Chapter 180 | You’re Insane…

Chapter 180: 180 | You’re Insane...

Sometime past midnight, Selene’s head drifted sideways and rested directly on Dexter’s shoulder. Her silver-white hair spilled across his arm as her breathing slowed.

A few minutes later, her hands actually found his as her fingers closed around his arm, snuggling and cuddling his arm like a koala and Dexter was awake through all of it.

And then, unbidden, unwanted, and thoroughly unhelpful, his mind drifted to a particular system reward he had received earlier that evening.

’Joy and Harmony Acupuncture Technique.’

’Purely designed to induce bodily comfort and pleasure.’

Heat started to rise within his body.

Not the Abyssal Flame kind of heat. Not the mana-circulation kind of heat. A different kind entirely. One that had nothing to do with cultivation and everything to do with the fact that a beautiful woman was pressed against his side, her fingers wrapped around his arm, her hair brushing against his neck.

Dexter inhaled sharply through his nose.

’Don’t. Do not. Do not even think about it.’

He activated his breathing technique, forcing his mana circulation into a slower, deeper pattern to calm his mind and it helped slightly. .

’Just calm down. You’ve seen OnlyHeroes, done somethings, so you should be resistant to this.’

But his body was not listening to his mind with the same fidelity it usually demonstrated. The warmth continued to build as something within him started to rise.

’Just the thought is getting a rise out of you.’

He almost slapped himself.

’If she kissed you, what would you do?’

He rapidly thought about something else. Mira’s sister.

It helped.

For about ten minutes.

Then Selene shifted in her sleep, her head sliding from his shoulder to his chest, her body curling slightly toward his warmth. Her grip on his arm tightened.

"Sigh."

A quiet, content sound escaped her lips.

Dexter eyes trembled and he stared at the ceiling with the wide, unblinking eyes of a man enduring a trial of temptation.

He gritted his teeth as he glared at the air. It was this goddam system that placed useless thoughts in his mind.

First was the pill, then the glove and now the jog and harmony acupuncture technique.

’I am going to kill the system.’

He barely survived the night through stubbornness and willpower that rival’s that of John-wick.

---

"Ring! Ring! Ring!"

The alarm shattered the silence at 5:00 AM.

Dexter’s eyes snapped open.

Selene’s eyes snapped open.

For a brief, disorienting moment, neither of them moved.

Then Selene processed her situation.

Her head was on his chest, not on his shoulder but on his chest and her arm was wrapped around his waist as her body pressed against his side, curled into him like a vine clinging to a tree trunk.

Even her leg had somehow ended up draped across his knee.

She was, for all practical purposes, attached to him like a koala on a tree.

"W-what...?"

Selene’s face went from zero to crimson in half a second as she released him so fast it was as though his skin had been made of hot iron.

She scrambled backward on the bed, her hands slapping against the mattress, her silver hair flying in every direction. Her pale eyes were wide. Her lips were parted. Her entire face was the color of a ripe tomato.

She turned toward the door. Took two steps and then stopped.

Her hand gripped the door frame.

She stood there for a moment, her back to him, her shoulders tight, her ears burning.

"Thank you and I’m really sorry i did that, Dexter. It won’t happen again." she stuttered but sounded solemn.

Dexter was stunned and before she could leave he immediately spoke up.

"I don’t mind."

Selene who was planning to leave suddenly froze.

Dexter immediately relayed himself. "I truly don’t mind. As long as it makes you comfortable? I’d do anything to help you."

As he spoke those words, Selene’s body trembled. And she froze for a while before she muttered.

"Because it’s your responsibility, right?"

Dexter immediately nodded his head. "Yes."

Selene breathing paused and it seemed she didn’t receive the answer she wanted but Dexter voice continued.

"At the beginning, yes. I did it because it was my responsibility, but now, I’m doing it because of another reason entirely."

Hos words were sincere and although Selene couldn’t see, her Takent could see every inch of his face. Every expression he made and she knew he was been serious.

Selene turned her head slightly towards him and let out an extremely beautiful smile.

"You’re insane."

With that, she immediately left his room.

Dexter was stunned and he scratched his head. ’What does she mean by that? Is it a good thigh or a bad thing.’

4

He smiled and shook his head, exhaling as he stretched his arms above his head.

His spine popped, his neck cracked twice and his shoulders groaned. He hadn’t moved for about 5 hours.

Because a beautiful woman had been sleeping on him and he had been too stubborn and too respectful to disturb her.

He stood up, stretched again, then he looked at the clock.

5:03 AM.

He had a lot to do today.

He stood at the kitchen counter, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and began prepping. He used only ordinary ingredients like yesterday.

His Arcane Nutrition Insight passive ability made the process remarkably efficient.

’Carrots. High in beta-carotene. When combined with ginger, produces a mild stamina recovery effect lasting ninety minutes.’

’Grade One beast meat. Moderate protein density. Low mana content. When seared and paired with soy sauce, enhances physical recovery rate by six percent for two hours.’

’Onions. Trace sulfur compounds. When caramelized, improves absorption of accompanying nutrients by eight percent.’

He didn’t need to think about what would work and what wouldn’t. The knowledge simply existed, guiding his hands as he chopped, seasoned, and stirred with practiced efficiency.

He used the large ordinary pot, without heavenly flame. Just heat, oil, and technique deliberately dialed back to produce food that was good without being extraordinary.

By 6:30 AM, the first batch was done.