I'm being held captive by a monster

Chapter 272 Is Xu Zhe dead?

South City, 8:30 PM.

In the bathroom, Xu Ye, who was soaking in a hot bath, would cough intermittently.

Lin Xing'an heated the water and carefully surveyed his surroundings in the shadows.

The Mirror Ghost stopped watching him.

"Something's happened to Xu Zhe."

After confirming it several times, Lin Xing'an breathed a sigh of relief.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze flickering slightly.

Xu Zhe discovered the gloomy basement...

How will Zhang Guang deal with him?
Kill directly?
Tell Xu Zhe the truth?

Lin Xing'an pursed his lips slightly.

"This time, I acted impulsively..."

He sat in the chair, fiddling with the water balloon in his hand.

"We shouldn't have gone to the trouble of looking for Yunxia and Teacher Ju, letting Xu Zhe get the information from the human organization..."

"If Zhang Guang asks, and Xu Zhe tells the truth, that would be the worst-case scenario..."

"But Xu Zhe might not tell the truth..."

"Because Xu Zhe didn't want to give me any room to make excuses..."

Lin Xing'an kept thinking about and considering various scenarios.

He was inclined to believe that Xu Zhe would directly claim that he learned the news from him, and then Zhang Guang would decisively kill Xu Zhe.

After all, Xu Zhe single-handedly kept the epidemic a secret for four days.

If not handled properly, it would be a devastating blow to Zhang Guang's career.

Furthermore, Xu Zhe repeatedly disobeyed Zhang Guang's orders and learned Zhang Guang's secret...

Therefore, for Lin Xing'an, Zhang Guang killing Xu Zhe directly is the optimal and most probable scenario.

However, it's only a high probability, not a certainty.

Is it worth using these probabilities to gamble on Xu Zhe's death...?

"Phew! What's done is done, stay calm!"

Lin Xing'an shook his head.

Although he could use Xu Ye as an excuse to call Zhang Guang again.

but……

"Since we don't know Xu Zhe's current condition, let's wait for Zhang Guang to call me..."

"At least tonight, the Mirror Ghost will most likely not come to spy on me anymore..."

Lin Xing'an then experienced the magpie in the river of time once more.

After sleeping for two whole days, although he is still lying down, the child looks like he could wake up at any moment.

Every now and then, it would smack its lips and unconsciously swish around the timeline.

"This is a golden opportunity..."

After the water was boiled, Lin Xing'an took a cup and let it cool down briefly.

He had to go see Yu Yu tonight after Xu Ye fell asleep.

"Xiao Ye, drink more water."

He pushed open the bathroom door and brought it in to Xu Ye.

"Cough! Lin Xing'an, you... cough cough, could you rub my back for me?"

Perhaps because the water was a bit hot, Xu Ye's face was flushed.

"……all right."

Lin Xing'an moved a small stool over from the side.

"Lin Xing'an, I..."

"Buzz!"

Xu Ye turned his back, about to speak, when Lin Xing'an's phone rang.

"...It's the minister."

Lin Xing'an raised an eyebrow when he saw the caller ID.

It seems that Xu Zhe did indeed say something to Zhang Guang.

Otherwise, with something this big happening, Zhang Guang wouldn't have had the time to make a phone call to him.

"Go pick it up quickly, you can come back later!"

Xu Ye coughed and quickly said.

"Ah."

Lin Xing'an also came to the balcony.

"minister."

After searching for the Mirror Ghost again in the shadows, he answered the phone.

"Minister, have you checked on Director Ke's situation? He should be alright, right?"

Lin Xing'an spoke up.

Zhang Guang remained silent for a moment.

"An'an, I won't hide it from you anymore."

"You guessed right. This cough is not simple. It can now be confirmed that it is the plague from the sixteenth month."

Zhang Guang sighed and said.

"...Huh? This...have they gone mad...?"

“We haven’t bothered them for a while, and yet they act like this…”

"This is a fight to the death..."

Lin Xing'an gasped in surprise and seriousness.

"Sixteen months is going to die anyway, so it's not surprising that it wants to bloom before it dies."

Zhang Guang listened to Lin Xing'an's tone and nodded silently.

"Minister, regarding this [epidemic]... is coughing a symptom?"

"Is Xiaoye in mortal danger? Is there any special medicine or anything that can suppress her condition?"

"What should I do now?"

Lin Xing'an glanced at the half-open bathroom door and lowered his voice.

"Don't worry, An'an, there's no immediate danger to her life. According to Zhao Wuji's estimate, it will take at least a month before she dies."

"The effective treatment is still under development, but we are currently conducting a full-scale search for Sixteen Months."

"If someone dies in sixteen months, the epidemic will naturally disappear."

Zhang Guang put down the information that Li Lu had given him regarding the search areas for each group.

"...Minister, I want to go back to Beicheng."

Lin Xing'an took a deep breath and suddenly said.

“Minister, I also had direct contact with those three pet owners, but I don’t have any symptoms right now, so I should be lucky that I won’t get infected with the virus.”

"So... I want to go back and help."

“In Nancheng, there was nothing I could do but watch Xiaoye’s symptoms worsen. It was too… painful.”

He gritted his teeth and said.

Zhang Guang did not answer immediately.

His eyes gleamed.

The shrill roar of Xu Zhe before his death echoed in my ears once again.

Lin Xing'an will definitely return to Beicheng...

but……

Zhang Guang frowned and leaned against his desk.

An'an called me because Xu Ye started showing symptoms...

So it would be strange if he didn't offer to come back and help in this situation...

Although Xu Zhe had anticipated this.

But to suspect An'an based on such a prediction... is a bit too far-fetched...

Zhang Guang thought about Lin Xing'an's request carefully, but there was nothing unusual about it.

"Minister, if possible, I'll return to Beicheng tomorrow morning."

“I can go back secretly, just to search for the Sixteenth Month, without causing you any trouble.”

Seeing that Zhang Guang remained silent for a while, Lin Xing'an spoke up again.

"An'an, we have enough manpower right now, so we don't need you for the time being."

"Moreover, Qian Qiongzhi has also been infected with the virus, and her condition is very bad now. If you come back, she may not be able to do anything, not to mention that Xu Ye can't withstand any more trouble."

"You and Xu Ye should stay in Nancheng for now. Just be careful not to let Xu Ye infect anyone else."

"I'll let you know as soon as I have any new information, so don't worry."

Zhang Guang said directly.

"……Understood……"

Lin Xing'an breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Zhe did indeed say something to Zhang Guang.

Judging from Zhang Guang's silence, it's highly likely that he will definitely try to go back, and eventually he will find someone like Sixteen Month...

His initiative in bringing it up seemed to confirm Xu Zhe's prediction.

In fact, Zhang Guang wouldn't have any doubts about normal needs.

Moreover, because of Xu Zhe's words, Zhang Guang would not allow him to go back.

Lin Xing'an naturally didn't want to go back so soon.

After all, according to his plan, the best results would come if he waited until the first batch of infected people were in a near-death state before returning.

"Minister, are Director Ke and the others... currently only experiencing coughs?"

Are there any differences in symptoms between direct and indirect infection?

Lin Xing'an paced on the balcony and asked, "Okay, An'an, I'll send you the information Zhao Wuji sent me later."

"Take a look at it yourself."

"And then... there's something else."

Zhang Guang's tone became serious.

"An'an, have you been practicing your water control skills with Xu Ye at home these past few days?"

"...Yes, water is my weapon. Grandma took me to Uncle He's to get it."

Lin Xing'an answered truthfully.

"Hmm, did you tell Xu Ye at home about how you absorbed Yin energy to gain power attributes?"

"No... no, why would I tell Xiaoye something like this?"

Lin Xing'an shook his head in confusion.

Some of the worries that had been hanging over us can now be put to rest.

Since Zhang Guang asked this question, it proves that Xu Zhe is determined to have obtained the information about the secret room from him...

"No? An'an, think about it again."

Zhang Guang paused for a moment, then asked in return.

"...No, Minister, what happened?"

“I… hiss… because that dark place is in Huayu Community, and the escaped human and animal, Yu Kexin, is also in Huayu Community.”

"That night, I was chatting with Xiaoye and I remarked that this neighborhood was quite unusual."

"As for the rest... I didn't say anything, and... how could I possibly say something like that?"

Lin Xing'an said, frowning as he recalled the events.

"This neighborhood is extraordinary, this neighborhood is extraordinary..."

Zhang Guang repeated Lin Xing'an's words twice and nodded.

"Oh, I see."

He sighed as well.

He believed that Lin Xing'an had just said that offhand.

To others, it would just be a sigh.

But in Xu Zhe's ears...

A complex expression appeared on Zhang Guang's face.

He believed that with Xu Zhe's abilities, Lin Xing'an's casual remark was enough for him to lock onto Huayu Community.

Once he pinpointed a neighborhood, Xu Zhe's abilities allowed him to detect the anomaly within half an hour...

Xu Zhe died because of his own paranoia and exceptional investigative abilities...

Zhang Guang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Alright, An'an, you take good care of Xu Ye. You don't need to worry about anything in Nancheng."

"...Minister, the pandemic must have a significant impact on the upcoming elections, right?"

Before hanging up the phone, Lin Xing'an took the opportunity to ask a question.

"What do you think?"

Zhang Guang countered with a question.

“I think… it’s definitely a double-edged sword for you.”

"If handled well, the position of committee member is basically a sure thing; if handled poorly, someone must be found to take the blame."

"I would like to take the blame for you, but I am too insignificant."

Lin Xing'an stated frankly.

Zhang Guang smiled.

"Don't worry about An'an. As it stands, everything is back under my control."

"Okay, that's good..."

Lin Xing'an nodded.

Zhang Guang didn't say anything more and hung up the phone.

"Xu Zhe is dead."

"He really was in a hurry after all..."

Lin Xing'an leaned against the balcony.

Looking at the night view of the neighborhood, I let out a soft breath.

Zhang Guang didn't mention Xu Zhe at all, but every sentence he uttered carried a subtle probing tone.

If Xu Zhe hadn't died, Zhang Guang wouldn't have asked this question.

Even a mirror ghost wouldn't disappear so completely.

"call……"

The gluttonous ghost who had been watching him since he was six years old has finally gone offline...

Lin Xing'an wasn't as excited as he had imagined; in fact, he felt relieved.

Instead, there was an unparalleled calm.

After a brief half-minute of blankness, Lin Xing'an blinked.

I silently started planning it out in my mind again.

The most direct good news about Xu Zhe's death is that the Mirror Ghost will no longer be monitoring him.

His actions in the southern city will bring complete liberation.

At the same time, after returning to Beicheng, Lin Xing'an no longer needed to be so restrained.

And now they won't let Xu Zhe die.

When he actually found the Sixteenth Month according to plan, Xu Zhe would be able to guess his plan immediately.

The consequences will be dire.

Of course, for Lin Xing'an, without Xu Zhe, his [Death Rewind] ability will also be unleashed.

but……

"Zhang Guang might not trust me as much anymore..."

"We'll need to discuss this further once we get back to Beicheng..."

As Lin Xing'an was thinking, he heard Xu Ye pushing his wheelchair from behind him.

"It's okay, as long as we're together, all difficulties will be overcome!"

Seeing Lin Xing'an's somewhat complicated and serious expression, Xu Ye hugged him tightly from behind and said firmly.

"Ok!"

Lin Xing'an offered no explanation.

Let me massage your legs!

He picked Xu Ye up and carried her back to bed.

"Xiaoye, your cough... seems to be much better."

Lin Xing'an glanced at Xu Ye.

"I...cough cough! I can use my ability to make my throat feel less uncomfortable."

Xu Ye cleared his throat and said.

Lin Xing'an frowned and touched Xu Ye's neck.

He shivered as soon as his hand touched his skin.

It felt like touching a block of ice...

"Hehe, this will make my throat feel much better."

Xu Ye exhaled a breath of cold air and said with a smile.

In extreme environments, it seems possible to suppress the epidemic...

This reminded Lin Xing'an of Zhang Guang.

Although Zhang Guang has never fully revealed his abilities until now.

But it's probably related to calories.

The temperature inside Zhang Guang's body seems to reach several thousand degrees.

This is probably why Zhang Guang was not infected with the virus.

"But Xiaoye, you still need to drink more water and suck on that lozenge."

After silently noting this down, Lin Xing'an also gave instructions.

"Okay! I'll listen to you!"

Xu Ye nodded obediently, then yawned.

She's barely slept at night these past two days because of her cough.

"Go to bed early. If the weather is nice tomorrow, let's go for a walk!"

"I haven't really enjoyed the sunshine since I arrived in the south of the city."

Seeing this, Lin Xing'an poured a glass of water, placed it on the bedside table, and turned off the light.

"Good~"

Xu Ye skillfully snuggled into his arms.

She rubbed against Lin Xing'an's chest to wipe away the tears that streamed down her face as she yawned.

"Good night."

Xu Ye muttered softly.

"Good night."

Lin Xing'an gently patted her shoulder.

Xu Zhe's death did not cause Lin Xing'an much emotional distress.

But the thought of seeing Yu Yu later...

Lin Xing'an, on the contrary, became somewhat nervous.

Unconsciously, memories of living with Yu Yu before the age of six began to surface in my mind…

(End of this chapter)