"This kind of mysterious power... if it could be used for our country's scientific research, I wonder if it would lead to new discoveries and progress."
Celine was still thinking about how strange and powerful the crystal core was when she suddenly heard Mateo muttering to himself.
It nearly scared her to death. She had just started to relax.
Her heart tightened. She understood that Mateo, being a soldier, would always put his country first.
But if this thing got exposed to the outside world, would her family still have peace?
"Mateo!"
Shenan also called his name sternly, his expression and tone showing clear disapproval.
"Big brother, Celine, don't worry. I won't take it out just yet. I know my limits."
"As long as we don't have enough power to protect ourselves, I won't act recklessly."
Mateo tried to comfort Shenan and Celine.
But as he said this, his tone also became serious.
"But I hope you can understand me too."
"Our country is developing fast, but the American empire is still a threat. The Japanese haven't given up their ambitions either. And the old grudges still haven't been settled."
"As a soldier, I must make sure this power is used in scientific research when the time is right."
"Our homeland must lead the world when it comes to national defense and major technology. Only then can we protect the truth and peace."
"The future of our nation shouldn't stop at this blue planet. It should reach the stars and the sea."
Every word from Mateo struck Celine's heart with heavy force.
That vision of stars and the vast ocean, those firm vows about building the nation's strength, shook her to her core. For a moment, she felt dazed.
Compared to her second brother's dream of serving the country, her own focus on just keeping her family safe suddenly felt small and selfish.
A faint sense of guilt, like a tiny electric current, zipped through her heart.
But that guilt vanished just as quickly as it came, like it had never existed.
Small?
Selfish?
She didn't think that was wrong.
She had lived another life, carried deep hatred, and survived through hell.
All she wanted now was to make sure her loved ones could live in peace and happiness.
With everything she'd been through, how could she still believe in idealistic dreams?
Other than her family, trust had become a luxury long lost.
In this world, if they weren't bound by blood, she wouldn't trust anyone.
Protecting her family was a part of her nature, burned into her bones. It was her only goal in this life.
As for those greater dreams...
Celine looked up and met Mateo's passionate eyes.
She understood his ideals. They were great. She wasn't clueless. In fact, she was even a little moved by his sincerity.
If the day really came when the country needed this power, she would help him.
But not now.
Not until she became strong enough.
Strong enough to crush all possible threats.
Strong enough to shield her entire family under her wings, solid and unshakable.
No one would ever hurt them again.
Before this, the supernatural ability that came from nowhere had become the biggest secret and strongest shield for their whole family.
It could never be casually shown to others, or it might bring disaster they couldn't even imagine.
With that in mind, Celine took a deep breath. She looked at Mateo, her fourth brother, then turned to Shenan, her eldest brother, and said calmly:
"Second Brother, I understand what you're thinking. I really respect it."
"But…"
She paused, glancing at both her brothers.
"This power is too unique. Until we have the ability to fully protect ourselves, it must stay our family's secret."
As soon as Celine finished speaking, the room suddenly went silent.
So quiet, they could hear every breath clearly.
But that silence didn't last long.
The very next second, a panicked and urgent voice exploded in the depths of Celine's mind—
"Miss Celine! Miss Celine!"
It was Red!
His voice was more urgent than ever before, filled with a tension that couldn't be put into words.
In that instant, something inside Celine snapped into high alert.
Something had happened!
That thought flashed through her mind like lightning.
She responded instinctively to the call.
With Shenan and Mateo watching her closely, she suddenly turned into a blur of nothingness—vanishing without any warning.
In the blink of an eye, all that remained in her place was a faint ripple in the air, barely noticeable.
"..."
Shenan only paused for a moment, clearly used to this kind of situation.
But Mateo, it was his first time seeing something so strange and unexplainable!
His eyes widened, pupils shrinking sharply. His instincts as a soldier immediately kicked in.
"Celine!"
He called out in a low voice and, without thinking, reached toward the empty space where she had just disappeared.
He didn't know what had happened, but there was no way he was going to stand by and let his sister vanish in front of him like that!
But just as his fingers were about to touch that seemingly empty air—
Buzz!
A powerful, invisible force suddenly surged out of that space and gently wrapped around his whole body.
The force wasn't aggressive. In fact, it even carried a strange sense of calm.
But it had an undeniable will to it—one that couldn't be resisted.
It instantly stopped him from moving forward, freezing him in midair, leaving him unable to advance even a little.
"?!"
Mateo's expression changed drastically. A storm of shock was raging inside him.
What… was this power?