Inside The Black Mist

Xun looked puzzled as well; it seemed she wasn't expecting any other guests. Nevertheless, she opened the door.

Tianyang's gaze fell on the doorway, where a young man appeared, looking about twenty-three or twenty-four. He was impeccably dressed, with silver-threaded cloud patterns on his collar and cuffs. The man had a gentle smile, an elegant demeanor, and an aura that exuded warmth.

Xun gasped in surprise, “Mr. Yunze, what brings you here?”

The man, named Yunze, apologized, “I’m sorry to drop by unannounced. I’m leaving tomorrow and thought I’d bid you farewell before I go. I hope you don't mind the intrusion.”

Xun shook her head lightly. “Mr. Yunze, you’re a busy man; there's no need to go out of your way to say goodbye. I’m not worth such trouble.”

Yunze’s soft and soothing voice made it hard to dislike him. He smiled gently. “How could you say that? Thanks to you, my injury healed so quickly. You are my benefactor.”

Yunze sniffed the air and said, “Hmm, it smells delicious. Are you cooking, Miss Xun? Might I have the pleasure of tasting your cooking?”

Xun shook her head again. “Sorry, I have a guest tonight, so it’s really inconvenient.”

Yunze wasn’t offended by the refusal and kept his smile. His gaze shifted to Tianyang. “Is this a friend of Miss Xun’s?” He extended his hand, stepping into the living room and approaching Tianyang with familiarity. “I love making new friends. My name is Yunze. May I know yours?”

Xun's eyebrows furrowed slightly, seeming displeased with Yunze's actions but reluctant to express them.

Tianyang was somewhat overwhelmed by his enthusiasm but responded politely with his name.

Yunze looked surprised. “So it’s you! Impressive, taking on the Qin family single-handedly. Although the Qin family is just a minor family in the fortress, you did a great job. Miss Xun’s friends are indeed extraordinary.”

Tianyang’s thoughts stirred. From Yunze’s tone, it seemed he might be a scion of some family himself. If Yun were his surname, then this man would be quite significant. The Yun family of Qingtian was renowned in the fortress; they were said to be descendants of the founders and had been pioneers during the fortress's construction. They were also the only family in the fortress not required to establish their authority formally.

The first base in the Inverse Universe, Yunxiang, was built by the Yun family!

Whether Yunze was indeed from this prominent family remained to be seen.

“Ahem,” Xun glanced towards the kitchen, “Our dinner is almost ready…”

Yunze lightly tapped his forehead and released Tianyang’s hand, saying with great decorum, “I won’t disturb you two any longer. I hope I’ll have the chance to invite both of you for a meal next time. Please honor me with your presence.”

Xun escorted him to the elevator. Yunze got in and left the apartment. Outside, a car modeled after a vehicle from the Inverse Universe approached and stopped before him.

The door opened, and Yunze climbed in. A voice inside remarked, “You’re back so soon. I thought you’d be dining with the lady.”

The man seated inside had eagle-like sharp eyes, a short beard, and his hands folded over the hilt of a sword. This sword had a golden guard encrusted with various gems, though its scabbard was plain black with a red character for "Night" inscribed on it.

“Mr. Wang Liangyi, please don’t tease me,” Yunze sighed. “Miss Xun was entertaining a guest, so there was no place for me. It’s the first time I’ve been turned down by a woman; it hurts here.”

He covered his chest with his hand.

The man called Wang Liangyi raised the corners of his mouth slightly. "Oh, there’s actually a lady in the fortress who can resist Yunze’s charm. That’s quite surprising. Perhaps this is a special trait of the Luminary Class?"

“Luminary Class...” Yunze repeated the words, a glint of light in his eyes. "No matter what, I’m determined to win over Miss Xun."

Wang Liangyi nodded. "If you have a wife from the Luminary Class, it would certainly stabilize your position in continuing the family legacy, Yunze."

Yunze looked at him with an aggrieved expression and said, "Mr. Wang, that’s too much. I genuinely like Miss Xun. I’m not using her status as a bargaining chip."

Wang Liangyi tapped his sword hilt lightly with his finger. "You said the same thing about the other ladies before."

Yunze patted his chest and said, "Yes, I was sincere with each of them. We just found out later that our lives weren’t compatible, so we parted ways."

Wang Liangyi shrugged lightly. "If you say so, then it must be true."

The car drove away into the distance.

At 8:30 PM, Tianyang left Xun’s house. The girl and her younger brother came out to see him off.

At the elevator, Tianyang waved, "You guys should go back."

Xun placed her hands on her brother’s shoulders and suddenly asked, "Tianyang, you live alone now, right?"

Tianyang nodded. "Yes, I live alone. Why?"

Xun lowered her head slightly, her eyes sweeping the ground. "It's nothing. Just... if you ever want to eat something specific, let me know, and I'll cook for you. Eating food from the synthesizer all the time can get tiring. It’s good to have a change of taste occasionally."

Tianyang didn’t expect her to say this and was momentarily stunned.

Xun looked up. "What? Do you not like my cooking?"

"No, no, no," Tianyang scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Your cooking is great. I just don’t want to trouble you."

Xun shook her head. "It’s no trouble. It's settled then."

Tianyang agreed with a nod. Just then, the elevator arrived. The young man stepped in and waved goodbye to the siblings.

After Tianyang left, Xiaojie looked up at his sister with a mischievous smile and said, "Sis, you like Brother Tianyang, don’t you?"

A blush instantly spread across the girl’s face. "What are you talking about? I don’t like him."

"If you don’t like him, why would you cook for him?"

Xun’s eyes dimmed slightly. "Didn’t you hear? He lives alone now. Being alone can be very lonely..."

Xiaojie pondered for a moment and then grinned, "That's just an excuse..."

Whack!

Xun flicked his little head, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

"Serves you right!"

The siblings went back inside, and the door closed, leaving the hallway quiet once again.

Driving along the upper city streets, streetlights occasionally swept over Tianyang. It was still raining in Qingtian Fortress, but the rain had lessened considerably. At least in the central part of the city, the rain was blocked by the circular dome above, preventing it from reaching the ground.

A faint smile appeared on Tianyang's face. It was the first time he felt the warmth of being cared for since his mother passed away.

Back at his apartment, Tianyang parked his vehicle and took the elevator upstairs.

The elevator was empty except for him. As the doors opened, Tianyang was about to step out.

Suddenly, he saw a shadow cast by the corridor lights. The shadow was right outside the left side of the elevator door. Someone was lying in ambush?