Chapter 10: Control

Even as Song Qiu walked back to the dormitory that evening, Fu Ling’s words continued to echo in his mind.

"All living things possess spiritual power. Absorb it, and you can strengthen yourself."

All living things?

Song Qiu casually touched a cluster of flowers by the roadside and closed his eyes to sense them. Sure enough, he saw a pulsing point of light.

He tried swallowing the energy light just as he had that morning. Instantly, he felt his body become more vigorous.

His eyes lit up.

Over the next several days, he repeatedly absorbed energy from mutated plants whenever he had the chance, using it to strengthen his spiritual power.

There was a downside, however.

The more he absorbed, the more energy he needed the next time to achieve the same effect.

Song Qiu never took too much at once. Every time, he stopped after a small amount. Occasionally, Fu Ling would privately teach him methods of controlling spiritual power—techniques never mentioned by the military academy instructors, yet remarkably effective. Song Qiu benefited greatly each time.

Meanwhile, Mu Qianling had been spending every day in the dormitory lately. Their eyes would meet by accident from time to time, and Mu Qianling’s sharp gaze felt capable of piercing right through him, making Song Qiu unusually cautious.

Compared to that, he had become much closer with Shu Dian and Xizhou.

By now, Song Qiu had adapted to local customs. He no longer felt embarrassed going shirtless around those two. Even so, he usually wore a tank top out of habit.

After all, there was still Mu Qianling—the serious one—in the dorm.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

After a day of classes, Song Qiu lay on his bed scrolling through his terminal.

Most of the posts on the school forum were pointless chatter. Only a few shared study tips.

He refreshed the page.

A new post appeared at the top:

𝄄𝄀 Help: Why has a large section of the flower bed I always walk past died? 𝄄𝄀

The original poster vividly described how he and his first love had confessed their feelings there, how much he loved those plants, and how heartbroken he was to see them withered. Eventually, the topic wandered into his sorrow over breaking up with his first love.

There was also a photo attached.

It showed the exact mutated plants Song Qiu had absorbed energy from before.

He distinctly remembered absorbing only one of them.

Why had they all died?

The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

Turning over, he jumped off the bed and ran downstairs.

First, he visited the flower bed from the post. Then he checked several other places he frequently visited.

To his shock, every location where he had absorbed energy showed the same result.

Not only had the plant he touched died, but many surrounding plants had withered as well.

What was going on?

Panic rose in his chest.

He had been extremely careful, taking only a tiny amount each time. He had never been greedy.

How had things turned out like this?

Distracted, Song Qiu returned to the dormitory.

He hadn't intended for any of this to happen.

He would have to find time to ask Fu Ling about it.

Lost in thought, he didn't even hear Shu Dian calling him when he entered. Only after the third call did he react.

"What's wrong with you? You seem distracted."

"It's nothing. Just a little tired."

Song Qiu brushed it off with an excuse.

"If you're tired, then go rest."

Mu Qianling unexpectedly joined the conversation.

When Song Qiu looked at him with obvious surprise, Mu Qianling gave a soft snort.

Hopeless.

The test results from the institute had come back.

Everything about Song Qiu was normal.

There was absolutely no connection between him and the alien species.

Mu Qianling had wrongly suspected him.

For days, he had been looking for an opportunity to talk to Song Qiu and ease the awkwardness between them.

But whenever he looked at him, Song Qiu would immediately avoid his gaze.

The boy got along perfectly well with everyone else.

Why did he act like a mouse seeing a cat whenever Mu Qianling was around?

He wasn't some terrifying monster.

Mu Qianling truly couldn't understand it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Song Qiu slowly enter the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, a muffled voice sounded from inside.

"Shu Dian! I forgot to bring my shorts! They're in my locker—help me grab them!"

"I'm in the middle of a game!"

Shu Dian was fighting an important boss and looked ready to explode.

Without thinking, he said,

"Mu-ge, can you get them for him? I'm about to clear this stage!"

Mu Qianling wasn't busy, so he nodded.

"Fine."

Before entering, he politely knocked on the door.

Song Qiu assumed it was Shu Dian.

"I didn't lock it. Just bring them in."

Go inside?

Mu Qianling reflexively replied,

"That doesn't seem appropriate."

Song Qiu sounded unconcerned.

"We're both guys. What's there to be shy about?"

Mu Qianling's face darkened.

Why was this guy suddenly being so bold?

"I'm not coming in. If you don't want them, I'll leave."

The door muffled their voices slightly.

Suddenly feeling mischievous, Song Qiu grinned.

Shu Dian was always teasing him and calling him "Beauty Song." Now the guy was acting all shy?

Today he'd show him who the real man was.

"Just get in here!"

Song Qiu yanked the door open and dragged the person inside.

Mu Qianling's face suddenly filled his vision.

"..."

"..."

Mu Qianling twitched at the corner of his mouth.

"Let go."

The scene felt strangely familiar.

"Sorry!!"

Song Qiu hurriedly backed away.

His foot landed on a wet patch of floor, and he slipped forward. Just as he seemed destined to crash into Mu Qianling again, he grabbed the bathroom door for support.

"Hiss..."

Song Qiu frowned.

A cut had opened along his arm.

Beads of blood slowly seeped from the wound, forming a crooked red line.

Suddenly, Mu Qianling grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Song Qiu tried to pull away, but Mu Qianling's grip was too strong.

Applying pressure, Mu Qianling forced more blood to emerge.

People with double-S spiritual power possessed an extraordinary sensitivity toward alien species.

Just now, he had sensed a trace of alien spiritual energy.

It was in Song Qiu's blood.

The test results clearly stated that Song Qiu was completely normal.

So why was alien spiritual energy inside him?

At that moment, Shu Dian looked over after hearing the commotion.

His expression froze.

"Song Qiu... Mu-ge... you two..."

Both of them turned toward him.

"It's fine. Carry on."

Shu Dian spun around and left with practiced efficiency.

"You..."

Before Song Qiu could react, Mu Qianling abruptly stepped back and released him as though he had been burned.

This guy was acting completely bizarre.

Mu Qianling pressed his lips together and said nothing.

After noticing something wrong, he instinctively grabbed Song Qiu's hand.

In fact, he had wanted to keep holding it a little longer.

The feeling was strange.

It reminded him of that brief embrace before.

Warm.

If it was Song Qiu...

He didn't seem to feel that usual sense of disgust.

But right now, the abnormal spiritual energy was the more important issue.

He was certain Song Qiu wasn't an alien species.

Yet the anomaly in his blood couldn't be ignored.

Seeing that Mu Qianling wasn't leaving, Song Qiu finally spoke.

"Um... could you step outside first? My clothes..."

Only then did Mu Qianling notice that Song Qiu was wearing nothing but a pair of underwear.

Water droplets slid from his damp hair, down his neck and collarbone, across his chest, and lower still...

"Ahem."

Mu Qianling looked away.

The tips of his ears felt slightly warm.

"Get dressed first."

"Then come with me somewhere."