Chapter 33 – Threads Unraveling

Li Tian sank into the chair behind his desk, the silence of the room pressing down on him like an iron weight. The door shut behind Yin Yue moments ago, but her words still echoed in his mind, relentless and sharp.

"You keep trying to shield me, to hide things from me. But maybe I don't want to be protected."

He exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair. For the first time in years, he felt at a complete loss. His carefully constructed plans, his meticulous balance—it was slipping, unraveling faster than he could grasp.

System Notification:

Contingency Protocol Alpha-9 initiated. Command override required to engage Level 3 suppression measures. Awaiting user confirmation.

The system's voice broke through his spiraling thoughts, its cold efficiency a jarring contrast to the storm of uncertainty inside him. He stared at the text glowing in his peripheral vision, his jaw tightening.

The protocols were necessary; he knew that. Each step designed to deflect suspicion, divert attention, and buy him just enough time to think. But as the system outlined the measures—spreading disinformation among the council, subtly obscuring Lin Xi's latest report, limiting surveillance feeds near Earth Division grounds—he hesitated.

"You're making the right call," he murmured to himself, as though the hollow reassurance could soothe the knot in his chest.

System Notification:

Level 3 suppression measures authorized. Executing…

The overlay flickered. Dots on the map of the academy blinked and shifted, guards redirected, data streamlines rerouted. Li Tian watched with detached focus, but doubt wormed through his resolve. The system worked flawlessly, adjusting events to shield Yin Yue from immediate scrutiny. But at what cost?

She was already suspicious, her trust in him hanging by a thread. The more he manipulated events around her, the tighter that thread would stretch—until it snapped completely.

He rubbed his temples, frustration pressing against his skull. The system continued its quiet work, efficient and unfeeling, while he was left tangled in emotions he could no longer suppress.

Was he protecting her? Or controlling her?

The question clawed at him, demanding an answer. He forced himself to look away from the system's meticulous display. He wanted to believe he was doing this for her—for all of them, for the Earth Division, for the academy itself. But the shadow of doubt whispered another possibility, darker and far more dangerous.

What if protecting her was just an excuse?

Far from Li Tian's study, Elder Meng leaned back in her chair as Lin Xi concluded her report. They sat in a private room of the council's central tower, the glow of candlelight casting long shadows across the stone walls.

"So," Elder Meng said calmly, her expression betraying no emotion. "Li Tian and Yin Yue… closer than he's led us to believe."

Lin Xi nodded sharply. "They were careful, but anyone paying attention would see the connection. She trusts him, that much is clear. But I'm not sure if the feeling is mutual."

Meng's lips curled into the barest hint of a smile. "Interesting. And you're certain the shard is in her possession?"

"As certain as I can be," Lin Xi replied. "I didn't see it directly, but her behavior… she's hiding something. And Li Tian knows it."

The elder drummed her fingers lightly against the table. The shard's activation had been an unwelcome surprise, but it presented new opportunities. Li Tian had always been an enigma, his methods cloaked in secrecy. She had tolerated his independence because of his results—but the growing unrest surrounding him was too dangerous to ignore.

"It's time to move forward," Meng said, her voice decisive. She rose from her chair, her presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "Prepare the council. Tell them we have reason to escalate the investigation into Li Tian's activities."

Lin Xi hesitated—only for a moment. "And Yin Yue?"

Meng's smile returned, colder this time. "Leave her be for now. The moment we act against Li Tian, she'll show her hand. Either she stands with him, or she doesn't. Either way, she'll lead us to what we need."

Back in his study, Li Tian paced restlessly, the system's voice faint in his mind. Reports scrolled past, giving updates on every operation currently in motion. Guards' routes had shifted, Lin Xi had been flagged for diversion, and rival operatives across the academy were being fed carefully crafted misinformation.

Everything was working the way it should. His contingency plan was flawless, executed with precision.

And yet.

He slammed his hand against the desk, the sharp sound breaking the suffocating quiet of the room. The system paused, awaiting further input, but Li Tian ignored it.

He had anticipated everything except this—how deeply this moment would rattle him. Watching Yin Yue walk away, seeing the flicker of doubt in her eyes… it had left a crack in his carefully constructed armor, one that seemed to grow with every passing moment.

System Notification:

New anomaly detected. Classification linked to artifact activation sequence.

Li Tian froze. His breath caught as he turned swiftly toward the map. A new marker had appeared, pulsing faintly on the overlay. It was in the outskirts of the Earth Division grounds, near the border shared with Water Division—a location he hadn't accounted for in any of his protocols.

"What is it?" he asked aloud, his voice sharper than he intended.

System Response:

Localized energy spike consistent with artifact resonance. Anomaly classified as priority threat.

Li Tian's mind raced. The shard. Somehow, its activation had triggered another event—something the system hadn't predicted. His fingers tightened into fists as he studied the marker. It was faint but growing stronger with each passing second.

If the council discovered this before he could act, it would confirm their worst suspicions. They wouldn't just come for him—they'd come for her.

There was no time to hesitate.

"Suppress anomaly tracking," he ordered the system, his voice edged with urgency. "Isolate its location from external surveillance feeds."

System Notification:

Command acknowledged. Suppression measures in progress.

He grabbed his cloak from where it rested on the back of a chair, throwing it over his shoulders as he moved toward the door.

"Prepare for manual inspection," he added, his tone quieter now.

System Query:

Override required. Objective conflicts with user safety protocols.

He hesitated, his hand resting on the doorframe. The system wasn't wrong. Going to the anomaly himself wasn't just reckless—it was dangerous. But trusting anyone else to investigate would risk exposing too much.

The council was already circling.

The system waited for his confirmation, but Li Tian didn't give it immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. Every choice he made carried risks—calculated risks, yes, but risks nonetheless. And now, more than ever, the stakes couldn't be higher.

Finally, he whispered, "Override."

The system chirped softly in acknowledgment as he stepped into the shadowed corridor beyond the study.

The cold efficiency of the system continued its work behind him, but its list of probabilities and outcomes would never account for this. For the shadow of doubt that had taken root in his mind.

Or for the image of Yin Yue's face, burning bright in his memory, haunting his every step.