Yes, I did all of this!

"Where are you? Get out here!"

Roaring, Xi Ri slammed her fist into the ground, instantly spreading obvious cracks. She gritted her teeth, her fierce gaze sweeping around.

"Stop! Yuuni-senpai, stop the black flames!"

Huangyi immediately rushed forward and grabbed Xiri's shoulder.

A look of pain flashed across her face as the black flames burning on Xi Ri scalded her palms, but even so, Huang Yi did not let go.

"I'm going to save Duanmu Mo... Don't stop me!"

"I know! But given your current situation, would Mr. Duanmu be pleased to see you like this?"

Huangyi gripped Xiri's shoulders and arms tightly, smoke rising from where they were clasped, his palms feeling the pain of the black flames.

"..."

After a moment of silence, she gritted her teeth, and the black flames on her body slowly dissipated.

Looking at the setting sun, Huang Yi breathed a sigh of relief and said in an extremely sincere tone, "Using the power of the black flames will burn your life. Neither I nor Mr. Duanmu want you to do that, so please, please don't do it."

"...But if that's the case, Duanmu Mo—"

"Mr. Duanmu has tried to communicate with Neville. As Yin said, since Neville has said so, we can only hope so..."

Huangyi took a deep breath and looked sincerely at Xiri:

"And I've also thought about it. On the day Mr. Duanmu was kidnapped, it seemed like he returned immediately after you left. Otherwise, he might not have made it in time for Shen Wuling to be kidnapped by her mother."

"You mean..."

"Perhaps Mr. Duanmu has his own plans... But for now, Senior Yuunichi, let's get some rest, shall we?"

"..."

Whether Huangyi was comforting herself or truly believing it, Xi Ri clenched her fists at her words and left with her.

. . . . . .

Chapter 215: Accepting Reform

. . . . . .

"Mr. Duanmu."

Late the next night, Shen Wuling seemed to have made a decision and whispered to Duanmu Mo:

"Can I stay in this room?"

"Oh?"

Just as Duanmu Mo was about to ask her if she was comfortable with the environment and move the bed back to his own bedroom, he heard her say those words.

"Sure, if you're scared."

"I've always been afraid."

"Shenmune said."

"Alright..."

Duanmu Mo let her be, put her on the bed, turned off the light, and lay her on the floor.

With his hands behind his head, Duanmu Mo crossed his legs on the bed on the floor and looked at the dim ceiling.

Only the moonlight from outside the window could shine into this room, accompanied by the faint sound of waves, making the room seem even quieter.

"Mr. Duanmu..."

In the quiet room, the sound of the Divine Bell suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of etherealness and helplessness:

"Can you tell me about your past? I'm very curious."

"My past? There's nothing to say about it."

—If I were to tell you about how those damn weird scientists modified their bodies, not to mention whether Shinma Ling would believe me, she'd probably have nightmares if she heard such horrifying details about the modifications.

"Tell me, Mr. Duanmu, consider it a bedtime story for me."

Shen Wuling refused to give up, and Duanmu Mo could only sigh and begin to recount his own experiences:

—How to negotiate with the homeowner to buy the house, how to come up with the ingenious idea of ​​turning the house into a law firm, how to take on all sorts of bizarre cases, how to happily watch as the client asks for help in taking evidence of infidelity, only to have the client then argue and make a scene with the other party using the photos.

Time passed slowly, and Duanmu Mo stopped speaking, sat up and looked at Shen Wuling.

She had fallen asleep without her noticing, her expression relaxed yet with a hint of determination, as if she had made some kind of preparation.

Duanmu Mo stroked his chin, chuckled softly as if he had thought of something, and lay back down.

...The following day, the third day since Duanmu Mo arrived:

After washing up with his help, Shen Wuling, sitting in her wheelchair, suddenly spoke:

“Mr. Duanmu, I want to accept my father’s arrangement.”

"Will you accept the reformation?"

Duanmu Mo paused for a moment, then asked.

"Um......"

"Are you really sure about your decision?" Duanmu Mo looked at Shen Wuling seriously and asked again.

"Because Mr. Duanmu, you said that if you want true freedom, you have to fight for it yourself."

Shen Wuling raised her hand, looked at her perpetually weak body, and took a deep breath:

"However, I don't know what the consequences of doing this will be. I'm worried that if I gain power through my father and mother's arrangement, I will become someone else."

Duanmu Mo said, "However, continuing to hesitate is not a solution, so I have decided to keep going, no matter what I encounter next."

She might not understand the so-called weirdo energy or Zero's arrangement, but the words Duanmu Mo spoke to her gave Shen Wuling confidence, and she was willing to believe this feeling.

"Very good." Seeing this, Duanmu Mo smiled and patted her shoulder: "Remember what you're thinking now."

Now that you've decided what you're going to do, all you need to do is wait for the food delivery person to arrive and tell them.

"—Oh, right, Ling." Duanmu Mo thought of something and said to her, "If you are really ready, I hope you can help me get your father to agree to something."

"what's up?"

Duanmu Mo raised one finger: "I hope that I can observe you while you gain power, and two other people will also be present."

"...I will."

"Alright, then I'll take my leave." Duanmu Mo nodded in satisfaction and walked out the door. "Then I'll wait for your good news—by the way..."

With his back to Shenwu Ling, Duanmu Mo suddenly revealed a sinister expression, but when he turned around, his face remained unchanged:

"On your journey to receiving power, I hope you can keep one thing in mind."

"What is it?"

Duanmu Mo walked up to Shen Wuling and patted her head:

"Never give up hope."

. . . . . .

—Having donned suits for the first time in a long time, Cang Mingtuo and Cang Mingjing felt a mixture of nostalgia and doubt.

Standing in this laboratory, having been invited here for reasons unknown, the two felt uncomfortable with this treatment; it was simply too strange.

"Hey, hello everyone."

A familiar voice rang out, and the two looked in the direction of the voice. Duanmu Mo was there with a smile on his face, wearing his usual trench coat as he walked towards them.

"...It's you."

The two remained silent for a while, looking at Duanmu Mo, who they remembered as wearing prison clothes.

Cang Mingtuo stepped forward and approached Duanmu Mo:

"You arranged all of this? What exactly is your relationship with Shenwu Jian? And what about my daughter? What is her relationship with you?"

"Don't rush."

Duanmu Mo smiled and looked around the laboratory.

"We can be considered friends, can't we?"

"..."

"Let's talk as we walk, my friend."

Duanmu Mo led them along with his hands in his pockets:

"—As for the relationship between Yuzhi and me, it's really nothing. I just looked after her a little while there, that's all."

"That's all? Then why are you here in Kamishiro City?"

"Well... Shenwu Yin, the young lady of the Shenwu Group, went through what your daughter went through a few years ago. I was the one who rescued her. It's that simple."

The laboratory on this cruise ship is not small and is divided into many areas, with attackers standing in the corridors.

Duanmu Mo led the two of them, stopping frequently as they went, regardless of whether they could understand him or not.

They might think that Shenwuyin summoned Duanmu Mo, but in any case, this kind of thing doesn't need much explanation.

"And what about here? What does that mean?"

Yu Zhi's mother, Cang Mingjing, said with a frown.

As soon as he finished speaking, Duanmu Mo stopped and looked at the scene inside the glass window next to the corridor.

The room, whose purpose was unclear, was very spacious and contained objects that resembled operating tables.

"I can't believe they have this... I hope this room will never need it."

Duanmu Mo looked at that spot calmly, muttered something to himself, and then continued walking as if nothing had happened.

"Let me tell you directly what my job is here—because of her sister, I have a fairly good relationship with Shenwu Ling. When she was brought to this cruise ship, I was brought along as well. The purpose is to persuade her to accept the transformation of the Shenwu Group."

"...So, you're one of the people on Ken's side after all?"

With a furrowed brow, Cang Mingtuo looked at Duanmu Mo with a sullen face.

"Who knows? Maybe I'm a prisoner just like you, only a little different."