Chapter 235: The Three Men’s Battlefield (Part 1)
Chapter 235: Chapter 235: The Three Men’s Battlefield (Part 1)
"Let go of me! I don’t care if you get beaten up!" Yun Sheng glared at Xing Che, her voice a mixture of urgency and irritation.
Xing Che chuckled, tightening his arms. Just as he was about to say more, two chilling presences approached from the mouth of the cave, and the air abruptly grew still.
Si Jin’s figure appeared first. His dark blue eyes were fixed on the hand Xing Che still had wrapped around Yun Sheng’s waist, his jaw clenched tight.
’He was the one who’d sent Xing Che to protect Yun Sheng. He knew about Xing Che’s feelings for her and had even anticipated that something like this might happen...’
’But seeing it with his own eyes still felt like a punch to the gut, leaving a dull ache in his chest.’
Bai Ye entered behind him. His gaze swept over Xing Che’s open shirt and Yun Sheng’s flushed cheeks. He pressed his thin lips into a firm line, saying nothing.
Xing Che raised an eyebrow, squinting at them as the corner of his mouth curved into a provoking grin.
"Well, you got here fast."
Si Jin’s expression darkened. The spiritual power around him erupted, and an immense pressure, like an avalanche, crashed down on Xing Che.
Bai Ye reacted in kind. Their two SSS-level spiritual powers bore down on Xing Che like a pair of immense mountains.
Yun Sheng felt the oppressive force, so tangible it was almost visible, and a chill ran down her spine.
She reached out and gave Xing Che a hard shove, hissing, "Let go already!"
Xing Che glanced down at her, a hint of reluctance rippling in his amber-gold eyes. He finally, slowly, released his grip and took half a step back.
Freed from his embrace, Yun Sheng straightened her disheveled collar, took a deep breath, and looked up at Si Jin and Bai Ye.
Si Jin stepped forward, his eyes quickly scanning her. Once he confirmed she was unhurt, he asked in a low voice, "Are you all right?"
Yun Sheng shook her head. "I’m fine."
She hesitated for a moment before asking anxiously, "What about the little wolf? Is it okay? It stayed behind to hold off those gray-clothed people so Xing Che and I could escape. I... I’m so worried about it..."
"It’s fine," Si Jin’s voice was deep and reassuring. "It’s already gone back to rest."
Yun Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.
Bai Ye stood to one side, his gaze never leaving Yun Sheng, his expression exceptionally complex.
After speaking with Si Jin, Yun Sheng glanced aside and met Bai Ye’s gaze.
An instant later, she turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.
The light in Bai Ye’s eyes dimmed for an instant, and the hand hanging at his side unconsciously clenched into a fist.
Xing Che leaned against the rock wall, arms crossed, in a casual posture. His shirt was still open, and he showed no intention whatsoever of buttoning it.
Seeing himself ignored by Yun Sheng while Xing Che looked like *that*, the jealousy in Bai Ye’s eyes nearly spilled over. But he had no standing to question anything.
’After all, he had no official claim on her. They might have done everything in the dream world, but in reality... she wouldn’t even spare him a second glance!’
The look he shot Xing Che was practically murderous, cold enough to freeze hell over.
Xing Che, however, seemed to not even feel the murderous glare. He even shot back a provocative smile, his expression just begging for a punch.
Meanwhile, Si Jin had already taken Yun Sheng’s hand.
His fingers were long and strong as they clasped hers, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand.
Yun Sheng looked up at him and asked nervously, "What’s the situation outside? Did you see Cheng Nian and the others?"
Si Jin shook his head.
Yun Sheng’s heart sank. Just as she was about to ask more, he reached out to gently stroke her hair, his voice warm and soothing. "Don’t worry. Those gray-clothed people said they wanted to capture the cadets alive, so they won’t hurt them. We’ll go find them now. They’ll be fine."
His deep, certain voice helped to ease her anxiety.
She nodded, her fingers tightening slightly to squeeze his hand back.
With their fingers intertwined, palm to palm, they began to walk out of the cave. From behind, they looked so intimate and in sync that it seemed impossible for anyone to come between them.
Bai Ye watched their clasped hands, and his gaze darkened.
Xing Che watched as well. The smile on his lips faded, and an unreadable, bitter glint flashed in his eyes.
The four of them exited the cave. Si Jin walked in front with Yun Sheng, his stride steady and his back straight, shielding her at his side.
Xing Che and Bai Ye fell in behind them, walking side by side. Neither looked at the other, but each knew exactly what the other was thinking.
After they had walked for a bit, Xing Che suddenly let out a low chuckle. "The two of us seem a bit redundant, don’t we?"
Bai Ye’s pace faltered for a moment, but he said nothing and continued walking.
Xing Che turned to look at Bai Ye’s forced composure and deliberately added, "I’m pursuing Shengsheng, and she agreed to let me. If you two hadn’t shown up so quickly, she might have even agreed to be with me."
Hearing this, Bai Ye didn’t break his stride, but the hand hanging at his side clenched violently into a fist.
He said nothing, not even sparing Xing Che a glance, and simply continued walking forward with a blank expression.
But the oppressive aura radiating from him made it perfectly clear just how furious he was.
Seeing Bai Ye’s reaction, the bitter feeling in Xing Che’s own heart finally eased a bit. He gave a soft huff and quickened his pace to catch up to the two in front.
Bai Ye fell to the back of the group, his eyes fixed on the three figures ahead. The sight of Yun Sheng and Si Jin’s intertwined hands made his chest tighten with a dull, suffocating ache.
’He remembered the dream, how Yun Sheng had held his hand just like that, how she had leaned into his embrace, how she had closed her eyes and let his spiritual power envelop her completely.’
’But that was just a dream...’
’In reality, the one by her side, the one she trusted, wasn’t him!’
The hand at Bai Ye’s side clenched tightly, then slowly relaxed.
Sorrow and despair flickered in his eyes, an undercurrent swirling in deep water that he forcibly suppressed before it could surface.
He took a deep breath, forcing down the roiling emotions one by one until not a single trace of his turmoil showed on his face. Only then did he quicken his pace to catch up.
As they neared the central zone, Xing Che suddenly quickened his pace, moving in front of Yun Sheng and Si Jin to cast a pointed look at Si Jin.
"The people up ahead are with the Star Alliance, brought here by the White War God. Si Jin, it wouldn’t be good for you to be seen. I should be the one to protect Shengsheng from here on out."
Si Jin frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but Bai Ye beat him to it.
"You’re not with the Star Alliance either. Yun Sheng doesn’t need your protection."
Xing Che raised an eyebrow. Far from backing down, he met Bai Ye’s icy gaze head-on.
"What? Is the ever-busy White War God planning to protect Shengsheng personally? We have a major incident on our hands here. Gray-clothed people are rioting everywhere after taking an induction agent, and so many cadets have been captured... Can you really spare the time?"
"That’s no concern of someone with an unknown identity and mysterious origins," Bai Ye said, staring darkly at Xing Che. "No one knows who is behind these gray-clothed people or where they came from. Xing Che, your appearance here is too much of a coincidence. You’re a suspect. I cannot entrust Yun Sheng’s protection to you!"