Me? I'm your heart, and you are my soul. I didn't hold you to let go.
Shi-Han: Let me go, I'm in pain. I will scream. Xiao-Tong, Captain, help! Xiao-Tong, can you hear me? Where are you? Anyone? Captain, Jing-Tian, help!
★★★
When Shi-Han and Xiao-Tong come outside the club—
Ji-Xuan:- Director sir, how has our gaming plan been leaked?
Ji-Xuan asks a question that Director could never even imagine in his dreams. At such a question, Jun-Hao starts sweating profusely. Suddenly, as if he gets startled by Ji-Xuan's question. He is thinking what answer to give—
Jing-Tian:- Why did Yi-Chen, taking an opportunity, suddenly give pain to Jia-Hong's hand, Director sir?
Hao-Yu:- Director sir, why suddenly do you want to make Ji-Fan the substitute player of Vorn club instead of Sister Shi-Han?
Jia-Hong:- What is it, Director sir, why are you sweating? Vorn is fine. Answer our questions.
Ji-Xuan:- Director sir, what did you do with Sister Shi-Han before that Shi-Han has left the club for Guolu town?
Hao-Yu:- Did you want to bring Honor of Kings gaming player Ji-Fan as a substitute player to the club just to remove sister Shi-Han from the club, Director sir?
Jun-Hao:- Silence! Everyone be quiet! What nonsense questions are you all asking? Have you forgotten that I am the director of the club and you all are just ordinary gamers under me? Okay, leave these talks. Jia-Hong and all of you need rest. It is very late now, go back to the club. Tomorrow when Manager Ming-Xuan returns there will be a big meeting about your gaming skills.
Director Jun-Hao asserts his authority of the position, giving the team a kind of silent threat. At the director's words, no one in the team speaks further and they go to the meeting room to pack their belongings.
Meanwhile, Shi-Han and Xiao-Tong come and stand near the club's parking lot—
Xiao-Tong:- Shi-Han, we will stay in the club tonight, we have not brought any such preparations. Do you have any extra napkins with you?
Shi-Han:- No, I am thinking the same. But at this late hour we will not get any cab or taxi. And in the hostel, Su-Miao Auntie, even if she returns to the hostel this late, will not let us inside.
Xiao-Tong:- Okay, you stay here, I will walk around a little to see if I can find any super shop.
Shi-Han:- Xiao-Tong, this area is not good at all. At this late hour no super shop is open for us. But you do not go alone, come I will go with you.
Xiao-Tong:- Hmm, I know. But now we need to go to the shop. And you do not have to come with me with stomach pain. You stay here and wait for me. And when the club's van comes, you wait for me.
Shi-Han:- Okay, fine. But give me the location from your phone. And if any danger happens, you will call me immediately.
Xiao-Tong:- Hmm.
Xiao-Tong leaves Shi-Han alone and goes to the super shop. No matter how Zeon team's gaming plan was leaked today, the defeat had already been Zeon team's. With a tired body and period pain, Shi-Han, feeling sad, presses her stomach and starts crying.
★★★
Meanwhile, Jun-Yu, Wan-Xing, and Lin-Boshi are at a construction building under the Ten-Storey Foundation. From the outside, the building looks like it is newly under construction. Here, apart from bricks, sand, cement, and rods, nothing expensive is present. Most people would mistakenly think that there could also be a secret lab here.
Inside the lab, microscopes, centrifuge, pipettes and micropipettes, beakers, funnels, flasks, test tubes, petri dishes, analytical balances, electric incubator, fume hood, autoclave/sterilizer, fridge and deep freezer, hot plate and stirrer, pH meter, water bath, spectrophotometer, along with many other instruments are arranged. Actually, just as the building looks from outside, the inside lab is also arranged in a way suitable for education, research, and medical purposes.
Wan-Xing, wearing a mask, apron, gloves, and goggles, collects samples from four corpses with a notepad and pen in hand. Professor Lin Bo-Shi, after finishing his work—
Lin-Boshi: Wan-Xing, these four are very rare and infected with a terrible virus. I have not told you the name of this virus yet, and I will not. Because this is your assignment. The university opens in one more day. You and Jun-Yu, within this one day, will prepare this assignment with the virus name and details, and also what formula we can create for revenge. Do you understand how secret this matter is?
Wan-Xing:- Yes sir, I understand. But sir, we are completely new, at least tell us the name of the virus. Please don't give such a difficult assignment.
Lin-Boshi (angrily):- Silence! Am I your professor or are you my professor? I give the assignment, you decide?
Jun-Yu sits on a chair at the other side of the lab, taking notes. He does not want to interrupt the seniors' conversation. When Professor Lin Bo-Shi angrily scolds, Jun-Yu trembles and looks at Wan-Xing.
Wan-Xing (fearfully):- Sorry sir, sorry, it was a mistake.
Lin-Boshi:- Listen Wan-Xing, what I am doing is for your good. This virus assignment is like your practical exam. After this, there will be another practical and written exam. If both of you get 99.90% marks in the exam, then you will get a chance to do a PhD in Germany. Remember, when I leave, I have left.
After Professor Lin Bo-Shi tells Wan-Xing this and leaves the lab, Wan-Xing sighs, presses his chest, and takes out his phone.
Some time later, Wan-Xing, after packing his things from the lab, goes to Jun-Yu—
Wan-Xing:- Junior, haven't you finished collecting your samples yet?
Jun-Yu is so busy with his work that he does not notice Wan-Xing standing next to him. Jun-Yu jumps slightly—
Jun-Yu:- Huh, oh Senior! Yes Senior, tell me sir, what did he say?
Wan-Xing:- Sir gave us an assignment. When will you return home? Your work is not finished?
Jun-Yu:- Yes Senior, almost finished, will take a little more time. You sit a bit, I will freshen up and then drop you home.
Jun-Yu wants to take Wan-Xing home. Meanwhile, from outside the lab, the sound of a car engine reaches their ears—
Wan-Xing:- No Junior, there is no need. I have booked a cab, see, the cab has already come. You continue your work, I will go. And yes, from Beijing you came straight to Zhangmiao without returning home. Before going home, make sure to have dinner before returning, because I know you have no groceries at home.
Jun-Yu:- Okay Senior. Don't worry so much about me, thank you. And go home carefully, and inform me when you reach.
Wan-Xing:- Okay.
★★★
Meanwhile, Shi-Han was standing alone in the Lynx Club parking lot, waiting for Xiao-Tong and the rest of the team. At that moment, a middle-aged man, drunk, was passing by the club parking lot on his way home after watching today's tournament. Seeing Shi-Han crying and clutching her stomach, the drunk man approached her—
Drunk Man: Hey beautiful, why are you crying?
At the drunk man's words, Shi-Han stood up, lifted her face, and tried to understand his intentions.
Drunk Man: Oh, you're the gaming queen Shi-Han. Crying because you lost? I knew e-sports wasn't for girls. Don't be sad about this, I'm here for you.
As he spoke, the drunk man grabbed Shi-Han's hand firmly. Instantly, her heart recoiled with an unknown fear. In her eyes, an unfamiliar terror appeared.
Shi-Han: Who are you? Let go, release my hand.
Drunk Man: Me? I'm your heart, and you are my soul. I didn't hold you to let go.
Shi-Han: Let me go, I'm in pain. I will scream. Xiao-Tong, Captain, help! Xiao-Tong, can you hear me? Where are you? Anyone? Captain, Jing-Tian, help!
Xiao-Tong had not yet returned to the parking lot, and the Zion team members were still inside the club packing their things. Meanwhile, on stage, it was announced that the trophy would be handed to the Ying-Zhao team.
The audience inside the club erupted in joy and cheer. Amid all this noise, no one could hear Shi-Han's screams. The drunk man pulled her toward himself, putting his hand over her mouth to silence her, then—
Drunk Man: Hush! Don't be so scared, beautiful, I'm here to ease your fear. And don't scream, beautiful. When I make you mine completely, then you can scream, then even your screams will sound sweet to my ears.
Saying this, the drunk man tried to pull Shi-Han forcefully. As he grabbed her hand and tried to pull her to his chest, Shi-Han slapped him hard on the face with her left hand. Even in this cruel moment, Shi-Han knew martial arts. But due to her period, she was very weak today. She somehow managed to escape from the drunk man's grasp and ran in whatever direction her eyes could see.
Meanwhile, after Wan-Xing left the lab, Jun-Yu went back to the table to take notes, when his phone rang. Jun-Yu answered—
Jun-Yu: Sorry, Ma'am, sorry. I was just about to call you. As soon as I thought of you, your call came.
Jin-Yu: Pa-Zi, do you think I don't know you? No need for such fuss. First, tell me, why didn't you call me when you reached Shanghai?
Jun-Yu: Ma'am, you know today we were supposed to meet Professor Lin Bo-Shi. Besides, you haven't let me study at all these days, there's so much left to read.
Jin-Yu: Alright, but nothing serious about your body. So… did you have dinner?
As Jin-Yu asked Jun-Yu, another feminine voice rang in his ear. He immediately realized it was not a normal voice, but a cry of distress.
Jun-Yu: Ma'am, hold on a second, I'll put the phone down.
Zhangmiao's lab was right next to Lynx Club. While Jun-Yu was on the phone, he saw Shi-Han through the window, immediately left the phone on the table, sprayed sanitizer on himself, and came out with a short cut rod. On the other end, Jin-Yu was calling Jun-Yu.
Shi-Han ran, exhausted. Sweat poured from every cell of her body. One would think she had just come out of a shower. She was so drained that she barely had the strength to breathe, yet she inhaled as forcefully as she could to stay alive.
As she paused for a brief, relief-filled breath, the drunk man called from behind—
Drunk Man: Beautiful, your hide-and-seek game is over. Now where will you run?
Hearing the tone again, Shi-Han started running. She collided slightly with a person in a black shirt, apron unbuttoned, wearing a mask, goggles, and gloves on hands.
Shi-Han lifted her head from Jun-Yu's chest and saw his face. She recognized Jun-Yu's outfit but, with the mask, could not identify him as the boy from Bohai Park who came on the green racing bike. Yet, at this moment, this unknown masked person felt like the closest and safest refuge to Shi-Han.
Jun-Yu, working in the lab, hearing Shi-Han's voice, ran out without even removing his mask to protect the dignity of this unknown girl. Shi-Han, in front of this unknown person, pressed her hands together—
Shi-Han: Scientist sir, please help me. I can't take it anymore.
★★★
Shi-Han looked up at the masked figure, her chest heaving, every nerve on fire. For a moment, the world seemed to stop — was this her savior, or yet another danger waiting in the shadows?
Before she could react, a soft voice broke through the tension:
"Don't be afraid. You're safe… for now."
Her heart pounded. Questions raced through her mind —
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