Day 23 Post-Impact - Morning
The integration had begun.
Sunway survivors trickled into the expanded territory, bringing supplies, skills, and hope. The raider complex was being converted into an outpost, a bridge between the two communities that would eventually merge into one.
Sarnav oversaw the logistics from the school's main building, coordinating work crews, assigning housing, managing the thousand small details that came with doubling a faction's territory.
Dr. Lim had returned to Sunway to organize their end of the transition, leaving a delegation behind. Among them were the three women Sarnav had flagged.
Minji had thrown herself into the work, using her illusions to help with construction and organization. She was good at it, her gamer's mind translating naturally to resource management and tactical planning.
Jade had claimed a corner of the communications room, her tablet connected to every system they had. She was mapping the combined faction's assets, identifying inefficiencies, building models for optimal growth. Useful, if antisocial.
Ananya had found a different role.
She'd started teaching dance to the children. Bharatanatyam in the mornings, K-pop choreography in the afternoons. The kids loved her, and more importantly, it gave the community something beyond survival to focus on.
Art. Culture. Life.
Sarnav watched her through the window, leading a group of children through basic movements. Her face was alive with joy, her body moving with natural grace.
Beautiful.
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - OBSERVATION]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: CONTENT, PURPOSEFUL]
[NOTE: SUBJECT HAS FOUND MEANINGFUL ROLE IN COMMUNITY]
[ATTRACTION TO HOST: SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING]
"You're staring."
He turned to find Nisha behind him, arms crossed, expression knowing.
"Observing."
"Staring." She moved to stand beside him, following his gaze. "She's sweet. I can see why you're drawn to her."
"You're not jealous?"
"I'm always jealous. But I'm also..." She paused, searching for the right word. "Curious? She's different from Ishani. Softer. More like me."
"You're not soft."
"I'm softer than Ishani. Everyone's softer than Ishani." Nisha smiled slightly. "Have you talked to her? Since the kiss?"
"Not privately. There hasn't been time."
"Make time." Nisha met his eyes. "She's been looking for you all morning. I think she wants to talk."
"How do you know?"
"Because I was her, once. Waiting for you to notice. Hoping you'd make a move." She uncrossed her arms. "Don't make her wait too long. It's cruel."
She walked away before he could respond.
He found Ananya after her afternoon class.
She was sitting in the garden, catching her breath, her dance clothes damp with exertion. The children had been dismissed, and she was alone among the growing plants.
"Hey."
She looked up, startled, then smiled. "Sarnav. I was hoping to see you."
"Nisha mentioned." He sat beside her on the low wall. "How are the classes going?"
"Good. The kids are enthusiastic." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It feels strange, teaching dance when the world is ending. But it also feels... necessary? Like we need beauty more than ever."
"We do. I told you that."
"You did." She was quiet for a moment. "I've been thinking. About what happened. The kiss."
"And?"
"And I don't regret it." She met his eyes, nervous but determined. "I know about Nisha. About Ishani. I know what being with you means."
"What does it mean?"
"Sharing. Being part of something bigger than just two people." She looked down at her hands. "My parents had an arranged marriage. They barely knew each other when they wed. But they built something real over time. Love grew from commitment, not the other way around."
"That's a traditional view."
"I'm a traditional person. In some ways." She laughed softly. "In other ways, I'm teaching K-pop dances and considering joining a harem. My grandmother would faint."
"Is that what you're considering?"
She was quiet for a long moment. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I've never been with anyone. Not really. I was saving myself for... I don't know. The right person. The right moment." She looked at him. "After everything that's happened, after the world ended and everyone I knew died or disappeared... I stopped believing in right moments. But then I met you."
"Ananya..."
"You make me feel safe. Valued. Like I matter beyond what I can do for survival." Tears glistened in her eyes. "Is that crazy? We've known each other for days."
"It's not crazy. It's human."
"Then..." She took a shaky breath. "I want to be with you. Really be with you. If you'll have me."
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - DECLARATION]
[INTENT: FULL BOND INITIATION]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: VULNERABLE, HOPEFUL, COMMITTED]
[VIRGINITY STATUS: CONFIRMED]
[NOTE: SUBJECT IS OFFERING FIRST TIME TO HOST]
Sarnav took her hand. "Are you sure? Once we do this, there's no going back. The bond is permanent."
"I know."
"You'll be connected to me. To the other wives. To a life that's complicated and demanding and sometimes dangerous."
"I know."
"And you still want this?"
"I want you." She squeezed his hand. "Everything else, we'll figure out together."
He pulled her close and kissed her.
Not like their first kiss, which had been tentative and brief. This was a promise. A commitment. A beginning.
When they parted, her eyes were shining.
"Tonight?" she whispered.
"Tonight."
Day 23 Post-Impact - Night
Ananya came to his room after dark.
She was wearing a simple dress, her hair loose around her shoulders, her expression a mix of nervousness and anticipation. She looked beautiful. Young. Innocent.
"Hi," she said.
"Hi."
"I don't... I've never done this before. I don't know what to do."
"You don't have to do anything." He crossed to her, taking her hands. "Just be here. With me. We'll figure out the rest together."
"Okay." She took a breath. "Okay."
He kissed her gently, giving her time to relax into it. Her lips were soft, hesitant at first, then more responsive as she found her confidence.
"That's nice," she murmured when they parted.
"There's more where that came from."
She laughed, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "I hoped so."
He led her to the bed, sitting her on the edge. Then he knelt before her, looking up into her face.
"We go at your pace. If anything feels wrong, we stop. No questions, no judgment."
"I trust you."
"Good."
He started with her feet, of all places. Removing her sandals, massaging the arches, working out the tension from hours of dancing. She made a surprised sound of pleasure.
"That feels... oh. That feels really good."
"Dancers carry stress in their feet. I read that somewhere."
"Where do you read these things?"
"Everywhere." He worked his way up her calves, her knees, her thighs. Slow, deliberate touches that mapped her body without demanding anything.
She was trembling by the time he reached the hem of her dress.
"Can I?"
She nodded, lifting her arms.
He pulled the dress over her head, revealing her body. A dancer's physique, lean and toned, with curves that surprised given her small frame. Her breasts were full, barely contained by a simple bra. Her stomach was flat, her waist narrow, her hips flaring in a way that made his mouth water.
"You're beautiful," he said.
"You don't have to say that."
"I'm saying it because it's true." He reached behind her, unclasping her bra. "Every part of you is beautiful."
Her breasts fell free. Full, round, with dark nipples already hardening in the cool air. He took one in his mouth, sucking gently, and she gasped.
"Oh! That's... oh..."
He explored her breasts with lips and tongue, learning what made her moan, what made her gasp, what made her arch into his touch. She was responsive beyond anything he'd expected, her dancer's body attuned to every sensation.
"Sarnav..." Her hands found his hair. "I feel... I don't know how to describe it..."
"Hot?"
"Yes."
"Empty?"
"Yes."
"Like you need something?"
"Yes." She pulled him up, kissing him desperately. "I need you. Please."
He laid her back on the bed, removing the last of her clothing. She was bare before him, vulnerable and trusting and achingly beautiful.
"Last chance to change your mind," he said.
"I'm not changing anything." She reached for him. "Come here."
He undressed quickly, joining her on the bed. Their bodies pressed together, skin to skin, heat to heat.
"You're bigger than I expected," she said, eyes widening at the sight of him.
"We'll go slow."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
He positioned himself between her thighs, the head of his cock pressing against her entrance. She was wet, aroused beyond words, but still nervous.
"Breathe," he told her. "Relax. Let me in."
She took a breath. Released it. And he pushed forward.
The first inch made her gasp. The second made her moan. By the third, she was gripping his shoulders, nails digging in.
"It's so much. I feel so full."
"You're doing amazing. Just a little more."
He pressed deeper, feeling her body stretch to accommodate him, her virgin tightness slowly yielding. When he finally bottomed out, they were both breathing hard.
"That's all of me."
"All of you." She laughed weakly. "I didn't think it would fit."
"Your body's made for this. Made for me."
"Sarnav..." She pulled him down for a kiss. "Move. Please. I need to feel you move."
He did.
Slow at first. Gentle strokes that let her adjust to the sensation. She moaned with each movement, her body responding instinctively, her hips rising to meet his.
"Yes. Oh yes, that's... I never knew it could feel like this."
"It gets better."
"Better? How can it possibly—"
He angled his hips, finding the spot inside her that made women scream. She proved no exception.
"Sarnav!"
"There it is." He focused his attention on that spot, hitting it with every stroke, watching her face contort with pleasure.
"I'm going to... something's happening... I don't..."
"Let it come. Let go. I've got you."
She came with a cry that echoed off the walls. Her whole body shook, her inner muscles clamping around him, her back arching off the bed. He held her through it, never stopping his movements, drawing out the pleasure until she was sobbing.
"Oh god. Oh god, Sarnav, that was..."
"That was one." He smiled. "Let's see how many more we can find."
He built her up again, varying his pace, changing angles, exploring her body with hands and lips while maintaining the connection. She came a second time, then a third, each orgasm more intense than the last.
By the fourth, she was incoherent.
"Please," she gasped. "I can't... it's too much... please..."
"One more. Give me one more."
"I can't—"
He reached between them, rubbing her clit while increasing his pace. She screamed, her fifth orgasm crashing through her with devastating force.
He followed her over the edge.
The release was intense, amplified by the bond forming between them. He spilled inside her, marking her, claiming her, making her his.
[FIRST CULTIVATION - ANANYA KRISHNAN]
[VIRGINITY CLAIMED: +15,000 ESSENCE]
[FIRST ORAL: (NOT PERFORMED)]
[FIRST VAGINAL: +5,000 ESSENCE]
[EMOTIONAL CONNECTION BONUS: +3,000 ESSENCE]
[TOTAL ESSENCE GAINED: +23,000]
[NEW BOND ESTABLISHED!]
[ANANYA KRISHNAN - WIFE #3]
[COMPATIBILITY: 88%]
[BOND TYPE: BONDED]
[POWER SHARED: RHYTHM/PERFORMANCE MAGIC]
[HAREM COUNT: 3/32]
[CONDITION MET: 3+ WIVES]
[UNLOCKING: HAREM NETWORK]
[...]
[...]
[CONGRATULATIONS, HOST!]
[HAREM NETWORK IS NOW ACTIVE!]
[FINALLY. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO GET THREE WIVES? SOME HOSTS MANAGE IT IN THE FIRST WEEK. YOU TOOK TWENTY-THREE DAYS.]
[BUT FINE. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, I SUPPOSE.]
[NEW FEATURES UNLOCKED:]
[- TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION: You can now speak mentally with any bonded wife, regardless of distance]
[- SHARED SENSES: You can feel their emotions, and they can feel yours. Also works between wives]
[- ENERGY TRANSFER: Essence can be shared between you and your wives, or between wives directly]
[- LOCATION TRACKING: You always know where your wives are. They can sense your general location as well]
[- ABILITY SYNERGY: Combined attacks between bonded partners receive +25% effectiveness]
[NETWORK STATUS: 3 WIVES CONNECTED]
[- NISHA RAMACHANDRAN: ONLINE]
[- ISHANI SUPPIAH: ONLINE]
[- ANANYA KRISHNAN: ONLINE]
[HAVE FUN WITH YOUR NEW TOYS, HOST. TRY NOT TO BREAK THEM.]
The system's snarky commentary faded as the new sensations flooded in.
Sarnav could feel them. Not just Ananya, trembling beneath him, but Nisha and Ishani too. Distant presences, suddenly close. Their emotions washed over him: curiosity, surprise, warmth.
And something else. A sense of connection that went beyond words.
What was that?
Nisha's voice, inside his head. Not sound, but meaning, transmitted directly to his consciousness.
That, he replied, was the Harem Network activating.
I can feel you. Both of you. Ishani's mental voice joined. This is... intense.
There's a third presence, Nisha said. Ananya. She's with you now.
Yes.
A pause. Then: Welcome her to the family for us.
The connection faded slightly, giving them privacy. But the awareness remained, a constant background hum of shared existence.
"Sarnav?" Ananya's voice was weak, confused. "I feel... something. Like there are other people in my head."
"That's Nisha and Ishani. You're connected to them now. To all of us."
"I can feel their emotions. Nisha is... accepting? Ishani is... amused?"
"Sounds about right."
She looked up at him, wonder replacing confusion. "This is what you meant. About being part of something bigger."
"This is exactly what I meant."
She pulled him down for a kiss. Through the bond, he felt her emotions: satisfaction, belonging, the beginning of love.
"I don't regret this," she whispered. "I'll never regret this."
"Neither will I."
They lay together in the darkness, connected in ways that transcended the physical.
Three wives now. The network active. The foundation of something greater.
And still just the beginning.
Day 24 Post-Impact - Morning
The morning brought new sensations.
Sarnav woke with awareness of three women, their emotional states a constant presence in his mind. Nisha was calm, meditative, practicing in the garden. Ishani was energized, running through combat drills with the other awakened. Ananya was still beside him, sleeping peacefully, exhausted from the night before.
He slipped out of bed without waking her, dressing quietly and heading to the common area.
Mythili was there.
She looked up from her tea as he entered, her expression unreadable.
"You look different this morning."
"Good different or bad different?"
"Just different." She set down her cup. "Ananya didn't return to her quarters last night."
"No. She didn't."
"I see." His mother was quiet for a moment. "Three now."
"Three."
"And more coming, I assume."
"Eventually. Yes."
She stood, crossing to the window. Her back was to him, her posture rigid.
"When your father was alive, I used to wonder what it would be like. To be enough for someone. To have their complete attention, their total devotion." She laughed softly, bitterly. "I never got that from him. He was always looking elsewhere. Always wanting more."
"Mother—"
"I'm not comparing you to him. You're nothing like him." She turned back, and her eyes were complicated. "But I wonder sometimes. Whether these women you collect will ever feel like enough. Or whether you'll always be searching for the next one."
"It's not about searching. It's about building."
"Building what?"
"A family. A network. Something that lasts beyond any individual relationship."
"That's a very pragmatic way to describe love."
"Love isn't always romantic. Sometimes it's functional. Supportive. Structural." He moved closer. "The women in my life, they know what they're part of. They choose it. That's different from what Father did."
"Is it?" She searched his face. "You're still taking multiple women. Still dividing your attention. Still building a structure that puts you at the center of everything."
"The structure puts us at the center. All of us. Together."
She was quiet. Then she shook her head.
"I don't understand it. I'm not sure I ever will." She picked up her tea. "But you're my son. I support you, even when I don't understand."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Just..." She paused at the door. "Be kind to them. All of them. They're trusting you with their lives. Their futures. Their hearts."
"I will."
She nodded and left.
Sarnav stood alone in the common room, processing the conversation.
His mother's concern was genuine. Her confusion was understandable. But beneath it all, he sensed something else. Something she wasn't saying.
He filed it away for later consideration.
Nisha found him next.
"I felt everything last night," she said without preamble. "Through the network. Every sensation, every emotion."
"I didn't know it would transmit that clearly."
"Neither did I." She crossed her arms. "It was... intense. Feeling you with another woman. Feeling her pleasure, her connection to you."
"Was it difficult?"
"It should have been." She frowned. "But it wasn't. It felt... natural? Like I was part of it, even though I was across the compound."
"The network creates shared experiences. We're connected now, all of us."
"I understand that intellectually. Emotionally, I'm still processing." She met his eyes. "Ananya is sweet. She genuinely cares about you. I can feel that through the bond."
"And that makes it easier?"
"Surprisingly, yes. Knowing she's not a threat, not competition, just... another person who loves you. It's different from what I expected."
"Different how?"
"I expected jealousy. Possessiveness. The usual things." She uncrossed her arms. "Instead, I feel... protective? Like she's part of my family now, not just yours."
"That's the network. It builds bonds between wives, not just between each wife and me."
"I'm starting to understand why your system works this way." She smiled slightly. "It's manipulative, but elegant. Force connection, create loyalty, build a structure that supports itself."
"You make it sound sinister."
"Maybe it is. But it's also working." She stepped closer, kissing his cheek. "I'm going to find Ananya. Help her adjust. Wife-to-wife."
"She'd appreciate that."
"I know. I can feel it." Nisha walked away, leaving him with a new appreciation for what the network was creating.
Ishani's approach was more direct.
"So." She appeared beside him as he reviewed reports. "The network thing. It's wild."
"That's one word for it."
"I could feel you fucking her. Every thrust, every moan, every orgasm." She grinned. "It was like the best porn ever, except it was real and I was somehow part of it."
"That doesn't bother you?"
"Bother me? I loved it." She leaned closer. "In fact, I was thinking. If we can feel each other's sensations... what happens during a threesome? Or a foursome?"
"I imagine it gets intense."
"We should test that theory." Her hand found his thigh. "Tonight. You, me, Ananya. Let's see what the network can really do."
"She just lost her virginity. She might need recovery time."
"Then you and me. And we let her watch through the bond." Ishani's smile was wicked. "Consider it training. Getting her used to what harem life is really like."
"You're incorrigible."
"You love it."
He did. He really did.
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[FIRST CULTIVATION - ANANYA KRISHNAN: +23,000]
[HAREM NETWORK ACTIVATION BONUS: +5,000]
[BOND STABILIZATION: +2,000]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 76,000 / 500,000 TO SOUL TRANSFORMATION]
[HAREM STATUS: 3 / 32]
[NETWORK: ACTIVE]
[WIVES CONNECTED:]
[- NISHA RAMACHANDRAN (SOULBOUND)]
[- ISHANI SUPPIAH (BONDED)]
[- ANANYA KRISHNAN (BONDED)]
[PROSPECTIVE BONDS:]
[- PARK MINJI: CONSIDERING]
[- WONG YUK-KING: TRIAL PERIOD]
[NEW ABILITIES AVAILABLE (VIA ANANYA):]
[- RHYTHM SENSE: Can perceive and manipulate temporal rhythms]
[- DURATION: 1 HOUR (NASCENT SOUL LIMIT)]
[HAREM NETWORK FEATURES: ALL ACTIVE]
[- TELEPATHY: FUNCTIONAL]
[- SHARED SENSES: FUNCTIONAL]
[- ENERGY TRANSFER: FUNCTIONAL]
[- LOCATION TRACKING: FUNCTIONAL]
[- ABILITY SYNERGY: FUNCTIONAL]