Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Next to the bar, a department store beckoned. Eve hurried in, bought the priciest scent eliminator, and doused herself liberally until every trace of alcohol was gone. Only then did she follow Qin Mengde.

It was while spraying the eliminator that she finally, with some effort, recalled the other woman’s name.

From that initial glance, Qin Mengde seemed to sense she was being watched. She deliberately quickened her pace, but Eve, empowered by her Luna Butterfly, clung to her like gum to a shoe, a persistent shadow.

Qin Mengde weaved through a labyrinth of alleys, turning left and right. Eve had never imagined such a complex, almost subterranean, chase could unfold in the capital planet’s central district.

In the city’s bustling heart, striking landmark skyscrapers soared, interspersed with lower-rise commercial buildings, naturally forming narrow, pedestrian-only lanes. Qin Mengde expertly navigated the crowds, often slipping into the front of a bar or shop and emerging from its back exit.

Her counter-surveillance instincts were formidable. Had Eve not stuck to her every step, she was certain she would have been lost midway.

The chase finally ended at the Capital Grand Theater. At first, Eve didn't recognize the place—a plain stainless steel door, set into the back of the vibrant downtown, as unremarkable as any service entrance.

She watched Qin Mengde retrieve a key from her waist, insert it into the lock, and with a click, the door opened. Qin Mengde pushed it inward and stepped through. Seeing her chance, Eve instinctively followed, squeezing herself inside before the door could fully close.

Leaning against the wall inside was another figure, a young man by the sound of his voice, also cloaked in black. Upon seeing Qin Mengde, he smiled. “You came after all. I thought you’d never bring yourself to leave the Cavendish lion’s den.”

So, Qin Mengde had come out behind the Cavendish family’s back?

Eve was unsure of their relationship, but she was nonetheless surprised. Isabella’s high regard for Qin Mengde during the practical project had been undeniable. With the powerful Cavendish family’s backing, if Qin Mengde joined the military, she would at least begin as a Legion Commander.

…What immense benefits had this man in black and his organization offered to sway Qin Mengde?

“I’m only here to hear what you have to say,” Qin Mengde said, her voice low and cold, taking two steps aside, seemingly unenthusiastic. “I haven’t agreed to anything. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Those two steps placed her perfectly between Eve and the man in black. Being taller than Eve, she completely obstructed Eve’s view of him.

With no other option, Eve discreetly moved to the side. Behind her, equipment was stacked high, and she tiptoed carefully to avoid touching the piled alloy props.

The young man seemed accustomed to her demeanor. He merely shrugged, saying indifferently, “Alright, your presence alone is an honor. Come, the area has been cleared, and the best seat is reserved for you.”

Qin Mengde offered no further response. They navigated a dark passage, walking for what felt like an eternity before light finally reappeared. The stark white glare of spotlights cascaded from above, and crimson curtains parted, revealing an exquisitely crafted stage set.

They had arrived at the grand theater.

Thousands of red velvet seats were arranged in neat, tiered rows, divided into several sections. In the central VIP area, two men in black stood, presumably guarding the reserved seats the young man had mentioned.

Qin Mengde unceremoniously claimed the central seat. The young man, seemingly of higher status than the other two, sat in the row behind Qin Mengde instead of standing. Beyond them, the area was empty.

Eve chose an unoccupied seat further back with a good vantage point, allowing her to observe both the stage and the others’ movements.

Suddenly, a burst of stirring instrumental music erupted from the stage, drawing her attention back. Eve had always lacked appreciation for high art like opera, and could only barely discern the story from the drawn-out performance.

It was a typical space opera. The protagonist, the emperor’s illegitimate daughter, began as a struggling child from the slums. After her royal bloodline was accidentally discovered, court officials brought her to the palace.

Initially, lacking proper etiquette, the protagonist was often mocked by others in the palace. Yet, she remained resilient, unaffected by these slights, and diligently worked to improve herself. Ultimately, she ascended the throne, becoming an empress who conquered lands and ruled the universe—a legendary tale.

A clichéd plot, perhaps, but the script was well-written. Enhanced by sound, light, and visual effects, the performance was visually stunning. The supporting characters were also well-developed: the incompetent emperor, the spiteful empress, the ambitious crown prince, and various nobles, both sinister and kind, each with distinct traits, presenting a grand spectacle of upper-class life. Eve found it quite engaging.

“……‘The Legend of the Dawn Empress’,” Qin Mengde, who had been flanked by the men in black, finally spoke, her bored gaze drifting from the nearly concluded performance. “One of the empire’s hundred greatest classic operas. Is this why you invited me here?”

The speaker may have been casual, but the listener was attentive. Eve secretly searched on her terminal. Indeed, such an opera existed, but the protagonist’s characterization differed from the performance—in the original, the female lead was an unloved legitimate daughter, not an illegitimate one.

The latter was more universally accepted. Eve couldn’t help but wonder why the men in black had altered the original story.

“I thought you would have understood our meaning.”

“Oh? You flatter me.”

“There’s no need for such modesty,” the young man, sensing her rejection, grew anxious. “Or have you truly placed your hopes on the Cavendish family? Don’t forget, the head of the Cavendish family is the current empress’s elder sister.”

“……” Qin Mengde’s tone turned cold. “What does that have to do with you?”

……Wait.

Eve was stunned. Could this opera be a deliberate allusion to Qin Mengde—the emperor’s illegitimate daughter?

She gasped.

In the original novel, there was indeed an illegitimate princess.

She was the empire’s Fourth Princess, Chris Otto, and, aside from the Zerg Queen, the novel’s most powerful antagonist.

Villains meet their end in many ways: death by personal entanglements, like Eve; death by vendettas, like Luo Lin; or as quickly dispatched cannon fodder, of which there were countless.

But this Fourth Princess was different. She had no emotional entanglements, no weaknesses—her only flaw was her somewhat embarrassing origins, which were merely one facet of her beautiful, powerful, yet tragic life.

If the original Eve was merely mischievous, this princess was downright diabolical. In the novel, to compete for the throne, she allied herself with the Zerg, using the Zerg war to systematically eliminate her political rivals and the nobles who had once humiliated her. Her methods were clean, almost flawless.

Had the female protagonist not saved Isabella Cavendish, who narrowly escaped death on the battlefield, the princess’s deeds might never have been exposed, even after her ascension.

Of course, karma prevailed, and the princess ultimately met her end at Isabella’s hands.

A formidable antagonist, and Eve felt her demise was purely a plot device—forcing someone who should have died to survive and expose the mastermind. It felt far-fetched.

When she first realized Qin Mengde was a character not present in the original plot, Eve had considered that she might have died before the story began, or that she had another identity, reappearing later in a different guise. After all, her mysterious mask and cloak suggested she had significant origins.

But among all her guesses, she never imagined Qin Mengde would turn out to be the novel’s greatest antagonist, the empire’s Fourth Princess.

—Weren’t she and Isabella mortal enemies in the original novel? How did they have such a close past?

Eve: “……”

This relationship was utterly messy. Holding her breath, she gripped the back of the seat in front of her and decided to observe a while longer.

According to Eve’s survival rules as a supporting character, she originally should try to co-opt all antagonists and align with the protagonists as much as possible. But this woman was an exception.

Due to her origins, the princess deeply despised nobles and the privileged class. Moreover, after the Zerg war erupted, the first families she targeted were the four great families.

Eve remembered this part clearly. When the Zerg war suddenly erupted, the Fourth Princess proposed that the nobles contribute personnel first. The four great families bore the brunt, especially the Medici family. Due to their extensive family branches, they were forced to send the most people to the battlefield. Coincidentally, this coincided with Luo Lin’s family rebellion. The suppressed rebels and traitors were all sent to the battlefield by Cecil.

Not only did this not harm Cecil’s power in the slightest, but it also helped him eliminate his enemies completely, securing his position as family head. It was a stroke of heaven-assisted opportunism that left Eve's mouth twitching with irony.

On the other hand, Qin Mengde seemed somewhat persuaded by the man in black. Presumably, her feelings toward the Cavendish family were complicated. After all, her early tragic experiences were closely tied to the empress’s clandestine persecution, yet the Cavendish family, which had recognized her talents and given her opportunity, was the empress’s maternal family.

Caught between gratitude and hatred, it was only natural she found it difficult to decide.

She let out a slow sigh and stood up. “Let me think about it.”

Understanding that she needed time to process, the man in black didn’t pressure her for an immediate answer. Instead, he considerately stood up to see her out.

But before leaving, he couldn’t help adding, “I know you need time to consider, but opportunities wait for no one. In two months, the imperial family will host the New Year’s Glory Ball. This is the last chance you’ll have to seize before coming of age. If you miss this opportunity, it will be much harder for you to enter high society later!”

Yes, Eve remembered Qin Mengde was the same age as Isabella, and Isabella was two years older than her. That meant Qin Mengde was already eighteen. The New Year’s Glory Ball would last a week, starting three days before the new year and ending four days into the new year, precisely coinciding with her coming of age.

In capital planet society, the earlier one started, the better. The Medici family had done the same, hosting a banquet under the pretext of Cecil’s birthday to give the branch family children, who had arrived at the main family less than a month prior, their first social debut.

If she missed this New Year's ball hosted by the royal family, given her already less-than-ideal background and failure to officially begin social engagements before coming of age, Qin Mengde's future development would inevitably suffer significant negative impacts.

"Let's talk later." Even so, her reply remained steady and composed.

Seeing that Qin Mengde was truly heading for the door while the man in black remained, watching her depart, Eve no longer hesitated and quickly stood up to follow.

Just after exiting the back door, she paused in surprise.

Qin Mengde was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she stood straight, leaning thoughtfully against the wall. The angle she chose was extremely tricky: the eaves of two shops formed a right-angled gap here, perfectly concealing her entire figure.

She seemed to be waiting for someone.

Noticing this, Eve stepped down the steps one by one and called out, "Miss Qin."

"The person watching me from upstairs earlier was you, wasn't it?" Hearing a voice seemingly come out of nowhere, Qin Mengde didn't seem surprised, still maintaining a calm and composed demeanor.

If it weren't for her hand subtly pressing against her waist, the outline of a weapon faintly visible under her black robe, Eve might have almost believed her unfazed attitude.

"Although I don't know how you avoided my detection and followed me here," she said coolly, "you might as well state your purpose."

The wind blew gently, perfectly masking the subtle killing intent emanating from the woman. Eve sighed and, seeing how wary she was, knew that a gradual approach would be ineffective.

For someone like Qin Mengde, it was almost impossible to move her with mere words or so-called sincerity. Earlier in the theater, the man in black had specially arranged such a heartfelt opera for her—even Eve, who had no appreciation for the arts, felt somewhat immersed—yet Qin Mengde only gave a "consideration" after the performance ended.

Eve felt her own persuasion skills were shallow. Rather than wasting words, it would be better to directly state her intentions and propose a concrete plan for an exchange of interests.

Compared to a friend, the other party was clearly more suited to be a straightforward partner.

Having made up her mind, Eve steadied herself and spoke directly: "Do you want to return to the royal family? I can help you."

This alone wasn’t enough to win Qin Mengde over. In contrast, she was more curious about how the other had managed to follow her here.

"Are you an alchemist?" she asked. The bar serving as a clandestine exchange for alchemists was quite famous on the capital planet. "Everything you’ve said, that group from earlier could also do. Why should I cooperate with you instead?"

"Yes," Eve replied, aware of her own advantages, so she openly acknowledged her identity.

Eve said calmly, "If I were you, I wouldn’t agree to cooperate with them. After all, accepting their help now could lead to their coercion and control later. But I’m different. I’m just an alchemist with no affiliations. If you cooperate with me, you can gain the greatest degree of freedom without worrying about being controlled by me."

"If you were truly alone and this capable, you wouldn’t have sought out someone like me, who currently holds no power or influence," Qin Mengde said, seemingly unmoved by her words, her tone still calm.

But her hand slightly moved away from her weapon.

"Of course, there’s nothing about your current self that appeals to me, because I’m investing in your future," Eve laughed. "You don’t need to be so hostile toward me. We’re just engaging in a mutual benefit exchange where each gets what they need."

"How do you propose we each get what we need?"

"Let me think. You haven’t fully decided to return to the royal family yet because you’re worried about being rejected by the upper class, right? Your status as an illegitimate daughter is inglorious, and your mother wasn’t from a noble family. The only possible support you might have happens to be the empress’s maternal family. The empress is powerful, and if you conflict with her, the Cavendish family might not stand up for you."

Her concerns hit home, and Qin Mengde fell silent for a long moment before finally saying, "So what do you plan to do?"

"Your abilities make it not difficult for you to establish yourself in the royal family, but the rejection from high society is a big problem. After all, you can’t kill everyone who dislikes you."

Eve then shifted her tone and said, "What if I can prevent you from being rejected by high society? An alchemist’s connections are valuable resources. I can be your discreet broker, helping you communicate and build relationships with other major nobles."

—This was precisely the best cooperation method Eve could think of with this future princess.

Her own advantage lay in interpersonal connections. The convenient identity of an alchemist, the Medici lineage, and Oliver’s favor—Eve possessed connections that would make ninety-nine percent of the empire envy her. However, her current position of power prevented her from fully utilizing these advantages—her life was still too far removed from these top decision-makers, making it impossible to use these top-tier connections.

But Qin Mengde’s situation was the exact opposite. Soon to enter the royal family, Qin Mengde would be thrust directly into the forefront of power, yet she lacked accumulated connections and noble recognition. Without these, no matter how capable she was, she couldn’t fully utilize her abilities.

The two of them were like one person holding a lot of money but unable to spend it, and another who could spend money but had none. Each had their difficulties, yet they complemented each other perfectly.

"I can offer my resources to help you accumulate reputation, forge connections, boost your standing, and smooth over as many issues as possible when you first enter the royal family. This is difficult for you but simple for me."

Eve said softly, "What you need to do is likewise simple for you but difficult for me—I need you to give me an identity that can operate openly, even if it’s just as a royal advisor, allowing me to serve you and act on your behalf."

Hearing this, Qin Mengde finally showed some interest. Her tone lifted slightly: "Serve me and act on my behalf... It sounds appealing, but how can I trust someone like you, who is so secretive?"

"Ah, that is indeed a problem," Eve glanced at her hand still resting near her waist and mocked, "If your hand could find another place to rest, perhaps I’d be willing to reveal myself to you."

After all, neither of them fully trusted the other yet.

"..." A subtle gleam flickered in Qin Mengde’s eyes. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Your conditions do sound much better than that group’s, but you’ll have to show me something first to prove your capabilities."

Eve sensed the interest in her tone: "What do you want me to do?"

"The New Year’s Glory Ball. If you can secure me a new supporter from the four great families at the New Year’s Glory Ball, I’ll believe you truly have this ability, and we will immediately become each other’s most loyal partners."

"The four great families?"

The air was quiet for a long time. After a soft sigh, the deliberately lowered female voice sounded again in her ear.

"Quite an expensive trial offer. Your ambition is really big," though she said this, Eve was quite satisfied with her ambition inwardly—after all, no one dislikes a motivated partner. "If that’s your wish..."

She deliberately dragged out her words, and the wind in the alley suddenly grew stronger.

Non-existent flying sand momentarily obscured Qin Mengde’s vision. She sensed something approaching and, on impulse, almost drew the golden rope coiled at her waist. But upon sensing no ill will from the other party, she paused and released the rope.

Just as she let go of her weapon, a still-warm hard object was pressed into her hand. It was an alchemical tool used for communication.

It was also what Eve had just taken off her own ear.

"Then I can only obey your command, Your Highness."

A light voice sounded by her ear. Qin Mengde could almost imagine someone, in the unseen, looking at her casually and smiling faintly.

"Pleasure working with you—this is the activation password for the communication device."