Chapter 30 — Hiding
“Name.”
A man’s voice sounded right beside her ear.
Hua Mian’s mind instantly cleared.
“A… A-Mian,” she stammered.
It was the name written on her fake identity.
Her soft, feminine voice trembled with unmistakable fear.
Nangong Zheng raised an eyebrow. If he hadn’t noticed that her hand was pressing against a small dagger, he might’ve really been fooled by her fragile appearance.
“Is that really your name?”
Hua Mian felt his breath brush against her ear—like the whisper of a demon—making her involuntarily stiffen.
“Yes,” she muttered.
Nangong Zheng let out a low laugh. “Alright.”
“What did you do?”
Hua Mian’s mind spun quickly. If he was hiding here and didn’t want the people outside to find him, then he must be doing something secretive.
And he had a gun.
Could it be… his female partner was locked up too? Was he here to rescue her?
Hua Mian thought of many possibilities, yet only a few seconds passed.
“H-he bullied me. I… I panicked and hurt him, then escaped,” she stuttered, voice shaking.
“You’re pretty capable then.” Nangong Zheng’s tone was flat, as if commenting that today’s meal was a bit bland.
Hua Mian’s sobs stalled.
What kind of reaction was that?
“M-my temple hurts from your gun pressing into it,” she tried testing his reaction.
“Tsk. Fragile.”
His low voice left her speechless. He used that much force—who wouldn’t hurt? If she had the chance, she’d definitely pay him back double.
The pressure of the gun suddenly disappeared.
Hua Mian immediately drew her dagger and stabbed straight toward his eye.
But Nangong Zheng had been waiting for this exact move. Without hesitation, he struck her wrist with the butt of his gun.
A sharp crack sounded.
Her wrist went limp, the dagger falling from her grasp.
It was likely dislocated—pain shot up her arm, cold sweat breaking across her forehead. But she didn’t regret it. With his level of alertness, he would’ve discovered the dagger soon anyway.
If she didn’t strike now, when would she?
Unfortunately, she failed.
Nangong Zheng wore a night-vision lens over his left eye—tiny, nearly invisible, like a contact lens.
So he saw clearly the pallor on Hua Mian’s face, her forehead beaded with cold sweat, her bitten lips, and the fact that she didn’t make a sound despite the pain.
Honestly, he was a little impressed.
He’d always thought females were greenhouse flowers. But this one was like a rose with hidden thorns—beautiful yet dangerous.
Her attack was ruthless, aiming straight for the most vulnerable spot: the eye. He guessed she had already stabbed someone in the eye earlier. That person was probably dead.
Nangong Zheng picked up the bloodstained dagger from the floor, still razor-sharp. “I just took you in, and this is how you treat your savior?”
Even if Hua Mian were stupid, she’d know now that this beastman intentionally left a gap in the wall for her to hide. But she wished this had been her secret alone.
A secret shared wasn’t a secret anymore.
In the darkness, Hua Mian pouted silently, her eyes full of disdain.
Nangong Zheng suddenly felt irritated.
He lifted her chin with the muzzle of his gun. “If I killed you and dumped you here, how long do you think it would take for anyone to find your body?”
The dangerous aura radiating from him made Hua Mian’s heart drop. He truly meant to kill her.
“C-can you not kill me? I… I can help you!” her muffled voice pleaded.
“You think I’d still trust you? Hm? Little liar.”
Hua Mian choked on her words. Why insult her while talking!?
“Then shoot me cleanly,” she said, closing her eyes.
“And what if I don’t kill you in one shot? What then—will you take revenge on me?” Nangong Zheng sneered.
“I want to die beautifully. Not live ugly. That’s my bottom line.”
“What a high bottom line.”
Hua Mian’s eyes widened. “You—!”
In the next second, his hand covered her mouth.
“Don’t make a sound. Someone’s coming.”
He half-held her in his arms. In the darkness, she could even hear the thudding of his heartbeat—loud and rhythmic like a drum—irritating her. And he had a faint scent of sandalwood.
“Still haven’t found her?”
“Where could she hide?”
“They said we must retrieve her and deal with her.”
“Wang Chang died horribly. We can’t let her off. I heard she’s top-grade material this batch. You think maybe we could… hehe…”
…
A new patrol had come by. Their footsteps were loose, their voices casual. They even had time to gossip. No sound of weapons clinking.
Hua Mian’s eyes turned cold—almost murderous.
Nangong Zheng saw it clearly. The killing intent was young and green, but real.
So she was a carnivorous plant disguised as a thorny rose.
Hua Mian, unaware of his thoughts, was already plotting how to send those men to their graves when she escaped. If possible, someone should gun them down in advance.
And that someone would be this man. Afterward, she’d send him in as well.
Nangong Zheng watched her eyes shift, knowing she was definitely scheming something unpleasant.
Once the patrol left, Hua Mian pulled his hand away and discreetly wiped her mouth and cheek.
Her movement was tiny—but the night-vision lens caught every detail.
“Disgusted by me?”
A large hand pinched her cheeks and lifted her face. His grip was harsh—she truly thought her jawbone might shatter.
Tears welled up from the pain.
A cold tear hit Nangong Zheng’s hand, oddly cooling his temper.
He let go, eyes turning cold.
In all his years, it was the first time someone looked so disgusted with him.
“You hurt my face! Is it wrong to touch it myself?” Hua Mian snapped.
She knew the excuse was flimsy, but she had nothing better.
Only now did she realize—this man could see her clearly in the dark.
She knew nothing about him, yet he could see everything about her. Who knew how much he was mocking her foolishness?
Hua Mian’s face darkened. Her throbbing wrist reminded her how dangerous he was, but she was still furious.
Nangong Zheng watched her expression grow angrier, even gritting her teeth, and felt baffled.
He was the one being disliked—so why was she the angry one?
He had never met someone like her.
“Wait here. When I leave, I’ll take you with me.”
Hua Mian’s expression didn’t change, but she found it laughable. A sneaky rat like him—why would she believe him?
Wait here? As if. Once he left, she’d find her own way out.
“Don’t even think about escaping after I leave. The patrol outside passes every fifteen minutes. How many lives do you have to throw away?”
His confident tone only irritated her further.
“And how can you guarantee you’ll actually come back for me?” Hua Mian sneered.
“Alright then. I won’t take you out. Stay here and wait for death. If you don’t want to die here, go outside and die on your own.”
