Chapter 142: You’re Not Dead
Zelda led them on a brief tour of the first floor before they headed back out.
Bai Zhi experienced firsthand just how much more advanced this place was than the modern world. If construction back home was this fast, there probably wouldn’t be so many abandoned, unfinished buildings. Projects there couldn’t even get off the ground without enough funding.
After leaving the newly built auction house, Hu Yan whispered something in Bai Zhi’s ear. Bai Zhi then suggested they go see her shopping mall. The last time she went, it was just to go shopping, but today was different. Today was an inspection, and she also wanted to see which two floors Zelda planned to use.
When they arrived at the mall, Bai Zhi finally grasped just how massive the place truly was. You could spend the entire day inside without getting tired. It housed an incredible variety of stores; if you could think of it, you could find it here.
The interior had its own dedicated transit tracks and pedestrian walkways that never intersected, making it incredibly convenient.
Watching the people coming and going inside the mall, Zelda couldn’t help but remark, "I’ve been here plenty of times. I never expected it was yours."
"Well, you can imagine it now," Bai Zhi replied.
Zelda was momentarily speechless. ’You two really are cut from the same cloth!’
Hearing this, Yue Junxiao couldn’t resist ducking his head behind Lang Qiu. It was obvious from his trembling shoulders that he was laughing, but he deliberately tried to hide it to save Zelda some face.
But he seemed to have forgotten that with his large frame, the gesture only made him more conspicuous.
As a result, he earned a sharp glare from Zelda.
Just then, an unfamiliar yet authoritative voice called out from a meter or two away. "So, it really is you—Hu Yan."
While Bai Zhi and the others didn’t react much, Zelda’s expression changed slightly upon hearing the voice. She turned to look. Sure enough, it was him—the Eldest Prince.
’Why is he here?!’
In contrast, Hu Yan’s expression showed no change. When he made his move yesterday, he knew it was only a matter of time before the Eldest Prince discovered he was still alive.
Given Eldest Prince Hu Ao’s suspicious nature, he was bound to have someone investigate. The main branch of the Nine-tailed Fox clan was small, making it an easy task.
Everything was in place. Rather than trying to hide, it was better to let him discover the truth himself.
Hu Yan’s expression was as placid as ever. "Imperial Brother," he said calmly. "Long time no see."
Hu Ao narrowed his eyes. "You’re not dead! To think you’ve been hiding all these years!"
When his attendant told him yesterday that manifested spiritual power had appeared in the square, he should have known it was Hu Yan. But he’d held onto a sliver of wishful thinking. While his attendant was investigating, he couldn’t resist asking his father, the Emperor. The Emperor had hesitated for a split second before claiming he’d gone out yesterday.
But the more Hu Ao thought about it back in his own residence, the more something felt off. It wasn’t long before his suspicions were confirmed.
That evening, his attendant returned to report that the Emperor had not, in fact, left the palace the day before.
’It couldn’t have been the Emperor, since he never left the palace. So... could it have been my second brother, the one still floating in nutrient liquid?!’
So he ordered his men to keep a close watch on all of Zelda’s movements, as well as any newcomers to the Main Star.
Hu Yan and Zelda had always been close. Though Hu Ao had harbored suspicions about Hu Yan’s death over the years, Zelda’s behavior had eventually led him to lower his guard. If Hu Yan were still alive, he would certainly contact Zelda’s group.
And just as he’d expected, he received a report this morning that Zelda and a group of strangers had appeared at his auction house. What’s more, one of them bore a striking resemblance to the Third Prince, Hu Yan.
He couldn’t sit still. He rushed to the mall without a moment’s delay and immediately spotted the conspicuous Hu Yan in the crowd.
The anxiety that had been gnawing at him since yesterday suddenly vanished. The moment of confirmation brought a strange sort of calm.
When Bai Zhi saw the man who bore a slight resemblance to Hu Yan, she recalled Hu Yan’s earlier descriptions of the royal family. She guessed this must be the Eldest Prince.
’Hu Yan had just suggested they come to the mall... Was it all for this very moment?’
Bai Zhi couldn’t be sure, but one thing was clear: the Eldest Prince, who did not look like an easy person to deal with, certainly didn’t want Hu Yan around. After all, without Hu Yan, the path to the throne would be his for the taking.
The attendants following the Eldest Prince all stared at Hu Yan in utter shock. The whole Federation knew that the Third Prince, Hu Yan, had died when his warship was destroyed in the great battle against the Insect Clan. Yet here he was, a man who had been dead for years, standing right before them!
Their eyes darted back and forth between the Eldest Prince and the Third Prince. ’The two of them have never gotten along,’ they thought. ’Now that the Eldest Prince has discovered the Third Prince is alive, is he going to kill him to keep him quiet?’
’If he does try to kill him, are we supposed to be witnesses to this?!!’
Hearing this, Hu Yan let out a soft chuckle. "I was merely recovering my strength. How could you call that ’hiding’? Besides, if I had reappeared sooner, how would my dear Imperial Brother have had the chance to win over my supporters?"
Hu Ao’s gaze darkened as he stared at him. His lips were pale, not gaining any color even when pursed. He ignored Hu Yan’s last remark and, after sizing him up for a moment, retorted, "So you’ve recovered?"
"Passably," Hu Yan said calmly.
But Hu Yan didn’t look like he had any issues at all, so Hu Ao simply dismissed it as an excuse. The thought that his spiritual power might have diminished never even crossed his mind.
During this pause, the surrounding shoppers had begun to notice them. After all, their group, including Zelda, already numbered seven. Now the Eldest Prince had brought several more people, instantly swelling their ranks to over a dozen. A group that large was bound to attract attention.
And once people started looking, someone immediately made a discovery. "Isn’t that the Eldest Prince?" they asked their companion doubtfully.
"He does look a bit like him," their companion agreed, nodding.
But just as those words left his mouth, his eyes widened, and he shouted in excitement, "Am I seeing things? I think I just saw the Third Prince!"
"You’re not seeing things, because I see him too! That’s the Third Prince!"
Their conversation wasn’t quiet, and in a crowded mall like this one, their voices rose unconsciously when they mentioned the Third Prince.
Those with sharp hearing caught it immediately. People started looking over, their eyes scanning the area. "The Third Prince? Where’s the Third Prince?"
Upon spotting Hu Yan’s group, several people immediately rushed over and began to form a crowd.
One of the females saw Hu Yan and couldn’t stop her voice from rising in pitch. "It really is the Third Prince!"
Her words set off a chain reaction, and the other females began to scream. "AHHH! The Third Prince! It’s really the Third Prince! The Third Prince isn’t dead!"
"Sob... I knew it! How could a Beastman as powerful as the Third Prince possibly die!"
Passersby who heard the name "Third Prince" instantly had their attention captured.
The weight carried by the name "Third Prince" was on full display in that moment.