His voice pulled her from her spiralling thoughts, anchoring her back to the present.
"Manager Hong."
She flinched slightly, but still couldn't bring herself to look up at his masked face, afraid of what he might see in her eyes.
I felt her tension increase at my voice, sensed the internal war raging behind her carefully maintained facade even as it crumbled.
She's strong, I thought with genuine approval and growing admiration.
After a long, heavy moment, she slowly raised her head, her eyes finally meeting mine with a mixture of defiance, uncertainty, and something else, something that looked almost like hope.
I studied her flushed face, the rapid pulse visible in her throat, the way her pupils had dilated.
We sat like that for several heartbeats, the silence stretching between us, charged with unspoken possibilities.
After feeling her warmth against me, feeling her gradual surrender to whatever was building between us, I made my decision.
"I want to kiss you," I said quietly, watching her eyes widen. "But this time for real. No barriers. But on one condition, you should close your eyes if you want me to."
She froze completely, her breath catching audibly.
I could see the conflict playing across her face, she was genuinely attracted to my voice, my scent, the way I held her. But she didn't know how to respond to such a direct proposition.
I waited patiently, looking directly into her eyes, letting her see the sincerity in my gaze even through the mask.
Her internal struggle was visible fear warring with curiosity, propriety battling desire.
Then, slowly, her cheeks flushing an even deeper shade of crimson, Manager Hong closed her eyes.
Her breathing quickened, her hands trembling slightly where they rested against my chest. She was nervous, uncertain, but willing.
I smiled behind my mask, warmth spreading through my chest at her trust.
Slowly, deliberately, I moved one of her hands up to my mask, guiding her fingers to hook onto the edge.
Her breathing increased noticeably, her fingers trembling against the smooth surface.
I let her slowly lower it, giving her control of the pace, feeling the cool air hit my face as the mask came away.
Then I placed one hand at her chin, tilting her face up slightly. "Open your mouth," I said softly. "Just slightly."
She trembled, a full-body shiver running through her, but still did exactly as I asked, her lips parting just barely.
She exhaled slowly.
God, her breath is intoxicating, I thought, leaning closer.
Slowly, I placed my lips on hers.
The contact was electric soft, warm, perfect.
I started kissing her gently at first, savouring the sensation of her lips, then gradually deepening it. My hand moved to her lower back, resuming its kneading of her plump ass, while my other hand cradled her head, preventing her from pulling away.
Not that she wanted to.
Slowly, hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence, she moved her hands to hold me, her fingers gripping my robes as we became entangled with each other.
The room filled with lewd, wet sounds as our kiss deepened. I invaded her mouth with my tongue, finding hers and starting a slow, sensual wrestling match.
She moaned into my mouth as my hand gripped her ass like a vice, the sound vibrating between us. I pressed myself firmly against her, making sure she could feel exactly what effect she was having on me.
Her response was immediate, she arched against me, her own desire evident in the way she moved.
She clawed at my back through my robes as we kept kissing, her nails scratching desperately even through the fabric. I could feel her soft breasts pressing against my chest, the sensation driving me wild.
I slipped my hand lower, fingers sliding into the crack of her plump peach, using the grip to tug her even more tightly against me.
She whimpered, the sound needy and desperate, but we continued.
For ten full minutes we stayed like that, lost in each other, the world narrowing to just the two of us and the heat building between us.
Finally, reluctantly, we parted.
Strands of saliva connected our mouths as we separated, glistening in the lamplight. She was still trying to reach out, seeking my lips again even as I pulled back.
I quickly covered my face with the mask again, then reached out with my right hand to her lips.
My fingertips traced the swollen, kiss-reddened flesh, rolling in slow circles around her lips, memorizing their shape and softness.
Then I pressed my thumb past her lips into her mouth.
She sucked on it immediately, eagerly, like it was some rare delicacy, her tongue swirling around it with the same enthusiasm she'd shown kissing me.
After a long moment, I popped it out with a wet sound.
She opened her eyes slowly, shyly lowering her head, clearly overwhelmed by what had just happened.
I held her chin gently, tilting her face back up, then rubbed my masked face against hers in an oddly tender gesture.
We could feel each other's breaths, heavy and laboured, the air between us thick with residual desire.
And then I genuinely held her in my embrace not to tease, not to seduce, but simply to hold her.
She reciprocated immediately, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face against my shoulder.
We stayed like that for a long moment, just breathing together, hearts gradually slowing.
Then I pulled back slightly and stared at her face. This time, she didn't look away or hide.
I've conveyed my feelings to her, I thought with satisfaction. She understands now that this isn't just physical desire.
"Okay, I have a task for my darling," I said, holding her cheek tenderly.
Her eyes snapped to mine. "Who is your darling?" she asked with mock indignation.
I smacked her ass sharply.
She squealed, but I quickly closed her mouth with my hand and pinched her cheek playfully. "Are you going to be naughty again?"
She pouted, turning her head away with exaggerated offense.
I nudged at her neck with my face, nuzzling against her skin.
She felt tickled and laughed, a genuine, unguarded laugh that made my heart skip. "Stop that! Tell me, what do you want?"
I pulled back, suddenly serious. "I have some Vermillion Blood Rice. Take it home and consume it daily to increase your physique and physical strength."
Her eyes went wide as saucers. "What?! You can cultivate Vermillion Blood Rice? Really?!"
Seeing her genuine surprise and excitement, I felt happiness bloom in my chest and smiled behind my mask.
I separated from her carefully and reached under my robe as if searching for my spirit bag, but I was actually accessing my inventory system with a thought.
With practiced ease, I retrieved the large spirit bag and pulled it out as if it had been tucked in my robes all along.
And took out a ten jin of the crimson rice bag from it. "Consume it slowly at first, start with small amounts and gradually increase as much as you can handle. Your body needs to adapt to the yang energy."
She stared at the package, then back at me. "Why are you giving me this? This is worth... hundreds of spirit stones at least."
"Well, I don't have proper gifts for women on hand," I admitted honestly. "And this can strengthen your body significantly. Plus..." I paused, then added with deliberate emphasis, "it will help us in our romantic endeavours in the future. You're too weak now physically, you might not be able to handle me."
She pointed at me accusingly, her face flaming red. "You!....don't go imagining and deciding everything yourself!"
I took her into my embrace once again, pinching her ass firmly before giving it a sharp smack.
She moaned, the sound escaping before she could stop it.
"What, do you think you can handle me now?" I pressed my hips against her, making sure she felt exactly what I meant.
"That... that..." Her face turned completely red and she couldn't find words, her mind clearly going blank.
Before she could say anything, a knock sounded at the door.
"Manager Hong, all the items are prepared and packaged," one of the attendants called through the wood.
Manager Hong freed herself from my embrace quickly with visible effort, straightening her robes and slipping back into her professional demeanour with impressive speed, though I could see it took significant willpower.
She called out, her voice only slightly breathless, "Wait there. I'll summon you shortly."
She looked back at me, her expression complex desire, confusion, affection, and uncertainty all warring for dominance. "You should... retrieve your payment method now. Before they come in."
I nodded, standing smoothly. "Of course. But first, take this rice and put it in your spirit bag."
She hesitated for just a moment, then did as I suggested, the package disappearing into her storage.
I reached into the bag and began withdrawing spirit stones, piling them on the floor between us in neat stacks. Each stone clinked with the distinctive sound of wealth.
Good thing I raided that bandit den, I thought with dark amusement. Otherwise I'd never be able to afford this shopping spree. That overseer's loss is my gain.
"Twenty-six thousand five hundred spirit stones," I said simply. "Count them if you wish to verify."
Manager Hong looked at the small mountain of stones with wide eyes, clearly impressed despite herself.
She called to the attendants, "Bring everything in."
The three women entered promptly, each carrying multiple packages wrapped in protective cloth and sealed with minor preservation formations. They laid everything out on a clear table with practiced efficiency, creating an impressive array of purchases.
"The rice seeds are in these jade containers," one attendant explained professionally, pointing to the sealed boxes. "The manuals are wrapped in spirit-beast leather for protection. The formation plates are individually packaged with instruction jade slips for proper activation."
I began transferring everything into my large storage bag with smooth, efficient movements. The items disappeared into the spatial depths with ease, the bag's capacity easily accommodating the substantial haul.
The attendants watched with barely concealed awe, not at the items, but at the small heap of spirit stones representing such staggering wealth.
Seeing their reactions, Manager Hong gestured them toward the spirit stones with professional authority.
"Bring a spirit bag," she instructed the lead attendant. "Verify the amount carefully and store them properly."
The three women moved with impressive speed and efficiency, brought a large spirit bag and beginning to count and transfer the stones with meticulous care.
"Twenty-six thousand five hundred confirmed, Manager Hong," the lead attendant reported after several minutes of careful counting.
"Good. Take them to the vault and record the transaction under my name." Manager Hong paused, glancing at me with a question in her eyes. "Anonymous purchaser. Large-scale farming and cultivation supplies."
The attendants nodded in understanding, gathered the stones with reverent care, and departed with synchronized bows.
The door closed behind them with a soft click, leaving us alone once more.
Silence stretched between us, heavy with everything unspoken, everything that had just happened.
I sealed my storage bag and tucked it back beneath my robe, then turned to face Manager Hong fully.
She had retreated behind her professional mask again, but I could see all the cracks, the way her hands trembled slightly, the lingering flush on her cheeks that had nothing to do with exertion, the uncertain look in her eyes.
"The transaction is complete," she said formally, bowing slightly in proper merchant fashion. "It was my pleasure serving you, honoured guest. Please return if you require anything else in the future."
"Manager Hong," I said quietly, my voice carrying easily in the silent room.
She looked up, wariness flickering across her features mixed with something softer.
I stepped closer, watching her tense slightly but notably not retreat.
"I have a question for you," I said seriously. "And I want you to answer honestly. No professional deflection, no merchant politeness. Just truth."
"What question?" she asked cautiously, her guard rising.
"Do you want to see me again?"
The bluntness of it made her eyes widen in surprise.
"Not as a customer," I clarified before she could respond. "As... me. This person who just spent the afternoon thoroughly flustering you and making you question your sanity."
Manager Hong opened her mouth, then closed it, clearly struggling with how to respond honestly.
"I..." she began, then stopped, the words catching in her throat.
I waited patiently, giving her time to find her answer.
"I don't even know your name," she finally said, her voice small. "Your real name. Who you really are."
"Names can be exchanged after you give me your answer," I replied gently. "What matters right now is whether you want this, whatever this is between us to continue."
She bit her lip, conflict clear on her face.
Finally, so quietly I almost didn't hear it, she whispered, "Yes. I... I want to see you again."
My heart soared, though I kept my voice steady. "Then I'll return. Soon."
"When?" she asked, then seemed embarrassed by her own eagerness.
"When the time is right," I said mysteriously. "But not too long. I'm not a patient man when it comes to things I want."
I moved toward the door, then paused and looked back at her one final time.
"Manager Hong, Where can I look for help in searching for a missing person?"
She blinked, surprised by the sudden question. "A missing person? You can post a mission at the Mercenary Guild. They have trackers and information networks throughout the region."
I nodded. "Thank you."
"Also," I said, just loud enough for her to hear. "Think about everything that happened today. Really think about it. About what you want."
Her cheeks coloured, but she nodded almost imperceptibly.
"And one more thing," I added, unable to resist one last tease. "Do you want me to get a healing salve. For the soreness. I can also give you a massage. Unless you want to explain to your colleagues why you're walking funny tomorrow."
Her face turned absolutely scarlet. "Get out!" she hissed, though there was no real anger in her voice just embarrassment and perhaps the tiniest hint of amusement.
Laughing quietly, I finally left the room, walking through Jin Shang Hall's elegant corridors with unexpected lightness in my step.
The evening shift workers barely glanced at me just another masked customer leaving after concluding business.
As I emerged into the evening street, blending seamlessly into the crowd of merchants and cultivators heading home after a long day, I couldn't help but glance back once at the imposing building behind me.
-----
I replayed the afternoon's events in my mind with mixed feelings.
My mind kept circling back to one question: Why didn't she reject me?, I wondered, genuinely puzzled . Something doesn't add up.
Manager Hong had every reason to refuse my advances we'd just met, I was a masked stranger who completely manhandled her, spanked her ass, kissed her and Yet she'd not only accepted but reciprocated with genuine passion.
It was also my first time being so forward.
Slowly a darker thought crept in.
Did I somehow become so charming that I can seduce or have a fling with any woman I want now?
The system's voice cut through my thoughts like a bucket of cold water.
[Host, don't let your delusions run wild, your narcissism is showing up.]
[The main reason for her acceptance was your Dust-Free Immortal Physique.]
[It naturally emits a subtle scent that is imperceptible to normal senses that makes people feel comfortable and trust you]
[For the opposite sex specifically, it goes further, creating an instinctive attraction and intimacy towards you.]
My steps faltered. What?
I stopped walking, causing a cultivator behind me to curse and step around.
[Of course, not everything was the physique's doing,] the system added. [She was genuinely attracted to your voice, confidence , personality and behaviour. The physique simply made her more... receptive to your advances.]
Ah.
'So that's why she didn't scream for guards or activate those fancy formations', I realized. 'She could have, but something made her hesitate'.
'Ok, Thank you for explaining, system'.
Then I thought,
'So I'm basically a living aphrodisiac?'. That's... actually kind of fucked up'.
[It was a randomly assigned physique,] the system replied with what almost sounded like amusement.
[Maybe heavens took pity on you. Consider it as a compensation for dying a virgin in your previous life.]
'Fuck you, system. You don't have to remind me of my love life from the previous world, I thought with irritation'.
Trying to move past the embarrassment, I asked, Are there other functions of this physique I should know about?
[Find out yourself. I'm not a tutorial guide. Hmph]
I tried asking several more questions, but received only silence in response.
So You only show up to mock me or drop cryptic hints, I thought bitterly. What kind of tsundere system are you?
I looked up into the sky.
The evening sun painted the sky in shades of orange and gold, the city's protective formations beginning to glow faintly as darkness approached.
I disappeared into the flowing crowd, my mask concealing my smile, my mind already planning my next move.
-----
Behind me, in a private room at Jin Shang Hall, a young woman stood alone by the window.
One hand pressed against her still-racing heart, the other touching lips that still tingled from his kiss.
Manager Hong stared out at the sunset, watching the mysterious masked figure disappear into the crowd far below.
Did I just meet my future...? she wondered, equal parts terrified and exhilarated. Or did I just make the biggest mistake of my life?
The vermillion rice sat heavy in her spirit bag, warm with yang energy and promise.
Only time would tell which it was.
But as she touched her lips again, remembering the taste of him, the feel of his hands, the warmth of his embrace.
She found herself hoping desperately that it was the former.
" I don't know why, guys, but it's taking you forever to write even one line of feedback while you're enjoying the thousands of words I write. "