A spark of realization lit up Isablelle''s eyes. "General, I believe I''ve uncovered how the eighth continent met its end!"


    Cain, along with the others in the ce were taken aback by Isabe''s sudden loss ofposure. It was a rare sight, witnessed only once before during the groundbreaking discovery of the immortality serum.


    "It was the eighth guardian! She annihted her own continent, plunging it into the sea''s depths. A guardian who betrayed her duty, a betrayal so profound it warranted her erasure from history," Isabe''s voice echoed through the ce, tinged with a mixture of triumph and disbelief.


    Her fingers trembled on the page, her voice quivering with the magnitude of their discovery.


    Cain, overwhelmed by the information, felt his legs give way, dropping him to his knees. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, his mind swaying.


    "This... this is impossible!" he stammered, the reality of the situation crashing down on him.


    Isabe cast a nce at Cain''s shaken figure, her brow furrowed in curiousity, "Why the fear, General? This is our moment to uncover the truth! To capture this girl and unearth secrets that may dwarf even the allure of the immortality serum. We could be on the cusp of unlocking the ancient legacy of these near-divine beings."


    Cain''s eyes were wide, haunted, as he clutched his head, his entire body quaking. "I... I just remembered..." he whispered, his voice a ghost of its usual strength. Memories, dark and traumatic, began to resurface, casting shadows across his face.


    "General...?" Isabe''s voice softened, concern creeping into her tone. An uneasy feeling settled in her chest, a premonition that their discovery might have unearthed more than just historical truths.


    _________


    Wang Xiao leaned back, his demeanor casual, yet his mind was anything but at ease. He found Yuexiu Anran''s cooperation oddly unsettling, especially given the circumstances of their meeting. He''d conveniently left out the part where he''d coerced her into this seemingly calm discussion.


    "So, you''re a spy, not an assassin?" Wang Xiao repeated after her, a mix of surprise and curiosity tinting his voice.


    That made sense to him now, considering theck of scars or battle marks on her. A spy''s craft was stealth and information, not directbat. Yuexiu Anran was a shadow mover, always lurking, never engaging.


    "Mm-hm!" She nodded, her voice light, almost carefree. "Can you get me some water?" she asked, her request pulling Wang Xiao from his thoughts.


    As he considered her request, another thought wormed its way into his mind. "If you''re a spy... shouldn''t there be peopleing to rescue you?" He voiced his concern, his gaze piercing. "An assassin might be abandoned upon failure, but a spy? They''re valuable assets, no?"


    Yuexiu Anran''s eyes met his, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them.


    "Rescue me?" Yuexiu Anran echoed, her voice tinged with mock surprise. She yfully pointed to herself, her tongue peeking out in a cheeky gesture.


    Swoosh!


    Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she sprang back several steps. Despite her injured leg, her movement was a fluid dance of agility and grace. "Well... it seems my rescuers have already arrived," she dered, her smile wide and conspiratorial.


    "Apologies, but our time together ends here. Thank you for the... hospitality!" With these final words, she spun gracefully and leapt off the balcony, her figure dissolving into the night like a phantom.


    Wang Xiao barely had time to process her departure when he sensed movement around him.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    Figures cloaked in ck emerged from the shadows, materializing like shadows in the light. Each move they made was a silent threat, their faces obscured, adding to their menacing aura.


    Wang Xiao remained unflustered, seated on his stool, a wry smile ying on his lips. "I should have known better. Trusting humans...haha" he mused aloud, his voiceced with amusement and a hint of disdain.


    The assants, now fully encircling him, hesitated at his calm demeanor. Weapons in hand, they exchanged wary nces, unsure of their next move.


    "Confused, are we?" Wang Xiao taunted gently, his smile broadening. "Let me rify things for you."


    In the next instant, the terrace erupted into chaos. But amidst the other things, Wang Xiao''sughter rang clear—a sound both triumphant and chilling.


    ______


    "Are you alright?" A small child, no more than twelve, leaned casually against a tree, his eyes filled with concern for Yuexiu Anran, who approached, panting heavily from her escape.


    Yuexiu Anran, still catching her breath, managed a nod to the young boy leaning casually against the tree. "I''m alright," she assured, her chest heaving from the exertion. "But what about the battle?"


    Adam, despite his youthful appearance, shook his head with a maturity that seemed beyond his years. "The army''s been wiped out. The leader sent me to find you, to help locate the Fairy Ind. They don''t want any morerge-scale operations."


    Relief washed over Yuexiu Anran''s face. "That''s better. Less chaos."


    Adam agreed, his eyes reflecting a sense of somber understanding. "It is. But how did you get caught up in all this?"


    Yuexiu Anran''s expression clouded over, her mind shing back to thest night events. The memory of being cornered, guns pointed at her from every direction, and then that mysterious man''s unexpected intervention. "It''s a long story," she finally said, her voice heavy with unspoken details.


    As they spoke, Adam reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. The sight made Yuexiu Anran frown. "You started smoking, little guy?" Her tone was a mix of surprise and mild reprimand.


    Adam nced at the pack in his hand, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "It''s not what it seems," he began, sensing her disapproval. "It''s more of a... habit I picked up to blend in. You know, to seem older, less conspicuous."


    Yuexiu Anran''s frown deepened, but her concern was evident. "That''s not the best way to blend in," she admonished.


    Adam nodded in agreement, his nod was distant, almost mechanical. Anran observed him with a mix of concern and curiosity.


    He was one of the few children who had survived the journey through the tunnel to the heavens, yet the boy standing before her seemed devoid of any childlike essence, as if that experience had transformed him entirely.


    Their moment of quiet contemtion was abruptly shattered.


    Adam''s expression shifted to one of rm, his youthful yet oddly mature voice breaking the silence. "How did you manage to get here without my noticing?" He stepped back, his eyes fixed on something behind Anran.


    Confused, Anran turned, about to ask Adam what was wrong, but her words were cut short. In an instant, Adam''s body began to swell unnaturally.


    *Boom*


    In a horrific spectacle, right before Anran''s eyes, Adam''s small form exploded.


    "Eh?" The word escaped her lips, a faint, disbelieving whisper as she stared at the space where Adam had just been standing. Her eyes were wide, unblinking, as if refusing to ept the reality of what had just urred.


    Behind her, Wang Xiao''s presence loomed, a silent, ominous figure whose arrival had gone undetected by even the vignt Adam. His expression was unreadable, his motives as mysterious as his sudden appearance.


    "Shhh," Wang Xiao whispered harshly, his hand mping over Anran''s mouth as she began to understand the horror of what had just happened. She trembled violently, her eyes wide with fear and betrayal.


    "Why?" she managed to muffle through his grip, her voice a blend of anger, fear, and confusion. "Why Adam?"


    Wang Xiao''s expression remained cold and unreadable. "He served his purpose," he replied, his voice devoid of emotion. "And you, Anran, are far more valuable to me than any expendable child soldier."


    Anran''s tears were hot and bitter as they streamed down her face. Wang Xiao''s words cut deeper than any physical wound. Adam had been a beacon of hope, her only family , and now he was gone, reduced to nothing in an instant.


    "Let me go!" she tried to scream, her voice muffled against his hand. Her heart pounded with a mix of dread and desperation.


    Wang Xiao tightened his grip, his other hand readying to unleash another wave of his psychokic power. "Quiet now. Your cries won''t change your fate. Pick up the phone and call your leader!" He instructed.


    !!


    Yuexiu Anran''s body shook, her hands trembled as she picked up the bloodstained phone left behind by Adam, miraculously still functioning after the explosion. Her mind raced with desperation, but she forced herself to focus on Wang Xiao''s instructions.


    Wang Xiao''s voice was cold, "Tell your leader you''re safe. Say you''ve found a lead on the Fairy Ind and need time to explore it with Adam and your remaining team."


    Anran''s heart pounded in her chest as she dialed the number, her fingers slipping on the phone''s screen. She struggled to steady her voice, aware of Wang Xiao''s menacing presence just behind her.


    The phone rang, and after a few tense moments, her leader''s voice came through. "Report, Adam"


    Swallowing hard, Anran nced briefly at Wang Xiao before speaking. "It''s me, Anran. I''m safe. We''ve... we''ve found a potential lead on the Fairy Ind. I need more time to explore it with Adam and the others."


    There was a pause on the other end of the line, a moment of silence that stretched painfully long. "Understood," her leader finally replied. "Be cautious, Anran. Report back as soon as you have concrete information."


    "Will do," Anran replied, her voice a faint whisper, before ending the call.