Chapter 14

Chapter 14

1

It took a moment for Pei Chang’s chaotic mind to clear before he finally surfaced from his profound exhaustion.

He sat up, his gaze falling on his crumpled shirt. A frown creased his brow. He then threw back the covers, revealing his bare lower body, red marks stark against his inner thighs where he’d been gripped.

His eyes instantly blazed red. Snatching the dirty pants from the floor, he hurled them.

The creature, seated against the wall, remained immobile, its jet-black eyes fixed on him.

Pei Chang was consumed by a furious urge to vent, yet he knew that no matter how he spoke or shouted, the other would offer no response.

He closed his eyes, attempting to quell the rising frustration, but the memory of being utterly manipulated the previous day clung stubbornly to his mind.

He tried to resist, but his control snapped. With a venomous glint in his eyes, he moved to strike, only for his wrist to be seized.

“Let go!”

The other watched him, silent and still.

Pei Chang loathed this profound sense of powerlessness. Especially through the gaps in his hair, those eyes—he found it impossible to resist their unsettling familiarity.

A person buried deep in his memories was brutally exhumed, raw and bleeding. The precious, genuine feelings he had long sealed away had been twisted into a repulsive resemblance.

There could be countless stand-ins for "stray dogs" in this world, but there absolutely could not be a stand-in for "him"!

Pinned by the wrist, unable to move, Pei Chang’s anger reached its zenith. Suddenly, he sank his teeth into the other’s shoulder.

The savage, brutal force seemed intent on tearing away a piece of flesh.

Yet the creature remained motionless, allowing Pei Chang to unleash his fury. It merely lowered its head slightly, its dry lips brushing gently against Pei Chang’s hair, like a fleeting, almost-kiss.

A faint taste of blood flooded Pei Chang’s throat. His chest heaving, he released his bite, his eyes regaining their customary indifference.

“Let go. I need to go to work,” he stated, his face cold.

The hand gripping his wrist slowly released its hold, revealing red marks on Pei Chang’s skin, like a potent brand.

Pei Chang pulled down his sleeve to conceal his wrist, then stood up, his legs bare, and silently began to dress.

Through the mirror, those dark pupils watched him unblinkingly from behind, swirling with a thick, distorted emotion.

Recalling the other’s earlier compliance, he sneered, turning to mock, “It seems you’re not entirely incapable of understanding human speech after all.”

Without a backward glance, he walked out.

Under the shower, Pei Chang washed away the grime of the previous day.

Yet the red finger marks on his lower back and thighs became even more vivid under the steaming water.

Pei Chang desperately tried to erase the humiliation of the previous night, but whether it was the hot water or his hypersensitive body—

The water cascading down his skin transformed into the hands that had held him yesterday, the rolling droplets into the tongue that had explored between his thighs.

“Bang!”

Pei Chang slammed his fist against the wall, his eyes alarmingly bloodshot.

—

Not long after the last incident involving Pei Chang’s injured arm, Special Assistant Sun and Assistant Jin once again noticed marks on his wrist.

These were even more brutal than before; the ring of red—whether from gripping or binding—was impossible to conceal, even with his sleeves pulled straight.

Especially given Pei Chang’s pale skin, his well-defined wrist bones, and his long, slender fingers—a truly beautiful pair of hands, whether holding a pen or playing the piano.

This mark, peeking out from beneath his shirt cuff, partially hidden, grew more suggestive the more he tried to cover it, irresistibly drawing the eye upwards.

To make matters worse, a poorly concealed bandage on his neck only fueled further speculation.

But even the mere thought was enough to unnerve them.

Who could it be, leaving such profound marks on Pei Chang, again and again?

“Special Assistant Sun.”

Addressed directly, Special Assistant Sun felt a chill race down his spine, numbing him from head to toe.

“What are you thinking about?” Pei Chang’s gaze was icy, clearly intolerant of distraction during work hours.

Cold sweat trickled down Special Assistant Sun’s forehead.

Assistant Jin glanced at him, then said calmly, “This morning, the front desk received a package addressed specifically to the CEO’s office. They weren’t sure whether to deliver it.”

Pei Chang turned to her. “Do we know who sent it?”

“Unclear. It was sent anonymously.”

“Bring it up.”

“Yes.”

Special Assistant Sun breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Assistant Jin.

Assistant Jin’s expression remained cool, the epitome of an impartial, stern beauty.

The package was light, almost weightless. All sender information had been erased, and the recipient was simply listed as “Pei Chang, CEO Office, Pei Group.”

“Mr. Pei, allow me,” Special Assistant Sun offered, taking the package.

Though it appeared harmless, there was no guarantee it didn’t contain something dangerous.

Pei Chang didn’t object, calmly stepping aside.

With a serious expression, Special Assistant Sun carefully opened the package, only to find a single folded sheet of paper inside.

He paused, glanced at Pei Chang, and seeing no change in his expression, solemnly unfolded the paper.

Then, his brow relaxed as he presented the technical document, filled with obscure terminology, with both hands.

“Mr. Pei, it’s a data sheet.”

Pei Chang took it, realizing it was experimental data.

It meticulously detailed a test subject’s mutation state over a year, along with various rejection reactions and other conditions.

Pei Chang’s grip tightened abruptly. There was no name, no identification for the test subject, yet he instantly recognized it—this experimental data belonged to the monster in the attic.

His expression darkened immediately.

“Check the surveillance! Find out who sent this thing!”

Pei Chang’s eyes were terrifyingly cold.

Special Assistant Sun pursed his lips and immediately stood at attention. “Yes!”

As Special Assistant Sun exited, he collided with the general manager outside and frowned. “Manager Pei, what are you doing here?”

The general manager pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, forcing a smile. “Regarding the project mentioned in the last meeting…”

“Mr. Pei has his own vision. Manager Pei simply needs to focus on his own duties.”

Special Assistant Sun walked away without another word.

The general manager quickly nodded in agreement, but as soon as Special Assistant Sun’s back disappeared, he anxiously peered toward Pei Chang’s office.

If it weren’t for the fact that everyone acted unnaturally tense before entering Pei Chang’s office, the general manager’s behavior would have clearly seemed suspicious.

Truthfully, the general manager had no idea what was written on that paper—he couldn’t understand a single word—but he knew Grandpa Pei well enough to understand that he never acted without purpose.

He was clever enough to ensure Pei Chang couldn't trace the package back to him, using multiple intermediaries to send it anonymously.

Under Pei Chang’s intense pressure, he had long become a jittery mess, and this time he made sure to cover his tracks completely to avoid any suspicion.

But even now, there was still no sound from the office. The quieter it was, the more on edge the general manager felt.

—

Pei Chang carried the experimental data, his expression grim, as he ascended to the attic.

7008 fidgeted with its fingers, stammering, “Actually, I know who he is.”

“Who?”

“Can’t say.”

“Then shut up!”

“…”

7008 crouched on the ground, sighing with a sense of emptiness.

What it really wanted to say was that if Pei Chang truly knew who that person was, he would be heartbroken.

Pei Chang was well aware that the other had once been human—that grotesque form likely resulted from brutal destruction and agonizing suffering.

But so what!

Did he appear more benevolent than Chen Siqing?

Since he had discovered the other locked in the attic, it was his property!

What he wanted was a “stray dog”—one that was locked up and would lick his hand obediently when he needed it!

A replacement for a “stray dog” didn’t require him to waste any empathy, much less learn its backstory!

But now, someone had delivered this information to him, attempting to lead him to speculate and imagine.

No matter the sender’s intention, this feeling put Pei Chang in an utterly foul mood!

Opening the attic door, Pei Chang irritably tossed his tie to the floor.

He didn’t have to come here.

He couldn’t understand why, after such a terrible night, he still ended up here anyway.

But his body seemed to act on autopilot—the moment he entered the villa, he automatically walked toward the attic.

Subconsciously, it seemed this place had become the only sanctuary where he could let his guard down.

But now, seeing the figure sitting quietly in the corner watching him, he felt like a mocked fool!

He raised his head, covering his face with his hand, and let out a bitter laugh, swearing.

“Ha. Damn it.”