Morian was not one to joke about dangerous matters, so his words held nearly 100% credibility.
Who was Orlannar outside the door?
Lu Mingming dared not open the door. She cautiously pressed herself against it, her fingertips gently pressing the lock—
A crisp “click” sound echoed, creating an awkward silence between them.
Orlannar: “Did I do something wrong? Why did you lock the door?”
Lu Mingming was sure she detected a hint of displeasure and questioning in his voice.
“Nothing, I was just thinking that men and women should maintain a proper distance, and it’s best to keep the door locked for a safe space between us.”
Lu Mingming scrambled for excuses, her palm condensing spiritual energy, an ice cone pointed directly towards the source of the voice. If she sensed any danger, she would immediately shoot this ice cone at his head.
Orlannar paused: “Did I ever tell you that my spiritual energy can detect my surroundings in a 360-degree radius within ten meters?”
Threatening me?
Lu Mingming’s spirit soared.
“…So, could you put down the ice cone you summoned? I don’t think I’m worth doing that for.”
A second wave of awkwardness descended.
Lu Mingming simply dropped the pretense: “Who are you? Why are you wearing Orlannar’s face? I contacted Morian, and Orlannar was clearly handling official business within the Alliance.”
Orlannar chuckled: “What’s the matter? I am Orlannar!”
“Shameless scoundrel.”
Lu Mingming cursed angrily. “Are you deliberately trying to throw the Alliance into chaos?!”
“How could that be? I believe I possess more experience than Orlannar. Perhaps I can handle the mess he hasn’t cleaned up better.”
The Orlannar outside the door always maintained a calm demeanor. No matter what Lu Mingming said, she couldn't provoke him. The other party seemed to have everything under control. This immense pressure and unwavering belief that the world revolved around him felt somewhat familiar to Lu Mingming.
Strange… the feeling was indeed like Orlannar, yet there was something uncanny about it. Lu Mingming’s mind raced: somewhere, there also existed an Orlannar. Could it be…?
Lu Mingming couldn’t believe her suspicion. After a few seconds, she tentatively asked, “Are you from a parallel world?” This was the only possibility she could confirm. It was a grand and absurd feat to break the barrier between two worlds.
“Not entirely foolish.”
Orlannar didn’t intend to deny it.
“Then, can I come in now? Don’t worry, I don’t plan to do anything extra.”
“Wait.”
Lu Mingming quickly interrupted. “How can I verify if what you’re saying is true?”
“Do you need me to tell you Orlannar’s embarrassing secrets from childhood to adulthood?”
Orlannar chuckled.
“No, contact your team now, and prove it to me in person at least.” Lu Mingming wasn't easily fooled.
“Alright.”
Orlannar opened his comms device. While others were unaccounted for, he had only seen Yi Fu on the news, making him the fastest and most efficient choice. Orlannar casually tapped his contact list, found Yi Fu’s contact, and dialed.
The call was answered instantly.
“What’s up, boss? I’m trapped in the hotel right now, trying to find a way out. Where did you guys go?” Yi Fu complained.
He then leaned out the window to survey the situation. Sharp-eyed fans spotted his face and immediately let out frenzied shouts. Even through the comms device, they could be heard clearly.
“There are at least a hundred people surrounding you. Stay put,” Orlannar commanded casually.
“No, boss, you have to find a way to save me! I haven’t seen Mingming! I still want to eat her cooking!!”
“Such a glutton.”
Orlannar pressed the hang-up button and leaned against the door.
“You believe me?”
Lu Mingming asked, “How did you get here? And what are you here to do?” Even though they had spent some time together and were, in a way, “comrades,” Lu Mingming had not lost her vigilance.
“That’s a good question. I actually came here to…” Orlannar paused for a moment. “…We wanted to research methods of traveling to parallel worlds, and we accidentally discovered an entrance to a parallel world. We all came by spaceship. Currently, only Yi Fu has been accounted for. Naytwen might have gone to find the mermaids? Morian could be at the research institute. Lu Yan is everywhere, but I’m not sure about his specific actions.”
Orlannar confessed everything truthfully. A flicker of trust slowly grew in Lu Mingming’s heart. She unlocked the door and peered through the gap to check the situation outside.
Orlannar sensed the movement of the door, stepped back two paces, and maintained a safe distance from Lu Mingming.
“If you don’t believe me, I’ll just rest in the next room tonight. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. Otherwise, the other guy would kill me,” Orlannar said lazily, and as he said, he turned and left.
Once the outside quieted down, Lu Mingming opened the door and took a secret photo of his retreating back.
A special notification chimed on the comms device.
“Wait a moment, I’ll finish replying to this message before I listen to you,” Orlannar interrupted Morian’s report.
“I hope you can be a little faster.” Morian’s expression showed a hint of displeasure. “No matter which liaison you are, you should know that the most dangerous thing is happening within the Alliance, and another me is attempting to disrupt everything.”
“Mhm, mhm.” Orlannar replied perfunctorily, opening the photo Lu Mingming had sent. In the brightly lit corridor, he was moving forward.
[Orlannar: I didn’t expect you to sneak photos of me! You miss me so much, I can come over immediately after I finish, the day after tomorrow.]
After happily replying, Orlannar suddenly froze. Wait, when did he wear a combat suit to Xing Fu Star’s home?
[Lu Mingming: It seems your parallel world self has arrived. He’s staying at my place tonight. I saw the parallel world Yi Fu, and possibly the parallel world Morian, Naytwen, and Lu Yan have come together. Can you help find them? Otherwise, there will be big trouble.]
Lu Mingming’s voice echoed in the office, her tone filled with undisguised anxiety.
“Is that so?” Morian adjusted his glasses. “I will handle this matter. I will definitely give Mingming a perfect response.”
Orlannar gripped his comms device and replayed the voice message, his mind racing. What did that guy mean? Didn’t he say in the parallel world that he had no interest in Lu Mingming? His expression faltered, and he quickly called his assistant: “I’ll be away tomorrow and the day after. All matters will be postponed. Do not disturb me unless it’s an emergency.”
…
Morning sunlight pierced the night clouds and cast its glow upon the ground. Today, Lu Mingming’s home welcomed an unusual number of guests. Orlannar, piloting his private spacecraft, brought Morian, and together they found Lu Yan and Yi Fu, who had separated, and they all arrived at Lu Mingming’s home.
“Long time no see, Mingming.” The two Orlannars greeted in unison, facing Lu Mingming with the same gentle smile. Lu Mingming shivered involuntarily and tentatively said, “How about you two stop talking for now? It’s giving me the creeps.”
“Heh.” Orlannar snorted and strode to the sofa, completely making himself at home—though it had indeed been his home a year ago.
“Is it okay for you people to keep bothering someone like this?”
“I didn’t expect your physical form to be exactly the same as the impression you left on me.” Little Orlannar, the Orlannar from Lu Mingming’s world, was younger and more naive. Even when encountering the older Orlannar, while sharing the same hidden ferocity, he possessed more anticipation for the future and a sense of warmth. The older Orlannar, after experiencing everything, had a gloomy expression and an imposing aura like a rampaging beast baring its claws, possessing an unapproachable air of authority.
Little Orlannar did not respond, perhaps deeming it beneath him, leaving everyone exchanging glances. In the tense atmosphere, Lu Mingming spoke, “I’ll go get some fruit!” She was eager to escape the battlefield.
The older Orlannar watched Lu Mingming’s departing back, and when he retracted his gaze, he met Little Orlannar’s eyes.
Little Orlannar’s eyes were cold: “You’ve come at a truly inconvenient time. There’s a very important matter tomorrow. You can either stay quiet, or leave now.”