Extra 6 : Weakness
When Su Ming heard that familiar call, his heart trembled violently, as if a switch had been flipped in his mind, triggering a flood of memories.
He was Shen Bu. She was Su Wantong. Every morning afterward, he would prepare breakfast for her. When she woke up, she liked to hug him and nuzzle against him, speaking to him in a soft, sleepy voice…
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. By the time everyone processed what was happening, Su Ming had already lifted the girl into his arms and carried her inside.
An Xi, still in shock himself, had to maintain a calm facade. He closed the door and sent everyone else away.
Inside the room, Su Ming gently placed Wan Tong back on the bed.
She still seemed to be in a daze, her arms draped around his neck. Then, as if on instinct, she closed her eyes again.
Still following her subconscious, she pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. “A’Bu, Jiejie is sleepy… Let me sleep a little longer…”
Su Ming froze as if turned to stone, his pupils contracting.
But soon, he stepped back, standing stiffly by the bed, his dark eyes fixed on the girl lying there.
The silver lion leapt down from the air, pouncing onto the girl. But the moment its paws landed on her, they became impossibly gentle.
A deep, uncontrollable roar filled the room.
Even those who hadn’t gone far felt the tremor in the air. Some of the weaker sentinels and guides collapsed to their knees, their legs giving out.
—Wuwuwu, that sound was terrifying! Was the General eating someone?!
Inside, just before the single bed could collapse under the weight, Shi Ming jumped down. Yet he remained by the bedside, exhaling gently against Wan Tong’s face.
Before the lion could do anything more unpredictable, Su Ming forced him back. But his own mind was now even more strained.
In her dreams, Wan Tong had heard the lion’s roar, so she no longer tried to untangle her chaotic mental sea.
A short while later, she slowly opened her eyes, dizzy as she pushed herself upright.
Su Ming was right there. He sat at the edge of the bed, head slightly lowered, lost in thought.
Her gaze traced over his military uniform, then followed the sharp lines of his profile. A small smile lifted her lips, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, slowly shifting to straddle his lap. Resting her head on his shoulder, she murmured softly, “Huo Yiming, you guys even got new uniforms?”
Su Ming’s hands hovered stiffly behind her before finally settling on her slender waist.
A low hum rumbled from his throat. “Mm.”
Her memories were jumbled.
Blair had once said she was incredibly smart, capable of sealing away overwhelming memories. But now, as her Guide abilities grew stronger, those memories were resurfacing.
And her current behavior…
It was all just the influence of those memories.
Su Ming should stop her. He should wake her from this haze.
But damn it, he was addicted to this intimacy.
He even found himself saying, “The new home is ready. I’ll take you there.”
“Okay~ But I want to sleep a little longer first…” The girl responded sweetly, then deliberately nipped his neck with her sharp teeth.
“Mm…” Su Ming’s arms tightened around her, his entire body trembling slightly.
“But why are you so sensitive now?” The girl chuckled softly, her face buried against his shoulder.
Su Ming felt his entire body tense, heat rushing toward a single point. He shifted slightly, pressing her back into the bed, his restraint hanging by a thread. Blood-red streaks appeared in his dark eyes.
At that moment, the entire interstellar web exploded, as if someone had dropped a bomb.
[What is the relationship between General Su Ming and Wan Tong?!]
It was as if a long-sealed box had been thrown open, and information about Wan Tong began to leak out bit by bit.
For instance, her parents had died in battle. She had been taken in by the General and raised in his residence. She had awakened as an SSS-ranked Guide. She had volunteered to help the General recover. Their compatibility rate was an astounding 99%—the kind of resonance where Sentinels and Guides were drawn together in complete emotional synchronization.
[No wonder Wan Tong had so many privileges at school. She wasn’t just powerful in her own right. More importantly, she was ‘his’.]
Rumors spread from the Sentinel-Guide academy. Ever since the General had entered Wan Tong’s dormitory, he hadn’t come out for an entire day and night. His subordinates stood guard outside, and every now and then, a lion’s roar echoed from within.
No one knew if the General was eating someone ‘literally’ or eating someone ‘in that way’. But judging from the widely circulated image of the two embracing, the nation was leaning toward the latter…
Some even speculated that unusual Guide energy fluctuations had been detected around the dorm, signs of a guide entering their heat cycle!
The entire interstellar net was in an uproar. If that were the case, the General wouldn’t be leaving that room for at least three to five days…
Women across the empire wailed in despair.
The General, who had remained celibate for thirty years, who seemed to look down on all weakness, who never showed interest in romance.
Back then, everyone had urged him to find a partner, desperate to throw themselves at his feet, yet he never spared them a glance.
And now, he actually cared about someone?!
They couldn’t even picture the cold, untouchable General with a girl, let alone a half-grown one!
Though, based on strength and compatibility, they were indeed a perfect match…
And then, the very next evening, Su Ming finally emerged.
He carried the girl in his arms, stepping directly into the hovercar and leaving.
The girl nestled quietly against him, her face obscured.
No one could tell if she was awake.
However, everyone present could sense the restless psychic energy emanating from her, making their heads feel heavy.
That petite body concealed an SSS-ranked guide power. It was almost unbelievable to think about.
Su Ming had just returned home with Wan Tong when An Xi reported a long list of visitors.
“Not seeing them,” Su Ming coldly threw out the words without looking back, carrying the girl straight into the bedroom.
An Xi was stunned but nodded. Through the slightly ajar door, he saw his general carefully place the girl on the bed, then stride back toward him.
“Prepare some food, like yesterday’s,” Su Ming said, his voice slightly lowered, as if afraid of disturbing the person inside. His usually cold and detached gaze rippled with an unfamiliar softness.
“…Yes, General,” An Xi responded, almost losing his ability to think.
Was this really the General he knew?
Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a pair of delicate, fair hands suddenly wrap around Su Ming’s waist.
The girl hugged him from behind, her soft, sleepy voice murmuring, “A’Xun, where are you going? You don’t have work today, do you?”
Su Ming lowered his gaze, his large hand gently covering her small one. As he turned around, he nudged the door shut with his foot.
An Xi stared at the tightly closed door, unable to process what he had just heard.
A… A’Xun?
That name sounded familiar. He had seen it before, in the information Blair had prepared. So… had the girl unlocked her sealed memories from the awakening system?
Wasn’t the general always clear about distinguishing reality from illusion? But now, he was clearly being affected by Wan Tong. Was it because of those memories?
An Xi’s expression grew serious at the thought. But then he remembered the compatibility issue between the two and realized he might be overthinking.
Just like the online discussions had suggested, rejecting a bond with this level of compatibility would be a waste.
After all, the strongest individuals in history, including Su Ming and Wan Tong, were born to parents with over 98% compatibility.
Scientists had already proven that high-compatibility Sentinels and Guides not only benefited from their union but also produced highly talented offspring. That was why the government actively encouraged Sentinel-Guide pairings based on compatibility.
In some cases, the government would even intervene. With a guide as powerful as Wan Tong, she would likely be required to undergo further testing to determine the highest-compatible sentinel for her.
Inside the room, Su Ming looked down at the crown of the girl’s head and gently stroked the back of her head, his voice unconsciously softening. “You’re not wearing shoes. Go back and lie down.”
But he had never spoken in such a tone before, so his voice, now gentler, carried a slight rasp, and his expression was somewhat stiff.
She had been in this dazed state since yesterday, waking and sleeping erratically, clinging to him and refusing to let go. It was driving him to the brink of a mental breakdown.
He had never expected that, in front of her, his self-control would be reduced to less than half of what it usually was.
“You hold me,” the girl murmured, unwilling to move.
Su Ming placed his palm against her lower back, bent down, and lifted her into his arms. As he reached the bed, she pulled him down with her, clinging to him like a koala.
He adjusted his position slightly, leaning against the headboard, his arm resting around her waist.
The girl lay on top of him, then suddenly lifted her head, her bright eyes reflecting the cold, sharp lines of his face.
Su Ming suddenly wondered, was his expression too cold? Too intimidating? He pressed his lips together slightly and attempted a small smile.
His facial muscles felt tense, but his effort made the girl giggle.
She pressed her hands against his shoulders and lifted herself slightly.
Then, his Adam’s apple was kissed.
Her tiny teeth nibbled gently, not painful, just… ticklish.
Su Ming remained still, but his hand tightened around her waist. His other hand, propped against the bed, clenched so tightly that the bedsheet tore beneath his grip. Meanwhile, his quantum beast paced restlessly beside the bed, letting out low growls.
Her body temperature was rising, and he could even detect a faintly sweet scent in the air, one that awakened a deep, primal urge to devour her whole.
An Xi personally delivered dinner. From a distance, he could already sense the overwhelming presence of the General’s aura. But as he neared the door, he felt another presence, one even more maddening.
A possibility struck him, just as the door opened.
An Xi clenched the tray tightly, trying to suppress the surge in his own blood. “General, I’ll have the others withdraw immediately!”
The girl was experiencing bonding heat. Even though An Xi prided himself on his strong self-control, he was struggling now, let alone the other soldiers stationed outside.
But Su Ming took the tray and calmly ordered, “Bring the suppressant.”
His voice paused for a moment before he looked directly at An Xi. “Go rest. Have a Guide bring it.”
“Yes, General,” An Xi answered hastily, lowering his head in embarrassment before leaving in long strides.
Usually, when an ordinary Guide experienced bonding heat, they would either pair with their bonded sentinel or isolate themselves with medication. Never before had someone’s presence alone altered the surrounding air with such intoxicating allure.
What shocked An Xi even more were the bite marks on the general’s neck…
Even though Su Ming hadn’t explicitly ordered the guards to leave, An Xi still dismissed them all.
As a Dark Sentinel, the general had an unparalleled level of self-discipline. Even now, he had rationally requested a suppressant. But for the others, the sweetness of a Guide’s pheromones in the air could dangerously cloud their judgment.
And yet, at that moment, the very same general whom An Xi had always believed to be invincible… had already given in.
Inside the room, Su Ming had abandoned all resistance, pressing down against the girl, indulging in the overwhelming sweetness that shattered his sanity.
Only when a Guide finally arrived with the suppressant did he forcibly rein in his near-breaking self-control.
After the injection, the girl fell into a deep sleep, but the lingering sweetness in the air still clung to Su Ming.
He had overestimated himself.
He thought he didn’t need emotions to bind him. But now, he realized he had long since fallen, unable to escape.
But she was different. She was much younger than him, had yet to experience the complexities of the outside world, and still had the freedom to grow and choose.
Her feelings for him were mostly respect and admiration. Over the past two days, she had been confused by her memories. Her reliance and affection for him were only temporary.
He would not, and could not, take her in this state.
He would wait, for her answer when she was fully awake.
Su Ming found it laughable that he had been pushed to this extent by a young girl.
Yet, deep down, he embraced it willingly.
And he knew—no matter what her answer was, even if she rejected him… he would ignore it and keep her by his side.