Aric and Li Hua stepped out of the inn, the early morning sunlight casting a golden glow upon the lively streets of Survivor's Sanctuary. The city was a hive of activity, with merchants setting up their wares and eager customers haggling for the best prices. Aric's emerald eyes scanned his surroundings, taking in every detail with the keen perception of a mage.
As they wandered through the bustling marketplace, Li Hua paused to admire a stall displaying an array of intricate talismans. Her delicate finger pointed at one in particular, a silver pendant shaped like a phoenix. Aric noticed that as she did so, the pendant seemed to shimmer momentarily, the gleaming metal catching the light in an unnatural way. He furrowed his brow but said nothing, deciding to observe further before commenting on the oddity.
They continued their stroll, arriving at a clothing vendor with a variety of garments hanging from wooden racks. Li Hua reached out to touch a silk shawl, the vibrant blue fabric contrasting beautifully against her pale skin. Once again, Aric witnessed the object subtly flicker, its lustrous surface shimmering for just a moment as if imbued with some unseen power. His suspicions grew, but he remained silent, mulling over his thoughts as they moved on.
The pair approached a fruit stand laden with colorful produce, each piece appearing more succulent than the last. Li Hua's eyes lit up as she pointed to a plump, juicy mango. Predictably, the fruit seemed to vibrate ever so slightly, a faint aura surrounding it for a brief instant. Aric's curiosity intensified, though he found himself unable to voice his concerns just yet.
Suddenly, he senses a small stall selling candy a couple of streets across.
"Li Hua, would you like to try some candy?" Aric inquired, motioning toward a nearby stall laden with glass jars filled to the brim with tempting sweets. A sly plan formulated in his mind, a test of sorts to confirm his suspicions. Li Hua nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
As they approached the candy stall, Aric suddenly veered towards a large crowd gathered around a street performer. He wove through the throng of people, confident that he had momentarily lost Li Hua in the chaos as he reached the candy shop on his own.
Turning back, he inconspicuously watched Li Hua from a distance, observing her through his enhanced mage's perception.
To his surprise, Li Hua effortlessly navigated the bustling crowd and rejoined him at the stall, despite the fact that he was sure she could not have seen him. Her ability to locate him so easily only served to heighten Aric's suspicion, though he refrained from addressing the matter just yet.
Instead, he focused on the task at hand, selecting an assortment of candies for them to enjoy as they continued their exploration of Survivor's Sanctuary.
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Aric and Li Hua soon found themselves entering a cozy restaurant nestled among the busy streets of Survivor's Sanctuary
As they waited for the food, Aric finally broached the subject, "Li Hua, can I ask you something?"
"Of course," she said, eyes filled with curiosity.
"Have you ever sensed things that others can't? Things that you can't quite explain?"
Li Hua hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting away from Aric as if searching for an answer within the confines of the restaurant. "Well," she admitted softly, "I have always had a weak ability to sense certain things, like a strange energy that lingers in the air. It has always been vague and difficult to explain, so I don't talk about it much."
Aric felt his pulse quicken. "Energy, you say? Could it be...mana?"
She shrugged. "I wouldn't know how to name it. All I know is that I feel something most people can't."
"Do you remember when you first started feeling this... energy?"
"I think I was very young," Li Hua mused. "Probably around the age of five or six. It was so subtle, more like a whisper of something beyond my understanding"
Aric mulled over Li Hua's confession. Her admission only served to deepen his doubts, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her ability than she let on.
Because in all the previous oddities, the objects she pointed at got slightly imbued by mana!!
If anyone could have heightened senses after taking perception-enhancing injections, how was this girl able to imbue things with mana? Sensing it was one thing, but manipulating it was another, and infusing it with other objects was perhaps the most complex of them all.
As the food arrived, Aric decided to let the matter be for now but made a mental note in his mid to do some tests later.
After all, an enchanter was no joke!! They had the best mana sense and control, going as far as completely imbuing the objects with mana.
A normal magician could only forcefully use mana to manipulate objects. It took a lot of effort, and a magician wouldn't be able to control more than 1-2 large objects.
But an enchanter could simply imbue objects with mana, which was much better than forcing the object to move with mana.
They could even manipulate more than 20 objects with ease!!
"Did you ever talk to anyone about it?" Aric asked
"I did talk to her, but she just brushed it off. Said it was probably my imagination."
"What about your Dad? Did you tell him too?"
Aric that that Li Shan, being an enforcer enforcer, might have recognized Li Hua's talent
"Master Aric, please don't call that bastard as my father. He has no relationship with me."
"And no, I did not tell him anything. I hardly ever remember speaking with him. Mostly it was him scolding me and beating my mother" Li Hua's mood visibly worsened
"What is wrong, Master Aric? Why do you keep asking about this ?"
"Did I do something wrong?" Li Hua started asking with teary eyes.
"Ahh... no no. It is nothing," Aric's mind raced as he tried to think of ways to appease this young girl.
"say, Li Hua, how about we get some more candys?"
"Yay. I loved the candies Master Aric, could we take some for Mom as well?"
Li Hua was clearly easy to appease
"Sure, why not" Aric nodded, pushing his newfound theories to the back of his mind. He decided to take things slow, one step at a time.
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Li Fei sat in a dimly lit corner of the inn, her eyes lingering on the worn wooden table in front of her. Her fingers traced the contours of a cup, lost in thought. The door creaked open, and Su Jing entered. She took a seat across from Li Fei, her piercing blue eyes meeting Li Fei's intense gaze.
Su Jing took a deep breath. "We need to talk."
Li Fei lifted an eyebrow, a silent invitation for Su Jing to continue.
"What are your intentions going forward?" Su Jing asked, her voice laced with cautious curiosity.
Li Fei sighed, looking into her cup as if searching for answers. "I haven't thought that far ahead. But for now, I wish to stay with Aric. He's shown us kindness, a rare quality these days."
Su Jing's eyes narrowed. "You're a strong woman, Li Fei. Your looks and demeanor can easily sway others. Don't get too close to Aric."
Li Fei chuckled, a soft sound that filled the space between them. "Is that a warning, or are you staking your claim?"
Su Jing hesitated. Her eyes, always so guarded, flickered with a momentary vulnerability. "I'm not claiming anything. But I've been with him since the start. We've faced life and death together. That counts for something."
Li Fei met her gaze, her eyes twinkling as if hiding a secret. "And what exactly is your relationship with Aric?"
Su Jing clenched her fist, choosing her words carefully. "We're companions. Survivors. Nothing more."
With a crafty smile, Li Fei leaned back, her eyes shimmering with cunning. "Ah, companions. The term is so versatile, don't you think? Companions in a fight, companions in life, or perhaps, companions in bed?"
Su Jing's cheeks flushed, but she held Li Fei's gaze. "That's none of your concern."
Li Fei tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. "Well, if you aren't claiming anything, then I guess everything is fair in love and war."
A palpable tension filled the room, but Su Jing swallowed hard and nodded. "Indeed it is, but remember this—Aric is not a prize to be won. He has a mission, and anyone who distracts him from that endangers all of us."
Li Fei took in Su Jing's stern expression and nodded, her own face turning solemn. "Understood. But the heart wants what it wants, Su Jing. You can't control everything."
The two women locked eyes, each weighing the other, their unspoken thoughts creating a complex tapestry of rivalry, understanding, and shared challenges.
"Indeed," Su Jing finally said, standing up, "you can't control everything. But you can control yourself, Li Fei. Remember that."
With that, Su Jing turned and walked away, leaving Li Fei alone with her thoughts.
Soon, Aric and Li Hua returned to the