Chapter 104: Farce (Revised)
byChapter 104: Farce (Revised)
SP Celestial Serpent Constellation, Lingxing Four Seasons Hotel in Feicheng.
In the most elegant and prestigious venue on the top floor, celebrities and business tycoons from various star systems of Silver Dragon have gathered.
Even top influencers responsible for promoting and marketing fashion brands on various platforms, as well as major celebrities who have close collaborations and interactions with the clothing brands under the Feng and Pei families, have been invited here to participate in the joint product launch hosted by the Feng and Pei families.
The scene is quite lively.
They have even prepared delicacies and beverages, rented the largest venue, and invited numerous media outlets. Some TV stations and entertainment platforms will also live-stream today's product launch, with many people both at the venue and online eagerly anticipating the event.
After all, the Feng family is wealthy and powerful, and the Pei family is one of the renowned and prestigious families in Silver Dragon.
This first formal collaboration between the two families might just cause a significant upheaval in Silver Dragon's business circle. Many are already speculating and debating, believing that with the Pei family's military and political connections, the Feng family might soon replace the Mo family as the leading force in Silver Dragon's business world.
"Mi Xue, congratulations on being chosen as the spokesperson for the Feng family's new clothing brand, 'Feng Pei.'"
At the venue, the attending guests are all mingling.
Among them are groups of artists, all gathered around Mi Xue, the female star with the highest status and popularity among them. Holding champagne glasses, they smile obsequiously, congratulating the stunning woman dressed in a pink and white fitted gown.
Mi Xue elegantly clinks glasses with them, smiling gently, appearing very approachable.
The girl talking to her glances away with a look of disdain, as if staring at someone not present at the venue: "Duo Lili's fans were boasting not long ago, claiming that their idol had secured the title of Harps' brand ambassador for the entire empire."
"To be honest, how can a new 'small-scale' brand compare to the prestigious brands jointly created by the Feng and Pei families?"
"Once they officially announce you as the spokesperson at the launch event, it will definitely be a moment of glory."
Mi Xue smiles gently: "Don't say that. Every brand is the creation of its founders, and there's no hierarchy among them."
But deep down, she feels a bit of disdain.
Yes.
Duo Lili only has such popularity because of her D-type soul energy. After today, she will make sure the CEO of Harps realizes the extent of their loss in choosing Duo Lili over her as their brand ambassador!
"Hi, everyone! Yes, I'm currently at the Four Seasons Hotel in Lingxing Feicheng!"
"Haha, don't think about intercepting me. Today is my dad's important event, and there are many celebrities here, so the venue has strict security checks. You won't be able to get in. For those of you in the hotel who want to meet me, don't worry. I'll notify you before the event ends, and you can wait for me in the lobby!"
In a corner of the crowd, Feng Yao has started her live stream again.
She takes her fans on a tour of the venue's highlights, walking around and even picking up a small pastry, eating it with a look of bliss: "The Four Seasons Hotel's chefs, who have won awards, really make delicious desserts!"
"Yes, they have buffet service on weekends. If you have the means, you should come and try it!"
"Discounts? I'm not sure, but I heard my parents are VIP members of the hotel. Maybe I can ask the manager if they can sell me some discount coupons, and I'll give them away during my live stream!"
Feng Yao is wearing an apricot-colored strapless gown today, paired with a necklace full of youthful elegance.
She proudly shows it off to her live stream audience: "This is a birthday gift from Liu Yan, the chief jewelry designer under my dad's new brand. Isn't it beautiful?"
"Behind me? Oh, that's my big sister!"
Feng Yao continues her live stream while reading the comments, promptly responding to questions and interacting with her audience.
When someone mentions her sister Feng Yuan, she pulls the aloof woman, who has been silently following her and scaring off anyone trying to approach, into the frame. She affectionately hooks her arm around her sister's and leans on her shoulder: "Sis, come say hi to my fans."
It was a rare week of vacation, and Feng Yuan was already in a bad mood, forced to attend this social event.
She just shot a quick glance at the camera, keeping her lips sealed.
—Letting Feng Yao pull her into the camera shot was already pushing her limits.
During the live broadcast, this question popped up in the chat.
"Yao Yao, are you and Colonel Xu on good terms?"
"Have you heard any news about him recently? We in the Silver Dragon Battalion are worried sick."
Feng Yao paused.
She was deeply worried about Xu Qingran's disappearance. But after he was taken to Tower 1, she lost all contact, and now she didn't know whether he was alive or dead.
However, a while back, during the heated debates about relocating to the Celestial System, she received an anonymous message.
An anonymous tipster warned her that if she had any plans to migrate, it would be best to give up as soon as possible, otherwise she would regret it in the future.
Feng Jin has always had the final say in family matters.
Feng Jin wasn't moving, and Mu Ningluo couldn't sway him, so their family had no intention of competing for a spot. But after mulling it over these past few days, she felt that the way and tone of that reminder were strangely similar to Xu Qingran's.
Feng Yao was still figuring out how to respond to her fans when the passionate voice of the host sounded from the stage behind her.
The event kicked off.
The buzz in the room died down, and the venue became extremely quiet, with only the host's enthusiastic speech. Feng Yao had to pause, focusing her attention on the stage, where the main characters of the press conference were being invited up.
There was her father Feng Jin, a Pei family uncle handling the business side, other brand partners, and famous designers.
Among them was Pei Huaiyu, the Pei family's rising star designer, gaining fame in the Silver Dragon Battalion. The Fengpei brand was essentially created by the Pei family for Pei Huaiyu, with the Feng family's input.
They aimed to propel Pei Huaiyu to greater heights.
The Feng and Pei families have always been tight, and they are also close to Mu Ningluo. Pei Huaiyu has almost grown up with their children, so it was natural for the Feng family to cooperate and support. Feng Yao had no strong feelings, just enjoying the show.
On the other hand, Feng Yuan rolled her eyes as Pei Huaiyu took the stage, fumbling nervously with the microphone.
Feng Yao noticed and nudged her arm, whispering, "Sis, you've been colder to Huaiyu lately. In the past, you just liked reading and refused to communicate, but now why do you dislike her so much?"
"Did she do something? You act like she stole your boyfriend."
Feng Yuan glanced at her naive younger sister, her voice cold and indifferent: "She didn't take my boyfriend, but she took our dad."
Feng Yao still didn't understand the seriousness of the situation.
Thinking she meant Pei Huaiyu was like a fourth daughter, she laughed and said, "I can't see that you would be jealous of fatherly love!"
Feng Yuan looked at Feng Yao with sympathy and envy.
Silly as she is, at least she lives a happy life. Sometimes, accidentally discovering things that shouldn't be discovered is also very painful.
Suddenly, gasps erupted around the room, as if something shocking had happened.
Feng Yuan and Feng Yao, reacting to the people around them, looked towards the high stage with them.
To their surprise, they saw their mother, who usually pays the most attention to rules and etiquette, rushing out from backstage during the press conference speech, heading straight towards Pei Huaiyu, who was in the spotlight at the center of the stage.
Then, like a crazed woman, she began to yank at Pei Huaiyu's hair and rip off her accessories.
She even slapped her, her eyes and neck red, and screamed at her, completely losing her composure: "You shameless bitch! I treated you like my own daughter, with so much care, and this is how you repay me?!"
The princess hairstyle Pei Huaiyu had specially styled was quickly torn into a mess.
Pei Huaiyu's hair was now a tangled mess, and her face was marked with obvious red marks and scratches from Mu Ningluo's nails. Terrified, she ducked behind the other Pei family members on the stage, looking at Mu Ningluo with an innocent, fragile expression that tugged at the heartstrings.
Mu Ningluo, infuriated by her, pointed at her and cursed angrily while being held back by several people: "You shameless homewrecker, is this how you seduced my husband?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a collective gasp rippled through the audience.
Everyone looked at each other, their eyes betraying the realization of a major scandal.
Feng Jin immediately grabbed Mu Ningluo and pulled her away after Pei Huaiyu was attacked.
He scolded her angrily: "What the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?"
When Mu Ningluo saw Feng Jin's face, she recalled the disgusting scenes she had just witnessed.
She swung her other hand and slapped him hard across the face: "Feng Jin, you're no good either! How dare you betray me!"
Feng Jin froze, his face tense.
He wondered, how did Mu Ningluo suddenly find out about this?
The Pei family was stunned by Mu Ningluo's outburst.
Pei Huaiyu's mother, in particular, stormed onto the stage in her gown, angrily asking: "Ningluo, what are you doing?!"
"Today is a big day for my daughter, and you’re here to ruin it?! I can’t believe you’d do this to my daughter after all these years of friendship!" As she spoke, she walked over to Pei Huaiyu, holding her and soothing her back with one hand.
Mu Ningluo laughed in anger: "Your daughter knowingly went after my husband, and I’m supposed to just take it?"
"After all I’ve done for you and your daughter over the years, this is how you repay me by destroying my marriage!" She became angrier as she spoke, her chest heaving, and began to speak recklessly to Pei Huaiyu's mother, "What? Are you two just alike?"
"Yes, you became Mrs. Pei by stealing someone else’s man, didn’t you?"
"The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—both of you are shameless!"
Pei Huaiyu's mother, having her dark history exposed in public by Mu Ningluo, was furious and humiliated: "Mu Ningluo, stop spouting nonsense!"
"Besides, my daughter is a decent, well-bred young woman, she would never do such a thing, don’t slander her!"
Mu Ningluo laughed in anger.
Perhaps because she was too angry, she broke free from the three or four people restraining her with surprising strength. With the thought that since she had been offended and humiliated, everyone should be humiliated together, she strode over to the laptop controlling the projection screen.
In her rage, she fumbled several times before finally inserting the memory card she was holding.
In front of everyone, she opened the videos that had driven her to despair. The venue's projection and sound systems were top-notch, with speakers spread throughout the hall to ensure everyone could hear the speakers clearly.
Thus, when the video played, the vulgar language and the sounds of movement within echoed throughout the enclosed venue like a public execution.
Feng Jin and Pei Huaiyu's expressions changed drastically upon seeing the video.
Their faces turned green, then black, then white.
The crowd below was left speechless.
——This is absolutely insane!
Feng Yao and Feng Yuan were completely dumbfounded.
Even though Feng Yuan had picked up on some hints earlier, she never imagined it would come out in such an embarrassing way. Feng Yao was so stunned that her jaw dropped, her eyes wide open in disbelief.
The next moment, she was distracted by the sudden flood of comments on her phone.
Only then did she panic, realizing she was still broadcasting live, and frantically tried to end the stream with shaky hands.
However, the guests around her were already buzzing with gossip.
"...Oh my god, is Chairman Feng chasing after young women in his old age?"
"Watching the video, I can only marvel at how he outlasts many younger men in bed, hahaha."
"I always thought Feng Jin was so serious, never expected him to be so flirtatious..."
"Is this real?"
"This is unbelievable. Miss Pei always came across as so proper and reserved, who would have thought she had such a wild side in private."
"Ah, the lives of the rich and powerful are full of secrets; it's all just a show."
Feng Yao's hand, still clutching her phone, dropped weakly to her side.
It was too late.
Even if she stopped the live stream, there were too many witnesses in the room, and they had even invited a bunch of media...
The thought sent a chill down Feng Yao's spine.
This was a PR nightmare beyond repair!
On stage, Pei Huaiyu never imagined the video would be leaked like this.
Thinking that this was supposed to be her glorious day, with guests in the venue and media recording live... the sheer embarrassment made her want to disappear. She could only bury her face in her hands, sobbing as she fled backstage.
The Pei family was just as shocked to find out the truth.
Except for Pei Huaiyu's mother, who chased after her, the others stood frozen, struggling to make sense of what they'd just seen. The scandalous video kept playing, and everyone was too shocked to react, so no one thought to intervene and stop Mu Ningluo from playing the video.
The first to react was Feng Jin.
He stormed over, yanking out the projector cable and slamming the laptop closed, then he slapped Mu Ningluo, shouting, "Have you lost your mind?!"
Mu Ningluo, her eyes red, let out a bitter laugh: "This is all on you; you're the one who betrayed me! When you were doing those things with Pei Huaiyu behind my back, why didn't you think about how humiliating this would be?!"
Feng Jin, with a cold and furious expression, retorted: "Why don't you reflect on yourself?"
"Look at yourself now, listen to your noisy and disgusting voice, I'm fed up with your commanding and arrogant tone! Every moment with you makes me sick."
"Since you've discovered this now, there's no need for me to hide it anymore."
Feng Jin straightened his tie, looking down coldly at the much shorter Mu Ningluo, and said heartlessly: "Let's get a divorce."
Those five words hit Mu Ningluo like a punch to the gut.
She watched as Feng Jin finished speaking, brushed past her, and strode off coldly towards the backstage, trembling with anger.
Immediately, she snapped and rushed towards Feng Jin, grabbing him and shouting furiously, "You stop right there!"
"Where are you going? Are you going to find that scheming woman?"
Before Feng Jin could answer, Mu Ningluo suddenly pulled out a fruit knife she had been carrying.
Her eyes blazing with fury, she screamed, "Feng Jin, since you're so heartless to me, let's go to hell together!"
On the stage, screams broke out.
Someone shouted, "Murder!—"
The press conference venue instantly erupted into chaos.
·
"Understood, I will return."
Shen Tingyu said this in a deep voice before hanging up the communication from a distant galaxy.
The communication request had come from a high-ranking officer at the Golden Wing military headquarters. They had likely learned from Xie Nanjun that he was safe and felt compelled to reach out, hoping he would return.
Mu Ziyue had been missing for a long time.
The Golden Wing Battalion was now leaderless, and the people under Mu Ziyue were constantly on edge, fearing something might happen to their great commander, leaving them unable to focus on their duties. Otherwise, they were locked in constant conflict with other members of the management, with disagreements and disputes.
Within the Golden Wing, there were many officers with exceptional combat skills and numerous achievements.
But few among them had the presence and charisma to command the entire room like Shen Tingyu. Aside from Mu Ziyue, only Shen Tingyu could temporarily take over the role of commander-in-chief and reorganize the Golden Wing military.
The demon army had already breached the domain's defenses, joining forces with their kin in other galaxies in crisis of the empire.
The situation had spiraled out of control, and the safety of the Golden Wing's people was severely threatened. As a top general of the faction, Shen Tingyu had no choice but to accept this request.
After all, his greatest enemy all along had been Mu Ziyue.
Now that he had met his end at the hands of an alien race, the people of the Golden Wing were the support that had allowed him to rise step by step during this time. By both duty and sentiment, he had to accept this responsibility. Moreover, only by maintaining his position in the Golden Wing Battalion could he, in the future... ensure the safety of Xu Qingran.
To protect this little lunatic who would occasionally pull off something outrageous.
"Alright, although we've left the empire, we don't wish to see the country descend into chaos. It's best that you return to assist the Golden Wing," Mu Zisheng said upon hearing his decision, with a hint of reluctance. "Do you need our help?"
Shen Tingyu acted quickly.
After hanging up the call, it took him less than an hour to prepare and get ready to leave.
"No need," Shen Tingyu said. "The Silver Dragon has just deployed a team to assist in other galaxies. You should stay here and offer them additional support. If anything happens, you can alert me right away."
The two of them chatted as they walked towards a spacecraft.
This was the vehicle prepared for Shen Tingyu's return.
Mu Zisheng nodded, seeing that he had already begun to take on some responsibilities for the Silver Dragon system, and asked helplessly, "What about Xu Qingran?"
"There's still no news of him."
At the mention of Xu Qingran, Shen Tingyu immediately stopped in his tracks, his expression growing somber again.
Several days had passed, and there was still no word from Xu Qingran.
The two of them stood in silence when, from a distance, they suddenly saw Mu Zixuan running towards them.
He looked thrilled: "Second Bro, Fifth Bro, the East City Headquarters just got in touch with Chen Jianguang and the others, saying that Colonel Xu has returned!"
"He's in the colonel's office at the East City Camp right now!"
At the East City Military Headquarters on Shangnan Continent.
In the military district of the Silver Dragon Battalion, a man in the dark golden uniform of the Golden Wing Battalion swaggered in. Though his outfit stood out here, the camp folks didn't shoo him away; instead, they greeted him warmly.
The man walked through without a hitch, heading towards the colonel's office building.
The closer he got, the harder it was to keep his cool, his steps becoming hurried. He didn't stop until he reached the top-floor office, and after a few seconds, he politely knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Soon, a familiar voice called out from inside the office.
Shen Tingyu's heart raced inexplicably.
Although he clearly knew that the bond was still there, based on the shadows of his past life, he still worried that someone else might be in that body.
He took a moment to steel himself outside before pushing the door open and entering.
The person in the office was standing by the sunny window, his back to him, watering the orchids on the windowsill. After finishing, he put down the spray bottle in his hand and then turned around to look at him.
Outwardly, he looked the same.
It was just that his eyes and expression were indifferent, and even upon seeing him, there was no usual teasing or habitual eyebrow-raising, nor the joy of seeing an old friend again.
Noticing Shen standing still, Xu reminded him: "Please close the door, thank you."
Shen Tingyu did as he was told.
Watching Xu Qingran finish speaking and then lean on the desk with one hand, bending over to sift through the files piled on his desk, Shen Tingyu hesitated before speaking: "...Xu Qingran?"
The person behind the desk paused.
The corner of his mouth finally twitched upward, and he raised his head, his gaze lightly sweeping over him.
He asked with a meaningful look: "General Shen, that look in your eyes, are you afraid I went out and got possessed or something?"
Shen Tingyu did not respond.
His silence said it all.
Xu Qingran walked around the desk, came up to him, and looked up casually, saying: "So scared?"
"Then why don't you check for yourself if I've been possessed, General Shen."
Before Shen Tingyu could react, he was forcefully pushed against the wall.
The instinctive action of lowering his head conveniently facilitated the other's intention to kiss.
The voices in the office instantly disappeared.
Only the sound of wet, fragmented kisses remained, dyeing the original atmosphere in the air with a different flavor.
Xu Qingran stepped back slightly, catching his breath.
Shen Tingyu grabbed his hand, taking control and switching their positions, pinning Xu Qingran against the wall. He lowered his head, using his commanding presence to envelop Xu Qingran, as if leisurely savoring freshly captured prey.
After what felt like an eternity.
The two separated again. Xu Qingran, still pinned against the wall, asked in a lazy, satisfied tone, "So? Has the general finished his inspection?"
Shen Tingyu murmured, "It's done."
"The self-replicating creatures, like the Devil King, aren't as skilled as you."
Since their relationship had reached this stage, Xu Qingran had become increasingly uninhibited.
Whether it was kissing or anything else, he never held back or suppressed his emotions. Instead, he released them in his unique, gentle yet fierce manner. This exchange nearly pushed Shen Tingyu over the edge, making him lose control and act on his primal urges right then and there.
Shen Tingyu was more restrained.
In this regard, he had to admit he was no match for Xu Qingran.
Xu Qingran had a knack for easily stirring his desires, making him lose control in certain moments.
No matter how much he wanted to be gentler, Xu Qingran always pushed him to the brink of losing control.
Xu Qingran chuckled softly, finally easing up and stopping his teasing.
He deliberately undid the top button of Shen Tingyu's shirt, messing up his collar, making it clear that something unmentionable had just happened. Then he asked, "Dressed so sharply, are you planning to return to duty?"
"Mm," Shen Tingyu replied, mentioning the message he had received.
Xu Qingran didn't object. "Alright, go ahead."
Shen Tingyu watched as Xu Qingran pushed him aside and returned to his office chair. He asked, "Aren't you going to explain what's been up with you lately?"
Xu Qingran's gaze faltered, unusually avoiding eye contact. "Ah, it's just what you thought."
Shen Tingyu: "What?"
"And then?" he asked, his frustration mounting.
Xu Qingran paused before calmly replying, "I let it choose me as the new vessel for its consciousness."
"Now, it's still within me."
This 'it' referred to the Devil King.
That day, Xu Qingran boldly ventured alone into the Devil Tribe's territory and made an offer to it. Just as he had gambled on this opportunity, without knowing when he might capture Shen Tingyu, the other party evaluated him and made its choice.
Shen Tingyu's expression hardened.
Although he had anticipated this, hearing Xu Qingran say it outright, and knowing that it was already happening, still made him feel a tightness in his chest.
"So you..."
Shen Tingyu hadn't expected that Xu Qingran would choose to walk the same path he had in his previous life, collaborating with the Devil. It was an arduous road, and having experienced it himself, he knew how difficult and painful the struggle and resistance could be.
"It's fine, the system can temporarily block it when I need it to."
"It can't hear what we're saying now."
Consciousness invasion is akin to a forced takeover.
However, when it comes to the instinct for species survival, if another soul consciousness still resides within the body, it can only erode gradually. Until it penetrates the deepest part of the spiritual sea, locates the protected soul energy, and battles against it.
The victor earns the right to survive.
Shen Tingyu's brief moment of silence suggested he had thought a lot.
But when he finally spoke, he calmly inquired, "So, what's your plan?"
Xu Qingran was taken aback.
He expected Shen Tingyu to scold him, almost hearing the harsh words on his lips, yet Shen Tingyu reined in his nearly out-of-control emotions.
Xu Qingran paused, then said, "I think I might have a solution."
Shen Tingyu retorted coldly, "Might?"
Xu Qingran grinned, "Seventy to eighty percent chance?"
Shen Tingyu shot back, "And the remaining twenty to thirty percent?"
Xu Qingran hesitated for a second, then nodded confidently, "Then it's up to my boyfriend."
Shen Tingyu fixed him with a silent stare.
He explained, "I aim to draw it into the spiritual pool's depths."
"Xu Qingran, have you lost your mind?"
At this, Shen Tingyu's composure cracked, his emotions breaking through.
"Listen," Xu Qingran's tone turned grave, "I've given it much thought. If the empire is to end the devil tribe's assaults, we must take down their supreme king."
Prior to allying with the king, Xu Qingran had studied its original form.
He internally assessed the feasibility of using his own power to destroy it outright. But the king stands apart from its underlings; its shell, forged from countless devils, is tougher than metal, offering some resistance to his constrained thunder abilities.
Directly striking its original form to annihilate its core consciousness is improbable.
If we gradually wear it down.
Estimates suggest that, encased in this shell, it could last another year—a mere minute in its perception. Yet, its 'minute' suffices to command the devil horde in obliterating the Kayan Empire.
"With me here, I can ensure the king won't claim you," Xu Qingran stated, "But if it grows desperate, it may opt for another host."
"You're well aware that within the empire's dual military forces lie numerous 3S-level, capable vessels."
"Including emerging E-types such as Ji Huaixiu and Ling Yuege."
Xu Qingran challenged Shen Tingyu, "Can you vouch for their ability to resist the king's mental onslaught?"
"Regardless, I doubt it," he declared bluntly, "In my view, not even you could manage it—I might be the empire's sole hope."
Plus, he needs to create a threat to the palace, slowly take the right to speak.
After thinking, he made this decision.
"Back to the original question," Xu Qingran nodded. "You know that I harbor a thunder-based ability within my soul consciousness, which is what the spiritual consciousness of the devil tribe fears the most."
"So, I plan to lure it to the deepest part, set up an electric net to trap it, and then use my spiritual power and ability combined to eliminate it from my consciousness."
Engaging in combat within the depths of the spiritual pool, even unleashing abilities directly inside it.
—How is this different from when he self-destructed his power within the spiritual pool to escape the Tower of Evil?
Shen Tingyu thought.
Xu Qingran: "The difference is likely that this isn't an actual spiritual pool self-destruction, and my soul can withstand the power of the thunder-based ability?"
Shen Tingyu frowned: "The spiritual consciousness of that leading king is very strong. Are you sure your ability can definitely kill it? What if it withstands it and completely devours you—"
"My ability is now tied to the spiritual pool, so the energy consumption is uncertain."
Xu Qingran looked up and smiled at him: "But I have you by my side."
"We have established a permanent contract, and our soul and spiritual powers are compatible."
"When the time comes, I might need your help," he said, resting his chin on his hand, looking seriously at Shen Tingyu. "The other person assisting me is you yourself, so you shouldn't distrust it, right?"
Shen Tingyu clenched his fist.
Then gradually relaxed, saying to him: "Xu Qingran, I too am afraid."
Xu Qingran's gaze paused.
It was uncommon to see a trace of vulnerability in Shen Tingyu's eyes: "I'm not afraid of you losing control, nor of these decisions you're making—because you are like me, and if you weren't by my side, this would probably be my choice too."
"I'm just afraid you'll leave me behind, always insisting on shouldering everything alone."
Shen Tingyu said, walking to his desk.
Looking down at him in the chair, he said solemnly: "Xu Qingran, I am not afraid of death. I can accept and honor all your decisions, so no matter what happens in the future, you can tell me first."
"I'd rather face danger and death alongside you than be left alone in a world without you."
"Xu Qingran, you know I can't endure another mental blow," Shen Tingyu said.
Xu Qingran listened, somewhat dazed.
Honestly, he had been independent for far too long, and even now, he subconsciously clings to habits from his past life.
If Shen Tingyu, being an E-type, is cold, Xu Qingran believes he himself is the most heartless.
Always forgetting that in this world, there is another person who worries about his madness and recklessness.
The atmosphere in the office was especially tense.
Deputy Mao came by once during this time, knocked on the door, and entered, only to sense the tension between them was off, and quietly retreated.
The sound of the door closing once more snapped Xu Qingran out of his thoughts.
He looked up at Shen Tingyu, meeting his somewhat softened blue eyes, and an indescribable sense of guilt welled up from deep within him.
Shen Tingyu had a point.
He was too stubborn, too domineering. Because he had developed a habit of never needing others' opinions, he ignored that there was now someone by his side to rely on, and his feelings needed to be considered.
I almost forgot, the E-type is superficially fierce but actually sensitive and fragile, like a delicate and sensitive soul.
"Sorry," Xu Qingran said, rarely showing vulnerability, and spoke with great seriousness.
He knew his decision this time was indeed bold and excessive, "I promise you, there won't be a next time."
He curved his eyes, softening his sharp demeanor.
For a moment, it seemed as if he had returned to his most gentle self: "In the future—no matter how big or small the matter is, I will tell you, share with you, so you won't miss out on any of my decisions or actions."
Shen Tingyu looked down at him, his lips pressed into a thin line.
"This time, it was my mistake," Xu Qingran said.
Seeing that his boyfriend was still upset, he got up and came to his side, leaning in to whisper something softly in his ear.
When he left, Shen Tingyu's gaze shifted from serious to shocked.
Xu Qingran met his eyes, smiling enigmatically: "As an apology, is this okay?"
Shen Tingyu's ears turned red at what he heard.
His expression was both angry and helpless, finally straightening his disheveled clothes, and said, "I'm leaving, we'll talk about other things when I get back."
Xu Qingran watched Shen Tingyu leave.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but the figure seemed to carry a hint of panic.
Tsk.
Clearly a twisted E-type, how could he be so naive?
Or had the system's bizarre guidebook corrupted him, making him too impure?
System: 「?」
「Host, you're the twisted one, don't blame me.」
Xu Qingran returned to his chair, finally having time to catch up on the latest news.
First, there was news about the Heavenly God System's royal city.
As expected, it had already begun to collapse. The power station incidents were indeed orchestrated by Xu Qingran and the Devil King.
The Devil King wasn't easily fooled.
To prove his sincerity, Xu Qingran, just after forming an alliance, took it to blow up the Heavenly God. In exchange, he told it part of his plan, using its power to sacrifice a group of Devil soldiers from Silver Star.
—The Devil King was unaware that Xu Qingran had learned from Shen Tingyu, who had lived through a lifetime, about its true malice, not the symbiotic relationship it claimed. To gain Xu Qingran's trust and gradually weaken his soul's defenses, it agreed to cooperate.
Xu Qingran, looking on, found something very interesting.
The unfolding of events involving Mu Ningluo and the Feng family had surpassed expectations.
Who would have thought that the usually elegant and composed Prince Ningluo could act so unpredictably when he lost his composure.
The chaos at the press conference didn't surprise Xu Qingran.
After all, the item had been provided by him to Mu Ningluo. Now seeing the Feng family, the Pei family, and Mu Ningluo in chaos, with Feng Jin even being sent to the hospital, he, as a mere observer, was thoroughly amused.
The related news is all over the trending topics.
Even on his favorite Star Horizon forum, various discussion threads are popping up.
In the 9999th comment of one of the threads, a netizen mentioned:
"The last time there was such crazy and lively news was when Young Master Xu was around."
"It's quite rare that such a hot search drama has nothing to do with the young master."
Xu Qingran stared at those two lines and suddenly broke into a smile, his eyes crinkling.
At this moment, in Red City, Red Maple Star, Fairy System.
"Silver Dragon FR Red Maple TV is bringing you a special report."
"Today marks the fifth day since the Celestial System's border was declared lost. Footage from our frontline reporters confirms that the Devil Clan has invaded all areas of the Celestial System. Particularly on Queen Star, the palace district, a landmark, has become the Devil Clan's primary target..."
The TV news host is reporting on the empire's turmoil, the topic of everyone's concern.
Xu Qingan sat on the sofa in the Xu family's former villa, clutching a glass of iced beer, his cheeks flushed from the alcohol.
Last week, the Celestial System was hit by an unexpected disaster.
The power stations and defense systems across the entire system suddenly failed, and they had to rely on a limited number of emergency power generation devices, combining human effort with natural wind and water power to provide emergency energy to the system. However, due to the limited number, all equipment was mainly focused on Queen Star where the palace is located, and even most of the military guards were dispatched there.
This left those who had invested heavily to relocate to the Celestial System filled with regret.
Even the credibility of the empire's relevant departments was questioned, as they were believed to have collaborated with the palace for false propaganda. After all, they had touted the Celestial System as the ultimate safe haven, so they urgently transferred all their assets and moved in with their families.
——Since the Tower of Evil incident, public trust in the palace, now largely under Golden Wing control, has been eroding.
Repairing the energy stations across the system, even with all engineers working non-stop, will take considerable time.
Unsurprisingly, the Celestial System was targeted by the Devil army, becoming the first system invaded since the space domain breach. No resource, habitable star, or even the Tower of Evil territory was spared.
The host also live-connected with the expert who had made these claims: "Given this stark deviation from predicted data, what do the relevant departments have to say..."
Xu Qingan was alone in the house.
With bleary eyes, he stared at the TV news and let out a sneer.
Xu Yan, that old man, had secretly stashed away some private money, unknown to anyone. Only when the empire's systems faced occupation by the Devil Clan did he quietly use it to buy his way to the Celestial System.
Xu Yan only had enough money for one pass.
Faced with greed and the fear of death, even his once-beloved son could be cast aside. A selfish man like Xu Yan would definitely choose to abandon him and keep the opportunity for himself.
For him, he is still in the prime of his life, with the opportunity to find a new love and have more children.
After all, it's not entirely a piece of flesh that fell from his body, so why not discard it when necessary.
Now, seeing this news again, Xu Qingan couldn't help but laugh.
He couldn't help but laugh out loud alone in the living room, gulped down a few more sips of wine, and took out his phone to surf the internet.
It's simply exhilarating.
He thought to himself.
The military guards of the Celestial God System have been swamped recently.
Due to the non-cooperation from the Silver Dragon Battalion, personnel like Su Wenming, who are normally stationed in the Golden Wing System and could serve as commanders for large armies, have been transferred, causing widespread discontent. In contrast, other systems, especially the areas under the Silver Dragon's jurisdiction, have done an excellent job in defense, despite the fact that most of the military guards from the Golden Wing's jurisdiction have been transferred.
So effectively that even the people under the Silver Dragon were shocked.
"Has the Third Prince been transformed recently?"
"I heard it's because the Second Princess intervened. I always thought she was quite skilled in governance, but unfortunately, she was targeted, belittled, and slandered just because she was a girl."
"At the Heavenly Dragon, the veteran generals who previously resigned have also returned. They brought a significant number of Heavenly Dragon guards to help, and the Silver Dragon has been enjoying a heightened sense of security recently! Unlike the Golden Wing, which has seen a significant exodus of personnel recently, either sent to the Tower of Evil or compelled to resign, and now they are severely understaffed."
The impact of the devil army is relentless.
Although the main force is focused on assaulting the Celestial God System, other systems are also affected to varying degrees. Therefore, except for the Celestial God System, other places have been fighting the devil army every night recently. The people in various regions are keenly aware of the defense situation of their residences.
No one expected that the Silver Dragon, which was always criticized for its lax attitude, would handle the situation the best.
The tug-of-war with the devil army has been remarkably effective, and the engineers in the power stations across the system patrol daily at fixed times. Any small problem is promptly addressed, ensuring that a situation like the Celestial God System's does not occur.
"So, who said the Heavenly Dragon guards are incompetent? My area was in danger recently, and the stationed army fought an impressive battle, repelling the invading devil group! Later, I asked my dad and found out they were from the Heavenly Dragon, and they were all very capable!"
"Fun fact: The reason the Heavenly Dragon guards are criticized as incompetent is because other systems always send the old, weak, sick, and low-level guards that other camps don't want. It doesn't mean that the guards from the Heavenly Dragon itself are all bad."
"I'm more curious, with the Heavenly Dragon transferring most of its guards to be stationed here, aren't they worried that if something unexpected happens in the Heavenly Dragon, they won't be able to handle it?"
"The residents of the Heavenly Dragon have likely grown accustomed to the double standards of the empire and the factions. If something happens, they will definitely abandon the Heavenly Dragon first."
"No, the real residents of the Heavenly Dragon say that our region has been very peaceful recently! The cleanup in the disaster areas has been progressing smoothly, and the troop deployment was done after a public survey, with the understanding and permission of the people. You should express your gratitude to us."
Everyone was shocked.
When did the Heavenly Dragon become so safe?!
"By the way, I saw the Golden Wing news that the military department received a message from General Shen reporting his safety and that he is returning to the Lyra System! And it's specifically to help with the high-risk situation in the Golden Wing's jurisdiction, and he won't accept any transfer to the Celestial God System!"
"General Shen is forever a legend!"
Just this morning, Shen Tingyu's news was known to the public again.
The people of the Golden Wing, who have been voicing their grievances for days, seemed to see a glimmer of hope and were excited.
"So, since the missing General Shen has appeared, when will we hear news about the little lunatic?"
Xu Qingan was holding his phone, and the comments just happened to scroll to this point.
The expression in his eyes gradually darkened.
Every time he saw any mention of Xu Qingran, the events that happened that day in the bar in the Sirius System would resurface.
Xu Qingan would seethe with rage every time he remembered. It was supposed to be a setup for Xu Qingran, everything was prepared for Xu Qingran, but in the end, he was the one who got humiliated!
He was very unwilling, but for the first time, he clearly realized his current helplessness.
The connections he had accumulated before were almost all broken due to Xu Qingran's previous influence and the decline of the Xu family. Mu Ziyue, who promised to support him, has also disappeared recently, and he no longer has any cards to play against Xu Qingran.
And his good brother, after returning from the South 13th District of Red City, has become more and more powerful.
Now, whether in strategy or hard power, he can't compete with Xu Qingran. On the contrary, Xu Qingran, who used the potion on him that day, might still secretly hold evidence of those events.
Affected by the aphrodisiac that day, Xu Qingan became the protagonist of a group sex and shamefully reveled in it.
Afterwards, to avoid exposure of the incident, he fled as soon as he regained consciousness. Before leaving, he went to the adjacent photography room, where the camera had already been powered off, and the memory card inside had vanished.
From the evidence, Xu Qingran had clearly been there.
In a rage, he smashed the camera right then and slipped away through a hidden passage without being discovered by the military police. He then lived in constant fear for days, worrying every day about receiving threatening anonymous emails or smug messages from Xu Qingran.
Months passed, and Xu Qingran remained silent.
Recently, there were even rumors that he had gone missing along with Shen Tingyu. This was easily the best news Xu Qingan had received in the past year. He now desperately hoped that Xu Qingran would never return, so that what happened in the bar that day would never be known by anyone else.
With these thoughts, Xu Qingan checked his phone's chat with Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng's last reply to him was three days ago.
At the time, Xu Qingan had been asking him about the custom tailoring of their wedding attire for their wedding day.
Lu Cheng had replied exhaustedly, "Qingan, I've been very busy lately. I don't have the time or energy to discuss these matters right now."
Indeed, as a major general of the Silver Dragon's main camp, Lu Cheng now had a ton of tasks related to defending against the devil army.
If things went south, their originally planned wedding date might have to be postponed again.
Xu Qingan didn't want to push Lu Cheng any more.
Lu Cheng was now the only thing he could cling to. He absolutely had to... had to successfully marry Lu Cheng. He wanted everything to go perfectly, so it would be best if Xu Qingran, that troublemaker, never returned!
Unfortunately, it seemed that the heavens no longer favored him as they once did, making everything go according to his wishes.
Xu Qingan soon came across a new comment.
It said:
"OMG—what an amazing day today is!"
"Young Master Xu has appeared!! He's safe and sound!!"
The reason was a hot topic thread on the Star Horizon forum related to the Feng family drama.
In the post, Xu Qingran's official account suddenly appeared, tagging the user on the 9999th floor and replying:
"Xu Qingran: Sorry, but the evidence of the affair video was provided by me to Prince Ning Luo."
That one comment set off a firestorm.
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