The villain, caught in a chaotic situation, only wants to boost his popularity.

The Sixth Holy Spirit Bureau, Director's Office.

"Xiaoxue, don't panic—take a deep breath, we need to calm down!" Suijiu, dressed in a classic maid outfit, pressed down on Xuehua's trembling shoulder, the warmth of her fingertips seeping through the fabric.

"Master Xue has already obtained special approval from the headquarters for the [Purification and Exorcism Team] to provide assistance. They must arrive within two hours. This is a direct order."

"But what about Mirror-kun and Auntie..."

Just then, the intercom suddenly crackled to life: [Director—An abnormal regression fluctuation has been detected in Ms. Xue Li's room! The energy signature matches the Echo Tower's teleportation frequency!]

His aged gaze suddenly sharpened, and he immediately pressed the button on the walkie-talkie:

"Issue Order Number One: All Tier 1 and Tier 1 operators, assemble and surround the VIP level! Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators, evacuate the Holy Spirit Tower immediately! Repeat—Tier 2 and Tier 3 operators, evacuate immediately!"

"They can't be... Impossible, impossible!"

"Xiaoxue, at this time, we should trust Xue Li and Mu Jing—"

"Xue Li is a battle-hardened warrior, and Mu Jing is skilled in strategy. If they team up, they will definitely be able to escape unscathed!" Sui Jiu pressed Xue Hua's shoulder to comfort her.

"Mmm, Xuexue, let's hurry over there too." Qiongren leaned closer, his voluptuous curves gently pressing against her, his arms encircling her waist.

"Xiao Qiong..." Xuehua met the soft, worried gaze of the pink-eyed girl in front of her.

The Sixth Holy Spirit Bureau, VIP Level.

More than ten people gathered in front of the door that was flashing black light.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Someone wearing a military cap was tapping the handle of a gun with his fingertips.

Someone stood atop the giant armor, clenching their fists.

Someone is sewing clothes, the needle tip hanging in mid-air.

Some people were wearing silver armor and had serious expressions.

Someone had sword blades wrapped around their body, making a buzzing sound.

Some people are wearing Lolita fashion.

Some people are dressed in classic maid outfits.

All eyes were fixed on the flickering black light.

Suddenly, the black light stabilized.

Then, as if stretched by an invisible hand, it slowly expanded into a black halo about half the height of a person.

"Slap, slap, slap—"

The sound of crisp footsteps came from inside the aperture.

Xuehua's eyes lit up instantly. That familiar voice made her feel as if she had returned to the scene when they worked together to kill the demon, Thousand Legs.

She opened her arms.

Her beautiful eyes gazed longingly into the distance.

A gray-haired man strode over.

Upon seeing this, everyone's tense fighting spirit instantly dissipated, and even the surrounding air, which had been frozen like ice, relaxed.

Xuehua rushed forward.

But as soon as he took a step, he suddenly stopped, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

A layer of gloomy black mist silently crept onto her face, and even the light around her dimmed.

The gray-haired man carried the woman with her white hair coiled up on his back as they slowly walked out of the circle of light.

The woman's white hair fell down her temples and intertwined around his ears.

Her chin rested against the hollow of his shoulder blade.

As he turned his head to speak, his eyelashes brushed against her falling white hair.

The two were sitting very close together, as if they were whispering something, exuding an indescribable intimacy, like a young couple who had just returned from their honeymoon.

The gray-haired man seemed to realize what was happening, waved to the crowd, and said in a calm voice as if he had just taken a vacation: "The demon is dealt with."

Xue Li, her white hair styled in a bun, leaned close to Mu Jing's neck and added excitedly, "That's right! Xiao Jing and I have already conquered the [Tower of Echoes]!!!"

But just as the relaxed atmosphere between the two of them began to emerge, the air around them, filled with more than ten people, froze instantly—as if frozen by invisible ice shards.

"Haha, Chief, I suddenly remembered I have to patrol the area tonight, so I'll be going now!"

"Chief, I just remembered, my cat is going to give me a concert tonight, and I have to go back and be in the audience!"

"Chief! My family's clothes are saying I'm being biased and they're urging me to go back and mend them, so I'm leaving now!"

"Chief, I just remembered, my robot vacuum cleaner has rebelled! I have to go back and suppress the 'revolution'!"

"Keep it up, Xiaoxue! Director, I'll be going now if there's nothing else." The woman in the military cap yawned, gave Xuehua an encouraging look, and left.

Within seconds, only the few people from the original director's office remained, but their positions had changed:

Mu Jing and Xue Li.

Xuehua.

Dome Blade, Long-lasting.

Xuehua was the first to break the stalemate.

She quickly walked to Mu Jing's side: "Auntie, stop clinging to Jing-jun like a child! Mind your manners!"

Xuehua reached out and wrapped her arms around Xueli's waist, her fingertips exerting a little force as she tried to pull her off Mujing's back.

"Alright, alright, I know! Don't use so much force..." Xue Li was half-dragged and half-supported by Xue Hua as she was pulled off Mu Jing's back. Stray hairs fell down her cheeks, and she still looked a little dazed from just getting out of the battle.

"Auntie, you wouldn't happen to have feelings for Jing-jun, would you?" Xuehua took Mu Jing's arm and gently brushed her fingertips against his forearm, her tone soft and probing.

"I... how could I possibly have feelings for this despicable man!!!" Xue Li seemed to have been suddenly struck by something, and she snapped back to her senses, her voice rising in a slightly panicked tone as she retorted.

She was about to retort, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

But then Xuehua moved closer to Mu Jing, practically pressing herself against him: "Jing-kun, are you hurt?"

She held onto Mu Jing's left arm, her gaze sweeping over his body from head to toe, her tone tinged with reproach, "Honestly, you must have overused your psionic energy again, right?"

"I really can't do anything with you..." Xuehua said, moving closer to Mujing, almost embedding herself in his arms. "At this time, let me take care of you."

Seeing Xuehua nestled almost into Mu Jing's arms in such an intimate way, Xue Li felt as if an invisible hand had squeezed her heart.

This suffocating feeling was a completely unfamiliar sensation she had never experienced in all her years of life.

The conversation from when we first met suddenly popped into my mind:

"Xiaoxue, if this man does something wrong, remember to tell your aunt! Let your aunt teach him a lesson!"

—"Okay, Kagami-kun, don't do anything to betray me."

She stood frozen in place, her fingertips unconsciously curling into fists, unable to react for a moment.

—Oh right, Xiao Jing's girlfriend is Xiao Xue. It's only natural that Xiao Xue is so attached to him and takes care of him; Mu Jing accepts it without hesitation, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Xue Li was still completely unaware that Mu Jing and Xue Hua were not actually a couple.

It was just the intimacy of the two holding hands when they first met, and Xuehua's protective manner in confronting Mu Jing for her sake.

In addition, Xuehua's undeniable "official wife aura" at this moment had already led her to preconceived notions about their relationship.

—Then what about me and Xiaojing? What are we now?

She couldn't help but recall the moments that had happened during this time:

The trust between backs in the Tower of Echoes, the unspoken understanding when palms touch, the unwavering resolve when he shields her from an attack...

These images flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern, finally settling on a vague answer—

—They are comrades who trust each other and entrust their lives to one another.

The moment this conclusion came to her mind, the dull pain in her chest didn't subside. Instead, it felt like being sprinkled with fine salt, making her eyes sting.

—Are they just comrades-in-arms?

—Huh…why does my chest feel like it's stuffed with a damp cotton ball, so suffocating? What's going on? This is so strange…

Xue Li was still lost in her chaotic thoughts, standing there blankly.

Then a sharp "ripping" sound was heard—

Xuehua tore open the potato chip bag, picked up half a chip and stuffed it into Mujing's mouth, her voice as soft as melted cotton candy: "You're tired from fighting, replenish your energy."

He took a bite out of a chip, with bits of potato chip crumbs still stuck to the corners of his mouth.

"Mmm!" Qiong Ren leaned closer, staring at the potato chips in the two people's hands and swallowing hard. He subconsciously reached into his pocket—empty!

She tilted her pink-haired head, her eyes wide and round: "Hmm? Where are my potato chips? I definitely had them with me before I left..."

Just then, Sui Jiu's voice suddenly broke through the delicate atmosphere: "Xue Li, Xiao Jing, how did you defeat the demon on the fifth level [Heavenly Remnant Level]?"

Xue Li hadn't recovered from her earlier emotions and replied absentmindedly, "It was Xiao Jing who made the move. He drained my holy power, and we defeated him together."

The words had barely left her lips when she suddenly froze—something was wrong! She hadn't actively activated her Holy Mark, so how could Mu Jing have directly extracted her Holy Power?!

Upon hearing this, Sui Jiu's gaze suddenly sharpened—the gentle look that had just been soothing instantly turned as sharp as a blade tempered with ice.

She took a half step back and gripped the specially made walkie-talkie tightly in her hand.

The surrounding air suddenly froze.

"Looks like I'll have to give you a post-war 'spiritual' checkup." Her voice was very low, carrying an undeniable seriousness, with a hint of tension hidden in the last syllable.

It's like guarding against some kind of danger that's about to break free of its cage.

…………