Ren burst through the surface of the ice cold river, gasping for air as he held Kyouka in a princess carry. Water cascaded off them in sheets, and Kyouka coughed violently, her lungs burning from the sudden intake of cold night air. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized Ren was effortlessly lifting her despite the chaos.

"Ren... you... how are you even carrying me like this?" Kyouka sputtered between coughs, her voice shaky and breathless. She clutched at his soaked shirt, her body trembling from the shock and the freezing water.

Ren didn't respond immediately. He waded through the shallow edge of the river, his muscles straining but determined. "Save your breath, Kyouka. We've got bigger problems," he muttered, gently setting her down on the muddy riverbank. The earth felt solid under his feet, a stark contrast to the swirling current they'd just escaped.

He scanned the dark waters, his heart pounding. The vehicle they'd been in, a sleek black hybrid had plummeted off the bridge after the ambush, flipping into the river like a discarded toy. But where were the others? "Hiyori and Misa... they jumped out first as soon as the car hit water. Where the hell are they?"

Kyouka pushed her wet hair out of her face, shivering uncontrollably. Her teeth chattered as she looked around the dimly lit riverbank, illuminated only by the faint lights of stars filtering through the clouds. "I... I don't know. It was all so fast. One minute we're driving, the next... bam. Who attacked us, Ren? This wasn't random."

Ren clenched his fists, his mind racing. "No clue. But whoever it was, they timed it perfectly. That explosion on the bridge... it had to be planned." He rubbed his arms, feeling the goosebumps rise as the cold wind whipped around them. His whole body was starting to shake violently, and he could see Kyouka's lips turning blue. "Damn it, we're on the verge of hypothermia. This water's like ice, and the night's not helping."

Kyouka nodded weakly, hugging herself. "We need to find Misa and Hiyori. They can't be far. Maybe they swam to the other side?"

"In this darkness? No way," Ren said firmly, his voice low but urgent. "We'd just get lost or freeze trying. Our best bet is getting our phones working and calling them or finding somewhere we can wait until the morning. Mine's in my pocket, hope it's not fried."

He patted his jeans, feeling the familiar bulge, but before he could pull it out, a distant sound caught his ear. Footsteps. Multiple sets, crunching through the underbrush. Then, beams of light pierced the night, headlights from flashlights, sweeping across the riverbank like predatory eyes.

"Get down!" Ren whispered harshly, grabbing Kyouka's arm and pulling her toward a cluster of thick bushes and rocks. They ducked behind the natural cover just as several figures emerged from the shadows. Women, all of them dressed in dark tactical gear, armed with rifles slung over their shoulders. Their flashlights danced over the water, searching for signs of survivors.

"Who are they?" Kyouka breathed, her voice barely audible as she pressed close to Ren.

"Shh," Ren replied, covering her mouth gently with his hand. He steadied his breathing, forcing his lungs to slow despite the adrenaline surging through him. His body felt like it was turning to stone, the cold water clinging to his clothes, the wind biting into his skin, the chill of the night seeping into his bones.

He pulled Kyouka tighter against him, trying to share what little body heat they had left.

But it wasn't enough. Their wet clothes were like frozen barriers. Desperation kicked in, and Ren slid his hand under Kyouka's shirt, cupping her breast for direct skin contact. She gasped softly, her eyes snapping to his in shock.

"Ren! What are you—"

"Shhush," he hissed, his face flushed despite the cold. "I'm freezing, and so are you. Skin-to-skin is the only way to warm up fast. Trust me."

Kyouka hesitated, her cheeks burning, but she felt the uncontrollable shivers wracking his frame. She nodded silently, pressing closer. The warmth from his hand spread a little, chasing away the worst of the numbness.

The women patrolled the bank, their voices murmuring in low tones. "No bodies yet. They must have surfaced somewhere else."

"Keep searching. The boss wants confirmation dead or alive."

Ren's jaw tightened. Traitors. It had to be them. Minutes dragged on like hours, the cold intensifying until Ren's teeth ached from clenching them. Finally, the flashlights receded, the footsteps fading into the distance.

"They're gone," Ren whispered, exhaling a shaky breath. He pulled back slightly, but the relief was short-lived. "We can't stay like this. Clothes are holding the cold in."

Without another word, he stripped off his shirt, then his pants, kicking them aside into a soggy pile. The night air hit his bare skin like needles, but it was better than the wet fabric. He turned to Kyouka, who was still huddled. "You too. Come on, I'll help."

Kyouka's eyes widened again. "Ren, I... this is embarrassing."

"We're past that. Survival first." His voice was gentle but firm as he helped her peel off her drenched top and skirt, his hands careful and fast. Once they were both naked, he pulled her into his arms, their bodies pressing together under the cover of the bushes. Skin against skin, the shared warmth began to build, slow but steady.

Kyouka nestled against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder. "This feels... good and warm. Thank you."

Ren wrapped his arms around her tighter, rubbing her back to generate friction. "Don't mention it. Just focus on staying alive." His mind wandered to the others, anger bubbling up. "If those bastards harmed Hiyori or Misa... they are going to regret ever being created. I'll make sure of it."

Kyouka lifted her head, her eyes fierce in the dim light. "You're damn right. Hiyori's tough. And Misa... she's probably already plotting revenge just as us thinking we are dead. We can't let them down."

Ren nodded, his breath warm against her hair. "Exactly. Once we're warm enough, we'll check the phones. Mine's waterproof, should work. We'll call them, regroup, and hunt these assholes down."

"But what if the phones are dead? Or no signal out here?" Kyouka asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Then we move at first light. Stick to the riverbank, look for tracks. They can't have gone far." Ren paused, feeling her heartbeat sync with his. "Hey, Kyouka... you okay? Not just the cold, I mean."

She sighed, burrowing deeper into his embrace. "I've been in worse situations."

"Let's survive and stay alive." He kissed the top of her head lightly, a comforting gesture. "For now, just rest. I've got you."

***

Meiling stood amidst the burning ruins of Lan District, her eyes fixed on the vast, empty sky.

The unreal entity that had unleashed those blinding beams of light was gone, vanished like a fleeting nightmare. The air was thick with thick smoke, and flames danced unnaturally across the buildings, flames that refused to die, licking at the stone and wood with an otherworldly hunger.

"Lan family... it won't be the same anymore," Meiling muttered to herself, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire. She wrapped her arms around her trembling body, feeling the weight of despair settle in her chest. "After this... nothing will."

She glanced around at the devastation, the once-proud district reduced to a hellscape. Buildings that had stood for generations were crumbling, their foundations weakened by the undying blaze.

Meiling's mind raced. "Is this... some kind of punishment from heaven?" she whispered, her brows furrowing. "For how incompetent we've become? The Lan family, once mighty, now rotting from within. Lazy elders, scheming relatives... did we invite this wrath?"

The fire wasn't natural; she knew that much. It pulsed with a strange energy, the same as the creature that had appeared in the heavens like a vengeful god.

Shaking her head, Meiling forced herself to move. She had to get back to the Lan estate.

She picked her way through carefully, her ruined chenogasm singed at the edges. "I have to keep going," she told herself. "Can't stop now. People might need help."

As she navigated a narrow alley, a figure emerged from the flames ahead, walking with eerie calm. Meiling's heart skipped a beat. She dove behind a half-fallen wall, peeking out cautiously.

It was Lan Jia, the very woman who should have been chained in the estate's depths. Yet here she was, strolling through the fire as if it were a gentle rain.

"How... how is she free?" Meiling hissed under her breath, pressing her back against the hot stone. Lan Jia's was naked, her hair disheveled, but she moved with purpose, unfazed by the heat.

Meiling froze as their eyes met for a split second. She knew Lan Jia had seen her, the flicker of recognition was there but the woman didn't stop. Instead, her face twisted in annoyance, lips moving in a repetitive murmur.

"Fucking goddess... fucking goddess..." Lan Jia grumbled, her voice carrying through the roar of the flames. She kicked at a burning plank in her path, her expression darkening. "Fucking goddess, always meddling. Think you're so high and mighty? I'll show you... fucking goddess..."

Meiling held her breath, not daring to call out. Normally, rage would have surged through her veins. "I'd confront her right here," she thought bitterly. "Demand answers, fight if I had to. She's my enemy" But today was different.

The fire had changed everything. Meiling's mind drifted to Ren, his gentle smile, the warmth of his embrace. "Ren... I just want to see him," she whispered, a soft ache blooming in her heart. "Feel his arms around me, hear his voice soothing my fears. That's all I crave now."

The Lan family's strict rules had always chained her, expectations, duties, the invisible ropes that bound her choices. "But now... those ropes are burning," Meiling murmured, a spark of rebellion igniting within her.

Lan Jia disappeared into the haze, her curses fading. Meiling waited a moment longer before emerging from her cover. "I won't chase her," she decided aloud. "Not today. The estate needs me. And Mother... Lan Xinyue. I have to make sure she's safe." Despite everything, she couldn't abandon her family entirely. Blood ties ran deep, even in ruin.

The closer she got to the Lan estate, the heavier the air grew. A metallic tang assaulted her senses, the unmistakable iron smell of blood. "What... what happened here?"

Meiling gasped, covering her nose with her sleeve. Bodies littered the grounds: servants slumped in pools of crimson, their eyes vacant. Distant aunts and distant relatives lay twisted among the debris, their faces frozen in agony.

"Aunt Cia... Cousin Liang..." Meiling choked out, recognizing familiar forms. "No, this can't be. Who did this?" She knelt beside a fallen maid, checking for a pulse, but the body was cold.

"Wake up... please," she pleaded softly, though she knew it was futile. Tears stung her eyes. "The family... we were supposed to protect each other. How did it come to this?"

Pushing forward, she entered the estate's gates, the once-grand archway now charred and leaning. The courtyards were graveyards, more dead, more blood. "Everyone... gone," Meiling whispered, her voice trembling. "Servants who served us loyally, relatives who shared our name. Slaughtered like animals."

Her steps quickened toward the main hall, hope flickering that her mothers might have survived. "Mother, where are you?" she called out, her voice echoing in the empty halls. "Answer me! Anyone!"

The doors to the main hall creaked open under her push, revealing a scene straight from hell. Meiling's eyes widened in horror, then instinctively averted. Dismembered body parts adorned the walls like grotesque decorations, limbs, torsos, heads nailed in place with shimmering golden threads that glowed faintly in the dim light.

"Second Mother... Lan Ying," Meiling breathed, forcing herself to look again. Lan Ying's severed arms and legs were pinned high, her torso splayed open. Beside her, Third Mother Lan Hua's remains were similarly displayed, her head tilted at an unnatural angle, eyes wide with unbridled terror. The golden threads pulsed, as if alive, holding the gruesome display in place.

"No... no, this isn't real," Meiling stammered, staggering back. She collapsed to her knees, retching at the sight. "Their eyes... full of fear. They died scared."

Memories flooded her, Lan Ying's stern lectures, Lan Hua's gentle smiles during family gatherings. "You were like mothers to me too," Meiling sobbed. "Always guiding, always there. And now... this."

She pounded the floor with her fist. "Lan family is dead," she muttered, the words heavy with finality. "We're finished. This fire, this slaughter, it's the end."

But even in despair, a resolve stirred. "Mother... I have to find you," she said, wiping her tears. "I'll protect you. And Ren... I'll go to him. No more chains."