The captain's blade sliced through the air.
"ADVANCE — TAKE THEM BOTH DOWN!"
Twelve armored Psi-Containment soldiers surged forward at once, boots pounding the station floor in perfect military rhythm. Their shock-lances glowed, emitting blue voltage. Their armor hissed, expanding their strength with exoskeleton boosters.
This wasn't a simple fight.
This was a war in the ruins.
Yin Lie planted his feet, gripping his frozen blade tightly.
Kai stepped beside him, reloading with rapid, precise movements.
Behind them, Qin Mian clung to Chen Gu's sleeves, face pale with terror.
"Lie… Kai… don't die…"
The first three soldiers reached them instantly.
The lead soldier swung a shock-lance—
Kai ducked low—
CRACK—!!
She kicked upward, striking the soldier's chin so hard he flew back into a row of seats.
Two more soldiers attacked Yin Lie at once:
One from above—
One from the left—
He spun, ice spiraling around his arm—
SHHHRING—!!
His blade met both lances, sparks and frost exploding outward.
The impact shook his whole body.
The tranquilizer still clung to his blood, slowing his muscles.
His vision flickered.
But he gritted his teeth.
"Not now."
The soldier above swung down again—
Yin Lie leaned in, slammed his shoulder into the soldier's chest—
BOOM—!!
The soldier crashed into a pillar.
"YIN LIE—MOVE!!" Kai yelled.
He spun just as a shockwave cannon fired—
A red blast tore through the air.
Kai jumped in front of Yin Lie, crossing her arms.
Her armor absorbed most of the blast—
But it still sent her sliding back with a grunt.
Yin Lie caught her arm.
"You okay?"
Kai smirked, coughing.
"You fight worse, I'm leaving you here."
The captain barked:
"UNIT DELTA — FLANK!
UNIT GAMMA — SUPPRESS!
UNIT SIGMA — PIN DOWN THE GIRL!"
Qin Mian gasped in panic.
"They're coming for me—!"
Chen Gu shielded her desperately.
"Stay behind me!"
Thorne sobbed loudly from behind a bench:
"THIS IS THE WORST DAY OF MY WHOLE LIFE!"
Four soldiers broke away, rushing toward Qin Mian.
Kai snapped her gun up—
"NOT ON MY WATCH."
BANG-BANG-BANG!
Three shots fired—
Not lethal, but precise—
Hitting all three soldiers in the joints of their armor.
Their legs buckled.
They collapsed.
But the fourth soldier evaded and leapt toward Qin Mian.
Yin Lie's voice cut through the air:
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
Ice erupted from the ground—
WHOOOOOM—!!
A thick crystal wall shot upward like a frozen pillar.
The soldier slammed against it—
THUD—!!
Qin Mian covered her mouth.
"…Lie…"
He didn't turn.
He didn't have time to reassure her.
Because the captain was already charging again.
Kai stepped to face him alone.
"Captain.
You're not taking them."
He raised his electro-blade.
"TRAITOR."
He lunged.
Kai blocked—
CLANG—!!!
The shock traveled up her arms.
She twisted, slammed her knee into his side—
He only slid back half a step.
His armor was too heavy.
He swung again, faster.
One slash—two—three—
Kai dodged narrowly, sparks exploding around them.
The captain's blade grazed her shoulder—
The armor cracked.
Kai hissed.
The captain raised his weapon for a killing blow—
She threw her empty pistol at his face—
CLANK!
He flinched.
She used that split-second—
To grab his arm—
Twist—
And drive her elbow into his visor.
CRACK—!!
The visor spiderwebbed.
The captain staggered back.
"You will be EXECUTED for this," he growled.
Kai spit blood.
"Get in line."
While Kai engaged the captain, eight soldiers rushed Yin Lie, forming a tight circle around him.
He breathed sharply.
His ice blade flickered—
His heartbeat was loud—
His mind felt slow—
But the wolf in him snarled.
MOVE.
Two soldiers rushed from the front—
He blocked both with one arm—
SHHHH—!!
Another soldier swung from behind—
Yin Lie bent backward unnaturally, avoiding the blow by an inch.
He rolled, sliced upward—
His blade tore across armor, cracking it.
But his muscles were tiring fast.
The tranquilizer was burning his veins.
The next soldier slammed a shock-lance into his side—
ZZZZT—!!
Electricity ripped through him.
Yin Lie cried out—
His knees buckled—
But he forced himself up again.
"No…"
He lifted his hand—
Ice burst outward—
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!!!
Three soldiers froze mid-step, their armor coated in frost.
The remaining four rushed him harder.
One jumped—
Another swung low—
A third aimed a tranquilizer dart at his chest.
He parried two—
But the third dart hit his ribs.
THWIP—!!
His breath hitched.
More poison entered his bloodstream.
He felt his strength slipping.
Qin Mian stood up shakily.
"Lie—stop—!!
You're hurt—!!"
He turned his head slightly.
"I can't stop."
And then—
Another soldier slammed both fists into his back—
BOOM—!!
Yin Lie flew forward, crashing onto the tiles.
His vision flashed white.
His body wouldn't move.
He tasted blood.
The soldiers circled him.
One pressed a boot to his chest.
"Target immobilized."
Yin Lie gritted his teeth.
Not yet.
Not… yet.
Qin Mian's hands trembled violently.
Her breathing grew shallow.
She clutched her chest.
"Lie… get up…
please get up…"
Her heart pounded with panic.
The station lights flickered faintly.
Chen Gu leaned in.
"Qin Mian—listen to me—stay calm—!
If you lose control—"
She didn't hear him.
She could only see Yin Lie pinned to the ground.
Bleeding.
Unable to stand.
Her voice shattered.
"Don't take him—
don't hurt him—
please—someone—help him—"
Blue light flickered around her again.
Kai saw it—
And her face drained of color.
"Qin Mian, STOP—!"
But she was too scared to stop.
Her power trembled awake like a storm under her skin.
The captain staggered to his feet, aiming at Qin Mian.
"Sedate the girl—NOW!"
Kai moved faster than him.
She intercepted his shot—
BANG—!!
The tranquilizer dart grazed her arm instead.
She winced, but stayed standing.
The captain roared:
"KAI, STAND DOWN!!"
"NO."
Her answer echoed through the entire station.
Kai sprinted toward Yin Lie—
Punched two soldiers aside—
Grabbed him by the arm—
And pulled him away from the circle—
"GET UP!"
He groaned, coughing.
"I'm trying—!"
She looked at the trembling blue aura around Qin Mian.
"If she breaks—everyone here dies."
"You think I don't know that?" Yin Lie growled.
Kai grit her teeth.
"Then MOVE!"
The soldiers regrouped.
The captain raised his arm.
"ALL UNITS—
RESTRAIN YIN LIE.
RESTRAIN AGENT KAI.
NEUTRALIZE SUBJECT ZERO IF NECESSARY."
Qin Mian choked on a sob.
Her power surged.
Blue cracks ran across the platform floor.
The air trembled—
Lights flickered wildly—
The station groaned like something waking up.
Chen Gu screamed:
"KAI—YIN LIE—
IF SHE BREAKS HERE—
THE WHOLE TERMINAL WILL COLLAPSE—!!"
Thorne hid behind a bench and cried:
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE IN A TRAIN STATION!!"
Kai shouted:
"LIE, GET TO HER—NOW!"
Yin Lie tried to stand—
His legs shook—
He stumbled—
Kai caught him under the arm.
"DON'T FAIL HER."
Yin Lie exhaled sharply.
He forced his legs to move.
Step by step.
Toward Qin Mian.
Toward the blue light.
Toward the girl shaking in fear.
She looked up—
tears falling—
hands glowing—
"Lie… I'm scared…
I don't want to break the world again…"
He reached her—
And pulled her into his arms.
"You won't break anything," he whispered.
"Not while I'm here."
Her trembling slowed.
Her breathing steadied.
The blue light softened.
The station stopped shaking.
Kai sagged in relief.
But the captain pointed his blade again.
"Enough.
You two are coming with us."
Yin Lie lifted his ice-coated arm.
"No."
And the fight wasn't over.
Not even close.
Chapter 78 Completed.