Sunlight streamed through the gauze window onto the bed, its brightness stinging Lu Mingming’s eyes.
She slowly got up and tidied herself, her mind a blank slate.
In a brief moment, all the dream fragments returned to her mind, leaving Lu Mingming with a disorienting sense of reality and dream splitting apart.
Naitewen…
Lu Mingming silently repeated the name in her heart, all the events from the dream etched into her memory.
She quickly patted her cheeks to help herself wake up faster, determined to forget everything and regain her focus.
She still had to help out at the research institute today.
Temporarily putting these thoughts aside, Lu Mingming finished getting ready and arrived at the research lab. Morian had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing Lu Mingming, he said, “Important guests will be arriving soon. The experimental tasks in the next few days will be exceptionally demanding, so it’s best to be mentally prepared.”
His casual remark precisely touched upon a secret hidden deep within Lu Mingming’s heart.
“That team… could it be the Alliance heir’s team?”
Lu Mingming recalled the morning's discussion in her dream and couldn't help but ask, her fingertips constantly kneading the fabric of her research uniform, trying to alleviate her inner tension.
Morian paused his movements and slowly turned around.
Whether it was Lu Mingming's imagination or not, she faintly glimpsed a terrifying flash of red light in Morian's eyes for a fleeting moment.
Morian seemed to ask casually, “Where did you hear this news? I don’t recall anyone in the research lab mentioning it.”
“I was just guessing randomly. After all, I don’t know anyone on the main planet! Speaking of which, surely the legendary powerful person is returning, right?”
Lu Mingming laughed heartily, quickly ending the conversation.
“So that’s how it is.”
Morian smiled faintly and offered no further reply.
Lu Mingming’s heart pounded, blaming herself for speaking out just now; she should have just listened quietly.
She bit her lip gently, quietly assisting Morian from behind.
Morian, who usually occasionally chatted with Lu Mingming about recent affairs, remained silent today.
Lu Mingming observed him secretly, wondering, *Did my random guess upset him?*
She was filled with anxiety.
After a moment, Morian suddenly said, “I need to go out. You can finish up by yourself later.”
Summoning her courage, Lu Mingming stepped forward proactively. “Is there something important? I can help.”
“No need.”
For the first time, Morian spoke to Lu Mingming with such a stern, admonishing tone. All the courage Lu Mingming had gathered dissipated.
She opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.
After speaking, Morian still didn’t move. He stood rooted to the spot, head lowered, one hand clutching his chest.
*Thump, thump.*
Lu Mingming’s sharp ears caught a sound.
*Thump, thump.*
It was a heartbeat.
Lu Mingming’s expression was puzzled.
She wasn’t a beast-person and had no mental power; why could she hear a heartbeat?
“Director Morian…”
Lu Mingming, thinking of the problem, instinctively looked towards the only human companion in the research lab.
“Director Morian!”
Lu Mingming quickly put down the documents she was holding and ran over—
He had curled into a ball and collapsed beneath a research cabinet, completely losing his basic ability to move. His bone-defined hands were tightly gripping the fabric above his heart, his face contorted in extreme pain.
Morian’s usually pale face had turned an incredibly intense red, extending from his eyes all the way to the back of his head. Veins pulsed vigorously in the cool air, appearing terrifying and horrifying.
Lu Mingming’s trembling hand gently touched his forehead with the back of her hand. It was scorching hot, even hotter than the soy milk she had drunk that morning.
“What’s happening?”
Lu Mingming panicked, quickly pulling out her Lumina-pad and dialing emergency medical services.
The next second, a large palm struck, sending Lu Mingming’s Lumina-pad flying. It rolled several times before the screen went black, possibly due to damaged components.
Lu Mingming followed the hand’s trajectory. Morian had voluntarily removed his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes a deep, blood-like crimson, with traces of fatigue around the corners.
His disheveled hair was casually swept back, messy yet possessing a certain charm.
Lu Mingming cautiously asked, “Are you alright?”
“Of course, I’m fine.”
Morian forced a smile, the mirth clearly not reaching his eyes.
“I’m doing very well.”
Lu Mingming felt a sense of foreboding and got up to flee—
A hand firmly grasped her slender forearm, easily using its thumb and forefinger to immobilize Lu Mingming’s wrists. With the other hand, he reached towards her neck, sending goosebumps all over her body.
Morian leaned in, his breath a hot gust against her ear. “Trying to run?”
An intense premonition of death washed over Lu Mingming. She was too anxious to even consider their proximity.
She recognized the erratic behavior as a hallmark of late-stage genetic illness.
When a genetic illness reaches its advanced stage, it can cause the host to gradually lose their sanity, with less and less time spent lucid until they are driven to madness.
And now, Lu Mingming clearly saw Morian’s sanity teetering on the brink of collapse.
She gritted her teeth and struggled violently, twisting her arms, but his restraining grip only tightened.
Morian’s voice came from beside her ear, prompting Lu Mingming to immediately turn her head away, feeling the hand around her neck slowly constrict.
Struggling to breathe, Lu Mingming heard him say, “What are you avoiding?”
If she didn't dodge now, she figured she'd lose her life!
“Your blood has a fragrance that attracts me…”
Morian whispered, the tone as intimate as a lover’s murmur.
“Haha, you must be mistaken. I only smell like human flesh.”
Lu Mingming unceremoniously shattered the amorous atmosphere, eliciting a low chuckle from Morian.
“Whether it has the taste I imagine… I’ll know soon.”
His warm breath drew closer to Lu Mingming’s neck, burning hot.
Suddenly, Lu Mingming’s eyes widened. She looked towards the transparent glass of the research lab and shouted, “Is that the Alliance heir returning?!”
Morian was again amused. “That trick won’t work on me. I’m on his side… I know exactly when he’s coming back. Don’t try any more tricks.”
On his side?!
Lu Mingming never expected to stumble upon such important information unintentionally.
She felt like crying, but there were no tears. If possible, she wished this wouldn't happen at such a time…
Morian increased his grip, further immobilizing Lu Mingming. She was completely unable to move.
“It’ll hurt a bit in a moment, bear with me…”
What else could she do to save herself?
Lu Mingming, in her anxiety, glanced at the glass window of the research lab, desperately seeking help.
This time, her wish was granted.
A familiar figure walked past the window.
Lu Mingming was about to call out but abruptly remembered her current awkward predicament with Morian.
If they were discovered, the research institute would explode tomorrow!
*I’m sorry, Director Morian.*
She took a deep breath and bit down on the knuckle of Morian’s index finger, refusing to let go.
Morian: ?
Morian’s eyes darkened, allowing the disobedient cat to leave bruise marks on his finger.
“What is it now?”
Lu Mingming released her bite. “I saw someone coming. Let go quickly, or tomorrow the research institute will be buzzing with gossip about us! We’ll lose all face. You don’t want people to know your genetic illness hasn’t been cured, do you?”
“Do you think I’d believe you?”
Morian’s actions had been interrupted repeatedly, making him extremely displeased. He leaned against Lu Mingming like a drunkard, baring his teeth and gradually approaching her neck.
*CRASH—!*
A sharp pain struck the back of Lu Mingming’s head. Morian’s legs went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
Lu Mingming finally regained a moment of freedom, rubbing her wrist and muttering, “I told you someone was here, but you didn’t believe me.”
She turned to look and saw a familiar face, someone she had met with Lu Yan that day.
“Yi Fu?”
Yi Fu calmly and familiarly rummaged through a cabinet for disinfectant alcohol and cotton pads, meticulously wiping away the bloodstains from the small desk lamp and the floor.
He seemed to be well aware of Morian’s condition, showing no surprise at all. His movements were practiced, clearly indicating he had done this many times before.
After cleaning everything up, Yi Fu feigned annoyance and tapped his head. “Oh no, will Morian blame me when he wakes up… I hope his head doesn’t bleed too much.”
Having said that, Yi Fu’s gaze shifted to Lu Mingming, his two small canine teeth looking adorably cute. “We meet again, sister. I always seem to run into you during these strange situations. You absolutely must not tell anyone about Morian’s condition, nor reveal my whereabouts, or else…”
A sharp gust of wind swept past Lu Mingming’s right side, and a lock of her black hair fell to the floor.
In that instant, Lu Mingming’s heart skipped a beat. When she came to her senses, her back was covered in a cold sweat.
She dazedly looked behind her. A small knife was deeply embedded in the wall, which was made of steel plates, with only the handle protruding.
“If you talk, this will be your end, sis-ter.”