In the hotel suite, Chu Lian lay on a beach chair wearing nothing but a blue school swimsuit, basking in the warm sunlight.
Beside her, the other girls were all dressed in swimwear as well—some sitting by the poolside, others lounging like her, and a few splashing about happily in the water. The atmosphere was peaceful and carefree.
Originally, after lunch, they had planned to take care of a few matters. But before they could even make a move, someone in the shadows had eliminated the group of people tailing them.
If those had been ordinary enemies, it wouldn't have worried her too much. What made this serious was that among those following them, four possessed Spirit-level strength, and the remaining ten were all peak Human-level experts.
Such a formation could not be taken lightly. They had even discussed their countermeasures in advance—but fate seemed to have played a trick on them. Before Chu Lian could act, that mysterious individual had wiped out their pursuers effortlessly.
Though she couldn't sense clearly what kind of being that blurry presence was or what their motives might be, since that person had already taken action, she decided not to pry further. So, they returned to the hotel.
The Qingping Grand Hotel, located at the heart of Las Vegas, had a more extravagant and indulgent style than before.
Their suite featured a large open terrace with a private swimming pool—clearly designed from the start to give its guests the most luxurious kind of enjoyment.
With their original plans unexpectedly resolved, the idle girls soon decided—after a brief chat—to go for a swim. The decision was nearly unanimous. Nearly, because Kurosaki Satsuki, the white-haired girl, had blushed furiously and stubbornly refused to agree.
Unfortunately for her, in this democracy of few, the majority ruled, and her lone vote couldn't overturn the outcome.
So, cheeks still pink, the white-haired girl reluctantly went off to change into her swimsuit, while Chu Chu—ever the doting sister-con—shooed Chu Lian out of the room, saying she and Inori would call her back in once they were ready.
It had to be said, the northern hemisphere's early May sunlight—hovering between spring and summer—was truly wonderful.
Even at this high latitude, the warm rays couldn't be stopped, falling gently across their skin with a cozy, soothing touch. It was the perfect kind of warmth for enjoying a quiet, lazy afternoon.
To be honest, after the intense battles of the past few days, Chu Lian had initially found meditation hard to focus on. She had discovered that she missed that intoxicating feeling of unleashing her power freely.
The sensation of spiritual energy coursing through her body—of almost holding control over time and space—was dangerously addictive.
If not for these two days of rest and leisure, she might not have realized that something was wrong. She didn't need anyone to tell her—she already knew this was the early sign of inner deviation.
In other words, if she hadn't caught it in time and continued to sink deeper into that feeling, she would eventually become a puppet to power itself, unable to awaken from it.
After thinking for a while, she began to understand the cause.
Her strength had grown too quickly—like someone overdosing on miracle pills, gaining power without the process of truly earning it. Her mentality hadn't had the time to mature alongside her strength.
The result was that she had begun to love the sensation of power, to crave it, to even worship it.
Thankfully, she realized it early enough to prepare ways to counteract it. Otherwise, the world might one day see the rise of a demon queen wielding the full might of the System.
"Power is a wonderful thing," she murmured softly, stretching her hands out before her eyes, "but it can't be something you depend on too much. Nor can you trust it completely. Otherwise, in the end, you'll stop being its master—and become its puppet instead."
"Big Sis! Come on—let's have a swimming race! No using abilities, just pure swimming skills!" Chu Chu's cheerful voice called from across the pool, interrupting her thoughts.
Turning her head, Chu Lian saw her playing happily with Li Xiu'er, their graceful figures moving through the water like dancing mermaids.
Even though she knew Chu Chu had used her abilities to achieve that level of agility, Chu Lian still couldn't help but admire her younger sister's remarkable swimming technique. No matter how she looked at it, even if her physical capabilities were twice as strong as Chu Chu's, she could never match that effortless grace.
Knowing full well that the outcome would only end in her loss, Chu Lian wasn't foolish enough to charge in with blind enthusiasm like some hot-blooded youth. She never chased after empty appearances—and she immediately understood what Chu Chu's true intention behind this invitation was.
So, she simply shook her head and refused her sister's offer. Chu Chu, who had been watching her eagerly, immediately sank beneath the water with a disappointed pout, clearly crestfallen.
Of course, her invitation hadn't been innocent in the first place. She knew perfectly well that Chu Lian wasn't very good at swimming. If she could get her to come into the pool, then she'd have the perfect excuse to approach her under the pretense of teaching her—pressing close, wrapping her arms around her, and enjoying that tender proximity.
Just imagining it made her giddy—the faint fragrance that lingered on her elder sister's skin, her flustered face as she struggled in the water, the look of comfort she'd show once held securely in her arms, and the soft, warm body moving against her own.
Ah… how blissful, how mesmerizing, how utterly divine that would be.
But why, oh why, did her elder sister always have to be so perceptive at these times? Couldn't she just pretend not to notice? How was she supposed to tease her next time if Chu Lian kept seeing right through her every move?
With her little scheme seen through, Chu Chu had no choice but to swim around by herself, occasionally darting close to Li Xiu'er just to tease her. Whenever Li Xiu'er blushed shyly, she would dive under the water again, gliding away like a lively fish.
Though Chu Lian had refused Chu Chu's invitation, she didn't intend to spend the whole afternoon lying idly on the lounge chair either.
They had rested enough these past few days. Since everyone was finally relaxing together, it didn't feel right for her to keep lazing around.
When she got up, Inori—who had been lying on the beach chair beside her—followed suit, stepping down curiously to see what Chu Lian was planning to do.
"Inori, do you like swimming?" Chu Lian asked, glancing at the girl in a pale pink swimsuit. She couldn't help but inwardly admire her delicate yet balanced figure.
Inori shook her head. "I can't swim. The water here's deeper than one and a half meters. If I go in, I'll just end up flailing around."
Though Inori was a little over 1.6 meters tall, the pool depth was enough to trouble even an average swimmer. It wasn't that she disliked water—it was simply something she had never had time to learn.
"In that case, how about over there? Isn't there a tennis court nearby? Do you know how to play?" Chu Lian pointed to a fenced tennis court just beyond the pool.
"I'm sorry, Lian," Inori said with a small, apologetic smile. "I don't know how to play tennis either."
It wasn't her fault. Both swimming and tennis required dedicated practice, and in her past life, time had always been the rarest thing. She had devoted nearly all of it to Funeral Parlor's missions and the rest to honing her singing skills—shaping the online idol persona known as EGOIST. She'd simply never had the chance to enjoy such leisure.
Chu Lian understood this perfectly. She fell silent, no longer insisting on finding something to play, and instead gently took Inori's hand, leading her to the second-floor terrace of their suite. The two stood by the railing, overlooking the young yet vibrant city below.
"If one day we must destroy this place with our own hands, Inori… will you hesitate?" The warm breeze brushed against them. Though both wore swimsuits, neither felt cold—but their conversation was enough to send chills down anyone else's spine.
"If that day comes, as long as it's what you wish for, Lian… I'll do it," Inori said softly, smiling as she gazed into Chu Lian's eyes.
"This city may look prosperous, but its foundation is rotten to the core." Chu Lian extended her right hand toward the skyline, slowly curling her fingers into a fist.
"We can't do anything about it now… but the future—no one can predict what kind of strength we'll have then." She smiled faintly. "I know you must have doubts, but it's fine. When the time comes, you'll understand that my decision isn't wrong."
"I'll never doubt you, Lian. Even if it means destroying a city… or burying everyone in it." Inori's tone was calm. To her, it wasn't something worth emotional turmoil. As an artificial being born from the Apocalypse Virus, emotions were something she'd only recently begun to regain.
Even now, her sense of morality remained different. To her, aside from the people she cared for, the lives of others held no meaning.
After all, as someone who could even be called one of the virus's original hosts, what need would such a being have for compassion?
"Don't worry," Chu Lian said gently, shaking her head. "I only intend to destroy this place—not to harm its people. They're victims too. Punishing them would be far too cruel."
That wasn't to say she disagreed with Inori's worldview—she understood it deeply. She knew Inori's nature, her experiences, and her pain. Understanding brought acceptance.
She wasn't some holy saint, nor did she fancy herself a savior. To uphold one's justice and remain true to one's heart didn't mean playing the hero.
"I can feel something awakening…" Kurosaki Satsuki's voice cut through the air. She had been standing quietly in the corner all this time, dressed in a modest one-piece swimsuit, reluctant to show herself until now. She approached the two, her tone calm but grave.
"That has nothing to do with us," Chu Lian replied, glancing in the direction of America's heartland. "It's for the so-called superheroes of this country to handle. They wanted to be heroes, so they can deal with the consequences of their own actions." Her lips curved slightly with disdain. If not for those very superheroes and the chaos they created, this city would never have existed in such a twisted form.
"When the time comes," the white-haired girl said solemnly, "I am willing to be the sword in your hand—to cut down all that must be purged."
"I already have a sword," Chu Lian said softly, turning toward her with a faint smile that carried a different weight. "What I need… is a spear that can pierce through everything."