Pinned beneath Luo Fan, Tomeko could not move, her face filled with defiance.
She tried to struggle, but Luo Fan's hand did not budge, locking her wrist like an iron clamp.
She struggled again. Still, it did not budge.
She sighed silently.
"I lost. I'll honor the wager."
Tomeko's voice was muffled, carrying a hint of resignation. "Since we agreed to settle this with a fight, and I've lost, An Xiaoran... you can take her."
She spoke very slowly, as though she had to force every word through her teeth.
The last few words, especially, were spoken through gritted teeth.
Luo Fan lowered his head to look at her. Once he confirmed that she was not playing any tricks, he eased his grip a little, though he still did not release her completely.
Tomeko raised the hand she could still move and gently traced a line through the empty air beside her.
Under the streetlamp's white light, visible ripples spread through the air like a lake disturbed by a stone.
Then a rift tore open out of nowhere, its edges glowing a dim purple as it rapidly expanded into an oval vortex.
It was the entrance to a Weird Domain.
A small figure stepped out of the vortex.
Silver-white hair fell to her waist, and her delicate features resembled a porcelain doll's. The instant she saw Luo Fan, her clear eyes brightened slightly.
An Xiaoran walked out of the vortex at an unhurried pace, habitually raising her little hand to grasp the hem of Luo Fan's clothes.
She said nothing, merely tilting her head up to look at him, her expression as quiet as ever, as though she had just returned from an outing.
Luo Fan looked at her, and only after confirming that she bore no signs of injury