A few days later, on the road to Nuoding City, Su Yan, Nihilister, and Lin Qinglan walked at an unhurried pace.
"No killing. No maiming. And keep your disguise intact in the city," Lin Qinglan said seriously to Nihilister.
"Argh. I get it already." Nihilister scowled. "You old lady—stop nagging."
Her appearance was nothing like when she'd first arrived. Long crimson hair still spilled down her back, but the bulky gear and obvious hardware were gone. What had once been an unmistakably artificial bodysuit now looked more like exotic travelwear—strange, maybe, but not something that would stop people in the street.
Even her legs—once sleek and metallic—now looked fully human, warm skin catching sunlight as she walked.
She clicked her tongue. "Ugh… being like this makes me feel so weak…"
"When we're in private, you can stop compressing your frame," Su Yan said. "Just don't do it where people can see."
A short while later, the road grew crowded and the gates of Nuoding City came into view.
High grey brick walls towered overhead. A pair of giant red doors stood open, streams of people flowing through them while two guards lounged on either side, looking bored out of their minds.
As the group drew closer, one of the guards spotted Teacher Lin and called out, "Teacher Lin, welcome back! I hope your hunt was as successful as always."
Teacher Lin greeted him warmly. "It was. I've successfully gotten my student his first soul ring."
The guard's face brightened. "Then congratulations are in order!"
His gaze shifted briefly to Nihilister. "Teacher Lin—who is this? I don't remember seeing her with you when you left."
Teacher Lin didn't miss a beat. "She's distant family. She'll be staying with me for a while. It's… family business."
The guard cleared his throat, immediately backtracking. "Ah, I see. In that case, welcome to Nuoding, miss."
Nihilister nodded curtly.
He stepped aside and waved them through. "Teacher Lin, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you're all tired after such a long journey."
Teacher Lin thanked him warmly as she walked by. "Thank you for your hard work."
The guard straightened a little at the praise. The second guard shot him a sidelong look, envy flashing across his face for an instant.
Stepping into the city proper, the noise washed over them. Teacher Lin's shoulders dropped a little, releasing tension she hadn't realized she was holding.
"We should head to my house first," she said, leading the way through the throngs of people.
Su Yan and Nihilister followed.
Nihilister observed everything in silence as they moved, judging with each glance.
After a short walk, they arrived at Teacher Lin's small home.
From the street, it looked unremarkable—high grey walls of brick with a single wooden gate reinforced by iron bands. The doorway was plain, weathered by years, with no family crest and no decorative lanterns. It was the kind of place people passed without a second look.
Teacher Lin unlocked the gate and guided them through a short entry passage that blocked the view from outside. Beyond it, a modest courtyard opened up, enclosed on all sides. The ground was packed earth with a few flat stones laid like stepping paths. A small tree grew near one corner, and a water basin sat beneath its shade.
The rooms faced inward toward the courtyard. Opposite the entrance was a simple main room, clean and sparsely furnished. To one side sat a narrow kitchen with a faint scent of dried herbs, and to the other were two smaller rooms—one that looked like a bedroom, and another that was half storage, half study.
It wasn't grand, but it was orderly. Private. A place built to keep the world outside.
Teacher Lin closed the gate and locked it.
The moment the latch clicked shut, Nihilister exhaled through her nose like she'd been holding her breath.
"Finally."
Something dark and faintly shimmering slid across her skin, like light refusing to settle on her properly. The warm, human contours didn't vanish so much as loosen—as if the disguise had been stretched tight over a shape that had never agreed to stay small.
A quiet click came from her back.
Then another.
Her spine arched, and the outline beneath her travelwear rose in sharp segments, plates shifting with a dense, unpleasant crunch. The compact armoured pack pushed outward as if unfolding from inside her, locking into place against her spine with a final, decisive clack.
From either side of it, thick ribbed conduits slid free in smooth arcs, snaking outward and settling with a faint mechanical tremor. The air seemed to heat for a heartbeat, a dry, industrial warmth.
Then the heavy shapes followed—two massive appendages unfolding outward at her sides like beasts awakening from slumber.
Last came the tail.
It didn't appear like a trick. It extended—joint by joint—until a bladed length rested behind her, the tip giving a lazy, deliberate twitch.
Nihilister straightened, the last traces of "human" softness gone. She rolled one shoulder, satisfied, and her grin turned sharp.
"There. That's better."
Nihilister strolled toward the bedroom, hands clasped behind her head like she owned the place.
"So this is where I'm staying, then?"
Teacher Lin was still half a beat behind.
Then she snapped out of it and hurried after her.
"Wait—no. That's my room. I'll clear you a space next door in a moment."
Too late.
By the time Su Yan reached the doorway, Nihilister was already sprawled across Teacher Lin's bed, utterly shameless, a self-satisfied smile on her face. Teacher Lin stood at the side of the mattress, trying—futilely—to get her to move without escalating the situation into something worse.
Su Yan coughed lightly, choosing his words carefully, more to redirect than to challenge.
"So, Nihilister. What do you think of the city so far?"
Nihilister stared at the ceiling for a moment, as if giving the question real consideration. Then a feral grin crept across her face.
"This place ain't so bad. Plenty of things to break."
Teacher Lin's expression hardened. "Nihilister…"
Nihilister waved a hand without looking. "Fine. Not today."
She rolled onto her side, turning her back on them with deliberate finality.
"Now get out. I'm taking a nap."
Teacher Lin waited for a reaction—any sign of compromise. There was none.
Jaw tight, she stepped back from the bed and motioned Su Yan out. They left the room and pulled the door closed behind them.
"You've really saddled me with a headache, little Yan," Teacher Lin said exasperatedly.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Lin." Su Yan dipped his head. "Treat it as me owing you a favour in the future."
He glanced toward the bedroom door, then back to her.
"Give me a few minutes."
Su Yan headed to the other room, and Teacher Lin followed close behind.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm going to try and manifest something," Su Yan said quietly.
He summoned his Martial Soul and poured spirit power into it. His first soul ring flared, a faint pressure gathering around his hand.
A vague outline—irregular and jagged—formed in his palm. It wavered like heat haze, then slowly solidified, growing heavier by the second until a chunk of gunmetal scrap sat in his hand, shaped like a broken claw.
Su Yan exhaled, shoulders loosening. "Success."
Teacher Lin stared at it, baffled. "And what is that for?"
Su Yan's confidence faltered. He scratched his cheek, suddenly sheepish.
"…For Nihilister to eat."
Teacher Lin froze.
"She eats metal?!"