The piercing alarm and flashing crimson light, like a countdown to death, filled every corner of the corridor.

"Let's go!" Xie Chen made a decisive decision, abandoning his plan to explore the space behind the door. He tightly grabbed Su Nian's wrist, and the power of the stars enveloped the two of them. They transformed into a stream of light and sped back the way they came.

The energy fluctuations behind her grew increasingly violent, with scorching waves of air rolling in, accompanied by the ear-piercing sound of metal twisting. Su Nian could feel Xie Chen channeling most of his protective power around her, while his own back was completely exposed to the shockwave of the explosion.

Ling Mo's voice almost shattered amidst the intense interference: "Exit... Coordinates... Hold on!"

Just before the last alloy gate slammed shut, they narrowly escaped the main structure of the outpost. Almost simultaneously, a muffled, deafening roar, like the collapse of a star's core, resounded behind them. The entire underground space trembled violently, and a torrent of energy erupted from the entrance like a burst dam!

Xie Chen held Su Nian tightly in his arms, and the power of the stars built layer upon layer of barriers behind him to resist the devastating impact.

...

Consciousness became blurred under the violent tremors and the scouring of energy.

Su Nian only remembered that the last thing she saw was Xie Chen's eyes, illuminated by the turbulent energy flow, filled with an undeniable will to protect, yet also carrying a hint of pain that seemed to originate from a deeper level, one that even he himself might not have been aware of. Then, there was only darkness.

When her senses returned, Su Nian found herself sitting in the training room of the NF team's base, her fingers resting on the cold mechanical keyboard, the game matchmaking interface displayed on the screen. The boisterous chatter of Fatty Monkey could be heard around her, discussing the sudden online uproar about her and the rumors of a "fake girlfriend."

The thrilling interstellar escape just now, the chilling outpost, the hideous undead, the powerful Protoss afterimages, and Xie Chen's unusual rage and vulnerability... it all seemed like an overly realistic and information-rich dream afterimage.

But she knew it wasn't a dream. A sense of weariness emanating from the depths of her soul, and the seemingly simple yet subtly soul-connected star and snow brooch around her neck, silently testified to the reality of what had just happened.

She subconsciously looked at the seat next to her.

Xie Chen sat there, wearing headphones, seemingly practicing his daily ranked matches. His profile was stern, his eyes were focused on the screen, and his movements were fluid and unpredictable.

As if sensing her gaze, Xie Chen suddenly turned his head. The moment his eyes met Su Nian's, his usual aloofness and coldness melted away, replaced by a complete, almost dependent focus, even carrying a hint of... relief after confirming that she was safe and sound?

"Awake?" he asked naturally, his voice coming through the headset microphone, deep and clear. "You seemed a little distracted earlier. Are you tired?"

He has absolutely no recollection of it.

Su Nian immediately realized this. The memories of the "Star Remains" outpost, the lingering shadows of the Star Spirits, the whispers that touched upon his forbidden past… all of these seemed to have been sealed or concealed by some force after he escaped that perilous situation. What remained was only his subconscious, deeper dependence on her and his instinct to protect her, as well as emotional remnants that he himself might not be able to explain.

"It's nothing." Su Nian suppressed the turmoil in her heart and gave him a reassuring smile. "I was just thinking about something." She quickly brought her attention back to the crisis at hand—the rampant slander and defamation on the internet.

Since he had forgotten, she would not bring it up.

Right now, there are more pressing practical problems that need to be addressed.

"Fat Monkey," Su Nian took a deep breath, her voice regaining its usual calmness, even carrying a hint of eagerness, "help me start a live stream."

Amidst the surprised gazes of her teammates, Su Nian flexed her fingers, her eyes sharpening.

"It's time to debunk some rumors ourselves."