Simultaneous time travel: But our system is out of sync!

The cold night wind, like invisible needles, pierced through the thin clothes on Madame Rose's body and into her skin, which was tense with fear.

It made her involuntarily shiver.

But the chill unexpectedly dispelled the lingering confusion and fear in my mind.

It made her mind clearer than ever before.

She leaned against the door frame, her legs still weak and sore, the near-death tremor slowly fading from the depths of her bones.

Inside the house was Lin Bei's place.

Outside the door, the deep night seemed to swallow everything.

Her gaze shifted between the two, her eyes swirling with complex emotions that were difficult to describe.

Tonight was a truly harrowing experience for her, full of unexpected twists and turns, like a nightmare.

However, as the tide of fear receded slightly, reason regained its footing.

She was shocked to realize that the source of all this was so simple and ironic—it was her own inflated selfishness that had pushed something that could have been accomplished smoothly into an irreversible abyss.

The night breeze swept by again, bringing a deeper chill and a more thorough awakening.

At this moment, Lin Bei had already fallen into a deep sleep in the warmth of the bathroom.

The door was wide open, there were no guards, no constraints, and freedom seemed within reach.

She could easily pack her things immediately and flee this place of trouble.

She was far away from the forest that had once choked her and made her truly feel the coldness of death.

The thought flashed through my mind like the apple in the Garden of Eden.

But the next moment, a clearer understanding emerged in her mind.

Where could a weak woman like her, who was powerless to even kill a chicken, possibly escape to in this dangerous situation surrounded by wolves?

In all the vastness of the world, there was nowhere she could find refuge.

This seemingly open door to freedom is actually a dead end leading to a darker abyss.

The cold reality kept her firmly rooted to the spot.

She realized with absolute clarity that her only chance of survival now lay with the person who terrified her—Lin Bei.

Although her foolishness and arrogance displeased Lin Bei and even nearly led to his death.

But at the crucial moment, she used the name "Uroko no Sakonji" to secure a last glimmer of hope for her survival.

But if she can't explain the whole story, the name Urokodaki Sakonji will become his death warrant.

Moreover, she couldn't predict whether Lin Bei would change his opinion of her or come back to her afterward.

She didn't dare to hope for anything.

She knew that only by fulfilling her promise to Urokodaki Sakonji without reservation could she succeed.

Only then can one possibly make up for the incredibly foolish mistake that almost ruined everything.

She had no other choice at that moment.

She had to do that thing—the thing she should do, and the only thing she could do.

Lady Rose took a deep breath.

The cold air that night seemed to carry a weight, pressing heavily into my lungs, yet strangely it gathered a kind of power.

She stared intently at the thick, impenetrable darkness outside the door, then threw all her fear, weakness, and hope into it.

Without the slightest hesitation, she used all her strength to slam the open door, a symbol of illusory freedom, shut with a loud bang.

"call……"

A long sigh escaped her lips, a resolute voice.

"Nogawa Rose".

Every word struck the soul.

"This is your last chance!"

When the resolve settles like a rock, the fear that had gripped my heart recedes swiftly like a tide, replaced by unwavering determination.

Although the soreness in her legs had not completely disappeared, every step she took carried a do-or-die spirit.

However, before that incident.

She needs a little more time to make some preparations.

The lingering chill of the night wind made her shiver.

Only then did she belatedly realize that cold sweat had almost soaked through her thin shirt, clinging damply to her skin.

It brings extreme discomfort and embarrassment.

The clothes beneath her were cold and damp from the death-fear experience brought about by Lin Bei.

Sensing this, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance instantly crept onto her cheeks, spreading a faint blush.

"He's really my nemesis..."

Rose gritted her teeth inwardly, a hint of helpless self-mockery in her voice.

"It looks like I'll have to wash all of my carefully prepared outfit from head to toe again."

However, this thought was quickly replaced by a sense of relief.

"Fortunately...fortunately I was prepared, and it comes in handy now."

She pursed her lips slightly, a complex and indescribable light flashing in her eyes.

"Besides, it's good to wash it clean..."

"After all, that's what we're going to do."

A subtle emotion, a mixture of strange anticipation, nervousness, and shyness, quietly spread through her heart, causing her steps toward the bathroom to tremble slightly.

As she gently pushed open the slightly ajar door, a wave of steam rushed towards her, carrying a moist warmth.

However, the sight before her made her freeze instantly at the doorway, her eyes glazed over.

The huge bathtub was not empty.

In the bathtub, a familiar figure was sleeping peacefully—it was Lin Bei.

The rising steam softened his cold features. His face, which was always frosty and imposing when he was awake, now appeared surprisingly peaceful in his sleep, even carrying a hint of youthful naiveté that belonged to his true age.

Lady Rose leaned against the doorframe, staring blankly at the face that had softened considerably in the mist.

Only now did she realize with a start that the man who had once been cold-faced and forced her to confront the shadow of death was just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.

And she herself had shamelessly tried to use her beauty to seduce and manipulate him.

Even... we're about to do *that* with him.

At his age, he's even a bit too young for his younger brother.

A strong sense of shame rushed to her head, making her cheeks burn.

"Would this be considered... an old cow eating young grass?"

This sudden thought made her heart skip a beat, and she instinctively wanted to take a step back.

The resolve that had just been forged seemed to waver somewhat in the face of the awkwardness brought about by this sudden age difference.

But it was only a momentary hesitation.

The next moment, the hesitation in her eyes was replaced by a deeper determination.

Having made the choice and taken this step, there is no turning back.

Indecisiveness will only squander this last chance once again.

Without further hesitation, she gently closed the small door behind her, completely shutting out the cold night.

She slowly walked to the edge of the bathtub, her movements gentle yet carrying an almost ritualistic solemnity.

As she approached, her clothes fell silently to the ground like flower petals.

The carefully styled hair bun was untied, and the comb and a few simple hairpins and jewelry were removed one by one and carefully placed into a box next to it specifically for storing headdresses.

Her long, smooth, jet-black hair was swept diagonally in front of her, the ends of which fell down, just enough to partially cover her full, white breasts.

A few unruly strands of hair, damp with moisture, clung playfully to her peach-blossom-like cheeks.

Now, having shed her deliberately cultivated allure, Lady Rose exudes a natural, unadorned charm, carrying a unique quality that is both fragile and resilient.

Unfortunately, this beautiful scene, enough to make any man's heart flutter, was only witnessed by one lucky viewer who had already fallen asleep.

If Lin Bei had known he could get such a good deal, he probably would have stayed awake even if it meant "hanging his head from the beam and pricking his thigh with an awl."

Lady Rose stepped barefoot onto the cool floor tiles, her gaze involuntarily drifting to the equally naked boy in the bathtub.

Beneath the water's surface, the boy's sleeping body possessed fluid lines, exuding a masculine power entirely different from what she perceived.

When her gaze inadvertently swept over a part of the underwater body that was still sleeping but still showed an amazing outline, her cheeks suddenly burned even redder, like ripe cherries.

She hurriedly looked away, spat lightly, and spoke in a voice so low that only she could hear it.

"Pooh……"

"No wonder you dared to flirt with me like that the first time we met."

"So...it was really true..."

"He's really not a weak man anymore..."

With her face flushed red like a sunset, she lifted her leg and carefully stepped into the warm bathwater.

Although the two are now "open and honest with each other".

But the shadow of near-death experience still lingered, and even though Lin Bei was fast asleep, she dared not approach him rashly.

She chose to lean against the other end of the bathtub, keeping the furthest distance from Lin Bei, and slowly immersed herself in the water.

The warm water enveloped the cold body, bringing a sigh of relief.

She began to wash herself, her movements gentle, the water rippling.

However, her gaze remained fixed on the sleeping boy opposite her.

Beneath the ripples of the water, the body was clearly visible.

He wasn't particularly burly, but his features were well-defined, as if every inch of his muscles contained explosive power.

That face, softened by sleep and the mist, lost the coldness it had when awake.

It showcased a handsome face that was uniquely youthful and somewhat immature.

However, my gaze drifted downwards, across her neck, to the crisscrossing scars on her pale skin.

But they were like a series of silent cries, dense and shocking.

New wounds overlapped with old ones, some dark in color, others still tinged with fresh pink, silently telling the story of the brutal battles Lin Bei had experienced, far beyond his years.

As she watched, Mrs. Rose felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping her heart, sending a sharp, piercing pain through her.

If... if her younger brother were still alive, he would probably be this age now!

If her family hadn't been killed by evil spirits, she probably wouldn't be in this state!

When did she transform from someone who was determined to live on with her family and seek revenge by killing the demon, into this depraved and weak state?

An unprecedented heartache, mixed with indescribable bitterness and remorse, quietly permeated my heart.

At this moment, it seemed as if she was seeing Lin Bei for the first time.

This man, who previously appeared mature, aloof, and ruthless.

When all defenses are down and one falls into a deep sleep, such a vulnerable and gentle side is revealed.

She might never have had the chance to see this side of herself if it weren't for this situation.

At this moment, Lady Rose's mind was in turmoil as she speculated.

What exactly did he go through?

"What kind of suffering and trials were they?"

"Only then could a boy who should have been freely enjoying his youth under the sun be transformed into the cold, sharp, and scarred person he is today."

"What experiences and dangers lie behind those hideous scars?"

These questions weighed on her mind like heavy stones. She couldn't imagine them, nor dared to think about them deeply.

In her vague understanding, a boy like Lin Bei...

In the prime of his life, he should be surrounded by a woman who is equally youthful, beautiful, gentle, and charming.

They should stroll under the cherry blossom trees, drink tea together in the afterglow of the sunset, share their innocent thoughts, savor the sweetness and excitement of first love, and enjoy the most genuine joy and happiness of life.

Instead of being like this now, bearing all the pain alone, fighting for his life against those terrifying and ferocious demons in the pitch-black night.

Struggling to survive amidst blades and pools of blood.

The stark contrast brought a surge of indescribable sorrow and pity to her heart.

Unbeknownst to them, the barrier created by fear quietly melted away.

That scheming and manipulative intent vanished.

In the water, Lady Rose seemed to be drawn by invisible threads, slowly and gradually approaching the sleeping Lin Bei.

Her fingers trembled almost reverently as she gently and carefully touched Lin Bei's chest.

The skin beneath my fingertips felt warm from the lukewarm water, yet I could feel the raised, rough lines of those scars even more clearly.

Her fingernails traced the deep and shallow grooves with extreme gentleness.

"So...everyone's having a tough time..."

A silent sigh echoed from the depths of her soul.

Hot tears welled up in her eyes without warning, slid down her smooth cheeks, and dripped into the warm water of the bathtub, disappearing instantly.

These tears are not just for the weak way of life they chose.

It was also for the sake of the boy in front of her.

The heavy burden he was forced to bear at such a young age was a pain he shouldn't have to endure.

For his many scars.

Her heart ached terribly.

His fingertips lingered over one scar after another, as if reading through every battle he had fought in the past.

With this silent touch, Lady Rose and Lin Bei grew closer and closer.

Finally, her entire soft body, covered in water droplets and undried tear stains, moved with an instinct akin to a fledgling bird returning to its nest.

She nestled gently and carefully into Lin Bei's arms, pressing her cheek against his chest, which wasn't particularly broad but was exceptionally firm.

At this moment, she felt no romantic feelings whatsoever.

There is only one kind of immense and profound comfort and peace of mind that comes from finally finding a kindred spirit in the vast sea of ​​people.

Lin Bei's steady heartbeat reached her ears through his warm chest. At this moment, that scarred chest felt to her like a warm and sturdy haven that she had unexpectedly found in a storm.

An unprecedented sense of peace enveloped her, making her weary soul want to stop here and find refuge in this brief and illusory harbor, forgetting all fear, scheming, and the hardships of wandering, even if only for a moment.

This was enough to lull her into a long-lost peaceful sleep.