The Protagonist and the Villain Both Kissed Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 40

A security guard patrolling the corridor with a flashlight suddenly paused. He heard a faint, rhythmic splashing coming from the fourth floor. Frowning with confusion, he grabbed his colleague to investigate, but before they could step inside, the area was plunged into sudden, absolute darkness.

Inside the containment room where the strange sounds originated, Su Xi was draped over the control console, gasping for breath. The sound of footsteps in the hallway sent a jolt of panic through him. He reached back, trying to push away the hands of the person behind him, his voice trembling as he pleaded, “Don’t…”

“Does darling not like it?” Mephisto whispered into Su Xi’s ear. His warm breath tickled the sensitive skin, and his fingers traced the smooth surface of Su Xi’s back, lingering on the small red mole on his waist a stark, vivid mark against his pale skin.

Su Xi couldn’t comprehend how the creature could switch forms so freely. The fish tail had vanished, replaced by human legs and even a pair of trousers. Had it not been for the clothes, Su Xi wouldn’t have dared to look.

“It itches…” He couldn’t break free, so he could only offer a weak resistance.

Half an hour ago, he had been lured to Mephisto’s room under a trance. After being coaxed into revealing various secrets, he thought he would be allowed to leave. Instead, Mephisto had released the mental control only to pin him against the console.

Cool fingertips slid over Su Xi’s warm skin, sending waves of tremors through him.

Why is he doing something so intimate when his Salvation Value is only at 40?

Su Xi’s ears burned. Every attempt to push Mephisto away was easily neutralized. The merman’s cool body blocked out the dim light, leaving Su Xi enveloped in shadow.

“Do you prefer that A04 fellow?” Mephisto asked abruptly.

Su Xi blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“You went to that old man and applied to be his primary handler.” Mephisto studied Su Xi’s face. The man looked so innocent and confused that he didn’t seem to be lying.

If he didn’t want to, then that creature must have forced him.

Inside the dimly lit room, the water in the pool splashed rhythmically. The exquisite young man was pressed against the edge of the tank, his back against the cold tiles. Before him stood the merman, his seemingly harmless face wearing a streak of malicious delight.

Mephisto remarked that Su Xi spent every day “investigating” the merman’s anatomy; today, he wanted to swap roles. As a physically weak human, Su Xi had no choice but to endure.

Fingertips brushed over his eyes and trembling lashes before coming to rest on his bitten, crimson lips. With undeniable force, Mephisto slid a finger into Su Xi’s mouth, tangling with his soft tongue. Saliva he couldn’t swallow trickled down the corner of his mouth. Su Xi let out a muffled whimper, trying to push the intrusive hand away.

“Mmph…” When those fingers brushed against the sensitive roof of his mouth, a soft cry escaped him.

“Can’t you just look after me?” Mephisto looked piteous, his emerald eyes brimming with a hurt expression, as if accusing Su Xi of being heartless.

Su Xi shivered, feeling uneasy under that gaze. Aside from Mephisto and A04, he technically did have one other subject under his care, but that one was in a deep sleep and required no attention.

“Lick it clean.”

Seeing the slender hand before him wet with his own saliva, Su Xi’s face flushed deep red. Yet, he followed the command, his tongue meticulously cleaning the fingers. He looked up at Mephisto, whose face was now clouded with desire.

When Mephisto finally withdrew his hand, Su Xi breathed a sigh of relief. Being near the water like this felt suffocating.

He tried to push himself up to get back to the floor, but the merman gripped his wrist tightly. Mephisto tilted his head. “You didn’t think it was over, did you?”

“What else do you want?” Su Xi’s brow furrowed.

“Darling, you used to love touching my tail,” Mephisto said.

“I did not!” Su Xi snapped, his face hot with embarrassment. He had only touched it a few times for “research,” yet Mephisto remembered it so clearly and was now using it to tease him.

By the early hours of the morning, Su Xi no longer knew how to communicate with him. Mephisto had touched nearly every inch of him and used a mix of threats and charms to make him whisper countless sweet words.

Fortunately, the Salvation Value finally reached 50. Increasing by ten points in one night of “handling” made his previous weeks of meticulous care look foolishly slow.

The next morning, a staff member from logistics pushed open the door to deliver food, only to find the usually cold and indifferent Group Leader slumped over the console, gasping for air. Su Xi was draped only in his black cloak, and the air around him was thick with a dizzying, floral fragrance one that made the worker’s blood run hot just from a single breath.

The worker nervously stepped forward to check on him, but his gaze met a pair of emerald eyes.

They were bone-chillingly cold, like shards of ice. The stare was more frigid than the winter weather outside.

The worker left the food cart two meters from the entrance, stared blankly at the scene for a moment, and then turned to flee with a stiff body.

Su Xi lowered his lashes, hiding his emotions. In the tank directly ahead, Mephisto’s intense gaze remained fixed on him. Memories of the previous night played back in his mind like a film, and the lingering aches in his body served as a sharp reminder:

A merman is not a creature to be trifled with. His best weapons are that innocent face and a voice that can steal a man’s soul.

When the room fell silent again, Su Xi used the console to support his aching body and stood up. After being near the water for so long, he felt as if his skin were turning raw.

“Xiao Ba,” he called out.

System 1368, finally released from its “dark room,” responded instantly, terrified of being blocked again. “Host! Host! I’m here!”

“Is Mephisto’s Salvation Value really only 50? Is your sensor broken?” Su Xi pulled his black cloak tight, hiding himself in the shadows as he stood up unsteadily. He glanced at the food cart, his expression complicated.

Knowing the merman could grow legs and walk on land made his previous sense of safety and “distance” feel like a bad joke.

“Don’t worry, Host. Our measurements are precise. There’s no mistake,” 1368 replied.

“So, everything he did… was just to humiliate me?” Su Xi pondered for a moment before coming to that conclusion. But today was December 17th. Even if he knew a deadly trap lay ahead, he had to keep moving forward.

Back in his lounge, Su Xi was exhausted, but he forced himself to take a quick shower. The bathroom was filled with steam. Wrapped in a thin bathrobe, he stood before the mirror and looked at the red marks on his body. He frowned slightly; Mephisto seemed particularly obsessed with the red mole on his waist.

The mole, originally a faint crimson, had been pinched until it was as bright as a ripe berry.

He fell into bed and drifted into a deep sleep.

By the time he woke up, it was 5:00 PM. He poured himself a glass of water, but after drinking it, he was still parched. He downed another full glass. Feeling the pangs of hunger, he ate a pack of crackers before changing clothes to head to the cafeteria.

Before he even reached the doors, he heard the hushed voices of staff nearby.

“Did you hear? Old Li was on patrol last night and heard weird splashing on the fourth floor. He said he saw a dark shadow and was scared half to death.”

“Hey, are you talking about Containment Room One?”

“There’s only one place with a giant water tank on the fourth floor. I think I saw someone going in there yesterday, I just don’t know who.”

“Only a few people have the clearance. It must have been the subject’s handler.”

Su Xi’s hand, reaching for a tray, faltered. He looked toward the source of the noise. A group of staff members were gathered together, gossiping during their shift break.

Because he was far away, they didn’t realize that one of the subjects of their gossip was standing right there.

“Xiao Su, the sweet and sour ribs are delicious today,” the cafeteria auntie said, seeing him hesitating.

“Thank you. I’ll take an order.”

Su Xi took his ribs and a side of vegetables, then found a quiet corner to eat.

Despite the food looking and smelling great, he had no appetite. He set his chopsticks down and checked his phone for the latest news. The top headline was:

[A century-level blizzard is expected in three days. Are you ready to spend winter with your loved ones?]

Three days… December 20th. There were warnings everywhere, yet many chose not to believe them.

“Group Leader Su is here too.”

Someone walked over to greet him. Su Xi recognized him as the one who had started the gossip earlier a man nicknamed “The Loudspeaker” because he was well-informed and couldn’t keep a secret to save his life.

“Yes,” Su Xi replied curtly, clearly uninterested in talking. But the man didn’t take the hint and sat directly across from him.

“Group Leader, I heard a rumor yesterday.”

The Loudspeaker stared at Su Xi’s face, trying to gauge his reaction. Su Xi remained expressionless. “People are talking about the splashing in the fourth-floor room. They say S01…”

“Enough,” Su Xi interrupted coldly. “I don’t want to hear it.”

It was an obvious attempt to bait him for information. Su Xi didn’t have the patience for it. He picked up his tray to leave, but the man stood up and blocked his path. Since it was an early shift change, the cafeteria wasn’t crowded, and no one stepped in to stop the confrontation.

Su Xi’s expression darkened. He stared at the man and asked, “What is the meaning of this?”

He was technically the man’s superior. Was this guy really going to defy him just to get a piece of gossip?