[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-solflare-the-painter-s-secret":3,"chapter-solflare-the-painter-s-secret-solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-115":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Solflare: The Painter's Secret",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1323043,1757,"Chapter 115: He’s Joining","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-115",115,"\u003Cp>The world outside the small viewport became a chaotic blur of lights and darkness. The craft shuddered as it punched through the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s knuckles turned white as he clung to the hook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time lost meaning in the belly of the craft when the violent vibrations eased into a powerful hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, metallic thump signaled as the craft settled on hard ground with a hiss. After five minutes, the pressure in the craft decreased, and the ramps descended once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s eyes widened when a new taste of air waved into the craft and washed over him. He remained frozen in shock, watching the elevated landing pad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground around the craft, dozens of vehicles, all painted in military colors, were parked in orderly formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside the vehicles, soldiers ranked in uniform stood there, staring at the craft with one motive in mind. Welcoming the son of Andrew Storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Leon’s gaze swept over the soldiers, the panel in his skull flickered to life after a soft chime rang inside his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Presence Detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scanning...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Names and ranks flickered at the edge of his vision as he shifted his gaze from face to face. C-ranks streaked beside their names and titles. Corporals, Sergeants, and Junior Sergeants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, they are waiting for you,\" Hei Luo said, already moving forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon hurried to follow, his boots echoing on the dark polymer of the landing pad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From behind the military-dressed men, a storm of camera flashes ignited in a staccato burst of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reporters behind the barriers shouted in a tangled roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hei Yung and Lu Wang moved forward, creating an intimidating buffer against the crowded reporters and cameramen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Move aside!\" Lu Wang barked, his voice cracking like ice as bold journalists tried to breach the barrier created by the military personnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon kept his head down, his hands raised to cheek level as he trod forward. Ice ran down his spine when he locked eyes with one of the reporters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jawline, the blue-colored eyes, and the grim grin all resembled Tiger Kang. Although the man had grey hair and looked older, the resemblance was flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black Lamborghini came into view as the crowd parted like waves. \"Get in, Mr. Storm,\" Lu Wang instructed after swinging the door open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Leon moved to duck inside, one of the news reporters lunged from the crowd and shouldered past a distracted guard. He slammed hard into Leon, knocking him off balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s left shoulder crunched against the metal frame of the car door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey!\" Hei Yung shouted, his voice making the air stiffen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd of reporters recoiled and stumbled a step backward, their faces turning pale in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hei Yung scanned them. \"Who pushed him?\" His heart hammered hard against his chest as his eyes paused on those with criminal looks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each reporter and cameraman stood unmoving, tilting shocked expressions at one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among the front row, Leon’s eyes flickered past the same man he had seen earlier. This time, the man’s smile had hardened, his eyes blazing like blue flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s heart hammered as he tore his gaze away and slid into the car through the open door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door thudded shut, sealing him inside. The roar of the crowd, the shouted questions, and the storm of camera flashes muffled, becoming a distant rumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hei Luo, Lu Wang, and Hei Yung settled into the seats opposite Leon in synchronized movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon stared straight at the darkened privacy glass separating them from the driver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd parted like a dark sea as the vehicle glided forward. Through the tinted window, Leon saw reporters straining, pressing themselves against the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He forced himself to look away, but the face of the man with blue eyes resurfaced in his mind like a plague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the vehicle exited the Northern Airline Station of the Country of Agatha. The building, walkways, landing spot, and lights gave the station the appearance of a fortified machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the blue-eyed face of the man and Tiger vanished, the lizard lady and the old woman’s voice echoed in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Fight them all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of miles to the north, inside one of the buildings of the Kang Clan, Tiger Kang stood before a massive mirror stretching from floor to ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore simple blue boxers, the muscles of his back and shoulders looking like carved marble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On a wide bed heaped with furs behind him lay a lady with blue hair, watching him. She idly traced the index finger of her left hand along the edge of a black envelope lying beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you really accepting the offer from the Agathan Special Forces?\" she asked in a low voice as she picked it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tore it open and scanned the contents. \"I thought you said you’d never bend your neck to any military drill after that incident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tiger chuckled, his reflection grinning. \"I wasn’t going to.\" He paused, clenched his fist, and fixed his gaze on the reflection of his blue-glowing eye. \"But the plans have changed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" The lady placed the letter down. \"What could possibly make the Son of the Blue-Flamed Dragon reconsider his lofty principles?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tiger’s blazing eyes narrowed, his temperature dropping low. In a blink, the mirror before him began to warp as a single drop of molten silver welled at the center of the glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s joining,\" Tiger said, his voice dropping like stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady sat up, the furs pooling around her waist. \"Who? That Dusthollow rat? Leon Storm?\" She let out a disbelieving laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But he’s a nobody. He’s not even close to a Tier 2 C-rank like you. Why would his path dictate yours?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tiger turned abruptly, his burning blue eyes locking onto her green ones. He looked past her, through the tall window, and stared at the snow-locked forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Fuck their rules. Fuck their protocols,’ Tiger’s thoughts blazed. ’The Special Forces officials won’t be able to protect him when we meet face to face...’\u003C\u002Fp>",1018,"2026-06-05T19:15:29.583Z",1,"novelbin.me","dd9052aaa9ef3e51761fdbeb1d13dc31c4bdd7fe27c1ee576d351bd757db8168","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-116","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-114",272,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsolflare-the-painter-s-secret-cover.jpg"]