"Heh heh," Mo Han chuckled after hearing Murong Tian and Mora's questions, "I knew it—I must have gotten even more handsome. Honestly, I was already quite the looker; if I'm even more handsome now, I don't know how many young maidens will swoon over me."

Such self-admiring words left everyone in the vicinity feeling slightly nauseous. Anna broke the silence, saying, "I know what has changed about Brother Mo Han."

Hearing Anna speak, everyone curiously asked what it was. Anna simply laughed and replied, "It's Brother Mo Han's skin! It's still as thick as ever, thicker than any city wall! I think after coming out of seclusion, his skin has gotten even thicker!"

As soon as Anna finished speaking, everyone in the courtyard burst into laughter. Mo Han, however, seemed completely unfazed and responded cheerfully, "Hehe, Anna, I'll take that as your encouragement. I'll keep striving!"

Hearing Mo Han's reply, everyone had the urge to punch him.

At that moment, Latin, who had been standing nearby, asked, "Right, Boss, what exactly were you doing in there? Why did it take so long? We were scared to death."

Mo Han smiled upon hearing Latin’s question. "Heh heh, I was researching a new martial technique, but I haven't succeeded yet. I'll let you all know when I finally master it."

After hearing Mo Han's answer, the others didn't press the matter further. As long as Mo Han was safe, they were relieved; nothing else seemed as important.

Suddenly, Mo Han seemed to recall something and asked, "Oh, right, General Murong, why did it take you so long when you went to the Imperial Palace that day? Did something happen?" Hearing Mo Han's query, Murong Tian offered a wry smile. "Little brother is indeed sharp; you guessed correctly. Not long after I entered the Palace that day, I received an urgent transmission from the border, reporting that the Beast Tribes in the East were preparing their assault much earlier than in previous years. What's strange is that there doesn't seem to have been any major natural disaster on the Beast Tribe side this year to affect their food supply, which is unusual—typically, the Beast Tribes invade human territory due to shortages."

"The border commander of Mingyuan City requested reinforcements to guard against any changes, so the Emperor summoned me and several other high-ranking officials to discuss the matter."

Mo Han found this strange too. "Oh, did you find out the reason behind this early mobilization?" Murong Tian smiled bitterly. "Not with absolute certainty, but we heard that a certain 'Prophet' has recently appeared among the Beast Tribes, reportedly possessing boundless magical power. It seems this upcoming invasion is connected to him."

Mo Han repeated the title thoughtfully, "Beast Tribe Prophet? Haven't the Beast Tribes supposedly gone centuries without a Prophet? How could one suddenly emerge? There must be something amiss."

Hearing Mo Han's deduction, a flash of admiration appeared in Murong Tian’s eyes. "Little brother is truly remarkable; you grasped the key point instantly. No wonder the Emperor said that as soon as you emerged, I was to summon you to the Palace for consultation. I trust the Emperor hasn't misjudged you."

Taken aback by Murong Tian's words, Mo Han quickly waved his hands. "Please don't, General Murong! I can offer some ideas, but involving me in matters of state governance is best left alone; I’d surely only mess things up."

Murong Tian chuckled warmly. "Little brother, you are too modest. Both the Emperor and I believe you are certainly no ordinary person, so how could you cause trouble?"

At that moment, a pleasant female voice cut in, saying, "As a man, one should step forward when the nation is in peril. What kind of man shirks responsibility like that?"

Mo Han turned toward the voice and saw that the speaker was Murong Feixue. She had taken off her mask, and Mo Han had actually recognized her by her voice. This was the first time Mo Han had truly seen the face of the Empire's beauty. Murong Feixue wore no makeup, dressed in a simple, elegant white dress, with a perfectly oval face. However, due to years of illness, her complexion was slightly pale. In her bright eyes, a spark of intelligence shone through, complemented by a steady, dignified aura. That gentleness, that beauty, caused Mo Han to stare, sensing a profound sense of serenity emanating from Murong Feixue.

Murong Tian quickly scolded his daughter upon hearing her words. "Xue'er, how can you be so rude? Little Brother Mo Han is your life-saver! Have I taught you to treat your savior this way? Apologize to him immediately, you are acting utterly absurd!" He then turned apologetically to Mo Han. "Little brother, please don't take offense; this child has been spoiled since she was young."

Murong Feixue, clearly unwilling, turned to Mo Han and mumbled, "I apologize for what I said earlier; I was wrong."

Mo Han quickly smiled. "Miss Murong, you don't need to do that. I didn't take it to heart at all. The truth is, my reluctance stems from understanding my own abilities, not from fear. I hope you don't misunderstand."

Murong Feixue wasn't about to believe him; she had already decided Mo Han was trying to evade responsibility. She merely turned her head away, leaving Mo Han with an awkward, wry smile. Seeing the situation, Murong Tian felt a bit embarrassed and quickly interjected, "Little brother, since you are out now, perhaps we should proceed to the Palace. The Emperor commanded that regardless of when you awoke, you were to come see him immediately."

Noticing Mo Han's distressed expression, Murong Tian added with a smile, "Even if you truly don't wish to offer any counsel, you must still report to the Emperor, or it will be seen as extreme disrespect."

Hearing this, Mo Han sighed in resignation. "Ah, well, come what may. General Murong, please lead the way." He then dramatically adopted an expression of someone going to their doom.

Mora commented with a laugh, "Heh heh, little brother, if someone who didn't know you saw that look, they’d think you were heading to execution. People usually consider it an honor just to have an audience with the Emperor, yet you wear a face like a bitter gourd, hehe."

Mo Han offered a wry smile. "While it's not execution, it's not far off."

At this, everyone erupted into laughter.

Murong Tian had already instructed the carriage to be prepared. Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Mo Han boarded the carriage with Murong Tian, heading toward the Imperial Palace.

Upon entering the Palace grounds, Mo Han couldn't help but marvel at the insane level of security—guards posted every three steps, sentries every ten. Patrols were everywhere. Under Murong Tian’s guidance, the carriage took so many sharp turns that Mo Han felt dizzy.

Mo Han mused to himself that if he were tasked with navigating alone, he probably wouldn't find the right place until tomorrow. Judging by the setup, if someone wanted to assassinate the Emperor, they would spend ages just trying to locate the target, let alone carry out the act.

Leaping to