Choice

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

Since his father kept his emotions in check, Shui had no idea what this talk would be about, but it still made him nervous.

"W-what is it, President?"

"I'll go straight to the point. I want you to stop meeting that girl in the slums."

"Huh? Why do you...?"

Shui quickly went from nervous to confused due to his father's sudden demand. Stratos always had two guards in the Earth Realm protecting Shui from the shadows, so it was easy for him to find out about Shui's trips to the slums. He didn't want to interfere at first, since he believed that Shui needed to learn more about that world, but in addition to the information of an enemy possibly targeting Shui, he thought Shui was getting too close to the girl.

He had no problems regarding her personality, but the worlds they lived in were too different. It wasn't just a matter of status; Shui was a mortal while she was a cultivator, that fact alone made them incompatible. If they were just friends then he wouldn't mind letting them meet again once this danger had passed, but he believed that he had to stop them from interacting before Shui fell too deep.

"There might be someone after your life so I can't allow you to go near that place anymore."

"Oh, that makes sense. Okay then I'll, wait, what about her?"

Stratos' explanation almost made Shui back down since this wasn't the first time he was forbidden from leaving the building due to a threat to his life, but then he remembered about Sia. If this threat knew about his trips to the slums and his interactions with that girl, then if he didn't show up anymore they would surely use her to bring him out.

"I've sent a warning to her. It's up to her to listen to it though."

"Dad!"

"This is out of my hands, Shui. The slums are under the Red Ravens' authority, even the mayor can't recklessly move personnel in there."

Shui understood his father's point, but that didn't change the fact that Sia was in danger.

"Then I can bring her-"

"You idiot! You're the target, that's exactly what they want."

Logically, Shui was aware that the right thing to do would be to stay inside the building and hope that Sia would be safe, but emotions often contradicted logic. He wasn't sure if it was enough to call love, but he knew how much he cared for her.

Stratos sighed while watching his son become so disorientated. Even if it was a random girl he met in a shop, he would have been happy that Shui could move on to another love, but it seemed this son of his was attracted to girls that belonged to the world he admired but couldn't enter.

"Just stay in your office. That'll keep you out of danger."

Stratos said this to help steer Shui away from thinking about helping that girl, but it actually had the opposite effect.

'Out of danger.'

These few words reminded Shui of the first time he saw Sia, his first thought was to avoid her because she looked like trouble. He didn't know what caused him to change his mind, but he now believed it was for the best. Looking back at his life, he couldn't remember a single time when he had done something risky. He might have gotten into a few dangerous situations, but they were never as a result of his own choice. He always tried his best to avoid anything that might be dangerous, that was how he was raised. But now, he wondered, was this really for the best?

Would he really be okay with abandoning her for his own safety?

Shui held his head down and left the room. Stratos took this as a sign that he was reluctantly agreeing with him so he recalled the guards normally around Shui to speak with them for a brief moment. Once he was outside the office, Shui slowly went down the stairs. This was nothing unusual since his office was one floor below his father's. When Shui was on this floor, he glanced around him to check for any eyes on him, but luckily everyone else on this floor was inside their offices.

She dashed down the rest of the stairs and ran out of the building before anyone on the ground floor could stop him. It was only after he ran out that Stratos realised he was getting away and sent the two guards to drag him back, by force if necessary. The two were much faster than Shui, but due to the crowded streets, they found it difficult to find him, however, they already knew where he would head to so they didn't feel worried.

Just as the guards predicted, Shui went straight for Sia's house. Though he would certainly get punished for it, he didn't believe his father would refuse help her if he brought her out of the slums. Due to his low stamina, by the time Shui made it to Sia's house he was out of breath. Although he was only a few steps away from their door, instead going closer he hid himself as there were three men with scars on their faces or necks waiting outside their door and loud noises coming from inside the house.

'Damn it! Am I too late?!'

Unlike the other rough men that Shui normally spotted in the slums, these three were well trained and just their atmosphere proved that they couldn't be put on the same level. Shui guessed that they were cultivators so he was even more hesitant to get closer.

'What should I do? What should I do?'

While Shui was silently panicking, a figure was suddenly flung out of Sia's house. Along with broken pieces of wood that dropped to the ground, was a beaten up Ross. Soon after, Josh was also flung out of the house and two muscular men exited the house, one holding a struggling Sia over his shoulder.

"Let me go!"

One of those that exited said while laughing boisterously, "Just settle down little girl, it's not like you have a choice."

He was obviously the leader of the group of five despite being the only one without a visible scar. Even Shui could tell that this man was on an entirely different level from the rest. He knew he wouldn't be able to do anything if he exposed himself, but coming here only to watch her be kidnapped also displeased him.

However, right before the five left with Sia, their leader turned towards Shui and smirked.

"Oh, it looks like we've been saved the trouble of sending the message. Why don't you come out from there."

He didn't want to believe that he had been spotted, but for a strong cultivator Shui knew it would be easy to sense a mortal like himself. He walked in front of the five and watched as Sia was thrown to her brothers. Since she landed on top of them, she managed to quickly get back on her feet and look at him.

"Idiot, why did you come here?"

He could tell that she was seriously calling him an idiot, and he had no way of denying it. Shui shrugged his shoulders and responded.

"I was planning on taking you away but I got here too late."

Shui hoped his body wasn't trembling as he stepped in front of Sia to face the five men. At the very least, she wouldn't be harmed, that was the thought that drove him forward.

"Well, shall we go?"