Shang's heart began to race when he heard that question.
What was up with that question?!
Why would Lucin suddenly ask about his Affinity right after they talked to Queen Primordium and the Custodian?!
Something strange had to be going on!
Shang felt a pressure build up in his chest, and he felt like the Lightning Manor was no longer safe for him.
What kind of game were they playing?!
"Why are you suddenly asking that question?" Shang asked with a cold voice.
"I heard two conflicting statements. The Supervisor of Area 23 says you have a Temperature Affinity, but I've also heard you have a Twilight Affinity. So, which is it?"
Shang felt like the surroundings were pressing down on him.
This was bad!
Did Lucin know that Shang was the Child of Calamity?!
Why else would he ask that question?!
"I have a Twilight Affinity," Shang answered. "Darkness and Light Affinities were special in Area 23, and I didn't want to be killed by the powerful Mages. Because of that, I used Fire and Ice as a mask. Fire is bright, and Ice absorbs the warmth like Darkness."
"Oh? Interesting," Lucin said with an amused voice.
Shang focused on the lightning bolt that was Lucin beside him.
Something was definitely wrong!
Lucin was talking like he was taking joy in knowing about something that he shouldn't.
"Why did you ask?" Shang asked coldly.
Lucin remained silent for about a second.
"I mean, I need to know what kind of Affinity you have. I will need to approve a mountain of resources for you, and it's also my job to make sure that these resources are actually useful for you. You will gain a lot of resources, but you can't just waste resources because of that, get it?"
Shang wasn't sure if that was a lie or not.
It sounded believable, but Lucin's entire demeanor was too strange.
Shang didn't say anything for a while.
He knew that Lucin was too powerful.
In fact, it didn't matter if Shang suspected something or not.
Even if Shang used Entropy, he wouldn't get through Lucin's Mana Shield with that.
In front of someone as powerful as Lucin, Shang was helpless.
Because of that, Shang was doomed to wait in nervousness.
"So, how are you planning on comprehending Void Casting?" Lucin asked after a while.
Shang focused on Lucin with suspicion.
Why would he suddenly ask such a question?
Was he planning something?
Was he planning on leaving Shang to die in his own Isolation Chamber?
"Why do you care?" Shang asked with a cold voice.
BANG!
Suddenly, the two of them stopped moving, and Lucin transformed back into his human form.
He was looking at Shang with furrowed brows. "Okay, what is going on?" he asked with annoyance.
"Isn't that what I should be asking you?" Shang answered with a cold voice.
"Shang, why are you suddenly acting like this?" Lucin asked with annoyance. "We had no issues in communicating when we were traveling to the Lightning Manor, but as soon as we got back, you were suddenly uncooperative, disrespectful, and aggressive."
"Is this because you feel you're better than me now?" Lucin asked. "Are you one of these types of geniuses, the ones that believe that everyone else is beneath them? I hope not. I can't tell you how many of those I have seen die to their own blind pride."
Shang snorted in disgust. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
"What?" Lucin asked in annoyance. "I genuinely have no idea what you mean."
"You're playing with me," Shang said. "I can feel when I'm in danger, and when I'm beside you, I feel like I will die to you any second."
"You're planning something, but instead of just killing me, you are playing with me because of some sick sense of entertainment," Shang said coldly.
Lucin was taken aback.
Lucin hadn't been this shocked and surprised in centuries.
After several seconds, he could only say one sentence. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
Shang didn't answer and only focused on Lucin.
He could feel that Lucin was just waiting for a good opportunity to kill him.
"Why would I kill you?" Lucin asked as he ruffled his own hair in exasperation. "You heard Queen Primordium's orders. If I were to kill you, I would most likely be killed in return. That would be akin to betraying the Lightning Manor."
"Even more, if we wanted to kill you, why wouldn't we have done it in the Lightning Manor? Do you think we have time for something as stupid as playing around with someone's emotions like that?"
"Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about. Is this how you are normally? When you told me about your true power, you didn't seem this suspicious and nervous, but as soon as you are actually safe, you start going crazy with suspicion, paranoia, and anxiety!"
"This makes no sense!"
Shang listened to Lucin intently.
Shang could feel the falsehood of Lucin's words, but the words he was speaking were very logical.
On the surface, his words would seem perfectly logical and irrefutable.
But Shang could feel that Lucin was lying.
Lucin looked at Shang with surprise and shock. Lucin was extremely powerful and experienced, which allowed him to see how Shang was feeling.
"Shang, what happened?" Lucin asked. "What happened when you were with Queen Primordium on your own?"
"I didn't know you for long, but I can tell that you have somehow changed in the last hour."
"Something must have happened," Lucin said.
Shang was focusing on Lucin, but his mind went through everything that had happened automatically.
The warrior body.
Shang stopped focusing on Lucin.
Instead, he focused on his own body.
His life energy was low.
He was extremely nervous.
He felt like he was in danger of dying.
And after looking inside for a while, Shang could also tell that he was feeling pain.
'Is this it?' Shang thought. 'Is this the effect of the Custodian's operation?'
Shang focused on Lucin again, who only looked at Shang with confusion.
Shang suppressed his nervousness and thought about everything logically.
Lucin was right.
There was no reason for him to do all of this.
Yet, even though Shang knew that, his sense of danger was still screaming at him.
He was about to die!
Something was about to attack him!
He had to run!
He had to fight!
And that's when it fully sunk in.
There was no danger.
This was simply the effect of the Custodian's operation.
And Shang realized that this would be his new normal.
This was how life would be for him from now on.
