Chapter 466: Twisted Reflections

In Lu Xin’s view, the entire villa’s courtyard had contorted into something bizarre and unnatural.

A chilling sensation surged through him, as if even standing still made every hair on his body stand on end.

Yet, it seemed that only he sensed something was amiss.

Big-Bearded Captain, his subordinates, and Vice President Xiao remained oblivious to the unsettling changes in their vision, their focus fixed on the girl as they whispered to each other, their voices laced with malice:

“Poor girl…”

“What kind of bastard could torture someone like this?”

“Damn, every pervert like that deserves to be eliminated—it’s an assault on humanity!”

“Even though these bastards are injured, I still feel like giving them another bullet!”

“…”

Even Vice President Xiao’s expression twisted with anger as he glanced at Gao Yan on the ground, gritting his teeth. He spat, “I used to worry about you, thinking you were sick, even possessed by a demon and in need of treatment. But look at what you’ve done—you’ve driven me to the point of wanting to kill you! How can you be so cruel?”

With each outburst, their fervor grew.

One of them glanced at the girl, his agitation mounting as he vigorously rubbed his eyes.

Lu Xin noticed that as he rubbed his eyes, the insects within them seemed to grow even more agitated.

They filled his vision, as if about to break free and crawl out…

“All this talk won’t do any good. I despise those who bully women—I’m taking him out.”

“Clack!” The sound of someone snapping the gun’s bolt echoed in the urgency.

Sure enough, someone could no longer contain his fury, gritting his teeth as he cursed while striding toward Gao Yan with his gun raised.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

They were all trained professionals—skilled armed police soldiers, well-versed in regulations and of exceptional caliber.

Yet in that moment, in a fit of rage, they considered taking the law into their own hands against the already unconscious criminal.

Strangely, none of his teammates bothered to stop him.

Even Big-Bearded Captain appeared to regard it as normal.

……

……

“Don’t be impulsive.”

With a slight frown, Lu Xin made his way through the crowd.

Aware of the gravity of the situation, he moved swiftly and lightly. His gait, strangely eerie, allowed him to cross the throng as if covering three or four meters in a single step, positioning himself in front of Gao Yan.

“Mr. Lu, you…”

Lu Xin’s movements were oddly subtle, though no one around seemed to notice anything unusual.

After all, his mysterious identity still held some weight in their eyes.

Even the man ready to vent his anger by shooting froze, staring at Lu Xin in disbelief.

His hand trembled, but he managed to restrain himself from firing.

“It isn’t him who’s the problem.”

Lu Xin looked into the armed police soldier’s eyes—into the twisted expression born of rage and the swarm of insects within—and softly explained, “Besides, even if he were at fault, it doesn’t justify killing him here.”

By then, he had already sorted out many things in his mind.

When he first heard about Gao Yan from Vice President Xiao, he had felt a tinge of the same fury as the others.

Who could tolerate such a sadistic pervert?

But now, he realized that things might not be as he had assumed.

He stepped between those bent on killing Gao Yan and looked ahead once more.

……

There, a frail girl dressed only in thin pajamas sat slumped on the ground.

Her body shivered in the biting cold wind, tear-streaked cheeks betraying a terror reminiscent of a frightened lamb. Yet, Lu Xin couldn’t tell if it was merely his imagination, for behind her terrified expression lurked a sinister cunning.

The girl was smiling.

With a devious glint in her eyes, she regarded these people—whom she seemed to toy with—as if her self-satisfied smirk would burst from her gaze.

Beneath her skin, blue veins began to surface, snaking slowly like a serpent.

She appeared to shudder ever so slightly, whether out of fear or cold, an almost natural seduction emerging. But as she moved, the writhing insects under her skin added an eerie allure.

It was like a woman in snake-patterned stockings—strange, terrifying, yet irresistibly captivating.

Just by looking at her, one couldn’t help but feel pity for her, moved by her visible scars.

Yet that very feeling seemed to nurture a beast within.

A beast that grew stronger, fueled by an array of conflicting emotions.

Wild and reckless.

……

……

“So, she’s actually the source of the corruption?”

“Was Gao Yan’s sudden violent act against her triggered by this corruption?”

“Then what is the logic behind her corruption?”

Lu Xin pondered the image of her from moments ago, gradually arriving at an answer.

He didn’t normally reach conclusions so swiftly when studying something.

But earlier, with just a few glances, he instinctively felt there was nothing wrong with her.

A thought had occurred—such a delicate, pitiable little girl could never be at fault.

Thus, if anyone was to blame, it had to be someone else.

In that instant, his heart softened, and he even draped a garment over her.

So, was the key to the corruption simply: sympathy?

Could an unconscious display of pity and compassion leave one susceptible to her influence?

Lu Xin’s teeth ground lightly.

His mind cleared, and he was acutely aware of his disdain and aversion for this method of manipulation.

……

“Mr. Lu, if you see it that way, then what are we supposed to do?”

The man who’d been ready to shoot Gao Yan, though still respectful of Lu Xin, couldn’t mask a hint of impatience as his tone grew slightly frantic after several seconds without an answer.

“If you’re willing to listen to me…”

Lu Xin deliberated carefully on the best way to resolve the situation before continuing slowly, “You all secure the scene—let no one enter or leave. As for me, I need to take her back for…”

He paused before softly adding, “…treatment.”

He deliberately avoided words like investigation to prevent inciting further conflict.

Observing the corrupted individuals, their expressions betrayed hesitancy as they processed his words.

Recalling how Gao Yan would not hesitate to stab a friend or snatch her away by any means, Lu Xin suspected that if he showed any sign of possessiveness or threat, these so-called ‘polluted individuals’ might react with hostility.

So he carefully chose his words, selecting one that was neutral and amicable.

“This…”

A subtle murmur rippled through the crowd, as if hesitating.

Though they felt a deep urge to protect the girl, there was a part of them that agreed with Lu Xin’s decision.

“I don’t want to…”

Before anyone could voice their agreement, the girl suddenly cried out in fear, turning to Lu Xin and pleading,

“I…I don’t want to go with you…”

“I’m so scared right now. I just want to go home. I…”

She then glanced at the others in the courtyard, eyes brimming with tears as she added, “I want to stay with you all. Only you can protect me.”

……

In an instant, the courtyard erupted into a low, uneasy commotion.

The insects in many eyes began to writhe even more vigorously, shifting the expressions into ones of deep, conflicted emotion.

It was a look of reluctant compassion, as if their hearts were being tugged painfully.

Several people even turned sharply toward Lu Xin, as if wanting to warn him.

Lu Xin frowned slightly and looked toward a woman in the crowd.

At that moment, she trembled softly, fear evident in her gaze as if she saw him as the villain.

But in her eyes glimmered a devious, triumphant spark.

Growing impatient, Lu Xin abruptly stepped toward her.

However, the girl instantly shrank back in terror, clutching the leg of the nearest person while shouting, “Ah, don’t let him come near me! He’s so frightening—he scared and tormented me in the villa. He even tried to take advantage of me. He…he’s worse than that demon. Please, I beg you…”

“No, please don’t let him take me away…”

“…”

“This is just too outrageous, isn’t it?”

Lu Xin’s brow furrowed deeply as a volley of gunshots suddenly rang out around them.

Countless guns were trained on his face simultaneously.

The armed police soldiers’ expressions turned furious and ruthless as they shouted, “Is this really the man you claim him to be?”

“Step back, or we’ll open fire!”

“…”

Vice President Xiao also glanced at the girl, his face contorting with an odd, burgeoning anger.

When that fury reached its peak, he suddenly stamped his foot harshly.

Pointing at Lu Xin, he snarled, “Little Lu, this is…this is too much.”

……

……

Lu Xin was forced to halt.

With his sister at his side, if he tried to break through, no one would dare stop him.

Yet, given their current state, they would surely shoot.

In such a densely packed courtyard, the exchange of gunfire could injure or even kill everyone.

This thought made Lu Xin’s heart sink.

People he had once trusted now wore unfamiliar, ferocious expressions.

It was a feeling that made him deeply uneasy.

At the back of the crowd, the terrified girl’s smile slowly shifted into one of smug satisfaction.

It was a look laced with disdain and mockery.

Her head tilted slightly upward, her bruised chin and face exuding a confidence that suggested she had seized control of the situation.

……

Separated by the swirling mass, Lu Xin and the girl locked eyes.

Against a backdrop of grim, barrel-like gun muzzles and furious, hostile faces,

Lu Xin watched her calmly as her triumphant smile slowly faded into a puzzled expression.

Remaining expressionless, Lu Xin continued to observe her silently until her smug look gave way to uncertainty.

Then a subtle smile crept onto Lu Xin’s face.

He fixed his gaze on the girl and murmured, “Why, when you’re so feeble, do you insist on rousing my anger?”

The girl froze, her body twitching unnaturally.

Her expression turned disturbingly eerie.