The next morning, Four Seasons Hotel, Suite 1215.
The entire room looked as if it had just been swept through by a miniature tornado. The sofa, tables, chairs, wardrobe, television, and lamps—every piece of furniture, and even the ceiling, walls, and floor—were either cracked or collapsed.
The only thing reasonably intact was the plush Four Seasons bed. Beneath a thin sheet lay a man and a woman. Though largely covered, the mere sight of his powerful arm and her smooth, fair shoulder peeking out carried immense allure in the dim light.
Qi Li opened his eyes. The first thing to catch his sight was the massive bulge torn through the ceiling overhead.
Looking at that hole, the details of the previous night quickly rushed back into his mind.
He had always been a man of his word.
What he had promised Kate before the fight last night, he naturally had to follow through on in full bodily measure.
Without question, it had been another civil war between superhumans.
The clash had been far more prolonged and heated than the one on stage.
Kate had displayed a superhuman's stubborn tenacity until the dam finally collapsed and the last string snapped completely.
Qi Li turned his head slightly to look at Kate, who was still fast asleep, pillowed on his arm and curled tightly against his chest.
The girl—or rather, woman—remained lost in slumber. Her fair face, flushed with red, lacked her usual touch of cool aloofness, glowing instead with a fresh, blooming beauty.
Looking further down, despite her superhuman constitution, her formerly pale, luminous skin was now scattered with a dense array of pink and purple bruises.
Not wanting to disturb Kate, Qi Li gently slipped his arm out from beneath her neck.
If he had been an ordinary person, having his arm pinned down like that all night would have left it agonizingly numb and sore by morning.
Such a move was usually reserved for the beginning of a cuddle or shown in movies; anyone with experience knew better than to keep it there.
Fortunately, Qi Li was a superhuman.
Even after supporting her weight all night, his arm felt completely fine as he drew it back.
Afterward, just like an ordinary person, he felt no rush to get out of bed. Instead, he deftly picked up the phone from the nightstand and checked his messages.
In just one night, a flurry of texts had piled up.
Sigrid: "Finally saw that bastard Derek get what was coming to him. Pick a time—I agree to those new tricks you mentioned."
Maverick: "Hey, bro, where did you go? Aren't we throwing a party to celebrate?"
Maverick: "Never mind, I get it—you're with Kate! After I told you all the intel I dug up on her superpower, you still had the guts to dive right in. Bro, I'm seriously impressed. Say no more, good luck!"
Jordan Li (Female): "Qi Li, you're amazing! You're my role model!"
Luke: "Congratulations. Well-deserved No. 1 of Godkin University."
Miranda Jackman: "Oh my god! Honey, you are a real man! I'm so, so, so thrilled! Can I come to New York to see you?"
Anya Taylor-Joy: "[Evening gown photo] [Bathroom photo] [Wet-look photo]... [Guests welcome]."
Monica: "I've received several more endorsement offers, plus inquiries from film crews. I've forwarded them to your email. Don't party so hard that you forget about serious business."
Indira Shetty: "Remember to use adequate protection."
"..."
Qi Li scrolled through the messages from beginning to end, some from familiar acquaintances and others from casual contacts.
He replied selectively and saved the worthwhile photos, including a recent morning-tea selfie from Emma Watson and a video of Saoirse Ronan sweating through a workout.
After that, Qi Li spent some time scrolling through TikTok. Whenever he came across clips raving about his performance from the previous night, he lingered to listen to the lavish praise, feeling thoroughly refreshed.
Half an hour later, a new push notification regarding Starlight interrupted his scrolling.
Qi Li tapped it open.
Sure enough, the girl Starlight had rescued had finally spoken out online. Public opinion immediately took a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, and Starlight's approval rating surged once more.
"This woman... makes more noise than I do."
Starlight had only joined the Seven a few days ago, yet she seemed to be making more headlines than the senior members did in an entire year.
Qi Li shook his head and set his phone aside.
An hour after waking, he finally shook off all distractions and got up to freshen up.
Kate was awakened by a rich, savory aroma.
She opened her eyes and slowly sat up, letting the sheet slide from her shoulders to reveal a slender, shapely, pale figure.
Though marred by plenty of battle scars, it held an almost delicate, porcelain beauty.
"Hey, Qi Li."
Kate casually tied her long blonde hair behind her head. The moment she spotted Qi Li nearby, she greeted him openly.
"Hey, Kate." Qi Li wheeled over a room service cart.
Kate glanced over and instantly identified the culprit behind her awakening.
The cart was packed with chocolate croissants, Danish pastries, almond croissants, thick slices of French toast, gluten-free pancakes, blueberries, passion fruit, smoked salmon, oatmeal, lattes, Earl Grey tea, and more.
Kate's eyes lit up at once.
Her body desperately needed replenishment right now.
"Honey, you get me so well!"
Kate hopped out of bed barefoot. Exclaiming with delight, she grabbed an almond croissant and began wolfing it down, completely unbothered by ladylike manners.
Then again, hardly any American girls were truly ladylike, even if some looked far more aristocratic and elegant than genuine ladies.
Qi Li gave Kate's pert backside a playful swat and reminded her, "Go wash up first."
Kate flashed an "OK" sign, but she didn't put down the croissant on her way to the bathroom.
The girl was simply starving.
Qi Li understood completely. That was why he had prepared such an extravagant breakfast cart, prompting Kate's ecstatic cry about how well he understood her.
In truth, there was no secret to it—just sheer practice.
*Rat-tat-tat... rat-tat-tat...*
Suddenly, fierce gunfire erupted outside the hotel.
It was not the sound of firecrackers, but an American classic: an AR-15.
Qi Li was all too familiar with it.
He calmly walked over to the window and looked out.
Intense shooting was echoing from a nearby skyscraper.
The NYPD had arrived promptly. However, given the building's height, the complex layout, and the unknown number of shooters, they held back from storming in for the moment, focusing instead on establishing a perimeter and evacuating the crowds inside and out.
Wearing a bathrobe and drying her damp blonde hair with a towel, Kate walked over.
Having heard the gunfire as well, she stepped up beside Qi Li and followed his gaze out the window, her eyes brightening.
"This is a great publicity opportunity! Aren't you going, Qi Li?"
Chapter 34