Zhang Mei knelt beside Li Chen’s body, her trembling hands clutching his still fingers as if she could somehow transfer the life force from herself into him. Her eyes, swollen and red from endless tears, were fixed on his face, willing him to wake up. But no matter how many times she whispered his name, no matter how desperately she begged, his body remained cold and unmoving.

In her heart, Zhang Mei couldn’t believe it. *How could he be gone?* Her husband, the father of her unborn twins, the man she loved with every fiber of her being—he couldn’t just leave her like this. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. But the truth lay bare in front of her, undeniable in its finality.

Across the room, Li Xinjie sat slumped on the couch, his hands pressed against his chest, trying to hold together the pieces of his shattered heart. He had lost his other half, his twin, and the pain that surged through him was like nothing he had ever experienced. Every breath was a reminder of the void that now consumed him, a deep, aching emptiness that he feared would never go away.

The living room had been engulfed in a heavy silence for nearly half an hour. The only sounds that broke the quiet were the muffled sobs of Sun Lixia and Zhang Mei. Li Xiaojun stood beside Sun Lixia, his arm around her shoulders, his face as pale and grief-stricken as hers. He didn’t know what to say. Words felt meaningless in the face of such a loss.

After what felt like an eternity, Li Yanyan, Li Xiaojun’s sister, finally broke the silence. She let out a long, shaky sigh and spoke through clenched teeth. "Fengrui," she said, turning to her son, "start the necessary arrangements."

Zhang Mei whipped her head around, her tear-streaked face twisting with disbelief and desperation. "No," she cried, her voice rising. "No, he’s going to wake up. I know he is!"

Mu Lingling, Zhang Mei’s mother, stepped forward cautiously, her own eyes filled with sorrow. She had seen this kind of denial before, but it didn’t make it any easier to witness. "Mei," she said softly, "he’s gone. He’s not coming back."

Zhang Mei recoiled as if her mother’s words had physically struck her. "No!" she shouted, shoving Mu Lingling aside. "I don’t believe you! You all think he’s dead, but he isn’t. Li Chen would never do that to me! He’s not gone—he can’t be."

Cen Yehuan, Li Xinjie’s wife, stood on the other side of the room, her own face lined with concern. She took a step closer to Zhang Mei, her voice gentle but firm. "Mei, please don’t do this to yourself. It’s only going to hurt more."

But Zhang Mei wouldn’t listen. She dropped back to her knees beside Li Chen’s body, her tears falling freely as she stroked his face. "Please, Li Chen," she whispered. "Please wake up. Please, don’t leave me like this..."

Sun Lixia, who had been sobbing quietly beside Li Xiaojun, suddenly stood up. Her eyes, though red and swollen, held a quiet resolve. "Yanyan is right," she said, her voice cracking but steady. "We have to start making arrangements. We need to contact the relatives... I’m so sorry, Zhang Mei."

Zhang Mei turned and threw herself into Sun Lixia’s arms, her sobs growing louder as she buried her face in her mother-in-law’s shoulder. Sun Lixia said nothing. She simply held Zhang Mei close, letting her cry as much as she needed to.

The room was heavy with sorrow, the weight of grief pressing down on everyone inside. There were no more words to be said, no more comforting gestures to offer. It was just them and their pain, trapped in a moment of loss that seemed to stretch on forever.

And then, suddenly, the doors burst open.

Everyone turned, startled by the sudden intrusion, and standing in the doorway was Master Chen Yunlong, his face pale but determined. His eyes swept the room before landing on Li Chen’s still form. Without hesitation, he strode forward, his steps quick and purposeful.

"Wait!" Master Chen’s voice rang out, cutting through the thick tension in the room. "He’s not gone yet."

The family froze. Sun Lixia held Zhang Mei a little tighter, as if afraid to believe what she had just heard. Zhang Mei slowly pulled away from Sun Lixia and stared at Master Chen, her eyes wide with desperation. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Sun Lixia, her voice still heavy with grief, answered for her. "He’s the man Li Chen has been training with."

Zhang Mei’s eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope. "Bring him back," she begged, stepping forward toward Master Chen. "I will do anything—just bring my husband back to me."

Li Yanyan, ever the pragmatist, stepped in front of Zhang Mei and eyed Master Chen warily. "Don’t give her false hope," she warned, her tone sharp. "His heart hasn’t been beating for more than an hour."

"I know," Master Chen replied, his voice calm but firm. "But he’s not fully gone. He’s still stuck in the abyss."

Everyone in the room went still, their confusion mingling with a faint flicker of hope. Sun Lixia’s hands trembled as she stepped forward, her voice barely a whisper. "Can... can you bring him back from it?"

There was a long pause as Master Chen knelt beside Li Chen’s body, placing his fingers gently on Li Chen’s wrist, as if feeling for something none of them could sense. The room held its collective breath as they waited for his answer.

Master Chen finally stood, his eyes filled with quiet determination. "I need privacy with him."

Zhu Fengrui, always quick to take action, stepped forward and gestured toward the training room. "Take him to the training room."

Li Xinjie, who had been silently watching from the couch, shot to his feet and, despite the injuries wracking his own body, scooped up Li Chen’s body without hesitation. His face was set, his grief momentarily overshadowed by the faint hope that Master Chen’s words had offered. He moved quickly, carrying his brother to the training room, with Master Chen following closely behind.

Before stepping inside, Master Chen turned back to the family, his face grave. "Whatever happens," he said slowly, "do not interrupt me."

The family nodded in silence, their hearts pounding as they watched Master Chen disappear into the training room with Li Xinjie and Li Chen’s lifeless body.

---

Inside the training room, the air was thick with tension. Li Xinjie gently laid Li Chen’s body on the mat in the center of the room, his hands trembling as he stepped back to give Master Chen space. His chest tightened with the weight of a thousand unspoken fears and hopes.

Master Chen knelt beside Li Chen, his fingers pressing lightly against his wrist once more. He closed his eyes, his breath steady as he concentrated, reaching out with a power that only a few in the world truly understood. He could feel it—the faint pulse of life that still flickered deep within Li Chen’s spirit, like a candle on the verge of being snuffed out.

"He’s still here," Master Chen muttered under his breath. "But he’s far... too far."

Li Xinjie, standing by the door, couldn’t stay silent any longer. "What do you mean? How can he still be here if... if his body..."

Master Chen didn’t answer immediately. His mind was focused, searching, reaching into the abyss where Li Chen’s soul was trapped. "He’s in the in-between," Master Chen finally said. "A place of darkness, between life and death. His spirit hasn’t fully crossed over, but it’s trapped. If I can reach him before it’s too late, I can bring him back."

Li Xinjie’s heart pounded in his chest. He took a hesitant step forward, his voice barely a whisper. "Can you really bring him back?"

Master Chen opened his eyes and looked at Li Xinjie, his expression grim but resolute. "I will do everything I can."

Without another word, Master Chen closed his eyes again, his hand pressing firmly against Li Chen’s chest. His breathing slowed, and the room seemed to darken, as if the very air around them was shifting.

The seconds ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. Li Xinjie stood frozen, his fists clenched at his sides as he watched Master Chen. His hope was fragile, hanging by a thread, and the silence was deafening. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Minutes passed. The room felt colder, the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them. Li Xinjie’s breath caught in his throat as Master Chen’s face tightened with concentration. The silence stretched on, unbearably long.

And then, finally, Master Chen spoke again, his voice a whisper in the dark.

"Li Chen," he murmured. "If you can hear me... come back."

The room held its breath. Everyone waiting...waiting with some reluctance but a glimmer of hope

And deep within the abyss, a spark flickered.