In the darkness, every tiny flicker of light in the factory area was a potential clue. Lu Huainan searched everywhere for a source of light, and Shen Liuyun’s car followed closely into the complex, narrowly missing the vehicle Lu Huainan had just arrived in.
“Sir, did the person you are looking for get off here?” the driver asked, leaning out of the window.
“Yes,” Shen Liuyun replied. “It is strange to come to such a desolate place in the middle of the night.”
Shen Liuyun surveyed the surroundings, careful not to alert the enemy, as he knew their people were likely nearby. He parked his car in a concealed spot and rushed directly into the factory area, knowing that every second mattered.
Shen Muyun looked up at the man called Brother Shui, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Is that all you have? Come on, play all your cards; I am ready. I have met many perverts, but you are the first one who enjoys turning people into art pieces.”
Brother Shui looked at the whip in his hand, stained with Shen Muyun’s blood, and grew visibly excited. “Shen Muyun, that is more like it. Relax. What kind of shape would you like? I can help you with that. I guarantee you will become the most beautiful work of art. Generally speaking, the more excited you are, the more vibrant your skin color becomes. It is at the peak of pleasure that you will be at your most beautiful.”
A chill ran through Shen Muyun’s body. Between the long standoff and physical exhaustion, he was likely running a fever.
“An art piece? You are insane. My body is covered in wounds from your beatings; it is no longer perfect. As for your so-called peak of pleasure, all I feel right now is extreme discomfort.”
Brother Shui stepped forward and gripped his chin. “Shen Muyun, that is what makes it stimulating. Blue, red, purple; these are all natural tones. I call them accent colors. Hmm? Uncomfortable? Yet, your skin color is incredibly exciting. You are such a hypocrite.”
“You lunatic! You are a true madman!” Shen Muyun bit down hard on Brother Shui’s finger. A metallic, iron-like taste filled his mouth, and Shen Muyun licked his lips.
Brother Shui pulled his hand back, stared at the teeth marks, and slapped Shen Muyun across the face. “Shen Muyun, do not get cocky. Look, your phone has not rung in ages. Your brother and the others must be frantic looking for you, but the feeling of not being able to find someone must be driving them crazy.”
Shen Muyun chuckled, his head bowed. “Why are you so confident they cannot find me? Let me tell you, the biggest mistake you made was that video call. They have likely already deduced where we are based on the background.”
Brother Shui’s expression darkened. “How is that possible? Are not all factory backgrounds the same? Enough, Shen Muyun. Just be a good boy and let me finish my art piece. Do not be afraid; it will not hurt for much longer.”
Brother Shui took a syringe from his pocket and walked toward Shen Muyun. Just as he was about to inject him, he heard a commotion of fighting at the door.
“Brother Yun! Are you in there? Answer me!”
Shen Muyun was stunned. How could it be Lu Huainan? He was overwhelmed with mixed emotions; why was it always this man who arrived first every time he fell into trouble?
Lu Huainan received no reply, but his intuition told him Shen Muyun was inside; he was so close.
Brother Shui stopped his movements upon hearing the noise, the needle tip hovering near Shen Muyun’s cheek. “Oh, I did not expect that. You guessed correctly; your reinforcements have arrived. It is just a pity I do not know who it is.”
Brother Shui put the syringe away and walked straight out of the room. He looked out at the chaos covering the floor.
“So, the eldest son of the Lu family has come. Forgive me for not welcoming you properly.”
Lu Huainan’s eyes were bloodshot. His once-neat suit was wrinkled from the fight. He casually unbuttoned his jacket, tossed it aside, and smiled at the man.
“I am here for Shen Muyun. Where is he?”
Brother Shui shrugged, shaking his head. “Do you not know where he is? He is inside. It is just that he is about to become an exquisite piece of art. My men are currently carving on him; roses, very beautiful ones.”
Upon hearing this, the beast Lu Huainan had suppressed broke free. With a single punch, he left Brother Shui’s face bruised and bleeding.
Suddenly, the henchmen swarmed him. Lu Huainan’s reason began to crumble. He lashed out with punch after punch. He did not know how long he fought; he only knew that anyone who stood in his way was eliminated. Some were even silenced with broken windpipes without a single sound.
Seeing this, Brother Shui retreated a few steps into the room and glanced at Shen Muyun, convinced the upper hand was still his.
“Is that all the ability you have?”
Brother Shui smiled. “Hmm? Do not forget, Shen Muyun is still in my hands. He is my only leverage.”
Brother Shui turned and walked straight to Shen Muyun, forcing him to look up by grabbing his chin. Shen Muyun struggled and saw Lu Huainan.
“Huainan, how did you find this place?”
“Brother Yun, how do you think I found you? Take a guess.”
Brother Shui tightened his grip, causing Shen Muyun to hiss in pain. His clothes were already torn, and the whip welts were swelling.
“I intended to negotiate with you, but it seems that is no longer necessary. You hurt him, and I will make you pay double.”
Lu Huainan smiled at Shen Muyun, though Shen Muyun felt uneasy; Lu Huainan was not in a normal state.
Lu Huainan lunged at Brother Shui, punching him directly in the face. Blood streamed down from the man’s eye socket. Brother Shui, who had been pinning Shen Muyun, was forced to raise his arms in defense.
Lu Huainan kicked Brother Shui in the waist, sending him flying several meters away.
Seeing their boss in such a state, the henchmen rushed forward, but they were no match for Lu Huainan. They were kicked away before they could even get close.
Taking advantage of the gap, Brother Shui grabbed the syringe and plunged it into Shen Muyun’s neck.
A wave of dizziness washed over Shen Muyun. His fingers went limp. What is happening? My consciousness seems to be fading.
Shen Muyun looked up at Lu Huainan, who was shouting something frantically, but he could not hear a thing. He felt liquid splash onto his face, a warm sensation. What about Brother Shui? Where did he go?
Lu Huainan, lost in a murderous rage, grabbed Brother Shui’s hair and slammed his head against the wall repeatedly with a loud thudding sound. The henchmen tried to pry Lu Huainan’s hands away, but it was useless; he was like a machine.
“Huainan! Calm down!”
When Shen Liuyun burst in, the air was thick with the scent of blood. The men at the door were scattered, and the rhythmic sound of the slamming against the wall echoed. He had thought it was Shen Muyun tapping for help, but the sight before him shocked him to his core.
Lu Huainan was dragging the man’s hair and smashing his head against the wall, his expression blank, completely unresponsive even as blood splattered onto him.
Shen Liuyun immediately grabbed Lu Huainan’s arm. “Huainan, that is enough! You will kill him at this rate!”
Lu Huainan’s eyes were unfocused. He turned his head to look at Shen Liuyun. Shen Liuyun had never seen such an expression; it was cold, inhuman, and devoid of emotion.
“Huainan, listen to me. Calm down. Muyun is waiting for us; look, he has passed out.”
Shen Liuyun pointed to the semi-conscious Shen Muyun. Lu Huainan finally regained a sliver of sanity. He looked at his blood-stained hands and the man’s unrecognizable, mangled face. He stopped, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and meticulously wiped his hands.
“Liuyun, I do not know what they injected into Muyun. I must take him to the hospital now. As for this place, I will leave it to you.”
Shen Liuyun nodded. “I will handle the aftermath here. I have already called the police. Do not worry.”
Lu Huainan looked at Shen Muyun, whose clothes were torn, revealing rose-like patterns near his collarbone and unfinished markings on his shoulders. He shook his head, walked over, and picked Shen Muyun up.
Feeling the warmth, Shen Muyun subconsciously leaned into Lu Huainan’s arms, murmuring, “Why is it always you who finds me first? And just now, what happened to you?”
Lu Huainan paused briefly, then walked quickly to the car, took a coat from the trunk, and covered Shen Muyun with it.
“There is no why. I was indeed the one to save you, so according to the scripts in those novels, you should marry me.”
Shen Muyun’s face flushed red immediately. He remembered the system’s mission: Conquer Lu Huainan. Surely, this was meant to be easy, but no; this was absolutely not the way. One had to have boundaries; even while completing a mission, one must stick to one’s principles.
“Cough, cough. Huainan, I called your name several times earlier, but you did not react; you just kept beating him. Do you know that if you had continued, someone would have died?”
Lu Huainan lowered his head and gently brushed Shen Muyun’s hair. “Even if they died, they deserved it for offending someone they should not have. Brother Yun, was I cool just now?”
Lu Huainan’s expression reminded Shen Muyun of a child who had done a good deed and wanted a candy. He smiled, though the effects of the drug were beginning to take hold. “Very cool, but a bit impulsive.”
Shen Muyun could no longer hold on. Between the physical pain and mental exhaustion, he sank into darkness.
Lu Huainan sat in the driver’s seat. Without looking at Shen Muyun in the back, he muttered to himself, “Brother Yun, do you know? The moment I heard you were kidnapped, my scalp went numb. I even had a trauma response, but I forced myself to stay calm. When the kidnappers called, we demanded a video, and it was that video that reminded me of this abandoned factory north of the city. Otherwise, you might have died. Brother Yun, I truly lost control of my emotions just now, but that was because I was too excited.”
Shen Muyun breathed softly. Hearing the sound from the back seat, Lu Huainan turned his head. “Sleep, Brother Yun. Have a good dream, and make sure to dream of me.”