Chapter 41: Holding Her Close

Marshmallow is not an orc, so why would there be black mist on its body...?

Before she could process the thought, Nian Tu lost consciousness completely.

The optical computer detected an abnormality in its owner's status and immediately sent an alert to her emergency contact. Lu Zhan, currently in the laboratory, received the alert, and his expression shifted instantly. He shoved the experimental reagent he was working on into Professor Li’s hands and, without even pausing to file a leave request, rushed toward the exit.

"Hey—" Professor Li called out, but he couldn't stop the young man. He shook his head and chided softly, "That boy!"

"Never mind, it must be an emergency. I won't count this as skipping work..."

The villa was equipped with a climate control system, so the floor was not cold. However, the sight of the delicate and frail young female lying motionless on the hard ground was still pitiful and heartbreaking.

The little white kitten circled the unconscious Nian Tu, sniffing her repeatedly. Its meows were so anxious they sounded almost shrill. In the past, Nian Tu would have already been stroking its head and soothing it gently. But now, no matter how miserably it cried, Nian Tu remained silent and still, with only her steady breathing indicating she was still alive.

The kitten used its soft paw pads to gently pat Nian Tu, licked her face repeatedly, and rubbed its furry head against her with all its might. Nian Tu lay there without moving, unresponsive to all its efforts.

The little kitten’s voice grew hoarse, yet it received no reply. Tears gradually welled up in its large, round eyes, and it curled into a dejected ball. Within a few seconds, its body expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive white tiger with eyes like lightning and an inherent, awe-inspiring presence.

If Nian Tu were awake to witness this, she would surely think she was dreaming. Though the white tiger possessed a colossal physique and a stern, majestic appearance, every movement carried echoes of the little kitten that used to nestle in Nian Tu’s arms. It carefully nudged her with its paws and tried to pick up her clothes with its mouth, attempting to move her to the bed.

She belonged in that soft, comfortable place, not here.

The female’s skin was delicate, while the beast’s teeth were sharp. The white tiger felt clumsy and fearful that its fangs or claws might harm her. In its hesitation, it accidentally tore a piece of her clothing. It tried several different angles, but it could not succeed.

His Highness the Crown Prince was so frustrated he was nearly sobbing. He was so useless.

After trying for a long time without success in waking Nian Tu, the white tiger let out a mournful roar and suddenly turned to bolt out of the house. It looked back every few steps, its tiger eyes filled with sorrow as it gazed intently at Nian Tu, as if trying to imprint her image into its soul. Finally, gritting its teeth, it made a decision and sprinted toward the Imperial Palace, guided by its memories.

An intuition in its mind told it that there, it could find someone to save its master.

...

When Nian Tu woke up, she saw a figure that was both familiar and strange. Still groggy and not fully conscious, she leaned over to hug the person, "You're back? Xion..."

The man she embraced stiffened, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her and asked with concern, "Is anything bothering you?"

The deep, magnetic voice made Nian Tu shiver, and she snapped fully awake.

Not Xion?

She wanted to jump away from the man immediately, but she was held so tightly she couldn't move. She stammered, "Uncle Feli... why are you here?"

It was all because the uncle and nephew, Xion and Feli, looked so much alike that she hadn't been able to distinguish them for a moment. But why was Uncle Feli holding her and not letting go?

The man had deep-set brow bones and dark, profound eyes. Every movement he made was steady and composed. As his large hand rested on Nian Tu’s waist, she could clearly feel the heat and strength in his palm.

She hadn't realized a person's aura and sense of oppression could be this intense—the videos hadn't captured even a ten-thousandth of it. Even just sitting there, Feli naturally emanated the presence of someone in a position of power. Even though he was trying to appear harmless, Nian Tu was still impacted, her legs feeling slightly weak.

"Don't move," Feli said, stopping her struggle. Then, realizing his tone had been too forceful, he apologized and explained, "Your mental fluctuations are currently unstable. It is best to rest a little longer."

Facing Nian Tu’s confused gaze, Lu Zhan walked out of the study holding several medical reports and handed them to her. "While you were unconscious, I ran the checkup three times. The results were nearly identical, which means they are fundamentally accurate."

The medical reports clearly showed that Nian Tu’s mental fluctuations had risen once again; the current value was a solid S-rank!

This was an S-rank!

It had been too many years since the Empire had seen a female with such high mental power. And Nian Tu hadn't even truly awakened yet; when she did, the level would only be higher—meaning... SS-rank!!

The bold hypothesis from before had truly become a reality!

The moment he received the reports, Lu Zhan had been shocked for a very, very long time. He sent a message to Xion, and he also asked himself: *Do you have the confidence to protect an SS-rank female?*

Not A-rank, not S-rank.

But an SS-rank female, higher than S-rank, something that had never appeared in the history of the Empire.

Nian Tu would be the Empire’s one and only treasure; no level of protection for her would be excessive. Even if Xion and Lu Zhan swore to protect her with their lives, it was not enough.

That was why Feli had received the news and appeared here.

Feli stroked Nian Tu’s hair; it was just as soft as he had imagined, making his heart feel softer than ever before. Under Nian Tu’s surprised gaze, he knelt on one knee, looking up at her, and solemnly brought up the request again: "I wish to become your guardian, to protect you and take care of you. Can you give me a chance?"

The scene was far too much like a marriage proposal.

"..." Nian Tu coughed lightly and sat up straight, feeling nervous.

Conversing face-to-face was completely different from sending messages. Facing Feli’s such humble display of affection, she couldn't bring herself to refuse, so she nodded gently.

Feli took the opportunity to take her hand and leaned down to kiss the back of it.

The angle from above created a strong sense of conquest, yet Feli’s posture was so pious that, for a moment, Nian Tu had a subtle feeling as if Feli had also fallen at her feet.

She quickly shook her head, trying to throw the absurd thought out of her mind.

Regardless of who might fall in love with her, Feli would never be one of them!

To ease the awkwardness, Nian Tu looked around. "Where is Marshmallow?"

She hadn't seen a trace of Marshmallow since she woke up. That little kitten was so clingy, always sticking by her side from morning until night; why hadn't it jumped over to meow at her yet?

The black mist she had seen on the kitten the moment before she lost consciousness was dismissed by Nian Tu as an illusion, pushed to the back of her mind.

She asked Lu Zhan, "Have you seen Marshmallow?"

Lu Zhan hesitated, not knowing how to tell her. When he had rushed back, the villa door was open, and there was no sign of the cat.

If he told her plainly that it had run away, Nian Tu would be heartbroken, wouldn't she?