Chapter 66 — ILK Chapter 66

Back to the Base Once More The little Phoenix followed Lin Changli as he circled the villa, chattering anxiously: "You can't break the glass here; repair crews take forever to arrive. Don't be so violent all the time. I know I’m the muscle, but I only do what you want."

Amidst the bird's non-stop rambling, Lin Changli finally found the ideal entrance—the window he had left open for ventilation while bathing earlier. He hadn't been to the artificial island in years. Eve usually locked all doors and windows within two hours of his departure, leaving only invisible ventilation ducts. It would be impossible for even a child to crawl in, let alone an adult.

Fortunately, he liked to keep windows open during a shower.

Eve had already deployed domestic robots from the storage room, so Sang Ye didn't need to lift a finger to clean. Bored after kicking the man and bird out, she suddenly heard a loud thud from the second floor, followed by the screeching of metal on tiles and the clatter of mechanical parts.

Considering the island's isolation, there was only one possibility. Sang Ye climbed the stairs and opened the largest door on the second floor. At the end of the room, in a transparent bathroom, Lin Changli and the Phoenix were sitting on the floor with expressions that were a mix of embarrassment and gravity. A hardworking domestic robot had been overturned, its four mechanical limbs flailing pathetically in the air while a wet mop still dangled from its arm.

Sang Ye walked over, knocked on the glass door, and knelt down with a smile. "It’s time to go back to the base."

Lin Changli looked down, and the Phoenix spoke for him: "Can we not? It’s nice here. Fewer people."

"No one visits the West Building much either," Sang Ye replied. "Only me and my Master. Even Chengcheng won't be back often. Besides," she added, "aren't we already living together at the base?"

"Will you still go to the Tide Sea?" Lin Changli asked through the glass, raising the question that had been eating at him.

Sang Ye hesitated but didn't lie. "I have seafood growing there. No one else can sow the seeds. I’ll definitely have to go back."

Lin Changli’s face fell visibly, his mood turning gloomy. His status, his power, and his person seemed to hold no attraction for her. When a person’s external traits fail to impress, it breeds a profound sense of insecurity.

"I have my own things to do," Sang Ye said, pushing open the glass door to remove the physical barrier between them. "Your mother promised to wipe my sentence, but I still have debts. I don't want anyone to pay them for me—they are 'my' responsibility. I need to live here, whether it’s on Black Tower or another planet. I need my own foundation. Until then, I don't want to consider anything else."

She was pragmatic about the debt. She wasn't a martyr, but she wasn't a thief either. The original owner of this body had caused the deaths of her classmates. They might have been bullies, but they didn't deserve to die. Paying the compensation to their families was a burden she felt she had to carry—provided the families didn't cause further trouble.

Lin Changli could understand or not; Sang Ye wouldn't force it. She had a detached view of romance. People need affection, but not necessarily romantic love. The bond she shared with her Master and Rong Cheng was enough.

"By the way, can you help me with something?" Sang Ye asked. She told him about her negotiation with Asu Ment and the difficulty of getting the Royal Family to waive their share of the processing plant's profits.

"Sure," Lin Changli agreed readily.

"Is that okay? The accounting might be messy," Sang Ye worried.

"Oh, it's fine. All export profits from Black Tower belong to me. My mother let me have it all for myself. At this point, it’s just a number."

Lin Changli radiated the casual confidence of a spoiled heir. "My family was the sole funder for buying Black Tower, so we get the sole profits."

Sang Ye stared at him. She was wrong; she shouldn't empathize with capitalists. To them, this was pocket change. She finally managed to blurt out: "You really are your mother's rebellious little darling."

Lin Changli thought for a moment. "I suppose I am."

…

They didn't leave the island by boat or warship. The Phoenix insisted on giving Sang Ye the experience of flight. He was so persistent he bit Lin Changli’s arm and wouldn't let go until he agreed.

Sang Ye was thrilled. Across two lifetimes, she had never ridden a Phoenix. In his full form, the Phoenix was larger than the villa, his wings blotting out the sky. His downy feathers were thick and warm, enough for Sang Ye to bury herself in. She gripped his crest feathers for balance while Lin Changli sat cross-legged beside her, looking relaxed.

High in the air, the Phoenix acted as a massive heater, keeping the temperature perfect. Sang Ye crawled forward to the Phoenix's head, hugging his neck to feel the wind. Her post-bath scent drifted back to Lin Changli. A strand of her red hair fluttered into his palm, tickling his skin—much like the feeling in his heart.

They landed in the backyard of the West Building. Du Yuan was busy fertilizing the roses with animal innards, her hands covered in blood. The Phoenix’s massive weight crushed the ground, leaving giant claw marks and accidentally flattening the hot spring—it was hard to tell if the bird did that on purpose.

The bird shrank instantly and perched on Sang Ye’s shoulder. "Did you like it?" he whispered against her neck, warm as a small sun.

"I did."

"Then we'll fly to other places next time. I love flying over the Tide Sea and the Loda Plains. I don't like the Snow Mountains—too many peaks and radiation."

Du Yuan rushed over with her bloody hands. "Sangsang! I'm so glad you're okay!" She gave Lin Changli a look that was far from friendly, huffing and turning away.

Immediately, Sang Ye’s terminal pinged with a new notification:

Sang Ye, Rank: Colonel, Affiliation: Black Tower. In view of your outstanding performance in mental soothing and treatment of Sentinels during the Snow Mountain riot and other major emergencies, you are specially promoted to the rank of Brigadier General by Her Majesty the Empress. All criminal sentences are hereby revoked. Restrictions on personal freedom are lifted. You may travel freely effective immediately (Special regions require application; please do not enter war zones or dangerous borders. Every Guide in the Empire is precious). The promotion would be public knowledge within the military. Sang Ye headed straight to see Asu Ment.

When she shared the news, Asu Ment looked at her as if seeing a ghost. In the military, if you caught the right opportunity, you could leap a thousand miles in a day. Asu Ment readily agreed to the finalized processing plant deal.

"Sang Ye," Asu Ment called out as she was about to leave.

Sang Ye turned back. Asu Ment stood up and turned sideways. Sang Ye stared for a moment until her gaze landed on the woman’s abdomen. Confusion turned to realization. "Oh..."

Asu Ment’s aura was uncharacteristically gentle. "I won't be here much longer," she said. "I’ll return to the army, and so will Jiang Sili. We need to carve out a future for it. My mother will stay here on Black Tower with the child until it's older. Once I leave, I hope you’ll treat my mother and the child well, just as I have."

She spoke as if it were a given that Sang Ye would take over the planet.

Sang Ye was grateful. To be protected and allowed her own secrets under Asu’s watch was a rare kindness. As she walked back through the sunny base, she realized it truly was a grand era. Everyone had infinite possibilities, and every woman could act on her own free will.