The Cold Girl

Lin Yue watched them coldly, saying nothing, merely nodding slightly. She could sense that these people had come with ill intent, and the aura radiating from them filled her with deep aversion.

"Hmph, she really is a frigid girl," one of Rex's subordinates muttered behind him, a mocking smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. His eyes were full of disdain, as if, in his view, Lin Yue's cold demeanor was nothing more than a pretentious act, merely inviting annoyance.

Lin Yue's gaze instantly shot toward him like a Sharp Arrow, her icy stare seemingly capable of freezing the very air. Under her scrutiny, the smile on the subordinate's face froze instantly; he felt a chill surge from the soles of his feet straight to his brain, and he instinctively took a step back.

Rex frowned, turned his head to glare at the subordinate, and scolded in a low voice, "Shut your mouth! Have some manners!" He then looked back at Lin Yue, his face once again wearing that seemingly gentle yet inherently cold smile, and said, "Miss Lin Yue, I hope you won't take offense. My subordinate doesn't know the rules and speaks without thinking. We have truly come with sincerity this time, genuinely hoping to reach a partnership with you."

Lin Yue continued to watch him coldly, the aversion in her eyes not diminishing in the slightest. Having lived alone on this Frostblue Planet for many years, she had long grown accustomed to the company of ice and snow, and her personality had become as cold and detached as the frost itself. What she despised most were these self-righteous types who, relying on the backing of some power, felt entitled to judge others and act with such insolence.

She knew clearly that although these people spoke incessantly of cooperation, the air of superiority and the faint, aggressive aura radiating from them told her that things were far from simple. They had likely set their sights on her Ice Soul power and wanted to use her to achieve some ulterior motive.

Lin Yue lifted her chin slightly and said coldly, "You had best put away those hypocritical tricks; I am not so easily fooled. If you are sincere about cooperating, then show some real, tangible sincerity, and stop with all this useless posturing."

Rex was slightly taken aback, then smiled, "Miss Lin Yue, you have misunderstood. We have already demonstrated our sincerity; the energy crystals in that energy storage device are genuine assets. Furthermore, as I said, our Starshine Federation possesses top-tier research teams and advanced equipment, all of which will be at your disposal to help you unlock the potential of your Ice Soul and explore the mysteries of the universe."

"Hmph!" Lin Yue let out a cold snort. "Is that all? I suspect you have other motives. I have stayed on this Frostblue Planet for so long; what kind of tricks haven't I seen? If you were truly here to cooperate, why arrive with such an aggressive posture, and why did your subordinate speak so rudely? Is this what your Starshine Federation calls sincerity?"

A flash of embarrassment crossed Rex's face, but he quickly returned to his composed state and said, "Miss Lin Yue, it is true that I failed to discipline my subordinate properly, and I apologize on his behalf for the grievance you suffered. But please believe that we have come with only one goal: to join hands with you and explore the mysterious powers of the universe together. As for my subordinate's rudeness, I will certainly punish him severely when we return."

Lin Yue watched him coldly, saying no more. She knew that arguing with them now was of little significance; the key would be to observe their subsequent actions. She wanted to see just how much genuine sincerity this group from the Starshine Federation could produce, and whether they were truly there for cooperation as they claimed, or if there was another conspiracy afoot.

She turned around, ignoring Rex and his group, and walked toward the ice cave with steady, firm steps. Her silhouette, set against the backdrop of ice and snow, appeared all the more cold and aloof, as if silently telling Rex and the others that she was not so easily swayed or exploited. Rex watched her retreating figure, his brow furrowing slightly as he pondered how to truly dispel her doubts and make her willingly cooperate with the Starshine Federation. Meanwhile, his subordinates looked at one another, not daring to say another word; Lin Yue's icy gaze and unyielding attitude had already given them a full taste of just how formidable this Ice Wind Snow Maiden truly was.