The Alien Prince Has Fallen for Me

Chapter 7: Frozen Poison Smoke

But another voice immediately followed—unyielding, absolute: 'Two hundred million!'

It was Yue Yao who had raised her paddle. Or rather, Yue Yao wearing the shell of 'Mei Guo.' She didn't understand why she was being so impulsive. It was just that she felt a strange pull from that painting, a stirring that seemed to originate from the very depths of her bloodline. When she saw Ray Lo bid, an almost instinctive competitive drive made her counter without hesitation.

Ray Lo furrowed his brow slightly, studying the young woman bidding against him with curiosity. She possessed Mei Guo's identity and wealth, yet deep in her eyes flickered a stubbornness and clarity that didn't match her age or status. *This girl… why is she so determined to have this painting? Could it hold special meaning for her too?* He pondered for a moment. Something soft in his heart was touched. *Forget it. If she wants it that badly, let her have it.* He lowered his paddle and did not bid again.

'Two hundred million—going once! Going twice! SOLD!! Congratulations, Mrs. Mei Guo!' The auction gavel came down, sealing the deal.

A wave of barely-suppressed chatter rippled through the audience.

'Has the old hag turned over a new leaf?' A lavishly dressed woman whispered to her companion behind her fan.

'Hasn't she always sneered at Dr. Tang Yu's research? She's suppressed it multiple times,' another man added, his face full of confusion.

'Yeah—spends a billion on a bodyguard, then drops two hundred million on a fungal painting. What is she playing at?'

Yue Yao ignored the whispers. She drew a deep breath and walked onto the stage. The spotlight on her was dizzying. She shook hands with Tang Yu, then gave her a light embrace. In the moment of physical contact, she could feel Tang Yu's body trembling faintly. She leaned close to Tang Yu's ear and whispered rapidly, at a volume only the two of them could hear: 'Roger doesn't know where your daughter is. I will help you find her!'

Tang Yu's body went rigid. Then an almost imperceptible glint of disbelief flashed through her eyes, followed swiftly by a wave of overwhelming gratitude. She fought to control herself, merely squeezing Yue Yao's hand tightly in return. Her voice carried a barely detectable quaver: 'Thank you!'

Yue Yao carried the heavy painting off the stage and returned to Table One. Fu Yuan and Xing Hun were already back in their seats. She carefully set the painting at her feet, but her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the exquisitely alluring chocolate cream cake on the table. A golden fork was angled into the fluffy cream, which radiated a sweet fragrance that seduced her frayed nerves and empty stomach. She swallowed unconsciously, her throat parched. *I want to eat it so badly… but…* The memory of twice being struck down through food pierced her longing like ice. She slumped back against her chair and let out a long, bone-weary sigh: 'This is so damn hard!'

Xing Hun tilted his head and looked at her, having caught every micro-expression of longing and fear she'd directed at that cake. The corner of his mouth curved into a knowing smirk, laced with teasing: 'Hungry?'

Yue Yao reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She shot upright, shaking her head like a rattle. 'No!' Her voice was adamant—but carried a faint, telltale quaver of weakness.

The amusement in Xing Hun's eyes deepened. He let out a soft, almost imperceptible 'Oh,' as if he were spectating a particularly entertaining show.

And in the very instant that sound left his lips—

A tiny metal sphere, no bigger than a fingernail and wholly unremarkable, traced a subtle parabolic arc from somewhere unseen. With a soft plink, it landed with deadly precision in the plate of chocolate cream cake that Yue Yao had been coveting.

No warning. No omen.

The sphere detonated instantly—not with a bang, but by releasing a vast plume of gray-green smoke. An acrid stench, like rotted almonds mixed with chemical reagents, billowed outward, surging toward Yue Yao to swallow her whole.

Time, in that moment, seemed stretched to infinity.

Yue Yao's eyes flew wide with terror. Her body was paralyzed. Her mind was blank. All she could do was watch the lethal cloud rush toward her face.

And then, in the next heartbeat, the roiling poison smoke froze mid-air—as if imprisoned by an invisible barrier—arrested in snarling, clawing tendrils that could advance no further. Every sound around her—the screams, the screech of chairs scraping the floor, the shattering of wine glasses—all of it was gone. The world sank into an absolute, hair-raising silence.

Xing Hun moved like a phantom through the frozen time. He strode forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the metal sphere still releasing its solidified smoke. Without an instant of hesitation, he grabbed a heavy crystal vase from the table. In a single swift, precise motion, he inverted the vase and slammed it down over the sphere and the poison smoke still curling around it. That done, he stepped back and took hold of Yue Yao's ice-cold wrist.

Time resumed its flow.

'Crash!' The sound of shattering glass finally rang out.

Xing Hun yanked Yue Yao from her seat and pulled her several meters back, putting distance between them and Table One. His voice was low and urgent: 'The smoke is poisonous!'

Yue Yao stumbled from the force of his pull. Still reeling from terror, she leaned against his side. Her heart was slamming against her ribs, threatening to burst from her chest. She stared at the plate, now covered by the vase with stray tendrils of gray-green still seeping from the edges. Her face was ghost-white. Her voice trembled: 'Who is trying to kill me this time?!'

Fu Yuan had also swiftly positioned himself in front of Yue Yao. His face was grim as he swept his gaze across the chaotic ballroom. 'It could be the radical anti-knowledge-chip organization—First Flame!' His eyes were sharp as a hawk's, searching the panicked crowd for any suspicious silhouette.

The guests had scattered like startled birds, rising from their seats, peering with mingled terror and morbid curiosity toward Yue Yao's direction, pointing and murmuring.

Roger approached at a carefully timed pace, his face arranged into an expression of perfect surprise and concern, as if he'd only just noticed the commotion. 'Someone is really trying to kill you?' He raised his eyebrows in feigned astonishment. 'I thought you were joking earlier! Madam Chairwoman, shall I immediately dispatch the company's bio-AI robots to your home for protection?' His proposal sounded perfectly reasonable. But deep in his eyes flickered a cold gleam nearly impossible to detect.

Yue Yao steadied herself, forcing calm back into her veins. She glanced at Xing Hun beside her and drew a measure of reassurance from the steady warmth of his hand on hers. 'No!' Her refusal was crisp and absolute. She infused her voice with a deliberate note of dependence. 'I have Xing Hun to protect me.'

Loli squeezed over as well, piling a simpering smile onto her face as she latched onto Yue Yao's other arm. 'Mom, let me come live at your place! I can protect you too!' Her voice dripped with saccharine sweetness, but her eyes kept darting involuntarily toward Xing Hun.

Yue Yao extricated her arm with a cool, detached finality. 'No need. Too many people will only create chaos.' Her gaze swept over Roger and Loli with an authority that left no room for argument. 'I will immediately reinforce the villa's perimeter walls, install the highest-grade bulletproof glass, and overhaul the toxic air filters, sterilization-capable fresh-air system, and automated defense grid. When I'm done, not even a fly will be able to get in—let alone a person trying to kill me!'

A flicker of genuine surprise crossed Roger's face, quickly covered by admiration. 'Madam Chairwoman's villa already has top-tier protective shielding. Adding another layer on top of that… it would be impenetrable even by artillery shells, wouldn't it?' It sounded like flattery. It was also a probe.

Yue Yao met his gaze. A cold, sharp smile curved the corner of her lips. 'That is precisely the effect I'm aiming for.' She said nothing more. She took Xing Hun's hand, signaled Fu Yuan with a glance, and declared: 'Alright. It's far too unsafe for me to remain here. We're leaving.'

'Safe travels, Madam Chairwoman!' Roger bowed slightly—his etiquette impeccable.

'Take care, Mom! I'll come check on you tomorrow!' Loli added hastily, though her eyes remained glued to Xing Hun.

Yue Yao offered no further response. With Xing Hun and Fu Yuan flanking her, she straightened her spine and strode out of the ballroom under the weight of countless stares. Her retreating silhouette looked poised and unshakable—but the tightness of her grip on Xing Hun's hand betrayed the turbulence raging within.