He Xi came fully awake, staring in disbelief at Zoya, who was right beside him.
Though they had shared a brief conversation and fought side by side, with "the midnight contract taking effect" and "her hand feeling around somewhere it shouldn't" happening at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder—
Could this mysterious Moon Pupil Elf's intentions have something to do with Salamachis's contract?
However, Zoya merely stared at him blankly, her amethyst eyes looking flustered and helpless in the moonlight.
She pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Of course, she didn't know what to say, either.
If she spoke now, even a whisper might wake the others inside.
And how would she explain that she was pressed against him, with her hand on his stomach?
As for He Xi, the feeling of weightlessness gradually faded.
The first thing he did was check his condition.
All his attributes were steady, with no sign that anything had been drained.
[Bloodline Solidification] had indeed perfectly nullified the contract's effects.
Once he confirmed that the greatest threat was gone, He Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he turned his attention back to the "trouble" right in front of him.
He gave Zoya a look and silently gestured outside—
Just like when they'd kept watch, he meant: let's go talk outside.
Zoya seemed to hesitate for a moment before understanding, then gave a slight nod.
The two of them carefully got up from their bedding, tiptoed out of the room like a pair of thieves, and slipped into the chilly moonlight.
Belt's snores provided perfect cover for their escape. No one noticed the two missing from the middle of the room.
Except the dog.
Bruce watched them leave but didn't follow. He simply lay on the ground, staring at the closed