"Xinghe, I am not leaving you alone. Do you get me?", Xi Yuan stared straight into the girl's eyes, determined, "So stop trying to escape me. Where are we going?"

Rong Xinghe looked at the man's firm yet soft features and let out a sigh. He was one stubborn man. And hopeless. "Anywhere silent. Just not home. I need some time by myself, Yuan.", she said.

"Okay."

______________

Zhi Family Mansion, 8:00 p.m. ;

"So how did she take it?", Ningtao asked her husband, concerned.

"She wanted to roam around, I guess. Aimlessly.", Lu Wei answered, "But you know Yuan. He is there with her."

"Thank God.", Songyan took a deep breath, relieved.

The Six tigers had gathered at the Zhi Family Residence to discuss Mo Zixuan's wedding plans earlier. Decorations. Wedding themes. The number of guests. Usual. But then again, this was the Superfamily. Not a single day in their lives was 'usual'. Despite their attempts to pull the news down from the headlines, it was odd how the Stark Screen still displayed the piece. Most importantly, it wasn't a mere 'coincidence' that their Kiddo happened to be right there when the journalist reported it. They weren't unaware of that, of course.

"I am sure I informed them about this.", Mo Zixuan clenched his fists.

"Rong Yufan. He must've done it. His timings are perfect. Always.", Zhi Bo remarked.

"Why are we so worried again?", Ruo Cy questioned, "It was a matter of time before Xinghe would've known about this incident anyway. The truth came out, big deal? She will be fine eventually. Right?"

"Or maybe she won't, Mrs. Zhi?", at this time, an unfamiliar yet smoothly crisp voice resounded from behind the woman. The group of people turned to look at the young man smiling at them. "Lieutenant General Ashfakh Ali, here. A friend of your Sister's, Sirs.", the man addressed the Six men, "It's not every day that you get to meet the Six tigers. I am honored."

_____________________

Meanwhile, In front of the State Library ;

"I swear I didn't know the library would be closed.", Xi Yuan approached the girl, with two cups of coffee in his hands," And when you said 'anywhere silent'. I could think of only this place. But I guess the streets are silent too." The man smiled, as he looked at the girl sitting on the hood of his car, her legs crossed.

"Thank you.", the girl smiled wryly, holding onto her cup with both her hands, "I guess this is the first time you've wandered around like this."

"Yeah. I don't mind, though.", the man nodded, sitting beside the girl upon the car hood, "As long as you are with me."

The couple didn't speak to each other after that. Not a single word. Xi Yuan knew she needed space. And time. To process everything. Rong Yufan's connection with the murder. His association with the 'Bleeding Avenues'. Her childhood. It was all too much, after all. He couldn't expect her to chat with him normally, after everything. But he could be there. By her side. And he hoped for nothing more.

Rong Xinghe didn't try to talk too. She needed to digest it all herself first. She thought about when she was four and then when she was thirteen. He was a monster each time, putting on a pretense of the concerned elder brother. From killing the street dog she fed in front of her eyes, to throwing her down a running train as if she were some trash. He had always been a monster. Everything he did had some hidden motive behind it. Something evil.

The girl's train of thoughts was interrupted as she felt someone covering her bare shoulders, with a warm black coat. The girl lifted her head up to look at Xi Yuan. He was still silent, his expression solemn. She could feel his breath against her cheek. His gaze focused on her body. He was stuck with her. In all her dramas. And that hurt her even more. Because this man deserved the world, according to her. Not her pain and past destroying their present.

"I love you.", she whispered, capturing his lips into hers. Xi Yuan wasn't expecting that, so naturally, he was taken aback. Gradually, his mind relaxed and their lips moved, in the perfect sync. He could feel her exhaustion, and sadness, by how she clutched onto his collar tightly. Damn! He couldn't begin to imagine what she was going through right now. With all those memories coming back, that must've been excruciatingly horrifying for her, he thought.

"I love you too.", the man replied, pulling apart from the girl as he held her into his embrace, allowing her to listen to his heartbeats. "Do you want to talk about it?", he asked then, carefully.

"It was a mistake.", the girl spoke up, after roughly half a minute, "Letting him live. It was a mistake. Maybe the prediction wasn't as inaccurate as I thought it was. He is going to die, at my hands."

___________________

Zhi Family Mansion, 8:30 p.m. ;

Ashfakh grabbed a seat for himself upon one of the couches and joined his hands, pressing them against each other. Only when he showed his official badge did the Six men were assured of his identity. They told him about how the girl took the news concerning the girl's murder and that she was with Xi Yuan.

"We are relieved.", Zhi Al said, "At least, she isn't alone."

"Me too.", Ashfakh agreed.

"Officer, earlier, when you said 'Or maybe she won't?', what did you mean?", Su Rogguang asked, suspiciously.

"Well...", the soldier said, his expression earnest, "I would require the Superfamily's Oath of Secrecy regarding whatever I am going to tell here. Normally, we don't reveal our real identities to the Civilians. But this concerns the Military Chief. So her family comes into the loop automatically. Should I take your word for it?"

The Six men exchanged glances among themselves before they sat up straight and nodded, followed by the six ladies accompanying them, equally serious. Songyan ordered the Nanny to take away Little Alix and Zhi Taio before she focused upon the man. It was better to keep the kids away, especially now that Lu Alix could speak.

"So here is the thing. We are a group of Eleven soldiers. Underworld and Terrorist groups identify us as the 'Military Hybrids' or the 'Silent Soldiers'. Xinghe is a Military Hybrid herself. Just more powerful than all the Ten of us combined. The 'Hybrid Alpha', they say.

"Hybrids. Neither Army nor Civilians. Stronger than the normal soldiers, but weaker than the Military Chief. In-between, always. Our skills are assets to the nation, our identities are threats to the terrorists.

"Rong Xinghe's life is inscribed in three books. Three different books. The first one, for the years she spent with the Rongs. The second one, for the time she was with you Six after the train incident.

"But the last book was never read by anyone. Anyone, but for us Ten Hybrids. Those five years, when she was undergoing the Military Chief training. When she was the Ripper. No one heard of it, and no one saw it. Just the Hybrids.

"The Military Hybrids were nothing but her competition once. I am Ashfakh Ali. One of the Eleven trainee officers, who once aimed to sit on the Throne of the highest Military Authority of Country X. Each one of us, defeated by your Kiddo Sister."