Through the hazy curtain of rain, Ye Xun held a black umbrella, strolling at an unhurried pace toward home.
Just as he drew near his house, familiar system notifications chimed in his mind: [Columbina Favorability +5] [Arlecchino Favorability +10] [Rosalyne Favorability +5] [Sandrone Favorability -20] Hearing the final prompt, Ye Xun was utterly speechless.
He hadn’t even provoked her—how on earth had her favorability dropped?
Was it because he had been getting close to Columbina?
Could the two of them really be…?
As he pondered, an emaciated figure slowly came into view.
The man stood in the rain, his face covered in scars and his eyes glinting like a venomous viper’s.
“Ye Xun,” he sneered, baring a cruel grin.
“Come with me!
Lord Dottore is waiting for you at the research facility.” Ye Xun chuckled softly.
“Goris, I have bad news for you.
The medical research facility has already been destroyed by Childe Tartaglia.” “Heh, you think I’d fall for such a clumsy lie?” Goris scoffed in disdain.
Ye Xun shrugged, his tone casual.
“Don’t believe me?
Then go back and see for yourself.” Before his words had even landed, Goris burst into laughter, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Still trying to fool me?” He paused, his expression turning cold and stern.
“Now, either come along quietly, or…
I’ll knock you out and drag you there.” “Then I choose—” Ye Xun suddenly hurled the black umbrella to the ground, his body shooting forward like an arrow released from a drawn bow!
His hard elbow slashed through the rain, bursting through the air accompanied by a low shout: “Mamba Unyielding Iron Elbow!” Goris had no time to react at all before the heavy elbow smashed into him, sending him flying backward to crash heavily against the door plank behind him with a dull thud.
Agonizing pain twisted his facial features.
Gritting his teeth, he fumbled out a test tube filled with an eerie liquid from his pocket and threw his head back, gulping it down in one swig.
The next moment, his entire face began to rot grotesquely, and an ominous, terrifying aura radiated from his body.
Goris had forced his way from an ordinary mortal straight into the Low Extraordinary realm!
Cracking his joints, his venomous gaze locked onto Ye Xun.
“You…
you despicable scoundrel!
Today, I’ll tear you to pieces and torment you slowly!” The rain poured harder and harder, drenching the world in cold.
Ye Xun’s expression remained tranquil as he merely let out a soft sigh.
“Why bother?” Before his voice died away, he raised his elbow once more and struck straight at his opponent.
This time, Goris was prepared, crossing his arms tightly over his chest to block.
Yet he never imagined that even with a complete defense, he would still be sent flying by that single elbow strike.
With another heavy thud, he slammed violently into the door plank.
“How is this possible…
You’re clearly just a mortal!” Goris roared, his eyes filled with disbelief.
With bloodshot eyes, he clenched his fists and rushed forward like a madman.
Yet what met him was once again the outcome of being smashed back by an elbow.
The door plank behind him was already dented deeply from the impacts.
“You forced my hand!” Goris panted heavily, madness flashing in his eyes.
Trembling, he pulled out a second test tube—filled with a writhing black sludge that seemed alive.
Gritting his teeth, he swallowed it whole!
In an instant, his eyes turned blood-red, and his aura surged wildly.
Mid Extraordinary!
High Extraordinary!
His power was still climbing frantically!
Facing this terrifying mutation, Ye Xun hesitated no longer, turning on his heel and sprinting away.
His elbow might be hard enough, but a single arm couldn’t outmuscle a thigh—he knew when he was outmatched in raw power.
Seeing him flee, Goris was nearly tearing at his eyes, turning into an afterimage as he gave chase relentlessly.
His speed was astonishingly fast, and in the blink of an eye, his fingertips were practically clawing at Ye Xun’s back!
Yet at that exact moment— The hand he reached out suddenly withered like dry wood, followed swiftly by his arm, his torso…
In just a breath, Goris collapsed onto the muddy ground in the rain like a log of decayed wood, completely devoid of life.
Ye Xun stopped, turned around to gaze at the dried corpse, and gasped heavily for air.
Rain trickled down from the tips of his hair, mingling with sweat as it ran down his cheeks.
As he panted, he suddenly burst into a low laugh, which grew louder and louder, increasingly hearty and unrestrained.
“Haha…
Hahaha—!” Amid the sheet of rain, that laughter echoed, wild and unbridled.
Ever since his adoptive parents passed away, Ye Xun had hardly laughed at all.
Their passing had been a long, silent winter for him.
And today’s thoroughly gratifying vengeance finally made that winter a little less cold.
“Dottore…
this is only the beginning!” Dragging his soaked, exhausted body, he walked step by step back toward home.
A short while later, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
After changing into clean, dry clothes, Ye Xun sat down at his desk, reaching out to gently trace the family photograph of his adoptive parents and himself.
He then put the photograph away into a drawer, stood up, and left.
Dottore had suffered a huge setback this time, and given his petty, vengeful nature, he would never let Ye Xun off the hook.
Remaining here was undoubtedly seeking a quick death.
In fact, Ye Xun’s decision was an extremely wise one.
Not long after he departed, Dottore’s cold figure appeared inside the simple, unpretentious house.
He walked slowly to the desk and picked up a sheet of white paper lying quietly on its surface.
Written on the paper were just four words: I am your father!
Dottore slowly tore the paper into shreds with an expressionless face.
With a careless toss, snow-white bits of paper fluttered through the air like falling snow.
“Fascinating…” He chuckled softly, then stepped out into the icy curtain of rain.
…………..
Toward evening, the rain ceased and the clouds dispersed.
The sunset glow burned like fire on the horizon, dyeing the sky in brilliant hues of orange-red and golden-purple, resembling an oil painting slowly unfurling.
The air was filled with the fresh, pleasant fragrance of damp earth after rain.
Ye Xun ambled leisurely along the wet streets, taking in the scenery of the Winter Capital.
Before long, he came to a stop in front of a sumptuously decorated restaurant.
Just as he was about to step inside for a lavish meal, he suddenly sensed something unusual.
He turned his head to look.
Across the street, Columbina was calmly “staring” at him.
Ye Xun thought about it and decided against saying something silly like “I was looking for someone.” Stepping up to Columbina, he said in a gentle voice, “O great Moon Goddess, your devout believer would like to invite you to dine together.” “Alright,” Columbina answered softly.
Side by side, the two entered the restaurant and took seats in a quiet corner.
The table was soon laden with a lavish spread of dishes: Savory roasted meat skewers, rich and tangy borscht, savory and tender beef stew…
fragrance filled the air.
No words were spoken during the meal, only the soft clinking of cutlery and quiet sounds of chewing.
Columbina’s movements were elegant, yet astonishingly fast.
Before long, the two had swept through all the food, leaving the plates completely clean.
However, what left Ye Xun feeling somewhat disappointed was that despite treating her to such a fine feast, her favorability hadn’t gone up by even a single point.
It seemed that, in the end, it still had to be dalieba.