Chapter Thirty-Three: Pretending to Be Lovers

Chapter Thirty-Three: Pretending to Be a Couple

“Share your mission with me, I’ll help you complete it,” Shen Hua said, pulling out her phone and opening her Hunter App account, adding Xia Zheng as a friend. Xia Zheng received a friend request from a powered individual named “Xiao Hua” and looked up at Shen Hua.

“That’s my alternate account. Shen Hua is my main one, but it’s too high-level to share tasks with you,” Shen Hua explained when she saw Xia Zheng’s confused expression.

So that’s how it was. Xia Zheng thought of his master’s two forms and found it unsurprising she’d have a main and alternate account.

Before sharing his mission, Xia Zheng asked cautiously, “Will sharing the mission affect the League’s evaluation of me?”

Shen Hua shook her head. “You’re already accepting a mission above your rank. Having a higher-level hunter assist you is perfectly normal. Usually, inviting a high-level hunter costs a hefty price, so you’re saving a fortune. But your teammates can’t be more than two levels above you.”

The mission was quickly shared. The system prompt stated: “Mission shared successfully. Teammate Xiao Hua is currently level C. Upon completion, each will receive 100% of the level-up experience.”

The two of them continued their investigation, contacting those close to the other missing persons.

Three hours later, they arrived at the school of the last missing individual—the Hyde Castle Conservatory of Music. On the lawn in front of the upperclassmen’s dormitory, Xia Zheng and Shen Hua found several classmates of Sibyl, one of the missing students. Sibyl was beautiful and had a striking figure, but her reputation among peers and teachers was less than stellar—she was considered vain, proud, and rumored to owe many classmates money.

Sibyl disappeared three days ago. She had recently started dating a very handsome young man with enchanting red hair. Other girls even competed with her for him, but Sibyl ultimately prevailed.

“Did that man come to the school afterwards?” Xia Zheng asked one of the girls—a roommate of Sibyl’s named Lu Yingying. Two other girls, also Sibyl’s roommates, stood nearby.

The two other girls were clustered around Shen Hua, expressing their admiration—they seemed to recognize her as a popular online celebrity. Xia Zheng’s interview was only possible due to Shen Hua’s presence; otherwise, these girls would never have spoken to him.

After gathering information, Shen Hua obliged the three girls’ request for a photo together, then the two took their leave.

“Master, should we go straight to that underground bar called Midnight Mary?” Xia Zheng asked. He and Shen Hua had interviewed friends of three or four missing girls. Fortunately, apart from Mo Xiaolian, who had already been found dead, the other missing girls still held hope—their disappearances had all occurred less than a week ago, the longest just five days.

Shen Hua shook her head. “That place is a members-only club. How would you get in without an invitation? Forcing your way in won’t lead to the truth. You might alert the enemy or fall into a trap and endanger yourself.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Master. So, what should we…” Xia Zheng scratched his head. He’d been too hasty, underestimating the risks. If someone dared set up an underground bar, they’d surely be well prepared. Rushing in would be the worst plan.

Shen Hua pondered and said, “There’s one way: I’ll act as bait and find a way to bring you in with me.”

Xia Zheng was startled but quickly realized it was a good idea. Compared to the missing girls, Shen Hua’s looks and figure were even more outstanding. If she acted as bait, she would almost certainly attract the people they were after.

“Will you be in danger, Master?” Xia Zheng asked uncertainly. He knew Shen Hua was strong, but he couldn’t help but instinctively worry for her as a woman.

Shen Hua stopped, turned around, and Xia Zheng had to halt as well. She reached out, lifting his chin with a finger, her voice alluring as she asked, “Are you worried about me?”

“Of course!” Xia Zheng brushed her hand away and walked ahead. His master was wonderful in every way—except for her habit of teasing him.

Shen Hua seemed delighted. She caught up, seized his shoulders, and leapt onto his back.

“What are you doing?” Xia Zheng glanced around, noticing several students who’d just finished class casting envious looks their way—after all, Shen Hua was a celebrity-level beauty.

Shen Hua bent down, her lips close to his ear, and whispered, “I’ll have you pose as my boyfriend to enter the bar. From now on, you have to act as my devoted lover—inseparably so.”

“That… doesn’t seem right…” Xia Zheng hesitated.

Shen Hua bit his earlobe and threatened, “Don’t you want to uncover the truth behind this case?”

Left with no choice, Xia Zheng agreed and began to play the affectionate boyfriend. He had some talent for acting, though his performance was a bit exaggerated.

Their “loving” display drew the attention of many students, especially after Shen Hua’s online celebrity identity was recognized, sparking even more admiration and the notice of some with more calculated interests.

At least two groups kept their eyes on Xia Zheng and Shen Hua. One group looked like hired muscle: sunglasses, bald heads, suits, and ties. The other was composed of strikingly handsome young men, with red, blond, or silver hair and extraordinary presence—the kind that would make most girls fall at first sight.

“Boss, there are too many people around—it’s hard to make a move,” one of the bald men said, rubbing his head.

The leader, a bulky man whose muscles strained his suit, nodded. “We’ll wait until they’re alone. Keep them under surveillance. The rest of you, disperse. Don’t draw attention.”

Two of the thugs followed Xia Zheng and Shen Hua, while the others melted into the crowd.

In the other group, a red-haired young man said to the silver-haired one, “Those two seem to be poking into our business.”

“Cops?” the silver-haired youth asked.

The blond man shook his head. “Doesn’t look like it. Cops wouldn’t be so conspicuous. Should we take care of them?”

“No hurry. At worst, they’re private investigators. The woman, though, is perfect—much better than the others we’ve seen,” the silver-haired youth replied, clearly dissatisfied.

The red- and blond-haired men lowered their heads in deference; it was clear the silver-haired youth was their leader.

“If they’re looking for us, let’s satisfy their curiosity. Curiosity doesn’t just kill cats—it kills people,” the leader said with a wicked, mesmerizing smile.

The red-haired youth gestured toward Xia Zheng in the crowd. “Should we get rid of the guy?”

“Hmm… bring them both. They seem quite the couple—let’s make them a pair of doomed lovers,” the silver-haired leader decided.

“Yes!” the other two replied, then quietly slipped away, their departure almost imperceptible.

Leaving the school grounds, Xia Zheng was hot and a little breathless—carrying Shen Hua for several kilometers, all while acting out a loving relationship, had worn him out.

They continued investigating at several places frequent by the missing girls. Shen Hua drew stares wherever she went, and after freshening up in the restroom, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Xia Zheng couldn’t help but wonder why such a stunning woman wasn’t married—or perhaps she simply didn’t want to be. Chu Yan had mentioned once being close to Shen Hua, nearly becoming a couple, but in the end, he’d fled, swearing off the relationship. Who knew what he’d discovered that made him so afraid of her?

Near one in the morning, both Xia Zheng and Shen Hua were exhausted. They finally left the bustling city center for a quiet side street, still nestled together as if lost in their own world.

“Master, I’m a bit tired. And hot. I’m sweating all over—can you not cling so closely?” Xia Zheng complained, trying to put some distance between them. After a day spent glued together, he felt like a conjoined twin.

Shen Hua, annoyed, smacked his forehead and scolded, “You fool! Other men would kill for this closeness, and you complain. You’re impossible!”

“All right, all right—it’s my fault. I apologize… shh, Master, someone’s coming.” Xia Zheng had been half-joking but instantly shifted, pressing his lips close to Shen Hua’s cheek to whisper the warning.

Shen Hua was usually very alert, but with Xia Zheng pressed up against her, his breath hot on her ear and lips, she’d been distracted. But at his warning, she quickly regained her senses and sensed people approaching—quite a few, actually. What was going on?

Suddenly, more than a dozen men in suits, ties, sunglasses, bald heads, and bearing scars appeared, typical hired thugs.

“Well, well, what a devoted couple…”

“Watching you two all day has really gotten on our nerves.”

“Kid, your girlfriend’s not bad. You don’t look like much. Why don’t we take good care of her for you?”

The group surrounded Shen Hua and Xia Zheng, some wielding baseball bats, others machetes—a classic setup.

“Who the hell are you guys? What did I do to offend you?” Xia Zheng asked, genuinely curious. After all, they’d only been in Hyde Castle a day or two—had they really made enemies already?

The leader, a man in sunglasses, stepped forward, flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushed it underfoot, and said, “Kid, you only have yourself to blame for daring to steal our young master’s woman. You overestimate yourself.”

“Who’s your young master?” Xia Zheng was even more puzzled. Which woman was he supposed to have stolen—Shen Hua? He glanced at her, but she looked just as bewildered. When had she become some rich young master’s woman? The very idea was infuriating.

“Boss, why waste words with this pair? Let’s just deal with them,” a bald underling complained.

The man in sunglasses nodded. The group closed in, weapons raised. Just as Xia Zheng and Shen Hua were about to unleash their psychic powers in defense, three figures appeared—a red-haired, a blond, and a silver-haired young man, stepping from a blue Imperial Crown luxury car, its headlights blazing like the sun.