For a few moments, no one spoke.
The air around them still carried the heat of the molten sea, yet the tension of battle had long since faded. What replaced it now was something far stranger, far more unexpected. Every member of the group found themselves staring between Lin Mu and the man before them, trying to make sense of what they had just witnessed.
They all shared the same question.
Just where did Lin Mu know this person from?
It was not merely recognition. It was far deeper than that.
Lin Mu's reaction had been immediate and unrestrained. His composure, which he usually maintained even in the most extreme situations, had faltered the moment he laid eyes on the man. That alone spoke volumes.
Even more telling was Little Shrubby's behavior.
The beast lay calmly in the man's arms, allowing him to run his hand across his head. Shrubby even leaned into the touch slightly, as if enjoying the familiarity. That was something none of them had ever seen before.
