Snow whispered underfoot as they moved along the narrow mountain path, the cliff to their left dropping into a frozen mist. The sun was still low, the air brittle with cold.
The first arrow came from above.
Xiyue's sword was already up, steel flashing as it cut the shaft in two before it could reach Ruo Han.
"Ambush!" Ling Han's voice rang out, sharp and certain.
Figures in grey dropped from the rocks, their steps silent on the snow. Eight… no, ten.
The leader's voice cut through the wind. "Leave the omega alive. The others—kill them."
Xiyue didn't hesitate—he moved into the first wave like water breaking against stone, his blade finding the gap in the nearest man's armor with ruthless precision.
Ruo Han was already moving, his whip coiling around an enemy's wrist and snapping it with a sickening crack before pulling the man into Ling Han's blade.
For a heartbeat, the attackers thought they were winning—pressing from both sides, forcing the three into a tight circle.
Then the shift happened.
Xiyue spun, parrying a strike meant for Ling Han without even looking.
Ling Han stepped into Ruo Han's blind spot before the arrow could fly.
Ruo Han's whip lashed past Xiyue's shoulder to pull an enemy into his sword's path.
It wasn't defense—it was a rhythm. A pulse. The three moved like they'd trained together for years. Every strike flowed into the next, each step drawing the others into position.
The leader snarled and surged forward, his blade raised—only to find all three sets of eyes on him at once.
Something flickered there—fear.
The wind shifted, carrying the faintest scent of pine and blood. Xiyue's voice was low when he spoke, but it carried over the snow.
Xiyue: "Wrong prey."
And then the fight ended as quickly as it began.
When the last man fell, the snow was marked with blood, the mist curling around the bodies like silent witnesses.
Ruo Han caught his breath, eyes darting to Xiyue. "That wasn't luck."
Ling Han wiped his blade clean. "No. That was a warning."
Xiyue's lips curved, just enough to be dangerous. "And next time, maybe they'll listen."