Snowflake

Lu Li's gaze was sharp as a hawk's, his movements swift as lightning. His blade flashed, slicing the two cards into fragments that scattered across the ground. Without the slightest hesitation or pause, he turned and charged at Scar.

He knew full well that only by continuously swinging his blade could he bring out the skill's full power.

Although Scar had been using firearms up until then, close combat was hardly unfamiliar to him.

Rather than draw a weapon, Scar held cards between two fingers and used them as blades, fighting in his own unique way.

As Lu Li closed in to attack, Scar nimbly leaped backward, easily dodging the blow before throwing two fiery red cards in midair. There was no denying that Scar had plenty of combat experience.

A Piao and Lu Li narrowly avoided the attack, their movements agile and nimble.

"So there would no longer be any distinction between perpetrators and victims?"

Lu Li laughed as he swung his blade. "Scar, you're no Black Sheep. You're just a self-important loser!"

Lu Li's attacks grew fiercer, every slash carrying a lethal force that left Scar struggling to keep up.

Meanwhile, A Piao looked for openings from the side, launching surprise attacks now and then.

Scar gradually fell into a disadvantage, but he continued to hold on.

Just then, Lu Li seized an opening and unleashed a killing move.

His figure flickered, and he appeared behind Scar like a phantom, thrusting his blade forward.

Scar sensed the danger.

He barely dodged the strike, but the blade still left a bloody cut across his shoulder.

Faced with the relentless onslaught of two people and three Remnants, Scar gradually lost the strength to fend them off.

Lu Li had not even used his trump card yet. As they fought, he sensed that Scar did not seem to be using his full strength.

Was it because he didn't want to hurt A Piao?

Just then, Yangyang's voice rang out from the void. "A Piao! Lu Li!"

Scar suddenly dropped to one knee and snorted. "Tch. She really is a nuisance."

The moment he finished speaking, the illusion vanished, leaving Lu Li dizzy.

"A Piao... A Piao..."

A Piao slowly came around. "...Yangyang."

"Are we back in Qichi Village?"

"Yes," Yangyang said. "I broke through his illusion. He should be injured too."

Still kneeling on one knee, Scar sounded exasperated as he said:

"Heh... should I thank you for holding back?"

A red card materialized in his hand and flew toward the three of them.

But Lu Li, standing in front of the two women, merely raised his blade and shattered the card.

"We've heard your story. Let's leave it at that."

Scar stood up and sneered. "I really didn't expect you to be the biggest surprise here."

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps sounded behind him.

They drew closer and closer, each step seeming to land directly on everyone's heart.

Then a woman in red appeared behind him, her slender figure as graceful as a willow branch in the wind.

Her long teal hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall.

She wore an indifferent expression, as though nothing in the world could catch her interest.

Layers of bandages wound around her head, leaving only one eye exposed, its gaze aloof and mysterious.

The Tacet Mark on her left arm was clearly visible, identifying her as another Resonator.

Her arrival made the atmosphere heavy, as though the entire world had gone still.

Lu Li's pupils constricted.

He recognized the woman before him. She was the reflection he had seen in the water after entering the illusion back at Fubo Camp.

Could she have been the one leading the Tacet Discord tide on the front lines?

If she'd been the one inviting A Piao to join the Fractsidus, I'd have grabbed A Piao and agreed on the spot!

Why bother standing around listening to Scar's stupid story?

Ahem. Just kidding.

Lu Li had always kept his distance from evil organizations like that.

Seeing her, Scar said helplessly, "Come on, didn't we agree before coming here that you'd leave me some time alone with the Rover?"

The mysterious woman in red stepped forward to stand beside Scar.

"I hope you haven't forgotten the condition behind that agreement."

"Don't improvise and cause trouble for others."

Improvise?

Lu Li guessed that they had not originally planned to fight A Piao during this meeting. Scar might have acted on his own.

The mysterious woman glanced at A Piao, then looked Lu Li up and down.

"Besides, you left someone unexpected outside..."

Scar also gave Lu Li a somewhat displeased look and snorted.

"Don't be so eager to come out and protect your fragile 'Perfect Sonata.'"

"I know my limits. I don't need you to remind me what I should and shouldn't do."

Scar turned to A Piao. "Looks like our date... will have to end here."

"Still, I hope you remember my warning."

"I want to know what you'll ultimately choose: a gift from the heavens, an honest deal, or a high-stakes gamble..."

"You're smart. I trust you won't make that decision lightly."

"We'll meet again soon."

A red portal appeared behind the two of them, with a ram's horn design on it.

They stepped through the portal and disappeared.

Yangyang looked a little anxious, but still asked, "They're getting away... should we chase them?"

A Piao shook her head. "...No. We don't know how strong they are."

Lu Li put away Mingyu and asked with concern, "Forget about them. How are you?"

Ever since Scar appeared, Yangyang had been cut off from them.

"Scar's resonance ability seems to involve spatial teleportation and creating alternate spaces. He trapped me in a sealed space. All I could sense was that it wasn't far from here..."

Lu Li rubbed his chin. "So it's just as I thought. His resonance ability has something to do with space."

Yangyang said apologetically, "It took me some time to break through the illusion. Sorry I was late."

"As long as you're all right," Lu Li said.

Just as he finished speaking, Wukaka, who had been hiding far away, suddenly floated over.

"Chirp... chirp, chirp... big... brother."

"Huh? Why did this little fellow come over?"

Lu Li crouched down and stroked Wukaka's head. "Maybe the little fellow got scared earlier and hid."

"I've never seen a Remnant express such vivid emotions before..." Yangyang said.

"But the big brother being called for... could it be...?"

"Scar?" Lu Li asked.

"After all, Scar has been here before..." Yangyang said.

"More importantly... what happened while I was gone?"

The two of them told Yangyang about the clues they had found and the fable they had heard.

Yangyang pondered for a moment. "It seems the truth about Qichi Village is closely tied to that 'ritual.'"

"And hidden in Scar's 'fable,'" A Piao said.

"Using a 'fable' to dress up his beliefs and position certainly suits his unpredictable personality and the way he does whatever he pleases..." Yangyang said.

"Only by finding the actual site of the 'ritual' can we determine whether this is merely Scar's side of the story."

A Piao nodded. "Mm. Let's go take a look."

But just then, Lu Li suddenly felt someone watching him.

He turned his head slightly, only to see a snowflake drifting down beside a distant thicket.