Should I start by telling her about myself?

Meeting her gaze—fleeting yet expectant—I slowly began, but found no words.

“I’m not sure where to start. Maybe you ask, and I’ll answer?”

“Alright… First, where exactly are you from? I’ve always been curious.”

“My hometown… how to put it? It’s very, very far away. Too far to ever return.”

“Can’t return? Is it one of those legendary forbidden zones?”

“No. Farther still. A place no one has ever reached. I only came here… by accident.”

“I don’t quite understand… If you can’t explain, I won’t press. But could you tell me about your life before? Did you have many friends? Family?”

*What kind of life…*

“Simply put, I lived an ordinary life. So ordinary it felt safe. Back home, everyone followed a rigid script—what to do at each age, how to get rich—all laid out by rules.”

“Sounds boring…”

“It was. But worry-free. Follow the script, stay lawful, and you’d glide smoothly through life.”

“I see. And your relationships?”

*Relationships…* I’d rather avoid this topic, but if I held back now, how could I expect her to bare her soul?

“My relationships were even duller…

I was always the obedient child—never stepping out of line, listening to adults unless their demands were unreasonable. Thanks to that, I was the ‘good kid’ to my parents, the ‘model student’ to teachers.

I kept a measured distance in everything. My grades stayed ‘excellent but not exceptional.’ With peers, I’d smile politely, humor them within limits—even the unpleasant ones—then slip away unnoticed.

Even with playmates, I instinctively held back. We’d have fun together, but parting brought no longing. So while I got along with everyone and had acquaintances I’d call ‘friends,’ I never had a true soulmate.”

“I see… It’s hard to comment on that.”

“Might sound strange, but most people back home were like that.”

“You just said you felt ‘no longing when parting,’ yet you miss home so much.”

“True… I used to measure relationships by ‘getting along while together, feeling nothing when apart.’ But I was naive. You never realize how precious ordinary moments are—with parents, classmates—until they’re truly gone. So now… I regret not having a real friend.”

A wave of sorrow rose in my chest.

*Wait—I came to comfort Sinan Ying, so why am I the one getting emotional?*

Sinan Ying listened silently. Only when my breathing steadied did she speak.

*This girl… she might actually understand others better than I thought.*

“Well, since you’ve been honest, it’d be rude for me to stay silent. First, Xiao Ye—how much do you know about the Sinan Family?”

“Hmm… The Sinans were royalty before the merger. Even now, they hold immense power. Most emperors come from your family. So the Sinans and Cleone Clan truly rule Heavens Origin Kingdom.”

“Correct. Emperors and chancellors are just puppets. The real power lies with the heads of our two clans. And now that the Cleone Clan is crushed, whoever becomes the Sinan Family head will own the entire nation!”

Her childlike innocence vanished. Her expression turned deadly serious.

“When an old head grows too frail, a successor rises. Then, eligible heirs split into factions. They stop at nothing to destroy rivals—even if they’re blood relatives. No mercy.”

“But,” I asked, “don’t great families need unity? What if enemies exploit these fights?”

“Competition wasn’t always this brutal. When the Cleone Clan threatened us, we held back. But now that all rivals are crushed? They fight without restraint.”

“How cruel… You’re telling me this because a new head is rising soon?”

“Yes…” Shadows darkened her eyes. “The current head—my father—is fading fast. No Spiritual Medicine or healing Anomaly Power users can save him. He may not last years. So the succession is rushed. I’m the youngest of six siblings. I have no talent for detection Anomalies, and my sister refuses to compete. So it’s truly a battle between my four older brothers…”

“…Which brother has the advantage?”

“I’m unsure. But probably the second brother. Grandpa Hong says nearly half the elders back him.”

“What about your sister?”

“She’s strong—a top student at Central Union Academy. The Sinans have influence there, and she represents our family. She’s safe.”

“And you?”

“…”

Her silence told me everything. In this vicious power struggle, the youngest Sinan Ying—powerless, unable to control her own Anomaly—would be a pawn. No matter who won, she’d be at their mercy.

“One last question—have past successions ever ended in death?”

“Almost always. Grandpa Hong whispered that Father killed his own brother and sister during his rise. In his first year as head, he purged every relative who challenged him…”

I sharply drew in a breath. *Ruthless as the ancient emperors.* If Sinan Ying survived, she’d likely face forced marriage—no freedom left.

I remembered our first meeting in that dim little building: her warm kindness, her adorably sweet smile. Impossible to imagine the weight she’d carried all along.

*Compared to her pain, my worries are nothing.*

Watching her, an unfamiliar ache pierced my chest—sharp, confusing. I closed my eyes, pressing a hand to my heart, trying to untangle my thoughts.

Now, two choices remained:

**One:** Leave the Sinan Family. Search for the Crossworld Gate alone. Progress would crawl, but I’d avoid this deadly power struggle.

**Two:** Stay with Sinan Ying. Return to the Imperial Capital with her. The Sinans likely held clues to the Glimmering Golden Compass—one key to the Gate. Staying would speed my search… but drag me into their war.

*Which to choose?*

My rational mind urged Option One. My heart pulled me toward Option Two. Torn, I stood silent.