Pregnant During An Apocalypse [BL]

Chapter 182: Chapter 182 - Confrontation

Yunfeng’s blood boiled. He couldn’t explain why this man ticked him off so much.

Without thinking, Yunfeng flicked his wrist, a swirling blue flame igniting in his palm. It flared to life and he hurled it at the stranger’s feet—not to hurt him, but to scare him off. The fire exploded in a sharp whoosh, crackling inches from the man’s boots.

But the stranger’s demeanor changed instantly.

The carefree smile vanished.

His expression turned flat. Cold.

”You could’ve hurt me,” he said quietly.

Then—he moved.

Or did something.

Yunfeng didn’t understand what had just happened.

All at once, it felt like every cell in his body froze—his breath caught mid-air, his limbs refused to obey. He was standing still, but not by choice. Trapped. Paralyzed.

Only his eyes moved, darting frantically toward Muchen.

’No... Muchen’s here! I have to stop this man!!’

But his body betrayed him.

The stranger walked forward leisurely, brushing aside the barrel of Muchen’s gun like it was a toy, and stepped into the warehouse.

’Stop... I have to stop him...’ Yunfeng’s heart thundered in his chest, panic mounting. His flame had long extinguished, his power useless.

The young man didn’t even glance Yunfeng’s way. Instead, he looked straight at Muchen, head tilted, eyes unusually quiet.

”I thought you’d be a kinder person,” he mumbled, voice low, almost hurt.

A chill raced down Yunfeng’s spine. ’No... No. He means to hurt Muchen. I won’t allow it.’

Inside the warehouse, Shao, Jai, and Lu Zhi had already caught on. Their eyes widened in alarm as they saw Yunfeng frozen, completely immobile. The same happened to Muchen just as he tried to move—his finger hovering just over the trigger. But the gun never fired.

”Bastard!” Shao roared, grabbing a crowbar from a corner. Jai picked up a wrench. Lu Zhi clutched a rusted shovel. All three of them charged.

The stranger didn’t flinch.

He simply lifted his hand again—this time more lazily—and they stopped mid-step. Froze like mannequins.

”What is this guy...” Shao’s voice barely escaped his lips before his jaw locked.

In the distance, Hana stood with Yuki tightly clutched to her side. Her heart was pounding, but she knew she had to do something. Anything.

She looked around frantically, spotted her old heavy backpack filled with food cans and supplies, and with a quick yank, flung it as hard as she could.

Whump!

It hit the young man square in the face.

He stumbled back, blinking in surprise.

”Whoa...” He reached up and rubbed his now pink, slightly red nose. ”I’ve never been hit before...”

His voice was soft. Not angry. Not upset. Just genuinely confused.

”I thought we’d be friends... Why are you all so mean?” He turned to Hana, his eyes void of amusement now, and fixed her with an unreadable expression.

But Hana didn’t flinch. Her jaw clenched, eyes defiant. ”You better unfreeze them. Now. Or I’ll keep throwing things.”

The little monkey, sensing the danger, screeched in warning and clung tighter to Yuki.

The young man’s eyes darted to the child and the small animal, but Hana wasn’t giving him time to analyze.

She grabbed the first thing she could—an almost-empty energy drink bottle—and hurled it at him.

This time, he caught it effortlessly.

”Oh... you caught it.” She muttered, grabbing a metal tin, then an old shoe, a rusted wrench—anything she could throw.

The stranger slowly began to walk toward her, unbothered, ducking or catching the objects as they flew.

”I understand you’re scared,” he said calmly, eyes still locked on her, ”but I really don’t like mean people.”

Each step he took made Hana’s pulse spike, but she didn’t back down.

”I’m not scared of you,” she said through gritted teeth. ”You’re just another freak who thinks power makes you untouchable.”

The man paused. His lips curled slightly—not into a smile, but something colder.

”Freak, huh?”

In that moment, Yunfeng’s heart twisted. He could feel the wrongness in the air, like a scream buried in silence. He struggled again, his entire soul reaching toward Muchen. ’Please move... please...’

Yuki whimpered beside Hana. ”Is he going to hurt us?”

”No,” Hana said firmly, shielding the girl behind her. ”Not while I’m standing.”

And for the first time, the stranger looked... uncertain.

He stared at her for a long moment, as if seeing something unfamiliar. And for a heartbeat, he faltered.

Yunfeng felt it too.

The hold.

It was weakening.

’Now!’ he screamed inside his mind, forcing his power to burn inside him. Blue light flickered faintly around his fingers. The hold cracked—just a little.

But it was enough.

Muchen blinked, eyes darting to Yunfeng, then Hana.

The stranger didn’t notice. He was still watching Hana, tilting his head again.

”...What’s your name?” he asked softly.

Hana’s eyes narrowed. ”Why do you care?”

”Because,” he whispered. ”You’re the only one who hit me. And I think... I think I might like you.”

Yunfeng’s body began to tremble as the hold lifted further.

And deep within him, a dangerous heat was building.

He was going to burn this man to ash.

Every fiber of Yunfeng’s body screamed as he fought against the invisible chains locking him down. It felt like moving through molten lead, like his own blood had turned to glue.

For Muchen.

For Hana.

A flicker of blue light danced on his skin. Then more. Then it roared.

WHOOMF.

His body ignited in a blaze of sapphire flame, a light so hot and raw it painted the walls of the warehouse with flickering shadows.

He felt the lock break—and finally, finally, his limbs moved.

He didn’t hesitate.

With a grunt, Yunfeng launched forward, his body trailing blue fire like a comet. He reached the stranger in seconds, gripped him by the back of his collar, and ripped him away from Hana and Yuki.

The young man barely had time to blink before Yunfeng hurled him across the concrete floor.

The flames surrounding Yunfeng swirled violently, a blazing silhouette in the shape of a man. His eyes burned with fury. All that could be seen of him was the outline of his body against the inferno.

”I’ll KILL YOU!” Yunfeng’s voice was thunder, trembling with fury and pain.

The stranger scrambled back, stunned. ”How... how did you unfreeze? That’s not possible. That’s not—”

He didn’t get to finish.

Yunfeng’s fist collided with his jaw in a brutal crunch, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The flames licked at Yunfeng’s skin but didn’t burn him. They were him. A living extension of his fury. His eyes were locked on the intruder, his chest heaving, every breath exhaling steam and fire.

”I told you to leave...” Yunfeng’s voice cracked with emotion. ”You touched my family. You threatened the only people I have left.”

The young man coughed, blood running from his split lip, staring at Yunfeng in something between awe and horror.

”I didn’t mean—”

Another punch, this time to the ribs.

”I don’t CARE what you meant!”

Muchen, just now freed from the frozen grip, pushed himself up, coughing. ”Yunfeng! Stop!”

But Yunfeng didn’t hear him.

All he could see was this man’s face. That smug grin. The fear he had seen in Hana’s eyes. The helplessness of being frozen, unable to protect Muchen, unable to move.

His fist pulled back again, the fire screaming along with him.

”I’ll burn you to ASH!”

The warehouse was glowing like an inferno now. Jai, Shao, and Lu Zhi were still trying to shake off the effects, blinking in disbelief.

And then—

A small hand tugged Yunfeng’s sleeve.

”Stop...” Yuki whispered.

The flames died down slightly, just enough to see her face. She was crying, hugging the small monkey close. Her cheeks were red, her little hands trembling.

”He’s scared now. Don’t be scary too...”

Yunfeng froze.

Slowly, the blue light began to dim.

He looked down at the boy lying on the ground, bruised and wide-eyed.

Then at Yuki.

Then at Hana.

Then finally at Muchen, who stood behind them all, watching him with soft, concerned eyes.

Yunfeng’s knees buckled. The flames vanished with a gasp of air.

The next second he fainted.