Every Sentinel I Dreamed of Came Looking for Me

Before Bai Ye could dwell on it, something even more unexpected happened.

"Whimper..."

A low whimper came from beside his feet.

Then, with a flash of silver light...

A miniature, fluffy White Tiger appeared out of thin air, unceremoniously pushing past Bai Ye’s leg to cozy up to Yun Sheng’s feet.

It completely ignored its master, tilting its fluffy head up to gaze intently at Yun Sheng with its big eyes.

A contented purr rumbled in its throat, and it even stuck out its tongue to gently lick the back of her hand.

Yun Sheng’s heart completely melted. Her eyes instantly brightened to a stunning degree, all her previous awkwardness and tension forgotten.

"Ah... You’re so adorable!"

She gasped in delight, cautiously reaching out as she spoke, wanting to stroke the large head that looked so wonderfully soft to the touch.

Bai Ye: "..."

A rare crack appeared in his usually calm and self-possessed expression, and a vein seemed to pulse at his temple.

"Get back!"

Bai Ye chided in a low, deep voice, even using a sliver of his spiritual power to suppress it.

Hearing the command, the large tiger’s ears twitched. It just rubbed its head against Yun Sheng’s pant leg again, letting out an even louder purr, clearly unwilling to leave.

Bai Ye’s expression darkened a shade further.

An even sharper glare, coupled with the invisible pressure of his Spiritual Force Field, bore down on it.

The large tiger finally couldn’t withstand it, and its entire head drooped.

With a flash of silvery-white light, it was unwillingly recalled and vanished.

At some point, the elevator had resumed its smooth operation. The earlier turbulence seemed like just an illusion.

Bai Ye finally released the arm he had around Yun Sheng, taking a step back to put some space between their overly intimate positions.

"My spiritual body sometimes loses control. Apologies for my discourtesy just now."

Yun Sheng steadied herself, glancing up at him quickly. She pursed her lips, not immediately replying.

’They say a spiritual body’s reactions are, to some extent, the truest and most transparent reflection of its master’s innermost feelings. That they are highly consistent with their master’s will, and can even more bluntly express their master’s underlying emotions and preferences.’

’But that ridiculously enthusiastic White Tiger from a moment ago, versus the Bai Ye standing before me now, cold as a block of ice with a gaze that could freeze a person to death...’

’Isn’t the difference a bit too extreme?’

’Could it be... that this Star Alliance War God is actually the type to be cold on the outside but passionate on the inside... a stoic?’

The thought made Yun Sheng’s scalp tingle, and she hurriedly suppressed it.

She didn’t dare voice the thought, afraid this "stoic" before her would "silence" her on the spot.

So, she lowered her eyes and, knowing what was good for her, replied, "...It’s fine."

Her tone was docile and her posture cooperative, fully conveying her desperate will to survive: ’I don’t know anything, I wasn’t thinking anything, please, don’t mind me at all.’

Bai Ye gave her a long look but didn’t say anything.

DING!

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors slid open slowly.

"Let’s go," Bai Ye said, striding out first.

Yun Sheng followed half a step behind him, her heart pounding. She had no idea where this inscrutable general intended to take her for a private conversation.

’His private office? A quiet conference room? Or, even more nerve-wracking, an interrogation room?’

As her imagination ran wild, she noticed Bai Ye suddenly turn and head straight for a spacious, brightly lit area to the side of the first floor lobby.

Neat tables and chairs were arranged there, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. Staff in Tower uniforms occasionally came and went.

It was clearly a staff cafeteria.

Yun Sheng stopped short, taken aback.

’He brought me here... to eat?’

’All because my stomach made that horribly embarrassing growl back in the hallway?’

’Isn’t that a little too... thoughtful? It seemed completely out of character for Bai Ye.’

Alarm bells instantly went off in Yun Sheng’s mind. ’Is this some kind of sugar-coated bullet?’

’Soften her up first to lower her guard, making it easier to wheedle information out of her? And if he can’t, he’ll settle the score later?’

She looked suspiciously at Bai Ye’s straight, imposing back, becoming more convinced that this meal would be a difficult one to swallow.

Just as her mind was racing with wild speculation, their arrival had already attracted the attention of everyone in the cafeteria.

Bai Ye was a focal point in the Tower, and the sight of an unfamiliar, ordinary-looking girl following him was an incredibly conspicuous pairing.

Whispers broke out, and probing gazes pricked Yun Sheng’s skin like needles.

Yun Sheng felt like a rare animal on display. She glanced at Bai Ye, who seemed completely oblivious to it all, her face a mask of frustration.

’Nothing good ever comes from being associated with him!’

Bai Ye, looking straight ahead, walked directly to a relatively secluded booth by the window, pulled out a chair, and motioned with his eyes for Yun Sheng to sit.

Yun Sheng steeled herself and sat down, feeling as though the curious stares were about to burn holes in her back.

Bai Ye took the seat opposite her and summoned a service robot. Without even looking at the menu, he ordered a few simple, refreshing-looking meals and hot drinks before his gaze returned to Yun Sheng.

The soft lighting of the cafeteria illuminated his well-defined features. In this non-work environment, his cold, sharp eyes lost some of their oppressive intensity, yet they seemed all the more deep and unfathomable.

"Now, we can talk properly."

Yun Sheng’s heart tightened. She knew the real reason for this meeting had arrived.

"Yesterday, I went to the research institute for a routine deep-scan and status assessment of my spiritual landscape. The results showed that several critical fissures in the core region of my spiritual landscape have been repaired to varying degrees."

As he spoke, Bai Ye’s gaze remained locked on Yun Sheng’s face, not missing the slightest shift in her expression.

"This degree of self-repair has never occurred before. Not even deep channeling from an S-Class Guide can accomplish it."

Yun Sheng was visibly stunned for a moment after he finished, looking somewhat surprised.

She was silent for a few seconds, as if processing the information, then raised her eyes and said sincerely, "Really? In that case... congratulations, General Bai. That’s wonderful news."

Her reaction was too natural. Her eyes were clear, betraying no hint of guilt, panic, or deliberate pretense.

Bai Ye watched her, his brow knitting together slightly.

’Could it be... he was just overthinking this?’

"You’re not aware of how it might have happened?" he pressed tentatively, his tone softening in a leading manner.

Yun Sheng blinked, her face showing even more genuine confusion, even a hint of bewilderment at being put on the spot.

"Am I... supposed to know?"

She genuinely didn’t understand why Bai Ye was telling her this in the first place.

’Did the great General’s recovery really require some kind of insight from a "dud" like her?’

Bai Ye was taken aback by her innocent and bewildered expression, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

’He couldn’t just bring up the embarrassing details of those dreams himself, could he?’

’Was he supposed to tell her that because some audaciously lecherous woman had her hands all over him in his dreams, the fissures in his spiritual landscape were repaired when he woke up?’

’And that he now suspected that woman was Yun Sheng?!’

Bai Ye took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions and the indescribable heat stirring within him. He decided to try a more direct question.

"Yun Sheng, let me ask you... have you had any... unusual dreams recently?"