Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 150: Jian Ci’s leadership method

Every flicker of movement was mapped in his mind. He turned the muzzle of his weapon with precision, his strikes clean and merciless. The Mirrorthorn Wight beasts, cloaked in illusions and psychic power, thought themselves hidden. But before they could even attempt an attack, Yu Xi’s plasma gun roared, blowing them to bits in bursts of purple blood and shattered illusions.

Suddenly, Yu Xi turned back. Rowland, who should have been right behind him, was gone. His eyes narrowed as he checked the locator. Twenty feet away. Yu Xi moved swiftly, retracing his steps.

Rowland, meanwhile, was ensnared in an illusion. He thought he was following Yu Xi, guns drawn, when suddenly Yu Xi turned and smiled at him.

Rowland froze. That smile, gentle, warm, was something he had only ever seen directed at Jian Ci. To have it turned on him now was overwhelming, dazzling. His heart raced, his breath caught.

The illusion was so powerful, so intoxicating, that Rowland couldn’t help himself. His plasma gun slipped from his hands, clattering to the ground as he stood entranced, vulnerable to the predator waiting in the shadows.

Yu Xi’s voice was calm, almost coaxing, as he said, "Don’t you want to hang out with your team leader? We can hang out while we are alone."

Rowland’s heart leapt. He had dreamt of hearing those exact words, imagined them countless times in the quiet of his bunk. His cheeks flushed as he stammered shyly, "But... we can’t."

Yu Xi reached forward, his movements deliberate, and tucked a stray strand of Rowland’s hair behind his ear. The gesture was so gentle it sent Rowland’s pulse racing. "Team leader..." he whispered, his voice trembling.

Yu Xi stepped closer, lowering his head, his presence suddenly overwhelming, domineering. His breath brushed against Rowland’s ear as he whispered, "We can even sleep together tonight."

Rowland’s soul felt aflame, every nerve ending alive with heat. He rubbed his arm nervously, his words breaking apart. "I... I... I..."

Then, without warning, purple blood splattered across his face. The Yu Xi before him dissolved into grotesque reality, a moonthorn Wight, its chest blown open, collapsing in a heap.

The real Yu Xi stood behind, plasma gun still smoking. His voice was stern, cutting through Rowland’s daze. "Rowland, get moving."

Rowland’s breath caught as he stared at the dead beast, the illusion shattered. His heart felt heavy, weighed down by the cruel trick of Desire Echoing. He wiped the blood from his cheek, tightened his grip on his weapon, and fell back into step behind Yu Xi, following him deeper into the thorn field where danger waited at every turn.

***

Jian Ci was nothing like Yu Xi when it came to leading. Where Yu Xi was calm and precise, Jian Ci was aggressive, relentless, and unyielding. He drove his team straight into the densest regions of the forest, toward the places he knew high-ranking psychic beasts prowled. His confidence was absolute, he believed no beast could stand against him, and his team followed with a mixture of awe and fear.

They struck gold. The beasts came in waves, snarling illusions and psychic assaults, but Jian Ci was in his element. His strikes were brutal, his psychic threads lashing out like blades, his plasma gun roaring with deadly precision. Blood splattered across him, none of it his own, but the beasts he had slaughtered. He looked terrifying, yet unstoppable.

When they reached their first supply point, Jian Ci grabbed his honey nectar sweet tea. It was chilled exactly as he liked it. He twisted the cap and guzzled it down, his Adam’s apple bobbing with each swallow. Elias watched him, wide-eyed and in awe of what he had seen this man do for an entire day.

Jian Ci turned to him and said, "You watch the team. I will be right back."

"Sure," Elias replied, puffing his chest. He turned to the others. "You hear that? I am in charge now."

A chorus of boos erupted, and someone even hurled a bottle at him.

Meanwhile, Jian Ci slipped away to a secluded area in the forest. His body trembled faintly—he had overdone it today. He couldn’t keep going without another shot of suppressant. He pulled out the injector, pressed it to his neck, and stabbed it in.

The dark cloud that had been festering in his psychic threads began to recede, his mind clearing.

He closed his eyes, drawing in deep breaths as the adrenaline of battle slowly ebbed. For a moment, his mind wandered, straying from the thorn-choked forest and the blood-soaked ground beneath his boots.

He thought of Yu Xi—what he might be doing right now, whether he missed him, whether he was safe. The thought tugged at his chest.

With a sigh, Jian Ci opened his eyes and glanced down at the pendant resting against his neck. It was stained with beast blood, the once-polished surface dulled by the carnage.

He wiped it clean with his thumb, a faint smile tugging at his lips recalling that he had a way of tracking Yu Xi even when his communicator was not connected to StarNet like now. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

He swiped his communicator, and a floating screen shimmered to life before him. His fingers tapped quickly, navigating the interface until the tracker locked on. A green dot appeared, labeled Cute Xi.

To others, Yu Xi was anything but cute—stern, sharp, commanding. But to Jian Ci, he was adorable, especially in those quiet moments just after waking up, hair tousled and eyes heavy with sleep.

The dot was far, too far. Jian Ci’s jaw tightened, irritation flaring. If it weren’t for the strict rules of the exam, like penalties for abandoning his assigned route, he would have led his team straight toward Yu Xi’s drop zone, just to be with him in time for his birthday.

But he couldn’t. Not this time. Jian Ci scratched his head, annoyed, his heart restless, already plotting how he would make it up to Yu Xi after this.

Meanwhile, Alarna moved silently through the shadows, her steps light and deliberate as she followed Jian Ci. She had seen him drink earlier, and her heart pounded with anticipation... this had to be the moment. She kept her distance, careful not to be noticed, her eyes locked on his every move.

Jian Ci stopped in a secluded corner, pulling something from his pocket. Alarna’s breath caught when she saw the injector gleam under the dim light. He pressed it against his neck and injected himself without hesitation.

Alarna pursed her lips, doubt flickering across her face. Was that the suppressant? she wondered. But why did he have to take it in private, away from the eyes of the team? She bit her lower lip, unease gnawing at her.