His gaze swept over the gun in Qin Hongyi’s hand. “Put away that crappy toy—it’s prone to misfiring.”
Qin Hongyi froze in place.
Absurd.
Too damn absurd.
A canary that should be kneeling on the ground begging for mercy was now acting like a queen, laying down rules for her?
But damn it, she actually found Gu Chen in this moment irresistibly sexy.
“What if I refuse?” Qin Hongyi raised an eyebrow, trying to regain control. “Don’t forget, your life still depends on my drugs.”
“You can try.”
Gu Chen sneered. “See if Qin Mu kills you first, or I die first.”
Standoff.
The air froze, sparks flying.
Just as Qin Hongyi weighed the pros and cons, preparing to counterattack, the unexpected came.
“Uh…”
Gu Chen, who had an aura towering moments ago, suddenly grunted.
Those vertical pupils glowing eerily in the dark instantly scattered—his whole body like a punctured balloon, that terrifying presence leaking out completely.
Thud.
Knees buckled—his entire body toppling forward without warning.
Qin Hongyi instinctively reached out, catching this bonelessly soft body.
“Hey! What are you playing dead for?” Qin Hongyi cursed instinctively.
But the next second, she sensed something wrong.
Hot.
The body in her arms was like it had just been fished from a furnace.
Through the thin shirt, that shocking heat transferred instantly.
“Ha… ha…”
Gu Chen leaned in her embrace, panting heavily.
Adrenaline receded—the T-9 agent’s side effects plus the overdraw from forcibly activating hunt mode now backlash like a tsunami.
Pain—joints like being gnawed by ants.
Hunger—the craving for flesh surging again.
But the worst was that unspeakable emptiness.
Gu Chen felt like he had turned into some lower creature—instinctively craving a strong presence, craving to be touched, filled, possessed.
“Fuck…”
He cursed madly in his heart, trying to push Qin Hongyi away.
But as his hand touched Qin Hongyi’s waist, it uncontrollably turned into an embrace.
Fingers gripped that expensive suit fabric tightly—his body instinctively burrowing into Qin Hongyi’s arms.
“Mm…”
A sweet, broken sound spilled from his throat.
Once this sound came out, Gu Chen wanted to die.
Too damn shameful!
If his old brothers heard this, he couldn’t even hold down his coffin lid!
Qin Hongyi’s scalp tingled from that hum.
She lowered her head to look at the person in her arms.
The arrogant Young Master Gu from earlier was gone—replaced by a beauty with flushed face, wet eye tails, gaze hazy yet carrying a plea for help.
This contrast from shura to娇 doll in seconds—the impact was nuclear-level.
“Heh.”
Qin Hongyi suddenly laughed.
A laugh full of malice.
“Weren’t you so tough just now? Young Master Gu?”
Her fingertip slid down Gu Chen’s scorching spine—wickedly pressing at his sensitive waist dimple.
“Uh!”
Gu Chen trembled all over—his legs softening even more, his whole body practically hanging on Qin Hongyi.
“Out of power already?” Qin Hongyi leaned to his ear, tone mocking. “Looks like your superman mode is a three-minute trial version, huh?”
“Shut… up…” Gu Chen bit his tongue tip, trying to use pain to recall reason. “Take me… out…”
“Beg me.”
Qin Hongyi not only didn’t move—but tightened her arms even more, pressing them seamlessly. “Weren’t you saying to be partners? Is this your attitude for begging?”
Gu Chen felt like he was about to explode.
Qin Hongyi’s cold fragrance—and the sound of veins throbbing under her skin—were fatal temptations for him.
If not for his remaining reason holding on, he might have bitten down directly now.
“Qin… Hongyi…”
Gu Chen’s voice trembled, carrying a sob. “Want to live… hurry… Qin Mu’s people… have backups…”
Hearing Qin Mu’s name, the mockery in Qin Hongyi’s eyes receded a bit.
She knew now wasn’t the time for this twisted play.
“This debt’s on tab.”
Qin Hongyi snorted coldly—bending down, one hand through his knee bend, the other around his back.
Princess carry.
Gu Chen felt the world spin—then he was lifted into the air.
He, a grown man, was actually princess-carried by a woman!
Dignity swept away!
But he didn’t even have strength to resist now—only burying his face tightly in Qin Hongyi’s neck crook, not wanting anyone to see this embarrassing state.
“Hold tight, little monster.”
Qin Hongyi carried him over the corpses—striding toward the exit. “If you fall and get nibbled by rats, don’t blame me.”
Gu Chen didn’t speak—only deeply inhaling at Qin Hongyi’s neck crook.
That cold fragrance miraculously suppressed the scorching in his body.
This damn body was actually treating Qin Hongyi as a sedative?
What a sin.
…
Rain still falling.
The damaged Jetta was already scrapped—good thing Qin Hongyi had contingencies; a backup off-roader hidden in the nearby dense forest.
She roughly stuffed Gu Chen into the passenger seat—jumping in herself to start the engine.
Boom!
The off-roader charged into the rain curtain.
Dead silence in the car.
Gu Chen shrank in the seat—covered in Qin Hongyi’s bloodstained suit, still shivering.
Qin Hongyi drove one-handed—the other rummaging the glove box, tossing over a bag.
“Eat.”
It was a bag of military compressed rations and glucose.
“No cooked meat—make do.” Qin Hongyi eyed ahead. “Once back in the city, you can have a full imperial banquet. If we make it back alive.”
Gu Chen tore the packaging—mechanically stuffing into his mouth.
Though the texture was like chewing wax—with food in his stomach, that madness-driving hunger finally eased some.
“Where to?” Gu Chen asked.
“Besides my private residence, other Qin properties aren’t safe.” Qin Hongyi yanked the wheel sharply—the car turning onto a muddy path. “To Nightshade.”
Nightshade.
Beijing’s biggest underground gold sink—and the only no-man’s-land.
Rumor said the boss had heaven-reaching backing—no one dared start fights there.
Gu Chen’s eyes flickered: “Want to borrow their power?”
“Not borrowing.” Qin Hongyi glanced at the rearview, smiling meaningfully. “Going to meet someone.”
“Who?”
“Someone who can lift this Eden curse on you.” Qin Hongyi floored the accelerator. “Or rather, a mad doctor who can fully remodel you, this little white rabbit, into a killing machine.”
Gu Chen’s heart sank.
Doctor?
Five years ago when the Gu family touched that project, they heard the Eden Project’s chief scientist was a lunatic.
But wasn’t he dead?
“Don’t get excited too soon.” Qin Hongyi seemed to see through his thoughts. “That guy’s a true pervert. I only heard he’s appeared at Nightshade.”
The car sped through the rainy night.
Suddenly, Gu Chen felt a strong unease.
Intuition’s warning.
“Stop.” Gu Chen growled low.
“What?”
“Ahead intersection—stop!”
Gu Chen sat up sharply—vertical pupils glowing eerily in the dark. “Bomb.”
Screech!
Qin Hongyi almost instinctively reacted—slamming the brakes.
The off-roader tailed on the slick road—barely stopping before an unremarkable crossroad.
Boom!!
The instant the car stopped—the small bridge twenty meters ahead was swallowed by flames.
The blast wave wrapped debris smashing hard on the windshield—crackling.
If driving normally, they’d be ashes now.
Qin Hongyi watched the flames—palms full of cold sweat.
She turned to the passenger—that weak yet sharp-eyed woman.
“Looks like bringing you and this dog nose was the right call.”
Gu Chen glanced coldly at her—lips curling into a smile with bloody tang.
“President Qin—price up.”
“Now to protect your life—master bedroom’s not enough.”
“I want five percent of Qin Group’s shares.”