"Zane, wake up already! If you're any later, Master will punish you again."
A familiar voice rang by his ear. Little Zane slowly opened his eyes.
In a hazy blur, a clear white figure stood in front of him with her hands on her hips.
Her snow-white long hair was tied into twin ponytails, swaying beside her like two cute little dragons.
The little girl wore a plain white dress. Delicate and doll-like, she looked exquisitely perfect.
The soft, well-behaved girl blinked lightly. Seeing Zane still sprawled on the bed, she puffed up her cheeks and grabbed him, yanking him straight off the bed.
"Still sleeping? Master told us to go to her study at this hour, did you forget?"
Dragged up, Zane rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"What's the rush, Hsi? We're already late anyway. Being a bit late gets us scolded, being a whole day late also gets us scolded. Isn't that basically the same?"
The girl in front of Zane was Jinhsi.
Only, during childhood, Hsi had not yet been given the surname "Jin," and was still simply called Hsi.
As he spoke, Zane made as if to throw himself back onto the pillow again.
But Hsi was faster. She grabbed his ear and yanked him right back up from the bed.
With his ear pinched, Zane had no choice but to climb out of bed with a bitter face.
Only after seeing him get up did Hsi let go. Then a hint of worry appeared on her round little face.
"Zane, are you okay… did I hurt you just now? I'm sorry, I forgot you're not a Resonator anymore…"
As she spoke, Hsi leaned closer to his ear.
Even though she hadn't used much strength, she was still afraid she might have accidentally hurt him by losing control.
Because his body had no frequency, Zane's physique was very weak.
Seeing the spot on his ear she had pinched turn red, Hsi's crystal-like eyes shimmered.
She leaned close, wrapping her arms around his small body, and gently blew on the spot she had pinched.
A faint fragrance drifted over, making one's heart itch.
But Hsi quickly realized they were really going to be late. She immediately grabbed Zane and ran toward Changli's study.
Two little white-haired bundles ran along with the rising morning sun.
They passed through the streets and alleys of Jinzhou, slipping past the crowd.
At this moment, no one knew that these two children would one day completely transform Jinzhou.
"Look, look! Those two kids are so cute!"
"Yeah, both of them are dressed in white with white hair. They must be siblings, right?"
"No, no, definitely an older sister and younger brother. Look, the little girl is pulling the boy forward."
"I really want to hug them and squeeze them!!!"
"Bro, are you sane? Huanglong has a complete legal system…"
Zane and Hsi, who were sprinting at full speed, naturally didn't hear the chatter of the passersby.
Several times along the way, Hsi deliberately slowed down so Zane could adjust to the intense running.
And although Zane was drenched in sweat, to respond to the expectations of the little figure ahead, he gritted his teeth and followed closely behind Hsi.
Two childish footsteps approached from afar. Changli, who had been buried in her desk work, had just lifted her head when she saw two white little bundles rush into the courtyard.
"Master, we're here."
Hearing Hsi respectfully greet her the moment they entered, and seeing Zane lying on the ground, panting heavily and unable to move, Changli wanted to laugh but forced a serious expression instead. A trace of anger appeared in her phoenix-like eyes.
"Hsi, Zane, why are you late again today?"
Zane, who had been gasping nonstop, instantly went silent, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Let alone meet Changli's gaze, which seemed capable of seeing straight through a person.
"I woke up late."
Little Hsi lightly squeezed Zane's hand, helped her younger brother up from the cold ground, and sat him on a chair.
Then she took the initiative to walk up to Changli.
Looking at the little dragon girl who had only grown to her thigh yet was already protecting her brother, Changli couldn't help the gentle smile that appeared in her eyes. She reached out and softly rubbed Hsi's white hair.
"You used that excuse the day before yesterday."
"Mm… then I couldn't find my clothes when I woke up… no! I just woke up late!"
Hsi spoke instinctively, then realized Master was deliberately saying that. She immediately tried to change her words, but it was already too late.
Changli shook her head helplessly as she watched Hsi anxiously defend her brother.
Even if Hsi hadn't instinctively tried to correct herself, she already knew Zane had always been lazy by nature.
In all of Jinzhou, only Hsi could drag him out of bed;
And only Hsi could make Zane grit his teeth and undergo this level of physical training.
But even so, Hsi and Zane were indeed late.
So an appropriate punishment was still necessary…
Hsi's punishment was to copy the laws of Jinzhou. As for Zane, he had to run a full lap around Jinzhou City within half an hour.
Amid Zane's wailing, Changli turned her gaze toward Hsi, who had fallen into thought.
"Hsi, do you know why I'm punishing you to copy the laws of Jinzhou?"
Hearing Changli's question, Hsi pondered for a moment before answering, "Master wants me to understand that no matter the intention, a mistake is still a mistake?"
"That's right." A glint of approval flashed in Changli's phoenix eyes as she nodded.
Although this world isn't purely black and white, once truth exceeds its applicable scope, it becomes a fallacy.
The same applies to laws.
But these things were still too distant for Hsi right now. At present, it was enough for her to understand that merit must be rewarded and faults must be punished.
"As a magistrate, one must clearly distinguish rewards and punishments, balancing grace and authority. Having you copy the laws is also to help you remember every single statute."
Of course, Changli didn't say the next sentence, only by mastering the laws could one find their blind spots, thereby maximizing the ability to prevent crime or exercise the magistrate's authority.
"I understand, Master."
Hsi obediently bowed to Changli, then consciously picked up the law book and went to the side to begin copying.
Watching Hsi sit quietly and copy the laws, Changli's brows relaxed, and the satisfaction on her face deepened. But she hadn't forgotten the other white-haired bundle.
"And you, what did you understand?"
"I understood… Master just doesn't like me!"
"…"
Hsi lowered her head in slight despair. This time, there was really no saving him.
"Oh?" Changli narrowed her eyes, a half-smile on her face.
"I didn't expect you to see through that."
As she spoke, a crimson swift blade suddenly appeared in her hand... The blade Changli used to kill enemies.
Seeing Master take out this blade, as if she had truly become angry, Hsi's expression changed instantly.
This blade contained Changli's fire power. Even if it wasn't used to cut someone, it could still function as a magical artifact.
Without caring whether her own punishment would be increased, Hsi threw down the law book and ran in front of Zane, spreading her small arms to shield him behind her.
"Master, Zane is used to talking nonsense. Please don't take it to heart."
Seeing Hsi's actions, the light in Changli's eyes turned unclear, but she didn't lower the blade in her hand.
"Hsi, are you sure you still want to shield him at a time like this?"
Hsi was still young and didn't think too much. She continued to firmly spread her arms, standing in front of Zane.
"Master, Zane is my younger brother. Of course I have to protect him!"
"No matter when?"
"No matter when or where, I will protect Zane!"
Zane looked at the girl in front of him in astonishment.
On the little girl's back, the sound mark flickered on and off, shining with dazzling brilliance. A vast resonance power gradually spread out from Hsi's body.
A pale light suddenly burst forth from Changli's courtyard, forming a spectacle across Jinzhou City.
"Hey, look over there, what's that?"
"The Sentinel! It's the Sentinel manifesting!"
That was the power bestowed upon her by the Sentinel, the power of time sequence.
Driven by her will to protect, the young Hsi triggered her resonance ability for the first time.
Seeing this, Changli put away her blade in satisfaction, but a deep sense of helplessness appeared on her face.
"Since Hsi insists on protecting you, I'll record this punishment for now. If you offend again in the future, the punishments will be combined!"
After saying that, she flicked her sleeve and hurriedly turned to leave.
What had happened here couldn't be known by others for the time being…
She couldn't guarantee whether someone with ill intentions might set their sights on these young siblings.
So she had to act first, strangling any hidden danger in the shadows before it could take shape.
Only the pair of siblings remained outside the study, keeping each other company.