Beep—
A little while later, Luo Ran successfully entered the correct password, and the two of them left the room.
The iron box was the final stage. Once they pushed open the door, they emerged from the escape room itself. The glaring sunlight made Luo Ran take a moment to adjust.
“Congratulations on successfully completing the challenge! You’re also the fastest players to clear it this month!” The staff member cheerfully handed them their escape room reports.
“Since you currently hold the record, we’ll give you a gift.”
The staff member pointed to the cabinet behind them, which was packed full of plush toys. “You can each choose one to take home!”
Lucas wasn’t interested in such things, so Luo Ran stepped forward to make a selection.
After looking around, Luo Ran chose a little lion.
The young male lion had a thick mane and fluffy fur all over. Its face looked adorably fierce, and it had four little padded paws.
“This one is for you.” Luo Ran stuffed the little lion into Lucas’s arms.
Lucas looked at it with mild disdain. “I don’t need this sort of thing.”
“One for each of us. Just treat it as a souvenir.” Luo Ran also retrieved the little lamb he had left with the staff earlier.
The staff member looked at the two grown men. One of them was tall and intimidating, yet one was holding a little lamb while the other hugged a little lion…
It was actually rather cute.
The staff member couldn’t stop smiling.
Lucas bared his teeth in irritation.
Were the people of the Empire really this bored in their daily lives?
They came here to shoot plush toys, ride roller coasters, and go through haunted houses. And now they even wanted to ride this obviously stupid-looking thing?
Did everyone have so much free time?
Afterward, the two bought some drinks and took a short break in the shade. Lucas frowned and asked, “How did you develop claustrophobia?”
“Ah…” Luo Ran took a sip of juice, paused, and said, “I was born with it?”
“Try lying again.” Lucas’s expression darkened. “If you lie to me again, I’ll pour this water over your head.”
“…”
Luo Ran said, “How do you know I’m lying? Where’s your evidence?”
“Instinct.”
“Your instincts aren’t accurate, General.”
Lucas sneered. “If my instincts weren’t accurate, I’d have died on the battlefield already.”
Luo Ran replied quite straightforwardly, “Then I don’t want to talk about it.”
“…”
“You’re getting pretty bold.”
“Mm.” Luo Ran nodded, entirely at ease with himself.
Bang!
The next moment, Luo Ran was pinned against the trunk of a large tree behind him.
Luo Ran: “…”
The reason Luo Ran had become so brazen was that they were outdoors now, and he thought Lucas wouldn’t be able to do much to him.
But… this?
For an instant, Luo Ran panicked. “General, other people will see…”
“Do I care?” Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, and I’ll let you go.”
Lucas braced one hand against the tree behind Luo Ran, trapping him in place.
After his initial panic, Luo Ran quickly regained his composure.
Although Lucas had an overbearing personality, he wasn’t the sort of person who would get handsy with someone in public.
Luo Ran quickly surveyed their surroundings. They were in a secluded corner where hardly anyone passed by. Even if someone did happen to walk past, Lucas had pinned him at just the right angle. His tall, broad frame completely concealed Luo Ran from view.
So Luo Ran smiled and said, “I’m not telling you.”
Lucas: “…”
Lucas was getting a little angry.
His pheromones grew even more intense.
Luo Ran: “…”
Luo Ran knew Lucas wasn’t doing it on purpose, but his legs were starting to feel weak again, and his head was buzzing.
Being so close to Lucas in the escape room earlier had already been deadly enough. After all, Lucas was an advanced SSS-level Alpha who had given him a temporary mark, and Luo Ran was currently in heat.
At the time, however, his fear and nervousness had been more overwhelming, so nothing had happened.
But Lucas’s intense pheromones had already permeated Luo Ran’s body. Now that he was being provoked like this again, Luo Ran felt that something was wrong.
“Ge… General, let go.” Luo Ran grabbed Lucas’s hand and tried to push him away. “My stomach feels a little uncomfortable. I need to use the restroom.”
Lucas frowned. Was Luo Ran trying to use this as an excuse to escape?
Luo Ran lowered his head, breathing rapidly. “…Please.”
Lucas froze. He complied instinctively, especially since Luo Ran’s complexion really did look terrible.
Lucas watched Luo Ran hurry away, still standing there in a daze.
A moment later, he came to his senses and chased after him.
Luo Ran’s face had looked awful. Had something happened to him?
………………..
Restroom.
Inside a locked cubicle, Luo Ran leaned against the wall and took an inhibitor out of his pocket.
With trembling hands, he opened the inhibitor’s cap and was about to inject himself when a loud, forceful voice suddenly rang out from outside.
“Luo Ran?! Where are you?”
Lucas had caught a faint scent of white tea.
Luo Ran was so startled that his hand shook, and he nearly collapsed to the floor.
He opened his mouth but didn’t dare make a sound. In a panic, he hurriedly drove the needle into his wrist and injected the inhibitor.
Fortunately, he had already used a scent-blocking spray as a precaution. Lucas wouldn’t be able to smell his pheromones while he was in heat.
“Luo Ran?”
Lucas pounded on the door.
“I-I’m fine…” Luo Ran tried his best to maintain his usual voice, but his entire body was still trembling uncontrollably.
The injection also took time to complete. Luo Ran kept his eyes fixed anxiously on the inhibitor.
Hearing Luo Ran’s voice, weak and trembling, Lucas grew worried.
“Luo Ran, open the door!”
“General, I… please don’t come in!”
Lucas stepped forward and tried to force the door open.
“General…!”
Luo Ran stared at the poor door as it was repeatedly battered, his eyes widening.
The inhibitor finished injecting at that very moment.
The door also surrendered at that very moment, officially meeting its end.
Almost as soon as the door burst open, Luo Ran barely managed to toss the inhibitor packaging into the trash can.