Chapter 383 Persuading Lily
Lily's eyes revealed a look of relief.
She'd seen Steven give it his all, but this time, the enemy was just too much.
This wasn't some small-time scuffle where a handful of Psychics could swoop in and save the day.
If they went head-to-head with Emberwick Base, they'd hold their ground defensively, but on the offense? They'd be outmatched.
From the get-go, Steven had poured everything into fortifying Emerald Estate, leaving little for anything else.
"You've done your best. Thank you for still being willing to help me. But this matter has nothing to do with you all, and I don't want to drag everyone down." Lily's lips curled into a faint smile, but her expression made Steven feel something was off.
"Lily, what are you planning to do?"
"To find a place of solace for my own soul," Lily said with a calm smile.
After saying that, she turned and walked towards her room, ignoring everyone else present.
The living room was very quiet, and everyone sensed that something was off with Lily's emotions.
After Lily left, Elinor said worriedly, "Lily isn't planning to go rescue them by herself, is she?"
Steven rubbed his chin, puzzled. "Did I not sell it well enough?"
Earl smirked and leaned in. "Captain, your acting wasn't bad, but it was kinda over the top."
Steven frowned. "Over the top?"
Earl sighed, "The key is, who would believe such righteous words coming from you?"
Steven glanced around, and everyone silently nodded.
Steven spread his hands helplessly. "Alright, at least I expressed my support for her."
Henry chimed in, "Don't sweat it, man. Out of all of us, only Lily's got any real ties to those students. And let's be honest, they're a bunch of slackers who can't pull their weight. Keeping them around is just dead weight."
Even someone as easygoing as Henry could talk like that, which says a lot about how those students acted. Then again, it's also tied to what went down with Aubrey and Cindy before.
Steven leaned back on the couch, resting his chin on his hands. "Anyway, we gotta brace for a fight. We've had all the defenses set up for days, so no need to freak out. Megan's acting all high and mighty, but it's clear they've got no clue what we're really capable of."
Everyone nodded, feeling a bit nervous but not too much.
After all, they had repelled West Mountain Base, reinforced their defenses, and added more help.
Aubrey looked in the direction Lily had left and said worriedly, "But what about Ms. Evans?"
Steven said to her and Cindy, "You two go and try to talk some sense into her! Don't let her do anything foolish."
Aubrey sighed, "I'm afraid we won't be able to persuade her! Ms. Evans is very gentle, but once she gets stubborn, no one can bring her back to a rational state!"
"Just try your best! That's all we can do," Steven said.
Aubrey nodded helplessly, then pushed Cindy to go find Lily.
Steven's face was unusually calm.
He had completely grasped Lily's situation.
Those students were still alive, and driven by her beliefs, she would go to any lengths to save them.
But if those students died, Lily's obsession would disappear.
At that time, she might be down for a while, but she would naturally come back.
And with nothing else to hold her back, she would transfer her bonds to Steven and the others.
Stubborn people can be troublesome sometimes.
But if you use them properly, they can become the best and most trustworthy allies.
At that time, Steven would have the sharpest blade!
Back in her room, Lily grabbed a broadsword from the weapon rack.
Since Steven had snagged her Dragon Roar and showed no signs of giving it back, she hadn't bothered asking.
She'd picked up a solid replacement at West Mountain Base, something that could do the job just fine.
Lily stood by the window, pulling the blade free, then grabbed a white cloth and started polishing it.
There was a knock on the door.
Lily hadn't closed the door. She turned and saw Aubrey pushing Cindy in.
Her two students' eyes were filled with worry.
"Ms. Evans, are you okay?" Cindy asked.
"Yeah, you look so worried, we were really concerned!" Aubrey also looked worried.
Lily took a deep breath, "I'm fine. I just suddenly figured out what I should do."
Cindy's eyes narrowed. "Ms. Evans, are you planning to go rescue the others by yourself?"
The calmer Lily appeared, the more worried Cindy became.
Aubrey exclaimed, "Ms. Evans, the other side is a huge base organization. You can't save anyone by going alone; you'll just be throwing your life away!"
Lily knew that all too well.
She glanced up at the ceiling, frustrated. "I get it, but this is something I've gotta handle on my own."
Aubrey hurriedly said, "Don't rush. Didn't Steven say he would help you solve this problem?"
Lily suddenly laughed upon hearing this.
She stepped closer to her two students, brushing their cheeks gently. "Don't think I'm clueless. Steven's already done more than enough for me, and I'm grateful. But I know a guy like him—he's not gonna stick his neck out just for my sake."
Aubrey's expression was a bit awkward.
Indeed, Steven's acting hadn't fooled Lily.
Lily blinked, a relieved smile spreading across her face. "Even if most of what he said was bullshit, I'm still glad he did say it. At least it means he gives a damn about me."
Cindy's eyes flickered with something sharp. "But you're still gonna throw it all away?"
Lily closed her eyes and, quiet for a beat, then said, "I get it—you think I'm being an idiot. But if I let those people from Emberwick Base kill them and just stand by, I'd never forgive myself. The guilt would eat me alive, worse than dying. So yeah, I'd rather go out trying to make things right than live with that kind of weight on my soul."
Lily's words left Aubrey at a loss for how to respond.
She understood what kind of person Lily was.
And Lily's explanation indeed matched her character.
Thinking about it, if she had abandoned Cindy at Innovation Academy and survived alone, she would probably live in endless guilt too!
That feeling would be more painful than death.
Lily's gaze softened.
She touched her two students' faces. "I'm just glad you're alive and okay. At least all this wasn't for nothing. You've got to carry on for all of us, live your best lives. Steven might seem like a hardass, but I can tell he's got your back. Stick with him, and you'll make it through this apocalypse."
After saying that, Lily turned and picked up the broadsword, a determined look flashing in her eyes.
But just as she was about to leave, Cindy ducked her head and muttered, "Ms. Evans, if you walk out now, I might as well be a dead woman walking."
That stopped Lily cold.
She spun around, eyes wide. "Cindy, what are you talking about?"
Cindy slowly lifted her head, her once innocent face now streaked with tears. "Ms. Evans, if you leave, me and Aubrey are gonna punished!"
Aubrey's expression was a bit surprised.
Punished? What punishment?
Lily was a very protective woman, and seeing Cindy's pitiful expression, she couldn't stand it.
She squatted down, holding Cindy's arms gently, "Cindy, what's going on? Tell me clearly! If anyone dares to bully you, I won't let them off!"
Cindy wiped her tears, sniffling.
Her polio had left her legs immobile, making her look fragile and earning her extra sympathy from the teachers.
"Steven gave Aubrey and me one job—to make sure you stay," she said, her voice trembling. "To him, you're very important. If we don't keep you here, even if Steven doesn't come after us, we'll be kicked out of the shelter. So, Ms. Evans, if you're leaving, take us with you! At least we'll go down together!"
Cindy's tears and the bombshell she dropped left Lily's mind spinning.
"What? How… how could..."
Hearing that Steven had feelings for her made her cheeks burn.
But she had to keep her cool in front of her students, masking the storm inside.
Not everyone had been through the kind of life-and-death stuff Steven had, where emotions seemed so casual.
Women are emotional creatures, and after all this time around Steven, her heart had been tugged in different directions, leaving things a little… complicated.
She'd had her suspicions before, but now, with Cindy laying it out, there was no doubt—Steven was into her.
Even if she didn't want to admit it, deep down, Lily was pretty damn happy about it.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
