Go Back to Mars, Earth Isn't Suitable for You

Mind-reading is truly the most terrifying magic in the world.

Thoughts are the last bastion of personal space. Everyone, to some extent, thinks things in their head that they'd never want anyone else to know.

If those things got exposed, it'd be social death.

Li Wei was human, not a saint—his thoughts weren't that pure. The moment he saw a bare arm, his mind could jump to illegitimate children; that was his innate talent as a countryman, completely uncontrollable.

"Ahem!" Li Wei straightened his expression.

"Miss Seraphine." He carefully kept his distance from her, making sure she couldn't touch him again, then asked, "What exactly do you want from me? Can you just say it clearly?"

"Oh, it's like this." Seraphine finally got to the point.

Then Li Wei learned that Seraphine had heard the songs echoing in his mind during his fight, and that's why her "artistic fever" had flared up, making her chase after him.

"How did you know where I live?"

"I followed you, asking along the way. There happened to be a fat middle-aged man nearby with keys hanging from his waist, taking a walk. I asked him about you, and he told me you lived here."

Seraphine's forehead was still dotted with undried sweat, a few strands of hair plastered wetly to her face. Chasing after Li Wei, this frail young lady had truly given it her all.

But Li Wei wasn't moved. He just suddenly felt something was off: "Wait. You could hear those songs back then? Doesn't that mean..."

"Even without physical contact, you can read minds from a distance?"

Fortunately, Seraphine replied, "I can, but I can't control that ability freely at all. So right now, I can't 'hear' what you're thinking. And usually, I can only sense others' emotions, not hear clear, complete thoughts."

That was a relief. Li Wei relaxed a bit.

After a brief exchange, he finally understood the purpose of Seraphine's visit—nothing else, just purely to talk about music.

"No time!" Li Wei refused decisively.

I'm being hunted down here, and you come looking for me to discuss music?

Do you even know what kind of situation I'm in?

Has this girl lived her whole life in an ivory tower, never stepped outside?

Well, wait...

She really hadn't been out much, had she.

"Miss Seraphine, I have a lot of trouble to deal with. You'd better not follow me anymore." Li Wei had lost interest in chatting with this hothouse flower.

The Iron Fist Gang's pursuers could show up any time; he needed to hurry and get moving.

"Go home. If you really want to talk music, now's not the time." Li Wei gave one last piece of advice, then turned, picked up his luggage, and quickly headed downstairs.

He moved fast, and Seraphine couldn't stop him in time.

But she managed to take a few steps after him and called out, "Mr. Li Wei, I know you're in trouble—but I have a way to help you!"

"You?" Li Wei paused mid-step.

He was a bit skeptical: "Do you really know what trouble I've gotten myself into?"

"Is it that fat man?"

"Yeah." Li Wei felt a flicker of hope.

Since Seraphine knew who the fat man, Aubrey, was and understood the consequences of offending him, it meant she wasn't too disconnected from the real world.

So when she said, "I have a way to help you," maybe she actually did.

Just as Li Wei was thinking this, Seraphine spoke with concern:

"Mr. Li Wei, you beat that fat man up like that, cursed him out, and stole his money—he'll definitely go to the police and have you arrested."

Li Wei: "..."

Seraphine might have learned Garen's skill—she silenced him with just one sentence.

"The Enforcers must be looking for you everywhere right now. But don't worry—my dad has a decent relationship with them. You don't have to run. I'll ask him to find a way to get you out on bail."

"Then we'll go apologize properly to that man. If we can get his forgiveness, it should be fine."

"Enough!" Li Wei couldn't take it anymore. "I should go apologize to him and beg for his forgiveness? Do you even know who he is?"

"Um... no."

Another silence.

"Seraphine?" He rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

"Hmm?" Seraphine blinked her big, watery eyes.

"How long has it been since you last left the house?"

"Well... about six or seven years?"

Li Wei: "..."

At that, he gave up completely.

This girl had clearly run off on a whim, without consulting her parents first—otherwise, she wouldn't have no idea who Aubrey was.

And she expects him to use her family's influence to smooth things over?

Ridiculous. When the time comes, Mr. Ervin would be lucky not to accuse him of abducting his daughter, let alone lend a hand.

"Go back to Mars—Earth isn't for you." Li Wei turned to leave.

"Hey! Wait for me, Mr. Li Wei!" Seraphine, clutching her gold-embroidered princess dress, hurried after him in her high-heeled leather boots.

Seeing him about to get away, she called out persistently, "Mr. Li Wei, I'm sorry I came without understanding the situation. But please believe me—whatever it is, if you'll just say the word, I'll do everything I can to help."

Li Wei remained unmoved.

This overly naive young lady staying as far away from him as possible would already be the greatest help she could offer.

But Janna quietly poked her head out of his pocket and spoke to him telepathically:

"Summoner, I suggest you talk with Miss Seraphine."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because she's a mage."

"I know she's a mage." Li Wei had known Seraphine was a mage from the game.

"But so what? She said herself she can't even control her own abilities yet. With her fragile build and naive mind, she'd be no help in a real fight."

"Uh, wait."

As he spoke, Li Wei suddenly realized something.

Maybe Janna didn't mean for Seraphine to fight for him.

"Exactly," Janna explained. "Miss Seraphine isn't just any mage—she's a prodigy, exceptionally gifted, a genius mage who awakened her magic naturally without any training."

"Her mental strength is inherently immense."

"How immense?" Li Wei asked with interest.

He couldn't help but recall that in Runeterra, those lucky few who naturally awakened magic without training were indeed heaven-blessed talents with boundless potential.

Though Seraphine couldn't yet control her gift and her combat power was pitifully weak, she was already a bona fide mage with magic flowing through her veins.

And as a supernatural being, a mage could provide extraordinary Faith Power.

"If Miss Seraphine becomes our companion, she could at least provide..."

"The equivalent of over a thousand ordinary people's Faith Power."

"That much?" Li Wei's interest was piqued.

While one person awakening couldn't match the significance of a thousand, right now Li Wei was mired in trouble and struggling to get started—what he needed most was material power. If he could recruit Seraphine as an ally, his current burdens would lighten considerably.

"But..." Li Wei looked at Seraphine with a complicated expression.

Her face was delicate and smooth, never weathered by wind or rain.

Her hands were soft and slender, never touched a hammer or wrench.

Her feet were wrapped in expensive silk stockings and leather boots, never truly touching the ground.

Could he really pull this young lady, born on a cloud, back down to earth and make her a like-minded companion?

It felt like trying to sell a comb to a monk.

"Mr. Li Wei?" Seraphine was still looking at him with hopeful eyes.

"Come with me." Li Wei decided to give it a try. "Let's talk properly."