I'm a little panicked when I cross the collapse

The night was like rice paper soaked in ink, spreading out layer by layer.

The city's neon lights flickered in the distance, dazzling and surreal, yet they couldn't illuminate this narrow back alley. The damp air was filled with the smell of engine oil and rain. Occasionally, a car would whiz by on the main road, its headlights briefly sweeping across the alley entrance before quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Lu Qiong carried Eden, his steps were extremely fast, yet surprisingly steady.

His right arm cradled her knees, his left arm encircled her shoulder, the movements appearing effortless, as if he were holding not a tall, adult woman, but a light, floating cloud. But only he knew that the burden he carried at that moment was far more than just weight.

"So hot……"

The person in her arms stirred restlessly again.

Her long, brown hair was slightly disheveled from running, with a few strands clinging to her cheeks and neck, damp with sweat, giving her a breathtakingly sexy look. Her mask had been pulled askew to one side, revealing most of her face—a delicate chin, slightly flushed cheeks, and lips that were now softly panting.

Her lips, already a deep color, appeared even more vibrant now due to the effects of the medicine, as if they might drip honey at any moment.

Her slender fingers once again reached out uncontrollably and gently rubbed against Lu Qiong's back.

The movement wasn't forceful; it could even be described as gentle and unconscious, yet it carried an undeniable allure. Her fingertips traced the shirt beneath his trench coat, and she could feel its scorching heat even through the fabric.

"Help me... I feel so bad..."

Eden's voice was low, tinged with sobs, yet filled with an irrepressible longing. She raised her head slightly, resting it on Lu Qiong's shoulder, her breath hot against his neck.

She's a total devil.

Lu Qiong paused for a moment, then continued forward.

His brows furrowed, and a hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes—not at her, but at the current situation.

Just now at the alley entrance, he could clearly sense the presence of those men in black. With his strength, dealing with them on the spot would only take a few seconds. With a slight activation of his Spatial Collapse ability, everything could be done cleanly and efficiently.

But now, Eden's situation makes him hesitant to act rashly.

He could feel the unfamiliar energy within her stimulating her nerves in an extremely domineering way, causing her heart to race, her body temperature to rise, and her consciousness to blur. It wasn't a fatal danger, but it was equally troublesome—because this "danger" was aimed at his self-control.

“It’s… troublesome.”

Lu Qiong sighed inwardly.

"My big star, behave yourself."

He spoke in a low voice, which was a few decibels higher than usual.

As he spoke, he freed one hand and grabbed the little hand that was scratching his back.

Eden's fingers instinctively recoiled for a moment, then softly wrapped around his wrist again. Her palms were burning hot, but her fingertips were somewhat icy cold; the contrast made Lu Qiong's heart skip a beat.

"No...it's too hot..."

She protested in a daze, her voice incredibly soft and sweet.

Lu Qiong took a deep breath, forcing himself not to listen or think, and just staring at the road ahead.

Should the men in black be dealt with on the spot?

He did have that impulse just now. But if he did, Eden would inevitably be caught in the aftermath of the battle—given her current state, the consequences of being frightened again would be unimaginable. Not to mention, he also needed time to investigate who was behind that group.

"Let's find a quiet place first and deal with the effects of the medication on her."

This was the decision he ultimately made.

But the question is—where exactly is "quiet"?

Returning to the Moth of Flames headquarters? That's too far. By the time Eden arrives and leaves, she might already be driven to the brink of collapse by the drug's effects. Moreover, given her status, her presence at headquarters would inevitably cause a huge uproar.

Going to the hospital? Even worse. If that special drug is detected, it could easily be used by malicious individuals, becoming tomorrow's headline—"Global Superstar Eden Suspected of Being Drugged..."—it's almost predictable.

After much deliberation, given the suddenness of the incident, the most realistic and quickest solution Lu Qiong could think of was only one—a hotel.

"...I hope I don't run into anyone I know."

He muttered something to himself, then changed direction and headed towards a small hotel in a slightly remote location that he remembered.

The hotel wasn't in a bustling area, and its facade wasn't particularly eye-catching, but it was quiet and didn't have many guests, so it was relatively easy for people not to recognize it.

A few minutes later, he appeared at the hotel entrance carrying Eden.

The glass doors slid open automatically to both sides, and a blast of cold air from the air conditioner hit him, creating a stark contrast with the humid heat outside. Eden seemed startled by the coolness and instinctively snuggled closer to Lu Qiong, holding him even tighter.

"Welcome, sir. Are you looking for a room or—"

The receptionist was a young man in his twenties who initially just gave a habitual professional smile. But when he saw the person Lu Qiong was holding, his eyes lit up noticeably.

"Oh~"

That drawn-out sigh was full of meaning.

Eden's eyes were half-closed, her head resting on Lu Qiong's shoulder. Her mask was askew, revealing a profile that looked exceptionally delicate under the light. Her evening gown was partially soaked with sweat, outlining her stunning curves, and her long legs, encased in a thin fabric, swayed slightly with her breath.

Anyone who sees this will subconsciously think to themselves, "This guy is really lucky."

The waiter's smile immediately became even more "enthusiastic," and his tone took on a slightly ambiguous tone: "Ahem, sir, you're checking into a hotel with your girlfriend, right?"

"Forehead……"

Lu Qiong was stunned for a moment.

His instinct was to deny it—after all, strictly speaking, this was the first time he and Eden had met, and they weren't even friends. But then he thought that if he said "no," the other person would likely ask a few more questions, or even ask Eden to register and show his identification.

In her current condition, she can't even stand up, let alone register.

Moreover, the consequences would be even more troublesome if their identities were exposed.

"……Um."

After a brief silence, Lu Qiong nodded, his tone as calm as if he were simply answering a question like, "Have you eaten?"

"okay!"

The receptionist immediately perked up and quickly began registering the information.

"A room?" He glanced at Lu Qiong with an ambiguous look.

"One."

Lu Qiong's words were concise and to the point.

The formalities were completed quickly. The receptionist handed over a room key with a knowing smile: "Sir, I hope you and your girlfriend...have a good time."

Lu Qiong reached out to take it, but paused when he saw the bag in his palm next to the room key.

It was a small bag of blue pills with the words "The Smurfs" printed on the packaging.

"What are you...?"

He raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with a hint of speechlessness.

"Hehe, handsome, I get it, I get it." The waiter immediately lowered his voice, giving off a "we're all men, I understand" look. "This is a free gift for you, so you and your girlfriend can... have a little more fun. After all, you two look quite young, you certainly don't want to cause a bloodbath, right?"

As he said this, he glanced at Eden, his eyes revealing undisguised envy.

Understanding the teasing tone in the man's words, Lu Qiong was instantly speechless.

He wasn't unfamiliar with such things, but he never imagined he'd receive them as a "thoughtful gift" in this way. Even more ironically—the person in his arms was indeed on the verge of losing their mind due to the drugs, except he hadn't administered them.

"……Thanks."

He said something dryly, then without saying another word, decisively took the room key and the bag of "Smurfs" and went upstairs.

Watching Lu Qiong's figure disappear down the stairs carrying Eden, the receptionist at the front desk couldn't help but let out a long sigh: "Tsk tsk, that handsome guy is really lucky. That girl was absolutely gorgeous—those long legs, and that figure. Even though her face was covered by a mask, she must have been stunning. Sigh, when will I ever find a girlfriend like that..."

While he was feeling sentimental, he silently labeled Lu Qiong as a "winner in life" in his heart.

……

The hotel corridor was carpeted in a dark red color, making almost no sound when stepped on. The walls were a warm beige, and the lighting was soft, which also created a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.

Lu Qiong swiped his card to enter the room, and after a soft "beep," the door closed automatically.

As soon as he entered the room, he quickly put Eden on the bed—or rather, he threw him.

There was nothing he could do; she was just too restless the whole way, grabbing his clothes one minute, hooking her arms around his neck the next, and even nearly tearing her own mask off a few times.

If he hadn't had such strong self-control, he probably would have been surrounded by onlookers long ago.

"Hmm........

Once Eden was placed on the bed, he immediately began to squirm restlessly.

The soft mattress further relaxed her already feverish body, and the effects of the medication seemed to fully kick in at that moment. Her fingers instinctively gripped the hem of her skirt, and she yanked it forcefully—

"Hey!"

Lu Qiong reacted quickly and grabbed her hand.

She had loosened the shoulder strap of her evening gown, revealing a large expanse of her fair shoulders and delicate collarbone. A little further down, there was a view enough to make any man's blood boil.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to look away.

"Don't make trouble."

His voice was deep, with a hint of suppressed hoarseness.

But Eden clearly wouldn't listen.

The effects of the drug had completely taken over her consciousness, tearing her reason to shreds, leaving only the most primal instincts—heat, discomfort, the urge to get close to something, the urge to grab onto something.

Her hands were held down, so she simply used her feet.

Her long, slender legs gently hooked around the bed, and she leaned towards Lu Qiong. Her body writhed like a supple snake on the sheets, leaving wrinkles and crumpled wherever she went.

Lu Qiong rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

In fact, he had already examined her body on the way to the hotel.

At that moment, his fingers gently pressed on her wrist pulse, and lightning and healing Honkai energy silently invaded her body, like a fine net, capturing every inch of her nerves and every energy fluctuation clearly.

The result surprised him a little.

This drug was high-grade—not the cheap kind that would cause permanent damage to the body, but a near-precise agent. It wouldn't disrupt her bodily functions or leave any obvious aftereffects; it simply and brutally aroused her desire, putting her body into a state of extreme sensitivity.

In fact, in a sense, this drug can even have a conditioning effect on the body afterward—provided, of course, that the user "relieves" the drug's effects voluntarily and safely.

That is precisely why Lu Qiong felt somewhat powerless to do anything about it.

His Honkai energy can repair wounds, dispel toxins, and suppress rampaging Honkai energy, but it cannot directly "shut down" a person's normal physiological reactions—especially when such reactions have not yet caused harm to the body.

"This is really... something designed to make things difficult for people."

He cursed in his heart.

Before he could come up with a more reliable solution, the person on the bed suddenly moved again.

This time, her actions were more decisive than ever before.

"Um……"

Eden let out a low groan and suddenly reached out—

"?!"

Lu Qiong felt a sudden tightening on his wrist, and the next second, he was pulled onto the bed by an unexpected force.

With a "thud," his back slammed against the soft mattress.

Before he could react, a pair of long, beautiful legs had already wrapped around his waist.

The touch was soft yet burning hot; even through the thin fabric, one could feel its amazing elasticity and warmth. Eden pressed herself against him, almost half-lying on top of him, her soft breasts brushing against his chest.

"you--"

Lu Qiong was about to speak when her next action silenced him.

Eden lowered her head slightly, her eyes unfocused, her pupils dilated from the effects of the drug, giving her a fragile, delicate beauty. Her breathing was rapid, and her lips trembled slightly, as if searching for something.

"Help.........."

She murmured again, her voice as soft as a dream, yet with an irresistible allure.

"I feel so bad..."

Her face drew closer and closer, her full lips only centimeters away from his neck.

Just a little further ahead, and you'll be able to touch it—

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Lu Qiong could clearly feel that scorching breath on his skin, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation. His heart pounded uncontrollably, then pounded again, faster and faster.

He is not a saint.

As a normal man, he was holding a stunningly beautiful superstar in his arms, someone who appeared in the dreams of countless people. At this moment, she was looking at him with eyes that were almost dripping with tears, and pleading with him in a voice that was so soft and sweet that it was almost painful to hear, "Help her."

To say I wasn't even a little bit tempted would be a lie.

but--

"She is not in a conscious state right now."

This thought was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the impulse that had just risen in his heart.

He won't be the kind of person who's driven by lust.

I will never allow myself to be the one to hurt her.

Just as Eden's lips were about to touch his skin—

"Sorry."

Lu Qiong said in a low voice.

The next second, he exerted force and, like an arrow released from a bow, broke free from her restraints.

The spatial collapse energy flashed through his body, making his movements significantly faster than ordinary people. The waist that had been tightly bound just moments before was now easily freed from the restraints of those beautiful legs.

"Phew—that was close, I almost couldn't hold on."

He stood by the bed, raised his hand to wipe away non-existent sweat from his forehead, and felt a lingering sense of relief.

Eden was taken aback by his sudden withdrawal, then rubbed against the bed in dissatisfaction.

"No...don't go..."

She reached out in a daze, trying to grab him again, but only grasped at thin air.

Seeing her like that, Lu Qiong felt that the impulse he had just suppressed was stirring again.

"...This can't go on any longer."

He gritted his teeth, grabbed the blanket from the bed, and rolled Eden up tightly from shoulders to ankles like a spring roll.

"Well--"

Eden was wrapped up like a giant silkworm, only able to wriggle inside the blankets, but could no longer touch him.

"That's much safer."

Lu Qiong breathed a slight sigh of relief, stepped back to sit on a chair, and began to seriously consider a solution.

The air in the room quieted down, leaving only Eden's occasional low murmurs and the slight creaking of the bed.