The abandoned opera house smelt of dust and tension.
Yu Zhen stood at the head of the long negotiation table where five rival syndicates sat flanked by armed escorts. No one spoke as he entered. All eyes tracked him quietly, measuring his value.
None of them knew the depth of protection surrounding him yet.
Yu Zhen placed his hands on the table calmly.
"You did not agree to meet for war," he said. "You agreed to determine peace."
Laughter broke the silence.
One Alpha ganger sneered. "Peace only comes with power, Omega."
A gun rose from the shadows behind him.
The air thickened instantly.
Before a finger could touch the trigger, Lian Xuan stepped into view.
The Crescent Boss did not draw his weapon.
He didn't need to.
He placed one hand firmly at the small of Yu Zhen's back and leaned slightly forward, voice cool and lethal.
"Point that at him again," Lian Xuan said evenly, "and I'll make sure your entire syndicate becomes a cautionary tale."
Every rival Alpha stiffened.
Yu Zhen felt warmth bloom under Lian Xuan's palm. Not fear.
Safety.
They continued negotiations with guarded clarity. Territory redrawings. Resource sharing agreements. Cease-fire pacts.
Throughout it all, Lian Xuan remained physically close.
At times their shoulders brushed. Sometimes Lian Xuan's fingers subtly tightened at Yu Zhen's coat when tension rose too high.
Finally, peace was inked with forced compliance rather than enthusiasm.
When the final signature dried, a gunshot rang out.
Chaos erupted.
Rival shooters burst from the balconies, peppering the stage with bullets. Lian Xuan reacted instinctively, gripping Yu Zhen and pulling him into his chest as they dived behind the stage risers.
Their bodies collided hard.
Yu Zhen landed beneath Lian Xuan, shielded beneath his weight. The world reduced to breaths and gunfire.
Lian Xuan's arms locked around him protectively.
"Don't move," he ordered.
Yu Zhen pressed his face into the fabric of Lian Xuan's shirt.
"I'm not afraid," he whispered.
"Good," Lian Xuan muttered. "Because I won't lose you."
Crescent gunfire erased the ambushers swiftly.
Once silence returned, Lian Xuan remained hovering over Yu Zhen, his forehead resting briefly against Yu Zhen's.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Yu Zhen brushed fingers against Lian Xuan's cheek.
"Yes. Because you were here."
Their lips met softly amidst drifting dust, not urgent, only grounding.