But the God Kings would never know any of this.
Because Bai Qinchen had anticipated it all long ago.
Even how many tears An Qi should shed at this moment and how mournfully she should answer had been branded into her mind, word by word, through countless moments of intimate closeness.
Under the soothing touch of the Sea God's Light, An Qi's breathing gradually quickened, as though she had fallen into some utterly terrifying memory.
Her slender arms hugged herself tightly, her entire body trembling. She abruptly raised her head and looked at Tang San with eyes brimming with tears, fear, and bewilderment.
"I... I don't know..." An Qi choked out. "Zi has... been acting crazed these past few days..."
At this, Lei Xiang abruptly stepped forward and demanded urgently, "Crazed? What exactly was wrong with him? Tell us!"
An Qi seemed frightened by Lei Xiang's furious appearance and shrank back. Then, under Tang San's reassuring gaze, she began sobbing out a halting account. "He was like someone who'd lost his soul. He often huddled alone in a corner, clutching his hair... constantly mumbling something indistinctly..."
An Qi drew a deep breath, tears spilling down her face, grief suffusing her voice. "I heard him repeating... He kept saying, 'I'm sorry... I'm sorry...'"
"He said... 'I'm sorry, brothers...' He looked so anguished, so desperate. I wanted to get closer and ask him exactly what was wrong, why he was apologizing... But he watched me as though guarding against a thief and refused to say anything more..."
By the end, An Qi covered her face in anguish, as though she could no longer bear this tremendous grief, and broke into loud sobs.
Yet her carefully embellished words were like a thunderbolt from the highest heavens exploding in everyone's minds!
"I'm sorry, brothers..."