The Lock of the Mortal World, a secret spanning over two thousand years.
In this moment, it surfaced at last.
Only now did Lin Mo recall that day, the promise made before Gui Zhong's departure.
"I'm leaving. When you return, remember to repay me."
"Alright, I promise."
"When did you realize you didn't like the Emperor?"
Lin Mo asked with a smile.
"When, exactly..."
Gui Zhong tapped her soft, pink lips, lost in thought. "Was it when you noticed my wear and tear, and devoted yourself to developing a new Gui Zhong machine for me? That moved me."
"Being moved isn't the same as love."
Lin Mo clearly wasn't satisfied with that answer.
"Hmm... or maybe... when Ruo Tuo called you father and me mother?"
Gui Zhong wondered uncertainly again. "I didn't avoid it or refuse, and I even felt a secret thrill?"
"Yeah... that sounds about right."
Lin Mo nodded slowly.
"Oh! And there's more!"
Gui Zhong seemed to remember something else and continued, "When I saw the True Lord of Song Dust Waves City peeking at you from afar, it left a bad taste in my mouth."
"So, sometimes when she was spying, I'd deliberately whip up a sandstorm to block her view~"
"And also, seeing you feed Gan Yu qingxin, with her clinging to you so affectionately, that made me uncomfortable too~"
"So, have you noticed? There are hardly any qingxin left in Guyun Stone Forest."
Gui Zhong said this with a smug look. "Because, you see... I buried them all under dust~"
"And... hmm..."
"Like every time you came back from the battlefield."
"I'd look forward to that tense, worried expression on your face when you saw my damage~"
"Oh dear... it's been so long, there are too many moments, I can't even keep them straight anymore."
Gui Zhong stopped reminiscing about the past.
Instead, she fixed her beautiful eyes, full of smiles, on Lin Mo's.
Gazing into his eyes, she asked sweetly, "Lord Lin Mo, are you satisfied with this little lady's answer?~"
"That was pretty early on, wasn't it..."
"I remember you had only just started pursuing the Emperor back then."
Lin Mo shook his head with a wry smile. "So why keep chasing the Emperor? Why not tell me your feelings sooner?"
"You forget how aloof you were back then..."
Gui Zhong pouted, a flicker of resentment in her eyes. "Think back—did you ever seek me out even once on your own?"
"Every time you spent with me in Guyun Stone Forest."
"It was always because the Emperor was ignoring me, and I felt down about it."
"That's when you'd enthusiastically help me brainstorm strategies."
"Under the guise of executing the 'Capture the Emperor's Heart Plan,' you'd stick around Guyun Stone Forest all day with me."
"Researching this and that, spending every moment together~"
"Well... I was trying to avoid suspicion..."
Lin Mo said with a wry smile, "I knew you were pursuing the Emperor. If I approached you on my own initiative, I was afraid it might cause a misunderstanding between you and him."
"I don't care, it's all your fault~"
Gui Zhong acted spoiled, turning her face away. "Without the shared goal of pursuing the Emperor, I wouldn't have had a reason to get close to you either."
"That's fair."
Lin Mo didn't think he'd done anything wrong and said confidently, "You were trying to have it both ways. Avoiding suspicion was the right move on my part."
"I... I wasn't trying to have it both ways~"
Gui Zhong immediately looked aggrieved.
"At first, yes, I thought I liked the Emperor."
"But after joining him in battle, I realized."
"He's such a stick in the mud—we barely exchanged a few words~!"
"My feelings for him... were probably just admiration and respect for someone strong."
"Apart from the wars, I never spent any private time with him."
"All my time was spent soaking it up with you~! You know that! And you're still accusing me~"
Gui Zhong bit her lower lip lightly, her beautiful eyes glistening with tears that tugged at the heartstrings.
But given Gui Zhong's mischievous personality, Lin Mo couldn't tell if she was truly upset or just putting on an act.
"Uh... yeah, that does seem right..."
Lin Mo reflected on those days.
It seemed...
During that time, Gui Zhong had indeed been quite clingy.
After every war ended, anyway.
She'd rush straight to him first thing, complaining.
About how the Emperor had ignored her again.
Asking him to help come up with ideas.
Back then, Lin Mo had genuinely put thought into it for her.
Pondering how she could win the Emperor's favor.
"So... all that wear and tear you suffered back then—was it because of me... or the Emperor?"
Lin Mo couldn't help but ask in confusion.
"Because of you, and because of Liyue."
At this, Gui Zhong's eyes seemed to dim slightly.
At the same time, her gaze drifted to the dark sea.
Looking toward Liyue's direction, she murmured:
"The Archon War back then..."
"So many immortals fell..."
"As a demon god, even if I died, I'd reclaim my power one day and return to the heavens."
"But... as an immortal, you couldn't."
"Not to mention, you started as a mortal."
"If Liyue fell, how could you, as a half-immortal, escape the disaster unscathed?"
At this point, Gui Zhong smiled radiantly. "So, from the moment I knew my true feelings, I decided to follow the Emperor, to contribute my strength to the war, and carve out a peaceful land for you."
"Gui Zhong..."
A touch of emotion appeared in Lin Mo's eyes.
Thinking back to those days, her weakened state every time she returned.
Lin Mo had assumed she was burning her demon god essence so desperately to earn the Emperor's approval, accelerating her wear.
But it turned out...
It was all for him.
"Moved, are you? Figured out how to repay me yet?^"
Gui Zhong's beautiful eyes sparkled, her smile blooming like a flower, clearly eager for Lin Mo's response.
Lin Mo chuckled after a moment's thought. "How about... I draw up a 'Capture Lin Mo's Heart Plan' for you?"
"Capturing Lin Mo's heart?"
"That's way too easy~"
Confidence shone in Gui Zhong's eyes.
In the next instant, she took a step closer to Lin Mo...
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T/N:
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