Legend of the Heroes of Another World's Divine Tower

That evening.

"Lin Chi! Dinner's ready! What are you dawdling about for!"

Shangguan Qiluo pushed open the flimsy wooden door to Lin Chi's room with a bang, so loudly that the door slammed against the wall.

Lin Chi, who was inside the room, was clearly startled. He jumped up from his chair like a frightened rabbit, frantically grabbing a pile of messy things on the table and pulling them into his arms. His face turned pale, and he mumbled "ah" incoherently.

Shangguan Qiluo has sharp eyes. She raised an eyebrow and immediately put on a playful smile that said, "I've caught you." She crossed her arms and slowly swayed over.

"Oh my~" she drawled, bent down, and got close to Lin Chi's face, which was full of guilt.

"Look, look, what is our handsome young man doing in his room? So mysterious." She deliberately lowered her voice.

He spoke in an exaggerated tone, as if he had discovered some earth-shattering secret: "Could it be... that he's finally grown up? And started researching... some 'boy's' private interests?"

Lin Chi's face flushed red to the roots of his ears in an instant. Whether from embarrassment or anxiety, he stammered, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Seeing his expression, Shangguan Qiluo became even more excited. She deliberately cleared her throat, stood up straight, stretched out her palm, and put on a serious face, but her eyes were full of laughter.

"Alright, stop hiding. Did you get your clothes dirty? Take them out, and I'll 'clean' them for you, I promise I won't tell your mom."

She looks exactly like a wicked older sister who catches her younger brother doing bad things.

Lin Chi looked at her outstretched hand, then at the pile of "evidence" in his arms, and knew that he couldn't fool her today.

His little face scrunched up, and after struggling for a while, he finally gave up in a huff and said, "Fine! I'll tell you! But you have to promise! You can't tell my mom! Not a single word!"

"Oh, so you've even started negotiating terms?" Shangguan Qiluo raised an eyebrow, waiting with interest for him to continue.

Lin Chi took a deep breath. Even though it was just the two of them in the room, he looked around and then lowered his voice, quickly and with a hint of pride, poured out his ideas and principles about the "hallucinogenic grenade," as well as his plan to find an opportunity to conduct an "explosion range test" in the valley.

The more he spoke, the faster the mocking smile on Shangguan Qiluo's face disappeared, replaced by widening eyes and furrowed brows.

"What?! You—" Shangguan Qiluo's voice suddenly rose when she heard that he was going to conduct an on-site test, and her face instantly turned to shock and anger.

"Shh—!!!" Lin Chi reacted extremely quickly, pouncing like a little leopard, standing on tiptoe, and covering Shangguan Qiluo's mouth, silencing her scream.

He tilted his little face up, his eyes wide open, filled with tension and determination, and a touch of fierce cuteness that seemed to say, "If you dare to yell, I'll fight you."

"Don't tell! Pinky promise! You promised!" He covered Shangguan Qiluo's mouth tightly, his other hand stubbornly outstretched in front of her, his little finger bent into a hook. His tone was more serious than ever before, "Otherwise... otherwise you won't be leaving this room today!"

With his mouth covered, Shangguan Qiluo could only make "mmm" sounds. She was both annoyed and amused, looking at the little cat in front of her, who was as fluffy as a kitten, and his "threat" that was completely intimidating but unusually serious.

In the end, a hint of helplessness and... compromised smile couldn't help but slip through her wine-red peach blossom eyes. She reached out, and with a perfunctory gesture, and a hint of indulgence she herself didn't even realize, hooked her hand around that stubborn little finger.

"Pinky promise, never to change for a hundred years..." Lin Chi finally breathed a sigh of relief and let go of her hand, but still stared at her, quietly and earnestly reciting the vow.

As she recalled this, Shangguan Qiluo looked at the still chaotic front yard and the tightly closed gate. The emotions stirred up by the memory, a mixture of amusement and worry, became even stronger.

At this moment, she looked back at the gate of the mansion. The worst-case scenario had occurred. Lin Chi's mother, Lin Ruyan, had come downstairs and was looking at the gate with a worried expression.

The mess and unsightly scene left the elegant mother momentarily stunned, unsure of where to step.

The sweet, decadent scent that filled the air wafted towards her, causing her to turn her head slightly, cover her nose with her sleeve, cough softly twice, her brows furrowed, and a deep weariness flashed in her eyes.

She ultimately just leaned against the doorframe, without stepping into that filthy place.

His gaze passed over the sprawling bodies and the dim, flickering lamplight in the courtyard, and turned anxiously into the impenetrable darkness outside the gate, hoping for that small figure who had not yet returned.

Lin Ruyan, Lin Chi's mother.

Even in such dim and chaotic lighting, she still resembled a pearl covered in dust, seemingly radiating an undeniable soft light.

What is most striking are her slender, elf-like ears with slightly pointed tips, which gracefully peek out from her pale golden hair. These are not only a beautiful embellishment, but also a silent testament to her noble lineage.

Time seems to have been exceptionally kind to her, leaving few traces on her face. Her skin remains smooth and delicate, her features refined and gentle, and she exudes a mature charm that is both gentle and resilient, refined by the passage of time.

She skillfully tied her long, golden hair, which looked as if it were woven from sunlight, into a simple bun at the back of her head, with a few loose strands hanging softly beside her neck.

She wore a simple, unadorned emerald green robe, which accentuated her graceful figure and ethereal气质.

It stood out starkly against the backdrop of this swamp of desire and depravity, like a refreshing mountain breeze that had strayed into a filthy place.

However, upon closer inspection, one can discover the cracks beneath that perfect facade.

When she slightly raises her hand to cover her lips, or unconsciously clasps her hands together, she reveals a pair of hands that are completely out of place with her appearance and temperament.

For the immortal elves, this is an impossible phenomenon of aging, unless they are elves who have burned their life essence to show signs of aging.

The knuckles were not rough, but the palms and fingertips were covered with calluses of varying shades, some even showing a reddish tinge from excessive wear.

These calluses silently tell a story of hard work and burdens, not of pampered comfort, but of years of relentless toil and sacrifice—a tragic tale that contrasts sharply with her elegant appearance, accumulated over the long years.

"Sister Ruyan!"

Shangguan Qiluo had somehow made her way through the chaos and quietly arrived at the door.

She lowered her voice, her wine-red peach blossom eyes filled with disapproval and worry.

"Why did you come downstairs? This isn't a suitable place for you. I've been keeping an eye on things for you, and I'll let you know as soon as Lin Chi makes a move. You're already exhausted from studying those things every day; you look tired. Go back to your room and rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ruyan simply shook her head slightly.

Her gaze remained fixed intently on the all-consuming darkness outside the door, as if she could pierce through the thick fog and see countless possibilities that made her heart tremble.

Lin Chi slipped and fell off a cliff, was attacked by a terrifying being roaming at night, and was even harassed by increasingly unruly bandits along the way.

All sorts of ominous thoughts made her heart tighten. She couldn't help but close her eyes briefly, then slowly open them again, her eyes filled with even deeper worry.

"It's alright, Qiluo." She turned her face and gave Shangguan Qiluo a somewhat forced, gentle yet firm smile.

"You must be really tired dealing with all these people every day. Go back to your room and rest. I'll wait here until Chi'er comes back safely."

Looking into the unwavering determination in her emerald green eyes, Shangguan Qiluo knew she couldn't persuade her. She knew all too well the resilience beneath Ruyan's gentle exterior, especially when it came to Lin Chi.

She pursed her lips helplessly, her wine-red eyes glancing at the bandits in the courtyard who were gradually sinking back into their own fantasies, and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Then wait here, I'll go get you a chair. Standing like this is tiring." She said, turning around and quickly walking into the mansion, wanting to temporarily shut out the foul air and scene outside.