Chapter 18: Buy a Mall

As the five brothers stood there, each absorbed in their thoughts, the weight of Shen Lian's revelations hung heavily in the air. When Shen Lian departed, leaving the brothers to grapple with the truth, their minds were a whirlwind of emotions.

For Lu Zian, as he returned to his senses, the urge to see his sister grew overwhelming. He made his way back inside, his steps heavy with the weight of what he had learned. His heart was conflicted, torn between the desire to see her and the fear of adding to her worries.

"Zian!" "Brother!" The concerned voices of his siblings pulled him from his thoughts, their hands supporting him.

"I'm fine. I just... I want to see Zhizhi. I need to know that she's okay," he murmured, his voice wavering with emotion. But underneath his words lay a tumult of emotions. How could he accept the knowledge of what she had gone through? How could he face her without feeling a crushing guilt for not being there for her?

"No! Don't you understand? If you suddenly appear in front of her like this, she will sense that something is wrong, and it will only worry her more! Do you want to cause her unnecessary distress?!" Lu Zinzin's voice was tinged with frustration and anger as he tried to reason with his older brother.

The weight of their sister's ordeal and the realization of their own helplessness gnawed at them all. Lu Zhuli's voice broke the silence, his words heavy with acceptance, "Zian, we're all struggling with this reality. Shen Lian didn't share this with us to hurt us. He's preparing us, strengthening us for the impending apocalypse. In that world, weakness is a vulnerability, a death sentence. We need to stand strong, not just for ourselves, but for her too."

Early in the morning, Lu Zhi awoke in a cold sweat, her dream's haunting tendrils still clinging to her mind. She rushed out of her room, heart pounding, only to be met with a surprising sight—her elder brother, Lu Zian, poised to knock on her door. His raised hand froze midair as he caught sight of her, and she felt a mixture of embarrassment and relief at being caught in her moment of panic.

In a swift move, she leapt toward him, wrapping her arms around him like a koala. Her voice, teary and anxious, trembled as she spoke, "Elder brother..."

Concern and panicked flashed in Lu Zian eyes as he responded, "What happened?"

Gathering herself, she quickly concocted a reason, not wanting to trouble him. "I... I just realized that I haven't eaten anything since the day I was kidnapped... Brother, I'm so hungry. I feel like I could devour a whole mutant cow!"

Lu Zian's eyebrows lifted in amusement, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't entirely convinced, but he chose not to push further. "Mutant cow, huh? I'm not sure if we can find one of those, but let's settle for an ordinary cow for now." He played along, aware that she was trying to divert attention away from any distressing thoughts.

Ruffling her silvery-white hair affectionately, he added, "Very well then. But let's have breakfast first. Everyone's waiting for you. Don't you have something to discuss?" He gently shifted her position, cradling her in his arms as he led her back to her room to change. It was as if his broken heart when learned about the experience of his sister was healed instantly. Now, he's just thankful that they were given a chance.

Lu Zhi couldn't help but smile, her heart warming at his actions. She had missed her brother's cool demeanor and protective nature. The familiar embrace reassured her that amidst the chaos of their new reality.

When Lu Zhi stepped out of her room, she sensed Shen Lian's presence about seven steps away from her. Raising her gaze, she caught sight of him leaning against a door, his eyes fixed on her. A blush crept up her cheeks, but her reverie was abruptly broken by her internal companion.

"[Ahem, Master, why are you suddenly behaving like a sixteen-year-old?]" Little Zhizhi's voice chimed in her mind, cutting through her daze.

"I am sixteen now! Quit startling me, and why didn't you answer my calls since yesterday?" she retorted in her mind, her attention divided between the voice in her head and the man walking towards her.

"[Master, you do realize I've been dormant for years, right? Especially since you became a mutated human, and this body of yours never underwent the experimentation of that Laboratory. It's been making me uneasy, so I've been searching for answers. But hey, are you even listening?]"

"We can talk about that later, Little Zhizhi," she murmured, her thoughts drifting back to the man before her. She called out in a sweet voice, "Lian~"

Hearing his name in her melodic tone, Shen Lian felt a flush creep up his neck. Suppressing the rapid beating of his heart, he managed to maintain his facade of indifference, even as his hand reached out to hold her waist, pulling her gently towards him.

Lu Zhi stood in stunned silence, wide-eyed and leaning slightly into his embrace. Shen Lian was captivated by the shimmering brilliance of her eyes, which seemed to hold the essence of a thousand stars. He couldn't help but smile, his heart brimming with a sentiment that hadn't wavered through the ebb and flow of time. Succumbing to the moment, he pressed a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose.

Her eyes rounded in surprise, and a crimson flush painted her cheeks as she stammered, "Lian~ you..."

Suppressing the urge to openly grin, Shen Lian bit his lip to hide his amusement. He shifted his tone, his voice soft and filled with affection. "Zhizhi, what would you like to buy? Should I take you to a supermarket or a mall, and ensure everything is secured before the Eternal Eclipse arrives? Or should I go all out and buy you every single mall in City K?" His words held a playful charm, as if he was offering her something as simple as candy.