The Unhinged O Has Designs On Me - Chapter 1

“Ah!”

A woman’s cry of pain exploded from deep within the alley. The clean-looking girl lingering at the entrance hesitated, touched the back of her neck, then gritted her teeth and rushed inside.

The bottomless alley quickly swallowed her. Its sinister darkness alone was enough to make one shrink back in fear.

“Yue Xing! You lying bastard, you won’t die a good—mmph!”

A long leg sliced through the air. Yue Xing’s kick landed with vicious precision.

The woman clutched her stomach and collapsed to the ground in agony. She curled up, trying to crawl to her feet, only for the pain of her injuries to make her want to retreat instead.

A dozen or so people lay scattered across the ground, men and women alike. Their hateful gazes were like a net, wishing they could cast it over the only person standing in the middle and hunt her down.

Yue Xing habitually suppressed the agitation in her heart, but the frustration of knowing her death was drawing near still raged wildly inside her.

For once, she put away her pleasant expression. “What did I lie about?”

“Stop pretending! If I hadn’t listened to you, how could I have bet all my money!” the woman lying on the ground snapped in fury.

Once someone spoke, the others immediately chimed in, each one filled with righteous indignation.

“My family is still waiting for my money so my daughter can get treatment! You even dared to take life-saving money for them! You’re immoral!”

“I gave you my wife’s dowry!”

One mouthful of “gave” after another. Yue Xing almost believed it herself. She wanted to laugh.

A group of gamblers who couldn’t rein themselves in had pushed out their chips, and after losing, they had come to vent their unreasonable fury on her, a mere insignificant dealer.

Was this the fate of a cannon-fodder character like her?

Unvalued. Easy for anyone to bully.

Even now, after she had inexplicably woken up with a segment of future memories, the contents were still vague and unclear, as if afraid she would use them to seize the protagonist’s opportunities.

Lives had ranks. Yue Xing had always understood that truth.

But when she personally saw that her own death amounted to nothing more than the airy sentence “Yue Xing died because of Shen Jingmian” in those memories, Yue Xing was still furious.

Yue Xing’s gaze swept across the crowd. Her peach-blossom eyes, usually gentle and affectionate, were now icy cold.

She had worked as a dealer for years, but she also occasionally took part-time work as one of the casino’s enforcers. Rumor had it that as long as Yue Xing stepped in, there was no debt she could not collect.

No matter how much or how little the debt was, no one could escape. That was enough to show her methods.

The noisy voices gradually weakened with guilty fear. In the silence, Yue Xing’s voice rang out again.

“I also told you to know when to stop when placing bets.” Her lashes lowered, and Yue Xing smiled innocently. “But none of you listened to me then.”

The people around her were furious, but even with their faces flushed red, none of them dared to speak. A few grew anxious, their eyes flickering as they looked toward one person.

Yue Xing narrowed her eyes. After seeing that person’s face clearly, understanding dawned in her heart.

“You gambled 100,000 star credits the day before yesterday. When you had lost your last chip and wanted to borrow money to keep gambling, I advised you to stop, didn’t I?”

Under Yue Xing’s gaze, the woman nodded shakily.

“Then why did you incite them to come make trouble for me?”

“You wanted to kill me? You were resentful and wanted revenge? You thought my advice stopped you from getting rich?”

She pressed forward with every word. The woman had something she wanted to say, but under Yue Xing’s stare, she swallowed nervously, sweat breaking out all over her forehead.

In the end, it was Yue Xing who gently explained for her instead.

“Because you like me, that’s why you did this. Isn’t that right, Zhou Yuan?”

Her curved peach-blossom eyes lowered slightly, the beauty mark beneath them flashing against her pale face. Even in the dim alley, her beauty could not be ignored.

When a beautiful woman lowered her head and coaxed someone, it was always a kind of pleasure. Amid those words, amid that anxious concern, the chips in one’s hand would unknowingly change owners.

Zhou Yuan’s eyes went hazy. She did not even realize she had nodded.

Yue Xing’s smile deepened, coaxing her to continue.

“So you don’t want me to leave the casino. You want me to stay here forever, stay by your side, right?”

Zhou Yuan stared at her without blinking and hurriedly answered.

“As long as you don’t leave, I’m willing to do anything for you. Although you’re only a beta, I don’t mind. In the future, you won’t have to work at the casino either. I’ll marry you and bring you into my household!”

She spoke sweet words while inciting people to block Yue Xing. Even after being beaten black and blue, she still refused to give up. What a sincere heart.

Yue Xing sighed softly. “How wonderful…”

Her exquisite face enlarged before Zhou Yuan’s eyes. Zhou Yuan’s breathing tightened, infatuation flashing through her gaze. She could not help reaching out, wanting to touch her.

Her wrist had only stretched out halfway when it could go no farther.

An irresistible force pressed down, faintly aching. Zhou Yuan’s face went pale, and she heard Yue Xing’s answer.

“But I don’t want to.”

Yue Xing was still smiling gently, but her eyes were resolute.

She did not want to drift forever between casinos and arenas, day after day, actively or passively breathing in the scent of blood.

She wanted even less to become cannon fodder in that absurd script, only able to watch helplessly as a short sentence—“Yue Xing died because of Shen Jingmian”—sealed her ending.

So—

Yue Xing curved her lips. Amid Zhou Yuan’s dazed mix of obsession and fear, she punched her straight in the bridge of the nose.

“Ah!” Another scream rang out.

Crimson quickly slid down. Zhou Yuan covered her numb, aching nose and let out a shriek.

Her dignity gone, she raised her hand hysterically to grab at Yue Xing, but Yue Xing had already stood up.

With her hands in her pockets and her eyes lowered, the smile at the corner of her mouth actually carried a hint of wickedness.

“Thanks.”

It was precisely because people like Zhou Yuan kept appearing over and over again that Yue Xing became certain, again and again, of one thing—she had to leave this place and head somewhere better.

Any obstacle that stopped her from walking toward the future just had to be cleared away.

Whether it was Zhou Yuan, who incited others to block her, or Shen Jingmian, who was destined to kill her, or anyone else…

Once a person was gone, everything was gone.

The screams beside her continued, but Yue Xing turned a deaf ear and lifted her foot to leave.

“All of you useless trash, get her! Whoever drags Yue Xing back, I’ll reward them with 10,000 star credits!”

A furious roar sounded behind her. Yue Xing turned her head. Zhou Yuan had already been helped up by two people, her venomous gaze fixed straight on Yue Xing.

“Tsk. Troublesome.” Yue Xing clicked her tongue, feeling a rare trace of regret.

She should have hit harder just now.

The Chixing ship coming to pick her up was about to arrive. Yue Xing was unwilling to leave behind the poor impression that she could not even arrive on time.

Yue Xing tapped the ground with the tip of her foot, folded her cuffs neatly up to her forearms, and prepared to settle this quickly.

Just as both sides were on the verge of clashing—

“The police are here!”

A soft voice shouted loudly.

Yue Xing seized the moment when the other side froze. Her body turned, and as she ran, she shoved trash cans behind her along the road, setting up obstacles as she went.

Her steps were swift as she broke free of the deep alley, ignoring the curses behind her and running quickly toward the main road.

Who would have thought that an unexpected figure would charge out right where light and shadow met?

A girl rushed out holding a wooden stick and shouted, “Don’t move!”

She was thin and slender, terribly skinny. The gust of wind from Yue Xing rushing over nearly knocked her down.

“Stop!!”

The crowd behind them chased while cursing, each one desperate.

Yue Xing recognized the voice. Without stopping, she grabbed the girl’s wrist and snapped, “Run!”

Yue Xing moved too quickly. The girl vaguely made out her gentle features and let out a sigh of relief.

The filthy curses behind them did not stop. The girl turned her head and, stumbling, threw the stick behind her.

“Ah—damn it! Which bastard was that!”

Caught off guard, someone slipped and fell. That enraged, miserable roar was soon left behind by the two of them.

The girl never called for them to stop, but her rapid, wheezing breaths kept entering Yue Xing’s ears, as if she might collapse in the next second.

Yue Xing glanced back. After confirming they were safe, she slowed her pace and brought the girl into a slow walk so she could catch her breath.

“Are you all right?” Yue Xing asked.

The girl’s lungs, which had been running under extreme strain, finally got to rest. Her tense body instantly loosened, and she waved a hand.

“I’m… I’m fine…”

Yue Xing nodded and glanced at the sun before saying warmly, “Good. As long as you’re fine. Thank you for earlier.”

The girl took a few deep breaths, then smiled when she heard that. “It was nothing. We’ll be classmates from now on, so it’s only right for me to help you.”

Yue Xing’s gaze tightened.

The name of the classmate she had found out about was exactly the same as the name of the protagonist in the story that had announced her death.

Yue Xing had originally planned to strike up a conversation and test her before boarding the starship later. She had not expected the girl to appear here early, much less that she would happen to help her out of trouble.

“You’re… Du Nian?”

Du Nian nodded, a dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth.

“I came to look for you so we could wait for the starship together, but the granny selling things at the intersection told me you’d been cornered in the alley. I was originally going to go in and look for you right away…”

She touched the back of her neck and said guiltily, “But my heat is about to arrive, and I was afraid I’d only cause trouble for you if I went in. I went too late.”

Heat. An omega. This was indeed the protagonist omega, Du Nian, Yue Xing thought.

She would help a stranger and even feel guilty for arriving late. The story had truly been right. Du Nian had the personality of a kind, warmhearted saint.

Saintly people were full of compassion. Once they scattered a handful of dew, as long as Yue Xing stayed close enough, she could always receive a little more of that generous help.

Du Nian could be a friend, not an enemy.

Yue Xing’s smile became more sincere. “I only know that you helped me.”

“And…” Yue Xing lowered her lashes, as if sighing. “This is the first time anyone has ever come to help me.”

She offered the opening. Her delicate brows and eyes lowered, making her look pitiful. Combined with the fact that they were in the slums, it quickly made one think of the suffering of a poor girl with no power or influence being bullied by others.

Du Nian’s heart warmed. “There’ll be a lot of people helping you in the future!” Seeing that Yue Xing seemed not to believe her, she added, “Really. I’ll help you!”

Yue Xing stared at her without blinking. The fire in Du Nian’s heart burned hotter and hotter. She was kind by nature, and at this moment, that little bit of kindness was fanned into flame by Yue Xing’s sigh.

“We’re the only two going to Chixing. When we’re away from home, of course we have to help each other!”

“All right. I’ll be in your care from now on.”

Yue Xing took the initiative to extend her hand. Her eyes curved, and her smile was full of affection.

Their hands clasped in midair, tight and firm.

Du Nian looked at her smile, and for a moment, her grip lost its strength. After coming back to herself, she stammered out an apology.

“What’s there to apologize for? You saved my life and even said you were willing to help me. I’m very happy,” Yue Xing said with a smile.

She wished Du Nian would grip even tighter. Better yet, she hoped this great tree known as the female lead would keep sheltering her forever, leaving her a large patch of shade for all time.

The two walked together toward the location indicated on the Chixing registration notice, talking and laughing cheerfully.

Yue Xing took the initiative to speak along the way and learned quite a lot about Du Nian.

Unexpectedly, as the protagonist, Du Nian was simple-minded and warmhearted, terribly easy to deceive.

By the time they arrived, the academy’s military starship was circling high above, preparing to land.

Du Nian touched the back of her neck. With her omega gland close to entering heat, it was swollen with an aching soreness. Because of this, she was very envious of Yue Xing.

“It’s so nice. Yue Xing is a beta, so you won’t have heats or ruts.”

Yue Xing agreed. If she were not a beta, expensive suppressants would eat up half a month of her living expenses.

“Didn’t you just say you really liked the scent of your own pheromones? You don’t like it when it gets too strong during heat?”

It was a very typical beta question. Du Nian was just about to explain to her that an omega’s heat was not as simple as a change in scent when Yue Xing pointed at the back of her neck. “Your suppressant patch is wrinkled. Do you want to change it?”

Du Nian hurriedly reached back to touch it. Sure enough, one corner had wrinkled up.

The circling starship was slowly descending. It was clearly too late for Du Nian to reapply the patch, so she handed Yue Xing the spray she carried with her.

“I’ll peel off the suppressant patch. Help me aim at the gland and spray a little extra.”

Yue Xing agreed. The distance between them narrowed, making it more convenient for Du Nian to lift her hair and for Yue Xing to search for the gland beneath the back of her neck.

High above, a pair of gray eyes quietly took in this scene.

The starship descended steadily. Dust and stones around it were lifted into the air, flying everywhere. Before the sound of the air being torn apart had completely faded, the cabin door slowly opened.

Yue Xing narrowed her eyes. A silver-white figure stood there.

The surrounding air waves had not completely disappeared. From a height of a hundred meters, Yue Xing watched with lowered lashes.

But that person was extremely sharp toward gazes. In just one second, she followed Yue Xing’s line of sight and looked over, catching Yue Xing’s spying on the spot.

Silver hair flew in the wind. Yue Xing’s heart gave a jolt.

This was the first time she had ever been discovered so quickly while secretly observing someone.

As the white vapor gradually dispersed, the silver-white figure grew clearer and clearer in Yue Xing’s eyes. At the same time, the spray of the starship engine somehow stirred her heart into unease.

Once the starship came to a stop, the gangway slowly descended from the side of the vessel, landing with flawless precision right in front of Yue Xing’s feet.

The moment the gangway locked firmly against the ground, the woman moved.

Yue Xing had excellent eyesight. Every movement the woman made as she walked was incomparably clear.

There was no doubt that she was extremely beautiful, with silver hair and gray eyes, her white uniform outlining a straight, upright figure. But the woman’s expression was too cold, so cold it made one’s heart tremble.

She approached step by step. Yue Xing’s blood churned, every part of her body tense. Her sixth sense was frantically warning her.

Danger. Danger. Danger!

“Don’t be nervous.” Du Nian reached out and held Yue Xing’s wrist, comforting her in a small voice.

Yue Xing turned her head. Meeting the reassurance on Du Nian’s face, she curved her lips in a brief smile to show that she was fine.

Du Nian was still worried and continued holding her hand. Their two loosely linked hands swayed intimately in the air.

Yue Xing did not want to reject her good intentions. She turned back, and her pupils shook.

The woman had already walked right up to them without Yue Xing noticing. Her gray eyes were cold and clear as her gaze swept indifferently over the two of them, as if confirming their identities.

Just by drawing close, the powerful aura around her pressed down until one could barely breathe. Yue Xing lightly bit the tip of her tongue.

“Yue Xing.” She first called out to Yue Xing.

Yue Xing met her eyes and forcefully pressed down her disobedient heartbeat. She nodded slightly and said, “Yes, I’m Yue Xing.”

She was not certain of the woman’s identity, so she swallowed back any form of address for now.

The woman’s gaze moved away from her, and Yue Xing’s wildly pounding heart finally gained a sliver of breathing room.

Too dangerous. Yue Xing lowered her eyes, secretly becoming wary of the woman.

For the first time, she sensed such a powerful sense of oppression from one person.

That oppression made Yue Xing certain that if the one who had blocked her just now had been this woman, she would not have been able to escape.

Chixing was indeed formidable. She only did not know whether this person was a student or a teacher. Yue Xing hesitated over whether she should subtly ask her for information about Shen Jingmian later.

Shen Jingmian had not appeared much in her memories, but she was not an unknown figure. Traces and foreshadowing had been scattered throughout; several of Du Nian’s early dangers were connected to her.

Did this person know Shen Jingmian?

Her distraction was caught by those gray eyes, and the woman’s gaze grew even colder.

“Chixing Command Department, Third Year Class A. Shen Jingmian.”

A roar exploded beside Yue Xing’s ears. Her mind went blank, and her grip tightened with sudden loss of strength. She could no longer hear Du Nian’s soft hiss of pain.

A chilly gaze looked over. Yue Xing bit the tip of her tongue and forced herself to relax.

The corner of Shen Jingmian’s eye tilted slightly. With that careless glance, Yue Xing did not know whether she had noticed something off about her.

Yue Xing’s heartbeat was completely thrown into chaos, but she could not panic.

“Chixing welcomes you.”

Cold. Shen Jingmian’s attitude was very cold. Yue Xing felt as though she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She had never imagined that she and Shen Jingmian would collide here.

No wonder she had felt so uneasy from the moment she saw this person, Yue Xing thought.

This was Shen Jingmian.

The Shen Jingmian who would kill her.

“Are the two of you planning to board the starship hand in hand?”

Shen Jingmian stood on the gangway before Yue Xing and reminded them coldly.

Startled by her words, Yue Xing instinctively gripped even tighter.

As if she were deliberately provoking Shen Jingmian.