Probing

This was not a gentle, lingering kiss, but one that bordered on plunder.

At the same time, Gu Chengyin's perception climbed to its peak, and he made his move.

He was testing.

Testing whether Luo Zhao would stiffen from nervousness.

Testing whether the rhythm of her breathing would be disrupted.

Testing whether her body would subconsciously lean back to dodge.

Testing whether she would have even the slightest instinct to resist.

If even a tiny bit appeared, he would immediately release the Crown Princess.

Then he would flee thousands of miles away, never looking back.

But.

There was none.

Luo Zhao's breathing remained steady, her body still relaxed.

Like the most perfect puppet, she didn't resist, didn't respond, only accepted.

Only when hypnotized would this be the case.

Gu Chengyin's doubts were finally alleviated.

He released Luo Zhao and took a few steps back to create some distance.

On Luo Zhao's lips, the originally delicate lip line had become blurred, and crimson stained the area around her mouth.

It added a touch of profaned glamour to her breathtakingly beautiful face.

Gu Chengyin stared at Luo Zhao for a moment, carefully observing her condition.

After confirming that there were no issues, he spoke like a scumbag who discards women after use:

"Wipe it clean yourself, don't let anyone notice."

"Then go back and tell Yunying to come up."

Hearing this command, Luo Zhao obediently raised her hand.

Her slender fingers brushed across her lips, her fingertips wiping away the smudged rouge bit by bit.

There was no shame or anger in her movements, as if she were just wiping dust off a table.

Once wiped clean, she lowered her hand, and her lips returned to their original color.

Then she turned around and walked toward the stairs again.

Her footsteps remained steady, her back still straight.

But what Gu Chengyin didn't know was.

The moment Luo Zhao turned her back to him.

Deep within those constantly vacant phoenix eyes, a terrifying flame suddenly burst forth.

However, it was fleeting. Before Gu Chengyin could notice, they returned to their stagnant vacancy.

Luo Zhao walked down the stairs, her footsteps fading away.

After a short while.

Shangguan Yunying's figure appeared at the top of the stairs on the second floor.

She wore a puzzled expression, her brows slightly furrowed, and a trace of confusion in her eyes, as if asking "what's the matter".

But Gu Chengyin saw it very clearly.

That confusion only floated on the surface.

Deep in Shangguan Yunying's eyes, there was still a hollow obedience.

This was a normal reaction simulated by a conscious puppet after being hypnotized.

Gu Chengyin's doubts eased a bit more.

And this time, he decided to test her in a different way.

The test on Luo Zhao just now was aggressive, sudden physical contact, a rough kiss, observing the instinctive resistance.

Now, the test on Shangguan Yunying would be intimate, gentler, more ambiguous, and a greater test of the authenticity of emotional simulation.

If she was awake, she should have emotional reactions like shyness, heart-pounding nervousness, and so on during such intimate physical contact.

But if she was hypnotized, she would only execute commands without any emotional fluctuations.

Gu Chengyin looked around, then pulled over a chair and sat down.

He patted his thigh and commanded:

"Sit on me."

Shangguan Yunying froze for a moment.

But her pause lasted for less than half a breath.

Then she walked over obediently, stopped in front of Gu Chengyin, looked down at his thigh, and then looked up into his eyes.

In those gentle eyes, there was still a vacant obedience, without any shyness or resistance.

Finally, she slowly sat down.

Gu Chengyin's hand naturally wrapped around Shangguan Yunying's waist, pulling her entirely into his embrace.

His other hand rested on her knee.

Then he issued a new command:

"Kiss me."

Without any hesitation, Shangguan Yunying cupped Gu Chengyin's chin with both hands and took the initiative to kiss him.

This kiss was very much like one a woman who liked Gu Chengyin would give.

Gentle, proactive, carrying a hint of cautious flattery.

But what Gu Chengyin focused on was not the kiss itself.

It was the emotional response.

And the instinctive reactions the body should have during such intimate physical contact and kissing.

Accelerated heartbeat, quickened breathing, rising body temperature, and even more subtle physiological reactions.

But Gu Chengyin's perception told him once again.

There were none.

Just like Luo Zhao.

Shangguan Yunying's body remained relaxed.

Her heartbeat remained steady.

Although her breathing seemed slightly hurried during the kiss, it was not the disorder caused by emotion.

Most importantly.

Shangguan Yunying had no reaction to his other hand.

It was as if her body wasn't hers, as if the touch had nothing to do with her.

The distance between the two was extremely close, and Gu Chengyin could clearly see every subtle change in her pupils.

Vacant.

Still vacant.

Those eyes that used to be gentle and smiling now lacked any emotional radiance.

No shyness, no heartbeat, no nervousness, not even the radiance one should have when being kissed by someone they like.

There was only complete, hollow obedience.

Like a machine executing a kissing command according to a program.

After about twenty breaths.

Gu Chengyin took the initiative to release Shangguan Yunying.

Looking at the gentle and beautiful face in front of him, and the still vacant look in her eyes.

The last trace of doubt in Gu Chengyin's heart finally dissipated completely.

Now, whether it was Luo Zhao or Shangguan Yunying, there were no problems.

They were indeed both under hypnosis.

Luo Zhao had no instinctive resistance.

Shangguan Yunying had no emotional fluctuations.

Both of them perfectly fit the characteristics of hypnotized subjects.

Although the testing was a bit out of line, since it concerned his own life, Gu Chengyin felt it was absolutely necessary.

Now it seemed he was indeed overthinking.

The reason he suspected Luo Zhao had broken free from the hypnosis last time was that she showed signs of vivid life.

She would care about details, have little moods, and display traits belonging to Luo Zhao herself.

But this time, neither Luo Zhao nor Shangguan Yunying showed the slightest hint of vivid life.

They were like two perfect puppets, executing commands without any sense of self.

Gu Chengyin let out a long breath.

His tense nerves finally relaxed.

He waved his hand and, still using that scumbag tone of discarding after use, said:

"Wipe yourself clean, don't let anyone notice, and then go back."

Shangguan Yunying obediently raised her hand and used her fingertips to wipe away the smudges on her lips.

Her movements were exactly the same as Luo Zhao's, mechanical, calm, and devoid of emotion.

After standing up from Gu Chengyin's lap, she stepped directly toward the stairs.

The sound of her footsteps faded away and eventually disappeared.

The second floor of the Wenli Hall returned to silence.

Sunlight poured in through the high windows, casting bright spots of light on the floor.

Fine dust floated in the air, dancing slowly in the light.

Gu Chengyin sat alone on the desk, silent for a long time.

Then he slowly raised his hand and held it up to the sunlight.

His fingertips were slightly moist and gleaming.

Lingering on them was the scent of Luo Zhao and Shangguan Yunying.