Chapter 102: Point Blank

Chapter 102: Point Blank

"We are the patrol officers sent by the Imperial Royal Family, holding official documents personally issued by the Royal Palace's administrative office. You have no right to stop us from entering!"

At this moment, at the Tianlong System's space checkpoint station.

A few small warships from the main star system were lined up at the entrance, denied passage. They had no choice but to contact the station guards via wireless communication and sent over electronic copies of the official documents.

The guards inside the station glanced at them.

Not particularly concerned: "Oh, official documents, we have plenty of those here."

"Yeah, we've got stacks of them."

"Back when we used official documents to request support and assistance from the Empire, why didn't the Royal Family cooperate then?"

Over the warship's broadcast, the voices of the Tianlong System guards came through, dripping with sarcasm.

They even laughed a few times before saying, "So the rule we've learned is to ignore all official and private documents!"

After the mockery, the leading guard inside the station spoke in a serious tone, snorting, "You from the main star system never treated us as equals before. Why should Tianlong cooperate and let you pass now?"

The people inside the warships were dumbfounded.

Exchanging glances, they thought, wasn't it said that the Tianlong System had already been pacified and re-submitted to the Silver Dragon Battalion and the Empire? What's with this attitude now?

"Brothers, we're all soldiers of the Silver Dragon Battalion. We don't want to clash with you."

"Please cooperate with our work."

The broadcast responded again: "Wait, who are you calling brothers? Don't address us so casually."

"We from Tianlong dare not accept such familiarity."

The communication officer inside the warship couldn't take it anymore, feeling increasingly humiliated.

His tone gradually hardened: "We are on a mission with a legally valid search warrant, ordered to enter the Tianlong System, which may harbor wanted criminals of the Empire, for search and arrest operations."

"Resisting the orders of the faction and the Empire will be treated as rebellion. We have the right to attack and force our way through. We hope that before any violent conflict causes harm to innocent people, all military guards of the Silver Dragon-Tianlong System will cooperate and let us pass."

A few seconds later, the broadcast from the station guards came through again, scoffing: "Stop dreaming."

"Get this straight, our Tianlong belongs to the Silver Dragon with Colonel Xu, not the Silver Dragon controlled by the Royal Palace. Colonel Xu is the boss here in Tianlong. Not only is he not here right now, but even if he were, we wouldn't let you in!"

"Tianlong is the Tianlong System! We haven't even settled the score with you for arresting our boss and sending him to the Tower of Evil, and now you have the nerve to come here to arrest people?"

"Pah, get lost!"

The person passionately speaking into the communicator at the space checkpoint station was Ma Biao.

Known for his fierce temperament, he had taken control of all space checkpoint stations in the Tianlong System as soon as the Empire announced the arrest warrant for Xu Qingran, anticipating they would come to Tianlong.

The people of Tianlong were already dissatisfied with Xu Qingran being taken to the Tower of Evil.

Later, when they saw him not only blow up the Tower of Evil single-handedly but also escape successfully, their admiration for Xu Qingran grew even more. To the people of Tianlong, who had been exiled for years and long freed from the rigid control of the Empire, Xu Qingran, a mad and unconstrained officer, perfectly matched their ideals.

Moreover, he had secured benefits for all of Tianlong.

Including upgrades to all defense and attack systems, conveniences and resources for daily life, improving their living conditions and standards, and so on. For this alone, as long as he did not harm or betray Tianlong, they would follow him to the end.

After all, it had been agreed upon from the start.

They weren’t aligned with the Kayan Empire but pledged to the man named Xu Qingran.

The military personnel from the main star system were caught off guard by the Tianlong system guards’ lack of cooperation.

They had no choice but to grit their teeth and reluctantly order an attack on the Tianlong system’s space station, aiming to force entry through brute force.

The three smaller warships, in combat mode, each boasted over a dozen external cannons.

High-level psychics on board manned their stations, with each cannon requiring the combined power of several psychics. Once the energy was gathered, the control officer aimed the cannons at the space station, which looked modest and small compared to the bustling hubs of other star systems.

They held back, not unleashing their full strength.

Destroying the entire station wouldn’t just risk the lives inside—it could push the already fragile Tianlong system into deeper chaos. Their goal was a symbolic strike to pressure the station’s guards into retreating.

Dozens of psychic cannon blasts rained down on the seemingly fragile space station.

The warship’s commander shook his head, sighed, and covered his eyes, unable to stomach the sight.

Yet, after a while, there was no sign of the station being hit, nor any angry outbursts over the comms. Instead, murmurs of surprise and confusion rippled through the ship.

The battle commander looked up.

He watched as their psychic attacks were halted by a shimmering defensive barrier several kilometers from the station.

He blurted out, “What the—?!”

This was cutting-edge defense tech, reserved only for the Tian Shen system and a handful of key star systems’ main stations!

If he recalled correctly, this was the Shen family’s latest defense tech, developed by the Golden Wing Battalion’s research institute. It deployed high-tech devices to generate a particle barrier, capable of blocking both physical and psychic attacks, designed to fend off threats from hostile forces.

While the Kayan Empire’s tech wasn’t perfect, and the barrier had its limits, it was more than enough to handle a few warships.

The warship crew was baffled: how did a backwater system like Tianlong get such advanced defenses before the empire’s core systems?

Such defenses demanded rare and costly resources.

So how did Tianlong pull it off?

If any Tianlong guards were aboard, they’d explain: the Shen family bankrolled it.

Even luckier, they discovered raw materials on Tianlong’s resource planets, perfect for crafting the defenses. These were the same materials that were rare, pricey, and hard to come by in other systems.

As a result, outfitting Tianlong’s stations was far cheaper than elsewhere.

The Shen family, partnering with the Mo family, saw it as a win-win: their tech secured first dibs on Tianlong’s resources, reaping huge profits.

As they reeled in shock, fighter jets burst from the targeted space station.

They were state-of-the-art models, fully equipped and high-performance. Without missing a beat, they launched a counterattack on the small warships.

The warships also had defensive configurations.

However, unlike the large ones on the space station, they still needed to rely on the power of the guards responsible for defense and the devices to cooperate. The guards on the warships reacted quickly, triggering the defenses in time to prevent the ship from being damaged.

But in this situation, they would have to reconsider continuing the attack.

The Tianlong space station had such defensive equipment, so the guards did not need to spend their energy on defense and could focus entirely on counterattacking. Moreover, since the space station had such advanced defensive devices, it was hard to say whether there were other offensive weapons they had not yet revealed.

Inside the space station, Ma Biao stood with his hands on his hips, laughing boisterously.

"These people haven't paid attention to Tianlong for so many years; they probably don't realize how much Tianlong has changed by now!"

After all, they now have the upper hand!

Whether it's the Queen Star of the Celestial System or the royal family, embodying the fine virtues of their Colonel Xu, they'll take on anyone who dares to challenge them!

Want to come in and arrest someone? Not a chance!

Meanwhile.

The beloved Colonel Xu of the Tianlong people was still drifting in a massive starship somewhere in the vast expanse of stars.

Outside the window, romantic starlight bathed the entire space.

With faint points of light, bridging heaven and earth. Looking up felt like looking down, floating above as if suspended below, boundless and limitless.

Inside the room, the air grew warmer.

The lights were dimmed to the lowest setting, with the faint starlight from outside the window providing the only other illumination. In the dimness, as vision blurred, every sound and touch became acutely sharp.

A large, calloused hand moved with gentle slowness.

Everywhere it touched sent shivers through the person beneath. When two spiritual forces clashed openly, the E-type's power always dominated, even over his most cherished D-type, which couldn't hold him back when he let loose.

Instead, it only fueled a greater urge to destroy.

So, more than physical stimulation, the deepest impact on Xu Qingran was on his soul and spirit.

At the start of their deepening interaction, he could still maintain some control, but once his spiritual pool was fully invaded by another force, profoundly affecting his soul, he could only succumb to passivity.

As if utterly subdued, neither his body nor his spiritual pool could muster their full strength.

Left entirely at the mercy of another.

Frankly, if it were anyone else, Xu Qingran would have called it quits long before.

Due to the insecurities from his past life, he despised this passivity, this suppression, and the sense that the other could toy with him at will. But because it was Shen Tingyu, he offered the utmost tolerance and trust.

Letting him sink his teeth into his most vulnerable neck, eyes blazing.

Hands clutching his waist, tightening their grip.

The room was impeccably soundproofed.

Even the two spiritual forces, locked in a fierce, surging struggle, were contained within the room. No one could sense it, leaving the two lovers to be consumed by each other's presence.

Neither held back.

Pleasant sounds echoed in the space.

Perhaps Xu Qingran's bold gamble, perhaps his speculation, was correct.

As their souls intertwined, bringing mutual pleasure and joy, there was none of the danger Shen Tingyu had feared. Even though the powers of the two souls were so intense, like fierce beasts unwilling to yield, fighting fiercely.

Yet each kept to their own duty.

Both the attacker and the one being attacked fully embraced and immersed themselves in their chosen roles, indulging freely. Thus, in what should have been a fierce and tense battle, an unexpected harmony was achieved.

Xu Qingran's soul did not suffer as he had anticipated from the clash of their soul powers.

It was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise.

Therefore, the initial caution began to crumble as Shen Tingyu realized this.

Each action grew increasingly fierce.

When Xu Qingran was pressed down by him, he could only cling to Shen Tingyu's neck.

Tears welled up uncontrollably in the corners of his eyes, yet in the midst of the clear pools, he managed to maintain a trace of his proud demeanor, commenting, "General Shen, it’s clear this is your first time—you’ve got a lot to learn."

"Is that so?" Shen Tingyu looked down at him, gently wiping the sweat from his forehead as he slowed down, chuckling coldly, "Then I’ll have to ask Colonel Xu to tough it out and keep practicing with me."

Xu Qingran learned the hard way that stubbornness has its consequences.

In space, there’s no sunrise or sunset, and without a way to track time, it’s impossible to tell day from night, nor to know how much time has passed. All they knew was that, under these circumstances, their military stamina was pushed to the limit.

When held from behind, he clung desperately to whatever was within reach.

Sheets, pillows, bedding... anything, as long as it could distract from the sensation that made his scalp prickle, stimulating him from the base of his spine to the top of his head. Or, in retaliation, he’d claw at the ‘dog man’s’ hand, leaving bright red scratches, venting the torment inflicted upon him.

But Xu Qingran was nothing if not proud.

Even at his breaking point, he’d never beg or say no—as if yielding first meant defeat.

He was also a bit of a troublemaker.

Even though Shen Tingyu gave him a way out, he insisted on continuing to provoke when sober: "Dog man, I’m not done yet—are you giving up already?"

"Weren’t you the one who said E-types are supposed to be unstoppable at this?"

"For the empire’s best, you’re not exactly living up to the hype, are you?"

Shen Tingyu couldn’t help but laugh at his taunts.

After that, Shen Tingyu didn’t bring up rest again until Xu Qingran finally passed out from exhaustion.

Xu Qingran, who’d doubted General Shen’s abilities, was now thoroughly convinced his partner was more than up to the task.

Colonel Xu felt confident his future happiness was guaranteed.

He thrived on high-stakes challenges—it was a thrill that bordered on madness.

By the time he fully woke up, over a day had gone by.

At one point, Shen Tingyu woke Xu Qingran to shower and rest. The effects of the medicine on Xu Qingran had just worn off, leaving him in a daze with little energy, so Shen Tingyu helped him.

Who could’ve guessed that even in the shower, this fearless troublemaker would start provoking Shen Tingyu again?

He pushed Shen Tingyu to his limit, earning himself another round of punishment in the bathroom before finally drifting off, satisfied.

Xu Qingran’s system never imagined its host’s detox would lead to two days of chaos, leaving it locked in a small dark room for so long.

Seeing Shen Tingyu, who’d been at it for hours, still energetic enough to clean up their mess and straighten the room, it couldn’t help but feel grateful that its host’s partner was him.

With anyone else, perhaps Xu Qingran wouldn’t have had as much fun before the other party gave out.

"Did you cook today's meal?"

Xu Qingran sat at the table in the room, just tasted a piece of meat with his fork, immediately noticed the difference in taste.

Shen Tingyu, clearly pleased by his observation and attentiveness, placed the requested soy milk beside his plate before sitting down opposite him: "Yes."

"I woke up this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, so I borrowed the kitchen to cook something you'd like."

Shen Tingyu was quite relaxed and genuine when alone with him, no longer frequently putting on his habitual, disguise-like smile. Though his expression was indifferent and his tone seemed cold, Xu Qingran could still sense his gentleness.

Seeing Xu Qingran's eyes crinkle with happiness, a hint of warmth softened the coldness in Shen Tingyu's eyes: "I also made some sweet soup to help your throat."

Xu Qingran paused while cutting the meat.

He looked up, eyebrows slightly raised, with a half-smile.

Shen Tingyu stayed expressionless, sipping his orange juice.

Xu Qingran's throat was indeed sore.

No way around it, it was indeed hoarse.

Only then did he realize that, as a D-type, he had an extra special gland that stimulated the transfer of spiritual energy, especially with medication, it was doubly explosive.

So he was exhausted, while Shen Tingyu was now full of energy.

That spiritual pool was probably overflowing.

Shen Tingyu was really something else.

He clearly knew about this but chose not to tell him, waiting until he couldn't take it anymore to casually whisper the truth in his ear, then used this to continue tormenting him.

Xu Qingran got a bit angry just thinking about it.

He chuckled lightly and started to call him out: "See, didn't I say that nothing would happen no matter what we did?"

Shen Tingyu didn't speak.

Xu Qingran continued: "If you had agreed to cooperate earlier, would we have had so much trouble?"

Now that Shen Tingyu knew the truth, he also felt that his previous refusal was foolish.

He sighed: "Sorry, I was too worried about you."

His beautiful eyes were clear and sincere.

Xu Qingran couldn't stand his big puppy-like eyes, snorted lightly: "Then you have to make up for all the happiness I lost before."

Shen Tingyu seemed to think of some scene from his words, his gaze subtly darkening.

He glanced at the person in front of him, reached out to wipe away a bit of white left at the corner of his mouth from drinking, and said in a deep voice: "Alright, with pleasure."

Xu Qingran instinctively looked up to meet his gaze.

Staring into those dark eyes, he inexplicably recalled the joyful times of those two days.

He could see Shen Tingyu's expression.

It wasn't as calm and indifferent as he usually appeared. A man who usually dealt with things and dressed in a restrained style, after removing his dignified mask, the ferocity tainted by instinct was simply addictive.

Xu Qingran seemed to particularly enjoy having Xu Qingran sit on him, facing him.

The ferocity in those eyes always accumulated the most intensely at that moment. Perhaps because from that perspective, he could see all his reactions, controlling everything from above.

At this thought, Xu Qingran instinctively grabbed Shen Tingyu's wrist as he was about to withdraw it.

Whether intentional or not, he licked the finger that had been dipped in soy milk, emitting a low chuckle.

The room's atmosphere instantly froze.

After a moment, Xu Qingran suddenly spoke up, "The soy milk you made for me is really good."

The conversation seemed to shift abruptly. Just as Shen Tingyu had withdrawn his hand after Xu Qingran let go, he heard Xu Qingran's provocative statement: "When can I taste yours too?"

The clink of the fork against the porcelain plate was sharp and clear.

Shen Tingyu's eyes widened slightly, filled with shock and disbelief. Perhaps inevitably, images flashed through his thoughts, and his ears slowly turned red.

"Xu Qingran, you—"

General Shen was uncharacteristically at a loss for words.

Xu Qingran rested his chin on one hand and speared another piece of meat into his mouth.

He had considered doing this before, but Shen Tingyu seemed somewhat averse to it, mainly unwilling to let him do it. Perhaps influenced by some strange notion, he viewed it as a form of humiliation, considered it dirty, and didn't want Xu Qingran to experience it.

But Xu Qingran didn't have so many convoluted thoughts.

His mindset was straightforward; he just liked excitement and wanted to explore various scenarios with the person he liked.

General Shen remained somewhat restrained.

No rush, one day he would completely let go of his inhibitions.

The atmosphere was heavy with the strange topic when Shen Tingyu's communicator, long dormant, suddenly rang.

Slightly easing the tense atmosphere.

Shen Tingyu got up to answer it and found it was Xie Nanjun calling.

After Xie Nanjun parted ways with Xu Qingran that day, he completely lost touch with both of them.

And because they had left the empire's territory with Mu Zisheng's starship, the communicator signals were lost, and Xie Nanjun couldn't find them at all. It wasn't until just now that he noticed Shen Tingyu's communicator had regained signal and hurriedly dialed him.

"Shen Tingyu! Are you okay? Where are you now?"

As soon as the call connected, Xie Nanjun's anxious and worried voice came through.

Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "And Xu Qingran, I can't reach him either."

"He went to the rescue at Station 60 that day and said he was going to pick you up, but his communicator has been offline ever since. Is he with you..."

Shen Tingyu answered the latter question first: "Xu Qingran is fine, he's with me."

"You've seen the recent news from the empire; it's inconvenient for him to turn on his communicator." To avoid a flood of calls looking for him.

Xie Nanjun on the other end finally breathed a sigh of relief and developed a new appreciation for Xu Qingran: "Then he's really impressive, actually managing to rescue you from the station base."

Shen Tingyu glanced at the person who was eating while looking at him with confusion and smiled faintly: "He is indeed impressive."

Xie Nanjun hadn’t even finished speaking when a woman’s voice cut in urgently, "No, I told you to contact Shen Tingyu immediately, and you two are still chatting?"

After some static noise, the person on the other end of the communicator changed.

It was Xie Nanyi, her voice tinged with excitement, "Shen Tingyu, Nanjun says you're with Xu Qingran? Great, there's something I need to tell you both!"

"My teacher is back!"

Xie Nanyi’s teacher, Mr. Zheng, a renowned expert in soul studies with deep expertise in the soulmate system.

Ever since they got the unusual compatibility data of Shen Tingyu and Xu Qingran, she and Xie Shaoming have been studying it, hoping Mr. Zheng, with his deeper expertise, could help and offer insights.

A few days ago, during the Kayan Empire's most chaotic time, Mr. Zheng, who'd been traveling, finally came back.

He was invited to Xie Shaoming's research institute, where he spent days analyzing Xu Qingran's soul data and examining the compatibility data between him and Shen Tingyu. Drawing from his travel experiences, Mr. Zheng concluded that the 0% wasn't a system glitch or bad data.

"So you're saying the soulmate system can't match our soul data?"

Shen Tingyu frowned slightly, murmuring Xie Nanyi’s words.

Xie Nanyi: "Yes, you must understand that all system pairings follow a set formula."

"It seems that because of you and Xu Qingran, one or both of your data sets are too unique, causing the system to be unable to provide an accurate compatibility percentage based on its existing formula."

"Thus, it could only show 0%."

"My teacher said, this doesn't mean your compatibility is less than 0.01%. As the official statement says, our souls must share some kind of similar energy, so the lowest possible result would still be 0.01."

Shen Tingyu was taken aback.

So the 0% that had troubled and worried him for so long was not indicative of the lowest compatibility.

"Teacher said that why you two ended up like this is likely because the system, based on the formula, gave many different results for your soul information. Unable to determine, it could only provide a 0."

"It seems a bit complicated, but according to my teacher, your compatibility is entirely up to your souls."

"You could become confidants, best friends, lovers, or even enemies. Specifically, it depends on how you feel when you're together." Xie Nanyi coughed lightly here, "That is to say, maybe you two should try, you know, getting intimate?"

"If there's no problem, then it proves your compatibility is above 10%."

"After that, whatever you do is fine!"

By this point, Shen Tingyu was completely bewildered.

From the communicator, Xie Nanjun, oblivious to their conversation, could be heard shouting, "What are you talking about?"

"What compatibility? What getting intimate?"

"What's going on with Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu?"

Xu Qingran, guessing the content of Xie Nanyi's conversation with Shen Tingyu from his words.

He stepped forward and took the communicator from Shen Tingyu's hand, saying to Xie Nanyi, "We've already done it."

Xie Nanyi: "..."

As expected of Xu Qingran, always making a striking statement.

Xu Qingran calmly added, "Confirmed, no issues."

Xie Nanyi paused: "In that case, it proves that your compatibility is definitely above 10%, so you can feel confident in pursuing a relationship. However, we still don't know the specific cause behind this data..."

Before she could continue, Xu Qingran added, "I think I should know the reason now."

Xie Nanyi was surprised: "What?!"

Even Shen Tingyu, who was beside them, turned to look at him.

Xu Qingran had a vague memory that came to him while resting after spending time with Shen Tingyu.

It was during the period when he fell into a deep sleep due to his soul's spiritual alignment process. After waking up, Xie Shaoming asked him some questions about the fluctuations in his data during alignment, such as whether he had any unusual dreams, etc.

At that time, Xu Qingran's mind was in chaos, and he told him there were none.

But now he finally remembered—there actually had been one.

During his soul alignment, he had a dream.

The dream was lengthy and draining. In the dream, he explored the potential development paths of various soul and spiritual types in this world. At least in the dream, he could almost do everything well, as if he had more choices available to him.

Even so, his most desired path was still to join the military, engaging in activities that involved a lot of physical action and combat.

This standard could be achieved even by an ordinary N-type soul. But he yearned for greater power, so even after hearing about the daunting warnings regarding the E-type, he still wanted to take a gamble and try.

Just before making his choice, at the dream's conclusion, he saw himself.

And Shen Tingyu, playing a game with him.

He saw another version of himself in the dream, asking him with the same detached demeanor: "Have you thought it through?"

"If you become an E-type, you'll be locked in eternal conflict with this man you've just taken a liking to, unable to even be friends."

"Or will you alter your soul's spiritual alignment for this new friend?"

"But to be as compatible as a lock and its matching key, your best choice would be the D-type."

The dream version of himself smiled at him.

And asked, "So, what kind of choice will you make for your future together?"

To become an E-type, or a D-type.

At that time in the dream, Xu Qingran also sensed Shen Tingyu's comforting presence when his psychic energy became chaotic and out of control.

It was the first time he felt someone else's psychic energy intruding, and for someone as guarded as him, it initially caused intense discomfort, prompting an instinctive struggle. Yet, in that struggle, he gradually found it intriguing.

He didn't mind the closeness of Shen Tingyu's psychic energy.

It was also rare to encounter another soul with a similar frequency in this different world.

It's easy to find wealth, but hard to find a kindred spirit.

After much thought and envisioning the potential paths of their relationship, Xu Qingran concluded that sacrificing Shen Tingyu's friendship for the E-type was too great a loss. After weighing the D-type's advantages and finding them acceptable, he made a clear-headed decision about his soul's alignment.

Yet, upon waking, this remarkable dream slipped from his memory entirely.

He never thought that his unique soul would cause anomalies in his soul compatibility metrics with Shen Tingyu.

As Xie Shaoming noted, his soul, originating from another world, had undergone so much that no path could confine its growth. Thus, his soul, much like him, believed nothing was beyond its reach, and its unfamiliarity with this world's laws meant it lacked the innate preferences other souls possessed from birth.

For Xu Qingran, no matter what type of soul or spirit it is, he can accept it.

He has ways to carve out his own path in the areas they excel in.

"Qingran?"

Xie Nanyi's voice, filled with confusion, reminded Xu Qingran, whose thoughts had drifted far away, that he was still on a call.

He snapped back to attention and said, "It's hard to explain over the call. I'll explain the situation to you and Uncle Xie Nanjun when I get a chance to return to the institute."

Xie Nanyi responded, "Understood."

"Speaking of returning, you must have seen the empire's announcement. What are your plans now?"

She was referring to the wanted poster.

Xu Qingran answered truthfully, "Right now, I'm planning to head to the Tianlong System."

"After all, that's my turf," he said with a smile.

Xie Nanyi still had some concerns: "But Tianlong is still part of the Kayan Empire. Aren't you afraid they might betray you?"

"No," Xu Qingran's tone was quite confident. "They're all people I've screened. They'd rather oppose the empire than me."

As he spoke, he looked down and rubbed his idle fingers.

A few faint sparks of electricity crackled across them.

He added, smiling, "And if they don't listen, I have plenty of ways to make them obey."

Hearing Xu Qingran's suggestive tone, Xie Nanyi didn't want to delve too deeply into his so-called methods.

After exchanging a few more words, she got ready to end the call.

Before the call ended, Xu Qingran caught Xie Nanjun's late exclamation in the background: "What does it mean that Shen Tingyu and Xu Qingran can safely get along—"

He raised an eyebrow, stared at the disconnected device for a few seconds, and then handed it back to a bewildered Shen Tingyu.

He patted his shoulder and said, "Let's chat over some food."

Xu Qingran quickly explained the events of his dream to Shen Tingyu.

Both of them sighed together.

Shen Tingyu mainly reflected on how he had followed his true feelings back then and suggested taking their relationship further.

Xu Qingran casually fed the last cherry tomato from his plate to Shen Tingyu and said, "So, I wasn't wrong to take that risk back then."

"You and I have endless potential for growth."

After this little incident, their original plan to head to the starship training room for some sparring practice after breakfast fell through.

They were like new lovers, lost in and enjoying the intimate moments that were just theirs.

In their happiness, their emotions seemed to finally break through the last barrier, opening up more freely to each other.

In a way, Xu Qingran also enjoyed the position of kneeling over Shen Tingyu.

He enjoyed the high vantage point, looking down at his partner, taking in every detail of his gaze and expression.

With one hand on his shoulder and the other lifting his chin to force him to meet his gaze, he smirked provocatively and arrogantly, "Shen Tingyu, having the spirit mark in such a place must be hard to control, right?"

The blue eyes that met his were filled with a desperate attempt to suppress the burst of desire.

Shen Tingyu didn't want to be provoked by his arrogant words when he was in such a state, losing control, so he could only press the back of his head and pull him down for a kiss.

Yes, indeed, it was painful.

Every close contact pushed his self-control to the brink of collapse.

He wished he could tease him even more.

·

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu spent several days in their little space, lost in each other.

Only when Xu Qingran finally recovered from the effects of the aphrodisiac and regained his spirits did he go out and move around again.

Both Mu Zisheng and Mu Zixuan were well-mannered and respectful, with a strong sense of boundaries.

Although they knew the challenges he and Shen Tingyu were facing and perhaps had already resolved them, they were very tactful and did not ask or tease them afterward. The day-to-day interactions among them remained the same, with an exceptionally comfortable atmosphere.

Until Mu Zisheng told Xu Qingran that the starship was approaching the Tianlong system.

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu traveled light when they came.

The clothes they changed into during this period were also stored by Shen Tingyu earlier when they had interacted, and they didn't plan to take them away, so the two of them didn't have much to pack.

In the last few days of calm, Xu Qingran opted to spend more time with Shen Tingyu.

The two of them brewed coffee and sat in the room chatting.

Xu Qingran talked to him about the Xie siblings: "I heard from Xie Nanjun that you weren't particularly close to them when you were kids."

"The change in your relationship with them in this life was after you came out of the Tower of Evil and reached out to apologize and reconnect. So, was it because of something that happened in your previous life that made you decide to do this?"

Shen Tingyu, holding a half-drunk cup of coffee, drifted into memories with his question.

His eyes seemed to gaze into the distance as he said to him, "I mentioned before, it was because I felt Xie Nanjun was very loyal."

After saying this, he pivoted and added, "In the previous life, many people died."

Xie Nanjun and his sister Xie Nanyi both met their end.

In the previous life, without his influence, many things were very different.

First was Xie Nanyi.

After the Xie family refused Mu Ziyue's request to marry Xie Nanyi as a concubine, Xie Nanyi faced retaliation. Just like in this life, but at that time, no one expected or knew about it, so Xie Nanyi was still harmed.

Through the arrangements made by Mu Ziyue, Xie Nanyi, a once promising and intelligent girl, lost her mind.

Her personality became reclusive and somber; she didn't like to talk to people or go out. She only hid in her room all day, refusing to turn on the lights or communicate with others. She would often stare blankly into the air, or occasionally break down emotionally and frantically wash her body.

Even if she scrubbed until she was red, sore, or even bleeding, she would continue.

In the end, she couldn't bear the emotional trauma and committed suicide.

When Xie Nanjun's sister, Xie Nanyi, had her accident, he felt as if the sky had fallen.

Driven by the desire to avenge his sister, he joined the military not long after. Upon discovering that the Golden Wing's commander was the mastermind behind his sister's downfall, he went undercover, plotting revenge. But he was impatient and impulsive, attempting to assassinate Mu Ziyue prematurely.

In the end, the plan failed.

He lost his military rank and became a fugitive wanted by the empire, on the run for his life.

During his escape, he crossed paths with Shen Tingyu, who was also on the run.

Xie Nanjun recognized his identity and sympathized with his struggles, united by their shared hatred. Perhaps fate destined them to become close friends. In their past life, the two who initially didn't see eye to eye became allies over their shared hatred for Mu Ziyue.

They covered for each other, worked together to evade Mu Ziyue's spies, or struck back at his subordinates.

This happened before Shen Tingyu got the chance to escape to Tianlong.

They were relentlessly pursued once more by elite soldiers sent by Mu Ziyue and Su Ya, cornered. Xie Nanjun sacrificed his life to give Shen Tingyu a chance to escape.

With his dying breath, he left a simple message.

"Shen Tingyu, you must avenge me and my sister."

In his past life, Shen Tingyu harbored a deep hatred for the world.

But even in that darkness, he had encountered small acts of kindness from people like Xie Nanjun, the elderly couple from Xicheng, and the chef friend from the restaurant. These memories stayed with him after his rebirth, reminding him of their fates, doing everything he could to help them and constantly reminding himself to act rationally.

Absentmindedly, Shen Tingyu finished his coffee.

He said to Xu Qingran, "So, even though Xie Nanjun can be overly talkative."

"Whether at the military academy or in the military, he’s always stirring up trouble, but I am still willing to help this life-and-death friend clean up his messes."

After all, he owes him a life.

"I see," Xu Qingran nodded, "I also quite like the personalities of the two siblings."

"I'm glad they don't have to face the hardships you described in this life."

After speaking, Shen Tingyu was about to get up to wash the cup.

Just as he stood up, he suddenly felt dizzy, and his eyelids inexplicably became heavy.

The coffee cup fell from his hand.

The floor was covered with a carpet, so the cup didn't break.

Shen Tingyu slumped back into the sofa chair.

He frowned, and as he looked up, the scene before him began to sway and blur.

But the man sitting across from him showed no reaction, still sitting there watching him, not at all nervous.

As if he had anticipated this situation all along.

Before his consciousness was overwhelmed by the heavy pressure, Shen Tingyu used his last bit of clarity and strength to whisper, "Xu Qingran...?"

The person he called remained motionless.

Only after he lost consciousness on the sofa did Xu Qingran leisurely take a sip of his coffee.

Finally, he placed the cup on the tea table between them and sighed softly, "Sorry, boyfriend."

"There's something important I need to do, so I have to let you sleep for a while."