Lupa: I'll take you to see the sunrise!

Saturday, 4 a. m.

"Hmm..." Dania slowly woke up from her deep sleep.

Perhaps because she slept so soundly, she couldn't fall asleep again no matter what she did.

"It's only four o'clock..." She picked up her phone from the bedside table, glanced at the time, and then lay back down on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong.

Three message notifications rang in a row. Dania unlocked her phone and saw Lupa with her familiar emoji coming to find her.

Lupa: [Abby greets]. jpg

Lupa: Xiao Ya, Xiao Ya!

Lupa: Want to go to the mountaintop to watch the sunrise together?

Dania: You're not asleep?

Lupa: Oh dear, I just woke up. Since I can't go back to sleep anyway, I'm going to go out.

Lupa: So what do you say, Xiao Ya? Want to go out together?

Dania: Hmm...

Dania: Give me some time.

Since I can't sleep anyway, and someone has invited me out, I might as well go.

She got out of bed, quickly washed up, changed into a white T-shirt and denim shorts, and slipped on her familiar black high heels. Then she tiptoed to the entrance, carefully trying not to disturb anyone.

Before leaving, she took out her phone and sent Xiao Ling a text message.

Dania: Lupa and I went out first, don't wait for me for breakfast.

After confirming that the message had been sent, Dania gently opened the door and found Lupa already waiting for her not far away.

"Xiao Ya!" Lupa greeted her with a smile, her two cute little tiger teeth looking especially adorable. "Good morning!"

"That's pretty early..." Dania murmured to herself, looking at the still-dark sky.

"Hey, Xiao Ya, don't just stand there! Get in the car! I'll take you to the mountaintop to watch the sunrise!" Without waiting for a reply, Lupa grabbed Dania's hand and ran towards the villa's front door.

Dania felt the heat of Lupa's palm, and a vibrant smile unconsciously curved her lips.

The two ran out of the villa. Lupa tossed a pink helmet to Dania, then put on a red helmet and hopped on his electric scooter, beckoning her to get on.

Dania nimbly jumped onto the back seat, carefully put on her helmet, and then gently patted Lupa on the back to signal that she could set off.

"Hold on tight, Xiao Ya!" Lupa twisted the handlebars, and the little electric scooter sped off at full power, "Let's go!"

Hmm... even with the electric scooter running at full power, it didn't seem to go very fast.

This was actually the first time Dania had ever seen what the city looked like at four in the morning.

Driving from the suburbs to the city, the streets along the way went from dark and gloomy to brightly lit, but there were very few vehicles and not a single pedestrian. Most of the street stalls had their shutters closed, with only a few lighting up and quietly preparing for business, waiting for the hustle and bustle of the new day.

Lupa slowly stopped Dania at each traffic light, then suddenly twisted the handlebars when the light turned green, sending the electric scooter hurtling off like the wind. The scenery along the way rushed past, reflected in Dania's starry eyes.

Although there were few people on the street, Lupa still meticulously followed the traffic rules. Perhaps it was because, as a gladiator, she knew that every rule written in black and white was the bottom line bought with the blood of her predecessors.

So, by the time they finally arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was already 4:30.

Is this the place?

Dania lightly jumped off the back seat, and after taking off her helmet, her smooth, cherry-pink hair swayed gently like silk ribbons with her movements.

"This is the place!" Lupa said with a bright smile. "Let's go up!"

"Go up? But I don't see any cable cars or other transportation here?"

"What are you talking about, Xiao Ya? Of course you should climb up with your feet!"

ah?

Dania looked up in the light of Lupa's flashlight; the worn stone steps seemed to stretch on and on.

"Should I go hiking too?" Dania suddenly regretted it a little, thinking that going back to sleep for a while might not be a bad idea.

"Oh dear, we're already here! There's no reason to go back!" Lupa encouraged enthusiastically, her wolf tail swaying from side to side with her mistress's mood. "Even if you get tired of climbing, it's okay, I'll just carry you up!"

Dania looked at Lupa's expectant eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then sighed softly, "Alright... let's make it clear first, I might not be able to finish climbing."

"Don't worry, I'll carry you to the top of the mountain even if I have to carry you on my back!" Lupa patted her chest and assured her.

"But you'll have to change your shoes before you get there."

Without even a word, Lupa squatted down and, without explanation, pulled off the annoying short high heels from Dania's feet.

Dania was immediately startled, and her bare, fair feet instinctively curled up.

Then, she took her old combat boots out of her backpack, held Dania's feet and put them in, then casually tied a knot.

After everything was over, Dania finally had a chance to examine the worn-out boots.

The workmanship was rough, with countless patches, and even the straps on the boots were strips of cloth torn from old battle flags. They were a bit big and uncomfortable to wear, but they fit her petite ankles perfectly.

"That's a bit inappropriate," Dania muttered.

"It's better than you climbing mountains in those short high heels," Lupa said cheerfully, one hand on her hip.

"Shall we set off now?"

"Certainly!"

Dania regretted it halfway up the mountain; to be honest, climbing this mountain was more tiring than running.

Keep in mind that she had just finished a track and field competition and hadn't had much rest before being dragged to climb mountains. Even Usain Bolt would be exhausted if he came.

"Lupa... Lupa..." she called out breathlessly, her Lupa tinged with a hint of coquetry, "Let's rest a bit... I can't hold on any longer..."

"Okay." Lupa was about to say that this was nothing, but seeing that this Honey Peach had just finished a track and field race and was panting heavily, she thought that her athletic ability was so poor that she really couldn't take any more exertion, so she simply sat down with her.

After the two sat down, Lupa handed Dania the thermos hanging next to her backpack. Dania took it, opened the lid, and gulped down half a cup of water.

"Speaking of which, Xiao Ya, why don't you like sports?" Lupa asked after taking the thermos cup Dania handed back to her.

"I just don't like it," Dania said, shrugging. "Back at the Star Torch Academy, I slept whenever I could, sat whenever I could, and walked whenever I could. I'll stay the same here."

"But you later volunteered to participate in track and field competitions, didn't you?"

"It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it has also reinforced my belief that running is tiring. At least I will definitely not participate again next time," Dania sighed.

But despite what she said, the joy that shone in her eyes did not escape Lupa's notice.

"However, I didn't come away empty-handed this time; at least I won a gold medal," Dania said softly.

Lupa didn't reply, but offered her heartfelt congratulations to her partner's victory with a pure smile.

"Speaking of which, did you make these shoes yourself, Lupa?" Dania then asked about the origin of the boots on her feet.

"You mean these shoes? They're my old companions. They've been with me since my first time stepping into the arena." Lupa's fingertips gently traced the old boots, a look of reminiscence in her eyes. "My parents were so happy after I won the match that they specially made a medal for me."

"Your parents must be very proud of you, right?"

"Yeah, but they sold me out."

Dania's eyes widened suddenly, and her fingertips trembled involuntarily.

"Surprised?" Lupa chuckled. "Don't worry about me, it's all in the past. I have a new family now, and I'm happy with it. That's enough."

"As for my biological parents, I might think of them occasionally, but I will never acknowledge them as my parents again. What kind of parents are those who sell their own daughters?" Lupa spat and then drank the remaining half glass of water in one gulp.

A silence fell between them, broken only by the rustling of the breeze that swept through the forest.

"The concept of family is very distant to me... because I was originally a vessel created by the Fractsidus, and even the only memory I have of family is not even sure if it's real." Dania gently shook her head.

"But after coming into this world, I experienced the meaning of the word 'family' for the first time."

"Warmth, happiness, and peace of mind; no matter what happens, you don't have to bear it alone, there will always be someone to support you."

"Ling is really good. No matter how willful I am, he always tolerates me. For the first time, I felt that even if I'm not that useful, I can still receive unchanging love."

Therefore, Dania fell for him faster than anyone else; unconditional love was the most deadly and gentle poison for her.

"Xiao Ya, you're completely hooked!" Lupa teased.

I wonder how she'll react when she gets back and sees the birthday surprise Xiao Ling planned for her.

Dania blushed and coughed twice to try and hide her excitement.

(But it's obvious to everyone that you secretly have feelings for Hajiling.)

"Alright! Stop sitting, sunrise is almost here." Lupa jumped up and dusted off her pants.

"It's already 5:15. We probably won't make it if we climb up now," Dania said with a soft sigh, glancing at the time.

"No way, here, climb up."

Dania turned her head and saw Lupa gesturing for her to climb onto her back.

"Are you going to carry me up?"

"What else? Hurry up, or we'll miss it!"

Dania put away her phone, wrapped her arms around Lupa's neck, and in a flash, climbed onto Lupa's back.

"Hold on tight! The Lupa Cable Car is about to depart!"

After gathering her strength for a moment, Lupa shot towards the mountaintop like an arrow released from a bow.

Dania looked terrified and silently tightened her grip on Lupa's neck.

Don't ask, the answer is she doesn't want to be left behind halfway.

When Dania and her companions reached the summit, they were just in time for sunrise.

A dazzling fireball slowly rose from the east, illuminating the entire cloud layer and bathing everything in a golden glow.

"So beautiful," Lupa murmured.

"How wonderful," Dania whispered.

"Would you like to take a group photo here?"

"Uh-huh."

So, Lupa and Dania spent half a day adjusting their phone cameras, using the dazzling fireball as a backdrop. With a click, the camera captured their figures.

After taking the photos, Dania was about to return the old combat boots to Lupa, but Lupa pushed them back.

"It's yours," Lupa said cheerfully.

"Aren't these combat boots very important to you? I can't accept them." Dania gently shook her head, indicating that she couldn't bear this gift.

"It's precisely because it's so important to me that I'm giving it to my important friend!" Lupa smiled brightly, even revealing her cute little tiger teeth.

Dania was stunned for a moment, then finally put the old combat boots back on her feet.

"I will cherish it," Dania said solemnly.

"Cherish it as you like, but don't treat it like a precious treasure." Lupa patted Dania on the shoulder with a smile. "Shoes aren't just for decoration; they're meaningless if you don't wear them."

"Let's go, let's go down the mountain!"

Dania and Lupa randomly picked a shop to have breakfast, and during their meal, they received a message from Aemeath.

Aemeath: Xiao Ya, Xiao Ya, the Rover and I are waiting for you at the arcade! You must come!

Aemeath: [Location Information]

"How about it, do you want me to take you there?" Lupa asked with a smile, still holding a half-eaten beef patty in her hand.

Dania was eating steamed buns when she saw the news, and her face fell. Even her breakfast lost its flavor.

She really wanted to go home and sleep...

"... Please." After a long silence, Dania decided to keep the appointment.

In short, let's take a short nap while we can...