Chapter 17: Relocating the Grave (5)

This was merely Qi Yiqing’s habitual deduction after clearing many levels. Even when he spoke so casually, it was the result of careful thought and meticulous unraveling. More often than not, his guesses were nearly spot on.

They went to the front desk to request a different room, one deeper down the corridor.

The door to the room was gently closed behind them. Sitting on the edge of the bed, her mind in turmoil, Jiang Shengsheng felt warm fingers softly stroking the flesh of her waist, and her thoughts immediately came rushing back.

Through the thin fabric, Xia Junyao deliberately softened his breathing, afraid that heavy breaths might provoke Jiang Shengsheng’s embarrassed anger.

“You promised to help me dry my hair, baby,” the handsome man tilted his head slightly, his collar slipping to reveal a collarbone.

His wet, long hair was casually thrown back, and the corners of his eyes flushed red. For some reason, a thin film of moisture glazed over his eyes, making him look like a drowning puppy wagging its tail, plaintively and obediently accusing her of ignoring him.

Feeling guilty, Jiang Shengsheng raised her hand. “Coming, coming right now.”

However, once they entered the village, she wished she could travel back to the present and give herself a few slaps.

Xia Junyao was no pitiful drowning puppy; he was a ravenous, cunning beast—greedy and skilled at climbing up whatever pole he pleased—slowly devouring her bit by bit without restraint.

The warm air from the hairdryer felt pleasantly warm, not scalding. Jiang Shengsheng adjusted the temperature and beckoned to the obedient man sitting patiently.

Xia Junyao’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly walked over to sit down.

Her soft fingertips occasionally brushed over his ear tips, weaving through his thick black hair.

Focused on drying his hair, Jiang Shengsheng didn’t notice the blush spreading across the cheeks of the man seated with his back to her.

Suppressing a satisfied moan, Xia Junyao lifted his hand to cover his burning face.

Once again, he had been touched by his obedient baby, and he was thrilled…

But it wasn’t enough—not nearly enough!

A primal roar from the depths of his soul sent every fiber of his being trembling with excitement.

He wanted to devour his baby, to seize her utterly, to bite deeply into her shoulder and brand her with his mark!

His dreamy eyes curved into crescent moons, saturated with mad devotion.

So, it was all the baby’s fault—she had provoked this insatiable beast.

The baby was responsible for feeding him, bite by bite.

---

Just as her fingertips left his hair, Jiang Shengsheng’s world spun wildly as Xia Junyao lifted her up and tossed her onto the bed.

“Wait, the hairdryer’s plug isn’t—mmph!” Their lips met, silencing her words between teeth and lips.

His rough fingertips lingered, tracing up and down, following the hem of her clothes he had lifted.

Their eyes locked in a daze as the temperature in the room steadily rose.

“Knock knock knock.” At that moment, the guest room door was knocked upon.

Drenched in cold water and shivering to the bone, Xia Junyao cursed softly under his breath, quickly straightening Jiang Shengsheng’s slightly disheveled clothes. He then wrapped her tightly in a blanket, forming an impenetrable cocoon, before going to open the door with an expressionless face.

Inside stood a long-haired man, face full of displeasure.

Outside was a red-haired man, grinning triumphantly. “To protect you, I’ve decided to sacrifice my own time and keep watch here tonight.”

In truth, Qi Yiqing only wanted to create an opportunity to get close to Jiang Shengsheng, his little NPC.

Beneath his barely concealed malice, Qi Yiqing secretly wished for Xia Junyao’s demise.

If only he were dead, the little NPC would be his alone...

Hearing Qi Yiqing’s words, Xia Junyao’s scowling face softened considerably.

He could be jealous and possessive, but he would never neglect Jiang Shengsheng’s safety.

Though unaware of how much Qi Yiqing knew, the fact he could repel skeletal zombies was proof of his strength.

Wrapped tightly like a cocoon, Jiang Shengsheng struggled to turn over and unexpectedly caught Qi Yiqing raising an eyebrow and smiling at her.

The next moment, Xia Junyao’s tall figure blocked him firmly, striding back to the bed and hurriedly explaining everything before Qi Yiqing could speak.

Uncertain of Qi Yiqing’s true intentions, Jiang Shengsheng smiled gratefully at Xia Junyao.

Among the three present, only her official boyfriend, Xia Junyao, was utterly displeased.

Yet he could do nothing, and Jiang Shengsheng would no longer allow him to act unchecked.

Pressing his tongue against his molars, Xia Junyao secretly jotted a note in his heart.

Today, the baby’s hungry wolf remained unfed—he would make sure to repay everything, one by one, in the future.

Qi Yiqing spent the entire night lying on a narrow sofa, his impossibly long legs cramped in a half-bent posture, his shoe tips swinging idly in the air.

One hand rested on his forehead, pressing down messy red strands of hair to shield his eyes turned toward the large bed.

He was truly jealous. A string of data that could reset and refresh at any moment lay beside her in bed, while he could only look up, hiding in the shadows, cautiously watching her.

---

Jiang Shengsheng tossed and turned anxiously on the bed, unable to sleep. Beside her, Xia Junyao opened his eyes, his narrow black pupils clear and fully awake.

He reached out, gently patting her repeatedly to lull her to sleep.

Perhaps sensing a threat, the skeletal zombies kept away tonight, granting a rare moment of safety.

Suddenly, the noisy chatter downstairs woke the lightly sleeping Jiang Shengsheng. Now, she was alone in the room.

Judging by the sounds, Xia Junyao and Qi Yiqing were just outside in the corridor, the guest room door ajar, a narrow crack open.

Still groggy, she rubbed her eyes and got ready. When the three headed to the lobby, almost everyone else was already there.

The muscular team leader held a paper map, repeatedly counting heads, frowning when he realized someone was missing.

“Who else hasn’t come? Anyone who knows him, go find him quickly!”

After shouting several times with no response, the muscle-bound man frowned impatiently and waved his hand, refusing to wait any longer.

They had to reach Stone Village before sunset; no one wanted to encounter the eerie white mist and the ghostly figures within again.

No objections arose, and everyone followed the muscular leader’s lead, weaving through the dense forest with uneven steps.

---

Meanwhile, in a guest room at the service area.

A sleeping, overweight man suddenly felt a cold sensation on his face, as if something was crawling on the ceiling above him, flicking a stinking long tongue, dripping thick saliva onto his face.

Opening his bleary eyes, the man instinctively looked up.

Wriggling maggots fell between his eyes, and the foul-smelling corpse slowly revealed a black-and-red gaping mouth, releasing sharp, excited laughter from its throat.

“Cackle cackle cackle—”

“Ah!”

A piercing scream gradually faded, leaving only a faint, dying plea for help.

Moments later, the man collapsed into a pool of blood but stiffly pushed himself up against the wall.

He stretched out his hand, joy and curiosity shining in his eyes as he wiggled his fingers and pinched his earlobe.

“Shengsheng… I’ve come for you.”

Far from the service area, on a road, Jiang Shengsheng seemed to sense something and glanced back at the dark path behind her.

“What’s wrong? Need me to carry you?” Xia Junyao supported her as they pressed onward, but she shook her head and withdrew her gaze.

Thus, she missed the fleeting flash of crimson in the dense grass behind them.

“Hehe… Shengsheng…”