“This is the Teng Group’s current heir—Teng Dashi. And I’m Mr. Teng’s sworn bodyguard, Nightshade.”

Her voice was cool as moonlight on steel, the black‑haired girl sitting upright on the sofa.

Across from her, Lidashi stirred, waking like a small bird blinking after dusk.

He was foggy at first, thoughts drifting like mist, but Yue Liuyi’s calm words drew the haze away.

“Big sis, shouldn’t we stop hiding it?”

“Dashi! How can you call me big sis here?”

“Liuyi‑jiejie’s a good person. I can tell.”

The boy smiled, soft as dawn on rice paper, and ran his fingers along the sofa’s worn fabric.

It wasn’t fancy, just a sturdy thing like an old tree bench; once, they’d crowded here, playing board games like little stars around a moon.

People change like leaves in autumn, yet seeing the Moon Post Bookstore reopen filled Dashi with springlight. “Thank you, sis, and Father, for giving me a second home. But the Moon Post Bookstore—this was my first.”

“Suit yourself.”

The black‑haired girl shot him an annoyed look, thorny like a rose stem, yet her eyes held no true anger.

“Liuyi‑jiejie, formal intro.” He straightened, voice steady as a drum. “I’m Mr. Teng’s foster son, Lidashi. And she’s his daughter by blood—Teng Ying.”

“Huh? Right! I remember Dashi said he was adopted… Hearing ‘heir’ out of nowhere, that gave me a scare!”

“Heh, it’s how we protect sis. Father’s got enemies everywhere, so I’ll draw the lightning, keep every hatred off her.”

“Dashi, what are you saying! Teng Feiyang’s using you as a live target!”

“For sheltering a stray like me, I’m already grateful.” The boy shook his head, like a cattail in wind, and pulled a pale yellow gem from his pocket. “Someone like me could die any day, like a candle snuffed by a draft. Having this life—I’m thankful to Mr. Teng.”

“Ugh.”

Teng Ying’s fist tightened, knuckles white as ice, but she swallowed the words like bitter tea.

“Heh, don’t worry, both of you.” Yue Liuyi tapped her chest, playful as a sparrow. “I won’t tell a soul. And if I can help, I will.”

The black‑haired girl gave a cold laugh, a blade in winter rain. “Hmph. Big words. You probably don’t even know what we’re up against.”

“Huh?”

“The whole Wellbeing Alliance. With Teng Feiyang’s power broken, no one on this planet can check their hunger. The capital blocs will be consolidated by Fu Pi and Linoket, and they’ll rule this world like a storm owning the sea.”

“Huh?! Rule the planet?!”

Yue Liuyi flinched, like a leaf caught by a sudden gust.

“That fat man will march straight into Parliament. By then, you and your store will be like leaves before a tide—gone in one sweep.”

Her sketch of the outside capital painted hard lines, the picture stark as ink on snow.

Outwardly, they call themselves the Wellbeing Alliance, but inside, it’s not a single iron plate, more a bundle of spears bound with fraying rope.

By trade lanes, they fall into three major powers. Most foreign capital on Dreamwood Star serves one of them.

First, Teng Feiyang and his Teng Assets, mining ore and trading raw wealth.

Teng Assets were first on Dreamwood Star, once the largest power—then the mines thinned like a spent field, and their strength faded, now only eye‑to‑eye with the other two.

Second, Fu Pi and his Fu Tong Industries, running cheap processing like a roaring furnace.

They exploit Dreamwood’s low labor costs, import materials, export goods to distant worlds.

It’s all low‑tech trinkets, but they flood markets like a monsoon. With no environmental tax here to dam the flow, Fu Pi’s profits have swelled year by year.

Last, Linoket and his Star‑Gel Industry.

They came later, quieter, wrapped in mist. Star‑Gel handles pharmaceuticals and trade, rarely crossing paths with everyday folk of Linelor City.

Each bloc carries steel behind silk. Their weapons come from the Inner Ring civilizations; unlike the Dreamwood Guard still carrying rifles, the outsiders field powered exoskeletons, magical golems, even starships and orbital cannons.

“Huh? That scary?!”

“Hmph. Now you see it.” Her tone dropped like thunder beyond hills. “Tired of Teng Feiyang’s limits, Fu Pi struck last night and snatched him. War’s official. If you’re wise, don’t swim this mud. Take a hundred thousand credits and walk.”

“Uh… war? I’ve got a question. The Winterwood District’s full of new gangs—are those Fu Pi’s people?”

“Ha. So you’re not dumb. You noticed.”

The black‑haired girl nodded, a cat at ease on a sill. “Just Fu Pi’s vanguard. When the transports arrive, it won’t be just a few gangs.”

“Got it then! I’ll handle Fu Pi. You two can stay at the Moon Post Bookstore… Lodging: Dashi free, Teng Ying, a hundred a day.”

“Ha? Didn’t you hear? Fu Pi’s got starships! He’s got gang muscle! Are you shocked into sand‑for‑brains?!”

Teng Ying shot up, anger flaring like sparks. In her mind, this blue‑haired girl should be shivering like a rabbit under hawk shadow.

But Yue Liuyi didn’t hide. The red‑haired little girl and the black‑haired one chimed in, confidence bright as lightning on black water.

“My master’s an immortal. She balances yin and yang, walks against entropy. Enemies like that? Paper tigers!”

“Yep! Angel‑sis is an angel! She can drop ults, and even turn into a gu—umm… anyway, super strong! Gangs? Please!”

“Right, right!” Kaka hopped onto the sofa, tail swishing like a brushstroke. “Kaka heard from Dixue—Master’s a cute cuddle pillow. Hug her, and boom, power to end the cosmos. Starships? Just hug Master!”

“You’re getting wilder!”

Hearing their chorus whirl like a flock of sparrows, Yue Liuyi blurted, “I’m not an immortal, not an angel, and not a cute cuddle pillow! But! If Fu Pi’s the gang’s shadow boss, I’ll beat him head‑on. That’s my dut—huh?”

Dixue tugged her straight into an embrace, swift as a ribbon catching wind. LittleSnow covered her mouth with a palm soft as cloud.

“Mmph…”

“This pillow loves to brag. But…”

Dixue slid her arms around, flipping Yue Liuyi and cradling her like a moon in both hands. “To protect my little wife, I don’t mind tearing Fu Pi out, root and all.”