Seeing Jué stay silent, Jinhsi asked, "Then why did we get married?"
Lucian continued his deception, "Because I realized saving Solaris was incredibly difficult. If we couldn't save the world, I wanted to at least pass down humanity's spark!"
Pointing at Jué, he declared, "Jué is our child!"
Jué: "???"
Jinhsi: "???"
Jinhsi, incredulous, said, "How is that possible? The Sentinel…"
In her memory, legends described Sentinels as cosmic 'gods.' How could Jué be her and Lucian's child?
And could humans really produce a dragon like Jué?
Seeing Jinhsi's silence, Lucian pressed on, "Jinhsi, do you remember why Jué chose you as Jinzhou's Magistrate?"
Jinhsi recalled, "When I first awakened my Resonance ability, I was in grave danger due to a Tacet Discord outbreak."
"My awakening signs resonated with the Sentinel, which is why Jué saved me when I was on the brink of death."
Lucian nodded, "Exactly. As they say, 'blood runs thick, joys and sorrows align.' That's the best proof you're her mother!"
"Now, you've come to Mt. Firmament to inherit the power of Time to resolve its chaotic temporal flow, right?"
Jinhsi's heart trembled. Lucian even knew about the power of Time—could he be telling the truth?
Her mind was in chaos, a faint headache growing, as if her lifelong worldview was crumbling.
Lucian waved a hand, "Jiao-Jiao, take human form so my wife can see our love's creation."
Jiao-Jiao? Was that the name she and Lucian gave their child?
Jinhsi was now considering Lucian's words, clearly believing them more.
Jué: "…"
Me, a Sentinel, reduced to a child? What an utter disgrace.
Lucian had said the dream's owner needed external interference to realize they were dreaming.
Was telling Jinhsi a story completely at odds with reality his method of interference?
Compared to being Lucian's bedroom partner, being his and Jinhsi's child didn't seem that bad… No way!
That's just choosing the lesser evil!
Jué sighed. Since they were still in the dream, she'd play along with Lucian's plan to awaken Jinhsi…
She'd settle the score later.
Reluctantly, Jué transformed into a little girl.
Jinhsi's expression shook. She really turned into a little girl?
But…
Jinhsi studied her closely. Though Jiao-Jiao was indeed delicate, she didn't look anything like her!
Lucian noticed too, whispering to Jiao-Jiao, "Why do you still look the same? Can't you make yourself look more like her?"
Jiao-Jiao, expressionless, said in a childish voice, "Turning human is already my limit."
Lucian pondered, "Then maybe turn into your mature form? After all these years, it's normal for a child to grow up, right?"
Jiao-Jiao's face darkened, barely containing her temper. She was tempted to kick Lucian off Loong's Crest.
Seeing Jinhsi's lingering doubts, Lucian coughed, "Still don't believe me? Look at this."
He extended his hand, manifesting the power of Time in his palm.
Jinhsi's pupils shrank, "That's… the power of Time?!"
Lucian withdrew it, standing with hands behind his back.
"Indeed. As husband and wife, we're one. Half of the power of Time is with me, and the other half is yours to inherit."
"Only by uniting can we unleash its full potential to save Mt. Firmament."
Jinhsi trembled, stumbling back two steps.
The contradiction with her lifelong experiences left her bewildered.
Clutching her aching head, she looked up at Lucian, who stepped forward and held her.
"We're… husband and wife?"
Lucian nodded, kissing her smooth forehead, "Hsi, the truth shouldn't be buried. I'm so glad you know now."
On the cold mountaintop, Jinhsi went limp in Lucian's arms, sweating profusely.
Despite his certainty, she still didn't fully believe him.
If it was as he said, why didn't he tell her when he arrived in Solaris?
And as an otherworldly visitor, how could Lucian be part of Solaris's millennia-long history of reincarnation?
Exhausted, Jinhsi instinctively wrapped her arms around Lucian's waist.
Her mind churned, feeling like a lone boat in a vast sea, desperate for a safe harbor.
At that moment, the surroundings began to collapse. The snowy Mt. Firmament faded.
In its place was a dim space under a blood moon, with countless Tacet Discords rising from the ground.
"Jiao-Jiao, your turn!"
Jiao-Jiao shook her head, "Didn't think this would work."
In a blink, she annihilated the Tacet Discords, her movements too fast to see.
The black cat, watching from the shadows, bared its teeth, "What kind of person have I messed with!"
A glowing white gate appeared. Jinhsi finally awoke from the dream.
Looking up, she saw Lucian's half-smirking expression.
Blushing at the memories, she pushed against his chest, trying to step back.
But Lucian wasn't letting her go so easily.
He cupped her face, serious, "Hsi, as husband and wife, after such an ordeal, shouldn't we do what couples do?"
Jinhsi's ears turned red. Though awake, the dream's memories lingered.
She lowered her head, flustered, "What husband and wife… You made it all up…"
"But thank you for waking me from the dream. Otherwise, the consequences would've been dire."
Lucian grinned, "As Jinzhou's Intelligence Officer, I'm tired of hearing thanks. If you really want to thank me, make it real!"
Jinhsi pursed her lips, asking, "What do you want?"
Lucian smirked, pinching her cheeks to pucker her lips, then leaned down to kiss her.
"Mmph…"
Jinhsi's closed eyes trembled, responding shyly as Lucian savored her sweetness.
Jiao-Jiao: "…"