But the Dark Moon Clan vanished from the continent from that moment on. Subsequently, fearing retaliation from the Night Clan, the various empires initiated a brutal hunt for the remaining Night Clan members across the land. This relentless pursuit continued until the figures of the Night Clan were seen no more, at which point the empires finally ceased their efforts, and everyone believed the Night Clan had become extinct on this continent.

Therefore, when Lyke brought up the Dark Moon Clan, Mo Han felt a jolt of surprise. Mo Han seemed to vaguely grasp something and tentatively spoke, "Why would Captain Lyke suddenly mention them? Could Captain Lyke have some connection to this Dark Moon Clan?" Hearing Mo Han’s question, Lyke offered a wry smile and replied, "I dare not conceal anything from Your Highness. I am, in fact, one of the Night Clan."

Mo Han appeared unsurprised, as if he had already guessed Lyke's identity. "Oh? Then why tell me this? Aren't you afraid I'll report you?" Hearing Mo Han's words, Lyke nearly flared up. Though Lyke knew he couldn't defeat Mo Han, he was irked by the implication that he was volunteering this information.

If Lyke hadn't been pressed about Little Anli, forcing him to divulge these secrets, would he even be standing here now? Nevertheless, Lyke forcibly suppressed his anger and said, "I trust Your Highness is not that kind of person. Besides, didn't Your Highness already promise us you wouldn't tell anyone else this secret?" "Except for a few of my closest friends," Mo Han corrected. "Since you claim to be of the Night Clan, yet as far as I know, the Night Clan was massacred by the Church of Light and the great empires long ago—how did you escape the pursuit?" Hearing Mo Han's question, Lyke sighed helplessly, "Your Highness jest. The Night Clan is not a respected race; they are a people everyone scurries away from. If the Church of Light were to discover any Night Clan members remaining on this continent, they would immediately face persecution. I believe no one would willingly impersonate a member of the Night Clan, save for true members."

Seeing that Lyke hadn't answered his question directly, Mo Han understood that the Night Clan must possess a method for evading the Church of Light's pursuit; otherwise, they wouldn't have remained hidden until this day. They simply didn't wish outsiders to know. Thinking this, Mo Han didn't press further.

"Very well, I believe you. Captain Lyke, could you answer one last question for me?" Mo Han asked with a smile. Lyke nodded upon hearing this. "Your Highness need not be so formal. Ask whatever you like; if I, Lyke, can answer, I will certainly not hide anything." Lyke was preemptively setting a boundary for himself; what would he say if Mo Han asked where the remaining Night Clan members resided?

Mo Han naturally grasped Lyke's meaning. Considering this, Mo Han smiled and continued, "You don't need to worry; this question has nothing to do with your clan. I only wish to clarify: after you bring Little Anli back, what do you plan to do with her? She is still a child; you don't intend to have her adventuring with you, do you?" Hearing this, Lyke and his companions were momentarily stunned. Indeed, they had only focused on how to buy Little Anli back from Mo Han; they truly hadn't considered her future placement. However, one thing was certain: they absolutely could not let Little Anli risk danger accompanying them on their travels. Thus, faced with Mo Han's question, Lyke hesitated.

At that moment, catching sight of Mo Han’s pleasant expression, a sudden spark of insight hit Lyke. He spoke, "To be frank, I cannot answer Your Highness's question, as we truly haven't considered it. Your Highness is widely experienced; do you have any suggestions?" Mo Han smiled in response. "I do have one suggestion, but I wonder if you all would agree?" Lyke and the others were troubled by this very issue, so when they heard Mo Han's words, they naturally nodded in assent.

Seeing that Lyke and his group had no objections, Mo Han continued with a smile, "I imagine you have all seen the woman in white who accompanied me?" Lyke was initially taken aback by Mo Han suddenly bringing this up but quickly nodded. Bai Ling was so remarkable that Lyke and his men certainly wouldn't forget her. Mo Han went on, "Because I noticed Little Anli seems to get along very well with Miss Bai Ling—you must have seen it too—Anli prefers being with Bai Ling. Rather than constantly moving about with you, it would be better for Little Anli to stay with Bai Ling. Moreover, I trust that if Little Anli stays with us, she will certainly not suffer. This way, you can be at ease. What do you think? And if you truly feel it's unsuitable later, as long as Little Anli is willing, you can take her back at any time. What are your thoughts on this arrangement?"

Hearing Mo Han’s proposal, Lyke and his men hesitated. Mo Han's suggestion was perfectly suited to their current predicament; given their circumstances, taking Little Anli along was indeed inadvisable. Furthermore, Lyke and the others trusted that with Mo Han’s current status and position, he would never lie to deceive them. Moreover, since Mo Han had agreed that they could retrieve Little Anli whenever they deemed it necessary, it seemed they had nothing to lose. Thinking it over, Lyke exchanged glances with his companions, seeing no opposition in their eyes. With this realization, Lyke spoke gratefully to Mo Han, "Since Your Highness has put it so eloquently, we have no reason to object. Only, this puts a great responsibility upon Your Highness."

In the following period, Mo Han casually probed Lyke for news regarding the Night Clan. However, Lyke and his group remained exceedingly cautious, unwilling to let slip any useful information. Mo Han only learned that the Dark Moon Clan, after centuries of clandestine development, had grown steadily stronger. Yet, as for how many people remained in the Dark Moon Clan or their current status, they remained utterly silent. Mo Han wasn't anxious, though. He and Lyke had only just met, and the fact that Lyke revealed the Night Clan’s identity was already a great satisfaction to Mo Han. As for what came next, Mo Han had his own plans.

When Lyke and his party departed, Mo Han returned to his room only to find Bai Ling already seated there. "Miss Bai, shouldn't you be with Yanran and the others? Why are you here?" Mo Han asked. Bai Ling replied in her usual calm tone, "Rest assured, your precious Miss Yanran is currently playing happily with Little Anli in her room, perfectly safe, so you needn't worry. But I suspect your keeping Little Anli here is about more than just wanting her to keep me company, isn't it?" "You figured it out?" Mo Han asked with a smile. Although Mo Han knew his soundproofing barrier was useless against a master mage like Bai Ling, he hadn't intended to hide anything from her anyway. Thus, when Bai Ling brought it up, Mo Han readily admitted it.

Bai Ling didn't respond but simply gazed quietly at Mo Han. Seeing this, Mo Han chuckled awkwardly. "Why are you staring at me like that? Didn't you tell me you were fond of Little Anli? So I kept her here. Is that wrong?" Bai Ling responded faintly, "My dear Prince, I believe that's only part of the reason you kept Little Anli. Have you forgotten that anything you think, if I wish to know it, you cannot hide from me? Your greater reason is likely your interest in Lyke and those Night Clan members, isn't it?" Hearing this, Mo Han laughed wryly. "Miss Bai Ling, you truly are too sharp; you see right through my every thought. It's true I want to try and win over these Night Clan members, but I know nothing of the Dark Moon Clan's situation, so I can only start by making connections with people like Lyke."

Hearing Mo Han's confession, Bai Ling fell into a deep contemplation, appearing as if she hadn't heard him speak. This made Mo Han secretly wonder. Bai Ling rarely displayed such distraction. They had known each other for quite some time, and he had never witnessed her wearing such an expression. However, Mo Han didn't intend to disturb her silence and simply waited quietly beside her.

After a long pause, Bai Ling seemed to snap back to reality. Seeing Mo Han, she spoke with a rare solemnity. "Can you promise me something?" Mo Han was unused to Bai Ling being so serious. Although he didn't know the reason, he nodded cautiously. "Tell me. You have saved me so many times; I haven't even had a chance to repay you. Anything within my power, Mo Han, I will certainly strive to fulfill." "Can you promise me that, no matter what happens in the future, you will never drag the Dark Moon Clan into the whirlpool of war, alright?" Bai Ling looked at Mo Han with a rare, almost pleading gaze.

Mo Han was initially taken aback by Bai Ling’s request, unable to understand her sudden concern regarding the Dark Moon Clan. He could even sense a faint hint of sorrow in her tone as she made this demand. Yet, Mo Han still nodded. "Although I don't know why you bring this up now, since you've asked, I must agree. It's just that—" "I know what you were going to say. But I don't wish to discuss it now, and believe me, doing this is also for your own good." Mo Han’s question was cut off by Bai Ling. Mo Han had intended to ask why she made such a request, but hearing her assurance, he let the matter drop.

After stating her terms, Bai Ling instantly reverted to her usual cool demeanor. "Kitt City is completely locked down now. What is your plan? Do you really intend to stay in Kitt City for several months?" Mo Han smiled. "I originally wanted to leave sooner, but after hearing Captain Lyke mention that mysterious army, I suddenly became very interested. I truly want to know why the Proud Moon Empire didn't deploy this army when fighting the Heavenly Dragon Empire. It defies all logic; there must be a secret, and I must uncover it before I am caught unprepared."

Meanwhile, in the City Lord's Manor of Kitt City, City Lord Wells paced anxiously in his study. Inside, the principal officials of Kitt City stood rigidly, silent and fearful of irritating Wells during this tense time. Regarding Wells, he was a man of considerable background. It was said he was deeply trusted by King Vinnifred VII, the current emperor of the Fire Cloud Empire. Back when Vinnifred was merely a prince, Wells was just a common noble in the Fire Cloud Empire, yet he had always been an unwavering supporter of Vinnifred VII. Even when Vinnifred was at his lowest ebb and driven from the palace, Wells never abandoned him, secretly aiding him until Vinnifred VII ascended the throne. Consequently, Vinnifred VII treated Wells with immense favor. Upon becoming emperor, he appointed Wells as an Earl and entrusted him with the stewardship of Kitt City, the great easternmost city of the Fire Cloud Empire. However, everyone knew that although Wells was currently just a minor City Lord, his authority extended far beyond that title.