Chapter Fifty-Nine: Tianhe and Miyuki

"Measurement complete. You're currently at the critical point. Do you wish to proceed with the upgrade?" Reiko's voice sounded from outside the instrument. Xie Liu shook his head. "Not for now. It's only been a bit over two months. If I keep upgrading consecutively, it might put unnecessary strain on my body. I'm not in a rush for a day or two." With that, he stepped down from the detection apparatus. Reiko emerged from behind the massive control console, observing Xie Liu—who, despite his youthful appearance, exuded a calm and unhurried manner. She nodded slightly. "You seem to have changed."

"Have I?" Xie Liu began re-equipping his weapons and gear, one by one. Reiko watched him with keen interest. The young man before her looked like a mere child, yet his innocent face was marked by a resolve unlike any she had seen before, tinged with a trace of sorrow. For one so young, he had already lived through more than most would in a lifetime.

"Sometimes you need to learn to go out and enjoy life, you know," Reiko said, leaning over the laboratory desk and grinning at him. "After all, you're only twenty." Xie Liu, fastening his tactical belt, paused at her words. "Twenty, huh?" His tone was ambiguous, and he resumed securing his belt.

"By the way, Reiko, how old are you?" Xie Liu asked as he donned his black trench coat. Reiko smiled, a trace of playfulness in her look. "A woman's age is her greatest secret, you know. Do you want to find out? If you do, you'll have to take responsibility." Xie Liu's expression stiffened; he shook his head, not wishing to pursue the matter.

In the City of Illusions, everyone had undergone physical enhancement. Barring accidents, living to a hundred and forty or fifty was commonplace. The outcome: people in their thirties and sixties looked much the same, and with anti-aging technology, some who were over a hundred looked barely twenty. As for Reiko, she'd been working here for a long time; her age was a genuine mystery.

"What kind of face is that?" Reiko laughed, reaching out to ruffle Xie Liu's hair, ignoring his protesting glance. "Don't worry, I'm not older than your mother. But being your big sister? That I can manage." She winked playfully.

"Oh..." Xie Liu replied offhandedly, turning to leave. Reiko felt a pang of neglect as she watched him go without another word. Her expression darkened for an instant. "Such a fine little puppy... Why can't I reel him in?" She recovered quickly, pulling out a sheet filled with names. Crossing Xie Liu's name off, she murmured, "Time for a new target." Her eyes fell dreamily on the next name: Lin Yang.

At that very moment, Lin Yang, buried in his book, shivered inexplicably. He glanced out the window, wrinkling his nose. "The weather's turning cold."

Summer had passed, and the madness at its end, along with a little girl's lingering longing, drifted away with the wind, fading into memory. Time is the best salve for pain.

Since returning from the Island Nation, morale had been low. No one was keen on missions, taking them only halfheartedly. Vladimir, noticing this, advised restraint—not only out of concern for their state but because the Ace and Angel affair had thrust their team into the limelight. Caution was now essential.

When Xie Liu returned to the dorm, this was the scene: Lin Yang was immersed in "JAVA: From Beginner to Dropout"; Xu Xiong was frantically farming materials for equipment synthesis; Li Shizhu was buried beneath a stack of comics taller than himself; Gong Hou had fallen asleep mid-bite with a half-eaten beef burger in hand. Everything seemed so ordinary. Yes, this was a peaceful world, an unremarkable boys' dormitory.

Xie Liu glanced around, shook his head, and was about to leave when Vladimir, playing on his phone, spoke up. "I saw your data. Don't suppress your level—find time to activate your Level 5 ability."

Xie Liu shook his head. Everyone here had gained something from the last incident. Their clash with Franny had pushed each of them beyond their limits, and after the city's recovery, all had advanced. Xu Xiong had crossed the seventh-level threshold, entering the realm of superpowers—now, without overexerting himself, he could even launch a railgun. Lin Yang, long stuck at level seven, was now on the verge of eight. Gong Hou, ever reliable, had reached level nine, his strength now clearly surpassing Wendy. Li Shizhu's progress was slow; still at level five, but everyone knew his ability, even if upgraded, offered little qualitative change. He had no need to fight; advancement was a matter of time.

"I feel something's off. If I blindly upgrade now, I might end up with side effects. I don't want to rush into the next stage," Xie Liu said, pulling on another trench coat. "I want to ask Wendy—she's level eight now, right? She understands physical mutation much better than I do."

"No problem," Vladimir pointed to the window. "Use the transport device." He tore a page from his book and scribbled an address. "Wendy and Franny are living together now—here's their address." Xie Liu glanced at it, tore it into pieces, and said, "Got it. I'm heading out." He leapt out the window; his roommates didn't spare him a glance.

...

Following Vladimir's directions, Xie Liu activated the spatial device. Seconds later, he appeared far away.

"According to the coordinates, this should be the northernmost part of the Far East Division." Xie Liu raised his hand, tapping his watch. A dual green beam projected a 3D map, revealing his location in northern Hokkaido. He looked up at the small town ahead. "So this is it?" Entering the coordinates, his watch beeped.

"Destination: Hokkaido Division, Black Family." A hologram of a grand mansion appeared on his watch. Xie Liu's mouth twitched. "That mansion, backed against a hill, with the backyard taking up half the mountain... Absolutely shameless extravagance!"

As he walked, Xie Liu looked up the Black Family's history. This house had existed since the Age of Sages, its founder Charles Black being one of the sages nine hundred seventy years ago. He was the first to propose establishing satellite city-states, and successfully founded several. Over centuries, these city-states faded or evolved into what were now divisions.

Nearly a millennium old, the Black Family had always played a pivotal role in the City of Illusions. Xie Liu even found the name "Moben Black."

Moben was a legend in the City of Illusions—the founder of superpowers. Over a century ago, his report on the connection between thought and external force introduced the concept of superpowers. In the years that followed, he and his team wrote "The Principles of Superpowers," laying the theoretical foundation for the field.

"To think he was also from the Black Family," Xie Liu mused. Then again, superpower research in its infancy must have required vast funding. Without such backing, even a genius like Moben couldn't have succeeded. "Looks like I'm heading to quite a place," he muttered, ruffling his hair. He hated such grand occasions; they always made him feel awkward and out of place.

Stepping into the town, Xie Liu observed his surroundings. It seemed an ordinary place, untouched by futuristic illusions. It was dusk, and many were returning from school or work. Groups of students passed by, casting curious glances at Xie Liu. Perhaps the town had been quiet too long; outsiders were rare.

Even in deep autumn, the local schoolgirls wore short skirts, their legs bare. Xie Liu shook his head. He would never understand the customs of the Island Nation. Weren't they cold?

He was about to leave when two provocatively dressed girls called out, "Hey, handsome, haven't seen you around before!"

Xie Liu looked them over; both wore sailor uniforms. His Japanese was rudimentary—he relied on his translation system to understand. "Ah, I'm from out of town. By the way, do you know this place?" He showed them his phone with the translated address.

"Oh?" The blonde girl smiled. "Of course I know. But why should I tell you? Tell you what, cutie—spend the night with me and I'll tell you everything."

"Uh..." Xie Liu was dumbfounded. Was he being hit on instead?

Was this one of those scenes where he should cross his arms, tearfully refuse, and say, "No, please don't"? What on earth was going on?

"Uh, thank you, but no," he declined politely. He had no time for these delinquent girls' games. Turning to leave, he found his coat being tugged. "Come on, don't be like that. It's rare to see a cute guy around. Hang out with us—we won't treat you badly."

"I'm sorry, I really have something urgent. Thanks, but no." Xie Liu, unaccustomed to such forwardness, struggled to refuse.

"Don't be shy, cutie. Or are you still a virgin?" The girl persisted. Xie Liu could feel sweat beading on his brow—so this was the famed straightforwardness of the islanders.

As the girls refused to give up, Xie Liu's expression cooled. His hand drifted toward his belt, where his short blade was hidden.

"Should I cut them down?" he wondered. Of course, unless absolutely necessary, he had no intention of doing so. But if they wouldn't let go, he was not one to be pushed around, even in a crowded place.

"That look is cool, but your face is way too babyish for it," the delinquents giggled, their laughter shrill. Xie Liu suppressed his murderous impulse; since the Angel incident, his emotions had become easily agitated. "Thanks, but really, no," he said, striving for a gentler tone. He turned away, but the girls reached for his coat.

"Courting death!" Xie Liu raged inwardly, his blade about to flash—when suddenly...

"You again!" A furious girl's voice cut through, and a snow-white leg swung through the air. "Take this!"

The short-haired girl executed a perfect 360-degree spinning kick, sending one of the delinquent girls flying with a pig-like scream.

The fallen girl’s friend hurried over, glaring at the new arrival. "Miyuki Tenwa! Meddling again!"

"Meddling, huh?" The short-haired girl planted her hands on her hips. "You shameless lot, still have the nerve to complain? You're always bullying outsiders, taking advantage because they don’t know the ropes. What, were you planning to lure this guy into an alley where your friends are waiting? Rough him up if he doesn't pay?" She gave Xie Liu an approving pat. "You're good—not led astray by their looks."

"Huh?" Xie Liu tilted his head, confused. Beauty? These two? He glanced at the short-haired girl—if anyone here was a sight to behold, it was her.

She looked no more than fifteen or sixteen, not yet fully grown, but with bright eyes and fine features—a beauty in the making. She clapped him heartily on the shoulder. "No worries, kid. I'll protect you."

Xie Liu was even more embarrassed. A teenage girl, not yet reaching his chin, offering to protect him—what was the world coming to? He sighed, about to speak, when two boys called out behind them.

"Ah—Sparky, you dropped our eggs again!"

"My only source of protein! Damn you, now I’ll starve tonight!"

The boys wailed over a bag on the ground. The short-haired girl snapped, "Stop crying! Get over here!" At her shout, a group of odd-haired youths emerged from a nearby alley, marching over with hostile intent.

"It’s her! Always meddling—get her!" the kicked delinquent shouted, pointing at the short-haired girl. The newcomers sneered, edging closer.

"Fight!" the girl commanded. Her two companions dropped the bag and flanked her. "What do you want? First, answer to us—the embodiments of wisdom and justice, heroes and—" He was cut off by a punch that floored him instantly.

"No hitting the face!" the other boy yelled, then, seeing fists flying, gritted his teeth and charged in.

"You guys..." Xie Liu tried to intervene, but the scene quickly devolved into chaos, leaving him bewildered on the sidelines.

"Can't we just talk this out?"