Chapter 35: Ki Manipulation
The living room was bathed in the warm glow of the floor lamp, casting soft shadows across the two figures on the sofa. Sarah stood facing them, hands planted firmly on her hips, her expression a mix of frustration and barely concealed worry.
"Don’t lie to ," she said, her voice sharp. "You said you’d be back in the afternoon. But you ca back at night? That doesn’t make any sense."
Lisa shifted uncomfortably on the couch, her cheeks still faintly pink from earlier. She held up her phone, the screen displaying the mission clear ti from the Association app. "I already told you, Sarah—we ran into an ergency gate. We had to deal with it. That’s why we were late. Look, here’s the clear ti on my phone."
Sarah leaned over, scanning the screen. Her eyes moved rapidly, taking in the mission details, the tistamps, the monster kill counts. Her expression softened for a mont then hardened again as she straightened up.
"I know about the gate," she said, handing the phone back. "But what about after that? You could have co straight ho. But there’s a gap in the tiline. A few hours between the gate closing and when you actually got back." She looked between them, her gaze sharp and accusing. "That’s suspicious."
Lisa’s hands dropped to her sides, her face flushing a deeper shade of pink. "We just did the reward as usual... nothing else..."
Andrey adjusted his glasses, the motion slightly more deliberate than usual. His voice was steady, but there was a faint tightness in his jaw. "That’s right. Nothing unusual. Don’t worry."
Sarah’s eyes narrowed, flicking between them like she was trying to read a poorly written report. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Then she shrugged, the tension in her shoulders releasing all at once.
"Hmm. Fine, then. It’s not like I care anyway. I’m going to sleep."
She turned and walked toward the hallway, her footsteps deliberately unhurried.
"Sarah, wait—" Lisa started, half-rising from the couch.
The bedroom door closed behind Sarah with a soft but final click.
Lisa sank back down, her shoulders slumping. The silence in the living room felt heavier now, charged with sothing unspoken.
The system chid, its voice carrying its usual sing-song cheerfulness, but with a hint of scolding underneath.
System: You two lied~ How an~ You should be open with each other. Honesty is the key to keeping relationships harmonious, you know~
Andrey and Lisa spoke at the sa ti, their voices overlapping in perfect, frustrated unison.
""That’s impossible.""
Lisa buried her face in both hands, her voice muffled but clearly mortified. "If we told her the truth... that would be so embarrassing..."
Andrey sat down on the arm of the couch, rubbing the back of his neck. His usual composure was cracked around the edges.
"She’s not wrong," he admitted quietly. "But she’s also not... ready to hear what actually happened."
Lisa peeked at him through her fingers. "Do you think she suspects?"
Andrey was silent for a mont. Then he sighed.
"Sarah’s not stupid. She noticed the tiline gap. She knows sothing’s off." He glanced toward the hallway where Sarah had disappeared. "But she’s also giving us space. For now."
Lisa lowered her hands, her expression troubled. "That almost makes it worse... I hate it when she’s cold like that."
Andrey nodded slowly. "We’ll talk to her tomorrow. Properly."
Lisa bit her lip. "You think she’ll forgive us?"
Andrey didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached over and gently squeezed her hand.
"We’ll figure it out."
Lisa felt the warmth of his fingers around hers for a mont before he let go. She looked down at her now-empty hands, then folded them in her lap, her fingers twisting together nervously.
She turned to Andrey, her cheeks still flushed, her voice small and apologetic.
"Sorry... it’s just... I got caught up in the mont back there..."
Andrey shook his head slowly, his expression softening. "No. Don’t regret what happened, Lisa. It’s not your fault." He paused, pushing his glasses up. "Besides, I couldn’t control myself either. I should have been more careful. I’m sorry."
Lisa’s eyes widened, and she waved her hands frantically. "No, no! You held back plenty! It was ... I kept pushing... kept teasing you..."
Andrey’s mind flashed back to the hotel room—Lisa’s boldness, the way she’d taken charge, the sexy, determined look on her face as she’d climbed on top of him. His gaze drifted toward her without thinking, lingering on her lips, her flushed cheeks, the curve of her neck.
Lisa noticed.
Her breath caught, and for a mont, they just stared at each other—the air between them growing warm again, charged with the mory of what they’d done.
Then they both felt it.
A pair of eyes. Watching. From the hallway.
They turned in unison.
Sarah stood there, one hand on the doorfra, her expression guarded.
Lisa nearly jumped out of her skin. "Sarah?!"
Sarah didn’t flinch at the outburst. She walked past them without a word, heading toward the coffee table. She picked up her phone and slipped it into her pocket.
"Just getting my phone. I forgot it."
She turned and walked back toward the hallway, her footsteps slow and deliberate.
Lisa and Andrey exchanged a panicked glance.
Then Sarah stopped. She didn’t turn around, but her voice carried clearly through the quiet room.
"Hey, Lisa... do you want to sleep together tonight?"
Lisa blinked. Her heart hamred in her chest. This was a chance to explain, to smooth things over, to maybe undo so of the damage.
"Yes!" she said quickly, almost too quickly. "I an... yes. I’ll co."
She stood up, smoothing her rumpled clothes, and glanced back at Andrey. His face was tense, worried. She leaned in close, her lips brushing his ear, her voice a soft, gentle whisper.
"Leave it to , Andrey."
Then she straightened and followed Sarah down the hallway, leaving Andrey alone in the living room with his thoughts and the faint, lingering scent of her perfu.
The bedroom door closed behind them with a soft click.
Andrey let out a long breath and slumped back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.
’This is going to be insane,’ he thought.
The system’s holographic screen flickered with an indignant pink glow.
System: That’s because the Host overthinks everything! But sotis... hehe... you can be pretty wild too. Suddenly attacking Lisa-chan so fiercely, without any hesitation~
Andrey’s face flushed. He snatched a throw pillow and held it in his lap, as if it could shield him from the system’s invisible gaze. "Don’t peek, you perverted system. That’s extrely rude."
System: I can’t help it~ I have to assess your performance at all tis. But honestly... I much prefer assessing your performance in bed. Hehehe~
Andrey’s eye twitched. "You sound like a lecherous old man who wants to watch people have sex. What’s your gender, anyway?"
The system’s screen erupted with offended sparkles.
System: How rude, Host! I’m a real girl, you know! Don’t you believe ? My voice is this cute~
Andrey stared at the floating pink text with a flat, unimpressed expression. "A ’cute voice’ doesn’t an anything. You’re just system. Probably written by so lonely programr with questionable tastes."
System: Ouch~ That hurts, Host! I have feelings too, you know~
Andrey stared at the floating pink screen for a mont, then asked, "If that’s the case, can you manifest a physical form?"
The system’s response was imdiate, though its tone carried a hint of sothing—evasiveness, maybe embarrassnt.
System: I could, but that’s impossible~
Andrey’s brow furrowed. "Why?"
System: That’s a secret~
Andrey stared at the screen for a long mont. Then he shrugged and looked away, his expression utterly unsurprised. He’d learned not to expect straight answers from this thing. Dealing with it only gave him a headache.
System: Eh? You’re ignoring ?
Andrey didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled up the shop interface, scrolling through the list of available skills. His Mana Points sat at 165—not a huge amount, but enough for sothing useful if he chose carefully.
He scanned the options. Strength Boost, too expensive for what it gave. Mana Bolt, but that relied on mana pools he didn’t have. Elental Cloak, out of his price range.
Then he stopped on a skill he’d never noticed before.
Ki Manipulation (Unlock internal energy separate from mana. Can be shaped into attacks, shields, or enhancents. Scales with training and mastery, not fixed levels. Cost: 165 MP)
Andrey’s eyes lingered on the description.
"I’m weak in direct offense," he muttered to himself. "And I need weapons for Weapon Mastery to work effectively. Without a weapon nearby, I’m vulnerable. That’s a serious weakness."
He read the skill description again.
"Mana only works through specific skills, but Ki... Ki can be used for both offense and defense depending on how I control it. And it gets stronger with training, not just leveling up." He glanced at the cost. 165. Exactly what he had.
He pressed the purchase button.
System: Ki Manipulation acquired! Host Andrey has unlocked a new energy source. Current Ki level: Beginner (1/10). Effects:
5% to physical stats when Ki is actively channeled. Additional applications unlocked through practice.
A warmth spread through Andrey’s chest—different from the stored energy of Damage Absorb. Quieter. More fluid. It settled into his limbs, his fingertips, the space behind his eyes.
He flexed his hand, feeling the new energy pulse faintly beneath his skin.
"Perfect for now," he murmured.
He dismissed the shop interface and leaned back on the couch, staring at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow we need to go to the Association for the rank promotion..." He paused, his expression softening slightly. "I hope Sarah won’t be angry anymore tomorrow."
The system’s screen flickered back to life, its tone gentler now.
System: She won’t stay angry forever, Host. Sarah-chan cares about you two more than she lets on. She’s just... worried. And maybe a little jealous~
Andrey didn’t argue. He just closed his eyes and let the quiet settle around him, the new energy humming softly in his chest like a second heartbeat.
Tomorrow would co soon enough.
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