Xu Lian's hands trembled as she clutched the edge of her desk, her breath uneven. Her heart pounded in her chest, not from fear but from something… else.
She had been pacing her bedroom, trying to piece together her thoughts, when a strange sensation had washed over her. It started as a dull pressure in her chest, then spread outward like an unseen force pulsing beneath her skin.
Her fingertips tingled. The air around her felt heavier.
Something was wrong.
She forced herself to inhale deeply, closing her eyes for a moment. The apocalypse hadn't started yet. She was safe. She just needed to calm down
A sudden rush of energy surged through her, making her gasp. She stumbled backward, her hand knocking over a cup on her desk. Instead of falling to the floor, the cup disappeared.
Lian froze.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the empty spot where the cup had been.
What just happened?
Cautiously, she reached out, her fingers brushing the air. A familiar feeling like a pull deep within her responded. A moment later, the cup reappeared, perfectly intact.
Her breath hitched.
This was… space ability.
Her mind reeled. She had heard of rare cases where survivors awakened abilities after prolonged exposure to the virus, but she had never known anyone personally who had one.
And yet, she had just
Lian's heartbeat quickened as realization dawned. This wasn't just a second chance. This was an opportunity.
A slow, determined smile spread across her lips.
If she had a space ability, then
Her phone buzzed violently on her desk. She grabbed it, already knowing who it was before she even checked the screen.
Guo Chen.
She answered immediately. "Chen "
"Lian." His voice was steady but filled with urgency. "We need to meet. Now."
"I know," she said, gripping the phone tightly. "Something happened."
A brief pause. "You too?"
Her pulse raced. "Yeah."
"I'm coming to you," he said firmly. "Stay put."
Lian swallowed. She had planned to go to him, but hearing his voice again hearing his determination made her exhale in relief.
"Okay," she whispered.
For the first time since waking up, she didn't feel alone.
---
The wind whipped against Guo Chen's face as his motorcycle sped through the city streets. His mind was still reeling from what had happened during the mission.
After completing their objective, he had broken away from his team, feigning exhaustion to return to base early. But the moment he was alone, the strange sensation hit him like a wave.
His body had reacted on instinct, his muscles tensing, his vision sharpening. He had felt it something awakening inside him.
And then the impossible had happened.
He had dodged a bullet.
Not in the normal way. Not with reflexes honed by years of combat training. The bullet had been aimed directly at his head, and somehow, time had slowed.
He had seen it coming.
And his body had moved on its own.
The next moment, the assailant a man he hadn't even noticed before was on the ground, disarmed in an instant.
Chen had stood over him, his heart racing, muscles still humming with untapped power.
He had no idea what he had just done.
But he knew what it meant.
He had an ability.
If Lian had called him first, he might have doubted his own experience. But the moment she had said, Something happened, he knew.
They weren't just reborn.
They were given something more.
The thought sent a thrill through him. If they had abilities now, it meant their chances of survival had increased exponentially.
It meant he could protect Lian better.
Chen clenched the handlebars, speeding through the streets with even greater urgency.
He had lost her once.
This time, he would make sure nothing not even the apocalypse itself took her away from him.
---
Lian stood at the entrance of her apartment complex, her arms crossed as she scanned the road. The city was peaceful, unaware of the horror that would soon unfold.
But she knew.
And she would be ready for it.
A familiar roar of an engine broke her thoughts, and her eyes snapped to the sleek motorcycle weaving through traffic.
Her heart clenched at the sight of him.
Guo Chen.
The man who had survived the end of the world. The man she had left behind.
The man who was here now, alive, racing toward her with that same determined look in his eyes.
The moment he parked and removed his helmet, their gazes locked.
For a brief second, neither of them spoke.
Then, Chen took a step forward.
"You're real," he murmured, reaching out.
Lian exhaled, her own hand lifting to meet his. Their fingers brushed warm, solid, alive.
She let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah. And so are you."
His jaw tightened, emotions flickering behind his eyes. Then, without hesitation, he pulled her into a firm embrace.
Lian stiffened, momentarily caught off guard, before relaxing against him. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into the warmth of his presence.
For the first time since waking up, she felt safe.
"We have four months," she whispered. "Four months before everything ends."
Chen's arms tightened around her. "Then we start now."
She pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze. "We have to be stronger than last time."
"We will be." He glanced at her, a knowing look in his eyes. "You awakened something too, didn't you?"
Lian nodded. "Space ability."
His lips quirked upward. "That's going to make things easier."
"And you?" she asked.
He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Something combat-related. My body reacts on its own, like it knows how to survive."
Lian exhaled sharply. "That's… terrifying."
He smirked. "For anyone who tries to kill us, yeah."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the smile forming on her lips.
Guo Chen was still Guo Chen.
And this time, they would face the apocalypse together.
---