Light of broken wings

Click—

A black leather shoe stepped out from a crack glowing with golden splendor, followed by white pant legs folded upward. Then, Uncle Shui, clad in a white jacket, stepped fully out of the rift. He stared fixedly at Feiguang, the water-colored long blade in his hand reflecting Feiguang’s startled expression.

“How did you…”

Zheng!

Without waiting for Feiguang’s reaction, Uncle Shui charged forward with huge strides, blade raised!

Feiguang’s first instinct was to run, and his body acted accordingly. The moment he turned his back, he reached for his pocket, intending to light a cigarette to create a mist for an accelerated escape.

Bang!

Feiguang felt a violent impact against his back. Predictably, his body tumbled forward, but he didn’t intend to be captured without a fight. He just needed to light the smoke!

Feiguang sprang up from the ground, his hand already touching the cigarettes!

However, a cold, damp blade-edge was already pressed against his neck.

“Drop your weapon! Hands behind your head! Do you hear me, Feiguang!” Uncle Shui gripped the hilt tightly and barked the command, lines of fury etched between his brows.

Caught by my teacher…

Feiguang’s face went dim. He slowly withdrew his hand from his pocket. His fingers loosened their grip on the cigarette, and the stick fell to the ground. Then, Uncle Shui stepped on it, twisting his leather shoe and grinding Feiguang’s hope of escape into the dirt.

“Heh… Teacher, your blade-work has improved again.” Feiguang looked at the water blade pressed to his throat—the proof that his teacher had personally apprehended him.

“What did you take! Hand it over, now!”

Uncle Shui had a look of bitter disappointment, as if Feiguang had crossed his bottom line one too many times.

“Just a fruit, that’s all,” Feiguang said flatly, as if it weren’t an issue worth caring about.

“Hand it over!” Uncle Shui steeled his heart and shifted his hand slightly; the water blade nipped into the skin of Feiguang’s neck.

“I can’t… Teacher.” Feiguang remained half-crouched, frozen in the middle of standing up.

“Don’t move! Sit down!” Uncle Shui pressed the blade down further. Forced by the pressure on his shoulder, Feiguang could only drop onto his backside, letting the blade completely dictate his range of movement.

“I am saying this for the last time! Give me what you took!”

This was Uncle Shui’s third warning, yet Feiguang suddenly broke into a pained laugh.

“Hahaha…”

Facing Feiguang’s laughter, Uncle Shui felt nothing but stinging irony and betrayal.

“Teacher, you’re still so soft-hearted. Where is the resolve you usually have when slaying Dream-Husks? Just kill me! I absolutely cannot hand this thing over!” Feiguang’s expression suddenly turned resolute, and Uncle Shui’s patience finally snapped.

The blade moved slowly with Uncle Shui’s hand. The water-edge easily sliced through the skin, moving deeper toward the core of Feiguang’s throat.

Feiguang’s brow furrowed as he felt the sting of pain. Crimson threads began to swirl within the pale blue flow of water.

One second, two seconds.

The blade stopped moving, then was quickly withdrawn. Blood-stained water splashed into the air. Feiguang felt his vision go dark—not because he fainted, but because a fist had slammed into his face!

“You worthless brat!”

The punch came from Uncle Shui. He angrily threw down the water blade, grabbed Feiguang by the collar, and landed another punch squarely on his face!

Bang! Bang!

Feiguang felt his face burning and swelling with pain, but it was much more relaxing than having a blade at his throat.

After a few punches, Uncle Shui stopped and stood up. He glared at Feiguang, who was curled up on the ground. His fists clenched again, but he could only grit his teeth in helpless frustration.

“Thank you…” Feiguang whispered to Uncle Shui.

“You! You! Why did you leave this place?! You could have become a respected member! Do you have any idea how much expectation I had for you, Feiguang!” Uncle Shui pointed at Feiguang’s face, roaring with a touch of irrationality.

Surprisingly, Feiguang remained silent. Like a child who realized he’d done wrong, he didn’t dare lift his head to look at Uncle Shui.

“I know you have a sister! But why on earth would you believe the lies of the Dream-Hunter Society regarding her illness! You know exactly what kind of organization they are! Is there no one in the Dream-Protection Bureau who can help you?!”

Hearing this, Feiguang’s body trembled. Like a powder keg being ignited, he scrambled up and retorted to Uncle Shui like a rebellious teenager!

“You don’t understand! Tingting’s illness! The Dream-Protection Bureau can’t cure it at all! I can’t watch her lose her legs and her consciousness! I can’t just watch her die of illness while waiting for the Bureau to develop an antidote! I can’t wait!”

Feiguang’s voice was powerful and forced, like a tree standing firm against a gale.

Teacher and student both fell into silence, glaring at each other with their own brands of persistence and misunderstanding.

“Stop shouting, my ears are going deaf.” The voice was tender and cold, sounding like a simple young girl.

Uncle Shui immediately dropped to one knee, lowering his head to apologize to the source of the voice.

“I have been derelict in my duty! Director!”

Director? When did she appear? Is it the one the Boss mentioned?

Feiguang turned his head stiffly. The first thing he saw was a pair of blue eyes as clear as gemstones.

“Hello? Nice to meet you, Hunter Feiguang.” Haidier gave a light smile. Despite having the face of a cute child, she possessed a strangely soul-stirring charisma.

Dumbfounded, Feiguang was speechless. He had imagined many versions of the Dragon 【Actor】 the Boss spoke of. A masked figure with a hideous face? A muscular brute covered in scales? Now that he saw her with his own eyes, none of his imaginations matched.

“Hey? Are you dazed?” Haidier waved a hand in front of Feiguang’s eyes. Her petite hand was no different from a normal child’s.

“You are… the supreme leader of the Dream-Protection Bureau?” Feiguang finally snapped out of it, speaking with a tone of existential doubt.

“That’s right. Please return the items to us and submit to our investigation. If your attitude is good, I will consider a lighter punishment for you,” Haidier said politely. Though she looked like a little tot, she behaved no differently than a seasoned professional.

Feiguang merely looked at Haidier and stopped responding. The refusal was already written in the set of his brow.

“You refuse? Well then… I’ll just have to use a forced confession.”

Haidier smiled innocently. Then, her hands slowly reached for the large ribbon behind her clothes. As if performing a magic trick, she suddenly pulled out a pair of silver-white handcuffs, their surface wrapped in certain golden incantations.

“Once these are on, it won’t be so easy to take them off. Are you sure you won’t consider returning it voluntarily?” Haidier spun the handcuffs in her hand, the silver glinting before Feiguang’s eyes.

“I won’t.” Feiguang’s gaze hardened. He didn’t intend to change his mind.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Uncle Shui.” Haidier tossed the handcuffs to Uncle Shui. Staring at Feiguang’s hands, Uncle Shui gritted his teeth and snapped them on!

The moment his wrists were fully bound, a certain aura within Feiguang’s body was instantly severed.

“My…” Feiguang was startled by the handcuffs’ effect. He couldn’t summon a single shred of dream power.

“Stay put. We’ll find it on you eventually.” Haidier looked toward the door; the other members on alert had arrived.

Feiguang was escorted back to the Bureau by the team members, while Uncle Shui stood aside, looking despondent, as if seeing off a once-dear old friend.

“Uncle Shui, call the new members over. Especially Feng. According to the records, Feiguang has had contact with her; he likely has a specific motive.” Haidier flipped through her phone, dialing the list of new members to send to Uncle Shui.

“Yes.” Uncle Shui glanced in the direction where Feiguang had been taken, silently clenching his fist.