Those words scratched Wenzhi’s senses deliciously, but he shoved his palm directly over Xinyuan’s lips and nose, forcing his head back. "Like I said. Distraction."

Xinyuan didn’t even fight it. The corners of his warm brown eyes crinkled with pure amusement, his ears turning a bright, telling crimson.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhaohe poked her head over the back of her seat. "You two are so cute," she sang, her tone dripping with teasing malice.

Wenzhi shot her a flat glare that screamed don’t start, though he completely failed to notice the way Xinyuan gently caught his wrist, peeled Wenzhi’s palm off his face, and pressed a kiss right into the center of his hand.

"Why are you poking your nose here, Zhaohe?" Xinyuan asked her, trying to redirect the attention.

Zhaohe shifted, leaning comfortably against the seatback as she tapped her tablet. "I’m compiling the full intelligence report on the Rift Bureau. Commander Fu Muhan is the linchpin. He holds the absolute loyalty of every single Guide and Esper in their ranks; they respect him blindly. And, they only have four active S-Class Espers on their roster. Which means they need our combat power far more than they need our funding."

Wenzhi’s grey eyes sharpened, immediately locking onto Zhaohe’s breakdown. "It’s good we already have his attention then."

Seeing how quickly Wenzhi had tuned him out, Xinyuan flashed Zhaohe a heavy frown. "We can discuss this when we arrive. Go. Away."

Zhaohe rolled her eyes. "Come on, Xinyuan. You had him all night; it’s my turn to have him. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be in mourning? He executed your sunshine of a big brother with those exact same hands you are kissing and cuddling."

The jab immediately launched the two of them into a rapid-fire, back-to-back bicker.

Wenzhi let out a slow sigh, closing his eyes and relaxing his back against the vibrating metal wall of the truck.

Despite the argument, Xinyuan didn’t let go, his fingers remaining tightly laced through Wenzhi’s hand.

Before Xinyuan and Zhaohe could declare a winner, the armored truck ground to a halt. Outside, the sprawling headquarters of the Rift Bureau loomed a high-security compound structured like a massive, fortified mini-villa.

The moment the armored truck doors hissed open, a small military detail fell into formation to escort them.

Wenzhi caught Ru Yi casting a lingering, heavy look in his direction before she fell back to stand near Kaiwen.

Wenzhi let out a quiet sigh, his mind already shifting gears into strict negotiation mode as they were led through the secure perimeter.

They moved through the compound, riding a high-security elevator deep into the upper levels until they were ushered into a sprawling conference room.

Waiting for them at the center of the room was Commander Fu Muhan, flanked by Hanmei, the green-haired Esper and three middle-aged officials.

Unlike the rigid, identical corporate suits favored by the CEA officials, these board members were dressed in distinctive, high-end practical attire that signaled independent authority.

Wenzhi kept his expression entirely blank as they approached the table.

Commander Fu Muhan rose to his feet, offering a measured smile. Hanmei remained seated beside him, her expression entirely deadpan.

"Welcome to the Rift Bureau," Fu Muhan greeted. "It is an honor to finally host you here, especially after the immense progress we’ve achieved through our collaborative efforts over the past few days."

"Thank you," Lin Wenzhi spoke first, his tone flat and professional.

The rest of the board exchanged polite nods as the Sovereign faction took their seats across the table.

Once the ambient noise settled, Fu Muhan opened the floor. "Thanks to the massive influx of funding your faction has provided, we have no major complaints regarding resource distribution."

Kaiwen leaned back, his expression smooth. "Well, that’s exactly why we are funding."

Commander Fu Muhan chuckled softly, acknowledging the bluntness. "Forgive me if I skipped the formalities. Let me introduce the room. This is the Board of Decisions for the Rift Bureau. We operate as a collective council; we have no singular head."

Wenzhi didn’t find that setup relaxing at all. A council without a singular throat to choke was a problem. He set his attention on Fu Muhan.

Before he could probe further, one of the older women on the council, Elder Suisui, cut through the pleasantries. She carried a heavy, authoritative air that demanded the room’s absolute attention.

"Let’s address the immediate threat," she stated coldly. "The rifts within the red zones are expanding, including the one that appeared in Sector Two. The corruption levels are spiked, and the zones are crawling with highly mutated monsters. The Bureau has already lost several high-ranking Espers attempting to contain the bleed, which makes us fiercely overprotective of our remaining Espers."

She leaned forward, her sharp eyes locking onto Wenzhi, then shifting to Xinyuan.

"We want to propose a total merge. The Rift Bureau and the Sovereign Faction. A complete unification of assets, data, and personnel. Our wins will be yours, your wins will be ours and we will absorb our losses together."

Wenzhi nodded slowly, his grey eyes calculating as he swept his gaze across Xinyuan, Zhaohe, Kaiwen, and Ru Yi. They all glanced back at him, entirely content to let him hold the reins.

Then, he leaned forward, elbows on the table, gaze steady. "We already finalized our arrangement back in Guanguan City. My faction provides you with resources, protection, and backing without stripping you of your independent rights. In return, we secure your loyalty. We made a deal, Councilors. But now, it seems you’re attempting to rewrite the narrative so it looks like a mutual evacuation effort that you authorized."

Hanmei frowned.

Wenzhi’s lips curled. "Let’s be clear. The Bureau was already under our umbrella the moment we talked about the evacuation deal. You don’t get to turn the compass around now."

Elder Suisui’s frown deepened, her eyes narrowing. "We are not rewriting or turning anything, Mr. Lin. We simply want to finalize the terms under a unified framework."

"We can finalize it without shifting the power dynamic," Wenzhi shot back instantly. "If I don’t establish this boundary right now, the entire concept of your loyalty to the Sovereign Faction becomes meaningless."

A slow, sharp smirk spread across Zhaohe’s face. Beside her, Kaiwen leaned back leisurely, shifting his chair with an air of complete amusement.

Ru Yi sat entirely still, her eyes locked onto Wenzhi, but Xinyuan cut her a curious glance that immediately forced her to look away.

"You stated that you would not strip us of our rights—" the second elder, Elder Yao, began.

"And authorities," Wenzhi cut in smoothly, finalizing the sentence for him.

Hanmei bristled at his attitude, her scowl deepening, but Elder Yao merely nodded, pressing on. "We do not trust that. Which is precisely why we initiated this invitation. Your faction is compromised of SS, SSS, and a literal Disaster-Class Esper. Shao Xinyuan, Jiang Zhaohe, and you yourself, Lin Wenzhi, are actively hunted by tier-one organizations like the CEA and the Old Blood faction. We are fully briefed on your security profiles. We do not trust that you won’t eventually strip our rights and authority to protect yourselves. We have maintained our independence for a reason; we are willing to align with powerful entities, but we do not blindly believe your assurances."

"Our faction leader is a Guide. Isn’t that enough of a safety net for you?" Ru Yi interjected, her voice tight.

"Well, yes. It is frankly shocking that a B-Rank Guide is acting as a faction leader," Elder Heng, another elderly councilman, spoke up, his tone dripping with condescension. "High-ranking Espers willingly letting a low-rank Guide dictate and speak on their behalf is... odd."

Wenzhi’s lips curled into a cold, humorless smile.

"Speak properly," Shao Xinyuan said softly. His voice was quiet, but it carried a suffocating weight that instantly dropped the temperature in the conference room. His brown eyes were completely serious. "He hasn’t degraded a single one of you, so the same standard of conduct applies to him. If you cannot manage basic respect, he can always walk away and dissolve the deal entirely."

The elders immediately shifted in their seats, trading tense glances, all except Elder Suisui, whose sharp gaze remained fixed squarely on Wenzhi.

"We apologize," Commander Fu Muhan stepped in quickly, clearing his throat. "But you must understand our position. We are independent because we guard our survival fiercely. We want this contract because the positive gains are undeniable, but it isn’t a crime to be careful, is it?"

Wenzhi tapped his fingers rhythmically against the table, his expression completely vacant. "You’re scared of Shao Xinyuan, aren’t you all?"

The entire Decision Board stiffened, the subtle shifts in their expressions exposing the exact reality Wenzhi had just targeted. They weren’t afraid of a merger; they were terrified of the nuclear weapon sitting directly across from them.

Wenzhi immediately relaxed against his chair, breathing out a slow, mocking puff of air. "Of course you are."