The cold night wind swept across the exposed steel and concrete of the abandoned factory, dispersing the lingering scent of blood—but it couldn’t calm the storm raging in Lu Yuan’s heart.
Qing had already returned to her human form. She carried the nearly unconscious Lu Yuan on her back and slipped into a relatively intact corner of a workshop.
Moonlight poured down through a hole in the damaged roof, illuminating their disheveled figures.
Leaning against the cold wall, Lu Yuan gasped for breath, her chest aching unbearably where Rose’s tendrils had struck.
She roughly estimated her injuries—her ribs were likely all broken, and her internal organs probably bleeding.
Even more bewildering was her mind. Qing had saved her… then transformed into a slime… no, not transformed—she was a Slime Mimic Disaster herself.
To Lu Yuan, it felt like a movie playing out—too surreal. Rose and Si An appearing in the same city simultaneously, her own charge turning out to be a Disaster…
Yet, it was all painfully real.
Lu Yuan realized it had all been Qing’s scheme—from tricking her into believing she was a Disaster Magnet to acting as her bodyguard, and even the fake Lu Qian back at her house—everything was Qing’s doing, her setup.
***
Qing crouched before Lu Yuan. Her pale green eyes looked especially deep under the moonlight as she reached out to check the wound on Lu Yuan’s chest.
“Don’t touch me!” Lu Yuan snapped, wildly pushing her hand away with fear and anger. “Stay away! You monster!”
The word “monster” slipped out, and for a moment, Lu Yuan saw Qing’s movements freeze.
It was the first time she saw sadness in Qing’s eyes—those eyes, usually as deep as an abyss, flickered with ripples of pain.
***
Qing didn’t insist. She silently watched Lu Yuan, then glanced again at the still-oozing wound.
Lu Yuan turned her head away, biting her lip as she tried to tend to the injury herself with a bath towel. But her arms trembled from both the earlier fight and emotional shock, making precise movements impossible.
A sharp pain made her inhale sharply.
At that moment, Qing reached out again. This time, her movements were slow and tentative, as if giving Lu Yuan time to react.
Lu Yuan’s body stiffened, ready to push her away again, but when she saw the tear in Qing’s clothes—left there for her—her raised hand finally faltered.
***
Qing’s cool fingers gently touched the edge of Lu Yuan’s wound.
Lu Yuan shuddered violently, goosebumps rising on her skin.
The sensation… was unlike human fingers—softer, more… insubstantial.
Then, to her greater surprise, Qing’s fingertips began to liquefy slightly, transforming into tiny tendrils that seeped delicately into Lu Yuan’s wound like living water.
“What are you doing?!” Lu Yuan panicked and tried to pull back but was held gently but firmly by Qing’s other strong hand on her shoulder.
[Healing.]
Qing’s eyes silently conveyed this message—there was no malice, only concern.
The minuscule gelatinous tendrils slid into the wound, delivering a strange, icy sting accompanied by an indescribable soothing sensation.
Lu Yuan could clearly feel the burning pain inside her wound rapidly neutralizing; the damaged tissue seemed to be healing at an extraordinary speed.
This process, this healing through physical contact, carried a strange intimacy and an invasive feeling.
A blush rose uncontrollably on Lu Yuan’s face. Her body tensed—not only because of the supernatural healing but also the overwhelming inner conflict and shame.
She should hate this! She should resist! She should kill this Disaster who had disguised herself as Qianqian to deceive her feelings, and now touched her in such a strange way!
But…
Why… couldn’t she hate it?
Why, when looking into Qing’s eyes—so focused, even awkwardly earnest—did her heart only ache?
Why did her mind keep replaying the moment Qing had without hesitation taken the hit meant for her?
Lu Yuan no longer resisted. She knew very well that Qing was the only one who could save her now.
She understood that without transforming herself, being in this state meant certain death.
All she wanted now was to ask this Disaster in front of her a few questions.
… Why…? Lu Yuan’s voice cracked, as if asking Qing, but also herself. “Why did you disguise yourself as Qianqian… why did you approach me…?”
***
Qing’s healing paused slightly. She lifted her head and looked at Lu Yuan’s tear-filled, confused eyes.
She seemed to understand Lu Yuan’s question. Slowly, she withdrew her healing hand. The wound was miraculously over half healed, leaving only faint red marks.
Qing raised her phone.
‘Because. I am Disaster. But I. Want to be human. I want. To understand you.’
***
Under Lu Yuan’s gaze, Qing’s body began to subtly change.
Her height shrank slightly, and her pale cyan hair darkened as if fading, turning into the familiar blue Lu Yuan remembered.
Her facial features adjusted, becoming more youthful… and finally, even her clothes shimmered and transformed into that blue dress printed with tiny daisies.
The very appearance of Lu Qian—the one who had appeared at the cemetery, haunting Lu Yuan’s dreams and heartache.
Lu Yuan’s breath caught. Her pupils dilated. Though she had suspected it, seeing the transformation with her own eyes was still utterly overwhelming.
***
“Lu Qian” looked at her quietly, then, wearing the face of Lu Yuan’s younger sister, gave an awkward but comforting smile.
She reached out, seemingly wanting to embrace Lu Yuan as before.
Qing thought that hugging Lu Yuan in the form of her sister might make her feel better.
But this time, Lu Yuan flinched sharply and dodged back.
“Don’t… use her appearance…” Lu Yuan’s voice was full of pain.
Lu Qian’s expression froze, the stiff smile fading away.
She saw the pain and resistance in Lu Yuan’s eyes; her gaze dimmed somewhat. Light shifted, and she slowly transformed back into Qing.
As if to say: If you don’t like that form, I don’t have to use it.
***
Back to her original self, Qing reached out again, her fingertips glowing faintly as she tried to continue the final stage of healing.
Lu Yuan looked at Qing’s true form before her, saw how she seemed confused about why she was feared and disliked, saw her persistent attempts to heal…
All anger, fear, and hatred slammed into an invisible wall, leaving them powerless.
She knew what she should do—her reason screamed for her to act.
But her body wouldn’t move. She could only stiffly lean against the wall, letting Qing’s cool fingers touch every inch of her skin.
Lu Yuan turned her head, closed her eyes, tears silently streaming down as she allowed Qing to handle her.
***
[Not enough…]
Qing knew well that Lu Yuan’s injuries weren’t just broken bones; her organs were damaged and needed deeper treatment.
She pressed her whole body onto Lu Yuan’s, then slowly melted, until she completely enveloped her.
Taking the form of a slime, she gently pried open Lu Yuan’s mouth and slipped inside.
Lu Yuan’s mind fiercely resisted, yet she obediently opened her mouth, allowing Qing to enter her body.
The torn conflict nearly shattered her.
***
Qing healed while gently securing Lu Yuan’s limbs inside her body.
Though she cared deeply for Lu Yuan, she didn’t want her to resist.
She was a slime; she didn’t understand Lu Yuan’s thoughts, but she knew that if Lu Yuan resisted her healing, Lu Yuan would die.
And Qing didn’t want Lu Yuan to die.
So she had no choice but to forcibly envelop Lu Yuan’s body and restrain her limbs.
“Ugh… hmm…” Having a foreign substance inside was uncomfortable, but Lu Yuan chose to endure, forcing herself to stay silent.
The healing continued under the moonlight.
One girl named Lu Yuan silently wept, while another clumsily guarded her.