"Only these four?"


    Aurora inquired, her eyes sparkling with a mix of curiosity and surprise as she clutched his phone, fiddling with it.


    Shey beside him, her face turned towards his, her head nestledfortably in the cradle of his hand.


    Both were bared to the whisper of the cool air, their naked skin tingling slightly.


    She snuggled closer to him, her breasts pressing warmly against his chest, a contact that stirred a fleeting distraction in Wang Xiao.


    However, he managed a response, his gaze drifting upwards to the vast expanse of the sky as if seeking escape from an uing premonition. "Yeah, you''re familiar with everyone else around me; these four are the only neers. I have this sinking feeling that something dire will happen once I enter that tunnel..."


    "...It would be wise to have someone watch over them."


    "Okay," Aurora replied softly, her lips barely moving as her words floated into the silence. Together, theyy in stillness, the distant rumble of thunder rolling across the sky, supplementing the tranquility.


    "Your friend doesn''t seem too pleased," Wang Xiao observed with a chuckle, his voice mingling with the rumble of distant thunder.


    He understood precisely why the skies were stormy.


    A wry smile curled the corners of Aurora''s lips. "She isn''t."


    "Haha... Then let''s ruffle her feathers even more." Wang Xiao''sughter echoed in the charged air as he leaned over Aurora, grasping her delicately flushed rosy cheeks and pinching them softly between his fingers.


    Aurora''s eyshes fluttered like delicate wings, her eyes gleaming with mischief as Wang Xiao leaned in close and nted a soft kiss on her neck. "You are a bit fat, has anyone ever told you that?"


    Her eyes shot open in mock shock. "Really?" she whispered, clearly not expecting such a taunt, as he gently nibbled along her face. "Yes, but it''s good. It doesn''t look fat at all."


    ''Then how is it fat?'' Aurora pondered inwardly, her mind a mix of confusion and amusement at his teasing words.


    Regardless, she knew her body was perfect, and she held that confidence close.


    But how had they gone from a fierce battle for survival to this carefree moment so abruptly?


    To understand that, one would need to revisit into the past.


    ___


    Four hours earlier!


    "!!!"


    Wang Xiao''s eyes shot open in sheer suprise as he stood immobilized before the ominous sphere.


    A ghostly, ice-cold hand sped onto his chest, its chilling grip paralyzing his heart until it stuttered and stopped.


    Caughtpletely off guard, he hadn''t anticipated such a sinister assault.


    Although he had braced his body for an attack, fortifying it against expected blows, the prating cold that could snuff out his life was beyond his calctions.


    Yet, even as an icy shroud began to encase his body, Wang Xiao''s eyes still flickered wildly.


    They snapped to the right, towards the chaos where debrisy scattered from the mountain''s recent copse.


    Instantly—


    BAAAM!


    A colossal trunk, ripped from its roots, rocketed through the air, mming into the ground with earth-shattering force.


    It pierced the center of the sphere vertically, gouging out a crater six feet deep.


    But the onught was far from over.


    Bam!


    Bam!


    Bam!


    One after another, the shattered trees followed, each one mming into the spot where the sphere had been, burying themselves deep into the earth and reshaping thendscape with each thunderous impact.


    Ssh!


    Snow mingled with blood sttered across Wang Xiao, a confirmation that Valen was caught in the destruction.


    However, Wang Xiao didn''t merely recoil this time; his bodyunched backward, retreating several paces before—


    Whoosh!


    The tree trunks erupted into mes, the fiery glow reflecting menacingly in Wang Xiao''s eyes.


    If the ice couldn''t kill him, he was certain the fire would!


    Simultaneously, he began extricating himself from the icy grip that had seized him.


    Since his legs and head were less affected, escaping proved rtively easier.


    "Stupid bitch..." Wang Xiao growled under his breath, his jaw tightening as he observed the giant ice popsicle aze, a sarcastic smile spreading across his face at the sight.


    This fool didn''t realize that stopping someone''s heart wouldn''t immediately halt their brain.


    He then shifted his focus to healing the rest of his body.


    Despite his efforts, the damage to his heart and chest was severe, indicating months long recovery ahead.


    If Eleanor hadn''t enlightened him on the intricacies of internal organs and self-healing techniques, he might have perished helplessly without any external help.


    Yet, even with his knowledge, his skill level was modest, and the extent of the damage daunting, .n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The mes roared louder, the crackling and sizzling filling his ears, casting an ominous, warm glow around him.


    "It should be done now," Aurora''s voice echoed softly behind him, her hand gently pressing against his back, easing his recovery with a soothing warmth.


    Her eyes lingered on the vibrant mes that bathed the area in a warm glow, a soft smile ying on her lips.


    She hadn''t expected Valen to die in such a manner, by bing a literal ice popsicle.


    Now revitalized, Wang Xiao turned, stretching his muscles, a trace of amusement in his tone.


    "This iceman really tried to freeze me to death," he chuckled, an unexpected lightness in his reaction that defied the seriousness of the situation.


    Aurora responded with a wry smile. "He must havee to survey."


    "Survey, for what?" Wang Xiao''s curiosity piqued as he turned back to the crackling mes, pondering the mysterious presence in this remote location.


    "!"


    "Wait, where are we exactly?" The question suddenly dawned on him. He hadn''t even realized where Aurora had transported them.


    He turned to face her, noticing her evasive eyes and the guilty expression on her face.


    "Aurora...?" he inquired, his voice deepening with a blend of suspicion and concern.


    Aurora sighed in defeat, her voice tinged with resignation. "When this mountain was still intact, below it was the temporary base of the Hell ve''s organization as they prepared for an attack."


    "!!!"


    Wang Xiao''s face twitched in disbelief. Why was she mincing her words? "You transported us directly to their base?"


    "..."


    Aurora fell silent, her gaze averted, before finally giving a small, hesitant nod.


    "..."


    Wang Xiao was left speechless. "Woman, that''s not cute at all," he muttered, unable to hide his frustration as he gently cupped her face.


    Unfazed, Aurora lifted her hand and pointed aimlessly into the distance. "They have already relocated to another site, just over there."


    Wang Xiao, "Hm? Where?"