"Sister, sister! Brother Lin Ran just took me shopping for clothes... We bought so many, all on sale! And—and at the end, there was a raffle! I won first prize! Everything was ten percent off! All those clothes cost only three hundred yuan!"

Lin Ran could see Xu Mo's beaming face.

Everyone's threshold for happiness was different.

He was in a decent mood too, but he figured Xu Mo's opinion of him had probably dropped a bit. After all, he'd seemed completely indifferent to her feelings.

People who were sensitive often picked up on countless emotions. Lin Ran had deliberately ignored Xu Mo's hurt and unhappiness earlier. It came across as self-centered, like he didn't care about her pride at all. That probably cost him points.

Losing points was a good thing.

Feelings like affection struck without reason—maybe just a heartbeat in a single moment. But even if Lin Ran was being self-absorbed, he didn't want that to happen. These tangled thoughts were too complicated. He stopped overthinking it. He walked side by side with Xu Mo along the roadside. Tree shade dappled down, and a gentle breeze brushed past.

Xu Zhi had offered to treat them to a decent Japanese restaurant, calling it repayment for the clothes. Lin Ran readily agreed. Now he and Xu Mo were on their way there.

"I believe it now... you and Sister aren't like that," Xu Mo murmured suddenly.

Lin Ran turned his head, his expression slightly puzzled.

"You didn't buy anything for Sister..." Xu Mo stuck out her little tongue.

Lin Ran chuckled helplessly. "Well, you've got a point there."

"So what do you actually do?"

"Me? I work at the same place as your sister. But she's a referee. I fight in the ring."

"Fight? But you don't look... that muscular," Xu Mo muttered softly.

"Underground fights. Doesn't matter. Whoever's left standing wins."

Xu Mo had probably heard rumors. Her expression tensed a little. "Have you... ever thought about changing jobs?"

"Not for now. This is fine as it is."

"What about Mom's surgery money..."

"Consider it a loan to her. No rush to pay back. Take it slow. And hey, why's a kid asking so many questions? Focus on your studies. Just live well."

"Don't talk like an adult! You're only four or five years older. And... I'm not a kid. I'll be eighteen soon—in half a month!" Xu Mo let out a soft huff. Her cute, petite nose twitched slightly.

It was an unconscious, spoiled gesture.

Lin Ran smiled at her. After a few seconds, she realized it. Her face flushed as she turned away. "W-why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing. Turning eighteen is great," Lin Ran replied softly.

He noticed Xu Mo's steps had grown lighter. The heavy burden on her shoulders seemed lifted. The vibrant energy of youth, meant for her age, was slowly spreading back.

Lin Ran and Xu Mo each scanned a shared bike. They rode to the Japanese restaurant. Xu Zhi was already waiting outside.

She wore a summer white tank top and jeans, showing her collarbone and waist. Her twin tails were tied up. No makeup—just fresh-faced, with fair skin, a slim waist, and long legs.

She waved at Lin Ran and Xu Mo. They walked over. Xu Mo stuck close to Xu Zhi's side. Lin Ran sat across from the two girls. After lunch, Lin Ran stood up. He leaned in slightly. "I'll head home first, okay?"

"Leaving already?" Xu Zhi sipped her soda.

"Yeah. Nothing else to do. I'll visit your mom in the hospital another day. I'll message you. Oh, and take this."

Lin Ran handed Xu Zhi a bank card he'd prepared earlier.

Xu Zhi looked at him, confused.

"The chips from that day—I exchanged them. The extra twenty-six thousand is all here. Post-surgery care costs money. You take it. I'm not short on cash."

Xu Zhi hesitated. "I still have some savings."

"Not much left, right? You already owe me so much. What's a little more?"

"Alright." Xu Zhi finally took it. Lin Ran turned and walked out. His steps were crisp, without a hint of hesitation. His shared bike waited at the door. He suddenly felt like riding around the city. So he drifted like that all afternoon.

................................................

Xu Zhi needed new shoes. Her old pair had broken recently. She planned to browse the mall. Since her sister was here, they doubled back to Huangge Plaza.

But... Xu Zhi visited several stores. In the end, she barely spent anything. Something felt off to Xu Mo. The sales staff weren't nearly as enthusiastic as before. She discreetly noticed it. Clothes that were supposedly discounted had no sale tags at all. While wandering, she even saw a woman buy a dress identical to one she'd purchased earlier. The clerk never mentioned any discount!

Xu Mo stayed silent.

Finally, Xu Zhi picked a simple pair of white sneakers. As they walked to the exit together, the staff member who'd run the mall promotion had vanished completely. Not a trace remained.

...So strange.

Xu Mo's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She wandered out of the mall in a daze, tucking this small worry deep inside. She didn't tell Xu Zhi.

"Hey, what about that raffle? Sister wanted to try her luck."

"It was there this morning... Maybe it just ended," Xu Mo replied, her voice distant.

What on earth was going on?!

................................................

Lin Ran cycled around the city until sunset painted the streets ahead. He returned the shared bike. At a hole-in-the-wall eatery, he ordered a plate of egg fried rice.

The rice was too soft, too oily. The eggs were slightly overcooked. But it tasted good. Maybe because the hazy kitchen smoke carried the scent of everyday life. He finished the whole plate with a spoon. Wiping his lips with a tissue, he suddenly didn't know where to go next.

Go home? Back to that tiny concrete box. Turn on the computer, listen to music, play games? Well, he could tease that little cat now.

He had no fights these days. Life had no clear goals. For a moment, he felt adrift. A quiet unhappiness crept in.

In the end, he took the last bus. Sitting alone in the back seat, he cracked the window open. He watched the sunset fade until darkness fell. He got off, returned home, opened the door. He refilled the cat's water and food bowl. He didn't turn on the computer. Drawing the curtains, he sank into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

..............................................

Late night.

Inside a KTV private room, several men held girls close, drinking and singing. Laughter and noise filled the air.

The girls were all young and pretty. These four men were especially generous tippers. They looked around thirty-four, dressed casually. But their conversation topics... the girls dared not listen. Even if they heard, they pretended not to.

"That girl Ink Orange Ice—such an ungrateful brat. The Alliance is recruiting her. She won't join them or us... I begged and reasoned, but she kept giving us the cold shoulder."

"She's probably badly injured now. How's your wound, Fourth Brother?"

"Fine. That woman ran fast. She'll likely join The Alliance next. If she doesn't, when we find her, we'll cripple her, drag her back. Play with her all night. See if she can keep that poker face."

The men clinked glasses, spewing filthy words. The girls forced smiles, performing acts. The men grew restless, pulling a girl over and groping her immediately.

These girls wore nothing underneath.

But someone pushed the door open, interrupting the party.

Ordinary staff—or even the boss—wouldn't dare enter uninvited. Yet the door opened. The intruder even cut the music. The room plunged into dead silence.

The newcomer wore a pure black mask. It covered his face, leaving only his eyes visible. In the darkness, it looked eerie.

The four men on the sofa stopped their hands. Their eyes narrowed with caution. "Who are you?"

They exchanged glances. None recognized him.

The masked figure was likely a man. His voice was icy. "Ink Orange Ice is mine. You injured her?"

"I'm in a bad mood today. You... won't leave here in one piece."

This was a challenge. The men stood, ready to fight. But before they could speak, the masked man snapped his fingers.

Bang!

The sound erupted right among the four men. Three turned their heads. Their eyes widened. Their mouths gaped wide enough to swallow an egg. Beside them, Fourth Brother—who'd just been joking—now had nothing where his head should be. Like a burst watermelon, dark red blood spurted from his neck under pressure, splattering his three brothers.

The survivors roared in heart-wrenching fury. They charged at the masked man. The air heated up. Flames surged from one man's body. Another's muscles swelled wildly, tripling his size. His clothes ripped apart. The last locked eyes with the masked man, muttering under his breath.

Among them: three S Rank, one A Rank. Fourth Brother was A Rank—his power was metal control. But he never got to use it. His head had already exploded.

Now the three S Rank pushed their energy to the limit. This power could level the entire KTV building in minutes.

But the masked man simply raised his hand. He snapped his fingers again—a dull, heavy click.

Bang!

Three more headless corpses dropped. Brain matter and blood splattered every corner of the room. Chunks of flesh stuck to the girls' bodies. They were utterly broken, huddled together, screaming and sobbing until the sound echoed through the whole floor.

"Let's go."

He glanced coldly at the scene. Turned. Walked out. Left the door open.

As casually as buying two cabbages.