Chapter 874: A Reunion Kiss as Passionate as a Tearing Heart
"I heard Bronya mention earlier that you all wanted to visit my world," Ren said, breaking the comfortable silence.
The women exchanged quick, knowing glances. The subtle shifting of their eyes made it clear they knew exactly what this conversation was leading to.
Serval scratched the back of her blonde head, a slight, sheepish grin forming on her lips. "Well, Bronya mentioned we could go see Cocolia. I just... wanted to see how she's holding up living in another world. Call it morbid curiosity."
Natasha offered a gentle, warm smile, her demeanor as composed as ever. "And I wanted to understand the medical advancements and common ailments in your world, Mr. Ren. A doctor's work is never truly finished, after all."
"Hook heard from Big Sister Bronya that Big Brother Ren's world has something called an 'amusement park' that kids absolutely love! Hook wants to go!" The little boss of the Moles jumped in place, excitedly thrusting her hand high into the air.
Bronya cleared her throat, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she looked away awkwardly. "I... I also heard about it from everyone."
It made sense. The history of Jarilo-VI had been entirely buried beneath relentless, howling snowstorms. For centuries, every ounce of effort in Belobog had been dedicated solely to survival; there was absolutely no spare capacity for something as frivolous as entertainment. The concept of an 'amusement park' was a fantasy she had only learned about through the Doomsday Chat Group, piecing together its existence from the colorful pictures the other members sent.
From what she could tell, it was a sprawling, magical place—infinitely larger and more impressive than the rusted playground with a single, creaky slide outside the Underworld orphanage where she used to live. If she were being completely honest, even she, the Supreme Guardian, was deeply curious to see it with her own eyes.
Ren chuckled, reaching out to affectionately ruffle Hook's hat-covered head. "We do have amusement parks there. The biggest ones you can imagine. I'll take you to play on all the rides later."
"Yay! That's the greatest!" Hook cheered, bouncing on her heels with boundless energy.
"Um, Big Brother Ren..." Lynx chimed in, her usually quiet voice laced with bright anticipation. She clutched the edges of her oversized winter coat. "I wanted to ask... are there any snowy plains for exploration in your world?"
She lived for the thrill of the snowy plains, the quiet solitude of exploration, and the stunning beauty of the aurora borealis. The prospect of experiencing the untouched, frozen wilderness of an entirely different universe was a temptation she couldn't resist.
"There are," Ren nodded, "but they won't be nearly as intensely cold as it is here."
No matter how harsh the winters got back home, the polar regions in his world were just that—ordinary polar regions. In terms of sheer, biting temperature, they couldn't even begin to compare to Jarilo-VI, a planet that had been completely eroded and flash-frozen by the Stellaron's cold wave.
Although Ren had already intervened and forced the unnatural cold wave to recede, he had purposefully retained a normal level of polar climate for Jarilo-VI to ensure the planet's ecological balance didn't collapse overnight. As a result, the deep polar zones here still maintained the terrifying, ultra-low temperatures of the original disaster.
"That's perfectly fine." Lynx shook her head, a soft, genuine smile breaking through her usual stoicism. "What I love is the scenery of the snowy plains, not the freezing temperatures. Honestly, I'd be more than satisfied just getting to see the aurora borealis shining over an entirely different world."
"That works out perfectly, then," Ren smiled, leaning back slightly. "And if you're just looking for otherworldly snowy plains, there are countless variations across the different universes connected to the group. I can take you to see a few of them when we have the chance."
"Really?!" Lynx's eyes widened, displaying a level of pure, unadulterated excitement she rarely let show.
"Won't this be a bit too much trouble for you?"
As Lynx's older sister, Serval considered the practical implications much more deeply. A subtle frown creased her forehead. She worried that carting them around would waste Ren's valuable time. After all, she had no idea if traversing between dimensions came at some massive personal cost or required rare resources. Currently, Belobog hadn't even managed to return to the stars and reconnect with the wider galaxy; the sheer magnitude of power required to punch through the boundaries of entirely different universes was completely beyond their comprehension.
Natasha adjusted her posture, her tone turning serious. "Serval is right. If taking all of us along is inconvenient or draining, then just take Bronya." She glanced softly at the young Supreme Guardian. "After all, Bronya misses her mother very much. That should take priority."
"Waaah..." Hook's shoulders slumped, her earlier excitement deflating like a popped balloon. "Although Hook really, really wants to see what a playground looks like... I don't want to cause trouble for Big Brother Ren!" Despite her chaotic nature, the little boss was surprisingly sensible when it counted.
"You really don't have to worry about any of that. Taking you all across worlds is incredibly easy for me now." Ren waved his hand dismissively, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
It was the truth. In the past, he couldn't just casually ferry people across dimensional borders. But ever since he had officially become the Chat Group leader and gained absolute administrative control over the Doomsday Chat Group, bending the rules of reality to bring passengers along had become as effortless as opening a door. The absolute biggest cost to him now was just a negligible amount of time.
Having sorted out the logistics, Ren shifted his attention. His gaze slowly fell upon Serval and Pela. The two women were currently staring intently at the floor, their chins tucked so low it was hard to tell if they were admiring their own impressive chests or just counting their toes.
"You two can tell me anything you wish to do as well," Ren prompted gently, his voice dropping to a warmer register. "I'll do my absolute best to fulfill your wishes."
"Hmm... I..." Pela stammered, her cheeks still flushed a healthy shade of pink.
She had mostly recovered from the highly embarrassing incident earlier. Compared to Serval—who had been caught completely off guard while showering—Pela had at least been wearing her black stockings and underwear when Ren walked in. There was no harm without comparison, as the saying went. Relatively speaking, her level of mortification was significantly lower than the rock musician's.
Even so, Pela was notoriously thin-skinned. She still felt far too shy to meet Ren's direct gaze. She hurriedly pushed up her round glasses, using the motion to hide her flustered expression, and mumbled, "I... I want to see the humanistic knowledge and history of your world, Big Brother Ren."
"Not a problem at all," Ren agreed instantly. "I'll take you on a tour of the biggest libraries and national museums we have." For him, arranging a simple sightseeing tour of Earth's archives was absolutely no big deal.
"Thank you, Big Brother Ren." Hearing him agree without a second of hesitation, a sweet, faint smile finally broke through Pela's shyness, lifting the corners of her lips.
Finally, only Serval was left.
Noticing the sudden weight of everyone's gaze shifting to her, the blonde guitarist stiffened. Even with her head still stubbornly bowed, she couldn't help but cross her arms defensively and blurt out a perfunctory excuse. "I-I don't have anything specific I want to do! I just... I just want to accompany Bronya and make sure she's safe!"
Bronya blinked, her clear eyes widening in genuine confusion. She tilted her head, looking at the older woman strangely. "Serval? Didn't you tell me just yesterday that you really wanted to see Ren?"
Serval's head snapped up so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. Her face was practically glowing red as she retorted loudly, "When did I ever say that?! I—I certainly did not!"
"Big Sister Serval is lying!" Hook suddenly marched forward, planting her hands firmly on her hips. She pointed an accusatory finger straight at the flustered musician, ruthlessly exposing her lie to the room. "Hook saw Big Sister Serval go to Big Sister Bronya so many times to ask when Big Brother Ren was coming back! You clearly wanted to see him!"
Hook puffed out her chest. "Big Sister Serval, my Papa said that if you tell lies, your nose will grow super long!"
Natasha, Bronya, and Pela immediately understood the dynamic at play. Amused, knowing smiles spread across their faces as they watched the usually confident rocker squirm.
Seeing that her tough facade had been completely dismantled by a literal child, Serval was utterly mortified. The fight drained out of her, and she simply threw her hands up in defeat.
"Fine! Yes, that's right! I just wanted to see Ren!" she confessed, her voice cracking slightly. She shot a fierce, watery glare at the man in question, her face burning crimson. "And it's all your fault! You promised you'd come back to see us, but you made us wait so long! You never came!"
The raw emotion in her voice bled through the frustration. She had waited for him every single day. She had thought about him every night, staring up at the newly cleared sky, but Ren had never returned. Coupled with the terrifying rumors she had heard about the immeasurable time and distance required to cross the stars, a deep, gnawing fear had taken root in her heart. Serval had been genuinely terrified that she might never see him again.
Upon hearing the vulnerability cracking through her anger, Ren's expression softened considerably. The teasing glint in his eyes melted into something much deeper.
He closed the distance between them in two long strides, coming to a stop right in front of the trembling blonde. Before she could utter another word of protest, he reached out, gently cupping her delicate face in his hands. He tilted her head up, leaned down, and captured her lips in a deeply passionate kiss.
Serval's eyes flew wide open. Disbelief flashed across her features, her breath hitching in her throat at the sudden, overwhelming contact.
But she didn't struggle. Not even for a second.
The tension draining from her body, she melted against him. Within moments, her initial shock gave way to desperate longing. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, kissing him back with a fierce, indulgent intensity that completely eclipsed his own. It was like a starving beast finally venting its pent-up frustrations; her kisses were frantic, heavy, and almost felt like bites as she poured every ounce of her lingering fear and yearning into the embrace.
Hook's jaw practically unhinged, her mouth falling open in a perfect 'O' shape.
Just as the little girl leaned in to get a better look at the scandalous scene, a pair of soft hands suddenly clamped over her eyes.
"Hook," Natasha chided gently, a warm, amused lilt in her voice as she pulled the child back. "You're still a little too young for this, okay?"
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