Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 162: About... last night

Present time...

Jian Ci’s breath caught. "What... what happened?"

Alarna flinched at the sound of his voice. "I—I saw you leave," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "And then I followed... I was really worried and..."

Her head lowered, a tear slipping down her cheek. Jian Ci’s gaze swept the cave—the shattered boulders, the blood smeared across the stone, the broken remains of the TX506 injector. His stomach turned.

He looked back at her. "Did we...?"

Alarna raised her head slowly, eyes shimmering. She bit her lip, and Jian Ci’s gaze lingered there—on the torn skin, the faint tremble. And in that moment, something clicked.

His heart dropped. No...

Even the best guides in Virelia couldn’t help him let alone guide him when he was in that state. Not when the collapse had fully taken hold. He had long accepted that his fate was sealed—that one day, he would lose control and never return. That he would die as a weapon, not a man.

But someone had managed to guide him. And she was standing right in front of him. "What’s your rank?" he asked, voice low.

Alarna sniffled. "Rank A."

Jian Ci’s mind reeled. That wasn’t enough. Not on paper. Not for him. But something had happened. Something impossible.

Before he could speak again, his communicator buzzed. He glanced down.

Penalty warning: Failure to return to your team within twenty minutes will result in disciplinary action.

He exhaled sharply. "I am so sorry this happened. I wasn’t in my right mind."

"Don’t apologize, Team Leader," Alarna said quickly. "I am the one who followed."

Jian Ci looked at her, really looked, and felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders. He was shaken and confused, but this wasn’t the place to talk about it.

"Do you have a change of clothes?" he asked.

Alarna nodded. "At the camp."

Without a word, Jian Ci shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. It hung heavy on her small frame, the sleeves swallowing her hands. She lowered her head, tears still slipping down her cheeks, but her lips twitched, just slightly, in a smile she buried in the collar.

"Wear that," Jian Ci said. "Let’s go."

He scanned the cave one last time, making sure nothing was left behind. His eyes landed on the shattered TX506 injector. He frowned, assuming he’d broken it during the collapse.

"Let’s go," he repeated.

They made it to the mouth of the cave before Alarna hissed in pain.

Jian Ci turned immediately. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head too quickly. "I—I am really fine."

He crouched beside her, his voice gentle but firm. "I have to check. I am sorry for being rude."

Before she could protest, he carefully pulled up the fabric of her pants. His breath caught. A deep, ugly bruise spread across her thigh, purple and swollen. Guilt surged through him like a blade.

He reached into his pack, pulling out a small canister. "This will numb the pain and help the healing."

He sprayed the cool mist over the bruise, watching her flinch slightly. "Is that better?"

Alarna nodded. "Yes... thank you." But her voice was thin, and her eyes didn’t match the words.

Jian Ci stood, offering his arm. "Let me help you."

She hesitated, just for a second, then took it. For a moment, she thought he might lift her into his arms like he had Yu Xi once, in a princess carry. Her heart fluttered in excitement.

But Jian Ci only steadied her, letting her lean against him as they walked.

It wasn’t what she’d hoped for, but it was something. And for now, that was enough.

***

The morning mist still clung to the treetops as Jian Ci stepped back into camp, his expression unreadable, his pace steady. The others were just beginning to stir—rubbing sleep from their eyes, stretching sore limbs, stoking the embers of the fire. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

But it wasn’t Jian Ci they noticed first. It was Alarna. She walked beside him, wrapped in his jacket, the oversized fabric swallowing her frame.

Her lip was still bruised, her hair still wild, but her posture had shifted—no longer shaken, but subdued. She was quiet and looked fragile. It was the kind of quiet that drew attention without asking for it.

A few heads turned. Curious glances flicked their way, but no one asked.

Leane, crouched by her pack, shoved her supplies inside with more force than necessary. Her eyes darted to the side, catching Elias watching her with a guilt-ridden expression. She scowled and zipped her bag with a sharp tug, refusing to meet his gaze.

Jian Ci’s voice cut through the silence. "Get ready. We are moving out soon."

He turned to leave, but Alarna reached out and caught his arm. He paused. For a moment, the camp held its breath. Normally, Jian Ci would have pulled away but this time, he didn’t.

He looked at her, patient. "What is it?"

Alarna lowered her head, her voice barely audible. "About... last night..."

She trailed off, eyes downcast, fingers tightening on his sleeve.

Jian Ci’s gaze softened, just slightly. "We will talk about it after the exam."

Alarna nodded. "Okay." He gently pulled his arm free and walked off toward his things, his mind thinking what he should do. The weight of what had happened was pressing against his chest like a bruise that wouldn’t fade.

Behind him, Alarna stood in the center of camp, eyes lowered, the picture of quiet sorrow. But beneath the surface, her heart beat fast, her thoughts racing. He didn’t pull away. That was progress.

***

Miles away, Yu Xi landed hard outside the cave, boots skidding on loose gravel. He burst inside, eyes scanning the shadows.

"Jian Ci!" he called, but there was silence. The cave was empty.

The boulders still bore the scars of the collapse, and the faint scent of psychic residue lingered in the air. But Jian Ci was gone.

Yu Xi’s pulse spiked. "No. No, no, no—"

He turned in a slow circle, trying to sense any lingering trace, but the bond between them had gone quiet. He reached for his communicator, fingers trembling, and opened the tracking interface. Jian Ci’s pendant pinged back a location.

He was at his team’s supply station. Yu Xi exhaled, shoulders sagging. "He had me scared for second..."

Then his communicator buzzed again.

Penalty Warning: Failure to return to assigned unit within twenty minutes will result in disciplinary action.

Yu Xi swore under his breath. "Shit."

He turned on his heel and sprinted back into the forest, branches whipping past him as he raced to rejoin his team. His body ached, his energy reserves were low, but he didn’t stop. He had to finish this quickly and wait for Jian Ci at the finish line.

AN: Bat for you, bat for you and you. Just don’t aim them at the author, okay?