Lu Xiu couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath, tightening the black trench coat around her slightly. The thought was bone-chilling. If Mirror October had never truly died—if he hadn’t sought revenge against the Central Bureau but instead watched coldly from the shadows, manipulating it to serve his own ends—such calculated patience was beyond human.
Especially baffling was why he, wielding power that could drive anyone mad, had never destroyed the Superhero Administration. The twists and turns behind his restraint were deeply unsettling. Lu Xiu’s gaze swept over Mirror October’s deceptively young face, her expression complex. She finally let out a quiet, resigned sigh.
“You foresaw the Central Bureau’s disintegration long ago…” That was why he hadn’t struck it down—he’d already witnessed the rot consuming this decaying organization. “So you chose to watch it crumble. To witness the complete collapse of what was once our greatest pride.” How cruel. The opposite of love wasn’t hate—it was utter indifference. The Superhero Administration had been built on the blood and dreams of their generation’s heroes. Yet…
“Truth is, before I became Saw, I tried to save the Bureau.” Mirror October leaped down from the dizzying edge of the skyscraper, closing in on Lu Xiu with deliberate intimacy. Leaning against the icy wall, he studied the sharp, elegant lines of this mature woman like a curator admiring his finest masterpiece.
“But I failed. For the first time, humanity’s endless, pathetic greed truly frightened me… By the time I understood, the rot had already taken root deep within the Bureau.”
He’d sworn to do everything possible to salvage it.
Mirror October never abandoned anything until all hope was gone. After discarding every shred of honor, he’d stop at nothing—a ruthlessness that froze the blood. Perhaps this stubborn, foolish persistence was his greatest tragedy.
“Remember? Before I left the Bureau under another identity, I spoke to you alone. Director Lu Xiu—I saw no hope there. Not even a trace.” His tone carried a teasing edge. Instantly, Lu Xiu recalled the despair in the frail researcher’s eyes during their farewell.
Love deep, hatred deeper…
“It was you!”
Lu Xiu’s first instinct was to slam Mirror October against the wall, her face flickering with stormy emotions. From his angle, her trench coat gaped open, revealing nothing beneath the chest wrap but smooth, ample curves. Leaning over him, her breasts swayed violently with each breath, threatening to spill free.
“Yes. It was me.”
Mirror October smiled with unnatural tenderness. That night, drunk, Lu Xiu had dragged the researcher to her bed for warmth… leading to endless awkwardness. She’d even hinted at marriage. After all, the hero she’d idolized was gone. Settling for someone tolerable seemed practical.
Who knew “tolerable” would mean Mirror October’s disguise? A bitterly ironic twist.
That night, dead drunk, Lu Xiu’s last coherent act was clinging to him, sobbing and clumsily seeking kisses. Tragically, she’d vomited all over him before collapsing into unconsciousness.
Mirror October had cleaned her up like a caretaker. The memory haunted her—her body seen, her helplessness excused by drunkenness. *He should’ve taken responsibility!*
“Tell me—when will you marry me?” Lu Xiu pressed harder against him, her eyes gleaming with unnatural fervor, oblivious to their compromising position. Her athletic frame, honed by years of training, was fully exposed to his gaze. Cracks spiderwebbed across the wall behind him—a perfect scene of a tough girl harassing an innocent man.
“Xiu’er, you know I feel no love for you.”
“You’re lying!”
She remembered that unforgettable night—the man sitting by her bed, his crimson eyes brimming with tenderness. How could there be no love? Not even a sliver? That heartbreakingly gentle gaze—how could she have imagined it?
“You *do* love me. Why won’t you admit it…” After years apart, their silhouettes overlapping again, she refused another rejection. The pain was unbearable. Even without love, she just wanted to be with him.
His long fingers gently wiped the dampness from her eyes. Mirror October sighed soundlessly, carefully fastening her trench coat. “It wouldn’t be fair. If every woman who loved me demanded marriage, should I accept them all?”
“Accept them! Any woman who tries to steal you answers to my fists first!!”
Lu Xiu forgot her powers were gone. She raised a delicate little fist, radiating zero menace but maximum desperation to escape singlehood. Other women? As long as Mirror October stayed impartial, she’d “convince” them to back off.
“I don’t think that’s okay.”
Mirror October chuckled helplessly. Past romantic debts? No—he’d never courted anyone. Yet now: Lan Xinyi’s ambiguous affection, Lu Xiu’s aggressive advances, memories of comrades whose loyalty had once edged toward something warmer… His head throbbed.
He swiftly buried the unwelcome emotions. For him, feelings were no longer uncontrollable. If Lu Xiu truly accepted his terms, he could share his flawless, detached tenderness.
“But since you’re decided… become my knight. Not the Central Bureau’s knight—*my* evil knight.” His voice dripped with dark, restrained allure. The hand that had been fastening her coat slipped inside, tracing slow circles on her slender waist.
The icy touch made Lu Xiu shudder. She bit her lip hard to stifle a whimper.
“But I’ve lost my Superhero powers… I can’t help you…”
“Do you think I invited you for your strength, Xiu’er?”
Slight offense sharpened his tone. His fingers, previously tracing her ribs, slid up her smooth back, teasingly tugging at the edge of her chest wrap. “Wearing nothing underneath… were you trying to tempt me, Xiu’er?”
