Chapter 426: Chapter 290: Timely Help in the Snow (Part 2)
She wore a black mink coat and high-heeled boots, with long curly hair lazily draped over her shoulders. Her flaming red lips contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin, as coldly glamorous as ever.
However, within that cold demeanor, a trace of fatigue could be seen. Clearly, she hadn’t been resting well lately.
Audiana leaned against the doorway, smiling at Su Mo: "I thought you might keep me outside, just like you did with Dress."
Su Mo joked, "I started my career under Lady Countess, and you raised me. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call you my second mother. I have to give you face no matter what."
Audiana let out a chuckle, deliberately putting on a stern face: "Kid, watch your words. I’m just over thirty, not old enough to be your mom."
Su Mo clasped his hands together and waved them, smiling: "Just kidding, no offense meant. Please, have a seat."
Audiana sat down, took an antiqued smoking pipe from her bag, and gestured to Su Mo for permission.
Su Mo signaled to go ahead.
Audiana lit the tobacco, slowly inhaling and exhaling, her eyes filled with complex emotions, barely visible through the smoke, and remained silent for a long time.
Su Mo opened two bottles of beer, placing one in front of Audiana, holding one himself, and taking a sip.
The atmosphere was very silent, with neither saying a word, only the faint sound of the burning tobacco.
After who knows how long, Su Mo finally spoke first: "Recently, a lot has been going on, and time is precious. I won’t beat around the bush... Are you here to sever ties with me too?"
Audiana took a drag from the pipe and didn’t immediately answer Su Mo’s question, instead asking in return: "Among your partners, how many want to cut ties with you?"
Su Mo said lightly: "More than half, I guess. Those remaining haven’t explicitly said they want to break ties, but they’ve subtly suggested they won’t help me and advised me to fend for myself."
Audiana: "So what are you really thinking? You wouldn’t even give face to Master Wen. He’s a living legend in the Mercenary Realm."
Su Mo: "When it comes to matters of principle, yes is yes, and no is no. I won’t compromise just to save face for anyone."
Audiana seemed to recall something from the past, her eyes slightly misty, smiling: "That’s your style. Even before you made a name for yourself, you dared to stand up to me for a small mouse on the border. I knew from then you were different from other opportunists."
"Since the day we met, I’ve witnessed your growth step by step. I’ve always firmly believed that one day you could reach the peak in the Mercenary Realm, and I’d be there at the foot of the mountain, quietly looking up at you."
"But this time, pardon me for saying, your odds of winning are really slim. If you fall now, all your previous efforts will vanish into smoke."
Su Mo drank the beer in his hand in one gulp, and calmly said: "Lady Countess, you don’t need to have any scruples. Speak your mind."
"If you want to sever ties, I completely understand and won’t hold any grudge. If there’s a chance, I will still repay your past kindness to me."
"Click." Suddenly, a storage chip was placed on the table by Audiana.
Su Mo looked at it, puzzled: "This is?"
Audiana exhaled smoke slowly, her eyes, deep and inscrutable, flickering through the smoke: "This is my secret communications list, accumulating the most valuable connections I’ve gathered over more than ten years in the business."
"There are Inner City Mercenaries, border bandits, elite tycoons, and even government officials... Each one of them I handpicked, and you can trust them as you trust me."
"How to contact them, what codes to use, it’s all documented there. They will do their utmost to help you. Take it, use it to protect Nuobai."
Su Mo stared dumbfoundedly at the chip in front of him. If it was as Audiana claimed, it contained the essence of her life’s work.
Su Mo asked bewilderedly: "Why are you..."
Suddenly, his tie was grabbed.
Audiana pulled him closer, their bodies tightly pressed together. Su Mo could even smell the faint mixture of tobacco and perfume on her.
Grabbing the back of Su Mo’s head, her fiery red lips moved to his ear, her magnetic voice filled with unwavering determination:
"Young man, I’m betting on your victory!"
...
After the meeting, Su Mo stood at the entrance of the Edge Mansion, watching Audiana leave with his companions.
Staring at the hovercar flying toward the sky, Su Mo whispered, "You know, when a woman raises you, sincerely celebrates your successes, and never belittles you when you fall."
"You cause trouble, everyone thinks you’re done for, but she’s the only one standing behind you, believing in you as always... Who is that woman?"
Dongdong thought for a moment and said earnestly: "Mom."
Hearing this, Su Mo’s breathing suddenly grew heavier, and he instinctively covered his face, starting to rub his eyes.
Dongdong asked with concern: "Boss, what’s wrong?"
Su Mo took a deep breath, released his hands, revealing his red eyes, unclear if he was crying or laughing.
"I miss my mom."
...
After receiving Audiana’s help, Su Mo planned to change his original plan.
After a few days of rest, though Nuobai was still affected by snake venom and remained unconscious, her vital signs were much more stable compared to initially. Su Mo planned to move her.
The aerial route was certainly out of the question, given the current situation at the Edge, who knows how many drones were watching the skies.
Aerial transportation was too conspicuous, and if anything happened, it would be difficult to resist while airborne.
To secretly transfer Nuobai out of New Moon City and to a safe place, ground transportation was the only option.
Ground transport meant needing a disguise, crossing the Rusted Wall Inspection Station, and the territories of border bandits. It involved a wide array of arrangements, and any mishandling in any part could cause a problem.
With Su Mo’s original connections, almost all were avoiding involvement, making the transfer nearly impossible.
But with the connections Audiana provided, it was like coal in the snow, allowing Su Mo to act freely.
While the whole process wasn’t flawless, at least the assessed risks were controllable, and the safety was much higher than staying at the Edge Mansion.
With all the details finalized, Su Mo personally escorted Nuobai down the secret passage and transferred her into a disguised van.
These days, Edge Mercenaries had been garrisoned at the mansion, consuming various supplies rapidly. Every day, many such supply vans came and went, making it inconspicuous.
After settling Nuobai, Su Mo found Chu Nanyi alone, instructing: "Xiaochu, to be safe, I need to personally escort Nuobai this time."
"To avoid exposure on the road, our vehicle will shut down all communication devices, so you may not be able to contact me promptly. During my absence, the Edge can’t be without management."
"Among the companions I can trust, the Future lacks relevant experience, KK is too young, Dongdong is too impulsive, and Qi Ling just arrived and is unfamiliar with the team."
"Though you usually act unseriously, I know you are more mature inside than them. I’m entrusting this matter to you, take care of everyone for me."
Chu Nanyi put away the usual nonchalant demeanor and smiled at Su Mo: "Rest assured, captain, I know what to do."
Su Mo nodded heavily at Chu Nanyi, then boarded the van and quietly left.
The transfer of Nuobai was highly confidential, with no leaks, and the whole Edge Mansion remained sealed as always, maintaining the illusion that she was still there.
On the morning after Su Mo’s falling out with Master Wen, various mercenaries resumed their attacks on the Edge Mansion.
That afternoon, Sikinkov’s side couldn’t hold on anymore. Pretending to be dead in the ICU was useless, so they had to dispatch security forces.
However, upon inspection, Su Mo was gone, with Chu Nanyi in charge.
Checking the medical floor revealed Nuobai was also missing.
It was only then that the outside world realized that Su Mo had discreetly transferred Nuobai, and she was no longer in the Edge Mansion.
Various mercenaries and assassins tried to track down Su Mo, but his transfer actions were too covert, leaving no trace, and it was unknown where he had taken her.
With the disappearance of Nuobai, as a bounty target, and the Edge Mansion being taken over by security forces, further attacks were pointless, so the assailants dispersed one after another.
The crisis seemed to have been resolved just like that.
However...
This deceptive transfer had angered the "players" behind the scenes.
A new storm was brewing.
