Two Rivals Face Off

"What the..."

Ye Feng's heart sank as he heard the sound of his front door opening. Sure enough, someone was lying in wait for him inside. Spotting a flash of white light in his peripheral vision, he swiftly turned and dodged backward, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Swish!"

The sharp blade grazed Ye Feng's chest, slicing through his clothes and drawing a thin line of blood.

As he evaded the lethal strike, he finally got a clear look at the assailant by the door.

"Xie... Xie Yuyan?"

Ye Feng's eyes widened in disbelief at the familiar, graceful figure standing before him—her curvaceous silhouette and that striking crimson pixie cut.

For a fleeting moment, joy had surged through him at the sight of Xie Yuyan. But the lifeless glint in her eyes instantly set off alarm bells in his mind.

"Xie Yuyan! What are you doing? It's me—Ye Feng!"

He glanced down at his bleeding wound. Had he been even a second slower, that strike would have crippled him on the spot. Though he still had two life-saving talismans in reserve, they could only negate a single fatal blow—not fully shield him from harm.

"Ye Feng... hehe... Ye Feng... giggle..."

Xie Yuyan let out a bone-chilling laugh, licking the blood from her blade with grotesque relish. Her entire body trembled with perverse ecstasy.

"Mine... mine... You're... mine..."

Seeing her deranged state, Ye Feng knew reasoning with her would be near impossible. He never imagined their long-awaited reunion would unfold like this. Worse still, he couldn't fathom what had twisted Xie Yuyan into this unrecognizable shell of herself.

Desperate to prevent further violence, he kept trying to reach her.

"Xie Yuyan, snap out of it! Don't you remember me? I'm Ye Feng!"

"Remember?"

She smeared his blood across her lips, savoring it with obscene delight.

"How could I forget...? I'd never forget you... never..."

"Then you do know me! So why—"

Encouraged by her response, Ye Feng took a step forward—only for Xie Yuyan to lunge at him again, dagger flashing.

Ye Feng was no pushover. His combat skills even surpassed hers, honed through rigorous training. But one variable tipped the scales—that damn dagger in her hand.

"Swish!"

Another dodge, another close call. His clothes now bore multiple slashes, fabric frayed and stained with blood.

The skirmish had barely begun, yet the pressure was overwhelming. Unarmed, confined to a narrow hallway, and facing an opponent who fought with reckless, suicidal fury—Ye Feng was fighting an uphill battle.

"Hehe..."

Xie Yuyan traced a finger along her cheek, peering at him through splayed fingers with manic intensity. Slowly, she raised her dagger, pointing it at his heart.

"Don't run away now~ Our little game is just getting started~"

Ye Feng gulped. Confronted by this unhinged version of Xie Yuyan, he was at a loss. Only one priority remained: survival.

"Xie Yuyan, put the knife down. Let's talk. I don't know what's changed you, but—"

"Changed me? Giggle~"

She cut him off, delicately wiping blood from her blade before inhaling its metallic scent with depraved pleasure.

"Who else could it be? You're the one who made me like this~"

"Me?"

"Whoosh—"

Before he could question her, Xie Yuyan sprang forward, covering meters in a blink. Her dagger thrust toward him like a viper's fang.

Ye Feng's expression hardened. If words failed, only one option remained: subduing her. But taking down a world-class assassin—especially one now fighting with enhanced, murderous precision—was no easy feat.

As she closed in, he abandoned persuasion, focusing solely on her movements for an opening.

The dagger struck like a venomous serpent, its lethal arc aimed straight for his throat.

"Ha!"

Ye Feng pivoted, using the wall to launch himself airborne, barely evading the stab. But midair, he was vulnerable—and Xie Yuyan capitalized instantly, slashing upward toward his thigh.

"Rip!"

Fabric tore, but the blade missed flesh. Landing deftly, Ye Feng bolted for the emergency exit.

Watching him flee like a startled rabbit, Xie Yuyan's euphoria swelled. She could hardly wait to savor him properly.

Instead of chasing, she hummed a tune, strolling leisurely after him.

When Ye Feng reached the exit, metallic clinks echoed from beyond the door—chains. Realization struck: she'd herded him into a trap.

......

"Run, Ye Feng, keep running~ I'm not done playing yet~"

"Xie Yuyan, what's wrong with you? This isn't like you! There must be some misunderstanding!"

With adrenaline fading, the pain in his chest flared. Clutching his wound, Ye Feng edged closer, voice strained.

"I thought our reunion would be... different."

"And whose fault is that? You did this to me~"

Her sudden laugh was glacial, her gaze swallowing him whole.

They circled back to his doorstep, but now, Ye Feng's eyes burned with resolve.

"Xie Yuyan, if you won't listen... then I won't hold back either."