The General's Love Glitch - Chapter 31

After instructing Jiang Lan to retrieve the hospital surveillance footage to track Ruan Wei’s whereabouts, Jun Jue ended the communication and immediately dialed Ruan Wei using her own optical computer.

“Sorry, the user you are trying to reach has been disconnected from this device. Please confirm whether this device has been lost.”

The emotionless mechanical voice echoed through the empty office. Jun Jue stood up, ready to search for Ruan Wei herself, when she received another communication request from Jiang Lan.

“Any news about Weiwei?”

“Apologies, General. The hospital’s surveillance equipment was damaged. There’s no information about Madam Weiwei. What should we do next?”

“Weiwei has a close colleague in Room 303, and there are also a few children in Room 302. Go ask them gently. Don’t frighten them.”

This was the first time Jiang Lan had heard the word “gently” from Jun Jue. She paused for a moment before responding, “Understood, General.”

Jiang Lan first approached Tian Tian, who told her she hadn’t seen Ruan Wei that day.

“Did something happen to Weiwei?” Tian Tian asked worriedly. If even General Jun Jue’s people couldn’t find Ruan Wei, something must have happened.

Jiang Lan shook her head. “I’d appreciate it if you kept this matter confidential.”

“I will,” Tian Tian promised.

“Thank you for taking care of Madam Weiwei.”

After Jiang Lan left, Tian Tian also tried calling Ruan Wei’s number, but no one answered.

…

Jun Jue personally went to the optical computer store where she had once taken Ruan Wei to buy her device, hoping to trace Ruan Wei’s possible whereabouts by tracking the device’s activity.

As she stepped out of the store, she received another communication request from Jiang Lan.

“General, there’s new information. The children Madam Weiwei was caring for mentioned that Miss Lin Qiyue came looking for her. It seems she was… particularly harsh toward Madam Weiwei.”

“I see.”

The rain continued to pour as if the heavens were weeping. Jun Jue stood under the eaves, staring at the thick, dark clouds overhead. Weiwei, where are you?

Once inside her flying vehicle, Jun Jue dialed Lin Qiyue’s private number.

Lin Qiyue seemed to have anticipated her call and calmly asked, “Jun Jue, are you calling about Ruan Wei?”

“Yes.”

“Ruan Wei has already left the Federation. She asked me to tell you not to look for her anymore. She’s sorry for deceiving you.”

“Where did Weiwei go?” Jun Jue pressed.

“She told you not to look for her. She’s been lying to you all along, Jun Jue.”

“I know. Please tell me where Weiwei went.”

“Jun Jue… you’re determined to find her, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t know where she went either. I only know she intended to leave the Federation.”

“Thank you.”

The call ended. Lin Qiyue lowered her head and smiled bitterly at her optical computer.

Even knowing Ruan Wei is a vampire, Jun Jue, do you still love her?

Do you love her that much?

…

Jun Jue activated her flying vehicle and followed the trail of Ruan Wei’s optical computer after she left the hospital. The rain was too heavy even lowering the altitude didn’t provide a clear view of the ground below.

Upon arrival, Jun Jue landed the vehicle, opened a large military-green umbrella, and stepped out. She walked the same path Ruan Wei had taken, turning several corners before finding Ruan Wei’s silver-gray optical computer submerged in a puddle.

She picked up the waterlogged device, shook off the excess water, and held it in her hand.

“Weiwei.”

“Weiwei.”

“Weiwei.”

…

Jun Jue called out Ruan Wei’s name repeatedly in the rain, unsure if she was still there. This was an activity trail from two hours ago, Ruan Wei might have already left.

But the weather was terrible. She thought Ruan Wei couldn’t have gone far and might have taken shelter nearby.

If she was patient, she might still find Ruan Wei.

Yet even after her voice grew hoarse from shouting, no one answered.

Weiwei, have you really left?

…

Zhuo Hanjun led a squad of soldiers to the Second Citizens’ Hospital to capture Ruan Wei, only to be told she wasn’t there.

She didn’t believe it and barged in to search, even intimidating the children Ruan Wei had cared for. Several little girls burst into tears, while the boy who admired Jun Jue spread his arms and stood in front to block her.

“You’re a bad person! Even if we knew where Sister Weiwei was, we wouldn’t tell you!”

“Hah! I’m the bad one? Kid, you’ve got it wrong. That ‘Sister Weiwei’ of yours is the real villain, she’s a vampire, an enemy of the entire Federation.”

“Perhaps General Jun Jue found out faster than I did and couldn’t wait to cut ties for the greater good.”

How laughable, she had acted so devoted back in the office.

“I don’t believe you! You’re lying! How could Sister Weiwei be a vampire?”

“Me neither!”

“And me! I don’t believe it either!”

“Even if Sister Weiwei is a vampire, she’s a kind one! Not like you!”

Zhuo Hanjun pinched the cheek of the boy who had spoken the loudest in Ruan Wei’s defense. “What a shame. Born with a congenital disease, and now corrupted by a vampire. As a future general, isn’t it my duty to discipline twisted little brats like you for the Federation?”

“You’re lying!” The boy broke free from her grip and angrily bit her finger.

Zhuo Hanjun’s face twisted in pain, and she raised her hand to strike him but just then, Tian Tian arrived with the hospital director.

“General, please show mercy. Don’t take it out on the children.”

The director added a few more placating words, forcing Zhuo Hanjun to back down for the sake of appearances.

“Even flawed flowers are still the Federation’s flowers. Director, I trust you’ll educate them properly.” With that, she left.

…

“Useless! You haven’t even caught Ruan Wei or forced her to reveal her true form, yet you rush to flaunt your victory in front of Jun Jue?” Chief Executive Lin Aimin hurled a black pen at Zhuo Hanjun.

She caught it with one hand, then bowed and presented it back with both hands.

“Your Excellency, I only acted because I was certain of success.”

Lin Aimin rubbed his temples and took the pen back. If only Jun Jue hadn’t refused the Qiyue marriage alliance, she was too difficult to control. That was why he had gone to such lengths to groom a puppet to replace her.

But now, with this mess, he realized the puppet he had so carefully selected was this impatient, this incapable of hiding her true nature at the critical moment. Even holding all the cards, she could still blunder. Utterly foolish!

“Your Excellency, what should we do now?” Zhuo Hanjun no longer dared to act on her own and sought guidance.

This was what Lin Aimin appreciated most about her, it made him feel the Federation’s military was truly under his control, that the entire Federation was in his grasp.

“First, find out whether that vampire is alive or dead.”

“What if she’s dead?”

“If she’s dead, then Jun Jue got lucky, preemptively upholding justice by eliminating her own kin.”

“But if she’s still alive…” A crazed glint flickered in Zhuo Hanjun’s eyes. “A high-ranking Federation general shielding a vampire, a public enemy whose very existence violates the law…”

Lin Aimin finished her thought, “Wouldn’t that be enough to force Jun Jue to step down from her position?”

“Stepping down isn’t enough.” Zhuo Hanjun recalled the two times Jun Jue had slammed her against the wall and thrown her to the ground earlier that day. “Harboring a vampire, Jun Jue should be punished as severely as the vampire herself.”

…

By 7 p.m., the rain had finally stopped. An unusual phenomenon occurred, though night should have fallen, the sky remained as bright as dusk, and a beautiful rainbow arched across the heavens.

Citizens across the Federation were thrilled by the dazzling sky.

Couples held hands and reveled in the rain-soaked streets, their shoes and socks drenched by the cold water, yet nothing could dampen the joyful smiles on their faces.

The streets quickly filled with people. Jun Jue closed her umbrella and weaved through the crowd, still searching for Ruan Wei.

When she turned into a narrow alley with no good view of the rainbow, she paused and looked up at the vibrant arc.

“Weiwei, are you still in the Federation? Can you see the rainbow from where you are?”

Jun Jue’s mind conjured an image of Ruan Wei standing beside her, gazing at the rainbow and exclaiming how beautiful it was. Normally indifferent to taking photos, Jun Jue found herself using her wrist-computer to capture the moment.

She would show it to Ruan Wei once she found her.

…

After discarding her wrist-computer, Ruan Wei sought shelter from the rain. She found a makeshift tin shed, only to discover a rabbit nest inside, piles of dry hay and two rabbits, one white and one gray.

When Ruan Wei intruded, the two rabbits were nibbling on the same strand of hay. As the strand grew shorter and the rabbits nearly touched noses, her sudden appearance startled them, sending them scurrying in opposite directions.

Ruan Wei picked up the half-eaten strand of hay and first offered it to the white rabbit. The white rabbit watched her warily and didn’t move. She then extended it toward the gray rabbit, which was bolder and approached her, taking the hay before retreating.

“I mean no harm. I just need to wait out the rain here for a while,” Ruan Wei said before settling onto the haystack.

The two rabbits observed her cautiously for a moment before deciding she wasn’t a threat and inching closer.

Ruan Wei picked another strand of hay to tease them, holding the middle while the rabbits nibbled from either end. Resting her head on her knees, she watched curiously, wondering if the rabbits would accidentally kiss.

They didn’t, perhaps because she was there.

She fed the rabbits for a while longer, but the rain outside showed no sign of stopping. Hunger gnawed at her, and she absentmindedly put a strand of hay in her mouth before remembering vampires didn’t eat grass. She spat it out and returned it to the rabbits.

Her gaze lingered on them. Beneath their white and gray fur, she could see the veins, the blood flowing within.

A familiar craving stirred within her. Quickly, she buried her face in her arms, resting against her knees. She had run for hours in the rain that afternoon, leaving her weak and exhausted. In such a state, sleep was the best way to conserve energy. Ruan Wei had always been quick to fall asleep, and soon, she drifted off.

When the rain stopped, Ruan Wei was still asleep. The two rabbits, seeing her motionless for so long, began to paw at her with their little claws, but Ruan Wei didn’t react at all.

The two rabbits decided to go out and seek help. The kind person who had raised them here wasn’t around at the moment, so one stayed in the small shed to keep trying to wake Ruan Wei while the other ran outside to see if any passersby might come by, perhaps they’d find a good Samaritan.

“Weiwei.” Jun Jue happened to arrive just then, her military boots splashing through puddles. She glanced down and, out of the corner of her eye, spotted a rabbit rushing toward her, clinging to her boot with its tiny paws.

Unable to move without risking harm to the animal, Jun Jue followed its lead toward a somewhat dilapidated but rainproof little iron shed.

The shed was low, forcing her to bend down to enter. Jun Jue didn’t plan to go inside, she just wanted to take a quick look.

She’d heard stories about animals having spiritual awareness. If the rabbit had led her here, it must need help. Her thoughts turned to Ruan Wei. No matter where Ruan Wei had run off to, she hoped she’d encounter kind people who would help her when she needed it.

The moment she leaned down, Jun Jue saw the person sleeping in the pile of straw beneath the shed, the very person she’d been searching for.

“Weiwei!” Overcome with excitement, Jun Jue bumped her head against the low iron roof, instantly drawing blood from her forehead.

Ruan Wei faintly heard someone calling her name and caught the familiar scent of blood. Slowly, she lifted her head from the crook of her arm, her legs and neck stiff and numb from staying in that position for so long.

The moment she opened her eyes, Jun Jue was right in front of her.

“Weiwei.” Jun Jue knelt on one knee beside Ruan Wei, gently brushing stray straw from her hair and shoulders.

Ruan Wei had no time to hide her bloodshot eyes or the tiny fangs already peeking out. When she saw the fresh, crimson blood trickling from Jun Jue’s forehead, she couldn’t help but stare a little longer.

Realizing she’d been found, Ruan Wei’s first instinct was to run.

But Jun Jue anticipated her move, pulling her into an embrace before she could act.

“Weiwei, are you really going to run again?”

“General, you’ve seen what I am now. Are you going to kill me?” Ruan Wei asked, her crimson eyes downcast.

Jun Jue was both exasperated and helpless. She released the person who had fled without a word, gazing at her with infinite tenderness.

Then, she lightly touched the small fangs Ruan Wei had already exposed in front of her.

“Weiwei, do you want to drink my blood?”

…

Author’s Note:

Weiwei: How did the General find me so fast? (._.)