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

Gu Ning stood motionless by the dining table. She waited two minutes, until Alex had grabbed a clean set of clothes from the bedroom and gone into the bathroom. Once the door was shut and she heard the sound of the shower, she finally sat down.

Alex would be in the shower for at least ten minutes, which was enough time for her to finish her breakfast.

Gu Ning stopped trying to hide while she ate, and just sat down at the dining table with her bowl.

Since she’d woken up, Alex had only asked a few questions about her sleep and her meal. He hadn’t said much else, and his attention wasn’t focused on her, which allowed her to relax.

Throughout their time together, Alex had always maintained a respectful distance. Even though they lived under the same roof, she never felt like she was being singled out for attention, or being spied on. Without realizing it, she had begun to let her guard down, and her nerves weren’t as frayed as before.

Alex pressed his ear against the door, listening for any sounds from the living room. Only then did he step under the showerhead and start to wash, keeping an eye on the time.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

He had been thinking all night but still couldn’t understand it. ’Why would a female show up in Zone 19?’

She didn’t even have any genetic data logged in the gene bank.

’It’s just too unbelievable.’

The cold water gushing over Alex’s body kept his mind sharp.

The young female’s scent still lingered in the bathroom, and his heightened sense of smell made it impossible to ignore.

He had sprayed a neutralizer throughout the room earlier to be absolutely certain of her identity.

Now, her scent was the only one left in the entire apartment, and even the running water couldn’t completely wash it away.

Alex slicked back his dripping wet hair, stepped out of the shower area, let out a long breath, and opened his terminal.

He scrolled through his contact list, found a specific person, and typed in the chat box:

[Professor Watson, I’d like to ask you a few things. When are you free?]

...

...

At the entrance of the building.

"Are you still cold?"

Alex looked down and asked the... female before him.

Gu Ning shook her head.

She was dressed even more warmly than the day before. Alex had given her a windbreaker before they left. The material was similar to a hardshell jacket, but a bit stiffer, and it was so long on her it reached her calves.

’Now I really look like a penguin.’

Seeing her adorable expression as she held her hands together, Alex’s lips curved into a slight smile. He handed her a pair of work gloves. "Put these on if your hands get cold."

Gu Ning took the gloves but just stuffed them in her pocket for now. ’They’re too thick. If I wear them, I won’t be able to write to talk to Alex.’

Alex suppressed the urge to pat her head. "Let’s go," he said. "Time to pick up your brother and friends."

Gu Ning nodded.

Her original plan was to ask Kloer to accompany her to the police station. She’d asked Alex for half a day off, intending to pick up Cook and the others and then move out.

But Alex had told her Kloer was still asleep and offered to drive her instead.

She didn’t dare wander around outside alone at a time like this, so she had no choice but to bother Alex.

Gu Ning started forward, but after only two steps, her foot sank deep into the snow.

It had snowed heavily all day, and the drifts by the entrance were now almost level with the top step. With the sky still dark, Gu Ning had mistaken it for solid ground and stepped into empty air.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Alex caught her and pulled her back.

Gu Ning clutched his arm, scrambling to regain her footing.

"The snow’s pretty deep," Alex reminded her, letting go as soon as she was steady on her feet.

He offered his hand to Gu Ning. "If you can’t see the path, hold onto me. Kloer took the car yesterday, and he parked it pretty far away."

Gu Ning hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his sleeve.

She took a careful step forward, only continuing once she was sure her footing was solid in the snow.

Alex slowly led Gu Ning to his car and opened the passenger door for her.

In her bulky outfit, even lifting her leg was a struggle. This vehicle was different from any car she’d been in before—it was huge, with a high chassis. She practically had to use both her hands and feet to climb inside.

Alex watched her struggle and couldn’t help but give her a little boost.

Gu Ning sighed in relief once she was seated, wiping the condensation from her goggles with her hand.

They had only been outside for a short while, but her warm breath had already soaked her mask, and her goggles were fogging up easily.

Those two things always found a way to make her miserable, no matter the weather.

"You can take the goggles off if they’re uncomfortable," Alex said, settling into the driver’s seat and turning on the heat.

The other day, when she was sleeping on the sofa, he’d noticed the pressure marks her goggles had left on her face.

’She wears those things every day,’ he thought. ’I don’t know how she stands it.’

He didn’t even know how she had managed to survive in Zone 19. She looked as though she’d been living in this kind of environment for a long time.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly, then turned off the car’s interior light so he wouldn’t look at her.

The vehicle started up and headed toward the police station.

As the car’s interior went dark, Gu Ning turned her head to look at Alex.

The faint glow from the dashboard illuminated his face, outlining his strong, handsome features. He seemed completely engrossed in driving, showing no inclination to look her way.

After a moment of internal debate, Gu Ning quietly took off her goggles. She also pulled her mask down just enough to uncover her nose and breathe.

With her mouth still tightly shut, she took a deep breath through her nose. It was a relief to finally feel a little more comfortable.

Alex heard her deliberately quiet movements and suppressed breaths with perfect clarity.

His brow furrowed slightly.

’I should tell her,’ he thought. ’Tell her she can take off that whole uncomfortable getup around me, that I won’t hurt her.’

’But that would definitely frighten her.’

’It was hard enough for an ordinary Beastman to survive in a place like Zone 19, let alone a small, delicate female like her.’

’She must have been through so many terrible things.’

’I have to take things slowly.’

He still had another question regarding her identity.

He’d just have to see if he could get some relevant information from Watson.

...

"Well now, where did this little penguin come from?"

As Gu Ning entered the police station, a Beast Police officer with a large pair of ram’s horns on his head mocked her without a hint of politeness.

Gu Ning pursed her lips. ’What’s so funny?’ she thought resentfully. ’Is being physically strong such a big deal?’

Even though Leighton was supposedly a good Beastman, she was still a little peeved that he had indirectly exposed her identity.

Alex sensed her displeasure and gently guided her behind him. "Officer Leighton," he said, "how much longer until they’re released?"

Leighton tore his gaze away from the little Mixed Breed and clasped his hands behind his head. "Just wait. There’s still some paperwork to process. Half an hour, maybe. If you’re that impatient, you can go in and see them yourselves."

Worried about Cook’s condition, Gu Ning immediately wanted to go inside to check on him.

"Alright," Alex said, then added firmly, "We’ll wait here."

’I’m not letting her go into an environment like the holding cells again.’

"Don’t worry. They’ll be out as soon as the paperwork is finished," Alex said reassuringly, noticing her growing anxiety.

Hearing that, Gu Ning had no choice but to settle down and wait with Alex in the office’s break area.

Leighton’s gaze fell on the two of them again.

It was still early, so there weren’t many officers in the station. Leighton had just finished the night shift and was planning on heading home to rest. But Alex had given him a heads-up before they arrived, so he had stayed behind to wait for them.

Leighton looked at the little Mixed Breed, bundled up so warmly, and chuckled. "Is it really that cold, little wolf?"