Chapter 31: Undressing
Such crucial information appearing suddenly, just as they were at their wit’s end, made them suspicious.
Wei Langxing confirmed with his subordinate again: “You really can’t trace the source?”
The subordinate shook his head. In fact, they still didn’t know how the perpetrator had breached their system.
After a moment of silence, Wei Langxing said: “It could be a trap.”
Perhaps Yu Liao’s intention all along was to lure them in.
But it didn’t quite make sense. If Yu Liao wanted to use Tang Yu’an as leverage, he would have called and made demands, not wait so long and then send this cryptic message.
Xie Cun didn’t want to waste any time, eager to leave immediately: “What do you mean? You’re not going because it might be dangerous? Then I’ll go myself, I don’t need you…”
“Who said we’re not going?” Wei Langxing immediately organized the operation, dividing the team into smaller groups to approach from different angles, leaving some behind as backup to prevent escape.
Xie Cun was surprised: “Didn’t you say it might be a trap?”
“But it could also be real.” Wei Langxing grabbed an extra gun, speaking as he moved.
Perhaps someone was secretly helping them, someone with the means to obtain information about Tang Yu’an.
The message urged them to “come quickly,” perhaps a cry for help on Tang Yu’an’s behalf, indicating his situation was critical.
The thought of Tang Yu’an being held captive by a deranged murderer for two days made Wei Langxing’s stomach churn. He recalled previous missions—
He had encountered a freak show that mutilated and disfigured people to attract thrill-seeking audiences.
Some people were truly depraved, their minds twisted beyond repair, a dangerous presence. You could never turn your back on them; they might stab you at any moment.
He had underestimated Yu Liao…
He calculated the travel time; it would take a little over two hours. He would try to get there sooner.
But it was also possible that a carefully laid trap awaited them.
But even if that were the case, whether it was Yu Liao or his accomplices, they would know about Tang Yu’an’s situation.
He would make them talk. Perhaps a peaceful life had made some people forget his reputation for ruthlessness during his early days in the Bureau.
He could handle it, as long as what he saw wasn’t…
He couldn’t bear to think about it.
They set off immediately, the air thick with tension.
Meanwhile, Tang Yu’an, oblivious to all this, sighed in relief, glad that Yu Liao had calmed down.
But the crisis wasn’t over. Yu Liao’s mental energy was no longer surging, but his mind was still unstable.
He muttered to himself: “My recipe, my secret recipe, I can’t lose it, I need it to make money…”
He looked up at Tang Yu’an, his eyes wide: “Do you know the secret to my ice cream?”
Tang Yu’an shook his head. Was that something you shared casually?
He felt Yu Liao was like a drunkard, unable to think straight.
But he was still stubborn, repeating the question over and over like a child.
Tang Yu’an could only guess, offering various answers: adding nuts, chocolate sauce, controlling the temperature, all wrong.
Seeing Yu Liao’s expectant gaze, perhaps it was a special answer?
Tang Yu’an tried: “Your secret… isn’t adding a little love, is it?”
“No,” Yu Liao said seriously. “It’s adding a spoonful of store-bought, melted ice cream.”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
He melted store-bought ice cream, then refroze it, and called it homemade?
Seemed legit.
Tang Yu’an didn’t want to comment further, but Yu Liao, like a curious child, leaned closer and asked: “What about you? What’s your secret? Adding love? How do you add it?”
To prevent another episode, Tang Yu’an played along: “Perhaps kissing it before making it?”
Yu Liao pondered this, then suddenly stood up and ran out.
Tang Yu’an: “???”
What was that about?
Even if his words were annoying, there was no need to run away so suddenly.
Afraid something was wrong, he followed Yu Liao, finding him standing before the small refrigerator in the kitchen, throwing out all the food.
The power was back on, the refrigerator humming.
Initially, Tang Yu’an thought he was hungry, but the more he watched, the more confused he became.
Did he really need to eat an entire basket of potatoes in the middle of the night?
By the time Tang Yu’an realized what was happening, Yu Liao had almost emptied the refrigerator, then tried to climb inside, making him cry out in alarm and pull him back.
He really had regressed to a child, with no sense of size. He was too big to fit in that tiny freezer compartment!
Tang Yu’an could only try to understand his strange logic: “Are… are you too hot? Do you want to cool down inside?”
Yu Liao declared solemnly: “I’m not ‘too hot,’ I’m ice cream.”
He then leaned closer shamelessly: “Can you kiss me now?”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
So that was his plan. He suspected Yu Liao wasn’t actually confused, but had learned Xie Cun’s playful ways.
Not receiving the desired kiss, Yu Liao was disappointed, feeling he wasn’t a convincing ice cream.
The voices in his head analyzed the situation, suggesting that perhaps his temperature was too high, which was why he was rejected. Yu Liao, convinced, started to take off his clothes, shocking Tang Yu’an again.
Tang Yu’an had seen his share of strange things, but he truly couldn’t understand Yu Liao’s thought process.
He was unpredictable, his words and actions always surprising.
Fortunately, Tang Yu’an managed to stop him by saying that ice cream needed packaging. As time passed, Yu Liao gradually calmed down.
He first experienced a period of sensory deprivation, then slowly recovered.
When he was mostly back to normal, Tang Yu’an asked: “Yu Liao, do you… know you’re human now?”
Yu Liao’s breath hitched: “I… I know I’m not worthy of being human. I’m a monster, I hurt you, your neck…”
Tang Yu’an covered the bruises on his neck: “That’s not what I meant. I… I’m just glad you’re back to normal.”
“Normal?” Yu Liao then realized how much time had passed. His last memory was of hurting Tang Yu’an.
What happened after that…?
His head hurt; he couldn’t remember.
Tang Yu’an comforted him: “It’s nothing. It’s good that you don’t remember.”
Otherwise, it would be incredibly awkward.
But these words seemed to agitate Yu Liao, who asked anxiously: “What did I do? What did I do?!”
Tang Yu’an thought there was no need to dwell on his embarrassing past.
After a moment of hesitation, Yu Liao finally asked: “Did I hurt you again? Did I… offend you?”
He couldn’t imagine what he might have done to Tang Yu’an while out of control.
He wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt Tang Yu’an, not even himself.
Tang Yu’an, unaware of his thoughts, only mentioned the less embarrassing parts: “No, you just asked if I could kiss you. Um… although it was a strange request, you were still quite polite.”
That should preserve his image.
Yu Liao deflated like a punctured balloon, speechless.
After a long pause, his ears turned red, his voice hesitant.
“Then… did you… kiss me?”
Tang Yu’an didn’t know how he managed to ask that.
It was one thing for him to be out of control, but had he been out of control too?
Like a drunkard’s ramblings, if he had agreed, what would that make him?
“Of course not!”
Tang Yu’an said indignantly: “Do you think I’m that kind of person?”
“I didn’t mean that!” Yu Liao wanted to explain, but remembering his actions, he stammered: “I just… I’m not well, yes, I’m mentally ill, please don’t hold it against me!”
Tang Yu’an, who wasn’t actually angry, almost laughed, deciding to tease him further.
“That’s not all. When I said no, you started taking off your clothes right in front of me. Anyone would think you were a nude model.”
Yu Liao, who worked out regularly, was quite confident about his physique.
But now, he felt mortified, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.
After a few seconds of silent shame, he repeated that he was ill and asked Tang Yu’an not to hold it against him.
Tang Yu’an didn’t understand why he was apologizing: “What’s the big deal? You’re the one who lost face by undressing in front of me.”
His logic was simple. It didn’t affect him, but Yu Liao might be traumatized by such an embarrassing incident.
Yu Liao stared at him in shock, about to launch into a lecture about avoiding exhibitionists, when a sudden, jarring alarm blared through the cabin.
Someone had triggered the outer perimeter sensors.
Yu Liao’s expression changed. He rushed to the monitor.
They had found them…
His mind went blank. How was this possible?
His barely stabilized mental energy fluctuated again.
The closet doors creaked open, mocking him: “See? I told you, you can’t win.”
The voices surrounded him—
“They’ll take him away, and you’ll never see him again.”
“You’ll die alone in prison, he won’t even visit you…”
“Don’t let him go, he won’t come back!”
“Run away with him, just find a different place!”
“Run!”
Yu Liao lost his ability to think rationally, only one thought driving him: he had to take Tang Yu’an away.
He couldn’t let go, he couldn’t!
He grabbed Tang Yu’an’s hand, rushing to the car, planning to escape through a hidden route.
He knew the terrain better than they did, skillfully navigating the winding paths, successfully evading the encirclement.
The city was full of surveillance cameras, so he drove in the opposite direction.
Tang Yu’an finally understood what was happening. Wei Langxing was here!
But seeing Yu Liao’s expression, his joy turned to worry.
Not for himself, but for Yu Liao.
His condition was critical. His jaw clenched, his breathing ragged, he was clearly at his limit. His responses to Tang Yu’an’s questions were incoherent. Anyone would think he was insane.
If they encountered Wei Langxing and the others now, and Yu Liao acted rashly, he might be killed on the spot.
Tang Yu’an knew that although Yu Liao healed quickly, he wasn’t invincible.
He was just sick, his kidnapping likely an act of desperation. Tang Yu’an didn’t want him to get hurt.
If… if he could explain the situation to Wei Langxing first, perhaps he could protect Yu Liao.
The car sped forward. Tang Yu’an swallowed, discreetly placing his hand on the door handle.
