He was too fast.
Lu Xingheng didn’t have time to react; he barely managed to turn his head before a searing pain exploded from his shoulder.
Sharp teeth sank into his flesh, and blood instantly soaked through his school uniform.
Lu Xingheng reflexively kicked out, striking the man in the stomach, but the man didn’t budge an inch and bit even deeper.
“Get off me!”
He slammed a heavy punch into the man’s temple and finally managed to shake him off.
The figure staggered backward, its mouth full of blood; it licked its lips and revealed a satisfied, greedy grin.
“It tastes so good. I want more.”
A strong, metallic stench mingled with sticky, labored breathing, making Lu Xingheng’s stomach churn—he nearly threw up.
This time he saw clearly—the creature before him wasn’t human at all, but—
Something was writhing beneath the male classmate’s skin; his cheeks began to contort, veins bulged, and his eyeballs popped out.
Segments of his body writhed from the base of his neck and spine; his back split open, and seven pairs of legs emerged.
The slender body was completely suspended in the air, and his clothes were torn into shreds.
The human face vanished, leaving only a dense cluster of compound eyes and a mouth filled with sharp fangs.
A mimic!
Lu Xingheng’s mind went blank.
*I’m the Boss at the Seventh Bureau* is not merely a typical male-oriented action novel; this world is home to dangerous creatures known as Pseudo-humans.
Pseudo-humans are aberrations that parasitize human society.
They latch onto various creatures, eventually parasitizing human bodies to survive, feeding on humans to sustain themselves.
Every time a pseudo-human appears, it’s accompanied by bloodshed and cruelty.
“I’m going to eat you.”
The creature swung its seven pairs of legs so fast it left afterimages.
Lu Xingheng ran three or four meters before a sharp pain shot through his back; a hook-shaped leg pierced his shoulder blade, hooking him up in the air.
Damn it, why are the “Pseudo-Humans” appearing now?
According to the book’s plot, the “Pseudo-Humans” were supposed to make their first appearance three months from now, serving as the key bargaining chip for the male lead, Ning Tianyi, to join the Security Bureau.
How could the plot have been brought forward?
Lu Xingheng’s feet left the ground as he was hoisted high into the air.
The creature held him right before its eyes; its dense cluster of compound eyes all fixed on him, as if he were a delicacy at a state banquet.
Lu Xingheng swung his wristwatch with all his might, striking the hook and actually leaving a deep dent in it.
Seizing the opportunity, he somersaulted to the ground and hid among the dense wisteria trellis.
His mind raced. The thick vines intertwined like a net; the creature was too large to squeeze through for the moment.
The library was too remote—no one had noticed such a commotion. He pulled out his phone, only to find the shattered screen staring back at him mockingly.
A rustling sound drew closer.
“Hide-and-seek—I love it.”
“Are you hidden? Here we go—”
“Hehe, found you.”
Lu Xingheng held his breath, staring intently at the direction the sound was coming from.
A mouth full of sharp fangs suddenly appeared, and a foul, gamey stench hit him in the face. Lu Xingheng could see the mouth was lined with barbed teeth—just one bite would shatter him to pieces.
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Lu Xingheng.
Pseudo-humans have their own weaknesses; destroying their heart is the key to survival.
Where is this pseudo-human’s heart?
A glimmer of light flashed in Lu Xingheng’s eyes, and the world suddenly slowed down.
Lu Xingheng clearly saw the creature’s mouth wide open, its compound eyes writhing, and a red light flash by.
He rolled again, and with a crack, the watch face shattered completely.
Lu Xingheng gripped the shard of the shattered watch face tightly and thrust it viciously into the creature’s face, striking the very center of its compound eye.
The creature let out a piercing screech that made Lu Xingheng’s eardrums ache, and the seven pairs of legs that had been clutching him suddenly let go.
He’d guessed right!
Lu Xingheng yanked it out swiftly and, without a moment’s hesitation, plunged it in again with all his might.
The creature thrashed wildly within the wisteria trellis, and after a long while, it finally lay still.
Only its compound eyes remained fixed on Lu Xingheng, oozing a black, foul-smelling liquid.
Lu Xingheng’s knuckles turned white; he dared not let his guard down for a moment. Was this thing dead? Had it died that easily?
“Aaaaaaah—!” A piercing, agonized scream.
Lu Xingrou stood beside the wisteria trellis, her face frozen in terror, her complexion as pale as paper.
Her eyes wide, she stared at the contorted corpse, her whole body trembling.
Seeing his younger sister, Lu Xingheng instinctively stepped in front of her, positioning himself between her and the monster to block her view.
“Xingrou, don’t look. Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”
“Second Brother… you’re hurt.” Lu Xingrou’s voice trembled, but she still mustered the courage to reach out and support him.
Lu Xingheng wanted to say something, but his vision began to darken in waves; the world spun, and he collapsed to the ground.
Before losing consciousness, he saw only his sister’s face—a face filled with worry, anxiety, and fear.
He’d promised to protect his sister, yet this time he’d only managed to terrify her.
Filled with guilt, Lu Xingheng lost consciousness completely.
Lu Xingrou was a full head shorter than her brother—slender and delicate—yet at that moment, she steadied herself and caught him securely.
“Protect me?” The three words lingered on her lips.
Lu Xingrou placed her hand on her brother’s neck and shoulder; his carotid artery pulsed strongly. Her expression was complex: “He’s not dead.”
Suddenly, three people appeared out of nowhere.
Lu Xingrou clung tightly to her brother and backed away in fear: “Who are you people? What kind of monster was that? I’ve already called the police.”
“A low-level Pseudo-Human. It’s already been eliminated,” a cold, mechanical voice replied.
The female agent took two steps forward, her tone gentle: “Don’t be afraid, young lady. We’re from the Seventh Special Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of State Security. We handle Pseudo-Human cases.”
Lu Xingrou wasn’t sure if she believed her: “My brother is injured. He needs to go to the hospital immediately.”
The female agent’s eyes darkened: “One injured person has been found. He requires immediate medical attention to determine whether he has been parasitized by a Pseudo-human.”
Lu Xingheng was plunged into darkness.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when someone waved a flickering light in front of his eyes.
He was curled up in a corner, his back pressed against the cold wall, surrounded by thick black mist so choking it made it hard to breathe.
Countless tentacles writhed frantically, swarming in from all directions—slimy and slippery—climbing unchecked over his body.
He was terrified and trembling, yet had nowhere to flee.
Suddenly, a scorching, powerful hand tore through the black mist, clamped down hard on the side of his neck, and yanked him violently out of the boundless darkness.
“Ah!” Lu Xingheng’s eyes snapped open, and he gasped for breath.
Even faster than his return to consciousness came a sharp, searing pain, followed by the smell of disinfectant.
A white ceiling, the ticking of medical equipment—Lu Xingheng looked down and saw an IV drip still attached to the back of his hand.
It was a hospital. He’d been saved.
“Brother, you’re finally awake.”
Lu Xingrou rushed to the bedside, her face full of worry, her eyes red-rimmed with tear streaks still wet, her voice thick with sobs.
“Brother, how are you? Does anything hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
The moment Lu Xingheng moved, a searing, tearing pain shot through his shoulder. He gasped and grimaced.
Yet all he managed to ask was, “Did I scare you?”
“You certainly scared the life out of me.”
Lu Xingrou’s eyes were filled with worry: “ “The ‘Pseudo-Humans’ have been gone for hundreds of years. I always thought they were just myths and legends—I never imagined they actually existed.”
“Thank goodness my brother is so lucky and resilient. Otherwise, I—”
Just as she was speaking, the hospital room door opened gently, and a man and a woman walked in.
“They’re from the Seventh Bureau, the unit specifically tasked with handling ‘Pseudo-Human’ cases. They’re the ones who helped me get you to the hospital.” ” Lu Xingrou explained in a low voice.
Lu Xingheng looked at the two of them. Recalling that in the story, most of the Seventh Bureau served as cannon fodder, he wondered if these two were the same.
“He Sheng of the Seventh Bureau.”
The man had a cold, hard demeanor like a wooden chest, features as sharp as a knife, and was enveloped in an aura of grim, icy menace.
“Gu Yumeng of the Seventh Bureau.”
The woman following closely behind was the complete opposite: her features were gentle and soft, without a trace of sharpness, and she exuded a natural warmth.
Lu Xingheng thought for a moment, then let out a silent “Ah” in his heart.
Isn’t this the first team leader to be written out of the story after the male lead joined the Security Bureau?
In the story, during the male lead’s first encounter with the “Pseudo-Human” incident, He Sheng died a gruesome death, and his team members were seriously injured, forced to retire from Bureau 7 and vanish from the plot.
Many years later, no one remembered He Sheng’s sacrifice; they only remembered the male lead, Ning Tianyi, who had risen to prominence after emerging from that “Pseudo-Human” incident.
Lu Xingheng couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy, and the look in his eyes as he gazed at He Sheng grew more complex.
Little did he know that just that one extra glance would cause He Sheng to furrow his brow and raise his eyes; the tension around him grew even more palpable. Lu Xingheng hadn’t expected him to be so perceptive and quickly averted his gaze.
He Sheng walked in and stood there, his lips pressed together, saying nothing.
Gu Yumeng had already walked over to the bedside and greeted him with a smile:”Mr. Lu, you’re awake. Are you feeling any better? The Pseudo-humans incident on campus was a mistake on the part of Bureau 7, and we’d like to apologize to you here.”
“Bureau 7 will be responsible for all external explanations, scene restoration, and all medical expenses. Please rest assured and focus on your recovery.”