Mated at First Sight
Chapter 249 - 198

Chapter 249: 198

There were people inside, but their breathing was frail. This was the reason why Mu Lin opted to venture inside.

Indeed.

"Who is it?" a man with a deep voice suddenly asked from where Mu Lin and Jing Youlan were standing.

Jing Youlan: Damn, we’ve barely begun and we’re already at a disadvantage! He started searching vigilantly for the source of the voice.

His surroundings were pitch black, rendering him blind, were they embarking on an adventure in a pitch dark room?

He was joking, unperturbed.

Mu Lin slowly approached the man, stopping a little over a yard away, calmly studying the man before him.

In this chilly weather, the man was topless, reminding her of a brawler, but the aura he was exhibiting caused Mu Lin’s brows to furrow faintly.

He had taken a life.

Which means he was a murderer, and not just once.

"You’re a soldier. " Sensing the familiar aura from Mu Lin, the man’s mouth, which was previously tightly drawn, broke into a faint grin.

"So are you", Mu Lin responded matter-of-factly.

The man nodded, "I was". Bitter memories flickered across his eyes. Nowadays, he was just an ordinary man struggling to earn a living, as ordinary as they come.

Mu Lin could clearly sense the nostalgic despair deep in his heart as she observed his demeanor.

He missed it, but was helplessly estranged.

It seemed like he was a man with a story to tell.

"If you miss it, why not return," Mu Lin spoke brazenly, piercing through his thoughts and noticing the embarrassment in his eyes.

The man smirked, and after a while, he spoke: "I can’t go back anymore." Having chosen to abandon his comrades, he no longer had the right to return. Plus, he didn’t want to return to the same team.

Smiling subtly, Mu Lin said nothing as silence engulfed them once more.

Glancing around, there doesn’t seem to be any exit except for the door. Light could not penetrate, even in daylight. Living in such a dark, claustrophobic environment could easily drive a psychologically weak person mad.

"How long have you been in here?", Mu Lin casually queried.

"Three days, I believe.", the man responded.

Mu Lin raised her eyebrows, "How do you know?".

"As soon as there is no sound outside, the day is basically over.", the man laughed, "I have become accustomed to staying in here." The first time he was confined here, he didn’t know how much time had passed outside. He recalls only that he had waited what seemed like eternities for his captors to release him, and he felt as if his life was hanging by a thread.

Gradually, with each round of confinement, he became more acclimated, while his hearing significantly improved.

"Why were you imprisoned here?" Mu Lin asked, intrigued.

Because I refuse to throw a fake punch!", he declared, "it was an insult to me, to my past, to my instructor, and to our soldiers!"

He could tolerate his own reputation being tarnished, but he couldn’t bear to see his instructor’s reputation or the soldier’s honor slandered because of him.

Mu Lin laughed. He was indeed a genuine soldier.

.....

"Mu Lin?" At that moment, Jing Youlan had finally fumbled his way towards Mu Lin. He called out to her in a hushed voice.

Mu Lin!

But when he heard the name, the man, who was initially calm and composed, was taken aback, a glint of excitement flickered in his eyes.

"Are you... Mu Lin?" he asked, his tone filled with caution and hope.

Mu Lin cocked an eyebrow, it seemed that he was one of her acquaintances. But before she could reply,

"Someone’s coming.", both of them echoed, nearly simultaneously. Mu Lin turned to face the man, slightly taken aback. He had been sharply observant and extremely vigilant. It seemed that he had noticed them beforehand but chose to remain quiet.

"You should hide, the space behind the cupboard on the left is big enough to conceal you." the man advised.

Mu Lin nodded, and turned to Jing Youlan: "Give him the pill I gave you."

Jing Youlan hesitated before understanding, and produced a porcelain bottle. He gingerly poured out a pill in the dark, and moved his hand towards the direction of the voice. Upon touching a firm muscle, he exclaimed and handed over the pill, "Here, eat this immediately. It’ll do you good."

The man reached out, took it, and swallowed without hesitation, "Thank you." He gave a faint smile to the air in front of him; the faint smell of medicinal herbs belonging to Mu Lin lingered in the air.

Because they were both soldiers, even though he didn’t know why they were here or what their intentions were, through their interaction, he chose to believe in them and took the pill without a second thought.

It dissolved instantly upon contact with the tongue, surprising him. But the next moment, when he felt his strength rapidly recovering, was even more shocking.

This... how is this possible?

He hadn’t eaten or drank anything for the last three days, and his strength had gradually faded. But now, he found that his vigor had returned to its original level.

He clenched his fist, excitement flickered in his eyes.

It really was that Mu Lin!

Little did he know, their first encounter would take place under such circumstances. He thought he was doomed without any hope left, yet destiny hadn’t forsaken him. Just as he was about to surrender to despair, a glimmer of hope appeared silently before him.

The man had no idea that his hope and joy would soon amount to even more.