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Silence returned to the office.
The smile on Mo Bai's face slowly faded. He walked to the window, watching Xiao Wu's figure cross the playground toward the working student dormitory. The setting sun stretched her shadow very long, and her scorpion braid swayed back and forth behind her.
His gaze was deep as pool water.
"The first implantation went very smoothly," he murmured to himself.
Turning back to the desk, he opened his notebook to a new page and picked up a pen.
The nib slid across the paper with a rustling sound.
"September 3rd, first individual tutoring."
"Target's mental state: Initial alertness medium, lowered to low with the help of incense. Soul power sensing talent is excellent; the guidance process was smooth."
"Induction implantation content: Safety, trust, obedience, pleasure-link. Preliminary confirmation that it has taken root; no obvious rejection reaction."
"Physical contact: One shoulder pat. Target's reaction: Slight trembling, facial flushing, no avoidance movements. Preliminary judgment is that the acceptance level is good."
"Follow-up plan: Maintain the frequency of three tutoring sessions per week, gradually increasing the level of physical contact. Try arm contact next time to test the sensitivity threshold."
After writing this, Mo Bai put down the pen and leaned back in his chair.
The sky outside had grown dark, and the distant Notting City began to twinkle with spots of light. The incense in the office was still burning, its cool vegetative scent permeating the air, lingering for a long time.
He closed his eyes, recalling every detail from just now.
The rhythm of Xiao Wu's breathing.
The frequency of her eyelashes fluttering.
The subtle relaxation of her body as the soul power flowed.
The change in her gaze when she heard his voice.
And finally, that expression—a mix of longing and unease—when she asked, "Why are you so good to me?"
"Soft-Bone Rabbit..."
Mo Bai opened his eyes, his pupils appearing exceptionally deep in the dim light.
"The foundation of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, the pure soul after transformation, a nearly instinctive longing for kindness... truly perfect material."
He reached out and took a small porcelain bottle from the drawer. Opening the stopper, inside was a pale green paste that emitted a vegetative scent similar to the incense but stronger.
This was what he would use next.
An external massage ointment, composed of several soothing and blood-circulating herbs, plus a tiny bit of extract that could enhance skin sensitivity. It was similarly a non-toxic, harmless aid, but when used on specific areas combined with specific massage techniques, it could produce unexpected results.
Mo Bai placed the porcelain bottle on the desk, his fingertip lightly tapping the side.
"Next week..."
The corner of his mouth quirked up slightly.
"We'll start with the arms."
That night, Dorm Seven was very lively.
The working students had just finished their day's labor and gathered in the dorm to chat and play. Wang Sheng—the current boss of Dorm Seven, a twelve-year-old boy—was boasting about getting an extra portion of meat at the cafeteria today.
Xiao Wu sat on her bunk against the wall, listening quietly.
Her bed was in the innermost corner, the only female bed in the working student dorm—separated from the other boys' beds by an old curtain.
"Xiao Wu, why are you back so late today?" Wang Sheng noticed her silence and leaned over to ask. "Teacher Li said you didn't have to work? What were you doing?"
"I was at Teacher Mo Bai's," Xiao Wu said. "He gave me individual tutoring."
"Teacher Mo Bai?" Wang Sheng scratched his head. "Oh, that new teacher who teaches basic classes? He's pretty nice; he even helped me fix my workbook last time."
Another boy interjected: "Individual tutoring? Xiao Wu, do you have some kind of problem? Want me to teach you? My soul power is already level three!"
"No need." Xiao Wu shook her head. "Teacher Mo Bai teaches very well."
As she spoke, she unconsciously touched her shoulder.
The warmth of Mo Bai's palm seemed to linger there. That warm feeling reminded her of the comfort of the soul power cycling through her body in the office that afternoon.
Very relaxing.
Very reassuring.
She even felt a bit of anticipation for the next tutoring session.
"Xiao Wu, why is your face red?" Wang Sheng suddenly asked.
"Eh?" Xiao Wu was startled and instinctively covered her face. "No... no it's not."
"It's definitely red," another boy chimed in. "Is it because Teacher Mo Bai is too handsome? I heard a lot of female teachers like him!"
"What nonsense are you talking!" Xiao Wu grabbed a pillow and threw it at them.
The boys laughed and dodged, and the dorm was once again filled with playing.
Xiao Wu sat back on the bed hugging her pillow, her heart beating a bit fast.
She touched her face; it really was a bit hot.
Was it because they said Teacher Mo Bai was handsome?
It seemed like it, and yet not.
She thought of Mo Bai's eyes. When they looked at her, they were always so gentle and focused, as if she were the only person left in the entire world.
She also thought of his voice. So steady, so pleasant to hear, flowing into her ears like running water, making her whole body relax.
And his hand...
Xiao Wu shook her head, tossing those messy thoughts out.
She straightened her pillow, lay down, and pulled the blanket over herself.
The lights in the dorm went out, and the boys climbed into their beds one by one; snoring soon followed.
Xiao Wu kept her eyes open, looking at the dim ceiling above.
The moonlight from outside shone through the gaps in the curtain, casting slender patches of light on the floor.
She couldn't sleep.
That soul power in her body was still slowly flowing, just as Teacher Mo Bai had taught, cycling over and over. With each cycle, she felt her body grow a bit warmer and more relaxed.
Images of the afternoon replayed in her mind again and over.
Teacher Mo Bai's voice.
Teacher Mo Bai's smile.
The feeling of Teacher Mo Bai's hand patting her shoulder.
As she thought, she suddenly felt a bit thirsty.
Not a thirst in the throat.
But a thirst deep within her body.
That feeling was very strange, like something was lightly scratching, itchy and hot, making her unconsciously press her legs together.
She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.
The pillow smelled of sunlight and her own hair.
She took a deep breath into the pillow.
And then, a thought suddenly popped into her head—
When is the next tutoring session?
Monday.
Still two days away.
She suddenly felt that two days seemed a bit long.
In the teacher's dormitory, Mo Bai had not yet slept.
He stood by the window, looking at the silent campus outside.
The moonlight turned everything silver-white; the shadows of the trees swayed on the ground like some silent dance.
His finger lightly tapped on the windowsill.
One, two, three.
The rhythm was steady and regular.
He was calculating the time, calculating the dosage, calculating the optimal moment for every contact.
The effects of the "Deep Induction" soul skill required time to ferment. Like a seed needs time to sprout, or wine needs time to age. The thoughts implanted for the first time would slowly grow in Xiao Wu's subconscious over the next forty-eight hours, intertwining with her memories, emotions, and sensory experiences until they became part of her cognition.
By Monday, those thoughts should have taken root.
By then, he could proceed to the next step.
A closer distance.
More intimate contact.
Deeper induction.
In the moonlight, the corner of Mo Bai's mouth quirked into a tiny arc.
He remembered the look Xiao Wu gave him when she turned back to look at him as she left.
In those clear eyes, the embryonic form of reliance had already appeared.
Good.
Very good.
He turned away from the window, walked to the desk, and opened the notebook again.
Flipping to the page recording Xiao Wu, beneath the line "Target Reaction," he added another sentence.
"Preliminary observations show that the target has developed slight signs of emotional reliance. During the next contact, need to reinforce the 'pleasure-link' concept, binding the comfort of soul power flow more tightly to my presence."
Having finished writing, he closed the notebook.
It was late.
Time to rest.
Mo Bai lay on the bed and closed his eyes.
In his mind, those black, crystal-like eyes surfaced once again.
So clean.
So pure.
So... inviting.
In the darkness, he let out a soft breath.
"Slowly," he said to himself.
"There is plenty of time."