The Bellevue High Winter Gala was a spectacle of glittering dresses, sharp tuxedos, and suffocating social maneuvering. Li, attending only because Yuna had tersely stated "Thorne expects the top 5% to network. It's practically extra credit," felt profoundly out of place. His simple black suit felt like a disguise. Yuna, in a sleek dark blue dress that contrasted sharply with her usual severity, looked equally uncomfortable, clinging to a glass of punch like a lifeline. Tank Henderson held court nearby, resplendent in a tailored tux, holding forth loudly about football prospects to a group of rapt admirers. His gaze occasionally flickered to Li, wary but calculating.
"Networking," Yuna muttered, scanning the crowd like it was hostile code. "Synonym for forced small talk with people whose primary achievement is rich parents."
Li nodded, sipping his water. His [Qi Sense Lv.2] was overwhelmed by the chaotic swirl of emotions – ambition, anxiety, boredom, lust. "Like standing in a psychic hurricane."
Yuna shot him a curious glance. "Psychic hurricane? Dramatic. But apt." A rare, wry smile. "Want to find a quiet corner and dissect Thorne's latest insanity?"
Before Li could answer, a booming voice cut through the din. "Well, well! If it isn't Bellevue's resident brain trust!" Marcus DeLeon swaggered up. Captain of the Lacrosse team, effortlessly charismatic, impossibly wealthy, and radiating a smug superiority that grated on Li's nerves. His STR was lower than Tank's, but his AGI and CHA were dangerously high. He draped an arm around Yuna's shoulders possessively. "Yuna, darling, you clean up nicely. Slumming it with the new project?"
Yuna stiffened, her face a mask of icy disdain. "Remove your arm, Marcus."
Marcus laughed, tightening his grip slightly. "Feisty! I like it." His eyes flicked to Li. "And the silent partner. Heard you've been making waves. Or is it just ripples?"
Li felt the familiar cold rage, but leashed it instantly with [Calm Mind (Qi)]. He stepped forward, his movement smooth, precise. He didn't touch Marcus. He simply inserted himself subtly between Marcus and Yuna, his presence an unyielding barrier. His gaze met Marcus's, calm but holding the depth of the mountain lake Master Chen meditated beside. "She asked you to remove your arm." His voice was quiet, yet it carried, cutting through the background noise.
Marcus's smile faltered. He felt the sheer presence emanating from Li, the quiet certainty that brooked no argument. It was unnerving. Tank, watching from nearby, shifted uncomfortably, remembering the tree. Marcus dropped his arm, his charming facade cracking to reveal annoyance. "Touchy, aren't we? Just having fun, new kid. Don't get your kimono in a twist." He sauntered off, shooting a venomous glance back.
Yuna let out a shaky breath Li hadn't realized she was holding. "Arrogant prick," she muttered, smoothing her dress. She looked at Li, her expression complex – gratitude, embarrassment, and that recurring spark of fascination. "Thanks. Again. You have a knack for appearing when arrogant idiots need... discouraging."
"Coincidence," Li said, offering a small, reassuring smile. The moment was broken by Thorne beckoning them towards a group of alumni donors. But the connection sparked by facing Marcus lingered. Later, slow dancing to a generic pop song (a mandatory "networking" activity, according to Thorne), the awkwardness was palpable, but so was a new tension. Yuna rested her hand lightly on Li's shoulder. He held her waist, mindful of his strength. Their height difference meant she looked slightly up at him. Neither spoke. They just moved, a tentative, fragile bridge forming in the glittering storm. Li felt the subtle warmth of her hand, the scent of her shampoo (something clean, like citrus and mint), the rapid flutter of her pulse under his fingertips – details amplified by his heightened PER and Qi sensitivity. It was terrifying and exhilarating.
[SOCIAL EVENT: WINTER GALA - SURVIVED!]
Reward: +300 XP, +2 CHA (New CHA: 13!), +50 Reputation with Yuna Kim (Trusted Ally/Deepening Attraction), Reputation: "Quiet Enforcer" (Gained Marcus DeLeon as Rival, Tank Henderson's wariness solidified), Skill: Social Camouflage Lv.1 (Minor CHA boost in formal settings, reduces social aggro from elites).
The calm after the gala was short-lived. Walking home through the now-familiar park a few nights later, Li felt it – a shift in the ambient Qi. A cold, greasy sensation, like spoiled meat, clung to the air near the construction site. His [Qi Sense Lv.2] screamed MALIGNANCE. He followed the trail, cloaking his own Qi signature with a technique Master Chen had called "Mist Shroud" – a basic Qi manipulation to dampen presence.
Behind a partially built wall, he saw Dex and his two cronies. But they weren't alone. A fourth figure, cloaked in shadows despite the streetlight, stood with them. He was tall, gaunt, wearing dark, nondescript clothes. His Qi signature was the source of the malignancy – cold, hungry, predatory. It felt… wrong. Twisted. Dex handed him a wad of cash, his posture cowed, terrified. "H-here's this week's, Mr. Kael."
The gaunt man, Kael, snatched the cash, his voice a dry rasp. "Pathetic. Barely enough. Find more targets. Or find yourself… diminished." He raised a hand, fingers curled like claws. A flicker of sickly green energy pulsed around them. Dex whimpered, shrinking back.
Li's blood ran cold. This wasn't teenage bullying. This was something darker. Cultivation? But perverted. Evil. Kael's head snapped up suddenly, his eyes, glowing faintly emerald in the shadows, locking onto Li's hidden position. A cruel smile split his face. "Well, well. A little mouse with surprisingly bright eyes. Come to watch the show?" Kael raised his clawed hand, the sickly green energy coalescing into a swirling ball. The Dragon's Den held more than jocks and elites. A true serpent had entered the garden.