He tumbled out from the dark chamber.
This was the “rule”—one learned before the mark on his neck was erased. When explicitly ordered to “roll out,” crawling would become a mistake, so his body crashed to the floor along with bits of ice shards.
“Do you need a little encouragement?”
Before him stretched the hotel’s crimson carpet. The familiar voice spoke from overhead.
“Hmm… At least you did put some thought into it?” The warm, mellow voice pondered for a moment, searching for anything commendable in No. 13’s actions this time. He lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over the neck of the man on the ground, and suddenly let out a sound of realization: “Ah, you’re No. 13—Ji Yu.”
Too casual, too indifferent, like glancing at roadside weeds. Ji Yu blinked slowly, white frost flakes drifting from his eyelids.
He did have ideas, at least. He’d prepared reagents, bought intel and help, mapped an escape route through Room 201, and even predicted some psychological reactions accurately.
For instance, Ji Yu knew those haughty young masters and misses, with their noses in the air, wouldn’t habitually check the dark chamber for hideaways even if they knew it existed. People don’t obsess over dog holes, living in constant fear of a sudden bite from within.
Or, Ji Yu understood Wen Tianlu’s personality. The man had “friends” aplenty—he could summon a crowd for a party on a whim—but he also loathed anyone casually invading his private space. Room 202 was highly likely to be his solo retreat; even if a couple of outsiders were around, they’d leave eventually.
It all matched his expectations. Unfortunately, it meant nothing.
Jiang Hehu lounged on the nearby sofa, arms crossed, sticking around a bit longer due to this little interlude. He praised the warrior kneeling on the floor: “So damn stupid.”
“Isn’t it courageous, though?” Wen Tianlu lightly defended Ji Yu. Wen Ruoyue had invited all his toys; surely others harbored similar delusions of flipping the script, but few dared act on them.
He watched Ji Yu with keen interest. Seeing the man in person finally dredged up those memories he’d casually tossed in the trash. Wen Tianlu asked, “Did you do this because I once praised you? Saying that with a support Supernatural Ability, you might be able to charm me?”
“I’m done.” Jiang Hehu grimaced in disgust beside him. “You actually said something that gross?”
“I’m just stating facts.” Wen Tianlu smiled brightly. “With 【Forbidden Fruit】, he definitely could’ve affected us. Too bad he chose a different amplification. What a shame—no dice now.”
Lin Xun still stood by the vent, fanning away the sticky residue of Charm-Type Esper Ability traces on his body. He had no real impression of Ji Yu himself, but he knew 【Peach Fragrance】 well. He casually replied, “Should’ve said so earlier. If he’d actually come to me, I’d have helped.”
Super A-Grade 【Forbidden Fruit】 was a modification-cum-food-type Supernatural Ability. Unlike treating one’s power as a pure external boost in a “1+1” fashion to strengthen others, it was more like temporarily “editing” someone else’s ability directly—leading to highly variable reinforcement outcomes.
Explaining the mechanics in detail would turn into Lin Xun’s personal seminar. He skirted the ice crystals on the floor, leaning in to inspect Ji Yu, encircled by frost, like a tailor eyeing a bolt of cloth: “His foundation’s weak, but his ability’s intriguing. The traces are so heavy—more ‘service’-oriented than straight-up arousal.”
That bedroom business boiled down to chasing “pleasure,” plain and simple. Everyone’s tastes differed: some cared only for their own high, others got off indirectly by “serving” someone else. Ji Yu’s 【Peach Fragrance】 induced lust surges, innately steering people toward the latter.
A one-shot high-dose of 【Peach Fragrance】 could “infect” via lust surge, turning someone obedient and docile, proud to please their master—rather than chaotic, vent-only frenzy that invited revenge once sobriety hit. High-concentration 【Peach Fragrance】 forged a false collar, enslaving to desire.
A thorough “master-betraying” scheme indeed. Lin Xun pictured Wen Tianlu leashed like a dog and couldn’t help chuckling, half-serious: “Gotta say, I’d love to see that.”
Ji Yu’s lips turned blue, his heart chilling inch by inch with their words.
Lin Xun seemed to know his ability better than he did. The man’s words cut off any excuses like “just wanting to return to Master this way” or “leave one last fond memory with Master.” That fanatic obsession cooled under reality; hearing his own scheme spelled out now filled him with fear and absurdity.
Wen Tianlu looked utterly relaxed, not even angry. More curious than Ji Yu—the ability’s true master—he asked Lin Xun: “Could it really work?”
“Nope.” Lin Xun shrugged, definitive. “If it could, I’d have taken him off your hands ages ago. Arousal? Sure.”
“I see,” Wen Tianlu said to Ji Yu with pity. “Still so useless.”
The body on the floor went rigid, then shuddered violently. The words hammered him back to that rainy day of abandonment. Ji Yu gulped air in heaving gasps; the icy breath knifed his throat and lungs, yet he paradoxically felt fire scorching: “…”
“What?” Wen Tianlu patiently offered another chance. “I can’t hear you.”
“…Please,” Ji Yu gritted out, forehead pressed to the carpet, repeating, “Please… please forgive me.”
Jiang Hehu yawned beside them.
Good move? Hardly. Desperate rebellion or groveling for mercy—neither swayed the outcome much. Ji Yu had acted without the resolve to match, only now realizing he’d never weighed the cost. Wen Tianlu sighed, bored. “Lame.”
White frost surged in an instant, draining Ji Yu’s face of color: “No! Please…”
Fingers and toes went numb. Ji Yu’s voice sharpened to a tremble. He crawled forward on all fours, not even brushing Wen Tianlu’s pant leg before an ice spike blocked him. He face-planted, rasped twice, then shrieked: “Wait, wait! I’m still useful!”
“Oh?” Wen Tianlu played along. Ice crystals encased Ji Yu’s legs, creeping upward without slowing. “Let’s hear it?”
I’ll die. I’ll die! Survival instinct jolted his sluggish brain. Countermeasures flashed through his mind, rejected in seconds—each one an eternity. At last, Ji Yu screamed the unfamiliar name he’d heard nonstop today: “Wen Jiang!”
The ice halted. The room’s air subtly froze.
Ji Yu shivered, propping up on his elbows against knife-like stares. Through the translucent ice, he glimpsed the others’ faces.
The price was unknown, but he’d teetered to the abyss’s edge. Every word demanded precision, or it’d be his doom.
Use high-dose 【Peach Fragrance】 on that Wen Jiang? No one had claimed him yet, judging by the attention.
No—they preferred hunting personally. Overstepping would enrage them.
What then…? No time. Say something, rephrase: shared boyfriend prospect… shared… They’d never share.
“【Peach Fragrance】… 【Peach Fragrance】 works best on favorites. Use the ability on him—”
Ji Yu swallowed, head raised in a final gamble: “Then you’ll know who he really wants.”
Wen Jiang was at a banquet game.
The ceremony had ended, but before formal dancing, there was a “lucky audience” warmup—unmentioned in the itinerary Wen Jiang knew, supposedly for “surprise.” Wen Ruoyue had hidden them on purpose.
Rules were simple: Servers handed out random cards to guests. Find clues, hunt gifts hidden around the hotel, bring them back to the hall—yours to keep.
Gifts varied: wine, watches, membership cards, tickets, jewelry, crafts, mystery Dog Tags, etc., listed on the card.
Wen Jiang glanced around; many from the “numbered crowd” looked eager, clued in on the Dog Tags.
Handling surprises well scored points in practical drills. Wen Jiang got fired up. Xie Qi scowled beside him—no teams allowed; solo hunts only.
“I could get you that stuff.” Xie Qi grumbled at the list, reading “I wanna play” on Wen Jiang’s calm face despite the poker expression. He clicked his tongue: “Fine, I’ll wait here.”
Rules didn’t ban Supernatural Abilities or snatching. Xie Qi saw it: leeway for Wen Tianlu’s discarded toys. Limited Dog Tags, players scattered—pure competition bait.
Theoretically unrelated to Wen Jiang, but if dragged in, a Lifestyle System type lacked self-defense.
“Shout if anything happens.” Xie Qi warned, then added, “Like something? Tell me when you’re back.”
Rob it outright or just buy? Wen Jiang replied earnestly: “It’s about participating.”
Cleared with Xie Qi—no “leaving sight unauthorized.” Free time. Following clues: paper under a first-floor vase, leading to a second-floor drawer card. Decrypting matched the first, pointing to Room 501.
He’d passed other players on two, but this floor was dead quiet, crimson carpet muffling sounds. Room empty, faint air freshener lingering.
Gift in the bathroom…? Skincare? Wen Jiang gripped the knob, recalling TV tropes of toilet-tank hides.
He opened the door—and a thick, ripe-to-bursting peach scent assaulted him.
The aroma hit like an ambush, thoughts scattering into a peach-blossom wonderland. Fruits dangled heavy; one touch, and golden flesh split, juice exploding clear and sticky over fingers, wrist, into soft, fragrant soil.
Soil sprouted buds into trees bearing more peaches. The scent solidified, hands of temptation encircling him.
…
Too late to dodge now.
His Inhibitor Bracelet spiked silently. Wen Jiang blinked softly; the illusion dissipated like mist. He looked down: a bound, soaked man writhed on the floor.
…Ability overload?
The scent poured unnaturally from him. Eyes blindfolded, mouth taped, muffled whimpers as he squirmed. Exposed skin flushed pink, clothes darkened in wet patches distinct from sweat.
Steamed shrimp—or fresh from water. In the struggle, Wen Jiang spotted the faint neck mark.
13*.
Who was 13 again?
Rather than his name, his number, or his appearance, what first flashed through his mind was actually a feeling.
Somewhere else, he had once seen him kneeling on the ground—devoutly, fanatically, without the slightest hint of resentment. The other tried to hide it, but there was that eager-to-try vibe on him, just like the Combat System students—as if the moment his master ahead issued a command, he would lunge at once to prove his loyalty.
Ah, right. A blind puppy.
And now, the guy was wracked by a Supernatural Ability rampage. In the darkness, Wen Jiang sensed an icy, frosty aura. The drenched body writhed, straining toward his ankle.
His thoughts remained fuzzy, chaotic, sluggish. An intensely unfamiliar burning heat roiled inside him. Wen Jiang stared down at the thing on the floor. After a long two seconds, he realized the air freshener in the living room was probably a Supernatural Ability barrier.
That was why the scent permeated only in here. Not a whiff had leaked out before he opened the door.
So hot. This irritating hunger and thirst… What should I do now…
A faint sound came from behind him. Someone else had entered Room 501. Wen Jiang watched as No. 13 brushed his shoe tip, half his head poking out past the bathroom’s edge.
The cool leather soothed his scalding skin. Ji Yu let out a joyful whimper. His Supernatural Ability—brutally warped by 【Forbidden Fruit】—had slipped completely from his control. It felt like wild currents rampaging through his body, bringing an excruciating, bone-deep itch.
All rationality, emotion, and dignity had already melted away alongside his brain in that fragrance. Anything goes. Anything’s fine. He craned his neck, rubbing the side of his face against Wen Jiang’s pant leg, issuing a sunkissed invitation thick with the intoxicating scent.
The next second, a downward force slammed Ji Yu’s forehead hard against the pristine white tiles.
…Should deal with the source first.
Wen Jiang lowered his gaze. Like crushing a crawling bug, he decisively stomped the intruding head back into the room.
