Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Ziek trailed after Bing Shi's departing figure, his curiosity piqued. "I only want a hug from you," he admitted, a genuine desire underlying his words.

"Why a hug specifically? Why not something else?" Bing Shi's curiosity prompted her to question.

As the animated gif continued to loop on his phone's screen, Ziek's gaze remained fixed, "I have to start small before going big," he explained, a playful hint in his voice.

"What's your big?" Bing Shi's chuckles danced in the air.

A wistful smile tugged at the corners of Ziek's lips as he contemplated his response. "I'll tell you for a hug," he proposed, his grip on the phone tightening.

"That would be considered cheating." Bing Shi swore to God. If this was not the reincarnation of Xuan Mu, she didn't know what was.

"Cheating?" Ziek raised his gaze, a touch of nostalgia mingling with the mistiness in his eyes. He leaned into the memory, his voice softening, "Before he passed away, he broke up with you. Technically, you don't have a boyfriend."

"Wh...No." Bing Shi's voice quivered, her emotional turmoil evident. Struggling to catch her breath, she directed her anguished words toward the slumbering consciousness inside Ziek.

Her emotions overflowed, and her voice became a desperate shout, "I hate you! Do you hear me?! I hate you so much! Why are you doing this to me?!" With a heavy heart, she closed the door to her tent, her legs faltering beneath her. Collapsing onto the ground, tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

On the other side of the barrier, Ziek's composure wavered, his emotions mirroring the turmoil within Bing Shi. His forehead pressed against the invisible wall between them. He clutched his chest as though physically trying to keep his heart from shattering. 

Tears welled in his eyes as he saw the image of a broken girl before him—a girl who had screamed in agony beside his lifeless body, resisting and getting into a fight with anyone who dared to approach them. The memories of his past life surged forth, overwhelming him with their intensity, "...Bing...Shi..."

His voice trembled, a mixture of pain and regret escaping his lips, "...My... Bing Shi...Argghh...!" This was his first time seeing her in his past life, and the pain of witnessing her suffering was like reopening a deep wound that had never fully healed.

"GO AWAY!" Bing Shi clamped her hands over her ears, a whirlwind of overwhelming emotions spiraling within her. Countless worries and troubles resurfaced, inundating her mind with their weight, "GO AWAY! GO AWAAY!!!"

Kuro watched Bing Shi in confusion.

[Host what happened?]

However, Bing Shi remained unresponsive, her grip on her head growing more intense as if she could physically ward off the tumult inside her.

A group of soldiers passing by exchanged worried glances as they witnessed Bing Shi dart into her tent, and Ren Han, concealed beneath his hoodie, collapsing to his knees outside her door. They couldn't see his face, but his clenched chest and pained demeanor raised immediate concern.

Hastening towards him, they questioned, "What's wrong?" Sensing the impending danger, they ascended into the air to assess the situation, only to find the ground and air warping around Ren Han. Their attempts to approach him were met with an unseen force, pushing them back—a force wielded unknowingly by Bing Shi, trying to shield herself from a potential threat.

Their concern deepened as they were rendered helpless, "Get General Yi Zen! Bing Shi might be in danger!"

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

By the time Yi Zen arrived, the situation seemed to have resolved itself. His tone was guarded as he addressed Ren Han, "What did you do to her?"

Sitting on the ground with his back resting against her tent door, Ziek remained silent, his thoughts consumed by his own turmoil. He murmured softly to himself, a mixture of confusion and longing in his voice, "Bing Shi, what are you doing to me, hm?" he asked softly. Were it not for the barrier that separated them, their backs would have been touching.

Yi Zen's demeanor shifted as he observed the odd interaction, a suspicion forming in his mind. 'Could it be...' A bolt of lightning shot out from his hand, aimed as a warning before Ziek, "Leave."

Ziek defiantly raised his hand and extended his middle finger toward Yi Zen. His gesture was met with a jolt of excruciating pain as a surge of lightning coursed through his body, eliciting an involuntary groan.

'~ Go out and clear up this mess.'

Bing Shi stubbornly shook her head, her palms still pressed against her ears.

'That's exactly what they're hoping for.'

'I won't clean up after their mess.'

'~ You are creating unnecessary problems.'

'I'm not. Why is everything my fault?'

Yi Zen bound Ren Han with a crackling whip of lightning, the heat searing his skin and clothes. Descending, he delivered a powerful kick to Ren Han's shoulder, a sickening crack accompanying the impact that sent the cloaked man hurtling backward.

Ziek's body collided with the solid wall with a force that sent shockwaves through his frame. Despite the pain that shot through him, his gaze remained unwavering, fixated on Bing Shi's tent. His breath came in ragged gasps as the pain registered fully, a stark reminder of the physical toll he had endured for the sake of maintaining his connection with Bing Shi.

'~ Stop being an attention seeker.'

'I'm not, he is. I don't want to be here anymore.'

'~ You can't leave. You didn't finish your mission yet.'

'I can hide for a time being.'

'~ That's not possible. You have too many responsibilities.'

'But I don't want to meet him.'

'~ Ungrateful. He is helping you with your mission.'

'I didn't force him. He doesn't know my missions.'

'~ You should take responsibility. You played with his feelings.'

'I didn't.'

The internal conversation within Bing Shi's mind continued, a whirlpool of conflicting thoughts and emotions battling for dominance. Each voice seemed to represent a different facet of her being, pulling her in various directions. It was a battle of wills, a struggle to reconcile her past, present, and future.

'~ He is in pain because of you.'

'He has nothing to do with me.'

'~ He does. There's a part of Xuan Mu in him.'

· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·

Yi Zen's gaze bore into the battered figure of Ren Han, his animosity evident in the piercing intensity of his stare. "Whoever heals him will be punished," he declared, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

Could someone tell these clueless soldiers what the heck was happening?! Their ignorance was almost comical, as they carried on with their duties while Ren Han's condition remained ignored.

Ziek wiped down the blood from the corner of his mouth with his left hand. Staggering towards Bing Shi's tent, he sat back at his previous spot. Did he not deserve her attention? 

He wondered why his injuries couldn't overshadow his longing for her presence. Retrieving his phone, he found a message from Kuro.

(Kuro): You've received a warning from HQ. If you continue to cause emotional turmoil for Bing Shi, you risk being forcibly removed from this world. Bing Shi's focus must remain on her missions.  Henceforth you are forbidden to tell her this secret.

The message hit Ziek like a blow, his grip on his phone threatening to shatter its screen. The cracks that formed were a visual reflection of his crumbling sense of control.

(Ziek): What's happening with her? Is she alright? What is she doing?

(Kuro): I don't know. Host doesn't want to speak to me, and keeps pumping her head while crying.

In a swirl of distress, Ziek bit his lip, grappling with a sense of helplessness. Leaving a light kiss on her barrier, he departed for his base, determined to get as much information as possible from Kuro.