SDT 60

Chapter 60: Going Bad

A cool breeze carried the scent of damp earth, it must have rained again. Yu Xiaowen shivered, clutching the warm little star in his hand l even tighter. But his efforts were in vain. His fingers were pried open, and a sudden jolt brought him back to consciousness.

He forced his eyes open, discovering his head rested against the cool car window, pelted by fine raindrops. Turning his head slightly, he saw Lu Kongyun beside him in the driver’s seat, leaning forward with his face buried in his hands, hands braced against the steering wheel. His damp cheek looked pale, yet the tips of his ears were flushed red.

Hearing his movement, she turned back and said, “The Institute of Life Sciences has long raised concerns about the Military Intelligence Department’s use of drugs. My questioning of you was solely about Lu Qifeng’s methods, it was just work. Nothing more.”

In the haze, Yu Xiaowen heard these words, still dazed and unable to recall what Lu Kongyun had done to him that could possibly carry “other intentions.” After a few seconds of reaction, he laughed: “…What a coincidence. You’re here for work. I thought this was the end of my life. Who would have thought… I’d see you again.”

“Once your physical functions meet standards, you’ll be sent back to the Intelligence Bureau,” the other replied.

“……”

Sharing a confined car compartment with a top-tier Alpha. Making a complete fool of himself, while he remained utterly indifferent. Even though time had passed and he was no longer an extortionist, Yu Xiaowen still felt the same surge of emotion welling up inside him when he returned to this scene, an emotion he couldn’t suppress.

He reached out, tugging at the red berry flower medal pinned to the other’s collar, pulling him slightly closer.

He suppressed his ragged breathing and said, “My physical functions? So you know prisoners have rights too, huh? You pushed me to the point of fainting in front of all those people. You’re the one who wrecked my body. You think saying it’s ‘just part of the job’ makes it okay? What gives you the right… what gives you the right to treat me like this! You’re trying to get back at me, aren’t you?”

He saw Lu Kongyun lower his head, staring at the fingers holding the medal, and instinctively relaxed his grip, careful not to damage the precious item.

The other person looked up again and said, “Not pretending anymore? Captain Yu.”

Hearing this long-forgotten title, Yu Xiaowen froze.

Lu Kongyun: “Where’d that security guard go who was all ‘Mr. Lu’ and putting on airs?”

“…” Yu Xiaowen suddenly realized he’d made a fatal mistake while his mind was clouded in the interrogation room. He’d said, “If you say you want to kill me, I’m already dead.” Those were the exact words Lu Kongyun had spoken to Hao Dali.

This was practically a confession. It seemed Lu Kongyun’s interrogation had indeed been effective… That is, Lu Qifeng didn’t know the origin of that line. Otherwise, he would have been nailed to the wall.

His face twisted in pain as he clamped his mouth shut, refusing to utter a word. It seemed he was better suited to being a cop than a criminal. His mouth was just too loose.

Lu Kongyun added, “It must be unbearable to suddenly find someone you once had at your mercy now in a position of power after reuniting. You wouldn’t want to stay a second longer.”

“What kind of talk is this… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Yu Xiaowen released the red blossom, retreated to his original spot, shifted his gaze to the window, and answered with a stubborn expression.

When the driver’s seat fell silent, he turned back to look, only to have his cheek suddenly pinched.

“It’s just the two of us. Stop pretending.” Lu Kongyun’s tone grew colder. “You dared come back on your own, sparing me the trouble of capturing you. Since you remember me saying I’d kill you if we met again, why did you return to court your own death? Do you truly believe my temper is so mild that I’d let you toy with me time and again? That I’d crumble at your pitiful tears?”

The sudden closeness made him dizzy, and then came the pinch on his cheek. Yu Xiaowen opened his mouth, swallowing his saliva before grabbing the other’s arm in resistance. He stammered urgently, “Give me the inhibitor. Give it to me… I never… acted pitiful!”

The other person stared at Yu Xiaowen, tightening his grip even more.

“What do you think?”

His eyes sparkled like a beast’s.

Yu Xiaowen rubbed his knees incessantly: “I don’t know… I don’t know! …So you… you brought me out here to take the law into your own hands? …I need… I need the inhibitor! Then we can talk!”

“The inhibitor? Didn’t you choose something else?” The beast’s tongue brushed against his canine teeth.

“Since you weren’t given truth serum earlier, you should remember exactly what you said. Are you lying to me again?”

Yu Xiaowen stared at the other person’s lips and teeth, feeling their breath mere inches away. His mind began to shut down. Instinctively, he opened his mouth in sync, extending his tongue slightly. He tilted his head and leaned in.

The other person’s eyes locked onto his face, yet at the last moment, he abruptly pulled away from his kiss. His body’s longing suddenly felt weightless, like grasping for a lifeline only to discover it was nothing but straw.

Yu Xiaowen felt an even more intense wave of shame wash over him in the vortex. He covered his face with his hand. Clinging to the last shreds of his sanity, he even dug his fingers into his thigh to control himself.

His hand was stopped, then pressed down. The other person drew closer.

“Want it? Tell me the truth.” The other person’s voice and breath suddenly brushed against his ear, a hand sliding down below.

His body felt electrified.

Yu Xiaowen felt an indescribable mix of embarrassment and panic envelop him. Yet his body moved in rhythm with the other person’s hands, even his eyes began to flutter uncontrollably, rolling upward.

As his arousal was satisfied by the other, his body produced a sweet illusion akin to being loved, while simultaneously generating even more desire. He melted instantly. Going with the flow, he tried to kiss again, but was still avoided.

…Yu Xiaowen felt embarrassed by the other’s clear refusal, yet found himself inescapably held in his grasp.

He was ashamed, yet compelled to submit beneath the other’s touch.

“You… you’ve become so wicked…”

“Wicked? How do you know I’ve changed? Do you even know me?” Lu Kongyun said. “That boy who read books in the equipment room and played tennis on the court, he might never have been the person you imagined. Maybe you never truly liked me at all, even when you thought you did.”

“…”

Yu Xiaowen’s breath caught in his throat at that gasping moment.

Then, even the heat of passion cooled slightly.

How could you say that…

…

He’s seen it!

He’s already seen what I wrote? …When?!

“You… uh!”

His words were forced back.

He was pinned down on the seat, nearly suffocating. So he couldn’t continue pondering that question, just drifting in and out. Yu Xiaowen couldn’t help but cling to the other’s body. If he couldn’t kiss, he’d take advantage of the cramped space to rub and hug him, savoring the comforting scent of the other’s pheromone as much as possible. Yu Xiaowen was a sticky little dirty rat. Wagging his tail, he burrowed into the clear, warm bathwater, drifting aimlessly. He was soaked through and through, bone and fur alike, by the other.

He kicked his legs, his breath growing increasingly urgent.

But Lu Kongyun paused again, leaving the person beneath him writhing in agony. He lowered his gaze and demanded, “Tell me. Why did you return to the country? Was it to protect Ye Yisan? Or—”

After a moment, he added two words: “Something else.”

“…Just keep going!” Yu Xiaowen grabbed his back to stop him from leaving. “No matter what kind of jerk I am, I did donate fluids to Lu Kongyun!”

Silence.

“Just donated fluids?”

“What else?” Yu Xiaowen blurted out.

Lu Kongyun stared at him with an inscrutable gaze.

Knock knock.

Someone was knocking on the car window.

Taken aback, both froze, pausing to catch their breath as they stared at each other. The tapping resumed. Yu Xiaowen finally sat up straight from his position pressed against the seat, rubbing his cheeks and adjusting his clothes and pants.

Lu Kongyun pulled four tissues from the box, two to wipe his hands, the other two he handed to him.

Once he had regained some composure, Lu Kongyun rolled down the car window just a crack. Standing in the drizzle was a soldier in uniform, his armband bearing the emblem of the Intelligence Bureau. He paused, took a step back, then swiftly adjusted his wristband and turned his face away.

He said somewhat awkwardly, “Colonel Lu, our boss ordered me to follow your vehicle, assist you, and keep an eye on the prisoner to prevent him from causing you any trouble.”

“Not necessary,” Lu Kongyun replied.

“…It’s an order from above,” the man seemed a bit uneasy, “and it’s by the book. If I just went back like this, I’d get disciplined. You know our boss is paying special attention to this case.”

Lu Kongyun remained silent, studying his face.

The man buried his face deeper.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

“…Ah, I was just transferred here from another department within the Ministry of National Security. Would you like to see my credentials?” The man looked up. His features were ordinary, save for his deep-set eyes, which somehow made him seem vaguely familiar.

Lu Kongyun was naturally reserved in social settings, neither attentive to nor adept at remembering people. Thus, he said nothing further and unlocked the rear door.

The soldier saluted and climbed into the vehicle. He then pursed his lips again, adjusting his wristband with a solemn expression. His gaze shifted toward the passenger seat.

Yu Xiaowen, perhaps feeling embarrassed, kept his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. But his eyelashes couldn’t hide their trembling.

Lu Kongyun watched him for a moment, then rolled down the window to disperse the lingering scent of their pheromones.

He started the car. Passing a small clinic, he ordered the soldier in the backseat, “Go get the doctor on duty. Hook the suspect up to an IV. The ratio for glucose, 30% concentration inhibitor, and nutritional supplement is five to three to two.”

The soldier obeyed, got out of the car, and entered the clinic.

“Your body is too weak for high-purity inhibitors; you’re prone to side effects. We’ll ease you into it gradually. Hang in there,” he said. “I need to report for duty first, then I’ll take you home.”

Yu Xiaowen said, “…Home?”

“Otherwise, I’ll have you temporarily detained at the municipal bureau. They’ll oversee your recovery,” Lu Kongyun said. “Would you like to see your old friends?”

Yu Xiaowen fell silent.

Soon, the clinic doctor emerged with the soldiers. After Lu Kongyun carefully verified the medication contents, the doctor opened the package on the spot, prepared the solution, and administered an IV drip to Yu Xiaowen.

Lu Kongyun hooked the plastic IV drip onto the safety handle above the passenger seat, adjusted the drip rate, then started the car again, heading toward a military training ground on the outskirts of Manjing.

“When you give your report, you’ll lock me up in another room, won’t you?” the suspect beside him suddenly asked during the drive.

Lu Kongyun glanced back at him. “Where would I find a room to lock you up? You’ll just wait for me in the car.”

Lu Kongyun parked the car in the lot and told the two men, “I’ll be back soon.”

He unbuckled his seatbelt. Yu Xiaowen said, “…You’re just leaving the criminal in your car like that?”

Lu Kongyun glanced at him, then at the soldier in the backseat. The soldier had been leaning against the seat, dozing off, but woke up straightening up at the question: “I have handcuffs. Do you want me to cuff him?”

Lu Kongyun glanced at Yu Xiaowen’s wrist, which bore purple marks. Without a word, he pulled out the car keys and stepped out.

He paused by the car door for a moment before turning back, reopening the door, and bending down to say to Yu Xiaowen, “This is the military training ground. Suspicious individuals wandering around will be shot on sight. I advise you not to do anything foolish.”

“…” Yu Xiaowen stared at him, seemingly wanting to say something but ultimately holding back. His eyes remained fixed on his figure without blinking. Even after Lu Kongyun closed the door, stepped back, and turned to leave, he could still feel that gaze locked onto him.

……

On the way to the venue, Lu Kongyun couldn’t shake the blackmailer’s hesitant expression from his mind.

During the work report session, perhaps some training exercise was underway nearby. Gunfire frequently echoed through the air. With the conference center windows open, the sounds carried distinctly. Every time a shot rang out, Colonel Lu would glance outside.

Lu Kongyun: “Since assuming the role of Laboratory Director, I have overseen seven national-level key biomedical research and development projects, including…”

Bang! Another gunshot echoed from outside the window.

He immediately turned his head toward the window again.

“Colonel Lu! Colonel Lu!” the meeting note-taker beside him whispered, “Start by stating your years of service.”

“…”

It actually skipped a segment.

I’m Lu Kongyun. I skipped a paragraph while reading the material.

He didn’t wait for the meeting to conclude. After delivering his report, he immediately left the venue. On his way to the parking lot, he heard relatively dense gunfire again. This time, however, he could tell the shots were coming from the soldier training base on the other side.

So he slowed his pace.

When he reached his parking spot, he stopped.

…He repeatedly checked his memory, wondering if he had misremembered the location.

The spot where his car should have been parked was now completely empty. It felt like it had all been an illusion, as if he hadn’t left the training ground at all today, and the other person had never come in the first place.

He stood there for a moment.

The rain had stopped. The afternoon sky was bright, the air stifling and humid.

He felt a bit dizzy.