Skinwalker Belle – Chapter 25 – Perfect Acting

Lin Fan looked at the unconscious Zhou Ming on the sofa. His chest rose and fell steadily; his injuries were likely not severe, just a case of excessive blood loss.

She needed a story.

A story that could perfectly explain the scar-faced man’s disappearance and allow her to hide the pistol without anyone knowing.

She walked to the full-length mirror in the master bedroom. The “Liu Ruyan” in the mirror had neat, short hair and a fiery figure, but her face was a mask of indifference.

He raised his hand and, without hesitation, pinched his own arm.

His fingernails dug deep into the flesh with such force it was as if it weren’t his own body.

Soon, a glaring, purplish-red bruise emerged.

He didn’t stop. He created several more identical marks on the inner thigh, shoulder, and waist—ambiguous places that wouldn’t affect his movement.

The position and force of each one were precisely calculated.

After finishing, he examined his “masterpiece” in the mirror. It still wasn’t enough.

The most crucial step was the face.

Lin Fan recalled the hand Knife Brother had used to hold the gun. He was right-handed.

In that case, the side of her face that should be hit was the left.

He raised his left hand, facing his own beautiful left cheek in the mirror.

Slap!

A crisp slap echoed in the silent room.

A searing pain instantly spread from his cheek, numbing half of his face.

Lin Fan’s body trembled slightly from the pain, but he just clenched his jaw, not making a sound.

He reached up to touch it. His cheek was already starting to flush and swell.

Very good.

Rеаԁ οո KatRеаdіոɡCаfе

Finally, he looked down and grabbed the strap of the black sports bra he was wearing.

Riiip—

The sound of tearing fabric was exceptionally jarring.

One strap snapped, perfectly exposing a hint of skin.

Bruises, torn clothes, a swollen cheek.

The image of a pitiful, vulnerable victim.

Lin Fan put his jacket back on, covering up all the carefully forged “evidence.”

Then, he returned to the living room, sat down quietly beside Zhou Ming, and began to wait.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Outside the window, the night grew darker.

From downstairs came the low roars of zombies attracted by the scent of blood, mingled with the muffled sounds of flesh and bone being torn apart.

Lin Fan knew that the bodies of Knife Brother and his two men were being “cleaned up.”

Those hungry monsters were useful tools for destroying corpses in the apocalypse.

At eight o’clock in the evening, Zhou Ming finally stirred.

“Ugh…”

He slowly opened his eyes, his face as pale as paper from blood loss.

“Ming-ge!”

Lin Fan immediately threw himself forward, hugging his head.

His soft chest pressed perfectly against Zhou Ming’s cheek, bringing with it a suffocating sensation.

Reаd on KаtReadіոɡСаfе

“You’re finally awake! I was so scared!”

Her voice was choked with sobs, her body trembling violently.

Zhou Ming was stunned by the sudden embrace of a soft, fragrant body, but the sharp pain from the wound on his shoulder snapped him back to his senses.

“Hiss…” He sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Ming-ge! I was too excited, I hurt you!” Lin Fan quickly let go, her beautiful eyes welling with tears, on the verge of crying.

Zhou Ming gritted his teeth against the pain and sat up, looking around as his memory began to return.

The hallway, the ambush, the gunshot, the intense pain…

“Where’s that scar-faced man?” He suddenly remembered something and grabbed Lin Fan’s arm anxiously. “Ruyan, are you okay? Did he… did he do anything to you?”

Lin Fan’s tears instantly broke through.

She said nothing, only slowly unzipped her jacket.

A tragic scene was clearly exposed before Zhou Ming’s eyes.

“This…” Zhou Ming’s face instantly flushed red, and his breathing grew heavy.

“What… what did he do to you?!” His voice was distorted with rage.

Lin Fan bit her lower lip hard, tears falling silently like pearls from a broken string.

“That scar-faced man… he forced me into the room with his gun…” Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, as if recalling a nightmare. “He told me to take off my clothes… said he wanted to…”

“Bastard!”

Zhou Ming roared, struggling to stand up, but the tearing wound sent him crashing back onto the sofa.

“And then?” His voice was trembling, each word seemingly squeezed from between his teeth.

“I fought back with all my might.” Lin Fan clutched her tattered clothes, curling into a ball. “My innocence… is meant for you, Ming-ge! I’d rather die than let him touch me!”

Reαⅾ oո KаtReaⅾiոgСαfе

“I fought back desperately… so he hit me…”

Zhou Ming’s gaze fell on her swollen cheek, the clear five-fingered print tugging viciously at his heart.

“But… but just as he was about to… to do that kind of thing to me…” Lin Fan’s voice suddenly paused, a trace of lingering fear and confusion flashing in her eyes.

“What happened?”

“He suddenly… clutched his chest, looking like he was in a lot of pain.” Lin Fan blinked, and tears rolled down again. “It seemed like a heart attack.”

She continued, sobbing, “I took the chance to run into the bedroom and locked the door. I hid in there for a long, long time, too scared to even move… By the time I came out again, he was gone. He probably got scared we had companions and ran away on his own.”

Zhou Ming clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

“Ruyan… I’m sorry…” His voice choked with endless regret and self-blame. “It’s all my fault! I failed to protect you!”

Lin Fan shook her head, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

“It’s not your fault, Ming-ge. You were already shot trying to protect me.” She reached out a cool hand and gently caressed Zhou Ming’s cheek. “Besides… my innocence is still intact. That’s enough.”

Zhou Ming stared at her fixedly.

This girl, to preserve her chastity for him, would rather be beaten and humiliated.

In her heart, he was that important.

How could he ever let down a girl like this?

And he had almost done something beastly to her before… He was simply not human!

“Ruyan, I swear!” Zhou Ming grabbed her hand, his eyes more determined than ever before. “From now on, I, Zhou Ming, will never let anyone harm a single hair on your head! Anyone who wants to touch you will have to step over my dead body first!”

“I believe you, Ming-ge.”

Lin Fan’s “storm” finally passed, and she revealed a pale yet moving smile.

She got up and walked to the kitchen. “You’ve lost so much blood, you must be weak. I’ll go make you something to eat.”

Reаⅾ оn КαtReαԁіոgСаfe

Soon, the aroma of canned vegetables and meat mixed with white rice porridge wafted out.

Lin Fan carried a tray, sat beside Zhou Ming, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and carefully brought it to his lips.

“You’re weak right now, you need to replenish your nutrients.” Her movements were so gentle they could drip water. “The cleanup operation at Fragrant Hills International is in three days. You need to get well soon.”

Zhou Ming ate the porridge she fed him spoonful by spoonful, gazing at her gentle profile, his heart filled with guilt and affection.

He secretly vowed to become stronger and never let her be harmed again.

“Get some rest.” Lin Fan cleared the dishes. “I’ll change your dressing again tomorrow.”

She returned to the bedroom and gently closed the door.

After confirming there was no more movement outside, the gentleness and vulnerability on Lin Fan’s face instantly vanished, leaving only calmness.

With a thought, the heavy black pistol appeared in her hand.

The cold touch of the metal made her feel more secure than any false oath.

This was the only thing worth trusting in the apocalypse.

This was her trump card, and no one could know about it.

Not even Zhou Ming.

A tool only needed to see what she wanted him to see.

Lin Fan skillfully checked the magazine, loaded the pistol, and placed it in her Storage Space.

Just as she was about to turn off the light and sleep, her vision suddenly went dark.

He immediately got up and looked out the window. The city, which had still had scattered lights, was now plunged into complete darkness.

The power was out!

The survivors’ nightmare had arrived