In the days following the black market mission, Rin's life completely changed. He was no longer plagued by past hatred; instead, he was consumed by a relentless pursuit of truth and a burning anger towards the masterminds. He closely observed Ye Xue, trying to monitor the stability of her "thought re-molding" without alarming her, and searching for the opportune moment to awaken her memories.
However, Ye Xue's condition seemed to be gradually deteriorating. She became even more silent, her brows often furrowed with shadows of pain, and a fleeting, elusive struggle and confusion occasionally flickered in her cold eyes. Academy training also became increasingly difficult for her. Her physical instincts remained strong, but the internal contradictions and conflicts at the thought level made it hard for her to control herself as perfectly as before.
Finally, on an ordinary training day, Ye Xue suddenly let out a suppressed growl during close-quarters combat training, and her movements became unusually fierce and uncontrollable. Her eyes instantly turned crimson, and a suffocating, icy killing intent emanated from her body. She no longer distinguished between opponents and instructors, attacking everything around her indiscriminately, like an enraged beast.
"She's lost control!"
"Stop her, quick!"
The training ground erupted into chaos. Instructors tried to subdue the rampaging Ye Xue, but her strength and speed at this moment far exceeded her usual capabilities; every strike carried a lethal threat. Rin stood by, watching her agonizing struggle, filled with both worry and towering fury towards the masterminds. He knew this was a sign of the "thought re-molding" program collapsing; her forcibly suppressed memories and emotions were attempting to break free.
A few days later, the academy issued a new assassination mission. The target was a rogue academy researcher who possessed top-secret information about the "special individual" project. Ye Xue was assigned to this mission, and Rin was listed as a reserve, but Rin secretly manipulated the mission assignments to ensure he would go as a support member. He knew this was another test for Ye Xue, and an opportunity for him to observe, and even intervene, up close.
The infiltration proceeded unusually smoothly; the researcher's hideout was in an abandoned underground laboratory. During the infiltration, Ye Xue's movements were still precise and flawless, but Rin could feel the instability of her killing intent, stronger than ever before.
When Ye Xue found the target researcher, the researcher was attempting to destroy the data he held. Ye Xue didn't hesitate, rushing forward like lightning. However, just as her dagger was about to pierce the researcher's heart, the researcher suddenly let out a desperate roar and simultaneously detonated some kind of energy device within the laboratory!
"Boom—!"
A violent explosion instantly engulfed the entire underground laboratory, flames soaring, thick smoke billowing. Rin was thrown back by the blast, hitting the wall heavily, his ears ringing. He struggled to get up, seeing a fiery inferno consuming everything.
In the center of the fire, Ye Xue's figure was exceptionally clear against the flames. She held her dagger, but her eyes had become hollow and crimson, and the killing intent emanating from her was no longer controlled ruthlessness, but outright berserk rage. She swung her dagger again and again at the charred corpse of the researcher, as if venting some long-suppressed pain and madness.
"Ah…!"
Ye Xue let out an inhuman growl. Her body trembled from overexertion, but her frenzied desire for slaughter showed no sign of diminishing. She seemed consumed by immense pain, leaving only a pure urge for destruction.
Just then, a new scene violently exploded in her mind—
She dreamed she was in an endless sea of fire. The scorching flames licked at her body but could not burn away the pain in her heart. She saw a blurred back, a figure so familiar, yet so distant. Tears streamed down her face, her body trembling, as she used all her strength to whisper desperately and hoarsely to that back:
"I'm sorry… I didn't want to…"
Dream and reality intertwined: the sea of fire, the back, the apology… All the fragments resonated at this moment. The forcibly suppressed memories were trying to break free in the most tragic way.
Rin ignored his injuries; he knew this was a sign of Ye Xue's full memory backlash! He had to stop her, or she would be completely consumed by this power.
He violently charged into the sea of fire, a cold killing intent emanating from him, attempting to suppress Ye Xue's rampant bloodlust. He reached out, trying to grab her arm, but she fiercely flung him away with instinctive killing intent.
"Ye Xue! Snap out of it!" Rin roared, his voice laced with unprecedented urgency.
However, Ye Xue showed no response; only crimson remained in her eyes. Her dagger, fueled by savage killing intent, thrust towards Rin's heart.
Rin didn't dodge. He knew if he did, she would completely descend into madness. He lunged forward, taking Ye Xue's attack head-on with his own body. The dagger grazed his ribs, drawing a trail of blood. Excruciating pain struck, but he remained motionless.
Immediately after, Rin lunged forward and pulled Ye Xue tightly into his embrace!
He used all his strength to hold her close, disregarding the rampant killing intent and cold dagger emanating from her. He felt her body tremble, felt the extreme pain within her.
"It's okay, you're still here," Rin's voice was low and gentle, with a slight tremor. He rested his chin on the top of Ye Xue's head, whispering softly in her ear. He knew what she needed at this moment was an anchor, someone who could pull her back from the vortex of memory and pain.
Ye Xue's body stiffened abruptly.
The dagger in her hand stopped trembling the moment Rin embraced her. Her crimson eyes, too, gradually cleared in Rin's warm embrace. The raging killing intent receded like a tide.
She leaned against Rin's chest, feeling the warmth and heartbeat emanating from him. That familiar sensation brought a sliver of peace to her fragmented soul. She lifted her head, her eyes filled with confusion, but the crimson hue had faded. She looked at Rin's slightly pale face due to his injury, and the deep, complex worry in his eyes. Her body instinctively leaned closer to him.
Her cold lips parted slightly, and she whispered dreamily:
"We… were we once…?"
Her voice was soft, carrying an ineffable mix of confusion and anticipation.
Rin's heart pounded. She sensed it. Although she hadn't fully remembered, her body's instincts and fragments of memory had allowed her to vaguely begin to touch upon their past.
He held her tightly, not answering, but merely resting his chin on her head again, his gaze complex and gentle.
Yes, they were once. And now, he would make her remember everything, even if it meant facing greater danger.
The sea of fire raged behind them, illuminating their embracing figures. Truth was awakening, and their destiny was steadily moving towards an unknown future.