Bai Lian gazed at Su Yaoyao’s deathly pale face, a sight that stabbed into his heart like a sharp dagger. A torrential tide of self-blame completely drowned him.

The scene of him losing control replayed endlessly in his mind. ’If I had known this would happen, I shouldn’t have been so greedy and let Su Yaoyao soothe my spiritual power.’

Pani watched from the side and sighed helplessly, breaking the heavy atmosphere. "Admiral Bai Lian, just in case, you should get yourself checked."

Hearing this, Bai Lian gave a slight nod. He couldn’t let Su Yaoyao’s efforts go to waste.

Without another word, he dragged his heavy feet to the diagnostic machine and let Pani run the tests.

At that moment, his every thought was of Su Yaoyao; he had no mind to care about his own physical condition.

The lights on the scanner blinked rapidly as the various readouts began to fluctuate wildly.

Pani stared intently at the screen, his focused expression gradually twisting into one of shock.

Suddenly, his eyes flew wide, and he couldn’t stop himself from crying out, "Th-this is impossible! A Rage Value of 0, and... Admiral Bai Lian has advanced to SSS-level!"

His cry was like a bombshell, instantly shattering the oppressive atmosphere in the medical bay.

"What?!" Reg shot up from the bedside and stared at Pani in disbelief, as if to confirm he hadn’t misheard. He then turned to Bai Lian, his eyes filled with a mixture of probing curiosity and astonishment.

Bai Lian looked just as stunned. He had been completely consumed by his guilt over Su Yaoyao, and for a moment, he couldn’t process the sudden news.

In the interstellar world, a male’s level is determined at birth. Females, on the other hand, only awaken their spiritual power upon reaching adulthood, at which point they can be tested for their level.

But in all these years, there had never been a precedent of a female enabling a male to level up.

Just how terrifyingly powerful must the spiritual power of a frail, young human female be to allow a mighty male Beastman to achieve such an astonishing breakthrough?

Bai Lian, originally an SS-level White Lion, had been ranked among the very strongest in the entire Empire.

His strength and authority commanded the awe of countless people, and his every battle was the stuff of thrilling legend.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the Emperor, a born SSS-level powerhouse, had always stood at the apex of power and strength, looking down upon the entire Empire.

His existence is a symbol of the Empire, the core of its authority, and the source of its strength. Under his rule, the Empire has maintained relative peace and stability.

Now, Bai Lian had successfully advanced to SSS-level, becoming only the second Beastman in the entire Empire to possess this top-tier power.

If this news were to get out, it would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the entire Empire, sparking endless speculation, astonishment, and turmoil.

Most importantly, Bai Lian knew that if this news leaked, the first person to be threatened would be Su Yaoyao.

The factions coveting her mysterious and powerful spiritual power would swarm to her like sharks that had smelled blood.

Su Yaoyao was already frail. In this complex and dangerous interstellar world, she was utterly powerless to resist the machinations and persecution of such powerful factions.

At this thought, a resolute and determined glint flashed in Bai Lian’s eyes.

"Don’t change my information on the Star Network for the time being. We’re keeping this under wraps," Bai Lian said. His voice was low and hoarse, yet it carried an undeniable authority and power.

He knew that every decision made now was a matter of life and death for Su Yaoyao; there was no room for even the slightest mistake.

Pani thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "I’ll adjust the diagnostic equipment’s data display to make sure no one else can get the information from here."

Reg nodded as well. He understood what Bai Lian feared, and he shared that same fear and worry.

After a moment of silence, Reg spoke slowly. "The most important thing now is to let Yaoyao recover."

Bai Lian nodded lightly, his gaze fixed on Su Yaoyao’s pale face, his eyes filled with heartache.

Pani bustled about, preparing a concoction to aid spiritual power recovery. "If we inject her with this," he said while operating a machine, "and supplement it with some special nutrient liquid, it should speed up her spiritual power’s recovery."

Bai Lian carefully took the vial and, under Pani’s guidance, gently administered the injection to Su Yaoyao. As he watched the clear liquid slowly enter her body, it felt as though a sliver of hope was being injected into his own heart.

But after the three men had kept vigil by Su Yaoyao’s side for three days and three nights, the young woman’s face remained ashen. Her breathing was so faint it was nearly imperceptible, as if she might be swallowed by the silent night at any moment. There was no sign of her waking up.

Reg paced back and forth in the room, his steps quick and erratic, each one seeming to trample on his own increasingly anxious heart.

During the agonizing past few days, his Rage Value had uncontrollably climbed to 68%—a level Su Yaoyao had worked so hard to bring down for him.

But now, the thought of Yaoyao still being unconscious made it impossible for him to control his emotions. He couldn’t calm down at all.

"Pani, what the hell is going on?!" Reg finally exploded. He rushed in front of Pani, his voice hoarse with agitation and tinged with an unconcealable tremor.

Pani sighed helplessly, his face etched with exhaustion and worry. "Human bodies are inherently slow to recover. Combined with the severe toll this took on both Su Yaoyao’s spiritual power and her physical body, her recovery is naturally going to be even slower."

"I don’t care!" Reg’s eyes instantly turned red, flashing with fury and anxiety. "I want Yaoyao to wake up right now! This can’t—it can’t go on like this!"

His voice held a choked sob, the last words all but forced through clenched teeth. "I’m scared... scared she’ll never wake up."

In that instant, his tough facade shattered, leaving only a heart full of fear and helplessness.

"Isn’t there anything we can do?!" Reg couldn’t control himself any longer. He grabbed Pani by the collar, the veins on his hands bulging. He was like a beast on the verge of losing control.

Seeing this, Bai Lian immediately stepped forward, pried Reg’s hands away, and pulled him back. "Reg, calm yourself," he said, his expression grave.

"How am I supposed to calm down?!" Reg whirled around and roared at Bai Lian. "This is all your fault! You’re the reason Yaoyao is unconscious!" His eyes burned with a fire fueled by his heartache for Su Yaoyao and his helpless rage at the situation.

The roar struck Bai Lian, and he flinched slightly. A look of pain and self-reproach flashed across his face. He lowered his head in silence, tacitly accepting Reg’s accusation.

Just then, an idea suddenly struck Pani. "Wait," he said, "I think I read about a plant in an ancient book on Spirit Plants. It’s said to grant rapid recovery... and even has the power to bring the dead back to life."