Chapter 1449: What Can I Guard With? Lu Yun sat beside Zhang Ning, softly calling her name. Zhang Ning was startled, afraid that Lu Yun would see the misty haze in her eyes, so she quickly rubbed them with her hands and said, "Lu Yun, it's almost time for class to end now. You just sit here a while and go back to your classroom—there's no need to persuade me. I've already made up my mind: I'm determined to avenge my master." By saying this, Zhang Ning effectively implied that she had rejected what Liu Yun had just said. Lu Yun felt her body tremble, momentarily at a loss for words. Among the girls around her—whether it was Xiao Ying or Xiao Yu—Zhang Ning had always stirred the deepest emotions in Lu Yun. Though delicate and gentle in nature, Zhang Ning possessed an extraordinary determination. Lu Yun had never personally experienced what Zhang Ning had gone through, yet from her brief words, he could clearly sense the depth of her bond with her master—just as Lu Yun felt toward his uncle and aunt. "I completely understand." "Lu Yun felt a deep bitterness," "I can't be with you, yet I still hope to protect you, to do my very best to protect Ning Sister." As he spoke, Zhang Ning suddenly turned around and threw herself into Lu Yun's arms, her voice trembling as she said, "Lu Yun, I'm not unwilling to be with you. If you only knew how well our master has treated us as siblings, you'd understand everything I've done. I truly want to be with you, but I need time—time to finish what I need to accomplish. We're still young, and we have plenty of time ahead. If you're willing to wait for me, no matter when, I will always be yours." "I'll wait," Lu Yun said, the two words spoken without pause, holding Zhang Ning tightly. The two leaned against each other, silent. By now, there was no need for further words—communication flowed quietly between them, deep and unspoken. Perhaps tired, or perhaps finally finding a harbor where she could rest her weight, Zhang Ning didn’t know when she had fallen asleep—she remained undisturbed even by the sharp bell that rang at the end of class. Although she longed to keep holding Zhang Ning, she still needed to check on the girls at the convenience store. Gently placing Zhang Ning down, Lu Yun lightly kissed her forehead and whispered to herself, “Madam Zhang, I will always protect you. Since you’ve made such a great sacrifice for your master, I too will uphold my own principles.” After leaving Zhang Ning’s room, Lu Yun arrived at his own convenience store, where the young girls had already gathered and were bustling about. After greeting the group of beautiful young women, Lu Yun himself settled into a corner, taking on the role of a hands-off observer, occasionally glancing at Xiao Ying and the others. Protection—what kind of protection? Protection of the people close to him, of the women? Yet now, regarding Ning Jie, he feels utterly powerless. What can he use to protect them? Just words? Or his formidable strength, his mighty gun? No! As the woman of Lu Yun, he must protect them—using every strength a man possesses! Strength! If he had sufficient strength now, perhaps he could prevent Ning Jie from enduring such agonizing pain. But currently, he even cannot defeat Zhang Yi, let alone shoulder the burden for Ning Jie. Strength! Strength! Strength! Ning Jie can endure such severe suffering with self-sacrifice—why then cannot he? At this moment, Lu Yun makes a decision that will shape the rest of his life—he accepts the blade. He no longer refuses the ancient, elegant figure from his dreams. He accepts the blade. He resolves to become a powerful, extraordinary warrior. Yet now, his only choice is the ancient, elegant figure from his dreams—accepting the blade is his sole option. Lu Yun never doubted that his brain wasn't up to the task—what he lacked now was sheer martial strength. And the ancient-dressed figure who appeared in his dreams was undoubtedly the best, if not the only choice. No matter what changes lay ahead, the very presence of this unexpected figure had already begun to reshape his fate. At this moment, Lu Yun thought of nothing but strengthening his own abilities. Only by doing so could he ensure that the girls around him wouldn't suffer mistreatment or injustice. As for what might happen in the future, he simply couldn't foresee it now. Right now, Zhang Ning was facing difficulties—would it eventually be Xiao Ying, Xiao Yu, Shi Yu, or others? Lu Yun had never felt so eager for the arrival of night. "Hey, what are you staring at? We're all so busy—come on, lend a hand! You've been living like a hands-off manager, haven't you?" Suddenly, a sharp scolding reached Land Yun's ears. He gathered his thoughts and looked up—no surprise, it was Xiao Laocha Shi Yu. Land Yun smiled and said, "I'm not just enjoying your graceful, busy movements right now?" "Go on, you always show up out of shape! Land Yun, just come over and lend a hand—your sisters have been working themselves to exhaustion!" Shi Yu gave a pout of her rosy lips, expressing her displeasure, yet didn't stop working. "With free labor available, how could the boss be any more tender to the staff?" Xiao Ying gave Land Yun a withering glance, but her eyes sparkled with genuine delight—she was most pleased when he managed to improve his own life. "Oh my goodness, this is a full-blown rebellion! When many people work together, the fire burns brighter—we're starting to fear you all!" Jumping off her folding chair with a burning sensation in her buttocks, Xiao Yu quickly rose and skillfully began to work, avoiding the gaze of the others. Lü Yun's move to take over the school's convenience store has been widely discussed among students. Those familiar with Lü Yun are puzzled—how could this student, who's so financially strained that he's nearly struggling to afford meals, suddenly secure enough funds to buy out the store? Even more appealing to the male students is the fact that Lü Yun not only took over the store but also hired assistants who are all beautiful school girls—each one is a campus star. What kind of luck must he have? Could it be that he was struck by a celestial bolt, or simply blessed with a stroke of extraordinary fortune?