QT: The Rescue Of The Miserable Bigshots

Ling Zhuang stared at him for a long moment before finally speaking in a low voice. "Then my first question is, why did you clearly not want to say it before, even tried to cover it up, but now you insist on telling me?"

Jiang Jiamian's fingers traced lightly along his arm, almost absentminded. "I wasn't familiar with you before. How could I know whether you were a good person or a bad one? How could I dare reveal such a secret? But now…"

Ling Zhuang's gaze sharpened, his voice cool. "So what about now? Are you so sure I'm a good guy, or a bad guy?"

Jiang Jiamian leaned closer, nearly brushing against his neck, smiling with deliberate tenderness. "Good guy or bad guy doesn't matter. What matters is that we just kissed. That makes us lovers. And lovers share secrets, don't they?"

Ling Zhuang's brows arched slightly. "Lovers?"

Jiang Jiamian nodded without hesitation. "Mm."

Ling Zhuang leaned in until their foreheads almost touched. His breath ghosted against Jiang Jiamian's lips as he murmured, "I never said you were my lover. You're just my work. My collection. My possession."

Jiang Jiamian: "…"

Damn.

That was definitely not the script he wanted.

If that's the case, then fine. Destroy it.

"I'm not from this world."

The words slipped out before he could stop them. His hands clenched against Ling Zhuang's shoulders. "I come from a higher world, and my mission is…"

"Warning! Warning! The host has violated the first rule of the Quick Transmigration Organization! Warning! The host will be forcibly sent to the punishment world!"

The announcement echoed in his sea of consciousness, sharp enough to make his body twist with sudden pain.

Jiang Jiamian shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and sneered into the darkness. "Come on then!"

"You, are you insane?!"

Just as the tearing sensation grew unbearable, his wrist was suddenly seized. The pain vanished instantly, cut off before it could swallow him.

A cold, furious voice rang in his ears.

Jiang Jiamian's eyes snapped open. And the one he saw was Ling Zhuang.

But his face was pale, his eyes filled with raw fear and rage he could not conceal. His hand clutched Jiang Jiamian's wrist like a lifeline.

"Ling Zhuang, you…" Jiang Jiamian began, startled.

Something about him was off. Though his figure was the same, his aura felt ancient, empty, as if it had crawled out from the depths of eternity.

Ling Zhuang gasped slightly, chest rising and falling unevenly. Yet his words came sharp as ever. "Jiang Jiamian, are you crazy? Didn't I tell you to stop fooling around?"

Jiang Jiamian narrowed his eyes, watching closely. Then he grabbed Ling Zhuang's wrist in return. "Oh? You said that? Funny, I don't remember Professor Ling ever saying such a thing to me. So tell me, who exactly are you?"

Ling Zhuang's expression froze. "I'm Ling Zhuang."

He wasn't lying.

Since Ling Zhuang was a fragment of his soul from the small world, it was only natural that he was Ling Zhuang.

But Jiang Jiamian wasn't satisfied. "Only one person told me to stop fooling around like that recently. And what a coincidence, your tone is just like his."

Ling Zhuang's body stiffened, his eyes cooling into sharp frost. "Why are you so curious?"

Not only curious about his identity, but about the punishment world as well. It was reckless. Dangerous.

"Why?" Jiang Jiamian's gaze locked with his, unwavering. "Because you keep stirring things up in secret. Because you push me into confusion, force me to claw through fog and lies just to grasp the truth. So tell me, what do you think, Group Leader?"

"You!"

Ling Zhuang's face darkened further, rage flashing, or perhaps shock at Jiang Jiamian's sudden revelation.

Jiang Jiamian caught it and smirked coldly. "What's wrong? Done too many bad things? Feeling… kidney deficiency?"

"I…"

Ling Zhuang suddenly doubled over. A spray of blood splattered across his once-spotless white coat. His face drained to the color of paper, lips trembling.

Jiang Jiamian's heart jolted. He caught his arm instinctively. "What the hell?! What's wrong with you?!"

Ling Zhuang drew in a ragged breath, eyes lifting, still proud even in weakness. "You… care about me?"

Jiang Jiamian: "…"

His hand twitched between letting go and holding tighter. "Don't flatter yourself. You're just… a big shot. I heard all group leaders are. Maybe I just don't want to offend you. Think of it as currying favor."

Ling Zhuang: "…"

His face sank further and he clutched Jiang Jiamian's wrist, "Listen to me, Jiang Jiamian. I can't remain here much longer. Remember what I say, stop being so curious! Otherwise, I won't be able to save you!"

Jiang Jiamian's brows furrowed hard. "What do you mean? Did you do something to protect me, and this is the cost? But aren't you the Group Leader? Shouldn't it be easy for you to stop me from being punished?"

Why did it look like he was paying such a heavy price?

Ling Zhuang caught his trembling expression, and something softened. He pulled Jiang Jiamian into his arms again, tone quiet, almost pleading. "I know you're curious. But trust me, you'll understand in time. For now, believe me when I say I mean no harm. Wait for me… and we'll meet again."

"You…"

Jiang Jiamian's throat worked, questions rising one after another, but none finding their way out. In the end, silence swallowed him.

"Focus on your mission. I'm leaving."

Ling Zhuang held him one last time, his grip strong. But when he looked up again, confusion flickered across his eyes. "Why am I standing?"

He glanced down, startled, and pulled Jiang Jiamian back to check him. "Wait, what's wrong with you? Why is there blood?!"

Jiang Jiamian: "…"

Should he laugh, or cry?

"I'm fine." He said finally, lips twitching. He raised a finger, tapping the corner of Ling Zhuang's mouth. "Have you forgotten? I'm the Zombie King. Since when do Zombie Kings cough blood?"

Ling Zhuang froze. His hand brushed his own lips. Only then did he realize the blood was his. Confusion deepened. "What… what's wrong with me?"

He had no memory of it.

Just moments ago, he remembered leaning against the wall, listening to Jiang Jiamian's words. He hadn't even closed his eyes, how could he suddenly stand, vomit blood, and forget everything?

He didn't sleepwalk.

Jiang Jiamian spread his hands innocently. "How should I know? You suddenly stood up and spat blood all over the place. Scared me half to death. What, you don't remember at all?"

Ling stared at him suspiciously. "You really didn't do anything to me?"

Jiang Jiamian's voice was steady. "Really, I didn't."

Ling Zhuang inhaled slowly, then scooped him up into his arms, voice cold and possessive. "Good. Because if you ever try anything… I won't mind turning my perfect work into a venomous cauldron, an antidote I'll keep by my side forever, never letting you out of my sight."

Jiang Jiamian: "…"

Damn it.

Please, someone return his kind, reliable Group Leader. This pervert was getting worse.