The mission was supposed to be simple.
That was what Lin Mo had been told.
A disturbance in the lower realm.
A trace of corrupted energy spreading through the mountains.
Nothing he couldn't handle.
Nothing that required… anyone else.
And yet
From the moment he arrived
Something felt wrong.
The air was heavier than usual.
Not just dark.
Familiar.
Lin Mo stepped carefully across the uneven ground, his white robes brushing lightly against the dry earth. The sky above was dim, clouds gathering as if something was watching from beyond.
"…This energy…"
He frowned slightly.
It felt like him.
His fingers tightened unconsciously.
Mo Ran.
The name surfaced in his mind before he could stop it.
"…Focus," Lin Mo murmured softly to himself.
But it was difficult.
Everything here,
The darkness, the silence, the tension
It reminded him too much.
A sudden movement
Lin Mo turned sharply.
Something lunged from the shadows.
Dark energy burst forward, fast and violent, aiming straight for him.
He reacted instantly
Light flared from his palm, clashing against the attack with a sharp explosion that echoed through the empty land.
But
Something wasn't right.
The energy didn't disperse.
It multiplied.
"…What?"
More shadows surged forward, surrounding him from all sides.
Too many.
Too fast.
Lin Mo's expression hardened as he raised his hand again, his aura flaring brighter,
But it flickered.
Unstable.
His breath caught.
"…No…"
For a split second
His control slipped.
And that was enough.
One of the shadows broke through his defense.
Too close,
Too fast,
And then,
A hand grabbed him.
Strong.
Firm.
Pulling him back
Darkness surged
Not toward him
But around him.
Protecting him.
"…You really don't know how to stay out of trouble."
That voice.
Lin Mo's eyes widened slightly.
"…Mo Ran?"
The shadows that had surrounded him were gone.
Gone
As if they had been erased.
Mo Ran stood in front of him, his back facing Lin Mo, one hand still gripping his wrist.
He hadn't let go.
"…What are you doing here?" Lin Mo asked, his voice quieter now.
Mo Ran didn't turn.
"What am I doing here?"
He let out a low, irritated laugh.
"What were you doing?"
Lin Mo blinked.
"This is my mission"
"And if you got hurt?"
The words cut him off instantly.
Mo Ran turned now, his expression darker than before.
"If you were killed"
Lin Mo shook his head slightly.
"No," he said calmly.
"…We angels don't die."
Mo Ran stilled.
Lin Mo's gaze softened just a little.
"…We disappear."
Silence fell between them.
For a moment
Mo Ran said nothing.
Then his grip tightened.
"…That's not better."
The words came out quieter than before.
More dangerous.
Lin Mo's breath caught slightly.
"…What are you doing here?" he asked again, trying to steady himself.
"This is a forbidden zone for demons."
He stepped closer.
"You could be hurt."
That made Mo Ran pause.
Slowly
He looked at him.
"…You're worried about me?"
Lin Mo didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
And that..
That was enough.
A faint smirk touched Mo Ran's lips.
"…You really haven't changed."
Before Lin Mo could respond
A sudden shift in the air.
Sharp.
Violent.
Both of them reacted instantly,
But the attack was already there.
A blade of pure energy tore through the air, aimed directly at Mo Ran.
Too fast.
Too close.
Mo Ran's eyes narrowed,
But before he could move
Lin Mo stepped in front of him.
The impact landed.
Hard.
A sharp gasp escaped his lips as the force drove into him, light shattering around his body as he staggered forward.
"…Lin Mo"
Blood.
It slipped past Lin Mo's lips, staining the white of his robes.
Mo Ran froze.
For the first time
Truly froze.
"…Why…?"
His voice was low.
Unsteady.
Lin Mo's body swayed slightly, but he didn't fall.
"…You were too slow," he said softly.
A weak smile touched his lips.
"…Demon Lord."
Silence.
Everything stopped.
Mo Ran's eyes widened
Just slightly.
"…You"
Lin Mo looked up at him.
"…I'm not as unaware as you think."
Blood dripped slowly from his lips.
But his gaze
Was steady.
And something in it had changed.
To be continued… 🖤🔥