Chapter 23 Part 3

“I can provide help, but what’s in it for me?” Zhou Yi’an laughed. It sounded like a snake spitting venom in the dark. “If you agree to spend another night with me, I might consider it.”

Liang Shi: …

Oh?

“Those texts were from you, weren’t they?” Liang Shi said with certainty. “If this is revenge, come at me. What kind of person targets the innocent?”

“What texts?” Zhou Yi’an said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Liang Shi scoffed. “Stop pretending.” She hung up.

Counting on Zhou Yi’an was worse than counting on a stray dog. All she could do now was put her hope in the Liang family.

She also mentally berated the system: “Aren’t you all-powerful? My romance target could die from a PTSD episode right now, and you’re just going to stand by? Use your superpowers! If she dies, what mission is there left? Do you want me dead?”

The system’s voice remained mechanical and eerie: “Host, this is a matter for you to handle, you know.”

Liang Shi: …

You know?

“She is your romance target. During this period, her safety is your responsibility. If anything happens, the misfortune value punishment system will issue a penalty against you. So don’t worry, okay?”

Liang Shi: …

Okay?

Do people nowadays all tack on cute little particles at the end of sentences to seem adorable? Adorable, my ass. It sounded exactly like someone saying: “I’m going to kill you now, okay? Don’t be scared of the pain. Just grit your teeth and it’ll be over soon.” No different from some psychopathic killer.

The system continued: “As beings existing outside the four-dimensional universe, we cannot meddle in three-dimensional affairs, you see.”

Liang Shi: …

At that moment, Liang Xinhe called back. She picked up immediately. “Second Brother, I need a favor.”

“What is it?” Liang Xinhe asked.

“Get Room 7588 opened for me,” Liang Shi said. “Someone’s life is at stake.”

“7588?” Liang Xinhe’s tone turned harsh. “You’re back at that kind of place?”

Liang Shi sighed. “It’s not me.” The explanation was too complicated. She cut to the chase: “I’ll explain later. Just help me now. A life is on the line.”

Liang Xinhe was silent for a moment. “I’ll try, but no guarantees. You know Huayue International is backed by the Shen family. It’s very hard for ordinary people to make contact with them.”

“I know. Sorry for the trouble, Second Brother. Please hurry,” Liang Shi said anxiously.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhao Xuning picked up her phone and dialed a number she hadn’t used in ages. A long, drawn-out ringing tone stretched on, as if an entire century passed. Zhao Xuning thought she wouldn’t answer. But at the very last ring, the other party picked up. Then came endless silence. Soft breathing through the phone, slow and deliberately quiet.

Zhao Xuning spoke first, her voice low: “What are you doing?”

A cool, clear voice came through the receiver, edged with disdain: “You called just to ask me that?”

Zhao Xuning pressed her lips together. “No.” Beating around the bush wasn’t her style. She exhaled and spoke plainly: “I need Room 7588 at Huayue International opened. Can you help?”

The other end laughed. “Long time no see. Miss Zhao is still so…” She paused, her tone growing colder. “Blunt.”

“Can you help?” Zhao Xuning’s voice grew harder. “It’s urgent.”

“Is it your girlfriend trapped in there?” The voice carried a hint of probing.

Zhao Xuning’s breath caught. She quickly denied it: “Just a friend. Nothing more.”

“Then you like her,” the other said.

Zhao Xuning was already on edge. Under this relentless interrogation, anger crept into her words. “Shen Hui, I haven’t been with anyone since we split up.”

Hearing her name spoken aloud, Shen Hui paused, then mocked: “What, should I hand Miss Zhao a medal for moral excellence?”

Zhao Xuning was exhausted. “Just help me. Consider it a debt.”

“You owe me more than you can count. How do you plan to repay all that?” Shen Hui’s tone was aggressive.

Zhao Xuning couldn’t answer. She just felt drained. The call was abruptly disconnected.

Zhao Xuning sighed and asked Liang Shi: “Any progress on your end?”

Liang Shi shook her head. “My second brother is reaching out to people, but I doubt it’ll work.”

Zhao Xuning frowned and let out a curse.

“Do you know why Bai Weiwei came here?” Liang Shi asked.

Zhao Xuning shook her head. “No idea.” She and Bai Weiwei weren’t the type to report their whereabouts to each other constantly.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city.

An Omega with long brown hair sat up from the bed and went to the wine cabinet, pulling out a bottle of red wine. The dark crimson liquid caught the amber light of the room, refracting in scattered colors that made the space feel empty and lonely. A brand-new phone sat silently on the wooden table.

She perched on a tall stool, casually pinning her long hair up with a clip, though one rebellious strand tumbled over her chest. A white silk nightgown draped softly over her figure, concealing every alluring curve.

After a glass of wine, Shen Hui rubbed her temples and finally sighed. She called the person in charge of Huayue International.

“Second Miss,” the voice was deferential. “Is there anything you need?”

“Open Room 7588 now,” Shen Hui said flatly.

“But… Miss Cheng is using it tonight…”

“Does my word not count?” Shen Hui lowered her voice, radiating an unmistakable aura of authority. “Open the door to 7588. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

The other party faltered. “Yes, ma’am.”

Everyone knew that although Huayue International bore the Cheng family name, the true power behind it was the Shen family. Without the Shen family, who would give the Chengs a second glance? Put simply, the Cheng family only held their current position because they’d latched onto the Shen family.

The person in charge swiftly went to carry out the order.

In the hotel corridor, Zhao Xuning and Liang Shi were still searching. Zhao Xuning suddenly stopped. “Huayue International is a property of Huaguang Group. Contact Cheng Ran.”

Liang Shi blinked. “This belongs to Cheng Ran’s family?”

Zhao Xuning nodded. “It’s registered under her uncle’s name, so it’s not entirely her family’s.” The Cheng family had many branch families and constant infighting. So the matter couldn’t be explained in a few words.

Zhao Xuning was concise: “First, try calling—”

“No need.” Liang Shi abruptly cut in, then let out a cold laugh. “This has Cheng Ran’s fingerprints all over it.”

Now everything made sense. Why they knew her number. Why, when the goal was revenge against her, they’d chosen Xu Qingzhu as the target. Only Cheng Ran would do something like this. She thought Liang Shi had broken ties with her because of Xu Qingzhu.

“So what do we do?” Zhao Xuning’s brow furrowed deeply. “Are we just going to watch while they’re in there…”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish. Everyone knew Omega bodies were sensitive. And Xu Qingzhu had PTSD. If an episode struck and help didn’t arrive in time, it could literally be fatal.

10:09.

The elevator doors opened. A woman in a white suit appeared at the end of the corridor, walking toward them in eight-centimeter heels. She stopped before Zhao Xuning and smiled graciously. “Miss Zhao, long time no see.”

Zhao Xuning skipped the pleasantries. “Open the door.”

The door’s design was intricate: first a hexagonal key, then facial recognition, followed by a fingerprint scan. Three layers of security.

Liang Shi was about to speak to Zhao Xuning when Liang Xinhe’s call came through.

“I’ve asked around,” Liang Xinhe said. “Someone’s already put in a word—”

“Yes, someone’s opening it here,” Liang Shi said.

“Now you can tell me—” Liang Xinhe started to ask.

Liang Shi cut him off anxiously: “Second Brother, I need to go. I’ll explain later.” Before hanging up, she politely added: “Get some sleep early.”

Liang Xinhe: “…?”

After the call ended, Liang Xinhe stared at his phone, utterly baffled. Something about Liang Shi was off.

Once the person in charge opened the door, Liang Shi frowned at the trashed room. Zhao Xuning had the same reaction.

Liang Shi asked: “Where are they?”

The person in charge smiled. “They’ve been taken to the rooms.”

“Stop wasting time and help us find them,” Zhao Xuning said. “Bai Weiwei and Xu Qingzhu.”

The person in charge paused, scanning their faces, then maintained a standard smile. “Of course.”

Liang Shi found every corner of this place deeply unsettling. You’d have to be insane to dream up something this monstrous.

Moments later, the wall began to slide open, unfolding forward to reveal a white corridor. Mirrors lined both sides, reflecting the passage until it seemed to stretch into infinity.

“Follow this corridor to the end and you’ll find who you’re looking for.” The woman pointed to the left. “This is Miss Xu’s room.”

Hearing this, Xu Qingya was already sprinting down the corridor. Liang Shi and Zhao Xuning split up to search.

Liang Shi had better stamina than Xu Qingya and ran faster. Within seconds, she spotted a white door and pushed it open. The room matched the photos exactly, but only Xu Qingzhu was on the bed. The blanket covered her upper body, leaving only her long legs exposed. The sheets were crumpled.

At that moment, her phone buzzed again. Still an unknown number.

Letting your Omega go this time.

Consider it a freebie. You’re welcome.

Infuriatingly smug. But Liang Shi had no time to respond.

Xu Qingzhu was clearly no longer fully lucid. Her long legs twisted together, her body turned on its side, her long hair veiling half the alluring curves of her upper body. Her shoulders and arms were exposed outside the blanket. Hearing the door open, she cracked her eyes open. They were tinged red.

Her body burned with unbearable heat, her voice hoarse, yet still in her usual tone, cool and clear, with a rising lilt at the end. When she called out, there was a note of restraint in her voice, softening into something meltingly sweet as it reached the ear. She bit her glistening lower lip and called out in a rasp: “Liang… Shi.”

“I’m here.” Liang Shi rushed over. Looking at Xu Qingzhu like this, she couldn’t decide whether to hold her or not.

But Xu Qingzhu reached out and clung to her, her head settling into Liang Shi’s lap. She was still wearing only the camisole and fitted trousers. Her delicate collarbones were exposed, flushed the same unnatural red.

It seemed the other person hadn’t touched Xu Qingzhu. Liang Shi felt slightly relieved. But anyone could see Xu Qingzhu was in a bad way. Her body was limp as a snake, her palms damp with heat, murmuring something unintelligible.

Liang Shi leaned down to listen.

Xu Qingzhu’s slender arms reached up and looped around her neck, and in Liang Shi’s moment of distraction, pulled her down onto the bed.

Liang Shi: “…?”

Xu Qingya happened to arrive at that moment. She covered her eyes and closed the door. “Carry on…”

Liang Shi: “?”

The drugs still coursed through Xu Qingzhu’s body. Her warm, damp hand drifted across Liang Shi’s cheek. A sliver of reason still remained. Those hazy eyes were misted with moisture, her fingers curling and uncurling.

Their eyes met.

Xu Qingzhu slowly leaned down, those glistening lips impossibly close. Her breath came in warm waves, washing over Liang Shi’s face. The room was filled with the scent of strawberry sweet wine. Xu Qingzhu’s pheromones were radiating outward. Liang Shi was almost drunk on the scent.

No one could resist Xu Qingzhu at this moment, she thought.

But as Xu Qingzhu’s lips descended, she turned her face away. So those shimmering lips only grazed the edge of her ear, yet set her entire ear on fire.

Xu Qingzhu’s lips found nothing. Sullenly, she buried her face in Liang Shi’s neck, and her cool, clear voice murmured a petulant accusation: “You’re mean.”

Liang Shi fell silent.

Xu Qingzhu was truly beyond reason.