77: Chapter 77 Tenderness Through Tears

Chen Ye leaned against the cabin wall, bloodstains from the recent battle still lingering on his fingertips, his gaze as sharp as a knife, staring intently at Shangguan Lingyue.

With a tone of unquestionable interrogation, he asked, "Is this illusion created by you?"

Shangguan Lingyue stiffened, the color draining from her face instantly, with no intention of arguing.

First, she looked terrified, her long eyelashes trembling violently, as if her deepest secret had been exposed.

Immediately after, she fell into a brief contemplation.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and a flicker of complex emotions flashed in her eyes.

There was guilt, grievance, and a trace of imperceptible anticipation.

A moment later, she slowly raised her head, her voice slightly hoarse, and asked softly, "How… how did you figure it out?"

Chen Ye sneered, his tone calm but filled with strong logic, taking a step forward: "From the moment I woke up, I felt something was wrong."

"Logically speaking, with such tight security, it's impossible to only assign two weak guards to watch the door."

"Although there were many Second-order Beasts lying scattered outside the door, they were all in a dormant state."

"The only explanation is that you, inside the room, are the mastermind behind all this; those beasts and guards are merely props you used to deceive me."

Shangguan Lingyue's eyes dimmed slightly, and she pressed further: "Just based on that, you dare to be certain?"

"Of course not just that." Chen Ye stopped his steps, his gaze landing on her, "Your familiarity with this place is extraordinary."

"Our ability to successfully sneak into the hotel, although there were minor hiccups, was overall too smooth—so smooth it was as if someone had paved the way specifically for us."

He paused, his tone becoming more emphatic: "The most crucial point is that the Spider Woman's silk is poisonous. You were tied up by her silk earlier, and after so much time has passed, you show no signs of being poisoned at all."

"So, you were pretending to be tied up from the beginning, acting it out for me, right?"

Shangguan Lingyue shuddered, her eyes filled with shock.

Looking at Chen Ye, there was a bit more admiration in her eyes: "You… your mind is so meticulous; you can even notice these tiny details."

"But there is one more thing I don't understand." Chen Ye changed the subject, his eyes filled with a bit of confusion, "Your goal should be to make me sink into the desires deep within my heart and trap me in this illusion."

"But if that's the case, why go to such great lengths to take me to the hotel?"

"If I didn't comply, you didn't immediately attack me either; this is illogical."

"Also, who exactly are you?"

Shangguan Lingyue slowly walked to the cabin wall, her back leaning gently against the cold bulkhead.

Then she slowly lay on the ground, her legs crossed casually, her slender, jade-white calves exposed.

The hem of her skirt slid up to the base of her thighs, revealing a section of delicate, lustrous skin that glowed softly in the dim light of the cabin.

She raised her hand, gently brushing back the messy strands of hair on her forehead, her fingertips tracing her fair cheeks to wipe away the tears in the corners of her eyes, her voice soft and tinged with grievance: "There is one point you got wrong."

"I never thought about killing you, nor did I intend to deliberately trap you… Right now, I truly want to stay with you here forever."

She raised her head, looking at Chen Ye with a pair of clear almond eyes, her gaze full of sincerity, "Chen Ye, do you really have no feelings for me at all?"

Chen Ye was taken aback, then shook his head helplessly: "We've only met for an hour, aren't you exaggerating a bit, miss?"

Shangguan Lingyue's eyes dimmed instantly, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, and she whispered: "I also think it's impossible."

"I was once just a courtesan, sold into a brothel when I was young, and I have seen countless men."

"But all of them only wanted my body; no one ever truly cared for me, and no one would ever risk their own life to protect me with all their might."

She slowly sat up, her knees slightly curled, her hands hugging her knees, her voice filled with a hint of pleading: "Chen Ye, I beg you, please stay, okay?"

"I will serve you well, love you for a lifetime, and I am even willing to be your beast of burden."

As she spoke, tears slid down from the corners of her eyes onto her flushed cheeks—it was a meticulously made-up face.

The next moment, she rushed over and hugged Chen Ye tightly, her eyes full of love.

Her high, swelling breasts pressed tightly against Chen Ye.

Just as Chen Ye was stunned, she actually kissed him directly on the lips.

Their moist and slightly cold tongues touched, and the tearful tenderness made even Chen Ye unable to help but be moved.

Chen Ye did not refuse this stunning bride who was confessing with tears, indulging in the feeling of each other's warmth.

Even the air was filled with an ambiguous scent.

After a moment of intimacy, Shangguan Lingyue leaned tightly into Chen Ye's embrace, filled with joy.

But at this moment, the cabin suddenly shook violently, and loud "bang, bang, bang" sounds kept coming.

At this moment, huge beasts were crazily hitting the cabin, and the entire structure was swaying, as if it would collapse in the next second.

"Not good!" Chen Ye's heart sank, and he secretly thought something was wrong, "It seems that although this cabin can cloak itself, it doesn't truly disappear. The opponents are too numerous, searching everywhere, and eventually they bumped into the cabin."

He quickly thought about ways to break out, but the cabin was tightly surrounded by beasts.

Outside, there were dinosaur mutants and numerous other mutants; a head-on fight would definitely not work, and breaking out would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Just at this critical moment, Shangguan Lingyue suddenly stood up.

She walked to Chen Ye's side, her eyes firm, her tone tinged with a hint of pleading: "I can take you out, but, Chen Ye, I beg you, after we get out, don't leave me behind."

"Otherwise, if I am caught by them, it will surely be worse than death."

Chen Ye looked at her firm gaze and nodded without the slightest hesitation: "Okay, I promise you, I won't leave you behind."

Having received Chen Ye's promise, a relieved smile appeared on Shangguan Lingyue's face.

She took a deep breath, quickly formed hand seals with both hands, and faint white light emerged from her fingertips.

A circular formation slowly emerged in her palm, its patterns clear, radiating a soft yet powerful energy. Immediately after, a dazzling white light erupted instantly, filling the entire cabin, stinging Chen Ye's eyes so he couldn't open them.

His body felt as if it were wrapped in an invisible force, light and weightless, without the slightest burden.

When the white light dissipated, Chen Ye slowly opened his eyes and discovered that he and Shangguan Lingyue were already in the midst of a dense fog.

This fog was exactly the same as the one they had encountered at the foot of the mountain initially, thick and impenetrable, with visibility of less than one meter.

A few seconds ago, he was still in a crisis of being surrounded on all sides, but now, the surroundings were deathly silent, with only the sound of their breathing.

The air was filled with a faint dampness and a lingering, faint fishy stench.

Chen Ye's mind instantly became chaotic.

In just a few short hours, he had gone from the foot of the mountain to the top, from the bridal chamber to the hotel, and now, into this fog.

One instant transmission after another, falling into dangerous situations time and time again.

He was almost unable to figure out if he was really in an illusion.

Or in reality, whether he was at the foot of the mountain, or on the mountain.