humored him.
The call was reported layer by layer, eventually reaching the new Upper Court Envoy.
"Hello, Mr. Envoy, it’s like this..."
Holding the phone, Su Mo walked to a corner; the specifics were unclear as the distance made it hard to hear.
The call didn’t last long, approximately 30 seconds, but to Dress, it felt as if he’d been waiting an eternity.
Soon, Su Mo walked over with the phone, returning it to the transport guards, who listened for a while, responding several times "Yes," then hung up the call.
The guards approached Dress, took out keys, and removed his shackles.
Dress was instantly ecstatic, excitedly kneeling before Su Mo, shouting, "Hey! Thank you, Old Su... ta... Thank you, Grand Captain Su, for saving me! You are my benefactor! No, more than a benefactor! You’re my father! From today, you are my real father!"
Su Mo joked, "You’re acknowledging your father too hastily; I, being Asian, couldn’t possibly father such a dark-skinned child."
Indeed, humor was etched into Dress’s bones; he actually managed to follow up on the joke: "Genetic mutation, you know. The biology books say it can be inherited."
Su Mo chuckled and waved his hand, signaling him to get in the car.
As Dress dashed to join, other prisoners started exclaiming:
"Grand Captain Su! Save me too!"
"We once had a meal together! I toasted you!"
"Brother Su! You’re my idol! Your picture hangs in my office!"
"Oh, don’t leave! Save me!"
Su Mo ignored them all, and the transport guards showed no mercy either, knocking down anyone trying to struggle, before escorting them all to prison.
Dress, witnessing this, ran even faster, quickly squeezing into Su Mo’s car.
Feeling the car’s soft seat beneath him, Dress felt entirely relaxed, while murmuring, "Old Su, I’m truly glad to know you... I saw it coming; you would be someone important eventually, grabbing your coattail was the right move..."
Su Mo teased, "Yet you were so eager to delete my contact back then."
This remark hit Dress’s weak spot; his face flushed red, and he hurriedly shirked responsibility: "That, that, that was Zhou Hanyan forcing me! He made me choose between you two."
"You know, I couldn’t compare to him in power. Though I was optimistic about you, your influence hadn’t developed yet, so I was forced to make a painful sacrifice!"
"Look! The outcome is good! We’ve reunited, and Zhou Hanyan met a dire end. Right now I just want to say—Good riddance! Champagne celebration!"
Su Mo gave a short laugh.
Zhou Hanyan wouldn’t do anything so distasteful. Now that he’s dead, Dress can shift blame however he pleases, since the dead can’t talk.
Throughout the drive, Dress kept reminiscing about their past friendship, though Su Mo remained unresponsive.
As the car drove on, Dress suddenly noticed the view outside seemed familiar, and poked his head out to ask, "This is Anmi New District... Where are we going?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth did the car stop.
Through the window, he saw a graceful figure slowly approaching, which scared Dress into scrambling to jump out from the other side of the car.
The door opened, and a powerful hand pulled him down.
In the midst of struggling, he saw the cold eyes of Broken Blade.
Audiana walked up to Su Mo, nodded at him, "Thanks."
Su Mo said, "No problem."
It was only then Dress realized Su Mo had pulled him out of one pit and into another.
He cried desperately, "Old Su! Old Su, you can’t do this!"
"Have you forgotten the Xinghai Cinema hostage incident when you first started?"
"If it wasn’t for me taking you to meet Sikinkov, you’d still be a small-time mercenary! You can’t betray me!"
Su Mo calmly replied, "That’s because you owed me one from the TL730 operation. The Xinghai Cinema just repaid the favor; we’ve been square for a long time."
"Of course, I still remember kindness; that’s why I’ve pulled you out of prison, right? A ride is better than being locked up."
"As for your grudge with Lady Countess, that’s between you two, and I can’t interfere."
As Dress was dragged away by Broken Blade, his emotions collapsed, pleading tearfully to Su Mo and Audiana, but received no response.
What awaited him next was surely a painful torment.
Lady Countess never holds back when dealing with those who stab her in the back.
Su Mo specifically reminded, "Be careful, just beat him up; don’t kill or cripple him. He still needs to be returned to the envoy tomorrow."
Audiana replied, "I know, I’ve got a handle on it."
Su Mo inhaled deeply, then exhaled, saying, "Time to go home..."
...
When Su Mo returned to Edge Mansion, the news had already spread, with everyone waiting outside.
In the crowd, Su Mo saw Qi Ling. She didn’t come to greet him as usual, standing absent-mindedly in the corner, appearing somewhat dazed, as if she had just awakened from a nightmare.
"Ling..." Su Mo called softly.
Qi Ling’s eyes still had no focus, but she mechanically walked toward him, gently embracing Su Mo.
Su Mo noticed then that in the warm spring climate, her hands were surprisingly cold.
Qi Ling buried her head in Su Mo’s chest, clutching tightly at his back with her cold hands, as if afraid he would suddenly vanish, her murmurs trembling slightly.
"You’re all I have left... don’t leave me... never leave me..."