Lin Chen didn't move. He stood staring at Xu Yang, as if waiting for the person in front of him to turn back into the cat he knew. His fingers tightened around the basket handle, and his lips parted, but no words came out. He looked at Xu Yang, then at Qing Li and Yan Luo, before returning his gaze to Xu Yang. Nothing changed. Xu Yang stood quietly with his hands at his sides. Well, this is going badly. I knew telling him the truth wouldn't be easy, but I didn't expect him to look at me like I'd suddenly grown three heads... I want to explain, but where i supposed to begin? I'm the cat you took home. I can turn into a human. And there's something wrong with this world. Great. That sounds perfectly believable...
His gaze stayed on Lin Chen. What if he doesn't accept it? Xu Yang's fingers curled slightly.Lin Chen had fed him,sheltered him, and talked to him every day without expecting an answer. Those simple moments had slowly become important to him. What if he can no longer look at me the same way? What if this is where everything ends? ...Xu Yang lowered his eyes. I should have told him earlier. I kept waiting for the right moment, but it never came. Another thought followed. Would he have believed me anyway? Imagine telling someone that the cat sleeping in his room is actually a demon who can turn into a human. I wouldn't believe that either. His chest tightened. If he rejects me, I can't just turn back into a cat and pretend nothing happened. Well, I could, but that would make things even more awkward. Despite his fear, Xu Yang didn't step back or hide. He didn't want to lie to Lin Chen anymore. He raised his eyes and met Lin Chen's gaze. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. Xu Yang waited, unsure what Lin Chen would say.
Lin Chen stood quietly, staring at Xu Yang. His fingers tightened around the basket handle, and he seemed to struggle with the words he wanted to say. After a long moment, he finally asked, "Where is my cat?" His voice was soft, but the tension in it was impossible to miss. Qing Li let out a small breath and glanced at Xu Yang before answering, "You're looking at him." Lin Chen didn't even look at him. His eyes remained fixed on Xu Yang. "I didn't ask you," he said firmly. "Answer me." Xu Yang met his gaze. He wanted to say something reassuring, but he wasn't sure what Lin Chen needed to hear. After a brief pause, he answered quietly, "I'm here."
Lin Chen's shook his head as if refusing to accept such a simple answer. "No. Don't say it like that." Qing Li frowned and took a small step forward. "You're making this harder than it needs to be." "Stay out of it!" Lin Chen snapped without turning towards him. Qing Li stopped, his expression changing slightly, but before he could reply, Yan Luo spoke. "It's already reacting." His voice was low, and his gaze had shifted towards the air around them. Lin Chen ignored him too. He took another step towards Xu Yang, his shoulders stiff and his eyes searching Xu Yang's face. "Say it clearly." Xu Yang didn't move. He understood why Lin Chen was struggling to believe him.
A moment ago, Lin Chen had been looking for his missing cat. Now that same cat was standing in front of him as a person. There was no easy way to explain it. "I was there," Xu Yang said. Lin Chen shook his head. "That's not what I asked." "I stayed with you." Lin Chen's expression changed for a moment, but he quickly looked away. "That wasn't the question either." He took a slow breath before looking at Xu Yang again. "Was any of it real?" Xu Yang answered without hesitation. "Yes."
Lin Chen stared at him. "You followed me everywhere." Xu Yang nodded."You stayed near me, even when I didn't call you." Xu Yang steped closer to him."Yes." A small, dry laugh escaped Lin Chen. He lowered his head and shook it once. "Right." His grip on the basket loosened, and he looked down at his hand as if he had only just noticed how tightly he was holding it. "I talked to you," he said after a moment. His voice was quieter now. "Like an idiot." Xu Yang remained silent. Lin Chen looked back at him, his expression troubled. "I told you things I wouldn't tell anyone else. You just sat there and listened." He paused, then added, "I thought you didn't understand." Xu Yang lowered his gaze slightly. "I understood." Lin Chen went still.
For a moment, he seemed unable to respond. Then he let out a quiet breath and muttered, "Of course you did." His hand curled at his side as he stepped closer. "So what was that?" he asked,"Was I just entertainment?" Xu Yang shook his head. "No!" Lin Chen gave a short, humourless laugh. "You expect me to believe that?" He gestured faintly between them. "From your side, it must have looked ridiculous. Me talking and telling you all those things while you just watched." His expression tightened. "You must have been enjoying it."
Xu Yang's eyes shifted slightly. "No." "Then what?" Lin Chen asked immediately. Xu Yang held his gaze. "I stayed because I wanted to." Lin Chen's movements stopped. Xu Yang continued, his voice calm but sincere. "I didn't have to stay. I wasn't forced to, and I wasn't pretending. I stayed because it mattered." Lin Chen looked at him for a long moment. His eyes lowered, and his fingers slowly relaxed. He seemed to want to say something, but the words didn't come.
Xu Yang watched him. He remembered those ordinary days at Lin Chen's house. The meals, the conversations, and the times Lin Chen had complained about his troubles while Xu Yang sat nearby pretending to sleep. Back then, he had never thought those little moments would become so difficult to explain.Nearby, Qing Li shifted his weight and looked towards the sky. His expression had become serious. "We don't have time for this." he said. Lin Chen turned his head slightly, irritation flashing across his face. "Then leave." Qing Li froze for a moment. He looked at Lin Chen, then slowly turned towards Yan Luo as if expecting him to say something. Yan Luo met his gaze, and the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
Qing Li narrowed his eyes. "You think this is funny?" he muttered. Yan Luo looked away without answering. "Wonderful," Qing Li grumbled, folding his arms. "Even now, you're enjoying yourself." Lin Chen didn't pay attention to their exchange. His eyes had returned to Xu Yang. Yan Luo's gaze moved between the two of them before shifting towards the surrounding air. The faint lines in the distance had begun to tremble. His expression tightened. "It's getting worse."
Lin Chen barely glanced at him. "Let it." He stepped closer to Xu Yang again. "What are you?" Xu Yang looked at him steadily. "I don't fully know." Lin Chen let out a short laugh and tilted his head in disbelief. "That's not an answer!" "I know...but this all i..." Xu Yang replied. Lin Chen's jaw tightened. "Then give me one!" Xu Yang fell silent. Qing Li crossed his arms and frowned. "You're asking questions he can't answer." Lin Chen didn't even turn his head. "I didn't ask you either!" Qing Li clicked his tongue. "You're really testing my patience." "Then go!" Lin Chen shot back.
Yan Luo stepped forward slightly, his attention still on the air around them. "The conversation itself is triggering it." Lin Chen finally glanced sideways. "Triggering what?" Neither Qing Li nor Yan Luo answered. Xu Yang took a small step forward. "Lin Chen." Lin Chen immediately stepped back. "Don't!" Xu Yang stopped at once. Lin Chen's breathing had become uneven. He looked at Xu Yang as if he wanted to approach him and run away at the same time. "Don't come closer." He hesitated, his lips moving before he could finish the thought. "You're not..." The words faded.
Xu Yang watched him carefully. "I'm still the same." Lin Chen shook his head. "No, you're not." He looked at Xu Yang again, and his voice became more strained. "You're not." A brief silence followed. Then Lin Chen seemed to remember something and spoke quickly. "You ate with me." "Yes." "You stayed in my room?" "Yes." "You slept there like it was normal?" "It was." Xu Yang answered. Lin Chen stared at him before shaking his head. "That's not normal!" Xu Yang didn't argue. "It was for me." "That's not the same thing," Lin Chen replied. His voice was still firm, but some of the anger had begun to fade.
He looked down for a moment, then asked more quietly, "Why didn't you say anything?" Xu Yang didn't answer immediately. He knew he should have told Lin Chen earlier, but there had never been a simple way to do it. He had been afraid of changing the way Lin Chen treated him. Now that the truth was out, he was afraid of losing that small part of his life. "Would it have changed anything?" he asked. Lin Chen answered at once. "Yes!" He paused, and his voice softened. "I would've known." Xu Yang lowered his eyes slightly. "You still do." Lin Chen shook his head. "That's not the same."
Around them, the air gave a faint shiver. Qing Li noticed it immediately. His playful expression disappeared as he looked towards the distant threads. "It's tightening again." Yan Luo nodded once. "We're close to a limit." Lin Chen looked between them before turning back to Xu Yang. "What are you two talking about?" Qing Li answered before Xu Yang could speak. "Something you don't need to worry about right now."Lin Chen ignored him and faced Xu Yang again. "Say it properly." He stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Xu Yang. "Say who you are."
Xu Yang opened his mouth. "I..." The world suddenly skipped a beat. It wasn't like something breaking or shattering. It was as if everything had stopped in the middle of a single breath. The sound around them vanished. Lin Chen's breath caught, and he looked around in confusion. The air felt empty, as though someone had taken away every sound and left them standing inside a hollow space. "What..." he whispered. The light flickered once. Xu Yang's expression changed immediately. He looked towards the sky, then at the threads gathering around them. "Too late." he said under his breath.
Lin Chen turned towards him. "What does that mean?" No one answered. The air moved again, and thin glowing lines appeared in the space around them. They looked like cracks spreading across glass, except they were alive. One line split into several others, stretching across the clearing and moving towards them. The sky above slowly turned blank, while a deep red colour spread through the space around them. Qing Li looked up and let out a low whistle. "Well. That's new." Yan Luo's eyes narrowed. "No. That's worse."
Before anyone could move, the threads snapped forward. They rushed straight towards Xu Yang, moving with frightening speed. "Move!" Qing Li shouted. Xu Yang stepped back. The space around him bent slightly, slowing the incoming threads as if they had struck an invisible barrier. They didn't stop. Their movement only became heavier, as though something was dragging them through deep water. Xu Yang raised one hand without thinking. His fingers tightened around the empty air, and the nearest threads trembled. He stared at them. Something had changed in his vision.
A faint glow appeared in his eyes, making the glowing lines clearer. He could see where each thread began, where it connected, and the direction in which it was being pulled. "I can..." he murmured. He slowly raised his other hand. He wasn't touching the threads, but he could feel something responding to his movement. The nearest lines jerked violently. Their direction twisted, as if they were being forced to obey a command they didn't want to follow. Qing Li blinked. "Wait!" Yan Luo watched closely. "He's not just slowing them." Xu Yang's jaw tightened. He tried to hold the threads in place, but they pushed back.
The pressure grew so quickly that his fingers began to tremble. "I can't... hold..." The threads suddenly snapped against his control. Xu Yang winced. A sharp pain passed through his chest, and he coughed. Blood slipped from the corner of his mouth. Qing Li's expression changed at once. "Xu Yang!" He rushed towards him, then stopped as another thread cut through the space between them. "Oh, that's bad!" Xu Yang wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't lower his arm. "I can't hold them..." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "Then don't try to be a hero!"
A strong gust of wind burst from his palm and struck the incoming threads, knocking several of them off course. Most remained intact and quickly moved back into position. Qing Li frowned. "They're really stubborn. What are they, emotionally attached to ruining our day?" "Focus." Yan Luo said. Another thread rushed towards them. Xu Yang reacted immediately. He pushed his hand forward. "Stop!" For a brief moment, the thread froze in mid-air. Then it snapped back with even greater force. Xu Yang's body jerked, and another drop of blood ran down his chin.
Qing Li glanced at him. "Are you out of your mind? Maybe stop doing that before you die dramatically in front of us." Xu Yang took an uneven breath. "I'm not dying." "That's exactly what people who are about to die say," Qing Li replied. Yan Luo stepped forward. The pressure in the air had grown heavier, and his expression became more focused. Low flames appeared in his palm. At the same time, his blue hair began changing, the ends turning a deep burning red as though embers had spread through each strand. The flames twisted and gathered beside him, slowly taking the shape of a massive wolf. Its body was made of fire and smoke, and its burning eyes followed the moving threads.
Yan Luo lowered its head, ready to attack. "If you lose control, it gets worse." Yan Luo warned. Xu Yang exhaled through his teeth. "I noticed." "Then stop pushing it." Xu Yang didn't answer. He tried to adjust his grip, holding the threads more carefully instead of forcing them back. The glow in his eyes dimmed slightly, but it didn't disappear. "Just a little longer," he muttered. Qing Li heard him and narrowed his eyes. "You're really stubborn too, you know that?" "I've been told." "Yeah? By who?" Xu Yang paused briefly. "You." Qing Li blinked. Then he let out a breath. "Oh. Fair."
Another wave of threads rushed towards them. Qing Li's expression sharpened. His silver hair lifted in the rising wind, and his eyes turned a bright icy blue. Faint fox-like markings appeared across his skin, while a second tail-shaped aura of wind flickered behind him. He raised his hand, and sharp currents of air spread around him. "Okay, I take it back. I don't have time for this!" The wind struck the threads in several powerful arcs. Yan Luo's flames followed, and the flame wolf lunged forward with a burning growl. The two attacks forced the threads back. Some burned away, their edges breaking apart like torn pieces of light, while others twisted and gathered again.
Xu Yang remained in the centre, struggling to keep the pressure from reaching them. Qing Li glanced towards him. "Oh? So you can be useful." Yan Luo didn't look at him. "Try not to slow me down." Qing Li scoffed. "Wow. Rude." Another thread shot forward. Qing Li flicked his wrist, sending a compressed gust of wind into it and pushing it away. "At least I don't set everything on fire when I panic." "I'm not panicking." Yan Luo replied. Qing Li glanced at his burning hair and the flame wolf beside him. "Sure. You just look like that all the time?" Yan Luo's flames rose slightly. "That was a warning." Qing Li gave him a faint smirk. "Oh? Should I be scared?" A thread suddenly sliced between them. Both reacted at once.
Qing Li's wind and Yan Luo's flames collided against it, sending sparks and pressure across the clearing. The space around them twisted for a moment. "Watch it!" Qing Li snapped. "Then stay out of my range," Yan Luo replied. "You are the range!" Qing Li shot back. Another clash followed, forcing both of them to turn their attention towards the incoming threads. The threads took advantage of the brief gap between their attacks and rushed forward again. Qing Li groaned. "Seriously? We're doing this now?" "You started it," Yan Luo said. "I made a comment!" "You're still talking." "And you're still annoying."
Xu Yang's voice cut through their argument. "Enough." He didn't shout, but his words carried enough force to make both of them pause. He took an uneven breath and pushed his hand forward again. The nearest threads trembled under his control. "If you two keep fighting each other, you can argue later after we're not getting erased." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "Fine." Yan Luo steadied his flames without replying. The flame wolf lowered its body as another wave approached. Qing Li rolled his shoulders and said, "After this, I'm definitely arguing." "You always are," Yan Luo replied. Qing Li smirked. "Yeah, well, this time I have better material."
Xu Yang didn't answer. He tightened his grip on the invisible pressure and tried to hold the threads in place. Another one shot towards him, faster than the others. It seemed to have adjusted its movement to his ability. Yan Luo reacted immediately. His flames rushed forward and intercepted it. "Don't let it touch you," he said sharply. Xu Yang exhaled through clenched teeth. "I figured." Yan Luo kept his eyes on the threads. "You don't look like you did." Xu Yang forced himself to stand straight. "I'm managing." "You're barely managing."
Qing Li looked between them with growing frustration. "Can you two stop arguing now? How many times do I have to say it?" Yan Luo didn't turn towards him. "Then stop interrupting." Qing Li stared at him in disbelief. "I'm interrupting? You're the one criticizing him in the middle of a fight!" "At least I'm being accurate." Qing Li flicked his wrist, sending another gust through the threads. "Oh, great. Next time, maybe give him a performance review after we survive."
Xu Yang let out a strained breath. "Can we not schedule my evaluation right now?" Another thread rushed towards him. He raised his hand and tried to slow it, but the line jerked against his control. Yan Luo's flames struck it before it could reach Xu Yang. "Focus!" Yan Luo said. "I am focusing!" Xu Yang replied. "Then focus better." Qing Li groaned. "He's literally coughing blood, and you're telling him to focus better? Do you hear yourself?" Yan Luo glanced at him. "Do you want me to lower my standards?" "Yes. A lot. Right now."
For a brief moment, Xu Yang let out a weak sound that almost resembled a laugh. "You two are unbelievable." "Not the time," Yan Luo replied. "Exactly," Qing Li added. "So stop talking like this is training." Another wave of threads rushed towards them. Qing Li's expression sharpened as wind gathered around him. "All right, enough talking. If we mess this up, I'm blaming both of you." "You already are," Yan Luo said. Qing Li paused for half a second. "Fair." He thrust his hand forward. The wind exploded outward, cutting through several threads at once. The air shook under the force, and the space around them twisted further.
Lin Chen flinched. Until now, he had only seen strange movements in the air, but the glowing lines were becoming clearer. They tore through the space around him like living weapons. Each movement carried a force that made the ground beneath his feet tremble. He looked at the others, then at Xu Yang, who was still standing in the centre of the attack. "What are those things?" he whispered. No one answered. Another thread rushed towards him. Lin Chen instinctively raised his arm, but it suddenly curved away before reaching him. It passed by without touching him, as though it had never noticed he was there. Another followed the same path.
Lin Chen lowered his arm slowly. "Why aren't they..." A sharp gust of wind passed in front of him, cutting off his words. Qing Li turned towards Xu Yang. "How long can you hold that?" "Not long!" Xu Yang answered through strained breaths. Qing Li frowned. "Define 'not long'!" "Very not long!" Qing Li stared at him. "That's not helpful!" Yan Luo moved forward, and the flames around him spread into a wider arc. His flame wolf lunged towards the threads, forcing them back. "They're focusing on him," he said. "We keep them off, and he stabilizes."
Qing Li snorted as he deflected another attack. "That plan sounds suspiciously optimistic." Yan Luo didn't look at him. "Do you have a better one?" "Yes. Leave." "No." Qing Li threw him an annoyed look. "Then stop complaining!" The threads surged again, filling the space between them. A stronger wave struck, and Xu Yang staggered. The distortion around his body flickered. For a brief moment, everything slowed. The threads hesitated in mid-air, as if they couldn't decide where to move next. Then the air snapped back, and the pressure became even stronger. Qing Li's expression sharpened. "They're pushing through!" "Then push harder." Yan Luo replied.
Qing Li looked at him in disbelief. "Easy for you to say!" He raised both hands, and the wind around him grew stronger. It forced the threads back, but they barely moved before returning to their original positions. Qing Li narrowed his eyes. "They're learning." Xu Yang struggled to keep his hand raised. "They're adapting." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "That's worse." Lin Chen took a cautious step forward. The others were too busy fighting to notice him. He looked at Xu Yang, whose face had grown pale, and called out, "Xiao Ye!" His voice sounded small against the noise. Xu Yang didn't turn. "Stay back!" Lin Chen frowned. "I'm already back!" "Further back!" Xu Yang shouted. "There is no further back!" Lin Chen replied, looking around helplessly.
Another thread rushed towards Xu Yang. Yan Luo moved at once, and his flames burned through it before it could reach him. "You're slipping." Yan Luo said. "I know!" Xu Yang answered. "Then fix it." "I'm trying!" Qing Li glanced sideways at them. "You're being very unhelpful right now." Yan Luo finally looked at him. "And you're talking too much." Qing Li clicked his tongue. "I always talk this much." "Yes. That's the problem." Qing Li opened his mouth to reply, but another wave struck before he could say anything. The air twisted sharply, and the glowing threads bent in unnatural directions.
Lin Chen stared at them, his face growing pale. "This isn't normal." he muttered. Qing Li gave a humourless laugh. "No. It's really not." Xu Yang's breathing grew uneven. The distortion around him flickered again, and one thread slipped through the others. It moved straight towards him. "Xu Yang!" Qing Li shouted. Yan Luo reacted immediately. His flames surged forward and struck the thread just before it reached Xu Yang, burning it apart. Xu Yang froze for a moment, then let out a sharp breath. "That was close!" "Don't let there be a next time." Yan Luo said. "I'll do my best!" Xu Yang replied. "Do better." Qing Li rolled his eyes. "He's doing fine. You're just dramatic." "I'm practical," Yan Luo answered. "You're annoying!" "And you're loud." Qing Li turned towards them. "Can you both—" "Shut up?" Xu Yang and Yan Luo said at the same time.
Qing Li stopped with his mouth half open. He stared at them before muttering, "Okay, that was rude." For a brief moment, despite everything collapsing around them, their exchange almost felt normal. Then the threads stopped attacking all at once. The sudden silence made Qing Li frown. "That's not good." Yan Luo's expression remained serious. "No. It's not." Xu Yang looked towards the lines gathering in the distance. "They're not stopping." Lin Chen glanced around. "Then why did they—" "They're changing!" Xu Yang cut in.
The threads that had pulled back were not disappearing. They were moving into new positions, gathering together in thicker lines. Their movements became more organised, less like scattered attacks and more like something being assembled. Qing Li watched them with a frown. "That's new." Yan Luo didn't answer. The flames around him burned brighter as the pressure in the clearing increased.Lin Chen turned towards Xu Yang.His confusion had not disappeared, but now there was worry in his eyes. "You're in the middle of this, aren't you?" Xu Yang didn't answer. His attention remained fixed on the threads ahead. The air grew heavier, and the lines began to move again. He slowly exhaled, trying to steady his breathing. "It's adapting again." The atmosphere around them shifted once more, making it clear this time it no longer felt like something they could simply push back with force alone.