When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 628: Smells Fishy!

Chapter 628: Smells Fishy!

"The two of you seem quite close," Master Grinu remarked in a casual tone once they boarded the flying shuttle that would bring them back to the garuda territory.

It had only been less than half a day, yet the situation had developed so rapidly that it reminded Gu Luoxin of an out-of-control train veering off the designated track. He had no idea whether all high-level Cycles were supposed to be like this or something had indeed gone wrong midway, and the uncertainty was enough to drive him crazy with anxiety. Not to mention how he was dragged back here when he had yet to reunite with his teammates!

Under Master Grinu’s razor-sharp gaze, Gu Luoxin subtly played with a tiny item beneath his sleeves—it was a communication terminal Noir had secretly slipped into his hand when they touched briefly back then. Small as a button and black in color, it could be easily concealed once Gu Luoxin wore it in his ear.

He did not move to put it on, however. Not yet, he told himself.

Instead, he kept his eyes lowered in a humble and obedient manner, enduring the other person’s close scrutiny, "I did as you instructed, Father. I reckon... it wouldn’t be a loss to keep up the relationship with the Eldest Young Master." He chose his words carefully, taking extra care to mimic Young Master Ares’ tone and expression.

And it seemed like his effort was passable, for Master Grinu did not doubt a thing.

He simply scoffed in disdain, hating that iron couldn’t become steel. "What? Do you still expect them to make a comeback after all this mess? They’d better not underestimate the sirens too much just because they have the so-called strongest humanoid weapon by their side. He’s only one person, after all. No matter how desperately they try to overcome their limit, humans are—and will always be—the weakest race."

It was apparent from his derisive tone that Master Grinu thought little of Noir.

Were it not because they were sitting face-to-face, Gu Luoxin would have rolled his eyes hard. Mind you, he has both the strength AND charisma! He is a cool cyborg who’s way stronger than all of you combined!

Although he was puffing and huffing inside, Gu Luoxin had no choice but to agree meekly with the other person.

Luckily Master Grinu was not too angered by the sudden engagement annulment—most likely because he was eager to watch the two territories fight to their last breath before seizing the largest pie for himself. Otherwise Gu Luoxin couldn’t imagine how the other person would have lashed out and vented on him.

Just the mere thought of having to end up like Young Master Ares, with his body marred in black and purple bruises, filled Gu Luoxin with so much dread that he couldn’t help but shiver.

Hell, even his uncle had not beaten him up before no matter how mischievous he acted!

Silence reigned between the two once the conversation fell off, with both father and (fake) son having nothing to say to each other.

Maybe because of that, Gu Luoxin’s mind couldn’t help but drift back to Young Master Ares. When he recalled how they had sat together and chatted here just hours ago, only for him to return all alone with a new layer of identity, a strange sense of loss creeped into Gu Luoxin’s heart.

After growing up in a house that resembled a gilded birdcage, living a miserable life choked by silent oppression, Young Master Ares had ended up dying on a foreign land, his body left behind forevermore.

To die like this... could it still be counted as a form of freedom?

At least from now on, he no longer had to return to that suffocating house.

His soul had become as free as a bird. Maybe... just maybe, this time he could finally spread his wings and soar across the sky without a single worry.

Gu Luoxin truly hoped so, from the bottom of his heart.

When their flying shuttle broke through a layer of clouds, a muffled roar of explosion erupted with a force strong enough to rattle the cabin window.

Gu Luoxin felt his heart leaping to his throat, while Master Grinu simply grinned, a flicker of anticipation and excitement flashing in his eyes. "It’s starting."

Gu Luoxin clenched the earpiece tighter in his palm, trying and failing to suppress the raging anxiety in his heart.

***

After they returned, Master Grinu did not even spare his son another glance as he hurried away, presumably to formulate the territory invasion and expansion plan with his subordinates.

Meanwhile, Gu Luoxin pretended to go back to Young Master Ares’ room under the escort of the servants.

But once he was left alone, he immediately put on the earpiece, discarded the cumbersome clothes, and changed into an available servant outfit. He also slipped on a garuda mask to conceal his face. As for why Young Master Ares had several complete sets of servant outfit in his room, Gu Luoxin had reasons to suspect that the young master liked to disguise himself sometimes, though it was unfortunate that he no longer had the chance to confirm the truth now.

After that, he began climbing up the roof—a skill he had learned from watching Jiang Shun.

He had no idea whether the man currently was, nor was he that keen to find out. After all, they were only temporary allies, and the man could even turn back to stab him on the back the moment he lowered his guard. It would be best to maintain his vigilance against such a person.

From this moment onwards, Gu Luoxin was on his own.

He could not trust anybody aside from himself.

He had intended to spy on Master Grinu and see if he could act as a double agent for Noir, relaying sensitive information to him. But then he was surprised to find out that, rather than discussing battle plans with his subordinates, Master Grinu was alone... with the doctor instead?

What could they be talking about in such a secluded area?

That perverted doctor... just looking at him was enough to give Gu Luoxin a bad feeling. Not to mention how he was almost caught by the shadow last night were it not for Jiang Shun’s timely intervention. And according to Jiang Shun, the shadow had been controlled by him!

Who exactly was the doctor? Why did he possess such an ability that seemed incongruent with the whole world? And above all, why did Master Grinu seek him out, of all people, as soon as he returned?

Gu Luoxin’s detective radar was going off, telling him—something smelled fishy here!

He had a hunch that whatever the two of them were discussing had something to do with the main plotline. And trust him, he wanted nothing more than to charge ahead and covertly monitor them! Alas...

Could he take that risk, after everything he had gone through last night?

He already knew that the doctor was a dangerous NPC, and stubbornly insisting on sneaking around them would most likely result in him being discovered once more. Gu Luoxin might not be as capable as his teammates, but at least he still had intact common sense and self-preservation skills left in him. He would never rush blindly to his death in the heat of the moment. Ensuring his own survival was the first priority!

That being said, should he retreat for now or...?

Just as Gu Luoxin was hesitating on top of the roof where he was hiding, he noticed several servants walking down the corridor through his peripheral vision, and the direction they were heading to was exactly where Master Grinu and the doctor were!

The two of them must have heard the approaching footsteps as well, for they promptly moved to another location—lo and behold, they were walking directly into Gu Luoxin’s range!

By then, it was too late for Gu Luoxin to retreat. He was frozen on the spot as Master Grinu’s somber voice faintly drifted to his ears,

"I won’t ask for your purpose; it’s got nothing to do with me. Just tell me one thing. That young siren prince... were you the one behind his death and the subsequent war that’s happening right now?"

Gu Luoxin held his breath sharply, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

For the love of God, what did he just hear—?!