Li Yuheng remained half-upright, staring at the closed door, blinked, and then fell heavily back onto the bed, which still retained the scent of Shu Bai.
He raised his hand to touch the chest where he had been elbowed, then licked his lips, which still seemed to retain the other person's warmth and breath, with lingering satisfaction, before finally letting out a long sigh.
"well--"
The wife I was about to have slipped away.
His irresistible charm had somehow failed him.
Li Yuheng raised his left wrist and stared at the monitoring dial.
The pointer representing Shu Bai's mental fluctuation value remained firmly stuck on the yellow-green boundary line, as if silently mocking all his previous "efforts".
"This shouldn't be happening..."
In theory, after deep channeling, close contact, especially the exchange of pheromones, should have an immediate effect on promoting mental stability.
How long has this 'exchange' been going on?
Why does this broken pointer look like it's soldered on?
He tapped the watch face, but the hands didn't budge.
“Little system,” he called out to 0090 in his mind, “scan this broken watch. Is it really broken? Or has some scoundrel tampered with it?”
[Received, Your Highness! Initiate in-depth scan analysis immediately!] 0090's voice rang out immediately, full of enthusiasm.
A moment later, 0090 reported the results: [Your Highness, the monitoring wristwatch's hardware and software are operating normally. No physical damage or signs of program tampering were detected. Signal transmission is smooth, and the connection to the headquarters database is stable.]
"No problem?" Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow. "So, there are still hidden 'lesions' in Shu Bai's mental landscape that haven't been cleared away? That's not right. I 'explored' so deeply just now, and it felt completely peaceful. Even that big cat was behaving like it wasn't real..."
He was completely baffled and somewhat unwilling to accept it.
Just a tiny bit more, just a tiny sliver, and I'd see the pointer turn green, and then I could legitimately prepare to take my wife to the front lines and wreak havoc!
The problem arose from that final shudder!
This feeling is like playing a game where the boss is down to its last sliver of health, but suddenly there's a network delay – it's incredibly frustrating.
"This doesn't make sense... With me, the Crown Prince, handling this, is there anything I can't handle? This broken watch is definitely faulty! Either the rules of this world are jealous of my success in both love and career, and are deliberately making things difficult for me..."
Even if the whole world is at fault, it is never his fault!
In Li Yuheng's mind, 0090's weak voice sounded again: "Um, Your Highness..."
"Spit it out," Li Yuheng said irritably.
[After the second deep scan, I discovered a... possible reason.]
"explain!"
The watch itself is fine, and the data transfer is fine too. But...
0090 paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts, "[Mr. Shu Bai's unconscious mental fluctuations always subtly rise a fraction just before the value turns green.]"
Li Yuheng sat up abruptly: "Is it that he subconsciously doesn't want to?"
Yes! His subconscious seems to be resisting the state of 'complete stability,' so every time it's close to the critical point, it instinctively 'lifts' the value back a little, just enough to stay on the line.
Why?
Isn't returning to the battlefield his greatest obsession?
Just when there was hope and success seemed imminent, his subconscious mind was holding him back.
Li Yuheng recalled Shu Bai's reaction just now, that kiss that seemed to resist but wasn't entirely a rejection, those eyes that reflected his image in the darkness, and that last figure that almost fled in panic...
His brows gradually relaxed, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
An absurd yet seemingly reasonable conjecture gradually took shape in his mind.
What Shu Bai resists may not be stability itself.
Perhaps it's a subconscious fear of one's own worth?
Six years as a "problem sentinel" almost eroded all his confidence.
He yearned for power, longed to return, yet feared that even if he became "stable," he would no longer be the brilliant S-class Sentinel he once was, feared to disappoint expectations, and feared to face possible failure again.
Li Yuheng snapped his fingers.
This isn't a problem with pointers; it's a psychological issue.
A solitary heart afflicted with sorrow.
This psychological problem obviously cannot be solved by simply "exchanging pheromones" or by more in-depth "guidance".
What he needs is a sense of security, reassurance, and the ability to uproot his hidden anxieties and awkwardness.
…
On the other side, Shu Bai returned to her dormitory, closed the door behind her, leaned against the door, and slowly slid down to sit.
He raised his hand, looked at the glaring hand on his watch, clicked his tongue in annoyance, and slammed his fist on the floor.
Why just doesn't it work?
I clearly feel much better now. That urge to tear everything apart has almost disappeared, and my mental state is open and peaceful.
But this broken watch...
He closed his eyes, trying to capture that faint sense of resistance deep within his heart, a feeling he himself could hardly perceive.
Was it really just because the watch was broken?
still……
Some vague thoughts surfaced uncontrollably.
If the pointer turns green and stabilizes for 72 hours, you should immediately head to the first war zone.
It was a real meat grinder, completely different from the rear "sanatoriums" like the Third War Zone.
Is Li Yuheng, this seemingly carefree and talkative guide who possesses astonishing abilities and... even more astonishing shamelessness, truly ready?
What about him?
After six years away, is the battlefield still the same one he knows?
Is he still able to keep up with the pace?
Will it become a burden?
Shu Bai's thoughts came to an abrupt halt, startled by her own inexplicable idea.
He shook his head violently, trying to shake off these jumbled thoughts.
When did he become so indecisive?
Returning to the battlefield was his only goal, for which he endured six years of isolation and suffering. Now that hope was within reach, he was subconsciously procrastinating.
This isn't like him.
Absolutely not.
…
The next morning, Li Yuheng opened the door feeling refreshed.
He stopped abruptly as soon as the door slid open.
Shu Bai was standing outside the door, with his back to the entrance, as if he had been waiting for a while.
He turned around when he heard the door open.
"Good morning, Shu Bai sentry!" Li Yuheng immediately flashed a bright smile. "Standing guard at my door so early? Did you miss me, or..."
Shu Bai avoided Li Yuheng's gaze and asked, "Are you free?"
Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Of course, I'm always ready to serve you."
Shu Bai was about to enter Li Yuheng's room when he suddenly stopped before taking a step.
He stopped and turned to the next room: "Go to my dorm."
Li Yuheng readily followed suit.
As soon as the bare dormitory door slid shut, before Li Yuheng could even look around, he was violently pushed backward by an irresistible force.
My back slammed against the cool wall with a dull thud.
Before he could even utter a taunt, Shu Bai had already pressed down on him.
A certain do-or-die emotion surged in those pure black eyes, along with a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.
"Continue yesterday's pheromone exchange." Shu Bai's voice was low and urgent. Before Li Yuheng could even respond, he kissed her fiercely.
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