Virtual Idol in the Beast World: Five Clans Fight Over Me

"Try something else."

Alex immediately shot down the terrible idea Lanuo had just suggested.

Whether Gu Ning was a Mimic Mixed Species or not, if he tried a stunt like that, her cautious and defensive nature meant she would bolt in an instant. Forget bringing her back to Zone 5; he’d be lucky if she didn’t run away from him for good.

"It’s the simplest and most effective method," Lanuo said. "If you want a more ’dignified’ way, then just secretly pull down its pants. Do it while it’s asleep, or get a couple of people to ’accidentally’ yank them down. Didn’t that silly kid Kloer go with you? If you can’t do it, have him do it."

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "And you think that’s a dignified method?"

Lanuo pulled out an energy bar and took a bite. "I’m telling you, you’re just so uptight. You always have to complicate simple things. You’ve already been exiled to Zone 19. If you keep up this attitude, you’ll end up getting shipped to a military district outside Zone 19 as a lowly repairman, fixing guns and circuit breakers for those punks all day."

Alex said, "My abilities would still be of use there."

Lanuo heaved a long sigh, frustrated by his stubbornness. "Man, why are you so pig-headed? Anyway, I’ve laid out the methods for you. Either you let me see the person, or you mail back a sample. Or, you just hold it down, rip off its pants, and see what its little tail looks like. Then you’ll know for sure."

Alex remained silent. None of those methods were suitable for Gu Ning.

After a moment, he asked, "Besides these, are there any better options?"

"Nope." Lanuo finished the energy bar in a few bites. "I need to get some sleep. I haven’t had a full night’s rest in days because of all this damn research for the higher-ups. I’ll be waiting for your good news."

Just as he was about to hang up, Lanuo said, "Wait, there is one more way."

Alex: "Spit it out."

Lanuo cleared his throat. "You should be able to get your hands on rut-inducing agents in Zone 19, right? That stuff works well too. If you can’t find any, I can teach you how to make it. I know several formulas."

Alex said, "Do you have any idea how illegal that stuff is?"

Lanuo replied, "You’re in Zone 19. Who in Zone 19 follows the Beast Alliance’s stupid regulations? I used it all the time on assignments. I was always worried a Mimic would sneak in close to me. I’m so smart, who knows how many Mimics have their eyes on me."

"Forget assignments, right now I’d love to use this stuff on those dogs in the office, my bosses who give out terrible orders."

Alex: "...It’s a good thing they stuck you in a research institute instead of a hospital when they were assigning specializations."

When Lanuo was studying basic medicine in school, he would mix any drug imaginable just for a good grade. His guiding principle was ’as long as the patient doesn’t die’.

During field training, no one dared to be in his group. They were afraid he’d ’treat’ them until they had brain damage.

Lanuo: "Hey, no personal attacks! This is my talent, you get it? Just get a small vial of a rut-inducing agent and have that person smell it. If it shows signs of going into rut, just give it a shot of an Inhibitor, right? If there’s no rut, then you can confirm it’s a Mimic Mixed Species."

Mimic Mixed Species are sexless creatures. Even their physiological traits are artificial.

Some Mimic Mixed Species are identified early, between the ages of five and ten. This is because when they enter large groups like schools, their imitative behavior is easily recognizable.

Others, however, have a high aptitude for mimicry and are not easily detected. There are also those whose mimic genes are deeply hidden, only gradually manifesting as they mature.

These latter types of Mimic Mixed Species are the most dangerous and terrifying.

This is because they once possessed normal emotions. After realizing their own regression, they learn to disguise themselves and continue living as normal Beastmen.

Beastmen with extraordinary abilities and high intelligence are the prey of this type of Mimic Mixed Species. They continuously optimize themselves by devouring superior genes, evolving into a highly intelligent and powerful group.

The nature of their genes drives them to constantly self-optimize in pursuit of perfection.

After completing their education and various forms of social training, they infiltrate and work in all sorts of important institutions, attaining high social status.

Detecting this type of Mimic Mixed Species is extremely difficult.

However, they have one significant weakness: they do not truly go into rut. Therefore, they avoid contact with females to prevent exposing themselves.

Normally, they can fool those around them by faking a rut scent, but when they’re actually in front of a female, their ’hardware’ fails, and they’re left completely helpless.

No matter how well they imitate, they cannot deceive a female in this regard.

Back in school, Lanuo relied on pulling down pants and using rut-inducing agents to consistently get high scores in his "Identifying Mimic Mixed Species" class.

Of course, while he got the scores, every single one of his teachers gave him an F in basic medicine upon graduation, and all his applications to hospitals were rejected. His advisor stuffed him into a research institute and gave him a cushy, do-nothing job to prevent him from being unleashed on society as a public menace.

Lanuo warmed the bench at the research institute for a good two years before finally getting a promotion recently on the back of a few new research projects.

Alex ended the call.

He couldn’t use a single one of Lanuo’s terrible ideas.

He would just have to think of another way.

...

That afternoon, Gu Ning followed Alex up the wall.

Snow was falling heavily from the sky. Standing atop the hundred-meter-high wall, Gu Ning shivered as a blast of cold wind hit her.

’Thank goodness I went back to my place this morning and put on an extra layer of thick clothes under my uniform,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, there’s no way I could handle this weather.’

Alex crouched in front of Gu Ning, fastening her safety harness.

Sensing that her waist was a bit thicker than before, he adjusted the tightness of her harness.

Gu Ning looked down at Alex. ’Why does it feel like he’s taking a little long with the harness today?’ she wondered.

Alex carefully checked Gu Ning’s safety equipment several times before clipping his own secondary line to her. He had also brought an extra backup line, which he attached to her as well.

Gu Ning stared at the two secondary lines attached to her, completely baffled. She had never felt so secure.

’Looks like Alex really isn’t holding a grudge about me taking on that side job,’ she thought.

Gu Ning couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. A boss this good was truly rare.

Once the equipment was checked, Alex wrapped an arm around her and leaped downwards.

Gu Ning’s job was the same as before: handing tools to Alex and taking care of some simple maintenance checks. The only difference was that the rope connecting them was much shorter. Every time Alex moved, she would be pulled into him.

Whenever this happened, Alex would reach out, his large hand landing on the small of her back to steady her.

Although Gu Ning felt much safer than before, being so close to him also felt a little strange.

After half an hour of hanging on the outer wall, Gu Ning didn’t think it was strange at all anymore.

In just that short time, she was already going numb from the cold. Huddling close to Alex, this human furnace, was the only thing that gave her a little relief.

At this point, forget just being near him; she felt like a little chick trying to burrow under a mother hen’s wing, wanting to hide in front of Alex and hoping he could block some of the cold wind for her.

"Haaa..." Gu Ning pressed her ice-cold hands to her mouth, blowing hot air on them.

A large hand reached out, grabbing hers and holding it tight.

"Why are they so cold?" Alex frowned.

Feeling the warmth from his palm, Gu Ning cried internally. ’Because I’m a human who evolved away all their fur!’

’This outer layer of "fur" I’m wearing is no match for hanging in the sky on a snowy day, being blasted by the cold wind.’

Alex put away his tools, wrapped an arm around Gu Ning’s waist, and took her down to the nearest tunnel entrance. Then he took off his own large work uniform and draped it over her.