Manipulative Harem God



In the heart of the South District, nestled beside the serene Westlake, time hung heavy in the air, counting down to an explosion that was but minutes away.

A perplexed furrow etched Xu Yifan's brow as he observed the peculiar sight unfolding before him.

Two bald, strange figures were slowly advancing toward the residence of Wu Xue, their eerie presence casting an ominous shadow.

"Huh? Who are they?" Xu Yifan muttered to himself, his gaze fixed and narrowed upon the approaching strangers.

A gentle nudge from behind interrupted his musings. It was Xu Jiali, his ever-watchful comrade.

She had silently crept up beside him, her eyes darting toward the same window.

"What happened? Why are you frowning?" she whispered, curiosity painted across her face.

Both of them had become residents of the quiet neighborhood adjacent to Wu Xue's abode, and their mission was shrouded in secrecy - entrusted by Rose, their ally, to safeguard Wu Xue from hidden threats.

As the story went, they were orphans, plucked from the fringes of society at a tender age by Rose's godfather.

When Rose had decided to sever ties with her former gang and embark on her independent journey, they had followed her steadfastly.

Their shared identity bore no blood relation; instead, it was a name they had chosen for themselves.

In this tense moment, the torch of vigilance had passed to Xu Yifan, while Xu Jiali stole a moment's respite, surrendering to a brief nap.

However, the tranquility was shattered by an unexpected exclamation from Xu Yifan, snapping Xu Jiali back to alertness.

She swiftly confiscated the camera from his grasp, and as the lens zoomed in, her frown mirrored his, both of them now immersed in a shared sense of foreboding.

"What do you think?" Xu Yifen asked for her opinion.

"Let's go down over the bridge and keep an eye on them from there. We can't get too close and risk blowing our cover," Xu Jiali suggested.

Xu Yifen nodded in agreement.

However, as they observed the scene from the bridge, the two mysterious figures suddenly began affixing pieces of paper to the walls of Wu Xue's house, then vanished into thin air.

"Huh?" Xu Yifen exclaimed.

Both of them exchanged stunned glances before sprinting towards Wu Xue's residence.

"What?" Xu Jiali exclaimed in disbelief.

However, as they approached, a peculiar, transparent barrier prevented them from entering. They were left utterly confused and bewildered, unable to see what was transpiring within.

"What is happening!?" Xu Yifen exclaimed.

"What kind of sorcery is this!?" Xu Jiali added, her voice tinged with panic.

Confronted by this inexplicable supernatural phenomenon, both of them felt their composure slipping away. Xu Jiali quickly reached for her phone, her trembling fingers dialing Rose's number.

"We need to call the leader," she said urgently, relaying the bizarre situation to Rose.

_________

Rose had just finished evaluating mineral sites near the edge of the South District.

Her face bore the weariness of a long day's work, yet she remained striking in her impeccably tailored blue professional suit, the garment hugging her figure with precision.

To one's surprise, the driver's seat was not occupied by her trusted aide Raven this time but by another one of her subordinates.

Raven, now seated in the back with Rose, donned the attire of a professional secretary - a crisp white shirt and a sleek black pencil skirt.

She held a tablet in her hands, eagerly explaining details to Rose.

Despite her busy schedule, Rose recognized the value of formal education, and Raven's expertise proved invaluable in helping Rose grasp the intricacies of the Long Feng group, whose upcoming opening ceremony loomed on the horizon.

Just as Rose's phone rang, she frowned and gently massaged her temples before answering the call. "Aunt Jia? What's the matter?" Rose inquired with a hint of concern in her voice.

Xu Jiali's voice carried a sense of urgency, causing Rose's expression to shift from fatigue to grave concern upon hearing about the invisible barrier.

Her typically composed demeanor turned serious as she listened intently to Xu Jiali's explanation.

In the meantime, Xu Yifen had already taken action, swiftly contacting Zhang Wei to relay the same alarming information. This was their established protocol - to inform both of their superiors in case of any potential danger.

Rose wasted no time. "Drive to Westlake!" she commanded, her voice firm as she abruptly ended the call.

Without hesitation, she ordered the driver to speed toward Westlake, disregarding traffic lights and obstacles in their path.

They had no moments to spare in this unexpected crisis.

_________

Whoosh!

With a sudden rush of speed, the Bentley catapulted itself off the bridge, bypassing all obstacles, and came to a stop near the Xu couple in a dramatic fashion.

Rose wasted no time. She kicked the car door open and sprinted out, her normally composed demeanor now replaced by a sense of urgency.

Sweat glistened on her forehead as she discarded her suit jacket, revealing just a shirt underneath.

"What's happening? Where is the barrier?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

Xu Yifen pointed to the invisible obstruction, his hand gesturing to indicate the point where it became impenetrable.

Rose's eyes widened as she attempted to move past the barrier herself, only to encounter the same invisible force.

"You mentioned there were two monks inside, correct? What were they doing?" she inquired urgently, her mind racing to unravel this perplexing situation.

Xu Jiali added more details, "They were chanting some weird phrases and pasted pieces of paper all around the house. At first, we thought it was suspicious, but dismissed it, assuming they were advertising something."

Rose took a deep breath, trying to grasp the gravity of the situation. This was rapidly spiraling into the realm of the unknown.

Raven, perceptive to Rose's unease, asked the critical question, "How long will it take for Zhang Wei to arrive?"

Rose's expression shifted, her mind quickly calculating the time. It was late at night, and even with minimal traffic, Zhang Wei wouldn't make it in time to investigate the matter thoroughly.

The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on Rose. If something happened to Wu Xue under her watch, the guilt would be insurmountable.

In a fleeting moment, Rose's eyes seemed to lose focus as if she was grappling with a vision of the house being obliterated.

"Boss!?" Raven shook Rose gently, snapping her out of her trance, her own confusion mirrored in her eyes.