Part 1: The Hound’s Intervention**
The oppressive darkness of Illiya’s **Abyssal Genesis** dissipated like smoke in the wind as a familiar voice cut through the night.
*"Enough, Illiya."*
She turned, her crimson lips curling into a smirk as moonlight cascaded over the figure standing behind her. **Sutton**, cd in an immacute bck suit embroidered with consteltions—each thread a captured star—looked every bit the celestial enforcer he was. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the dark, a silent warning.
*"Long time no see, Sutton!"* Illiya chirped, though her fingers twitched with restrained energy.
Sutton exhaled a plume of smoke before crushing the cigarette beneath his polished leather shoe. *"I’ve been negligent. I didn’t realize you’d slipped into this domain."*
Illiya waved a dismissive hand. *"Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself~ For a mere watchdog, you’ve done well keeping up with Venos HQ’s demands."*
A low growl rumbled in Sutton’s throat, his canines fshing. *"Disappear. Now. Or I’ll seal you myself. *Woof.*"*
Illiya rolled her eyes but took a step back, her body already dissolving into the shadows. *"Fine, fine. No need to be so dramatic. You’re just like Guann—always so serious."* Her voice trailed off as she vanished, leaving behind only a whisper: *"We’ll meet again soon, Qin Hong~"*
Sutton sighed, retrieving a silk handkerchief to dab at the saliva dripping from his jaws—a side effect of his transformation. He approached Qin Hong, who y sprawled on the grass, his body still trembling from the aftermath of his **Absolute Domain’s** colpse.
From his breast pocket, Sutton produced a small crystal vial filled with cerulean liquid. With a flick of his wrist, he uncorked it and poured the contents over Qin Hong’s head.
The effect was immediate. Qin Hong gasped as warmth flooded his veins, his muscles twitching back to life. He pushed himself up on shaky arms, his expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration.
*"You’ve got two months left on this isnd,"* Sutton said, lighting another cigarette. *"Once you leave, you’ll be thrown into missions just like Guann. Every one of them will be life or death. If you don’t want to die young—train harder."*
As Sutton turned to leave, Qin Hong’s voice stopped him.
*"Why did the **Spatial Heart** choose me?"*
The question hung in the air, heavy with desperation. For a moment, Sutton saw not Qin Hong, but a younger Guann standing before him—asking the same question with the same burning eyes.
*"You’re asking a dog for philosophy?"* Sutton exhaled smoke, shaking his head. *"But since you asked… Boros once said: ‘The Fruit always tches onto human suffering—guilt, regret, despair. Pain gathers like storm clouds before the longest night. And only those who endure it awaken.’"*
Qin Hong’s grip tightened on the grass. He understood now. The **Spatial Heart** had chosen him because of his **habit of running away**.
As he stood, summoning a spatial rift to return to his cabin, Sutton called out one st warning:
*"Guann says to stop hunting the isnd’s wildlife."*
Qin Hong froze, then chuckled sheepishly. *So he knew.*
---
### **Part 2: The Thief’s Gamble**
**9:00 AM – Venos City, District 33 – Enforcement Bureau**
Haruko leaned forward in her chair, fingers steepled beneath her chin. The door burst open, and a young officer—**Yi Wanwan**—stumbled in, panting.
*"Captain! We’ve got a match!"*
Haruko snatched the report, her eyes locking onto the name:
**"Xue Wen."**
Yi Wanwan recited the details: *"28 years old. Lives on Wenshang Avenue, Building 5. Studied electronic engineering. Works as a tech consultant. His mother is hospitalized with cancer."*
Haruko smmed the file onto the table. *"Bring him in."*
---
**Central Hospital – Inpatient Ward**
Xue Wen—**Ah Wen**—gently wiped his mother’s feet, his movements slow, deliberate. When two uniformed officers appeared at the door, he didn’t flinch.
*"Mom, work’s busy today. I’ll come back tomorrow, okay?"*
She nodded weakly, murmuring about him taking care of himself.
As Ah Wen stepped into the hallway, the officers cmped **restraint cuffs** around his wrists—bck bands that suppressed any unauthorized energy manipution.
*"Try anything funny, and these will fry your nerves,"* one warned.
Ah Wen smirked. *"I know how they work. I sell them."*
The officer blinked, unnerved by his calm.
As the enforcement vehicle ascended, Ah Wen stared out the window, his gaze lingering on his mother’s room.
---
### **Part 3: Reunion and Revetion**
**The Isnd – Qin Hong’s Cabin**
The door burst open.
*"QIN HONG!"*
Xiao Yu stormed in, only to find him sprawled across the bed, snoring. His hair had grown wild, his body now yered with scars.
She reached out—
*"Let the poor boy sleep,"* a voice chimed from a nearby **painting**. The portrait of **Madame Fatty** winked, her little dog yapping in agreement.
Qin Hong stirred, squinting at Xiao Yu. *"You’ve… grown."*
*"IT’S ONLY BEEN A MONTH!"* She tackled him, fists flying. *"DID YOUR HAIR SUCK OUT YOUR BRAIN?!"*
Madame Fatty sipped tea, amused, while the butler peeked from the frame’s corner.
After the chaos settled, Xiao Yu crossed her arms. *"Guann wants to see you. But first—"* She gestured at his mane.
The butler arrived with golden shears, silver spray, and a velvet cloth. As he trimmed, Qin Hong mused:
*"Making one day feel like a year is easy. Making a year feel like one day… that’s the hard part."*
Xiao Yu blinked. *"…Should I take you to a neurologist?"*
---
### **Part 4: The Trap is Set**
**Guann’s Office**
Qin Hong sat across from his mentor, who slid a **bck leather bag** toward him.
Inside—stacks of violet bills.
*"A year’s sary,"* Guann said. *"Don’t spend it all on nonsense."*
Qin Hong grinned—until Guann’s next words froze him.
*"Tonight, you’re baiting Xue Wen."*
A file flipped open.
*"You’ll drive the **Silver F300S** to Wenshang Avenue. Lure him out."*
Qin Hong’s fingers tightened on the bag. *"And then?"*
Guann’s eyes darkened.
*"Then we see if he’s just a thief… or something more."*
