Before the words even fell, Sirin's pupils sharply contracted.
The figure of the woman before her, who claimed to be Hanabi, flickered, and in an instant, she transformed into the form of a twin-tailed young girl.
Before Sirin could even react, that figure twisted and shifted again, and astonishingly… became her own self.
As she spoke, she bent down, pressing the gun against the space between Sirin's brows, "Relax, I'll be very gentle~"
Her slender fingers slowly tightened, the trigger giving off a subtle click as it began to slide back.
The corners of her lips curled up slightly, pink pupils shimmering with an excited light.
At that very critical moment, a blinding golden light, sharp like an arrow, pierced through the air, shooting straight toward Hanabi.
"Oh~"
A trace of surprise flashed in Hanabi's eyes, but her body bent backward with impossible flexibility.
Using the momentum, she flipped back, landing lightly three meters away.
"Aiya, looks like we've got an uninvited guest~" Hanabi steadied herself, turning her head toward the far end of the corridor.
Van had appeared there at some unknown time, his entire body surrounded by a faint golden glow.
What surprised Hanabi even more was that the energy waves radiating from him were completely different from ordinary Honkai energy, but instead… a power she found far more familiar.
"Hm?" Hanabi narrowed her eyes, the teasing on her face gradually replaced by curiosity. "The power on you…"
Suddenly, like a child who had found an interesting new toy, she excitedly licked her lips. "How interesting, this is the power of Fate…"
"I'm getting more and more curious about your identity, the so-called Savior~"
"For you masked fools, I've always kept my distance…"
But in the next second, Van's voice turned cold, his body erupting with an earth-shattering aura. "But you shouldn't have dragged unrelated people into this… Masked Fool, you've crossed the line."
"Little bird, I think you've got it all wrong~" Hanabi blinked playfully.
"What happened earlier wasn't all orchestrated by me, you know~ It was that cute little girlfriend of yours~ As for me… I just provided a teensy bit of help at the perfect moment~"
"Stop playing these little word games. Put on your mask. Let's end this."
"Aiya~ don't be so serious~"
As she spoke, Hanabi suddenly produced a deck of playing cards, drawing out the joker. "Always so quick to fight and kill. Can't we just sit down somewhere quiet and talk this out?"
With a snap of her fingers, the space around them suddenly warped and distorted.
When Van regained his senses, a round table draped in red velvet had appeared in front of him.
Hanabi was already sitting elegantly across from him, idly toying with that joker card in her hand.
Van thought for a moment, then sat down as well.
"That's more like it~" Seeing him take the chair, Hanabi's smile bloomed once again. "Let's talk this through properly. Wouldn't it be nice to clear up all these misunderstandings?"
"What is your goal? Why are you targeting us?" Van asked.
Resting her chin in her hand, Hanabi looked at him with a teasing gaze.
"Little bird, judging from how much you loathe the Masked Fools, you should know us pretty well. So, what do you think I'm here for?"
Hearing this, Van took a deep breath. "So, you're here… for fun?"
Sensing the hostility in his tone, Hanabi's smile grew wider.
"Of course… not~ As the master of a thousand roles, how could I be the same as those mediocre Masked Fools~ This time, I'm here because someone hired me~"
"And who is that?"
"Aiya~ little bird, betraying a client is a big taboo in our line of work~"
But the next second, Hanabi smiled slyly, her eyes curving like crescent moons. "Unless… you can offer me something even more tempting~"
"I don't think there's anything on me that could tempt you," Van said coldly.
"It seems our Savior doesn't understand~" Hanabi chuckled lightly. "To me, you are the most precious bargaining chip of all~"
"Being someone favored by the will of the world makes you the lead actor in this grand play. And someone like me, a side character, if I want more time in the spotlight, naturally I need to stay close to the star~"
As she said this, Hanabi licked her lips, leaning closer to Van, her voice dripping with temptation,
"So, what do you say? Think about my offer. I'll end this little trick, and I'll even sell you the information about the client behind me. And the price… is just you, yourself~"
Van fell silent at her words, as though seriously considering her proposal.
At the side, Sirin grew anxious. She knew just how dangerous this woman was.
She wanted to warn him, but no matter how hard she tried, no sound came out.
After a long while, Van rose from the table, his voice calm as he spoke, "I agree."
At that, Hanabi's face lit up with a delighted smile, her tone playful yet subtle. "Well then~ so, when shall we seal this deal~"
"Right now."
"Right now?" Hanabi covered her mouth dramatically, her voice full of false surprise. "Are you sure? Right here, in front of your sister?"
"Oh~ I see." Hanabi's tone turned teasingly suggestive. "So our Savior likes this kind of setting? I never would have guessed~"
As she spoke, she glanced at Sirin, still bound to the side.
Upon hearing that, Sirin struggled violently, but still, no sound came out.
Hanabi, seeing this, smiled like a predator. "Alright then, since our Savior is in such a hurry, it would be rude of me to refuse~"
With that, she slowly approached Van, her black twin tails bouncing slightly with each step.
When only less than a foot of distance remained between them, Hanabi slowly raised her hand toward Van's chest.
The gesture carried an unspeakable intimacy, like a lover's caress, yet underneath it lurked danger.
"Don't be nervous~" Hanabi whispered softly, her pink eyes reflecting Van's expressionless face. "I will be very gentle~"
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