"Codename Yama, beginning infiltration operation."
"Mission confirmed: Rescue designated target."
"Estimated arrival at location after 1930. Avoid contact with civilians."
The shrine received an uninvited guest today.
A woman in a pitch-black stealth suit, which highlighted her curvaceous figure perfectly, pressed herself against the sliding doors. The thermal scanner on her head searched for the positions of personnel inside the shrine. She found them quickly.
Three people. In the innermost bedroom. Body temperatures were quite high...
What's that smell?
The woman sniffed the air, smelling an indescribable scent, and frowned in discomfort.
Do shrines grow Privet flowers (Ligustrum)?
The thick scent made her think the shrine was full of them, but the problem was, it wasn't the season for them to bloom. However, for her, adapting to this smell was child's play. If she couldn't even stand a smell, she wouldn't be an assassin.
Since the mission was to rescue the target and the client specifically emphasized avoiding contact with civilians and unrelated personnel, the woman found a hidden spot and waited for the people in the room to come out.
After about half an hour, there was finally movement. Two people left the room. She quietly climbed onto the roof to eavesdrop on their conversation and confirm if they were the target.
"Sister, is this really okay? Brother Lin seems to be in a lot of pain..."
"Rin, I haven't hurt or abused him like the others did. Besides, aren't you also..."
Two girls. The woman's target was male, so she immediately stopped paying attention to them and silently slipped into the room where the lights were off.
The moment she entered, a cold male voice rang out: "Is today not enough? I'm already very tired."
As the woman approached, Lin realized she wasn't Sakura. This woman wore a tight suit built for mobility and professional thermal goggles. It didn't look like anything from the simple rural atmosphere around the shrine.
"Who are you?" Lin asked cautiously, moving slightly away from the woman. He was currently quite "allergic" to women.
Compared to those nightmare months in hell, the month and a half at the shrine was slightly better. Sakura and Rin were indeed much better than Mobius and Prometheus. At least they knew the meaning of moderation and didn't spend all day giving him no rest; they were also much gentler, rather than just taking from him unilaterally.
But that was only "comparatively"!
No matter how gentle Sakura whispers were, or how soft Rin's calls of "brother" were, he was still the one tied up here. To be blunt... he was the one on the bottom, not the top!
"The person here to save you. Now shut your mouth."
The woman didn't explain much. She grabbed Lin by the collar, slung him over her shoulder, and without waiting for a response, exited through the door.
By the time Sakura and Rin found their good brother, friend, and "bleep" missing, it would be tomorrow morning.
...
"Stinks! Why the hell do you have such a strong smell of Privet flowers on you? Don't you bathe?"
Pushing open the door of her temporary residence, Yama unceremoniously threw Lin onto the floor. She wrinkled her small, delicate nose, sniffing the scent on her hand. Her face remained expressionless, but her eyes held displeasure.
"Hehe... I'd love to bathe..." Lin lay on the floor, looking miserable. "But they do it once a day, and I only get a bath every other day. There's bound to be a strong smell..."
Yama sighed. Why did she have to rescue a guy like this? Was there something wrong with the client this time? Then again, what kind of person was he that someone would pay a fortune to find and rescue him?
Thinking of this, Yama casually flipped the light on and looked at the man lying face-up on the floor. Lin also looked up to see who his savior was.
"..."
"..."
After about two minutes of silence, the same thought popped into both their heads: This person is quite cute.
Lin was confident in his looks—even more so after everything he'd been through. He had always felt that almost no one could have a more perfect appearance, but seeing this girl today made him objectively feel her beauty was on the same level as his. Especially that long silver hair; it was a big plus.
But! Lin swallowed hard, curling his arms and legs inward. He absolutely wanted nothing more to do with women. He couldn't tell if it was an issue with his choice of friends or something else, but one after another, they seemed intent on swallowing him whole. No more contact with females; if all else failed, he'd become a monk.
After the silence ended, Yama had originally intended to take a shower to wash off the smell, but now she sat down directly in front of Lin and asked seriously: "Your name is... Lin, right?"
"..."
"I'm a... concerned citizen hired by someone to rescue you. You can call me Yama."
"...Who hired you?" Lin asked cautiously, searching his mind for names and praying it wasn't Mobius or Prometheus.
"I don't know their identity."
"..."
Lin mood sank further. He had experienced falling from the frying pan into the fire twice in a row, which led him to develop a habit of silence—the more he talked, the more he triggered their "interest."
"Lin." Yama expression was exceptionally solemn and dignified, making Lin feel she was different from the others.
"Actually, I'm a graduate student in biology from the Far East. The moment I saw you, I thought of a research topic I've been working on. As everyone knows, human behavior affects the release of adrenaline and dopamine in the blood. However, changes in the concentration of adrenaline and dopamine release triggered by different social behaviors have not yet been reported. Therefore, I want to study the secretion of adrenaline and dopamine with you while we eat together, walk together, and hold hands."
"Using secretion levels during daily life as a reference group, I believe this work can provide guidance for the study of molecular biodynamics of future social behaviors. Once I'm done, I'll add your name as a co-author, which will help your future academic career. I can also complete my quotas and submit to academic journal columns to earn research funding, part of which I can share with you."
After hearing her out, Lin stared at her coldly, the ice in his eyes freezing over. His lips trembled as he said:
"I understand. You want to [Beep] me, don't you?"