Yue's voice came out far quieter than she had intended—so soft that no one around her heard it—as though speaking any louder would make it real. Her question lingered in the air, unanswered, and that silence, more than anything, made her chest tighten. She shook her head once, then again, as if she wanted to erase the thoughts in her mind.
"You wouldn't, right? You couldn't…"
But doubt had already taken root.
And then—
It burned.
Her trembling stilled, not with calm, but with something far more dangerous. Her grip loosened just enough for the cracked cup to slip from her fingers as it hit the table. Her eyes, once clouded with worry, sharpened—filled with something raw.
Anger. Sharp, intense anger.
Her fingers curled into her palms, nails pressing into skin as if grounding herself.
"Just who are these so-called Rulers?"
Her gaze lifted, burning now with quiet, relentless resolve. A sharp breath escaped her, and this time, there was no hesitation.
