I'm Actually Panicking Because My Heart Doesn't Beat (GL) - Chapter 73

The feeling of being completely unable to move made Guan Xiaoxuan very uneasy. In her ears was a thick, sticky rubbing sound, and from her nose came a faint but strong smell.

The smell was unpleasant—like a salty, damp rot—and it made Guan Xiaoxuan feel uncomfortable.

The sounds around her continued slowly. Guan Xiaoxuan knelt on the ground, unable to open her eyes, only sensing things getting closer to her, but always keeping some distance.

Rustle, rustle—

Rustle, rustle—

Listening carefully, Guan Xiaoxuan suddenly realized these sounds weren’t just around her—they also seemed to be inside her mind.

Is this the “Whisper of the God”?

Guan Xiaoxuan frowned deeply. She still couldn’t control her body and remained kneeling on the ground with a respectful posture.

Gradually, she stopped struggling. She relaxed and sensed that this so-called “God” didn’t intend to hurt her. Curiosity began to grow—what exactly was this thing?

Suddenly, the mural from Room Seven on the third floor of the Sixth Hospital ward appeared in her mind.

People of all kinds were kneeling before a white mist, worshipping the things inside the fog with devotion. Wasn’t that exactly what she was doing now?

Could it be that the god inside this fog was really a huge octopus?

Guan Xiaoxuan was baffled. As she thought this, an image suddenly appeared in her mind.

Her perspective changed, like a third-person view in a video game. She saw her own back and the pit in front of her, but no strange things around.

Still, the damp cold feeling was very real, which puzzled her.

What was happening?

Why could she see her surroundings without opening her eyes?

Was this an out-of-body experience?

No one answered her questions. When she looked up toward the altar opposite her, she suddenly saw a chair appear in the fog.

Calling it a chair didn’t seem quite right—it was huge. Even the towering stone pillar she had seen when entering looked tiny compared to it. The chair had a very high back with a curved top, and it seemed to have some carvings, though Guan Xiaoxuan couldn’t make out the details.

The chair appeared to be made of the same material as the stone pillar. Guan Xiaoxuan had to tilt her head back to see the whole chair. It really felt like the so-called “God’s Chair.”

It was incredibly strange.

She couldn’t find the words to describe what she saw. The chair was empty, but Guan Xiaoxuan could clearly feel someone sitting on it, looking down at her.

That gaze was so strong it made her tremble.

No one knew how long this lasted. The rustling sounds gradually grew softer and finally disappeared. Only then did Guan Xiaoxuan open her eyes.

She was still kneeling on the ground. Her whole body ached so much she wanted to scream, but she gritted her teeth and used her hands to support herself while looking around.

There were no damp cold monsters, no giant god chair—everything looked just as it did when she first came.

Listening to the whispers of the god?

Guan Xiaoxuan sat down, rubbed her sore muscles and her aching knees from kneeling, and felt confused. Had she really heard something?

It seemed she hadn’t heard any instructions from the god at all.

She glanced at the lamp beside her and noticed the flame had shrunk slightly. She knew she shouldn’t stay here too long.

After resting for about ten minutes, Guan Xiaoxuan picked up the lamp and prepared to leave.

Before stepping into the fog, she looked back at the altar and the seven stone pillars in front of it. Suddenly, she had a feeling.

She would definitely come back to this place again.

Carrying the weak lamp, Guan Xiaoxuan walked through the fog for another two hours. The monsters behind her were much more numerous than before. She worried the lamp might go out, but the flickering flame stubbornly stayed lit until she finally walked out.

There was no sense of day or night in the fog. When she returned to the villa, she saw the sky was already growing dark.

Jin Cheng wasn’t there waiting for her. The only person she saw was the strong man.

“Welcome back, Miss Guan,” the man said, staring at her. “Mr. Jin has already left. He told me to wait here for your return.”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked at him, curious. “Is Mr. Jin really that sure I’d come back alive?”

The man didn’t answer. Instead, he turned and said, “Please follow me. Mr. Jin has been waiting outside for a long time.”

Though puzzled, Guan Xiaoxuan followed the man back down to the basement, then back into the real world through the basement, and finally returned to the grand villa.

As she stepped outside, she realized the sky was already dark. She clearly remembered arriving early that morning to meet Jin Cheng. How did it get so late just from visiting the altar?

Would Xing Tianqing be looking for me?

Guan Xiaoxuan quickly pulled her phone out of her bag. There was no signal inside the Inner World, but as soon as she came out of the basement, she got a signal. She saw that Xing Tianqing had sent her many messages and called more than a dozen times.

Oh no, I need to call her back quickly.

Just as Guan Xiaoxuan was about to dial, Jin Cheng’s voice sounded from above.

“If I were you, I definitely wouldn’t call her right now.”

Guan Xiaoxuan stopped mid-dial and looked up at Jin Cheng, who was standing on the second floor. She asked confused, “Why not?”

“Because tonight is your last moment,” Jin Cheng said as he slowly walked down from the second floor. “If you call her now, she won’t hear your voice. It’ll only cause her unnecessary worry.”

“But I have to let her know I’m safe.”

“Safe?”

Jin Cheng laughed as if he had just heard something funny. Looking at Guan Xiaoxuan, he said, “Do you really think you’re safe right now?”

Guan Xiaoxuan didn’t answer. Yeah, how could she be safe when nothing had been solved?

“I’ve returned from the altar. Now it’s time for you to fulfill your promise, right?” Guan Xiaoxuan asked.

Jin Cheng chuckled lightly. “Of course. Since you’ve been accepted by Him, I’ll keep my promise and help you get rid of the trouble on you.”

“But before that, are you hungry?” Jin Cheng asked her with interest. “You’ve been inside for more than ten hours. Want to come to my place for dinner? My cook is very good. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Guan Xiaoxuan was stunned. “I thought I was only inside for four or five hours. How could it be so long?”

It took two hours to get to the altar, and two hours back.

Kneeling at the altar was no more than twenty minutes. So how was Jin Cheng saying she’d been inside for over ten hours?

“There’s nothing strange about that,” Jin Cheng said happily. “My Lord likes you, so He kept you inside for a long time. He rarely favors anyone, and you’re the one He’s liked the most all these years. I have to thank you properly.”

Jin Cheng said things Guan Xiaoxuan didn’t understand, but he didn’t seem willing to explain. Instead, a trace of surprise showed in his eyes as he kept mumbling, “You’ll understand naturally later. Now come with me to eat. We still have a tough fight to prepare for tonight.”

Guan Xiaoxuan followed Jin Cheng to the dining room. There were two tables—one big enough for more than ten people, and a smaller one for six.

The cook and the housekeeper brought the dishes as soon as they saw the two enter.

“Tonight’s meal is Western food. Not sure if you’re used to it,” Jin Cheng said. “I usually eat Chinese food for lunch and Western for dinner. It helps me keep my body fat low, healthy and full. If you don’t like it, I can have the cook prepare some Chinese food for you. What do you like?”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked at the steak and pasta in front of her, and a creamy mushroom soup she didn’t recognize.

“I can eat anything,” Guan Xiaoxuan said, looking at Jin Cheng. Then she asked, “Boss Jin, are you really that health-conscious?”

Jin Cheng smiled and curved his eyebrows. “I’m getting older. If I don’t take care of myself, I’ll soon get a beer belly. I prefer to keep looking handsome as I am now.”

Guan Xiaoxuan: “…”

This middle-aged man is basically a peacock, right?

Only peacocks care so much about their looks and show off everywhere.

Fortunately, Jin Cheng didn’t show off to her. After dinner, he told the housekeeper to take her to a guest room upstairs to rest.

“Stay here tonight. Don’t go anywhere,” Jin Cheng said to Guan Xiaoxuan as she was about to go upstairs. “Don’t reply to any messages. Call Xing Tianqing only after everything is over.”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked back at him and nodded.

Jin Cheng continued reminding her, “No matter what happens outside tonight, don’t open doors or windows. Don’t leave the bedroom. Got it?”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked at him deeply and asked, “Can you really get rid of that woman?”

“Of course,” Jin Cheng said confidently, smiling at her. “There’s no weird thing in this world I can’t handle.”

Seeing him so sure, Guan Xiaoxuan felt a little less uneasy. She followed the housekeeper upstairs and entered a bedroom.

The room was huge—twice the size of her own bedroom—and richly decorated, just like the main female lead’s boudoir in a TV drama.

The housekeeper came in, turned on the lights, and closed the curtains. Then she said, “Miss Guan, you can rest now. As per the master’s instructions, it’s best if you don’t go out tonight.”

“I know. Thank you,” Guan Xiaoxuan replied.

The housekeeper smiled and left after closing the door.

Guan Xiaoxuan looked around the room. Besides the bed and cabinets, there was a large bathroom with a soaking tub.

All the furniture and bedding were from high-end brands. If this was before, Guan Xiaoxuan would probably feel curious and enjoy it.

But today, she didn’t have the mood.

She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her phone, unable to stop worrying—would she really be able to see tomorrow’s sunrise safely?