Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 155 Silver-Level Terminal (Sixteenth Update)

“Zhiwei,” his voice was low and husky, filled with unprecedented tenderness, “From now on… I will protect you.”

"Yes, I know." Chen Zhiwei's voice was nasal, a little choked up, but mostly filled with emotion.

Their gazes met, and a silent longing and invitation filled the air.

Xu Yan's gaze slowly moved down from her watery eyes to her slightly parted lips, which were naturally rosy.

It seemed to possess a fatal attraction.

Without further hesitation, he slowly, with immense reverence, lowered his head.

When his lips gently touched hers, both of them trembled almost imperceptibly.

It was an extremely gentle touch, like a butterfly resting on a petal, filled with tentative exploration and immense tenderness.

Chen Zhiwei's eyelashes trembled violently, and she subconsciously closed her eyes. Her hands unconsciously clenched the fabric of his chest, but she did not flinch at all.

The warm, soft touch on her lips, carrying his unique, cool scent, left her mind blank, with only the pounding of her heart echoing in her ears.

Xu Yan's kiss was hesitant and restrained, lasting only a moment before he pulled away slightly, as if to confirm her wishes.

However, seeing her with her eyes closed, cheeks flushed, and completely accepting, a deeper emotion welled up in my heart.

He leaned down again, and this time, the kiss was a little deeper. It was no longer a simple touch, but a deep affection and possessiveness that was impossible to deny. He carefully traced the shape of her lips and felt the softness and sweetness that belonged only to her.

Chen Zhiwei responded awkwardly, feeling the warmth of his lips and the passion beneath his cautiousness. She felt as if she were floating on clouds, all her thoughts were emptied, leaving only this kiss and the person in front of her.

Time seemed to slow down and become viscous at this moment.

After an unknown amount of time, until both of them were somewhat out of breath, Xu Yan reluctantly pulled away from her lips, but his forehead remained pressed against hers, their breaths mingling, unusually hot.

Chen Zhiwei slowly opened her eyes, her gaze misty and her lips even redder and more luscious than before.

She dared not look at him, burying her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck, her voice muffled, filled with immense shyness and contentment:

"You...you attacked me from behind..."

Xu Yan chuckled softly, his chest heaving, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer into his embrace.

His laughter carried an unprecedented sense of ease and joy.

"Yes, I plead guilty."

He whispered in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her sensitive earlobe, sending another shiver through her.

The two embraced quietly, enjoying this intimate moment.

That kiss, like the most sacred ritual, definitively confirmed their relationship and bound their hearts tightly together.

After a while, my agitated emotions finally calmed down a little.

Xu Yan reluctantly stepped back slightly, but his arms remained around her.

He took a deep breath, trying to regain his usual composure, but the tenderness and satisfaction in his eyes were impossible to hide.

“I…” He cleared his throat, his voice still slightly hoarse from the emotion, “I need to look up some information about what we need next.”

The future remains fraught with danger, and he must become stronger as soon as possible. At this moment, his desire to protect her has become incredibly concrete and intense because of that kiss.

“Okay,” Chen Zhiwei looked up, her face still flushed, but her eyes were brighter than the stars, filled with complete trust and support, and a hint of shyness as she had just become “his girl.” “You go ahead and do your work, I’ll tidy up here.” Xu Yan nodded, finally slowly letting go of her hand, his fingertips lingering on her pink cheeks before turning and walking into the inner room.

His steps remained steady, but his upright back seemed to be infused with a new kind of strength.

Chen Zhiwei watched his figure disappear behind the door, then gently touched her lips, which still seemed to retain his warmth. She couldn't help but smile, revealing a shy yet incredibly happy smile.

She looked around the photo studio, which was filled with their memories, and felt that every corner was exuding a sweet atmosphere.

She began to tidy up lightly, humming a tuneless but cheerful little tune, feeling as if she were immersed in a light and joyful state.

This kiss, like a brand, was etched deep into each other's souls.

In this perilous world, this close bond has become their strongest armor and warmest harbor.

Xu Yan walked into the workroom and started up the silver-level terminal that had just been upgraded to his own.

The pale blue screen lit up, accompanied by a slight authentication fluctuation that swept across his psionic signature before the interface stabilized.

Unlike the previous Silver-level's rudimentary list-style menu, the Silver-level's user interface is more like a three-dimensional, highly interactive virtual desktop.

The interface is mainly divided into several clearly defined areas:

Central main display area: Occupies the largest area and is used to display specific content.

The left-hand quick navigation bar lists icons for core functions such as [Task Hall], [Library], [Resource Exchange], [Permission Inquiry], and [Contacts].

Right-side information flow window:
Information is scrolling in real time: "Maintenance of the C-7 sealing node in the East District has been completed, and contribution points have been distributed."
"Warning: An abnormal psionic response has been detected in the South District sewer network. Level assessment in progress..."
"The new material 'Stardust Sand' has been put into storage. Exchange privileges: Silver level and above"... just like the pulsating heartbeat of this extraordinary world.

Top personal status bar:

His ID was clearly displayed: Xu Yan.
Tier: Silver II, along with a number representing contribution points and an experience progress bar.

Xu Yan didn't browse other information much; he focused his mind and directly entered the keywords into the search bar:

【Soul-Suppressing Iron】

The progress bar slowly moved in the central main display area. After a few seconds, the interface refreshed and displayed the structured query results.

The information was indeed much more detailed than what he had previously gleaned from fragmented memories and with limited access:

Entry number: MAT-ALCH-7743
Name: [Soul-Suppressing Iron]

Security Level: [Restricted] (Basic information can be viewed for Silver level and above)

Category: Rare Spiritual Materials/Ancient Relics/【Boundary Lock Fragment】(This tag requires Silver I privileges to unlock)

description:

"It originates from the core of a meteorite or the eye of an extremely yin earth vein, and is formed over a long period of time and in a special energy environment."

It is completely black and has an icy touch; its molecular structure possesses unique characteristics of 'information adsorption and stabilization'.

It has a strong calming, suppressing, anchoring and isolating effect on non-physical information aggregates such as soul energy, mental fluctuations, and fragments of consciousness.

It can effectively resist mental erosion and suppress inner demons and external evils (including but not limited to resentment, curses, whispering pollution, etc.).

(End of this chapter)