Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Male Rivalry - Head-to-Head

The footsteps were unhurried, piercing the dead silence of the air as they pressed straight toward Yun Sheng.

As the distance closed, the surrounding sense of oppression multiplied layer by layer, and a heavy chill enveloped her completely. Soon, the figure stopped right in front of her. His tall silhouette blocked out the room’s only faint light, casting Yun Sheng entirely in shadows. Then, the figure slowly bore down, leaning in close. His slightly cool breath brushed gently against her ear, and an unfamiliar, dangerous presence permeated the air, making her skin crawl.

Yun Sheng’s heart rate spiked instantly, THUMPING violently against her chest, beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of her throat.

Though she appeared quietly subdued with lowered eyes, her nerves were stretched to the absolute limit. Pure and fierce spiritual power gathered madly at her fingertips, ready to strike. The moment the person before her leaned in close, Yun Sheng snapped her eyes open. Without hesitation, she viciously thrust the long-condensed spiritual power toward the intruder!

But as fast as she was, his reaction was faster.

A large, distinctively jointed hand shot out, clamping down on Yun Sheng’s wrist. The grip wasn’t overly forceful, yet it was impossible to break free from. Her heart clenched. Before she could even look up at the man, she gritted her teeth and struggled, quickly gathering power in her other hand as spiritual power surged at her fingertips once more.

Just as she prepared to launch another attack, an incredibly familiar voice fell softly upon her ear, smoothing away all her tension and hostility.

"Shengsheng, it’s me."

The voice was far too familiar; it was Xing Che. Astonished, Yun Sheng instinctively looked up, caught off guard as she met a pair of eyes brimming with tenderness.

"Xing Che? Why are you here?"

Earlier at the research institute, Si Jin had mentioned running into Xing Che. However, ever since arriving at the hospital, there had been one crisis after another. She hadn’t had a single chance to inquire about Xing Che’s whereabouts, much less expect him to suddenly appear here.

Xing Che’s gaze darkened imperceptibly. He loosened his grip slightly and pulled Yun Sheng up steadily. Caught off guard, she stumbled, falling straight into his warm embrace. Before she could react, Xing Che smoothly wrapped his arm around her waist and scooped her up into his arms. His movements were swift and overbearing, leaving her no room to refuse.

Seeing that he was about to carry her away, anxiety flared in Yun Sheng’s chest. She quickly grabbed his forearm, tugging hard, her tone urgent and serious.

"Xing Che, put me down! I still have very important matters to handle here; I can’t leave right now."

The trap she had set was yet to be closed. Lin Yueyao’s clues and the hidden dangers of the Dark Nest were all left hanging in the balance. If she left now, all her previous preparations would be for nothing.

Looking down at her, Xing Che said in a deep voice, "Yun Sheng, it’s not safe here. Leave the hospital with me first, and I’ll explain everything to you slowly."

With that, he said no more, carrying Yun Sheng straight toward the door.

But the moment he stepped half a foot out the room, his footsteps abruptly halted. The gentle aura surrounding him vanished in an instant, and his face quietly darkened. A powerfully aggressive and overwhelming pressure swept in from the end of the corridor, causing the very air to stagnate.

Yun Sheng’s heart jolted, and she instinctively looked up.

At the end of the hallway, where light and shadow intertwined in the gloom, stood the tall, straight figure of a man. He approached them unhurriedly. His face had entirely unfamiliar contours. His features were cold and hard, looking rather ordinary, yet his steady, imposing presence and subtle bone structure gave Yun Sheng an inexplicably familiar illusion.

As the distance closed, that strange face gradually became clear in the light and shadow, yet the image that faintly surfaced in Yun Sheng’s eyes was another incredibly familiar face.

"Bai Ye?" Yun Sheng murmured instinctively. Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.

Hearing her words, the man—who was now almost right in front of them—paused slightly. A very faint curve suddenly touched the corners of his lips. Then, he took a few steps forward, raised his arms, and reached out naturally toward Yun Sheng.

"It’s me."

His deep voice was still disguised, but the steady reliability in his tone hadn’t changed in the slightest. Bai Ye reached out, intending to take Yun Sheng from Xing Che’s arms.

However, the second his fingertips were about to graze the hem of Yun Sheng’s clothes, the arms holding her suddenly tightened. Xing Che shifted slightly, subtly evading his reach, making it clear he refused to let her go.

The air grew instantly taut as two apex auras clashed silently. Bai Ye’s gaze darkened slightly. He cast a faint, emotionless glance at Xing Che.

"I was the one who got rid of the tail following you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have even made it here.

"Xing Che, you haven’t even sorted out the mess you’re in. You’re riddled with hidden dangers. By rashly taking Yun Sheng away now, are you trying to drag her into your own mess and make her take risks alongside you?"

Those words hit the nail precisely on the head.

Xing Che’s expression instantly froze, and the arms holding Yun Sheng noticeably stiffened. Taking advantage of his momentary hesitation, Bai Ye leaned in directly. With a dominant motion, he took Yun Sheng from Xing Che’s arms and pulled her into his own embrace. The entire process happened in the blink of an eye—so fast that Yun Sheng had no time to react before her cheek was already pressed firmly against a hard, warm chest.

By the time Xing Che snapped back to reality, the person he had been holding was already in the arms of the man opposite him. A heavy darkness instantly veiled his eyes, and his aura turned completely frigid. He looked up at Bai Ye, his tone carrying a grim warning.

"You... Bai Ye, I don’t know what you’re plotting in the shadows, but those people from the Dark Nest are far more dangerous and troublesome than you imagine. They’ve completely set their sights on Yun Sheng now. If she stays here, she’ll be in constant peril."

Bai Ye lowered his gaze, his arms wrapping steadily and firmly around the woman in his embrace, shielding her impenetrably. He met Xing Che’s gaze, not a single ripple of emotion in his eyes.

"That’s exactly why I need to thoroughly eradicate the hidden dangers, isn’t it?

"Only by personally uprooting all the people and things that could threaten Yun Sheng and clearing out all the perils lurking in the dark can she truly be free from worries.

"What exactly does taking her away and making her hide solve?"

Just as Bai Ye finished speaking, Yun Sheng suddenly reached out and pushed him slightly.

"Bai Ye, put me down," she said, her tone serious.

Bai Ye looked down at her, the dominance in his eyes pulling back a fraction. Though somewhat reluctant, he still bent down and carefully set her back on her feet.

After steadying herself, Yun Sheng straightened her collar. Instead of looking at Bai Ye, she turned her head toward Xing Che.

"The Dark Nest has its eyes on me. From the moment they set a trap for me, I never planned on just sitting around waiting to die. But I won’t act recklessly, and I won’t throw myself into the fire. Xing Che, I know you’re worried, but hiding isn’t the solution."

"I... Yun Sheng..."

Xing Che seemed like he wanted to say something, but right at that moment, the entire building suddenly jolted violently.

The ground shook. Overhead, the lighting fixtures swayed and trembled frantically, casting chaotic shadows that left the corridor flickering between light and dark in a mottled, disorienting display. The metal equipment and decorative pieces hung along the walls rattled, emitting a dense, continuous CLATTERING. Dust that had accumulated on the ceiling showered down with a soft RUSTLE, instantly filling the air with a hazy powder and abruptly blurring their vision.

This sudden turn of events caused both Bai Ye and Xing Che’s expressions to change simultaneously.

The calm composure in Bai Ye’s eyes vanished entirely. His cold features instantly tightened as he moved, swiftly leaning in to reach for Yun Sheng. Opposite him, Xing Che stepped forward at almost the exact same time, reaching out toward her.

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