After the warriors around the City Lord’s residence were withdrawn, the tense atmosphere in the tribe finally eased a little.

Taking this chance, Su Qinglan walked out together with Han Jue, heading toward the direction of the City Lord’s house. She had not seen her father for many days, and now that things seemed calmer on the surface, she naturally wanted to meet him.

The path was quiet, and the two of them walked side by side. Just as they were about to reach the main road leading to the residence, a figure suddenly stepped forward and blocked their way.

Su Qinglan immediately stopped.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at the unfamiliar middle-aged man in front of her. His posture was steady, and his expression was calm, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

"Who are you?" Su Qinglan asked directly. "Why are you blocking my path?"

She had never seen this man before, and his sudden appearance made her alert.

Han Jue also narrowed his eyes slightly, his body subtly shifting forward, as if ready to protect her at any moment.

The man bowed lightly and spoke in a respectful but firm tone, "Miss Su Qinglan, my name is Li Zheng. I am the trusted aide of City Lord Mo Qingli."

He paused for a moment and added, "You may not recognize me since you have not been in the city for long, but you can ask anyone in the tribe. They will confirm my identity."

Su Qinglan’s expression changed slightly.

Mo Qingli’s trusted aide?

That meant he was someone close to her stepfather.

Then why had he come here to stop her?

Before she could think further, Han Jue spoke first, his voice carrying a trace of doubt. "If you are the City Lord’s aide, then why are you blocking us here?"

Li Zheng let out a small sigh, as if he also found this situation troublesome. Then he looked at Su Qinglan seriously and said, "I came here under orders."

"Orders?" Su Qinglan repeated, her heart tightening slightly.

Li Zheng nodded. "Yes. Not only from the City Lord, but also from the Priestess and... your father, Lord Su Mingxuan."

The moment those names were mentioned, Su Qinglan’s expression became more serious.

"What order?" she asked.

Li Zheng hesitated for a brief moment before speaking slowly, "You are not allowed to go to the City Lord’s residence. From now on, you should not approach that area at all."

Su Qinglan was stunned. "What?"

Han Jue’s face also darkened. "Why?"

Li Zheng shook his head slightly. "I do not know all the details. I am only here to deliver the message."

He then lowered his voice and continued, "But there is one more thing... and this is very important."

Su Qinglan looked at him intently.

"You must not reveal your identity," Li Zheng said seriously. "Even if someone asks, you must deny any relationship with the City Lord’s residence."

Su Qinglan’s eyes widened slightly.

"And not only that," Li Zheng continued, "you must not tell anyone that you are Lord Su Mingxuan’s daughter."

Han Jue frowned deeply. "This is too strange. Why would such an order be given?"

Su Qinglan also felt that something was wrong. Her mind quickly turned as she asked, "Didn’t the warriors of the Fox Beast City already withdraw? If things have calmed down, then why are we being so cautious?"

Li Zheng gave a faint smile, but there was no ease in it.

"Things only look calm on the surface," he said slowly. "But we do not know what that man is thinking."

"Rong Yanchen..." Han Jue muttered under his breath.

Li Zheng nodded slightly. "He has requested to stay in the city for some time... to pursue a female."

Su Qinglan’s heart skipped a beat.

"We do not know who that female is," Li Zheng continued, his gaze turning serious. "But Lord Su Mingxuan suspects... it might be you."

For a moment, everything went silent.

Su Qinglan stood there, her mind going blank for a second. Then, slowly, she understood.

So that was the reason.

No wonder they were being so careful.

No wonder she was being asked to hide her identity.

If Rong Yanchen really set his eyes on her, then once he found out who she truly was, things would become far more dangerous.

Han Jue clenched his fists slightly, his expression turning grim. "That bastard..."

Su Qinglan took a deep breath, her expression gradually calming down. "I understand," she said softly.

Li Zheng nodded, clearly relieved that she did not resist. "It is for your safety."

He then added, "If possible, it would be best if your entire tribe cooperates. No one should reveal your identity."

Su Qinglan gave a small nod. "I will tell them."

Li Zheng looked at her one last time and said, "That is all I needed to say. I will not take more of your time."

He paused briefly before adding in a softer tone, "Please... listen to the City Lord."

With that, he turned around and left without looking back.

Su Qinglan stood still for a moment, watching his figure disappear.

Han Jue turned to her and asked in a low voice, "Lanlan... what do we do now?"

Su Qinglan’s eyes darkened slightly as she looked toward the direction of the City Lord’s residence.

"We follow their order," she said calmly.

Su Qinglan stood there for a moment after Li Zheng left, her shoulders slightly slumped as a long sigh escaped her lips.

The excitement she had just now to meet her father and maybe catch a glimpse of her mother had completely disappeared.

"That man is really troublesome," she muttered under her breath, her tone full of frustration.

Han Jue stood beside her quietly, watching her expression. He could clearly see the disappointment on her face.

Su Qinglan kicked a small stone on the ground and continued in a low voice, "Until he leaves, we really can’t live peacefully."

She had been looking forward to this moment for days. But now, everything was ruined again.

Her brows furrowed tightly as anger rose in her chest. "That bastard Rong Yanchen... he is really a disaster sent to ruin our lives."

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Her face flushed red as she clenched her fists. "Which unlucky female did he set his eyes on this time? I really pity her."

She huffed lightly. "I just hope that female has enough strength to deal with such a lunatic."