The piercing, metallic shriek of the mutated Dovos echoing across the wasteland drew the attention of the squad stationed near the minor rift.

Shao Xinyuan, Zhaohe, Kaiwen, and Chenxi stood among the bodies of the low-level monsters they had just cleared, their heads snapping toward the horizon just in time to witness the smoke trail of the crashing jet.

Shao Xinyuan felt it first. Wenzhi’s wavelength.

His heart dropped. Panic flooding his veins so fast it hurt.

Beside him, Kaiwen narrowed his eyes. "I think the Dovos took down the jet."

His expression darkened. The black veins crawling up his neck pulsed. He was very close to a berserk state. "Ze’er better not die."

Xinyuan didn’t waste breath on an answer. He simply took a step forward. The dark mist erupted, swirling into a dense vortex that swallowed him whole, teleporting him away from the site instantly.

When he appeared again, it was in the middle of chaos. The crash site was torn apart.

Three mutated Dovos circled above. Bodies were already on the ground.

More Espers were fighting. More Guides were running.

The air smelled like blood and burning metal.

Xinyuan’s gaze swept the field, finding Wenzhi and Duan Ze standing shoulder-to-shoulder, with Ru Yi shielded directly behind them.

His chest loosened. But only for a second.

One of the Dovos had shifted its attention toward them.

Commander Fu Muhan was holding the others back, his enhanced strength making every hit violent enough to crack the earth beneath him.

But it wasn’t enough.

Xinyuan moved fast. His shadows wrapped around the attacking Dovos’ wings, locking them in place mid-air.

Then, he tore them off.

The creature screamed and its head dropped next.

The body hit the ground.

Before the others could react, Xinyuan was already on the second.

Then the third.

He was quick, brutal and clean like it was all nothing more than warm-up.

He had killed enough Dovos by now to know their patterns.

They came after him often.

They were almost boring now.

Still, he wanted Wenzhi to see him.

When the last body dropped, Xinyuan turned.

Wenzhi was looking at him with an unreadable expression on his masked face.

Xinyuan couldn’t tell if he was impressed.

But he didn’t care. He was too relieved.

He crossed the distance immediately.

His shadows retreated back into his body as he wrapped his arms around Wenzhi without hesitation in front of everyone.

"I missed you, freckles," he whispered against Wenzhi’s ear.

Wenzhi stayed still. "It’s been only twelve hours."

Xinyuan smiled. He could hear Wenzhi’s heart beating so fast.

His dimples deepened. "I know."

He pulled back immediately and started checking Wenzhi’s shoulders, arms, neck, waist.

Wenzhi frowned and pushed at him. "What are you doing?"

"Checking."

"For what?"

"Injuries."

"There aren’t any."

"Are you sure?"

Wenzhi looked annoyed. "The only thing trying to kill me right now is Zhaohe’s cooking."

Xinyuan blinked.

Wenzhi’s face twisted. "Never again."

Behind them, Duan Ze suddenly spoke. "I need to get to Kaiwen."

He was already strapping on a flight pack while Ru Yi tightened the final locks for him.

"You’re carrying me." she said.

Ru Yi had been guiding Jiang Zhaohe for the past few weeks. And somehow, it was working.

Though Ru Yi had needed extra support injections to keep up. An A-Rank Guide handling an SSS-Rank Esper was never easy.

In no time, the crash site slowly settled.

The dead were gathered. The injured were carried back to the main rift site. No one wanted to leave bodies behind in the red zone.

Healing Espers moved through the survivors while the exhausted were guided into temporary tents for emergency stabilization.

Fresh waves of Espers and Guides loaded themselves into trucks and moved toward the smaller rift sites surrounding the area.

The work never stopped.

Inside one of the command tents, Wenzhi was suffering.

He was face-down on the cot, half-curled on his stomach, his face pressed directly against Xinyuan’s thigh.

He was completely defeated.

Food poisoning had officially won.

Xinyuan sat beside him, one hand absentmindedly patting his back.

There was a small smile tugging at his mouth. "I honestly didn’t think you would eat Zhaohe’s food."

Wenzhi’s voice came out muffled against his leg. "She has... persuasive methods."

Xinyuan chuckled.

That made Wenzhi glare weakly up at him. Xinyuan looked far too amused.

"This isn’t funny."

"It is a little funny."

Wenzhi groaned and buried his face harder into his thigh.

"I survived being shot."

"Mhm."

"I survived being fucked by a disaster class esper."

"Mhm."

"And this is what kills me?"

Xinyuan’s hand slid into his hair, fingers combing through it slowly. His smile softened. "I would’ve saved you from Zhaohe’s cooking if I knew."

Wenzhi let out a weak scoff. "Too late."

Xinyuan looked down at him for a long moment.

Wenzhi looked pale, exhausted.... Safe.

His fingers kept moving through Wenzhi’s hair.

And despite everything, the blood, the monsters, the chaos outside, this was the calmest Xinyuan had felt all day.

He liked this. Too much.

Wenzhi noticed the silence and frowned. "What?"

Xinyuan smiled. "Nothing."

"Is it true some of the Corps Espers and Guides are stationed around here?" Wenzhi pushed himself upright as he asked, his stomach still twisting unpleasantly.

Xinyuan nodded. "Yes."

He watched as Wenzhi quickly grabbed his mask, slipping the straps over his ears and pulling it secure before the toxic air of the red zone could completely starve his lungs.

He grimaced under the plastic edge, trying to stabilize his breathing, while Xinyuan watched his every movement attentively with a small, quiet smile.

"There are a few. The others recognized them." His mouth curved faintly. "I never cared enough to know anyone outside my team."

Wenzhi cocked his head. "Are they hostile?"

Xinyuan shrugged. "They are. But we don’t care."

Wenzhi exhaled slowly.

Xinyuan leaned forward, his fingers brushing the edge of the mask, and let out a low sigh. "I hate the red zones. I can’t kiss you with that thing on."

Wenzhi gave him a dead stare. "It’s not my fault red zones exist."

His fingers adjusted the mask. "I can guide you without—"

"No." Xinyuan cut him off. "I want to kiss you."

Wenzhi looked unimpressed. "Well, I want to breathe."

He tapped the mask. "And those two things don’t go together. You completely shut off all my senses."

Xinyuan leaned closer anyway. His fingers slipped beneath the straps and pulled the mask off. "I’ll be quick."

Wenzhi narrowed his eyes. "That better not be the last fucking thing I hear."

Xinyuan laughed softly, his glowing red eyes gleaming dangerously. A deep flush crept up to the tips of his ears as his lips brushed against Wenzhi’s in a slow, barely there kiss.

Wenzhi’s hand immediately shot into his hair, gripping hard. His breathing hitched. "Don’t fucking play with me, Shao Xinyuan."

Xinyuan looked at Wenzhi like he was a crush he was never going to get over, like he was falling in love with him all over again.

He was hopelessly ruined.

He brushed his lips against Wenzhi’s once more, teasing the boundary, until Wenzhi lost his patience.

He grabbed him harder and kissed him properly. Hard and hungry.

Xinyuan made a low sound against his mouth and immediately deepened it, pulling Wenzhi closer until their bodies were pressed together.

The kiss turned messy fast. Desperate. Greedy.

Wenzhi could feel that drowning sensation as Xinyuan swallowed everything.

His breath. His senses. His thoughts.

The whole world narrowed into this.

To Xinyuan.

Xinyuan bit down gently on his lower lip and pulled back, breathing hard.

He grabbed the mask and strapped it back over Wenzhi’s face.

Wenzhi inhaled sharply through it looking dazed, flushed and annoyed.

Xinyuan looked far too pleased. "The researchers are saying the red zones are getting harder to survive in."

Wenzhi glared at him. "No shit."

The red in Xinyuan’s eyes had already faded.

Guiding Xinyuan had become easier. Just a touch was enough as long as the corruption wasn’t consuming.

Xinyuan tilted his head. "I’m not apologizing. You hate it when I apologize."

Wenzhi frowned. "That’s because you always look pathetic doing it."

Xinyuan laughed.

Wenzhi suddenly pressed a hand to his stomach. His face twisted. "Fuck."

Xinyuan’s expression changed immediately. He placed his hand over Wenzhi’s stomach, covering his. "Sorry, freckles."

Wenzhi looked miserable.

Xinyuan sighed. "Maybe we should go back."

He rubbed slow circles over his stomach. "Zhaohe can take my shift as punishment for poisoning you."

Wenzhi snorted and slapped his hand away. "I’m fine."

Xinyuan immediately pulled him into his arms instead, burying his face into the crook of Wenzhi’s neck. "You’re not."

His voice was quieter now. "When you say you’re fine... you usually aren’t, freckles."

Wenzhi rolled his eyes. "Are you saying that because you know me better than anyone?"

Xinyuan pulled back fast, blinking at him. He looked genuinely offended. "Don’t I?"

Wenzhi stared at him and burst into laughter..

The look on Xinyuan’s face was ridiculous.

He shook his head. "Maybe we should go back."

His fingers brushed Xinyuan’s shoulder. "So I can guide you properly."

Xinyuan’s face lit up instantly. He leaned closer again, brushing his nose against Wenzhi’s. "Let’s do it."