The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Liu Xiyue got out of bed, moving as quietly as she could.
She stood at the bedroom door, her gaze falling upon Meng Xingyao, who was fast asleep on the bed. The other woman's brows were slightly furrowed, yet a faint smile still played at the corners of her lips, suggesting she was having a pleasant dream.
She silently turned around and gently closed the door, not making a single unnecessary sound.
"How strange! Why does it feel like I'm acting like a thief, with my heart pounding away?"
Liu Xiyue shook her head, casting aside these pointless thoughts.
She slowly walked to the balcony. The moment she pushed the door open, the rising morning sun happened to cast a ray of golden light across her shoulders.
"Seriously, where on earth did Silver Wolf run off to? If she could have let me have some fun before leaving, even if I really died in the end, it would have been worth the price of admission!"
But considering the inevitable death flag, Liu Xiyue ultimately decided not to tempt fate.
Immediately, flames erupted!
The petite, red-eyed loli was instantly swallowed by the raging flames. When the fire dissipated, her appearance had completely changed.
The red-haired woman stood there with a graceful figure, her red eyes devoid of any childishness.
Flame Heart took a deep breath, her red eyes instantly becoming resolute.
She suddenly leaped into the air, flames surging around her. Transforming into a dazzling little fireball trailing a crimson tail of flames, she sped toward Muyun City like a streak of light.
...
Elsewhere, in a certain room.
Silver Wolf was half-reclined in a gaming chair, her long legs casually draped over the edge of the desk as she slowly chewed on a piece of pink bubblegum.
The virtual screen in front of her glowed with a pale blue light. Her fingers danced through the air, and the "tap-tap" sound of her striking the virtual keyboard was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
Just then.
Achoo—
Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow and carelessly rubbed her nose.
"Hmm?" she mumbled while chewing her bubblegum. "Could it be that some blind fool is badmouthing me behind my back again?"
Putting that little episode behind her, her fingertips returned to the virtual keyboard.
However, that nasal sneeze hadn't escaped the ears of Firefly, who was nearby.
"Silver Wolf, are you okay?"
"What could possibly be wrong with me, big sister?" Silver Wolf rolled her eyes, and the bubblegum in her cheek popped with a "pop."
She reached out and tapped on the transparent cover of the instrument, looking at Firefly inside, whose face was still pale.
"If anyone should be asking, it should be me, right?"
Firefly lay inside the semi-transparent glass pod, her hospital gown as thin as a cicada's wing, rising and falling gently with her breathing.
Most striking was her fair, slender neck, where several light green veins wound like vines, peeking out from beneath her collar, their tips glowing with a faint fluorescence.
The once pure and lively girl now had her eyes closed, her face pale to the point of transparency. Those veins seemed to signify some unknown erosion, shrouding her in an atmosphere of fragility, as if she would vanish with a single gust of wind.
"I..."
"Alright, I'm just helping you run a check-up or something. It won't take long."
Silver Wolf didn't wait for Firefly to speak and interrupted her directly. How could she not guess what Firefly was thinking? She said testily,
"It's just dealing with a few small fries, isn't it? Who told you to be so impatient? I already told you there was no need to rush."
Upon hearing this, Firefly remained silent for a long time, her already listless eyes lowering involuntarily.
"How much longer will the check-up take?"
"Hmm... if it goes quickly, about a day should be enough."
"Is that so?"
Firefly's body relaxed slightly.
Her body was actually fine. But the system was so crafty; couldn't it have eliminated the side effects more thoroughly?
After several months in reality, following the reactivation of the Sam armor a few days ago, Firefly's Entropy Loss Syndrome had started acting up again.
Fortunately, it wasn't a major problem. With a good rest, Firefly would be able to walk under the sun again.
"How is Stelle over there?"
"Don't worry." Silver Wolf continued manipulating the controls without looking up, her tone indifferent.
"That person is living a comfortable life. Who knows what strange achievements they've unlocked now. As for the situation in Muyun City, [Demon King] and [Worker] are keeping an eye on it at all times."
"Is that so..."
Silver Wolf rolled her eyes at Firefly, who was staring blankly from inside the glass pod like a deflated balloon.
"Alright, alright, I've already sped things up. By this afternoon at the latest, you'll be back to full health."
Upon hearing this, Firefly's face brightened, her previous listless appearance vanishing. Even the ghastly light green veins on her neck seemed to be soothed, the fluorescence at their edges quietly fading a little.
"Thank you."
"Hmph, one of these days I'm definitely going to drag Stelle to play games with me for three days straight to make up for all the progress I missed!"
...
Muyun City.
Acheron leaned against the balcony railing, gazing into the azure sky, her thin lips parting slightly.
"Is it going to rain..."
"Awoo?"
Little Yao, who was lying on the railing, tilted her head in confusion and looked up at the sky. The clear blue expanse was spotless, without even a wisp of cloud to be found, and the breeze carried the warm fragrance of sunshine. It didn't look like it had anything to do with "rain" at all.
In the living room, Ye Guizhou rested his fingertips on the sofa armrest, his eyes twitching imperceptibly, and discreetly took out his phone.
[Today's Weather Forecast—Sunny]
Ye Guizhou: (๑˙ー˙๑)
Acheron raised her hand and gently stroked Little Yao's fluffy hair with her jade-like fingers, her fingertips carrying a slightly cool temperature, but she didn't offer any further explanation.
Just as she finished speaking, a flurry of chaotic movements suddenly came from the kitchen, accompanied by two familiar voices.
"Hey, hey, hey, Mo Xi! Don't push me! I haven't finished cutting the potatoes yet!"
"Mom, look, Dad is sitting in the living room all by himself. Why don't you go keep him company?"
"Oh, your dad's temperament—he's long been used to being on his own. Let me help you; preparing these vegetables takes time."
"No! Mom, you're busy running around every day; you must rest today!"
Mo Xi looked serious and pushed Mo Qing out of the kitchen without a word of argument.
In the past, to take care of her younger sister, Mo Xi had forced herself to learn how to cook. Although her cooking skills weren't excellent now, they were at least edible.
She had originally planned to get the ingredients ready well before the New Year's Eve dinner, but her mother had heard the noise and come over, rolling up her sleeves with great enthusiasm.
Then, she realized—her mother's cooking skills were really nothing to write home about!
Only now did Mo Xi belatedly realize why Acheron always took on the cooking duties.
Her own mother's clumsiness was simply unbearable to watch.
Her wild and unrefined knife skills were even more disastrous.
In the end, under her daughter's "kind" persuasion, Mo Qing temporarily gave up the idea of helping.
Seeing this scene, Acheron, having nothing better to do, withdrew her gaze and offered to help.
Actually, her original plan was to go out for a walk while it was still early.
Who would have thought that as soon as she mentioned this idea, it would be collectively opposed by her parents and sister.
With no other choice, Acheron had to obediently stay at home.
She was very confused about her family's obstruction.
The three of them thought to themselves: If we really let you go out alone, we wouldn't be able to celebrate New Year's Eve tonight.
Subsequently, Acheron and Mo Xi went to the kitchen and began to get busy.