Married the Second Generation Fox Demon with a Baby in a Flash Marriage - Chapter 12

Hu Mengmeng was running for her life. Her speed had surged—one leap could clear five or six meters—and the wind roared in her ears.

As her panic rose, her ears and tail tried to pop out again. She fought desperately to suppress them; if those huge tails emerged now, she’d be in serious trouble. She headed toward the back mountain of the university. Cars couldn’t traverse that terrain, which would prevent the pursuers from catching her easily if they had vehicles. The woods also provided better cover.

While running, she wondered how she had been discovered. She looked perfectly normal—no ears, no tail!

Certain things were buried in her memories, but since she wasn’t familiar with them, she didn’t realize until she probed: the way she had retracted her ears and tail earlier was merely the demon race’s Transformation Method. Even after taking human form, a demon still possesses a distinct aura. Without concealing that scent, she was like a lighthouse in the dark; a demon hunter would spot her instantly, regardless of her appearance.

If she could temporarily recall her fox spirit bloodline and suppress it, she would appear as a normal human to them.

Hu Mengmeng deeply regretted not paying attention to that white silk cloth now. That information hadn’t been part of her fox heritage; it was likely something her fox mother had researched or obtained elsewhere specifically for a hybrid.

In her current memory, half-human, half-demon hybrids were exceedingly rare. Humans and demons were reproductively isolated; breaking that barrier was a feat of immense luck. Even if an embryo formed, the survival rate was abysmal—99% resulted in stillbirths. The fact that she had grown up to eighteen was a minor miracle.

Hu Mengmeng stopped the chain of memories there. She needed to focus on hiding her scent and finding a safe place to figure out how to suppress her bloodline.

As she was leaping through the brush, a voice drifted into her ear.

“Come toward the northeast. There is a hollow tree here. I am of your kind.”

It was a gentle female voice, one that sounded incredibly familiar.

Hu Mengmeng looked northeast and saw a fox with a patchwork of white and brown fur standing on a branch. In the darkness, the fox’s eyes glowed with a faint blue light. With hunters behind her, Hu Mengmeng felt a sense of kinship. She leaped toward the fox, which led her through the trees and into a hidden cave.

Hu Mengmeng gasped for air. “Is it really safe here?”

“It’s safe. Why aren’t you concealing your aura? It’s far too dangerous to wander out like that!” the fox spoke in human tongue. Then, its body shifted and transformed into a naked woman.

Isn’t this Counselor Shen?!

Hu Mengmeng was shocked.

Shen Yuexi naturally picked up some clothes left in the cave and dressed, then turned to look at her. “This place masks our scent; the hunters won’t find us. You look quite young—has no one taught you? Coming into the human world without masking your scent is a death wish!”

“Um, I… my mother was caught by hunters. I don’t know much about masking my scent…” Hu Mengmeng stammered.

The fact that Shen Yuexi didn’t recognize her meant her “Hu Mengmeng” identity was still a safe cover. She instinctively hid her half-human nature. Demons hated humans, and humans hated demons; being a hybrid was an awkward position to be in. Since Shen Yuexi could teach at Fengcheng University, she had to be powerful. If she turned out to be an enemy, it would be disastrous. The fox trait of “cunning” acted as her survival instinct.

“What is your name?” Shen Yuexi asked.

“I am… Little Fox,” Hu Mengmeng said after a pause. It was the name the girl from her memories had called her.

“A simple name. My surname is Shen; you may call me Sister Shen.”

“Sister Shen. Thank you,” Hu Mengmeng replied.

“Those of the same clan should help each other,” Shen Yuexi smiled. “Be careful from now on. Falling into the hands of a hunter or a natural enemy is a fate worse than death. Rest here. I’ll go check outside and bring you some food. When I return, I’ll teach you how to mask your scent.”

Shen Yuexi left the hollow. Hu Mengmeng immediately began digging through her mind for the scent-masking technique. She soon sensed her own aura and learned to pull it tight against her skin. As long as a hunter didn’t touch her at close range, they wouldn’t sense her.

With that safeguard in place, she exhaled in relief. She thought about testing the bloodline suppression, but decided not to stay. If she succeeded in becoming fully “human” in scent, Shen Yuexi might get suspicious.

Hu Mengmeng scratched a message onto the cave wall saying she had left and not to look for her. She tried to exit, but found a thick barrier covering the opening. Is Counselor Shen protecting me?

With a flick of her fingers, her claws lengthened. Using raw demonic strength, she shredded a gap in the barrier and squeezed out.

Once free, she moved with silent leaps. She eventually spotted the people who had been chasing her—they were still on the mountain but had stopped running.

“This demon seems to be a newcomer. I’ve never sensed her before, and now she’s vanished!” a woman whispered. It was Gu Yiying, the one who had helped Ye Xinyu.

The hunters were stunned; Hu Mengmeng’s speed had been incredible. Having lost her scent, they gave up the chase for the moment.

“Xinyu is missing, and it definitely has to do with that demon. Given that strength, and the fact that Xinyu was already injured and dropped her sword… I fear the worst!” another, older voice said. This was Huo Zhilan (Aunt Lan), the head housekeeper of the Ye family.

Hours earlier, Ye Xinyu had called her to save the student. Aunt Lan had sent the blood-loss-fainted Xu Lianlian to the hospital and cleared the scene. But she could no longer reach Ye Xinyu. All she had found was the Evil-Slayer Sword. Terrified, she had called in reinforcements, including Gu Yiying.

“The helicopter will be here soon,” Gu Yiying said, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t believe any demon can hide from thermal imaging. Don’t worry, Xinyu won’t fall that easily.”

Hu Mengmeng, hiding nearby, overheard the words “helicopter” and “thermal imaging.” It sounded high-tech and dangerous. She decided to head straight back to the dorm. The school was packed with people; thermal imaging wouldn’t be able to pick her out of a crowd.

Hu Mengmeng slipped back into her dorm. Her third-floor balcony was open; two leaps and she was inside—just like the legendary Qinggong (lightfoot) skills. She looked down at the height, still unable to believe she had jumped that high.

Inside, her roommates were fast asleep. She rinsed her sweat-soaked clothes in a basin on the balcony, too tired to actually wash them, and scrambled into bed, pulling down her mosquito net.

She checked her phone. There were missed calls from Tao Tao. It was very late, and she didn’t know if her friend was asleep. She sent a text saying she was safe and asking how Tao Tao was.

There was no reply. Hu Mengmeng put the phone aside and focused on sensing her bloodlines. She didn’t need a mirror to know she looked different now—otherwise, Shen Yuexi would have recognized her. To avoid drawing attention, she had to be low-key.

While Hu Mengmeng was focusing, Shen Yuexi returned to the hollow tree. Seeing her “catch” gone, her kind face twisted with malice.

“A fellow fox encountered so rarely… I intended to keep you for the mating season, and you actually ran!” Shen Yuexi smashed her fist into the cave wall. Hearing the drone of the helicopter outside, she quickly leaped out and headed toward the faculty dorms.