Chapter 34: Don't Bite Me, My Meat Doesn't Taste Good

Over the next few days, Lu Meng went about her routine of providing mental stabilization for the sentinels. Everything proceeded normally, save for the fact that every sentinel emerged from the sessions flushed, red-faced, and eager to add her on their optical comms to book more appointments. However, she disliked having too many strangers on her contact list. Wen Er seemed to notice this and blocked most of the requests on her behalf.

By the fourth day, Martha informed her that Deli had recovered and she could take some well-deserved time off. At the end of the month, her independent research group slots would be released alongside those of other guides, leaving the sentinels to compete for them. Beyond her work, she noticed that the vine patterns on her skin were becoming increasingly distinct, beginning to revert to their original brownish hue. This led her to suspect that performing mental stabilization might, to some extent, aid in the recovery of her own abilities. It was merely a hypothesis for now, one that required further experimentation to confirm.

After saying goodbye to Wen Er, she returned to her apartment. The past few days had been surprisingly novel rather than exhausting—a veritable paradise compared to her time at the base. With several days of rest ahead, she had stopped by the military district supermarket to buy fresh vegetables and meat, intending to cook a grand feast the next day to host Wen Er and Commander Xiang.

She had not walked far from the supermarket with her groceries when someone pulled her into a dark corner. Before she could scream, a pair of large hands clamped over her mouth.

"Don't make a sound."

Lu Meng looked up and caught sight of the man, freezing in surprise. Jet-black hair, blood-red eyes—it was Ace, the man she had encountered twice before.

"I will take my hand off your mouth," Ace said, staring at her. "You must promise not to scream."

Lu Meng nodded frantically. Ace studied her for a moment, seemingly convinced, and released his grip.

"Help—"

Before the word could leave her lips, his hand was back over her mouth. The sky had grown dim, and his eyes glowed with a dark, unsettling crimson in the shadows. He leaned close to her ear, his voice laced with a predatory, bloodthirsty tone.

"If you scream again, I will kill you."

Terror flickered in Lu Meng’s eyes, and she shook her head vigorously, promising silence. Ace let go. This time, Lu Meng dared not make a sound. She felt as though she were dealing with a madman; she could not afford to provoke him. If he were to kill her in a fit of rage, it would all be over.

His condition looked dire. His pupils were redder than usual, and he seemed agitated, his breathing ragged and shallow.

"Why didn't you reply to the messages I sent you?" Ace demanded, his eyes locked onto hers.

Lu Meng felt both fearful and guilty. Why should she have replied? He always sent such strange, nonsensical messages! She hadn't wanted to respond at all. But seeing him in such an unstable state, she dared not voice her true thoughts.

"I didn't see them."

Ace let out a scoff, and Lu Meng caught a glimpse of sharp fangs exposed by his sneer. Wait, fangs? Her eyes widened slightly. Was this beast-morphing?

She remembered reading in the files that only sentinels with a contamination level exceeding 80% exhibited signs of beast-morphing. Lu Meng stepped back, a shiver running down her spine. The reports warned that highly contaminated sentinels lost part of their self-awareness and were prone to extreme behavior.

"Major Ace, are you alright?"

Ace caught the movement, his eyes darkening with displeasure. "Are you afraid of me?" His fangs became even more pronounced.

Who wouldn't be afraid in this situation? But she dared not anger him. "No... no, I'm not." She spoke while scanning her surroundings. It was growing dark, and there were other sentinels passing nearby. If she could just call out to them... Right, the chip Wen Er had given her! A sense of relief washed over her; with that chip, she should be safe.

Just as she thought this, she felt a pair of large arms wrap around her waist, pulling her firmly against a cold, hard body. He seemed to crave the warmth of her presence, and she heard him emit a sound of deep, predatory satisfaction. His fangs grazed her neck as he inhaled her scent. For a fleeting second, his reason seemed to regain control, only to be swept away again by instinct.

Lu Meng was too terrified to even breathe. "Don't bite me, Ace! Please, calm down! My meat doesn't taste good at all!"

Oh, how had she ended up in such a mess!