Zu Li watched him for a second longer, like she was savoring the fact that he hadn’t folded.
Then she said, "I was intrigued after we bumped into each other yesterday."
West’s brows rose. "People get intrigued over bumps now?"
"Yes," she said smoothly. "Because you didn’t recoil. A regular person would have been sent flying... a tier 1 awakened wouldn’t have been much better off either... but you..."
West remembered that casual collision from yesterday and the fact that she hadn’t moved at all.
So she wasn’t just "an awakened."
She was different... The kind of person whose casual body strength made other awakened look like regular gym bros.
Zu Li continued with an almost conversational tone.
"Today... despite the hurdles you faced, you still didn’t reveal your awakened power. You didn’t activate your branch."
West’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"You were watching me."
"Yes."
"You followed me around all day."
"Yes."
"And you’re saying—" West’s voice sharpened, "—you saw what happened?"
Zu Li nodded. "I saw everything."
West’s stomach tightened.
Elina’s near fall.
The weird aggression in the games.
The cyclone in the water.
The track vanishing.
All those "freak accidents" that were too freak to be coincidence.
Zu Li spoke like she was commenting on the weather.
"You relied on strength and agility. You escaped every sticky situation without activating your branch. That caught my eye."
West didn’t respond... he listened without a suspicious gaze.
Zu Li tilted her head slightly as her eyes shone with interest.
"However," she continued, "it made this difficult for me."
West’s expression didn’t change, but his blood pressure did.
"Because I need to know what kind of awakener you are," Zu Li said, "before I can decide whether to take you under my wing."
The assistant’s eyes lit up like fireworks.
There it was.
The grand fortune.
The "your life is made" moment.
Zu Li—of all people—was offering apprenticeship.
The assistant looked like he wanted to scream: BOW. NOW. KID. BOW.
But West’s mind had tuned out everything except one part.
All the hurdles you faced today.
His eyes sharpened as the realization hit fully now like a door slamming.
He stepped forward half a pace.
"Wait."
Zu Li’s brows lifted.
West pointed with a dangerously calm voice.
"All of those... the cyclone... the people ramming us... the track vanishing..."
His face contorted.
"That was you?"
Zu Li didn’t even deny it.
"Yes," she said simply. "I sabotaged every activity you engaged in so I could see what you were capable of."
The assistant nodded like this was reasonable.
Like endangering civilians was a harmless hobby.
West’s face went still.
Very still.
His fingers curled as anger silently condensed underneath his calm persona.
And when he spoke, his voice was quiet.
"If you weren’t a woman," West said, "I would have hit you."
The assistant snapped, finally finding his voice. "How dare—!"
West turned his head slightly with a cold look.
"Shut. Up."
The assistant actually shut up.
His body did it before his pride could argue.
Zu Li’s gaze sharpened, but she didn’t look offended.
If anything... she looked more entertained.
West took a breath through his nose.
"I don’t care much about my life," he admitted bluntly. "I’ve been through worse. I’d survive."
His eyes flashed.
"But you put my father in jeopardy. And my friend."
His voice rose slightly now.
"People could’ve died. Not just me. Not just Elina. Other guests. Kids. Workers. Random people who came here to relax."
The assistant’s lips parted in disbelief.
No one talked to Zu Li like this.
No one accused her.
No one scolded her like she was a reckless teenager messing with fireworks. That was the ultimate power of not just being in a gang but owning one... It meant you didn’t have to live by the rules... and she didn’t.
She never expected that anyone would ever stand up to her, because no one ever did.
West stepped closer, just enough to make it clear he wasn’t afraid to stand in her space... though he didn’t touch her this time.
"You’re powerful," West stated. "Congratulations. You can ruin a day for fun. But don’t ever do that around me again."
Zu Li’s eyes gleamed.
West pointed toward the corridor where his father had gone.
"Stay away from me."
Then his finger moved slightly, indicating the resort at large.
"And stay away from everyone around me."
The assistant looked like his world was collapsing.
This kid had just rejected a gang leader’s interest.
Not politely...
Not carefully...
He didn’t bow...
He didn’t flatter...
He didn’t beg for forgiveness...
He outrightly scolded her and then turned around and walked away just like that.
He simply left like he’d just finished telling off a rude cashier.
The assistant stood frozen with his mouth open.
Then he whispered, horrified, "He’s... he’s insane..."
Zu Li didn’t respond.
She watched West’s back disappear down the hallway.
And the more she watched...
The more something in her eyes sharpened into certainty.
’Even after knowing exactly who I am... he still gave me a piece of his mind.’
Her lips curved into a slow, satisfied smirk.
"I must make him my apprentice," she murmured with a soft but dangerous voice. "no matter what."
The assistant finally found his breath.
"Mistress... he insulted you. He threatened you. He—"
Zu Li lifted a hand lazily.
The assistant stopped immediately.
Her gaze stayed locked in the direction West had gone, as if she could still see him.
"No," she said, almost pleased. "He didn’t threaten me."
She smiled wider.
"He drew a boundary."
The assistant looked even more confused. "That’s... worse."
Zu Li’s eyes glittered. "That’s rarer."
Then she turned with her mask still down and her beauty on full display.
"Find out who he is," she ordered.
The assistant swallowed. "We already know—"
Zu Li’s eyes flicked to him.
He corrected himself instantly.
"I mean... everything. Family. Background. Friends. Schedule. Work. School. His habits."
Zu Li’s smile returned.
"Exactly," she said. "If I let him slip away... I’ll regret it."