Chapter 340: Chapter 340: No Matter the Cost, He Will Protect Her

A flicker of surprise crossed Bai Ye’s eyes at the mention of Xu Chengyuan. It was highly unusual for the man to show up at his door in the middle of the night.

He looked up at Luo Cheng with a mild gaze, his tone betraying no emotion. "Did he say what this is about?"

"He didn’t specify his intentions," Luo Cheng answered honestly, carefully weighing his next words. "However, Admiral Xu is not in a good state. The fluctuations in his spiritual power are extremely chaotic. It looks like he’s on the verge of a rampage and could lose control at any moment."

Though Luo Cheng’s assessment sounded simple and understated, both men knew exactly what it meant. For a High-level Sentinel to seek him out in the dead of night, Xu Chengyuan’s condition had to be far worse than described.

Bai Ye absently rubbed the screen of his terminal with his fingertips. After two seconds of silence, he ordered in a deep voice, "Let him in."

"Yes, General." Luo Cheng bowed in acknowledgment and turned to leave the office.

A moment later, he pushed the door open and led another figure inside.

The newcomer wore a neat, dark military uniform. He stood tall, his features handsome and sharp, but his brows were tightly furrowed, and a fine layer of cold sweat covered his forehead. The spiritual power swirling around him was highly volatile, casting a heavy, invisible pressure over the entire office. It was the classic, sickly presentation of a High-level Sentinel on the brink of a severe spiritual rampage.

Meeting Bai Ye’s appraising gaze, Xu Chengyuan dispensed with any pleasantries. He stared straight at him and spoke in a stiff, commanding tone laced with irrepressible agitation. "Bai Ye, I need to speak with you alone."

Bai Ye’s expression remained unchanged as he shot a mild glance at Luo Cheng. Understanding the silent cue, Luo Cheng immediately left the room, closing the door behind him.

Only Bai Ye and Xu Chengyuan were left in the enclosed office.

"Have a seat, Admiral Xu." Bai Ye gestured toward the fabric sofa nearby, taking the lead and walking over. He sat down gracefully, his posture relaxed, completely unaffected by Xu Chengyuan’s violent spiritual power.

Xu Chengyuan forcibly suppressed the agonizing pain churning within him. His taut muscles relaxed slightly as he walked over with heavy steps and took a seat opposite Bai Ye. His uniform collar was soaked in cold sweat, clinging to his skin and highlighting the bulging veins on his neck.

After a brief silence, Xu Chengyuan let out a heavy, ragged breath. With a dark, hostile glint in his eyes, he said, "My purpose for seeking you out today is simple. I want to know why you suddenly recovered after falling into a coma during your last spiritual rampage."

Leaning back against the sofa, Bai Ye slightly lowered his gaze, his tone completely flat. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Faced with this perfunctory response, Xu Chengyuan scoffed. The agitation in his eyes deepened as the chaotic spiritual power within him made him even more miserable.

"Bai Ye, there’s no need to play games with me," he said. "We both know exactly how severe your rampage was. Under normal circumstances, you couldn’t have possibly recovered on your own. You would have either never woken up or turned into a mindless lunatic."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked onto Bai Ye. "There is absolutely someone behind you capable of providing High-level spiritual guidance—someone whose skills far surpass any guide currently in the military."

Bai Ye understood the man’s intentions, but his face remained impassive. Neither admitting nor denying the claim, he simply countered, "And so?"

Seeing him finally yield ground, Xu Chengyuan suppressed his impatience and bluntly stated his situation. "Then I’ll get straight to the point. Ever since I advanced to Level 3S, my spiritual power has been extremely unstable. The frequency of my rampages is only increasing, and with every episode, the pain I endure is several times worse than that of an ordinary Level 3S Sentinel."

It was precisely because of this that he had secretly set his sights on Yun Sheng. Suspecting there was something unusual about her spiritual power, he had planned to bring her under his control to figure out her secrets. However, before he could even approach her, one of his subordinates had stirred up massive trouble. Tied up in the ensuing mess, he had no energy left to investigate Yun Sheng.

"I want the person behind you to provide me with spiritual guidance." Xu Chengyuan stared hotly at Bai Ye, laying out his chips. "Name your terms. As long as it’s within my power, I will trade any resources, clearance, or connections within the military’s jurisdiction."

It was the bluntest form of transaction among the higher-ups—a pure exchange of interests, simple and practical.

Hearing this, Bai Ye tapped his fingertips lightly against the armrest of the sofa. He lowered his eyes, pretending to consider the offer while his mind raced.

He couldn’t possibly expose the secret of Yun Sheng’s unique spiritual power to the ambitious Xu Chengyuan. Given the admiral’s personality, if he confirmed her special abilities, he would undoubtedly use any means necessary to claim her for himself, which would only bring absolute disaster upon her.

Yet, Bai Ye couldn’t outright refuse him either. Xu Chengyuan had deep roots in the military and wielded real power. Rashly burning bridges with him would bring nothing but harm, both internally and externally.

After a moment, Bai Ye slowly raised his eyes. His tone remained calm, leaving plenty of room to maneuver. "I can ask on your behalf, but I can’t give you any guarantees. As you well know, High-level spiritual guidance is extremely mentally taxing. This is a guide I met by chance; she has an eccentric temperament and doesn’t offer her services easily."

Xu Chengyuan’s expression darkened a fraction further upon hearing this, though he didn’t push the issue. Hamstrung by his terrible physical condition, he currently held zero leverage in this negotiation.

"I can wait, but I can’t give you much time," Xu Chengyuan said. "I might not survive my next rampage. If you don’t agree, I will take action when necessary.

"Bai Ye, the situation with the Dark Nest is blowing up, and more and more people are eyeing us like prey. I hope you understand that helping me is a guaranteed win for you."

Bai Ye didn’t reply, offering only an aloof nod to tacitly acknowledge his words.

Seeing this, Xu Chengyuan didn’t linger. Fighting against his chaotic spiritual power, he stood up. "I’ll await your response."

Dropping those words, he adjusted his wrinkled uniform collar and turned to leave the office, his footsteps heavy.

A moment later, the soft click of the latch echoed from the door, and the enclosed room finally returned to dead silence. Bai Ye was alone once more.

Leaning back slightly against the sofa, he pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes clouded with heavy exhaustion and a deep, icy chill.

The blatant threats from the Dark Nest, the ambush intelligence that was impossible to verify, the hidden dangers lurking within the research institute, and now Xu Chengyuan’s sudden visit to negotiate a deal...

Undercurrents were already surging madly in the shadows. Every conflict was steadily escalating, needing only a single spark to trigger an outright explosion.

Xu Chengyuan was already aware of the existence of a High-level Spiritual Guide. Although Bai Ye had managed to stall him for now, the man was enormously ambitious and plagued by spiritual rampages; his patience would inevitably run out.

Once Xu Chengyuan abandoned all pretense and stopped at nothing to dig up the person behind him, it wouldn’t take long for the trail to lead straight to Yun Sheng.

Xu Chengyuan, the Dark Nest, the Tower, and the upper echelons of the Star Alliance... Countless greedy eyes lurked in the dark, all locked onto Yun Sheng.

He had to accelerate all of his plans.

He could disregard everyone else and watch the power struggles of the various factions with cold detachment, but Yun Sheng could never become a pawn on this chessboard.

No matter the cost, he would protect her!

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