Day 25 Post-Impact - Morning
The rift demanded attention.
Jade's intel painted a concerning picture. The dimensional tear was stabilizing faster than expected, its energy signature growing by the hour. If left unchecked, the spawn would overwhelm everything within a fifty-kilometer radius.
"We need eyes on the ground," Sarnav said during the morning briefing. "Satellite data only tells us so much."
"I'll lead the recon team," Chen Wei offered.
"No. I need you here coordinating defenses in case anything comes our way early." Sarnav studied the map. "Small team. Fast and quiet. In and out before anything notices us."
"I want in."
Minji stood at the edge of the room, arms crossed, expression determined.
"This isn't a game," Chen Wei said.
"I know that. I've fought raiders, remember? My illusions are perfect for recon. I can make us invisible, create distractions, cover our retreat if things go wrong."
"She's right." Sarnav met her eyes. "Your abilities are suited for this."
"Then I'm coming." It wasn't a question.
Ishani shifted beside him. Through the network, he felt her concern mixed with understanding.
Be careful, she sent.
Always.
"Team of four," Sarnav decided. "Me, Minji, Hafiz for firepower, and one of Dr. Lim's scouts who knows the northern territory."
"When do we leave?" Minji asked.
"One hour. Gear up."
The northern territory was different.
The impact had hit this region harder, leaving twisted landscapes and unnatural formations. Buildings lay in ruins, streets were cracked and overgrown, and the air itself felt wrong. Heavy. Charged.
Sarnav led the team through the devastation, his enhanced senses sweeping for threats. The rift's energy signature grew stronger with every kilometer.
Minji moved beside him, her illusions cloaking the group in a shimmer of misdirection. Anyone looking their way would see nothing but empty ruins.
"How far?" she whispered.
"Two more kilometers. The signature's getting intense."
"I can feel it. Like static on my skin."
The scout, a quiet Sunway man named Rizal, guided them through the safest routes. He knew the terrain, the danger zones, the places where void creatures had been spotted before.
"There." He pointed toward a massive structure in the distance. "The old convention center. That's where the rift formed."
Even from a kilometer away, Sarnav could see it. A tear in reality, purple-black energy swirling around a wound in space. The air around it shimmered with dimensional instability.
"That's bigger than I expected," Hafiz muttered.
"Jade said it was growing." Sarnav studied the rift through enhanced perception. "She wasn't exaggerating."
Creatures moved around the base of the tear. Void-touched beings, similar to what they'd faced at the nest but different somehow. More coordinated. More purposeful.
"I count thirty," Minji said, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "No, forty. Some of them are inside the building."
"How can you tell?"
"My power lets me sense perception. Where people are looking, what they're focused on." She tapped her temple. "Those things in there are watching something. Guarding it."
"The rift core." Sarnav nodded. "If we can destroy it, the tear should destabilize. Close on its own."
"That's a lot of creatures between us and the core."
"We're not fighting today. Just observing." He pulled out a salvaged camera. "Document everything. Numbers, positions, patrol patterns. We'll need it for the assault."
They spent an hour cataloging the threat. Minji's illusions kept them hidden while they gathered intel, her power proving invaluable for the delicate work.
Then everything went wrong.
The creature came from below.
It erupted from the ground without warning, a burrowing void-beast that had sensed them despite Minji's illusions. Her power affected sight and sound, not the alien senses of dimensional creatures.
"Contact!" Hafiz's lightning crackled, striking the beast, but more were coming. The ground trembled with approaching threats.
"We're made!" Rizal drew his weapon. "They're converging on our position!"
Sarnav's mind raced. Fight or flight. The odds were bad, getting worse by the second.
"Fall back! Minji, cover our retreat!"
She was already moving, her hands weaving complex patterns. Illusions exploded across the battlefield, phantom versions of themselves running in every direction. The void creatures hesitated, confused by the multiple targets.
"Go! I'll hold them!"
"Not without you!" Sarnav grabbed her arm. "Together or not at all!"
They ran.
The creatures pursued, but Minji's illusions bought them precious seconds. Every time one closed in, a phantom would draw its attention, sending it chasing shadows.
"There!" Rizal pointed to a collapsed parking structure. "We can lose them in there!"
They dove into the ruins, scrambling through debris and broken concrete. The sounds of pursuit faded as they went deeper, the creatures unable to navigate the treacherous terrain.
Finally, they stopped in a small chamber, barely enough room for all four of them.
"Everyone okay?" Sarnav checked his team. Minor injuries, nothing serious.
"I'm fine." Minji was breathing hard, sweat dripping down her face. "That was close."
"Too close." He met her eyes. "Your illusions saved us."
"Team effort." But she was smiling despite the fear. "Told you I'd be useful."
"Never doubted it."
The moment stretched between them. Adrenaline and relief mixing into something more intense.
Hafiz cleared his throat. "We should keep moving. Those things might find us."
"Right." Sarnav pulled back, breaking the tension. "Rizal, is there another way out?"
"Through the lower levels. It'll take longer, but it's safer."
"Lead the way."
They emerged two hours later, battered but alive.
The journey back was quieter, the team exhausted from the ordeal. But something had changed between Sarnav and Minji. The shared danger, the trust demonstrated under fire, the way they'd instinctively protected each other.
When they reached the school gates, the sun was setting.
"Debrief in one hour," Sarnav told the team. "Get cleaned up, get some food. You've earned it."
Hafiz and Rizal headed inside. Minji lingered.
"That was intense," she said.
"Welcome to my life."
"I think I like it." She stepped closer. "The danger. The teamwork. The way you handled everything."
"You handled yourself well too."
"I had good motivation." Her hand found his. "When that thing came out of the ground, my first thought was protecting you. Not myself. You."
"Minji..."
"I know what I want now." She met his eyes, all playfulness gone, replaced by certainty. "I want to be part of this. Really part of it. Not just the faction. Everything."
"You're sure?"
"I've been sure since you kissed me back. I was just scared to admit it." She squeezed his hand. "I'm not scared anymore."
He pulled her close and kissed her properly.
Not like their first kiss, which had been playful and competitive. This was claiming. Promising. The kind of kiss that changed everything.
When they parted, her eyes were bright.
"Your room or mine?" she asked.
"Mine's closer."
"Then what are we waiting for?"
His room was barely closed before she was on him.
Minji kissed with the same competitive energy she brought to gaming. Like she was trying to win, to prove something, to be the best he'd ever had.
"Slow down," he said against her lips.
"Don't want to." She pulled his shirt over his head. "I've been thinking about this for days. Imagining what you'd feel like. What you'd taste like." Her hands explored his chest. "Reality is better than imagination."
"We have time."
"I don't want time. I want you." She stepped back, pulling off her own shirt. Her body was athletic, toned from years of maintaining gamer health. Her breasts were fuller than expected, barely contained by a practical sports bra.
"Like what you see?" She posed deliberately, knowing exactly what she was doing.
"Very much."
"Then come get it."
He did.
He crossed the distance in two steps, lifting her against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, laughing as he carried her to the bed.
"Eager," she teased.
"You started it."
"I'll finish it too." She pulled him down on top of her. "Show me what all the fuss is about. Show me why those other women can't get enough of you."
"Demanding."
"Always." She pulled off her bra, revealing her breasts. "Now stop talking and start performing."
He performed.
He kissed down her neck, her chest, taking his time despite her impatience. Her skin was smooth, responsive, goosebumps rising wherever his lips touched.
"Lower," she demanded. "I want your mouth on me."
He obliged, removing her pants and underwear in one motion. She was already wet, her arousal evident before he even touched her.
"Someone's eager," he observed.
"Combat turns me on. Sue me." She spread her legs wider. "Now are you going to do something about it or just look?"
He did something about it.
His tongue found her center, and she moaned loudly. No shyness, no hesitation. She grabbed his hair and pulled him closer, grinding against his face.
"Yes! Right there, that's the spot, don't stop!"
She was vocal in a way that was different from his other wives. More directive. More demanding. Telling him exactly what she wanted and how she wanted it.
"Fingers. I need fingers."
He slid two inside her while his tongue worked her clit. She cried out, her hips bucking.
"Fuck yes! More! Harder!"
He gave her more. Harder. Faster. Building her toward climax with ruthless efficiency.
"I'm going to come," she gasped. "I'm going to, I'm, oh fuck, FUCK!"
She came hard, her whole body shaking, her voice echoing off the walls. He worked her through it, then immediately started building her again.
"Wait, I need a second to, oh god, oh god you're not stopping..."
"Did you want me to stop?"
"No! God no, keep going!"
He made her come twice more before she finally begged for what she really wanted.
"Please. I need you inside me. I can't take any more teasing."
He stripped off his remaining clothes, positioning himself above her. She looked up at him with desperate eyes.
"You're bigger than I thought."
"Scared?"
"Excited." She pulled him down. "Now stop teasing and fuck me."
He entered her in one smooth thrust.
She screamed. Not pain. Pure pleasure. Her body arched off the bed, her nails raking down his back.
"Yes! Finally! God, you fill me up perfectly!"
He started moving, and she matched him stroke for stroke. Athletic, energetic, treating sex like another competition she was determined to win.
"Harder! I can take it! Show me what a B-rank can really do!"
He showed her.
He fucked her with everything he had, his enhanced strength and stamina turning every thrust into something devastating. The bed slammed against the wall. Her cries grew louder, more desperate.
"So good! So fucking good! I'm going to come again!"
"Then come."
She did. Explosively. Her pussy clenched around him, her whole body convulsing.
"Don't stop! Keep going! I want more!"
He gave her more.
He flipped her over, taking her from behind. She pushed back against him eagerly, moaning into the pillow.
"Yes! Harder! Wreck me!"
He obliged until she came again, screaming his name. Then he pulled out, flipped her back over, and drove into her one more time.
"I'm close," he warned.
"Inside! Come inside me! I want to feel it!"
He buried himself deep and let go. The release crashed through him, pulse after pulse filling her, marking her, making her his.
They collapsed together, breathing hard.
"GG," she gasped.
He laughed. "Seriously?"
"What? It was a good game. Great game, actually." She grinned up at him. "Best I've ever played."
"You're ridiculous."
"You love it." She pulled him down for a kiss. "So. Am I officially part of the harem now?"
"If you want to be."
"I want to be." Her expression softened. "I really do."
[FIRST CULTIVATION - PARK MINJI]
[FIRST VAGINAL: +5,000 ESSENCE]
[MULTIPLE ORGASMS BONUS: +3,000]
[EMOTIONAL CONNECTION: +2,000]
[TOTAL ESSENCE GAINED: +10,000]
[NEW BOND ESTABLISHED!]
[PARK MINJI - WIFE #4]
[COMPATIBILITY: 91%]
[BOND TYPE: BONDED]
[POWER SHARED: VIRTUAL REALITY MANIPULATION]
[HAREM COUNT: 4/32]
Through the network, Sarnav felt his other wives react. Nisha's now-familiar acceptance. Ishani's amusement. Ananya's curiosity about the new addition.
And Minji, suddenly connected, suddenly aware of them all.
"Whoa." Her eyes widened. "I can feel them. All of them."
"Welcome to the network."
"This is wild." She was quiet for a moment, processing the new sensations. "They're not mad? About me?"
Welcome to the family, Nisha's mental voice came through. Try not to be too annoying.
No promises, Minji sent back, grinning.
Ishani's response was just laughter.
"I think I'm going to like this," Minji said.
"I think you will too."
Day 26 Post-Impact - Morning
The debrief was thorough.
Sarnav presented the recon findings to the assembled leadership. The rift's size, the creature count, the patrol patterns, the suspected location of the core.
"We need to move within three days," he concluded. "Any longer and the spawn will be unmanageable."
"How many people for the assault?" Dr. Lim asked.
"All our combat-capable awakened. Both factions combined. This isn't a raid. It's a full-scale military operation."
"The casualties could be significant."
"They'll be worse if we wait."
The room was silent, the weight of the decision settling over everyone.
"We'll need to coordinate logistics," Chen Wei said. "Weapons, supplies, medical support, fallback positions."
"Start planning. I want a complete operation outline by tomorrow evening."
"Understood."
The meeting dispersed, people breaking into smaller groups to handle their assigned tasks.
Jade caught up with him in the hallway.
"The recon data is good. Better than I expected." She fell into step beside him. "Your new girlfriend's illusions are impressive."
"Jealous?"
"Of her abilities? Professionally curious." She didn't acknowledge the personal implication. "I've been analyzing the rift's energy patterns. There's something unusual about its formation."
"Unusual how?"
"The standard model for dimensional tears involves random quantum fluctuations amplified by the impact's residual energy. This one's too organized. Too purposeful." She pulled out her tablet, showing him data streams he couldn't interpret. "Someone or something created this rift intentionally."
"You're saying it's artificial?"
"I'm saying it's guided. There's intelligence behind it." She met his eyes. "Which means destroying the core might not be enough. We might be fighting something that can create more rifts."
"That's concerning."
"That's an understatement." She pocketed her tablet. "I'll keep analyzing. But you should prepare for the possibility that this is just the beginning."
"I always prepare for the worst."
"Good." She paused, something flickering across her expression. "Be careful out there. You're more useful alive than dead."
"Is that concern I hear?"
"It's practical assessment." But her cheeks colored slightly. "Idiot."
She walked away before he could respond.
[JADE WONG - STATUS UPDATE]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: CONFLICTED, WARMING]
[CONCERN FOR HOST: DETECTED (SUPPRESSED)]
[TRIAL PROGRESS: SIGNIFICANT]
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[FIRST CULTIVATION - PARK MINJI: +10,000]
[NETWORK INTEGRATION BONUS: +1,500]
[RECONNAISSANCE ACTIVITY: +500]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 117,000 / 500,000 TO SOUL TRANSFORMATION]
[HAREM STATUS: 4 / 32]
[- NISHA RAMACHANDRAN (SOULBOUND)]
[- ISHANI SUPPIAH (BONDED)]
[- ANANYA KRISHNAN (BONDED)]
[- PARK MINJI (BONDED)]
[PROSPECTIVE:]
[- WONG YUK-KING: TRIAL ONGOING, EMOTIONAL BARRIERS WEAKENING]
[NEW ABILITY AVAILABLE (VIA MINJI):]
[- VIRTUAL REALITY MANIPULATION: Create sensory illusions affecting sight and sound]
[- DURATION: 1 HOUR (NASCENT SOUL LIMIT)]
[UPCOMING: RIFT ASSAULT (3 DAYS)]