The curiosity was still hanging in the air, thick and suffocating, refusing to fade even after the Threads settled into that unnatural stillness. Xu Yang could feel it pressing against his senses, not like before when it was aggressive and overwhelming, but quieter now, sharper, more focused. It wasn't gone. It had changed.His gaze stayed on the Threads, but it kept pulling back to Lin Chen, again and again, as if his mind refused to let go of what had just happened. That shape. That brief, impossible moment when the Threads had taken his form. It didn't sit right. It didn't fit anything Xu Yang understood about them.Something about it felt… wrong in a way he couldn't define. Not just unfamiliar but misplaced. Like it wasn't supposed to happen under any condition.
…That wasn't imitation. (....)
The thought came fast certain.
They don't copy like that. (....)
They react, adapt and they follow patterns but taking a form his form that wasn't pattern recognition. That was something else. (....)
…Recognition? (....)
His fingers tightened slightly.
No. That would mean too much. (....)
If they could recognize individuals then everything so far had been wrong. (....)
His gaze shifted to Lin Chen again.
Still there and Still untouched. Still… separate. (...)
…Why him? (...)
It didn't add up. Lin Chen hadn't moved first. Hadn't triggered anything. Hadn't even gotten close.
And yet The Threads had adjusted for him.
Not around him randomly specifically. (....)
…They made space. (....)
Xu Yang exhaled slowly.
That wasn't avoidance that was decision and decisions meant awareness. (....)
…Since when? (...) His jaw tightened.
If they were choosing then they weren't just reacting anymore. (....)
The thought settled heavily.
…No. (....) He rejected it immediately.
That line couldn't be crossed.
If it was then they weren't dealing with something they could predict anymore.
His gaze flicked back to the Threads.
Threads were still moving.
…And it chose Lin Chen. (....)
That part didn't leave and didn't fade.
If anything, it got louder.
Why Lin Chen? (....)
What's different about him? (....)
Xu Yang's eyes narrowed slightly.
…Or what am I not seeing? (....)
A brief pause. Another thought slipped in quieter, but sharper.
…Or what is he not telling us? (....)
His grip tightened unconsciously.
No, now isn't the time. (....)
" That thing!" Lin Chen said finally, his voice lower than usual, controlled but edged with something unsettled, "that was me."No one answered him immediately.Qing Li shifted slightly, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced between Lin Chen and the Threads. " Yeah," he muttered, tone lacking its usual ease, "we all saw that."Lin Chen didn't look at him. His eyes stayed forward, fixed on the faint distortions still lingering in the air. " Then explain it."Qing Li let out a short breath, almost a laugh, but it didn't carry any humor. "If I could explain that, we wouldn't be standing here like idiots."
Yan Luo didn't react to the exchange. His attention was locked on the threads,watching the subtle pulses running through them, the way their movement had changed. " They're not reacting anymore." he said quietly.Lin Chen's gaze flicked slightly. "What does that mean?""It means they've already adjusted." Yan Luo replied, his tone steady, analytical. "Whatever just happened, they've processed it."Lin Chen's fingers curled slightly at his side. " Processed what?"Yan Luo didn't answer right away. His eyes shifted once, briefly, toward Xu Yang, then back to Lin Chen. " You."
Xu Yang felt it more than he heard it. His chest tightened subtly, his breathing still uneven despite how controlled he tried to keep it. He didn't interrupt, didn't deny it, because he had already reached the same conclusion."They didn't just see him." Xu Yang said quietly, his voice rougher than before. "They understood where he is."Qing Li frowned. " That doesn't sound better.""It's not." Yan Luo replied.Lin Chen's expression tightened slightly. " You're talking like I'm something separate."Qing Li looked at him this time, more directly. " You are acting like something separate." "That's not what I mean." "I know!" Qing Li said, exhaling slowly, "but it's still true."Lin Chen didn't respond to that. His attention shifted again, returning to threads, more focused now, less uncertain. The threads pulsed again, faint but synchronized, like something breathing in unison.
Xu Yang felt it immediately. His body tensed, not from surprise but from recognition, his eyes narrowing as he stared ahead at something only he had noticed first. "They're moving." he said under his breath. Qing Li straightened and looked around in confusion. "I don't see..." Yan Luo quietly cut in without even looking at him, his expression remaining calm. "They are, Blind people can't see!" Qing Li turned toward him in disbelief. "Hey! What do you mean?" Yan Luo glanced at him for a brief moment, the corner of his lips lifting slightly with teasing amusement. "I don't need to explain!" Yan Luo said with teasing.
Qing Li clicked his tongue and opened his mouth to argue, but before he could say anything else, it became visible.The Threads didn't rush forward and they didn't lash out. Instead, they began to shift, slowly at first, each strand adjusting its position with precise and controlled movements. Lin Chen noticed it instantly, his eyes following their paths. "They're… changing direction." Qing Li narrowed his eyes and leaned forward slightly to watch more carefully. "No. That's not random." Yan Luo's gaze remained fixed ahead. "They're repositioning." Qing Li frowned immediately. "For what?"
No one answered him because the answer was already forming right in front of them. Xu Yang's gaze sharpened slightly as he tracked every movement. He could feel the pattern before he fully saw it, the way the Threads were spreading out, curving and aligning around them. "They're not attacking." he said quietly. Qing Li blinked and looked annoyed. "That's supposed to make me feel better?" Xu Yang answered without hesitation, his voice steady despite the exhaustion hidden underneath it. "No, it should make you more careful."
Lin Chen stepped slightly to the side without thinking, testing the space around him. The nearest thread adjusted instantly, curving away from him with smooth precision and maintaining distance without hesitation. He stopped immediately, his brows furrowing deeper. "They didn't pause this time." Qing Li turned toward him. "What?" Lin Chen kept watching the moving lines around him. "Before, they hesitated," Lin Chen said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "They stopped when they got close. Now they don't. They just… move around me." Yan Luo nodded once. "They've already accounted for you."
Lin Chen's expression subtly shifted at those words. "That doesn't sound reassuring." Yan Luo calmly answered, "It isn't." Xu Yang slowly exhaled, his chest tightening again as he felt the entire space around them changing. It wasn't pressure anymore. It was something else. Something far more controlled. Qing Li noticed it too, his playful expression disappearing completely. "They're spreading out." Yan Luo corrected him. "They're forming a perimeter." Qing Li blinked. "A what?" Yan Luo answered without looking away from the Threads. "A boundary." That immediately made Qing Li go quiet.Lin Chen slowly turned toward Xu Yang again, his gaze lingering on him. "They're focusing on you." Xu Yang didn't answer because he didn't need to. It was obvious now. Every adjustment, every shift and every movement eventually curved back toward him. Qing Li sighed under his breath. "Yeah, that part hasn't changed."
Xu Yang quietly corrected him. "It has." Qing Li frowned. "How?" Xu Yang kept his eyes on the Threads. "They're not chasing me anymore." He paused briefly before adding, "They're positioning first." Qing Li slowly blinked before muttering, "That's worse." Yan Luo calmly agreed. "Yes." Lin Chen's gaze remained fixed on Xu Yang now. "What does that mean?" Xu Yang didn't look away from the Threads. "It means they're making sure I can't get out before they move." Qing Li immediately let out a long breath and rubbed his face. "Great. That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
Lin Chen didn't react to that immediately. His attention shifted between Xu Yang and the threads, something subtle tightening in his expression as the realization finally settled in properly. "So they're ignoring me." he said quietly. Yan Luo answered at once without even turning his head. "They're not." Lin Chen frowned slightly, eyes narrowing. "Then what are they doing?" Yan Luo's gaze remained fixed on the shifting patterns in the air. "They're working around you."
Xu Yang felt it too, the implication settling in his chest in a way that wasn't immediately visible but was unmistakably there. The difference between being ignored and being accounted for changed everything. "That means I'm part of the problem," Lin Chen said. Qing Li glanced at him briefly, his tone less casual now. "Yeah. Just not in the way you'd expect." Lin Chen didn't respond, his jaw tightening slightly as he looked back toward the threads instead.
The Threads shifted again, more noticeably now, their positions tightening as the invisible gaps between them continued to shrink. Xu Yang's fingers curled slightly at his side as he tracked the movement. He could feel it clearly now. "They're closing the space," he said. Qing Li's eyes sharpened immediately. "You're sure?" Xu Yang didn't hesitate. "Yes." Yan Luo nodded once."The field is tightening."
Lin Chen looked around properly this time, seeing it for what it was. The Threads weren't attacking, but the space they occupied was becoming increasingly controlled, more structured, more restricted. "They're not giving us room." he said. Xu Yang answered quietly without looking away. "They don't need to rush anymore." Qing Li let out a short, humorless laugh. "I really hate smart enemies." Yan Luo corrected him without emotion. "You hate enemies that adapt." Qing Li scoffed lightly. "Same thing." Yan Luo replied calmly, "No. It's worse."
Threads continued their slow, deliberate restructuring of space. Lin Chen's gaze shifted back to Xu Yang, sharper now, more focused, as something in his understanding clicked further into place. "You knew it would change like this." Xu Yang didn't deny it. "I knew it could." Lin Chen's eyes narrowed. "That's not the same." Xu Yang agreed quietly, "No. It's not." Threads continued to move around them. Qing Li spoke, breaking the silence. "So what do we do?" No one answered not because they didn't hear him, but because anything that came to mind didn't sound like a good option.
Xu Yang exhaled slowly, forcing his breathing to steady as his eyes remained locked on the shifting Threads. The space between them was still tightening, still being shaped. "We move." he said at last. Qing Li frowned. "That's it?" Xu Yang shook his head slightly. "No. We move carefully." Qing Li gave him a tired look. "That doesn't make it sound better." "It isn't supposed to," Xu Yang replied. Yan Luo didn't take his eyes off the Threads. "If we stay still, they'll finish forming the boundary." Qing Li exhaled sharply. "And if we move?" Yan Luo answered simply, "They'll react." Qing Li stared at him for a moment. "So either way, we're walking into it." Yan Luo nodded once. "Yes." Qing Li let out a slow breath. "Great."
Lin Chen had been quiet this entire time, his eyes moving between the threads and Xu Yang with a sharper focus now, like he was no longer just observing but calculating every possible outcome. "They're waiting for us to choose." Xu Yang didn't deny it. "Yeah." Qing Li glanced at him sideways, frowning slightly. "You sound way too calm about that." Xu Yang exhaled once, slow and controlled. "I'm not calm. I just don't have time to panic." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "You could try a little."
Yan Luo ignored the exchange entirely and stepped slightly forward, his attention still locked on the shifting distortions. "Xu Yang." Xu Yang looked at him. "What?" Yan Luo's voice stayed level. "They're centered on you." Xu Yang didn't blink. "I know." "If you move first, they'll prioritize your direction." "I know that too." A brief silence followed, the weight of understanding settling heavier between them. Qing Li looked between all of them, his brows knitting together. "Okay, I feel like I'm missing something important here."
Lin Chen spoke before anyone else could respond, his tone steady but firm. "It means if Xu Yang moves, the Threads will follow him." Qing Li blinked once. "Isn't that obvious?" Lin Chen shook his head slightly. "No. It means they'll commit to him." That changed the atmosphere. Qing Li's expression tightened. "Commit how?" Xu Yang answered quietly. "They'll stop holding back." Silence dropped instantly. Qing Li let out a low breath. "That sounds bad." Xu Yang didn't hesitate. "It is."
Lin Chen's gaze never left Xu Yang as he spoke again. "Then don't move first." Xu Yang exhaled slowly. "If I don't, they'll finish setting up." Lin Chen didn't look away. "And if you do?" "They'll collapse in." Qing Li ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "So basically, we either wait to get trapped or trigger it ourselves." Yan Luo answered flatly. "Yes." Qing Li frowned. "I really hate both options." Lin Chen finally spoke again, his voice quieter but certain. "There's a third."
Xu Yang's eyes narrowed slightly. "What?" Lin Chen stepped forward just a fraction, not enough to trigger anything but enough to make his intention clear as his eyes stayed locked on the Threads. "I move first." Qing Li immediately stared at him. "Did you not just hear everything we said?" Lin Chen didn't flinch. "They avoid me." Yan Luo corrected him calmly. "For now." Lin Chen nodded once. "That's still an opening." Xu Yang's expression tightened. "You don't know how stable that is."
Lin Chen met his gaze directly. "I don't. But we know they won't target me the same way." Yan Luo's voice dropped slightly. "That doesn't mean they won't use you." Lin Chen didn't hesitate. "They already are." That single line shut Qing Li up completely. Xu Yang's jaw tightened as he stepped forward half a pace. "This isn't something you test casually." Lin Chen's tone sharpened. "I'm not treating it casually. I'm treating it as the only variable we haven't used."
Qing Li looked between them, visibly frustrated. "I hate it when he makes sense." Xu Yang didn't take his eyes off Lin Chen. "You shouldn't agree so quickly." Qing Li shot back instantly. "I'm not agreeing. I'm saying it sounds less terrible than your plan." Xu Yang replied flatly. "I don't have a plan." "Exactly my point."
Yan Luo shifted his stance slightly, his gaze settling fully on Lin Chen now, more analytical than before. "If you move, they will adjust." Lin Chen didn't back down. "They already are." Yan Luo shook his head once. "Not like this. Right now, they're maintaining distance. If you disrupt their pattern, they may redefine it." Lin Chen held his gaze. "Then we learn something." Yan Luo's tone stayed calm, but firmer now. "At what cost?" Lin Chen didn't answer and that hesitation was louder.
Xu Yang exhaled slowly, his chest tightening as he watched the Threads continue their precise, controlled movement, the gaps between them shrinking with each passing second until the surrounding space felt increasingly confined. "We don't have time." he said quietly. Qing Li looked at him. "So?" Xu Yang closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again, sharper now, decision already forming in his expression. "We try it." Qing Li blinked in disbelief. "Wait, seriously?" Xu Yang didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Qing Li let out a short breath. "That was fast." Xu Yang's voice stayed steady. "We don't have a better option." Yan Luo didn't argue, his silence confirming it more than words ever could. Lin Chen didn't waste another second and spoke immediately, eyes fixed on the Threads. "Then don't interfere." Qing Li frowned at him. "That's your entire instruction?" Lin Chen nodded once. "Yes."
Qing Li stared for a second before muttering, "…That's not reassuring." Lin Chen replied flatly, "It's not supposed to be." Xu Yang's gaze stayed on Lin Chen as he added, "If something changes, you stop immediately." Lin Chen nodded once without hesitation. "Understood." Yan Luo spoke quietly next, his tone precise. "If the Threads shift toward you instead of away, you retreat without hesitation." Lin Chen didn't even blink. "I know." Qing Li crossed his arms slightly, still watching Lin Chen. "And if everything goes wrong?" Lin Chen glanced at him briefly. "Then you'll have something to complain about."
Qing Li stared at him for a moment before letting out a short breath. "You're really choosing now to joke?" Lin Chen's expression didn't change. "It's not a joke." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "That's worse." Despite that, Qing Li didn't stop him. None of them did, because at this point there were no safer choices left. Lin Chen stepped forward just one step. The reaction was immediate.
The nearest Threads shifted sharply, curving away from him in a smooth, synchronized motion without hesitation or delay. Qing Li's eyes widened slightly. "Okay." Lin Chen didn't stop. He took another step, slower this time, testing the boundary carefully, watching how the Threads reacted to every inch he moved. They adjusted again, faster now, their movements cleaner and more precise, maintaining distance with absolute consistency.
Xu Yang watched closely, his entire focus locked onto the pattern forming in real time. "They're stable," he said quietly. Yan Luo answered at once. "For now." Lin Chen moved again, slower, testing how far he could push the space before it reacted differently. "They're giving him space." Qing Li said. Xu Yang shook his head slightly. "No. They're preserving distance." Qing Li frowned. "That sounds like the same thing." Xu Yang didn't look away from the Threads. "It's not." Before Qing Li could respond, the pattern changed again.
This time the Threads didn't simply move away from Lin Chen, they reorganized around him and redirected their focus toward Xu Yang. Their speed increased instantly, sharper and more coordinated than before. Xu Yang's eyes narrowed. "There it is." Qing Li's expression dropped immediately. "Yeah, I don't like that." Lin Chen frowned slightly. "Can you two shut up for now? We have lifetime for arguing if we stay alive!" Xu Yang snapped sharply, frustration cutting through his usual control. Lin Chen and Qing Li exchanged an annoyed glance but said nothing further.
Yan Luo's voice came in calm but firmer now. "They've started." Lin Chen stopped moving entirely. "They're accelerating." Xu Yang nodded once. "They've committed." The space tightened rapidly now, the Threads closing in with unmistakable intent, no longer testing or adjusting cautiously but moving as one coordinated system that had finally chosen its direction. Qing Li took a small step back. "So much for 'careful movement.'" Xu Yang didn't answer. His focus sharpened completely, eyes locked forward, because now there was no more waiting.
The shift was immediate, and this time it didn't feel controlled anymore. It felt decided. Xu Yang's body reacted before his thoughts fully caught up, his stance adjusting instinctively as the Threads closed in faster than before, sharper than before, no longer testing boundaries but collapsing them entirely. The air itself felt heavier now, like every movement carried resistance.
Qing Li's eyes followed the incoming threads, all traces of his earlier teasing gone. "They're speeding up." Qing Li said, his voice no longer casual. Yan Luo's gaze remained fixed ahead, calm but colder than before. "Not just speed, their timing changed." Qing Li frowned. "Timing?" Yan Luo watched the shifting layers carefully before answering. "They're moving in layers." Qing Li immediately grimaced. "That sounds worse than speed." Yan Luo nodded once. "It is."
Xu Yang didn't speak his focus stayed entirely forward, his breathing controlled but shallower now as he watched the pattern unfold. It wasn't random anymore. Every thread occupied a position. Every movement served a purpose. "They're cutting off angles." he said quietly. Lin Chen's gaze sharpened as he tracked their routes. "You can still move." Xu Yang didn't take his eyes off them. "For now." Lin Chen frowned immediately. "That's not an answer." Xu Yang exhaled once. "It's the only one I have."
The threads surged again, not in a straight line but from multiple directions, curving inward in overlapping arcs. Qing Li stepped back. "Yeah, no, that's definitely targeting." Yan Luo shifted slightly as well, repositioning himself without breaking formation. "Xu Yang, don't let them close behind you." Xu Yang nodded once. "I see it." Yan Luo's voice remained firm. "Then move."
Xu Yang didn't hesitate this time. He stepped sideways, fast but controlled, shifting out of the narrowing gap just before two Threads crossed through it. The moment he moved, they reacted instantly, becoming sharper and even faster than before. Qing Li's eyes widened slightly. "They're locking onto him." Yan Luo answered immediately. "They already did." Lin Chen watched carefully, his expression tightening further as the pattern became clearer. "They're predicting him." Xu Yang's jaw clenched slightly. "Yeah." Lin Chen frowned deeper. "That's not good." Xu Yang quietly answered, "No. It's not."
Another wave came, not directly toward him but angled to force another movement. Xu Yang shifted backward, barely avoiding the intersecting lines as his breathing grew heavier now, the constant adjustments slowly eating away at his stamina. Qing Li stared at the narrowing routes around him. "They're herding you." Xu Yang didn't look away. "I noticed." Qing Li glanced around quickly. "Toward where?" Xu Yang didn't answer because he already knew. Yan Luo spoke instead. "Center."
Qing Li's eyes widened as he quickly scanned the surrounding pattern. "Wait...no, that means.." Yan Luo finished for him. "They're compressing the space." Qing Li swallowed once. "That's bad." Xu Yang quietly corrected him. "That's lethal." Then another sharp movement came. This time Xu Yang stepped forward instead of backward, deliberately breaking the expected direction. The Threads adjusted instantly, but there was a delay. Lin chen noticed it first andsaid, "They lag when you break pattern."
Xu Yang's eyes flicked toward him for only a split second before returning to the Threads. "Barely." Lin Chen didn't hesitate. "Barely is enough." Xu Yang immediately answered, "Not if it closes in two moves later." Qing Li threw his hands up in exasperation. "Can we focus on surviving first before analyzing how we die?" Yan Luo answered without missing a beat, his voice perfectly calm despite the increasingly dangerous situation. "No, we do both." Qing Li stared at him for a moment before groaning dramatically. "Of course we do."
Xu Yang moved again, faster this time, testing the delay. The Threads followed immediately, adjusting, closing and correcting every movement he made. The space around him shrank further and his chest tightened. …Not enough.
Suddenly, Lin Chen stepped forward. Qing Li's head snapped toward him. "What are you doing?" Lin Chen didn't stop moving. "I'm not standing still." "That wasn't the plan!" "We don't have a plan," Lin Chen shot back immediately. Yan Luo didn't stop him. Xu Yang noticed at once and turned slightly toward him. "Don't get too close." Lin Chen nodded once. "I won't."
Instead of moving toward Xu Yang, Lin Chen walked along the edge of the Threads, keeping parallel to their movement while carefully watching their reactions. They still avoided him, but something was different now. The distance they kept was smaller. Lin Chen noticed it instantly. "They changed." Xu Yang's eyes narrowed. "How much?" "Less than before." "That's not good." Lin Chen nodded. "No. It means they're adjusting to me too." Qing Li immediately let out a frustrated breath. "So now both of you are targets?" "Not equally," Yan Luo said calmly. Qing Li rubbed his forehead. "But still targets."
The Threads shifted again, faster now, tightening around Xu Yang while partially adjusting for Lin Chen's movement too. "They're splitting attention," Xu Yang said quietly. "Not evenly," Yan Luo replied. "You're still priority." Xu Yang nodded once. "Good to know." Another wave surged forward. Xu Yang moved sharply, but this time the Threads anticipated him faster. His breath hitched slightly. …They're learning mid-movement. Lin Chen saw it too. "…They're improving." Qing Li frowned. "Yeah, we noticed!" Lin Chen shook his head, his voice sharper now. "No… they're improving because of us." That made Xu Yang pause for half a second too long.
The Threads instantly surged closer. "Xu Yang." Yan Luo's voice cut through the air. Xu Yang immediately moved again, barely avoiding the narrowing gap. Qing Li exhaled sharply. "Don't zone out now!" "I'm not," Xu Yang replied, but his voice was tighter now because Lin Chen was right. Every movement they made was teaching the threads something.
Lin Chen looked at everyone."Then we stop giving them patterns." Yan Luo turned toward him."Explain." Lin Chen kept watching the moving distortions. "We're moving too predictably. Even when we change direction, there's still logic to it." Qing Li frowned immediately. "You want us to move randomly?" "Yes." "That sounds like a terrible idea." "It's better than being read."
Xu Yang didn't respond his breathing was heavier now and every movement required more effort.he nodded. "He's not wrong." Qing Li stared at him. "You're agreeing with this?" Xu Yang answered calmly. "I don't have a better option." Qing Li pointed at him instantly. "That's becoming a pattern with you." "Focus," Yan Luo said. Lin Chen's gaze locked onto Xu Yang. "Break your rhythm." Xu Yang exhaled once. "Fine."
The next movement was completely different. Instead of stepping away from the incoming Threads, Xu Yang stepped toward them. Qing Li's eyes widened. "What are you doing?" Xu Yang answered without hesitation. "Breaking pattern." The Threads reacted immediately, but this time there was a clear delay. Larger than before. Lin Chen saw it instantly. "It worked." Yan Luo remained cautious. "For now." Xu Yang didn't stop. He shifted again, changing direction in the middle of his movement, stepping sideways before suddenly moving forward again, forcing the Threads to constantly readjust. The space didn't close as quickly anymore. Qing Li blinked in surprise. "Okay. I hate this less." "Don't relax!" Yan Luo replied. "I wasn't planning to."
For a brief moment, it worked. The Threads hesitated. Xu Yang felt it. "We can hold this," he said quietly. Lin Chen's gaze remained sharp. "For how long?" Xu Yang didn't answer because he didn't know. And that was the problem.Then threads pulsed once then twice.Then they changed. Not gradually. All at once. Their movements synchronized again. And cleaner, sharper and faster than before. The delay was gone.Qing Li froze. "No." Yan Luo's eyes narrowed instantly. "They adapted again." Xu Yang felt his chest tighten. …Too fast. Lin Chen stared at them. "That shouldn't be possible." But it was happening right in front of them.
The Threads surged forward again. Not just toward Xu Yang anymore. Around all of them. The entire pattern expanded outward, shifting and rewriting itself completely. Qing Li immediately took a step back. "Okay, I officially hate everything about this." Yan Luo frowned at him. "You are really…" He stopped halfway through because even he was staring now.
Xu Yang didn't move immediately because this time something fundamental had changed. The Threads weren't choosing a target anymore. They were choosing all of them. Lin Chen's expression changed slightly, something sharper settling into his gaze. "Now they don't need to avoid me." Yan Luo's voice became quiet. "No." A brief pause followed. Then he said, "Now they understand you."Silence fell over all of them.