"Wang Hao's move pierced a hole in Mu Ye's forehead," Su Wanwan said, pouting. "So they know the truth, but they're pretending not to?"
"Not just pretending to be stupid..." Han Feng walked to the window, sunlight gilding his silhouette. "I suspect the ancient martial arts world of R country has already realized the threat from beyond their borders and is secretly gathering its forces."
Liu Mengran suddenly realized: "So they suppressed the matter of the Mu family because they were afraid of alerting them?"
"Clever." Han Feng turned around, his eyes sparkling. "Mu Ye Shenyi has sided with the Youjing Clan, but I wonder how many of the families in R Country have already been infiltrated."
Iron Tower scratched his head: "So what do we do now? Move on to causing trouble for the next one?"
"No, let's hold back for now." Han Feng looked at Wang Hao, who was still unconscious. "Let the various forces in R country make their moves first. If what I predict is true, a 'big fish' will soon surface..."
Just then, the television news suddenly interrupted with an urgent announcement: the cabinet announced the establishment of the "Special Countermeasures Headquarters for Paranormal Phenomena," with Ryuichi Matsui serving as the chief advisor.
"Special Countermeasures Headquarters for Supernatural Phenomena?" Su Wanwan spat out a mouthful of water onto the screen. "Have the R country officials been reading too many comics? Trying to fool the public with such a cringey name?"
Han Feng chuckled softly, his fingers unconsciously tapping the windowsill: "This is just a way to give ordinary people an acceptable explanation. Are we supposed to just announce 'Ancient Martial Arts Masters vs. Aliens'?"
Iron Tower crossed his arms and scoffed, "What do you take the ancient martial arts world for? A circus? 'Supernatural phenomena'..."
"At least it shows they're starting to take it seriously," Liu Mengran interjected softly, her gaze fixed on Han Feng's back. Sunlight filtered through his silhouette, casting a long, slender shadow on the ground.
Han Feng suddenly turned around, his gaze accurately catching Liu Mengran's wandering eyes. He raised an eyebrow slightly and walked to her side: "What's wrong? You seem distracted."
"Ah? No, nothing..." Liu Mengran's ears turned red, and her fingers twisted the hem of her clothes. This subtle movement did not escape Han Feng's eyes.
He naturally took her hand: "Come with me."
The moment the door closed, Liu Mengran's heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest. Han Feng leaned against the door, sunlight filtering through the blinds, casting streaks of light and shadow on his face.
"There's no one here now." His voice was lower than usual. "Can you tell me now?"
Liu Mengran stared at the spots of light on the floor, her chest heaving. After a long while, she took a deep breath: "I...I want to help you too."
Han Feng was taken aback: "You've been helping me the whole time. About the company..."
"This isn't the kind of help!" Liu Mengran suddenly looked up, her eyes slightly red. "Wantang can do divination and prediction, Wanwan can hack into any system, even the Iron Tower and the others..." Her voice lowered, "Only I, like a vase, am protected in the background..."
The room fell silent for a moment. Han Feng looked at the girl before him, who was always gentle and kind, but now she was stubbornly biting her lower lip, her eyes sparkling with a light he had never seen before.
"Silly girl." He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Do you know how lucky I am that you don't have to face those dangers?"
Liu Mengran shook her head, a strand of hair clinging to the corner of her moist eye: "But I can't always hide behind you... You always have your own things to do, what if..." Her voice trembled, "what if one day I encounter danger while I'm not by your side..."
Han Feng felt as if an invisible hand was clenching his fist. He thought of Chi Shangling, the girl who had been controlled, and of Mu Xiaoxiao's chilling smile. This cruel world certainly wouldn't show Liu Mengran any mercy just because she was gentle.
"Look at me." He cupped her face in his hands, gently wiping away the last tear with his thumb. "Do you know what cultivation means? It means pain, danger, even..."
"I'm not afraid," Liu Mengran interrupted him, her gaze so resolute it was unfamiliar to Han Feng. "I know you'll protect me. But at least... at least let me have the ability to protect myself."
The sunlight shifted subtly, illuminating the space between the two. Han Feng saw in those eyes what had initially attracted him—a hidden resilience beneath a delicate exterior.
"Okay." He suddenly smiled, took Liu Mengran's hand, and said, "We'll go cause trouble for the Miyamoto family later."
"Huh?" Liu Mengran's eyes widened. "Now?!"
"Practice makes perfect," Han Feng winked, revealing her familiar roguish grin. "Don't worry, I'll adjust the difficulty to 'beginner mode.'"
Liu Mengran burst into laughter through her tears and lightly punched him: "Who wants beginner mode...?"
Suddenly, Su Wanwan's voice rang out from outside the door: "Hey! What are you two doing sneaking around like that? Old Lin is calling!"
Han Feng gestured for Liu Mengran to be quiet and lowered his voice: "Special training starts tonight. As for the Miyamoto family..." He grinned mischievously as he opened the door, "...will this be our graduation assessment?"
Liu Mengran followed behind him, her heart still pounding, but this time it wasn't from unease, but from a long-lost sense of anticipation. She looked at Han Feng's tall, straight back and unconsciously touched the top of her head where he had stroked her hair—it still seemed to retain warmth.
In the living room, Su Wanwan was reporting the situation to someone on the phone. Seeing the two of them come out, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously: "What are you plotting?"
"It's a secret." Han Feng took the phone, winked at Liu Mengran, "Right, Mengran?"
Liu Mengran smiled, the room light casting a soft glow on her profile. In that moment, she seemed to see herself standing beside Han Feng, no longer just someone to be protected, but a partner fighting alongside him.
The projector in the living room lit up, displaying Lin Zhengguo's face on the wall. Even through the screen, the sharpness in the old man's eyes remained undiminished. Han Feng straightened his back and gave a standard military salute: "Greetings, Commander."
"At ease." Lin Zhengguo nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over each member in the room. "Are you all still safe and sound?"
Su Wanwan made a face off-camera, and Liu Mengran quietly tugged at her sleeve. Chen Feng had already stepped aside, his fingers still rapidly swiping across the tablet to ensure the communication was securely encrypted.
"Progress is going smoothly," Han Feng reported briefly. "The core members of the Makino family have been eliminated, and the scene has been staged to resemble a supernatural event." A slight smile played on his lips. "The announcement released this morning by the R country police classifies it as a 'rare energy anomaly.'"
Lin Zhengguo chuckled lightly: "These guys certainly know how to make excuses." Then, he said seriously, "Didn't you encounter any trouble?"
"Easier than expected." Han Feng glanced at Liu Mengran. "Thanks to Wanwan hacking into their security system beforehand."
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