The pillow smacked Yuchen right in the face. He did not even blink. The soft fabric muffled the impact before dropping harmlessly to the wooden floor.Sitting against the headboard, Yuchen rubbed his injured shoulder. "Your emotional responses lack basic logic."Seraphina stayed on the floor, her face burning red. "It is not about logic! It is about decency! You do not just grab someone in your sleep!""I was regulating my body heat. The ambient temperature in this region is sub-zero. Sharing body heat is a proven survival tactic."She groaned, hiding her face in her hands. Looking through her fingers a moment later, she noticed a dark stain spreading across the fabric of his black shirt. Her elbow strike had reopened the stab wound from Riven's poisoned knife.Guilt instantly washed away her embarrassment. She scrambled to her feet."I opened your wound," she said, her voice turning serious. "Take your shirt off."Yuchen raised a single eyebrow behind his dark glasses."Do not look a

The massive Frost Stalker roared. The sound echoed off the stone walls. White mist blew from its wide jaws. Its pale blue eyes locked onto Yuchen and Seraphina."It is too heavy for this narrow ledge," Yuchen said. His voice was calm. He did not move an inch. "Its center of gravity is unstable.""Yuchen, look at those claws," Seraphina warned. Her hands gripped her iron pipe tightly. "One hit will throw us off the cliff.""System Command: Combat Mode," Yuchen whispered.Blue mana flared across his fingers. His eyes burned bright gold behind his dark sunglasses.The Frost Stalker lunged. It leaped forward like a white missile of ice and fur. Its massive claws reached out to rip them apart.Yuchen did not dodge. He moved straight into the monster's path."System Command: Kinetic Shield," Yuchen stated.A hard wall of blue light snapped into existence right in front of him. The giant beast crashed into the shield with a sickening thud. Ice crystals flew everywhere. The creature screeched

The morning sun reflected brightly off the white snow covering the training yard. The air was freezing, but the courtyard was already busy.Dozens of elite winter knights swung heavy swords. They punched wooden dummies. They ran drills in the cold air, their breath rising like thick smoke. The sound of clashing steel echoed off the high stone walls of the Silver Citadel.Yuchen walked into the yard. He wore a simple black combat shirt and dark trousers. His dark sunglasses hid his eyes. His steps were quiet, but his presence was heavy.He found an empty corner of the yard. He began his warm-up routine. He stretched his arms. He tested his legs. The wound on his shoulder from Riven's poison was completely healed. His mana core was full. He needed to test his physical limits in this new, freezing environment."System Command: Combat Scan," Yuchen whispered.A blue interface lit up his vision. He scanned the guards training around him. He saw their power levels, their speed, and their we

The morning sun hit the white snow of the training yard. Yuchen stood in the center of the stone circle. He held a standard wooden practice sword in his right hand. He wore his black combat tunic. A new pair of dark sunglasses hid his eyes. Five elite winter knights circled him. They held wooden shields and training axes. Kael and Jace were among them. They did not smile today. They treated Yuchen as a serious threat. "System Command: Multi-Target Tracking," Yuchen whispered. Blue grids flashed across his vision. Taion hovered near his shoulder. "Watch your left flank," Taion warned. "The big guy with the axe is shifting his weight." "Acknowledged," Yuchen replied. Kael rushed forward first. He swung his wooden sword in a wide, horizontal arc. Yuchen did not block. He simply took one step backward. The wooden blade missed his stomach by an inch. Yuchen pivoted on his heel. He drove the hilt of his own sword hard into Kael's ribcage. Kael gasped, losing his breath. Yuchen swept

The stone corridor was dark and empty. Torchlight flickered against the damp walls. Yuchen walked alone, analyzing the Citadel’s structural layout in his mind.Frost began to creep across the floor stones. The temperature plummeted in seconds.Yuchen stopped. He adjusted his dark sunglasses."System Command: Thermal Scan," he whispered.A figure stepped out from the deep shadows of an intersecting hallway. Draven wore his dark gray cloak, his silver hair braided tightly. His pale eyes glowed with a sick, icy light. A thin sword made of pure black ice rested in his hand."You walk these halls like you own them, merchant," Draven said. His voice was smooth and sharp."I am mapping escape routes," Yuchen replied flatly. "It is a standard tactical procedure.""You are a parasite." Draven raised his black ice sword. "My father is blind. My sister is stupid. They think you are a hero. I see a filthy beggar stealing our resources. I will not let you ruin my domain."Yuchen kept his hands by