Chapter 78 – Main Quest: The Title of Court Lady

Chapter 78 - Main Quest: The Title of Court Lady

The main quest unfolded like a white silk scroll, with bold red calligraphy in the cursive script inscribed on the embroidered silk adorned with orchids.

"The quest has been triggered: Selection Process and Royal Approval (Main Quest). Empress, you have entered the selection process. Please present your masterpiece to the Emperor, ensuring His satisfaction and retention of your name. Upon completion of the selection and acquisition of the title of Court Lady, you will gain access to a portion of the Palace of storing beauties' space."

Her work being retained meant that Zhu Xiansheng's drama had to air on Xiangnan TV. Tang Fei suddenly felt that the main quest was making this task more challenging than it seemed.

The reward was the authority to access a corner of the Palace of Storing Beauties' space – a space!

Tang Fei's brows relaxed, and her lips curved up involuntarily. Then, she could perform at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, pulling a refrigerator out of her pocket during the 'Miracle Moment' segment or a computer – it would be breathtaking.

The rewards of the main quest were tangible, transcending the limitations of cards. She had to complete it!

Looking back at the title of Court Lady, Tang Fei realized that she had merely been an ordinary person before. Not even a Court Lady, yet the system addressed her as Empress every day, sweet-talking her.

She never expected the system to be like this!

Tang Fei clicked her tongue in amazement.

The system leisurely displayed a line of text on the interface.

"Bearers of the 'Exquisite Lady' title are entitled to a ten percent discount."

Tang Fei, who was just moments ago filled with complaints about the system, instantly brightened up as a spark of excitement flickered in her eyes: Never would I have expected that you're such a fantastic system!

How is this task to be accomplished? What should she do, System? Where is your guide for completing the mission? Swiftly present it to this palace.

After a moment, the system slowly displayed another row of words on the interface.

"Mission Briefing: 100,000 units per acquisition" "Procure"

Why only the intelligence, where's the guide to completing the level?

The difficulty has increased, Tang Fei noticed that the system was setting task obstacles for her. Could it be that she had entered the main storyline and the novice protection period was over?

System, you're just a card game! Focus on letting players spend money, why complicate things with elaborate mechanics? You're straying from your roots!

Awaken, return to your essence!

Tang Fei eagerly awaited the system to offer another guide, even at double the price.

Yet, after waiting for a while, nothing happened.

System: ...

Fixated on the second mission, Tang Fei noticed its daunting appearance, conveyed by the bold red font, suggesting it would be no easy feat.

As an ordinary task, it didn't come with any visual effects; it was just the standard mode with bold and red text. The content of the mission made Tang Fei's heart skip a beat.

"Rescue Kin: 0/2"

"!! Urgent, Your Highness' kin is in crisis and urgently needs your assistance. Reward for completing the mission: Underwater World dungeon 2, Mermaid Princess."

Kin in peril! Two of them – who could they be?

Tang Fei immediately started counting those she considered kin. She had just spoken to her family, and they were all doing well, preparing to fly to the capital for the New Year celebrations.

A Zhou was bombarded with calls right after landing.

Tan Youming flooded his social media feed daily.

...

After pondering for a while, Tang Fei's gaze fell on Shu Xiaoan, who had just finished checking in and entered the room.

Could it be Little An? Was her father's condition not good? Had she concealed the true situation at home?

She must clarify this later. The system's red text indicated that it was no trivial matter.

But besides Little An, who else could it be?

She ran through her list of relatives and friends, dismissing each one. There seemed to be no other possibility.

For the first time since arriving in this world, Tang Fei's mind spun rapidly. Her eyes scanned the system's card slots, finally settling on the Insight Card.

There was only one Insight Card left. With its ability to reveal the cause and outcome of events like watching a movie, it could be decisive in many situations.

She has significantly contributed to acquiring unique information that would undoubtedly be useful in the main mission.

A sensible and intelligent approach might be to conserve it, ready to deploy when the main storyline stalls.

But, alas, people often prefer occasional moments of irrationality, allowing emotions to triumph over reason. In the face of a crisis involving loved ones, their vitality overshadows the cold, detached tasks.

"Insight Card" "Activate"

"Uncover the Omissions in the Cause and Effect of the Crisis Endangering My Beloved Ones."

The scene in Tang Fei's eyes began to shift, and the slightly plump figure of Min Kai materialized before her. His small, pea-sized eyes were partially concealed by his hair as he minced through the dressing room with an elegant, lotus-like finger extended. Upon spotting her, his eyes widened in delightful surprise.

That was something that happened not long after she first arrived, on the set of Zhu Xiansheng's production.

The scene skips, and Min Kai, through diligent self-study based on the makeup photos she provided, masters the art of makeup. He then switches careers to join a styling studio.

As the timeline reached the point where their studio had secured the opportunity to style her for a signing ceremony, the scene depicted him in a hotel room engaged in an argument with a man named Gao Mingyi, whose head was crowned with blond hair. In the early hours of the morning, he stealthily replaced the water in the bottle with mineral water while Gao Mingyi was freshening up.

Little did I expect that the shadows of crisis lurking behind the signing ceremony would be quietly erased.

The scene skips forward to the day of the signing ceremony. In the backstage restroom, Min Kai encounters Gao Mingyi, who is heard pleading for mercy.

...

With furrowed brows, the blond storms out of the restroom, issuing a threatening warning: "Mind your own business, you'll regret it!"

The scene shifts to a moonless, starless night. Dim streetlights and distant city lights cast an eerie darkness around the area.

Min Kai appears on the rooftop of a towering building. By comparing the surroundings, it's clear that he's at the top of the infamous New Field Plaza, a well-known abandoned construction project in the outskirts of Beijing – once a popular spot for social media influencers.

The frost-covered rooftop is slippery, causing Min Kai to struggle to maintain his balance. He leans on the railing, closing his eyes due to a fear of heights. "I'm here, Gao Mingyi. Show yourself. You said you know who my wife ran off with. Whatever price you want for that information, I'll pay."

After a long wait, a bottle rolls from the corner, followed by Gao Mingyi, wielding a kitchen knife. He kicks aside a pile of shattered glass bottles, his face flushed like Guan Yu, the legendary warrior, reeking of alcohol. "Min Kai, you finally showed up. I thought you were too scared to come. Your wife? Haha, how would I know who she ran off with? All I know is that you secretly did a DNA test on your son, and he's not yours! She left a note and disappeared, leaving you to raise another man's child, hoping she'd come back. What a pathetic, miserable creature you are."

Gao Mingyi's words turn Min Kai's face ashen, shattering any remaining hope. Looking at the knife in Gao Mingyi's hand, Min Kai's legs tremble with fear, but he still stands tall for his son. "I raised him, so he's my son. He only has me as his father. I am not pitiful; I pity you even more."

"Your wife must have left you because you're too effeminate," Gao Mingyi mocked, imitating Min Kai's gestures with a dainty finger. "How terrifying, hahaha."

Gao Mingyi advanced menacingly, and Min Kai turned to run. The frost on the rooftop caused him to slip, crashing hard onto the ground.

He turned back, scraping along the ground as he retreated. "Gao Mingyi, we live in a society ruled by law. Don't act impulsively, don't harm yourself! I'm calling the police, they'll be here soon." Min Kai fumbled for his phone in his pocket but couldn't steady his hand enough to dial the number.

Gao Mingyi's face was flushed with rage. He lunged forward, pinning Min Kai down and sending the phone flying from his grasp. "Today, I have nothing to lose! Even if you take me to be executed right now, I won't flinch! If I'm going to die, I'll drag you down with me. You meddlesome brat, why do you stick your nose into other people's business? Do you have too many hands? Too many, huh?"

Gao Mingyi grabbed the kitchen knife and positioned it over Min Kai's right hand, raising it high before bringing it down with a vicious swing.

Min Kai's screams pierced through the sky. The blade sank halfway into his palm, blood gushing out and pooling on the icy white ground.

"I told you not to reach out!"

Tang Fei's heart contracted. The sight of crimson blood, a mangled knife, and swollen flesh jolted her brain. She covered her mouth, feeling nauseous as fear filled her eyes.

She had always lived in a bright and orderly world, and this was her first encounter with such a gruesome scene in the real world, outside of virtual reality.