If Leng Bingning Turns Out to Be Qingqiu...

The armored vehicle traveled for some time.

The sky, which should have been clear and bright, was now shrouded by thick, dark clouds resembling black velvet.

It was as if all light between heaven and earth had been swallowed by this shadow.

The clouds faintly swirled with movement, like a chaotic black ocean churning in the sky.

Sunlight couldn't penetrate the gloomy layer, leaving the world below dull and colorless.

"Has the contamination from the forbidden zone already spread this far?"

Bai Jun gazed out through the specially reinforced window, his expression grave.

This clearly wasn't part of the forbidden zone, yet the current scene unmistakably indicated one thing:

The forbidden zone was still expanding. If the source of this fifth forbidden zone wasn't eradicated, the corruption would continue unchecked.

He turned and shouted to the group, "Everyone, put on your masks!"

"This area has been tainted by the miasma from the forbidden zone!"

As soon as his voice fell, the team members all adopted serious expressions and promptly donned their specialized masks, designed to resist the corrupting influence of the forbidden zone's foul air.

Only then did they take in the sight outside—the parched earth, the withered greenery.

Everywhere, there were signs of creatures that had tried to flee but perished miserably by the roadside, unable to escape.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what would have happened if the authorities hadn’t evacuated the residents here earlier.

Gu Yan began polishing his black blade, though in reality, he was communicating telepathically with Lin of the Netherworld clan.

Atop the black tower,

Lin, who had been sprawled across the throne crafted for Gu Yan, engaged in some rather... indecent activities, suddenly shuddered. Her face still flushed, she gasped, "Huh?! My lord!"

"Y-yes!"

Her voice was unsteady, her expression flustered as she listened to the Netherworld King’s instructions.

Back inside the vehicle,

The longer Gu Yan communicated, the stranger he found Lin’s voice. Something felt off, but he brushed it aside—the mission took priority.

After finalizing all arrangements, he ended the mental connection.

At the black tower,

Lin, sensing the mental link fade, finally let her panicked expression relax slightly.

She clutched her chest and exhaled in relief.

Of all times... At least she hadn’t made any embarrassing noises.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes gleamed with excitement.

The humans are here... which means the plan begins now!

With that thought, she raised her hand—unlike before, her skin was now slick with moisture.

A gill-like slit split open on the back of her hand, releasing billowing crimson mist that seeped outward, spreading beyond the forbidden zone.

Inside the vehicle,

"Little brother... were you just talking to someone?"

The voice of Leng Qingqiu’s sister suddenly reached Gu Yan’s ears, inexplicably sending a jolt of nervousness through him.

Huh? How could she tell?

He forced a calm facade. "No, my dear sister, you must be imagining things."

"Really?"

Leng Bingning eyed him suspiciously. She couldn’t shake the feeling that while Gu Yan had been physically present, his mind had been elsewhere, conversing with someone.

Energy fluctuations don’t lie.

He’d definitely been using some secret technique to communicate privately!

Ugh, if only my perception were stronger right now, I could’ve intercepted his transmission and eavesdropped!

What were they talking about? I’m so curious!

Xiao Leng, your perception is sharper—did you catch who Gu Yan was talking to just now?

Xiao Leng: [...No idea. But if you work harder and exchange bodily fluids with Gu Yan, boosting your perception, eavesdropping on thoughts wouldn’t be impossible.]

Leng Bingning: "Eavesdrop on thoughts? The Night King can do something like that?"

[...Have you forgotten everything in the Tome of Shadows? Other me, could you at least remember your actual mission for once...?]

"I know, I know, I KNOW already!"

Leng Bingning and Xiao Leng were now bickering internally.

Meanwhile, Gu Yan couldn’t explain why he felt so guilty.

If not for the fact that the person beside him was Leng Qingqiu’s sister, he’d almost think it was Leng Qingqiu herself.

"......"

"......"

"?"

Qing...qiu?

Gu Yan fell silent for a moment.

Wait, wait, wait.

Why am I so nervous and guilty around Leng Bingning?

What does that mean?

Could she actually be Leng Qingqiu in disguise?

No way, right?

Assuming she was, why would Leng Qingqiu pretend to be Leng Bingning to protect him?

The only plausible reason was that she didn’t want to reveal her true identity to him yet.

Is she or isn’t she...?

Maybe... I should test it?

But simple physical contact no longer triggered the system’s "Pure Affection Points" notification.

And the more... intimate methods of earning points were out of the question with someone who might actually be Leng Qingqiu.

So... dead end.

Gu Yan sighed helplessly. Forget it. Focus on the mission for now.

Just as he thought this—

BZZZT!

The surroundings abruptly blurred.

The armored vehicle seemed to plunge into a world of crimson mist.

Before anyone realized it, the other vehicles in their convoy had vanished.

"Stay alert!"

"We’ve entered the forbidden zone!"

Bai Jun was the first to sense the anomaly and shouted a warning.

Then—

THUD! SCHLICK!

"Guh—!"

A blood-red claw suddenly pierced through the reinforced windshield, impaling the driver.

Toxin flooded the warrior’s body through the claw, rendering him unconscious instantly.

The armored vehicle spiraled out of control.

"Come here!"

Just as Gu Yan was about to act—perhaps considering an exit strategy—a voice he found eerily familiar rang in his ears.

At the same time, he felt himself being pulled into an embrace.

Then—

[Close embrace with Pure Love Target detected. Points +1000~~]

Gu Yan: "............!!"