Terra Calendar, Year 1096 — February 31
9:38 a.m.
Lungmen Governor's Office
"I've said it more times than I can count, Ch'en. I will not allow you to go to Ursus."
"Like hell you won't!" Ch'en Hui-chieh exploded, jabbing a finger at Wei Yenwu's face as she continued to curse him out. "Chen Mo's over there with his life hanging by a thread—are you seriously not worried at all? You don't care about him? I do! I'll say it again: don't let your people get in my way!"
Ever since Ch'en had planned to go settle accounts with Penguin Logistics—only to find their offices already emptied out—she'd been furious. Add the fear for Chen Mo's situation, and she'd spent every day distracted and tense, barely able to focus on work.
Recently, she finally decided to do what Chen Mo would do: slip out of Lungmen and go herself.
The moment she made a move, Wei Yenwu's subordinates caught her.
She was trying to bring her own brother back, and Wei Yenwu was blocking her. How could she not be enraged?
Just as Ch'en looked ready to keep going, Wei Yenwu raised a hand, cutting through her tirade.
"That's enough. Stop worrying about Xiao Mo."
Ch'en froze, then immediately pressed, "What do you mean? Did you—"
Wei Yenwu didn't answer directly. He simply lifted a finger and pointed toward the door behind her.
"Go back and do your job properly. I can guarantee he'll return safe and sound—whole and intact."
That girl's mouth is filthy, Wei Yenwu thought, rubbing his temples. Where did she even learn to talk like that?
Seeing that Ch'en still didn't fully trust him, he waved her off impatiently.
"Don't just stand there. Do you want me to get up and escort you out?"
"…I hope you mean it this time."
With Wei Yenwu looking unshakably confident, Ch'en finally stopped pushing. She spun on her heel and strode out.
Only after her footsteps had faded did Wei Yenwu let out a long sigh.
"These two really are trouble… One insists on running off to Ursus, and the other is out in Chernobog picking a fight with Patriot."
As his words fell, a woman's voice surfaced in the empty reception hall—calm, close, and unmistakably present.
"Lord Wei. Do we reveal ourselves and move to protect Young Master Chen?"
"No," Wei Yenwu replied, flicking his hand. "Not unless he's truly about to die. Let him learn a lesson—maybe then he'll stop running around everywhere."
Wei Yenwu wasn't ignorant of what Chen Mo could do.
"Still… I hope he comes back soon," he muttered. "Otherwise she'll come here again and raise hell."
And privately, he couldn't help adding:
Compared to Ch'en—who curses me out every other sentence—Xiao Mo really is the considerate one.
At least he calls me 'uncle.'
…
Ursus — Chernobog
"What is it? Did you notice something?"
Zoya's question snapped Chen Mo back. He shook his head, but his unease didn't fade as he watched the students inch along the walls, tense and cautious.
"I just… feel like someone's watching us."
But the streets around them were silent—too silent. He found no one, and after a few more moments of scanning the empty alleys, he forced himself to keep moving.
It was strange.
When they first left the school, there had still been scattered Infected coming at them.
Yet the closer they drew to Rhodes Island's direction, the fewer enemies appeared—until it felt as though the city itself had gone still.
It reminded him of an old nature documentary: the moment before a tiger strikes, when the entire world seems to hold its breath.
Chen Mo pushed his vigilance to the limit. He stopped abruptly and beckoned to Sonia, who was looking at him in confusion.
"You all move faster. Go on ahead. I'll stay behind and check what's going on."
"What the hell are you saying?" Sonia snapped. "You think I'm leaving you here?"
She reached for his wrist, but Chen Mo sidestepped cleanly, avoiding her grasp.
"You know what I can do. So what are you worried about?" he said firmly. "Stop hesitating. Go."
Sonia still looked like she wanted to argue, but with Anna and Zoya urging her, she finally ground her teeth and moved on with the others toward the agreed rendezvous point.
Only after the main group had gone some distance did Chen Mo settle in place and scan the surroundings again. Then, as a test, he spoke into the emptiness.
"It's just me now. Come out."
Silence.
Nothing but the wind cutting through snow and ruined streets. No blade. No footsteps. No sudden ambush.
"…Was it just my imagination?"
Maybe he really had overthought it.
Relief loosened the knot in his chest. He turned to follow the others—
"Hiss… haa…"
A heavy, oppressive breathing sounded behind him.
Gooseflesh erupted across Chen Mo's skin. He ripped Ashen free and spun around—
A woman stood in the blowing snow, draped in a black coat, two blood-red eyes burning under the brim of her hood.
"Imperial Guard?!"
"Pure-blood Draco," the Imperial Guard said, hand settling on her hilt as she advanced step by step. "You should not proceed any further."
With each footfall, the snow beneath her boots seemed to blacken—polluted, cracking as if the land itself rejected her presence.
Damn it, Chen Mo thought. Don't tell me that old black snake sent her to stop me.
He didn't dare relax for even an instant. Patriot could fight three at once; Chen Mo wasn't remotely sure he could take a single Imperial Guard in a straight duel.
…I mean, maybe?
Hell, I haven't even passed the second part of the driving test.
As his mind raced, that same suffocating breathing continued—steady, relentless.
"Hiss… haa… Prepare yourself, Draco."
Steel rang out as the Imperial Guard drew her blade.
The tainted dominion spread with her—closing in, sealing Chen Mo into a space that suddenly felt like a cage.
"You will stay here," she said evenly. "You are going nowhere."
…
"Come on, Doctor—just a little longer."
Seeing the Doctor nod faintly, Amiya didn't slow. She kept running and called to Dobermann, who was guarding their flank.
"Instructor Dobermann—how much farther to our destination?"
"Twenty minutes," Dobermann replied, eyes sharp. "If nothing unexpected happens."
Great, Amiya thought, relief blooming. This rescue should finally end safely.
They had recovered the Doctor. No one had died. It almost felt as though someone—some unseen presence—had been quietly helping them from behind the scenes.
"Wait," Nearl called from the front. "Something's wrong."
The squad halted at once. Amiya hurried to Nearl's side.
"What is it, Nearl?"
"…There's a group of students ahead."
Amiya blinked—then she saw them.
Students were surrounded by Infected whose movements looked… wrong. Several Ursus military police were fighting desperately among them.
And there, swinging the hardest and shouting the loudest, was an Ursus girl with red-streaked hair.
They wouldn't last much longer.
"Amiya," Dobermann said, weapon raised, gaze fixed on the chaotic melee. "Do we go around them?"
"Those Infected aren't normal. If we help, it will cost time."
"And the longer we delay, the greater the chance something changes. This road has been too smooth so far. I'm worried an accident is waiting for us."
No one else spoke. They left the choice to Amiya's back as she stood at the front.
"…We can't just watch them die."
She drew a breath and turned slightly toward the Doctor.
"Please, Doctor. I'm asking you—command us. Help us save them."
It was exactly the kind of decision Amiya would make.
Scout and Ace exchanged a glance and smiled. Dobermann sighed, but said nothing more—only stepping forward to take point.
Seeing no objections, the Doctor gave a small nod.
"Then… I'm counting on all of you."
…
On the opposite side of Rhodes Island's advance, Sonia's group was in bad shape. Several students were already wounded—some dead.
"Damn it!" Sonia roared, eyes blazing as she glared past the waves of Infected at a pale figure watching like it was entertainment. She hacked one attacker down and started to charge, intent on taking the leader first.
"Don't!" Anna seized her sleeve and yanked her back. "He's not alone!"
In the distance, the white-haired Infected's grin stretched wider, delighted by their desperation.
"I didn't expect you to crawl out of that school," Mephisto said lightly. "But fine. You can die here with those Rhodes Island people. That works too."
Rhodes Island had already plunged into the "herd," starting to pull students free and force an opening.
Mephisto smiled and retreated a step, as though making room for the show.
He might not kill them with his own hands—but watching them struggle in flames was more than enough to satisfy his twisted appetites.
Tap.
A crisp footstep sounded.
And with it came a wave of searing heat.
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