Chapter 135: Cooperation and Qin Yun's Response

On an unnamed tower, Yun Xuan stood at the summit, accompanied by Bing Xue, who was carrying a sniper rifle.

"I never imagined skills could be acquired this way." Yun Xuan recalled how he had just obtained the priestess’s memories within the No. 258 Research Institute. He now possessed all the knowledge hidden within Asuna III’s mind regarding the inscription of summoning and teleportation arrays, as well as the requirements for summoning magic. The side effect was significant, however; he would no longer be able to acquire skills from others in this manner. Still, the reward of a silver-grade item card was a decent consolation.

Just after Yun Xuan had absorbed Asuna III’s memories, the cat-eared girl, Miao Miao, suddenly appeared. "Ding-dong! A patchable bug has been discovered and fixed. Compensation: one silver-grade item card."

Indeed, the scientific technology he had utilized was considered a bug by Miao Miao. Now that it was patched, others could still use it to gain knowledge, but they would no longer achieve instantaneous mastery; instead, it would require extensive practice.

"Rewards are fine, but I didn't expect bugs to exist here. Does that mean I am not a bug myself?" Yun Xuan pondered, puzzled.

*Skree!* The sound of screeching brakes rang out. Yun Xuan’s power armor instantly encased his body, and he descended to the ground.

"Did you take Asuna?" Bai asked, showing little surprise at the sudden appearance of the armored figure.

"Yes, but not to threaten or eliminate you. I am here for cooperation. Asuna is in a very safe place now," Yun Xuan replied with a smile.

"What kind of cooperation?" Bai’s voice was cold.

"Work for me. Mikasa and Akame are powerful combatants; I need their assistance. I believe Asuna III will agree to this as well." Yun Xuan waved his hand, and a nutrient pod appeared before them. Mikasa glanced at Bai, ready to shatter the device the moment she gave the word.

The pod opened, and Asuna III slowly regained consciousness, rubbing her head. "Why was I sleeping here? I remember..." She frowned, then suddenly recalled being attacked and was startled.

"Miss Asuna, hello. My apologies for bringing you here, but without doing so, I might never have had the chance to speak with you," Yun Xuan said softly.

"What is your goal?" Asuna III jumped out of the pod, covering herself with a blush.

"Cooperation. Put on this lab coat first; I will take you and Bai to see my base of operations." Yun Xuan tossed her the coat.

"Why should we cooperate with someone like you?" Asuna III gritted her teeth.

"To ensure you all survive better, rather than wasting your talents," Yun Xuan said, smiling at Bai.

"We will go with you," Bai said after a moment of silence.

"Bai... this is dangerous..." Asuna III whispered.

"Compared to our current situation, cooperation is the only path," Bai shook her head. She understood well that if they refused, Yun Xuan would likely strike at them directly. Having been exposed to modern power, she was wary of the armor Yun Xuan wore.

"Just hold on tight to me. Don't struggle, and don't move around," Yun Xuan said, stowing the pod and stepping toward them. Asuna III considered Bai’s words and sighed; it was true that her own power wasn't enough to make them useful.

Holding the two, Yun Xuan flew to the roof of a derelict building. "Welcome to the No. 258 Research Institute." He snapped his fingers, and a massive robot—the No. 258 mobile research facility—appeared before them.

"Is this future technology?" Bai asked, gazing at the facility in astonishment. Asuna III stood with her mouth agape, staring in disbelief.

"Please, come inside. Let us discuss the details of our cooperation." Yun Xuan opened a door at the base of the robot, revealing a small room.

...

It was eleven o'clock at night when the three of them emerged from the facility. Asuna III looked pale, while Bai appeared deep in thought. Asuna III had agreed to the terms—or rather, she had no choice. Yun Xuan had learned the summoning magic from her, including the method for summoning humans: all it required was a sample of her blood to summon her across any distance, without limit. Unless she lost her power as a priestess, she would never be able to escape him.

Under these circumstances, they had no room to refuse. Even if the cooperation was reluctant, it was ultimately beneficial. Mikasa and Akame were elite warriors; keeping them as bodyguards was a waste of their potential, and Akame was prone to losing her way as a trained assassin. By leveraging their combat prowess and Bai’s intellect, Yun Xuan offered them sanctuary and a monthly salary of one hundred thousand.

"Go back and get some rest. If there is a mission, I will contact you," Yun Xuan said, dropping them off and offering a faint smile.

"Let's go. It's settled; we'll talk more when we return." Bai glanced at Mikasa and Misaka 10086; fortunately, neither had acted rashly. Yun Xuan flew back into the sky, arriving home earlier than the others.

...

The next morning, at the breakfast table, Yun Xun'er left early. Yun Xuan finished his meal with Qin Yue and Yun Xue, then set off with Lin Qingyu. He did not encounter Bai on the way.

As soon as he arrived at school, he saw Qin Yun waiting at the gate and a smirk played on his lips.

"Follow me to the principal's office," Qin Yun commanded coldly, turning away. The surrounding students whispered among themselves, assuming Yun Xuan was in trouble; it never occurred to them that he would dare to flirt with Qin Yun. Yun Xue was worried, but seeing Yun Xuan shoot her a reassuring smile, she realized it wasn't anything bad.

Once inside the office, Qin Yun gritted her teeth. "I accept your terms, but you must promise me... at most... one... one... one time..." She forced the words out.

"Fine. Then leave it to me; you will have the Qin family by tomorrow." Yun Xuan walked toward her, boldly eyeing her professional attire.

"If there’s nothing else, get out." Qin Yun’s hands were clenched beneath the desk.

"You look beautiful today. The perfume you're wearing is subtle and elegant, and it suits you perfectly. Looking at you now, I really can't believe you are the mother of two girls," Yun Xuan chuckled, stepping behind her.

"If you don't leave, someone will come in," Qin Yun whispered, closing her eyes and praying for someone to interrupt.

"There is still an hour before class starts. The teachers won't be looking for you before their first period. We have plenty of time." Yun Xuan leaned down, blowing a puff of warm air against her ear.

A deep crimson flush spread across Qin Yun’s face. It was a natural reaction, though her heart was filled not just with shyness, but with the desperate hope that someone would walk in—or perhaps, she secretly wished for someone to save her.