Chapter 19: A Moment of Tenderness

Despite having a sense of foreboding, when Bai Chen used his phone to fully illuminate Mo Qiu’s injured arm, his heart still tightened with concern.

The sleeve of Mo Qiu’s uniform was torn, and the delicate, porcelain-like skin of her arm was marred by a gruesome wound that stood out even more starkly.

At first, Mo Qiu didn’t react strongly, and Bai Chen assumed it was just a minor injury. Upon closer inspection, however, he realized it was quite severe.

The wound resembled claw marks, tearing through her pale skin and the underlying flesh, feeling as though it had just missed the bone.

Gently cradling her arm, Bai Chen hesitated with the cotton swab in hand.

‘Don’t you feel any pain?’, he asked.

‘It’s bearable.’, she replied.

After all, the worst of the pain had only lasted a moment, and tonight she had experienced sensations far more torturous than mere physical agony.

Compared to the overwhelming desire that had nearly shattered her mind, this slight discomfort seemed insignificant.

Upon hearing her response, Bai Chen was momentarily at a loss for words.

How could she endure such a serious injury without even flinching? He doubted he could maintain his composure in a similar situation.

Feeling a sense of inferiority, Bai Chen sighed.

‘If it hurts, just let me know.’, he murmured.

‘I will.’, she assured him.

Bai Chen dipped the cotton swab into the bottle of medicine and, once it stopped dripping, carefully applied the ointment to her wound.

The instant the cotton swab touched her skin, he noticed her arm flinch. Looking up, he saw no change in her expression, as if the movement had been a mere illusion.

After a moment of silence, hearing no objection, Bai Chen continued tending to her injury.

The brown ointment mixed with the crimson wound, deepening in color. He applied it gently, fearful of causing her further harm.

To his surprise, Mo Qiu remained silent throughout the process, her dull gaze fixed on him.

Once the ointment was applied and the bandage secured, Bai Chen advised her, ‘For the next few days, avoid using this arm excessively. If the wound reopens, it could become problematic.’

‘I understand.’, Mo Qiu nodded, then lowered her gaze.

‘White Chen, your finger…’, she pointed out.

Only then did Bai Chen notice a cut on his left index finger, stained with a drop of blood.

The pain was dull and persistent, likely from the scuffle in the alley. He smiled dismissively, ‘It’s nothing, just a minor injury.’

‘I’ll help you.’, she offered.

‘No need, I can handle it myself.’, Bai Chen replied, pulling out a bottle of water and cleaning the wound in front of her. The water stung as it touched the cut, causing his brow to furrow momentarily before he regained his composure.

‘See, it’s all better now.’, Bai Chen showed her his cleaned finger, like a child proud of a new toy.

Despite his efforts to hide it, Mo Qiu caught the fleeting grimace.

‘Is it because I’m here that you’re trying to be strong?’, she wondered.

‘A virgin is a virgin. His acting skills are full of holes.’, she thought, as she reached out and grabbed his wrist.

‘That’s not enough.’, she declared.

‘What do you mean?’, Bai Chen asked, puzzled.

‘The wound needs to be disinfected.’, Mo Qiu insisted, before he could react.

‘Wait, what are you…’, Bai Chen tried to protest, but it was too late.

Mo Qiu took his injured finger into her mouth, just as she had on their first encounter.

‘Meth, you…’, he stammered.

‘Saliva can disinfect. Don’t move.’, she mumbled, her lips barely parting.

Bai Chen froze, allowing her to continue.

Was this really disinfection? It seemed so strange, but he couldn’t argue.

Her lips, soft and delicate as the first dew on a flower petal, enveloped his knuckle. Her tongue, agile and warm, brushed over his wound.

At first, there was a slight sting, but it quickly subsided, turning into a soothing sensation.

The warmth of her mouth was comforting, and her lips, a healthy pink, were especially alluring under the moonlight.

After a while, Mo Qiu slowly released his finger. A silvery thread stretched between her lips and his fingertip, glistening as it fell onto her skirt.

‘White Chen, White Chen?’, she called, noticing his lack of response. ‘Is it not enough?’, she wondered, reaching for his hand again.

Just then, a voice interrupted them from a distance.

‘White Chen, are you almost done? I need you to… help me with something.’

Su Wanghai, who had run over, was taken aback by the scene before him.

The two sat face to face, Mo Qiu leaning forward, her hands grasping his wrist, like a small animal slowly approaching its prey.

The situation looked undeniably intimate, and Su Wanghai offered an embarrassed smile. ‘I see you two aren’t finished yet. Remember to come help me once you’re done. Don’t forget about the work.’

As if waking from a dream, Bai Chen jumped to his feet, his voice rising. ‘Wait, it’s not what you think!’

‘I understand, I understand. Young people are full of vitality.’, Su Wanghai replied, walking away.

‘Hey, come back here…’, Bai Chen called out, but Su Wanghai was already gone. Bai Chen stood there, scratching his head, and when he turned back to Mo Qiu, she tilted her head quizzically.

‘Is it because of me?’, she asked.

‘No, it’s not your fault.’, Bai Chen’s voice softened. ‘I have some important matters to attend to. You can go home on your own.’

‘Okay.’, she responded.

Bai Chen, however, couldn’t shake his concern. He approached her to check for any hidden injuries.

From her appearance, it was clear she had just faced a life-threatening situation. His gaze traveled from her tattered black stockings to her dirt-stained skirt, and finally, to her face.

‘Your face…’, he began.

‘I fell during my escape.’, she explained.

‘But this is a scratch…’, he pointed out.

‘I accidentally fell into a bush.’, she insisted.

Skilled at deception, Mo Qiu had anticipated his questions and prepared her answers. With her icy expression and lifeless eyes, few could detect her lies.

It would be impossible to heal the mark of his slap in such a short time. She had deliberately inflicted a similar injury on the other side of her face to avoid suspicion.

‘You’re not angry?’, Bai Chen asked.

‘Why should I be angry?’, she replied, genuinely confused. Even the slap had served a purpose, helping her regain control of her mind. It was more of a favor than a punishment.

‘Your temper is amazing. I’m furious!’, Bai Chen clenched his fists.

‘To strike a girl’s face, that monster deserves to die. She’s not even human, a disgrace among her kind!’

Bai Chen raged, oblivious to the disdain in her eyes.

‘Listen.’, Bai Chen suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.

‘You can’t just endure being bullied. Strike back when the time is right.’

‘I understand.’, Mo Qiu replied.

‘Besides, if you ever see the one who hurt your face again, kick her where it hurts.’, he advised.

Mo Qiu nodded, appreciating his words. She had never been one to let her enemies off easily. She was grateful that even a virgin like Bai Chen understood such wisdom.

But… wasn’t it you who hit my face?’, she wondered, her gaze drifting down as she considered the timing and force required to deliver a proper kick.

After parting ways with Bai Chen, Mo Qiu boarded a car he had arranged and soon arrived home.

As the door closed behind her, she sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. She dragged her weary body into her bedroom.

Without turning on the light, she opened her laptop. The screen illuminated her face, reflecting secret files in her eyes.

Tonight’s experiences were invaluable, and she needed to record them before they slipped from her memory.

First, there was Bai Chen. His combat abilities were weaker than she had anticipated.

Mo Qiu believed her capture had been a mere accident. If they were to fight again, she was confident she could defeat him.

However, if he couldn’t even defeat her, how could he grow strong enough to save the world?

As she replayed the moments of their battle, Mo Qiu focused on his black gloves. The blue lightning-woven weapons, whether guns or swords, were all controlled by those gloves.

They were remarkable, but in her previous life, she had never seen Bai Chen wear such gloves during his battles against the monsters.

Relying on external tools to fight, he was still too inexperienced.

‘He needs a way to boost his strength.’, Mo Qiu mused, staring blankly at the ceiling, her deep eyes unblinking.

‘But I can’t do it alone. He needs more suitable opponents to practice against.’

Thinking of opponents, she recalled another significant event from tonight: Saluk and the Mysterious Person (TL Note: A character whose identity is unknown and is referred to as a ‘mysterious person’ throughout the story).

Saluk was no longer of interest, but the Mysterious Person was a different story. Who was he, and what did he want in this city?

How was he connected to the destruction of Fengling City, and what role did he play? These were questions Mo Qiu sought to answer.

With too few clues and no clear direction, even forcing her brain to work yielded no results. She only wasted time slumped over her laptop.

‘Directly investigating the Mysterious Person may not be possible.’, she concluded.

Revealing her identity to him would likely lead to another confrontation.

Mo Qiu decided to avoid him for now and focus on Saluk, who was unaware of her conflict with the Mysterious Person.

She wasn’t in a hurry. There were still two months until the destruction of Fengling City. Following the clues would eventually lead her to the truth.

With this reassurance, Mo Qiu stood up and collapsed onto her bed, surrendering to the soft embrace of her sheets.

‘Then, I’ll deliver the truth to Bai Chen, and he can save Fengling City.’, she thought, as exhaustion overtook her.

She realized she had overtaxed herself. This body, though beautiful, was fragile.

Especially when using her full potential as a monster in disguise, she felt as if her stomach would cave in with hunger.

Too tired to even shower, she curled up and drifted into sleep, her last thought a memory of Bai Chen’s concerned expressions.