The two men blocked the narrow sidewalk with deliberate ease.
The taller one lifted his head first. His eyes lingered on Liang Wan, slow and unapologetic. A crooked smile crept across his face.
"Well, well," he drawled. "Looks like we got lucky tonight."
The shorter man cracked his neck. Muscles shifted beneath his jacket as he stepped half a pace forward, cutting off the last bit of space.
"Late night stroll," he said. "Not exactly the safest habit."
Liang Wan's steps slowed—but only slightly. She didn't retreat. Instead, she glanced sideways at Lin lan.
Her voice stayed calm. "Friends of yours?"
Lin lan didn't answer right away.
He studied them.
Two heartbeats.
Uneven breathing.
One nervous. One pretending not to be.
Amateurs.
"Never seen them before," Lin lan said. Short. Flat.
The taller man chuckled. "Then we can fix that."
He reached out.
Didn't make it halfway.
Lin lan moved.
No warning. No buildup.
A skeletal hand snapped up and clamped around the man's wrist. There was a dull crack—bone meeting bone. The taller man screamed as his arm twisted at an impossible angle.
"Too slow," Lin lan muttered.
The shorter one reacted instantly, swinging a heavy punch straight at Lin lan's head.
Lin lan didn't dodge.
He stepped in.
A sharp elbow drove into the man's ribs. Another crack. The punch collapsed mid-air as the shorter man folded, choking on air.
Everything happened in under three seconds.
Silence returned to the street.
The two men lay on the ground, groaning, clutching broken limbs. Fear finally reached their eyes.
Lin lan looked down at them.
"Walk away," he said. "If you still can."
They didn't need to be told twice.
Dragging themselves up, they stumbled into the darkness, vanishing between parked cars.
Lin lan dusted off his coat.
Too easy.
He turned around.
Liang Wan was staring at him—not frightened, not shocked.
Curious.
Very curious.
"You didn't even hesitate," she said softly.
"No reason to," Lin lan replied.
She tilted her head slightly. "You're not just fast. You judged them before they moved."
Lin lan shrugged. "Experience."
She smiled faintly. "That answer raises more questions than it solves."
He met her gaze. "You always did like digging where you shouldn't."
They resumed walking.
The street felt quieter now. Too quiet.
After a few steps, Liang Wan spoke again. "You know, most people would be terrified after seeing that."
"And you?" Lin lan asked.
She thought for a moment. "I feel… safe."
He glanced at her.
That wasn't the reaction he expected.
"Strange thing to say," he noted.
"Maybe." Her heels clicked softly against the pavement. "But you've never harmed anyone who didn't deserve it."
Lin lan didn't respond.
He didn't deny it either.
They reached the entrance to her building.
Liang Wan stopped, turning to face him under the dim light.
"Lin lan," she said, voice lowering. "That woman earlier—the one in the car. She isn't ordinary."
"Neither are you," he replied.
Her smile widened, just a little. "Then I suppose we're even."
She stepped back toward the door, then paused.
"One more thing," she added. "Be careful. People are starting to notice you."
Lin lan's lips curved faintly.
"Good," he said. "That means I'm doing something right."
The door closed behind her.
Lin lan stood alone beneath the streetlight.
Somewhere deep within his soul flame, something stirred.
Attention was coming.
And with it—
Trouble.