Chapter 26: Bait, Part Four

Faced with Rambo’s murderous glare, the three dared not utter another word.

Meanwhile, as Walker shut off the communicator, a large hand suddenly landed heavily on his shoulder. A man’s deep, hoarse voice rumbled, “Walker, well done!”

The lights blazed on, illuminating the area around Walker in an instant. A group of men, all dressed in black coats and wearing stern expressions, stepped into view.

Walker’s face turned deathly pale. He staggered to his feet, his body trembling, as a sharp, acrid scent began to permeate the air.

Unaware of the impending danger drawing ever closer, Lekai was, at that very moment, doing his best to quell the fear in his heart. Pretending to be calm, he gripped the scabbard at his waist with one hand and gave the safety bar of the roller coaster a reassuring pat with the other. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, this is nothing,” he muttered bravely.

A clear, pleasant voice chimed in, “Are you trying to give yourself courage?” Startled, Lekai turned to look at the little girl sitting beside him, his brows knitting as he searched for a reply. Before he could speak, the girl continued, “There’s nothing wrong with being cautious about the unknown. I’m actually quite scared, too. But I think, since this is an amusement ride, it shouldn’t be dangerous. So there’s really no need to be afraid.”

Lekai clicked his tongue, studying the girl. She was only a little younger than he was, with delicate features, a straight nose, striking green eyes, and a mop of golden hair—everything about her spoke of her identity: a noble of the Warwolf Empire, conquerors of this planet.

But why would a noble want to play such an ancient game?

“Hello, my name is Liyan. What’s yours? Which family are you from?” the girl asked, her gaze lingering on the curved blade at Lekai’s waist, a trace of surprise in her eyes. Clearly, in places like this, second-class citizens neither dared nor bothered to carry swords. Only scions of the great families would do so, out of a desire to show off.

Any favorable impression Lekai might have had of her vanished the moment he recognized her background. Though she looked like a porcelain doll and lacked the usual arrogance and petulance of noble girls—indeed, she seemed even more composed than himself—their positions were worlds apart, and he had no wish to befriend her.

He shot her a cold glare, his expression blank. “My name is Lekai—Le as in ‘joy’ and Kai as in ‘open.’ And I’m not afraid; I just didn’t want you to get scared.”

She smiled, gentle and warm—an odd word for a little girl, perhaps, but Lekai found himself, for the first time, understanding what a gentle smile truly was. “You’re right,” she said. “There’s nothing to fear. Forgive my rudeness. But since you’re not afraid, do you dare try all the rides with me?”

“What wouldn’t I dare?” Lekai’s pride was kindled. He snorted inwardly—he’d killed a mutated leopard, would he really be scared of a game? In truth, playing all the old-fashioned games in the amusement park was exactly why he’d come. These were games he’d only ever read about, games of the Azure Star people, found only here beneath the sky.

Liyan seemed to sense his hostility and turned away, shrugging with a self-mocking smile. “Ah, the ridiculous pride of men.”

Lekai clenched his fists. Though the fear lingered, it was far less intense now. Was he, a grown man, to be cowed by an invader?

The roller coaster finally surged into motion, its speed increasing rapidly. Lekai felt a thrill unlike any he’d experienced before. Once the initial anxiety faded, he found he could control his emotions; he certainly didn’t scream in terror as Liyan did. This gave him a secret sense of pride.

Five minutes later, the pale-faced riders disembarked one after another.

Stealing a glance at Liyan, Lekai saw that she had already regained her composure, a faint smile on her lips. She looked every inch a princess cast among commoners—noble, yet approachable, bridging the gap between them.

She was clearly a young lady raised under strict discipline, a true daughter of a great house.

“So, Lekai, are you all right? If you’re fine, let’s try the second ride!” Liyan said, studying him. She could feel his hostility but was just as curious about his origins.

“Let’s go, then! As if I’d ever back down from you,” Lekai retorted, his chin high. Even a mutated leopard couldn’t make him retreat, let alone this alien girl, whose fighting ability probably didn’t even rate a five.

And so, under Rambo’s astonished gaze, the two of them moved from game to game, playing with abandon—shrieking and waving their arms like any ordinary children.

Once his initial tension faded, Lekai’s strong nerves made it impossible for the games to truly frighten him; he was able to enjoy the fun for its own sake. Such an experience would come but once in a lifetime—how could he not savor it? Only when Liyan, her strength spent, suggested a rest did they finally abandon their quest to try every ride and make their way outside together.

Rambo stared, wide-eyed, at Lekai’s steady, cat-like stride and impassive face. Was this wild child really visiting the capital for the first time? Even he would have been exhausted by such a marathon of games, yet Lekai seemed entirely unfazed.

But what really unsettled him was that, in this short span, the wild child had even managed to pick up the most adorable little sister imaginable. Judging by her hair and eyes, she was pure imperial stock. It was simply extraordinary.

“Wild ch— Oh, I mean, Lekai, my little brother, what on earth happened? Tell me, how did you manage to pick up a little cutie in no time at all?” Rambo grabbed Lekai, his eyes wide as if searching his face for answers. He had to admit, with some annoyance, that Lekai was indeed a bit more handsome than himself—though only just.

Lekai looked at Rambo, who was inexplicably agitated, and replied coolly, “If you don’t let go, you’ll find yourself flying through the air again.”

“Come on, I was just joking. Don’t get upset!” Rambo shivered, a phantom ache in his stomach reminding him of what happened before. He thought to himself, Enjoy your swagger while you can—soon enough you’ll meet a real fighter, and then we’ll see.

At that moment, Liyan came up behind them. “Curly-haired brother, are you Lekai’s friend too? Hi, I’m Liyan. Lekai says you know all the amusement spots in Huazhong City, so could you guide us around?”

Curly-haired brother…

Rambo’s face turned green. The three bodyguards behind him grinned as well; clearly, not many people could get the better of their young master.

“He’s Rambo. He knows this place inside out. Just tell him where you want to go,” Lekai said with a grin as he turned to Liyan. After sharing so many games, the distance between them had vanished, and Lekai found himself truly liking this brave, charming girl. She might be the daughter of conquerors, but she was the first friend he’d ever truly acknowledged.

Rambo was about to protest, but Lekai shot him a warning look, and he subsided at once, plastering a smile across his face as he extended a hand. “Hello, I’m Rambo, and—”

Before he could finish, Lekai had already taken Liyan by the hand. “He’s our guide. Let’s find somewhere fun.”

“You… You win!” Rambo muttered, glaring at their retreating figures, then shooting a fierce look at his bodyguards. “What are you staring at? Move!”