The marshal, however, seemed to have a good appetite. He picked up his fork and slowly put the food into his mouth, completely oblivious to Chaoge's utterly dejected face. A smile played on his lips as he chewed his food slowly and deliberately. At first, his gaze was only on the food on his plate, but by the time he had almost finished, his eyes were already smilingly fixed on Chaoge's face.
Chaoge blinked, looked down at the untouched food on her plate, then picked up the utensils beside her. When she met Luo Qinghe's gaze, she felt a chill run down her spine for some reason. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Qinghe decisively put down her fork, reached for the food in Chao Ge's bowl, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Are you planning to protest by going on a hunger strike, or are you planning to make me feed you?"
"I don't intend to take back either!" Chaoge reached out to snatch back her fork, but Qinghe easily dodged it.
I feel like Qinghe has become increasingly bizarre lately, and it can't be just my imagination. —by Chaoge
"Let me feed you, and I might consider not letting you come to the meeting with me," Qinghe suggested with a smile, holding up her fork, her mood unusually bright.
[This side quest has incredibly generous rewards, are you really not going to consider it?] Little Red Riding Hood couldn't stand it anymore and made her presence known to Chaoge.
"Not interested at all," Chaoge replied calmly.
"I choose option three: I'll eat by myself and then go back to the lab." Chaoge stood up, walked to the place where she got the cutlery, took a fork, and finally started eating dinner.
Fifteen minutes later—
Luo Qinghe half-carried, half-dragged Chaoge back to her residence. Once she had Chaoge pressed against the door of the room, Chaoge tried to shrink back to create distance between them, pushing Qinghe's shoulder with her hand. "Qinghe, I think there should be some distance between people to create beauty. I feel very awkward when you're so close."
As she wished, Luo Qinghe released her grip. Her military boots made no sound as they touched the ground, and she took three steps back. Her eyes swept over Chaoge, her arms crossed, and a warm smile still graced her face.
Chaoge estimated the distance; her running speed after turning around and opening the door was definitely slower than Qinghe closing in again, meaning escape was hopeless.
Seeing that Chaoge showed no intention of taking any further action, Qinghe's smile widened. Her pale pink lips parted slightly, and her soft voice was tinged with amusement: "Are you reminding me to help you change your clothes, Chaoge?"
"No need, I can do it myself. You can leave now. Thank you for your cooperation." Chaoge walked past her expressionlessly. She had already seen the ironed military jacket hanging there earlier.
Since arriving here, Chaoge has hardly had any chance to wear ordinary clothes. Whether in Yuandu or Songchenxing, her daily attire is always military uniform: the military uniform she wore when she was in school, the military uniform casual wear in the research lab, and the formal attire she wears to formal meetings now.
Lately, because she's been spending all her time in the lab, she's been wearing rather casual clothes. When she thinks about going to a meeting, even if her coat is buttoned up so it's not noticeable, it's best to wear something thin and not too visible underneath.
When she was wearing only a vest, she suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck. Before she could turn around, a pair of hands appeared on her waist. The cool temperature of the hands fell on her waist, making Chaoge freeze on the spot.
"Luo, Qing, He." She put down the clothes in her hand, reached out to pry the hand that was holding her waist, turned her head and gritted her teeth as she muttered the name of the instigator.
"Hmm, that's not how a subordinate should address a superior." Qinghe's voice fell on her ear, her breath touching the back of her neck, making Chaoge involuntarily turn her head away.
Chaoge was silent for a few seconds, and just as she was about to speak again, Qinghe released her waist with one hand and covered her lips with her other hand. "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I'll go out first."
Chaoge blinked, and sure enough, the person behind her released her hands, followed by the soft sound of the door closing. Chaoge turned around and saw that she was indeed alone in the room. She frowned slightly and decided to give up on the idea of searching for Qinghe.
When she changed her clothes and went out, she saw Qinghe wearing the same military uniform without a single wrinkle. The silver-gray military uniform jacket vaguely reflected the light shining on it, and it was obvious that the material of this fabric must have a special function.
The shoulder insignia still bore the leader's mark of Songchenxing. The federal emblem would likely be decided at today's meeting. Chaoge had a feeling that today's meeting would last at least three days and three nights, given the sheer number of participating countries and people. This was one of the most impressive meetings he had ever attended.
The convening of the Juecheng Federation Conference not only caused a sensation in the p4 Nebula, but also attracted close attention from the high-ranking officials of the Red Cloud Galaxy.
Qin Muge rested her head on one hand, closed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair. Around the long table in front of her were the high-ranking officers who had participated in the frontline of this intergalactic war. The crystal projector in the center was still a pale blue, and no images were being displayed.
In the silence, her crimson lips parted slightly, and a question echoed in the room: "What's the news from P4?" Her unhurried voice, though tinged with a subtle, alluring quality, immediately piqued everyone's interest.
Min Kaiyang was absent from the meeting, leading many to speculate that he might have received some special mission. Ling Tianquan replaced him, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers interlaced and supporting his chin, exuding a languid air. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, and his sharp eyes and sword-like eyebrows made his already striking features appear even less imposing.
Hearing General Qin's question, his gaze turned to her. Although his tone was still casual, it was much more serious than usual: "There is no news yet. The plan from last time has already begun to be implemented. If nothing unexpected happens, J54 is now in Songchenxing's laboratory."
After reporting on his work, Ling Tianquan seemed to remember something and added, with a hint of disdain, "Waiting here now is pointless." Although he had tried to minimize the disrespect in his words, they still didn't sound pleasant.
Half a minute later, Qin Muge opened her eyes, her dark red eyes fixed on the screen in the center of the table. The signal had been connected the instant she opened her eyes, and it was showing a scene from the first conference of the Juecheng Federation.
Qin Muge easily spotted a familiar figure in the crowd, and a smile gradually appeared in his eyes. Thinking of the generous gift he had given to Chaoge, his mood suddenly became very good.
We've been apart for so long, Chaoge, you can't possibly not miss me.
The sergeant who inadvertently glanced up and saw the smile in her eyes couldn't help but shudder. He felt an overwhelming chill run down his spine, swallowed hard, and muttered "Damn it," wondering which unlucky soul would suffer at the hands of General Qin.
Just as Chaoge nervously followed Luo Qinghe towards the center of the venue, Little Red Riding Hood suddenly spoke in her mind: "Min Kaiyang's signal connection request, accept?"
Who are you talking about, Little Red Riding Hood?
At the same time, Luo Qinghe looked to the right, her gaze sweeping lightly over the sergeant sitting there, the smile on her lips vanishing without a trace.
【…Refuse.】After thinking for a while, Chaoge gave Little Red Riding Hood an order.
In the crowd, an ordinary sergeant sat upright with a blank expression, but his inner thoughts were not as calm as his face.
She declined the connection request.
Qin Muge stared at the figure next to Luo Qinghe in the center of the screen, her index finger tapping absently on the armrest of her chair. The barely audible tapping sound could only be heard by a few people nearby. Suddenly, she stopped tapping and silently said to herself, "Execute the plan."
Luo Qinghe sensed that Chaoge seemed to shiver, and looked at her with some confusion: "What's wrong?"
This feeling of finally meeting someone after so long... Chaoge frowned, tilted her head, and looked in the direction Qinghe's gaze had fallen, but she didn't sense anything.
"It's nothing, I'm probably just catching a cold," Chaoge lied without batting an eye.
☆ Chapter 60: The fiftieth evaluation of General Qin
Chaoge was initially on tenterhooks, worried that Qinghe would do something unexpected in front of everyone. It wasn't until she sat in the seat that Qinghe had arranged for her that she belatedly breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I laughed at myself, realizing I had been overthinking things.
"[Chao, Chaoge.]" Little Red Riding Hood stammered as she called out to her, making Chaoge's first thought that this girl was going to let her down again at a crucial moment.
"Are you stuck again?" Chaoge suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and asked this question in her mind.
"I'm sorry... I... I really tried my best!" Little Red Riding Hood blurted out this nonsensical sentence. Chao Ge's brow furrowed, and she was about to ask further, puzzled, when suddenly she heard someone's voice appear in her mind, replacing Little Red Riding Hood's—
"Long time no see, baby, did you miss me?" The languid words trailed off with a slight upturn, as if trying to steal one's soul. A simple sentence, spoken by that person, was imbued with an extremely doting and flirtatious tone, making even the air feel sticky.
If it were anyone else who heard those words, they would probably be paralyzed with fear. However, Chaoge sat stiffly in the chair, as if she had been suddenly frozen in place by some kind of spell.
It even felt as if wisps of cold air were emanating from between the bones, creeping along the veins of the flesh to the heart, then tightly binding the throbbing heat until it was completely chilled.
Chaoge's mind went blank, and she even forgot to respond. Her whole body instinctively felt cold, and the way to break the spell was because of the icy cold that came from the depths of her soul, which made her whole body tremble uncontrollably.
【Why can't I hear your voice, dear Chaoge?】 As Chaoge tried to suppress the sound of her teeth chattering, the voice she never wanted to hear again seemed to be deliberately defying her will, breaking through all her defenses and reaching the depths of her heart once more.
Don't speak... Don't let that sound come again... Don't let me hear it again!
Chaoge's brain started working faster than ever before. All the passages and routes within his field of vision entered his brain's information system in an instant, and he almost instantly thought of the best route to leave the venue.
Luo Qinghe, who was smiling and talking, noticed Chaoge's unusual behavior almost immediately out of the corner of her eye. She lowered her eyelids slightly, concealing the sadness that flashed in her eyes.
Chaoge appeared calm as she got up and walked out through a relatively hidden passage. Only she knew that the back of her shirt was probably soaked with cold sweat when she finally stepped out of the venue.
If she could, Chaoge hoped she would never see Qin Muge again. But at this moment, everything related to her inevitably surged into her mind: her long, soft black hair, the half-eye hidden by her bangs, making it impossible to guess what emotions were in those eyes at any given moment; her sensual, rosy lips, which had a fatal attraction for both men and women; and her spotless white military uniform, which perfectly highlighted the strong side of her personality.
Especially those slender, beautiful hands, which were always hidden by gloves, yet their appearance could be seen whenever there was any physical contact—
That's enough!
Chaoge shook her head, intending to throw all these images out of her mind. The consequence of not being able to control her own heart is that when you think you have forgotten that person, you will sadly find that you still remember even the terrible details clearly when you come into contact with her again.
Those memories were simply neatly arranged and piled up in a corner. When they were to be used again, the hazy dust on the surface was brushed away, and they remained intact.
The sweeter the past, the deeper the present sorrow.
Chaoge dared not stop for a moment, for fear of being caught red-handed by the ever-present Min Kaiyang, and then hearing that guy's voice again.
When she came to her senses again, she was already standing in the research lab. To calm herself down, she unbuttoned the top buttons of her somewhat restrictive coat and shirt, as if that would allow her to breathe. In front of her was a transparent screen, and opposite her, in a huge space, were the latest mecha forms that needed to be deciphered.
Chaoge recognized the model almost immediately: J56—a non-combat mech capable of carrying a large amount of energy, with dedicated internal space, serving a role similar to logistics support on the battlefield. However, if it is infiltrated or controlled by the enemy, the destruction program of the internal energy connection will be activated.
The unique bloodline possessed by the inhabitants of the P4 Nebula allows their kin's companion beasts to secrete a unique substance that influences intelligent systems. This is why the P4 Nebula was able to initially dominate the battle against the Red Cloud Galaxy, due to the Red Cloud Galaxy's advanced technology and the people's reliance on this high technology.
Chaoge doesn't yet know the transmission route of that substance, but... she was surprised that this J54 was lying intact in another country's laboratory being dismantled, but considering the capabilities of the P4 Nebula, Chaoge felt that it wasn't a big deal.
Upon reaching the control panel, Chaoge was surprised to discover that, according to the scanned data, the J54 was not carrying amorphous energy but rather an unidentified substance!
A J54 that happens to be carrying no energy source falls into the hands of P4. What secrets are hidden inside this mech?
Chaoge hesitated for more than ten seconds after raising her hand, then placed it back on the control panel. Whether it was her current responsibility or just to pass the time, she had to know what it was.
The robotic arm quickly separated the destruction program and the cube-shaped substance according to her instructions, and transported the object to the research table in the room where Chaoge was located. Since the scan showed that this was an unknown substance, it meant that this thing was at least not in the P4 records.
Chaoge had a bad feeling, but she couldn't figure out why no matter how hard she tried.
It wasn't something explosive or a terrifying weapon. Chaoge frowned and walked to the object. Suddenly, she noticed a small red dot on the silver cube. As she bent down, the thing that had been hanging around her neck slipped out of her collar.
Chaoge had long been accustomed to the presence of this thing, and often forgot that she was wearing it around her neck. But in that instant, the small red dot on the cube suddenly aligned with the thing hanging around her neck.
Chaoge hurriedly got up and retreated, but it was too late. The cube-shaped substance instantly transformed into the shape of a humanoid mecha. Although it was still within the observation area, Chaoge's expression had already changed.
She finally remembered what this substance was—a memory-deforming material exclusive to the Tianzixing royal family, refined from rare minerals unique to the Tianzixing's subsidiary planets.
As Chaoge recalled the material, the miniature mecha automatically activated its core program: "Highest authority holder information successfully entered, mission target: Yan Chaoge, space jump station construction successful... 30% energy remaining, preparing for space jump..."
Chaoge snapped out of her daze and reached for the laboratory alarm system next to her. Even faster than her was the growth of the miniature robot. Almost instantly, it broke through the outer layer of the observation vessel's confinement, and as it grew, it forcibly tore open space behind it, creating a huge black spatial rift.
The moment she touched the alarm button, the humanoid mech reached out and threw her into the central control room. Unlike the mech that was operated manually, several metal restraints automatically appeared inside the mech when she was thrown in, firmly fixing her limbs to the ground.
The laboratory alarm blared, but because Chaoge was in the innermost layer, by the time the soldiers outside rushed in, all that remained inside was the shattered observation post, and—no one at all.
The only light in front of her was the view of the external environment when the operator appeared inside the mech. Chaoge stared at that image for a long time before she realized what was happening.
She was kidnapped by an unmanned mech from a crystalless empire.
...What kind of cutting-edge technology is this?! Little Red Riding Hood, you better come out here and explain yourself!
It is clear that Chaoge's anger level is at its maximum at this moment.
[I...I...Listen to my excuses! Don't be angry! I'll confess, I'll confess everything!] Little Red Riding Hood could feel the fury of Chaoge that seemed capable of burning down the entire universe.
【I am the same kind as Min Kaiyang! He is currently in his complete form. Because your ultimate mission has not been completed, I cannot freely obtain energy, so... I can only be forced to be controlled by him qaq】 Little Red Riding Hood's sophistry left Chaoge speechless.
"So you mean it's my fault?" Chaoge was so angry she didn't know what to say.
【Okay, my bad. But don't you think the focus right now should be on the fact that you... seem to have been tricked by Qin Muge again?】 Little Red Riding Hood may have accidentally unlocked the skill of 'bringing up the most sensitive topic' during her growth.
Chaoge took three deep breaths, trying to calm his anger... but as expected, this was impossible.
She stared at the pitch-black sky above, briefly reviewing the events of the evening in her mind, and a bitter smile slowly crept onto her face.
Qin Muge knew her too well; he had predicted all her reactions correctly.
So, can I understand that you knew everything that happened to me back then, everything that happened to me in this place... but you still chose to push me into this kind of place?
As expected of the queen revered by all the people of Tianzixing, and as expected of the top position in the military.
Such thorough manipulation of people's hearts.
Chaoge couldn't imagine who could defeat such a person.