The Unforeseen Victory and Lingering Shadows

I’ll die!

There’s no escape!

The moment that eye locked onto him, Mo Zhixing was once again seized by a bone-deep terror, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in years.

He had once believed that after his crushing defeat at the hands of the [Imperial Blade], he would never again know fear.

Yet, reality delivered a brutal slap, as if to remind him that no matter how much time passed, he remained merely a soldier struggling for survival on the battlefield.

Still, matters had reached this point.

Rather than passively awaiting death, a desperate struggle was the only choice.

As the impending attack drew near, a pale blue light flared from Mo Zhixing’s arm, signaling his intent to draw another weapon in defense.

‘But… it was too late…’

‘He couldn’t possibly catch up!’

The opponent merely made a gentle sweep with the longsword in their hand.

A white line, crooked and faint, stretched from the black-armored warrior’s right shoulder all the way to their left leg.

Then, with the effortless ease of a kitchen knife slicing through tofu, the black armor began to peel away from Mo Zhixing’s form, revealing the pale-faced man within, who crumpled to his knees with a thud.

In an instant, the victor was decided.

“I won!”

Having triumphed over her opponent, Xiu Lan eagerly glanced towards the spectator stands, anticipating the imminent applause and cheers.

Upon turning, however, she found only two women engrossed in lively conversation, seemingly oblivious to her entire battle.

With a disgruntled puff of her cheeks, she leaped onto the stands and remarked with a sarcastic edge:

“Oh, my, aren’t you two just thick as thieves?”

Robin, whom Xiu Lan had expected to offer some explanation, merely stared back with an icy gaze.

“Wha… what’s wrong?”

Her burgeoning irritation extinguished by the cold stare, Xiu Lan began to ponder where she had erred.

“Sigh.”

With a soft, helpless sigh, Robin pulled Xiu Lan closer, one hand continuously ruffling her hair, while the other pointed at two figures hurrying away below the stage, complaining aloud:

“Didn’t I tell you to know when to stop?!”

****

Meanwhile.

On the pockmarked training ground, Yao Jing was busy with Wu Liyun, rescuing the injured.

“Old Mo, are you alright?”

Helping his fallen senior to his feet, Yao Jing was consumed by boundless self-reproach and regret; he knew the young one had no sense of restraint, yet he hadn’t intervened.

If Mo Zhixing were to die here…

‘Oh, well, time can be rewound anyway.’

‘In that case, never mind.’

“Uncle, don’t move around so much.”

Wu Liyun, having followed them, attempted to heal Old Mo with a gem, as a crimson light surged into the man’s body.

Before long, his complexion regained a healthy flush.

“I’m not dead yet, what’s with all the wailing? It’s truly bad luck.”

Having recovered somewhat, Mo Zhixing instinctively threw a punch at Yao Jing, but the searing pain that followed made him cry out in unbearable agony.

“This is…”

Yao Jing’s gaze fixed on Mo Zhixing’s right shoulder, where a bone-deep wound lay, a faint, dark current visibly flowing within it.

‘What a familiar, yet detestable, sensation.’

Yao Jing instinctively touched his stomach; during one particular rewind, Irina had orchestrated a situation where he was forced to endure one of Xiu Lan’s blows, and it had pierced him in precisely this spot.

It was then that the terrifying, short-lived destructive power of Shadow had left an indelible psychological scar on him.

“Oh, well, thankfully that brat held back in the end, or it wouldn’t have been just the [Night Tiger] that was sliced open; I’d have been cut in two myself! It’s truly been ages since I lost so miserably, hahahaha.”

Despite having been a hair’s breadth from death, Mo Zhixing’s face showed not a trace of resentment.

He surveyed his surroundings, lowered his voice, and gestured towards the black-clad figure on the spectator stands as he questioned Yao Jing:

“Now, you ought to tell me, what exactly is [she]?”

As a seasoned hunter who had clawed his way through countless battlefields, Mo Zhixing possessed a clear understanding of his own capabilities.

While many humans could defeat him, only high-ranking [Blackbloods] or… something else entirely could instantly kill him.

Grasping his senior’s unspoken implication, Yao Jing knew there was no point in concealing the truth.

He began:

“That child is connected to the [Heroes].”

“Which one?”

“If I’m not mistaken, it’s [Vanguard].”

“It’s [Vanguard]? I thought it was the [Imperial Blade].”

After a moment of silence, Mo Zhixing spoke with a grave expression: “Though it’s not my place to say this, unless absolutely necessary, you should try to avoid getting too close to that group of [Heroes].”

****

“Henceforth, my brother’s safety rests in your hands, Mr. Xiu Lan.”

“Rest assured, his safety is entirely my responsibility; not a single hair on his head will be harmed!”

After the match concluded, everyone returned to the living room.

Xiu Lan’s unexpected upset victory genuinely astonished the brown-haired girl.

However, while she felt a slight pang of guilt towards Uncle Mo, this unforeseen outcome actually pleased her even more.

Ultimately, her investigation into Liu Yu had stemmed from a nagging unease within her.

Now, not only had the identity issue been resolved, but she had also found a bodyguard capable of defeating Uncle Mo—truly killing two birds with one stone.

With this thought, she removed her sunglasses, revealing her beautiful face, and leaned slightly forward, extending her right hand as she spoke with a soft laugh:

“I apologize, I haven’t properly introduced myself.

May we reacquaint ourselves? You may call me—Wei.”

“Zheng Wei?”

“Pfft, hahahaha!”

Unsure what had tickled her so, Wei guffawed, her body shaking with laughter, her youthful figure clearly visible.

Leaning close to Xiu Lan’s ear amidst his bewildered expression, she whispered:

“Well then, until next time, Classmate Liu Yu.”

“Eeeh?! E-e-e-e-eh!”

Ignoring the startled Xiu Lan, Zheng Wei, having completed her teasing, called to the largely recovered Mo Zhixing, and they departed the living room.

Faintly, the sounds of the man’s complaints could still be heard.

‘It’s gotten so dark; I should head home too.’

Just as Xiu Lan made to step out the door, he was abruptly hoisted up.

Tilting his head, he saw it was Classmate Villy, still in her black robe.

Their eyes met.

“What do you want?”

“Have you forgotten that we haven’t discussed the main business yet?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know! I don’t want to hear it; I want to go home and play games!”

Ignoring Xiu Lan’s complaints, Robin tossed the girl back onto the sofa, a bewildered expression on her face as she recalled the sensation.

Compared to when she had carried her upstairs, she felt even lighter.

What exactly was going on with her body?

Not only that, but her personality also seemed to be growing more childish…

****

After seeing off the two uninvited guests, the once-crowded living room now seemed rather empty.

At last, they could discuss serious matters.

Yao Jing first turned his gaze to Wu Liyun, who was currently sprawled on the right sofa, a book held up before his face.

His earnest reading posture exuded the air of a refined scholar…

‘What a load of nonsense!’

‘The book’s upside down, man, that’s just cringe.’

Following Wu Liyun’s line of sight, sure enough, he saw the girl he so longed for, along with her junior, Villy, who was holding her, both engrossed in a game of feeding each other fruit.

“Ah—meow, delicious, meow, so delicious.

More, more.”

‘Seriously? You two are already so blatant about it? Can’t you consider the occasion?’

‘This is pure friendship, pure friendship.’

Forcibly suppressing his urge to comment, Yao Jing cleared his throat twice, subtly hinting that everyone present should mind their manners as serious discussions were about to begin.

“Crunch, crunch.”

His only reply was the sound of someone munching on fruit.

“…”

Taking a deep breath, Yao Jing forced himself to calm down.

In retaliation for their heartless disregard, he decided to drop a bombshell to liven up the atmosphere.

Having prepared himself emotionally, he spoke with a tone that was three parts feigned surprise and seven parts sudden realization:

“So, you two have that… ‘girl-on-girl’ relationship, do you?

Ah, young people these days are truly wild; an old-timer like me can barely keep up with the times.”

Instantly, the already quiet living room became even more silent.

Just as he thought his words had no effect.

The thud of a book hitting a face, indignant shouts, the sound of objects being thrown, and cries of exasperation all mingled together.

‘Finally, things are livening up.’

Catching a thrown fruit pit, Yao Jing thought with delight.