Chapter 25 — ILK Chapter 25

Sacher Torte (1)

There are many rumors regarding Lin Changli, and Sang Ye had once spent time on the Star Net seriously researching the "target individual" of her exile.

Some confirmed facts were that his military exploits were illustrious and his reputation was formidable. From the age of fifteen, he had led the Imperial Expeditionary Force, fighting the Zerg, venturing into multiple galaxies to expand the Empire's territory, and maintaining constant pressure on the Zerg and the Federation. On the official Imperial Wall of Merit, his portrait still hangs, followed by over ten pages of scrolling achievements.

Other details, whose truth remained uncertain, were gossip from forums. Since Lin Changli had left the army several years ago, many events had long lost their original clarity.

Lin Changli didn't come to Black Tower Planet immediately. After his spiritual form rioted, he left the military. The Empire generally allows such Sentinels to retain their titles and benefits, but they no longer hold actual power. During that time, the Emperor's second child was born—a female named Lin Yangchuan. She was a Guide, and the spiritual power that erupted at her birth enveloped the entire Central City; everyone was forced to undergo a "mental channeling."

Everyone understood: Lin Changli had lost his right to the throne.

Although Imperial law dictates equal inheritance rights, the reality is different. Whether in the Royal Family, the nobility, or even commoner families, females are prioritized because their mental stability far exceeds that of males. Guides are prioritized over Sentinels. This is especially true for the Royal Family, which has no strict primogeniture rule; their lifespans are long enough to wait and select the most suitable heir.

Let alone a Sentinel who had already suffered a mental riot.

Let alone a Sentinel with an incurable Ancient spiritual form.

Lin Changli appeared at Lin Yangchuan's full-month ceremony with a calm expression; after that, he vanished for years. No one knew where he went until he appeared on Black Tower.

Some rumors claimed Lin Changli was personally "arrested" and brought back by the Emperor, that he had caused massive trouble during his years away—news suppressed by the Royal Family and hidden from the public, a secret even the military high command was tight-lipped about. Other rumors said he had a violent temper and was famous for cruelly mistreating prisoners and subordinates while in the service... though the latter was eventually debunked by his former units, who harshly rebuked the slanderers.

Sang Ye had seen his portrait on the Wall of Merit, and she had to admit he was impressive. Sword-like eyebrows, eyes like stars, a solemn and dignified air. But meeting him in person was even more jarring. Contrary to his actual age, Lin Changli looked excessively young, like a teenage youth. Perhaps it was because he had shed the Marshal uniform of authority; he looked less majestic and more sharp.

Clad only in a black combat suit, he looked like a silent blade capable of cutting through any resistance. He radiated a violent mental power, burning like a fierce flame, far surpassing General Asu.

Yet, the moment Sang Ye looked at him, that burning mental power froze. A mysterious mental soothing seeped into his mental landscape, drawn toward her instinctively. Sang Ye felt this "stasis" as well. She was puzzled but didn't move rashly.

"...Who are you? Why are you here?" Lin Changli asked in a flat tone.

"Arranged by General Asu," Sang Ye replied matter-of-factly. "She wanted me to stay here, far from the base, out of her sight."

"Then why did you come to Black Tower? Aren't you a Guide?" Lin Changli took a step closer, the shattered moonlight at his back. He was very tall; though Sang Ye was 180cm, she was still half a head shorter than him.

Sang Ye clearly remembered the warning: never mention the Royal Family to him. Lin Changli had amber eyes that shimmered like liquid gold. If one ignored the raging mental power around him, he looked quite calm.

When she hesitated to answer, Lin Changli’s gaze shifted, and he let out a knowing, mocking laugh. "I see. You were sent by His Majesty the Emperor." He leaned in closer, his breath hot. "You dare come here with such a massive rank difference? I suggest you run back now, or I’ll burn your mental landscape to ash."

Sang Ye detected no real threat in his voice; it sounded more like malicious teasing. But she had nothing to fear because she had nowhere to go. She raised an eyebrow and looked back at him candidly.

"Marshal, I am a Guide exiled to Black Tower after being sentenced to death. The Emperor said I can only return if I cure you." She pointed to a delicate, necklace-like ornament on her neck. It looked like jewelry, but it contained enough compressed energy to instantly kill a brain below A-rank; it would paralyze anyone below S-rank and report the fugitive's location. Attempting to force it off would trigger a self-destruct sequence.

"If you're going to kill me too, which pain is less? Being burned by you or blown up by this?" Sang Ye’s expression was calm, carrying a "salted fish" attitude of ‘what can you do to me? I might as well just give up.’ "As a Marshal, you shouldn't be so stingy. At least let me choose the less painful way to go."

Lin Changli truly didn't know what to do with her. He knew Asu Ment had placed her here just to annoy him. At this point, he actually touched his nose in rare sheepishness. He felt quite bored; in truth, since leaving the army, nothing felt meaningful to him. Yet this Guide radiated a scent that made him feel a peace he hadn't known since birth—not even from his mother, the S-rank Guide Lin Shuangxu.

Ironically, the only thing that had always accompanied him was his spiritual form, which was regarded as the "source of sin."

"What is that smell on you? That sweetness," Lin Changli finally couldn't help but ask.

"?" The sudden shift in topic caught Sang Ye off guard. She sniffed herself. "Oh, I was making chocolate. I'm preparing to make a Sacher Torte tomorrow."

This was one of the desserts she had found in the ancient texts. She had researched the recipe before and knew it was troublesome, so she had set it aside despite her curiosity. But with all the good things happening lately, she felt like rewarding herself. She happened to have cocoa beans in her storage ring that her Master had brought back from her travels. The quantity was small, and back then they hadn't figured out how to eat them—they thought the taste was weird—so they had been shelved.

Today, she had the Enzyme Fairy help ferment the beans, then roasted them to increase the aroma and remove the acidity. Next came separating the hulls and seasoning. She tried to have the robots do it, but their hands weren't capable of delicate movements; they had crushed quite a few of her precious beans, hulls and all! Angered, Sang Ye did it herself. She melted the cocoa mass and cocoa butter at high heat into a chocolate sauce and added plenty of refined sugar.

When it was freshly made, she smelled like a sweet, soft little cake. But once she started making the instant noodle sauce, that scent was quickly covered up. Lin Changli’s nose was sharp; she couldn't smell it anymore, but he could detect the sweetness accurately.

Lin Changli didn't move, staring straight at Sang Ye.

Sang Ye: "...?" She asked tentatively, "Do you want me to make it now?"

"Aren't you the Guide sent by the Emperor to treat me?" Lin Changli said righteously.

"No," Sang Ye refused flatly. "It's too late. I've been busy all day, and I'm tired." Her courage grew as she realized he wasn't going to harm her. "Besides, you broke my window. How am I supposed to sleep with such a big hole? I'm not making it tomorrow either; I have to find someone to fix the glass."

Lin Changli raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "This is my room!"

It was Sang Ye's turn to be incredulous. "You mean those 'prison-style' furniture pieces were yours?"

Lin Changli: "?" Prison-style? That’s Military Minimalism!

Of course they were his. This base—even this planet—was his!

"They're in the room opposite." Sang Ye stepped aside from the doorway and pointed across the hall, clearly refusing to give up her cozy nest.

Lin Changli walked to the door, feeling puzzled. As he passed Sang Ye, the sweet scent on her became more pronounced, making his heart itch. "You..." He started again.

Sang Ye looked up and met his gaze. Up close, his eyes were truly beautiful—liquid gold, brilliant as gemstones. Lin Changli’s gaze drifted down, settling on the small teardrop-shaped mole at the corner of her eye.

"Are you really not making that cake tomorrow?"

So he’s still thinking about it, she thought, even though he probably didn't even know what it was. Sang Ye laughed in frustration. "You fix my glass, and I’ll make the Sacher Torte tomorrow."

Lin Changli breathed a sigh of relief. "Deal."

Fortunately, the base was in summer mode. The temperature stayed around 18°C at night, so she could sleep with a thin blanket. In winter mode, the wind from that window would have frozen her to death. Domestic robots arrived to clear the shards, filling several carts.

Sang Ye curiously peered out the window. Below lay the black ocean the base called the "Tide Sea," an area no less dangerous than the Snow Mountain. There was a Tide Sea base guarded by three A-rank Sentinels. The sea looked gloomy and oppressive even when calm, as if hiding abyssal giants. At high tide, waves crashed against the cliff with the sound of thunder and metal, dragging debris back into the depths. To this day, the base hadn't mastered the tides; they followed no seasons and weren't governed by planetary gravity. The Tide Sea was like a willful child, acting only on its own whims.

She wondered how Lin Changli had climbed up here. Did he fly? People in this world didn't seem to fly without machines. With these questions in mind, Sang Ye washed up and climbed into bed, falling into a chocolate-scented dream.

…

Sang Ye was woken by the frantic rustling of her Parasol Tree. Tong Tong was calling her with great urgency.

Waking up, before her eyes could even fully clear, Sang Ye was stunned by the sight. A massive sheet of glass was being lowered from the roof as several robots prepared to install it.

And Lin Changli was there. He was floating cross-legged outside the window, watching Sang Ye—who had wrapped herself into a silkworm-like cocoon on the bed—with interest. He rested his chin on his hand, his long hair draped obediently over his chest, that streak of gold-red particularly striking.

He had a mischievous, somewhat playful smile on his face.