New Beginning and Future

Chapter 56: Echoes Before the Reckoning

Summary: On the day when victory and vindication share a stage, chaos begins with a cat, steadies with a team, and sharpens with the quiet presence of those who've come not just to watch, but to witness. Some storms start with laughter. Others end with silence loud enough to change everything.

Overprotective: ZGDX
Overprotective/Possessive/territorial: Chessman
Chessman is literally his own warning when it concerns his girl

Notes:

⚠️ Author's Note: And so it begins!

Disclaimer: The Muse would like to remind everyone we do not own FIYS nor the beloved characters nor any dialogue from either the show nor the book...the Muse is very sad and not pleased with this continued reminder that they do not own them and never will!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Fifty-Six

The morning of the CK match began in controlled chaos.

The ZGDX base was alive with noise, doors slamming, shoes thudding across polished floors, hairdryers and electric razors humming from the bathrooms. Someone's playlist blasted from a Bluetooth speaker in the hallway, bouncing between battle anthems and pop hooks while Pang shouted from the kitchen, "If anyone touched my jerky again, I swear you're walking to the arena!"

In the common room, Yao was already in uniform, her black, white and crimson jacket zipped to the collar, headset hanging around her neck, braid swinging down her back as she double-checked her gear bag.

Behind her, Sicheng adjusted his wrist brace with quiet precision, expression unreadable as always. "Ten minutes," he said, glancing toward the clock. "Rui's already pacing like a storm cloud."

"I know," she answered without looking up. "Where's Yue?"

Before Sicheng could reply, a sharp yelp echoed down the hall.

Then came another, louder one.

"I SAID I'M SORRY!"

Both froze for half a heartbeat.

Yao turned her head slowly. "That sounded like Yue."

Sicheng's sigh was low and resigned. "Of course it did."

They walked out together just in time to find Yue kneeling in the middle of the kitchen floor, surrounded by disaster. A full bowl of kibble lay overturned, scattering tiny pellets everywhere, while two offended felines stood in judgment before him, Da Bing, his fur fluffed to twice its usual size, blue eyes narrowed to offended royal slits, and Xiao Cong, the sleek gray storm cloud beside him, tail lashing and gray eyes gleaming with righteous fury.

"I didn't mean to step on it!" Yue pleaded, holding up both hands as though fending off assassins. "It was a glancing step, barely a brush, Da Bing, come on, be reasonable!"

Da Bing's response was a low growl from deep in his chest as a monarch was about to execute someone, followed by a lightning-fast swipe that clipped air just above Yue's wrist.

"Ah—! Hey!" Yue scrambled backward on his hands. "Uncalled for! Assault!"

From the doorway, Pang was already laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "You're about to lose a duel to a 25-pound cat, my guy."

"Help me!" Yue barked. "Stop filming and help!"

Lao K entered next, coffee mug in hand, stopping short when he saw the scene. "Do I even want to know?"