...

The same corridor that would normally take no time to walk through now feels like an eternity. Walking leisurely with a beauty used to be carefree and relaxed, yet now it’s unspeakably difficult.

Li Yan sighed inwardly. Despite the slowness, the three of them managed to reach the stairs with a steady, synchronized pace.

Watching the guests leaning against the walls, rushing downstairs, Li Yan said softly, "Let’s go up!"

Yue Yao and Yurong fully complied with his arrangements. They were already struggling to hold their breath, eyes closed, following him forward, preparing to step upward. Each extended a hand—one probing the stairs, the other the wall. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Climbing the stairs was trickier than before on level ground, but since the stairs were relatively fixed—even though uncertain how many exactly, at least ten steps before needing a turn—along with being able to hold onto something, it was somewhat easier.

Halfway up, they turned and reached the fourth floor. Though smoke and tear gas permeated here too, it was noticeably lighter. Unable to hold their breath any longer, they started to breathe but found themselves coughing.

"Keep going up!"

Li Yan didn’t let them rest, continuing to escort the two upward. By now, they could squint open their eyes, picking up speed.

Reaching the fifth floor, they exited the staircase, closed the door, and all leaned against the wall, gasping for air with occasional coughs. Comparatively, the air here felt fresh.

"Why didn’t we go down? If we went downstairs, we’d be on the first floor by now, probably without any smoke," Yurong finally had the chance to voice her confusion.

At this point, Li Yan kept his eyes tightly shut, as they had been irritated for too long, causing them to sting.

"Because it’s not safe below either. When I was coming up, I vaguely bumped into many people carrying antiques down the stairs, all wearing masks and goggles, probably prepared thieves. While they might not necessarily hurt anyone, if the police show up, they’d need hostages."

After catching her breath, Yurong saw Yue Yao staring silently at Li Yan and quickly checked his condition. Seeing his eyes tightly shut, clearly in pain, she shook his arm, "Li Yan! Are you okay? Are you alright?"

"Heh... I’m fine, just a bit uncomfortable, same as you two, right? Don’t worry, a short rest will do. Let’s go!" Li Yan said, moving away from the wall.

Yurong and Yue Yao exchanged a glance, naturally supporting him from either side, resting his arms over their shoulders.

This position was not much different from their walk earlier, just a slight change in angle. Essentially, though, there was a significant shift: before, Li Yan had held them tightly, leading them; now, they guided him, supporting him on their shoulders.

"Where are we going now?" Yurong asked softly.

The corridor was empty, all rooms along the way closed. Compared to earlier chaos, it was very peaceful; everyone evidently frightened away by the explosion.

"I’m not quite sure where those thieves are headed, but the antiques are on the third floor. If their target is the antiques, it’s easier to exit from below or outside. That way, the likelihood of them coming upstairs is smaller. After a few explosions, all the guests are trying to get downstairs and out—which means the elevators should be full right now. Here, we should be safe for the time being. Yet, we’ll eventually need to leave, so let’s head to the elevator. If possible, we’ll take it out too."

Li Yan coughed a few times as he spoke. "However... you don’t need to support me like I’m blind or disabled... actually, my eyes just hurt a bit; it doesn’t hinder my walking. Just hold my hand."

"No way!" Yurong immediately objected. "You took care of us just now without regard for yourself, and now we can’t take care of you? Such male chauvinism!"

Yue Yao smiled slightly too, "So proud! Just listen and behave yourself."

Although their words seemed harsh, seeing Li Yan’s reddish eyes and streaming tears, unable to open at all, they felt secretly pained. Being able to care for him was a rare opportunity, so they continued to support him forward in tacit agreement.

Of course, Li Yan walked steadily, merely needing them to guide direction, not relying on their strength to bear his weight. Seeing their insistence, he joked, "Haha... how am I being a chauvinist? You see, I’m so moved I’m crying."

Hearing his quip, they felt even more tender. Their eyes too were suffering, but having tightly shut them in the corridor, they hadn’t been as severely affected as Li Yan.

With his arms resting on their shoulders, enjoying the support of two beauties, Li Yan felt quite comfortable—perhaps after such a strenuous journey, this current relief felt even sweeter.

Given the safe environment, without smoke or tear gas irritation, there was no rush; their pace stayed slow, advancing through the corridor towards the elevator. Step by step forward, Li Yan noticed an issue—his arms draped over their shoulders, causing his forearms to naturally hang down, resting in front of their chests. He hadn’t initially thought anything of it, but while walking, his hands and fingers occasionally bumped into their bodies. Realizing this after a few bumps, despite being unable to see, he could sense the peculiarity of such a position.