"Good thing I ran when I did."
On a street in Lungmen's Upper District, Chen Mo finally released Nian's wrist and kept glancing back. When he confirmed Ch'en Hui-chieh hadn't caught up, he let out a genuine sigh of relief.
"Is your little sister really that scary?" Nian asked, amused.
"Don't talk nonsense. Ch'en is the little sister I'm proudest of," Chen Mo replied as he scratched one horn. "She's just… a bit strict. And I'm not great at dealing with strict."
He looked around once more. Everything seemed calm—no sudden movement, no hostile presence.
Then his mood snapped back to cheerful in an instant.
"Come on, come on—mahjong. We're playing until we're dead tired today."
Nian was about to agree—there weren't many people who could actually keep up with her anyway—
But then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught shadowy figures lurking in the darkness nearby, watching her like hawks.
Her smile soured.
So it really was like that. She was only going to play with Chen Mo for a while, and that old man still couldn't relax.
Annoyed, Nian flicked her tail—then immediately put on a bright grin for Chen Mo.
"Sorry, Chen Mo. I've got something to handle. Can't hang out."
"Huh? Why?" Chen Mo asked, visibly disappointed. He hadn't noticed anything odd at all.
"I was just thinking we'd go wild today—play until we can't see straight…"
He slumped his shoulders and didn't even try to hide his regret. The kind of regret that made people want to pat him and say, There, there.
Nian clicked her tongue.
No wonder that Sankta was so hungry for this man. If Nian were Exusiai, Chen Mo would've been overwhelmed long ago and begging for mercy.
She shook the messy thought away and pointed at the sword on his hip with a grin.
"Not like there won't be chances later. And since we're such good pals—if we run into each other again, leave your weapon maintenance to me."
"Really?" Chen Mo's eyes lit up instantly. "Wow. Nian, you're actually kind of amazing."
Nian laughed and gave his shoulder a couple of heavy pats.
"If you think I'm that nice, then next time I call you out to shop and play, don't you dare refuse me."
"Of course," Chen Mo said without hesitation, beaming. "You're my good bro—uh, good sis!"
Nian nodded in satisfaction, then waved.
"Alright, I'm off. Oh, and—watch your back. Someone's coming for you."
Before Chen Mo could ask what she meant, Nian's legs moved. In a blink, she vanished into the flowing crowd as if she had never been there.
Chen Mo stared after her, confused, then scratched his cheek and glanced around at the busy street.
"Besides Ch'en, who would be looking for me at a time like—"
"Yo. What are you doing here all alone?"
A voice he hadn't heard in a long time rang out from behind him.
Chen Mo turned—and saw blond hair, a bright grin, and a flash of cute little tiger fangs.
His face broke into a delighted smile. Without any hesitation about "men and women" or "boundaries," he stepped forward and hugged her.
"Swire! Long time no see. You off duty today?"
"Nope," Swire said, returning the hug generously—then pulling back at once. "I'm out looking for that damned dragon. She ditched her work again."
Chen Mo blinked. "Ch'en?"
"Who else?" Swire said, rolling her eyes. Then she narrowed her gaze, thinking fast. "Let me guess—she ran out here to find you, right? Where is she?"
"No idea," Chen Mo said honestly. "Maybe she went back already."
Back? Swire didn't buy it for a second. That brother-obsessed dragon had been muttering in Swire's ear for ages about "teaching her brother a proper lesson."
No way she gave up that easily.
But Swire didn't need to chase her down personally.
Because the treasure she valued most—her precious brother—was standing right here.
Swire praised her own brilliance silently, then acted immediately.
"Since you're already out," she said brightly, "how about I take you shopping today?"
"Sure," Chen Mo agreed instantly. "Perfect timing."
With Nian gone, Chen Mo had been planning to crawl back into bed and doomscroll on his phone. He didn't have to work for a few more days, and he was bored out of his mind.
If Swire was inviting him, there was no reason to refuse.
Still, curiosity got the better of him.
"You're a senior officer. You're just… out here having fun? Aren't you worried someone will talk about you skipping duty?"
Swire waved a hand, helpless.
"Don't even start. Recently, Chief Wei—your uncle—randomly cut a ton of my workload and dumped it on other people. Then he said he wants to 'have a talk' with me soon."
She frowned slightly, baffled.
"No idea what for. I've been doing fine. If anyone should be summoned, it's that rice-roll dragon Ch'en."
Swire recalled how respectful the messenger had been. It didn't feel like she was in trouble, so she decided to take it as it came.
"Anyway, I've got a lot of free time right now," she said, straightening. "Stop worrying about me. Think about what you want to buy."
Then she paused, swished her tiger tail with confidence, and patted her full chest like she was making a pledge.
"Also—today's expenses are on me."
"Yes!" Chen Mo cheered immediately.
He hooked her arm without shame and tugged her toward the Grand Bazaar mall.
"Let's go, let's go. I've been a broke bastard lately. I need a sucker like you to save me."
"Hey!" Swire protested, laughing. "Even if you're a gentleman, calling the woman paying for you a 'sucker' is a bit much, don't you think?"
"Doesn't it prove how close we are?" Chen Mo said, grinning.
Swire snorted, then laughed outright, letting the strange man drag her through the bustling street at a run.
Lungmen Outskirts
Inside Reunion's encampment, in a spacious tent, nearly every senior cadre was present—excluding only a few with truly notorious records.
FrostNova watched Talulah at the head seat, where she was staring at the map spread across the table, eyes fixed and unblinking.
Then FrostNova spoke.
"Talulah. Everyone's here. Where are we going?"
Talulah fell silent, her expression tightening as she weighed the options.
Going back to Ursus was impossible.
Yan wasn't a real option either.
Her identity was too sensitive. Showing up in Yan would only bring trouble to Ch'en Hui-chieh and Chen Mo.
As Talulah hesitated, a calm, unfamiliar voice rose from beside her.
"Why not move west—toward Siracusa?"
Talulah looked over.
A red-haired Feline woman with sharp ears met her gaze without the slightest flinch.
"I remember you," Talulah said slowly. "Ch'en Hui-chieh mentioned… you're her former superior?"
"Call me Nine," the woman replied.
Nine didn't dodge the room's attention. She stepped forward, raised a hand, and pointed directly at the map. Her slender finger traced westward in a clean line.
"We can cross Siracusa first—avoid Kazdel and its war zone. Resupply there, then proceed through Leithanien."
Her finger tapped twice, deliberate and controlled.
"Both countries are currently stable. They may not welcome us, and they're not suitable for long-term development."
"But we don't need to stay. We'll be passersby—no reason to stir up waves."
Then Nine's finger moved again and stopped—firmly—on a vast nation marked by an emblem of two red dragons, a shield, and a crown.
"This," Nine said, voice steady, "should be our final destination."
Talulah braced both hands on the table and murmured under her breath, eyes on the crest.
"…Victoria."
....
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