Suddenly thrown to the ground, the felon lifted his head and glared at the two of them with a ferocious expression.
Huaiyu was momentarily stunned. "What's going on?"
"In case of anything," Lin Xuefeng smiled, "some people's abilities mutate again after they acquire their powers. For certain individuals, their senses become greatly enhanced."
"We've been talking about too many things we shouldn't, and I'm worried he overheard."
Huaiyu couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. If it weren't for her extended time alone, and Lin Xuefeng's reassuring presence, she probably wouldn't have said so much that she shouldn't have. But right now, the sense of mental relaxation felt incredibly satisfying. She looked at him with curiosity.
"Then how do we know if he heard anything?"
Lin Xuefeng raised an eyebrow. "How do you know? There's no need to know."
With a slight regret, he added, "It's a shame. When mutation values are unstable, Rose Corridor dislikes bloodshed and conflict. So—"
Bang!
A mass of water silently enveloped the felon's head, and in an instant, it began to press inward with force.
Huaiyu could only watch as the once ferocious glare in his eyes turned blank, his eyes bulging to the extreme—until, with a muffled sound that seemed to come from underwater, his skull caved in. Blood, and pinkish goo began to ooze out, and thick, pink liquid began to drip from his nostrils.
His cries of pain barely began before they were cut short. What remained was only an empty consciousness, hanging on by a thread, with breathing nearly imperceptible.
The water sphere still held firm around his head, continuing to flow, preventing even a drop of blood or brain matter from spilling.
Lin Xuefeng turned to face Huaiyu, his expression calm and composed. "Huaiyu, let me teach you something else—when it's time to strike, don't hesitate. Don't let any insignificant person disrupt your chances."
His actions were so decisive, without a moment's hesitation. Huaiyu was stunned by the blood-soaked yet eerily serene scene. Her face turned pale in an instant.
But then, she nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Okay, I'll remember. But what if he dies?"
"Don't worry about it. He's a fugitive, resisting law enforcement... need I explain further?"
Lin Xuefeng spoke confidently, but his face immediately darkened with concern. "Sigh, once he's gone, I'll need to drag him all the way to the defense force... troublesome."
Huaiyu sat back down, resting her chin in her hand, watching him. She found him quite interesting, with his own unique way of doing things.
But really... how infuriating! She had just revealed her secret, and yet, he hadn't said anything in return. What if his name isn't even real?
...
The purpose of bringing the man in was for a live demonstration, and also to ensure that Rose Corridor remained undisturbed. Now, seeing that the man's breathing had become faint, Lin Xuefeng distastefully dragged him out.
The room quieted again, and Huaiyu pressed her chest, feeling her heart race with the intense excitement.
Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down and turned to Lin Xuefeng. "You still haven't told me, what are you going to the wasteland for?"
Lin Xuefeng smiled at her, playfully dodging the question. "I can't tell you—ah, that rose is beautiful. Could you give it to me?"
"You're taking a flower to the wasteland?" Huaiyu was puzzled.
Lin Xuefeng's smile didn't fade. "It would be romantic to have it with me."
"Then you..." She was about to ask more, but Lin Xuefeng waved her off. "Huaiyu, it's late. You should get some rest."
Huaiyu did feel incredibly tired. She had been on the move all day, her powers had been overdrawn several times, and the constant mental strain at night…
She really shouldn't be so relaxed about going to sleep, but with Lin Xuefeng's ability, she felt reassured. Nodding, she said, "Alright then."
She removed her outer jacket and crawled into her sleeping bag. She had intended to say a few more words, but the moment her mind started to wander, the fatigue overwhelmed her, and she fell into a deep sleep.
The Next Morning
The room was dim, the only light coming from an orange glow flickering through a watery curtain that separated the cabin in two. It was the only source of light in the otherwise pitch-black room.
Huaiyu sat up, still dazed, and glanced at her wrist, where the blurred numbers indicated...
"!!!"
It was already 10 a.m.!
The sound of rain hitting the roof hadn't stopped, but it was much softer now. And the room was empty—no one was around. The curtain was slightly parted, letting in a faint glow from the outside.
Where was Lin Xuefeng?
Huaiyu slid out of bed, her hand hesitating before pressing against the watery curtain. The moment her palm touched it, the entire curtain fell like a large swath of silk, briefly pooling on the ground before quickly flowing off to the sides, following the slope of the floor.
Was this... to protect herself?
Curious, Huaiyu examined the strange sensation in her palm. The water felt cold, yet her hand remained dry. It was strange.
She opened the door, and the dim light from outside spilled into the room, brightening it slightly. It was only then that Huaiyu noticed... the room seemed different.
For example, the curtain she had just moved.
Originally, it had been made of several braids tied together haphazardly, with stray grass stems sticking out at odd angles. It was made of dry grass, which was less flexible, and Huaiyu had thought it was her fault for not weaving it better.
But now, the grass curtain had been completely replaced. The strands were neatly woven together like a mat, with precise and uniform lines, giving the entire room a much more complete feel.
Then, she looked around the room.
The rose in the "vase" by the bed had disappeared, but the simple shelves and stools she had made herself, the dirt on the floor, were all gone, cleaned spotless. The clothes she had hung to dry were not only clean but completely dry with no trace of moisture.
Even the pots and bowls from the night before had been cleaned, and the large, muddy sticks she'd brought back were now perfectly organized and chopped into neat sections, some of the larger trunks even split in half. They were stacked in order, arranged by size along the edge of the room.
The most surprising part was when she reached the bed and saw it: there, resting on the brick next to her bed, was a small, glittering ice sculpture.
The sculpture was simply a base with a line of words carved into it:
"Thank you for the rose—Lin Xuefeng"
Huaiyu opened her mouth in shock, staring at the ice sculpture. For a long moment, she didn't know what to say. Finally, she could only mutter in frustration:
"Little Snail Princess!"
...
The Little Snail Princess was gone, but Huaiyu's life had to continue.
The felon had disappeared, and Huaiyu walked toward the shed, only to stop dead in her tracks once again.
Inside, the messy branches and logs she had hastily dragged in were now neatly cut into tidy pieces.
Some of the thicker trunks had even been halved.
They were organized by size, stacked neatly at the side of the shed, looking pleasing to the eye.
When Huaiyu tentatively picked up one of the branches, she realized that these freshly cut logs had been drained of moisture. They were lightweight now, unlike before when they had been too damp to burn efficiently.
She couldn't help but glance at the ice sculpture by her bed again, and a deep sense of wistfulness stirred in her heart.