Chapter 98: Assassination

Chapter 98: Assassination

The fight downstairs was nearing its end. Amber had no interest in prolonging the battle and delivered a kick to Fang Yun's abdomen, sending him flying. Because he had deliberately held back some of his strength, the other party merely stumbled back a few steps, falling into the crowd of onlookers, rather than rolling on the ground in an undignified manner.

Several familiar male bugs, seeing this, hurriedly helped Fang Yun up from the ground. Their expressions could not hide their shock as they anxiously asked, "Sir Fang Yun, are you alright?!"

"Do you need to go to the infirmary?!"

"Sir Amber, your move was too harsh. I'm going to complain to Major Kevin!"

Upon hearing this, the male bugs from Vogel's faction were immediately displeased. They shouted across the middle of the battlefield:

"Fang Yun is just a poor fighter, and you still have the nerve to complain?!"

"Oh~ So in the military, if you lose a fight, you can complain about it. Vogel, take note. Don't just suffer silently every time you get beaten up. Next time, we'll also file a complaint."

Just as both sides were at an impasse, a stern and deep voice suddenly echoed from above the stairs: "What's all this commotion! Is the cafeteria a place for you to fight?! If you have so much energy, all of you should immediately go out for field training. Don't waste food here!"

Everyone looked up at the sound, only to see General Giles suddenly descending with a group of military department officials. They hastily saluted, chattering:

"General!"

"General!"

General Giles approached and realized that the ones fighting were indeed two male bugs. His gaze lingered for a few seconds on Amber, who had exceptional skills, before he frowned and asked, "What happened just now?!"

Vogel rushed to report first, "General Giles, I was just having a conversation with my colleague when Sir Fang Yun suddenly rushed over and accused me of harassing a female bug. Amber couldn't bear to watch and tried to mediate, but Fang Yun attacked us!"

It was another one of those petty squabbles over love.

Vogel was clearly not a first-time offender. General Giles didn't even bother asking for details, his brows furrowed deeply: "Sir Vogel, I've said many times that in a place like the military department, every bug must be mindful of their words and actions, especially in public. I don't want today's incident to happen again. The bugs involved in the fight will have a record of misconduct in their files, and submit a self-criticism tomorrow!"

Bugs involved in the fight? That would be Amber and Fang Yun, wouldn't it?

General Giles always had this kind of personality, hitting both sides with equal force, so neither side could feel wronged. After all, if a female bug committed an offense, they could still receive corporal punishment, but handling the pampered male bugs was more complicated.

Ludwig stood quietly behind, not saying a word. He lowered his eyes, idly spinning the iris ring on his ring finger, seemingly indifferent to the outcome of the fight. However, his military boots moved slightly, discreetly nudging Lu Suti's foot.

Lu Suti instantly understood: "General Giles, so many tables in the cafeteria have been damaged. If it's just a record of misconduct and a self-criticism, isn't that punishment too light?"

Lu Suti thought simply. A good friend kicking him must be hinting at something. What could it be?

One of the bugs causing trouble was Amber, who had rejected his marriage proposal. How could Ludwig, with his narrow-mindedness, not hold a grudge? He must think the punishment is too lenient and wants him to speak up on his behalf, but he doesn't want to step forward himself.

The logic was perfect.

Lu Suti was still gloating, completely unaware that Ludwig had secretly glanced at him, his gaze icy cold, sharper than a knife.

General Giles then noticed the damage to the cafeteria tables and added through gritted teeth, "The loss to the cafeteria will be deducted from their salaries!"

Ludwig had to speak up, seemingly casually: "General, I heard Sir Vogel say earlier that it was Sir Fang Yun who made the first move?"

There was an unwritten rule in the military department: regardless of what happened or which side was at fault, the one who suffered the harshest punishment was always the one who made the first move. If it was Fang Yun who made the first move, Amber fought back in self-defense. In that case, it should be Fang Yun who was punished, not Amber.

Ludwig's sudden interjection left General Giles unable to ignore it. He looked at Fang Yun suspiciously and asked, "Sir Fang Yun, was it really you who made the first move?"

He actually had a good impression of Fang Yun. Although somewhat rash and prone to fighting, his character was upright, and he was very protective of female bugs. As long as he didn't cause any major trouble, he would always show some leniency.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Fang Yun couldn't deny it. He could only admit, "Yes, Vogel was harassing Koni, and I couldn't stand it, so I intervened. I didn't expect Sir Amber to side with Vogel, holding onto my hand without letting go. That's how we accidentally got into a conflict..."

Hearing this, Amber smiled, thinking that Fang Yun wasn't as rash as people said; he was quite cunning: "Sir Fang Yun, you said that Vogel was harassing Koni. Do you have any evidence? Or, to put it another way, did you ask Koni about her thoughts?"

After saying this, he turned his head to look at Koni beside him, his gaze accurately meeting hers. He asked nonchalantly, "Koni, did Sir Vogel harass you just now?"

Amber asked with confidence.

First, he could tell that Koni didn't dislike Vogel, and her coldness earlier seemed more like jealousy. Second, in this era, a female bug's reputation was more valuable than gold. Even if she was truly harassed, she wouldn't say so in public. Third, Vogel came from a powerful family background, and no female bug would be foolish enough to offend him.

Taking all these factors into account, Amber was almost certain of Koni's answer. She looked worriedly at Vogel and hesitantly said, "No... No... Sir Vogel just wanted to talk to me. Sir Fang Yun misunderstood, which led to the accidental conflict..."

Fang Yun's expression turned ugly for a moment. Amber, however, smiled slightly and continued, "Sir Fang Yun, I stopped you just now because I didn't want you to hurt the innocent. I fought back purely in self-defense, with no intention of targeting anyone. I hope you don't read too much into it."

Amber never left any room for others to seize a handle on him. Even if Fang Yun wanted to refute it, he couldn't find any loopholes. The scene fell into silence for a moment.

General Giles surveyed the surroundings and had to intervene to settle the situation: "Since the cause of this incident lies with Sir Fang Yun, let him bear the responsibility. He will compensate for the damaged tables and chairs in the cafeteria, have a record of misconduct in his file, and submit a self-criticism. Do you have any objections?"

Fang Yun currently had no power or background and could only temporarily endure. Hearing this, he slowly exhaled: "No."

General Giles nodded in satisfaction. Finally, he looked at Amber and couldn't help but praise him, "Sir, your skills are very impressive. The Black Eagle Corps of the Third Army is currently recruiting trainees. If you're interested, you should give it a try."

Male bugs weren't entirely ineffective on the battlefield. On the contrary, they were the best support for military females. Powerful female bugs, once they lost themselves in the heat of battle, might experience a surge in strength, losing all rationality. Male bugs' mental abilities could soothe them from a distance, more effective than any medicine.

Unfortunately, the battlefield was unpredictable, and few male bugs were willing to endure such hardships. But General Giles felt that since Amber could hone such skills, he shouldn't mind these things.

Amber didn't refuse: "Thank you, I'll consider it."

Thus, the storm passed.

When Ludwig followed General Giles away, he didn't look at Amber once from beginning to end. But whether intentional or not, their pinkies lightly brushed against each other as they passed by, then quickly withdrew.

"..."

Amber was taken aback. Realizing what had happened, he looked down at his fingers. The tingling sensation remained, and he chuckled softly, thinking, 'How did we make it seem like we were having an affair?'

Fang Yun had suffered a setback, but it wasn't a complete loss. Seeing General Giles and the others leave, Xiflai walked up to Fang Yun from among the onlookers and cautiously asked, "Sir, are you alright?"

Seeing Xiflai, Fang Yun instinctively straightened his back, finally dispelling some of his dejection. He scratched his head and said carelessly, "I'm fine. It's just compensation and writing a self-criticism. It's not a big deal."

Xiflai also smiled and nodded: "I believe you acted out of good intentions and certainly didn't mean to start a fight."

As he said this, his gaze inadvertently swept over to Amber on his side. His eyes flickered, and his cheeks flushed slightly red. However, the male didn't even glance in their direction. He merely exchanged a few words with Vog and then turned around to leave the cafeteria. He seemed gentle, but in reality, he was cold and distant.

Sevrai's disappointment was palpable.

Seeing this, Fang Yun felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest. The hand hanging by his side unconsciously clenched tighter, harboring a frustration known only to himself.

...

"Ludwig, has the sun risen from the west in Heiz City today? You actually took the initiative to plead for Lord Amber? He broke off your engagement. Don't you hate him?"

After leaving the military cafeteria, Lusuti asked a string of questions in quick succession. His tone couldn't hide his surprise. This was clearly not the Ludwig he remembered.

Ludwig adjusted his military cap under the sunlight, seemingly indifferent to the question. "I just don't like seeing that unknown male lord it over the military. Vog has already been beaten up by him several times. If I didn't give him a lesson today, wouldn't it be trampling on the face of the Lanyi family?"

Although Vog was Ludwig's cousin, if one were to consider their relationship, it might be better than that with Sevrai, his biological younger brother.

Lusuti stroked his chin and nodded, accepting this reason. "Okay, but honestly, Lord Amber seems to be getting... increasingly popular. Aren't you considering remarrying him?"

Remarriage?

If Ludwig said he hadn't thought about it, he would be lying. But Amber had never mentioned this matter, nor had he publicly acknowledged their relationship within the military. At this moment, when Lusuti suddenly brought it up, Ludwig couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.

...

Late at night, Amber had returned home after work. As he was about to select clothes for the next day from his wardrobe, the corner of his eye caught something unusual about the window. The light-colored curtains, which had originally hung naturally, were slowly parted as if by an invisible force before closing again. A sense of vigilance rose in his heart.

"..."

Amber continued his actions as usual, hanging the neatly organized coat into the wardrobe. However, his ears perked up. He keenly sensed an unfamiliar presence in the bedroom. When he deliberately lightened his breathing, he could even hear the faint sound of footsteps moving.

But there was clearly no one in the house.

Amber turned around to continue making the bed. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he accidentally tore a small hole in the quilt. With a strong shake of his hands, the goose down inside burst out like snowflakes, flying all over the room.

Some of the goose down drifted down, while some eerily floated in mid-air, outlining a vague silhouette by the bed.

"Bang—!"

In a split second, Amber's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly lunged forward, kicking the invisible figure. He could clearly feel that he had struck a physical body similar to flesh, and the opponent began to retaliate swiftly. The sound of rushing wind echoed in his ears.

The soundproofing of the door was excellent, so the commotion in the bedroom didn't arouse any suspicion outside.

Amber and the transparent figure engaged in a fierce battle in the confined space of the bedroom. Since he couldn't see his opponent, he could only locate them by sound. After roughly a hundred exchanges, neither side gained the upper hand.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Amber picked up scattered pieces of a vase on the ground and crushed them with his inner strength. Suddenly, he shot them in all directions at high speed, creating a whistling sound.

"Ugh!"

A low, barely audible cry of pain sounded. Suddenly, a trace of blood appeared floating in the air. The half-open window was abruptly slammed open by someone, and the grass rustled as a heavy object hit the ground. The transparent figure, clutching its wound, fled into the night, disappearing completely.

Amber didn't pursue. In the confined room, he could still occupy a somewhat advantageous position, but outside, the night was silent. The enemy was in the dark, and he was in the light. He feared he might lose his life carelessly.

Amber raised his hand to brush away the goose down that had fallen in front of his eyes. In a daze, he seemed to hear a strange mechanical voice that gradually faded away:

"Ding! Stealth skill is about to cool down!"

Was it an illusion?

Amber furrowed his brows. "System, what exactly happened just now?"

A black heart quietly materialized from the air, accompanied by the same mechanical voice, albeit with a hint of human negative emotions, such as mockery. "What do you want to know?"

Amber's voice deepened. "Why could that assassin become invisible?"

The system stated matter-of-factly, "You have a system, so of course, he has a system too. Hosts can exchange skills and items from their systems. What's so special about invisibility?"

It laughed maliciously. "You have ten thousand points. You can exchange for it if you want."

Amber calmly declined. "No need."

Those skills were mere icing on the cake for him. Their absence didn't affect him much. A resurrection pill cost nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine points. He preferred to spend his money where it mattered most.

The system, recalling something, added, "Oh, there's something I must remind you of."

Amber raised an eyebrow. "What?"

The system: "Each host's mission has a time limit. That assassin also has one. His mission is to kill you within two months. In other words, after two months, one of you must die."

"In the next two months, you have to be careful..."

After the system finished speaking, it vanished, leaving a chill in the air that sent shivers down one's spine.

Hearing this, Amber frowned. He felt troubled. Two months—a period that wasn't long but wasn't short either. No one knew if the opponent would turn into a rabid dog and counterattack at the last minute. He wasn't afraid of a smart opponent, but he didn't want to deal with a madman.

Amber was so engrossed in his thoughts that he neglected the subtle sounds behind him. Unbeknownst to him, a shadow had appeared outside the window. It silently leaped into the room and approached him from behind.