[Vol. 1] Chapter 6 - Honey Trap
A cold, stinging pain shot through Xiaolan's nerves, sharp enough to make her whimper. She pulled the kunai from her back, and her clothes instantly grew damp with seeping blood.
The perfect moment to Load a save point vanished. Worse—
[You have been hit. System functions disabled for 1 minute.]
Isn't this too much?! she screamed inside. The pain was nauseating. Unbearable. She glanced from Chen Mingyuan's furious face to Wenhui's mouth, opening and closing soundlessly.
Since she couldn't Load, she'd have to milk this for every point she could and try not to die in the process. She'd missed Wenhui's first words, but caught his frantic gesturing.
"…just flirting!"
The absurd accusation briefly cut through the pain. She almost laughed, especially at Chen Mingyuan's furious retort about what part of this looked like flirting.
A half-formed idea flickered and died as footsteps rustled through the fog. More participants emerged, clearly allied with Chen Mingyuan to capture… her and Wenhui. For the points.
"Chen girl! Did you get them?"
"There they are!"
"Good work, Mingyu'er! Now we can—"
"Stop!" Wenhui shouted, cutting in. "Chen Mingyuan is working with Xiaolan! I swear, the two of them are flirting!"
He sidled toward the group, holding up his maimed wrist. "She cut my hand off!"
"What?! That lunatic?!"
Xiaolan's eyes swept from the newcomers back to herself. Fighting them all was suicide, and her system was locked for another full minute.
Could she turn them against Chen Mingyuan instead? No, that would eliminate her best source of points. And then what?
Kill Wenhui? That would just prove his "collusion" theory. Another dead end.
Then… there was only one path left.
Xiaolan lowered her head. "Mingyuan," she began, softly. "Do you remember what we talked about… back then?"
Chen Mingyuan turned, expression wary. "How far back?" Her voice was tired, but her mind raced. What trick is this disgusting woman planning now?
Xiaolan pinched her own thigh for courage, then lifted her head, fierce with feigned sincerity.
"I've never forgotten how tender you were with me that day. Even if it was just an act… it was the first time I ever felt that. Mingyuan, I think… I might have fallen for you. I'm sorry. I know it's wrong, with us both being… but I can't help it. These feelings are all new to me."
[Charge points +20]
[Charge points +20]
[Current charge points: 145]
She placed a hand over her racing heart, her face flushed. My goodness, Chen Mingyuan, you're my ancestor! she thought. From her hesitant gaze to the two small, aborted steps she took forward, everything radiated shy, nervous anxiety.
What a disaster!
Wenhui and the others stared, numb with disbelief.
So this was why Chen Mingyuan had betrayed them? She'd volunteered to track Xiaolan down just for… a confession?
"Chen Mingyuan," Xiaolan called again, gently. "Can I hug you? I don't expect you to accept me. I just… want to feel your warmth."
Chen Mingyuan: "…"
Wenhui and the others:"…"
"Have you lost your mind?!" Chen Mingyuan snapped, utterly exasperated. Xiaolan's insane, Wenhui's an idiot—everyone's gone mad!
Before she could continue, Xiaolan's voice softened further. "Mingyuan… do you doubt me?"
"You crazy—! What does this have to do with anything?!" Chen Mingyuan's face was so red with fury she looked ready to combust. This isn't good. This lunatic is going to trigger my heart tribulation!
Xialan pressed a hand to her chest, voice pained. "If you don't believe me… then feel my heartbeat."
What's the difference between that and hugging?! Steam seemed to rise from Chen Mingyuan's scarlet face.
Wenhui watched with grim satisfaction. His 'flirting' accusation had taken root now let it bear poisonous fruit.
"Look—she's blushing!"
"What in hell is going on?!"
"Hahaha…" Lin Zheng burst out laughing.
He'd come looking for the Chen girl who'd caught his eye and his interest from the start. He never expected to walk into… this.
He was a prodigy who'd awakened as an Alpha at 15, a young master who could have anything with a word. And here he was, watching something he owned slip through his fingers.
"Shut up all of you!" Lin Zheng's fist clenched, resentment boiling within.
"Chen Mingyuan and Lin Xiaolan? Don't make me laugh, I'd sooner believe a horse can talk. Look everywhere, is this a place for love confession? Xiaolan hasn't even awakened her second gender yet!"
The group murmured, feeling like fools. First played by Wenhui's lie, now subjected to this farce. The shared urge to punch someone was palpable.
In contrast, both Lin Xiaolan and Chen Mingyuan frowned.
Chen Mingyuan frowned because she had no intention of handing either captive to the group. Now that Lin Zheng was here, one wrong move could ruin everything. The whole situation left her feeling like she'd swallowed a fly.
Xiaolan frowned because Lin Zheng had shattered the delicate atmosphere too soon. Her one-minute cooldown wasn't over. If they attacked now, anything could happen. She needed just a little more time.
Her eyes locked onto Chen Mingyuan.
While the other girl stood caught between frustration and confusion, Xiaolan offered a smile so sweet it could only be called honeyed.
"Come with me."
Then she turned and ran straight into the fog.
Chen Mingyuan was baffled. That smile was one thing, but why had it been so… sweet?
Exasperated as she was, her mind stayed sharp. Siding with Lin Zheng's group had its own risks. Xiaolan might have a plan to handle them.
Besides, she knew Xiaolan inside and out. The moment the other girl vanished into the fog, Chen Mingyuan hurried after.
"Don't let them escape!"
Lin Zheng's expression shifted. A flicker of worry, a trap? then he dismissed it. What does he have to lose now?
"After them!" he shouted, leading the charge into the fog.
Wenhui pushed himself upright, a vindictive smirk twisting his pained features. Perfect. He'd planted the seed of doubt now grown into full-blown paranoia. Let the bitch Chen explain her way out of this.
They passed countless spirit-sapping trees and murky ponds. Beautiful blue auras shimmered around them, but no one was in the mood to look
—not when they suddenly saw Lin Xiaolan with her arms locked tightly around Chen Mingyuan.
Lin Zheng, Wenhui, and the others stared, dumbfounded.
Chen Mingyuan was too, but she recovered first. Wasn't this the perfect chance to take Xiaolan's points… and prove she wasn't colluding with anyone?
Xiaolan hugged her tighter and, with a face full of performative joy, declared, "Thank you, Mingyuan! If it weren't for you, I'd never have guessed a whole group was after me. Thanks for bringing Wenhui to me and playing along...luring everyone here was so easy."
[Charge points +20]
[Current charge points: 165]
"What?!"
Lin Zheng's pupils constricted. The group stared in shock.
The implication was staggering.
They're both girls! Xiaolan hasn't even differentiated! Was Wenhui actually hurt by Mingyuan? Had she already switched sides?
It seemed impossible to believe.
Panting heavily, Lin Zheng demanded, "Mingyuan… what is this? Did you… betray us?"
"I knew it! The Chens can't be trusted!" someone else muttered.
Chen Mingyuan's face darkened. No! She had planned to betray Lin Zheng's group by taking both captives' points for herself… but not like this! She had to explain, before her reputation was ruined completely.
"It's not wha—"
"Mingyuan!"
Deliberately raising her voice to drown her out, Xiaolan felt her soul now fully synced with this body. Pain and adrenaline had burned away the last disconnect, and despite Mingyuan's superior strength, she couldn't break free from the ironclad grip.
"You joined them… for me, didn't you?" Xiaolan pressed on, voice trembling with feigned emotion. "The truth is… I like you too. I was just scared you didn't feel the same, so I never said anything. I didn't respond earlier because I was too happy, I lost my composure. But I've calmed down now."
"Mingyuan… let's be together."
[Charge points +100]
[Current charge points: 265]
[Notice: Emotional fluctuations critical. Converging charge point value.]
Chen Mingyuan's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
She had planned to betray Lin Zheng… but she had never planned to betray everyone just to side with Xiaolan.
"Let! Go! Of! Me!"
Chen Mingyuan's aura erupted.