(┻━┻)

There was the sound of it brushing past... and also that

faint, heavy breathing.

Suddenly!

"Fang Yuxuan!!!"

A furious roar rang out, followed by the rapid sound of someone unlocking the door outside the Iron Gate. Thank goodness! Ever since I'd arrived, he'd never unlocked it before.

It looked like he really thought I'd escaped this time.

"Clatter! Bang!"

A heavy thud followed, then the sound of footsteps crunching over the snow reached my ears.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, I heard something being lifted. I thought... it had to be the blanket, right?

Then the footsteps turned in my direction. Their sound grew louder and louder. He was getting closer...

I slowly picked up the bed-leg knife behind me, then stood up as carefully as I could. I stepped onto the sink and peered outside.

I saw... a shadow approaching me.

There was a gap of about ten centimeters at the top of this bathroom, so my only chance was to climb out through it the moment he opened the door, then shove him into the bathroom.

I only had one chance!

I tightened my grip on the bed-leg knife. Listening as his approaching footsteps came to a stop outside the door, I steadied my breathing...

I waited for the moment his hand touched the doorknob.

But the door didn't open as I'd expected. Instead... a heavy breath suddenly came from above me.

Right... he could peer into the bathroom from above, too.

The instant I realized that, I jerked my head up. In front of me was the one blood-red eye he had left, his face faintly pale... and his heavy breathing.

"Found you..."

His hoarse voice, laced with barely restrained emotion, reached my ears. But... I didn't have time to think!

Bullet time... activated!

Without hesitation, I thrust the bed-leg