Chapter 300: Love You

Mu Xi clenched her fist. The gun hidden in her trouser pocket dug into her palm, causing a sharp pain.

She took a deep breath, walked in, and closed the door behind her.

The room was filled with a faint scent of disinfectant, mixed with the unique cold fragrance of Ye Lan.

Ye Lan turned around.

The fatigue on her face had not completely faded. Her fair skin looked even more translucent in the dim light, and her deep phoenix eyes fell on Mu Xi.

Her injuries were clearly worse than Mu Xi’s. Although they had been treated, there was still a barely noticeable stiffness in her movements.

“Sit.” Ye Lan pointed to the chair by the bed.

Mu Xi sat down as instructed, her body somewhat stiff.

She lowered her eyes, staring at her arm wrapped in bandages.

Ye Lan didn’t sit. She walked over to Mu Xi and looked down at her.

“We need to talk.” Her voice was hoarse, with an unmistakable tone of authority.

Mu Xi lifted her head, meeting her gaze, her voice cold. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Nan Qiao.” Ye Lan spat out two words, simple and direct.

Mu Xi’s heart sank slightly.

‘Of course. Can’t get around that name.’

The mistress of Stone City, Ye Lan’s ally, and also their current protector.

“What do you plan to do to her?” Mu Xi asked, her tone wary.

Ye Lan didn’t answer directly. Instead, she walked over to the bed and sat down. The movement pulled at the wound on her back, causing her to frown almost imperceptibly.

“I want Stone City.” Ye Lan stated a goal, her voice calm but carrying a storm. “Nan Qiao is an obstacle.”

Mu Xi was silent. She already knew about Ye Lan’s ambition—using Nan Qiao’s trust to seize Stone City. And then what? To help her take back Wu City, as she claimed? Or just to satisfy Ye Lan’s own need for control and power?

“What do you want me to do?” Mu Xi cut straight to the point.

Ye Lan looked at her, a faint, almost imperceptible curve at the corner of her lips. It carried calculation mixed with some indescribable emotion that made Mu Xi instinctively uncomfortable.

Although she had no connection with Nan Qiao, this betrayal of an ally weighed heavily on her heart.

“I need your cooperation.” Ye Lan corrected. “Nan Qiao seems straightforward, but her schemes are as fine as silk, and her depth of thought is immense. A direct attack is too risky and could provoke a backlash from the entire Stone City.”

“It’s not elimination. It’s temporary control.”

She paused, then continued:

“I need a foolproof opportunity to make her lose her ability to act without preparation. That way, I can gradually dismantle her power and take over the core authority of Stone City.”

Mu Xi said nothing, waiting for Ye Lan to continue.

She could sense that what Ye Lan was about to say was the real key—and the part concerning her.

“My blood has been specially modified.”

Ye Lan spoke slowly, her voice low. “It contains life energy far beyond a normal person’s—enough to allow a dying warrior to recover vitality in a short time.”

Mu Xi’s heart gave a violent thump.

She remembered the time Ye Lan had fed her blood before. That strange sensation.

‘It was indeed memorable.’

“They’re very interested in my blood. We can cooperate—use my blood and their drugs to create a special enhancing agent.”

Ye Lan continued, her tone exuding an air of control. “I’ve already reached a preliminary agreement with the city’s research institute.”

She paused, her gaze landing on Mu Xi with an appraising look.

“This enhancing agent requires a special ‘carrier’ to complete the final transformation and purification. And you, Mu Xi—your constitution is the only one currently known that can perfectly carry and convert this energy.”

“It must be produced from your body to take effect.”

Mu Xi’s face instantly turned pale.

She understood immediately what Ye Lan meant.

“You want me…” Her voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from an indescribable nausea and humiliation. “You want me to… produce milk?”

She uttered the last two words with great difficulty.

As someone whose soul had once been a man, the very idea caused extreme physiological and psychological revulsion.

Especially when forced—and for such a treacherous plan.

Ye Lan didn’t deny it. Her expression didn’t even change, as if discussing something completely normal.

“The institute will provide the corresponding drugs. Combined with my blood, they’ll be injected into your body. The process won’t be painful—in fact, it will even benefit your health to some extent.”

Ye Lan explained. “After the transformation is complete, the resulting product will be the most potent enhancing agent.”

“And then?” Mu Xi’s voice was icy, with suppressed anger. “How do you plan to make Nan Qiao drink it?”

“I’ll tell Nan Qiao that this is a super-enhancing agent we developed together, capable of greatly improving physical strength. And you are the only special individual who can produce this ‘mother liquor.’”

Ye Lan’s tone was flat. “I’ll invite her to taste it herself to verify the effect. Given her pursuit of power and her trust in me, she won’t refuse.”

“Of course, the portion I give her will have something extra added—a drug that will temporarily incapacitate her but won’t be fatal.” Ye Lan added, as if it were a trivial matter.

“Why me?” Mu Xi asked through gritted teeth. “Will she believe it?”

“She will.” Ye Lan said confidently. “She knows part of my research and has seen the special effects of my blood. As for why you, I’ll tell her it’s some hidden trait of the Wu City imperial bloodline reacting strangely with my blood. She can’t verify it, so she’ll have no choice but to believe.”

“You tried other methods?” Mu Xi pressed.

“I did.” Ye Lan admitted. “Poisoning, assassination… she almost caught on. Nan Qiao is more vigilant than we thought, especially on her turf. I can’t afford to take risks anymore. This is the only plan that seems natural and least likely to arouse suspicion.”

The room fell into dead silence.

Mu Xi lowered her head, her silver hair falling to hide her expression.

Her mind was in turmoil.

Ye Lan’s plan essentially treated her as a tool, a container… a “host” for producing poison.

It was more humiliating than direct torture.

But what could she do? Resist? Use the hidden gun? And then what? Kill Ye Lan? Then be shot to death by the escort team outside?

Or escape by some miracle—and then what? How long could an injured “princess” with no support survive in this apocalyptic world?

Not to mention Li Xin and Little An, who were still under Ye Lan’s control.

Ye Lan seemed to see through her struggle. She stood up, walked in front of Mu Xi, and bent down slightly.

“Mu Xi,” her voice lowered, carrying a hint of coaxing. “I know this is hard for you to accept. But this is the only way for now.”

“And what’s in it for me?” Mu Xi suddenly lifted her head, flames of suppressed anger burning in her eyes. “I won’t bear this humiliation for nothing.”

Ye Lan’s lips finally curled into a genuine smile, full of unwavering confidence and a trace of barely noticeable affection.

“Once I take Stone City, it will be ours. I’ll consolidate the forces here, and then I’ll help you take back Wu City.”

Her voice was filled with persuasion. “I told you—I love you. For you, I would do anything. I won’t lie to you.”