Why is My System Glitching

Rodney Luther, standing nearby, reacted with visceral horror, his face twisting as he realized the peril facing Emma Dawson, the junior sister whose stolen glances had stirred his heart. His bone-forged chain lashed out fiercely. The chain struck the traitor’s face with devastating force, obliterating him into a mist of blood and bone. But the damage was done. Emma groaned, clutching her waist where five bloody holes oozed purple-black blood.

Rodney’s heart pounded as he rushed to Emma’s side, his usual stoic demeanor fractured by the sight of her crumpling to the ground, her strength ebbing under the venom’s relentless assault.

"The hell?! Gunn Bale was cultivating the Five Poisons Finger technique!" Jorge barked, his voice cutting through the chaos as he fended off a pair of regenerated puppets with a sweep of his fan. "Quick, give Junior Sister Dawson the Venom Detox Pill before the wounds worsen!"

Rodney, wasting no time, rummaged through his storage pouch, his fingers closing around a jade vial. He tossed it toward Emma, but her faltering strength betrayed her, and she collapsed before she could catch it. Rodney stepped forward to steady her by the shoulder, his calloused hand gentle despite the urgency. Kneeling beside her, he pressed the pill to her delicate lips, coaxing her to swallow as her pale face trembled with pain, her breaths shallow and ragged. The pill dissolved on her tongue, its medicinal energy spreading through her meridians to combat the venom, but the purple-black blood continued to ooze, staining her dress and the stone floor beneath.

Jorge materialized beside them, his fan snapping shut as he deflected a puppet’s claw with a burst of spiritual energy, his voice firm yet tinged with concern. "Don’t forget to clean the wounds," he reminded.

Rodney hesitated, a flicker of embrassment crossing his face. The intimacy of the task, coupled with the unspoken message of her earlier glances, stirred a quiet unease in the stoic cultivator, whose heart was more accustomed to the battlefield than matters of affection. "Junior Sister Ann Marlph!" he called out. "Please come over and help Emma to treat the wounds dealt by the Five Poisons Finger technique."

At Rodney Luther’s call for other’s assistance on cleaning wound, Emma’s already pallid face drained further, a flicker of hurt passing through her pain-clouded eyes. Ann, standing nearby, shot a pleading glance at Jorge Blue, her blue dress catching the torchlight as she hesitated, visibly embarrassed by the charged atmosphere.

Feeling a pang of helplessness at the squad’s emotional tangle, Jorge sent a private voice transmission to Rodney, his tone a mix of exasperation and earnest concern. "Ahem, Junior Brother Luther, why are you so cold to Emma? Her feelings for you are no secret—everyone in the squad knows her heart belongs to you. Her aptitude is solid, her Eighth Layer Qi Refinement cultivation no burden to you or your clan’s fame, and she’s neither treacherous nor unkind. She’s beautiful, pleasant, and devoted. By keeping her at arm’s length, haven’t you hurt her too deeply?"

Jorge’s words carried the kind weight of a brother’s counsel. "Accepting her love could open doors to dual cultivation techniques, abundant in our holy sect, that would boost your cultivation. Emma’s pure infatuation is a rare gift—why let such affection go unanswered when it could strengthen your Dao?"