Chapter 1257 A biting force comparable to a hydraulic press!

Ten minutes later, the small dining area in the suite was filled with the aroma of food and a subtle tranquility.

Gu Chengyuan sat on a large single sofa, with his breakfast laid out on the mahogany coffee table in front of him: a bowl of steaming congee with preserved egg and lean pork sprinkled with scallions, a dish of dark-colored pickled wild chili peppers, two white steamed buns, and a small dish of perfectly fried poached eggs.

The style is simple, reflecting his unchanging frugal style since assuming a high position.

He was holding a steamed bun in his hand, eating it slowly and deliberately, but his gaze kept falling on Xiong Yuting, who was sitting right next to him.

Xiong Yuting clung to him like a giant koala, with almost half of her body leaning against him.

She seemed to have an extraordinary need and obsession with this kind of close physical contact, as if only in this way could she confirm his presence and gain a sense of security.

With a height of nearly 1.8 meters, the weight brought by the muscle density was considerable. It was only thanks to the 'Muscle-Boosting and Bone-Strengthening Pill' given to Gu Chengyuan by the system that his physical fitness was superhuman; otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to withstand the weight of such a "beauty accessory" for a long time.

Even so, being pressed against her so closely, the warmth of her arms almost completely sinking into him, and the soft yet firm touch, constantly challenged his willpower, so much so that he could only try to focus his attention on food and thought.

Xiong Yuting showed no interest in the breakfast in front of her, not even glancing at it.

She simply stayed quietly, her purple eyes half-closed, occasionally shifting her gaze slightly with Gu Chengyuan's movements, but most of the time she was immersed in her own world, or simply feeling his body temperature and breath.

Just as Gu Chengyuan took a bite of his steamed bun, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," Gu Chengyuan said in a deep voice, swallowing his food.

The door opened silently, and Song Yu walked in carrying a wooden tray. Her steps were light and her movements were steady. Her face had regained its perfect professional smile, but the complex emotions deep in her eyes had not completely disappeared.

The tray was covered with a snow-white velvet cloth, and on the cloth was a pure white bone china plate. What the plate held was not food, but a pile of... crystal clear, shimmering "crystal nuclei".

Each one is about the thickness of an adult man's index finger, with a perfect diamond-shaped cross-section and distinct edges.

Under indoor light, they refract a dazzling yet cold brilliance, more dazzling than the finest diamonds. Inside, there seems to be a faint, multicolored energy halo slowly flowing, subtly radiating an indescribable energy fluctuation.

"Reporting to the Chairman, the crystal cores have arrived." Song Yu's voice was steady, but upon closer listening, there was a hint of tension that was barely perceptible.

She carefully placed the tray on the coffee table in front of Gu Chengyuan and Xiong Yuting, her movements as gentle as if she were placing fragile glass.

After placing the tray, she didn't even glance at the crystal cores on it before bowing slightly and preparing to leave.

The reason for this was that she vaguely guessed why the chairman suddenly demanded the crystal core. She knew that the less she knew about something that was beyond the understanding of ordinary people and might involve core secrets, the better, and avoiding it was the wisest choice.

However, Gu Chengyuan's voice suddenly rang out, calling out to her.

"Manager Song, wait a moment."

Upon hearing this, Song Yu froze, his heart pounding uncontrollably. He felt a mix of excitement at being entrusted with such an important task and an instinctive fear of the immense pressure that came with the unknown and the secret itself.

In his more than two decades in the top service industry, Song Yu has been able to come into contact with and serve so many world-renowned celebrities and tycoons, demonstrating that his emotional intelligence, IQ, and insight are absolutely top-notch.

Initially, upon meeting Xiong Yuting, I might not have reacted immediately due to the overwhelming shock, but now, considering the various anomalies of last night and this morning, the leader's unusual attitude, and the sudden demand for the crystal core...

If she still can't guess some clues, then she's truly incredibly foolish.

The leader's woman... or rather, this "Miss Bear" with an extremely special relationship with the leader, is very likely a... mutant?

Moreover, they are extremely special mutants who can even maintain amazing beauty and some human characteristics.

The mere thought itself was enough to send chills down her spine.

Zhou Bang's top woman was actually a mutant...

hiss--

Just thinking about Song Yu makes me feel like I don't have enough brains to go through...

From the moment she was stopped, she only had two paths before her: either serve to the very end, or be physically eliminated...

Perhaps there's a third possibility: being eliminated after the service is completed...

Yes, the road is a road to heaven, with a sliver of hope to climb to the top of Zhou Bang's rankings, but the challenges are equally immense...

But thinking about it now is pointless, because she has no choice in the matter at all...

Thinking about all this, Song Yu felt a mix of pressure and excitement, causing her fingers, which were placed at her sides, to curl slightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

However, Gu Chengyuan had no time to pay attention to Song Yu's turbulent inner thoughts at the moment.

For him, it was simply a matter of choosing someone to take care of Xiong Yuting.

"You stay here."

"...Yes, Chairman."

Song Yu took a deep breath, suppressed all distracting thoughts, straightened his back, stepped back to a suitable position, stood with his hands at his sides, and lowered his gaze.

After casually explaining Song Yu's situation, Gu Chengyuan's attention returned to Xiong Yuting.

Sure enough, the moment the plate of crystal cores was placed on the coffee table and its unique and pure energy radiance emanated, Xiong Yuting, who had been quietly leaning against him, trembled almost imperceptibly.

Her previously half-closed, empty purple eyes suddenly widened, staring intently at the plate of crystal cores.

In the emptiness, for the first time, an emotion emerged so clearly—longing.

Her pupils even contracted slightly from this longing, and her purple irises shimmered with an eerie and captivating light under the glow of the crystal core.

Her gaze was fixed on the pile of crystal cores, but she didn't pounce on them immediately. Instead, she slowly turned her head and looked at Gu Chengyuan beside her.

This was also the first time that Gu Chengyuan had so clearly read a distinct emotional expression from her often empty and bewildered purple eyes—"wanting".

She was seeking his consent with her eyes...

This discovery warmed Gu Chengyuan's heart slightly, seemingly bringing him even more comfort than seeing her react to the crystal core.

This suggests that deep within her consciousness, there was not complete chaos and instinct, but rather a certain "order" or "connection" related to him.

He met her gaze, nodded gently, and said in a mild tone, "Eat up, it's for you."

The moment she received permission, the desire in Xiong Yuting's purple eyes seemed to be ignited. Without hesitation, she reached out and grabbed a handful of crystal cores from the porcelain plate, about four or five of them.

Then, under the watchful eyes of Gu Chengyuan and Song Yu, who was observing with bated breath, she stuffed the dazzling, hard crystal core directly into her mouth.

The next second—

“Crackle…Crackle…Crackle…”

The crisp, rhythmic sounds of chewing echoed clearly in the quiet suite.

The sound and sensation were like simply chewing on a handful of candy...

The hardness of crystal nuclei is well known; even cutting them with tools requires effort. However, in Xiong Yuting's mouth, these incredibly hard rhomboid crystals were easily crushed and ground by her clean, white teeth.

P.S.: Also, soon...