Among the people present, neither Xie Guan nor the bodyguards had ever worked in an assembly line factory. Therefore, in the tens of seconds after that strange humming sound began, no one immediately realized it was the sound of a machine's conveyor belt starting up.

It was as if a factory that had lost power was suddenly connected to a power source.

The old, cumbersome machinery chugged to life, ventilation fans spun rapidly, and currents of air swept through the entire factory, instantly kicking up clouds of sawdust and dust inside the workshop.

Electrical cables with peeled rubber insulation and severe wear were suddenly overloaded with a massive current, immediately short-circuiting and shooting out several dazzling and deadly electric sparks from the connections.

An earth-shattering bang came from the factory building. A dust explosion blew a huge hole directly in the west side of the second floor. Brick fragments flew everywhere, the body of the Rolls-Royce shook violently, and the crisp, scattered sound of rain drumming sounded against its retrofitted bulletproof glass.

Even Xie Guan, sitting inside the car, was not spared. The massive sound of the explosion left him temporarily deafened, with only the soaring flames and thick smoke reflected like a nightmare in his pupils, which had shrunk to pinpricks.

He was stunned for a few seconds, then suddenly grabbed the blanket from the back seat, threw open the car door, and rushed into the courtyard like a madman.

The bodyguards on site hadn't even recovered from the dizzying impact of the explosion when they saw a figure flash past them, plunging headfirst into the inferno without a moment's hesitation.

He's gone mad, he must have gone mad.

He screamed Huo Mingjun's name until his voice was hoarse, running frantically through the empty corridors. The thick smoke quickly spread to the floors that weren't on fire. The old machines, the scattered dust, and the unprocessed wood filling the warehouse all came together in a carnival of destruction.

The glare of the fire reddened his eyes. Xie Guan's mind was a frantic blank; he didn't dare to think. The mere thought of losing Huo Mingjun, if it even began to surface, would instantly trigger a complete collapse, from mind to body.

He armed himself with the reckless abandon of someone who had lost their sanity, trying to temporarily forget, yet a small corner of his heart refused to be subdued, remaining lucid, terrified, and helpless.

The temperature inside the building rose higher and higher. Xie Guan covered his mouth and nose with the blanket, searching floor by floor for any place Huo Mingjun and the others might have gone. Within just a few minutes, his voice was completely gone, but his ears, filled with the roar of explosions and flames, didn't notice. He was still shouting, the sound echoing in his heart and mind, yet all that dissipated into the scorching air was the futile shape of his mouth.

Huo Mingjun…

A red-hot, twisted iron frame teetered and came crashing down from behind him. Although Xie Guan couldn't hear, his physical instincts were still sharp. He dove forward decisively, but his left shoulder was unfortunately snagged. His clothes and the blanket were burned straight through, his flesh taking the full force of a modern-day branding iron.

Excruciating pain spread from the wound along his nerves. Xie Guan frowned, glancing sideways at it with a blank expression, as if his shoulder were just a numb component grafted onto his body. Showing no intention of stopping to treat it, he continued towards the next room, his face deathly still.

Suddenly, someone rushed in from outside and seized him around the waist. Xie Guan struggled violently by reflex but couldn't break free. He was forcefully dragged out of the inferno, half-carried and half-pulled by an immense force. They stumbled out through the half-shattered main gate, where two basins of cold water were poured over their heads, and they both collapsed onto the ground littered with broken bricks and glass shards.

Fresh, oxygen-rich air rushed into his depleted lungs. After the heart-pounding escape from death, before he even had a chance to feel relieved, a burgeoning terror washed over him like a tsunami, drowning all reason.

Huo Mingjun's roar, even louder than the surrounding din, echoed across the entire open area, startling the several burly men standing nearby into flinching.

"Who told you to rush in there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Xie Guan lay wretchedly on the ground, soaked to the bone, his shoulder a bloody mess, trembling uncontrollably as if he hadn't heard a thing. After yelling at him, Huo Mingjun, whose hands were trembling with rage, suddenly pulled him into his arms and held him tight.

"Xie Guan," he said, his voice trembling as much as his hands. His arms were so strong it felt as if he were about to snap the man in his embrace in two. "Are you trying to scare me to death..."

The helplessness he'd felt years ago, of being powerless before the whims of fate and the impermanence of life and death, returned with a vengeance, devouring his courage and hope like a black hole.

He had lost once before; he couldn't bear to go through it a second time.

But Xie Guan didn't hear, nor did he respond in any way.

Huo Mingjun finally realized something was wrong. He let go and cupped Xie Guan's face, discovering that his pupils were unfocused and his gaze was scattered. He was trapped in a state of shock, unable to break free, his hands desperately clutching the blanket around him. His lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.

"Xie Guan, Xie Guan?" Huo Mingjun gently patted his cheek. "Here, look up at me."

"Don't be afraid, I'm here... Look at me, it's okay, we're both out... Xie Guan?"

He blinked, and his vacant gaze slowly returned, finally focusing on the equally disheveled but handsome man in front of him. He silently mouthed something.

"Mingjun..."

Huo Mingjun's heart felt like it was shattering.

As Xie Guan uttered his name, it was as if his soul finally returned to his body. His suspended functions resumed, and he jerked his head to the side, breaking into a fit of violent, gut-wrenching coughs.

In front of all the bodyguards, Huo Mingjun bent down, swept him up into his arms, and carried him back to the car.

"Drink some water."

Huo Mingjun pulled a bottle of mineral water from the car and handed it to Xie Guan. The burn on his back reasserted its presence, threatening to return with even greater intensity. Xie Guan couldn't lean against the seatback; half his body was numb with pain, so he could only sit bolt upright, as stiff as a human-shaped coffin plank.

The water bottle in his grip was slightly deformed, and the surface of the water inside trembled without stopping.

He took gulp after gulp of water, the cool liquid flowing past his scorched throat and down into his stomach, which was cramping with tension. Xie Guan felt no comfort, merely using the mechanical action to conceal his fear. His temples began to act up as well, throbbing in painful concert with his back.

Huo Mingjun couldn't bear to watch any longer. He pressed down on the hand raising the bottle to Xie Guan's lips and took the nearly empty bottle away.

He had told himself to be patient, to wait, like carving a canal into a stone mountain one strike at a time, believing there would eventually be a day when the clouds parted and he could channel the living water from its source. But now he finally saw clearly that the unpredictable fate hanging over their heads was not necessarily willing to bestow a "ripe opportunity" on those who waited.

Immense wealth or utter poverty, soaring power or humble dust—in the face of the impermanence of life and death, all are nothing but ants.

There was no longer any need to wait for a suitable moment. He wanted Xie Guan, and he wanted him now.

Huo Mingjun reached out and embraced him, feeling how Xie Guan's body was still rigid. The stiffness was like a pressure that made his chest ache all the way to his heart.

He calmly lowered his head and, with perfect clarity, kissed Xie Guan.