One Trick Is All It Takes

The lights in the corridor came on.

Cecilia stood at the end of the corridor.

"...Aaaah!!!" Lin En and Iron Hammer shouted, curling into a heap.

We're screwed. We'd barely landed, and their sister had already cornered them at the dock.

Cecilia folded her arms, her expression blank. "Had enough fun?"

"Haha... Sis, sis... We... um..."

Lin En and Iron Hammer exchanged a glance.

Three, two, one—get ready.

Cecilia raised a hand and cut them off. "Don't even think about grabbing my legs and crying. It won't work."

Who said it wouldn't work?

Lin En and Iron Hammer each took one side. Lin En reached out and hugged Cecilia's left leg, while Iron Hammer hugged her right. Their arms wrapped around her legs and locked tight as they leaned their heads against her thighs, sitting on the floor and crying while clinging to their sister's legs like two koalas.

Lin En pressed his face against Cecilia's trousers, tugged his voice out, and began wailing. "Sis—I was wrong—I was really wrong—I shouldn't have snuck off—I shouldn't have made you worry—Sis—hit me if you want—curse me out if you want—just go easy—I'm scared of pain—"

Iron Hammer wailed along beside him, even louder than Lin En. "Sis—it was all Lin En's fault—he dragged me along—I didn't dare refuse—he said he'd sail off alone if I didn't go—Sis—I was coerced—I was threatened—punish him, not me—"

Lin En immediately pointed at him. "You son of a—!!!"

Iron Hammer remained completely unmoved.

Sacrifice your friend, but never yourself.

"..." Cecilia was speechless.

The guards in the corridor stood on both sides, staring straight ahead with their mouths clenched tight.

Damn it, hold it in, mouth!

One guard's shoulders trembled, but he quickly forced them still.

Then he really couldn't hold it anymore. He turned his