Early Morning
The faint light of dawn crept in through the curtains, painting soft golden lines across the room. Alina stirred beneath the covers, her breathing uneven. Something heavy was pressing against her chest — she felt smothered, as if the air had thickened.
Half awake, she blinked her pink eyes open and found herself face to face with a familiar head of golden hair.
Yu Fei'er.
The blonde woman was curled up against her like a sleepy cat, one arm thrown tightly around Alina's waist.
Alina groaned, pushing lightly at the arm trapping her. "Honestly… do you have to hug someone every single time you fall asleep? I don't know when you'll ever change."
Still half in a dream, Yu Fei'er mumbled, "Little Lily… why are you awake so early?"
Her voice was soft and lazy, dripping with sleepiness, and before Alina could answer, she tugged the pink-haired girl back into her arms.
"You—let go!" Alina snapped, tugging at the woman's arm until she finally freed herself. She sat up in exasperation, hair messy and cheeks slightly flushed.
If this kept going, that confused woman would definitely end up rubbing against her again out of habit.
Yu Fei'er only rolled over, hugging the quilt instead. "Sleep a little longer… it's still dark…"
"It's already bright, you sloth," Alina sighed, glancing toward the window. The whole sky was washed in pale daylight.
She remembered last night — after taking a shower, she'd asked Riyue to guide her here to find Yu Fei'er, only to discover the blonde woman had fallen asleep face-down on her desk.
With a sigh, Alina had carried her to bed, meaning to leave quietly. But before she knew it, Yu Fei'er had wrapped herself around her like an octopus, and both of them ended up sleeping that way until morning.
Now, Alina rubbed her temple helplessly.
"Great… I didn't even get to ask her anything, and I was used as a pillow all night."
Muttering to herself, she gathered her messy pink hair and tied it up into twin ponytails with a headband she found nearby. Her reflection in the mirror showed a sleepy but still bright face — the faint pout on her lips made her look even younger.
Her gaze fell on Yu Fei'er again. The woman was sprawled out with the blanket half-slipping to the floor, sleeping in a most undignified position.
With a sigh, Alina gently pulled the quilt back up to cover her.
"Later, I'll come back and ask her about the Angel Wings," she murmured to herself.
Then she grabbed her towel, slipped on her shoes, and quietly left the institute.
L
Outside, the morning breeze was crisp and refreshing. The fragrance of dew-washed leaves filled the air.
Alina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Mmm… the air here is really nice. No choking stench, no industrial smoke… just clean and light."
"It's all thanks to that tea tree," came a familiar voice nearby.
She opened her eyes and looked up. Before her rose the Starlight Tea Tree — an enormous, silver-green giant that towered like a guardian over the settlement. The leaves shimmered faintly, reflecting the morning light like tiny stars.
Alina's lips parted in awe. "It's incredible… I've never seen anything like it."
Back in Shengyang City, she'd seen her share of trees, even a few preserved in research domes. But none compared to the majestic presence of this one.
"If any of the large cities knew about this tree," she murmured to herself, "they'd definitely send elite hunting teams to seize it."
Her eyes darkened. "That means… it might actually be more dangerous for Riyue and Yu Fei'er to stay here."
She sighed softly, feeling torn. The tea tree's presence was both a blessing and a curse.
Last night's intruders were a small matter — petty thieves, none of them higher than Tier 5. There hadn't been a single Tier 6 among them, let alone a Tier 7 powerhouse. But what about next time?
"Alina, is something wrong?"
The voice startled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Liyue approaching, carrying a wooden box in her arms. The white-haired girl's expression was gentle as always, but there was a sharp intelligence behind those silver eyes.
"No, it's nothing." Alina waved a hand quickly and tried to change the subject. "What are you doing out here so early?"
She couldn't tell Liyue her true thoughts — that she feared the tea tree would draw unwanted attention. The girl would probably give her a long lecture about trust and destiny again.
"I'm picking tomatoes," Liyue said, adjusting the box with one knee. "We can use them for trade at the morning market later."
She opened the lid, revealing neat rows of red, ripe tomatoes. The fresh scent filled the air.
"Here, try one." She picked up a plump tomato and offered it to Alina.
"For me?" Alina blinked, caught off guard. "Didn't you say those were for trading?"
She held it delicately, afraid to bruise it with too much pressure.
"Luciel said it's fine to eat one or two," Liyue said, closing the lid with a smile.
"Really?" Alina licked the corner of her lips, tempted.
"Look over there," Liyue said, nodding toward the plantation.
Following her gaze, Alina spotted a red-haired girl happily munching on a tomato, juice dripping down her chin.
She blinked. "You can just… eat things here? Anything you like?"
Liyue giggled softly. "Not quite. You just need to report it to Luciel first."
"Report it? And he approves everything?" Alina asked, trotting to keep up as Liyue started walking toward the high ground.
"Of course not," Liyue said lightly. "He refuses some requests."
For instance, Yu Fei'er had once tried to use petals from the Angel Wings plant for experiments — and Luciel had flatly refused. Liyue had heard that story from a rabbit-eared girl earlier that morning.
Realizing her question was silly, Alina scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly.
Just then, another voice called out from ahead.
"Liyue, Luciel is waiting for you — please head over."
It was Mino, running up the stairs with her small maid in tow.
"Alright, I'll be right there!" Liyue replied quickly.
"I'll go fetch something," Mino said as she passed, hurrying away with the little maid.
"Let's go," Liyue said, jogging toward the high ground with the wooden box in her arms.
"Hey, who was that girl?" Alina asked, following her.
"She's Mino — almost as timid as you." Liyue smiled faintly as she ran. "She was the first person Luciel took in. I was the second."
"So… you're planning to settle here?" Alina asked, slowing her pace slightly.
"Yes. I think I will stay," Liyue said with a serene smile. The morning sun reflected off her silver-white eyes, filling them with quiet light.
"But… what about your illness?" Alina asked softly, hesitant.
The question hung in the air for a moment.
The white-haired girl didn't stop running, but her voice carried back, gentle yet firm. "I told you before — Angel Wings are in the plantation. You can ask Yu Fei'er about the details later."
She had no time to explain now — and besides, Yu Fei'er understood the research better these days.
Alina frowned slightly. "Those Angel Wings… they belong to that man, right?"
Liyue nodded. "They're Luciel's. And… I've already taken Angel's Tears."
Alina froze mid-step. Her face drained of color.
"You've… taken Angel's Tears?" she whispered.
But the scarlet markings on Liyue's face were still there — proof that the potion hadn't cured her "Vugui Infection."
"I see…" Alina murmured, the realization dawning painfully.
That's why Liyue and Yu Fei'er had chosen to remain in the Black Tortoise City. They'd lost their hope for a cure — now they simply wanted to live the rest of their days peacefully, surrounded by the simple warmth of life.
Alina's steps slowed as she climbed the city wall, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions.
The wall extended outward to a wide rock platform, where a group of people had already gathered. Wooden crates, barrels, and boxes filled with vegetables lined the edges.
A moment later, Mino and her little maid appeared, carrying a small wooden frame filled with tomato seedlings.
"All steady!" Luciel's calm voice rang out.
He raised one hand, and the massive rock platform began to descend slowly. Below, the cold wind whipped against the shell of the giant rock turtle that carried the city.
Thirty-two captured thieves hung suspended along the edge, bound tightly by shimmering strands of spider silk. They had been dangling there all night, buffeted by the wind until their faces were pale.
Nearby stood Taigen and the Variety Witch, both trussed up as well. They saw Luciel's descending platform and tried to speak — only to find their mouths sealed by silk, leaving only their noses exposed to breathe.
"Why didn't you just kill them?" asked Yue Qinlan, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.
The question sent shivers through the thieves. None of them dared to even twitch.
Luciel's black eyes glimmered with calm calculation. "It's not time yet," he said simply.
He turned toward the distant city gates of the Tenth Floor, which were beginning to open.
"These men still have their uses."
---
Alina, standing a short distance away, looked from Luciel to Yue Qinlan — the graceful, elegant woman beside him — then back to the serene white-haired girl standing quietly at his other side.
A sigh escaped her lips.
"Oh dear…" she whispered under her breath. "My pure little friend… you've got yourself a rival."
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