Reg took a few steps closer, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Su Yaoyao shrink back in fear.
Instead, it was Bai Lian who stepped forward and pulled Su Yaoyao into his arms, tucking the blanket securely around her.
"Don't be afraid, Yaoyao. I'm here. No one can hurt you."
Su Yaoyao cried against his chest. What had just happened had truly terrified her.
Reg watched how close they were and lowered his head, his hair falling to hide the hurt in his eyes.
'He used to think there was nothing wrong with people being afraid of him. It made them more obedient at the base. But now...'
He didn't want Su Yaoyao to fear him, to keep her distance.
He, too, yearned to be close to Su Yaoyao as naturally as Bai Lian was.
Reg clenched his fists. He had no idea what to do. He'd never loved anyone before.
Finally, feeling helpless, he walked out.
"Don't cry, Yaoyao. It's okay now."
Bai Lian gently comforted Su Yaoyao, raising a hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.
It broke his heart to see Yaoyao crying.
Her vision blurred with tears, Su Yaoyao sobbed as she noticed the cut on the corner of Bai Lian's mouth, her fingertips reaching out to touch it carefully.
"Wha-what do we do... It's... it's bleeding."
Bai Lian smiled faintly. 'The little female is crying so hard she can't catch her breath, yet she still has the presence of mind to worry about me.'
He closed his eyes and placed a gentle kiss on her fingertips. "Beastmen have very strong healing abilities. This is nothing."
Su Yaoyao was still worried. "You should have Pani... take a look."
Bai Lian nodded. "Okay."
Su Yaoyao glanced in the direction where Reg had been, only to find he was gone.
'He took a punch from Bai Lian. I wonder how he is...'
'No, I'm not going to worry about that brute!'
As her sobs subsided, she couldn't help but recall the scene from moments before. She raised a hand to touch her lips, and her heart began to race again.
Bai Lian noticed something was amiss and gently lifted Su Yaoyao's chin.
Su Yaoyao's delicate lips were red and swollen, the skin even slightly broken.
It was clear they had been treated with savage, brutal force.
His gaze slowly drifted downward. On Su Yaoyao's neck was a clear bite mark, the red indentation standing out starkly against her fair skin.
His pure blue eyes narrowed. He met her gaze and asked, "What did Reg do to you?"
Su Yaoyao's face flushed crimson. How could she possibly say it out loud?
She hadn't been the one to do anything wrong, yet for some reason, she couldn't meet Bai Lian's gaze, her eyes darting around guiltily.
Su Yaoyao simply bit her lip and said nothing.
"Are there other marks on your body?"
Bai Lian's deep voice sounded again, his gaze fixed downward as his entire demeanor turned dark and heavy.
He even reached out to pull away the blanket covering her chest.
Startled, Su Yaoyao quickly yanked the blanket back. "N-No, there's nothing else!"
'Did Bai Lian want to strip her naked for an inspection?'
Bai Lian paused, then slowly released his grip on the blanket.
He had almost lost control of his emotions just now.
Su Yaoyao noticed Bai Lian's grim expression. 'Does he think Reg and I mated?!'
"Nothing happened! We didn't do anything!" Yaoyao cried out, her face red.
"I-It's just that, for some reason, Reg suddenly kissed me."
Su Yaoyao lowered her head in embarrassment. Admitting it out loud left her feeling utterly mortified.
Bai Lian raised a hand and gently stroked Su Yaoyao's hair to comfort her.
"I'll take care of this."
'And give him the punishment he deserves.'
Reg's actions had violated the Female Protection Act. But thankfully, Bai Lian had returned in time before the final step could be taken.
"By the way, I went into town for supplies today and found something that I think is perfect for you."
Wanting to lift the little female's spirits, Bai Lian took a jewelry box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal an exquisite necklace.
The main stone was a sapphire that looked like an eye from the deep sea—its blue was profound and mysterious, its color so pure it was without a single flaw.
"It's beautiful!" Su Yaoyao couldn't help but gasp, her mood instantly brightening.
Bai Lian smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Let me help you put it on."
"Mhm," Su Yaoyao agreed, sweeping her hair over one shoulder to make it easier for Bai Lian.
As Bai Lian picked up the necklace and drew near, his eyes once again landed on the prominent red mark. The sight stung his eyes, and the little female's sweet scent filled his nostrils.
Bai Lian's breathing grew heavier. 'He, too, desperately wanted to know what they tasted like—Yaoyao's neck, her lips.'
"Is it on?" Su Yaoyao's soft voice snapped him out of his dark desires.
He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he was the same gentle, chivalrous Bai Lian.
With nimble fingers, he fastened the necklace on the little female, not once touching her skin.
"Done."
The cool blue of the sapphire stood out against her fair skin, like a blue flower blooming in a world of snow and ice—stunningly beautiful.
Su Yaoyao touched the sapphire necklace at her chest, absolutely loving it. She'd never worn real jewelry before.
"Fingerprint registration successful."
A sudden mechanical voice from the necklace made Su Yaoyao jump.
"The necklace can talk?"
Bai Lian chuckled, watching Su Yaoyao's reaction with amusement.
"It's actually a Light Computer, just designed to look like a necklace. I heard they're very popular in the Imperial City; all the females love them."
"What's a Light Computer?" Su Yaoyao asked curiously.
"You can think of it as a communication device."
A faint blue holographic screen materialized from the necklace's surface. Bai Lian reached out and began setting it up for Su Yaoyao, adding his own Light Computer to her contacts.
"When I'm not around, you can use the Light Computer to contact me."
Su Yaoyao nodded. 'I get it,' she thought. 'It's basically like a cell phone.'
Bai Lian continued, "Your identity information still needs to be registered in the Imperial City, so a lot of the functions are unavailable for now."
He finished, then tilted his head, his gaze a mixture of concern and inquiry. "Do you need me to teach you how to use it?"
At this, Su Yaoyao's defiant streak flared up. "Don't underestimate me! I can figure it out on my own."
'Who doesn't know how to use a "phone" to get online?' she scoffed internally. 'I'm a total shut-in who messes with electronics all day.'
Su Yaoyao gleefully tapped her fingers all over the virtual screen.
She discovered that this world's version of the internet was called the Star Network. It had all sorts of daily news—military, medical, entertainment, you name it. But because her identity wasn't verified, she could only browse, not comment.
Ordinary people were still more interested in entertainment, so Su Yaoyao tapped into that section. She found that they had singers and actors here too—all of whom were male.
Su Yaoyao browsed the trending charts, which featured all the A-listers, who were naturally all top-tier in the looks department as well.
And the level of raciness...
The man in the picture had long, wavy, fiery-red hair, his eyes covered by a black lace blindfold. His sensual lips were slightly parted. He knelt on the ground, shirtless, his hands tied behind his back with rope.
His pecs and abs were on full display, each muscle defined with flawless, perfect lines.
Even the button and zipper on his pants were undone, revealing...
Su Yaoyao suddenly felt a nosebleed coming on. 'Holy shit!' she thought. 'This is way too intense!'