The exit seam in the stone wall was real now. It glowed like a thin mouth of light, breathing cold air into the tunnel. It looked like freedom, but Wei Chen could feel the rule behind it—like a price tag you couldn't see until you tried to leave.
The copy of Lin Xue screamed and lunged, her sweet mask cracking into something hungry. Her fingers reached for Wei Chen's chest like she wanted to grab the black sun brand and peel it open.
"Chen Wei—" the copy started, voice turning sharp, like a command being loaded.
Lin Xue moved like a blade. She yanked Wei Chen back by his collar and pinned him to her chest for one heartbeat, not gentle but careful, using her whole body as an anchor. Her eyes burned. "Chen Wei," she said hard. "Say my name. Stay real."
Wei Chen swallowed. The pull in his ribs tried to drag him forward. He forced his eyes to Lin Xue's face. "Lin Xue," he said.
"Again," Lin Xue demanded, breath shaking.
"Lin Xue," Wei Chen said louder.
The bond rope flared warm inside him, and the copy's voice stuttered, like it lost its grip for one second.
Wei Chen used that second to tilt Lin Xue's chin up and kiss her—slow, deep, steady. Not a game. A promise. Lin Xue clutched his collar and pulled him closer, not forced—chosen. Heat rolled from him into her, and her frost steadied him back. The tunnel symbols flickered like they were watching.
Wei Chen broke the kiss just enough to ask, low and clear, "Do you want me to stop?"
Lin Xue's cheeks were red, but her eyes were fierce. "Don't stop," she whispered. "Hold me. Hold the anchor."
Wei Chen nodded and kissed her again—shorter, stronger—then pressed his forehead to hers. "I choose you," he murmured. "Always."
Behind them, Su Mei's black eyes stared at the exit seam like it was a hungry mouth. Her voice came out calm and wrong. "The tunnel wants a seal," she said. "It won't let three leave. It will take one."
Lin Xue snapped her gaze to Su Mei. "No," she said at once.
Wei Chen's jaw tightened. "We're not paying that price," he said.
The copy laughed, and the sound was Lin Xue's voice twisted into mockery. "Then you stay forever," it purred. "I can be patient. The tunnel is mine."
The copy stepped forward again and tried to speak Wei Chen's true name like a leash. "Chen Wei."
Wei Chen's chest jerked cold. His feet started to move.
Lin Xue grabbed his wrist so hard it hurt. "Chen Wei!" she snapped. "Say my name. Stay real."
Wei Chen forced it out through clenched teeth. "Lin Xue."
"Again."
"Lin Xue."
The bond rope flared warm, but the copy was learning. It didn't chase his fear anymore. It chased the bond itself, reaching for the gold-and-silver rope like it could bite it out of the air.
Su Mei lifted her palm. Violet qi flickered weak, like a candle about to die. "Trap the lie," she whispered. "Make it kiss the seal."
Lin Xue's eyes narrowed. "How?"
Su Mei's black eyes slid to the copy. "The tunnel accepts a seal when it tastes devotion," she said. "So we feed it a fake devotion. We make the copy touch the seam while it holds the stolen name in its mouth."
Wei Chen's stomach turned. "That's dangerous."
Su Mei's lips curved. "Everything here is dangerous," she whispered.
The copy lunged again.
Wei Chen snapped his fan open and flicked it hard. A thin blade-line flashed from the fan's edge and hit the copy's wrist, not cutting flesh, but knocking the black thread away for one breath. Lin Xue struck in that same breath—frost like a needle, pinning the copy's next word in the air.
The copy's mouth opened. The sound "Chen—" tried to escape.
Lin Xue froze it.
The half-word hung there, glittering in the air like an ice-letter.
The copy hissed and twisted, fighting the frozen sound. Her sweet face cracked wider.
Wei Chen grabbed Lin Xue's waist and pulled her close, keeping her steady as the tunnel shook. He leaned to her ear, voice rough and shameless even now. "You're terrifying," he murmured. "I love it."
Lin Xue's cheeks flared red. "Later," she snapped, but she didn't pull away. Her fingers stayed on his chest, feeling his heat like she needed it.
Wei Chen kissed her quickly—just a press, just enough to anchor—then asked, "Do you want me to stop touching you?"
Lin Xue's breath hitched. "Don't stop," she whispered. "Not until we're out."
The exit seam widened, like it could smell the frozen name-script. It wanted a kiss. It wanted a seal.
Su Mei stepped toward it with black eyes and calm steps.
Lin Xue's voice sharpened. "Su Mei, don't."
Su Mei didn't look back. "The tunnel will take someone," she said softly. "If we don't choose, it chooses."
Wei Chen's chest tightened. He shifted, still holding Lin Xue, and spoke like a rule carved into stone. "Su Mei," he said. "Stop. Do you want this?"
Su Mei's black eyes flickered, and for one heartbeat the real Su Mei showed through—anger, pride, pain. "No," she whispered. "But I… choose it."
Lin Xue's throat moved. "Why?"
Su Mei's mouth twitched like she hated the truth. "Because I bit his brand," she said. "And something bit me back."
The copy screamed again and surged toward Wei Chen, trying to rip the bond rope apart.
Wei Chen grabbed Lin Xue's hand and pulled her into him, and they kissed again—deep, breathless, chosen—holding the anchor while the tunnel tried to steal it. Their heat and frost hummed tight, and the bond rope flared bright enough to sting the copy back.
Wei Chen broke the kiss and whispered, "Stay with me."
Lin Xue's eyes were wet. "I'm staying," she whispered. "Don't you dare let go."
Su Mei reached the exit seam.
The seam brightened like a mouth opening for her.
Su Mei turned her black eyes back to them and smiled small and wrong. "One kiss," she whispered. "And the door closes."
Wei Chen stepped forward fast. "No," he said. "I won't let you be the price."
Su Mei's smile sharpened. "Then who?" she asked.
The copy's hand shot out and grabbed Wei Chen's sleeve, and the cold pull hit his ribs again. His black sun brand throbbed under his skin like it was waking.
Inside his chest, something breathed.
And as Su Mei leaned toward the glowing seam, Lin Xue grabbed Wei Chen's wrist and whispered, shaking, "Choose, Chen Wei."
Su Mei's lips were one inch from the door.
The tunnel held its breath.
To be Continued
© Kishtika., 2025
All rights reserved.