Gu Aihan lay on a soft bed of thick furs, her limbs entangled with a handso young man from the hunting group.
The man—strong, broad-shouldered, with a face that could charm most—slept soundly beside her, his arm lazily draped over her waist.
Gu Aihan, however, was wide awake. Her face had a smug expression.
Her lips curved into a cruel smile as she let herself indulge in her fantasies.
"This ti, she won’t escape. Those snakes are faster than anyone can react. Even Long Yifan can’t save her now."
Her chuckle was low, self-assured.
She glanced at the young man beside her and absentmindedly traced a finger along his jawline.
He stirred but didn’t wake, and she sighed with satisfaction.
He was useful—strong in battle, efficient in the hunt, and utterly devoted to her for the mont.
As a mber of the hunting team, he had privileges and access to extra at rations, and she had gladly accepted every offering he brought her.
Of course, he ant nothing to her.
He was a tool, just like everyone else.
A ans to an end. She kept him close because he fulfilled her needs—whether in bed or with food.
Her thoughts shifted back to Long Yifan, and her expression twisted with venom.
After the way he had humiliated her earlier that evening, exposing her sches and tarnishing her carefully crafted image, she wanted nothing more than to ruin him completely.
"Yes," she thought, her smirk widening. "Let him watch his precious Gu Jin die slowly. Let him suffer knowing he couldn’t protect her."
The image of Gu Jin writhing in silent agony flashed in her mind.
The thought of those silvery-white Mind Controller Snakes slithering into Gu Jin’s ears, burrowing into her brain, and causing excruciating pain—while the girl remained helpless, comatose—filled Gu Aihan with dark glee.
"By the ti they realize sothing is wrong, it’ll be too late. She’ll be gone, and Yifan will have no choice but to return to . He’ll be broken, and I’ll be there to remind him of his failure."
A delighted chuckle escaped her lips, and she snuggled closer to the young man, her fantasies giving her a twisted sense of comfort.
But just as her laughter faded, a faint noise caught her attention.
It was so subtle she almost dismissed it—a light scratching sound, barely audible over the rustle of the tent. She froze, her senses prickling.
"Who’s there?" she hissed, sitting up slightly.
The young man beside her groaned in annoyance, rolling over and muttering,
"Go back to sleep, Aihan. It’s probably nothing."
But Gu Aihan’s instincts told her otherwise.
The scratching grew louder, more deliberate. She reached for the small dagger she kept hidden beneath her pillow, her heart racing.
Before she could react further, a sharp, searing pain erupted in her leg.
"Ah!" she shrieked, jerking away from the source of the pain.
Her eyes darted to the ground, and there it was—a shadowy figure darting across the floor with unnatural speed.
The young man bolted upright at the sound of her scream, his face pale with confusion. "What’s going on?"
But Gu Aihan barely heard him.
Her focus was locked on the creature—a rat, pitch black, with glowing red eyes that seed to pierce through the darkness.
Her breath hitched. "A—A magical beast?"
The rat lunged again, sinking its sharp teeth into her calf. She scread, stumbling backward.
"Get it off ! Kill it!" she shrieked, clutching at the young man, who was now wide awake and equally panicked.
The rat didn’t relent. It darted up her body with terrifying agility, yanking at her long, smooth black hair with its claws and teeth.
Strands of her once-lustrous hair fell to the ground in clumps as the creature continued its relentless assault.
"Do sothing!" Gu Aihan screeched.
The young man grabbed a nearby stick and swung at the rat, but the creature was too fast.
It leaped off Gu Aihan’s shoulder and vanished into the shadows, only to reappear monts later on the other side of the tent.
The assault didn’t stop.
The rat attacked from every angle, its bites and scratches precise, its movents calculated to inflict maximum chaos.
It shredded the hem of her gown, clawed at her arms, and even tore into the silken drapes that lined the tent.
Gu Aihan’s screams grew hoarse as she stumbled around the room, her once-pristine appearance now a disheveled wreck.
The young man, though ard, was utterly helpless against the creature’s speed and cunning.
The rat seed to delight in its work, pausing occasionally to lock its glowing red eyes onto Gu Aihan as if mocking her.
Her mind raced.
Who could have sent this thing? Was it Long Yifan? Was this his revenge? The thought only fueled her anger.
"You think this will stop ?" she snarled, her voice trembling. "You think you can scare , Yifan? You’ll regret this!"
But her threats fell flat as the rat continued its assault, leaving her cowering in a corner, clutching a pillow as if it could protect her.
By the ti the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, Gu Aihan was unrecognizable.
Her hair was a ragged ss, her once-flawless skin marred with scratches and bites.
Her gown hung in tatters, and her eyes, bloodshot and wide with terror, darted around the room, searching for the rat.
But it was gone.
The young man, bruised and shaken, sat slumped in a corner, glaring at her with thinly veiled contempt.
"This is what I get for helping you?" he muttered, grabbing his belongings and storming out of the tent.
Gu Aihan’s humiliation was complete. She sat alone, trembling, her mind a whirlwind of fear and rage.
................
The Shadowcrawler Rat had returned to Long Yifan’s storage ring, its task complete.
He didn’t need to see the aftermath to know it had succeeded.
He glanced at Gu Jin, still sleeping peacefully, her face serene despite the horrors of the night.
A rare softness touched his features as he adjusted the blanket around her.
"Rest easy," he murmured. "She won’t trouble you again."
.......................
In Beijing.
"Second Young Master," he began, his voice tinged with urgency, "I managed to retrieve a photograph of Gu Jin."
Second Young Master Gu snatched the file without hesitation, flipping it open.
His sharp gaze landed on the photo inside.
A young woman stared back at him with piercing red eyes that held a quiet strength.
Her features—her sharp jawline, her intelligent gaze, and that faintly familiar aura—stirred sothing deep within him.
His breath hitched. His eyes reddened with emotion as he whispered, almost reverently, "It’s her..."
He couldn’t finish the thought.
Instead, he stood abruptly, closing the file with a sharp snap. His chair screeched against the floor as he turned to Assistant Ni.
"Prepare the car," he commanded, his voice trembling with barely restrained excitent. "We’re going to Beijing University imdiately."
"Yes, sir," Assistant Ni replied, startled by his master’s sudden fervor. He quickly left to make the arrangents.
Seconds later, a soft knock interrupted his mont of reverie. A nurse entered hesitantly, holding a clipboard in one hand.
"Second Young Master," she began, "Dr. Zhang requested your presence for the surgery scheduled this afternoon. Shall I confirm your attendance?"
"No," he responded curtly, waving a dismissive hand. "Find soone else for the surgery."
The nurse blinked, surprised by his uncharacteristic brusqueness. "But, sir, the patient’s case is critical, and your expertise is—"
"Check the files on my desk," he interrupted, his tone impatient. "The details are all there. Now, excuse . I have urgent matters to attend to."
Taken aback, the nurse hesitated but eventually nodded.
"Understood, sir." She moved to the desk and began rifling through the neatly organized reports.
As she worked, the door creaked open once more.
The nurse glanced up to find a tall, elegantly dressed woman entering the room.
Her features bore a striking resemblance to Second Young Master Gu, though her sharp eyes and painted lips lent her a distinctly formidable presence.
"Third Miss Gu," the nurse greeted politely, stepping aside.
The woman—Gu Jichun—scanned the room quickly, her expression souring when she didn’t find her brother. "Where is he?" she demanded, her voice sharp as a blade.
The nurse, taken aback by her tone, replied cautiously,
"Second Young Master left just a mont ago. He seed to be in a hurry and ntioned sothing about going to Beijing University."
Gu Jichun’s brows furrowed, and her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Beijing University? And he was in a bad mood, you say?"
The nurse nodded hesitantly.
"Yes, Third Miss Gu. He looked quite unsettled. He also asked to handle so dical reports for him."
Gu Jichun’s expression darkened.
Her mind raced, piecing together fragnts of recent events. Beijing University? Her thoughts imdiately jumped to Gu Jin and Gu Aihan.
A sharp scoff escaped her lips as she muttered under her breath,
"That brat Aihan must’ve frad Gu Jin and Second brother might have gone to take stand for Gu Aihan...no...I have to tell him the truth before he take any drastic asure."
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