CHAPTER 351: CHAPTER 351 SHUT UP AND KISS ME

The atmosphere in the factory was heavy long after their discussion ended. No one said it out loud, but the truth sat there like a weight—none of them knew who the old man was, and the fact that he had escaped meant they had more questions than answers.

Eventually, one by one, they began to disperse. Vanessa and Seo Yeon went off to check the equipment storage, Kelly disappeared with a determined look on her face, Ann stayed with Lilith until she was sure her hand was properly secured, and Dickson muttered something about food before heading toward the corner where he had stashed supplies.

Tonight was already set. Liam had made the decision earlier: he was taking Kelly, Ann, and Dickson to his father’s old lab. If the machine that gave Lilith and Lana their abilities was still functional, they needed to know. They couldn’t afford to let that piece of power remain a mystery.

But before he could move to prepare, Lilith’s voice cut through the factory’s quiet.

"Liam."

He turned. She was standing by the hallway that led to the private rooms, her golden hair a bit wild, her bandaged hand resting lightly against her hip.

"You’re going somewhere," she said—not a question, but a statement.

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Yeah. I’ve got something I need to take care of before we leave tonight."

But Lilith shook her head, dismissing his words. "Not now. Come with me."

There was no room for argument in her tone. She turned without waiting for his response, walking toward her room. Liam frowned but followed her, his curiosity gnawing at him.

Inside, the room was colder than the others. The curtains were drawn shut, leaving only the dim light of a single lamp casting shadows across the walls. The moment he stepped in, Lilith closed the door behind them and locked it with a sharp click.

That alone caught Liam’s attention. "What’s this about?" he asked.

Lilith turned slowly, her expression unreadable. "There’s something I want to show you."

Liam tilted his head slightly, wary but intrigued. "What is it?"

She lifted her chin and gestured with her uninjured hand. "Move back a little."

He hesitated, then complied, stepping backward until his shoulders brushed against the wall. His eyes never left her as he waited.

Lilith exhaled softly, then cracked her neck to the side. The sound was sharp in the silence. And then it began.

Liam’s eyes widened as he watched her body start to change—slow at first, then rapidly. Frost began creeping across her skin, spreading from her fingertips and crawling upward like living veins of ice. Her pale skin hardened into crystalline frost, glinting under the dim lamp. Her hair, already golden, became threaded with frozen streaks that shimmered like shards of glass.

Her lips, her arms, her chest—every part of her turned to solid ice, the transformation relentless. Frost coated the ground beneath her feet, cracking the floor as the temperature in the room dropped sharply. Within seconds, her entire being was encased, not just coated, but transformed. She wasn’t merely wearing ice—she was ice. A living, breathing statue of frozen power.

Liam’s breath misted in the frigid air as his jaw clenched. "What the hell...?"

He stepped forward a little, his eyes sweeping across her frozen form. "Since when could you do this?"

Her voice came out clear, though it had a strange, cold echo to it—like it was layered with the sound of cracking frost. "Just now. When I was fighting him... something broke inside me. Some kind of barrier. My powers pushed past it and... this happened. They’ve improved. Massively."

Even as she spoke, snowflakes drifted lightly from her body, as if she carried winter itself.

Liam’s curiosity pulled him closer. He lifted a hand, reaching for her face. But even before his skin touched, he felt it—the sharp sting of cold, like the air itself was biting at him. His instincts screamed at him to stop, but he pressed forward, stubborn.

The moment his fingers brushed her cheek, the ice reacted. It latched onto him, spreading fast up his arm. In seconds his hand was frozen solid, the frost racing past his wrist and biting into his flesh until it swallowed his entire arm up to the elbow.

"Ah—fuck!" Liam groaned through clenched teeth, dropping to one knee as pain ripped through him. His veins felt like they were on fire, but with frost instead of heat.

Lilith’s eyes widened. Her body jolted as she snapped back to her senses. "Shit!" Her icy form cracked loudly as she reverted, the frost shattering off her skin as warmth returned in a rush. She grabbed his arm with both hands, her eyes sharp with panic. "I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to. I can’t control it yet."

Liam gritted his teeth, staring at the ice crawling across his own flesh. The skin beneath it was turning blue, the cold biting so deep it felt like it was burning. But before Lilith could panic further, something else happened.

Liam’s arm began to glow.

A golden-white light surged from beneath his skin, running through his veins like molten fire. It spread in an instant, from his palm up through his elbow, radiating so brightly that Lilith had to squint against it. The light cracked the ice, then shattered it completely. The frozen grip fell away, breaking apart into harmless shards that dissolved into mist.

The glow pulsed one more time, fading slowly until his arm returned to normal. Liam flexed his fingers, his breathing heavy but controlled.

Lilith’s eyes were wide, locked onto him like she had just seen something impossible. "What... was that?"

Liam stared down at his hand for a long moment before lifting his gaze to meet hers. "I don’t know. Just one of the endless questions I don’t have an answer to about myself." He exhaled slowly, lowering his arm. "I discovered it recently. Every time I glow like that... my strength spikes like crazy."

Liam flexed his fingers, still staring at the faint glow that had just died down on his skin. He was still trying to make sense of it when Lilith reached for him and helped him stand. Her touch was firm despite the bandage around her hand.

"Is that it?" Liam asked, raising a brow.

Lilith nodded once. "Yes."

That left Liam confused. He tilted his head slightly. "If that’s what you wanted to show me, then why drag me here? You could have shown everyone. You didn’t need to lock us in your room for that."

For the first time since they entered, a faint smile pulled at her lips. She shifted her injured hand in the bandage and stepped closer. "Yes. And one more thing."

Before Liam could react, she pressed her good hand against his chest and shoved him back against the wall. The impact wasn’t rough, but it was enough to pin him there. Lilith leaned in close, her golden hair brushing his cheek. Without hesitation, she tilted her head and pressed her lips firmly to his.

The kiss was sudden, sharp, and filled with that bold, commanding energy that was just so her. When she pulled back just slightly, her lips lingered near his as she whispered, "This is the other reason I dragged you here."

Liam blinked, stunned. "Lilith, you were almost dead a few minutes ago."

Her lips curled into a half-smirk. She didn’t pull away, not even an inch. "Exactly. Which is why I want to do this. I’m alive. And I’m fine now." Her voice dropped lower, seductive but laced with stubbornness.

Liam felt a headache coming. This woman... only Lilith could be standing injured, and still in the mood for this. He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, his expression flat. "Unbelievable."

Lilith chuckled softly, her breath brushing his skin. "Stop looking at me like that."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Like what?"

"Like I want to have sex with you."

Liam’s lips twitched into a crooked half-smile. "Well... that’s exactly what it feels like."

Instead of replying, she leaned closer until her lips hovered over his again. Her voice was firm, almost a command. "Shut up and kiss me."

There was no room for hesitation anymore. Liam’s jaw clenched, then relaxed as he gave in. His lips pressed against hers, harder this time. Her mouth was warm despite her icy powers, soft yet demanding as she kissed him back without restraint.

Her taste was sharp, almost intoxicating, like a mix of frost and heat all at once. Up close, her scent filled him—clean, crisp, almost like winter air mixed with her own natural sweetness. It was addictive, wrapping around his senses and making his head spin.

Lilith’s good hand slid up his chest, curling behind his neck as she pulled him in closer. Liam responded instinctively. His hands moved to her waist, gripping her firmly as his body pressed against hers.

He shifted, lifting her off the floor with ease. Lilith gave a soft laugh, her arms tightening around his shoulders as her legs wrapped around his waist. "That’s more like it," she whispered against his lips.

Liam pressed her back harder against the wall, holding her there. His hands dug into her hips, and his eyes locked with hers as he smirked. "You started this. You better not chicken out now."

Lilith just chuckled again, tilting her head as she kissed along his jawline, then lower, brushing against his ear. Her voice was a playful whisper, her breath hot against his skin. "Chicken out? Please. You’ll be the one struggling to keep up with me."

Her words sparked something in him. He tightened his grip, kissing her harder, the pressure between them intensifying. Her bandaged hand slid down his chest again, tracing every hard line of muscle through his shirt, while her good hand tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

The wall creaked faintly under the force as Liam pinned her there, their bodies locked tight. His lips trailed lower, brushing her neck, tasting her skin. Lilith tilted her head back, her laugh soft and rich, vibrating against his mouth. "Mmm... that’s better. That’s exactly what I wanted."

Liam pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "You’re dangerous."

Her lips curved into that sharp, confident smile. "And you love it."