THE REAL PROTEGE

"Shun and the rest of you — continue to strengthen your bodies. Engage in daily cultivation. Goldie and Rockie will oversee your training regimen. When I return from my time in seclusion, expect your training to become more rigorous."

Fatty let out a playful groan, his smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Do dumpling curls count as cultivation?"

Chatty shot him a teasing elbow, her laughter ringing out. "Only if you can lift the entire tray, you glutton!"

Shun responded with a cheeky smirk. "I'll double my reps, just for fun."

Goldie and Rockie nodded in silent agreement, already mentally crafting new and challenging routines. Jack leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes alight with eagerness for the trials ahead.

Ling Li's gaze turned steely, her voice cutting through the room's playful banter with sharp clarity. "Everyone remains here in Shanghai for now. No exceptions."

The atmosphere shifted, the lightness dissipating as the weight of her words settled over them.

She wasn't merely preparing them for the battlefield; she was orchestrating their legacy.

The Final Agenda: A Mission of Shadows

Ling Li's voice, a steady and authoritative murmur, enveloped the room like a delicate layer of frost, quiet yet all-encompassing.

"Lastly," she announced, her keen gaze sweeping over the assembled allies, "Otako has meticulously gathered intelligence on Shun Chang — the president's son, whom our very own Shun will soon replace."

A palpable hush fell over the space.

Even the air seemed to freeze in anticipation.

"He's nothing if not predictable," Ling Li continued, her tone as sharp as a blade. "His daily rhythms, his favored haunts, his loyal companions — Otako's intricate network has mapped it all meticulously. What we require now is readiness. Strength. Precision."

She advanced, her whole being whispering softly against the polished marble floor, each movement purposeful and fluid.

"We must slip into the PSC and the Politburo like shadows in the night. Quietly. Efficiently. For Shun's election to proceed without turbulence, every thread of this intricate tapestry must be woven with care."

El Padre leaned forward, his fingers steepled like a cathedral spire. "You want us to thread the needle through the very heart of the state."

Ling Li met his gaze with unyielding resolve. "Precisely."

El Capitan's eyes sparkled with a predatory light. "Then we'll need more than just muscle. We'll need ghosts to dance through the corridors."

"The Shahs will don the mantle of diplomacy," Ling Li stated, her voice unwavering. "Shi Min will orchestrate the internal sweep. Pharsa will oversee the communications. And each of you — every single one — will play a vital role in this grand design."

Shun sat tall, his posture unyielding, an ember of determination burning brightly in his eyes. Ren reached beneath the table to take his hand, her grip firm and reassuring.

Fatty raised a hesitant hand, then let it fall. "I'm not entirely sure what part I'm meant to play, but I'm ready to make an entrance — dramatically, of course."

Chatty leaned in, whispering with a mischievous spark, "I'll be the distraction. Panic is my specialty in crowded spaces."

Pharsa remained silent, but her nod was resolute, a fierce commitment in her eyes.

Goldie crossed his arms, a determined scowl forming on his face. "Just give me a name, and I'll do what must be done."

Four Eyes, still reeling from the magnitude of the task ahead, exhaled slowly, grounding himself. "This is larger than anything we've dealt with before."

Ling Li turned to him, her expression steely. "Which is why it must involve all of us."

She paused, allowing the weight of her declaration to sink in deep into the fabric of their resolve.

"If you have any questions," her voice sliced through the silence, sharp and commanding, "now is the time to ask."

No one dared to speak.

Not even the twins.

The profound stillness was not born of fear.

It was readiness, palpable and alive.

Ling Li gave a single, decisive nod. "Then you are all dismissed."

She turned gracefully, her shadows trailing behind her like the aftermath of a fierce storm retreating, leaving the echoes of thunder in its wake.

As the room began to stir — not with chaos but with a resolute sense of purpose — it became clear that the flame was no longer merely defending.

It was poised to reshape the very world itself.

***** R18 ***** MATURE CONTENT *****

A Sweet Moment Before the Storm

Ling Li stepped into her room, the familiar scent of herbs enveloping her like a comforting embrace. Before she could reach her satchel, a sudden warmth captured her wrist — Four Eyes pulled her close, his eyes a tempest of emotion.

"How could you?" he murmured, his voice thick, almost breaking. "You just returned. I barely lived through those two weeks, and now you're leaving again — for ten torturous days."

His embrace was solid, trembling with unspoken fears. Their foreheads touched, and in that closeness, Ling Li glimpsed the storm brewing behind his gaze, a whirlwind of worry and longing.

"Honey," she replied softly, her fingers gliding against his cheek like a gentle caress. "I have to prepare the pills. For you, for everyone. And I can't shake off the fear about Shi Min's ascension. He could die."

At the mention of her son and the brutal image of him enduring the lightning tribulation, her heart struggled, and her breath hitched in her throat.

Four Eyes breathed out slowly, his grip easing — though not by much.

"Alright," he conceded, a hint of resignation in his tone. "But first… I need a reward, and you can't say no."

Before she could respond, he swept her off her feet with an effortless grace, cradling her against him as he carried her to the bed. The silk sheets whispered beneath them, the room bathed in a soft, golden light that streamed through the delicate curtains like a warm embrace.

He laid her down with a reverence that suggested she was crafted from starlight, his touch gentle but imbued with a fierce protection. Ling Li's eyes locked onto his — sharp, playfully teasing, but softened by the tides of love that surged between them.

"You're greedy," she chided, a smile breaking across her lips.