'I love rainy days. They are so dull and cold and... depressingly beautiful ♪♫'

Bing Shi mused, her thoughts drifting as she battled insomnia. In the midst of her restlessness, electricity became her train of thought.

A pity this world didn't manufacture more electric or hybrid cars, the demand was low, and people wouldn't change their old cars just because she said so. They were expensive, there was also the lack of charging stations, and the time-consuming recharging process. Well, it didn't matter; not everyone had access to such a vast amount of electricity like this base.

What Bing Shi meant was Yi Zen, the walking battery. Though the narrative had previously painted him as a destructive force, she pondered the potential of channeling his power into more constructive endeavors. Charging cars and her crane, for instance. 

'That would be superb.'

While she contemplated various applications, a jarring explosion echoed through the air, abruptly rousing the sleeping men within the tents. Armed with flashlights and weapons, they rushed outside to assess the situation.

Bing Shi put on her gas mask and cautiously peeked her head from the tent, "..."

The blinding white light enveloped her momentarily as the lightning struck the carefully positioned lightning rod, strategically installed at the highest point on the walls. The lightning was efficiently channeled downward through a metal wire, safely dissipating its potent current.

"What fūcking luck is this?" muttered one soldier, his sentence abruptly interrupted by a peal of thunder that rattled their ears, "Fūck my ears!"

The walls they were stationed in were among the tallest structures in the vicinity, making them prime targets for lightning strikes. Swearing under their breath, the soldiers stationed near the entrance watched as the sky momentarily transformed into an ethereal canvas illuminated by brilliant white flashes, before eventually retreating back into their tents.

Fortunately, thanks to Bing Shi's foresight in implementing the lightning protection system, it became evident that those walls might have been severely damaged had they been without such safeguards.

The commotion outside kept Ziek from falling asleep. His mind wandered to Bing Shi, and how they hadn't exchanged a single word in days. It felt as though she sensed his avoidance and reciprocated it by not initiating any conversation.

  The unique bond they shared, where he held knowledge of her secret, seemed to have faded into nonexistence.

During his moments of leisure, he found himself observing her from a distance. She interacted only when required, often creating a friendly environment before slipping away to the background and vanishing.

Her adeptness at evading company meant that nobody took notice, but it was evident that she spent most of her time in solitude. Dining, engaging in activities, and even going for walks or bike rides were all solo endeavors for her, just as she should be now.

Kuro quickly established itself as the base's pet, often seen accompanying soldiers, Yi Zen. Now, it followed Fu Lian around to be fed.

Ziek, however, felt a sense of uniqueness. He was the only one who knew about Kuro's ability to disappear and appear on the spot. It was like his grandma was playing a prank on everyone.

Amidst this, Fu Lian gained recognition as a remarkable cook. Her culinary talents earned her the admiration of the entire base, except for Ren Han, with whom she shared a bitter dislike. His teammates made fun of him, for always angering the Ice Queen.

  · · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

During the trial, the rain hammered the ground like a salvo of bullets. It carried away the groans of pain inside the tents.

Bing Shi sat on her bed, tears streaming down her face as sweat clung to her cheeks. She clenched her head, attempting to silence the tormenting voices inside her mind. Her body wasn't given any mercy either; as if uprooted from the base and subjected to the slashing fangs of a venomous serpent, its venom coursed through her insides like a burning fire.

Waiting for the right time, she crushed a pain-nullifying pill. With five minutes of respite, she made her move, dashing toward a tent where soldiers sought shelter. Entering, she scanned for signs of consciousness amidst the men, most with their eyes tightly shut.

In a bid to make her presence known, she called out, her voice piercing through the clamor, "Would you like me to capture a picture of you?"

"No!"

Satisfied with the response, she moved on to check other tents.

Yi Zen convinced Fu Lian to join him, and Bing Shi suppressed a giggle when she saw Fu Lian mimicking pain through Kuro's eyes.

Lastly, she visited Ziek's tent, "Hello? Hello?" With no answer, she entered cautiously, only to find Ziek awake, "..."

'Can someone tell me why is he awake?'

Ziek placed his gun on the bed calmly, meeting her gaze. 

Bing Shi studied him curiously, noting the reddish hue on his face and the veins bulging on his forehead, "You are not hurting?"

"I've faced worse," he replied nonchalantly. If an average person could survive, so could he.

"Have you endured torture before?" she asked, her curiosity got the better of her.

Ziek paused for a moment, a smirk forming as he considered her avoidance of being alone with men. "To some extent," he admitted. After all, it wasn't completely untrue.

"Then... enjoy the 'torture'; this should be the last one," she waved playfully, ready to move on, "Bye-bye."

Left alone, Ziek reclined on his bed, chuckling softly. It had been a while since he had a conversation with grandma.

Bing Shi returned to her own tent, ready to continue enduring the trial. In the eyes of others, Kuro was her source of strength. Unbeknownst to her, she was about to face a level of pain that far surpassed what others had experienced.

'~You're lucky...To be able to survive.'

'So what?'

'It still hurts like hell!'

While grappling with the overwhelming pain, Bing Shi repeated to herself.

'~Think of something nice.'

'I can't even think!'

'~Then ignore the pain.'

'AAAAAARRRRRGH! FOR THE SAKE OF SUPERPOWERS! ENDURE!'

╔═════Mini Theater══════╗

° A reporter asked the pair sitting before her, "How did you court Bing Shi? Or was it Bing Shi who courted you?"

° Bing Shi hid her giggle behind her palm.

° Xuan Mu responded with a soft chuckle, "That's classified information."

° The reporter persisted, "Could you share a small hint, maybe?"

° Bing Shi poked Xuan Mu's shoulder, "Can I answer, please?"

° Xuan Mu caught hold of Bing Shi's playful finger, a sigh escaping his lips, "Courting Bing Shi is impossible. If she didn't make the first move, we would be friends until now."

° Gazing upwards at the ceiling before meeting her gaze, he released her finger, a wistful sigh trailing behind his lips again, "My tip would be... embrace her terms until she deems you worthy."

° Bing Shi looked at him in disbelief, "Stop victimizing yourself. The truth is, we didn't believe in love and decided to be forever alone and die as virgins. I didn't believe him, and he certainly doubted me. To settle it, we had a little wager. Whoever gets a lover first, is a hippo."

° "...Mm..." Xuan Mu let out a theatrical sigh, a hint of tragedy in his voice, "And now, I have this hippo, slash jellyfish, slash monkey, slash sloth girlfriend."

° Bing Shi's nod was filled with unabashed pride, a gleeful witness to her own accomplishment.

° Witnessing the joy radiating from Bing Shi's face, Xuan Mu's façade of sorrow faltered, and his heart melted in response. 'How about I hook you by the waist, bend you over, and kiss you hard before the reporter?' He blinked at Bing Shi, trying to pass her the message.

blink

blink

blink

° Bing Shi's grin widened as she shook her head, "The bet was like a restraint to keep us from seeking out romantic partners. It was like a psychological war with no expectations, no courting, and no happy endings. We were waiting every day for a whole year... for the other to throw in the towel and give up.."

° The reporter's thoughts churned, "It sounds surreal for two teenagers to be so...mature and childish at the same time."

° Xuan Mu's lips curled up, "That's because we had our doubts, even though we both had feelings for each other. But when Bing Shi finally asked me if I liked her more than a friend, my mind just went hallelujah. I told myself, let her screw me over, I don't care anymore."

° Bing Shi nodded in agreement, "I felt the same way. When we entered this relationship, I was almost certain we'd break up within a year, especially considering the challenges of a long-distance relationship. We had our fair share of arguments, but surprisingly, they helped us open up and become even closer."

° "...Well..." the reporter cleared her throat, "In summary, you both courted each other by just having fun together?"

° "You could say so," Xuan Mu answered. He then turned to Bing Shi, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Speaking of which, we're due for another round of our little game, aren't we?"  He stood up, reaching out his hand toward Bing Shi when the three-minute interview was over. 

° Bing Shi took his hand with a playful smile after she bid her farewell to the reporter.

°  With that, the two of them left the reporter behind, their silhouettes fading into the distance as they headed off.

° "You know, being seen as your girlfriend still feels a bit weird," remarked Bing Shi.

° Back then, trying to convince people that they were just friends was like herding cats – people always wanted to play matchmaker. Depending on the situation, Xuan Mu would magically transform into her sibling. And if they were feeling particularly mischievous, he'd even pull off a stunt as her son.

° Bing Shi grinned playfully, her fingers fiddling with a strand of her hair as she spoke, "Those times were so fun. Let's try it again sometimes."

° Xuan Mu's lips curled mischievously, "Sure thing, but this time, I'm claiming the title of daddy."

° Bing Shi's expression turned sour, "No way. Absolutely not."

° Arching an eyebrow, Xuan Mu's voice was laden with  sudden seriousness, "Bing Shi, I recall someone who wanted to be my little girl."

° Bing Shi cringed, "Yeah, until you introduced me to that whole... fetish thing."

° Xuan Mu leaned in with a twinkle in his eye, "I think it would be fun."

° "Really?" Bing Shi imagined a conversation in her mind. Every time she called Xuan Mu daddy, her father would replace his spot, "Eww...oh my goodness...eeewwww."

° Xuan Mu's laughter filled the air, his eyes warm as he gazed at the girl who had completely captured his heart. He was not merely 'in love,' he was wholesomely smitten. Bing Shi truly screwed him over.

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