"You want to study it?" Wang Xiao asked, lifting his gaze toward Yue.
"Yes." Yue nodded, her resolve clear. She wouldn't have asked him to co if she wasn't serious about it.
Wang Xiao sighed but agreed, "Alright, let's take Eveline and—"
BOOOOOM!
Suddenly, the earth beneath them roared with an explosive force, sending tremors through the ground as if it had turned to liquid. Without hesitation, Wang Xiao reacted, pulling everyone close to him. In the blink of an eye, they shot into the sky, escaping the chaos below.
Crash!
A split second later, the ground where they had stood erupted in a violent explosion.
The shockwave carved out a massive crater, stretching for tens of kiloters, its edge reaching the main city and destroying a significant portion of it.
In the center of the devastation lay the enormous body of a purple-skinned snake, now lifeless, its blood pooling around it.
The creature was monstrous, its length spanning several kiloters and its body as thick as a fortress wall.
"Cough...alive...h—he's alive—cough!"
Eveline suddenly appeared above them, hovering weakly in the sky, as if she would fall any second.
Her clothes were shredded and soaked with blood, her face pale as she coughed violently, spitting blood.
Plop!
She began to collapse, but a small, shimring sphere of dark platform materialized beneath her, cradling her body to prevent her from falling.
"What?" Wang Xiao's eyes widened in shock and confusion.
He knew about the giant snake—it had already been slain by Eveline and was hardly a match for her.
So who was she talking about?
And who had hurt her this badly?
______
30th August, 2031 - 8:00 pm, Icevale
Back at the resort, the night had settled in, bringing a quiet calm over the place.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp created a warm, intimate atmosphere in the room.
"Are you leaving again?" Xueying's voice broke the silence, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
She was sitting on the bed, knees tucked under her, leaning against a pillow as she watched i, who had only returned a few hours earlier but was already getting ready to head out once more.
"Mhm," i nodded, perched on a stool by the vanity.
She carefully applied a nude lipstick, her reflection in the mirror showing a composed yet focused expression.
Now dressed in a sleek dark blue dress that hugged her figure, silver earrings dangled from her ears, catching the light, and a delicate pearl bracelet adorned her wrist.
"Will you be back tonight?" Xueying asked, her chin resting on the pillow, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. 'She's really dressing up for this... What's going on with her? She is not even listening to what mom told her yesterday...'
i paused, glancing at Xueying in the mirror. "Yes, I'll be back tonight. It's just dinner," she replied, keeping her tone casual.
'Why does she always sound like so sexual...?'
Xueying wasn't convinced. "Dinner? All dressed up like that? You're not fooling , i," she teased, raising an eyebrow. "Who's the guy? I've never seen you put on earrings just for a al."
i fumbled with the lipstick cap, nearly dropping it in her flustered state. "It's just dinner with my friend! There's no 'lucky guy'," she insisted, trying to keep her cool.
Before i could say more, Xueying slid off the bed and quietly snuck up behind her, nearly making her jump out of her seat.
With a mischievous grin, Xueying gently patted i's face. "Your friend, huh? So, what's with the fancy dress? And the makeup? He's not so greasy old uncle trying to impress you, is he? If you need money, I can always ask Mom."
i's blush deepened as she pushed Xueying's hand away, though a small smile crept onto her lips.
As she stood to leave, an idea popped into her head, and she couldn't resist saying. "He isn't an old man, but maybe you'd like him more than I do."
"Huh?"
Xueying blinked in surprise, her mouth hanging open. "Impossible..."
i smiled, enjoying the brief mont of confusion.
Without another word, she slipped on her heels, ready to head out, when Xueying's voice rang out again.
"Wait! Mom was asking where you disappeared to this morning, so I told her everything."
"!"
i froze mid-step, turning back to Xueying with wide eyes. "You didn't—"
Xueying flashed a sweet, innocent smile. "Yep! And guess what? She gave so money. We can split it fifty-fifty!"
"..."
i was at a loss for words, her mind spinning as she tried to process what Xueying had just said.
She shook her head, muttering sothing under her breath, and reached for the door. But as soon as she opened it, she ca to an abrupt halt.
Standing there, as if she had all the ti in the world, was her mother, Xinyue Zhilan.
Her smile was warm, but the glint in her eyes was anything but.
"Going sowhere, sweetie?" her mother asked, her voice laced with that too-friendly tone that only moms can pull off when they know sothing's up.
i's heart skipped a beat.
'This is bad.'
She scrambled for an excuse, but nothing seed convincing enough.
Behind her, Xueying's soft laugh filled the room, completely unconcerned. "Oops, almost forgot to ntion—Mom promised a bonus if I stopped you from doing anything stupid, like sneaking out at night. Just protecting you from the wolves, sis!"
i shot a look over her shoulder at Xueying, who was clearly enjoying herself far too much.
But there was no ti to argue.
Surprisingly, Xinyue Zhilan's imposing figure shifted aside, as if clearing the way.
She dangled a set of car keys in front of i. "Take this. The car is downstairs, and you're to be back before midnight. Do whatever you want, but don't drink with strangers—whether it's a friend or a boyfriend. Rember, this isn't ho, it's another country. People can pretend to be nice, but don't take unnecessary risks."
"Huh?"
Wang i's lashes fluttered in surprise as she stared at the keys, barely processing what was happening.
"Also," Zhilan continued, "Susie and Kari will be going with you. They won't disturb you, and you're not allowed to go anywhere alone. And don't worry—they're not my spies. They're with the Frostgard Cri Departnt.
I'm not interested in finding out who your secret guy is." She gestured toward the two won standing downstairs, both in bulletproof vests, their no-nonsense deanor giving away their identities as guards.
Zhilan had gone all out, securing trusted personnel for her daughter.
She could have used the resort's security or the ones who ca with Murong Shan, but she found them unreliable.
Xueying, who had been expecting i to get a good scolding and maybe even grounded, was left stunned by the turn of events.
Their mother seed unusually calm and not nearly as scary today.
As i prepared to leave, Zhilan called out with a hint of hesitation, "Don't do anything you'll regret later!" i only gave a short nod before heading out.
In fact, Zhilan knew that if she tried to stop her daughter, i might hold it against her forever.
It was better to let her go with so precautions in place.
Watching the scene, Xueying stood there, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.
As i left, Zhilan turned to her with a sharp look. "What, do you have a date tonight too? Don't even think about it!"
"..."
Bang!
The door closed behind i, leaving Xueying utterly stunned.
"How does this even make sense?..."
Her younger sister got the royal treatnt, while she got scolded on the spot.
And she didn't even have a date planned!
But deep down, Xueying knew the truth.
Her mother treated them differently for a reason.
Zhilan knew that Xueying could handle herself—she was sharp, skeptical, and not easily fooled.
If a scamr crossed paths with her, they'd likely regret it.
But i... i was different.
Zhilan's concern for her was genuine, especially in a foreign land.
The last ti she let her children wander off on their own, she nearly lost her only son.
She wasn't about to take any more chances.
Zhilan sighed as she reflected on her decisions.
She knew that trying to control i too tightly would only push her away, so she opted for a compromise.
She let her go, but under watchful eyes.
And then there was her ex-husband.
Zhilan's opinion of n had soured after he failed in business and squandered the money she had given him to start over, wasting it on other won.
Her anger had led her to divorce him, using her influence as a lawyer to squeeze most of his wealth out of sheer spite.
She didn't need the money—she just wanted revenge.
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