Weeks later, with the Crimson Palace secure and the political factions stabilized, Yu Zhen's System reminded him that his journey was far from over.
[WORLD TRANSFER INITIATED]
[PREPARE FOR THE NEXT WORLD: MODERN UNIVERSITY]
[SYSTEM ALERT: Lian Xuan WILL FOLLOW]
Yu Zhen stood in his quarters, hands lightly clutching the golden thread Lian Xuan had left with him—a token from the Alpha's robe, infused with protective energy and soul-thread synchronization.
"I won't ask you to stay," Yu Zhen said softly, voice tinged with longing. "But… will you come with me?"
Lian Xuan stepped into the room, golden eyes intense, aura suffocating in its protective dominance. "You are not leaving me behind," he said, voice low, deliberate. "No world will separate us. I will find you. I will claim you."
Yu Zhen's chest tightened at the words. Their hands brushed as Lian Xuan handed him the token, fingers lingering for the briefest moment—enough to send shivers of recognition through his body. The first few threads of Memory Fragment 2 fluttered to life within him.
[MEMORY FRAGMENT 2: PARTIAL ACTIVATION]
[AFFINITY LEVEL: 55/100]
[SOUL THREAD STATUS: ACTIVE]
They shared a final moment, silent but complete. No touch beyond the token was necessary—their bond radiated through the room, through the palace walls, even through the distance that would soon separate them.
Finally, Lian Xuan's eyes, golden and unwavering, met Yu Zhen's. "Go," he said, voice barely a whisper. "And remember—this Alpha will always come for you."
With the shimmer of the System's transfer light enveloping him, Yu Zhen felt a rush of warmth and longing. The palace faded, the danger faded, but the bond did not. It followed him into the new world, stronger and more insistent than ever.
As the light consumed him, Yu Zhen whispered, more to himself than anyone else:
"I'll find you. Always."