Click!

Rose stepped up and swung the door. A willow-slim figure stood outside like a shadow on frost.

"I talked to them. Coco won't need to take any responsibility now." Ningxin spoke, stern as winter.

"Alright, alright~ I wasn't giving her a hard time… why so fierce?" Rose lifted her hands, helpless as a cat in rain.

"I'm going in." Ningxin said, and slipped past Rose, quick as wind through bamboo.

"Coco!" She saw Tang Coco bound to the bed, and her voice flared like a lantern in fog.

"Ning… Ning-jie…" Tang Coco's voice was weak, pain coiling in her lower belly like a knot of iron.

"Sorry. I made you suffer…" Ningxin said, guilt heavy as dusk. She tore away the bindings and sat, cradling Coco gently like holding warm porcelain.

"It's okay…" Coco breathed, the words thin as silk.

"That one didn't do anything to you, right?" Ningxin asked, worry prowling like a mother tiger.

"…N-no…" Tang Coco shook her head, awkward as a deer in headlights, wondering why everyone thought she'd be harmed.

"How is it? Does it still hurt there?" Ningxin's voice turned tender, like spring rain.

"Mm…" Tang Coco answered softly. Mentioning it made her cheeks bloom like peach petals.

"Honestly. Why push yourself at a time like this? What if something happened to you!" Ningxin spoke, fear clinging like damp mist.

"…" Tang Coco stayed quiet. She knew the worry was for her, warm as a hand on the back.

"How long did I sleep?"

"Seven hours already. We're heading back to Ninghai." Ningxin replied, steady as a compass.

Beep-beep~ Rose's phone chirped from the side like a sparrow.

"What's up?" Rose asked, voice casual as drifting smoke, speaking into the call.

"Okay. I'll bring them over." She hung up and walked toward Ningxin, steps clipped like pearls on a plate.

"Alright. Elder Ouyang has something to tell you."

"Elder Ouyang?" Tang Coco's brows knotted like dark threads.

"Can you move? I’ll carry you." Ningxin lowered her head to Coco, then rose and scooped her up in a princess carry, light as lifting a cloud.

They entered a larger room in the warship, metal scent cool as river steel. Inside stood only three people.

One was the elder she had met before, seated behind the table like an old pine on a cliff.

A male assistant hovered behind him, the look of a quiet hawk.

The third was Li Muyan, standing to the side with special cuffs on her wrists, calm as moonlight on water.

"Muyan?" Coco called, hope bright as a spark.

"Coco~" Li Muyan smiled and came over, a soft breeze in summer. "How is it? Any better?"

"Mm…" Coco's face was still pale, like paper under rain.

"Alright. Kids, sit first." The elder spoke gently, voice warm as old tea.

Ningxin carried Coco to the bed and set her down, soft as laying a quilt.

"Good. First, let me introduce myself…" The elder smiled, but Coco cut in like a blade through silk.

"Wait." Her face darkened like a storm rolling in.

"When the elder speaks, you mustn’t—" The assistant barked, sharp as a snapped bowstring, but the elder stayed his hand with a wave.

"It's fine. Go ahead." The elder looked at Coco, eyes calm as deep wells.

"One question first. Are we enemies?" Coco asked, stern as a drawn sword, pain burning low like a coal.

"That depends on your actions. If what you do doesn't threaten our country, then we're not enemies." His words fell like stones, measured.

"Up to now, have I done anything that threatens your country?" Coco pressed, voice steady as a drum.

"No. In fact, thanks to your intel, we caught a problem this big." His gaze turned grave, like clouds gathering.

"So, we aren’t enemies then."

"Correct."

"Good. If we’re not enemies, treating my friend like this… doesn’t sit right." Coco spoke, and blue particles swarmed around her like a storm of fireflies, danger humming.

"…" The elder watched in silence, still as stone.

"You!" The assistant stepped in front of the elder, words shouted like a gong.

"It's fine." The elder eased him aside and said to Coco, "Sorry. I’ll apologize. I’m old, and I blundered. Unlock the child. Now."

His order cut clean as a blade. The assistant reluctantly removed Li Muyan's cuffs.

Li Muyan sat beside Coco and took her hand, warmth rising like morning sun. She realized Coco did it all for her, and her heart softened.

"Alright. You can continue." Coco withdrew her Anomaly Power, then sank into Ningxin’s arms, the earlier flare making the pain twist tighter.

"Ha-ha-ha~ Good. I like your nature. Bold as a true strong one." The elder laughed, rich as wine.

"Then, continuing. My surname is Ouyang, given name Lingtian."

"Ouyang? Could it be…" Coco spoke, surprise fluttering like a sparrow.

"Yes. Elder Ouyang is the current head of Yanjing’s Ouyang clan." Ningxin explained, voice clear as a bell.

"Then… Ouyang Lingxue…" Coco began, the name falling like snow.

"Hm? You know Xiaoxue?" Ouyang Lingtian sounded surprised, like finding plum blossoms in frost.

"Uh… as I thought…" Coco realized the elder and Ouyang Lingxue were family. "We’re classmates."

"So that’s it. Ha-ha-ha. Seems you have fate with our Ouyang family. Good, very good." The elder beamed, joy shining like lantern light.

"…" Coco held her tongue, thoughts circling like birds.

"Alright. I don’t like circling. I’ll speak straight." The elder’s tone settled like iron. "You should know Huaguo isn’t a country that lets Abnormals act unchecked."

"By the original plan, since you wouldn’t join us, we would use force to resolve you or drive you out of Huaguo."

"But after seeing you today, and hearing what Xiaoxin told me, I’ve decided to protect you." His words came like a sheltering roof.

"Why…" Coco asked, doubt rising like mist.

"There are many reasons. Not all can be told in a few lines. Later, come to Yanjing, and we’ll talk." His eyes held distance like mountains.

"One reason I can tell now: you have enough strength." The line landed plain as a seed.

"…" Coco’s silence cooled like night water.

"So, you’ll let me act freely?" Her voice tested the ground like a cautious step.

"Sorry. I wish I could. But a nation isn’t run by one or two voices." Ouyang Lingtian shook his head, the motion slow as an old tree.

"…" Coco’s heart sank, heavy as a stone in a pond. Nothing is that simple.

"That’s why I’m here. After talking with the other elders, we made a plan. We hope you accept it."

"Speak."

"My ability can interfere with an Abnormal’s power. In other words, I can limit an Abnormal’s strength."

"So I will place a restriction on you two… limited to C-grade." His voice stayed even, like a blade in its sheath.

"…" Coco’s eyes chilled at once, frost running like a river.

"Of course, for your safety, I’ll create a way to unlock the seal. And all Huaguo’s Anomaly organizations will help you." His offer opened like a gate.

"Oh? Such a big concession. You have your goals too, right?" Coco’s words cut clean as jade.

"Yes. Our condition is this: when we face thorny matters, we need your help." His gaze held, steady as a pillar.

"That simple?" Coco asked, brows easing like loosened knots.

"That simple." Ouyang Lingtian answered with quiet confidence, like a lake in sun.

"…" Coco lowered her head, thoughts coursing like a river. Soon she looked up and said, "I won’t join any organization."

"I know. We’re not asking you to join. We’re fellow Huaguo people. We help each other when needed." His tone softened, neighborly as a courtyard gate.

"…" Coco listened, mind weighing like scales.

"And I promise we’ll strengthen Ninghai’s defenses. We’ll keep Ninghai City peaceful." His pledge stood like a wall.

"…" The words settled, quiet as falling snow.

"Honestly, I think you should rest for a while. Enjoy life, yes?" He smiled, light as spring.

"Those two from the Shadow Division too. All of you clawed back from life-and-death cliffs. A little ordinary living is good, isn’t it?" His laughter rippled like water.

"…" Coco thought, then looked to Li Muyan. This concerned her too. Li Muyan had shown strength not under Coco’s.

"I’ll follow your lead~" Li Muyan met Coco’s gaze and smiled, warm as sunlight.

"Alright… I accept your terms…" Coco finally agreed, the words falling like a settled stone.

"Excellent. Our Ouyang clan will also provide what help you need." Ouyang Lingtian smiled, promise bright as a banner.

"When does the sealing begin?" Coco asked, breath steady as a line.

"Anytime~" Golden light rose from Ouyang Lingtian again, spilling like dawn.

Coco and Li Muyan felt the Anomalous Energy in their bodies quiet, ebbing like a tide.

"For now, you can still burst into SS-level power briefly. That’s a forced unseal signal."

"After that, you can break my seal. How is it? Pretty humane~" The elder sounded proud, like a craftsman admiring his work.

"…" Coco shot him a look, cool as a glance of ice.

"But I hope you don’t do that unless it’s truly urgent. That’s best for all of us."

"Got it." Coco agreed, helpless as a sigh.

Minutes later, the sealing finished. Coco tested it. She could summon some mechanized weapons and Armor on key points.

She could use simple I Energy. But she couldn’t manifest a full-body Mech.

Li Muyan’s condition was similar, like a mirror lake.

"Then, child, can you tell us about those strange devices? You should know the details." Ouyang Lingtian asked, voice steady as drumbeat.

"Alright. I’ve got things to tell you too…" Coco said, and laid out the matters, words flowing like ink.

Next day afternoon four o’clock. Four warships docked at the navy base near Ninghai City. The scene was iron-gray, like gulls on steel.

Tang Coco wore a bitter look, her pretty face tight as winter plum. Li Muyan carried her off the ship, then into a red Buick. Don’t ask why she was carried again. Coco could only sigh; moving made the pain bite like a cold blade.

"Marilyn, you menace! Where are you!? Get over here!!!" Coco roared inwardly, fury snapping like thunder.

Ninghai City International Airport. The Will family’s private jet touched down, smooth as silk. Avril stepped off in a black long dress, shadowed like midnight orchids.

"Miss." The butler bowed, respectful as a folded fan.

"Take me to the Jinxiu Garden villas." Her words glided like a swan.

"Yes." The black Mercedes slid away from the airport, a quiet arrow in dusk.