CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: FINALLY SAVED

The door slammed open with a violent crack.

Inside, Huo Yan was no longer tied to the chair, instead, she was being dragged toward the shattered window with her wrists free from the ropes. The leader had his arm locked around her neck, his gun pressed hard against her temple.

"Gege!" Huo Yan cried out when she saw her brother.

The leader smirked, tilting his head at Huo Feng. "Take one more step and she dies. I have shaky hands, don’t test me."

Huo Feng’s gun was already raised, his eyes dark, danger swirling in them. "Let her go." He ordered.

The man dragged her closer to the window ledge. "You don’t get it, do you? I’ll kill her if you try something foolish."

Huo Yan trembled as she swallowed, breathing heavily.

Behind Huo Feng, Yue Ning stumbled in with a pale but resolute face.

’Host, his left grip weakens whenever he shifts his weight. Create a distraction.’ The System resounded in her mind.

Her gaze sharpened. She whispered hoarsely, "Mr. Huo, his left arm weakens when he shifts his weight. When he shifts, shoot him without any hesitation"

Her heart pounded. She drew in a shaky breath as she stepped forward, her voice slicing through the tension. "You’re cornered. This building is surrounded. Even if you drag her out that window, you won’t make it far. I advise you to let her go."

And that was enough for a distraction. His grip on his left arm weakened, and that was enough for Huo Feng to shoot him.

Bang!

Huo Feng’s bullet pierced through his arm. The man roared in pain, releasing Huo Yan. She stumbled forward into Huo Feng’s embrace.

"Yan’er..." His voice cracked with relief as he shielded her trembling form.

She clung to him desperately, sobbing. "I knew... I knew you’d come, Gege."

Behind them, the leader hissed through gritted teeth, clutching his bleeding arm. His glare burned with hatred. "You think this is over? You’ve won nothing."

He staggered back toward the shattered window.

"Stop!" Ah Si’s voice thundered as he burst into the corridor with backup.

But the man was fast. He smashed a smoke canister at his feet, and a dense cloud filled the room. By the time it cleared, he was gone. He had vanished into the night.

Huo Feng’s eyes narrowed dangerously, but he didn’t chase. Huo Yan in his arms was trembling too violently to risk leaving her.

"Xiao Yan..." Yue Ning’s weak voice pulled his attention. She had crawled closer, tears in her eyes as she reached for the girl.

Huo Yan immediately grasped her hand. "Jie... thank you..." she whispered brokenly.

Yue Ning’s lips curved into a faint, relieved smile. "You’re safe now... that’s all that matters..."

But even as she spoke, her body swayed. Her vision darkened, and her system’s voice was distant. ’Host, your vitals are unstable...’ She couldn’t hear anything.

Her knees buckled, and she almost fell.

"Yue Ning!" Huo Feng caught her before she hit the ground, his breath itched with worry.

Her lashes fluttered weakly, her lips moving faintly. "I... kept my promise... stayed close..."

Then her eyes closed, and she went limp in his arms.

"Boss! Their reinforcements are pushing in from the west!" Ah Si informed, gun in hand.

Huo Feng’s jaw locked, his arms tightening protectively around Yue Ning and Huo Yan both. His expression turned cold.

"Retreat," he ordered coldly.

The men quickly regrouped, covering their escape as the convoy engines roared to life.

In the lead car, Huo Feng held Yue Ning against him while Huo Yan clung to his sleeve.

They had saved Yan. But the leader’s escape left a shadow lingering over them all. And Yue Ning’s pale face pressed against his chest made fear twist deep in his gut without him realising.

This wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning. The enemy was lurking in the dark, while they were out in the open.

___________________

The white walls of the hospital were a stark contrast to the chaos of the night before. The steady, rhythmic beeping of machines filled was the only sound which could be heard.

Huo Yan sat up weakly on her bed, her wrists still red from the ropes. Her face was pale but her eyes shone with relief. When the door opened, Huo Feng stepped in, his tall frame casting a shadow across the room.

"Gege." Her voice was soft, fragile, and weak.

Huo Feng walked to her side, his expression unreadable. Yet when his hand reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face, his fingers trembled faintly. "You’re safe now. That’s all that matters."

Tears pooled in her eyes as she shook her head. "No... it isn’t over. He escaped."

Huo Feng’s fists clenched by his side. "I know. And I’ll find him. Don’t cry anymore." His tone carried finality that Huo Yan was used to. But beneath it, she heard something else—guilt.

"Gege..." She caught his hand with a grip. "If not for Yue Ning, I might not be here. She... she guided you, didn’t she?" She asked for confirmation. She had always known that Yue Ning was different.

For a moment, his silence was the only answer. Then, finally, he nodded. "Yes. Without her, I wouldn’t have found you in time, and today might be different."

"She fainted..." Huo Yan whispered, her gaze lowering. "Promise me you’ll take care of her."

Huo Feng’s eyes flickered, a storm brewing in them. He didn’t answer immediately, only squeezed her hands gently before releasing it.

"Rest," he said simply. "You need your strength."

Huo Yan wanted to push, but the exhaustion in her body pulled her back. As her eyes closed, her trust in her brother was absolute. He would protect them— both her, and Yue Ning.

———

The door to Yue Ning’s room opened quietly. Huo Feng stepped inside. His steps were slow and deliberate.

She lay on the bed, her face pale with her chest rising and falling slowly. The IV line glinted faintly under the dim hospital light.

He stopped at her bedside, staring at her for a long moment. His hand hovered, almost reaching for hers, but he stopped shortly.

"You stubborn woman," he muttered under his breath, his voice low. "Always pushing yourself to the brink."

He should have been angry at her recklessness, at her refusal to stay behind. Yet, instead, what he felt was something he couldn’t name. Gratitude gnawed at his chest, mingled with something sharper and so unfamiliar.

Her earlier words echoed in his mind. "I promise to stay by your side... just bring me to her."

His heart tightened.

Without realizing it, he reached down, brushing his fingers gently over the back of her hand. Her skin was cold and fragile.

For the first time in years, Huo Feng felt fear gnaw at him—not of enemies, not of death, but of losing her.

He leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yue Ning... what are you doing to me?"

The silent room answered him. And yet, in that silence, something inside him shifted without him realising.