Sunlight washed over the ruined factory yard, but the warmth could not soften the tension that filled the air.
Kai stepped forward, boots crunching on broken stone.
Her pistol was raised.
Her eyes were sharp and cold.
Yin Lie positioned himself between her and Qin Mian, body shaking from injuries but refusing to back down.
Qin Mian clung to his sleeve with trembling fingers.
"Lie… don't fight… please…"
He whispered without turning:
"It's okay. I'll handle it."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
"You can't. You're injured. I'm not holding back this time."
A ripple of her nullification field rolled across the ground, making dust vibrate and loose metal groan.
Thorne hid behind a broken container.
Chen Gu stepped in front of him, shielding him.
Kai pointed her gun at Qin Mian again.
"This is your last warning. Step aside."
Yin Lie's voice was low, steady, and unbreakable:
"No."
Kai exhaled once, slowly.
"…Then die with her."
Kai moved first.
She fired.
The bullet tore through the air with a whistle—
straight toward Qin Mian's heart.
Yin Lie stepped in, twisting his body.
CRACK!
The bullet slammed into his injured ribs.
He staggered.
Qin Mian screamed.
Red stained his shirt.
Kai didn't stop.
She shot again—two, three, four times.
Yin Lie deflected one with ice bursting along his forearm.
Another he barely dodged.
The third grazed his cheek.
The fourth hit his shoulder.
Blood sprayed the dirt.
Qin Mian's voice broke into a sob:
"Stop! Stop hurting him—!!"
But Kai didn't stop.
She advanced, eyes fixed on Yin Lie.
"You're dying. Move aside."
Yin Lie straightened, shaking.
"I'm not… moving."
Kai's expression hardened.
"Fine."
Kai flicked her fingers—
and her nullification field expanded in a sharp wave aimed at Yin Lie's powers.
Yin Lie's wolf-sense screamed.
The Keystone hummed.
The ice inside him cracked like breaking winter glass.
His powers faltered—
for one horrible second.
His legs almost collapsed.
Kai closed the distance and slammed her elbow into his jaw.
WHAM.
White spots burst in his vision.
Blood filled his mouth.
He fell to one knee.
Kai grabbed him by the hair, forcing his head up.
"You can't protect her," she said coldly.
"You're just a man."
Yin Lie's hand shot up—
and he grabbed her arm.
Ice exploded from his palm.
It spread across her sleeve, down to her elbow.
Kai hissed as frost burned her skin, peeling her grip away.
"Don't underestimate me," Yin Lie growled.
Kai swung with her free hand—
a knife-hand blow pulsing with her nullification field.
He blocked with his forearm—
the shock sent pain through his bones.
He gasped—
but he stayed on his feet.
Kai stepped back, flexing her half-frozen arm.
"…You're still fighting like this?"
Yin Lie wiped blood from his mouth.
"I told you. I'm not leaving her."
Behind him, Qin Mian's psi-energy spiked like a rising storm.
Her eyes were wide with fear.
Her breath too fast.
Her hands shaking violently.
"Lie… I can't… I can't control it—"
Blue cracks formed around her feet.
Yin Lie turned slightly.
"It's okay. I've got you. Just stay behind me."
Kai saw the cracks spreading through the ground.
Her face tightened.
"She's destabilizing reality again. This is exactly why she must die."
Yin Lie glared.
"No."
Kai's eyes turned razor-sharp.
"Then you'll die first."
Kai blurred forward—
her full killing intent unleashed.
Yin Lie barely raised his guard—
Kai's foot slammed into his ribs.
His vision exploded white as he flew backward, rolling across the dirt.
He tasted blood.
His breath caught.
Qin Mian screamed:
"LIE—!!"
Kai walked toward him slowly, step by step.
"You don't have the strength to stop me. I'll make this quick."
Yin Lie forced himself up, swaying.
His body felt like broken glass held together by threads.
But he lifted his fists.
Kai frowned.
"You can barely stand."
Yin Lie smiled faintly through his blood.
"Then I'll fight from the ground."
Kai lunged—
her hand aiming straight for his heart.
Yin Lie twisted sideways—
Kai's strike grazed his chest, ripping skin.
He grabbed her by the wrist and slammed his forehead into her nose.
CRACK.
Kai stumbled back, blood running down her lip.
Thorne shouted, "HOLY—! DID HE JUST HEADBUTT KAI?!"
Chen Gu answered, "Not helping!"
Kai wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
Her voice was flat:
"…You broke it."
Yin Lie spat blood.
"You deserved that."
Kai snapped.
She rushed forward—
faster than before—
her kill intent burning like ice.
This was not a duel.
This was execution.
Kai struck at his throat.
Yin Lie ducked.
She kicked his knee.
His leg buckled.
She slammed her palm into his chest.
He flew backward, crashing into the metal stairway.
The impact shattered his breath.
Qin Mian crawled toward him, tears streaking down her face.
"Lie—please—get up—please—don't leave me—!"
Yin Lie's fingers twitched.
He pushed himself off the ground—
Kai appeared in front of him.
Her voice low:
"Goodbye."
She aimed her gun at his head.
Qin Mian screamed.
Reality cracked behind her in a burst of blue light.
And Yin Lie…
Smiled.
Because he saw something Kai didn't.
Her own shadow.
Behind her.
Yin Lie whispered:
"…Got you."
He slammed his fist into the ground.
Ice erupted upward in a jagged spike—
not to stab her—
but to kick up a storm of frozen dust.
Kai flinched—just half a second.
But half a second was enough.
Yin Lie surged forward with wolf speed,
Keystone clarity,
ICE exploding behind his punch—
And hit her in the ribs where she was already injured.
CRACK—!!
Kai flew sideways and crashed into a metal pillar, dropping her gun.
She coughed, clutching her side.
"You… fractured it again…"
Yin Lie stood over her, barely breathing.
"And I'll do worse if you try to touch her again."
Kai pushed herself up slowly, glaring through pain.
"This isn't over," she growled.
"Not until she's dead…"
Yin Lie stepped in front of Qin Mian, shielding her.
Kai stared at them both—
and for the first time in her life,
Kai Hesitated.
Her eyes flicked from Yin Lie…
to Qin Mian…
to the cracks in the sky forming above the factory roof.
"…You're too late," Kai whispered.
"She's waking wrong."
Qin Mian clutched Yin Lie's arm, shaking.
"Lie… I'm scared…"
Yin Lie held her close.
"I'm here."
And the sky above them split.
Chapter 66 Completed