Chapter 101: The Kiss’s Secret and the Looming Shadow

Regarding his own abilities, Lin Qing had always kept them hidden, never once mentioning them to Su Yao.

Yet, the words Su Yao spoke now seemed to pierce through his every secret.

Kissing for healing…

When exactly had Su Yao discovered this?

Ever since he noticed the crimson skull above Su Yao’s head, Lin Qing had expended considerable effort to understand its meaning.

It was akin to an alternative form of healing.

By kissing Su Yao, he could draw energy from the red skull to heal himself.

Remarkably, beyond mere wound recovery, Lin Qing had even grown taller because of it.

When Su Yao had first noticed his change in height, she hadn’t pressed the issue. Was she waiting for this moment all along?

Sure enough, another of Lin Qing’s skulls turned red, only for him to then see ten skulls.

This was proof that he had successfully prevented Su Yao from killing.

“Such a surprised look! It seems you were really looking forward to it! But don’t be so naive as to believe it, you know. It’s just a beautiful wish people have. How could a kiss possibly solve everything?”

However, upon seeing Lin Qing’s astonished expression, Su Yao couldn’t help but raise a hand to cover her mouth, a smile playing on her lips.

A mischievous glint danced in her dark eyes as she gazed directly at Lin Qing’s bewildered, dazed face.

‘Teasing Lin Qing is always so much fun.’

When Lin Qing realized he had misinterpreted Su Yao’s words, a wave of relief washed over him. He immediately understood that silence was his best option right now.

To argue would expose his abilities.

Not to argue would merely make him seem naive.

“Wuwuwu, Lin Qing, I might be going to prison for murder. When I’m inside, you absolutely have to visit me! We’ve faced life and death together, so don’t forget me easily.”

Just as Lin Qing and Su Yao exchanged glances, Liu Hong’s tearful voice suddenly broke the silence.

Regarding the fingerprints left on Wang Fanran’s pants, the more Liu Hong thought about it, the worse it seemed. He had already envisioned himself being framed and sent to prison.

The mental image felt incredibly real.

Catching sight of Wang Fanran’s tear-streaked face in the rearview mirror, a hint of disdain flickered across Su Yao’s features. She mused that she hadn’t thought Liu Hong was quite this foolish before.

“Your family isn’t just for show. Once we get home, have them check out the abandoned slaughterhouse. Firstly, to handle your fingerprint issue, and secondly, to inform us of any further developments.”

Listening to Su Yao’s words, Liu Hong’s tearful expression froze in surprise.

Su Yao was right!

Why hadn’t he thought of that himself?

He truly was lost in the moment.

Liu Hong had been so panicked that he lost his wits, failing to immediately consider relying on his family’s influence to resolve the problem.

“Were you raised free-range? Generally, when something happens, people seek help from their family immediately.”

Watching Liu Hong finally grasp the situation, Su Yao raised an eyebrow before adding a cutting remark.

This made Liu Hong scratch his head, a little embarrassed, before finally speaking.

“Before, I only got into minor scrapes, never needing my family’s power, which is why I didn’t think of it in time… Oh, right, Lin Qing, Chen Sen is definitely going to cause you trouble later. Why don’t you come stay at my place?”

Liu Hong dared not say much in response to Su Yao’s sarcasm. He quickly changed the subject, eager to take Lin Qing home with him.

Ever since the abandoned slaughterhouse incident, Liu Hong had looked at Lin Qing as if he were a long-lost brother, practically ready to offer his own wealth in return.

This stemmed not only from gratitude for Lin Qing saving his life but also from deep admiration for Lin Qing’s formidable strength.

For someone like Liu Hong, a person with greater strength easily earned his genuine respect and affection.

“Why should he stay at your place? If Lin Qing is going anywhere, he’s coming to my place.”

In response to Liu Hong’s unusual enthusiasm, Su Yao vigilantly wrapped her arms around Lin Qing’s neck.

She looked tense, like a cat ready for a fight, with all its fur bristling.

Observing their attitudes, Lin Qing couldn’t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. He wondered when he had become such a coveted prize, fought over by others.

“I’ll be fine. Once you both get home, send me a text to let me know you’re safe. That’s the only way I’ll feel at ease.”

Lin Qing had only embraced Su Yao earlier in a moment of impulse, but now he felt incredibly awkward. After a moment of hesitation, he gently pulled away Su Yao’s arms from around his neck.

The car had already entered his residential complex. In just another ten seconds, it would arrive below his building.

“Alright, you should rest well too.”

Once the vehicle came to a stop, Su Yao didn’t cling to Lin Qing any further.

However, just as Lin Qing reached for the car door, Su Yao, seizing his moment of inattention, swiftly pulled him down onto the soft seat, then directly kissed him on the lips.

Due to the limited time, Su Yao couldn’t fully employ the techniques she’d read about, leaving her with a slight regret as she playfully bit Lin Qing’s lip.

Despite this, Liu Hong, seated in the passenger seat, witnessed the scene through the rearview mirror. His face flushed crimson as he immediately covered his eyes, thinking, ‘This isn’t something someone my age should be seeing!’

Although Liu Hong outwardly appeared to be a seasoned playboy, with a good physique and a decent face, he was anything but.

He was, in fact, an utterly inexperienced man who had never even held a girl’s hand.

Liu Hong’s standards were exceptionally high.

He’d dismissed any girls who threw themselves at him as ‘superficial,’ pushing them aside.

‘Come any closer and I’ll break your legs.’

He was single by choice, and by sheer strength of will.

The driver, however, observing Liu Hong’s pure reaction, couldn’t help but show a surprised expression. It truly proved that one should never judge a book by its cover!

As Lin Qing was tackled and kissed by Su Yao, his mind went blank. Only a wave of pleasure surged through him, running wild and unrestrained throughout his body.

It was unstoppable.

Yet, after the initial rush of pleasure, rationality returned.

Lin Qing remembered the function of the red skull. If he continued kissing Su Yao, there was a definite chance his abilities would be exposed!

This realization prevented Lin Qing from succumbing further to the intoxicating moment. He pushed Su Yao away, then quickly and somewhat fiercely opened the car door, slipping away back home.

His speed was remarkable, like a fleeing rabbit.

Su Yao watched him go, then burst into laughter, finding Lin Qing utterly amusing.

Her eyes, curved into crescent moons by her smile, held an adorable innocence, making her appear like a pure, unblemished angel.

However, appearances can be deceiving.

Once Lin Qing had departed, Su Yao lingeringly licked her lips with the tip of her tongue. Her initially innocent smile instantly transformed into that of a mischievous little devil. She then turned her gaze to Liu Hong, who was still covering his face in the passenger seat.

“Liu Hong, no matter what you do, you cannot let Lin Qing be discovered by the Darkspawn Organization.”

****

After Su Yao’s sudden kiss, Lin Qing returned home and immediately unwrapped the bandage from his chest. Sure enough, the wound had already begun to scab over and heal.

Because the kiss was too brief, not much red skull energy was absorbed, so it hadn’t fully healed like last time.

However, it was precisely this kiss that confirmed Lin Qing’s hypothesis.

Aside from the kiss with Su Yao when he was injured in the changing room, there had been another kissing incident later, but Lin Qing’s body showed no changes. This led him to speculate that a relatively severe injury might be required for the effect to manifest.

Now that the wound had scabbed over, Lin Qing no longer worried about the risk of infection, simply waiting for it to recover slowly.

His trip to the abandoned slaughterhouse had not been without its gains.

Lin Qing had uncovered a significant amount of information.

Of all his discoveries, the most substantial was the emergence of the Darkspawn Organization.

Lin Qing had initially believed that after escaping his captivity, he would finally enjoy a normal life, free from further threats. However, now knowing of the Darkspawn Organization’s existence, he realized he had rejoiced too soon.

It was like swimming leisurely on a calm sea, utterly unaware of the numerous ferocious sharks lurking beneath the surface, eyeing him hungrily.

He couldn’t afford to let his guard down now!

After quickly shedding his clothes and washing away the grime, Lin Qing collapsed onto his bed, stretching luxuriously. Now in a safe environment, he felt as though every bone in his body had been taken apart.

Looking up at the cracks in the ceiling, Lin Qing suddenly recalled the reflection he had seen in the glass.

The skeletal demon holding the scales of good and evil.

Lin Qing had previously avoided mirrors precisely because of his unusual nature.

Others had varying numbers of skulls above their heads, but Lin Qing himself manifested in a different form entirely.

Being different.

Sometimes, it wasn’t a good thing.

This statement was especially true for Lin Qing.

He simply wanted to live an ordinary, normal life.

However, Su Yao’s appearance and the tattoos of the Darkspawn Organization felt like an invisible demonic claw, forcefully dragging him into a massive vortex.

His hard-won return to normalcy was now gradually crumbling.

Lin Qing chose not to pursue the Darkspawn Organization further, hoping to mend things, lest the cracks grow wider, like those on the ceiling.

Yet, the Darkspawn Organization wasn’t the biggest problem; he could simply avoid getting involved.

But what about Su Yao?

At this point, it was no longer the initial state where he could easily set her aside.

Habit was truly terrifying.

Especially when one gradually grew accustomed to another person being by their side; over time, an emotion called dependence would inevitably form.

Was this what they called ‘love blooming over time?’

If Su Yao were more ordinary, perhaps Lin Qing would confront his true feelings.

Unfortunately, Su Yao was anything but ordinary.

He couldn’t attack head-on, nor could he flee backward.

Lin Qing was now caught in an impossible dilemma.

He could only choose to remain where he was and continue to observe how events unfolded.

Perhaps this was for the best.

He could temporarily escape, without having to make a choice.

Quickly composing himself, Lin Qing didn’t wallow in despondency. Instead, after a good night’s sleep, he spent the entire next day at home watching movies.

During this time, he received a text from Su Yao; they exchanged messages confirming their safety, and nothing else happened.

As time swiftly passed to Monday’s return to school, Lin Qing had recovered completely. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, ready to resume his campus life as usual.

However, the moment Lin Qing stepped into the classroom, Liu Hong’s furious voice suddenly erupted!

“Lin Qing, get over here!”

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