The green light flashed like an alarm clock, each flash hitting a nerve. Ye Mo stood against the wall, blood dripping from his nose down his chin, each drop hitting the icy ground and congealing into small, dark red ice beads. His fingers were already purple, and the cold air seeped from his fingertips into his arms, like a dull saw pulling back and forth between his bones.
"Damn it..." he cursed under his breath, raising his hand to wipe his face. Blood and sweat mixed together, leaving a red mark on his cheek.
The ice beneath his feet was still there, but it wasn't spreading anymore. The Ice Manipulation maneuver had almost caused him to lose power on the spot, and now he was even having trouble standing up straight. But just as he was about to catch his breath, he caught a glimpse of Captain America being cornered against the wall.
Bucky stood three meters away, his robotic arm steaming, a red frame locked onto the target, his steps unusually steady. Captain America gripped the ice pick, breathing heavily, his left shoulder visibly weak; the parry from earlier had left his entire arm numb. He took a half-step back with his right leg, trying to find a foothold, but stepped on a piece of broken ice, slipped, and swayed.
That sudden movement sent Ye Mo's mind reeling.
He didn't have time to think; his body moved first. With a push of his feet, he lunged sideways, blocking Captain America's path. The moment Steel Bone Transformation, his entire skeleton felt as if it had been filled with molten iron, burning and swollen, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
"Bang!"
The first punch landed on his chest, the sound muffled like a drumbeat. Ye Mo's back slammed against the ice wall, shattering the ice into a shower of fragments. He felt a sweet taste in his throat, forcing himself to swallow the blood back. He bit his tongue, drawing blood, and the metallic taste immediately assaulted his senses.
"Are you crazy?!" Captain America yelled behind him.
"The system says it can handle it." Ye Mo grinned, his teeth covered in blood. "I'll trust it this once."
Before he could finish speaking, the second punch came. This time it struck his abdomen directly, with even more force than before. Ye Mo felt as if all his internal organs had shifted, and his knees involuntarily bent, but he immediately lowered his center of gravity, digging his feet firmly into the ice, pinning himself to the ground.
Thump!
The third punch landed on his shoulder with a soft crack, his scapula splitting. A sharp pain exploded within him; his vision went black, his ears rang, and he even paused for a moment. Yet he didn't retreat—not a single step.
Bucky retracted his fist, the metal joints making a hydraulic retraction sound. He stood still, the red frame flashing at the same frequency, as if recalibrating his attack parameters. Taking advantage of this opening, Ye Mo took a deep breath, channeling the last bit of strength into his spine. The Steel Bone Structure tightened, like a steel bar about to break being welded back together.
"Are you alright?" He heard himself speak, his voice hoarse and barely audible.
No one answered. He asked himself the question, and he answered himself.
"Yes, it must be done."
Captain America adjusted his position behind him, his footsteps very light, but Ye Mo could feel him moving. He knew the other was trying to circle around, so he quickly stepped aside to block him. "Don't show your face! That's what he's waiting for!"
Bucky did indeed move. This time it wasn't a punch, but an elbow strike. The mechanical arm folded, slamming towards Ye Mo's face with tremendous force. He tilted his head to avoid a fatal blow, but his cheekbone was still grazed, tearing open the flesh and causing blood to gush out immediately.
"Tsk... Now I'm really a professional at getting injured." He muttered, raising his hand to wipe his face, only to find another layer of blood on his hand.
The impacts came wave after wave, without pause or change in rhythm, like a pre-programmed pile driver. Each strike precisely hit the same area, clearly testing the limits of his defenses. Ye Mo began coughing up blood, not just a single spurt, but gushing out in gushes, mixed with saliva, dripping from the corner of his mouth. He dared not wipe it away, afraid that any sudden movement would reveal a weakness.
Internal alarms went off incessantly. Finally, a voice in my brain announced, " Steel Bone Structure stability 63%... It is recommended to terminate the hard-hitting mode."
"Shut up," Ye Mo cursed inwardly. "Why are you making sarcastic remarks now? Where were you before?"
He recalled what had happened just a second ago— Captain America rushing towards Bucky and calling his name, that reckless energy piercing his brain like a needle. At that moment, Bucky's hand was raised, not in an attacking stance, but to touch him.
In that instant, Ye Mo saw it clearly.
If even Captain America won't give up, why should he be concerned about the pain and the severity of the injury?
"You're not going to make it," Captain America whispered in his ear, his voice so low that only the two of them could hear.
"Nonsense," Ye Mo panted, "Who can withstand being used as a punching bag by a lump of iron? But I can still stand, so don't even think about getting closer."
"I'm not trying to steal the credit," Captain America said. "I'm just worried that if you fall, no one will be there to take the next round for me."
"Then pray I don't collapse." Ye Mo grinned, a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Anyway, it's not the first time I've gambled my life like this."
Bucky closed in again. This time he changed his tactics, no longer charging in a straight line, but sliding sideways to find a blind spot. Ye Mo immediately noticed, forcefully twisting his waist to turn, exposing his right side to the enemy, while using his back to block Captain America's position.
"Come on!" he roared, his voice hoarse and strained, "Let's see if your arms are harder, or my bones are harder!"
The fourth blow landed heavily on his ribs, so powerful that it lifted him half an inch off the ground. When he landed, his ankle buckled, and he almost knelt down, but he managed to brace himself with his other leg and regain his footing.
His vision began to darken at the edges, and the tinnitus worsened, like a swarm of bees buzzing around in his head. He could feel the blood flowing down his back, his clothes clinging to his skin, chilling him to the bone. Yet he remained standing.
Not a single step was retreated.
Bucky stopped attacking and stood two meters away. His robotic arm slowly retracted, the red frame still lit, the frequency stable. Ye Mo knew this was just a pause, not the end. This guy was waiting for the signal to refresh; the next wave would be even more brutal.
During this brief moment, he glanced down at his hands. His fingertips were still trembling, but he didn't let go. His palms were pressed against the ice, and he could feel the vibrations coming from the ground—the sound of machinery in the distance was getting closer and clearer than before.
" Emma Frost..." He suddenly murmured the name in his mind, not for any other reason than to confirm that there was still someone guarding outside.
Even just knowing that someone is watching from the outside is better than fighting alone.
Captain America caught his breath behind him, his breathing becoming more even. Ye Mo could sense that his position had changed, moving from directly behind to about three meters to the side and rear, probably finding a better angle to attack. He knew that the opponent was waiting for an opportunity, and as soon as Bucky moved again, he would rush in.
Therefore, he cannot fall.
Absolutely not.
The fifth attack came. This time it was a double punch, coming from both sides. Ye Mo didn't have time to completely block it, so he could only take one of the blows head-on. He shifted his weight to the left, Steel Bone Transformation left shoulder to meet the attack, while his right hand slammed into the ground, using the reaction force to throw his body to the right, trying to avoid the other punch.
"Bang!"
His left shoulder collapsed, and it was unclear how many bones were broken. Although he managed to dodge with his right arm, his sleeve was torn, leaving a deep gash in his skin from which blood immediately gushed out.
He staggered, one knee touching the ground, but he immediately sprang up and stood up straight again.
"I said... I will not back down." He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, looked up at Bucky, and said, "Can't you understand human language?"
Bucky didn't react. The red frame flashed, and white mist spewed from the robotic arm's cooling vents. He stood there, as if waiting for the next command.
Ye Mo slowly raised his hand and wiped his face. There was too much blood to wipe away completely. He simply stopped wiping and let the blood drip down his chin. His legs had begun to tremble, but he lowered his center of gravity even further, his feet embedding themselves in the ice, like two nails firmly planted in the ground.
"If you want to fight, I'll fight you," he said, his voice low but steady. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to step over my corpse first—but let me warn you, I'm tough; if you damage me, you'll have to pay for it."
Captain America was silent for a few seconds behind him, then whispered, "Thanks."
"Don't thank me too soon." Ye Mo smirked. "Treat me to a drink after you win."
The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds. The faint light reflected off the ice, casting the three motionless figures on it. In the distance, the green light on the UPS mainframe was still flashing, a rhythm that was maddeningly regular.
Then, Bucky made a move.
This time, he didn't rush to attack. Instead, he slowly raised his mechanical arm, and a long blade popped out from his wrist. With a flash of silver light, it pointed directly at Ye Mo's throat.
Ye Mo held his breath, his feet remaining completely still.
He knew that the real test was only just beginning.