Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Lin Xingshu's gaze wavered. He pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze. "Let’s not talk about this now. The floor's cold. Get up."

He had been refusing Xie Guan’s advances for some time now. Today, Xie Guan had come prepared, dressed in thin, revealing clothes to please him—revealing just enough, sensual but not vulgar.

Xie Guan was kneeling on the floor, the curves of his chest faintly visible. He clutched Lin Xingshu’s hand tightly, pressing his body against it persistently.

"Will you hold me tonight? Just hold me, that’s all…"

"Hm? Please?"

Xie Guan’s eyes were bloodshot as he spoke, with a pout as he looked down again. In the end, Lin Xingshu couldn’t resist him. With a sigh, he reached out to stroke Xie Guan's cheek and said softly, "Alright, I’ll hold you while you sleep. Now get up."

"Ah Shu…"

Xie Guan whispered his name before suddenly embracing him. Lin Xingshu rubbed his back like comforting a child.

"Ah Shu, do you love me?"

Xie Guan’s sudden question made Lin Xingshu freeze mid-caress. He tilted his head slightly but couldn’t see Xie Guan’s face or expression.

He pressed his lips together, remaining silent for a moment before tightening his embrace.

"Of course I love you."

Xie Guan nuzzled lovingly against his neck before slowly lifting his head. His dark eyes reflected Lin Xingshu’s figure.

"Then kiss me."

Lin Xingshu went rigid instantly, Zhong Cheng’s words flashing through his mind. The scene he had witnessed in the living room that night flashed before his eyes again, lingering like an inescapable nightmare.

In an instant, all tenderness vanished. His gaze grew evasive, and he managed a weak smile.

"I want to take a shower first. Go wait for me in the bedroom. I’ll come after—"

"Kiss me now."

Xie Guan’s dark eyes drilled into him, his gaze like a bottomless vortex. Lin Xingshu couldn't bring himself to meet his gaze, afraid that even a second longer would pull him into the abyss.

"Ah Shu, you’re rejecting me again. You don’t want to kiss me, and you won’t hold me while I sleep."

"You're still deceiving me."

Xie Guan still wore that pitiful expression, but his words iced through Lin Xingshu’s veins, freezing him to the core. Especially when he heard the word "lie," his heart began to race, and his palms grew clammy.

Xie Guan’s gaze slowly drifted downward, fixing on his chest.

"Why is your heart beating so fast? Why?"

"Because I’m right, aren’t I? You really are— Mm—"

The next moment, lips met his in a sudden kiss. Xie Guan froze before immediately wrapping his arms around Lin Xingshu, closing his eyes and deepening the kiss hungrily. The sound of their ragged breaths and the wet sounds of their mouths were loud in the quiet room.

Lin Xingshu kept his eyes tightly shut, his hands nervously gripping Xie Guan’s shoulders, his nails biting into skin unconsciously as Xie Guan pushed him down onto the floor.

When something cold and slick slid down his neck, he couldn’t help but open his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling light above, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"Ah Shu, you’re shaking so much."

Xie Guan whispered in his ear, his voice thick with desire. Lin Xingshu’s lips trembled. "I—I’m nervous."

"Don’t be afraid."

Xie Guan comforted him gently, but Lin Xingshu’s trembling lips weren’t from arousal—

It was fear.

Powerless, he shut his eyes and let Xie Guan carry him into the bedroom. Cold kisses trailed down his neck, the sensation of damp, slippery touches impossibly vivid. He instinctively fisted the sheets beneath him, his mind inevitably recalling everything that had happened in recent days.

The figure of the pervert from his dreams gradually overlapped with Xie Guan’s. Their gazes were equally possessive, even the curve of their smiles uncannily alike.

By now, he was almost certain—the Xie Guan who treated him with such tenderness was the same pervert who had been harassing him.

Even as his brain screamed at him to stay away, to get as far from this Xie Guan as possible, his body sank deeper into Xie Guan’s embrace, dragged into the swamp of desire alongside him.

In his dazed state, his hand moved instinctively for the shirt discarded nearby. Just a little further, and he could retrieve the knife Zhong Cheng had given him—to kill Xie Guan with one thrust.

But his fingers twitched indecisively before finally withdrawing.

…

Maybe Zhong Cheng’s words were just lies. How could his doting boyfriend, who had been by his side day and night, be a pseudohuman?

He had only met Zhong Cheng a handful of times, but Xie Guan had shown him nothing but kindness. Perhaps… he shouldn’t trust Zhong Cheng’s baseless accusations so easily.

He wanted to give Xie Guan a chance.

*

In the dimly lit room, sweat and panting breaths mingled, the room heavy with the scent of osmanthus.

Xie Guan gripped his hand tightly, tendons standing out on his hand as their fingers interlaced, sticky sweat rolling down their wrists.

This coupling was more frantic than ever, lasting far longer than before.

Throughout, Xie Guan acted like a beast, scraping his sharp teeth along the bite marks he had left on Lin Xingshu’s neck, as if branding him.

In his haze, Xie Guan wrapped his arms around him, tilting something syrupy-sweet into his mouth. Dazed, Lin Xingshu instinctively swallowed—but Zhong Cheng’s warnings flashed through his mind, snapping him to alertness.

What had Xie Guan just fed him? Poison?

He could feel Xie Guan still watching him. Not daring to react, he feigned unconsciousness and obediently swallowed the liquid.

Seeing Lin Xingshu comply, Xie Guan tweaked his cheek affectionately before carefully laying the exhausted man on the bed. He brushed aside Lin Xingshu’s damp, sweat-streaked hair, his voice unnaturally gentle.

"Ah Shu, rest well."

Lin Xingshu didn’t dare respond, lying perfectly still, forcing even breaths. But he didn’t notice—his fingers twitched uncontrollably from tension.

And he had no idea that Xie Guan had already caught his subtle reaction.

Xie Guan’s gaze lingered on Lin Xingshu’s fingers, a shadow flickering in his eyes before vanishing just as quickly.

He stood slowly, giving Lin Xingshu—who appeared to be deep in sleep—one last glance before leaving the room.

Once certain Xie Guan was gone, Lin Xingshu waited a while longer before sitting up abruptly. He shoved his fingers down his throat, gagging violently.

"Ugh— Mm!"

The overwhelming nausea made him retch, but he muffled the sound with his hand, vomiting silently. Tears welled in his eyes from the strain, but he didn’t relent, gagging viciously until every drop of the unknown liquid Xie Guan had forced into him was expelled into the trash.

"Huff... huff..."

Lin Xingshu leaned weakly against the headboard, gulping in deep breaths, his eyes wide with terror.

Against his will, Zhong Cheng’s words echoed in his mind—Xie Guan was acting really weird. Was it possible...?

"It can't be..."

Lin Xingshu shook his head, murmuring under his breath. After a moment, he lifted his dazed gaze to the tightly shut door.

Without hesitation, his trembling hands eased it open just a sliver.

Just like that night, he peeked through the crack into the living room. But this time, he didn’t see the same scene—the living room was dim, and Xie Guan wasn’t there.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom, drawing Lin Xingshu’s attention to the door left slightly open.

The bedroom wasn’t far from the bathroom. Lin Xingshu held his breath and crept closer, pressed against the wall and cautiously peeked through the narrow gap.

Under the dim yellow light, Xie Guan’s tall figure stood in the bathroom, water dripping from his pale chin as his fingers massaged his face.

Oh, he’s just washing his face...

Lin Xingshu exhaled in relief, his body relaxing instantly.

Of course, there was no such thing as pseudohumans. He’d been with Xie Guan for so long and had never noticed anything unusual.

Zhong Cheng must have been lying to him. Right...

He let out a silent chuckle as he prepared to leave, but his eyes flicked back to the bathroom again.

The next second, his entire body froze, his pupils shrinking, his face contorted in sheer horror.

Inside the bathroom, Xie Guan stood before the mirror.

Leaning close to the glass, his brows furrowed, his fingers kept working over his face.

He pinched the bridge and wings of his slightly crooked nose, tweaking it, but still dissatisfied, he tugged at the corners of his eyes, pulling them slightly farther apart.

Once done, Xie Guan smiled in satisfaction—until a sickening tear of skin ripped through the air, and panic flashed across his face.

In the next instant, the skin on his face began uncontrollably stretching toward the back of his head. Frantically, he grabbed at it, but it was futile.

Under Lin Xingshu’s horrified gaze, that perfect face was shoved to the back of his head, revealing the pseudohuman’s true face.

Beneath the refined features was a pale, featureless face—no eyes, no nose—only a gaping maw bristling with jagged teeth and a thick, crimson tongue.

Lin Xingshu clamped a hand over his mouth, disbelief and terror seizing him. His breath quickened, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

A wave of nausea rose in his gut, the sheer horror making him nearly vomit. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay silent, but his body trembled violently.

Xie Guan—no, the pseudohuman—hammered a fist into the sink before frantically trying to pull the discarded skin back over its twisted face. The bathroom echoed with its muffled, furious gasps.

Terrifying. Surreal.

Overwhelming fear crashed over Lin Xingshu. He staggered back before fleeing to the bedroom.

In a flash, he dove under the covers, cocooning himself in the blankets.

Even so, he was freezing—chilled straight to the bone.

Xie Guan really was a pseudohuman… Zhong Cheng hadn’t lied.

He’d actually been sleeping beside a monster that had harassed him over and over—for days!

Lin Xingshu’s eyes widened in mounting terror. His body went rigid. He thrashed free of the blankets, looking toward the shirt discarded on the floor. He snatched it up, yanking the knife Zhong Cheng had given him from the pocket.

Zhong Cheng had called it the ultimate pseudohuman-slaying weapon.

Lin Xingshu instinctively tightened his grip on the hilt. One strike was all it’d take to kill the thing. Tonight was the perfect opportunity.

But then… His hand sank. Memories of the past days with the pseudohuman flashed through his mind. Even though it had stolen Xie Guan’s identity and face, it had treated him so well—better than even his own parents had ever cared for him…

What was he supposed to do? God, what *could* he do?

*Click.*

Outside the door, the sound of the bathroom door opening startled him. Lin Xingshu shoved the knife under the pillow and ducked back under the blankets, pretending to be fast asleep.

*Thud… thud… thud…*

The footsteps dragged closer, heavy and slow. Whether it was his imagination or not, Lin Xingshu felt the room fill with a sinister chill. Under the covers, he shook like a leaf.

It was coming. The pseudohuman—*it was coming.*

The blankets beside him suddenly dipped as an arm reached from behind, pulling him into an embrace.

A cold exhale ghosted over his neck. Lin Xingshu clenched his jaw, fists tightening instinctively.

"Ah Shu… you’re shaking. And you’re ice-cold."

The voice was a low murmur at his ear. Lin Xingshu stayed silent, not daring to make a sound, but then a sigh came from behind him.

There was a rustling noise as the figure behind him pulled him closer, gently tucking the blankets around him.

"Bundle up, or you’ll get sick again."

For a split second, it was like a knife twisted in his chest—the pain nearly suffocating.

He couldn’t kill it. But he couldn’t play along like everything was fine, either.

He was human, a normal human. He could never stay with a non-human monster.

He had to leave. It was the only way.

……

Eyes shut, Lin Xingshu spiraled in his own head. With his back turned to Xie Guan, he never saw the pseudohuman’s pitch-black eyes boring into his back.

Its eyes fixed on Lin Xingshu’s hand—where the blankets hid a telltale bulge.

The pseudohuman shut its eyes, blank-faced, pulling Lin Xingshu even tighter against itself.

It knew. Oh, it knew *everything.* It had sensed the knife the second Ah Shu walked in.

It could’ve smashed the blade to bits. It chose not to.

A question had always gnawed at him.

If he no longer had Xie Guan's handsome face, would Lin Xingshu still love him? Would he believe that bastard and kill him?

He burned to know the answer.

So, everything that happened tonight was staged for Lin Xingshu's benefit, including the liquid he made Lin Xingshu drink—it was nothing but water.

He admitted he was despicable and disgusting, just as Lin Xingshu had called him—a sick freak. But no matter what, he had gotten the answer he wanted.

Lin Xingshu had said that no matter what he became, he would still love him. It was true; he'd meant it.

The pseudohuman's mouth quirked upward, his gaze softening. Unable to resist, he gently pressed a kiss to the back of Lin Xingshu's neck. Feeling the slight tremble of the person in his arms, he closed his eyes blissfully and buried his face in the hollow of his neck.

Tomorrow was Sunday. He had to wake up early to pick up Lin Xingshu's favorites at the market. He thought it was time to confess everything to Lin Xingshu...

*

"Don't—don't eat me—!"

Lin Xingshu bolted upright screaming, his eyes wide with terror, his face ghost-white, bruise-dark circles beneath his eyes, lips colorless, his face slack with exhaustion and fear.

He turned his head sharply, instinctively looking beside him—only to find the space empty. His racing heart finally slowed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he leaned back against the headboard, completely drained.

He had barely slept last night. Every time he closed his eyes, the monstrous, distorted visage of the pseudohuman filled his vision.

In his half-asleep state, the pseudohuman had grabbed his ankle, dragging him closer inch by inch, then opened its jaws lined with fangs and swallowed his leg whole.

The memory made his skin crawl. Trembling, he retrieved the knife he had hidden under the covers last night and carefully tucked it back into his coat pocket.

Moving on tiptoe, he got out of bed and gently opened the door, scanning the empty living room—no trace of Xie Guan.

Anxiety prickled in Lin Xingshu's eyes. He called softly, "Xie Guan?"

Silence. The house held its breath. After everything that had happened, Lin Xingshu couldn't afford to relax. He searched every room, confirming the pseudohuman was truly gone before finally relaxing.

He blew out a long breath, about to sit down for a drink of water when his hand froze mid-motion. It hit him.

The pseudohuman wasn't here. He could leave—now.

Without a second thought, Lin Xingshu set down the glass, quickly pulled out his suitcase, and tossed in all his clothes from the wardrobe inside. He opened his phone and bought a high-speed train ticket to City B, departing in an hour.

The memory of the pseudohuman's monstrous face sent his pulse skyrocketing. Moving swiftly, he grabbed the knife Zhong Cheng had given him, put on a cap and mask, but as he stepped toward the door, his steps faltered.

Unable to resist, he glanced back one last time at the apartment. Gritting his teeth, he dragged his suitcase into the elevator without a backward glance.

Watching the floors descend one by one, his heartbeat quickened, his palms drenched in sweat, begging the elevator to hurry.

"Ding—"

The doors finally opened on the ground floor. Heart leaping, Lin Xingshu barreled forward head down—only to freeze at a familiar voice.

"Ah Shu?"

Lin Xingshu stiffened. He knew that voice all too well—Xie Guan. Or rather... the pseudohuman.

Why now? Of all times!

He didn't dare look up, his heart pounding violently. Panicking, he frantically mashed the close button. As the doors shut, he randomly stabbed at the basement button.

The pseudohuman stood rooted, staring blankly as the elevator doors closed. Only then did he snap back to reality. Seeing the display indicate the basement, he didn't hesitate—he took the stairs three at a time.

"Ah Shu!"

"Ah Shu—!"

In the underground parking lot, the pseudohuman's pleading voice chased after him. Lin Xingshu didn't look back, sprinting for his life.

But he forgot—the pseudohuman was much faster. Just like the night they first met, it closed the distance easily.

"Ah Shu... where are you going...?"

Fingers clamped around his wrist, digging in painfully. Lin Xingshu turned to see the pseudohuman had caught up, wild-eyed with panic.

Lin Xingshu stayed silent, thrashing violently, but the pseudohuman's hold only tightened.

"Let go! You're hurting me!"

He screamed hoarsely. The pseudohuman's panic deepened, its usual composure gone. It babbled like a scared kid, "S-sorry! I didn't mean to—I'll let go, don't be angry..."

True to its word, it released his wrist. Seeing his opening, Lin Xingshu grabbed his suitcase and made a break for it—but before he could take a step, arms wrapped around his waist.

"Don't go—!"

Lin Xingshu turned to see the pseudohuman kneeling on the ground, groceries scattering across the pavement—all his favorite foods.

The pseudohuman clung desperately, its perfect face twisted in pleading, eyes welling up.

In the past, Lin Xingshu's heart would have melted, gently pulling it into his arms to comfort it.

But not now.

Because he knew the grotesque face hidden beneath that beauty.

"Let go."

Lin Xingshu's voice cut like ice, showing no mercy. The pseudohuman only clung harder. "No! Ah Shu, tell me where you're going—"

"I'm leaving. I'm getting out of here. Happy now?"

Before it could respond, Lin Xingshu cut it off. His gaze fell on the arms around him, steel entering his gaze. He pried at its fingers one by one—only for it to clamp back on the moment he freed himself.

"Leaving? Why? Weren't we fine yesterday? Did I do something wrong? Tell me, I'll change—"

"You can't change."

The pseudohuman froze, slowly lifting its head to meet Lin Xingshu's cold stare.

"Xie Guan... no, I shouldn't call you that. 'Pseudohuman' is more fitting. Tell me—was it fun, pretending to be someone else and deceiving me?"

The pseudohuman went rigid, confusion flooding its eyes. Then it rushed to explain, "I—I was wrong to lie, but I had no choice! I could only use Xie Guan's face to get close to you. If you don't like it, I won't use it anymore! Please don't be angry—"

"So, if not that face, what will you use? Your real face—the one with no eyes or nose?"

The corner of Lin Xingshu's mouth twitched as his icy gaze fell upon the pseudohuman's face: "That... only disgusts me."

At the thought of the pseudohuman's terrifying face, a flicker of fear flashed through Lin Xingshu's eyes. He took a deep breath, steadying his voice:

"Let's break up. I won't tell anyone about you. You'd better bring the real Xie Guan back. This charade ends here."

Xie Guan's body trembled as he looked up, his eyes full of despair, lips quivering.

"You're leaving me?"

"But... didn't you say you'd love me no matter what I became?"

"I didn’t even know you weren’t human!"

Gritting his teeth, Lin Xingshu mustered all his strength to peel the pseudohuman’s fingers off one by one. No matter how desperately the pseudohuman pleaded, he didn’t react, his eyes resolute.

"Don’t make me say it again—let go!"

"No, Ah Shu, I beg you. I may not be human, but I truly love you. I was wrong. Forgive me. Let's be together properly from now on. Don't leave me... please..."

The pseudohuman knelt on the ground, head bowed, voice trembling uncontrollably. Lin Xingshu gave a mocking laugh.

"Forgive you? You deceived me, impersonated someone else, and harassed me. The whole time, you played me like a puppet. Why should I forgive you?"

His gaze turned cold again:

"I won’t ask again. Let go. Don't make me hate you."

The pseudohuman's arms around him shuddered violently, fingers curling briefly before finally loosening and dropping limply to his sides. He slumped to the floor in a heap.

Even so, the pseudohuman’s tearful eyes still followed him, full of desperation—like a kicked dog.

Seeing him like this, Lin Xingshu looked away quickly, long lashes hiding the flash of pity in his eyes. He took another deep breath, grabbed his suitcase, and walked off without a backward glance.

The pseudohuman shakily rose to his feet, wanting to follow, but the harsh words rang in his ears, freezing him in place. He could only stand there, just staring as Lin Xingshu disappeared into the distance.

Long after Lin Xingshu had vanished, the pseudohuman remained motionless, like an empty shell. Mechanically, he cleaned up the mess on the floor before numbly taking the elevator back to the home he once shared with Lin Xingshu.

Face blank, he started cooking as usual, setting two places at the table.

But when he sat down and saw the empty chair where Lin Xingshu used to sit, tears fell uncontrollably, rolling down like beads.

"What do I do, what do I do, what do I do..."

The pseudohuman whispered to himself, repeating it over and over. Suddenly, he clutched his head as his jaw began stretching unnaturally, mouth widening grotesquely, sharp fangs and a crimson tongue exposed to the air.

Xie Guan’s handsome face melted away, revealing the pseudohuman’s true monstrous form.

His worst fear had come true—Ah Shu must despise him now.

He truly didn't know what to do... If only he had a beautiful face like a real human, he could pursue Ah Shu openly, be with him properly, instead of like this...

It hurt. His heart ached. Every part of him hurt.

"Bzzz—"

His phone suddenly buzzed beside him. The pseudohuman froze for a second before his eyes lit up with hope. Eagerly, he grabbed the phone, answering before even checking the caller ID.

"Ah Shu! I knew you wouldn't abandon me! Where are you? I'll come get you—"

"It's Shi Zheng."

A familiar female voice came through the line. The pseudohuman's hopeful smile faded instantly, replaced by utter disappointment. He couldn't even speak, but Shi Zheng continued:

"Are you free tonight? Let's meet. Same place as before. 1 AM. There's something I need to discuss with you."

*

"Creak—"

The old wooden door groaned as Shi Zheng stepped inside. In the darkness, she immediately spotted her fellow pseudohuman—and gasped when she saw his face.

"Why are you back to this form?! Where's the other face?"

The pseudohuman stiffened slightly before slowly looking up, his fanged mouth working stiffly:

"He didn't like it... so that face was useless now."

"You..."

Remembering their earlier call, Shi Zheng hesitated. "Did you two... fight?"

"We... we broke up."

The pseudohuman could no longer hold back. He buried his face in his hands, voice breaking with sobs. "He saw my real face... knows I'm not the real Xie Guan... he’s disgusted by me now..."

"Actually, what I wanted to talk about... involves Xie Guan."

"And it also concerns Lin Xingshu."

Shi Zheng's words made the pseudohuman snap his head up. She bit her lip, sitting across from him before speaking carefully:

"The truth is... I never ate Xie Guan that day."

The pseudohuman spun toward her, eyes widening in disbelief. Seeing his reaction, Shi Zheng hurriedly explained:

"It wasn't intentional! I drove him to the outskirts, but just as I was about to... a rat-headed pseudohuman appeared with a whole group of others. They took Xie Guan by force. There were too many of them, I—"

"I was too scared to tell you, so I've been tracking their scent ever since. Yesterday, I finally found where that pseudohuman lives. But do you know what I saw?"

Shi Zheng's expression turned complicated. "I saw Lin Xingshu. He entered the apartment building... with that pseudohuman."

The moment the words left her mouth, the pseudohuman understood. A cold sneer twisted his features as his hands clenched into fists on the table.

Thinking his anger was directed at Lin Xingshu, Shi Zheng opened her mouth to mediate—only for the pseudohuman to slam his fist down on the shaky table, his voice thick with venom.

"That explains it!"

"Don't—don't be mad. Lin Xingshu probably just—"

"That bitch! He did this on purpose!"

The vicious curse left Shi Zheng stunned. The pseudohuman continued ranting uncontrollably:

"No wonder Ah Shu acted so strange after coming back! Wouldn’t even let me near him! It's all that bastard's fault! That disgusting—Ah Shu smelled like him! I had to scent-mark him for hours to cover it! What does that monster even want?!"

Shi Zheng stared at the lovesick, raving pseudohuman ranting and raving. After a long pause, she hesitantly offered:

"He must know what we did to Xie Guan. If we’re going to keep blending in with humans, maybe we should..."

"Good. Let’s go."

The pseudohuman abruptly cut her off, springing to his feet with fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, veins bulging across the backs of his hands and forearms—poised to strike.

The thought of Lin Xingshu's coldness toward him felt like a knife to the heart. Instinctively, he bared his fang-filled mouth, baring his teeth in a vicious snarl.

"I have no grudge against him, yet he ruined my relationship with Ah Shu for no reason, turning Ah Shu against me... I will never let him go. Tonight, he dies—no question."

Shi Zheng nodded numbly.

Wait—she hadn’t even shared her plan yet...

*

2 a.m., inside a residential complex.

Zhong Cheng paced anxiously in his apartment, glancing repeatedly at his phone, his stomach in knots.

Hours had passed since Lin Xingshu had sent him a single message about heading to City B—no further replies. Had he run into trouble?

That knife, the only weapon capable of killing a pseudohuman, had been given to him. If Lin Xingshu died, it wouldn’t be the end of the world—but if that blade fell into a pseudohuman’s hands, it would be disastrous.

Now, regret ate at him. He had overestimated Lin Xingshu.

Suddenly, his nose twitched. His gaze snapped alert, and he swiftly turned, slipping into the room where Xie Guan was kept.

Xie Guan slept on, oblivious to the impending danger. Without hesitation, Zhong Cheng swiftly hid Xie Guan’s recovering body inside the wardrobe.

The next moment, the front door was kicked open with a loud *bang*. Zhong Cheng’s heart jumped. Holding his breath, his body shrank rapidly, morphing into a rat-headed pseudohuman. He retreated several steps, concealing himself in the darkness beneath the bed.

Of course—why now?

Without that knife, he was defenseless against a pseudohuman. Worse still, the pseudohuman had brought backup. His own combat abilities were weak—he couldn’t fight them head-on.

All he could do was hide and pray. In this shrunken form, with his presence masked, the pseudohuman shouldn’t easily detect him.

*BANG—!*

Another deafening crash—the bedroom door was kicked open. A suffocating presence filled the room, and Zhong Cheng’s throat went dry. Instinctively, he held his breath, curling into an even smaller ball.

"Where is he? The trail goes cold here?"

A woman’s voice spoke up. "Did he sense us coming and flee? Check downstairs?"

"Hold on."

The pseudohuman’s voice sent a chill through Zhong Cheng’s entire body, even throwing off his concealed presence.

*No!*

Zhong Cheng shuddered, forcing himself to steady his breath. Through the gap beneath the bed, he saw the pseudohuman’s feet stop right in front of it. One glance under the bed, and he was done for.

His heart pounded violently. He prayed to whatever gods listened. The air was dead silent, the heavy footsteps lingering by the bed.

At that moment, he was infinitely thankful Xie Guan was still playing dead—no living aura to give them away. Otherwise, escape would have been impossible.

The woman spoke again. "Seems he’s not here anymore. Maybe we should leave."

After a brief silence, the pseudohuman sighed. "Probably escaped."

Zhong Cheng’s suspended heart finally dropped back into place—but he didn’t dare relax. He watched their movements carefully, only exhaling once he was certain they had truly left.

Cautiously, he crawled out from under the bed. Just as he prepared to revert to human form, a whisper of movement came from behind him. His body froze, ice flooding his veins.

"Click, click, click—"

Footsteps echoed from behind. Zhong Cheng broke out in a cold sweat, rooted to the spot, paralyzed with fear. Trembling, he turned his head—and his eyes widened in sheer horror.

Standing tall behind him was a towering man. The man's face bore no eyes or nose, only a gaping mouth lined with razor-sharp fangs stretching nearly to the back of his neck. A crimson tongue flicked out slightly as a deep, satisfied chuckle rumbled from his throat.

"Finally caught you, filthy rat."

"Ahhh—!"

Zhong Cheng let out a piercing scream as he tried to flee, but the pseudohuman was faster. A foot stomped down on his rat tail, sending blinding pain shooting up his spine. He wailed, but the pseudohuman paid no heed, bending slightly to grip his tail between two fingers and lift him up.

Those inky black eyes studied him with amusement, curved in a smile that held nothing but killing intent.

Zhong Cheng shook like a leaf as the pseudohuman's hand slid upward, settling around his throat.

"No... no! I was wrong, I swear! Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me!!"

"It—it was them! The Special Species Containment Facility gave the orders! I was just following instructions!"

"So you're the one who stole Xie Guan away!"

Shi Zheng snarled, cutting him off. "Where is Xie Guan?! What did you do with him?!"

Zhong Cheng fell silent, his gaze darting nervously. The pseudohuman narrowed his eyes, tightening his grip. The vise-like grip on Zhong Cheng’s throat forced a strangled gasp, and he hastily gasped out:

"The organization—the organization took him! I don’t know, I really don’t know where—!"

*Crack—*

Before he could finish, the sickening crack of bone rang out. Zhong Cheng's head lolled to the side, his eyes going dull instantly. Silence reclaimed the room.

The pseudohuman sneered, dropping the dead rat-human hybrid to the floor. The body began to swell, the rodent features morphing into a full rat’s head as the form expanded to adult size before going utterly still.

"What a joke. Just a sniveling rat who only knew how to stir up trouble."

Shi Zheng hesitated before speaking. "You killed him... Now we’ve lost the lead on Xie Guan. What if the real Xie Guan returns someday? Your identity—"

"Doesn’t matter."

The pseudohuman slowly shook his head. Though his face lacked eyes, Shi Zheng, as his kin, could feel it—he was grieving.

"I never cared about the identity of Xie Guan. The only one I care about is Lin Xingshu."

The pseudohuman paused mid-sentence, then whirled around. In one swift motion, he yanked open the wardrobe. Shi Zheng stared in shock as he hauled out a cowering Xie Guan by the collar, dumping him beside Zhong Cheng’s corpse.

"He—he wasn’t..." Shi Zheng stammered. "That vermin said he’d been taken—"

"And you believed a rat?"

The pseudohuman scoffed, studying the petrified man on the floor. He crouched slowly, but before he could act, Xie Guan threw himself to his knees, begging:

"Don’t kill me! Please! I’ll give you anything, just spare my life!"

Xie Guan’s face was deathly pale, his pleas desperate, his pretty face now contorted into a pitiful sight. The pseudohuman sighed. How could such a pathetic creature have a face that so captivated Lin Xingshu?

"Don’t be afraid."

The pseudohuman chuckled softly, holding out a hand to him.

"Xie Guan... Let's make a deal, shall we?"