Gu Xin drove, taking Tang Coco away from Ouyang Lingrain’s apartment tower. The white Porsche glided through the night like a swan on a dark lake.

Inside, neither spoke. Streetlights winked like scattered embers. Tang Coco watched the window; Gu Xin kept the wheel steady—but her lips twitched like a snagged thread. Suddenly—

Pfft—

Gu Xin couldn’t hold it. A laugh popped out, quick as a spark.

“Is it that funny?”

Shame warmed Tang Coco’s cheeks like sunrise. Facing the glass, she chided in a rain-soft voice.

“You’ve really gotten a lot clumsier.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m the dumbest.”

Self-mockery dulled her tone like fog on glass.

“All right, don’t be upset. For a girl, a hint of clumsiness looks cuter, doesn’t it?”

Gu Xin smiled, calm as moonlight.

“...”

“Forget it. Maybe I’m just fated to be picked on.”

Tang Coco blew out a breath, light as wind through reeds.

“Xin’er, head to Jinxiu Garden.”

“Hm? Where exactly, and what are you looking for?”

Gu Xin’s brow lifted like a drawn bow.

“Just drive that way. I’ll explain slowly.”

Her voice leveled, cool as a pond.

“Okay.”

Headlights carved silver paths as they turned west, toward Ninghai City’s edge.

“Xin’er, have you wondered why I became a woman?”

Tang Coco lowered her gaze, skin pale as porcelain, eyes on her own arm.

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it. I guess chaotic Anomalous Energy changed your body. It’s my best guess.”

Gu Xin placed her words like stones, careful and sure.

“Ah… if only it were that simple.”

Resignation washed over her like a gray tide.

“...”

Gu Xin held her tongue, letting the silence stand like a still grove.

“I met something called the Fate Clock.”

“Fate Clock? What is that?”

“I don’t know. But… I think my father might know the reason.”

“Your father? Didn’t he, years ago…”

Gu Xin trailed off, memory a shadowed corridor. She only knew Tang Coco’s father died on a mission.

“Yes. That last mission. I found his body on that island, and it broke me, sent me raging.”

“Mhm.”

“After my Anomalous Energy self-detonated, I woke on Ninghai’s shoreline. But the watch my father always wore… it came with me.”

“A watch?”

“Mm.”

“I see… and that watch is linked to the Fate Clock?”

“I think so. After my first faint, I entered a strange space and saw the Fate Clock itself. Its face matched that watch exactly.”

“Then it’s connected. A normal watch wouldn’t follow you through rebirth.”

Gu Xin’s guess landed like an arrow in hay.

“Mm, I think so too.”

Tang Coco nodded, small as a sparrow’s dip.

“So you’re rushing to Jinxiu Garden because…”

Gu Xin caught the thread like a weaver.

“Right. I left the watch in Ye Yiyi’s villa. Blame my slow brain—I only remembered now.”

“Hey, your slower reaction and thinking must be tied to that Fate Clock. If it could change your body, it can change your mind. Don’t hold yourself to your old standards… and honestly, this you looks very girlish.”

Gu Xin’s words were warm, like hands around a teacup.

“Eh…”

Soon they reached the villa district of Jinxiu Garden. The area around Ye Yiyi’s villa was sealed, but other streets lived like quiet nests.

They got out and walked toward the ruins. Night air cooled like a shallow stream. Gu Xin fetched a red jacket from the car and wrapped it around Tang Coco.

At the rubble’s heart, the place had been combed. Big slabs still hunched like broken whales, but smaller shards and items were gone.

“How could this happen…”

Sadness pressed her voice flat, like rain on paper. The watch might be lost.

“Don’t panic. Ningxin’s people handled this. Maybe she found the watch and picked it up.”

Gu Xin’s calm spread like cedar shade.

“Right. I’ll call her.”

Tang Coco pulled out her phone, hope thin as a thread, and dialed Ningxin.

The line rang ten seconds, then clicked alive.

“Hello? Coco? Why the sudden call?”

Ningxin sounded bright, like bells in a hall.

“Ning-jie, I want to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“When you cleaned Yiyi’s old villa, did you find an army-green old wristwatch?”

“Hm? Let me check. The things left from Yiyi’s place are in one box. I’ll look.”

“Okay. Thanks, Ning-jie.”

“No need to be polite. Give me five minutes.”

Tang Coco waited, nerves tight as a drawn string. Beside her, Gu Xin hooked an arm through hers, eyes steady like anchoring stones.

“Hello? Coco?”

Minutes later, the voice returned like a door opening.

“I’m here.”

“Found it. There is a watch. Looks broken though—the hands spin backward.”

“Oh, great. As long as it’s still there.”

Relief unfurled in her chest like a kite catching wind.

“Mm. Come by tomorrow, then. I have some things to tell you.”

Ningxin tucked the watch away, tone firm as lacquer.

“Okay. I’ll come in the morning.”

“Mm. I’ve got work. That’s all. Bye-bye.”

“Bye.”

Tang Coco lowered the phone, breath smoothing like settling sand.

“Well? Found, right?”

Gu Xin smiled, light as a lantern glow.

“Mm.”

She tried a smile, thin as a crescent moon.

“All right. Don’t overthink it. I’ll take you to Yiyi’s.”

“Okay.”

By eight-thirty, they reached Ye Yiyi’s new villa. Warm light pooled like honey along the path.

“Coco, why are you dressed like this?”

As she stepped in, Ye Yiyi stared, surprise flaring like sparks.

“Oho—who are you dressing up for?”

Li Muyan’s lips curled, eyes roaming like a cat on the prowl.

“Uh…”

Her phone chimed, crisp as a bell. She checked the screen—Meng Xiaoxiao.

“You’ll know in a second…”

She sighed, helpless as a feather in a breeze. She answered, put it on speaker, then—

“Coco-jie! Why did you run off! You’re wearing my treasured outfit! And! Where did you take my car!!”

Meng Xiaoxiao roared from the other end, like a little dragon breathing fire.

“...”

Everyone but Tang Coco wore the same deadpan, lines dark as ink across their faces.

“See?”

She told them with a resigned look, then stepped aside to explain to Meng Xiaoxiao.

“Xiaoxiao, listen. I’ll explain…”

“All right, I brought her. Please take care of her from now on.”

Gu Xin turned to Ye Yiyi, words gentle as silk.

“No problem, Sister Gu. You should drop by often too.”

Ye Yiyi stepped up, holding Gu Xin’s hand like ivy on a gate.

“Okay. I’ll head out. Lulu can stay at our place.”

“Mm.”

Gu Xin left, steps quiet as drifting leaves.

After many promises and apologies, Tang Coco finally soothed Meng Xiaoxiao. The storm passed like a summer shower.

Soon, Tang Coco, Ye Yiyi, and Li Muyan sat together again for dinner. Warm dishes steamed like small clouds.

“Coco, do you have plans tomorrow?”

Ye Yiyi looked at her, eyes clear as wells.

“Mm. Ning-jie asked me to come by in the morning.”

“I see. Handle that. But don’t forget—Monday’s the day after tomorrow. You’re coming to school with me.”

“Okay… I’ll remember.”

School brought both joy and gloom, twin tides tugging at her heart.

That night, all three returned to their rooms and slept. The day’s weight fell away like dust.

After two, most of the city slept. Yet the Imperial Walk Club blazed with lights, a hive awake in the dark.

“That’s enough. Start.”

Ningxin checked the time in her office. Her tone cut clean as a blade. She spoke to her aide, Xiao Qiao.

“Yes.”

Xiao Qiao left. Soon, black commercial vans packed with personnel and gear flowed out like a midnight convoy toward every part of Ninghai City. The Huaguo Anomaly Organization joined hands with the local military, full-force. Using Tang Coco’s clues, they launched a broad sweep for illegal Abnormals and contraband devices. Meanwhile, Huaguo’s headquarters had fully analyzed that mysterious pistol. Copying and mass production had begun.

Knock knock knock—

Sudden knocks thudded against Ningxin’s office door.

“Come in.”

Click.

The door opened. Rose stepped in, black short skirt swaying like a petal.

“Hm? Why are you still here? Weren’t you out on assignment?”

Ningxin’s question was cool, like a shaded spring.

“My assignment is to investigate Tang Coco. You never told me where she is.”

Rose spoke lightly, but a wire hummed under the words.

“...”

Ningxin’s face cooled like iron in snow.

“Hands off her. She’s untouchable.”

“You care about her a lot.”

Rose ignored the chill, settling on the desk like a cat on a sunlit sill.

“This isn’t about caring. She’s critical to us right now. I don’t want you wrecking our rapport. Remember, she’s an SS-class Abnormal. If we sour things, we gain nothing.”

“I know. I won’t ruin anything. It’s just… I’ve never seen such a unique SS-class. I want to understand her more.”

“Save it. I know your little schemes. My advice—don’t get too close.”

Ningxin’s tone hardened, a door barred.

“Fine…”

Without warning, Rose leaned close, voice soft as velvet.

“Then I won’t get too close to her. Can I get closer to you?”

“...”

“There’s nothing to talk about between us.”

Ningxin turned away, gaze like frost.

“Don’t. You misunderstood what happened back then.”

“Enough. I don’t want to revisit it.”

“Xin’er, can’t you hear me out?”

“There’s nothing to explain.”

“...”

“Okay. I’ll go.”

Seeing her resolve, Rose didn’t press. She rose, steps hollow like distant heels.

“...”

Ningxin said nothing, eyes tracking Rose as she left the office, her silence deep as a sealed box.

“Ah… what should I do…”

Walking the corridor, Rose fretted, thoughts tangled like vines. She’d come to mend what lay between them, but Ningxin was hard stone.

“Right. I can try Tang Coco. Xin’er will listen to her.”

The idea lit like a lantern. Rose pulled out her phone and dialed a number.