Chapter 41
Olivia didn't sound like she was lying, but likewise... neither was Gu Ximian.
Gu Ximian had no reason to lie to her about something like this. Taking a step back, even if Gu Ximian really had the intention to, she would have chosen a more elaborate lie—not one that could be exposed with a simple message from Olivia.
Zhuang Chi wasn't sure what was going on, but a chilling premonition crept up her spine, making it impossible for her to sit still. She shot to her feet. On the other end of the line, Olivia was frightened by her long silence and, sensing that something was wrong, anxiously asked her, "W-What's wrong? Did Gu Ximian really tell you that I asked her to meet?"
"...Yeah." Responding a bit numbly, Zhuang Chi's mind raced. Finally, as she started to move, she instructed Olivia, "Olivia, if you don't hear from me in the next half hour, get some people and come to the lake... You can call Ling Jing and An Chen. They know where the lake is."
"O-Okay," Olivia agreed, clearly still confused about the situation. She asked uneasily, "...Did something happen?"
"I don't know yet. I'm going to check it out first."
...I hope Gu Ximian is just playing a joke on me, Zhuang Chi thought.
Her pace gradually quickened into a run. After reassuring Olivia with a few more words, Zhuang Chi hung up the phone and ran single-mindedly toward the lake.
Honestly, the mascot costume was really getting in the way.
What's more, she still had the mascot head. She couldn't wear it, but she couldn't just toss it either, so Zhuang Chi had no choice but to run while holding it. It was a good thing she had differentiated into an Alpha; otherwise, her stamina might have been an issue.
Zhuang Chi now deeply regretted not taking off the mascot costume back at the club. She couldn't take it off now even if she wanted to; the zipper was on the back, and she couldn't reach it herself. Fortunately, this costume was a bit lighter than a typical one, so she could just barely manage to run. Zhuang Chi made do and ran toward the lake. It must have been a very strange sight to any onlookers, but thankfully, there was no one on the road.
...That's right, no one.
The lakeside was already a place few people visited, and now, during the first afternoon class, there wasn't a single soul in sight. The only sound on the road was the patter of Zhuang Chi's footsteps, which only made her heart pound faster.
...Why aren't you picking up, Gu Ximian? Hanging up yet another unanswered call that went to a busy tone, Zhuang Chi panted heavily. She had already covered most of the distance and should be able to see the lake in a few more minutes—
"...! Cough."
As she breathed, something suddenly seemed to irritate her throat, causing it to tighten and making her cough violently. She had to stop, instinctively raising a hand to cover her mouth and nose. The stinging sensation slowly dissipated.
...What's going on? Zhuang Chi swallowed uneasily. She hadn't smelled anything. Was it the air... that wasn't right?
At this point, she wouldn't believe it even if someone told her nothing was wrong. Without further hesitation, Zhuang Chi sent a message to Olivia, telling her to bring people, while enduring the irritation and walking toward the lake. She felt she should head toward the place that felt the most off, and after walking for two or three minutes, she caught a scent.
The odorless irritant was still present, and amidst it, she smelled the sweet and gentle scent of Gu Ximian's pheromones.
What the hell is this...
Although it was just a trace, Zhuang Chi would never mistake this scent. She immediately followed Gu Ximian's pheromones, running in the direction where the scent was strongest. She never knew she had this ability, almost like a hunting dog... but she wasn't looking for prey. She just wanted to see a safe and sound Gu Ximian.
Then, before she found Gu Ximian, she first saw several men dressed in black shirts and pants.
They also looked like they were searching for someone. Instinctively sensing trouble, Zhuang Chi hid in the shadow of a nearby building. Her current location was actually a short distance from the lake. Next to her seemed to be an unused, empty building. St. Blaisedon was so large that Zhuang Chi had never been to this area before. She could only confirm that it was still very remote, with not a single student in sight.
And those men in black... no matter how you looked at them, they didn't seem to be school staff. Zhuang Chi held her breath, nervously watching the patrolling men. They all looked strong, fit, and well-trained, definitely not ordinary people. A single glance confirmed that most of them were Alphas. In that case...
Gu Ximian. She silently chanted Gu Ximian's name, her chest tightening as if squeezed by a fist. They were looking for Gu Ximian.
That meant, at least, they hadn't found her yet. Zhuang Chi felt a slight sense of relief, but she was still anxious. Gu Ximian's pheromones were overflowing intensely. She could smell them clearly. It wasn't even this bad when her choker had broken. Something must have happened.
She had to find Gu Ximian before those Alphas followed the scent to her. With this thought, Zhuang Chi followed the scent and entered the building through a side door. The pheromones inside were so overwhelming that they made her dizzy, making it difficult to determine the source of the scent. The glands constrained by her neck ring throbbed with a dull ache. Gritting her teeth, Zhuang Chi tightened it by another notch, her brows furrowing in unbearable pain as she randomly turned into a nearby stairwell—
—!
The first thing she saw was the glint of a sharp blade. The hand holding the knife was trembling slightly, but the movement was unhesitating as the blade was pressed against her neck.
Then Zhuang Chi saw Gu Ximian—breathing rapidly, her face flushed an unnatural red, her gaze slightly unfocused, her entire body bristling with defensive thorns.
"...Gu Ximian," Zhuang Chi's heart was a mix of joy and worry. Joy because she had finally found her, and worry because Gu Ximian's condition was clearly not good. The only thing that gave her a slight peace of mind was that Gu Ximian didn't seem to have any external injuries. Zhuang Chi called her name softly, wanting to get closer. "Are, are you okay? Why are your pheromones—"
It would have been better if she hadn't mentioned the pheromones. At the mention of them, Gu Ximian tensed sharply, and the knife that she had just started to lower was raised again. Zhuang Chi noticed that the knife was small and exquisite, but its blade seemed exceptionally sharp. Just by being held against her neck, it had silently cut a shallow line on her leather neck ring. If Gu Ximian had a mind to, she could probably slice through the neck ring and, consequently, her carotid artery with ease.
Despite this, Zhuang Chi strangely didn't feel afraid. Overwhelming worry and heartache washed over her, mixed with a hint of inexpressible anger. How could Gu Ximian be forced into such a state? Those people outside... what on earth did they do to her?
"D-Don't be afraid, it's me... It's Zhuang Chi." Facing such a situation for the first time, not knowing whether to negotiate or soothe, Zhuang Chi could only blurt out the thoughts in her mind in broken sentences. "I... I won't hurt you. You can point the knife at me, but can you first tell me, are the people outside looking for you? Then let's escape together, okay? Trust me, I won't..."
Her words were fragmented, and Zhuang Chi felt they were completely unconvincing. She started to get anxious, annoyed with herself for being so inarticulate in a situation where every second counted. Just as she was racking her brain for a way to persuade Gu Ximian, she heard Gu Ximian's voice, almost inaudibly, say, "Zhuang Chi...?"
Those somewhat dazed eyes finally looked at her properly, wavering a few times before focusing. Her eyes were pitch black and heavy with moisture, like a misty, rainy night, faintly reflecting Zhuang Chi's image.
"...Yeah, it's me."
Her throat inexplicably tightened as if she were about to choke up. Zhuang Chi slowly moved closer, letting the sharp blade scrape against her neck ring with a teeth-grinding sound. The sound seemed to snap Gu Ximian back to her senses. She pulled the blade away as if startled, her arm dropping as if it had lost all its strength.
"...Zhuang Chi."
She called out again, and just before her body went limp, she was pulled into a soft, warm embrace.
"...So, those people outside are really the bad guys, right?"
After carefully moving Gu Ximian to a more hidden small room, Zhuang Chi crouched by the door and asked from a distance to Gu Ximian, who had regained some of her senses. Sitting in the corner, Gu Ximian nodded lightly. "Yes. The meeting was a trap."
"Although it's too late to say this now... I actually realized something was wrong at the beginning. It was someone from her booth who came to tell me, and when I tried to confirm with Olivia, I couldn't find her for some reason. She didn't reply to my messages either..."
"...But I thought it was most likely a plot point and wanted to see how it would develop, so I came anyway." Gu Ximian lowered her eyes, a faint hint of regret in her expression. "I was too arrogant. I didn't expect something like this to happen at school... Those people used some kind of colorless, odorless drug in the air. By the time I realized it, it was too late. I was induced into my susceptible period."
"It was very difficult to try and run. There were a lot of them, and they took my phone while I was escaping. Luckily, I always carry that small knife with me. I injured two of them. They probably didn't expect that, which is how I managed to run here."
She spoke lightly, but Zhuang Chi felt a lingering fear just imagining the danger involved. However, she felt she shouldn't show any emotion that might unsettle Gu Ximian, who had just gone through all this. So, she forced a reassuring smile. "...It's okay. I have my phone. I've sent messages to Olivia and the others. Someone will be here soon. We just need to hide for a little longer..."
Although she said that, without being able to determine their exact location, even though she had just taken pictures of the surroundings and sent them to Olivia, she didn't know how long it would take them to find this place in the vastness of St. Blaisedon and get here. And it was hard to guess what actions the men in black would take during this time. Just hiding like this felt unsettling...
"Olivia..." Gu Ximian's expression was complicated as she murmured in a low voice, "...What if she's the mastermind behind this whole operation?"
"..." Although she thought the possibility was low, Zhuang Chi had indeed considered it on her way here and had taken extra precautions. "...I sent a group message to Lu Man and Ling Jing. Someone innocent will come looking for us."
But Gu Ximian's face still showed no sign of relief. Her brow was heavily furrowed, and she hugged her knees tighter, taking several deep breaths before finally saying softly, "...I don't think they'll make it in time."
"The reason those people outside haven't found this place yet is because my pheromones are making each of them smell something different, causing temporary confusion." Gu Ximian said, letting out a soft laugh. "...But that has already bought some time. I estimate that no matter how stupid they are, they're about to figure it out. Even if they search row by row, it'll soon be this building's turn. Besides, I'm already... out of strength."
"An S-class Omega's susceptible period is very troublesome. This thing can't block my pheromones anymore," she said, raising a hand to touch the choker on her neck with a self-deprecating tone. "I haven't even fully entered my susceptible period yet. How useless."
"Even if we try to run out first, there are too many of them. With you carrying a burden like me, whose pheromones are a tracking beacon, we won't be able to escape."
Gu Ximian's physical condition must have been quite unbearable at this moment, yet she could still manage a smile. "...Tell me, under these circumstances, what kind of plot development do you think will happen next?"
Zhuang Chi's throat tightened in panic. Gu Ximian still thought this was a predetermined plot, while only she herself knew that this whole series of events, starting from participating in the club recruitment, was not part of her plot. She didn't know where things had gone wrong. If she had to say, there was indeed a kidnapping incident involving Gu Ximian in the original book, but the timing was definitely not now, and the cannon fodder Alpha who planned the kidnapping hadn't even appeared yet.
The plot on paper was actually very similar to the current situation. Gu Ximian was also tricked into a meeting and then maliciously induced into her susceptible period. It was just that back then, there was no character like Zhuang Chi who arrived in time. Gu Ximian was indeed kidnapped in the end, but she later escaped through her own cleverness and resourcefulness without being harmed by the ill-intentioned Alpha. And that was the key event that turned Gu Ximian's dislike of Alphas into hatred—but none of that mattered now.
Even if this really is that plot point happening ahead of schedule for some reason, Zhuang Chi thought, can I really just let her be taken away because I know she can escape on her own?
She wasn't there when the plot in the book happened, but she was here now. It stood to reason that the plot should change a little.
Zhuang Chi took a shallow breath and held it as she walked toward Gu Ximian.
She had been standing guard far away at the door. Now, with every step she took closer to Gu Ximian, she could see Gu Ximian's body tense up even more. Zhuang Chi pressed her lips together, stopped a step away from Gu Ximian, and slowly crouched down to look at her at eye level.
"The plot development that happens next is that you will get out of here smoothly and won't encounter anything scary again."
Zhuang Chi spoke very solemnly. She knew that what she was about to say would sound very much like she was taking advantage of the situation, but she still looked directly into Gu Ximian's eyes and said softly, "...For that to happen, what's needed most right now is... a temporary mark."
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