The moment our business with Jarul was done, Primus thanked him with a firm handshake. Lara, who had been quietly clinging to her father’s arm the whole time, waved at the old demon with a shy smile.
"You take care now, little one," Jarul said warmly, tapping her forehead gently with a finger before turning to the rest of us. "Your ship will remain stored here. I’ve marked it under an extended permit, no one will touch it."
"Thanks," I said. "We’ll be back for it when we are done with our things."
I looked straight into the old demon’s eyes. Primus had trusted him with his life, had told us that Jarul’s family was one of the smaller branches tied to the Bloodreavers. So I trusted him too.
Jarul gave a slow, firm nod.
"Travel safely," he said. "Shenzhou isn’t dangerous but the universe is."
Then he sighed, rubbing his long beard.
"And when you reach home, tell my idiot son to not get himself killed. That useless brat worries me more than any war."
With that, we left the cargo office and stepped back onto the main street. Our cloaks hid our faces and bodies completely, ensuring no one guessed we were human.
And now that we were walking through the heart of the planet, the true weight of the place showed itself.
The crowd was endless. Full of Masters and Grandmasters.
Above all this, floating screens showed cascading news feeds.
We continued moving, weaving through the bustling crowd.
Lara tightened her grip on Primus’s arm. "Daddy... so many people."
"I know," he whispered, patting her hand. "Stay close."
A loud alert flashed across the air-screen above us.
BREAKING NEWS: ETERNALS FORCES SPOTTED ON THE EDGE OF THE CRIMSON NEBULA.
A tall Naga matriarch appeared on the screen, speaking with a cold, commanding tone.
"We urge all Allied forces to raise alert levels. Phantom outbreaks have doubled. Any sightings must be reported immediately."
North looked worried. "It feels like we were really part of a remote corner of the world. And here people are always on the edge. Is that true?"
"It is," Primus said simply.
Steve exhaled. "Well... good time for a vacation."
We gave him a look. He shrugged. "What? Someone had to say it."
Primus smirked. "Come. Next stop—’Morning Secrets’."
"That sounds peaceful," North said.
"It’s not," Primus replied dryly. "It’s an information guild."
As we walked through the busy roads, I noticed something immediately, everyone here carried their awakened weapons openly. Blades, staffs, spears, even armors. Their postures were sharp and tense, like they were ready for a fight at any moment.
This place wasn’t peaceful. It was prepared.
Large screens hung on almost every tower. Every single one played news about the galaxy-wide war, Eternals advancing in one quadrant, phantom tides appearing near a border world, abomination outbreaks being pushed back by allied fleets.
The voices of reporters overlapped with the noise of the city, creating a constant sense of pressure.
I saw grandmasters walking by casually, some barely older than twenty. It made Vaythos feel like a small village in comparison. The sheer strength gathered here was overwhelming.
Every race walked the street—demons, ferans, nagas, elementals, insectoids, aquas, even a few metal-bodied titans.
But even in this mix, groups stayed close to their own kind. The demons formed the biggest crowds, loud and active. The nagas walked differently, calm, cold, and confident. People stepped out of their way without being told.
Primus had said demons were the most common on Shenzhou. But the nagas... they were the most respected. Or maybe "feared" was the better word.
Even wrapped in cloaks, we felt the intensity of this place.
After walking through multiple streets we finally reached the place.
The building was wide, sleek, and shaped like an inverted triangle, with constantly shifting symbols floating around its exterior. A giant sign hovered above:
MORNING SECRETS : TRUTH NEVER SLEEPS
Inside, the air carried a sharp metallic scent. Dozens of beings sat in booths, trading information. Some whispered. Others argued in coded languages. Floating tablets shifted between hands.
We reached the counter where a tall, bipedal ant-creature stood behind a console. His body was obsidian black, and his mandibles clicked softly as he greeted Primus.
"Customer," the insectoid rasped. "What knowledge do you seek?"
"Armus," Primus said. "Current situation. Political, military, clan status."
The insectoid’s antennae twitched.
"Armus... hm. Dangerous topic. It will require good amount of fee."
Primus passed the fee.
The creature placed his hands on the console, and dozens of holographic files floated before him. His large bug-eyes scanned rapidly.
"Situation: Armus is at war. Bloodreaver Clan and Del Rey Clan are engaged in open conflict."
Primus stiffened. "Why?"
"One thing led to another," the insectoid replied. "Both sides blame the other for murdering their throne candidates."
My eyes sharpened.
"What do you mean?" Primus demanded quietly.
The insectoid turned his head slowly toward him.
"They claim Primus Bloodreaver and Lana Del Rey were assassinated... by the opposite family."
The air froze.
Primus’s hand twitched slightly.
"They think I’m dead," he whispered.
The insectoid blinked, recognition glowing in his eyes.
"Ah... I see," he said softly. "You are—"
Primus raised a hand sharply.
The creature lowered his head respectfully.
"What about the Ronic family?" Primus continued.
"Neutral," the insectoid replied. "But watching closely. With the two clans bleeding themselves dry, predictions show the Ronic will take Armus within a year."
Primus clenched his jaw.
"Hm. I see," he said quietly.
"You should be careful," the insectoid added, his antennae twitching. "If you return to Armus now... there is only danger waiting."
He reached under the counter and pulled out a sealed crystal-scroll, handing it to Primus.
"I have compiled everything from the last year," he said. "Public records, private movements, troop shifts, every detail our network could gather. Whether the information was meant to be known or hidden... it’s all inside."
Primus accepted the scroll silently.
"Thank you for using our service," the insectoid finished, bowing his head slightly. "And... good luck. You will need it."
Primus nodded once. "Thank you for the warning."
We left silently.
Our next stop was the teleportation hub.
The structure was enormous, like a tower made of black glass, surrounded by floating banners showing departure schedules.
Thousands of people walked in and out. Security officers scanned permits at the entrance.
Primus handed our permit card to the guard.
"Approved. You may proceed," the guard said.
Inside, the main hall was a thunderous sight: six colossal circular gates, each spitting out bright streams of Essence as crowds poured in and out.
Announcements kept echoing.
"That’s us," Primus said, pointing to one of the gates.
We walked toward Gate One.
Thousands of beings poured toward the gate, their cloaks fluttering, armor humming, wings folding, tails swaying.
And finally—
We stepped into the teleportation light.
Essence swirled around us.
The world bent.
And the universe shifted as we left Shenzhou behind... heading straight toward Armus.