Chapter 361: A Faint Unease Continues to Spread

Chapter 361: Chapter 361: A Faint Unease Continues to Spread

The two of them returned to the apartment Si Jin was renting.

Entering the door, locking it, and turning on the lights—warm yellow light flooded the room, washing away the tension and chill from outside. The apartment instantly became cozy.

However, ever since they walked in, Yun Sheng’s gaze kept falling on Si Jin, her eyes holding unconcealable worry.

Si Jin quickly noticed her actions. Chuckling helplessly, he reached out and gently pinched her cheek.

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

Yun Sheng looked up at him. She hesitated for a few seconds before she finally couldn’t help but ask,

"About the message Bai Ye sent earlier... I was wondering, is your fall into becoming a Dark Sentinel somehow connected to the Dark Nest?"

Ever since she saw that message, it felt as though a heavy stone weighed on her heart. She desperately wanted to know what had really happened, yet she worried that recalling the past would upset Si Jin.

In contrast, Si Jin looked calm and composed. There wasn’t the slightest ripple of emotion in his eyes, as if he didn’t care at all.

He lowered his eyes to look at Yun Sheng’s anxious and uneasy expression. His heart softening, he bent down to gently kiss her forehead.

"Don’t let your imagination run wild. We’ll know what’s going on once Bai Ye gets here. For now, just be a good girl and go rest on the sofa for a bit. I’ll make us two bowls of noodles, and we can eat while we wait."

He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and softly nudged her toward the sofa.

Yun Sheng had no choice but to obediently sit down, but her gaze remained glued to him, reluctant to look away.

Si Jin turned and walked into the open kitchen. He skillfully boiled water, grabbed the noodles, and prepared the ingredients. The warm light outlined his tall, sharp silhouette, and every movement he made was relaxed and steady.

Yet, even seeing him so calm and composed, the heavy feeling in Yun Sheng’s chest didn’t dissipate in the slightest. The doubts and worries still weighed heavily on her mind.

She raised her hand, activated her terminal, and logged onto the Star Network, planning to search for information regarding Si Jin’s fall into becoming a Dark Sentinel.

But no matter how many times she typed in the keywords and refreshed the page, the Star Network was immaculately clean—a complete blank.

Across the entire network, let alone a detailed account of the events, she couldn’t find a single rumor, old file, or obscure news report related to "Si Jin," "Dark Sentinel," or "fall." It was excessively clean, and absurdly deliberate.

Yun Sheng’s fingertips paused, and her brows slowly knitted together.

She didn’t even need to think about it to know that all relevant traces from back then had been thoroughly scrubbed and erased by the Tower. The more deliberate it was, the more guilty they seemed!

The sound of running water and the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks drifted over from the kitchen.

The warm light cascaded in gentle shadows, but as Yun Sheng watched his busy silhouette, a strong sense of unease slowly welled up in her heart.

Before she could overthink it, Si Jin walked out carrying two bowls of noodles.

The bowls contained only smooth, thin noodles garnished with a few pickled wild vegetables. They looked exceptionally light and plain, devoid of any fancy ingredients.

However, Si Jin’s culinary skills were exceptional; he had cooked the simple vegetarian noodles to absolute perfection.

The noodles were chewy and flavorful, while the light broth had been simmered until it was savory and rich, wafting an appetizing aroma the moment it hit the table.

"Eat something first to line your stomach."

Si Jin gently pushed one of the bowls in front of her, his tone tender.

Yun Sheng reeled in her chaotic thoughts, picked up her chopsticks, and lowered her head to take a bite.

The moment it entered her mouth, the rich aroma of the noodles spread across her tongue. It tasted phenomenal.

She was instantly amazed, a glimmer of light subconsciously brightening her eyes.

"It’s delicious."

Yun Sheng looked up at Si Jin and offered a faint smile.

Hearing her praise, Si Jin’s expression softened, and a faint arc formed at the corners of his lips. "Eat more if you like it."

The two sat closely together at the dining table, quietly eating their noodles.

There was no tense crisis or complicated mystery—only a room filled with the gentle, comforting essence of domestic life.

The frustration and unease in Yun Sheng’s heart gradually settled down with every bite of the warm, fragrant noodles.

She occasionally glanced up at Si Jin beside her. Seeing his quiet demeanor as he ate, her taut nerves slowly began to relax.

A warm, tranquil atmosphere flowed softly around them. But just as they were halfway through their meal, the crisp sound of the doorbell suddenly rang out.

Both of them paused their movements simultaneously, exchanging a glance. They both guessed who had arrived.

At this hour, the only person who would take the initiative to show up at their door was likely Bai Ye.

Si Jin looked calm. He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and went to open the door.

As soon as he pulled the door open, sure enough, it was Bai Ye.

He looked a bit exhausted, his eyes visibly showing traces of fatigue. He had clearly rushed over the moment he finished dealing with the matters at hand.

Upon entering, he immediately smelled the light, savory aroma of food.

Bai Ye subconsciously glanced toward the dining area, just in time to meet Yun Sheng’s gaze.

Si Jin shot him a faint glance, his tone casual. "Have a seat first. I’ll cook another bowl."

Without waiting for Bai Ye’s reply, he had already turned around and entered the kitchen, swiftly getting back to work.

Bai Ye walked over to the dining table and took a seat next to Yun Sheng.

Yun Sheng didn’t speak, quietly lowering her head to eat her noodles.

After a while, her left hand, resting under the table, was suddenly and gently held by someone.

Yun Sheng froze and instinctively looked up, colliding right into Bai Ye’s gaze.

The fatigue in his eyes had faded slightly, leaving only a gentle warmth that settled quietly upon her.

Yun Sheng’s heart softened. She didn’t pull her hand away, simply letting him hold it.

Not long after, Si Jin walked out carrying the freshly cooked bowl of noodles.

Just as he stepped into the dining area, Bai Ye slowly released Yun Sheng’s hand, acting as if nothing had happened.

By this time, Yun Sheng had already finished the noodles in her bowl and was sitting quietly in her seat.

Si Jin placed the noodles in front of Bai Ye, retook his own seat, picked up his chopsticks, and unhurriedly continued eating the half-finished bowl he had left behind.

For a moment, the only sound in the entire living room was the faint clinking of bowls and chopsticks. All three of them had a tacit understanding not to speak.

It wasn’t until Bai Ye finished his last bite of noodles and set his chopsticks down that Si Jin and Yun Sheng raised their eyes almost simultaneously, their gazes landing in unison on him.

Bai Ye’s expression darkened a fraction as he spoke in a low voice, "During the interrogation, Lin Yueyao confessed that your sudden spiritual power riot and fall into becoming a Dark Sentinel back then was not an accident at all. It was a trap set in advance by the Dark Nest.

"They had preemptively deployed massive amounts of trace Spiritual Induction Agents into the contaminated zone where you were headed for your mission. That entire area was steeped in the agents for several consecutive days.

"These agents specifically target High-level Sentinels and can subtly erode spiritual power. When you expend large amounts of spiritual power in combat, they induce a riot, ultimately leading to a complete fall."

Upon hearing this, Si Jin’s brows furrowed sharply, a cold and profound sharpness flashing through his eyes.

"That was a temporary mission," he said. His tone was light, yet steeped in absolute frost. "I only received the notice two days before departure, confirming the action route and mission location. If the Dark Nest had already set up the induction agents in advance, that can only mean... someone leaked the mission intelligence beforehand."

As soon as those words were spoken, Yun Sheng’s heart skipped a beat, her whole body instantly tensing up.

Not only did the Dark Nest have the capability to plot against top-tier Sentinels, but they could also intercept the Tower’s temporary mission intelligence in advance. Their power was far more terrifying than she had imagined.