Once everyone had departed, the meeting hall was left with only Wu Haoran and Ao Yu, whose image remained on the screen behind him.
–My thanks, Old Wu.–
–Thanks for what? Don’t assume for a second I’m unaware you simply wish to shirk your duties.–
–A dragon, no less powerful than yourself, gestating within the core? What a ludicrous notion! How could a dungeon, freshly plundered, possess any residual energy to foster such a creation?–
Shedding his previously composed and nonchalant demeanor, Wu Haoran launched into a scathing tirade.
In his position, every word and deed typically demanded meticulous consideration.
But with no one else present, such niceties were utterly meaningless to him.
Ao Yu remained silent, merely offering a faint smile as he muted the audio from the video call.
Only when Wu Haoran, parched from his rant, paused to quench his thirst did Ao Yu unmute the feed.
–Now, now, Old Wu, calm yourself. You know as well as I do that I juggle numerous titles and responsibilities, which keeps me rather occupied.–
–Furthermore, the Demon City boasts more than just a single S-rank dungeon.–
Wu Haoran shot him a piercing glance but offered no reply.
A mountain of affairs awaited his attention outside the hall.
He’d been hauled into multiple meetings solely for this ridiculous issue.
Those individuals were truly insufferable in their idleness.
–What’s the status of the child, Li Jia?–
–Everything proceeds smoothly. She has already achieved preliminary control over one percent of her magical power.–
Wu Haoran simply nodded, a silent acknowledgment.
–The girl is now entrusted to your care. Following the tide, the ‘rats’ within the Imperial Capital have begun to emerge, seeking their prey. Exercise extreme caution on your end.–
Wherever humanity congregates, conflicts of interest inevitably arise.
There are always those who remain discontent with their allotted portion, ceaselessly striving to seize what is not rightfully theirs.
Ao Yu understood perfectly that the ‘rats’ Wu Haoran alluded to comprised far more than a single breed.
Bai Xiao’s absence from today’s meeting made it evident that she, too, had likely been dispatched on a mission.
As the nation’s capital, the Imperial Capital could tolerate no missteps whatsoever.
–Very well. My sincere thanks for today.–
–There’s no need for gratitude. After all, no true sword-wielder would ever fear the very blade they command.–
Ao Yu: ‘…’
‘How utterly theatrical,’ he thought.
However, given the assistance he’d rendered, Ao Yu decided to overlook it this once.
The screen behind him flickered to black, leaving only Wu Haoran, who sat silently in the chairman’s seat within the now-dim meeting hall.
His fingers gently tapped the tabletop, his eyes, shadowed and deep, sweeping over the vacant seats scattered across the brightly lit hall.
‘Do they truly believe such paltry maneuvers could ever escape my notice? Preposterous!’
A rhythmic ‘tap-tap-tap’ echoed, each sound perfectly synchronized.
It imbued the otherwise silent meeting hall with an oppressive aura.
Then, in the very next instant,
The tapping ceased, and all returned to a profound stillness.
The figure seated at the chairman’s desk had also vanished.
****
A month elapsed swiftly.
–Hello?–
Aya Tone, still deep in a muddled sleep, fumbled for the phone beside her bed.
‘Who on earth is calling at this ungodly hour?’
–Little brother! This is terrible! Your sister-in-law is gone!!– Ao Yu’s frantic voice pierced through the receiver.
‘Huh?’
Aya Tone’s already groggy mind promptly crashed, her heavy eyelids drooping shut once more.
–Sister-in-law? Who are you talking about?–
Ao Yu gazed at the Azure Dragon Armor in his hand, upon which violent spatial fluctuations still lingered.
He surveyed his surroundings.
There were no signs of a struggle.
Furthermore, this particular underground training ground could only be accessed with his explicit authorization.
From all indications, Li Jia must have departed of her own volition.
–The girl you brought, Li Jia!–
–We’re merely friends, not involved in the way you’re imagining,– Aya Tone explained, a hint of helplessness in her voice.
‘My big brother shouldn’t just play matchmaker so carelessly.’
‘She’s a young lady of status, while I’m merely a penniless spendthrift living paycheck to paycheck. How could we possibly be a match?’
–Forget all that! The point is, your little… girlfriend hasn’t fully mastered the magic within her yet. If you see her, tell her to take it easy and absolutely not use power beyond her control!–
Aya Tone slowly shook her still-dizzy head. –Mmm-hmm, I know…–
Though she agreed verbally, she didn’t truly believe Li Jia would seek her out directly.
‘They were, at most, friends. Surely that bond wasn’t more significant than family.’
Ao Yu had intended to offer a few more words of caution, but then realized the other end of the line had already disconnected.
He stared idly at the dialing screen.
‘Oh, little brother. I meant to tell you to be careful; your sister-in-law seems… off.’
‘Never mind. It’s a matter for the young couple; as the elder brother, it’s best not to meddle too much.’
****
Meanwhile, on the other side.
–Hm!? Mmm-mmm-mmm?–
Aya Tone, who had been comfortably nestled in her bed just moments before, discovered with a jolt of alarm.
She was still clad in her pajamas, yet somehow, she had been transported to a vast, dark expanse.
Her daughter, who had been sleeping soundly beside her, was also nowhere to be seen.
And though her mouth was unobstructed, no sound would emerge.
She reached up, touching her throat, feeling a faint vibration, but no audible sound.
Just then,
A figure, not far off, slowly approached.
–Aya Tone, why haven’t you come to see me in an entire month? Aren’t we friends?–
Li Jia gazed at the speechless Aya Tone with an air of poignant resentment.
Physically incapable of retort.
She frantically gestured to her own mouth, then towards Li Jia.
‘I can’t speak…’
–What was that?– Li Jia feigned deafness, leaning in deliberately.
–You said what?–
Aya Tone felt a surge of exasperation, almost to the point of tears. ‘What in the world is happening this early in the morning?’
The instant she recognized Li Jia, she knew immediately: this bizarre situation was unmistakably Li Jia’s handiwork.
‘Aya Jiu must be safe, then. So, it’s nothing too serious.’
‘Li Jia probably just wanted to share the joy of her breakthrough and then playfully chide me for not visiting.’
As she thus reassured herself, she completely missed the flicker of greed deep within Li Jia’s eyes.
Observing Aya Tone’s lack of response, Li Jia ceased her playful teasing and directly offered an explanation.
–This is a black hole, albeit a simulated one. Your current mass is too low, preventing sound from propagating. You’ll be fine if you simply channel your magic.–
Aya Tone’s eyes widened in sudden comprehension. The next instant, her form visibly shrunk.
Her pajamas were instantly replaced by the familiar black hoodie, a byproduct of her transformation.
–Aah, aah, aah, can you hear me?– Her small mouth parted, and her soft, endearing voice drifted through the darkness, growing fainter as it receded.
–Holy moly! It actually works!–
Transformed, Aya Tone bypassed the need for morning ablutions entirely, her mind instantly refreshed and invigorated.
She shouted tirelessly into the profound depths of the darkness, clearly delighted.
–Isn’t this fun? I have something even more amusing in store for you.–
–Oh? What sort of amusement?– Aya Tone paused her playful shouts, turning to Li Jia with an expression of pure curiosity.
Noting that her ‘little darling’ had taken the bait,
Li Jia offered a mysterious smile, her magic wand subtly shifting in her grasp.
–Spatial Prison!–
The black hole’s space, hitherto as calm as a placid lake, suddenly erupted with a ripple of disturbance.
The very next moment,
A torrent of spatial magic roared towards them.
No!
More precisely, it surged directly at Aya Tone.
Before Aya Tone could even process what was happening, she found herself ensnared within a suddenly materialized Spatial Prison.
Her hands pressed against the transparent walls of the cage, a look of sheer astonishment still gracing her features.
She remained utterly oblivious to the fact that she had, in that moment, become nothing more than a caged kitten.
–Oh, wow, this is really something.–
‘This ability is perfectly suited for ensnaring foes.’
–Alright, you can dismiss it now.–
‘Now that I’ve witnessed it, it’s time to go back to sleep.’
‘…’
One second…
Ten seconds…
…A full minute…
Even after three long minutes, no one answered her.
Aya Tone’s body stiffened. Her small, pale hands pressed against the transparent cage, her wide eyes staring intently at Li Jia.
–Stop playing around, now.–
Li Jia appeared not to notice, a faint, excited smile playing at the corners of her lips.
–I’ve caught you.–
I doubt it