Reg was at a complete loss. This was even harder than going to the front lines. He had no idea how to comfort a young female; he'd forgotten every last bit of etiquette he'd ever learned about serving them.
Su Yaoyao cried with heartbreak. *Would they really give her away to other males, to be used as a breeding tool?*
An overwhelming fear consumed her, making her feel utterly alone and helpless in this strange world.
Just then, she felt a warmth in her arms, followed by a wet tongue lapping at her cheeks.
Su Yaoyao opened her tear-filled eyes in confusion to see a little black panther cub nestled in her arms.
It had round, amber eyes and fur as sleek and lustrous as black silk.
Reg was just as shocked!
His Spiritual Body had appeared from the Spirit World without his permission, leaping gleefully into Su Yaoyao's arms.
The Little Black Panther affectionately nuzzled its head against her cheek in a clear display of fondness.
It was acting as if it were utterly smitten with the young female.
Su Yaoyao reached out and stroked the Little Black Panther. Its fur was short and coarse, but as she smoothed it down, it felt surprisingly sleek.
Reg narrowed his eyes, trying to suppress the wave of pleasure flooding him from the empathic link to his Spiritual Body. It was a comfortable feeling that seemed to seep into every pore.
He could feel the touch of Su Yaoyao's soft hand as if it were stroking him directly.
If this kept up...
Reg tried to recall his Spiritual Body, but the Little Black Panther refused to return.
It then brazenly licked Su Yaoyao's cheek again, making Reg want to look away in embarrassment.
The tiny barbs on its tongue tickled Su Yaoyao, making her laugh. Her tears finally stopped.
Reg breathed a sigh of relief. The young female had finally stopped crying.
Su Yaoyao picked up the Little Black Panther and held it against her chest.
The soft sensation that transmitted to him made Reg's cheeks flush, though it wasn't very noticeable against his chocolate-brown skin.
"Is this little black panther your pet?"
Perhaps because she had just been crying, the young female's voice sounded especially delicate.
Reg propped his chin on his hand and looked away.
"What makes you think it's my pet?"
"I don't know. You two just look alike."
*Though the Little Black Panther is much cuter than Reg,* she thought.
Su Yaoyao lowered her head and planted a kiss on the Little Black Panther's head. She'd always loved small animals.
Reg's entire body went rigid. *This young female is bold.*
His Spiritual Body, however, only grew more excited, squirming upward in Su Yaoyao's arms.
It actually planted a kiss right on her delicate lips.
Su Yaoyao just giggled, clearly enjoying it.
Reg's breathing had already grown ragged. He shot to his feet, grabbed the Little Black Panther by the scruff of its neck, and lifted it out of Su Yaoyao's arms.
"Mrowr~"
The Little Black Panther struggled, not at all wanting to leave the softness of Su Yaoyao's arms.
"That's enough!"
Reg gritted his teeth and, with a flushed face, stalked toward his room.
"Wait!"
Su Yaoyao suddenly grabbed the leg of Reg's pants.
Reg frowned and glanced down at Su Yaoyao, his expression clearly impatient.
Her hand trembled, and she let go of his pants. Biting her lower lip, she asked timidly:
"Um… do you have any food? I'm a little hungry."
*Grrrrumble...*
Her stomach rumbled right on cue.
Reg sighed in resignation. *I suppose this can be my apology for making her cry.*
He let go of the panther cub, turned, and knelt, scooping Su Yaoyao into his arms.
Su Yaoyao let out a small gasp, not expecting him to pick her up.
She was instinctively a little scared, her body tensing up.
At such close proximity, Reg naturally noticed.
"You want to eat, don't you? Do you think you can walk on those legs?"
Su Yaoyao blushed. "Thank you," she said, a little embarrassed. "Sorry to trouble you. Um… I still don't know your name."
Reg chuckled. "Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking for someone else's name?"
"I'm Su Yaoyao."
"Reg."
Reg's room was at the end of the hallway.
Once inside, Reg gently set her down on the sofa. The Little Black Panther immediately leaped back into her arms.
Reg was completely helpless against it.
He turned, pulled a bottle of nutrient liquid from the refrigerator, and handed it to Su Yaoyao. "Here, drink."
Su Yaoyao took it and stared quizzically at the pale blue liquid inside the glass bottle.
"What is this?"
"Nutrient liquid. It's a fast way to replenish your body's energy and nutrients. It's very filling."
Su Yaoyao opened the cap and took a small sip. Her pretty eyebrows instantly knitted together as her face scrunched up in disgust.
The taste was so vile she could barely swallow it, but with nowhere to spit it out, she struggled for a moment before closing her eyes, bracing herself, and forcing it down.
Reg found her expression amusing. Anyone watching would have thought she was preparing to meet her doom.
"*Cough, cough*… That's disgusting."
Su Yaoyao screwed the cap back on, set the bottle aside, and clearly had no intention of touching it again.
Seeing this, Reg went back to the refrigerator and pulled out several other bottles of nutrient liquid in different colors.
"These are a new line of fruit-flavored ones. I hear they're not bad."
He hadn't gotten around to trying them, but they were certainly coming in handy now.
Dubiously, Su Yaoyao picked a pink one and took a tentative sip.
It was strawberry-flavored, tasting just like juice. It was much better than the last one, so she took several more gulps.
Seeing how much she liked it, Reg smiled faintly and made a mental note of her favorite flavor.
After finishing the bottle, Su Yaoyao licked her lips. It was surprisingly filling.
But her taste buds were still unsatisfied.
When it came to food, how could a nutrient liquid ever compare to a hot, fragrant meal?
"What is it?" Having been observing the young female, Reg noticed she seemed a little downcast.
"Do you have food ingredients here?" Su Yaoyao asked curiously. *Or has the interstellar world completely gotten rid of fresh vegetables?*
Reg raised an eyebrow, understanding what she meant.
"We do, but the base prioritizes efficiency. No one wants to waste time on cooking, so we all use nutrient liquid as a supplement. It's convenient."
"But you're entitled to the highest standard of treatment. What do you want? I'll have someone arrange a hot meal for you tomorrow."
Su Yaoyao was pleasantly surprised to hear that.
"Anything is fine, I'm not a picky eater."
Reg gave a teasing smile. "Not picky? You seem pretty picky to me."
He joked, his gaze falling on the regular nutrient liquid she'd left in the corner after a single sip.
Su Yaoyao scratched her cheek in embarrassment. "I'm just not used to it. Where I'm from, we always ate cooked food."
"I understand. I'll arrange it."
*Just follow the Admiral's orders*, he thought. *Give the young female the highest standard of treatment.*
Reg picked up the bottle Su Yaoyao had drunk from. Perhaps because he was so used to it, he didn't find the taste unpleasant at all and finished it off quickly.
Su Yaoyao's cheeks flushed. "Reg, I already drank from that…"
*Does this count as an indirect kiss?*