Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 307: Proceed.
AN: So sorry I uploaded the wrong drafts. It should be sorted now. Happy reading.
Yu Xi knew that fighting now would only make things worse. Every instinct in him screamed to resist, to break free, but he forced himself to remain still. Jian Ci would realize something was wrong soon enough, and they would track him. For now, patience was his weapon.
"This way, sir," one of the imperial guards said, his tone clipped but respectful.
Yu Xi followed without hesitation, his expression unreadable. They led him through winding corridors until they reached a concubine palace. The place was drenched in opulence with silken drapes, carved pillars, chandeliers dripping with crystal light. It was beautiful, but to Yu Xi it felt like a cage gilded in gold.
The attendant who was always beside Thaurion, the same one who had handed him that gift days ago, appeared at the entrance. His smile was wide, his tone rehearsed. "Please, come in."
Yu Xi’s steps were measured, calm, as he followed. The attendant moved with enthusiasm, showing him every corner of the palace; the lavish lounge, the perfumed gardens, the bedchamber lined with velvet and silk. It was nothing short of luxury, a place designed to impress and overwhelm.
When the tour ended, Yu Xi finally spoke, his voice steady. "Sir, if you don’t mind me asking... why am I here?"
His tone was normal, almost polite, but something in it made the attendant’s smile falter. A chill ran down the man’s spine, though he couldn’t explain why.
"It is indeed your blessing," the attendant said quickly, "that you have been favored by the divine emperor. Take this as a gift from the heavens."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he bowed and scurried away, leaving Yu Xi alone in the vast room.
Yu Xi’s eyes narrowed, his glare following the retreating figure until the door shut. He pulled out his communicator, checking it with swift precision. As expected, the signal was jammed.
He tried to override it, his fingers moving with practiced skill, but the interference was absolute. Even his expertise couldn’t break through.
He exhaled slowly, setting the device aside. The silence of the palace pressed in around him, heavy and suffocating.
Yu Xi leaned back against the lounge chair, his gaze fixed on the door. He would wait for Jian Ci to come get him. For now he could only look for an escape plan in case his sweet heart wouldn’t get here on time.
He moved through the palace with deliberate steps, his eyes scanning every corridor, every archway, every shadow. At first glance, his movements weren’t restricted. He could walk freely.
There were no locked doors and no attendants barring his path. But the freedom was an illusion. The palace was vast, spacious, and gilded, yet it was nothing more than a cage.
High-ranking imperial guards patrolled the grounds, their aura unmistakable. Each one was an esper, trained and loyal, their vigilance constant. Yu Xi knew he could take them all down if he chose to.
His power was sharp, precise, and more than enough. But the problem wasn’t the guards, it was the aftermath. The moment he struck, alarms would flare, reinforcements would swarm, and the operation they had worked so hard to conceal would be exposed before it could begin.
That was something Yu Xi could not allow so he stayed put, his patience a blade sheathed for now.
He was about to leave the bedroom when something caught his eye. It was a panel on the wall that didn’t belong. It was subtle, almost hidden, but different enough to draw his attention. Yu Xi approached it his fingertips brushing the surface. He expected some resistance but instead, the panel hissed softly, sliding open to reveal a hidden chamber.
Yu Xi stepped inside, his stride confident, but then paused.
The room was lined with whips, chains, restraints, and toys. They were implements of indulgence and cruelty. His brow arched, surprise flickering across his otherwise calm face. So this was Thaurion’s hobby.
Whether the espers who had been subjected to this were willing or not didn’t matter. The sight alone was enough to confirm what Yu Xi already suspected. Thaurion’s obsession with him was not only dangerous, it was depraved.
Yu Xi turned sharply, unwilling to linger. He stepped back into the bedroom and closed the panel behind him, sealing the chamber away as though it had never existed.
He walked to the lounge and sat down, his posture composed, his expression unreadable. Inside, his resolve hardened.
He hoped Thaurion wouldn’t show his face too early, because if he did, Yu Xi knew one thing with absolute certainty, there was no way he would let that man touch him.
***
Meanwhile, Jian Ci’s communicator still glowed faintly with the husky sticker, its tail wagging in endless cheer. But the silence on the other end was deafening. Ten minutes had passed. Fifteen. His chest tightened with each second. Yu Xi always replied... always. No matter how busy he was, he would never leave Jian Ci hanging.
"Is Little Xi in position?" Jian Ci asked through the coms, his voice clipped, betraying the edge of panic.
Jian Rui, bent over a plasma rifle, didn’t look up. "He should be in position now."
Jian Wei’s tone was sharper. "He should be responding by himself."
The words hung heavy. Jian Rui’s brows creased, realization dawning. "Ah-Ci, don’t act rash."
But Jian Ci was already moving. His fingers flew across the tracker interface, pulling up Yu Xi’s pendant signal. When the location pinged, his blood ran cold.
His brothers’ voices blurred into background noise. Jian Rui’s calm reasoning and Jian Wei’s sharp warnings all fell on deaf ears. They were like distant echoes, drowned beneath the roar of Jian Ci’s pulse. He was already gone, heading for the imperial palace.
"Shit," Jian Rui swore, gripping his hair in frustration.
Stannis’ voice cut through the chaos, steady and resolute. "We have to advance the plan."
Jian Rui looked at him, and for a moment, Stannis was the only anchor in the storm. He nodded once. "Proceed."
