Morning at Z District Base.
Mansion under General Cao's ownership.
Master's bedroom.
Ximen Xueya woke up with a strong arm of his husband hugging his waist and him hugging their little bun. Ever since they've reached the Z District, Zhi Yue has been told to return to his moon avatar form which is invisible to other people especially to the original residents of this world.
He groggily woke up as he noticed that the room's interior they are in right now is something he hasn't seen a t all. His confusion was answered by System Yue.
[The host is in a mansion prepared by the people from Hope Base for the general.]
When Xueya tried to sit up, he suddenly felt a pang coming from his lower back and had fallen back to the bed. This is the consequences of doing it at a closed place and doing it a bit roughly.
Hiss~ Ximen Xueya couldn't be helped by elbowing the stomach of the man sleeping on his right.
Urg!
Cao Junye was awakened with pain in his tummy. Once he opened his eyes he was welcomed by his wife's glaring eyes. There's an obvious blame and irritation within those phoenix shaped eyes. Despite his glare, Xueya's refined features made him look sultry instead, especially with that bit of blush on his cheeks due to anger.
"Baby?~"
"Back hurts. Your fault. Do something!"
He could only put his hands on Xueya's back and start massaging his waist. Only when he did that, that his wife stopped glaring and enjoyed himself to the soothing movements of his husband's hands.
[Report! There are groups coming over to the mansion. Some were people of Elite clans. The others were from the government and military.]
System Yue's voice was heard by anyone in the room. Xueya and Junye knew why they were coming over. They wanted to check on General Cao's men's capabilities. These people wanted to know whose side was stronger in between Shi Moye's faction and General Cao's small group.
Those elite clans' objectives are different. They wanted to see the general's rumored lover and son. Thinking of a way how they could create connections with the other party. Either that or they wanted to check if the lover had enough background to match the general. If not they would be willing to send their daughters through the backdoor.
The government and military side had different goals. They wanted to watch those elite clans make fools of themselves. After all, the military had held back the information of who the lover of General Cao is. Even if they do know, no one is foolish enough to tarnish that person's name. They still wanted to live for a bit longer than offending a demon who is harder to deal with than the great general Cao.
Cao Junye's expression turned gloomy when heard what Yue had just reported. He and his unit were not planning on staying in this Hope Base for too long. Their real place is Ximen Mountain which his wife had prepared in secret before the apocalypse had arrived.
They've only dropped by on the way as he wanted to speak with Shi Moye and Old General Sun about giving them the full authority of this base to them. As everyone in the base knows, the real leaders of this hope base are none other than General Cao and Ximen Xueya. Sadly, the couple isn't all that interested with such a small base full of leeches.
"Baby~ come down to meet them with me?" asked Cao Junye.
Ximen Xueya responded as he closed his eyes to go back to sleeping. "No. I'm still sleepy. Go do your job."
Cao Junye just kissed his wife's forehead before preparing to go down and meet the guests. What he didn't know is that Xueya had asked Yue to give him a live stream of what is happening in the living room.
---
In the living room. The factions were obviously seated separately. In the living room, a center table is surrounded by four couches covering each side. On the left corner of the room, a grand piano was placed for entertainment and bookshelves were placed all around the room. This receiving area looks more of a study room.
The three couches were occupied and only the honor seat position was left empty. There are some soldiers from Unit Alpha loitering in the mansion but only Uncle Wu had escorted the guests to the living room and served some tea for them.
Among the three factions only those old men from elite clans were showing ugly expression for waiting as they were all used to being served upon. In their own places there would be maids serving their needs from right to left but in this mansion the only servant had an even higher position that they possessed.
Cai Wu. A retired Lieutenant who had declined his promotion to become a general at the age of 40. He stepped down from his original position and trained soldiers as their instructor. Cao Junye and Wang Lei, including the whole Unit Alpha, were trained strictly by this kind looking old man. After retiring this old man had been hired by Cao Junye to serve his Cao Family after his family had died. The old man stayed by Cao Junye's side until he reached the peak and became the youngest general in history.
No one in the upper circle didn't know the identity of the old butler in front of them. Rumors say that he is even a close peer of the former State Head and Prime Minister. If there is someone who could move this old man then there could only be two people. One is General Cao and the other is the Master of the Ximen Family, Ximen Xueya.
Uncle Wu with a smile on his face was standing behind the honor seat waiting for the master of the house to come down. He had already sent Wang Lei to call for Cao Junye while he looked after the guests.
Elite Clan. Leader of the Su Family asked, "Sir, can we ask if the General is already on his way down?" There's a forced smile on his old face as he tries to act amiable as he could but the twitching of his lips reveals his fakeness.
"Grandpa I'm bored~"
"Silence!"
The 20 year old lady Su seated beside her grandfather was about to lose her temper as well. Not only them but the other leaders of elite clans brought most of their daughter or grand daughters with them that one would think that their a blind date event in the General Cao's mansion as these ladies were wearing luxurious clothes not found during the end of the world.
There are even diamonds, sapphires and emeralds hanging on their neck and ears. Wearing dresses that were neither too short nor too long. Like those princess type garments cutesy ladies wear. Most ladies were even wearing makeup.
Among the elite clans only the Yun Clan didn't bring any woman with them. But Yun Ren was brought over as he is Yun Lu's heir. Except for being over biased towards his adopted son, Yun Lu is the kind of man who would make his move for the greater good of his clan than the power he could possess. He isn't totally greedy as his greed only comes to serve peace for those he wanted to protect.
The old butler remained unmoved by the flattering expression these old clan leaders are showing. There is an always smiling kind face on himself but despite his smiles his aura gives feeling of indifference and detachment towards strangers. Like a silently observing lion who is pretending to sleep unless his territory is disturbed.
"Esteemed Guests should wait for a little while more. The Master and his family had slept late last night as we've just come to the base in the middle of the night."
When the old butler mentioned the words of Master and his family everyone's expressions in the room had changed. The elite old clan leaders were a bit annoyed while the military and the government officials were frowning a bit in disbelief. Before they came over, they've already heard the news about who that person is, they call General Cao's lover.
Some of them, especially the government, felt that the news was a bit dubious. As they knew too well what time of temperament and personality that esteemed person possesses. Unless he allowed it no one else could tarnish his name much less use it in rumors. But just now this old butler from Cao Family clearly includes that person with General Cao's side and even calls them as family which is almost unbelievable.
An old leader from some elite clan tried to rebuke the old butler.
"You...!?"
"Shut up and calm down."
"Fine!"
Only to be stopped by someone from their own faction, they couldn't be the first one to make the move.
The ministry of agriculture's leader raises his hand to the proposal that he wishes to speak. The old butler saw it and gestured that he could do so.
Uncle Wu said, "Go ahead. These esteemed guests from the ministry."
"One question. Would he come down today for business or not?" asked the minister of agriculture.
"This old man cannot answer that question. But as people who knew him too well I suggest you think it over yourselves." said the old butler. There's a clear hidden meaning within his words.
Smart people could instantly understand what another smart person wishes to say with just a few words. The people from the government side had whispered to each other, especially the other ministries leaders. These people can be considered as men who served the prime minister the longest and worked with him loyally.
After a few minutes of talking to themselves, the government faction made a decision. The secretariat who spoke just now stood up followed by the rest of his faction members. They bow their heads slightly towards the old butler.
"Thank you for your kind reception. Our faction decided to step back for today. Please send us a message when that person decides to make his move. We are willing to serve him."
"Understood. I shall pass your message."
"Please excuse us for today."
The old butler gestures for some soldiers on their side to escort the leaving guests properly without acting rude.
Elite Clan Faction's reaction.
Bewildered Old Leader Pu asked, "Where are they going? Are they just leaving like this?"
"You ask me and whom should I ask?"
"I also don't know."
Only Clan Leader Yun Lu frowned as he thought of something but wasn't so sure of it. He was wrong to come over without enough information. He just joined the fun and wanted to see what the other elite clans would try to do. When he saw them bring the woman from their sides obviously planning to move the Great general with the woman. As for whether it would be useful or not, not even he knows.
General Cao is an infamous stern man. He wouldn't forgive anyone who breaks the law. He is a model authoritarian before the end of the world. Now that the former State Head and Prime Minister are gone, he had the highest position in the country. No one would question if he even took the seat of the president.
The problem is that aside from his titles and achievements no one knows anything private about this man. As if his whole being is covered in mist, no one except those on his side knows what kind of man this General Cao really is.
Reactions of those from military faction:
This is a faction that is purely made of soldiers. The leader of this faction is Old General Sun but for some reason he didn't come personally to visit and told them he would after three days. And so the faction was brought over by the second in command, a Lieutenant General who works for a deceased general. This general had died during the apocalypse.
"Lieutenant Ki, are we really staying? Those officials suddenly took their leave."
"Didn't they say that person became the great general's lover?"
"But is that even possible?"
Lieutenant Ki finally spoke, "Silence. We are only here to see the well being of the Great General and nothing more. Don't think of other things!"
"Yes sir!"