Chapter 18: Classic Coward
Finally, Lin Mu stopped just a foot away from her. His presence was overwhelming, his eyes radiating wicked intent. Zhao Lin's breath hitched as he loomed over her, his aura suffocating and cold.
Zhao Lin's heart skipped a beat when Lin Mu began reaching for her face with his right hand.
But before Lin Mu could act, a soft yet worried voice cut through the tension.
"Lin Mu! Stop!" Lin Mu's hand froze midway, his head slowly turning toward the voice.
It was Chen Hua again, her face etched with concern. She had stood back, too afraid to intervene earlier, but now she couldn't bear to stay silent.
"Lin Mu please don't hurt her!, I know what she did was wrong but you've already done more than enough, Plus, you're hurt!" she called out, stepping closer. "Please, don't push yourself anymore!"
Lin Mu's gaze wavered, the darkness in his eyes flickering.
' Wait....what I'm I doing?.' Lin Mu thought to himself as a hint of clarity returned to his mind. His body jolted when he glanced at the bodies strewn all over the Cafe.
' N-No..., did I do this?' Lin Mu felt a wave of bitterness suddenly wash over him at the sight.
' Why can't I control my own body!' He gritted his teeth, his breathing ragged as he struggled to regain clarity. The wicked intent that had consumed him began to dissipate, replaced by confusion and pain.
" You've already proved yourself more than enough." Chen Hua walked up to him and gently grasped his hand in-between both of her's, under the gazes of the worried and wry onlookers.
"Please, Lin Mu, just stop." Small streams of crystal clear tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.
As her words sank in, Lin Mu's body relaxed slightly. The oppressive aura around him began to fluctuate and fine cracks began to grow on his void like eyes.
The onlookers held their breaths in wait, trying to see whether Lin Mu would return to normal. Unfortunately one person in particular wasn't amused in the slightest by the sudden turn of events.
Zhao Lin, ever the opportunist, wasn't about to let this chance slip away. With Lin Mu distracted, she unleashed a powerful telekinetic blast. The invisible force struck Lin Mu square in the chest, sending him flying backward.
He crashed into Chen Hua, the impact knocking them both into the wall and falling.
Lin Mu quickly felt his consciousness slipping away when they both fell onto the floor with a thud before he then feel unconscious.
Zhao Lin, breathing heavily, stumbled toward the door. She cast one last glance at Lin Mu and Chen Hua, a mix of fear and hatred in her eyes, before bolting out of the café.
The onlookers stared in stunned silence, unsure of what to do or say. All eyes were on Lin Mu and Chen Hua, who remained on the floor, seemingly unconscious.
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Several hours later.....
Lin Mu's eyes snapped open, his breath shallow and ragged. His body ached, though he felt a strange sense of comfort he hadn't expected. The bed beneath him was soft and extremely comfortable. " Huh?...., I don't remember ever going to be so early."
" Arrghh.... why's my head aching so much." He sat up slowly, his head pounding as his gaze wandered around the unfamiliar room.
The first thing that struck him was the vivid luxury of the room. The bed he found himself on was actually a king-sized bed which was draped in satin sheets, the walls adorned with elegant tapestries and paintings, and a faint floral scent lingered in the air. A large window with heavy velvet curtains let in just enough sunlight to cast warm patterns on the wooden floor.
" Wow...." Lin Mu was lost for words when he saw the stunning scenery of the city outside the window. Judging from the view, he was probably several tens of floors upwards. " Just how on earth did I get here....and why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?." Lin Mu rubbed his head when a certain memory suddenly surfaced in his mind. In the blink of an eye, memories of what happened earlier flooded his mind like a torrent.
"Chen Hua!" Lin Mu's voice broke the silence, his heart clenching at the absence of a response. " Forget about how I got here, I have to find Chen Hua!."
" I hope she's alright." He swung his legs off the bed, wincing slightly as his feet touched the cool floor. " Ouch...guess I'm still not completely healed up."
Now standing, he took a better look round the room, and like he expected, this place looked nothing like a hospital room or an infirmary.
" Just what happened afterwards and how did I even get here." His confusion began settling in. His last clear memory was the fight, he could still vaguely remember the sound of bones cracking, and the surge of anger that had blinded him during that moment.
" Zhao Lin!, That witch!." Lin Mu's eyes constricted in rage when he remembered how Zhao Lin had ambushed him at the end.
When he thought about her, an uneasy thought suddenly came to him.
" Could this be her... retaliation?, Have I been abducted?...." His pulse quickened as his eyes darted around the room, searching for anything he could use as a weapon to defend himself. No one was here yet so he wanted to make use of this time and at least be ready for anything.
Unfortunately, he ended up Finding nothing besides the King-sized bed, curtains and painted walls with a few decorations, As for the other furnitures, They were simply to big or problematic for him to use. Feeling disappointed, Lin Mu made his way to the door.
He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the ornate doorknob. " Tsk.., I can't just stand here and wait, if Zhao Lin's really behind this then I owe it to Chen Hua to make sure she's ok." Taking a deep breath, he turned it and swung the door open.
To his surprise, Standing just outside was a woman in a casual Oversized t-shirt and short-shorts.