Day 18 Post-Impact - Morning
Sarnav woke sandwiched between two women.
Nisha was curled against his left side, her face peaceful in sleep. Ishani had claimed his right at some point during the night, her arm draped possessively across his chest.
He didn't remember Ishani coming in. Must have been late, after he and Nisha had already fallen asleep. She'd simply slipped under the covers and made herself comfortable.
Bold. But that was Ishani.
[BOND STATUS UPDATE]
[NISHA RAMACHANDRAN - SLEEPING]
[ISHANI SUPPIAH - SLEEPING]
[NOTE: COHABITATION DETECTED]
[HARMONY BONUS: +5% PASSIVE ESSENCE WHEN MULTIPLE WIVES PRESENT]
Interesting. The system rewarded proximity. Made sense, given its focus on bonds and connections.
He lay still, not wanting to wake either woman. The morning light filtered through the window, casting soft shadows across the room. For a moment, everything felt peaceful. Normal, almost.
Then Ishani stirred.
"Mmm." She pressed closer, her breasts soft against his arm. "Morning."
"You snuck in."
"Door was unlocked. Figured it was an invitation." She opened one eye, smirking. "Nisha didn't seem to mind."
"Nisha was asleep."
"She woke up when I came in. Looked at me, looked at you, then rolled over." Ishani stretched lazily. "I took that as permission."
Sarnav glanced at Nisha. Still sleeping, or pretending to be.
"We need to establish some ground rules," he said.
"Probably." Ishani propped herself up on one elbow. "But not right now. Right now, I want breakfast. And coffee, if such a thing still exists."
"There's instant coffee in the cafeteria. Tastes like dirt."
"Dirt coffee sounds perfect." She leaned over, kissing his cheek. "I'll see you at breakfast. Don't wake sleeping beauty on my account."
She slipped out of bed, wearing only a thin shirt and underwear. She didn't bother covering up as she gathered her clothes from the floor.
Once she was gone, Nisha's eyes opened.
"She's shameless," Nisha said.
"You were awake."
"The whole time." She sat up, the blanket falling to reveal her bare shoulders. "I felt her get in. I almost said something. Then I thought... what's the point? This is our life now."
"You okay with that?"
"No. But I'm trying to be." She looked at him. "She's right about one thing. We need ground rules. Boundaries. Something to make this work without everyone going crazy."
"Agreed. We'll talk about it. All three of us."
"After breakfast?"
"After training." He sat up, stretching. "I promised to help you get stronger. I keep my promises."
Nisha smiled, small but genuine. "I know you do."
The training yard was empty except for Chen Wei.
The older man was running through forms, his lightning crackling in controlled bursts. He paused when Sarnav and Nisha approached.
"Early start," Chen Wei observed.
"Training day. Nisha wants to develop her abilities."
"Nature magic, right?" Chen Wei looked at Nisha appraisingly. "Useful skillset. Versatile."
"That's the idea." Nisha shifted nervously. "I'm only E-rank though. Not sure how much I can actually do."
"Rank is just a number. What matters is understanding your power." Chen Wei nodded at Sarnav. "I'll leave you to it. Let me know if you need a sparring partner later."
He walked away, leaving them alone in the yard.
"Okay." Sarnav faced Nisha. "Show me what you can do."
"It's not much. I can make plants grow. Accelerate their development." She knelt by a patch of grass, placing her palm against the earth. Green energy flickered around her fingers.
The grass beneath her hand shot up, growing several inches in seconds. A small flower bloomed, then wilted as her power faded.
"That's it. That's all I've managed."
[NISHA RAMACHANDRAN - ABILITY ANALYSIS]
[POWER: NATURE MAGIC (E-RANK)]
[CURRENT APPLICATIONS: PLANT GROWTH, MINOR ACCELERATION]
[POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS: VINE MANIPULATION, HEALING, TERRAIN CONTROL, POISON GENERATION]
[NOTE: SUBJECT IS SEVERELY UNDERUTILIZING HER ABILITIES]
[RECOMMEND: COMBAT-FOCUSED TRAINING]
"You're thinking too small," Sarnav said. "You're treating your power like gardening. But nature isn't gentle. It's violent. Aggressive. Vines strangle trees. Roots crack stone. Plants compete, fight, kill each other for sunlight."
Nisha blinked. "I never thought of it that way."
"That's the problem. You're limiting yourself." He pulled her to her feet. "Try something different. Instead of growing a flower, grow a vine. Make it move. Make it attack."
"Attack what?"
"Me."
"What? No, I can't—"
"You can. And you will." He stepped back, giving her space. "Come on, Nisha. Show me what nature can really do."
She hesitated. Then her expression hardened.
She placed both hands on the ground. Green energy flared, brighter than before. The earth trembled.
A vine erupted from the soil, thick and thorny. It lashed toward Sarnav with surprising speed.
He sidestepped easily. "Good. Again."
Another vine. Another dodge. Then another.
Nisha's face twisted with concentration. Sweat beaded on her forehead. The vines came faster, more coordinated, trying to box him in.
He let one graze his arm. The thorns drew blood.
"Better. You're getting it."
"I'm trying to hit you," she gasped. "Why won't you stand still?"
"Because enemies don't stand still." He ducked under a sweeping vine. "In a real fight, you'll face things faster than me. Stronger than me. You need to be able to hit moving targets."
"How?"
"Predict. Anticipate. Control the space, not just the attack." He stopped moving, standing still. "Try again. This time, don't aim for where I am. Aim for where I'm going to be."
Nisha closed her eyes. The vines retracted into the earth.
Silence.
Then she moved.
Vines exploded from the ground in a pattern, not targeting him directly, but creating a cage around him. Before he could jump clear, the vines wove together, forming a dome.
Trapped.
"Ha!" Nisha's eyes flew open, triumphant. "Got you!"
Sarnav smiled from inside the vine cage. "Good. Very good."
He flexed his C-rank strength, and the vines shattered. But the point was made.
"You're a quick learner," he said, stepping through the debris.
"I had good motivation." Nisha was breathing hard, exhausted from the effort. "That took a lot out of me."
"You'll build stamina with practice. But you understand now. Your power isn't about growing flowers. It's about control. Territory. Making the battlefield yours."
"I think I'm starting to get it." She looked at her hands, where green energy still flickered faintly. "There's so much more I could do."
"There is. We'll explore it all." He pulled her close. "Proud of you."
She leaned into him. "Thank you. For pushing me."
"That's what I'm here for."
Breakfast was a crowded affair.
The community had settled into a routine. Morning meals were communal, a chance for people to share information, coordinate tasks, build connections.
Sarnav sat with Nisha and Ishani at a corner table. The three of them together, in public, drew looks. People were starting to notice.
Let them notice.
"We need to talk," Ishani said, picking at her food. "About arrangements."
"Agreed." Nisha's voice was steady. "Last night was... unexpected."
"I should have asked before coming in. I know that." Ishani met Nisha's eyes. "But I also won't apologize for wanting to be close to him."
"I'm not asking you to apologize. I'm asking you to communicate."
"Fair." Ishani nodded. "So let's communicate. What do you need?"
Nisha considered. "Scheduled time. Not everything shared. Some nights I want him to myself."
"Same. Some nights I want private time too."
"Then we split it. Fairly."
"And nights when we're all together?"
Nisha hesitated. That was clearly harder to accept.
"Sometimes," she said finally. "Not always. But sometimes."
"I can work with that." Ishani looked at Sarnav. "What about you? Any input?"
"You're asking my opinion on my own sleeping arrangements?"
"We're asking you to confirm you're okay with this system."
He looked between them. Two women, negotiating how to share him, treating him like an adult rather than a prize to fight over.
"I'm okay with it. But I have one condition."
"What?"
"If either of you is unhappy, you tell me. Directly. No passive-aggressive bullshit, no expecting me to read minds. We communicate. All of us."
"Agreed," Nisha said.
"Agreed," Ishani echoed.
"Good." Sarnav returned to his food. "Now that that's settled, we have actual work to do today."
"What kind of work?"
"Expansion. The nest is destroyed, but we need to scout the surrounding area. Make sure there aren't more threats. And..." He paused, considering how much to share. "I want to find other survivors."
"Other survivors?" Nisha frowned. "We already have almost two hundred people."
"And we need more. More awakened, more resources, more territory." He lowered his voice. "My abilities grow stronger with bonds. With people. The more connections I have, the more powerful I become."
"You mean more women," Ishani said bluntly.
"Eventually, yes. But also allies. Community. A real faction, not just a refugee camp."
Nisha and Ishani exchanged glances. Something passed between them that Sarnav couldn't quite read.
"You're building an empire," Ishani said.
"I'm building something that can survive what's coming. The void creatures are getting stronger. Organized. The nest we destroyed was just the beginning." He met their eyes. "I need to be stronger too. We all do."
Silence. Then Nisha reached across the table, taking his hand.
"Then we help you build it," she said.
Ishani nodded, her hand joining theirs.
"Together."
The radio crackled to life mid-morning.
Sarnav was reviewing patrol reports when Mei Ling burst into his office.
"We're getting a signal. Someone's broadcasting on emergency frequencies."
He followed her to the communications room, where a salvaged radio setup had been cobbled together from scavenged parts.
Static hissed from the speakers. Then a voice, distorted but intelligible.
"—anyone receiving, this is Sunway Survivor Camp. We are located at Sunway University campus. Population approximately three hundred. We are seeking contact with other survivor groups. If you can hear this, please respond. Repeat, this is Sunway Survivor Camp—"
Three hundred survivors. Another established camp.
"How far is Sunway from here?" Sarnav asked.
"Maybe fifteen kilometers. Southeast." Mei Ling's eyes were wide. "That's a lot of people."
"It is." He reached for the microphone. "Time to make contact."
He keyed the transmitter. "Sunway Survivor Camp, this is Harmony Sect. We are located at SMK Taman Melawati. Population approximately two hundred. We read you clearly. Please confirm."
Static. Then:
"Harmony Sect, this is Sunway. We confirm your transmission. It's good to hear another voice out there."
"Likewise. What's your situation?"
"Stable for now. We have awakened, supplies, fortified positions. But we've been isolated since the impact. No contact with other groups until now."
"We're in similar condition. Recently eliminated a void creature nest west of our position."
"You took on a nest?" The voice sounded impressed. "That takes serious firepower."
"We manage. Listen, we should meet. Face to face. Discuss possible cooperation."
A pause. Then: "Agreed. But we need to be careful. There are raiders operating in the area between us. Dangerous territory."
"We can handle raiders. When and where?"
"Give us two days to prepare. We'll send a delegation to the midpoint. There's a shopping complex on Federal Highway, about halfway between us. Neutral ground."
"Two days. We'll be there."
"Looking forward to it, Harmony Sect. Sunway out."
The radio went silent.
Sarnav stared at the equipment, mind racing.
Three hundred survivors. Another camp. Potential allies, potential resources, potential awakened.
Potential wives.
[NEW OPPORTUNITY DETECTED]
[SUNWAY SURVIVOR CAMP - POPULATION 300]
[ESTIMATED AWAKENED: 30-40]
[COMPATIBLE BONDS: PROBABILITY HIGH]
[RECOMMEND: ESTABLISH ALLIANCE AND CONDUCT COMPATIBILITY SCANS]
"This is big," Mei Ling said. "If we can ally with them..."
"We double our numbers. Our strength. Our reach." Sarnav nodded slowly. "Get Chen Wei. And find Ishani. We need to plan this carefully."
"What about the raiders they mentioned?"
"We'll deal with them if we have to." His expression hardened. "Nothing's going to stop us from making this connection."
Day 18 Post-Impact - Evening
The planning session went late into the afternoon.
Chen Wei, Ishani, Encik Rahman, and Mei Ling gathered in Sarnav's office, reviewing maps, discussing tactics, preparing for the meeting with Sunway.
By the time they finished, Sarnav was exhausted. Not physically, his C-rank body could handle far more, but mentally. Leading was tiring.
Ishani found him on the roof as sunset painted the sky orange.
"Hiding?" she asked.
"Thinking."
"Same thing sometimes." She sat beside him. "Big day tomorrow. And bigger in two days."
"The alliance could change everything."
"It could." She was quiet for a moment. "You're worried."
"I'm cautious. Sunway has three hundred people. We have two hundred. If they decide to absorb us instead of ally with us..."
"Then you show them why that's a bad idea." She leaned against his shoulder. "You're not just some survivor, Sarnav. You're C-rank. You destroyed a nest. You're building something real here."
"Sometimes I wonder if it's enough."
"It will be." She turned his face toward her. "Because you'll make it enough. That's who you are."
She kissed him.
It started soft, comforting. Then her tongue traced his lips, and the mood shifted.
"Ishani..."
"Shh." She climbed into his lap, straddling him. "Nisha had you last night. Tonight is mine."
"We're on the roof."
"I know." Her smile turned wicked. "I like roofs. The open air. The risk of being seen."
[ISHANI SUPPIAH - KINK ACTIVATED: EXHIBITIONISM]
Right. Her profile had mentioned that.
"Someone could come up here."
"That's the point." She rolled her hips, grinding against him. "Don't tell me you don't find it exciting. The thought of someone watching."
His cock responded before his brain could. She felt it, her smile widening.
"There he is." She reached between them, freeing him from his pants. "Hello, sayang."
She stroked him slowly, her grip firm, her eyes locked on his. The sunset cast her in golden light, highlighting her cheekbones, the curve of her lips, the hunger in her expression.
"I've been thinking about this all day," she said. "Watching you train Nisha. Watching you lead the meeting. Watching you be... you." She rose up, positioning herself above him. "It makes me want things."
"What kind of things?"
"This kind."
She sank down onto him.
No foreplay. No preparation. Just the tight heat of her body swallowing his cock in one smooth motion.
"Fuck," she gasped. "You feel so good inside me."
She started to move immediately. Rising and falling, her hands braced on his shoulders, her body silhouetted against the fading sun.
"Harder," she demanded. "I want everyone to hear."
"Everyone?"
"Anyone who's listening. Let them know what we're doing up here." She moaned loudly, deliberately. "Let them know you're mine."
He grabbed her hips, pulling her down harder. She cried out, her head falling back, her hair cascading over her shoulders.
"Yes! Just like that, sayang! Don't hold back!"
He didn't hold back.
He fucked up into her with brutal efficiency, every thrust driving deep. The rooftop echoed with the sound of flesh meeting flesh, with Ishani's increasingly loud cries.
"Oh god. Oh god, Sarnav, I'm going to—"
"Come."
"I'm—"
"Come for me. Right now. Let everyone hear."
She came screaming. Her pussy clamped around him, her whole body shaking, her voice carrying across the rooftop into the evening air.
Anyone nearby definitely heard that.
Good.
He didn't stop. Kept pounding into her, fucking her through the orgasm, driving toward his own release.
"Again," he ordered. "Give me another one."
"I can't—"
"You can." He reached between them, rubbing her clit. "You're going to come again, and then I'm going to fill you up. Right here, under the open sky, where anyone could see."
She came again.
This time he followed, burying himself deep, pulsing inside her as the last rays of sunlight faded. They collapsed together, tangled and satisfied, breathing hard.
"Holy shit," Ishani whispered.
"Mmm."
"That was... public." She laughed weakly. "Like, really public."
"You asked for it."
"I did." She pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Worth it."
They stayed on the roof until the stars came out, wrapped in each other, planning for the future.
Two days until the meeting with Sunway.
Two days until everything changed.
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[TRAINING (NISHA): +800]
[LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES: +600]
[INTIMATE ACTIVITIES - ISHANI: +8,500]
[EXHIBITIONISM BONUS: +500]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 76,800 / 100,000 TO NASCENT SOUL]
[BOND STATUS - NISHA RAMACHANDRAN]
[RELATIONSHIP: SOULBOUND]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: DETERMINED, GROWING]
[ABILITY DEVELOPMENT: IMPROVING]
[BOND STATUS - ISHANI SUPPIAH]
[RELATIONSHIP: BONDED]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: SATISFIED, CONNECTED]
[KINK EXPLORED: EXHIBITIONISM]
[NEW DEVELOPMENT - SUNWAY SURVIVOR CAMP]
[CONTACT: ESTABLISHED]
[MEETING: 2 DAYS]
[POTENTIAL ALLIES: HIGH]
[POTENTIAL COMPATIBLE BONDS: PROBABLE]