Coach Sam straightened, his mind still struggling to process the reality of the situation. "The Hidden Valley?" He repeated the words as if testing their weight. "Where is that?"

Ling Li nodded. "This is a sacred place only open for martial art cultivators. It's the only logical place for him to hide and recover."

Coach Sam clenched his jaw, shaking his head. "I knew Solaris had ambition, but this… this is something entirely different."

Fatty exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, tension clear in his posture. He turned to Ling Li. "We have to keep Lily safe. There's no telling what Solaris will try next."

Ling Li's eyes softened slightly as she looked at Lily. "She will be protected."

Lily, who had remained quiet, swallowed hard, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her fingers trembled at her sides, curling ever so slightly as if grasping onto some invisible thread of resolve. She forced herself to breathe, steadying herself before looking up — her gaze fierce, determined despite the uncertainty that threatened to claw at her.

"I want to help," she said suddenly, her voice firm, yet not without a shadow of fear lurking beneath its surface.

The moment the words left her lips, Fatty's reaction was immediate. His head snapped toward her, brows knitting together in a mixture of frustration and fierce protectiveness.

"No. Absolutely not," he said, his tone flat and final.

Lily frowned, heat rising to her cheeks. "Quan Ye, I'm not weak —"

Fatty's jaw tightened as his eyes flashed with something dark, something immovable. "You are when it comes to this," he interrupted, voice firm but not cruel. There was no room for negotiation in his words, only the unshakable instinct to protect. "This is Solaris we're dealing with. Do you honestly think he'll hesitate to use whatever means necessary? He won't."

The weight of his words fell between them like a heavy stone, and the silence stretched thick. Shi Min observed the exchange but kept his thoughts to himself, watching with measured neutrality.

Ling Li, on the other hand, let out a breath and finally spoke, shifting the conversation forward.

"For now, we focus on a plan," she said, her voice tinged with quiet urgency. "Otako will advise us once I speak with him. I think Solaris plans to make his move on Lily during the day of the competition."

Fatty exhaled sharply but gave a stiff nod, his grip unconsciously tightening around Lily's arm as if his hold alone could keep her safe from what was coming.

Coach Sam, who had been silent until now, closed his eyes briefly, inhaling deeply before opening them again with a newfound determination.

"Whatever we need to do," he said, voice resolute, "I will be ready to help."

Lily's expression hardened, her determination burning stronger than before. "Then, let's set a trap for him on the competition day. I need to compete."

Her words sent a ripple through the group — Ling Li sighed, shaking her head slightly. "But where are we supposed to find a partner for you with only six weeks left until the competition?"

Coach Sam cleared his throat with an exaggerated "Ehem," his eyes twinkling mischievously as he flicked his gaze toward Ling Li.

Ling Li blinked, waiting for him to explain himself. But then, following the direction of his gaze, she noticed something — Coach Sam wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes had settled on Shi Min.

Shi Min, who had been listening silently, suddenly stiffened under the scrutiny. He felt their gazes land on him, and immediately, his face darkened, eyes narrowing.

"No way!" he exclaimed before anyone could even suggest it.

Coach Sam grinned. "Oh, come on! You were one of my best students; I'm sure you want to give your sister justice!"

Shi Min shook his head vigorously, taking a small step back as if physically rejecting the notion. "No! I'm not dancing in the competition! I'm not dancing and that's final!" His tone carried finality — absolute and unwavering.

Yet somehow, in some inexplicable turn of events, one hour later—

"One and two and three and turn! Yes, that's it! Chin up, chest out…"

Shi Min was already dancing with Lily at the practice hall, his movements fluid but begrudging, his expression dark as storm clouds overhead. His face was the very definition of reluctant — it was darker than a pot, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked as though he was holding back a war cry of frustration.

Shi Min "…."

'I actually ate my words. Who ask me to be so talented?' He thought helplessly with a snort.

Coach Sam's voice flew all over the place as he shouted corrections, encouragements, and commands, his enthusiasm contagious despite the lingering tension. Lily, surprisingly, had eased into the dance with an unexpected grace, though nerves still rippled beneath the surface. Shi Min was stiff, resistant — but beneath that, there was something else.

A shift.

A promise.

In the heavy silence of their movements, amidst the synchronized turns and steady footwork, there was an unspoken resolve — an unbreakable, silent vow that Solaris would not win.

Fatty stood near the edge of the practice hall, arms crossed tightly, his expression locked in an unreadable scowl. But deep inside, jealousy gnawed at him like an insistent itch. His eyes followed every precise step Shi Min took, every effortless movement as he led Lily across the floor with a finesse Fatty couldn't deny.

"Why didn't I agree with my mother to take dance lessons when I was young? She was forcing me to the point I ran from home," he thought bitterly, shaking his head. Regret sat heavy in his chest. He clenched his fists, watching how Lily's eyes sparkled with admiration toward her brother, completely entranced by the rhythm they created together. Shi Min moved with a dancer's natural grace, his presence commanding, his movements sharp yet fluid — perfectly measured.

Ling Li sat beside Four Eyes, her gaze carefully observing Shi Min's form, taking in every calculated step. At first, she had watched him with scrutiny, expecting hesitation, expecting struggle. Yet, much to her quiet astonishment, he had settled into the dance as though it was second nature. A slow warmth spread through her chest — pride.

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