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  • The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated 509

    Chapter 509: An Unsolvable Problem

    Sophie felt as if she was back on that suffocating battlefield.

    High-powered magic spells crisscrossed like artillery fire, bombarding the enemy forces.

    Human warriors charged, roaring.

    Demon assassins slaughtered madly.

    Goddesses of the Divine Race appeared in every corner, like commanders dominating the battlefield.

    The sky, the earth, the oceans…

    Everything seemed to be facing the end of the world, bathed in blood and fear, as if on the verge of destruction.

    She, the Elven Queen, was at the very center of this battlefield.

    Beside her, besides her two trusted elven confidantes, were the Hero’s companions and other human heroes.

    The thirteen of them were considered the stars of this battlefield, having nearly reached the limits of life, stepping into the legendary realm.

    They even had the power to change the tide of battle, carrying the hopes of the human race, and even the Divine Race.

    However, reality dealt them a harsh blow.

    Even now, Sophie still remembered the despair she felt when “that” appeared.

    “——!!!”

    It was a roar that shook the heavens and the earth.

    It was a horn announcing death.

    The roar echoed through the air.

    Tremors came from beneath their feet.

    “It” appeared like a world-ending natural disaster.

    A gigantic body that blotted out the sky.

    A loud roar that awakened fear.

    A ferocious appearance.

    A terrifying aura.

    The greatest “beast” of this world appeared on the battlefield, its limbs like mountains, its body like a continent, the entire battlefield beneath its feet.

    They watched as it kicked over mountains.

    They witnessed it scattering the clouds.

    Fear.

    Despair.

    Insignificance.

    Powerlessness.

    These were the emotions in the hearts of everyone on the battlefield.

    Sophie could even clearly see her confidantes and the other ten human heroes trembling beside her.

    Instinctive fear arose uncontrollably from everyone’s hearts.

    Even those called heroes couldn’t avoid it.

    Because they were still mortals.

    Because they were still flesh and blood.

    It was no longer a question of whether they could win, but whether they were even on the same level.

    Sophie was certain that if it weren’t for the cries and the fallen companions around them, the thirteen of them wouldn’t have been able to muster the courage to challenge that world-destroying beast.

    And after their reckless challenge, more than half of the thirteen died on the spot.

    Sophie was lucky.

    No, not just Sophie, but Leia and Nia were also lucky.

    Because they weren’t warriors charging at the forefront, but magicians providing support from behind. The world-destroying beast never even looked at them, only attacking the “flies” that harassed it.

    Therefore, the three of them survived.

    However, everything that happened in that battle was etched deeply in their hearts, unforgettable.

    The world called it trauma.

    Sophie wouldn’t deny it.

    Those who experienced that, if they didn’t have any trauma, were just fools who forgot the pain after their wounds healed.

    In that battle, they, the Thirteen Heroes, only managed to slightly hinder the world-destroying beast, at the cost of more than half their number.

    Sophie couldn’t imagine what would have happened if Mitra, with the help of Omniis, the Supreme God, hadn’t successfully defeated the Demon King, making the Demon Race give up.

    Would they have been burned to ashes by the flames of that monstrous beast?

    Or crushed into meat paste under its mountain-like limbs?

    Sophie couldn’t imagine any other outcome.

    Now, that world-destroying beast that brought despair and fear to everyone on the battlefield, the Beast Demon among the Six Demon Lords, had appeared in the Elven Homeland, before Sophie.

    Not in its gigantic, world-obscuring form, nor with its deadly roar, but like a small pet, a fluffy little beast, standing there.

    “You haven’t changed at all.” Lid looked at Sophie and said casually, “Still so beautiful, so high and mighty, just like back then. It’s quite nostalgic.”

    “Your Highness is joking.” Sophie smiled wryly. “It’s you, Your Highness Liddoma, who’s still as powerful as ever.”

    “Really?” Lid raised an eyebrow and smiled. “It seems your words are still as sweet as ever. Even though I’m in this form, you still say I’m powerful. That’s too much flattery.”

    “It’s not flattery.” Sophie shook her head. “I will never forget Your Highness’s true form. That scene is deeply etched in my heart. Even though you’ve changed your form for convenience, from your aura and magic power, I can still sense that unrivaled power.”

    This was the truth.

    Even though Lid’s current size and aura were vastly different from before, Sophie wouldn’t be so naive as to think this fluffy little beast was easy to bully.

    Sophie knew very well that if it wanted to, it could return to its former form at any time.

    At that time, in all of Omnipotence, besides the strongest of the Divine Race, who could truly threaten it?

    “You’re good in every way, except you’re too uptight.” Lid chuckled and shook her head, then said nonchalantly, “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, relax. I haven’t returned to that form in a thousand years, and I probably won’t have the chance to do so again in the future, right?”

    “Really?” Sophie was slightly stunned.

    “At least, I hope so.” Lid looked at Sophie, her smile fading, and said seriously, “As long as there’s no more war, I won’t need to return to that form, just like these past thousand years, right?”

    These words made Sophie silent for a moment, then she smiled, as if relieved.

    “Your Highness is right.” Sophie said sincerely, “Now we all understand that whether it’s the human race, the Divine Race, or the Demon Race, none of us want war.”

    This was also the reason why Lid, Sophie, and the others could put aside their past grudges and coexist peacefully.

    The pursuit of peace was the most fundamental desire in everyone’s hearts.

    Thanks to this, the three races had achieved a thousand years of peace, and the Elven Race, moved by this, established the Peace Festival, leading to today.

    Unfortunately…

    “There are always some who can’t stand the sight of peace, unwilling to live a stable life, trying to destroy the peace we’ve built over a thousand years for some unfounded reasons.”

    Lid’s voice turned cold.

    Leia and Nia held their breath, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

    Sophie’s expression also turned serious.

    “So the Demonic Refining Ritual has appeared in the Tegor Forest again?”

    Sophie asked in a deep voice.

    “That’s right.” Lid nodded. “Although the ritual has been disrupted by Millu and me, and most of the Demonized Beings born in the ritual were just eliminated by that interesting little guy we summoned, the mastermind behind the ritual might not have left yet and is still very likely lurking in the Tegor Forest.”

    “The mastermind…” Sophie frowned and asked hurriedly, “Could it be someone from the [Original Demon]?”

    “Who knows?” Lid said unhappily, “Perhaps, like the previous times, it’s a third party being used by the [Original Demon].”

    “Is that so?” Sophie pondered for a moment, then said, “I understand. Your Highness wants our Elven Race to search the Tegor Forest, right?”

    “Yes.” Lid said frankly, “In the past, we sent our demon subordinates to search the Tegor Forest, but found nothing. So, this time, I want to ask for your Elven Race’s help.”

    After all, the elves were the locals. Although they didn’t control the entire Tegor Forest, their understanding and familiarity with it were definitely greater than the Demon Race’s.

    Moreover, as nature’s favored children, elves were very sensitive to abnormal magic power. If they conducted the search, they might find something.

    The reason why Lid wanted to drag Shien into this, besides wanting to see the abilities of the one who had charmed her younger sister, was also because the Demon Race’s previous attempts had been fruitless.

    Therefore, this time, Lid wanted to borrow the power of another race and see if it could create a different outcome.

    “This should have been our Demon Race’s own business, a problem caused by those troublemakers within our ranks, and we should be the ones to resolve it.” Lid said in a deep voice, “But the [Original Demon]’s recent activities have become increasingly reckless and frequent. The Demonic Refining Ritual, which used to only appear in the Demon Realm and the Tegor Forest, has even appeared in other places in the human world this year, in the Atlus Gorge of the Kingdom of Mitra. Even the Empire has shown some strange movements recently. All of this is making people uneasy.”

    This was also a concern for the higher-ups of the three races recently.

    Judging from the [Original Demon]’s movements, it was certain that their thousand-year-long plan to create the Seventh Demon Lord seemed to be nearing completion.

    “If a Demon Lord-level being appears within the Old Demon Faction, it will definitely be a disaster for the three races.” Lid said to Sophie, “Therefore, I can only shamelessly mobilize all the forces I can.”

    Hearing this, Sophie’s expression turned serious.

    “Please rest assured, Your Highness.” Sophie promised, “This concerns the peace of the world. Our Elven Race will naturally do our part. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to face our Goddess of Nature.”

    “Nadue?” Lid curled her lip. “If only that goddess were here. With her power, she should be able to find something, right?”

    Lid still acknowledged the Goddess of Nature’s power.

    Although that goddess’s strength might not be as great as a Demon Lord like her, she had still transcended the limits of life and could pose a threat to Demon Lords, not completely helpless against them.

    And what made the Goddess of Nature truly troublesome was her ability to manipulate and even merge with nature.

    Once she used this power, besides the Demon King and the Supreme God, no one could detect her presence or harm her, yet she could observe the entire world. Except for a few special circumstances, nothing could be hidden from her eyes when she was one with nature, making even Sara, the supreme ruler of the Demon Race, find her incredibly troublesome.

    It was also this Goddess of Nature who discovered the existence of the Old Demon Faction, the [Original Demon], and the Demonic Refining Ritual.

    This Goddess of Nature would sometimes descend to the human world, merging with nature and observing everything. It wasn’t strange for her to discover the [Original Demon]’s conspiracy.

    If it weren’t for the fact that the members of the [Original Demon] were too cunning and secretive, active in both the human world and the Demon Realm, frequently changing their bases, and having developed methods to evade the Goddess of Nature’s prying eyes, they would have been found and eradicated by her long ago.

    Lid believed that in the current era, the one who posed the greatest threat to the [Original Demon] was this Goddess of Nature.

    Thinking of this, Lid couldn’t help but say,

    “If the Hero were still in this world, dealing with the Old Demon Faction would be much easier, right?”

    Lid said with emotion.

    “The Hero… huh?”

    Sophie also murmured, and Leia and Nia beside her fell silent.

    In the hearts of all races, the Hero was a special existence.

    The Divine Race saw the Hero as their trump card.

    The human race saw the Hero as their faith.

    Even the Demon Race feared the Hero.

    If there were a Hero in this era, would the Old Demon Faction still dare to be so rampant?

    Would the Seventh Demon Lord and the new Demon King, so important to the [Original Demon], still be such a threat in the face of the legendary Hero?

    These thoughts made Sophie feel a bit melancholic.

    “Perhaps, a Hero might truly appear again.” Sophie said, “Mitra’s Holy Sword has been inherited by that Kingdom’s treasure. Given time, she will definitely become the Hero of this era.”

    “Perhaps.” Lid seemed unconvinced, then a smile appeared on her lips as if remembering something. “Or maybe, in this era, besides the Hero, there’s another interesting little guy worth our attention.”

    Sophie didn’t understand what she meant.

    Lid didn’t explain either.

    “Anyway, I’ll leave this matter to you.” Lid said to Sophie again, “We’ll be staying here for a while. If anything happens, you can inform me.”

    “Yes.” Sophie nodded seriously. “If anything happens, I will inform Your Highness immediately.”

    “Good.” A fierce glint flashed in Lid’s eyes. “This time, not only Millu and I are here, but also Airi and Lilith, the evil god. I don’t believe that with this force, those [Original Demon] bastards can still cause any trouble.”

    Leaving these words behind, Lid vanished.

    Only Sophie remained, looking in the direction where Lid disappeared. After a long while, she murmured,

    “Can we… really still hope for the Hero to appear…?”

    This was an unsolvable question.

  • Reborn to Stew Soup (GL) 121

    Chapter 121: I Do

    After successfully teaming up with Ji Junxin during the second team selection, Jiang Lingling told Mi Hongdou about the Team Change Card. To quickly gather the 100 coins needed, they pooled their ten coins and gave them to Jiang Lingling, who was tasked with acquiring the card. After all, Jiang Lingling was more resourceful than Mi Hongdou, and Ji Junxin was more likely to agree to this plan than Bao Yueqiao.

    Bao Yueqiao, although not very perceptive, was quite sensible. After the team change, she joined Mi Hongdou’s team with one coin and a crucian carp. For dinner, Mi Hongdou didn’t offer to cook the fish, and Bao Yueqiao, having just left their team, didn’t ask, so they both ate the provided rice and pickled cucumbers.

    Since Jiang Lingling was responsible for earning the coins, Mi Hongdou wanted to complete more tasks and give Bao Yueqiao more coins when they switched teams. So, after dinner, she and Bao Yueqiao tried the chicken-feeding task, earning one coin.

    Holding the single coin, Mi Hongdou regretted not exploring the village earlier. The chicken-feeding task could be repeated after the team change, she should have done it with Jiang Lingling earlier. But… she glanced at Bao Yueqiao, if I had known she would choose me, I would have nominated Ji Junxin first, without waiting for her!

    Shortly after Jiang Lingling and Ji Junxin found the wood-chopping and laundry tasks, Mi Hongdou and Bao Yueqiao, on the other side of the village, also found a quantity-based task: helping an elderly man remove corn kernels.

    Ten corn cobs for one coin.

    Compared to the chicken-feeding task, limited to two times a day, this seemed more efficient. But the old man said he didn’t have any tools, they had to do it by hand. Mi Hongdou, wanting to earn more coins, checked the Supplies Board at the village entrance and found a corn cob stripper, described as “a helpful tool for removing corn kernels.” The price, however, was 100 coins.

    100 coins! That’s 1,000 corn cobs! For 100 coins, we could just buy the Team Change Card.

    Without tools, they had to rub two corn cobs together and remove the kernels by hand. Neither Mi Hongdou nor Bao Yueqiao was particularly strong. It took Mi Hongdou almost five minutes to finish one cob, and Bao Yueqiao was even slower. So, earning one coin would take them half an hour, and they would get slower as they got tired… The chicken-feeding task seemed much easier now!

    After finishing one cob each, they gave up on earning a lot of coins from this task. But having already done a fifth of the work for one coin, they were reluctant to give up entirely. So, an hour later, they finally earned their one coin.

    This task became more difficult as their hands got tired and sore. But it was ten cobs for one coin, they didn’t want their effort to be wasted. After an hour, they finally finished ten cobs. And the show announced that it was almost 9 PM, the end of daily tasks, so, their arms aching, they gave up and went back to their hut.

    Mi Hongdou had been hopeful when they left for their task hunt. Now, returning with two coins, she felt dejected.

    Putting aside the possibility that they had chosen the wrong tasks, Mi Hongdou realized that earning 100 coins for the card would be difficult. But Jiang Lingling should have earned more than five coins by now, Mi Hongdou thought, a glimmer of hope returning. She would clean up, then go check on them.

    But just as she finished cleaning up, Ji Junxin came knocking.

    “I need to talk to you.”

    Ji Junxin’s serious expression made Mi Hongdou pause.

    And then Jiang Lingling came and took the confused Bao Yueqiao away, which made Mi Hongdou even more uneasy.

    She figured that either Ji Junxin didn’t agree with their team change plan, or she and Jiang Lingling hadn’t been successful with their tasks. Although neither was good news, she hoped it was the latter.

    But when she asked Ji Junxin what was wrong, Ji Junxin… burst into tears…

    Mi Hongdou’s mind went blank.

    Tasks, Team Change Cards, reality shows, live streams, all forgotten in the face of Ji Junxin’s tears.

    “Hey, don’t cry, don’t cry… what’s wrong? …” Mi Hongdou frantically searched for tissues, her hands patting her sides before she remembered that their uniforms didn’t have pockets.

    Ji Junxin sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Mi Hongdou, heartbroken and anxious, unable to find any tissues, reached out and gently wiped her tears, her heart melting.

    It was late September, the weather still warm, and Ji Junxin’s tears were warm against her hand.

    Ji Junxin, who had initially cried because she was upset about almost missing the chance to be on the same team, now felt even more wronged under Mi Hongdou’s comforting touch.

    Almost missing the Team Change Card was one thing, not being on the same team after two rounds of selection, the months of separation, Mi Hongdou’s lack of contact, her own unrequited feelings, it was all so frustrating!

    Being pampered made you bold.

    In Mi Hongdou’s arms, Ji Junxin’s tears turned into sobs as she buried her face in Mi Hongdou’s shoulder. Mi Hongdou instinctively held her close.

    It was past nine, and the viewers still watching the live stream dropped their chicken feet and duck necks in shock. What was the name of that fan group again, Sweet Red Bean Soup? Were they still accepting new members? They suddenly felt the urge to ship them…

    Mi Hongdou’s warmth and scent calmed Ji Junxin, bringing her back to her senses.

    She knew she couldn’t hold back any longer. Since realizing her feelings, those words had been weighing on her heart like burning coals. While trying to maintain a pretense of friendship, they had been constantly scorching her. She had thought she could endure it, but after months of separation, she couldn’t. And today, both Jiang Lingling and Bao Yueqiao being on the same team as Mi Hongdou had filled her with jealousy. No longer enjoying the constant companionship they had during “Imperial Secrets,” she realized she couldn’t bear anyone else being closer to Mi Hongdou than she was. And as just a friend, she would never have that right.

    Unable to endure any longer, Ji Junxin had made a decision. But she was still rational, with so many cameras watching, she had to… wait.

    Ji Junxin, wiping her tears on Mi Hongdou’s shoulder, pulled away and held out her hands. “Two hours of washing clothes, twelve basins, only twelve coins…” she said, her voice slightly muffled. She needed an excuse for her outburst in front of the cameras.

    Her hands, soaked for two hours, were wrinkled. And because she had scrubbed so hard, afraid of not being paid if the clothes weren’t clean enough, six of her ten fingers were raw and bleeding.

    She presented her two wrinkled hands with six neatly applied band-aids.

    Mi Hongdou felt a pang in her heart, as if it had been stabbed six times. Her own sore and reddened hands from removing corn kernels, they were nothing compared to this.

    Mi Hongdou gently held Ji Junxin’s hands, wanting to examine them more closely, but Ji Junxin pulled them away. “My fingers hurt, that’s why I was crying, don’t laugh at me,” she said, embarrassed.

    Although shocked, Mi Hongdou was still thinking clearly. Who would cry like that just because of sore fingers!

    Ji Junxin’s fans, however, were saying that she hadn’t even cried when she injured her fingers before, and now she was crying at the sight of Mi Hongdou, it couldn’t just be because of her fingers… but whatever their goddess said, it must be true… And where could they join the Sweet Red Bean Soup group?

    Mi Hongdou didn’t comment on Ji Junxin’s obvious lie.

    Ji Junxin gently squeezed Mi Hongdou’s hand.

    Mi Hongdou understood and forced a smile. “Of course not.”

    She’s not earning any more coins! Mi Hongdou thought, determined to wash clothes herself tomorrow, even for a whole day, to get that Team Change Card!

    “I have something to tell you,” Ji Junxin said, releasing Mi Hongdou’s hand.

    Mi Hongdou, remembering Ji Junxin’s tears after saying those same words earlier, felt a surge of anxiety.

    Ji Junxin opened her hand, revealing the small card.

    “The Team Change Card?” Mi Hongdou, looking at the card, was stunned. “But you only earned twelve coins?”

    “We fed the chickens, and Jiang Lingling chopped wood for two hours, seventy-seven coins.” Ji Junxin held out the card. “Do you want to be on my team?”

    Mi Hongdou, as if struck by a sudden windfall, nodded vigorously. “I do.”

    “Congratulations, you’re now teammates,” a staff member said, appearing off-screen. “Now you have to redistribute your team assets.”

    The viewers, who had been watching Jiang Lingling chop wood and Ji Junxin wash clothes for two hours, were relieved, the two were finally together. Although they weren’t part of that strange “Sweet Red Bean Soup” group, they still felt a sense of satisfaction.

    And that strange group was already busy making a short video.

    The video showed Ji Junxin offering a ring: “Will you be with me?” Mi Hongdou nodded vigorously: “I do!” Subtitle: Congratulations, you’re now a couple.

    Late that night, the slightly cheesy, but strangely addictive video spread online.

    After acquiring the card, Ji Junxin and Jiang Lingling’s team was penniless. Mi Hongdou and Bao Yueqiao’s team had one coin on Bao Yueqiao, and two coins earned from their tasks.

    They decided to give both coins to Bao Yueqiao for Jiang Lingling’s team. Ji Junxin also gave her fish to Jiang Lingling. Although this was a small token compared to Jiang Lingling’s seventy-seven coins, it was their way of showing their gratitude.

    Jiang Lingling took Bao Yueqiao for a walk and subtly explained the team change. The little girl was stunned, a thousand questions in her mind. But with the cameras rolling, she didn’t dare to ask and just said that she was happy to be on Jiang Lingling’s team. This was actually true. She had thought Jiang Lingling, who could pull nails with her bare hands, was the strongest, and when she chose Mi Hongdou, it was to leave the strongest teammate for Ji Junxin. It seemed that being too considerate wasn’t always a good thing, Bao Yueqiao thought, slightly dejected.

    To cheer her up, Jiang Lingling showed off her wood-chopping earnings, promising her good food.

    But Jiang Lingling didn’t know that the show was discussing her having depleted their entire wood supply, it would be difficult to repeat that coin-earning strategy. After all, this was a multi-faceted reality show, if she just chopped wood for twelve days… it would be boring.

    Having earned the card and appeased Bao Yueqiao, Jiang Lingling felt that she had earned her chicken and beef feast.

    When she returned with Bao Yueqiao, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin explained their asset redistribution plan. Bao Yueqiao, seeing that they had given her the fish and all the coins, leaving nothing for themselves, protested.

    Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin insisted, and Jiang Lingling, after a moment of thought, accepted.

    The money and the supplies weren’t much to Jiang Lingling, she could have given them all to Mi Hongdou’s team. She accepted because she understood that it was a gesture of goodwill from Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin… a matchmaking gift? Haha.

    So, Jiang Lingling and Bao Yueqiao, with three coins and a fish, moved into Ji Junxin’s old house. And Ji Junxin, with only her personal belongings, moved into Mi Hongdou’s.

    The layout of the tiled houses was similar: a courtyard, a storage shed, a kitchen, and then the main house with a living room and two bedrooms on either side. The unique feature was the bathroom, connected to both bedrooms. When using the bathroom, you had to lock the door from the other bedroom, and remember to unlock it when leaving. This complicated design had been criticized earlier, why not one bathroom per bedroom?

    The director had said, with enough coins, they could upgrade to a house with a private bathroom, or even a separate house with a courtyard. And if they didn’t like the tiled houses and didn’t have enough coins, they could always downgrade to a thatched hut, which had a single bathroom door!

    Of course, it was a single door, a small, separate thatched hut shared by everyone!

    So, the complaints about the bathroom design ceased.

    During the house tour earlier, Mi Hongdou and Jiang Lingling, on the same team, had found the bathroom design troublesome. But now, with Ji Junxin as her teammate, Mi Hongdou found it… rather cute. Their bedrooms, although separated by the living room, were now connected by the bathroom.

    After a long day, the houses cleaned, the daily tasks over, and no food for late-night snacks, it was… time for bed.

    According to the rules, the cameramen would stop filming when the celebrities went to bed, and they could remove their microphones. Only the fixed cameras in the rooms would continue recording, but without sound, and without lights, it would just be darkness, no night vision.

    So, after filming the team change and asset redistribution, the crew left. Because Ji Junxin’s hands were injured, they thoughtfully left a few band-aids. After helping Ji Junxin apply them, Mi Hongdou urged her to shower first.

    As soon as Ji Junxin entered the bathroom, Mi Hongdou started changing the bedsheets. After several team changes, their team color was finally settled: Mi Hongdou’s original light green. The crew had left a new set of light green bedding for Ji Junxin, but since Ji Junxin had spent most of the afternoon cleaning and hadn’t had time to air out the bedding properly, Mi Hongdou swapped hers with Ji Junxin’s, giving her the one that had been in the sun longer, then made the bed for her.

    Having lived with Ji Junxin for months, Mi Hongdou had become an expert at making her bed. Ji Junxin was a restless sleeper, so she had to create a… cocoon. Folding the blanket left, right, then tucking in the bottom, a perfect, draft-proof sleeping bag!

    Mi Hongdou efficiently made the bed, then suddenly thought, wait, I’m being filmed.

    But… looking at the neatly made bed, Ji Junxin’s comfort was more important.

    Just as she returned to her own bedroom, about to put on her own bedsheets, she heard a scream from the bathroom, followed by the sound of her bedroom door being flung open.

    Ji Junxin rushed out, and Mi Hongdou instinctively checked if she was dressed. Yes, fully clothed.

    “There’s… there’s a cockroach!” Ji Junxin, her voice trembling, clung to Mi Hongdou’s sleeve. “Inside… in the bathroom…”

    Cockroaches… I’m also afraid of cockroaches…

    Mi Hongdou bravely entered the bathroom, and before she could even see the cockroach, the door slammed shut behind her.

    That scared?

    She turned around and saw that Ji Junxin had followed her in and closed the door.

    “You…” Mi Hongdou was about to say, you could have waited outside.

    Ji Junxin put a finger to her lips, silencing her, then quickly squatted down, grabbed a slipper, and started hitting the floor repeatedly.

    Mi Hongdou could clearly see that she was hitting an empty spot… Where’s the cockroach?

    “Don’t run! It’s there!” Ignoring Mi Hongdou’s confusion, Ji Junxin continued hitting the floor, squatting by the door. “It went that way, let’s look for it!”

    Look for what? Mi Hongdou rubbed her eyes, she didn’t see anything… Could she have hit her head? Mi Hongdou, worried, asked, “Are you…”

    Ji Junxin grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the center of the bathroom.

    The bathroom, shared by both bedrooms, was quite spacious, with a toilet, a sink, and a separate shower stall. Ji Junxin pulled her to the shower stall and pushed her inside.

    “Hey…” Mi Hongdou’s mind was filled with question marks.

    Ji Junxin also squeezed into the shower stall and closed the glass door.

    Although the bathroom was spacious, the shower stall, with two people inside, was cramped. Mi Hongdou instinctively took a step back, her back against the glass wall. They were now only a tissue box apart.

    Using the cockroach as an excuse, having successfully trapped Mi Hongdou in the shower stall, Ji Junxin knew that time was limited, she had to act quickly.

    Earlier, when she came in alone, she had already surveyed the area, planned her position, even rehearsed her lines, preparing for a dramatic confession, hoping to break through Mi Hongdou’s defenses and capture her heart.

    She had it all planned out, but now, facing Mi Hongdou’s confused expression…

    One wrong word, and it would be over, either a relationship or a return to awkward distance, the memories of their past and the hopes for their future intertwined, Ji Junxin suddenly felt afraid.

    Her lips trembled, but no sound came out. Her eyes stung, and tears welled up.

    “What… what’s wrong…” Mi Hongdou, even more flustered than when Ji Junxin had cried before, asked. This situation, this location, it was all too strange.

    Ji Junxin turned her head away, dodging Mi Hongdou’s hand, which was reaching out to wipe her tears.

    Time was running out, she couldn’t indulge in Mi Hongdou’s warmth, and she had lost her courage.

    So, Mi Hongdou, tricked into the bathroom, then trapped in the shower stall, watched as Ji Junxin, tears streaming down her face, choked out the words, “I… I like you. Can you… try liking me too…”

    Even Mi Hongdou, as clueless as she could be, wouldn’t mistake this “like” for friendship…

    Being hit by a ton of falling pies from the sky… Mi Hongdou felt she could write a book about it.

    The prepared, dramatic confession, lost amidst the tears, all that remained were the simplest, most heartfelt words.

    Ji Junxin spoke, and Mi Hongdou, stunned, didn’t respond, didn’t nod, didn’t shake her head… Ji Junxin’s tears flowed faster.

    “Can you…” Having said it, she had to know the answer.

    Ji Junxin, looking so pitiful, her tears falling as she tugged at Mi Hongdou’s sleeve, “Can you…,” it was enough to melt Mi Hongdou’s heart.

    “Yes, yes, yes…” Mi Hongdou nodded repeatedly.

    Yes, yes, yes… I can give you anything, even my life!

    Mi Hongdou, who had already planned to pursue Ji Junxin, also felt like crying.

    Had she saved the Earth in her previous life?

    Ji Junxin stopped crying, her eyes still teary. “What… what did you say?”

    “No need to try, I’ve… always liked you…” Mi Hongdou said, her eyes red, gently wiping Ji Junxin’s tears. “Don’t cry.”

    Always liked her? As a friend? Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou, then slapped her hand away. “Idiot! You don’t understand! You don’t know what kind of ‘like’ I’m talking about!”

    “I know!”

    “You don’t!”

    “I do…”

    “You do, right!” Ji Junxin lunged forward, closing the distance between them, her lips crashing against Mi Hongdou’s.

    Mi Hongdou didn’t resist, her arms catching Ji Junxin.

    Ji Junxin’s lips were tightly pressed together, reflecting her inner turmoil.

    The kiss was hard, yet… tempting…

    Mi Hongdou held Ji Junxin close, their lips touching. Her heart pounding, she couldn’t help but gently lick Ji Junxin’s lips.

    The body in her arms trembled slightly, and Ji Junxin’s tense lips softened.

    Like an invitation…

    A gentle tease, a deeper exploration, no resistance.

    Their lips met, a long-awaited taste.

    Unable to stop, wanting more.

    A playful dance of tongues, a gentle give and take, until Ji Junxin melted against her, soft as a marshmallow.

    Their breaths mingled, heavy and warm. Mi Hongdou reluctantly pulled away, her lips still lingering.

    After a long moment, she finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse, “Now… do you think I understand what kind of ‘like’ you mean?”

  • Malicious Female Lead’s Guide to Causing Trouble [Quick Transmigration] 61p2

    Chapter Sixty-One p2

    Looking out the window, the small stalls by the roadside hadn’t opened yet, and occasionally a few hawkers could be seen strolling around.

    Bo Chi stood by the window, lost in thought, then turned her head and asked Yu Zhao: “Does Master have anything important to do today?“

    Yu Zhao’s hand holding the teapot paused.

    She originally wanted to say goodbye today, stay away from Bo Chi, both to cut off this ill-fated relationship and to avoid implicating the other party when the ghost came for revenge.

    However, she overestimated her self-control. When she saw Bo Chi’s sparkling eyes, she changed her mind: “Nothing.“

    Bo Chi smiled with satisfaction, her eyes curved, and said: “That’s good. I’m going out for a while, Master, you wait for me at the inn, don’t sneak away!“

    Yu Zhao hesitantly hummed in response, thinking to herself – Anyway, it’s still tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, she’s not in a hurry, it doesn’t matter if she stays a few more days.“

    Bo Chi left the inn and set her sights on a hawker.

    She silently followed behind him, just waiting for him to turn into a deserted place, and then… “Huh?“

    The hawker in front of her was suddenly snatched away by a white shadow, without even letting out a scream. She didn’t know whether he had fainted or died on the spot.

    Bo Chi was stunned for two seconds, and then reacted, quickly chasing after it.

    After a short chase, she followed the white shadow to the outskirts of the city. The white shadow put down the hawker, turned its head to stare at her, and said hoarsely: “What are you!“

    Bo Chi snorted coldly: “I should be the one asking you that. With your neither human nor demon appearance, are you a half-demon?“

    She originally wanted to mock, but the white shadow laughed strangely, and admitted: “I didn’t expect you to have some knowledge. That’s right, I am the bastard child born from the union of a human and a demon, a monster that is neither human nor demon!“

    Bo Chi: “…There’s no need to call yourself that.“

    The white shadow sneered, and bared its teeth: “Who are you? Why are you chasing after me?“

    Bo Chi said righteously: “Seeing injustice, I naturally have to help. If you want to kill this innocent hawker, you have to go through me first!“

    ——Although she probably couldn’t beat the white shadow, she had to try her best, she couldn’t just watch a life disappear.

    The white shadow over there was silent for two seconds, and then asked in confusion: “When did I say I wanted to kill him? If I really wanted to kill him, I would have torn him apart in the city, why would I wait until now?“

    Bo Chi was stunned: “Then, then why did you go through so much trouble to bring him here?“

    The white shadow said as a matter of course: “Naturally, it’s to borrow his seed to have children. Otherwise, what use can a human have to me?“

    Bo Chi: “???”

    Good heavens! So you’re a girl!

    No, why are you calling yourself a bastard while still giving birth to half-demons! Do you like this kind of thing in your genes??

    Bo Chi was shocked. Seeing that the white shadow was impatiently trying to drive her away, she said embarrassedly: “I’ll leave immediately, but… I want to buy something.“

    She had been chasing the hawker for so long, just to buy something. Now that she hadn’t gotten it, wouldn’t she have come for nothing?

    The white shadow was obviously very unhappy, but didn’t want to be disturbed by her, so she could only ask patiently: “What is it?“

    Bo Chi whispered two words.

    The white shadow didn’t hear clearly, and said angrily: “Speak louder!“

    Bo Chi closed her eyes and shouted: “Aphrodisiac!“

    White Shadow: “…”

    The outskirts of the city were silent for a while, and then the white shadow said with complicated eyes: “So you’re also a fellow person.“

    Bo Chi: “…No, I’m not.“

    The white shadow hummed, but didn’t mock her anymore. Instead, she rummaged through the hawker’s basket for a long time, and finally threw a bottle of medicine to her.

    Bo Chi happily took the medicine, and before leaving, she thought for a while and asked: “You’re just borrowing his seed, you won’t kill this hawker, will you?“

    The white shadow said proudly: “He’s the father of my future child, how could I harm him?“

    Bo Chi was relieved, and turned to leave.

    She wasn’t completely sure that she could beat the white shadow, and she might even anger the other party, putting the hawker in danger. Since the other party only wanted to borrow his seed and didn’t intend to kill him, then her not interfering might be the best solution.

    Carefully hiding the aphrodisiac, Bo Chi returned to the inn.

    Ever since she witnessed Yu Zhao’s unreasonableness last night, she had been thinking about how to save her life. Seduction was too slow, and would cause a scary chemical reaction. After thinking about it, Bo Chi decided to do something big – force herself on her!

    Although this kind of despicable method was very disgusting, Bo Chi didn’t care too much, saving her life was the most important thing. Besides, she had been fucked by Yu Zhao for so many lifetimes, this time, the tables had turned, and it should, it should be okay for her to be on top… right?

    The more Bo Chi thought about it, the more scared she became. She nervously sneaked into the kitchen.

    The waiter in the kitchen saw her and hurriedly stood up: “What would you like to eat, guest officer?“

    Bo Chi ordered two bowls of porridge, didn’t let the waiter carry them, and carried one bowl in each hand out of the kitchen.

    When she reached a deserted place, she sprinkled the medicinal powder into the left bowl with trembling hands, and then did some psychological construction for herself for a long time, and finally entered the room with a calm face.

    The room was empty, Yu Zhao was not there, and Jin Xi, who was sleeping on the floor, was also nowhere to be seen. Bo Chi was puzzled, so she put the two bowls of porridge on the table, turned around, and went to find Yu Zhao.

    She hadn’t been gone for long when Jin Xi, who had gone to the innkeeper to refund the room fee, came back – that’s right, she was determined to squeeze into one room with Bo Chi and Yu Zhao, even if it meant sleeping on the floor. But this way, the other room became empty.

    Jin Xi felt that it was a waste of money to leave it empty, so she went to the innkeeper to refund the next room as soon as she woke up. Now that she was back, she saw that the other two were not in the room, and there were two bowls of porridge on the table.

    Jin Xi was a little angry.

    Just because she slept on the floor, they didn’t treat her as a person!

    The angry Jin Xi went downstairs, brought a bowl of porridge herself, put it in the middle and compared it with the other two bowls, and then felt that her portion was a little small, so she secretly switched the positions of the three bowls of porridge.

    After switching them back and forth, Jin Xi finally stopped with satisfaction, and was about to go downstairs to find the two sisters to eat, when she saw the two of them pushing the door and coming in, saying as they walked: “Strange, I didn’t see them at the innkeeper’s… Huh, when did you come back?“

    Jin Xi said with a smile: “I just came back not long ago, and saw the waiter bring up two bowls of porridge, and I also went to the kitchen. Come and sit down and eat together, sisters. Let’s rest today, and go to Bailu Academy tomorrow.“

    Bo Chi and Yu Zhao sat down. Before sitting down, she specifically confirmed that she was sitting on the right side without the medicinal powder, while Yu Zhao was sitting on the left side with the added ingredients.

    After feeling at ease, she raised her hand to eat, and at the same time, she glanced at Yu Zhao’s reaction without batting an eye.

    Yu Zhao lowered her eyes, her long black eyelashes, high nose bridge, and slightly pale lips, her eating posture slow and graceful. Even though her family had been destroyed, she still maintained the noble demeanor of a lady from a prestigious family.

    Perhaps sensing Bo Chi’s peeping, she suddenly looked up, the corners of her long and narrow eyes raised, inexplicably seductive: “Aren’t you hungry, Miss Bo?“

    Jin Xi heard the voice and looked up, glanced at the porridge that Bo Chi had barely touched, and said casually: “Chi Niang is always like this, she can’t eat much of anything. Sometimes I wonder how she can walk such a long way with just that little food?“

    Bo Chi’s heart skipped a beat, afraid that Yu Zhao would suspect her identity from these small details, she hurriedly picked up the bowl and started eating in big mouthfuls, saying as she ate: “No, no, I was just distracted by looking at Miss Yu, I’m very hungry, I can eat a whole bowl of porridge!“

    She did as she said, and actually finished the whole bowl, making Jin Xi marvel beside her, and ponder: “I’ve never seen you eat so much before, could this be the power of beauty being a feast for the eyes?“

    Bo Chi knocked on her head: “Don’t think about such messy things, go read your book.“

    Jin Xi responded, and honestly took out her book and started reading.

    Bo Chi followed Yu Zhao like a little tail, her bright almond eyes twinkling with a strange light, which made Yu Zhao quite uncomfortable, and she said in a deep voice: “What are you following me for?“

    “Nothing.” Bo Chi said with an innocent face: “I have nowhere to go, and I don’t want to disturb Jin Xi, so I can only follow you.“

    Yu Zhao was silent for a while, stood up and said: “I’m going to walk around the city and see if there are any traces of demons and ghosts.“

    Bo Chi quickly caught up: “I’ll go with you!“

    They wandered around the city for a day. Yu Zhao was seriously patrolling, while Bo Chi was attracted by the novelties at the small stalls, and unknowingly started shopping.

    While buying things, she pulled Yu Zhao’s sleeve and showed them to her, her delicate face carrying a carefree and bright smile, which made Yu Zhao unable to get angry.

    The two strolled around for the whole day. When they returned to the inn at night, Jin Xi immediately threw down her book and ran over, enviously surrounding the pile of clothes and toys Bo Chi had bought, and exclaimed: “Such a cute little bunny! Such beautiful clothes! What is this? Frog candy? Wow, there’s even a kite!“

    When Bo Chi was pestering Yu Zhao, Yu Zhao always had the same expression for anything she bought – no expression.

    Now that Jin Xi was so enthusiastic, grabbing her and asking all kinds of questions, Bo Chi was satisfied, and immediately abandoned Yu Zhao, and began to proudly show off the treasures she had bought to Jin Xi.

    Jin Xi’s face was full of envy, and finally, she couldn’t sit still and stood up: “No, I also want to buy some fun things.“

    “Now?” Bo Chi glanced at the sky outside: “It’s almost dark now, and you still want to go shopping?“

    “There’s a night market at night.” Jin Xi said casually: “Besides, we’re leaving for the capital tomorrow, if I don’t buy them now, it will be too late.“

    Bo Chi thought so too, patted her shoulder, plucked a wisp of yin energy, and said with a smile: “Then go and have a good time, and come back when you’re done.“

    Jin Xi responded and went downstairs happily.

    After she left, only Bo Chi and Yu Zhao were left in the room.

    Seeing Bo Chi still playing with the pinwheel, Yu Zhao shook her head and said: “I’m going to take a bath first.“

    Bo Chi nodded without looking back. After hearing the sound of water from behind the screen, she suddenly came to her senses – Wait, didn’t she drug her this morning?

    Why, it was already night, and the other party still didn’t have any reaction?

    Had the medicine expired?

    Bo Chi’s face was full of confusion. Just as she couldn’t figure it out, she suddenly touched her face, and muttered in a daze: “Huh, do I have a fever?“

  • A Girl Dies Every Day in Her Dream Life 165

    Chapter 165: Xue’er, Another Person

    Several months passed in a flash.

    During this time, Luo Xue’s cultivation at the peak of Foundation Establishment had completely stabilized, and she could start preparing for Core Formation.

    However, Core Formation required Heavenly or Earthly Vein energy, which wasn’t available in the imperial palace. She had to leave the palace again.

    Luo Xue’s formation skills had improved considerably during this period. She could already construct Foundation Establishment level spirit-gathering formations, and the model for a Core Formation level spirit-gathering formation was also complete.

    But she was worried about causing too much commotion, so she didn’t dare to set them up within the palace.

    And the mysterious mortal who had appeared in her bedroom hadn’t shown up again. Luo Xue had set up surveillance formations throughout her palace, but they yielded nothing.

    The mysterious mortal seemed to have vanished into thin air.

    The etiquette official hadn’t acted strangely during this time. She didn’t seem to notice Luo Xue’s formations, still teaching her court etiquette as before.

    Just as Luo Xue was racking her brains, trying to find an excuse to leave the palace and the Imperial Capital to search for a Core Formation secret realm, an unfamiliar palace guard suddenly arrived.

    “His Majesty… requests your presence today.”

    The palace guard didn’t kneel, just bowed slightly to Luo Xue.

    He was the Immortal Emperor’s most trusted personal guard, said to possess strength above the Tribulation Immortal Realm.

    “Hmm?”

    Luo Xue was stunned upon hearing this.

    This father, who supposedly doted on her, she hadn’t even seen him in months.

    At least the Empress had the etiquette official, constantly reminding Luo Xue of her existence, but the Immortal Emperor had completely ignored her, and Luo Xue had almost forgotten she even had a father.

    The etiquette official’s eyes flickered with a complicated emotion upon hearing this.

    She looked at Luo Xue and said softly,

    “Go, it’s just a private meeting, there’s no need to be so formal.”

    “Oh…”

    Luo Xue glanced at the etiquette official, her expression strange. Seeing the madam’s expression, she couldn’t help but feel that her father didn’t seem to care much about her…

    Could the rumors be false?

    Luo Xue’s memories of the past were just fragmented images, and she had to rely on rumors and speculation for many things within the palace.

    She couldn’t just ask directly…

    However, since the Immortal Emperor had summoned her, she couldn’t refuse.

    This was an imperial decree, and probably only the Empress could ignore it in the entire Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

    “Should I go now?” Luo Xue asked.

    “Yes,” the palace guard nodded. “Because His Majesty will soon be leaving the palace for a southern tour.”

    “Oh, I see…”

    Luo Xue nodded blankly. Having been focused on cultivation within the palace, she didn’t know about this.

    The news of the Immortal Emperor’s southern tour had been announced half a month ago, causing a great commotion.

    This was the first time the Immortal Emperor had embarked on a southern tour since founding the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty.

    He had previously signed a contract with the tribes in the southern barbarian lands, recognizing the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty as their overlord, but the imperial family wasn’t allowed to interfere in the tribes’ internal affairs.

    Therefore, the Immortal Emperor’s influence in the southern barbarian lands wasn’t even as great as that of their recently appointed young leader.

    Perhaps it was because of this, or perhaps because the chaos that had plagued the barbarian tribes since ancient times had suddenly ended, that the Immortal Emperor decided on this southern tour.

    And since this southern tour would last for at least a hundred years, keeping him away from the imperial palace, if he didn’t see his most beloved daughter now… it wouldn’t be appropriate.

    After Luo Xue agreed, the palace guard, ignoring the etiquette official, cast a technique, enveloping himself and Luo Xue in a white light. In an instant, they vanished.

    The etiquette official looked at the spot where they disappeared, her expression turning even more complicated.

    She looked up at the formations in Luo Xue’s bedroom and was secretly surprised.

    “How could Her Highness have such talent for formations… without any cultivation, yet able to set up Spirit Condensation level formations…”

    Luo Xue hadn’t used any of her cultivation when setting up these surveillance formations. At her level, she didn’t need to.

    The etiquette official had reported this to the Empress, but the reply she received was to ignore it. The little princess could do as she pleased, as long as she didn’t kill herself.

    “The Empress doesn’t seem surprised…”

    The etiquette official’s eyes flickered, a deep meaning in her gaze.

    It seemed that this current Princess Xue… her origins weren’t as simple as the Empress had said.

    It was said that those who were exceptionally skilled in formations… were the ancient humans.

    …

    When Luo Xue reappeared from the white light, her surroundings had changed.

    Compared to her palace, this place was much simpler, just layers of pavilions and palaces, seemingly stretching endlessly inwards.

    “This is His Majesty’s side palace, where the imperial study and the council hall are located,” the palace guard introduced. “This is the first time His Majesty has brought you here. Perhaps he intends to entrust some of the Immortal Dynasty’s affairs to you?”

    Luo Xue looked at the palace guard and found that he was no longer as cold and aloof as before, his expression much gentler.

    She also remembered that when the guard appeared, the etiquette official’s expression had also become colder.

    From this small detail, it could be seen that the Immortal Emperor and the Empress… weren’t exactly on good terms.

    “Hmm… thank you for telling me.” Luo Xue said with a faint smile.

    “There’s no need to be so polite, Your Highness.” The palace guard smiled faintly. “Please go inside, His Majesty is waiting for you in the imperial study. I’ll be waiting here. Just inform me when you leave.”

    With that, the palace guard stepped aside.

    This was a private matter between the Immortal Emperor and the little princess. Even if His Majesty hadn’t said anything, he knew he should excuse himself.

    Luo Xue naturally understood this. She nodded slightly at the palace guard and walked towards the depths of the side palace.

    Just as the palace guard said, Luo Xue had never been to the side palace before. There were no memories of it in her fragmented mind.

    So she walked slowly, carefully searching for the imperial study, while also observing her surroundings. Perhaps it would be useful sometime.

    The location of the imperial study was obvious, and Luo Xue found it quickly. She suppressed her desire to explore and walked towards it.

    Just then, after several months, Luo Xue once again sensed that familiar aura, belonging to the mysterious mortal who had secretly been in her bedroom, and it was stronger than ever.

    “Who!”

    Luo Xue’s pupils constricted, and she immediately looked back, but saw nothing.

    Wait…

    It wasn’t behind her.

    Her gaze slowly returned, falling on the unassuming yet imposing building before her.

    “It’s… in the imperial study.”

    “Xue’er,” at the same time, a calm yet authoritative voice came from the imperial study, “Come in.”

    “Yes, Father.”

    Luo Xue could only suppress her doubts and pushed open the door.

    Upon entering the imperial study, Luo Xue finally confirmed… her senses hadn’t deceived her. This mysterious mortal had definitely spent a long time here recently.

    Just who could stay in the imperial study for such a long time…

    Even the Immortal Emperor’s personal guards could rarely approach the imperial study, and even officials who needed to discuss matters privately would usually do so in the council hall.

    The imperial study was filled with rows of bookshelves, mostly filled with ancient books and carefully preserved jade slips, mostly records and classics, not many cultivation techniques.

    The Immortal Emperor sat at the back of the bookshelves, reading a book. Seeing Luo Xue approach, he looked up slightly and said softly,

    “Xue’er, come, sit down.”

    He put down the book and gestured to the seat in front of his desk.

    “Okay.”

    Luo Xue nodded and sat down.

    The chair seemed to have been adjusted for her, slightly raised, so she could reach the desk. This also allowed Luo Xue to see the book in the Immortal Emperor’s hand.

    “Interesting Records of the Barbarian Forests… are you preparing for your southern tour?”

    Luo Xue’s gaze was fixed on the book, while the Immortal Emperor looked intently at his daughter. After a while, he said slowly,

    “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had the time to see you… Xue’er, you’re not blaming Father, are you?”

    “This child wouldn’t dare.”

    Luo Xue lowered her head slightly, hiding her gaze.

    The Immortal Emperor was silent for a moment, then said softly,

    “Today, just stay here and accompany me for a while…”

    For some reason, Luo Xue heard a hint of bitterness in his voice.

    However, she couldn’t leave today and could only obediently stay in the imperial study with the Immortal Emperor.

    “Yes, Father.” Luo Xue nodded, then after a moment of thought, continued, “Can I look at the books in the imperial study?”

    A hint of surprise flashed through the Immortal Emperor’s eyes, then he replied,

    “Of course… but Xue’er, can you understand them?”

    “I can at least read, can’t I?”

    Luo Xue felt that this was a strange question, but unexpectedly, her words made the Immortal Emperor even more silent.

    “Relax, there’s no need to be so formal, this is also your home, and the time we can spend together… is still long.”

    The Immortal Emperor smiled faintly, but the smile seemed forced, which Luo Xue could tell at a glance.

    Although Luo Xue was puzzled, she couldn’t figure it out, so she could only suppress her doubts for now.

    It seemed the rumors weren’t entirely false. The Immortal Emperor’s attitude towards her was indeed quite good, but not to the point of doting.

    Having received the Immortal Emperor’s permission, Luo Xue walked around the imperial study. She could feel a gaze constantly following her.

    But this was normal, it should be the Immortal Emperor. Luo Xue didn’t think much of it.

    The aura of the mysterious mortal hadn’t weakened. Luo Xue even suspected that the person was still in the imperial study, but besides her, there was only the Immortal Emperor, and the Immortal Emperor couldn’t be a mortal…

    Besides, this aura clearly came from a young woman, so it couldn’t be the Immortal Emperor.

    “There are copies of Hundred Solutions to Formations and Compendium of Talismans here… the versions seem a bit different, like the content is for after Soul Transformation…”

    “Ah, there’s even The Art of Puppetry. This ancient text probably only exists in the imperial study… It’s a pity that the records here seem to be for the Ascension Realm and above…”

    Too advanced, Luo Xue couldn’t understand them and could only give up on the idea of borrowing them.

    “Xue’er…”

    Just then, the Immortal Emperor suddenly called out, his tone filled with an inexplicable complexity.

    “Hmm?” Luo Xue turned around in confusion, but saw that the Immortal Emperor’s gaze was fixed elsewhere. “Father… what is it?”

    “No, it’s nothing.”

    The Immortal Emperor seemed to have just come back to his senses. He looked up at Luo Xue, a faint smile appearing on his dignified face.

    “Just… couldn’t help myself.”

    Luo Xue didn’t know how to respond and could only nod.

    “Thank you for your concern, Father.”

    “…”

    The Immortal Emperor remained silent. As Luo Xue turned around and continued browsing the bookshelves, his gaze fell on an invisible chair beside the desk.

    A white-haired girl sat there with her eyes half-closed, a faint smile on her lips, as if sleeping.

    “I really want to agree to you, to treat her as you from now on…”

    “But, Xue’er… she’s ultimately not you…”

    The Immortal Emperor’s southern tour was partly for the reason stated to the outside world, to meet the mysterious girl, “Luo Xue,” who had united the barbarian tribes.

    And also, to find a way to save Xue’er’s life.

    He had met Concubine Min in the south, although it was some distance from the barbarian lands.

    The Immortal Emperor hadn’t considered this before, until Concubine Min suddenly mentioned Luo Xue in her conversation with their daughter, even trying to have Xue’er leave the imperial palace and seek refuge with this person.

    This made the Immortal Emperor turn his attention to the southern barbarian lands, which had always been in a state of war, and this mysterious girl, who, with just Nascent Soul cultivation, could unite the tribes that revered strength above all else.

    The strongest tribe leaders were all at the Sea Crossing Realm. If they joined forces, even the Immortal Emperor would find them troublesome.

    The Immortal Emperor even had a faint, impossible hope. Perhaps this girl could save Xue’er’s life?

    “Father, I’ve chosen.”

    Just then, Luo Xue returned to her seat, holding two ancient books.

    The Immortal Emperor looked up and saw that they were just two books about the Nangong clan, so he nodded with a smile, not paying much attention.

    Luo Xue sat down and started reading intently.

    Just as the Immortal Emperor’s expression softened, Luo Xue suddenly looked up and called out,

    “Xue’er…”

    The Immortal Emperor was stunned, his pupils constricting.

    But the next moment, Luo Xue smiled.

    “The name Father gave me… is truly beautiful.”

    “Is… is that so…”

    The Immortal Emperor forced a smile, relieved, thinking she hadn’t noticed anything…

    But beneath Luo Xue’s calm exterior, a storm was brewing.

    “I didn’t expect… this…”

    “Xue’er… there really is another one…”

  • You’re Not Allowed to Kiss Me Anymore! [Quick Transmigration] 55p2

    Chapter 55 p2

    As the Mo family and the hotel staff struggled to contain the chaos, the video montage continued, now showing a series of photos and screenshots.

    While Xin Yao didn’t have any direct evidence of their relationship, she did have proof of her efforts to advance his career.

    Photos of her attending business dinners, drinking herself into the hospital, all for Li Xu’s benefit, flashed across the screen.

    While the photos didn’t explicitly name him, it was clear who she had been working so hard for.

    And then, interspersed with Xin Yao’s photos, were images of Ying Xi.

    From her early days as a university student, her innocent devotion to Li Xu, to her role as the president of his fan club, the evidence of his manipulation, his exploitation of her and his fans for financial gain, was presented in a clear and concise manner.

    Ying Xi knew that revealing this information wouldn’t be good for her.

    But what else could she do? Keep his secrets forever?

    He had manipulated her into doing these things.

    And later, he had become increasingly distrustful, excluding her from his schemes, keeping her at arm’s length, only using her to manage his fans.

    She wasn’t entirely blameless, but her culpability was far less than his.

    And thankfully, she had been smarter than the original Xin Yao, keeping evidence, a safety net for herself.

    The video continued, the images of Xin Yao’s sacrifices and Ying Xi’s complicity a stark reminder of Li Xu’s cruelty, his years of deception.

    It was clear that he had been two-timing them all along.

    Then, the video ended, the screen returning to the original scene, Li Xu kneeling before Mo Yuwei, confessing his love.

    Mo Yuwei, her hand covering her mouth, her eyes filled with tears, had just said, “I do.”

    The cheerful music now sounded mocking, almost cruel.

    Mo Yuwei stood there, her face pale, her body trembling, as if she were standing in a blizzard.

    They were telling her, showing her, that they weren’t the homewreckers, that they were the victims.

    She had believed Li Xu’s lies, her impulsive nature and her love for him blinding her to the truth.

    She had been the other woman, the one who had unknowingly interfered in their relationship.

    And the man she loved, the man she had defied her parents for, was a two-timing scumbag, exploiting women for his own gain.

    The realization made her stomach churn, her body swaying slightly.

    Li Xu rushed to her side, but she slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing through the silent ballroom.

    The guests, their initial amusement fading, their expressions turning serious, watched the drama unfold.

    What had started as a simple case of infidelity had escalated into something far more sinister.

    He had been two-timing them, exploiting them, then, after finding a richer, more influential partner, had tried to destroy their reputations.

    They had to be more careful, they thought, avoid men like him, gold-diggers preying on wealthy women.

    But it wasn’t over yet.

    The final, and most damning, piece of evidence was yet to come.

    Li Xu’s manipulation of his fan club, his encouragement of their excessive spending, even urging them to take out loans, was already illegal.

    But he had done worse. He had tried to kill them. He had hired someone to kill them.

    Screenshots of his messages with Xin Yao’s cousin, the gambling addict, clearly showing his instructions, his encouragement of the cousin’s harassment of Xin Yao, flashed across the screen.

    The messages had been provided by the cousin himself, retrieved by the dog system through some legal but unconventional methods.

    Even the heartless cousin had expressed some concern.

    [My cousin is emotionally fragile. Will this push her over the edge?]

    Li Xu, at the time, had been annoyed, his patience worn thin by the scandals with Xin Yao and Ying Xi’s pregnancy. He had wanted them both gone.

    And believing the messages would be deleted, he had replied carelessly.

    [If she kills herself, the money is all yours.]

    He hadn’t expected the system to be able to recover the deleted messages.

    The room, already tense, fell silent, then erupted in a cacophony of gasps and whispers.

    This wasn’t just manipulation or extortion, it was attempted murder!

    And as if that wasn’t enough, another video began playing.

    A man, dressed in rags, his appearance disheveled, his body bruised and battered, was crying, his voice filled with despair.

    A woman’s voice, trembling slightly, asked him, “Did Li Xu hire you to kill me?”

    It was from the day Xin Yao, having learned through the system that Li Xu had hired someone to kill her, had confronted the man, along with Ying Xi and Liu Nuan Nuan.

    The man, initially hesitant, then thoroughly beaten by Liu Nuan Nuan, had confessed everything.

    In the silent ballroom, as the hotel staff fumbled with scissors, trying to cut the projector’s power cord, Mo’s father, his hand raised, stopped them.

    “Wait,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.

    And then, in the tense silence, the man’s voice, clear and distinct, echoed through the room.

    “Yes.”

    “Li Xu said he would pay me if I killed you, so I could afford my daughter’s medical treatment.”

    The video ended, the screen going black.

    The room was silent, the silence so profound that you could hear a pin drop.

    The guests, having witnessed the entire spectacle, were speechless.

    Even the wealthy and influential, usually so detached and indifferent, felt a chill run down their spines.

    What had started as a simple gossip about a cheating boyfriend had escalated into a criminal investigation, a tale of manipulation, extortion, and attempted murder.

    He was a monster!

    The woman who had been live-streaming the event to her friends, her voice filled with disbelief, muttered, “Don’t bother coming. Just watch it on the news tomorrow.”

    The engagement party was in chaos.

    And so was the internet.

    Because Xin Yao’s phone, placed strategically on the table, had been live-streaming the entire event, using Liu Nuan Nuan’s account.

    And Liu Nuan Nuan, following Xin Yao’s instructions, had been releasing the evidence online, timed perfectly with the video montage.

    The internet was practically melting down, Xin Yao’s live stream flooded with viewers, the servers struggling to keep up.

    The top trending topic was:

    [Li Xu’s Engagement Party Live Stream]

    Followed by:

    [Li Xu and Xin Yao Were Really Together]

    [Li Xu Cheated on Three Women]

    [Li Xu Exploited Women for Fame and Fortune]

    [Li Xu Used His Fan Club for Financial Gain]

    But as the final two pieces of evidence were revealed, the hashtag [Li Xu Hired Hitmen to Kill Two Women] quickly climbed to the top, replacing the live stream.

    And Xin Yao’s live stream exploded with new viewers.

    With the Lunar New Year approaching, the entertainment industry was clearly trying to end the year with a bang. This wasn’t just gossip, it was a full-blown scandal!

    All those cheating scandals and celebrity breakups were nothing compared to this! This was the first time a celebrity had been accused of attempted murder!

    Ying Xi, sitting beside Xin Yao, smoothed her hair.

    “That’s enough. It’s my turn now.”

    Xin Yao looked at her, wanting to say something, to stop her, but she hesitated, then let her go.

    Ying Xi was sick, not physically, but mentally.

    The betrayal, the breakup, the unexpected pregnancy, it had all been too much for her.

    And then she had discovered that the man she loved had tried to kill her.

    Her already fragile mental state had crumbled, leaving her a mix of despair and rage.

    Xin Yao had advised her to be more discreet, to remain anonymous, to let the evidence speak for itself.

    But Ying Xi needed to speak, to confront him, to release her pent-up emotions. Her therapist had agreed that it would be cathartic for her.

    So, Xin Yao had relented.

    Ying Xi stood up and walked towards the stage, her steps firm and resolute.

    Unlike Xin Yao, who had planned everything meticulously, her actions driven by logic and strategy, Ying Xi was a woman driven by emotion, her love for Li Xu now turned to hate.

    She grabbed the microphone, her voice echoing through the silent ballroom.

    She bowed politely to the stunned guests, then smiled, her voice bright and cheerful.

    “Hello everyone, I’m Li Xu’s girlfriend.”

    “Oh, and the lady sitting over there is also Li Xu’s girlfriend.”

    She turned to Mo Yuwei, who stood there, her body trembling, her face pale, her forehead beaded with sweat.

    “And Mo Yuwei, what a coincidence! You’re also Li Xu’s girlfriend!”

    “Wow, three girlfriends at his engagement party! Which one are you planning to marry, Li Xu?”

    “Oh, he already dumped Xin Yao and me after finding a richer girlfriend. Never mind, then.”

    Li Xu, still reeling from Mo Yuwei’s slap, stood there, frozen, the whispers and stares of the guests like daggers piercing his skin, transporting him back to his childhood.

    The mockery, the taunts, the accusations, the constant reminder of his poverty, his shame.

    Trash. Trash. Trash.

    I’m not trash! You’re the trash!

    He trembled, his body covered in a cold sweat.

    He should be stopping this, apologizing to Mo Yuwei, appeasing her father, explaining everything.

    But he couldn’t move, paralyzed by their gazes.

    And the video, edited by Xin Yao and Nuan Nuan for maximum impact, its short duration belying the sheer volume of evidence, had already moved on to the most damning accusation: attempted murder.

    As the evidence of his crime flashed across the screen, Li Xu’s carefully constructed facade crumbled, his face contorted in a mask of rage and fear, his body trembling.

    It was impossible!

    How could they know?!

    It had to be Xin Yao and Ying Xi! They were trying to ruin him! Where were they?! Those bitches!

    He scanned the crowd, his eyes darting from face to face, but there were too many people. He couldn’t find them.

    He couldn’t take it anymore. He reached for a chair, wanting to smash the screen, to silence the accusations.

    But the gazes of Mo’s parents, and Mo Yuwei’s heartbroken stare, held him captive, his body frozen.

    And just as he hesitated, the video ended.

    As Ying Xi walked onto the stage, Li Xu, his face contorted in a mask of rage, knew he had to stop her.

    “Get that crazy woman off the stage!” he yelled.

    Mo’s father, while wanting to see the full extent of Li Xu’s crimes, didn’t want to prolong the humiliation, his family’s reputation already tarnished. He spoke quietly to a nearby staff member.

    “Escort her off the stage.”

    As the staff member approached Ying Xi, she yelled, her voice shrill and piercing, “Don’t touch me!”

    “I’m pregnant! With Li Xu’s child!”

    The ballroom, already in chaos, erupted again, the guests gasping and whispering.

    “Holy shit.”

    “How many women has this guy screwed over?”

    “How did the Mo family manage to find such a prize?”

    And the netizens watching the live stream were even more shocked.

    [What kind of crazy rich people drama is this?!]

    [Holy shit, Li Xu is a scumbag!]

    [So, he knew she was pregnant with his child, and he still tried to kill her?!]

    [That’s beyond evil.]

    [Who’s evil? You’re the evil ones, making these accusations! Do you really think he would kill them? Ridiculous!]

    [Open your eyes! The evidence is overwhelming!]

    [Look at your precious idol! He’s pale and trembling! He’s clearly guilty!]

    [He’s going to jail!]

  • As a villain, I just want them to behave 252

    Chapter 252: Changing Faith

    “Try not to travel far these days. Also, have Phils seal off the Royal City for a few days.”

    After their discussion, Afra relayed Kailun’s instructions.

    They didn’t have any concrete information about the Empire. Kailun had tried various methods but couldn’t find out what was happening there. The most useful information they had was that Fate had left the Empire.

    As for whether she was in the Xiya Kingdom, the Abyss, or the White Jade Alliance’s Portland, they didn’t know.

    Bella asked, “Should I tell Grandpa to be careful?”

    Afra led everyone towards the courtyard. “Of course, tell Dragon King Bolton and the others to be careful. If anything unusual happens, please contact Kailun or me immediately.”

    “Okay.” Bella replied obediently.

    Afra spent the rest of the time inspecting the manor’s defenses.

    “Adapt to the situation,” Kailun had said.

    ……

    Meanwhile, the battle in the Temple was nearing its end. Paul, severely injured, had exhausted all his efforts but couldn’t escape.

    He was imprisoned in a dark, damp dungeon. Charles and Huallomen were responsible for escorting him.

    The only good news was that Harry was imprisoned in the cell next to Paul. The bad news was that, separated by a wall, they were unaware of each other’s presence.

    That afternoon, Pope Meggie Liran successfully completed a series of tasks: purging, whitewashing, and wrapping up.

    The rebel army, which had shaken half the world, only lasted for a few days. The Pope’s decisive actions silenced the Temple’s leadership.

    The second wave of purging began before many could react, this time targeting the middle and lower ranks.

    However, this had nothing to do with Kailun. He wasn’t interested in handling these trivial matters. He didn’t have the time.

    If Meggie Liran couldn’t even handle this, Kailun would find someone to replace her.

    Speaking of Kailun, he had spent the entire afternoon chatting with Empress Galina.

    He had extracted some information through his efforts, but it was all irrelevant to him. It seemed that the Empress didn’t know any crucial information.

    He was a bit disappointed. The only gain was that the Empress’s goodwill rating had increased by twenty points.

    Perhaps because of this increase, their interaction became more natural, and Galina revealed more of her true personality.

    Open-minded, straightforward, with a hint of ruthlessness, somewhat overlapping with the rumors.

    They spent the entire afternoon in the courtyard, even having dinner at the table there.

    It was worth noting that besides Empress Galina and her maids, Kailun didn’t see any other high-ranking individuals.

    He couldn’t help but suspect that those high-ranking officials had been taken away by Fate. As for what they were doing, he had no idea.

    Perhaps they were attacking the Abyss, or the Xiya Kingdom, or even the White Jade Alliance.

    He had already made arrangements for the first two scenarios. If the Abyss was attacked, Dragon King Bolton could lead his people to retreat to the Xiya Kingdom through the teleportation magic circle. Kailun would have Butler Roden arrange their accommodation in the Royal City.

    After all, it was unrealistic for the Abyss to withstand Fate’s attack, even with Kailun’s support. Unless he sent Afra to defend it as well.

    But that was even more unrealistic. Kailun’s defensive focus was on the Xiya Kingdom. He had to prioritize.

    Time passed slowly, and soon it was dark.

    Galina, his “trial wife,” led him to a small building in the courtyard, her cheeks flushed.

    After dismissing the maids, only she and Kailun remained.

    Even though she was mentally prepared, she was still incredibly nervous.

    But thinking about that entity’s plan, she had to grit her teeth and go through with it.

    Honestly, she felt that that entity was too lenient towards Kailun. In her opinion, they could have used this opportunity to kill him. She didn’t believe that he alone could withstand the entire Empire’s forces, especially with Fate’s own strength.

    However, Fate not only rejected Galina’s suggestion but also scolded her, saying that such a thought was dangerous and could lead to the world’s destruction.

    Therefore, to achieve maximum benefits with minimal cost, Fate chose to sacrifice Empress Galina.

    In fact, Galina found the idea of world destruction absurd. No matter how strong Kailun was, he couldn’t possibly influence the world, right?

    But she didn’t argue. That entity was the origin of the Temple of the Celestial God, and also the origin of the Empire. In a way, Fate was her faith.

    Without any complicated rituals or lengthy explanations, Galina found herself sitting on the edge of the bed with Kailun. It was too late to run now.

    “Miss Galina, it’s not too late to back out now. Are you sure you’re willing to sacrifice your most precious possession for that entity?”

    Kailun played with Galina’s hair, the faint fragrance filling his nostrils.

    Galina averted her gaze. “My faith is my most precious possession. My body is just a shell. For the sake of our friendship, I’m willing to offer it to you as a sign of sincerity.”

    Her voice lacked conviction. Only she knew how much of this was a lie.

    Based on her understanding of Kailun, tonight’s sacrifice was more likely to be a “meat bun thrown to a dog.” No, it was even worse than that.

    She didn’t know if Kailun would be gentle, but she would definitely be in pain.

    She hoped Fate’s plan would succeed. Otherwise, she would be at a huge disadvantage.

    If Kailun was eliminated by Fate in the future, she would be alone. How tragic.

    With her personality, she wouldn’t favor another person, even for benefits. No one was worthy of her. Kailun was a fortunate accident.

    The precious thing she had kept for over twenty years would eventually be taken by Kailun. She felt a tinge of sadness and a strange excitement.

    Thankfully, Kailun’s personality and temperament were to her liking, so she didn’t resist much.

    ‘It’s all for Fate,’ she comforted herself.

    “I’m sorry, but if faith is your most precious possession, then you might change your faith after tonight. It’s not my intention, but since it’s a symbol of our friendship, I will gratefully accept it.”

    With a gentle push, Kailun pushed Galina onto the soft bed.

    She looked at him with defiance, her white hands clutching the sheets tightly, her ample chest heaving, a tempting expanse of white flesh exposed.

    One of Kailun’s hands rested on her slender waist, his gentle touch making her body tense. She bit her lower lip nervously.

    Looking at him, she wanted to appear strong, but this thought could only remain in her mind. Every time she tried to do something, Kailun’s gaze would make her heart skip a beat.

    “Can you tell me where your faith is hidden?” Kailun’s hand paused at the sash around her waist.

    “I don’t know. You’ll have to find it yourself.”

    Galina’s breathing became heavier, a blush creeping up her neck and ears.

    She glared at him as his knee pressed against her inner thigh, moving upwards, rubbing against her skin.

    But her faith wasn’t something so superficial. To change one’s faith required a deeper understanding.

    Only through guidance from within could one truly change their faith. Kailun understood this principle well.

  • Transformed into a Female Villain, But Captured by My Beautiful Girl Disciples v2c23

    23. A Plan Within a Plan 

     

    “Follow me.”

    Amidst the blinding light, Qiu Shui and Lu Xinyao felt someone grab their hands and pull them along at a breakneck pace.

    When the dizziness subsided, they realized the person was…

    “It’s you?” Qiu Shui looked at Gong Yiling, then calmly thanked her. “Thank you for saving us.”

    “But how did you…?”

    “Oh, I was nearby. I saw the fire and came to investigate.”

    Gong Yiling hid the anti-mother weapon and looked behind them. “Good, they didn’t follow.”

    “But this is the competition area. Why were they chasing you?”

    —Miss Gong already had a guess.

    The answer was obvious. Whoever controlled this area was the one behind the attack.

    Undoubtedly, it was Shangguan Yaochang who sent the assassins.

    And they weren’t sent in after the competition began!

    To avoid attention, he must have had them hide beforehand.

    And the First Prince and Young Master Xuli coming here first… their purpose must have been to instruct the assassins.

    “I’m the only one who showed my face in the palace,” Lu Xinyao said, realizing the truth.

    “It’s Shangguan Qingyun.” She gripped Qiu Shui’s arm.

    “He wouldn’t attack us personally, so after finding us, he must have notified the assassins.”

    But instead of worrying about their own situation, the two girls were concerned about Gong Yiling.

    “Will they target Master too?” Qiu Shui frowned. “There’s no one protecting her.”

    Lu Xinyao nodded. “I think so too. Should we withdraw and warn Big Sister?”

    “Yes… Master’s safety is more important.”

    They were about to crush the blue crystals they had been given.

    Their concern surprised Gong Yiling.

    But she wouldn’t let them waste this opportunity.

    She stopped them and said, “Don’t worry, your master is with Shangguan Lingyue. She’ll be fine. But you two… are you planning to run away?”

    “Run away?”

    Her words irked them again.

    “I just took a look,”

    Miss Gong smiled and clapped her hands. “Those guys aren’t that strong. The strongest is only at Return to Origin. You two aren’t afraid of them, are you?”

    Afraid? Not really…

    But there were at least fifteen of them.

    They couldn’t fight so many people!

    “I know what you’re thinking.” Gong Yiling said, “What if I told you I have a way to deal with those assassins, and even make the First Prince suffer?”

    She took out a talisman with a strange symbol on it—a “No Parking” sign.

    “Want to try it?”

    —

    —

    Time passed.

    The First Prince led the group through the forest, while Young Master Xuli used his techniques to conceal them from sight.

    Even if they passed right in front of other participants, they wouldn’t be seen.

    But as they walked, the First Prince sensed something amiss.

    They were heading towards the central area.

    “Your Highness, they…”

    The lead assassin also noticed this and asked, “Are you sure they went this way?”

    Normally, anyone questioning him like this would face consequences.

    But this time… he didn’t react.

    He was also puzzled.

    He knew their location because of a special incense called Thousand Miles Fragrance.

    Colorless and odorless, those affected by it wouldn’t even realize it.

    Others, however, could smell it with a special antidote.

    This incense was incredibly valuable on the black market. If he hadn’t needed to control Lu Xinyao, Shangguan Qingyun, having just suffered a major financial loss, wouldn’t have used it.

    He had applied the incense to the two girls while greeting them. Theoretically, they shouldn’t know they were being tracked.

    Could it be… they were intentionally heading towards the central area?

    “Heh—” Shangguan Qingyun sneered.

    If they were courting death, then he wouldn’t stop them!

    He quickened his pace.

    After following them for a while, until the surrounding scenery changed significantly, Shangguan Qingyun realized something.

    “This is… still the outer area?”

    He looked around.

    The plants here had a distinct purple hue. He knew this was the result of absorbing the poisonous mist.

    These trees were called Demonic Qiong Trees. They absorbed the toxins, turning their leaves and branches purple, but their unique filtering system ensured their fruits and sap remained untainted.

    These trees sustained the demonic beasts living between the outer and central areas.

    But their presence here meant they were no longer within the designated competition area, but had entered a dangerous zone.

    “Stop!”

    Shangguan Qingyun frowned. “We’ve been tricked.”

    “Is this the central area?” The lead assassin asked, puzzled. “But we haven’t encountered the barrier. It requires a special dispelling talisman to break, right?”

    Shangguan Qingyun glared at him coldly. “What if those two girls have such a talisman?”

    Just as he finished speaking, demonic roars echoed through the forest, followed by tremors and the continuous roars of giant beasts, confirming his suspicions.

    However, the sudden appearance of demonic beasts didn’t faze Shangguan Qingyun and Young Master Xuli.

    They immediately abandoned the assassins and fled.

    But soon, they encountered another group of demonic beasts, seemingly waiting for them. And behind the beasts stood their original targets, Qiu Shui and Lu Xinyao.

    “It’s you two.”

    Shangguan Qingyun, looking at the hostile beasts surrounding them, greeted them calmly. “What a coincidence.”

     

     

  • The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v2c66

    Chapter 66: Miss Luo Ling, A Brick to Be Moved Wherever Needed 

    The biting winds of early March still swept through Victoria, accompanied by a drizzling rain and a dreamy, hazy fog that enveloped the entire city.

    Before Highgate Cemetery, three young women in black dresses and veils gazed sorrowfully at two tombstones, one large and one small, mourning in silence. Luo Ling thus achieved the feat of attending her own funeral for the second time.

    However, Luo Ling’s consciousness had already withdrawn, no longer impersonating Eve. The Eve puppet’s actions were now driven entirely by Eve’s memories and emotions.

    Previously, she had maintained the impersonation due to the presence of Ms. Nightingale, a powerful Myriad Path Awakened One who could perceive the essence of life, one of the furthest progressed individuals on the Myriad Path.

    There might be other Awakened Ones of the same Path who were stronger in combat, but in terms of healing, Ms. Nightingale was second to none.

    The fact that Luo Ling’s puppet could deceive Ms. Nightingale’s perception was a testament to the Puppet Ballad’s incredible power. However, the puppet’s empty consciousness could easily be detected during the healing process.

    Outside of treatment, an empty consciousness wasn’t so easily noticed.

    The main reason for withdrawing from the Eve puppet now was that Luo Ling felt she couldn’t perfectly impersonate Miss Eve. Her abilities were fine, but in certain situations, she couldn’t maintain the act…

    She hadn’t had this problem when impersonating the stranger, Alyssa. Even Stasha, who had grown up with Alyssa, only vaguely sensed something was amiss.

    Seeing her two teammates consumed by grief through Eve’s eyes, Luo Ling sighed inwardly. The three of them would soon join the Star team to hunt down the White Witch’s Apostle.

    …Of course, it wouldn’t be Elsa. Elsa was currently safe and sound in Starry Victoria.

    Clearly, this was a setup by the Harbingers, shifting the blame onto the White Witch…

    “Truly worthy of being two organizations branching from the same root, even their scapegoating tactics are so synchronized, inexplicably dragging me into their conflict,” Luo Ling thought with a sigh.

    Now that the three team members had returned to being cogs in the Company’s machine, there was nothing for Luo Ling to worry about. She had to hurry to the Harbingers’ side and investigate the situation.

    How could the White Witch have made a deal with the Harbingers without her knowledge, so secretly that even she herself was unaware?

    After withdrawing her consciousness from the Eve puppet, Luo Ling immediately descended onto Alyssa’s body.

    The blindfolded nun sat in her wheelchair on the pulpit before the cathedral’s central hall, receiving the worship of her followers, facing the statue of the Sacred Heart and performing Mass.

    Luo Ling didn’t immediately take control of Alyssa’s body, as she knew nothing about religious rituals. She began browsing the Church of Light’s recent memories.

    “Good heavens…”

    After browsing for a while, Luo Ling narrowed her eyes slightly.

    No wonder the Company believed they had made a deal with the White Witch, possibly even forming an alliance.

    The Harbingers had been quite active in these few days…

    The Harbinger leader had directly ordered “Theologian” Alyssa to expand the number of priests in the Church of Light.

    Previously, almost all priests in the Church of Light were from the Harbingers’ former cult, or if not, they were wicked individuals.

    These people had all been killed by Alyssa and perfectly dominated, becoming complete puppets.

    Therefore, despite the Church of Light’s recent popularity, it hadn’t expanded on a large scale.

    At most, when encountering wicked individuals deserving of death, Alyssa would have them literally lay down their butcher knives and become Buddha on the spot, personally meeting God to repent, their bodies joining the Church of Light.

    As a result, the number of priests in the Church of Light had remained at a few thousand, a relatively small number among other church branches, even with many people wanting to join.

    Because of this strange behavior, rumors circulated in Victoria that only those most devout to God were qualified to follow the Saint.

    …In a sense, this wasn’t wrong.

    However, under the Harbinger leader’s orders, Alyssa, the newly appointed Theologian, had no choice but to obey and expand the church.

    Due to the large scale of the expansion, they couldn’t find enough deserving sinners to instantly become Buddha, so Alyssa opened recruitment for priest positions in the Church of Light for the first time in Victoria.

    This news was a bombshell in Victoria’s religious circles. Everyone had witnessed the Church of Light’s recent rise. Regardless of the benefits, just joining it would significantly elevate one’s status.

    The recruitment ended a few days ago, bringing in nearly half ordinary people and expanding the church’s size by almost a third.

    At the same time, the number of branch churches increased significantly. Looking at the map, one could see that the combined coverage of these churches now encompassed all of Victoria.

    Clearly, Philosopher intended to use these churches for something.

    Meanwhile, among the newly recruited personnel, the intelligence network had identified several unusual Awakened Ones. Alyssa judged them to be members of the Harbingers.

    The Harbinger leaders hadn’t informed Alyssa about this, but judging from Religious’s recent actions, he seemed to be aware of it.

    …Philosopher and the others still didn’t fully trust Alyssa.

    This was normal. Theologian Alyssa was, after all, a newcomer to the Harbingers. Even the less favored Religious was a more trusted, older member.

    Speaking of Religious, after relinquishing his position in charge of the church, he hadn’t taken on any major tasks. Perhaps he was preparing for his ascension ritual, or perhaps for other reasons. In any case, he was quite idle.

    He would often visit Alyssa to discuss religious scriptures and explain things about the Awakened world, sometimes like an academic discussion, other times like he was trying to win her over.

    Luo Ling could guess Religious’s intentions. He was going to become the fourth leader of the Harbingers. If he could win over the highly talented Theologian, his influence within the Harbingers would increase.

    Where there were people, there were selfish desires. Even without infighting, power struggles would always occur in any organization, unless everyone was a saint.

    It was during this expansion that the Harbingers infiltrated the church, using the costly secret technique to steal the White Witch’s Authority again, spreading the news of a collaboration between the White Witch and the Harbingers.

    As for why the Company believed this information so readily…

    Luo Ling recalled the strange object Educator had given her after her “interview,” the Sacred Tool.

    Every time Religious visited, he would take something from this Sacred Tool. These items could mimic the White Witch’s Grotesquery aura, not just her abilities.

    This was the true purpose of this Sacred Tool, not to collect the White Witch’s power, but to simulate her aura through its connection to her.

    —The Company was well aware of the Harbingers’ secret technique. Stealing a bit of power wasn’t enough to convince the directors that the two powerful enemies had formed an alliance.

    Only this unique Grotesquery aura could truly confirm their collaboration, forcing the Company to divert some of their attention to this matter.

    The Harbingers likely weren’t afraid of the White Witch’s retaliation, as the Grotesquery aura was being simulated by church organizations throughout Victoria.

    If she wanted to kill them, she could. It would further exhaust the Company, forcing them to deal with a rampaging High-Risk Grotesquery.

    As long as they could divert the Company’s attention at this crucial moment, the Harbingers’ objective would be achieved.

    Unaware that the “White Witch” had already planted a piece within the Harbingers, Philosopher’s calculations were quite thorough, their little scheme working perfectly.

    “So, I’ve been played…”

    Luo Ling’s eyes flickered. Even with her advantage in the shadows, she was still somewhat naive compared to these old foxes, easily used as a neutral pawn.

    However, using her came at a price.

    This was true for both the Company and the Harbingers.

    The Harbingers’ success was partly due to Cheng Jianming’s death.

    If Cheng Jianming hadn’t died, the Incubation Barrier nodes throughout Victoria would likely be in place.

    The Company, holding the initiative, wouldn’t worry about an alliance between the White Witch and the Harbingers. They could simply risk initiating a collapse, putting the Harbingers at a disadvantage.

    But now, with Cheng Jianming dead and the Incubation Barrier nodes incomplete, the Harbingers could seize the opportunity to turn the tables. Unfortunately… they had used the wrong piece and made the wrong move.

    However, it had to be said that the game between the two sides was extremely dangerous. The slightest misstep could be fatal.

    Just as Luo Ling finished browsing the key information in Alyssa’s memory, her Mass was also coming to an end.

    After Alyssa descended from the pulpit, Religious, as always, was waiting for her behind the scenes in the central hall. Seeing the wheelchair approaching, he quickly went to greet her.

    “Saint Alyssa, you’ve worked hard. How are you feeling today?”

    “Thank you for your concern, sir. It’s the same every day. I’m used to it.”

    Alyssa smiled gently, nodding slightly at Religious, then skillfully wheeled herself towards the back of the hall.

    Religious quickly followed, entering the prayer room with Alyssa.

    A barrier had been erected around the prayer room. Only now could Religious and Alyssa reveal their true identities and converse as Harbingers.

    A joyful smile finally appeared on Religious’s face. “Theologian, the leaders have brought good news.”

    “Oh? Mr. Religious, please elaborate.”

    Luo Ling, now controlling Alyssa, was immediately intrigued.

    “You’ve done an excellent job with the tasks assigned to you. Educator is very pleased. These are extraordinary times, and you’ve been exceptionally promoted. I can now tell you more about the Harbingers’ secrets.”

    The joy on Religious’s face was genuine. He believed that Saint Alyssa, the Theologian, was firmly on his side. Her promotion was naturally good news.

    “Thank you, sir.”

    Luo Ling’s expression remained calm, her smile unchanged. For Alyssa, this wasn’t something to be overly excited about.

    However… getting closer to the Harbingers’ core at this time was indeed good news for Luo Ling.

    Religious took out a parchment scroll, an ancient ring, and a dagger as exquisite as a work of art.

    “These are the Harbingers’ unique secret techniques, allowing us to utilize power far beyond our own, but at a price. Use them wisely.”

    Religious first handed the parchment to Luo Ling. After receiving it, she scanned it briefly, her expression turning serious.

    The scroll detailed how to inscribe rituals, construct inspiration circuits, perform sacrifices, and avoid being completely consumed by the Grotesquery’s price.

    The Harbingers’ ability to contend with the Order-side organizations despite their smaller numbers was largely due to these secret techniques.

    With these techniques, even a Mid-Order Awakened One (Fourth to Sixth-Order) could threaten a High-Order Awakened One (Seventh-Order and above).

    But the slightest mistake could be fatal.

    “However, the Company seems to have similar secret techniques. Cheng Jianming used one before his death, seemingly more complete… So, is this a modified version?”

    Luo Ling calmly put away the parchment. Next, Religious presented the ancient ring, carefully holding it before Luo Ling and saying,

    “This is a Taboo Ring, containing a trace of a Taboo’s power. Used in conjunction with the secret techniques, it allows one to briefly wield a Taboo’s Authority… However, it must be used with extreme caution.

    “The path of Taboo is irreversible. Even with your talent, it would be difficult to fully control it, unless—”

    Religious suddenly realized he had said too much, pausing before continuing, “You’ll understand later. For now, keep the Taboo Ring safe. It could save your life in a critical moment.”

    “Wow, even Taboo items, given to ordinary members. The Harbingers are truly the Company’s greatest enemy.”

    Luo Ling sighed inwardly, accepting the ring and hiding it.

    She had an idea: if she Devoured this ring, would she further develop her Naraku form or gain a new form?

    The former would be a waste. A trace of Taboo power was definitely more useful than mere sustenance. The latter would be excellent, but… Taboo existences were probably difficult to fully control.

    Her Naraku form was already somewhat unruly, often malfunctioning when using its abilities…

    The last item, as expected, was a Sacred Tool.

    Judging from Religious’s envious gaze, this wasn’t something every new Harbinger member received.

    Sacred Tools were precious everywhere, and the Harbingers were no exception.

    Religious reluctantly handed the dagger Sacred Tool to Luo Ling, his envy unconcealed. “Theologian, this is a Sacred Tool bestowed upon you by Educator himself, called ‘Lifebreath.’ Explore its abilities and usage yourself.”

    Religious couldn’t help but add,

    “Sacred Tools are extremely precious. Ordinary Awakened Ones might never obtain one in their lifetime, even I only possess half of one… Educator has high hopes for your future, hence such a generous gift.”

    Luo Ling, who possessed several Sacred Tools and had the backing of a master Sacred Tool crafter, nodded in agreement. She also felt that Sacred Tools were precious. This showed Educator’s favor towards Alyssa.

    “Educator is too kind. I am unworthy of such a gift.”

    Luo Ling accepted the dagger without any hesitation.

    After sensing it briefly, it seemed to be crafted from a Silent Demise Path Sacred Relic, but the crafting technique was ingenious, giving the Sacred Tool Myriad Path characteristics.

    In reality, it shouldn’t be called a dagger. It was a staff crafted in the shape of a dagger, its primary function being healing, quite fitting for Alyssa’s abilities.

    After presenting the “welcome gift,” Religious’s expression turned serious. “Theologian, now that you’ve officially joined the Harbingers, there are some more important tasks… that must be entrusted to you.”

    He pointed to the shrine beside them, saying gravely, “The matter of the White Witch must be handled by you… From now on, you are the White Witch’s Apostle. Use this Sacred Tool to activate your abilities, and it will carry the White Witch’s aura.”

    “Huh?” Luo Ling paused slightly. “I’m the White Witch’s Apostle?”

    “Of course, of course, I know you’re not. The White Witch is such a cruel devil. I know you detest her. How could you become her Apostle?” Religious quickly said. “It’s just that the Harbingers are currently implementing some plans that require you to… put on a small disguise and cooperate, understand?”

    Religious had explained most things about the Awakened world to Alyssa, including the White Witch’s atrocities, naturally from the Harbingers’ perspective.

    In his narrative, the Company was the greatest villain in the world, the evil organization preventing them from saving the world.

    …Although Luo Ling felt the two organizations were equally bad, birds of a feather.

    “May I ask, what do I need to do?” Luo Ling asked calmly.

    Hearing the Theologian’s reply, Religious finally relaxed. He had worried that she would refuse to become the White Witch’s Apostle, even if it was just an act.

    “Act secretly as the White Witch’s Apostle to divert the Company’s attention. During this time… the Harbingers absolutely cannot be disturbed.”

    Religious thought for a moment, then lowered his voice further. “To be precise, I cannot be disturbed. I can’t tell you the details now, but you’ll understand later.”

    Religious couldn’t help but smile. Educator had repeatedly warned him not to reveal his upcoming ascension to the fourth leadership position, so he had been keeping it bottled up.

    Finally, he found an opportunity to hint at it, even just a little, to relieve his pent-up feelings.

    To Luo Ling, who knew the inside story, these words undoubtedly revealed the Harbingers’ plan.

    “It seems they need to distract the Company to prevent them from interfering with Religious’s ascension,” Luo Ling thought, a faint smile appearing on her lips. She nodded. “Alright, I agree. However… I can impersonate the White Witch’s Apostle, but not as the Saint.”

    “Of course, of course. The Saint shouldn’t be an Apostle of a devil, even I wouldn’t agree to such an arrangement,” Religious said. “You just need to secretly leave traces of the White Witch in various locations in Victoria. As for how… that’s up to you.”

    After giving these instructions, Religious stood up to leave.

    But then, Luo Ling suddenly remembered something and called out to him, “By the way, Mr. Religious, may I ask a rather presumptuous question?”

    “Hmm?” Religious paused. “Ask away.”

    “Which Path do you belong to?” Luo Ling asked.

    “That’s not presumptuous at all. I can tell you directly,” Religious said with a smile. “I’m an Other Shore Path Awakened One. As for my specific ability… that would be presumptuous.”

    They weren’t close enough to reveal such details.

    “Mmm, I understand,” Luo Ling said thoughtfully.

    “What’s wrong, Saint Alyssa? Is there something you need me to clarify?” Religious asked, his expression turning serious.

    “Shouldn’t all Other Shore Path ability users belong to the Speakers?” Luo Ling asked.

    “Indeed, so I am also a member of the Speakers,” Religious said calmly. “However, I joined the Speakers after joining the Harbingers, so I’m considered an external member—although almost everyone in the Speakers, besides the Four Harbingers, is an external member.

    “Almost all Speakers members have other affiliations, even members of the wicked Company.”

    This was new information to Luo Ling. She knew the Speakers were a mixed bag, but she hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.

    Judging from this, Religious should be a Mid-Order Awakened One (Fourth to Sixth-Order), not a High-Order Awakened One, at least not before.

    Other Shore Path Awakened Ones were notoriously difficult to promote. Only the Four Harbingers within the Speakers were High-Order Awakened Ones.

    “Saint Alyssa, any other questions?” Religious asked.

    “No more. Be careful, sir,” Luo Ling said calmly.

    Religious bowed slightly and hurriedly left.

    “A Mid-Order Awakened One attempting a forced ascension ritual? It seems these three months… were spent preparing for this,” Luo Ling thought, watching Religious leave the cathedral through her Spore vision, her expression darkening. “And this ascendant happens to be an Other Shore Path Awakened One.”

    Philosopher’s hidden Path was Present.

    The other end of the Other Shore.

    Luo Ling couldn’t believe there wasn’t some hidden connection between the two.

    “It seems ‘sacrificial lambs’ are also quite popular within the Harbingers,” Luo Ling said, tapping her fingers on the table, a sneer appearing on her lips. “Truly worthy of being ‘branches of the same root.’”

  • Second Time Around, the Villainous Daughter Decides to Indulge First 63

    Chapter 63: Caution

    “Well said!”

    The flattery made young Diana beam. “What’s your name? Tomorrow, you’ll replace Vermin. Stay by my side. I need talented people like you, not a bunch of incompetent fools!”

    “Ah! Your Highness!”

    Vermin, standing beside them, hadn’t expected to be replaced so easily. He protested, “I’ve been with Your Highness for so long, am I not as good as this newcomer?!”

    “Shut up, weakling! I feed you, I clothe you, and you can’t even bark when I tell you to bite. What use are you?!”

    Diana was fed up with these idiots; together, they weren’t as useful as Caramy’s silver tongue.

    “Useless! Idiots! You dare bark at me? Get out of my sight!!”

    The furious little princess even forgot her favorite “weakling” insult, a testament to her followers’ incompetence.

    “Please calm down, Your Highness. I am Caramy Godfrey, and it’s my honor to be Your Highness’s dog.”

    “Mm, you’re quite clever! Very enthusiastic, you have potential!”

    Diana wanted to pat Caramy’s shoulder, but her hand stopped mid-air, unable to reach. She awkwardly left it there.

    Caramy understood and half-knelt, allowing the ritual to proceed.

    “But it doesn’t matter if you’re a dog or not. I want that weakling to become my footstool, understand?”

    “Of course, I’m willing to offer my wisdom and go through fire and water for Your Highness,” Caramy said with a smile.

    From afar, Lena overheard their conversation.

    The naive princess didn’t realize she had already exposed her secrets to Lena, nor did she know that the lackey offering her advice was actually Lena’s subordinate.

    Diana was talented in managing internal affairs, but only on a national scale.

    Her age was her only weakness, and Lena intended to exploit this, both mentally and physically.

    She couldn’t let this tiger return to the mountain; Lena had witnessed Diana’s future power.

    The Eye of the Empire intelligence organization alone covered half the world, the information it gathered providing immense benefits to the hero’s party, some even invaluable, the core of their operations.

    Lena didn’t want Diana to become an obstacle to her revenge, so she had to be cautious and ruthless.

    Mercy to the enemy was cruelty to oneself. One “Angel” was enough.

    Lena would make Diana pay for the suffering she had endured in her past life, tying her to the bed and playing with her little feet!

    Whether she cried or laughed, begged or screamed, Lena was determined to have her way with Diana’s white-stockinged feet.

    “Master, your smile is terrifying.”

    “Do I look like a devil?”

    “…Well, I haven’t seen a devil, but a devil probably isn’t as beautiful as Master, so I don’t think so.”

    “Such sweet words.”

    “My lips aren’t the only sweet thing, my Master. You can taste even sweeter places… my dearest Master…”

    “You’re irresistible, kiss~”

    …

    Meanwhile, Caramy delivered his prepared speech:

    “I’ve investigated. To deal with Lena, my schemes alone aren’t enough. The key lies with Your Highness.”

    “Me?” Diana listened with boredom, her toes tapping the ground.

    Her delicate feet, clad in lace ankle socks, were adorned with light pink lolita-style heels. As a gentle breeze blew, her skirt fluttered, revealing long, slender legs that would make any foot fetish enthusiast drool. The pink ribbons tied around her thighs were cute and alluring.

    Diana’s appearance on the Imperial Beauty Ranking at such a young age wasn’t solely due to her status as a princess. Her reputation as the Imperial Flower wasn’t undeserved.

    Her beauty alone had made her the youngest Imperial Flower in history, and coupled with her royal status, she was naturally the subject of widespread praise and publicity. So, among the commoners, there were many admirers of the Imperial Flower, while the second and third places paled in comparison.

    However, Caramy wasn’t among them. He had been tormented by the cruel devil to the point of apathy. Even if a naked beauty stood before him, he wouldn’t bat an eye.

    “Hmph~ As expected, I have to do everything myself. Otherwise, you incompetent weaklings wouldn’t understand my brilliance!”

    Diana puffed out her chest, hands on her hips, her expression smug.

    “Alright, tell me, what should I do? If you do well, I can make you a member of the Imperial Guard, a height ordinary people can only dream of reaching.”

    She looked down at Caramy, increasingly satisfied with him.

    Caramy suppressed the urge to slap the little brat, saying respectfully, “Your Highness, imagine if you could defeat Lena in her area of expertise, making that notorious figure completely submit to you, becoming your slave, your victory would become her lifelong nightmare.”

    His proposal was good, filled with imagination.

    But Diana wasn’t a fool, and she immediately became suspicious. “How am I supposed to fight her?! Has your brain been infected? How can I possibly defeat Lena?!”

    Caramy broke out in a cold sweat. “Your Highness’s strength is undeniable…”

    “What are you saying?!”

    Diana’s voice rose, her suspicion turning into doubt.

    “Uh, I mean…”

    Caramy’s mind raced, flipping through the notes Lena had given him, which contained all the key points for dealing with Princess Diana. The most important one was “praise.”

    And the praise had to be subtle, yet noticeable.

    “I’m not suggesting Your Highness confront Lena directly. After all, Lena has already shown her disrespect by ignoring Your Highness’s invitation to the ball. Such an ignorant fool isn’t worth Your Highness’s personal attention!!”

    “…”

    “Your Highness can approach this from a different angle. Think about it, besides her professional rank, what else is Lena good at?”

    “You mean…”

    Diana’s eyes lit up, her violet eyes like a vast field of flowers.

    “Yes, just as Your Highness has surmised.” Caramy, seeing the opportunity, presented two pills. “After taking the blue pill, Lena’s mind will be under Your Highness’s control. You can make her do anything. The red pill is for Your Highness to take; both are necessary. Of course, this is just my first plan, Your Highness can choose.”

    “Heh, mind control, a trick played out by the powerful.” Diana took the pills, examining them. “Only two?”

    “Two is enough,” Caramy said confidently.

    “How can you ensure Lena will take it? And what if it doesn’t work on her?”

    “Please rest assured, Your Highness. Except for those specializing in mental power, no one can resist mind control drugs. These prohibited drugs are originally used for patients with brain damage, to control their thoughts. When used on normal people, the effect only lasts for a day and doesn’t cause any serious side effects.”

    Caramy explained, his throat feeling dry from reciting the long speech, especially while maintaining a facade of loyalty.

    However, seeing that Diana still didn’t seem convinced, Caramy decided to switch to his backup plan.

    Fortunately, Lena had given him a second option, so he wasn’t worried!

    “As for how to make Lena take the drug, we need someone’s help.”

    “Who?” Diana dropped the pills, her interest piqued.

    Caramy smiled, the fish finally taking the bait. “A member of the hero’s party, Vanessa Cavendish.”

  • Captivating Beauty 68p1

    Chapter 68 p1

    The traffic was surprisingly light, and they reached the studio ahead of schedule. As soon as they arrived, Xinxin hurried over, phone in hand, excitedly recounting the latest developments on Weibo.

    Shen Shu went to get her makeup done, and Tong Jia took the phone.

    Several hashtags were trending:

    #SelfShippingIsTheBest

    #XiaChunWeibo

    #NanShuSuperTopic

    #ShengXiaSuperTopic

    “Xia Chun reposted it?” Tong Jia asked, opening Xia Chun’s Weibo. She had reposted the pinned giveaway post from the “NanShu” super topic, even tagging Shen Shu.

    Xia Chun’s immense popularity meant the post quickly gained traction, the comments section exploding.

    Chun Chun is such a goddess! So kind and gentle!

    Poor thing, dragged into this mess, and now she has to help clarify things.

    This feels like shipping best friends…

    They must be close friends. They seemed to get along well before.

    Blink twice if you’re being held hostage.

    While the effect wasn’t as impactful as it could have been, it was still a gesture of support.

    Before the makeup artist arrived, Tong Jia lowered her voice. “I’m feeling conflicted. Should I thank her? She waited two days to do this. But then again, she did repost it. What do you think?” Xia Chun had reposted the giveaway before Tong Jia had given her the information about the “Sheng Xia” super topic, so it had been a deliberate act of support.

    “Let’s focus on our own work,” Shen Shu replied. She just wanted to act.

    Tong Jia nodded. “Then check this out. You and CEO Xu are trending too. She must be making a killing off this publicity.” She chuckled. “Time for CEO Xu to treat us to dinner.”

    Shen Shu took out her phone, glancing at Xia Chun’s repost before scrolling through the trending topics.

    EntertainmentGossip: #NanShuSuperTopic CPs are so hot right now! Checked out this super topic, and the giveaway amount is insane! Joining the hype train! Everyone, come get your free money!

    It was the most popular post, reposted by several other bloggers.

    NotAnInfluencer: #NanShuSuperTopic Never followed this before, but after watching that live stream, who can forget that epic takedown? CEO Xu’s kick was legendary. (If you haven’t seen it, check out my previous post! Go watch it!)

    The comments below:

    The way she told that bitch to turn off the live stream was so badass!

    For those who don’t understand, here’s a recap: Shen Shu protected her agent and got hit (not sure where, because they cut the feed), then CEO Xu, defending her wife, told the cheater to turn off the live stream… It was so hot! I was smitten!

    They’re both amazing! Relationship goals! Shen Shu is truly a goddess. Check out the video of her greeting her fans.

    A perfect match! I’m obsessed!

    Intrigued, Shen Shu clicked on the link to the blogger’s previous post, a short video of Xu Jinnan kicking Qiao Rui when she tried to grab the phone.

    As she finished watching, her finger accidentally brushed against the like button, and she paused, watching as it turned red, then decided not to unlike it.

    —

    It was lunchtime.

    Shen Shu was eating the low-fat meal Xu Jinnan had ordered for her when a shadow fell over her, blocking the sunlight.

    Tong Jia, who had been organizing some props, saw who it was and hurried over. “Xia Chun,” she said.

    “I saw the information. I wanted to explain something to you in person,” Xia Chun said, glancing at Tong Jia, then turning to Shen Shu. “I knew about the super topic, and I admit I had ulterior motives, but I didn’t know it was someone from my studio who created the giveaway.” Her candid admission surprised Tong Jia.

    She smiled faintly, glancing around, then handed Shen Shu a script, as if she had come to discuss the scene.

    Shen Shu took the script, understanding the gesture. She stood up. “I see. Thank you for telling me, and thank you for the repost,” she said, her tone polite and professional.

    “Ah Shu, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Xia Chun said, her voice sincere. “I’ve been struggling these past few days. Seeing those comments about you… it hurt me more than it hurt you. I’m sorry I didn’t defend you sooner.”

    Shen Shu paused, then shook her head. “You didn’t have to do that. You don’t have to apologize. Really.” Her voice was polite, almost distant, simply acknowledging Xia Chun’s words. She didn’t care if Xia Chun had been aware of the rumors, or what her true intentions were.

    Xia Chun’s heart ached, a heavy feeling in her chest.

    Tong Jia, sensing the tension, and afraid Xia Chun would say something inappropriate, like at the hospital, quickly interrupted. “Xia Chun, thank you for clarifying things. We believe you. We didn’t mean anything by sending you that information…”

    “I know,” Xia Chun said, looking away. “It was from CEO Xu. I understand her message. You don’t have to tell me what to do.” Her mood was dark, her voice colder than usual.

    Shen Shu’s indifference, her distance, filled her with a sense of dread she had never felt before, worse even than during the years they had been apart.

    As if she knew, deep down, that she had lost Shen Shu forever.

    Just as Tong Jia was about to speak, Tan Jie’s voice interrupted them.

    “What are you guys talking about? Sounds interesting!”

    She and her assistant walked over, smiling. “Discussing the script? Mind if I join you?” Her features were striking, her makeup enhancing her already glamorous appearance.

    With three actresses gathered together, they naturally attracted attention.

    Initially, everyone’s gaze was on Xia Chun, but after Tan Jie arrived, their attention shifted, glancing back and forth between the three women, then realizing, with surprise, that Shen Shu, despite being a newcomer, held her own against the Best Actress and the established star.

    Like a Roman vase, her beauty was both striking and subtly elegant, revealing more with each glance.

    “Just discussing a few lines,” Xia Chun said. “But we’re done now.” She exchanged a brief look with Shen Shu, then excused herself and left.

    With Xia Chun gone, there was nothing more to say.

    After a few polite exchanges, Tan Jie also left.

    “Sis, why do you even bother with them?” her assistant asked as they walked away. Tan Jie had been fuming for days after the green tea pastry incident.

    “What do you know?” Tan Jie retorted, glancing at her assistant. “If I didn’t talk to them, people would think we’re not on good terms.”

    The assistant nodded, understanding. “You’re so thoughtful, sis. But it’s not fair to you, and besides…” Shen Shu clearly disliked her… Trying to steal her wife, what did she expect?

    She kept her thoughts to herself, her words carefully chosen.

    “Sis, with your looks and talent, you can have any Alpha you want. A married woman isn’t worthy of you,” she said.

    Tan Jie stopped.

    “I’m just not willing to give up,” she said, her voice low.

    “Give up on what?” her assistant asked.

    Tan Jie took a deep breath, then didn’t reply, her thoughts elsewhere.

    —

    After lunch in the North District, Viola drove Xu Jinnan back to the office.

    Having been busy all morning, she finally had time to check her phone. Tong Jia had tagged her in the “No PDA Allowed” group chat.

    Cai Ying had added her yesterday.

    Tong Jia: [@Xu Jinnan CEO Xu, have you seen the trending topics? With all this publicity, the money’s rolling in! Time for another celebratory dinner!]

    Cai Ying: [Seconded! I’ve been craving Australian lobster, but the restaurants here are mediocre. Xu Jinnan, cook for us!]

    The rest of the messages were just their usual banter.

    Xu Jinnan: [Am I your personal chef? No.]

    She opened Weibo and checked the two super topics.

    The giveaway post on the “Sheng Xia” super topic had been deleted, and several users, clearly there only for the free money, were complaining.

    The follower count was steadily declining.

    Besides the deleted giveaway, Xia Chun’s repost had also shattered their CP dreams.

    In contrast, the “NanShu” super topic was thriving.

    The outcome was as she had expected. After discovering that someone from Xia Chun’s studio had created the “Sheng Xia” giveaway, she had known it would end this way.

    What she hadn’t expected was Xia Chun’s unprompted repost, before even seeing the information Xu Jinnan had sent her.

    As for why she had initially been uncooperative, then suddenly changed her mind, only Xia Chun knew.

    She had several unread private messages on Weibo, but she ignored them, a new notification from Cai Ying popping up.

    Cai Ying: [@Xu Jinnan Shu Shu wants to eat too! What do you say?]

    Xu Jinnan scrolled up—

    Cai Ying: [@Shen Shu Shu Shu, want some shrimp?]

    Tong Jia: [@Shen Shu Shu Shu, want some shrimp?]

    Shen Shu: [Yes.]

    Xu Jinnan chuckled, looking at the messages. [@Shen Shu Okay.]

    Cai Ying: […Gross.]

    Tong Jia: […Gross.]

    —

    Half an hour later, Xu Jinnan arrived at the office.

    As she stepped out of the elevator, she didn’t see Shen Shu, but Tong Jia, seeing her through the glass wall, waved.

    Then, she gestured towards someone beside her.

    Viola smiled at Xu Jinnan.

    “You two seem to be getting along well,” Xu Jinnan commented to Viola as she entered the office.

    “We’ve chatted a couple of times. Miss Tong is quite interesting,” Viola replied.

    Just then, Xu Jinnan’s phone vibrated, interrupting their conversation.

    It was a call from an unknown number.

    She usually didn’t answer calls from unknown numbers, but for some reason, she felt compelled to answer this one. She put the phone to her ear, not speaking.

    Viola opened her office door for her.

    “Is this Xu Jinnan?” a woman’s voice asked.

    As Xu Jinnan closed the door behind her, muffling the sounds from outside, the woman’s voice, slightly distorted by the phone’s speaker, became clearer.

    It was a young voice, soft and hesitant, the background even quieter than Xu Jinnan’s office. The silence after she spoke reminded Xu Jinnan of a frightened rabbit hiding in the bushes, its heart pounding.

    Xu Jinnan stopped at the doorway. “Yes, who’s this?”

    “I…”

    “Where is she? Where did she go?” another voice, harsher and more demanding, interrupted.

    Then, the line went dead.

    Even though the first voice had been brief, Xu Jinnan recognized the second one – Xu Lian.

    She walked over to her desk and sat down, her phone still in her hand.

    She didn’t call back; she had a pretty good idea who it was.

    Xu Lian had no children of her own, so the only person Xu Jinnan could think of was Li Laijia.

    But she couldn’t be sure.

    She saved the number as “Unknown.”

    If it was Li Laijia, she would call again.

    This call was both unexpected and a welcome surprise.

    While she had already asked Chen Yue to investigate Li Laijia, there was no guarantee he would find anything useful. If Li Laijia contacted her directly, it would save a lot of trouble.

    —