Beautiful silver eyes.
They were the prettiest eyes Ling Yue had ever seen, and he couldn't stop staring at the man who towered at least six feet three inches and had a commanding, intimidating presence that set his heart racing.
The stranger's hair was a cascade of beautiful silver strands streaked with inky black, framing his sharp face, high cheekbones, and strong jaw. His lips were curved and full.
His robe was exquisite—deep indigo silk embroidered with swirling constellations and golden dragon thread, hugging a broad, lean, muscular body.
"You are beautiful."Ling Yue didn't know when he said those words, but he didn't regret it. The man before him looked exactly like the male leads from every book he had read.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined experiencing something like this firsthand.
He drew closer to the man and closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.
The scent of rich sandalwood was intoxicating, sending his thoughts spiraling.
Never had any man made him feel an unwelcome shiver run down his spine.
Never had Ling Yue's heart raced wildly at the sight of any man.
Maybe it was how the stranger's silver eyes had locked him in place, or perhaps it was his appearance.
Ling Yue didn't know why he felt so drawn to him, but he knew this man was the perfect description of every male lead he had ever read about.
There was something oddly familiar about him. Something in his aura, but Ling Yue couldn't place it. He had only read about characters like him in books, and not even fan art could capture someone as breathtaking as the man standing before him.
His eyes darted toward the corner when he heard guards muttering nearby. When their voices faded, he exhaled in relief, slowly removing his hand—but still lingering close.
"Well, hello there, handsome," he said, batting his lashes dramatically. "I have to say, you are a beautiful man and…" he paused, gasping. "Such perfection. If I weren't stuck as a concubine candidate for that psycho, backstabbing, heartless Xuan Han, I'd totally spend the night with you."
He chuckled and poked the man's chest. "Wow, it's full," he added, eyes widening as one of his hand cupped the man's chest. "So full," he exclaimed and then dropped his hand and laughed. "Sorry I couldn't help but to touch them…" he pointed to the man's chest.
The man's silver eyes narrowed slightly as they met Ling Yue's once more. A flicker of amusement—or something darker—crossed his face.
His voice weakened Ling Yue's knees when he spoke, sending shivers down his spine.
"If you are a candidate, shouldn't you be at the flower hall? What are you doing here, little omega?"
Little?
Ling Yue blinked, then grinned widely, not dwelling too much on the "omega" tag. "Well," he said, placing his hands on his hips, "I'm escaping this garbage story."
The man's lips twitched, his presence somehow growing more imposing. "Is that so?" he asked.
Ling Yue nodded. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained, but I must escape from that cruel emperor."
"Oh?" The man raised a brow. "You hate the emperor that much? Why?"
"Of course," Ling Yue sighed and began explaining how he had entered the story. "If not for that emperor, then Feng Lan wouldn't have had to die."
At the mention of Feng Lan, recognition flashed across the man's face—and Ling Yue caught it. "I believe you also know Feng Lan, right?"
Before the man could respond, Ling Yue cut him off. "I don't want to stay here and be with that emperor. Hard pass."
"Ha… hard pass?" the man repeated, confused.
Ling Yue chuckled. "Yes. It means I'm not interested in anything happening here." He looked around, scanning his surroundings. "I have to go now, so can you be kind and show me the way out of here?"
"An exit?" the man mused.
"Yes."
The man said nothing for a few seconds. Then, with a graceful gesture, he pointed to the left, where the garden path curved into a misty grove of cherry blossoms. "Follow that path. It leads…" his voice trailed off, "away."
Ling Yue's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across his face. He poked the man's chest again. "My man, you're a lifesaver! I'll remember your pretty face and might even dream about it when free." He winked, flipping his hair.
As he turned to leave, he paused and looked back. "You have a commanding aura, so you must be an alpha—which is good for you, because Xuan Han doesn't deserve someone like you."
"You speak the emperor's name without fear of the consequences," the man grinned. "I find you intriguing, little omega. What is your name?"
Ling Yue straightened his shoulders and pointed to himself. "Ka…" he stopped before saying his real name. With a smile, he corrected himself. "Su Ling Yue."
"Su Ling Yue," the man repeated, nodding slowly.
"I guess this is goodbye," Ling Yue muttered.
He started walking away, then waved over his shoulder. "Catch you never, hot stuff!" he called, running off with his heart pounding in the thrill of escape.
Finally, he was leaving the boring story.
Ling Yue found himself in a shimmering haze after following the path the silver-eyed man had described. "Silver Eyes Man," he chuckled at the nickname he had given the stranger.
If he'd known, he would've asked for his name, but he'd been so fixated on escaping that he'd forgotten.
"Well, I'm never seeing him again," he said slowly as he walked deeper into the haze.
The air shifted, and warmth faded into something colder and heavier.
The cherry blossoms began to vanish, replaced by barren, jagged rocks that pulsed with faint, unnatural light.
"What is this place?" he groaned, hugging his body as he rubbed his hands together to generate heat.
His breath hitched as he walked deeper into the wasteland. There was no sign of life—only cracked earth and swirling mist, like a forgotten corner of the realm he'd once read about in the original story.
"This doesn't look like an exit," he muttered slowly.
Before he could turn back, heavy footsteps echoed behind him. A squad of guards in silver armor emerged from the mist, holding glowing spears.
"Who the hell are you?" one barked, leveling his spear at Ling Yue. "This is the Forbidden Void, off-limits to all but the Heaven's Alpha Emperor. State your purpose, omega!"
Ling Yue froze, his lotus-scented pheromones spiking with panic. "I…" he scratched the back of his head, forcing a nervous grin. "Actually, I was just taking a stroll."
The guards didn't buy his lie. They seized his arms and dragged him toward a glowing portal one of them had summoned.
"Easy with my wrist!" he yelled as they hauled him away.
His mind raced, replaying the stranger's directions and how they'd led him wrong.
That guy pointed me here. Why the hell would he send me to a creepy void? He thought, sighing. Had he been betrayed or tricked by one of Xuan Han's followers?
"Did he set me up?" he muttered, closing his eyes as he remembered the silver eyes and that deep, commanding voice. "Ugh, I flirted with a liar!" he yelled, letting out another frustrated groan.