CR CH53

Chapter 53: Feverish Heat

Tap… tap…

His black military boots left faint traces on the floor. In the relatively hollow surroundings, the sound of his footsteps echoed with particular clarity, prompting him to lighten his steps involuntarily.

Following the directions on his device, Jiang Tianji smoothly arrived at Ling Kongmiao’s door.

Carrying light, mild-flavored meals in his hand, he lightly pursed his lips. Just as he was about to send a visit request through the floating screen on the side of the mechanical door, a gap caught the corner of his eye.

The door was unlocked.

He hesitated on the spot for a moment, still intending to send the request first.

Clatter—

Just then, the sound of shattering glass came from inside the room.

Jiang Tianji froze, then immediately pulled open the door and stepped inside.

“Officer…”

When he caught sight of the scene before him, his voice ground to a sudden halt.

Golden sunlight spilled into the room. On the window’s plant stand sat numerous energy plants, with vines bearing small blue flowers weaving through the grid, tiny flecks of light floating above them.

Curled up on the charcoal-gray bed was a large phantom beast. To describe it through Jiang Tianji’s most direct impression:

It was the embodiment of mystery, striking beauty, and power.

Its entire body was snow-white with naturally curling long fur. The contours of its ears curved elegantly—resembling a lynx’s but longer, with tufts of white fur extending outward.

The blue energy flames at the tips merged seamlessly with its coat, looking more like fur made of fire itself.

Its facial structure sat somewhere between a fox and a cat, with narrow, elongated eyes beneath which light blue flame markings faintly shimmered. At the center of its brow glowed a vertical pupil mark, much like the spatial rift from before; deep blue gathered at the core of its energy source, with fine, pale blue fissures extending inward.

Scattered blue luminescence drifted outward and faded into the surroundings, while variable shades of blue flames left distinctive, dynamic patterns across its body. Its muscle lines were smooth and firm, exuding an elegant yet dangerous sense of latent power.

The sunlight outside fell across its form, and the gentle breeze stirred its curled long fur, making it look soft and fluffy—a sight entirely out of place in this cramped instructor’s apartment.

It looked as though it belonged on an impossibly precious rug in the grand hall of the Beast Tribe, adorned in traditional jewelry, stepping onto the roof under the moonlight to pray for its subjects before vanishing into legend.

Seeing someone arrive, it didn’t seem surprised. Its eyes still held an lingering air of laziness as its large, bushy tail lifted and swayed twice… That tail was almost bigger than its body, originally draped over the edge of the bed and resting on the floor.

Jiang Tianji’s gaze followed the movement of the flames on its tail, clearly still stunned.

“Put the food down.”

A slightly raspy voice sounded. The strikingly beautiful phantom beast he had never seen before was swallowed by blue fire, and within the lingering energy, a familiar figure emerged.

Jiang Tianji stared fixedly at the ears among Ling Kongmiao’s hair and the tail behind him.

“Have you looked long enough?” Ling Kongmiao’s tone was neither warm nor cold.

“Apologies, Officer.”

Jiang Tianji finally snapped back to reality. Clearing his throat softly, he placed the meals on the adjacent table. Catching sight of the shattered glass cup beside the bed out of the corner of his eye, he crouched down and tapped the sleeping AI cleaner.

A subtle aroma filled the air, and the rustling sounds of the AI cleaning kept the atmosphere from feeling suffocatingly quiet.

Jiang Tianji stood to the side like a student being punished. Seeing Ling Kongmiao pull out a chair, he thoughtfully set up the food box and handed over a pair of chopsticks.

Ling Kongmiao accepted the chopsticks, his eyes sweeping over Jiang Tianji’s completely unbothered expression, a flicker of scrutiny flashing through his gaze.

“Are you… alright?”

Seeing his bewildered face, Ling Kongmiao had no choice but to speak directly: “The pheromones.”

Jiang Tianji was already familiar with this scent of jasmine, but only upon being reminded did he realize how dense the aroma in the room currently was. He flared his nostrils slightly, feeling his mind clear up quite a bit instead.

“No, it smells very nice,” he responded instinctively.

“…”

The atmosphere that had just begun to warm up froze completely at that response.

Realizing what he had just said, Jiang Tianji’s breath hitched, and a flush gradually spread across his ears.

Ling Kongmiao didn’t say anything, merely tapping a nearby chair to signal him to sit.

His silver-white long hair was casually tied back and draped to one side, looking a bit disheveled. The unnatural blush creeping from his cheeks to behind his ears and down his neck softened much of his usual sharp coldness.

Jiang Tianji’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward his hair and his lower back. The slightly curled fur was laced with pale blue flames, brushing against his heart like a small brush—a feeling both ticklish and tinged with a subtle ache.

He centered his mind, closed his eyes, and recited silently to himself.

Calm down, this is…

When the three words Ling Kongmiao surfaced in his mind, it became even harder to stay calm.

Are you a pervert?

Chiding himself silently, Jiang Tianji opened his eyes with a blank expression, forcing himself to look elsewhere.

Having entered in a rush earlier, it was only now as his gaze swept around that he took in the interior decor.

Ling Kongmiao’s apartment was clean, tidy, yet far from devoid of a lived-in feel. The overall color palette leaned heavily toward blacks, whites, and grays, but the area near the window had great natural lighting and was filled with numerous energy plants, which acted as a finishing touch to breathe life into the otherwise monotonous room.

He had originally assumed that given Ling Kongmiao’s cold and distant style, the apartment would merely serve as a place to sleep.

But now, every detail throughout the room revealed the owner’s love for life and refined tastes, with custom-touched colors hidden within a seemingly minimalistic environment.

For instance, the plant stand he built himself perfectly fitted the growth direction of the plants, with its edges flawlessly trimmed.

The small office desk was neat—not an obsessive-compulsive kind of neatness, but one that subtly conveyed a relaxed, effortless nature.

This didn’t feel like a dorm apartment; it felt more like… a home.

The scent belonging to the other person lingered at the tip of his nose, the soft fragrance making the setting feel even more elegant. Interacting with a superior’s deeply private side while holding a subordinate’s status couldn’t help but send his thoughts into a subtle disarray.

He was usually able to keep his hidden interests clearly compartmentalized, but at this moment, the overly blurred boundaries left him briefly losing his sense of direction.

Just as Jiang Tianji kept his head lowered, desperately trying to adjust his mindset, Ling Kongmiao set down his chopsticks, checked the time, and spoke up.

“Did Irene send you here?”

He guessed dead on; it was impossible to tell how he had figured it out.

Jiang Tianji temporarily set aside his messy thoughts: “Yes. I happened to run into Officer Irene on the way. She was very worried about you, but couldn’t spare the time just now, so she asked me to come in her place.”

His peripheral vision glanced at the food box—there were no picked-out ingredients today, meaning he hadn’t stepped on any landmines.

“Hmph.”

Ling Kongmiao let out a short, soft chuckle, making a mental note to settle scores with Irene later before turning to business.

“The test is just a formality. You know your own talent and ability very well—it’s S-rank without a doubt.”

“If you can awaken a beast form next, your abilities will continue to break through to higher levels.”

Ling Kongmiao pondered for a moment: “Although your current combat performance isn’t particularly outstanding… as for why, you know full well in your heart. You saved all your energy just to unleash it on me.”

“Seems you’ve accumulated quite a bit of resentment usually?”

Hearing the playful teasing in his tone, Jiang Tianji lowered his head silently.

“Apologies, Officer.”

“In short, relying solely on your current awakening rank, the chances of the Star Directorate letting you go are slim.”

Ling Kongmiao waved his hand, giving a balanced assessment: “There isn’t much time left for you to consider. Whether to stop here or move forward, make your decision as early as possible.”

“Then do you hope I stop?” Jiang Tianji asked.

Seeming not to expect him to ask this, Ling Kongmiao’s movements paused for a moment.

“I hope?” He let out a light laugh, his gaze shifting toward Jiang Tianji. “Would you listen to me?”

Jiang Tianji: “What if I would?”

“Then I hope you join the Special Support.”

Ling Kongmiao didn’t hesitate, gazing at him calmly.

A faint ripple passed through the depths of his heart; Jiang Tianji lowered his eyes.

“…I understand, Officer.”

Ling Kongmiao gave a quiet response. A brilliant energy luster gathered within his pale eyes, one of which turned deep and abyssal.

A intense surge of discomfort hit him. He instinctively stood up, raising a hand to press against his forehead as he shook his head slightly.

A hand promptly steadied him, a warm palm pressing against his lower back and wrist.

Seeing his state, a flash of surprise crossed Jiang Tianji’s eyes as he gently knit his brows.

“Rest first.”

He supported Ling Kongmiao as they walked toward the bed, instructing in a low voice.

“If there’s any issue, you can send me a message anytime… or reach out to other instructors. Your condition isn’t good.”

Jiang Tianji laid Ling Kongmiao down on the bed and casually pulled up the blanket to cover him properly.

A hair tie dropped onto the floor, allowing silver-white strands to spread across the bed in a slightly chaotic cascade, a few clinging to the side of Ling Kongmiao’s neck.

Without overthinking, Jiang Tianji leaned down to brush the strands behind his ear. As his fingers grazed the flushed neck and cheek, they caught an unfamiliar warmth, making him realize he had slightly crossed the line.

“Ngh.”

The person beneath him let out a muffled groan, the raspy voice making Jiang Tianji’s ears burn.

“Are you… feeling very uncomfortable?”

He let out a soft cough, feigning composure as he smoothed out the wrinkles on the blanket, only for his wrist to be suddenly grabbed by Ling Kongmiao.

Blue luminescence drifted forth, instantly devouring his energy.

Lying flat, Ling Kongmiao let out a gentle sigh.

“While I can understand a newcomer who just awakened… you’ve been leaking electricity ever since you walked through the door.”

At first, it was just subtle electric energy, which was a normal phenomenon, but the sudden bolt just now had quite a kick to it.

“What?”

Jiang Tianji snapped completely back to reality. Looking down, he indeed saw electric currents laced with dark green energy dancing at his fingertips.

“I’ll inform Irene that you’ll need to wear an energy suppression collar for a few days.”

Seeing the polite and flawless expression on Jiang Tianji’s face crack, revealing a bit of the flustered silliness from their very first meeting, a faint, fleeting smile crossed the depths of Ling Kongmiao’s eyes, though his tone remained mocking.

“Your roommates should count themselves lucky. If you hadn’t exposed yourself beforehand, the ones jumping from getting shocked tonight would have been them.”