Chapter 46: Ambushed

Jiang Ye’s strength was a mystery.

Bai Chen Zhu only knew that he could exchange a few moves with anyone who came, and every time it looked like he was fighting desperately, on the verge of defeat, he somehow turned the tables at the last moment.

That included the time with the mutated cow, when he made himself look utterly wretched, as if he had crawled out of a river of blood, covered in wounds. Yet in the end, it was the mutated cow and Chen Hao who died.

Everyone’s attention was drawn by Bai Chen Zhu’s words, and they all turned to look at Jiang Ye, especially Tang Zhao. He had the deepest personal experience of the gap between himself and Jiang Ye. The moment he heard that Jiang Ye could compare to that so-called “Luozhou City’s number one powerhouse,” his eyes lit up like two little lightbulbs.

Jiang Ye touched his chest and sucked in a cold breath. After all, no matter how much he trained in private, he was not the old “him” anymore. He could only equivocate, “Hard to say. From his aura, he’s very strong.”

Someone strong enough for even Jiang Ye to acknowledge. Bai Chen Zhu had a bad premonition. If they had to make an enemy of him, wouldn’t their future be bleak?

“Don’t worry.” Jiang Ye poked the back of his hand. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, with nothing clear, we still need to gather enough information.”

Bai Chen Zhu yanked his hand back with a swish.

Jiang Ye chuckled and turned to Bai Tao. “You’ve met that boy before, right? Was he like this back then? Was it a genetic illness he’s had since childhood?”

That boy was Bai Tao’s half-brother from the same father, Bai Li. From the start, he had sat in a wheelchair, showing no surprise or displeasure at Bai Tao’s appearance—nothing extra in his emotions at all.

Bai Tao shook her head. “He was carefree and impulsive. Nothing like now.”

“He’s not quite right. Keep an eye on him,” Jiang Ye said gravely. “He doesn’t even seem human.”

“How could that be?” Bai Tao was utterly shocked and racked her brains trying to recall Bai Li’s condition. “He’s just a bit pale, a bit dazed, reacts a little slowly… Oh, right, the old man said it was a car accident that paralyzed his lower body, turning him into what he is now. That’s pretty normal.”

Jiang Ye rubbed his chin and said nothing.

Bai Chen Zhu glanced at his expression and saw right through him. “You’re not thinking of sneaking over at night to lift his blanket and check his legs, are you?”

Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow and chuckled twice.

Bai Chen Zhu sighed.

Jiang Ye had not said anything, so Bai Tao had not thought of it, but now the more she considered it, the more suspicious she became: Yeah, how could someone so lively completely change after a car accident?

He had become unresponsive to the outside world, full of sickly energy.

Now she wanted to lift the blanket too. She immediately volunteered, “You two can’t go over there conveniently. Wait for me to find an opportunity to check it out.”

They set aside the matter of Bai Li for now. Jiang Ye had barely eaten earlier, his stomach full of alcohol. Fortunately, Zhou Zhuo Hua had packed some food for him, so he ate at the small table while the others went back to rest.

“Eat slowly. I’m heading back first.” Bai Chen Zhu sat and watched Jiang Ye eat for a bit, growing impatient and yawning.

Jiang Ye acknowledged him.

—

They lived on the top floor of the small building, occupying the entire level, with others below.

Bai Chen Zhu stretched lazily as he walked step by step toward the inner room, the top two buttons of his collar undone.

His steps were slow. When he reached the door, he gripped the handle, and clarity instantly sharpened in his eyes.

Bai Chen Zhu casually released the handle and took a few steps back. “Jiang Ye, is the chicken leg tasty?”

Jiang Ye was gnawing on a chicken leg. At his words, he tossed the bone into the trash can, wiped his hands, and moved. Without asking why, his figure flashed extremely fast, leaving a shadow in the air.

He slapped the door open.

With a bang, a black shadow leaped out the window, leaving the curtains billowing in the wind.

Bai Chen Zhu ran over and looked out the window. Masses of roses hid in the darkness; he could see nothing.

The room was a mess, and his backpack had clearly been rummaged through. The two checked and found nothing missing.

Bai Chen Zhu set down the backpack in his hand, lost in thought. “A mutant?”

“Was it a person?” Zhou Zhuo Hua heard the commotion and hurried over, peering out.

Jiang Ye suddenly drew the gazes of both. He shook his head. “It ran too fast; I couldn’t see clearly. But its build was large—not like an ordinary cat or dog.”

The unknown was what stirred fear most. Zhou Zhuo Hua hugged her arms and shivered. “So scary! Could it be the roses downstairs turning into spirits?”

Speaking of mutated plants made Bai Chen Zhu’s face fall. He couldn’t help recalling the first mutant he had ever seen. Back then, to survive, he had exhausted every ounce of strength to flee.

After he left, how many people that mutated flower had eaten and what had become of it now—he knew nothing.

After Zhou Zhuo Hua left, he stood by the table staring again and again until Jiang Ye finished washing up and called him. Only then did Bai Chen Zhu snap back to reality.

“You’re in a bad mood?” Jiang Ye walked over and leaned against the window frame.

“My mental power does attract these things easily,” Bai Chen Zhu exhaled heavily. “But I have a feeling it wasn’t necessarily coming for me.”

“Then it was coming for me?” Jiang Ye tilted his head.

He rolled over, lay on the windowsill, and looked outside. The bright moon hung high, illuminating the flowers below—clipped into beautiful shapes forming a maze, very romantic.

“We only arrived in Luozhou City today and met Bai Guang Zheng. We don’t know anyone else. At this hour…” Jiang Ye pondered, turning to scan the tidied room. “Besides someone specifically targeting us, it could just be a simple thief.”

“What did it steal?” Bai Chen Zhu checked again. “We’ve looked; nothing’s missing.”

“So, maybe it didn’t find what it was looking for.” Jiang Ye smiled faintly. “Hiss, but that makes it seem purposeful.”

What it wanted to find? Mutant? Bai Guang Zheng… A tangle of thoughts flashed through his mind like dense text. Bai Chen Zhu leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and rubbed his throbbing forehead.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked at the quietly composed Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye was gazing at the scenery outside the window, looking utterly relaxed, even humming a little tune, casting all worries aside. Compared to him, he seemed far more carefree.

The moonlight was bright and clear, softening Jiang Ye’s features.

Something stirred in Bai Chen Zhu’s heart. He no longer wanted to deal with the knotted mess of information. He called out, “Jiang Ye.”

“Hm?”

Bai Chen Zhu pointed outside the window. “Want to take a walk down there with me?”

He wanted to go investigate? Jiang Ye glanced downstairs, then looked at Bai Chen Zhu in confusion. “Didn’t someone just say no going out at night?”

It had been a spur-of-the-moment impulse, thinking of how the people were not yet asleep, wanting company for a stroll through the garden maze. He hadn’t expected Jiang Ye to refuse so quickly.

“Forget it if you don’t want to go.” Bai Chen Zhu frowned.

“You’re really…” Jiang Ye looked down with a laugh. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t go.”

—

The garden was very quiet, and the surrounding small buildings were quiet too, as if they were the only two living beings left.

Bai Chen Zhu held a candle and walked ahead, its warm light illuminating the nighttime flowers with each step. For a moment, Bai Chen Zhu felt as if he had really returned to ancient society.

There was no sound behind him. Bai Chen Zhu turned to check, but the space was empty. “Jiang Ye?”

He scanned the surroundings. “Jiang Ye! Stop messing around.”

Jiang Ye suddenly jumped out from in front of him. Even though Bai Chen Zhu was psychologically prepared, he still jumped in fright unavoidably.

“Boring,” Jiang Ye said, scrutinizing his calm face before raising an eyebrow with a smile. “You’re not afraid of this.”

Who said he wasn’t afraid? Bai Chen Zhu’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest; he just didn’t show it on his face. His brows knitted tightly, his face pale. “Don’t mess around.”

Jiang Ye’s clear brows and eyes relaxed, free as the wind. He brought his right hand from behind his back. “I just saw a multicolored rose and picked it.”

He twirled the stem; the rose was large, white on the outside transitioning to deep pink inside.

“Hm? What’s wrong with you?” Jiang Ye stepped forward to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, belatedly realizing his earlier words weren’t quite accurate. His expression turned serious. “Feeling unwell? Should we go back?”

“No, it’s your fault.” Bai Chen Zhu shook his head and swatted his hand away. “I was once chased by a climbing rose—it was a mutated plant.”

“It chased me to eat me back then. Layers of petals hid densely packed teeth—no, hard needle-like stamens.”

With a whoosh, Jiang Ye stowed the flower he had picked. So fast it was as if it had never appeared.

That look made Bai Chen Zhu, who had been about to say something, burst out laughing.

“Let’s settle accounts. You did scare me just now.” He held out his hand to Jiang Ye, stars glinting in his eyes as he said warmly, “As compensation, give me that flower of yours.”

Jiang Ye hesitated. “Aren’t you afraid of flowers?”

“I’m afraid of mutants. Besides,” Bai Chen Zhu paused, “if it’s in your hand, I’m not afraid.”

Jiang Ye’s heart skipped. For some inexplicable reason, he handed over the rose he had hidden. Bai Chen Zhu passed the candle to him, took the rose, and twirled the stem just like he had.

It had to be said, the one Jiang Ye picked was exceptionally beautiful—the large corolla with its gradient from cool to seductive was unforgettable. Bai Chen Zhu compared it to the roses along the path and found the one in his hand the prettiest.

Since it was picked, he might as well take it back and raise it. For some reason, he suddenly wanted to keep a flower.

—

They walked one behind the other through the rose garden. There were no strange noises, no dangerous mutants. On the way out, however, they unexpectedly ran into that mother and son pair. The woman eyed the candle and flower in their hands with a strange look.

Bai Chen Zhu hadn’t expected such a bonus from the outing. He nudged Jiang Ye’s lower back. Jiang Ye helplessly curved his lips and stepped forward. “Mrs. Bai, good evening.”

Mrs. Bai’s expression changed slightly as she gripped the back of the wheelchair tightly.

“Mr. Jiang.” Mrs. Bai nodded politely. “We won’t disturb you two. We have things to attend to.”

“Wait.” Bai Chen Zhu called them back. He casually tucked the flower into his chest pocket, squatted halfway, and groped the ground before picking up a candy. “This seems to be something Young Master Bai dropped.”

He smiled faintly. “Food is precious at times like these. Young Master Bai should be more careful.”

Mrs. Bai desperately wanted to say that Bai Li had no candy.

But Bai Chen Zhu had already strode over with his long legs and bent down in front of Bai Li. “Young Master Bai?”

He examined the boy in the wheelchair. His face was haggard, his skin pale and sickly. A blanket covered his legs, and his hands were folded over them on his lap.

Bai Chen Zhu tightened his grip on the candy in his palm, silently infusing it with a trace of mental power. He tentatively placed it in Bai Li’s hand. “Young Master Bai, hold this carefully.”

Bai Li reacted. His pale eyes rolled slowly, landing first on Bai Chen Zhu’s face, then on the candy in his palm.

A hint of craving appeared in Bai Li’s eyes. He gripped the candy tightly and, without even peeling off the wrapper, tried to stuff it into his mouth.

“Alright! My son needs to rest. You two carry on!” Mrs. Bai panicked. She yanked the wheelchair back and quickly pushed Bai Li away.

“You gave my candy to someone else.” Jiang Ye had watched the whole thing from the side and now stood with a sullen face, clearly unhappy.

Bai Chen Zhu turned his profile to him. “But we didn’t come away empty-handed, did we?”

He patted Jiang Ye’s shoulder and whispered in his ear behind his hand, “I put a trace of mental power on that candy.”

Thinking of Bai Li’s reaction just now, Jiang Ye’s pupils contracted. “He’s infected?”

“This intel is worth a candy, right?” Bai Chen Zhu said confidently.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Ye wasn’t buying it. He snorted coldly, held the candle, and walked back along the garden’s perimeter.

Who knew he would have such a strong attachment to a single candy? Bai Chen Zhu watched his back helplessly.

The candle was in Jiang Ye’s hand, and as he walked farther, the light receded. Bai Chen Zhu belatedly realized he had been left in the darkness.

“Wait, actually I still have…” Bai Chen Zhu saw the light source moving away and hurriedly chased after it.