Under the ceaseless influx of surging life energy, Tuoba Xi's ashen face regained a hint of color at a visible rate, and his faint breathing gradually steadied and grew stronger.
Though he had yet to wake, his vital signs had finally stabilized.
Long Jinyu let out a breath of relief, withdrew his hand, and stopped channeling Soul Power.
But before he could fully relax, a crucial question suddenly sprang to mind—
Wait! System! I summoned this guy—will he listen to me? Is he loyal? What if he wakes up and stabs me in the back?
He immediately questioned the System in his mind.
[Please rest assured, Host.]
The System replied promptly.
[The core program of every target summoned through this System's channel is encoded with an absolute loyalty directive. Their default loyalty is locked at 100%.]
[Specifically, they cannot deliberately harm the Host, nor can they take any action that directly goes against the Host's explicit wishes. This is a foundational rule and cannot be overridden.]
Forced 100% loyalty?
Long Jinyu froze for a moment.
This... makes me sound like some kind of cult leader, using mind control or something.
[This is the minimum safeguard required to ensure the Host's safety.]
The System added.
[Furthermore, this System typically summons targets when they are on the verge of annihilation, effectively making it an "emergency rescue" that grants them a second life.]
[As a result, most summoned individuals will also feel some degree of gratitude toward the Host. Even if a few proud individuals may resent it inwardly, the rules prevent them from acting on their dissatisfaction. They can only keep it bottled up.]
Emergency rescue? So you do know you've done enough things to weigh on your conscience, and you're trying to do good deeds to make up for it?
Long Jinyu pursed his lips.
Could you at least include some treatment next time, or give me a heads-up in advance? Suddenly dumping a half-dead person on me is terrifying, you know!
He complained, but he also felt that this "forced 100% loyalty" safeguard was absolutely necessary. He didn't want to go to all that trouble only to raise an ingrate.
Of course, as a well-educated liberal arts turtle who believed in "winning others over with virtue,"
deep down, he hoped to earn the summoned individuals' recognition and willing loyalty through his own charisma and abilities. He wanted them to get along well and enjoy one another's company, rather than relying solely on rules to bind them.
Taking history as a mirror lets one understand the rise and fall of states. Combining the benevolent and the coercive—now that's the way to lasting peace...
Without realizing it, his liberal arts student (chuunibyou ✓) thoughts had started to wander again.
Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, Long Jinyu gathered pale golden Soul Power at his fingertips. It enveloped Tuoba Xi's shoulders and back, lifting him steadily off the ground. Long Jinyu personally took him to the treatment room and arranged for an examination.
"This man is Tuoba Xi... one of my subordinates."
He gave the medical staff hurrying over a brief explanation.
"Examine him carefully and check for any hidden injuries. Have two Yanhuang Guards stand watch outside. Notify me as soon as he wakes."
Though the medical staff were surprised by the sudden appearance of this badly injured Titled Douluo, no one asked questions. They simply bowed and accepted the order.
"Yes, my lord!"
In their hearts, every decision their lord made surely had its reasons. All they had to do was carry them out to the letter.
Once everything was arranged, Long Jinyu was about to check on Ma Xiaotao when a nurse hurried over with a report. "My lord, Miss Ma has woken up. She's asking where you are."
"She's awake? So soon?"
Long Jinyu was a little surprised, then a surge of delight welled up in him. He immediately turned and headed for Ma Xiaotao's room.
When he pushed open the door, he saw that Ma Xiaotao was already sitting up, leaning against the headboard. She had changed into a clean hospital gown, and her long, fiery-red hair spilled over her shoulders, accentuating her still-pale complexion.
She was gazing out the window, her eyes unfocused. Only when she heard the door open did she slowly turn her head.
The moment she saw Long Jinyu, her gaze settled on him. Her beautiful phoenix eyes didn't blink, and her stare seemed fixed to his face. It lingered for an instant on his lips, and she unconsciously pressed her own together.
Her strangely heated gaze made Long Jinyu's heart skip. He felt a little flustered.
That look... Why was it a little like the way "Little Ma Xiaotao" in the Spiritual Sea clung to him? And... it was kind of cute.
He forced himself to stay calm, walked to the bedside, and asked gently, "Senior Sister, how are you feeling? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Ma Xiaotao seemed about to fall back on her usual stubbornness, but she swallowed her words and turned her head slightly. Her voice was much softer and gentler than usual.
"N-nothing. It's just... I don't know why, but seeing you makes me feel especially safe."
She paused, as if embarrassed to say it, then added in a quiet voice, "And... the longer I look at you, the more I like the way you look. You also... smell kind of nice..."
Long Jinyu's ears grew warm, and he understood. She had indeed retained only a few fragmented memories from the Spiritual Sea. Her recollection of the kiss was hazy, while the feeling of closeness and comfort it had left behind remained. That was a good thing; given her temperament, she might have "exploded" on the spot otherwise.
As he wondered how to respond, Ma Xiaotao glanced around the room and asked in confusion, "By the way, where are we? How did I get here?"
Long Jinyu was about to explain, but Ma Xiaotao realized it herself. Surprise colored her voice. "Wait... the layout of this room... is this Yanhuang Lingyun?!"
She looked at Long Jinyu for confirmation. "The most renowned Medical Pavilion on the continent? I used to come here for treatment when my Evil Fire was unstable. Their facilities and medical skills are amazing!"
Long Jinyu paused. "Senior Sister... you've been here before?"
"Of course I have!"
Ma Xiaotao seemed to have regained some of her energy.
"This place is famous! Elder Mu and Elder Zhuang both speak very highly of it. But..."
She furrowed her brows slightly.
"The medical staff here seem to be under some kind of special restriction that keeps them from leaving the Medical Pavilion grounds. Elder Zhuang once tried to invite the head of this place to join the Sea God Pavilion, but she declined."
As she spoke, she looked at Long Jinyu with curiosity. "Come to think of it, that director's life energy felt a little like yours. She helped suppress my Evil Fire, too. Unfortunately, later on, she seemed to... disappear for some reason."
Only then did she remember the important question and return to the matter at hand. "But why was I brought here? What about Xuan Zi? Weren't we supposed to return to the Sea God Pavilion? I remember you and Xuan Zi seemed to have a disagreement over what to do with the Evil Soul Master..."
Long Jinyu felt a little awkward. He couldn't exactly tell her the truth—that he had scared Xuan Zi speechless with his dragon's might, then carried her off by force. That would be far too shocking!
He cleared his throat twice and came up with the simplest excuse. "Ahem... things were urgent at the time, and you were unconscious. Everyone panicked. I saw that this place was nearby and had good treatment facilities, so... so I brought you here first. Right, because it was nearby!"
He quickly changed the subject, his voice filled with sincere relief. "Anyway, I'm just glad you're all right, Senior Sister! Are you hungry? I'll ask someone to bring you something to eat!"
He made to use the excuse to slip away and ease the slightly delicate atmosphere.
"Wait!"
Ma Xiaotao reached out almost instinctively and lightly tugged at the hem of his clothes.
"Y-you can't leave..."
She paused, apparently deciding that sounded too blunt, then awkwardly changed her words.
"...Couldn't you just call someone to bring it?"
Long Jinyu: "???"
Seeing Ma Xiaotao show such rare dependence and vulnerability, his heart softened.
Th-this is exactly like coaxing Little Ma Xiaotao!
The shock to her mind must have been too much. Deep down, she doesn't feel safe.
As he sent a message with his Soul Power asking the nurse to prepare a meal, he sat back down on the chair beside her bed. His voice grew even gentler. "All right, I won't leave. Then I'll keep our Fire Phoenix Heavenly Maiden company and have a nice chat, okay?"
Ma Xiaotao gave a soft "Mm," and her hand quietly released his clothes. The nameless restlessness in her heart seemed to ease along with it.
This feeling... really is wonderful~
Long Jinyu thought.
Xiaotao, who usually rules the inner courtyard with an iron fist, is like a little kitten with her claws tucked away now~
He enjoyed the feeling, and deep down, it even brought him a sense of satisfaction. But reason told him this relationship had only formed because of the unusual circumstances.
Once she's fully recovered and the proud, confident Ma Xiaotao comes back, I wonder if she'll still...
Just then—
"BOOM—!!!"
A muffled yet piercing crash suddenly rang out, accompanied by a distinct tremor in the ground!
The walls and ceiling seemed to shudder. The Soul Guidance Lamps overhead crackled with unstable electricity, and their light flickered twice.
Almost the instant the tremor hit—
"Beep—! Beep—!!!"
A sharp, shrill Soul Guidance alarm, like a night owl being strangled, tore through the Medical Pavilion's quiet and shattered the warmth that had only just begun to grow in the sickroom!
Long Jinyu shot to his feet, icy killing intent erupting from his mismatched eyes.
Enemy attack?!
Before you continue