chapter 13

The room seemed to freeze in time for a few moments. The charged atmosphere was suffused with tension as everyone in the small white space stood in shock. From Bernard, lying on the bed, to the Marshal gripping the teenage girl's arm tightly, to Hua Rou, who was utterly baffled by what was happening. Everything had unfolded in mere seconds. Being physically weak, Hua Rou had only managed to catch the sight of the Marshal's tall and imposing figure standing on the opposite side of the bed, his hand clamped around Ling Ai's arm with unwavering strength.

Hua Rou tried to speak, but the marshal's cold voice cut through the air, freezing her in place.

"I suggest you stop using that power of yours. Now," he said, his tone dripping with icy authority. His terrifying and oppressive aura bore down on the girl before him.

There was no other choice. Who told this girl to possess such terrifying powers? Although his expression remained impassive, the Marshal was deeply shocked. First, a mythical spiritual beast; then, an overwhelming volcanic fire ability; and now, ice powers? Honestly, he hadn't expected any of this. This girl had managed to stun him four times in the short span since she had healed Lieutenant Ouyang.

When Ouyang Jian used a trace of his power to coat his hands and melt the ice slowly creeping over his fingers, Shen Ling Zhu finally returned to her senses. The deadly frost in her gaze vanished, replaced by confusion. As her mind cleared, she realized what she had been doing: the ice spear in her hand, Bernard lying beneath her, nearly choked to death, and the fear and scrutiny in the eyes of everyone around her.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips as if the air had been knocked out of her. She withdrew her hands from Bernard's neck carefully, allowing the spear in her left hand to melt away entirely. No trace of it remained, as though it had never existed.

The apocalypse had always been brutal and unforgiving. A single moment of hesitation could cost a person their life. This was why Shen Ling Zhu had trained herself to remain vigilant, even in sleep—especially after the night someone had nearly killed her while she rested. Since then, her survival instincts had been honed to an extreme.

Now, as clarity returned to her mind, she recalled this incident and sighed. She didn't trust these people—none of them were reliable. Even her aunt, Hua Rou, stood far away, her face pale with fear. Shen Ling Zhu figured this was inevitable. The truth would come out sooner or later: she wasn't the sweet niece Hua Rou thought she was. Their personalities were entirely different, and she couldn't pretend to be the original Ling Ai forever.

Ling Zhu silently asked Xiao Hong, the spiritual beast in her soul, for confirmation. As she suspected, these people had indeed tried to do something to her. Even if taking her blood seemed routine, her current state left no room for such a procedure. She had no injuries or conditions that warranted a blood sample, making their intentions painfully clear: they wanted to study her—her abilities.

Just as Shen Ling Zhu prepared to confront them with a sharp retort, Hua Rou gasped in astonishment, her voice trembling.

"Ling Ai… are you… Are you alright?" Hua Rou's face was pale, and her voice carried a mix of fear and guilt. She had been terrified moments ago, especially when she noticed the murderous intent in Ling Zhu's eyes and movements. But as she reflected on what could drive an eighteen-year-old girl to become so defensive, her heart ached. Clearly, Ling Ai hadn't led a normal life.

Ling Zhu turned her calm yet guarded gaze toward her aunt and murmured, "Aunt…?"

Hua Rou froze at the fear of rejection look she saw in the girl's eyes but then quickly rushed forward. She embraced Ling Zhu tightly, trying to comfort either the trembling girl in her arms or perhaps herself.

"Don't be scared. I'm here now. Auntie is here, and no one will hurt you."

As the ice on Shen Ling Zhu's hand fully melted, Ouyang released her arm and stepped back, his eyes fixed on her warily. His gaze wasn't merely cautious; it was evaluative, analyzing the girl's strength and the deep-rooted insecurity evident in her behavior. Her instinctive reaction was reminiscent of a seasoned soldier on the battlefield, where death lurked at every corner, leaving no room for relaxation or vulnerability.

Once Hua Rou had calmed down, her sobs subsiding into soft sniffles, Ling Zhu gently pushed her to sit down. Her gaze then shifted to Bernard, who stood at a distance, rubbing his neck as if to confirm it was still intact. She glanced briefly at Ouyang Jian, who stood stoically, his sharp eyes locked onto her. Finally, she spoke coldly, her voice steady and direct:

"What were you trying to do with my blood?"

Her words pierced the air like an arrow, blunt and unforgiving.

Before Bernard could respond, Ling Zhu continued with the same icy tone of interrogation:

"Oh, don't even think about telling me it was for my benefit or treatment. I know my body better than anyone, and I was merely exhausted from overusing my abilities. Don't try to lie—Xiao Hong saw everything and told me exactly what happened."

Bernard stammered, trying to explain himself. "I didn't mean to hurt you! I just wanted a sample of your blood to better understand your condition. It was only—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his mind reeling from what Ling Zhu had just said.

"Xiao… Hong?"

"Yes, Xiao Hong, my spiritual companion," Ling Zhu snapped sharply. "Do you think I'm foolish enough to believe you? Admit it—you wanted to study my powers because of how unique they are. You're nothing but trash, exploiting others for your own gain."

Her sharp words filled the room with a tense silence.

In this advanced age, it was common knowledge that spiritual beasts bonded with their masters. However, even the strongest could only faintly sense their beasts' emotions and thoughts. The Dark Sentinels, with their immense spiritual strength, had the closest connection to their beasts, yet even they could only grasp the simplest ideas.

But this girl claimed her beast had told her everything that happened while she was unconscious, suggesting a level of communication unheard of—on par with speaking to another human.

Bernard was too stunned by this revelation to care about her insults.

Ouyang raised a hand, silencing the flustered Bernard, who was about to speak again. Sitting across from Ling Zhu with a grave expression, he began, "As an unregistered guide and ability user, your actions nearly caused a serious incident at the hospital, not to mention the harm you inflicted on my men, who are still recovering."

Though the Marshal was intrigued by her communication with her beast and her immense powers, he could see the growing distrust and hostility in her eyes, especially after learning they had taken her blood. Knowing no explanation would satisfy her, he decided to skip the excuses and proceed directly to questioning her.

Ling Zhu replied sharply, "If you hadn't restrained me like a criminal, and if your subordinate hadn't grabbed me so forcefully, Xiao Hong wouldn't have acted in self-defense. If you want to press charges, go ahead—I'll see you in court."

Of course, Ouyang Jian had no intention of accusing her, especially since their actions had led to this misunderstanding. Still, it was his duty to question her.

Laws required all ability users to register as soon as their powers awakened. It was clear this girl had not complied.

Ling Zhu, however, had no plans to cooperate with these people. But Hua Rou pleaded from the side, "Xiao Ai, this is Marshal Ouyang Jian, commander of the Second Army. Even though he seems stern, he's a good man and can help you. Being an unregistered user is dangerous, and you could be punished for it. Please, my dear, trust him."

Hearing this, Ling Zhu couldn't afford to be arrogant. Though she had no intention of relying on him, she recognized Ouyang Jian's name. As one of the most powerful figures in the empire, his reputation preceded him.

With no other choice, she decided to cooperate—for now.

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Author Rinna has something

to say:

Hi Angels, sorry for the short

chapter!

Someone said it's better to

keep the chapters short (1.5k

words)...

So do you think this way is

better or the chapters before

(2k word at least)?-?

Happy to know your opinion,

Mybe do as my angels want,

So feel free to tell me what

you think💬

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