Chapter 199

Chapter 199

The "others" Xue Ji mentioned arrived at the palace a few days later via Gene—a thick, dark brown liquid, each tiny tube about the size of a finger. Asuer drank one, and the bitterness nearly numbed his tongue.

Bracing himself against the bitterness, he transferred these liquids into a special storage cabinet by the bedside. After finishing, he noticed a layer of chocolates underneath, like the ones he'd had that day, all wrapped in foil, shaped like that pink pillow, bright and tempting.

Asuer froze for a second, then pushed the chocolates aside. Beneath them lay a collar-like item in a transparent box, similar to the Inhibition Ring from before—gold set with jade, but with more intricate patterns. It had a gap on one side, linked by a pearl chain at both ends, and in the middle, two gold chains hung a tasseled gold lock, set with an imperial-green pigeon-egg gem.

It looked like some kind of ornament, but the empire had never produced anything like it.

Asuer picked it up. Under the light, he could see a flowing, sand-like substance slowly moving inside the gold lock and the jade in the center of the collar.

This clearly pricey item came with only a very concise instruction manual.

"High-Power Suppression Neck Ring. Wearing it too long can damage the gland; do not wear unless necessary. The packaging is a special storage box for regular safekeeping. If broken, get away from it immediately."

Asuer stashed it away with great care, then found a glass jar and put all the chocolates inside. He paced around the bedroom with the jar for a bit before finally deciding to place it by the bedside.

After a moment's thought, he sent Xue Ji a message: "Received the items, thank you."

Xue Ji replied promptly: "Don't forget our deal."

"Okay."

Asuer tucked away his light brain and headed to the study.

Post-war stuff was a drag; even just compensating the soldiers who died in the war was a huge deal. The Senate just had to follow protocol and hand out the money, but the Monarch had to go to the military himself to give speeches and comfort the troops. The speech would air live on the StarNet, with the whole empire watching, he couldn't afford a single slip-up.

That day came soon enough.

Asuer took his meds ahead of time, injected a suppressant, put on the two suppression rings from Xue Ji, changed into his formal attire, buttoned every button, pinned on the falcon badge, and, escorted by the Knight Order, he arrived at the military HQ.

The media was already there waiting. As soon as he appeared, a crowd swarmed him with cameras and mics. The Knight Order raised their rifles to clear the way. Asuer, stone-faced and looking straight ahead, walked into the venue.

The place was packed. Asuer swept his gaze across and spotted Xue Ji sitting in the first row, on the right side, dressed all in black—from his tie and shirt to his suit and shoes, even the little bit of sock showing from his crossed legs was black. Only a neatly folded white silk handkerchief poked out of his suit's breast pocket. His glasses frames were also black, and his hair was combed back entirely, with a few strands falling over one temple, striking a balance between his rank and not looking too stiff.

With that cold expression, he looked like a classy scumbag.

Next to him sat Kexinia, and beyond them were the old geezers from the Senate and a bunch of noble dukes.

Asuer caught his eye from across the crowd, gave a slight nod, and stepped up to the podium.

Xue Ji's gaze followed him. As Asuer stood at the podium, his eyes instinctively drifted that way, and he saw Xue Ji curl the corner of his mouth just a little.

The cold suppression neck ring pressed against his chest under the formal clothes. Asuer felt a wave of confidence, opened his mouth, and spoke more calmly than ever.

"To all soldiers and compatriots, as the ruler of the Falken Empire..."

The live broadcast ran longer than expected, with nonstop questions from the crowd. Even though Asuer kept his answers short, the calm he exuded put all the soldiers and citizens watching at ease.

Below the stage.

A few senators and dukes exchanged looks, their faces sour.

From start to finish, the Monarch showed no signs of anything off, no symptoms of his pheromone disorder flaring up. Could Xue Ji really have found a cure?

That wouldn't be good news.

The broadcast wrapped up smoothly. The Monarch left first, the media dispersed under the guidance of on-site guards, and the rest gradually departed. Xue Ji stood up, texted Gene to bring the aircraft around, and was about to leave when he heard a cold snort from behind.

"Looks like Chief Xue's research has been pretty effective."

Xue Ji turned and saw Arvin Williams with a sour look, standing next to Count Villard and another elderly male Alpha, potbellied, who, on closer look, bore a slight resemblance to Arvin.

"Chief Xue, it's been a while since our last gathering," Villard said with a smile. "This is Duke Williams. He has long admired your achievements and wanted to meet you, but both of you have been busy with official duties, and the timing never worked out. Since you're both here today, I took the liberty of setting this up. Hope it's not too sudden?"

"Not at all, Count," Xue Ji replied with a smile. "This is my oversight; I should have been the one to visit the Duke." He extended his hand toward Duke Williams. "Duke, a pleasure to meet you."

Duke Williams lifted his chin, his expression barely concealing his arrogance. The other two fell silent, one with a cold face and the other with a smile, watching.

Xue Ji's smile remained unchanged, and he did not withdraw his hand.

The air froze for a few seconds.

Only after Duke Williams felt he had put on enough airs did he deign to raise his hand and briefly touch Xue Ji's fingertips. "Chief Xue, I've heard much about you."

"So, Arvin often mentions me?"

Arvin immediately looked as if he was about to vomit.

Kexinia watched this scene coldly from the sidelines.

His injuries were still healing; though he could walk without a wheelchair, he was not as agile as before. After walking a short distance, he found a seat and sat down, planning to leave once the crowd thinned. Who would have thought he'd witness such a show?

Due to the seats and Xue Ji's figure blocking the view, the three—Williams, Villard, and Arvin—could not see him at all, but Xue Ji's peripheral vision caught him constantly. Yet Xue Ji had such composure that he pretended not to see him, not even glancing his way.

Kexinia used his eyes to stop the commander nearby from approaching, while casually glancing at a person standing sideways in the aisle, noting the blinking indicator light on their wrist light brain and the micro-earpiece in their ear. He let out a silent, cold laugh.

It seemed there were quite a few spectators for this show.

"Yes, Arvin has mentioned you a few times," Williams said, not expecting anyone to take pleasantries literally, but quickly recovered, steering the conversation toward his goal. "After all, it's rare to see a scientist who can successively lead the same research topic. I think Chief Xue and my son share a rather unique connection."

Arvin was about to throw up.

"I'd like that, but Dean Williams doesn't seem too willing," Xue Ji said, hands in his pockets, standing casually. "If I didn't know that everything Dean Williams does is from the Academy's standpoint, I'd think he was quite dissatisfied with me as Chief."

The Duke said nothing, his expression visibly souring.

He naturally had objections to the new measures in the γ-3 district, and Xue Ji knew it well. He just wanted to see how far these people would go to win him over.

Villard's gaze swept over their faces, then he smiled and said, "Indeed, we're all working for the Academy's prosperity and making real contributions to the empire. Our intentions are good; it's just that our methods differ, and misunderstandings are understandable. In fact, Arvin has mentioned a few times that a project he found hopeless might see a major breakthrough under Chief Xue's hands. And look, it's come true! Pheromone disorder is a notoriously difficult challenge. Truly, as the old saying goes, heroes emerge from youth."

Kexinia had been listening with mild boredom, but now his gaze sharpened, shooting toward Xue Ji like a blade. He saw Xue Ji quickly glance at him. Instantly, he composed his expression, and Xue Ji turned to Villard with a smile. "Count, what do you mean by that?"

Kexinia lowered his eyes, quickly replaying Villard's words in his mind, a flicker of shock rising within him.

Could it be...

But judging by Xue Ji's reaction...

"Chief Xue, with the facts laid out before us, let's not beat around the bush."

"What facts? You're really confusing me."

Villard's smile dimmed a little, but studying Xue Ji's face didn't reveal any cracks. Could Xue Ji really not know? Then what about the Monarch's behavior just now?

Villard's mind was racing. He exchanged a glance with Duke Williams, picking up some kind of signal from it, and after a few seconds probed, "Chief Xue, why'd you take over Aliwen's project back then?"

Xue Ji, acting like he really had a beef with Aliwen, replied upon hearing this, "I didn't know this project was ever labeled with Aliwen's name."

He's missing the point.

Villard cursed under his breath, but put on a placating smile as he said, "That's foolish talk. I mean, what about the RSP-BIO-PHE011 project caught Chief Xue's eye?"

Kexinia frowned at that, his eyes casually sweeping to see the figure in the aisle had turned their back, fingers quickly pressing his earpiece.

"What's this 'caught my eye' business?" Xue Ji said. "I'm already buried in my own projects. Unless absolutely necessary, why would a guy like me, who spends all day turning wrenches, take on such a delicate job?"

Indeed, Villard realized with a start that Xue Ji's specialty wasn't in the biomedical field—it was practically unrelated. Could it be the Monarch used Xue Ji to transfer this project and had someone else secretly research it?

That would make sense. Villard was mulling this over when he suddenly heard Xue Ji sigh.

"I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off every day, just hoping to get through this rough patch. After the bidding conference is over, I want to take a real breather, put all projects aside, and go on a vacation."

"Reasonable, reasonable." Villard was thrilled at this. If Xue Ji left, they'd likely regain control of the situation. "Has Chief Xue already decided where to go?"

Xue Ji named a planet, notorious for its many high-end spots like auction houses, casinos, and nightclubs, nicknamed the Entertainment Capital. "These days, everything's going up in price. I'd love to have a blast, but I'm afraid I can't afford to party for long."

"How could that be?" Villard's eyes darted, hinting at something. "I believe the bidding conference under Chief Xue's leadership will surely conclude successfully. Once that heavy burden is lifted, Chief Xue can relax for as many days as you like."

The mention of hosting the bidding conference left Aliwen stunned. He was about to speak when the Duke's cold glare pinned him in place.

Xue Ji pretended not to notice, revealing a knowing smile. "Then I'll take the Count's good words to heart."

The three of them laughed fake and friendly, making Kexinia sick to his stomach. In these seemingly ordinary exchanges lay countless dirty dealings. He knew the ways of the Senate and nobility well, but he hadn't expected the seemingly detached Xue Ji to be involved.

As he endured this, Duke Williams rolled his eyes and gave Xue Ji a subtle smirk. "So, Chief Xue, you mean you don't know about His Maj..."

Kexinia gripped the armrest.

"Chief Xue."

The Duke's words were cut off by a loud voice. Kexinia looked up to see the Left Knight Captain striding in from the front door of the venue, stopping a few steps from the four. After scanning the group, he said, "His Majesty summons you."

"Coming." Xue Ji responded. "Duke, what were you about to say?"

Duke Williams looked rather regretful. Then he glanced at Devalen, then at Xue Ji, as if suddenly understanding something, revealing a triumphant realization.

So Xue Ji doesn't know the Monarch is a cripple.

He smiled. "Nothing important. I'll have another chance to chat with Chief Xue later."

Xue Ji nodded slightly. "Then I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead."

Xue Ji left with Devalen, followed shortly by Williams and his party, and then the figure in the aisle vanished. Kexinia released his grip, sitting for a while until the Commander approached.

"Marshal, should we warn..."

He was too far away to hear the specifics, but he could grasp the general situation.

"Warn about what?" Kexinia sneered. "Do you think those knights' eyes are for nothing? It's not our place to meddle."