Smile

The next day, the sun rose as usual.

Because she needed to submit her job transfer materials in advance, Liz unusually didn't travel with the main group. She took a leave of absence and stayed at the base.

During lunch, Tulan asked Liz, "Don't you think the base's security has been a bit more lax lately?"

"A little, but ground security isn't the main force of the base anyway," Liz replied while eating. "Whether it's lax or tight, it probably doesn't matter much."

"It's quite annoying," Tulan frowned. "Today, two people sneaked into the base from somewhere and used a loudspeaker in front of Miss Valenti's office building demanding we release someone. They were so loud."

Liz suddenly remembered what Ms. Moly had mentioned – the United Government and AHgAs fighting over Hesta's custody. This was precisely why the base couldn't openly investigate or deal with Shawn.

However, as time went on, the noise from outside hadn't stopped; instead, it seemed to have become even more boisterous than before.

...I wonder what Ms. Moly and the others have been doing all this time.

What happened to the promised "problem resolution"?

"Did you see Jane this morning?" Liz suddenly asked.

"No, she has class, right?" Tulan replied. "What's up, do you need her for something?"

Liz fell silent for a moment. Last night, Jane's emotions had experienced a very intense fluctuation, but because the system classified it as a nightmare, it wasn't flagged as an emergency. Liz had seen it this morning when she checked her messages as usual.

"It's... nothing, I just thought since it's lunchtime, why haven't I seen her—"

Before she could finish, Liz's phone suddenly emitted a piercing pulse alert. She quickly picked it up to check.

Tulan leaned over. "What happened?"

"It's Jane..."

Liz frowned. She opened the newly received alert message. Just like when Hesta had triggered the fire alarm last time, this message was an automatically triggered alert in an emergency situation.

However, after reading the content of this alert, Liz was stunned.

She was... brawling with someone?

Liz didn't have time to explain. She dropped her utensils and rushed towards the scene.

In the first-floor corridor of the student apartments, the entire hallway echoed with Mrs. Lavette's screams.

"She's hitting him... hitting him—Ah, heavens... Stop it, children—sob sob... Someone help—"

She was shouting, out of breath, watching from a distance while constantly glancing towards the apartment entrance.

Mrs. Lavette had already made all the calls she needed to. Yet, in less than half a minute, the two people wrestling in the middle of the corridor had fought their way to the end of the hallway.

Shawn, covered in injuries, had nowhere left to retreat. His left eye had turned purplish-blue and was slightly swollen, with a steady stream of blood running down his nose. The scene was bloody.

These warm drops of blood also splattered on Hesta's fists. Her fists rained down on Shawn's forehead, cheeks, jaw, and chest.

Shawn raised a hand to wipe his face, leaning against the wall to try and stand up. Five bright red handprints were pressed against the wall. Before he could muster any strength, Hesta kicked him over.

"Where are my keys," Hesta let out a low growl. "Give them back to me."

Hesta's face was reflected in Shawn's eyes. Her cheeks were dotted with splashed blood, and fury erupted from her blue eyes, with bloodshot veins spreading across the whites. Her face was contorted with rage and hatred, making her unrecognizable from the quiet, indifferent girl she used to be.

Shawn looked at the Hesta who had fallen into a frenzy before him and let out a mocking laugh.

"Look at you now, Hesta... How is it? Do you... really want to kill me?"

Shawn didn't fight back at all. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground beside him, then grinned and tilted his head, exposing his neck. "Mrs. Lavette is watching."

Hesta grabbed Shawn's collar and pulled the boy up from the ground.

She lowered her head slightly, her bangs covering her eyes.

"I'll ask you one last time... Where exactly did you hide my keys?"

Shawn chuckled weakly and mumbled.

"Louder," Hesta said coldly.

Shawn gently beckoned Hesta closer, signaling her to lean in. As Hesta approached, he spoke with a trembling smile.

"Guess... if I'll tell you?"

Hesta's pupils contracted sharply. She released her grip, straightened up, and took half a step back, her breathing once again becoming calm and steady.

For a moment, Shawn, who had been watching the show, felt a slight chill. His instincts as an opponent made him keenly aware of some unusual change, and he looked at the person before him with suspicion.

"...Hesta?"

Hesta tilted her head slightly. In the dim light of the corridor, half of her face was cast in shadow.

However, her face was no longer angry. All expressions of confusion, humiliation, and hatred had vanished, replaced by... a smile.

A smile...

Shawn thought he was mistaken.

Her eyes still held a scorching gaze, but the lower half of her face was indeed smiling.

Hesta lightly touched her upper and lower lips, forming a few silent words. Shawn was no longer concerned with what she said. He instantly entered Bullet Time and, like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, dashed towards the nearby window.

As he leaped, Shawn felt something firmly grasp his ankle. He instinctively knew it was Hesta's hand.

But it was impossible, she couldn't possibly have caught herself in this state—

The next moment, he lost his balance completely and was slammed heavily onto the ground.

He suddenly realized what Hesta had been saying just now.

"As you wish."

The entire world fell silent. Before Shawn could even process how all of this had happened, the scent of death was already closing in. His mind went completely blank; he didn't even have time to feel fear.

"Jane!"

Liz's voice suddenly cut through the air.

Shawn turned his head. Liz had appeared behind Hesta at some point and was holding her body tightly from behind.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Hesta's bangs lifted and then fell, like a drowning person surfacing from the water.

Mrs. Lavette in the distance had already started crying from fear. Her hands covered her mouth, her face streaked with tears as she watched what appeared to be the end of the reserve conflict.

Hesta collapsed into Liz's arms, completely still.

"...Jane?" Liz released her grip, her voice trembling slightly. "Jane?"

Hesta's expression was one of pain. She closed her eyes, not answering. Soon, her body suddenly twitched, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.

Outside the apartment, security personnel who had received the alarm at the base finally arrived. They rushed into the corridor, "What happened here—"

Liz turned her head. Her arm was covered in the blood Hesta had just coughed up.

"Quick... quickly, save her."