Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

When Elena returned to the gray-white building in the backyard of the correctional institution, it was already completely dark.

The wind from the East Lake blew in from the end of the long corridor, carrying damp moisture and swirling a few withered leaves in the corner.

The buildings of the correctional facility have never been fancy; the stone walls are thick and the windows are narrow. When the lights are on at night, they only have a solemn and cold feel to them.

Elena pushed open the door and, as soon as she took off her gloves, saw a silver-blue mailbox on the long table in the living room.

The letterbox was exquisitely crafted, with patterns of waves and horned fish engraved on its surface, and tiny blue crystals inlaid along the edges, gleaming with an expensive and dazzling light under the lamp.

One glance is enough to tell where it came from.

Sea Demon Temple.

Elena's brows furrowed almost instantly.

Beside the fireplace, Dean Klein sat in a high-backed chair, holding a half-open report of the department's affairs.

His face was more somber than usual, and his graying temples looked tired in the firelight.

When Elena came in, he raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the mailbox before quickly looking away.

"Another one arrived?" Elena asked.

Klein did not answer immediately, but simply closed the report.

A moment of silence fell over the room.

The mailbox lay quietly on the table, like a damp, cold fish; though lifeless, it felt sticky.

"He sent it himself," Klein said in a low voice. "The apprentice at the door said that he specifically asked you to reply before tonight."

Elena gave a cold laugh.

She walked to the table, picked up the mailbox, and with a slight pressure from her fingertips, the silver-blue casing made a soft, creaking sound.

She opened the seal and pulled out the thick, smooth letter paper inside.

The letter paper had a faint fragrance, not the usual scent of ink, but an overly sweet, cloying sea flower scent that could make you dizzy if you smelled it for too long.

The handwriting is beautiful, slender and elegant, each stroke looking like it has been carefully practiced.

Elena's expression grew even colder after reading only a few lines.

There wasn't a single vulgar word in the letter; in fact, it was quite elegant.

The other party first praised her figure in the disciplinary court today, saying that she was more dazzling than any pearl on Star Ring Island, and mentioned that the Sea Demon Temple and the Holy Light Monastery should be closer. Finally, in an almost gentle tone, he invited her to watch the tide at White Tide Harbor tomorrow night.

Judging from the words alone, it seems as if a young man of noble birth is expressing his admiration for a woman he admires.

Elena just felt disgusted.

Because she had seen that person before.

Aldrich, son of the deputy temple master of the Sea Demon Temple.

At a young age, he was already a third-tier extraordinary being, possessing exceptional talent, a distinguished background, and a dignified appearance.

From any perspective, he seemed to be the most sought-after type of youth on Star Ring Island.

Elena clearly remembered that when the other party first came to the disciplinary academy, he stood by the training ground and smiled as he commented on her swordsmanship, saying, "It's beautiful enough, but it lacks the softness that a woman should have."

The second time, in front of several inner court disciples, the other party said that if she married into the Sea Demon Temple, the Disciplinary Academy would no longer be looked down upon, her tone as relaxed as if she were choosing a suitable decorative sword.

The third time, the other party sent her a navy blue dress, along with a note saying they hoped she wouldn't wear that austere uniform again.

Every time, he was dignified; every time, he was frivolous.

He never forcefully offends, yet every step he takes treads on an uncomfortable boundary, like a sea serpent circling its prey, elegant in posture but with cold eyes.

Elena has seen far too many arrogant people, both in the Disciplinary Court and the Outer Court, and certainly not in the Sea of ​​Chaos.

But Aldridge gave her not only an impression of arrogance, but also of a sense of entitlement and possessiveness.

When he looked at her, he didn't look at someone of the same extraordinary level.

It was more like looking at a trophy that would eventually end up in his collection.

Elena forced herself to read the letter from beginning to end, finally fixing her gaze on the last sentence.

"I believe you will understand that a truly powerful tide will not be confined forever to a courtyard that is growing increasingly deserted."

The finger bones are slightly white.

Klein looked at her without urging her.

Elena suddenly chuckled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Father, does he think that as long as he forces people gently enough, they should be grateful for his decency?"

Klein was silent for a moment, then said, "He is from the Sea Demon Temple. He grew up surrounded by people, so in his eyes, many things don't require asking others for their consent."

"That's a shame." Elena tore the letter apart piece by piece. "I grew up in a disciplinary school, and the first thing I learned was that if someone reaches out to where they shouldn't, cut it off first, and then ask for the reason."

A tearing sound echoed inside the room.

She tore the expensive letter paper into tiny scraps and threw it into the fireplace along with the silver-blue letterbox.

The flames licked the letter, and the scent of sea flowers became pungent after being burned. Elena wrinkled her nose and took a step back.

A flicker of heartache crossed Klein's eyes, but it wasn't for the letter.

He knew his daughter was never a timid person.

Elena grew up in a correctional facility and, even in her teens, dared to chase down fugitives alone with a sword, never batting an eye when facing criminals.

But this time, the Sea Demon Temple is not a fugitive from the streets, nor an ordinary force, but a behemoth that has been pressing down on many forces on Star Ring Island for many years.

The more composed Aldridge is, the less likely people are to directly confront him.

The closer they get, the more you feel trapped by the tide, and wherever you retreat, it's damp and cold.

"Try not to go out alone these next few days," Klein said. "I'll be going to see a few old friends again."

"You've already met them," Elena turned to her father. "Are they willing to help?"

Klein did not speak.

That is the answer.

Correctional institutions are not without foundation, but they have indeed weakened in recent years.

The various departments within the Holy Light Monastery are mutually restraining each other, and the Holy Light Department may not be willing to directly clash with the Sea Demon Temple for the sake of the Disciplinary Department.

As for those old friends outside, they may feel sympathy or anger, but it is another matter entirely if they are asked to stand up and bear the pressure from the deputy temple master of the Sea Demon Temple.

Elena understood her father's silence.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the heavy feeling in her chest.

I'm going out for a bit.

Klein frowned: "Now?"

"Hmm." Elena picked up the short jacket on the table and buttoned up the cuffs again.

"I'll go to the mission room to confirm the action roster for three days from now, and also register the temporary team member credentials. If Aldrich sends anyone over tomorrow, just say I'm not here."

Klein looked at her: "What if he comes in person?"

Elena paused for a moment.

After a moment, she said calmly, "Also, say I'm not here."

She didn't want to see that person.

It wasn't because she was afraid of him taking action, but because she didn't want to see those smiling eyes again, and even less did she want to continue discussing in front of her father how she was being weighed like a commodity.

She'd rather go to the mission room and look at those dry files than stay in the room waiting for the next cloyingly fragrant letter.

Klein watched his daughter's angry yet composed back as she walked away, but ultimately did not stop her.

"Elena".

As she reached the door, she heard her father calling her.

"Don't try to tough it out alone," Klein said in a low voice. "This isn't your fault."

Elena's hand rested on the doorknob.

The sound of the wind outside broke the silence for a moment.

"I know," she said softly, "which is why I hate them even more."

The door was pushed open and then closed again.

A cold draft blew in, and the scraps of paper in the fireplace were completely burned to black ash.

Meanwhile, inside a long-closed training tower on the west side of the correctional facility, the heavy stone door slowly opened.

The door hinges, covered in dust for months, emitted a low, dull scraping sound. Several trainees waiting outside immediately stood up straight, their eyes filled with awe.

A tall young man walked out of the door first.

He wore a dark blue inner robe, with broad shoulders, a handsome face, and a natural arrogance in his eyes.

His skin was slightly pale from the long period of seclusion, but his blood and energy were like the sound of a deep tide, steady and powerful.

His name was Samuel, and he was one of the most influential figures in the inner court of the correctional facility in recent years.

Two young men followed behind him.

One was slender with sharp eyes; the other carried a short spear and had a silent demeanor that betrayed his habitual obedience.

As the three walked out of the training tower, a bell rang in the distance.

The thin young man stretched his shoulders and laughed, "Finally out! If I had held it in any longer, I would have almost forgotten what the clam soup in the cafeteria tasted like."

Samuel ignored the joke and only glanced up at the lights in the distance of the correctional facility.

The young man with the short spear on his back whispered, "Boss, things haven't been peaceful outside lately. I heard that Aldrich from the Sea Demon Temple has been harassing Miss Elena."

Samuel stopped in his tracks.

The surrounding air seemed to thicken as well.

"Aldrich?" He slowly turned his head. "He's come to the correctional facility?"

"He's come a few times, and delivered even more letters," the thin young man said. "I heard he even hinted that the Vice Hall Master wanted to arrange a marriage between himself and Dean Klein. Many people in the academy are talking about it."

Samuel snorted coldly.

The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a stone hitting water, carrying suppressed anger.

"Elena is my woman," he said.

The thin young man's expression stiffened slightly, then he forced a smile and said, "Who in the compound doesn't know that our boss has feelings for Miss Elena..."

Samuel raised his hand to interrupt.

"No matter how talented Aldrich is, he's only relying on the power of the Sea Demon Temple."

A cold glint appeared in his eyes. "Daring to extend your reach into the correctional facility is already an offense."

The young man carrying the short spear lowered his head and did not reply.

Samuel continued walking forward, his voice deep and resonant: "This time, during the Inner Court assessment, I will make it clear to everyone that the Disciplinary Academy isn't just being held up by Dean Klein alone. And Elena doesn't need the Sea Demon Temple's feigned protection."

The thin young man quickly followed: "Don't worry, boss. We're very well prepared this time, and the list is almost complete. As long as we get enough merits, our qualification for the inner court is guaranteed."

"Has the last person been found?" Samuel asked.

"Found it." The thin young man hesitated for a moment, "But..."

Samuel stopped again.

He hated hearing that hesitant, stammering tone.

"But what?"

The thin young man said in a low voice, "Miss Elena said that she has found the last member of the team."

Samuel frowned.

"The person she hired?"

"Yes," the thin young man said. "According to the information from the mission room, he is a newly admitted rogue cultivator from the outer sea named Xilun."

The registration states he is a third-rank official, and he once served as a worshipper for the Langte family. He later left the Sea Demon Temple after the test and joined our monastery.

"The Ronter family?" Samuel's eyes flashed with undisguised disdain. "That little trading company on the outskirts of the islands?"

"It should be."

Samuel was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

His smile was faint.

"A man?"

"Male."

The thin young man carefully observed his expression.

Samuel didn't immediately get angry. Instead, as if he had thought of something interesting, the coldness in his eyes slowly turned into amusement.

"Elena actually personally recruited an outsider into the team."

He said in a low voice, "It seems that there have indeed been some interesting things happening in the courtyard during my seclusion."

The young man with the short spear said, "Boss, should I go and investigate his background?"

"No need," Samuel said calmly. "We can meet in a couple of days."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something else.

"Oh, right, let's also call the person we originally wanted to find."

The thin young man was taken aback: "Roel?"

"Yes," Samuel said. "Haven't he always owed me a favor? This is a good opportunity to pay it back."

The thin young man's eyes lit up slightly, and he quickly understood Samuel's meaning.

Roel is also a Tier 3, from an outer island, with a cold personality and extensive combat experience.

Although not the most dazzling figure in the correctional facility, he was known for his ruthless and steady attacks.

If you compare him to the Celeste that Elena brought in, the result will probably not be too bad.

Samuel walked into the night with his hands behind his back, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Since Elena says she's found someone, let's see if the person she found is qualified enough."

"She doesn't need any extra people around her for this mission."

"Protecting Elena, one of me is enough."

The night wind blew across the stone steps in front of the training tower.

The thin young man bowed his head in agreement, a look of amusement already appearing in his eyes.

In the distance, Elena was walking along another corridor toward the mission room, unaware that in her attempt to avoid a letter from the Sea Demon Temple, she was about to stumble into another annoying trouble.

Meanwhile, in the No. 3 quiet room of East Lake, Xilun was sitting cross-legged in the underground stone chamber.

The last wisp of the Overturning Sea Technique energy slowly sank down his muscles, and he exhaled a long breath carrying a faint white mist.

The moisture on the stone chamber walls condensed into fine frost beads, which quickly melted back into water and dripped down.

The six months of retraining made his breathing deeper and quieter.

Like a well sealed by a cold wave.

He opened his eyes, and there was no joy in them, only a calm clarity that bordered on cold.

Xilun reached out and pressed his hand against the golden spear beside him, his fingertips tracing the old marks on the shaft.

He didn't care who wanted to protect whom, nor did he care about the subtle human relationships and disputes within the monastery.

Two days later, in the afternoon.

There was a lot of noise at the Correctional Institution's mission square.

Located on the southeast side of the correctional facility, it is surrounded by low stone buildings on three sides, and faces the main road leading to the outer courtyard on the other side.

The square is paved with rough bluestone, which has been polished to a shine by the constant footsteps of trainees during training and missions. Many of the cracks in the stones still bear traces of old blood and rust.

When Xilun arrived, there were already several people standing in the square.

Elena stood at the very front.

Today she was wearing the dark uniform of the correctional facility, with a silver sword at her waist and a short cloak draped over her shoulders.

The wind ruffled the tips of her pale golden hair, but her brows were slightly furrowed, clearly indicating that she was not in a good mood.