Bai Heng's eyes hardened again. The earlier shock and hurt were shoved down by sheer will, replaced by something sharper—duty.
Whatever Wei Qing's reasons were, whatever he'd come back for, it didn't change what they were now.
She stared him down, waiting for his answer.
Seeing her look like she was facing an abyss, Wei Qing suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
"I'll pick the third option."
"Third?" Bai Heng frowned, tightening her grip on the cup, her posture snapping taut again.
"Mm." Wei Qing stood. "I'm going back to sleep."
"Tomorrow I'm taking A-Xing to try that new Mo-Mo roll in Aurum Alley. Supposedly it's amazing—can't miss it."
He spoke like he was genuinely just some tourist obsessed with food, and he turned to leave.
"Stop!" Bai Heng shot up, voice turning cold and harsh. "You think the Luofu is a place you can come and go whenever you want, Qingzhou?!"
Wei Qing halted, but didn't turn around.
"Bai Heng, I'm stronger than I was back then."
"Much stronger." His tone was flat—no threat, just a statement of fact.
"I don't know what traps the Luofu set up, but you can't stop me."
Even if multiple generals gathered, he wasn't afraid. Even if the Marshal personally moved, it wouldn't change much.
And the Alliance's structure didn't allow for "everyone shows up at once" anyway.
"As for killing you…" Wei Qing finally glanced back, his eyes sliding over her stiff expression. "I didn't come all this way to kill an old friend."
Bai Heng bit her lip. Her thoughts were a violent mess.
She knew he was telling the truth. If he wanted, she wouldn't even get the chance to raise an alarm.
But what she wanted wasn't a fight.
She wanted… something. Even she wasn't sure what.
"Then what do you want?" Her voice sounded tired despite herself.
"I told you. I came back to look around." Wei Qing turned fully now.
"And to check out the gift you prepared for me."
He meant the Stellaron.
"Relax. I won't touch it—at least not proactively." His smile sharpened with that familiar, punchable ease. "But if you insist on handing it to me…"
"Well. I can't exactly refuse, right?"
Bai Heng's teeth ground together. She wanted to strangle him. She couldn't.
"All right. It's late." Wei Qing waved casually, like they were parting after drinks like old times.
Then his voice softened—just slightly.
"Bai Heng."
"Let tonight be a small secret between us. What do you say?"
"Don't tell anyone about me."
"Just… call it an old friend dropping by. Something not meant for outsiders."
Bai Heng froze.
Logic screamed at her to refuse. To report immediately. To do the right thing.
But the moment she met that gaze—and heard him speak her name like that—the refusal jammed in her throat, stuck behind something raw and stupid and familiar.
Excuses rushed in before she could stop them.
It's just one night.
I can confirm his intentions first.
If he wanted to do harm, he'd already have done it.
I can still report later…
And then—before she could force an answer—he added, as if it were nothing:
"Get some sleep too. Staying up late is murder on your looks."
"Even with your good base, you can't keep burning it like that."
He left.
Just like that.
Only Bai Heng remained, standing in the night wind, heart tangled and mind roaring.
She stared down at the cup he'd used. There was still a little liquor left inside.
"…Bastard," she muttered.
What the hell was she doing? Letting him walk away?
Was he really just here to watch the show?
Bai Heng shook her head hard, trying to fling the chaos away.
No matter why he came back—publicly and privately—she had to report this.
Her hand went to her jade communicator. She called the one person still awake at the general's residence.
The line connected quickly. A young man's voice came through, faintly lazy, with the soft rustle of paperwork in the background.
"Hello? Bai Heng? It's late—did those siblings cause trouble again? Or did you mess something up and need me to bail you out?"
Jing Yuan sounded amused, like this kind of call was routine.
Bai Heng opened her mouth.
She was going to say it.
Wei Qing is back.
But the words wouldn't come out.
Not one syllable.
Her throat felt dry, like it had turned to sand.
The paper-rustling on Jing Yuan's end stopped.
He'd noticed.
A few seconds passed, then his voice came again—careful now.
"Bai Heng?"
Bai Heng's grip tightened on the communicator, and what finally came out was—
"…Haha, Jing Yuan, did you eat yet?"
The silence on both ends turned… unnatural.
Bai Heng wanted to bite her tongue off.
After a beat, Jing Yuan's voice returned, clearly thrown, clearly suspicious.
"…Bai Heng. Are you okay?"
Then the humor vanished entirely.
"What happened? Are those siblings a problem? Are you in danger?"
"No! No!" Bai Heng denied too fast, too loud, instantly sounding guilty.
"They're… they're fine! I just— I'm hungry, okay? I was asking if you want a late-night snack. Yeah! A snack!"
The excuse was so awful it physically hurt.
Jing Yuan went quiet again. When he spoke, it was gentle—but edged with steel.
"You're not acting normal."
"Where are you? I'm coming."
"Don't!" Bai Heng nearly shrieked.
Realizing she'd overreacted, she forced her voice down and tried to laugh.
"Haha… I'm fine, Jing Yuanyuan."
"I probably just stayed up too late and got stupid. Ignore me, keep working, keep working—don't let me distract you!"
She cut the call before he could answer—like the communicator itself was burning her hand.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 138)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter160)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter98)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter175)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 163
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 150
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 100
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 170
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 145
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 125
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 69
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 90
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 100
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 70
Uma Musume: I Want All 90
I Can Copy Unique Skills 65
Summoning an Evil God, but the 52
Supernatural Multiverse 65
My Harem Is Indescribable 55
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 55
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 55
Still playing traditional Honk 35
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 35
What Should I Do After Switchi 24
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 35
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 27
Transmigrated as Sukuna 27
Checking In in Demon Slayer 32
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