"Flandre, did you come to see me today because you have something on your mind?" After finishing her tea and dessert, Fumizuki finally asked with a gentle smile.
"Wow, how did you know?!" Flandre widened her eyes in total shock.
Fumizuki reached out, playfully pinching Flandre's small nose. "Flandre, would you ever come wandering all the way over here if you didn't have a reason?"
Flandre tilted her head thoughtfully. It seemed true—if she didn't have a specific errand or a sudden craving, she really wouldn't come all the way to the Governor's Mansion on her own.
As Flandre carefully explained the breakthrough surgical method Rhodes Island had developed, Fumizuki's gentle expression gradually shifted, becoming deep and complex.
She patted Flandre's shoulder gently, then signaled to an attendant nearby. "Have Wei Yenwu come over here immediately."
The guard bowed and departed without a word. Before long, heavy footsteps echoed along the wooden corridor, and Wei Yenwu walked into the pavilion.
"What is it, Fumizuki? Calling me over in such a rush?"
Fumizuki concisely recounted everything Flandre had just shared. Listening quietly, Wei Yenwu's stern face grew increasingly solemn.
"Is that extraction process dangerous?" Wei Yenwu pressed, his sharp gaze falling on Flandre.
Flandre tapped her chin, considering his words. "Dangerous? I performed those energy extractions for several days in a row on Rhodes Island, and I didn't mess up even once!"
"What if your role was replaced by a specialized machine?" Wei Yenwu asked carefully.
"That would make it even safer!" Flandre replied matter-of-factly. "Closure said she could replicate the exact same process using specialized medical equipment, and it would be much more stable. It just took her some time to assemble the components. That's why she asked me to step in for a few days so she could gather operational data. Before I left, she told me the new machinery was almost complete. It's been several days since then, so Rhodes Island should have it fully ready by now!"
Wei Yenwu asked several more detailed questions regarding the equipment's stability and logistical requirements, sifting through every bit of information. Once he finished, Flandre reached out, gently tugging at Fumizuki's sleeve.
"What is it, Flandre?" Fumizuki looked down warmly.
"Auntie Fumizuki, are you hurt?" Flandre asked, her red eyes filled with concern.
The corners of Fumizuki's mouth curled up into a soft, affectionate smile, and she reached out to tenderly pinch Flandre's cheek. "It's not me, but a junior official we think very highly of... I'll take you to see her in a little while. Even though Rhodes Island can't completely cure Oripathy either, there are many Infected living together there. The societal pressure on her certainly won't be as overwhelming as it is here in Lungmen."
Fumizuki looked up at Wei Yenwu, who offered a quiet, firm nod.
"When you meet her," Wei Yenwu said, his voice deep and heavy, "tell her that if she is willing to travel to Rhodes Island for treatment, I will personally cover all medical expenses."
"I understand. Go back to your duties," Fumizuki said softly. Wei Yenwu gave a short nod to Flandre and Hong Meiling before turning to leave the courtyard.
Fumizuki was in no hurry to rush out immediately. Instead, she had the staff bring out several fresh plates of delicate pastries, and the three of them sat in the pavilion, sipping tea and chatting comfortably.
"Auntie Fumizuki, who were you and Uncle Wei talking about just now?" Flandre asked, her curiosity piqued.
"You might have heard of her before—her name is Nine," Fumizuki explained smoothly, her eyes reflecting fond memories. "She used to be Ch'en's direct superior in the Guard Department, but she contracted Oripathy during an unexpected accident on duty. Afterward, she chose to resign from the Lungmen Guard Department and moved into the slums alone. Yenwu and I always held her in exceptionally high regard... for a long time, we truly believed she was the absolute best candidate to mentor and assist Ch'en in managing the Guard Department."
Fumizuki recounted the story of Nine's past with a gentle, nostalgic tone.
After listening, Flandre raised her hand and asked timidly, "Then... Sister Ch'en..."
"To be honest, we all know Ch'en has grown somewhat distant from us since that incident," Fumizuki sighed, her eyes filled with the quiet heartache of a parent. "But you know what kind of girl Ch'en is—stubborn, proud, and fiercely strong-willed. We never dared bring up Nine or the Infected situation around her, fearing she would shoulder all the blame herself."
"Many Infected are hyper-sensitive to how others perceive them," Hong Meiling noted, her tone grounded and respectful. "And Miss Ch'en herself possesses an unyielding, intense personality. If you force too much concern onto someone like that, it often causes more harm than good. I actually think your current approach is the wisest choice."
Currently, the bond between Ch'en and the Governor's couple remained strong, yet both sides maintained a silent, unspoken boundary never to bring up the tragic fate of their mutual former colleague. Having interacted with Ch'en directly, Meiling thoroughly approved of Fumizuki's restraint.
"Thank you for understanding, Miss Hong," Fumizuki said, standing up gracefully. "Now that everyone has had their fill of tea, let us go visit Nine together."
Flandre and Meiling rose from their seats, following Fumizuki toward the main gates.
Before they had taken more than a few steps, Meiling's eyes swept casually across the surrounding rooftops and shadowy corners of the garden.
"Please don't be alarmed—those are my personal retainers and bodyguards," Fumizuki remarked, turning around with a look of mild surprise. "Miss Hong's sharp awareness is truly remarkable to have detected them so quickly."
"Ah, so that's what it is! I overreacted," Meiling replied modestly, rubbing the back of her head with an easygoing laugh. "Your guards are exceptionally skilled; I only caught a faint trace of their presence just now."
Was that really the case?
Of course not.
The absolute instant Meiling had stepped into the rear courtyard hours ago, her mastery of Qi had already mapped out every single living signature in the entire estate. She had categorized every guard, servant, and hidden shadow down to their precise pulse rate.
Her deliberate glance just now was simply a small, intentional slip to maintain appearances.
In truth, she was silently marveling at Fumizuki's covert security setup. Though Fumizuki appeared soft and gentle, her personal security detail was immense. The moment they prepared to leave, over a dozen elite hidden guards seamlessly disengaged from their high posts in absolute silence.
Through her Qi perception, Meiling could feel those guards moving smoothly ahead, boarding subtle, reinforced vehicles outside to form an armored escort around Fumizuki's personal transport.
When the three of them walked through the front doors, the security convoy had already completed all preparations. The entire operation unfolded without a single spoken command or radio prompt—a masterpiece of disciplined synchronization honed over years of practice.
The vehicle quietly glided into the sprawling, dense lower districts of the slums, navigating a maze of narrow alleyways before coming to a stop outside a secluded, quiet residential courtyard.
Fumizuki led Flandre up the stone steps, with Meiling following closely at her side.
Arriving at the weathered wooden door, Fumizuki knocked gently.
A long silence settled over the quiet alleyway. After a few lingering seconds, the door was pulled open with a soft creak.
A somewhat slender, pale woman stood in the threshold.
Flandre's eyes immediately locked onto the dark cluster of Originium crystals protruding sharply from the woman's exposed forearm.
A flicker of genuine curiosity sparked in the little girl's mind. Most Infected across Terra went to great lengths to conceal any visible manifestations of Oripathy, hiding their lesions under heavy bandages or thick sleeves to avoid immediate recognition, systemic discrimination, and hostility.
Yet the woman standing before them made no effort to hide her affliction. In fact, her fitted clothing seemed intentionally tailored to leave the crystalline growths on her arm completely visible—almost as if she were boldly declaring her status as an Infected to the entire world.
Fumizuki clearly recognized the silent defiance embedded in Nine's attire, her eyes filling with a mixture of quiet heartache and tender helplessness.
"Won't you invite us inside, Nine?"
Nine stared at Fumizuki in stunned silence, her eyes drifting down to the small, bright-eyed Flandre being held by the hand. Only after a few frozen seconds did she snap back to reality, pulling the door fully open.
"Please come in, Lady Fumizuki."
Stepping into the modest courtyard, Flandre's initial impression was its utter simplicity. The space was completely stripped of unnecessary decorations, standing quiet, austere, and still.