The air hung heavy with the scent of agar, mingling with the low hum of machinery. Shelves lined the walls, stacked high with bottles of chemicals.
Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow over rows of workstations, where conical flasks bubbled and hissed.
Whiteboards crowded with scribbled notes and complex diagrams surrounded the center of the room.
At the heart of it all stood a woman in a pristine white lab coat and gloves, meticulously measuring substances with precise, deliberate movements.
Her straight black hair was pulled into a tight bun, and her sapphire eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence. A button nose and soft pink lips completed her striking beauty.
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Rows of computers displayed streams of complex data. Samples and reagents were neatly stored and clearly labeled.
Her face remained calm, impassive—emotions carefully masked behind a veil of neutrality.
Her sapphire eyes stayed fixed on the experiment, unaware of the danger creeping up behind her.
A shadowy figure, masked and silent, emerged just behind her. Their identity and gender impossible to discern.
Before she could react, a white cloth pressed firmly against her nose and mouth. She struggled, clawing at the hand, but the assailant's grip was unyielding.
Gradually, her resistance faded. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she slumped into the waiting arms of the unknown attacker.
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*In an abandoned warehouse, far from civilization*
"Ughhh…" Bai Fengxi groaned, pain radiating through her body as she slowly opened her eyes to eerie silence.
Dim light cast long shadows across cracked walls. Piles of debris cluttered the floor, dust and cobwebs coating every surface.
As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was tightly bound to a chair—unable even to move a finger.
Standing before her was the masked man who had kidnapped her. Their eyes locked, locked in a silent staring contest.
'Where is the mugger who brought me here?'she wondered. 'I still haven't switched off Bunsen burner 02… Ah!'
Suddenly, a new shadow appeared in the doorway. Bai Fengxi's gaze sharpened.
Six-inch white heels clicked softly on the concrete. A white sleeveless midi dress with a V-shaped neckline flowed elegantly. Chestnut hair was swept up into a high ponytail.
A diamond necklace rested gracefully on her swan-like neck. Delicate makeup framed a beautiful face.
But next to Bai Fengxi's brilliance, she seemed... average. Probably in her late twenties.
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'Finally! Let's get this done immediately!'
The masked man pulled a chair from somewhere and placed it before Bai Fengxi—then exited silently.
The woman sat gracefully, her red lips curling into a demonic smile.
"Bai Fengxi. Long time no see," she muttered.
Bai Fengxi looked up calmly. "It's no big deal that you know me. Let's get this over with—I have pending work to attend to."
"Why did you kidnap me?"
"As always, you never remember anyone who hasn't made a wonderful impact on the world. It's… alarming."
Bai Fengxi sighed. "Seriously, I. AM. VERY. BUSY."
The woman leaned back, her smile widening like a Cheshire cat. "Let's start with introductions, shall we? Or better yet… let's go down memory lane."
"My name is Fei Xinin. We were once classmates. I was the popular girl; you were the nerd—the bookworm. Yet, you gained far more popularity than me."
Bai Fengxi stared, disbelief flickering in her eyes. "So? What does that have to do with this?"
Fei Xinin smirked, leaning in like she is about to reveal a national secret. "Right… you don't remember me. Not like I want you to. But I just wanted to explain why you're here."
"Someone I love with everything loves you. And we can't have that, can we?"
Bai Fengxi's indifferent mask cracked as she slowly inhaled. "Who is this person? What's his name?"
Fei Xinin leaned closer, her feather-like lashes blinking. "The thing is," she said, "even if I told you, you wouldn't remember. In this world, no one is important to you—yet most people hold you dear."
Bai Fengxi threw her head back, staring at the dark ceiling. She inhaled. Exhaled. Inhaled again.
'Kidnapped? Love? Memory lane? What the heck is going on?!'
She chuckled. "You know, I've witnessed some crazy situations, been through bizarre things for all kinds of reasons. But today… your reason is on another level of CRAZY!"
"Today, I'm kidnapped because your so-called love interest loves me. Someone I don't even know."
She muttered, surprised, "Like… really?!"
"Mhmm… He's crazily in love with you. It should've been me. Bai Fengxi, it's nothing personal."
With that, Fei Xinin stood up and left the room.
Bai Fengxi smiled, then thunderous laughter echoed off the warehouse walls. "Hilarious! This is really hilarious!"
Bai Fengxi knew she was a very sought-after person. She had been proposed to by countless business Giants and conglomerates. She had been kidnapped to perform surgery or to collaborate in producing different sorts of drugs.
But this was the first—and probably the last—time she'd been kidnapped because someone fell in love with her.
"...Seriously?"
Just then, the masked man returned, strode toward her, and with a heavy rod, struck her head, plunging her into darkness.
The next time Bai Fengxi opened her eyes, she was falling down from a cliff. Her hands and feet bound, with no chance of escape from her impending death.
As she continued falling, Bai Fengxi tried tugging her hands free. Her wrists were so red that they could spill blood in the next moment.
Luckily for her, her efforts paid. The rope on her wrists came undone. Her hands were free!
BUT…..
IT
WAS
TOO
LATE.
BANG!
PAK!
Her back made contact with the jagged rock, and a brain-splitting pain coursed through her entire body.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Her scream echoed in the deserted cliff.
It was late in the night. No one was in sight. Bai Fengxi's eyes were bloodshot, as tears streamed down her face.
" I can't believe this is how it all ends! I haven't finished research 342 ... .and project 00305…..a..nd…subject 972..a.." Her words slurred as her eyes slowly closed.
DARKNESS ….
THE FALL…..
THE NUMBER OF BONES BROKEN…
THE NUMBER OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL INJURIES SUSTAINED….
Bright red blood pooled around her. The moon was bright and full, but she couldn't enjoy this beautiful scenery.
Then it happened!
A shimmering blue array ignited beneath her body, glowing with an ethereal light. It pulsed once, twice, then enveloped her completely.
In a flash, Bai Fengxi—the blood, the pain, the broken bones—were gone.
Only the dark night and the bright moon remained, silent witnesses to her disappearance.
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