Chapter 5: The Price of Protection
The air in the Sovereign's Nest was still, but the tension between Han Chen and Lin Mei was electric. She sat on the edge of the reinforced bed, wrapping a tattered military jacket around her chest. Her eyes, once sharp with command, were now clouded with a mix of shame and a terrifying, addictive pleasure.
"You're a monster, Han Chen," she whispered, her voice trembling. "What you did... what that 'stimulant' is doing to my blood... I should kill you."
Han didn't flinch. He was standing by the window, watching a massive Shadow-Manta fly through the clouds outside. He felt the cold, hard logic of the System settling into his bones.
"You could try," Han said, turning around. His gaze was heavy, roaming over her exposed, long legs. "But you won't. Because without me, your DNA collapses. Without me, you're just meat for the creatures downstairs."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[CURRENT POINTS: 1,500]
[SOURCE: 500 (STALKER KILL) | 1,000 (FIRST ANCHORING INTIMACY)]
[SYSTEM LEVEL: 1 (EXP: 1,500/5,000 to Level 2)]
[LEVEL 1 SHOP OPEN: BASIC SURVIVAL]
* Nutrient Paste (Bulk): 10 pts
* Silk-Steel Undergarments (Durability+): 50 pts
* Basic Medical Kit: 100 pts
* Purification Filter: 200 pts
Note: Level 2 unlocks 'Evolution Serums'. Level 3 unlocks 'Soul-Bound Relics'.
Han spent 150 points. Instantly, a set of black, form-fitting Silk-Steel clothes appeared in his hands. He tossed them at Lin Mei's feet.
"Dress yourself. We're going hunting. I need points, and you need to prove you're still a soldier."
The Hunt
They descended to the 100th floor—the "Twilight Zone." The water was waist-deep here, dark and smelling of brine.
"Stay close," Lin Mei hissed, her instinct returning. She gripped her laser-blade, but she kept stealing glances at Han's back. The way his muscles moved under his shirt, the raw scent of his skin... it was making her core ache with a heat she couldn't suppress.
Suddenly, the water erupted. Three Deep-Sea Hounds—mutated dogs with gills and bone-plated heads—leaped from the shadows.
Han didn't use a weapon. He moved like a blur, his fist smashing into the first Hound's skull with a sickening crack.
[DING! KILL CONFIRMED: +100 POINTS]
Lin Mei moved with grace, her blade severing the heads of the other two. As the last body splashed into the water, she was panting, her chest heaving. The combat had spiked her hormones, a side-effect of the Bond.
She turned to Han, her face flushed. "I... I can't breathe. The heat... Han, it's coming back."
Han walked through the water toward her. He didn't offer comfort; he offered dominance. He pinned her against a rusted pillar, the cold seawater swirling around their waists.
"Is the Commander losing control?" he mocked, his hand reaching down into the water, sliding up the inside of her thigh.
"Stop..." she gasped, but her legs parted instinctively for his touch. Her hands clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. "I hate you... I hate what you've done to me..."
Han leaned in, his mouth inches from hers. "Your mouth says you hate me, but your body is soaking wet, and it isn't from the ocean."
He didn't kiss her. He bit her neck, hard enough to leave a mark, while his hand moved with brutal, expert precision between her legs. She let out a choked scream, her head hitting the pillar as a violent wave of pleasure shattered her resolve.
[DING! INTIMACY REWARD (PARTIAL): +200 POINTS]
[SUBMISSIVENESS INCREASING: 15% ➔ 35%]
"Earn your keep, Mei," Han whispered, pulling away just as she reached the peak, leaving her shaking and desperate for more. "We have a building to clear. And the more we kill, the better the 'rewards' tonight."
He left her there, gasping in the shallow water, as he moved deeper into the dark. He needed those Level 2 serums. He needed to be a God.
What's the next move?
The "Safe Zone" is growing. Han has enough points now to buy better gear or save up for the Level 2 upgrade.