Black Cat froze at Jiang Ran's words.
He raised his head and stared at Jiang Ran. Several seconds later, he asked softly, "Do you understand what this means?"
"The higher you stand, the stronger the threats those people behind you, who have yet to grow, will have to face."
Black Cat paused, his tail swaying lightly. "It's almost a kind of causality. Because you are strong, your enemies are strong. Because you advance, your enemies advance."
"Are you... sure you're prepared?"
The warehouse fell silent.
Only the soft rustling of Jiang Ran stripping scales remained.
A few seconds later, Jiang Ran removed the last scale he needed and stood up.
Looking down at the pile of gleaming silver scales on the ground, then at his hands covered in silver blood, he suddenly chuckled.
"Prepared?"
Jiang Ran turned and walked to the sink in the corner of the warehouse. He twisted open the faucet and washed the blood from his hands.
Water gushed noisily.
His voice mingled with the sound of running water, calm and steady. "Senior, have you ever considered a question?"
Black Cat looked up at him.
"If I don't stand at the very top..." Jiang Ran shook the droplets from his hands and turned to look at Black Cat. "Then who will?"
He paused, then said softly, "I only believe in myself."
As his words fell, the warehouse sank into silence once more.
Black Cat listened, his feline eyes falling into thought.
He realized that he was becoming less and less able to understand this young man.
Call him selfish, yet he would casually save people in the Safe Zone.
Call him selfless, yet he had no interest whatsoever in leading others or protecting the weak.
Everything he did seemed to revolve around one simple goal.
To become