Even though it wasn't a big deal to be embarrassed in front of Caroline, what frustrated Tyler the most was how useless he felt. That helplessness inside the wood mouse's stomach was still suffocating even now. Sure, if Denton hadn't barged in and made a mess, Tyler had already figured out a way to get out. But in the end, he had figured it out too late. He had come to save Caroline, but ended up leaving her to face danger alone for so long, only for her to turn around and save him instead. His moment of impulsiveness had set everything that followed into motion. With that awkward mess of emotions, Tyler held Caroline close as he carried her upward, climbing toward the exit. But he stayed unusually silent. Halfway up, Caroline suddenly reached out and turned his face toward her.When Tyler looked straight at her, all those stormy emotions he was trying so hard to hide were completely visible in his eyes, and Caroline saw every bit of it. "Tyler, your eyes are telling me you're feeling useless right now. Frustrated. Like you've got all this pent-up energy and you just want to do something about it." Caroline said it with a smile. Tyler looked like someone had just read his mind. His arm around Caroline's waist tightened slightly. "I'm ... not someone who trusts others easily, and I've always been used to handling everything by myself. Sometimes I'm not exactly the feminine type. Not really the kind of woman guys usually like, but I am who I am, Tyler. That's who I was when you met me, and that's not going to change. And I'll keep getting stronger. Maybe you think I don't need you, that whatever happens, I can deal with it on my own. You might even think you caused me trouble this time. But through everything we've been through, I'm really glad you happened to live next door to me. That's the only reason any of this happened. I've always remembered the ways you've helped me ... I'm just not good at expressing it. And you're not someone who needs a lot of verbal reassurance anyway. Tyler, you really are incredible. It's just that my ability is pretty twisted, and I have other backup plans too. I can't always spell everything out for you. After all, the things I've been through ... you wouldn't be able to imagine. But I'm still just a person. I need friends, I need family. I feel joy and sorrow like anyone else." This was the first time Caroline had ever spoken from her heart. Before this, it had always been Tyler, laying everything about himself bare for her, openly and honestly, with nothing held back. This was the first time Caroline had responded to him. In the darkness, her eyes carried a soft glow—clear, sincere, and gentle. Tyler's heartbeat pounded harder with every warm word that left her lips. The tremors still continued. The ground around them kept shaking lightly. Dust and bits of stone fell from above, leaving both of them covered in dirt. Tyler shifted his body into a giant metal umbrella, shielding them from the falling debris. Metal claws extended from his sides, gripping tightly into the rocky wall. Even like this, he never took his eyes off Caroline. He didn't rush her. Didn't tell her they should talk later. He just listened, word by word, breath by breath. Focused. Almost reverent. They looked at each other, neither of them afraid of the danger around them. In the middle of chaos and destruction, something almost surreal grew between them—a strange, quiet tension. "Tyler, whoever likes me ... it's always going to be hard. But that isn't my fault, and it's not something I can change. Of course, I'll give my sincerity and my effort. You can choose to give up ... or choose to get stronger, or just do whatever you're able to do. What matters most is being genuine." Caroline reached out and tapped the tip of Tyler's nose lightly. Tyler's whole body tensed all at once. He stared at Caroline, storms surging in his eyes. "I accepted your bullet." As she spoke, Caroline took out the bullet hanging at her chest and showed it to him. The old, slightly worn casing glimmered under the headlamp, simple and unadorned, like a bare and honest heart."This already says everything. As for the rest ... we've got plenty of time ahead. In this apocalypse, we both have to keep pushing forward." Tyler suddenly pulled Caroline into his arms. All at once, the ground shook violently. The quake grew even stronger. But the two of them held onto each other tightly, like even a collapsing world couldn't pull them apart. Caroline felt Tyler's embrace, and her heart was pounding just as hard. She didn't even know why she had said all of that. All this time, she had always been the passive one.