Volume 1, Chapter 58: Assisting with the Bath

QBU-203 Designated Marksman Rifle Blueprint:
Exchange price: 600 merit points/unit (includes dedicated scope, 5 ten-round magazines)
Features: 7.62x51mm NATO caliber, high precision, a powerful weapon for mid-to-long-range sniping.

[QJS-201 7.62mm General-Purpose Machine Gun] (500 merit points/gun)
Specifications:
Rate of fire: 650 rounds/minute.
Feeding method: 100-round ammunition belt box / 200-round drum magazine.
Effective range: 1,000 meters.

PF-98A 120mm Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher Blueprint:
Exchange price: 1500 merit points/unit (includes 1 high-explosive anti-tank round, 1 multi-purpose round)
Features: Massive destructive power, highly effective against heavily armored targets and fortifications. Requires two personnel to operate (gunner and ammunition loader).

NIJ Level IV Heavy Body Armor Insert Plate Blueprint:
Exchange price: 300 merit points/piece
Features: Capable of withstanding .30-06 M2 AP armor-piercing rounds (equivalent to 7.62x63mm armor-piercing rounds), significantly enhancing the protection level of vital chest and abdominal areas.
...

Lin Ye stared at these parameters and drew a sharp breath.
"Good grief, the firepower of a mechanized infantry battalion like this, given enough time and ammunition, would be enough to sweep across the entire Donghai City!"
Especially those infantry fighting vehicles and command vehicles—regardless of their performance or firepower configuration, they were among the very best in this world, without a single exception.
Unfortunately, he currently only possessed 150,000 merit points, which was not enough to exchange for an entire infantry battalion.
However, while an entire mechanized infantry battalion was out of reach, exchanging for an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was more than enough!
He had been thinking about this helicopter for several days.
"System, exchange for 10 AK-12s, 10 general-purpose machine guns, and 1 AH-64E Apache!"
[Ding! 110,000 merit points consumed. Exchange successful!]
The next second, brand-new firearms materialized out of thin air inside the armory, while on the helipad behind the villa, an olive-green Apache attack helicopter slowly materialized, its 30mm autocannon gleaming with a cold metallic luster under the moonlight.
The corners of Lin Ye's mouth curled up slightly.
With the reinforcement of these items, his confidence in taking over the entire East Suburb Financial Center grew even stronger.
Just at that moment—
"Marshal, dinner is ready."
An Ruoran's soft voice came from outside the door, interrupting Lin Ye's train of thought.
"Enter."
The door was gently pushed open, and An Ruoran and Mo Youxue walked in one after the other.
Both of them were dressed in exquisite maid outfits. An Ruoran was holding a steaming plate of steak, while Mo Youxue cradled a bottle of red wine and wine glasses.
Lin Ye's gaze lingered on the steak for a fraction of a second, and his brows furrowed imperceptibly.
The meat looked slightly dry and tough, with some burnt edges around it, clearly showing that their cooking skills were still rather amateur.
Yet he said nothing, simply picking up the knife and fork, and began to eat with elegant movements.
The bedroom was quiet, with only the faint clinking of cutlery against porcelain plates.
Mo Youxue stood to the side, her peripheral vision quietly sizing up Lin Ye.
His eating speed was fast, yet completely devoid of roughness; instead, it carried the decisive crispness typical of a soldier.
Soon, the plate was empty.
Mo Youxue immediately stepped forward, preparing to clear the tableware just as she had done the day before.
"Wait." Lin Ye spoke suddenly.
Her movements paused as she looked up to meet his gaze. "Does the Marshal have any instructions?"
"Attend to my bath." Lin Ye's tone was flat, as if he were mentioning something completely mundane.
Mo Youxue's pupils contracted slightly, failing to react for a moment.
Lin Ye cast a sidelong glance at An Ruoran. The latter instantly understood, took the tableware from Mo Youxue's hands, and murmured, "I'll go clean up the kitchen."
As she left, she thoughtfully pulled the door shut behind her.
The room was instantly left with only the two of them.
Mo Youxue stood in place, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her dress.
She had not expected Lin Ye to make such a request—after her proactive advances were rejected the previous night, she had assumed her chances were slim to none, but who would have thought...
"A problem?" Lin Ye raised an eyebrow.
"N-No!" Mo Youxue hurriedly shook her head. "I'll go prepare right away."
She walked quickly toward the bathroom, her heartbeat pounding like a drum.
Warm water quickly filled the tub, and the rising steam blurred the surface of the mirror.
She tested the water temperature and neatly arranged the bath products, every movement deliberately slowed down as if to buy time.
"Not ready yet?"
A deep male voice suddenly sounded from behind her. Startled, Mo Youxue gave a start and dropped the bottle of body wash into the water with a splash.
Lin Ye had appeared at the bathroom doorway at some point, leisurely unbuttoning his shirt.
With his movements, his well-defined, muscular chest gradually came into view.
Mo Youxue hurriedly averted her gaze, her earlobes burning red. "The... the water is ready..."
"Come here."
Two simple words, yet they caused her breathing to hitch.
Mo Youxue took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
She walked slowly over to Lin Ye, her trembling fingers resting upon his belt buckle—
"Weren't you quite proactive yesterday?" Lin Ye suddenly pinched her chin, forcing her to look up. "Why are you cowing out today?"
His fingertips carried a scorching temperature, and his grayish-blue eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
Mo Youxue opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Only then did she understand that last night's rejection wasn't because she wasn't good enough, but because this man was waiting for the right moment—just like a hunter waiting for the prey's most unguarded instant.
And right now, he was clearly in a good mood.
"I..."
Before she could finish, Lin Ye leaned down and kissed her.
The kiss was aggressive and overbearing, carrying an irresistible sense of possession.
Mo Youxue felt the world spin, and by the time she recovered her senses, her back was already pressed against the cold ceramic tiles.
Warm steam drifted through the bathroom, blurring their intertwined silhouettes into ambiguous contours.
Outside the window, the last trace of the setting sun was swallowed by the encroaching night, leaving only the dim, yellowish bathroom light swaying seductively amidst the mist...

Meanwhile, out in the corridor.
An Ruoran pressed her entire body against the door, her ear pressed tightly to the gap, her face as red as a ripe apple.
"Wuwu... Marshal... lighter... it hurts..."
………………
"Faster... faster..."
"I'm about to..."
From inside the room came Mo Youxue's tearful pleadings and soft cries of surrender, mixed with the sound of splashing water and the man's deep, steady breathing.
An Ruoran involuntarily pressed her legs together, her heart beating so fast it felt as though it might leap out of her chest.
"Sister Xueer usually looks so aloof, I never expected her to sound like..." She was daydreaming when suddenly—
"An Ruoran, what are you doing?"
A stern male voice exploded behind her, nearly scaring her into a shriek.
Chen Feng had appeared at the end of the corridor, frowning as he looked down at her.
"I, I..." An Ruoran scrambled to stand straight, but her legs had gone numb from squatting for too long, causing her to stumble and almost fall.
Chen Feng hurried forward to steady her, only to inadvertently overhear the sounds coming from inside the room.
The normally ruthless Snow Leopard captain instantly felt a suspicious blush creep across his bronze-colored face.
"Nonsense!" he reprimanded in a low voice, grabbing An Ruoran by the wrist and dragging her toward the kitchen. "Are you getting bolder by the day?"
An Ruoran hung her head like a child caught doing something wrong, her fingers twisting her skirt hem. "I was just... curious..."
Chen Feng was choked by the reply.
He opened his mouth, but ultimately let out a heavy sigh instead, pivoting to ask, "Marshal... well... how long has it been?"
"Just started..." An Ruoran replied instinctively. Realizing the implication a second later, she blushed and stamped her foot. "Captain Chen, why would you ask something like that?!"
Chen Feng furrowed his brows and glanced at his watch. "I have something to report..."
"What is it? I can relay it!" An Ruoran perked up instantly, her eyes sparkling.
Chen Feng hesitated for a moment before giving in. "That girl named Mu Qing wants to discuss matters regarding the rescue team with the Marshal."
"Mu Qing?" An Ruoran tilted her head in thought.
Following Chen Feng's training over the past two days, she had heard tales of this woman—abseiling down from the eighteenth floor to escape, killing zombies single-handedly, and now organizing a rescue team.
She truly was a formidable character.
"Got it! As soon as the Marshal... finishes what he's doing, I'll relay it immediately!"
Chen Feng nodded, turning to leave, but couldn't help looking back to add a warning: "And, don't ever..." He pointed toward the master bedroom, leaving the sentence unfinished.
An Ruoran stuck out her tongue and made a playful grimace.
Watching Chen Feng's helpless departing back, she suddenly chuckled softly.
She hadn't expected the stern captain to have such an endearing side to him.
Back in the kitchen, An Ruoran hummed a tune while washing the dishes, though her ears remained perked up, paying constant attention to any movement from the master bedroom.
The sound of water stopped, then started again, continuing intermittently for a very long time...
"Looks like Sister Xueer is in for a rough time tonight~" she muttered to herself, the smile on her face growing even more radiant.