TIC Chapter 20

 Chapter 20: The Constant-Temperature Pool

"Your greatest talent is thinking—isn't it?"

Hein leaned down; the tips of his golden hair brushed against the skin of Xiao Yan’s cheek—so real, so soft. The tip of his tongue held none of the domineering force from moments ago, yet it remained utterly irresistible.

Had Xiao Yan offered even the slightest resistance, he had no doubt he would have been shattered into a thousand pieces.

His body was splayed open at an unimaginable angle; his desperate struggle to bring his legs back together seemed utterly laughable in the face of the other man's strength.

The pain was so visceral, so real, that it brought Xiao Yan to the brink of collapse.

The man lowered his head, his piercing gaze slamming violently against Xiao Yan’s cerebral nerves. Ravaged by deep, penetrating thrusts again and again, Xiao Yan felt like a crumbling reef—poised to be pulverized at any moment.

When the man suddenly lifted him up, then—with instant, savage intensity—thrust deep into his very core, Xiao Yan’s mind went utterly blank. He saw only that man—the one who never wore any expression other than that singular, enigmatic look—gently caressing his cheek before placing a soft kiss upon his brow.

In that very instant, it was as if Xiao Yan’s thoughts had finally burst through a dark, winding tunnel and into the light.

"Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan, what’s wrong with you?! Xiao Yan!"

Casey’s shouts rang out in his ears. Xiao Yan gasped sharply, his entire body trembling violently.

The room fell silent. Xiao Yan stared blankly at the other side of the bed; there was absolutely no one there.

Where was Hein Burton?

Had everything that just happened been nothing more than another hallucination?

"I’m asking you—what the hell is going on? Are you trying to scare me on purpose? For a second there, I thought you were having a stroke!"

Casey was practically bristling with agitation.

"No, I was just... just thinking about something."

What on earth was happening? How could he be experiencing hallucinations of Hein again? Under their current circumstances, it was impossible for Hein to have any influence over him. If Hein had somehow hacked into his brain, how could Casey—who was currently on a live comm link with him and happened to be a master of operating systems—have failed to detect even the slightest sign of intrusion? “What are you thinking about? Is it about Professor Manson?”

Xiao Yan quickly composed himself and casually changed the subject: “Um... Casey, do you believe in immortality?”

“Immortality cannot exist.” Casey’s answer was unequivocal.

“Is it that it *cannot* exist, or that it is *not permitted* to exist?”

“It simply cannot. Xiao Yan, even the universe itself has a finite lifespan; is there anything that could possibly transcend the universe?”

Xiao Yan smiled; it was a question Hein had once posed to him—one that Casey had now answered with such ease.

“Casey, you really are a genius.”

“If you’d just divert half the energy you spend on online dating—not to mention all that history and old movies stuff—into your research proficiency exams, I bet you’d be a genius, too.”

“Casey, would you say we’re technically on an online date right now?”

“Go to hell!”

The connection cut out, and Xiao Yan’s mood shifted from the amusement of teasing Casey to a sense of utter bewilderment.

He lowered his gaze to the space between his legs; it was completely soaked.

What exactly *was* that encounter with Hein Burton just now?

If it was merely a figment of his imagination, why did the physical sensations feel so incredibly vivid? It felt almost as if someone had used the system to interface directly with his brain, constructing an entire scenario within his mind... While such a thing might not exist in physical reality, if Hein had truly invaded his brain, then—within the realm of thoughts and sensations—it was an event that had genuinely taken place!

Oh God! Xiao Yan! You must be losing your mind! Hein Burton wouldn't deign to enter *your* brain; a man of his caliber wouldn't be caught dead engaging in sexual acts! Moreover, at that very moment, Casey’s brain was interfaced with the same system interface as Xiao Yan’s. As a research elite, Casey had undergone training specifically designed to detect and block intruders—how could Hein possibly have managed to do all that without Casey noticing a thing?

...And yet... Hein, too, was once a research elite at the Central Academy of Sciences...

Damn it. What on earth is going on? Do I need to go see a shrink—or maybe a neurologist?

The mere thought of a psychiatrist delving into his brain to probe the origins of such a hallucination—even with patient-doctor confidentiality agreements in place—was enough to make him shudder. The idea of ​​someone else finding out that he’d been doing *that* with Hein Burton inside his own head... It was an absolute nightmare! And what about all those fantasies he’d harbored about Lily in the past—or even the reactions his mind had conjured up under Maya’s seduction? Xiao Yan, are you *sure* you want anyone else to see those?

Absolutely not! He’d sooner be on his deathbed!

He rushed into the bathroom; as the warm water cascaded over his head and washed down his body, it failed to wash away the thoughts swirling in his mind.

What was he supposed to do? How could he put an end to these utterly unrealistic fantasies?

That man always stood at an unattainable height, facing everything with cold detachment; he was *not* someone you were allowed to fantasize about!

No matter how perfect his face might be, and no matter how much you trusted him when danger struck, things between you and him... would *never* develop into *that* kind of relationship!

Get a grip on your brain, Xiao Yan!

Otherwise, one day Colonel Burton’s blade will come down and lop off your head!

He couldn’t stay cooped up in his room any longer; he needed to go out, take a walk, and find something to occupy himself. If he wanted to stay alive, he had to squash these preposterous fantasies—and fast!

Xiao Yan left his room and walked down the corridor. Approaching him was a young woman in a technical officer’s uniform, her golden hair pinned back in a meticulous bun. As she brushed past him, she offered a slight nod—and Xiao Yan’s heart nearly took flight.

“Lily! Want to head to the pool to relax for a bit later?”

“Sure! Let’s go together!”

Good heavens! What was Lily doing here? Oh... right, he remembered now. A group of cadets had gone out on a field study last week; they had been assigned to Lieutenant Colonel Ruiven’s base, and Lily must have been one of them.

Lily wasn’t just a fellow cadet from his graduating class; she was his personal goddess. In fact, on several occasions when he’d come perilously close to death, Xiao Yan’s *only* regret had been that he hadn’t yet managed to get Lily into bed.

In that fleeting moment as Lily brushed past him—his breath catching in his throat—Xiao Yan felt absolutely certain that the fluttering in his chest proved his adoration for Lily remained as strong as ever.

Any fantasies he’d had about Hein must have been purely because he’d accidentally ingested the man’s saliva! In any case, once they returned to Shire, the chances of him ever crossing paths with Hein again were practically zero! There was absolutely nothing to worry about!

With that realization, Xiao Yan immediately decided that he was definitely going to the pool. With a heart fluttering with excitement—and utterly devoid of shame—Xiao Yan arrived at the base’s sole temperature-controlled swimming pool. There were no civilians at this base; it was populated entirely by stationed soldiers and researchers, and it was only during their off-duty rotations that they had the opportunity to come here to unwind.

Upon reaching the pool, Xiao Yan spotted exactly what he had hoped to see: Lily and her friends were lounging at the poolside, chatting away. Xiao Yan could barely contain his eagerness; now was the perfect moment for him to make his move!

Xiao Yan quietly slipped into the water, parting the currents as he swam steadily in Lily’s direction.

Through the crystal-clear water, he could faintly make out Lily’s long, shapely legs—a sight that nearly sent Xiao Yan’s nose gushing with blood!

See? He was right all along—a stunning beauty like Lily was exactly the kind of woman he fancied most!

It was only then that Xiao Yan began to ponder how exactly he should make his appearance before Lily. Should he pretend to swim past her by sheer coincidence? Or perhaps...

Just as Xiao Yan was lost in his daydream, a figure ahead of him surged forward with a force that seemed to cleave the water in two, barreling straight toward him.

Xiao Yan felt the impact of the rushing water against his shoulders; before he could even react, the force of the collision nearly sent him crashing to the bottom of the pool.

His assailant had slammed into him with unstoppable momentum—and worst of all... the point of impact was his mouth!

His lips were violently jammed against his teeth; the pain was so excruciating that Xiao Yan completely forgot he was underwater and began coughing violently.

The very next instant, he was pinned down by a crushing force. A hand clamped down on his face with such intensity that his features distorted under the pressure; the back of his head slammed against the pool floor, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. He managed to force his eyes open just in time to see his assailant’s knee descending with lethal precision toward his lower abdomen.

Xiao Yan’s eyes went wide with horror; he felt as though he had never in his entire life been in such a wretched predicament!

The strands of golden-brown hair seemed to catch the light filtering through the water, appearing both elegant and dazzling.

The assailant’s eyes resembled a frozen ocean—a vast expanse of ice beneath which lay a latent power, poised to shatter its bonds and surge forth at any moment.

Hein Burton!

Why did it have to be *this* guy again?! Was this some kind of nightmare?! The anticipated pain never came. When Hein recognized that the distorted face beneath the water belonged to Xiao Yan, his knees locked in place; his fingers threaded through Xiao Yan’s hair, and with a swift motion, he hauled him directly out of the water.

“Cough... cough... cough...”

Xiao Yan’s nose was full of water; he felt as though he were coughing his very lungs out.

He remembered that look in Hein’s eyes—it was the exact same look he wore when he was slaughtering zombies!

Hein reached up to slick his hair back behind his ears, revealing a graceful, elegant forehead; his current tranquility felt like the calm before a violent storm.

Lily and her friend had already turned to look in their direction. At that moment, Xiao Yan looked utterly wretched—though, of course, this was hardly the time for him to be worrying about how disheveled he appeared.

“Th-this... *this* time, *you* were the one who bumped into *me*...”

Xiao Yan swallowed hard—a rather pathetic, involuntary reaction—his earlier bravado completely drained away.

Hein turned his back and began walking toward the edge of the pool, his movements sending faint ripples across the water’s surface. His shoulders possessed a striking, unforgettable contour—a sculpted physique that effortlessly drew the gaze of the two women standing at the other end of the pool.

“Who is that?” Lily asked, her eyes still fixed on Hein’s retreating figure.

“It looks like... Hein Burton of the Special Task Force?”

Hein swam toward the far, unoccupied side of the pool, making it abundantly clear that he had no intention of allowing anyone else to encroach upon his personal space again.

Xiao Yan pressed his hand against his forehead in exasperation; with such a dramatic entrance, he had been completely reduced to nothing more than a backdrop for Hein.

There was absolutely no chance Lily would notice him now. Resigned to his fate, Xiao Yan climbed out of the pool; lacking the nerve to remain in the same body of water as Hein Burton, he fled back toward the showers as if his life depended on it.

As the image of Hein kissing him suddenly flooded his mind, Xiao Yan felt as though his very breath had become trapped within his chest, unable to escape.

It was the first time Xiao Yan had ever gotten a clear look at the guy’s physique.

Drop-dead sexy...

*That* body—it was the very same one that had once pinned him down, doing whatever it pleased... though Xiao Yan remained convinced that such a scene existed solely within the realm of his own fantasies.

After a hasty rinse, Xiao Yan pressed the button to open the door—but it failed to slide open.

He pressed it again, yet still, there was no response.

What on earth was going on? Surely he couldn't be *that* unlucky, could he? He raised his wrist and attempted to contact the Management Center via his communicator, but the response he received was: "Code Invalid!"

Only then did Xiao Yan realize that while they were underwater, Hein had gripped his wrist—and with such immense strength that he had actually crushed the communicator, leaving it riddled with cracks...

"Is anyone out there?! Please, could someone notify the Management Center for me? The button isn't working—I can't get the door open!"

Xiao Yan kicked and pounded against the door, but the damn thing didn't budge.

Damn Base No. 14! If this were Char, the shower doors would be sensor-activated! Only in this decrepit, antiquated dump would they still be using archaic push-button mechanisms!

"Hello? Is there anyone out there?"

Xiao Yan sighed. How could there possibly be anyone out there? There were only two men in the entire swimming pool: himself, and Hein Burton.

In that very instant, the door was thrown open with a loud *crash*, sending tremors through the entire shower stall.

Xiao Yan froze, for standing right before him was none other than Hein Burton!

Droplets of water trickled down the strands of his hair onto his shoulders, gliding over the taut, sinewy contours of his body before falling to the floor. He wore nothing but a pair of swim trunks; his muscles were lean, honed, and brimming with raw power—a stark contrast to the exaggerated, bulky physique of someone like Mark. This was not the kind of musculature sculpted in a gym; it was strength forged through countless acts of slaughter.