Arlo, after transforming into a child, ran directly toward Hua.
He crashed into her with a soft impact and tumbled to the ground. Instantly, he began crying loudly, curling into himself as if overwhelmed by fear.
Hua immediately knelt down beside him.
She gently lifted him into her arms.
"Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?" Hua asked, her voice filled with genuine concern. She carefully brushed dust off his clothes, checking him over with quick, practiced movements.
Arlo clutched her sleeve tightly, trembling.
"Help me… please… they're chasing me…" he said in a shaking, desperate voice, eyes wide with terror.
But something about him struck Hua oddly familiar.
The tone… the body language… it reminded her of her younger brother.
Hua's expression softened slightly, but her senses sharpened.
She extended her perception outward.
And felt it.
Seven presences.
Without hesitation, Hua pulled Arlo closer and hid him beneath her robe.
"Stay close. Cover yourself properly. Don't make a sound," she whispered firmly.
They moved quickly through the streets and arrived at Hua's vegetable shop.
A few customers were still waiting outside.
Hua frowned slightly.
"We'll enter from the back…" she muttered under her breath.
Carefully, she guided Arlo through the rear entrance and into the house.
Once inside, she lowered him gently.
"Stay here for a moment. Sister will close the shop. Don't go anywhere, alright?" she said softly, forcing a reassuring smile.
Arlo nodded weakly.
The moment Hua turned away—
His entire demeanor shifted.
The trembling vanished.
The fear disappeared.
He exhaled slowly.
"This dopamine spike..." he thought coldly, analyzing the physiological response.
————————————————————————————————
Outside, Hua addressed the customers.
"Sorry everyone, I have to close the shop now. I'm not feeling well today. Apologies."
She bowed slightly and shut the shop.
When she returned inside, Arlo was sitting quietly.
Hua sat directly in front of him, studying him carefully.
"What is your name?" she asked with a warm smile.
Arlo paused for a moment.
Name…? Irrelevant. I will use a low-risk identity.
"Guo," he replied calmly.
"Guo… where are your parents?" Hua asked gently, though her tone now carried subtle caution.
Arlo lowered his gaze slightly.
"They were killed by an immortal," he said, voice trembling just enough to appear real.
A pause.
Hua's hands stopped for a moment as she began preparing food.
"Do you know why they're chasing you?"
Arlo shook his head slightly.
"I don't know."
After a few minutes, Hua finished cooking.
She placed two plates of dumplings on the table.
Steam rose softly from the food.
Arlo's eyes lit up instantly.
"Ohhh! Dumplings!" he said, switching back into a childlike excitement.
He grabbed one and took a bite.
"Sister, this is really tasty!" he smiled brightly.
Hua froze for a second.
That smile…
It hit something deep in her memory.
Her younger brother used to smile the same way.
Her expression softened, and her eyes grew slightly moist.
She quickly blinked it away.
"Guo… do you have somewhere to stay?" Hua asked gently.
Arlo continued eating casually.
"No. I don't even know where I am."
Hua hesitated.
Then carefully asked—
"Then… will you stay here?"
Arlo looked up.
A short pause.
He adjusted his tone to match the role.
"Yes. If I can eat dumplings like this, I'll stay."
A beat of silence.
Then—
Hua suddenly laughed.
A light, genuine laugh she hadn't felt in a long time.
"More! More! I'm still hungry!" Arlo pointed at his empty plate, exaggerating the child act.
Hua chuckled.
"Alright, alright. I hear you."
She stood and returned to the kitchen.
The moment she left—
Arlo stopped acting completely.
He scratched his head casually and pulled out a single strand of hair.
He flicked it out the window.
Outside, in a narrow empty alley—
The strand expanded and transformed into his adult clone.
The clone stood silently.
"This body consumed nearly ten percent of my Anima Flux. Stability is below optimal range."
————————————————————————————————
What is Anima Flux?
Anima Flux is a theoretical energy state capable of converting into matter, force, or any form of energy.
It was discovered by a mad scientist: Rovelt J. Hermies.
He proposed that the original singularity was not matter or energy—but chaotic quantum superposition.
That primordial unstable state was named the following:
Anima Flux.
————————————————————————————————
Arlo's clone straightened.
"Allocate consciousness."
Immediately—
70% remained in the child's body.
30% shifted into the clone.
His awareness split cleanly.
The clone moved forward.
"Time to locate divine artifacts."
He glanced back at Hua's house once.
Then turned away.
"Anima Codex."
"Initialize."
————————————————————————————————
[ANIMA CODEX – ACTIVE]
USER: Arlo
STATUS: Split Consciousness Stable
ANIMA FLUX: 86%
————————————————————————————————
CURRENT BODY DISTRIBUTION:
-> Child Body: 70% -> Clone Body: 30% -> Unknown: ????
————————————————————————————————
ACTIVE OBJECTIVES (current):
-> Locate Divine Artifact(s)
-> Infiltrate Royal Authority Layer
-> + Add Objectives
————————————————————————————————
THREAT INDEX: Normal
————————————————————————————————
Arlo narrowed his eyes.
"The King…"
A divine artifact was likely within royal control.
That meant—
The Royal Palace.
He moved through the city.
Soon, he overheard villagers discussing the Royal Council.
A short man muttered:
"They increased cattle taxes again yesterday…"
A thin man scoffed:
"That king is losing his mind."
Another voice added:
"He's taking his 44th concubine… some noble girl sold off by her own family."
The second man clenched his fists.
"That's just human trafficking dressed as royalty…"
A third man suddenly interrupted.
"Shut up! There might be royal guards nearby!"
All three froze—
And slowly glanced toward Arlo.
Suspicious.
Arlo stepped forward calmly.
"Excuse me. I'm lost. Can you take me to the King's palace? I need to attend the Royal Council."
The moment they heard Royal Council, panic spread across their faces.
They immediately dispersed.
Arlo sighed internally.
"Predictable fear response."
————————————————————————————————
He walked toward a carriage.
Inside, the ride was silent.
As the carriage moved—
Arlo looked out the window.
He saw an old woman in her 90s, carrying chopped firewood.
She wore white clothes.
But—
She was phasing through people walking by.
She turned slowly.
And smiled directly at him.
A warped, unsettling smile.
Arlo's head jerked slightly.
"Tch… illusion interference?"
A wave of dizziness hit him.
"My immunity should block—"
His vision blurred.
And he collapsed.
————————————————————————————————
…Sometime later…
"Sir… we've arrived. Royal Palace."
Arlo opened his eyes slowly.
Bright light flooded his vision.
He blinked repeatedly.
"Payment," he said flatly.
"40 coppers."
He paid without hesitation.
Before him stood the massive Royal Palace gate.
Two guards blocked entry.
This was the threshold.
"Loki." Arlo sent telepathically.
A tired voice responded.
"Boss… I'm out of Anima. You're on your own. Also, seven seals are deployed on another mission. We're securing a contract. High priority."
Arlo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A contract requiring all Seven Seals… interesting."
Then calmly—
"Secure it. No mistakes."
Connection cut.
Arlo stared at the Royal Palace gate.
His mind calculated every possible outcome.
Every risk.
Every variable.
Then—
He stepped forward.
Toward the palace.