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Feng Xi didn't answer immediately, but Lei Dian could feel a very low, deep, almost breathy vibration coming from his chest, like a silent chuckle. He tightened his grip on her hand slightly, stopping her playful little movement.

“Zhen.” He called her name again, this time with a hint of warning, but more so with indulgence. He finally turned around completely, facing her directly. His usually calm eyes, now under his close gaze, seemed to reflect the starlight outside the window, and also her face with a sly smile, their depths seemingly imbued with an elusive warmth.

Raiden looked up at him, unwavering, her purple eyes gleaming. She raised her other hand, her fingertips lightly touching his slightly pursed lips, a bold yet intimate gesture: "Here...were you about to say something, but then swallowed it back?" Her voice was even lower, breathy, like a seductive whisper, "In front of me, is there any need to hide anything, Xi?"

Feng Xi caught her restless hand, his gaze locked on her eyes, his expression still largely unchanged, yet the surrounding space seemed to thicken with the emotions flowing between them. He lowered his head, his forehead gently touching hers, their noses almost meeting, their breaths audible.

"Sharp-tongued," he murmured, his tone devoid of any reproach, sounding more like an affectionate approval. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, a silent current coursing through their pressed skin.

Raiden chuckled softly, feeling his rare initiative to get close, her heart pounding with joy. She leaned closer to him, the soft fabric of her yukata rubbing against his clothes, sending a tingling sensation through her.

“I only act like this with you,” she replied, her tone tinged with a hint of pride and deep affection. “If it were anyone else, I would have already…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear. Only in his presence would the composed and authoritative Raiden Shin, who held power and wielded authority, reveal such a girlish side and boldly “tease” this being who made the world tremble.

Feng Xi seemed to enjoy her words, pressing his forehead against hers slightly harder, as if making a silent declaration of possession. He didn't speak again, simply maintaining this intimate position, savoring this tranquility and intimacy that belonged only to the two of them, stripped of all identities and responsibilities. All calculations, all order, all coldness seemed to be shut out by this bedroom at this moment.

Starlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the two embracing figures in long, intertwined shadows. The ruthless city lord who ruled the world and his most trusted and intimate political advisor revealed, in the unseen depths of the night, a tenderness shared only with each other. This quiet intimacy spoke volumes more than any words about the profound and special bond between them.

Feng Xi's hand, which was covering the back of her hand, did not quickly release it. That hand, which usually held the reins of the universe and determined life and death, was now gently holding hers, its fingertips unconsciously caressing the smooth back of her hand. A silent, electric-like throbbing sensation spread through their touching skin.

Raiden truly felt his subtle movement, and the curve of her lips deepened. She didn't raise her head, still pressing her cheek against his back, her voice languid and hoarse, as if whispering in a dream: "I thought... you only had eyes for those stars and data, and had long forgotten how to feel... warmth."

Feng Xi was silent for a moment, then his deep voice sounded above her head, less of his usual absolute coldness, and more of an elusive, almost helpless indulgence: "...Noisy."

There was no blame in those words; rather, they sounded like an acquiescence and an invitation.

Raiden chuckled softly, finally raising her head to stand in front of him, looking up at him slightly. Her purple eyes gleamed with a mischievous yet gentle light under the starlight. "I'm only like this with you." She extended a finger and gently tapped his seemingly tense chest. "To others, I'm a very dignified Minister of State."

Her fingertips seemed to carry a subtle electric current, sending a tingling sensation through the thin fabric. Feng Xi caught her mischievous hand and held it in his palm. His gaze was deep, falling on her smiling face, on the slightly open collar of her bathrobe, and on the glimpses of her fair neck through her loose hair.

"To come dressed like this," his voice remained steady, but something seemed to be quietly melting deep within his eyes, "is this the majesty you speak of?"

A faint blush rose on Raiden's face, but she didn't back down. Instead, she took a step closer, almost feeling his breath. "This is... after get off work," she said matter-of-factly, her other hand boldly stroking his hard jawline. "Besides, I only want you to see this... is that not allowed?"

Feng Xi didn't answer "yes" or "no." He simply lowered his head slightly, his forehead gently touching hers. This gesture carried an indescribable intimacy and possessiveness. Their breaths mingled, and the surrounding air seemed to thicken and warm up.

“Really…” he whispered her name, his breath brushing against her lips.

"Hmm?" Raiden Shin closed his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, waiting and anticipating.

However, Feng Xi did not kiss her immediately. He simply maintained this extremely close distance, as if appreciating her rare submissiveness and shyness at this moment. His fingers ran through her long, loose hair, feeling its silky smoothness, and then slowly moved down, stroking her back.

The caress wasn't hurried; instead, it was filled with the composure of a controller and a kind of... reassuring confirmation. It was as if he were confirming her existence, confirming that this softness, revealed only to him, was real.

Chapter 289 Tenderness

Lei Dian's legs went weak from his caresses, and she almost leaned against him. She opened her eyes, her gaze shimmering with tears, and said with a hint of reproach, "You...you're always like this...torturing people."

A faint smile finally flickered in Feng Xi's eyes, like a thin crack opening in an ice lake. "Is that so?" he stated, then finally lowered his head and captured her slightly parted red lips.

The kiss began restrained, with Feng Xi's usual composure, but soon, with Lei Dian's awkward yet passionate response, it deepened and became tender. His arms tightened around her waist, holding her firmly in his embrace, as if trying to meld her into his own body. The stars spun silently outside the window, witnessing this rare, fiery emotion revealed by the cold ruler.

When the kiss ended, Raiden's breath was slightly ragged, her cheeks flushed as she leaned against his chest. Fuuki's chin gently brushed against the top of her head, and only their slightly rapid breathing could be heard in the room.

“Next time…” Feng Xi’s voice was tinged with a lazy, hoarse quality, “If you continue to act so disrespectfully… the punishment will be even more severe.”

Raiden raised her head in his arms, her eyes flashing with a defiant light, but a sweet smile on her lips: "Then... I'll be watching, my Lord."

Starlight bathed the two embracing figures, casting a brief but real warmth upon this cold pinnacle of power. He set the rules of the universe, and at this moment, the small space in his arms was a paradise outside those rules.

Starlight streamed through the enormous French windows, casting a silvery glow over the two embracing figures. A tranquility and warmth, starkly different from the cold order of the outside world, permeated the bedchamber. Raiden nestled in Fengxi's arms, his fingertips unconsciously playing with non-existent folds in Fengxi's clothes, savoring this rare moment of peace.

Feng Xi's arms were still wrapped around her, but the strength had loosened considerably; it was no longer absolute control, but more like a silent protection. His deep gaze was fixed on the boundless sea of ​​stars outside the window, the empire he had built with his own hands. But at this moment, the soft touch in his arms seemed to attract his attention more than those cold stars.

“Xi,” Raiden Shin broke the silence softly, her voice still carrying a hint of post-event languor, “the access of the esteemed Boshi Zun has greatly improved the efficiency of government affairs processing.” She began her report habitually, an instinct she had developed over a long period of time, even in such a tender moment.

"Hmm." Feng Xi responded lightly, his fingers casually twirling a strand of her purple hair.

“But…” Lei Dianzhen raised his head slightly, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, “I always feel that under absolute rationality, some things are being overlooked. On the Immortal Ship side, although things seem calm on the surface, the internal reports from Marshal Hua and Jing Yuan mentioned some concerns at the grassroots level about the rapid changes in traditional culture. And Pinocone, although the dream industry is restricted, the family’s private underhanded actions do not seem to have completely stopped.”

She paused, then continued, "The most important thing is the Thousand Realms Prison... The erudite one's computing power is mainly used for macroscopic optimization, but it doesn't seem to have weakened the surveillance within the prison that has an invisible infiltration. On the contrary... I feel that the influence has become more subtle. Aha's noise has decreased, but the guards report that there are occasional collective, brief periods of low or high mood, which are hard to explain."

Feng Xi listened quietly, his face showing no surprise. Of course he knew all this; the Cardinals' surveillance network was all-pervasive, and these subtle fluctuations had already been recorded.

“The establishment of order is bound to be accompanied by noise,” he said, his voice steady. “Some discomfort and undercurrents, within a controllable range, are also samples for observing the resilience of civilization and individual reactions.”

His words remained calm, as if he were analyzing experimental data. But the arms around her tightened slightly, as if to soothe her worries.

Thunder truly understood his meaning. To him, everything was a chessboard, and all living beings were chess pieces. Emotional fluctuations, cultural conflicts, and even potential risks of rebellion, as long as they did not exceed a certain threshold, could be tolerated, observed, and even used to further optimize his ruling model.

She sighed softly and buried her face in his chest again: "I know... but sometimes I feel that this city is getting bigger and bigger, and also colder and colder. Except when you're by my side."

She said it very softly, with a hint of barely perceptible dependence in her voice.

Feng Xi glanced down at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable. He raised his hand, stroking her smooth cheek, his fingertips finally resting on her chin. He gently lifted her to make her look at him.

“Really,” his voice deepened, “I set the rules, I maintain the order. Whether it’s cold or not depends on the need.” His thumb gently caressed her lower lip, carrying an undeniable air, “And where you are, that’s the exception.”

This wasn't a love confession; it was more like a statement of fact. But to Lei Dian's ears, it stirred her heart more deeply than any love confession. He was a cold-blooded city lord, a chess player overlooking the world, but within the small territory he had designated, where she existed, he allowed for the existence of warmth.

She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his lips: "Yes, I know."

After a brief moment of tenderness, Feng Xi released her, his expression returning to its usual indifference, though the gentleness in his eyes hadn't completely faded. "Regarding the anomalies in the Thousand Realms Prison, I will have the Cardinal Council increase the monitoring frequency. As for the matters concerning the Immortal Ship and Pinocchio, you can handle them according to the established strategy; if there are any transgressions, swift and decisive action will suffice."

"Understood." Raiden Shinya composed herself, reverting to her shrewd and capable demeanor as the Minister of State Affairs. She straightened her slightly disheveled yukata, her face regaining its composed smile.

Feng Xi walked to the control panel, brought up the star map, and began processing some matters that required his final confirmation. Raiden Shin stood quietly not far beside him, occasionally offering suggestions or supplementary information. The atmosphere between the two seamlessly shifted from their previous intimacy back to that of a supreme ruler and chief administrator.

However, a faint warmth seemed to linger in the air, along with an intimacy and tacit understanding that only they understood, quietly growing under absolute power and order.

The starry sky remains unchanged, and the Dimensional City continues its journey amidst cold rationality and hidden warmth. Feng Xi knows that the real challenge may not come from external resistance, but from the subtle, gradual changes within this ever-growing machine—changes that defy complete logical quantification. His relationship with Raiden is both a warm haven within this cold order and a potential crucial factor that could tip the scales at a pivotal moment in the future.