Ace adjusted his grip slightly as he carried the two kids, turning to Yuu with a frown.
"What happened, Yuu?"
The question hung in the air. Both Liu Mei and Shan Yifeng, nestled comfortably in his arms, perked up.
Their chatter stopped, replaced by a quiet, focused curiosity.
Yuu smirked. There was a flicker of mischief in her eyes, battle-worn but sharp.
"Master," she said, "you know how Xie Ninger wants to kill your mother?"
Ace nodded slowly, brow raised. "Yes, I'm aware. What about it?"
"Well…" Yuu turned on her heel, her voice light as if retelling a tavern story. "She and I decided to… speed things along a little. We made a plan to ambush your mother. Cripple her. Shake her control beneath her before she saw it coming."
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
