Chapter 95

Chapter 95: The Best Game Ever

On her way back, fate brought them face-to-face once more.  

“This is White Whale. Man in Black spotted in Sector A. Requesting backup.” This time, Yiwen resisted the urge to charge recklessly.  

She still couldn’t figure out why backup never arrived whenever she encountered the Man in Black. It was like playing a single-player game.  

Perhaps it had something to do with their battles always following the same bizarre script: Yiwen strikes first → Man in Black gets subdued → Man in Black counter attacks → Man in Black flees.  

Earlier that day, her brother had nearly blown her cover by calling her sis outright. Thankfully, she’d played it off as “He’s calling me a sissy!” and punched him into silence.  

Mi Xiaoliu wasn’t the type to dwell on details.  

But Yiwen was still fuming—especially now that she’d spotted her nemesis again…  

If she could, she’d love to catch that little brat, stuff her own panties into her mouth, and enact her diabolical revenge plan.  

“What a coincidence… The Little Demon King just left. Keep your eyes on her—don’t let her escape. Checking nearby backup.”  

“Copy.” Yiwen hovered high above, tracking the Man in Black’s every move.  

Maybe her white outfit was too conspicuous in the dark, because the girl soon noticed her.  

To Yiwen’s shock, the usually skittish brat charged straight at her with uncharacteristic confidence.  

Caught off guard, Yiwen instinctively reduced the impact—but still got knocked off balance.  

The force wasn’t enough to hurt, but it sent her spinning uncontrollably midair.  

This was bad. Really bad.  

The reason she’d never been assigned aerial combat missions? The moment she lost orientation, she’d spiral like a top with no way to recover.  

Her flight relied entirely on weightlessness and directional control—no fixed reference points to reorient herself.  

Yiwen: “[Expletive-laden tirade]!” 

Glancing at the flailing White Whale, Mi Xiaoliu left without a second thought.  

She owed Yiwen thanks.  

After all, Yiwen had just taught her the weakness of flight abilities.  

“Not all fliers have that weakness, though,” Sasha muttered, debating whether to point out that White Whale was obviously Yiwen.  

Back at Yiwen’s home, Mi Xiaoliu didn’t bother reviewing the stolen Easter files. Even if she had, she wouldn’t understand them.  

She shed her beginner combat suit, kicked off her shoes, and burrowed under the blankets—asleep in three seconds.  

Exhausted, physically and mentally.  

The next morning, Yiwen was in the living room, angrily pummeling a pillow with a crude drawing taped to it.  

[Image: Yiwen’s drawing of a stick-figure Man in Black (Girls in Black) with “>:( ” scribbled on its face.]  

Before that brat, she’d never doubted her abilities. Yet a middle-school girl kept humiliating her?!  

What was her deal? Why charge so confidently? To flaunt “I counter you now”? Ugh!  

The more Yiwen thought about it, the angrier she got, landing two more punches on the drawing.  

Raven glanced at her sulking daughter but didn’t intervene, heading to the bathroom instead.  

If Yiwen quit while she was ahead, all the better.  

Hand on the doorknob—  

“When are you coming back?” Mi Xiaoliu’s flat voice came from inside.  

On a call?  

Raven didn’t enter.  

Aside from that first line, only soft “Mmm”s followed until the call ended.  

Homesick?  

No—Mi Xiaoliu had simply reported the Black Element intel to Heli. Though displeased at her recklessness, Heli didn’t scold her harshly.  

Heli estimated one or two weeks, but delays were possible.  

Once the call ended, Raven opened the door.  

Mi Xiaoliu hadn’t locked it—likely just doing laundry. She lacked common sense, not intelligence. Instructions stuck.  

The washing machine hummed, while Mi Xiaoliu hand-washed her white underwear.  

“Xiaoliu, lock the door when doing laundry.”  

“Mmm.”  

If Toby or Yiwen walked in now, her secret would be out. Raven wouldn’t mind, but Heli would.  

The dryer made quick work of delicates—no awkward clothesline exposures.  

“Xiaoliu, come to my room later,” Raven said.  

Not for anything untoward.  

With no appointments today, she’d closed the practice. Not like anyone would notice.  

——————

Raven’s Room.  

Staring at the girl who wasted such a pretty face, Raven asked the eternal question:  

“Mi Xiaoliu, are you a boy or a girl?”  

A few seconds of deliberation. “Girl?”  

“Right.” Raven sighed.  

No progress at all. Despite dropping hints daily.  

Her observations so far:  

– Painfully shy. Socially awkward.  

– Same class as Yiwen despite the age gap. Got along well.  

– Watched Raven cook quietly, as if learning.  

– Startled by head pats unless approached from behind—possible past abuse.  

– The “watering plants with boiling water” incident confirmed her lack of common sense.  

But overall, a sweet girl who tugged at heartstrings.  

Raven’s included.  

“Xiaoliu, did anyone at home hurt you? Like a father, or father-figure…” She took Mi Xiaoliu’s hand.  

The last part meant stepfather.  

Mi Xiaoliu recalled Wei Shi’s feather-duster spankings.  

Sasha had once joked Wei Shi was like her dad after the sleeping-pill incident.  

“Mmm.”  

Raven’s heart clenched.  

“Did he hit your head?”  

Suspecting memory loss from trauma, she pressed further.  

Mi Xiaoliu remembered forehead flicks. “Mmm.”  

“Does… he still lives with you?” Raven stroked her hair gently.  

Mi Xiaoliu gave her a weird look and shook her head.  

Wei Shi never lived with me.  

Relieved, Raven dropped the idea of calling authorities.  

Why do angels on earth suffer so?  

Heli’s account hadn’t mentioned this. Pride, perhaps.  

As a flawed mother herself, Raven wouldn’t judge. But Heli’s secrecy complicated treatment.  

“I called your mom yesterday. Got permission to try hypnosis.” She lit a peculiar incense and masked up.  

She’d studied for days—even the fish-obsessed boy thought this case was groundbreaking when he caught her reviewing textbooks.  

The incense was soporific.  

“Try to stay awake. Focus on the clock’s hands. Ignore the swinging…”  

Five minutes later, Mi Xiaoliu snoozed peacefully on Raven’s lap.  

Hypnosis failed.  

Strange. Followed the book exactly.  

Would her old professor scold her for calling about Hypnosis 101?  

Removing Mi Xiaoliu’s slippers and pocketing her phone (To prevent discomfort), Raven tucked her into bed.  

What was meant to be a lengthy session ended in five minutes.  

A client called—back to work.  

Yiwen was already gone, likely off doing something dangerous. Raven couldn’t stop her. Can’t ground a bird.  

Toby was probably gaming. His teacher had called about slipping grades. Academic pressure’s no joke.  

Meanwhile——  

Toby stood on the balcony, phone buzzing with a friend urging them to pick up. After a pause, he knocked on Mi Xiaoliu’s door.  

No answer.  

Inside, only a wary red panda glared from the pillow.  

Weird. Didn’t see him leave.  

After searching, he found Mi Xiaoliu buried under blankets in Raven’s room.  

Mom treats him better than me. Even serves him first.  

And the constant “Be friends with him!” hints were annoying.  

Not waking him (her), he pocketed his (her) phone.  

No password—he’d noticed before.  

Borrowing, not stealing. He won’t mind.  

Back in the living room, he grinned.  

Holy shit. Durian 14. This guy’s loaded.  

His friends were obsessed with a new game—huge storage, demanding specs. His own phone was a hand-me-down junker.  

Opening the app store, he searched: 

“The Best Game Ever.”