You Mingxu finally reacted, shouting, “Get off!” and pushing against the man’s chest. But he was large and strong; barely pushed away, he lunged back, embracing her, his large hands seemingly glued to her slim waist, refusing to move.

“Don’t make me leave…” came a low but melodious voice, “I’ll be good…”

You Mingxu: “…”

She looked into those eyes, so incredibly pure and clear, acting coy with a strange woman as if it were the most natural thing, full of grievance. His hands holding her were stubborn and willful, yet carried none of a mature man’s desire.

You Mingxu felt overwhelmed, beginning to realize this person likely wasn’t normal… though she couldn’t tell if it was an act.

Before she could react further, Gu Tiancheng approached with a cold expression, grabbed the man’s collar, and prepared to strike his head.

You Mingxu: “Wait!”

Though the man’s speech and manner were slow and childlike, his body moved with surprising speed. He dodged the punch precisely, pushed himself up from the sleeping bag, and tried to run.

The tent was cramped, with Gu Tiancheng reaching in to grab him. You Mingxu rolled up from the ground and grabbed the man’s back collar. Though he’d reached outside the tent, the pull made him pause, and Gu Tiancheng was already in front of him.

You Mingxu crawled out too, while Ming Tao and the others watched in astonishment.

The man glanced at Gu Tiancheng, trembled in fear, and ducked behind You Mingxu, grabbing her hand and pressing his face against her back. He tried to make himself small as if his nearly six-foot frame could hide behind You Mingxu, who was significantly shorter and slimmer.

Everyone: “…”

You Mingxu felt an unusual sense of bewilderment.

Initially, finding him in her sleeping bag had terrified her. But his subsequent behavior clearly showed mental impairment and no longer frightened her. Even now, hiding behind her, gripping her hand with palm sweaty from fear, he seemed genuinely scared. He pressed his head against her back—how far he must bend to do so—and nuzzled slightly like a small animal, tickling her. As if this could hide him from Gu Tiancheng and the others, like a child covering their eyes to hide.

He was muttering something rapidly, too fast to understand, just confused, panicked humming.

If this was an act, it was incredibly convincing.

Ming-Tao exclaimed, “He’s wearing my clothes and shoes!” You Mingxu had to admit she’d smelled traces of sausage on his breath.

The earlier theft seemed solved.

Zou Furong stood cautiously far from him while Song Lan said, “So everything that happened was because we encountered this madman? He did it all?”

Everyone stared at him, making him more nervous, hunching further—his tall frame curled like an old man’s.

You Mingxu slowly turned her head, and he looked up, meeting her gaze timidly.

Her heart skipped again.

Because he was crying again! This time silently, tears flowing while he bit his lip, face pale with fear yet eyes full of stubbornness.

This person must have been a beautiful, awkward child—the random thought crossed her mind.

Somehow, she felt suddenly at ease, relaxed. Without wondering if he was faking, she just watched him calmly. After staring at her blankly for a while, seeming to sense the comfort in her gaze, his pale, dirt-smudged face slowly broke into a faint smile.

His skin was fair, with a slight blue tinge above his lips where he’d shaved, dark bright eyes, high nose bridge, and jet-black hair. The smile made him look pure, clean, and handsome.

You Mingxu hesitated, her doubts deepening. Who was this person, why was he here at this time and place, could he be…

She suddenly noticed an intense gaze on her and turned to meet Gu Tiancheng’s dark eyes. His look was heavy, different from his previous depth. His dark pupils and tight lips showed displeasure, focused on where the man gripped her hand.

Their eyes met, and You Mingxu felt her heart jump warmly. Then she thought: this man’s every move carried such force, truly capable of stirring a woman’s heart.

She avoided Gu Tiancheng’s burning gaze as he coldly commanded: “You, come here. Stop hiding behind a woman.”

You Mingxu hadn’t fully trusted this mysterious simpleton, just wanted to observe him. Hearing Gu Tiancheng, she freed her hand and stepped back. The man seemed confused, hesitating, looking at her as if wanting to seek refuge again but not daring to.

The others stepped back too, leaving him isolated. Their camp lights and flashlights cast eerie shadows on everyone’s faces. The atmosphere grew tense again.

“Listen…” Ming-Tao spoke quietly but audibly, “Don’t think this weirdo’s harmless just because he seems mentally deficient. He ate our food, and stole clothes, right under our noses without detection. He knew to damage the tires. You know, some serial killers are disorganized types, like him—mentally ill people who kill impulsively… we can’t just let him go.”

“Not let him go?” Zou Furong asked incredulously, “You mean we should capture him?”

“Yes, capture him,” Gu Tiancheng answered flatly, “Whatever his origin, we’ll hand him to the police. That’s safest.”

His words carried weight; everyone fell silent.

You Mingxu agreed internally, glancing at the isolated young man. He seemed to sense their hostility now, lips tight, fists clenched at his sides. Still hunched, appearing completely cowed.

Suddenly, something triggered him—perhaps a thought or their words. He slowly straightened, briefly appearing almost normal. Then he touched his nose, saying: “Killing… heh… killing… killed many… killed seven…”

Everyone felt a chill. In the silence, this mentally ill but handsome man suddenly became terrifying.

You Mingxu’s mind flickered—hadn’t Ming Tao said four victims, not seven?

“Watch out!” Gu Tiancheng shouted as the man suddenly turned violent, his face extremely stubborn, lunging at Zou Furong. Having been close to him, You Mingxu knew he must have trained in fighting and worked out regularly—not expert level but quick and strong. His lunge terrified Zou Furong, who screamed. You Mingxu and Gu Tiancheng rushed from both sides.

Just as his hands grabbed Zou Furong’s arms to pull her close, Gu Tiancheng seized his back. Gu Tiancheng proved formidable too, landing a heavy punch to his waist. The man grunted in pain, releasing his grip. You Mingxu quickly pulled Zou Furong away, shielding her. Song Lan ran over to help the panicked Zou Furong retreat further.

“You bastard!” Ming-Tao shouted, followed by a loud crash as he smashed a rock against the man’s neck. You Mingxu’s eye twitched, instinctively wanting to stop him but too late.

The man swayed, and before falling, his eyes met You Mingxu’s. His gaze turned confused as he clutched his head, appearing in pain, brows furrowed.

“Why… hit me?” he mumbled before collapsing unconscious. You Mingxu noticed blood seeping through his black hair.

The remaining group stood panting, exchanging bewildered looks.