Light!
Holy, gentle light finally formed a massive, oval cocoon over two meters in diameter, completely enveloping An Xiaoran and shutting out all the clamor, killing intent, and bloodshed outside.
The cocoon's interior was not a formless haze.
An Xiaoran curled up with her eyes tightly shut.
Her consciousness seemed to have sunk into a warm, sorrowful ocean.
Countless tiny points of light shimmered with starlight.
They were the last traces of Rose's existence, continuously merging into her body and pouring into the depths of her consciousness.
With them came a fragmented yet clear "message."
[I've glimpsed a corner of "his" rules...]
Rose's mental message rang out directly in An Xiaoran's heart, her voice carrying a hint of languor and slyness.
There was none of her usual sugary pretense, only a calm seriousness now that everything had settled.
After all, this information was conveyed through the mind, not through speech or sound.
["Preset Trigger." That's the core of his ability. Like a cold program with an "if... then..." statement written in advance. He sets conditions for himself, and once they're met, he can use the corresponding "price" as the trigger to forcibly execute a preset "result."]
Several blurry yet crucial scenes surfaced in her consciousness:
"1. Deep within the shadows, a cold voice whispered: 'Preset: if I "die"... price: permanently fall one tier... result: reconstruct myself at the Source of Shadow.'"
"2. In battle, invisible restraints bound him, and the shadows rippled slightly: 'Preset: if subjected to "absolute control"... price: damage to my shell... result: forced substitution and escape.'"
[He's used this to escape quite a few brushes with death and catch plenty of people off guard. The price is steep, but the result is almost "inevitable."]
Rose's message continued...
[I took advantage of his "trust" in me-or rather, his