Chapter 55: Tsk

Ji Jinxuan’s relentless assault on his own gland continued without end.

Xu Lin watched coldly as Ji Jinxuan appeared before him every day, persistent and unwavering. He had visibly lost weight. Anyone could see that his condition was deteriorating day by day, his entire being shrouded in a thick, lingering sickness.

Ever since Xu Lin had made that remark, Ji Jinxuan had covered the back of his neck with a medicated patch, hiding the gruesome skin beneath. He did not want Xu Lin to see it. But even if Xu Lin could not see it, he could not hide the truth.

As Ji Jinxuan’s neck worsened, things progressed to the point where, when he bit Xu Lin, he would retreat in defeat before Xu Lin even had a chance to stimulate him with his pheromones.

Xu Lin could not understand it. Ji Jinxuan clearly felt excruciating pain at the mere scent of his pheromones. He clearly knew this result could not be changed. What was he still holding on to? For the sake of those insignificant numbers?不惜 sacrificing his own health, using every means to increase their compatibility. And if he succeeded, what then? Would their relationship change because of it? What was the point?

Clatter.

The collar on the bedsheet was knocked to the floor.

The two tangled figures on the bed suddenly parted.

Xu Lin kicked Ji Jinxuan hard in the chest and scrambled out from under him. He covered the back of his neck, now covered in bite marks, and stared at Ji Jinxuan, who was kneeling on the bed with his head lowered.

Ji Jinxuan’s shoulders and back trembled. He was hunched over, nearly curled in on himself, clearly in agony.

The room was filled with two faint pheromone scents.

One was a tart, fruity fragrance. The other, a light floral scent.

The floral scent. That was the smell Xu Lin had noticed in the villa before. It was Ji Jinxuan’s pheromones. Xu Lin was not sensitive to them. Normally, even a trace of high-grade S-class pheromones would drive an Omega to lose control. But to Xu Lin, no matter how much Ji Jinxuan released, it always smelled faint, like a thin layer of dew in the air that quickly evaporated and disappeared. Xu Lin could not identify what flower it was. He could not tell.

Ji Jinxuan’s breathing was heavy. He remained in that strange posture for a long time before finally gathering enough strength to stumble out of the room.

Xu Lin’s gaze fell on the collar on the floor beside the bed. He touched his own bare neck. How badly must Ji Jinxuan have been suffering that he forgot to put this thing back on him?

Xu Lin got out of bed, raised his foot, and stomped hard on the collar.

A faint electric crackle sounded from within the collar. The red light on its small screen flickered a few times and went dead.

Xu Lin walked to the door and tried the handle. It did not budge. Locked, of course.

He paced to the window and saw Ji Jinxuan emerge from the house, pale-faced, get into his car, and drive away.

After Ji Jinxuan’s car disappeared, the bodyguards orderly returned to their posts, faithfully carrying out their only duty.

Ji Jinxuan did not look well. He would probably be gone for a while.

This was a good opportunity.

Xu Lin waited patiently.

After several days of observation, he had noticed a pattern. The five Alphas in the yard changed shifts every two hours. Among the group that came on duty at six in the evening, there was a shorter Alpha with a round face. For some reason, during his shift every day, when no one was watching, he would sneak over to a patch of wild plants in the yard and pick the small red berries growing there.

By six o’clock, it was already dark. With poor lighting, no one would notice him unless they were paying close attention. That cluster of wild plants grew in the southeast corner of the yard, right beneath Xu Lin’s window, in a shadowy spot by the wall.

The clock struck six.

The round-faced Alpha appeared on time. As he had done the past few days, once it was dark enough, he crouched by the flower bed, spread a handkerchief in his palm, and began picking the berries one by one.

Xu Lin picked up the broken collar he had stomped on. Using the sharp, damaged edge of the collar as a tool, he struck the glass. After a few hits, the window cracked. He tore down the bedsheet to cushion his hands and removed the entire pane of glass.

He was careful, but a few shards still fell. They landed right at the feet of the Alpha crouching below.

The Alpha made a sound of surprise and looked up. Before he could see clearly, a heavy object struck him on the head, knocking him out cold. The berries scattered across the ground.

Xu Lin jumped from the second floor, rolling a few times to absorb the impact. Without pausing, he dragged the unconscious Alpha into the flower bed beside him. Hidden by the foliage, he panted heavily and held his breath, listening. No other sounds. No one had noticed him.

Only then did he reach for the Alpha’s waist and remove the pistol holstered there. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, loaded the gun, raised it, and shot out the window of the second-floor room.

Bang. The glass shattered.

Immediately, noise erupted in the yard. Three Alphas rushed into the house. One remained on guard outside.

To get out through the front door, he would have to get past that Alpha.

Using the flower bed for cover, Xu Lin crept close to the Alpha. He threw a stone in the opposite direction. The Alpha heard the noise and turned toward it, alert and focused. Xu Lin seized the moment to slip behind him and pressed the gun to his head. “Don’t move.”

The Alpha froze instantly.

“Not a sound. Walk with me.”

With the gun pressed to him, the Alpha had no choice but to walk backward, following Xu Lin out of the yard. As soon as they reached the gate, Xu Lin struck him hard on the back of the neck. The Alpha crumpled to the ground.

Without looking back, Xu Lin plunged into the woods.

He remembered that Shuangshuang had once abandoned a motorcycle after he fixed it. He had hidden it in the woods ever since. If no one had found it, he could use it to get out.

Xu Lin knew these mountains better than anyone. Before long, he spotted the motorcycle, half-hidden by branches and leaves. He was overjoyed. He rushed over. The keys were still there.

Just as he was righting the bike, he noticed something clipped to the handlebars. A sealed dust cover. He opened it. Inside was a note, a phone, and an antique pocket watch.

The note read: If you’re reading this, turn the watch’s hour hand counterclockwise three full rotations. I’ll be able to locate you. Turn on the tracker and wait for me here.

The bag also contained a paper map with a location circled in red: West Street, Lane 471.

Xu Lin could not think of anyone else who would have left this note but Shuangshuang. When had she come here? He dared not waste any time. Following the instructions, he turned the watch’s hour hand three times. A small red light on the side of the watch began to blink. He put the watch in his pocket, turned the key, straddled the bike, put on his helmet, and rode out along the mountain path that Ji Jinxuan had not yet discovered.

West Street, Lane 471. It was farther than he had expected. It took him two hours to get there.

Along the way, as he passed pedestrians, he caught glimpses in his rearview mirror of people muttering and pointing in his direction. It suddenly hit him that he was now an Omega. He still could not fully control his pheromones—he must have been leaking them. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he stopped at a pharmacy to buy a pheromone-blocking patch. Only then did he feel somewhat at ease.

It had been nearly dark when he left, and the stop at the pharmacy had taken some time. By the time he arrived, night had fully fallen.

He discovered that West Street was a stretch of countless bars and nightclubs. The capital actually had a place like this.

At eight in the evening, the streets were crowded.

Neon lights flashed in front of every shop. Men and women in light clothing moved through the crowds, their mingled perfumes mixing in the air. The noise was a constant roar.

Xu Lin looked straight ahead, scanning for house numbers. 471, 471.

Many motorcycles and sports cars were parked along the roadside—some recognizable, others not. All kinds. Xu Lin’s motorcycle did not stand out among them.

His gaze passed over a spot and stopped. On a red brick wall, a bronze plate was fixed with the number 471 carved into it. It was a quiet bar.

He did not see Shuangshuang.

He pulled over, still on the bike, and took out the phone she had given him. He dialed.

The first call went to voicemail. No answer. He tried again. It rang twice—

Beep.

A short horn sounded in front of him.

Xu Lin looked up. A few meters ahead, a black sports car was parked. The headlights flashed at him.

He could not see who was inside—the lights were too bright. He could only make out a vague silhouette in the driver’s seat.

Xu Lin took off his helmet, got off the bike, walked over, and tapped on the window. He thought it was Zong Ningshuang.

The window rolled down slowly.

The ringing on his phone abruptly cut off. Zong Ningshuang’s voice suddenly exploded through the speaker, shouting frantically, as if she were wrestling someone for the phone. Her voice was distant, frantic: “Run!”

Xu Lin froze.

The window rolled down fully, and Xu Lin’s pupils contracted.

Behind the glass was Ji Jinxuan’s face. He sat in the driver’s seat, expressionless, watching Xu Lin. In the dim light, his face was pale as a vengeful ghost.

Xu Lin’s hair stood on end. Without a moment’s hesitation, he ran back to his motorcycle, turned around, and sped off.

The engine roared. Pedestrians screamed and scattered.

Two engine sounds merged together. Xu Lin glanced in the rearview mirror. Ji Jinxuan’s car was right behind him, relentless.

He frowned and twisted the throttle to the max.

West Street was full of alleys. Xu Lin’s motorcycle could weave through them easily. He deliberately ducked into narrow lanes, but every time he emerged, he would spot the car closing in from another corner.

“Tsk.”

Xu Lin clicked his tongue in frustration, his eyes darting around, searching for a path to shake Ji Jinxuan off.

Soon, luck seemed to favor him. He spotted a river with a bridge under construction. A temporary stone bridge, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, had been erected across it.

Without hesitation, Xu Lin rode onto it, the wheels rattling over the stones. He reached the other side.

Behind him, the sound of screeching brakes.

He looked back.

Ji Jinxuan’s car had stopped at the riverbank.

Xu Lin braked, putting his foot down.

He flipped up his helmet visor.

Ji Jinxuan got out of the car, a tall, solitary figure standing by the vehicle.

They faced each other from across the river.

After half a minute of this silent standoff, Xu Lin flipped his visor back down. The black shield hid his cold, indifferent eyes.

He raised his middle finger at Ji Jinxuan, twisted the throttle, and rode out of sight without a backward glance.