Sky Garden.
One of Planet Weimang’s top ten most desirable real estate locations.
At first glance, it was obvious this wasn’t a district Lu Yi would’ve chosen herself.
That cunning wolf Yalan…
Was he trying to keep Lu Yi within his grasp?
Hermoke certainly wouldn’t let him succeed.
He swiftly located Lu Yi’s floor, then anonymously purchased the small apartment directly next door.
“…Tch. This deserves celebration. It’s the first property I’ve ever bought.”
After drinking blood, Lu Yi’s condition improved dramatically.
Even the injuries on her body hurt much less.
She had barely settled into her workstation when she caught a strong metallic silver scent.
Looking up, she saw the office doors pushed open by a male beastman.
Underneath a double-breasted long coat was a perfectly tailored military uniform.
A thick leather belt wrapped around his waist, decorated with a silver police insignia that instantly revealed his identity.
Lu Yi unconsciously stood up.
Facing her was an icy pair of blue eyes.
Compared to Yalan—who still left room for negotiation—this man radiated absolute authority just by standing there.
His brown hair was slicked back neatly, exposing a full forehead and sharp brow ridge.
Those long, half-lidded eyes quietly examined the female before him.
“Where’s Yalan?”
“T-The president is in his office.”
Lu Yi hurried forward to announce his arrival, but the man simply pushed open the office door behind her.
The smell of silver invaded her senses once again.
Lu Yi’s body reacted instinctively with fear.
“Keir.”
Yalan looked up and immediately saw a scene that made him deeply uncomfortable.
The small female staggered backward, only to be steadied by Keir’s hand.
The tall man stood behind Lu Yi as though embracing her shoulders.
Fortunately, Keir quickly passed by her and walked toward Yalan.
Yalan’s expression eased slightly before he instructed the pale-faced Lu Yi in the distance:
“Go take your lunch break first.”
The moment he finished speaking, Lu Yi eagerly shut the door behind her.
“What? The press conference didn’t go well, so you came here to pick a fight?”
Yalan had absolutely no patience for him.
Planet Weimang’s police department had stabbed the Paranormal Association in the back more times than anyone could count.
Keir had long since become the commissioner with the worst public reputation.
“I’m only here to inform you that the prince is very interested in the silver-haired female.”
“Really? Because two days ago you certainly didn’t sound interested.”
“There are priorities. Compared to the prince’s safety, a commoner with no real connection naturally isn’t important.”
“Heh…”
Yalan let out a cold sneer.
“Besides, that was gang territory.”
Keir’s tone remained indifferent as he ignored Yalan’s attitude completely.
“We no longer need the silver-haired female to divert public attention. His Highness has issued a decree.”
He placed a royal insignia on the desk in front of Yalan.
“He wants her to become the Crown Princess.”
Keir fixed his eyes on him.
“I need your information. Name your conditions.”
“…”
Yalan stared at the emblem representing ultimate authority.
A heavy pressure swelled painfully inside his chest.
“This isn’t a negotiation,” Keir said coldly.
“It’s a royal order.”
Meanwhile, in the restroom, Lu Yi had spent three straight minutes vomiting before finally calming down.
Holding her aching head, she suddenly realized something.
Vampires feared silver.
Every cold metallic accessory on Commissioner Keir’s uniform had been genuine silver.
When he got close to her earlier, she’d nearly fainted.
After washing her face, Lu Yi went to the break room and poured herself a cup of hot tea.
But the moment she stepped out—
She crashed directly into someone.
The tea splashed all over the other person.
It also soaked through Lu Yi’s shirt.
At the same time, the scent of silver flooded her nose once more.
She abruptly looked up.
It was Keir.
“Sorry! I-I’ll wipe it off…”
Lu Yi hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tea from his abdomen, only for him to suddenly seize her wrist.
Those narrow eyes stared at her the way one might examine a criminal.
Keir noticed the abrasions on the inside of her arm and abruptly dragged her closer.
The cold handcuffs in his hand hooked beneath her collar, lifting it slightly.
Underneath her collarbone, bruised blue-purple wounds spread across her pale skin.
His lowered lips shifted faintly.
“The person Yalan went to rescue two days ago… was you?”
A weak little girl very likely targeted by the silver-haired female…
“Yes…”
Lu Yi knew she couldn’t lie, so she softly admitted it while anxiously glancing around.
The handcuffs pressed against her chin and tilted her face upward.
The delicate pale skin immediately flushed red.
Keir practically forced her to meet his gaze.
Lu Yi seemed to be holding her breath.
Her small face reddened all the way to the corners of her eyes.
Against her smooth black hair, her appearance carried overwhelming impact…
Lowering his head, Keir approached her trembling lips and murmured:
“You seem to—”
“Keir.”
Someone interrupted him, pulling Lu Yi directly out of his grasp.
“She’s my secretary. Not your prisoner.”
Her back slammed into a broad, warm chest.
Freed from the smell of silver, Lu Yi finally began gasping for air.
Yalan assumed Keir had interrogated her somehow.
When his gaze swept over the handcuffs still held in Keir’s hand, anger immediately surfaced.
“This is the Paranormal Association, not your torture chamber at Planet Weimang Police Headquarters.”
Keir made no effort to explain himself.
Instead, he observed the pair with growing interest.
“Seems the rumors aren’t entirely false.”
Lu Yi’s eyelashes trembled repeatedly.
She clearly knew what rumors he meant.
“President Keir, I’m not—”
“How surprising.”
Yalan didn’t fall for the bait at all.
Instead, his tone turned icily sarcastic.
“Commissioner Keir, who supposedly never indulges in speculation, has started spreading petty assumptions too?”
Lu Yi was almost frightened senseless.
A president and a commissioner…
Were powerful people really allowed to speak to each other like this?
“…”
Keir’s breathing visibly deepened.
His eyes darkened as he glanced once more at Lu Yi, who kept her head lowered.
Commoners were the hardest people to control.
Their ignorance and recklessness could destroy every act of goodwill.
Yalan always chose to stand on the side of these fickle masses.
Yet when chaos truly arrived, the first person the mob might drag to the gallows could very well be this “beloved” Association president.
Heh…
And Keir had no need for such a ticking time bomb.
With that thought, he turned and left.
“Keir.”
Yalan stopped him.
“Don’t forget to pay your old friend Hermoke’s extortion fee.”
The black military boots never paused for even a second.
As the scent of silver gradually faded, Lu Yi’s legs gave out and she nearly collapsed to the floor.
“Lu Yi?”
Yalan instinctively reached to support her, only for Lu Yi to hurriedly wave him away.
“I-I’m fine, President! Maybe my injuries just haven’t healed yet…”
She absolutely couldn’t admit it was because of the silver.
So she quickly invented an excuse.
Lying had practically become second nature to her.
“The paid medical leave I approved for you starts tomorrow.”
“…Thank you, President.”
Yalan originally intended to take her to the hospital.
But after hearing Keir mention those “rumors,” combined with Lu Yi’s immediate refusal, he could only temporarily give up.
“Can you stand?”
Lu Yi nodded and used his shoulder for support, wobbling shakily back to her feet.
A large section of her chest was soaked from the tea, making the outline of her undergarments faintly visible.
Yalan immediately averted his gaze, his ears turning red.
“President, I’ll head home first. Thank you again…”
“Wait.”
Yalan grabbed her arm and removed his outer shirt jacket, handing it to her.
“You’re soaked. Change into this.”
Lu Yi blanked for a moment before quickly understanding.
Obediently, she accepted it and went to change.
Yalan left the Paranormal Association earlier than usual.
After finally stabilizing her condition, Lu Yi got off work exactly on time.
When she arrived at the parking platform downstairs, a young man was operating movers while handling a relocation.
A new resident…?
She sidestepped one mechanical arm after another.
At the very end of the moving queue, she suddenly realized—
This seemed to be her new neighbor…