C.C. said, "So Rulu, what do you pn to do about this mess? You've made two attempts on Prince Suwen's life and killed General Feihu — the Sanctuary is not going to let this go."

  Rulu said, "It's simple. Since this all started because of me and that Prince Suwen, it should end with us. As long as I can take him out, this whole storm will blow over. The Sanctuary will know better than to keep pushing me into a corner, because they'll understand what the consequences of doing so would be."

  "But Prince Suwen will certainly be far more cautious than before. Killing him now won't be nearly as easy."

  "It's difficult, yes, but not impossible. Going in by force won't work — I'll need to wait for the right moment. I won't make the same mistake I made today." Rulu murmured, his expression darkening.

  Nana saw the grim look on Rulu's face and felt a chill run through her. She grabbed his hand and said, "Rulu, are you really going to do this? You're still going to try to assassinate Prince Suwen?"

  Rulu gripped Nana's hand firmly and said with unwavering resolve, "If I don't, we have no future. I hope you can support my decision, Nana."

  Nana froze. She studied his face for a long moment, then shook her head. "No — I won't support you. But if you're determined to do it, Rulu, I won't stand in your way either. It's getting te. I'm going to rest."

  With that, Nana rose to her feet and returned to her room, her expression heavy with sorrow.

  "Thank goodness — that hurdle with Nana is finally cleared. If she had firmly opposed me, none of my pns would be possible at all." Rulu let out a long breath, and the tension that had gripped him began to ease. The moment he rexed, the world seemed to spin around him. A sharp, searing pain erupted in his head. Rulu clutched his head with both hands and colpsed onto the sofa, curling his body inward, moaning in pain.

  Seeing him like this, C.C. couldn't help but scold him. "Look at you — you've overused your Spiritual-power again, haven't you? I've told you time and again not to go throwing that power around recklessly, and you never listen."

  Rulu gritted his teeth. "If I didn't use it, I wouldn't have made it this far. And besides, don't I have you here with me, C.C.?"

  "Stubborn as ever. Come on then — lie down. I'll do a Spiritual-power restoration for you." C.C. sighed, sat down beside Rulu, and patted her thigh.

  "Alright... sorry to trouble you..." Rulu said, a touch of awkwardness on his face, as he rested his head on C.C.'s p and y back.

  C.C. pressed her palms against Rulu's temples and gazed down at his face from above, performing the Spiritual-power restoration. Rulu felt the sharp pain in his head slowly begin to subside. The soothing relief that spread through him made his eyes fall closed of their own accord, and a peaceful, contented smile drifted across his face.

  "Say, Rulu," C.C. said, performing the restoration while lost in thought, "what would you do if I left you someday — if I were no longer by your side?"

  "Then I just won't let you leave. That solves it, doesn't it?" Rulu murmured, eyes still closed.

  "But what if, for some reason, I had no choice but to leave?" C.C. pressed.

  "There's no such reason. And even if there were, I'd find a way to get rid of it."

  "That's a nice thought. I'm afraid it won't be that simple." C.C. said with a quiet sigh. Something in her tone struck Rulu as odd, and he opened his eyes to look up at her. The expression on her face seemed distant and mencholy.

  "C.C., what are you really trying to say? Are you thinking of leaving me?" Rulu sensed something and asked.

  "No," C.C. denied.

  "Are you sure?" Rulu took hold of her hand and asked again.

  C.C. gave a soft ugh and patted his cheek. "Silly, why would I lie to you? Don't forget — you still owe me something. If I left now, I'd be the one losing out. I'm not about to do something that foolish."

  "Good. That's all I need to hear." Rulu rexed, closing his eyes once more. C.C. continued the Spiritual-power restoration. He must have been truly exhausted, because midway through, Rulu lost consciousness. He turned onto his side, buried his face against C.C., wrapped his arms around her, and drifted off to sleep.

  C.C. gazed at Rulu sleeping against her, reached out to stroke his hair, and said softly, "Don't worry. Before you've done that one thing for me, I won't leave you. But the road ahead — I won't be able to walk it with you. That part, you'll have to face on your own."

  The following morning, Rulu woke and stayed quietly at home without going out. He kept a close watch on the outside world through the television and other news channels. What struck him as strange was that the Sanctuary had not announced General Feihu's death, nor had they unched the kind of city-wide manhunt for the assassin they had carried out before. For the entire day, Blue Sea City remained calm and undisturbed — and so that day passed without incident.

  The morning after, Rulu received an email. It was from Shari. After reading it, he told Nana and C.C. that he needed to step out — he wouldn't be back for lunch and wouldn't return until evening.

  This naturally worried Nana. Rulu expined that he wasn't going off to do anything dangerous — he was going to his old school to see his former friend Shari.

  Nana had attended that same school and knew Shari as well. Hearing that Rulu was only going to see Shari at school, she set her mind at ease. She told him to come back early, stay safe, and said nothing more.

  Rulu left the house and didn't return until evening. Over the following three consecutive days, he went out early each morning to his old school and came home te each night.