In the hall, const int* elder and the three village elders were engaged in fervent conversation with the mysterious old man. Yet, the old man seemed to hesitate, swallowing back words as if wrestling with something difficult to say. Each time he faltered, the refined young girl beside him shot him a sharp glance...
Int a listened for a moment before shaking his head, bored.
"Brother int a, do you know who they are?" Float c's voice broke his daze. Her slender fingers turned a page in her ancient book, her eyes fixed on it as she smiled faintly.
"You know?" Int a turned, curiosity piqued.
"Notice the cloud-shaped silver pointer on their robe sleeves?" Float c said with a slight smile.
His heart stirred. Int a's gaze shifted to the trio's sleeves, where he spotted a cloud-shaped silver pointer embroidered delicately.
"They're from the Cloud Code Sect?" Int a whispered, astonished.
Though he hadn't ventured beyond the village, int a had read about this sect in ancient texts. Zhan District Village sat in Stack City, a place under the Byte Empire's rule. Thanks to its proximity to the Algorithm Mountains, Stack City ranked among the empire's major cities, though only barely.
The int family held significant influence in Stack City, but they weren't alone. Two other clans rivaled them, and the three had clashed openly and covertly for decades without a clear victor.
If the int family was a powerhouse in Stack City, the Cloud Code Sect was a titan across the entire Byte Empire! The gap between them was vast, explaining why even his stern father spoke with such deference.
"What are they doing in our village?" Int a asked, voice low with confusion.
Float c's fingers paused on the page. After a moment's silence, she said, "It might have something to do with you, Brother int a..."
"Me? I've never crossed paths with them," int a replied, shaking his head in denial.
"Do you know the girl's name?" Float c glanced at the refined girl across the hall.
"What?" Int a's brows furrowed, pressing her to continue.
"Nal an!" Float c's face held a trace of mischief as she watched int a's body stiffen.
"Nal an? The granddaughter of Marshal Bitwise of the Byte Empire, Nal an? My... betrothed from before we were born?" Int a's face froze as he spoke.
"Heehee, Grandfather and Marshal Bitwise were sworn brothers. When you and Nal an were born, they arranged your betrothal. But sadly, three years after your birth, Grandfather fell in a deadly runtime error against an enemy. Over time, the int family's ties with the Nal clan faded..." Float c paused, chuckling at int a's wide-eyed expression before continuing. "Marshal Bitwise is a stubborn man who honors his word. He personally agreed to the betrothal, so despite your recent... reputation, he never sent anyone to cancel it."
"That old man's stubbornness is oddly admirable," int a said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"Marshal Bitwise holds absolute authority in his clan. No one dares defy him. He adores Nal an, but getting him to break the betrothal would be tough..." Float c's eyes curved playfully. "But five years ago, Nal an was taken as a direct disciple by Yun Code, the leader of the Cloud Code Sect. Her exceptional talent has made her Yun Code's favorite. When someone gains the power to shape their own fate, they'll do anything to cast off what they don't want... Unfortunately, Brother int a, your betrothal is what she dislikes most!"
"She's here to break the engagement?" Int a's face darkened, a surge of anger rising within him. It wasn't about Nal an's disdain for him—truth be told, though she was beautiful, int a wasn't some lovesick fool driven by desire. If the marriage fell through, he'd feel only a fleeting pang of regret, as any man might. But if she publicly demanded to end the engagement in front of everyone, it would shame his father, the elder, utterly.
Nal an wasn't just beautiful—she held high status and prodigious talent. If this happened, everyone would see int a as a lowly variable lusting after a value far beyond his reach, only to be crushed underfoot.
From then on, not only would int a become a laughingstock, but his father's authority would crumble.
Taking a deep breath to cool his rising temper, int a's hands clenched tightly within his sleeves. "If I were a structure master now, who would dare trample on me like this?"
Indeed, if int a had the power of a structure master, even with the Cloud Code Sect backing her, Nal an wouldn't dare act so boldly. A fifteen-year-old structure master? In the Code Continent's long history, only a handful had achieved such a feat, and they were now legends among coders!
A delicate hand slipped through his sleeve, gently pressing his clenched fist. Float c's soft voice soothed, "Brother int a, if she does this, it's her loss. I believe one day she'll regret her shortsightedness!"
"Regret?" Int a scoffed, his face full of self-mockery. "With my current state, do I even have the right?"
"Float c, you seem to know a lot about them. Some of what you said, even Father might not know. How did you find out?" Int a shifted the topic, his tone probing.
Float c blinked, then smiled without answering.
Seeing her evade, int a could only shrug helplessly. Though float c shared the int surname, she wasn't blood-related to him. He'd never met her parents, and whenever he asked his father about them, the elder's warm smile would vanish, replaced by silence—perhaps even fear.
In int a's mind, float c's origins were shrouded in mystery. No matter how he probed, she always deflected with clever silence, leaving him with no way to press further.
"Fine, keep your secrets," int a muttered, shaking his head. His expression darkened as he noticed the old man stand, prompted by Nal an's insistent glances.
"So, she's using the Cloud Code Sect's influence to pressure Father? This Nal an sure knows how to play her cards..." Int a's heart burned with a cold, angry laugh.
(To be continued)