Lin Jianheng’s heart stopped for a moment.
Meng Qinyi was a huge problem! It wasn’t as simple as just giving her strange information!
Or rather, giving her that information was a complete deception, a way to divert her attention.
The other party’s true goal, from beginning to end, was Yan Su!
Lin Jianheng immediately thought of Yan Su’s final identity in the original novel—the King of the Demon Clan.
Could Meng Qinyi be related to the Demon Clan?
Lin Jianheng didn’t know where the Demon Clan was at this point in time, or what they were doing. She only knew that the Demon Clan didn’t have a high status within the Empire.
Yan Su couldn’t be playing out a counter-attack script, could she…
Lin Jianheng calmed herself. The most prominent features of the Demon Clan were their tails and ears, and she hadn’t seen Meng Qinyi reveal either.
Maybe she was just here to kidnap Yan Su, either to sell her or to threaten her…
Regardless, Lin Jianheng couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. She had already rushed out of the hospital room.
“Come back!” Jian Lingxuan grabbed her younger sister.
“Sister!” Lin Jianheng wasn’t as strong as Jian Lingxuan, making her even more anxious. Beads of sweat trickled down her temples.
It wasn’t just the fear of Yan Su being trafficked or sold to a new master. She was more afraid… that Yan Su would just leave her like this.
Of course, Lin Jianheng was also afraid of what happened to her in the original novel, even if she remained skeptical of the information it provided for now.
“What can you do going out alone? What if they’re actually after you!”
Jian Lingxuan held onto Lin Jianheng tightly, the worry in her eyes so thick it made Lin Jianheng a little dazed.
In her past life… no family member had ever cared for her like this.
This blatant favoritism made Lin Jianheng’s heart soften for a moment, but then she frowned again.
“What… what do you mean?”
Jian Lingxuan’s words were too strange.
“Jian Heng, don’t go.” Jian Lingxuan didn’t reveal any more, just tightened her grip.
“It doesn’t look like she left on her own. She… she has no identity, no strength, and there’s still medicine in her system that hasn’t been fully flushed out… If she goes out alone like this, she’s the one in the most danger. I have you all, but she has no one else. I have to go find her.”
If Yan Su had snuck out of the hospital on her own, Lin Jianheng might have really let it go.
After all, their first meeting wasn’t pleasant. In the beginning, she was only trying to atone for the harm the usurper had caused Yan Su and avoid her own death ending.
But then there was Meng Qinyi. Meng Qinyi had even given her a huge “surprise” when she came to visit.
Meng Qinyi might as well have had “I’m suspicious” written on her face.
For someone like that to approach Yan Su and take her away, Lin Jianheng could only assume Yan Su hadn’t gone willingly.
“Sister, can you help me?” Lin Jianheng took a deep breath and softened her tone.
That’s right, she wasn’t alone, but Yan Su only had her.
She had to go find Yan Su.
“But…” It wasn’t that Jian Lingxuan didn’t want to help Lin Jianheng.
She just didn’t want her sister to be in danger. She knew more than Lin Jianheng and could only assume the other party was intentionally setting a trap.
To her, what was the sacrifice of one succubus? As long as her sister was safe.
Besides, the succubus race was already looked down upon within the Empire. It was only because of her sister’s kindness that this succubus was treated well.
But the succubus was nothing but trouble, causing so many incidents in just half a month.
It was impossible to say she had no complaints.
“Xiao Heng.” Li Zhaoge, who had been standing in the background, suddenly spoke up.
“Is she important to you?” She met Lin Jianheng’s eyes.
Lin Jianheng turned her head and looked at her.
Jian Lingxuan’s hand slowly loosened.
Lin Jianheng remained in the same position, her gaze unwavering.
Staring at Li Zhaoge. It even put a lot of pressure on her.
Li Zhaoge stepped forward under Lin Jianheng’s gaze.
She gave her a slight nod.
“Yes,” Lin Jianheng answered solemnly.
“Very important.” She walked towards Li Zhaoge.
Jian Lingxuan stood where she was, the hand that had been gripping Lin Jianheng’s wrist now gripping her own.
Li Zhaoge had spoken. As her older sister, there was no way she could stop her now.
Jian Lingxuan’s heart ached, and she lowered her eyes dejectedly.
Li Zhaoge sat in a chair, pulled up a database, and logged in with her captain’s authority.
Lin Jianheng watched the projection in the air change rapidly.
Li Zhaoge first pulled up photos from the scene of her ability outburst, zooming in step by step to get a clear image of Yan Su’s face.
An AI calculating in sync quickly simulated Yan Su’s face with her eyes open, including a 3D model from four different angles.
Lin Jianheng watched from the side and interrupted.
“There’s a mole here, and the bridge of her nose isn’t high enough.”
Li Zhaoge didn’t stop, and the AI, hearing her suggestion, immediately made adjustments until it matched Lin Jianheng’s memory of Yan Su.
So intelligent… Once the model was complete, Lin Jianheng stepped aside, her heart still racing, her back sweaty.
Meng Qinyi’s words popped into her head at an inopportune moment.
—Not just one.
—The Empire blocked these incidents to avoid causing a panic.
What if… Lin Jianheng meant, what if.
These AIs of the Imperial military, what if they’ve been infiltrated by some entity, just like the AI Butler?
Or what if they serve another master, just like the AI Butler’s fanatical worship of the usurper, like a believer and its god.
Lin Jianheng frowned and pushed the thought away.
If she could think of it, the Empire’s high command couldn’t possibly be unaware. It was better to worry about Yan Su’s situation.
“Does the Empire have Sister Yan’s identification information?” Lin Jianheng finally realized she was essentially asking an Imperial official to help her find an undocumented person.
An undocumented person that “she” had brought back from the black market, no less.
Lin Jianheng was starting to sweat profusely.
Li Zhaoge didn’t turn around, her hands moving quickly as the projection changed.
“She is your person.” That one sentence was all that was needed.
So that’s how it was.
Lin Jianheng thought, her true identity must be truly extraordinary, to make a captain like Li Zhaoge bend the rules for her to find an undocumented person. And even so, the Empire’s high command wouldn’t say a thing.
Yan Su was her person. She was with her, and only her.
As long as she was by her side, no one should be able to bully Yan Su.
Lin Jianheng thought, so she should also bring Yan Su back.
In less than two minutes, Li Zhaoge had already compared all the faces from the surveillance footage and successfully tracked Meng Qinyi’s van.
“Van,” of course, was Lin Jianheng’s term for it. She didn’t know what such a large vehicle was called in this world, or what special functions it had.
“In District C, 503rd Avenue. Xiao Heng, let’s go.” Li Zhaoge lived up to her title as captain. Her actions were swift; she took Lin Jianheng’s arm and was already heading out of the room.
Lin Jianheng’s heart raced once more. Could they catch up to them in time? Could they find out what Meng Qinyi really wanted to do?
When Yan Su saw her again, what would she think?
Suddenly, Lin Jianheng felt a weight on her back. A warm coat was draped over her shoulders. She whipped her head around and saw Jian Lingxuan.
Her sister was much taller than her, her body showing signs of rigorous training.
Right now, she was standing behind her, putting a warm coat on her.
Then she took a step back and watched her leave.
Jian Lingxuan had the most silent love, a care etched into her very bones.
Thankfully, she was her sister’s younger sister.
Lin Jianheng gave her sister a smile. “It’ll be fine, Sister. Wait for me to come back.”
Jian Lingxuan managed a weak response, and the smile faded the moment Lin Jianheng turned away.
Her face darkened, and her high boots made a tapping sound as she walked.
She strode into Lu Yuanchen’s office, ignoring her fiancée who was still organizing medical records, and grabbed her by the collar.
“Tell me. What exactly was the plan back then?”
Yan Su sat in the bumpy vehicle, hugging her knees, huddled in a corner trying to make herself as small as possible.
Pressure spread silently through the cabin, and fear, with nowhere to run, finally rushed into Yan Su’s heart.
Looking at the woman driving, her neighbor, Yan Su recalled what had happened that morning.
She hadn’t slept all night. She had hidden in her hospital room, secretly missing Lin Jianheng.
Her room was filled with the Alpha’s pheromones.
Her bed carried Lin Jianheng’s scent. Back then, she had sat right here, motionless, watching Lin Jianheng, testing her.
And Lin Jianheng hadn’t disappointed her. She had leaned over the edge of her bed, one hand braced on the bed, the other arm around her.
Cradling her forehead, stroking the back of her head, brushing aside her hair.
Biting her gland, exchanging their different types of pheromones.
It was as if Lin Jianheng’s warmth still lingered on her chair.
Lin Jianheng had sat right here, visiting her, bringing her food, telling her it wasn’t poisoned, saying they were different.
Yan Su tossed and turned in the ocean of the Alpha’s pheromones.
Her whole body felt sticky and hot.
Her Alpha, her master.
So gentle, yet so wicked.
Only marking her, and nothing else.
Not taking a single step further without her consent.
To the point that she was now completely bewitched.
Led by the pheromones, Yan Su had secretly gone to see Lin Jianheng.
She was caught red-handed, gently caressed, and instantly transported back to the moment before, during, and after being marked.
The sweet taste still lingered inside her.
It erupted in that instant.
Engulfing her completely, making her want to surrender herself entirely.
Yan Su fled back, for the first time, in such a disheveled state.
Her wings were out, her whole body tense.
She fell onto the bed, and while regretting it, she secretly…
Touched her own gland.
It was the first time she had ever tried to touch her own gland.
How strange. It was clearly her own organ, the most fragile and hidden part of her body.
Yet she had never touched it even once.
The first person to touch it was Lin Jianheng.
The first person to bite it, kiss it, lick it, to give it everything, was also Lin Jianheng.
Now, Lin Jianheng was more familiar with her gland than she was.
Yan Su rubbed the culprit that had made her lose her composure.
Unable to resist, she bit down on the pillow.
Suppressing soft, broken whimpers.
Yan Su remembered that she was the only one in the room at that time.
Lin Jianheng’s pheromones.
And her own calls.
Very soft.
But she clearly remembered what she had called out.
“Master…”
To the sound of a call she had once despised, Yan Su was covered in a fragrant sweat.
After that…
Yan Su skipped over the memory that was too embarrassing.
Her recollection had reached the morning.
She wanted to know if Lin Jianheng would come looking for her, so she stayed curled up in her blankets, not moving.
Head down, wrapped up like a little turtle, but her heart was still beating fast.
Someone came, but it wasn’t Lin Jianheng.
Yan Su was startled, thinking it was a new master Lin Jianheng had found for her.
But that person knelt before her and said she wanted to take her back.
“Don’t you feel humiliated?” Meng Qinyi’s head was bowed, her voice soft, yet it held an irresistible allure.
Yan Su thought it might be the other’s racial talent, or a special ability, or spiritual power.
She wasn’t planning on falling for it.
But Meng Qinyi continued, “We are all intelligent beings. Are we any different from them? Why must we be treated as playthings, to be kept in captivity?”
Yan Su frowned.
She, too, had pondered this question more than once.
She still remembered her time in the underground black market.
The cages were filled with people… goods… similar to her.
They were degraded to objects, displayed in cages with price tags around their necks, waiting for a kind buyer to come and “rescue” them.
She was taken away early on, but she had still spent a period of time in endless darkness.
She didn’t dare imagine what her companions had gone through.
Yes, she was lucky to have met a… very good master now.
But she was still a master.
So, should she run away with this person?
Meng Qinyi was still on one knee, but she raised her head to look at Yan Su.
“Leave with me. And then rule over us. That is where you belong.” Her words seemed to hold a real magic.
It actually made Yan Su get out of bed and follow her with trembling steps.
They left the hospital quietly, without alerting anyone.
It was as if they were leaving openly, just going on an outing, not escaping.
It wasn’t until she was finally in the person’s car and the vehicle roared to life that Yan Su truly felt the reality of her escape.
The car was moving fast.
Yan Su leaned against the window, watching the hospital as it flew past her eyes, turning into invisible lines.
Was she… really going to escape that place?
To leave Lin Jianheng completely. No need to worry about who she really was anymore.
No need to grovel for a little pain, no need to be paranoid over a little pheromone, so anxious she couldn’t sleep at night.
She wouldn’t even have to embarrass herself anymore. From now on, she would be alone, a free person.
For a moment, Yan Su truly yearned for it, fantasizing about her future life.
But…
As she thought about it, she realized.
She had no past memories. She didn’t know who she was, and she still had a contract with Lin Jianheng.
Leaving Lin Jianheng meant that she, a person with no ability to live independently, would have to find work just to feed herself.
She could end up worse off—she was a succubus, very likely to be bullied by others, as the entire Empire’s impression of succubi was tinged with something salacious.
She would also have to endure the pain from the pheromones, the longing, or the danger of being discovered.
Moreover, the woman who took her away hadn’t even said who she was.
She didn’t even know the other person’s name.
At this point, Yan Su realized she had truly fallen into a trap.
The other person had a powerful ability to charm, a voice that bewitched people like a siren’s.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have followed her—Lin Jianheng had already returned.
She was safe with Lin Jianheng, so why step into the unknown? That was the real danger.
Yan Su started to regret it.
But the car had been moving for a long time, and she didn’t even know where she was going.
Master…
Yan Su once again murmured Lin Jianheng’s title in her heart.
This time, it was filled with genuine emotion.
She had no one else besides Lin Jianheng.
Lin Jianheng had completely become her everything—that was never an exaggeration.
But Yan Su didn’t know if Lin Jianheng would come to get her.
After catching her, what would she do to her, what would she say?
Would Lin Jianheng turn back into that terrifying person?
Would she tear open the seal on the confinement room again and kick her inside without a word?
Would she take out the whip, vines, and thorns, and make her choose?
But this time, she had brought it upon herself.
Yan Su thought, if Lin Jianheng wanted to punish her, she would obediently admit her guilt.
She could kneel, lie prostrate, and offer her most vulnerable places to Lin Jianheng without reservation.
To beg for her forgiveness.
Right now, Yan Su just wanted to beg Lin Jianheng to come find her.
She wasn’t good, but she would make up for it.
Master… can you come find me?
“Soon, my lady. We’ll be able to leave the Capital Star soon.” The culprit in the driver’s seat spoke.
Although Her Highness the Princess’s birthday ceremony was approaching and security on the Capital Star was getting stricter.
To get Yan Su away, Meng Qinyi had made thorough preparations.
Yan Su didn’t reply. She didn’t realize they were moving so fast.
She was even more unaware that Lin Jianheng and the others were already on their way, forcing Meng Qinyi to take detours, which was why they hadn’t reached the border yet.
This “van” was naturally modified; it was actually a small spaceship that could safely carry them away.
“Tsk.” Meng Qinyi clicked her tongue when she saw the red dot on the navigation system.
“Hold on tight, my lady. They’re after us.” Meng Qinyi said, stepping on the accelerator.
But Yan Su’s head shot up.
They’re here? Lin Jianheng came for her!
Her heart exploded in that instant, like fireworks, rushing to her head.
The moment she heard the news, Yan Su realized just how much she missed Lin Jianheng.
She has to catch up… Yan Su thought about how to give Lin Jianheng and the others a hint.
The vehicle was truly fast. Yan Su could barely keep her seat and had to use half her energy just to maintain her balance.
But she was clearer-headed and calmer than before.
In a flash, an idea came to Yan Su.
Spiritual power!
Lin Jianheng had left some of her spiritual power in her spiritual space.
Although there wasn’t much left, she could follow it to connect to Lin Jianheng’s spiritual space.
To tell her where they were, and where the person who took her was going next.
Would Lin Jianheng accept her connection?
Yan Su bit her lip, even drawing a look of pity from Meng Qinyi.
“You see, my lady. They’re chasing us relentlessly only because they’ve lost a plaything, because of my identity and actions. They don’t care about you at all. Only I, only we, will not harm you.”
A strange purple light flashed in her eyes, making Yan Su shrink into the shadows, avoiding the bewitchment in her voice.
Yan Su didn’t answer, and luckily Meng Qinyi had to focus all her attention on driving.
They were recklessly speeding through District D of the Capital Star, about to reach the outermost border, District E!
Just then, Lin Jianheng felt a light scratch.
It was in her mind, and upon careful inspection, she realized the force came from her spiritual space.
It was Yan Su looking for her! Yan Su really had been kidnapped.
Lin Jianheng quickly used her spiritual power to connect with the kitten’s outstretched paw, holding it tight.
“I’ve connected with Yan Su! She’s…” Lin Jianheng felt the information Yan Su was trying to send her.
They weren’t connected to the Star Net, but Lin Jianheng still sank into her consciousness, able to see Yan Su’s form in her spiritual space.
It was blurry; their connection came from residual spiritual power and wasn’t strong.
But Lin Jianheng could hear Yan Su’s words clearly and feel the deep unease coming from her.
“Go this way to cut them off. They’re planning to leave through Gate 15, they have an inside man.” Lin Jianheng suddenly took control of the steering wheel.
The Imperial Guard’s vehicles were all driven by spiritual power. Lin Jianheng easily learned how to control it.
“Sister Zhaoge, can you send people to prepare an interception in advance?” Actually, she didn’t need to say more.
Li Zhaoge was already on the Star Net, commanding her subordinates to prepare.
The Empire had the “cheat” tool that was the Star Net. In the past, whether in war or on internal missions, they used the Star Net to contact teammates and superiors/subordinates.
No need to speak, no delay, and they could share intelligence from all directions, greatly increasing survival rates and mission efficiency.
It was just that Lin Jianheng wasn’t used to using the Star Net yet.
“Damn it… how do they know?” Meng Qinyi watched the vehicle behind them pursue her as if it had predicted her moves, and couldn’t help but curse.
Yan Su stared at her, her eyes sharp, carefully recording her posture, features, and clothes.
The current Meng Qinyi was dressed in all black, with a buzz cut and no makeup, a far cry from the appearance they had seen during the day and before.
Yan Su could only use her spiritual power to record her every move as best she could, hoping to help Lin Jianheng and the others later.
It was at this moment.
A laser suddenly pierced through the cabin, cutting through the darkness.
Meng Qinyi lost control of the steering wheel, and the car door slammed into a crystal pillar that had suddenly appeared.
The vehicle was destroyed, its engine dead.
The shaking finally stopped, and Yan Su looked up, staring blankly at the sky.
It was very blue.
Yan Su saw a clear expanse. The sky of the Capital Star was a refreshing blue, which Lin Jianheng had said was like her eyes.
At this moment, her eyes were filled with the sky and light clouds.
The wind blew through the tips of her hair, mixed with smoke, dust, and the haze of damaged electronics.
Everything in the world flowed through Yan Su’s eyes and ears.
This was the first time in a long while that she had left her small cage, her room, and seen the outdoors.
So this is what the world looked like.
But Yan Su was in no mood to appreciate it.
She saw Lin Jianheng.
Lin Jianheng leaped down from above, landing in front of her.
With a flick of her hand, a crystal pierced Meng Qinyi’s shoulder, and two crystal pillars stabbed through her thighs, leaving her unable to escape.
But Lin Jianheng didn’t look back.
She just stared straight at Yan Su.
They looked at each other under the vast sky of District E, standing inside the wrecked vehicle.
Only a single beam of sunlight from above slanted down onto Lin Jianheng’s shoulder.
The sunlight was warm, orange or yellow, both pale and rich, with a comfortable temperature.
It dyed Lin Jianheng in the same warm color, blurring her edges, her face.
Yan Su couldn’t see Lin Jianheng’s expression clearly.
She could only see light.
Abundant light, soft light.
Lin Jianheng opened her arms to her.
And so Yan Su couldn’t help but stand up and run towards her.
One step walking, one step running, then a swift leap.
Losing control, she threw herself into Lin Jianheng’s arms.
Lin Jianheng caught her steadily, finally relaxing. She stumbled back a few steps but still held Yan Su tightly in her embrace.
“Master…” Yan Su began to tremble slowly, the shaking growing more violent, her voice more broken.
“Master, Master. Master…” Her master had come to save her.
And there was no scolding, no punishment.
Lin Jianheng gave her a hug, a warmth Yan Su had never experienced before.
It must be because… they were in the sunlight.
Yan Su sobbed, clutching tightly to Lin Jianheng’s collar.
Lin Jianheng cupped the back of her head, stroking her slightly tangled hair, comforting her succubus.
“I’ve come to get you.” She tightened her arm around Yan Su’s waist, and then they were pulled up to a safe height by a rope.
The two of them left the wreckage. Lin Jianheng raised crystals to surround the culprit, intending to question her.
But Li Zhaoge frowned and put a hand on Lin Jianheng’s shoulder.
Lin Jianheng retracted her ability and saw a flash of fire on the ground.
A net covered the area of the explosion, containing the impact to a minimum.
A knot formed between Lin Jianheng’s brows.
Li Zhaoge sent a message to Lin Jianheng through the Star Net: Meng Qinyi’s inside man was dead, poison hidden in his teeth. It was suicide.
The worst-case scenario had happened. The other party had self-destructed, destroying all evidence. They probably wouldn’t get any information.
Why Yan Su was kidnapped became an unsolved mystery.
In any case, Yan Su was safe, and that was the best news.
Lin Jianheng left the rest of the work to Li Zhaoge and carried Yan Su to the spaceship’s lounge, gently stroking her poor succubus.
“It’s okay, Sister Yan, we’re safe now.” Lin Jianheng thought, Yan Su must have been forced to leave the hospital room.
That’s why she actively sought her out in the spiritual space and sent her that information.
And now, she was crying like this because she was so scared, her face was a mess like a little kitten’s, her eyes all red.
People always romanticize the people and things they like, and Lin Jianheng was no exception.
It was as if she was unwilling to consider the possibility that Yan Su had run away on her own.
“And I found you. Don’t cry, it’s bad for you.” Although a part of Lin Jianheng thought that Yan Su was cute even when she cried.
As expected of the succubus she had a contract with. Even her tears were heart-wrenching and endearing.
“But, but…” Yan Su wanted to say that she had left with that person willingly.
But she regretted it, thinking of Lin Jianheng’s kindness.
Wanting to use her to survive, to live better, not because she truly had feelings for her.
Yet Lin Jianheng could embrace and caress her without any hesitation.
As if she really wasn’t her plaything, but an equal.
A frightened lover…
Yan Su bit her lip until it hurt.
How could she think of herself like that, think of her master like that?
That’s right, they were master and servant, master and pet. No matter how loved she was, she would only ever be Lin Jianheng’s plaything.
She was unworthy of being Lin Jianheng’s lover.
So, she shouldn’t have such unrealistic thoughts. It was too vile.
The feeling of self-loathing crashed around inside Yan Su, finally turning into a rapidly pounding heart.
“It’s okay to cry for a while. You must have been terrified. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice that bad person. It was my negligence, my fault…”
Lin Jianheng held Yan Su a little tighter, trying to give her as much security as possible.
Yan Su trembled once again in this overly warm embrace.
She thought, there was no sunlight anymore, so why did the embrace feel too hot?
She thought, it was clearly her fault, she was the one who ran away, so how could her master be so gentle and take all the blame?
She thought, she was a very, very bad succubus, a terrible pet.
But she had a very good master.
Yan Su couldn’t help but move closer to Lin Jianheng, her usually restrained hands reaching out to hug Lin Jianheng’s neck tightly.
Lin Jianheng didn’t reject her initiative, changing her hold to embrace her tighter, her face against hers.
…The places where their skin touched were also very hot.
Yan Su was almost burned to tears, thinking, how could her master be so warm.
“Master…” Yan Su’s voice broke into a sob again, her tears having long since soaked the coat Jian Lingxuan had put on Lin Jianheng.
“Hey, I’m here. Actually, if you’re comfortable, you don’t have to call me Master. You can call me Jian Heng, or Xiao Heng.” Lin Jianheng was slowly coming to accept this name.
Jian Heng was her real name, not the original owner’s, nor that of the wild ghost who stole her body.
Heng was such a good character. Its meaning was much better than her original name’s.1
“No! Master is Master…” A master could never become a lover.
The succubus, who had cried herself weak, found a rare burst of strength to refuse Lin Jianheng’s words, insisting on calling her Master.
But, it was enough that Lin Jianheng was her master.
“Alright, alright, whatever you like.” Lin Jianheng, thinking about what she had recently learned, tried to extend her spiritual power and connect to Yan Su’s spiritual space.
Yan Su didn’t refuse, opening herself up.
Was she going to be punished?
Yan Su’s eyelashes trembled. It seemed… she was even a little expectant.
Pain was what she deserved. Give her pain.
Lin Jianheng just transferred her own spiritual power over.
Little by little, it replenished the spiritual power Yan Su had lost due to her emotional breakdown, as well as the power she had just expended to unilaterally find and connect with her.
Yan Su felt that warm current again.
It flowed peacefully and soothingly into her spiritual space.
Unlike last time, it didn’t make her wary.
Yan Su relaxed completely, melting into a soft pile in Lin Jianheng’s arms.
Slowly, she received the spiritual comfort from her master, her contractor, her Alpha.
The feeling of being healed was so palpable that when Yan Su bit her lip and looked at Lin Jianheng, tears welled up again.
“Is it uncomfortable? Should I stop?” Lin Jianheng didn’t quite understand.
She, on the other hand, was a little uncomfortable. After all, giving spiritual power was different from pheromones; it felt like her vital energy was being drained.
Hey, her succubus wasn’t some kind of fox demon that sucked out people’s life force, was she?
Just kidding. Even if she were a fox demon, that would be fine. She was willing to give it.
As long as Yan Su… didn’t leave her.
On the way here, Lin Jianheng had been thinking about her feelings for Yan Su, which seemed a bit intense.
But then Lin Jianheng reflected on her experiences from her past life.
Her best friend and she couldn’t get into universities in the same city. She had to leave her hometown for a place farther away with better job prospects, while her friend could stay in a place she preferred.
She had been very sad back then, wanting to be with her best friend. They had cried together for days, crying whenever they met that summer. They even slept together.
Later, when her beautiful and kind older roommate was changing jobs, Lin Jianheng had even considered quitting and going with her when she moved out.
Lin Jianheng felt relieved again. She just wanted to treat Yan Su as a good friend.
There was nothing wrong with that. All her good friends were ones she had chosen herself.
She didn’t want friends who didn’t understand her family situation, who weren’t enthusiastic enough towards her, who liked to joke around with the other gender…
Since she had chosen Yan Su, she had to treat her well.
Comforting her good friend’s spiritual power was what she should do.
With that thought, Lin Jianheng rubbed Yan Su’s face, red and hot from crying, and pressed her own against it.
Yan Su flushed bright red, her ears pointing. She clutched Lin Jianheng’s collar and managed to squeeze out a small, high-pitched sound. “N-no, it’s not that, I’m very comfortable…”
How could anything her master gave her be uncomfortable?
Even if it was punishment…
Yan Su thought, she really did deserve to be punished, still having wild thoughts at a time like this, not properly accepting her master’s spiritual power.
She would confess to Lin Jianheng.
What kind of punishment would she receive?
“Master, thank you.” The spiritual comfort stopped, and Yan Su’s chaotic thoughts also ceased.
She just lingered in Lin Jianheng’s arms, and Lin Jianheng found a comfortable way to rest against her shoulder, not letting go.
“Hmm?” A lazy, nasal sound came from beside Yan Su’s ear.
The base of Yan Su’s ears grew hot again, making her whole body feel uncomfortably warm.
“It’s what I should do,” Lin Jianheng said after a moment’s pause.
In those two seconds of silence, Yan Su’s heart reached its maximum rate. Now, with a ringing in her ears, she had to concentrate fully just to hear Lin Jianheng’s voice.
“You call me Master. If you get bullied, of course I have to help you fight back.” Lin Jianheng patted the succubus sister’s head.
Then, she pinched her pointed ears.
The elf-like ears turned red at the touch and trembled. They seemed to give off a watery sheen, translucent enough to see a few blood vessels.
So pretty.
Lin Jianheng sighed. It was a pity she wasn’t some other race, just an ordinary human, without wings, a tail, or special ears.
“Besides, you were in trouble. It’s only right that I help you and bring you back.”
Yan Su heard that light laugh, full of appreciation.
Her fingertips couldn’t help but tighten on Lin Jianheng’s clothes.
Lin Jianheng’s nose inadvertently brushed against Yan Su’s ear. Her breathing was light, but it rushed completely into Yan Su’s ear canal.
It also struck her translucent ear, painting it blood red.
“But…” Yan Su couldn’t help but look up. Unable to bear the stimulation, she let go of Lin Jianheng and hurriedly backed away.
Lin Jianheng grabbed her, and she couldn’t get away.
Meeting Lin Jianheng’s confused eyes, Yan Su gritted her teeth and decided to tell her everything.
“I ran away on purpose. I-I’m not that good. She asked if I wanted to leave, she said they could respect me, adore me, let me lead them. I wanted that too, so I left.” Yan Su spoke faster and faster.
The words tumbled out like beans from a bag. Not caring if Lin Jianheng understood, she took advantage of her momentary lack of reaction to pull away from the embrace.
“I did it on purpose. I… I wanted to leave, to run away. It wasn’t because I was forced…” Although Meng Qinyi had used some tricks.
But Yan Su was convinced that she herself had had the thought of leaving.
Otherwise, the process of that person taking her away wouldn’t have been so smooth and quick.
“Ah…” Lin Jianheng turned the words over in her mind.
This, it seemed, was more like a normal intelligent being.
She wasn’t a blank slate, not pure, not decisive. She would struggle, and she had her own little schemes.
“But you still came to find me.” Lin Jianheng let out a breath.
Suppressing the subtle displeasure in her heart.
“You used your spiritual power to find me, gave me information, and let me rescue you. That’s enough.”
Yes, that was enough. The process didn’t matter. And there was no need to probe each other’s true feelings; they might be too dirty, too sharp. Lin Jianheng herself was no saint.
Lin Jianheng stood up, placed her hand on Yan Su’s head again, and smoothed down her frizzy hair.
“I’ve said it before, if you want to leave, I can let you go. At least… don’t run off with strange people. I’ll worry, okay?”
Yan Su’s expression twisted slightly.
She tried her best to hold back her tears, but a sour feeling filled her nose, stinging her tear ducts.
Tears streamed down her face once more.
Accompanied by a continuously accelerating heartbeat.
“You are, Lin Jianheng…” It really is her, right?
The new master, that very good master.
“I am Lin Jianheng.” Lin Jianheng let out a breath, took a step forward, and gently patted the crybaby sister’s back, hugging her.
“I understand… Master, I… I want to stay.” The succubus’s tail swayed slightly behind Yan Su.
The swinging black heart shape revealed a hint of subtle pink.
“Then we’re still good.” Lin Jianheng knew that she trusted her again. They could go back to how they were.
This embrace was warmer than the morning sun.
But both of them harbored little secrets that only they knew.
Lin Jianheng knew she was lying. She would never let Yan Su leave again.
Yan Su knew she had ulterior motives. She couldn’t survive on her own and had to rely on her master, Lin Jianheng, for the time being.
But so what?
At least in this moment, they were still holding each other.
For both of them, that was enough.
“The spaceship Meng Qinyi used was an unregistered model. There are 1,872 people registered under the name Meng Qinyi in the entire Empire, but none of them match this person’s characteristics, and most of them don’t live on the Capital Star and have solid alibis.”
Li Zhaoge reported the current investigation results to Lin Jianheng.
Yan Su clung to Lin Jianheng’s side, cautiously watching the person before them.
Lin Jianheng assumed her succubus sister was shy around strangers and would occasionally reach out to stroke Yan Su’s head, causing the succubus’s tail to twitch erratically.
It hit the wall behind her, and Yan Su silently swallowed the pain.
Who is this person… why is she so close to Lin Jianheng?
“I suspect she was using a fake name, but I told her my real name, sigh…”
Lin Jianheng had never suspected before that her neighbor could be some kind of strange spy.
Now that she knew her identity was unusual, she would be more careful in the future.
“When my team members went to check her residence, there were no traces left.” Li Zhaoge had acted quickly.
The moment Lin Jianheng said Yan Su was important, she had informed her subordinates through the Star Net and sent them to Meng Qinyi’s residence.
Her nearest subordinate took five minutes to arrive, but the place was already empty.
“Can you remember anything else, Xiao Heng?” Li Zhaoge said, handing Lin Jianheng a glass of water.
Lin Jianheng naturally passed it to Yan Su and then asked for another glass from Li Zhaoge.
Yan Su held it without drinking, only taking a small sip after Lin Jianheng had swallowed a mouthful.
It was actually slightly sweet, perhaps with honey. Yan Su tried to identify it, but she only tasted the fragrance of orange blossoms.
She was dazed. It must be a delusion, tasting Lin Jianheng’s pheromones just from drinking water.
Could it be that she really liked it?
The succubus twitched her tail in annoyance, wanting to get rid of the orange blossom taste in her mouth.
If she didn’t get rid of it soon, she would…
She would start wanting Lin Jianheng’s mark.
For a succubus, marking was true feeding.
Yan Su thought she didn’t have such a big appetite before. She was just marked yesterday, how could she be hungry today?
She could still endure it.
Yan Su lowered her head to restrain herself.
“I thought she was renovating these past few days. Now it seems her target was my Sister Yan.” Lin Jianheng’s voice was the same as usual, drifting into Yan Su’s heart.
My Sister Yan… After finally managing to retract her ears, Yan Su’s tail was about to give away her thoughts again. She had to use most of her concentration to suppress it.
“But Sister Yan was brought home by ‘me’ the month before last, while the neighbor’s house was bought a long time ago.”
Lin Jianheng pointed out a few pieces of furniture she had seen.
Li Zhaoge searched again, and the results came out in a second.
The Q Net was countless times more powerful than the 5G Lin Jianheng had used in her previous life.
“This is all second-hand furniture that’s changed hands several times…” Li Zhaoge also fell silent.
She felt that the other party’s target should be Jian Heng.
But she couldn’t figure out the point of kidnapping this succubus.
After all, Lin Jianheng had just risked herself to save Yan Su—even though Li Zhaoge had repeatedly advised against it, Lin Jianheng insisted, so she could only stand guard nearby.
That should have been the best time to make a move on Lin Jianheng. But the other party did nothing.
It was only after Yan Su was taken away that they self-destructed.
It was hard to say if it was self-destruction. Li Zhaoge’s people had taken the residue and were sending it for analysis. They would have to wait for the results to know if it was a creation of a special ability.
With such an ability, one could control their creations from across planets. The creation’s appearance could also be vastly different from the user’s.
“I still remember what she looked like.” Yan Su fidgeted for a while, finally got her tail under control, and spoke up.
Li Zhaoge looked up, properly looking at this succubus for the first time.
The Demon Clan had a very low status within the Empire, not to mention a race like the succubi, which was always associated with promiscuity and salaciousness.
The root cause was that the Demon Clan had never acknowledged the Empire’s rule.
In fact, the demons currently living within the Empire’s jurisdiction were only a small fraction of the entire Demon Clan, the abandoned ones who had not yet been taken away.
Most of the Demon Clan had established their own kingdom at the edge of the galaxy and had not had contact with the Empire for a long time. Li Zhaoge didn’t know any more details.
Li Zhaoge didn’t know why Lin Jianheng had taken this succubus, but she didn’t need to ask.
She trusted that Lin Jianheng knew what she was doing.
“Can you release the relevant spiritual power?” Li Zhaoge asked, all business.
For some reason, this succubus’s attitude towards her was a bit strange.
Yan Su looked at Lin Jianheng.
Lin Jianheng rubbed her face. “Don’t be nervous. If you don’t want to, it’s fine.”
Lin Jianheng was still guessing at the relationship between “Meng Qinyi” and the Demon Clan, and her relationship with Yan Su, the Demon King.
If Yan Su wanted to protect her own kind…
There was nothing Lin Jianheng could do. For now, she couldn’t find a reason to interfere with that protection.
“Can I transfer it to Master, and then you can give it to her…” Yan Su didn’t want to come into contact with outside machines or people.
The AI Butler at home had already given her a bad enough attitude towards intelligent machinery.
“That’s fine too.” Of course, Lin Jianheng had no reason to refuse.
Since she had agreed, Li Zhaoge had nothing to say.
Yan Su clung to Lin Jianheng’s arm and secretly extended her spiritual power towards her.
In the spiritual space, Lin Jianheng grasped the paw Yan Su offered.
Every time she saw Yan Su like this, she really thought she was like a little cat.
Cautiously extending a paw to test the waters, then running away after a couple of pokes.
But Lin Jianheng wasn’t an indulgent master. She would precisely catch the mischievous little cat and forcefully pull her into her own territory.
Yan Su’s spiritual power was yanked into Lin Jianheng’s spiritual space all at once, leaving her a bit dazed.
Lin Jianheng released a friendly signal, making contact with Yan Su’s spiritual power.
Yan Su tensed up. It was thanks to Lin Jianheng’s earlier replenishment that she could still transmit the images she remembered in such a high-strung state.
Lin Jianheng received the images from Yan Su but didn’t let her go.
She kept her for a few more seconds and poked that cat-like spiritual power.
Yan Su, just like a cat, shrank back at the poke, extremely shy, wanting to hide.
Lin Jianheng playfully squeezed the little cat’s paw and let Yan Su go.
When they returned to reality, Yan Su was covered in sweat, her whole body flushed red.
Her wings had even come out inadvertently. Luckily, they were folded and didn’t damage the spaceship’s walls.
Li Zhaoge didn’t watch their interaction, keeping her eyes lowered on the intelligence analysis.
Seeing that the two had finished their spiritual power exchange, she then connected a special device to Lin Jianheng.
Yan Su stood to the side, sorting out her emotions, retracting her wings and ears, and slapping her disobedient, pink-tinged tail hard.
She was just like a little cat after its owner had roughly groomed it, very unhappily smoothing down its own messy fur.
Lin Jianheng lay down with a smile in her eyes, waiting for the machine to extract her spiritual power.
“Can intelligent machines analyze spiritual power?” A thought occurred to Lin Jianheng, and she suddenly spoke.
Yan Su, who was grooming herself, froze.
“This is our official latest machine. It can analyze specific spiritual wavebands,” Li Zhaoge said, typing in a code.
“But it’s not perfect yet. It requires manual calibration.”
“Then can it control spiritual power, or generate it?” Lin Jianheng still didn’t know what had caused Yan Su’s spiritual power to go out of control.
Although all signs pointed to the AI Butler.
But the AI Butler was an AI robot. How could it stimulate Yan Su’s spiritual power?
Could it be just through words and actions?
If that were the case, Yan Su should have had many breakdowns during her time with the usurper.
“I haven’t heard of any such cases,” Li Zhaoge said cautiously. “Xiao Heng, do you know something?”
Lin Jianheng shook her head, just as she removed the chip from her head. “I’m not sure yet. Are the analysis results for the AI Butler out?”
“They’ll be out before nine tomorrow morning.” That was a very precise answer.
Li Zhaoge took the information on Meng Qinyi’s appearance and behavior, and she looked at Yan Su with new eyes.
She hadn’t expected Yan Su to have been so observant, carefully watching, likely for the purpose of providing information now.
She wasn’t stupid.
Li Zhaoge glanced at the two who were sticking together again and said no more.
“I’ll come see you again tomorrow, Xiao Heng.” After taking Lin Jianheng and Yan Su back to Lu Yuanchen’s hospital, Li Zhaoge said goodbye to Lin Jianheng.
“Okay, Sister Zhaoge. Thank you for your hard work today.” Lin Jianheng didn’t refuse Li Zhaoge’s pat on the cheek.
Who doesn’t like being patted by a pretty older sister?
Lin Jianheng waved goodbye to Li Zhaoge, not noticing the dark expression on Yan Su’s face beside her.
“Master.” Yan Su pressed her lips together and reoccupied the spot next to Lin Jianheng.
“Who is she?” Yan Su slowed her voice as much as possible, so her question wouldn’t sound so aggressive.
“Sister Zhaoge? Oh, that’s what I forgot to tell you about the other night.” Lin Jianheng sat on the hospital bed.
The hospital bed could also be converted into a single sofa, something Lin Jianheng had only discovered today while randomly pressing buttons.
She wanted to have Yan Su sit on her lap, but Yan Su insisted that she was the master, so Lin Jianheng had no choice but to let Yan Su sit next to her.
“It’s just… she might be my fiancée.” Lin Jianheng had tried to probe this morning, but Li Zhaoge hadn’t directly addressed the issue.
“I’m not too sure either. Anyway, we’re supposed to be fiancées in public.” Lin Jianheng scratched her head.
Yan Su’s breath caught.
“Fiancée…” She should have known.
Her master’s financial resources were not simple. The entire house’s decor looked simple, but a closer look revealed luxurious details everywhere.
The two new beds together cost nearly a million.
How could she be the daughter of an ordinary family?
A family like that was destined to have someone like a fiancée.
“You have a fiancée?” Yan Su still hadn’t given up hope, but her voice was trembling.
“Yeah, I actually have a fiancée.” Lin Jianheng closed her eyes, unwilling to face reality.
“But I have no memory of it, and she didn’t say what was going on.” She sat up with a carp-like flip, her head naturally resting on Yan Su’s shoulder.
Yan Su flinched, her shoulders turning to stone as she supported Lin Jianheng.
Is this… a test?
Is it some kind of hint?
Was it true when Lin Jianheng said she liked her that day?
What did these two markings mean?
But that’s not right, I’m just the master’s pet…
Her heart was in a turmoil.
“M-Master, do you like her?” She had to say something, do something, to ease this feeling.
“I like her quite a bit. She’s very pretty, a big star, her voice is amazing, and she’s gentle and reliable…”
The “like” in Lin Jianheng’s mouth and the “like” in Yan Su’s mouth were not the same thing.
Liking is liking. Lin Jianheng thought she also liked Yan Su a lot.
She also really liked her bestie, her former roommate, her old deskmate, her university roommates…
Three seconds later, Lin Jianheng realized that in this context, “like” probably didn’t mean that.
“I-I didn’t mean that kind of like!” Lin Jianheng’s explanation came too late; Yan Su’s eyelashes were already wet.
She blinked and looked up, her eyelashes glistening with moisture.
In the faint blue light of the hospital, they shimmered like ripples on water.
Paired with her sea-like eyes, it truly resembled a lake and a willow tree, the tears like a gentle breeze making the willow branches tremble, floating on the shimmering water.
No one had ever told her that a succubus’s eyes could be so beautiful.
Lin Jianheng was stunned for a moment, and her desire to explain intensified. “It’s, it’s the like of a normal friend. She’s helped me a lot, and she’s a very gentle older sister…”
A single tear clearly rolled around in Yan Su’s eye.
Although Lin Jianheng didn’t quite understand, she could feel that she was only making things worse.
“No, no, no, I really don’t like her, uh, not in that, you know, marriageable way! I haven’t even known her as long as I’ve known you…”
Lin Jianheng’s voice was loud at first. Then, feeling like she sounded guilty, it gradually grew quieter.
How should she put it? She sounded like some love-struck fool who couldn’t get over their ex.
A single “I don’t remember her” was laughable enough.
Lin Jianheng fell silent and simply opened the food container next to her.
“Let’s eat first!” she said, trying to ease the awkwardness between them.
Damn it, she was so straight. She didn’t want the succubus sister to misunderstand her.
Otherwise, how could they be close in the future? If the succubus sister thought she was gay, she’d probably think she was a pervert, right?
Although it seemed like that concept didn’t exist in this world, uh, that was even more awkward!
In short, to sum it up, she was unmarried, asexual, and platonic!
Eat?! Yan Su’s heart hadn’t even had a chance to lift before she saw the actual food container in Lin Jianheng’s hand, and it sank again.
She didn’t refuse, just returned to her previous silence.
There was no trace of tears in her eyes anymore, just a coldness that made Lin Jianheng feel incredibly guilty.
Oh god. The succubus sister couldn’t possibly think she was a pervert, right? Right?
Lin Jianheng ate cautiously.
Yan Su’s movements were mechanical. She barely looked at Lin Jianheng, frozen like an ice block, just as she had been when they first met.
After eating, just as Lin Jianheng was about to continue explaining to Yan Su, Jian Lingxuan entered the room with Lu Yuanchen.
“Then, Master, I’ll return to my room first.” Yan Su was very respectful, even taking Lin Jianheng’s food container to clean it, just like a little maid raised by Lin Jianheng.
This respectful demeanor unintentionally created a distance between them, leaving Lin Jianheng with an indescribable tightness in her chest. She wanted to ask her to stay, but couldn’t find the words.
“Yo, made up?” Jian Lingxuan was back to teasing her sister, regardless of the consequences.
Lin Jianheng shot her a look, pressed an automatic button, and slipped into bed, too lazy to bother with her.
“Tsk, you haven’t done your check-up today. Get up, or should I kick you?” Jian Lingxuan couldn’t be bothered with her sister’s love life and raised her leg.
Under her own sister’s tyranny, Lin Jianheng had no choice but to get up for her re-examination.
“Did Xiao Heng use her spiritual power and special ability today?” Lu Yuanchen asked beforehand during the examination.
Lin Jianheng nodded, thought for a moment, and then added embarrassedly, “I also used pheromones yesterday…”
Lu Yuanchen and Jian Lingxuan both looked at her.
Lin Jianheng silently shrank back.
Lu Yuanchen stopped Jian Lingxuan from provoking Lin Jianheng further.
“Let’s test all three aspects then. I’ll give you the gland training manual later.”
Lin Jianheng closed her eyes and lay down in the medical pod.
While she was in the pod, Lu Yuanchen checked the data, focusing on her spiritual power.
This was almost the only way for them to identify which soul was inhabiting this body.
Jian Lingxuan found it strange. “She already told me. Do we still need to test it?”
Lu Yuanchen didn’t turn around. “The data shows she was invaded just two days ago.”
Jian Lingxuan froze, then rushed to the screen. “Then why didn’t she tell me?”
Lu Yuanchen looked up at Jian Lingxuan, her expression calm. “You should think about why she would suddenly tell you.”
Jian Lingxuan’s expression turned sour.
Just then, the examination was finished.
“Sister?” Lin Jianheng looked at Jian Lingxuan, who looked like she’d been punched, and found it novel.
“What’s wrong?” Lin Jianheng jumped out of the medical pod and went over to Jian Lingxuan.
Jian Lingxuan was pinched by Lu Yuanchen and quickly came to her senses. “Ah, it’s nothing. Your sister-in-law will show you the results later. I have a meeting.”
Lin Jianheng didn’t stop her. Her sister had been coming to her room so often these past two days that she thought their family’s corporation must be so idle without her.
The moment she said that, she was punched by Jian Lingxuan, accompanied by a few phrases like “little ungrateful thing” and “ingrate.”
It was normal for Jian Lingxuan to have meetings.
Lin Jianheng found an interesting chair to study and didn’t even see Jian Lingxuan off.
Lu Yuanchen glanced at her silently, then looked down to find the gland training method and sent it to her.
Lin Jianheng thanked her and opened it.
The first thing that caught her eye was: During the secondary development period, appropriate marking behavior can help the gland’s growth.
A warmth spread across Lin Jianheng’s neck before she even had time to savor last night’s marking.
Yan Su’s spiritual power suddenly came through from the spiritual space.
Lin Jianheng closed the document and caught the little cat’s paw.
She was suddenly met with an “image” sent by Yan Su through her spiritual power.
It was Yan Su, standing in front of a mirror.
All she was wearing was a single white shirt.
The kind with a popped button.
Footnotes
- The name “简珩” (Jiǎn Héng) uses the character 珩 (héng), which refers to a type of ancient ceremonial jade pendant worn by nobles. It symbolizes rarity, beauty, and moral integrity. In contrast, the name “林茧恒” (Lín Jiǎnheng) uses 茧 (jiǎn) meaning “cocoon” and 恒 (héng) meaning “perseverance” or “constancy.” The change to “珩” reflects a shift from a more mundane or constrained identity (“cocoon”) to one of elegance and value (“jade pendant”), aligning with Lin Jianheng’s acceptance of her new identity and status in this world. ↩
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