Chapter 13: The Core That Should Not Be Touched
The faint glow of the core pulsed steadily among the shattered remains, casting a dim, unnatural light across the broken floor, while the rain outside continued to fall as if nothing had happened, yet within the building, the air felt completely different, heavier, quieter, as though even the world itself was waiting for what Lin Yu would do next. He stood still for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the core, his senses extended fully as he carefully observed it without moving closer.
This time, he did not act immediately.
Unlike before, the energy within this core was not calm, nor simply dense. It fluctuated, shifting between states, sometimes steady, sometimes chaotic, as if something inside it was alive, or at the very least, unstable. The faint connection he felt through his water perception told him one clear truth—this was not something meant to be absorbed easily.
Behind him, Su Yan watched in silence, her body still tense from the battle, her eyes moving between Lin Yu and the glowing core, unsure of what he was about to do, but instinctively aware that whatever decision he made now would not be simple.
"…Don't," she said suddenly, her voice soft but firm.
Lin Yu did not turn.
But he heard her.
"It feels wrong," she continued, her gaze fixed on the core. "Stronger than before… but not like the others."
Lin Yu remained silent for a moment.
Then he nodded slightly.
"I know."
His voice was calm, but there was a deeper layer beneath it, something sharper, more resolved.
Power always came with risk.
And in this world—
Standing still was the greatest risk of all.
He stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The water around him moved with him, forming a thin, controlled layer that surrounded his body like a protective veil, responding to his intent with absolute precision. Every step he took was measured, his senses fully focused on the core, ready to react to even the slightest change.
The closer he got—
The clearer it became.
The core was not just emitting energy.
It was responding.
Its glow intensified slightly as he approached, the pulsing rhythm becoming more distinct, almost like a heartbeat.
Lin Yu stopped just a step away.
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Then—
He raised his hand.
The water around his fingers condensed instinctively, forming a thin barrier between his skin and the core.
A layer of control.
A layer of caution.
And then—
He reached forward.
The moment the water-coated fingertips touched the surface of the core—
Everything changed.
The light surged violently.
Not outward—
But inward.
It did not explode.
It pulled.
The core collapsed into a stream of energy, bypassing the layer of water as if it did not exist, rushing directly into Lin Yu's body in an instant.
His eyes widened.
"This—!"
Too fast.
Too sudden.
He couldn't control it.
The energy surged through him violently, far more aggressive than anything before, tearing through his control, flooding every part of his body without restraint.
Lin Yu dropped to one knee immediately, his breathing breaking for the first time as the water around him lost stability, fluctuating wildly as if mirroring the chaos inside him.
Pain followed.
But not just physical pain.
It was deeper.
Like something was forcing its way into his mind.
His vision blurred.
The world around him faded.
And then—
Darkness.
—
Inside his mind—
The ocean returned.
But it was no longer calm.
The vast expanse of water churned violently, waves crashing against each other as if a storm had formed within the depths themselves, while at the center, Lin Yu stood once again, his figure small compared to the endless sea around him.
But this time—
He was not alone.
The surface of the water split.
Something rose from beneath.
A shape.
Humanoid.
But not human.
Its body formed entirely from water, yet darker, denser, its surface shifting constantly as if it could not maintain a stable form, while its eyes—
Glowed.
The same faint glow as the mutated creatures.
Lin Yu's gaze sharpened instantly.
"…So this is what was inside the core."
The figure did not speak.
But it moved.
One step forward—
And the entire ocean reacted.
The waves surged violently toward Lin Yu, as if responding to the will of the entity rather than his own.
His control—
Was being challenged.
Lin Yu's expression remained calm, but his mind sharpened instantly.
"This is my domain," he thought.
The water around him responded, stabilizing slightly as his will pushed back against the chaotic influence.
The entity tilted its head.
Then—
It attacked.
The water surged forward, not as wild waves, but as focused, crushing force, far more refined than the chaos around it.
Lin Yu raised his hand, and the water near him condensed instantly, forming a defensive layer that blocked the attack, but the impact still pushed him back slightly across the surface of the ocean.
"Strong…"
This was not just energy.
This was will.
A will embedded within the core itself.
And now—
It was inside him.
Lin Yu steadied himself, his gaze locking onto the entity.
"If I lose here…"
He did not finish the thought.
He didn't need to.
The outcome was obvious.
His control would be taken.
His body—
His power—
Everything—
Would no longer belong to him.
The entity moved again, faster this time, the water around it bending unnaturally as it closed the distance in an instant.
Lin Yu did not retreat.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
"If this is a battle for control…"
His eyes turned completely calm.
"…then I win."
The water around him surged in response, no longer reacting passively, but aligning completely with his will, stabilizing the chaotic ocean around him as he pushed his control to its limit.
This was not a fight of strength.
This was a fight of dominance.
Of ownership.
And Lin Yu—
Had no intention of losing.