Amidst the searing flames and broken rubble.
After a period of intense fighting, Chen Kong and Vivian had finally cleared out the dense army of remnant souls that Chen Xing had unleashed.
He placed his hands on his knees, and beads of sweat slid down his forehead, hitting the scorching ground and evaporating into visible white mist.
"Whew."
Chen Kong shook his heavy head. His sweat-drenched hair stuck to his forehead, and the loose tips caused a fine itch.
But Chen Kong had no time to worry about such things.
Chen Xing, standing in the distance, had already placed her hand on the demon blade stuck in the ground and was slowly pulling it out.
The blade scraping against the concrete floor made a chilling, low sound.
Bathed in the fiery glow of blood-red flames, Chen Xing drew out the exaggerated two-meter-long demon blade.
The blade reflected the blood-colored firelight, exuding a heart-stopping sense of oppression.
She gazed at Chen Kong not far away and spoke slowly, "You've made some progress. At least you're not so foolish as to completely disappoint me, but..."
Chen Xing dragged the demon blade toward Chen Kong and Vivian. The tip of the blade carved a burning, blood-red trench in the ground.
At the same time, scarlet flames suddenly erupted from her sleeves and pant legs. Her clothes were quickly consumed and replaced by these blood-red flames, exposing the clear, muscular lines of her abdomen.
As the 'star mark' on her abdomen glowed with an eerie red light, a pair of blood-red horns, like a demon's, suddenly pierced through her skin and grew from her forehead.
Screech!
With the sound of the demon blade dragging, Chen Xing's voice turned icy. "...if this is all you can do, then you are not strong enough to escape me."
"Come on. Use all your trump cards and bet on that hope that never existed from the start."
Chen Kong took a deep breath, his back straightening, casting a long shadow in the firelight.
At this moment, he no longer had the nervousness and timidity he had when he first met Chen Xing. His expression became incredibly firm.
"Sis, does it have to come to this?"
Chen Xing's voice was calm, without a ripple. "Kong, begging for an enemy's mercy is the most foolish thing in the world. Haven't you understood that yet?"
Chen Kong shook his head. "I'm not asking for anyone's mercy."
"I just don't understand why you're turning a blind eye to the injustice happening right in front of you."
"Sis, this trial is bizarre from beginning to end, and with your status, I don't believe you can't see all this."
"But even so, you're still going to help those beasts?"
Chen Kong's voice suddenly rose, a direct accusation aimed at Chen Xing.
"Help?"
Chen Xing looked as if she had heard a joke. A mocking smile appeared on her face, and her eyes were as cold as ice.
"Kong, you're still as naive as you were as a child, living in your own fairytale."
"When did I ever say I was helping those greedy parasites?"
"Then why are you here?"
"Such a boring question again."
Chen Xing impatiently pinched the bridge of her nose and said, "As the Association's Star Envoy, it is my duty to capture fugitives. There's no need for so many whys."
"If everyone acted on their whims like you, this world would have long become a slaughterhouse where the strong prey on the weak."
"But does upholding order mean you can ignore the injustice in front of you?"
Chen Xing's response to this question was cold and unfeeling.
"Kong, don't always question others from the position of a victim. If you think there's a problem with what I'm doing, then you should find a way to prove it to me."
"But until then, I won't change my mind based on a few simple words from you."
"After all..."
Chen Xing raised the demon blade in her hand. The flames wrapped around the blade created a new giant flaming blade that stood atop her high, brown ponytail.
"...what does it have to do with me whether Vivian lives or dies, whether she's innocent or deserving of her fate?"
With that, the giant flaming blade in Chen Xing's hand sliced through the air and slammed down.
Chen Kong knew how terrifying this attack was and immediately dodged.
Bang!
The moment the giant blade hit the ground, it split the hard ground of the steam-powered city's upper district, creating a trench more than ten meters long.
The cut was as smooth as a mirror, and dark red flames lingered on the exposed underground pipes.
On the other side of the trench, Chen Kong, who had narrowly dodged the attack, still hadn't given up on trying to persuade Chen Xing.
"Sis, have you forgotten what happened when we were kids? If no one had stood up for us back then, we would have already..."
"Shut up!"
Chen Xing interrupted him with a sharp shout.
At the same time, the blood-red flames around her surged three feet high, and the red light on the demon blade almost solidified.
"It's precisely because I haven't forgotten the pain of the past that I scoff at what you're doing right now."
"Tendo once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility'."
"Similarly, if you want to fight against injustice, you must first have the ability to bear that responsibility."
"Kong, you overestimate yourself and underestimate the value of your own life too much."
"What do you think Mom and Dad would think of you now if they were still here?"
"Would they praise your courage, or would they approve of your so-called justice?"
Chen Xing stared at Chen Kong, as if looking at a child who would never grow up, a rare anger surging in her calm eyes.
"No, neither. They would be furious that you ignore your own safety and treat your life as if it's worthless, just as I am now."
Chen Xing raised the demon blade high. The blade was covered in intricate, blood-red patterns that dyed the surroundings a strange crimson.
"Since Mom and Dad are gone, it's up to me, your older sister, to tell you what real responsibility is."
"A person who can't even protect themselves is not qualified to talk about justice. Put away your ridiculous heroism and go back to a safe place!"
Rumble!
Amidst a deafening explosion, Chen Xing once again slashed the ground in front of Chen Kong.
And although this strike also failed to hit Chen Kong, the scorching air currents it created sent both him and Vivian flying.
Vivian rolled several times on the ground before stopping, while Chen Kong was thrown heavily against a broken wall and slid to the ground.
With a metallic taste in his throat, Chen Kong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Just as he was about to get up, Chen Xing appeared in front of him.
The tip of her crimson demon blade was pressed against his throat.
"Kong, now tell me, do you understand where you went wrong?"
Hearing Chen Xing's words, Chen Kong fell silent.
Because he didn't feel he had done anything wrong.
In response, a clear look of disappointment flashed in Chen Xing's eyes.
She wasn't unaware of Chen Kong's thoughts, nor did she fail to understand the effort and courage he had put in.
If Chen Kong were a stranger, Chen Xing might not have approved of his actions, but she wouldn't have stopped him. She might even have admired his feat.
But unfortunately, the person doing all this was her immature younger brother.
No sister would want her brother to become a 'hero.'
Because that meant he would constantly be walking on the dangerous edge between life and death.
What Chen Kong didn't know was that from the beginning, Chen Xing's dissatisfaction with him had only ever been about one thing.
That he had never learned to take care of himself.
Back in the Embers, Chen Kong could only show his value to the Doctor by becoming stronger, and only then could he avoid being expelled from the base.
So Chen Xing had always tried to find a way to make Chen Kong stronger.
For this, she had even humiliated him many times, just so he would put more thought and effort into his training.
And the reason Chen Xing was here now.
First, it was at Tendo's behest, and second, she didn't want to watch Chen Kong continue to make the same mistakes.
Just like when they were children, Chen Xing's only goal now was to make Chen Kong understand one thing.
She had never wanted him to perform any heroic deeds. She only wanted him to live well.
After all, no matter what, this guy was her only family left in the world.
The deeper the love, the more severe the scolding.
This phrase perfectly described Chen Xing.
It was just that, due to her personality, her 'love' seemed a little too heavy.