Tang Shaoyang was teleported inside the administration building in the Starter City. Nothing changed from the last time he was here. Just an empty building with a glowing cube in the center, and he could not find people inside as well. The System was supposed to give quests through the cube, but the fact that the building was empty told him that all factions’ focus was on Earth instead of the Dimensional Tower. Earth seemed to be more important than the Dimensional Tower.

He rushed out of the building, heading toward the Earth region, wearing the white mask and the black cloak. There was no reply yet from Zhang Mengyao which made him worried. The Earth Region was also quite empty despite the region having more buildings than before. He saw a few people occasionally, but that was it.

Tang Shaoyang halted his steps after a few meters into the road, furrowing his brow. He sensed that he was being watched, by not just one but multiple people. Ignoring the spies, he went to the Tang Empire’s building. There was no guard outside, empty as if the building was abandoned. The Tang Empire’s flag was above the entrance, the flag designed by Liu Shuang and Zhang Mengyao.

He opened the door and entered the building. Two people in black were on the other side, “Who are you? Identify yourself!” He recognized the two’s uniforms, TEID’s uniform.

Tang Shaoyang took off his mask, “It’s me!” The two TEID members were surprised. Different than Tarrior, Lu An kept showing his people Tang Shaoyang’s picture, making sure that TEID’s members recognized the Emperor’s face. Tang Shaoyang had always been away from home and rarely made a public appearance. The people only knew Tang Shaoyang by the name.

The two TEID members moved to the side and bowed toward Tang Shaoyang. He just waved his hand at the two and made his way to the teleportation portal. He took the portal to the region at the dimensional tower. Just like Earth Region on the eleventh floor, this place was not as crowded as before. He headed toward his building where the portal to the Capital with his mask on. Ensuring the others did not know that he was still alive.

Again, the one who occupied the building was TEID’s members. He could have asked them about the situation, but he could not wait to go back and check his empire’s situation himself. Right in front of the teleportation portal, when he was about to enter the teleportation portal, he received a notification in his head. Tang Shaoyang checked the notification, and Zhang Mengyao replied to his message.

Tang Shaoyang was relieved to see Zhang Mengyao’s name as the sender. His chest loosened from the anxiousness he felt ever since he finished the Trial of the Legend. He opened the message and was left speechless with how long the message was. It was as if he read a book. He chose to reply instead of reading all of the reports. That was too much reading for him, and he was just one step away from going home.

I am at our establishment at the tower. I am home.

Before he got to step into the teleportation, he received a reply from Zhang Mengyao. The ultra-fast reply compared to the first message. After one reply, he received more messages. Before he could read the first reply, the second reply came in. Then the third, the fourth, and the fifth.

??? That was the first reply. ??? ??? ??? More question marks confused Tang Shaoyang. As if he sent the message to the wrong person, and the other side did not know him.

You are back!? That was the third message. I will meet you at the main base! That was the fourth message. I know you are excited to meet Ava, but don’t meet her first. There’s something I have to tell you before you meet Ava.

The last message sounded so serious compared to the first four messages. As if something happened to Ava which made his body tense up. Ava was the reason he became overly concerned because she was expecting his child. He wanted to know if Ava had given birth yet, and he wanted to know if it was a boy or a girl too. However, there was something wrong that Zhang Mengyao tried to stop him from meeting Ava right away.

‘Does something happen to Ava?’ His chest tightened as he thought the worst. It was a huge hit for him if Ava experienced a miscarriage, especially when it was hard for him to have a child. He never used protection and yet only Ava got pregnant. The thought made him anxious as he stepped into the teleportation portal.

The guards on the teleportation portal raised their weapons at him because he had a black cloak and a mask. Tang Shaoyang took off the mask and the cloak. He waved his hand at the guards, “It’s me, lower your weapon.”

“Who are you!? Put your hands in the air and down on your knees!” The guard did not recognize Tang Shaoyang. It was not because they never met the Emperor, but because of Tang Shaoyang’s current appearance. His hair had grown too long, reaching his back. The messy beard and mustache made it worse because Tang Shaoyang never kept his beard and mustache, and his hair was very short before. The reason TEID’s members recognized Tang Shaoyang was because of his eyes. His left eye was black with a purple iris while his right eye was white with a purple iris with a slit pupil. 𝔬𝒱𝐋xt.𝗇𝓔t

Stupid! He is your Emperor! How can’t you not recognize him! Get down on your knees! Origin reprimanded the guard. The Smart Ai had a special connection with Tang Shaoyang, so it immediately recognized its master upon his arrival.

The guard was shocked. They would not listen or trust if it was any other people, but because it was Origin, the guard believed the smart Ai.

“We greet His Majesty Emperor!” The guard knelt, lowering their head down while the guard who questioned Tang Shaoyang got his head on the floor.

“It’s fine. I am in a mess right now, so it’s normal for them not to recognize me,” Tang Shaoyang waved his hand at the guard, “Does Zhang Mengyao tell you where to guide me, Origin?” He walked off the portal with the guards knelt on the floor.

Supreme General Zhang indeed asked me to guide you, Your Majesty.

Tang Shaoyang entered the elevator that had been waiting for him, open. He entered the elevator and the door closed as Origin had pressed the designated floor. His room was on the highest floor, the 25th floor, but Origin did not bring him to his room. Origin brought him to the 20th floor. He was led to one of the rooms, and Origin told him to wait for Zhang Mengyao.

Tang Shaoyang did not like waiting like this without knowing anything because he was too anxious. However, he chose to trust Zhang Mengyao, and there must be a reason why Zhang Mengyao asked him not to meet Ava, “How long until Zhang Mengyao gets here?” Before Origin could reply, the door opened.

Zhang Mengyao was at the door, surprised to see him and also happy. She rushed toward him and jumped for a hug. Tang Shaoyang caught her in the air, breathed her natural pleasant smell, sniffing her hair. There were no words exchanged between the two, but Tang Shaoyang had to break the silence first instead of enjoying their reunion. He wanted to know what happened to Ava and his child in her belly.