The Man Named Song Yu The plantation project at the base was clearly working. Before sleeping, Sang Ye entered her pocket dimension. The Parasol Tree pointed toward the distance with a proud, silent flourish, waiting for Sang Ye to discover the surprise.
Following the gesture, Sang Ye saw a small but well-formed volcano. At its base, a deep blue ocean stretched toward the horizon. The Parasol Tree’s spirit, a mini version of itself, floated beside her. "Am I impressive or what? I spent days sculpting that 'Hawaii' volcano you wanted. As for that 'Middle Eastern Salt Mine,' I’m still working on it. I tried a few times but failed, so I smashed the prototypes into dust."
Sang Ye noticed a pile of "waste soil" nearby that looked suspiciously like a temper tantrum in dirt form. To distract her, the tree added, "Once I infuse enough spiritual energy to raise the volcano to three hundred meters, we can produce all the specialty salts you described. Should we move the sheep here? I’m curious what rock mutton tastes like when raised on volcanic salt."
Sang Ye gave the little spirit a big hug. "Tongtong, you’re amazing! Look, this is the trademark I made using your image. I’ll put it on everything I produce and promote it across the universe!"
As she chatted with the tree, Sang Ye voiced her concerns about the new procurement deal Melusine suggested. Shan Cha's family was in a dire situation, and their rival was a powerful S-rank Guide named Song Yu.
"I'm not worried about her family being small or far away," Sang Ye mused. "But if this partnership puts her in danger... Song Yu is an S-rank Guide. Cutting off a man's fortune is like killing his parents. Even if he's 'exiled' here, a man with his power has many ways to strike back."
The Parasol Tree spirit listened quietly before asking, "What does Shan Cha think? If she’s willing to take the risk, shouldn't you tell her everything and let her decide? You can't solve everyone's problems for them."
Realizing the tree was right, Sang Ye made her decision.
"Go back to sleep," the tree nudged her. "Someone has been staring at you for quite a while out there."
…
Sang Ye returned to her bedroom to find Lin Changli sitting cross-legged, staring at her intensely.
"You look scary," she joked.
"I saw you were 'gone' for a long time," he replied. Normally, Sentinels and Guides don't linger in their mental landscapes unless they are under heavy grooming.
Sang Ye looked at him and realized something: he never wanted to be a burden, but he also never wanted to be left behind. She leaned in, her breath brushing his lips. "Do you want to come in and see?"
She was inviting a Sentinel into a Guide’s mental landscape—an act of absolute, rare trust. Lin Changli couldn't refuse.
The experience was transformative for him. From the air, he saw the mountains, seas, fields, and streams—a vibrant paradise that stood in stark contrast to his own scorched, burning mental landscape. The Phoenix expanded to its full size, perching on the Parasol Tree’s branches, while the tree’s spiritual energy purified the bird’s eternal flames. Under the setting sun of the dimension, Sang Ye and Lin Changli shared a gentle kiss.
…
In the following days, Sang Ye's trademark was approved. She registered two factories: the base’s processing plant and the Jiang family factory. Now, every product—from raw ingredients to porcelain cookware—bore her Parasol Tree logo.
Jiang Siwei arrived for the twins' one-month celebration, bringing massive dividends of 30 million credits. She was exhausted but wealthy, her brand now expanding across several star systems.
The celebration was a small affair, but Sang Ye was tasked with the food. She used the opportunity to ask Lin Changli about Song Yu.
Lin Changli’s posture stiffened. In his mind, the mention of the name ignited a roar of hatred from the Phoenix. The little Parasol Tree in his mind had to smack the bird with a branch to keep it from burning the flowers.
"His ability is Dream Implantation," Lin Changli finally confessed, his voice heavy. "During a grooming session years ago, he tried to plant a mental suggestion in me. It caused the session to fail, and I nearly killed General Wu Jinyue in the fallout."
The suggestion in the dream was: Kill her, and you will be the only heir. "Her" referred to his baby sister, Lin Yangchuan, whom the Empress had chosen as the future successor.
…
Lin Changli recounted the nightmare of the night after the session. He had woken up standing over his sister's cradle, clutching her small clothes in a daze. The dream had screamed: Kill her! You'll be the heir! You’re weak like your useless father! He had collapsed in tears, realizing he could never hurt the sister he had raised since she was an infant. Empress Lin Shuangxu had been standing at the door, watching silently. She didn't scold him; she knew her son.
Song Yu had claimed it was Lin Changli’s own "dark desires" manifesting. Because there was no hard evidence—only the word of a rioting Sentinel against a prestigious Guide—the Empress couldn't execute him without causing a political firestorm. Instead, she stripped him of his rank and exiled him to Black Tower, waiting for him to be forgotten before "removing" him.
"Judge a person by their actions, not their thoughts," Sang Ye said, pulling Lin Changli into a warm embrace. "You didn't do anything wrong. You protected them. The evil one is the man who tried to poison your mind. Let's put Song Yu on trial together."
In Lin Changli's mental landscape, the Phoenix looked at a small, dying cloud of black mist—the remains of that old suggestion.
"What is that?" the Parasol Tree asked.
"A dead man," the Phoenix replied coldly.
Join the discussion
Log in to comment.