"Onii-chan, you're back early today. Weren't you visiting Seitenshi?"
Koharu hurried over as soon as she saw Xiao Feng enter. She then noticed the unfamiliar girl standing quietly beside him.
"Is she going to stay with us too?"
"Yes." Xiao Feng nodded. "She'll be living here from now on. Help her meet the others and become familiar with the place. I still have something to do."
"Leave it to me, Onii-chan!"
Koharu turned toward the girl and introduced herself with a friendly smile.
The girl responded with a quiet nod. She barely spoke and appeared nervous around so many unfamiliar people.
Koharu did not mind her silence. She gently took her hand and led her farther into the hall to introduce her to the other girls.
Xiao Feng watched them leave before turning around and walking out of the former IISO branch once again.
Standing outside, he raised his head and looked at the gloomy sky.
"This damned world might truly be better off destroyed," he cursed inwardly.
A moment later, his figure disappeared.
His next destination was the Tendō Civil Security Agency.
...
"You're here to give me another headache, aren't you?"
The moment Xiao Feng entered her office, Kisara leaned back in her chair and pressed a hand against her forehead.
"Probably," Xiao Feng admitted awkwardly.
He could understand her reaction. Almost every time he visited her, he brought another troublesome request.
However, there were very few people in the Tokyo Area whom he genuinely trusted.
"Fine. What do you need this time?" Kisara asked helplessly. "Just remember that my services aren't cheap."
"Money isn't a problem."
Xiao Feng sat down across from her desk.
"Kisara, I need you to gather information about the remaining IISO branches in Japan.If possible, investigate their branches in other countries as well."
Kisara stared at him for several seconds.
"Are you serious? Do you think investigating a powerful international organisation like IISO is easy?"
She folded her arms and gave him an irritated look.
"After what you did to their Tokyo branch, they've become extremely cautious. Their other facilities have strengthened their security, erased records and restricted the movement of their personnel. Even locating their branches will be difficult."
"How long will you need?"
"At least a month to gather reliable information about the branches in Japan," Kisara replied. "Investigating their operations in foreign countries will take much longer."
"That's fine. Start with Japan."
Kisara sighed, "Even with the money you provided, obtaining information about IISO won't be easy. You might get faster results by questioning the high-ranking officials who negotiated the armistice with you."
"I don't trust them."
"But you trust me?"
"Of course."
Xiao Feng answered without hesitation.
Kisara froze for a moment. A faint change appeared in her expression, but she quickly looked away and pretended to organise the documents scattered across her desk.
"All right. I understand."
She waved her hand toward the door.
"Now leave before you give me even more work. I'll contact you once I find something useful."
Xiao Feng noticed that her mood had improved, but he wisely chose not to mention it and left.
...
A few days later,
After completing her cultivation practice, Seitenshi had returned to her official duties.
When Xiao Feng entered her office, she was sitting behind a large desk covered with documents. One hand supported her forehead while she stared tiredly at the papers in front of her.
Managing the entire Tokyo Area was exhausting, especially for someone as young as her.
She possessed intelligence and determination, but she had not yet developed the experience and endurance she would have a year later.
Xiao Feng quietly observed her for a moment.
"Do you want to go outside?"
Hearing his voice, Seitenshi immediately raised her head.
"Xiao Feng? When did you—"
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Feng walked over, lifted her into his arms and flew through the open window.
The guards inside the office could only stare after them in stunned silence.
"Xiao Feng! Put me down!" Seitenshi exclaimed as she struggled slightly.
"Are you sure?" Xiao Feng asked calmly. "Look below you."
Seitenshi glanced downward.
The buildings of the Tokyo Area had already become tiny beneath them. Realising how high they were, she immediately stopped struggling and wrapped both arms tightly around Xiao Feng's neck. Xiao Feng could not help but chuckle.
"You're quite cute when you're frightened."
Seitenshi's face instantly turned red.
"I'm not frightened," She protested but she made no effort to loosen her hold on him.
Like many girls her age, Seitenshi had occasionally imagined the romantic scenes shown in television dramas, where a prince would carry a princess in his arms.
However, instead of a prince, the person carrying her through the sky was a boy regarded by much of the world as an extremely dangerous terrorist.
The thought left her feeling both embarrassed and amused.
Seeing her flushed expression, Xiao Feng felt a faint warmth in his heart.
"Seitenshi, you should take some time to relax. You don't have to rush your cultivation. Practise it slowly. I'll find a method that suits you better."
"Hm?"
The rushing wind drowned out most of his words. Unable to hear him clearly, Seitenshi simply nodded.
Xiao Feng shook his head helplessly.
"Never mind. Open your eyes."
This time, he wrapped his voice in Dou Qi and transmitted it directly to her ears.
Seitenshi heard him clearly and slowly opened her eyes.
The setting sun rested upon the distant horizon, covering the sky in brilliant shades of red and gold.
Its warm light spread across the Tokyo Area, illuminating the countless buildings below and the enormous Monoliths surrounding the city.
Seitenshi stared at the breathtaking scenery in silence.
For as long as she could remember, her days had been filled with official duties, political struggles and the constant burden of protecting the Tokyo Area.
She had rarely been given the opportunity to forget those responsibilities and simply admire the world around her.
After watching the sunset for a while, she turned her gaze toward Xiao Feng.
Apart from her guards, he was the only boy who had ever been this close to her. Though he was many years younger than her, his height was almost equal to hers.
Although behaviour was often reckless, and his methods could be frightening, she felt strangely safe when he held her.
Under the warm evening sunlight, unfamiliar emotions quietly appeared within Seitenshi's heart.
She did not yet understand what those feelings meant. However, like a newly planted seed, they had already begun to take root.
...