Chapter 50: The Most Useless Guy

Then, the young man’s gaze swept coolly over Li Jiu as he cursed inwardly, ’Useless.’

The most useless guy in the house had nearly knocked over the most useful thing.

He placed the platter steadily on the dining table and, ignoring the admiration and awe in the boy’s eyes, coldly picked up the smallest piece of apple.

Popping it into his mouth, he chewed a couple of times. Yin Zhi subconsciously glanced at the full lips of the girl beside him.

’This apple isn’t good. It’s not good at all.’

Because he hadn’t gotten to eat what he wanted, the man’s expression was sour all morning. He would use a soft tone to act spoiled with Wen Qian, then snarl at Li Jiu whenever she wasn’t looking.

Li Jiu felt like Yin Zhi was messing with his head. This morning, he had kindly prepared apples for him, but now... he looked like he was about to kill someone.

’What on earth did I do wrong?’

The little bird was dejected. The little bird was innocent. The little bird was sad.

This tense atmosphere didn’t improve until Gu Mian walked through the door.

It wasn’t that Yin Zhi’s attitude toward Li Jiu had changed, but that there was finally someone else to share the pain.

Compared to him, the Young Master of the Tiger Clan seemed to hate Gu Mian even more.

’Turns out you only know if you’ve got it good by comparing yourself to others!’

With that thought, Li Jiu blissfully snuggled back into the sofa.

The tall, well-built man glanced coolly at the boy on the sofa. He raised an eyebrow thoughtfully, thinking, ’It’s only been a few days. How has this little guy’s IQ seemed to drop so much?’

Withdrawing his gaze, Gu Mian’s eyes came to rest on the girl’s lovely face. His tone was gentle. "Qianqian, do you need a moment to get ready?"

Wen Qian shook her head instinctively but still nervously straightened the hem of her clothes.

Today, she wore a white shirt with a pair of retro-style jeans. The classic combination radiated a youthful, fashionable air.

Instead of wearing her hair down as she usually did, she had tied it up in a neat, high ponytail, making her look incredibly youthful and energetic.

For Wen Qian, today’s meeting made her more nervous than any before, because not long ago, this person had nearly killed her.

Gazing at the girl’s elegant and pretty face, the man was momentarily lost in a daze.

He had to admit that in the eyes of both Beastmen and humans, Wen Qian was exceptionally attractive.

Her skin was fair, with curved brows and almond eyes reminiscent of the day’s first light. She had crimson lips, pearly teeth, and faint dimples... Her beauty wasn’t flashy, but felt fresh and refined.

It was just a shame she was unaware of her own beauty, always classifying herself as plain-looking.

As a result, she had dismissed all the long-winded love letters she received in middle school as nothing more than silly pranks from the boys.

If Gu Mian had known, he would have surely felt fortunate that his Qianqian... was a little dense.

...

At the young man’s strong insistence, Yin Zhi and Wen Qian got into the car heading for Zone C.

Li Jiu, having just recovered from his injuries, was left behind to watch the house.

Just in case, Yin Zhi had Ling Xuan arrange for some people to keep watch near the apartment building.

Now that everyone had confirmed the location of the Critical Stone, they could no longer afford to be as careless as before.

The Critical Stone’s existence was an incredibly tempting prize for both Beastmen and humans. After all, ten years ago, Wen Qian’s adoptive parents had already known its value and even used it to create a potion that could forcibly induce a Beastman’s transformation...

Zone C was City A’s largest entertainment district.

With its crisscrossing streets and alleys, buildings of varying heights, brilliant nighttime lights, and countless bars and nightclubs... it was considered the symbol of City A’s nightlife.

It was only ten in the morning now, and the pleasant sunlight felt wonderful on their skin.

Gu Mian parked the car on the side of the road and led Wen Qian and Yin Zhi straight down a long street.

Even though it was the middle of a workday, the street was still bustling with people. Wen Qian couldn’t help but glance to the side, where she saw several people with cameras following stylishly dressed women and taking pictures.

Wen Qian realized, ’So this is what they call street-style photography!’

However, before she could even react, a camera lens was aimed right at her, followed by a "CLICK."

Gu Mian instinctively took a step forward, and at the same time, Yin Zhi reached out and pulled Wen Qian behind him.

The two men completely shielded the girl, but unexpectedly, the photographer’s face lit up with joy upon seeing them, and he started snapping the shutter even more frequently.

’Do these two have no idea how good-looking they are?’

Helpless, Wen Qian dug a couple of face masks out of her bag. She pulled each man over, stood on her toes, and put a mask on each of them in turn.

After that little interruption, Wen Qian quickened her pace, finally stopping in front of a bar that looked incredibly creative.

The bar’s door was shut tight, painted with a visually striking design that left a deep impression at a single glance.

’But why are we here? Could that person be inside the bar?’

Just as she was thinking this, a comforting warmth came from above her head as the man ruffled her hair. His gaze then fell to the left of the bar.

Only then did the girl notice a staircase built to the left of the bar, leading directly to the second floor.

His gaze falling coldly on Gu Mian’s hand, Yin Zhi raised an eyebrow in displeasure before possessively wrapping an arm around Wen Qian’s waist.

The tight, high-waisted jeans outlined the girl’s incredibly slender waist, and as his palm rested on it, Yin Zhi couldn’t help but steal a few glances.

The door on the second floor of the bar was similar to the one on the first, with an identical design painted on it. However, the black python with jade-green pupils looked even more menacing.

Taking a key from his pocket, the man pulled the door open. Wen Qian curiously craned her head to look... but saw nothing.

It took her a few seconds to realize that there was a black curtain behind the door.

The curtain felt extremely soft but wasn’t heavy. She instinctively reached out and lifted it, peeking inside like a curious child.

The light from outside didn’t penetrate the interior. Gu Mian reached out and flipped the switch for the wall lamps, and instantly, dim yellow pools of light formed in the cold, damp space.

Only then could Wen Qian truly take in the room’s furnishings: uniform wooden tables and chairs, and a brightly colored mural of a sunflower-skull, which made the whole room feel both beautiful and bizarre.

"Not in here." Footsteps sounded again, and the man’s voice was deep. His gaze fell upon another door at the far end of the room. "In there."

Lifting a metal key from a hook on the wall, the man walked straight over.

Wen Qian followed behind Gu Mian, quietly watching as he opened the door. In the next second, a suffocating scene entered her view.

Inside the cold, empty room, a man was tightly bound in iron chains. Beads of sweat hung on his forehead, and his white shirt was soaked through with blood.

The moment he heard the door open, he slowly raised his eyes, his voice icy with a mix of contempt and provocation. "You actually dared to come."

Wen Qian frowned instinctively. Although the man before her was imprisoned, his eyes held a ferocious glint that could not be ignored.

’He’s a wild beast.’

’Always.’