On the surface of an unknown stretch of ocean, the Purgatory Demonic Dragon's massive frame resembled a moving hill of lava in the night. Its crimson scales were coated in a layer of cold silver by the moonlight.
Lava patterns flowing across its body occasionally spat out fine sparks. Each paddle of its thick limbs churned the deep seawater, kicking up white waves several meters high.
It was originally a Calamity-class Star Beast that controlled raging flames, but at this moment, it looked like a giant, disoriented pet, clumsily spinning circles on the sea. Its massive head would dive into the water only to snap back up, letting out low, aggrieved whimpers. Even the fiery aura surrounding it weakened slightly, displaying a stark "gap moe."
Yun Meng reclined atop the dragon's broad head. Her high-slit black "onee-san" dress outlined a tall and slender silhouette; the hem fluttered in the sea breeze, revealing beautifully lined calves. Her ink-black hair was loosely scattered, with a few strands clinging to her smooth forehead. Her features carried a natural sense of laziness and detachment.
She reached out to carelessly stroke the dragon's rough yet warm scales, her voice clear and cold like broken jade, yet tinged with an unavoidable hint of helplessness.
"Alright, stop acting up. If you keep wandering aimlessly, tonight's lava crystal cores are confiscated. You'll go to sleep on an empty stomach."
'!!! Instructor Yun Meng! It's the living Instructor Yun Meng! The onee-san aura is off the charts!'
'Help, this gap moe from the Purgatory Demonic Dragon! What happened to the Calamity-class divine beast? Why is it acting like a big dog begging for food?'
'The Instructor's mount evolved again? Wasn't it only Rank 3 before? Now it's Calamity-class.'
Seeing Yun Meng reappear, the bullet chat began scrolling at high speed.
On the screen, upon hearing the words "lava crystal core," the Purgatory Demonic Dragon immediately ceased its splashing. Its massive head snapped toward Yun Meng, its golden reptilian pupils filled with longing and obedience. It then carefully nuzzled the back of her hand, appearing so docile it looked nothing like a behemoth capable of inciting a natural disaster.
In response, Yun Meng gave it a faint glance and raised her hand to point at the silhouette of a small island covered in greenery in the distance, her tone carrying a bit of teasing.
"Little Jin, did you get cocky just because you broke through to Calamity-class? You can't even remember the way home. Aren't you afraid other Star Beasts will laugh at you if word gets out?"
Hearing this, the dragon named "Little Jin" let out a low howl as if admitting its mistake. It then unfurled the massive membrane wings hidden at its sides and slowly took to the sky. The wing surfaces were covered in the same lava patterns as its body; as it beat its wings, it stirred up scorching air currents that turned the surrounding seawater into white steam. It streaked across the sea toward the island, leaving a long trail of vapor behind.
Yun Meng sat steadily atop it, her posture as upright as a pine tree. Her gaze fell on the silhouette of the distant island, and a playful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as her fingers lightly tapped the dragon's scales.
"That boy Tendo is even better at causing trouble than I thought. How long has he been at the Association, and he's already stirred up all this?"
Despite her words, Yun Meng's expression showed no hint of blame, but rather a sense of pride. It was as if, in her eyes, this was exactly how Tendo was supposed to behave. Only a person like that... could match the image in her memory of that man who was so arrogant he was peerless.
Meanwhile, in the hallway of the dormitory building in the core area of the Ember Base, dim yellow lights reflected off the mottled walls.
Tendo was raising his hand to manipulate a pale blue vector force field. Like countless slender threads of light, the field carefully hooked a small iron box out from a gap in the ceiling. The box was the exact same style as the candy jar Jing Liuli had found earlier that day, but the blueberry pattern on the lid had long since faded, and the edges were slightly worn. It had clearly been hidden there for years.
"As I thought, it's here."
Tendo gave a light chuckle and steady handed the iron box to Caroline, who was standing beside him, his tone carrying a bit of triumphant mischief.
"Caroline, I told you Liuli must have had another jar hidden. Look, didn't I find it?"
Caroline took the box. Her fingertips lightly brushed the blurred blueberry pattern, and a faint smile rippled through her green pupils, softening her usually cool features. After a moment, she looked up at Tendo, who was leaning against the wall, her tone curious.
"So... did you always steal her candy back then just to tease her?"
Tendo leaned back, hands in his pockets, his tone carrying a matter-of-fact slyness.
"What else? Watching her jump around in a panic, searching everywhere for the candy while stubbornly insisting she didn't lose it—that was much more interesting than actually eating the candy."
That said, Tendo immediately added a supplement, a tender smile creeping into his eyes.
"But I always left half. I didn't really take all her snacks. After all, I knew it wasn't easy for that girl to save up some candy."
"Is that so..."
Caroline lowered her eyes and gently opened the iron box. Though the candies inside had long since clumped together due to moisture and the passage of time, and the wrappers had turned yellow and brittle, one could still see the exquisite design from back then. It felt as if a lingering sweetness from childhood still remained.
She softly closed the box and said, "Let's put it away for now. We'll give it back to Liuli next time she returns."
"Otherwise, with her personality, if she finds out we found it and didn't tell her, she'll be throwing a tantrum for quite a while."
Tendo nodded and reached out to take the box.
During this process, his fingers inadvertently brushed against Caroline's slightly cool hand. Both of them paused simultaneously, as if struck by a light electric current. They quickly looked away, each turning their head in a different direction.
The hallway fell into a brief silence, with only the distant sound of waves hitting the rocks audible. The dim yellow light stretched their shadows very long. The air was thick with a subtle, ambiguous atmosphere—quiet, yet not awkward.
Just then, the base's energy alarm suddenly blared. Red warning lights flashed rapidly in the hallway, casting shifting colors on their faces.
Tendo instantly shed his laziness. The pale blue vector force field unfolded around him as his gaze sharpened like a hawk's. His voice was steady and calm.
"There's a Calamity-class energy fluctuation. The intensity is stable; it's not a hostile attack. Direction is the seaside."
Caroline immediately pulled out her portable tablet, her fingertips dancing across the screen. A complex energy spectrum instantly appeared. She analyzed the data carefully, a flash of surprise crossing her green pupils.
"The energy signature is very peculiar. It has a dense fire attribute but is accompanied by a strong Spirit Link of a Contractor. It's a combination of a Calamity-class Star Envoy and a Contract Star Beast. And this mental fluctuation... it feels a bit familiar."
The two exchanged a glance, seeing both confusion and realization in each other's eyes. They immediately raced toward the shore.
Just as they stepped out of the base gates, they saw a crimson figure descending from the sky like a meteor. The Purgatory Demonic Dragon's massive body landed on the beach, kicking up clouds of sand and dust. When the dust settled, the dragon was lying docily on the ground.
And Yun Meng, atop its head, was standing with her arms crossed, looking at the two of them with a half-smile.
"Long time no see, little Tendo, Caroline."
Yun Meng's voice carried that magnetic quality unique to an onee-san. She waved her hand carelessly, her tone full of familiarity.
Tendo retracted his vector field and looked at Yun Meng with a smile.
"Sister Yun, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
"Otherwise, there's no way I wouldn't have sensed your presence immediately."
Yun Meng didn't hide her mischievous streak. Though she shared no blood relation with Tendo, in terms of personality, they were cut from the same cloth. Both enjoyed playing harmless pranks, like showing up disguised as a strange Calamity-class Star Envoy.
Even though Tendo had called her out, Yun Meng didn't mind at all. She leaped down from the dragon's head and walked toward them with light steps. Soon, she noticed the iron box in Tendo's hand.
In an instant, Yun Meng seemed to realize something and teased, "That box looks familiar. Is it the candy that Liuli hid back then? Did you steal it again?"
Tendo smiled. "What do you mean 'stolen'? Who saw me steal it? Besides... is Liuli's name written on this? I don't see it."
Seeing Tendo's "black is white" attitude, Yun Meng just smiled and said nothing.
Caroline, standing to the side, asked curiously, "Instructor Yun, why have you suddenly returned?"
"I was bored, so I came back to take a look."
Yun Meng reached out to stroke the head of the Purgatory Demonic Dragon. The dragon docily nuzzled her palm, its golden eyes full of dependence.
"There will be a lot of things to keep me busy later. Plus, little Tendo contacted me out of the blue, so I stopped by."
She paused, turning her gaze toward the greenery-surrounded core area of the base, her tone carrying a mix of melancholy and relief.
"I thought the Doctor had completely abandoned this place. I didn't expect you two to rebuild it. I didn't realize you were so nostalgic."
Hearing this, Tendo said with a smile, "After all, it's a place where we lived for many years. It would be a waste to just give it up."
Yun Meng gave a light laugh, her eyes showing a hint of gratification.
"Little Tendo, you're the same as ever. You look cold on the outside, but you're more sentimental than anyone."
Her tone shifted as her gaze swept over the two of them, asking curiously, "By the way, where's Liuli?"
"I remember she was the most clingy to you two. Why don't I see her? That girl loved following you around like a little tail when she was small."
Caroline explained patiently, "She went to the Martial Arts Capital to participate in a charity gala. She's performing as a special guest. Rehearsals start the day after tomorrow, so she went back early."
"We plan to wait for her to return, then organize the old items in the base together and put everything from back then in order."
"A charity gala?"
Yun Meng arched an eyebrow, a deep interest flashing in her eyes. A mischievous grin curled her lips.
"I didn't expect that little girl who loved to slack off back then to become a responsible little star now."
"Perfect. The Doctor told me to make a trip to the Martial Arts Capital anyway. I'll join the fun and see how her stage performance is. It's been a while since I've seen her play the fool."
With that, she flipped back up onto the dragon's head, sat steadily, and waved at the two.
"I'll head out first then. I'll come back with that little one in a few days."
"After all, the Doctor said that for this matter, we need other Children of the Stars present besides you two."
"Liuli might be a bit lazy, but without her, this matter might not actually get done."
Finished, Yun Meng patted the dragon beneath her. In the next second, the Purgatory Demonic Dragon let out a low howl and took flight. Its crimson figure cut through the night sky, streaking toward the Martial Arts Capital with a scorching air current, quickly vanishing into the night.
Tendo and Caroline stood on the beach, watching the direction the dragon had gone. They smiled at each other, their eyes full of both helplessness and anticipation. They could already imagine Liuli's panicked face when she saw Yun Meng suddenly appear.
After all, back then, there were only two people Liuli feared most. One was the battle maniac Chen Xing, and the other was Yun Meng. Though they had left the base for years, childhood "shadows" weren't cured so easily.
Thinking of this, Caroline couldn't help but say, "With the Instructor there, I imagine that charity gala will be very lively." Her tone carried a hint of a smile as she looked toward the Martial Arts Capital, as if already seeing Liuli's embarrassment while being teased.
Tendo nodded and handed her the iron box.
"Let's not talk about that. Put this away first. Find a secure place for it and give Liuli a surprise when she gets back—lest she breaks it while rummaging around."
"Let's continue checking the defensive facilities. The Instructor's arrival just now triggered the alarm. We need to adjust the sensitivity so we don't cause such a commotion next time an acquaintance visits."
Caroline took the box, carefully placed it in her backpack, and quickly followed Tendo. The two walked back to the base side by side.
The moonlight spilled gently over them, overlapping their shadows. The sound of waves hitting the rocks intertwined with the lights of the base, creating a tender and peaceful atmosphere that dispelled the years of loneliness from the facility.
Inside the base, Tendo manipulated his pale blue vector field, carefully inspecting every node of the energy barriers. He occasionally used his power to repair hidden damage, his movements precise and practiced.
Caroline stood by with her tablet, recording data and occasionally reminding Tendo to pay attention to corners and ceilings—places easily overlooked. The two worked in silent harmony, understanding each other's thoughts without the need for many words.
A subtle ambiguity flowed quietly in the air, carrying both the familiarity of years of partnership and the fluttering heartbeat of "more than friends." They quietly awaited Jing Liuli's return, and also looked forward to that charity gala in the Martial Arts Capital that was destined to be full of fun and excitement.
Meanwhile, at the venue of the charity concert in the Martial Arts Capital.
"A-choo!"
Jing Liuli rubbed her nose, looking up at the ceiling with a confused expression.
"Strange. Can I still catch a cold now?"
Though she wasn't an Enhancement-type Star Envoy, given her strength, a mere "flu" shouldn't be able to find her in principle.
"Could it be that Caroline and Tendo are thinking about me?"
Saying this, Jing Liuli turned to look at the other people on the stage, instantly regaining the aura of a big star.
"Good work, everyone. I've had the logistics team prepare late-night snacks. You can all eat before you head back."
Hearing Jing Liuli's words, the staff on-site immediately offered their thanks.
Despite her laziness in many matters, she was top-tier when it came to winning people over and knowing how to draw closer to others. After all, sincerity is the ultimate finishing move.
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