Power was not the only thing changing.
During late-night training, exhaustion lowered their guards. Wang Lei often lingered near Su Ling, their conversations shifting from tactics to something quieter. She would scold him for recklessness, yet always prepared pills suited to his style.
"Don't waste my work by losing," she said once.
He laughed. "Then stay and watch me win."
Elsewhere, Lin Xue found herself spending more time beside Li Hao. Their conversations were brief, but meaningful—shared silences rather than empty words.
"You carry too much alone," she said one evening.
"I carry what's mine," he replied.
She didn't argue.
Instead, she stayed.
And somehow—that was enough.