Unfortunately, in the misty dream realm, I couldn't see No. 2's true appearance. I could only describe her behavior, mannerisms, and a rough estimate of her height and build. Even so, Alice was starting to believe my words more and more.

  After all, Alice had never told me any details about No. 2 before—just that she was a ten-year-old girl. Whether No. 2 was introverted or outgoing, whether her speech was polite and reserved or casual and carefree, and whether their relationship was distant or warm—these were all unknowns to an outsider. Getting even one wrong would expose me immediately.

  Moreover, even knowing she was ten years old, kids at that age vary wildly in height and build, yet I could describe her vividly. That counted as proof in itself.

  Still, there were parts I couldn't explain—like why I had interacted with No. 2 but couldn't describe her actual looks. Explaining that would involve the misty dream realm, which was tied to the divine seal fragments. I couldn't think of a good excuse to clarify it to Alice with Zhu Shi listening in.

  Though I felt bad for No. 2, to boost my credibility further, I added a piece of evidence tactfully: "Alice, there's one more thing... Sometimes you might think your friend is asleep, but she's actually still awake."

  No. 2 had mentioned that Alice would sometimes cry secretly when she thought No. 2 was sleeping.

  This was a secret no outsider should know.

  Zhu Shi looked utterly confused, and Alice seemed puzzled at first too, not grasping what I meant. But she quickly caught on, freezing in place as if struck by lightning.

  After a moment, she said with difficulty, "You... really saw her?"

  "Absolutely," I replied.

  "Where is she?" She grabbed my shoulders in excitement. "Did she cross over to this era like me, and did you pick her up too? Is she okay? Is she hurt? I... I thought she must be dead, that I'd never see her again..."

  "Calm down," I soothed her. "I'll tell you everything about how I met her later, but not right now."

  "Why not now..."

  She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing someone else was standing nearby.

  I figured she got my hint—that the rest wasn't suitable for others to hear. She forced herself to hold back, clamping her mouth shut, but she couldn't help staring at me with pleading eyes.

  No. 2 had said Alice treated her really well, and that wasn't just talk. Alice truly valued her friend deeply.

  At this point, I felt certain—Alice wouldn't just up and leave my side anytime soon.

  My biggest worry before wasn't failing to find a reason to keep her around, but her losing patience and suddenly teleporting away before I could finish. That would leave me high and dry, no matter how eloquent I was.

  But words alone weren't enough. No matter how much I'd said, without solid evidence, Alice would still harbor doubts deep down. For now, this was sufficient. I didn't expect her to fully believe me at this stage; as long as she thought it was possible I was telling the truth, that was enough.

  Out of nowhere, Zhu Shi said, "Z, can we talk alone for a bit?"

  "Should I leave first?" Alice asked.

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  "No, we'll just step aside," Zhu Shi shook her head.

  She pulled me about a dozen meters away, then traced her finger in the air a few times. It must have been some demon hunter spell, creating an invisible barrier around us. Sounds from outside vanished, and our voices probably couldn't escape either. I had a feeling about what she wanted to discuss, and it weighed heavily on me.

  "Senior Brother Zhuang..." She eyed me dangerously. "Aren't you going to explain?"

  I'd hastily prepared a script, but now that the moment was here, my stomach churned. I wouldn't feel this pressured over other things, but this was different—I was in the wrong. Not just for the lies coming out, but for the GPS bracelet too. And the one I'd deceived wasn't an enemy or stranger, but one of my own.

  Despite all the lies I'd spun lately, acting like a seasoned con artist, I'd never lied this much before. I'd always seen myself as straightforward. People dismissed my interest in urban legends as childish, but I never bothered sugarcoating myself—just did my thing. Getting confronted by a friend over lies and shady deeds was a first for me.

  "There are reasons for all this..."

  "What reasons?" she pressed.

  "First, I hid Alice from you not because I don't trust you, but because I don't trust Luo Shan." I racked my brain for the right words. "At the start, I didn't know Luo Shan had different factions. I just knew it was an organization hunting Alice through shady means, and you were part of it, so I couldn't tell you straight up."

  Since Zhu Shi could detect lies, I stuck to the truth as much as possible.

  Strictly speaking, that wasn't the only reason. As I laid it out, I examined my own heart.

  Sure, on the surface, Alice was a criminal who'd infiltrated the police to steal guns and ammo, and to some in Luo Shan, she was a prize to grab by any means. So I had reasons to keep it secret. But personally, I also wanted to keep her to myself. Driven by that possessiveness, even without secrecy needs, I wouldn't have told anyone about her existence.

  "I get that—I figured it out myself," Zhu Shi said with a subtle tone. "What I want to ask about is something else. After all, my job sometimes involves fighting humans, so I have a basic grasp of tools. Not just magical ones, but tech too.

  "So some things, even if others might not recognize them right away, I spot instantly... You know what I'm talking about, right?"

  "Sort of..." I said.

  "So, what's the deal with that GPS bracelet?" she asked. "The girl said you gave it to her as a gift, and she seems unaware of its real function—she even looked pretty happy about it..."

  She paused, seeming hesitant, but continued: "And, though she's still young and developing, her face is incredibly cute. I see stuff online about so-called lolicon types who like that, making creepy comments about girls that age, talking about peeping, stalking, confining them...

  "Just to confirm, Senior Brother Zhuang, you're not interested in her that way, right? That's not why you gave her the GPS bracelet?"

  "Absolutely not!" I straightened up and declared. "How could I stoop to peeping, stalking, or confining someone for such a sleazy reason? I get why you'd think that, but I swear, that's not why I gave her the bracelet."

  "Really?" she doubted.

  "I know you can spot lies—why would I knowingly lie to you again?" As I spoke, I pulled out the black rope heart-locking ring. "If you still don't believe me, put this on, grab my heart, and I'll swear it again..."

  "Okay, okay, I get it! I believe you!" She quickly stopped me, then couldn't help teasing. "And seriously, pulling out a ring out of nowhere and talking about 'grabbing hearts' and 'swearing'? Is that appropriate right now?"

  "Good that you believe me." I put the ring away.

  "But don't think that sidetracks the topic! If it's not for that reason, then why give her the GPS bracelet?" she persisted. "And to begin with, why take her in at all? She said you did it because you couldn't leave a girl like her wandering alone, but..."

  "You think I'm not the type to do something kind like that?" I asked.

  "...No." She thought for a moment. "You are the type to do good deeds. When my brother was in danger, you stepped in like a hero; and after finding out he was up to no good, you straightened him out... Plus, you've helped others in lots of ways. So... if a bloodied girl collapsed in front of you at night, I can't imagine you'd just walk away. No, that's impossible."

  "So you think that highly of me," I said.

  "But you're probably pretty twisted too, right?" she added. "At least, if you're doing good, you wouldn't straight-up tell people it's because you're so conscientious or whatever. I bet you prefer villain roles in movies, and even after saving someone, you'd brush it off like it was a whim—don't get the wrong idea...

  I disagreed: "Do you have some weird filter on me?"

  "It's just an analogy," she said. "Anyway, when you claim you're acting out of conscience, it's probably to hide other motives. That's what I want to know. What are your real intentions with that soul-lost girl?"

  Hearing that, I weighed it carefully in my mind and made a major decision.

  I decided to tell her the truth, revealing my genuine motive.

  "Alice has a constitution that attracts anomalies," I said.