Departure

Receiving Su Xiao's call was a great relief to Ronan.

After all, after that night, a full week had passed with no news from Su Xiao.

As the first friend Ronan had made on this planet, he was inevitably worried. Perhaps his actions had been too reckless, touching the sensitive nerves of the nobles. Heaven knew what extreme measures those large families would take to protect their interests.

So, these past few days, he had also gone online and specifically browsed the social networks of the nobles on the Bo Ning District's local area network. He found that the events of that night didn't seem to have caused much of a stir. The internet was surprisingly calm, but after Noah's inspection, there were traces of many communication messages being deleted within the local area network. Moreover, these traces originated from different addresses.

This point was quite intriguing.

It was clear that both Yi Lin Manor and the Su Family and Li Family had, by coincidence, chosen to suppress this matter. They had likely used all their connections and resources to prevent the spread of Ronan's astonishing deeds on the night of the Martial Hall event. Most people in Bo Ning District were still in a state of not seeing clearly, with only a small number of true nobles understanding some of the facts.

Ronan didn't know why they were doing this, but he was happy to have it easy.

He had Noah scan the Bo Ning District's local area network and found that apart from Wang Xiaoman and Christine immediately following his newly created social network account, there was no valuable information. Especially Su Xiao, she seemed to have vanished into thin air these past few days.

People avoided discussing this matter, instead focusing most of their attention on the upcoming school season. In late September, it was time for the start of classes for both the many secondary schools on Azure Ring Island and the higher universities from another planet. And education has always been a focal point that the Steel Empire is most enthusiastic about discussing.

And the name Ronan, apart from the previous assassination reports, was not mentioned by anyone.

From this, it could be seen that in the Emerald Star Region, the power of Yi Lin Manor and the Su Family and Li Family was indeed very strong.

However, what Ronan didn't expect was that the voice coming from the other end of the phone was very weary. This was completely different from the Su Xiao he remembered. After a few pleasantries, the two finally got to the point.

He heard Su Xiao say softly, "I'm leaving."

Ronan asked calmly, "Where are you going? Why?"

Su Xiao: "That night, thank you for defeating Xiang Feihu. It gave me a chance to choose freely; I have two years left of my university life, which is one of the few times I'll have freedom. I've decided to leave Blue Sea and go out and see the world."

"I want to travel. As for the procedures, my family has already handled them for me."

Ronan was silent for a while before asking, "Travel?"

The other party hummed in affirmation: "The first stop is the Seventh Star Region, Dragon Capital Province. I heard they have the best place in the entire empire to observe the scenery of the Western Star Domain."

Seventh Star Region. Dragon Capital Province.

A map of the Steel Empire's territory immediately appeared in Ronan's mind.

Blue Sea Province and Dragon Capital Province, a straight line connecting the two points.

A distance of sixty thousand light-years.

I silently say your name here, and if time were to carry the message, it would take sixty thousand years to reach where you are.

This star river is so vast, and humans within it are so insignificant.

At this moment, Ronan's heart was finally touched.

However, he still remained calm: "Are you running away?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

The wrist holding the phone trembled, and the girl tried her best to calm her emotions. She knew this call would be difficult, so she had prepared her lines countless times in advance—Ronan's question was also within her expectations.

So she said in a deliberately relaxed tone, "What are you thinking! I'm finally free! I definitely have to thank you for that. But I love to travel anyway. Dragon Capital Province is a famous romantic capital in the empire. Many couples go there for their honeymoons. This trip will definitely be a lot of fun."

Speaking against one's heart, it was probably like this.

Only she knew how long she had knelt in her father's study that night, pleading bitterly; her mother was persuading her from the side, secretly wiping away tears; the final result, a compromise between both parties, was already the limit of what she could do.

She still remembered the coldness and impatience in her father's eyes when she hysterically asked him that night if she was just a tool for marriage in his eyes. And the reason he finally compromised was only because the Li Family's crown prince had rarely sent a letter, asking the Su Family head not to make things difficult for Su Xiao.

She also remembered hiding in her room that night, crying heartbrokenly, holding her phone, wanting to make that call but hesitating to press the button—because she knew this was already the best outcome.

Originally, according to her father's idea, after Ronan's incident, it would definitely affect the relationship between the Su and Li families; so the solution he proposed was the most simple and brutal: directly side with Deepwater Fortress, and when Li Nanbei returned to the Emerald Star Region at the end of the year, the two would get married.

Now, at least, she had bought herself two years.

But these two years had to be paid for with a distance of sixty thousand light-years.

For young boys and girls, this was undoubtedly the most difficult time.

She was indeed running away. She was running away from the confrontation between the Li Family and Yi Lin Manor; she was protecting Ronan, she didn't want him to be hurt more; she was also afraid that she had truly fallen for Ronan.

In the seventeen years of the Su Family's daughter's life, she had never seen such a genuine young man.

Every word he said was so pure. Sometimes he seemed a bit clumsy, but he was also very interesting. Compared to that high and mighty, god-like Li Nanbei, she preferred this Ronan who spoke out for the sake of friendship alone.

But she couldn't like Ronan.

She was Su Xiao, the only daughter of the Su Family head, and the most crucial link in the Su Family's next hundred-year plan.

Her union with Li Nanbei had been predetermined on the day that genius rose, like a destiny arranged by God. Perhaps it could be delayed, but it could not be changed.

The Su Family was very proud. Among so many partners, the Li Family had chosen them. They also knew that all of this was just because that proud guy Li Nanbei had said early on that he would only marry Su Xiao, otherwise they would not have had such an opportunity.

So they were very good to Su Xiao, granting her every request. Only matters of the heart were taboo.

She couldn't have a boy she liked, and even talking to strange men would be severely monitored—before Ronan appeared, everything had followed this script.

Now Ronan had appeared, and the Li Family hadn't said anything, but the Su Family was already angry. In their eyes, this kid from Yi Lin Manor was simply trying to destroy the cooperation between the Su and Li families. They could not tolerate Ronan and Su Xiao continuing to associate. Not even as friends.

So, Ronan, this is really the best outcome.

The girl silently thought to herself.

A long silence ensued.

Ronan didn't know what to say. He couldn't hear Su Xiao's inner monologue, nor did he know what kind of pressure the girl had been under these past few days.

But even he, dull as he was, clearly realized that Su Xiao was leaving the Emerald Star Region and Blue Sea Province because of him.

He thought for a moment and said with some regret, "It's not easy to make a friend, and I think it's a pity."

Su Xiao forced a smile. "You're going to Azure Ring Island soon. You'll meet many friends there."

Ronan said naturally, "But I might never meet a friend as beautiful as you, even when you roll your eyes."

Su Xiao's heart pounded. Ronan himself felt a bit strange.

He had only spoken his truest thoughts, but when he opened his mouth, it sounded like intimate whispers between lovers.

He always remembered that captivating eye-roll on the Martial Hall sofa that night, and it had stayed with him, which was why he blurted it out.

Her face felt hot, and she felt a strange, inexplicable joy in her heart. She changed the subject, saying, "I'll write to you."

"Okay."

Ronan replied.

Finally, before hanging up, he asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

Su Xiao joked, "If you really want to do something for me, defeat Li Nanbei within two years."

This was meant as a jest.

Who knew Ronan would say with unusual seriousness and sincerity:

"Okay." As if making a promise.

Ronan was poor at expressing himself, so he only said one word: okay.

In the depths of his heart, however, countless thoughts surged:

Didn't I ask you how powerful Li Nanbei was that day?

Your answer was very, very powerful.

But I didn't have time to tell you.

I'm also very, very powerful.

Farewells in youth always seem so understated, but only because neither party knows the immense turmoil in the other's heart.

Su Xiao was about to set off for Dragon Capital Province, sixty thousand light-years away; and Ronan was also about to begin his studies on Azure Ring Island.

This September, under the biting autumn wind and rain of Bo Ning District, truly became the season of parting.

Read this chapter and then listen to me: First, don't call me a romance novelist. If you want to curse, read the book's related information first. Coconut has already emphasized that this book is not a simple, violent story of killing, nor is it a harem novel where the protagonist dominates and picks up girls. There will definitely be emotional scenes, but I will maintain a good balance. Ultimately, this is still a fantasy novel; Second, don't curse me for mistreating the protagonist. If you think this plot is mistreating the protagonist, please click the top right corner automatically. If you absolutely need a smooth journey where women are treated as NPCs and enemies as small monsters, there are plenty of such novels on Qidian. Go find them yourself, we don't sell that here. I personally don't think this plot is abusive. If I were a reader, I would be even more looking forward to the confrontation with Li Nanbei, wouldn't I? Third, still the usual plea for votes. I want to write a book with flesh and blood, but rest assured, it will still be a satisfying read. I think this chapter is written quite well. The Bo Ning District plot has come to an end, and the beginning is complete. The Azure Ring Island plot will be very exciting, and various characters are about to appear. That's all.