Wanai gave the bathroom door a push, but it wouldn't budge.
He'd just moved into the building today. 'Do the public bathrooms here lock automatically at a certain time?'
Wanai glanced down at the door. It wasn't locked from the outside; it was bolted from within. Someone was showering inside.
He knocked on the door and waited a moment, but heard no response.
Wanai's brow furrowed, and he continued knocking.
The sound of knocking nearly made Gu Ning jump out of her skin.
She shut off the water and hurriedly pulled on the work uniform she'd just washed. Fortunately, since she'd planned on taking the day off, she had brought it with her to clean.
The knocking grew more urgent. Gu Ning had just pulled on her pants when the person outside impatiently shoved the door open with great force.
"BANG!" The door slammed against the wall with a tremendous crash, trembling as if it might collapse under the sheer force.
Gu Ning flinched and quickly threw the towel over her head.
By the light from the hallway, she saw a tall figure standing in the doorway. The Beastman was nearly as tall as the doorframe, his imposing physique blocking the entrance completely.
Gu Ning was incredibly thankful she'd had the foresight not to turn on the light.
The Beastman at the door looked toward her. In the dim light, Gu Ning saw his eyes emitting a green, cat-like glow.
She instantly averted her gaze, turning her head away. Clutching the loose waistband of her pants, she faced the wall and held her breath.
Wanai's gaze swept across the bathroom, landing on a… slender figure standing in the far corner.
His brow furrowed even deeper.
'So it's a Dwarf hybrid.' Most Mixed Breeds were intellectually degenerate; bizarre behavior from them was to be expected.
The bathroom light was off, but with his eyesight, he could see in the dark just fine.
He ignored the Mixed Breed, casually found a nearby shower stall, and took off his blood-stained combat uniform.
Gu Ning heard the rustling sound of him undressing, and her heart pounded wildly.
Only when she heard the hiss of the shower did she finally breathe a small sigh of relief. She tilted her head slightly, stealing a glance at the Beastman.
In the hazy light spilling in from the hallway, she saw the Beastman's body, which looked like a masterfully carved sculpture. The solid, corded lines of his muscles rippled with his every move, exuding a dangerous power.
Gu Ning didn't dare to look for more than a second. As soon as she saw that the Beastman wasn't paying attention to her, she seized the opportunity, kept her head down, and hurried toward the door.
Wanai saw the Dwarf hybrid preparing to leave and braced himself for a potential attack.
Dwarf hybrids were the most hot-tempered and neurotic of all Mixed Breeds, and easily provoked. His actions just now had likely angered this one, which was why it hadn't moved until he turned on the water.
This was a prelude to an attack; it was just waiting for him to lower his guard.
「A moment later—」
The Dwarf hybrid walked right past him.
"…"
Wanai's taut muscles relaxed slightly. He was a little surprised.
'It just ignored me and left?'
Just then, a peculiar fragrance wafted into his sensitive nose.
Wanai froze. He instinctively took a deep sniff, and the fragrance grew clearer, more intense.
A strange feeling crossed his mind, and his gaze shot toward the Dwarf hybrid.
The Mixed Breed had a towel over its head, one hand clutching its waistband and the other carrying a metal bucket. It looked bizarre.
But the source of the scent seemed to be coming from it.
"You…"
Gu Ning had just reached the door when she heard the voice behind her. She bolted as if her life depended on it.
Wanai was left speechless. 'First time I've ever seen such a timid Dwarf hybrid.'
The fragrance lingered in the air. For some reason, the scent made Wanai feel inexplicably agitated. He turned off the water, took a few deep breaths, and exhaled slowly. His eyes happened to glance around the bathroom, and he noticed that something had been left behind in the stall the Dwarf hybrid had used.
Wanai stared at the unknown object on the ground for a moment, walked over, and picked it up.