"Sniff...sniff..." the girl snuffled.

I followed the sound, and eventually arrived before a shut door. Who could it be...?

I debated in my head whether or not to help this girl out. If I did, that will make searching for Qing Yue and the Yu sisters a lot more troublesome, having her tag along...but if I didn't...ugh, screw it. Qing Yue and the Yu sisters are my top priority here. Sorry, whoever you are, but...

I turned around and began walking away, keeping my footsteps as light as possible. However, then-

"Sniff...Big Brother Xuan Kai...where are you...sniff..."

I spun around immediately, and pressed my ear against the door. There's no way...am I mishearing things? The only one who calls me that, is...

"Big Brother Xuan Kai...Qing Yue is scared..." the girl sobbed quietly.

I clenched my fists, then placed my hand on the door handle. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door...to find Qing Yue, hugging herself tightly on her bed, hidden within her blanket.

"Qing Yue..." I murmured.

She slowly looked up and met my gaze. "Big Brother...Xuan Kai?"

Time seemed to stop.

And then, in an instant, she leapt off the bed, and dived directly into my arms.

"Big Brother Xuan Kai...! Wahh..." she cried, buring her face in my shoulder.

I supported her short body gently with my arms, and ended up hugging her back. I was still kind of dazed, and unsure what to do. In the end, I settled on just patting her head softly as she continued to cry in my arms.

"It's okay...I'm here."

After a few minutes, Qing Yue stopped crying, and she wiped any remaining tears from her face. I slowly let go of her, but she didn't do the same to me.

Well...this is awkward.

Unsure of where to put my hands, I just let them drop to my sides.

"Big Brother Xuan Kai...Qing Yue is so glad you're here..." she murmured, embracing me even tighter.

"R-Right...but I'm k-kind of having difficulty breathing here..."

She was hugging me so tight I could barely breathe. After hearing me say this, however, Qing Yue finally let go, and wiped away any remaining tears on her face and in her eyes.

"S-Sorry..." she murmured, averting her gaze.

I sighed. "It's fine...just go wash your face quickly, then we're getting out of here."

Qing Yue nodded, then proceeded to head inside the washroom. However, she then stopped, and turned around to look at me once more.

"Hey, Big Brother Xuan Kai...do you hate me...?"

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Of course not."

"B-But you don't love me either, do you?" she continued, casting her eyes downwards with a dejected expression. "I mean...that's what you said before, wasn't it? If so, then why did you come looking for me?"

I looked away. "...Can we talk about this later?"

Qing Yue stared at me for a while longer, before finally giving in with a nod. Then, she entered the washroom, and began cleaning her face.

First Feng Mian, and now Qing Yue. As expected, after what I said to them, coming back to help them now would just make me look like a hypocrite. No doubt...the Yu sisters will have the same reaction. God, for now, I'm just pushing the inevitable until later, but...when the time comes, it's going to be such a pain.

I wonder, could I just run away? Yeah, not likely. I doubt the girls are going to let me do that, given how stubborn every single one of them are. They won't rest until they've hunted me down, like a pack of wolves...very beautiful wolves.

Soon after, Qing Yue was finished.

"All done?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

She nodded. "I'm ready, Big Brother Xuan Kai."

"If there's anything in here you treasure, take it with you now. I can store it in my Space Locket. Because chances are, by the time this disaster is over, this place will be in ruins - and not just here, either. The entire city will be demolished."

And I wasn't lying either. If just Phase I of the Midnight Syndicate's plan is able to cause this much damage, then Phase II would be even worse. And following this pattern, it wouldn't be a baseless judgement to say there could be a Phase III or even a Phase IV either. That is...if the city even lasts until then.

Even with the reinforcements from other cities, I doubt there will be any elites or exceptionally powerful people among them. After all, they want to keep their best to themselves. In case the Midnight Syndicate doesn't stop after destroying Shenzhen, the other cities will need their most powerful mages to stop their invasion.

That's how it was in this world. In the end, you were alone, no matter what polite 'acts of kindness' others may show you. Humans, and other races, are selfish creatures. Even the most selfless of people won't kill themselves to save someone who has no relation to them whatsoever.

And yet...my mother and father both died because of me. Now, Feng Mian, Qing Yue, Yu An Xue, and Yu An Yan...they'll all be caught up as well.

But honestly? Screw being selfless. If these girls truly want to follow me and be with me, if that is what makes them happy, then I...really don't care anymore. I'll be selfish and keep them with me. So what? If that is the girls' own decision, then who am I to judge?

Yeah...if they still feel the same way after all this is over, then I'll be selfish, just this once.

Qing Yue shook her head, signaling that she doesn't have anything in this dorm she wishes to keep.

I frowned. "Really? Not a single thing?"

She smiled faintly. "The most important thing to me in the world is already standing in front of me right now."

I chuckled awkwardly, and feigned ignorance. Then, turning around so that my back was towards Qing Yue, I pulled out my walkie-talkie.

"Leader, it's Zhang San. Can you hear me? Over."

After an unusually long silence, a comm came back from Xiang Peng. "Yes-BOOM!-I can hear you-"

I narrowed my eyes at the intense background noise. "Uh, what's with the...explosions?"

"I can't-ZAP!-explain right now-BOOM!-but we could really use some assistance!"

"Got it. Where are you right now?"

"Rendezvous at the-GRAAHH!-school's main campus!"

That...sounded like one of those monster's roar.

"Copy that. Heading over now. Over."

Without waiting for a response, I shoved the handheld transceiver back in my cloak pocket, and turned to Qing Yue.

"Let's go. I'll take you to the safe zone."

"Eh? The safe zone? But...don't the people you were talking to need your help right now?"

It seems she had heard the conversation I had with Xiang Peng...though that wasn't a big surprise, considering I didn't know how to turn the volume down on the walkie-talkie.

"I'll take you to the safe zone first, then come back to help them," I replied stoically.

She shook her head. "No, I don't want to! Let's go help them right now!"

I clenched my fists. "Qing Yue...I'm not taking no for an answer. I'm taking you to the safe zone, the Coastal Metropolis. And that's that."

"Big Brother Xuan Kai...is it because you think I'm weak, and is just going to be a burden to you?"

I averted my gaze. "No, it's not that..."

"Then take me with you! I can help heal any injured people, and apply buffs them as well!" Qing Yue exclaimed.

I closed my eyes. "Damn it...fine. But the instant I see you in danger, I'm picking you up and getting the hell out of there."

"Hmph! I'll prove to you that I am strong too, Big Brother Xuan Kai!" she replied, before I picked her up in a princess carry, and leapt off the edge of the window I had melted down to get in here.

Level One Sky Magic - Flight.

Feeling a rush of adrenaline in my body and lighter all of a sudden, I soared high up into the sky, and looked around. I immediately spotted some explosions and all kinds of different colors of magic being cast in a certain area. The noise was enormous, and Qing Yue covered her ears within my arms.

Goddamn...even if you didn't tell me where you were, I would still be able to find you in an instant, Xiang Peng...what the hell happened?!

I quickly descended, landing softly on the ground near the heated battle, and set Qing Yue down gently. Spotting Xiang Peng, I quickly ran over.

"Leader! What's going on?"

"Ah! Zhang San!" Xiang Peng cried, and began coming closer to me.

"What happened?" I asked once we were close enough.

Xiang Peng averted her gaze. "...Our rescue mission went wrong. Very wrong."