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A few faint, broken coughs echoed softly in the silence before Shao Yun slowly opened his eyes.
His pale lips quivered slightly, as if he wanted to speak, yet his body refused to obey. All that escaped was a hoarse, almost inaudible murmur.
"Cough… cough… oh, damn it!"
He struggled to move, trying to sit up.
But his body was so weak that every motion felt like dragging lead.
After a painful struggle, he finally managed to prop himself up against the headboard, his breath shallow and ragged.
Just then, Shao Yun suddenly sensed a pair of eyes watching him.
Following that gaze, he saw Candace sitting quietly on a chair not far away.
When she saw him awake, relief flooded her face. She hurriedly took a steaming bowl of medicine from the table, walked briskly to his side, and said with concern, "You're finally awake! Do you know you've been unconscious for three whole days?"
As she spoke, she carefully held out the bowl toward him and urged softly, "Please, drink this. It'll help you recover."
The words struck Shao Yun like a jolt of lightning. He froze, stunned to hear that he'd been unconscious for so long.
In his mind, he quickly did the math—by now, it had been ten days since Lumine and Paimon had left.
And yet, his body remained frail, his strength hollowed out. And that dream just now…
He shook his head slightly, then raised his trembling hand to weakly push the bowl aside.
"This stuff doesn't work on me anymore," he sighed.
Then he began glancing around the room, hoping to see Lumine and Paimon.
A growing sense of unease rose in his chest. He couldn't help but ask, "Where are Lumine and Paimon? Where did they go?"
At the mention of their names, Candace's expression stiffened. A troubled look crossed her face before she hesitated and said quietly, "About them… sigh, I have some bad news to tell you."
The words bad news made Shao Yun's heart sink. Coupled with the nightmare he had just had, unease boiled into irritation.
He snorted sharply through his nose. "Figures. I've never heard good news anyway. Just say it."
Candace took a deep breath, steadying herself before continuing, "During the three days you were unconscious, I received word from Sumeru City."
But before she could say more, Shao Yun had already guessed it. He spoke first, tone flat but cold. "Let me guess. The operation failed. Everyone was captured?"
Candace nodded slightly and replied, "Yes. It seems that the Grand Sage, for reasons unknown, sealed the Akasha for a time. Because of that, Alhaitham's plan to act during the Festival of Knowledge completely fell apart."
Shao Yun no longer cared about the plan's failure. There was only one question in his mind.
"Did anyone die?"
At that, Candace's body trembled.
She lowered her gaze, lashes fluttering as silence filled the room.
After a long pause, she finally nodded.
"Yes…"
The instant those words left her mouth, Shao Yun's pupils shrank sharply. Then his right hand clenched into a fist and slammed into the wall.
Bang! The dull impact reverberated through the room, making the wall shudder.
Gritting his teeth, he forced out each word between them.
"Damn it. I knew I should've been more forceful back then!"
The moment he said it, his hand shot to the Akasha Terminal on his ear, connecting to Lumine.
…
Meanwhile, inside the confinement chamber of the Akademiya, a weak amber glow from the lamps barely lit the dim space.
The air was heavy, almost suffocating.
After the operation's failure, everyone had been imprisoned there. Faces that once carried confidence now showed only exhaustion and regret.
Even the usually composed Alhaitham had lost the mood to read in the corner.
Cyno, who often cracked dry jokes, was silent now. His stern features looked darker than ever.
In one shadowed corner, Lumine sat quietly, clad in a pure white dress, like a solitary flower blooming in the dark—her beauty all the more poignant in the gloom.
Yet, that very beauty made her isolation sharper, almost painful.
She hugged her knees tightly, her once-bright eyes now hollow and distant, staring blankly ahead. How… how do I get out of this hopeless cage?
Just then, the Akasha Terminal on her ear flickered faintly.
A familiar, unexpected voice drifted into her ear like a spring breeze—it was Shao Yun.
The sound made Lumine's body jolt. Her heart surged with disbelief; she almost thought she'd imagined it.
A moment later, she came back to her senses and exclaimed, "Shao Yun! How did you get through to me?"
Back in Aaru Village, Shao Yun heard her voice clearly through the Akasha Terminal. The tension in his chest eased at once.
He let out a long breath. "Candace told me someone died… but hearing your voice—thank Archons—you're safe."
Then, anxiousness returned to his tone. "Are you and Paimon hurt?"
Lumine quickly turned to Paimon beside her. They exchanged a look before she answered, "Paimon and I are fine, just… sigh, we're locked up in the Akademiya's confinement room. We can't get out."
Relieved that they weren't injured, Shao Yun's shoulders loosened—only for worry to creep back in. "Have they mistreated you? Any harm?"
Lumine blinked, then a sly glimmer lit her eyes. She took a slow breath and lowered her voice, feigning a shaky, teary tone. "Hmm… we've been starved for two days and nights straight. Does that count as mistreatment?"
At once, fury flared through Shao Yun. His jaw tightened; his fist clenched so hard it trembled.
"I'll send that Grand Sage to hell, I swear it."
Hearing how serious he sounded, Lumine couldn't help but giggle.
She shook her head, smiling. "Oh, don't be so tense. I was only joking. You know I always carry plenty of food supplies when I travel."
"Sure, those Akademiya people haven't brought us any food—but thanks to my stash, none of us have gone hungry these past few days."
Shao Yun's expression twisted as though he'd just swallowed a fly.
He sighed deeply. "Unbelievable… even now, you still find time to tease me?"
Lumine's smile faded. A faint bitterness replaced it as she replied softly, "If I sat here crying, wouldn't that make you worry even more?"
"So instead of frowning all the time, I figured I'd crack a joke—try to lighten things up."
After a brief pause, her tone grew serious. "But… the truth is, things look grim. The Doctor's cracked Nahida's meditation device. He's imprisoned her consciousness. We've lost her power."
At that moment, Alhaitham noticed Lumine whispering into her Akasha Terminal.
His heart skipped a beat. "You've connected with Shao Yun? But didn't the Grand Sage cut the Akasha link? How is it open again?"
Shao Yun, overhearing the familiar voice, asked curiously, "Hmm? That voice—Alhaitham, is that you?"
Before the question finished, Alhaitham strode quickly over to Lumine.
He held out his hand. "Let me use your Akasha Terminal for a moment."
Lumine nodded, removing the terminal from her ear and handing it over.
Alhaitham fitted it on smoothly, then spoke in a low, urgent tone. "Shao Yun? Can you hear me?"
After a few seconds, Shao Yun's calm voice came through.
"I can hear you. Candace told me someone's dead?"
Alhaitham inhaled deeply, his expression heavy. "Yes. Rahman, along with several members of the Eyes of Ahrmar, are gone."
"The Akademiya claimed Rahman sacrificed himself to give Dehya a chance to escape."
Shao Yun fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "Didn't expect that… honestly, when I first met that kid, I thought he was alright."
But this wasn't the time for mourning. There was no room for delay.
Alhaitham began, "Listen, Shao Yun. In this situation, your best strategy would be—"
"Enough!" Shao Yun snapped, cutting him off. "I don't need your plans. I already have my own. Give the terminal back to Lumine."
Realizing further argument was pointless, Alhaitham silently nodded and handed it back.
Lumine took the terminal quickly, pressing it to her ear. "Shao Yun, I'm here!"
Drawing a long, steadying breath, Shao Yun forced his tone into calm composure. "Listen carefully, Lumine. I don't know if what I'm about to do is right or wrong… but I must do it, no matter what."
"Maybe Sumeru will end up being my final resting place. But you know what? I'm not afraid. I actually feel… at peace."
His words sounded like a farewell—like a man ready to face the end. Lumine's heart clenched. "I understand, but… could you at least try to kill fewer people? Nahida told me—before her consciousness was trapped—about your talk with Klee's mother, Lady Alice."
Shao Yun's expression tensed immediately. "You know? Even about Teyvat's Rulers—the 'Sustainer of Heavenly Principles'—wanting me dead?"
Lumine was quiet for several seconds before replying softly, "Yes… I'm sorry. Back then, I was too reckless. I rushed to save Thoma instead of going with Ayaka to find you and plan things out together."
Her voice grew thick with remorse. "If I hadn't been so impulsive—if I'd stayed calm and talked it through with you—maybe you'd be safer now…"
Shao Yun chuckled faintly, his voice warm. "Hey, don't think like that. Everything has two sides. Look on the bright one—if that Sustainer really took your powers, maybe I'll have a word with her. Get her to give back your ability to travel between worlds—yours and your brother's."
Lumine hadn't expected that, even now, he was worrying about her.
Her eyes grew wet; her voice trembled slightly. "After everything… you're still thinking about me? You could end up like my brother—sealed away—or worse, dead!"
But Shao Yun didn't flinch. His tone held only calm resolve—and a hint of hope. "Or maybe I'll actually succeed. Then, we'll find your brother and fool him into coming with us. The four of us can finally ride away together."
At those words—ride away together—Lumine laughed softly, though there was sorrow behind it.
"You still haven't given up on that dream of taking me, Paimon, and my brother to ride away into the horizon, have you?"
Shao Yun bit his lip, then exhaled. "That dream's been carved into me since forever. I've always chased after that freedom. Wait for my good news, Lumine… I'll call you again."
With that, he moved to end the call.
But just as he was about to disconnect, Lumine's heart lurched. She shouted, "Wait—don't—"