Dialogues were exchanged between the two parties. Specifications of their alliance were vocalized; the dos and don'ts, what to and not to expect, and some ins and outs about each other's respective groups.

Gabriel and Yifei were in awe when they learned about how vast and powerful White Bird is. They heard some of the various exciting missions they tackle, and the surprisingly noble deeds they do for the country's economy.

​​

This just proved how large their gap is between their group and White Bird.

The grandfather clock that was on the corner of the room produced an eerie chime as the hands struck midnight, an indication that they've exhausted the meeting's allotted time.

"It's already late. I believe we've covered most of what we needed to know." Lillie stood up, her Elders followed suit.

"I believe we did." Gabriel agreed, he and Yifei pushing themselves up from their seats. He could've sworn he heard his stiff legs crying in relief when they finally stretched. Probably his joints cracking.

Yifei didn't even attempt to stifle a yawn and just shamelessly let everyone in the room hear how tired she was.

"As of this day, White Bird warmly welcomes Thrilled Phantom under her wings." Lillie shook hands with her brother and future sister-in-law.

The Elders also shook hands with them.

Ethan let himself be the last one to shake their hands. When it was his little sister's turn, he unconsciously gripped on it a little tighter.

"Uhm, something wrong?" Yifei raised one eyebrow when his hand lingers longer than necessary.

Ethan didn't utter a word as he let her go.

"Weird guy," Yifei muttered next to Gabriel, watching the Elder, Silver Dragon, resume his position beside his boss. "What's his deal? Did I offend him? He's been quiet throughout the meeting along with Silent Death."

"It's Silent Death who appears to be the quiet type," Gabriel said his observation. "Silver Dragon, on the other hand, 'is' being oddly quiet."

"So he's not normally like that?"

Gabriel shook his head. "He's a spitfire the first time I met him."

"Huh. Wonder what made him quiet."

The two put on and secured their masks with a question they didn't expect to get the answer to soon. Once they've collectively exited the meeting room, the Elders, except Silver Dragon, went ahead first and walked in the opposite direction.

White Bird and Silver Dragon were left with them.

"Let's go," Lillie beckoned to their younger siblings. "We'll be heading in the same direction as you two."

Seeing nothing wrong with being accompanied out by the boss of one of the biggest mafia organization in the world herself, the two politely accepted.

Hey, this is a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of opportunity. It's not every day that White Bird herself would guide someone out of her base as if she was seeing a valuable guest off her house.

Once they're out of the building, the sharp, chilly air of autumn at midnight wafted around them.

Li Yifei clamped her teeth together with a scowl, shivering slightly. "I knew we should've taken the car." She grumbled indignantly.

"What are you talking about?" Gabriel asked sarcastically. "It was you who insisted that we ride the motorbikes."

"But you," She glared, "you hardly ever listen to me. So why, of all days, did you actually listen and agreed?"

"Isn't it obvious? So that you know the there would be consequences to your decisions if you didn't give it a second thought or careful consideration." Nevertheless, Gabriel took off his coat and threw it over her head.

"I didn't ask for your—"

"Stop complaining and just wear it," He grumbled.

Growing up with a mother who's not shy to verbalize how hard it was being a woman, an elder sister who he idolizes and frequently observes, and a father who has his good amount of share of wisdom, Gabriel learned that women are more sensitive in cold than men.

But more importantly, it's also because she's his girlfriend. If Gabriel didn't know Thrill Seeker was Li Yifei, he couldn't care less if she was freezing.

"It's autumn and you choose to ride motorbikes in the night?" Puzzled and slightly amused, Lillie gave the couple a side glance.

Li Yifei casually shrugged. "It looks cooler."

"It wouldn't be cool if you caught a cold." Gabriel retorted without bite, resigning.

"Shut up, Ga—uh, you!" Li Yifei quickly corrected herself. "Urgh! Now I know why your insufferable ass was familiar."

Lillie couldn't help but observe the two's interaction. What's this? They're annoying each other and yet they somehow thought it's a good idea to get together?

Love is truly unfathomable.

"Hm?" Lillie felt a gentle tug on the edge of her sleeve. She shifted her attention to Ethan, but he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were locked on the two.

"It would be inconsiderate of us if we just let our new allies freeze to death, wouldn't it?"

Lillie didn't need to rack her brain to decipher the hidden meaning behind Ethan's statement.

Humming, she innocuously nodded in agreement. "Definitely. People might think we're bullies, letting our new friends be on their way with this biting cold."

Gabriel and Li Yifei overhead their exchange, and stopped dead from their banter. An ominous feeling suddenly loomed over their senses.

"And as adults, we couldn't just leave these children alone in the dead of night," Ethan sagely added, crossing his arms.

There was an air of I-am-a-responsible-and-thoughtful-adult radiating off of him.

"After all, this is the time when bad people crawl out from their holes to lurk the shadows and terrorize the streets."

"..."

"..."

Their younger siblings stared at Ethan with mirrored, deadpanned expressions.

He's talking to them as if they were gullible children. Is this man for real? What does he take them for?

And the incredulous scene wasn't made better when even White Bird was nodding along with his nonsense.

Maybe these guys accumulated a few loose screws from the span of years they spent here in this deranged world of criminals.

This made the two rethink their decision for a moment, before realizing it's already too late for them.

"Then it's decided," Lillie clapped her hands once to gather their attention on her. "We'll give you two a lift."

"..."

"..."

Her tone wasn't that of someone being gracious by offering them a ride. No, it was a demanding tone that says "dare to refuse and you'll see what happens after".

They don't know why, but Gabriel and Li Yifei didn't dare test it.