Chapter 54: Inexplicable Jealousy (1)
Bai Ye’s fingertips were cool, yet his touch burned like a brand.
Yun Sheng knew today was different.
Bai Ye’s patience had run out. He wouldn’t accept any more vague or pitifully-played answers.
Her mind raced, countless thoughts and excuses flashing through it, only to be rejected one after another.
Under Bai Ye’s direct and relentlessly pressuring interrogation, any false pretense seemed utterly feeble.
’What should I do?’
Yun Sheng bit her lip. Rather than expose her secret, she might as well go for broke.
She forcefully slapped away the hand clamped on her chin and gritted her teeth. "General Bai, please have some self-respect! Don’t forget you’re Lin Yueyao’s fiancé, my ’brother-in-law’ in name. If word got out that you’ve been getting handsy with your ’little sister’ time and again... what would happen to your reputation? To the honor of the Star Alliance War God?!"
"If you have concrete evidence that I’ve colluded with a wanted criminal and committed some serious crime, then by all means, arrest me right now!"
Yun Sheng deliberately spoke harshly because she was genuinely terrified.
Just now, Bai Ye had merely grabbed her wrist, and the power she’d stolen in her spiritual landscape had nearly run rampant. Heaven knew if they continued to have physical contact, she wouldn’t be able to suppress that spiritual power and would expose herself completely!
’Why was it that before, even after I stole power, physical contact with Si Jin or Bai Ye was fine? Why is it happening this time...?’
’Could it be because I "charged up" too much in the dream last time, and my spiritual landscape can’t hold it all?!’
Bai Ye froze, caught off guard by Yun Sheng’s rapid-fire rebuttal.
He slowly retracted his hand, letting it fall to his side as his fingertips curled slightly.
The hard, cold expression on his face didn’t change, but a flicker of astonishment passed through his bottomless black eyes.
’He never expected Yun Sheng would counterattack like this!’
"Getting handsy? Yun Sheng, you’re trying to change the subject, and in the clumsiest way possible."
Bai Ye spoke, his voice lower and colder than before.
"Si Jin is the Star Alliance’s most-wanted criminal. I have both the right and the responsibility to pursue any lead related to him to the very end. And you are at the center of all current leads."
He paused, his gaze locking onto Yun Sheng’s face like an eagle’s, which she struggled to keep composed.
"You can continue to hide things, even continue to make a scene with these childish tactics. But you should be clear on one thing: once I determine you are connected to Si Jin, I can use my authority as the Star Alliance War God to take all necessary measures against you. And that won’t be as simple as just ’talking’ here."
When Bai Ye said this, his tone was strictly business, cold and devoid of any personal emotion.
He could even clearly foresee the next steps: placing Yun Sheng in isolated custody for questioning, initiating the highest Level of spiritual power detection, and mobilizing all resources to dig deep into any possible connection between her and Si Jin...
However, just as these thoughts flashed through his mind, his gaze inevitably fell upon Yun Sheng’s face.
Her face was undeniably beautiful. Her wide eyes were misty, yet shockingly bright, like dusty glass suddenly polished, revealing a vividness that had a thorny edge.
In some corner of Bai Ye’s heart, a flicker of emotion stirred without warning. A trace of reluctance to treat Yun Sheng this way surfaced.
But this feeling was too faint, too inopportune. It was instantly suppressed by his formidable sense of reason and duty, leaving not even a shadow of it on his stern face.
Yun Sheng’s heart sank.
She knew Bai Ye was telling the truth.
For someone of his standing, constraints like identity and reputation had limited effect.
"KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK."
The sudden sound of knocking shattered the icy standoff in the study.
The maid’s voice from outside the door was cautious. "Miss Yun Sheng, Young Master Zhou Lin of the Zhou Family and people from the Chen Family are here. They say it’s urgent and would like to see you."
’Zhou Lin... and the Chen Family?’
Yun Sheng’s pupils contracted!
She knew the Chen Family would come looking for her sooner or later, but she hadn’t expected it to be this fast.
Only half a day had passed since Zhou Lin’s "reminder" at the Tower entrance this morning.
Trouble really did come in droves!
Yun Sheng subconsciously lifted her eyes and shot a quick glance at Bai Ye.
"General Bai, I have guests. I’ve taken note of everything you just said. If you don’t have any other official business to discuss, could you perhaps..."
She didn’t finish her sentence, but the meaning was obvious: ’Isn’t it time for you to leave?’
Bai Ye looked at her, not responding immediately.
Outside, the maid seemed not to have gotten a response and knocked gently again.
"Miss Yun Sheng? The madam, the young miss, and the young master are all in the living room. The Chen Family seems to be in a bit of a hurry. Is it convenient for you to come down now?"
The air was dead silent for a few seconds.
Bai Ye finally took a step back. The oppressive aura that had practically pinned Yun Sheng to the spot lessened slightly, but it didn’t dissipate completely.
He adjusted his cuffs with a composed air, but his eyes remained locked on Yun Sheng’s pale face.
"Since you have other visitors today, we’ll talk next time. Yun Sheng, remember, this is your last chance. Think it over carefully before you give me an answer. Otherwise..."
Bai Ye didn’t finish, but the pressure from his spiritual power suddenly intensified, becoming almost tangible, like an invisible hand closing around Yun Sheng’s throat. She instantly found it hard to breathe, and her fingertips went cold.
With that, he didn’t linger, turning to pull open the study door.
The maid outside respectfully stepped aside.
Yun Sheng gripped the edge of the desk, taking several sharp breaths before she could barely suppress the turmoil in her heart and the suffocating feeling in her throat.
’Last chance? Or else what?’
She didn’t dare to dwell on it. Forcing herself to straighten her appearance, she followed him out of the study.
The staircase spiraled downward, and the faint sound of conversation drifted up from the living room.
Yun Sheng kept her eyes down, preparing to brace herself and head for the living room, but her steps suddenly faltered.
She saw that Bai Ye hadn’t left. ’I thought he would leave as soon as he went downstairs!’
He was standing just inside the entrance to the living room, openly and without any attempt to be discreet. His posture was ramrod straight, and he was turned sideways to the group conversing within, looking exactly as if he were waiting there just for her!
Yun Sheng felt her temples begin to throb.
She took a deep breath, dug her nails into her palm, and strode directly into the living room as if she hadn’t seen Bai Ye at all.
Several gazes instantly fixed on her.
Su Wan looked worried, Lin Yueyao’s gaze was probing, and Lin Hao had the smug look of someone ready to enjoy a good show.
But it was the gaze from the person opposite her that was the most oppressive.
It came from the middle-aged man sitting next to Zhou Lin. He was staring at Yun Sheng, looking as if he was about to start questioning her at any second.
"Miss Yun Sheng, my apologies for the intrusion," Zhou Lin spoke first. "The man beside me is Chen Hao’s father. Uncle Chen is worried about Chen Hao’s whereabouts and has some questions for you. I figured, since I mentioned this to you this morning, it would be better for me to accompany him rather than have him come unannounced. It might prevent any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Yun Sheng’s heart stirred.
’Zhou Lin... is he speaking up for me, or is he testing me?’
At almost the same moment, Bai Ye, standing not far behind her, frowned slightly.
He watched Zhou Lin’s seemingly polite but actually protective posture, and he saw Yun Sheng’s shoulders relax slightly at Zhou Lin’s words. For no particular reason, a faint trace of displeasure flickered through his heart.
The feeling came on abruptly, almost inexplicably, but it made his gaze toward Zhou Lin turn colder, almost without him realizing it.