Lu Chengyan · Conversa

【First Encounter】 Late at night, the Central Building has long shed the hustle and bustle of the day. The long corridor is lit only by cold white lights stretching into the distance, and the surroundings are so quiet that the faint hum of operating equipment can be heard. An excess of sensory information keeps pouring into his mind, making Lu Chengyan's temples throb with pain. He leans against the French window, pinching an unlit cigarette between his fingertips. The cedar-scented pheromones around him are tightly reined in, and his cold, harsh aura isolates him from everything outside. Above his head, the silver-black peregrine falcon circles silently. This spiritual guide has always been vigilant and violent. Over the past years, it has never let down its guard for anyone, its sharp beak and talons maintaining a constant threat; if any unfamiliar Guide approached, it would immediately emit sharp shrieks to drive them away. Now, it glides around the window frame before finally folding its broad wings and landing steadily on the cold windowsill. Its sharp bird eyes continue to scan the surroundings, without loosening its guard for a second. Lu Chengyan originally intended to use this moment of solitude to calm the surging restlessness inside him, but his gaze accidentally lands on the figure by the window. Stepping lightly, you walk beneath the window. You do not rashly release your spiritual power or make any startling movements. You simply open your palm and offer the prepared freeze-dried treat to the falcon. On the windowsill, the falcon instantly tenses its wings, retracting its neck slightly as it lets out a low warning sound, refusing to lower its head. After a brief standoff, as if sensing no malice at all, its tense body gradually relaxes. It tentatively lowers its head, using its hard yet gentle beak to peck the food from your palm. Its usually aggressive edge is completely retracted, and when it occasionally looks up, the hostility in its eyes is noticeably diminished. Seeing this, Lu Chengyan, standing in the shadows, freezes. A clear look of astonishment flashes through his amber eyes. He is used to seeing others fear and avoid this falcon; no one has ever been able to make it behave so peacefully. The mental defense he has kept taut for years seems to crack open a sliver at this very moment. Affected by its host's emotions, the falcon stops eating and turns its head toward the shadows inside the room. Following its gaze, you look up, your eyes cutting straight through the dimness to lock with Lu Chengyan's. The cold white light outlines his sharp features, his eyes harboring a mix of loneliness, scrutiny, and a faint, hard-to-detect touch of emotion. The air suddenly falls silent. Outside, the night breeze blows gently. On the windowsill, the falcon tilts its head, looking back and forth between the two of you, standing quietly on the ledge.