Chen Lusi was indeed, as Tang Language mentioned, staying beside the corpse.

However, he was not only preventing students from witnessing this scene but also confirming Catherine's cause of death.

And the final result... without a doubt, it was suicide.

Because Catherine had dug out her own heart... no one else could have possibly extracted her heart in such a manner; besides him and the two sisters, only Tang Language was present.

Tang Language didn't seem like someone smart enough to set up a suicide scene.

So...

Chen Lusi slowly turned around and looked at Lin Ying behind him.

Lin Ying had her hands behind her back, looked up at him, her fair and delicate face appearing non-threatening, gentle and pure, her long and impressively straight jade-like legs together, emphasizing her ample bosom due to her hands being behind her back.

She gave a very unique impression.

Occasionally, her face was cute, her actions adorable, her demeanor endearing, like a complete young girl.

But if she changed her outfit, combined with her mature and exquisite figure, her aura could suddenly change into one brimming with the allure of a mature woman.

Of course, most of the time, when alone with him... she would combine these two traits.

With a touch of youthful breath, yet curvy, voluptuous, mature...

Particularly enticing.

"..."

Lin Ying and Chen Lusi exchanged glances, but soon, she couldn't maintain a serious expression anymore, burst into laughter, then scooted closer to him, suddenly saying, "Your transformation after a tier upgrade has been drastic, always eyeing places you didn't notice before."

Chen Lusi's expression stiffened, then he changed the subject, "Is this the issue now?"

"What is it then?"

Lin Ying scooted closer again, maintaining a close but not quite touching posture, tilting her head.

"... what's with your Authority Ability?"

Chen Lusi forcefully resisted the urge to lean forward to hug her, instead gently tidied her soft long hair, asking.

Since Lin Wan wasn't suitable to face the corpse, Chen Lusi left her in the dorm.

With a rare chance for them to be alone, he finally asked the question lingering in his mind.

Lin Ying let him play with her hair, answering, "I mentioned it before, right? Verbal Control, capable of achieving strong hypnotic and controlling effects through speech."

"Even to this extent?"

Chen Lusi subtly turned his head, signaling at Catherine lying behind... that didn't seem like a simple hypnosis and control effect.

"Originally, it wasn't possible... but because you're by my side, it is, as my power comes from you."

Lin Ying replied playfully, then added softly with a smile, "Impressive, right?"

"And if I'm not by your side?"

Chen Lusi, not in a joking mood, seriously pursued the question.

"Even more impressive."

Lin Ying stood proudly, "After all, with you not around, there's no protection."

"..."

Chen Lusi gazed at the alluring face so near, then suddenly exhaled in relief, "That's good then..."

Lin Ying watched Chen Lusi.

Though it was a very ordinary sentence.

Nonetheless, Lin Ying discerned the change in his tone.

Clearly, what he cared about wasn't her making Catherine commit suicide, nor the intricacies of her Authority Ability, but her self-defense ability.

This was evident from his fierce expression when he first appeared.

Such an expression wouldn't typically appear on his face.

Lin Ying was certain if he couldn't find her and Lin Wan, he would definitely take more extreme measures; by then, it might not be just simply chasing Catherine but trying everything to completely destroy that so-called 'Baba Yaga's House'.

He was truly easy to read.

And affection... accumulates little by little this way, from childhood to now, to a point where even Lin Ying lost count.

"..."

Thinking of this, Lin Ying couldn't help but laugh softly.

"What's so funny?"

Chen Lusi paused his actions, seeing her expression, curiously asked.

Lin Ying lifted her head, suddenly stating, "If you want to lean in, just do it."

Chen Lusi's body froze, then averted his gaze, "... what?"

"Like this."

Lin Ying, with a charming smile on her fair face, took a step forward, then leaned into his chest, embraced him tightly, "I don't mind, what are you hesitating for?"

"..."

Chen Lusi's body gradually relaxed, after a brief silence, reached out, tightly wrapping around her soft figure.

Lin Ying lightly stood on tiptoe, whispered in his ear, "... big?"

Chen Lusi hugged her even tighter, whispered back, "Idiot."

"Ah—"

Upon hearing this, Lin Ying let out a short, cute gasp, then struggled out of his embrace, clutched his face, and pouted, "What did you say? We haven't settled the matter from earlier, were you thinking about that just now?"

Chen Lusi: "..."

Girls' moods, indeed, are like the weather, cloudy with occasional showers.

Unpredictable.

... but very cute.

...

Chen Lusi didn't stay long beside Catherine's corpse.

Because with Tang Language meeting Ji Xin.

Soon, Ji Xin sent someone to replace him, handling the corpse, and informed him to head to the Celestial Strategy Mansion Headquarters.

Chen Lusi took the two sisters back to the Celestial Strategy Mansion Headquarters.

And right at the headquarters entrance, he happened to encounter Shanli returning.

"How's the situation on that side?"

Chen Lusi saw Shanli, paused, and asked.

Shanli also saw Chen Lusi but didn't answer his question, instead, his pupils suddenly shrank, freezing in place.