Chapter Seventeen: Luo Rao Wants to Kill Su Yi?

“This is definitely suspicious.”

He leaned against the sandwich panel wall, the icy chill sharpening his mind and keeping him calm.

Luo Rao always considers me more important than anything else—how could she possibly go out for a lavish dinner without waiting for me to come home?

Yet the note was unmistakably written by her own hand, the script natural and fluid, showing no signs of coercion.

Should I just wait at home?

Maybe she’ll be back soon.

No, as the saying goes, the fewer the words, the bigger the trouble. The note barely says anything. It’s safer to check things out in person, and who knows, maybe I’ll even catch a good meal.

Truly, my only intention is to ensure Luo Rao’s safety—not to mooch a free dinner.

Ji Cheng made up his mind and immediately dragged a large bag out from under the table.

“Wrist computer, planetary LAN access pod—must bring both,” he muttered.

He strapped the wrist computer to his forearm, tucked the access pod into his pocket, and closed the door behind him, running out into the street.

“Let’s check where this Narcissus Restaurant is,” Ji Cheng thought, as he raced down the street, fingers flying across his wrist computer.

A map of Southport New City soon appeared on the screen. One dot was labeled Narcissus Restaurant, while another arrow indicator zipped across the map.

“Found it—it’s in the neighboring Silver District, not far away. At my speed, I can get there in twenty minutes.”

Ji Cheng’s spirits lifted as he locked onto the destination, quickly oriented himself, turned right, and broke into a sprint.

Neither apartment buildings, shops, nor passing vehicles could slow him for even a second. Relying on his extraordinary agility, he moved almost in a straight line, vaulting and weaving with the precision of parkour.

Silver District, Narcissus Restaurant. A band was performing.

“I haven’t asked your name yet, Miss Ji,” Su Yi said, gazing at Luo Rao’s wine-stained lips, heart fluttering.

Luo Rao laughed softly, her knife and fork gently slicing apart the steak, revealing the vivid red meat within. Steam still lingered, and juices spilled out in rivulets.

“Luo Rao—Rao as in ‘ravishing’.”

Su Yi handed her a napkin, smiling with pursed lips. “What a beautiful name—just as enchanting as your looks.”

“But calling me Miss Ji is fine too.” Luo Rao speared a chunk of steak, dipped it several times in the black pepper sauce along the plate’s rim, and popped it into her mouth, juices and all.

Her teeth, white as shattered jade, chewed carefully. Whether from the heat or the delight of the flavor, her eyes narrowed in satisfaction and she shivered.

Su Yi, noticing, quietly set down her own black pepper grinder.

Pepper’s aroma is highly volatile—normally, it’s freshly ground and used at once; the sauce on the plate is mostly for decoration.

She realized Luo Rao might not know this, so she smiled, took up a piece of steak herself, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it.

That way, Miss Ji wouldn’t feel embarrassed, she thought.

“This wine is a treasure from Bluefield Winery—made from sixteen different seasonal fruits over four years,” Su Yi explained, taking Luo Rao’s wine glass. “Would you like some more?”

Luo Rao nodded cheerfully. “Mm.”

Tilting the bottle toward the glass, Su Yi let the delicate wine trickle in, its sweet fruit aroma mingling with the cello’s resonant notes.

Though she wished Luo Rao would drink more, etiquette and feminine elegance dictated that she stop at one-third full.

Luo Rao took the glass, and Su Yi tapped her fingers against it.

“If you touch the bowl, the warmth alters the flavor. It’s best to hold the stem with three fingers.”

“Like… this?” Luo Rao suddenly squeezed Su Yi’s leg lightly between her own.

Su Yi felt her mouth go dry, but her lifelong good manners allowed her to maintain her composure. “Miss Ji… why is your leg trembling?”

Luo Rao boasted, “Have you heard of the Fairy Bliss Egg?”

“No, what’s that?” Su Yi’s thoughts were a whirl as she looked at Luo Rao’s exquisitely beautiful face, feeling the subtle fragrance seep into her heart.

Luo Rao laughed. “A little gadget that vibrates—eco-friendly, low-carbon, and gentle.”

Gulp.

Su Yi’s throat made an involuntary, rather impolite swallowing sound.

Luo Rao set down her utensils, sipped a little wine, and took the initiative: “How about we play a game?”

Su Yi’s heart raced. “What do you want to play?”

Luo Rao picked up a clean steak knife from the side, laid it across the center of the table, her voice teasing. “Dare to play?”

Su Yi instantly guessed, “Knife Game?”

It’s a popular bar game in Southport: one person spreads their fingers as wide as possible, the other takes a knife—preferably sharp—and stabs between the finger gaps in a set sequence, usually twenty times. The fastest, most accurate wins, and if tied, each round adds ten more stabs.

“Yes.” Luo Rao smiled at her, and with a flourish produced a lace blindfold. “With eyes covered.”

Su Yi hesitated, unwilling to refuse Luo Rao: “I’m afraid I might hurt you, Miss Ji.”

Though she was a gene prototype recipient, playing Knife Game blindfolded was a real challenge—and she was worried about stabbing Luo Rao.

Luo Rao merely smiled and placed her soft, pale hand on the table, eyes urging Su Yi on.

“Alright.”

Su Yi gritted her silver teeth, donned the blindfold, deftly twirled the steak knife between her fingers, then gripped it firmly.

“I’ll start then.”

She mapped the position of Luo Rao’s delicate hand in her mind, and the knife began to dance.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

Su Yi was tense, sweat beading on her brow, counting the beats silently and praying.

Please don’t hurt Miss Ji’s hand.

“One, two, three, four… seventeen…”

“Twenty!” She finished her round, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

Su Yi removed the blindfold, meeting Luo Rao’s smiling gaze.

Her heart stirred, and she couldn’t help but say, “If I win, will you stay with me tonight?”

“Of course.”

Su Yi handed the knife back to Luo Rao.

“Miss Ji.”

Taking advantage of her tipsiness, she wanted to say more, but her gaze suddenly fixed on the tip of the knife.

It was stained crimson.

“Did I hurt you? I’m truly sorry.” She looked down at the table; moonlight fell softly on Luo Rao’s hand as blood trickled between her fingers.

“It’s alright.” Luo Rao was still smiling, her voice gentle. “My turn.”

“Mm.” Su Yi extended her equally pale hand.

Luo Rao put on the blindfold, expertly grasped the knife handle.

Thud.

The first stab was a bit slow.

But it landed precisely between Su Yi’s index and middle fingers without touching them.

“Count for me,” Luo Rao suddenly said.

The knife danced rhythmically between Su Yi’s fingers.

She kept a steady tempo, and Su Yi’s eyes followed its motion.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The number of stabs exceeded twenty, but Luo Rao didn’t stop, and Su Yi seemed not to notice.

“Forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight.”

Hypnosis should be working now, Luo Rao thought.

She majored in psychology; hypnosis was second nature to her.

First, she’d intentionally stirred Su Yi’s emotions—excitement, surprise, guilt—in rapid succession, lowering her defenses and heightening her susceptibility to suggestion.

Then, with the rhythm of the knife, she hypnotized her.

Luo Rao removed the blindfold, seeing Su Yi’s dazed, vacant face, and finally revealed her true motive with delight:

“Go seduce my brother!”

“Huh?” Su Yi’s eyes were confused, her brows faintly furrowed. “I… I don’t want to. Ji Cheng is so annoying, so fierce.”

Luo Rao encouraged her, “Give it a try—he’s handsome, you won’t lose out.”

Su Yi shook her head like a rattle drum. “No way, no way—I only like sweet-smelling girls.”

Luo Rao pressed on. “I promise he smells sweet too!”

Su Yi’s face was vacant, but she puffed up indignantly. “Ji Cheng is so annoying, I’d love to beat him up.”

“What did you say?” Luo Rao’s smile froze.

Su Yi muttered dreamily, “I’d love to beat Ji Cheng up.”

Disappointment clouded Luo Rao’s eyes. “Can you switch to beating me up instead?”

“What?” Su Yi was bewildered, but instinctively shook her head. “I just want to beat Ji Cheng up.”

Luo Rao sank, her voice dejected. “Then I have to kill you.”

No matter how much she admired Su Yi, if Su Yi harbored any hostility toward Ji Cheng, she could never tolerate it.

Her personality was odd, but Ji Cheng was her absolute bottom line.

Luo Rao licked her fingers and picked up the steak knife.

The blood had dried, but the blade was still sharp.

People in the restaurant had begun to notice the commotion; several patrons pulled out their phones to call the police, and a handful of security guards strode over.

“Miss, what are you doing?”

“Please put down the knife.”

Luo Rao pouted gloomily, slowly walking up to Su Yi.

“It took so much effort to find a pretty backup for Ah Cheng.”

In full view, she raised the knife and thrust it toward Su Yi’s chest.

Su Yi, still hypnotized, was oblivious to her surroundings.

Though Luo Rao was far less skilled than a gene prototype recipient, she’d received martial training at school; the stab was swift and accurate, though not particularly forceful.

Clang!

At the critical moment, a security baton smashed down on Luo Rao’s knife hand; the knife dropped, and her already wounded fingers burst open anew.

“How dare you commit violence!” an angry shout came from nearby as several burly security guards surrounded Luo Rao.

Su Yi was a regular at the restaurant and spent lavishly; they knew her family was wealthy and not to be trifled with. Seeing Luo Rao attempt violence in public, they dared not hesitate.

“Hands on your head, squat down, don’t move. Wait for the police,” the captain barked, pressing down on Luo Rao’s shoulder.

Unexpectedly, even surrounded, Luo Rao tried to reach for the knife as she crouched.

“Do you have a death wish!” The captain’s face turned red, eyes bulging, and he kicked Luo Rao hard in the ribs.

She crumpled to the ground like a rag doll, strength gone.

“Trash is trash—scum like you should all be locked up.”

The captain had already deduced from her clothes that she was a Grey District resident.

“Beat her, beat her to death!” he spat.

A guard kicked the knife away and slapped Luo Rao across the face.

“Stop!” A cold voice echoed from the doorway.

The guard turned, startled by the tall figure entering the restaurant, eyes predatory and intense.

Intimidated, he felt hunted by a top predator.

The captain hesitated, testing, “I advise you not to meddle, or you’ll regret it.”

“Are you threatening me?”

You’re having my sister beaten to death—and you dare threaten me?

Ji Cheng’s fury boiled over, something inside him snapping.

He’d rushed here, expecting nothing serious, only to arrive as the captain shouted to beat Luo Rao to death, and found her crumpled on the floor, her beloved dress marked by a giant footprint.

He guessed Luo Rao had caused trouble and gotten herself beaten, but at this point, right and wrong didn’t matter—only loyalty.

Luo Rao might seem a little unhinged, but she was his sister, the one person in this world who treated him best.

When your sister is bullied, what should you do?

Ji Cheng’s expression darkened to the extreme. With a cold snort, he seized the nearest guard, elbowed his shoulder, and a crack sounded as the man was flung aside.

He twisted to dodge another attacker, slammed his palm down—again on the shoulder, another bright crack, and the guard collapsed without a sound.

Ji Cheng struck hard, but mindful of the city’s laws—murder meant life for life—so he aimed for non-lethal spots.

The captain saw Ji Cheng disable two of his men in seconds, and realized this was a formidable opponent. He flung aside his baton, its tip sparking with electricity. “All together!”

He stepped forward, baton raised to strike Ji Cheng, but Ji Cheng was taller and caught his hand mid-air. Before he could react, Ji Cheng lashed out with a whip kick to his waist.

Even holding back, Ji Cheng’s kick hit with over eight hundred pounds of force; the captain felt as if he split in two, his lower half numb.

“His eyes… vertical pupils?” The captain finally noticed, “Is he a gene prototype recipient?”

No sooner had he thought it than pain overwhelmed him, consciousness fading.

His body crashed through several tables, landing twisted and unconscious.

“You!”

With their captain down, the remaining guards realized Ji Cheng’s identity as a gene prototype recipient and dared not move, stunned and furious.

Woo—woo—

Suddenly, sirens blared. Everyone looked toward the entrance, where three black law enforcement vehicles screeched to a halt, bearing the City Defense insignia.

So fast?

City Defense police had arrived. Everyone realized it—some relieved, others anxious.

Ji Cheng calmed himself, walked over, and helped Luo Rao up. “Are you alright, sis?”

Luo Rao shook her head quickly, her angelic face a little embarrassed.

“Are we going to get arrested?”

Ji Cheng smiled wryly. “Well, we’re definitely getting a few days of jail food.”

“That means no empty stomachs!” Luo Rao brightened instantly.

Ji Cheng rubbed his face in shame.

His own doing.

“Oh!”

Suddenly, she bent over, her expression oddly strained.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Cheng grew worried.

He never knew if Luo Rao was insensitive to pain or just enjoyed it—she’d smile through a cut or stepping on a nail.

He rarely saw her make such a face.

Was she badly hurt?

“Hoo.”

Only then did Luo Rao, eyes dreamy, reply, “My Fairy Egg seems to have shattered inside.”

Ji Cheng: ??