Loli Empress of the Apocalypse: A Resort of Hope

Back at Serenity Haven, the survivors celebrated their hard-earned victory. For the first time in a long while, there was a sense of peace. But that peace was fragile, and Xiang Yue knew it wouldn't last.

As night fell, she stood alone in the command room, looking out over the sanctuary. Her mind raced, processing everything that had happened—the hive mind, the monsters, Kael's cryptic words. There was more to this than she had yet uncovered.

She wasn't sure who she could trust anymore, but one thing was certain: the rift's influence was far from gone.

A soft knock on the door broke her train of thought.

"Come in," she said, not turning around.

The door opened, and Liu Yan stepped inside. He looked concerned, his brow furrowed.

"What is it?" Xiang Yue asked, turning to face him.

"I don't know how to say this, but… I'm worried about you," Liu Yan said, his voice unusually serious. "You've been pushing yourself too hard. You're not invincible."

Xiang Yue met his gaze, and for a moment, the façade of strength she had built crumbled. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice betrayed her weariness.

"No, you're not," Liu Yan insisted. "You've been burning through your energy like it's nothing."