Chapter 41: I Have Something to Say

Ye Xi'an slowly closed her eyes, her breathing gradually steadied, and she carefully felt her own mental power, as if merging with the world around her.

Gradually, thousands of glowing white threads extended from her body, like an invisible net that silently unfurled and covered the entire training base.

Every corner and every breath became clearly perceptible in her awareness, as if she had gained a third-person view.

Suddenly, her mental power detected a faint but familiar fluctuation—that was Bao Jing's aura.

His position gradually became clear in her mind, like a lit dot on a map.

It turned out Bao Jing was in the room next to the medical chamber, just a few steps away.

"Found him."

She whispered softly, then focused all her mental power, attempting to teleport to Bao Jing's side.

As time passed, the space around Ye Xi'an underwent some imperceptible distortions, but the keen-sensed Lin Zhi Jing still noticed; one second before Ye Xi'an vanished, he grabbed her arm.

The next moment, Ye Xi'an's figure appeared beside Bao Jing's hospital bed, accompanied by an inquisitive Lin Zhi Jing with an inscrutable expression.

Upon seeing Bao Jing, Ye Xi'an shook off Lin Zhi Jing's hand, bent down, and checked his condition.

"Bao Jing."

She called softly, her voice filled with concern and relief.

But he remained deeply asleep.

"What is his ability level? What is his beast type?"

Lin Zhi Jing behind Ye Xi'an suddenly asked; Ye Xi'an lowered her eyes, not turning back: "Level-two hunting falcon."

"A high-level predator beast type, with decent regenerative ability; if it weren't for the low rank, he should have awakened by now. However."

Lin Zhi Jing had a question: for this beast type, male talent usually surpasses that of ordinary males; given his age, he shouldn't be only level two.

"Why is he only level two? Could it be that you've spoiled him too much, making this male overly lacking in ambition?"

Ye Xi'an's back stiffened; thinking of the reason Bao Jing was only level two, she felt a bit guilty.

Lin Zhi Jing leaned by the window, sunlight streaming through the glass onto his side profile, outlining his sharp contours.

He slightly turned his head, his gaze falling on Ye Xi'an, his tone somewhat nonchalant yet hinting at seriousness: "Female, I advise you not to be too kind to males; a male's nature is base, the nicer you are to them, the more they'll get uppity."

Half-crouched beside the bed, Ye Xi'an felt her scalp tingle, she nervously twisted the bedsheet in her hands, her toes practically digging out a three-bedroom apartment.

She kept pleading in her heart for Lin Zhi Jing to stop speaking; she truly hadn't been overly kind to males.

Seeing Ye Xi'an ignore him, Lin Zhi Jing lay still beside the bed, couldn't resist placing his foot under her buttocks and lifting it slightly: "Are you listening to me?"

Ye Xi'an was touched on the buttocks, jumped up: "Just talk, why kick my butt? Don't you know that's rude?"

Lin Zhi Jing didn't expect Ye Xi'an to suddenly get angry; before, she always seemed soft and pliable, easy to bully, so he thought she wouldn't get angry.

At once, he felt flustered: "I wasn't kicking your butt; I was just trying to call you."

"Then why not just call my name?"

"But you never told me your name."

"Did you ask me? If you didn't ask, how could I tell you!"

"Then what's your name?"

Lin Zhi Jing's sudden question doused the somewhat angry Ye Xi'an with a chill; she replied in a small, stifled voice: "Ye Xi'an."

"Ye as in leaf, Xi'an as in hope for peace?"

Ye Xi'an nodded unwillingly, then turned her back and refused to look at him.

"Now I know your name; don't you want to know mine?"

Ye Xi'an turned back with a strange expression, feeling Lin Zhi Jing's words had suddenly increased, as if he were a completely different person from when they first met.

"No."

"Why?"

Ye Xi'an, already somewhat impatient from his questioning, replied: "Because I already know you're called Lin Zhi Jing!"

Lin Zhi Jing fell silent, but his mind was unusually active.

He hadn't told Ye Xi'an his name, so it must have been those outside soldiers who told her.

And the soldiers wouldn't likely volunteer the information; most likely Ye Xi'an had asked the soldiers herself.

Then why would Ye Xi'an ask the soldiers for his name? Aside from being interested in him, Lin Zhi Jing couldn't think of any other possibility.

The corner of his mouth unconsciously twitched upward, making even the sight of Bao Jing on the bed look more pleasing.

Ye Xi'an tucked the blanket over Bao Jing, intending to tell Lin Zhi Jing they could return to continue drug testing, but when she turned around she saw Lin Zhi Jing smiling broadly.

"Good grief, could experimenting have made him foolish?"

Ye Xi'an couldn't help but walk around him, hesitating for a long time before saying: "Can we go test the medicine now?"

"Oh right!"

Lin Zhi Jing looked at Ye Xi'an's gaze toward him, and for the first time felt embarrassment.

His slender fingers covered his mouth as he gave a discreet cough twice.

"Let's go."

Returning to the medical chamber, Lin Zhi Jing screened the medicine again, ensuring none would harm the body.

"This medicine is called a painkiller, i. e., an anesthetic, but its effect is better and faster than ordinary anesthetics."

Before Lin Zhi Jing could finish speaking, Ye Xi'an swiftly rolled up her loose shirt, revealing her smooth, white arm.

"Give me the shot."

Lin Zhi Jing stood under the medical chamber's light, holding a disinfectant cotton ball and syringe, his expression focused and gentle.

Ye Xi'an sat in the chair before him, slightly rolled up her sleeve, exposing a section of fair arm.

The air was filled with a faint disinfectant smell, but the atmosphere between them felt somewhat subtle.

Lin Zhi Jing gently grasped Ye Xi'an's wrist, his fingertips touching her warm skin, his movement so delicate as if afraid to hurt her.

"It might hurt a little, bear with it."

Lin Zhi Jing said softly, his voice carrying a hint of comfort.

Ye Xi'an gave a soft "mm", her voice almost inaudible.

At the moment the needle tip pierced the skin, Ye Xi'an frowned slightly, but soon relaxed.

Lin Zhi Jing's movements were practiced and gentle, as if handling a precious treasure.

After the injection ended, Lin Zhi Jing gently pressed a cotton ball on the puncture site, his fingers unintentionally lingering a few seconds longer on Ye Xi'an's arm.

"All done."

Lin Zhi Jing lifted his head, his gaze meeting Ye Xi'an's, the air between them seeming to freeze for a moment.

"You're looking at me like that—do you have something to say to me?"

Ye Xi'an nodded; she indeed had something to say.

Lin Zhi Jing's mouth curled up, his eyes showing anticipation, though he himself didn't know what he was anticipating: "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Why didn't you use a cotton ball to disinfect me when you gave me the injection earlier?"

The ambiguous atmosphere was instantly shattered, and the faint smile already on Lin Zhi Jing's face froze.

(End of chapter)