A suffocating hush hung over the area—then the crowd's noise surged back in, washing the eerie silence away.
"That woman… that woman actually dared to say that to the leader…"
"Is she trying to die?!"
"Everyone back up! If the boss loses it and sets the whole place on fire, we'll get caught in the blast!"
Chen Mo, meanwhile, had finally slipped free of Patriot and FrostNova's obstruction. He turned his head toward the three of them locked in a standoff, interest written all over his face.
"I didn't think you had it in you, Exusiai. I always figured you'd only talk big about me in private. Now I'm impressed."
"…Hahaha. Really?"
Exusiai, after squeezing the trigger and realizing Talulah looked completely fine, was starting to panic. She scratched the back of her head awkwardly, eyes darting everywhere except Talulah's face.
"So, uh… does this mean I passed your test?"
Talulah slid her sword back into its sheath without a word. At the same time, Texas moved to Exusiai's side and quickly dragged her behind her.
Exusiai was filthy—soot-stained, battered, and disheveled. Yet Talulah didn't explode the way everyone expected. She simply stood where she was, taking several deep breaths, as though forcibly swallowing down her fury.
Anger? Of course she was angry. She wanted nothing more than to cut that foul-mouthed street punk down with a single stroke.
But she couldn't.
Even putting aside what her comrades would think—Chen Mo would never allow her to lay a hand on his friend.
So she forced the rage down until her chest felt tight and heavy, and began thinking instead.
Exusiai could not be allowed to keep running wild like this. Someone had to be able to restrain her.
Her first thought was Ch'en Hui-chieh, but her little sister had her own work—there was no way she could babysit Exusiai around the clock.
So… who?
Her gaze lifted—and landed on that striking gray figure ahead. Those cold eyes were fixed on Talulah, as if afraid she might do something unforgivable.
…She might work.
"Ms. Texas, please come with me."
Texas frowned, confused. She barely had anything to do with this mess—she'd only come to help.
And yet Talulah wasn't calling Exusiai over. She was calling her.
What was this Draco playing at?
Even with a mind full of questions, Texas extinguished her light sword and followed, pacing after Talulah toward a more distant spot.
Exusiai stared after them in disbelief. "Wait—Talulah, you still haven't told me—!"
"Relax. You weren't seriously hung up on that 'test,' were you?"
A familiar voice—one that made her heart seize—slid into her ear.
Exusiai instantly straightened, adopting a prim, earnest posture.
"Of course I care! That's my future sister-in-law. If she doesn't approve, how am I supposed to marry you later?"
"Heh. You sure are dreaming big, you pervy angel."
Chen Mo laughed and gave her back a solid pat. "If you want me to agree to… very intense activities with you, you've got a long road ahead, you cringe woman."
Chen Mo's teasing made Exusiai's face burn bright red. She nodded so hard it was practically a salute.
"I'll work harder! I swear!"
She hadn't expected it—after Chen Mo found out those things, after she shouted something that brazen in public, he didn't look disgusted at all. He didn't even blush.
It was like he simply… didn't get embarrassed. Like he didn't care in the slightest.
And the truth was, Chen Mo really didn't. He just thought everything happening was hilarious.
Most men would've been mortified and refused to speak to her again on the spot.
Thud.
A heavy footstep landed.
"Motives… impure. But conduct… acceptable."
Patriot arrived with FrostNova at his side. Facing that towering elder, Exusiai wasn't afraid—she even flashed him a big grin.
"Hehe. Thanks for the compliment."
"Don't praise her, Dad. If Talulah hears, she'll lose it."
Arms crossed, FrostNova flicked a look at Exusiai—still grinning stupidly after saying something outrageous—then lowered her voice to Chen Mo.
"Talulah made too much noise. Lungmen's official forces will be here any moment."
"We should move. Leave Lungmen. Once Talulah gets back, use whatever time you have left to catch up with your sister properly."
So urgent?
But it made sense. Reunion wasn't a group that could afford to sit idle.
Chen Mo nodded, hugging his tail to his chest as he brushed ash and grime from the scales.
"Got it. But where are you heading after you leave Lungmen? Any idea yet?"
"That depends on what we decide together with Talulah. Who discusses major plans while leaving the leader out of it?"
FrostNova's eyes shifted toward the distant figures in uniform rushing this way. Then, unexpectedly, she gave Chen Mo a faint smile.
"That's enough for now. If fate allows, we'll meet again, Chen Mo."
"And one more thing—try to keep your distance from your sister. She's a complete freak right now. If you don't want to be bullied, remember what I'm saying."
"Lastly… thank you."
Thank you for waking Talulah up. Thank you for bringing Reunion back to what it was supposed to be.
With a soft chuckle at the face that resembled Talulah so closely, FrostNova turned and headed after Talulah's trail.
All around them, the infected saw the approaching Lungmen personnel and began to withdraw as well, melting away behind FrostNova until they vanished from Chen Mo's view.
Aside from Exusiai—standing there daydreaming shamelessly about her bright future—only Patriot remained, staring Chen Mo down as though they were locked in a silent contest.
"Old Dad, do you have something else to say?"
"…I will… teach Talulah… to keep her distance from you. I hope you won't… come to hate… your blood kin because of it."
Oh. He was worried Talulah's clinginess would make Chen Mo resent her.
Chen Mo waved it off casually. "It's fine. My sister's possessive as hell and definitely a brothercon, but she's not a bad person. She's just… a little extreme."
"And you should get going too. If Lungmen sees me getting along with you, that's another mountain of trouble I don't need."
Patriot nodded without arguing. He hefted his halberd and walked away.
And the moment he left—
A voice, familiar and full of anger, cut in from behind.
"Chen Mo!"
…
All around them were infected tents and daily supplies. Texas swept a quick glance across the camp, then fixed Talulah with a cold stare.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
"Are you trying to—"
"Ms. Texas," Talulah interrupted calmly, "do you have a partner right now?"
Texas's brows knit—then her muscles loosened slightly, despite herself. "…No."
A beat.
Then her eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me you want me to compete with Exusiai for your brother."
What was wrong with this woman's head? Did she seriously think her brother was some irresistible treasure that every woman would rush to bite into?
"Yes."
Talulah answered with startling frankness. Her sword remained in its sheath—clear proof she had no intention of fighting Texas.
"In my view, you're far more suitable to become my brother's future partner than Exusiai is."
"So rather than calling this test something meant for Exusiai…"
Talulah's gaze held steady.
"Think of it as something I prepared—unexpectedly—for you."
Texas's response was still that wolf-cold stare.
Talulah hesitated for a long moment. Then, with obvious pain in her expression, she reached into her pocket and produced a gray-black scale—placing it into Texas's hand.
"…What is this?"
"A reward for passing the trial."
When Texas didn't immediately throw it back, Talulah pushed it into her palm with forced determination, then continued in a tone laced with carefully arranged regret.
"It was a parting gift my brother gave me. It matters to him."
"But unfortunately, I'm not a competent sister."
Talulah sighed—deliberately, theatrically. "The road ahead of me is full of danger and uncertainty. So I want you to hold onto it for me. Keep it safe."
Silence.
Then Texas spoke, flat as ever.
"Why not give it to Exusiai? My relationship with Chen Mo isn't as close as you seem to believe."
The cold sensation in her palm felt strange. Unfamiliar.
Oddly… she didn't dislike it.
"I just said this is the reward for passing the trial." Talulah's voice remained even. "And do you honestly believe that reckless Sarkaz-angel would keep something like this safe?"
Texas fell quiet for a long time. In the end, she slipped the scale into her pocket.
…For Exusiai's sake, then. That's all.
Seeing Texas didn't reject her outright, Talulah's worry eased considerably.
In truth, there was no grand "parting gift" story at all—except that the scale really had been plucked off Chen Mo. Everything else was Talulah improvising on the spot.
All of it—every word—was simply to plant a seed in this cold, distant Lupo's heart.
A seed buried deep enough to take root.
Deep enough to change her existing beliefs.
As that thought surfaced, Talulah raised a brow slightly.
…Why did this feel so familiar?
Why did it feel like she was doing something that snake Koschei would do?
....
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