After Transmigrating as a Scumbag Alpha, My Omega Underwent a Second Differentiation - Chapter 20.1

The standby room was silent.

The sound of the phone vibrating was infinitely amplified, striking the tabletop at a rapid frequency, making it somewhat irritating to hear.

It continued until the long dialing time finally ended. Still, no one picked up. The person on the other end seemed to have finally given up, and the light on the screen dimmed again.

The smell of wood that had grown damp and rotten over a long time immediately entered her nose.

Like an invisible lock, it fixed Sheng Yinglan in place, leaving her unable to move.

She forced herself not to look, not to think, not to feel. She struggled to grasp this brief moment of clarity and search for a way to save herself.

Someone had deliberately lured her here.

When she left, there had been no one in the standby room. Xiao Yuanxi’s next scene would not finish for another hour or so.

She did not have her phone on her.

So in a short period of time, no one would discover that she was missing.

Sheng Yinglan’s breathing had already become extremely rapid. She opened her mouth and panted again and again, but the air flowing into her lungs seemed to grow thinner and thinner.

Bean-sized drops of sweat slid down from her forehead and fell into the invisible darkness.

In an instant, the pitch-black room where she could see nothing seemed to keep shrinking, then shrinking again. The walls around her began to grow shorter and thinner, until they once again became that narrow wardrobe, emitting a nauseating smell.

For a moment, Sheng Yinglan seemed to be pulled out of herself.

As a bystander, she watched herself in armor change along with the room.

The silver armor peeled from her body piece by piece. The fiery red cloak gradually shrank, turning into a roll of red carpet, then into a red towel, and finally into a red dot of light that disappeared into the darkness.

She watched her own slender fingers slowly shorten.

The edges of her round, neat fingernails began to turn black. It was not the kind of black from getting something dirty on them, but the kind that had seeped into the bones after long-term malnutrition and exposure to wind and sun.

No…

No…

Sheng Yinglan squeezed out the last trace of clarity from her mind. Suddenly, she grabbed the slightly sharp beast-face ornament on the shoulder of her armor and clenched it tightly in her palm.

In an instant, the smell of blood swept away the damp, sticky humidity in the room.

The space that had been shrinking nonstop stopped abruptly.

She had only just arrived in this world. She was unfamiliar with everything here. She had no friends and no family. At present, the two people she was most familiar with were Yun Rong and Xiao Yuanxi.

Yun Rong was far outside the film base. It was impossible for her to discover so quickly that something had happened to Sheng Yinglan, and even more impossible for her to rush over in time to save her.

Although Xiao Yuanxi was nearby, Sheng Yinglan had not brought her phone with her. It would be very difficult for Xiao Yuanxi to judge that something had happened to her.

Sitting and waiting for death was equivalent to dying.

The brief clarity brought by the blood made Sheng Yinglan deeply aware of her situation.

She gritted her teeth and clenched the sharp beast-face ornament even harder into her palm. The sharp edges cut through the most tender skin of her hand, and the tremor caused by pain finally restored a little sensation to her already stiffening body.

Remembering that after she had just been pushed into the room and fallen to the floor, she had never gotten up again, Sheng Yinglan struggled to distinguish the direction of the door.

The armor on her body was very heavy. In this invisible space, it seemed to become even heavier.

Sweat slid down her forehead and flowed into her eyes, bringing a faint stinging sensation. But Sheng Yinglan did not dare blink. She was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she would never be able to open them again.

This room was completely and utterly a dark room.

Even though Sheng Yinglan’s eyes had been open the entire time, even though she had already been inside for a while, she still could not see anything.

Even in the direction of the door, she could not catch the slightest bit of light seeping through the crack.

The hand gripping the beast-face ornament did not dare relax in the slightest.

Whenever Sheng Yinglan felt her thoughts beginning to drift, she clenched it a little harder.

She struggled to turn her stiff body. The fingers of her other hand curled almost into spasms, and her finger bones made cracking sounds that were especially clear in the silent darkness.

Such a simple movement took Sheng Yinglan as much effort as if she had just finished a three-thousand-meter run.

The close-fitting clothes beneath her armor were already completely soaked. Her delicate neck was covered in sweat.

Especially now that Sheng Yinglan’s breathing had completely lost its rhythm. She could only open her mouth and try her best to draw in air.

But in truth, she knew very clearly that there was no lack of oxygen in the room.

This was a breathing disorder caused by her own psychological reaction. As time passed, the symptoms would gradually worsen, and she would slowly become unable to breathe.

But right now, Sheng Yinglan did not dare stop moving at all.

She had already noticed that the pain brought by the beast-face ornament in her palm was becoming lighter and lighter. The amount of time she could rely on pain to keep herself conscious was growing shorter and shorter.

By now, she could barely maintain a kneeling position. Her upper body was basically crawling against the ground.

Following the direction she had judged earlier, she moved forward bit by bit with her stiff joints.

When she had been pushed in, she had not moved.

As long as she got close to the door and created some noise, perhaps she could be saved.

This was the self-rescue method Sheng Yinglan had come up with during her limited time of clarity.

The sharp beast-face ornament was lost during the process of crawling. That great mouth seemed about to swallow her whole.

Sheng Yinglan’s wide-open eyes were already beginning to blur.

Water.

Lips.

Using all the strength in her body, she moved forward. The armor on her body rubbed against the floor, producing a sharp, unbearable sound.

Sheng—

But in the next second, all sound seemed to be cut off. She could not hear anything anymore.

The smell of blood in the air gradually faded, tightly covered by the dampness that returned in full force.

The scent of rot and mold seemed to be hidden inside every tiny molecule in the air. As Sheng Yinglan breathed, it entered her mouth, her nose, and her body.

That moldy smell imprinted into her soul was so familiar, and so nauseating.

Her nasal cavity gradually became numb from the inside out, giving her the illusion that she had been wrapped in something.

Sheng Yinglan breathed rapidly, as if trying to escape that smell.

But she was already exhausted in both body and mind.

She wanted so badly to just close her eyes like this.

In a daze, she seemed to see Teacher Yun holding her hand and telling her not to be afraid.

She was someone who had already died once.

Death had been so painful, but it had given her the chance to see Teacher Yun again.

But if she died this time, would she still be able to see Teacher Yun again?

They had only just met a few days ago.

She still had so many things she had not had time to say to her.

There were still so many things she wanted to do with her.

It was not time yet.

It was not time yet.

Thinking this, Sheng Yinglan bit down hard on her own lip. The tip of her tongue licked the blood on her lips, and that metallic sweetness brought her a few seconds of brief clarity.

She straightened her arm and moved one large step forward. Her fingernails dug hard into the ground, dragging her body forward.

Step by step.

Finally, her fingers touched something cold.

Sheng Yinglan traced the shape of the object with her hand. Only after a long time did she confirm that it was an anti-theft door.

The direction was correct.

Victory was right in front of her.

Sheng Yinglan did not know where the strength came from, but she dragged her entire body to the door. Without even having time to catch her breath, she began desperately pounding on the door with her armor-clad arm.

Ever since Sheng Yinglan agreed to become her contract girlfriend that day, Yun Rong had always wanted to find a formal opportunity to talk to her.

But after the two of them finished eating that day, Yun Rong had been very busy.

Perhaps because Yun Keyi now had the shares in her hands and was no longer so wary of Yun Rong, she began handing some of the Yun Group’s unimportant miscellaneous matters to Yun Rong to handle.

Although these matters were not complicated, they were fragmented and wasted a great deal of time. So the matter of Yun Rong wanting to meet Sheng Yinglan and talk with her had been put aside.

As a result, aside from asking about Sheng Yinglan’s filming schedule these past two days, the two had basically had no other communication.

Coincidentally, on the first day of Sheng Yinglan’s shoot, Shang Luo finally returned from abroad.

The moment Shang Luo came back, she did not even return home. She directly found her way to Yun Rong’s office, shouting that she wanted to go see the patient.

After all, ever since she received the information Yun Rong had sent about Sheng Yinglan’s condition, she had not been able to sit still.

Glandular disability disorder was already a rare condition, and Sheng Yinglan’s body was even stranger, being immune to Yun Rong’s pheromones.

This was simply an extremely rare research subject. Otherwise, she would not have returned from abroad so quickly.

Yun Rong had just finished a business meeting with several partners, one full of hidden blades behind smiles and mutual scheming. She had not even rested for a few minutes when Shang Luo stormed in, making so much noise that her head hurt.

“She’s filming today. She might not have time. Why don’t you go back first? After she finishes filming in a couple of days, I’ll take you to see her.”

In front of Shang Luo, Yun Rong seemed very relaxed. She leaned her whole body against her office chair, her legs crossed, and responded absentmindedly, as if zoning out.

But her gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally across the phone on the desk that had been silent for a long time.

Today, she had finally found some free time.

Thinking that it was Sheng Yinglan’s first day filming, she had sent a message asking how the shoot was going and whether there was anything she was not used to.

But Sheng Yinglan, whether because she was busy or simply had not seen it, had not replied at all until now.

How could Shang Luo give up so easily?

On one hand, she looked at the decor inside Yun Rong’s office with a disgusted expression. On the other hand, she spoke confidently.

“No matter how busy she is, she still has to eat, right? We can eat together. It won’t count as a formal consultation. For your situation, understanding the daily interaction between the two of you is also very necessary.”

After saying this, she saw Yun Rong staring at her phone as though her soul had wandered off and grinned wickedly.

“Besides, aren’t I conveniently creating an opportunity for you to ask her out? What can you possibly see by staring at your phone here alone?”

Without waiting for Yun Rong to react, she picked up her own coat and looked at Yun Rong sideways.

“Hurry up. I haven’t eaten dinner since getting off the plane. Let’s eat together. It’s decided. Hurry, hurry.”

Yun Rong was not someone who was overly sentimental.

These past few days, she had also really wanted to see Sheng Yinglan. Although the reaction similar to a temporary mark had already weakened a lot, Yun Rong would still inevitably think of what had happened that night, of the expression Sheng Yinglan had worn while in her arms.

Now, after being urged by Shang Luo, since she already had a proper reason, there was nothing to hesitate over. She grabbed her coat and left with Shang Luo, preparing to go to the film base to pick up Sheng Yinglan.

First, she sent Sheng Yinglan a message, saying that she was bringing a friend to pick her up for dinner and that they could also conveniently talk about her condition.

But Sheng Yinglan still did not reply.

In the end, Yun Rong had no choice but to call her.

Although she knew Sheng Yinglan’s schedule for the past two days, she was worried Sheng Yinglan might suddenly have something else to do. However, the other woman’s phone went unanswered the entire time.

For no reason, Yun Rong felt a trace of irritation in her heart. Immediately, she instructed the driver to go faster.

Before long, Yun Rong arrived at the film base with Shang Luo.

Although she knew Sheng Yinglan was filming here, she did not know exactly where her rest room was.

Moreover, the message she had sent and the call she had made had both sunk into the sea without any response.

When Xiao Yuanxi returned to the standby room after filming her last scene, the sky had already gone completely dark.

The moment she entered and did not see Sheng Yinglan, she thought Sheng Yinglan had finished early and gone home first, so she did not pay much attention.

It was only when the phone on the table rang that she saw Sheng Yinglan’s bag and phone were still in the standby room, but the person was gone.

Thinking that Sheng Yinglan might be waiting to go back with her and had just gone to the restroom, she did not answer the call. She planned to tell Sheng Yinglan to remember to call back once she returned.

But the ringtone seemed to be carrying some urgent matter.

Not long after it stopped, it rang again.

Xiao Yuanxi hesitated for a moment, picked up the phone, and saw Yun Rong’s name. After thinking it over, she still answered first.

“Sheng Yinglan?”

After the call connected, Yun Rong asked uncertainly.

“Ah… Sorry, I’m her colleague. She might have gone to the restroom. If you have something urgent, you can tell me first, and I can pass it on. Or you can call back a little later.”

Xiao Yuanxi hurriedly explained, only saying that she was Sheng Yinglan’s colleague.

“Impossible. I called her not long ago, and her phone has gone unanswered the entire time. She definitely didn’t just go to the restroom.”

Yun Rong’s expression had already turned very bad.

She finally realized that something might have happened.

First, she quickly analyzed the situation. Then, without waiting for the person on the other end to speak, she hurriedly asked,

“Where is your rest room? I’ll come over right now. Also, call everyone who worked with her today to the scene.”

The force of Yun Rong’s presence was very strong. Even through the phone, Xiao Yuanxi’s heart shook.

She naturally gave the address. She still wanted to ask whether something had happened to Sheng Yinglan, but the other party had already hung up.

Yun Rong’s temples throbbed faintly. The fingers holding the phone had turned pale, almost bluish.

There was an indescribable feeling in her heart. It was like fear that Sheng Yinglan had encountered something unexpected, and also like blame toward herself for not protecting her properly.

But now, she knew she had to remain one hundred percent calm.

Only that way could she find Sheng Yinglan as quickly as possible.

It had already been a long time since she sent Sheng Yinglan the first greeting message.

If Sheng Yinglan had been kidnapped, then with their publicly announced relationship and her own identity, it would be impossible for her not to have received a ransom call or message from the kidnappers by now.

So kidnapping could be ruled out.

The person who had answered the call just now had not noticed that something had happened to Sheng Yinglan. Moreover, in such a crowded place, taking away a living person would not be easy.

The most likely situation was that the other party might be a crew member, which lowered Sheng Yinglan’s guard. And Sheng Yinglan was very likely still somewhere inside the building.

Thinking of this, Yun Rong could not care about anything else. She directly used Shang Luo’s phone to dial a number.

“Song Qi, I’m at the film base. Sheng Yinglan is missing now, and something very likely happened. My people won’t get here fast enough. I need a lot of people. Quickly.”

Yun Rong spoke very fast, almost without any unnecessary words, stating her request in one breath.

The other end of the phone was silent for a moment before saying,

“I understand. As quickly as possible.”

After hanging up, Yun Rong returned the phone to Shang Luo.

“Go find property management and get the surveillance footage. Song Qi’s people will arrive soon. Don’t allow anyone near the monitoring room. Wait for my message.”

Shang Luo had not expected that what was originally just picking someone up for dinner would suddenly go wrong like this.

But right now, she also knew saving the person was most important. She nodded, took the phone, and rushed toward the monitoring room.

Yun Rong did not dare delay at all. She lifted her feet and jogged all the way toward the address Xiao Yuanxi had just given her.

Inside the standby room, although Xiao Yuanxi had heard what Yun Rong said, it was broad daylight and she still could not believe that a living person could get into trouble here.

So she hurriedly found staff members to ask whether anyone had seen Sheng Yinglan.

They had just finished work, and some staff members were anxious to leave, so for a while, the scene was somewhat chaotic.

After Xiao Yuanxi asked for a long time and no one said they had seen Sheng Yinglan, she began to panic.

She hurriedly asked Director Wang to find a few people, planning to split up and search. However, the area here was rather large, and there was no specific direction. Searching randomly like this was like headless flies.

Some staff members even felt this was making a fuss over nothing. Sheng Yinglan was an adult. How could something possibly happen to her in a place with so many people?

In short, for a while, they could not come up with any conclusion.

“Shut up. All of you, shut up.”

Yun Rong arrived at exactly this time.

Seeing the scene in chaos, she directly shouted twice.

A cold, sharp aura gathered around her, directly lowering the temperature in the room slightly. Her face carried a fierce expression, making the noisy room quiet down.

“Who is the director? Who was the last person to see Sheng Yinglan?”

Yun Rong had no time to waste on nonsense and got straight to the point the moment she entered.

Among the staff present, some had worked with Sheng Yinglan today. It was easy for them to think of the trending searches that had dominated the rankings a few days ago, but none of them had expected Yun Rong to appear here.

Some people were stunned by Yun Rong’s imposing presence. Others looked at her with slightly gossipy gazes.

For a moment, no one dared step forward to answer.

Director Wang was not someone who liked gossip. He did not know about Sheng Yinglan and Yun Rong being together, but he did know Yun Rong’s identity. At this moment, he was even more confused.

Yun Rong’s patience had already run out.

Just as she was about to ask again, she saw a young girl walk in through the doorway. The girl seemed to notice the strange atmosphere in the room and asked uncertainly,

“Um… Is Teacher Sheng here? The armor needs to be changed out of.”

The moment she said this, everyone in the room turned their eyes toward her.

Director Wang finally realized something had happened.

After all, Sheng Yinglan’s scenes had been finished in the late afternoon. Even if she wanted to go somewhere, she would not move around wearing such heavy armor.

The young girl could not withstand the pressure of so many gazes. She unconsciously took a step back.

Then she heard the sound of many footsteps behind her.

The moment she turned her head, she saw a group of well-trained people in black. Every one of them was lean and upright, like bodyguards, surrounding the area.

The middle-aged man at the front had a long scar on the left side of his face, stretching from the bridge of his nose all the way down to his jawbone, making him look extremely fierce.

Especially his eyes—they carried genuine killing intent, making everyone present shiver.

He walked straight to Yun Rong’s side.

“President Rong, everyone has been brought here. The base entrance and property management area have already been temporarily controlled. What are your instructions?”

“Until I find my person, not a single person in this room is allowed to leave.”

“Yes.”

Yun Rong gave the order without much expression, then immediately turned her gaze toward the costume staff member who had just entered.

At this point, even if Director Wang were stupid, he could tell that Sheng Yinglan and Yun Rong’s relationship was not simple.

After all, he was the director, and the person had disappeared here. He had to take responsibility and speak to Yun Rong.

“President Rong, I’m very sorry. Sheng Yinglan suddenly disappeared from the crew, and we are definitely responsible. Why don’t we report this to the police as soon as possible? That way, we can find her sooner.”

Director Wang knew the Yun family’s power was great, but this matter involved personal safety. Besides, he did not want to see anything happen to Sheng Yinglan, so he wanted to call the police as quickly as possible to resolve it.

At that moment, Xiao Yuanxi, who had been looking at those bodyguards, seemed to realize something.

Before Yun Rong could speak, she first pulled Director Wang back.

“Director, Sheng Yinglan has already been missing for a while. Every second counts now. Before the police arrive, President Rong might be able to find some clues first. We should cooperate for now. Besides, it’s not good for so many staff members to be blocked here like this.”

Yun Rong had no mental space to care what the two of them were saying.

She walked straight toward the young costume staff member.

“You just said Sheng Yinglan hasn’t changed out of her costume yet. Do you have a photo? What exactly does it look like?”

The costume staff member, like everyone else present, had been frightened by this sudden formation.

Facing Yun Rong, she did not even dare raise her head to look at her. Fortunately, Yun Rong did not make things difficult for her and only asked a question.

Trembling, she took out her phone and scrolled to a few makeup photos she had taken of Sheng Yinglan that morning because she thought she looked good.

“Yes… Look, it’s this set of armor. It’s very heavy. Teacher Sheng shouldn’t be able to walk very far wearing it.”

In the photo, Sheng Yinglan wore silver armor and a red cloak, looking heroic and valiant. Her hair was tied high, revealing her beautiful, slender neck.

There was no rouge on her face. Only some adjustments had been made to her originally long, delicate brows, making her whole face look even more heroic.

Even when she turned her side profile toward the camera, she carried a bit of decisive, battle-hardened ruthlessness.