After I told the girls the truth about Lan Xiao Su and who she was, they all collectively sighed.

"And? Don't tell me you're worried about her just because she helped you out a little," Feng Mian said. "You aren't that nice of a person."

"Uh...ouch?" I murmured. "But...you're right. That's not the only reason."

"Then what is?" Yu An Yan asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Her last name...Lan. I'm curious about what her relationship with Lan Gui Ying is. Of course, Lan Gui Ying is already dead, but..."

"Lan Gui Ying? Who's that?" Feng Mian raised an eyebrow. "Another girl we don't know about? Really, Xuan Kai?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, no...just ask Qing Yue, she knows."

Qing Yue nodded. "Mhm! Basically, Lan Gui Ying is Big Brother Xuan Kai's ex-fiancee...oh, but rest assured, the two of them don't like each other in any way. In fact, quite the opposite. Lan Gui Ying hates Xuan Kai."

"The feeling is mutual," I added.

"Right, and...well, that's all I know. I never heard anything about her dying," Qing Yue finished.

Mei Gui then spoke up. "Allow me to explain. Long story short, Lan Gui Ying had been hit by the rainwater outside, and ended up transforming inside the mall. One thing led to another, and eventually the entire front half of this place burned up."

"So, in other words...this Lan Gui Ying person was the one who caused the fire?" Feng Mian deduced.

I shrugged. "Inadvertently, but yeah."

"And you think that Lan Xiao Su is somehow related to Lan Gui Ying, so you're determined to get to the end of this?" Yu An Yan followed up.

I nodded. "Well, it's not something I must do, but I feel like I should at least tell her Lan Gui Ying died, whatever their relationship is."

Qing Yue sighed. "Big Brother Xuan Kai, you do realize just because they have the same last name, it doesn't necessarily mean they are 100% related? There are many people out there with the same surname."

"I know that, but...two of them in the same city? I can't help but feel that's a bit weird. I don't know much about the Lan family except for the fact that they are a subsidiary family to the now-gone Xuan family, but I just have this gut feeling that Lan Xiao Su is somehow related to them."

"Gut...feeling..." Yu An Xue murmured, a hint of skepticism in her voice.

Oh, wait...this is an opportunity! A chance to get away and avoid having to tell them how I truly feel! Yes!

"Alright, look. I'll ask around, see if anyone's seen her in the mall...and if she isn't here, then...well, I'm not going out there again to look for her," I finally said. "This is just something I'm curious about, not like with you guys, where I..."

I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The girls stared at me in confusion, but I shook their gazes off, and stood up.

"A-Anyway, I'm going to go look around now. If you need me for anything, just give me a call or something. Peace."

Without waiting for a response, I left the dubious looks of the girls behind, and exited the cafe successfully without have that 'discussion' with them.

*****

Just as I was about to begin looking around, I felt a vibration coming from my pocket, where my phone was located.

You serious? I just got out, and you're already calling me back...? Looks like they realized my true intentions of escaping that situation-

Hm? Wait. The caller...Song Qian Long?

After moving somewhere with less people around, I pressed the 'answer' button, and placed the phone over my ear. "Yes?"

"Kai Kai! Oh, thank the heavens...I finally got through to you," Song Qian Long's hoarse voice came through over the call. "Since you are able to receive phone calls...I assume you are safe back in the Coastal Metropolis?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I found Qing Yue and the Yu sisters as well."

"I see...good. You must be tired. I'll let you rest, then. Goodby-"

"Hold on, old geezer," I interrupted before he could hang up. "You definitely didn't call me just to check in on me, I can tell. There's something you need to tell me, isn't there?"

"..." he fell silent, but didn't outright end the call, either. It seems my guess was on the mark.

"So?" I continued. "What happened?"

After a long silence, Song Qian Long let out a deep sigh. "This...it's better to meet in person. Wait by the staircase leading up to the administrative floor."

If he wants to rendezvous there, then it must be something important, something no one else can hear...

"Got it. Heading over now," I replied briskly, before promptly hanging up and proceeding to the specified location.

*****

- Administrative Floor, The Coastal Metropolis -

I leaned on the wall beside the door leading to the staircase heading upwards to the administrative floor of this mall. After around 5 minutes, Song Qian Long pushed open the locked door from the other side, and signaled for me to enter. I complied, after making sure no one was looking our way.

Once we were safely on the administrative floor, Song Qian Long spoke. "Kai Kai, you remember the reconnaissance squad we sent out to the highway connecting Hong Kong and Shenzhen, correct?"

I nodded. "They were pretty strong, too, if I recall."

"Indeed. Led by an early Golden Monarch stage, this mission was of utmost importance."

"And? What about them?"

Song Qian Long cast his gazed downwards, and clenched his fists. "...We lost contact them two hours ago."

I narrowed my gaze. "Lost contact? As in..."

He nodded. "Yes. They exited the city, and at approximately the ten kilometer mark on the highway, our communication was suddenly terminated. The last thing we heard...was a human scream, and a rush of static quickly following up. I'm afraid the people we sent...they have all been eliminated."

I fell into thought. "In other words...my guess about the Midnight Syndicate was correct. They are indeed using the highway to initiate Phase II of their plan."

Song Qian Long nodded. "And this occurred two hours ago. Assuming whatever it is the Midnight Syndicate is sending has the speed of an average walking human...they should be entering city borders right about now. It won't be long before they arrive at this safe zone."

"...And we don't stand a chance against whatever is coming?" I asked.

He closed his eyes. "Kai Kai...they say the unseen enemy is always the most fearsome. But in this case, it is not just that we do not see them - we do not even know the first thing about them. The other city's reinforcements have just entered the city as well and are making their way over here as we speak, but even with them...the point is, we have no idea how powerful the enemy is."

I sighed. "Why are you telling me this? I've already saved Qing Yue and the Yu sisters. I'm not going out there to fight again."

Song Qian Long nodded. "Yes, I and I do not wish for you to fight, either. I am merely informing you of this because you were the one who first came up with this guess in the first place. The reconnaissance squad we sent...they died, but it was for a good reason. We can now confirm that the Midnight Syndicate is indeed on the move, and can anticipate where they will be coming from. If we do manage to fight them off by some miracle...a lot of the credit will go to you."

"Huh? I don't care about credit, though," I muttered. "And besides, I didn't really do all that much? Just the random guess of a 14-year-old. You can just chalk it up to luck.

My godfather chuckled. "If you were just any 14 year old and not my very own godson, I would've believed you there. But Kai Kai, I can confidently say you are not the type of kid to randomly spout whatever comes to his mind. Everything you say is thought about carefully before it comes out of your mouth...for better or worse."

'Thought about carefully', huh...I can't count the number of times I've blundered in front of the girls, but...there's no point arguing with this old geezer here, anyway.

I sighed. "Whatever. Also...the Midnight Syndicate murdered my parents, and I will never forgive them for that, but I would like to avoid trouble until I'm stronger. Once that happens, I can hunt down every single one of them. That's why, for this battle - and this is just a suggestion - I think we should evacuate."

Song Qian Long frowned. "Evacuate? You mean...leaving this city behind, and collectively moving somewhere else?"

I nodded. "If we can't beat them in a fight, we can at least run."

However, the mage known as the Dragon of Shenzhen immediately stopped my words with a hand gesture.

"That proposal is not happening," he said defiantly. "This city...Shenzhen...it's where I grew up and where I call home. I cannot just abandon it in dark times, and I am sure many others feel the same. We could evacuate all the citizens who truly wish to leave, but...I, along with the majority of others, will remain here to fight to the death with the accursed Midnight Syndicate."

I blinked a few times, then sighed deeply. "Whatever. So be it. Like I said, it was just a suggestion."

With this, I turned around and left the administrative floor through the same staircase.

Old geezer...you really are a fool. A brave yet stupid...fool. The line between courage and idiocy is very thin, and...I'm honestly not too sure which side of that line you're on. But one thing is clear - you are definitely someone I've come to respect, and although I don't want to admit it, I'm warming up to you as well, as your godson. At this point, you're practically family to me.

Which is why...when the time comes, you better not die, godfather.

...I don't want to lose any more family.