Chapter 145: Seeing the Suggestive Red Marks on Her

Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Seeing the Suggestive Red Marks on Her

Si Jin saw the unease and reluctance in Yun Sheng’s eyes, and his heart melted completely.

He leaned down, pecked her lightly on the lips, and whispered, "Yes, I have to go. But I’ll get you settled before I leave."

He took a neatly folded piece of inner clothing from his Space Button and handed it to her.

Yun Sheng took it, unfolded it, and paused in surprise.

The inner clothes were a perfect fit, as if they had been tailored just for her.

She looked up at Si Jin in surprise, teasing, "It fits this well?"

Si Jin met her gaze, the corners of his lips curling into a faint smile. His voice was tinged with amusement.

"Don’t look at me like that. I had a whole outfit prepared, and I was just wondering when I’d get the chance to give it to you. The rest... I’ll give them to you after your field training is over."

Yun Sheng’s face flushed again. Clutching the inner clothing, she felt her heart swell with a gentle warmth.

She turned away and changed, the fabric rustling softly.

Si Jin turned toward the cave entrance and quietly set up a spiritual power barrier, enveloping the entire space.

"I’m done," she said softly.

Si Jin turned around, his gaze lingering on her for a moment.

The inner clothes fit her surprisingly well, perfectly accentuating her slender waist. The fabric draped smoothly along the curves of her body, making her look all the more delicate and alluring.

Si Jin’s gaze slid from her shoulders to her waist before he nonchalantly looked away, but his Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably.

He took a deep breath to suppress the inappropriate thoughts and put away the Lighting Pearl.

The light dimmed, leaving only the faint daylight filtering in from the cave’s entrance.

"Come here." Si Jin held out his hand.

Yun Sheng walked over and let him pull her gently into his arms.

He lowered his head, placing a kiss on the crown of her hair. "Let’s go outside and check on the situation," he said, his voice low and gentle.

Yun Sheng leaned into his embrace and hummed softly in agreement.

The vines parted, revealing the blinding sunlight.

Bai Ye was no longer where they had left him. Faintly, in the distance, they could hear the sounds of him leading their teammates away—footsteps and calls heading in the opposite direction.

A barely perceptible smirk touched Si Jin’s lips. He swept Yun Sheng into his arms and darted off in the opposite direction, quickly disappearing deep into the dense forest.

He found a secluded hollow surrounded by tall, interwoven shrubs. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling the ground in small patches of light.

"Are you tired?"

Si Jin gently set Yun Sheng down on a flat rock and sat beside her.

Yun Sheng shook her head but leaned back into his arms, her voice muffled.

"A little... My legs feel weak."

Si Jin chuckled softly. He didn’t say anything, simply holding her a little tighter.

His spiritual power slowly reached out, gently enveloping her to soothe her physical exhaustion.

Yun Sheng closed her eyes, letting his spiritual power course through her body.

After some time, she suddenly let out a soft sound of surprise.

"What is it?"

Si Jin looked down at her.

Yun Sheng lifted her hand, concentrating for a moment. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes.

"My spiritual power... it feels much more substantial."

Si Jin’s eyes flickered. He also sent out his spiritual power to gently connect with hers.

Indeed, her spiritual power was much more robust than before, faintly reaching the strength of a D-level guide.

Her guide hormone was also much more concentrated than before.

Si Jin’s lips curled. He leaned in close to her neck and took a deep breath.

"No wonder," he said, his voice laced with lazy amusement. "I’ve been thinking you smell especially fragrant."

Yun Sheng’s face immediately flushed red. She pushed lightly at his chest. "You... stop it."

Si Jin laughed, catching her hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. He didn’t tease her any further.

The two of them simply held each other as time stretched on in peaceful silence.

After some time, the sky began to darken.

Si Jin lifted his head, sensing for any distant movements.

’Bai Ye has probably kept them away long enough. Any longer and it might arouse suspicion.’

He looked down at the woman in his arms.

Yun Sheng was resting against his shoulder, half-asleep, her eyelashes fluttering gently.

He stroked her head gently. "Yun Sheng," he said in a low voice, "I have to go."

Yun Sheng’s eyelashes trembled. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze.

Her eyes were filled with reluctance, affection, and a hint of panic.

She raised a hand, instinctively grabbing his arm.

"Then..." Her voice was strained. "When will I see you again?"

Si Jin looked at her, and his heart melted completely.

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Don’t worry, I won’t go far. I’ll always be in the shadows, watching over you."

Yun Sheng’s eyes stung with tears, but she nodded and slowly let go of his arm.

Si Jin stood up and took a few steps back, his eyes fixed on her.

The next moment, his fingertips twitched.

A few vines descended silently from the treetops, gently twining around Yun Sheng’s waist and wrists. More vines followed, wrapping her in layer after layer.

The verdant leaves and branches intertwined, weaving a gentle cocoon that completely enveloped her.

Yun Sheng obligingly closed her eyes and relaxed her body.

Si Jin gave her one last look, then turned and vanished into the night.

...

"There’s movement over there!"

Cheng Nian’s voice cut through the night.

Several figures quickly darted in their direction.

They could vaguely make out a shadowy bundle entangled in vines, curled up quietly by the roots of an ancient tree.

"Is that..." Ma Yu squinted.

The group slowed their pace, approaching with caution.

As they drew closer, the shadowy mass became clearer.

Inside the green, vine-woven nest, they could faintly make out a human figure, wrapped within the vines. It looked like it was being used as... ’nutrients?’

"Yun Sheng!"

Cheng Nian’s expression changed, and she cried out, instinctively starting to rush forward.

The next moment, however, the vines seemed to sense a threat and lashed out at all of them!

Zhao Qian slashed her blade, severing a vine whipping toward her. "This stuff again!" she gritted her teeth. "How annoying!"

Ma Yu and Guo Kai quickly joined the fray. Vine after vine was severed, but more surged forward in a relentless tide.

Bai Ye stood his ground, his gaze locked on the figure held within the vines.

His spiritual power reached out quietly. He sensed that Yun Sheng’s breathing was steady. She was completely unharmed, just... ’asleep.’

’The vines looked frenzied, but they were only wrapped around her, not hurting her in the slightest.’

’It was Si Jin.’

’He arranged this deliberately!’

’Having Yun Sheng "be found" like this wouldn’t arouse suspicion and would ensure her safe return.’

Bai Ye squeezed his eyes shut, his thin lips pressing into a hard line.

’He knew Si Jin was nearby, hiding in the shadows, watching all of this unfold.’

’But he couldn’t say a word.’

"White Tiger Officer!" Li Wen’s voice called out. "There are too many of these vines! We need your help!"

Bai Ye opened his eyes, his gaze as tranquil as still water.

He raised a hand, his spiritual power materializing as sharp blades that slashed toward the vines.

"Attack together, but be careful not to hurt her," he commanded in a low voice.

Li Wen faltered for a second, but quickly understood and made her attacks more careful.

Finally, the last vine was severed, and Yun Sheng’s body, freed from its restraints, slumped down.

In a flash, Bai Ye was there, dropping to one knee to catch her securely in his arms.

As he lifted her, Yun Sheng’s head tilted back slightly, causing the collar of her clothes to slip open.

Bai Ye’s gaze inadvertently swept across the area, and his pupils contracted sharply.

An intimate mark rested just above Yun Sheng’s collarbone, shockingly stark against her pale skin.

It was a mark left by passionate, repeated kisses.

Bai Ye’s breath hitched.

Even though he had known what Si Jin had done with Yun Sheng, even though he had told himself again and again to accept the reality of it, the moment he saw the proof with his own eyes, it felt like a knife had been viciously plunged into his chest. It felt as if someone had then gripped his heart in a vice, squeezing so tight that not even a drop of blood could escape.

The suffocating pain threatened to overwhelm him.