I created a foundation

"I will let you master with your own hands the power to protect your sister from the monster just now."

The power to protect...my sister?

These words, like a thunderclap, exploded in Yukinoshita Haruno's mind!

Her body shook uncontrollably because of the sudden impact.

Lin Qing seemed not to notice her loss of composure. He just stared at her quietly with those deep eyes that seemed to see through everything. Word by word, he inserted the sharp blade called "temptation" into the softest and most persistent part of her heart with incredible precision.

"Don't you always want to protect her?"

"Use your own way, your own methods, and the way you think is best for her."

"But now, you should see clearly." Lin Qing's lips curled up in a meaningful arc. "In the world you don't know, there are too many dangers that are far beyond your imagination and far beyond the ability of your power, money, and family background to deal with."

"...those so-called protections, in the face of true terror, are but child's play. They are vulnerable and may even... become the death warrant for both you and her."

Every word of these words was like a loud slap in the face of Yukinoshita Haruno.

Burning pain.

But she couldn't refute it.

Yes, she has always prided herself on being smart and believing that she can control everything, including her sister Yukino's life.

She "guides" Yukino and "shapes" Yukino in her own way, calling it "protection."

But the result?

Facing a monster that could tear them to pieces in an instant, what else could she do except scream and close her eyes and wait for death?

Her so-called political schemes seemed so pale and powerless in the face of absolute power.

Her family background, which she was so proud of, was nothing compared to that inhuman existence.

If Lin Qing hadn't been here today, if it wasn't Lin Qing who was standing here today, she and Xue Noi would probably have turned into cold corpses like the wreckage on the ground.

The so-called protection...

How ridiculous!

An unprecedented sense of frustration, powerlessness, and deep fear, like an icy tide, instantly drowned Yukinoshita Haruno.

All her pride, all her calculations, all her self-confidence, were shattered into dust at this moment.

Lin Qing looked at the changing expressions on her face and knew that the time was almost right.

He used a calm yet fatally tempting tone to put the final end to this soul-touching "recruitment".

"So, Ms. Yukinoshita Haruno."

"I'll give you a chance to truly protect her."

"A chance for you to stop being the self-righteous controller in a greenhouse and instead hold the power in your own hands, to face the darkness of the real world, and to protect the people you want to protect."

"Should I choose to continue living in the false sunshine, or choose... to walk into this cruel yet real night?"

"Tell me your answer."

The dark alley fell into deathly silence again.

There was only the faint sound of passing vehicles on the distant street, and... Yukinoshita Haruno's own heavy and suppressed breathing.

She looked at Lin Qing.

This man, who she regarded as a "Phoenix man with clear goals" and a "scheming liar trying to get close to Xue Shita" not long ago, now showed her the cruelest and most real tip of the iceberg of this world in an almost god-like manner, and handed her an invitation letter that could change her destiny.

She slowly turned her head and looked at her sister, Yukinoshita Yukino, who was standing not far away and looking at her with a complicated expression.

The coldness and alienation on Yukino's face were gone, replaced by an indescribable worry and... a barely perceptible expectation?

Yang Nai's heart was gripped violently.

She suddenly understood.

If you want to protect the people most important to you, you don't rely on self-righteous political calculations or cold, hard cash.

But...power.

It is the real power that is enough to crush all threats and carve out a way of survival in despair.

She slowly closed her eyes, and her thick eyelashes cast two light shadows on her pale cheeks.

She took a deep breath, and the cold, bloody air rushed into her lungs, miraculously calming her heart, which had been beating wildly due to shock and fear, little by little.

When she opened her eyes again, the confusion, fear and struggle were no longer in her beautiful eyes.

What replaced it was an unprecedented clarity and... determination.

She made her choice.

Chapter 75 To Protect My Sister

Yukinoshita Haruno's body shook slightly uncontrollably because of the uncontrollable impact.

Lin Qing seemed not to notice her loss of composure. He just stared at her quietly with those deep eyes that seemed to see through everything. Word by word, he inserted the sharp blade called "temptation" into the softest and most persistent part of her heart with incredible precision.

"Don't you always want to protect her?"

"Use your own way, your own methods, and the way you think is best for her."

"But now, you should see clearly."

The corners of Lin Qing's mouth curled up in a meaningful arc.

"In the world you don't know, there are too many dangers that are far beyond your imagination and far beyond the ability of your power, money, and family background to deal with."

"Your so-called protection is nothing more than child's play in the face of true terror. It's vulnerable and might even... become the death warrant for both you and her."

Every word was like an invisible yet extremely heavy slap in the face, slapping Yukinoshita Haruno's self-esteem.

It's burning and the pain goes deep into the bone marrow.

But she couldn't find any words to refute it.

Yes, she had always prided herself on her intelligence, believing she had everything firmly under her control, including the life of her younger sister, Yukinoshita, who seemed aloof and withdrawn, but in reality, she also yearned for something. She used what she believed was the right way to "guide" and "shape" Yukino, calling her "protection" and enjoying the thrill of controlling everything.

But the result?

Just now, in front of that terrifying ghoul whose power was enough to tear them into pieces in an instant, what else could she do except screaming meaninglessly and closing her eyes in extreme fear, waiting for death to come?

The political schemes and scheming that she was proud of seemed so pale and ridiculous in the face of such absolute and inhuman violence.

The huge power and wealth of the Yukinoshita family that she relied on was not worth mentioning in front of that "abnormal" existence that subverted all three views. She was not even qualified to be taken a second look by the other party.

If it wasn't Lin Qing standing here today, if this man hadn't appeared like a god sent from heaven, she and Xue Noi would have probably turned into cold corpses like the gnawed remains lying on the ground, without even having the chance to leave a last word.

The so-called protection...is such a irony in the face of the absolute and cruel truth!

An unprecedented sense of frustration and powerlessness, as well as the belated but even more overwhelming fear, like an icy tide, instantly submerged Yukinoshita Haruno completely.

All her pride, all her calculations, all her carefully constructed confidence and sense of superiority, at this moment, shattered into flying dust along with the ghoul's corpse, and could never be put back together again.

Lin Qing quietly watched the changing expression on her face, from shock to fear, from confusion to humiliation, and finally to the despair at this moment. He knew that the time was almost right.

With an almost cold calmness, yet with a tone of fatal temptation, he put the final and most crucial end to this "recruitment" that struck deep into the soul.

"So, Ms. Yukinoshita Haruno."

His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone in the alley.

"I'll give you a chance to truly protect her."

"An opportunity for you to no longer be the self-righteous controller in a greenhouse, but to hold the power in your own hands, to calmly face the unknown darkness of this world, and to firmly protect the people you want to protect."

"Should I choose to continue living under your false and fragile sunshine, or should I choose... to bravely walk into this cruel yet extremely real endless night?"

"Tell me your answer."

The dark alley once again fell into deathly silence.

The only sounds were the occasional, faint sounds of passing vehicles on the distant streets, and... Yukinoshita Haruno's own heavy, almost unrecognizable, and extremely suppressed breathing.

She looked at Lin Qing.

This young man, who not long ago she had disdainfully regarded as a "goal-oriented Phoenix man" and a "scheming liar trying to curry favor with the Yukinoshita family", now, with an almost godlike attitude, mercilessly revealed to her the cruelest and truest corner of the world, and extended to her a heavy invitation that could completely change the trajectory of her destiny.

She slowly turned her head again, her gaze moving with difficulty, and finally fell on her biological sister, Yukinoshita Yukino, who was not far away. She had her lips tightly pursed from beginning to end, her face still pale, but she tried hard to maintain the last bit of calmness, and watched all this with extremely complicated eyes.

Yukino's face no longer had the coldness and alienation that kept people at a distance. Instead, there was a worry that was difficult to describe in words, and... a subtle expectation that she herself had not even noticed?

Yang Nai's heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible big hand, and then suddenly released, bringing an indescribable, sharp pain.

Suddenly, she understood it very clearly.

If you want to protect the people most important to you and want to survive in this world full of unknowns and dangers, you should never rely on self-righteous power calculations or cold, heartless monetary figures.

But...power.

It is a power that is enough to crush all threats and to carve out a way out in despair. It is the real power that belongs to you!

She slowly closed her eyes, and her thick and long eyelashes cast two shallow, slightly trembling shadows on her pale and somewhat transparent cheeks.

She took a deep breath.

The cold air, still carrying a faint smell of blood, rushed into her lungs, and her heart, which had been beating wildly due to the continuous shock and fear, miraculously calmed down and settled little by little.

When she opened her eyes again, the previous confusion, fear and violent struggle were no longer in those beautiful eyes that always held a hint of teasing and insight.

What replaced it was an unprecedented clarity and... an unquestionable determination.

She made her choice.

"I……"

Yukinoshita Haruno's voice was a little hoarse from having survived a disaster, but it also revealed a determination to burn her boats.

"……join in."

Queen Yukinoshita, who always wore a perfect mask and was used to having everything under her control, lowered her once extremely proud head for the first time in front of another person and in front of the cruel reality.

She turned around and looked at her sister with complicated eyes, her voice soft but with unprecedented seriousness.

"Yukino."