Chapter 337: The Assassin Next Door! A Dangerous Game of Hide and Seek!
Hearing Fifth Junior Sister Zhong Lingyin's trembling voice, Fourth Senior Sister Ye Liyou sensed something was wrong and said in a condensed voice, "You don't understand. There are terrifying Dark World powerhouses among them. Even a Martial Dao Grandmaster like Sword Demon Miyamoto Ichiro has claimed a bounty."
"Now, immediately give me your address, and I'll come find you."
"...Okay, I'm in the first VIP suite on the top floor of the Halton Five-Star Hotel."
"Oh, I'm also in this hotel, right next to you. I'm coming to find you now."
Fourth Senior Sister Ye Liyou quickly tidied up and walked towards the adjacent VIP suite.
The call ended with a soft click that sounded like a gunshot in the silent, luxurious suite.
Zhong Lingyin stood frozen for a second, her beautiful face draining of all color. The phone slipped from her clammy fingers, landing on the thick, plush carpet with a muffled thud. Her heart began to hammer against her ribs, a frantic rhythm of pure, unadulterated panic.
"Brother Shen... no, An'yu..." She turned around, her large, watery eyes wide with terror. "Quickly! You have to hide! My Fourth Senior Sister is in the room right next door! She said she's coming over now!"
The sheer absurdity and danger of the situation crashed down on her. Just moments ago, she had been immersed in the afterglow of their intimacy, her mind hazy with pleasure and conflicting guilt. But now, the cold reality of her "Blood Shadow Rose" Senior Sister standing merely meters away shattered the romantic atmosphere like a hammer hitting glass.
"We absolutely can't let her know about our relationship," Zhong Lingyin gasped, rushing forward to push Shen Anyu. Her hands, usually steady when holding a microphone before millions, were trembling uncontrollably against his chest. "She... she isn't like the others. She's a Gold-Ranked assassin on the Dark World leaderboards! She kills without blinking! If she finds out you've been... bullying me, and that you've betrayed Second Senior Sister Liu Ruyan..."
She swallowed hard, her voice dropping to a horrified whisper. "She will definitely kill you. She won't hesitate, An'yu. She really won't."
In Zhong Lingyin's mind, the image of Ye Liyou wasn't just a caring sister; it was the "Blood Shadow Rose," a reaper who harvested lives in the shadows. She knew Ye Liyou's code: loyalty above all. And Shen Anyu, in Ye Liyou's eyes, was the boyfriend of Liu Ruyan. If she found him in the bed of her Fifth Junior Sister... the bloodshed would be catastrophic.
Yet, contrary to her frantic state, Shen Anyu sat on the edge of the messy bed, looking as composed as a king on his throne. He was shirtless, his well-defined muscles glistening slightly under the warm ambient lighting of the suite. There was not a shred of fear on his handsome face; instead, a playful, devilish smirk danced on his lips.
He tilted his head, his dark eyes sweeping over Zhong Lingyin's flustered figure with a possessive, predatory gleam. "Still calling me Brother Shen?" he drawled, his voice deep and vibrating with amusement. "Didn't you call me 'Husband' quite sweetly last night? Why the sudden change in address?"
Zhong Lingyin felt her face burn. The heat rushed from her neck to her cheeks, turning her fair skin a deep shade of crimson. The memories of the previous night—and the early morning—flooded her mind. The sounds she had made, the shameless words she had whispered under his touch... how could he bring that up now, when his life was on the line?
"Husband!" she cried out, stomping her foot in desperation. She grabbed his arm, trying to haul his heavy frame up from the bed, but he remained immovable as a mountain. "Husband, good husband, is that enough? Are you happy? Please, I'm begging you, hurry and hide! If Fourth Senior Sister catches us, I... I won't have the face to live!"
Her anxiety was reaching a boiling point. It wasn't just fear for herself—in fact, she knew Ye Liyou would never physically harm her. At most, she would be scolded or grounded. But Shen Anyu? Ye Liyou would view him as a scumbag playing with the feelings of two sisters. The "Soul-Severing Dagger" or whatever hidden weapon Ye Liyou carried would be buried in his chest before he could speak.
In her panic, Zhong Lingyin had completely forgotten one crucial detail: Shen Anyu was strong. Terrifyingly strong. Perhaps even stronger than the Blood Shadow Rose. But love makes one blind to logic, and right now, she only saw him as the man she needed to protect.
Shen Anyu remained seated, his smile widening. He enjoyed seeing the "Heavenly Queen," usually so poised and elegant on stage, unraveling into a flustered little girl for him. It satisfied his conquest instinct.
"No," Shen Anyu said lazily, shaking his head. He reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "That wasn't sincere enough. You sounded like you were reading a script. Where is the emotion? Where is the love?"
Zhong Lingyin stared at him, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She wanted to bite him. She wanted to scream. But she looked at the door, imagining Ye Liyou's hand already reaching for the handle.
Time. There was no time.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She was Zhong Lingyin. She was the Global Superstar. She had won Best Actress awards. If he wanted a performance, she would give him the performance of a lifetime.
Instantly, her demeanor shifted. The frantic trembling ceased. Her posture softened, becoming fluid and graceful. She stepped closer, stepping between his knees, and placed her hands gently on his shoulders.
She looked down at him, her amber eyes swimming with a mist of deep, overwhelming affection. It was a gaze that could melt iron, a look of total surrender and devotion.
Her red lips, slightly swollen from his earlier kisses, parted slowly. She leaned down, her breath hot against his ear, her voice dropping to a sultry, honeyed whisper that vibrated through his bones.
"Good husband~" she cooed, the sound dragging out with a tantalizing sweetness. "Please listen to your obedient little wife. Hide in the bathroom for me? Don't let Fourth Senior Sister catch us..."
She trailed her fingers down his chest, tracing the lines of his muscles, her touch feather-light yet electric. "If you do this for me... I'll reward you properly later. I'll agree to any condition you want. Anything. Okay~?"
The promise hung in the air, heavy with implication. Her voice was the same instrument that had captivated tens of thousands at the Tokyo Dome just hours ago, but now, it was tuned specifically for the seduction of one man. It was sugary, cloying, and utterly irresistible.
Shen Anyu felt a stir of heat in his lower abdomen. Even knowing it was an act born of desperation, the visual impact of the pure, angelic idol promising "anything" with such a lustful expression was potent.
"Alright, alright, alright," Shen Anyu chuckled, grabbing her waist and pulling her flush against him for a brief, searing moment before releasing her. "You said it yourself. Any condition. Don't try to deny it later."
He stood up, his tall figure towering over her, and finally moved towards the bathroom.
Zhong Lingyin watched his back disappear behind the frosted glass door. Only when the latch clicked softly did she let out a long, shuddering breath. Her legs felt weak, and she slumped slightly, supporting herself against the wall.
"Honestly... I'm doing this for your sake, you bad guy... and you still bully me into setting conditions," she muttered, puffing out her cheeks in a grievance that made her look exceptionally cute.
She glanced around the room and her heart nearly stopped again.
The mess.
The room was a disaster zone of passion. The bedsheets were tangled and chaotic, pillows thrown on the floor. The air was thick with the scent of pheromones—a distinct, musky blend of Shen Anyu's masculine cologne and her own natural fragrance, heightened by sweat and activity.
She rushed around the room like a whirlwind. She grabbed the torn, pure white dress—the one she had worn after the concert, now ruined by Shen Anyu's impatience—and shoved it violently under the bed. She kicked a pair of men's slippers under the sofa.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The heavy, authoritative knock on the door echoed like thunder.
Zhong Lingyin froze. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was still flushed, her eyes too bright. She quickly grabbed a thick white bathrobe, wrapping it tightly around her body to hide the marks on her collarbone. She ruffled her hair to make it look like bedhead rather than "post-activity" disarray.
"Coming! I'm coming!" she called out, her voice pitching slightly higher to feign grogginess.
She took a deep breath, composed her features into a mask of sleepy confusion, and opened the door.
Standing in the hallway was a woman of striking, sharp beauty. Ye Liyou wore casual clothes—a trench coat over a simple shirt—but her posture was rigid, her eyes scanning the interior of the room the moment the door cracked open. It was a professional habit; the "Blood Shadow Rose" never entered a space without assessing threats.
"Fourth Senior Sister..." Zhong Lingyin rubbed her eyes, adding a convincing yawn. "I had a concert last night and was so tired... I went to bed very late. You just woke me up."
Her acting was flawless. The tone carried just the right amount of whining complaint characteristic of a younger sister woken up too early.
Ye Liyou looked at Zhong Lingyin suspiciously. She stepped into the room, her boots making no sound on the carpet.
Zhong Lingyin felt a cold sweat prickling her back. She forced herself to remain calm, closing the door behind Ye Liyou. Don't look at the bathroom. Don't look at the bed.
Ye Liyou stopped in the center of the living area. She didn't speak immediately. Instead, her nose flared slightly.
As an assassin, her senses were honed to a supernatural degree. She could smell blood from a block away. And here, in this enclosed VIP suite, she smelled something very specific.
It was the lingering, undeniable scent of a man.
It wasn't just the smell of a hotel room; it was the dense, hormonal cocktail of intense physical intimacy. The air felt used. It was warm.
Ye Liyou's expression shifted from concern to surprise, and then to a strange, knowing look. She turned to face Zhong Lingyin, a half-smile curling her lips—a smile that didn't quite reach her sharp, analytical eyes.
"Fifth Junior Sister," Ye Liyou began, her voice taking on a teasing, yet probing tone. "Do you have a boyfriend? Why didn't you bring him out for Fourth Senior Sister to see? I could check him out for you."
Seeing that Zhong Lingyin was physically unharmed, the tension in Ye Liyou's shoulders relaxed. The assassin mode faded slightly, replaced by the curiosity of an older sister. But the "Blood Shadow Rose" was still there, lurking beneath the surface.
Zhong Lingyin's heart skipped a beat. She waved her hands frantically. "No! Really, no! There's no one!"
Ye Liyou clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Fifth Junior Sister, you can't hide this from me. The smell in here... it's quite strong." She stepped closer, her eyes twinkling with a mischievous, almost dangerous light. "Let him come out. I'll evaluate him. I need to see if he's a good man or a bad man."
She paused, and the air in the room seemed to drop a few degrees. "If he's a bad man... hehe... your Fourth Senior Sister won't be polite. I'll make sure he regrets being born."
As she spoke, a flicker of cold, killing intent flashed in Ye Liyou's beautiful eyes. It wasn't a joke. She cherished her junior sisters above all else. If some random man was taking advantage of the innocent Zhong Lingyin, Ye Liyou would dissect him.
Of course, unbeknownst to her, there was already a man who had entered her own heart recently—the mysterious savior. But that was a secret she kept to herself.
Listening to Ye Liyou's words, Zhong Lingyin felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff. She knew exactly what "won't be polite" meant coming from the Blood Shadow Rose. It meant broken limbs and a vanished corpse.
If she finds Shen Anyu... it's over.
Zhong Lingyin bit her lip, her mind racing. Denial was no longer an option; Ye Liyou had already smelled him. She had to pivot.
"Fourth Senior Sister..." Zhong Lingyin lowered her head, acting shy and embarrassed. "My... my boyfriend's identity is very special. It really cannot be exposed. Please, don't probe."
Ye Liyou raised an eyebrow, amused. "What kind of identity can't be exposed to me? We are sisters. Are you afraid I'll sell the news to the paparazzi?"
"No, it's not that!" Zhong Lingyin racked her brain for a lie that would stop a Gold-Ranked assassin from investigating. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"His family situation is extremely special," she whispered, looking around as if afraid of eavesdroppers. "His identity is classified. People cannot know he is currently abroad in Sakura Country."
"Oh?" Ye Liyou's interest was piqued. "How is it special? Is he a fugitive?"
"No!" Zhong Lingyin said solemnly. "His family... serves the people! They are deeply involved in the highest levels of state affairs. It's a matter of national security!"
"Oh, I see!"
Fourth Senior Sister Ye Liyou nodded in sudden realization. The explanation made sense; if the man was a scion of a top-tier political or military family involved in covert operations, secrecy was paramount.
However, the mischievous glint in her eyes didn't vanish. Instead, it intensified. National security? Let's see just how 'secure' he is.
She smiled slyly, her body blurring into motion.
She moved swiftly, crossing the room in a split second, appeared before the bathroom, and directly pushed the door open...
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