Chapter 22: Probing & Gaming
Xue Chenxi didn’t ask about the ring’s origin any further, but he took in every change in Gu Yunsheng’s expression without batting an eyelid. He walked to a corner of the wooden house by the window and seemed to fiddle casually with a test-tube cultivated coral on the windowsill. The coral’s color was weirdly bright, shining with a ghostly luster under the light.
“Did you know? The extract of this deep-sea coral has a very magical effect on stabilizing Omega pheromones,” Xue Chenxi said in a gentle tone, as if just chatting with Gu Yunsheng. “Unfortunately, my research reached a critical stage but lacked a crucial catalyst.”
He turned to look at Gu Yunsheng, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally sweeping over the ring on his hand. “I’ve always been thinking, if I could find a special energy source, maybe I could make up for this defect…”
How could Gu Yunsheng not hear the implication in his words?
Xue Chenxi was clearly hinting that the ring was the ‘special energy source’ he spoke of! He secretly clenched his fist, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
“Is that so? That’s really a pity.” Gu Yunsheng sighed with feigned regret. “I am very interested in your research project, but unfortunately, I know nothing about this field. I’m afraid I can’t be of any help.” He lowered his eyes, hiding the calculation in them. “However, I believe with Mr. Xue’s ability, you will definitely find a solution soon.”
“But time waits for no one…” Xue Chenxi said meaningfully, and suddenly ‘accidentally’ knocked over a beaker on the table. The beaker containing blue liquid rolled to the ground, about to shatter!
Gu Yunsheng’s heart tightened. Almost instinctively, he wanted to reach out and catch the beaker.
However, just then, he felt Xue Chenxi’s gaze land on his hand—a gaze so sharp it seemed to see through everything.
Gu Yunsheng forcibly stopped his movement, letting the beaker smash onto the floor with a crisp clang. Blue liquid splashed all over him.
“Oh my, I’m really sorry,” Xue Chenxi’s tone held no apology at all, instead carrying a trace of… probing. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine…” Gu Yunsheng suppressed the discomfort in his heart, frowned slightly, and asked as calmly as possible, “What is this potion? Why does it have such a strange color?” He seemingly casually rubbed the blue liquid on his arm with the back of his hand. A slimy sensation came from his fingertips, making him even more suspicious.
Gu Yunsheng tried hard to control his emotions, not revealing a single flaw, afraid of being seen through by Xue Chenxi.
He knew Xue Chenxi knocked over the potion on purpose to test him.
An hour ago, Xue Chenxi was burned just by touching the ring, while this potion obviously didn’t trigger the ring’s defense mechanism. Could it be… Gu Yunsheng’s heart sank. It seems this ring’s defense mechanism isn’t as simple as imagined. Perhaps it can distinguish what is a real attack, and this potion… He secretly looked up at Xue Chenxi, meeting those bottomless eyes, confirming his guess even more.
Seeing the ring didn’t emit light again and seemed to have no lethality against the potion, the corner of Xue Chenxi’s mouth hooked into an imperceptible arc.
“Hehe, don’t worry. This potion won’t burn you,” he explained seemingly casually. “This is just liquid I extracted from a special sea anemone, used to neutralize some… excessive energy reactions.”
Gu Yunsheng felt there was no need to tangle with Xue Chenxi any longer. He felt this person was not kind. Moreover, having witnessed his ring’s power and making such an obvious probe, the ring was probably not safe.
So he lowered his eyelids, trying to hide the flash of desolation in his eyes, but that bitterness spread like seawater, soaking his voice. Yet, he deliberately changed the subject with a relaxed tone: “Mr. Xue speaks too heavily. I’m just a pitiful person with nowhere to go. You said you wanted me to help you; I’ll listen.”
He smiled as if mocking himself. “It’s just that this sea area is vast and boundless. What help can my meager skills offer?”
Hearing this, Xue Chenxi just smiled meaningfully, patted the dust off his palms, and asked back, “Oh? Then Mr. Gu means…” He deliberately dragged out his tone, staring sharply at Gu Yunsheng. “…that you want to help me, Xue, maintain this ocean together?” Seeing Gu Yunsheng had no intention of leaving again, he seemed to have a plan in mind.
“Mr. Xue hasn’t changed his mind again, right?” Gu Yunsheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone carrying a trace of coldness and probing.
He moved his gaze away from the puddle of piercing blue liquid and looked straight into Xue Chenxi’s eyes, trying to catch a trace of real emotion from those deep pupils.
After a brief silence, he added another sentence, “After all, Mr. Xue just said he wanted my help. How come in the blink of an eye…” He paused deliberately, observing Xue Chenxi’s reaction. “…you seem not to welcome me anymore?”
Xue Chenxi was amused by Gu Yunsheng’s innocent look. A faint smile touched the corners of his eyes and brows. He thought to himself that this person was really interesting—not like the rumored Omega who was soft, cute, and easy to bully, but rather like a cunning fox. He wanted to see even more just how much ability he had to play with him.
“Mr. Gu is joking. I was abrupt; I hope you won’t take it to heart.” Xue Chenxi moved the vase containing blue enchantress roses aside and poured a cup of tea for Gu Yunsheng. “First meeting, nothing good to entertain with. Taste this tea; it’s a new variety I cultivated myself. Not available on the market.”
Gu Yunsheng observed Xue Chenxi’s every move without batting an eyelid. His tea-pouring movements were elegant and natural, not at all like a researcher working in a lab all year round, but more like someone who had occupied a high position for a long time. It seemed rumors couldn’t be fully trusted; this Xue Chenxi was definitely not as simple as he looked on the surface.
The tea fragrance curled up, permeating the space between them. Gu Yunsheng didn’t drink, just holding it in his hand and sniffing gently, while his mind raced to think of countermeasures.
Seeing Gu Yunsheng hesitating, Xue Chenxi didn’t rush him. He just smiled and asked, “What, afraid I poisoned the tea?”
“Mr. Xue jokes,” Gu Yunsheng put down the teacup, looking at him with a faint smile. “My life isn’t worth anything anymore. What is there to be afraid of?”
The smile on Xue Chenxi’s face froze for an instant. He gave Gu Yunsheng a deep look, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible loneliness. “You look a lot like him, especially these eyes—clear and bright, as if they can see through people’s hearts.”
Gu Yunsheng shuddered inwardly. He knew Xue Chenxi was going to play the emotional card again, so he simply dropped all disguises and asked straight out, “Mr. Xue, what exactly do you want to say?”
Xue Chenxi sighed, as if recalling some painful past event. He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the sparkling sea surface in the distance, and said in a low tone, “He was also an Omega, like me, obsessed with ocean research. We met in that mysterious sea area. He was like a light, illuminating my gray world…”
Gu Yunsheng didn’t speak, quietly watching what Xue Chenxi had up his sleeve.
“He was beautiful, very gentle. When he smiled, his eyes curved like crescent moons in the sky…” Xue Chenxi’s voice choked up a little. “We explored the ocean together, studied those strange creatures together. I thought we would be together forever…”
“But…” Xue Chenxi turned his head violently, the rims of his eyes terribly red, as if about to drip blood. “Just because he refused to do that immoral experiment, he was… beaten to death by those people…”
Xue Chenxi didn’t continue, but Gu Yunsheng could already imagine the scene.
A beautiful life, cruelly destroyed like that, finally disappearing from this world.
“So, you want me to help you take revenge?” Gu Yunsheng asked.
Xue Chenxi shook his head. “No, I won’t force you to do anything. I just hope you can stay by my side, let me protect you well, and make up for my regrets back then…”
Xue Chenxi’s gaze was too fervent, making Gu Yunsheng feel extremely uncomfortable.
A chill rose from his feet straight to his heart.
He instinctively took a step back, forgetting the cold wall was behind him; there was no retreat.
“Mr. Xue, I’ll say it again: you mistook the person. I am not him, nor do I need your protection.”
Xue Chenxi seemed not to hear his words. He approached step by step, grabbed Gu Yunsheng’s wrist, pulled him in front of himself, and said affectionately, “Stay by my side, okay?”
“Let me go!” Gu Yunsheng tried hard to break free, but found he couldn’t shake Xue Chenxi at all. He felt the force on his wrist increasing, almost breaking his wrist.
Fear wrapped around his heart like vines, making him almost unable to breathe.
“The pheromones on you smell so good…”
Xue Chenxi lowered his head, greedily sniffing the fragrance on Gu Yunsheng’s neck, his hot breath spraying behind his ear.
Gu Yunsheng only felt nausea, his stomach churning.
Feeling dizzy, the innate weakness and helplessness of an Omega were infinitely amplified at this moment. He was about to cry.
“Xue Chenxi, you’re crazy!”
Gu Yunsheng struggled desperately, suddenly raising his knee and slamming it hard into Xue Chenxi’s abdomen.
“Urgh… ah…”
Xue Chenxi groaned and let go in pain.
Gu Yunsheng took the opportunity to escape his grip, retreating frantically a few steps until his back hit the cold wall, with no way to retreat.
Still in shock, he held his hands tightly in front of his chest, his fingertips turning pale.
He looked at the man in front of him in terror. He saw him clutching his abdomen, the expression on his face no longer gentle and affectionate, but a ferocity after being provoked.
“You dare…”
Xue Chenxi said through gritted teeth, a dangerous light flashing in his crimson eyes, like a beast before hunting prey.
Rapid knocking on the door beat on Gu Yunsheng’s nerves like drumbeats.
He looked at Xue Chenxi in terror, hoping this madman would calm down a little because of this sudden sound.
However, Xue Chenxi just frowned impatiently. The desire in his eyes didn’t diminish at all; instead, it became more sinister because of the interruption.
“Who the f*ck dares to ruin my good thing…” He cursed in a low voice, his tone full of regret and warning.
Gu Yunsheng seemed to see a beast forced to let go of the prey in its mouth, but those eyes still stared dead at him.
The knocking continued, louder and louder, accompanied by bang bang bang impact sounds, as if the person outside couldn’t wait to smash the door open.
Xue Chenxi clicked his tongue impatiently, finally released the hand covering his abdomen, let out a long breath, and walked toward the wooden door.
“Who is it? In such a hurry?” Opening the door, his tone carried obvious anger.
“Something happened, Sir. On the sea surface…” The person outside was pale and spoke rapidly, but before he could finish, he was pulled into the room by Xue Chenxi. The door slammed shut with a bang, locking Gu Yunsheng’s questions and unease together in this small wooden house.
He vaguely heard the person outside whispering words like “tsunami” and “mutation.” Xue Chenxi’s face became increasingly ugly.
An ominous premonition welled up, and Gu Yunsheng’s heart began to accelerate uncontrollably.
What exactly happened? Could it be…
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