Morning came.
As expected, Kiana reached the late stage of Qi Refining Realm. The benefits brought by the presumed late second grade spiritual milk is massive.
This is cultivation.
Nothing beats the way of taking drugs… I mean spiritual materials.
After breakfast, Kiana pulled me over in a corner.
"Have you met my old man?"
"No… Not yet."
Her face turned downcast. Anti-Entropy, or rather, Siegfried in general did not want to show up. He did not answer my request to Welt nor did Welt spill his current location.
Two months passed with that.
Kiana, who knew about this, constantly asked me about Siegfried. Her hopes are always up now that we have a visible clue about him.
Unfortunately, Siegfried hid himself too well. I also knew about his intentions. He does not want to provoke Sirin again. I don't have a choice but to let this be.
Heck, I only told her I am speaking to an Anti-Entropy official. Not that I am speaking right to their Sovereign himself. My visits within the Salt Lake base did not earn much attention, either.
For a while, I did not know what to say to her.
"Okay. I will find him sooner or later. That's for sure!"
…
I recalled how Siegfried got thrown to World Serpent. He got trapped into the Kaslana Stigma Space. That got him doubting himself, leading to self-blame.
Then again, it is Siegfried Kaslana. He did not give up and resolve himself to find his family after all of that.
The old man tripped down head first a lot of times. He stood up every time it happened.
I have to admit. Siegfried's determination is something else. He is the embodiment of indominable human spirit.
"When do you think we can leave?"
She asked a sudden question.
Leave?
I thought for a while.
Honestly speaking, it is better to stay here longer. That conflicts with Kiana's purpose, though.
Talking with Bronya and Seele on a daily basis…
I admit it felt like a "normal" life. It's even better since I can talk to them. I discovered a lot of things I did not know in the game.
Still…
"Can we wait until you complete the late stage?" I proposed.
"Hum?"
"It will be safer that way. You can fight huge honkai beasts barehandedly by then."
"Really?!"
"I tested it."
I told her how I withstood both the white birds' descent with my hands. I also tested whether I can withstand the acceleration of a chariot.
I did.
I ended up having bruises and several broken bones, but I maintained my ability to fight. It hurted like hell, though.
"Two months. I am confident you can do it in two more months."
"You are even more confident than me."
She could not help but point that out.
"I know you can do it."
"Hum!"
She turned her head away before she walked away. Speechless, I can only follow her.
Sometimes, the thoughts of the Tuna are hard to follow…
*****
Two months.
Sin Mal is locked in to Bronya for that long. She wanted her to treat her the same as before… but things did not go as she wished.
Every time she goes out, Seele is always with her. Sin Mal can only feel jealous of Seele. She knew about her role as Bronya's guide, yes, but some things are hard to swallow.
As for Shi Tian, it was more of curiosity than anything.
Sin Mal wanted to know why he stands out. The hidden sharpness she sees grew stronger during these two months.
Most importantly…
'How can he earn her attention?'
Her isolation and frustration slowly accumulated. Once it reaches a breaking point, it is hard to tell what she can do.
"Gr…"
"I am wondering…"
"Hya..?!"
"...how do you climb up here?"
Sin Mal could not believe what she was seeing.
Without any warning, Shi Tian appeared three meters behind her. No footsteps, no traces, nothing!
Nobody bothered her on the orphanage's roof. It became her typical spot during stalking. Sin Mal was not bothered by its height—full five storeys tall.
"Hmph. What does it have to do with you?"
She responded in English. Her startled look went away like drifting clouds. She returned to her usual snobby self.
"Can't I ask someone who's been stalking us?"
"...So what?"
Shi Tian sighed inwardly.
'What a tough nut to crack.'
Amicability did not work. It's akin to stealth being thrown out of the window.
All that's left is to…
"..!"
…use force.
Shi Tian merely stood there, but the sharp glint in his eyes said otherwise. His Sword Heart was unsheathed in full, releasing the "sharpness" he hid during weekdays.
If seen by an ordinary person, it will make their legs go weak, if not faint directly.
Things aren't much different for Sin Mal. Her previous nonchalance could not save her this time. Her breathing slowed down. Sweat started to form on her back. It felt like she was being pointed to her forehead with a sword's tip.
One wrong move and she's dead meat.
She could feel a phantom pain in her eyes, as if she was being pierced by small chunks of dust on her eyes.
The staredown lasted for ten seconds. Only then did Shi Tian hide it.
Sin Mal kept on her feet and stared silently at him. Her hands are shaking from his mental pressure alone. She had to bite her teeth to slowly calm down.
"So, will you continue stalking?"
"Da. Kill me if you want to stop me..!"
"???"
It's already hard to understand a Tuna and a Duck. Seele is relatively normal.
Shi Tian sighed at the sight of this inexplicable stalker.
'Didn't she get scared and fainted when Seele… Veliona threatened her? Why is she acting like this with me?'
He buried his monologue at the depths of his mind.
"I mean, why won't you approach us? I am sure Bronya will entertain you."
"Sister Bronya has noth…"
"It's very obvious. You pointed your binoculars ninety percent of the time on her." He quickly added, "I saw it."
"...How can you tell?"
He deflected another question at her.
"That's my question. How can you tell she won't talk to you? I believe that's the reason you won't talk with her."
"..."
Sin Mal is barely containing herself. That extremely sharp aura around Shi Tian struck her with something. She could not help but doubt whether…
"Are you wondering how I knew about your thoughts?"
Shi Tian struck the nail in the head.
"It's obvious from your face."
"Huh?!"
"First day. Your eyes stuck on her. Second day. You stalked her through the window. Third day…"
The more he narrated, the greater the shame on her face became. Her confidence, borderline arrogance, was shattered thoroughly by him. Her complacency after eliminating that nasty adoptive family of hers—proving she can do things—left her.
She never expected there to be someone like Shi Tian who observed and understood a lot.
Understanding her situation, in particular…
"Okay! Okay! I admit… defeat."
"???"
Shi Tian got caught off guard for the second time.