Luo Ran’s tone was as usual, and so was his expression.
Lucas didn’t think much of it. He simply stepped forward and crouched down.
…
Lucas: “…”
Lucas stood up and said, “Do you have nothing better to do?”
Luo Ran looked a little disappointed.
Luo Ran found a lighter on the bed, while Lucas searched the drawers and found a charcoal brazier, which happened to match the one Luo Ran had found.
The key was probably hidden inside something that needed to be melted. Lucas had already checked the walls, which were covered with story clues but contained nothing else. That meant the key was most likely inside the largest cabinet.
Luo Ran stepped forward and opened the cabinet door.
He had already prepared himself for something to jump out, but unexpectedly, nothing happened at all.
The cabinet was empty except for a plastic ball sitting in one corner.
Luo Ran reached out to take it, only to discover that the wooden panel at the back of the cabinet was fake. It was actually a piece of fabric, concealing a small space behind it. A woman with disheveled hair and terrifying features suddenly burst out from inside, shrieking as she lunged at Luo Ran.
It was an unexpected scare, designed to catch players off guard after they had already let their guard down.
However, Luo Ran was no ordinary person. He simply watched without reacting as the female ghost emerged and feebly grabbed his shoulders.
Female ghost: “…”
This was getting a little awkward.
Weren’t ordinary people supposed to slam the cabinet door shut…?!
And the position from which the female ghost had lunged out was rather tricky. She lost her balance with one wrong movement and was about to fall. Luo Ran immediately reached out and steadied her by the shoulders.
Female ghost: “…”
Now it was even more awkward.
Lucas had been lighting the fire with the lighter nearby. Seeing this, he strode over angrily.
“What are you two doing?!”
Lucas noticed the physical contact between them and glared at the female ghost with a terrifying expression. His powerful possessiveness was even causing the pheromones of this Alpha to leak out uncontrollably.
The female ghost trembled under his murderous gaze and intimidating aura. She immediately retreated into the hidden space and even closed the cabinet door herself.
Luo Ran: “…”
Luo Ran turned around, looking both amused and helpless. “General, what are you doing?”
“I haven’t even asked what you two were doing, all tangled up together.” Lucas sneered.
Meanwhile, the young woman playing the female ghost, hiding in the little space behind the cabinet, heard their exchange. She covered her mouth and cried as she logged into the forum.
I ship it!
The general is so damn unreasonable! He’s even jealous of a female ghost! It’s way too hard to play a ghost these days!
As expected of an SSS Alpha!
What a beautiful love story!
As for the two absolutely shameless men, Lucas and Luo Ran, they collected the necessary items, used the torch to melt the plastic ball and retrieve the key, and then proceeded to the next room.
Although the escape room had been cleverly designed, with each stage more difficult than the last and plenty of frightening surprises, neither of them was remotely fazed throughout the entire experience. They also never got stuck on any puzzle and progressed smoothly from one stage to the next.
When they arrived at the door to the final stage, however, Luo Ran paused slightly.
It looked as though they would have to crawl through a narrow passage.
Noticing Luo Ran’s hesitation, Lucas asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
Beyond the passage was an even smaller room containing only a keypad-locked door. Countless colored stickers covered all four walls, and the clues to the code were presumably hidden among them.
This space was quite unusual. Rather than a room, it was more like a box, with barely enough room for five people to stand pressed together.
The sealed box had only a few tiny gaps in the corners to let air circulate. It was pitch-dark, with poor visibility, and the cramped surroundings created an oppressive sense of confinement.
Even turning around was difficult for Luo Ran and Lucas. They had to coordinate their movements with each other.
Luo Ran stood in front of one wall, searching for clues, while Lucas frowned slightly.
In this small, quiet space, he could feel Luo Ran’s breathing gradually becoming more rapid.
Lucas moved closer to Luo Ran, and the back of his hand brushed against the exposed skin.
It was ice-cold.
Lucas demanded sharply, “Luo Ran, are you feeling unwell?”
“No.” Luo Ran’s voice was somewhat hurried and weak.
Lucas immediately grabbed Luo Ran by the shoulders and forcibly turned him around, then switched on the light on his terminal.
As soon as the light came on, Lucas saw that Luo Ran’s face was flushed, and cold sweat covered his skin.
Lucas frowned. “Claustrophobia?”
“…” Luo Ran paused before answering, “It won’t affect anything. Once we solve the puzzle, we can get out.”
In fact, the escape room was under continuous automated monitoring by an intelligent system. They could easily contact the staff through their terminals and have the game stopped immediately. But Luo Ran didn’t want to do that.
It was only a game. He didn’t want to, nor did he need to, give up here with Lucas.
Luo Ran gently brushed Lucas’s hand away and turned back toward the wall.
“We just need to finish this quickly.”
Luo Ran clenched both hands into fists, digging his fingers firmly into his palms to force himself to calm down and keep his mind working. He also did his best to regulate his breathing, refusing to let this inexplicable fear disrupt his rhythm.
The next moment, however, a warm embrace suddenly enveloped him.
Luo Ran froze and turned his head, meeting Lucas’s eyes.
They were incredibly close, their noses almost touching.
Lucas had wrapped his arms around Luo Ran from behind, holding his own jacket around them so that it covered Luo Ran as well.
Luo Ran could feel Lucas’s arms encircling his waist through the fabric of the jacket. His entire body was enclosed within Lucas’s embrace, wrapped up in the man’s coat.
It was as though he had been enveloped in tobacco. The rich scent swept through Luo Ran’s mind, sharp and brazen.
At such close range, Lucas also assumed that Luo Ran was a Beta and therefore saw no need to restrain his pheromones. Luo Ran’s legs nearly gave way. Fortunately, his apparent claustrophobia provided a convenient explanation for why he could barely stand.
Lucas said, “Keep going.”
The man’s deep, steady voice sounded right beside Luo Ran’s ear.
Luo Ran took a deep breath and nodded.
The Alpha’s pheromones and that firm embrace had somehow calmed Luo Ran down almost instantly.