Skin Hunger Syndrome [22]

Almost at the same instant, Che Quan clenched his fists in resistance.

Every inch of him conveyed one thing: unwillingness.

He turned around on reflex, putting his back to Jiang Cong.

But a second later, he was pressed against the wall from behind.

Afraid of hurting Che Quan in his current state, Jiang Cong used only a hundredth of his usual strength.

Yet the hands Jiang Cong wrapped around Che Quan's waist were like steel, not budging no matter how Che Quan moved.

Che Quan tried to break free of the hateful human youth behind him, so silently domineering, but his skin hunger syndrome had already begun to flare up.

His temperature soared, and that familiar weakness swept over him again.

A craving for skin-to-skin contact with the person he liked, seemingly rooted deep in his heart-or perhaps his soul-spread wildly beyond his control until it filled his mind.

It felt as though every nerve had pulled taut.

With mounting resentment, Che Quan clenched his snowy-white teeth.

His back was to Jiang Cong, both wrists firmly enclosed in the other man's hands.

This was undoubtedly the only cure for his skin hunger syndrome.

Yet for some reason, Che Quan vaguely sensed that the skin hunger syndrome buff was growing stronger-

Not that its attacks were harder to endure, but that it demanded a greater degree of contact.

Before, even the lightest brush of their fingers had brought him cool relief and soothed the symptoms.

Now, even such a close embrace, combined with the contact between his wrists and Jiang Cong's palms, could not suppress the symptoms to the same extent.

At most, it made him feel a little less miserable.

Che Quan had a bad feeling about this.

That was also why he had begun devoting himself entirely to "solving the mystery and breaking out."

He could not help suspecting that this skin hunger syndrome buff's "appetite" would keep growing, and that eventually it might demand even more contact with Jiang Cong before an attack would end.

In the darkness, as their standoff continued, the passage of time gradually grew muddled.

Only after Che Quan's breathing slowly steadied did Jiang Cong lean close to his ear and say, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You know people are watching, don't you?"

Che Quan frowned, his gaze chilling to the bone. Unfortunately, with his back turned, it had no effect.

"What do you mean?" Che Quan asked coldly.

Jiang Cong seemed to smile.

His rich, refined voice remained low.

Che Quan felt his eardrums quiver softly, like violin strings held beneath a fingertip.

He heard Jiang Cong say with a gentle smile, "I mean, this is a livestream. If you don't want other people watching while I... then be good and cooperate."

At the final word, the thread of Che Quan's reason snapped, and he erupted in fury.

His pupils, which had turned obsidian-black, glimmered with a dazzling crimson sheen of rage and humiliation.

Even his canine teeth seemed ready to break free of their restraints and revert to their original pointed fangs.

The Instance System had no choice but to sound an emergency siren, issuing urgent warnings.

[Warning! Warning! Player Che Quan's mental power has exceeded the limit, subjecting the instance to a violent assault! Player Che Quan must stop immediately! Otherwise, humane extermination will be carried out! Warning! Repeating the warning! ...]

Che Quan dismissed it with contempt, the savage fire in his eyes burning even hotter.

Vampires were immortal and indestructible. Did it really think he was that easy to kill?

Once a little strength returned to his body, Che Quan gathered his power and broke free of the insolent human youth behind him, then turned coldly and reached for his throat.

The small, rounded nails of his human form gradually transformed into lethal weapons.

With edges that sharp, the slightest contact with Jiang Cong's skin would leave a deep, bloody gash.

-Deep enough to expose bone.

Naturally, Jiang Cong sensed Che Quan's towering rage and murderous intent.

Yet he remained utterly unruffled, evading Che Quan's vicious attacks with effortless, fluid movements.

He even found time for a soft laugh, a hint of amusement in his quiet voice. "Sorry. I overstepped just now."

The instant he finished speaking, Che Quan's fury intensified, and an attack even fiercer than before shot straight toward Jiang Cong's face.

This time, Che Quan was trying to kill him.

The two of them made an especially loud commotion.

But the live-chat viewers could only hear a thunderous series of crashes without seeing anything, so they had absolutely no idea what was happening.

One crash followed another, occasionally accompanied by what sounded like muffled grunts from the little beauty, putting their hearts and nerves under unbearable strain.

Every last one of them wanted to unleash an enormous question mark. Driven wild by curiosity and confusion, they took turns losing their minds in the chat.

They desperately wished an X-ray cheat or a high-definition night mode would appear right that instant.

Unfortunately, neither was possible.

So thousands upon thousands of viewers flooded the chat with [Completely losing it.jpg] to express their grief and indignation.

At last, they heard the commotion slowly die down.

But the screen remained pitch-black.

[This is agony.jpg]

[Fuck this world]

[Someone save this poor child]

They would never know that, inside the instance, the lingering effects of the skin hunger syndrome buff had caused Che Quan to make a mistake.

Jiang Cong seized that opening with pinpoint precision and ruthlessly pinned Che Quan beneath him.

Of course, he watched his strength this time too, ensuring Che Quan felt no pain whatsoever.

In the darkness, a fine sheen of sweat had formed on Jiang Cong's forehead as well.

Had Che Quan still possessed his night vision, he would have seen how the fight had lent Jiang Cong, mere inches away, an extra measure of hormone-fueled allure.

Jiang Cong's voice was husky and extremely low. "If you need anything later, come find me in the principal's office."

Pinned down yet again, Che Quan's displeasure and anger continued to fester. At those words, he gave a cold scoff and said mockingly, "What, are you going to tell me you're actually the principal?"

Jiang Cong chuckled and explained gently, "No. My role in this instance is actually the only son of his superior. I'm not a student here. 'Qiao Qiao' holds a grudge against me because I used my privileges to protect Campus Belle Miao."

Che Quan did not care about any of that.

He could not even be bothered to respond.

He merely struggled hard once and said through gritted teeth, his voice low, "Let go."

Jiang Cong had not wanted to release him so easily, but with his superior night vision, he gazed through the pitch-black darkness at Che Quan, pinned beneath him and unable to move.

The pureblood vampire youth looked just as noble, proud, and inviolable as he had centuries ago.

Even after such a long slumber, he remained every bit as haughty and cold, utterly unwilling to submit to anyone.

It truly made him... unbearably excited.

He had waited so long for Che Quan, laying the groundwork and preparing so many fine spectacles... there was no need to rush.

A dark, obsessive gleam flashed through Jiang Cong's increasingly shadowed eyes, gone in an instant.

A second later, Jiang Cong returned to his usual calm, gentle manner, a refined, handsome smile settling over his face once more.

He slowly released Che Quan, reining in the thoughts he had allowed to run wild for those few seconds.

Jiang Cong rose and asked with a smile, "Say, how about we make a bet?"