Lu Ming pressed against Ari's pendant so hard the thin chain nearly snapped, his dark eyes burning with lethal coldness. This wasn't the "Beast" in need of protection; it was the ruthless "Master" who showed no mercy to traitors.
"Speak!" he roared in a low voice that shook the car's frame. "Were you just a spy from the 'Lee' family? Was all of this—the frightened looks, your words—just a performance to get to my blood? Are you the 'poison' your family planted in my body years ago?"
(Ari internally, tears burning her eyes: The Lee family? Poison? My God, the words hurt more than the Hunter's bullets! Look at him.. he thinks I'm part of a grand conspiracy. Damn the Lee family, and damn Lab 109! I don't even know who my family is; I'm just a girl who grew up in a miserable orphanage! Damn all organizations, and damn my heart for making me sneak onto that cursed ship!)
Ari couldn't stand his cruelty any longer; she broke down, sobbing as she shouted at him: "I don't know who the Lee family is! I grew up in an orphanage... I spent my life studying at university like any normal girl until I discovered this strange power in my hands. I sneaked onto your ship because I love adventure, and I stayed by your side because I... I couldn't leave!"
"Why didn't you leave?" he asked in a low whisper.
"Because I loved you!" Ari cried out, covering her face with her trembling hands. "I loved the Beast everyone fears! Is that my crime? And on top of that, you think I'm your enemy!"
Lu Ming's body froze completely at the word "Love." His grip on her pendant loosened, and the coldness in his eyes retreated, replaced by a profound confusion invading his golden gaze.
(Ari internally, sobbing: Yes, I said it! At the worst possible time, in the middle of a military siege! Look at his shocked face.. will he kick me out now? Or do something worse?)
A long silence followed. Lu Ming slowly reached out and wiped a single tear that had fallen on her cheek. He spoke bitterly, his voice devoid of anger but filled with pain: "If you are telling the truth.. then you are in more danger than you can imagine. The 'Lee' family isn't just a name; they are the 'Monster Makers.' And your pendant isn't just a memory from your family.. it's the key to my destruction that the Organization is hunting for."
(Ari internally, looking at his hand: His hand.. it's no longer cold. Was it my father who did this to him? My God, how could they do such a thing?)
Suddenly, Fang knocked on the window urgently, his face unusually pale: "Master.. the Silent Hunter wasn't alone. There are military helicopters belonging to 'The Organization' approaching.. and they are firing thermal missiles!"
Lu Ming said sternly, tightening Ari's seatbelt: "Hold on tight. We will finish this talk later."