Jinhsi's gaze darted back and forth between Changli and Rover, seemingly trying to unearth the reason for their overnight disappearance. However, her completely pure and inexperienced nature clearly failed to capture the subtle, profound changes between the two.
Changli's face quickly adopted her usual, gentle smile, as if slipping on a flawless, impenetrable mask.
She raised a hand to lightly smooth her sleeve. Her tone was peaceful and natural, laced with a trace of sincere apology. "Jinhsi, I am sorry to have worried you. Investigating that node took much more time than anticipated. Afterward, a sudden mountain fog rolled in. The clouds were thick and the paths were slippery, making it incredibly dangerous to descend the mountain at night. We had no choice but to rest at a nearby mountain cabin for the evening."
She paused, looking apologetically at Cartethyia. "Because the signal in the mountains was weak, I was unable to connect the comms in time, causing Miss Cartethyia to worry as well. For that, I am truly sorry."
Her explanation was airtight and completely reasonable.
Hearing this, Jinhsi visibly let out a sigh of relief. A relieved smile blossomed on her face. "I see! The climate in the mountains is indeed unpredictable. As long as you two are safe!"
She easily accepted the explanation and immediately shifted her concern to official business. "What were the results of the node investigation? Was there any anomaly?"
Rover chimed in at the perfect moment, his expression completely calm. "Nothing major. Just some minor, chaotic energy fluctuations. Changli and I have already handled it."
His performance was flawless, making it seem as if the two of them really had just gone up the mountain for a serious investigation of an energy node.
However, standing beside Jinhsi, Cartethyia had been furrowing her brow ever since the two of them walked in.
Her icy blue eyes keenly captured the subtle details that Jinhsi had completely missed:
While Counselor Changli's appearance was immaculate and her aura as elegant and dignified as ever, deep within those usually clear and wise orange eyes hid an indescribable, languid allure.
And when her gaze occasionally flicked toward Rover, an incredibly unnatural, fleeting shyness would flash through her eyes, even if she quickly covered it up.
And the Righteous One... Though he looked entirely normal on the surface, the way he looked at Changli—with a deeply buried, domineering possessiveness and tenderness in his eyes...
That feeling was far too familiar.
It was exactly the same atmosphere that existed between him and Lupa after that night at the hotel in the Seven Hills!
Cartethyia's heart sank slightly as a wave of complex emotions welled up inside her. Unlike Jinhsi, who appeared mature but was actually naive, the outwardly naive Cartethyia had already guessed exactly what had happened on the mountain last night.
Furthermore, there existed an invisible link between her and her Righteous One—a connection that bound them together no matter the distance.
While this link wasn't a two-way transparent window and certainly couldn't broadcast a live feed, the intense, violent fluctuations of Resonance energy continuously pulsing from his end throughout the night... practically confirmed her suspicions.
Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. She never expected that this seemingly dignified and reserved Counselor Changli would move so incredibly fast...
Her gaze accidentally met Changli's.
Changli's eyes remained gentle, but Cartethyia read a faint hint of... claiming territory within them.
Changli gave Cartethyia a very slight, meaningful smile and a small nod, before naturally turning back to Jinhsi. Her tone reverted to the unhurried grace of an elder. "Alright, all in all, it was a false alarm."
"Jinhsi, you two haven't slept all night. Go and rest for a while. Miss Cartethyia is our guest; we mustn't neglect our hospitality."
She easily steered the topic away, regaining complete control of the situation.
Jinhsi suspected nothing. She was indeed exhausted, so she obediently nodded. "Understood, Master Changli."
Cartethyia also lowered her head and replied softly, "Yes, Counselor Changli."
She didn't expose them. She simply buried all her emotions beneath a calm exterior.
But the very second she turned to leave the living room, Cartethyia shot a lightning-fast glance past Rover, locking eyes with Changli for a fleeting moment.
Invisible sparks seemed to flash in the air between them. Changli merely responded with that same faint, profoundly meaningful smile.
In Cartethyia's heart, one thought became clearer than ever before.
She, too, had to speed up her progress. At the very least... she couldn't afford to fall too far behind.
Changli, acting as if nothing had happened, turned to Rover with an enchanting, thoroughly satisfied smile. "Rover, I imagine you must be exhausted from yesterday as well. Why don't you return to the guest quarters and rest for a bit too?"
Her acting was absolutely flawless. It was as if the woman who had tightly embraced him last night, whimpering softly, and the woman who had murmured "Husband" to him on the couch this morning, was nothing more than an incredibly beautiful dream.
Rover watched her instantly switch personas. He chuckled inwardly but cooperatively nodded. "Thank you, Counselor Changli."
The thrilling drama of their return had quietly drawn to a close, masked entirely by Jinhsi's complete obliviousness and Cartethyia's silent observation.
Changli's airtight explanation and unhurried demeanor had successfully pacified the pure-hearted Jinhsi.
But just as the atmosphere in the room had relaxed and everyone was preparing to disperse and rest—
"Lady Magistrate! Lady Counselor!"
An urgent, rapid call, accompanied by slightly frantic footsteps, rang out from outside the courtyard.
Sanhua abruptly appeared at the entrance. She was still wearing her familiar, practical black combat uniform, but her expression lacked its usual cold, steady composure. A visible trace of burning anxiety knotted her brow.
Her sharp gaze rapidly swept the courtyard. Seeing Changli and Rover, she paused slightly, seemingly letting out a breath of relief, before an even greater sense of urgency replaced it.
"Sanhua?" Jinhsi looked at her bodyguard in confusion. "Why the panic?"
Sanhua strode forward, giving a quick salute before speaking at rapid-fire speed. "Reporting to Lady Magistrate and Lady Counselor! I have just received an urgent dispatch from the Midnight Rangers stationed in Hongzhen. From last night until early this morning, Fractsidus remnants simultaneously instigated incidents across multiple locations within Hongzhen and the Mt. Firmament region!"
The moment those words dropped, the expressions of everyone present instantly changed.
The exhaustion on Jinhsi's face was instantly eradicated by absolute fury. "What?! They dare act so brazenly?!"
Changli's elegant brows furrowed. An icy, piercing light flashed in her orange eyes. The gentle, languid aura from moments ago vanished entirely, replaced by the razor-sharp intensity of a strategist and commander. "What is the specific situation? Are there any casualties?"
Rover and Cartethyia immediately focused their attention, their expressions turning deadly serious.
Sanhua continued her report, her tone heavy. "Initially, it was just minor skirmishes caused by Fractsidus stragglers. The Midnight Ranger squads quickly wiped out the majority of them, planning to compile and report the incidents once everything was settled. However..."
"According to the report, not long ago, a large band of Fractsidus insurgents set fire to two supply warehouses at the base of the mountain. They are also spreading panic and inciting unrest among the civilians within Hongzhen."
"Fortunately, the stationed Midnight Rangers reacted swiftly. They dispatched their main forces to coordinate with the Jinzhou Patrollers to extinguish the fires and suppress the riots. Five members of the Outrider squad have sustained injuries. Thankfully, there are no civilian casualties, but the loss of supplies is significant, and the public is in a state of panic."
She paused, lowering her voice as she delivered the most unsettling piece of news. "Furthermore, a patrolling Outrider squad discovered traces of a suspected Fractsidus Overseer infiltrating Xuanji Ridge to the west. The target was incredibly elusive and evaded capture. We suspect their objective... is highly likely to be one of the secret domains located deep within the mountains."
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