The next morning, a soft knock sounded on Su Yaoyao’s door.

Bleary-eyed, Su Yaoyao got up to answer it. Mingye’s tall figure stood in the doorway, his resolute features outlined by the faint morning light.

Their eyes met, and a peculiar tension suddenly filled the air.

Su Yaoyao’s heart suddenly hammered in her chest. She subconsciously clutched the collar of her nightgown, only then realizing she was still wearing it and that her hair was a mess.

She looked at Mingye with a puzzled expression, her voice still soft and hazy with sleep. "Can I help you?"

Mingye lowered his head slightly. His voice was deep, yet it held a hint of barely perceptible tension. "You haven’t soothed me for the past few days."

As he said this, his ears turned faintly red. Thankfully, the dim morning light kept Su Yaoyao from noticing.

It finally dawned on Su Yaoyao. She’d been so busy with training these past few days that the matter had completely slipped her mind.

She turned to the side, a little embarrassed. "Come on in."

The two of them sat on the edge of the bed. Su Yaoyao held out her hands—fair and slender, like fresh spring shoots.

She said softly, "Place your hands on top."

Mingye gazed at her hands, hesitated for a moment, then slowly placed his own broad palms over them.

With their hands together, Su Yaoyao closed her eyes and focused on channeling her spiritual power. Her voice was as gentle as a soft breeze. "Close your eyes and completely relax. It’s more effective that way."

Mingye did as she said and closed his eyes, feeling the warm spiritual power surge into him. It was like a gentle current flowing through his heart, washing away his irritation and anxiety.

He peeked, his gaze tracing Su Yaoyao’s features.

Her eyelashes were like a butterfly’s wings, casting faint shadows on her eyelids. Her nose was small and straight, and her lips were slightly pursed, as if she were concentrating on a momentous task.

A tenderness he had never shown before filled Mingye’s eyes, a look he only revealed without reservation when Su Yaoyao couldn’t see.

Her eyelashes trembled as if she were about to open her eyes, and he quickly shut his again.

"Okay, done." Su Yaoyao’s voice broke the silence.

Mingye opened his eyes. His Light Computer indicated his Rage Value had dropped by exactly 10 points, down to 77%.

"Aren’t we continuing? I think you have the ability to clear my Rage Value all at once." Mingye kept his hand over hers, savoring the touch. ’Wonderful moments are always so fleeting.’

Mingye’s sudden question startled Su Yaoyao. Her eyes widened, as if he had exposed one of her little secrets. "I’m not that amazing."

"Oh, I’m so tired." Su Yaoyao faked a yawn and stretched dramatically.

"But you just woke up, didn’t you?" Mingye asked with a puzzled frown, his gaze fixed on her.

"I didn’t sleep well last night," Su Yaoyao said, avoiding his gaze and nervously fiddling with the hem of her clothes.

Mingye didn’t press the issue. He hadn’t slept well last night either, so he had simply stayed up all night modifying a pistol.

He took the pistol from behind his back and offered it to Su Yaoyao. "This is a Light Arc Pulse Gun. It’s for you."

"It’s beautiful." Su Yaoyao’s eyes instantly lit up, like a child who had just received a beloved toy.

The body of the gun was a fusion of transparent energy crystal and high-strength carbon fiber, revealing bands of light flowing within.

Mingye patiently explained, "It uses light arc compression technology to compress high-energy photons into a pulse beam, which creates a powerful photothermal explosion upon impact.

"The rate of fire is extremely high—ten rounds per second. It has a 300-meter range and can inflict area-of-effect damage.

"It’s powered by a Light Crystal Core that automatically recharges by absorbing light energy."

"Whoa! This is so cool! I have to go try it out!" Su Yaoyao jumped up in excitement.

But as she started to take off her nightdress, she froze and looked at Mingye, who was still sitting on the edge of her bed.

It took Mingye a moment to understand. His face instantly flushed as red as a ripe tomato. He scrambled out of the room and leaned against the door, his heart racing.

A few moments later, Su Yaoyao emerged, fully dressed.

"Let’s go!" Su Yaoyao was dressed in a practical, form-fitting training suit that accentuated her figure. Her ponytail swished back and forth as she strode confidently ahead.

Mingye watched her go, a complex emotion swelling within him. He couldn’t help but ask, "Why are you training so hard?" His voice was so soft it was almost lost to the wind.

Su Yaoyao didn’t quite hear him. She stopped and looked back, confused. "What did you say?"

Mingye shook his head. "Nothing."

He was afraid of the answer, afraid of confirming his suspicion—that she was training so desperately to leave this place and return to her Beast Husbands.

They took the elevator down to the shooting range on the second basement level.

Building on her experience from yesterday, Su Yaoyao was already much more proficient.

She had Mingye watch from behind the soundproof glass. After all, she was still shaken by that kiss, and her cheeks burned every time she thought of it.

Mingye was a little uneasy. He frowned slightly and said in a serious tone, "This is a Pulse Gun, not a normal pistol. It’s incredibly powerful." His eyes were filled with concern.

"Don’t worry, I’ll be fine!" Su Yaoyao pushed him out of the firing range, as if trying to shove away all the awkwardness and embarrassment along with him.

Holding the Pulse Gun, Su Yaoyao took a deep breath, adjusted her stance, and took aim at the bullseye.

BANG! A single shot hit the bullseye, and the intense photothermal explosion completely obliterated the target.

However, the targets were just electronic holograms, and Mingye had activated a protective barrier around the range, so the surrounding area was unaffected.

Su Yaoyao gave a self-satisfied smile. ’With no man on my mind, my aim is divine,’ she thought.

She fired another shot at the newly generated virtual target.

The gun was a perfect fit for her. It didn’t require pinpoint accuracy to blow the entire target to smithereens. Plus, it was lightweight, not at all tiring to hold, and had very little recoil.

Su Yaoyao had to admire Mingye’s skill as a gunsmith.

Just then, Noah sauntered into the training area, humming a little tune and carrying a plate of bizarre, pitch-black food.

"At the range as soon as the sun’s up? You didn’t even let her have breakfast," Noah complained.

Mingye glanced at the food and nearly rolled his eyes. "Next time, try your own cooking before you serve it to someone."

Noah shrugged it off and looked through the glass window, where Su Yaoyao was completely absorbed in her training.

Then he noticed the gun in her hand. "A Pulse Gun? You made that for her?" Noah looked at Mingye in astonishment.

"I did," Mingye replied simply, his gaze never leaving Su Yaoyao.

"Are you serious, Mingye? I thought you said she was preparing to rescue her Beast Husbands. Why would you give her such a powerful weapon?" Noah frowned, clearly displeased.

"I’m simply honoring our agreement," Mingye countered. "Aren’t you the one who spars with her every day?"

"Well, I... I don’t know what else to do with her besides sparring," Noah sighed, looking crestfallen.

He looked at the "sandwich" on the tray. It was the breakfast he had painstakingly prepared for Su Yaoyao, using his favorite sauce. He was sure she would love it.

’If I can’t change her mind, I’ll just have to do my best to impress her,’ Noah muttered to himself, as if giving himself a pep talk. ’Maybe if she starts to like me, she’ll be willing to stay?’

"Haven’t you thought about it? Don’t you like her?" Noah suddenly looked up, staring straight at Mingye.

"No." Mingye turned his head away, his eyes darting to the side. ’There’s no future for us,’ he reminded himself over and over.

"Tch. Who are you trying to fool? Your Spiritual Body says otherwise," Noah scoffed, a look of disdain on his face. "It clings to her more than anyone the moment it sees her."

A blush crept up Mingye’s face, as if his deepest secret had just been laid bare.