Chapter 84: Using a Woman as Bait

The bullet had been fired from outside the window.

Gu Xiangnan pulled Tao Yao with him, swiftly ducking into a blind spot, pressing themselves against the wall for cover.

Catching a bullet with bare hands had only been a stopgap measure.

The only real solution was to locate the shooter and root out the problem at its source.

The surveillance screens were mounted on the other wall. Gu Xiangnan darted over.

Another volley of bullets screamed past.

He rapidly switched through the camera feeds, but saw no one around the villa.

The night was deep and the distant view was blurred, making it impossible to pinpoint the shooter’s position.

Just then, Tao Yao suddenly stepped out from behind cover and began to remove her cheongsam.

“Get back! Get behind the wall!” Gu Xiangnan urged her desperately, waving his hand.

But she seemed not to hear, calmly undressing until she wore only her undergarments.

The mercenary hidden in the shadows, sniper rifle at the ready, was searching for Gu Xiangnan, but suddenly saw a woman emerge.

What was she doing?

Why was she undressing?

He seemed to understand, and a sneer of contempt curled his lips.

Gu Xiangnan was actually trying to use a woman as bait?

Through his telescopic scope, he had a clear view as Tao Yao shed her clothing.

Her enchanting figure was enough to make anyone’s blood boil.

She was a rare beauty indeed.

The mercenary watched greedily, deciding to indulge himself for a few more seconds.

Gu Xiangnan, meanwhile, couldn’t take his eyes off her curves and muttered to himself,

“What is she doing? Surely seduction isn’t the only answer to a lost fight!”

“If I don’t take it off, it’ll split anyway,” Tao Yao murmured.

Then she started to roll her neck, as if struggling to free herself from some restraint.

Her eyes turned blood-red.

White fur burst from her body in an instant.

The mercenary, eager for a spectacle, was instead met with a terrifying sight that left him so stunned he forgot to shoot.

A ripping sound.

Her undergarments tore apart, shredding into fragments that fell to the floor.

In a flash, Tao Yao’s body underwent a startling transformation.

She became a towering, snow-white fox, her height rivaling that of a polar bear.

It was truly a breathtaking sight.

Behind her swayed nine enormous, fluffy tails.

Even more bizarre, a faint purple mist began to emanate from her body.

With each movement of her nine tails, the violet vapor spread rapidly, fanning out across dozens of meters in a matter of moments.

The purple mist seeped everywhere. Gu Xiangnan immediately held his breath and pinched his nose.

But it was too late; a small amount still slipped in.

The mist also found its way into the mercenary’s nostrils.

A thunderous roar burst from Tao Yao’s throat.

Gu Xiangnan felt an odd, sweet fragrance swirling within him, sending his blood surging, his mind into a haze, and awakening an overwhelming yearning for Tao Yao.

It was like a starving man suddenly confronted with a sumptuous feast—one he longed to devour in a single gulp.

Was this the pheromone Tao Yao released?

How formidable!

Gu Xiangnan quickly gathered his inner strength, fighting back against the force, unwilling to let his mind be overrun.

The mercenary, overwhelmed by the mist, lost all reason. He stepped out of hiding, dropping his weapon to the ground.

He had been lying in ambush fifty meters away, ready for a long-range shot—now he was nothing but a puppet at her mercy.

Tao Yao could wait no longer.

She leapt, smashing through the window and bounding out.

With each jump she covered ten meters, and in a few bounds, she was upon the mercenary.

She extended her claws, rending open his chest and ripping out his heart in one swift motion.

“Hahaha—I love you…” the mercenary gasped, collapsing to the earth, a grotesque smile still on his lips and his eyes brimming with adoration for Tao Yao.

He died with a look of bliss.

Tao Yao inhaled sharply; a white, translucent silhouette was drawn from his body.

It was his fate, which she absorbed into herself.

Returning inside, Tao Yao found Gu Xiangnan’s eyes vacant and unfocused.

His mind was a blank; a fire of desire burned in his gaze.

“My lord, are you alright?” Tao Yao transformed again, becoming a little girl, and approached Gu Xiangnan.

She wore nothing, her petite waist accentuated by her voluptuous curves—a contrast that only inflamed Gu Xiangnan further.

He hastily turned his face away, not daring another glance, as if one more look would spell his doom.

Tao Yao whispered softly, “My lord, are you in much discomfort?”

Gu Xiangnan clenched his jaw, his chest heaving, veins bulging at his neck as he struggled to repress his wicked urges.

“Stay away from me!” His voice was hoarse, almost a beastly growl.

Startled by his reaction, Tao Yao took a half step back, explaining,

“My lord, my pheromone is incredibly potent—once ensnared, it’s nearly impossible to break free unaided.

“I am a fox, you are a man. Who knows what might happen if we’re together? What if you’re harmed because of me?”

She voiced her concerns.

“Let me handle it myself!” Gu Xiangnan said, and rushed into the bathroom.

Soon, the sound of water splashing echoed from within, along with Gu Xiangnan’s suppressed panting.

A half hour passed, and still he did not emerge.

Tao Yao grew worried.

She went to the bathroom door and knocked. “My lord, do you need my help?”

No reply, no sign of the door opening.

The sound of running water continued.

Tao Yao grew even more anxious. Had Gu Xiangnan fainted inside?

She stepped back, kicked open the door, and rushed inside—only to flush crimson at what she saw.

Gu Xiangnan stood beneath the shower, letting the water cascade over him.

The water was icy cold, devoid of any warmth.

Streams of water ran down his sculpted muscles, tracing over his long legs.

The reaction in a certain place was obvious, and remarkable.

Tao Yao had once glimpsed him from afar when he spent the night with his senior sisters, but this was her first direct encounter, and she was taken aback.

Gu Xiangnan slowly lifted his eyes, his dark pupils locking onto her as he said,

“Do you realize how much trouble you cause by coming in here?”

Tao Yao nodded. “I know.”

Her gaze was pure, yet she stood there utterly bare—a contrast as incendiary as a struck match.

Gu Xiangnan pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist until their bodies pressed tightly together.

Though the water drenched them both, held so close, neither felt cold.

“My lord, I can help you,” Tao Yao whispered sweetly.

In the bedroom,

Gu Xiangnan half-reclined on the bed, eyes closed, brow furrowed, yet his face was alight with pleasure.

His large hand clasped Tao Yao’s smaller one.

Tao Yao knelt at his side, leaning over him.

Her face was as red as an apple, sweat beading on her brow from her efforts.

Gu Xiangnan opened his deep eyes and looked at the small woman before him.

Tao Yao wiped the sweat from her face and asked,

“My lord, how much longer will this take?”

“Keep going.”

“All right.”

Gu Xiangnan released her hand. “You do it yourself.”