Wenzhi understood why the CEA wanted him dead.
He had destroyed their entire headquarters and dragged Xinyuan into blowing the place apart. So he understood their hatred even if it still irritated him.
But the Old Blood faction?
That was different.
They had shot him. And now that woman was openly talking about shooting him again.
Wenzhi let out a quiet laugh under his breath.
"I guess we’ll find out their real reason soon enough," he said lazily. "Right now, the only explanation that makes sense is that they want to destabilize Xinyuan."
He glanced at him. "Though I still don’t understand why. He’s a disaster not a restorer."
Xinyuan didn’t disagree. He simply sat there quietly while Zhaohe laughed from across the room.
"You two are finally ready to stop hiding." she said. "Wow! I shouldn’t have wasted my ti stocking this place with a month’s worth of food. You’re going to do that favor for now, Wenzhi."
Wenzhi scoffed. "Fine. What is it?"
Zhaohe smiled. "I’m building my own faction."
That actually caught Wenzhi off guard.
"And you need my help how exactly?" he asked slowly.
"I need you to join," Zhaohe replied without hesitation. "If you join, Xinyuan will follow."
She pointed between the two of them.
"It won’t be easy, but Xinyuan has resources. Influence too, whether he realizes it or not. And you..." Her eyes landed on Wenzhi. "...you have the brain for this."
Wenzhi narrowed his eyes.
"You exposed the shelter system. You already see how rotten everything is. The CEA. The Old Blood. The Red Zones. All of it." Zhaohe continued before he could interrupt. "So let’s build sothing better."
Silence settled briefly.
Wenzhi glanced toward Xinyuan.
The Esper was quietly peeling open so colorful snack package, looking completely distracted, but Wenzhi knew he was listening to every word.
"And in this faction of yours," Wenzhi said eventually, "what exactly do you want to be?"
Zhaohe smiled. "Faction leader."
Xinyuan looked up this ti.
Wenzhi blinked once. "Why the fuck would you make faction leader?"
"Because you already act like one." Zhaohe’s smile only widened. "This is what I want from you, Lin Wenzhi."
Wenzhi shook his head. "Zhaohe..."
"We discussed the system, and you asked what I wanted from you." Jiang Zhaohe cut in quickly. "This is it. A Guide leading a powerful faction. A faction backed by a disaster-class Esper and a SSS-rank Esper."
Her eyes sharpened. "That alone would make us an undeniable threat. And more importantly, it would stop every other faction, including the Old Blood from thinking they can simply claim the two of you whenever they want."
Wenzhi tilted his head, studying her carefully. "What exactly do you gain from this?"
Zhaohe smiled, though it lacked amusent this ti. "Freedom."
The word ca easily from her mouth.
"Xinyuan isn’t the only person the Old Blood and the CEA ruined." Her expression darkened. "I already have power, gorgeous. What I want now is freedom while still being able to do my job as an Esper."
She folded her arms across her chest.
"I know neither of you trust completely. It hurts a little." She laughed softly. "But I understand."
Her gaze flicked between the two of them. "Because I don’t fully trust either of you either."
That honesty made the room quieter.
"But I’m still here to help you," Zhaohe said. "And you’re here to help ."
Wenzhi slowly wet his lips with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"It’s not every man for himself anymore?" Xinyuan suddenly spoke up, looking at Zhaohe with a teasing smile.
Zhaohe scoffed.
"The taste of freedom is addictive," she replied. "And none of us are getting it if we keep living like fugitives."
Xinyuan nodded slowly. He agreed with that far too much.
His gaze shifted toward Wenzhi. Wenzhi looked back at him.
Their eyes locked silently across the room.
Wenzhi liked the idea. A lot. Being a faction leader.
Two monsters powerful enough to overturn the entire world were willingly placing that position in his hands.
It was insane. Dangerous. And ridiculously tempting.
"I’m in," Wenzhi said finally, leaning back in his chair.
Zhaohe smiled. "I knew you would be."
"I’m in too," Xinyuan added.
Sothing suddenly floated through the air toward Wenzhi.
Wenzhi caught it instinctively and looked down.
A pack of lollipops.
He slowly raised his eyes toward Xinyuan.
Xinyuan looked unbearably pleased with himself.
Wenzhi stared at him for a long second before gripping the pack tightly and pressing it against his chest anyway.
"Do you have any actual plans?" he looked back at Zhaohe.
"I’ll bring in my underground connections first," Zhaohe replied imdiately.
"I’ll do the sa," Xinyuan added. "Kaiwen and his guide are useful enough."
He leaned back against the chair lazily, man spreading as one hand moved through his hair.
Wenzhi’s eyes flicked toward him before imdiately shifting away again.
He cleared his throat and looked back at Zhaohe. "The Rift Bureau. We need to claim it."
Both Zhaohe and Xinyuan looked at him in surprise.
"Is that even a good idea?" Zhaohe asked carefully.
"The bureau is funded directly by the cities in Sector One," Xinyuan said, already thinking it through. "It’s mostly independent."
Wenzhi snapped his fingers. "Exactly."
His grey eyes sharpened. "We take control of the bureau without destroying its structure. The Espers and Guides there already operate independently anyway. All we do is give them sothing solid to stand under."
The more he spoke, the clearer the idea beca in his head. "A proper faction. Resources. Protection. Stability."
Zhaohe leaned back slowly, exhaling in satisfaction. "This is actually exciting. Though we’ll still need specialists eventually. Doctors. Scientists. People who understand corruption levels and well, a certain disaster-class Esper."
Her gaze flickered briefly toward Xinyuan. "I doubt the Rift Bureau has anyone advanced enough to handle him during an ergency."
Wenzhi’s fingers tightened around the lollipop pack in his hands.
Grey eyes and warm brown eyes t.
"That can wait," Xinyuan smiled without breaking eye contact. "Wenzhi stabilizes just fine already."
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