Chapter 71: Making the Lofty War God Jealous
The air was thick and stagnant, and Yun Sheng’s fingertips were ice-cold.
Even though Si Jin had made arrangements beforehand, she was still facing Bai Ye, and a sense of unease gnawed at her.
Just then, she felt Si Jin shift slightly closer to her, the fabric of his sleeve almost brushing her fingertips.
The sudden movement strangely managed to steady her nerves.
A moment later, Luo Cheng finished his verification.
"General, the preliminary identity check is complete. The information on the ID chip matches the records in the Star Alliance medical personnel database. The holder is Lin Mo, a Second-level Compounder in the pharmacy department of the Fourth District Central Hospital.
"According to his work system records, he did indeed file an off-site request this afternoon to go to the Nova Biomedical Materials Company warehouse in the Seventh District Industrial Park to conduct a monthly raw material spot check. The entry and exit records from the relevant checkpoints match the time of the request."
The report was finished. Everything sounded flawless.
Bai Ye looked at Si Jin with an indifferent gaze.
That calm stare was more intimidating than any harsh interrogation or blatant threat.
Under that suffocating gaze, Si Jin took the initiative to speak.
"General Bai, since there are no issues with my identification and the military has taken control of the scene, may I leave now?"
Bai Ye didn’t answer immediately.
At that moment, Yun Sheng couldn’t help but speak up.
"General Bai, it’s very late now, and you shouldn’t need us for treating the wounded or managing the scene anymore. Can... can we go?"
The word "we," spoken so naturally, sounded exceptionally jarring to Bai Ye’s ears.
Bai Ye looked at Yun Sheng, his tone unreadable but laced with suspicion. "Didn’t you say you don’t know each other? And now you want to go back together?"
Yun Sheng seemed a little surprised by his suspicion, then put on an expression that said, ’What’s so strange about that?’
"We didn’t know each other before, no. But we just helped with the rescue together. Doctor Lin is a good, professional person, and he helped me a lot. It’s so late, and this area is remote. We happen to be heading in the same direction, so isn’t it normal to travel back together?"
Si Jin also chimed in at the right moment, adding, "Yes, General Bai. I happen to rent an apartment in a complex near Xinglan Garden, so I’m going the same way as Miss Yun Sheng. It’s late, and it’s truly not safe for a young woman to go back alone. Since it’s on my way, it’s only right that I escort her."
Their stories were logical and coherent, making a smooth and natural transition from "strangers who acted heroically" to "trustworthy temporary companions."
However, this perfectly reasonable explanation sounded inexplicably... displeasing to Bai Ye’s ears.
It was an extremely subtle emotion, one he hadn’t fully processed himself. He only knew that Yun Sheng’s unguarded trust and closeness toward Lin Mo made him feel a suffocating pressure.
"There’s no need to trouble Doctor Lin. I’ll take Yun Sheng—"
"That won’t be necessary, General Bai."
Yun Sheng softly interrupted him before he could finish.
"You’re charged with the heavy responsibility of commanding the rescue and managing the scene. How could you be delayed because of me? And if I have to wait, I’m truly exhausted. I just want to go home and rest.
"Doctor Lin is a Sentinel. With him here, I don’t think there will be any safety issues, so there’s no need to trouble the General to make special arrangements."
Her every word was filled with trust for Lin Mo, while simultaneously showing her reluctance to accept Bai Ye’s kindness.
Bai Ye’s lips tightened for a moment.
He looked at the unconcealed exhaustion on Yun Sheng’s face, and the natural, almost dependent trust in her eyes as she gazed at Lin Mo. The strange, stifling feeling in his heart seemed to grow clearer.
He realized that his goodwill offered her far less comfort and was far less welcome than that of a strange man she had just met.
A subtle sense of disparity climbed within Bai Ye’s heart.
But he showed nothing on his face; only the temperature in his dark eyes seemed to quietly drop a few more degrees.
He didn’t insist further. He just gave Yun Sheng a heavy look, then let his gaze sweep over Lin Mo, who stood waiting quietly beside her.
"In that case, be careful."
Then, Bai Ye turned his head and instructed Luo Cheng at his side.
"Record Doctor Lin’s contact information and address, in case we need to follow up with additional questions."
"Yes, General."
Luo Cheng immediately responded, stepping forward to register Si Jin’s relevant information.
Si Jin answered each question, his expression calm and open.
Once the procedure was complete, Yun Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After exchanging a look with Si Jin, the two of them didn’t linger, turning to walk toward the public levitation station.
Yun Sheng’s steps were slightly unsteady, while Si Jin maintained a polite but not overly familiar distance, walking half a step ahead and to her side in a natural posture.
Bai Ye stood his ground, not leaving immediately.
He silently watched their two figures gradually melt into the night. Yun Sheng’s slender back next to Lin Mo’s tall, steady silhouette formed a picture under the dim light that was... somehow grating to his eyes.
"General, are we just letting them go like that? Our men searched for so long and couldn’t find a trace of Miss Yun Sheng. There’s no way she went to the Seventh District Industrial Park just to buy some cheap spiritual power training aids and consumables. And that Lin Mo..."
Luo Cheng paused, his voice lower and more certain.
"His performance was too perfect. For an ordinary hospital compounder, even a Sentinel, to maintain that level of calm and coherence in front of you, with not a trace of awe or nervousness in his eyes... it’s not normal."
Bai Ye stood there quietly.
The night wind rustled the crisp collar of his uniform. The lines of his face appeared even colder and harder in the shifting light and shadows, his jaw tight.
"We have no proof. He came prepared. His identity, his itinerary, even his responses—they were all meticulously planned. Even if you used the highest level of clearance to dig deep into this ’Lin Mo’ identity, I doubt you’d find any solid evidence in a short amount of time."
Luo Cheng’s brow furrowed. "So we’re just letting him go? With Miss Yun Sheng accompanying him, the risks are unknown."
Bai Ye’s gaze remained fixed on the direction in which the two had disappeared, a cold, star-like glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.
"Who said anything about letting him go? Arrange for a team to follow them. Keep a close watch on this Lin Mo. Record all his movements, everyone he contacts... The moment you find anything out of place, you don’t need to ask for permission. Detain him immediately and bring him back to military headquarters."
"Yes, General!"
Luo Cheng accepted the order with a grim expression and immediately turned to make the arrangements.
Bai Ye remained standing in place. The night wind ruffled the bangs on his forehead, but it couldn’t disperse the sharp, cold light gathering in his eyes.
...
Yun Sheng walked beside Si Jin for quite a while before her tense nerves finally began to relax.
"How was Bai Ye so... reasonable this time? He actually just let us go?"
’That guy is usually so difficult!’
Si Jin snorted, his tone sarcastic. "The Star Alliance War God can’t just cause a scene in public without hard evidence. After all, we’re the model citizens who just acted heroically!"
The words had barely left his mouth when his steps faltered. He tilted his head slightly to one side, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of something behind them.
"What is it?"
Seeing this, Yun Sheng instinctively started to turn her head.
"Don’t move. Act natural. We’ve got a tail."
Yun Sheng’s heart leaped into her throat again.
’Of course. Bai Ye wouldn’t give up so easily!’
Just then, Si Jin suddenly turned to face Yun Sheng.
He leaned in, ducking his head slightly. His warm breath ghosted over the shell of her ear as his low, husky voice, full of temptation, whispered,
"How about... we make that high and mighty War God even more unhappy?"