The chaos came swiftly.
A sudden eruption of steel rang through the south corridors of the palace. Shouts rippled toward the garden.
Lian Xuan's hand snapped to Yu Zhen's waist. "Behind me."
Before Yu Zhen could respond, masked attackers surged from the shadows beyond the hedges. Three Alphas, blades glowing faintly with ritual energy.
Court assassins.
They rushed forward.
Lian Xuan moved like a demon unleashed.
Steel flashed. Bodies fell before Yu Zhen even saw the first blows land.
One attacker slipped past, racing toward Yu Zhen with feral speed.
Yu Zhen felt the system fracture into alarm.
[CRITICAL WARNING][TARGETED EXTRACTION ATTEMPT DETECTED]
Cold hands seized his arm.
Yu Zhen gasped.
Before the Alpha could pull him away, Lian Xuan roared.
It was not a human sound.
His sword drove clean through the attacker's chest, lifting the man clear off the ground. Blood splashed across stone.
Lian Xuan tore Yu Zhen into his arms immediately, shielding his body completely.
"Are you hurt," he demanded.
Yu Zhen shook his head, heart pounding wildly. "No… but I—"
The system pulsed violently.
[MEMORY FRAGMENT SURGE][SOUL THREAD STRESS RESPONSE]
Yu Zhen's vision blurred.
Images slammed through him.
Fields of battle stained gold and silver.A black-armored Alpha dying with Yu Zhen's name on his lips.Hands slipping apart through death and screaming light.
Yu Zhen collapsed.
Lian Xuan caught him instantly and fell to his knees with him cradled against his chest.
"Zhen," he whispered urgently. "Stay with me."
Yu Zhen's consciousness flickered but he managed to lift his head weakly. His fingers trembled into Lian Xuan's robes.
"You died before," he whispered. "You died for me."
Shock cracked across the Alpha's face.
"I will never do that again," he swore. "Not without you."
[MEMORY FRAGMENT 1 SEVENTY PERCENT RECOVERED]