[{"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-58":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},1322886,1757,"Chapter 58: Impossible","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-58",58,"\u003Cp>\"Behave yourself when we get there.\" Zoe sighed and shook her head. She walked toward the door, swung it open, and turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren’t you coming?\" she said, her tone making the door tremble slightly under her palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps echoed down the hallway as Leon rushed to catch up. Air flowed between them like a river separating enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s gaze flickered toward Zoe whenever he felt watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Is she always like this, or am I just seeing a different version of her?’ His thoughts reeled, finally settling as they reached the base of the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead, a crowd swarmed the vast space like bees without a hive. Moving through felt like pulling teeth from a live lion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, look, just passed.\" Vera’s voice hit the back of Leon the moment he threaded through the first few lines of people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, met her gaze briefly, then returned his attention to Zoe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ooh... I never knew she was now your mother.\" Laughter exploded in the lobby as Vera clapped, drawing all eyes to Leon and Zoe even after they moved out of her sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’I really need a lady to discipline this fucken lady in a fight,’ Leon thought, knuckles crackling with tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whispers brushed past them as they reached the side of the main entrance, where the wall bore old damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn’t this the same handprint we saw on the elevator door on the second floor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...it can be. But wait... yeah, it’s the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...does that mean the person is among us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I’m not sure. If he is... then all of us are dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A silent smile crept across Leon’s lips as his eyes locked onto a boy nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange tingles ran through his fingers as he noticed Vera’s friend behind the boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, a sense of weight pressed down on him as they stepped past the main entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will you behave, or should I go alone?\" Zoe asked, frowning as she looked at Leon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will do what you tell me to do,\" he replied, a childish innocence in his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaves danced around their boots, giving Leon the appearance of a divine entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahh...\" He exhaled, letting a long-held tension leave with the breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, three proctors stood upright while another three crouched, collecting darkened sand in tiny jars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Isn’t that where the lightning that almost killed me landed?’ Leon’s gaze stayed on them as they entered the building marked GRIMFORGE.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Touchable darkness welcomed them once the door closed. Mechanical crushing sounds echoed as Zoe flicked the light switch downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bright light burst from the far end, forcing Leon to shield his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the gaps in his fingers, he glimpsed two people entangled, their actions violent and unrestrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s gaze shifted to Zoe, who smiled, as if such sights were nothing more than a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moaning filled the room as Leon’s eyes reluctantly traced the scene: a woman atop a broad-shouldered man, moving hastily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah. Pah. Pah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hinges of the sparring ring vibrated as Leon and Zoe approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem...\" Zoe cleared her throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman froze mid-motion, turning to smile at them. Sweat traced her body as she stood, adjusting her gown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zoe,\" she said, wiping herself, \"Is he your new boyfriend?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zoe giggled silently, and Leon’s eyes shifted between the woman and Zoe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’My girlfriend... how in the world...?’ he thought, brow furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well,\" Zoe said, stepping forward, \"he’s not my boyfriend.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s eyes locked onto Leon as she licked her lips. He swallowed, noticing the size of her chest beneath the gown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Won’t you train anymore?\" Zoe’s voice broke into his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon shook his head, letting the earlier vision fade. \"I will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright,\" Zoe moved past the sparring ring. \"Let me show you around.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She introduced him to the neatly arranged equipment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s start with these,\" she said, pointing to a labeled wall. \"Tools to train your speed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, frowning. \"Is your mind here, or still on her?\" Her laugh drew the woman’s attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a distance, Leon watched her hug the guy, then shift her gaze to smile at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Should I come and help you guys?\" she called.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re okay. Thank you,\" Zoe waved back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, where were we?\" she asked Leon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You were talking about using these to train speed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yeah. I can see your mind wasn’t fully taken by her demeanor.\" Zoe laughed, stepping onto a treadmill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Step on the other one. I’ll show you how it works. Maybe start with this.\" She gestured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon smiled genuinely, stepping on the machine. His hand hovered over the start button.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! Did you check the speed before starting?!\" Zoe’s voice boomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leaned forward, checking the screen. \"It says 30 mph.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"30?!\" Zoe’s voice rose as she hurried to adjust the setting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon frowned, confused. \"Why are you changing the number?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without answering, she continuously pressed the down arrow until the speed adjusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh...\" she sighed, stepping down to the other machine. \"You would’ve been thrown like a leaf if you’d started.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really?\" Leon smiled, planning to test it carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grin widened as his fingers hesitated on the top arrow. 3... 15... 25... 40. The treadmill’s surface quivered under his weight, humming like a caged storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zoe’s eyes widened, her voice caught somewhere between alarm and disbelief. \"Leon... stop! You – \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon didn’t. The numbers climbed higher... each increment sending tremors through the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat beaded on Zoe’s brow, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The treadmill bent slightly, rubber and steel straining as lights flickered around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady at the far end froze mid-step, her eyes locking on the boy as if she’d just seen something impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hand went to her mouth, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air between them felt heavier, charged, vibrating with a force that made the hairs on her arms stand on end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leon’s breathing remained calm, though the treadmill now roared like a living engine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zoe’s fingers clenched at her side, her nails digging into her palm. \"How... how is he – \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impossible,\" the lady whispered with a cracking voice, \"He can’t...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The treadmill accelerated beyond comprehension, blurring the edges of the room as if reality were bending around Leon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each step he took made a faint sonic boom echo in the metallic walls.\u003C\u002Fp>",1043,"2026-06-05T19:15:29.583Z",1,"novelbin.me","9848013932ceddd9a14a46d52364c61b1021d1955b4edd2d23896ee564311d9e","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-59","solflare-the-painter-s-secret-chapter-57",272,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsolflare-the-painter-s-secret-cover.jpg"]