Ling Tianji's face turned pale instantly. This time, he made no attempt to hide his gaze, staring intently at Yan Chaoge and Xue Congyi in the distance, as if he wanted to stare a hole through them before he would stop.
[Ding~ Ling Tianji has added you to his list of enemies.] Little Red Riding Hood, always eager to stir up trouble, showed up and deliberately chose an adorable child's voice, as if afraid Chaoge wouldn't know who had been looking at her earlier.
Good heavens! Qin Muge, what did you say?! Why are your guards all looking at me like I'm going to eat you alive?! General, please! Stop! This is ridiculous!
#I have a peculiar way of attracting hatred#
#General Qin has been consistently on the path of drawing hatred towards me#
#On the pressure that national idols exert on innocent people#
Chaoge casually got up and walked towards what appeared to be an open-air balcony in the distance. She absolutely did not want to linger in Qin Muge's sight again. That was the captain of her personal guard! The captain of her personal guard who could easily kill her with a flick of his wrist!
As if sensing the resentment emanating from her, Qin Muge tilted her head, looked at the group of people around her who were either pretending not to hear or pretending not to understand, and slowly uttered, "Ah, just kidding."
Royal Guard: ...General, please stop joking! Bringing up something like this is absolutely terrifying! It could make your heart stop beating instantly!
☆ Chapter 26: The Twenty-Sixth Evaluation of General Qin
In such a formal setting, running around is absolutely taboo. Don't you see, countless female or male protagonists in time-travel novels have run into their love interest or stumbled upon a massive conspiracy simply because they ran around in these kinds of places, and then the story could easily expand to tens of thousands of words.
Wait a minute, who is that person? Just as Chaoge was thinking to herself and Little Red Riding Hood that something was bound to happen at this kind of ball, she saw a somewhat familiar figure walk past her.
"So now you're ready to develop a 100,000-word plot for me, just as you said before?" Little Red Riding Hood wanted to stay silent and just watch her court disaster, but since she didn't dare to guess the extent of Chaoge's self-destructive tendencies, she felt that as a responsible high-level system, she still had to speak up.
That makes so much sense that I'm speechless.
But why was Qinghe here? Chaoge's gaze involuntarily followed the person's back as it moved into the distance. A man had appeared to Chaoge's right at some point, walking along a path in the garden to the right. Chaoge turned her head, and her view was immediately blocked.
[Oh dear, I got so nervous I forgot I had a cheat code. Little Red Riding Hood can just scan that person to check their identity.] She stepped back a little and gave the other person a polite smile, saying this to Little Red Riding Hood in her mind.
[It's not Luo Qinghe.] Little Red Riding Hood quickly sent the character information.
Character: Sikong Yufu
Identity: Descendant of a military soldier
Gender: Female
Strength: Eight stars
Character appearance: [Click to view]
Other information: None available.
What does the power of eight stars mean? It's equivalent to the strength of a captain in Qin Mu's personal guard. Is it true that these days, extraordinary people often emerge from humble backgrounds, and even the descendants of ordinary military soldiers are this powerful?
As Chaoge walked back, she muttered to herself, "That's not right..." She still wanted to see what that guy looked like. Turning around, the man who had blocked her view was now looking at her with a gentle smile.
"Is there anything I can help you with, beautiful lady?" As if he could see through her intention to turn back, the man dressed in ordinary military uniform asked politely.
"Ah, it's nothing, thank you." Chaoge thought for a moment, it was rather strange to grab a stranger and ask if they had seen a passerby, so she could only give a polite smile, nod, and turn to leave.
But the man didn't seem to notice that Chaoge wanted to turn away. He looked like a gentle and harmless middle-aged man, looking at Chaoge as if he were a junior. After a pause, he sighed and said, "It's so nice that the general can hold such a ball. Since I came back from the P4 Nebula, I have been grateful that I am still alive countless times."
[Holy crap, Little Red Riding Hood, what expression should I make? This seems like a really tragic story.] Chaoge had no idea what the other person was referring to, and could only try her best to match his emotional expression. Heaven knows why this sentimental old man wanted to talk to her about such a life-or-death matter.
Why do I only encounter weirdos at a dance party? I definitely shouldn't go out today.
Seemingly realizing that Chaoge was unaware of the P4 Nebula, his smile remained unchanged as he naturally changed the subject, "It is truly a blessing from heaven to meet such a beautiful person today. Would I have the honor of inviting you to dance?" He bent down slightly and extended a hand to her, his invitation perfectly executed.
But—[Little Red Riding Hood, help! You promised not to dance! Won't it embarrass our family if I say no now? I don't care, I'd rather die than submit.] Chaoge's inner turmoil was intense, her expression on her face was on the verge of collapse, only maintaining a final stiffness.
Then she looked at the person, then at his outstretched hand, and just gave a slight smile, "I'm really sorry, I can't dance."
"Oh, that's truly my misfortune. It seems to be my greatest happiness today to chat with a young lady like you. I hope I will have the honor of meeting you again in the future." He calmly withdrew his hand, showing no sign of making Chaoge feel ashamed, and continued speaking tactfully.
【Stay away from him! Hurry up and leave!】 Just then, as he was about to say goodbye to Chaoge, Little Red Riding Hood burst out a very emotional sentence in Chaoge's heart.
Startled, Chaoge immediately took two steps back. Seeing the other person's puzzled expression, she could only blink and finally made an excuse: "Ah, I suddenly remembered that I came to find the restroom and got lost. Well, I'll go now. See you next time, Uncle."
With a swift movement, Chaoge turned around and walked away without hesitation, unaware of the darkening gaze of the person behind her, or the insect that quietly crawled out of the sleeve of her military uniform.
"Little Red Riding Hood, is your system infected?" Chaoge asked Little Red Riding Hood silently as he walked inside.
"Hmph, if you get any closer to him, I'm really going to get poisoned." Little Red Riding Hood answered Chaoge in a rare normal voice. Before Chaoge could ask what was wrong, she felt something bite her leg. She abruptly stopped to look, not realizing she was blocking a waiter's path. Just as the waiter couldn't stop in time and was about to bump into her—
Just as Qin Muge always kept her focus on Chaoge, no matter how far Chaoge went, even if she kept looking in that direction, she still knew where Chaoge was going.
At this moment, he was revealing a little bit about the P4 Nebula to Yan Chen, Yan Zihe, and other generals from the military, responding half-truthfully according to his mood.
After noticing the ridiculous achievement that Chaoge was about to accomplish, Yu Guang instantly disappeared from the sight of the military generals. There was also a centrist like Yan Chen who was trying to use data from the military's R&D department to emphasize to General Qin that the energy mines of just one planet in the P4 Nebula could ensure the vast empire's energy needs for fifty years. After rambling on and on, he looked up and realized, "Wait, where's the general?!"
Everyone looked in a certain direction, and they saw Qin Muge pull Yan Chaoge aside.
"You're so stupid, have you forgotten how to walk after just a few days?" His warm breath brushed against her ear, and his pleasant voice was as always, but the strong disdain in his voice could be heard from several meters away.
Chaoge let out a long sigh, steadying herself with the hand Qin Muge had placed on her shoulder. She didn't answer Qin Muge's question, but instead turned to look at the balcony where they had just been; it was now empty. The pale white curtains at the indoor window fluttered slightly; everything that had just happened seemed like a dream Chaoge had experienced that afternoon.
Chaoge looked down at the spot on her calf that had just hurt, but there was nothing there. The pain seemed like an illusion.
"So you've learned to ignore me now, huh? You've got some nerve." Qin Muge noticed that she hadn't been paying attention to him for a while, so he slightly pulled his hand away from her shoulder, and the two of them were almost touching.
Chaoge gasped, her shoulder throbbing with pain. She frowned, raised her chin slightly, and looked closely at Qin Muge's breathtakingly beautiful face, successfully feeling the attention coming from all directions.
"If I slap your hand away now because of shoulder pain, will I be spitting on me by everyone here after you leave?" Chaoge looked at the general with sincerity, his eyes revealing his worry for himself.
Qin Muge chuckled and replied cheerfully, "You can give it a try."
Being able to make every ordinary sentence sound threatening is a skill in itself. Chaoge knew she couldn't do that.
Qin Muge leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Come to the back hall of the palace tonight. Someone will tell you how to get there, be good." The warm breath and the deep yet still melodious voice made Chaoge feel that the gazes of the people around her were even more intense.
She agreed quickly: "Oh, okay." Anyway, I'm not going.
A sexual advance from the supreme ruler of the great empire must be righteously and firmly rejected!
Qin Muge nodded in satisfaction, released her hand, and didn't ask why Chaoge had been distracted. In her eyes, Chaoge's tendency to daydream was a unique skill.
Lan Chaoge's every move at the ball attracted a great deal of attention from those around her. Even when she took a plate of cherry tomatoes and poked at them, no fewer than eight pairs of eyes were fixed on her.
She was completely baffled. She looked up and glanced around, and in the end, Xue Congyi was the one who sat down next to her. The girl thought that they had at least a little bit of acquaintance before, so she still chose to sit down in the place closest to her.
"Yan Chaoge, that's not fair of you. You secretly got close to General Qin without telling anyone. You have to be criticized for that." The girl had completely lost her initial aloofness and winked at Chaoge like a paparazzi reporter who was professionally following Qin Muge.
Before Chaoge could continue, she added, "However, if you're willing to reveal even a little something about the general that no one else knows, I'll make you the vice-captain of our support team! The benefits are fantastic! You'll even get a salary!"
At first, Chaoge was very principled, saying that she would never be bought off by such a thing. However, when she heard the last sentence, her principle immediately shattered.
"Money! Salary!" She coughed, then very cooperatively asked, "How much is it per month?"
Being able to spend time with a great figure like the General, she actually had time to think about money! Xue Congyi was stunned by Yan Chaoge.
"Fifty thousand deep blue crystals a month," she numbly recited a number. Upon hearing this, Chao Ge exclaimed, "Holy crap, five times my living expenses! I absolutely have to join any fan club! From today onwards, I'm willing to be Qin Muge's die-hard fan!"
Looking intently into Xue Congyi's eyes, Chaoge asked, "Ask me anything you want to know!"
While Chaoge was attracting attention, Yanxi and Yanchen naturally also received some. Yanxi's gaze was the most persistently fixed on Chaoge in the entire venue. She had even prepared a mocking expression on her face when Chaoge made a fool of herself, but then she saw General Qin pulling her aside!
Did this country bumpkin drug the Great General? Her parents are one thing, but why is the ruler of the great empire paying so much attention to her? She looked left and right but couldn't find any redeeming qualities in Yan Chaoge. Yet, when she saw girls of similar backgrounds, whom she barely knew, approaching her to chat, she couldn't stop smiling. She could only endure this bittersweet mix of pain and pleasure.
Yan Chen felt the same way. Hearing his comrades in the military hint at whether he was about to take sides, he felt a headache coming on. The situation he had built up over the years seemed to have been completely ruined by Chaoge this time, making him wonder for the first time how such a terrible thing had come into being.
☆ Chapter 27: The Twenty-Seventh Evaluation of General Qin
On the other side, Si Zhongqi, who had already left the palace grounds, looked back at the massive palace building. His gentle and refined smile remained unchanged, as if that mask of civility had been ingrained in his very bones and could never be peeled off again.
"The Lord's vision is truly exceptional." He chuckled, narrowing his eyes. A green snake crawled out of his sleeve, flicking its tongue. The blood-red forked tongue contrasted sharply with its emerald green skin. It slithered up his hand to his neck, loosely wrapping around him twice.
The snake opened its mouth and spoke in human language: "The strategist has taken a very long time to go. Will he be able to bring back the lord?"
"Yes, it's time to go back," Si Zhongqi replied with a gentle smile, walking in a certain direction.
Sunlight streamed into a corner of a street wall, but the base of the wall was dark. A person wearing a cloak stood there. When Si Zhongqi approached, she reached out and took off her hood, revealing a pretty girl's face.
Si Zhongqi stepped forward and disappeared into the shadows. He knelt down before the man and bowed respectfully, saying, "On behalf of the Xingyun Military Headquarters, Si Zhongqi has come to welcome Your Majesty back."
The woman smiled, a smile as radiant as flowers blooming on branches after frost has melted, yet her eyes held no light, just as the entire world's sunshine seemed to have no effect on her. "Then, I'll trouble you, strategist."
"Yes, everything is ready. Is there anything else you haven't finished, my lord?" Although Si Zhongqi didn't want to cause any trouble, he also didn't want to try to guess what his lord was thinking. It was better to ask the questions directly.
The girl seemed to have thought of something, and her smile finally became more genuine. "Of all the strength of the Crystalless Empire, only Qin Muge is worth my attention. As for the others, I will meet them sooner or later."
If it were someone else present, they might have asked why, despite having the power to massacre the royal palace, they didn't act.
Si Zhongqi, as if he already knew the answer, nodded without saying anything more, got up and led his master along the pre-arranged route.
From this day forward, the good days of the Red Cloud Galaxy are over. The p4 Nebula has welcomed its true master, and from this day forward, the entire universe will submit to its sovereign.
The Lord's command will be the only voice that needs to be heard in this universe.
Inside the ballroom.
Chaoge was stunned by Xue Congyi's barrage of questions. She couldn't answer the more difficult ones, such as what Qin Muge's hobbies were, or the simpler ones, such as Qin Muge's height.
Xue Congyi waved her hand, indicating that none of these were problems, and gave her a month to try to find out the answers to benefit the people.
[Little Red Riding Hood, this is the first time I've shouldered such a heavy responsibility in this world, I'm so nervous.] Chaoge silently exchanged brainwave channels with Xue Congyi, then couldn't help but complain to Little Red Riding Hood in his mind.
To her surprise, Little Red Riding Hood, who always responded when she spoke, remained completely silent this time.
Holy crap, has Little Red Riding Hood completely crashed? Or is she just sleeping too soundly? [Hello, hello, is anyone there? Little Red Riding Hood, System, darling, are you there? Are you still alive?!]
However, Little Red Riding Hood was completely ignored, offering no response whatsoever. Chaoge had no choice but to lower her head and adjust her wristband; what she saw there startled her.
The AI system was like it had been infected with a virus; the screen went black and it crashed completely. The little bit of blue light went out, and it looked just like an ordinary ribbon that could be used to tie hair.
Because they had no idea how this world worked, Chaoge had no choice but to ask Xue Congyi, a local native, for help: "By the way, is it possible that the AI we're using has been infected with a virus?"
Ever since Xue Congyi learned that Chaoge was an uneducated country girl, she had been exceptionally tolerant of her. She even considered that she might need Chaoge to obtain her firsthand information, so she answered patiently, "That's impossible. The AI of the Crystalless Empire is the most advanced technology in the entire Red Cloud Galaxy, and within a distance of ten million light-years, the Red Cloud Galaxy is the most advanced in terms of technological development. No virus can invade our AI."
After listening to such an impressive AI sales pitch, Chaoge could only come to one conclusion: I'm in trouble, I'm in big trouble.
If even the descendants of the military have said so, then this matter is definitely beyond saving. Chaoge's gaze swept around the venue. There were too many groups of people gathered in the vast sea of people, and she couldn't find her father, who was a cheap gift from time travel, at a glance.
It seems that whether it's Qin Muge's 100-question interview or Little Red Riding Hood's sake, I have to go to the general's date tonight.
Oh no, she couldn't even wait until nightfall. The cheat suddenly stopped working, and she felt her paranoia was about to flare up. She had to find a safe place to stay, otherwise she really felt uneasy.
True to her word, Chaoge made up an excuse and left the venue through a side door, thinking she might be able to sneak out and have some fun. But she was stopped by a dazzlingly golden person. Golden hair, golden eyes, standing in the sunlight, her whole body seemed to radiate a halo.