I Almost Died Just Now

Fang Qi sighed heavily.

His brain was really exhausted...

He really wanted to dive right into his wife's embrace...

Sigh...

He took another sip of tea and looked again at the silver-haired girl who was briskly bustling about nearby.

...Hmm?

He noticed that although Liguang's movements were much brisker...

Her speed had actually slowed down?

She was slowing down on purpose.

By this time, the three robot vacuums had stopped at some unknown point.

They squatted quietly in the corner of the living room, completely motionless.

Liguang pinched another tiny wooden splinter, almost invisible to the naked eye, between her fingertips.

She held it up to her eyes, blinked as she examined it for several seconds... and then gently placed it into the dustpan.

"Hum, hum, hum~"

She was even humming a song.

Holding his teacup, Fang Qi paused for a moment.

Then he understood.

Oh...

Right.

If they went out right on the heels of Lin Xiaoyou's departure...

That really wouldn't be very appropriate.

If there were still any "eyes" watching outside, it would definitely cause problems.

Lin Xiaoyou had just put on such a show and thoroughly annoyed Liguang...

And then the two of them immediately went out on a sweet "date," hand in hand?

Inappropriate.

Truly inappropriate.

Fang Qi placed his teacup back on the coffee table, leaned against the back of the sofa, and watched Liguang in her maid outfit squatting on the floor, unhurriedly picking up fragments.

Yeah.

They really needed to stall for a bit.

Then... let's just relax for now!

Just properly appreciate...

The busy figure of his family's little maid, Liguang!

...

An hour later.

Liguang was finally done being "busy."

Now, that area was as spotless as new, as if a single sofa had never existed there at all.

And at this moment, the silver-haired girl stood prettily before him.

She had already changed her clothes and was no longer wearing that maid outfit.

On top, she wore a light purple, thin hoodie, with a black camisole showing at the neckline.

On the bottom was a white short skirt, the hem reaching just to mid-thigh, revealing those straight, slender, and beautiful legs...

They were almost dazzling!

Her long silver hair was tied into a long ponytail, and a small black crossbody bag hung from her shoulder...

She looked energetic and refreshing!

Fang Qi had a serious expression, his eyes earnestly examining Liguang.

His evaluation was...

Beautiful!

Too beautiful, in fact!

He was at a loss for words; he could only say she looked beautiful.

However...

He looked down again, toward the trash can.

That black and white maid outfit, at this moment...

Was lying quietly inside.

The edge of the lace apron was poking out from the rim of the trash can.

It seemed Liguang considered this maid outfit a badge of defeat.

In the previous loop, she had been played by Lin Xiaoyou while wearing it.

In this loop, she was wearing it again when Lin Xiaoyou delivered a point-blank verbal assault.

Therefore...

She simply threw it away.

Fang Qi looked up.

The silver-haired girl was looking at him with a smiling face.

"Master, Liguang is ready."

Her voice was obedient and soft.

Fang Qi opened his mouth.

He wanted to say...

Wife, that maid outfit really looked great on you!

The lace, the apron, the headband, the little black leather shoes...

How pretty it was!

Especially when she wore that maid outfit, held a tray, and bowed slightly to say, "Master, your tea." That obedient and docile little appearance...

It practically made one want to just take her right then and there!

...Never mind, never mind.

He didn't dare touch Liguang's bad luck right now!

His wife had just calmed down. If he dared to say, "Don't throw that maid outfit away"... he suspected Liguang would bite him right on the neck and force him to restart the loop on the spot.

...It didn't matter!

At worst, he would just buy a new one later!

Buy all kinds of maid outfits!

Long skirts, short skirts, black silk stockings! Hollowed-out ones, ones with cat ears, ones with bells!

There was no need to be stuck on this one!

This maid outfit given by the Dawn Company was too conservative anyway!

If she threw it away, so be it!

So Fang Qi reached out and held her soft little hand.

"Did you bring the card?"

He asked.

Liguang blinked, then pulled the white access card out from the small black crossbody bag and held it up in front of him.

"I brought it, Master."

The fingers of her other hand gently scratched his palm.

Fang Qi took a deep breath, calming his complicated emotions...

Then, he gently squeezed her little hand in return.

"Alright, then let's..."

"Head out right now!"

He opened the door and led Liguang out of the house.

...

Things went more smoothly than he had anticipated.

It was approaching noon.

At the foot of the mountain.

The taxi slowly came to a steady stop by the side of the road.

The silver-haired girl stepped out of the car first, her long hair fluttering gently in the mountain breeze.

She turned around, reached out, and steadily supported Fang Qi's arm, helping him out of the back seat.

Fang Qi stood firmly by the roadside and took a deep breath.

The mountain air was crisp, carrying the scent of earth and grass baked by the sunlight.

A familiar smell.

He raised his head and looked at the lush green mountain before him.

The familiar shape of the mountain.

The familiar shadows of the trees.

The familiar... winding path leading upwards.

He was back.

He really didn't remember the exact location of this place.

So, along the way, he had relied entirely on Liguang to give the driver directions.

"Driver, take the third exit ahead."

"Turn right at this intersection."

"Keep going straight along this road."

She was practically more accurate than a GPS, and her voice was much more pleasant to listen to.

The taxi had been driving for over three solid hours.

The numbers jumping on the meter made the corner of Fang Qi's eye twitch!

If this were the real world, how could he ever dare to take a taxi like this...

Sure enough...

He really should buy a car!

It wasn't like he didn't have the money!

Even if it was just to drive around and take Liguang out to play in the future, it would be great!

At this time, the driver poked his head out the window, his face full of smiles, and his eyes couldn't help but steal an extra glance at Liguang.

"You two, will you be heading back sometime today?"

"If you are, I'll wait for you right here!"

This driver sure knew how to do business.

And he had indeed made a very handsome profit...

But Fang Qi waved his hand.

"We aren't sure either, so you'd better not wait."

The time of their return was indeed uncertain.

He had absolutely no idea how many things there were to see in that underground research institute, or what was hidden behind that gene door.

They might come out in a few hours, or perhaps...

They would have to stay for several days?

Who knew.

He was feeling a bit excited right now and just wanted to hurry up and get there.

The driver smacked his lips with some regret, took another reluctant glance at Liguang, and then started the car, turning around and leaving.

The taxi's taillights flashed at a bend in the mountain road and soon disappeared behind the dense woods.

Fang Qi withdrew his gaze and looked around.

Quiet.

This place was really...

Too remote, too quiet.

On this not-too-wide asphalt road stretching as far as the eye could see, not a single car would pass by for several minutes.

Apart from the occasional bird call and the rustling of leaves blowing in the wind, there was no sound at all.

Getting back was going to be a bit troublesome...

However...

He shouldn't be considering that right now.

"Liguang, let's head up."

He said.

The silver-haired girl's five slender fingers intertwined with his, clasping their hands together.

Her palm was warm.

"Yes, Master."

Just like that, the two of them began their ascent along that winding mountain path.

The familiar mountain path.

Walking it once again.

This time, there was no chattering Lin Xiaoyou or the disgusted-looking Xiao Qing.

It was just him and Liguang.

Her hand held his the entire time, neither too tight nor too loose.

Occasionally, when his foot slipped, she would give him a gentle lift, steadying him firmly.

Hmm...

...It really felt like a hiking date.

The restlessness in Fang Qi's heart from nearing their destination gradually subsided.

He even felt a bit relaxed and cozy.

Soon, the familiar little stream appeared before them, its waters crystal clear.

The silver-haired girl just stood quietly beside him, silently watching the stream.

She just tightened her grip on his hand slightly.

Fang Qi squeezed her hand back.

The two continued upstream along the stream, hand in hand, speechless all the way.

Like an ordinary, quiet young couple, enjoying their private, peaceful time in these unknown deep mountains.

Turning the final bend, the view suddenly opened up.

That familiar wooden cabin stood quietly by the stream.

The color of the wood was still as dark, bearing the marks of wind and sun.

Fang Qi stopped in his tracks and quietly looked at the cabin.

Back here again.

This little cabin where he and Liguang had once lived together.

The cabin built by Lin Xiaoyou and Xiao Qing.

And more importantly...

The secret entrance to the underground research facility! Liguang's birthplace!

Beside him, the silver-haired girl also stopped.

Her hand felt slightly hot in his palm, and in her amber left eye...

A faint blue light flashed and disappeared!

Fang Qi's pupils shrank slightly.

Oh?

It awakened again! Her true core!

It awakened as soon as she got close, even before entering the cabin!

However, she didn't lose her composure this time.

She wasn't drawn in to the point of almost losing her mind, like in the previous loop.

She merely stood quietly in place, holding his hand tightly.

Fang Qi let out a soft breath.

...Let's go, let's head over.

He led her by the hand toward the cabin.

The cabin door was closed, and the windows were shut, just as quiet as the last loop.

Looking at the approaching cabin, Fang Qi began to ponder the business at hand.

He remembered the cabin's mechanism required twisting the two legs of the wooden bed at the same time?

He didn't think much about it last time, but now it seemed this mechanism required at least two people to trigger.

One person couldn't open it alone.

It was quite cleverly designed.

The two arrived at the door.

Fang Qi reached out his hand, just about to push the door open...

Wait a moment, Master!

His hand was suddenly yanked back!

Liguang's voice dropped extremely low!

Her tone grew tense!

...Huh?

Fang Qi's train of thought was interrupted, and he immediately stopped his movement.

What's wrong?!

What's the situation!?

He immediately focused his attention.

The silver-haired girl was staring at the wooden door, the crimson in her red eye suddenly flashing rapidly!

An urgent, rapid strobe!

The faint blue in her amber eye flashed and vanished again!

The light from her crimson eye shot straight through the gaps in her hair, piercing toward the closed wooden door!

Master, there is someone inside.

Her voice was extremely soft.

...?!

Fang Qi's eyelids twitched!

Someone?

Who?!

At this time...

Ah...!

He blinked.

Lin Xiaoyou and Xiao Qing got here first.

Tsk.

That's fine, I guess.

It wasn't too surprising.

Lin Xiaoyou had left the access card with him...

And then came here first herself.

Right, she just didn't want to come with him and risk being spotted by informants.

Arriving separately, huh?

This place was originally her and Xiao Qing's secret base anyway.

She's waiting for them here, ready for the next step of their cooperation negotiation?

But...

Lin Xiaoyou, you've really got some nerve!

You just offended Liguang, and now you dare to show your face?

Aren't you afraid of getting instantly killed the moment you pop up?

Let me see what kind of show you're going to put on!

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes and was about to push the door straight open...

But suddenly, the door was pushed open from the inside!

And then...

Huh?

He looked at what suddenly appeared in front of him...

A pitch-black gun barrel.

He was stunned!

...Ah?

The gun barrel right before his eyes was pointed straight at his forehead from point-blank range!

Fang Qi: ...?

Wh...at?

Before he could even react...

The silver-haired girl beside him moved in an instant!

So fast she became a blur!!

The moment her hand slipped from Fang Qi's, her entire body had already lunged forward!

Her palm accurately clamped down on the wrist holding the gun...

And jerked it violently upward!!

Bang! Bang-bang-bang!

Deafening gunshots exploded!

Fang Qi's eardrums were left ringing!

Only then did he snap back to his senses!

His eyes widened in shock!

...Holy crap!!!

A gun???

He almost died just now?!

What the hell?!

He subconsciously took half a step back!

But Liguang had already tackled the shooter to the ground!

Thud!

The two bodies slammed heavily against the cabin's wooden floor!

A dull, heavy crash!

Dust was shaken up from the cracks in the floorboards!

Ugh—!

A muffled groan!

...A woman's voice?!

Fang Qi stood at the doorway...

His heart was still pounding violently from those gunshots just now!

At this moment, several clear bullet holes were embedded in the cabin's ceiling.

Sunlight pierced through the bullet holes, casting a few thin beams of light into the room, illuminating the dancing dust.

Wood chips fluttered down, landing on Liguang's long silver hair, and landing on...

The woman subdued on the ground by Liguang!

The silver-haired girl was straddling her, her knee pinning down the hand holding the gun with a death grip!

Her hands firmly clamped the opponent's other hand and shoulder!

And the person pinned to the floor was struggling relentlessly!

A dark, cropped leather jacket, a white inner lining, and tight black trousers wrapping around long, powerful legs.

Those black ankle boots were kicking hard against the floor!

Trying to turn over!

Her neat, pitch-black short ponytail had also come undone on the floor!

Let. Me. Go!

She gritted her teeth, her voice urgent and furious.

And Fang Qi...

He stared blankly at that heroic and beautiful face.

That face was currently showing an expression of pain and anger...

Her eyes glaring fixedly at him!

Eh?

He blinked.

Looking at this beautiful woman pinned to the floor by Liguang, in a sorry state, hair disheveled, still struggling and scolding endlessly...

He wasn't panicked anymore.

Just... a bit bewildered.

Wait, no...

Officer Sister...?

Why are you here?