"I’m not going anywhere with you," Wenzhi said coldly, folding his arms across his chest. "And I’m not Shao Xinyuan’s guide. You’ve got the wrong person."

The words rippled through the room, drawing confused looks from the masked men.

Even Xinyuan turned to him, his expression edged with disbelief.

Wenzhi didn’t react.

"There’s news of your official contract," the Esper replied, narrowing his eyes. "You were seen in the Rift Suppression Corps. You were on camera.. on the news."

"That wasn’t me."

The Esper’s expression shifted as he tapped his watch.

"Run a full check again," he said. "Lin Wenzhi’s file."

Wenzhi pinched Xinyuan’s side sharply.

Xinyuan glanced down at him.

Wenzhi mouthed three words. Kill them all.

"Hey—!" One of the men caught it and fired immediately.

The bullet stopped mid-air. Right in front of Wenzhi’s chest.

A second later, the man’s neck snapped.

Wenzhi clicked his tongue and glanced sideways.

But Xinyuan hauled him back, locking an arm around his chest. He held him like an anchor against a rising tide. He needed the contact to stay grounded; he wasn’t letting go.

Bodies lifted. Twisted. And Crashed.

Bones snapped with sharp, invisible force as Xinyuan moved through them effortlessly, his psychokinesis tearing through the room. The dark mist coiled around him, fluid and heavy, swallowing bullets before they could land.

The Esper lunged forward and was thrown back instantly.

Xinyuan didn’t even look at him.

His body slammed through the wall and out of the garage.

Silence fell.

Every masked man was dead.

Wenzhi exhaled slowly.

This was the advantage of having a disaster completely wrapped around your fingers.

But the disadvantages were a long list, growing more annoying by the second. To make matters worse, an entire faction was now throwing themselves into the fold.

He pulled away from Xinyuan without hesitation.

The garage door was already open.

Wenzhi moved quickly, swinging onto his bike, helmet on, engine roaring to life.

The Esper stepped back in.

He stood directly in front of the bike, his gaze locking Xinyuan and Wenzhi in a cold, calculating stare.

Honestly, he was good-looking.

He would’ve been Wenzhi’s type, if he wasn’t actively trying to kill him.

The esper straightened, one hand pressing against his back. A dull crack of bone echoed as it reset, and he exhaled slowly.

He was an SS-rank. No doubt about it.

His eyes were a deep gold now, pupils narrowed into slits with restrained fury. His dark hair had fallen loose, slightly disheveled, but it only made him look more dangerous.

That, and the confidence. He was too confident he could keep up with Xinyuan.

"Now, now," he said, his voice low but steady. "You can’t just walk away. Xinyuan... why don’t you tell him exactly who our faction head is?"

Xinyuan didn’t respond. And that... That said enough.

Wenzhi’s grip tightened on the handle.

So they knew each other.

Of course they did.

Xinyuan had once belonged to the Old Blood faction before the CEA took him.

The engine roared to life.

Before Wenzhi could move, Xinyuan climbed on behind him without warning.

Wenzhi clicked his tongue under his breath.

He had been planning to leave him.

Too late now.

He accelerated, racing straight forward, directly at the Esper.

The man didn’t move.

Not even a step.

If anything, he looked ready to end it right there....

Dark mist rolled.

Xinyuan’s power slammed into him, sending him crashing aside.

Wenzhi shot past him and sped out of the garage.

The moment they hit the road, Engines roared behind them.

"We’re being followed," Xinyuan said, his arms wrapping tightly around Wenzhi’s waist.

"I know." Wenzhi leaned forward, pushing the bike harder as it tore down the wet road. Cold rain cut across his skin, wind whipping past them as the pursuing cars closed in. "We need to lose them."

Xinyuan held on tighter.

Wenzhi’s jaw clenched.

Everything. All of this was because of him.

The CEA. Now the Old Blood.

And Xinyuan wasn’t even fighting back properly.

Years of conditioning had carved obedience into him, dulled his instincts, forced control where there should have been violence. And Wenzhi was the one paying for it. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

He shifted routes sharply, turning onto a familiar road. The path to the Rift Suppression Corps.

As the building came into view, Wenzhi slowed.

"Are we still being followed?" Wenzhi asked.

Xinyuan, who had been leaning into him, glanced back briefly. "No."

Then he settled against him again, almost too easily.

Wenzhi exhaled, irritation slipping through as he pulled into the parking lot. The Rift Suppression Corps was still active with people moving, lights on, constant motion.

For now, it was the safest place he could think of.

They got off the bike.

That was when Wenzhi noticed Xinyuan still wasn’t wearing a shirt.

The cold didn’t seem to bother him. Or maybe it did.

His expression had shifted, more serious now, his gaze fixed on Wenzhi like he was turning something over in his mind.

Wenzhi ignored it. He tapped his watch.

[Are you still at the corps building?]

The reply came immediately. [Yes. Sorry, got pulled into an emergency rift run overseas. Just got back.]

[I’m coming to your office. Tell me you have a spare shirt.]

[...I do. But why?]

Wenzhi didn’t respond. He closed the interface with a soft exhale.

No matter how much he wanted to cut ties with Halo, the bond remained. Duan Ze, Pei Luo, and Ru Yi were real friends to Lin Wenzhi—people he shared genuine, sweet memories with.

They had trusted each other. They had relied on each other. For a long time, they had been the only people he could truly call his own.

Wenzhi could use them.

"Let’s go," Wenzhi said.

"I know a back route to the elevators," Xinyuan replied. "We shouldn’t draw attention. We don’t know if the Old Blood has people inside."

Wenzhi nodded. "Fine."

He stepped past him...

"Why did you tell me you met Shao Jingxin before tonight?"

Wenzhi stopped and turned.

Xinyuan watched him closely, looking dead serious.

"I don’t have to explain..." Wenzhi started, then paused. "Wait... Shao?"

"That was my older brother." Xinyuan nodded. "Shao Jingxin."