In the darkness, the crimson spot of light from the eerie "stars" outside the window, like ink dripping into clear water, was trying to smudge and seep into Xie Chen's unsuspecting brow! A cold, viscous energy fluctuation, full of predatory intent, was transmitted through the spot of light, causing Su Nian's star brooch to sting painfully, and making her feel a chill down her spine!
We can't let it succeed!
Su Nian's eyes sharpened, and almost without hesitation, the icy power gathered at her fingertips was no longer just a gentle soothing gesture, but transformed into an extremely condensed, almost invisible icy aura, as precise as a scalpel, instantly piercing the red light spot connected to Xie Chen's brow!
"laugh--"
A very faint sound, like cold water dripping into hot oil, rang out in the quiet room.
The scarlet light spot flickered and twisted violently, like an enraged venomous snake! Su Nian's Ice Soul Power collided fiercely with the red energy, and a chilling, bone-piercing recoil force traveled from her fingertips, making her entire arm slightly numb!
This energy was far more domineering than she had imagined! It carried a sinister malice that corroded the soul!
However, the power of Ice Soul originates from a higher level of rules, giving it an inherent advantage in quality. Especially when Su Nian disregarded the consumption of energy and pushed it to its full potential, that pure and pristine chill, as if encountering a vile natural enemy, began to stubbornly freeze and purify the scarlet energy!
The red light struggled even more violently, even emitting a sharp mental scream that ordinary people couldn't hear, trying to disturb Su Nian's mind!
Xie Chen groaned in pain in his sleep, his body trembling violently. A faint, dark purple chain-like phantom, similar to the one on the chest of the Star Spirit's afterimage, even appeared between his brows!
He was being forcibly pulled! The very essence of his soul was being shaken!
"Don't even think about it!" Su Nian gritted her teeth, a flash of icy blue light appearing in her eyes! She poured more of her Ice Soul Power into it, no longer just targeting the spot of light, but like a gentle cold current, enveloping Xie Chen's entire head, forming an invisible ice crystal shield that completely isolated him from the outside world!
At the same time, she reached out her other hand and tightly grasped Xie Chen's cold hand, transmitting her will through the soul link: "Xie Chen! Wake up! Guard your true self!"
Perhaps it was the protection of the Ice Soul Power that worked, or perhaps it was Su Nian's call that pierced through the nightmare, Xie Chen gasped sharply and opened his eyes abruptly!
At first, there was lingering pain and confusion in those deep eyes, but the moment they met Su Nian's resolute gaze, they quickly focused and transformed into a sharp killing intent! He understood his situation almost instantly, feeling the nauseating corrosiveness between his brows and the resistance Su Nian was putting on his behalf!
"You're courting death!" he roared, and the golden light, belonging to the power of the stars and carrying an aura of destruction, was about to erupt instinctively, but Su Nian stopped him in time with a look—using large-scale supernatural power in the base would have unimaginable consequences!
Xie Chen immediately understood and forcibly suppressed the surging power back into his body. He then focused his mind and, in a restrained manner, combined with Su Nian's Ice Soul Power, ground down the scarlet energy that was trying to invade, like a millstone!
Under the combined attack from both inside and outside, the scarlet light spot finally couldn't hold on any longer, letting out a reluctant, silent shriek, and with a soft "poof," like a cigarette butt being extinguished, it completely dissipated into the air. The connection was lost.
Outside the window, the eerie "star" also dimmed instantly, disappearing into the neon lights of the city, as if it had never existed.
The room returned to darkness and silence, with only the slightly rapid breathing of the two people.
The crisis has been temporarily averted.
Xie Chen sat up, leaning against the headboard, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat. He raised his hand to touch his brow, where a lingering cold sting and the nausea of being spied on remained. He closed his eyes, feeling the still somewhat restless stellar power within him, and the sense of rejection emanating from the depths of his soul, as if it had been defiled by something. His face was so gloomy it could drip water.
Su Nian was also quite exhausted, her soul power feeling weak. She leaned against the other side, breathing slightly, the chill on her fingertips not yet completely gone.
"Is it 'Star Remains'?" Xie Chen's voice was hoarse and cold, not a question, but a statement.
“Hmm.” Su Nian nodded, her expression grave. “They seem to have found a way to remotely locate and attempt to… manipulate or corrupt your source of power.” She looked at Xie Chen. “Is that feeling the same as the resonance we experienced on the field before?”
Xie Chen thought carefully for a moment, his brows furrowing. "It's very similar, but this time it's more direct and more aggressive." He paused, a hint of lingering fear flashing in his eyes. "If it weren't for you..." If Su Nian hadn't discovered and stopped it in time, he couldn't imagine what would have happened if that scarlet energy had completely seeped in. Would he have been controlled? Assimilated? Or, like that cactus, drained of its life force?
This lingering fear instantly amplified his dependence on Su Nian. He abruptly reached out and pulled Su Nian tightly into his arms, his grip so tight it felt like he wanted to embed her into his body. He buried his face in her hair, greedily inhaling the comforting scent emanating from her, his voice trembling slightly: "Thank you... thank you, Nian Nian."
This time, his hug was no longer simply a request for security, but also mixed with intense relief and a sense of cherishing something lost and found again.
Su Nian could feel his rapid heartbeat and the relief of surviving a close call. She relaxed her body, letting him hold her, and gently patted his back: "I told you, I would protect you." After a pause, she added, "Until we win the championship."
Xie Chen stiffened slightly, raised his head, and gazed deeply at her in the dim light, his eyes like the deepest night, churning with complex and unfathomable emotions. After a long while, he whispered, "The championship is important... but you are more important."
This was the most straightforward confession he could utter. He placed her importance above his e-sports dream, which he considered one of the meanings of his life.
Su Nian felt as if something had gently bumped into her heart, a bittersweet emotion spreading through her. She didn't speak, but simply hugged him tighter.
That night, the two slept in each other's arms. Xie Chen didn't return to his own bed, and Su Nian didn't push him away. Under the unknown threat, their presence was the best tranquilizer.
The next day, the NF team faced a crucial match against the strong team KING.
After what happened last night, Xie Chen's condition was clearly affected. He had faint dark circles under his eyes, and although he tried his best to hide it, Su Nian could feel his mental fatigue and the unstable restlessness of his internal power through the soul link.
During the pre-competition preparations, he stayed almost constantly by Su Nian's side, his gaze more intense than usual, filled with a nervousness that seemed afraid she would disappear in the blink of an eye. Even when a staff member was attaching the microphone to him, he subconsciously avoided their hand until Su Nian took the microphone and personally attached it for him, only then did he relax.
"It's okay," Su Nian reassured him softly, her fingertips gently touching the back of his hand. "Focus, just like usual. I'm right behind you."
Xie Chen looked into her calm eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded vigorously.
The match begins.
KING lived up to their reputation as a veteran powerhouse, executing their tactics meticulously and exerting immense pressure in the laning phase. They had clearly done in-depth research on NF's bot lane, launching a relentless attack from the start.
Xie Chen's skills remained sharp, but a keen observer could see that his reactions seemed to be a fraction slower than at his peak. Some of his crucial trades and positioning were no longer as flawless as before. Several times, he barely managed to avert danger thanks to Su Nian's exceptional protection and awareness.
"Shen's performance seems a bit inconsistent today?" The commentator noticed something amiss.
"Perhaps he's fatigued from continuous battles? But Su's performance today was just phenomenal! He practically single-handedly held up the bottom lane defense!"
Su Nian was indeed under greater pressure. She not only had to fulfill her support duties, but also keep a close eye on Xie Chen's condition, ready to fill any gaps in her defenses at any time. Her mental focus was extremely high, the power of her Ice Soul flowing slowly within her body, keeping her mind absolutely calm, and her fingers as steady as machines.
In a crucial mid-game team fight for the Rift Herald, KING secured the terrain advantage and initiated the fight. Xie Chen made a slight positioning mistake, getting grazed by the edge of the enemy support's crowd control skill, causing his speed to suddenly decrease!
That momentary hesitation gave Team KING an opportunity! Their mid laner and jungler, like sharks smelling blood, unleashed all their skills on Xie Chen in an instant!
A critical moment!
Su Nian's support Luo, like a golden phantom, flashed and then used the W skill "Grand Entrance" to precisely lift up the enemy's two most crucial mid and jungle players! At the same time, she instantly used the E skill "Dancing Together" to fly back to Xie Chen's side and give him a shield!
The series of operations were completed in the blink of an eye, smoothly and effortlessly, as if they had been rehearsed countless times!
"My God! Su! It's Su again! She saved the entire team fight! This Rakan's timing and execution were flawless!" The commentator's voice was distorted with excitement.
Xie Chen managed to escape with low health, while the other NF members seized the opportunity to counterattack, achieving a beautiful exchange of blows and stabilizing the situation.
Xie Chen looked at the agile figure on the screen, who was blocking his way and controlling Luo. He then turned his head to look at Su Nian, who was focused and had sharp eyes. The restlessness in his heart caused by the attack and fear last night was strangely calmed down.
An indescribable emotion, a mixture of guilt, dependence, and an even stronger surge of love, churned within him. He couldn't go on like this; he couldn't become a burden to her.
In the following match, Xie Chen seemed to break free of some invisible shackles, his eyes becoming more focused and cold. He no longer tried to suppress the restlessness within him, but instead attempted to guide it, unleashing all the violence born from being provoked into the game!
His actions became more ferocious and aggressive, like a wolf king that had been completely enraged, carrying an aura of utter destruction, yet forming a wonderful balance with Su Nian's protection!
Completely crushing everything in its path! Unstoppable!
With Xie Chen regaining his form and Su Nian delivering a rock-solid performance, Team NF won team fights one after another in the late game and finally managed to destroy KING's base!
"Victory!"
Another victory!
During the post-match handshake, Xie Chen shook hands with each of the KING team members with a blank expression. However, when it was Su Nian's turn to look at him, his tense lips softened slightly for a moment, and he quickly hooked her finger with his fingertip.
Backstage, avoiding their cheering teammates, Xie Chen suddenly pulled Su Nian into the fire escape at the corner of the corridor leading to the lounge.
The small space was somewhat dim. He pinned her against the wall, his arms braced on either side of her, forming a restraining position, and looked down at her intently. His breathing was still rapid, and his eyes churned with a fighting spirit that had not yet fully subsided, as well as a deeper, almost scorching emotion.
“Niannian,” he said, his voice hoarse from the shouting during the match, but with an unprecedented seriousness and stubbornness, “Thank you for earlier…”
Su Nian looked up at him and could clearly see her reflection in his pupils. She smiled and said, "It's what I should do."
“No,” Xie Chen shook his head, his gaze focused to the point of obsession, “There’s nothing you should do.” He raised his hand and gently brushed away a stray strand of hair that had fallen from her forehead due to the intense activity, the gesture carrying a careful and cherished quality, “It’s me who needs you.”
He paused, as if making a decision, and then spoke clearly, word by word:
"So, wait for me."
"Wait until I win the championship, wait until I... I'll give you everything."
His championship, and his heart.
This was not a question, but a declaration. It was the most solemn promise he could think of before he was rid of that damned threat and had the ability to protect her.
As Su Nian gazed into his eyes, at the undeniable light that mingled with a morbid possessiveness and pure love, her heart began to pound uncontrollably.
However, just then, her phone vibrated. She instinctively glanced down and saw a text message from an unknown number; its content made her pupils contract sharply—
[Disrupting the ritual to protect the "container." Well done. But the game has only just begun. Next time, it won't be so simple.]
The text message still bore that star-serpent mark at the end.
Su Nian suddenly looked up at the closed door of the fire escape, as if she could see through the door and see a spy hiding in the shadows outside.
Xie Chen noticed her unusual behavior, followed her gaze, and his eyes instantly turned cold and sharp: "What's wrong?"
Su Nian turned off her phone screen, took a deep breath to suppress the chill in her heart, looked at Xie Chen, and shook her head: "It's nothing."
She couldn't afford to add more bad news to his anxiety at this time.
But in her heart, alarm bells were already ringing loudly.
"Star Remains"... not only did not give up, but because of her intervention, it focused its attention even more intently on it.
Their "game" has indeed only just begun.
(End of Chapter 94)
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