Chapter 138: Something’s Happened

Finally, after searching the electrical box for a third time, she found the key stashed inside. The key was coated in dust but still gleamed a silvery white, bearing the marks of time.

Wen Qian inserted it into the keyhole, twisted it gently, and the door opened.

"Cough..."

The next moment, a wave of musty air washed over them, making the Little Fox cough.

All the furniture in the room was made of wood, and since no one had lived there for a long time, everything was covered in a thick layer of dust. The curtains were open, so the room wasn’t dark. Wen Qian started searching the living room for the painting her adoptive mother had spoken of.

The small, two-bedroom house had limited space, and with Li Jiu at her side, Wen Qian quickly found a picture frame in the cabinet under the coffee table. The painting was mounted inside.

Turning the frame over and taking it apart, Wen Qian pried out a small, blue Crystal Chip from inside.

There was a key as well.

Wen Qian tried the key on everything locked in the house but couldn’t open anything. She had no choice but to put the chip and key away for the time being.

In just that short time, Wen Qian had received countless messages from Yin Zhi. On Gu Mian’s end, however, it was strangely silent.

A faint sense of worry crept over Wen Qian as she thought of Fuyi’s cunning nature.

Glancing at the woman’s furrowed brow, the Little Fox huffed softly and said slowly, "If you’re that worried, just give him a call already."

Wen Qian, who had been hesitating, immediately dialed Gu Mian’s number.

Seeing this, the Little Fox huffed again.

The call didn’t connect.

A faint unease prickled at her heart, so Wen Qian tried calling Chi Heng, but she was again met with a busy signal.

Wen Qian had booked a ticket for that evening, so she still had plenty of time. She decided to go back to the school to check. Gu Mian had never been out of touch with her, let alone ignored her calls.

"Come back home with me for a second." The most recent message had been a photo of the lab and Fuyi. The access pass Gu Mian had given her was still at her apartment. Wen Qian checked the distance and decided to go back for the pass first.

"Oh..."

The Little Fox obediently followed Wen Qian into the vehicle and said nothing during the ride.

Li Jiu followed behind the two as usual. Sometimes, if he fell behind, he would jog a few steps to catch up to Wen Qian and tug on her sleeve.

Calm had returned to the residential complex. Wen Qian took out her key, unlocked the door, and headed straight for the bedroom after entering.

From the bedroom, she dug out the small bag she usually carried, handed the access pass to the Little Fox, and then packed a few essentials into it.

Once she was done, the Little Fox thoughtfully took the bag from her, and the three of them left the apartment together.

Qi Ke was a public figure, and his face was far too eye-catching. The three of them didn’t dare go anywhere too crowded, so they made do with a quick meal at the noodle shop by the complex gate.

As soon as they finished eating, Wen Qian immediately pulled Qi Ke’s mask up, ignoring his pout as she pulled him outside.

’Damn it, we only sat here for a moment and we’re already drawing attention.’

Ignoring the whispers behind them, Wen Qian raised her hand and hailed a taxi.

Once in the car, Qi Ke transformed into a pampered newlywed, deliberately resting his head on her shoulder. As if properly fueled by the carbohydrates, he looked utterly languid.

Li Jiu sat on Wen Qian’s other side, his face flushing bright red as he watched the two of them, hesitating over whether to turn into a small bird.

’The Little Fox and Qianqian are so close. The Young Master will go crazy if he finds out...’

When they arrived at the school, Wen Qian went a step further and pulled a baseball cap from her backpack, using it to wrap Qi Ke’s face up securely. She also specifically warned him not to wander off.

Qi Ke agreed readily, but his eyes kept darting around the campus, his bright, dark eyes brimming with curiosity.

Wen Qian suddenly started to regret bringing him out. Qi Ke was an idol from a reality show, the type that especially attracted the attention of young girls.

’If they run into a die-hard fan, he might actually get recognized.’

Fortunately, there weren’t many people on campus at the moment. They walked quickly and managed to avoid drawing any attention along the way.

They soon arrived at the lab building.

To their surprise, a crowd had already gathered at the base of the lab building. Only then did Wen Qian remember the police officers she had seen on the way, and her expression instantly grew grim again.

"You two wait here for me," Wen Qian instructed the Little Fox and Li Jiu, then immediately turned and disappeared into the crowd.

She immediately spotted Fan Lin standing right at the front and grabbed her arm.

"Wen Qian!" Fan Lin’s face immediately lit up with surprised delight.

"Why are so many people gathered here?" Her gaze kept darting through the crowd, and she looked tense.

"I’m not sure... Rumor is some unidentified creature attacked the lab building. The university even called the police," Fan Lin said with a frown.

’The school wouldn’t have called the police unless it was something extremely serious.’

"Fuck, how can there be a wolf inside the school..."

"Quick, see if it’s dead yet!"

"Should we call Animal Services for this?"

"..."

A commotion instantly erupted in the crowd. A deep chill spread from her spine through her entire body, and Wen Qian’s face became terribly pale. She subconsciously tried to rush forward, but someone seized her wrist in a tight grip.

She was all but dragged away from the lab building. She didn’t even have time to scream before she found herself wrapped in a firm embrace.

The next second, a chiseled face came into view.

Her heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled. Wen Qian looked at him, and it took a long moment for her to calm down.

It was Chi Heng.

Just then, the Little Fox also caught up. He shoved Chi Heng aside, looking at Wen Qian with clear displeasure. "Keep your hands to yourself."

Chi Heng’s eyes narrowed slowly, but he quickly looked away from Qi Ke.

He looked at Wen Qian, his expression serious. "The one from the Gu Family. He’s missing."

"..."

The one being carried out was the Wolf Clan Beastman from the Water Prison whose tongue had been severed. Thankfully, his life wasn’t in danger, and he would be able to recover slowly over time.

When Chi Heng and his group arrived, the lab had just been hit by an explosion. They were about to go up and check, but just as they neared Gu Mian’s lab, a second explosion rang out.

The Wolf Clan Beastman at the head of the group was severely injured; the others only suffered some scrapes.

Chi Heng went in for a look before the police arrived but didn’t find any trace of Gu Mian.

Of course, Fuyi had vanished along with him.

Around that time, Ling Xuan and the others sent a message to the group chat. The members in City A decided to meet at the Little Fox’s house to sort out everything related to Fuyi.

This house was kept as a contingency. The property was registered under Xiao Rui’s name, making it very secure.

The decor inside was simple, dominated by a black and white color scheme. After entering, everyone found a seat in the living room.

After a while, Chi Ye also arrived with the Wolf Clan Beastman. Ling Xuan followed behind them.

At Yin Zhi’s insistence, Wen Qian started a video call with him.

And so, with Yin Zhi on the video call, the group began to analyze the events of the last two days.