"No, this time..."
Yang Fan's eyes snapped open. He bolted upright, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. His breathing was ragged as if he had just woken from a nightmare. His bare chest rose and fell, his mind racing.
His hand instinctively reached for his phone. The bright screen illuminated the dark room. [07:43 AM]
"This is... three hours before the eruption."
A jolt of realization hit him. His fingers trembled slightly as he reached for his cheek and pinched it hard.
"Ow, that hurts!"
The dull pain confirmed it—this wasn't a dream.
"Did I... reincarnate?"
A soft movement at his side made him freeze. Slowly, he turned his head, and there she was—Cloud. Lying beside him in nothing but her underwear, her fair skin barely covered by the thin sheets.
Yang Fan clenched his fist. His breath hitched as emotions flooded his chest—anger, resentment, cold resolve.
'Should I kill you…? Or thank you…?'
He could still vividly remember it—her betrayal, her lies, and worst of all… her role in his sister's death. If it weren't for her, Qing Xue wouldn't have—
His jaw tightened. His fingers dug into his palm.
'No. If it weren't for her… I wouldn't have come back in time.'
He exhaled slowly, his eyes hardening. Looking up at the ceiling, a vow formed in his heart.
'In this life, I will protect my family and my true friends.'
'As for those who harmed me…'
'Wait for me. I won't let any of you go so easily.'
BANG!
Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud crash.
"Open up! Time to check out!"
Two men stormed inside, wielding baseball bats.
One of them sneered, eyes locking onto Cloud. "Well, well, look at this! You really are here, you little slut."
Cloud jolted awake at the commotion. The moment she saw them, her eyes widened in fear.
The other man scowled at Yang Fan. "So it turns out like this, huh? Cloudy, our brother Long asked you to be his girl, but you turned him down for this brat?" His grip tightened on the bat. "Today, we're gonna break every bone in his body!"
Cloud's expression instantly changed. She clutched the sheets around her and shrank back.
"Brother Fan, who are they? I'm so scared!" Her voice was soft, trembling.
Yang Fan looked at her, a cold smirk curling his lips.
'This bitch…'
Last time, he fell for this act. He had tried to protect her, believing her to be innocent. And in the end, he had been beaten so badly that he barely escaped with his life. Meanwhile, she had walked away with those very same men, laughing.
But this time…
"Die, bastard!"
One of the thugs lunged, swinging his bat straight for Yang Fan's head.
WHOOSH!
Yang Fan dodged effortlessly, the wooden bat smashing into the bed instead.
CRACK!
The sound of splintering wood filled the air.
"Too slow," Yang Fan said coldly.
Before the thug could react, Yang Fan stepped behind him in a blur.
"You know… there's a saying," he whispered.
He grabbed the thug by the back of the head.
"In the future…"
With a powerful swing, he slammed the man's head into the wall.
BANG!
"The strongest rules!"
The man collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain.
The second thug staggered back in shock. "S-So strong…!"
Cloud's eyes widened in disbelief. 'How did Brother Fan get so strong…?'
Yang Fan turned to the second thug, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
"Now… it's your turn."
Before the man could run, Yang Fan's fist smashed into his face.
CRACK!
The thug flew backward, slamming against the wall. Blood gushed from his nose as he collapsed, groaning.
Yang Fan towered over them. His expression was icy, ruthless.
"Last time on this day, I was beaten nearly to death." He stepped forward, eyes filled with cold killing intent. "I wasted precious time—time that could've made me stronger."
He smirked.
"This time… I'm going to blow off some steam on you."
He cracked his knuckles. The two men whimpered, barely conscious.
Yang Fan scoffed. "Have fun getting used to your crippled bodies."
He turned toward the door, ready to leave.
"Brother Fan, wait!"
Cloud's voice was desperate. She reached for him, her expression pitiful.
"Please don't leave me!" she begged. "We even… did that last night…"
Yang Fan halted. He glanced over his shoulder, eyes filled with disdain.
"Cloud… please don't make me puke."
Her face paled.
"From today onwards, you and I are finished."
He narrowed his eyes.
"The next time we meet… will be your last."
Picking up his shirt, he strode out without looking back.
Cloud sat there, stunned. Her hand was still outstretched. Her lips trembled as rage filled her chest.
'What is this trash saying? Has he gone insane?!'
'How dare he leave after sleeping with me?!'
Outside, the sky was unnaturally dark. The sun was nowhere to be seen.
Thunder rumbled.
"Why is it so dark…?" Yang Fan muttered, his stomach sinking.
A horrifying thought struck him.
"Dark seeds…"
His blood ran cold.
"The eruption is about to happen!"
Without wasting another second, he grabbed his phone. He scrolled through his contacts.
[QingXue] Calling…
"Come on… pick up!"
After a few rings, the call connected.
"Hey, bro! What's up?" QingXue's voice was lighthearted. "Aren't you busy having fun with your 'beloved' girlfriend? Hehehe~"
"QingXue," Yang Fan interrupted, his tone deadly serious. "Close all the blinds. Now."
QingXue paused, sensing something was wrong.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"Listen to me!" Yang Fan shouted. "No matter who rings the doorbell—do not open the door! Trust me, I'll explain everything when I get back."
QingXue's laughter faded. "B-Brother…? What's happening? I'm in my dorm. It's pretty safe here."
Yang Fan's gut twisted.
"Do as I say! Or else it might be too late!"
There was silence on the other end. Then, curiosity got the better of QingXue. She walked to the window and peeked outside.
"Huh? Bro, there are some strange people outside…"
Her voice trembled.
"W-Wait… what?!"
Yang Fan's grip on the phone tightened.
"They're… eating each other?!"
SCREEEECH!
Suddenly, the call cut off.
"QingXue?! QingXue!!"
Yang Fan shouted into the phone, but only silence answered him.