The Stunning General Finds Himself in a Shura Field on a Dating Show ABO - Chapter 32

Ye Zhi woke up at noon.

How strange, he thought. I drank last night, but I don’t feel too bad today—just a little sleepy.

He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the adjacent bed, only to find both beds empty.

They must be on their dates.

The thought of the date jolted Ye Zhi awake.

Crap! I’m late!

Following the production team’s instructions, Ye Zhi grabbed the gift he had chosen the night before, splashed water on his face, and raced downstairs.

As soon as he reached the living room, he saw Lu Qingze sitting on the sofa.

Today, Lu Qingze wore gold-rimmed glasses and a crisp white shirt. He sat upright, seemingly studying a script, radiating an air of refined elegance that accentuated his usual cool detachment.

Brother Lu? Aren’t you going on your date? Ye Zhi asked, glancing around to see if anyone else was present.

Lu Qingze chuckled softly. No need to look around. I’m your date today.

As he spoke, Lu Qingze noticed the choker in Ye Zhi’s hand and rose to his feet. Let me help you put it on.

Taking the choker, Lu Qingze moved slowly behind Ye Zhi and fastened the custom-made clavicle chain around the young man’s neck.

Brother Lu, why did you choose something like this? It’s so uncomfortable to wear around my neck.

Ye Zhi tugged at the collarbone chain, his expression uneasy.

I noticed you kept scratching at the wound on your neck. Wearing this will stop you from thinking about it.

Lu Qingze gently nuzzled the back of Ye Zhi’s neck, like a wolf marking its territory, wanting to memorize his partner’s scent.

Betas lacked pheromones, yet Ye Zhi carried a unique floral fragrance, more alluring than any pheromone.

Where Ye Zhi couldn’t see, Lu Qingze’s gaze grew possessive. He lightly stroked the collarbone chain around the youth’s neck and murmured, It looks beautiful on you. Don’t take it off today.

The snow-white neck was encircled by a dark red leather choker, perfectly concealing yesterday’s scar. The flawless treasure had its imperfection restored, satisfying the treasure hunter’s selfish desire.

Ah… okay.

Seeing Ye Zhi agree, Lu Qingze’s mood brightened visibly, his voice tinged with amusement. Let’s go have breakfast now.

Lu Qingze led Ye Zhi to the dining table. Noticing a sandwich still on the table, he picked up the plate and smiled at Ye Zhi. Sandwiches aren’t very good cold. I made some congee. Let me serve you a bowl to try.

His movements were so natural that Ye Zhi didn’t even have time to refuse.

Though he still craved the sandwich, the mention of congee instantly captured his attention. Really? Brother Lu, you can make congee too?

I can only make simple dishes like this. It’s nothing compared to what Xiao Qin can do.

Why did he suddenly mention Brother Qin? Ye Zhi wondered.

Just as Ye Zhi was puzzling over this, Lu Qingze turned and walked into the kitchen.

Out of the young man’s sight, the Film Emperor slowly dumped the sandwiches from the plate. Only then did he ladle a bowl of sweet egg congee from the pot and carry it out.

I never expected Brother Lu to be so good at making congee, even if he’s terrible at making soup.

Perhaps it was because congee didn’t require oil, but it was surprisingly delicious. Ye Zhi ate with a satisfied expression.

Lu Qingze poured himself a bowl as well, and they sat at the table together. When Ye Zhi finished, he asked, Which do you prefer, the congee or the sandwiches?

Ye Zhi let out a soft burp. I like both!

Hearing this, Lu Qingze smiled faintly and didn’t press the matter further.

The young man was still too naive to grasp the hidden meaning in his words.

He hadn’t been asking about food at all.

But perhaps it was better this way. Though the little rabbit was innocent, he was also remarkably clever. If he didn’t want to be possessed, no one could truly claim him.

For safety reasons, today’s date would not be livestreamed. The production team would still send staff to follow them, but since there was no broadcast, the guests were required to film their own vlogs throughout the day.

The date activities were predetermined by the production team, with the guests drawing lots to decide their itinerary. As the last pair to depart, Ye Zhi and Lu Qingze were left with only one option.

Escape Room, Ye Zhinian read aloud, his voice filled with curiosity. He turned to Lu Qingze and asked, There’s an escape room here? Is our mission to escape from inside?

Lu Qingze nodded, his expression complex. Yeah, I think so.

Ye Zhi studied Lu Qingze for a long moment before asking, Brother Lu, do you not want to go to the escape room?

Lu Qingze shook his head, lowering his gaze to conceal his emotions. No, don’t overthink it.

Lu Qingze accepted the small camera from the production team, and the two boarded the car heading to the escape room.

Having learned from their previous supermarket experience, they wrapped themselves up tightly, leaving no hat, mask, or sunglasses behind.

By the time they reached the escape room entrance, Ye Zhi couldn’t bear the stuffiness any longer. He removed his mask and took off his hat to fan himself.

Turning to see Lu Qingze’s calm expression, Ye Zhi asked in surprise, Brother Lu, aren’t you hot?

Not really. I’m used to it.

Lu Qingze’s voice carried a natural coolness that seemed to soothe the restlessness in Ye Zhi’s heart.

He suddenly leaned closer, gathering Ye Zhi’s hair and saying, If you’re too hot, tie it up. Leaving it down will only make you feel stuffier.

I want to, but I can’t find my hair tie, Ye Zhi said, his head bowed, his voice filled with frustration.

He had intended to tie his hair up this morning, but no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find the hair tie. He suspected he had lost it.

No problem, I have one, Lu Qingze said, gently rolling up his sleeves. A new hair tie was neatly tied around his wrist. He untied it and used it to tie Ye Zhi’s hair into a ponytail.

This was the first time anyone had ever tied Ye Zhi’s hair for him.

The secret room was indoors, and the air conditioning had been running constantly. Ye Zhi quickly stopped feeling the stifling heat.

As a result, the warmth of the young man’s fingertips gliding across his scalp felt particularly pronounced.

He could clearly sense Lu Qingze’s carefulness, even when combing through his hair, moving slowly and gently, as if afraid of pulling too hard and hurting him.

Brother Lu, you can comb harder, Ye Zhi reminded him. I’m not afraid of pain.

Lu Qingze acknowledged him, but his movements remained just as gentle.

How could he not be afraid of pain?

He still remembered the boy’s tearful words from the night before.

Even the rough wind and sand had made him cry, revealing his vulnerability.

This boy, who should have been nurtured like a delicate rose, now wore a hardened shell, secretly concealing his fragility.

Lu Qingze suddenly asked,

Last night when you were drunk, you kept shouting about a wound on your abdomen that hurt when touched. Have you been injured there before?

Ye Zhi hadn’t expected to reveal this while drunk. He carefully explained, Yes, I was injured there. It took almost half a month to heal, but my body doesn’t scar easily. You can’t even see it now.

That wasn’t true. Such a severe wound would inevitably leave a scar. In fact, his body should have been covered in scars, but they had all vanished after his rebirth.

Lu Qingze didn’t believe this explanation. Last night, he had only lightly brushed the boy’s skin, yet it had flushed red with sensitivity. How could such delicate skin not scar easily?

Instead of calling out the lie, he changed the subject. You also mentioned Mingyuan last night. Who is he?

Ye Zhi fell uncharacteristically silent for a moment before finally answering, I only remember that he was like an older brother to me, someone I grew up with. I can’t recall anything else.

Ah… so he’s a childhood sweetheart. No wonder he still clung to the memory even after losing his memories.

Ouch…

Ye Zhi cried out in pain as his hair was suddenly yanked.

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you, Lu Qingze said, his voice slightly flustered as he snapped back to reality.

Ye Zhi smiled, trying to hide his discomfort. It’s nothing, just a quick sting. I told you I’m not afraid of pain.

Lu Qingze chuckled at the boy’s contradictory words, the tension in his heart easing slightly. He didn’t press further, knowing Ye Zhi was deliberately concealing something. The boy still didn’t fully trust him.

Cameras weren’t allowed inside the secret room, so their experience was recorded by the room’s surveillance system. The moment the monitor flickered to life, an eerie blue-green light seemed to burst from the screen. Under its glow, a snow-white bed stood surrounded by syringes and medical instruments, resembling a hospital room.

Ye Zhi noticed Lu Qingze acting strangely as soon as they entered the room, and this unease intensified the moment they stepped into the hospital room.

Looking at the layout, Lu Qingze immediately grasped the theme of the escape room.

So it’s like that…

After the incident years ago, many escape rooms capitalized on the notoriety by replicating the infamous hospital. The theme quickly became a sensation. But Lu Qingze had never seen a replica so exact, down to the precise arrangement of the instruments.

Lost in thought, he suddenly reached out and tightly gripped the boy beside him.

Noticing Lu Qingze’s unease, Ye Zhi assumed he was simply timid.

While surprised, Ye Zhi also felt an unprecedented protective urge. After all, seeing someone usually so composed and aloof suddenly show vulnerability always evokes a particularly tender sympathy.

Instead of pulling away from Lu Qingze’s grip, Ye Zhi placed his other hand over Lu Qingze’s, gently reassuring him, Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.

Lu Qingze’s gaze remained fixed on the nearby syringe, a rare look of terror in his eyes. Only when he heard the boy’s gentle reassurance did he gradually emerge from his panic.

Mm, Lu Qingze murmured softly, drawing even closer to Ye Zhi until they were practically pressed together. It was as if only this physical closeness could offer him a sliver of comfort.

Ye Zhi, dragging the human taffy behind him, struggled to navigate the entire ward. He hadn’t expected Lu Qingze to be so terrified, needing to be pulled and tugged along for every step.

Even after circling the room, they found no useful clues. The pair finally came to a halt at the ward’s entrance.

Ye Zhi tried the door, and as expected, it wouldn’t budge. He noticed a report hanging on the door

Laboratory 012 Research subject escaped yesterday. Prior to escape, the subject differentiated into an S-class Alpha. To preserve experimental data, this room has been sealed.