I'm a little panicked when I cross the collapse

Night fell like a giant curtain, enveloping the entire city. Neon lights reflected a hazy glow in the damp air, and the streets, bustling with traffic and noise, somehow felt both noisy and empty.

This is one of the stops on Eden's global tour.

A breathtaking performance had just concluded in the stadium, the cheers still lingering in the air, blending with the city's nightscape. Meanwhile, in the grand ballroom on the top floor of the city's most luxurious hotel, a welcome reception for Eden was underway.

The crystal chandelier shone brightly, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime. Elegantly dressed guests mingled, glasses clinked, and celebrities from all walks of life gathered here, all eager to catch a glimpse of this world-renowned superstar—Eden.

She wore a champagne-colored evening gown that accentuated her tall and perfect figure. Her long, brown hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, shimmering softly under the lights. Her delicate features and gentle smile made her look like a goddess who had stepped out of a painting.

“Miss Eden, I’ve heard so much about you.” A slightly flippant voice rang in her ear.

Eden turned her head slightly and saw a young man wearing a well-tailored, expensive suit. His hair was meticulously styled, and he wore what he thought was a charming smile, but his eyes were unabashedly roaming over her.

"Hello, I'm Orvis." The man bowed slightly and introduced himself, "One of the representatives of the organizers of this tour."

Eden smiled politely. "Hello, Mr. Orvis, thank you for your invitation and hospitality."

Her voice was gentle and melodious, like a clear stream, making people feel an instant sense of goodwill.

A glint of amazement and greed flashed in Orvis's eyes. "It is my honor to serve a superstar like Miss Eden."

As he spoke, he subtly moved closer, his gaze lingering for a moment on her slender neck and delicate collarbone before quickly shifting away, adopting a gentlemanly expression.

“Miss Eden, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Let me offer you a toast.” Ovies picked up two glasses of champagne and handed one of them to her.

Eden hesitated. She didn't like getting too close to strangers, and she especially disliked the undisguised desire in their eyes. But this was a public place, and the other person was one of the organizers' representatives; she couldn't refuse in public.

"Thank you." She took the glass, her fingertips lightly touching the cool rim.

Orvis looked at her, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "Have a pleasant evening."

Eden responded politely, but didn't drink it immediately. She simply swirled the liquid in her glass gently, her gaze casually sweeping over her surroundings. Her agent, Ann, stood not far away, giving her a reassuring look.

However, in this noisy environment, she did not notice that Ovis's fingers paused for a moment before handing her the cup, nor the slight change in the color of the liquid in the cup.

After a few rounds of pleasantries, Eden finally took a sip of champagne at his agent's prompting.

The cool liquid slid down her throat, carrying a faint fruity aroma and the spiciness of alcohol. She didn't drink much, just took a symbolic sip, and then handed the glass to the waiter.

Time passed slowly, and the atmosphere in the venue gradually reached its climax. People gathered in twos and threes to chat, and occasionally someone would come over to take a photo with Eden or exchange pleasantries. She maintained a polite smile throughout, patiently dealing with everyone.

She didn't know when it started, but she felt a slight fever in her head.

At first, she thought it was because the lights were too bright, or because she hadn't fully recovered from singing and dancing on stage for two hours. But soon, she realized that things weren't so simple.

My vision began to blur a little, and the sounds around me seemed to be muffled by a layer of water, appearing sometimes near and sometimes far. My heart started racing for no reason, and my body gradually felt hot.

“Strange…” Eden pressed his temples lightly, trying to stay awake.

Her agent, Ann, noticed her unusual behavior and quickly walked over, asking in a low voice, "Eden, are you alright? You don't look too good."

Eden forced a smile. "I'm probably a little tired, and I feel a bit dizzy."

Just then, a familiar voice rang in her ears again: "Miss Eden, you seem to be feeling a little unwell. Would you like me to help you to rest?"

Ovis had moved closer again, his greed no longer concealed. He reached out, seemingly wanting to wrap his arm around her waist.

"No need, thank you." Eden instinctively took a step back, avoiding his hand.

Her movements were somewhat hurried, but her steps faltered slightly due to her physical weakness.

Orvis frowned slightly, then put on his insincere smile again. "Miss Eden, are you really alright? Would you like me to take you to your suite upstairs to rest? I've already prepared everything for you—"

“I said, no need!” Eden’s voice suddenly rose a few decibels, then he realized his lapse in composure, took a deep breath, and tried to make his tone sound calmer. “Thank you for your kindness, but I can manage on my own.”

She felt her body getting hotter and hotter, and her consciousness was gradually fading. A strange impulse surged within her, making her feel uneasy and afraid.

“An…” She subconsciously looked in the direction of her agent.

Ann immediately understood and stepped forward, standing between Eden and Ovis. "Mr. Ovis, Eden is a little tired. I'll take her to the lounge to rest for a bit."

Ovis's face instantly darkened, but he quickly regained his fake smile. "In that case, I won't bother you any longer. However, Miss Eden, I hope we can have a proper chat tonight."

His words carried an undisguised implication.

Eden felt a churning in her stomach. Suppressing her discomfort, she said to Anne, "Anne, I want to leave here."

Ann's eyes sharpened, and she immediately understood what she meant. While supporting Eden, she smiled at the people around her and said, "Excuse me, everyone, Eden isn't feeling well. He'll go and rest for a bit."

The two quickly headed towards the exit of the banquet hall.

Behind them, several malicious eyes were fixed on them.

"How much did she drink?" Orvis asked one of his men in a low voice.

"Just a small bite."

"enough."

Orvis sneered, "You lot, follow her. Remember, don't do anything in the hotel. Find a secluded place and bring her back to me. Tonight, I'm going to taste just how wonderful it is to have this big star!"

"Yes!"

……

The hotel corridors were carpeted with thick carpets, making almost no sound when stepped on. The lighting was soft, but it couldn't dispel the fear in Eden's heart.

"Ann... I feel something's wrong." Eden leaned against the wall, her voice trembling slightly. "My body... feels so hot..."

An's expression changed, and she whispered, "They might have drugged the drink! Damn it, we should have..."

Eden's pupils constricted sharply. "What?"

"Don't worry, I'm here."

Ann gritted her teeth, helped Eden quicken her pace, and said, "Let's leave this building first, and talk about it outside."

They quickly arrived at the elevator. Ann pressed the down button, but the elevator didn't come up for a long time.

"Let's take the stairs!" An decided immediately.

The two descended the stairwell. Eden's steps grew increasingly unsteady, her breathing became rapid, and her vision blurred intermittently.

"An...I...I can't hold on much longer..." Her voice was choked with sobs.

"hold onto!"

Ann practically half-carried her, saying, "Just hang in there a little longer, we'll be on the first floor soon!"

Finally, they pushed open the fire escape door and arrived at the hotel's back door on the first floor. Outside was a narrow, dimly lit alley, a stark contrast to the hotel's luxurious interior.

"The situation is too urgent. We can only leave from here and take a taxi."

As An spoke, she glanced back warily.

Just then, several dark figures rushed out of the stairwell.

"Miss Eden, please wait."

The leader of the men in black said coldly, "Young Master Orvis requests your return."

Ann stood in front of Eden, demanding, "What do you want?!"

The man in black's eyes darkened. "If you know what's good for you, get out of the way, or don't blame us for being impolite."

Eden's body trembled violently; she knew she couldn't let them take her away. With her last ounce of strength, she pushed Ann away, "Ann, you run first, go find someone to help!"

"No!" An said urgently.

"Go!" Eden practically shouted.

Ann gritted her teeth, glanced at the approaching man in black, then at Eden who was barely able to stand, and finally made her decision.

"Keep running straight down this alley and don't look back!" After saying that, Ann suddenly ran in another direction, trying to attract the attention of the men in black.

"Chase them! Don't let the other one escape either!"

The men in black immediately sent two men to chase after An.

The remaining few people then gradually approached Eden.

"Miss Eden, we don't want to hurt you."

The leader of the men in black said coldly, "As long as you obediently come back with us, young master Ovis will 'treat' you well."

Eden's heart pounded like a drum, her body was burning hot, and her consciousness was gradually fading. She knew she couldn't wait any longer.

She turned abruptly and ran desperately out along the alley.

Her high heels clattered rapidly on the ground, each step feeling like walking on knife points. Her breathing grew heavier, her vision began to distort, and the sounds around her became indistinct.

Finally, she rushed out of the alley and onto the bustling main street.

The glaring light made her squint. She instinctively pulled a mask from her bag and put it on, covering half her face. She knew the commotion that would ensue if her identity were exposed.

"I must get out of here quickly..." she told herself.

Her steps were unsteady, almost instinctive as she moved forward. Her body grew hotter and hotter, and her consciousness became increasingly blurred.

Just then, a figure walked from the side and bumped into her.

"Ugh—" Eden exclaimed in surprise, falling forward.

A pair of strong hands caught her just in time.

"Are you alright?" A deep, slightly magnetic voice sounded in her ear.

The voice carried a hint of surprise, but also a touch of concern.

Eden barely managed to lift her head, and through her blurry vision, she saw a handsome and otherworldly face.

The man was wearing a simple black trench coat; he was tall and had a cool and composed demeanor.

His features were exquisite and deep, and his eyes were clear and sharp, as if he could see through everything.

This is a face that would make any female star take notice, or even feel ashamed of herself.

But at this moment, Eden had no time to appreciate it. Her body had almost completely lost its strength, and she could only lean on the man's arms.

"Quickly... take me away from here..."

With her last shred of reason, she spoke in a weak but urgent voice, "Someone is chasing me..."

After she finished speaking, everything went black, and she almost fainted.

Lu Qiong was stunned for a moment.

He had only come out during his vacation to buy some food, planning to go back to the Firemoth headquarters and cook something delicious with Aponia.

Unexpectedly, on this ordinary street, he encountered a beautiful woman who threw herself into his arms.

He looked down and carefully examined the woman in his arms.

Her long, brown hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, and a mask covered half her face, but it still couldn't hide her delicate features and stunning beauty.

Her eyes were slightly red from the effects of the medicine, but they remained clear and beautiful.

A name suddenly appeared in Lu Qiong's mind.

"She is... Eden?"

His pupils shrank suddenly.

What incredible luck! I never expected to encounter Eden so soon.

However, he never imagined that he would meet this big star in such circumstances and in such a way.

"Is someone chasing you?" Lu Qiong frowned.

His gaze quickly swept towards the alleyway not far away. Several men in black were hurrying after him, their eyes searching around, clearly looking for someone.

When their gazes met Lu Qiong's, one of them paused on Eden for a moment before turning fierce.

"over there!"

The man in black immediately quickened his pace and rushed towards them.

Lu Qiong's eyes instantly turned cold.

He didn't have time to think, he simply picked Eden up in his arms and turned to leave.

"Huh?!" Eden was startled by his sudden movement and instinctively grabbed his collar.

Her fingers tightened slightly due to nervousness, but felt somewhat weak due to the effects of the medication.

Lu Qiong's steps were extremely fast, yet remarkably steady. He didn't choose to take a taxi, as that would make him too easy to catch up with. He directly led Eden into a side alley.

"Let...let me go..."

Eden's voice was broken and intermittent, "I...I can walk by myself..."

"You can't even stand up straight now."

Lu Qiong said calmly, "Moreover, they have already caught up."

Eden was startled and subconsciously glanced back.

Sure enough, the men in black were chasing them into the alley.

"Hold on tight to me." Lu Qiong's voice was unusually calm.

Within his body, spatial collapse energy was quietly surging.

The next second, his figure suddenly blurred, as if he had teleported, leaving a trail of afterimages in the alley before disappearing from the black-clad man's sight.

"Where is he?!" The leader of the men in black was stunned.

"They were just here a moment ago..." The other person also looked bewildered.

They looked around, but found nothing.

……

The next moment, Lu Qiong appeared in a quiet alley a few streets away, carrying Eden.

He released the spatial collapse energy, landed gently, and his movements were so light that they were almost silent.

Feeling groggy, Eden glanced around in surprise, "How...how did we suddenly get here?"

Her voice was slightly hoarse, and her breathing remained rapid. The drug was rapidly eroding her sanity, making her body increasingly hot.

"Don't talk, rest for a bit." Lu Qiong gently put her down and let her lean against the wall.

But Eden's delicate body suddenly went limp, and she almost pressed herself against Lu Qiong. Her breath hit his neck, carrying a burning heat.

"It's so hot..."

She couldn't help but whisper.

Lu Qiong frowned.

He could clearly feel the heat emanating from her, far exceeding the normal range. More importantly, he sensed a strange and chaotic energy fluctuation within her body.

"drug?"

His eyes turned cold.

With his knowledge, he could naturally tell that this was a reaction caused by some kind of potent drug.

Based on the actions of those men in black earlier, he was almost certain that someone was targeting her.

"What did you drink?" Lu Qiong asked.

"I.........I don't know......."

Eden shook his head. "At the welcome reception... someone poured me a glass of wine..."

Before she could finish speaking, her body trembled violently.

Her fingers gripped her clothes tightly, a flicker of pain and fear in her eyes. "I...I feel...so uncomfortable..."