Chapter 77 Banter

Chapter 77 Banter

Xu Qingran and Mo Chengfei had a rather 'pleasant' meeting—pleasant in the most sarcastic sense.

The initial benefits far exceeded his expectations.

As Mo Chengfei put it, fulfilling Xu Qingran’s current demands wouldn’t even cover the cost of acquiring one of his smaller companies.

As their discussion concluded, Mo Chengfei received another phone call.

The identity of the person on the other end was unknown, but his tone and demeanor were unusually composed and respectful.

After hanging up, Mo Chengfei turned to Xu Qingran and asked, "I’m meeting a close business associate for dinner later. Would you like to join?"

Though puzzled, Xu Qingran thought that anyone who could dine with Mo Chengfei must be a significant figure, so he agreed.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, he followed Mo Chengfei to the reserved top floor.

At the pre-booked table sat a woman, her hair dyed a shade strikingly similar to his, styled in bold, flowing waves. Her fiery red lips and graceful figure radiated a captivating, mature charm.

Her age? She appeared to be at least ten years younger than Mo Chengfei.

Xu Qingran glanced at Mo Chengfei silently, suppressing any strange thoughts and resisting the urge to view their relationship through a colored lens.

Before sitting down, Mo Chengfei introduced him, "Qingran, allow me to introduce the Second Princess of the Kayan Empire, Mu Yesha."

Xu Qingran was momentarily stunned. He glanced at Mu Yesha again and hesitantly said, "Hello, Your Highness, the Second Princess."

The legendary research-obsessed second princess?

Her style was completely different from what he had imagined, and she seemed quite a character.

Mu Yesha stood up and shook his hand, smiling generously. "Mr. Xu Qingran, right?"

"It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard quite a bit about you, though we’ve never met."

They all sat down together.

The restaurant promptly brought out their meals.

Mu Yesha, holding a spoon, stirred the sweet and thick pumpkin soup in her bowl and said to Xu Qingran, "Lately, I’ve been tasked with overseeing matters within the Silver Dragon Battalion. I heard that my incompetent brother sent you to the Southern Continent of the Tianlong system."

Xu Qingran thought for a moment and replied, "The Southern Continent has its charms."

Mu Yesha burst into hearty laughter. "This is the first time I’ve heard an officer stationed in the Southern Continent give such a review."

"But that’s good."

"Previously, I dispatched a team to Taiyue Star for an on-site investigation. They brought back numerous samples of the local flora, fauna, and soil, which only deepened my fascination."

Mu Yesha had long harbored ambitions to extend her research into the Tianlong system.

However, she waited for years, not for the local conditions to improve, but for them to worsen. Vast swathes of territory had fallen to devil swarms, and the factions were gradually abandoning them on the surface, with officers doing nothing, forcing her plans to be temporarily shelved.

She had formally reported the neglect of Tianlong to the Silver Dragon, but likely due to the uprising among the local populace and military personnel, the empire appeared to be sending a message, tacitly condoning Tianlong’s exile.

However, after just finishing a phone call with Mo Chengfei, en route, he brought up Xu Qingran’s proposals for transforming Tianlong’s current predicament.

She was no stranger to the name Xu Qingran. She occasionally browsed the internet, but most of the time, she heard about him from people around her. The way his reputation evolved was quite remarkable. It was rare to see someone go from being criticized to being admired.

Naturally, Mu Yesha got curious about Xu Qingran too.

She said to him, "Let’s swap contact info."

"Forget the whole Tianlong system; just focusing on Taiyue Star, if you can restore 70% of it within five years, I can start building a research base there. I’ve got a lot of connections and some pull in the Silver Dragon. Whatever you need, I can hook you up."

Mu Yesha smiled, "What I’m after is pretty straightforward. Tianlong’s a great spot, and I’d love to have another base like Linglong City there."

Xu Qingran also smiled.

This was no small task.

He looked down, thinking it over for a moment, then said, "Five years?"

Mu Yesha: "Think that’s too tight?"

She set a deadline to keep Xu Qingran from slacking off with all that support.

Just as she was thinking about giving him more time, she heard him say, "No, that’s way too long."

Xu Qingran slightly curved his eyes, "If it’s just Taiyue Star, two years is all I need."

The table went quiet for a beat.

Even Mo Chengfei, quietly eating and listening, couldn’t help but glance at Xu Qingran.

After a pause, Mu Yesha chuckled, "Oh, I’ve heard the Xu family’s eldest son is pretty full of himself. Now that I’ve seen him in person, it’s true."

"But I dig your confidence."

Xu Qingran and Mu Yesha exchanged contact information.

Networking points +1.

The vibe at the table was pretty chill. Mu Yesha and Mo Chengfei also discussed pharmaceutical production and research.

After wrapping up their talk, Mo Chengfei turned to Xu Qingran with a stern face and reminded him, "I don’t trust the Silver Dragon’s current state. It’s only because you went to Shangnanzhou that I see a chance for change. Although I have a good relationship with the Qi family, if you mess up, I will settle this account with you clearly."

"Don’t let me or your grandma down."

Xu Qingran smiled, "No problem."

The meal they had tonight looked like it cost a fortune.

When it was time to pay the bill, he found out that this restaurant, located in the city center with wealthy and noble customers, also had some connection to the Mo family. Before leaving, Mo Chengfei waved his hand and had the waiter bring out the most expensive red wine from the restaurant, giving a bottle each to him and Mu Yesha.

It was said to be from the royal winery of the empire.

And the owner of that winery was a good friend of Mo Chengfei, from whom he could get a few bottles of priceless good wine every year.

Xu Qingran was so envious that he almost couldn’t resist asking for an extra bottle.

Of course, he maintained his moral bottom line quite well.

System: "..."

This was the first time it knew its host had such a thing.

Mu Yesha seemed to enjoy her wine and didn’t refuse, accepting it with excitement: "Ah, I knew you must have a few bottles stashed away here."

"Thanks a lot, Mr. Mo, I’ll make sure to treat it well!"

With that, she happily grabbed the wine bottle, clicked her red high heels, and sauntered off with a flirtatious sway.

Mo Chengfei dropped Xu Qingran off at his aircraft before they went their separate ways.

As he walked back to his aircraft, Xu Qingran couldn’t resist messaging Qi Heqian, asking about the amount of inheritance he was about to take over from the Qi family.

He wasn’t exactly a financial whiz. The assets Qi Shengxue left behind were now being managed by the Qi family. He’d heard his uncle had even set things up in advance, using the extra cash for legit investments that might’ve grown a bit lately.

Qi Heqian got back to him once he was back at the sprawling villa in Bishui Mountain Resort.

"Qi Heqian: I’ve sent the docs to your email."

Xu Qingran skimmed through it.

Suddenly, he felt at ease.

Turns out he was pretty loaded—buying up all of Shangnan Continent wouldn’t even be a stretch.

But compared to families like the Mo’s, he still had a ways to go.

Whatever.

Xu Qingran thought to himself, money wasn’t the point; for him, being a badass fighter was what mattered. If he ever ran low on cash, he could always punch his way to more.

The kind of hustle where you throw a punch if they don’t cough up the cash.

System: "Seriously?"

Xu Qingran thought for a moment, then shot Qi Heqian another message.

"Tell Third Uncle to set aside some funds—I’m looking to invest in Shangnan Continent."

"Qi Heqian: Huh??"

Xu Qingran’s trip back to the bustling star system was mostly to drop Shen Tingyu off, to keep this clingy pup from throwing another fit.

His original plan was to drop Shen Tingyu off, ‘negotiate’ with Mu Ziyu for what he needed, and head right back. But after Deputy Mao mentioned that things in Shangnan Continent were going smoothly and they were ‘missing’ him, he decided to stick around a few more days just to be contrary.

After all, he’d done everything he needed to before leaving, and he could take the opportunity to wait for Mu Ziyu to organize the first batch of resources for him to take back.

However, his vacation wasn’t exactly relaxing.

The day after meeting Mo Chengfei, Mu Ziyu—the guy he’d recently threatened—called him personally.

His tone was way friendlier this time as he asked, "Xu Qingran, when are you heading back to Shangnan Continent?"

Xu Qingran thought he was here to rush him about work again: "I’ll return when you have everything ready for me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Mu Ziyu said, "That will take some time... Since you’re idle anyway, why not contribute to the faction?"

Xu Qingran: "Mu Ziyu, what exactly do you want to do?"

Mu Ziyu coughed uncomfortably a few times, still trying to maintain his last bit of pride over the phone, using his noble tone as an imperial prince to command, "It’s just that the demon cleanup in Red City’s West 7 District, over in the Fairy Star System, is hitting a crucial point."

The West 7th District is also the result of years of strategic planning by the Silver Dragon Battalion.

Unlike the slow progress in Shangnan Continent, not only has the largest overlord been neutralized, but the clearance of devil groups in the entire district has reached 90%. As long as the overlord can be eliminated and a final cleanup is done, the West 7th District of Red City can be reclaimed and fortified.

"And then?" Xu Qingran asked.

Mu Ziyu hesitated for a while, then said arrogantly, "The commander responsible for the West 7th District was injured and temporarily incapacitated, so he’s currently unable to complete the work. Other squad commanders have their own assignments, and the troop plans have already been set and cannot be postponed... Don’t you need to earn merits?"

"I’ll send you there now. It’s a perfect chance to prove yourself."

"I, I tell you, the honor of the camp’s identity isn’t something you can get just by defeating me. You have to earn it yourself!"

After listening to Mu Ziyu for a while, Xu Qingran grasped the main point.

They needed temporary help, and since he was the most available commander in the Silver Dragon, they called him in.

He sat on the sofa in a very comfortable position, his tone lazy: "Mu Ziyu, is it so hard for you to ask me nicely?"

Mu Ziyu: "...Suit yourself!"

He hung up the phone angrily.

Xu Qingran didn’t care, staying at home binge-watching shows and eating fruits, relaxing and resting.

During this time, he also saw the news that Ming Hai had been transferred to the Tower of Evil. Amidst a barrage of curses, he seemed unaffected by people’s anger toward him, grinning nonchalantly at the interview camera: "I’ll serve my sentence, graduate, and become an obedient E-type under Colonel Xu Qingran’s control."

Online reactions:

"..."

"My silence is deafening."

"Is the most wanted criminal of the highest level, E-type user Ming Hai, just a masochist at heart?"

"All I can say is, the little lunatic’s got something special."

"Aww, I also want to be controlled by the young master."

"Sis, what are you on about???"

"*Facepalm* Oh my, I’m a cute boy."

"I can’t take it—I miss the little lunatic! When’s he coming back on air? I saw news that the little lunatic has returned from *Tianlong*!"

Xu Qingran thought to himself that he hadn’t gone live for a long time.

He checked his account and noticed his follower count had gone up, not down.

He was considering whether to make time to meet his dear fans when Mu Ziyu called again.

After picking up, there was a long pause on the other end.

Xu Qingran didn’t hear any sound for a while, raised his eyebrows, and lazily uttered a sound: "Hmm?"

Mu Ziyu cursed under his breath, holding the phone away, then finally, in a mix of anger, frustration, and embarrassment, muttered, "...Please, Xu Qingran."

"I really need help now!!"

Mu Ziyu was so angry that he exploded, and in his rage, he accidentally pulled on his not yet fully healed wound, his face contorted as he took a sharp breath.

In fact, over the years, thanks to the efforts of the military, the locations of several Class I dominators in various regions have been successfully pinpointed.

The real challenge lies in locking onto the source crystals within them. There are only a few individuals in the military with high talent for source crystal detection, and if their spiritual pool tiers don't match, the progress of detection becomes even more difficult. Especially when the detection reaches around 95%, the final complete perception becomes a major hurdle.

No matter how many people work together, it's useless. That 5% is an insurmountable gap for those without strong perception talents.

It requires exponentially more time, which indirectly hinders the eradication progress. The regenerative and reproductive abilities of the devil hordes are incredibly strong. If the eradication progress can't keep up with the projected plan, all previous calculations are wasted, and the process has to start over.

This is why, even though the empire has identified some weaknesses of the devils in the following decades, expelling them remains so difficult.

If the current plan isn't executed according to schedule, most of the efforts made by the camp will be in vain.

Mu Ziyu was worrying about this when he heard Xu Qingran's pleased, low laugh on the other end of the phone, which made his ears turn red.

Only then did he hear Xu Qingran say leisurely, "Alright, prepare all the necessary materials. I'll come to headquarters now to receive the mission."

After replying, Xu Qingran hung up the call.

Mu Ziyu sat in his office, staring at the wireless landline in his hand, biting his teeth in shame and frustration.

He slammed the wireless landline back down like someone throwing a tantrum.

...So annoying, how can someone as detestable as Xu Qingran exist!

Xu Qingran changed his clothes and left, accompanied by the white canine that had come with him.

Without any delay, he took the military orders from Mu Ziyu, received the detection progress of the Class I devil in the western District 7 of Red City, and prepared to set off with the materials.

This time, he was assigned as the primary commanding officer for the mission. The Silver Dragons had a dedicated escort team and a dedicated aircraft for transportation. He didn't need to drive himself and could use the travel time to review the eradication progress and arrangements for the target area.

When Xu Qingran stepped out of Mu Ziyu's office, the staff at headquarters were all watching him.

First, they were shocked by his return, and then they were purely admiring him as a person. This was the first time they had seen him in the formal Silver Dragon uniform. The gleaming medals and badges, along with the trench coat that many had criticized as lame and overly flashy, looked entirely different on him, elevating the attire to a new level.

He looked incredibly dashing.

It made them realize deeply that, over the years, they had wronged the designers of the Silver Dragon uniform. Xu Qingran's claim that the Silver Dragon uniform was stylish was genuine—it was just that they couldn't pull off the coolness he saw in it.

Leading the eradication of dominator-class alien creatures, outside of the Tianlong system, is usually a task for major generals.

At the very least, it requires someone of Lu Cheng's caliber, a senior colonel in the main camp.

...Although, in a way, Xu Qingran is also a prominent figure.

However, most of the elite troops on the mission are experienced veterans. For this newcomer who graduated from the military academy just under a year ago, no matter how many rumors there were, without witnessing his performance firsthand, there was bound to be some doubt and mistrust.

Xu Qingran had become indifferent to this kind of environment.

Even if he could sense it, he couldn't care less to explain himself.

Because he knew very well that the moment he stepped onto the command ship and began executing his mission—

He would become the focus of everyone's attention.

·

Whenever Xu Qingran appears, there's bound to be gossip. This seems to have become a default rule among the netizens of the Kayan Empire.

This time, he had just quietly returned for some time off, but already, various social platforms and forums were buzzing with discussions about it.

The internet was flooded with blurry photos of netizens claiming to have bumped into him here and there.

At first, it wasn’t a big deal.

But then, a hater seized the opportunity to start spreading rumors about Xu Qingran.

The 'evidence' he used to fabricate the rumors was a few photos of Xu Qingran.

In the photos, Xu Qingran was seen walking out of a restaurant side by side with a gorgeous woman.

Because of the angle and focus on Xu Qingran, his face was clear, but the woman beside him was blurry, often just a silhouette, though she looked wealthy.

Apart from him and this woman, there were also photos of him and Mr. Mo coming out of the company and getting into Xu Qingran’s car.

Some scenes showed Xu Qingran smiling, appearing very friendly with the CEO.

They said he was bisexual, and that regular deviant behavior no longer satisfied him.

They also claimed that with the Xu family’s downfall, Xu Yan’s power stripped and funds frozen, his 'Young Master Xu' status was crumbling, forcing him to rely on wealthy women and tycoons for gain.

Fortunately, most netizens were still rational.

"Sigh, as expected, where there's the little lunatic, there’s chaos."

"Gossip alert! More juicy gossip to devour!"

"Yes, yes, that rich lady is me, it’s totally me!"

"I’m so done with this. How long has it been, and the haters still won’t leave the little lunatic alone? They’re like rabid dogs, always ready to attack."

"Hey, sis upstairs, don’t drag dogs into this!"

"I thought Young Master Xu had an inheritance coming his way. Does he really need to sell himself for status?"

"Haha, the haters didn't even check the facts before spreading rumors. If you're going to slander him for being immoral, saying he's having an affair with General Shen Tingyu from the opposing camp would be more believable."

"LMAO, maybe the gorgeous woman is actually General Shen in a wig!"

Probably because netizens were bored out of their minds, this obviously fake gossip blew up overnight.

Xu Qingran’s name was trending again.

He didn’t bother to clarify, and the haters only got bolder.

Until the official military channel of the Silver Dragon Battalion broadcasted news related to the military.

"After many days, there's new progress in the battle against the Red City devil horde in the FR Fairy Star System of the Silver Dragon Army!"

"Thanks to the military’s hard work, the largest Class I target in the West 7th District of Red City has been successfully eliminated! Frontline reporters say the Silver Dragon military estimates one more month to fully clear the West 7th District of Red City!"

"If the cleanup process goes smoothly, the Silver Dragon can announce the reoccupation of the West 7th District, and after improving military and confirming safety, reopen it to Silver Dragon citizens."

The reporter randomly interviewed a soldier fresh from completing his mission.

Judging from his attire, he seemed to be a captain or higher. His eyes sparkled as he faced the camera, his joy unmistakable. He fidgeted, hands clasped and rubbing, too excited to stay still.

The reporter, infected by his excitement, couldn't help but smile: "The usual question, who was the main commander of this operation? Can you tell us in detail about his command style and strength? And, the evaluation of most military personnel towards him?"

At the mention of the main commander, the soldier grew even more animated and thrilled.

He snatched the microphone and blurted out, "The main commander? That's Young Master Xu...! Oh no, I mean Colonel Xu Qingran. Our previous commander was General Chen, but he accidentally injured his mental reservoir while conducting a source crystal detection on a Dominator to catch up with the cleanup progress and is still recuperating in the hospital."

At this moment, TV viewers were floored.

The i-lunatics, busy clashing with online trolls, also slowly put down their tools, staring in shock at their family's TV.

The soldier in the interview smiled and heaped praise on Xu Qingran from top to bottom.

He spoke of how cool and collected Xu was in handling situations, how clear and precise his judgment and control of the situation were, how the source crystal detection he shared was even sharper than HD, and how remarkable his perception of source crystals was.

Basically, his gushing over Xu was completely different from their initial attitude when they first saw such a young commander.

After just one mission, he was totally Xu Qingran's biggest fan.

During the interview, Xu Qingran, who had just disembarked from the spacecraft, just happened to walk by in the distance.

The cameraman quickly zoomed in on the scene.

There he was, decked out in a sharp military uniform, looking every bit the hero.

He was accompanied by several battle-hardened veterans who had gone on the mission with him, chatting away, likely swapping tips on taking down devils.

The crowd erupted in chaos.

No way!

The little lunatic was actually the main commander of this operation in the western district of Red City!

He had nailed the conclusion of this years-long cleanup mission! The notoriously strict elite team leader had praised him to the skies!

Not long after, the Silver Dragon military flooded the internet with updates.

At the same time, Princess Muyesha of the Kayan Empire also posted a video and a group photo on her account.

The video showed her and Xu Qingran, along with Mo Chengfei, all dolled up for dinner that night, with her hands on her hips and flicking her hair, showing off her flawless catwalk to the netizens. She didn't say a word until the end of the video.

But it seemed like she had said everything.

Eagle-eyed netizens spotted that her outfit was a dead ringer for the rumored sugar mama associated with Xu Qingran recently.

Looking at another group photo, it was taken while she, Xu Qingran, and Mo Chengfei were having dinner at a restaurant.

Suddenly, the pieces fell into place.

You couldn't blame the netizens for not recognizing her at first; this second princess, who'd been holed up in her lab for years, had appeared in the public eye very few times. And every time she appeared, it was in a different style, very versatile.

Who would have thought that the person in the photo was her!

Who would have thought that Xu Qingran was also connected to her!

As for Mo Chengfei, it was even more extreme.

He didn't come out to respond, not a single word, but the Mo Group directly tagged the accounts that initially spread the rumors and sent them lawyer's letters. The tone was particularly serious, stating that Chairman Mo would not accept any form of private apology and would insist on suing them to the end, making them pay the due price and punishment for their improper actions.

Qi Duo, the most prestigious member of the Qi family, took the time to repost the Mo Group's announcement, adding, "Oh my, is there anyone who doesn't know that Chairman Mo is a family friend of our Qi family? He sends us juniors many gifts every year and treats us to big meals~"

The i-lunatics instantly walked a little taller.

"Indeed, I knew Young Master Xu would never let us fans down (relieved)."

"I don't understand, those haters get slapped in the face every year but still keep hating, aren't they just masochists in another sense? Like Ming Hai?"

"Justice is sweet, Director Mo is indeed mighty, taking them to court directly! Isn't Mo Corporation's legal team the best in the entire empire? They're really going to skin those haters alive!"

"The little lunatic has really made it, and fans are really happy, but when are you going to livestream!! Do you get how painful it is to have all this cash and nowhere to blow it?"

"Take that show-off upstairs and chop their head off!!"

That same afternoon, a brief personal interview with Xu Qingran also surfaced online.

The reporter finally managed to catch him and asked him a few simple questions.

Including: "Colonel Xu, how do you evaluate the success of Silver Dragon in reclaiming the West 7th District of Red City?"

Xu Qingran glanced at the camera.

He chuckled lightly: "With me around, mission success is a given, right?"

Before leaving, he added to the camera: "By the way, I almost forgot to tell everyone."

"I am now a 3S-level psychic, D-type."

A 3S-level D-type!!

This kind of stamina? Probably unmatched in the entire empire! Not only does it replenish, but it also defies the norm that D-types are usually two levels weaker in attack power—truly formidable!

Once this news broke, you could just imagine the online frenzy of excited comments.

Over in the Lyra system, Xie Nanjun couldn't help but exclaim after seeing Xu Qingran's interview: "Damn it."

"I can't take it—how is Xu Qingran even more of a show-off than me!"

A few guards in the break room couldn't help but chuckle at his remark.

Only Shen Tingyu, leaning by himself in the corner, kept replaying the short interview video on his phone.

Finally, he saved it with one click.

Thinking to himself, his boyfriend is really good-looking.

...

When news of Xu Qingran's mission success reached Silver Dragon HQ, Mu Ziyu was in the conference room meeting with the remaining senior officers.

The main topic was the supply transport plan for Shangnan Continent.

There was even talk of re-prioritizing the Tianlong galaxy.

Even with the highly regarded Xu Qingran now managing Shangnan Continent, everyone hesitated for a moment upon hearing his proposal.

A seasoned officer remarked: "Xu Qingran is indeed quite outstanding, but he has just arrived in Tianlong, and the rebel forces in Shangnan Continent are not yet fully subdued. Isn't it premature to bank on him just for a few early wins?"

Another added: "Exactly, even if he can really subdue Shangnan Continent, three of Tianlong's seventeen habitable planets are still overrun by devil swarms. Xu Qingran is indeed excellent in combat, but at his current age and with his experience, is he really ready to manage all of Taiyue Star, let alone the entire Tianlong system?"

Mu Ziyu pursed his lips, unable to believe that he was now about to speak up for Xu Qingran.

Suddenly, the door of the conference room was pushed open from the outside.

Mu Yesha, decked out in a bright white robe and sunglasses, strutted in from outside.

Mu Ziyu was taken aback when he saw her, his words caught in his throat.

Mu Yesha now wielded considerable clout in the military department of the faction. She strode confidently to Mu Ziyu's side, pulled out a chair, and sat down with her legs elegantly crossed.

Mu Ziyu hadn’t seen the news online yet and assumed she had come to oppose him again.

He braced himself for a confrontation, but was taken aback when she agreed instead: "I think my silly brother's words today weren't off the mark."

"I fully support it and aim to expand our Silver Dragon Battalion's biological and chemical research in Tianlong."

As she spoke, Mu Yesha took off her sunglasses, her tone carrying a hint of arrogance: "You old-timers are just too set in your ways, too rigid and conservative."

"If it fails, so be it. The Silver Dragon Battalion can handle the loss."

"Besides, isn't Colonel Xu merely requesting military resources and weaponry? You've owed Shangnan Continent for years. Isn't it high time you made amends?"

"At last, someone's willing to clean up your mess. Isn't it only fair to offer something in return?"

Mu Yesha's questions left the group speechless.

One person faltered and said, "But the Silver Dragon Battalion is indeed strapped for cash lately. His Highness plans to reallocate some resources from our sectors to Tianlong..."

Mu Yesha frowned, "What's the issue with that?"

"When you were raking in resources back then, didn't it occur to you they were all from Tianlong?"

"..."

Everyone fell silent.

Mu Yesha had been the staunchest opponent of exiling the Tianlong system back then.

However, being a woman, a non-combat Type I psychic, and amidst a fierce power struggle, her words held little sway.

Now, she finally had the chance to leverage Xu Qingran's clout to pressure these folks.

Heh, it felt damn good.

As a young girl, she had once visited the Tianlong system.

Back then, Yinsing was still whole, untouched by the devil hordes.

The old Silver Dragon City was the liveliest, most beautiful place she'd ever seen.

That silver-winged dragon sculpture in the main city—how it yearned for the freedom of the skies.

She never stopped dreaming of restoring the Tianlong system to its former glory.

·

Xu Qingran wasn't as exhausted as most commanders, but after getting home, showering, and lying down, he still slept the whole day away.

He woke to find it already dark.

Checking his phone and communicator, he saw several missed calls.

All from Shen Tingyu.

He washed his face, went downstairs, and heated up some instant food for dinner. While preparing dinner, he happened to see the bottle of red wine Mo Chengfei had gifted him. Thinking his mood had been good these past few days, he decided to open it and pair it with his meal. The taste was unique, with notes of honey and spices, sweet yet with a mineral tang.

To be honest, this was the first time Xu Qingran had something so high-end.

In his previous life, he never had the chance to touch such things, so he didn't know how to evaluate whether the wine was good or not. Since it suited his taste, he decided it was good.

Xu Qingran's current body didn't handle alcohol well.

After just a few small glasses of red wine, his head started to feel a bit fuzzy.

Squinting his eyes at the empty mansion, he suddenly thought of Shen Tingyu again.

He took out his phone and sent him a message: "What are you doing?"

Shen Tingyu: "Just finished dinner, about to continue handling official documents."

"You're awake?"

Xu Qingran chuckled.

That dog actually knew that he hadn't returned the call because he was sleeping, not because he had run off with someone else.

He tilted his head, thought for a moment, then picked up his phone, took a selfie holding a wine glass, and sent it over.

There was silence on the other end for half a minute.

Then came the reply: "?"

Before Xu Qingran could send a new message, a video call came through.

Xu Qingran answered, smiling.

Shen Tingyu seemed to be using his tablet for the call, sitting in the chair behind his desk, calmly looking at him.

After a while, he asked in a deep voice, "Have you been drinking?"

"Yeah," Xu Qingran replied, "Mo Chengfei gave it to me the other day."

"I'd never tried it before, so I gave it a try. It's quite good. I'll save some for you to try when you return."

Xu Qingran saw his current appearance in the small video call window.

Only then did he realize that this body really didn't handle alcohol well; his cheeks and eyes had already turned a rosy hue.

Hmm, he looked like a fox spirit about to seduce someone.

He boldly evaluated himself like this.

On the other end, Shen Tingyu paused, about to speak, when he saw Xu Qingran, alone at home, suddenly set down the wine glass he was holding.

Then, with a half-smile, he began to undo the top button of his shirt, facing the camera.

Shen Tingyu: "...?"

The general was taken aback.

Xu Qingran ignored him, continuing to undo a few more buttons.

With one hand, somewhat slowed by the alcohol, his neat shirt became wrinkled, making him look even more disheveled.

Only after revealing his beautiful, enticing collarbone and part of his chest did he finally stop.

Maybe it was the alcohol making him feel a bit flushed, even the skin there was slightly red.

Xu Qingran took a moment to admire Shen Tingyu's eyes, which were gradually darkening, before curling his legs on the sofa, resting his chin on one hand, and asking, "Shen Tingyu, do I look good to you?"

In the silence, Shen Tingyu's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

When he finally spoke, his voice was slightly hoarse: "You look good."

Xu Qingran laughed a few times.

His peach blossom eyes grew hazy, like a silent invitation.

After a while, he spoke unhurriedly: "Then keep watching."

"After all, you're just a dog man determined to be a monk—you can't touch me anyway."

With a touch of disdain in his eyes, Xu Qingran, having deliberately stirred Shen Tingyu's emotions, mercilessly ended the video call.

Shen Tingyu stared at the darkened screen in silence for a long while.

Finally, he couldn't help but laugh, exasperated.

From then on, he added another item to his memo.

—Never let Xu Qingran drink again.

He can't hold his liquor, and when he gets drunk, he tends to go a bit crazy.

That would be one thing, but he doesn't like to go crazy alone—he has to drag others down with him.

Shen Tingyu pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a soft sigh.

How was he supposed to focus on work tonight?

While Xu Qingran was busy with his drunken antics aimed at Shen Tingyu, Beicheng, far to the south, was also in turmoil.

At the military headquarters in Beicheng.

One by one, vehicles packed with guards slowly rolled in from outside. The guards looked disheveled, their faces betraying their exhaustion and weariness, clearly having just returned from a mission.

There were also ambulances specifically for the wounded, leading the convoy. As soon as they arrived at the base, the injured were immediately carried into the medical facility.

The last to enter were several off-road vehicles.

Out of one of the vehicles stepped a middle-aged man—tall, muscular, and fierce-looking.

Around his neck dangled a black wolf-head pendant, and as he got out of the car, a black-gray wolfhound also jumped out from the back.

Upon closer inspection, there were a few other military personnel here who, like him, were accompanied by majestic wolfhounds.

Just as he closed the car door, a subordinate hurried over to him.

With a worried expression, he said, "Lieutenant Colonel, after this mission, another batch of firearms has been rendered useless, and two severely damaged armored vehicles were abandoned."

"There are no more military supplies left in the camp; what everyone has now is the last of it. If this continues, we might not be able to withstand the attacks from the Beicheng demon horde in the later stages."

"What are we supposed to do now?"