The night grew colder.
Cold enough that every breath turned into a cloud of white mist.
Cold enough that the metal in the shed made soft cracking noises.
Cold enough that Qin Mian's fingers felt numb, but she didn't loosen her grip on Yin Lie even for a second.
He lay in her arms, his forehead pressed against her shoulder, his skin like frozen stone.
Qin Mian brushed his hair from his face.
"Lie… please stay still… your body is hurt everywhere…"
But Yin Lie didn't listen.
Or maybe he couldn't.
His breath suddenly grew fast, too fast.
His hands twitched like he was trying to grab something in the dark.
Then—
he pushed himself up.
Slow.
Shaking.
Painful.
Qin Mian's heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
"Lie! Stop—stop, don't move!"
But he didn't stop.
He put both palms on the ground, trying to lift himself.
The veins on his neck stood out, glowing faint blue from the inside.
His arms shook like they could snap at any moment.
His breath sounded like he was choking on ice.
Chen Gu rushed over.
"Lie, don't! Your nervous system hasn't stabilized! You stand now, and you'll—"
Yin Lie growled softly.
Not loud.
But filled with pain and stubbornness.
"…I must… protect…"
Qin Mian grabbed his shoulders.
"No—no—no—you can't! Please, Lie!"
But Yin Lie's mind wasn't clear.
He looked around the shed, his mismatched eyes unable to focus.
One moment they looked at the wall.
The next moment at the door.
Then at the ceiling.
Like he was seeing too many things at once.
He whispered:
"…they're close… they're coming… they want you…"
Qin Mian's breath hitched.
So he was standing… because he wanted to protect her.
Even when his body was broken.
Even when he was half-conscious.
Even when his power was ripping him apart inside.
He still tried.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Lie… I know you want to protect me…
But right now… I'm the one who needs to protect you."
Yin Lie froze.
Like those words reached deep into him.
Slowly, painfully, he turned his head toward her.
He looked lost.
Completely lost.
"…protect… me…?"
He said it like it was a language he had forgotten.
Qin Mian nodded quickly, wiping tears with her sleeve.
"Yes. You can't move. Your powers are hurting you. You already saved me so many times.
Now it's my turn."
Yin Lie stared at her.
His breathing slowed a little.
His fingers opened and closed slowly, as if confused, as if trying to understand the idea of being protected instead of protecting.
He whispered:
"…don't leave me…"
Qin Mian touched his cheek gently.
"I won't. I swear I won't."
His shoulders sagged.
The stubborn strength left his arms.
He collapsed forward—
and Qin Mian caught him before he hit the ground.
His head rested against her chest.
She hugged him tightly, rocking him slightly like calming a frightened animal.
"It's okay… I've got you… I've got you…"
Kai watched from the door, jaw tight.
"…He can barely stand. If the Crawlers come in here—"
Qin Mian didn't look up.
"I don't care," she whispered. "I just need him to stay alive."
Chen Gu wiped his glasses, voice shaky.
"He tried to stand because he sensed danger. That means the hunters must be extremely close."
Thorne peeked from behind a crate.
"Why do hunters always come when we are weakest…?!"
Kai shot him a look.
"Because that's how the Directorate works."
Yin Lie's Body Starts to Break Again
Yin Lie suddenly gasped and curled forward.
His entire body shook violently.
Qin Mian panicked.
"Lie—?! Lie, what's wrong?!"
His nails dug into the dirt.
His teeth clenched.
Blue cracks of power flickered down his arms, lighting up his veins like broken lines of ice.
"…too cold…" he whispered.
"…too loud… too bright… everything hurts…"
Chen Gu knelt beside him, pale.
"This is a post-fusion overload. His three powers are trying to rewrite his body at the same time!"
Kai cursed.
"So he's breaking down?! Now?!"
Yin Lie's eyes squeezed shut.
He whispered in a broken voice:
"…Mian… where…?"
Qin Mian pulled his face into her hands.
"I'm here! I'm right here! Look at me—look at me—"
Yin Lie opened his eyes—
and the moment he saw her,
the glow dimmed.
Just a little.
But enough.
He reached for her weakly.
His fingers trembled.
"…stay…"
Qin Mian's tears fell onto his knuckles.
"I will. I'm not leaving you."
Kai and Chen Gu both turned their eyes away, not wanting to intrude on the moment.
Thorne sniffed loudly.
"Even dying looks romantic with these two…"
"Shut up," Kai hissed.
The Hunters Get Close
Then—
from outside—
CRACK
CRUNCH
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK
Metal.
Many of them.
Kai's eyes snapped open.
"Chen Gu. Lantern off. Now."
Chen Gu covered the light instantly, plunging the shed into darkness.
Only a faint blue glow from Yin Lie's unstable power lit the air.
Kai whispered:
"They're surrounding us."
Thorne trembled so hard the crates rattled.
"How many…?"
Kai peered through a crack in the wall.
Her pupils shrank.
"…At least a dozen Crawlers. Maybe more."
Chen Gu swallowed.
"We can't fight that. Not with Yin Lie like this."
Kai stepped back from the door.
"Then think. Fast."
Yin Lie suddenly tensed again.
"Don't… let them… take her…"
Qin Mian hugged him tight.
"I won't let anyone touch me. I promise. And I won't let them take you."
His head rested against her shoulder.
He whispered like a dying flame:
"…I can't… protect you…"
Qin Mian closed her eyes.
And answered with a strength she didn't know she had:
"That's okay. I'll protect you."
His body relaxed again.
Just barely.
But enough that she knew he heard her.
When He Tries to Stand Again
But then—
the sound of metal claws scraping the shed door echoed like a scream.
Yin Lie reacted instantly.
His energy flared.
He pushed himself up again.
Qin Mian panicked.
"No—Lie—don't!"
He didn't listen.
Because he wasn't hearing.
He was sensing her danger.
His breath shook.
His eyes glowed brighter.
"…they'll hurt you…"
He forced his knees under him—
and slipped.
He would've hit the ground,
but Qin Mian caught him, arms shaking from the weight.
"YOU KILL YOURSELF DOING THIS!" she cried.
Her tears fell on his shoulder.
"You promised… you promised you wouldn't leave me…
So don't force yourself to die now…"
Yin Lie stared at her.
His chest rose and fell.
And for the first time—
he stopped fighting his weakness.
He rested his forehead against her collarbone.
"…I'm scared…"
Qin Mian froze.
She had never heard him say something like that.
Ever.
She wrapped her arms around him completely.
"It's okay. I'll be scared with you."
He let his eyes close.
He didn't stand again.
Not this time.
And not because he couldn't—
but because she held him so tightly
he finally believed
she wouldn't leave.
The Final Warning
Metal legs scraped the ground outside.
Kai whispered urgently:
"They've found our tracks. We need a plan. Now."
Chen Gu looked at Yin Lie and Qin Mian.
"We have to move… but he can't walk…"
Kai gritted her teeth.
"So we either run—
or we die here."
Qin Mian hugged Yin Lie tighter.
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were firm.
"Then I'll carry him."
Kai stared.
"…you're serious?"
Qin Mian nodded.
"No matter what happens…
I'm not leaving him behind."
Outside, dozens of red eyes glowed in the dark.
The Crawlers were almost at the door.
And Qin Mian, holding the unconscious Yin Lie in her arms, whispered:
"Lie… don't worry.
This time—I'll keep you safe."
—Chapter 86 End