Kleia had a dream.
In the dream, she was wrapped in countless silver threads, her body floating at the edge of the stars. Each thread led to a voice, calling her name in a language she couldn't understand but instinctively comprehended.
"Awaken."
"Become the passage."
"You are the Connecting Vessel."
When she opened her eyes, the chamber's light had softened, and the icy metal platform had transformed into a sleeping bed with a flexible memory structure. Zelyon was not by her side, but the air still lingered with his unique scent—a blend of synthetic minerals and nebula storms, familiar enough to quicken her heartbeat.
She tried to sit up; the restraints had been 解开. Her body ached so intensely that she could barely stand, but she gritted her teeth and rose. A transparent mirror lit up on the wall, reflecting her naked form. Faint golden patterns swirled across her skin, like circuitry or cosmic runes.
"What is that..." She reached out to touch them, and the patterns glowed faintly at her touch.
"Astral Synchronization Glyphs," a 陌生的 female voice said. "A natural reaction after your body integrated spatial conductors."
Kleia spun around. It was not Zelyon, but another woman—tall, silver-toned skin, wearing a uniform similar to a medical officer's, but with eyes as sharp as blades.
"Who are you?"
"Ishta, Chief Data Officer of the starship Hermes and assistant researcher in charge of your observation." She stepped forward, her gaze scanning Kleia's body without a trace of shyness. "Zelyon has marked you as his primary Synchronized Vessel. Your current connection to the entire star domain directly affects this ship's communication, engines, and even the stability of space jumps."
"Sounds like... I'm a piece of equipment."
"You are," Ishta said coldly. "Just the kind that moans and weeps."
Kleia's cheeks flushed hot, not with shame but anger.
"Let me go. I'm not your experimental toy."
Ishta sneered. "Do you still think you belong to Earth? You're no longer on the human timeline, miss. Every second you exist now is sustained by us." She paused, her gaze becoming meaningful. "Of course, if you cooperate... you'll find this far more... interesting than your old life."
Kleia didn't respond, only staring at her coldly.
—
When the door opened, a familiar oppressive aura swept in. Zelyon entered, expressionless, but the moment his gaze met Kleia's, it softened for an instant.
"You're standing," he said, as if this had been his expectation.
"What have you turned me into?" Her voice trembled. "Everything you did last night... was that part of your control?"
"Not control—connection." Zelyon approached her, step by step, until she could smell the warmth of his body. "Astral Resonance is irreversible. You no longer exist as a single life form but as part of a 'dual-core resonance.'"
"So you fucked me for science?" she bit out. "You don't even understand respect?"
He looked at her for a long time before murmuring, "Not just science. You felt it, didn't you? Between us, it's not just a link—it's ignition."
She froze. His fingers gently brushed her jaw, the touch tender to the point of contradiction.
"The Astral Plane doesn't choose faulty vessels. You thought you were chosen, but in truth, you've returned to your rightful place." Zelyon whispered, "That urge, that craving—it's real."
"I hate you," she said softly.
He leaned down, close to her ear: "Then hate me, and cum while you do."
He kissed her, dominant yet with a strange reverence. He pulled her into his arms, his fingers sliding down her back, following the curve into her depths. She struggled, but couldn't resist the familiar throb. His lips pressed to her nipple, biting and sucking, drawing 急促的 gasps and moans from her.
Her nails dug into his shoulders. The moment he entered her, she was pulled into a cosmic tremor. She couldn't distinguish if her sensations came from herself or Zelyon's shared perception—the Astral connection tangled their feelings, each thrust doubling the impact.
"I... I need... can't stop..."
"Don't stop," he growled in her ear. "You're my bridge. I only want you."
In the surging pleasure, she thought she saw the other side of the universe. It was a pair of eyes, endless and dark, peering at her through a rift.
"You are not the first."
"Nor will you be the last."
Her consciousness quaked violently amid the orgasm and torrent of information, her chest filled with the echo of a thousand voices.
—
When she woke again, Zelyon was sitting beside her, bending to cover her with a soft blanket.
"You saw it," he said quietly.
"Who is it?" she murmured.
"The Mirror God. The consciousness of the Astral Plane." He gazed at her. "Through you... it's watching me too."
She closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks. This wasn't just a 穿越. This was a sacrifice.
And she could no longer quit the stage.