Che Xiayun clung desperately to one of his ankles, her hands gripping his calf as she dangled from the wall, her toes barely off the ground.
The tall, lean man kicked at her several times but failed to shake her off. Seeing another shadow guard closing in, he pulled a shard of glass from his pocket and, without even looking down, stabbed wildly at his own calf, indifferent to the flesh and blood he tore.
Che Xiayun dodged back and forth, alternating her grip as she cursed, “You lunatic!”
Despite her careful evasion, the back of her right hand was scraped raw, staining the pure white gauze with specks of blood. Her left hand, already injured, suffered another cut. Meanwhile, the man’s calf was a bloody mess, slippery and impossible to hold onto. In the end, she lost her grip and fell to the ground.
With the shadow guard still over ten meters away, the tall man quickly scaled the wall, tore open a section of the barbed wire with his bare hands, and cleared enough space to slip through. He glanced down at Che Xiayun below the wall, his voice sharp and repulsive: “Kid, I’ll make sure to enjoy your omega thoroughly. Hahahaha.”
His sinister laughter echoed in Che Xiayun’s ears, filling her alpha instincts with heat, fury, and unease.
Chase him down. Now!
The impulse seized her before she could think twice.
Wiping the blood from her hands without bothering to bandage them, she scrambled up the wall, avoiding the barbed wire, and leaped from the five-meter height without hesitation. She landed on the grass, rolling once before springing to her feet.
Shadow Guard Eight arrived at the wall two or three seconds later, watching her disappearing figure with a mix of anxiety and concern. Shadow Guard Seven lay severely wounded nearby she couldn’t just abandon him. But the young master’s safety was equally critical. Although she had already sent a distress signal, it would take time for the other guards to arrive from the villa.
Outside the wall, Che Xiayun fixed her eyes on the tall man’s figure, now nearing the edge of the forest, and sprinted after him without a second glance.
He’s carrying someone, injured in the leg there’s no way he can outrun me. Even in a fight, his mobility is compromised. I have the advantage in every way.
Though it was risky, if she let Ma Qingyu be taken away now, she knew she’d never forgive herself. Let alone live with the regret.
The tall man glanced back, startled by how quickly she had closed the distance, and muttered a curse under his breath before quickening his pace into the depths of the forest.
The two weaved through the overgrown woods, one in pursuit, the other fleeing.
But once Che Xiayun entered the forest, she realized things weren’t as simple as she’d thought. As a pampered heir from a wealthy family, her skin was delicate, easily scratched and bloodied by thorns and brambles. The ground was uneven, and her flip-flops offered no protection soon, her feet were caked in mud and filth.
In contrast, the tall man, with his dark, rough skin and tattered clothing barefoot, carrying another person moved with surprising agility. He leaped and dodged through the forest effortlessly, leaving almost no trace of his passage.
After a while, Che Xiayun noticed something odd: the distance between them hadn’t changed much. It was less like she was chasing him and more like he was deliberately luring her deeper into the woods.
By the time she realized this, they had already traveled far into the forest. The moment she paused, the tall man vanished from sight. The depths of the woods fell into an eerie, unsettling silence.
Che Xiayun scanned her surroundings, her body tense and ready to counter any attack.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by. Che Xiayun turned warily, only to find the tall, lean man appearing right in front of her. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth. Before she could react, he swiftly raised his hand and struck the side of her neck, knocking her unconscious.
Darkness swallowed the last vestiges of the alpha’s heightened senses during her estrus cycle.
One final thought flashed through Che Xiayun’s mind before she lost consciousness: So, his real target was me all along?
The walls of the alpha quarantine zone stood tall five meters high, topped with electrified barbed wire. But to Zhang Youcheng, none of this posed a problem.
After escaping prison, he had initially planned to hide away in some remote, deep mountain forest to eke out a living. But by chance, he caught sight of Ma Qingyu.
This omega, with her exquisite figure and stunning looks, instantly captivated him. His dormant glands began to stir with a faint heat. Overjoyed, Zhang Youcheng immediately abandoned his previous plan. Casting all caution aside, he was now driven by one final, obsessive desire.
The moment the barbed wire was breached, alarms blared in the monitoring room. The on-duty staff immediately checked the surveillance feeds, pinpointing the source of the disturbance. Upon spotting Zhang Youcheng, they dialed the police while simultaneously contacting the patrol teams via walkie-talkie: “All patrol teams, be advised! Suspected escaped convict spotted near the barbed wire fence at Villa Section 7. He has taken a young female hostage and has just scaled the wall, leaving the quarantine zone!”
The voice over the walkie-talkie paused briefly before adding, “A female alpha in estrus is in pursuit behind them!”
The security team leader frowned deeply upon hearing this, muttering a low curse under his breath. He keyed his walkie-talkie and ordered, “Team Two, secure the barbed wire area and wait for maintenance. Teams Three and Four, follow me in pursuit.”
Every alpha in estrus sent to centralized quarantine was fitted with a tracking bracelet. Technicians worked frantically to access the satellite positioning data. But by the time they arrived at the location, all they found in the clearing in the woods was a solitary black bracelet with no trace of anyone nearby.
Meanwhile, police cars swarmed the area, sirens wailing as they swiftly deployed a large number of officers to seal off the entire zone. A mountain search operation was launched immediately, with each team of officers armed for protection and accompanied by keen-nosed police dogs to aid in the hunt.
The police promptly notified the families. Pan Anqi fainted on the spot after receiving the call. With no time to attend to her, Ma Mingzhe rushed to the scene in a panic. “Officers, please do everything you can to ensure their safety they’re both so young!”
The head of the criminal investigation team nodded gravely. “We’ll do our best. But I have to inform you of some very troubling news: the criminal has a history of psychological tendencies toward abusing others.”
Ma Mingzhe’s vision darkened, and he nearly lost his balance. “What kind of tendencies?”
The team leader’s tone was somber. “He particularly enjoys sexually abusing his partners, using extreme intimidation and violent methods that have driven victims to mental breakdowns.”
The late October autumn sunlight remained bright but had lost its warmth.
Deep within the forest, in a dark and damp cave, water droplets from the stalactites dripped rhythmically into a puddle. Zhang Youcheng lay by the water’s edge, gulping down the water without a care for its cleanliness, then scooped a handful of cold water and splashed it onto Che Xiayun’s face.
The chill jolted Che Xiayun awake. She shuddered, and as soon as her eyes opened, she saw the man before her: a long, horse-like face, single eyelids, a protruding mouth, and a slight hunchback.
This must be the man who had kidnapped Ma Qingyu.
Spotting Ma Qingyu lying unconscious not far away, Che Xiayun struggled fiercely but found herself tightly bound by some unknown vines. She fixed a cold glare on the man, remaining silent.
Zhang Youcheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he let out a spine-chilling laugh. Leaning close to Che Xiayun, he pointed at the still-unconscious Ma Qingyu, his voice sharp and strange, his foul breath washing over her face. “Kid, I’ll give you a choice. Either help me enjoy her and then die quickly, or watch me enjoy her and die with her.”
Che Xiayun held her breath and closed her eyes, hoping her hidden guards could find her. When she had chased after them, she had faintly heard alarms, but she had no idea how long it would take for the police to locate this place.
Zhang Youcheng was cautious, allowing no time for delay. He pressed a shard of glass against her neck and screeched, “Don’t even think about stalling. I’ll give you ten seconds to answer. If you don’t, you die right now.”
The cold, sharp glass pressed against Che Xiayun’s neck, and the fear of death nearly overwhelmed her thoughts. Zhang Youcheng had already begun the countdown: “Ten, nine, eight.”
The countdown to death echoed in her ears.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Zhang Youcheng’s eyes, but his grip did not loosen. He pushed the glass shard forward slightly, piercing the skin of her neck. A trickle of blood emerged. “Four, three, two.”
Cold sweat instantly drenched Che Xiayun’s back. “I choose the first option.”
Zhang Youcheng magically withdrew the glass shard, relishing her terrified expression. He clapped his hands. “Excellent! Now, cooperate with my performance.”
Che Xiayun forced herself to steady her thoughts, analyzing silently: This man is a psychological deviant with extreme ritualistic tendencies and some kind of sadistic inclination!
At least he hadn’t killed them outright. As long as he had flaws, she had a chance to escape.
She carefully observed her surroundings. The cave entrance was small, but the interior was spacious. They were likely on a mountain, with only faint light filtering through the entrance. Weeds and bushes grew thickly, blocking almost all visibility. It would be difficult for the police to find them.
Zhang Youcheng splashed cold water onto Ma Qingyu’s face, eyeing her up and down. The omega’s clothes were torn in several places by thorns, revealing patches of fair skin.
Ma Qingyu slowly regained consciousness. Seeing him, she realized her hands and feet were bound, and then she noticed Che Xiayun, wrapped layer upon layer in vines. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes as she panted lightly, scanning the surroundings.
Noticing she was awake, Zhang Youcheng reached out a grubby hand and lewdly stroked Ma Qingyu’s cheek. Smiling, he sniffed his own hand. “Truly delicious.”