The Alien Prince Has Fallen for Me

Chapter 3: Deadly Intent Behind the Mask

Yue Yao stood in the dim warehouse, wearing the expensive evening gown, having just finished applying delicate makeup and pinning her hair into a simple bun. She gave herself one last check on her phone screen and let out a sigh of relief. At least she looked somewhat like "Mei Guo" ought to.

Just then, the warehouse door was flung open, and a group of girls chasing Xing Hun burst in. Their eyes instantly locked onto the "handsome robot" behind Yue Yao, and screams erupted again: "Xing Hun! He's here!"

The girls charged forward in excitement.

The supposedly stationary "robot" suddenly came to life! Xing Hun agilely darted a few steps away, then turned back, blew a kiss toward the stunned Yue Yao, his face wearing a mischievous yet charming smile. He lowered his voice and said, "Nice figure!"

Yue Yao froze for a moment, then her entire face flushed crimson with shame and fury! She had kissed and touched a living person, and even changed clothes right in front of him!

"Xing Hun! Don't you run! You p*****t!" She was so furious she forgot her predicament and chased after him along with the girls.

But the moment she burst out of the warehouse and ran into the mall corridor, the electronic pet dog—abandoned by Shirley but still stubbornly hunting its target—immediately spotted her. Its eyes flashed red, and it lunged at her again with a low growl!

Yue Yao let out a shriek. Forgetting all about chasing Xing Hun, she spun around and sprinted toward the mall entrance. In her high heels and tight gown, she stumbled and lurched, barely escaping disaster.

She finally made it to the roadside outside the mall. An empty taxi happened to be approaching. Yue Yao waved frantically as if seeing a savior. The car stopped, she yanked open the door, practically collapsed inside, and was about to close the door to catch her breath—

Time seemed to freeze once more. The noise outside, the movements of pedestrians, even the falling leaves in the air—all stopped in an instant.

Xing Hun calmly pulled open the door, bent down, and casually slid in, shoving Yue Yao over before slamming the door shut with a *thud*.

Time resumed its flow.

Yue Yao's eyes went wide as she stared at this persistent man beside her. Rage surged to her head: "Xing Hun!? You p*****t!" She raised her hand to slap him.

Xing Hun effortlessly caught her wrist mid-swing. His palm was warm and firm. He leaned closer deliberately, his breath brushing against her ear with a hint of intimacy and mockery: "You're a p*****t too, you know. I got kissed *and* touched by you!"

"You pretended to be a robot! That's why I... why I did that!" Yue Yao was both embarrassed and furious. She tried to pull her hand back, but he held it tighter.

"Oh, I see." Xing Hun put on an expression of sudden realization. "It's my irresistible charm. The moment you saw a robot modeled after me, you just couldn't help but want to touch and kiss it."

"Pfft! Narcissist!" Yue Yao turned her face away in anger and yanked her hand free.

Just then, the frenzied girls had chased them out and spotted Xing Hun inside the taxi. They instantly surrounded the car, pounding on the windows.

Xing Hun frowned and urged the driver, "Hey, let's go!"

"Where to?" The driver seemed unfazed by the scene.

"Moonshadow Hotel!" Yue Yao and Xing Hun said in unison.

After saying it, they both froze, exchanged a glance, then let out a simultaneous disdainful "Hmph" and turned their heads to look out their respective windows. Yue Yao stewed in silence the whole ride, ignoring Xing Hun completely. He leaned back in his seat, a faint, elusive smile playing on his lips.

In a dark alley that afternoon, the air was thick with the damp smell of mold and rotting food, a world apart from the bustling traffic on the main road nearby.

Fu Yuan stood in the dim light, his back straight, but his eyes were like ice. Opposite him stood Xiao Yan—once a subordinate under his command, now a man ambitious enough to try and take his place.

Xiao Yan broke the silence first, his voice dripping with sarcasm and provocation: "Commander Fu, long time no see. Still as dashing as ever, still winning the favor of that old hag Mei Guo!" He emphasized the words "old hag" like a poison-tipped dart, trying to pierce through Fu Yuan's seemingly carefree facade.

Fu Yuan curled his lips into an arrogant smirk, but there was no trace of humor in his eyes—only cold vigilance. "I'm just naturally handsome, no need for your compliments," he retorted, his right hand already resting on his waist. "You're asking for a beating!"

Before the words faded, a sharp *clang* rang out. A flash of cold light shot from his waist as a soft sword sprang forth like a serpent emerging from its lair, instantly snapping taut. The tip aimed precisely at Xiao Yan's throat, steady as a rock.

A flicker of surprise crossed Xiao Yan's face, then deepened into a more sinister grin. Instead of retreating, he stepped half a pace forward, almost feeling the icy chill of the sword tip. "Heh," he chuckled lowly. "I've been itching for a fight. Bring it on!"

The instant the word "on" left his lips, Xiao Yan's body arched backward sharply, his right hand reaching behind him. His movements were so fast they left only a blur. In the next moment, a bizarre double-edged short blade was in his hand, whistling through the air as it slashed viciously at Fu Yuan's wrist holding the sword! The blade's edge was ruthless, showing no mercy.

Fu Yuan's pupils contracted. He twisted his wrist, and the soft sword coiled like a living thing. With a crisp *clink*, blade met blade, sending a spray of tiny sparks. They separated instantly, then lunged at each other again like two agile leopards.

The gloomy alley became a temporary arena. Fu Yuan's swordsmanship was nimble and cunning, like a storm, targeting Xiao Yan's vital points. The sword tip hissed as it cut through the air—a whisper of death. Xiao Yan's blade style was broad and fierce, savage and domineering. The double-edged knife seemed alive in his hands, sometimes acting as a shield, sometimes thrusting like a spear. Every swing carried the resolve to cut through anything.

Their figures darted rapidly in the confined space, their steps splashing murky water from puddles. Peeling plaster from the walls was swept up by the gusts of wind, falling in flakes. The clashing of metal was as dense as rain, sometimes clear, sometimes dull, echoing repeatedly through the alley, drowning out the distant city noise.

After several exchanges, both were breathing a bit heavily, fine beads of sweat forming on their temples. Neither had gained a clear upper hand. Xiao Yan parried a thrust aimed at his ribs, used the momentum to leap back, and temporarily disengaged. He stood with his blade, chest heaving slightly, but the sinister smile on his face only grew more pronounced.

"And you think you have the people's support?" Xiao Yan sneered, his tone dripping with disdain. "I doubt it! You failed this assassination plan too, didn't you? Ha, useless!" He shook his head as if seeing something utterly ridiculous. "I suggest you just stay by Mei Guo's side as her gigolo! Leave First Flame to me!"

"First Flame was founded by me. Don't you dare!" Fu Yuan's voice was strained with anger, his knuckles white from gripping the sword. The organization was his life's work, the foundation of his goals. He would never let anyone else take it.

"The brothers all say you've betrayed First Flame," Xiao Yan's voice suddenly rose, sharp and inflammatory. "You're only after Mei Guo's inheritance, only thinking about your own pleasure! How dare you still claim First Flame as yours?"

"Enough!" Fu Yuan cut him off harshly, flames of rage burning in his eyes. Every word from Xiao Yan was like a dull knife, slicing repeatedly at his frayed nerves. Betrayal, pleasure, gigolo... These words hit the most sensitive, most painful parts of his heart. He felt the delicate balance he had maintained being ruthlessly shattered. A panic from losing control, mixed with the fury of being misunderstood, nearly overwhelmed his reason.

Seeing the fury in Fu Yuan's eyes and the slight tremble of his sword tip, Xiao Yan knew he had achieved his goal. He didn't need to defeat Fu Yuan here. He only needed to unsettle his mind, plant seeds of doubt in his camp. He sheathed his double-edged blade with satisfaction, his movements becoming leisurely again, as if the life-or-death struggle had never happened.

"Think it over, Fu Yuan," Xiao Yan said, turning his back and waving a hand dismissively, his voice carrying the mockery of a victor. "Don't wait until First Flame has a new commander and you regret it. By then, it'll be too late."

Footsteps faded, eventually disappearing at the end of the alley.

Only Fu Yuan remained in the alley, his heavy breathing starkly audible in the silence. The sword in his hand drooped weakly, its tip tapping the ground with a faint *tap*. Xiao Yan's words swirled like a curse in his mind—"betrayed First Flame," "gigolo," "inheritance"...

Various thoughts clashed fiercely. Finally, an icy resolve overwhelmed all hesitation. He couldn't allow any accidents. He couldn't let years of scheming be destroyed in an instant. He had to seize the initiative, even if the means were... the most extreme.

Fu Yuan suddenly raised his wrist, a ruthless, desperate decisiveness in the motion. He activated an encrypted communication channel. His voice was low, hoarse, as if every word was squeezed through gritted teeth, carrying an unquestionable command:

"Tonight. Initiate Plan B. Target: Mei Guo. No more failures!"

There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a concise, icy reply:

"Understood!"

Fu Yuan cut the communication and stood there, unmoving for a long time. The shadows of the alley swallowed most of his body, leaving only his eyes, glinting in the dim light with a dangerous, unstable gleam—like a cornered beast.