Lin Fang slowly pulled his thoughts back to the present and looked at his sister again.
The noise of the airship corridor faded into the background as if the world had shrunk to just the two of them. Nebula hovered quietly to the side, unusually well-behaved, sensing that this mont did not belong to it.
They talked as they walked, their voices low and unhurried.
Lin i spoke about small things, how the journey felt shorter than she expected, how the airship food was bland but filling, how she still wasn't used to sleeping while the engines humd beneath her. Lin Fang listened more than he spoke, nodding now and then, his steps naturally slowing to match hers.
By the ti they reached the top floor, the corridor had grown quieter. The lights were softer here, the walls plain and narrow compared to the lower decks. Lin Fang stopped in front of a simple door and glanced around the space, his eyes sweeping over it once.
"This looks… different," he said, unable to stop the words.
Lin i smiled, already fishing out her key card. "Of course it does. This is a standard single room." She pushed the door open, revealing a compact space. A bed took up most of the room, pressed neatly against the wall. There was just enough room to walk past it to the bathroom door, nothing more.
Lin Fang leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. "Mine is way bigger than this, though."
"That's because you're staying in an Executive Suite," she replied lightly. "The lower the floor, the higher the status. VIPs get the space. Single passengers like get this."
Lin Fang casually said, "You can take my room and sleep with Nebula. It's not a problem for to adjust to this place."
She stepped inside and turned around, eting his gaze. "It's fine. I don't need much either."
Lin Fang hesitated, then nodded. "If you need anything, just call ."
"I know," Lin i said softly.
She closed the door with a gentle click, leaving Lin Fang standing in the quiet hallway. For a mont, he stared at the door, then exhaled and turned away. Nebula drifted closer to him as they headed back toward the elevator.
They hadn't gone far when Lin Fang felt it. A presence brushing against his senses, sharp and familiar. He lifted his head just in ti to see a woman walking toward them from the opposite direction.
His steps slowed.
She was tall and calm, her expression unreadable, her aura tightly controlled. Recognition struck him a heartbeat later. "Nixian's young aunt?" He rembered her face clearly, but her na slipped through his fingers no matter how hard he tried to grasp it.
She noticed him too.
Their eyes t for the briefest mont. Surprise flickered in both gazes, but neither spoke. No greeting, no pause. They passed each other like strangers sharing the sa corridor.
Lin Fang kept walking, his face steady, but his heart beat a little faster. Nebula glanced back once, curious.
Behind him, the woman stopped.
She turned slowly and looked at his retreating figure, her brows drawing together. "That guy…" she murmured under her breath.
Her spiritual sense spread out instinctively, brushing against Lin Fang's fading presence. At first, her frown deepened. Then her eyes widened.
"An A-rank Hunter?" she whispered in disbelief. "How did that happen?"
Her expression shifted again as she focused more carefully. The density of his reserves washed over her, heavy and deep, like a concealed ocean. Her breath caught.
"No… that's not right." She clenched her fingers. "His reserves… they're even higher than mine, now."
For a long mont, she stood there in silence, staring at the empty corridor. Questions piled up in her mind, sharp and restless.
anwhile, Lin Fang continued to walk away.
Soon after, he returned to his room and closed the door behind him, letting the quiet settle in. He lay back on the bed, one arm behind his head, staring at the ceiling for a mont before pulling out his phone.
After a brief ring, the call connected.
"Fang-Ge, You're finally free?" Li Liu's voice ca through, light and warm.
"More or less," Lin Fang said, a small smile forming on his lips. "I t my sister."
There was a short pause on the other end, followed by a sharp intake of breath. "Really? How did it go?"
"It went well," he replied. His tone softened as he spoke. "We talked. Cleared up so misunderstandings. It feels… lighter now."
Li Liu humd, clearly pleased. "That's great. At least now you can celebrate Christmas with your family."
Lin Fang turned his head slightly, watching the faint glow of Nebula drifting near the corner of the room. "Yeah," he said quietly, then added, "but not with you. I miss you already..."
There was slightly lancholy in her voice when she answered. "My situation has been the sa. But then again, Christmas should be with family. We can celebrate the New Year together."
He let out a small breath, the corner of his mouth lifting.
Then Li Liu's tone shifted, turning sharp in a way he knew all too well. "Still," she said, "if there's a Christmas party on that ship, there will be drinking. I'm warning you. Stay sober and especially..."
Lin Fang chuckled. "Especially?"
"Especially stay far away from that bimbo," she added without hesitation.
He laughed outright this ti. "Does my dear tigress feel worried?"
"Hmph," Li Liu snorted. "Why wouldn't I be? After knowing how boldly she throws herself at you."
Lin Fang sighed, though his expression was relaxed. "Co on. I've told you so many tis. That's just her personality. She follows my orders without question. If anything, you should be worried about other ladies on this ship."
"Oh?" Li Liu said coolly.
"Your boyfriend is handso, you know," he continued shalessly. "What if soone takes advantage of ?"
"Tch," she clicked her tongue. "You're really thick-skinned."
He then grinned. "Don't worry. Even if there is a party, I doubt many will be in the mood to celebrate. There's a battle coming."
He paused, then spoke more softly. "I'll probably spend Christmas night sowhere in the wilderness. A campfire, my sister, Nebula… that's it."
On the other end, Li Liu let out a small sound. "Awww… that's so pitiful."
Lin Fang laughed quietly, the room warm with her voice as the call continued, gentle and unhurried, like a promise waiting for the year to turn.
A couple of hours later;
Lin Fang woke from his nap to the dim glow of evening lights filtering through the wide window. The ship's engines humd steadily, a low, distant rhythm that had already beco familiar. Nebula stood right up from her sleep as soon as she sensed he was awake.
"Stay here," Lin Fang said as he sat up and stretched.
Nebula flickered once in response, clearly unbothered.
He stepped out of his room and sent a call to Lin i. It connected after a mont, the background noise on her end filled with faint shouts and impacts.
"I'm at the martial arts club room," she said. "Upstairs."
Lin Fang followed the directions and soon arrived at a large open space split into two levels. The upper floor had railings along the edges, where several people were gathered, watching sothing below. The air slled faintly of sweat and tal, familiar and grounding.
Down on the dueling ground, two n were fighting.
There were no weapons. No skills. No abilities. Just fists, footwork, and raw strength. Each blow landed with a dull, heavy sound that echoed through the hall.
Lin Fang joined his sister at the railing and leaned forward slightly. As his eyes focused on one of the fighters, his pupils narrowed. "Adam…?"
He hadn't seen him in months. Not since Adam left the city, quit his job, and vanished without much explanation. The last mory Lin Fang had of him wasn't a pleasant one, either. A fight. Vivian. A punch that ended everything.
According to Zhi Yan, Adam had taken a completely different path after that. Underground matches. No rules. No safety nets. Traveling from city to city as an underworld fighter.
And now, here he was.
anwhile, on the field, Adam suddenly lowered his stance, his movents sharp and decisive. He stepped in and drove a solid punch straight into his opponent's abdon.
The impact was brutal.
The man was blasted backward, skidding across the floor before crashing down hard. He groaned, curling inward and clutching his stomach, clearly unable to rise.
The room fell quiet.
Adam straightened, rolled his shoulders once, then walked over and extended a hand. "Good fight," he said casually.
After a brief hesitation, the fallen man took it and was pulled to his feet.
Adam turned, wiping sweat from his brow, and looked up toward the gathered hunters. A wide grin spread across his face. "Anyone else willing to challenge?"
No one moved.
He raised a brow and waved a hand. "Co on. It's just a spar. No weapons. No abilities." His gaze swept across the room. "Don't limit yourselves to monsters all the ti. Fighting other hunters is way more fun."
Lin Fang watched in silence, sothing clicking into place in his mind.
He leaned closer to Lin i. "I'll be right back."
Before she could ask what he ant, Lin Fang stepped away from the railing. As he walked, his hand slipped into his storage and ca back holding a familiar object.
The wolf mask.
He raised it and secured it over his face, the cold surface settling against his skin. Without hesitation, he activated his flight ability and glided smoothly over the railing.
He landed lightly in the dueling ground, barely making a sound.
The hunters stirred, murmurs rippling through the room.
"Who's that?"
"A masked guy?"
"Another challenger?"
Adam's smile faded slightly as his eyes fixed on the newcor. He studied the mask, then the relaxed posture beneath it, a faint frown forming on his face.
"Interesting," Adam muttered, rolling his neck once as he stepped forward.
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