BXBX NOVEL Chapter 298: ...Was this door open the whole time?"
Observing her squatting above him, Wang Xiao, a mix of irritation and impatience evident in his controlled tone, voiced his thoughts. "You need to make it hard... It doesn\'t just spring to life on its own."
"Ugh... Then how???" Amelia gritted her teeth, her anger boiling within her.
Wang Xiao casually shrugged his shoulders, his indifference making her even more furious. "You\'re a woman, not me.... Your time is already ticking, Amelia—?"
In an instant, the words ceased, swallowed by the abrupt action as she spun around, her back turned to him, positioning her mouth dangerously close to his nether region.
"..."
A rush of warmth enveloped him, leaving Wang Xiao dumbfounded as he slapped his forehead in frustration. \'Fuck this....\'
Meanwhile, a few minutes later, someone who stood at the helm of reality or illusion stood stupefied, her eyes rubbing in disbelief as she sought confirmation that the world she perceived hadn\'t been irrevocably altered.
In the ghostly silence, Diana stood petrified by the yawning doorway, her face twisted in raw terror at the nightmare that froze before her.
Across from her, an unsuspecting man, his innocence screaming against the vile encroachment he suffered.
"Ahhhnnn..."
"Mmghhhhh~~"
From the shadows slithered a creature, nails like the claws of night, hair wild as the stormy sea, its form cradling atop the helpless victim.
Its mouth stretched wide, releasing distorted moans of twisted pleasure, while its claws, sharp as daggers, danced threateningly over his trembling flesh.
Hiss!!
A shiver of ice sprinted down Diana\'s spine as she— on the brink of flight, her breath a prisoner in her throat, desperate to meld with the shadows.
"..."
Meanwhile, Wang Xiao had long ago taken notice of her presence, his gaze piercing through the darkness, aware of the lingering figure haunting the periphery.
Only Amelia, consumed by the sinister possession, remained oblivious to Diana\'s presence.
As Wang Xiao studied Amelia\'s lost expression, a knowing smirk danced across his lips, forewarning her— inevitable regret that would surely come crashing down upon her, once it\'s over!
______
Half an hour had slipped by, shrouded in an oppressive silence.
"..."
"..."
Standing before the mirror in the washroom, Wang Xiao took deep, deliberate breaths, each one a battle to quell the storm inside him before—
Bang!
His forehead slammed into the mirror, fracturing the glass and splintering his reflection into a web of jagged lines, while crimson blood trickled down his brow.
"Are you alright...?" A voice, soaked in worry, drifted through the closed door.
"Yeah, just a mosquito," Wang Xiao replied, his tone masking the turmoil beneath as the shards of glass hovered in the air, rearranging themselves with an eerie precision.
He turned on the tap, letting the cold water rush over his face and hair, washing away the blood as the wound slowly sealed itself, leaving no trace on his now unblemished reflection.
[Xiao, you did great!]
"..."
\'Really?\' A hollow laugh echoed silently within him.
How could any of this be considered \'great\'?
[Uh... Yeah...]
[You didn\'t tear her to pieces, no blood was spilled, and both of you—came out alive!]
Wang Xiao\'s face darkened, his expression a mask of conflicted emotions.
Was this supposed to be a victory?
The urge to shatter his reflection again surged through him, a desperate need to escape the twisted praise echoing in his head.
He swore he\'d never fucking try to act nice again!—Never to don the mask of niceties again, to never weave sweet nothings into the fabric of his reality.
If the beast in his heart had its way, that wily vixen would be but a breath away from a strangled fate!
If the shadows in his heart had voices— they would be howling for her downfall.
His clenched fists itched to wring the life from that blonde vixen who whispered such deceit.
What Wang Xiao now faced was the age-old dance of change—resistant, reluctant.
Draped in pleasantries, a tactic sown by that \'woman\', was meant to harvest favor and compliance.
Yet to his eyes, it backfired—a silent rebellion against the veiled manipulations. A riddle wrapped in courtesy, it proved to be no more than a gesture as ineffective as it was insincere.
_____
"Let\'s go."
Outside, Wang Xiao spoke anew, his lips curving into a subtle smile as he clasped the hand of Amelia, whose raven locks cascaded like a dark waterfall.
He was ready to lead them forward.
Amelia hesitated, her stance faltering slightly. "From the front gate...?" Uncertainty shimmered in her sapphire eyes, reflecting her thoughts like light dancing on deep waters.
Wang Xiao\'s brows lifted in surprise. "What\'s the issue?" Noticing her hesitation, he couldn\'t help but probe further.
Silence fell over Amelia, now dressed in a striking blue and white dress that accentuated her pale complexion.
She cast a wary glance through the window, where a solitary raven perched ominously.
Following the trail of her gaze, Wang Xiao\'s expression deepened into a frown.
"Are you worried about... Eleanor?" he queried, his tone laced with a mix of curiosity and concern.
Amelia nodded, her hesitation palpable as she looked toward the open door of her office.
Wang Xiao\'s frown turned stern. "Let her come if she seeks her doom early. I have no time for her today."
"You—how can you say that?!" Amelia\'s grip tightened around his hand, her panic evident. She was certain Eleanor was listening, yet Wang Xiao responded with a calm, knowing smile.
He understood, after the last troubling incident, that Eleanor too was ensnared by the curse of guilt—thus, he harbored no fear of her.
"But... huh?" Amelia\'s voice trailed off as a sudden chill seemed to pass over her. She froze, her eyes narrowing. "...Was this door open the whole time?" she asked sharply, a realization dawning on her with icy clarity.
"Haha..." Wang Xiao couldn\'t help but let a smirk curl his lips, his laughter ringing out, causing Amelia\'s eyes to cloud with realisation.
"Xiao! Answer it!"
"Haha..."
His laughter continued, a mocking echo in the looming shadow of unanswered questions — yet all of them were answered as the echoes of her horror had spread among her staff, now staring at her with warry glances as she strode toward her laboratory.
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment; Amelia longed to dig a hole and bury them together—for he had not warned her the door stood open!
Yet each time she shot him a glare, it only fueled the whispers further, confirming suspicions and drawing sharp gasps of surprise from those around.
As for Wang Xiao—his presence had faded from memory, his identity erased like footprints by the tide.
Now to the villagers, he was but a stranger\'s face, newly glimpsed and easily forgotten.