The world tilted.
Snow and stone gave way beneath their boots, and the ridge vanished into a white chasm.
Xiyue's arm shot out, catching Ruo Han around the waist before the omega could tumble into the abyss. Feng Lian's blade stabbed into the frozen earth, holding him just long enough to push off — then the three of them were falling together.
The roar of the avalanche drowned thought.
It was like being swallowed whole by the mountain.
Chunks of ice smashed past them; a jagged boulder missed Xiyue's head by inches. He twisted midair, keeping Ruo Han tucked against him. Feng Lian spun beside them, one hand flaring with crimson fire to melt the deadliest shards before they struck.
Somewhere above, through the white chaos, a shadow kept pace.
The stranger.
Feng Lian (shouting): "He's following us down!"
Xiyue (teeth bared): "Good. Saves me the trouble of climbing back up to kill him."
The slope angled sharply, and they hit it hard — sliding in a spray of snow. Xiyue dug his blade into the ice to slow them; Feng Lian's fire carved a momentary path clear of debris.
But the stranger's voice still carried, cold and sure.
Stranger: "You can't outrun what you were born for."
Ruo Han's pulse pounded in his ears. Something in that voice called to him like an open wound — and the worst part was, he didn't know if it was fear or recognition.
The avalanche funneled them into a narrow gorge, the walls too steep to climb. The ground shook as the last of the snow sealed the way behind them.
When the silence came, it was heavy. Smothering.
And then… a slow clap echoed from the shadows ahead.