Su Nian's suggestion to prove her innocence through a public exhibition match was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a huge wave both within the club and online.

After an emergency consultation, the NF club's management finally adopted this bold plan. An official announcement was quickly released, declaring that an offline public exhibition match called "Battle of Dawn" would be held a week later. NF team's newest member, Su Nian, would team up with Shen Shen Xie Chen for the first time to accept challenges from the youth training camp and some invited random players. The entire event would be open to media and some spectators and would be broadcast live online.

The announcement caused an uproar.

Supporters cheered, eager to see Su Nian prove herself on a bigger stage and shatter the rumors; while skeptics were sarcastic, believing it was a gimmick by the club to protect her, and even conspiring to think that the opponent in the exhibition match would be "arranged".

"The pressure will be immense." The coach looked at Su Nian, who was doing reaction training alone, and said with concern, "The attention from the exhibition match will far exceed that of your live broadcast, and any mistake will be magnified infinitely."

Su Nian completed a set of extreme dodging drills, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, but her eyes remained clear and sharp. "I know," she answered calmly, "but this is the fastest and most direct way." She needed this victory, not only to quell public opinion, but also to gain a foothold in this world and better fulfill her "mission"—to protect the man beside her who was completely dependent on her, yet burdened with an unknown past.

Xie Chen was even more enthusiastic than Su Nian, to the point of being excited. He accompanied Su Nian during training almost every step of the way, actively studying various possible opponents and tactical combinations. His eyes, which always carried a hint of aloofness, would only gleam with a burning light when discussing tactics with Su Nian or when he saw her complete a brilliant move.

“You can trust me a little more here.” During a training break, Xie Chen pointed to the replay on the screen and said to Su Nian. He was very close, his warm breath brushing against Su Nian’s ear, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty, “My sword will always point you in the right direction.”

This almost instinctive fighting synergy and complete trust often gave Su Nian the illusion that the memories of fighting side by side had not been completely erased from his mind, but had simply been transformed into something deeper and more subconscious.

However, occasionally, anomalies will appear.

After an intense team simulation training session, everyone left the training room exhausted. The corridor lights flickered for a moment, as if there was a malfunction. Xie Chen, who was walking beside Su Nian, suddenly stopped, his body stiffening for a moment. His eyes sharpened like a hawk's, and he instinctively took a half-step to the side, shielding Su Nian behind him, and warily scanned the flickering lights around him.

That posture didn't seem like it was guarding against a circuit malfunction, but rather like it was wary of some unknown, dangerous energy impact.

"Ah Chen?" Su Nian called him softly.

Xie Chen snapped back to reality, the sharpness in his eyes fading quickly, replaced by a hint of confusion. He glanced at the lights returning to normal, then at Su Nian, whom he had been protecting behind him, and frowned, seemingly puzzled by his own subconscious overreaction. "...It's nothing." He loosened his fist, which he had unconsciously clenched, and took Su Nian's hand again. "She's probably just tired."

On another occasion, when Su Nian was practicing a combo technique that required extremely high hand speed and precise prediction, due to excessive concentration, the faint ice soul power in her body (originating from the essence of the soul, not the energy of this world) unconsciously flowed, and her fingertips brought a trace of almost imperceptible, extremely faint chill to the keyboard.

In that instant, Xie Chen, who was practicing his shooting skills next to her, suddenly turned his head, his gaze fixed on Su Nian's nimble fingers. Something deep within his eyes seemed to have been touched, revealing a fleeting, complex emotion mixed with confusion, reminiscence, and even... pain. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, only his Adam's apple bobbed, and no sound came out.

"What's wrong?" Su Nian stopped what she was doing and looked at him.

Xie Chen blinked, his eyes regaining their clarity. He shook his head, forcing a faint smile: "I got distracted watching you play." He concealed it well, but Su Nian caught that fleeting change in him. What did he see in the faint light at her fingertips? Was it the elegance of Bing Li casting her spell, or the starlight condensed from the afterimage of the Star Spirit?

These subtle episodes, like pebbles thrown into a lake, rippled across Su Nian's heart. The barrier of oblivion seemed not to be indestructible after all.

Meanwhile, the undercurrents online did not subside with the announcement of the exhibition match. Although the whistleblower letter about the "neural link assist program" was scorned by most rational netizens, it quietly circulated in certain specific, hidden circles.

[Have you found out? Su Nian's background?] The message flashed in an encrypted communication channel.

It was incredibly clean, almost unbelievably so. It looked like it appeared out of nowhere. But the cleaner it was, the more problematic it seemed.

[NF has protected her too well; it's difficult to get information about her through public channels. The exhibition match is an opportunity.]

Are you sure you want to use 'that'? The risk is huge; if it's discovered...

[We must ensure everything goes smoothly. She must be eliminated. We can't let her affect the stability of the 'seed'. Shen's condition has recently become unexpectedly 'active'.]

[Understood. The 'interference source' will arrive on time during the exhibition match.]

The night before the exhibition match, NF Club arranged for the participating players to familiarize themselves with the venue and the equipment for the match.

The competition venue is quite large, capable of accommodating nearly a thousand spectators. A huge holographic projection device is suspended in the center, ensuring that spectators in every corner can clearly see the competition footage. The competition seats on the stage are arranged in a row, brightly lit, exuding a thrilling e-sports atmosphere.

Su Nian and Xie Chen sat side by side in their designated competition seats, adjusting their peripherals. Xie Chen appeared calm, even somewhat languidly leaning back in his chair, his fingers tapping the keyboard idly, as if tomorrow's competition was just an ordinary training session.

As Su Nian's fingers touched the cold keyboard and mouse, a strange feeling quietly emerged.

It wasn't unfamiliarity, nor was it nervousness, but rather a... subtle sense of resonance.

The star-studded ice and snow brooch around her neck once again emitted an almost imperceptible coolness, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. Then, she felt a faint, almost extinguished starlight swirling around her fingertips. This starlight wasn't a physical entity, but rather a kind of residual energy phantom, carrying a familiar aura—Xie Chen's star power! Although so faint as to be negligible, it was undeniably present, and it created a wondrous harmony with her own ice soul power (her soul trait).

Was it because of the soul link? Or because of the residual energy interaction from their shared adventure? Su Nian was filled with doubt and uncertainty. She tried to concentrate, guiding that faint starlight to her fingertips.

A miracle happened.

When she deliberately guided it, the faint starlight seemed to brighten slightly, and she felt an indescribable, extremely subtle improvement in her nerve reaction speed and the coordination between her fingers and the keyboard and mouse. It was as if the peripheral had become an extension of her body, as easy as using her own limbs. This was not a cheat, but a subtle optimization that transcended common sense, originating from the fusion of her own soul and Xie Chen's residual power.

"How are you feeling?" Xie Chen's voice rang out from the side. He leaned over and looked at Su Nian's hands on the keyboard.

Su Nian quickly composed herself, and the faint light at her fingertips vanished instantly. "Not bad," she replied calmly, though her heart was already racing. This unexpected discovery might become a variable in tomorrow's competition.

Just then, a commotion arose at the entrance of the venue. A group of people wearing jerseys from other clubs walked in; they were youth training players who had also been invited to participate in the exhibition match tomorrow, along with some amateur players. Among them, a boy with striking blond hair, looking arrogant, swept his gaze over the NF players before finally settling precisely on Su Nian, a scrutinizing and disdainful smile playing on his lips.

"Hey, so this is that 'genius' newcomer who supposedly has some kind of superpower?" The blond boy's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the empty arena, full of provocation.

His companion tugged at him, signaling him not to cause trouble. But the blond boy ignored him, walking straight toward NF, his gaze fixed on Su Nian.

Xie Chen's face instantly darkened, and he exuded a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay. He stood up and stood in front of Su Nian, his eyes coldly fixed on the approaching blond boy.

"Li Ming, watch your mouth." Xie Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

The blond boy, known as Li Ming, scoffed, his gaze bypassing Xie Chen and remaining fixed on Su Nian: "What, Shen Shen, you're already protecting her? Whether she's a genius or not, we'll find out on the field tomorrow." His gaze swept over Su Nian, finally settling on her hands that had just placed the keyboard. His eyes flickered slightly, seemingly carrying a deeper level of inquiry, rather than just a simple provocation.

“I’m just curious,” Li Ming’s tone shifted, becoming somewhat meaningful, “what kind of ‘talent’ allows a newcomer to adapt to the equipment so quickly… it’s almost illogical.” Without waiting for a response, he turned and left with his companion, a strange smile playing on his lips.

Su Nian watched Li Ming's departing figure, her brows furrowing slightly. This person gave her a strange feeling; his provocation didn't seem like mere youthful arrogance, but rather more like… a test?

Xie Chen turned around, took Su Nian's hand, and said in a reassuring tone, "Don't pay attention to him, he's just a show-off."

Su Nian nodded, but the doubts in her heart did not dissipate. Li Ming's last words and the look in his eyes as he looked at her hands made her vaguely feel that tomorrow's exhibition match might not be as simple as just a competition to prove one's strength.

The faint starlight lingering on the fingertips seemed to sense something, and flickered slightly, almost imperceptibly.

After acclimatizing to the area, return to your base room.

Su Nian sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her fingertips. The faint starlight had faded, but she could sense that as long as she concentrated and connected with the icy power deep within her soul and the brooch, she could draw it out again. This might be her trump card in dealing with unknown variables.

Xie Chen came out of the shower, his hair still wet and dripping. He saw Su Nian staring blankly at her fingers, so he walked over, sat down next to her naturally, and awkwardly picked up a towel to help her dry her hair.

"Still thinking about that Li Ming?" he asked, his tone sullen and clearly displeased.

Su Nian snapped out of her reverie, took the towel and dried herself, then smiled and said, "No. I was just thinking about tomorrow's tactics."

Xie Chen looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke: "I don't know why, but when I saw that person get close to you, I felt very uncomfortable here..." He pointed to his heart, "It felt even more uncomfortable than when I saw those comments cursing you."

He couldn't describe the feeling; it wasn't just simple anger, but a deeper, more intense agitation and violence, as if his territory had been invaded. This emotion shared a subtle similarity with his rage when facing the Protoss remnant.

Su Nian's heart stirred, and she reached out to gently smooth the unconscious furrow in his brow. "Don't worry," her voice carried a reassuring strength, "Tomorrow, we will definitely win."

Xie Chen took her hand and pressed it against his cheek, feeling the cool touch of her palm. His restless heart gradually calmed down. "Mmm," he murmured, nuzzling her palm affectionately.

It was late at night.

Su Nian lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. Moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, reflecting a faint, cool glow onto the brooch around her neck.

The faint starlight at his fingertips, Li Ming's meaningful probing, the possible "interference source" behind the scenes, and the occasional glimpses of fragments belonging to "Your Highness" on Xie Chen's body... all these clues, like a gradually tightening net, are shrouding the upcoming "Battle of Dawn".

This is not just a competition to prove one's innocence; it could be the center of a vortex.

She closed her eyes, feeling the invisible connection between her soul and Xie Chen, and the faint yet resilient starlight at her fingertips.

Tomorrow, when the lights come on and all eyes are on the audience, the hidden undercurrents will surely surge forth.

(End of Chapter 90)