TAISS – Chapter 17

A flash of white passed before Lin Jianheng’s eyes.

It was the pale pink of apricot blossoms. And like jade that had been carefully nurtured.

Every part was rosy, plump, and dewy, as if it had drunk its fill of water.

Adorned with a striking red and black tattoo on its lower half.

It captured one’s gaze, and…

one’s very soul.

Lin Jianheng stared blankly, raising her head to meet Yan Su’s eyes.

Her mouth was agape, tear tracks still on her face.

How she wanted to argue, to say that wasn’t what she meant.

She just wanted Yan Su to be close to her like before.

It was like losing a friend. She was trying to pick up the pieces, just to get her friend back.

That’s right, she just wanted to take good care of Yan Su, just like she would any of her many friends.

It must be like that.

And not… wanting to do that kind of thing with her.

Lin Jianheng had an instinctive fear of such things, like a puppy facing the dark.

The unknown and decades of her previous understanding brought alternating tension and fear.

But Lin Jianheng didn’t want to avoid it right away, nor did she want to explain further.

She thought Yan Su wanted it.

“What… do you want to do?” The last remaining teardrop slid from the corner of her eye.

Lin Jianheng’s eyes were red, her breathing heavy, and her heart ached.

Her voice, hoarse from sobbing, constantly tugged at Yan Su’s heartstrings.

Yan Su hadn’t expected her answer to be a retreating hand, a trembling shoulder, and averted eyelashes.

The hospital room was very bright. Lin Jianheng had deliberately turned on the lights when she entered, wanting to create a warm atmosphere.

But she had forgotten that hospital lights were always cool-toned. A faint blue light spread across Lin Jianheng’s face.

It also adorned her tear-misted eyes.

There was no warmth. Both of them tried to retreat.

They were clearly so close. A certain softness was within reach.

Yan Su’s shoulders were even bathed in the room’s cold light.

The faint light caressed her back, blurring her silhouette, concealing her expression, and casting a hazy shadow over her.

She was like a patient on the operating table, at the mercy of others, voluntarily shedding her protective shell and lying on the cold steel, only praying that the anesthetic would have taken effect when the final judgment fell.

That way, when the scalpel cut open her skin, the pain wouldn’t be so sharp.

As for the bitter aftereffects, Yan Su no longer wanted to think about them.

She only begged for Lin Jianheng to turn back into that high-and-mighty master at this moment, the master who treated her as a mere plaything.

A master who would step on her, kick her, whip her, and offer no tenderness.

That way, when the betrayal came, it wouldn’t hurt so much.

But Lin Jianheng was still staring at her blankly.

Looking at her face, devoid of any romantic feeling.

In her mist-blurred eyes, only confusion was clear, burying the bitterness of unwillingness and the ache of being wronged.

It was as if she had never been a master.

She was the pitiful puppy, crouching on the ground, who had just woken up from a nap to find that the companion who used to play with her had turned against her, abandoning her completely.

She was that naive puppy from that night, not knowing how to proceed, looking at Yan Su with watery, bright eyes, as if waiting for her command, as if anticipating her guidance.

And then serve her. Serve a doll, an object, that should be looked down upon, trampled in the mud and dust.

Yan Su clenched her palm.

Hadn’t she decided not to trust her?

Then tonight would be a test.

She wasn’t seducing her master.

She was merely testing whether her master’s feelings were false, whether she had ulterior motives.

“Master knows.” Yan Su let her hair down again.

Her fiery red hair fanned out like an ocean of petals. She transformed into a butterfly rose, one part dancing gracefully, another blooming peacefully.

The blue of her eyes was stained by a field of red and a field of white.

The tattoos of varying shades on her waist stacked up like clouds, the alternating red and black forming a warning, forming death.

They were all her colors.

There was no Lin Jianheng in her eyes, yet she called Lin Jianheng master.

She wanted to please Lin Jianheng, yet she refused to lower what little self-respect she had left.

Yan Su was as complex as her red and blue color scheme.

Always clashing, densely packed together, ready to devour anyone who came close in the next moment.

“Master is looking forward to it too, isn’t she?” She thought her master didn’t like to take the initiative.

The type to be passively pleased, to reject inducement, to feign resistance while secretly welcoming it.

Then, she would have to be the one to take the initiative.

Just wait, Li Nu. Yan Su told herself.

Wait for that mark to be placed, wait for her to be completely opened up, to lose herself, to be taken at will.

The person before her would surely reveal her true colors.

Then she wouldn’t have to be afraid. This was all something she had fought for. She would close her eyes and inject herself with a pitiful anesthetic.

“I, I didn’t…” Lin Jianheng understood.

Marking.

Yan Su wanted her to mark her.

If it was just a mark, it wasn’t impossible to give.

Like holding hands and hugging, they had done it so many times.

She had held Yan Su’s waist, Yan Su’s shoulders.

She had held Yan Su’s wrist, palm, and fingers, and brushed against the base of her fingers, her knuckles, her fingertips.

She was already very familiar with Yan Su. She could give Yan Su the mark she wanted.

But, did Yan Su look forward to this kind of thing?

Lin Jianheng wanted emotional connection more.

She wanted Yan Su to curse “her” out, to vent all the disgusting things the usurper had done.

Venting on her would be fine too. The owner of a stray cat must always be prepared to be scratched.

Instead of this kind of physical contact.

Carrying an ambiguity she didn’t understand, a cloying sweetness she feared.

Like a beautiful trap. Adorned with fresh flowers, tempted with sweet honey.

But to step into it was to fall off a bottomless cliff, into eternal damnation.

“Master, you can do whatever you want to me.” Yan Su didn’t want to hear such words.

She leaned forward slightly, the cold light hitting her ear.

It flowed down her chest, dyeing a field of apricot blossoms into blue star flowers.

At the edge of the light and shadow was a deep terminator line. The natural sheen of her skin smudged it into the semblance of a starry sky.

The shadow filled the tattoo, turning it completely black, while the dark red quietly spied on its master in the darkness.

Her tail, with its small notch, slowly turned pink, flicking back and forth with a bewitching color.

Her eyes leisurely took on a pink hue, changing from blue lakes to a romantic rose lake.

“It’s up to Master. I am already Master’s property.” Yan Su hooked Lin Jianheng’s hand with her tail.

She thought her master had won after all.

Effortlessly, she had been stripped of her feelings as a person, her hard-won dignity, and…

her heart, which had just begun to feel full.

Now, Master could do whatever she wanted. She was no longer like she was at the beginning, still resisting.

“If Master wants to mark me, then mark me. If Master wants to punish me, then punish me. As long as you are happy. Everything is up to you.” The succubus’s tail led Lin Jianheng’s fingertip.

And pressed it down.

Stop being so hypocritical, saying you don’t want to do this or that to me.

Stop pretending we’re equals, describing our relationship so beautifully that I’d be foolish enough to believe it.

Lin Jianheng lowered her eyes.

Yan Su was beautiful. She had only realized that yesterday, and today she realized again that Yan Su was also very soft.

…In all sorts of places.

The sensation flooded her mind, following the memory of their embrace.

It was a softness Lin Jianheng had never touched before.

It had the feel of clouds from her imagination. Yet it also had the resilience of a flower petal, not easily pressed to the bottom, yet clinging to her fingertips.

“If I mark you, will you be happy?” Lin Jianheng didn’t linger on the feeling and released her hand.

Yan Su felt a smooth caress, followed by a light scrape of a fingertip.

It was all unintentional, yet it made her want to surrender.

“If I mark you, can we make up?” Lin Jianheng wanted to see Yan Su’s smile.

Lin Jianheng slowly moved closer, leaning against the edge of the bed.

She was very close to Yan Su, but it brought no warmth.

Yan Su quietly closed the door to her heart, waiting for her dissection.

But what she got was… a caress.

“Sister Yan, Sister Yan Su… the one who bullied you wasn’t me.” Lin Jianheng cupped Yan Su’s face tenderly.

Amidst Yan Su’s slightly cold reaction, she rubbed her wound.

“If you don’t believe me… taste my pheromones.” Lin Jianheng thought, if I give her a mark, will she understand the difference between us?

From spiritual power to pheromones to special abilities.

From personality to actions to character.

There wasn’t a single thing she had in common with that ghost occupying her body.

But if Yan Su wanted a mark, Lin Jianheng would give it.

She thought they could take it slow, letting Yan Su regain her trust in her bit by bit.

It was okay, they still had a lot of time.

Yan Su tilted her head up, her face pressed against Lin Jianheng’s comforting palm.

Lin Jianheng’s palm was always warm, enough to warm the succubus’s perennially cold body.

But right now, Yan Su’s face was hotter than that hand, and the touch of the palm became like a cooling drink.

She said the pheromones were different.

Yan Su’s almond eyes stared unblinkingly at Lin Jianheng.

They held the color of the sea, with pink hearts from her arousal.

They held a halo of light that had appeared at some point, a reflection of the hospital’s cold light. It was tiny, yet it broke through the barrier between them.

Lin Jianheng lowered her head, pressing her forehead against Yan Su’s.

Their eyes met completely, their noses touching.

Yan Su couldn’t help but close her eyes, hearing Lin Jianheng let out a soft laugh.

“Sister Yan, I will give you a mark.” Her voice was still so gentle.

As if Yan Su hadn’t just pushed Lin Jianheng a thousand miles away.

As if this face, this person, hadn’t held a knife to her throat and cut her cheek.

“But Sister Yan, I want you to know.” Lin Jianheng released control over her glands.

The sweet scent of orange blossom instantly spread.

Yan Su could almost see the white of the orange blossoms, the pale yellow stamens, the heavy fruit. Orange juice exploded in her mouth, about to be injected into her gland.

“It’s not because I want to, that I’m forcing you. I’m marking you because you asked for it.” This test, this confrontation, was led by Yan Su from the beginning. Wasn’t it?

Lin Jianheng tenderly brushed aside Yan Su’s red hair. Very gently, very elegantly.

A single sentence made Yan Su tremble. Lin Jianheng then stroked her back, covering the colored cold light with the lines of her palm.

It easily defeated Yan Su, even her trembling was absorbed by this warmth.

“We can start over, take it slow. I’ll tell you everything, just like before.”

Lin Jianheng was persistent, leading Yan Su backward.

Yan Su was hesitant, unwilling to turn back no matter what.

But a mark was placed without any room for argument.

Lin Jianheng’s movements were so gentle that for a moment, Yan Su forgot she was actually an Alpha.

She possessed an Alpha’s dominance, a roughness that knew no pity.

She just chose to be gentle.

She just chose… to be gentle with her.

When her gland was bitten, Yan Su struggled for a moment.

She slowly realized that maybe she didn’t want this mark.

Maybe she needed this mark.

Maybe she was just testing Lin Jianheng’s true feelings.

But if she said no, would Lin Jianheng stop?

Would she, like in the past ten-odd days, respect her wishes, raise her back into a person, and bring her into this world?

Or would she be like she was in the past month, completely disregarding her feelings, only caring about her own momentary pleasure?

But no matter what she thought, the pheromones flowed into the gland on the back of her neck.

She also sent her pheromones into Lin Jianheng’s mouth.

The honey pear with the scent of early spring, neutralized by the lightness of milk and the clarity of amber, mixed with her remaining bitter fear and the fragrance of dragon’s tongue grass.

It rushed into Lin Jianheng’s mouth without any room for argument.

And her gland, its will unclear, passively accepted the scent, the taste, the entirety of what was Lin Jianheng.

Lin Jianheng had her gentleness. She had said so much before the marking, confirmed it so many times, and even the motion of brushing aside her hair was light.

She also had her assertiveness, an inherent dominance. The moment she bit down, she gave Yan Su no chance to prepare.

Yan Su grew drowsy during the long marking, gradually relaxing the tension in her body.

Lin Jianheng had only given her a mark.

It was the mark she needed as a succubus. It was all she could give as a plaything.

Lin Jianheng didn’t take the opportunity to do more. She didn’t strip away more of her dignity.

If it had been that person…

She would have definitely bitten through her gland after the marking and mocked her naivety.

Yan Su closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

The scent of the pheromones was different.

She knew. Their pheromone scents were different, and the strength of their spiritual power was also worlds apart.

Lin Jianheng’s pheromones were very sweet, and fragrant when injected. It made Yan Su unable to control her liking for it, her heartstrings plucked one by one.

That person’s was different. It was the sharp spice of mint, an indescribable smoky, burning smell. It was unpleasant.

She had never been marked by her, and thankfully so. She didn’t know how unpleasant that would have been.

So, were they really different people?

Yan Su’s nose suddenly tingled.

The marking was over. All the pheromones had been exchanged.

Now her entire body was filled with Lin Jianheng’s scent, her taste.

Her gland was full of the elegant sweetness of orange blossom, with the toasted aroma of walnut as a complementary note, stirring her entire body.

Now she had become completely Lin Jianheng’s.

A wave of emptiness brought tears to Yan Su’s eyes. She didn’t even know why she was crying.

Lin Jianheng’s hand rested on her head, but was shaken off by her trembling.

“…Well, good night, Sister Yan. I’m a bit tired today too, I need to go back and rest. I’m right next door, you can find me if you need anything.”

Lin Jianheng draped the coat over Yan Su.

Returning the dignity that the usurper had taken from Yan Su’s body.

“Remember to eat. If you’re worried, you can have the hospital staff get you another meal. The hospital belongs to my sister-in-law’s family.” The door was gently closed.

Yan Su hurriedly looked up, not having time to wipe her tears, her gaze stumbling as it tried to follow Lin Jianheng’s figure.

The door was already closed.

Only Yan Su was left in the room.

…And the rich scent of an Alpha’s pheromones.

Dominant, overbearing. It stole Yan Su’s clarity without any room for argument, giving her a reason to indulge.

She sobbed as she crawled back into bed, wrapping herself in the sheets and letting her tears soak the bed.

Finally, she suddenly looked up, snatched the food container, and wolfed down the cold meal.

The food was fragrant and sweet.

So were the pheromones.

Yan Su slowly realized.

She had wanted Lin Jianheng to stay with her.

---

Lin Jianheng had given almost all the pheromones she had accumulated over the past few days to Yan Su.

The experience of giving them was also very good. Yan Su was very obedient, very cooperative, as if she really wanted it.

Quiet like a butterfly held in the palm of a hand, occasionally twitching from discomfort.

Lin Jianheng’s hand on her tattoo was like holding her wings; sensing her state, she would slightly slow her pace.

Lin Jianheng thought Yan Su would also be very comfortable. Their feelings should be equal, mutual.

So the more, the better.

Lin Jianheng stretched, relieving her physical and mental fatigue, and leaned back on the hospital bed.

It had to be said, it was her sister-in-law’s hospital for a reason.

This room must have been specially arranged for her; even the bed was this comfortable.

It easily surpassed any bed she had slept on in her previous life.

Even though she knew she was originally from this world, Lin Jianheng still habitually referred to her experience in the low-tech world as her “previous life.”

After lying down for a while, Lin Jianheng noticed a slight chill and loneliness.

She pulled the blanket up. No one else would probably come here tonight.

This feeling was similar to the first time she had given a mark.

But Lin Jianheng didn’t think too much about it.

Her emotions today had been like a roller coaster, with severe ups and downs. She had just managed to calm down.

Anything would be normal, right?

Lin Jianheng simply took out the recording Jian Lingxuan had given her and projected it into the air.

The recording was from the first-person perspective of the captain of the small team led by Jian Lingxuan.

It fully simulated the captain’s real experience at the time, even the field of vision.

It made one suspect the camera was installed in the captain’s eyes.

Lin Jianheng complained that it wasn’t objective and pressed play.

This was the second time she had seen the mess she created when her special ability went out of control. It was shocking every time she watched it.

The thought that she had controlled and created so many crystals made Lin Jianheng admire herself a little. She quietly raised her hand.

Playfully, she materialized a crystal.

Its size was nowhere near that of the crystal cocoon in the video, and its hardness also seemed far from the cocoon’s shell, which could withstand the burn of laser weapons.

No wonder Lu Yuanchen said her special ability had reached a peak of SS-rank when she lost control.

She was now stable at A-rank, which was not on the same order of magnitude as what was in the video.

After playing with it for a while, the video reached the part where the three-person team cleared a small path.

As the captain walked in, the field of vision suddenly blurred.

Too many crystals reflected and refracted different lights, making the heart of the cocoon bizarre and motley.

It was much like a kaleidoscope from her original world. Following the captain’s perspective, Lin Jianheng felt the dizziness that rushed to the poor worker’s head.

Then she saw herself.

Herself, holding Yan Su.

Using her back, her body, her arms, to carve out a safe space for Yan Su.

Yan Su slept peacefully in her arms. Like a child returning to its mother’s womb.

Her breathing was even and long. Her whole body was still, only the conspicuous wound cut by the usurper on her face disrupted the peaceful atmosphere and her delicate features.

And Lin Jianheng, the poor thing, was covered in wounds.

Seeing her own miserable state, Lin Jianheng couldn’t help but shudder.

Thank goodness it was the high-tech interstellar era.

With these injuries, if she were in her original world, she could have just started over.

Pierced, scraped, punctured…

Lin Jianheng silently closed her eyes. So even when she went crazy, her instincts remained.

Her instincts were connected to her desires.

She protected Yan Su.

Lin Jianheng felt self-satisfied for a while, then suddenly realized.

People are emotional creatures. Yan Su wasn’t as cold as she appeared on the surface; she had a heart and feelings. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been moved by her kindness, and thus hurt by the usurper.

So, what would a Yan Su like this think of her after seeing this video?

Would she become more vigilant, hide herself away, and continue to disbelieve her kindness?

Or would she deliberately get closer, wanting to repay this debt of gratitude?

Or would she let down her guard on the spot and return to her embrace?

Lin Jianheng guessed it wouldn’t be the first one, at least.

She pondered, wanting to let Yan Su see this video “unintentionally.”

How could she make a scheme seem more natural?

The beginnings of an idea formed in Lin Jianheng’s mind, and she immediately pressed play to continue.

She saw Li Zhaoge. The last time she played the recording, Lin Jianheng had only watched up to this point before Jian Lingxuan and Lu Yuanchen entered the room.

This time, Lin Jianheng played it at 0.5x speed and carefully observed Li Zhaoge’s clothes.

It was the uniform of an Imperial Guard captain. The insignia on Li Zhaoge’s uniform was more elaborate than the captain’s from the first-person perspective. Lin Jianheng guessed that Li Zhaoge’s rank was higher than this captain’s.

The key point was Li Zhaoge’s actions.

She had effortlessly shattered the product of her SS-rank special ability, which was enough to make one wary.

Lin Jianheng was human, but she also considered herself an intelligent animal.

Towards any existence that could potentially threaten her life, she would naturally raise her guard a thousandfold.

She watched Li Zhaoge’s movements almost frame by frame, but still couldn’t see clearly what she did from the captain’s perspective.

She only knew that Li Zhaoge must have done something to her, for Jian Lingxuan to draw her sword and confront her.

Then Li Zhaoge easily swatted Jian Lingxuan away—with her large wings.

Those things weren’t just stage decorations.

Lin Jianheng had seen recordings of Li Zhaoge’s performances. In the interstellar era, recordings were three-dimensional; one could wear VR equipment for an immersive experience, very similar to being at Li Zhaoge’s concert in person.

On stage, Li Zhaoge would flap those huge wings, slowly descending from the sky, meeting the fans’ frenzied cheers and tears, and with a beat of her wings, sprinkle fluorescent powder and ribbons to create a stage atmosphere.

Lin Jianheng thought she should have known long ago that such a large pair of wings wouldn’t just be for aesthetic purposes. She just hadn’t expected them to be so strong.

Her own sister was a top-tier Alpha, strong in all aspects. To be able to swat her away in one move, this Li Zhaoge… was very strong.

Lin Jianheng then saw Li Zhaoge pick her up and mouth something that made Jian Lingxuan freeze in place.

Lin Jianheng couldn’t read her lips at all, but she could see it.

Li Zhaoge’s attitude towards her really wasn’t like that of a fiancée.

The recording ended there. Lin Jianheng shed tears of emotion.

Really? Did this mean she, a straight woman—oh wait, here it’s called being marriage-averse—didn’t have to marry someone else?

Lin Jianheng wriggled on the bed for a while before finally stopping.

The emotional storm after the marking had subsided.

Lin Jianheng briefly sorted out her emotions, the current information, and the points of suspicion.

She wanted to know one thing.

Lin Jianheng couldn’t be bothered to investigate herself. She had no subordinates and no energy, so she opened her chat with Jian Lingxuan.

【My dearest sister, I’d like to know when that AI Butler came to “my” side -v- Your loving sister asks sincerely.】

Two seconds later, Jian Lingxuan replied.

【Two years ago.】

So cold and aloof, completely different from her usual image.

Lin Jianheng’s eyes darted, and she sent another message.

【What about me?】

The reply was slow this time.

This chat software wasn’t like WeChat; you couldn’t see if the other person was typing, only if the message was read.

Five minutes after her message was instantly read, Jian Lingxuan finally replied.

【I don’t know. I won’t lie to you about this.】

Lin Jianheng pieced together the timelines and almost didn’t need Jian Lingxuan’s answer anymore.

But she still sent Jian Lingxuan a cheeky sticker—a puppy farting.

Then she retracted it a second later.

【You little brat, you’re asking for it, aren’t you? I’m coming to deal with you tomorrow, just you wait!】

Yep, her dear sister was still the same dear sister.

Lin Jianheng closed the chat window and shut her eyes.

She understood everything now.

Two years ago, the palace coup, Li Zhaoge enlisted, she left her body, and the AI Butler moved into her home.

These seemingly unrelated events were perhaps all connected to the ghost that had occupied her body.

A bold guess. Li Zhaoge was her fiancée in name. Two years ago, due to the impact of the palace coup, her body was possessed by the ghost. To investigate this, Li Zhaoge enlisted. At the same time, the ghost brought its companion—the AI Butler—into her home for all-around surveillance, and it might have even infiltrated Jian Corporation’s internal network.

Lin Jianheng’s eyes snapped open, and she sent Jian Lingxuan a message out of the blue.

【Sis, can you please thoroughly check Jian Corporation’s internal network?】

Jian Lingxuan didn’t reply.

Seeing the “read” status, Lin Jianheng felt much more at ease.

She turned off her electronic device, saw that it was about time, and closed her eyes to sleep.

She had thought with so much on her mind, it would be hard to fall asleep.

Unexpectedly, she was so tired that she entered a dream as warm as the sea in a second.

---

Yan Su quietly slipped out of the hospital room.

No one was watching her. Lin Jianheng was more careless than she had imagined, actually giving her an opportunity.

But as she tiptoed through the hospital corridors, Yan Su suddenly remembered that sentence.

—”This is my sister-in-law’s hospital.”

That’s right. The hospital basically belonged to Lin Jianheng’s family.

There were eyes on her everywhere. Even if there was no overt surveillance, there was bound to be covert observation.

Yan Su took a deep breath.

But this was what she wanted, wasn’t it?

She wanted Lin Jianheng to be bad to her. She wanted Lin Jianheng to hit and curse her, control her, imprison her, and hurt her completely.

Only then could she be at ease.

So this was for the best. Continue to watch her.

Yan Su reassured herself, but her heart still beat uncontrollably fast.

Thump, thump, it was beating too fast.

It made it hard for Yan Su to tell whether she was afraid because of Lin Jianheng’s badness, or excited because she was about to see her.

Yan Su stood at the door of Lin Jianheng’s room, giving herself one last warning.

She was just going to complete her master’s task.

That’s right, her master had told her before leaving to come to her room.

Yan Su took a deep breath and gently slid the door open.

Surprisingly, Lin Jianheng’s door was unlocked. No biometric verification was needed to enter or exit.

Perhaps it was really left open for her.

Was Master waiting for her too?

Yan Su was barefoot, making as little noise as possible.

The soles of her feet were ice-cold, but Yan Su was used to enduring.

The tattoo on her ankle glinted coldly in the darkness. The dark red pattern was like a predator lying in wait.

And Yan Su was just a pitiful rabbit.

Already captured by her hunter, without even the strength for a death struggle, she simply played dead.

Hoping for a slim chance of survival.

One step, two steps.

Amidst the sound of her own heartbeat, Yan Su reached Lin Jianheng’s bedside and saw her deathly pale master.

Her master’s face had a faint blue glow under the moonlight.

Like a pale vampire princess, an immortal monster from ancient legends.

A sour feeling rose in Yan Su’s chest. She bit her lip and quietly knelt by Lin Jianheng’s bed.

She didn’t know whose soul resided in this body.

If it was possible…

Could she let her see?

Carried by the emotions from the marking, Yan Su moved closer to Lin Jianheng.

Her head rested on the edge of the bed, her eyes fixed on her sleeping master.

The aura she emanated brought Yan Su such joy.

There was the scent of pheromones. Her pheromones, Lin Jianheng’s pheromones. Mixed together, they became a sweet fragrance only she could smell.

There was also the spiritual power, leaking out unintentionally due to the lack of control during sleep.

…It was the spiritual power she was familiar with.

The one that had shown her concern, that had soothed her when she was in the most pain, tormented by the AI Butler to the point of losing control.

The one that had entered her most secret mental space, yet only left behind spiritual power to mend her scars.

It was that spiritual power, like the warm sun.

Yan Su couldn’t help but find Lin Jianheng’s hand.

Her tail fanned out behind her.

Just for a moment. Yan Su told herself.

She closed her eyes and pressed her face against Lin Jianheng’s palm.

Imperceptibly searching for the heartbeat from before the marking.

Her sleeping master, it turned out, wasn’t that warm. Nor was she soft and comforting.

So, that gentleness was only for her, wasn’t it?

This was her master, right?

Yan Su’s heart accelerated again, almost bringing a slight pain.

She endured the stabbing pain, but tears pried open the wounds in her heart for her.

One here, another there. Created by those words, by being hurt time and time again.

The moment her face touched Lin Jianheng’s palm, the pain finally began again.

It hurts so much…

Yan Su couldn’t help but tremble, as if a whip was landing on her again.

It hurts.

It was as if that person was still using Lin Jianheng’s voice, Lin Jianheng’s face, pinching her chin and forcing her to listen to those humiliating words.

Yan Su closed her eyes, tears welling up.

Why does it have to hurt…

She wanted to continue as before. To keep ignoring, to keep being deceived.

Was it because the anesthetic had worn off?

Then can I have another shot?

Yan Su was about to break.

And Lin Jianheng’s hand moved.

As if suddenly injected with life, resurrected from the dead.

From then on, it had warmth and softness. It fit the curve of Yan Su’s face perfectly.

Lin Jianheng opened her eyes, sat up slightly, and just stroked Yan Su’s face.

“Sister Yan.”

Yan Su’s favorite nickname flowed from Lin Jianheng’s lips, in a familiar tone.

“Miss me?”

Yan Su’s tail froze in place, as if it had broken.

The heart shape heated up rapidly, turning from pink to peach, and finally to a deep blood red.

Dyed by the moonlight, it looked like a blood moon.

This was the first time Lin Jianheng had seen Yan Su’s tail turn this color.

Then Yan Su’s ears also became pointed, and a pair of small wings even sprouted from her back. They were bat-like, like a demon from mythology.

But they had pink tips.

Yan Su’s face also heated up rapidly.

Before Lin Jianheng could say anything, she suddenly jumped up.

In three steps, she flew out of Lin Jianheng’s hospital room.

She really flew. Lin Jianheng could even see those newly sprouted little wings flapping frantically.

Lin Jianheng was stunned in the room for a good while, then suddenly burst out laughing.

So her Succubus Sister had gotten shy from what she said.

Perhaps she had hit the mark.

Yan Su missed her.

Her Succubus Sister was so cute.

---

The next morning, Lin Jianheng stretched.

She had a good night’s sleep and it was now time to get up and move around.

She was about to call her sister to prepare breakfast and take it next door to eat together.

But a guest arrived first.

It took Lin Jianheng a moment to recognize the person before her—with a wolf-cut hairstyle, smoky makeup, and a Western-style dress—as her neighbor.

“Are you okay? I sensed something was wrong at your place yesterday and called the Imperial Guard. We were evacuated later, and that’s when I found out you were hospitalized.”

Her neighbor, Meng Qinyi, entered the room sucking on a lollipop, and she had brought a get-well gift.

The get-well gifts of the interstellar era were still the same as in the primitive Lin Jianheng’s understanding: apples.

Lin Jianheng thanked Meng Qinyi. “It’s not a big deal, I should be able to leave the hospital in a couple of days. Did I accidentally damage your apartment?”

Meng Qinyi shrugged. “The building has a maintenance system. It’s already been repaired.”

Lin Jianheng couldn’t help but marvel. High-tech was great. It could solve this immediately.

“Anyway, are there three people in your home? Are they hospitalized with you?” Meng Qinyi was referring to Yan Su.

“No, there are only two of us, one is an AI Butler. My sister is resting next door. She’s fine, not really injured.” Lin Jianheng thought to herself, I’m the one who was seriously injured.

Unfortunately, the technology of this era was too advanced. She was able to get out of bed and hop around yesterday, and today she felt nothing, as if she wasn’t the one who had been pierced through yesterday.

“As long as you’re okay. You just awakened your special ability, right? Losing control is very common.”

After that, Meng Qinyi chatted with Lin Jianheng a bit about awakening special abilities.

When Lin Jianheng mentioned the AI Butler, she was still marveling. “I always thought AI rebelling against humans only existed in movies and TV shows. The AIs and robots I’ve encountered all obeyed human commands. I never thought I’d be backstabbed by one.”

Meng Qinyi’s expression suddenly turned grave.

“…It doesn’t just exist in movies and TV shows.” She abruptly leaned closer, startling Lin Jianheng.

Her eyes were grim, as if covered by dark clouds.

As if… she was telling Lin Jianheng a horror story.

“It’s not uncommon in reality, it’s just that the Empire has issued an order to clear all related reports.” She was holding something, as if she had prepared it long ago.

She pressed it into Lin Jianheng’s palm.

Lin Jianheng felt like she had just completed some kind of underground rendezvous.

The person opposite her, she didn’t know her well. She had only recently become her neighbor.

Or rather, after she had returned.

Could it be that Meng Qinyi was related to her past?

Lin Jianheng wanted to ask more, but Meng Qinyi had already stood up, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.

“Take care.” She bid farewell to Lin Jianheng.

Lin Jianheng tightened her grip on the thing she had been given.

It was a small recording device.

Lin Jianheng hid it in her pocket. She could only check it when she was sure it was safe.

And not alone. Lin Jianheng decided to tell Jian Lingxuan about this.

Just as she was thinking that, Jian Lingxuan opened the door.

Li Zhaoge followed behind her, no longer in the exquisite uniform of the Imperial Guard, nor in the atmospheric stage costume from her concerts.

Li Zhaoge was dressed in simple clothes as she walked to Lin Jianheng’s side.

“Xiao Heng,” she said, taking out a watch.

Lin Jianheng glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye. Her sister was obviously nervous; Li Zhaoge must have really done something to her yesterday.

Lin Jianheng didn’t feel anything at the moment, so she could only suppress her curiosity.

“This watch is a special version for you.” In fact, a watch that restricted abilities usually couldn’t be prepared in a single day.

Lin Jianheng’s… situation was too special.

Her watch had been made a long time ago, lying in a box collecting dust, waiting for Lin Jianheng’s return.

Now that Lin Jianheng had finally completed her awakening, the watch was back on her wrist.

Li Zhaoge lowered her eyes. She had never thought this day would come so smoothly.

But she couldn’t tell Lin Jianheng any of this.

“It’s just been slightly adjusted according to your situation. Generally speaking, it’s not much different from most of the monitoring and restraining watches in the Empire.”

Li Zhaoge gently fastened the watch onto Lin Jianheng’s wrist.

The watch fit her perfectly, quickly piercing into her marrow and connecting to her nerves.

Lin Jianheng felt a momentary sharp pain. Her territory had been invaded. She became a beast with only instinct, wanting to resist this oppressive force.

Li Zhaoge held her hand.

A massive amount of spiritual power washed over her. There was a chasm between S-rank and SS-rank.

Lin Jianheng gritted her teeth and glared at Li Zhaoge.

Jian Lingxuan, unusually, didn’t make a move, just watched worriedly from the side.

“Xiao Heng, I’m sorry. This is a necessary step. I need you to relax first, then connect to the device and enter our network.”

Li Zhaoge’s voice sounded distant and then near, as if she were submerged in water.

Lin Jianheng slowly closed her eyes, her mind still wondering. Why would anyone willingly connect such a thing to their body? Weren’t they afraid of problems?

But Li Zhaoge continued to pressure her, and no matter how unwilling she was, Lin Jianheng could only accept her fate.

After all, in the Empire, such a device was mandatory for those with top-tier spiritual power and special abilities.

Otherwise, society would panic, and they would be attacked.

The tide gradually extinguished Lin Jianheng’s breath. It turned out she was completely submerged in water.

…

One breath.

Two breaths.

Lin Jianheng suddenly opened her eyes to find herself floating in a void, surrounded by countless specks of light.

Some were bright, some were dim. Some were near, some were far.

Lin Jianheng was astonished. After freezing for three seconds, she opened her eyes in reality.

“What was that?” Lin Jianheng hadn’t recovered yet. She was soaked, as if she had really drowned once.

“Congratulations, Xiao Heng.” Li Zhaoge stroked Lin Jianheng’s hair, brushing away a droplet of mist.

“This is the Empire’s Star Net. You’ve successfully connected.”

Lin Jianheng felt as if she had just come into contact with the underlying logic of this world.

Li Zhaoge slowly explained to her.

“The Star Net connects everyone with spiritual power above S-rank. This includes members of our Imperial Guard, the current Grand Justice, the Chief Adjudicator, and… members of the royal family.”

“To a large extent, it ensures the safety of every special ability user. It reduces the possibility of them losing control, and when they need to have their ability restrictions lifted, it allows for timely approval of requests and dispatch of aid.”

So, rather than a device for ability control, it was a device that combined tracking, suppression, surveillance, and possible collaboration.

It was called the Star Net. Very fitting for this era.

Lin Jianheng looked at the watch on her wrist.

It was small, fit the curve of her skin, wasn’t cumbersome, and could even replace all the functions of a phone.

“So, from today on, I can’t take it off.” Lin Jianheng had an inexplicable feeling of being toyed with by everyone.

If she had known, she would have prepared more carefully for her ability awakening instead of treating it so casually.

…It was her negligence, not taking this world seriously before.

“Not exactly,” Li Zhaoge said, taking off her own watch.

“You are already connected to the Star Net. This,” she said, blatantly revealing the true nature of this world to Lin Jianheng, “is for show.”

Only then did Lin Jianheng understand.

Only the pain of it piercing her marrow just now, the spiritual power suppression to connect to the Star Net, was necessary.

“I see.” She completely understood.

She even let out a sneer, feeling that this world wasn’t all that special.

In some ways, it was no different from the one she had stayed in before.

But it also had its advantages. Lin Jianheng wouldn’t criticize this point; she also enjoyed the conveniences of this world.

Power, freedom, no need to worry about safety…

That’s why when the usurper asked her why she didn’t return to her familiar world, she had resolutely chosen to stay, and not just because of her family’s wealth.

This was her world, their world.

“You’ve worked hard, Xiao Heng.” Li Zhaoge once again stroked the hair by Lin Jianheng’s ear.

It seemed she was truly pitying her fiancée for having just gone through such an ordeal.

Lin Jianheng just found it laughable. She had just recovered from a serious injury. Lu Yuanchen had even told her not to engage in strenuous activity.

Yet the Empire was so impatient to put this monitoring device in her hands.

They insisted that Li Zhaoge connect her to the Star Net today.

Her past identity must be very important, very sensitive.

Lin Jianheng remembered being called “Little Highness.”

“Sister Zhaoge.” Lin Jianheng suddenly dodged Li Zhaoge’s touch, her almond eyes shining as she stared straight at her.

“You’re not actually my fiancée, are you?” She needed to test this person the Empire had sent to monitor her.

Li Zhaoge was stunned for a moment, then she revealed a smile Lin Jianheng had never seen before.

More sincere than any smile from her concerts.

Li Zhaoge thought, people who are too smart live painful lives.

But she didn’t say anything, only giving Lin Jianheng a smile.

Lin Jianheng was still Lin Jianheng. No matter how much time had passed, no matter what she had experienced.

She was still the same person from back then.

She was back. That was the best news.

Lin Jianheng was about to say something else, but a nurse stumbled into the room, leaning against the wall and speaking urgently.

“Little Miss, it’s all our fault, we didn’t watch her properly… The patient you brought, the succubus miss, she’s gone!”

Lin Jianheng froze, her mind instantly buzzing.

Yan Su ran away?

Why? They were so intimate last night. Yan Su had clearly started to trust her again.

She had wanted to have breakfast with Yan Su. She had wanted to comfort her poor sister.

“What happened? What about the surveillance? When was the last time she was seen?” Lin Jianheng jumped out of bed, forgetting that she was supposed to be resting.

The nurse pulled up the surveillance footage. “This is the last sighting, just half an hour ago…”

In the surveillance footage, Lin Jianheng saw Yan Su’s figure, right by the hospital entrance.

There was someone next to her. Lin Jianheng immediately zoomed in and, from the side profile, identified the person as none other than Meng Qinyi.

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