The entire world seemed to fall silent in an instant.

He Yu was dressed in a blue prison uniform. Two buttons at the collar were undone, revealing the faint outline of his collarbones. His slender, fragile frame made it easy for someone to support him, and the soft cotton prison clothes only emphasized how delicate he looked.

The person holding him wore a fitted black uniform. The prison warden's insignia rested on his chest, while the tightly fastened black belt around his waist gave him an air of restrained austerity.

His body was solid and powerful. One broad hand almost covered the entirety of He Yu's lower back, effortlessly pulling him into a firm embrace.

The man in the black warden's uniform wrapped the man in blue prison clothes tightly in his arms. With a single turn of his body, he spun He Yu away from the wall, shielding him completely behind himself.

—It was Warden Lan Ersi who had saved He Yu!

Eugene and the others stared in shock. Dr. Ganlun also froze, looking incredulously at the two who had avoided the attack, his face filled with disbelief.

What was wrong with the warden? Why would he save an experimental prisoner?!

No one answered him.

Those deep azure eyes remained fixed on He Yu's black ones without blinking. Not a single word was spoken, yet it seemed as though thousands had already been exchanged.

Looking into those blue eyes, He Yu slowly curled his lips into a smile.

"Long time no see."

At those words, "Lan Ersi" smiled as well, his deep blue eyes curving gently.

As though he had not spoken in ages, his voice was hoarse and low.

"I've finally found you."

Only after crossing countless worlds...

Only after surviving endless hunts...

Only after waiting through world after world...

Only after searching desperately...

Only after dying again and again...

...could they meet once more.

It truly had been a long time.

Every reunion between them took place atop bloodshed.

Every meeting demanded life as its price.

And yet...

He still wanted to see him.

As long as he could.

The blood that had been spilled, the endless pursuits, the disasters endured in unseen worlds—all of it was cast behind him, condensed into a single sentence.

I've finally found you.

Long time no see.

I've missed you terribly.

The wind lifted the hems of their clothes as they slowly landed.

One was tall, one was shorter.

One was sturdy and powerful, the other slender and fragile.

Standing together, however, they looked strangely harmonious.

As though they belonged to the same world.

As though they shared an understanding and a bond no one else could ever comprehend.

The same pair of blue eyes.

Even when they belonged to someone else's body...

They were still blue eyes.

He Yu's second sentence was,

"You shouldn't have appeared."

Just like their previous meeting, they should have merely brushed past each other. A single exchange of glances should have been enough.

He should never have appeared.

Yes.

He Yu had known he was here.

The staircase that had appeared yesterday.

The brief exchange of glances today.

Both had told He Yu the truth.

"Lan Ersi" remained silent.

His blue eyes simply curved into another smile.

Those familiar eyes carried traces of the great feline Frost Beast, the ghost Li, the Devil Vine Xiao Lü, and Tangyuan the little black creature.

"Lan Ersi!" Dr. Ganlun roared furiously. "What are you doing?!"

Ling Buchen and Eugene reached out simultaneously, intending to pull He Yu away from Lan Ersi, away from any possible danger.

Not far away, Zhen Xing was still locked in battle with Wanrenzhan, yet his attention remained fixed on this side, his brows tightly knitted.

Only then did Lan Ersi raise his head.

Everyone saw those familiar azure eyes.

Lan Ersi himself was handsome.

Yet when those blue eyes occupied his face, it suddenly felt as though everything else existed only to frame them.

—Lan Ersi's handsome face was unworthy of those eyes.

Eugene and the others:

!!!

They were utterly stunned.

After a brief silence, the Bullet Screen exploded.

"Blue eyes!! Holy shit, blue eyes!!"

"Does Lan Ersi have blue eyes? Does he?! Somebody answer me!"

"No! Lan Ersi has brown eyes."

"My god—doesn't that mean... AHHHH! It really is Blue Eyes! Warden and Prisoner! This ship is killing me!"

"Waaah! My ship is back!"

"It's really been so long since Blue Eyes appeared! Oh my god!!"

"He showed up just to save He Yu! I declare him the official partner! This is my OTP!"

"Oh no! Blue Eyes is back! What about my Zhen Xing × He Yu ship? I just started getting fed!"

"Who cares about shipping right now?! Worry about whether they'll even clear this instance!"

...

Blue Eyes' appearance struck like thunder from a clear sky.

Dr. Ganlun trembled slightly, confusion flashing across his face.

Everyone else was simply stunned.

Some of them were even experiencing emotions too complicated to describe.

None more so than Eugene, Duan Yuchen, and Qiong.

—If they weren't mistaken...

Blue Eyes was that person.

The realization left them simultaneously thrilled and strangely overwhelmed.

"Bang!"

Distracted for a split second, Zhen Xing was smashed backward by Wanrenzhan's axe.

He staggered several steps, sparks flying beneath his feet before he finally steadied himself.

Taking a deep breath, he forced most of his attention back onto the battle.

The Rubik's Cube shifted.

His combat power doubled.

At the same time, the wall-like monster bit toward them once again.

Its bite force was terrifying.

Even worse, it generated an immense suction force that dragged everyone nearby toward its enormous mouth.

Ferocious.

Brutal.

Ling Buchen had moved closer while trying to rescue He Yu and was almost sucked straight inside.

Clutching his guqin, he immediately retreated into a safe zone before kicking away a gray-faced monster beside him.

Blue Eyes continued holding He Yu.

Using the suction force itself, he moved toward the wall before delivering a vicious kick.

At the same moment, he drove a blade backward into the wall.

"ROAR—"

The "wall" let out a howl.

Its massive body twisted violently.

It wasn't a wall at all.

It was alive.

The tenth underground level was actually just as large as the upper floors.

The reason it had seemed smaller was because a creature resembling a wall occupied half the laboratory.

Its size...

Its combat power...

A single blade could never seriously injure something like that.

After being stabbed, it merely twisted a few times before lunging once more at He Yu and Blue Eyes.

Blue Eyes carried He Yu backward.

He drew a deep breath.

Finally, with visible reluctance, he loosened his embrace.

His eyes never left He Yu's face.

They seemed almost capable of speaking on their own, utterly unwilling to look away.

After a long pause, he said softly in his hoarse voice,

"Be careful. Wait for me."

With that, he turned to face the wall monster.

He had no choice but to leave He Yu somewhere safe.

He Yu reached out.

The sleeve of his blue prison uniform slid back, exposing a slender wrist.

His long, elegant fingers caught the hem of the other's clothing.

He spoke quietly.

"Stay alive."

Blue Eyes' eyes curved happily.

He was obviously delighted.

As the wall attacked again, he snatched Ling Buchen's guqin away, pushed him toward He Yu, and left behind a single sentence.

"Protect him."

Ling Buchen: "..."

Momentarily stunned, he instinctively stepped in front of He Yu, producing another combat weapon to shield him.

Standing before the wall monster, the guqin rested horizontally before the man in the black warden's uniform.

The image was strangely out of place.

Yet those ocean-like blue eyes suited the instrument perfectly.

His fingers moved.

The resonant notes rang out.

Unlike Ling Buchen's melodious music, Blue Eyes played nothing but killing techniques.

In his hands, the guqin's power multiplied dramatically.

Each note became a blade.

A sword.

An axe.

Every strike crashed mercilessly into the wall monster.

Ling Buchen stared blankly.

After a long moment, he finally murmured hoarsely,

"So... this is the true power of Li Zhan's guqin."

—He had never managed to unleash its full strength.

He Yu also watched the battle before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

Patting Ling Buchen on the shoulder, he comforted him,

"You still aren't familiar enough with it. Harmony with the guqin takes time."

One was its new owner.

The other was the one who had forged it.

How could they possibly be compared?

Another gray-faced monster lunged toward them.

Ling Buchen wrapped an arm around He Yu and retreated while smashing the monster back with his weapon.

Eugene and Duan Yuchen immediately rushed over to help.

Perhaps it was only an illusion...

But Ling Buchen felt Blue Eyes' music pause for the briefest instant.

Those blue eyes looked displeased...

At his hand.

Ling Buchen smiled faintly.

Then he deliberately tightened his hold around He Yu, turned so that his back faced Blue Eyes and the wall monster, and shoved another gray-faced creature aside.

【Bullet Screen: "...Sorry, Blue Eyes. I'm switching ships. He Yu has chemistry with literally everyone."】

【Bullet Screen: "HAHAHA! Blue Eyes has the exact expression of 'Don't touch my wife.' He's definitely regretting asking Ling Buchen to protect He Yu."】

【Bullet Screen: "And Ling Buchen is openly provoking him without the slightest fear. I'm dying."】

【Bullet Screen: "Didn't expect Ling Buchen to have such dominant energy too!"】

When the overwhelmingly powerful Wanrenzhan had appeared, victory had tilted toward Dr. Ganlun.

When Zhen Xing awakened, it shifted back toward their side.

Then the wall monster appeared, throwing them into a disadvantage.

Now...

Blue Eyes had arrived.

The situation was no longer hopeless.

Duan Yuchen, Siya, Qiong, and Eugene focused on eliminating the gray-faced monsters and the remaining creatures.

Once they finished, they still had to support Zhen Xing.

Every one of them fought with ruthless intensity.

He Yu glanced at the time.

They had very little left.

They absolutely had to leave this instance before 23:00.

He didn't want anyone else to die tonight.

He lifted his head toward Wanrenzhan.

His gaze burned like fire.

Dr. Ganlun's furious voice echoed through the laboratory.

"Lan Ersi! What exactly are you doing?!"

Not only had he refused to help...

He had actually sided with He Yu.

Was he even still Lan Ersi?!

Blue Eyes merely glanced back at him.

The look was utterly indifferent.

Beneath that indifference lurked unmistakable killing intent.

Meeting those blue eyes, Dr. Ganlun instinctively took two steps backward.

Fear flashed across his face.

Blue eyes...

Those eyes reminded him of someone...

Dr. Ganlun violently shook his head.

His gaze sharpened.

His voice became shrill.

"Kill them! Kill every last one of them!"

He slammed a button.

Instantly, both the wall monster and Wanrenzhan became even more violent.

Wanrenzhan's eyes glowed an even deeper green.

His attacks became utterly reckless.

Ignoring Zhen Xing's attacks entirely, he swung his axe straight toward him.

His massive body descended like a steel mountain.

He Yu frowned.

"Don't you think... Wanrenzhan is acting abnormally?"

Kicking a gray-faced monster toward Eugene, Ling Buchen nodded.

"Yes. He's far stronger than he should be. Did you notice something?"

He Yu didn't answer.

His eyes remained fixed on Wanrenzhan.

"Hiss—"

The axe sliced across Zhen Xing's arm.

Fortunately, he had dodged in time.

Only his arm was grazed.

His head remained untouched.

Zhen Xing's expression darkened.

The Rubik's Cube spun faster.

Its blocks shifted continuously, every movement launching a different killing technique.

"Bang!"

"Clang!"

The battle intensified.

Attack after attack collided beneath the laboratory lights.

The reflection of Wanrenzhan's axe flashed coldly—

Wait.

What was that?

He Yu's gaze locked onto Wanrenzhan's head.

A thread extended upward from it.

It resembled a spider's silk.

Transparent.

Almost invisible.

Exceptionally thin.

No wonder none of them had noticed it before.

As Wanrenzhan fought, the wide movements caused the thread to catch the light.

Only then did He Yu finally see it.

"A thread..."

His eyes turned sharp.

Behind his rimless glasses, his gaze grew colder than ever.

His voice was icy.

"Dr. Ganlun... have you turned a human into a puppet on strings?"

Dr. Ganlun's pupils contracted.

—He noticed?!

—Impossible.

Even if he saw the thread...

There was no way he could figure out Wanrenzhan's weakness.

He Yu suddenly pointed toward Wanrenzhan's head and called loudly to Zhen Xing,

"There's a thread above his head! It's the equipment the doctor uses to control him—and it should also be transmitting energy into him."

His lips moved steadily.

His eyes were razor-sharp.

"Cut the thread!"

Dr. Ganlun stopped breathing.

Supporting himself against the table, he unconsciously leaned forward, tense beyond measure.

The instant he heard those words—

Zhen Xing lunged toward Wanrenzhan's head.

The Rubik's Cube unleashed blade-like attacks aimed directly at the thread overhead.

Wanrenzhan—

Who had fought like a madman moments earlier—

Actually retreated.

He deliberately avoided letting Zhen Xing cut the thread.

Zhen Xing sneered.

His attacks only became faster.

Sharper.

Every strike targeted that single thread.

He couldn't see it clearly.

But as long as he kept cutting above Wanrenzhan's head—

"Bang!"

Now it was Wanrenzhan who was steadily being driven backward.

Planting one foot behind himself, Wanrenzhan leaped away to avoid another strike.

Raising his axe high overhead, he came crashing back down toward Zhen Xing.

The Rubik's Cube blocked the blow.

Zhen Xing pushed upward with all his strength.

Wanrenzhan forced the axe downward, determined to split him in half.

Both had undergone enhancement.

Neither could overpower the other directly.

The battle froze into a deadlock.

One above.

One below.

Both exhausting every ounce of strength.

Elsewhere, Duan Yuchen, Siya, and Qiong had already eliminated half of the scattered gray-faced monsters.

Grinding their teeth, they continued battling the remainder.

The relentless fighting left their breathing ragged.

Their hands were beginning to go numb.

Their combat strength was gradually fading.

Unlike the tireless experimental subjects...

They couldn't keep fighting forever.

Dr. Ganlun clearly intended to exhaust them to death.

The strongest enemy remained the wall monster.

Fortunately, Blue Eyes had completely pinned it down on the opposite side.

It had no chance to interfere elsewhere.

Had it not possessed an almost immortal body...

Had Blue Eyes not been using someone else's body...

The monster would already have been utterly crushed.

The stalemate continued.

Grinding his teeth, Zhen Xing poured more strength into his arms.

Little by little...

He actually forced Wanrenzhan backward.

Dr. Ganlun slammed his fist against the table in fury.

If it weren't for that damned He Yu...

Zhen Xing would have become one of his experimental subjects.

Such willpower.

Such combat ability.

What perfect material.

Dr. Ganlun slowly raised a hand.

His eyes were cold.

At that moment—

Wanrenzhan suddenly froze.

Zhen Xing shoved him backward with all his strength.

Wanrenzhan landed heavily.

His feet smashed two craters into the floor.

Holding his axe, his body visibly swelled.

His eyes shifted from green to red.

Veins bulged across his entire body as though ready to burst.

An overwhelming aura spread outward.

Not good.

He was becoming even stronger.

Zhen Xing's expression changed.

The Rubik's Cube spun wildly.

Countless attacks poured toward Wanrenzhan.

Most of them targeted the thread above his head.

But Wanrenzhan whirled his axe.

The violent wind generated by the spinning weapon deflected every attack.

He Yu pressed his lips together.

Even now, Dr. Ganlun was still forcing Wanrenzhan's strength higher.

Even if Wanrenzhan won...

He would certainly die afterward.

Dr. Ganlun truly was ruthless.

"Snip—"

A nearly inaudible sound echoed through the laboratory.

Inside the observation room, Dr. Ganlun's eyes nearly burst from their sockets.

Eugene and Zhen Xing had coordinated perfectly.

While Zhen Xing held Wanrenzhan's full attention head-on, He Yu quietly gave Eugene a signal.

Eugene slipped away unnoticed.

Without making a sound, he approached Wanrenzhan from behind.

While Zhen Xing occupied him completely—

Eugene's mechanical arm sliced cleanly through the thread above Wanrenzhan's head.

Every one of Wanrenzhan's attacks stopped.

His body froze.

His eyes flickered endlessly between green and red.

The veins across his body pulsed as though breathing.

After confirming he would no longer attack, Zhen Xing immediately turned and charged toward the wall monster.

Blue Eyes' music suddenly sharpened.

His voice was cold.

"I don't need your help here."

Zhen Xing sneered.

"We're ending this quickly. I'm not helping you."

The Rubik's Cube rose.

Every attack was unleashed at full power.

Though they were fighting the same enemy, it looked more as though they were competing against one another.

Every strike carried open rivalry.

Blue Eyes pressed his lips into a thin line.

His fingers flew even faster across the guqin.

Zhen Xing manipulated the Rubik's Cube with dazzling speed.

The blocks shifted endlessly.

Attacks rained down without pause.

Eugene finally let out a long breath before carefully examining the motionless Wanrenzhan.

"What do we do with him? Kill him?"

He wasn't even sure whether Wanrenzhan was still alive.

But his condition was obviously catastrophic.

He Yu walked over.

Wanrenzhan had become even more massive.

Standing before him only made He Yu appear even more frail.

At this moment, Wanrenzhan resembled a humanoid weapon on the verge of exploding.

Whether his eyes turned red or green...

Neither resembled those of a normal human anymore.

—Eugene suspected he was already dead.

He Yu pursed his lips slightly.

His brows knitted together.

Behind his rimless glasses, his sharp eyes slowly examined Wanrenzhan from head to toe.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

His heartbeat...

It was still there.

But horribly abnormal.

Eugene sighed.

"Kill him. There's no telling what the doctor might still use him for..."

He Yu stepped directly in front of Wanrenzhan.

Tilting his head back to meet his eyes, he said,

"The doctor transformed you. Your body is now incredibly powerful. Your own combat ability is probably even greater than Zhen Xing's. Your body itself has become an exceptionally durable weapon."

He paused.

Then said coldly,

"Wanrenzhan... if you die, I'll burn your body and forge my next weapon from your bones."

He Yu already possessed a weapon.

The nameless sword forged from the Blunt Blade and the Ordinary Blade.

It had shattered after only a single use.

He had never reforged it.

Now he was telling Wanrenzhan—

If you dare die...

I'll use your unbreakable bones to forge my equipment.

The moment those words fell—

Wanrenzhan's constantly flickering red-and-green eyes began switching even faster.

Red.

Green.

Red.

Green.

Again and again.

"THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!"

His heartbeat became so loud that everyone nearby could hear it.

Ling Buchen's expression changed.

He immediately grabbed He Yu's wrist, trying to pull him away.

"Move! He's going to explode!"

He really was about to explode.

No one knew exactly what Dr. Ganlun had done to him.

But after the thread had been severed, his body seemed unable to bear the strain anymore.

It had entered the final stage before detonation.

If someone as powerful as Wanrenzhan exploded—

The consequences would be unimaginable.

"Holy shit... that's terrifying."

Eugene immediately retreated far away, stacking every defensive piece of equipment he possessed.

He shouted toward He Yu,

"You too! Get away!"

Inside the laboratory, Dr. Ganlun laughed coldly.

"If you surrender now... perhaps I can still stop him from exploding."

If Wanrenzhan detonated—

Everyone in the hall would either die or suffer grievous injuries.

Meanwhile, the doctor remained safely inside the reinforced laboratory.

The explosion would never reach him.

He Yu ignored him completely.

Looking steadily at Wanrenzhan, his cool voice rang out once more.

"Wanrenzhan."

Ling Buchen watched He Yu worriedly.

He knew...

He Yu wanted to bring everyone out alive.

Failing to save Cheng Zhao still haunted him.

He refused to experience that pain again.

Wanrenzhan and Zhen Xing had both become experimental subjects only to buy time for the rest of them.

Now that Zhen Xing had awakened...

If Wanrenzhan died...

He Yu would grieve.

Licking his dry lips, Ling Buchen remained where he was.

Since He Yu refused to leave...

He would stay beside him.

Facing the towering man on the verge of exploding, Ling Buchen silently prayed.

Wanrenzhan...

If you're still conscious...

Come back.

【Bullet Screen: "Sigh... Wanrenzhan's going to die."】

【Bullet Screen: "He Yu, back away. He can't be saved."】

【Bullet Screen: "My heart hurts for He Yu... and for Wanrenzhan too. The big idiot may have been dumb, but I've gotten used to him. It won't feel right if he's gone."】

Wanrenzhan had already lost consciousness.

In his blurred perception...

He seemed trapped inside an endless sea of flames.

Everything burned.

His feet.

His hands.

His body.

Now only his head remained.

Burn it too.

Once his head disappeared...

Everything would end.

The pain would finally stop.

He allowed his head to sink into the fire.

Was he going to die?

It felt just like that time in the Inferno.

Thinking of the Inferno...

He remembered the potion He Yu had used to save him.

He Yu.

The instant that name surfaced—

A clear voice echoed.

"Wanrenzhan."

It was He Yu.

He was calling him.

Wanrenzhan struggled desperately.

The only part of him not yet consumed by the flames—his head—began resisting with everything it had.

Enduring the agony of being burned alive, he tried to drag himself free from the fire.

But the harder he struggled...

The greater the pain became.

It hurt even more than being carved apart alive.

Ah—

He endured it.

Forced his eyes open.

With every last ounce of strength, he fought against the inferno that threatened to consume his very soul.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The deafening heartbeat that had seemed ready to burst from his chest...

Gradually began to weaken.

"He Yu..."

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