The tenderness in Yan Chen's eyes vanished, and he was no longer the gentle wife he once was. The AI screen showed that there was no one around the restaurant. His expressionless face was always cold and stern, but Li Wanfang had seen it many times before. She reached out and brushed aside a stray hair at her temple, and her smile became a formulaic one, with not a trace of tenderness in her eyes.
"What do you want me to say? Isn't this exactly what you want?" Yan Chen, with his usual soldierly demeanor, was unyielding in his assertiveness. Beneath his sharply defined brows were eyes as deep and piercing as a ravine, revealing a keen and incisive gaze.
During the royal coup of that year, the long-established military families Yan and Yan were both involved. Both families originally had equally deep roots, but the Yan family was implicated by many other family members, and in the end only Yan Chen's lineage remained.
This means that, although the Yan family outwardly opposes Qin Muge in the military today, Yan Zihe understands better than anyone the importance of national security and has repeatedly cooperated with the royal palace on major policy matters. This behavior naturally incurred the dissatisfaction of many other long-established families deeply rooted in the empire. As long as Qin Muge retains full control of the empire's highest authority, these people will remain uneasy.
Every move is being watched by invisible eyes, and the feeling is like sitting on pins and needles.
Li Wanfang shouldn't have been involved with these families or military and political affairs, but her life was like a play, all thanks to her acting skills.
"She's clearly latched onto the empire's biggest backer, yet you don't seem particularly happy about it. Xi'er would love to, but unfortunately, she doesn't have the luck. Speaking of which, the Yan family head's recent behavior has become increasingly unpredictable for those old fogies. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this." Li Wanfang, having worn a mask for so long, was still somewhat unaccustomed to taking it off all at once, and her gaze towards Yan Chen still occasionally carried a hint of tenderness.
Yan Chen looked away, not answering her question. The fact that Chao Ge had disappeared without a trace was now his only worry. He was always good at hiding his thoughts, and when he didn't want to speak, no one could make him open his mouth.
Feeling awkward and not in the mood to clean up the dishes, Li Wanfang walked out of the restaurant, casually tossing out a remark: "The Yan family is getting more and more boring."
She finally found someone to amuse her, but then she disappeared without a trace. Life is truly lonely.
Yan Xi was unaware that her family was hiding such a shocking secret. At the moment, she was only focused on reporting her recent situation to Yan Zihe at the Yan family home, and she also complained a lot about how Yan Chen's attitude towards her had become increasingly worse lately.
Yan Zihe was well aware of what had happened many years ago. Although he had never been able to figure out Yan Chen's attitude, several events that occurred after Yan Chaoge returned had given him some insight into Yan Chen's attitude, so he was quite open-minded about it.
After Qin Muge decided to personally lead the expedition to the front lines, the affairs of the empire were distributed among the three major families. Yan Zihe's love life was completely different from her political career. At this moment, she was also focused on the various military documents of the empire and was impatient to listen to Yan Xi's complaints.
Without looking up, he replied, "Didn't I tell you before, you can't be so short-sighted? Yan Chaoge is said to be confined to M1, but she can't escape the military's search. No matter what happened to her, she can't escape this fate."
His words were neither warm nor cold, and he concealed his emotions very well.
Yan Xi responded meekly, and although Yan Zihe didn't look up at her, she quickly composed herself. Then, she launched into a lively explanation: "Sister, you have no idea how unlucky she was! She actually took the last spaceship to M1, and that spaceship's route was wrong, taking ages to get back on track. She still missed the return trip! Could she be trying to skip her internship? This is a military order!"
Yan Zihe narrowed her eyes, but the corners of her lips curved slightly. She snorted softly, then listened attentively to Yan Xi's words and repeated her words: "Bad luck? Not necessarily."
"Whether it is true or not, she's finished this time." Yan Xi looked confident, her eyes burning with the flames of victory, already able to foresee the moment when she held the reins of power in the Yan family.
Yan Zihe's mind flashed back to the image of Yan Chaoge she had seen at the previous court ball, and she couldn't help but sigh. Yan Xi's gaze could probably only see that much.
This is her mother, who cherishes her younger sister like a precious gem.
With the Yan family's upbringing reduced to this state, where is even a trace of the Yan family's spirit?
At this moment, Chaoge, who was on everyone's mind, was sitting on the spaceship with a blank expression, listening to Luo Qinghe explain the history of the Crystalless Empire.
Yes, a leader of a P4 nebula is educating her about the history of a hostile nation, which is also her homeland.
Even the corrupted version of Chaoge couldn't withstand this kind of torment. Incidentally, their departure from Tianzi Star went exceptionally smoothly, and their rendezvous with the people from the P4 Nebula was also incredibly successful.
Chaoge also personally participated in their spatial leap from under the empire's nose to a distance of countless light-years away, instantly ending their separation from the Crystalless Empire.
Of course, while others were in the control room, she was strapped into the life pod.
The reason given was that she was too physically weak to withstand such an impact. Yes, this was the first assessment of her as 'physically weak' she had heard since arriving in this place.
Right now, Chaoge has no idea why he was forced to listen to Qinghe talk about the history of the empire for three hours just by asking a question about why he was there, and also learned that she was the marshal of the P4 Nebula.
【What happened while I was asleep? Did Qinghe kidnap me?】 After Chaoge came out of the escape pod, she was surprised to find herself in a completely unfamiliar place. Looking out the window, she felt like she was still on her way to M1 in a spaceship, but this spaceship was too advanced. Many of the instruments were military-grade!
Little Red Riding Hood is in a really tough spot. She's asking for help: What should I do if I have a master who's prone to split personality disorder and intermittent amnesia? Urgent help needed! Waiting online! _(:3)∠)_
However, Chaoge was so engrossed in her own world that she accidentally blurted out the second half of the question she had asked Little Red Riding Hood. As a result, she could only watch helplessly as Luo Qinghe smiled warmly and nodded in agreement: "Yes."
Chaoge: ...This plot development is too fast for me to handle.
All she wanted to do was ask Qinghe what had triggered her and how Qinghe had started giving her history lessons!
【I feel like I've forgotten something very important.】Chaoge said this seriously to Little Red Riding Hood in her mind while Qinghe was speaking, trying to think about the logic behind her previous words and pick out the words related to Qinghe.
Little Red Riding Hood: ...You did forget something very important, but once again! You grabbed the wrong thing! The important thing!
On January 6th, 2017 (the 4017th year of the Hongli era), Little Red Riding Hood died.
Fifteen minutes later, Chaoge couldn't take it anymore. She felt like every hair and every cell in her body was screaming for liberation!
"Qinghe, I can see you've got a good grasp of Imperial history, but can we change the subject? Like, how did you suddenly become the, uh, Marshal of the P4 Nebula?" Chaoge interrupted her friend's narration with a forced smile, sat down on the metal stool, and turned to look at Luo Qinghe sitting next to her.
Luo Qinghe looked at her and saw that she was different from before she fell asleep. She had thought that she would have to face such a troublesome Chaoge for a long time, and she had even made preparations. She did not expect that Chaoge would return to normal after taking a nap.
Aside from a slight memory problem, fortunately it's not a major issue.
Luo Qinghe suddenly reached behind Chaoge's head, placed her hand on the back of her head, leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Her smile was still gentle, and her eyes held a hint of warmth as she said, "My father is dead."
Oh...wait! What did you say?! This isn't right at all!
Are all bosses these days using bizarre logic?! Why the hell did I have to ask that question?! QAQ Is it too late for me to retract the message now?!
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to ask that..." Because the words she heard were so shocking, Chaoge subconsciously forgot about the light kiss on her forehead just now, and her expression became a little awkward.
"It's alright. If you really want to hear it, I can tell you everything." Luo Qinghe's smile showed no sign of reluctance, but Chaoge seemed to see her bleeding wounds.
☆ The third sentence spoken to the big bosses in Chapter 52
Chaoge really didn't want to mention Qinghe's sad story, but the box that Luo Qinghe had sealed in the corner of her memory was still opened. The overwhelming smell of decay seemed to have been buried for hundreds of years, but in fact it was just a very recent event, as if it were yesterday.
Luo Qinghe was dressed in silver-gray, unlike the uniforms of the Crystalless Empire. The ship was unusually dark for some reason, with only her silver-gray uniform faintly reflecting the light from some unknown planet outside the window. She placed her hand on Chaoge's shoulder. Chaoge blinked, somewhat confused, and then felt an immense force pulling her towards Qinghe. Reflexively, she reached out to block, but couldn't resist Qinghe's strength at all.
Luo Qinghe chuckled softly, her voice echoing ethereally in the spacious room where only the two of them were. The two were already very close, and Chaoge was completely embraced by her. Because she was sitting on a chair while Qinghe was standing, she was pressed back down after being hugged.
The two were in a very strange position, but Chaoge was powerless to do anything about it. She felt that this person was becoming more and more domineering when they were on Qinghe's territory. Could it be that these were all skill points that the bosses had to acquire after they revealed their true colors?
"Before, I couldn't even get this close to you, but this is good now, isn't it?" Qinghe buried her face in her neck, speaking softly as if afraid of startling someone. Contrary to her cautious tone, her movements became increasingly forceful, until Chaoge felt it was difficult to breathe.
Chaoge looked up at the top of the ship, her lips twitching silently. "Qinghe, you're choking me to death..."
The pressure from her hands loosened, finally allowing her to breathe freely. Luo Qinghe waited a long time for Chaoge's reply, then tightened her embrace again, as if to remind her or to retaliate. Chaoge slapped her head lightly, "Fine, fine, whatever makes you happy."
"As long as you're happy?" Luo Qinghe's lips curled up slightly. She had never been so willful before, but now that she could hear it, the shackles binding her were still not loosened, and she felt even heavier.
She naturally sensed that Chaoge didn't want to touch on her affairs. It seemed that these things were destined to be buried in the corner of her memory. Only the feelings she had on that day had not faded at all over time, but had almost become an obsession.
She still remembers that afternoon when she returned home. The strong smell of rust filled the room and stained the large expanse of cold white floorboards red.
I hate the Crystalless Empire, I hate everyone who drove it to its death, I hate this dark world.
You are the only light in my life.
She murmured softly, "You don't know my hatred..." Her voice was as light as willow catkins, drifting away in the wind and disappearing without a trace. But those willow catkins landed deep in Chaoge's heart, as if taking root firmly, drawing blood instantly.
Without asking, Chaoge knew there must be more to Qinghe's father's death than met the eye. She reached out and gently patted Qinghe's back, her hand touching the cold fabric of the military uniform. All the words of comfort she uttered turned into a long sigh. She sighed not only for her own plight but also for Qinghe's unfortunate fate.
Upon hearing her sigh, Luo Qinghe became somewhat displeased, tilting her head upwards and kissing Chaoge's neck with her slightly cool lips, the kisses trailing towards her cheeks. Chaoge turned her head away, responding with a hint of helplessness, "Stop fooling around, Qinghe."
Upon hearing this, Luo Qinghe immediately leaned close to her lips and said, "You don't like me." She used a statement of fact, demonstrating that she understood Chaoge's feelings even better than Chaoge herself.
【Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss! Give me a kiss!】 Little Red Riding Hood, always eager to stir up trouble, was excitedly shouting in Chaoge's mind, seemingly oblivious to her owner's depressed mood.
[If you keep egging me on, believe me, I'll crash your computer in the next mission!] Chaoge replied irritably, trying to break free from Luo Qinghe's grasp, but to no avail, and could only helplessly let her do as she pleased.
"Qinghe." Luo Qinghe kissed her lips, and she looked down at her clothes. "Don't do this..." Before she could finish speaking, she was silenced by Luo Qinghe's kiss. The sharp pain made Chaoge close her eyes and frown.
After a long time, she ultimately did not take it any further.
Luo Qinghe released her, straightened up, and took two steps back. Luo Qinghe's gaze fell directly on Chaoge's face, like a sharp knife, piercing her so deeply that she could almost feel the pain.
"You're so ruthless. Did you know I wouldn't force you? Chaoge, you're so cruel." Luo Qinghe took a few steps back, seemingly unable to bear the situation any longer, and finally turned and left.
Chaoge was left sitting there alone, turning her head to look out the window of the warship. The vast universe was still there, and in such a tranquil moment, it seemed that even the passage of time could not be felt.
【Qin Muge's favorability towards you has increased by five points!】 Little Red Riding Hood suddenly exclaimed in Chaoge's mind in surprise. Had even it finally begun to doubt its own system's detection capabilities?
The farther away you are from someone, the higher their favorability rating becomes—Chaoge was beyond exasperated with Little Red Riding Hood's behavior. She rested her elbow on the window, chin in hand, gazing out. [Don't you even think I'll end up liking one of them?]
【Huh? Oh, do you have other targets? Let me check your save file to see who you've been in contact with.】 Little Red Riding Hood was clearly not understanding Chaoge's response and decided to check her memory module, somewhat confused.
Chaoge gave a slight smile, her gaze returning to the magnificent view outside the window, her eyes devoid of warmth: "I won't choose anyone."
I have no intention of playing along with your game, nor do I plan to stand by and watch. What I want to do is leave as soon as possible. Because this world is truly too cold, cold to the core.
"Who?" Chaoge didn't even turn her head, but asked after hearing Little Red Riding Hood's reminder. Logically speaking, Qinghe wouldn't allow just anyone to enter her place. Anyone appearing at this time either had the authority to do so, or Qinghe had given her permission.
The person walked silently, and when Chaoge turned around and saw a familiar face from recently, she couldn't help but wonder why Qinghe was playing this trick again: "Qing..."
"So you are Yan Chaoge, the person the Marshal kidnapped from the Crystalless Empire?" The newcomer, using the face that Qinghe, whom Chaoge knew well at the academy, was impersonating, looked Chaoge up and down, his disdain obvious.
It seems that Qinghe impersonated her to enter Yuandu, which means—Chaoge turned to look at her: "Sikong Yufu, if this name is correct, you are P4's spy planted in the Empire?"
Sikong Yufu was wearing a military uniform similar to Luo Qinghe's. Chaoge noticed, by the light, that her epaulets were slightly different from Qinghe's, and the decorations on her sleeves were also different. This was probably the way to distinguish the different ranks in the P4 Nebula.
"Your brains are alright, but I wonder if your strength matches your intelligence." She gripped her left wrist with her right hand and looked directly at Chaoge. Chaoge was somewhat surprised, blinked, and wondered, "What, are you going to beat up the prisoner?"
Are the inhabitants of the P4 Nebula really, as rumored, people who admire primitive, violent aesthetics?
Seeing that Chaoge did not rise to fight, Sikong Yufu sneered, "As expected, the people of the Wujing Empire are giants in thought but cowards in action. If the descendants of the three major families are like this, then the others are even less of a threat."
Chaoge didn't want to remind her of the consequences of underestimating her opponent, and she had no intention of accepting the challenge. Moreover, in a sense, she wasn't even a subject of the Crystalless Empire, so there was no need for her to take that conclusion personally.
Unexpectedly, when Sikong Yufu's provocation failed, she became somewhat annoyed and stomped her foot in frustration. The next second, she charged straight at her.
Her attack trajectory and path were all within Chaoge's prediction range, and she dodged in time, blocking her subsequent combo. Chaoge only used basic self-defense techniques to deal with her opponent's punches and kicks, and she didn't have enough ability to cope with them at all. Moreover, Sikong Yufu's strength was beyond anything she had ever known before.
Qin Muge and Luo Qinghe were one thing, but this random person just came along and beat her to a pulp? How is she supposed to save face as the main character?
"[The promised five-star power was all a lie, Little Red Riding Hood, I'll remember you.]" Chaoge's breathing became increasingly unsteady, and she struggled to cope. However, she saved more of her power for verbal attacks: "So, you're Sikong Yufu, right? I think what you're doing is really wrong. Even your marshal couldn't bear to lay a hand on me. If she finds out about this, you'll probably die... uh." Before Chaoge could finish speaking, she was struck in the abdomen with an elbow strike. Instantly, as if swept away by a giant log, her back slammed heavily against the cabin wall. Her internal organs churned violently, her vision blurred, and her stomach churned.
Feeling somewhat exhausted, she raised her hand to cover her lips, using her last bit of strength to suppress the urge to vomit.
"You're already a prisoner, and you still dare to threaten me? Just because of you, you've disrupted our entire Nebula's war plan. Killing you wouldn't be an exaggeration." Sikong Yufu still walked silently, but as she approached, it was as if she were stepping on the Grim Reaper's scythe, and that blade was getting closer and closer to Chaoge's neck.
[What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you deliberately provoke her?] Little Red Riding Hood was very puzzled by her behavior. In her understanding, Chaoge was never someone who would seek death.
"They're just bored and have nothing better to do." A glint flashed in Chaoge's eyes as she looked up at Sikong Yufu, her smile turning playful.
☆ The fourth sentence spoken to the big bosses in Chapter 53
Often, the protagonist's luck is revealed at the most crucial moment; otherwise, how could the protagonist's incredible survival be demonstrated? →v→
In Chaoge's case, the previous beating wasn't the main issue; the crucial point was that another beating would be fatal for her. That's why a savior had to appear this time.
"What are you doing now?!" The voice came from a boy. Chao Ge smiled, her eyes reflecting the handsome young man who had come to her rescue. However, this boy hadn't come out for Chao Ge's sake, but out of concern for Sikong Yufu.
When Sikong Yufu saw the newcomer, her arrogant and domineering expression narrowed, but she showed no fear. She first breathed a sigh of relief, and then straightened her body again with a defiant air.