Failed to Pretend to Be an Alpha and Got Marked by the Enemy (ABO, GL) - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Xiao Yihuan and Xie Haichao were still interrogating Chen Chen with a mix of coaxing and pressure. The other two allies had already left them behind, rushing one after another toward the haunted house.

“Hey, you two!” Xie Haichao tried to call them back. “Why so reckless? What if it’s a trap?!”

Ming Zhu didn’t look back.

Half an hour ago, Liang Tian had asked her about the other MCs’ personalities. She knew Chen Chen loved pranks and Yu Jing was a bit of a rogue. The earlier scene could indeed be a trick by the “rogue” team. Caution was wise. But seeing Chen Chen’s tearful, terrified state and hearing him say Yu Jing was still inside, Ming Zhu couldn’t care about anything else.

Ming Zhu didn’t worry if her unusual behavior raised suspicions or forgot they were filming. Her eyes locked on the dark entrance, her heart racing with worry: Chen Chen, a male Alpha, was scared to tears. What about Yu Jing?

Her strides grew longer, her heartbeat faster. Ming Zhu nearly ran.

She reached the haunted house entrance, ready to charge in, when someone grabbed her arm.

Turning, she saw Liang Tian stopping her. Ming Zhu frowned, her voice slightly annoyed. “Why are you holding me?”

Liang Tian, wary of her gaze, stammered, “We’re a team. I want to go with you. But… it’s so dark inside. I’m a bit scared.”

Ming Zhu had no time to deal with her. She pried Liang Tian’s hand off, said, “Stay outside if you’re scared,” and vanished into the darkness.

Liang Tian gathered her courage, took a few steps inside, but lasted less than three seconds before the eerie atmosphere made her scream and run out.

“Tian Tian, you okay?” Xiao Yihuan hurried to help her.

Liang Tian glanced reluctantly at the entrance and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Xie Haichao saw Ming Zhu go in. As an ally, he couldn’t back down. He let go of Chen Chen and said to the two timid Omegas, “Wait outside. I’ll check it out.” He groped into the dark. “Ming Zhu, where are you?”

Ming Zhu heard someone call her name from afar, hesitated, then kept searching deeper inside.

The haunted house wasn’t completely pitch-black, just dimly lit. Coming from the blazing sun, her eyes struggled to adjust. Once they did, she made out the setup—walls smeared with bloodstains, chilling air, and occasional creepy sound effects.

It was Ming Zhu’s first time in a haunted house. At first glance, it was indeed spooky. When a female ghost jumped out, she froze for a few seconds.

The ghost, thinking she was another scaredy-cat, lunged with a gaping, bloody mouth.

Ming Zhu quickly grabbed her shoulders, regained her calm, and asked sharply, “Have you seen Yu Jing?”

The ghost, thrown off by this reversal, froze, her terrifying makeup stiffening for a moment. Forgetting she was a silent NPC, she pointed in a direction and said, “She went that way.”

“Thank you,” Ming Zhu said, releasing the ghost.

The ghost instinctively replied, “You’re welcome,” poked her pale face with long fake nails, watched Ming Zhu disappear, and muttered, “Are these female celebrities all this bold? None of them are scared?”

Ming Zhu didn’t hear her.

The entrance led to a hall with three paths. Ming Zhu followed the ghost’s direction down the third.

Along the way, she encountered more horrors—bloody claws jutting from walls, a head dropping from the ceiling, a crawling corpse grabbing at ankles…

Ming Zhu felt a jolt of fear.

Could Yu Jing, a sweet Omega, handle these scares?

It was so quiet. Had the little rogue already fainted inside?

The more Ming Zhu thought, the more anxious she became. She dodged the dedicated NPCs, rushing to the deepest part.

Then she saw an out-of-place scene:

A bloodstained corridor, cluttered with obstacles, a broken streetlamp flickering. A “bloody chair” painted red stood by the wall, next to a trash can with a fake head.

In this eerie setting, a girl in white sportswear sat primly on the chair. The dark surroundings made her skin glow like snow, her small face framed by soft hair, looking even daintier. Her bright eyes and pure smile made her seem like an angel lost in hell.

She hugged a treasure chest, propped her chin with both hands, and yawned lazily. Her teary eyes glistened. She lifted her wet gaze to the camera and said softly, “Why aren’t they coming? I’m so tired of waiting.”

Bored, she chatted with the cameraman.

The cameraman, lugging heavy equipment, looked through the viewfinder at the clean, pretty girl and half-joked, “You could take a nap. I’ll wake you when they come.”

The girl’s starry eyes sparkled, and she chirped, “Sounds good. I’ll nap for a bit.”

She was so tired, her head tilted onto the chest, her curly lashes fluttered down, and she fell asleep in seconds.

The cameraman hadn’t expected her to actually nap. He was stunned. This was a haunted house! Not only was she unafraid, she was napping!

Napping wasn’t much to film, and the dim light wasn’t ideal. The cameraman, tired from carrying the equipment, wanted to switch hands. Glancing at the corner, he saw a tall figure and nearly screamed.

“Shh—” The figure raised a slender finger to their lips, silently signaling quiet.

The cameraman looked closely, saw it wasn’t an NPC but Ming Zhu, Yu Jing’s opponent, hesitated, and didn’t wake Yu Jing.

Though he was Yu Jing’s cameraman, the director said staff couldn’t interfere with tasks, so he stayed silent.

Ming Zhu seemed alone, her cameraman nowhere in sight. Yu Jing’s cameraman aimed the lens at her.

The footage was hazy, Ming Zhu’s expression unclear, but she slowly approached Yu Jing on the “bloody chair.”

[Ming Zhu’s definitely here for Yu Jing. What a beautiful love story. I’m jealous!]

[Look how worried Ming Zhu is—she even lost her cameraman! She’d never guess Yu Jing’s napping inside, lol.]

[I’m dying from Yu Jing. It’s a haunted house, and she’s sleeping! Her heart’s too big!]

[Ming Zhu, go kiss her!]

The corridor was silent, the streetlamp flickered eerily.

Sweat beaded on Ming Zhu’s forehead, her neat hair now messy, her cool demeanor gone. She stared in shock at the carefree sleeping girl, clutched her chest, and panted softly.

Realizing she’d worried for nothing, Ming Zhu felt both annoyed and amused. Her tense nerves relaxed, and she tiptoed over.

The “bloody chair” looked dirty, and the girl seemed asleep.

Ming Zhu bent slightly, gazed at her peaceful face, and after a moment, pinched her soft cheek.

“Hiss—” The girl winced, snapped her eyes open, saw a face suddenly close, her hazy eyes cleared, her breath hitched, and she leaned back instinctively.

“Little rogue,” Ming Zhu said, her cool fingers brushing Yu Jing’s smooth cheek, resting on her slender shoulder. Meeting her startled gaze, she said slowly, “You made me search hard.”

Yu Jing’s eyelids trembled. Realizing she was caught, she gave a dry laugh. “You found me here? Wow, you’re so brave!”

Ming Zhu scoffed, her expression half-smiling.

Yu Jing felt the hand on her shoulder tighten, panicked, glanced behind Ming Zhu, and gasped, “There’s a ghost behind you!”

Ming Zhu instinctively turned.

The streetlamp flickered at that moment.

Two seconds later, the light returned. Ming Zhu saw no ghost, only the cameraman with his equipment.

Yu Jing, who’d tricked her, escaped her grasp, grabbed the chest, and vanished in a flash.

Ming Zhu realized she’d fallen for the little rogue’s trick again, gritted her teeth, and chased with long strides.

As if furious, her steps were heavy and urgent. Yu Jing, terrified of being caught, ran blindly, ignoring whether the cameraman could keep up.

She ended up in a dead-end alley.

Yu Jing cursed silently, tried to turn back, saw Ming Zhu striding toward her, and, with no escape, scanned around, spotted a room, and darted inside.

She tried to slam the door, but Ming Zhu was faster, squeezing a long leg through in two strides.

Yu Jing, worried about hurting her, paused.

In that second’s hesitation, Ming Zhu slipped inside.

“Bang—”

The metal door shook, and Yu Jing’s heart trembled.

The room was truly pitch-black. Yu Jing strained her ears, heard a faint “beep” of an electronic sound, but before she could focus, rustling footsteps approached, and a familiar cool fragrance filled her nose.

Neither could see the other.

Yu Jing sensed greater danger, tried to slip past Ming Zhu quietly. Ming Zhu, as if with night vision, wrapped both arms precisely around her waist.

Yu Jing struggled and backed up, her heel hit something, and she fell backward.

With another “bang,” Yu Jing’s back hit a soft bed. Before she could yelp, Ming Zhu, pulled down with her, landed heavily on top.

One angry, one shy, they tussled on the narrow double bed.

“Give me the chest.”

“No way!”

“Then don’t blame me for getting rough.”

“Ah—my face is gonna swell from your pinching!”

“Give it?”

“No, no… mm…”

In the chaos, something triggered a soft moan from the girl. Ming Zhu’s hand froze, and she didn’t dare move.

[Why’s there no footage again?! Did the cameraman lose them?!]

[I want to see the dark room scene! What are you two doing in there?!]

[Why miss this iconic moment? Is it because I’m not a premium member?]

[So frustrating! The cameraman always drops the ball at critical moments.]

[Did I hear Yu Jing’s soft gasp?]

[I suspect they’re getting spicy in there.]

No footage, no sound.

Rapid heartbeats and breaths thrummed in their ears, mingling chaotically.

The two tangled together remembered they were filming, locked eyes in the dark for seconds, and fell silent.

Heat spread from Yu Jing’s chest to her face. Her body softened, too weak to push the person off.

Ming Zhu’s hot breath hit her face, the scent of shampoo and the girl’s unique sweetness teasing her senses, making her lose focus.

Yu Jing, uncomfortable under the weight, squirmed.

The small wooden bed creaked under their weight, pushing the tension to a peak.

The abrupt sound hit their ears, instantly recalling the couple photoshoot—thin wood, bright lights, desire-filled eyes, pressed bodies, restrained yet burning hands, wet kisses…

Lost in the moment, neither moved further.

“Click—”

With a soft switch sound, the dark room lit up.

Everything was clear—tangled sheets, lifted clothing hems, a slender waist exposed, and unmasked shyness and enchantment on their faces.

Yu Jing’s panicked eyes met Ming Zhu’s, sensing her gaze grow warmer.

Someone moved first, the fragile bed creaked again, their pressed bodies parted, and they rolled to opposite sides, back-to-back, catching their breath.

Yu Jing’s heart nearly burst, her breaths hot. Before her face burned up, she jumped up and ran to the door.

Ming Zhu, catching her fleeing in her peripheral vision, didn’t stop her.

Yu Jing tried the door, but the handle wouldn’t budge. Looking down, she saw a password lock and pressed random buttons.

The “beep-beep-beep” drew Ming Zhu’s attention. She quelled her inner turmoil and walked over slowly.

“Won’t open?” Her cool voice, slightly hoarse, sounded by Yu Jing’s ear.

Yu Jing’s frantic fingers shook, she stepped aside, glanced up briefly, avoided Ming Zhu’s expression, cleared her throat, and said, “It needs a password, I think.”

Ming Zhu tried and found it locked, her brow furrowing. She’d closed the door to stop Yu Jing from escaping, not expecting it to lock them in. She bent down, studying the lock.

Yu Jing, wary of getting too close, shifted quietly, her eyes darting, and spotted a paper on the wall. “There’s a clue here.”

Ming Zhu looked from the lock, saw the paper, squinted, read it fully, and understood.

It was an escape room.

Players had to find password clues in the room to unlock the door.

The situation paused their awkwardness. Yu Jing touched her nose sheepishly and asked, “Have you played escape rooms before?”

Ming Zhu shook her head.

“Me neither…” Yu Jing scanned the cozy room—a small bed, a desk, a computer. The walls had formulas, math problems, and certificates.

Ghosts didn’t scare her, but puzzles stumped her. Her head spun.

Ming Zhu calmed quickly, glanced at Yu Jing’s worried face, read the paper again, thought, and said, “The clues are in the room. Let’s look.”

Yu Jing scratched her head. “Okay.”

But where to start?

Yu Jing spun in place, confused, then saw a cartoon-patterned box on a table by the door, picked it up, and exclaimed, “There’s ice cream here!”

Ming Zhu, about to check the desk, turned, saw her holding the box, her eyes crescent-like, sparkling with childlike joy.

Yu Jing sniffed, her eyes brighter. “Vanilla! It smells so good!”

Ming Zhu’s lips curved.

“Odd, why’s ice cream here?” Yu Jing wondered after her excitement.

Ming Zhu walked over, took the ice cream, examined it seriously, and said, “Maybe the lock’s clue is inside.”

“Huh?”

“Eat it. See if there’s a note hidden inside.”

Was this for real?

Yu Jing held the vanilla ice cream she’d craved, salivated, grabbed the stick, scooped a bite, but stopped, realizing something.

The room, like a study, had no fridge or freezer. The ice cream had to be brought in. From its melting, it hadn’t been here long—maybe left by a previous player or placed by an NPC. Either way, its origin was unclear.

“Why not eat?” Ming Zhu asked, seeing her pause, eyes darting with thoughts.

Yu Jing dodged the question. “If there’s a clue, can’t we just dig through it?”

Ming Zhu saw her stick about to stir the ice cream, grabbed her hand, and said, “That’s wasting food.”

“Then you eat it,” Yu Jing said, scooping a bite and holding it to Ming Zhu’s mouth.

“…” Ming Zhu, defeated by her caution, moved her lips and admitted, “That’s the one you ordered from the vendor.”

“What?” Yu Jing studied the ice cream, found it familiar, looked at Ming Zhu’s uneasy expression, and realized, “You brought it in?”

Ming Zhu lowered her eyes and hummed faintly.

Yu Jing’s mouth opened in a daze.

Ming Zhu lifted her lashes, grabbed Yu Jing’s wrist, turned it, and fed her the scoop. “Eat before it melts.”

“…”

The cool cream melted in her mouth, slid down her throat, sweet to her heart.

Yu Jing watched Ming Zhu turn to search for clues, holding the stick, her mind swirling with questions.

She wanted to ask why Ming Zhu refused their alliance, if she came to the haunted house just to bring her ice cream. But their chest mics were on, so she swallowed the questions with the sweet ice cream.

Maybe she was too thirsty, or the vendor was skilled, but Yu Jing thought this was the sweetest, most fragrant ice cream she’d ever had. Reluctant to eat fast, yet eager to help Ming Zhu, she ate bite after bite, finishing it.

Tossing the box into the trash, Yu Jing saw a crumpled paper, picked it up, and unfolded it.

It was full of incomprehensible math formulas…

She handed it to Ming Zhu. “Take a look.”

Ming Zhu, studying the computer, saw the crumpled paper, examined it, and mused, “These are advanced math problems. Solving them might give a clue.”

“Can… you solve it?” Yu Jing asked, blushing, her voice low. “I didn’t go to college. I never learned this.”

Ming Zhu paused, realizing Yu Jing was only nineteen.

She hadn’t gone to college. Ming Zhu hadn’t expected that.

But she didn’t ask why, saw Yu Jing’s red lips from the cold ice cream, felt a pang, took the paper, smiled softly, and said, “My math’s not great, but I’ll try.”

Yu Jing’s eyes flickered, she ducked to find a pen, handed it over, and watched Ming Zhu scribble incomprehensible symbols.

“So hard,” Ming Zhu said, frowning as she worked.

Yu Jing didn’t know if it was really hard, saw her furrowed brow, and encouraged, “You can read it. That’s way better than me.”

Ming Zhu glanced at her, didn’t comment, and kept calculating. After nearly five minutes, she solved it, getting six digits.

The password clue needed six digits.

Ming Zhu took the paper to the door, entered the numbers, and finished.

With a “beep,” the door opened.

Fresh air rushed in, but Ming Zhu felt no relief.

She even wished she’d made more mistakes to keep them together longer.

But Yu Jing didn’t think so.

Trapped too long, she feared more awkwardness with Ming Zhu. Planning to slip away, she stepped out, only to be grabbed by the shoulder.

Ming Zhu, prepared, pinned her against the wall and leaned down. “Where are you running to?”

To meet Chen Chen, of course!

Yu Jing, one hand guarding the chest, pointed behind Ming Zhu and tried her old trick. “There’s a ghost behind you!”

Ming Zhu didn’t fall for it, reached to pinch her face as punishment.

Yu Jing didn’t dodge, stared at a spot on Ming Zhu’s face, blinked, and said, “Sister, there’s something dirty on your face.”

Ming Zhu sensed another trick but was stunned by her soft “sister,” forgetting to think. “…What?”

Yu Jing stood on tiptoes, her face inching closer.

Ming Zhu’s heart pounded, her breath held.

The girl’s slender fingers brushed along her lip line, as if wiping something carefully. The touch sent a strange tingle.

Ming Zhu froze, staring at the girl in her arms.

Did she know what she was doing?

The gesture felt like seduction, teasing the loose string in her heart.