I'm Actually Panicking Because My Heart Doesn't Beat (GL) - Chapter 38

Someone wants to get their hands on this?

Guan Xiaoxuan stared at the clear glass bead in front of her, completely puzzled. What kind of person would want something like this? And who exactly was the middle-aged man who gave it to Haohao?

Haohao looked up at the two women in front of him—both of whom he didn’t dare mess with—and said with a fawning smile, “Big sisters, I’ve told you everything I know. I don’t need this thing anymore, so you can have it.”

Bai Zhiqi let out a cold laugh and said, “I have no use for that kind of thing. Give it to Sister Xiaoxuan.”

Haohao obediently turned to Guan Xiaoxuan, held up the glass bead in his hand, and said, “Sister Xiaoxuan, you take it.”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked at him and asked, “That man told you to take good care of this bead. Are you sure it’s okay to just give it to me?”

“It’s totally fine,” Haohao replied, still looking up at her. “I have this feeling… like you’re the one who’s meant to have it.”

It was the kind of feeling that seemed destined, something hard to explain. Haohao couldn’t quite put it into words, but deep down, he just knew he was supposed to pass the bead on.

Hearing that, Guan Xiaoxuan glanced down at the glass marble. She remembered the offline gathering on the Paranormal Forum, where that suited man called Sword and Immortality had offered a million yuan for it.

Thinking about her own tight finances, Guan Xiaoxuan couldn’t help but wonder—if she sold this bead to Sword and Immortality, life might get a whole lot easier.

Thinking this, Guan Xiaoxuan didn’t hesitate to take the glass bead.

The moment the clear marble landed in her hand, it felt icy cold. She rubbed it between her fingers, only to find that her body heat couldn’t seem to warm it up—no matter how long she held it, the bead stayed cold.

She lifted the bead to eye level. Faintly, she could see a few tiny colorful dots inside. Haohao had told her those were the spirits of the children from the playground.

Haohao said to her, “Xiaoxuan-jie, as long as you focus your thoughts, the bead will respond to you. You can try to return those spirits to the kids they belong to.”

Bai Zhiqi glanced at the sky—it was deep into the night. While there was no one around, she’d been in the real world for too long and was starting to feel unwell. So, she grabbed Haohao by the back of his collar and said to Guan Xiaoxuan, “I’m taking him with me. The rest of the kids are up to you now.”

With a crack, the mirror in the corner shattered, leaving only Guan Xiaoxuan and the missing children on the playground.

The night wind blew through the alleyway, sending a stray plastic bag spiraling into the air.

Guan Xiaoxuan stood at the entrance of the police station nearest to the orphanage. She glanced back at the kids, who stood there blankly. She put her hands in her pockets and held the marble tightly, thinking to herself.

After just a few seconds, the children began to look dazed.

They looked around in confusion, as if they didn’t know how they got there.

“Where is this?”

“Who are you?”

“Why am I here?”

They were clearly puzzled, their faces full of confusion. It was like they had no memory of what happened in the alternate world.

When Guan Xiaoxuan brought the children into the station, the officer on duty was surprised at first. But once he realized who the children were, he immediately became serious.

The missing students from Xinglin City had caused a huge public uproar. The pressure from higher-ups was intense. The kids had vanished without a trace—no bodies, no clues. Their parents and schools were in a panic, and the police had searched for them tirelessly with no results.

No one expected Guan Xiaoxuan to bring them all back safe and sound.

Inside the station, Guan Xiaoxuan wrapped herself in a police officer’s coat and dozed off on a bench in the hallway. When someone gently woke her, she opened her eyes to see Xing Tianqing’s face.

“Guan Xiaoxuan.”

Xing Tianqing squatted next to the bench, her expression serious. “Are you awake? Come with me to the interrogation room.”

Guan Xiaoxuan groggily sat up and stretched, letting out a big yawn. Looking at Xing Tianqing and An and the others, she scratched her head and said, “Good morning, Captain Xing.”

An couldn’t help but laugh. Xing Tianqing shot her a look, and she quickly shut her mouth.

Then Xing Tianqing turned back to Guan Xiaoxuan. “We’ve already been informed about you bringing the kids back last night. But we still need to go over the details with you. I hope you’ll cooperate with the investigation.”

“No problem.” Guan Xiaoxuan hugged the borrowed coat and smiled at Xing Tianqing. “Captain Xing, I think I did a pretty good job this time, right? Does this mean my application to be an official auxiliary member can go through after the case wraps up?”

An glanced at her and teased, “Don’t get too excited just yet. We still need to go over everything, but you’re probably in the clear.”

Even Xing Tianqing’s stern expression softened a bit. She said, “We’ll let you know once the questioning is over.”

Guan Xiaoxuan spent the whole morning in the interrogation room, cooperating with the investigation.

But really, it was more like a formal conversation. Since she was brought in by Xing Tianqing and had already been involved in the case, she was considered someone on the supernatural task force’s side. The questioning was more routine than anything.

The children who came out of the alternate orphanage world, however, couldn’t remember anything.

They didn’t know how they’d left school, where they’d been, or who they’d seen. It was like that entire chunk of memory had been erased, leaving the task force in a tough spot.

Luckily, they still had Guan Xiaoxuan. Through her account, they learned what had happened in the alternate orphanage and how the children had been drawn in by that eerie little boy with the ball.

Xing Tianqing looked at the report, then at Guan Xiaoxuan, her expression dark. “So after I dropped you off at home last night, you snuck out to the orphanage alone to find that little boy with the ball?”

Guan Xiaoxuan felt a little guilty under that look. She gave a nervous laugh and said, “Captain Xing, I know it wasn’t the right thing to do. But I had an idea—one that I thought might really help. So I went to try it.”

“And as you can see,” she added, “the ‘Explosion’ talisman you gave me worked great. It helped me protect myself and save the kids too.”

Xing Tianqing frowned and stepped closer. She placed her hand on the table and leaned in, her intense gaze locking onto Guan Xiaoxuan. In a low voice, she said, “Before you become an official member of the task force, I think you need to understand what our mission really is.”

Guan Xiaoxuan leaned back a little and blinked. “Yes, Captain. Please go on.”

“What we’re dealing with are entities with special powers—ones that are far more dangerous than you think.” Xing Tianqing continued, “If you do become a member of the task force, I don’t want you handling missions alone. Especially not entering alternate worlds by yourself.”

So… she was worried about me.

Guan Xiaoxuan froze for a moment, then smiled. “Got it. I won’t go into dangerous places alone anymore. I’ll follow your lead.”

An, who’d been quietly listening, couldn’t help lifting her head. She looked at the two of them with a teasing smile, but didn’t dare say anything.

What a sweet couple!

For some reason, Xing Tianqing’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing Guan Xiaoxuan smile like that warmed her in a way she couldn’t quite describe—like a gentle heat spreading through her chest.

She quickly turned away and avoided Guan Xiaoxuan’s gaze, keeping her face composed. “Go rest in the conference room for now. I’ll come find you later.”

“Okay.” Guan Xiaoxuan got up from the chair and said, “I’ll be next door then. Just call me if you need me, Captain Xing.”

Once she left, Xiao An propped her chin on her hands and looked at Xing Tianqing, grinning from ear to ear.

“Captain, Xiaoxuan is seriously adorable!” Xiao An giggled. “Are you really together now? I think she’s super brave and special—perfect for you!”

Xing Tianqing, lost in thought, snapped out of it and glared at An. “Stop talking nonsense and focus on your work.”

An laughed even harder and ran off with her files before Xing Tianqing could get mad at her.

The whole day passed with Guan Xiaoxuan helping the police with their investigation. Around three or four in the afternoon, Xing Tianqing finally had time to talk to her again.

“Come with me,” she said, dressed in her signature black leather trench coat, hands in her pockets. “I’ll explain in the car.”

Sensing something important, Guan Xiaoxuan quickly grabbed her things and followed.

In the car, she sat obediently in the passenger seat, watching Xing Tianqing drive skillfully. “Captain Xing, where are we going?”

“To the supernatural task force headquarters,” Xing Tianqing said, glancing sideways with a rare smile. “Your application has been approved. We’re going to finish the paperwork. From now on, you’re one of us.”

Guan Xiaoxuan’s eyes lit up. Ever since she arrived in this strange world, she’d gone through so much—and now, finally, she had the protection of the official agency.

“Really?!” she beamed. “That means we’re coworkers now?”

“Yeah.” Xing Tianqing’s mood lifted too. She had a strange feeling about Guan Xiaoxuan—someone younger, just a second-year college student.

Even though they’d been through a lot together, Xing Tianqing still saw her as someone who needed protecting.

Even if Guan Xiaoxuan might like her.

Watching the girl beside her practically glowing with joy, Xing Tianqing found herself smiling too.

That sense of happiness was unfamiliar, but warm.

“Captain Xing,” Guan Xiaoxuan said after a while, still smiling, “We’ll be seeing each other a lot from now on. I’m so happy!”

She was just thinking that with Xing Tianqing around, she’d be safer—and more used to her presence.

But Xing Tianqing, hearing that, suddenly felt her ears heat up.

This girl really did like her. A lot.