“At first, this had nothing to do with you. You insisted on getting involved. If you hadn’t been so persistent, you wouldn’t need to sign this document now. Even if he refused, you wouldn’t be the one facing jail time. Do you regret it now?”
“If I hadn’t come in, he would have already chosen imprisonment, and your goals would not have been achieved. So, you should be thankful I’m sitting here,” Ying Feng countered.
Ling Xiao hadn’t expected Ying Feng to see through his intentions. His hand, holding the pen, trembled slightly, and the smile on the officer’s face faded.
“You’re quite confident, young man. If your Qizi agrees to this to spare you from jail, would you refuse and willingly face imprisonment for his sake? I’d advise you not to complicate matters. Think of it as donating blood once a week. The rest of the time, you’re free. Besides, if this experiment succeeds, it will be a significant accomplishment for the entire Tianxiu race.”
Ying Feng remained unyielding. “To us, imprisonment is a severe punishment, but for you, whether we are imprisoned or not isn’t significant. You don’t need two useless prisoners; you need blood. If we refuse, you’ll face losses, and you won’t benefit either.”
The officer’s expression was enigmatic. The two stared each other down in silence for a while.
“It seems our negotiation is at a standstill,” the officer finally said coldly.
“We’re not opposed to signing the document,” Ying Feng seized the opportunity to negotiate, “but only if we’re fully informed. This includes the procedure and goals of the experiment, the identity of the subject, and most importantly, whether this experiment will harm my Qizi.”
“Isn’t your demand a bit excessive?”
“Unless we meet the subject in person, we won’t sign.”
The officer pondered for a moment. “Fine, you’ll meet them sooner or later anyway. But don’t say I didn’t warn you; if you still insist on following this path, the consequences may not be as simple as they seem now.” He feigned a sigh. “You could have stayed out of it.”
“I don’t need your repeated kind reminders. I’m partly responsible for breaking into the lab. I never intended to stay out of it from the beginning.”
The officer got up to leave. “How touching.”
The two followed the officer, maintaining a distance. Behind them, two soldiers trailed closely.
“Did you intrude on my thoughts again?” Ling Xiao whispered after a while.
“So my guess was correct? If I hadn’t gone in, you’d have willingly gone to jail alone?” Ying Feng replied without glancing at him. “Don’t worry; the Qizhu can’t read your mind. Your thoughts are your own.”
Ling Xiao retorted, “I stole the item on my own. Why do you always interfere?”
“But you mentioned a joint venture, didn’t you? If our goals align, shouldn’t we act in unison? I now have a new bargaining chip. I want to enroll in the Joint Combat Department of the Royal Sky Military Academy. It’s a challenging major, and you promised not to hold me back.”
“You…” At first, Ling Xiao didn’t understand Ying Feng’s seemingly unrelated demand. He then realized that Ying Feng was trying to prevent him from negotiating with the military behind his back, a thought he indeed had. Ying Feng claimed he couldn’t read his mind, yet he always seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
The Joint Combat Department, Ling Xiao had to admit, was also his heartfelt goal.
“My condition is that—no matter the decision, I will make the call.”
“Deal.”
They boarded the military aircraft. All windows were sealed, offering no view of the outside, so they had no idea where they were headed.
Once the aircraft landed, they exited to find themselves indoors. A long tunnel lay behind them, which they had just traversed. The officer led the way, and the two followed onto an elevator. It descended for a considerable time, making them realize they were deep underground. Just what kind of place was built so concealed?
“We have arrived.” The officer stopped in front of a door marked [Tianxiu Genetic Research Center]. He swiped his card, and the doors slid open, revealing an entirely new world before the two of them.
Ling Xiao was left agape. He thought the main hall of the base was already vast, but the venue before him seemed to be two or three times larger by his estimation. Without any explanations, the officer headed straight inside, and the two followed, taking the opportunity to observe the unfamiliar surroundings. There were computers and unknown devices everywhere, with complex indicator lights and numbers flashing on them.
Many staff members were busy working inside the venue. They seemed oblivious to the strangers, almost as if the newcomers were invisible. Although they wore white uniforms similar to those from the base and the disease control center, these uniforms felt cold and distant. Their expressionless faces made Ling Xiao almost think they were robots if not for the strict rule of the Tianxiu people forbidding the development of any artificial intelligence.
Door after door was opened by the officer, and with every increasing security measure, the two grew less and less inclined to believe that what was inside was just an ordinary experimental subject.
At last, the final door was opened. Ying Feng and Ling Xiao saw the subject for the first time—a human, similar in size to a fledgling, lying quietly inside a vacuum chamber, as if having slept there for a millennium.
Ying Feng found something odd at first glance. Among the Tianxius, there were various hair colors, but yellow was rare. In his memory, only Zhu Yue had light yellow hair. However, the person inside the chamber had pure golden hair, a color he had never seen before on anyone.
Yet, this minor oddity was all he felt. Turning to Ling Xiao for his thoughts, he was shocked to see Ling Xiao clutching his chest in pain. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Ling Xiao’s eyes were filled with disbelief. “I… I know this person.”
Ying Feng was taken aback. “You recognize him?”
Ling Xiao shook his head in denial, seemingly struggling. From the moment he laid eyes on the subject, his heart raced as if a memory was on the brink of surfacing. “I don’t know, but I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.”
No, not just seen him. Their connection was deeper than mere acquaintance, from a very, very long time ago.
While both men focused on the person lying down, the officer had been staring intently at Ling Xiao ever since they entered the room. Seeing Ling Xiao’s unique reaction, a glint appeared in his eyes. This was indeed the person they had been searching for. Only his blood could awaken the subject. They would do anything to bring the subject back to life.
Ying Feng, sensing something was amiss, turned his attention to the officer. The greed in the officer’s gaze as he looked at Ling Xiao sent shivers down Ying Feng’s spine.
“You’re lying,” Ying Feng suddenly declared.
The officer reluctantly shifted his gaze. “Why do you say that?”
“You said that the blood of any newly awakened Qizi would awaken him. But why did he have such an unusual reaction? Do you need the blood of any Qizi, or a specific one?”
The officer responded with a cryptic smile. “Is there a difference? Regardless, he is the one needed to complete the task.”
Ying Feng’s expression hardened. “This isn’t what we discussed. I suspect you’re hiding more truths. If we can’t determine your true intentions, we’d rather be imprisoned.”
As Ying Feng attempted to pull Ling Xiao away, Ling Xiao remained rooted to the spot.
“I…” Ling Xiao began with his head lowered. “I want to accept.”
“What?”
“I want to awaken him. I want to know why I feel this way. More importantly, I think he knows who I am.”
“You are Ling Xiao; even I know that.”
“Ling Xiao is my name in this life. My soul was given a surname at random when it entered an energy chamber and a first name. But what about my past life? And the life before that? How did my soul first become human? I have a feeling he can tell me. He isn’t a stranger to me. We must have known each other very well in the past. So well, I feel like I am him.”
Ling Xiao closed his eyes. Memories not his own flooded in, filled with intense emotions of sorrow, regret, and hatred, so powerful they threatened to consume him. What could have happened to make this seemingly harmless young man harbor so much resentment against the world?
The officer’s voice echoed slowly. “Your Qizi has already spoken. Why are you still insisting? Do you intend to use the power of the Qizhu to force him to refuse?”
Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao looked at Ying Feng nervously, seemingly reminding him of the terms they had just exchanged.
“Let’s go,” the officer said generously. “Since you have come, I don’t mind letting you know more.”
The group returned to the hall they were in earlier. This time, the officer led them to a place that looked like the mainframe location. The person in charge here was different from the others. As soon as he saw someone enter, he stood up immediately. “Commander, they…”
The officer waved his hand to indicate that there was no problem. “Let me introduce, this is Dr. Heng He. You will be dealing with him quite often in the future.” He then introduced Ling Xiao separately. “This is the person I mentioned to you before.”
Heng He suddenly said, “So you’re Ling Xiao? It’s great to have found you. You’re very important to us.”
The officer cut him off. “Show them the work you’re doing.”
Heng He hesitated. “Is this appropriate?”
“If you don’t show them clearly, they won’t agree to cooperate.”
“Oh… alright then.” Heng He typed a few keys. “Look, as humans evolve, viruses also evolve. We recently discovered a variant of a virus among the people of Wolfsbane. We don’t have antibodies for this virus in our bodies, and if infected, we’ll get sick. So, I developed a vaccine targeting this virus, translated it into genetic code, embedded it into the original program, or, in layman’s terms, applied a patch, and then uploaded it…” He noticed the confused expressions on the two young faces and didn’t continue, sighing. “I know it’s hard to understand, right? Some things can’t be explained in a few words. And for you two, the amount of information to process at once is just too much.”
It took Ling Xiao a moment to find his voice. “Is this some kind of joke? We’re humans. How could we be controlled by such things?” He looked around. “These computers, instruments, data—how can they determine our fate? Why does a piece of code decide whether we get sick or not? What are we?”
“You don’t need to delve into our origins, because you can’t,” the officer interjected. “Just remember that for thousands of years, we have evolved in this way, becoming as refined and powerful as we are today. If it were in the past, you, who failed the coming-of-age ceremony, wouldn’t be alive. You can thank these emotionless machines for standing here.”
“No, let me explain.” Heng He seemed worried about scaring the two young adults, who had just matured and were still developing. “A long time ago, the triggering conditions for the coming-of-age ceremony weren’t as they are now; they were quite complex. It would only be activated when a series of hormones in the human body, such as dopamine, amphetamine, and adrenaline, reached specific values. Simply put, the condition was love.”
“In ancient times, the coming-of-age ceremony had only one outcome: one lover would kill the other to obtain all their power, while the defeated person would enter reincarnation, repeating the process.”
“While this rule made us stronger, it also made our souls incredibly lonely. We gained power, territories, and subjects, but we could never have love. For centuries, we have been trying to change this setting, to mitigate the impact of the coming-of-age ceremony. Now, the coming-of-age ceremony can only be initiated subjectively by the person or triggered passively by sexual hormones. Those who lose don’t die. We are also trying to alleviate the pain of the disorder period, and while it’s not perfect yet, it’s not something that can be achieved overnight.”
Ling Xiao, still not fully recovered from the massive shock, asked, “What does this have to do with the person lying inside?”
“Although we can change the cause and outcome of the coming-of-age ceremony, we can’t completely cancel it. The reason is that we can only modify the surface code but don’t have permission to alter the core. Things like the emergence of the coming-of-age ceremony, the existence of the soul’s traction, and the inability of young fledglings to reincarnate after death, all belong to the program’s core. It can only be changed with the explicit authorization of someone from a specific lineage.”
“A specific lineage? You mean that person?”
“That’s right,” Heng He responded with excitement. “Ling Xiao, you are the one we found whose genes most closely match that person’s. If you can wake him up, the coming-of-age ceremony can be abolished. We can love each other equally like other races, no one will die because of it anymore, no more tragedies will happen, and everyone will be free. This, only you can make this happen.”
Such words, whether true or not, made the two young people feel a mix of emotions. The amount of information they received today surpassed the total of the past ten years.
“After hearing so much, good and bad, I assume you two have made up your minds,” the officer kindly reminded them. “I forgot to tell you one thing. If you had signed the document just now, you would have had at least the choice of joining us or being imprisoned. But since you wanted to push further, the price you’ll have to pay is naturally higher.”
His words seemed like a command. All the people around them who had been engrossed in their work now put it aside and turned to face the two. Their expressionless faces made the scene chilling. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng instinctively moved closer to each other.
“Now, you still have only one choice: accept our terms or leave everything you’ve just seen as a secret here forever.”
Ling Xiao woke up with a sore back and waist pain. Even the recovery ability that the Tianxiu people pride themselves in surrendered in front of the challenge of seven times in one night. Ling Xiao didn’t want to recall how he cried and begged for mercy last night, yet Ying Feng actually did it seven times as promised. Ling Xiao silently cursed Ying Feng countless times in his mind, not wanting to admit that it was he who had first suggested the idea of seven times in a night.
Glancing at the time, it was already noon. Ling Xiao sniffed and could sense Ying Feng’s scent all over him. Perhaps this was what dulled his senses and gave him the illusion that his partner was beside him all along, allowing him to sleep until now.
He turned over and lay on the bed, feeling gloomy. If he had known that Ying Feng’s so-called necessary method was like this, he would have never agreed. However, what was done was done. He tried to console himself that they both got what they needed. After their physical intimacy, his soul no longer felt the unease of being lost.
While Ying Feng’s methods might be simple and crude, they had the intended effect. Ling Xiao eventually drifted off to sleep again, and by the time he woke up, it was already dusk. At some point, Ying Feng probably came back, but Ling Xiao was deeply asleep, only inferring Ying Feng’s return by the disturbed items on the table.
To his surprise, Ling Xiao slept the entire day without Ying Feng by his side. When he woke up, he was starving but felt too lazy to move. He quickly ordered some food from a 2D network convenience store using his personal terminal. Thinking back to what Ying Feng said last night, he decided to treat himself. In no time, a plethora of food items filled his teleportation device.
Ling Xiao alternated between sleeping and eating, catching up on all the rest he missed out on in the past few days. Ying Feng probably found this routine effective and ensured they repeated it a few times. At first, Ling Xiao protested, then yelled, but eventually gave in, realizing that whenever Ying Feng intended to get intimate, his body instinctively responded. In the end, he couldn’t resist.
Thus, Ling Xiao spent three full days without getting out of bed and never once mentioned training. Thanks to advanced technology, he could indulge in more than just energy bread and even gained some weight. The critical three-day period swiftly passed, and both his body and the soul within finally synchronized, becoming one. All the negative effects caused by their initial rejection of each other vanished. When Ling Xiao woke up, he felt rejuvenated.
Eagerly, he went to report to Yao Tai, who, unlike him, seemed a bit tired. Ling Xiao’s first thought was that her fatigue had to do with the recent investigation.
“Doctor Yao, what happened after they took you away that day?”
Yao Tai mustered some energy and replied, “Nothing. They just questioned me and then sent me back. Don’t worry about it.”
She was telling the truth, but she omitted the part about another colleague being suspended. “You look refreshed. Have you been resting well recently?”
Thinking about how he “rested”, Ling Xiao looked a bit uncomfortable. Although Yao Tai could somewhat guess the reason, she didn’t dwell on it. She always saw Ying Feng as a distant and cold figure. It was hard to imagine him getting intimate with someone.
“Come, let’s do a checkup.”
Ling Xiao obediently laid down. After Yao Tai conducted a basic examination, she was shocked by the results: a mental rating of C. In just a few days, he had improved from E- to C, which was an incredible progress rate.
In the medical community, a D rating was considered a critical threshold in mental evaluations. Falling below it often led to worsening conditions, while improvements were rare. Yet, Ling Xiao not only improved but jumped two grades at once, which was a rarity even for experienced doctors like Yao Tai.
Though recovery speed depended on the individual’s mental strength, the role of the Qizhu couldn’t be underestimated. Yao Tai was left wondering what method Ying Feng employed to bring about such a dramatic improvement in Ling Xiao in such a short time.
“Congratulations on your psychological rating rising to C. You have escaped the low-risk level and are now in a sub-healthy state. With a bit more effort, you can fully recover to normal.”
Unfortunately, the mental trauma couldn’t be healed. Yao Tai felt a silent regret in her heart.
But Ling Xiao was already very happy. “Really? Can I apply for Royal Sky now?”
“Apply where?”
“Royal Sky Military Academy.”
“Of course not. Military academies have especially high requirements for psychological quality. The minimum standard is B. For top schools like Royal Sky, you must reach A to be eligible to apply.”
The pride that had just risen in Ling Xiao’s heart fell again. “Really?”
Seeing his obvious disappointment, Yao Tai knew she might have been a bit too harsh and reassured him, “But you have a great ability to recover. I believe it’s only a matter of time before you rise to A-level. Royal Sky has two entrance exams every year. There’s still some time before the next one. Just work hard to improve your psychological rating.”
Indeed, Ling Xiao was uplifted by her words. “I definitely will!”
Seeing his spirited look, Yao Tai wasn’t surprised at his astonishing progress. As she always believed, Ling Xiao was always a strong person capable of overcoming any setback.
She opened the door, and a person stood with their back to her. Hearing the noise, the person turned around.
“Is it over?”
Yao Tai noticed that Ying Feng had changed somewhat, but she couldn’t pinpoint how. “The check is done. His psychological assessment has risen to C, which is beyond my expectations.”
She then complimented Ying Feng for the first time after the coming-of-age ceremony. “You did well. I don’t know how you did it, but keep it up.”
Ling Xiao came out at this moment. Yao Tai looked at both of them. She felt that although their journey ahead was long, they had come far already. Fate brought these two people together, with their unexpected pairing and contrasting personalities. It was hard to tell if this was destiny’s way of blessing or playing tricks on them.
“Your trial is today, right? Have the military people come?”
Ying Feng nodded. “They are already waiting outside.”
Yao Tai also nodded. “Go on then. Don’t be nervous. Emphasize that you were a fledgling at the time. As long as you show remorse, you will surely get a lighter sentence.”
The two left Yao Tai and came to the main door, where two sergeants waited.
“Are they the first group or the second?” Ling Xiao whispered.
Upon recognizing the badges, Ying Feng responded, “They’re from Fu Yao’s side.”
Ling Xiao was relieved, naturally holding a grudge against those who had previously taken Yao Tai away.
Fu Yao’s men were courteous, leading them onto an aircraft, setting off from Bikong.
At the same time, Fu Yao was also preparing to head to his destination.
“How do you plan to deal with them?” his Qizi asked on the way.
“To deal with them,” Fu Yao said elongating his tone. “Daring to steal from the base, such audacity. If we don’t imprison them for a few years, how will they learn their lesson?”
His Qizi was a bit anxious. “But they were just fledglings when they stole, acting out of curiosity. Both are excellent talents without any ideological errors. It’s a waste to imprison them now.”
“Oh.” Fu Yao pretended to listen. “Since you say so… let’s have them clean the Royal Sky playground for a year.”
His Qizi was somewhat speechless. “You had already decided, hadn’t you? And the precondition for this punishment is that they get admitted to Royal Sky.”
Feigning innocence, Fu Yao replied, “You said, don’t waste talent. Tianxiu needs warriors, not prisoners. Only in Royal Sky can their strengths truly be utilized.”
The four met outside the courtroom. Fu Yao observed Ling Xiao’s complexion, teasing, “Seems like you two get along even better than I imagined.”
Now knowing his identity and having heard many of his battle tales, Ling Xiao admired this shorter-than-him Major General. “Hello, sir. I’ve seen your battle videos on the Royal Sky campus network. They’re amazing. The first time we met, because you looked… um…”
Confused, Ling Xiao turned to Ying Feng, wondering why he had covered his mouth.
Ying Feng acted as if nothing happened. “We’re ready.”
Fu Yao smirked. “Then…”
“Wait.”
He didn’t like being interrupted. But seeing the insignia on the speaker, his face darkened.
The two new arrivals showed Fu Yao a document. “Sir, per higher-ups’ instructions, we’ll take custody of these two from now on. Please let them go.”
Fu Yao grabbed it rudely, quickly skimmed through it, and handed it to his Qizi, who also checked it carefully. In the end, the latter gave a slight nod of approval. Fu Yao cast a threatening look over the two repeatedly.
The subjects of his gaze stared solemnly ahead, pretending not to notice his actions. His final gaze landed on Ying Feng. He then sidestepped, allowing space for one person to pass.
“Please.” The soldier gestured to Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, signaling that they likely had no choice but to move on.
The four of them passed through the narrow path. As Ying Feng brushed past Fu Yao, Fu Yao’s wrist came closer. Ying Feng, understanding the gesture, discreetly connected his terminal to Fu Yao’s, producing a beep audible only to them, instantly exchanging their communication methods. It was only after they were out of Fu Yao’s sight that Ying Feng discreetly checked the message from Fu Yao: [Contact me if anything happens.]
The soldiers took them to an unknown location and specifically asked for Ling Xiao to enter alone. As Ling Xiao was about to step forward, Ying Feng stopped him.
“Where are you taking my Qizi?” Instead of using Ling Xiao’s name, he referred to him as “my Qizi”, emphasizing his point. Even Ling Xiao detected the emphasis in his words.
“He is the one who stole the drugs. We need to interrogate him separately. Please wait here.”
“I refuse,” Ying Feng responded firmly. “According to the law, you have no right to question him without me present. Any statement he makes or agreement he signs without me present can be rendered invalid.”
“This is a military order.”
“The military must also abide by the law.”
The two soldiers hadn’t expected Ying Feng to be even more difficult than Fu Yao. They exchanged a glance; one stayed behind while the other quickly left.
After a short while, he returned and whispered to the first soldier, who nodded in understanding.
“You are approved to be present during the interrogation,” he gestured for them to proceed, “Let’s go.”
Thus, Ling Xiao, unsure of what was happening, followed Ying Feng into a room. There sat a military officer whose rank, judging by the insignia, was no lower than Fu Yao’s.
“Please sit,” the officer said with an air of arrogance. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng sat opposite him. The officer’s gaze remained on Ling Xiao, and after a while, he finally asked. “You’re Ling Xiao?”
Ling Xiao thought he was asking the question knowingly but still answered, “Yes.”
“You broke into the base’s lab and stole prohibited drugs. Your Qizhu is complicit. By the rules, both of you should be sentenced to at least thirty years.”
Both were taken aback. While Ying Feng managed to maintain his composure, Ling Xiao exclaimed, “How can it be so long?”
“However,” the officer continued, “Considering you were fledgling at the time of the incident and lack of malicious intent, the military offers you a second choice. Not only will you avoid imprisonment, but you will also receive assistance from the military.”
“What are the conditions?” Ying Feng asked calmly.
The officer’s eyes remained on Ling Xiao. “We want you to participate in a secret biological program, lasting at least a year. Whatever happens during this time, whomever you meet, you must not disclose.”
“Details.”
“We have an essential test subject currently in cryo. To revive him, we need a blood transfusion. We require your blood, once a week. This deal is beneficial for you.”
“Why specifically his blood? As a Qizhu, my blood regeneration capabilities are stronger. Shouldn’t you choose me instead?”
The officer then turned to Ying Feng. “Only the blood of a Qizi who has just completed the bonding ceremony meets our requirements, and he fits both criteria. Our test subject is weak and can’t accept the blood type of a Qizhu. That’s why we chose him.”
“I…” Ling Xiao finally spoke. “Can I know the purpose of this experiment? Who is this person you are trying to revive? What will you do with him once he’s awake?”
“That’s not your concern. You can now choose to accept or go to prison. I believe you both understand the flaws in your testimony. If investigated further, the punishment might exceed what I mentioned earlier.”
Ling Xiao hesitated for a long while. “I accept.”
Ying Feng didn’t expect him to agree so quickly, sounding somewhat displeased. “You just accept their terms so easily? You don’t even know what they really intend to do.”
“Do I have any other choice?” Ling Xiao calmly retorted. “If I don’t agree, I’ll be imprisoned for thirty years, and so will you.”
The military officer across from them flashed a smug smile.
Ying Feng fell silent. Without a better solution, he had no grounds to persuade Ling Xiao to accept imprisonment. Perhaps from the start, their adversaries had not left them with any room to choose. The military’s objectives were clear-cut, and as two students who had just come of age, they had no power to resist.
With a wave of the officer’s hand, a document was promptly presented by someone behind him. “If you’ve reached an agreement, sign at the back of the confidentiality agreement. Once your name is on it, there’s no turning back. Think it through.”
With no other options, Ling Xiao picked up the pen, about to sign his name, when his hand was held by Ying Feng.
“On my first day of reporting to Bikong, he was the one who led me to the dormitory. It seems we are truly fated,” Xing Lou said, stopping just an arm’s length away from the portrait. Through the semi-transparent projection, he could almost envision the future of Yue Ying waking up.
“However, when I saw him then, his eyes were smoky gray. I didn’t expect that in such a short time, he would mature,” and he also lost.
“Use your access to infiltrate into Bikong’s network. I need his most recent health report.”
With a snap of his fingers, Xing Lou produced a virtual keyboard and rapidly typed on it with one hand. Shortly after, Ling Xiao’s records appeared line by line.
“Lucky us, he just had a physical examination a few days ago.”
Tai Yin disagreed. “Our luck is terrible. He has mild mental damage. Someone with this kind of injury can’t be away from their Qizhu for more than a month. And such a short time is not sufficient for reviving Yue Ying. The blood of a Tianxiu being must undergo strict purification and refinement before Yue Ying’s body can accept it. The required blood volume isn’t something that can be collected all at once.”
The more Xing Lou heard, the more his face darkened. “What if we keep extracting it? After all, the Tianxius have strong recovery abilities. As long as they’re alive, the blood will regenerate.”
“Once a Tianxiu loses too much blood, the newly generated blood serves as an emergency product. It can revitalize them in a short time, which is useful for the individual but lethal for Yue Ying, whose body cannot tolerate any stimulant. After each blood extraction, we have to wait at least a week before extracting again.”
The situation was far more troublesome than Xing Lou had imagined. “In that case, let’s take both him and his Qizhu to the Burning Shadows. I don’t care how long it takes. I’ve waited thousands of years to revive Yue Ying. What are a few more days?”
“You need to think this through,” Tai Yin warned him. “We don’t have Yue Ying’s body, nor the blood bank he needs, and the Qizhu’s blood bank isn’t with us either. Kidnapping all three at once will cause an uproar. The military will surely come after us. Are you sure you can complete this before they find us?”
Xing Lou became frustrated. “So, what should I do?”
“No need for such complications,” a third voice timely chimed in, as Zhen He’s figure gradually appeared.
Hearing this, Xing Lou immediately asked, “Do you have a way?”
Zhen He confidently stated, “The person you’re looking for has just caused quite a stir. He’ll soon face military sanctions. If he’s imprisoned, it’ll be even harder to get him out.”
“What’s your suggestion?”
“If this task is difficult for us, let’s get someone for whom it isn’t. As long as you have a friend in the military willing to help, we can reap the benefits. Some borrow a knife to kill; we’ll borrow a knife to save. He might even thank you for sparing him from imprisonment.”
Xing Lou’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Explain further.”
……
“I’m telling you, I’ve seen that person before. He’s a first-year student. On the day he enrolled, I took him to his dormitory.”
The two walked on campus, with Ling Xiao still trying to explain to an unbelieving Ying Feng about the news they saw on TV that afternoon.
“If he’s a freshman, then he’s a fledgling. The figure on TV appeared to be an adult. From fledgling to adult, many change in appearance. Moreover, many people look alike.”
“But they’re not just alike,” Ling Xiao insisted. “I’m sure if Xing Lou matures, he’d look exactly like that statue. I can call him over if you don’t believe me. I have his contact.”
“Were you just sleeping in history class?” Ying Feng sarcastically commented. “About five thousand years ago, there were two Tianxius ancestors, a male and a female. It’s believed they are the origin of all Tianxius. They’re highly revered, and many statues have been erected in their honor throughout the land. This is the first lesson in the history textbook. Don’t tell me you don’t even know this.”
“Is that so?” Although Ling Xiao believed what Ying Feng said, he still mumbled, unconvinced. “But I still think it’s the same person…”
“Hey, Ling Xiao!” Ting Lei shouted from afar upon spotting Ling Xiao. It was break time, and there were many students around. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng were campus celebrities. As he shouted, many looked their way.
“They are the 10th graders who accidentally held a coming-of-age ceremony in the wild,” someone whispered to the side.
“Yeah, I heard that the one with the light gray eyes defeated the Kui on his own.”
“If even the one who defeated the Kui can be defeated, doesn’t that mean the one with the black eyes is even stronger?”
“But I heard from their classmates that the two of them don’t get along. Seems like that was just a rumor.”
Ying Feng’s hearing was significantly better than Ling Xiao’s. The whispers that Ling Xiao couldn’t hear were clear as day to Ying Feng. He glanced in the direction of the conversation. It was rare to see people their age with black eyes in the academy. With that glance, the whispers fell silent.
Compared to the others’ fear of Ying Feng, Ting Lei was visibly excited to see Ling Xiao.
“I haven’t seen you for days. I missed you,” he said cheerfully. As he finished, he felt a cold breeze. Meeting Ying Feng’s displeased face, Ting Lei silently cursed himself, thinking, ‘I’ve said something wrong again.’
Ling Xiao didn’t seem to mind. “Same here. Dr. Yao didn’t allow me to attend classes, and I’ve been bored to death.”
Ting Lei chuckled and discreetly stepped back. “Are you two going to eat?”
The subtext being: When did you two become so close that you’re going to eat together?
“Yes.” Ling Xiao warmly invited, “Want to join?”
Ting Lei quickly shook his head. In his eyes, Ying Feng was always an S-level creature. After becoming a Qizhu, he was elevated to SS-level. Establishing authority made his danger level shoot up to SSS. He’d rather avoid him than approach him.
Other classmates passed by, many of them greeting Ling Xiao. Ying Feng keenly noticed a cold gaze from the side. Turning his head slightly, his eyes met with Zhu Yue’s.
Initially, the rumor was that the two were skipping classes to enjoy a honeymoon in their dorm. Zhu Yue didn’t believe it because he thought Ying Feng would never accept Ling Xiao. But seeing them together today made him doubt his own beliefs.
The thought that the two might have become intimate infuriated Zhu Yue.
“By the way, we just saw a military aircraft at the academy’s landing pad,” Ting Lei suddenly mentioned.
The statement alarmed both of them. “Are you sure you saw it correctly?” Ling Xiao asked.
“Of course. How could I mistake the military insignia? I even saw two people disembark and head towards the medical building.”
The two felt a growing unease. They exchanged a glance and quickly headed for the medical building. As they approached the entrance, they ran into Dr. Yao, followed by two uniformed soldiers.
“Dr. Yao,” Ling Xiao said anxiously, his eyes wary of the men escorting her.
“It’s okay,” Dr. Yao said hastily, hoping to avoid trouble. “I’m just going with them for an investigation. Once it’s done, I’ll return.”
Ling Xiao felt guilty, thinking he had caused this. “I’m sorry, if it weren’t for me…”
“It’s just a routine investigation,” Dr. Yao comforted him. “I’ll plead on your behalf. After all, you were just fledglings then. The military is usually lenient with fledglings’ mistakes. Don’t worry too much.”
As they watched Dr. Yao leave with the soldiers, Ying Feng said calmly, “Those two aren’t from Fu Yao’s unit.”
“Fu Yao?”
“The officer who took you last time. The badges worn by his soldiers are different from those two.”
After pondering for a while, Ling Xiao still didn’t understand. “So?”
“It’s likely that the military personnel in charge of this case have changed.”
Dr. Yao briefly met with Zhi Shang, but they were separated for questioning. During the interrogation, Dr. Yao was deeply concerned, thinking that she might escape blame, but Zhi Shang would inevitably be held accountable for inadequate supervision. She wondered how the military would handle this.
A few rooms away, Zhi Shang was carefully answering questions from the interviewer.
“Why are there unsubmitted Embers II at the base?”
“When the military checked, the base kept a few samples for emergencies. This was reported, and it was approved. However, very few people know about this, not even most of the base staff.”
“Who knew about it?”
“Myself, my Qizhu Dr. Yao, and assistant researcher Yu Quan. All three of us were once students of Professor Tai Yin.”
“If such important items were stored in that lab, why wasn’t it locked?”
Zhi Shang hesitated for a long while before speaking. “At the time of the incident, because the situation was urgent, I didn’t think too much. However, after hearing about the entire event from my Qizhu, I remembered that when I entered the lab, the door wasn’t locked, whereas normally, it should be locked.”
“So someone unlocked it before you got there?”
“Yes.”
“Who could have done that?”
“Many people. The laboratory’s security level is relatively low, and it uses a common password lock. The password is changed periodically, and anyone who works at the base long-term can open it.”
“As the main person in charge of the base, why didn’t you inventory the number of drugs afterward?”
Zhi Shang replied with guilt, “It was my oversight. I never expected someone to break in. My Qizhu had severe side effects after being injected with the second-generation drug. I was preoccupied with taking care of her. By the time she was out of danger, the lab had already been cleaned up by other colleagues, so I didn’t check it in detail.”
A military officer presented a report. “This is the report you submitted the day after the incident. It detailed the planetary disintegration, the lighthouse protective shield malfunction, and the use of the second-generation drug.”
“Yes.”
“But there is only a brief description of the cause of the malfunction. Can you explain why?”
“It was genuinely an accident caused by an intern’s mistake.”
“Don’t you think these two incidents are too coincidental? We reviewed the surveillance footage submitted by the base, and those two in their fledgling state were barely captured. The abandoned lab didn’t even have cameras, so nobody knows what they did inside. The truthfulness of their testimonies remains to be verified.”
“No,” Zhi Shang quickly denied. “At first, I had doubts too, but after multiple inspections of the intern’s programming, I am sure it was an accidental event.”
“You had doubts? About whom?”
“It’s not related to him at all…”
“Who was it?” The military officer pressed.
After hesitating, Zhi Shang finally spoke. “The person in charge of checking the start-up device that day was Yu Quan. I suspected him for a while, but it was just a suspicion, and it was soon confirmed that the entire incident had nothing to do with him.”
“If I remember correctly, the person who assisted the wanted criminal Tai Yin in destroying the fledgling records and secretly moving the target was him, right?”
Zhi Shang looked serious. “The latter incident is true, but he soon realized his mistake and atoned for his crimes. The earlier suspicions were just misunderstandings.”
“Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, we’ll investigate. That’s not your concern.” The recording officer closed the document. “Even though you didn’t make a deliberate mistake, as the chief researcher of the base, you are responsible for oversight. We will temporarily remove you from your post until the investigation is completed.”
Zhi Shang lowered his head in resignation. “I understand.”
……
“Do you think Dr. Yao and the professor will be okay?” Ling Xiao had been uneasy since returning to the dorm.
Meanwhile, Ying Feng was intently examining the changes in his body. After the coming-of-age ceremony, the changes in his body became more and more apparent, lasting longer each time. Taking showers provided temporary relief, but he believed that it couldn’t be without harm.
Ling Xiao’s psychological assessment was also problematic. However, Ling Xiao, unaware of the looming danger, nudged him. “Should we contact the principal or notify the officer named Fu something? I feel this matter isn’t so simple.”
It was then that Ying Feng turned to look directly at Ling Xiao. Instinctively, Ling Xiao felt a sense of danger in those eyes and retreated slightly.
This reaction only confirmed Ying Feng’s thoughts. As a Qizhu, why should he repress his desires? The best way to establish ownership was to completely possess, marking the prey with one’s scent to ward off competitors.
With that thought, Ying Feng pressed Ling Xiao’s shoulder, swiftly straddling him.
Startled by the sudden movement, Ling Xiao, with Ying Feng so close, felt the oppressive aura of a Qizhu. Nervously, he swallowed. “What are you doing?”
Ying Feng calmly seemed to be answering a rigorous scientific question. “There are still three days before your danger period has passed. I don’t believe you can stay honest, and there is no way to monitor you all day long. Since you said that you can do it seven times a night without getting out of bed for three days, let’s try to see if this method is really effective.”
“Wait!” Seeing that his body was already pressed down, Ling Xiao quickly stretched out his hand to stop him. “We agreed that you can’t force me, and I guarantee that this method won’t work at all!””
“Our agreement is that I don’t need to use the Qizhu’s power to force you, and I obviously don’t have it now. And we have another agreement. For your mental condition, I will take the necessary measures. You cannot refuse.”
Ying Feng’s body was pressed down a little bit again, and this time Ling Xiao held it firmly with both hands. “Wait a minute! I have another chance to make a condition. I refuse! I very much refuse!”
“I do not accept this condition, so the proposal is invalid.”
Ling Xiao shouted anxiously, “If you don’t accept it, the condition of not swiping up all the funds on the card at the end of the month will also expire!”
Once Ying Feng had decided, no one could change it. He pressed Ling Xiao down hard, and his tone could not be rejected.
“Just swipe it!”
With the sound of the last word, Ling Xiao’s hips became cold, as Ying Feng directly took off his pants. There was no foreplay, no caressing. It was simply accompanied by a very purposeful invasion of his body. Under the special physique of the Tianxiu people, even such rough movements failed to cause Ling Xiao injuries. His body seemed to be open at any time to welcome the entry of his Qizhu.
The words that Ling Xiao was about to shout came out almost instantly, and he immediately covered his mouth with his palm so as not to make any more embarrassing sounds. The first climax came much earlier than expected. Almost not long after Ying Feng entered him, Ling Xiao had already cum impatiently.
It wasn’t until the third climax hit that Ling Xiao discovered that every time he reached an orgasm, his body would become twice as sensitive, and the time to reach the next orgasm would also increase. After three ejaculations, his body had become unable to bear any touch. Even if Ying Feng gently stroked his skin with his fingertips, it felt like he was causing an earthquake. He could hide from the top, but not below. If Yin Feng rubbed his chest while thrusting, he had to use great strength to hold back from begging for mercy.
The advent of the fourth ultimate pleasure took the sum of the first three times. Ling Xiao’s mind was already in a semi-drowsy state, and he was no longer able to control what kind of moan he would spit out in his mouth. Only by deceiving himself, he stretched out his hand to cover his eyes, as if he could escape reality without looking. But Ying Feng didn’t allow him to pretend to be dead, so he forcibly broke his hands free. Ling Xiao tried his best to open his sweat-wet eyelids, only to see Ying Feng’s slender eyes shake in his sight. God knows how he deliberately obscured the person with these eyes in his dream. He showed a confused expression under him, only to know that now that the dream had come true; the position of the two of them had undergone a subversive change.
Ling Xiao’s defeated state failed to arouse Ying Feng’s pity, but instead stimulated his bestiality and reminded him of Ling Xiao’s previous outrageous words. He held down Ling Xiao’s forehead and leaned down. The two of them had the tips of their noses against each other. From Ling Xiao’s perspective, there was a slow sense of oppression.
“Who said those outrageous words seven times a night in the first place. Now even if you show an expression of begging for mercy, it’s useless.”
“I… I didn’t… beg for mercy…” Ling Xiao’s hoarse voice supported him with the last dignity. He couldn’t even breathe smoothly, as the words he said had a loud nasal sound.
“You’d better hold on to the end.” Ying Feng deviated from the original intention of just wanting Ling Xiao to stay honest and began to have intentions of settling old debts with Ling Xiao. He raised Ling Xiao’s legs high. Ling Xiao’s newly adult body wasn’t yet developed, so it was so soft that it was almost completely folded up.
At this time, not to mention being attacked from the rear, just the fact that Ying Feng was holding his knee tightly was enough to make him sweat like rain.
“Do you even feel here?” Ying Feng, who noticed Ling Xiao’s gaffe, licked his knees erotically with bad intentions. Ling Xiao, who only touched the bed with his back, bounced up like an electric shock, struggling to dodge with crying.
“Ying Feng, you big horn dog!”
“People who claim to go seven times a night aren’t qualified to say this.”
Ying Feng squeezed Ling Xiao tighter, causing their privates to stick together without any gaps. Ying Feng pulled out shallowly and then thrust fiercely, adding a percussion ensemble to Ling Xiao’s cry.
When the fifth climax came, Ling Xiao’s eyes darkened, and he fainted. It could be seen that the pause in consciousness didn’t last long. An electric current pierced through his left temple and penetrated through the right temple, abruptly waking Ling Xiao from a coma. When he opened his eyes, he knew that it was Ying Feng’s masterpiece again—he didn’t even allow himself to pass out.
Ying Feng moved Ling Xiao to a dry area. The place where he was lying had already been soaked in sweat, but it was only a matter of time before this new space got wet. This time he pressed one of Ling Xiao’s legs under him, raised one leg high, and thrust from the middle of his legs, changing his angle of attack to the most sensitive parts of Ling Xiao’s body.
Ling Xiao’s collapse was almost only in an instant; his dignity and backbone instantly vanished. This feeling of not being able to tell whether it was pleasure or pain tortured his sanity and made him unscrupulous.
“No more! I beg you!”
“If you say it seven times, it’s seven times, and it can’t be less than that.” Ying Feng refused forcefully. He scratched Ling Xiao’s skin with his nails. At this time, his body had reached a terrifying sensitivity, and he screamed uncontrollably under this stimulation.
“Ah!”
Ying Feng stretched his lower body vigorously, and the end of the scream turned into a fluctuating groan.
Ling Xiao could hardly cum anything for the sixth time. His penis was throbbing weakly, as if complaining about the excessive overdraft. Ling Xiao began to regret—why did he have to say such a cruel sentence in public in the first place, which caused him to be in such a miserable situation now. When he was put into a new posture by Ying Feng and penetrated again, a series of unconscious begs flowed out of his mouth automatically. Even he himself couldn’t make out what he was saying. But Ying Feng was as determined as ever, and he wouldn’t give up until he reached that predetermined goal. The rubber band in Ling Xiao’s mind seemed to be stretched to its limit. He could neither go back nor pull. He began to experience all kinds of strange symptoms—hallucinations, tinnitus, cramps in his hands and feet, trembling limbs—and he started to doubt if the seventh orgasm or his reincarnation would come first.
In the end, Ling Xiao had no impression at all. On the eve of the last climax, Ling Xiao completely fell into darkness.
Ying Feng had a habit of waking up on the hour, but just as he sat up, he remembered that there was another person beside him who relied on him to maintain sleep during a critical period of bonding. As expected, when he turned his head, the person on the bed was already rubbing his eyes awake, with a look on his face that clearly said he hadn’t had enough sleep.
He recalled reading that a Qizi, during special periods, needed 1.5 times their usual amount of sleep. Lack of sleep was the leading cause of mental strain. However, the fact that a Qizi couldn’t sleep without their Qizhu nearby conflicted with Ying Feng’s regular routine. Using saliva-induced hypnosis was indeed effective, but its duration was too short.
While Ying Feng was seriously considering how to resolve this contradiction, Ling Xiao seemed unbothered. He jumped out of bed and quickly occupied the bathroom. By the time he came out again, he was refreshed and looked entirely different from when he had just woken up.
Seeing him so energetic, Ying Feng felt he might be overthinking things. By the time Ying Feng was ready to leave, Ling Xiao was already nowhere to be found in the dormitory.
Ying Feng’s instinctive reaction was to use his mental connection to search for him. However, the terms of their exchange from the previous day timely intervened, preventing him from doing so. As a result, he quietly retracted his mental probe without a fuss.
Ying Feng didn’t see Ling Xiao in the cafeteria, so he headed straight to the playground for his second stop. Sure enough, as he had suspected, the person who had gone out for a run early in the morning was jogging on the empty track, completely unaware of his vulnerable state. Without thinking, Ying Feng approached and stopped him.
“What are you doing?”
Unsure of what he had done to upset Ying Feng again, Ling Xiao replied, “Morning run.”
“Doctor Yao said you’re on mandatory leave.”
“Doesn’t leave allow for physical exercise? I’m preparing for military school admission. I have to start now. My competitors are strong Qizhus. How could I possibly compete without putting in effort?”
“Weren’t you the one who fainted a few days ago?”
“I was tired and hungry at the time, drained of energy. Now that I’ve eaten and rested, why can’t I run?” Ling Xiao didn’t understand why Ying Feng was making such a fuss. It seemed as if Ying Feng, who had previously been indifferent, was now overly concerned.
“One doesn’t train without breaks. The books say you need ample rest during this period; otherwise, your mental state will suffer. Finish your meal and head back,” Ying Feng said curtly.
“I had enough rest last night,” Ling Xiao retorted, displeased. “I’m not a pig that just eats and sleeps.”
“Are you going back or not?”
“No.”
After Ling Xiao spoke, his fingertips tingled. Over the past few days, he had come to recognize this as a sign of an incoming command from the Qizhu. He tried to speak, but his tongue wouldn’t cooperate. He could only glare angrily at Ying Feng, who was being contradictory.
Ying Feng’s power merely made a brief appearance before halting. The air between the two solidified, and time ticked away. The newly built trenches of mutual understanding between them were on the verge of collapsing at any moment. The fragile agreement would shatter with just a single step forward.
Just when Ling Xiao thought he would be forced back to his dormitory, the mental control that had swelled within him receded like a tide. At the crucial moment, Ying Feng refrained from taking action, allowing the tense atmosphere to finally dissipate.
Ying Feng stepped aside. “Run then.”
To Ling Xiao’s surprise, Ying Feng was the one making the concession. He resumed jogging suspiciously. Ying Feng maintained a steady pace behind him, neither speeding up nor slowing down.
During this morning run, Ling Xiao felt completely uneasy. Ying Feng was not far behind him, with a watchful gaze fixed on him. It felt like a thorn in his back, and after being observed for such a long time, even his steps became erratic.
Eventually, Ling Xiao couldn’t continue, not even achieving half of his intended goal. Without using the power of the Qizhu, Ying Feng’s mere gaze and following tactic had forced Ling Xiao to concede, filling him with a sense of defeat.
“Okay, I’m done. You don’t have to follow me anymore,” Ling Xiao said impatiently.
“Where will you go next?” Ying Feng asked calmly.
“Train…” Before Ling Xiao could finish, he saw Ying Feng’s reaction and realized that his plan to visit the training hall would probably be thwarted. Even if Ying Feng didn’t stop him, all Ying Feng would have to do is sit down expressionlessly, and soon enough, Ling Xiao would admit defeat.
Forget it. Ling Xiao felt as if he was cursed. He regretted ever discussing joint plans with Ying Feng, who, once he set a goal, would resolutely see it through. So, Ling Xiao bit back his words and instead asked, “Where are you going?”
“The library.”
Ling Xiao was taken aback. If not for their accidental pact, he would never have known Ying Feng was such a studious person. But remembering how Ying Feng self-taught system operations to retrieve data from an outdated computer, this didn’t seem so surprising.
“I’ll go too,” he said, regretting it immediately, recalling the library’s boring ambiance. Yet, Ying Feng seemed pleased with this response. This way, he could do his own thing and also keep an eye on Ling Xiao.
With a gloomy face, Ling Xiao followed Ying Feng to the library. Ying Feng hadn’t finished the book he borrowed before, but during his reading, new questions arose, leading him back to the social sciences shelf. Bored, Ling Xiao amused himself with the touchscreen in the academy’s archive display area.
Every batch of students from Bikong had a record stored in the database. Ling Xiao clicked on their batch, and familiar photos appeared before his eyes. Since they enrolled on the same day, his photo was next to Ying Feng’s. After a few more photos, there was Lan Sheng’s. Ping Zong enrolled the latest, and his picture was different from the others. It was a black and white photo encased in a black frame, standing out remarkably among rows of colored photos.
A weight settled uncontrollably in Ling Xiao’s heart. After closing that page, he randomly selected a previous batch and, sure enough, saw two more photos framed in black. It seemed the principal was right; no matter how they tried to avoid it, tragedy would occur.
Suddenly, he remembered something and rushed to find Ying Feng in the humanities section. “Do you remember the Ash Event we studied in history class?”
“Yes.”
“When did it happen?”
Without hesitation, Ying Feng replied, “3926. Why do you ask?”
Getting his answer, Ling Xiao disappeared in a flash. Ying Feng, curious about his actions, followed.
If the incident happened in 3926, it meant the enrollment time of this batch of students would have been pushed back at least ten years. Ling Xiao tried clicking on the student archives of 3916. Displayed on the screen were dozens of black and white photos framed in black, a sight so haunting it was hard to believe.
“What is this…?” Ying Feng probably guessed the meaning of the black frames but didn’t understand the context.
“These are the student photos from the year of the Ash Event,” Ling Xiao said. Although the number of casualties was mentioned in their history classes, seeing the photos stirred a different emotion than just hearing a number.
“So only a little over half survived, which means…” Ling Xiao’s eyes sparkled, while his hands continuously scrolled down. “All the Qizis who were defeated in the coming-of-age ceremony died…”
Realizing this horrifying conclusion, he felt a chill in his heart.
“Wait.” Ying Feng suddenly held his hand.
Ling Xiao stopped too because among the survivors, he saw a familiar photo. Upon first glance, he felt a strange sensation.
“Ling…Xing?” Ling Xiao whispered the name. “The one who woke up in the same energy chamber as me, was from that batch too.”
Ying Feng’s hand remained motionless. Even Ling Xiao found it strange. Turning to look, he saw Ying Feng staring at the person in the photo with an indescribable sadness.
Ling Xiao was stunned. The mighty Ying Feng, whom he thought was unshakeable, was displaying such profound sorrow. Without any tears or frowns, the deep pain was hidden beneath a calm facade. More than seeing it, Ling Xiao felt it, perhaps due to the bond between a Qizhu and a Qizi. The emotions flowed into Ling Xiao, disrupting his tranquility.
After what felt like an eternity, Ying Feng snapped out of his trance, realizing he was still holding Ling Xiao’s hand. Though they had shared a bed, kissed, and made love, this unintentional touch made them more embarrassed than any of those intimate moments. They both awkwardly pulled away, each looking in opposite directions, searching for an excuse.
“I was shocked by the number of deaths.” Ying Feng spoke first.
“Me too,” Ling Xiao immediately replied.
“No wonder the academy mourns with bells every year.”
“Yeah.”
Their dialogue was superficial, merely covering up their true feelings.
“I’m heading back to the dorm.” Ling Xiao felt that the library wasn’t a suitable place for him anymore.
This time, Ying Feng didn’t stop him. “Alright.”
Ling Xiao practically fled from the library, mulling over the distressing information he’d uncovered, feeling the library had cast a shadow cast over his heart.
Once his emotions stabilized, the exhaustion from the morning exercise began demanding its toll. Ling Xiao randomly picked up one of Ying Feng’s books, and after reading a few lines, he felt sleepy.
When Ying Feng returned from the library, he saw Ling Xiao leaning against the bedhead, holding a hefty theoretical book. He had already fallen asleep, without even having turned the first page. His head wobbled, suddenly dropping down, startling him awake before drooping again, swaying side to side.
Ying Feng sat down next to him, placing the borrowed book on his left side. The noise seemed to have startled Ling Xiao, who struggled to barely open his eyes. Ying Feng’s silhouette vaguely appeared in his field of vision.
Then Ying Feng, without saying a word, slapped the bed next to him with his right hand. As if he had received a command, Ling Xiao, with sleepy eyes, immediately leaned over. The moment his body touched Ying Feng, he fell asleep in the next second. The speed at which he fell asleep was so astonishing that even Ying Feng found it eerie, considering it was just noon. Just how exhausted had he been before?
Ling Xiao slept for two hours, and when he woke up, Ying Feng was still reading beside him. Knowing that Ying Feng stayed because of him made Ling Xiao feel a bit awkward.
“Still doing your morning exercises?” Ying Feng teased him upon seeing him awake.
Ling Xiao played dumb and stayed silent.
“There are only three days left; just stay put.”
“I’ll get bored to death,” Ling Xiao protested.
“If you’re bored, watch TV.”
Ying Feng turned on the TV, and there was a breaking news segment.
“…Recently, a national archaeological team discovered two gigantic stone statues near the Great Rift in the southern hemisphere. The statues, one male and one female, have severely damaged faces due to their age. Archaeologists used computers for virtual restoration. Experts believe these two figures might be the ancestors of the Tianxiu People described in historical texts…”
At first, Ling Xiao watched listlessly, but as the restored image appeared on the screen, he couldn’t take his eyes off of it. Eventually, he moved closer to get a better look.
“What are you doing?” Ying Feng was puzzled at Ling Xiao’s unusual behavior while watching TV.
“This person; I recognize this person,” Ling Xiao said, pointing to the male figure. A name was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t recall it.
“That’s an ancient person, and you recognize him?” Ying Feng was skeptical.
“Xing, Xing,” Ling Xiao remembered. “Xing Lou!”
Yes, it was him. Even though the image was of a grown man, the facial features matched the youthful appearance of someone he had seen before. It was clearly the same person at different ages.
“Xing Lou?” Ying Feng furrowed his brow at this unfamiliar name.
“Xing Lou!”
Xing Lou sat up, panting heavily.
“Are you alright?” Yue Ying’s voice was filled with concern. “You stopped breathing for a long time.”
Xing Lou waved his hand, taking a while before he could speak. “Even though we technically can travel through time, the further we go from this time point, the more it feels like the soul is being torn apart. It’s too painful to continue.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself. It sounds too absurd to try to change network time to reach another dimension of that time,” Yue Ying remarked.
Xing Lou shook his head. “When I first developed this function, I could only send myself back one minute. After several lifetimes of effort, I can now go back several years. I believe that if I keep going, I can change history and revive your people.”
Yue Ying chuckled bitterly. “I’m the only one left of my kind. What’s the point of revival?”
“No, it’s possible,” Xing Lou began, but then a connection request interrupted him.
He accepted, and Tai Yin’s projection appeared in the center of the room.
“I have good news.” Tai Yin got straight to the point. “We’ve successfully matched the blood type you need.”
Xing Lou’s eyes sparkled with hope. “Really?”
Tai Yin activated the device beside him, and a transparent half-figure appeared in the air.
“He’s the one you’re looking for. On this planet, he’s the only one with a genetic match to Yue Ying and the only one who can awaken him.”
Xing Lou stood up, walking step by step towards the figure, his eyes shining brighter with each step. It seemed like the person in front of him was already within his grasp.
Ling Xiao’s visit came to an end. Qian Ji personally escorted them out to the main gate.
“Remember my words, never come here again. The vast world outside is where you should be.”
After bidding farewell to Qian Ji, Ling Xiao returned to the academy with the principal. Compared to the omnipresent oppression at the disease control center, every student here seemed so vibrant and full of life. Just by looking at them, one could feel a sense of hope. Ling Xiao started to understand why the principal chose to stay and work at the academy.
“Do you know why, even though we know the peace during the coming-of-age ceremony is a lie that will eventually be exposed, we still use this lie to paint a rosy picture?”
Ling Xiao shook his head.
“We’ve tried many methods before this. Some people volunteered to be bound during the coming-of-age ceremony, but they bit off their tongues when their blood was taken. Some slept through their tumultuous phase in a sleeping chamber, but when they woke up, their hormone secretion skyrocketed to uncontrollable levels. No physical, chemical, or biological means succeeded before the coming-of-age ceremony.”
“One year, we explained all the drawbacks of what they would experience before and after the coming-of-age ceremony. As a result, the entire cohort of students refused to participate. However, due to one person’s hormonal imbalance, it triggered a chain reaction. The fledglings killed each other, resulting in the greatest tragedy in centuries. That day, a comet named “Ash” passed by; hence, the incident was later known as the ‘Ash Event’.”
Ling Xiao’s heart jolted. The name ‘Ash Event’ had been written in history books. Every year on that day, the academy would toll bells in remembrance. The books merely mentioned it was an accident. The true cause was something he learned today for the first time.
“The coming-of-age ceremony is like a hurdle for our kind. No matter what we try, not everyone can overcome it. Some are always left behind.”
“Did Dr. Yao give you medicine?” The principal suddenly changed the topic.
Ling Xiao hesitated. “Yes.”
“When I first discovered that the drug could alleviate pain, I took it almost daily and became seriously addicted. The doses kept increasing until they no longer met my needs. When I tried to quit, the spiritual pressure I had been avoiding hit back with compound interest. Every ounce of pain I was supposed to endure hadn’t diminished; instead, it had accumulated with high interest.”
“Being a Qizi is like the coming-of-age ceremony; you have to walk a certain path on your own. If you take shortcuts now, you will have detours later. All the debts you thought you escaped are just accumulating. But over the years, I’ve learned restraint and have been taking the medicine less and less.”
Ling Xiao saw a glimmer of hope. “How did you manage to sleep without the medication?”
“I didn’t,” he said calmly. “I just need less and less sleep.”
This truth was a blow to Ling Xiao. He thought that if one was as strong as the principal, one could overcome pain. But the principal had spent a century just learning to coexist with the pain.
“I know what you’re thinking. You feel that living like this is worse than death. But I persist because I still delude myself into thinking that I can meet the person who abandoned me one more time.”
Only then did Ling Xiao realize, in shock, that the principal’s Qizhu hadn’t died. He thought the principal’s experience was similar to Lan Sheng’s, but the principal had actually been abandoned.
“For our kind, nothing is simpler than death. But for some of us, the journey of life is the hardest. Only by living can we have a chance to meet again.”
“This is why I’ve persisted until now. I believe Lan Sheng also has his reasons. What you want to give up on is what some people desperately wish for. Some will never get it. We are still holding on, what reason do you have to give up?”
“If you haven’t been separated, don’t be in a rush to let go. If long separations can end in reunions, what more with those you spend every day with?”
Ling Xiao walked back to his dormitory, lost in thought. His steps quickened until he started running. As soon as he returned to his dormitory, he went straight to the bedside, picked up the medicine Dr. Yao had given him, stared at it for a while, and finally threw the whole bottle into the trash.
Ying Feng had been watching him the whole time. “Why did you throw it away?”
“I don’t need it anymore,” Ling Xiao said, looking down at the bottle in the trash. What he threw away wasn’t just the medicine but also some immature notions he had been holding onto, only to realize they were unnecessary. “I won’t take my life lightly, I won’t be my own enemy, I will live well, get permission to study further…”
He looked up determinedly. “Ying Feng, I promise I won’t drag you down.”
……
The next day, when Ying Feng woke up, he unexpectedly found an extra person in his arms. Ling Xiao buried his head in Ying Feng’s chest and was sleeping soundly. Yet, Ying Feng couldn’t recall when he had pulled him close. Could it have been an unconscious act while he was in a deep sleep?
The day before, he had read a great deal about the relationship between a Qizhu and his Qizi. He also learned about the sleep disturbances a Qizi can experience during a vulnerable period due to the lack of physical contact with their Qizhu. Those who bonded because of emotional ties would inevitably sleep close together like they were now, which meant they wouldn’t experience the problems Ling Xiao had.
However, the soothing effect of this simple physical contact couldn’t compare to the duration of intimacy they shared the previous day. Just as Ying Feng was getting up, Ling Xiao woke up from his dream. His groggy appearance made it evident he hadn’t had enough rest. But he quickly perked up, got out of bed, and sat face-to-face with Ying Feng, intending to “negotiate”.
“I have a suggestion.”
Ying Feng listened quietly.
“We both know our bonding was an accident. You don’t want this outcome, and neither do I. But we are, in essence, in this together now. If I can’t improve my mental rating, neither of us can progress in our education. Since we can’t achieve the kind of equality Dr. Yao mentioned in terms of love, we can establish another kind of equality.”
“Go on.”
“We can each propose our own conditions. Once one of us proposes a condition, the other can propose another. If both agree, the condition becomes effective.”
Ying Feng had no objections. “You start.”
Ling Xiao thought for a moment. “You cannot order me around in public, and not in private either.”
Ying Feng quickly responded, “You can’t be overly friendly with others in front of me or behind my back.”
Ling Xiao weighed the request and felt he was getting a better deal, but he didn’t understand Ying Feng’s reasoning. “Can you tell me why?”
Ying Feng’s face was emotionless. “Because it makes me uncomfortable.”
This answer was unexpected for Ling Xiao. He thought Ying Feng would use the logic “Because I’m your Qizhu” or “Because you’re my Qizi.”
“Agreed,” Ling Xiao affirmed the first condition and then proposed the second. “Don’t use your psychic ability to locate me casually. I have my privacy.”
“You can’t stay out late. In special situations, you need to notify me.”
“Deal. Don’t use your powers to scare or coerce me. And never hit me.”
“To ensure your mental development is normal, I will exercise my rights appropriately. When necessary, I will use certain measures, and you can’t refuse.”
Ling Xiao wasn’t sure what “certain measures” meant, but he instinctively felt it wasn’t good. After some hesitation and considering the importance of ensuring the balance of power, he agreed. “This condition is accepted. For now, these are my three points. Do you have anything to add?”
“Don’t max out the card at the end of every month.”
Ling Xiao’s mouth twitched, and he replied gruffly, “Alright, I haven’t thought of what to exchange for that yet. We’ll discuss it when I have an idea.” Then he initiated the network connection. “Now I want to visit the school. Are you coming?”
The two logged into the education department’s virtual platform. At the entrance were direct portals to various colleges, sorted by comprehensive assessment. The top one was the Royal Sky Military Academy. Ling Xiao didn’t hesitate and chose it as the first stop for their tour. Standing in front of the grand and imposing main entrance of the academy, they felt an overwhelming sense of respect. The Tianxius, who had lived and thrived on this land for generations, were taught from a young age to be loyal to their homeland. Long before they learned to love an individual, they learned to love their country.
It was hard to imagine that such a profound impression came just from a virtual projection. If they could truly stand in front of the school or even enter it, what pride and honor that would be! From the moment Ling Xiao stood in front of the school’s entrance, he was captivated. With a voice full of excitement, he turned to the person behind him and said, “I’ve thought of my next exchange condition. I want to take the entrance exam for…”
“Royal Sky?” Ying Feng swiftly finished the sentence for him. “You can save that condition.”
Ling Xiao turned in surprise. “Why? You don’t agree?”
“No,” Ying Feng denied. “Because that’s also the condition I wanted to propose.”
Ling Xiao suppressed the surging emotions in his chest and took his first step. It was a step into the Royal Sky Military Academy in the virtual network and also a formal step into a new life in the spiritual world.
Inside the virtual campus, there were no real people. To provide visitors with a more intuitive impression, the school simulated images of teachers and students using 3D figures. As they walked from the entrance, they saw students from different majors undergoing various types of training. Unfamiliar battle techniques emerged one after another, making Ling Xiao dazzled.
The staff member responsible for explanations in the admissions office was a real school employee, not an AI. As soon as he saw Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, he greeted them politely.
“Welcome to the Royal Sky campus network. The touch screen provides all the enrollment information and detailed introductions to our majors. Please feel free to browse, and I’m here to answer any questions.”
Ling Xiao approached a large screen. Dozens of colleges were further divided into hundreds of departments. Each department had a symbol next to it; some had a circle, others had an X.
“What do these symbols mean?” He pointed and asked.
“In the past, some of the majors at Royal Sky didn’t admit Qizi. But in recent years, we have opened all majors for both Qizi and their Qizhu to compete fairly. Those with a circled major mean that if the Qizhu passes the entrance exam, the Qizi can enroll without examination. Those with an X require both the Qizhu and the Qizi to take the exam.”
Ling Xiao casually clicked on one, and a new window popped up, providing a detailed introduction to that major. Among the notable alumni, Ling Xiao recognized a familiar face.
“Ah, that’s the one from that day.” The short military officer who had escorted him from the medical station to the detention center. He hadn’t realized that the officer was also a graduate of the Royal Sky Military Academy.
The receptionist wasn’t surprised he recognized Fu Yao, as he was a well-known figure. “Major General Fu Yao and his Qizi are outstanding graduates of our Combat Command major. Many students apply to this major because of him. A few years ago, he accepted our school’s invitation to serve as a guest lecturer in the Joint Combat major, allowing some students the opportunity to be directly mentored by him. It’s now one of our most popular majors.”
“Joint Combat major…” Ling Xiao located it on the list. Its symbol was unique—a circle with an X inside.
“What does this symbol mean?” he asked, puzzled.
“It means both individuals take the exam together, right?” Ying Feng, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, making his first comment since they arrived.
“Exactly,” the receptionist replied with an appreciative look. “This is the only major that requires both the Qizhu and the Qizi to apply together. If either fails the exam, they cannot join the major. Hence, it’s the toughest major to get into.”
Learning about its difficulty only ignited Ling Xiao’s fighting spirit. He viewed a video featuring joint combat tactics of the Qizhu and Qizi. Watching their skills made Ling Xiao feel like his own abilities were child’s play. He imagined himself and Ying Feng in their place. Would they one day fight side by side with such synergy? Shaking his head, he tried to rid himself of the unrealistic thoughts. Their partnership was based on mutual benefits, not deep feelings like other close couples. The duo in the video, however, worked seamlessly together, almost as if they were one entity.
Ling Xiao downloaded several major introductions he was interested in. Ying Feng noticed all the chosen majors required the Qizi to take an exam, but the Joint Combat major wasn’t among them.
After copying the data, Ling Xiao expressed his gratitude to the receptionist and then logged off the network. He didn’t even plan to look at the rest of the school. He studied the materials until the lights were turned off. By that time, Ying Feng had already gone to sleep, and Ling Xiao intentionally delayed for quite a while.
Once assured that Ying Feng was asleep, he carefully moved closer, like the previous night, sneaking up to press against Ying Feng’s back. It felt comforting, like a ship returning to its harbor or a bird returning to its nest. As sleep overtook him, the person he leaned on turned, wrapping an arm around Ling Xiao, drawing him into an embrace.
Ling Xiao was completely stiffened, and the sleepiness he felt just a moment ago had vanished into thin air. His little act was caught in less than a day, and the exposure of his intentions made him lose face immediately.
Just as he was frozen, not knowing what to do, a cold, emotionless voice from Ying Feng came from above.
“Aren’t you aiming to improve your psychological rating and move on together in school? Since our goals align, let’s work hard together.”
A figure dashed over swiftly. With a flick of his right hand, there was a cling sound as he flicked a crystal into the air and caught it accurately. All movements flowed in one smooth motion. Miraculously, it seemed as if a suction force appeared under his feet. To this individual, a vertical building was just like flat ground. Within a matter of seconds, he climbed from the bottom to the top of the building, grabbing Ling Xiao by the collar and leaping onto the platform with him.
Ling Xiao hadn’t even realized why he was suddenly airborne when his feet safely touched the ground. Only then did the principal, who had effortlessly hoisted him up, let go. He turned to Ying Feng, who was still outside the wall, and asked, “Can you manage on your own?”
In response, Ying Feng gripped the edge of the wall, jumped back inside, and quickly approached Ling Xiao. The imposing manner in which he moved made both Yao Tai and the principal think he intended to attack Ling Xiao, and they instinctively stepped in front to block him. Even Ling Xiao thought the same, but to everyone’s shock, Ying Feng rudely brushed past the two, placed both hands on Ling Xiao’s shoulders, and without warning, kissed him.
The shock made the kiss seem longer than it actually was. Everyone was stunned, especially Ling Xiao, who was part of the act. His mind went blank, his ability to think floating away into the clouds.
When the kiss ended, Ying Feng released him. The petrified Ling Xiao stood still, for one second, two seconds, three seconds, and then he began to fall forward. Predicting this, Ying Feng caught him smoothly. If the onlookers were dumbstruck earlier, words failed to describe their astonishment now. Seemingly uncomfortable under their direct gazes, Ying Feng reluctantly explained, “I read in a book that this method can hypnotize and soothe emotions.”
Both the principal and Yao Tai turned their heads stiffly to exchange incredulous glances, then turned back.
“You know,” Yao Tai said bluntly, not meaning to flatter, “the only commendable thing since you became a Qizhu is your godlike speed in mastering all the Qizhu’s skills.”
Ignoring the sarcasm in her words, Ying Feng lifted Ling Xiao. Before he could move, the principal stopped him. The principal, with remarkable composure given the recent events, said, “Can you hand him over to me?” Ying Feng looked at him questioningly. “I’d like to try and talk to him. We’re both Qizi; maybe communication will be easier.”
After some consideration, Ying Feng handed Ling Xiao over. The principal admitted awkwardly, “I can’t carry him.”
The principal’s physical strength has been significantly diminished due to a prolonged lack of adequate rest. Now, when it comes to endurance, he’s even weaker than an average fledgling. The moves he just performed were already his limit.
“Where would you like me to take him?”
“The infirmary will do. I’ll wait there for him to wake up.”
When Ling Xiao woke up, only the principal was with him. He wasn’t sure how he’d fallen asleep, but the recent memory lingered, making him wonder if the kiss was just a dream.
“You’re awake,” the principal said, reminded of his own disoriented awakening years ago.
“Principal?” Ling Xiao looked down at the bed, confused. “Why am I here?”
“You fell asleep. Ying Feng brought you here on my request,” the principal replied, his similarly gray eyes soothing Ling Xiao. “Do you feel better now?”
Ling Xiao hesitated before nodding.
He had forgotten that he hadn’t intentionally jumped earlier.
“Would you like to visit someone with me?”
“Who?”
“Your good friend, Lan Sheng.”
……
This was Ling Xiao’s first visit to the Psychiatric Disease Control Center. He had imagined it as a hospital, but upon arrival, it resembled more of a prison.
“Long time no see,” a man in a white uniform greeted them at the entrance.
“If I could, I’d hope never to see you in this lifetime,” the principal replied with a smile, introducing Ling Xiao to the man. “This is Director Qian Ji of the Disease Control Center. He was my primary doctor back in the day. Never thought he’d become the director now.”
“Is it more surprising for a doctor to become a director or a patient to become a principal?” Qian Ji teased. “A hundred years ago, I was worried if you’d survive. Who could’ve predicted that today you’d be the head of an entire school?”
“It seems I’ve disappointed your expectations,” the principal joked back.
Qian Ji responded to his joke with a slight smile and then gently patted Ling Xiao’s back. “Is this the student you mentioned in your correspondence?”
“Yes.”
Qian Ji turned to Ling Xiao. “Your principal told me that Lan Sheng, who was hospitalized recently, is your friend, right? He’s a very strong person. I can’t let you meet him, but I can allow you to see him.”
Ling Xiao was somewhat puzzled. Under Qian Ji’s guidance, they walked from the main entrance to the main building.
“The place has changed a lot,” the principal said as he looked at the buildings along the way. He remembered that when he left years ago, some of the buildings didn’t look like this.
“When you were here, you almost tore down every house. The moment you left, we immediately applied for funding from the higher-ups and renovated the entire center.”
“Don’t listen to his exaggerations,” the principal said helplessly to Ling Xiao.
“I knew you wouldn’t admit it, so we kept evidence.” He led them to a patient’s room and told Ling Xiao, “Look, this is the room he stayed in.”
This room—no, to be precise, this cell—was extremely small. Apart from a single bed, there was nothing inside. Three sides were closed, and the side facing the corridor was made up of cold bars. Upon closer inspection, Ling Xiao noticed that the wall material was the same as the material used in the training room. Shockingly, despite the wall’s toughness, there were many signs of impact, with some indentations being half a foot deep.
“Why is there nothing inside?” Ling Xiao couldn’t comprehend. He thought that even if the center’s environment wasn’t comfortable, it would at least be habitable.
“Because anything inside would end up smashed. Any seemingly insignificant object might be used as a tool for self-harm.” Qian Ji saw the principal gazing thoughtfully at the room and discreetly motioned for Ling Xiao to step back.
“Your principal stayed there for six years.” Qian Ji only began speaking when they were out of earshot.
“That long?” Ling Xiao was shocked, thinking he couldn’t endure even six days in such an environment.
“From the day he was admitted until he left, a full six years. The day he left was the sixth anniversary of his admission.”
“How could this be…” Ling Xiao was in disbelief.
“We all once believed he wouldn’t come out. But he did, and although we thought he wouldn’t last long outside, every year he proves us wrong.” Qian Ji’s admiration was genuine. “Your principal is truly a respectable person. Everyone still looks up to him with respect.”
Ling Xiao only knew that the principal, as an undeveloped Qizi, lived independently for many years and was secretly targeted. However, he didn’t realize how tough his life was.
“Back in the day, he was a prominent figure in Bikong, ranked alongside Fu Yao as the future hope of Tianxiu. He caught the military’s attention just in the primary academy, promising a bright future.”
“But life is unpredictable. Fu Yao found his perfect lifelong partner, and now they both shine brightly in the military. But your principal, due to one mistake, hasn’t even been able to grow.”
“Two young men who were once the center of attention—their outcomes are now as different as night and day. Every time I think back, it’s hard not to sigh with emotion.”
After Qian Ji finished reminiscing, he saw the principal walking towards them.
“Done with your moment of silence?” He intentionally adopted a casual tone.
“Why didn’t you fix that room?”
“Such a significant place must be preserved. Every time a new patient comes in, the center uses you as an inspirational figure, telling them that one day they will leave too. Even though you’re gone, your spirit shines bright, illuminating the path for others.”
The principal replied with a bittersweet smile. “Then I am truly honored.”
“Now that we’ve remembered the past, let’s move on.”
As they continued along the corridor, they encountered more and more people. Ling Xiao saw many patients behaving oddly. Some stared blankly, some muttered to themselves, some screamed angrily, and others banged their heads against the wall. The more he saw, the heavier his heart felt.
“Patients coming here for treatment need to sign a contract. There are two types: a ‘Life Pact’ and a ‘Death Pact’.”
Ling Xiao was confused. “What is the ‘Life Pact’?”
“It’s a more flexible contract. We try our best to help the patient survive. But if they find it unbearable and wish to give up, the center respects their decision.”
Qian Ji pointed at those in patient uniforms who moved freely and said, “They are the signatories of the ‘Life for Death’ contract. Recovery is up to luck, but most will never walk out these doors again.”
“What about the ‘Death Pact’?”
“The Death Pact is a binding agreement. No matter what happens or how the patient requests, we must ensure their survival by any means necessary.”
“The pain endured because of the Death Pact is indescribable. Very few choose to sign it. Your principal signed it years ago, and so did he.”
Qian Ji stood at the entrance of a room. The railings of this ward were down. As Ling Xiao approached, he saw Lan Sheng.
“Now you know how strong your friend is. You should be proud of him.”
The moment Ling Xiao saw that familiar face, tears almost spilled from his eyes. He was forcefully restrained on the bed, wailing and struggling in pain. Around him, three medical staff were holding down his limbs; even this seemed strenuous.
“Why…” Ling Xiao couldn’t understand. “Why not give him sedatives?”
“What you see now is him during the day, trying to rely on artificial control. Sedatives are only used during the more severe symptoms at night. Tianxiu people build resistance to drugs quickly. The dose of sedative he uses now is more than ten times that of an average person. It can’t be increased anymore.”
Ling Xiao felt a sting in his nose. He now understood why Qian Ji didn’t let them meet. Even if Ling Xiao stood in front of Lan Sheng, he might not recognize him.
“He has a severe sleep disorder, as does everyone here. They cannot sleep night after night, and if they do, they wake up quickly. Many give up just because they can’t bear this. Medicine is advancing, but it’s always at a loss for these people.”
“The influence of the Qizhu on the Qizi is significant. A Qizi who loses their Qizhu can never feel secure in their lifetime. They’re like aquatic plants cut from their roots, drifting day by day until they wither.”
“I used to wonder why Tianxiu people have such a distorted mating system. After researching many ancient texts, I found that the absolute control the Qizhu has over the Qizi is not exploitation but a concession.”
“A concession?” Even the principal hadn’t heard of this.
“Yes. Although most ancient texts are vague, according to a rare historical record, the initial relationship between the Tianxiu people wasn’t like this. Their fate was much harsher than ours; lovers had to kill each other to grow. Later generations couldn’t bear such tragedies, so the blood pact was created.”
“In the pact, the Qizhu transfers part of their soul to the Qizi, and the other half is exchanged for life by relinquishing all their rights, surviving solely as a Qizi attached to the Qizhu. That’s why the Qizhu can control the Qizi because they are controlling a part of their own soul.”
“So, on the surface, the relationship between the Qizhu and the Qizi seems oppressive, but the original intention of the blood pact was a concession the Qizhu made for their Qizi to live. It’s a proactive sacrifice. As to why lovers initially had to fight to the death, even the ancient texts don’t record.”
“Now you know why a developing Qizi struggles to survive after leaving their Qizhu. They can’t find a place for the soul they received from the Qizhu. The rescue work we do goes against their nature. Some say we do this out of humanitarianism, but after witnessing so much pain over the centuries, I don’t recognize the word ‘humanitarianism’ anymore.”
He sighed after finishing. “I’m sorry for making you bear my negativity.”
“No.” Ling Xiao shook his head. “Thank you for telling me.”
Qian Ji looked at him with deep concern. “Dr. Yao told me about your situation. The Qizi treated here either lost their Qizhu early or were abandoned. Compared to them, you are much luckier.”
“Now you’ve seen everything here. Your principal said he never wanted to see me again. How I wish never to see him, you, or anyone else here in this place again. The Disease Control Center is a place no one should come to. If there’s even a tiny chance, stay away. Not everyone is as strong as your principal. Most who come in never leave.”
As if to prove his words, a commotion came from a room at the end of the corridor.
“What’s happening?” Qian Ji stopped a passing medical staff.
The staff lowered his eyes slightly. “Patient No. 31 has decided to give up, making the final confirmation.”
Qian Ji’s gaze dimmed. He turned to the principal. “You should be familiar with such scenes.”
The principal nodded silently.
He then turned to Ling Xiao. “Let’s go see.”
Ling Xiao and the group followed the medical staff. The patient referred to as “No. 31” was in the next room, with a female doctor talking to her. Through the glass, Ling Xiao couldn’t hear their conversation. He only saw her shake her head and then nod from time to time. Before long, the female doctor stepped out.
She gave a slight shake of her head. Everyone present understood the implication of this gesture.
A bell rang overhead in the center. Its sound echoed, long and distant. Against the backdrop of such a solemn and somewhat desolate bell, everyone collectively bowed their heads.
The doctor went in with a syringe, bowed slightly to patient No. 31, then confidently pushed the needle through her pale skin, puncturing her vein accurately.
The girl looked up, her youthful face and light gray eyes. From awakening to death, the color of her eyes was the only change in this life. As she was about to bid farewell to this world and embark on a new life, perhaps because everyone else was looking down, her gaze met Ling Xiao’s, the only person looking her way.
Their eyes locked, and Ling Xiao became the last image she saw in this life. And the girl in Ling Xiao’s eyes sweetly raised a slight smile towards him.
“Goodbye,” Ling Xiao saw her lips mouthing, even though they had never met before.
The girl’s body gradually became transparent and vanished, eventually transforming into a beautiful blue soul, reminiscent of the appearance of the morning sky.
This was the second time that Ling Xiao watched a soul fly away right before his eyes, disappearing into the horizon from less than two meters away from him.
“Did you see that?” The principal’s hand quietly rested on Ling Xiao’s shoulder. “This is the Disease Control Center, a place you would never want to set foot in again once you’ve been here.”
When Ling Xiao said this, his expression was extraordinarily melancholic. For a split second, Ying Feng never wanted to know the truth inside that box.
What he didn’t know was that just yesterday, Ling Xiao had the idea to destroy the contents of the box. Yet, Ying Feng’s actions today in defending him dispelled that thought. Agreeing to let Ying Feng open it after his death was the greatest concession he could make. Still, even then, Ying Feng would probably think it was just a pile of worthless junk inside.
Then, he saw Ying Feng pull out a dagger from his chest. Due to this action, his eyes widened in shock.
“Just to see what’s inside, you’re so eager to kill me?”
Upon hearing this, the corner of Ying Feng’s eyes twitched. He then handed the dagger to Ling Xiao, hilt-first, with a cold expression.
Ling Xiao stared intently for a while, finally realizing Ying Feng’s intention.
He tentatively took it, half-doubting. “For me?”
Ying Feng didn’t deny.
“Mine…”
“It broke when fighting the Kui.”
Only then did Ling Xiao remember. With all the unexpected events happening lately, such trivial matters had been pushed to the back of his mind.
Realizing his misunderstanding, Ling Xiao shyly lowered his head under the pretense of inspecting the dagger. He then noticed the pattern engraved on it. After closely identifying it, he realized it was a depiction of the Kui.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Kui,” Ying Feng succinctly replied.
“I know it’s Kui… I’m asking why is it Kui?”
“Just a memento.”
Because of the Kui, both their life trajectories had changed. Whether they liked it or not, the Kui had intertwined their paths. So, when the shopkeeper asked what to engrave, the first thing he thought of was the Kui.
Ling Xiao hesitated. Under these circumstances, he should say thank you. But thinking of the recent events and all that Ying Feng had done, he couldn’t bring himself to utter those words. As he grappled with his emotions, Ying Feng sat down to read a book borrowed from the library.
Ling Xiao knew that Ying Feng didn’t expect a thank you, just as he didn’t expect an apology for the other day. The room was silent except for the rustling sound of pages turning. Ling Xiao never knew that Ying Feng was such a studious person. Unfortunately, with his back turned, Ling Xiao couldn’t see the book’s cover or its contents.
Feeling the atmosphere was too stifling, Ling Xiao moved to leave. As he opened the door, Ying Feng, without turning his head, asked, “Where are you going?”
The words “none of your business” circled in Ling Xiao’s throat but eventually came out as a muffled, “Going to eat.”
This time, Ying Feng didn’t stop him. Ling Xiao used the secondary card that Ying Feng had given him to pay in the cafeteria. The balance was considerably higher than the previous day. He wasn’t good at math, so he struggled to figure out how much extra was added, which seemed more complex than simply doubling the allowance.
“Hey, you’re back.” The cafeteria worker greeted cheerfully upon seeing him. “Going for the most expensive meal again?”
Ling Xiao smiled embarrassedly. “Just the nutritious meal, please.”
“You look much better than yesterday,” the worker remarked. “Yesterday you looked as if you hadn’t eaten in days. If you don’t nourish yourself well during your growth period, you might not grow tall.”
Ling Xiao thanked him for his concern and found a spot to enjoy his meal.
……
Back in the dorm, Ying Feng alone opened the first book he borrowed, flipping directly to the chapter he was interested in, reading it carefully.
—The fluid of a Qizhu, based on the Qizhu’s intentions or the needs of the Qizi, has varying effects on the Qizi, with each fluid having a specific function.
Below are examples:
—Blood: Enhances combat power, provides nutrients, invigorates, and can delay death in critical situations, mainly for strengthening.
—Saliva: Calms pain, detoxifies, hypnotizes, numbs, and can mildly alleviate negative emotions of the Qizi, mainly for suppression.
—Semen: Causes hallucinogenic effects, unusual excitement, similar to how drugs affect other races, easily addictive.
Ying Feng recalled the events of the previous night, confirming that he had no intention of seducing Ling Xiao at all, because he didn’t even know that blood had such an effect.
According to the book, the triggering conditions were one, the thoughts of the Qizhu, and two, the needs of the Qizi. This meant that Ling Xiao’s reaction was actually caused by the subconscious needs of the body.
If this guess was correct, then the rumors from the logistics staff weren’t rumors, but facts. The combination was the best way to safely pass the danger period, but what was the reason?
Setting aside this doubt for the moment, he turned to the next chapter of concern, which was an explanation of mental damage:
—If the negative emotions triggered by hormones are not fully appeased during the disorder/danger period, these negative emotions will linger in the subconscious of the Qizi, causing lifelong mental damage.
—Mental injuries can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe, corresponding to the time the Qizi can live independently from the Qizhu. A mentally fully developed Qizi will not be affected even if separated from the Qizhu, but a mildly mentally damaged Qizi will gradually develop symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia after leaving the Qizhu for a month. As time goes on, the symptoms will gradually deepen until they reach the level of danger.
—The separation period that can be accepted for moderate severity is about half of the mild, and those with severe mental injuries cannot leave their own Qizhu for even one day. Otherwise, they will not be able to sleep normally and can only rely on drugs for sleep.
Ying Feng’s brows became more and more furrowed, and by the last line, he simply closed the book and set off to find Yao Tai.
When Ling Xiao finished eating and came out, he happened to see Ying Feng passing by. He looked so solemn that he didn’t even notice himself not far away, which aroused Ling Xiao’s curiosity. Without being noticed, he secretly followed and came to the medical building with Ying Feng.
When Yao Tai saw Ying Feng, the first thing she thought of was a problem with Ling Xiao, “What happened to Ling Xiao again?”
“He’s much better than yesterday.” But Ying Feng wanted to talk about something else. “You said he had mild mental damage. Does this mean the two must live together forever? As long as they are separated, will the Qizi’s mind have problems?”
“What kind of answer do you want to hear?” Yao Tai countered. “Didn’t you disdain it the first time I told you? In theory, yes. But in practice, no pair of Qizhu and Qizi live separately. All spouses live together, and the so-called separation is only temporary, such as going out to fight. Unless you join the military in the future and fight on alien planets, then you need to consider having a mentally damaged Qizi at home.”
“Is this damage really impossible to heal?” Ying Feng pressed.
“It’s impossible to heal, but it’s easy to get worse. If you neglect it like before, it’s only a matter of time before it develops into a moderate or even more serious level. Now you have no other way, you can only control it.” Yao Tai paused. “You should be grateful that Ling Xiao doesn’t know about this yet. His danger period is not over. To keep in a good mood, you must not stimulate his emotions. After this period is stable, you can slowly tell him the truth.”
Ling Xiao, hiding outside and hearing every word between the two clearly, covered his mouth tightly. He originally thought that as long as he gritted his teeth and persevered for a few years, he could fly freely. It wasn’t until this moment that he realized how wishful his thinking was. Invisible shackles had already chained him, yet he naively believed freedom would come.
He couldn’t hear what the two inside were saying anymore, and he left in a daze, coming to a place that haunted his memories. Lan Sheng jumped down here, and from that day, Ping Zong left them forever. It seemed that from that moment, the luck of his life had come to an end.
He lost his best friend, freedom, dignity, everything. He had nothing left.
He sat where Lan Sheng had once jumped, looking at the scenery he had seen. The ground was so distant, yet the clouds were within reach.
Never before had Ling Xiao felt so defeated—he had sworn to become a Qizhu but ended up someone else’s Qizi; he thought he could make it through the tumultuous period with effort, but in the end relied on Ying Feng’s power; he once thought he could live strong alone, but even this right was taken away. He would have to live his life attached to another person, and only death could bring true relief.
“Lan Sheng,” he muttered to himself. “We promised to see each other again, but I didn’t want our meeting place to be the disease control center. I’ve always insisted on waiting for you outside, but if I have to rely on the mercy of others just to survive, is such persistence really worth it?”
“Do you know, even after what happened last night, I initiated it. I have lost face my whole life, and in front of him, I have none left to lose. When he’s cruel to me, I feel it’s brutal. When he’s good to me, I feel it’s charity. No matter what he does, I can’t face him. I used to have the motivation to leave, but now even that is gone.”
“Lan Sheng, if you and Ping Zong were still here, would you encourage me to go on? Or to give up?”
Sadly, neither Lan Sheng nor Ping Zong could answer.
“Ling Xiao!” A voice roared with anger. Ling Xiao turned around to see a familiar scene. It must have been the same view Lan Sheng saw when he stood there, except that Ping Zong would no longer appear at the door, and their roles had been reversed.
Ling Xiao saw the expressions on Ying Feng and Yao Tai’s faces and knew they had misunderstood. Not wanting them to think he was giving up on life, he pushed off the wall, intending to jump back over it. However, his hand slipped, and he accidentally fell.
Is this a joke? I wasn’t planning to die.
His body lost its balance. Ying Feng’s face disappeared bit by bit behind the wall. Ling Xiao could clearly see the shock in Ying Feng’s eyes. So, even Ying Feng could make such an expression.
Ling Xiao wondered, ‘Would Ying Feng feel even a little sad if I died?’
Suddenly, a force gripped him, stopping his fall. Looking up, he saw Ying Feng dangling in mid-air, one hand on the wall and the other clutching the corner of his sleeve. Despite Ying Feng’s strength, he couldn’t pull him up with just that grip. Ling Xiao felt himself slipping.
Ling Xiao hadn’t expected Ying Feng to try to save him. Actually, upon reflection, Ying Feng had always been good to him: buying him bread, comforting him during tough nights, taking him to escape during danger, and facing death alone—all because they were classmates, not because he was a Qizi.
Why couldn’t they just be classmates?
Due to exertion, Ying Feng’s hand started shaking uncontrollably. Ling Xiao wanted to help, but as he tried to raise his free hand, it froze. He remembered Lan Sheng, who was once gripped by Ying Feng in the same manner and chose to pull out a dagger to cut his own sleeve and fall. He suddenly understood why Ying Feng restricted his movements: had Ping Zong been able to control Lan Sheng, he wouldn’t have cut his sleeve, and Ping Zong wouldn’t have died.
However, in that moment, Ling Xiao felt utter despair. Whether to hold onto Ying Feng or to pull out the dagger, whether to live or die, was not his decision. From the moment the Kui appeared, his fate was sealed. It was his delusion to prolong his life, but now he had to pay the price.
What he truly desired deep down was freedom. All past stubbornness suddenly became meaningless, and his attachment to life disappeared. He hoped in the next life, whether as a Qizhu or Qizi, he would find a mutual love.
Lan Sheng, it’s a pity I can’t fulfill our promise.
Ping Zong, I wonder if I’ll get a chance to sleep beside you in the base.
Ying Feng, what I’m most grateful for are the words that never left my lips, forever remaining in my heart.
With no distractions, Ling Xiao closed his eyes, calmly facing the end of his life.
When Yin Feng woke up the next morning, Ling Xiao was in a deep sleep. He probably hadn’t had such a good sleep in a long time, so much so that even Yin Feng getting out of bed didn’t disturb him.
Without waking Ling Xiao, Yin Feng left the dormitory on his own. Following the address he had inquired about, he arrived at a cold weapon shop. Although the Tianyuan Network had many high-tech weapons, daggers had always been a personal weapon for everyone. Even in today’s industrial modernization, the dagger manufacturing industry still maintained the traditional hand craftsmanship.
When Yin Feng entered the shop, the shop owner, who was working at his desk, didn’t even look up. Hearing a customer enter, he asked, “How can I help you?”
Yin Feng walked over and saw him carefully grinding the blade of a dagger. “My previous dagger broke. I want a new one.”
The shopkeeper looked up, examined Yin Feng’s eyes, and said, “How hard did you hit something to break a dagger? I see you’re an adult. Did you bring the dagger of your Qizi with you?”
“It’s his that broke.”
“Did you bring yours?”
Yin Feng didn’t understand why he had to bring one. “Is there a connection between the two?”
“It’s not mandatory. If you didn’t bring it, I can only give you a general style, the kind that fledglings use.”
“What’s the difference between a fledgling and an adult dagger?”
The shop owner simply took out two standard daggers, joined them handle to handle, and with a twist, the two daggers combined into one weapon that could attack from both ends.
“See? All fledgling daggers can combine like this.” He twisted his wrist, demonstrating a flurry of moves, attacking from any angle. “But adults like to have some personal engraving on their daggers. So only the daggers of Qizhu and Qizi can be combined.”
It was the first time Yin Feng heard that daggers had this function, so he drew his own and gave it to the shop owner.
“Some engrave initials of both parties, some the date of the binding, and others carve badges or totems. What would you like to engrave?”
Yin Feng thought for a moment. “Kui.”
“That 3S rare creature, Kui? That’s an unusual request.”
The shop owner designed the pattern, engraved it while chatting with Yin Feng.
“Do you know, with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and unparalleled regional strikes, why does everyone still equip such an ancient cold weapon?”
“Why?”
“One reason is that the Tianxiu people move and dodge extremely fast. Weapons that require aiming slow us down. Standing still makes one an easy target.”
“As for the second reason, a long time ago, daggers were essential tools for assassins, not to kill others but to kill oneself. Committing suicide in critical moments prevents falling into enemy hands and betraying the employer’s information.”
“You’re saying we were once assassins?”
The shop owner smiled. “It’s hard to say. But it’s certain that many outsiders are curious about our genetic composition. They want to capture a Tianxiu person alive and study our physiology.”
“They want to extract our eyes to see how we can view things in strong light and darkness; dissect our bodies to find out why we are immune to diseases, and to understand why we can regenerate vital organs as long as our head and heart are intact.”
“But the reason they’ve failed for thousands of years is that no Tianxiu would allow themselves to be captured alive, understand?” He gestured with the dagger’s tip towards his chest. “In a critical moment, one stab ends life. The soul returns automatically, leaving no corpse.”
“So, this is the real reason daggers exist. No matter how many centuries pass, the result remains the same.”
While talking, he finished the engravings. Two daggers, one engraved with a relief and one with an intaglio, fitting seamlessly together.
After ensuring there were no issues, the shop owner destroyed the pattern. “Now your and your Qizi’s daggers are unique. No one can use this pattern again. If lost, both must be remade together, not just one.”
After thanking the shop owner, Yin Feng, with the two processed daggers, headed to the previously decided second stop.
Books were the second ancient item of this era that hadn’t been replaced. It was rumored that the Tianxiu ancestors possessed supreme wisdom, and their collection of books was unmatched in the galaxy. The works they authored were translated into various languages and widely circulated. Even with countless book alternatives today, physical books were still the primary source of knowledge. It wasn’t a step back in civilization but a tribute to the predecessors.
Ying Feng, who always had minimal interaction with others, preferred to obtain information in this manner. The social science shelves of the library were uncharted territories for him. Only a few theoretical books were left neglected on the top shelves, while the rest were popular books with colorful covers, like “100 Questions for the Qizhu and Qizi after Marriage”, “Searching for the Lost Soul—Diving into the Inner World of the Qizi”, and the like.
Ying Feng looked upwards, scanning the top shelf. A thick, conspicuous book caught his attention titled “A History of the Tianxiu Marriage System”. As he reached out for it, he paused just before touching the spine. He remembered that, during his previous visits to the library, he had to tiptoe slightly to reach books on the top shelf. But now… he looked down at his feet, which were firmly on the ground.
Ying Feng took down the book, and the first chapter in the table of contents was about the origin of the Qizi. However, when he turned to that page, he found that all relevant pages had been cleanly cut out, with not a single page left.
Confused, he put the book back and opened another on a similar topic, only to find the same thing. It seemed someone had deliberately destroyed this section, not wanting others to know the true origins of the Qizi.
Setting aside his doubts for a moment, Ying Feng picked two unrelated theoretical books. This time, the pages inside were intact, detailing psychological studies on partnerships. As he prepared to leave with his selected books, his gaze inadvertently landed on a bestseller titled “Comforting and Caring for Your Qizi during Their Vulnerable Period”. After hesitating for a moment, Ying Feng finally reached out for it.
At the same time, another hand reached out, aiming for a book right next to Ying Feng’s target. Due to their close proximity, their hands nearly touched. Both turned their heads instinctively, and upon seeing each other, one frowned while the other was taken aback, accidentally dropping the books they were holding.
Ying Feng hadn’t seen this person since their cold exchange in the cafeteria. The person, Zhu Yue, always seemed skittish around others, but today it was more pronounced. Ying Feng noticed this and looked at the scattered books: “Tianxiu Marriage Law”, “Rights of the Qizhu”, “About the Qizi”… all books about spouse relationships, none seemed relevant to the current Zhu Yue.
Zhu Yue hadn’t expected to run into Ying Feng here. The latter’s piercing gaze made Zhu Yue feel like his deepest secrets were exposed. In a fluster, he gathered the books and left without a word. For someone who used to chase after Ying Feng at every chance, this behavior was unusual. Ying Feng analyzed the situation but couldn’t figure out Zhu Yue’s intentions. Eventually, he just checked out the books he had selected.
Zhu Yue hurriedly returned to his dorm, his heart still racing. Once inside, he carefully moved his pillow and mattress, revealing a hidden compartment he had constructed. Underneath the bed slats was the soul-binding stone.
Ever since he hid the stone there, he had the same strange dream every night. At first, it was vague, but it became clearer over time. While he didn’t understand the dream’s meaning, a bold idea began to form. Suddenly, frantic knocking interrupted his thoughts. Startled, Zhu Yue quickly hid the compartment and ensured no abnormalities were visible. Opening the door, he found the instructor, the Director of Discipline, and even two military officers. Panic gripped Zhu Yue.
“Hello, student. Due to suspicions of dangerous items being brought into the dormitory, we need to inspect every room to ensure everyone’s safety. We hope for your cooperation.”
Zhu Yue swallowed, fully aware that there were no ‘dangerous items’. They were after the soul-binding stone. Without an excuse to refuse, he stepped aside, praying they wouldn’t discover his secret. After a thorough inspection and finding nothing, one of the officers glanced at the bed. Zhu Yue’s heart nearly stopped, but luckily the man merely gave it a cursory look. The two officers exchanged a glance and shook their heads, signaling they had found nothing of concern.
“Excuse us.” They left Zhu Yue’s room and knocked on the door of the adjacent dormitory.
Ying Feng had just entered the room. When he returned, Ling Xiao had already awakened but remained in bed. The moment Ying Feng walked in, Ling Xiao’s relaxation turned into alertness. The pillow he had been holding was clutched tighter, serving as a shield. Ying Feng could almost see the hair on Ling Xiao’s back standing on end.
In fact, facing Ling Xiao again wasn’t easy for Ying Feng. The last time they were in the mine, neither of them were in a clear state of mind, with Ling Xiao being nearly unconscious. However, yesterday, they were fully conscious. A sudden intimacy between two distant individuals created an awkward tension neither was prepared for.
Just as the awkwardness spread, a knock on the door broke the standoff. It was the same group of people with the same agenda. Ying Feng immediately thought of the soul-binding stone the instructor mentioned that day. He hadn’t realized that such a simple stone was so crucial that the military would personally come to search for it.
He stepped aside to let them in, and Ling Xiao quickly got up from the bed.
Seeing this, the instructor felt relieved. A real honeymoon should be spent with two people cozying up in bed.
The military personnel searched every corner of the dormitory, naturally not overlooking the box that Ling Xiao was so nervous about. The moment Ling Xiao saw them touching his box, he lunged at it and clung onto it, refusing to let go.
Their actions aroused suspicion among everyone. “We need to check its contents.”
“There’s nothing you are looking for inside.” Ling Xiao vehemently refused. “This is my personal possession, and I won’t allow it to be checked.”
“We have a search warrant,” one of them said, and another immediately showed the document. “We have the right to check every item in this dormitory building.”
“No!” Ling Xiao held onto the box even tighter. “I won’t let you see it!”
The two exchanged glances and took a step forward, seeming intent on forcibly taking the box.
“Wait!”
“Stop!”
Two voices called out simultaneously: one from the instructor and the other from the silent Ying Feng.
The instructor tried to mediate. “Ling Xiao, they just want to take a look. They won’t take your stuff. Just let them see.”
“I won’t!” Ling Xiao’s refusal was blunt. “To open this box, you’d have to kill me first!”
“This…” Even the instructor was puzzled by his intense reaction.
“I know what you’re looking for.” Ying Feng’s voice came from the other side of the room. “And I can assure you it’s not inside.”
All eyes turned to him.
“Ling Xiao and I were rescued by the military from that incident, and afterward, we underwent full-body checks at the military medical station. If we had taken anything, it would have been discovered then, and there’s no way we could have smuggled it back secretly.”
“That’s right,” the instructor recalled. “I personally escorted them out of the mine. I can vouch that they did not have the soul-binding stone with them. And if you doubt me, you can confirm with Major General Fu Yao, who was present at the time.”
The two military men were skeptical, their gaze still fixed on the box in Ling Xiao’s embrace.
“It contains our personal belongings.” Ying Feng knew they wouldn’t let up without a valid reason. “You know what kind of items they are.”
The people present were taken aback. We don’t know, do we?
Ying Feng hesitated, then added, “We’ve recently come of age and have just gained access to the adult section of the network.”
Understanding dawned on everyone. Every young adult secretly yearned for the adult section of the Tianyuan Network. Many of them, once of age, eagerly explored it. The adult section offered a variety of exotic items for sale, and out of curiosity, many purchased them to try. If this was the reason, then Ling Xiao’s actions were understandable.
The instructor’s eyes gleamed mischievously, amused that the two seemingly reluctant partners were so adventurous. The Director, however, looked stern.
“As adult students, such behaviors can be understood, but most around you are still minors. Please keep your personal items well, so they don’t have a negative impact.”
Ying Feng replied expressionlessly, “We will.”
With his head bowed, Ling Xiao seemed on the verge of crushing the box. To the onlookers, it looked like mere embarrassment.
The military personnel accepted this reasoning, largely due to the instructor’s assurance. “We will confirm with Major General Fu Yao. We apologize for any rudeness earlier.”
Ying Feng nodded, seeing the group out.
When he turned back around, Ling Xiao’s box had disappeared again. Ying Feng knew that what he had said earlier might have embarrassed Ling Xiao. But since Ling Xiao never refuted, it suggested that whatever was inside the box would embarrass him even more than an adult toy if exposed. Thus, Ying Feng grew even more curious about its contents.
“Aren’t you going to let me have a look?”
Ling Xiao’s attitude was different from usual. He neither refused nor agreed.
His eyes flickered uncertainly, and in the end, he gave a noncommittal answer.
“If I ever die, then you can open it and take a look.”
Ling Xiao quickly deduced the origin of the bread beside him and couldn’t help but find it both amusing and touching. He didn’t doubt for a moment that Ying Feng bought the banana-flavored bread because he once mentioned liking the taste of bananas. However, that was in comparison to strawberry, not implying he liked banana flavored energy bread.
‘Forget it,’ he thought resignedly as he started to tear open the package. Remembering the mere fact that he mentioned liking bananas was considerate enough on Ying Feng’s part. Given his current level of hunger, even if it were durian-flavored, he’d still eat it.
Before Ling Xiao could fully open the packaging, the door handle of the medical room turned. Quickly, he threw the half-opened bread aside, turning his head away defiantly.
Upon entering and seeing the scene, Ying Feng paused briefly. Pretending nothing was amiss, he walked over and handed something to Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao glanced at it and quickly looked away, internally rolling his eyes. Sticking to one brand of bread and even buying the same type of water from their previous training session, Ying Feng sure was consistent. It wouldn’t be surprising if he also wanted a lover from a past life.
Since Ling Xiao didn’t take the water, Ying Feng placed it next to the bread. This was when Yao Tai entered the room. Seeing the bread and beverage, her suppressed anger flared up.
“He’s in his growth period, can’t you buy him something nutritious?” she chided.
“I bought it based on his preferences,” Ying Feng calmly replied.
“Who likes emergency food?” Yao Tai wondered if he was playing dumb or if he genuinely didn’t know better. “Even convenience stores have warm drinks or dairy products. Who would buy a chilled drink for someone who just fainted?”
She moved to dispose of what Ying Feng brought, but Ling Xiao quickly grabbed the bread, startling her. Observing the scene and their reactions, she deduced he was probably famished and would eat anything.
“I’ve spoken to your instructor. If I catch you two going to classes again, you’ll be sent back. The academy’s vacation is mandatory, not optional. Don’t act tough.”
She then warned Ying Feng, “If you neglect him again tonight, I’ll separate you two on grounds of neglecting your Qizhu duties, regardless of Ling Xiao’s condition.”
Ling Xiao, mistakenly believing he had passed the tumultuous period, was unaware of the impending mental backlash. He was confused by Yao Tai’s words. “I don’t need him to take care of me.” But he quickly remembered the condition of Lan Sheng he had witnessed in the detention room. “I also don’t want to be isolated.”
Yao Tai hesitated before reluctantly handing Ling Xiao a bottle of medicine. “This can temporarily relieve mental stress and aid sleep, but it has severe side effects and is addictive. Use it as a last resort.”
Receiving the medication, Ling Xiao missed Ying Feng’s frown of concern.
“Lastly, I want to remind both of you, the duration of your school probation is actually determined by me. Ling Xiao, you’ve been formally listed as a priority observation subject by the Disease Control Center. From now on, you need to report here every week, both you and Ying Feng. Until your psychological assessment has returned to a safe level, I will not allow you to advance in your studies.”
She then confiscated the cold drink. “The bread is okay, but no cold drinks.”
When Ling Xiao left, Yao Tai stopped Ying Feng, whispering, “Ling Xiao told me you’re looking for someone.”
His expression shifted.
“But even if you find them, in your current state, they won’t want you.”
Ying Feng visibly recoiled.
Yao Tai pushed him away. “Get out.”
After walking a distance, Ying Feng caught up with Ling Xiao, silently handing him a card. Ling Xiao looked up, puzzled.
“You can head back.” Ying Feng awkwardly added, “You can also use this card.”
Ling Xiao knew that without this card, he couldn’t enter certain places, and it was impossible to go to class. If he went to the rooftop, this guy might lose his nerve again, so he accepted it without a word.
After Ying Feng left, Ling Xiao headed to the cafeteria, a place he hadn’t been to in a while and found somewhat unfamiliar.
Even though it wasn’t mealtime, there were windows that provided food all day. Ling Xiao took out Ying Feng’s card and swiped it on the machine. The displayed balance caught him off guard.
He silently calculated in his mind; tomorrow would be the day when their living expenses were distributed. With so much money still on the card, he felt uneasy about not being able to spend it all.
The cafeteria staff noticed him hesitating after swiping the card and thought he was unsure about what to order. Little did they know about the internal debate raging inside Ling Xiao.
“You seem to be an adult, how about trying a nutritional set meal? It’s most suitable during the growth phase.”
“Is it expensive?”
The worker looked surprised, thinking, ‘The richer they are, the stingier they get.’ He replied, “Not at all. It’s very affordable.”
“I don’t want the cheap one. Give me the most expensive one.”
Worker: “…”
Ling Xiao enjoyed his luxurious meal in the cafeteria, while Ying Feng was dealing with getting a supplementary card in the logistics department.
“You’ve been an adult for a few days now and only just thought to get a card,” the staff joked with him. “Young people should learn to be moderate.”
Ying Feng silently entered information on the platform. The staff, however, continued speaking, reminiscing about his younger days.
“Back in my day, when I had just become an adult, I was just like you, not knowing the meaning of restraint. Have you heard the rumor? After the coming-of-age ceremony, the Qizhu will seize part of the spirit of the Qizi while transferring a part of their own spirit to them. As a result, neither soul is complete. Only the closest union can put them at ease.”
“Looking back, it sounds naive, but back then, it seemed like the most romantic thing ever. And let me tell you, after we did that, my Qizi’s psychological rating was very healthy. They developed very well. We…”
The staff, disappointed, emotionlessly processed the card. “All set. You can now give this to your Qizi. From now on, both of your living expenses will be deposited into this account. The main card and supplementary card balances are linked.”
“Thank you.” Ying Feng took the card and left, leaving the staff member sighing.
“Ah, why don’t young people these days want to listen to the wisdom of their elders?”
Getting the card took quite some time. By the time Ying Feng returned, Ling Xiao was already in the dormitory, clutching a black box. Seeing Ying Feng, he tried to hide it.
Ying Feng’s alarms went off. After learning of Ling Xiao’s contact with Zhen He, he was worried that Ling Xiao might be deceived by Zhen He’s sweet talk. Given Ling Xiao’s current behavior, it wasn’t far-fetched to think that Zhen He might secretly provide him with experimental drugs.
“What’s in the box?” he demanded.
Ling Xiao hesitated, revealing his guilt. “It’s none of your business.”
Ying Feng grew more suspicious and took a step forward. “Show me.”
“No!” Ling Xiao hugged the box tightly.
Ying Feng’s tone became more commanding. “Show it to me.”
Ling Xiao was reluctant, but his hands moved involuntarily. Struggling, he slowly handed over the box, his hands trembling.
As the box neared Ying Feng, Ling Xiao raised his voice in desperation. “Don’t!”
Just as Ying Feng was about to open it, Ling Xiao whispered, almost inaudibly, “Please, don’t look.”
Ying Feng paused, looking at Ling Xiao’s face, which bore an expression he had never seen before. It wasn’t resentment or begging, but an eerie calmness. This face was vastly different from the crying figure he remembered from his visions.
His gaze settled, seeming to convey endless emotions yet also devoid of any. Ying Feng felt as if he was seeing a shell wrapped in steel and concrete. If the steel was broken and the concrete stripped away, all that would remain would be a fragile shell, vulnerable to the slightest touch.
Ying Feng slowly withdrew his hand. Ling Xiao let out a sigh of relief, clutching the box closely, fearing Ying Feng might change his mind.
Suddenly, Ying Feng moved, startling Ling Xiao. However, this time he took out a card.
“This is for you.”
Ling Xiao probably guessed what the card was. Three days of hunger made him realize that even the most prideful people needed to eat. Thinking that his living expenses would soon be released, he didn’t feel like he was wasting his money. He freed one hand to take the card and gestured towards the table with his lips.
Ying Feng’s card was thrown onto the table by Ling Xiao. While Ying Feng turned away, Ling Xiao quickly put the card in the box. By the time Ying Feng turned back, the card had disappeared.
This time, Ying Feng didn’t ask where Ling Xiao had hidden the item. The two of them, forced to take a leave, stayed in the dorm, looking at each other in silence, with an incredibly tense atmosphere.
Bored, Ling Xiao reflected that, over the past decade, he and Ying Feng had little to say to each other. They had only interacted occasionally, mostly with Ling Xiao instigating and Ying Feng ignoring. Even after Ping Zong left, their relationship only slightly improved, marked mainly by mutual practice sessions. Genuine conversations between them were very rare.
Ling Xiao planned for his future, hoping to attend different schools or at least different departments than Ying Feng to minimize their interactions. After graduation, they could separate completely. If the principal could survive alone, he believed he could too.
As time passed and night fell, Ling Xiao grew increasingly uneasy. He thought the chaotic period was over, so why did he feel so abnormal?
Ying Feng had been observing Ling Xiao closely, paying more attention to him than he had in days. He always believed that, given Ling Xiao’s strong personality, he would never accept his help. But today, he saw the true nature of Ling Xiao’s chaotic period.
Under Ying Feng’s gaze, Ling Xiao, who would normally resist, now lacked the strength to even care. His vision began to blur, and everything around him seemed hazy.
In his pain, he finally spotted the medicine bottle Yao Tai gave him by his bed. Struggling, he reached out for it, missing twice before finally grabbing it.
He barely remembered Yao Tai’s warnings, struggling to open the bottle. He didn’t care how many pills spilled out; he just wanted to swallow what was left in his hand. A powerful grip caught his wrist, prying his fingers open to take the medicine. Ling Xiao glared at Ying Feng with fiery eyes.
A forearm was brought to his mouth, and Ling Xiao almost bit down without hesitation. With this bite, not only was it a reflex against pain, but it also carried intense resentment towards Ying Feng. He used almost all of his strength, yet Ying Feng never furrowed his brow.
Ling Xiao’s bite grew stronger until his teeth dug deep into Ying Feng’s skin, with fresh blood seeping into his mouth. The metallic, sweet scent revived part of his sanity.
As his clarity slowly returned, Ling Xiao finally realized there was something wrong. He shouldn’t be able to bite so fiercely when he couldn’t even throw a punch at him. By the time he realized this, it was already too late.
The coldness was entirely dispelled, and the fear vanished. In its place, a scorching heat swept through his entire body, unstoppable, as if burning embers had passed through.
Ying Feng felt the bite weakening, and just as he was surprised, his collar was grabbed by a blushing Ling Xiao. Caught off guard, he was pulled down, and their noses nearly touched.
“You…” Gazing at the face appearing so close in front of him, Ying Feng, who was clueless about the current situation, was taken aback for the first time. Ling Xiao’s reaction was far from what he had expected. He thought Ling Xiao would reject him, show fear, or get furious, but he never expected this.
Ling Xiao gripped Ying Feng’s collar tighter, pulling him even closer. His erratic breath brushed against Ying Feng’s ear. Being so close, Ying Feng even caught the scent of blood from Ling Xiao’s mouth.
In his dazed state, Ling Xiao uncontrollably rubbed his body against the other. A vivid thought deeply transmitted from the Qizi to the Qizhu’s mind. Ying Feng felt it—it was Ling Xiao’s desire.
Thinking this development was entirely abnormal, Ying Feng stretched out his arm to prop himself up, forcefully creating distance between them. But after doing so, he was surprised to find a part of his own body subtly changing.
Ling Xiao’s desire grew overwhelmingly intense, with only physical friction providing temporary relief. The adult films he had sneakily watched before served as a perfect guide now. He crazily leaned down, nibbling on Ying Feng’s neck and collarbone.
Ying Feng had let Ling Xiao bite his arm earlier to help him alleviate pain, not for him to act wildly on him like a mad dog. Moreover, Ying Feng was all too familiar with Ling Xiao’s behavior. Just a few days ago, he did something to a delirious Ling Xiao that he would rather not recall.
Not understanding why Ling Xiao turned out this way, after feeling another wet lick on his bare neck, Ying Feng couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed Ling Xiao’s collar in return and easily overpowered him. In terms of strength, Ling Xiao was no match for him now and was effortlessly pinned down.
“Snap out of it!” Ying Feng shouted.
Not to be outdone, Ling Xiao kept twisting under Ying Feng’s body, trying to turn the bottom up again; even the mind control of the Qizhu wasn’t enough to calm him down. Ying Feng realized that he couldn’t stop him without violence, so he simply raised his fist, trying to knock him out with a punch.
Ling Xiao didn’t know if his strength was exhausted, so suddenly he stopped struggling. He lay flat and motionless. Ying Feng’s raised fist continued looming in midair, unable to fall.
He saw Ling Xiao’s face after he calmed down; his eyes were blurred, his cheeks flushed, and his slightly opened lips were constantly exhaling heat. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t eaten for a few days that his thin chin looked a little pitiful.
Ling Xiao’s quietness didn’t last long. He was only a little weak because of the disorder period. After he had accumulated a little strength, he began to restlessly want to press the person on him down.
Ying Feng’s fist stayed in the air for a long time, and instead of smashing down as planned in advance, it slowly changed direction and came down between Ling Xiao’s legs. Ling Xiao, who had been restless just now, was instantly still the moment Ying Feng touched him. Ying Feng felt his muscles freeze at the same time, not knowing whether he was nervous or excited, just as he didn’t know whether Ling Xiao was conscious now or didn’t know what he was doing.
Ying Feng’s hand moved, and Ling Xiao’s changes under his palm were a little obvious. If he felt it carefully, he would find that the other’s body was beginning to tremble slightly. Ling Xiao brought his legs together and clamped them tightly, while Ying Feng’s fingers were locked between them. His legs would rub back and forth in a small range, alternating, as if it would liberate him from his difficult situation.
Friction brought Ling Xiao a brief pleasure, but he suffered even more because his swelling desire couldn’t be released. He didn’t completely lose his mind. On the contrary, Ling Xiao knew what he was doing psychologically. If he were completely awake at the moment, he would probably commit suicide from the shame of knowing what he was doing. But he was precisely only half lucid, half reduced to a slave of desire, and he was trembling with excitement from such a touch.
Ying Feng untied Ling Xiao’s last restraint; his somewhat cold palms directly touched the other’s hot lower body, and Ling Xiao was excited the moment he covered it. Ying Feng, who has never liked physical contact with people, didn’t repel Ling Xiao’s most private part. As expected, when it touched it, the young and soft sexual organ stood up excitedly with a delicate and smooth touch.
As for Ling Xiao, the pores all over his body opened up, and he could even imagine his hair standing on ends. An indescribable feeling came from his crotch, spreading infinitely, reaching throughout his pores. If he could hold his breath, this pleasure would stay in his body for a while, like many small electric currents accumulating, converging, and blooming in his nerves. The moment it bloomed, it turned into fearless particles, penetrating his blood vessels and colliding with his fast-flowing blood, causing a string of numbness.
“Ah……”
Ling Xiao let out an unbearable groan. At the same time, his body curled up hard and became like a shrimp. Ying Feng hardly did anything. He felt a powerful shock in his palm first, and then something spurted out. It wet his hand, and there was a regular pulsing to it. The moment Ling Xiao reached his peak, Ying Feng also enjoyed the pleasure. This pleasure didn’t come from physiology but from the satisfaction of a soul connection.
Ying Feng didn’t know how much stimulation the Qizhu’s touch would bring to the Qizi. He looked at the white stickiness in his palm in a daze. He didn’t expect Ling Xiao to surrender so quickly, and he didn’t expect that he would have such close contact with him again. He thought that the experience in the cave would be the only thing that got out of hand.
Ling Xiao, who reached his climax in a very short time, still maintained the posture he had just now. He was curled up with his arms wrapped around himself, his body limp and panting quickly, looking helpless and weak. Ying Feng had known him for ten years and had always recognized and regarded him as an opponent of comparable strength. Even after the coming-of-age ceremony, he couldn’t separate him from the domineering image of the past, and he even used the rights of the Qizhu to suppress his arrogance, just to make him bow his head for a moment.
Only at this moment, upon seeing such a vulnerable Ling Xiao, did Ying Feng feel for the first time that he was a part of the soul and no one could hurt him. The proud Ling Xiao, the Ling Xiao who liked to challenge the strong, and the Ling Xiao who remained stubbornly defiant under intimidation… They were the Ling Xiaos that everyone saw. Only at this moment, the Ling Xiao, who was immersed in the aftermath of his orgasm and completely unguarded, existed solely in his eyes.
If Ling Xiao in such a state were seen by a second person, just the thought of it stirred murderous intent in Ying Feng. If only the school could teach knowledge from the era of sovereignty establishment, Ying Feng might understand why he now couldn’t bear anyone coveting Ling Xiao even a bit—even if it was just an extra glance, for it was like stealing his very soul.
Ling Xiao’s breathing gradually evened out. He lay there motionless, his eyes tightly closed, with only the blush on his cheeks remaining. Ying Feng thought he had finally fallen asleep, so he turned to wash away the traces Ling Xiao left on his palm. Unexpectedly, just as he turned, he was grabbed from behind by the shoulder and pressed down onto the bed once more. The initiator, with agility, spun around and straddled him, his eyes radiating an intense, invasive glow, a stark contrast to his prior vulnerable appearance.
Ling Xiao’s clothing was disheveled. From Ying Feng’s perspective, other than the eyes hidden beneath the bangs, what was most pronounced was the dangerously upturned corner of Ling Xiao’s lips. Whatever the reason for Ling Xiao’s loss of control, Ying Feng was clear its effects hadn’t worn off. The only explanation he could think of was related to his own blood.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Ying Feng asked with a composed tone.
“Wolf…”
Little did Ying Feng know, the Wolfsbane people were Ling Xiao’s object of sexual awakening, especially the scene where the male lead transformed into a werewolf, which had the most significant visual impact and left a deep impression on the awakening Ling Xiao. Now, all that occupied Ling Xiao’s mind were images of werewolves mating, leaving Ying Feng clueless.
“Wolf? What wolf?”
Ling Xiao responded in an unexpected manner. Holding Ying Feng’s wrist, he licked from the right side of his neck to the palm, where Ling Xiao’s scent still lingered.
This provocative gesture made Ying Feng’s blood surge suddenly. No matter how aloof and cold he usually was, he was still a young adult at the beginning of puberty. Having tasted the forbidden fruit’s allure and being at an age full of vigor, how could he withstand such a level of stimulation? The tricks Ling Xiao learned from adult films were all new to him, a stark contrast to the sensory experience he had in that pitch-black cave, where he was on rough and coarse sandstones with a barely breathing injured person beneath him. The light in this room had a hint of ambiguity, colored pale yellow. The bed was soft and seductive. The one playing opposite him tried to challenge his self-control with seductive and enchanting actions. Perhaps because Ling Xiao was his Qizi, Ying Feng could feel the other’s desires directly and authentically. Such desires were catalyzing the adrenaline in him to react, and his body began to change unconsciously.
The gleam in Ying Feng’s eyes became perilous, looking as though he might consume Ling Xiao at any moment. However, Ling Xiao, perhaps emboldened by his desires, not only didn’t back off but instead became even bolder, taking the initiative to undress Ying Feng. Ying Feng allowed him to act recklessly without resisting.
Ling Xiao had wanted to do this for a long time, whether it was the bizarre dreams on the eve of his awakening or his bold declarations throughout the night. All of it made him yearn to pin the other down, just as he was doing now. The blood of the Qizhu, flowing from his mouth into his organs, warmed up within him. If one could say it was just a warm-up before, now it might have reached its boiling point, prompting Ling Xiao to act out of character. This was different from the aphrodisiac effect Ying Feng once used to humiliate him. Aphrodisiacs only affect one physically, and if the heart was unwilling, one could resist with gritted teeth. However, blood could indeed alter one’s actions. Just like Ling Xiao at this moment, audaciously passionate and wildly unlike his usual self.
With Ling Xiao taking the initiative and Ying Feng’s cooperation, the two were almost completely exposed to each other. Ling Xiao’s actions became increasingly provocative, pushing Ying Feng to the brink of his patience. Finally, when Ling Xiao deliberately reached behind himself, Ying Feng lost control, forcefully flipping Ling Xiao a full 180 degrees. Yet Ling Xiao, unwilling to be outdone, managed to push back with equal force. The two rolled back and forth on the bed multiple times, finally both falling to the floor. Ying Feng’s long and muscular arms tightly pinned Ling Xiao beneath him, no longer allowing any mischief.
Ling Xiao struggled, refusing to submit. In response, Ying Feng grabbed him and pushed him to the edge of the bed, with both of Ling Xiao’s arms pinned behind him and held securely in place. Ling Xiao resisted with all his might, but how could he be a match for his Qizhu? His bare body squirmed continuously, with an evidently stiff object pressing against him. Ying Feng’s lips were almost touching Ling Xiao’s hairline, and the breath from his whispered words felt sharp as a blade.
“You asked for this!”
The moment Ying Feng entered, Ling Xiao let out an abnormal, wailing roar. The body of a Qizi would open up to its Qizhu at all times, and the sound was obviously not due to pain.
Ying Feng had a moment of hesitation due to this sound, not knowing if he should proceed. Ling Xiao’s body was still as tight and hot as it was the first time, tempting Ying Feng to give up the idea of not wanting to do it and do what a normal, developing youth should do.
Ling Xiao felt his body being penetrated, and even though it was fundamentally different from the scenes in his sexual fantasies, it still possessed another kind of sensation—a kind of pleasure that overrode the fantasies. The newly endowed soul fragments in his body excitedly moved with joy, as if they had met their original masters, and the pain of separation over the past few days swept away, desperately converging in a certain direction. An electric shiver spread from the contact area, and Ling Xiao couldn’t help but tremble, only for this excitement to be mistaken for fear by Ying Feng, who ended the action instead.
The feeling of being strangled was not a pleasant one, and coupled with the power of the Qizhu’s blood, which was comparable to the effect of burning embers, Ling Xiao didn’t resist as strongly as Ying Feng expected, but instead took the initiative to sway his hips back and forth to express his pent-up desire.
On the surface, it looked like Ying Feng’s position was coercive, but below the waist, it was Ling Xiao who was in control of the initiative, and the amplitude of his swaying became rougher and stronger until it stimulated Ying Feng to let out a low growl that he couldn’t hold back, and he continued to clasp both of Ling Xiao’s wrists with one hand and forcefully press the other party’s head to the edge of the bed with his other hand, as if only this kind of beastly and violent behavior could illustrate how far away from rationality he had already departed from at this moment.
Ling Xiao took the initiative only a few times. It wasn’t long until the shocking waves of impact came from behind continuously; fast enough to not allow him to think. His body was shackled in all directions, unable to move. He was like a puppet who couldn’t think, and only his sensory nerves still functioned.
Ling Xiao’s first moan and Ying Feng’s first impact were almost synchronized, and as the sound of impact continued, the moans also rose and fell. Ying Feng, who used to do whatever it took to get only a muffled grunt from Ling Xiao, finally found a way to get satisfaction more easily. Every moan from Ling Xiao would bring a wave of more violent impacts, and such an attack would often cause a higher frequency of trills. More times than not, it became indistinguishable as to who provoked who and who drove who, all because of him, all by spontaneity.
The soundproofed dormitory seemed to have been prepared for such a scene from the very beginning, trapping all kinds of shameful sounds firmly between the four directions. The soundwaves ignited the oxygen, and the room temperature skyrocketed. The two people in different positions shared the common feeling of having difficulty breathing. Ying Feng had to pause his movement and put his jaw against Ling Xiao’s shoulder socket to catch his breath. He was one of the best physically among his peers, but he lost in this kind of movement that didn’t produce any displacement at all. Looking at Ling Xiao, except for the first few strokes of bravado, always existed as the bearer, but the frequency of his gasping breaths wasn’t inferior to that of Ying Feng, and the sweat that was left behind by the roots of his hair had already drenched the sheet under his head.
Feeling that Ying Feng was no longer pressing down on him so hard, Ling Xiao twisted his head over and buried himself deeply in the sheets, obviously on the verge of oxygen deprivation but still isolating himself from all air. Seeing that his behavior wasn’t quite normal, Ying Feng loosened his hand that was clasping the other party’s wrist and reached in front to touch it. Again, his hand became sticky. Only then did he realize that Ling Xiao had ejaculated again at some point.
“That’s right, you’re usually a fast runner.” Ying Feng’s words weren’t false, but in any speed-related competition, Ling Xiao would slightly outperform him, except that Ying Feng would have the advantage in terms of overall strength.
As soon as the word “fast” fell, Ying Feng realized that his lower body was being tightly clamped, and he hurriedly withdrew from Ling Xiao’s body, which saved him from “disarming” his weapon in embarrassment.
“You!”
Ying Feng looked up but saw Ling Xiao’s neck almost twist as he desperately turned back and glared fiercely at his side. What should have been a provocative expression was somewhat provocative due to the flushed cheeks and clenched lower lip. Ling Xiao didn’t even know how dangerous his expression was at the moment; he only knew that the burning object against him had hardened a few more points.
Ling Xiao stared at Ying Feng tightly; his eyes shifted from the other party’s eyebrows to Ying Feng’s collarbones, which were sexy and beautiful. Ling Xiao, who harbored some kind of undesirable thoughts towards Ying Feng, had long been thinking about it, not to mention the glistening skin due to sweat.
With his hands free, Ling Xiao raised his left arm and firmly hooked it around the back of Ying Feng’s neck, using his strength to get closer to the other side and grind his sharp teeth into the neck socket. It was as if Ying Feng was being gnawed by some kind of rodent, but he did not feel any pain; instead, he felt a bit of numbness and comfort.
But just as he was enjoying the coziness, Ling Xiao suddenly bit down hard on his upper and lower jaws, hard enough to break the skin near his collarbone. Ying Feng frowned deeply, and his head tilted to the other side as if he were dodging, but he didn’t stop Ling Xiao’s action.
Ling Xiao once again tasted blood. These two first-time adults with no knowledge of sex, ignorant of the role played by the main body fluids of the Qizi, acted in a completely capricious manner, unaware of the consequences of doing so, which was like pouring another bucket of oil on a flame that hadn’t been extinguished.
The fire of desire once again flared up in Ling Xiao’s suddenly opened eyes. He didn’t know where he found the strength to push Ying Feng in the opposite direction, causing Ying Feng’s back to slam against the edge of the bed. Immediately afterward, he raised his legs and sat on top of the other man once again. With Ying Feng half leaning on the bed, he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to do anything out of the ordinary.
Just when Ying Feng didn’t know what had gotten into him, Ling Xiao lifted his hips to hold Ying Feng’s penis and sat down on it of his own accord. Ying Feng instinctively wrapped his arms around Ling Xiao’s waist for fear that he might cause some kind of tragedy if he didn’t sit up straight.
Ling Xiao, who was so active as to be perverse, moved his waist and hips up and down before he could sit still. His youthful body swayed in front of Ying Feng, creating phantoms and unprecedented visual stimulation. Ling Xiao’s sudden enthusiasm made Ying Feng almost unable to hold back. His sensitive lower body was tightly bitten and repeatedly fiddled with, hot and warm, like a flying fairy. Ying Feng’s hands clasped Ling Xiao’s waist more and more forcefully, but his upper body relaxed and leaned back due to the extreme pleasure, with an insatiable expression on his face.
Ling Xiao had obviously learned this position from a movie, and the expression on Ying Feng’s face was just like the one in it. Ling Xiao’s hand on his shoulder slowly moved up his neck, all the way to the side of Ying Feng’s face. Ying Feng seamlessly gave a response, rubbing his cheek in his palm and gently nibbling on his palm, following his earlier actions. This beautiful image seemed more suitable to be permanently preserved in a static form, and Ling Xiao subconsciously slowed down his movements as Ying Feng’s hand reached behind his back, feeling the smoothness of the other man’s skin from the top down, and the stimulation brought by wherever he went caused Ling Xiao to uncontrollably tilt forward, while his neck and head tilted back uncontrollably, creating a graceful arc.
When Ying Feng was approaching the midway point, he suddenly withdrew his hand, and Ling Xiao, who was already on the verge of collapsing, lunged in the opposite direction and pressed himself heavily against Ying Feng. Their upper bodies stuck together without any gaps, their skin rubbing against each other, their sweat fusing with each other, and even their rising and falling chests tacitly maintaining the same frequency. In contrast to his slow motion, Ying Feng tightly squeezed Ling Xiao’s resilient ass and quickly bounced up and down. Ling Xiao was so weak and shaken that he entrusted all of his weight on Ying Feng’s body. The waves from the repeated collisions in the depths of his body almost drove him crazy, and his moans became louder and louder, tickling Ying Feng’s ears.
Once again, Ying Feng’s eyes rested on the other party’s shaking ear. Just like the first time in the cave, it was as if it was filled with some kind of magic that made him want to get closer, making him unable to stop himself from moving over and biting Ling Xiao’s earlobe.
Ling Xiao winced, and his muscles contracted involuntarily. This time, Ying Feng didn’t withdraw his sword but aimed it at the center of the target with full force, shooting several shots. Ling Xiao’s soul was almost knocked out of his body by Ying Feng, and the violent beating of his heart made him think that he would die of excitement. His ten fingers clasped Ying Feng’s neck from the back desperately, as if it were so that he wouldn’t fly away.
Ying Feng was immersed in the aftermath of his excitement, his mouth unconsciously playing with Ling Xiao’s earlobe. His face showed an unusual warmth that even he himself didn’t realize.
Ling Xiao’s lower body received too much stimulation, and it was only after a long while that he was able to take care of his ears. Ying Feng’s actions made him feel itchy. He took the initiative to avoid it, but Ying Feng chased after him, so he had no choice but to turn his head over, and their mouths came close to touching each other, and without stopping his movements out of inertia, he caught Ling Xiao’s lips in one go. Ling Xiao froze for a moment, but the ensuing coolness doused the flames within his body, and in a blink of an eye, he drifted off into a fitful sleep.
As Ying Feng kissed and kissed, he realized that Ling Xiao had gradually stopped moving and pushed away to see that he had fallen into a deep sleep at some point. The person who had just excitedly taken the initiative to ride on top of him to show off his strength was sleeping soundly in the blink of an eye. This change in his behavior was also beyond Ying Feng’s comprehension.
Easily carrying Ling Xiao back to the bed, the naked Ying Feng had no intention of covering himself and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at Ling Xiao’s sleeping face in a daze. Dr. Yao had instructed him to make sure that Ling Xiao got enough sleep tonight, so he didn’t know if this was considered mission accomplished. But for him, this was the second wrong step following the first wrong step in the cave, and whether there would be a third or fourth… Ying Feng, who was always firm about the future, was suddenly at a loss for words.
The clothes of the two were messily piled up on the side. Ying Feng casually reached out, grabbing something hard, and quickly realized it was the token he always kept in his jacket pocket. Through the layer of cloth, the object felt particularly hot to the touch. Startled, Ying Feng let the clothes fall to the ground.
He buried his face deeply in his hands, feeling as though he had ventured down a path where everything was wrong. He felt he had lost the right to search for his other half from his previous life. Even his present Qizi seemed to have suffered emotional trauma because of him. His life had barely reached its tenth year, and yet it seemed to be forcibly stamped with a huge mark of failure, a failure that would last a lifetime.
In contrast to Ying Feng, who was immersed in post-passionate desolation, Ling Xiao seemed to have let everything go, sleeping soundly without a care in the world. After enduring three nights of painful insomnia, he finally got to enjoy a dreamless sleep. In stark contrast was Ying Feng, who tossed and turned the entire night. It was only as the sun began to rise that, in the dim morning light, he vaguely decided on the direction for his next step.
The moment Ling Xiao got off from the web, he saw Ying Feng sitting opposite him. He hadn’t expected him to return after leaving. Immediately, Ling Xiao became defensive, almost like an animal that sensed a threat, his hairs standing on end.
“Oh? Changed your mind? Planning to come back and punch me?”
“Did you see Zhen He?” Ying Feng asked straightforwardly.
Ling Xiao’s first thought was that he was being watched again. “Do you always knowingly ask rhetorical questions? Or are you trying to force me to say it out loud?”
“Don’t go with him.” This time, Ying Feng simply gave an order.
Ling Xiao was momentarily taken aback, sensing that Zhen He had hidden the truth from him. But he didn’t intend to enlighten Ying Feng either. Jumping off the bed, he headed straight for the bathroom.
“It was impulsive of me to act earlier; you can hit me back. I won’t retaliate.” Ying Feng raised his voice as Ling Xiao walked away. “But I won’t allow you to join his group.”
While the first half of his statement seemed conciliatory, it was said without any concession in tone, more like a benefactor setting terms, emphasizing the latter part of his words.
Ling Xiao had almost filtered out the first half, but upon hearing the latter part, anger surged within him. He turned abruptly, swinging his fist. Even though the torments of the past few days had drained much of his strength, this close-range punch was powerful enough to break Ying Feng’s nose. But just as his full-force punch was an inch from its target, it stopped abruptly, unable to move further.
Ying Feng’s inconsistent behavior filled Ling Xiao with disdain. “I thought you weren’t fighting back? Oh, right, controlling isn’t considered retaliating, is it? Stop pretending.”
“I didn’t.” Ying Feng clarified expressionlessly, even with Ling Xiao’s clenched fist right before his eyes. “I didn’t control you.”
In disbelief, Ling Xiao pulled back his hand, which now moved freely. But when he swung again, his hand halted at the exact same spot.
“Ha,” a worse realization struck him, “Being a Qizi, I don’t even have the right to strike my Qizhu, do I? What a wonderful system, hahaha.”
He simply abandoned the idea of landing a punch, deciding to ignore whatever Ying Feng might say next.
“If you choose to go with him, decide whether you want to stay here or in a cell.”
Facing such a blatant threat, Ling Xiao ignored it, heading into the bathroom. Given his current state, how different was it from being imprisoned?
The reflection in the mirror looked the same as it did two days ago, but now it wasn’t as unbearable. Compared to Ying Feng, Ling Xiao mused, his own face seemed more pleasant.
He took deep breaths, repeating thrice, “This is the last day. I made it through the past two days; today will be fine too.”
He fist-bumped his reflection, “Stay strong, Ling Xiao!”
Revitalized, Ling Xiao picked up a towel as he left the bathroom.
Ying Feng watched him struggle to tie both his hands together with the towel, finally securing it with a tight knot using his teeth.
“What are you doing?”
Ling Xiao didn’t want to admit that the night before he had almost looked for a knife, contemplating ending his life. Each night’s torment was worse than the last, and he feared tonight’s impulses might lead him to do something regrettable.
Even without an answer, Ying Feng somewhat understood his intention. “How can a towel restrict you? You could easily break free.”
“You only see one lock.” Ling Xiao tightened the knot further. “But I have three.”
Ying Feng was puzzled. “Where?”
“My determination and self-control.”
Having said that, he lay down. “Don’t worry, I won’t lose control and roll towards you, so your sleep isn’t disturbed.”
The final night of his turbulent phase quietly began. The first night represented fear, the second depression, and the third intense cold. Wrapped in a blanket, Ling Xiao felt like he was frozen solid.
What was even harder to bear was the known source of warmth right next to him. The tangible warmth kept flowing from beside him, but abruptly halted just before reaching him. He yearned to get closer, just a bit closer, but he forcefully suppressed such impulses.
Ling Xiao covered himself with the blanket, curling up as tight as possible. In the darkness, the sound of his chattering teeth was the only thing accompanying him through this endlessly difficult night.
……
“Ling Xiao!” First thing in the morning, as soon as Ting Lei saw Ling Xiao, he rushed over with concern. He instinctively reached out to put his arm around Ling Xiao’s shoulder but suddenly remembered the incident from the previous day. He changed course halfway, scratching the back of his head. “Were you okay yesterday?”
Ling Xiao knew Ting Lei meant well, but he found it hard to bear being treated as the weaker one by everyone. “I’m fine. What about you?”
“What could possibly happen to me? But Ying Feng’s current strength is really…” He paused midway through his sentence, recalling that the reason Ying Feng was now so strong, able to lift him with one hand, was due to obtaining Ling Xiao’s power. He quickly changed his statement.
“Speaking of which, we have physical training next. Are you sure you can handle it? Maybe you should take a day off.” Ting Lei noticed that Ling Xiao looked even paler than he did yesterday, like he might collapse after just running 500 meters.
“Don’t think of me as that weak.” Ling Xiao was already warming up.
“You’re just too stubborn,” Ting Lei said anxiously on his behalf. “There’s no harm in admitting weakness occasionally.”
“Fall in!” The instructor blew the whistle, and, as expected, both Ying Feng and Ling Xiao appeared in the line-up.
“Today’s physical training target is 30,000 meters. For some weaker races, this is already the limit, but for us, it’s just a basic requirement. Those of you who ascend to the military academy will realize this is just a warm-up distance. Everyone needs to finish within the set time. Those who don’t will run it again tomorrow. Start now!”
The students chose their initial pace and set off. Ling Xiao, who usually led these trainings, conservatively paced himself in the middle today. A few friends, worried about him, ran close by. As for Ying Feng, with his newfound strength and speed, he was far ahead of everyone else.
Less than halfway to the finish, Ling Xiao’s pace visibly slowed. Even those who usually trailed behind him seemed to breathe less heavily than he did. It was clear to everyone that he wasn’t feeling well.
“Ling Xiao, just take a break. The instructor will understand,” one of them said.
Ling Xiao shook his head and, contrary to expectations, increased his speed. The others had no choice but to keep up.
Ying Feng completed the whole course in just two-thirds of the usual time. For him, this distance truly felt like a warm-up.
The instructor looked even more appreciative of his star pupil. “Ready to apply to the elite Royal Sky Military Academy?”
Ying Feng replied dismissively, “Considering staying here, not thinking too much about it.”
“With your current level, you can choose any specialty at Royal Sky. I’ve heard that Major General Fu Yao is now teaching there. If you’re lucky, you might even be in his department.”
Ying Feng recalled the name, remembering him as the shorter officer.
“Heh,” Ying Feng remembered the punch the officer had given him.
“Fu Yao is the youngest Major General in Tianxiu. He’s quite powerful. But that’s not what he’s most famous for.”
“What then?”
“He’s the earliest to complete the coming-of-age ceremony in Tianxiu history. He reached adulthood just four years into his juvenile phase.”
After saying that, the instructor added with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “There’s a rumor that this is the reason he’s so short.”
His face became serious in an instant. “But never mention this in front of him, especially his height. If you do, you’ll regret it.”
Ying Feng thought, ‘I’ve already experienced how ‘regretful’ that can be.’
After a while, students began returning one after another, except for Ling Xiao, who was always uncomfortable if he didn’t finish first. Even Ying Feng felt it was unusual.
By the time Ling Xiao came into Ying Feng’s view, a significant amount of time had passed. Even at his worst, Ling Xiao shouldn’t have been this slow. He seemed to be forcing himself to complete the last stretch, running despite tasting blood in his mouth, facing difficulty in breathing, and feeling as though his legs were filled with lead.
The moment he reached the finish line, it was as if he had completed a mission. Ling Xiao’s vision blacked out, and he finally collapsed. Unlike yesterday, this time, he didn’t get up.
“Ling Xiao!” A cry of alarm rose from the crowd. People began to gather around, but they hesitated because of Ying Feng, turning to him for help.
Ying Feng walked over to find Ling Xiao unconscious.
“Ying Feng,” Ting Lei said, his voice thick with suppressed anger, “Something was wrong with Ling Xiao since yesterday. Today, after just 30,000 meters, he’s like this. What did you do to him?”
“Enough talking,” a female student interrupted anxiously. “Let’s get him to the infirmary.”
Ying Feng bent down and lifted Ling Xiao, carrying him without uttering a word towards the medical building, leaving behind a group of worried classmates. His strength, which had nearly doubled, made carrying Ling Xiao feel effortless. The man in his arms had a pale face, eyes tightly shut, and the hair at his temples clung to his cheeks, dampened by sweat.
Yao Tai opened the door, and upon seeing such a scene, her expression became grave.
“Lay him on the bed,” she coldly instructed.
Ying Feng did as told and watched as she connected various medical instruments to Ling Xiao.
The examination results came out quickly. After reading the report, Yao Tai felt the urge to severely reprimand Ying Feng.
He looked at her with confusion as she glared at him fiercely, then noticed her attaching some therapeutic device to Ling Xiao’s temple.
Yao Tai pressed a few keys on the device, and blue numbers appeared on the display, gradually increasing.
“Do you know what this is?” she asked irritably.
Ying Feng shook his head.
“It’s a machine used for inducing sleep. It puts a person into a deep slumber temporarily, but upon waking up, the mental stress accumulated beforehand will backlash, almost like drinking poison to quench thirst. No one would use it unless absolutely necessary. He’s deeply asleep now and won’t hear our conversation.”
Ying Feng frowned.
“I asked you to take good care of him. Is this how you do it? Do you realize he hasn’t eaten for three days?”
Confused, Ying Feng asked, “Why?”
She questioned, “Did you get him a supplementary card?”
“He didn’t mention it,” Ying Feng replied.
Yao Tai had to restrain her urge to lash out.
“Didn’t I tell you? After becoming a Qizi, the main card gets demagnetized, and all the funds transfer to your card. Didn’t you notice an increase in your balance?”
Only then did Ying Feng remember. After returning from the field practice, he found an extra four units of money in his account. The amount was so small; he thought he misremembered.
“If he didn’t mention it, couldn’t you have asked?” Yao Tai angrily pointed at them. “One doesn’t ask, the other doesn’t speak. Were you waiting for him to starve to death?”
“He hasn’t eaten or slept for three days and has just done strenuous exercise. The fact that he only passed out now is a miracle! Even with our constitution, we couldn’t endure such strain!”
“You seem even more out of control than him. Those who can’t control their emotions aren’t qualified to be Qizhu! Had I known, I would have sent him to the disease control center rather than leave him with you; at least he wouldn’t starve there!”
Yao Tai berated him incessantly, but Ying Feng remained silent.
Yao Tai, overwhelmed with anger, paused for a moment before speaking seriously.
“I’m warning you; his psychological rating has reached E-. He’s on the verge of mandatory hospitalization, but that’s not the worst of it. He’s now showing signs of mild mental trauma. This damage will stay with him forever and cannot be cured. Have you seen the principal? He’s a typical case of severe mental trauma. Do you want Ling Xiao to end up like him?”
“If you continue with your recklessness, he will die. I’m not joking.” Her tone softened slightly. “Ying Feng, a Tianxiu person can only have one partner in their lifetime. If the Qizi dies before maturing, the Qizhu will also cease to grow. Your abilities will peak, so even if you’re only thinking selfishly, you should take good care of him. The person lying in bed is the only Qizi you’ll ever have in this lifetime. Get rid of your impractical notions now!”
Ying Feng uncomfortably turned away, looking at Ling Xiao on the bed. He noticed the rapid rise and fall of Ling Xiao’s chest; his breaths were quick and shallow, resembling an animal.
“Why is he breathing so fast?”
“The heartbeat and breathing of a Qizi are faster than before. Haven’t you noticed your own heartbeat slowing down? The average lifespan of a Qizi is already lower than a Qizhu’s, but thanks to irresponsible Qizhu like you, that average is even further reduced,” she said sarcastically.
Yao Tai glanced at the time. “He can sleep for another hour. His period of disorder was supposed to be over, but you dragged it out another day. The mental backlash tonight will be even more painful than the past few days. I’d like to see what you’ll do then.”
She flicked her hair and left, leaving Ying Feng alone with Ling Xiao in the medical room. He walked over to Ling Xiao’s bed. The usually fierce-looking man appeared gentle and serene in his deep slumber. The earlier quarrel hadn’t affected him in the slightest. Ying Feng couldn’t imagine that this was Ling Xiao’s first sleep since the coming-of-age ceremony.
The blue light on the instrument blinked on and off, with numbers symbolizing the passing time and counting down ruthlessly. In this harsh system, challenges could only be overcome by the spirit of the individual. Even the most advanced medical instruments could only offer a brief respite to the Qizi.
When Ling Xiao woke up, the room was empty. He had probably just experienced the deepest sleep of his life, so deep that no dream could infiltrate.
However, with his sleep issues resolved, his hunger felt even more pronounced. As he sat up, he noticed some devices still attached to his head. He removed them and was about to get out of bed when he accidentally bumped into something peculiar.
Looking down, there was a pack of banana-flavored energy bread by his side.
Kinky Translations 